yoursmlweekly-blog

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Chemical Problem at Daland Swim School

Daland Swim School, a Thousand Oaks swim instruction center, recently had a chlorine emergency that cause multiple children to be rushed to the hospital for treatment.

On Oct. 3, an abnormal chlorine surge from an automated pump caused an extreme amount of chlorine to leak into the pool and gas into the air during operation. During the time of the leak, there were swim lessons being held as well as swim team practice with over 40 children being in the proximity of the leak. A dozen kids were transported to the hospital because of the inhaled chlorine and only a few were held overnight. “We are trained for this kinda stuff. We have quarterly staff meetings and we go over the EAP [Emergency Action Plan] in detail every time. We knew what to do,” Haylee Whitman, employee at Daland Swim School said. Students at the scene were rushed out of the pool and out onto the driveway where air conditions were safe. 

Nine ambulances showed up to the scene the night of the leak to make sure everyone who needed help would be attended to.  “I felt super safe. We were swimming laps when my friend started throwing up. I didn’t know what was happening. It was really scary but coach told us all where to go and we all knew we had to listen for everyone’s safety,” a swim team member stated.

Leslie Daland James, owner of the swim school, posted on NextDoor explaining that the leak was caused by an abnormal chlorine surge from an automated pump. “The back of the facility is where we hold all of our chemicals. The only people allowed back there are staff who are highly trained. Office personnel only, not even the normal instructors,” Sarah Bochnack, office manager said. “Many of the Daland staff are confused how this even happened, but our main concern was to get the children to safety with medical attention if needed, then the focus would be switch to what went wrong.

Daland has been operating for over 30 years, with very few incidences, almost none of them being an incident with fault on Daland’s end. Every day, the staff completes three chemical checks to make sure all of the chemicals, including chlorine, are at the correct levels. The chemical checks are done by hand and have multiple steps to insure that the pool is safe to swim in. The facility is also required to pass multiple safety tests organized by the state.

All 12 students who were sent to the hospital returned home with no injuries within 24 hours of the incident. Daland remained closed the next day until all of the machines and equipment were working correctly and the levels of chlorine were brought to normal levels. Daland has not seen to much backlash from the incident and all of the students affected are still swimming there today.

Daland made sure to make sure their staff was confident in their emergency action plan and they made sure that everyone was trained to make the safest decisions. Once there was a problem, action was immediately taken to make sure that every person, child or adult, was taken to a safe place to breathe while making sure the injured students received immediate attention. Daland is now open for normal business hours. 

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Monte Carlo: Best Time or Total Flop

On Oct. 25 California Lutheran University threw their annual fall homecoming dance, Monte Carlo. This event is held by ASCLUG and was located this year at the Camarillo Ranch house.  Was this year the best dance yet, or do the students think otherwise?

At Cal Lu there are two annual dances throughout the year, one in the fall time and one in the spring. The fall season dance is usually more casual and at a smaller location compared to the spring dance which is usually a bit fancier. The same sort of finger food snacks like brownies and cookies as well as drinks are served at both events. The DJ always plays the radio top hits, but the level of formal attire and ambiance really does make a difference.

“I feel sort of iffy about the homecoming dances. They are usually not at as nice of locations and are a little more laid back than the spring dances are. They are still fun though,” Leilani Querubin, junior at Cal Lutheran said. During the 2017-2018 year, the homecoming dance was at the Vineyards in Simi Valley and the spring dance was at the Ronald Reagan Library.  The library was definitely a bit fancier than the homecoming venue, however others disagree that the homecoming dances aren’t as nice. “I had much more fun last homecoming than the spring formal.  I just want to go and hangout with my friends, I��m not there for the glitz and glam,” Mia Severance, sophomore at Cal Lutheran said.

Students across campus had been discussing what they were going to wear to the homecoming dance. Some students said that the dress code was casual formal, which seems like a complete juxtaposition. “I wore a pretty simple jumpsuit to homecoming this year. At spring formal last year I wore a full on dress and heels,” Querubin said. Severance disagrees saying that she dressed casual for both, however she did feel under dressed for the Spring Formal.

While people may argue that one is better than the other, the venue of the 2017 homecoming dance held six hundred people, however the spring formal venue held almost triple that, 1600 to be exact.  While capacity doesn’t show as much as how many tickets were actually sold, it is important to look at because booking a venue that holds three times the amount of people shows that ASCLUG knew that more students would attend this dance. Bringing a date is highly encouraged to the spring formal, arguably more encouraged than the homecoming dance, which accounts for the higher expected attendance.

Some may say that they like the casual energy of the fall homecoming dance more than the fancy spring formal and vise versa but both dances are loads of fun and equally as amazing to go with your friends. Whether the spring dance or the small dance are more your thing, leave us a comment with your thoughts. The next dance is set for some time during the spring semester in 2019.

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Controversy Amid Spring Event

                                                By Alek Mata

Thousand Oaks, CA- California Lutheran University is amid a controversy among its student body among the Spring Signature event hosted every year. On Sep.15th, Programs Board voted in favour of a spring carnival over a spring formal dance on a 12-1 vote. In the past, CLU alternated between having a spring concert and a spring formal dance. In 2017 and 2018 the school decided to have two spring formal dances back to back years. This urged the Programs Board to make a change to the spring event and arose the idea of a Carnival.

Not everyone was happy with this decision. A tweet by a student abroad caused the student body to voice their displeasure. “CLU STUDENTS: Programs Board has decided to replace spring formal with a spring carnival. Given the popularity of the formals in the past two years, it is shocking that such a decision has been made with our student fees without our input.” Josh Cruz tweeted. This tweet had 30 retweets and prompted a discussion on students voice on campus for future events.

In a transcript from the Programs Board meeting on Sep. 15th, it stated that the carnival would be a “mixing a theme with rides, traditional carnival games and activities,”. They also stated that is “Important to keep dance element in the carnival to keep it similar to formal,”.

On Oct. 22nd, Programs Board held an open forum for the first time ever to give an opportunity for students to give their opinions on the spring signature event. A few students spoke out against the vote.

According to the summarized transcripts, “Abroad friends and fellow upperclassmen are interested in Spring Formal, [Armando and Austin] Does not feel that a carnival would be well attended, [Armando and Austin] Feel that dances are more enjoyable overall, [Armando and Austin] Feels that asking the student body and inquiring via Blackboard would be helpful” the transcript stated.

Peyton Borg, a senior, also spoke against the carnival, “Spring Formal was very popular the last couple years and I was surprised that the change came after such success without student input,” Borg said.

On the other hand, a student, Austin Truong,  had a concern about the formal and asked questions and wanted to clarify what a spring carnival would look like.

“What would be the differences between this carnival event and the usual

Homecoming Carnival?” Truong asked.

“All-inclusive; different from HC Carnival because of a larger budget, Intend to get more of the undergraduate population involved,” The transcript summarized.

The student body has so far held firm in having the carnival and sticking to their original vote even with the backlash from the student body. The Programs Board will continue to have open forums to answer any questions or the platform to voice any concerns.

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Demon Dayz Festival Review

                                             By Alek Mata

Pico Rivera, CA- The second ever Demon Dayz Festival kicked off in Los Angeles on Saturday at Pico Rivera Arena. Demon Dayz is a festival hosted by the Gorillaz with the inaugural festival being held last year in England. Demon Dayz came to LA and might have found it’s home for years to come.

The first thing that popped out to me was the artwork that surrounded the arena. Multiple art installations that paid respect for the Mexican culture. For example, there were the Gorillaz animated members painted in Dia De Los Muertos skulls and seemed to be the general theme of the day. The art also included props in the famous music videos throughout the years, actors and even the two cars in their song “Stylo”. Another art installation was Lucha Libre (Mexican wrestling) between sets on the main stage. This got the crowd very intrigued and even into the match cheering and yelling.

To start the day off was the band Las Cafeteras from East Los Angeles. They put on a very fun and energetic set to start the day. What made Las Cafeteras so interesting was their breakdowns in songs and their dance moves throughout the whole set. The crowd was involved off their pure energy and political stance through their set. Las Cafeteras was an ideal band to start the day.

I moved to the main stage for the rest of the day and saw the Hypnotic Brass Ensemble out of southside Chicago. The Gorillaz have collaborated with this group on multiple songs so it was not a surprise they were playing this festival. Hypnotic Brass Ensemble was very different than most acts due to having nine members. A bassist and a drummer are the only ones in the band who do not play a horn which means they have seven people in their horn section with no main vocalist. It was a new experience to watch them along with the crowd to see how they played without a vocalist. Basing on the crowd's reaction and mine, they did not need a vocalist because their music was fast, upbeat and precise that made you move and attentive.

Next up was Dram, Dram might not necessarily be the best musical performer of the day but his charisma and charm made his performance was very entertaining. Dram ran through his set which included his breakout song “Cha-Cha”, and his platinum single “Broccoli”, which 95% of the crowd knew.

The last performer before the Gorillaz was Erykah Badu. Throughout the day I heard about Badu and there was a surrounding buzz about her set. She came on stage looking like a goddess with a big fur coat, her hair blowing in the wind with five lasers coming down from the stage surrounding her. Her set was about 25 minutes and I personally could not get into the slow melodies. She was musically talented but her slow melodies and songs didn’t fit considering she was between Dram and the Gorillaz. This was the only disappointment of the day.

Lastly, the hosts of the festival came on with a huge roar from the crowd. The Gorillaz have a total of 13 people on stage which include 6 backup singers, 2 keyboardists, 2 drummers, a guitarist, a bassist, and Damon Alborn who sings and plays five different instruments. With so many instruments, it is a pure art form to cohesively act as a unit and that is exactly what the Gorillaz did. Damon Alborn who is 50, gave everything he had to the massive crowd. In his fourth song, Alborn was in the crowd singing and constantly moving across the stage. Being the Gorillaz, they brought on special guests ranging from artists who already played the festival to guests featured on their album. The highlight of the night was when Damon brought out his Blur guitarist and played their massive successful hit “Song 2”. The constant hits, band chemistry, and surprise guests lived up the massive hype surrounding the festival.

With festivals hitting their peak in popularity, it is becoming hard to stand out as a festival. Demon Dayz made this festival unique by the art, culture, the layout, venue and artists made this festival a hit and I will not be surprised to see Demon Dayz back in LA.  

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The 10 Commandments of How to Ball on a Budget

For most college students, college is their first time that they are solely responsible for…well, everything. Here is your ultimate money saving cheat sheet.

By Taylor Brown

1.      Apply For a Credit Card

Hear me out, you have to build your credit eventually. College is a great place to start. The point of getting a credit card is to not run up the credit. Usually, your parents would say to use it for emergency purposes only but anything can be an emergency. A 50% off sale is an emergency right? That’s why you apply for credit cards with incentives. A Discover It Student Card is a great start. You get 1% cash back on every purchase and 5% during special promotions. Your cash back is matched after your first year!

2.      Join Rewards Programs

Rewards programs are the best. You literally get rewarded for your purchases. For Cal Lutheran students, an app that everyone should have is the Chick Fil A app. You get 10 points for every dollar spent. The points can be redeemed for free food. “My friends and I get free rewards every week courtesy of Josh Young.” said Sophomore Zino Ayetuoma. The local Moorpark Chick Fil A owner, Josh Young, gives out free rewards to Chick Fil A reward members every week.

3.      Drop-In!

We know ASCLUG loves a drop-in. These are the best times to participate in campus events. Why? Because it’s free! Chick Fil A, Little Calf Creamery, Dojo Boom, and many more! Just show up and you won’t have to pay a dime. Always check The Hub to find them.

4.      Free Trials and Samples

Don’t know if a music streaming service is worth it? Participate in the free trial! Free trials can be anywhere between 7 days to 6 months! Don’t know if the foundation will match your skin? Ask for a sample! Sephora is a great place to ask for samples. You can receive up to three samples in one visit.

5.      Watch For Sales

Always keep an eye on sales. During transitions between seasons, stores have sales to clear out last season’s stock. There is no harm in buying more swimsuits at the end of the summer; especially when it is 50% off the original price. Websites like Unidays and Student Beans informs college students on all the best sales and student discounts. College emails get you more than just assignment notifications.

6.      Clearance Section

Every store has one. You can find some stellar items in the clearance section. Clothing stores like Forever 21 constantly rotate their inventory. That top you wanted that was $15 last week is probably $7 today. Stores like Home Goods and Marshall’s are known for their everyday low prices. Their clearance section is even lower. You can find dorm décor that is cute and inexpensive.

7.      Don’t Be Afraid of Dollar Stores

99 Cent Only, Family Dollar, Dollar Tree—you name it. Dollar stores are a gold mine. You can almost anything in a dollar store for just $1. From groceries to decorations to makeup, you can find everything you need. Need a pack of hangers? A dollar. Picture frames? A dollar. You can’t go wrong.

8.      Trader Bros with Trader Joe’s

Fortunately, Cal Lutheran students have plenty grocery stores nearby. Grocery store trips can easily become expensive. The cheapest and most efficient grocery store is none other than Trader Joe’s. With plenty of dietary options including vegetarian and gluten free, Trader Joe’s gives shoppers an array of options to choose from. The best part is that it won’t break the bank! “I love Trader Joe’s because I barely spend $60 and get food for two weeks. They also have great Trader Joe’s brand products.” Said current Senior Aliyah Wimbish.

9.      Buy Only What You Need

It can be tempting to splurge, however the key to stretching your money is to only spend it on what you absolutely need. When it is time to grocery shop, make a list. That prevents you from aimlessly walking aisle to aisle picking up random items.

10.  If You Need to Splurge: Budget

Those pair of boots you saw online are $85 but your bank account has no wiggle room? Try putting away a small portion of your money to the side. Putting $5-$10 away every week can be the start of a useful savings account. By time you budget out the $85, those boots might be on sale!

 All of these tips are a great way to keep your finances up and still be satisfied. Sometimes you just have to treat yourself!

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Professional Athlete Appeal to Thousand Oaks

Professional Athlete Appeal to Thousand Oaks

The off season is the time where most professional athletes get a break from their rigorous routine and get away. Some of them find themselves in Thousand Oaks or on Cal Lutheran University’s campus.

By Taylor Brown

It is April 2018. The regular season of professional basketball has ended. NBA draft prospects are flocking to a suburb in Ventura County to become their best self mentally and physically. Former University of Oklahoma and current Atlanta Hawks player Trae Young makes a temporary move to Thousand Oaks just before the draft. He, along with a few other prospects and players meet up for workouts and sessions at Sports Academy, a new training facility located in Thousand Oaks. Basketball isn’t the only sport. The Los Angeles Rams have a deal with California Lutheran University to use a temporary training site on their campus.

Although Cal Lutheran may be Division III, sports seem to be a major feature. The CLU campus is a premier location for elite camps, training sessions, and scrimmages. So what is special about CLU or Thousand Oaks? “As someone who isn’t from Thousand Oaks, I think that it can be seen as a hideaway. It is a slow city, but hidden away.” said Communications major Geori McCoy. Perhaps, the idea is that players can come to Thousand Oaks and have very few distractions is appealing. Realistically, these players can train in the comfort of the city they live in.

Sacramento Kings’ player De’Aaron Fox is one of the many pro athletes that flock to Ventura County. Like the others, he trains at Sports Academy with his personal trainer. When asked why he temporarily moved to Thousand Oaks Fox said, “The area is quiet. I specifically came for Sports Academy and because I knew people in the area already.” Fox spent most of his off season living and training in Thousand Oaks with the exception of Summer League in Las Vegas, Nevada. Is it safe to say that the same appeal that Calabasas has for celebrities is the same appeal Thousand Oaks has for athletes?

Some players come to Thousand Oaks voluntarily. The Rams players have to. The train and practice on their facility located on CLU’s campus. Though temporary, the impact this has on the campus shows. Both the Rams and CLU benefit off of each other. The Rams immediately had a proper space to practice once they made their move from St. Louis back to Los Angeles. On the CLU side, the Rams bring great career and internship opportunities for students to branch into the sports business world.

By the way the current trend is, Thousand Oaks is beginning to look like a premier location for heavy sports presence.