On Feb. 21, 2023, the Chabot-Las Positas Community College District (CLPCCD) Board of Trustees made the decision to suspend the COVID-19 vaccine mandate effective Apr. 24, 2023. This decision will apply to both students and employees of the CLPCCD, starting in April to coincide with the beginning of the 2023 summer registration period. The mandate suspension for all visitors was already implemented by previous changes to administrative procedures.
This decision was based on data from the Alameda County Public Health Department and the CLPCCD’s internal tracking of student and employee cases. Changes to Board Policies 7330 & 5210 and Administrative Procedure 5211 were guided by this information, and revisions to these policies will allow for flexibility should public health conditions warrant a return to vaccine mandates.
The decision to suspend the mandate was made after extensive conversations with constituent groups. It aimed to address concerns about equitable access to programs and services while balancing the need to maintain safe learning and work environments.
According to Alameda County, 94% of residents have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, and 87% are considered fully vaccinated. However, the district will still prioritize the safety of its students and employees, even after the mandate suspension. The district highly encourages the community to stay updated with their COVID-19 vaccines and get boosters if eligible. COVID-19 vaccines are safe, effective, and can prevent severe illness.
Other safety measures will remain in place on campus including access to testing and a flexible face-covering policy that adjusts according to changing risk levels in the county.
The pandemic has forced us to change the way we work, learn, and interact with one another for nearly three years. The CLPCCD recognizes how difficult these changes have been for everyone and thanks its community for their partnership as they navigated uncertainty together. The hope is that this next phase allows the management of pandemic risks in a way that is least disruptive to the community.
In conclusion, the decision to suspend the COVID-19 vaccine mandate at the Chabot-Las Positas Community College District is based on the most current information available to the Board of Trustees. According to CLPCCD Chancellor Ronald P. Gerhard, “The district will continue to prioritize the safety of its students and employees and encourage the community to stay up to date with their COVID-19 vaccines. By doing so, the community can work together to manage pandemic risks in a way that is least disruptive to everyone.”
On Apr. 25 the staple Chabot Bookstore will be closing its door for good because Barnes and Noble, our provider, will no longer renew our contract due to decline in profits. For students to buy their materials for classes they would have to order them online from the Barnes and Noble website.
The website can’t replace what was once reliable for this campus. It can’t replace the friendly employees that will greet or help you when in need. It won’t fill the shoes that the bookstore has had on campus.
“It’s very difficult to run a bookstore without it being a significant drain on your budget financially. Barnes and Noble is our third-party vendor. Barnes and Noble are changing their business model and it has a lot to do with the community around here. You just don’t see many bookstores. They’re closed.” Says Vice President Dale Wagoner.
Barnes and Noble doesn’t see the personal attachments employees, students, and faculties have in the bookstore. To them it’s just another building that’s not making as much profit as it used to. There’s no cash coming out of it so why keep it going.
For the closing of the bookstore, it’s not just about shifting forward and changing from buying a book in person to buying it online. It’s about revenues. “It’s not a reliable business model for our vendor. As you can see it’s declining in the revenues which is why they won’t renew our contract.” Says Vice President Dr. Matthew Kritscher, Ed.D.
It’s a college staple to have a bookstore on campus. yet we are soon going to be a campus without one. A campus without a bookstore is like having a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, but with no peanut butter it feels incomplete.
The bookstore has always been there for students, whether it’s buying scantrons, notecards, purchasing graduation essentials, books, or snacks. It was a place students and faculty could count on in those last minute moments.
“I don’t like that the bookstore is closing. Where am I going to get my Scantron? Where am I going to get something that I need at the last minute? I understand moving forward in a new direction buying supplies online, but this is sad.” Says student Chabot Ja’vonte Long.
The bookstore was once the pride of Chabot where the campus showcased their team jerseys, coats, and other sports clothing, while the students and facilities were buying them. The bookstore gave the students the dignity of buying their club sachets, cap, and gown for their graduation. It was a sense of notice that they’ve accomplished something with their hard bearing dreams and goals.
“It’s going to feel weird buying caps and gowns on Barnes and Noble’s website. I feel sorry for the students that graduate next year. Barnes and Noble is known for ordering books online, not cap and gowns.” says Vernon Chesley.
The closing of the bookstore isn’t just affecting the students, but the employees there as well. Come May 1, they will be unemployed.
“Given the fact that I am an employee at the bookstore this heavily affects me. Once it closes, I will not have a job anymore. I feel sympathy for current students here at Chabot who unfortunately can’t get any inconvenient items once they get out of their classes.” Says employee and former Chabot student Marcos Arreguin.
“I’ve been working at the bookstore since 2016. I’m out of a job that I’ve been working at for six years. Yes, I have another job. The bookstore offers onsite help for those who have trouble finding things online.” Says student and employee Donovan Dinkins.
“I’m not scared of anything so whatever happens, happens. Our jobs are eliminated. The school will have no store for students to get their supplies and needs for their classes.” says longtime employee Johnny.
Chabot tried several factors to keep Barnes and Noble in the contract, one of them being downsizing employees in which they were already downsized. Also, who was going to continue to pay the employees was another matter. “Our vendor used to pay for the employees. We are now fully paying them out of the college fund, ” says Wagoner.
The revenue for the bookstore can no longer afford the necessities they had to offer. The profits have dried up. “Unfortunately, under the structure in which we have been operating for the last 10 years my understanding is that the revenue has gone down so much that they can’t afford to stay in business and it’s an unfortunate thing. I want to do whatever I can do to support the employees in this transition.” Says Kritscher.
There is a silver lining in this after the bookstore is closed. Chabot is still in the works turning it into many things, one of them is The Food Pantry. “One of things under consideration is to look at the space for our food pantry. We don’t know yet but it’s one idea we’re thinking about.” Says Kritscher.
The space in the 3800 building could be a great idea for something that can be centered more towards the students on campus. “We wanted to be a student space potentially. That’s the primary dialogue that’s going on right now. Maybe we could utilize that space more of a college center, which has more student spaces in it. That’s part of our master plan. We can also look at it as a place where students can meet and greet.” Says Wagoner.
Another idea that has been discussed is filling up the space with vending machines, “It will be more advanced than the others that’s already on campus. The machine will have fresh food with lots of options. Instead of having a series of refrigerator cases with soft drinks, is to replace those vending machines that would have fresh sandwiches, as well as traditional snacks, like chips, water, and sodas.” Says Kritscher.
“Vending machines? Are you serious? We already have a lot of them. Why do we need more? They’re unreliable.” says student Keygen Mitchell.
Even though the bookstore doesn’t make as much money as it once did, it has something that the online website doesn’t, which is a heartbeat. The bookstore has the heartbeat of a lot of people on this campus which is why some hold a personal attachment. Soon the 3800 building will have no heartbeat and will perish. It’s very sad that our bookstore is leaving us. One of the staple of Chabot is closing for good. No more going in greeting employees, no more buying from in person, no more on-site help for having trouble finding your books are necessities. Come Apr. 25 it’s all gone.
Feb. 24 marked the one-year anniversary of the war in Ukraine, where Russia continues to ravage the north, south, and eastern countryside, terrorizing the citizens of Ukraine. To date, current reports estimate 8,401 killed and 14,023 wounded, with new information coming in every day.
Since the war began, there have been an inspiring number of rallies and a tragic amount of funerals and vigils in Ukraine and the United States. On Feb. 28 at Stanford University, a vigil was held to honor the fallen service members and victims of the war in Ukraine.
The “Taize Prayer” vigil took place around 7 p.m. at Stanford Memorial Church, organized by the Ukrainian Student Association at Stanford and the Ukrainian National Women’s League of America’s San Jose branch. A dark, somber, yet beautiful setting was observed in silence, but the night itself was full of music and harmonic tones and hymns coming from those who participated in the prayers. On a stormy night with low visibility under rainy conditions, the church was welcoming, layered with extravagant art, and candles lit throughout. Surely, if you did not visit the church often, the night’s setting only intensified the scale of what was being mourned, a deadly war that is unjust and has claimed a regrettable number of victims.
The history of the Taize dates back to 1940, when it was founded by Brother Roger Louis Schutz-Marsauche — a Monk who belonged to an ecumenical monastic order of Roman Catholics and Protestants. Brother Rogers was 90 years of age when he was stabbed and killed in 2005 at a prayer service.
The vigil lasted for the span of about an hour. It was hard not to think of how far away the war was with respect to the church. The church’s enormous size, towering stained glass, and high ceilings emphasize the war’s immenseness. Ukrainian families and military forces have experienced tremendous loss in the death of some amazingly talented, dedicated, and passionate people.
Medics, emergency service volunteers, journalists, filmmakers, artists, authors, and many more important members of Ukrainian society have fallen victim to this war. Estonian Defense Minister Kusti Salm, in a Washington briefing, stated, “In this area, the Russians have employed around 40,000 to 50,000 inmates or prisoners. They are going up against regular soldiers, people with families, people with regular training, valuable people for the Ukrainian military.”
Currently, the actual numbers are unknown, but some reports say more than 8,000 Ukrainian civilians have been killed and 14,000 wounded. Additional reports on military personnel say 9,000, while others report losses of 100,000. There is no concrete information about how many funerals there have been.
Vigil attendees were scattered throughout the church, sitting across long benches, giving each person a chance to grieve and contemplate individually or with friends and family. After the vigil, there was emotion, tears, and embraces from church participants. A few stepped forward to lend their voice, “It’s very heartbreaking to lose people you grew up with; we ask ourselves why they had to die. I think of the holidays, my childhood, and it’s hard to talk about, said UNWLA member Alla Torska. Another member, Iryna Anpilogova, stated, “I just left my friends behind in Spain, and I can’t see them now. I was speaking with a friend back home and crying. We spoke about how Mauriapol doesn’t exist anymore. It’s hard to find the words, and to simply say that I’m sad doesn’t fully comprehend how I feel.”
Another vigil was held on Mar. 24 at the Capitol Mall in Sacramento at 6 p.m. This vigil, being more demonstrational, had aspects of a rally and was organized by the Sunflower Society of Sacramento, a group dedicated to bringing awareness to the ever-developing situation in Ukraine.
The vigil began as the sun set, with a large showing from local Ukrainian residents and some who traveled to attend the event. Although this was a vigil, it was just as much about the expression of outrage toward the genocide and mass murder of Ukrainian people, stolen from their lives by Russian aggression, with the majority of supporters recognizing these actions as Russian terrorism.
The prevailing facts are that Russia is waging an unjust war using illegal, inhumane, and barbaric tactics. With numerous Human Rights violations, Putin has been officially recognized as a war criminal. Simultaneously, the civilian death toll continues to rise in Ukraine. This month, April, Russia is due to take up the leading chair for the U.N. Security Council as they did in Feb. 2022. Each of the 15 members takes up the presidency in rotation. “Unfortunately, Russia is a permanent member of the Security Council, and no feasible international legal pathway exists to change that reality,” said White House press secretary Karen Jean-Pierre.
As a permanent member, Russia has veto power, and to pass a vote, it requires nine votes in favor, absent a permanent member voting against it. Russia has vetoed past measures to address their aggression from the council with abstentions from China, India, the United Arab Emirates, and Brazil. Ukraine’s presidential adviser, Mykhaylo Podolyak, stated that this was “another rape of international law … an entity that wages an aggressive war, violates the norms of humanitarian and criminal law, destroys the U.N. charter, neglects nuclear safety, can’t head the worlds key security body.”
There were demonstrations with the evening light, and attendees of all ages, ranging from seniors to children, came out to support the vigil. Protesters held signs highlighting Russian terrorism and calling for the arrest of Putin, the war criminal. There was discussion, live art performances, music, and displays. The attendees chanted “Slava Ukraini,” while some educated others by sharing information and updates. Two organizers stepped forward to give captivating speeches and engaged with the audience, Daria Avtukh and her Mother Olena Avtukh. A few more speakers, including former California Assemblyman Ken Cooley, joined in with a message to remain united in supporting Ukraine’s efforts.
Night fell just as speeches ended, along with observed moments of silence to mourn for those who passed as a result of this war. The signs from the demonstration and artwork were set up for display, illuminated by rows of candles. “This vigil, like any other vigil we’ve held, has a special place in my heart. None of them are alike, but they all mean strength and perseverance to me. The fact that we’re here and stand up and raise our voices after 13 months of this horrible war means that this tragedy touches our hearts deeply, and we won’t let it go unnoticed or forgotten. To me, this vigil meant another step closer to the victory of light over darkness,” said Daria Avtukh, Sunflower Society Organizer and Miss Ukraine California 2023.
As the evening ended around 8:30 p.m., organizers stayed behind with those who wished to share and observe the candlelit displays of remembrance. A vigil attendee, Duane McMullen, stated, “The vigils help me to feel like maybe there is something I can do by showing support and always reminds me of how strong the Ukrainian people are; they will never give up. I stand with them all the way.”
The Sunflower Society organizes multiple events every month, with the next coming in April. These events are exceptional for Ukrainian and American relations, especially if you want to get involved and support the war effort right here from home in Northern California. UNITED24, Open Hearts UA, and Kyiv Society for the Protection of Animals are good places to start with donations.
5,914,000 Ukrainians are internally displaced, and another 8 million reportedly live as refugees in other countries. Funerals are daily in Kyiv now, because fighting in Bakhmut, and Kherson has become increasingly dangerous, although recently liberated from Russian occupation. Mariupol, Sievierodonetsk, Lysychansk, and more are still under Russian occupation. Most, if not all, of Russia’s military actions, have violated the Geneva Conventions and will leave scars upon the country and psyches of Ukrainian citizens for generations to come. In response; the Ukrainian people have rallied together no matter where they are, standing with an unshakable resolve to keep their home and preserve their way of life.
On Mar. 17, Vladimir Putin was recognized by the United Nations Commission of Inquiry and the International Criminal Court (ICC) as a war criminal. They issued arrest warrants for Russian President Putin and Maria Lvova-Belova, his children’s rights commissioner and confidant, for the abduction of what’s estimated to be around 16,221 Ukrainian children. More than likely traumatized and abused, these children were forced into adoption by Russian families against their will.
Additional charges include the crimes of murder, rape, and torture of Ukrainian civilians, confirmed by the discovery of mass graves holding hundreds of bodies buried by Russian soldiers in cities like Bucha, Mariupol, and Izyum. While some bodies were service members, the majority were civilians, including some children.
The list of Russian atrocities also includes the execution of POWs, the most prominent being Oleksandr Matsiyevsky which was filmed in horrific detail on Dec. 30, gaining political and media attention globally. In the video, moments before he is shot, the soldier says, “Slava Ukraini,” which means “Glory to Ukraine.” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy vowed to find the murderers responsible and stated that he “wanted us all in unity to respond to his words. Glory to the hero. Glory to the heroes. Glory to Ukraine.”
Russia and the Wagner group have resorted to utilizing convicted prisoners as front line infantry due to their losses, with promises of a pardon, clean records, and reintegration into Russian society. U.N. Human Rights Officials stated, “We are deeply disturbed by reports of visits by members of the so-called Wagner Group to correctional facilities in various regions of Russia, offering pardons for criminal sentences to prisoners who join the group and take part in the war in Ukraine, as well as a monthly payment to their relatives.” Numerous human rights violations have been associated with these criminal military fighting units.
Russia has consistently targeted heavily populated urban centers in what has amounted to thousands of missile strikes in Kyiv, Kharkiv, Dnipro, Kherson, Odesa, Zaporizhzhia, Ravine, Zhytomyr, Vinnytsia, Poltava, and Lviv. These strikes included a theater mainly occupied by children seeking safety in Mariupol; people’s homes, office buildings, malls, hospitals, and schools. None of these are hardened military targets. In addition, Russia has deployed munitions such as the infamous hypersonic Kinzhal missile, which cannot be intercepted by conventional means, along with thousands of ballistic missiles like the Kh-55, Kh-101, Kalibur, S-300, and Iskander. Some of these repurposed missiles lack accuracy and effectiveness on hardened military targets and have been used solely to attack civilian population centers.
The foundation of Ukrainian society has been rocked to its core, yet, in the face of an attempted Russian invasion, Ukrainian defense forces repelled the primary attacks into the capital Kyiv and beyond. The war has since shifted to Russia regularly terrorizing the civilian populace with constant aerial assaults from drones and ballistic missiles.
Russian military operations on the ground have been largely ineffective in gaining control of the country, exhausting their troops and equipment. For example, ongoing operations and U.N. sanctions have severely hindered Russia from getting enough components to build military hardware like missiles, light armored vehicles, tanks, helicopters, and jets. So far, the International Institute for Strategic Studies has reported that Russia has lost upward of 2,300 infantry fighting vehicles and 1,700 tanks, about two-thirds gone from the Russian inventory, which include the T-72B3, T-72B3M, and T-80BV. The IISS suspects that actual figures appear to be 40% higher than what is currently being reported by the Russian state.
The same can be said for Russian aircraft with losses of 15% or greater, which includes the Su-30SM, Su-34, and Su-35. In addition, Russian troop levels have been reported to be between 150,000 and 200,000 killed, wounded, or lost to some other circumstance. Russia is suspected of not accurately reporting these numbers. Problems with replacing experienced personnel with proper training has exacerbated the situation. To compensate for staggering losses at the hands of Ukrainian defenses and to offset the effects of U.N. sanctions, Russia has resorted to rampant looting of anything useful in the locations occupied by their forces. When they retreat, they leave behind a trail of waste ranging from industrial supplies to broken and sabotaged gear.
So it’s no surprise that Russia has sought help from longtime partner nations with questionable, if not defunct, relationships with Western allies — countries such as China, Iran, Syria, North Korea, Myanmar, India, and Belarus. More countries are being actively recruited; South Africa and Mali, for example, are being considered. With Russia using its power over oil markets in the face of sanctions, countries have responded by either staying neutral to get the benefits of Russian oil or reinvesting in their own oil production. As a result, these actions have set back efforts to move away from oil dependence and combat climate change.
On the other hand, Ukrainian forces have had continuous support from western allies and have requested more to combat increasing Russian aggression. Ukraine’s military has excelled at repelling Russian forces from the majority of occupied regions and retaking them. Ukrainian forces were projected to lose much more territory, if not the entire country, showing the world true dedication and sacrifice to protect one’s home.
Currently, the U.S. has sent 8,000 Javelins, 1,600 Stingers, 160 howitzers, 38 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems, one million artillery rounds, 100,000 of 125 mm tank rounds, and 100,000 rounds for small arms. The list also includes helicopters and UAVs. In addition, there is a significant need for tanks which the White House has agreed to send along with Bradley Infantry fighting vehicles.
“Working with European partners and Ukraine, the United States also launched the Ukraine Defense Contact Group — a coalition of 50 partner nations that has enhanced our coordination of security assistance deliveries to help the people of Ukraine as they continue to defend themselves against Russia’s unjust and unprovoked assault. Together, members of this group already committed $50 billion in security assistance, including nearly 700 tanks and thousands of other armored vehicles, more than 1000 artillery systems, more than two million rounds of artillery ammunition, more than 50 advanced multiple rocket launch systems, and anti-ship and air defense systems.” according to the White House Press Briefing: One Year of Supporting Ukraine.
Ukraine applied for EU membership on Jun. 23 last year and applied for NATO membership shortly after but has been actively pursuing this goal since 1994. Since then, a number of countries have given billions in aid, and at least 28 have given military aid. NATO partners like the UK, Germany, Canada, and Poland lead the way next to EU institutions. Yet, the U.S. is by far the largest contributor to military aid and second only to the EU in financial aid.
The greatest concern militarily to Ukraine is obtaining modern battle tanks and subsonic jet fighters. So far, the U.S. has agreed to send the M1 Abrams, the UK to send Challenger 2 tanks, and Germany agreed to send Leopard 2 tanks. Countries like Poland said they would send their reserve Leopard 2 tanks that they received from Germany. The F-16 Falcon, most famous for its roles in the film “Iron Eagle” is the jet fighter up for consideration. A multirole fighter from the 70s, with multigenerational designs and modern hardware updates used in several U.S. wars and still in service to this day, is currently in the discussion phase.
Upon the anniversary, the Department of Defense committed to the long-term goal of a Ukrainian victory with the White House on Feb. 24, stating, “One year ago, Russia launched its brutal and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine. The United States has rallied the world in response, working with our allies and partners to provide Ukraine with critical security, economic, and humanitarian assistance and leading unprecedented efforts to impose costs on Russia for its aggression. This week, President Biden visited Kyiv, Ukraine, and Warsaw, Poland, to send a clear and powerful message that the United States will continue to stand with Ukraine for as long as it takes.”
The Nuclear Threat
Ukraine is the home of Chernobyl, where an infamous nuclear meltdown occurred in 1986; the long-decommissioned power plant sits as a reminder of the dangers involved in maintaining a nuclear reactor and what a reactor meltdown looks like. Workers abandoned the site due to occupation by Russian forces during the invasion, who retreated after just over a month, but not before looting and disturbing a large amount of irradiated dust, increasing the area’s hot spots. Additionally, the Ukrainian power grid has been a significant target for the Russian military, with missile strikes knocking out power for millions of Ukrainian residents as well as recent strikes in Zaporizhzhya, causing the plant to operate on backup power using diesel generators.
While some cities, like Marinka, in Donetsk, have been completely destroyed and are now devoid of life, others, like Zaporizhzhya, are central to the survival of the entire country and beyond. The city supports a major nuclear power plant, Europe’s largest, and this area is particularly vulnerable to battles and shelling. Russian forces are currently holding the plant, and it continues to present a high threat level should the plant be damaged beyond repair from the shelling it commonly receives or loss of power for any extended duration.
U.N. watchdogs and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) are closely monitoring the power plants developing situation. Recently the head of the IAEA, Rafael Grossi, set forth plans to turn the plant and the surrounding area into a demilitarized zone. Still, it is only Russia that has stated they’re making improvements to nuclear storage and protections for the power plant.
“It is obvious that military activity is increasing in this whole region, so the place can’t be protected,” Grossi stated. At one point, the plant produced 20% of the nation’s energy, and now, the plant is no longer producing anything for Ukraine. President Zelensky has stated that Russia is using the power plant to blackmail and hold Ukraine hostage to the nuclear threat. The possibility of a nuclear accident has risen drastically since September last year and continues to be an escalating point of conflict between Ukraine and Russia.
Now we may be at a precipice for WWIII or nuclear annihilation, with the Doomsday Clock currently sitting at 90 seconds to midnight. This escalation is, in large part, a direct result of the war in Ukraine. A consistent march toward nuclear proliferation for countries like Iran, gains in building intercontinental ballistic missiles for North Korea, and a buildup of current arsenals in countries like India, Pakistan, China, Russia, and the United States. According to the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, we could be facing a “third nuclear age.” Noting that the treaty between Russia and the United States, “New START,” could be on borrowed time.
U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres stated, “The world has entered a time of nuclear danger not seen since the height of the Cold War.” Biological weapons are also a very real threat on the battlefield. Anything of this nature put into use jeopardizes a fragile boundary in the conduct of war. After all, Putin directly supported President Bashar al-Assad of Syria in using chemical weapons on his own civilian populace.
Other countries have ambitious goals; for example, China, a nuclear powerhouse, has its own plans for a possible invasion of countries like Taiwan by 2027. What happens in this war will set the stage for world powers throughout the foreseeable future, benchmarking this event for decades to come.
Top of snowy hills in Fremont, looking down towards the East Bay. Hiker seen in the distance.
On Feb. 23, East Bay residents woke to a rare sight of snow covering the surrounding mountains. This historic snowfall left many Bay Area residents shocked and filled with excitement. Despite the snow slowing down traffic, many Bay Area residents still went out to experience the snow for the first time.
“I thought it was crazy. I couldn’t believe my eyes. I thought it was Christmas. It was spectacular. People were playing in the snow, and I felt like it was something out of a dream,” states Angela Tafur, a Chabot College student who visited Grizzly peak.
East Bay resident Benjamin Barretto also heard the news and headed toward Mission Peak in Fremont, “My immediate thoughts were those of excitement. This type of weather doesn’t happen often in the Bay Area, so I definitely wanted to take advantage of it and experience it for myself.”
Benjamin in red winter coat, black snow pants, and two hiking sticks posing in center frame, snowy hills behind him.
Despite the excitement from many Bay Area residents, others issued concerns regarding the rare snowstorm. “It makes me concerned because this is not regular weather for the bay area. This is very abnormal, and I am concerned for more drastic weather changes in the future,” states Chabot College student Kevin Medina.
Benjamin wearing a red winter coat and ski mask at the top of a snowy Mission Peak, posing with a Ukraine flag.
Benjamin also shared his concerns, “Once I got to the top of Mission Peak, I realized I felt like I was in a completely different place and that this severe weather change should be a cause for concern. It was weird to be completely surrounded by snow and hit with 50 mph winds only to be at work an hour later.”
Russell City was once a thriving unincorporated town with homes, churches, jobs, schools, farms, and clubs. Russell City was a town located in Hayward. Before it was an Industrial Park It was the pinnacle for various migrants and immigrant groups like Spaniards, Danes, Germans, Italians, African Americans, and Mexicans.
Due to racial discrimination in Alameda County, there weren’t many areas for minorities to live and call their home. There were only a few neighborhoods: Fillmore (in San Francisco), West Oakland, Palo Alto, and Russell City (Hayward).
Russell City mural in Downtown Hayward
Many minorities set up businesses to make a living. Aisha Knowles’ grandfather used to own an automotive shop in Russell City; she stated, “I hear the stories from people who lived there, who had business there, and about what the town meant to them and how special of a place it was,” said Knowles.
On Saturday nights in the 1940’s and 50’s, Russell City was the place to be. People would be dressed in their finest suits and clothes, dancing it up on the dance floor to some of the greatest R&B and Blues musicians, such as; Grammy award-winners Ray Charles, B.B. King, and other artists like Lowell Fulson and Dottie Ivory. People from all over the bay came to hear them perform. There were two clubs in Russell City: the Russell City country club and Miss Alva’s Club.
Russell City Country Club is one of the two clubs that includes live performances for music venues. Russell City Country Club (Photo courtesy of Hayward Historical Society and Dr. María Ochoa)
Dr. Maria Ochoa, Ph. D., is the author of the book Images of America Russell City. She is also a San José State University Professor Emerita of Interdisciplinary Social Sciences. The book is based on the history of and dedicated to the people of Russell City. She mentions how great the well-being of a community in Russell City once was. “I lived in Hayward across the street from Chabot when it was all fields. I remember going to Mass in Russell City as a little girl. I remember it being a place where my parents made friends with Latinos, African Americans, and Whites. The community was together as a whole,” said Dr. Ochoa.
Russell City public school was located just five miles away from downtown Hayward. The book described Russell High School as a valuable three-story high school with iconic Greek architecture and the nation’s most elegant school. The book also described Russell City public school from the 1st grade to the 8th. Before the high school in Russell City was built, students who wanted to continue their education had to go to Oakland High.
The classroom experience sometimes included manual labor, and sometimes teachers would take their classes into the fields. Dr. Ochoa stated, “There were cows and chickens in the streets. People had school gardens which were orchards, and vegetables were growing. It was all agricultural.”
Russell City itself was an agricultural town. Gardens were common in residents’ homes. There were a lot of orchards and vegetable gardens. The town had dairies and a pig farm. The smell of hogs was horrible, as described in the book.
Four stores in Russell City supplied food, cigarettes, aspirin, and other things. There were restaurants in that town that weren’t segregated. The money always went back into Russell City.
Alameda County never provided services like water, electricity, and sanitation. “It was a difficult situation. They had no roads, no indoor plumbing, and they had no utilities like electricity. People living in Russell City had to get Car Batteries to bring electricity into their homes, schools, and businesses.” Says Dr. Ochoa.
So, what happened to Russell City? What happened to this thriving minority town? For one: it was an unincorporated town. Two: the residents were still interested in bettering their town. It was that they were denied the opportunity by the government, the county, and by Hayward. Both the county and the city devised a plan to turn Russell City into the industrial park you see today. Residents were forced to move, and businesses were forced to close.
By the late 1950s, the town was in turmoil. Residents were forced to move, and arsonists burned properties to the ground. When the town was expanded to Hayward, the city used eminent domain to remove the last of the residents in 1966 for the industrial park.
“Many who lived in Russell City are in their 70’s and 80s. talking about it can be painful because they remember what they lost when it was destroyed,” said Knowles. Russell City now is a question of “What it could have become” since 1964.
The residents of the once-forgotten community weren’t willing to let Russell City fade in their memories and let it be unknown. Ruby Tolefree-Echols and Henry “Billy” Garron, two former Russell City residents, founded an annual reunion picnic. Echols died in 2002; unfortunately, Mr. Billy Garron passed away some years ago.
“The reunion picnic was held in 2022 after being suspended during the height of the pandemic in 2020 and 2021. It is unclear if the picnic will continue as the people who lived and worked in Russell City are few in number now, largely due to the passing of so many. The people who now come to the picnic have not necessarily lived or worked in Russell City. They have heard stories from their elders and want to learn more,” said Dr. Ochoa.
Russell City Reunion Picnic participants are looking at a handmade community map. (Photo courtesy of Dr. María Ochoa)
There are tributes to Russell City in Hayward. Russell City is commemorated in the downtown Mural where Hayward had officially apologized. On Nov. 16, 2021, the Hayward City Council voted unanimously to issue a formal apology for the City’s historical role in and the perpetuation of racial discrimination and racially disparate impacts of its past actions and inactions. The property of Russell City today is worth millions.
“One of the things that happened with Institutionalized poverty is that people try to survive, and to face some of the challenges requires having a strong sense of community, and I think people there developed that.” Says Dr. Ochoa.
On Feb. 21 many instructors from Chabot College held a zoom meeting discussing ChatGPT—whether it’s beneficial or not to them and their students. ChatGPT is an A.I. (Artificial Intelligence) chatbot established by Open AI and started on Nov. 22.
Instructor Lester Abesamis who led the meeting, stated, “ChatGPT is an artificial intelligent language model designed to generate human-like responses to natural prompts. You can type in any prompt and what ChatGPT draws from its database. It can remove from famous personalities.”
If you ask ChatGPT a question or give it a prompt, it can respond to you like how a celebrity can. “ChatGPT got some adaptability and changed its style as supposed even to the degree that somebody famous enough like comedian George Carlin, but I told it to give me the same information in a style of a George Carlin monologue, and it did.” Says Abesamis.
You can ask ChatGPT anything you want. When do you ask ChatGPT what ChatGPT is? The response is: ChatGPT is an AI language model developed by OpenAI that can engage in natural language conversations with humans. It uses machine learning algorithms and neural networks to generate human-like responses to textual inputs. ChatGPT is pre-trained on a large corpus of text data from the internet and continuously learns and improves with each interaction. It can answer questions, provide information, offer suggestions, and converse on various topics.
ChatGPT writes emails, prompts, and answers questions and essays. You can ask it to write essays in the style you want. “It may not be good for essays where you’re providing textual evidence and specific examples. It may not be able to do that.” Stated Abesamis.
During the meeting, Instructor Michael Thompson questioned the purpose of using ChatGPT by saying, “I’m Curious to see if anybody is interested in realistically, they’re going out into the world where this is more and more likely to replace their jobs they have right now. I went to the canvas sight just to see what they said about it, and they basically are saying, ‘well, you can’t block It. We better figure out how to use it, and as I was doing it, a chat box popped up, and then they were saying, ‘what do you do with it?’ just doesn’t seem to be a nuance to me.”
When you asked ChatGPT about how beneficial they can be to instructors and students, the answer is: As an AI language model, I can help both teachers and students in a variety of ways, such as: Answering theoretical questions: I can provide information and explanations on a wide range of academic topics, including math, science, history, literature, and more, Assisting with homework and assignments Offering study and exam preparation tips, Providing lesson plan ideas and resources, Providing assessment, grading tips. Recommending educational resources. Offering professional development resources Overall, my goal is to provide accurate and helpful information to teachers and students in a timely and efficient manner, so they can achieve their academic goals and succeed in their studies. ChatGPT went into more specific details on how it can help benefit Both Instructors and students.
On Feb. 28, in what has become a growing movement across the country, students and teachers amassed on the steps of the Supreme Court to support legislation that would essentially cancel the student loan debt of upward of $400 billion for more than 40 million students.
In what has become an ongoing battle within the judicial system growing in filings, proceedings, and public infamy. With organizations like The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), The Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights, and a myriad of state and local governments accompanied by agencies and unions representing millions of student voices. A few conservative judges and states stand in the way of accomplishing this goal for so many. “This court should uphold the lawfulness of Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona’s plan to provide critical relief to student-loan borrowers impacted by an unprecedented pandemic,” written in an amicus curiae brief.
Publicly there is a lot of determination and effort coming from students as debt relief addresses the hardships and challenges faced during the COVID pandemic period. A difficult time for just about everyone who lived and worked in a metropolitan or communal area; these effects are still being felt today by many as the world has been forced to adapt to what was once a killer virus with an extremely high mortality rate. Work schedules, small gatherings in close quarters, and not seeing a face in public for years still remain to be an issue today in common everyday life.
The Higher Education Relief Opportunities for Students Act, known as the Heroes Act, originates from the 9/11, Enduring Freedom, and Operation Iraqi Freedom era. In 2001 the Secretary of Education was granted waiver authority to respond to national emergencies. In 2003 this authority was broadened by a bill put forth into legislation by Rep. Kline (R-MN) passed by Congress and signed into law by President George Bush to provide student debt relief for troops serving overseas.
“Several provisions of the HEROES Act indicate that Congress intended the Act to confer broad authority under the circumstances and for the purposes specified by the Act. First, the Act grants authority notwithstanding any other provision of law, unless enacted with specific
reference to this section. Id. § 1098bb(a)(1). Second, the Act authorizes the Secretary to waive or modify any statutory or regulatory provision applicable to the student financial assistance programs. Id. § 1098bb(a)(1), (a)(2). Third, the Act expressly authorizes the Secretary to issue such waivers and modifications as he deems necessary in connection with a war or other military operation or national emergency. Id. § 1098bb(a)(1). The Supreme Court has recognized that, in empowering a federal official to act as that official deems necessary in circumstances specified by a statute, Congress has granted the official broad discretion to take such action. This authority is not, however, boundless: it is limited, inter alia, to periods of a war, other military operation, or national emergency (id. § 1098bb(a)(1)), to certain categories of eligible individuals or institutions (id. § 1098ee(2)), and to a defined set of purposes (id.§ 1098bb(a)(2)(A)–(E)),” stated in a letter from The Department of Educations General Counsel Lisa Brown to Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona.
In opposition is a clique of Republican-dominated states, Kansas, Arkansas, Nebraska, Missouri, Iowa, and South Carolina, and a cabal of individuals, represented by two Texas residents who would not fully benefit and claim to be injured parties for the purpose of a lawsuit. The Department of Education v. Brown, No. 22-535, is the case for Myra Brown, whose debt is held with the commercial industry. Alexander Taylor, who did not receive a Federal Pell Grant, is only eligible for half the relief.
This meets the precedent of “standing,” a requirement that must be met to maintain a case against ruling in favor of student debt relief. Called “one of the nation’s most ambitious and expensive executive actions in the nation’s history,” and believed to be a violation of the separation of powers by Justice John G Roberts. That is the separation of the legislative branch, the judiciary branch, and the executive branch. Indicating that the President does not have executive authority to overreach in this judicial case that has become highly controversial.
Although in the previous administration, President Donald Trump had evoked this act during his term in office in March 2020. President Donald Trump had already declared that COVID was a national emergency and took action to pause student loan requirements.
Furthermore, “the major questions doctrine” has been stated as being applicable in this case, which means that any initiatives with significant political consequences for millions of Americans should be decided with congressional authority. Justices Roberts and Thomas both became very focused on the exact meaning of the text when observing the word “waive,” stating that the text does not specify the waiving or cancellation of loan balances.
In recent Supreme Court cases, this same doctrine was used to narrow and restrict the authority of the Environmental Protection Agency to take any official action on climate change. A similar ruling followed soon after, again using the doctrine. This time it was restricting the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention from upholding a moratorium on evictions as well as standing against any requirements for employers to have their employees vaccinated.
The administration disagreed and indicated that the HEROES Act does state this express authority previously given to the secretary of education to accomplish legislative action for this exact purpose, which is to take action on behalf of students in the face of a national emergency.
Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, fully supporting the president’s plan, compiled a report made up of feedback from students and organizations. Some of the organizations are the Debt Collective, NAACP, the National Young Farmers Coalition, and the United Automobile, Aerospace, and Agricultural Implement Workers of America. The senator personally stated that “if the Supreme Court fails to apply the law as it is written and uphold Biden’s student debt plan, it’s the most vulnerable Americans who will be harmed most. It’s incumbent on her and others to push the Supreme Court to do its job and allow the president to cancel student debt.”
What is the current state of the case?
With oral arguments having ended, it is time for deliberation, which can take up to three months to reach a decision. With over 40 million students awaiting $ 20,000 worth of loan forgiveness, the Education Department sent a mass email to students reassuring them that the administration would continue to provide support.
“Our administration is confident in our legal authority to adopt this plan, and today made clear that opponents of the program lack standing even to bring their case to court. While opponents of this program would deny relief to borrowers who need support as they get back on their feet after the economic crisis caused by the pandemic. We will continue providing updates and notify borrowers directly before payments restart. Payments will resume 60 days after the Supreme Court announces its decision. If it has not made a decision or resolved the litigation by June 30, payments will resume 60 days after that,” wrote Education Secretary Miguel Cardona.
After observation of the loan process during the years of COVID, the warning is dire; if debt relief is not utilized there could be “a historic rise in delinquencies and defaults,” according to the Department of Education. June is the projected date for the court’s decision while millions of students across the country wait it out as their futures and quality of life hang in the balance.
The Chabot College men’s Football team finished their 2022 season with a disappointing record of 2-8. Many of the players expressed their sadness about how the season unfolded.
Despite a disappointing season, head coach Eric Fanene was still satisfied with his player’s continuous development. “This season, we put in a new offense and defense, so obviously, there is going to be a learning curve. We definitely got better on both sides of the ball. We built on our success and worked better. Obviously, it didn’t reflect on our record, but the main thing in junior college football is to allow our guys to move on from here.
Eric continues, “We hang our hat on putting the athletes first and winning second. We’ve had a lot of coaches come to recruit our players here. One of our players, Esa Pole, is one of the state’s top OL (offensive-line) recruits. He has offers from Cal Berkeley, Washington State, Nevada, Fresno State, and BYU.”
Coach Eric states that some improvement for next season could be to tweak the roster a bit, considering that the senior class will be graduating from Chabot. Perhaps recruitment from local Bay Area High Schools may come in handy. “We’re recruiting players year-round. Especially now at the end of the season when we go harder and look for new players to add to the roster.”
The Chabot College Lunar New Year Event kicked off on Feb. 2 hosted in the 700 building. The celebration was presented by the Asian Pacific Islander Education Association (APIEA) and was in collaboration with the Association of China Club and the Movement Learning Community.
A few people came to speak and say a few words at the beginning of the event. Chabot’s President Susan Sperling attended the event and spoke, she voiced that it is important to recognize all of the people for whom Lunar New Year is celebrated. She then thanked and and gave a shout out to various individuals for supporting the event altogether.
The President of the Association of China Club spoke as well. She stated the facts and traditions of the Lunar New Year that occur in China and thanked the audience for coming out to show love and support.
Fong Tran, a spoken word poet, educator, and public speaker shared a beautiful poetry during the event. For example, one of the poems titled “I Hate” conveyed Tran’s battle with accepting his ethnicity and who he is. The series of spoken word poetry was very powerful, it seemed to have quite an impact on the audience.
To end the event, there was a fun activity the audience could participate in. At the beginning of the event, the people flooding in were required to take an envelope from the entrance table, that envelope would contain a scratch card in it. This card however, would not win us the lottery, but 10 special cards would let us know if we won a prize that varied from a gift card to a large squishmallow.
The event was attended by a series of different people who wanted to learn more and were interested in the program. The overall goal was about sharing space and culture within the community, and creating a safe space for people to feel comfortable within themselves.
Lunar new year is a time for big celebrations for many people all around the world. On Jan. 21 2023 at the Hayward Library, we had an astonishing Lunar New Year celebration. The Hayward Library is a seemingly recent library, with it being built in 2019, this event was the first that the Hayward library has hosted and was well attended.
Library guest, adults and children circled around Lunar New Year performance.
More than 300 people came to observe and participate. The celebration’s hosts, Librarian Wenny Wallace, and Jayanti Addleman, the Director of Library services, wanted to bring the community together with performance art in dances and singing to make people feel comfortable just the way they are.
The Lunar New Year is a celebration of the arrival of a brand new Lunar calendar year, the holiday honors the heritage and brings people, both young and old, together from many different Asian cultures and backgrounds. In an insightful interview with Wenny Wallace, she says “This is to bring the community together. I saw some people start to talk to each other. That is the reason why I feel Lunar New Year is important, one, to keep the heritage, and two, is to bring together the whole community, not only small communities like Chinese, Korean, or Vietnamese communities. Bring all of them together.”
Traditional dancer dressed from head to toe in bright yellow and red, dancing with flags at the Hayward Public Library
Lunar New Year celebrations are not the same everywhere. For example, in some places, people would visit their families and stay with them, eat various foods, and have a good time. While in America, celebrations are likely a community event. The holiday isn’t only celebrated in Chinese culture, many festivities take place in Korea, Vietnam, and more.
Lunar New Year traditions, which have a history of about 3,500 years, in the words of Wenny Wallace, are “Like Christmas,” where you take your time to visit family and friends. These traditions and elements hold different significance. For example, 2023 is the year of the rabbit on the Chinese Zodiac calendar, and that represents peace and prosperity. Also, the importance of the color red is a key thing to mention, which represents luck/good fortune. Firecrackers also play a big role in Lunar New Year celebrations used to scare away bad luck and bad energy from the year prior.
With the event’s big turnout, a monumental moment for them, so much so that they are open to doing another one next year. In the words of Wenny Wallace, “You should feel proud about your own culture.”
