Inauguration Day was on Wednesday, Jan. 20. President Biden and Vice President Harris were sworn into office on a day full of unforgettable moments. 

One of the most noteworthy aspects of the day was that former President Donald Trump did not attend the ceremony. Early that morning, Trump left the White House, where he gave a final speech at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland and then boarded Air Force One for the last time bound for Florida. 

Trump is the fourth outgoing president not to attend the incoming president’s inauguration. John Adams did not attend Thomas Jefferson’s swearing-in. (1801) John Q. Adams (Son of John Adams) did not attend Andrew Jackson’s inauguration (1829) Andrew Johnson missed on Ulysses S. Grant’s swearing-in. (1869) 

Our White House: An Inaugural Celebration for Young Americans was a livestreamed event hosted by actress/activist Keke Palmer. Palmer spoke with several American historians and authors before the inauguration began. 

Historian David Kennedy described the tension that has been created due to former President Donald Trump’s absence at the ceremony, “A sign of just how divided the country was at those times and is now.” Kennedy refers to the mobs that invaded the US Capitol, where one group tried to disrupt the democratic process. 

An inspirational moment was when Associate Justice Sonia Sotomayor (nominated by former President Barack Obama in 2009), the first Latina on the supreme justice, swore in Vice President Kamala Harris, the first woman, African American of South Asian descent. 

In President Biden’s inauguration address, he emphasizes the matter of change, “Today we mark the swearing-in of the first women in American history elected to the office, Vice President Kamala Harris.” Biden recalls 108 years ago, the day before Woodrow Wilson’s inauguration, when the Women’s Suffrage Parade took place. 

While the women fought for their right to vote and equality, many harassed and beat the women. Police made little to no effort to intervene, and over 100 women ended up in the hospital. 

A much more lighthearted moment that took over social media was the first bump exchange between President Biden and former President Barack Obama as President Biden and the first lady walked out to the ceremony. President Biden and Obama have many fun photos from the Obama administration (2008-2016), such as waving pride flags around the white house, wearing matching suits, or playing golf. 

Olivia Rodrigo, a 17-year-old Asian American singer, and actress spoke briefly during the Our White House’s livestream. Rodrigo was the first-ever Asian American to reach number one on the Apple Music Top 100 Global chart and became an inspiration for many teens across the nation. Rodrigo encouraged teens to get involved in their government and be aware of the politics even if they’re not yet eligible to vote. 

Celebrity performances were made by Lady Gaga, who sang the national anthem before Vice President Harris was sworn in. Jennifer Lopez then came out to stage to sing “This Land is Your Land” and “America The Beautiful.” Lopez did include a line from her song, “Let’s Get Loud,” which surprised many and was quickly popularized on Twitter. 

A single picture of Sen. Bernie Sanders sitting in a chair before the ceremony wearing a pair of mittens has become a meme. Edits of Bernie include him sitting in the middle of a subway, the Millennium Falcon from Star Wars, or at a Marvel Avengers meeting. 

The last performer was a Black poet and social justice activist, Amanda Gorman. Gorman was named the first national youth poet laureate while studying sociology at Harvard University. 

Gorman’s poem that she recited at the inauguration, “The Hill We Climb,” left a message for the country to try to do better than we were for the last four years. Gorman is the youngest person to be named National Youth Poet Laureate.

In her poem, one of her last words is, “So let us leave behind a country better than the one we were left with,” which has resonated across America. Gorman’s poem emphasizes the power the country has to always try to better itself.

January 20, 1946 — October 31, 2020

Resident of Walnut Creek, CA

Judge Peggy Fulton Hora, a retired California Superior Court Judge, died unexpectedly on October 31, 2020. She was 74 years old. Known for her quick wit and encyclopedic mind, she was an avid reader and movie buff who didn’t own a television for over 30 years. She enjoyed the symphony, ballet, and fine dining. Two sons — Paul (Jamie) Hora of Danville and Erik (Linda) Hora of Alamo — survive her; Tim Spangler of Manteca predeceased her. Known to her eight grandchildren, Dillon, Kyle, Madison, Nathan, Kevin, Emily, Tommy, and Joseph, as “’Venture Grandma,” she traveled with them all over the world and sent hundreds of postcards from over 61 countries. 

Judge Hora was born in Oakland and reared in Castro Valley. She graduated from Castro Valley High School, Chabot College, California State University, Hayward, and the University of San Francisco School of Law. Elected to the bench in 1984, she was the first woman judge in Southern Alameda County. She was recognized as an innovator and founder of the drug treatment court movement. Judge Hora lectured nationally and internationally and wrote extensively on substance abuse issues, pregnant and parenting women, drug treatment courts, and therapeutic jurisprudence. She was cited over 100 times by the appellate court and various journals.

She was elected to the trial bench in 1984 and retired after serving 21 years. She had a criminal assignment that included presiding over the Hayward Drug Treatment Court. She returned to sit on assignments in 2008 and especially enjoyed presiding over the drug, domestic violence, and mental health courts. Speaking of her work as a drug treatment court judge, she said, “Few callings compare with the opportunity to leave a legacy that enhances the community, strengthens the criminal justice system, mends families, and restores individuals. ”She was the dean of the B.E. Witkin Judicial College of California and was on the faculty of the National Judicial College for over fifteen years. She was the 2004 recipient of the Bernard S. Jefferson Judicial Education Award from the California Judges’ Association. In 2008, she was inducted into the Women’s Hall of Fame of Alameda County.

Judge Hora loved to travel and was known throughout the world for her drug court work. She helped courts in Chile, Israel, New Zealand, Great Britain, and Australia. She served as the 2009-2010 Adelaide Thinker in Residence, the first in the field of law. She was appointed by the Premier of South Australia, and her report, “Smart Justice,” was distributed internationally. 

Never one to sit still for long, in 2015, Peggy, along with Brian MacKenzie and David Wallace, founded the Justice Speakers Institute (JSI). JSI has become a leader in the education of Justice System leaders worldwide. Its founders and associates are internationally recognized experts with decades of experience and mastery of more than 300 subjects impacting the justice system. Among her many accomplishments, as president of JSI, Peggy coedited the Science Benchbook for Judges, published by the National Judicial College.

A lawyer who asked her to perform his daughter’s wedding said of her, “Those of you who know Judge Hora see her as a fine jurist, but she is also the kind of professional I hoped my daughter would emulate. Judge Hora was not the first choice to preside over my daughter’s wedding. Or even my second or third choice. I first considered Eleanor Roosevelt but rejected her, as she is both deceased and not licensed in California. I then thought of Dorothy Parker, but she, too, is no longer with us, and she might not have shown up sober. Finally, I thought of Hillary Rodham Clinton, but I wasn’t sure she would receive the kind of unanimous reception my daughter deserves at her wedding. So I arrived at Peggy Hora’s name, a woman I equally admire and who combines the strength and compassion of Mrs. Roosevelt, the wit of Ms. Parker and the independence and vision of Sen. Clinton.”

Although no memorial is currently planned, the information will be available, and remembrances may be added online at MyKeeper.com.

Have you ever walked past the 200 building on the Chabot campus and heard someone singing and playing the guitar? If so, that’s Don “The Guitar Man” Fuller. He writes his songs and has been playing them during his lunch hour for the past 15 years. He sits on a bench between the 100 and 300 building singing and playing his acoustic guitar Monday through Thursday. 

Fuller says he enjoys playing on campus. It’s his outlet. “I enjoy playing. The reason I’m out here playing is basically for my mental health. I appreciate people stopping by and giving me compliments it’s heartwarming.”

Fuller has opened for Country singer Dottie West, has played with the actress/singer Madonna’s guitar teacher, and with the San Jose garage rock band named Count Five. The group is best known for their hit single Psychotic Reaction. Fuller said, “I played with Count Five, a San Jose and the Cleveland Hall of Fame band. We played together at my house.”

“Love for Love”, “When You Woke Me Up” are the songs Fuller wrote. “Fluffy Monkey Butt” is a funny, unique song he also wrote with a student on campus. 

Fuller stated, “It was eight years ago when a student was watching people walking by and saw them walking with their cellphones. I just started singing “Fluffy Monkey Butts.” We wrote that song to get the student’s attention who were walking with their cellphones. It caught their ears.” 

Fuller can also be very serious about the songs he wrote. “Home on The Range” is a song he wrote. His song talks about kids that are losing to drugs, and it may cut to the heart of many people. It’s an Anti-Drug song. 

One of the lyrics of that song is “…. The last straw was when I walked into the bathroom. You had a glass pipe in your hand; it was a stone reaction. When was the last time you just weren’t wasted, then you had the nerve to ask me if I wanted to taste it? Life is so strange, making me want to go back home. Back home On the Range.”

The lyrics talk about a person walking in on a friend using crack. His friend tempts him to use it but refuses. Fuller says he sings it twice a week. It’s his favorite song.

Fuller was born in Massachusetts but raised in the Bay Area. He was four years old when he first learned how to play the piano, then five when he learned how to play the Ukulele.

Fuller mentions, “at ten years old; I started playing the guitar. My family was all musical. My grandparents had a band. My Uncle had a band, and I was in his local band.”

He has written Over 100 songs and performs daily on campus.

His inspirations for writing songs are things that happen in day to day life like; driving a car, eating food, or birds. Fuller stated, “I write about anything that goes on, anything that’s around. It doesn’t matter if I write a song about a bird or a smelly trash can. I don’t have to be inspired to write songs.”

Fuller has also contributed background music toward multiple TV shows for Chabot TV Channel 27 Comcast. Chabot Television Studio Manager/Engineer Sujoy Sarkar mentions, “I begged him for it. When I first started, I was by myself, and we needed some background music to use. I saw him outside and asked him if he happened to have a way to make some background music for TV and he said sure. Ever since then, he gives us some background music, and so I have his music for background on TV Shows.”

It’s OK if you want to play your guitar and sing a song with Fuller. So, the next time you hear someone playing a guitar and singing, don’t be shy and walk on by. Stop and take a listen and lesson from Don “The Guitar Man” Fuller.

With the hope for increased voter turnout, the Associated Students of Chabot College (A.S.C.C) elections will begin Tuesday, April 26.

Continuing until 9:00 p.m. on the 28th, the elections determine who will occupy the executive student offices at Chabot.

In recent elections, voter response has been very poor. In last year’s election, for example, only 550 votes were cast.

According to Sue Levisque Co-Chairman of the Elections

A concerted effort on behalf of the Elections Committee is underway to familiarize both day and night students with the election and the candidates.

Yesterday during college hour in the cafeteria, candidates fielded questions from students, and a televised debate in which candidates discuss their views will be shown on K.C.C. every day, beginning this week and ending on the 25th.

Tomorrow a pep rally .will be held at 11:00 a.m . in front of the bookstore in order to introduce the candidates and stimulate voter turnout.

Voter participation, or lack of it, is not the only concern in the upcoming election. Lack of participation by potential candidates is also a problem.

Of the six offices, only two, the President and Commissioner of Social and Cultural, have more than one candidate.

The offices of Executive and Administrative Vice-President along with the offices of the Treasury and Commissioner of Publicity have only one confirmed candidate and accordit1g to the A.S.C.C. Election code these candidates automatically win.

This situation is another which Levisque attributes to lack of knowledge. “Students don’t know how to get involved or what it takes to be a candidate” she explains.

An amendment to the ASCC Constitution which will extend the time for the Spring Quarter executive elections from four to six weeks will be on the ballot.

It is hoped by the Elections Committee that the extra two weeks will allow for better exposure of the candidates, and will increase student participation.

Another key problem is that people don’t understand what the function of student government is. States Levisque, “The job of student government is to make decisions on anything that happens on campus which will benefit all students”

The polls will open at 9:00 a.m. on the 26th and will be located at the Bookstore, then Quad and the Student Center.

The results of the election will be posted within one school day after the close of the election on April 28th.

Those students who ill have the opportunity to be the decision makers at Chabot are: President Elise Fisher and James Crosby. A third candidate, a Hendrickson, has not been qualified at this date. Executive Vice-President- America Douglas Cintron

Administrative Vice-President- Beverly Hoffman Treasurer- Daniel O’Rourke Commissioner of Publicity- Kathy Marie Friesen

Commissioner of Social and Cultural Mike Heavin, Elaine Macklin, and Viqui Denman.