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LATEST PRINT EDITION MAY 18, 2017 News Features Opinion Arts Sports SF Homeless Project Advertising Journalism Classes News Burn Out 2 years ago By Alice Feller Tower Staff Writer For the second time in less than a year developer Rick Holliday’s massive Emeryville construction project burned to the ground. The fire began around 5 a.m. on the morning of May 13, and by the time firefighters arrived had already involved all floors of the building. “It’s devastating for the property owner and his wife,” Emeryville City Manager Carolyn Lehr said. “To wake up to this news—the same thing again at the same stage of construction.” At 3800 San Pablo, it was close to the 580 interchange and close to BART. Holliday named his […] Read full story → 0 Funds Under Siege Reallocation of funds under fire at Peralta trustees meeting By Alice Feller Tower Staff Writer While everyone agrees... May 22, 2017, 1:15 PM 0 Back in play: Laney again potential stadium site By Brian Howey Tower Staff Writer Laney’s collective sigh of relief was cut short last week. The college is not out... May 22, 2017, 12:55 PM 0 Signed: Courtenay Brown Laney athlete celebrates SF State admission with signing ceremony in gym By Bonnie Oviatt Editor-in-Chief Laney’s... May 5, 2017, 12:57 PM 0 In This Together May 5, 2017 12:37 PM By Jumoke Evans Tower Staff Writer Joyce Mills, former Laney student and public health nurse, had a simple question: “Do you think healthcare is a basic human right, or a commodity for sale and profit?” In response, the audience at the Laney College Teach-In on April 27 were in complete agreement: Healthcare is a right. This right was one of many explored at the event, the latest in Laney’s series of teach-ins designed to forge solidarity throughout the East Bay by creating opportunities for students, professors, staff, activists and community members to educate one another. April’s teach-in was entitled “Defending […] Read more › Laney student government elected by only 111 students May 4, 2017 2:27 PM News Analysis By Lauri Bloom Tower Staff Writer For some Laney College/ Peralta CCD students interested in running for office this year, the 2017 Peralta student government elections process seemed to happen so fast, that before students could start the long process of running, it was over. They would “have submitted all the necessary paperwork (application, resume & petition) AND passed the necessary grade check to begin moving through the process as a candidate for the Associated Students of Laney College (ASLC) and/or PCCD Student Trustee,” read the email which announced candidacy from Director Gary Albury. District-wide, fewer than 700 […] Read more › Science Not Silence April 26, 2017 1:25 PM San Francisco protests Trump science policies By Adrienne Miller Tower Staff Writer On Earth Day, April 22, tens of thousands of people gathered in downtown San Francisco to advocate for scientific research and advancement. Opposing the Trump Administration’s proposed cutbacks on federal agencies promoting science, the protesters also rallied in support of their comrades and allies in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) fields. The proclaimed goals of the March for Science were communication, funding, policy, literacy, and diversity. According to the organizers, the Science March was aimed at celebrating “public discovery, understanding, and distribution of scientific knowledge as crucial to […] Read more › Laney Tower wins high marks at conference April 20, 2017 12:25 PM Journalism Association of Community Colleges gives Tower 11 awards for writing, design By Bonnie Oviatt Editor-in-Chief The Laney Tower earned 11 awards at the 2017 Journalism Association of Community Colleges (JACC) State Conference held in Sacramento at the DoubleTree Inn from March 29 through April 2. The awards were for a wide variety of work done over the past 12 months and for on-the-spot competitions held at the conference. Sarah Carpenter, Alice Feller, KR Nava, Bonnie Oviatt and faculty advisor Scott Strain attended the conference, which drew hundreds of journalism students from across the state. Participants were urged to network […] Read more › Laney Job Fair links employers with students 12:15 PM By Sarah Carpenter Assignments Editor Although there are many opportunities that the Laney Employment Services Center (LESC) offers for students, Employment Program Mgr. Raya Zion expressed concern that these services aren’t reaching students enough. At one of many job fairs hosted at Laney College, the Student Center was filled with representatives from various companies with job or career opportunities on April 17. Zion said that she is working on setting up an Instagram account for the LESC in order to increase student awareness. “We have a lot of employer support,” she said, but getting the information to students is the […] Read more › Revealing the truth 12:04 PM Center for Investigative Reporting’s Michael Montgomery visits media class By Saskia Hatvany Tower Staff Writer The main challenge faced by investigative reporter Michael Montgomery is: How do we tell a story of critical importance to society? Montgomery is a journalist at the Center for Investigative Reporting (CIR), a media organization founded in 1977 in Oakland. He spoke to the Survey of Mass Media class on March 28. CIR’s alternative and nonpartisan approach to storytelling sets it apart from other media organizations. The donation-based organization typically aims to tell stories that will engage the public on an emotional level while encouraging […] Read more › ‘Hands off.’ 10:10 AM By Brian Howey Tower Staff Writer The Oakland A’s are scouting a location for their new stadium, and Laney College may be the perfect spot—but perfect for whom? In a phone interview with The Laney Tower, Oakland A’s President Dave Kaval listed four possible new stadium locations, including Howard Terminal, a new ballpark at the A’s current site, and two sites in the Lake Merritt area. “We’re trying to determine, amongst those four locations, what would make the most sense, what’s feasible for traffic, transportation, and financing,” Kaval said. The Lake Merritt locations are “close” to Laney College and the […] Read more › POTHOLE PROBLEMS March 30, 2017 1:59 PM Merritt parking lot plagued by potholes, trash, graffiti Unlike Merritt College’s other parking lots, there are no signs indicating where the B parking lot is. Despite the lot’s beautiful view of the entire Bay Area, half of it is literally dirt road covered with potholes filled with water. At the far end of the parking lot is a broken metal barrier surrounded by trash leading to what looks like it was supposed to be an access to another part of the parking lot. Continuing through the barrier are two dirt roads, one of which is completely flooded with water. Driving […] Read more › ‘DEPLORABLE’ 1:49 PM Neglected Oakland building burns down, killing four and displacing dozens The charred skeleton of an apartment building stands smoldering and empty as emergency crews look on, waiting idly in the mist of a fire hose. This is the aftermath of the deadly March 27 inferno that gutted the building at 2551 San Pablo Ave. in West Oakland and took the lives of four people. “One lady got trapped in the building and called [out] while she was in flames,” said Anthony, a Laney student who described the fire. An employee for The Workforce Collaborative, Anthony, who wished to withhold his […] Read more › A NEW CHAPTER 12:50 PM Tammeil Gilkerson optimistic about becoming next president of Laney College In her application essay for college,Tammeil Gilkerson described herself as a book that is often judged by its cover. “Today,” she remarks, “the pages of my book are much different than that cover really is.” Laney College will meet her in the next few days as its new president, and she admits to being a ...