Vol. 68, Issue 5

armed man roams Villas, animal abuse sparks resident concern

By Jake Mireles Opinion Editor

During February, a man brandishing a rifle was seen roaming the Villas at Babcock complex. The individual was confirmed to enter a unit where complex residents also reported witnessing animal abuse. Multiple residents expressed their concerns on the matter through a resident GroupMe.

Animal abuse

During the Fall 2023 semester, multiple residents of Villas at Babcock student housing complex reported an instance of animal abuse to complex management. An Alaskan Husky mix breed dog was reported to have been left out on a balcony in Building 15, sometimes for several days and even during freezing conditions.

Joan and Elise, two residents who live close to the unit in question, initially raised concerns about the animals’ well being.

“[Having to] share a wall with him, it just hurt a lot. I don’t want to say he’s, like, abusing his dog, but that’s what it sounded like,” Joan stated. “You could tell the difference between when a dog cries from whatever else and being hurt.”

The residents also reported the dog having to relieve itself on the balcony when it was left outside for multiple days.

“It was really bad. The dog would be urinating and pooping up there,” Elise stated. “There’s pee dripping down the side of the apartment. You could see it on the walls. You could see it on our walls too. And it smelled horrible from upstairs, from downstairs, from outside. It was really bad.”

Reporting issues

According to the two residents, complex management did not respond to their complaints.

“There [are] so many things that happen here that they do nothing about,” Elise stated.

“We’ve been complaining about them, literally since they moved in, like, since the beginning of our lease,” Joan stated. “And then we mentioned the dog, and [the management stated] ‘We can’t tell people what to do with their dogs.’ And that’s all. That was it.”

Joan also expressed frustration with Villas’ lack of enforcement of lease violations.

“I’ve gotten plenty of these violations, pertaining to my dog from last year,” Joan stated. “They never once got any of those.”

Shots fired and lease violation

Joan explained that she witnessed the resident come home with a rifle, and what looked like paperwork for registration of the firearm. Subsequently, multiple residents have reported reckless use of the gun inside the complex.

“They were just shooting it in the air like it was nothing,” Joan stated. “I was laying in my bed, it was like 3 a.m. All of a sudden, you hear like six gunshots ring out.”

This incident is a violation of the Villas at Babcock’s leasing agreement. The lease states that “Neither you, or your guests will be allowed to engage in the following prohibited activities— displaying or storing a firearm, BB gun, pellet gun, or any other air-powered weapon, knife or other weapon in the Apartment Community in an open manner or in any way that may alarm others.”

According to residents, this incident happened twice, once on Feb. 4, and again on Feb. 16. The residents reported the initial incident to property management, and after the second incident occurred, the residents officially reported the gunfire to UTSAPD. However, Elise explained that when she reported the gunfire to the property management, the management expressed that they were unable to take any action as they did not want to put their employees in harm’s way.

On Feb. 18, several residents reported seeing a man armed with a rifle knocking on the doors of units around the complex. Joan and Elise confirmed that this man was not a unit resident, but an individual who visted the apartment belonging to the alleged gun owner. This information was initially reported by residents in the Villas at Babcock’s resident GroupMe.

“Apparently there’s dudes walking around with a rifle knocking on people’s doors late at night,” one resident stated on the resident GroupMe.

Residents provided photos taken of the armed man through peepholes and through downstairs windows of multiple units.

Another resident stated, “There were some guys outside my building knocking on my door last night and counting down, but we were too scared to check.”

Delayed response from Villas

Residents say that both the owner of the dog and the owner of the rifle have been evicted by the complex. However, the complex supposedly did not communicate this result with those who reported both incidents. When contacted to confirm if these evictions occurred, Villas at Babcock management did not respond.

By Laynie Clark Editor-in-Chief

on striking an unattended vehicle is a consistent trend throughout the crime log. With three counts reported since Feb. 18, one is active, one is inactive and one is unfounded.

Theft

On Wednesday, Feb. 14, a mail theft incident took place at Laurel Village. The offense occurred from 10:51 a.m. to Friday, Feb. 16, at 10 a.m. and was reported at 12:50 p.m. on Friday. The case is still active.

Graffiti

On Tuesday, Feb. 20, a graffiti-related incident took place at the H-E-B Student Union. The incident occurred from 6 p.m. to 9 a.m. the following day and was reported at 9:44 a.m. on Wednesday. The case is still active.

Criminal mischief

On Sunday, Feb. 18, criminal mischief took place at Resident Lot 2. A criminal mischief crime occurs when “someone intentionally damages someone else’s property without their consent.” The incident happened from 1:29 to 1:43 p.m. and was reported at 1:29 p.m. The case is still active.

To stay in the loop, visit UTSA’s Public Safety website.

Honoring MLK’s legacy

By Naydine De La Fuente

Copyediting Coordinator

After being canceled in January due to icy weather conditions, the community in San Antonio gathered to keep the image of Martin Luther King alive on Feb. 24 and 25. The City of San Antonio invited citizens to attend the “Working Beyond the March” event at Pittman Sullivan Park. This celebration was a weekend of connections through resources such as local businesses, health agencies, youth activities and food and a way to learn about the various assets San Antonio has to offer.

“The Villas didn’t actually say anything actively to us or, like, any of the residents,” Joan stated. “A girl went up there was like ‘Oh I’ll just see if they could tell me something about it’ and then she like texted me and was like ‘Oh yeah they’re both getting evicted.’”

Safety in question

However, despite this response from the complex, many residents are questioning the safety and security of Villas at Babcock.

“During all of that, I didn’t feel safe at all,” Elise said.

Joan then commented on a series of break-ins and thefts that occurred recently at the complex.

“My car got stolen. Villas did nothing about it,” Joan said. When asked what they feel the complex could have done better to respond to these issues, Joan and Elise stressed the importance of a quick response and clear communication with residents.

“Just act faster. That’s what I wanted to see. Why did it take so long? I want to see them act faster in situations like this,” Elise stated.

Villas at Babcock was contacted for a comment regarding both incidents but failed to respond.

This is a developing story, to stay updated visit paisanoonline.com.

The main attractions of the event were the various booths and local businesses present. One of the organizations in attendance was none other than the City of San Antonio Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Commission. Founded in 1986, this organization is well-known for planning the annual MLK March and spearheading initiatives to honor Dr. King through a variety of community events. Individuals could stop by and gather information pertaining to the event, Black community-related topics and even local Black-owned businesses that individuals can support in San Antonio.

“I’m here at the event volunteering my services to a community that has always given back to me and my family,” volunteer Sandra Cassel said. “I love these kinds of events because it’s so informative, we got a booth that helps you register to vote, help you get your business started, get healthcare, look at entertainment, information and other stuff like that.”

Various booths at the event also touched on health-related issues. This included stands such as Latched Support Services and the Metropolitan Health District, which were both there to advise and offer their resources to San Antonio’s community.

“Our main goal for being here today is to, number one, spread brand awareness, making sure families do know about the services available to them and just incorporating that with having a fun time with the community,” Latched Program Associate Shaniah Clement said.

Health Program Specialist for the Immunization,

Outreach, Education and Partnership Program (IOEP)

Rianna Walker and Health Program Specialist for immunization information systems, immunization quality provider Adrienne Barrie also gave information on the Metro Health District.

“My heart is about collaborating with outside external partners and making sure we’re giving equitable immunizations in San Antonio,” Walker said. Barrier continued by saying “We just want to support the community and empower them to get vaccines to [create] a healthy community and healthy life whether it’s [from] getting immunizations, [or from] STI and STD prevention.”

Aside from the various food vendors, where attendees could enjoy turkey legs, burgers and refreshing drinks, individuals at the event were provided entertainment by various guest speakers and performances.

“We had an idea to put together a two-day festival. We allow the community not only present on stage but also opportunities for people to come out together and continue to celebrate the legacy,” Commemorative Program Chair Mia Morris said. “This event I think should be a platform for local artists, a platform for people to come and showcase their talents and celebrate.

Despite the MLK March’s previous cancellation, Working Beyond the March provided a festival-like event where individuals could come together as a community and keep Martin Luther King’s dream alive. To learn more or get updates on events going on in San Antonio, visit the City of San Antonio website.

Photos courtesy of Villas residents

2/16 to 2/21

Dustin Vickers/The Paisano

SGA prepares for election and spring events

By Faith Kouadio Staff Writer

SGA held a brief meeting on Feb. 22 to discuss several upcoming events. Some key takeaways were the election for SGA’s executive positions, including President and several senator seats, which began that day and will close on March 4, and several efforts to increase student representation and involvement on campus.

No one participated in the open forum and the meeting progressed to hearing from liaison reports.

Nayelli Lopez, the military-affiliated student liaison, was not present.

Manuel Bocanegra and Riley Moehlmann, the housing liaisons, noted they were interested in strengthening relationships between SGA and UTSA Housing. They will host the Rowdy Resource Fair on April 9 from 12 to 4 p.m. at Guadalupe Hall and will have water activities and games. They invited representatives to join One Stop and UTSA Dining as campus resources at the event.

on March 6. President Nepote will also participate in a virtual Student Success and Open Educational Resources (OER) panel on March 5 as part of his project to increase free and low-cost textbook use on campus. For other executive committee reports, Academic Affairs met with OER to finalize their tabling on March 6 to promote the service and with Academic Innovation to discuss artificial intelligence protocols for faculty and students and simple service implementations.

Ana Diaz and Liam Bage followed after the liaisons to discuss their nomination for the Election Commission. Diaz is a junior political science major with a minor in global affairs. She shared that one of her goals for SGA is “to ensure that equality is present in nominations.” Bage is a sophomore history major. Both were approved unanimously by the assembly.

The following in-house candidates were sworn in: Juan Rocha Gomez for the Sophomore class, Emma Lynn for the College of Science, Sebastian Gallegos for Alvarez Hall and Leena Idris for the College for Health, Community and Policy.

Current SGA President Zachary Nepote was not present. However, he will meet with the University Leadership Council on Feb. 28 and President Eighmy

By Chris Olvera Contributor

This February, UTSA faculty and students have been at work in a variety of subjects. UTSA’s Preclinical Pharmacology Core has been working to aid in drug synthesis, UTSA’s CUREs program has begun working on individual research and UTSA chromatin biologists have been working to further understand the fundamental mechanisms of chromatin.

UTSA’s Preclinical Pharmacology Core enhances drug discovery

Dr. Nicholas Clanton, UTSA’s assistant director of the Mac and Minnie Tomerline Voelcker Preclinical Pharmacology Core, defines research as a “systematic investigation to gain new information or solve a specific problem.”

Dr. Clanton works to investigate the different aspects of pharmacokinetics and assists other researchers in establishing a strong understanding of how the drugs they produce would function in a live environment to advance the production of drug synthesis further.

Additionally, he adds that one of the biggest goals of the Preclinical Pharmacology Core is to help people synthesize drugs by providing upfront testing of compounds needed to make and determine whether or not a drug will effectively reach the target site in a live animal.

Dr. Clanton mentions that when testing a compound, he looks at the “Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism and Excretion” properties (ADME) of a compound to visualize how a compound would work in a living being.

Dr. Clanton encourages students who want to participate in research to reach out to the professors overseeing fields they are interested in.

UTSA’s CUREs program

UTSA’s Course-based Undergraduate Research Experience (CUREs) program has begun exploring various research topics ranging from discovering unfamiliar viruses and bacteria while working to understand the foundations of their structure, decoding genetic pathways to identify species and uncovering a stronger understanding of the fundamentals of antibiotic development. Undergraduate students have initiated their research and are preparing to present their work in a symposium at the end of the spring 2024 semester.

The CUREs program is an engaging research course available to UTSA’s undergraduate students that introduces them to a structured research environment to provide a detailed understanding of various forms of research. The program introduces students to the scientific method, the application of a research journal and writing formal research proposals and research papers.

By Alessandra Avila Assistant News Editor

Business Affairs spoke with UTSA Dining about late-night breakfast and food accessibility options for vegans and vegetarians, in addition to gluten-free options. Business Affairs is also working on the Downtown Town Hall and other issues identified by students.

Student Affairs spoke with the placemaking council and is interested in finding places to motivate students to spend more time on campus. The sustainability affairs have a meeting on Feb. 28 and are collaborating with outreach community partners such as Keep SA Beautiful and Friends of SA Natural Areas for their Earth Day Fair.

SGA shared their final expenses for Fall 2023, which came in at $8,493.74. As of the meeting, the expenses rose to $9,201.19, totaling the Academic Year expenses at $17,696.06 of their $47,173 budget. Other announcements include a transition workshop for student organizations from March 19 to 21 at 2 p.m. in the Willow Room of the Student Union (2.02.12) to “assist student organizations in transitioning so they start off the next academic year on a better footnote,” particularly for organizations where Senior officers are graduating. The next general assembly will be held on Feb. 29 at 5:30 p.m. in the Harris-Travis Room (2.202 and 2.212) in the H-E-B Student Union. All UTSA students are invited to attend.

CUREs grant students the opportunity to perform their original research while obtaining course credit and under the guidance of faculty that aligns with their particular research interests. The program is designed to help introduce students to the world of research and allow students to confidently work toward their careers and feel more confident as scientists.

UTSA professor unraveling the impact of chromatin on human beings

Dr. Alexey Soshnev, UTSA professor and chromatin biologist, defines research from a more philosophical standpoint. To Dr. Soshnev, research is a philosophical cycle of investigation with the result not being a solid answer, but instead more questions. Soshnev explains that, in his eyes, research should leave someone wanting to explore more, creating a cycle of exploration that provides a stronger understanding of the world around us.

To Dr. Soshnev, “It’s not the destination, it’s the journey” that is important in research.

Dr. Soshnev engages in research at UTSA surrounding the concepts of DNA and chromatin in living beings. A notable example was a project where he and his team were working to understand the fundamental structures that cause an intellectual disorder known as Snyder-Robinson Syndrome.

Dr. Soshnev mentions that while finding a cure or preventing the disease may not be an option in this day and age, itis still of great value to understand the fundamentals of the disease for future generations to carry the work further.

Throughout the discussion, Dr. Soshnev mentioned that scientific research is not a clear and defined process and that very frequently, the intended result may not be the result found. While perfect results may not be found, researchers must press forward with their studies to find more questions in the world to answer.

Dr. Soshnev encourages anyone interested in getting into research to “have an idea of what they want to do” before starting and anticipate the time and effort needed to pursue the career. He also mentioned that while science and mathematics are fundamentals of research, understanding alternative fields of study can also contribute to scientific research. He had a large amount of experience in art, and explained that being able to effectively draw was a big contributor to his career, allowing him to help visualize his work.

UTSA hosts TRiO Day

By Kara Lee Graphics Editor

On Feb. 24, UTSA hosted an event for TRiO Day at the H-E-B Student Union. TRiO Student Support Services (SSS) is a program that provides academic development opportunities, assists students with basic college requirements and motivates students to complete their college education.

John Bonner, the project director at TRiO Student Support Services, delivered a few words about what TRiO means to him and expressed gratitude to the staff who make these events possible. “I would like to take a moment to recognize our wonderful TRiO staff who make this program possible year after year,” Bonner said.

After Bonner’s remarks, UTSA President Taylor Eighmy took the stage. President Eighmy welcomed all middle and high school students to the event, emphasizing the impact such events can have on aspiring college students.

“It means so much to us as an institution that you have the opportunity to benefit and thrive in

this program,” he said. Continuing his speech, President Eighmy introduced keynote speaker Anna Almaraz, providing a brief overview of her experience as a first-generation student at UTSA. Almaraz began her speech by recounting a pivotal childhood memory. Throughout her address, she shared her most meaningful memories and reflected on how such moments have shaped her journey to where she is today. She detailed the impact of being a firstgeneration student by recounting moments that she felt were particularly significant.

A skit performed by VOICES, UTSA’s largest volunteer organization involved in the community, focused on the college experience. The skit portrayed new students assuming they would know their way around campus immediately and highlighted the reality that understanding the campus layout takes time.

Following the skit, the event transitioned into workshops tailored for middle and high school students separately. Then, students and staff met for lunch to network and concluded the event.

State of the City

Week of 2/20

By Naydine De La Fuente Copyediting Coordinator

Not subscribed to local news but still want to stay up-to-date on the happenings around town? Look no further. Highlighting notable stories from external San Antonio news sources, State Of The City summarizes the most captivating news headlines of the week. This week’s topics range from a man shot in Northside Street to San Antonio figures responding to the AT&T outage. Man abandoned and shot on Northside street

On Thursday, Feb. 22, a man was found in critical condition after sustaining a gunshot wound to the chest on Northside Street, near West Ridgewood Court close to Interstate 10. Officers initiated life-saving measures upon discovery, and the individual was swiftly transported to the hospital for treatment. Although the sound of gunshots drew attention from several nearby residents, no eyewitnesses to the shooting were identified. However, investigators noted a black sedan leaving from the vicinity around the time of the shooting. This is the second shooting that officers are investigating in the area, following a prior incident where a man was shot behind an A-Max auto insurance off West Avenue. The investigation into both incidents remains ongoing. AT&T phone outage in SA

Last Thursday, both the nation and San Antonio experienced a significant disruption in communication as AT&T’s phone service suffered a complete outage. This outage rendered customers in San Antonio and across the country unable to make phone calls, send texts or access the internet. While the Dallas-based company has made some strides in restoring service, approximately 60,000 customers still reported having issues with their service and other phone companies such as Verizon and T-Mobile reported having similar issues as well. This led to many San Antonio AT&T service holders sharing their frustrations via social media. Individuals such as Alamo City sports podcaster Mike Jimenez and San Antonio reporter Maddy Mendoza shared their annoyance through posts, comparing the situation to living in the Stone Age or using memes to illustrate the communication struggles. While some scientists speculate that the outage may have been caused by intense solar flares, others hypothesize that the issue stemmed from a problem with the SIM card database.

Doctor to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro for organ donation

San Antonio transplant Doctor Dr. Kelly Hitchman is currently undergoing training to summit Mount Kilimanjaro with a mission to raise awareness about organ donation. As highlighted in a news release from University Health, Dr. Hitchman donated her kidney to a stranger in 2021 and now aims to join the Kidney Donor Athlete team on their expedition to Tanzania. The primary objective of this group is to spotlight the healthy and active lives led by kidney donors post-donation. Dr. Hitchman’s personal aspiration is to carry a flag adorned with the names of family members, colleagues, the University Health Transplant Institute and Donate Life America to the mountain’s peak, symbolizing the collective support for organ donation advocacy.

Dustin Vickers/ The Paisano

Sarthak Mohanty / The Paisano

Courtesy of UTSA SGA

Editorial

EPrioritize Student Safety

Multiple apartment shootings call student safety into question

arly in the morning on Sunday, Feb. 18, multiple residents of The Villas at Babcock reported seeing a man armed with a rifle knocking on residents’ doors and counting down. This, understandably, caused residents to be concerned for their safety and demand action from apartment management.

This incident was initially reported in the complex’s resident GroupMe, where multiple pictures of a man armed with a rifle were shared, taken through peepholes and downstairs windows.

“Apparently, there’s dudes walking around with a rifle knocking on people’s doors late at night,” one resident stated.

“There were some guys outside my building knocking on my door last night and counting down, but we were too scared to check,” another resident shared.

The man was later identified as a guest at one of the units in the complex. However, this follows two other incidents where residents reported seeing the owner of the gun brandishing it outside of his unit and firing it in the air multiple times.

“They were just shooting it in the air like it was

nothing,” Joan, a resident of the complex stated. “I was laying in my bed. It was like 3 a.m. All of a sudden, you hear like six gunshots ring out.”

Noah Willoughby/The Paisano

Country music is the new pop

By Faith Kouadio Staff Writer

There is pop music, the genre, then popular music, the cyclical wave of music genres that consume the radio, grip the public and generally shift every ten years. Popular music is the most reflective marker of culture and events of its era.

The rising social consciousness and increased drug experimentation of the ‘60s gave way to psychedelic and rock music. The dawn of the digital age led to the ‘80s synth sound. The ‘90s

Lana Del Rey recently announced her next album, “Lasso,” after traveling the south and waitressing at a Waffle House. It would not be impossible for Taylor Swift to do a full circle and release another country album. This wave of country music is more than a coincidence; the climate is perfect for it. The popular themes within the genre often refer to a unique kind of American lifestyle — and problems — on the return. The spectrum ranges from booze and guns to renewing spiritual commitments. More secular country music speaks of relatable topics like

Yet, the culture is rife with material to transform into musical social commentary. Through the blue face masks and Instagram infographics rises the unlikely man of the hour — country music.

Beyoncé is heading into another decade of cultural relevance with her latest top-charting single, “Texas Hold ‘Em.” The second installment of her threeact project is one of the many anticipated country albums to be released this year: “American Sniper” actor Luke Grimes is releasing his debut album and Kacey Musgraves extends her legacy with the upcoming album “Deeper Well.” Post Malone is making the transition and teased an upcoming album in the genre. Even among the indie crowd,

purpose and have become a fashion statement.

Most importantly, the simplistic structure of country music allows for many subgenres to flourish. Bluegrass may not be the majority’s taste, but hybrids with metal, hip-hop and indie make it accessible to a broader audience. Even the traditional acoustic song may suddenly appeal to the public in contrast to the overproduced tracks that dominated the billboard for years.

Combine relevant topics, a renewal in long-term trends and boundless sonic potential, and it is only a matter of time before folks flock to Nashville as they do to Los Angeles and New York City in hopes of making it big. Keep an ear out for the country artists to ride the next pop culture wave.

Despite multiple instances of gunshots being reported and the guest violating the complex’s lease agreement, little action was initially taken to remedy the situation. The owner of the gun and one of his roommates were allegedly evicted from the complex.

However, this incident shone light on one of the most glaring issues plaguing student housing complexes around UTSA — resident safety. Incidents like these are not uncommon, with another shooting occurring at The Reserve apartment complex in October.

Students deserve to feel safe living in designated student housing complexes. These complexes, UTSAPD and SAPD must take the appropriate actions, to ensure the safety of tenants. If you or someone you know has experienced issues living in a student housing complex, scan the QR code to fill out this form.

Fiction before fact

Commentary

By Marcela Montufar Soria Multimedia Editor

It was recently announced that four Beatles biopics would be released in the near future, each focusing on one member of the band, creating a Beatles cinematic universe. The films are noted for being the first cinematic project with the full support of Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr and the estates of John Lennon and George Harrison. This four-picture project is just the latest in an accelerated stream of artist biopics, both authorized and not, that have filled up cinemas in the past decade.

While they may seem like a new commodity exemplifying Hollywood’s current lack of original ideas, artist biopics are nothing new. “Harlow” tells the story of ‘30s actress Jean Harlow, 1975’s “The Buddy Holly Story” reintroduces the ‘50s singer to popular culture, “Amadeus” goes further back in history to give a portrait of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and scored eight Academy Awards, “What’s Love Got to Do With It’” was an Oscar nominated Tina Turner story and “Ray” gave Jamie Foxx an Oscar for his performance as Ray Charles. Musical biopics are nothing new, and neither are people getting awards for them, for all detractors like to attack Rami Malek for winning the Oscar for his work in “Bohemian Rhapsody” and starting a trend of expectations.

These biopics are just a subsection of the historical film genre, which has been producing biopics and fiction stories since the beginning of the movie industry. History makes for a natural source of entertainment and it is only logical for Hollywood to look to the past for inspiration — their job is to tell stories and history is one big storybook. And the process of making something digestible for audiences out of that storybook can be quite tricky, especially when people turn to movies for something they should not.

“If you want the facts of a person’s life, go read a biography. If you want to have a good time, get yourself some popcorn and go watch a movie.”

Biopics are responsible for telling entire lifetimes in two to three hours while still having a plot and structure for the audience to follow. They are not documentaries and are within their rights to rearrange the timeline of events, adjust facts or outright invent things to make the film “good cinema.” One should never turn to Hollywood for facts because that is not their job. Whether creating a drama, a comedy or even a musical, the primary purpose of a biopic is not to educate but to entertain. Movies can be filled to the brim with half-truths and alterations and it does not matter.

It can certainly be disconcerting for people overly familiar with a topic to go watch a movie and be able to spot all the “mistakes” present. Still, films must cater to general audiences, not nit-pickers. Naturally, making a movie bursting with lies and intentional misinformation can be irresponsible, especially when they are unauthorized works seeking to exploit a person’s life for entertainment. That said, as long as a biopic captures the spirit of a person and gets people interested in learning the truth behind the tale, it has done its job.

If you want the facts of a person’s life, go read a biography. If you want to have a good time, get yourself some popcorn and go watch a movie.

Chloe Williams/The Paisano

Much like the rest of America, The University of Texas at Austin has prioritized football over mental health.

With the announcement of the demolition of UT’s historic social work building came the curiosity of its replacement.

To no one’s surprise, the beautiful, historic social work building is going to be replaced with yet another unnecessary practice facility for athletes.

On Feb. 13, UT Athletics Director Chris Del Conte announced the disheartening plans with misguided reasons.

“It’s about a little under 800-yards to a practice field, is just not conducive to time management, not conducive to their time,” Del Conte said. “So, this place where the current social work building is, they are moving to a new facility. When that building became available, I asked if we could participate in this new venture to have that area become part of our new practice facility.”

As concluded by The Daily Texan, the “800-yard walk” that Del Conte is referring to as a waste of time only takes 11 minutes. If time management is a concern, maybe the players should learn how to fit an 11-minute walk into their schedule instead of promoting the destruction of a historic building.

While Del Conte mentioned that the social work building was relocating

anyway, it does not make this okay. The building is recognized as the first racially integrated school in Austin and is on the National Register of Historic Places, so the university should be looking to preserve the character of the building instead of demolishing it.

Fox News had the opportunity to interview Barbara Anderson, a former UT professor

who has been outspoken about the demolition. “I think we continue to lose the concrete evidence that the past here is important. The past tells us a richer story about who we are today.

I can’t imagine going to Florence, Italy and just seeing markers of where the Pizza Palace was,” Anderson said.

“I think what’s so startling about this is this magnificent building with its history, with its trees and its art. They’re going to be destroyed so that you can have another practice field for football.”

Universities need to stop putting student-athletes on unwarranted pedestals and start devoting more attention to other areas of importance, like social work. The field of social work is becoming a staple in the foundation of America, and it needs to be treated as such. UT is on its way to making a huge mistake, but it is not too late to make a change. A website has been created to promote the preservation of the building; join its mailing list to stay in the loop.

Alabama’s IVF ruling is a first look into a gloomy future

Commentary

By Andrew Dotson Staff Writer

Last week, Alabama’s Supreme Court ruled 7-2 in LePage et al. v. The Center for Reproductive Medicine and Mobile Infirmary Association that frozen embryos can be considered children under the state’s constitution, based on the right to life provision and for the purposes of the state’s Wrongful Death of a Minor Act, enacted back in 1872.

Now that Roe v. Wade has gone away and frozen embryos are considered children, what is next?

A recent case that has caught less attention was a prison worker in Missouri who sued for “on-the-job discrimination,” which both the state and federal Supreme Courts declined to rule on.

Chief Justice Samuel Alito, however, released a fivepage briefing on the matter, criticizing the appellate court and saying: “In this case, the court below reasoned that a person who still holds traditional religious views on questions of sexual morality is presumptively unfit to serve on a jury in a case involving a party who is a lesbian,” they would continue their critique, with a rather gloomy

statement: “That holding exemplifies the danger that I anticipated in Obergefell v. Hodges … namely, that Americans who do not hide their adherence to traditional religious beliefs about homosexual conduct will be ‘labeled as bigots and treated as such’ by the government.”

The plaintiff ultimately won the case.

Actions conducted by the Supreme Court have a domino effect on the actions of lower judges. For example, a Trumpappointed judge in Texas made a controversial ruling on the abortion pill, mifepristone.

This case is just one of many that demonstrates “judicial activism” wherein a person, a judge in particular, exercises their authority to further a belief, agenda or platform.

In that same case, a judge appointed by Obama ruled in favor of the medication around the same time. These actions, such as the one in the aforementioned case, could grow exponentially, given the composition of the highest court in the country. Rights can be eroded and precedent will be removed. This is clear evidence that a common law legal system can lead to huge abuse.

Drunk with power

Commentary

By Jake Mireles Opinion Editor

On Thursday, Feb. 1, the San Antonio City Council voted 8-2 to adopt a new code of ethics — the first in the council’s history. According to the San Antonio ExpressNews, this historic vote came just 16 days after the council reprimanded Councilman Marc Whyte, who was charged with driving while intoxicated (DWI), after he was pulled over by San Antonio Police Department, who proceeded to conduct three sobriety tests that ultimately led to his arrest. Additionally, Marc Whyte’s District 10 predecessor, Clayton Perry, was represented by the defense attorney Whyte retained after Perry “drunkenly

crashed into a car and fled the scene in late 2022.”

In the United States, drunk driving is an epidemic that claims the lives of thousands each year. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, on average, 37 people are killed every day in drunk-drivingrelated incidents. Additionally, approximately 31% of all traffic crash fatalities involve at least one drunk driver. This reprimand was the latest of three over the past 15 months, ultimately leading to the council adopting the code. The new code of conduct outlines that council members are prohibited from having sexual relations with staff and disclosing confidential information to lobbyists.

Meanwhile, across the nation, months after Roe v. Wade was overturned, multiple active hot-topic cases are going through state supreme courts, including Wisconsin, Texas and California. Two major Alabama IVF facilities have already suspended services post-ruling. It is anticipated that the highly conservative U.S. Supreme Court, given the testimony of Justice Alito, could erode even more rights in the next five years, including same-sex marriage.

While Congress did enact the Defense of Marriage Act, it only mandates that states respect other states’ marriages as legal, which is arguably already mandated through the Full Faith and Credit Clause and the Interstate Commerce Clause, respectively, because the first one mandates “Full Faith and Credit shall be given in each State to the public Acts, Records, and judicial Proceedings of every other State.” This means that all documents issued that are legally valid by one state must be recognized in the other and that includes marriage licenses and drivers licenses. The second one mandates “[The Congress shall have Power]

To regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several States, and with the Indian Tribes,” meaning that they must be respected when traveling between states and the federal government can mandate that it be respected on federal land.

Medicaid and Medicare could also be affected, with a case in Pennsylvania hearing of a 1982 law limiting the use of Medicaid dollars for abortions is constitutional. That could lead to an argument for more federal oversight over these programs, however, the reasons why that would be difficult were outlined in a recent opinion article at The Paisano.

What is next for America could look gloomy depending on how this year’s election goes. People have argued that the change in political leanings on the court is the cause for such rulings and fear. However, one can argue that the original rulings that we relied upon, such as Roe v. Wade, should never have happened. The only way to restore rights is by real action in Congress because there is no stopping the court, you can just be proactive or fix it thereafter.

Additionally, they cannot blindly copy outside parties on internal emails concerning city business, and they are also required to treat their coworkers and constituents with respect. The code also outlines how council members are supposed to hold fellow council members accountable to the code. This code is the first step the council must take to ensure

“It is time for our city’s leaders to sober up and hold themselves to the highest standards when it comes to their conduct.”

that its members are held accountable. The fact that there has been not one but two separate instances where a council member has been arrested and charged with a DWI is unacceptable. It is time for our city’s leaders to sober up and hold themselves to the highest standards when it comes to their conduct.

Mariana Ramos/The Paisano

Instagram famous artist Megznglitter’s story

By Riley Carroll Arts & Life Editor

From the colorful chaos of the psychedelic ‘70s to the whimsy of vintage Barbie, San Antonio-based artist Megz, known as @megznglitter on social media, is a vibrant force in the local art scene. With a style that blends “the chaos and freedom” of children’s art and influences from Bob Ross and American traditional tattoos, the 28-year-old artist creates “quirky, imperfect, whimsical, fun, funky [and] intuitive” pieces right here in the Alamo City.

Since she was little, Megz has always known she was an artist. “As soon as I could hold a crayon I never stopped drawing,” she said. “In school, I doodled all over my work — year after year, and now I get to do art for a job. It’s pretty spectacular.”

Over the years, her style has evolved from edgy and grungy to bright, happy and undeniably sassy.

“I make fun bright colorful paintings with lots of personality and sass. I’ve heard people say it’s surreal,” Megz said. “My art has evolved with me so much, when I first started painting it was a lot more edgy and grungy. Now it’s bright and happier, well sillier and sassier for sure. It’s so cool to track my life through the art I’ve made at different times.”

Her art’s personality has earned induction into the Hollywood 100 and Megz’s impressive Instagram following of over 115,000. Despite her initial hesitations about social media, Megz’s persistence and luck with the algorithm have played a large role in the success of

her business, Megz Glitter LLC.

“I had a personal Insta and I would draw here and there, so I would post some art I thought was cool on my IG,” Megz said. “I eventually started making more art and posting more art. My personal Instagram turned into an art Instagram. I think it’s mostly luck and persistence, showing up, getting lucky with the algorithm.”

However, having an online presence can be both rewarding and “incredibly exhausting” like it has been for Megz, but she finds solace in stepping away from her screens and reconnecting with the world around her.

By Jenna Taylor Magazine Editor

Tana Mongeau, a famous YouTuber who first started uploading story time videos in 2015, and Brooke Schofield, a comedic TikTok personality and podcast co-host, embarked on their North American tour “Cancelled.” For those who are unfamiliar with Mongeau and Schofield, they have a podcast named “Cancelled with Tana Mongeau” in which they share funny or crazy stories, talk about

their experiences interacting with celebrities and other influencers in L.A. and discuss hot takes on pop culture.

Mongeau and Schofield graced the Charline McCombs Empire Theatre stage on Feb. 24 with their two back-to-back live events at 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. They started the show with a story in which Mongeau and Schofield both verbally reenacted the events of a man who befriended them and put several hidden cameras throughout the set of their “Cancelled” podcast,

which is in Mongeau’s home. The story unfolds as they reveal to the crowd how each camera was found, their reactions and the aftermath of the stalker situation. The crowd was filled with young adult fans, laughing and reacting as the twists and turns were unveiled.

After they finished their story, a notification popped up on the projector screen behind them to reveal an exclusive video from a “friend of the show,” as Mongeau calls her, Trisha Paytas. Paytas has been featured as a guest on the

Live, loud and lewd

By Lauren Hernandez Assistant Arts & Life Editor

“It’s such a bizarre thing to exist online,” she said. “If you want a strong presence, I would say to show up as often as you can. But this can lead to burnout — at least it does for me. When I feel blocked, I step away from art. I’d rather get outside, read a book, see friends, do other things. Having that little break always helps me.”

Though burnout or the fear of it is often daunting, Megz’s best advice to avoid this is to establish a productive balance between being online and offline.

“I don’t have it figured out yet but I’m working on it,” Megz admits. “I like to post and ghost. Show up online, remind people that I exist, then go paint.”

According to Megz, sometimes recording “decent” content for social media takes her “out of the flow,” but even so, her entire artistic process can happen in as little as an hour.

“It’s mostly like ‘Oh it would be so fun to paint a strawberry right now’ and then I do it,” she said.

“I don’t plan much of anything, and I don’t spend much time sketching before I get the paint out.

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“Cancelled” podcast many times and is a fan favorite. In the quick two-minute video, Paytas made a “special ‘Cancelled’ drink” for the audience and cracked a few jokes before ending the video.

For the last story time of the night, Schofield told a story about an A-list celebrity’s sibling who was flirting and texting with her. Long story short, the beginning of the relationship was met with an abrupt end, and every crowd member was jaw-dropped and hanging on the edge of their seats.

Butthole Surfers are more than just their wacky, explicit name and hellbent live performances; they are one of the few bands that made it out of San Antonio. Now, 45 years later, their albums are being remastered and re-released on vinyl and streaming, making their talent all the more known.

According to the book “Our band could be your life” by Michael Azerrad, Paul Leary and Gibby Haynes met at Trinity University during the late 1970s. Haynes was captain of the basketball team and, after graduation, gained a position at a Texas accounting firm. Leary was working on an MBA degree. In 1981, they published a magazine titled Strange V.D., filled with photos of abnormal medical ailments with fictitious names for the

The “Cancelled Podcast Tour” concluded with Mongeau and Schofield standing up, walking towards the front of the stage to wave goodbye and snapping a quick photo for Instagram with the audience. The merch stand consisted of a sweatshirt, two different t-shirts, a baby tee, a sticker sheet, a tote bag and a signed poster.

This show is perfect if you are already a fan of the “Cancelled” podcast, or are familiar with Mongeau or Schofield’s social

diseases. After being caught with one of these pictures at the firm, Haynes quit and left for Southern California. Leary dropped out of school during his senior year and followed Haynes. Together, they attempted to make a living selling clothes emblazoned with Lee Harvey Oswald’s image, but this did not prove profitable and they soon made their way back to San Antonio.

Continue reading at paisano-online.com

Courtesy of Megz Glitter LLC

Butthole Surfers remaster their first three albums

Tana Mongeau’s ‘Cancelled’ podcast tour stops in SA

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Reviews

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Arts & life

What UTSA’s Student Poetry Society has been up to Poetry society is back from the dead

By Lauren Hernandez Assistant Arts & Life Editor

The Student Poetry Society is alive and thriving. What was once a desolate club with barely enough members to qualify as such is now an exciting collective of talented students eager to create art and maybe even share it.

This semester, the society’s officers consist of Margot Thevoux, a senior politics and law major who serves as the club’s creative director, Colby Aguilar, a senior anthropology major who runs public relations, Sara Torrentera, a senior history major who acts as the club’s secretary, Juan Rocha, a sophomore political science major and events and operations coordinator and Masha Moore, a business management major and the club’s treasurer.

The student organization was established in 2021, and these officers were all members, but

semester abroad.

Rocha has “always been very very passionate about poetry and literature.” Initially, he hoped to study literature in Colombia, but after

attendance was dwindling fast. The founders of the club were all graduating or wanting to step down, and the current officers knew they had to step up to save the dying club. “I think we all started because it needed an officer so it wouldn’t die, and we didn’t want it to die,” Torrentera explained.

But when asked why each officer joined, they all had different answers.

Thevoux explained, “I just needed something for my resume, which was looking very bleak.” Despite this, she has grown to love poetry and writes it often, though she refuses to share it with the club’s members.

Aguilar said he became an officer “because no one else signed up,” but he has been enthusiastic about reading and writing his entire life.

Though she does not love writing poetry, Torrentera has always loved reading it. She was so dedicated to the club that, if need be, she was willing to be an officer during her

deciding to attend UTSA, he scoured Rowdylink for any literature-related clubs to get his fix. Moore was not able to attend the interview, but her fellow officers that she has

been in the club since the beginning and is always working her hardest to see it succeed.

Collectively, the officers agreed that “We are too stubborn to let it die.”

This semester, they have had unique poetry-related challenges and activities at every weekly meeting. During last week’s meeting, everyone made blackout poems, and at the next meeting, they will be doing paint chip poetry.

The officers are also focusing on fundraising for future events.

Unveiling v isions at the McNay

By Naydine De La Fuente Copyediting Coordinator

They want their club to be free and explained how dues often disincentivize people from joining a club, so they never want to make their members pay for anything.

Last semester, the society attended the Texas Book Festival in Austin using what they made through fundraising, and this semester they will be attending the San Antonio Book Festival during April, which is National Poetry Month. Compared to what the club was looking like in 2021, Rocha said “a complete transformation” has

occurred. Members are now open and talkative, willing and excited to share their poetry and insights with the rest of the club.

The Student Poet Society has meetings on Tuesdays in MH 3.03.20.

“We have free notebooks and pencils and candies, so that’s our bribery for y’all to come to our club,” Torrentera explained.

So join the Student Poetry Society and see why poetry is all the rage these days.

By Riley Carroll Arts & Life Editor

is a powerful tribute to Black artists’ ongoing legacy and significant contributions to modern art. Each artwork on display provides a captivating glimpse into the Black experience, ranging from powerful visual narratives exploring themes of identity, history and social justice to bold expressions of cultural pride and resilience.

Curated by Douglass Foundation Intern Chloe Feyock and McNay’s Curator of Prints and Drawings in Modern Art Lyle Williams, this exhibit was created to elevate Black voices.

Within the “Prints by Contemporary Black Artists” exhibit, artists Derrick Adams, Kara Walker and Radcliffe Bailey’s artworks are displayed, each depicting different yet alluring

pieces that possess characteristics of happiness, fantasy storytelling and historical components.

“We went through a couple of rounds at looking at the collection and creating a bigger checklist, then reducing that a little further until we found the vision that we wanted,” Feyock said. “And that looked like three artists who were all speaking about their experience or how they felt about being a Black American and the history of that in that country.”

The first pieces displayed are by Adams and titled “How I Spent My Summer.” His work includes nine screen prints depicting Black children having fun in the summer. The main subject matter of these vibrant prints is children and pool floaties. Rather than using images filled with trauma that rob people of their agency, the narrative behind Adam’s pieces highlights Black

individuals’ joys and everyday experiences, capturing their fun and innocence. “We should make art about this,” Adams said. “This is what art should be made about.”

Further into the exhibit, we see various prints by Walker in a series titled “Sheet from Testimony,” Using the process of photogravures, a print process used to produce high-quality reproductions of photographs in ink, her prints showcase the story of a stereotyped Black woman and her journey in revolting against her enslaver. In the pictures, the figure of the woman riding a horse is seen being moved by Walker’s hands, indicating a power shift. In a different print in the series, the same person is seen clutching what looks to be a firearm as a man with confined hands lowers his head in surrender.

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sports

Six UTSA athletes to watch this spring season

By Rylan Renteria Distribution Manager

With a mix of newcomers and veterans, UTSA’s spring sports teams bring forth some passionate performances to Main Campus. Here are six Roadrunner athletes to watch this spring.

6. Jaylen Prichard, utility, softball

There was not much to cheer for in an admittedly poor 2023 season for the UTSA softball squad. However, with a new head coach and a rebuilt squad, there are some things to look forward to in 2024. The positionless Prichard, a junior transfer from Eastern Illinois, has provided a nice spark for the Roadrunners. Her .357 batting average and 10 hits are good enough to lead the entire team. As the season drags on, expect her to continue contributing consistently.

5. Ruger Riojas, pitcher, baseball

As the third option on a loaded UTSA rotation in 2023, Riojas posted a respectable 4.11 ERA. Learning behind program legends such as former pitchers Luke Malone and Simon Miller, it seems Riojas was able to retain some of the knowledge passed down. Now, in 2024, Riojas looks to become the premier starting pitcher for the Roadrunners. His 2.16 ERA through six games speaks for itself, and it seems head coach Pat Hallmark has found his new ace.

4. Jordan Ivy-Curry, point guard, men’s basketball

Ivy-Curry began the season ineligible to play due to an NCAA rule that stated that multiple-time transfers must sit for a full academic season before returning. That ruling was overturned and Ivy-Curry has been electric

The rise of UTSA women’s lacrosse

for the Roadrunners ever since. His 38-point performance against No.23 Florida Atlantic is one of the best single-game performances in program history. As the season comes to a close the ‘Runners will have to rely on Ivy-Curry’s explosiveness if they want to make noise in the American Athletic Conference tournament.

3. Matt King, infielder, baseball

As one of the few returning contributors from the historic 2022-23 baseball campaign, King is projected to continue his stellar play in 2024. King has a .375 batting average through just six games, nine hits and five RBIs. Outside of his elite numbers on the stat sheet, his remarkable highlight catch against UT-Arlington earned an iconic spot on the SportsCenter top 10, bringing national attention to the Roadrunners.

2. Elyssa Coleman, forward, women’s basketball

Now in her third season at UTSA, Coleman has emerged as a superstar for the ‘Runners. A breakout performance against Wichita State, in which Coleman recorded 32 points and 19 rebounds, put her name on the map. While the stats may not always be eye-popping, her presence on the court alone allows other players to receive open looks.

1. Jordyn Jenkins, forward, women’s basketball

Jenkins was sidelined for the majority of the 2023-24 campaign with a knee injury. Head coach Karen Aston placed emphasis on making sure Jenkins was fully healthy before allowing her to return to action. That patience has paid off big time, as in just three games, Jenkins is averaging an impressive 17 points per game. By the time the AAC tournament rolls around, UTSA will have a formidable forward duo in Coleman and Jenkins.

By Naydine De La Fuente Copyediting Coordinator

Within UTSA’s vibrant sports scene lies a team that has been powerfully making its mark — the women’s lacrosse team. With determination and talent, these athletes have been steadily making a name for themselves within collegiate lacrosse. Despite still trying to build up their team after the pandemic, the group has quickly asserted itself as a force to be reckoned with due to their skills, passion and unwavering commitment.

Currently, the team is run by their coach, Co-treasurer, Event Coordinator and Co-captain Paige

team is participating in various Super Sixes tournaments and competing in the Texas Sixes League, a league founded by their very own coach. Super Sixes is a modified game of lacrosse that is a fast-paced, compact variation of the sport that blends the most thrilling aspects of the game. The main difference between traditional field lacrosse and sixes lacrosse is that only six people per team are required on the field and due to the lower numbers required, all the roles and positions become mixed into one.

the opposing team’s goal by using lacrosse sticks — 72-inch long-handle sticks with shallow nets for catching, throwing and carrying the ball. Each game consists of four 15-minute quarters with 10 players from each side, equating to a total of 20 on the field.

This spring, the women’s lacrosse

“Me and Kaybee have been working very hard the last year and a half to rebuild this team postCOVID,” Juneau said. “In sixes, you don’t really have as many designated positions; it’s five people on the field traditional field lacrosse, there are four playing positions: attack, middies (midfielders), goalies and defense. However, for sixes lacrosse games, all players play the position of middies. a sixes game we’re all just middies,” Beggs said. “So we play both defense and attack as a player, we go everywhere, we run down the field the whole time. It can be a lot, by different funding sources, such as the university, reps and coordinating their own fundraisers, UTSA’s women’s lacrosse team has received some backing in order to sustain their program and enhance their competitive edge. One of the many things that the team prides itself on is having the capability to obtain proper lacrosse equipment that

members of the team or newcomers can use for the sport.

“We have done a lot of great budgeting as co-treasurer, so we have starter equipment for anyone who wants to come and try lacrosse,” Beggs said. “They don’t have to put up the money upfront to pay for all the equipment because it is an equipmentheavy sport, which the financial barrier can discourage people sometimes. So that was something that we wanted to eliminate.”

The team has a very engaging and welcoming environment that actively encourages individuals of all backgrounds and skill levels to join the sport and become part of their close-knit community. From hosting socials once or twice a month to making the sport more accessible and fun, by providing starter equipment and a good-natured environment, the women’s lacrosse team is happy to expand their group.

“We are very inclusive. We have all different majors, different people from different backgrounds and it’s low pressure,” Juneau said. “We’re really about supporting each other and be[ing] a community.”

Whether you’re a seasoned player seeking a new challenge or someone looking to explore the exciting world of lacrosse for the first time, UTSA’s women’s lacrosse team welcomes you with open arms. If you are interested in joining or want updates, check out the team’s Instagram @utsawlax, their link tree or visit them at rec field 6 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays and join them for a fun and exciting practice.

Suljovic/The Paisano

Lack of offense limits UTSA to two wins at College Station

By Noah Willoughby Staff Writer

eight errors committed over the three-game stretch, did nothing to assist the struggling pitching staff who watched 27 of the runs scored by their fault. There was no light for them in the tournament’s first half with every side of the field experiencing enough struggles to not catch a win. The weekend turned for the better when UTSA won its next two games, both against St.Thomas University. In the two-game stretch, the ‘Runners assembled 20 hits, with the first game having a season-high of 12 hits. Third base Kylie Forney, a sophomore, was the leader with four hits in the two games. UTSA scored a total of 18 runs, four of which were

batted in by senior catcher Taylor Jensen. The ‘Runners outscored their opponent 1813 in the two contests.

The defensive side of the ball during the two wins was near perfection, with the Roadrunners committing only two total errors. This improvement on the field helped the phenomenal pitching that was going on. Senior pitcher Jamie Gilbert put on a show in the first game with a line of six innings pitched, seven strikeouts and only three earned runs. Zelinda Camacho was

combined with

Armin

#1 #2 #3

#4 #5 #6

Rylan Renteria/The Paisano

Nothing sweet in sugar land

UTSA wins one of three games in Sugar Land Classic

By Rylan Renteria Distribution Manager

Coming off a road loss to Tarleton State, the UTSA baseball squad was looking to secure some quality wins in the Sugar Land Classic. The Roadrunners were only able to manage a singular win against Stephen F. Austin while surrendering losses to Creighton and Lamar this past weekend at Constellation Field.

“I thought we played well,” head coach Pat Hallmark said. “We’ve just got to grow up. Maturity, toughness and mental toughness, that’s all a part of the process.”

In the opening romp, the ‘Runners (3-5) found themselves going back-and-forth with the opposing Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks (3-5).

Allowing back-to-back home runs in the top of the second inning, UTSA responded in the bottom of the second with RBI singles from junior utility James Taussig and junior outfielder Mason Lytle to tie the game 2-2.

“The opposing pitchers were throwing well, I was just

staying locked in and taking what they gave me,” Lytle said.

The Roadrunners took their first lead in the bottom of the third with an RBI triple from junior catcher Lorenzo Moressi before the Lumberjacks responded with a solo home run in the top of the fourth. In UTSA’s next at-bat, junior infielder Matt King and senior outfielder Caleb Hill were able to plate two runs for the ‘Runners. The lead was short-lived as SFA scored twice to tie things up once again at six. Junior utility Broc Parmer put an end to the theatrics with a solo home run over the center field wall to secure the 7-6 UTSA win.

“I knew if a righty came in I might get a chance, so I was just staying mentally prepared,” Parmer said. “Coming off the bench and always having that support, you really have a bunch of confidence coming up to the plate to do something like that.”

Day two saw UTSA facing off against an undefeated Creighton (5-0) squad. The Bluejays took a three-run lead in the bottom of the third and maintained that lead throughout the rest of the contest. An RBI single from Hill was the ‘Runners

lone run as they fell 4-1.

Trying to exit the tournament with a winning record, UTSA ran into trouble early against the Lamar Cardinals (4-2). On the mound for the first inning was sophomore pitcher Braden Davism whose day was cut short just 22 pitches in after giving up four runs. The Roadrunners spent the rest of the game chasing that lead but to no avail. The ‘Runners scored twice in the fourth inning but would go scoreless the rest of the way, sealing UTSA’s 5-3 loss.

“Sometimes you can play aggressive and tough and not win,” Hallmark said. This time last season, UTSA held a 6-2 record through eight games, a stark contrast from this season’s 3-5 record. However, it is important to note that the Roadrunners did not retain many key members from that team. This is a young and inexperienced squad, growing pains are to be expected.

UTSA will next face the University of Houston at 3 p.m. Tuesday at Darryl & Lori Schroeder Park.

Kenny Smith casts shadow on Sabrina Ionescu’s special night

By Aramis Santiago Staff Writer

In the realm of professional sports, the dialogue surrounding athletes often transcends performance metrics, embedding itself into societal norms and gender perceptions. NBA on TNT commentator Kenny Smith’s recent comments regarding Sabrina Ionescu’s participation in an NBA 3-point shooting contest against Stephen Curry during the NBA All-Star Weekend has ignited a conversation about the representation of female athletes in media. While Smith has since addressed the backlash, claiming his comments were misinterpreted and advocating for equality, the incident sheds light on deeper issues within sports commentary and the perception of female athletes.

Smith’s suggestion that Ionescu, an accomplished guard for the New York Liberty, should have shot from the closer WNBA distance, seemingly to level the playing field with Curry. This belies a subtle yet profound underestimation of her capabilities and, by extension, those of her peers in the WNBA. This perspective not only undermines Ionescu’s capabilities but also perpetuates a narrative wherein women’s sports are viewed through a lens of inherent inferiority — a viewpoint both

archaic and misaligned with the current landscape of competitive sports.

The backlash against Smith’s comments is not only a reaction to a singular misstep but a collective call to action against the diminutive framing of women’s sports achievements. It illustrates a broader societal shift towards recognizing and celebrating female athletes, not as secondary to their male counterparts, but as equals, meriting the same respect, coverage and admiration.

The incident, therefore, serves as a reminder of the ongoing struggle for equality in sports media — a domain where words wield the power to shape perceptions and, consequently, realities.

Ionescu’s marked by scoring an impressive 26 points, exemplifies the caliber of talent within the WNBA, a league that continues to break boundaries and challenge stereotypes every year. The narrative surrounding

such an event should not be marred by notions of gendered capability but should instead celebrate the strides made towards inclusivity and recognition in sports. Smith’s comments, unfortunately, detracted from this narrative, casting a shadow over what should have been a moment of recognition and progress.

Smith’s attempt to justify his remarks by dismissing the uproar as an overreaction on social media and asserting that his advocacy was misconstrued misses the core of the issue. It’s not solely about the intent behind the words but their impact — how they contribute to an ongoing dialogue that either uplifts or undermines. The discourse surrounding female athletes and their achievements should not be conditional or comparative but rather an acknowledgment of their value and contribution to the sport. evolution of women’s basketball, spearheaded by players like Ionescu, is a story of shattering glass ceilings, redefining norms and inspiring future generations to pursue greatness without the caveat of gender limitations. This journey deserves to be

Wembanyama shines in the City of Angels

Wembanyama becomes the youngest player to record 5x5

By Luke Lawhorn Sports Editor

LOS ANGELES – To no one’s surprise, LeBron James was the biggest star on Friday evening when the Lakers hosted the Spurs in their first home game back from the AllStar break. Fans waited alongside Los Angeles’ tunnel for the NBA’s all-time leading scorer to come to the court and erupted when the kid from St.Vincent-St. Mary High School’s name was called in the starting lineup.

But after James, the fans in Crypto.com Arena were waiting for another spectacular, once-in-alifetime great to hit the court. And it wasn’t another player from the Lakers, or the many celebrities in the arena –– including NLE Choppa wearing an unbuttoned, no doubt very expensive shirt showing off his eye-popping jewelry.

It was the 7-foot-3 center, who in warm-ups, was dribbling the ball as if he were a point guard and shooting three after three after three as if he were a shooting guard.

Victor Wembanyama made his first trip back to Los Angeles since the Oct. 29 matchup against the

Clippers, when San Antonio lost its second game of the season alongside an 11-point performance from the Frenchman. Unfortunately for the team, the Spurs have lost 44 games since then, including Friday’s 123188 loss to the Purple and Gold. Though for Wembanyama, he had quite the second appearance.

The rookie sensation became the 15th player in league history to record 5-plus in each of the points, rebound, assist, steal and block columns, totaling 27 points, 10 rebounds, eight assists, five steals and five blocks. Wembanyama is the first player to record the 5x5 since Jan. 1, 2019, when Jusuf Nurkić did it in under 31 minutes, the fastest in history.

The record performance came nearly one night earlier when the Spurs lost 127-122 to the Sacramento Kings on Thursday. Wembanyama finished with 19 points, 13 rebounds, five steals, five blocks and four assists, becoming just the second player in league history to record five blocks and five steals in back-to-back nights. The first was Michael Jordan in 1987.

What was Wemby’s response when hearing of his feat?

“I wonder if he did it in wins and not losses,” he said. “To me, it’s secondary. Hopefully, in the future we can look back and think this is a good performance. But as of today, I can’t be satisfied with a loss.”

Despite being 20 years old, Wembanyama hasn’t wavered in front of the bright lights, even in the City of Angels on the same court as, who many people consider, the greatest basketball player ever. The stat columns fill every night, with Wemby currently averaging 20.5 points, 10.1 rebounds and a leagueleading 3.2 blocks per game. The last player to average 20/10/3 was Hall-of-Famer and former Laker Shaquille O’Neil in 1999-2000.

If Wemby can keep this up for the remaining 25 games, he’ll be the 10th player ever to do so in a season.

But if most of the remaining games come in losses, Wembanyama won’t bat an eye.

That’s a good thing to hear if you’re coach Gregg Popovich, who has connected quite well with the rookie. The oldest coach in NBA history and the player who isn’t even old enough to buy alcohol may seem like the wrong match, but the two have created quite the connection.

chronicled with respect and accuracy, free from the constraints of outdated stereotypes or diminishing comparisons.

This evolution brings to the forefront the importance of visibility and representation for female athletes. It’s a call for the media, sponsors and sports institutions to elevate women’s sports, providing them with the platform and recognition they deserve. The commercial success and growing fanbase of the WNBA are a testament to the public’s interest and investment in women’s basketball. Yet, incidents like Smith’s comments reveal there is still work to be done to dismantle the biases that hinder full appreciation and acknowledgment of women’s sports.

The controversy surrounding Smith’s comments on Ionescu serves as a pivotal moment for introspection and action within the world of sports media and beyond. It’s an opportunity to reaffirm our commitment to equality, to celebrate the achievements of female athletes and to push for a future where sports are truly inclusive. By embracing this challenge, we can ensure that the legacy of athletes like Ionescu is not defined by moments of controversy, but by the barriers they break and the paths they pave for the generations to come.

To Pop, the secret has been the humor. “For me, it’s always been if somebody has a sense of humor, it’s going to be an easier relationship establish,” Popovich said. “If somebody’s not defensive, if somebody has already gotten over themselves, it’s going to be a lot easier to have a relationship. So far, that’s the case, so I’m enjoying him very much. I hope he’s enjoying me.”

To thrive in the San Antonio culture, one must leave their ego at the door, which is something Wembanyama did as soon as he heard his name selected No. 1 overall in the NBA Draft last June and has been evident throughout the season. No matter the final stat line or the jaw-dropping plays, all the

rookie cares about is the wins and losses, even if it comes to finishing the night in Los Angeles with one of the most impressive games ever.

“When I say intelligent, I should probably say more so emotional intelligence for a 20-year-old,” Popovich said. “His maturity level understanding of what it’s going to take, all the hype that’s around him, how to handle it. I’m going to critique him about doing certain things. How does he handle those things, how does he work with his teammates, all that is a plus.

“If the leader in your program –– as far as the future goes and that sort of thing –– has those attributes, you’re in pretty good shape.”

Luckily for Spurs fans, the attention and stardom isn’t getting to him –– it’s the losses.

Rylan Renteria/The Paisano

Mariana