Updated Nov. 8 at 10:17 p.m. LOS ANGELES – An elderly man was killed and two others were wounded Tuesday when an assailant armed with a military-style rifle opened fire in a residential area of Azusa, forcing authorities to secure the neighborhood and shut down nearby polling places – sending...

Editor's note: The above image placed first in the Texas Community College Journalism Association's live feature photo contest in Houston, Texas, at the annual convention in October. The story placed first in the TCCJA live news competition at the same event. By JAMES HARTLEY @JamesHartleyETC HOUSTON—Michelle...

Editor's note: This story placed third in the Texas Community College Journalism Association's annual live competition. By DAVID SILVA @DavidSilvaETC HOUSTON—Experts in NASA’s Journey to Mars program reaffirmed President Barack Obama’s goal to send humans to Mars by 2030 during an Oct....

By DAVID SILVA @DavidSilvaETC Dallas Morning News editorial writer Michael Lindenberger defended the paper’s controversial decision to endorse Hillary Clinton for president during a free speech panel Oct. 18. Lindenberger, Associated Press editor Maud Beelman and government professor Cindy Castaneda...

By JULIO VEGA Reporter @TheEtCetera The 2016 presidential election has been one of the most polarizing in recent history, with both Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump earning record-breaking disapproval ratings in national polls. “The two candidates have articulated very different...

By JACQUELINE ESTRADA @TheEtCetera Lorenzo Chavez is the son of immigrant parents who worked in janitorial services the majority of their lives. He was told that their lack of education was to blame for their lack of success. Yet at 32, he feels he is still struggling to get the education...

By CRISTHIAN HERRERA @CrisHerreraETC Executive orders — routinely advocated by the presidential incumbent’s party and derided by the opposition — will likely remain controversial whether Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton are elected Nov. 8. Clinton has promised a path toward citizenship for undocumented...

By JASMINE OLIVA @TheEtCetera When English professor Kassi Buck is on campus, you can find her in her office, surrounded by “Star Wars” memorabilia, Native American art, lots of books and a fake graduation certificate. Buck is fully qualified to be an English professor. The fake certificate,...

By TAYLOR ROBERTS Contributor @TheEtCetera The recent release of a 2005 video showing Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump bragging to “Today” show host Billy Bush about groping women has once again brought the discussion of gender to the forefront of the presidential race. Trump...

By CRISTHIAN HERRERA and JAMES HARTLEY Contributor and Managing Editor @JamesHartleyETC Under current policy, Eastfield and other Dallas County community colleges offer only one day of paid leave to new parents. Employees must then tap into their accrued sick days and vacation time — if they...

By SARAH SANCHEZ @TheEtCetera Eastfield's main campus will serve as a polling place for two days during early voting for the 2016 presidential election. As in past elections, the Pleasant Grove campus will host a voting location throughout early voting, which runs Oct. 24-Nov. 4. Election Day is Nov....

By ESMERALDA OLGUIN and KILEE TORREZ @TheEtCetera As Dallas reaches its 37th case of Zika, researchers continue to search for a vaccine and cure for the mosquito-transmitted disease, a health department official said. “Zika is 100 percent preventable by using insect repellent, wearing longer...

By J. GOMEZ @TheEtCetera Despite a court order overturning Texas’ controversial voter ID law, the issue remains in the forefront of the 2016 presidential election. A judge last week ordered the state to reprint voter education materials because they misled potential voters regarding their ability...

By KEVIN ORELLANA @TheEtCetera The M.A.L.E.S. Mentoring and Retention Program is kicking off its fifth year with the debut of a documentary created to motivate male students to take control of their futures. “I hope that this will be a piece that will have people think about where they are now,...

By BRIANNA HARMON @BHarmonETC As a recorded announcement ordered students and employees to lock down the campus, screams erupted in the Pit. “Put the gun on the ground,” a police officer yelled. The Sept. 20 incident was staged, part of a lockdown drill to prepare students for violent activity...

By JAMES HARTLEY @JamesHartleyETC   Eastfield faculty have raised concerns over a new partnership between Dallas County Community College District and StraighterLine, a provider of prepackaged, low-cost online courses that some faculty say do not encourage critical thinking. Among their...

By JULIO VEGA @TheEtCetera This year, 15,105 students enrolled for the fall semester, an increase over 14,311 students in fall 2015. Last year, enrollment dipped for the first time in five years. Enrollment is now back to fall 2014 levels and is expected to continue to rise. “Our goal … is to reach...

DCCCD board approves 2017 budget, raises for all employees By JAMES HARTLEY @JamesHartleyETC Tuition rates will stay the same and all employees will receive raises under the 2016-2017 Dallas County Community College District budget approved Sept. 6. Although the tax rate won’t change, rising...

By KEVIN ORELLANA @TheEtCetera Police officers and community members at a panel discussion on trust between the groups agreed that an “us vs. them” mentality taints their relationship. Audience member B. Kennyjay Reed said that as a black man, he has come to expect that a police officer is “someone...

Shooter kills police, invades DCCCD campus The shooting deaths of five Dallas police officers during a peaceful protest July 7 shocked the community and the nation. The event hit home at Eastfield since the shooter, 25-year-old Army veteran Micah Johnson of Mesquite, entered sister college El Centro...

Eastfield students won’t be bringing handguns to campus this year, but students at four-year Texas universities who are 21 years or older and have licenses to carry can now bring concealed handguns to public universities. Open carry of handguns is allowed in Texas, but it does not apply to school...

By JAMES HARTLEY @JamesHartleyETC Students and faculty have raised safety concerns after the Dallas County Community College District emergency alert system failed to notify them of the July 7 Dallas police attack in a timely manner. While District Emergency Management Coordinator Brigham Wilcoxson...

By DAVID SILVA @DavidSilvaETC The past few months saw populated party conventions, tight poll numbers and re-emerging controversies on both sides of the two major political parties. As we head toward general election debates and Election Day on Nov. 8, here’s a look at what grabbed the political...