The Chronicle: April 16
CLC students network to get work
Vik Bhardwaj
Managing Editor
Keith Behnke is a skilled carpenter with over 20 years of experience. He is also unemployed.
Keith saw a decrease in new construction jobs when the housing bubble burst about three years ago. The severity and tone of the crisis rang louder when the usually unaffected, high-end, North Shore remodeling projects Keith had been a part of started to cut back.
“It was a wakeup call for everybody,” Behnke said.
Keith was recently at the Career and Placement Services Center (CPS), E101, at CLC using a computer to look for employment.
Keith said he knows some 800 out of work carpenters. The carpentry field is related to construction, and construction depends on a good economy. As construction goes, so does carpentry. The Bureau of Labor and Statistics reported Lake County construction employment was down 20.7 percent February 2009 to February 2010. The latest data from the March jobs report showed construction stayed constant at 15,000 jobs. This contrasts the 72,000 jobs the industry shed each month for the past year.
Fortunately, construction picks up late spring to the end of summer.
“Usually by mid-summer you’re booked,” Behnke said.
However, the talented pool of unemployed carpenters is so unusually deep, competition will be keen, Behnke said. Foremen are trying to assemble their crews for the work they will get in the summer. Behnke’s previous employer called him in for a meeting with news of work lined up for mid-summer.
Unfortunately, the summer is a couple months away.
- “I’ve got a family to feed,” Behnke said. “It’s aggravating. It’s a different thing to get used to.”
So Behnke is going back to school. He attended trade school right out of high school and is taking classes there currently. Behnke has skills in plumbing and electrical, but the licensing takes five years. Currently he is looking for a two-year degree in Heating, Ventilating, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) from CLC.
“I’m weighing out the career change,” Behnke said. “That’s why I was here today, to see some of my other options to go along with the experiences I already have.”
CPS Specialist Sue Whitaker said CLC’s HVAC courses are a part of a bridge program that is designed to give students hands-on experience to help them climb up the pay ladder. She had a client five years ago who took three courses at CLC in HVAC and made $10 an hour to start. Now, he makes $26.75.
Behnke also came to CPS because he needed help with his resume. Behnke said one wasn’t necessary before in the “dinosaur” field of carpentry. Other signs of evolution in the field are the style and location of interviews. It used to be that a foreman would take one good look at a worker and decide if he or she were the right fit, Benke said. He added he was drilled in a recent interview with questions from two different people.
CPS helps students, alumni and community members with resumes, career counseling, mock interviews and Internet-based job listing services. It hosts mini job fairs throughout the year. It offers students credit-based cooperative education and service learning, volunteerism, and student employment-work study. The CPS has five career counselors, three with master’s degrees and two with PhD’s.
Whitaker said CPS differs from self-service resources such as monster.com and careerbuilder.com because of the connection she has with employers. She said she is frequently in contact with HR representatives at companies who are seeking employees and can offer a candidate a job then and there.
Regarding resumes Whitaker said, HR representatives sometimes have a scanner to sort through all of the candidates. She said the scanner picks up on industry buzz words. If the company does not use a scanner, Whitaker said CPS helps to tailor the resumes to stand out by including people skills.
The number one way of getting jobs is through networking, according to Whitaker. At the end of the day, “humans make the final decision,” she said.
Whitaker deals with many clients. She tries to make her time with them worthwhile.
“I treat every person like they are gold,” Whitaker said. “I want them to walk out of here with their heads high, hopeful, and with a second-wind to get out into the workforce.”
Office hours of CPS are Monday through Thursday 8am to 6:30pm and Fridays 8am-4:30pm. Resume assistance is offered by appointment Mondays and Wednesdays from 9am-1pm. Contact Sue Whitaker at 847-543-2058 to set up an appointment.
BSU to celebrate 40 years of rich history, strong legacy
Meghan Gray
Staff Writer
Black Student Union, BSU, is an organization whose mission is to “empower minorities as a whole and work together to improve diversity.”
As the oldest student association at CLC, that is exactly what they have accomplished in their 40 years on campus.
The theme for this year is “Rich History, Strong Legacy.”
“Rich history is what has been passed down since the inception of the club,” Adviser Beverly Phelps said. “A strong legacy is what each student leaves behind once they leave the CLC community.”
Phelps has been involved with the organization since 2005 and became adviser in 2006. She shares duties with Co-Adviser Jorge Tennin.
What is the most rewarding aspect of being partnered with the Black Student Union?
“Mentoring students to further their education, to be in leadership roles, and really helping them succeed,” Phelps said.
The anniversary is not only momentous to BSU, it is historic for the entire CLC community.
The club sponsors various events on campus such as bake sales, Cheesy Thursdays, Black History Month, and Taste of Soul. They also volunteer their time at local nursing homes, participate in the annual “Make a Difference Day” and organize parties throughout the community.
The pinnacle event of this commemorative occasion is the Heritage Ball, which will be held May 8 at 7 p.m. at the Milan. Tickets for the ball are $25 and are on sale until April 10 at the CLC box office. The group will sell souvenir ad booklets. Former students and faculty members sponsor the historic celebration. Active Latino Alliance members can come for $10, guests $25.
BSU can be epitomized through four key words: empowerment, leadership, educate, and mentor. This lexis is what members strive to live up to on a regular basis.
President Brooke Baldwin describes the organization as a family. She has been a member since 2007 and was elected President in 2008. Baldwin also serves as a Senator for the Student Government Association and is the Political Action Chairperson for the CLC chapter of the NAACP.
“We empower ourselves mentally and spiritually,” Baldwin said.
According to Phelps, “The greatest challenge facing students is their maturity level because some of them aren’t ready to grow up.”
BSU combats this issue by providing leadership opportunities and experiences for personal growth.
“You may look at somebody and judge him or her on the outside. Really getting to know them and giving them an opportunity to shine, helps them to grow,” Phelps said.
These individuals are holding true to their objective, enabling those around them to adopt a diversified outlook.
“As minorities, we know how hard it is to be heard. This is an organization that makes people listen and believe in us,” Baldwin said.
Being a light to the community and involving more students is where BSU sees itself shifting towards the future.
Supergirls speak out, CLC offers new courses
Nathan Caldwell
Editor-in-Chief
On Wednesday, April 14, the author of “Supergirls Speak Out: Inside the Secret Crises of Overachieving Girls,” Liz Funk to helped kick off the Sociology department’s new gender and sexuality studies program that starts in the fall.
Chair of the Sociology and Gender and Sexuality Department, Suzanne Pryga, said the program came about for a variety of reasons.
“There has been demand among the student population, considering the enrollment in the current courses,” Pryga said. “Many four-year universities already offer bachelor’s and master’s degrees in the field, so we thought that this was a great way for CLC students to get a head start. CLC is one of the few community colleges to offer such a degree.”
Pryga said courses will be offered in summer and fall. Core classes will include Introduction to Gender Studies and Theories of Feminism with a number of gender-themed electives such as Psychology of Women, Philosophy of Gender, Women and the Arts and History of Women.
CLC Academic Operations Manager Stephanie Gray explained that the program leads to an associate’s in art degree with a concentration in gender and sexuality studies, similar to a concentration in psychology or sociology.
Gray explained that a background in gender and sexuality studies makes students better rounded and equipped to deal with diversity in the world.
Gray said the program doesn’t exclude males. To the contrary, she encourages men to enroll.
“We chose (the title) gender studies to make it more inclusive,” Gray said. “We don’t want to just focus on femininity and women,” Gray said. “Historically, one of the criticisms of feminism has been that it has been upper-class white women fighting for right. The current feminism is much more diverse and includes men. We can’t separate ourselves, we need to work together to change society.
“And you can meet babes,” Funk said.
Funk, a self-proclaimed recovering supergirl, gave a lecture on the pressures on girls and young women to over-achieve while conforming to a new social norm based on a year’s worth of research she conducted for her book.
“A supergirl is a young woman who feels that she needs to be constantly improving herself to be loved,” Funk said. “She perceives that she needs to be a perfect 10 in everything in which she excels. Yet when she achieves something, it’s never good enough.”
“That constant striving for something more is what really marks the modern day supergirl.”
Funk’s inspiration for the book came from her own experiences.
“I always observed a lot of pressure on young women in high school and college to adhere to a limiting and demanding female ideal,” she said.
That ideal is the sum of cultural influences that push girls to be skinny, beautiful, tan, and simultaneously, effortlessly smart.
“I was very aware of this demanding role for girls in high school,” Funk said. “In college I noticed similar but different pressures on young women.”
This awareness led Funk to investigate the issue.
Funk followed five young women between 15 and 27, spending between a couple days and a few weeks observing their daily lives. She also interviewed approximately 100 other young women who were everything from sociology to engineering majors.
She found a combination of internal and external pressures that drive young women to be supergirls that come from the media, peer groups, themselves, and parents to a lesser degree.
This pressure on women to achieve, even to a fault, has changed the landscape of higher education.
“It’s been statistically shown that women outnumber men at the majority of colleges today, Funk said. “To a certain extent girls are progressing beyond men in academics.”
“I don’t think it’s a bad thing guys don’t put pressure on themselves. If girls felt that they could go home and play videogames for two hours and not feel like they were wasting time or that they should have been exercising or working on extra credit projects in that time. I don’t think that’s a bad thing.”
Funk said men feel pressure but the idea of the idyllic male had changed.
“The male ideal has changed from being this badass guy who fixes up Mustangs to this guy who’s supposed to be a forward on the soccer team, get fives on AP exams and go to Dartmouth,” Funk said.
She has also found the image of idealized beauty has changed. The society has moved from Marilyn Monroe’s voluptuous figure, to Jane Fonda’s near masculine dearth of curves, to Megan Fox.
“Today we have the most difficult physique to achieve. In the eighties you could look like that (Fonda), you just had to be skinny. You need plastic surgery to achieve the ideal today. Today girls are playing with Bratz dolls, which have teeny, tiny waists and huge hips that give girls this idea that they need to have curves in the right places and protruding bones in the right places.”
This perceived necessity for unachievable multi-faceted perfection can lead to what Funk called a “lack of intrinsic worth.” This can lead to increased vulnerability to pressure, media, society and community and is a major aspect in the supergirl trend.
Funk said to prevent this lack of intrinsic self-worth, girls should develop hobbies.
“Many young women today don’t have any self-esteem building leisure activities,” Funk said. “That’s the biggest thing they can do, whether it’s making collages, playing instrument or taking up cooking.
Young women also need to reduce the amount of technology they use. Turn off their Ipods and Iphones and focus on spending time with themselves. They really need to get in touch with their internal monologues and develop a relationship with themselves.”
Funk enjoyed her time at CLC and was impressed by its students.
“I was very happy to have the opportunity to speak here and meet the great faculty and students. I was really impressed by the level of student discussion at both of these events – by how cognizant and enthusiastic everyone was. Usually having student discussions is like pulling teeth, but these kids were raising their hands and totally into. I was glad to have been a part of it.”
To hear the interview with Liz Funk in its entirety, visit drop.io/clcradio#
Editor-in-Chief
On Wednesday, April 14, the author of “Supergirls Speak Out: Inside the Secret Crises of Overachieving Girls,” Liz Funk to helped kick off the Sociology department’s new gender and sexuality studies program that starts in the fall.
Chair of the Sociology and Gender and Sexuality Department, Suzanne Pryga, said the program came about for a variety of reasons.
“There has been demand among the student population, considering the enrollment in the current courses,” Pryga said. “Many four-year universities already offer bachelor’s and master’s degrees in the field, so we thought that this was a great way for CLC students to get a head start. CLC is one of the few community colleges to offer such a degree.”
Pryga said courses will be offered in summer and fall. Core classes will include Introduction to Gender Studies and Theories of Feminism with a number of gender-themed electives such as Psychology of Women, Philosophy of Gender, Women and the Arts and History of Women.
CLC Academic Operations Manager Stephanie Gray explained that the program leads to an associate’s in art degree with a concentration in gender and sexuality studies, similar to a concentration in psychology or sociology.
Gray explained that a background in gender and sexuality studies makes students better rounded and equipped to deal with diversity in the world.
Gray said the program doesn’t exclude males. To the contrary, she encourages men to enroll.
“We chose (the title) gender studies to make it more inclusive,” Gray said. “We don’t want to just focus on femininity and women,” Gray said. “Historically, one of the criticisms of feminism has been that it has been upper-class white women fighting for right. The current feminism is much more diverse and includes men. We can’t separate ourselves, we need to work together to change society.
“And you can meet babes,” Funk said.
Funk, a self-proclaimed recovering supergirl, gave a lecture on the pressures on girls and young women to over-achieve while conforming to a new social norm based on a year’s worth of research she conducted for her book.
“A supergirl is a young woman who feels that she needs to be constantly improving herself to be loved,” Funk said. “She perceives that she needs to be a perfect 10 in everything in which she excels. Yet when she achieves something, it’s never good enough.”
“That constant striving for something more is what really marks the modern day supergirl.”
Funk’s inspiration for the book came from her own experiences.
“I always observed a lot of pressure on young women in high school and college to adhere to a limiting and demanding female ideal,” she said.
That ideal is the sum of cultural influences that push girls to be skinny, beautiful, tan, and simultaneously, effortlessly smart.
“I was very aware of this demanding role for girls in high school,” Funk said. “In college I noticed similar but different pressures on young women.”
This awareness led Funk to investigate the issue.
Funk followed five young women between 15 and 27, spending between a couple days and a few weeks observing their daily lives. She also interviewed approximately 100 other young women who were everything from sociology to engineering majors.
She found a combination of internal and external pressures that drive young women to be supergirls that come from the media, peer groups, themselves, and parents to a lesser degree.
This pressure on women to achieve, even to a fault, has changed the landscape of higher education.
“It’s been statistically shown that women outnumber men at the majority of colleges today, Funk said. “To a certain extent girls are progressing beyond men in academics.”
“I don’t think it’s a bad thing guys don’t put pressure on themselves. If girls felt that they could go home and play videogames for two hours and not feel like they were wasting time or that they should have been exercising or working on extra credit projects in that time. I don’t think that’s a bad thing.”
Funk said men feel pressure but the idea of the idyllic male had changed.
“The male ideal has changed from being this badass guy who fixes up Mustangs to this guy who’s supposed to be a forward on the soccer team, get fives on AP exams and go to Dartmouth,” Funk said.
She has also found the image of idealized beauty has changed. The society has moved from Marilyn Monroe’s voluptuous figure, to Jane Fonda’s near masculine dearth of curves, to Megan Fox.
“Today we have the most difficult physique to achieve. In the eighties you could look like that (Fonda), you just had to be skinny. You need plastic surgery to achieve the ideal today. Today girls are playing with Bratz dolls, which have teeny, tiny waists and huge hips that give girls this idea that they need to have curves in the right places and protruding bones in the right places.”
This perceived necessity for unachievable multi-faceted perfection can lead to what Funk called a “lack of intrinsic worth.” This can lead to increased vulnerability to pressure, media, society and community and is a major aspect in the supergirl trend.
Funk said to prevent this lack of intrinsic self-worth, girls should develop hobbies.
“Many young women today don’t have any self-esteem building leisure activities,” Funk said. “That’s the biggest thing they can do, whether it’s making collages, playing instrument or taking up cooking.
Young women also need to reduce the amount of technology they use. Turn off their Ipods and Iphones and focus on spending time with themselves. They really need to get in touch with their internal monologues and develop a relationship with themselves.”
Funk enjoyed her time at CLC and was impressed by its students.
“I was very happy to have the opportunity to speak here and meet the great faculty and students. I was really impressed by the level of student discussion at both of these events – by how cognizant and enthusiastic everyone was. Usually having student discussions is like pulling teeth, but these kids were raising their hands and totally into. I was glad to have been a part of it.”
To hear the interview with Liz Funk in its entirety, visit drop.io/clcradio#
CLC psyched about new psychology club
Erik Hayner
Staff Writer
CLC welcomed the Psychology club to its list of extracurricular groups. The club was officially established three weeks ago, the influence from CLC student Joe Huffman.
In order to start a club, a student must suggest the college begins the club. Faculty may not start clubs on their own. Much of CLC’s psychology staff values the opportunity given to them by Huffman’s drive. There are six full-time psychology faculty members assisting the new group, as well as two professors acting as faculty advisers: Drs. Ken Kickuchi and Martha Lally.
Lally explained that joining (the club) to the twenty students isn’t difficult.
“The only requirement to be a part of Psychology Club is to have an interest in psychology and its related topics,” Lally said.
However, she also mentioned that psychology club adds an academically focused group to the roster of clubs. In that vein, students are granted an opportunity to discuss issues and to help those who might be interested in pursuing psychology as a career.
Some of the topics students have delved into are, mirror neurons, dream analysis, research methodology and psychology in general. Members discuss once a week on Thursdays from 2:30 to 3:30 in room A246.
They have also begun planning events for next year. There will be debates, field trips, guest speakers and fundraisers. One fundraiser is planned for the current semester in an effort to get the word out and gather new members. There is no definite date for the fundraiser as of yet.
To become a member of Psychology Club all a student needs to do is go to CLC’s official web site, log into their “My CLC” account and click on the community’s link at the top of the page.
Under “Communities Available” there is a psychology community that was developed in January which contains a “Psych Club” link.
From there, the student may login, join, and feel free to go to club meetings. Also found under that site are the names of the officers of Psychology Club, the dates they will meet, and a calendar of events.
Psychology Club provides an important degree of diversity to those clubs offered at CLC. There are now options for students that a more scientific or interest.
Diversity in extracurricular groups relies largely on students taking a stand with their own interests. As an aid to career specialization, or simply as a flirtation with something you find yourself more drawn to, it seems psychology club might be the beginning of a trend at CLC.
For students like Huffman who want to start a club, all that is necessary is a petition with 24 names of people that want to join and the name of a faculty member who is interested in advising the club.
Staff Writer
CLC welcomed the Psychology club to its list of extracurricular groups. The club was officially established three weeks ago, the influence from CLC student Joe Huffman.
In order to start a club, a student must suggest the college begins the club. Faculty may not start clubs on their own. Much of CLC’s psychology staff values the opportunity given to them by Huffman’s drive. There are six full-time psychology faculty members assisting the new group, as well as two professors acting as faculty advisers: Drs. Ken Kickuchi and Martha Lally.
Lally explained that joining (the club) to the twenty students isn’t difficult.
“The only requirement to be a part of Psychology Club is to have an interest in psychology and its related topics,” Lally said.
However, she also mentioned that psychology club adds an academically focused group to the roster of clubs. In that vein, students are granted an opportunity to discuss issues and to help those who might be interested in pursuing psychology as a career.
Some of the topics students have delved into are, mirror neurons, dream analysis, research methodology and psychology in general. Members discuss once a week on Thursdays from 2:30 to 3:30 in room A246.
They have also begun planning events for next year. There will be debates, field trips, guest speakers and fundraisers. One fundraiser is planned for the current semester in an effort to get the word out and gather new members. There is no definite date for the fundraiser as of yet.
To become a member of Psychology Club all a student needs to do is go to CLC’s official web site, log into their “My CLC” account and click on the community’s link at the top of the page.
Under “Communities Available” there is a psychology community that was developed in January which contains a “Psych Club” link.
From there, the student may login, join, and feel free to go to club meetings. Also found under that site are the names of the officers of Psychology Club, the dates they will meet, and a calendar of events.
Psychology Club provides an important degree of diversity to those clubs offered at CLC. There are now options for students that a more scientific or interest.
Diversity in extracurricular groups relies largely on students taking a stand with their own interests. As an aid to career specialization, or simply as a flirtation with something you find yourself more drawn to, it seems psychology club might be the beginning of a trend at CLC.
For students like Huffman who want to start a club, all that is necessary is a petition with 24 names of people that want to join and the name of a faculty member who is interested in advising the club.
CLC's strategic plan awaits approval
Ashley Meyer
Staff Writer
Based on input received from the college community, a select group of representatives have been rewriting and revising a three-page statement, known to the College of Lake County as the Strategic Plan, since last summer.
According to Tonitta White, CLC’s quality assessment manager, “(The purpose of the plan) is to help guide us on the areas we should be focusing on as a college, especially economically. Businesses and institutions are strapped.”
The document includes a mission statement and a vision statement with goals and objectives for the college. Beyond the mission, vision, and values statements are six general goals which will provide and enforce detailed objectives for students and staff to follow in the school environment.
The Strategic Plan is designed to help the college continually improve.
About a year ago, the college performed an “environmental scan,” which looked at external and internal factors that might impact the institution.
External factors include the local and statewide economies, influence from other schools, demographics, and what’s going on in the community. Internal factors include the growth and nature of the school. All of the information was gathered and completed by October.
Throughout the process, between 20 and 25 people contributed to the Strategic Plan. Representatives included staff, faculty and students.
“The student involvement in this process has been amazing to me,” White said. “They aren’t getting paid, yet they’re very committed.”
The plan is in its final stages. It is in draft form, recently updated on March 25, and is awaiting approval.
White expects that the Strategic Plan will be approved at the board of trustees meeting on May 25.
The next and final step is to implement each of the actions and pursuits listed in the plan.
Students can access the Strategic Plan by going to CLC’s Web site and clicking on “Accredidation” (AQIP) on the left side of the home page. From there a link directs to the most recent draft of the plan.
Staff Writer
Based on input received from the college community, a select group of representatives have been rewriting and revising a three-page statement, known to the College of Lake County as the Strategic Plan, since last summer.
According to Tonitta White, CLC’s quality assessment manager, “(The purpose of the plan) is to help guide us on the areas we should be focusing on as a college, especially economically. Businesses and institutions are strapped.”
The document includes a mission statement and a vision statement with goals and objectives for the college. Beyond the mission, vision, and values statements are six general goals which will provide and enforce detailed objectives for students and staff to follow in the school environment.
The Strategic Plan is designed to help the college continually improve.
About a year ago, the college performed an “environmental scan,” which looked at external and internal factors that might impact the institution.
External factors include the local and statewide economies, influence from other schools, demographics, and what’s going on in the community. Internal factors include the growth and nature of the school. All of the information was gathered and completed by October.
Throughout the process, between 20 and 25 people contributed to the Strategic Plan. Representatives included staff, faculty and students.
“The student involvement in this process has been amazing to me,” White said. “They aren’t getting paid, yet they’re very committed.”
The plan is in its final stages. It is in draft form, recently updated on March 25, and is awaiting approval.
White expects that the Strategic Plan will be approved at the board of trustees meeting on May 25.
The next and final step is to implement each of the actions and pursuits listed in the plan.
Students can access the Strategic Plan by going to CLC’s Web site and clicking on “Accredidation” (AQIP) on the left side of the home page. From there a link directs to the most recent draft of the plan.
Students join in silence, stand up to discrimination
Megan Schroeder
Staff Writer
On Monday, April 12, CLC’s Anderson Court was being watched. The Anderson Court was filled with a group of students standing silently, with pink duct tape across their mouths, signs wrapped around their bodies, and words scribbled across the duct tape. While they were standing silently, a video played in the background to give a verbal clue to those who were curious or would listen.
The Day of Silence is a national awareness day which, according to the Gay, Lesbian, and Straight network, “Hundreds of thousands of students nationwide take a vow of silence to bring attention to anti-LGBTQ name-calling, bullying and harassment in their schools.”
The peaceful protest against LGBTQ discrimination and violence was headed by the Pride Alliance. Other participants were from the Black Student Union, Veterans club, and PrideCall (a Lake County support group). The event was open to all who wished to join in, and posters were placed around CLC to remind people of the upcoming event.
“The importance of the Day of Silence was not only to bring awareness about the range of discrimination and violence towards the LGBTQ community because of their sexual orientation, but to also motivate them to take legal and social action. To take it up to the local state representatives, to get them to support anti-hate crime and human rights violation laws,” Pride Alliance Adviser Teresa Aguinaldo said.
CLC Pride’s event wasn’t just protesting LGBTQ discrimination. They also protested racism, sexism, and the mistreatment of those with disabilities.
The Day of Silence was hard for some of the participants, as a few had to lift their silence during class, but others stayed silent and handed out “The Day of Silence cards,” explaining what the day of silence was, and why they have chosen to stay silent. Without actually speaking, one participate said what they were doing was important to them, and they should not be forced to do anything that would compromise their political statement.
Those who have participated in this event stated that they feel more empowered afterward, understanding that by doing this, they had glimpse of what life is like for LGBTQ’s on a daily basis. Some have reported being more sympathetic and empathetic towards the cause.
“There hasn’t been any physical violence, though Pride has received hate mail,” Aguinaldo said.
Even small gestures can speak volumes, like laughing or backing away from the Pride table at events with a look of shock. Or a general disregard for the cause.
Aguinaldo participated in the event, and like other participants, only lifted her own silence to teach and work with her students. In her Women in Literature class she even asked her students to write a journal entry telling of a time when they felt silenced.
The event was ended with the Night of Screams, where all the participants regained their voices, expressing all the emotions they built up as the day progressed, and they celebrated not only who they are, but their voice in their LGBTQ/Ally community.
Tea partying with patriots in Gurnee
Dave Balson
Opinion Editor
The Gurnee American Legion Hall is not easy to miss, being one of the few places in town with a M47 Patton Army Tank parked on its front lawn. Around 6 p.m. on April 1, people began to arrive at the hall for the Northern Illinois Patriot’s April Meetup.
It was the warmest April Fools Day on record. Next door, a little league baseball team enjoyed a carefree practice in the 82 degree weather. But the Patriots converged on the meeting hall to address a very serious concern: They had been “Taxed Enough Already.”
The Northern Illinois Patriots consider themselves a part of the Tea Party movement, a loosely defined national protest movement that supports “constitutionally limited government.” The Tea Party movement emerged in opposition to the federal stimulus package passed in 2009 and has since organized against much of the legislation passed under the Obama administration.
Fifty-nine percent of voters in Lake County, where Gurnee is located, voted for Barack Obama in the 2008 election, and the 100-some people who filled the upstairs meeting room of the American Legion hall were not thrilled with that result. Besides being all white and mostly middle-aged or older, the most common thread running through the crowd was a belief that the federal government had grown dangerously large and power hungry.
The evening’s program began with an opening prayer, led by organizer Tony Raymond: “Dear heavenly father, we thank you for the freedoms we enjoy in the United States and we pray that you will serve alongside us as we seek to preserve and protect those freedoms. Father, I pray that tonight will be honoring to you. I pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen.”
Next, a strapping, relatively young organizer named David Zumwalt went around the room with a microphone asking people what brought them to the meeting.
Marsha said she loves her country, but, “we’re losing our freedoms—for speech, religion, if they have their way, our right to bear arms.”
Stacy won’t be a victim to her government.
Dotty doesn’t think “we should give our money to all of the illegals or the welfare bums.” Dotty got quite the applause.
Joan said she is “disgusted with the direction the country is going in” and wants “to get back to the Constitution.”
Jonathan said he is 67 years old and that the 2010 midterms will be “the most important election in my life.”
Louise and Kevin Stolarik shared similar concerns in an interview.
“Taxes are going up, and people have less freedom,” Kevin said. “And with the health care bill, I’m going to lose my insurance because the government is going to ration care.”
Besides taxes, the Stolariks’ main concern is government interfering in their lives.
“We have guns,” Louise said. “Illinois is the only state where you have to register your gun, and it’s just not right.”
Louise also doesn’t like the student loan reform President Obama signed into law in March.
“I can’t afford to put my own kids through college,” she said. “Why should I be paying for everybody else’s kids? The government is taking over all the loans. They say who gets one and who doesn’t.”
“There will be a quota system, like everything else,” Kevin added.
Next, organizer Greg Clements spoke about the group’s five core principles. He said the group is pro-family, stands for limited government, supports a free-market economy, believes in national defense and wants more choice in education.
“Many of you who have kids in school know that what they are receiving is not education,” Clements said. “It’s indoctrination.”
Marilyn Rickert, the Midwest irector for the Fair Tax Movement in Illinois, also spoke at the event. Rickert said that when the “founding fathers decided to start America, they didn’t want a federal government that does very much.”
She said that after writing the Constitution, the founders wrote the Federalist Papers to “explain it to the people.”
Rickert had produced packets for people to pick up on their way in. The first page was an excerpt from the Federalist Papers. The second page was from the “10 point program of Communism” from Karl Marx’s “Manifesto of the Communist Party.” One point was circled, “A heavy progressive or graduated income tax.”
“Does that sound a wee-bit familiar to anyone?” Rickert asked. The crowd responded that it did sound familiar.
“If you want to know where your taxes come from, it wasn’t the founding fathers,” Rickert said. “It was Karl Marx.”
Rickert is pushing for a “fair tax,” which she describes as an indirect consumption tax.
“You should decide when you are going to pay taxes, how much you will pay, and if you should pay any at all that particular day,” Rickert said. “It’s entirely up to you.
“With the fair tax, you will be able to pay your necessities of life tax free, as long as you are an American citizen or a legal resident. Sorry, but illegals are foreign visitors They’ll have to pay the full share.”
The crowd erupted into applause.
Rickert also said the fair tax would finally force criminals to pay taxes.
“I don’t know about your neighborhood, but I’m pretty sure the drug dealer in my neighborhood is not sending in his tax form,” she said. The crowd laughed.
“What is the point of having all this money, your fellow drug dealer or your drug dealer or whoever, if you’re not going to spend it?” Rickert said. “For the first time in their lives, criminals are going to be paying taxes. Will they be paying 100 percent? No, I’m sure they will steal some stuff. They are criminals, after all. But they can’t steal everything, and they’ll be paying more than they are now.”
Rickert was also upset that her First Amendment rights were being violated. Rickert’s organization is tax-exempt, a designation awarded to some non-profit groups and religious organizations. An organization that engages in partisan political activity can lose its tax exemptions.
“Every day my freedom of speech is violated, and it really ticks me off,” Rickert said. “Did you know that the pastor of your church, or your priest, are also regulated by the federal tax code? Things have gotten so bad, it’s not what your priest or pastor actually says, it’s what the IRS agent listening in the audience thinks he says.”
Among the speakers were two potential candidates for the 2010 midterm elections. The first, Michael Niecestro, is running as an Independent for the Senate seat previously held by Barack Obama.
Niecestro, a 29-year veteran of the mortgage banking industry, opposes the Sixteenth Amendment. Passed in 1913, the Sixteen Amendment set in stone the federal government’s right to tax income.
Niecestro said the Sixteenth Amendment had made his life miserable.
“(The income tax) is our money being redistributed downward,” he said. “I would eliminate the income tax, the dividend tax, the capital gains tax and the estate tax.”
In a later interview, Niecestro said he would vote to repeal the new health care law and start over with new reform legislation.
“The health care bill will not work for the people,” he said. “The end result is that insurance companies are going to end up folding.”
After repealing the law, Niecestro would like to replace it with other legislation.
“Open up the interstate borders,” he said. “Let people go anywhere they want. I believe in tort reform. There are a lot of frivolous lawsuits out there. Just like the frivolous auto accidents where people go out and have a fake accident and they put in falsified claims. We all pay for that. That’s the same thing with the insurance industry.”
In his Senate race, Niecestro will face Republican Mark Kirk and Democrat Alexi Giannoulias. Niecestro is running as a more conservative alternative to Kirk.
“He’s for partial-birth abortion,” he said. “I don’t believe in abortion, period. I’m pro-life. A child at conception is the most important thing. The sanctity of a marriage is between a man and a woman. To me, Mr. Kirk is just another liberal candidate.”
The second candidate to take the stage was Michael White. He is the Constitution Party’s choice for governor. White said the Constitution Party is “a conservative group who take the right to life, liberty and the freedom of happiness literally.”
White said the federal government shouldn’t be allowed to mandate health insurance.
“I would sue the government for state sovereignty,” he said. “Growing the size of government programs takes away from our humanity, our charity, our concern for our neighbors. America is not about community responsibility. It is about individual responsibility to our community.”
The theme of the tea party and the mood of the Patriots was clear: The size of the federal government, the taxes being levied on its citizens and the government’s ability to regulate firearms are a clear and present danger to the future of America.
The Patriots want to take that future back.
____________
Mr. Balson's analysis of the Tea Party here.
Opinion Editor
The Gurnee American Legion Hall is not easy to miss, being one of the few places in town with a M47 Patton Army Tank parked on its front lawn. Around 6 p.m. on April 1, people began to arrive at the hall for the Northern Illinois Patriot’s April Meetup.
It was the warmest April Fools Day on record. Next door, a little league baseball team enjoyed a carefree practice in the 82 degree weather. But the Patriots converged on the meeting hall to address a very serious concern: They had been “Taxed Enough Already.”
The Northern Illinois Patriots consider themselves a part of the Tea Party movement, a loosely defined national protest movement that supports “constitutionally limited government.” The Tea Party movement emerged in opposition to the federal stimulus package passed in 2009 and has since organized against much of the legislation passed under the Obama administration.
Fifty-nine percent of voters in Lake County, where Gurnee is located, voted for Barack Obama in the 2008 election, and the 100-some people who filled the upstairs meeting room of the American Legion hall were not thrilled with that result. Besides being all white and mostly middle-aged or older, the most common thread running through the crowd was a belief that the federal government had grown dangerously large and power hungry.
The evening’s program began with an opening prayer, led by organizer Tony Raymond: “Dear heavenly father, we thank you for the freedoms we enjoy in the United States and we pray that you will serve alongside us as we seek to preserve and protect those freedoms. Father, I pray that tonight will be honoring to you. I pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen.”
Next, a strapping, relatively young organizer named David Zumwalt went around the room with a microphone asking people what brought them to the meeting.
Marsha said she loves her country, but, “we’re losing our freedoms—for speech, religion, if they have their way, our right to bear arms.”
Stacy won’t be a victim to her government.
Dotty doesn’t think “we should give our money to all of the illegals or the welfare bums.” Dotty got quite the applause.
Joan said she is “disgusted with the direction the country is going in” and wants “to get back to the Constitution.”
Jonathan said he is 67 years old and that the 2010 midterms will be “the most important election in my life.”
Louise and Kevin Stolarik shared similar concerns in an interview.
“Taxes are going up, and people have less freedom,” Kevin said. “And with the health care bill, I’m going to lose my insurance because the government is going to ration care.”
Besides taxes, the Stolariks’ main concern is government interfering in their lives.
“We have guns,” Louise said. “Illinois is the only state where you have to register your gun, and it’s just not right.”
Louise also doesn’t like the student loan reform President Obama signed into law in March.
“I can’t afford to put my own kids through college,” she said. “Why should I be paying for everybody else’s kids? The government is taking over all the loans. They say who gets one and who doesn’t.”
“There will be a quota system, like everything else,” Kevin added.
Next, organizer Greg Clements spoke about the group’s five core principles. He said the group is pro-family, stands for limited government, supports a free-market economy, believes in national defense and wants more choice in education.
“Many of you who have kids in school know that what they are receiving is not education,” Clements said. “It’s indoctrination.”
Marilyn Rickert, the Midwest irector for the Fair Tax Movement in Illinois, also spoke at the event. Rickert said that when the “founding fathers decided to start America, they didn’t want a federal government that does very much.”
She said that after writing the Constitution, the founders wrote the Federalist Papers to “explain it to the people.”
Rickert had produced packets for people to pick up on their way in. The first page was an excerpt from the Federalist Papers. The second page was from the “10 point program of Communism” from Karl Marx’s “Manifesto of the Communist Party.” One point was circled, “A heavy progressive or graduated income tax.”
“Does that sound a wee-bit familiar to anyone?” Rickert asked. The crowd responded that it did sound familiar.
“If you want to know where your taxes come from, it wasn’t the founding fathers,” Rickert said. “It was Karl Marx.”
Rickert is pushing for a “fair tax,” which she describes as an indirect consumption tax.
“You should decide when you are going to pay taxes, how much you will pay, and if you should pay any at all that particular day,” Rickert said. “It’s entirely up to you.
“With the fair tax, you will be able to pay your necessities of life tax free, as long as you are an American citizen or a legal resident. Sorry, but illegals are foreign visitors They’ll have to pay the full share.”
The crowd erupted into applause.
Rickert also said the fair tax would finally force criminals to pay taxes.
“I don’t know about your neighborhood, but I’m pretty sure the drug dealer in my neighborhood is not sending in his tax form,” she said. The crowd laughed.
“What is the point of having all this money, your fellow drug dealer or your drug dealer or whoever, if you’re not going to spend it?” Rickert said. “For the first time in their lives, criminals are going to be paying taxes. Will they be paying 100 percent? No, I’m sure they will steal some stuff. They are criminals, after all. But they can’t steal everything, and they’ll be paying more than they are now.”
Rickert was also upset that her First Amendment rights were being violated. Rickert’s organization is tax-exempt, a designation awarded to some non-profit groups and religious organizations. An organization that engages in partisan political activity can lose its tax exemptions.
“Every day my freedom of speech is violated, and it really ticks me off,” Rickert said. “Did you know that the pastor of your church, or your priest, are also regulated by the federal tax code? Things have gotten so bad, it’s not what your priest or pastor actually says, it’s what the IRS agent listening in the audience thinks he says.”
Among the speakers were two potential candidates for the 2010 midterm elections. The first, Michael Niecestro, is running as an Independent for the Senate seat previously held by Barack Obama.
Niecestro, a 29-year veteran of the mortgage banking industry, opposes the Sixteenth Amendment. Passed in 1913, the Sixteen Amendment set in stone the federal government’s right to tax income.
Niecestro said the Sixteenth Amendment had made his life miserable.
“(The income tax) is our money being redistributed downward,” he said. “I would eliminate the income tax, the dividend tax, the capital gains tax and the estate tax.”
In a later interview, Niecestro said he would vote to repeal the new health care law and start over with new reform legislation.
“The health care bill will not work for the people,” he said. “The end result is that insurance companies are going to end up folding.”
After repealing the law, Niecestro would like to replace it with other legislation.
“Open up the interstate borders,” he said. “Let people go anywhere they want. I believe in tort reform. There are a lot of frivolous lawsuits out there. Just like the frivolous auto accidents where people go out and have a fake accident and they put in falsified claims. We all pay for that. That’s the same thing with the insurance industry.”
In his Senate race, Niecestro will face Republican Mark Kirk and Democrat Alexi Giannoulias. Niecestro is running as a more conservative alternative to Kirk.
“He’s for partial-birth abortion,” he said. “I don’t believe in abortion, period. I’m pro-life. A child at conception is the most important thing. The sanctity of a marriage is between a man and a woman. To me, Mr. Kirk is just another liberal candidate.”
The second candidate to take the stage was Michael White. He is the Constitution Party’s choice for governor. White said the Constitution Party is “a conservative group who take the right to life, liberty and the freedom of happiness literally.”
White said the federal government shouldn’t be allowed to mandate health insurance.
“I would sue the government for state sovereignty,” he said. “Growing the size of government programs takes away from our humanity, our charity, our concern for our neighbors. America is not about community responsibility. It is about individual responsibility to our community.”
The theme of the tea party and the mood of the Patriots was clear: The size of the federal government, the taxes being levied on its citizens and the government’s ability to regulate firearms are a clear and present danger to the future of America.
The Patriots want to take that future back.
____________
Mr. Balson's analysis of the Tea Party here.
Analysis: Mr. Balson takes his tea
Dave Balson
Opinion Editor
The strangest thing about the Northern Illinois Patriot’s April Meetup was that its attendees were sincerely upset and angry over things that just aren’t true.
In every speech and nearly every interview, people expressed deep concerns that the Obama administration had imposed debilitating tax increases.
In fact, the very stimulus bill tea partiers revile contained tax cuts for 95 percent of working families. Most people said that as middle-class workers, they couldn’t afford more taxes. Yet 70 percent of those tax cuts went to the middle 60 percent of American workers.
The three most common words emblazoned on shirts, stickers and fliers at tea parties across the country are, “Taxed Enough Already.” It is the motto and mantra of the movement. If taxes are a central grievance of the Tea Party, why did the movement flourish after the vast majority of its members received tax cuts?
Another big concern at the tea party was that the Obama administration was eagerly working to deprive Americans of their right to keep and bear arms. This is a widely held belief among tea partiers and conservatives throughout the nation. The gun and ammunition industry is still enjoying the boom in sales sparked by Obama’s election.
In fact, the president has shown no desire to fight for stricter gun control. The only gun-related laws passed in his presidency have been pro-gun rights.
Thanks to two laws signed by the president, gun-toting tea partiers can now tote their guns into national parks and onto Amtrak trains. Meanwhile, the gun control advocacy group, the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence gave Obama an “F” on each of its issues.
Why were so many of the people at the meeting convinced that the president is coming to take their guns?
Some of the objections shared by the tea partiers are familiar conservative sentiments, particularly anger toward illegal immigrants and welfare recipients. But those are mostly philosophical or cultural positions, not directly related to actual events or policies occurring in the last 15 months.
The people at the meeting were outraged over things they believed were absolute fact. Public education is government indoctrination. The government is going to ration health care via death panels. Taxation is un-American. Barack Obama is a foreign-born socialist. The list goes on.
The tea partiers were not uninformed—surely they pay more attention to politics than the majority of Americans. They were well-misinformed.
The conspiracies, even the words and phrases used to describe them, sounded familiar. I asked each person I interviewed where they had heard about, say, the future of death panels or the impending communist takeover of Washington. Each one said Fox News, Glenn Beck in particular. I also asked where they went for news and information on current events. Again, Fox News, Glenn Beck in particular.
Beck is the hero of the Tea Party. The Northern Illinois Patriots say on their Web site, “We stand for the principles and values espoused by the National 9/12 Project.” The 9/12 Project is Beck’s ultra-right vision for America. Through his conspiracy-laden, terror-inducing TV show, Beck has created his own pernicious brand of entertainment.
These were good people. They believe their country is in trouble, that America is hurtling toward self-destruction, and they believe it is their duty to fight for their country’s future. They were, in some sense, incredibly patriotic.
Night after night, most of the tea partiers turn on Fox News believing that makes them well-informed citizens. But they aren’t getting news, or facts, or analysis from a journalist. They are getting a compelling story from a talented storyteller.
The couple I talked to, Louise and Kevin Stolarik, love Beck’s TV show because they believe he gives the facts to them straight.
“He digs into everything and it’s just amazing, the facts that he comes up with,” Louise said. She meant it as a compliment.
After explaining that communism was “taking root” in America, Kevin said he gets most of his news from Beck.
“Hopefully I’m getting well-informed,” he said.
Of course, Beck isn’t the only one misinforming the masses. Many pundits and politicians live to tell lies to lots of people. Sarah Palin brought the “death panel” myth to the national stage. Palin was also very popular with the tea partiers.
Beck makes a lot of money for Fox News and takes home a hefty paycheck. ABC News reported April 13 that Palin has made around $12 million since she quit being governor of Alaska.
There is a word for those who make money by deceiving people, by appealing to their emotions to convince them of things that aren’t true and aren’t in their best interest. We call them conmen.
Opinion Editor
The strangest thing about the Northern Illinois Patriot’s April Meetup was that its attendees were sincerely upset and angry over things that just aren’t true.
In every speech and nearly every interview, people expressed deep concerns that the Obama administration had imposed debilitating tax increases.
In fact, the very stimulus bill tea partiers revile contained tax cuts for 95 percent of working families. Most people said that as middle-class workers, they couldn’t afford more taxes. Yet 70 percent of those tax cuts went to the middle 60 percent of American workers.
The three most common words emblazoned on shirts, stickers and fliers at tea parties across the country are, “Taxed Enough Already.” It is the motto and mantra of the movement. If taxes are a central grievance of the Tea Party, why did the movement flourish after the vast majority of its members received tax cuts?
Another big concern at the tea party was that the Obama administration was eagerly working to deprive Americans of their right to keep and bear arms. This is a widely held belief among tea partiers and conservatives throughout the nation. The gun and ammunition industry is still enjoying the boom in sales sparked by Obama’s election.
In fact, the president has shown no desire to fight for stricter gun control. The only gun-related laws passed in his presidency have been pro-gun rights.
Thanks to two laws signed by the president, gun-toting tea partiers can now tote their guns into national parks and onto Amtrak trains. Meanwhile, the gun control advocacy group, the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence gave Obama an “F” on each of its issues.
Why were so many of the people at the meeting convinced that the president is coming to take their guns?
Some of the objections shared by the tea partiers are familiar conservative sentiments, particularly anger toward illegal immigrants and welfare recipients. But those are mostly philosophical or cultural positions, not directly related to actual events or policies occurring in the last 15 months.
The people at the meeting were outraged over things they believed were absolute fact. Public education is government indoctrination. The government is going to ration health care via death panels. Taxation is un-American. Barack Obama is a foreign-born socialist. The list goes on.
The tea partiers were not uninformed—surely they pay more attention to politics than the majority of Americans. They were well-misinformed.
The conspiracies, even the words and phrases used to describe them, sounded familiar. I asked each person I interviewed where they had heard about, say, the future of death panels or the impending communist takeover of Washington. Each one said Fox News, Glenn Beck in particular. I also asked where they went for news and information on current events. Again, Fox News, Glenn Beck in particular.
Beck is the hero of the Tea Party. The Northern Illinois Patriots say on their Web site, “We stand for the principles and values espoused by the National 9/12 Project.” The 9/12 Project is Beck’s ultra-right vision for America. Through his conspiracy-laden, terror-inducing TV show, Beck has created his own pernicious brand of entertainment.
These were good people. They believe their country is in trouble, that America is hurtling toward self-destruction, and they believe it is their duty to fight for their country’s future. They were, in some sense, incredibly patriotic.
Night after night, most of the tea partiers turn on Fox News believing that makes them well-informed citizens. But they aren’t getting news, or facts, or analysis from a journalist. They are getting a compelling story from a talented storyteller.
The couple I talked to, Louise and Kevin Stolarik, love Beck’s TV show because they believe he gives the facts to them straight.
“He digs into everything and it’s just amazing, the facts that he comes up with,” Louise said. She meant it as a compliment.
After explaining that communism was “taking root” in America, Kevin said he gets most of his news from Beck.
“Hopefully I’m getting well-informed,” he said.
Of course, Beck isn’t the only one misinforming the masses. Many pundits and politicians live to tell lies to lots of people. Sarah Palin brought the “death panel” myth to the national stage. Palin was also very popular with the tea partiers.
Beck makes a lot of money for Fox News and takes home a hefty paycheck. ABC News reported April 13 that Palin has made around $12 million since she quit being governor of Alaska.
There is a word for those who make money by deceiving people, by appealing to their emotions to convince them of things that aren’t true and aren’t in their best interest. We call them conmen.
Latino films showcased in Waukegan
Sarah Bigler
Staff Writer
The Genesee Theater and the city of Waukegan are honoring Hispanic contributions to filmmaking with the 26th Annual Chicago Latino Film Festival starting April 23.
The festival will feature three independent films from different countries over three days. The films being shown are 2009 favorites of the Latin world, hailing from Colombia, Mexico and Uruguay.
A CLC panel discussion is planned for 2 to 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 24 in room C008 at the Lakeshore campus in Waukegan.
The title of the panel discussion is “What is the Role of Latino Film Culture in Lake County?” and is free to all students and members of the public. The panelists will include CLC Arts professors, a student filmmaking representative from the college and the director of the Lake County Film Festival.
A coffee house workshop will also be held from 1 to 3 p.m. on Sunday, April 25 at the Brick Café and Bookstore. The event is also free and open to the public. Reservations and tickets are not needed for either discussion.
“Espiral,” or “Spiral,” is the story of a family in the midst of the political drama surrounding the U.S.-Mexico border, and is the first film being screened following the opening night gala on Friday night.
CLC Cinema Studies professor Chris Cooling is a member of the committee that set up the festival.
“We've done a good job of highlighting the diversity of the Latino world, as well as its diverse practices of filmmaking,” Cooling said of the festival. “We're hoping that this first event sparks enough interest that we can gradually expand in the years to come.”
Saturday at 7 p.m. the Genesee will screen “Los Viajes del Viento,” or “The Wind Journeys.”
“The second movie caused the most intense debate on our panel,” Cooling said. “I made the point that the intensity of the debate was a good reason to program the film. It’s my personal favorite.”
“The Wind Journeys” takes place on a road trip with a boy and a “reluctant” father-figure and, according to Cooling, “showcases the great variety” of landscapes and music throughout South America. The film was widely praised at the Cannes and Toronto film festivals and entered into consideration for the 2010 Academy Awards.
Closing the Latino Festival at 4 p.m. on Sunday is the Uruguayan film “Mal Dia Para Pescar,” or, “A Bad Day to Go Fishing.” The plot involves a fraudulent agent called “The Prince” and a washed-up wrestler who find themselves in over their heads in an adoring town.
“The film is downright fun and a fast-paced con artist romp,” Cooling said. “The Scottish-Spanish actor Gary Piquer has already won awards for his portrayal, and a good deal of it is in English.”
The Opening Night Gala will be held at 5 p.m. on April 23, followed by the screening of the first movie, “Espiral.” Tickets to the gala are priced at $50, and a three-day package, including the gala and all the movies, is available for $60. A three-day package not including the opening night party is $20 for adults and $15 for students.
Students can see an individual film for $6 with a valid ID, and regular adult tickets are $8 each. Tickets are available through the Genesee box office or ticketmaster.com.
Staff Writer
The Genesee Theater and the city of Waukegan are honoring Hispanic contributions to filmmaking with the 26th Annual Chicago Latino Film Festival starting April 23.
The festival will feature three independent films from different countries over three days. The films being shown are 2009 favorites of the Latin world, hailing from Colombia, Mexico and Uruguay.
A CLC panel discussion is planned for 2 to 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 24 in room C008 at the Lakeshore campus in Waukegan.
The title of the panel discussion is “What is the Role of Latino Film Culture in Lake County?” and is free to all students and members of the public. The panelists will include CLC Arts professors, a student filmmaking representative from the college and the director of the Lake County Film Festival.
A coffee house workshop will also be held from 1 to 3 p.m. on Sunday, April 25 at the Brick Café and Bookstore. The event is also free and open to the public. Reservations and tickets are not needed for either discussion.
“Espiral,” or “Spiral,” is the story of a family in the midst of the political drama surrounding the U.S.-Mexico border, and is the first film being screened following the opening night gala on Friday night.
CLC Cinema Studies professor Chris Cooling is a member of the committee that set up the festival.
“We've done a good job of highlighting the diversity of the Latino world, as well as its diverse practices of filmmaking,” Cooling said of the festival. “We're hoping that this first event sparks enough interest that we can gradually expand in the years to come.”
Saturday at 7 p.m. the Genesee will screen “Los Viajes del Viento,” or “The Wind Journeys.”
“The second movie caused the most intense debate on our panel,” Cooling said. “I made the point that the intensity of the debate was a good reason to program the film. It’s my personal favorite.”
“The Wind Journeys” takes place on a road trip with a boy and a “reluctant” father-figure and, according to Cooling, “showcases the great variety” of landscapes and music throughout South America. The film was widely praised at the Cannes and Toronto film festivals and entered into consideration for the 2010 Academy Awards.
Closing the Latino Festival at 4 p.m. on Sunday is the Uruguayan film “Mal Dia Para Pescar,” or, “A Bad Day to Go Fishing.” The plot involves a fraudulent agent called “The Prince” and a washed-up wrestler who find themselves in over their heads in an adoring town.
“The film is downright fun and a fast-paced con artist romp,” Cooling said. “The Scottish-Spanish actor Gary Piquer has already won awards for his portrayal, and a good deal of it is in English.”
The Opening Night Gala will be held at 5 p.m. on April 23, followed by the screening of the first movie, “Espiral.” Tickets to the gala are priced at $50, and a three-day package, including the gala and all the movies, is available for $60. A three-day package not including the opening night party is $20 for adults and $15 for students.
Students can see an individual film for $6 with a valid ID, and regular adult tickets are $8 each. Tickets are available through the Genesee box office or ticketmaster.com.
Repo Men: Possessing the box office
Kyle Stephans
Staff Writer
The previews for “Repo Men” have given many people a bad impression of the film: a stupid premise in a future where if someone cannot make the payments on their artificial organs, the company sends men to hunt them down and repossesses the organs by literally ripping them out of the body. It is true that the movie has a stupid concept, but it is also interesting, raises some important questions and is definitely original.
Be assured, this is a completely different movie than the 1984 film of the same name, starring Harry Dean Stanton and Emilio Estevez.
“Repo Men” is set in 2025 in Toronto, Canada, where the health care provider, called The Union, creates artificial organs that help a person live a normal life, rather than waiting for a transplant or death.
This comes with a price, a very high one at that. The payment and interest is to be made over time. If the owner fails to make the payment in time, they lose the organ when the repo-men, who work for The Union, kill them to retrieve it.
We are introduced to the two main characters in the film, Remy played by Jude Law (Sherlock Holmes), and Academy Award-winner Forest Whitaker as Remy’s best friend and partner Jake.
Remy loves his job at The Union. He is the best repo-man the company has. This has strained his relationship with his wife and son. She wants him to quit and go into a sales position at The Union so she will be able to see him more often, while Remy is unsure about it.
On one of his assignments a defibrillator malfunctions, giving Remy a heart attack. He is now forced to use The Union’s artificial heart and his wife leaves him, taking their son with her. Remy can no longer properly perform his job, since he now thinks of his “assignments” as murdering human beings. He tries to become a salesman for the company, but ultimately fails.
Unable to make money from his job and pay for his organ, Remy flees the city and along the way encounters various people.
Specifically, he meets a new love interest named Beth (Alice Braga), a former lounge singer with multiple artificial organs. As repo men are sent after him, he is more than ready to defend himself and is bent on bringing down The Union, even if it means sacrificing his strong friendship with Jake.
The movie was actually better than expected. It can be seen as an allegory for the health care system, as well as what a human life is worth. The Union is portrayed as a greedy corporation, a portrayal many people can relate to.
Forest Whitaker pulls off an effective performance as Jake, the crazy, thrill-seeking partner/friend of Remy. Jude Law also puts in a good effort playing Remy and helping viewers understand his life. Liev Schreiber (X Men Origins: Wolverine) plays Frank, the sly and ruthless chief of The Union who has the use car salesman, “You owe it to yourself and you owe it to your family to get this organ,” type of personality that makes his character completely believable and hated.
Although the movie is action-packed and fun, that does not always guarantee a good film (perfect example: Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen). The film has a good story, but Remy seems like a complete moron for not understanding earlier in the film that when he does his job, he is actually killing people, but by the end we are rooting for him.
It also looked pretty weird when he cut open a body with a scalpel, then held the blood-soaked knife in his mouth to put gloves on to dig for the artificial organ.
The other problem with the film is it’s so unrealistic how Jude Law as Remy can easily take down 16 armed repo agents, with only a butcher knife in hand. The blood and gore is over glorified and features about as much as a “Saw” film.
The final flaw of the film may be the movie’s twist conclusion, which some may love while others may hate. “Repo Men” is not believable or realistic in the least bit, but it is a thrilling move that raises interesting questions.
Grade: B-
NBA Playoffs: Do the Bulls have a chance?
Alvin Sandique
Staff Writer
The stage is set for 16 teams to battle it out for basketball’s Holy Grail, The Larry O Brien Trophy.
The NBA playoffs are finally here after a long 82 games and one hell of a regular season. This postseason just like any other postseason has storylines aplenty but this one might just be a little bit different.
Lets start with the best team in all of the 2009 2010 regular season, The Cleveland Cavaliers. This basketball team is loaded. The Cavs dating to their acquisition of Shaquille O Neal have the depth at the frontcourt with Big Z, Varejao, Antawn Jamison and the emergence of JJ Hickson to keep opposing bigs at bay. Cleveland has shooters Mo Williams, Delonte West and others to keep defenders honest, and of course, the alpha and omega of the Cavs’ success, LeBron James.
James who is on course to win his second straight MVP award and is on a mission to finally quench the city’s thirst for their first NBA championship has some gaudy numbers. His averages this season lie around 29 points, eight rebounds and seven assists. James’ production numbers have been so impressive this season that he puts assembly lines in Detroit to shame.
Their first round opponent, the Chicago Bulls in my opinion is the scariest team in the east. I hope no one forgot about the havoc the wreaked last year against Boston. Many believe the Bulls do not have a shot in hell against Cleveland but the awesome thing about this is that Vinny Del Negro is blind to that notion. He has very good reasons to believe that Chicago has a great chance against mighty Cleveland.
Joakim Noah has been playing out of his mind this season as he spearheads an athletic frontcourt in Chicago. The young guns in rookies Taj Gibson and James Johnson have been steady and solid for most of the year. Luol Deng and Kirk Hinrich provide a serviceable scoring punch.
Then there is Derrick Rose. The springy floor general from the South side is ready to put himself on legit superstar status and lead this bulls team to levels not seen since the Jordan era. A stellar playoff performance from Rose will most definitely allow those things to happen.
This is a Bulls team that matches up fairly well vs Cleveland. The two teams split the season series 2 games apiece. Look for the Bulls to make this series more competitive than what most expect.
And if Chicago were to pull the upset, look for them to do much more past the first round.
The scariest team out west is the San Antonio Spurs. Sure this is not your Spurs team from years past but an experienced team in the playoffs is always a dangerous one. Duncan, Parker, and Ginobili, (who has been incredible lately) are all healthy and ready to go. Gregg Popovich has this team peaking at the right time with wins over LA, Boston, Orlando and Denver in recent weeks.
And though Duncan won’t display it, don’t you think he will be compelled to cement his claim as the player of the decade with a fifth ring over Kobe and Shaq?
The Orlando magic is looking to get back to the game’s biggest stage and erase the memories of the Lakers celebrating on the hardwood of Amway Arena last June.
The Magic have a team loaded on both ends of the floor. Michael Pietrus and Matt Barnes hold down the periemeter on D. Rashard Lewis and JJ look to make it rain from deep. They have a steady point in Jameer Nelson, Vince Carter to make timely plays. Dwight Howard, the league’s best big man, league leader in both blocked shots and rebounds patrolling the paint.
Orlando is more than capable of being the last team standing two months from now.
The team that comes into the postseason on their last breath is the Boston Celtics. This has been a topsy turvy season for the boys in Beantown. This season has been nothing but a never ending search for their 2008 mojo that got them the franchise’s 17th championship and the first for Ray, KG, and Paul Pierce. The big three will do all they can to get number 18 for the game’s most storied franchise.
For this to occur, Rajon Rondo will need to bring his brilliant play to higher levels. The guy was considered a liability in their ’08 title run has now become the team’s best and consistent player. He will need to put up more than his averages of 13 points, nine assists, and two steals a game for Boston to make a deep run.
As long as that happens, and Boston as a team plays solid and the big three somehow go back to 2008 form, then another championship in Boston is surely not out of the question.
Last but not least, there are the Los Angeles Lakers.
The defending champions are almost certainly limping into the playoffs. Going 16 – 12 after the all star break is not the ideal way to garner momentum going into the playoffs. However these are the defending champs, and if anyone can turn on their championship level of play in a flash, it is these Lakers.
Kobe is going to do what Kobe does in the playoffs. Enough said.
They got the league’s best and lengthiest frontcourt with the inside scoring punch of Pau, Lamar, and Bynum. Ron Artest will be harassing the opponent’s best scorer every possession he’s on the floor. A bench that, come playoff time, will be ready to go despite their inconsistent play throughout the season.
And lets not forget the man the Lakers have manning the sidelines is the only coach in NBA history that can put a championship ring on every one of his fingers in Phil Jackson.
Anything less than a 17th championship and a victory parade in downtown LA will be unacceptable for the defending NBA champions.
To sum it all up, I think the playoffs are set up for a Kobe, D-Rose showdown in a rematch of the 1991 NBA finals with the Lakers and the Cinderella of this year’s playoffs, the Chicago Bulls….with the Lakers repeating as champions in five.
Staff Writer
The stage is set for 16 teams to battle it out for basketball’s Holy Grail, The Larry O Brien Trophy.
The NBA playoffs are finally here after a long 82 games and one hell of a regular season. This postseason just like any other postseason has storylines aplenty but this one might just be a little bit different.
Lets start with the best team in all of the 2009 2010 regular season, The Cleveland Cavaliers. This basketball team is loaded. The Cavs dating to their acquisition of Shaquille O Neal have the depth at the frontcourt with Big Z, Varejao, Antawn Jamison and the emergence of JJ Hickson to keep opposing bigs at bay. Cleveland has shooters Mo Williams, Delonte West and others to keep defenders honest, and of course, the alpha and omega of the Cavs’ success, LeBron James.
James who is on course to win his second straight MVP award and is on a mission to finally quench the city’s thirst for their first NBA championship has some gaudy numbers. His averages this season lie around 29 points, eight rebounds and seven assists. James’ production numbers have been so impressive this season that he puts assembly lines in Detroit to shame.
Their first round opponent, the Chicago Bulls in my opinion is the scariest team in the east. I hope no one forgot about the havoc the wreaked last year against Boston. Many believe the Bulls do not have a shot in hell against Cleveland but the awesome thing about this is that Vinny Del Negro is blind to that notion. He has very good reasons to believe that Chicago has a great chance against mighty Cleveland.
Joakim Noah has been playing out of his mind this season as he spearheads an athletic frontcourt in Chicago. The young guns in rookies Taj Gibson and James Johnson have been steady and solid for most of the year. Luol Deng and Kirk Hinrich provide a serviceable scoring punch.
Then there is Derrick Rose. The springy floor general from the South side is ready to put himself on legit superstar status and lead this bulls team to levels not seen since the Jordan era. A stellar playoff performance from Rose will most definitely allow those things to happen.
This is a Bulls team that matches up fairly well vs Cleveland. The two teams split the season series 2 games apiece. Look for the Bulls to make this series more competitive than what most expect.
And if Chicago were to pull the upset, look for them to do much more past the first round.
The scariest team out west is the San Antonio Spurs. Sure this is not your Spurs team from years past but an experienced team in the playoffs is always a dangerous one. Duncan, Parker, and Ginobili, (who has been incredible lately) are all healthy and ready to go. Gregg Popovich has this team peaking at the right time with wins over LA, Boston, Orlando and Denver in recent weeks.
And though Duncan won’t display it, don’t you think he will be compelled to cement his claim as the player of the decade with a fifth ring over Kobe and Shaq?
The Orlando magic is looking to get back to the game’s biggest stage and erase the memories of the Lakers celebrating on the hardwood of Amway Arena last June.
The Magic have a team loaded on both ends of the floor. Michael Pietrus and Matt Barnes hold down the periemeter on D. Rashard Lewis and JJ look to make it rain from deep. They have a steady point in Jameer Nelson, Vince Carter to make timely plays. Dwight Howard, the league’s best big man, league leader in both blocked shots and rebounds patrolling the paint.
Orlando is more than capable of being the last team standing two months from now.
The team that comes into the postseason on their last breath is the Boston Celtics. This has been a topsy turvy season for the boys in Beantown. This season has been nothing but a never ending search for their 2008 mojo that got them the franchise’s 17th championship and the first for Ray, KG, and Paul Pierce. The big three will do all they can to get number 18 for the game’s most storied franchise.
For this to occur, Rajon Rondo will need to bring his brilliant play to higher levels. The guy was considered a liability in their ’08 title run has now become the team’s best and consistent player. He will need to put up more than his averages of 13 points, nine assists, and two steals a game for Boston to make a deep run.
As long as that happens, and Boston as a team plays solid and the big three somehow go back to 2008 form, then another championship in Boston is surely not out of the question.
Last but not least, there are the Los Angeles Lakers.
The defending champions are almost certainly limping into the playoffs. Going 16 – 12 after the all star break is not the ideal way to garner momentum going into the playoffs. However these are the defending champs, and if anyone can turn on their championship level of play in a flash, it is these Lakers.
Kobe is going to do what Kobe does in the playoffs. Enough said.
They got the league’s best and lengthiest frontcourt with the inside scoring punch of Pau, Lamar, and Bynum. Ron Artest will be harassing the opponent’s best scorer every possession he’s on the floor. A bench that, come playoff time, will be ready to go despite their inconsistent play throughout the season.
And lets not forget the man the Lakers have manning the sidelines is the only coach in NBA history that can put a championship ring on every one of his fingers in Phil Jackson.
Anything less than a 17th championship and a victory parade in downtown LA will be unacceptable for the defending NBA champions.
To sum it all up, I think the playoffs are set up for a Kobe, D-Rose showdown in a rematch of the 1991 NBA finals with the Lakers and the Cinderella of this year’s playoffs, the Chicago Bulls….with the Lakers repeating as champions in five.
Hawks begin quest for cup versus division foe Nashville
Amber Kuehl
Sports Editor
Hockey’s thrilling regular season run came to an end Sunday, but fans needn’t wait long for more action. Playoffs begin this week, and Chicago Blackhawks fans get more hockey action soon, as the Hawks clinched the number two seed in the Western Division and begin playing the Nashville Predators Friday in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.
The Hawks worked hard this season to get where they are now. It’s been a wild ride for fans and players alike. The team has played hard through tough division foes, goal-tending mishaps and an exciting Olympic break.
Even before the regular season began, the Hawks were the team that people picked to go far in the playoffs, and that’s a lot of pressure for a young team to face, especially since they were the underdogs last season.
The Hawks have one of the youngest team in the NHL. The captain, Jonathan Toews, is only 21, though he hits 22 in late April. Top goal scorer Patrick Kane is also 21 and defenseman Niklas Hjalmarsson is 22. Only six of 25 players on the team are over thirty.
Despite their youth, the Hawks picked up the pace of last year and charged into the 2009-2010 season with one goal, the Stanley Cup.
Now, the Hawks will face the Predators in the first round of the playoffs. In the regular season, the Hawks beat Nashville four times out of six. Both goalies, Cristobal Huet and Antti Niemi, have faced the Preds this season. Huet has seen them more over the last two seasons and has done well against them, with one shutout this season. However, Niemi may have an advantage in that Nashville has seen less of him and thus may not know his style in the net as well.
With 52 wins, the Hawks will have home ice advantage throughout the playoffs, unless they play the San Jose Sharks or, in the final round, the Washington Capitals. The Sharks are only ahead of the Hawks in points, and have 51 wins. The Caps lead the NHL in points and wins, making them a threat to any team they will face.
The Predators were founded in 1997. They have gone to the playoffs three times out of the last four seasons, and lost in the Conference Quarter Finals each time. They only time they did not qualify was last season.
The Hawks qualified for the playoffs one time in the last four seasons, last year when they lost in the Conference Finals to arch-rivals, the Detroit Red Wings. The Conference Finals are the last round before the Stanley Cup Finals, and the Hawks just couldn’t keep up with Detroit, despite good efforts in game six by the Huet and the Hawks.
However, last season the Hawks had two wins, two losses and two overtime losses to the Red Wings, which is nothing special and thus not surprising that they struggled against them in the playoffs.
This year, the Hawks have fared much better against the Wings. Huet and Niemi both dominated against them by winning three and losing three, two wins were shutouts.
This playoff season, the Hawks know they have to play better. They’ve played well in the regular season, especially against the teams in their division, the Central Division. They must be able to play hard against the Preds, and keep it up, because they may have to play Detroit at some point in the playoffs.
No matter what, the Hawks have the skills to take on any team they will face in the playoffs. It won’t be easy and they can’t give anything less than 100 percent, but it is possible. They know they can beat the Preds and the Wings because they’ve done so before. If it comes down to playing the Capitals, the Hawks will be out for revenge. Earlier this season, Caps star and Captain Alex Ovechkin hit Hawk’s defenseman Brian Campbell from behind and into the boards, breaking Campbell’s clavicle and possibly ending the season for him.
They also have great players in Toews, Kane and Marian Hossa, a former Red Wing, who has incredible puck control. In the last month of the regular season, the physical fourth line stepped up and scored several key goals while the top lines and special teams, such as the power play, struggled.
Men's tennis proves experience, wins fourth
Kat Dankowski
Staff Writer
Days before the men’s tennis team’s first match, Coach Randy Malone sat down with his team. He went over his game plan with laughter alongside positive criticism.
“Come prepared,” Malone said. “You can get fired up, I love to see (Sophomore Christopher Rodriguez) get fired up, but we do it with class. We don’t taunt the other team, we don’t swear, we want to play with passion and we want to play hard every point.”
Coach Malone has said this year’s team is very inexperienced. However, as the players finished their fourth match with a win, the numbers beg to differ.
The tennis season is considerably shorter than other sports. While most teams play for two or more months, tennis lasts a little over a month. It’s all packed in with two games a week, at least. Last week they played every day, Monday through Thursday.
Despite having a rocky start to the season with four consecutive losses, the team now seems to have the hang of things, winning their last four matches.
Spring has popped its head around the corner, and snow isn’t the only weather problem the team has encountered. Practices have been cancelled because of wind.
Sudden practice changes, bad weather and a short season are things players must deal with.
“You have to practice,” said Coach Malone to his team at their meeting. “Your opponent will tell you exactly what they’re doing, constantly, if you learn how to read them.”
The season continues with matches, sometimes every day, and they still come to practices. Players are encouraged to help their own practice schedules by pairing up and getting practice in before games.
The players agree Coach Malone’s methods of teaching will help them achieve success this season.
“He’s interesting and doesn’t bark orders at us,” said Sophomore David Labellarte. “It’s all about positive reinforcement.”
Coach Malone spearheads nonprofit leagues and lessons for CLC students. He is also a tennis instructor for Deer Creek Courts in Highland Park, and coaches the woman’s tennis teams and various leagues associated with Deer Creek Courts.
Staff Writer
Days before the men’s tennis team’s first match, Coach Randy Malone sat down with his team. He went over his game plan with laughter alongside positive criticism.
“Come prepared,” Malone said. “You can get fired up, I love to see (Sophomore Christopher Rodriguez) get fired up, but we do it with class. We don’t taunt the other team, we don’t swear, we want to play with passion and we want to play hard every point.”
Coach Malone has said this year’s team is very inexperienced. However, as the players finished their fourth match with a win, the numbers beg to differ.
The tennis season is considerably shorter than other sports. While most teams play for two or more months, tennis lasts a little over a month. It’s all packed in with two games a week, at least. Last week they played every day, Monday through Thursday.
Despite having a rocky start to the season with four consecutive losses, the team now seems to have the hang of things, winning their last four matches.
Spring has popped its head around the corner, and snow isn’t the only weather problem the team has encountered. Practices have been cancelled because of wind.
Sudden practice changes, bad weather and a short season are things players must deal with.
“You have to practice,” said Coach Malone to his team at their meeting. “Your opponent will tell you exactly what they’re doing, constantly, if you learn how to read them.”
The season continues with matches, sometimes every day, and they still come to practices. Players are encouraged to help their own practice schedules by pairing up and getting practice in before games.
The players agree Coach Malone’s methods of teaching will help them achieve success this season.
“He’s interesting and doesn’t bark orders at us,” said Sophomore David Labellarte. “It’s all about positive reinforcement.”
Coach Malone spearheads nonprofit leagues and lessons for CLC students. He is also a tennis instructor for Deer Creek Courts in Highland Park, and coaches the woman’s tennis teams and various leagues associated with Deer Creek Courts.
Softball team gets back to .500
Salvador Galvan
Staff Writer
With a rocky start to kick off the 2010 women’s softball season, Coach Susan Garcia hoped her team would pick it up on the defensive and offensive end and win more games. They did just that with some style by winning five games in a row. During the five game win streak, the Lancers bats were on fire and their pitching and defense were lights out. The women outscored their opponents 52-6 during the win streak. Coach Garcia said, “It’s good to have wins and be in a grove.”
Dropping their first game in the Kankakee Tournament against Grand Rapids Community College by 8-6, the Lancers quickly put that loss behind them and prepared to rebound against South Suburban College.
With the women determined to comeback and end the tournament on a good note, they defeated South Suburban College 4-2 and didn’t look back. Only able to play two of the three tournament games, the third game cancelled due to weather, the Lancers were ready to build on their last win and have the momentum carry over when they hosted Harper College at home.
The first game against Harper College, sophomore Heather Ruetsche took the mound and was absolutely dominant. She pitched five near perfect innings, limited Harper to two hits, one walk and no runs. She hit her spots and struck out seven batters. Ruetsche helped her own cause by going 2 for 3 at the plate. She had four RBI, coming off a double and a home run. She scored three runs. The Lancers won that game 14-0 and extended their winning streak to two games.
In the second game against Harper College, freshman Monika Wedick, scattered six hits, one walk, six strikeouts and limited Harper to three runs in five innings. She won the game 12-3 and extended the women’s win streak to three games.
The Lancers would go on the road and play Morton College for their next two games. Ruetsche, hoped to keep the momentum rolling and help her team win the first game against Morton College after an outstanding game against Harper College., Ruetsche was almost identical to her last game, near perfect, as she pitched five innings and only gave up one hit and three walks, while striking out seven and giving up no runs. She was perfect at the plate, going 3 for 3 by hitting three singles. She drove in three runs and scored two, herself. The Lancers won by the same score as Ruetsche’s last outing, 14-0, and extended the win streak to four games.
Game two against Morton College, Wedick was ready to keep the streak going and win her second game in a row. Wedick pitched six superb innings, limiting Morton to zero runs off three hits, three walks, and 10 strikeouts. The Lancers would go on to win their fifth straight 8-0, but it came at a price. Wedick’s great pitching was cut short after a sharply hit line-drive hit off her arm and ended her game, which raised concern for an already hurt pitching rotation.
Injuries seem to be a recurring part of the women’s season so far. Wedick’s arm injury, which later revealed no break to her arm or wrist, was only the latest injury to the Lancers this year.
Pitcher Becky Taylor suffered a concussion March 23 against Kishwaukee. She was playing first base and while making a play, she was run into by an opposing player’s knee to her head; she hasn’t played since the injury. Infielder and outfielder Melisa Ori has been dealing with a wrist injury, but it hasn’t kept her out of games this year. Charmagne Black, infield and outfield, had a sprained ankle but didn’t miss much time. Infielder Leslie Fletcher has been bothered by shoulder tendonitis which has limited her to hitting only. She hasn’t been able to play defense yet. Infielder and outfielder Maddie Riordan had a quad injury that slowed her down.
So far this year only four of the twelve women haven’t been injured and only one pitcher has been healthy, Ruetsche. Most of the girls are playing with a few nicks and bruises.
“We can’t chew gum and walk at the same time without getting injured,” Coach Garcia jokingly said.
She added, “When we are healthy and playing in the correct positions, spirits are up and we look good together,” which is something she stressed early in the year that she wanted to see improvement in.
The Lancers were scheduled to play McHenry April 8, but due to the weather, the games were rescheduled for Thurs. April 26. The extra days to rest helped the women heal up and rest for a tough schedule that weekend. Putting the five game win streak on the line, the women were ready to play in the Highland Community College Tournament. The Lancers knew they would have a tough couple of games and they wanted to keep winning against tougher opponents.
The woman had to play five games that weekend at the Highland Community College Tournament, their first of three games on Sat. April 10. They lost their game against Carl Sandburg College 6-2 and put an end to the win streak. The Lancers rebounded from the loss by beating their next opponent, Illinois Valley Community College 6-3 and winning the second game Saturday. The women played South Suburban College and hoped to end Saturday on a good note, but lost the game 4-1. They ended Saturday with a record of 2-1.
Sunday would prove challenging as well for the Lancers, as they dropped both games played.
The first game was against Sauk Valley College and ended with a score of 10-1. The second game was played against Highland Community College and ended with a score of 7-2. Injuries affected the team from playing at their best and the Lancers ended the tournament with a record of 1-4, not quite what they had hoped for, especially taking a five game winning streak into the tournament.
The Lancers looked to start off the week on a high note on the road. They visited Elgin Community College Tues., Ruetsche pitched game one. She pitched well, giving up four hits, no walks, and two strikeouts. The score was close most of the game until the bottom of the fifth, when the Lancers starting hitting the ball. They scored seven total runs in the fifth, with two outs. The highlight of the inning was Taylor’s two run double. Taylor was playing her first non-tournament game since her concussion. Black contributed with two hits.
In game two, the Lancers looked to take both games from Elgin. However, Taylor took the loss, as the Lancers lost by a score of 11-5. The Lancers committed six errors for nine unearned runs. The bats weren’t there, as the Lancers could only pick up three hits from Kellie Kraft, Ruetsche, and Riordan.
Despite fighting through injuries this year, the Lancers had some outstanding players. Three of Coach Garcia’s players are currently placed in the top 50 National Junior College Athletic Association athletes list.
Although injured, Taylor is ranked 47 out of 50 in earned run average (ERA) with and ERA of 1.62 in two games as a pitcher.
Also ranked as a top 50 pitcher is Ruetsche, who is ranked 46 on the strike out list with 35 innings pitched and 33 strikeouts, an average of 0.94 strikeouts per inning. Ruetsche was also named athlete of the week for the week of March 29. During the week of Ruetsche pitched two games and posted a record of two wins, sporting a perfect ERA of 0.00. Both wins had scores of 14-0. She gave up three hits, three walks and struck out 14 batters. She played four games in total and had a batting average of .538, while scoring seven runs, driving in 11, hitting a double, a triple, and two home runs.
Also on the strikeout leader list with Ruetsche, is Wedick. Wedick is ranked 43 of 50, with 25 innings pitched and 24 strikeouts, bringing her to an average of 0.96 strikeouts per inning.
Also recognized for her outstanding play was freshman Valerie Brzezinski, who was named athlete of the week for the week of March 22. She had a batting average of .444 and sparked the five game win streak with the game winning hit March 27 against South Suburban College. She committed zero errors on defense.
The Lancers were scheduled to play against Oakton Community College April 6 but, due to the weather, the game was rescheduled for Mon. April 19.
Staff Writer
With a rocky start to kick off the 2010 women’s softball season, Coach Susan Garcia hoped her team would pick it up on the defensive and offensive end and win more games. They did just that with some style by winning five games in a row. During the five game win streak, the Lancers bats were on fire and their pitching and defense were lights out. The women outscored their opponents 52-6 during the win streak. Coach Garcia said, “It’s good to have wins and be in a grove.”
Dropping their first game in the Kankakee Tournament against Grand Rapids Community College by 8-6, the Lancers quickly put that loss behind them and prepared to rebound against South Suburban College.
With the women determined to comeback and end the tournament on a good note, they defeated South Suburban College 4-2 and didn’t look back. Only able to play two of the three tournament games, the third game cancelled due to weather, the Lancers were ready to build on their last win and have the momentum carry over when they hosted Harper College at home.
The first game against Harper College, sophomore Heather Ruetsche took the mound and was absolutely dominant. She pitched five near perfect innings, limited Harper to two hits, one walk and no runs. She hit her spots and struck out seven batters. Ruetsche helped her own cause by going 2 for 3 at the plate. She had four RBI, coming off a double and a home run. She scored three runs. The Lancers won that game 14-0 and extended their winning streak to two games.
In the second game against Harper College, freshman Monika Wedick, scattered six hits, one walk, six strikeouts and limited Harper to three runs in five innings. She won the game 12-3 and extended the women’s win streak to three games.
The Lancers would go on the road and play Morton College for their next two games. Ruetsche, hoped to keep the momentum rolling and help her team win the first game against Morton College after an outstanding game against Harper College., Ruetsche was almost identical to her last game, near perfect, as she pitched five innings and only gave up one hit and three walks, while striking out seven and giving up no runs. She was perfect at the plate, going 3 for 3 by hitting three singles. She drove in three runs and scored two, herself. The Lancers won by the same score as Ruetsche’s last outing, 14-0, and extended the win streak to four games.
Game two against Morton College, Wedick was ready to keep the streak going and win her second game in a row. Wedick pitched six superb innings, limiting Morton to zero runs off three hits, three walks, and 10 strikeouts. The Lancers would go on to win their fifth straight 8-0, but it came at a price. Wedick’s great pitching was cut short after a sharply hit line-drive hit off her arm and ended her game, which raised concern for an already hurt pitching rotation.
Injuries seem to be a recurring part of the women’s season so far. Wedick’s arm injury, which later revealed no break to her arm or wrist, was only the latest injury to the Lancers this year.
Pitcher Becky Taylor suffered a concussion March 23 against Kishwaukee. She was playing first base and while making a play, she was run into by an opposing player’s knee to her head; she hasn’t played since the injury. Infielder and outfielder Melisa Ori has been dealing with a wrist injury, but it hasn’t kept her out of games this year. Charmagne Black, infield and outfield, had a sprained ankle but didn’t miss much time. Infielder Leslie Fletcher has been bothered by shoulder tendonitis which has limited her to hitting only. She hasn’t been able to play defense yet. Infielder and outfielder Maddie Riordan had a quad injury that slowed her down.
So far this year only four of the twelve women haven’t been injured and only one pitcher has been healthy, Ruetsche. Most of the girls are playing with a few nicks and bruises.
“We can’t chew gum and walk at the same time without getting injured,” Coach Garcia jokingly said.
She added, “When we are healthy and playing in the correct positions, spirits are up and we look good together,” which is something she stressed early in the year that she wanted to see improvement in.
The Lancers were scheduled to play McHenry April 8, but due to the weather, the games were rescheduled for Thurs. April 26. The extra days to rest helped the women heal up and rest for a tough schedule that weekend. Putting the five game win streak on the line, the women were ready to play in the Highland Community College Tournament. The Lancers knew they would have a tough couple of games and they wanted to keep winning against tougher opponents.
The woman had to play five games that weekend at the Highland Community College Tournament, their first of three games on Sat. April 10. They lost their game against Carl Sandburg College 6-2 and put an end to the win streak. The Lancers rebounded from the loss by beating their next opponent, Illinois Valley Community College 6-3 and winning the second game Saturday. The women played South Suburban College and hoped to end Saturday on a good note, but lost the game 4-1. They ended Saturday with a record of 2-1.
Sunday would prove challenging as well for the Lancers, as they dropped both games played.
The first game was against Sauk Valley College and ended with a score of 10-1. The second game was played against Highland Community College and ended with a score of 7-2. Injuries affected the team from playing at their best and the Lancers ended the tournament with a record of 1-4, not quite what they had hoped for, especially taking a five game winning streak into the tournament.
The Lancers looked to start off the week on a high note on the road. They visited Elgin Community College Tues., Ruetsche pitched game one. She pitched well, giving up four hits, no walks, and two strikeouts. The score was close most of the game until the bottom of the fifth, when the Lancers starting hitting the ball. They scored seven total runs in the fifth, with two outs. The highlight of the inning was Taylor’s two run double. Taylor was playing her first non-tournament game since her concussion. Black contributed with two hits.
In game two, the Lancers looked to take both games from Elgin. However, Taylor took the loss, as the Lancers lost by a score of 11-5. The Lancers committed six errors for nine unearned runs. The bats weren’t there, as the Lancers could only pick up three hits from Kellie Kraft, Ruetsche, and Riordan.
Despite fighting through injuries this year, the Lancers had some outstanding players. Three of Coach Garcia’s players are currently placed in the top 50 National Junior College Athletic Association athletes list.
Although injured, Taylor is ranked 47 out of 50 in earned run average (ERA) with and ERA of 1.62 in two games as a pitcher.
Also ranked as a top 50 pitcher is Ruetsche, who is ranked 46 on the strike out list with 35 innings pitched and 33 strikeouts, an average of 0.94 strikeouts per inning. Ruetsche was also named athlete of the week for the week of March 29. During the week of Ruetsche pitched two games and posted a record of two wins, sporting a perfect ERA of 0.00. Both wins had scores of 14-0. She gave up three hits, three walks and struck out 14 batters. She played four games in total and had a batting average of .538, while scoring seven runs, driving in 11, hitting a double, a triple, and two home runs.
Also on the strikeout leader list with Ruetsche, is Wedick. Wedick is ranked 43 of 50, with 25 innings pitched and 24 strikeouts, bringing her to an average of 0.96 strikeouts per inning.
Also recognized for her outstanding play was freshman Valerie Brzezinski, who was named athlete of the week for the week of March 22. She had a batting average of .444 and sparked the five game win streak with the game winning hit March 27 against South Suburban College. She committed zero errors on defense.
The Lancers were scheduled to play against Oakton Community College April 6 but, due to the weather, the game was rescheduled for Mon. April 19.
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