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Mt SACC hands LBCC softball their first loss of the season

steven matthews
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Mt SACC hands LBCC softball their first loss of the season

The Long Beach City College Vikings softball team suffered their first loss of the season on Tuesday, March 19 after Mt. San Antonio City College was able to take an early lead and then ended the game with a score of 10-1.

LBCC was slow to adjust to Mt. SACC’s  pitcher Alexia Silva, with her high velocity pitches and consistent rise-balls through the first five innings.

With Mt. SACC’s defense being supported by their pitcher, this allowed Mt. SACC’s offense to get going, and player Jessika Trujillo hit a double to left field which allowed Vicky Gutierrez and Gabby Estrada to score the first runs of the game for Mt. SACC in the bottom of the third inning.

Mt. SACC extended this initial lead when player Adriana Ramirez hit a single to center field advancing to second on the throw, allowing Jessika Trujillo to score again in the third inning.

After the high scoring third inning, Vikings pitcher Joette Vega substituted for Noleany Benitez in the fourth inning, and played for the rest of the game.

Jocelyn Cebedo’s makes contact during her swing.

LBCC made visible batting adjustments moving into the fourth inning, but were unable to find any strong offensive going into the fifth inning.

Viking Jade Wittman fought back in the sixth inning scoring the first run on a passed ball.

Mt. SACC player Charleen Macias singled to left field, sending Vicky Gutierrez to home plate at the top of the seventh inning.

After the game the team reflected on their performance,

“This pitcher was more consistent, her rise balls really got to us because we weren’t adjusting in the box,” said Ileana Rivera.

According to coach Megan Martinez, that despite their first loss, the LBCC players “Came together, they never let each other down, they had each other’s back. And that’s really important for us,” said Martinez.

Viking player Alora Murray contributed to the positive team atmosphere after the game by talking up the coaching staff.  

“The coaches get us, and let us play the game,” said Murray.

The LBCC Vikings now prepare to play Cerro Coso on March 1, and Orange Coast College on March 4, both of which are at home.

College health services provides food for low-income students

andrea ramos
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College health services provides food for low-income students

The Viking Vault, welcomed hungry students with a free breakfast on the quad at the LAC on the first day of spring semester.

The Viking Vault is a means to provide sufficient food available to LBCC students in an effort to decrease food insecurity.

The Viking Vault is currently located on the PCC inside the Student Union, open on select Thursdays from 1-3pm, the schedule is on their instagram.

Healthy Viking Graduate Intern, Carmen Tatenco represented the Healthy Viking Initiative by engaging students and passing out food.

According to a survey by Temple University and the Wisconsin Hope Lab, 42% of students at community colleges are food insecure and 9% of those students admitted to going a whole day without eating in the last 30 days.

The Vault, led by Director of student life and student health, Deborah Miller Calvert, has the main purpose to help feed hungry students.

In order to receive food from the vault, students fill out a “Basic Needs Assessment” form.

Upon a one-time completion of the form students receive 15 Viking Points per week, which is just like cash, to go shopping at the Viking Vault for items that are 1, 2 or 3 points.

“We look forward to when the vault can be open more consistently to better serve more students,” adjunct faculty and Vice President of the Helping Homeless Students Associated Group, Michelle Pecheck said.

The library at both LAC and PCC are supporting the Viking Vault and students who need help with their library fines.

At  LAC, Librarian and Professor Jeff Sabol had a table set up in the LAC library during the first week of spring session to promote “LBCC Library Fine$ for Food,” a program that provides up to $4 toward student library fine fees per excepted item.

The new initiative is led by Assistant Professor and Librarian Shamika Simpson. “All of the food from the ‘LBCC Library Fine$ for Food’ goes toward the Viking Vault,” Simpson said.

Students looking to take advantage of the Fine$ for Food program may stop by the library reference desk for more information.

Students who want to volunteer their time to the Viking Vault can email Graduate Intern Carmen Tatenco at ctatenco@lbcc.edu.

Workshop helps empower students to know their rights

cassandra reichelt
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Workshop helps empower students to know their rights

LBCC has teamed up with the Long Beach Immigrant Rights Coalition to host “Know Your Rights” workshops, open to students and the community.

Led by LBIRC’s Senior Community Organizer Jonathan Solorzano, the workshops are intended to empower documented and undocumented students alike.

LBCC Counselor Jose Gutierrez began these workshops in the Fall of 2018, as an extension of the DREAM services provided on campus.

“We partnered with LBIRC because they do a lot of advocacy work,” Gutierrez said.

“We are finding that a lot of our students don’t know that they have specific rights when it comes to dealing with law enforcement, specifically ICE officials.”

Solorzano is using his platform to provide educational resources for communities and advocate for change when minorities are interacting with law enforcement or healthcare practitioners.

“It’s been a struggle with the current political climate. Some folks are living in the shadows or even moving back into the shadows.” Solorzano said.

LBIRC has created a community defense network, which organizes and trains community members to issue out alerts when ICE is in their area.

“We want to empower them so they can become agents of change in their own communities.” Solorzano said.

Solorzano passed out small yellow cards that can be handed to law enforcement in the case of questioning.

The cards include the number to contact the LBIRC dispatch team if they spot ICE in neighborhoods.

A slideshow included an overview of the Miranda Rights, what is and is not legal during search & seizures, as well as what to do in the case of an ICE raid.

LBCC student and dreamer Angel Cervantes, said, “The workshop reinforced things my parents have discussed. We do not have a plan if ICE were to come to our home and that really opened up my eyes.”

Cervantes needed counselor Gutierrez to help him fill out his AB-540, otherwise known as a Dream Act form.

Undocumented students looking to receive help with any of their documents can visit DREAM Services located in the LAC Welcome Center in building A and PCC Welcome Center Building AA.  

The next PCC workshop is set to be held in room BB-206 on April 30,  6-8 p.m. and LAC workshop inside the transfer center Tuesday March 26,  2:00-3:30 p.m.

Healthy Viking Initiative works to help achieve mental health goals for students

cassandra reichelt
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Healthy Viking Initiative works to help achieve mental health goals for students

The LBCC Healthy Vikings Initiative kicked off their first mental health workshop, ‘Setting Goals for the New Year’ during the first week of the 2019 Spring Semester on Feb. 2.

The workshop was located in the Valhalla room of building E at LAC.

Genesis Lares, a CSULB student and intern with LBCC Student Life and Student Services, led the group through the entirety of the workshop.

Lares enjoys co-facilitating the workshops because she gets to interact with students and learn from them by hearing their experiences.

After introductions, students were prompted through a worksheet that described ‘SMART’ Goals, Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Timely.

Lares shared that she was working toward a goal of learning the saxophone while another attendee mentioned she has weight loss goals.

“It is important that your goal is important to you,” Lares said.

Toward the end of the workshop, the group was provided with supplies to make their own vision boards, to help visualize their specific goals.

LBCC student, Sharonda Moss, said, “They are enjoyable and relaxing.”

Moss is currently working toward a few goals herself, including her certificate in drug and alcohol studies.

She plans on transferring to CSULB once she completes her general education classes.

Daisy Cook, the co-facilitator for the workshop, stressed that when accomplishing a goal, students should celebrate and “treat yourself right.”

Some students in attendance were there to receive credit for their classes.

Moss, a mother and participant in the CARE program, also benefits from attending these workshops.

“They are extremely helpful to my situation,” Moss said.

The CARE program, short for Cooperative Agencies Resources for Education, provides educational resources for students who are single parents and receiving aid.

There are about eight workshops taking place on both the LAC and PCC this semester and any current LBCC student is able to participate.

“Every student is recommended to come, anybody that is willing to listen and learn,” Lares said.

Around 20 students attended, led by Genesis Lares (BSW) & Daisy Cook (LSCW).

Mental health services at LBCC also include free therapy sessions to students who are currently enrolled.

LBCC partners up with CalFresh to help students pay for food

abel reyes
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LBCC partners up with CalFresh to help students pay for food

Long Beach City College is working hand in hand with CalFresh to change the rumbling feeling of hunger, to the steady feeling of full for qualifying students by coming onto campus to assist students with applications.

CalFresh is a government program that will give low-income households to help funds for students to purchase food.

The funds are placed on a personalized debit card, as opposed to traditional methods of food assistance.

This action was taken in order to help comfort students which can avoid potential embarrassment from other peers due to receiving government aid.

Most grocery stores in the Long Beach and neighboring areas accept CalFresh benefits as a form of payment.

Representatives from the Los Angeles Food Bank will come to campus to assist students in completing and submitting their CalFresh applications and answer any questions students may have.

Being able to consume and afford three meals a day may give students the boost they need to excel in their studies.

Jae Delos Santos who is a veteran and returning student here at LBCC, thinks he can really use the extra assistance in order to sustain his day to day lifestyle.

This program and programs like it, have the potential to help students who have certain disadvantages get to an equal learning level.

“What I really love about this program is when I help someone who is hungry. Especially when they come back and say ‘thank you’!” said Cynthia Onoa, who has worked for the Food Bank for 10 years.

“Food Bank used to have a goal to assist 75 people per month, now we have no goal, we just want to help when we can.” said Joanna Lopez, Food Bank representative since 2012.

If you are Interested in applying for CalFresh please contact DSPS or visit their LAC location in Building A.

LBCC hosts black history month event, ‘Rise: A Celebration of Black Heritage’

abel reyes
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Correction: An earlier version of this story had the incorrect photos attached and have been removed

Long Beach City College had its first “Rise: A celebration of Black Heritage” event held on Thursday Feb. 21 in honor of celebrating the black community and all its accomplishments.

The event took place from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. in the T building, celebrating by having a dance performance by LBCC dancers, a distinguished panel with four speakers and a variety of food for guests to enjoy.

Lee Douglas, dean of Language Arts and Communication and coordinator of the event said, “We wanted to do something to celebrate black heritage and bring the campus community together, to honor the past, to celebrate the present, and to really reflect on what’s going to happen in the future.”

The beginning of the event held a reception presenting the four panelist speakers, former Long Beach City Council AL Austin II, John Howard, Owner/Operator of Chick-fil-A at Long Beach Towne Center, Tasha W. Hunter, president of the Arts Council for Long Beach, Donnell Jones, Student Trustee for Long Beach , and Sharon McLucas, owner of the “Forgotten Images” exhibit.

LBCC students and other guests attended the event, students like Senay Kenfe said, “I’m a supporter of black history month and I try to come to things that are related on campus.”

“I come to these kind of things to see the younger students on campus, their investment, their own culture and community and see how these events bring out the youth, and how I as an older person can connect the dots and where we can shift this energy and participation into.”

The event also had a display that showed several historical artifacts that honored Africa, African American traditions, and historical folks that had contributed to the black community.

Not only was there a dance performance by LBCC students but also a sing along, where everyone joined together to sing the song “Lift Every Voice and Sing” by James Weldon Johnson, which is often referred to as the “Black National Anthem.”

The event lead to panel discussions that were monorated by student Maya Smith and Ramon Knox dean of Student Support Services.

Guests were able to talk about their own perspectives on what financial literacy meant to them and other topics that were announced.

Panelist Tasha W. Hunter spoke about her own black awakening, “I remember seeing my mother in the mirror patting her fro, dancing before she would head to work everyday and seeing that reflection of who she is was my black awakening.”

Topics that were brought up during the panel discussion spoke about inclusivity in the black community, equity, black awakening, financial literacy, and prison in the black community.

Traffic collision on Clark and Harvey way

abel reyes
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Traffic collision on Clark and Harvey way

Two cars were involved in a collision on Tuesday morning on Clark & Harvey Way, on the northeast side of LAC.

The fire department was called due to smoke coming out of one of the cars.

It was an injury traffic collision, one of the parties complained about pain.

The collision happened around 8:20 a.m., during heavy traffic hours.  

Recruitment drops for clubs at Join a Club Day

abel reyes
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Recruitment drops for clubs at Join a Club Day

Vikings gathered for some exciting and inclusive activities the clubs put together to welcome new and concurrent students for Join a Club Day on Thursday, Feb. 21st.

It was a lively and upbeat atmosphere out on the quad at LAC, perfect for making connections that last all semester, depending on the club of your choice.

Clubs had individual tents set up with members handing out flyers and smiles, as they greeted students who had potential interest in joining their club.

Among the festivities, ASB put together a raffle for students and a Frito chili cheese pie booth, the Jazz Club played live music, a splendor of free candy offered at various club tents, and a rock-paper-scissor tournament.

Each club on campus has a unique characteristic, with the hope of their message resonating with students and catching their interest.

Sasha Valenzuela, president of the feminist club, said, “We like to push the fact that we’re intersectional and all inclusive. Anyone can come if they’re willing to listen.”

Chili cheese Fritos is being served to students during the event. this is taking place at Join a Club day at LAC on Febuary 21, 2019.

Join a Club Day is intended for recruiting members and involving students in extracurricular activities such as volunteer hours for transfer credits, study groups, executing their shared hobbies, and to make friends.

Club leaders and members agree that recruiting members at the beginning of the semester is a key component to a good semester for clubs on campus.

Each semester turnout rates seem to fluctuate for recruitment.

Sergio Atanacio, a member of The Order of Tong International, said, “There was a time where we had up to 13 males and 13 females joining… we’re trying to build up and get back to those double digits.”

College students have a lot to juggle with full-time or part-time course loads, personal lives, jobs, etc.

Clubs are aware of this fact and fortunately are able to take such details into account with their scheduling, with meetings at different times throughout the week.

Professor Robert Vitt, and fifth year advisor of the Philosophy Club, had words of encouragement for students balancing extracurricular activities and schoolwork,

“You can do it,” Vitt explained, “People tend to not do extracurricular activities because it can be a distraction, but you find people with similar interests and it can complement your academic work.”

There are a lot of promising aspects to joining a club on campus and making lasting connections is one of the better perks.

LBCC has more than 50 clubs and organizations on campus, all with a wide array of interests and academic values, that students can join to become more involved on and off campus.

Men’s Basketball clinches conference championship with win against LA Southwest College

abel reyes
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Men’s Basketball clinches conference championship with win against LA Southwest College


Freshmen guard Jace Bass set a career-high total of 39 points leading Long Beach City College men’s basketball team with the last victory win of regular season by a score of 103-86 against visiting team L.A. Southwest Cougars on Feb 22.

Vikings were up the entire game and ended the first half with a score of 51-38, never giving the Cougars a chance to take the lead.

Long Beach City College celebrated Sophomore Night and honored the eight sophomores on the team, Jordan Heard, Garrett Roberts, Nicolas Stuart, Daniel Canales, Matthew Wooten, Jeremiah Sadler, Jamiu Akinbile, and Charles Smith.

Vikings were 72% at the line, and 39.3% at the three pointer mark.

Sophomore Jordan Heard made three consecutive three pointers along with Sophomore Daniel Canales making two consecutive three pointers both within the first two minutes of entering the game.

Aside from guard Jace Bass, forwards Charles Smith, and Matthew Wooten also finished the game in double digits.

Smith ending with 11 points, five rebounds, one assist and Wooten ending with 12 points, eight rebounds, and one assist.

Along with setting a career-high with 39 points, Bass finished with six assists, two steals, and 11 rebounds.

Bass pushed through the game on defense as well as offense leaving the first half with 27 points.

“I let the game come to me, and I’m just blessed that it happened. We got our win and now we make the next move, playoffs,” said Bass.

Vikings were ranked by state No. 10 and share the title with Cerritos College of South Coast Conference Co-Champions after the win on Friday night as both teams went 9-1 in the South West Conference.

Throughout the season, The Vikings worked together as one and ended the season how they wanted.

“Our team improved on playing together as one team, in the beginning it was just one man but we succeeded in working together and finished the regular season making it to the playoffs,” Bass added.

Vikings pushed to end the season with a win and succeeded in accomplishing what they planned and worked for.

Vikings got their first conference championship since 2015, as they finished the regular season with the record of 24-4, and having nine consecutive wins.

“This season was perfect and it’s always a blessing coaching these young men and seeing them progress throughout the season,” said head coach Barry Barnes.

“All coaches at the beginning of the season want to win, win the conference, and get to the playoffs, and sometimes those dreams don’t come true, but everything we wanted came true.”

Having the same goal, assistant coach Carl Robinson was proud of the boys as they showed hard work throughout the whole season and showed defense in every game.

“We came on a mission, all having the same ultimate goal to stick together as a family and get our spot in the payoffs, We all carried eachother like glue, and we did it” said Robinson.

Vikings start first round of playoffs next week, schedule to be announced soon.

Women’s Basketball misses playoffs, but finishes strong in the last game

abel reyes
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Women’s Basketball misses playoffs, but finishes strong in the last game

Long Beach City College Vikings end their season with a 30 point win over visiting team L.A. Southwest with a score of 81-51 on Feb 22.

The Vikings went into the half up by 13 points with a score of 40-27 taking the lead the entire game.

Cougars only having five players on the team, and no reserves on the bench, at the fourth quarter they played three on five as Diamond Mims and Jada Tamez both fouled out for Los Angeles.

Consecutive fouls were called on the Cougars giving the Vikings to be at the line and making 72.7% of free throws.

Although the ladies had a rough season, they pushed through the last game of the season finishing off with 27 assists as a team.

All five starters of the Vikings finished off in double digits.

Naomi Winston-Ellis with 24, Rosalinda Taosoga with 20, Taja Ward with 14, Kaylin Brown with 11, and De’Brianna Hampton with 10 points.

“I played the best of my ability, I even got hurt but I pushed through it and didn’t take a seat, and I’m glad it’s over,” said forward De’Brianna Hampton, who finished off the game with 10 points nine rebounds and eight assists.

“This season was not easy it definitely was hard for all of us but at the end, we all learned how to work together,” Hampton added.

Assistant coach Ollie Brent stepped in as head coach Michael Anderson was absent a lot and did the coaching.

Returning for his eighth season, it was hard for Brent and the team not making it to the playoffs.

“This is the first season in eight that we didn’t make it, and our numbers had a lot to do with it,” said Brent.

“We couldn’t give them much of a break with only one player on the bench during the game to sub, or even help during plays at practice.”

Guard Rosalinda Taosoga finished the game with 20 points six rebounds and two assists.

“It was an odd year, we struggled with almost everything,” said Taosoga

“We built the main thing which friendship, but it’s time to hopefully move on to a four year.”

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