CORRECTION: A new version stands now to reflect minor changes that are in our recent print edition.
In the aftermath of last week’s ASB election, some candidates voiced their concerns during the campaigning process, with one candidate alleging that she didn’t get to promote herself on her social media because of an ASB mishap, while the current ASB president and Student Trustee had tension.
Angeline Anderson, one of the candidates running for Student Trustee, expressed that she did not have the opportunity to promote herself online and post her flyers because they were never sent back to her with the stamp of approval after she submitted them to the ASB committee over email.
As mentioned by the ASB advisor Kim Hamon, all campaign material that is posted to social media must first be approved by the ASB committee.
Anderson expressed that she reached out two times through email in a thread that included both dean of student affairs Deborah Miller-Calvert and director of student life and conduct Sylvia Garcia, to ask for her digital flyers to be approved.
During this time, someone had also put up unapproved posters on campus promoting Anderson, so Garcia reached out, between these messages to address this.
Anderson said she is still unaware of who put up the posters.
“I asked for, I think, like the digital copy and I pretty much just said like ‘hey, the flyers don’t have the ASB stamp on them. Can I get that?’ And that after that nothing really and then I got an email from Sylvia(Garcia) again, saying that somebody was posting up flyers and the email showed and she sent in my email, which flyers were approved and I was like, well, they don’t have the watermark on it, can I get, I guess can I get them with the watermark? And she sent my flyers in the email again and they still didn’t have the watermark on it,” Anderson said.
She continued, “So I kind of just felt frustrated and gave up after that.”
Garcia responded when asked to comment on the situation, “Okay, that is a conversation that I would have with Angie if she had questions on that. I don’t, I can’t share information that I, discussions that I have with other students.”
On Wednesday, the Viking News received a series of text messages from the current ASB president Priince Bass alleging that the current student Trustee Pise Leiataua was campaigning at the board of trustees meeting that day, which he claimed is generally frowned upon in that setting.
Both candidates are rerunning for their respective positions.
“It was right after that American justice, criminal justice club went up to take a picture with them after they received their award and designation from the board of trustees,” Bass said.
Bass continued, “They went up there to take pictures with everybody and after everybody took their pictures Pise stayed back to talk to the head of the organization and the president of the ACJA club, right. She went to her desk and she grabbed her flyers off of her desk, went back down and campaigned and said ‘hey, I support ya’ll, I like ya’ll, can ya’ll support me.’ She gave a stack of flyers to them, you’ll be able (to)…see this on camera,” Bass said.
Leiataua responded and claimed that she had approval to do so beforehand.
“So after their recognition, basically I was talking to Stephanie because she was just elected to be the new ICC president, and they basically was giving her her flowers and her and the other ICC rep was basically talking to me about the elections and about how they wish me luck in the elections and stuff like that and that like they all support me and in what way can they support me? So I basically asked them, I was like ‘do you want a flyer,’ and then she was like ‘yeah, give me a flyer and I’ll share it with my team right now,” Leiataua said.
Leiataua continued that there were no specific rules in the ASB elections that prevented her from campaigning at the board of trustees meeting.
“As long as the flyer has the stamp, then you’re ok. Cuz even before I had those flyers on my back, even before I did that, I asked for permission. Like, am I able to share this?.. I’m not posting this, like, on the walls or anything. Like these are just extras that I have in case students are asking for it,” Leiataua said.
The ASB advisor, dean of student affairs, and director of student life and conduct, weren’t readily available to comment.
Student Salem Boytos wears pink underwear over her clothes while holding a sign at Kristan Hawkins’ debate on abortion rights at Falcon Square in Cerritos College on April 8. (Jessica Rodriguez)
A crowd of more than 50 students gathered in Falcon Square at Cerritos College, chanting “a disgrace to women” and “abortion is a human right,” as they spoke out against anti-abortion activist Kristan Hawkins.
Hawkins is the CEO of Pro-Life Generation and the president of Students for Life America (SFLA), who goes to college campuses to debate students on abortion rights.
Under a tent that read “abortion is human sacrifice”, Hawkins’ intentions to spark debate was met with angry students yelling for the political activist to get off their campus.
The demonstration was organized by the campus chapter of Young Democratic Socialists of America, drawing students who opposed the speaker’s messages and the presence of similar events on campus.
Salem Boytos, a biology student who is not officially a member of the group, said she felt compelled to attend after seeing a pattern of controversial speakers being invited to campus.
Boytos described previous events hosted by the Turning Point USA chapter at Cerritos College as harmful to students.
“These are harmful messages,” Boytos said. “This isn’t what we should be promoting on a campus that’s supposed to be about education and open thought.”
The concerns echoed a broader sentiment among many protesters in attendance, who viewed the event as contributing to a hostile campus environment.
Julio Sosadiaz, a political science student and student body presidential candidate, raised concerns about what he described as a pattern of behavior tied to these specific events.
“It goes beyond free speech when people come onto campus to harass students and provoke reactions for online content,” Sosadiaz continues, “That’s not debate—it’s intimidation.”
Sosadiaz also criticized the Student Affairs Dean Elisabeth Miller, saying he believes the administration has not been transparent about the situation.
“From our perspective, there’s been a lack of clarity and accountability,” Sosadiaz said.
Sosadiaz alleged that Miller has misrepresented the involvement of outside groups connected to campus events.
“She’s been saying that certain groups weren’t invited,” Sosadiaz said. “But from what we’ve seen and documented, that doesn’t match up.”
Sosadiaz added that students and campus organizations have raised questions about how outside speakers are brought onto campus and whether proper transparency has been maintained.
Miller did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Coming out of class, Valeria Esqueda, a commercial music student, said she chose to engage directly with Hawkins despite strongly disagreeing with her message.
“Because she’s saying things that I don’t agree with,” Esqueda said. “I think her opinion is just overall wrong.”
Esqueda questioned the intent of the event, describing it as performative.
“It’s rage baiting,” Esqueda said. “(Hawkins) not here to educate—she’s here to cause a scene, get views and promote an agenda.”
Still, Esqueda acknowledged the importance of free speech and open dialogue on campus.
“I do think it’s beneficial because of the First Amendment, we all have the right to speak,” she said. “It just sucks that it’s being used in the wrong way.”
Esqueda extended the argument that while student groups have the right to invite speakers, the campus climate may discourage visible support.
“I thought there would be at least some supporters here, but I think people want to feel safe and may not want to openly align with those views.” Esqueda said.
Kristan Hawkins sets up to debate students on abortion rights at Falcon Square in Cerritos College on April 8. Hawkins, an anti-abortion activist, was invited onto campus to talk to students by a group at Cerritos College. (Jessica Rodriguez)
Hawkins, however, defended the importance of speaking on college campuses, saying that she believes her presence can influence students.
“Yes, absolutely, because it changes minds,” Hawkins said. “College campuses are often targeted, and we’ve helped a lot of mothers and saved lives.”
Hawkins added that even strong reactions from protesters can amplify her message.
“The more people react the way they did today, the more others start to question what’s going on. In a way, that changes more minds than I do.” Hawkins said.
Despite widespread disagreement among students, the presence of groups like Turning Point USA, a charter group, reflects the broader reality of campus life that student organizations are allowed to express their views under the protections of the First Amendment, even when those views are unpopular.
No visible supporters of Hawkins were present at the event, as the crowd consisted almost entirely of people speaking against Hawkins.
In response to the event at Cerritos, LBCC Dean of Student Affairs Deborah Miller-Calvert said that students have the right to organize events and invite speakers, however those events must go through an approval process.
“As students, you have the right to organize and host events on campus. However, all events must go through proper vetting to ensure that the guests brought onto campus provide a benefit to the student body.” Miller-Calvert said.
The Vikings won the game 6-4 against Chaffey College in its first matchup out of best of three in Regionals on Friday.
LBCC’s ace starting pitcher Ella Huago was on the mound today to start off the first matchup while Chaffey’s starting pitcher was Bryanna Ortega.
Outfielder Lela Asi started the scoring with an RBI sac fly to drive in catcher Zara Mineo making it 1-0, followed by an RBI single from third baseman Michelle Cervantes to drive in designated hitter Mikaela Pacheco, making it 2-0 in the bottom of the second inning.
Chaffey’s third baseman Fernanda Cano would then hit a two run home run off Huago, evening up the scoring at two in the top of the third inning.
Cervantes would eventually break up the tie with a three run homer to left field, making it 5-2 for the Vikings in the bottom of third inning.
Asi would then drive in another run due to a hit by pitch, scoring Mineo to extend their lead 6-2.
Huago would get into some trouble after giving up a two run double to Chaffey’s second baseman Micayla Arreola in the top of the sixth inning.
LBCC Vikings’ catcher Zara Mineo hits against Chaffey College Friday. The Vikings came out on top with a 6-4 win in a best of three regional playoff. (Jacyn King)
Huago pitched a complete game with a win for the team to take a 1-0 lead in the series, and talked about her performance on the mound.
“I just have to make sure I don’t pitch it on the plate. Once I started kind of hanging the corners again, and they just weren’t hitting it as well, which was really good, because a couple of middle innings, I was throwing it off the plate, but once I started hitting the corners, it was good,” said Huago.
Vikings third baseman Michelle Cervantes talked about her three-run home run that made the difference in the win for her team, as she drove in four out of the six runs for LBCC.
“In the bottom of the third during that at bat, I was really just looking for a pitch that I can get in the gap somewhere to push in those runs. Luckily, I just happened to get a hold of that one and it produced three runs, so I was just super excited to get that done for the team,” said Cervantes.
Coach Megan Martinez talked about how her team was preparing their mindset coming into Friday’s game against Chaffey.
“We play every single game like it’s a national championship, and we prepare every single game the same way, and we approach every opponent like we’re defending a national championship. We just want to make sure that all our efforts are not in vain, and we know that this is the best part of the season, and we want to make sure that our hard work was something that we got to enjoy it, and so we want to make sure we get all the way to the state tournament,” said Martinez.
LBCC Vikings’ pitcher Ella Haugo throws a pitch against Chaffey College during a regional playoff game Friday. The Vikings won 6-4 in a best of three series. (Jacyn King)
LBCC will be playing their second match of Regionals against Chaffey on Saturday, May 2, at 12 P.M., hoping to win this match and advance to the next round.
CORRECTION: A past photo caption was missing information.
A Special Olympics basketball player was taken by paramedics for medical treatment on Thursday after falling unconscious near LBCC’s W and R buildings, where a “BuzzBallz” alcohol container was also found and disposed of at the scene by police and was suspected to be the cause.
The occurrence happened around 5:30 p.m. near the aquatic center where the Special Olympics team congregated for their usual practice.
A teammate by the name of Toni witnessed the interaction and confirmed it was due to alcohol use.
“One of our teammates did a dare and drank like a big thing of a BuzzBallz and passed out, he was drunk,” Toni said.
The victim’s coach alleged that the dare came from an LBCC student, who had left the scene by the time paramedics and police made it to campus.
The coach said that the alleged student had recorded the victim “to be posted on the Internet, for a prank.”
Paramedics took the unconscious victim to receive medical treatment with the accompanying police saying “they were still investigating.”
The investigation is “still ongoing” as of Saturday and “is being looked into by a detective,” according to Long Beach police department’s public information officer, Sgt. Stein.
Stein has told the Viking that the investigation should “wrap up this week” and a full police report of the case will be “provided in the next few days”.
In a world where dance has become synonymous with fun, tiktok trends and real art is being threatened by the expansion of AI, audience members came to LBCC’s spring dance concert on Friday to experience a real, close-knit performance.
Though the experience was a first for many and a recurring one for family members and alumni, everyone alike got just what is missing: a touch of the human life that turned the auditorium into a celebration of life.
The performance offered a world full of artistry that nurtured the real-life experiences of people and explored real feelings in imagery realms like feeling sensual as a banana slug, and being overworked in a creepy women filled world where everyone wears red wigs.
Dancer Matilda van der Fluit, right, struts as she offers her hand to help dancer Marithea (Maki) Yamuta, left, get out of her box, during the dance “Astropolis” at a dress rehearsal on Thursday for LBCC’s Spring 2026 Dance Ensemble In Concert. (Aileen Fragoso)
The last chance to watch the show is today at 7 p.m. at LAC’s Bob and Barbara Ellis Auditorium, tickets are available here or at the box office before the show.
Although dance concerts at LBCC happen every spring and fall semester, each show has original dances that are only performed for that time.
Waiting for each dance to start felt like the excitement you get in line, waiting to ride your favorite ride at disneyland, instead this time you don’t know what the ride entails.
Each dance could either pick up where the other left off and ease that emotion or throw you into a completely different world.
The most creative dance in this out of the box category was a piece titled “Kamp Slugglo” that had a group of dancers dressed in head to toe yellow, acting as banana slugs by scrunching and dragging their bodies on the floor to slither like the creatures.
The dance began with a cheery intro featuring a preppy kamp tune that sang, “banana slug, banana slug” over a ukulele. This intro was hard to digest, as it was cringy to bear, but the moment ended up creating the perfect juxtaposition to the sexy, sensual and fun moments that were later unleashed.
A silly dance quickly proved to be one with perfect synchronization between dancers, and demonstrated an astonishing level of flexibility. In order for the dancers to smoothly slither they needed to contort their bodies rapidly while still remaining graceful.
Dancers broke out into back bends and may I say put their back into it while the dancers held onto each other and leaned in to create a connecting human line.
Before this dance, the audience was taken through an interesting journey, having gone through five other dances, including an electric edgy dance, a bouncy sassy trio, and a dance to Cythnia Erivo’s song “Stand Up.” As well as then a soft lyrical dance, and an ominous and high fashion female dance.
The dance “Freedom is Calling,” which follows Erivo’s song, had a meaningful and thought through concept that could have been realized had the dance been cleaner. The out of sync dancers made it hard to fully convey the raw and emotional message that the choreo and rustic colored costumes were set to give.
The dance referenced the struggle of trying to escape slavery, and did right by centering the experience of Black people by making a Black female dancer the protagonist.
The African dance, “Harvest Time: Koukou,” which came after the slug dance, was a high energy tribal dance routine that was accompanied by live hard-hitting drums on stage.
The drums set the fast paced and intense atmosphere which at the same time was fun as each dancer let themself be free on stage and danced their heart out, leaving everything out on the dance floor.
While this happened, one audience member clapped along to the beat of the drum, and in no time, the whole auditorium was clapping along hyping the dancers up, making the audience part of the experience.
What they didn’t know is that the dancers would be coming out to them, and dancing right in front of them. The dancers joining the audience took the unexpected shared moment of clapping, to the next level.
It turned the event into a full on community celebration that felt like a joyful festival.
The celebration continued after intermission, when a carefree rock ‘n’ roll dance took center stage, having pretty colorful lights flashing in moments. This dance felt like complete freedom, having dancers get loose and rock out, while wearing bandanas, funky patterns, fringe and bell sleeve shirts.
Dancer Chris Navarro, left, holds Yumalay Quintero, right, during the hippie and rock ‘n’ roll dance “Gettin’ the Led Out,” during a dress rehearsal on Wednesday for LBCC’s Spring 2026 Dance Ensemble In Concert. (Juan Rosales)
Dancers gather around a circle and give energy in the hippie, rock ‘n’ roll dance “Gettin’ the Led Out,” during a dress rehearsal on Wednesdayfor LBCC’s Spring 2026 Dance Ensemble In Concert. (Juan Rosales)
Another highlight of the dance show was the piece “Astropolis,” which happened before the banana slug dance and was the ominous female empowerment piece. During this, the costumes were all business attire in the tones of black, grey and white, and the red wigs and red heels created the needed contrast.
This dance followed creepy, haunting music that got remixed with a high fashion like, runaway song, that gave off the sound of a fast timer.
Integral to the dance were female dancers portraying characters that look tired and disconnected, to the point that they held a nonchalant, “I don’t care” vibe. While they felt this way they still managed to automatically serve and hold self-asserting sassy poses.
Dancer Matilda van der Fluit, right, struts as she offers her hand to help dancer Marithea (Maki) Yamuta, left, get out of her box, during the dance “Astropolis” at a dress rehearsal on Thursday for LBCC’s Spring 2026 Dance Ensemble In Concert. (Aileen Fragoso)
The dances described were part of many, who had unique themes and brought the audience into a distinct world of its own. Two dances, in the later half depicted real life occurrences such as that of a toxic relationship between two lovers, and the scenario of a male partner cheating on his female partner with a man.
The toxic relationship dance, “Ghosts of Yesterday” was described by the student choreographer Raychell Rymer during the talk for choreographers as it “explores the involuntary nature of nostalgia.”
The dance which was to the song “The Night We Met” by Lord Huron, depicted the complicated relationship of a couple who hold onto each other for support during their most needed, darkest moments, yet portrays how the couple brings each other down.
Dancer Joshuah Snel, left, and Raychell Rymer, right, depict an intimate moment in the dance, “Ghosts of Yesterday” during a dress rehearsal on Wednesday for LBCC’s Spring 2026 Dance Ensemble In Concert. (Juan Rosales)
In one moment, the guy throws the female dancer to the ground, making her fall and land straight on her back. In another, she runs to him and he catches her, lifting her with a spin, which showcases how he is there uplifting her in a needed moment.
Dancer Joshuah Snel pretends to pick up Raychell Rymer, his love interest in the dance “Ghosts of Yesterday,” after being the one to have thrown her on the ground, during a dress rehearsal on Wednesday for LBCC’s Spring 2026 Dance Ensemble In Concert. (Juan Rosales)
Then towards the end, their relationship comes to a breaking point and they fist fight each other, still in a poetic way though to match the music. At the end he leaves her.
This piece shows the true power of art, the ability to use choreography and storytelling to be able to reflect on and process such a confusing situation like that of an unhealthy relationship. It has moments that feel like true love, yet can detrimentally weigh one down.
The ability to share that realization, and inner work, is one that will encourage others to reflect on similar past relationships, and also could help those who are in current relationships like it to identify it. By identifying it, it could be the beginning piece of someone leaving.
The show ended with yet another celebration in a dance that featured an editorial-like look through the individualized white flowy costumes of each character and differentiating magazine-like hairstyles.
Dancer Essence Cooper gives cosmic editorial vibes with her braided hair and seemingly greek goddess inspired flowy costume, during the dance, “Eyes Haven’t Heard and Ears Haven’t Seen” at a dress rehearsal on Wednesday for LBCC’s Spring 2026 Dance Ensemble In Concert. (Juan Rosales)
The theme of this photoshoot would be cosmic angels, given that the dance also gave off a free and child-like happiness in spirit.
Dancer Essence Cooper, right, gleefully runs to join the circle with other dancers during the dance, “Eyes Haven’t Heard and Ears Haven’t Seen” at a dress rehearsal on Wednesday for LBCC’s Spring 2026 Dance Ensemble In Concert. (Juan Rosales)
Though dance concerts at LBCC happen every spring and fall semester, each show has its own original dances that are only performed for that time. Attending this concert will take you through the exploration of creative universes, and through the journey of self-discovery.
No matter the setting, a banana slug field or a creepy dark room full of red haired women, each dance allows for the opportunity to use it to tune into one’s feelings and experiences, or create new ones.
Veterans know firsthand the effects war can have on a country and the people who serve it, which has caused the escalation in Iran to hit close to home for multiple of the veteran students at LBCC.
For many connected to the military, the developments are more than headlines, they are personal.
With the longevity of the war still uncertain, veterans, active service members and their families are once again confronted with a familiar feeling of worry.
Rachele Ross, a financial aid specialist and certifying official in the Veterans Service Office, said that concern is constant for those with ties to the military.
“The worry never leaves, especially if you have family members in the service,” Ross said, recalling the anxiety that comes with waiting between reports of casualties and the moment you can confirm a loved one is safe.
At Long Beach City College, where veterans from multiple generations attend classes, that concern is shared across a wide range of experiences.
“It is a matter of perspective,” Ross said. “We have veterans as young as 22 all the way to 80… from Vietnam to current conflicts. Every vet comes out a different person.”
Despite those differences, she said the impact of new conflicts is nearly universal.
“Does it affect every single vet? Yes.”
Along with the worry that the war in Iran has caused for Veterans is the frustration that it and other news in general creates.
“I hate to even watch the news nowadays, because it’s always just something that infuriates you, something that raises your blood pressure,” said Air Force Veteran and LBCC alum Steven Tucker.
LBCC student and Navy veteran Joshua Vidal echoed that idea, noting that the effects of conflict extend beyond those currently serving.
“I think any conflict can affect people. Going in, coming out of the military, or even while you’re in,” Vidal said.
He added that the uncertainty surrounding new conflicts often brings concern for those who may be deployed.
“Anytime there’s a major conflict, you’re going to be worried about your fellow Americans being put in those situations,” Vidal said.
For many veterans, those concerns are tied not only to current events but to the relationships formed during their service.
“That brotherhood, that sisterhood, is a different beast,” Ross said. “You might not have seen someone in years, but when something like this happens, the first thing you do is check on them.”
Those connections are reflected in conversations happening daily inside the Veterans Service Office, where students gather between classes.
“The conversations are always happening,” Ross said. “But now they’re more focused on what’s going on right now instead of just what happened before.”
Air Force veteran Steve Tucker said new conflicts often bring immediate thoughts of those currently serving.
“I think about the service members and their lives, the things that happen to them,” Tucker said, pointing to the risks service members face and the lasting impact those experiences can carry.
Even for those no longer in uniform, the emotional weight of conflict remains.
CORRECTION: This story was previously posted in the incorrect section, had the wrong byline and incorrectly abbreviated April to Apr., and also had a longer headline.
As high school seniors are deciding on where they want to attend college, the LBCC High School Outreach team has given the seniors the opportunity to attend the annual Viking Preview day at the TTC campus with the first day being on April 14 at LAC.
This event allows people to see what Long Beach City College has to offer, with booths where the incoming students were able to connect with clubs, student support services, financial aid, academic programs, and had the opportunity to talk to current students and professors on the TTC campus.
Director of High School Outreach and Educational Partnerships, LooLoo Amante Tupua, who has coordinated both Viking Preview day events, spoke about why this day is important for any incoming college freshmen.
“What’s really nice about Viking Preview day is that this is our big college wide open house. So incoming students and their families get to visit our campus and to really see what it’s like to be a college student here on our campus,” Tupua said.
Tupua also talked about what this event offers the students and their families
“So today, we’re offering campus tours. We offer a resource fair, half of academic fairs, half of the student services, you know, and of course free dinner. We also have a workshop known as finishing your LBCC enrollment steps and it helps students be on track for the Long Beach College Promise or the Viking Advantage because that’s a lot of our incoming students that are going to receive free tuition. This is also the first year we are doing the Viking Preview here at the TTC campus,” said Tupua.
Tupua also addressed the number of non-LBUSD students enrolling in LBCC, compared to the local LBUSD students, which has been a larger number in recent years.
“Our incoming class that applies to LBCC has been majority non-LBUSD students. You got kids applying from San Pedro, Torrance, Redondo, Bell, Downey, Los Alamitos, Cerritos, and Whittier, so they’re all coming here because the big thing that’s popular about LBCC is the pipeline to Cal State Long Beach,” said Tupua.
Joshua Sanchez, an Alliance Margaret Bloomfield High School senior from Huntington Park, spoke about the reason why he is going to attend LBCC after high school.
“I’ve noticed that this school is very motivating for me, like they give me a lot of opportunities into transferring to a four-year university, and it helps me focus on my major and understand it more, since they give so much advice and opinions, so it really helps me understand what I’m going to do with my life,” said Sanchez.
Kiara Santacruz, a Jordan High senior from Los Angeles, gave her thoughts on what she thinks about the campus and the city of Long Beach.
“I came here because I was very interested in the whole community of Long Beach, because it seems very beautiful. It’s near the beach and it’s very nice and it’s a very big campus. I think it is very fun to meet and interact with new people here. The majors here and the people are so nice,” said Santacruz.
Starting pitcher Ella Haugo pitched a no-hitter and a complete game on April 17 against L.A. Harbor in a blowout 10-0 win.
The Vikings started scoring quickly with a sacrifice fly from outfielder Riannah Maulupe to score catcher Zara Mineo to make it 1-0.
Mineo was first in the batting order and opened the game with a single and a stolen base.
The Vikings were able to increase their lead with a couple of singles and an error committed by L.A. Harbor, which then led to Mineo, third baseman Michelle Cervantes, and first baseman Natania Leomiti to score, extending their lead to 5-0 in the second inning.
The Vikings would add five more runs in the top of the fourth inning, led by a three hit performance from Mineo, and a two run double from shortstop Madison Fao, making the score 10-0, enforcing the mercy rule in effect.
Starting pitcher Ella Haugo had a spectacular day on the mound, striking out 6 batters, and giving up 0 hits, giving her the first no hitter of her young college career.
“I didn’t know that it was a full no hitter, I just really hit my spots in the zone. I think that I don’t need to overpower anything with speed or anything, and since I’ve been pitching so much, I just need to hit my spots, cause that’ll do enough, and you just have to get the corners as well,” said Haugo.
Coach Martinez had some things to say about her team’s performance the past month and how they will be ready for the playoffs next month.
“We just approach every game like it’s the national championship, like it’s the playoffs, like it’s the state championship game, so we know that we take every opponent very seriously and we prepare for them in the same way,” said Martinez.
Coach Martinez also talked about how the winning streak started, and how it has turned their season around for them with the streak that they currently have right now, which is at 12 straight wins.
“We met up for dinner that night around a bonfire and we just talked about our why and why we’re out here, the team decided they wanted to play for each other instead of themselves, so they really wanted to just play as a good teammate. So our motto was to be a good teammate. They just wanted to play for each other. They feel really fortunate to play at such a beautiful field,” said Martinez.
Vikings’ pitcher Ella Haugo throws a pitch against Los Angeles Harbor College during the game on April 17. The Vikings won the game 10-0, which makes the Vikings’ record 29-8. (Alexandra Rios)
Natania Leomiti also had some comments about her performance and how the team has been special to her this year.
“Offensively, I could’ve been better and done a lot better. Yes, I had some barrels, but there is always room for improvement, so I think I’ve done all right on offense,” said Leomiti.
“At first I wasn’t too sure if I wanted to come out here (LBCC), but like once I got here, I just love the environment, just everyone here, just the high level of softball, the high level IQ, just everything about this here suits. We’re definitely gonna be ready for the playoffs.
LBCC played its last game of the regular season at home on Tuesday with a loss to El Camino, ending the season with an overall record of 29-9, and 15-6 in conference.
LBCC now prepares for regionals, which start Friday at 2 p.m., at LBCC vs Chaffey.
CORRECTION: A previous version of this story was posted in the incorrect section, as well as had a period at the end of the headline, and incorrectly italicized Lunch & Learn.
LBCC’s facilities department, a new program, will offer students the opportunity to gain hands-on experience to those interested in the wide variety of careers in maintenance. They opened their doors with a Lunch & Learn workshop on April 23.
The lunch and learn workshop was able to kick into its inaugural year through not only grant funding, but also the work and effort put in by LBCC’s maintenance group and Deputy Director of Operations and Maintenance, Maria Slaughter.
At the beginning of the workshop students were able to fill out a sign in sheet with their names and contact information, this way the department of facilities would be able to contact attendees and bring them in for hands-on experience with LBCC’s maintenance group.
“I was in this position when I was a student, no one wants to hire you if you don’t have any experience in these positions, so this gives students the opportunity to put on their resumes that they worked in facilities,” said Slaughter.
The lunch and learn workshop was also supported by facilities maintenance workers, who showcased what kind of skill goes into different maintenance jobs like carpentry, plumbing, and electrical with mini demonstrations located across five different garages in building Z.
A facilities maintenance worker, Steven Adams, was one of the workers who volunteered to demonstrate to attendees about electrical trades and their timeless importance.
“In the next couple of years AI is going to take over everything, our trades will still be ours,” Adams stated.
Among the workshops demonstrated was the executive director of commercial operations of RIZON Truck USA, Peter Tawil introduced by Brian Fuertes, the grounding transportation manager at LBCC.
The campus facilities hope to acquire new zero emission vehicles with a voucher from Cal Star. The voucher would allow public sectors like community colleges to acquire these new zero-emission vehicles, to, as Brian Fuertes said, “help navigate our pathway towards sustainability.”
The workshop included a presentation by Peter Tawil, where he spoke more about what electric vehicles offer environmentally and how they work and what their outlook would be in the future, for trades in the electrical field.
“I think for the students, this is an important introduction to the electrification of vehicles, not just for cars, but it’s actually coming for commercial vehicles too,” said Tawil.
Saughter emphasized there was no contract with RIZON vehicles, but there was still a connection with the school and other technical career areas, allowing the department of facilities to grant connections with interested students.
“They don’t work for us, we don’t have a contract with them but we know folks all over the place and in every arena that’s related to technical careers.”
A student in attendance, Ivan Esquivel, noted his interest in the workshop and how he felt it would support his career decision.
“Im trying to look for, I guess, experience in my field and well im majoring in electrical engineering technology and knowing this job space is very competitive and since your only getting, like a bachelors for instance, they’re gonna be like, well where’s your experience?”
The facilities and maintenance department play a critical role in keeping daily operations running on campus.
Through workshops such as this one, the department is not only highlighting its work, but also opening doors for students to explore careers that are sometimes underrecognized but essential.
“My team does a lot to support the campus, everyday they’re here, we have people working three shifts so there’s people here 22 hours a day.. And they’re keeping the campus running for everybody,” Slaughter stated.
The second session for the lunch and learn workshop spring series will be May 7th from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m., open to students interested in pursuing hands-on experience in maintenance and technical trades.
CORRECTION: This story was previously posted in the incorrect section.
With a business that prioritizes whisking matcha to her own personal form of perfection, Natalie Oun curated her matcha business to represent not only her family name but also what she values most: culture, authenticity, and accessibility.
What started out as serving matcha to her close friends, Natalie Oun began the start of her matcha business out of the kitchen of her apartment, which then gave way to what Oun has now, Noon Matcha, a play on her own name tied into her family’s name.
At the time, Natalie was juggling not only being a full-time student, but also working a job in healthcare.
“I started making it at home because at other coffee shops they would sell it for 8 or 9 dollars for like a really small cup, and then my friends really loved when I made matcha for them, so I started selling it out of my old apartment back at school,” Oun said.
Noon Matcha began to bloom in December of 2025, with the new business beginning to attract customers and attention through social media and word of mouth.
At Oun’s recent pop-up, which was at the Pike Outlets’ recent Flea Market on Saturday, she sold out by 6:30 pm even though the event was set to end at 8 pm.
Matcha continues to grow within cafe culture, and many change their menus to adapt to the growing trends, including Oun, and while she does pay attention to what is popular, Natalie is committed to keeping her personal take on the drinks sold at Noon Matcha.
“I do try my best to keep up with trends, but not to oversaturate myself with them. Obviously, the strawberry matcha is one, but I try to put my twist on it.” Natalie said.
Beyond the drinks themselves, Oun noted the process of connecting with her customers is one part of her business she loves most.
“I actually love making drinks for people, like connecting with people just when I’m making their order as well,” Oun added.
With a classic 16oz matcha starting at 6$ and inclusions like cold foam at 7$, Noon Matcha focuses on the importance of accessible and fair pricing.
Oun noted how different cafes across the Los Angeles area handle inclusions. “I love Community Goods but it’s like, they charge extra for plant-based milk and then for their foam, so I end up paying like 11 or 12 dollars for a tiny cup, it’s I think 12-ounce cups they use. Like it’s good but sometimes I can’t pay for this every single time.”
The accessibility of drinks is an important part of Noon Matcha’s brand, with Natalie trying to keep her prices as approachable as possible for her customers as she works towards something bigger, opening a cafe that also reflects on her Cambodian roots and honors her family’s heritage.
“Both of my parents were chefs and cooks growing up, I’ve always wanted like a cafe or a restaurant, I feel like that’s one of the main motivations for this, especially because I want to open a shop for my parents too.”
As Noon Matcha continues to grow through community and pop-up events, Oun notes how each step is an opportunity to bring her closer to her goal of opening her own personal cafe, with a vast majority of choices that range from not only matcha but milk tea and coffee as well.
These choices include Cambodian-inspired matcha drinks that Oun said aren’t as well-known in mainstream cafe culture, and by including these elements of her culture inside her recipes, Natalie hopes to introduce new flavors her customers may not be familiar with.
“I want more Cambodian-inspired matchas. I think the scary thing is that a lot of people tend to not know what it is.” Natalie said.
With the continuous rise in demand for Matcha, Oun’s responses highlight how small businesses can bring new cultural perspectives into the scene by adding her own cultural influences.
From serving drinks in her apartment kitchen to hosting pop-ups across her community, Oun has continued to grow Noon Matcha with intention, and as she hopes to grow closer to her goal, Natalie Oun will continue to be grounded in the values that started it all.
“In the end, I want this store for me and my family and I want my family to have like a legacy, I guess, or something to have,” Oun said.
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