Star Comes to Town for New Movie by Elizabeth Castillo Editor in Chief
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The RenegadeBakersfield College Rip Vol. 86 ∙ No. 9 www.therip.com Thursday, February 19, 2015 Star comes to town for new movie By Elizabeth Castillo Editor in Chief The Bakersfield community received the star treatment when Maya Cinemas hosted a red car- pet and premiere of “McFarland, USA.” Several cast members from the film attended the event including Kevin Costner who portrays cross country coach Jim White. The film is based on the true story of McFarland High School and its highly successful cross country team. It takes place in 1987, which is the first year the school won a state championship in the sport. Members from the 1987 cross country team attend- ed the event as well and were impressed by how accurately Disney portrayed the story. David Diaz, a runner from “They did a great job, and the 1987 team, walks the we’re very happy with the film,” Bakersfield red carpet. said Damacio Diaz, one of three Diaz brothers that were on the the film, said that he was happy 1987 team. “This experience has that Hispanics were the protago- been very overwhelming, and we nists of the story. feel very humbled by it.” “Why can’t we be the hero?” Diaz is currently a Bakersfield he said. “We always have to be Police detective and now owns the gangbanger so I was really land in McFarland. He said that glad to be a part of this film.” the three most important values Kevin Costner, a lead role in in his household growing up the film, was also in attendance were God, family and school. and said that there were several Sports were way down that list reasons he wanted to be involved of values, and he’s happy that with the film. One was that he and his brothers excelled in “McFarland, USA” showed that sports at that time. if you give children a goal, and In the film, the Diaz brothers’ believe they can achieve it, then mom is portrayed as a strong those kids have a chance to excel Above: Kevin Costner, leader of the household. David just like the cross country run- who plays Jim White in Diaz said that Disney portrayed ners in McFarland. He also really “McFarland, USA,” speaks his mother well. enjoyed being part of a true story to reporters during the “We’re not ashamed of what with an inspirational message. our mother did or how she be- “But sometimes you get a red carpet at the movie haved,” he said. “She was a dic- premiere. The movie was chance to make a story that actu- tator. So what?” ally happens in a community and screened at the Bakersfield David said that the film did not location of Maya Cinemas. you feel like its worth telling,” only portray the lives of Hispan- he said. “I remember reading ics growing up in McFarland but Right: Jim White, the coach this story a long time ago and for also of Okies who worked the the story to turn into a movie and that inspired “McFarland, land before them. He said that to somehow find myself in the USA,” attends the “McFarland, USA” isn’t just a middle of all of it, it’s just part of Bakersfield premiere of the Hispanic story but is a represen- the mystery of life.” film with his wife Cheryl tation of life in the Central Val- Costner said that it was inter- White. ley. Several actors from the film esting for someone as success- were present at the event. Johnny ful as Jim White to stay with his PHOTOS BY JAVIER VALDES Ortiz, an actor who played cross THE RIP country runner Jose Cardenas in Please see MOVIE, Page 5 Former state senator Burglary at BC; speaks at conference By Javier Valdes Minds is to create an open six iMacs stolen Reporter source textbook library and creating savings for the stu- By Elizabeth Castillo and burglaries unavailable at this Former democratic state dents,” Florez said. He en- Sen. Dean Florez, 51, intro- Amber Hayden time because this is an ongoing couraged students and faculty Rip Editors investigation. duced The Michelson 20 Mil- to take interest in the money- lion Minds Foundation and According to Amber Chiang, saving opportunity. A burglary took place at the BC’s director of Marketing and spoke about where technol- However, Florez’s visit to ogy should be heading within Fine Arts building of Bakers- Public Relations, BC is work- the BC campus was mainly field College sometime over ing with the Bakersfield Police the higher education system geared toward the innovation during the Technology Con- the weekend of Feb. 6- Feb. 8. Department. Chiang said that a of technology in the classroom At least six iMacs were taken report has been made with the ference at the Bakersfield and the ways that BC faculty College indoor theater Feb. 5. from FA 10. The suspect broke BPD. According to Sergeant and the community college glass doors to get inside of the Joe Grubbs, BPD’s media and Florez, who was the key- system can incorporate new Javier valdes / THE RIP note speaker, started off the FA building and used an un- public relations contact, a case technologies to create a hy- Former state senator Dean Florez explains his 20 Million known pry bar type instrument file and report cannot be found conference speaking about brid learning mechanism that the high cost of schoolbooks, Minds Foundation at the technology conference at BC. to get inside the locked class- as of Feb. 17. Chiang said that utilizes traditional teaching room, according to Christopher BC is aware of when the bur- particularly in our community and the incorporation of tech- college system, and how the Florez explained how recent lege students were ready to Counts, the director of Public glary occurred and it is a key nology to attain a more effec- Safety at BC. part of the investigation. She 20 Million Minds Foundation tive way of learning. studies suggested that when take on the workforce. has begun to create an open asking college leaders if their “If you really think about Counts said that this is not said she is unsure if the bur- Florez expressed his high the first burglary to occur at the glary qualifies as grand theft source system where books regard over a competency- students had the right skills it, we have a huge gap in per- of various different subjects needed for the workforce that ception,” Florez said. “The FA building. On a separate oc- and did not want to discuss based education, and how currence, a computer and cam- the cost of the stolen items. are available for free use for he sees this as a solution for about 95 percent said yes. workforce is saying that our any student and faculty who Then they asked CEOs and students aren’t prepared and era were taken from another According to Apple’s website, the skills gap that there is be- area within the FA building. one new 21.5 inch iMac starts choose to use it. tween college graduates and other business leaders, and then our colleges are saying “Our goal at 20 Million only 11 percent felt that col- Counts said that he’d prefer to the competing workforce. Please see FLOREZ, Page 5 keep all dates and times of the Please see THEFT, Page 5 FEATURES Page 2 The Renegade Rip www.therip.com Thursday, February 19, 2015 Column When Whiskey Flat Days is still successful By Amber Hayden you can’t Online Editor With the drought being like it has been, the wonder if Whiskey Flat Days would bring in the rev- enue it has in past years came in pay for to question this year. Located just a short drive out- side of Bakersfield and up the canyon to the town of Kernville, is where the event takes place ev- comfort ery year in the spring. But with booths and reenact- Brooke Howard | It’s okay to ments in full swing there was no learn the hard way. question that it would be as suc- cessful as it has always been. When I moved out, I real- Tim Dawson, a physics profes- ized in order to live on my sor, has played Adam Hamilton own, you could almost never for the last two years at Whiskey be home. You had to go to Flat Days. school from morning to eve- During Dawson’s first year ning, go to work from eve- playing Hamilton, who owned ning till late night and when the area of Whiskey Flats, he you sprinkle in homework, won best in showmanship, which laundromats, clubs at school for a first time reenactor, is un- and extra hours at work you heard of. have yourself a big no-fun- “I gave the award, though, to time pie. my 7-year-old granddaughter On top of that, I was having who also dresses up, she has au- a hard time even paying my tism though and I wanted her to rent. I went days of collecting have it … excuse me it makes me my change to eat my meals emotional,” he said. ment and passed out souvenirs board. on the people who have inhab- Above: Ringo passes out out of vending machines. Dawson can be found wander- to them. In the encampment area were ited the Kern River area for gen- souveniors to kids at the The kicker was, I was work- ing the encampment area speak- When they asked how he was a few booths set up that you erations.