Archive for May, 2010
MARIE’S MUNCHIES: Pat’s Drive-In
Review and photo by Marie Rodriguez
Customers at Pat’s Drive-In say it’s a Tucson west-side staple. While the burgers are good, the hot dogs are definitely something for everyone to try.
Located on Grande between St. Mary’s and Speedway, Pat’s Drive In boasts old-school ‘50s style.
The menu here challenges any fast food value meal. The family special at Pat’s is four hot dogs or burgers and a large box of fries for just $8.
The chili in these dogs is like none you would find in any other bun. The simplistic chili tastes like a perfectly proportioned mixture of beans and hot sauce.
One can order hot or mild. Both are tasty and not too spicy. Pat’s combination of spices makes it difficult to not order seconds and thirds.
Fries here aren’t for dieters. They are full of grease and delicious for it. These fries make the perfect companions for Pat’s hot dogs and burgers.
“My brother brings his family here at least once a week,” avid customer Joey Griffin said. “And he lives in Rita Ranch.”
Frequent visits to Pat’s are not a bad idea. With the exception of to-go gallons of chili, prices are near-empty-wallet friendly. It may be an even greater idea to bring along some Tums.
PCC screens student films
By Conrad Pursley
Students in Pima Community College’s beginning and advanced digital video and film classes suffer sleepless nights and occasional bloody onscreen deaths, all for one event: the day they can show off their masterpieces at a screening.
On May 14 and 15, they’ll get that chance. The classes will hold a free screening at 7 p.m. each night inside the West Campus Proscenium Theatre.
In addition to film and video shorts from the beginning and advanced classes, the screening will include the premiere of two movies that were directed, funded and produced by the advanced cinematography classes.
The two movies are “Arizona Chainsaw Massacre,” directed by Suavek Kupiec, and “Apprehension,” written by Shannon Mier and directed by Christopher Montgomery.
“Arizona Chainsaw Massacre” is a takeoff on the famous “Texas Chainsaw Massacre,” with gore-galore for exploitation horror fans. “Apprehension” is more of a psychological thriller that follows a woman concerned about someone stalking her kids.
If you think the movies will look like pixilated junk on a 6-year-old’s YouTube channel, think again. Both movies were made using a Red One high-definition digital camera, the same camera used to make some of the movies you have seen in theaters.
And, don’t blow this off as just some event that won’t achieve any future recognition. Two films from last year’s screening, “Todas Almas” by Jesse Powell and “Estaban’s Ride” by Grant Hunker, were accepted into the recent Arizona International Film Festival.
For further information, contact David Wing, cinematography instructor, at 206-6976 or dwing@pima.edu.
Online Extra: Softball bounces back, advances to Semifinals
Story and photo by James Kelley
The top seeded Pima Community College softball team rebounded in its second game at Regionals with a 7-4 win over Central Arizona College.
Freshman pitcher Adrianna Garcia (19-5) saved the Aztecs’ season as she held the No. 3 seeded Vaqueras to four runs on eight hits. Pima lost the first game to No. 4 seed Arizona Western College 4-3.
Sophomore catcher Melina Trujillo went 2-3, hit a double and scored two runs, while sophomore outfielder Claudia Nunez hit a double, driving in two RBIs.
Pima returns to action Saturday at 11 a.m. to face the loser of the Arizona Western and No. 2 seed Yavapai College game.
The Aztecs would need to win three games on Saturday to go to Nationals.
Melina Trujillo
Online Extra: Softball upset by bottom seed
By James Kelley
Photo by Daniel Gaona
The No. 1 seeded Pima Community College softball team was upset by No. 4 seed Arizona Western College 4-3 in its first game at Regionals.
The ACCAC Player of the Year, sophomore pitcher Jordan Trujillo, (30-5) picked up the loss after giving up four runs on eight hits.
The Aztecs now face Central Arizona College in the first elimination game.
Jordan Trujillo
Immigration firestorm: Legislative bill shines harsh light on state
Opponents protest SB 1070 during a May Day march in downtown Tucson.
Story by Debbie Hadley
Photos by Mike Hawkins
Backlash continues to build since Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer signed the nation’s harshest anti-immigrant law on April 23.
The bill, which is scheduled to take effect in less than 90 days, requires immigrants to have their alien registration documents on hand at all times. It also allows police officers to ask for documents if they suspect the person of being in Arizona illegally.
“We in Arizona have been more than patient waiting for Washington to act,” Brewer said. “But decades of federal inaction and misguided policy have created a dangerous and unacceptable situation.”
Pima Community College nursing student Hancel Lopez doubts the bill will ever take effect.
“It’s going to be taken to the Supreme Court and most likely be overturned,” he said. “I don’t think it’s going to go through because right now everybody’s boycotting us. We’re like the racist state, it’s terrible.”
Immigrants unable to show proof of citizenship can be arrested, jailed up to six months and fined $2,500. The new law also forbids employers from hiring known illegal immigrant laborers or transporting them when knowing their status.
Rachel Woodward, a psychology major said, “Some do come here illegally to work so they can feed their families, and now they’ll be racially profiled and totally harassed.”
A poll taken before the bill was signed into law said 70 percent of likely voters in Arizona approved of the proposed bill.
The SB 1070 bill has drawn national attention from commentators, with some observers saying Arizona has become a laughing stock. A growing movement seeks to boycott the state, with organizations already cancelling conventions scheduled to be held in Arizona.
Opponents of the bill cite racial profiling, saying officers would be more likely to question people who look Hispanic.
“I’m just happy I look white,” nursing major Matt Hollis said. “Are they going to start using paint swatches so they can tell?”
A Tucson police officer filed a federal lawsuit April 29, claiming that the bill violates several constitutional rights. Tucson City Council voted May 4 to sue the state over the bill.
Brewer said she addressed that potential by adding a provision to create training classes for police officers before the law is implemented.
“Racial profiling is illegal,” Brewer said. “We are going to be very diligent, and we’re going to make absolutely sure that the law … will be implemented properly and respectfully.”
Residents opposed to the immigration bill march in Tucson on May 1.
Rep. Raul Grijalva, D-Ariz., vowed to fight the bill. “We’re going to overturn this unjust and racist law,” he told protesters gathered at the state capitol.
President Obama has called the bill a threat to the fairness that Americans cherish and noted the lack of federal help on the immigration issue.
“Our failure to act responsibly at the federal level will only open the door to irresponsibility by others,” he said.
Student Harrison Rawdin, an administration of justice major, noted that some people strongly support the bill.
“They think it’s doing a good thing,” he said. “I just think it’s too questionable.”
Supporters of the immigration bill hold a counter-rally in Tucson.
Students mostly unaware of campus safety programs
Story and photo illustrations by Marie Rodriguez
A young female leaves a Pima Community College campus at night after studying late. The parking lot is nearly empty except for a man lurking behind a car.
This spine-chilling scenario may leave students questioning their ability to protect themselves in a potentially threatening situation.
PCC lists maintaining a safe learning environment for students and faculty as one of its top priorities. However, if students are unaware of safety precautions and procedures, how safe is the campus?
The college has its own police department, officers on campuses from 6 a.m. to midnight, blue emergency phones installed and an escort service available when needed, but crimes still occur.
In 2008, the latest year available, PCC reported 46 disturbances, 12 assaults and six sex offenses. These totals likely don’t reflect the actual number of criminal offenses. According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, fewer than five percent of attempted and completed rapes are reported to police.
Crime rates at community colleges may be a fraction of those that occur at universities that have students living on campus, but PCC has close to the same number of full-time students enrolled as the University of Arizona.
Chief of Police Stella Bay said PCC is continually looking for ways to improve safety awareness and crime prevention.
“The physical well-being of all students and employees is of paramount importance to the college,” she said in an interview.
“We have community service officers, police officers, we do training at the campuses, we have campus watch,” Bay said of protecting the campuses. “And then we have the blue phones.”
Students may spot a passing squad car on campus, but it can sometimes be difficult to quickly locate an available officer. As for other safety programs, many students are unaware of their existence.
Apprehensive students leaving campus late at night can call PCC’s escort service at 206-2700 rather than risk walking to their car alone. A secretary at PCC’s Department of Public Safety said the department doesn’t receive as many calls for escorts as one might think.
Bay said she plans to reintroduce a Rape Aggression Defense training program to students. PCC’s Web site describes the program as “a 12-hour training class with much of the time spent on practicing the practical application of defense tactics.”
Currently, there are no programs such as RAD in place to teach students defense strategies.
PCC students Nahrin Jabro and Benette Valdillez are in favor of safety awareness programs on campus.
“That would be so awesome,” Jabro said of self-defense programs. “I know nothing about anything and I have to ask for everything that I need to know about.”
Valdillez is aware of the disadvantages women face in self-defense. “I don’t mean to be sexist, but we’re just girls,” she said. “If a 160-pound guy comes after me, what am I going to do?”
She carries mace, but isn’t sure what to do if she needs to use it.
Neither student understands how the blue campus security phones are supposed to work.
“What if I’m running from someone?” Valdillez asked. “Do I pick up one phone, then run to the next? How will anyone find me if I have to run away from the phone I’m at?”
Other young women interviewed do not feel comfortable knowing that there are 14 level 2 (intermediate risk) and three level 3 (high risk) sex offenders attending PCC classes.
Most students have seen sex offender notices posted by administrators in accordance with Arizona law. Many female students don’t know how to react to the notices and begin to feel uneasy.
“I always feel weird and scared,” Selin Goktis said of seeing notices of sex offenders posted in campus bathrooms. “It’s a quiet place where anything can happen.”
PCC no longer offers programs on campus safety during freshman orientation. “So many resources are available online now,” Assistant Vice Chancellor for Marketing Rachelle Howell said.
Howell also said PCC does not have any available tips for sexual assault awareness.
Bay said the police site, pima.edu/dps, offers only general tips. “I think it’s just safety awareness tips,” she said. “They’re just general, for everyone.”
Arizona voters approve 1-cent sales tax increase
Update: Arizona voters approved Proposition 100 on May 18 by a two-thirds margin. Starting in June, the state sales tax will increase by 1 cent, from 5.6 cents to 6.6 cents, for three years. The increase is expected to raise about $1 billion a year, and will mostly be used to fund education.
By James Kelley
With state education funding drying up, Pima Community College administrators are hoping for a boost from a 1-cent tax increase.
In a special election on May 18, Arizona voters will decide the fate of Proposition 100, a temporary tax increase that would mostly fund education.
PCC Chancellor Roy Flores said during the April Board of Governors meeting that the state will cut education funding further if Proposition 100 fails.
“We’re looking at a scenario that’s pretty ugly, with no good choices,” Flores said.
In April, the PCC governing board voted to increase tuition 4.5 percent to raise $1.4 million to offset rising enrollment and the decrease in state funding. If the proposition fails, tuition could be raised again.
“It’s going to hurt a lot of people,” said Jennifer Laguna, a social services major, about the threat of tuition rising again.
Prop. 100 would raise the state sales tax from 5.6 cents to 6.6 cents, with two-thirds of the revenue earmarked for education and the rest going to health care and public safety. The increase would be in effect for three years, starting July 1.
“I think it’s good. There should be more funding for education,” said Tahisa Amador, a pre-dental major. “They are trying to decrease funding and I think that is bad.”
The proposition is expected to raise between $800 million and $1 billion per year. A University of Arizona study concluded that Prop. 100 would save 13,000 jobs and preserve more than $442 million in federal matching funds for the state.
During the current economic downturn, Arizona has seen a 35 percent drop in tax revenue and has had to cut $2.2 billion from its budget. If Prop. 100 does not pass, another billion will be cut.
“The impact would be very positive for Pima. The state would be able to allocate more funding to our institution,” Student President Hector Araujo said. “That help would decrease the necessity to have to eliminate programs that are critical to our community.”
Prop. 100 is supported by education groups and many Democrats, though Republican Gov. Jan Brewer and the Tucson Chamber of Commerce have also added their support. Brewer said it is the first time she has supported a tax increase.
Opponents are often members of the Tea Party or Republicans, including U.S. senators John McCain and Jon Kyl, five state senators and state treasurer Dean Martin. Small businesses also say the increase will hurt them.
Programs like PCC’s recently saved Adult Education would be at serious risk if the legislation doesn’t pass. The college is using federal stimulus funds as a temporary measure to preserve the program.
“Proposition 100 is an important one,” PCC Board of Governors member Brenda Even said during the April meeting. “In order to secure and continue to support the things that we worked so hard for, we need to be ready to go support it.”
Prop. 100 detractors contend that people cannot tax themselves out of a recession and say the one-cent sales tax hike equals an 18 percent tax. They also call the sales tax a regressive tax because it hurts the poor more than the rich.
Still, many students feel the tax is a necessity that benefits education.
Students have staffed pro Prop. 100 tents at the University of Arizona mall, hosted an ‘80s-themed party to promote it near Arizona State University’s student union and donned T-shirts at Northern Arizona University that read, “I’m a student and I vote!” during a vote-yes rally march to Flagstaff City Hall.
The April 22 issue of Tucson Weekly had a cover that said “Vote Yes On Prop 100: If you don’t pass this sales tax, we’ll kill this state,” with a photograph of a gun pointed at a statue.
Debbie Hadley contributed to this report.
FYI
May 7: Last day to request an early ballot
May 14: Last day to vote an early ballot in person
May 18: Special statewide election
Web sites:
Aztec Press wins prestigious national awards
The Spring 2010 Aztec Press staff gathers for a group photo. The student newspaper will resume publication in the fall, on Sept. 2.
Aztec Press won a pair of prestigious first-place regional awards from the Society of Professional Journalists, then was named a national finalist in both categories.
At the SPJ regional conference in San Francisco on May 1, the Aztec Press won a first-place Mark of Excellence award for all-around best newspaper for two-year colleges.
Senior reporter Liza Porter captured an individual first-place Mark of Excellence award in feature writing for her series on non-traditional students, “Going Back, Looking Forward.”
First-place winners advance to the national level. In competition against 11 other regions, the Aztec Press entries reached the top three and were named national finalists.
Aztec Press Editor in Chief Daniel Gaona accepts a first-place regional award from Kevin Smith, SPJ national president, in San Francisco.
Related story: Opinion page farewell column by Editor in Chief Daniel Gaona:
http://aztecpressonline.com/wp-admin/post.php?action=edit&post=3036
Goodall plants hope in Tucson
By David Mendez
Some were encouraged. Some called it inspiring. One likened it to “meeting Ghandi.”
More than anything else, the consensus of Jane Goodall’s lecture at Northwest Campus on April 28 was that there is reason to have hope for the world.
Hope was the chief theme of Goodall’s lecture, beginning with the weather.
The lecture, after all, was scheduled to be held outdoors. More than a few second-guesses were heard throughout the crowd, wondering why the college would choose to hold an event outdoors in mid-afternoon in late April.
Goodall alluded to the setting, mention her earlier prayers for clouds.
“As you can see, there are a few scattered out there, so I did what I could for you all,” she joked.
Goodall’s lecture also touched on themes of encouragement, and the effect it can have on the lives of young people. She also alluded to it when talking about her fledgling career, and later when discussing the Jane Goodall Foundation’s Roots and Shoots program.
Roots and Shoots, according to Goodall, is an organization that encourages youth, as well as people of all ages, to find ways to help animals, the environment and the human community.
The organization presses the idea that, like a seed whose shoots can break through brick walls, a young, properly nurtured movement can break through the problems of the world.
World problems that Goodall listed included deforestation, overpopulation and unsustainable living.
“If we’re the most technologically intellectual species, how are we destroying the only planet we’ve got?” Goodall asked. “We have compromised the future of our young people.”
At the close of her lecture, Goodall revealed her reason for hope: the indomitable human spirit.
“There are thousands, millions of social problems,” she said. “But I haven’t heard of a problem without a group of passionate, dedicated people, fighting for justice.”
Goodall then asked the audience questions.
“Can we save the planet? Is it too late? Will we do something to help this planet survive into the future?”
Their answers alone were reason enough to have hope for the future.
Photo by Ciro Mennella
Building bridges, breaking barriers: Henry Oyama oversees historical milestones
Story and photo by Steve Choice
Most people never make history once in their lives. Then there’s Henry “Hank” Oyama, who oversaw two watershed events and much more during his remarkable life.
Thanks in large part to Oyama, people of different races may now legally marry in Arizona. He also had a major hand in establishing bilingual education programs in the United States, both in the public school system and at the college level.
Far from resting on his laurels, the wise and gregarious elder statesman continues his lifelong commitment to the betterment of the Hispanic community.
Oyama is president-elect and a co-founder of Amigos de Pima Community College, an organization of community leaders and educators that awards scholarships to Spanish-speaking students through the PCC Foundation.
The group will hold its annual luncheon on Thursday, May 27, at 11:30 a.m. in the cafeteria at Desert Vista Campus to honor this year’s 14 scholarship recipients and their families.
Oyama, born in Tucson in 1926, is of Japanese descent. He grew up in a Mexican-American barrio on the south side of town, speaking only his mother’s native Spanish until he attended grade school.
Though she was born in Hawaii, Oyama’s mother grew up in Mexico, and the future scholar’s self-identification as part of the Latino community was born.
Even as a young boy, Oyama displayed personal drive. He manned a street corner during the Depression, hawking newspapers to passersby to help his family make ends meet. When he was 10, his mother bought him a bike and Oyama secured a full-fledged paper route.
“Oh, yes,” Oyama said with a laugh. “That bicycle was really a big thing for me. I was able to help my family even more with the route.”
Oyama’s surroundings changed drastically in 1942, as he and his family were sent to a Japanese-American internment camp at Poston, Ariz., for 16 months.
Far from being embittered at his country’s treatment, Oyama responded by joining the U.S. Army in 1945, as World War II entered its final stages.
The 19-year-old private’s linguistic skills were put to effective use as a counter-intelligence agent in Panama.
“We were keeping our eyes on Germans trying to sabotage the Panama Canal, but mainly we were tracking communists there,” Oyama said of his time in Central America. “That was at the dawn of the Cold War.”
Following WWII’s conclusion, Oyama attended the University of Arizona as an Air Force Reserve Officers’ Training Corps cadet.
He earned his Master of Arts in education in 1953. From there, he began his career as an educator at Pueblo High School, where he taught Spanish and history.
In 1959, Oyama did something no one had ever done before in Arizona: he attempted to marry outside his race. He and Mary Ann Jordan, a white woman, became the Arizona American Civil Liberties Union’s first clients.
Their legal challenge to a state statute banning interracial marriage eventually reached the Arizona Supreme Court. The state’s highest court declared the law unconstitutional, and Oyama and his young bride blazed a trail that many would follow.
“We had very well-prepared attorneys working for us,” Oyama said. “They all went on to great things in their lives.”
But Oyama wasn’t done helping shape society, as the ‘60s brought strident calls for civil rights.
In 1966, Oyama teamed with local colleagues Adalberto “Beto” Guerrero, María Urquides, Rosita Cota, Martina García de Durán-Cerda and Paul Streiff to publish a landmark study, “The Invisible Minority.”
The groundbreaking work, commissioned by the National Education Association, called for country-wide bilingual education programs. It also shed light on the psychological and educational realities of Spanish-speaking schoolchildren in the Southwest.
“We said ‘invisible’ because most people in the country thought of Latinos as almost a regional group,” Oyama said. “Unlike today, many Americans thought of Hispanics as part of a far-off group of people that had nothing to do with them.”
The study’s research focused on young Hispanics’ educational experiences in five southwestern states, and quickly caught the attention of Texas Sen. Ralph Yarborough. Yarborough spearheaded a congressional effort to enact federal legislation establishing and funding bilingual education programs.
Yarborough’s work came to fruition in 1968, when President Lyndon Johnson signed the Bilingual Education Act into law.
Oyama became director of the fledgling bilingual and international studies program at PCC in 1970. He rose through the PCC ranks as an administrator, attaining the position of associate vice president before retiring in 1992.
Even in retirement, Oyama furthers his vision of greater self-awareness in the Latino community.
He has received numerous awards honoring his contributions, including Pima County Man of the Year in 1993. A new Tucson elementary school was named for him in 2003.
PCC Chancellor Roy Flores called Oyama a “guiding force” who has helped more than 150 students receive scholarships through the Hispanic Student Endowment Fund.
“Amigos de Pima has raised more than $315,000 for the Hispanic Student Endowment Fund, ensuring that the College will be giving scholarships for many years to come,” Flores said.
Oyama’s life experiences have been as varied as they’ve been historical, but the educator’s goal isn’t to bring attention to himself.
“Well…things happen,” Oyama said of the events he’s been a part of. “I’ve just always wanted to do my part to build bridges in whatever I’ve done.”
Henry Oyama shares memories from a scrapbook at his Tucson home.
Online Extra: Pieroway returns, Soto resigns as baseball coach
By James Kelley
Pima Community College men’s basketball head coach Karl Pieroway will return to the school after resigning. Pending approval from the governing board, both Pieroway and women’s basketball head coach Todd Holthaus will now be full-time coaches.
In other developments, Edgar Soto stepped down as athletic director in a dramatic restructuring of the athletic department.
Pieroway resigned on April 20, citing the difficulties of trying to coach a college team while also working as a middle school teacher. PCC announced on May 4 that he had agreed to return.
“This is a great opportunity for me. I appreciate the chance to continue to work with the players in making our team one of the up-and-coming programs in the nation,” Pieroway said in a press release.
In Pieroway’s two seasons at the helm, he led the men’s team from after-thought to almost a national championship. The team finished seventh at the National Junior College Athletic Association national tournament, losing only to the eventual national champions. The year before Pieroway started, Pima men were 7-23.
“It will impact the student athletes by providing continuity, with coach Pieroway staying on as the coach, which will just help him and the student athletes on the team take what they are doing and what they have done to the next level,” said Rachelle Howell, Assistant Vice Chancellor for Marketing.
Soto, the executive director of athletics, will step down as baseball head coach to focus on managing the athletic department. The position of assistant athletic director, held by Jerry Stitt, will be eliminated.
The press release said the reorganization “will allow the college to more efficiently utilize resources, better serve its student-athletes and build on the successes of its programs.” Pima’s only previous full-time coach was football head coach Pat Nugent, who was hired in January 2009.
Soto stepped down from the baseball coaching job “so that he can devote his full energies to managing the athletics department,” the release said. Pima will immediately start a search for a new baseball coach.
“Several of Pima’s teams have made it onto the national stage recently, and I want to do everything I can to help us grow our programs and capitalize on those successes,” Soto said in a press release.
The baseball team finished 21-33-1 and missed the playoffs for the third year in a row. Soto went 359-286-2 at Pima and produced five Major Leaguers, including pitcher D.J. Carrasco, currently on the Pittsburgh Pirates and pitcher Tim Wood, currently a Florida Marlin. Soto also was head coach of the U.S. National baseball team.
Stitt was hired in September 2008. His salary is $40,040, according to Volume 58 Issue 2 of the Aztec. Stitt took over the University of Arizona baseball team from 1997-2001 after being a long time assistant coach. He also coached at Salpointe Catholic High School and Grand Canyon High School, and was the hitting instructor for the Arizona Diamondbacks’ Rookie team.
Holthaus turned the women’s basketball program from a laughingstock to a national power. This year the Aztecs finished fifth at the NJCAA national tournament and last year they finished third. The year before Holthaus was hired, Pima was 5-22.
The PCC’s Board of Governors still must approve the full-time hiring of Pieroway and Holthaus. Their next meeting is May 12.
Check AztecPressOnline.com this summer for coaching updates.
Tragedies can’t keep student down for long
By Kalee Vaughn
Change: to transform or convert. Throughout Travis Mohney’s life, change has been a recurring theme.
Mohney, 22, began his life on Aug. 1, 1987 in San Diego, Calif. He was the first child for his parents.
“My parents may have been married and I may have been a planned child, but that doesn’t mean things were easy,” he said.
Both of Mohney’s parents were substance abusers. They were able to hide it from him during the early years of his life, but he eventually caught on.
His father decided to change his ways, which included filing for divorce and moving out of California.
In 2003, when Mohney was 15, he decided to go live with his father in Mississippi. His father had completely turned his life around and Mohney found that he had a new stepmom and two younger half-brothers.
The change Mohney saw in his father inspired him to invest more in his religious beliefs. He began attending church regularly and even started playing guitar for the church’s Christian band.
However, life didn’t stay good. On April 7, 2004, Mohney’s father was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer.
“Devastated doesn’t begin to describe how I felt,” he said. “It was completely unexpected. The best memories I have are of my dad just being a dad.”
Five months later, on Sept. 7, Mohney’s father died.
The next year, Mohney experienced another unexpected blow: Hurricane Katrina. He, along with his stepmom and half-brothers, had to stay in the Biloxi Veteran’s Affairs Hospital for five days. He slept in an exam room until his uncle, Ken Jones, flew out from Arizona to get him.
Jones landed in Birmingham, Ala., and drove a rental car to pick up Mohney. On the way to Arizona, Mohney drove along the coast while his uncle, who is a professional photographer, took pictures of the damage.
Before the Coast Guard advised them to take a different route, they stopped at the cemetery where Mohney’s father is buried.
“There were boats stuck in the cemetery from when the water levels went down,” he said. “That was the last time I saw my dad’s grave.”
Arriving in Arizona promised a fresh start for Mohney. He enrolled in Pima Community College and had his tuition waived because he was a Hurricane Katrina survivor. Things seemed to be looking up once again.
After three semesters at PCC, however, Mohney dropped out. He became friends with people who introduced him to a new way of thinking.
The devastation of his father’s death and of the hurricane had shaken him loose from his Christian beliefs, so he welcomed this new lifestyle. Unfortunately, it involved drug use.
Mohney spent several months holed up in his apartment, experimenting with drugs that his new friends provided.
It finally got so out of control that he thought he might have severely damaged his brain. That night, he knew that he was done with drugs forever and quit cold turkey.
He is now attending PCC again, studying photography. He plans on transferring to Northern Arizona University and hopes to start his own photography business.
“I saw my dad turn his life around,” he said, “and I knew I could do the same.”
Travis Mohney
Photo by Abigail Oberg
Looking to rent? Do research first
By Austin Driscoll
Students moving into an apartment or off-campus property for the first time need to be aware of a few things before diving in.
The first step is figuring out a budget. Take into account all the income you generate, either from your job or financial aid, and figure out how much can be spent on rent and bills.
The next thing to look at is whether to choose an apartment or a house. There are advantages and disadvantages to living in either.
Audrey Minot, a student at the University of Arizona, has been renting a house off-campus for the past two years. She says there is an up side and down side to living in a house rather than an apartment.
“Living in a house offers more space and has nice up sides to it like freedom and a backyard to enjoy but it’s also a little harder to maintain because of the size and the Home Owner’s Association can be a pain,” Minot said.
Location is a big factor that will alter the price of the apartment or rental property you eventually end up choosing. Houses in nicer or more convenient areas are going to be more expensive, so you have to decide what is right for you, then decide if you can afford it.
Another thing to keep in mind is the lease agreement. Most landlords ask that you sign a one-year lease. Sub-leasing to another person is an option if you cannot live there the full year.
Breaking your lease can damage your credit rating and cause financial damage, so really must be avoided.
When you start your search, be sure to carefully read any ads or Web sites you come across. Some apartments may seem expensive but may include utilities in the rental price. Air conditioning makes your electricity bill skyrocket, so it can be nice to have utilities included.
Some apartments advertise that they come furnished. Experienced renters say this raises the price of the apartment and the furniture is never of very good quality. If you have friends or family members who are throwing out old furniture, you will save yourself a lot of money by getting their furniture for your apartment.
Always do your homework on an apartment complex before deciding to move in. Many times you can find reviews online or ask the landlord directly about the types of complaints received from past and current tenants.
If you can’t afford the apartment on your own and need a roommate, be sure to choose someone that you know you can get along with. If you’re on a one-year lease and don’t get along with your roommates, they can make your life a living hell for an entire year of your life.
“They kind of suck,” Minot said of roommates. “There are two different kinds, the ones that will actually help out and provide to the house and the ones that don’t do anything and leave their messes everywhere.”
Photo by Gabi Pina
Preschool helps children succeed, supervisor says
Story and photo by Samantha Munsey
In a room full of small chairs and storybooks, Torina Garcia resembles Mary Poppins.
Garcia has been supervisor of the Early Childhood Development Center at Pima Community College’s West Campus for almost nine years and has seen children and families grow before her eyes.
Originally from New Mexico, Garcia graduated with a degree in early childhood development from PCC and began teaching preschool at different childhood centers throughout Tucson.
“I’ve worked with the babies, toddlers and infants,” Garcia said. “But when I moved up to preschool, I really liked the kids. They were just my age group.”
Now, a typical day for Garcia is making sure everything at the Center runs smoothly.
From regulating meals given to children to supervising professional development for the staff, Garcia is the person behind the scenes who ensures that both children and parents are being provided for properly. She even fills in as a teacher from time to time if she is short-staffed.
“When a teacher is sick and we are unable to find a sub, I usually step in to teach for the day,” Garcia said.
The Center can care for up to 25 children ages 3-5, with mornings being the busiest part of the day. Garcia rewards children who make it through the entire two-year program with a little celebration in their honor.
“It’s always really hard for me towards the end of May when we have to see some of the kids go,” Garcia said. “We have a graduation, and give them a cap and gown and little diplomas.”
She believes the ECD program provides building blocks for a good education and socialization because children are familiar with the atmosphere when they start school.
“When these kids go into kindergarten, they have no problem behaving in a classroom and getting along with children,” Garcia said.
She sent her own children to preschool as a result of this belief. They are now teenagers, but she still sees the benefit of them attending.
“Sometimes I run into my kids’ friends who were in my preschool and, for the most part, all of them are doing really well,” Garcia said. “I like to think I had a part in that.”
Garcia and her staff recently obtained state certification and accreditation for the ECD center. The certification will allow the Center to receive grants and funding.
“It was awesome,” Garcia said. “We scored over 100 percent. I’m really proud of my staff.”
When Garcia looks back on all of her years as a supervisor and educator, she is happy to discover she still values the well-being and growth of children most of all.
“I love children,” Garcia said. “Above everything, they are the ones who know how to keep a person grounded.”
Torina Garcia spends time with a preschooler.
Black Cherry Burlesque troupe calls Tucson home
Story and photo by Matthew Henry
Tucson is home to one of the country’s best and most active burlesque troupes.
Black Cherry Burlesque was founded in 2006 by Inga Kaboom and Stephka Von Snatch. Ever since, the group has been raising customers’ pulses with pin-up style glamour and one-of-a-kind original numbers.
The troupe performs locally at the Surly Wench Pub, 424 N. Fourth Ave., and throughout the country.
In celebration of Cinco de Mayo, Black Cherry will perform at the Surly Wench on Friday, May 7, with special guest La Cholita, “the queen of Latina burlesque.” The Muertones will provide live music.
The show starts at 10 p.m., with burlesque at midnight. Admission costs $10.
For additional information, visit www.tucsonburlesque.com.
Inga Kaboom performs during a Black Cherry Burlesque show.
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