What used to be full of laughter from families, the scent of barbecues and the meeting of friends, is now laced with toxic chemicals and causing a disturbing threat to public safety. Part of Chatsworth Park, which may be considered one of the most picturesque areas of the San Fernando Valley, is now being carefully measured for lead contamination and is no longer open for the enjoyment or use of the public.
Category: News
DocFestival wraps with ‘Sicko’ and awards
It was the final day of the DocFestival at Pierce College, where students piled into the Student Community Center to watch one of the screenings of the featured movie, “Arlington West.” The three-day DocFestival, during which a panel of professors offered their opinions on documentaries to an open audience, was sponsored by the Pierce Diversity Committee and Associated Students Organization.
ASO goes to Sacramento
Along with being hit hard by vast budget cuts, the California Community Colleges have not been receiving their full percentage of state funding. For this reason, the Pierce College Associated Students Organization will be sending 10 of their members to Sacramento to meet with legislators and voice their concerns.
Health insurance: a necessary hassle
The majority of college students with health insurance are receiving it from their employers, which may show that employee benefits are becoming increasingly crucial. Out of 80 percent of college students aged 18 to 23 who receive health insurance, 67 percent are covered through employer-sponsored plans, according to a March study by the U.
Banquet for teachers today
The red carpet rolls out today for Pierce College teachers attending the Teachers Appreciation Banquet, which will take place in the Student Community Center from noon to 2 p.m. The banquet is being put on by Alpha Gamma Sigma (AGS), an honor society branching from a statewide organization of community college societies that promotes academic excellence, leadership and service for the student body of Pierce.
THE WEEKLY BLOTTER
April 14 B/T 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. The hood and passenger door of a vehicle parked in Parking Lot 1 were vandalized. April 17 B/T 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. Three vehicles were broken into and burglarized in Lots 6 and 7. Items stolen include stereos, amplifiers, speakers, an iPod and a purse.
Hope of new hires depends on new retirees
Despite a present hiring freeze, Pierce College President Robert Garber said during an Academic Senate meeting April 21 that he hopes to hire a few more faculty members. Though the number of people hired depends on the number of retirees this year, Garber is optimistic.
EXPOSED,VULGAR, DISTURBING AND INGENIOUS
Naked, exposed and far from prudish, the California Video Screening Series: L.A. Video Uncensored, screened at The Getty Center, lived up to its title. From March 15 to June 8, The Getty is putting on an exhibition in the Harold M. Williams Auditorium, featuring a sequence of short films produced from 1975 to 2004.
Fees waived for majority of students
It’s not too late to apply for a 2007-08 Board of Governors Fee Waiver at the Financial Aid Office, which awards eligible students free tuition for the entire academic year – even if the semesters were taken before they received the aid. If a student is awarded a 2007-08 waiver by June 30, it will reimburse them for classes taken since Summer 2007.
The search for private funding
In the wake of proposed sweeping cuts in state education funding, California community colleges are turning to private sources to supplement their stagnating, sometimes even shrinking, operating budgets. “Like California’s four-year public universities, our community colleges have realized they can no longer solely rely on state funding or bond measures for financial support,” said Dr.