Networking at Leadership Forum
The Mathews Leadership Forum offered California Lutheran University students the opportunity to network with various leaders from the Ventura and Los Angeles counties on Oct. 24. The event took place in the Lundring Events Center and featured keynote speaker Michael Dolphin, division chief of the Employment Development Department. The leaders in attendance ranged from the assistant police chief of Thousand Oaks to the president of Rhapsody International to the executive director of Habitat for Humanity. At the event, students were given time to network with everyone in the room and then were seated for round-table discussions, giving students an opportunity to get to know the leaders seated at the same table on a one-on-one level while enjoying a three course meal.

Shooting at Nevada middle school
Jose Reyes, a 7th grader at a  Nevada middle school, fatally shot himself after shooting and killing a math teacher and wounding two classmates on Oct. 21, according to the Los Angeles Times. Michael Landsberry, math teacher at Sparks Middle School in Sparks, Nev., was killed while using his body to shield his students from the gun shots, authorities said. Two students were also wounded, but their injuries are said to be non life- threatening.  It is speculated that bullying triggered the shooting as Reyes allegedly said, “You guys ruined my life, so I’m going to ruin yours” before shooting.

Davis police gets worker’s comp
John Pike, former University of California, Davis police officer, will receive $38,055 in workers’ compensation in damages resulting from the pepper spraying of protesters in November 2011, according to the Los Angeles Times. Pike pepper-sprayed UC Davis students and alumni during the Occupy movement protest on campus. The incident was caught on video and went viral. Pike filed for the compensation after claiming that the death threats he received after the incident caused him to suffer from depression and anxiety. Following the incident, Pike was put on paid administrative leave for eight months and formally fired in July 2012.

Teacher allegedly killed by student
A Danvers, Mass. student allegedly killed his teacher and then put her body in the woods on Oct. 22, according to CNN. Philip Chism, 14, allegedly followed his algebra teacher, Colleen Ritzer, into the restroom, killed her using a box cutter, stashed her body in a recycling bin and then put her body in the woods behind the school’s athletic field. It is speculated that after putting the body in the woods, Chism changed his clothes then went to a Wendy’s restaurant and the movie theater. Chism is currently jailed without bond. A grand jury will decide if he will be tried as a juvenile or an adult.

T.O. safest city in California
Thousand Oaks, Calif. was ranked the safest city in the state and fourth safest in the country, according to CBS Los Angeles. The results were compiled after Thousand Oaks was compared to 278 other cities in the U.S. with populations of 100,000 or more. Another Ventura County city to rank high in safety was Simi Valley, which landed third safest city in the state and seventh safest in the country. Despite the high rankings that the cities received, Randy Pentis, Thousand Oaks police chief commander, told the Acorn he suggested residents should lock their homes and cars and remain vigilant.

Mayra Ruiz
Staff Writer
Published Oct. 30, 2013