Vol. 66, Issue 10

Vol. 66, Issue 10

Est. 1981

October 31 - November 7, 2023

THE PAISANO

Independent Student Newspaper for the University of Texas at San Antonio Community /PaisanoOnline

/ThePaisano

@paisanomedia

Controversial athletics fee increase fails by vote of 70.66%

By Faith Kouadio Staff Writer

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athletics fee voting results

ALONDRA CASTILLO AND MELYNA PEREZ SELECTED AS SPIRIT OF THE ROADRUNNER WINNERS

Dustin Vickers/The Paisano

Dustin Vickers/The Paisano

n Sept. 21, UTSA athletics announced a voting session on a proposed incremental student athletics fee increase to upgrade the university’s various sports programs and subsequently improve its reputation state-wide and nationally. The “Everyone Wins” vote opened the morning of Oct. 25 and closed at midnight on Oct. 26. By the morning of Oct. 27, the results were clear: of the almost 5,900 students who voted, 29.33% voted yes and 70.66% voted no.

Each year, the Spirit of the Roadrunner program awards two students who best “embody the spirit of UTSA.” On the same ballot for the athletics fee, students were asked to select two of this year’s nominees for the following school year.

The winners, Alondra Castillo and Melyna Perez, were announced at the halftime show of the Oct. 28 football game against East Carolina, making UTSA history as the first duo female winners since the title was

renamed from Mr. and Ms. UTSA. The outcome of the athletics fee vote follows weeks of controversy and irritation with the athletics department, as students complain of slow Wi-Fi, aging infrastructure, poor resources and other campus issues as matters of more urgent financial need than UTSA athletics. In addition, many students were concerned about the effect of the increase on their tuition. Over 43% of UTSA undergraduates receive federal Pell Grants, and over 70% receive need-based grants and scholarships.

On the Everyone Wins website, UTSA’s Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics, Dr. Lisa Campos, answered student questions about the fee through a question form titled “Ask Lisa” in an effort to promote awareness of the longterm benefits and pass the fee. After the release of the voting results, Campos says “it doesn’t change” the ambitions of athletic programs.

“We’re gonna continue to find every revenue-generating opportunity, whether that’s increased ticket sales, through our marketing and sponsorship, through our media rights [or] through donations. That part of our efforts isn’t gonna change; we’re gonna continue to grow our budget to be able to provide a great experience for our students and student athletes,” Campos continued.

In relation to the other issues on campus and the financial concerns of students, Campos stated, “There’s no reason students should really understand the finances and budgeting of a university.

We’re really able to help them understand that athletics [doesn’t] receive stateappropriated dollars, nor do we receive tuition. Those are the dollars that go toward the things we heard about, whether it’s a broken lightbulb or a broken chair, or an academic unit.”

Campos noted how athletics are an “auxiliary” to main university functions

Students voted for the Spirit of the Roadrunner alongside the proposed athletics fee increase on the homecoming ballot last Wednesday and Thursday. Castillo (left) and Perez (right) are the first female duo to win since the program was renamed from Mr. and Ms. UTSA.

and build their budget through more traditional means, like student fees.

She empathized with the cost of being a student, recalling how she had to work two jobs as a first-generation student to support herself when she was pursuing her degree.

In a Paisano Poll preceding the voting, UTSA student Mikey Green brought up how “a lot of [students] aren’t here for the athletics.” Campos is aware of this sentiment of disconnect between UTSA athletics and the rest of the student body and hopes to have UTSA athletics be more representative of the university.

“We’re gonna continue to partner with

Football star’s bond conditions modified after two violations

By Jessica McLaren News Editor UTSA wide receiver Joshua Cephus has been twice accused of violating the bond conditions of his pretrial release. His attorney stated that the violations are “explainable,” and his conditions have since been modified. Cephus’ next court appearance is scheduled for December.

Court records show that a motion to modify Cephus’ bond conditions was filed on Oct. 20 requesting his at-home breathalyzer testing windows be “adjusted to coincide with his school and football schedule.” County Court at Law No. 1 Judge Helen Stowe, who presides over Cephus’ case, granted the motion, changing the windows to 5 to 8 a.m., 12 to 4 p.m., 6 to 10 p.m. and 11 p.m. to 1 a.m. The modification came four days after Bexar County Pretrial Services filed the player’s second violation of his release conditions.

The first violation, filed Sept. 11, accuses Cephus of not completing the monthly calibration of his at-home breathalyzer device.

The second violation, filed on Oct. 16, claims Cephus missed tests on the device, according to documents provided by the Bexar County Clerk’s Office.

Cephus was arrested in July of this year on a Class A misdemeanor charge for

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driving while intoxicated (DWI) with a blood alcohol concentration of more than twice the legal limit.

The elevated DWI charges came seven months after the football star rolled his car over near UTSA Boulevard and Babcock Road while coming from Privat Social Club last December.

Cephus posted his $1,500 bond on the day of his arrest.

The football star was promptly suspended from the team following the Dec. 9 accident but Courtesy of Bexar County Sheriff’s Office was allowed to play in January. Coach attorney, Desi Martinez, Jeff Traylor and Cephus’s disclosed that “[his] bond teammates have both expressed was not revoked” and that support for the player in the they “don’t anticipate that his months leading up to his arrest. participation in UTSA football Cephus’ original bond will be affected.” Martinez conditions required him to submit to random testing believes that the player’s and installation of a motor “character as a person is going vehicle ignition interlock. to make a lot of people rethink Two days after his release, their current opinion of him Stowe approved an order that based on the current story that required the player to instead is being told.”

Cephus’ trial date is use a portable alcohol monitor during four windows per day currently scheduled for Dec. if he “does not own [a] vehicle 13. Visit paisano-online.com or that is operating,” so long as he subscribe to our weekly email newsletter to stay updated is not driving.

In a series of emails to The on the trial as it continues to Paisano, Cephus’ defense develop.

different student organizations. We want to provide visibility to all 35,000-plus students on this campus,” Campos said.

“We want to be an integral part of the undergraduate experience. We know that when you’re coming to athletic events and you’re engaged in other organizations, you’re most likely going to graduate and be an active alum.”

UTSA athletics is interested in continuing to collaborate with student groups and highlight events on campus in an effort to strengthen that relationship. To read more about the voting results, visit UTSA Today.

Walkable solar panels pave the way for campus sustainability

By Kylar Royer Assistant Photo Editor UTSA professor Samer Dessouky and Ph.D. student Hamindreza Allahdadi executed the first phase of their solar panel research installed on UTSA’s Main Campus earlier this year.

Allahdadi’s passion for climate change inspired the creation of resilient, cost-effective photovoltaic panels that efficiently store energy. Allahdadi believes that we must be more innovative and practical in using solar panels to limit costs and maximize energy storage.

With higher electricity grid demands and continual requests from CPS Energy to limit power usage, flexible solar panels could help people generate electricity to combat these requests.

The team wants to use existing paved areas for panel surface placement, which reduces the hassle of installation, maintenance and costs of rooftop solar panels.

“The panel just needs a [flat] surface, and we have the right surface everywhere.”

Setting up the solar panels is so simple that Allahdadi believes “everybody, [even] kids, can do it” in just two minutes or less.

The panels are “more flexible; you can roll them like your umbrella” and take them wherever you go to generate power that can be used “for your devices, for your lives, for your camp, everywhere you want.”

The walkable solar panels are a more cost-effective alternative to solar panels installed on building rooftops, which require more extensive installation due to the inclusion of more roof mounting components and the differences in labeled costs of the parts.

In the 1950s, the price per watt of power was $76. Today, the cost per watt has dropped significantly to less than $0.20 due to the smaller panel size, flexibility and being 60% transparent, which allows for the generation of energy on either side of the panel.

The decline in energy costs is attributed to the mass production of the panel technology, ease of installation and removal of the additional support needed to install roofing panels. Not to mention that the advancement of solar technology has allowed for maximizing the power outcome, lowering power costs.

“At the end of the day, you want to find the most effective, costless approach to produce power using existing structures.

Continued Solar on page 2

Kayla McCutcheon/The Paisano

Early voting on Main Campus until Nov. 3

By Noah Willoughby Staff Writer Early voting for San Antonio’s upcoming Nov. 7 election opened on October 23 and will run through November 3. Voting can be done on the UTSA campus in the H-E-B Student Union Bexar Room (1.102).

The Nov. 7 ballot will have 14 proposed amendments to the State Constitution. Some of the topics that will be covered by these amendments are property taxes, money

for state parks and child care facilities.

San Antonio Report said, “Members of both parties agree none of the 14 proposed constitutional amendments on the November ballot are particularly controversial.”

With the last day for voter registration being Oct. 10, residents of San Antonio and students at UTSA who are not registered by now are unable to vote in this election. If you are unsure of your status, you can check it at vote.org.

The H-E-B Student Union will open voting at 8 a.m. every day until Nov. 3 and it will run until 6 p.m. except on Nov. 2 and 3, when it will close later at 8 p.m. Voters will need to bring a government issued form of identification. These may include, but are not limited to, government issued ID, election ID certificate, military ID or a U.S. passport.

According to Vox, Texas’ voting wait time averages 12.5 minutes, and the reported “fastest time to vote” is in the morning.

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NEWS

UTSA awarded $500k grant for cybersecurity clinic impact in the cybersecurity

By Kaitlyn Grace career field. Volunteer menStaff Writer UTSA was awarded a $500k torships will be available for grant from Google in order to those who participate in the cybersecurity clinic, as well expand a cybersecurity clinic as scholarships and access to dedicated to preparing stuGoogle Titan Security Keys. dents who will be going into “These clinics have been the cybersecurity workforce. designed to provide the next The cybersecurity clinic joins generation of professionals UTSA’s cybersecurity B.B.A. program, which is one of the best in the nation.

“Cybersecurity threats are growing and impact every element of a community,” said Director of UTSA’s Center for Infrastructure Assurance and Security Gregory White, who is also a professor in the UTSA Marylin T erraza/Th e Paisano Department of Computer Science. “It behooves all of us to ensure organizations within with the tools and resources a community are secure as we they need to succeed in the interact with them on a daily ever-growing field of cyberbasis.” security,” said Google’s Vice Students who take part in President of Privacy, Safety the cybersecurity clinic will and Security Engineering, learn valuable knowledge that Royal Hansen. Hansen went will enable them to make an on to say that Google is proud

to “lend a hand to help grow a strong security workforce responsible for strengthening and protecting our infrastructure.”

Aside from the clinic, UTSA has developed a “nationally ranked” online program for students to earn a B.B.A. in cybersecurity. This program will give students the knowledge and training they will need in the workforce.

According to Nicole Beebe, professor and AVP of Strategic Research Development, UTSA has the “full gambit” when it comes to their cybersecurity program, such as speakers and higher recruitment for government jobs, making UTSA ideal for cybersecurity students.

For more information regarding the grant and the cybersecurity clinic, visit UTSA Today. To learn more about UTSA’s cybersecurity B.B.A. program, visit explore.utsa. edu/online/bba-cyber/.

University preserves history and culture with digital special collections

By Noah Willoughby Staff Writer Since 1974, UTSA Library’s Special Collections has been proactive in acquiring, preserving and providing access to donated cultural materials. Over the past decade, the university has been working towards providing digital access to the resources through its Digital Collections database.

The digitization process is ongoing, and materials will be available through the database as they are scanned.

The donated materials that are selected for digitization are outsourced to professional labs or captured by in-house digitization equipment through the digital curation workstation. The Digital Collections database consists of photographic prints and negatives, audiovisual material and manuscript folders.

Among the materials is a collection of photographs and audio files from when San Antonio hosted its first and

only World’s Fair in 1968.

The photographs include the construction of the Tower of Americas, houses and buildings that were knocked down to make room for the celebration and postcards that could be acquired when visiting. The audio files include the voices of the famous jazz musician Louis Armstrong, former First Lady Claudia Johnson and actress Janice Page.

Copies of “The Marquise,” San Antonio’s LGBTQ+ newspaper that ran from 19921998, can also be found in the database. This paper covered important issues that were relevant to San Antonio’s LGBTQ+ community, such as gay marriage, lesbians and gays in the military, hate crimes, queer parenting, AIDS and anti-gay legislation.

The Paisano is also among the preserved materials, with past issues being digitized and placed in its own special collection. The Paisano has almost 400 copies preserved in this collection, dating from 1981-1998.

Other collections can be found as well, like historic interviews, Mexican cookbooks, photographs from San Antonio Express News, UTSA’s history and even redlining maps of San Antonio drawn by the Home Owners Loan Corporation.

UTSA Library’s Special Collection has a “vision to bring national recognition to [UTSA] for distinctive research collections documenting the diverse histories and development of San Antonio and South Texas.” Collection priorities include the history of AfricanAmerican and LGBTQ+ communities, the history of women and gender in Texas, Mexican-American activism and advertising, the TexMex food industry and urban planning.

For more information on UTSA Libraries Special Collection, visit lib.utsa.edu/ specialcollections/collections For more information on digital collections, visit digital.utsa.edu/.

UTSA’s latest research impact

By Kylar Royer Assistant Photo Editor During October, UTSA climbed the world rankings in research quality and industry impact, in tandem with grants awarded to UTSA staff to study language barriers in engineering and new technology to combat carbon emissions. Catch up with the latest updates in Roadrunner research with The Paisano’s monthly recap.

UTSA climbs the Times Higher Education World University Rankings The Times Higher Education World University Rankings reflect “the diverse range of research-intensive universities worldwide,” including 1,904 universities throughout 108 countries and regions.

In the U.S., “UTSA ranked 114 out of 169 U.S. universities, up 20 places over last year. In the world, UTSA is placed within the 501-600 bracket.”

To meet the criteria to be considered in this ranking, institutions must teach undergraduates, work across a diverse variety of subjects and publish 150 papers per year, along with having published at least 1,000 papers total.

The method used to rank

institutions is based on five distinct core missions: teaching, research quality, research environment,

knowledge transfer throughout the industry and international outlook.

UTSA’s highest scores were represented in our research quality, industry impact and international outlook.

Many of these achievements can be attributed to the selective recruitment and retention of the “most promising and accomplished faculty from diverse backgrounds and experiences.”

“UTSA remains steadfast on its journey to becoming a great public research university focused on driving San Antonio’s knowledge economy, living out the notion that great universities need great cities and great cities need great universities,” said UTSA President Taylor Eighmy. “Over the last decade, we’ve worked diligently to grow our federal portfolio and foster and create new strategic partnerships that connect

academia to public and private industries to advance our research footprint. We’re honored for the recognition of this work and look forward to building even more pathways of success for our faculty, students and strategic partners.” $3.6 million awarded for minorities pursuing engineering degrees A pair of UTSA professors, Joel Alejandro Mejia and M. Sidury Christiansen, were recently awarded a $3.6 million grant by the National Science Foundation to strengthen a sense of belonging among multicultural students, in an effort to encourage them to pursue engineering degrees.

The project takes an ethnographic approach, a qualitative research method through participant observation, with the intent of recording and analyzing a culture or society. The incentive is that both Mejia and Christiansen personally experienced biases throughout their careers in STEM and are striving to create a more inclusive learning environment for incoming students.

Continued reading at paisano-online.com

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Continued Solar

It’s already there, and it’s just about installing this cheap product on top of surfaces exposed to a lot of solar light, contributing to providing power.”

The project will take on three phases. The first phase emphasized finding the best approach to installing the panels effectively, testing the impact of human traffic on top of the panel and seeing that the panels continue to “provide a value and the traffic does not deteriorate or affect the quality of the panel over time.” Their next step is to install the panels on vertical walls in the buildings, with Allahdadi and Dessouky’s ultimate goal of seeing solar roadways.

Not only will this innovation solve the energy demand, but it is also a creative solution to supplying renewable energy to large cities and areas that lack flat, accessible land.

Allahdadi and Dessouky ask that the students step on the panels to

help them collect data concerning the durability of the materials used for the solar panels. Dessouky further explains that when walking on these panels, “you are testing how the product will last, and if we don’t know how much or how long it will last [enduring] human traffic, we will never know how long it will last under vehicles in the parking lot.”

Allahdadi urges students to reach out to him by emailing him at hamidreza.allahdadi@my.utsa. edu if they are interested in the flexible solar panels. Allahdadi is passionate about providing students with information on the panels and resources on where to purchase them and he is even willing to help with setup in a variety of locations.

Next time you walk between the Biotechnology, Science and Engineering building and the Science and Engineering building on the Main Campus, be sure to walk across Allahdadi’s solar panel to contribute to the study and to support the future of renewable energy.

City of San Antonio sued over abortion fund

By Amber Serio Assistant News Editor The City of San Antonio is currently being sued by a group of antiabortion organizations for budgeting $500k of the city budget towards reproductive health services, such as potentially supporting transportation and lodging for individuals seeking out-of-state abortions.

This lawsuit comes after last month’s approval of a $3.7 billion dollar budget that seeks to allocate half a million dollars of its funds towards a “reproductive justice fund.” According to the Texas Tribune, the city has not yet said how the money will be used, but City Council members have utilized their hearings to voice their suggestions on how they think it should be spent.

Advocates for the reproductive justice fund have talked mostly about using the money to support health education, access to emergency contraception and testing for sexually transmitted diseases.

Other City Council members have also suggested that the money be used to support non-profit groups that help Texans receive abortions outside of Texas. The anti-abortion groups that filed the lawsuit do not support this suggestion, asking that a state district judge block the funds

from being allocated to organizations such as this.

The San Antonio Family Association and Texas Right to Life serve as the primary co-plaintiffs of the case, but they are joined by several other anti-abortion groups, including Allied Women’s Center, Texans for Fiscal Responsibility, Texas Leadership Coalition, the Republican Party of Bexar County, the Bexar Conservatives and Unite San Antonio.

The lawsuit claims that abortion funds are “criminal organizations,” stating that “it is a criminal offense to engage in conduct in Texas that ‘procures’ a drug-induced abortion — even when the abortion is performed out of state — so long as the procuring conduct occurs within the state of Texas.”

KSAT reported that San Antonio City Council Attorney and city spokeswoman Andy Segovia said in an email statement that the premise of the lawsuit is “based on misinformation and false allegations,” since a decision has not been made on how the money will be used.

“The City Council will have an open work session to discuss the use of the funds that will be distributed in accordance with State and Federal Laws,” Segovia said.

State of the City Week of 10/31

By Alessandra Avila Contributor

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 an upcoming cold front to a shooting at a house party.

Stay warm: upcoming cold fronts in San Antonio In the coming weeks, San Antonio will start to see a significant change in the weather. Embrace the cold and bid the heat farewell. The city’s temperature will peak at 92 and hit its lowest point at 51 starting this week. Make sure you are dressed warmly, as it will likely be the coldest 48 hours of the year. As you prepare for the winter, remember to keep an eye out for ways to remain warm in your home or prevent illness.

Argument turned shooting at a house party kills two A house party argument this weekend turned into a shooting which left two people dead and three others, including a 13-year-old girl, injured. Gunfire was reported on the West Side Saturday night on the block of Roslyn Avenue, close to Gaynor Street.

According to San Antonio police, a party goer and a neighbor got into a fight before the shooting. The neighbor left the party but then returned with their family. At the house party, a twenty-year-old man appeared in the front yard and began to argue. He then pulled out a revolver and started shooting, injuring a 35-year-old woman, a 40-year-old man and their 13-year-old daughter, according to police.

According to authorities, the man fired back, injuring both the suspect and his relative. Both parents were pronounced dead at the scene, and their daughter was sent to the hospital with non-threatening injuries. The partygoer and his relative were also admitted to the hospital, and the firearms have since been found. Both the victims and the culprit remain unidentified.

Woman shot by NISD police at Farris Athletic Complex Just before the 2 p.m. football match between Sotomayor and O’Connor on Saturday at the Farris Athletic Complex, a woman’s behavior caught the attention of Northside Independent School District (NISD) officers. According to NISD Assistant Superintendent of Communications Barry Perez, she was displaying aggression inside her vehicle while parked outside the stadium. While trying to calm her down, an officer shot her arm. She was rushed to the hospital, but no major injuries were found. The accused officer has been placed under administrative duty pending an ongoing investigation.

Dustin Vickers/The Paisano

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OPINION

Listen to students, help ‘Everyone W1N’

Roadrunners firmly reject ‘Everyone W1NS,’ want campus issues addressed

O

Editorial

n Oct. 25 and 26, voting was held on a proposal to increase the mandatory athletics fee that UTSA students pay every semester.

Unsurprisingly, the proposal was met with criticism from students, who firmly voted to reject the proposal.

Almost 5,900 students voted on the proposal, with 29.33% voting yes and 70.66% voting no. According to UTSA Today, Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics Lisa Campos attributed the loss to a financial concern from students, stating that “cost of attendance is top of mind for many of our students and we respect that.

Our desire is to make the value of a UTSA degree even greater, and we will continue to do our part to support the success of our students and graduates.”

While the cost of attendance is a prominent reason, this sound rejection from Roadrunners also signals dissatisfaction with the focus that athletics is getting when it comes to funding. With the recent openings of the $40.4 million Roadrunner Athletics Center of Excellence (RACE) building in 2021 and the $8 million Park West Athletics Complex in July, many students asked why the additional funding was necessary while they were still using classrooms originally built in 1975.

Noah Willoughby/The Paisano

It is worth noting that funding for the RACE building

was not allocated from student fees but was made possible through philanthropic donations and support from the City of San Antonio.

While Campos stressed the importance that this was not an “either/or” proposal and that some funding may go towards fixing issues on campus, many students were unhappy with the priority that athletics funding would get over funding for solving these problems. UTSA is first and foremost a university, and students deserve to have the best learning environment funded by the tuition and fees they pay to attend UTSA. The rejection of the “Everyone W1NS” proposal provides UTSA with a unique opportunity to address the issues that concern Roadrunners. The university administration now has a hand on the pulse of issues that students face during their pursuit of academic success because of this proposal. UTSA needs to take action and address the concerns of its students. As Roadrunners, we need to continue to advocate for the changes we would like to see on campus and the problems we would like to see solved. It is the job of UTSA to listen to those concerns and act accordingly.

Who is the most iconic horror antagonist?

Commentary

By Malaki Lingg Web Editor

Since the introduction of films, horror has always been something viewers have resonated with. With the first horror film ever, “Le Manoir du Diable,” being released in 1896, only one year after motion pictures first debuted, it is apparent that horror as a genre has a long history. Since then, there have been hundreds of popular horror films across multiple subgenres — supernatural, slasher, creature-feature, paranormal and more.

With all of this history across various genres and themes, some amazing and iconic horror villains have made their way onto the silver screen. Fans of the genre are in love with characters like Michael Myers from

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“Halloween,” Freddy Kreuger from “A Nightmare on Elm Street,” Ghostface from “Scream” and dozens of other terrifying antagonists. With that being said, who is the most iconic horror antagonist?

The top of the roster would include the aforementioned three, but there is one more horror icon that stands out — Jason Vorhees of the “Friday the 13th” franchise.

Jason made his debut in Steve Miner’s 1981 directorial debut, “Friday the 13th Part 2.” The film’s plot follows Alice, the final survivor of the first film, as she copes with the massacre that took place months prior. During the events of the previous film, Pamela Vorhees, Jason’s mother, goes on multiple murder sprees at Camp Crystal Lake after Jason was bullied and drowned due to counselor negligence.

Though “Friday the 13th” ends with her being beheaded in the finale by Alice, her work was not yet done.

In the sequel, Jason is seen to be supernaturally revived by a lightning strike, and gains superhuman abilities.

Soon he would return to Camp Crystal Lake to witness his mother’s death, and then to enact their revenge.

The first three films in the franchise are genuinely creepy, shocking slasher films. Each scene is filled with shocks from both the victims and the killers. While slashers like “Halloween” showcase a very similar type of killer with Michael and Jason both being massive, emotionless and near superhuman, “Friday the 13th” does it best.

Jason displays a completely different level of brutality, as well as having one of the most iconic outfits in all of horror.

While he does not don it until the franchise’s third installment, Jason is notoriously known for the hockey mask he debuted in “Friday the 13th Chapter 3” and every installment after — excluding his appearance in “Jason X.” Other horror icons have been unable to reach the level of notoriety that Jason’s hockey mask holds. Michael Myers’ mask may be famous, but it is known to be very bland and Ghostface’s mask, while famous, is very generic.

Jason, while arguably not being from the best horror franchise overall, is the most iconic horror antagonist to date. He has brought a totally different level of brutality to his films, and has the most iconic appearance overall. When a horror fan sees a hockey mask, they do not actually think of hockey; all that they visualize is Jason Vorhees.

AI is the future of evolution Commentary

By Bela Ross Contributor

As society has reached a point in technological advancement where we have AI at our fingertips, it has become increasingly obvious that AI is the next step in evolution through its quick adoption into our daily lives. Although it is still progressing, it has many practical uses already, such as tools in research, medicine, virtual assistants, customer service and more. AI pulls its knowledge from the internet, so it can be used to research subjects more efficiently by getting its information from multiple sources and cross-referencing it. AI’s ability to recognize patterns is much better than that of humans, which can have many uses, such as assistance in medicine, automation and biometrics.

In medicine, AI is able to identify diseases and develop drugs faster. By observing scans, images and heart signals, AI can make diagnoses or assess

the risk for different conditions. Right now, it is not perfectly accurate because it needs thousands of concrete examples in order to learn. While it is not replacing doctors anytime soon, AI can aid in making interpretations faster and it can help choose a personalized treatment plan for patients. AI is able to develop medicines faster and cheaper by identifying good targets for intervention, choosing suitable candidates and finding biomarkers to identify the disease with complete confidence.

AI in automation, also called intelligent automation, can take data and calculate predictions.

It is often applied to businesses and the economy to predict trends in the market and take steps to promote economic growth. While the technology is improved and implemented in different industries, it may eliminate the need for some jobs or tasks, but at the same time, it will also create new jobs that were not necessary before.

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UTSA’s political department is dying Commentary

By Izabella Ali Bocas Staff Writer

“Having a law school at UTSA would also bring more faculty and funding to the undergraduate programs.

Attention would be given to the Institute for Law and Public Affairs, which would naturally allow for more resources such as professors, guest speakers and course variety.”

Read at paisano-online.com

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OPINION

Smile, you are on camera, law breaker Commentary

public raise their eyebrows and seek legal advice on the Staff Writer matter.

Small towns have the Questionable policies within government agencies reputation of being strict are woven into the American and unforgiving, especially identity, and we often the many exclaves in Bexar overlook them because they County. Driving through are so ingrained in our culture. areas such as Leon Valley, Sometimes these agencies Castle Hills or Hollywood push the line a little too far, Park, accompanied by the population sign, comes a stark and the change in the speed limit. general This is a classic speed trap cash grab for these small municipalities, and we have accepted this as a common practice when it comes to dealing with small police departments.

Alamo Heights, an exclave in Bexar County, has a policy within their police code that has raised questions from the general public. Policy 7.33 states, “Officers shall photograph Kara Lee/The Paisano [violators

By Nicholas Kingman

Stop Lubbock’s abortion travel ban Commentary

By Elizabeth Hope Staff Writer

On Monday, Oct. 23, Lubbock became the largest county in Texas to approve the abortion travel ban. What this ban does is prevent those who are pregnant from traveling on local roads to receive an abortion out of state. The abortion travel bans will be enforced through private lawsuits against the people who are assisting pregnant Texans out of state to get the procedure; those who are pregnant will not face legal action.

Anti-abortion activists and commissioners are calling Lubbock a “sanctuary city for the unborn.” They have also started using the term “abortion trafficking” to describe this ordinance, which is the transportation of someone to a state where they can receive legal abortions.

Lawmakers such as Dustin Burrows, Carl Tepper and state Sen. Charles Perry are claiming that “women are

being abused and traumatized by ‘abortion trafficking.’”

There is no evidence that their claims are true, and they are using this term to make it sound like they are trying to help and protect pregnant people when all this ban will do is hurt them.

This policy violates the constitutional right to travel.

The right to travel appears in the Articles of Confederation and is recognized by the U.S. Constitution and the Supreme Court. “The right of a citizen to travel upon the public highways and to transport [their] property thereon, by horse-drawn carriage, wagon, or automobile, is not a mere privilege which may be permitted or prohibited at will, but a common right which [they have] under [their] right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”

Denying the right to safe and legal abortions or not being able to travel out of state to receive one will have major consequences

receiving] citations with the eCitation device to ensure the following.” In layman’s terms, police officers can photograph you after a traffic stop. A motorist can refuse to have the photo taken, but the responding officer will document the objection.

According to KSAT, other Bexar departments have a policy similar to the Alamo Heights Police Department (AHPD), such as Live Oak, where they photograph violators only when the motorist does not have their state-issued license. The photographing of motorists is stepping on the toes of the Fourth Amendment, but in AHPD’s words, “The photos are used as identification for potential suspects involved in crimes that have yet to be reported.” These policies are suspect; motorists provide sufficient information during a traffic stop. The question must be asked: what more do these agencies want from motorists so it can be sufficient for their goal of

The Paisano

upholding public safety?

The photographing of motorists is not a new issue in Bexar County. The policy has been documented since 2019 when a Cibolo man brought attention to the issue after he was asked for his picture after missing a light. We are in an age where government entities have no shame or care for taking away people’s rights little by little.

These people in power give half-baked answers when justifying their decisions.

Local police departments are playing into their stereotypical role of ruthless small-town police nitpicking the law and giving the hammer to anyone they see fit.

These departments’ policies are an overstep of their role in the community. They abuse their constitutional power over motorists in the name of public safety. The writing is on the wall. In fifty years, an officer will take our picture, get our fingerprints and do a retina scan for something such as a cracked windshield.

Join the Paisano | Journalism | Writing | Photography | | Audio/Video Production | | Graphic Design | Magazine | | Advertising | | Marketing | Podcasting | | Website Management | Social Media | General Meetings every wednesday at 6 p.m.

Our meetings are held at our off-campus building, located at 14526 roadrunner way for pregnant people. If people are not able to receive access to safe abortions, they will look for other unsafe options. According to the World Health Organization, “23,000 women die from unsafe abortions each year and tens of thousands more experience significant health complications globally.”

Lubbock County contains one of the major highways that connects Texas to neighboring states where abortion is legal, such as New Mexico, Colorado and Kansas. Banning people from traveling on public roads on the premise of healthcare is

dehumanizing. This ban was passed by an all-cisgendermale commission. Pregnant people do not even get a say in what is happening to their bodies.

Your local elections matter. City counsels and commissioners should not have jurisdiction over those seeking healthcare. On Nov. 7 there will be the Constitutional Amendment Election. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Exercise your right to vote to make a difference in our world, to voice your opinions, to advocate for change and to influence your future.

Johnson’s joust in the House Commentary

By Allana Llabres

Assistant Social Media Manager Earlier this month, the United States House of Representatives was thrown into confusion when the 55th Speaker of the House, Kevin McCarthy, was voted out.

Since this had never happened in the U.S. before, nobody was sure what to do, but representatives knew that a new speaker had to be elected as soon as possible. Mike Johnson, a representative from Louisiana’s fourth district, has now been elected as the new Speaker of the House.

After Republican Representatives failed to elect three other Republican nominees, Johnson was welcomed by each one.

He was heavily supported by many of the far-right Republicans, as his views substantially aligned with theirs. While many people

have voiced their support for Johnson, some have been less than enthusiastic. Many politicians have expressed disappointment in Johnson’s election under the postulation that someone with such radical beliefs should not be welcomed into the highest seat of the House.

Johnson has been very open about his beliefs and opinions since he first became a politician. He is known to be an extreme anti-choice supporter, even posting on X in January this year, “Louisiana is now a proudly pro-life state — we will get the number of abortions to ZERO!!” Johnson also sponsored a national version of the infamous “Don’t Say Gay” bill, which would have banned education on gender identity and sexual orientation.

However, many of his opinions are outdated. In a forum hosted in 2013 by Louisiana Right to Life — an anti-abortion group — Johnson quotes the founding fathers, saying, “They told us that if we didn’t maintain those 18th-century values, that the republic would not stand, and this is the condition we find ourselves in today.” He also spoke at the forum about the U.S. being built primarily on biblical principles and

calling on Americans to bring that system of thinking back despite the First Amendment requiring a separation of church and state.

In Johnson’s first statement as Speaker of the House, he says that as Speaker, he “will advance a comprehensive conservative policy agenda [and] combat the harmful policies of the Biden Administration.”

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Kara Lee/The Paisano

Editorial Board

Laynie Clark | Editor-in-Chief Editor@paisano-online.com Chloe Williams | Managing Editor Manager@paisano-online.com Jessica McLaren | News Editor News@paisano-online.com Jake Mireles | Opinion Editor Opinion@paisano-online.com Riley Carroll | Arts & Life Editor Arts@paisano-online.com Luke Lawhorn | Sports Editor Sports@paisano-online.com Malaki Lingg | Web Editor Web@paisano-online.com Dustin Vickers | Photo Editor Photo@paisano-online.com Kara Lee | Graphic Editor Graphic@paisano-online.com Marcela Montufar Soria | Multimedia Editor William Barnes | Multimedia Editor Multimedia@paisano-online.com Jenna Taylor | Magazine Editor Magazine@paisano-online.com Sofia Mejia | Distribution Manager Distribution@paisano-online.com Zach Geocaris | Business Manager Business@paisano-online.com

Assistant Editors Amber Serio | Assistant News Editor Luna Infante | Assistant Opinion Editor Lauren Hernandez | Assistant Arts & Life Editor Haley Aguayo | Assistant Sports Editor Kylar Royer | Assistant Photo Editor Allana Llabres | Assistant Social Media Manager Genevieve Vega | Assistant Multimedia Editor

Staff Andrew Dotson | Staff Writer Kaitlyn Grace | Staff Writer Elizabeth Hope | Staff Writer Nicholas Kingman | Staff Writer Ahavah Kirwan | Staff Writer Faith Kouadio | Staff Writer Carley Martin | Staff Writer Logan Martinez | Staff Writer Misty Olawumni | Staff Writer Rylan Renteria | Staff Writer Ray Rodriguez | Staff Writer Abraham Roman | Staff Writer Aramis Santiago | Staff Writer Marissa Silvas | Staff Writer Connor Suehs | Staff Writer Armin Suljovic | Staff Writer Noah Willoughby | Staff Writer Samantha Ysaguirre | Staff Writer Storm Goodman | Graphic Artist Mohitha Ravikumar | Graphic Artist Calli Recore | Graphic Artist Caroline Puckett | Graphic Artist Kayla McCutcheon | Photographer Jonathan Porter | Photograher Eric Trevino | Photographer Stephen Saenz | Photographer Naydine De La Fuente | Copyediting Coordinator Jada Thomas | Marketing Manager

Advisory Board Diane Abdo | Advisor Steven Kellman | Advisor Jack Himelblau | Advisor Stefanie Arias | Advisor Sandy Norman | Advisor Mason Hickok | Advisor John Helton | Advisor Corey Franco | Advisor Imelda Robles | Advisor Donna Miller | Advisor

The Editorial is the official opinion of The Paisano editorial board. Commentaries are the opinion of the individual writer.

The Paisano is published by the Paisano Educational Trust, a non-profit, tax exempt, educational organization.The Paisano is operated by members of the Student Newspaper Association, a registered student organization. The Paisano is NOT sponsored, financed or endorsed by UTSA. New issues are published every Tuesday during the fall and spring semesters, excluding holidays and exam periods.The Paisano is distributed on the UTSA Main Campus.

Additionally, Paisano publications are distributed at a variety of off-campus locations, including Tripoint and a variety of apartment complexes near the UTSA Main Campus. All revenues are generated through advertising and donations. Advertising inquiries and donations should be directed to: 14526 Roadrunner Way Suite 101 San Antonio, TX 78249 Phone: (210) 690-9301 © 2023 The Paisano The University of Texas at San Antonio’s Handbook of Operating Procedures states in 5.03 that: The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) will not exercise control over the format or content of Student Publications, but will regulate distribution on campus. Student Publications will be free of censorship and advance approval of copy, and their editors and managers are solely responsible for editorial and content policies and decisions. Editors and managers of Student Publications will not be subject to arbitrary suspension/expulsion or removal from their positions within a Registered or Sponsored Student Organization (Student Organization) by the University because of student, faculty, administrative, or public disapproval of editorial policy or content. Student Organizations that distribute Student Publications are afforded the same rights and privileges as Student Organizations that do not distribute Student Publications.

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O c to b e r 3 1 - N o v e mb e r 7 , 2 0 2 3

arts & life

By Jenna Taylor Magazine Editor

National Cat Day occurred this past Sunday, Oct. 29, as a way for America to not only celebrate their pet cats and kittens but also to promote the adoption of cats. The Paisano received many submissions from UTSA student cat owners, and in honor of National Cat Day, we would like to honor them. Thank you to all who submitted to our Instagram, @paisanomedia, and we hope you enjoy.

Hedwig Caregiver: Nicole De La O Hedwig is a Russian blue cat named after Harry Potter’s owl, which owner De La O did not realize was a girl owl in the movies until after giving him his name. “I met my cat about a year ago at a boba place back [in] my hometown. He was a three-year-old street cat that would beg and bother the customers for food. I went, and I immediately fell in love with his charisma, so I decided to give him a home, and his old ways stuck to him; he still begs me for treats,” De La O said.

Hedwig is silly, sleepy and demanding. “I will leave for school and come back, and he will be sleeping in the same position I left him in. He will demand treats, but the good thing is that he will do tricks for them, and of course, with that face, he deserves all the treats in the world.”

Obsidian Caregiver: Johanna Gutierrez Gutierrez describes her start in finding Obsidian: “I was looking up cats for adoption and found him on a random adoption site. I got him at the start of last fall, so I’ve had him for a little over a year.

He was probably two to three months [old] at the time.

His name is Obsidian, but I call him ‘Obi’ for short. He’s an American medium hair.”

Obsidian is known to be “very chatty, likes to cuddle, friendly and extroverted, and pretty attached to [Gutierrez].

He’s also a big foodie and likes to eat different human foods including fruits. His favorites tend to be pineapple, watermelon and cucumber.”

Cheddar Muffin Caregiver: Ligia Perry Cheddar Muffin was n found by Perry at the fi f u m ar Humane Society of San Chedd Antonio about a year and a half ago. Cheddar Muffin is a short-haired cat who is “super cuddly, playful, likes neck kisses, and playing with his bestie Phoebe, [Perry’s] roommate’s cat.”

Perry shares that her favorite memory with Cheddar Muffin is “when he plays monster under the bed and grabs everyone’s legs that stand next to the bed, so everyone screams and gets scared.”

Sasha Caregiver: Sonia Schoch Next, we have Sasha, an American medium hair, who was born when Schoch’s family friend’s outdoor cat had a litter of kittens. “She came to us from San Antonio and has voyaged with us in our recent move to Bandera.”

Schoch’s favorite characteristics about Sasha are that she is “spunky and fierce, a spoiled princess who knows she can get her way by cuddling up to you, and she is very sweet.”

Cow and Ohio Caregiver: Kian Catalani Ohio and Cow were discovered by Catalani as strays. “We’ve had Ohio for about [a] year, and we got him when he was about six weeks old. We’ve had Cow for about three weeks, and we are unsure how old he is.”

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30 years of frightening creativity ‘Dreamland: Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas’ on display at the McNay Arte de San Antonio

By Jada Thomas

Interim Marketing Manager Every year, multiple movies signal the start of “spooky season,” or the weeks leading up to Halloween. Tim Burton’s “The Nightmare Before Christmas” is among those movies, and this year marks 30 years since the film’s release in 1993. To celebrate the 30th anniversary of this classic holiday movie, the McNay Art Museum is showcasing “Dreamland: Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas,” an exhibit dedicated to the creepy artistry of the film.

“Dreamland” presents itself to museumgoers as soon as they walk into the McNay, as it lies directly to the right of the entrance. On both sides of the walls that separate the exhibit from the rest of the museum are projected clips from the film, immediately immersing visitors. In the entryway sits a deep purple door with a black wreath on it, behind which lies the melancholic and imaginative creation of Tim Burton.

The moment visitors enter the room, they will be instantly captivated by the decor. Several colorful lights hang from above, bright animations are projected on the walls and a few decorated Christmas trees sit in corners of the room. However, what is even more fascinating is the art. Various art pieces, both in the form of small sculptures and paintings, line the perimeter of the room. At the front of

io

oh Cow &

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The impact of urban legends

By Luna Infante

ob sidian

SasHA

the room sits the Pumpkin King, Jack Skellington, in the form of the original c l a y maquette used in the film.

Around the room are other iconic characters from the movie — Oogie Boogie, Lock, Shock and Barrel — just to name a few. There are also displays of the sets that were used in the film, such as Jack’s laboratory, where, in the film, he attempts to figure out the formula for a perfect Christmas.

The citizens of Halloween Town are not the only inhabitants of this exhibit.

Another treat for guests is the “Hall of Peculiar Portraits,” a small walkway in the middle of the room that features The McNay’s own dark, creepy and downright spine-chilling paintings that align with Tim Burton’s eerie creative vision.

Jada Thomas/The Paisano

Celebrating National Cat Day

Jenna Taylor/The Paisano

Assistant Opinion Editor “Bloody Mary” repeated three times in the mirror, the tall, faceless man who lurks in the dark, the story of a man waking up with a missing kidney — urban legends have always been whispered to us. From a young age, we have been told stories about black-eyed children, the mysterious call received by a babysitter and hundreds of other stories that make our skin crawl.

Urban legends surround us, and they can be anything from tales told on the school bus to internet stories. But why do stories like this spread, and why do they impact us so much?

The term “urban legend” has been popular since the 1980s, when Jan Harold Brunvand published his collection of urban legends and their meanings.

When discussing the story of the vanishing hitchhiker, Harold wrote that the legend had evolved from older European stories about travelers riding horseback. With time, the story adopted more variations. With changes in the

narrative, scenery and characters, the story has traveled far and wide, spreading by word of mouth to ears all around.

Urban legends typically spread through storytelling. The speaker usually claims that such things happened to “a friend of a friend,” making the story something we want to believe.

Because why would a friend lie?

The peculiarities and suspense of an urban legend are what make them spread. The more shocking yet realistic the story, the more we want to share it. Sometimes, urban legends spread to extend caution, and sometimes, most times, they are simply good stories.

Nowadays, instant communication has made it easier for urban legends to spread. For a long time, urban legend email chains were popular, and now such tales are spread on social media with a few clicks. The continuous pattern of misinformation circulating on social media has made it easier for such stories to be shared, as many people take what they read and hear on the internet at face value.

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A Swiftie’s analysis of ‘1989 (Taylor’s Version)’ Reviews

By Jenna Taylor

Magazine Editor On Oct. 27, Taylor Swift released another re-recorded album off of her discography titled “1989 (Taylor’s Version).” Swift was born in the year 1989, and with this album, she writes about many of her personal experiences and struggles with addiction, infidelity and being slandered by the media for her past relationships.

“1989 (Taylor’s Version)” has some of her most famous tracks of all time, including “Shake It Off,” “Style” and “Blank Space.” Along with the release of these tracks, sung in Swift’s more mature tone, were five vault tracks.

Vault tracks are songs that Swift intended to put on the album back during its original release but

never did, and she is using this opportunity of the re-recordings to release them now.

upbeat revenge track, similar to the track on the “Midnights” album titled “Vigilante Sh—t.” However, many would be surprised to hear a more whimsical and beachy sound. The word “slut” had been a term used on social media when describing Swift at the time and her dating life.

Because Swift dated multiple men over the span of ten years, she was scrutinized heavily in the media. While personally, this track did not tickle my fancy, I loved the idea that she reclaimed the word “slut” and now, if you search Swift’s name with the word “slut,” all that comes up Jenna Taylor/The Paisano is the link to her song, which The first vault song is titled is a fantastic marketing strategy.

“Slut!” and many Swifties Continue reading at theorized it was going to be an paisano-online.com

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O c to b e r 3 1 - N o v e mb e r 7 , 2 0 2 3

Arts & Life Kara Lee/The Paisano

‘The Exorcist: Believer’ is irredeemably boring Reviews

By Ray Rodriguez Staff Writer

through bizarre minor changes that make you wonder — why change it in the first place? The question that pervades a viewing of the movie is “Why?” Why does this character know that?

Why did they not just do this?

Why did this movie even get made in the first place?

The boredom continues for about 50 minutes until the hilariously stupid third act kicks off. The big climax includes all the world’s religions teaming up like a superhero team to defeat the demons, possessing the two girls in one of the least visually interesting montages ever put in a studio horror film. This was the only scene that stuck out to me throughout the entire film, not because of its quality or emotional weight, but because it was such a baffling story choice that was laughable.

This goofy level of overblown exuberance is the antithesis of everything that made the original film a classic. The grounded struggles of Chris MacNeil and her possessed daughter, Regan, are completely gripping in their more reality-centered scenes and absolutely terrifying when that reality is shattered around the pragmatic mother. So when the two

appear in this film, the latter having not spoken to her mother for a long time and the former being a hollow, mischaracterized version of her previous self, it only serves to remind the viewer that they could be watching a much better film.

Chris MacNeil even delivers the worst line of dialogue in the entire film, and maybe of the entire year, where she laments that she did not watch her own daughter’s exorcism because of the patriarchy.

David Gordon Greene’s reimagining of the film lacks any of the grit, soul or guts that made the original such a lasting classic. It is a worthless contribution to a franchise known for its bizarre, and sometimes excellent, sequels.

Shortly before Friedkin’s death, he spoke to film critic Ed Whitfield about the upcoming reboot of his film. Friedkin, who will be eternally remembered as a man who did not mince words, has this to say: “The guy who made these new ‘Halloween’ movies is about to make one to my movie, ‘The Exorcist.’ That’s right, my signature film is about to be extended by the man who made ‘Pineapple Express.’ I don’t want to be around when that happens. But if there’s a spirit world, and I come back, I plan to possess David Gordon Green and make his life a living hell.”

Genevieve Vega/The Paisano

Mariana Ramos/The Paisano

Spoiler Warning: This article will discuss spoilers about “The Exorcist: Believer.”

This past August, the famed director of “The French Connection,” “Sorcerer” and “The Exorcist,” William Friedkin, passed away at 87.

Friedkin is considered an underrated director of the New Hollywood era, equally regarded as a genius and a madman. He was infamous for various extreme measures taken to preserve authenticity in his films; for example, in the famous car chase scene in “The French Connection,” the filmmaker slapped a camera on his car and drove on the wrong side of the road without a filming permit, and he fired a gun in the ears of an actor on the set of “The Exorcist.” Friedkin was a filmmaker who took risks, for better or for worse. He was a director who played by his own rules and let no one compromise his own rogue sensibilities.

A few months after his death, David Gordon Green, writer and director of the critically panned Halloween reboot trilogy, delivered “The Exorcist: Believer” to theater screens with a grotesque plop.

In direct contrast to the boldness of Friedkin’s original film, “The Exorcist: Believer” is a softreboot completely empty of risks, excitement, originality or anything remotely entertaining. It is just another boring, watered-down version of a film that we all know and love that leaves you wondering what the point of any of it was.

The film follows two families whose daughters have been possessed. Yes, that is the big twist that makes this film worth existing. There are two possessed little girls now. Many of the plot beats of the first film are in this, except some go

UTSA’s favorite horror films

By Ray Rodriguez

Can you survive ‘Five Nights at Freddy’s?’

‘Five Nights at Freddy’s’ jumpscares the big screen

Reviews

By Armin Suljovic

Staff Writer Spoiler Warning: This article will discuss spoilers about “Five Nights at Freddy’s.”

The game series “Five Nights at Freddy’s” (FNAF) is a point-andclick video game series that follows the player acting as a security guard at a rundown family pizza restaurant that now harbors haunted animatronics on the prowl to kill the player. This highly anticipated movie brings these characters to life on the big screen for the first time. While the film had many positives, it fell short in certain areas.

Before diving into the movie itself, it is paramount to understand the lore and community that follow the Freddy’s franchise. The original FNAF storyline revolves around a night security guard tasked with watching over a haunted pizzeria with malfunctioning animatronic

characters. These animatronics come to life at night and are haunted by the souls of deceased children seeking revenge. The guard’s objective is to survive five nights, uncover the dark secrets of the establishment and evade the menacing animatronics. As the nights progress, the story unveils a disturbing history of child murders and supernatural occurrences, leading to a cycle of terror and malevolence in the pizzeria.

The FNAF storyline is a longstanding mystery that engaged the fanbase in deciphering cryptic messages within Scott Cawthon’s releases. Notably, the YouTube channel GameTheory, hosted by Matthew Patrick, or “MatPat,” gained popularity for extensive FNAF lore videos, ending with his famous catchphrase, “But that’s just a theory, a game theory.”

Continue reading at paisano-online.com

Staff Writer This past Thursday, The Paisano’s multimedia team went out to ask the UTSA student body some questions about their favorite horror films in honor of the Halloween season. We asked a few simple questions: “What is your favorite horror movie?” “Who is the best horror movie villain?” “What kind of horror movies do you like best?” And “What Halloween specials from TV shows or cartoons do you like to watch around the Halloween season?” We received many answers, both on and off camera, and would like to cover some of those here. So, if you are curious about the preferences of our student body, then read on and tune into The Paisano YouTube channel to see the interviews themselves.

“What is your favorite horror movie?”

The overwhelming answer was “Halloween” (1978), the John Carpenter classic that almost single-handedly kickstarted the slasher movie craze that took over cinemas in the 80s. Without Halloween, we would not have the “Friday the 13th,” “Nightmare on Elm Street” or “Scream” franchises, the latter of which was the runner-up for most popular choice. It is fitting that the two most popular options were the genre’s humble beginning and the irreverent deconstruction of its most famous tropes. Some other films mentioned were “Coraline,” “Talk to Me” and “The Shining.” Some horror movies we would recommend include Sam Raimi’s “Evil Dead” trilogy, John Carpenter’s “The Thing” and Andrzej Żuławski’s “Possession” if you want something really out there.

“Who is the best horror movie villain?”

While the first question had an overwhelming majority answer, the responses

to this question were actually fairly diverse.

Of course, Michael Myers was mentioned several times. Personally, the dead eyes and emotionless husk of Michael Myers are interesting enough to create tension in the original film. I do not particularly enjoy him in any other entry in the franchise, and I find myself revisiting the entry that he does not appear in at all, “Halloween III: Season of the Witch,” far more than the ones he is in. The second most popular choice was Jason Voorhees from the “Friday the 13th” franchise. The more gory and creative kills that Jason perpetuates appeal to all who enjoy seeing a good old 90-minute splatterfest rather than the atmospheric dread that the “Halloween” franchise offers when it is at its best. The killer who was not mentioned much, but may be my personal favorite, is Freddy Krueger of the “A Nightmare on Elm Street” franchise. The psychedelic nightmares that Freddy torments his victims with are an absolute joy to watch, especially in some of the middle entries of the franchise, which tend to be the least interesting in the genre’s contemporaries. The mix of surrealism and over-the-top cruelty and violence is just so much fun to watch during the Halloween season.

“What kind of horror movies do you like the best?”

The winner was undoubtedly psychological horror films, and it makes perfect sense.

Continue reading at paisano-online.com

Watch the Paisano Poll here

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O c to b e r 3 1 - N o v e mb e r 7 , 2 0 2 3

sports Spurs beat Rockets in overtime thriller

Wembanyama scores 13 points in fourth quarter and overtime in San Antonio’s first win

Devin Vassell (right) dribbles past a Houston Rockets defender in the Spurs’ final home preason game.

By Luke Lawhorn

Trailing again by three, Spurs

“We hadn’t been really pretty for

he San Antonio Spurs got their first win of the season in an overtime thriller,

the line with 35 seconds left. After

shows that we got a lot of room to

Rockets on Friday night at the Frost

sent to the free throw line on a loose

Sports Editor

T

forward Zach Collins was sent to

winning 126-122 over the Houston Bank Center.

The Spurs (1-1) were led by guard

making the first, Collins missed his second shot and was rebounded by

Wembanyama had 15 points on 6 of

from the field and 3 of 7 from beyond

found the rookie cutting to the basket

the team’s second-leading scorer, finishing with 21 points and a teamhigh 12 rebounds.

The Rockets (0-2) were leading

109-106 with 1:09 remaining in the

9 shooting in the 126-119 loss.

“We can all see it. How he’s

made

the

The Spurs outscored the Rockets

said of Wembanyama. “Just as the easier for him.”

The Spurs will have their first

15-11 in overtime to win their first

road trip of the season, traveling to

Wembanyama scored 13 points in

Sunday before playing back-to-back

game of the season.

route to his first career victory.

but now we can really see where we

can get better,” Wembanyama said.

Los Angeles to face the Clippers on games in Phoenix.

San Antonio will return home to

face the Toronto Raptors at 2:30 p.m.

Sunday, Nov. 5, at the Frost Bank Center.

UTSA dominates East Carolina, adds to fourth straight win

Dustin Vickers/The Paisano

#41 Daron Allman getting loose before Saturday’s game against East Carolina.

Roadrunners, SMU and Tulane only undefeated teams in AAC Staff Writer

SAN ANTONIO – UTSA continues their dominance in the American Athletic Conference by beating East Carolina Pirates 41-27 Saturday afternoon at the Alamodome.

“It seemed like we played two games out there, it was a long, long football game,” said coach Traylor.

Taking over at their own 35-yard line, Frank Harris found receiver Devin McCuin for a 44-yard gain to set the Roadrunners up on East Carolina’s 1-yard line.

Harris capped off the drive with a touchdown pass to Tykee Ogle-Kellogg to put UTSA on the scoreboard first.

In a tied 7-7 ballgame, Harris found receiver Joshua Cephus crossing up the middle for a 65-yard gain. On the next play, running back Robert Henry capitalized with a 10-yard touchdown

Mavericks,

game went on it seemed like it got

Wembanyama

game-tying layup.

“I’m proud of what we did tonight,

By Nicholas Kingman rush.

the

where

7-foot-3 forward knocked down both point.

against

settling in,” Spurs guard Tre Jones

the fourth quarter and extra frame en

shots, shortening the deficit to one

opener

the defensive rebound. Johnson

fourth quarter when Wembanyama

was sent to the free-throw line. The

The Frenchman has been quick

ball foul from Keldon Johnson.

and Wembanyama came down with

the arc. Victor Wembanyama was

grow as a team.”

to adjust to the NBA. In the season

Devin Vassell who finished with a

team-high 25 points, shooting 7 of 13

three quarters. A win is a win, but it

Rockets Jabari Smith Jr., who was

Smith Jr. missed both free throws,

After the Pirates (1-7, 0-4) kicked a 33-yard field goal, Harris returned to the field and threw an interception to Dontavius Nash. The safety returned the pick 35 yards for the score and put the Pirates ahead 17-14.

The ‘Runners responded with back-to-back scoring drives.

Running back Robert Griffin ran 69 yards up the left sideline to set up the offense on the East Carolina 6-yard line. The drive was capped off by a 27-yard field goal from Chase Allen to tie the game at 17.

On the next drive, Harris found Cephus open near the left sideline for an 84yard touchdown, the longest reception in school history.

Harris had a 7-yard pass to tight end Oscar Cardenas in the end zone to head into halftime with 274 yards and three touchdown passes.

Harris connected with Cephus for 183 yards on four

Photo courtesy of Reginald Thomas II/San Antonio Spurs

targets and a touchdown in the first half.

The ‘Runner’s defense tightened things up, allowing only one touchdown in the waning seconds of the fourth quarter. Harris finished the game going 20-32 on 395 yards and four touchdowns, with two of them falling into the hands of Ogle-Kellogg.

“It was really good to see a kid like Tykee, he wasn’t getting all the attention, really proud of Tykee,” Traylor said.

Trey Moore had a big game finishing with three sacks and five solo tackles. Moore broke the Roadrunner’s single-season sack record with 12 sacks overall this season.

“All the work I’ve put in and seeing it come to fruition, it means a lot,” Moore said.

UTSA will next face North Texas at 2 p.m. Saturday at Apogee Stadium.

Photo courtesy of Reginald Thomas II/San Antonio Spurs

Athlete of the week: Camryn Carreon

By Vivian Echavarria Contributor

The UTSA women’s golf fall schedule has come to a close after a record-setting campaign. The No. 50-ranked Roadrunner squad was led by senior Camryn Carreon, who broke the school record with a 64 on the final day of the Jim West Challenge on Oct. 23.

Carreon also broke the school record on Oct. 10 for most career victories, winning her fourth tournament by posting a 12-under-par 204.

Carreon now has 10 par-orbetter rounds, including nine sub-70 scores, in 12 rounds this fall.

In her youth, Carreon claimed to have tried several sports growing up, though golf was the one that stuck.

The all-conference golfer credits her father for getting her into the sport and stated she began to get attention on the course later than most high-level collegiate golfers.

Despite the late start, Carreon felt it was for the best.

“I started recruitment later than most Division I golfers,” Carreon said, who started recruitment at the age of 12.

“They start around five or six years old.”

Prior to UTSA, Carreon was born and raised in San Antonio. Carreon was named the San Antonio ExpressNews and Golf San Antonio Girls Player of the Year in 2018 and 2019 and won the TAPPS 6A state championship her senior year after finishing as a runner-up in her junior season.

Wanting to stay in her hometown, Carreon decided

to commit to the UTSA golf program and she is very appreciative of both the athletics program and the academics.

“I wanted to stay in Texas since I am close with my parents and family,” Carreon said. “At first, I did not know UTSA was a thing due to living on the opposite side of town. I committed as soon as I could because it was the best option. The facilities are amazing. The team is amazing.”

For most athletes, there are set routines and schedules to help the player stay focused, healthy and ready to go. This is no different for Carreon, especially when it comes to balancing athletics, academics and team travel.

She explained that the team leaves the day before a tournament and that it is just a recovery day, which is especially important for the athlete competing in the next few days. The first day of the tournament is a practice round, which she explains is only one round.

Carreon also added that “it is hard to get to know the course in only one round.”

For the season finale Jim West Challenge, it was a 36-hole day, meaning it is two rounds. On these days, Carreon wakes up around 5 a.m., giving her enough time to prepare and focus for the 8:30 a.m. start.

From there, Carreon is on the course for about 12 hours.

“After [round one], you go to bed and then do it over again, but with 18 holes rather than 36,” Carreon said. “Then after this, [we] go home and arrive back in San Antonio

around midnight.”

Prior to the Jim West Challenge where she broke her own record, Carreon discussed another match she attended individually earlier this season. She hoped that this match could have led her to play at the professional level, though fell short.

Post the unattached performance, Carreon explained how upset she was, but then realized that everything happens for a reason. Carreon then discussed the final fall tournament and how she played without trying too hard.

“If you try too hard, you do horribly,” Carreon said, “but if you don’t try at all, you play your best.”

Carreon initially joined the Roadrunner golf program with the intent of simply playing the sport she loves. Now in her senior year, Carreon looks back and credits her motivation to winning.

“When I first started college golf, I did not think I could even win one tournament, no less two or three,” Carreon said. “But I did.”

With the fall season over, Carreon looks to the spring golf tournament schedule, which has yet to be announced.

When asked about any goals she may have, Carreon said she preferred the term baby steps and does not have many big goals.

But when she did mention one of her goals, it was something for the whole UTSA women’s golf team.

“I really want all the team to make it to nationals as a team,” Carreon said.

8 | s p o r t s@ p a i sano-online.com

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