17 year old arrested for pulling a knife on City College student

Posted on January 23, 2012 by Daniel Wilson

Two accomplices still on the run

Originally published Jan 23, 2012 by SacCityExpress.com

Exclamation.svg_.med_-90x90The Los Rios Police Department reported they have detained a suspect who pulled a knife on a City College student Jan. 18 during a robbery that involved two other suspects and took place near the campus light rail station.

According to campus police, the suspect, a 17-year-old white male, was arrested at his Sacramento home on the evening of Jan 19.

Police said that at approximately 5:40 p.m., the 17-year-old pulled a knife on the victim at the campus light rail station while the victim was restrained by another suspect. A third suspect then proceeded to steal the victim’s wallet before all the suspects, two of who had bicycles, fled southbound on 24th Street.

The victim reported the crime immediately, but the suspects were nowhere to be found. Police said the victim was unharmed.

The first of the two fugitive suspects was reported by the victim as a white male, approximately 5 foot, 8 inches, wearing a red hat, red sweater and white shoes. The other suspect, of unknown ethnicity and unknown age, was reported to have been approximately 5 foot, 10 inches and wearing a red and white jacket at the time of the incident.

Police are urging anyone with information that may lead to the apprehension of the other two suspects to call the LRPD at 916-558-2221.

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Waitlist limbo

Posted on January 21, 2012 by Daniel Wilson

Originally published in the Jan. 21, 2012 print edition of the Sac City Express

Wait-lists appear longer than ever but according to Admissions and Records Supervisor Kim Goff the numbers are similar to last spring.

This semester, wait-lists appear longer than ever, but according to Kim Goff, Admissions and Records supervisor, the budget cuts, class size limitations and cutting of course sections have led to early registration being a must.

“You just have students registering earlier,” Goff said. “That definitely gives the feel of things being more full but enrollment-wise, we’re actually almost dead-on of what we were last spring.”

Goff said staff members are feeling the burden of the wait-list woes just as much as the students and that it’s important for students to register early.

“This has impacted counseling, it has impacted Admissions and it has impacted the administration lab. It’s just harder to find classes open later in the registration period,” Goff said. “I think we, as staff, have the same feeling as students do. We feel that there are more students coming [to City College] who have issues getting into classes later in the registration period, and we have fewer options to give them.”

Jeffrey Jones, kinesiology major at City College, said he had a difficult time this semester getting into all the classes he wanted to take.

“I signed up for five classes,” Jones said. “One at ARC and I was on the wait-list here for all four of the other classes. I got into one the first day and had to drop three classes so I could be on the football team. I added another class but the professor took three days to let wait-listed students in which affected me because I needed my financial aid right away.”

Goff suggests that students check the schedule regularly and that even if a class is full, show up on the first day anyway.

“It’s a difficult situation for everyone to be in,” Goff said. “We’re in student services. We want to help people get classes and this time of year is difficult.”

She also said it’s a good idea to try to take advantage of the West Sacramento Center and the Davis Center, as well as taking classes at less desirable times.

“It’s about being flexible and persistent,” Goff said. “Be ready on the next registration day. Do not wait, register on your day. We’re definitely here to help and students are welcome at anytime.  We’ll do what we can for them.”

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No projected course cuts for spring 2012

Posted on December 6, 2011 by Daniel Wilson

Los Rios District adopts rotation strategy to keep classes available

Originally published in the Dec. 6, 2011 print edition of the Sac City Express

Photo courtesy LRCCD.

Photo courtesy LRCCD.

It’s the time of year when City College students are focused on both final exams and signing up for classes for the upcoming semester. Often, this task is met with disappointment when classes that students need are no longer being offered by the school.

Budget cuts, among other reasons, usually lead to courses being cut from the schedule but according to Mary Turner, director and manager of instructional services at City College, this year’s goal was to build the class schedule around the budget as opposed to letting the budget dictate the schedule.

“We’re not going to be able to offer everything students want, but we’re really trying to go about it in a very logical way to try to have the offerings there,” Turner said.

“In fact, because we reduced [fall 2011] so much, a little bit more than we really had to, spring 2012 is going to have more classes in the schedule than usual.”

According to Turner, the new strategy focuses less on cutting courses and more on how to make courses available. The strategy includes working more closely with the other campuses in the district, spreading out classes throughout the week or putting them on semester rotation, and reducing class size.

“The reductions that we have done have been a result of the challenging budget throughout the state,” Turner said. “We have maintained full-time faculty, we’ve maintained as many of our adjunct faculty as we possibly can but certainly when there’s reductions in the number of classes, there’s going to be reductions in the number of faculty.”

The schedule is decided based on the previous year’s budget and Turner said that’s an advantage that the Los Rios district schools have over other colleges.

Last year’s budget cuts came suddenly and Turner said the district had to react accordingly. She added that the quick action was something that all California’s colleges had to make and that City College was fortunate not to lose even more than it did.

Many students agree that this new strategy is certainly better, even if it means having to go to other campuses in the district to complete coursework. One student said he’s been doing that anyway and he is happy as long as he can continue to take the classes he needs.

“I’m fine with it,” said liberal studies major Mark Tuller. “I’m always trying to take a class [at City College], but they never have it, so I’ve had to take a few classes at America River College.”

Another student said it may be better to cut less popular courses if it means more opportunities in other areas for students.

“I think the schedule they have going on now is working out well,” said graphic communication major Alejandro Argumedo.

“Maybe cut out a tiny budget so that way we can put it towards new clubs and making clubs better.”

Still, even with this new strategy, scheduling may continue to be a challenge because the state’s budget can be particularly unpredictable. Turner said it requires a new outlook for the future.

“We’ve been in a growth mode for so long that this is a situation that is so different,” Turner said. “Because our revenues come directly from the state, we’re just going to have to think differently.”

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City Markers

Posted on December 5, 2011 by Daniel Wilson

Campus landmarks offer a guide to the school’s past, present and future

Originally published in Sacramento City College’s Mainline Magazine on Dec. 5, 2011

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Sac City College’s Learning Resource Center. Photo by Evan E. Duran.

Since moving from Sacramento High School to its current location in 1926, students at City College have seen buildings, structures, and landmarks come and go. The school is rich with history and its functionality continues to grow each year.

Although there are many amazing landmarks on campus, most students pass them by everyday with a passing glance and without a single thought about their history.

Did you know that the observatory in Rodda South and Hughes stadium have something in common? Ever wonder if that snarling panther by the book store was always there or why there is a huge water tower so close to campus?

For those answers and more, here is a guide to various City College landmarks and what makes them so interesting.

Panther Statue

2One of the most intriguing landmarks on campus is the City College panther, which stands in a ferocious stance near the College Store.

While the big cat may seem like a staple of the campus’ culture, it hasn’t always been a part of the school. In fact, it was only installed three years ago, in 2008 when the Associated Student Government dedicated it to the school.

The panther was chosen as the school’s mascot in 1926, the same year the school was built, according to the Blotter, City College’s newspaper at the time. Only 68 students voted on the choice of mascot and the panther won with 41 votes. Other options: Yellow Jackets, Pioneers, and Gold Bugs.

Despite a Pony Express college newspaper 1964 report that the school was considering a statue to represent the mascot, it would take 44 years for it to finally become a part of the campus. Today, the panther represents school spirit as it stands outside the College Store.

The Observatory

23Many students on campus probably don’t know that City College has an observatory on the roof of the Rodda South building.

Though the current observatory was constructed and placed in its Rodda

The City College observatory was designed in the ‘30s by student Henry Hughes.

The City College observatory was designed in the ‘30s by student Henry Hughes. Photo courtesy of the City College Archives.

South location in 1976, City College has had an observatory on campus since the late 1930s. Plans for the first observatory can be traced back to then Junior College student Henry Hughes, son of Charles Hughes.

According to a 1961 Sacramento Bee article, Henry and his friends in the Astronomy Club planned to build the campus observatory themselves because the school had no money to pay for it. Using scrap lumber and donations of everything from metal to the telescope itself, by 1937, the observatory was up and running.

The school began teaching astronomy classes and the first image was taken with the telescope on Dec. 2, 1937.

Hughes Stadium

5577Hughes Stadium was originally called Sacramento Stadium with construction completed in 1928.

The stadium was renamed in 1944 after Charles Hughes, longtime superintendent of Sacramento City School District, which owned the stadium by 1942.

In Feb. 1975, the stadium was almost torn down because of a violation of the Field Act, which according to the California Legislature said that school buildings had to be structurally safe from earthquake damage. The Los Rios Community College District, which controlled City College by 1964, acquired Hughes Stadium from the district and saved it from being demolished by rehabilitating the stadium at the cost of approximately $3,000,000.

The stadium’s pop culture history is diverse. In 1976, 24,000 people packed into Hughes Stadium for a concert featuring the Eagles, Jimmy Buffett and Linda Ronstadt. Over the years, the stadium has also played host to Olympic trial games, and musical acts, such as the Doobie Brothers, Peter Frampton, Rod Stewart and Pink Floyd. Pink Floyd’s April 18, 1988 show marked the last time a pop music act ever performed at Hughes Stadium.

The stadium is currently going through four-phases, $10 million renovation expected to be complete by Sept. 2012 that will upgrade seating, locker rooms, the field and make the stadium better accessible to people with disabilities.

Time Capsules

The ongoing time capsule markers, pictured here in the early days of the college. Both photos courtesy of the City College Archives.

The ongoing time capsule markers, pictured here in the early days of the college. Photo courtesy of the City College Archives.

Along the sidewalk path between the Rodda buildings lays a staggered pattern of brass and copper covered plaques, each one engraved with a corresponding school year. These are more than simple plaques, however, they’re actually time capsules.

33221The tradition dates back to the inaugural days of City College, when the walkway led to the campus’s first administration building and according to The Blotter, the former college newspaper, was a popular freshman hazing site.

During World War II, the copper and bronze plaque material was substituted with concrete, due to the military’s need of precious metals during wartime.

The time capsules, mostly contain notable tokens from each class and school year. The time capsules included local newspapers, programs from City College events, letters from the Associated Student Government president and college president, copies of campus publications, brochures, census reports, class schedules and other related material, though personal messages are discouraged.

Time capsule plaques are placed every other year, according to the Dean of Operations Gregory Hayman. Each time capsule will be opened after 100 years.

The Reservoir

888A colossus structure towers over the City College campus, though it is actually off campus. Day in and day out, students pass it by, and undoubtedly, take it for granted even though it’s a historic City College landmark.

The grey colored cement structure is the City College Reservoir and rivals both the parking lot and Hugh’s Stadium in height, though neither in visual prominence. According to Jessica Hess, a media and communications specialist with the Sacramento Department of Utilities, it’s designed to hold 3,000,000 gallons of water on any given day. 

The reservoir was built in 1936 to supply the surrounding area, including: William Land Park, Curtis Park, adjacent residential neighborhoods, and City College. The water comes mainly from the Sacramento River and other local rivers, though some also comes from ground water.

During WWII, the reservoir was camouflaged in olive drab patterns reminiscent of the U.S. woodland camouflage style, as were all city reservoirs at the time, according to Hess.

Written in collaboration with Christopher Geanakos, Editor-in-Chief of Mainline Magazine (Fall 2011). All photos by Rebecca Walker unless otherwise stated.

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Of books and gamers

Posted on December 5, 2011 by Daniel Wilson

Originally published in Sacramento City College’s Mainline Magazine on Dec. 5, 2011

Photo illustration by Ryan Angel Meza.

Photo illustration by Ryan Angel Meza.

It’s the end of final exams and now the journey from City College’s Business Building to the parking lot begins. Relaxation in front of the TV with a game controller in hand is within reach. When suddenly, a giant alien beast jumps from atop the City College library, pounds its chest and proceeds to spew a green, liquidy substance out of its tentacle-encrusted mouth. Covered in the ooze, you find yourself drained of ten points but quickly get back to your feet again, pick up the weapon that just happens to be sitting in the center of the quad, grab a health packet and mash the trigger as fast as possible. After a hard-fought battle, victory is finally yours.

As you tuck your massive weapon into your T-shirt, you hear someone call out your name.The next thing you know, you realize you’re back in the classroom and that the person saying your name is your business management professor telling you to finish his final exam. As you continue filling in random answers on a Scantron, it occurs to you that studying for that test would have been a better choice than staying up late shooting zombies in the face. For gamers who are students, this is an all-too familiar experience.

In the past 10 years, video games have evolved from being part of a niche market into a multimillion dollar industry. The success of systems, such as the Sony PlayStation 3,Microsoft Xbox 360 and Nintendo Wii prove that console gaming is still alive and kicking.However, mobile devices, smart phones, tablet computers and technological advancements, such as touch screens and motion controls have also changed gaming from the at-home kid’s hobby of yesteryear to an on-the-go experience that just about everyone enjoys.

In today’s world, even grandma is a gamer. With so many ways to play, gaming can be a huge distraction—especially for students. When it comes to balancing school work with any hobby,it often seems as if there just isn’t enough time in the day. Finding the balance between work and play is a tough foe to defeat, but at City College, gamers are finding ways.

The school’s Advanced Technology Department has offered a three-course video game design program since 2008. In the program,students learn what makes a game fun (or not so-fun) and how to create simple 3D design with a software program that uses many of the tools used in the gaming industry. By the end of the program, students are able to create their own games. Patrick Crandley, a graphic communications professor who teaches game design at City College says that taking these courses is a great way to combine a passion for gaming with school work.

“We are a culture of gamers,” says Crandley.“We’re playing games almost every single week[in my classes], at various stages of development.I never have a problem with attendance in my classes because students want to come to class.”

Taking Crandley’s classes can send students well on their way to being able to develop and publish their own games, even without the backing of a software or video game company.A prime example of potential success an independent developer can achieve is the popular game “Angry Birds.” Though the concept of the game is simple, it has sold millions across various platforms and has become a retail sensation with T-shirts, stuffed animals, toys and even a board game adaptation.

Yes, a board game based on a video game—now that’s success.

“I think it shows you how far you can go with it,” says Crandley. “A game like Angry Birds goes to show you don’t have to be [part of ] a big game studio to have good ideas. There are some unique sparks out there that will continue to push this industry. I’m happy that the development tools and the independent developer community are alive and kicking to support these sparks and turn them into fires.”

But even if you prefer playing games to making them, there are many options for finding the balance you seek. The adventure begins with finding which option works best.

“Budget time in your life,” says Crandley. “I tell myself this, and I have to do this, I mark out very specific times in my day, and for me, since I’m really busy during my week, I’m allowed to play two hours of “Gears of War 3” on Friday evenings after I’ve done X, Y, and Z but if I budget an hour, I only play for an hour.”Another tipis to use your hobby of choice as a reward for accomplishing your daily or weekly goals. “If I do all the things I’m supposed to do that day,then I reward myself with some gaming,”Crandley says.

Nick Williams also works hard to find that balance. Williams is a City College 3D animation major with a focus on environment art for video games. He has already completed all of Crandley’s courses. Williams says maintaining equilibrium between work and play is all about finding the right amount of time for each aspect of your life.

“The best advice I can give is to ration your time,” says Williams. “If you take Regional Transit, use that time to get some of your home work or reading done. That really helped me to free up time to get in some quality gaming.”

Taking game design courses at City College or scheduling your hobbies into your extremely busy life are just two solutions to a problem familiar to many students.

“The important thing that people tend to forget is that video games at their core are entertainment so we should treat them like any other form of entertainment,” says Crandley.

Whether you’re into shooting other players in games such as “Call of Duty” or you’re a casual gamer who enjoys a few rounds of “Angry Birds,”the bottom line for gamers is clearly to find the way to a strong balance between work and play.It doesn’t matter if it’s gaming, movies, music,social activities or any other hobbies that tend to keep students from focusing on school—balance is the key to success.

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Art with a cause

Posted on November 22, 2011 by Daniel Wilson

City College artist Tim Tiff brings home top prize

Originally published in the Nov. 22, 2011 print edition of the Sac City Express

A selection of Tim Tiff’s work won the Best of Show award at Folsom Lake College’s Students with Disabilities Art Show. Photo by Evan Duran.

A City College student’s art took best of show at the Students with Disabilities Art Show held at Folsom Lake College Oct. 27 and presented by Disabled Students Programs and Services.

Tim Tiff, 51, is an art student at City College who entered the art show for the first time this year. Tiff’s best of show award was based on all six of his submitted pieces of artwork, for which he received a $300 scholarship.

“I’m thrilled,” Tiff said. “I’m actually surprised, really. It’s kind of like if you have a wife that gave birth. I mean, what do you say? I’m kind of like speechless right now, which is unusual for me. I’m very thrilled. I think my instructors will be very happy for me, too.”

Tiff said he was going to enter last year’s show, but something came up and he didn’t end up entering. He gave it a shot this year after being encouraged by his art professor, Anne Gregory.

“I think he’s smart and talented and that it was terrific that he won,” Gregory said. “I’m very happy that he won. He deserves it.”

DSPS coordinator for Folsom Lake Tim McHargue said that this year’s show was a huge success with over 160 pieces of art submitted.

“I don’t have exact numbers, but more people attended than I’ve ever seen,” McHargue said. “We were thrilled to showcase student art and to celebrate their accomplishments, and we look forward to next year’s event.”

McHargue said he was very happy with the overall outcome of the show and proud of the students who entered. He also said it was great to see so many people come to the show.

“It was the biggest and best show so far,” McHargue said. “It was a wonderful evening.”

Gregory said she encouraged Tiff to enter the art show after she saw him downtown one day and approached him.

“For a lot of younger students, their work is more shallow, but his work is very deep,” Gregory said. “Not only that, he worked hard to make the medium work for him, so he could say what he wanted to say with his work. I thought his work turned out to be beautiful, so I wanted to encourage him [to enter].”

Nocturnal Dance by Tim Tiff. Photo courtesy Folsom Lake College DSPS.

Nocturnal Dance by Tim Tiff. Photo courtesy Folsom Lake College DSPS.

Tiff said he got into doing art as a way to express himself after he was diagnosed with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder from his time in the military. In addition, Tiff became an amputee after he collided with a hit-and-run driver while riding his bike in Oak Park.

“I tried to save the leg for three years and nearly died on the operating table,” Tiff said. “After all the surgeries, when they told me they would have to take the leg off, I decided I would rethink my life and make some changes and not let this hold me back. So I thought I’d get more into artwork, which has been very helpful to me emotionally.”

Tiff said that artwork is an outlet for him to get rid of the anger and frustration that is caused by the depression he deals with due to his PTSD.

Tiff said right now he’s just a beginner, but he puts a high level of effort into his art. The City College campus is full of great students, teachers and opportunities to express himself, he said, which makes him feel like a kid again.

Though Tiff is undecided about his major, he said he one day wants to do something with his art. He’d also like to become an English literature teacher, he said, and is interested in political science. He feels that art is a good analogy to the current Occupy movement of which he’s a big supporter.

“If [young people] don’t [make changes now], then you’re going to miss out on a lot of things. And that’s how I see art, too,” Tiff said. “It’s a tool to make changes.”

Tiff said he wants to encourage students to keep working toward their dreams and pushing to do the best they can at what they are passionate about. “Get into life and get into art because they all combine into one,” Tiff said, “whatever the art may be for you.”

Gregory said Tiff is a great artist and that he can do anything he wants in the world of art.

“I’m very impressed by his courage, ability and depth of spirit which he expresses in his artwork,” Gregory said. “Tim doesn’t have to exhibit only in disability shows. He belongs to the wide world of artists in history and today.”

This article appeared on the cover of the Nov. 22, 2011 print issue of the Sac City Express. It was the first cover story I had published in the Express. 

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Super Mario 3D Land review

Posted on November 18, 2011 by Daniel Wilson

Mario is back, not better than ever

Originally published Nov. 18, 2011 by SacCityExpress.com

Super Mario 3D Land

“Super Mario 3D Land” is the newest addition to the most famous video game series of all time.

Since his original appearance on Nintendo’s first home console, Mario has done it all. He’s competed in the Olympics, dodged barrels from a gorilla named Donkey, had his own Saturday morning cartoon, collected a ton of those elusive gold coins and, of course, saved Princess Peach more times than there are days in the year.

“3D Land” released on Nov. 13 exclusively for the Nintendo 3DS. The game starts off like every other Mario game with Princess Peach captured by Mario’s seemingly invincible nemesis Bowser.

Adventure ensues as Mario tries to save his kidnap-prone girlfriend. While Mario navigates through obstacle after obstacle and enemy after enemy, he probably thinks to himself, “Mamma Mia! Why do I even bother? She’s just going to get captured again when my next game comes out.”

Like all Mario games of the past this one starts out fairly tame and easy and works its way to the harder levels. There are eight worlds in “3D Land” each with anywhere from five to eight levels, including the ever popular boss battles.

A throwback to “Super Mario Bros. 3,” the non-Bowser boss fights—which occur in the last level on all the worlds except for worlds one, six, and eight where you’ll face Bowser—take place after the player works his or her way through a flying pirate ship.

Three stomps on the head of the boss and it’s on to the next world. Along the way players will need to collect three-star medals per level which are the giant coins that debuted in “Super Mario Galaxy 2” for the Wii. Similar to “Galaxy 2,” these star medals are needed to move on to certain levels.

All of the gameplay and lovable enemies and obstacles are back in “3D Land” including the return of another fan-favorite from “Mario 3,” the Tanooki Suit which works very well and is a ton of fun to use.

Making its debut is a new suit that allows Mario to throw boomerangs. This is a great addition to the series as it also allows the player to grab hard-to-reach objects like the star medals and coins.

There is also another power up that turns Mario into a box with a propeller on top, which allows the player to jump higher and to glide from platform to platform. The best part about this new power up is that players can still use the Tanooki tail while using the propeller box.

Unfortunately, all of the flaws of the Mario games are present in this title. The “A” button sometimes seems unresponsive as a jump attempt can lead to walking to certain death off the side of a cliff. The 3DS’s directional nub can be a bit loose at times, sending Mario in an undesired direction. It would have been nice to have the option to simply use the directional pad.

There is also the classic Mario issue of camera angle awkwardness and because Nintendo aimed for the 3-D effect in the levels, the perspective is difficult to handle at times.

The biggest issue with the game is one that has plagued many of the Mario titles, which is that the difficulty ramps up far too quickly at a certain point in the game. The Bowser battles and all of the levels in the second half of “3D Land” are some of the hardest yet and can be very frustrating.

Nintendo did include a couple of special power-ups to help players through the harder parts of the game. There is a special Tanooki suit which renders players invincible and if that doesn’t work, there is a warp power up which sends players right to the end of the level. These become available after a certain number of deaths on the same level and are definitely a welcomed addition. However, it would be better if they just balanced the difficulty so it didn’t feel like players have to cheat to win.

Nintendo has a rich history of using its systems to the fullest and “3D Land” is no exception. The 3-D effect works very well in this title. There are secret rooms accessed by the legendary green pipes that are perspective-based puzzles and require the 3-D effect to be able to figure out what boxes to jump on to get the star medal. There are also a few levels that the 3-D effect definitely helps on but for the most part the 3-D just feels like a gimmick and doesn’t add much to the gameplay.

Overall, “3D Land” is a ton of fun and it’s definitely a great game full of familiar faces, objects and obstacles, along with a lot of new, innovative gameplay. Whether it’s good enough to warrant the purchase of a copy of the game along with a 3DS is undoubtedly a question of how big a Mario fan players consider themselves. Unlike must-play titles like “New Super Mario Bros. Wii” and “Super Mario Galaxy 2,” “Super Mario 3D Land” is a bittersweet experience that honestly should be passed up by the average gamer.

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SCC student takes gold at Disabilities Art Show

Posted on November 13, 2011 by Daniel Wilson

Originally published Nov. 13, 2011 by SacCityExpress.com

Beast in the Mirror by Tim Tiff.
Photo courtesy Tim McHargue of the Folsom Lake DSPS office.

A City College student won first place at the Oct. 27 Students with Disabilities Art Show at Folsom Lake College.

Tim Tiff, 51, entered the art show for the first time this year. He took home the top prize for “best of show” based on six of his submitted pieces of artwork. Tiff received a $300 scholarship.

“I’m thrilled, I’m actually surprised, really,” said Tiff, major unknown. “It’s kind of like if you have a wife that gave birth, I mean, what do you say? I’m kind of speechless right now, which is unusual for me. I’m very thrilled I think my instructors will be very happy for me too.”

Tiff said he was going to enter last year’s show, but something came up and he didn’t end up entering. He gave it a shot this year after being encouraged by his City College art professor Anne Gregory.

“I think he’s smart and talented,” Gregory said. “I’m very happy that he won. He deserves it.”

Disabled Students Programs & Services coordinator for Folsom Lake Tim McHargue said that this year’s show was a huge success with over 160 pieces of art submitted.

“I don’t have exact numbers, but more people attended than I’ve ever seen,” McHargue said. “We were thrilled to showcase student art and to celebrate their accomplishments. We look forward to next year’s event.”

Gregory said she encouraged Tiff to enter the art show after she saw him downtown one day and approached him.

“For a lot of younger students, their work is more shallow, but his work is very deep,” Gregory said. “Not only that, he worked hard to make the medium work for him so he could say what he wanted to say with his work. I thought his work turned out to be beautiful, so I wanted to encourage him [to enter].”

Tiff said he got into art as a way to express himself after he was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder from his time in the military. In addition, Tiff became an amputee after he collided with a hit-and-run driver while riding his bike in Oak Park.

“After all the surgeries, when they told me they would have to take the leg off I decided I would rethink my life and make some changes and not let this hold me back,” Tiff said. “So I thought I’d get more into artwork which has been very helpful to me, emotionally.”

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Uncharted 3 wows players

Posted on November 9, 2011 by Daniel Wilson

Originally published Nov. 9, 2011 by SacCityExpress.com

Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception

“Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception” released on Nov. 1 and is the third installment in the “Uncharted” series developed by Naughty Dog and published by Sony, exclusively for the PlayStation 3 and this entry proves that the series is still going strong. This trilogy is very impressive.

“Drake’s Deception” is the follow up to the hugely successful “Uncharted 2: Among Thieves” which won over one hundred “game of the year” awards along with many other awards and the critically acclaimed, “Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune.”

“Drake’s Deception” takes place approximately four years after the events of the first game. Nathan Drake and his friend Victor Sullivan, or “Sully” for short, once again set out on an adventure to find the riches left behind by ancient explorers. Their journey is fueled by the fire that burns inside of Drake to find the true path of Sir Francis Drake’s quest for a lost city known as the Pillars of Iram.

“Drake’s Deception” explores the origins and importance of the ring that Drake has worn on a necklace since the first game and its connection to the lost city of Iram. Along the way, some old friends join the quest, and portions of Drake’s past are revealed as the history behind Drake and Sully’s friendship becomes more apparent.

With their sights fully set on an unbelievable fortune, Drake and his friends head to the Rub’ Al Khali desert to find the treasures that Sir Francis Drake seemingly failed to find. That is, if they can make it to the lost city before a foe from the past, Katherine Marlowe and her right hand man, Talbot stop them from attaining their goal.

The gun play in “Drake’s Deception” is for the most part, the same as in previous games with a few minor tweaks to the aiming. The hand-to-hand combat has been fleshed out with many new moves and enemy take-downs, as well as some new one-hit kills. The game focuses on hand-to-hand combat and the use of stealth a lot more than the previous games, which is a nice addition to the exploration, puzzles and gun play.

“Uncharted 3” is a far more diverse game play experience that the first two games in the series. The interactive movie feel is back and better than ever. Naughty Dog truly stepped up their game in this respect. The graphics take the stunning beauty of “Uncharted 2” quite a few notches higher and there will once again be times you’ll want to just stop and admire the settings that surround the characters.

Drake’s half-tuck is in full force and everything from the lighting to the color scheme to the background textures, the breathtaking music and sound effects fully immerse the player in the beautiful world of “Uncharted.”

“Drake’s Deception” does still feature a lot of the game-play hiccups that made that immersion lose some of its effect in the previous games. Issues like stumbling over and bumping into the environment, randomly jumping to your doom, and poor balance of the artificial intelligence still make the experience frustrating at times.

“Uncharted 3” also feels much less polished than its predecessors as graphical stutters and bugs are a bit more noticeable. There are even times when an AI character will just randomly run around until you blast him in the head and end his misery.

But despite its minor technical issues, “Drake’s Deception” is ripe with amazing sequences and super fun game play. While it starts out slow, the story and game play have moments that really draw players right back into the action. Similar to the train ride scene in “Uncharted 2” which was a fan-favorite.

There are some great moments in “Drake’s Deception” that have the player jumping from moving object to moving object while fending off enemies and trying not to go tumbling toward a quick death. The pirate ships, the horseback ride and the rooftop chase scenes are some of the most awesome moments in the entire series.

“Uncharted 3’s” online component is very similar to “Uncharted 2” but disappointingly, the rewards menu, which featured skins and unlockable cheats in the previous games, is gone from the single player and is now a part of the online experience. Players earn money for killing enemies and completing multiplayer objectives to buy new skins, weapons and unlockables for the online modes in the game. A split-screen co-op feature as well as many new maps and modes bring the online playability full circle.

Overall, the eight-to-nine hour single player adventure in “Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception” is what makes this title a must-have and a definite game of the year candidate. The third installment in the “Uncharted” series brings the trilogy to an epic end, but also leaves it wide open for future incarnations.

Naughty Dog has outdone itself for the second time with this series and delivered an experience that goes above and beyond its previous title. “Uncharted 3’s” simply amazing gameplay and story make its missteps forgivable. The “Uncharted” series is definitely a trilogy that should be experienced by everyone.

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Student government branches out

Posted on November 8, 2011 by Daniel Wilson

New Student Associated Council reforms into three committees

Originally published in the Nov. 6, 2011 print edition of the Sac City Express

The constitution, structure and name change to the former Associated Student Government were decided after changes to the requirements of student governments were made by the Los Rios Community College District for all the schools in the district, according to faculty coordinator Kimberlee Beyrer. Photo By Evan E. Duran.

The constitution, structure and name change to the former Associated Student Government were decided after changes to the requirements of student governments were made by the Los Rios Community College District for all the schools in the district, according to faculty coordinator Kimberlee Beyrer.

City College bid farewell to the Associated Student Government Nov. 1 and welcomed the new Student Associated Council after the student government decided to change its name along with structural changes and the election of new board members.

According to Kimberlee Beyrer, faculty coordinator for student leadership and development at City College, the constitution, structure and name change were decided on after changes to the requirements of student government were made by the Los Rios Community College District for all schools in the district.

“The constitution was rewritten because the student association needed to comply with the new policies of the district,” Beyrer said. “The student government liked that Student Associated Council as an acronym is SAC.”

Debby Dixon, former ASG secretary and current region two chairperson, said that the first meeting under the new structure was held Nov. 2 and that the council discussed the goals of the semester and the year to come.

“We’re excited about the transition,” Dixon said. “It will allow the senate to focus more on advocating for things like lower tuition for students.”

According to Chris Torres, student affairs specialist for student leadership and development at City College, under the new SAC structure, student government will break into three separate committees each with its own president, vice president and other positions of leadership.

The Student Senate is similar to the former ASG committee in that it deals with advocating and resolution writing for district, state and federal levels, Torres said.

The second group is the Committee for Activities and Events Board, which is in charge of student life and deals with aspects like clubs, events, homecoming and other such activities. CAEB also works directly with clubs to help raise money, getting clubs to collaborate with one another on events that pertain to more than one club, and in some cases with the approval process for certain speakers or events, Torres said.

The final group, the Joint Budget Committee, handles all of the budget issues and concerns for the Student Senate and CAEB, Torres said.

According to Torres the best thing about the change is that it will make it easier for students and clubs to get their ideas and needs addressed by student government.

“Overall, the change is good,” Torres said. “It’ll give students a bigger voice and more opportunities for students to get involved in the legislative affairs on campus.”

According to Dixon, student involvement will be increased not only because the number of senator seats is increasing from 15 senators to 20 but also because the separate councils can focus more on their own goals.

Husham Haroun, secretary of technology for SAC, said that the constitution has been in the works for a year and that City College was the first in the district to get a new constitution completed but that it isn’t without its flaws.

According to Haroun, the constitution for SAC was voted on by students and then ratified and approved last spring, but it will need to be voted on again after edits are made to the many contradictions that were found in the new constitution.

Shinesh Prasad, former inter-club president for ASG, said he would not be involved with the new structure but that he thinks it will make an impact on the student body as a whole.

“I think it will be really good,” Prasad said. “It allows each body [of SAC] to focus on each thing they are working on and for them to separate out their duties.”

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