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The Viking Vault’s new location leaves students struggling

Ryenne Jolliff
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The Viking Vault’s new location leaves students struggling

Students at LBCC’s Liberal Arts Campus have recently struggled to find basic needs resources after the Viking Vault was relocated from the E Building to the B Building earlier this year.

LBCC student Tina De LaCruz, who uses the Vault consistently, was inconvenienced because of how difficult it was to navigate this move. 

“I couldn’t find the Vault when I really needed to use it and when I asked staff members they kept making me go around the building,” De LaCruz said. 

Thelma, who declined to give The Viking her last name, expressed frustration with the Vault’s lounging area.

In order to have access to the lounging area, students are required to sign in despite initially signing in to enter the Vault. 

“I can’t even sit down and eat my food because they make me go around in line and sign in just to be able to sit down,” Thelma said.

Both Thelma and De LaCruz had issues with the Viking Vault’s move, as they were unable to find it due to a lack of clear direction on its new location.

Viking Vault staff member Andrea Ortiz stocks the refrigerators with bread and fresh produce on Sept. 5. Students like Tina De LaCruz have expressed frustrations about the Vault’s recent move. (Alma Tamara)

There are no signs in front of the B Building that displays to students that the Viking Vault is inside. 

“The Vault helps out not only me and my family, but also many of my friends. Without it, life would be tough,” Esemaiai Lemusu, another student who uses the Vault, said.

The Vault has been known to help students, but with the change of location, many people think it is gone. 

“Trying to find the vault for the first time was difficult but once I found it, it made my day easier. I like that there is more space in the Vault but it gets chaotic with the lounge being right next door,” said Lemusu.

The Vault is a useful resource that helps many people on campus, but there are some who don’t know it exists.  

The Viking Vault has been moved to the B Building in room 103, near the corner of Carson and Clark. All students need to enter is their ID number.

Students question food quality at Viking Vault

Ryenne Jolliff
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A moldy orange was among the produce available for students to grab from the Viking Vault at LBCC’s Liberal Arts Campus on Thursday. 

Although this was the only spoiled item in the Vault, it is not the first time students have seen imperfect food. 

LBCC student Jonathan Vazquez saw rotten produce in the fridge during the spring semester. 

“I remember seeing broccoli and other vegetables that had gone really bad. They were moldy. Products on the shelf above it were also starting to go bad,” Vazquez said. 

Vazquez also said he saw a can of beans that expired 2 years ago last winter. 

Other students have no concerns about the food the Viking Vault offers. 

Jasper Shephard, who uses the Vault on a daily basis, has not come across any spoiled food. 

“The quality (of the food) is very good. I like to get the produce because my grandma likes to cook with it,” Shephard said. “The food is trustworthy.”

Although both students had different perspectives of the Viking Vault’s selection, they both agree that the food should be inspected more often.  

“I’d say maybe the people who work here (at the Vault) are busy and don’t have time to look through things thoroughly,” Shephard said.

Vazquez believes that consistently inspecting the food at the Vault is doable. 

“I’ve seen other community colleges with similar programs where somebody will check once every night. We should do a checkup of the inventory at least once a week. It doesn’t happen as often as it should,” Vazquez said. 

Viking Vault staff member Cheseya Tohaka refills plastic utensils at the Liberal Arts Campus on Thursday. The Vault provides free groceries and hygiene products to students. (Ryenne Jolliff)

Justin Mendez, director of LBCC’s Basic Needs programs, wants to reassure students that the food available at the Viking Vault is safe to eat. 

“We would never put out anything to risk students’ health,” Mendez said. 

Mendez said the Vault’s offerings are similar to what would be found at a food pantry. 

“We follow guidelines provided by the LA Regional Food Bank. Our food is inspected by the city of Long Beach, and the Office of Health updates our permits all the time,” Mendez said. 

Mendez said the guidelines are in place to follow everyone’s standards of food safety. 

“Someone might see food that’s one week past the sell by date and be perfectly fine with that. Others might see that the sell by date is the next day and avoid it. This is why we follow the guidelines.” Mendez said. 

Mendez’s solution is to ensure that students are aware of the difference between the sell by date and the expiration date. 

“We want to share that just because food items that are past the sell by date doesn’t mean they’re inedible. It’s important to provide education and give students that knowledge,” Mendez said. 

The Viking Vault is open Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in B-103.

Textbook loan available through EOPS program

Destiny Garcia
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Textbook loan available through EOPS program

All college students know that textbooks can be extremely expensive. Fortunately, a textbook loan, offered through LBCC’s EOPS program, is currently available to eligible students outside the LAC’s M Building from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. 

The event, which ends on Thursday, helps underprivileged students get necessary books and supplies for free.

Extended Opportunity Programs and Services (EOPS), aims to provide services for students with economic, educational, or social barriers. 

“The students that apply for the EOPS program must be low income and academically disadvantaged,” EOPS Coordinator Deatrice Shernell said.

Shernell is looking forward to getting books and supplies into the hands of as many students as possible.

“Once a student is enrolled in EOPS the book loan is automatically entitled to them,” Shernell said. 

Ezekiel Perry-Edwards is one LBCC student who has benefitted from the EOPS program. 

 “I was in foster care which wasn’t easy, so EOPS helped me a lot. They gave me my textbooks, my supplies, and everything else I needed,” Perry-Edwards said. 

LBCC students can also apply to work as an assistant for the EOPS program through the LBCC Website.

Vik Nesh, an EOPS student assistant, is passionate about helping other students. 

“To be an assistant you basically have to fill out the student assistant application on the LBCC website but I also gave them a call and then the hiring process was super easy from there,” Nesh said. 

Nesh said it was easy to get the opportunity to work on campus. 

The EOPS program has been around since 1969 as a result of civil rights activities and social unrest. 

Since then, EOPS has grown across all California colleges and now helps with much more than just school supplies.

The EOPS office is located in the A building on the LAC campus and is open from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and 8:00 a.m to 12:00 p.m on Friday.

Seal Beach plant sale funds scholarships for horticulture students

Darla Perez
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Seal Beach plant sale funds scholarships for horticulture students

The Woman’s Club of Seal Beach hosted a popup on Sept. 7 as part of an arts and crafts sale at the Seal Beach pier, which sold plants provided by the LBCC horticulture department.

All proceeds from the event went towards scholarships for LBCC horticulture students, among other local schools and charities.

Hosted by the Seal Beach Lions Club, the event ran from 9 A.M. to 5 P.M. and was populated by many local artists selling their work, such as jewelry, paintings, and other handcrafted accessories.

Celebrating their 101st year since their founding, the Woman’s Club is the oldest club in Seal Beach.

Standing near a Seal Beach jazz band, the Woman’s Club’s popup tent saw a lot of foot traffic, and had a variety of plants for sale including succulents, plumerias, and ferns.

“We get our plants from LBCC, the VA hospital, and H&H nursery, but most of the plants come from LBCC,” club member Marilyn Bittle said.

Every member of the club was asked to either bring in 3 plants for the event, or to make a donation.

Bittle mentioned that she is also a member of the Seal Beach Lions Club, and stated that there is a lot of overlap in membership.

One of the most important aspects, according to Bittle, is later getting to see the impact their donations had directly. 

The club usually receives thank you notes and sometimes directly hears from representatives of the charities showing where their money went, which is a big encouragement for them to continue hosting the event every year.

A sign features the Women’s Club of Seal Beach’s donations to scholarships on Sept. 7 in Seal Beach. The horticulture students grow and distribute plants for the sale on and in return they can receive scholarships through the Women’s Club. (Samantha Navarro)

The tent had been set up around 6 A.M. and by 1 P.M and they had made approximately $2,000, receiving good sales since the morning according to Bittle.

Kathy Briles, a newer member to the club, spoke on why LBCC was chosen as a donation recipient.

“We donate to LBCC because we always have. We’ve been running this event for about 20 years, and it’s just become tradition,” Briles said.

A local organization, the Woman’s Club makes a point of donating to the community and other local institutions, such as Seal Beach Animal Care, the Mary Wilson Library, Youth Center Music, and the McGaugh School media center.

Lois Miller, the recently elected president of the club, was also present to help with the event.

“We believe in the trades, and horticulture is part of that, so we do our best to donate to what we believe in.” Miller said.

Miller also mentioned that the plant sale is one of the biggest sources of revenue and advertisement for the club every year.

Another big source of revenue for the club is their elections, which they hold in spring. 

This year’s election brought approximately $8,000 for the club, and all of the profits were donated to local charities.

The Seal Beach Woman’s club is “always recruiting” according to Miller, and “men aren’t excluded.”

This long-standing local club choosing to donate to LBCC students year after year continues to be a great help to many students in the horticulture program.

Unlocking new opportunities starts with LBCC’s Transfer Center

Kiomi Valdez
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With the deadline for turning in UC and CSU applications quickly approaching, representatives of the LBCC Transfer Center are providing application assistance and other resources for students planning to transfer to university after graduation starting August 30th through the end of November. 

The transfer application deadline for students graduating in 2024 and planning to attend a CSU or UC by Fall 2025 is November 30th. 

The LBCC Transfer Center has also  introduced students to a program called TAG, which stands for “Transfer Admission Guarantee.” 

This program allows students to submit and receive a  conditional admission acceptance to one of six UC campuses including Davis, Merced, Irvine, Santa Barbara, Santa Cruz, and Riverside. 

The deadline to apply for TAG is Sept. 30, 2024 for students applying to transfer for the upcoming Fall semester.  

Although the Transfer Center wants students to know about these unique opportunities, their form of outreach hasn’t met their goals in the amount of students they want visiting the center. 

However, the center has implemented a canvas page that students can join in order to receive constant notifications for deadlines and learn about what resources are available for them. 

https://lbcc.instructure.com/enroll/XWCEAN

The transfer center only takes walk-ins, but there are always online options for students. 

Ruben Page, a staff member that helps students at the center said, “Students tend to prefer the convenience of the online zoom sessions, where anyone can join to listen for a bit and get their questions answered, as opposed to in person which can take a lot more time.” 

Addison Farris, an LBCC student planning to transfer in the Spring of 2025, said she visited the transfer center for the first time last week and was able to talk to a representative from Cal State Channel Islands.

The LBCC Transfer Center’s step-by-step resources that can help simplify the applications on Sept.4 (Samantha Navarro)

“When I got to the center I was able to have an in-person meeting with the representative and ask them any questions about the school and learn more about what they had to offer,” Farris said. 

The transfer center has hosted A variety of representatives from different schools including CSU Dominguez Hills and CSU Los Angeles in an effort to provide potential students with answers for any questions they may have about the colleges they’re interested in.

“As a whole the transfer center was incredibly helpful because I was able to take home pamphlets from other prospective colleges,” said Farris.

Judy Quilaton, another staff member students can expect to see at the transfer center, understands how overwhelming it can be to fill out applications and ensure that you’re on the right track to graduate. 

“Please do not be scared to stop by. We’re very welcoming and we love to talk to students and help them reach their goals and to make sure they pass all their classes,” said Judy. 

She hopes that students will show up and reach out to the transfer center  when they’re feeling anxious or unsure about the process. 

“We don’t want anyone to say, ‘I didn’t know the deadline was this week,’ we want students to be prepared,” Judy said. 

Contests, music and never ending shopping at the Betty Boop Beach Flea

Samantha Navarro
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Contests, music and never ending shopping at the Betty Boop Beach Flea

The Beach Flea Market was a vibrant event filled with both vendors and shoppers that showcased creativity and entrepreneurship at Trade Tech and Community Learning Campus (formerly known as PCC) on Sept. 8.  

This month’s flea theme was based on “Betty Boop” and consisted of multiple small business owners along with a contest that gave customers a chance to win a $100 voucher. 

The Beach Flea offers a variety of vendors who sell vintage clothing, jewelry, furniture and happens once a month all year-round. 

“I noticed how small businesses struggled to survive during the pandemic, and in return I created this theme-based market to give back to those vendors,” Roxanne Gonzalez, an organizer of the Beach Flea, said. 

Vendors are not limited to selling items that correlate with the theme and have the freedom to expand their products. 

One of those vendors was Jasmine Ward, owner of a tea shop named “Two Sisters” in Thai who returned to the market with a new drink, Ube milk tea. 

After months of perfecting her recipe, Ward was eager to introduce her new drink to willing customers. 

Business owner of “Song Bai Tao,” Jasmine Ward, serves ice cold milk tea to customers during the heatwave. (Alex Toledo)

Ward shared how she was inspired to start her first business at the Beach Flea after she attended it the first year it began.

“When I was a customer, I knew I had to be here in the next two plus years. So I was working on my business, and this was one of the places that I really wanted to apply for,” Ward said. 

Gonzalez mentioned how this year has had the least amount of vendors and customers due to the heatwave, however it did benefit certain businesses.

Vendors like Ward used the heat to her advantage as she watched customers get in a long line for an ice-cold milk tea in a variety of flavors.

Vendors Armani and Jordan Johnson run their business together and share how the Beach Flea Market has helped their handmade beads grow in popularity. 

Johnson’s products range from ankle bracelets to waist beads, and each piece serves a different purpose. 

“The waist beads are actually for managing weight gain and weight loss, I’ll tie the waist bead lower if necessary, and it kind of acts like a motivator,” Johnson said. 

Events like the Beach Flea invite people to shop for affordable clothes, which in turn helps small businesses like Johnson’s. 

The Beach Flea Market is taking applications for vendors for “Puppy Day” on Sept. 22.

Viking Vault and other basic needs move to B Building

Isabel Murty
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Viking Vault and other basic needs move to B Building

Food, housing, and transportation resources available to Long Beach City College students have moved from the E Building to the B Building at the Liberal Arts Campus. 

New and returning students can access programs such as the Viking Vault, Emergency Housing Assistance, LBCC Strong Beach Bus Pass, and more. 

The change is the result of the E Building closing earlier this year for remodeling. 

According to ASB secretary Johana Fuentes, the purpose of the remodel is to create a bigger space for student resources, student union, and the lounge. 

“The structure will be more modern, sturdy, comfortable, and luxurious for students and staff. The floor plan has three floors, which will allow different resources that students may need. It will also have more restrooms,” Fuentes said. 

Mayra Moran, a Long Beach City College alumni, hopes that the change will improve the basic needs program for future students. 

“Remodeling the E Building causes resources such as the Vault to be quicker, bigger, and better. When we are in a crisis it is good to have a helping hand when we need it, and the basic needs program is the bat signal for students like you and I,” Moran said. 

During her time at LBCC, Moran used these sources for assistance both on and off campus. 

“With resources like the Vault, I’ve been able to get that snack I need between classes. Not only has it helped save money for myself and students alike, it has also saved me time.” Moran said. 

The basic needs programs also provided her with diapers and emergency funding for utilities, rent, and other bills. 

Jonathan Vazquez, an LBCC student, said services such as the Viking Vault are easily accessible to students on campus. 

“As long as you’re a student, I don’t think there’s any problem with getting what you need. Staff is very helpful,” Vazquez said. 

While some students have already used the services previously available in the E Building, others were not familiar with them until now. 

Andres Aguayo, another LBCC student, was not aware of the Viking Vault until hearing about the move this semester. 

“I have not used the Vault just yet, but I am interested to find out what they have and the different kinds of foods they have for me to grab if needed,” Aguayo said. 

Ultimately, the purpose of the Basic Needs program is to provide assistance for any student who may need it. 

“They are always expanding resources and growing, finding new ways to help and I am forever grateful,” Moran said, “these are the resources that can help us succeed.”  

The Basic Needs programs are open Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in B-103. 

Break-in at Dunkin’ Donuts near LAC

Neil Gagna
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Break-in at Dunkin’ Donuts near LAC

A break-in at Dunkin’ Donuts caused pieces of plywood and cardboard to cover the front entrance on Lakewood Boulevard near LBCC’s Liberal Arts Campus on Aug. 25. 

The break-in occurred at approximately 5:13 a.m., when the drive through was open but the inside was closed to the public.  

“The loss was approximately $900 in cash,” Richard Mejia, Long Beach Police Department’s public information officer said, “There is no suspect information available, and the investigation is still ongoing.”

The manager, who wished to remain anonymous, declined to comment on the matter saying that they were not able to answer until the investigation is fully closed.

LBPD does not know how long the investigation will take or how long until the door becomes fixed.

Many LBCC students come to this Dunkin’ Donuts location to get morning coffee, hang out between classes, and to work after school.

Some students have voiced concerns about a similar incident happening in the future.

Jacob Hernandez-Mendoza, a student at LBCC, frequents this Dunkin’ location and has fears about another break-in occurring while there are people inside.

“Honestly, this is sort of a tragedy. A safe place for students to hang and get coffee was disgraced,” Hernandez-Mendoza said.

Hernandez-Mendoza was not the only student who was shaken by the proximity to the college.

“This is concerning. Especially when it’s a place where there are lots of students,” LBCC student Luca Gonzalez said.

Dunkin’ remains open to the public at this time.

Horticulture department welcomes students with free plants

Neil Gagna
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Horticulture department welcomes students with free plants

Students got the chance to give plants a new home by attending the Horticulture department’s welcome week event where free succulents were gifted to both new and returning students this fall semester at PCC(Trade Tech and Community Learning Campus). 

Professor Jorge Ochoa was running the event and explained how all of the succulents were actually grown by students who were in the Plant propagation class during the Spring 2024 semester. 

“Each student did one flat (seed starting trays) which is a total of 32 plants per student. Once the class ended, the students took whatever they wanted, and the rest were left for the event which will also be happening in the Spring semester,” Ochoa said. 

Some plants also came from the LAC(Liberal Arts Campus) in which students from the plant propagation class took pieces of plants, and put them onto flats until the roots were seen underneath, ultimately creating fully grown plants in the future. 

Students who are part of the Horticulture department also get the chance to receive a scholarship funded by their own work while working alongside the Seal Beach Woman’s club.

They will provide plants for the club to sell at the pier on Saturday September 7, 2024 and Sunday September 8, 2024 between 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.  

The funding will go towards scholarship money provided to LBCC students who are part of the horticulture department, forming a cycle of creating and receiving within a community. 

The garden is far bigger than its exterior, and Ochoa emphasized how he wants students to explore the garden in its entirety as it has so much to offer.

One of the most intriguing parts of the garden is the tortoise that was found about two years ago, and is now becoming a big factor of interest for people who decide to visit.  

LBCC student assistant, Charlie, was one of the first people to arrive at the event, “I’ve always wanted to get some more plants for my room, and my coworker told me there were free plants, so I immediately rushed over.”

Everyone seemed to have different reasons for attending which brought in individuals with a variety of interests, including LBCC student Alixon. 

“It’s actually my first time taking care of a plant, and I thought this would be good to start off. He (Professor Ochoa) said to water it once a week, and I feel like it’ll be easy enough,” Alixon said.

Not only is this a welcoming gesture for students, but it could also expand their interests and hopefully encourage them to join the Horticulture club or take any of the classes offered by the department. 

This event also helped to spread awareness on unique opportunities that the school provides, especially the Horticulture department that may not have been previously well known.

There will be another welcoming event for students to receive a free plant hosted by the Horticulture department during the first week of the Spring semester, and you can also support the students by attending the Seal Beach Woman’s Club plant sale this weekend at the pier.

Opinion: Sex toy packaging, filth, and unresponsive elevators highlight LAC maintenance issues

Cain Carbajal
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Opinion: Sex toy packaging, filth, and unresponsive elevators highlight LAC maintenance issues

Filthy, gross elevators and unreliable maintenance on them have recently plagued Long Beach City College’s Liberal Arts Campus (LAC). 

The student parking structure elevators are regularly filthy with trash, dirty floors and in the spring semester, even the packaging for a sex toy sat unmoved for weeks.

This laziness from LBCC maintenance staff, who could easily clean the elevators once a week, creates an unnecessary feeling of neglect for the students, many of whom have to use these elevators every day.

When asked for information on the school’s elevator cleaning and maintenance schedule both the Facilities Service Desk and LBCC Associate Director Stacey Toda refused or failed to provide any details.

This raises questions as to why this seemingly harmless information is not accessible to students and if the school is hiding something by remaining tight-lipped.

The first week of the fall semester, an outside elevator was not functioning with no signage indicating this, continuing a history of unresponsive and malfunctioning elevators in the newly built M Building.

This presents a larger problem where disabled students who cannot use stairs had no indication that the M Building’s outside elevator was out of order and were not shown the respect of any kind of sign telling them where they could go instead.

After one week of fall semester, the exterior M building elevator is still inoperable on Aug. 29. First semester students sometimes wait for minutes only to realize the door will not open. (Cain Carbajal)

Long Beach City College advertises itself as a place that is accepting and accommodating for all disabled students, but not thinking of them when one of their primary methods of transportation is down does not reflect this sentiment.

The M Building was only completed over the quarantine during the COVID-19 pandemic and yet the elevators have been a recurring issue, often going out of order and even shutting down with students inside.

By not addressing these problems, the school appears to show a fundamental lack of care for the cleanliness of areas frequented by students.

The most important impressions are the first and the last and by having an elevator in the main parking structure look disgusting shows a lack of respect to students arriving and leaving campus. 

Students who want cleaner elevators and more signage when they aren’t working can make their voices known with the online non-academic complaint forms to let the school know they want change.

UPDATE: LBCC Associate Director Stacey Toda emailed the Viking at the wrong email address but did provide information. “The elevators are serviced by the Grounds staff on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays.”

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