OPINION
FEATURES
SPORTS
PROPOSITION 203: CALIFORNIANS
CAN’T LOSE ON THIS ONE
The public education bond act which appears
on next Tuesday’s ballot will ensure public ^
school students a better education 2
TIM THOMAS MARCHES ON
After five years as the PCC Lancer
Marching Band leader, Thomas
says goodbye as he moves
on to different heights j
LANCERS LOSE TO LACC
CUBS 6-5
The team’s woes continue as
head coach Tom Cano’s ^
club suffers home loss 6
MOURNING A LOSS
CARLOS SANTIESTEBAN
/
THE COURIER
Adorned with black ribbons, members of the PCC softball team share Tuesday’s game at Mt. SAC. From left: Veronica Acosta, Andrea
a moment of silence for their fallen friend Karla Benitez during Karabatos, Cathy May, Lily Morelos and Trina Ortiz.
Softball player dies of heart failure
“ Karla had a special gift for making those around
her feel good about themselves. She will always
hold a special spot in our hearts. One of Karla’s
greatest assets in life was her heart, and yet that
is what let her down, "
Sandi Iverson, PCC
softball head coach
Karla Benitez
By JOSE INOSTROZ
Courier Staff Writer
PCC’s softball team suffered the
loss of one of its own last Friday.
Karla Benitez, 20, who pitched for
the team in 1994 and 1995 died of a
cardiac arrest.
The San Gabriel High School
graduate, who led the Lancers to a
Southern California Regional play¬
off berth in 1 995, passed away at Los
Angeles County USC Medical Cen¬
ter. She had been suffering from
severe flu-like symptoms for a week
prior to her death.
Apparently, doctors were unable
to remove fluids that had accumu¬
lated around her heart after her brother
drove her to the hospital.
News of Benitez’ death stunned
the Lancer softball team. Five cur¬
rent members were teammates of
Benitez last year.
Softball coach Sandi Iverson said,
“She was a joy to know. She had an
incredible sense of humor. She
brightened every room she entered. I
feel lucky to have known her for
three years. Karla had a special gift
for making those around her feel
good about themselves. She will
always hold a special spot in our
hearts.”
As a Lancer, Benitez, collected a
15-14 record and a 2.03 earned run
average in 1995. She ledherteamin
pitching with an array of different
speeds although she wasn’ t known to
be a hard hurler. She pitched two
games in the playoffs before the
team was eliminated.
In the two years that she was
involved with the team, she col¬
lected a 20-18 overall record. Her
talents earned her an Athlete of the
Week honor in April and a spot on
the All-South Coast Conference sec¬
ond team.
Benitez was working toward an
associate of arts degree and hoped to
attend UCLA.
Team members will wear com¬
memorative patches with Benitez’
initials for the remainder of the sea¬
son.
“One of Karla’s greatest assets in
life was her heart, andyet that is what
let her down,” Iverson said of her
former player.
The team is trying to raise money
to help the family with funeral costs.
They plan to hold a car wash some¬
time next week. About $300 was
raised after the Lancers played Mt.
SAC last Tuesday.
All students and staff who would
like to make a contribution to help
the family, can make checks payable
to the lesus Benitez Family. Contri¬
butions can be taken to W105F care-
of Sandi Iverson. Memorial services
are pending.
♦ Next week: players re¬
spond to her death
• INCUMBENT ANTHONY GEORGILAS AND
BUSINESS PROFESSOR ELLEN
REYNOLDS LIGONS GO AT IT AGAIN
The race is on
for top Faculty
Senate position
By KEN WOO, Courier Staff Writer
The election for Faculty Senate
president is heating up once again as
this year’s contestants face off in a
rematch of last year’s race.
Anthony Georgilas, the incum¬
bent president, is being challenged
by former vice-president Ellen
Reynolds Ligons.
Both candidates are pushing for
the resolution of Assembly Bill 1725,
the issue of “shared governance.”
Shared governance is the faculty sen¬
ate working to reach an agreement
with the Board of Trustees on all
academic and professional matters,
according to Ligons.
Georgilas, a professor in the com¬
munication division, says in his elec¬
tion statement that it is time to keep
the momentum of the past two years
going.
“People should vote for me be¬
cause of truth, honesty, faculty unity
and that I have no hidden agendas,”
Georgilas said.
If elected to his third term, Georgi¬
las vows to keep PCC at the forefront
of the California Educational politi¬
cal scene and work with Gov. Pete
Wilson on the California Affirma¬
tive Action program. He also plans
to recruit more faculty members for
the different faculty senate commit¬
tees and push for more scholarships
for PCC students to attend schools
such as Standford, Yale, Princeton
and UCLA.
Ligons’ promise to her voters if
she is elected is that she will be an
advocate for faculty concerns and
manage the senate efficiently and
effectively. She also hopes to
strengthen the faculty’s relationship
♦ Next week: in depth profiles on both candidates
Anthony Ellen Reynolds
Georgilas Ligons
with other groups such as the admin¬
istration, classified staff and the stu¬
dents.
“I get results. I don’t just talk,”
said Ligons.
Last year’s election was marred
by controversy as Georgilas beat
Ligons initially by 10 votes. Citing
the close margin of victory, Ligons
requested a recount in which the
final margin of victory was nine
votes in Georgilas’ favor. Ligons
had accused Georgilas of violating
senate by-laws and controlling the
election outcome. No violations were
found in the election process.
However, another controversy
seems to be brewing for this up com¬
ing election for the vice-president
position. loe Probst, a professor of
speech, submitted his election state¬
ment 45 minutes late to the Faculty
Senate Committee and was conse¬
quently disqualified from running
for the position. Therefore, Robert
McLean, associate professor of so¬
cial sciences, will run uncontested.
The seats for secretary and treasurer
are also uncontested.
Georgilas is calling a special sen¬
ate meeting next Monday to resolve
Please see ELECTIONS, Page 5
• 'FORMER STUDENT'
ACCUSED OF STEALING
DISTRICT PROPERTY
Case reopened,
new charges
filed on suspect
By RAY ARMEN DARIZ, Courier Staff Writer
An investigation of making obscene and annoying
phone calls, faxes and letters led to the arrest of Collen
Robyn Johnson and his conviction for felony grand theft
for giving false information on his admissions applica¬
tions last year. This year a continuing investigation led
campus police to bring new charges against Johnson.
This time he is accused of stealing district property.
Last year’s investigation revealed that each person
who received the letters, faxes and phone calls had prior
negative contact with Johnson, said Bea Samorano
campus police officer.
Johnson pleaded guilty, received three years of pro¬
bation, 80 hours of community service and was ordered
to pay restitution to the college. When the faxes, letters
and calls kept coming, police reopened the investiga¬
tion. The most recent was to Police ChiefPhil Mullendore
in February.
The fax to Mullendore led police to reopen the
investigation. Samorano obtained a search warrant and
paid Johnson a visit. “With all the evidence I had, that he
was making these calls, I had enough probable cause to
Please see FELONY, Page 4
• PROPOSITION 200 AND 203 TO DIRECTLY AFFECT STUDENTS
Student issues ready for polls
THE PROS AND CONS ON
PROPOSITION 200 AND 203
By RACHEL URANGA
Courier Staff Writer
Although there are 12 proposi¬
tions on Tuesday’s ballot, two in
particular will directly affect stu¬
dents. Proposition 200 will affect
anyone who drives a car and Propo¬
sition 203 could provide direct ben¬
efits to PCC students.
• Proposition 200 : this proposi¬
tion abandons the current at-fault
insurance system and would require
each individual’s insurance policy
to pay, no matter who was at fault. A
person could no longer sue for death
or bodily injury unless the person at
fault was committing a felon and is
convicted on that felon, or if the
person was convicted of being under
the influence of drugs or alcohol
while driving the vehicle that caused
the accident. The victim could sue if
the driver leaves the scene of the
accident or is carrying hazardous
material that causes the death or
injury.
This new ‘no-fault’ legislation
would also require everyone operat¬
ing motor vehicles to carry Personal
Injury Protection insurance. Itwould
require a minimum coverage of
Proposition 200
No-fault vehicle insurance
♦ PRO: cost of auto insurance is
slashed by removing lawsuits and
fraud from the system but drunk
drivers still can be sued
♦ even though all injured
persons are paid by their own
insurer, fault may still be determined
♦ CON: the only winners are
insurance companies and the
corporations that paid to put
Proposition 2 00 on the ballot
♦ no-faultmakes every accident
your fault and eliminates your right
to sue a reckless driver
$50,000, in order to be registered.
This provision would theoretically
eliminate uninsured motorists from
the streets. Insurers would be re¬
quired to offer policies of up to $5
million. One could recover costs
from medical expenses up to
$250,000 for serious bodily injuries,
but there is a cap on the amount of
money that policies would provide.
The policy would cover the driver’s
Proposition 203
Public education
facilities bond act
of 1996
♦ PRO: if proposition 203 is
approved, we will be better able to
meet the needs of our students
♦ funds from all previous bond
acts are gone
♦ CON: parents and kids need a
choice in education
♦ taxpayers need relief from
massive government spending and
out-of-control debt
Source:League ofWomen Voters
and passengers’s injuries. Personal
Injury Protection insurance would
also be a part of an Assigned Claims
Plan that would cover special cir¬
cumstances involving uninsured ve¬
hicles. For example, a child who is
not insured by the family but is hit by
an uninsured motorist, would be in¬
sured by the Assigned Claim Plan.
The proposition would also man-
Please see PROPOSITIONS, Page 5
JOSE CORTEZ
/
THE COURIER
Standing at the corner of Hill and Colorado Blvd.,
Faculty Senate president Anthony Georgilas pushes
his view on Proposition 203. If passed, the public
education facilities bond act will provide PCC with
$25 million to complete the Master Plan.
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