Oct. 22, 2010 The Ranger

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The RangeRVol. 85 Issue 6 Single copies free Oct. 22, 2010

A forum of free voices serving San Antonio College since 1926

SPREADSHIGH DRAMA

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The Ranger •2 • Oct. 22, 2010

A forum of free voices serving San Antonio College since 1926The RangeR

3 News Trustees wary of planning for North Central campus Story by Laura Garcia

4 Blotter Cell phone use restricted, texting prohibited Story by Riley Stephens Photo by Jacinta Nicole Gaskin-

Paulsen

5 News Health Center cuts hours, services Story by J. Hernandez

Photo by Rennie Murrell

6 Clubs and administration join forces for graduation Story by Joshua Fechter

7 .Senate educates trustees on damage from budget cuts Story by Zahra Farah

8 Dallas sheriff: Being first is just fine Story by Stefania Malacrida

Photo by Noel Bracy

9 Learning to destroy Story and Photos by Alison Wadley

10 Calendar

12 Premiere Virus spreads in Loftin Story by Abiel Rodriguez Photo by Noel Bracy Faculty go zombie Story by Stefania Malacrida

13 Editorial

Trustees’ vision impaired Letter to the editor: Wrong way to success

14 Officials and policies

15 Two robberies prompt warning Story by Riley Stephens

Orionids meteor shower reaches peak Story by J. Almendarez

Pumpkin picking Photo by Julysa Sosa

16 Premiere Fiesta Finale Story and Photos by Julysa Sosa

This issue

Columnist opposes deficit spending, tax deductions Story by J. Almendarez

College team takes steps to prevent diabetes Story by J. Hernandez Academic Council rejects opt-out of SAC-ALL Story by Zahra Farah Banner complicates adjunct schedules Story by Zahra Farah

Two trustees travel to Canada for conference Story by Laura Garcia

Hilda Fuentes dances in a Tabasco, Mexico-style during a Fiesta Mexicana Ballet Folklórico show Oct. 15 in McAllister. Julysa Sosa

Cover photo: Theater majors Alan Galvez and Lucille Wilson pose Tuesday to demonstrate their haunted house roles. Julysa Sosa

Online

The Ranger Oct. 22, 2010 • 3News

By Laura Garcia

Chancellor Bruce Leslie presented the board

of trustees Saturday with options to address a

growing gap between higher enrollment and

shrinking financial support.

His answer to the district’s growth: Add a

new campus funded by a bond election and

reduce the probability of capping enrollment at

Northwest Vista College.

Trustees suggested raising tuition to $3,000 a

semester and asking students to travel to other

colleges or offer more online instruction.

The board retreat was Saturday in Huisache

Hall at Northwest Vista College and heated

discussion pushed the end of the meeting until

about 3:15 p.m.

Leslie warned trustees in the retreat that

focused on the district’s future, if the adminis-

tration doesn’t pursue planning the 145.5 acres

designated for a North Central campus, the dis-

trict might have to turn students away.

The site purchased in four parcels in spring

of 2005 is west of Interstate 10 and north of 1604

near the Kendall County line and Camp Bullis.

The chancellor said Northwest Vista was

built in 1995 to support 12,000 students and

is quickly reaching its maximum enrollment

with about 13,000 students attending classes on

campus or taking online classes.

Architect Doug Lowe, president of Facility

Programming and Consultants, presented

the board with a demographic study of where

each of the five colleges draws its students and

potentially how many students would attend

the proposed campus. He estimated the new

campus would have a similar growth pattern in

enrollment to Northeast Lakeview College and

he supported the addition of a new campus,

saying that most of the growth in the city has

been in the Northwest.

The campus would not be a full-fledged

college until much later and would operate as

a branch of Northwest Vista. Leslie said that

even if the district constructs three additional

buildings and a parking garage as planned in

Northwest Vista’s master plan, it would be too

overcrowded.

Board Chair Gary Beitzel questioned the type

and height of new buildings. “So it seems like

if you go up, it may be more cost-effective than

building a whole new campus,” Beitzel said.

Leslie’s response was that there is only so

much capacity at Northwest Vista and that the

district could look into acquiring about 40 acres

across the street, but they would have to be

careful about it “unless you create a bridge or

something.”

Leslie referred to a side street, not Loop 1604.

District 2 trustee Denver McClendon noted

that Northwest Vista looks like a ghost town on

nights and weekends and perhaps the college

should look into offering more sections during

those time periods.

Vice Chairman and District 9 trustee James

Rindfuss said he didn’t know the land was so

close to Camp Bullis and questioned Lowe

about growth near U.S. Highway 281, but this

was not in his study.

District 1 trustee Joe Alderete Jr. said the

district was looking at population growth but

might be neglecting the district’s job of develop-

ing the workforce within Bexar County.

Alderete also asked about the possibility of

building another site within the county and said

he was concerned about the district “trying to

just hop around and follow the growth.”

District 5 trustee Roberto Zárate said, “I

think we need to refocus.” Zárate reminded the

board of the district’s mission of providing edu-

cational access to students in the county.

Leslie then asked the board to consider

directing him to do pre-planning and explore

the possibility of a bond election, a process that

he says would take about two years.

He said even if the process starts soon, the

district would still need two to three years to

plan the buildings. He said it would be five or six

years before a new campus could open.

Even though space remains to accommo-

date a larger enrollment at the other four col-

leges, Leslie said, many students who attend

Northwest Vista would not want to drive 30

miles to Northeast Lakeview College.

“It seems to me like we are in very dire straits

financially,” Blakely Latham Fernandez, District

7 trustee, said during the retreat.

State appropriations have been in decline

for years, and the colleges effectively turned

away students this semester when 1,500 sec-

tions were canceled as the district attempted to

cut $12 million from the budget.

In February 2005, voters rejected a $450 mil-

lion bond package, which included plans to

consolidate health career training from this col-

lege and St. Philip’s College in the South Texas

Medical Center. In November 2005, a revised

bond package, which kept health career training

intact at the colleges, passed. It included $125

million for Northeast Lakeview College. Leslie

said a new bond could help pay for the construc-

tion and planning of a new campus and fulfill the

other colleges’ need for renovations.

Rindfuss made it clear he was against chang-

ing the district’s open-door policy and said, “If

we try to cap enrollment, that’s almost insane.”

Instead, he suggested raising tuition to quell

the district’s financial problems and that even

if students pay $3,000 a semester, the district

would still be the lowest cost tuition in the area.

McClendon said, “So you’re saying put it on

the backs of the students?”

Rindfuss replied, “We need not apologize if

we have to restructure the way we do business.”

McClendon described the possibility of cap-

ping enrollment a “tragedy.”

An annexation plan for the seven counties in

the district’s service area would create increased

tax revenue and would allow students residing

in those counties to pay in-district tuition rates.

Residents in these counties, who pay twice the

tuition that Bexar County students pay, would

have to vote on the plan.

Annexation can take years, Leslie said, and

reported that Austin Community College spent

12 years trying to annex surrounding counties

and came across competition for territory when

Round Rock wanted to build its own college.

Leslie asked trustees whether they wanted

him to pursue a bond election and develop-

ment of a North Central campus, but trustees

were wary of proceeding. “Can we wait 10 years

before we go out with another bond election to

include the North Central campus?”

The question, he said, is do you support a

strategy that caps growth because if you cap,

you are going to have repercussions.

The board ended the discussion with a deci-

sion to collect more information. Leslie said

they could plan another retreat later if trustees

want to pursue a North Central campus.

The board will meet for its regular meeting at

6 p.m. Oct. 26 in Room 101 of Killen Center, 201

W. Sheridan. The October meeting was post-

poned a week to allow board members to attend

an Association of Community College Trustees

conference in Canada and assure a quorum for

the meeting. Trustees return Oct. 23.

For more information, call 210-485-0030 or

log onto www.alamo.edu for an agenda of the

meeting.

Trustees wary of planning for North Central campusBoard explores capping

enrollment, annexation and a bond election.

4 • Oct. 22, 2010 The Ranger

Tip of the week

Fact: 36 items were reported lost or found

last month.

The lost and found is at the police office at each

college. The campus police office at this

college is at 1601 N. Main and is open from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Call

dispatch at 210-485-0099 to report lost or found property.

For more information,visit the police department

web site at http://www.alamo.edu/district/dps/seclinks/prevention.htm.

SAN ANTONIO COLLEGE

Oct. 11 — Individual reported a

vehicle being burglarized in the

parking garage. No suspects.

Oct. 13 — Individual reported

an odor of gas in the nursing

complex. All found to be OK.

Individual reported his vehicle

being burglarized in Lot 14.


strange odor in Chance.

Oct. 16 — SAPD reported a male

who appeared to have been

injured falling in Luther’s lot.

Individual reported a person

having a seizure in Fletcher.

EMS treated.

ST. PHILIP’S


female arguing computer regu-

lations in Sutton. She departed

before the officers’ arrival.


damage to her personal vehicle.

Oct. 15 — Male in Norris with

an active warrant and was trans-

ported to the magistrate’s office.

PALO ALTO


the tailgate had been stolen

from his truck. No suspects.

NORTHWEST VISTA


being injured during class in

Palmetto. EMS refused.

Individual reported feeling ill in

Lot 8. EMS treated.


damage to personal vehicle in

Sea World overflow lot.


personal vehicle being burglar-

ized in Lot 10. No suspects.

NORTHEAST LAKEVIEW


snake in a commons classroom.


feeling ill in building 8300. EMS

treated.


students in library after closing.

Blotter

ContaCt InfoEmergency222-0911

General DPS485-0099

Weather Line485-0189

Lost and found

The district police department

displays items in the lost and

found Tuesday. Rennie Murrell

By Riley StephenS

A state law banning the use of handheld devices

in school zones went into effect Sept. 1, 2009. New

signs between this college and Travis Early College

High School warn students not to use their cell

phones under penalty of a fine.

There are three signs at Courtland Place and

Howard Street and one sign at Dewey Place and

Howard that read, “Cell phone use prohibited; up

to $200 fine.”

Oct. 15, the San Antonio City Council approved

an ordinance, or city law, banning texting while

driving. District 4 Councilman Philip Cortez admits

to using his phone to text and drive in the past. “I

think we have all done it,” he said.

Despite the practice, Cortez pushed for the

ordinance to pass. He said he couldn’t wait for the

2011 elections in November because he hopes the

ordinance could become a state law.

“We have secured the support of state Sen.

Carlos Uresti, D-San Antonio, in the 2011 vote. I

think there is an opportunity that the bill will pre-

vail,” Cortez said.

State Sen. Judith Zaffirini, D-Laredo, said, “I

believe it should be a model for other communities

and other states.”

She failed to pass a bill in 2009 that would ban

reading, writing and sending of text messages while

operating a motor vehicle. “It’s not just the act of

texting; it’s the act of texting while driving. It affects

both the pedestrians and the drivers,” Zaffirini said.

The rules are simple. “If you go into a school

zone, you can’t use your phone for anything,”

Cortez said. “If you’re not in one, you can use your

phone but you cannot text, use your e-mail, or go

online, etc.”

He said he hopes with the new ordinance in San

Antonio, the use of texting while driving will slowly

decrease the number of fatalities on the road.

Cell phone use restricted, texting prohibited

Traffic control engineers Juan Mendoza, stand-

ing, Juan Medina, left, and Adrian Licea erect

signs Oct. 15 around Travis Early College High

School. Jacinta Nicole Gaskin-Paulsen


By J. Hernandez

Be careful on campus because if

you get injured, the nurse won’t be

coming to help, and if you get sick

and want to visit the college health

center, you might find it closed

while the health center coordina-

tor attends a meeting elsewhere.

Tuesday, an employee suf-

fered a seizure in the admissions

and records office in Fletcher

Administration Center. Under a

new protocol, college health center

Coordinator Paula Daggett, who is

a registered nurse, was unable to

assist. Also, that morning, a profes-

sor in Chance Academic Center

reported a student entering his

classroom and falling to the floor

in a seizure.

On May 27, David Mrizek, col-

lege services vice president, sent

a mass e-mail stating a student or

employee at the scene of an inci-

dent should call district police.

DPS will gather information

and follow their procedures for

emergencies. The college’s execu-

tive team approved the change.

Along with the new procedures,

the office of student life decided

to interpret the Texas Board of

Nursing’s Interpretive Guideline

for LVN Scope of Practice Section

301.353 and Rule 217.11(2) that

requires “an LVN to practice under

the supervision of a RN, advanced

practice nurse, physician, podia-

trist, dentist or physician assistant”

more narrowly than previously.

Because of this reading, when-

ever Daggett has to leave for a

meeting, lunch or anything else,

everyone in the college health cen-

ter has to leave and the health cen-

ter must be closed. Dagget has also

been tasked with overseeing some

student club activities, duties the

office of student life are respon-

sible for.

Jorge Posadas, student life

director, said, “(LVN) Josie Noriega

can’t provide health care unsuper-

vised. Paula Daggett’s license lets

Josie work.” For years, LVNs allowed

the health center to provide hours

to accommodate day, evening and

weekend students. The medical

regulations are not recent addi-

tions but were added to the state

nursing guidelines in September

2004 and revised in January 2006.

Posadas was unavailable to com-

ment on why the college has not

acted until now.

This college’s executive team,

composed of the college presi-

dent, vice presidents and deans,

reviewed the additional guidelines

in late spring and implemented

them during the summer.

“Because of budget cuts, stu-

dent services generally suffer,”

Posadas said. However, Posadas

is in a position to do something

about it by using the student activ-

ity fee each student pays at a rate of

$1 per semester.

Posadas said a safety concern

has caused the recent changes to

the health center. He said Noriega

and Daggett are not trained first

responders, so they cannot leave

the health center to help students

or faculty in an emergency.

When asked about not being

able to assist the employee seizing

Tuesday and Posadas saying she is

not a first responder, Daggett sim-

ply said, “I’m a nurse.”

Students are not happy about

the situation. “I almost don’t

want to go here anymore,” said

library sciences sophomore Loree

Morgan, who is a disabled student

and depends on the center daily.

Without the health center, Morgan

does not know whether she can

stay at this college. “I’m not blam-

ing Paula, but where do I go where

I can get my needs met?”

International business sopho-

more Sara Gabel said, “Why do

they want to take something we’re

using?”

Delia A. De Luna, student ser-

vices assistant for disability sup-

port services, said, “The concern is

these students don’t have anything

that is accessible.” The office of

disability support services is locat-

ed next door to the health center

because of reliance on the its ser-

vices. De Luna wants to know where

students can go when services are

not provided. “I can’t understand

why they’re not there like they used

to be,” she said.

“Parents and students feel com-

fortable because there’s a health

center.” De Luna questioned if DPS

is qualified to determine when

to call EMS and also if students

should be billed for the EMS call if

not requested.

For more information, visit the

center in Room 119 of Chance or

call 210-486-0222.

Health center cuts hours, services

Donna Deming, associate director of records, prepares to lower a

gate to block the view Tuesday as district police and EMS technicians

render aid to an unidentified staff member during an emergency in

admission and records. Rennie Murrell

Nurse is restricted to care within the center.


By Joshua Fechter

In Presidents Round Table Oct.

14, this college’s administration

met with club presidents to discuss

promoting graduation through the

organizations as a service com-

ponent.

President Robert Zeigler; Dr.

Jessica Howard, vice president of

academic affairs; and Dr. Robert

Vela, interim district director of

center for student information,

called the special meeting to focus

specifically on graduation.

Howard said students who

graduate with an associate degree

statistically do better when they

transfer to a university than those

who transfer without completing a

degree plan.

“Graduation is one of our most

important initiatives at SAC,” she

said.

“When students become a

junior or senior and have that

degree, it will distinguish them

from everybody else in their field

who are looking for a job,” she said.

Howard encouraged clubs and

organizations to take part in pro-

moting graduation, though none

are required to participate in the

initiative.

Howard said she wants gradua-

tion to become integral to campus

culture.

“We want it promoted all of the

time through cells of student activ-

ity,” she said.

Howard suggested organiza-

tions could adopt an academic

department and encourage teach-

ers to promote graduation in the

classroom.

“If you want to capture stu-

dents, the only way you can do it is

in class,” she said.

Zeigler said the club’s ideas do

not have to be complicated as long

they get the message out.

“It’s just a matter of trying to

keep it in front of people so they’re

aware that graduation is important

and that it is relatively easy to do,”

he said.

Zeigler said graduation could

be promoted on a word-of-mouth

basis.

“Just think about if every mem-

ber of every club talked up gradu-

ation and the huge impact that

could have across the college,” he

said.

News

Clubs and administration join forces for graduation


By Zahra Farah

District 1 trustee Joe Alderete and District 7

trustee Blakely Fernandez learned about con-

sequences and cuts the colleges face because

of board and district administration decisions.

At Wednesday’s Faculty Senate meeting, sen-

ators spent about three hours in a question-and-

answer session with the two trustees who joined

the board in May. They were informed $12 mil-

lion in cuts for fiscal year 2011 left the colleges

scrambling and cutting many student services.

At the Aug. 19 regular board meeting, trust-

ees passed 6-3 a 2011 operating budget with a

5-percent tuition increase in spring 2011 and a

property tax increase that adds $5.77 per year to

a home valued at $100,000.

District 3 trustee Anna Bustamante, Alderete

and Fernandez voted against the increase.

Cuts here include a loss of 50 percent of tem-

porary employees and note-takers for students

with disabilities; cuts in hours and tutors in math,

English and SLAC labs; cuts in library hours and

databases and job placement services; and a

stronger push for a 50-50 adjunct-faculty ratio.

Alderete told senators he wanted a clear

list of the negative impact faculty and students

have faced so he can present this information to

the board because Alderete said he was told by

district administrators “nothing was supposed

to impact the students directly.”

That comment raised a big laugh.

Alderete asked faculty if a communication

problem exists between departments and the

college because in a meeting he attended with

the five college presidents, they approved cuts.

Counselor Steve Samet advised Alderete to

take into consideration that college presidents

are appointed by the chancellor.

Math Professor Carlos Corona said the dis-

trict passes Alamo Colleges’ operating budget,

then the monies are dispersed to colleges to

figure out how to make the money stretch. He

said the problem is each college’s needs differ;

the college is left to make hard decisions, which

leaves everyone, in the end, suffering.

Fernandez said she was not aware of the

direct cuts to student services because specific

information is not being reported to the board.

Fernandez said the information trustees

receive comes from the administration unless

she gets a call directly from a parent. She told

senators she wanted to hear “concerns you have

so we can be a part of the solution.”

Alderete said he told Chancellor Bruce Leslie

he was not going to “flat out get information

only from administration.”

“I’m here to listen to different opinions,” he

said. “We are policymakers not administrators …

we can’t cast things without the whole picture.”

Senators thanked Alderete and Fernandez

repeatedly for being willing to hear “our side …

and not think we’re only disgruntled employ-

ees,” business Chair Val Calvert said.

Last spring, Faculty Senate invited then-new

trustee Fernandez to a special called meeting

Feb. 10, but she canceled saying board policy

prohibited it without another trustee present.

Senators tried getting trustees Gary Beitzel

of District 8, Roberto Zárate of District 5 and

then-board Chair Denver McClendon of District

2 to accompany Fernandez, but all declined.

Zárate added, in a Jan. 29 e-mail, “It is

beyond my role and responsibility to meet

with either staff and faculty. This protocol is to

maintain an objective viewpoint when making

decisions.”

Senators, at the time, questioned whether

trustees care about making informed decisions.

At Wednesday’s meeting, Calvert said her

department has a shortage of full-time faculty,

with a 30-70 full-time-to-adjunct ratio, and one

program has 7 percent full-time faculty. Calvert

said the shortage prevents students from receiv-

ing enough advising and assistance in labs.

Samet said job placement was important,

helping students connect with the workforce and

internships. Also, the cut in temporary employ-

ees, which includes work-study students, adds

greater financial burdens to students and could

factor into keeping them out of college.

Alderete said he was upset to hear of job

placement being cut. “This really bothers me;

we were not communicated this as a board.” He

continued, “We need the full facts.”

Corona said in developmental math courses,

students require an extra lab hour. He said he has

no problem with an extra lab hour, but with the

number of students in developmental math, there

is not enough lab space or tutors. He said if some-

thing is added to the curriculum, the department

should have the resources to fulfill those needs.

For two years, chairs have had to deal with

course alignment across the district, E-syllabus,

Banner, learning outcome measurement and

other new initiatives. Bill Richardson, kinesiolo-

gy and dance chair, said some of them are good,

but he’s barely “swimming up stream.” He said

he wants trustees to know “we fight through it”

and “bring it in the classroom,” but department

chairs are worn out. “Things are moving too

quickly,” he said.

Chairs in the meeting nodded in agreement.

Fernandez accepted some blame because

some initiatives have been approved since she

took office, “My apologies on what this is doing

to your job.”

Senate educates trustees on damage from budget cuts

8 • The Ranger News

By Stefania Malacrida

When Lupe Valdez was elected

sheriff of Dallas County in 2004,

she broke many ceilings. She is the

only female sheriff in Texas, the first

Hispanic and the first “out” lesbian.

For Valdez, being the first is some-

thing she got used to long before

her election. She has been in law

enforcement more than 35 years, and

in a field dominated by men, she was

often the only woman in almost every

hierarchy she belonged to and every

training or class she attended.

Valdez began with one of those

recollections in her Coming-Out

Week lecture Oct. 14 in the audito-

rium of McAllister Fine Arts Center.

“About 25 years ago, I was in

Quantico, Va., for an undercover class

as a federal anti-terrorism agent,” she

said. “Being the only female, I had an

advantage — there was no line for the

women’s bathroom,” she joked, trig-

gering a loud laugh in the audience.

“When I came out of the bath-

room, I heard one FBI top manager

saying as loud as he could, ‘I’ll be

blankety-blank-blank if I ever have to

take orders from someone who has

to sit down to pee.’ In that moment,

I promised myself that I would never

allow another person to be publicly

degraded that way,” she said.

Now Valdez runs a metropolitan

jail system with about 2,000 employ-

ees, many who verbally attacked her

during her campaign because of her

sexual orientation.

“My opponents delved farther

and farther into the negative, coming

out with offensive slogans,” she said.

“When I took office in 2004, those

people were terribly afraid to be fired.”

Not only did Valdez not fire them,

she worked to change their minds.

“The revenge has to stop with us,”

she said.

“Sexist people, racist people think

we minorities would behave the same

way they treated us, but we have to

look beyond our hurt egos.”

This positive attitude was eventu-

ally successful for Valdez. “We ran as

if we were losing,” she said, adding

that it was amazing to “think that a

Democrat, a woman, a Hispanic and

a lesbian would dare run for sheriff in

Bush’s backyard.”

Nevertheless she ran, carefully

considering when to play the gay-

card. “I wasn’t out publicly at that

time. Only a few people knew that I

was a lesbian,” she said.

The news, however, began to

spread. Sooner or later, she had to

come out, before her opponents

did it for her. “I remember entire

nights spent with my staff, discuss-

ing whether to come out or not, and

how.”

She delayed as long as she could.

“I wanted to make sure that my sexu-

ality wasn’t the first thing they knew

about me,” she said. “I wanted to

convey the message that the skills

and the motivation are the important

things, regardless of one’s sexual ori-

entation.”

Finally, Valdez came out during

a press conference in the simplest

way she could. ‘Yes, I’m a lesbian,’ I

said. ‘And what’s the big deal? Don’t

35 years experience count?’ And we

went ahead speaking about the pro-

gram,” she said.

Valdez recalled the victory in 2004

as an unexpected joy not only for

her but also for the many minorities

she represents. In 2008, she was re-

elected. At 63, she wants to run again

in 2012. If she loses, she will find

another way to serve the community.

“But to tell the truth, I’m very

popular,” she smiled.

Dallas sheriff: Being first is just fine

Cadet Logan Huesing uses a claw to cut into a car Monday at Texas Auto Salvage.

Sheriff Lupe Valdez references “The

Interpreter” talking about overcom-

ing bias Oct. 12. Noel Bracy

Cadet Lt. Jesse Borroel uses a cutter to remove a car roof while Instructor Tom Miller super-vises and cadets Greg Carrillo, Robert Sanchez and Victoria Recio watch.

Cadets Pearl Pearson and Josh Capps prac-tice cribbing and air bags to safely raise a vehicle during an extrication exercise Monday.

Oct. 22 2010 • 9News

Story and PhotoS by aliSon Wadley

One minute, you’re driving, and the

next minute, you’re spinning wildly out

of control.

Your car hits an embankment and you

begin to roll.

When the vehicle comes to a halt, you

realize you’re trapped.

The floorboard is above you, and you

have no way of getting out.

This is a job for firefighters.

“All fire equipment is designed to

destroy, not repair,” fire science Instructor

Eddie Bramhall said.

He is a retired captain from San

Antonio Fire Department.

This college’s First Responders Fire

Academy is down a quiet road about 2

miles off Interstate 35 in Atascosa County.

As a part of Basic Fire Suppression

class at the academy, cadets learn basic

tasks necessary to assist in extrication

from motor vehicle accidents, the most

common rescue call.

Cadets use various air tools and hand

tools such as splitters, cutters, pick axes

and glass saws to cut up cars while learn-

ing vehicle extrication.

They also use air bags to raise vehicles

off the ground and cribbing to support

the vehicle once it is raised.

He said they practice vehicle extrica-

tion techniques so they can get a feel for

how heavy the tools are and have a basic

idea of how to use them, but they will

learn to use them in-depth once they are

employed with a fire department.

This is one of many exercises in the

40-hour-a-week course offered at the

academy.

Basic Fire Suppression counts for 27

credit hours and can be applied to an

associate degree in fire science from this

college.

To become a firefighter, EMT train-

ing is required. For more information on

EMT training, visit http://www.alamo.

edu/sac/ce/mycaa/emt.html.

For information on First Responders

Fire Academy, call academic unit assis-

tant Rita Ogden at 210-486-1692.

Learning to destroyCadets Lt. Jesse Borroel, James Rogers and Lt. Brent Lowak clean up after vehicle extrication exercises Monday.

Cadet Logan Huesing uses a claw to cut into a car Monday at Texas Auto Salvage.

Cadet Logan Huesing uses a glass

saw to cut the windshield out of a car

Monday at Texas Auto Salvage.

Above, Cadet Logan Huesing uses a spreader to remove a car door while fire science Instructors Tom Miller and Capt. Cheryl McCall supervise, Cadet Greg Carrillo holds hoses at the ready.Left, Cadets Tripp Christopher and James Rogers and fire science Instructor Tom Miller remove the windshield from a car after cutting it with a pick ax and glass saw.

Cadets Pearl Pearson and Josh Capps prac-tice cribbing and air bags to safely raise a vehicle during an extrication exercise Monday.

The Ranger 10 • Oct. 22, 2010 Calendar

Today

SAC Event: Job Fair 9 a.m.-1 p.m. in the

Fiesta Room of Loftin. Call 210-486-0135.

Saturday

SAC Event: PC on Call clinic 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

at Port of San Antonio, 312 Clarence Tinker.

Call 210-486-3412.

Monday

SAC Meeting: Astronomy Club 1 p.m.-2

p.m. in Room 111 of chemistry and geology.

Call 210-486-0063.

SAC Comedy: Oxymorons troupe 11 a.m.-

noon in Loftin cafeteria. Call 210-486-0125.

SAC Club: Cheshyre Cheese at 3 p.m., Room

100 of Gonzales. Call 210-486-0125.

Lecture: Trinity’s DeCoursey Lecture Series

presentation of “Biodiversity and the Future

of Life” with Pulitzer Prize recipient Edward O.

Wilson at 7:30 p.m. in Laurie Auditorium, One

Trinity Place. Call 210-999-8201.

SAC Meeting: Society of Mexican-

American Engineers and

Scientists at 3:30 p.m. in the

MESA study center in Room 204

of Chance. Call 210-486-1309.

Tuesday

SAC Worship: Campus Crusade for

Christ at 1:30 p.m. in Room 119 of chemistry

and geology. Call 210-486-1233.

SAC Meeting: Society of Women in

Engineering at noon in MESA center in Room

204 of Chance. Call 210-486-1309.

SAC Meeting: Teaching Academy Program

Peers 12:15 p.m.-1:15 p.m. in Room 128 of

Gonzales. Call 210-486-0665.

Wednesday

SAC Meeting: Gay and Lesbian

Association at 3 p.m. in Room 613 of Moody.

Call 210-486-0673.

SAC Lecture: “Healthy Relationships”

hosted by health center 11 a.m.-

noon in the Craft Room of Loftin.

Call 210-486-0222.

SAC Sports: Women’s and

men’s basketball vs. NVC. Women’s at

6 p.m., men’s at 8 p.m. in Candler. Call

210-486-0125.

SAC Event: Health screenings by Wellness

Committee and Affordable Lab 7 a.m.-9

a.m. in Room 126 of Candler. Appointment

required. Call 210-588-8779.

SAC Meeting: Society for the Advancement

of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science

at 3 p.m. in MESA center, Room 204 of

Chance. Call 210-486-0342.

Thursday

SAC Sports: Women’s volleyball vs. NVC at

7 p.m. at NVC. Call 210-486-0125.

Oct. 29

SAC Event: “Women in Policing” with San

Antonio Police Department recruiting from

9 a.m.-noon in Loftin. Call 210-486-0422.

SAC Event: 3-on-3 basketball 1 p.m.-4

p.m. in Gym 1 of Candler. 210-486-0125.

Oct. 31

PAC Event: Children’s Halloween celebra-

tion at 1:30 p.m. in Children’s Library in

Ozuna. Call 210-486-3561.

Calendar Legend

SAC: San Antonio CollegeNVC: Northwest Vista CollegeSPC: St. Philip’s CollegeSWC: Southwest CampusPAC: Palo Alto CollegeNLC: Northeast Lakeview College

For coverage, call 210-486-1773 or e-mail

[email protected] two weeks in advance.

Join the Student Leadership Institute!

Accepting Applications for the Spring 2011 Semester

Meet new people and make new friends

Explore new interests Learn new or enhance current skills

Network and gain experience related to your field of interest

Be exposed to leadership opportunities on campus and in the community Build your resume

Visit: www.alamo.edu/district/sli Call: 210.485.0790

The Ranger Oct. 22, 2010 • 11

utdallas.edu

Are YouConnected?

utdallas.edu/connect

Connect your two year associate’s degree with a four-year bachelor’s degree at UT Dallas. Lock in tomorrow’s tuition at today’s prices for four school years through our guaranteed tuition plan. Get ac-cess to early advising and start planning your move today. Go to UT Dallas’ Comet Connection website for details and to report your intention to join.

create your future

Join Us for Preview Friday!Designed exclusively for transfer students, Preview Friday is an event that allows you to mingle with other transfer students and view a detailed presentation about transferring, financial aid, scholarships and campus life. It also gives you an opportunity to talk one-on-one with an advisor in your major to learn how you can make the smoothest transition to help you reach your academic goals.

Register online for the date you’d like to attend and get more information regarding Preview Friday and other events at utdallas.edu/enroll/events.

Directions to the UT Dallas campus are available at utdallas.edu/directions.

2 - 4 p.m. Oct. 22Nov. 5Feb. 11

2010 - 2011 Preview Friday Dates

12 • Oct. 22, 2010 The RangerPremiere

By Stefania Malacrida

For one night, teachers will toss aside chalk and

red pens and don vampire’s teeth or witch hats, not

to torture their poor students, but to perform in the

Halloween Faculty Concert at 7:30 p.m. Thursday in

the auditorium of McAllister Fine Arts Center.

All of them will be dressed in the best Halloween

tradition.

“Last year, we had ‘Sweeney Todd.’ It was an awe-

some makeup,” piano Professor Mary Lou Russell

said.

“This year, we will have zombies and German

character’s outfits such as ‘Hans und Franz,’” Russell

said. As far as the music, Russell revealed, “I’m play-

ing Bach ‘Toccata & Fugue in D Minor’ — always a

winner!”

Bach’s “Toccata and Fugue” on pipe organ and

“The Phantom Of The Opera” are some of the gothic

melodies in the program. The orchestra also will

play other types of popular music such as the Rolling

Stones’ “You Can’t Always Get What You Want.”

Between one piece and another, a series of

sketches from major comedies will entertain the

audience.

The tickets cost $5 for students and $7 for adults,

and the department also accepts donations.

Music Chair Mark Denison said the reason for

the concert is to raise money for scholarships.

“The event finances two $500 scholarships

for two music students who stood out during the

semester for talent and commitment,” he said.

“The names will be announced at the end of the

concert, and this will be the pivotal moment of the

night,” Denison said.

Denison anticipated that he will wear a funny

dress, “a sweat suit based on a ‘Saturday Night Live’

character. I can’t tell more. It’s a surprise,” he said.

During the evening, a lottery and a number of

jokes will assure fun for everybody.

“The spirit of the whole evening is basically to

have fun,” Denison concluded. “But the scholar-

ships are for real.”

The concert is organized by the music, theater and

speech communication department and includes 12

instructors: Denison, Russell, Terry Muska, Peter

Kline, Andrew Gignac, Cynthia Sanchez, Jeff Hunt,

Peter Carey, Jim Kalson, Janet Tracy, Owen Duggan

and Madeline Elizondo.

Other participants include Jorge Posadas and

Tyler Archer of student life; Dr. Jessica Howard, vice

president of academic affairs; and student chamber

singer Rene Solarzano.

For information, visit http://www.alamo.edu/

sac/music/musiccalendar.htm.

By aBiel rodriguez

An unknown virus turns

Loftin Student Center into a

sick ward for the dying.

From 7 p.m.-11 p.m. Oct.

29-30, Loftin Student Center

will be filled with people

infected with an unknown

virus in the fourth annual

haunted house presented

by the Onstage Drama Club

and the office of student

life.

Virus, this year’s theme,

will lead the brave and

immune through various

stages of a viral infection.

If all the hype in the last

five years over a bird flu

pandemic make you scoff,

remember, a virus turned

everyone into blood-thirsty

zombies in “28 Days” and

almost gave the U.S. Army

reason to blow a small ebo-

la-ridden town off the map

in “Outbreak.”

The drama club didn’t

want to give away too much

but provided a brief descrip-

tion of the haunted house.

Onstage Drama Club

adviser Paula Rodriguez

said, “One room will have

people in the beginning

stages of being infected with

the virus, while another will

have people completely

taken over by the virus.”

Students from this col-

lege get in free with a college

ID. The general admission

fee is $5.

Because of the graph-

ic nature of the haunted

house, children under the

age of 6 will not be admitted.

“It might be too scary for

them,” Rodriguez explained.

“There will be blood, zom-

bies and people screaming.”

The haunted house

is directed, built and per-

formed by students.

Anthony Diaz, president

of the Onstage Drama Club,

said, “We have people from

Psych Club, OnStage Drama

Club and people from the

office of student life partici-

pating in the event.”

Students who have

taken stage makeup classes

will help make the event

feel authentic by applying

makeup to the actors.

The effects in the haunt-

ed house include lighting

and audio but won’t include

haze and fog machines

because they tend to turn

on smoke alarms, Rodriguez

said.

The themes for the

haunted house have been

different each year since it

started.

The first year’s haunted

house was asylum-themed

followed by “Terror in the

Toy Factory” and a “Bloody

Ball at Dewey Mansion” last

year.

A portion of the proceeds

will help fund a trip for the

Onstage Drama Club to New

York City to attend work-

shops and see Broadway

plays in May.

This college’s haunted

house offers a less expen-

sive alternative to other

Halloween events in the

city.

Prices for haunted

houses like The 13th Floor

and Nightmare on Grayson

range from $14.99 to

$29.99.

Six Flags Fiesta Texas

and Sea World also have

Halloween-themed events

that could cost as much as

$58.99 to enter the parks.

For more information,

call the office of student life

at 210-486-0125.

Faculty go zombieAnnual haunted

house is infectious.

Drama sophomore “Z.” Badillo practices his zombie

moves by pretending to attack drama freshman Andy

Silva on Oct. 8 outside the visual arts center. Noel Bracy

Virus spreads in Loftin

The Ranger Oct. 22, 2010 • 13Editorial

Trustees’ vision impairedAlexandra Nelipa

Parking at this college is problem-atic every semester, and there are many instances when students become so discouraged, they give up.

The district needs to look at each college individually when it comes to parking decisions.

This college has 3,760 parking spaces, according to a 2009 survey by Lockwood, Andrews & Newnam Inc.

This is only 1,985 more parking spac-es than at Northeast Lakeview College whose enrollment is 5,252 students compared to this college’s 22,498 stu-dents.

Where is the fairness trustees talk about?

If trustees approve increasing the price of parking permits to $50 next week, the district should use the money for more officers as well as addressing the lack of parking.

The district police reported that based on other institutions the ideal officer-to-student ratio is 3.8 officers per 1,000 students.

Also, this district provides only 0.98 officers per 1,000 students as reported at the board budget retreat on May 15.

Last week alone on this campus, there was a report of a robbery and an assault and robbery — both in broad

daylight and one in a heavily traveled area. There is an obvious need for a higher profile by police.

Public transportation also needs some serious exploration, so students who can’t afford the $50 parking permit will still have a means of transportation to school.

It’s clear from this weekend’s retreat that trustees don’t fully appreciate the financial hardships students today face.

This is not the golden age of American economy that many of the trustees experienced growing up and attending college.

This is the generation that cannot expect a better life than their parents.

Hard times makes for hard choices.Because so many more students are

affected by the permit increase than the citation increase, the district should sharply increase citations rather than permits. Let those who choose to violate rules pay the consequences.

There is still time to weigh in on the decision. Trustees are expected to address parking at the regular board meeting at 6 p.m. Tuesday at 201 W. Sheridan.

Sign up before 6 p.m. to address the board in the citizens-to-be-heard seg-ment of the meetings.

Letter to the Editor

Wrong way to successEditor:

The Texas Legislature seems likely to

lead Texas colleges down the wrong path in

the name of success. True success must be

earned, not legislated nor administered.

Who wouldn’t like to be successful? I

know any success I might have is inexorably

linked to my students’ success. Thus, I feel

compelled to strive to do all I reasonably can

to ensure their success. Even so, there are

many things I can’t do for students. I can-

not attend class for them. I cannot remem-

ber for them. I also cannot make learning

more important to them than their latest text

message. These are things students must do

themselves.

Recent and proposed initiatives by the

Texas Legislature regarding funding for com-

munity colleges have caused college admin-

istrators to increasingly track “student suc-

cess” and push for better numbers. However,

success seems to be narrowly defined as

productive grade rate without consideration

of actual learning.

It has been said that San Antonio College

is not as “successful” as our peers. While our

PGRs might not be at the same level as our

peers, I would argue that it well might be that

our standards are higher. I hope there is no

great push to make medical schools more

successful and I doubt that CPA exams or bar

exams will be made easier to accommodate

a different type of student with a different

type of expectation. (A significant percent-

age seem to expect success as a reward for

attendance.)

Administrators probably have no choice

but to push for more and more student suc-

cess. I would argue, however, that any state-

ment that we should expect to achieve a

really significant increase in student success

but should not lower standards is either naive

or disingenuous. I would expect that the

“pressure to pass” will be especially strong on

adjunct and nontenured faculty.

I would like to add that none of this has

made me bitter or “burned out.” I still love

what I do and feel honored to have spent the

last 31 years teaching at such a great school.

I just hope what I am expected to do does

not change so drastically that I no longer love

what I might be forced to do.

Gerald Busald

Math Professor


Chancellor: Dr. Bruce H. Leslie201 W. Sheridan, Bldg. B, San Antonio, TX 78204-1429Work: 485-0020 Fax: 208-8149E-mail: [email protected]

District 1: Joe Alderete Jr.1602 Hillcrest Drive,San Antonio, TX 78228 Cell: 863-9500 E-mail: [email protected]

District 2: Denver McClendon3811 Willowwood Blvd., San Antonio, TX 78219 Work: 281-9141 E-mail: [email protected]

District 3: Anna U. Bustamante511 Ware Blvd., San Antonio TX 78221Work: 882-1603 Fax: 927-4557E-mail: [email protected]

District 4: Marcelo S. Casillas115 Wainwright, San Antonio, TX 78211Home: 922-6815 Fax: 923-3167 E-mail: [email protected]

District 5: Roberto Zárate4103 Buffalo Bayou, San Antonio, TX 78251E-mail: [email protected]

District 6: Dr. Gene Sprague14722 Iron Horse Way,Helotes, TX 78023Work: 567-5544 Fax: 520-9185E-mail: [email protected]

District 7: Blakely Latham Fernandez755 E. Mulberry, Suite 200,San Antonio, TX 78212Work: 244-8879E-mail: [email protected]

District 8: Gary Beitzel15403 Forest Mist, San Antonio, TX 78232Home: 496-5857 E-mail: [email protected]

District 9: James A. Rindfuss109 Laburnum, San Antonio, TX 78209Home: 828-4630 Work: 375-2555 Home Fax: 832-8292 Office Fax: 375-0301 E-mail: [email protected]

Officials

San Antonio College, Dr. Robert E. Zeigler486-0959, [email protected]

Northeast Lakeview College, Dr. Eric Reno486-5484, [email protected]

Northwest Vista College, Dr. Jacqueline Claunch486-4900, [email protected]

Palo Alto College, Dr. Ana M. “Cha” Guzman486-3960, [email protected]

St. Philip’s College, Dr. Adena W. Loston486-2900, [email protected]

Presidents

Guest Viewpoints:

Faculty, staff, students and

community members are wel-

come to contribute guest view-

points of up to 450 words.

Writers should focus on cam-

pus or current events in a critical,

persuasive or interpretative style.

All viewpoints must be pub-

lished with a photo portrait of

the writer.

Letters Policy:

The Ranger invites readers

to share views by writing letters

to the editor. Space limitations

force the paper to limit letters

to two double-spaced, typewrit-

ten pages. Letters will be edited

for spelling, style, grammar, libel

and length. Editors reserve the

right to deny publication of any

letter.

Letters should be mailed

to The Ranger, Department of

Media Communications, San

Antonio College, 1300 San Pedro

Ave., San Antonio TX 78212-4299.

Letters also may be brought

to the newspaper office in Room

212 of Loftin Student Center,

e-mailed to sac-ranger@alamo.

edu or faxed to 210-486-1789.

Letters must be signed and

must include the printed name

and telephone number. Students

should include classification,

major, campus and Banner ID.

Employees should include title

and telephone number.

For more information, call

210-486-1773.

Single Copy Policy:

Members of the Alamo

Community College District

community are permitted one

free copy per issue because of

high production costs.

Where available, additional

copies may be purchased with

prior approval for 50 cents each

by contacting The Ranger busi-

ness office.

Newspaper theft is a crime.

Those who violate the single-

copy rule may be subject to civil

and criminal prosecution and

subject to college discipline.

Editor

Laura Garcia

Managing Editor

Zahra Farah

Calendar Editor

Jennifer M. Ytuarte

Photographers

Tyler K. Cleveland, Rennie Murrell,

Julysa Sosa, Alison Wadley

Photo Team

Katie Bordini, Noel Bracy,

Christopher Michael Brown, Dave Crockett,

D.L. Gonzalez, Karla Iruegas, James Lazo,

Henriette Mutegwaraba,

Nicole Jacinta Gaskin-Paulsen,

Pam Ramsey, Jenny Robles,

Carmen Sanjuan

Illustrators

Juan Carlos Campos, Alexandra Nelipa,

Fred V.M. Nockroes III

Staff Writers

J. Almendarez, Jacob Beltran, Kristina Coble,

Joshua Fechter, Roxanna Flores, J. Hernandez,

Rachel McKee, Stefania Malacrida, Megan Mares,

Aaron Nielsen, Creshawna T. Parker, Daniel Perales,

Abiel Rodriguez, Riley Stephens

Production Manager

Melody Mendoza

Production Assistants

Krystal Barcenez, Jason B. Hogan

Web Administrator

D.A. James

©2010 by The Ranger staff, San Antonio College, 1300 San Pe-dro Ave., San Antonio, TX 78212-4299. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without permission.

The Ranger, the student newspaper at San Antonio College, is a laboratory project of the journalism classes in the Department of Media Communications, published Fridays except during sum-mer, holidays and examinations.

News contributions accepted by telephone (210-486-1773), by fax (210-486-1789), by e-mail ([email protected]) or at the editorial office (Room 212 Loftin Student Center).

Advertising rates available upon request by phone (210-486-1765) or as a download at www.theranger.org.

The Ranger is a member of the Texas Intercollegiate Press As-sociation, the Associated Collegiate Press and the Texas Commu-nity College Journalism Association.

The RangeR

The Ranger Oct. 22, 2010 • 15Premiere

By J. AlmendArez

The Orionids meteor shower will be at its peak

through today.

This meteor shower appears annually when Earth

passes through dust left behind by Halley’s comet.

The comet is visible with the unaided eye from

Earth every 76 years, and its last pass close to Earth

was in 1986. It will appear again in 2062.

Planetarium Coordinator Bob Kelley described

the event as being similar to “bugs on a windshield.”

Watching a meteor shower away from city lights

will typically increase the visibility of meteors, but

the moon, which becomes full at 9:38 p.m. today

creates a less than desirable condition for meteor

sightings because, Kelley said, “The moon will just

be too bright.”

Moonrise tonight is at 7:33 p.m., and the moon

sets at 8:18 a.m. so it will be in the sky all night.

Because the full moon will overly light the sky,

the visibility of meteors may be reduced to five to

10 meteors an hour, but the shower can produce as

many as 25 meteors per hour.

While Kelley warns of the possibility of a lacklus-

ter celestial show, he said that it still may prove to be

a worthwhile event.

He said the meteors will likely take one to two

seconds to burn in the atmosphere.

Most will appear white, but some of the brightest

ones will appear yellow or green. Kelley credits color

variations to the mineral content of the comet dust

as they chemically react to the atmosphere.

The highest concentration of meteors will be

between 5 a.m. and 6 a.m. and can be found by look-

ing directly overhead and slightly west.

While the constellation Orion will be visible on

the eastern horizon at 11:30 p.m., only meteors

burning toward the west will be seen so early.

Kelley does not recommend using binoculars or

a telescope during the shower because they will nar-

row the scope of the sky and reduce the chances of

meteor sightings.

Information about monthly astronomical events

can be found at http://www.alamo.edu/sac/ce/

scobee/skyline2.html.

Orionids meteor shower reaches peakThe full moon may interfere

with viewing, coordinator warns.

Pumpkin picking: Biology

sophomore Carlos Castany looks

for a pumpkin to pick out for the

Halloween costume pumpkin carv-

ing contest during Oktoberfest

Wednesday in the mall. The con-

test is from 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Oct.

29 in Loftin. Julysa Sosa

By riley StephenS

Two robberies, one with an

assault, occurred this week, but

police are not releasing informa-

tion on the incidents as they are

under investigation.

An Oct. 13 crime alert e-mail

warned of a robbery reported

between McCreless and Gonzales

halls in which a student reported

two unidentified individuals stole

his personal property at 2:30 p.m.

Campus police also received a

report at 11:45 a.m. Oct. 15 about

a student who was physically

assaulted by three males.

On Oct. 15, The Ranger report-

ed a Gateway-to-College student

saw the victim of the robbery

talking to the three assailants

prior to the robbery near Dewey

and Belknap places.

The eyewitness said the victim

was seen playing with a handheld

gaming device and showing off a

“nice phone.”

He moved west on Dewey with

the assailants.

The eyewitness said he heard

people yelling about a fight and

the victim started to run eastward

on Dewey.

When the victim was next

seen, he had blood dripping from

his face, his eye was red and swol-

len, and he was bleeding from

his nose.

Sgt. Ben Peña of the Alamo

Colleges police said Tuesday

there have been no additional

assaults reported.

Because the robbery is still

under investigation, Peña did not

want to reveal the specifics of

the robbery but said the num-

ber of people located near the

area where the robbery occurred

is something that doesn’t happen

often.

“There is no reason why it

happened here and not anywhere

else. They (robberies) just hap-

pen,” he said.

Peña said students shouldn’t

put themselves in situations

where they can be a victim and

should stay in public areas with

people they know.

“We offer tips to students

online and in The Ranger,” Peña

said.

The e-mail alert suggests

using the buddy system when

walking on campus.

To report an incident, call

the police dispatcher at 210-486-

0099.

Two robberies prompt warningAlamo Colleges police offer tips to increase

individual safety.For more information

on crime prevention, visit http://www.alamo.edu/district/dps/saclinks/prevention.htm.


Story and PhotoS by JulySa SoSa

Ballet Folklórico Fiesta Mexicana,

a group of 38 dancers from Monterrey,

Nuevo León, Mexico, per-

formed traditional danc-

es last week to celebrate

Hispanic Heritage Month.

The men whirled

onstage with pairs of

machetes, and the women

twirled while balancing

on their heads bottles and

trays of filled water glasses.

The office of student

life sponsored the troupe, which cost

$15,000, for three performances and a

three-hour Oct. 16 workshop in the gym

of Candler Physical Education Center.

The dancers performed at Northeast

Lakeview College Oct. 14 and at 11 a.m.

Oct. 15 in the mall at this college.

The group also performed at 7:30 p.m.

in the auditorium of McAllister Fine Arts

Center for a crowd of about 300.

The dancer’s colorful costumes and

fancy footwork represented styles of

dance from different regions of Mexico.

One unexpected dance routine, that

originated from Nayarit, Mexico, incorpo-

rated quick movements with machetes, or

large heavy knives.

The dancers cut the air with the

machetes in synchronized

motions in front of their

bodies, between their legs

and daringly threw them

into the air and caught

them in time with the

music.

This style of dance was

used by men to show off

their skill in field work. The

women waved the folds of

the skirts of their vibrantly colored dress-

es, while balancing brown glass bottles

on top of their heads and fanning them-

selves.

Carlos Juarez, one of the male dancers,

said he has been dancing for most of his

life and has made it a family tradition.

“Es halgo que puedo hacer con mi

hijo,” he said in Spanish. “It’s something

that I can do with my son.”

Premiere

Hilda Fuentes

dances while bal-

ancing a liquid-

filled bottle on her

head Oct. 15 dur-

ing a performance

of Fiesta Mexicana

Ballet Folklórico in

the auditorium of

McAllister.

Dancers from Fiesta Mexicana Ballet Folklórico dance to “El Chinito Koy Koy” balancing trays of glasses and bottles on their heads.

Fiesta FinaleMexican folklórico group

travels to San Antonio for wrap of Hispanic Heritage Month.

Oct. 22, 2010 The Ranger

Documents

Transcript of Oct. 22, 2010 The Ranger