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September 26, 2012 Volume 77 Issue 2.5

ALLEYST R

the independent student newspaper

los angeles valley college’s

ALLEYST R

lavalleystar.com

MONARCHSAT A LOSS

The Valley College football team lost its fourth game Saturday. »6

CARMAGEDDON II IS APPROACHING THIS WEEKENDThe 405 will be closed Sept. 29 to Sept. 30 between the 10 to the 101.

MAGGIE HASBUN | VALLEY STAR

DETOURS GALORE - Construction crews work on the Skirball Center offramp on Sept. 24 as part of the I-405 Sepulveda Pass Improvements Project. The second half of the Mulholland Bridge segment will commence Saturday, Sept. 29 through Sunday, Sept. 30. Construction crews will work over the span of 53 hours to demolish the north side of the Mulholland Bridge.

JENNA BUMGARDNERSTAFF WRITER

Valley motorists are being encouraged to stay local this weekend during the

closure of the busiest freeway in the world, the I-405, between Sept. 29 and Sept. 30.

The 10-mile 405 closure—dubbed “Carmageddon II”—will span 53 consecutive hours while contractors demolish the remain-ing portion of the Mulholland Bridge. The I-405 will be shut down in both directions between the 101 and the 10 freeways start-ing at midnight Saturday.

The Los Angeles Metro advis-es that drivers avoid this area and make local plans for that week-end. If Los Angeles denizens heed this advice, then Carmageddon II should be smooth sailing.

“Last year, we proved that Angelenos far and wide could rise to the occasion and cooperate with authorities to turn Carmageddon into ‘Carmaheaven,’” said Los Angeles Mayor Antonio

Villaraigosa. “We are again calling on the public to do its civic duty … Let’s all help get this critical job done safely and without incident.”

Although last year’s freeway closure ended 17 hours early and without incident, this year may not be the same. It’s unlikely that the construction will end early because there is more work to be done this time around. It’s also possible that drivers will negate the mayor’s warning.

“Do not become complacent,” warned Villaraigosa, “Rather, let’s join together to enjoy another car-light or car-free weekend with family and friends. Let’s all help get this critical job done safely and without incident.”

Motorists are being told to avoid Sepulveda Boulevard as well because it’s unlikely that it can accommodate the diverted traffic.

Art major Patricia Bardales has to be in Long Beach that week-end, but she always plans her route to avoid the 405 Freeway.

“I do have a tea party to go to, but I usually take the 101 to the 5 to the 710,” she said.

Drivers can study alternate routes to circumvent the I-405 dur-ing the freeway closure. Detour

|See CARMAGEDDON, Page 2|

news2 September 26, 2012 VALLEY ST R

EDITOR IN CHIEFCourtney Bassler

COPY EDITORAriel Waitkuweit

OPINION EDITORKevin Jersey

SPORTS EDITORRomeo Gonzalez

PHOTO EDITORRichard Razavi

CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHERDiana Ortega

STAFF WRITERSJenna Bumgardner

Julio FloresAshley Goossen

Sanyo HazelAl MascareñasDeziree Miller

Jhanelle RiveraRichard Rossi

STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERSLoraina Ameden

Ray BlumhorstMorris De La RocaMaggie HasbunFatima Jimenez

Antwone MercerErika Suplecova

ADVERTISING MANAGERChip Rudolph

DISTRIBUTION MANAGERMichael Mykerchan

ADVISERSBill DauberRod Lyons

The Valley STar Info & STaffTHE VALLEY STAR is pub-lished by students of the

journalism and photogra-phy classes as a learning

experience, offered under the college journalism instructional program.

Under appropriate state and federal court deci-

sions, these materi-als are free from prior

restraint by virtue of the First Amendment to the

United States Constitution. Materials published herein,

including any opinions expressed and adver-

tisements, should not be interpreted as the posi-tion of the Los Angeles

Community College District, the college, or any office or employee

thereof.

Editorials are the opinion of the editorial board only

and do not necessar-ily represent those of the entire staff. Columns are the opinion of the writer.

Letters are the opinions of the reader.

Editorial and Advertising Officesare at

5800 Fulton AvenueValley Glen, CA 91401

(818) 947-2576.

FOLLOW THE VALLEY STAR ON FACEBOOK FOR UP-TO- DATE NEWS.WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/LAVCVALLEYSTAR

NATIONAL DREAM UNIVERSITY NO LONGER REALITY FOR DREAMERSUCLA leaders called off plans for National Dream University just weeks before the application deadline.

DEZIREE MILLERSTAFF WRITER

DREAM Act students could have had a nearly exclusive opportunity to

study labor rights at an online university, but as of Sept. 13, the program is still only a dream.

The UCLA Center for Labor Research and Education and the National Labor College’s plans for the undocumented students reportedly came to a halt this past month. The National Dream University was accepting applica-tions as of July 31, according to the Huffington Post, with a dead-line set for Oct. 5.

UCLA Center for Labor Research and Education Project Coordinator Carlos Amador said on Sept. 18 that the program was still “… under review by [UCLA].”

The university issued a state-ment to the LA Weekly in which

it claimed the decision for the program had not been approved by UCLA’s leadership and was considered void. UCLA wrote that it had also ordered to suspend all the program’s work and pointed out that the program was never planning to award UCLA aca-demic credit.

“The DREAM Act hasn’t really, fully passed because Republicans won’t let it,” said Chris Zepeda, a political science instructor at Loyola Marymount University. “What [President Barack] Obama did was create this policy where for the next two years, students and kids who would have fallen under the pro-tection of the DREAM Act will have a sort of work-study permit where they won’t be deported and will have a semi-legal status.”

Tuition price for the univer-sity would have been $2,500 for the year-long program, compared to $12,686 for a year at UCLA. Only 35 DREAM Act students were going to be accepted in the first year, with admission deci-sions set for release as soon as this November, according to UCLA’s newspaper the Daily Bruin.

“The National Dream

University would have been pos-itive for students who are not allowed to attend local colleges due to their legal status because they could have taken courses online and get an education,” Zepeda said.

The DREAM Act hasn’t really, fully

passed because Republicans won’t let it ...

-Chris Zepeda, political science instructor at Loyola Marymount University

“ “

While citizens were also eligible to apply, the program wanted to accommodate undoc-umented students eligible for in-state tuition prices or finan-cial aid under the DREAM Act. Undocumented youth may be eli-gible for legal status after serving in the military or completing two years of college after the pas-sage of the DREAM Act, which was approved in October 2011 in California.

A curriculum for the pro-posed program was set to focus on

labor rights and possibly inspire students to become part of social justice movements. Classes were going to be held online, and stu-dents would have been awarded certificates upon completion, which may have been recognized as transferrable credit to some colleges.

“I’m sure it would have helped the economy because students will have to pay tuition,” said unde-cided major Laura Garcia. “They need books. They will eventually buy cars and things that will con-tribute to the economy. Plus, they live here—it’s really their home.”

The DREAM Act will take effect January 2013—the same month the National Dream University program was set to start—and it will enable undocu-mented students to be eligible for grants and fee waivers to pay for their education. To fill out an application or for more infor-mation, visit www.csac.ca.gov/dream_act.asp.

CARM AGEDDONContinued from page 1

route information is available on the metro website: www.metro.net/projects/I-405/segment-detours/.

However, those who plan to

stay home that weekend may be happy to know that local restau-rants and retailers are offering discounts as an incentive to keep people nearby.

Discounts in the Van Nuys area include an hour of free tutor-

ing from the “Tutor Doctor” and free admission to the Japanese Gardens with participation in a bike ride organized by Cyclists Inciting Change thru LIVE Exchange, also known as CICLE.

The Westfield Fashion Square

Mall will be offering free valet parking as well as giveaways and discounts. A complete list of the discounts throughout the area can be found at www.metro.net/inter-actives/event_map.

opinion3 September 26, 2012 VALLEY ST R

MATH DOESN’T ADD UP FOR THE NEW 100-UNIT LIMITThe newly approved change of priority registration takes three steps backward.

COURTNEY BASSLEREDITOR IN CHIEF

It is tough to be a California com-munity college student and even harder to be a Los Angeles community col-lege student. With classes being cut, the newly implemented Los Angeles Community College District three-strike rule and a recently approved change in registration, students are now

looking at a cutthroat environment. On Sept. 11, the California

Community Colleges Board of Governors approved a system-wide reg-istration policy that will apply to stu-dents “in good academic standing who have not exceeded 100 units,” accord-ing to a Los Angeles Times article.

One-hundred units can seem like a stretch. But, if a student takes 12 units per semester for four years, it will add up to 96 units, which is almost the maximum amount of units before no longer having priority registration.

This would be an unheard of amount if students were able to

finish their required courses in two years. But, the likelihood of finish-ing in two years seems unachiev-able with so many classes being cut.

“In the past, community colleges have been able to serve everyone, and students could accrue a large num-ber of units or do poorly in all their courses and still receive priority reg-istration,” said California Community Colleges Chancellor Jack Scott. “Now that colleges have had to cut back on the courses they can offer, those students were taking up seats in the classrooms and crowding out newer students focused on job train-

ing, degree attainment or transfer.” The California Community

Colleges System should only accept what it can handle. It is not ideal to turn students away, but schools should not take in more students than they have seats for. It does not make sense.

Budget cuts are a pain, and students are feeling the blow more than anyone else. Those who are at these schools should finish in four years, but some take longer. Let them be able to transfer—if one is for-tunate enough to be accepted with many schools having limited enroll-ment— before a school fills a seat

with a fresh high school graduate. College students who desire to

finish in this allotted time of two years must have determination. They are more likely not to attend just one community college, but rather two or three schools. Those who are able to get all their required class-es at one school are the lucky ones.

Adding to the stress, students within the LACCD have to be mindful of the three-strike rule, which states that students who fail or withdraw from a course three times can no longer take that class in the district—anywhere in the district. This means a Valley

College student who fails a Math 125 course three times can no longer take that class at any of the other eight com-munity colleges within the LACCD, sending students to campuses outside the district, such as Santa Monica, Moorpark and Glendale colleges.

The new action will take effect in fall 2014. Good luck, students. Don’t exceed 100 units, don’t fail or withdraw more than three times, and, if these hurdles are jumped, an A+ is earmed for finishing the great obstacle course of the California Community Colleges System.

UC STUDENTS NOW LOST AT SEAState universities are look-ing to the higher tuition of out-of-state students to help offset budget cuts.

KEVIN JERSEYOPINION EDITOR

As if higher tuition, fewer classes and admission freezes were not enough,

California students attempting to enroll at one of the state’s uni-versities are now facing another obstacle: out-of-state students.

Budget cuts to the state’s univer-sity systems have left them scram-bling to cut expenses and raise rev-enue. Sadly, both these strategies are hurting the very people the schools are supposed to help. By increasing their focus on admitting out-of-state appli-cants, who pay higher tuition fees than state residents, they are turning

away local students who continue to struggle to complete their education.

The financial reasons behind this decision are obvious. California has slashed funding to its univer-sities and community colleges by $2.5 billion since 2009. Despite fee increases at each state college system that has seen tuition nearly double in the past five years, schools still don’t have the money to offset the cuts.

The Los Angeles Times report-ed that the University of California system is seeking to increase non-resident enrollment from its current level of 6 percent of students to 10 percent, hoping that the $23,000 in additional annual fees for each of these students can help them avoid further cuts to programs. This led to accepting an 18.1 percent of out-of-state applicants last year, up from just 11.6 percent three years ago.

Clearly, many of those accepted chose not to attend UC schools. But each one who is, whether they

attend or not, means one fewer California student is accepted.

Reaction to this initiative has been mixed. State Senator Michael Rubio, D-Shafter, has introduced legislation that would cap enroll-ment at 10 percent for out-of-state students at UC schools. Though many campuses fall below that mark, the prestigious campuses of UCLA and UC Berkeley are well above the proposed cap, at 14 and 18 percent, respectively. Rubio’s intention is to give California resi-dents a “fair shot” at attending these schools without the risk of being turned away in favor of non-local students paying higher fees.

But, even California students themselves are hesitant to support this proposal. UC Berkeley’s stu-dent paper, The Daily Californian, published an editorial advocating the increase in out-of-state admis-sion, saying their tuition is nec-essary to supplement the state’s

“feeble funding contribution.”This hesitancy points to the larg-

er problem, that the state is not doing the job it set out to do. The California Master Plan for Education—estab-lished in 1960—states that higher education should be available to all state residents, no matter their financial means. By repeatedly cut-ting funding, the state has made this mission impossible and forced colleges into their current position, where they must turn to students from outside of the state to help pay for the education of Californians.

At one time, education was a priority of the state. That is clearly no longer the case. Schools are doing the best they can to stay afloat in the face of a tidal wave of cuts, but it is California stu-dents who will be swept away.

FATIMA JIMENEZ | VALLEY STAR

FULL HOUSE - So many students attended the first day of Associate Professor Roderick Lyons’ photography 10 class Tuesday in Bungalow 25 that some had to sit on the floor, a common problem in many classes at the beginning of the semester.

valley life4 September 26, 2012 VALLEY ST R

SeptemberWednesday, 261 to 2 p.m.Vulgar Mas ConcertThe music department presents a free concert series. Music Instrumental RoomFree AdmissionMusic Department:818-778-5633

Thursday, 271 to 3 p.m.ASU Inter-Club Council MeetingCampus clubs meet with ASU representativies. Campus Center 104Free Admission818-778-5513

Saturday, 298 to 10 p.m.American Guitar Society Concert Featuring Roland DyensThe music department wel-comes the American Guitar Society. Mainstage Theater$20 general, $10 students818-778-5633

OctoberTuesday, 24 to 5 p.m.ASU Executive Council MeetingThe Associated Student Union meets to discuss issues facing students.Campus Center 104818-778-5516

Wednesday, 31 to 3 p.m.Saxophone Quartet ConcertThe music department presents a free concert. Free AdmissionMusic Recital Hall818-778-5633

LAVCEvents

“attempting to desensitize America and our children” by “using pub-lic airwaves to continue to subject families to the decay of morals and values, and the sanctity of marriage in attempting to redefine marriage.”

The show stars Andrew Rannals of “Girls” and Justin Bartha of “The Hangover” films as a happy, successful couple who meet a Midwestern waitress, played by Georgia King, and ask her to become their surrogate.

It airs Tuesdays at 9:30 p.m. on NBC against fellow comedies “The Mindy Kaling Project” on Fox

NETWORK TELEVISION ROLLS OUT FALL SHOWS

With cable powerhouses like “Mad Men” and “Breaking Bad” currently dominating television, it may be hard for broadcast net-work television to compete. The networks have unveiled their ambi-tious fall lineups, which include 21 new series, that they hope will win over both audiences and critiques. Among the new season’s offerings are five promising freshman shows that span from comedy to crime and horror to sci-fi.

Fans mourning the announced cancelation of “The Office” may enjoy co-star and co-writer Mindy Kaling’s new series that will air its first season as “The Office” airs its final one. “The Mindy Project” stars Kaling as an OB/GYN with an unlucky love life. The actress and writer is the creator of this new com-edy, which premiered Tuesday, Sept. 25 at 9:30 p.m. on Fox. Grownup “Glee” fans should try out “The New Normal,” which has gotten off to an abnormal start. The new comedy, which is loosely based on “Glee” co-creator Ryan Murphy’s life, has already been boycotted by NBC-affiliate KSL-TV in Salt Lake City and protested by One Million Moms, a watchdog group targeting what it perceives as “anti-Chris-tian” and “anti-family values” con-tent in the media, accusing NBC of

JENNA BUMGARDNERSTAFF WRITER

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY MAGGIE HASBUN | VALLEY STAR

CHANNEL SURFING - With nearly two dozen new shows to offer viewers, broadcast networks make a play for the fall television audience. Among the 21 shows premiering between September and November, a handful look promising.

and ABC’s sophomore series “Don’t Trust the B---- in Apartment 23.”

Network TV’s answer to the FX network’s “American Horror Story” is “666 Park Avenue,” a new horror/drama based on the novel of the same name by Gabriella Pierce. It stars Dave Annable of “Brothers & Sisters” and Rachael Taylor of last year’s failed “Charlie’s Angels” reboot as a couple who moves into an Upper East Side apartment com-plex owned by Terry O’Quinn from “Lost” only to learn that its tenants have made a pact with the devil, proving it is not a good idea to move

into a building with the address 666.The show will premiere Sunday,

Sept. 30 at 10 p.m. on ABC against CBS’ “The Mentalist,” which is entering its fifth season.

“Elementary” is a new take on “Sherlock Holmes,” starring Jonny Lee Miller of “Eli Stone” as the storied detective and Lucy Liu of “Kill Bill” as Watson, a former surgeon. Some hardcore fans of BBC’s “Sherlock” may not think there’s room for two Holmes in the television universe, but cre-ator Rob Doherty insists everyone should give it a try. Still, it will

The slew of new broadcast shows may have a hard time competing with cable series like “Breaking Bad.”

be hard for Miller to top Benedict Cumberbatch’s performance.

“Elementary” premiered Thursday, Sept. 27 at 10 p.m. on CBS against the second season of ABC’s legal drama “Scandal” and NBC’s news program “Rock Center With Brian Williams.”

Breaking Bad’s Gus Fring has been reincarnated as another mild-mannered villain in J.J. Abram’s “Revolution.” Not unlike AMC’s “The Walking Dead,” the premise takes place in a post-apocalyptic future. However, instead of zom-bies walking the streets, this show focuses on how society would cope without electricity. Anarchy has ensued, and only the Matheson fam-ily has the key to finding out what happened to the electricity.

This show premiered Monday, Sept. 17 at 10 p.m. on NBC against veteran cop shows “Castle” on ABC and “Hawaii Five-0” on CBS.

In the battle of quantity ver-sus quality, the big five networks—CBS, NBC, CW, ABC and Fox—and the leading basic cable net-works—including TNT, USA, AMC and FX—each win one aspect of the battle.

Despite the big five networks’ leading series pulling in double, triple or even quadruple the view-ers of top basic cable series, it is the latter that routinely win over crit-ics. Whether this season’s broadcast network lineup can release cable’s stranglehold on critics is yet to be seen.

What is certain, though, is that these shows are bound to be great fodder for procrastination from homework during the fall semester.

fried catfish with papaya salad for $8.99.

However, for students on a budget—or anyone who just loves a good deal—the $4.99 lunch spe-cial can’t be beat. Served daily from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., it also comes with a salad. The peanut sauce dressing is preferable to the restaurant’s standard mayon-naise-based dressing.

Unlike most limited lunch special menus, here customers can choose from two curry dishes, four noodle dishes or 11 veg-etable stir-fry dishes with a choice

of chicken, beef, pork or tofu; shrimp or squid cost $1 more. Sometimes, the chicken—breast meat only—can be a bit dry. If someone can only order one thing, the savory garlic pepper shrimp, served with broccoli and rice, is not to be missed.

In addition to the many tasty delights this cozy restaurant offers, it also caters and provides free delivery within three miles on orders $15 or more.

“We have a vegan catering order coming up tomorrow,” said Sophia. “Many of our customers

are vegetarian and vegan.” So, the next time hunger

calls, skip the fast food; healthy, delicious, affordable options are not far. Just head north on Coldwater from campus, hang a left at Sherman Way and make another left into the strip mall.

Open daily from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Bua Siam is a six-min-ute drive from campus at 12924 Sherman Way. The restaurant’s menu is online at www.buasiam-restaurant.com. One can even call ahead, at 818-765-8395, and ask if “Mama” is cooking.

5September 26, 2012VALLEY ST R

NEW ALBUMRELEASE

BUA SIAM DOES HOMEMADE RIGHT

Nestled amidst a sea of fast food venues, local Thai restau-rant Bua Siam serves up delicious, healthy, home-cooked food at rea-sonable prices. But that is just the beginning of what this hidden gem, located 2.1 miles from cam-pus, has to offer. The restaurant’s crowning jewel is the cook known as “Mama.”

“People often call ahead to find out if ‘Mama’ is cooking,” said Sophia Simunovic, one of the restaurant’s friendly servers.

“Mama” is a 69-year-old Thai native who has been carefully crafting delectable dishes at this restaurant since it first opened its doors more than 16 years ago, in 1995. It doesn’t get more home-made than that.

Bua Siam is family owned and operated by the Karschamroon family. Sandy, the owner, special-izes in grilling. Saturdays, Sandy’s kids—Janet and Steve—serve cus-tomers. During the week, one might be served by Sara Chaleamkit or Sophia, who is Steve’s girlfriend.

Menu prices range from $1 for a single skewer of chicken satay to $11.99 for the spicy seafood with chili and hot basil leaves. One of the most popular dishes is the

SANYO HAZELSTAFF WRITER

MAGGIE HASBUN | VALLEY STAR

THAI AND GO TO HEAVEN - Family restaurant Bua Siam serves delectable delights in plentiful portions. Among the Thai eat-ery’s most tasty dishes is the garlic pepper shrimp with broccoli and rice, which fills the stomach without weighing it down.

The neighborhood restau-rant takes affordable fare to a higher level.

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STRING THEORY:

ROLAND DYENS SHOWS OFF HIS GUITAR SKILLS IN AN AMERICAN GUI-TAR SOCIETY CONCERT

GALLERY:VALLEY COLLEGE INSTRUCTOR CO-

CURATES A GALLERY OF ARTISTS OF THE

ORANGE LINE, A COL-LECTION IN WHICH SHE

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FOOD REVIEW

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THE ALTERNATIVE ROCK-MEETS-FOLK

QUARTET RELEASES ITS SOPHOMORE ALBUM, THE INSTRUMENTALLY

DIVERSE “BABEL.”

FASHION ON A BUDGET:

VALLEY COLLEGE STU-DENTS GIVE TIPS TO STAY STYLISH ON A STUDENT BUDGET

valley life

sports6 September 26, 2012 VALLEY ST R

Valley lost its fourth straight game against Santa Barbara last Saturday.

ROMEO GONZALEZSPORTS EDITOR

“That was a nice job on the pass out of the backfield,” said Valley coach Larry Kerr. “It was a good drive by our offense to give us the lead.”

As the Vaqueros offense gained momentum, starting the second quarter by completing a first down, the Monarchs’ defense forced a punt. Valley could not get its offense flowing, going three and out in its first two drives of the second quarter.

Santa Barbara’s offense con-nected with 5:10 left to play in the first half on a 65-yard drive that ended with Vaqueros’ quarterback Jarred Evan, completing a 33-yard pass to running back Kyle brown to tie the game 6-6.

On the next play, the Vaqueros punt team’s bad snap resulted in a fumble that the Monarchs recov-

ered, ending in a touchdown that was called back due to an illegal block by the Monarchs’ defense.

“We had a chance to go ahead when they missed the kick,” said Kerr. “We picked up the ball, but we got a dumb penalty.”

The game remained tied until late in the third quarter when the Vaqueros put together a 57-yard drive, ending in a touchdown by Santa Barbara tailback Kevin Denis. The Vaqueros took the lead 14-6 after a successful two-point conversion.

Valley’s offense lacked momentum as the game contin-ued. Late in the fourth quarter, the Monarchs had two opportunities deep in the Vaqueros’ territory, but freshman quarterback Bradley Hunt threw six continuous incom-plete passes.

RAY BLUMHORST | VALLEY STARTACKLE- Valley’s No. 54, Steven Flandez, and No. 24, Winston Rose, tackle Santa Barbara’s No. 80, Tyson Heller.

The Santa Barbara defense allowed only 141 total offensive yards last Saturday night, defeat-ing the Monarchs 14-6 and giving Valley College its fourth consecu-tive loss of the season.

In the second home game of the season, the Monarchs’ offense was the first to score. Valley’s running back Royce Long carried the ball for 16 yards, giving the Monarchs a 6-0 lead with 50 seconds left to play in the first quarter.

VAQUEROS HOLD MONARCHS OFFENSEIn the second half of the game,

Santa Barbara’s defense contained the Monarchs’ offense, allowing them to complete only one first down. Valley went three and out in five of its six second-half offensive possessions.

Santa Barbara’s defense con-tained the Valley offense, allowing only 8 first downs by the Monarchs. The Vaqueros’ defense also stopped Valley’s running game, holding them to 22 total rushing yards.

“This is a great team win,” said Vaqueros coach Craig Moropoulos in a Santa Barbara article written by Dave Loveton. “The best thing about it was when we needed the defense to rise up, they did.”

Valley’s next home game will be Saturday at 6 p.m at the Monarch Stadium against the Antelope Valley Marauders.

The Valley College Gymnastics Center offers classes to its sur-rounding neighbors.

ROME MOORESTAFF WRITER

plus students since the change over,” Johnson said. “We just want to build the program as much as we can. We have a good staff, and I hired some new instructors.”

Johnson, 47, expects to lean on his years of experience as a for-mer gymnast and his time with the Los Angeles Park & Recreation Department as a template to rebuild the gymnastics program.

One of his goals is to adver-tise the gymnastics classes, which are part of the Community Services program at Valley. There is a recruit-ment drive being carried out where Johnson will go to local schools to speak to students about fitness and

the gymnastics center. “We are the best kept secret in

the Valley,” Johnson said. “We have the cheapest prices compared to all the other gyms.”

The center also has opportuni-ties for children and teens who show promise. They are given the oppor-tunity to join the program’s gym-nastics team and train to showcase themselves in competitions across California. According to Johnson, the team has talent and is currently train-ing for its first gymnastics meet next March.

Frequenters, though, don’t need to be team members to be a part of the Gymnastics Center’s program and

learn one of its goals, which is condi-tioning and overall fitness.

Monica Alatorre, whose daugh-ter is a member of the program, expressed how much she enjoys the training available to the community.

“She loves it here. She has a place to exercise in a safe environment with other girls her age,” Alatorre said. “She has really progressed.”

In addition to the center’s emphasis on conditioning and overall fitness, Johnson pointed out that the fight against obesity is one of utmost importance.

“I stress fighting obesity with the kids, as well as the teens and adults,” said Johnson. “Conditioning

The Valley College Gymnastics Center has begun a new era under the leadership of former Monarch gym-nast Charles Johnson. Rebuilding a program that lost many of its par-ticipants and much of its staff over the summer has become Johnson’s new goal.

“We started out with zero enroll-ment, and now we have maybe 150-

GYMNASTICS CENTER OPEN TO ALL AGESis a big part of the program, not only just gymnastics but the stretching for flexibility. The whole reason for that is injury prevention.”

The Gymnastics Center has classes for all ages starting from two-year-olds to adults. However, interest in gymnastics is not necessary to use the facility. There is a Wednesday night class available for Valley stu-dents, and there are also open workout times for other members of the com-munity on Tuesdays and Fridays from 7 to 10 p.m. for $5.00. For schedul-ing and class information, contact the Valley College Community Services Department at http://lavalley.augusoft.net or 818-947-2577, extension 4172.

Football:Saturday, September 29vs. Antelope Valley @ Valley 6 p.m.

Women’s Soccer:Friday, September 28vs. College of the Canyons@ Valley 6 p.m.

Men’s Water Polo:Friday, September 28vs. Cerritos @ Valley 2:30 p.m.

MONARCHSCHEDULES

gallery7 September 26, 2012 VALLEY ST R

lavalleystar.comDo you have a story idea? Send us your ideas to valleystar@lavalleystar.com or join the Facebook page.»

ENDEAVOUR TRAVELS TO NEW HOME IN LOS ANGELES

MAGGIE HASBUN | VALLEY STAR

SIGHT SEEING - The space shuttle Endeavour was taken around Los Angeles for spectators to see it fly one last time. The shuttle made its final flight Friday, Sept. 21.

MORRIS DE LA ROCA | VALLEY STAR

ON DISPLAY - Thousands packed Grifith Observatory to catch a glimpse of the space shuttle Endeavour’s last flight. Along with the front lawn and back terraces, the trails surrounding the observatory were filled with spectators awaiting the shuttle.

RICHARD RAZAVI, PHOTO EDITOR | VALLEY STAR

FINAL FLIGHT - The space shuttle Endeavour toured Southern California on its final flight before being taken to its resting spot next month at the California Science Center.