El Paisano volume 53 issue 11

EL

PAISANO RIO HONDO COLLEGE NEWSPAPER est. 1964

Tuesday, December 6, 2016

Serving the Rio Hondo Community

Volume 53 Issue 11

Shari Magnus Retires from Rio Hondo Family to Spend More Time With Her Own JAKE LAURELL Reporter

jake.laurell7011@my.riohondo.edu

Shari Magnus Head of Human Resources is retiring from her position at Rio Hondo Community College as Human Resource Coordinator. Magnus had an extensive, prosperous career working at Rio for 45 and a half years, having worked for Rio as a student worker in academic affairs in 1971. She then landed a job in the Human Resources (HR) office in 1973. “It is my family away from home. I love Rio Hondo,” Magnus stated when asked about her thoughts on what it feels like to be part of the school's legacy. When asked about what she would miss most about working at Rio, Magnus said that she would miss the staff and family she established while working, as well as being everyone's first contact, and meeting new colleagues. “Shari is day-in and day-out dedicated to her job. I have seen her interact with others and she has a tremen-

NOAH GARCIA/EL PAISANO Human Resource Coordinator, Shari Magnus, celebrates 45 years of service at Rio Hondo accompanied by her her two daughters and sister. (From left) Amy Magnus, Marsha Folts, Shari Magnus and Julie Magnus.

dous amount of knowledge she can offer,” Loya Nashua, Interim Director of Human Resources, said about Magnus’s work ethic and what it was like to work around her. Nashua has been working with Magnus for a year and seven months. He said that Magnus, even though she

is under constant pressure, always makes things happen. “She is very dedicated to her job, I will get a call from my sister at seven at night saying how much she loves her job,” Marsha Folts said about her sister’s admiration of her career. Folts worked at Rio as

a computer operator in IT (Information Technology) for 40 years. Folts stated that Magnus personally hired a lot of faculty herself and that everyone on campus knew her. Renee Gallegos will be taking over the position of HR Coordinator. Gallegos was previously Senior Adminis-

trative Assistant in Academic Affairs. Gallegos expressed her enthusiasm when asked about tackling her new position. “The beauty of this job is [that] I still get to work with the administrators, faculty, and classified staff, and those from the various campus constituent groups that I have established working relationships with.” Gallegos stated that she was eager to take on this job position of new challenges to grow from it. “I have enjoyed my career here at Rio Hondo and this was a rare chance to return to a department I enjoyed working in with far more knowledge and skills.” Magnus, who was described always as one of the last to leave the office at night even if HR closed their doors at 4:30 p.m., plans to travel around the United States. She stated that she plans to visit Memphis, Tennessee and see New Orleans, Louisiana with her sister and other retirees.

Obama Administration Halts Dakota Access Pipeline After Protesters Tireless Efforts Garner Media Attention tribal officials, the impact was far too great to continue. “The best way to complete that work responsibly and expexavier.alatorre1457@my.riohondo.edu ditiously is to explore alternate routes for pipeline crossing,” Darcy said in a statement, reports NPR. Protesters at the Dakota Access Pipeline Supporters from across the country showed up to achieved victory Sunday morning after the US the cold, arid landscape in solidarity with the tribes and Army Corps of Engineers announced it would demonstrators. Actor Mark Ruffalo began protesting the search for an alternative route for the contropipeline at the end of October. He expressed his gratitude versial pipeline. to the protesters and President Barack Obama on Insta The decision to search for a different path gram Sunday morning. effectively halts construction on the pipe The Obama administration has been responsive to line, reports NPR. The announcement follows environmental groups concerns over pipeline construction. months of protests in which demonstrators were The president had opposed and blocked the construction of brutally suppressed with frigid water, guard the Keystone XL pipeline last year. Furthering his support dogs, and tear gas. for green causes, the outgoing president blocked the con The original route was going to begin in struction of the Dakota Access Pipeline. North Dakota, just North of the Standing Rock For President Obama, environmental groups, and Sioux Reservation, and travel South, terminatthe demonstrators, the victory may be short lived. Presiing in Illinois. The pipeline would have been dent-elect Donald Trump, a supporter of the pipeline and, constructed underneath major water tributarreportedly, an investor in Energy Transfer Partners - a ies, specifically under a Missouri River reservoir. company involved with the pipeline - is likely to reverse Protesters had demanded that the construction the decision upon taking office. stop due to concerns the energy line would have Usually one to take to social media on big news, Trump POSTER BY ERNESTO YERENA on drinking water and the environment. has been quiet regarding the announcement on the pipeProtesting didn’t just occur at the physical Jo-Ellen Darcy, the Army’s assistant secpipeline, artists like Ernesto Yerena protested line. through other means art. retary for civil works, said that after talking to XAVIER ALATORRE News Editor

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El Paisano Tuesday, December 6, 2016

NEWS

EDITORIAL: Thank You, Readers. We Will Be Back Next Semester

This semester, El Paisano has been in a period of transition. Long-time advisor, John Francis, retired last semester and the team has been under the guidance of their new advisor, Wendy Carrera. Furthermore, this is the first semester for many of our editors in their respective positions. While we have strived to provide quality reporting and engaging content, both in print and online, there have been issues where we have fallen short. Each issue, we have taken the time to go through our work, critique it, and use subsequent issues to improve. It is with a heartfelt “Thank you” that we write to you, our readers.

You have been patient with us as we have navigated through our transition. You have been supportive of us as we have reached out to you for information. Likewise, you have been critical of us when we have failed to deliver our very best. Through it all, we cannot say enough how grateful we are for every eye that reads our work and provides the necessary feedback to improve. This newspaper is just as much yours as it is ours. We will always welcome and embrace feedback along with your readership. We hope you enjoy your Winter break and, indeed, hope you will return to us in the Spring.

Once again, thank you. El Paisano Staff

Flint Water Crisis is Still Dire

ADAM CALLEJA Reporter

adam.calleja1943@my.riohondo.edu

The ongoing chaos of the Flint, Michigan water crisis has seen no progression as it seems to have taken a backseat to everything else that has occurred this year. The Detroit Free Press states, “It has been 419 days and there's no end in sight to the crisis.” The issue began two years ago when the state decided to switch Flint from Detroit’s drinking water to a new system, but the new system wouldn’t be ready for two years. In the meantime, to save money, they switched to the Flint River water for the city’s needs. That first decision turned out to be a mistake, as did nearly every step the state took after. Michigan’s Department of Environmental Quality accepts much of the blame. This is what a preliminary task force report calls an “Abysmal public response.” They were willing to wait a year to see if the water was safe. All the while, highly corrosive river water flowed through the city’s lead pipes, bleaching lead and other dangerous metals into the water supply. What came out of the baths of many homes

IMAGE COURTESY OF THE FLINE JOURNAL / JAKE MAY The samples of water from Flint and Detroit are starkly different. Undrinkable, the water in Flint is yellow with lead and other toxic materials. The water crisis is ongoing.

was toxic. Almost immediately, residents started complaining that their water was brown. Some people became sick and developed rashes. In response, the city and state officials added chlorine to the water supply and told people to boil their water. Both steps can actually increase the levels of lead. At city meetings the citizens were repeatedly told that the water was safe. The Environmental Protection Agency said in a statement to CNN, “What

happened in Flint should not have happened, the EPA’s ability to oversee was impacted by failures and resistance at the state and local levels” Emails dating back to 2012 show Flint officials decided they would switch their water source from the Detroit Water and Sewage Department to its own pipeline with the Karegnondi Water Authority, which they did in 2014. Then in January 2016, after having already switched to the Flint river source for a year and a half, Michigan Governor Rick Snyder de-

clared a state of emergency in Genesee County. No more than two weeks later, President Barack Obama declared the situation a state of emergency, prompting federal support for the city. The Detroit Free Press asserts, “The situation has become a legal mess that Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder is still squarely in the middle of. Several lawsuits have been filed against state and city government officials, including Governor Snyder, in regards to their negligence in the crisis.”

A Federal lawsuit filed against Snyder and other Michigan officials in November 2015 is still pending. The lawsuit alleges that the government’s decision to switch the Flint River water has resulted in members of families suffering skin lesions, hair loss, convulsions, autoimmune disorders, hypertension and depression. There have been temporary solutions to homes such a filters, but not everyone can use them. Flint Mayor, Karen Weaver, said some homes cannot be fitted with filters. The Detroit Free Press claims, “The long-term effects of lead poisoning on Flint is still not known. Between 6,000 and 12,000 children have been exposed to the lead-infused water, according to the United Way of Genesee County.” Recently, government officials within the state of Michigan were ordered by a federal judge to deliver bottled water to families still in need of water in Flint. Per U.S. District Judge David Lawson’s court order, city and state reps are required to deliver at least four cases of water per resident every week.

El Paisano Tuesday, December 6, 2016

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NEWS

N.C. Man Opens Fire in Restaurant, Citing Conspiracy Theory as Motivation XAVIER ALATORRE News Editor

xavier.alatorre1457@my.riohondo.edu

A North Carolina man was arrested Sunday after opening fire in a pizza restaurant in Washington, D.C. After reading false news and conspiracy theories regarding the pizzeria, Comet Ping Pong, and the Hillary Clinton campaign, 28-yearold Edgar Maddison Welch decided to self-investigate the restaurant fully armed. Witnesses stated that Welch entered Comet Ping Pong and immediately pointed his weapon at an employee. The employee was able to flee into a nearby restaurant and call for help. Meanwhile, Welch fired his weapon. Witnesses state that patrons of the restaurant fled before the suspect discharged his weapon, reports the Washington Post. Police responded to the call around 3 p.m. and put the neighborhood on lockdown. 45 minutes later, the suspect surrendered with his hands in the air. The police found two firearms in the restaurant and an additional weapon inside the suspect’s car. Early in the 2016 presidential campaign, several “alt-right” news outlets pub-

IMAGE COURTESY OF NBCWASHINGTON.COM Police blocked traffic into and out of the neighborhood Sunday. The suspect quietly surrendered by walking out of Comet Ping Pong with his hands up. The police arrested him without incident.

lished false stories about the Clinton campaign’s involvement in a child-prostitution ring based out of Comet Ping Pong. The stories were unsubstantiated and debunked by the restaurant and the Clinton team. However, that did not stop fringe Trump supporters from tormenting the family owned establishment with death threats.

The story has been shared by some of President-elect Donald Trump’s cabinet nominations, namely National Security Advisor, retired general, Michael Flynn. The “alt-right” is a white nationalist movement. It is an offshoot of conservatism that mixes racism, white nationalism, and populism. In the past, such movements have been called neo-Nazi or white supremacist.

Journalism Students Visit Chapman University

ALEX RODRIGUEZ/EL PAISANO Sally French discusses the value of drones in reporting, alongside journalist Robert Hernandez, and a Chapman representative during one of the workshops at the conference. MALISSA MYERS Editor-in-Chief, Digital

malissa.myers1735@my.riohondo.edu

Chapman University hosted its third annual ‘Excellence in Journalism’ Conference Saturday, December 3. Twelve workshops and a panel discussion were led by over two dozen acclaimed journalists and writers. Many of the presenters were awardwinning reporters, including Pulitzer Prize and Emmy Award winners. The workshops covered multiple topics, from “The Rise of Investigative News

Sites” to “Entertainment Reporting in the 21st Century.” The five hour event closed with a panel discussion, which posed the question “Is Objectivity Dead?” Attendants were encouraged to ask questions and engage in the discussion. Web journalism and Technology specialist, Robert Hernandez, along with social media and drone reporter, Sally French, hosted one of the workshops, entitled “What’s the Next Digital Disruption in Journalism?” Hernandez focused on the future of journalism in regards

to technology, and suggested Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality are where it’s headed. “A wearable on your face is inevitable,” said Hernandez about AR and VR headsets. “All things come together to disrupt the industry.” French weighed the pros and cons of using drones for journalistic purposes. This workshop was very informative, especially for the reporter who is aiming to be ahead of the technology curve. “I think the thing that I’m getting most out of this is just being able to hear the different experiences from all the reporters that are in both print and broadcast; and hearing the advice that they have to give the younger generation as things are changing with the media, and helping them get a perspective on what to expect,” said Chapman student, Amy Delgado, who attended several of the workshops. The conference was free, open to the public, and made possible by Chapman’s journalism and broadcast programs, the OC Press Club, and the Asian American Journalists Association.

President-elect Trump has done little to quell the “alt-right” movement and the vitriol it espouses. In an interview with 60 Minutes on Nov. 14, Trump tepidly told supporters, “Stop it,” in regards to violence against demonstrators that were protesting his election victory. Further emboldening his fringe supporters has been his Twitter feed. The President-elect has published

half-truths and outright lies, including a recent claim that “millions” voted illegally in California, New Hampshire, and Virginia. The effect from supporting these conspiracy theories motivated Welch to enter Comet Ping Pong Sunday. Welch admitted to police his motivation. He has been charged with assault with a dangerous weapon.

Puppy Therapy Reduces Finals Stress ANGELO TORRES Graphic Designer

angelo.torres2983@my.riohondo.edu

The Associated Students of Rio Hondo hosted a Puppy Therapy session in the midquad, November 30, allowing students to destress and enjoy the company of canine companions, before facing the stress of finals week. The event was hosted in association with the organization Puppies and Reptiles, who specialize in pet therapy events involving puppies, snakes and other reptiles. “Usually when we [host events] at colleges, it’s for studying relief, finals relief. It gives people a minute to get their mind off their studies,” explains Melissa Pershing, pet handler for Puppies and Reptiles. The event was initiated by Student Success senate chair Kiara Rolon, who proposed the event for the same reasons Pershing proposed. “This is just for [students] to have fun and relax,” explains Rolon. Relieving student stress, particularly during finals, is a major concern for AS, according to Rolon. “We know that they’re stressed, because we’re students ourselves...we try to just ask questions, and based on students reaction, we try to just give them what they want.”

Also involved in the planning of the event, as well as the person who proposed the idea to Rolon, was Misael Pina-Torres, a senator at Large in Associated Students and a dog owner. “I’ve always felt like dogs have been very therapeutic to me,” explains Pina-Torres. “We’re all acting like children out here. It’s important to get in touch with your [inner child.]” Pershing, the Puppies and Reptiles pet handler, also added the importance of emotional expression. She explained that in her experience, puppies serve as an outlet for emotional stress. “Sometimes people are just so overwhelmed, they’ll sit down with the puppy, and they’ll start to love them, and [the person] will start crying. That’s kind of cathartic to some people. I think it really does help out people with their stress,” comments Pershing. “If the animals are very affectionate, it gives them a chance to get a little cuddle from someone, it’s a little reassuring when you’re stressed out with your studies.” Finals week began December 5. The official finals week schedule can be found on the Rio Hondo College website.

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SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

El Paisano Tuesday, December 6, 2016

Netflix Allows Offline Downloads

ANDREW RUDIN Science and Technology Editor

andrew.rudin5784@my.riohondo.edu

November 30th 2016, Netflix announced offline downloads for many popular Netflix exclusive series as well as some shows and movies. The feature is available to all Netflix members at no extra cost. Mobile users such as smartphones and tablets will also have this feature available. The only requirement is to update the Netflix app. Netflix claims that downloading and streaming will consume about the same amount of data. This allows users to consume shows such as Stranger Things while they are traveling or if they have unstable internet connection. Many countries with poor infrastructure would benefit from this feature as Netflix

begins to rollout globally. Very few streaming services provide this feature, but one of Netflix’s competitor, Amazon Prime Instant Video, has had offline downloads for over a year now. However, Amazon Prime isn’t primarily intended for subscriber-based video streaming, so Netflix may not have felt so pressured. What may have pushed them are the rise in streaming services from cable companies such as AT&T and Dish. Netflix can’t make every show downloadable right away because of licensing restrictions, however, as time goes on, Netflix will slowly roll out the rest of their shows for all to enjoy. They have been making many original series on their own so these will be more read-

ily available than getting licenses for other shows and movies. Shows that are available for download will show an arrow icon next to each episode. If one would like to view all available downloadable shows there is a tab titled “Available for download.” The downloaded content can be found in another section of the app titled “My Downloads.” An example of shows available right now are Orange is the New Black, Narcos, The Crown, and the previously mentioned Stranger Things. Other content outside of Netflix original series include The Imitation Game, Good Will Hunting, Mad Men, and Parks and Recreation. The list will only grow so enjoy what’s available before it gets flooded.

PHOTO COURTESY OF WWW.TECHTIMES.COM Netflix’s competitors are growing pushing the company to evolve and adapt to stay current.

Video Game Award Show 2016 DANNY CELIZ KRHC Station Manager

danny.celiz8281@my.riohondo.edu

Gamers were treated to an early holiday present with December kicking off with the 2016 Video Game Award Show. For those who aren’t aware of the event, The Game Awards is an annual awards ceremony honoring accomplishments in the video game industry. The ceremonies also featured the premieres of new titles and an in-depth look at previously announced games along with music acts in between to help ease the pacing of the two-hour show. Sadly, this year’s show was completely unstructured and cringe worthy that made me more ashamed to be a gamer rather than proud. Any critique isn’t made to discredit any of the hard work the gaming industry has accomplished, but rather to offer hints on how to improve. Keep in mind, I am a huge gamer that puts in at minimum over 60 hours of game time a week as well as watched these award shows all the way back from when Spike TV used to air these on TV. To keep the article from becoming a big rant, I’ll go on to explain a good part of the show then a bad part then continues a pattern till the end. Because the Video Game Award Show is no longer owned by Spike TV, anyone that wanted to see the event had to tune in through a gaming console or through a streaming media (YouTube, Twitch, etc.) I have always been a fan of gaming content like this being streamed only online because it tends to keep only the hardcore gamers in while the rest remain clueless about the

PHOTO COURTESY OF WWW.INDEPENDENT.CO.UK The game awards featured many first looks and game reveils this year rather than giving each winner their time in the spotlight.

event in general. As great as it was that they can stream the event on any platform I had available, I did find that most streams were a really lagging this year, but to the award show’s credit this was the first year that China could stream the entire event live. This is big as China is such a huge market for video games and knowing that I am sharing my love for video games with not just my country, but the whole world makes me feel like part of a bigger family. The award show started off with a pre-show that counted down the minutes till the beginning of the show. The pre-show alone showed just how commercialized the show has gotten with ads plastered everywhere as well as product placement like the Schick Hydro’s superhero, Hydrobot. Yes, a shaving company made a razorblade superhero that not only just shook hands with attendees, but graced viewers with his presence throughout the whole show. This made the show more of a product placement ad rather than a show to recognize the hard-working men and women in the gaming industry. I know that funding for the event got cut now that the

show is more independent, but this sort of placement just doesn’t sit well. Host Geoff Keighley has always been a great host at these award shows. He isn’t afraid to stick up for the gamers who feel like their voice doesn’t matter. If something feels off or corrupt in the gaming industry, he uses his screen time to make sure that companies know just how gamers feel about these issues. An example of such actions happened in the first fifteen-minutes of the show where he dedicated it to a speech about Hideo Kojima. The reasoning of why is long and convoluted, but the short answer is that Kojima was not invited to the award show last year and wasn’t allowed to accept his award for winning with his Metal Gear series. So, to make up for the tragic events that happened during that time, Keighley gave a special award to Kojima and gave him the standing ovation he truly deserves. It’s moments like this that I find truthfully heartwarming and I hope there are more like this in the future. Music entertainment is never an easy thing to get right at these sorts of events. You are always going to have mixed reactions for music

because everyone has their own preferred type of music. Everything has been done in the past for these award shows from rap, rave, top hits, and even meme joke bands. Sadly, only a small percentage of people seemed to enjoy the music played during the down times. This year was a rap group called Run the Jewels. While I have been told that they have good albums their live performance was bad, muffled, and didn’t fit the rest of the show. While it wasn’t well received, there was one music act that did and it was the soundtrack for DOOM. It was the best musical performance of the night and should serve as a guide for next year’s Game Awards. This is not only a great performance, but it’s the soundtrack from DOOM being played live by its composer. You know what sucks more than not winning an award at the show? Having your winning announcement made off-stage. This happened too much and so quickly that most people had to use comment sections of streams to get confirmation on winners. The whole point of an award show is to let winners have their time in the spotlight and embrace their award. I know that there are time limits that must be set to fill out the whole event, but isn’t this the whole point of an award show in general? Heck, for the category for best fan creation there wasn’t even a winner announced till the next day. The reason, they forgot. To conclude the award show has gotten a bit better as the years go on, but this sort of approach to the award show seems like a step in the wrong direction. I felt like I was forced to watch this

just to get some amazing world premiere looks at some upcoming games like Death Stranding, some new Mass Effect: Andromeda footage, and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. I did have some fun and getting to see some reveils of upcoming games like a revamp of Bullet Storm, Shovel Knight DLC, and two new games from Telltales Walking Dead season 3 and Guardians of the Galaxy but dealing with all the all these new changes make it hard to get overly excited. Only time will tell if this award show will continue online or get canned permanently, but I hope that this will continue as long as I can still play video games. • GAME OF THE YEAR “Overwatch” (Blizzard) • BEST GAME DIRECTION “Overwatch” (Blizzard) • BEST NARRATIVE “Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End” (Naughty Dog / SIE) • BEST ART DIRECTION “Inside” (Playdead) • BEST MUSIC/ SOUND DESIGN “Doom” (ID/ Bethesda) • BEST PERFORMANCE “Nolan North as Nathan Drake, Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End” • GAMES FOR IMPACT “That Dragon, Cancer” (Numinous Games) • BEST INDEPENDENT GAME “Inside” (Playdead) • BEST MOBILE GAME “Pokemon Go” (Ninantic) • BEST VR GAME “Rez Infinite” (Enhance Games) • BEST ACTION GAME “Dishonored 2” (Arkane Studios) • BEST RPG “The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt — Blood and Wine” • BEST FIGHTING GAME “Street Fighter V” (Capcom)

El Paisano Tuesday, December 6, 2016

LIFESTYLES

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Power of One Spotlight: Shari Herzfeld

Shari Herzfeld of Rio Hondo. PETE ESCOBAR A&E Editor

pete.escobar2024@my.riohondo.edu

The Power of One campaign continues to highlight dedicated staff and faculty who work to enhance Rio Hondo College students’ educational experience through the help of grants. This next installment focuses on the work of Shari Herzfeld. Herzfeld is the Deputy Sector Navigator of health for the Los Angeles region and is definitely up to the task. In her past, she has done remarkable work as a registered nurse, taught part-time at Rio and has been full time for over 20 years. In her role as the Assistant Director of the Vocational Nursing program, she trained students for work as a Registered Nurse, leading to an Associate of Science Degree in nursing. What is a Deputy Sector Navigator? In Herzfeld’s role as Deputy Sector Navigator,

PETE ESCOBAR/ EL PAISANO she helps align K-12 schools and college coursework with the ever changing workforce needs of a particular sector or industry; the industry sector in Herzfeld’s case is the healthcare industry. In the broadest of phrases, the region Herzfeld works in, the Los Angeles region, is massive. The L.A. region covers over a quarter (about 28 percent) of the State’s population. Because of this and the fact that she receives the same amount of grant funding as other regions with much lower populations, Herzfeld has to play her cards a bit differently. “Some areas with smaller populations might work directly with teachers and students,” Herzfeld said. But because of L.A.’s huge region, “I work more with [professional] organizations… we have 200 K-12 districts in the region and I physically cannot reach each one.” The professional organizations Herzfeld works

with include the L. A. Area Chamber of Commerce, Hospital Association of So. Cal, Association of California Nurse Leaders, and Community Clinic Association of L. A., as well as regional hospitals such as California Hospital Medical Center, Kaiser-Permanente, and Beverly Hospital, Instead of reaching out to what would only be a few K-12 schools to talk about the different types of healthcare programs offered at the college level, Herzfeld reaches out to a large number of High School students by hosting health fairs. This allows a greater amount of high school students to learn about career and educational opportunities awaiting them after high school. “Instead of going to every classroom, [I] have the students come here [Rio], and because I work regionally, I invite every single Community College in the region that offers a degreed healthcare program,” Herzfeld said. In October, Herzfeld organized her first ever health fair, called “Health Careers Open House.” A variety of useful information and workshops were made available to High School and College students at the fair. Counselors reviewed what requirements are needed to be accepted at a 4-year college and informed students on what degrees to pursue depending on what health field a student is interested in. Potential healthcare students even experienced hand-on practice at the “Roadrunner General Hospital.” Given her broad responsibility of working with K-12 schools, colleges and health industries, no day is the same

for Herzfeld, and each is equally busy. “There’s no typical day, it all depends on what project I’m working on.” Herzfeld said. “I might be meeting with K-12 teachers one day… and I might attend a meeting with the Chamber of Commerce and then I might be working with college Faculty on curriculum development.” As mentioned before, Herzfeld helps Community Colleges in the region understand and respond to workforce requirements of the local health care industry. According to Herzfeld, the healthcare industry representatives are telling her that there is a huge need for “Specialty” Registered Nurses. These are nurses that are trained to work in one specific environment, whether it be the operating room, the emergency room, or ones that specialize in labor and delivery. Herzfeld is working with different colleges to develop a variety of speciality programs to meet this need. She explained, “it wouldn’t make sense for every single one of them to be doing it [the same programs],” Herzfeld explained. “There is a need in the workforce, but we don’t want to saturate the local market.” In other words, Community Colleges are being more responsive to industry needs by creating different specialty programs at each College, rather than having multiple Colleges running the same programs. At this point, you might be wondering what Herzfeld’s role is at Rio, since she works regionally with many Community Colleges. It’s simply this: Rio receives grant money from the State, which

it then allocates to Herzfeld so she can perform her work within the L.A. region. Herzfeld’s work is greatly important to the successful development of student educational plans for both high school and college students interested in pursuing a career in the healthcare industry. By matching industry job needs with College curriculum Herzfeld is ensuring that Rio’s healthcare majors, as well all L.A. region Community College Healthcare majors secure jobs upon graduation. The California Community College Chancellor’s Office Deputy Sector Navigator grant is what allows Herzfeld to continue in her role in college campuses across the region. Like other grant funding at Rio, the Deputy Sector Navigator grant reporting and management is done in coordination with Rio’s Grant Department, and Melissa Alvarez is the key Grants Staff who assists Herzfeld in meeting the State’s reporting and spending requirements. Herzfeld’s passion for what she does is obvious to all who come in contact with her. Having the backup support from Melissa and the Grants Department allows her to spend her time conducting activities that continue to bring that passion to Rio Hondo Healthcare students - assisting them in creating a career focus that will lead to lifelong learning and job security. If you are a Rio Hondo faculty or staff member and would like to learn more about pursuing a grant funded project, contact Michaela Brehm (x3749) or Melissa Alvarez (x7252) from the Grants Department. The Power of One. One Idea. One Grant.

Horchateria Rio Luna: A Must On Your Bucket List YAHAIRA URBINA Reporter

yahaira.urbina4948@my.riohondo.edu

We all draw towards the basic coffee shops with the caffeine to get us through the day or the usual spots to sit and study for a couple of hours as long as the wifi is good. That’s exactly what Ashley and David Vasquez, owners of Horchateria Rio Luna, saw growing up in the city of Compton. They noticed that not only were those the basics of what people (specifically students) are looking for, but that they were extremely limited in their area. As the idea grew in their hearts, the odds of it coming to life were slim to none, but they continued to push through with it. Even its unique name has

YAHAIRA URBINA/ EL PAISANO Horchateria Rio Luna named after their hispanic heritage and theior two children, River and Luna.

a story behind it. The owners made sure that the culture remained intact, but that their family was fully included. Rio comes from their son’s name River, and Luna from their beautiful daughter. Their effort and dedication goes in every part of this cafe. Their neighbor city, Paramount, is not necessarily known for the best destinations, let alone for a coffee shop, but the Vasquez took a chance to change that. It didn’t sound intriguing at first since Paramount is barely on the map, but the response after its opening turned Paramount into a must go-to on the bucket list. Once arriving, you may face a line that could seem never ending, but all the employees made sure every single customer was

greeted with a welcoming smile. When speaking to a close family friend and current manager, Aimee Sandoval of the now well known cafe, she expressed the amazement of its development. “At first I didn’t think this was gunna work to be honest. The business before this was a coffee shop and it actually closed down three months after opening! But Ashley and David really wanted something different, where it’s family oriented and people can hold conversations instead of being on their phones.” Sandoval stated. Their unique style goes beyond its menu. Aimee explained that the ultimate goal is to bring the hispanic heritage to the community. From coffees, ‘loteria’ cookies, to the unlimited amount of Frida paintings on the wall.

“The paintings on the wall are actually from local artists who have a shot of showing their work to the whole community, they [Ashley and David Vasquez] want to expand it, the basics of this coffee shop, it gives rising artist an opportunity.” “I wanna cry just thinking of how hard they worked and how amazing the community has responded to it,” Sandoval continued, “Paramount is no longer the city near Compton or Downey, it’s where Horchateria Rio Luna is located!” This unique cafe is the perfect spot for families, students, vacation stop, or a simple lazy Sunday. Have you really lived if you haven’t tried an horchata iced coffee?!

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LIFESTYLES

El Paisano Tuesday, December 6, 2016

DIVERSE, MUSIC, NAMAKE!

ALEX RODRIGUEZ/EL PAISANO ALEX RODRIGUEZ/EL PAISANO ALEX RODRIGUES Reporter

alexis.rodriguez7226@my.riohondo.edu

I photographed Arthur Nakame in Little Tokyo Thursday afternoon in LA. Arthur Nakmae is a music enthusiast and musician, has been his whole life. Born in Japan migrated to the United States to make it in the music industry. He remained in Los Angeles his whole life with his family to have a better life. In his early 50s he contrived arthritis in both hands, which was a major shock for Arthur. He loves playing the piano and guitar and that was a setback for Namake. Namake was depressed for years because he thought he was going to have to halt in his musical career. A few years later, he began practicing the piano and guitar again after years to have self control. He took medication, and classes to control his arthritis and began playing music again. He traveled all over the states to perform in small places like plazas and theatres. He got full support from his family who traveled with him through good and bad times. Even though he gathered in small crowds; they thoroughly enjoyed his electric piano playing and his cheerful wisdom that he displays when he performs in crowds. After he settled back in Los Angeles he enjoyed the vibes of Little Tokyo and at the end he decided to remain and play for the crowd there everyday for money. He’s been there for 6 years now performing everyday in front of small crowds singing for couples and friends. As an old man now he is happy at this point of his life, his Arthritis doesn’t bother him anymore.

ALEX RODRIGUEZ/EL PAISANO

ALEX RODRIGUEZ/ EL PAISANO

ALEX RODRIGUEZ/EL PAISANO

ALEX RODRIGUEZ/EL PAISANO

ALEX RODRIGUEZ/EL PAISANO

Page Layout By: Eileen Gaeta

El Paisano Tuesday, December 6, 2016

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LIFESTYLES Inner-city violence in Los Angeles AJIANNA COVINGTON Reporter

ajianna.covington0286@my.riohondo.edu

AJIANNA COVINGTON/EL PAISANO

Inner-city violence amongst our youth in America has become a major issue in today's society. The public outcries following senseless shootings and the loss of innocent lives are forcing lawmakers to create strict gun control measures. Although these measures are in review for use, guns are still being sold. Gun sales through the black market are and have been very successful for sometime now. Congress

AJIANNA COVINGTON/EL PAISANO AJIANNA COVINGTON/ EL PAISANO

seems to still overlook the violence happening within communities, which is allowing the continuance of these gun sales. Lawmakers need to be more aware of what is happening within small communities that are exposed to more violent conditions than others to prevent these kind of activities. Our youth growing up in these conditions need to be exposed to more positive circumstances. Activities going on in these communities need to be monitored and have to change in order for the cycles to change. If we change educational standards in America and create our jail systems in ways of rehabilitation and not incarceration we could reduce some of these inner city violent activities. Our youth would be occupied in school and extracurricular activities, and citizens finding themselves in trouble with the law will at least come out being a productive citizen in society and not coming back with the same mindset they left with. In order to change the world we have to change ourselves, and it starts with paying more attention to the ones getting less attention.

“In order to change the world we have to change ourselves�

AJIANNA COVINGTON/EL PAISANO

AJIANNA COVINGTON/EL PAISANO Page Layout By: Eileen Gaeta

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El Paisano Tuesday, December 6, 2016

LIFESTYLES

Staff Spotlight: Professor Michael Hattar DANIELLE ANZURES Reporter

danielle.anzures8473@my.riohondo.edu

JENNIFER ESPANA/EL PAISANO Hattar has been a math instructor since 1962.

Part time math professor, Michael Hattar, has spent a good portion of his life loving math and now hopes to teach others what he has learned. Professor Hattar has loved math from a young age and recalled being one of the smartest kids in math when he went to elementary school. He would go on to earn his Bachelor’s Degree in math and later received his Master's Degree through the National Science Foundation during the Space Race between Russia and the U.S. Professor Hattar would also got to do post graduate work on history of math at Oxford University in England and through later years of his life would continue learning and mastering his math skills, teaching it since 1962. Ever since then, Professor

Hattar has been working with Rio students and other people in trying to make learning math a more enjoyable subject for all. Professor Hattar strives for his students to continue moving forward in their skills and really takes it personal when one of his students fails. He always makes sure his students know that he will help them if they need it, and tries to make sure he is available for anyone who needs it. When talking to students he often says, “if you fail, I fail.” When talking to teachers he makes it a point to tell them to really care for their students and to make math fun. He tells teachers, when he sees students dozing off he’ll do something to get their attention and bring it back to what he’s teaching. Helping his students is never a pain, he truly enjoys what he is doing and cares for his

students. Its one of his personal beliefs that “life would be useless without math,” so when teaching his classes he make big efforts to towards making sure that his students make an effort towards using basic math skills. While he recognizes that calculators have made things more easier during his classes, he will only allow them during certain lessons and will encourage students to practice doing more simple math skills without it. In his opinion, the more math students know the better off they are. To him math teaches people how to go deeper into other subjects. For him seeing people succeed is great, some of his own former students have gone on to do great things like becoming lawyers and doctors. His best advice for students is to constantly work hard to get your goal and to “aim high, then aim higher.”

Hector Gonzalez: Educating With ‘Flying Blue Tacos’

“American stories that are Mexican experiences.”

SANDRA REYES/ EL PAISANO Professor Hector Gonzalez aims to teach students on cultural perspectives through writing and class discussions. Diego Crespo Editor-in-Chief

diego.crespo7264@my.riohondo.edu

Listening to a variety of smooth jazz, Professor Gonzalez maintains a friendly and intellectual attitude in regards to his profession. A full time teacher for 17 years and part time for six, Gonzalez beckons his students to be open whilst learning about Mexican-American culture, referring to not fitting a “formula” and thinking outside the box in terms of what the culture can represent. `Along with teaching, Gonzalez has a strong writing foundation, incorporating it into his class teachings. “What is chicano art? What is the definition of a Chicano? MEChA (Movimiento Estudiantil Chicanx de Az-

tlán): why don’t we have that here? Here we are at Rio Hondo, one of the biggest community colleges with one of the biggest hispanic populations around and there’s no MEChA here, why?” Gonzalez challenges his students to look at the way Chicano people are boxed in with their cultural icons and slogans. “Why is Che Guevara such a big Mexican-American hero? Why are they praising him instead of Mexican-Americans? Si Se Puede? Yeah, but what else?” said Gonzalez. “There are no humanities books for Mexican-American culture. The start of it was to start it off with writing a humanities textbook for my 130 Contemporary Mexican culture class, but it didn’t end up going that way. It ended up going into a collec-

tion of Mexican-American short stories with a focus on bringing up Mexican-American issues through short stories.” His writing utilizes Mexican-American stories to support his teaching styles with a heavy focus on representing Chicano communities. His first book, “Flying Blue Tacos”, is specifically relating to the discussions on what it means to be Chicano. Comprising a trilogy of sorts, the next stories are titled “The White Mexican” and “The Red Mexican Blanket”. It’s no coincidence the colors in the titles make up the American flag. Gonzalez refers to his thesis on the three books as telling “American stories that are Mexican

experiences.” Once he completes his trilogy, Gonzalez is intent on creating a website and editing his books for a younger audience. Citing his experience at La Puente High School, Gonzalez fears certain language in his stories would close off possible venues to hispanic youth. Although Gonzalez hopes for his voice to reach a broader scope, his focus is primarily on writing further stories to help educate students rather than self-promotion. One thing is for certain: Gonzalez has only begun to share his passion for culture and education with the world, leaving no end in sight. “Flying Blue Tacos” is currently available on Amazon with no release date for his upcoming two books.

El Paisano Tuesday, December 6, 2016

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

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Rose Hills celebrates ‘Our Lady of Guadalupe’ PETE ESCOBAR A&E Editor

pete.escobar2024@my.riohondo.edu

Rose Hills Memorial Park celebrated the story of Our Lady of Guadalupe Dec 4, by hosting an outdoor play performed by Rio Hondo College Theater students, followed by a celebration at Mission Hills. The bilingual play, directed by Gabe Carrasco and executively directed by William Korf, titled “Juan Diego and the Beautiful Lady,” was short, but thorough; effectively conveying the story of Juan Diego’s meaningful encounter with the Virgin Mary by utilizing its outdoor setting and narration. “Juan Diego and the Beautiful Lady” was based on the book “A story of Our Lady of Guadalupe Empress of the Americas,” written by C. Lourdes Walsh. “Juan Diego and the Beautiful Lady” follows the story of Diego, played by Jose Barajas, and his faith-testing journey with Our Lady, played by Vanessa Hernandez Madera. Scenes that focused on Diego’s encounter with Our Lady utilized verticality and an unusual but bold and all-natural backdrop of Rose

“We want to take care of our community; This is home to them,” -Antoinette Lou

ALEX RODRIGUEZ / EL PAISANO Juan Diego (Jose Barajas) unveils the Tilma to Bishop Zumarraga (Peter Becerra) in conclusion to the play at Rose Hills Dec 4.

Hills’ aesthetic prominence. A total of three stages were used, one of Tepeyac Hill, another of the Bishop’s Palace, and the third being Diego’s home. This forced the audience to turn their attention to whichever stage was in use at the time. Narration, by Desire Alcantara, Jose Marroquin, and Oscar Vazquez, was present throughout the entire play in both Spanish and English, allowing audience members who only understood one language to be able to understand the play’s context. The glare of the sun combined with the heat proved to be minor inconveniences in comparison to the magnificent hilltop setting of the play, which quite literally put the audience in Diego’s shoes, since he first encounters Our Lady at Tepeyac Hill; what is

now Mexico City. Our Lady was placed atop of the Tepeyac stage, which towered over all of the other cast members in an obvious but effective effort to show her importance to the play, while at the same time holding accuracy to the story. Each time Our Lady spoke, Diego took a knee and looked up at her position atop of the hill, making each encounter with her meaningful and beautiful to watch. The all-natural skyline behind Our Lady helped implement a sense of realism as well; making it seem as if she were ascending from the heavens. The play’s use of narration helped bring Walsh’s book to life, by going into detail in-between each scene; providing more context than any play recreation probably could. The narration flowed

perfectly with the movements of the actors, but mainly with Diego, since most of the play revolved around his journey. Hiccuped line deliveries from Madera did prove awkward at times, but her recoveries and casting as Our Lady was perfect, so it was easy to look past it. “Juan Diego and the Beautiful Lady” effectively payed homage the story of The Virgin Mary with solid performances and direction all around. The play’s setting helped pull the viewer into Diego’s journey; increasing its impact on the audience. After the performance, audience members marched behind a painting of Our Lady to one of the chapels located atop Mission Hills, where people left a variety of flowers beside the painting to pay their respects to Our Lady. CEO of ARAS inc.,Ga-

bi Barbarena, who helped organize the celebration, explained why holding the celebration at Rose Hills was special. “Rose Hill’s was gifted a replica of the Tilma from the Basilica of Mexico City and they have it here, in addition to a stone from the original church that was built for her [Our Lady],” Barbarena said. Antoinette Lou, Community Affairs Manager for Rose Hills, made it clear that the celebration was special to the community. “We want to take care of our community; This is home to them,” Lou said. “Not only [is] Rose Hill’s home to them because their loved ones are here, but the culture and the celebration is part of the heritage. That’s home to them also.”

December Events December 5-7:

December 11:

Holiday Student Art Sale The event is from10 am to 8 pm at the Rio Hondo College Art Gallery. Free admission!

‘The Nutcracker’ This dance performance premieres at the Wray Theater at 2 pm and 5 pm. Tickets $10 in advance and $15 at the door.

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

El Paisano Tuesday, December 6, 2016

Short, Sporadic and Full of Life JAKE LAURELL Reporter

jake.laurell7011@my.riohondo.edu

The Short Play Festival was weird, wacky, filled with great insight into human behavior along with laughs to boot. Every act had a surprising and delightful story to be told. The Short Play Festival ran from Thursday, December 1, to Dec 4 at 8pm in the Black Box Theater at Rio Hondo Community College. The play featured five acts, each comprised of different stories covering a variety of subjects directed and acted by Rio students. It was a small venue within the Wray Theater. The set was well thought out and put together. Every act drew you into the story, with its on point lighting, great costume design and music, creating a sense of city-life ambience. The writing was well done; with only a few mishaps that affected the play’s pace and made it not feel quite right and drag a little. The latter acts of the play felt stronger than the first two in regards of the writing, and

was rather surprising in the direction the stories unraveled. The actors took an already strong script and often elevated it. It was quite a

characters right, But they more than made up for it, delivering generally stand out performances throughout the play. The chemistry the actors

brash language or straight corkiness of personalities in the characters. The act “Unexpected Wrestler” featured unexpected and deep conversations

ALEX RODRIGUEZ / EL PAISANO Rio Hondo College Theater Students performing at the Black Box Theater Dec 1.

spectacle to see such strong performances. There were a few hit and misses with line deliveries or actors not quite getting the portrayals of the

had was apparent. Actors bounced well off oneanother’s lines.The humor delivered on nearly every beat. It was hard to not laugh at times at the

which sparked insight into the fears that come with coming out,, especially in a misogynistic world one might find themselves in.

“What We Hide” did not let up on the gas for one second. It captured perfectly what both parties might go through during a date. The need for the man to impress and look fortuitous, or the struggles of being a woman during a romantic rendezvous, all while maintaining the societal inforced balancing act of looking sexy, yet not too promiscuous. The need to look strong along with the emotional hurricane people can be in during moments like a first date. “Crazy Eights” finished off the play strong.. The performance in “Crazy Eights” was the stand out performance of the show, stealing it, along with all of the audience’s attention. The play threw the spectrum of emotions at you and didn’t hold back in terms of language. It was raw and captured some of the complexities of daily city life. Although a little rough around the edges, the play was fast, quick, and truly extravagant to witness.

The Workman Mill Industrial Orchestra conducts wonders at the Wray Out This Month Movies: ‘Rogue One’

A prequel to ‘A New Hope,’ ‘Rogue One,’ directed by Gareth Edwards, tells the story of the Rebellions daring mission to steal the infamous Death Star plans.

Rated: PG-13 Release Date: Dec 16.

‘La La Land’ A couple is pulled together through their strong relatability in this film directed by Damien Chazelle, but will they let their own successes get in the way of their seemingly perfect story? Rated: PG-13 Release Date: Dec 16.

YAHAIRA URBINA Reporter

yahaira.urbina4948@my.riohondo.edu

Music Director George Gomez-Wheeler lead the Workman Mill Industrial Orchestra at the Wray Theater Tuesday, Nov 29. The incredible concert could be heard from the quad, and the orchestra was made available to anyone who wanted to stop by and lend an ear. The Workman Mill Industrial Orchestra consisted of Rio Hondo students who either performed in small groups or individually. This night was described as a dedication to the first concert, which was presented by the Orchestra back in 1995. As the concert began, one become aware of the uniqueness of the instruments, which ranged from an electric guitar to a vibraphone. One very special piece titled “Music for Pieces of Wood,” showed how you can create a music piece with basic elements. Each musician held incredible focus and composure throughout the show. The distinctive instruments were able to bring out the individuality of each mu-

ALEX RODRIGUEZ / EL PAISANO Edgar Delgado and Attessa Agnew perfoming in front of a cheering crowd at the Wray Theater Tuesday, Nov 29.

sician within the orchestra. The Orchestra held the audience’s attention from beginning to end. When asked what he thought of the concert, David Chatman said “I’ve never been to anything similar to this, but I actually liked it, it was different. good different.” As the show came to an end, Wheeler explained the importance of each of the instruments and their uniqueness, “You are able to see how instruments that you usually

don’t see together, can actually come together and create great pieces,” Wheeler said. The Orchestra closed with “Hero of the Blast Furnace,” which was actually one of the first pieces played by the Workman Mill Industrial Orchestra. it had a perfect ending with memories of its beginning. The orchestra performed a unique concert, which was intriguing. The reaction from the audience held nothing but applause and cheers.

El Paisano Tuesday, December 6, 2016

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

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A loveletter to classic disney films DANIELLE ANZURES Reporter

danielle.anzures8473@my.riohondo.edu

Disney’s newest movie “Moana” is a throwback to classic Disney movies and fun for the whole family. Moana, created by Disney veterans John Musker and Ron Clements (known for films like The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, Hercules, and The Princess and the Frog) follows the story of Moana, an adventurous teenager who sets on a quest to save her people with a demigod named Maui. This film is beautiful. A good portion of this film takes place in the ocean and it is very well animated. The water itself is a character, the animators were able to put so much emotion and fluidity into it that it makes the ocean feel human. Also, the hair animation is spectacular. It looks and behaves like real hair.

There is also a small scene that feels like a tribute to Disney’s 2D animation As for its humor? It’s great. A lot of the jokes are classic slapstick jokes or animal sidekick jokes, but the humor does travel into the meta-humor side. It pokes fun at the classic princess cliches (like having a goofy animal sidekick and singing about adventures.) The weak part of this film is its plot, there’s nothing wrong with it, but it does follow the classic Disney formula of what works and what doesn’t. There are not a lot of risks taken with the plot, but this does not damper the film’s quality. The slow pace at the beginning and the end served to kickstart the movie to the more exciting parts and helped to build up the world and situations Moana is in. The voice acting of the film fits so well and the

decision to look for someone native to the islands where Disney based the movie off of was a great one. Auli’i Cravalho does an amazing job in her debut as Moana. Her singing is incredible in this film. Dwayne Johnson did a fantastic job as acting as this semi conceited yet funny character. As for the songs in this film, they just feel like a classic Disney movie that could fit in the childhoods’ filled with movies from Disney’s Renaissance era with a fresh twist. Lin-Manuel Miranda, Mark Mancina, and Opetaia Foa’i do an amazing job. Overall the film is a great experience with lovable characters and a fun storyline. It doesn’t take any risks, but is still enjoyable for people of all ages. Definitely check it out if you’re looking for a classic Disney movie with a more modern twist.

a classic Disney movie with a modern twist.

ALEX RODRIGUEZ / EL PAISANO The Poster for ‘Moana’ as seen at the Whittier Village Cinemas

The largest television show crossover NOAH GARCIA Opinion Editor

noah.garcia3720@my.riohondo.edu

In 2012, Arrow premiered on the CW, kickstarting a television universe featuring characters from DC Comics. Because of the success of these shows, a week long event known as Aliens V. Heroes took place from Nov 28.to Dec 1.; starting with Supergirl on Monday, The Flash on Tuesday, Arrow on Wednesday, ending with Legends of Tomorrow on Thursday night. Supergirl barely participates in the crossover at all. The show itself is centered around Superman’s cousin, Kara Danvers (Melissa Benoist) and her defense of the earth, all while coming into her own as a superhero. The episode focused more on its own problems and characters and doesn’t involve itself with the Aliens v.s. Heroes event until the end of the episode. The Flash is about a forensic scientist, Barry Allen, who gains the ability of superhuman speed after being struck by lightning due to the explosion of a particle accelerator. The episode starts with an action packed opening scene, where we see The Flash

(Grant Gustin) and Green Arrow (Stephen Amell) face off against their brainwashed allies. The episode then back tracks to the beginning of the alien invasion as the Flash encounters at scout force of the alien invaders known

all of main characters, and establish the emotional and physical plot points.Arrow is based on the bow wielding DC comic character the Green Arrow. This particular crossover takes place in the shows fifth

end of the episode, the Arrow specific characters reflect on their past, present, and hope for the future, all the while escaping capture from the Dominators. They then prepare with the remaining characters from Legends of

If there is another large cross-over like this, hopefully the event will have a better integration of major and minor storylines and focus on what’s important to the characters and the event.

as the Dominators. He then gathers the rest of the superhero community to build a defense force for Earth. At the end of the episode several of the characters are taken prisoner by the aliens and taken to an unknown location. This episode is used mainly as a device to gather

season and the 100th episode. This milestone episode tries to be a substantial middle part of the crossover while celebrating all that the show has accomplished. The event manages to show the audience where the show and its characters have been, as well as how far they have all come. At the

Tomorrow for the final assault on the alien invaders. The final part of the crossover takes place during Legends of Tomorrow. This is the show that centers around a group of superheroes that defend all of time. This episode was the most interesting, as it was the most balanced of the event episodes.

The episode shows the heroes final confrontation against the alien invaders, and resolves several disputes between characters which were worked out organically and true to character. With the joined forces of Supergirl, Flash, Arrow, and the Legends, they are able to drive the invading forces off planet and legitimately establish themselves as not only defenders of their particular cities or regions, but as Earth’s mightiest heroes. A league of justice, if you will. The event was enjoyable overall,in the tradition of many superhero crossovers, but spent too much time on the B-storylines where the main story would get distracted and slowed down. Small comic Easter eggs are hinted at throughout the episodes, but aren’t shoehorned in and are forgettable if you don’t have the comic fore-knowledge. If there is another large cross-over like this, hopefully the event will have a better integration of major and minor storylines and focus on what’s important to the characters and the event. All episodes are available on The CW’s website, ITunes and other video streaming platforms.

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Not a Drop to Drink

El Paisano Tuesday, December 6, 2016

OPINION

Flint River, which is known for how dirty it is. diana.juarez8805@my.riohondo.edu Rhonda Kelso, a Flint citizen, reported to CNN say When people think of first ing that she “thought it was a world problems they tend to joke. People my age and older, think of misplaced car keys, thought ‘They’re not going to cell phone chargers that don’t do that.’” charge fast enough, or forgot Yet that’s exactly what the ten dryclean. When people state of Michigan did. Virginia think of children not having a Tech took matters into their clean water source, they often own hands, running an in home think third world or developing test of the water and found countries. that the water running through The idea that a first world people’s pipes was 19 times nation having a major water more corrosive than water that problem is mind blowing, yet came from Lake Huron and had that’s exactly what’s happenunhealthy levels of lead. ing in the United States of The reason for this is that America.Flint, Michigan, a the high iron levels in the water once thriving town and home corroded the pipes, releasing to General Motors’ largest lead from the pipes it runs plant is suffering. Located through. The result of all this about an hour drive from is most visible in children, who, the Great Lakes, the largest because their bodies are still grouping of freshwater bodies developing, are more likely to in the world, the city of Flint have lifelong health issues. has, ironically, not a drop of Some of the symptoms of drinkable water. In fact, it lead poisoning are hair loss, hasn’t had clean water in over rashes, nausea, fatigue, and two years. more worrying, learning disabil The situation arose when, ities and developmental delays. according to CNN, the state of The people of Flint need our Michigan decided to save monhelp just as much as Standing ey and reroute Flint’s potable water from Lake Huron, to the Rock did. Now is the time to lend our support. DIANA JUAREZ Copy Editor

Dealing with Family During the Holidays

NOAH GARCIA Opinion Editor

noah.garcia3720@my.riohondo.edu

During this certain time of the year, everyone’s lives are filled with certain twisted carnivorous monsters that intrude in your life and can disturb the fake peacefulness that has been constructed over months of hard labor. These types of entities can only be described as “extended family”. There are times that extended family can be amazing supporters and new found sources of strength, but there’s is a good chance of the cornucopia of personalities in your extended family to be harmful and terrible. I have developed certain techniques to deal with these intrusions into my everyday life and it starts with learning to cope with everything. The key word ‘everything’ really encapsulates just the feeling of sorrow that comes with the family members that are obviously going to be a problem. Some tricks I have developed mainly involve becoming inebriated without arising suspicion. Its very easy to hide clear liquor in water bottles that you can carry around all day, although to hide the smell of the liquid you should probably have breath mints or really strong cologne/perfume. Flasks aren’t that inconspicuous but help in a pinch, and fruit cocktails and other drinks can easily be mistak-

en for juice. The next trick involves being able to know the right key phrases to use around your extended family When meeting said mental parasites there are going to a set amount of stock questions that one will have to answer over and over again. Although some questions can be specific to certain people and situations, there will always be the same: how is school going, a relationship status update, what are you doing with your life and their personal comments on how you can improve your life in a certain way according to them. It’s best to have prepared answers to these constant questions but if you can find a fault with your relative that you can throw in their face, hopefully it will make them never want to talk to you again. An example being; how is school going? Still in commu-

you are going to start dating or why you and a certain person didn’t work out you can say something along the lines of ; how is your divorce going, is my ex uncle/aunt still dating that woman who’s a decade younger than you. The final technique in this trifecta of emotional defense includes backhanded compliments. When you have

and referencing to each other, and hopefully they will soon hate each other as much as you dislike them. Now if there is someone you change your opinion on, or accidentally hurt with you terrible comments, there’s a small speech that i have developed over the years to try to make it right. Now before giving this

Then whatever they have to say after this little speech you need to immediately agree with and give whatever sign of comfort that is standard in your family, and hey if your family doesn’t hug often, nows the time to whip that out. These small techniques have not only pushed away the family members i dislike,

“It’s very easy to hide clear liquor in water bottles that you can carry around all day” the confidence of a liquor, and the defense of rude retorts, now is the time to strike at your relatives confidence in their relationships to other family members. After giving them a phrase previously discussed it’s easy to say something along the lines of, “wow i’m glad to know you can take a joke, uncle ___ said you couldn’t” or “wow I really

speech you will need to make yourself look disheveled by rubbing your eyes, some water splashed on your face and hair, messing up your cloths and using body language that can convey timidness, awkwardness and trepidation. Isolate the target and then something along the lines of : “Hey ____, i’m really sorry if i have been acting really rude to you lately. With all the pressure of school,

but has brought together the ones i do like, where we all just stand together and wonder why the other family members are being idiot when we should come together and like each other, you know, for the instagram pictures. Hopefully these techniques will be helpful somehow and if not, well then at least i can say that i tried.

“When you have the confidence of a liquor, and the defense of rude retorts, now is the time to strike at your relatives confidence in their relationships to other family members.” nity college? where you can say something along the lines of: how is life as a stay home mom, your wine stained teeth look especially shiny today how’s your “candyland” score, 1000 because you have no life outside of your now adult children. If someone asks you when

like you christmas sweater, Grunkle____ was wrong, it doesn’t look like chewbacca threw up on a pile of dog bile and the byproduct the of the mess was terribly constructed to make your sweater.” Give the relatives these types of compliments especially the ones you’re lying to

work (insert something personal to give it a sentimental touch) etc, i just seemed to want to take it out on someone and i chose you because, i really care about you and it would be easier for you to forgive me since you’re so understanding and you mean so much to me. ”

( This article is written with the intent to entertain; in no sense does the Staff of EL Paisano encourage or condone the abuse of alcoholic beverages or emotional manipulation.)

El Paisano Tuesday, December 6, 2016

OPINION

El Paisano Newspaper

Ask Ms. Dollar Wise is a column for Rio Hondo Students to ask questions they have about handling day-to-day finances. If you have a question you’d like answered in this column email:

Editor-in-Chief DIEGO CRESPO

A&E Editor

PETE ESCOBAR

Managing Editor

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M

msdollarwise@gmail.com

s . D o llar Wis e

ZACKARY MEJIA

News Editor

XAVIER ALATORRE

Sports Editor

Dear Ms. Dollar Wise, I’m feeling discouraged about my financial future. I want to finish school, get a good job, maybe get married and have kids, buy a house, a new car, and go on vacations. Yet everyday I struggle just to get to school and finish my homework. The gap between where I am and where I want to be is just too wide and most of the time I feel like giving up. What do I need to do to make sure my dreams come true? - Wishing upon a star

CRYSTIAN MENDOZA

Opinion Editor NOAH GARCIA

Lifestyle Editor EILEEN GAETA

Science & Tech Editor ANDREW RUDIN

Photo Editor AARON MARTINEZ

Digital Editor-in-Chief MALISSA MYERS

Copy Editors

DIANA JUAREZ VANESSA LUNA

Ads Manager

SANDRA REYES

Graphic Designer ANGELO TORRES

Advisor

WENDY CARRERA

Reporters

RAMON ALVARADO DANIELLE ANZURES ADAM CALLEJA ANDREW CARAVEO DANNY CELIZ MAYRA CHULO AJIANNA COVINGTON JENNIFER ESPAÑA CELINA GARCIA CAIN HERNANDEZ JAKE LAURELL ASHLEY LOPEZ ROSE LOZA VICTOR LOZANO JOSE MIRANDA JONATHAN MONZON ERIC MUÑOZ MIA PEREZ STEVEN PEREZ ALEX RODRIGUEZ SERGIO RUIZ MATTHEW SALAS GABRIEL VALLES REYNA VILLA YAHAIRA URBINA

Dear Wishing, Wait, slow this ride down. To accomplish anything worth accomplishing you need a plan, and it looks to me like you’ve got the makings of an awesome plan. To begin with, you’re in school, heading toward an education. Too many people waste their time thinking about something they want to do, but very few people actually do it. You are not letting yourself become another sad statistic of someone not being motivated enough to pursue their dreams. You ROCK! Staying in school, graduating with an AA or transferring, and living within your budget so you can finish school debt free is the foundation for accomplishing your other dreams. Without knowing your exact financial situation, you could be feeling overwhelmed for a couple of reasons. One, you may lack the financial information needed to set realistic financial goals to help you accomplish your dreams. Rio has a number of financial literacy seminars to help you obtain the knowledge you need to make good financial decisions. Sign up and attend. Second, are you a goal setter as well as a dreamer? Goals give you a starting point and a destination. It is the easiest way to give meaningful direction to your life, which releases you to effectively use your talents. Besides being a hunk, actor Denzel Washington is known for his inspirational talks- I love his quote: “A dream without goals remains a dream and ultimately fuels disappointment.” How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time. How do you make dreams come true? One goal at a time. It’s the end of the year, and 2017 represents a new start. Wishing, I love the big dreams you’ve set for yourself and I encourage you to create goals for this upcoming year to accomplish those dreams. Keep moving forward!

Student Speakout What is the best way to prepare for finals? Any Tips or tricks

Luciano

David

“The best way to prepare for finals is to read ahead, make flashcards to help you memorize stuff.” “I feel the best way to study for the finals is to study the day before and on the day of the test so you could refresh your memory on what you learned and what you read. That’s one of the best ways.” “Talk to your teacher for extra homework assignments that might help out, like with math. Check your grades all the time. Contact your classmates. Try to make a study group. Don’t procrastinate and have a schedule, try keeping up to your schedule. Everyone procrastinates including me.”

3600 Workman Mill Rd. Whittier CA 90601 (562) 692-0921 EXT. 3345

Fred

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El Paisano Tuesday, December 6, 2016

SPORTS

El Clasico: Barcelona vs. Real Madrid Sergio Ramos salvages point for Los Blancos, Real Madrid maintain 6 point lead in La Liga and remain undefeated in all competitions

CRYSTIAN MENDOZA Sports Editor

crystian.mendoza8414@my.riohondo.edu

The moment the soccer world has been waiting months for finally arrived Dec. 3, when La Liga leaders, Real Madrid, traveled to the Camp Nou to face their Spanish league rivals, Barcelona, for one of the biggest matches of the campaign. Real Madrid is currently undefeated in all European competitions, and was sitting in 1st place with 33 points in La Liga prior to the El Clasico face off with Barcelona who is in 2nd place with 27 points. The hosts have drawn their last two league games, giving Real Madrid all the confidence in the world to maintain their lead in Catalonia. With immense anticipation from the crowd as well as the world who watched, the game got underway with both sides eager to get on the scoreboard. Real Madrid had every intention to get the win against their rivals in order to retain their 6 point lead as a win for Barcelona would get them within 3 points of Los Blancos. Only a small crowd of Real Madrid supporters made the trip to the Catalan side to show their support, and were ultimately seated in the highest tier of the stadium where it practically met the cloud-line. Early on in the third minute of the game Real Madrid right winger Lucas Vasquez was fed into the box while Barcelona defender Javier Mascherano came across the Spaniard causing him to tumble to the ground. Intense pressure surrounded the central referee Carlos Clos as Vasquez called for a penalty kick, but the ref was not interested as the 98,485 fans in attendance roared. After a few nervous moments, Barcelona was able to settle down and control possession of the game, as Real Madrid tried to close down

their rivals. Barcelona’s possession wasn’t anything Real Madrid couldn’t handle, so Los Blancos sat comfortably as they pressed their opposition well. In the 16th minute Cristiano Ronaldo is found in the penalty area after a cross from the right wing, but he was only able to flick the ball lightly straight towards Barcelona goalkeeper Andre Ter Stegen. Both sides went back

defenders and got into the box brilliantly before stabbing a low shot straight at the keeper. Luka Modric shined for Real Madrid in the first half, proving why he’s one of the best central midfielders in the world at the moment after his world class performance against Barcelona, recovering possession on 12 different occasions. It was crucial for Real Madrid to gain control of the

Goalless at the break, Real Madrid had the better of a few chances at the Camp Nou. Even though Barcelona have had a lot of the possession, Real Madrid goalkeeper Kaylor Navas has not seen much action in the first half. After the second half started, both sides wasted no time driving up towards goal. But it was Barcelona who made it onto the scoreboard first in the 53rd minute. Neymar earned a free

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY AARON MARTINEZ/EL PAISANO

and forth with their attacks, keeping the referee very busy as slides tackles flew in from every imaginable angle. Marcelo broke free down the left byline in minute 25 of the game clipping a wonderful cross into the box over Ter Stegen who was left frozen as Ronaldo and Vasquez lurked behind him, but luckily his defender Jordi Alba was there to head the ball clear from danger. The pitch conditions have definitely had a huge impact on the game, with multiple players losing their footing throughout the opening minutes of the match. In the 38th minute, Ronaldo danced through two

game being away from home, and they went into halftime with the score at 0-0. Nonetheless, Barcelona have scored in each of their last 21 games against Real Madrid, only having lost three out of the last 13 Clasicos at home. Still, 27 points after the opening 13 games of La Liga games is the worst start for Barcelona since the 2007/08 season where they finished in 3rd place. Meanwhile, Real Madrid Head Coach Zinedine Zidane has gone 25 games without defeat, winning 22 and drawing 3 while scoring a minimum of three goals in each of their matches.

kick after a foul from Raphael Varane, and the spot kick was whipped in from the lefthand side which Luis Suarez managed to get on the end of to glance home the opener with his head. Suarez scored the opener for the home side placing his header into the bottom-right corner, with Navas having no chance from such close range in what could ultimately be the decisive goal of the game. With Barcelona now in the lead, Real Madrid picked up the tempo of the game and continued driving towards the opposing goal down the sidelines. Ivan Rakitic was subbed off in the 60th minute for

Barcelona with Andres Iniesta making his return after a lengthy injury saw him sidelined. Barcelona gained total confidence after their goal, and it was showing with every pass as Messi combined with Suarez before reaching Neymar who easily made it past Carvajal but then skyrocketed his shot well over Navas. Late into the game, it was still Barcelona who dominated possession as Iniesta fed a beautiful through ball to Messi who controlled the ball and took it into the box before taking a low driven shot a long ways from the far upright. Another chance wasted for Barcelona who only had a slight lead against Los Blancos which can come back to haunt them for not taking advantage of their earlier chances. Real Madrid defender Sergio Ramos began to push forward in the closing minutes of the game, as he nodded a header over the crossbar after a cross from came in from Carvajal. Another huge chance from Madrid shortly after saw a Ronaldo header deflected off Alba’s back and whipped out for a corner kick. Real Madrid conceded a free-kick in the 90th minute of the game and this was one of their last chances to equalize the game, and none other than the captain Ramos netted the goal for his side’s equalising at the death. Modric whipped in the cross from the right-hand side that saw Ramos rise above everyone to fire home a bullet header as wild celebrations ensued on and off the pitch. Drama filled the stadium in the closing minutes of the game as Real Madrid was able to salvage a point against Barcelona away from home, maintaining their six point lead in La Liga while keeping their undefeated streak.

Chapecoense crowned Copa Sudamerica Champions CRYSTIAN MENDOZA Sports Editor

crystian.mendoza8414@my.riohondo.edu

Brazilian soccer club Chapecoense has recently been named the Copa Sudamericana Champions as confirmed by interim club president Ivan Tozzo, after a formal request was made from opposing side Atletico Nacional this weekend. The club recently suffered from a tragedy this past Nov. 28 after the plane carrying the Chapecoense squad, as

well as a number of journalists, on their way to the first leg of the final crashed en route to Medellin two days before the match was scheduled to take place. The plane crash killed 71 of the 77 people on board, after the plane went down into a mountainside due to lack of fuel, crashing only eight miles shy of it’s destination point. Chapecoense was due to face Atletico Nacional in the final of the competition, and have since been rewarded for

their gesture with a fair play prize. “CONMEBOL’s Council has decided to declare Chapecoense as the champions of the 2016 edition of the Copa Sudamericana, as well as granting Atletico Nacional the extraordinary recognition of the ‘CONMEBOL Centenary Fair Play’ prize.” The Chapecoense side are to receive all the sporting and economic prerogatives that it entails. COMNEBOL also reached a decision to award Atletico

a prize, which included a cash sum of $1 million and came as a result of the clubs willingness to “promote South American football in a spirit of peace, understanding and fair play in the pursuit of sporting values always having prevalence over commercial interests.” Across the globe soccer matches have shown their respect with preceded moments of silence before games in recognition of those who lost their lives. A tribute took place at

the club’s Arena Conda stadium over the weekend, that was attended by CONMEBOL chief Alejandro Dominguez, Brazil coach Tite, Brazil’s president Michel Temer, and head of FIFA Gianni Infantino along with hundreds of supporters. Brasileirao clubs offered to loan players to the club for free, with the likes of former Barcelona strikers Ronaldinho and Eidur Gudjohnsen, as well as Argentina legend Juan Roman Riquelme also being linked.

El Paisano Tuesday, December 6, 2016

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SPORTS

RHC women’s basketball fall behind early on and lose to Irvine Valley College, 70-65

VICTOR LOZANO Reporter

victor.lozano2166@my.riohondo.edu

The women’s basketball team at Rio Hondo College could not get their shots to fall in the basket as the Lady Roadrunners lost a tough game down the stretch to Irvine Valley College. Rio Hondo came in with a record of three wins and four losses and after losing their previous game against Santa Ana College Nov. 22, Head Coach Steve Johnson wanted his team to come out with intensity to start the game. Just the opposite happened, as Irvine Valley began the game on a 7-0 start and took until the five minute mark for Rio Hondo to scratch and get on the board. They fought back at the end of the first quarter and got within two points of Irvine Valley, with the score 13-11. A quick 6-0 run by Irvine at the start of the second quarter had them up 1911 and Coach Johnson had enough when he called a timeout to get his team to focus

ALEX RODRIGUEZ/EL PAISANO Rio Hondo College women’s basketball player, Essence Pineda, fights for the ball with an opposing Irvine Valley College Nov. 30.

and execute their plays. It worked as once again, the Lady Roadrunners climbed back into the game and got within one, the

closest they would get in the game and trailed at the half, 27-24. The third quarter would ultimately decide the game

for Rio Hondo, as Irvine outscored Rio 21-12 and multiple runs throughout the quarter would leave the game at 4836.

The lead extended to 16, the biggest margin in the game and fighting until the end, the Roadrunners made a late run near the end of the fourth quarter to make things interesting. Playing full court press, Rio managed to come up with steals and scores at the other end to go on a 17-6 run with 33.8 seconds left in the game in a 60-58 game. A 29 point quarter had them within striking range to go into overtime, but errors on the offensive end ended their chances of coming back in a game that they trailed from beginning to end. Abysmal shooting from the Roadrunners was one of the leading causes of the game, shooting an overall 38.7% from the field, 4-18 from the three point line and not shooting well from the free throw line, going 13 of 23. One of the shining spots in the loss was Rio Hondo guard Aliyah Montiel, who finished with 16 points and was also in the passing lanes with her seven steals.

Lou Williams 40 points couldn’t help a shorthanded Lakers against the Grizzlies

VICTOR LOZANO Reporter

victor.lozano2166@my.riohondo.edu

The recent injury plagued Los Angeles Lakers ended their four game road trip against the Memphis Grizzlies and nearly came up with a win despite missing two of their key starters and a key rotation player off the bench in the process. During the first quarter, Lakers guard Jose Calderon suffered a right hamstring strain that saw him leave and not return to the game, only complicating the Lakers rotation early in the season. Even with their key players missing, the Los Angeles Lakers (10-12) kept the score close throughout most of the first half, with Troy Daniels and Lou Williams supplying most of the offense for each team. For Williams, his hot shooting started in the second quarter, dropping 21 points and giving the Lakers an eight point lead at halftime, 62-54. “It just flowed, it was just one of those games,” said Williams of his shooting, having 28 points in the first half and adding another 12 in the next two quarters finish with 40 points.

For the Grizzlies, even with the absence of most of their roster, Daniels was on target from the outside, shooting 6-12 from the three point line and hitting most of his shots from the inside as well. The Grizzlies finally settled down and began their trademark grind-out defense in the second half, suffocating any offensive plays the Lakers had with Tony Allen guarding Williams and Marc Gasol anchoring the paint. A 9-2 run with five minutes left decided the game for the Grizzlies, a game that was winnable on both ends. The Lakers nearly sent the game into overtime as Julius Randle was fouled on a three point attempt by Marc Gasol with 5.9 seconds left with the score at 103-100. Randle could not convert the first two free throws and missed the last one intentionally and the loose ball somehow got to Jordan Clarkson for a three pointer but could not convert, losing the game. After the game, Daniels said “I was just taking what the defense gave me and my teammates helped me get into those spots.” Luol Deng had one of his best games as a Laker,

finishing with 18 points, five rebounds and four steals in a game where offense was desperately needed.

The Lakers go back home to play the Utah Jazz at Staples Center and will be at home for the next three of

four games.

PHOTO BY FANSIDED.COM Lou Williams scored a Lakers season-high of 40 points with 21 points coming in the second quarter with Williams also hitting 12 free throws in the loss against the Memphis Grizzlies Dec. 3.

“It just flowed, it was just one of those games.” -Williams

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CALENDAR OF EVENTS

El Paisano Tuesday, December 6, 2016

FINALS WEEK DEC. 5-10 UPDATED FINALS SCHEDULES AVAILABLE @

www.riohondo.edu/admissions/admissions-homepage/ final-exam-schedule/

ENJOY YOUR WINTER BREAK

Campus Events

UC Application DEADLINE EXTENDED: TUESDAY, JANUARY 3 SUMBIT BEFORE DEADLINE TO AVOID SUBMISSION ISSUES

December 5-7 Holiday Student Art Sale @RHC Art Gallery 10-8 PM

December 11 The Nutcracker Peformed by RHC Dance Collective @Wray Theater 2 PM, 5 PM Admission: $10 Advance, $15 at the door

Men’s Basketball

December 10 RHC vs. Cuyamaca @ Cypress Away, TBA

December 11 RHC vs. LA Harbor @Cypress Away, TBA December 12 RHC vs. Southwestern @ Cypress Away, TBA December 16 RHC vs. Orange Coast @ Glendale Away, TBA December 18 RHC vs. TBA @ Glendale Away, TBA December 19 RHC vs. Antelope Valley @ Glendale Away, TBA December 20 RHC vs. Redwoods @ West Hills College Away, TBA

Off-Campus Events

December 10 Whittier Uptown Association 63rd Annual Christmas Parade @Historic Uptown Whittier 10- 12PM Free Admission

Women’s Basketball December 10 RHC vs. Grossmont @Irvine Valley College Away, TBA December 11 RHC vs. Irvine Valley Tournament @ Irvine Valley Away, TBA December 12 RHC vs. Riverside @Irvine Valley College Away, TBA December 18 RHC vs. Laney @ West Hills Lemoore Away, TBA December 19 RHC vs. Hartnell @ Lemoore Away, TBA December 20 RHC vs. Redwoods @ West Hills College Away, TBA December 28 RHC vs. TBA @ Ventura Away, TBA