Volume 93
the Prairie
Issue XIX
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
WT Education majors News Channel 10 marks history in area hesitant about funding HD transition finished after two years MARIA MOLINA Editor
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education major, works at an after school program and said that cuts are being made there too. “[Cuts] makes it hard on teachers,” she said. “ It takes away from kids too.” The situation becomes harder for those who want to be fine arts teachers. “It is scarier for theater teachers because fine arts go first,” Megan Gregory, junior theater education major, said. “Art, theater and music are the first to go when school has no money.” Junior Spanish education major, Arely Vega said that knowing that Spanish teachers are in high demand in the area makes her feel less nervous; however, she plans on going to graduate school if she cannot find a job.
s state school districts are faced with losing millions in state funding for the upcoming biennium, education majors at WT are concerned with their future as teachers. Brooke Pounds, teacher at Cisco High School, said that cuts already started and that it is already harder to find a job. She also said that for getting an alternative certification, students need an internship, but public schools will not take the risk of hiring. “[Schools] will not take the risk of hiring more people when they are already letting people go,” she said. Similarly, Jasmine Education continued on p. 2 Renteria, a sophomore
Lisa Hellier Staff Writer
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fter a two-year transition process and $1 million spent on new equipment, KFDA-TV News Channel 10 in Amarillo launched their first highdefinition broadcast on Feb. 22. KFDA-TV, a CBS affiliate, owned by Drewry Communications Group, began the transition about two years ago by beginning the swap for high definition equipment and educating staff and team members about the new technology. “Transitioning from standard definition to highdefinition is very expensive and taxing on a TV station’s engineering staff,” Randy Ray, WT director of broadcast engineering, said. “Brett McClure [KFDA general
manager] has done a great job leading his station through the process.” They are the first local news television station in the West Texas area to broadcast in high-definition with other stations following close behind. “The HD conversion had been bumpy, getting all the computers and other technological issues on the same page,” WT instructor and News Channel 10 early show anchor and executive producer Larry Lemmons said. “There have been hiccups, but we’re moving forward.” High-definition will enhance the audience’s viewing experience by showing stronger details and a clearer picture of newscasts and weather reports. The weather equipment they purchased is the most extensive of all the new technology because the station believes it is an important factor in why people
watch the news. “If you simply look at the difference between visual quality of the three newscasts you’ll understand why it’s worth it,” Lemmons said. “West Texas A&M was the first in the Texas Panhandle to go full HD; it’s good to see a quality station like KFDA join the ranks of an HD broadcaster,” Ray said. “I know they have been working toward this goal for some time.”
Courtesy of media bistro.com News Channel 10 launched their first HD broadcast.
FBI law enforcement foils terrorism plot
Suspect was Saudi Arabian student from Lubbock Krystina Martinez Copy Editor
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20-year-old Saudi Arabian from Lubbock was charged with attempted use of a weapon of mass destruction on Feb. 24. FBI investigators were tipped off when the Carolina Biological Supply of Burlington, N.C. reported suspicious purchases by Khalid Ali-M Aldawsari on Feb. 1. Aldawsari was allegedly
trying to obtain TNP, a chemical explosive that has the same destructive power as TNT. Federal agents searched his off-campus apartment and found chemicals such as phenol, beakers, flasks, a Hazmat suit, and clocks. Investigators also searched his computer, e-mail accounts and personal diary to find that Aldawsari had been plotting to attack the U.S. for years. “After mastering the English language, learning how to build explosives and continuous planning to target
the infidel Americans, it is time for jihad,” said Aldawsari in a journal entry. Potential targets included reservoir dams across Colorado and California, the Texas home of former President George W. Bush and the homes of three American citizens who had served in the U.S. military and had been stationed at Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq. An FBI affidavit said he considered using infant dolls to hide explosives and was possibly targeting a nightclub with a backpack filled with
explosives.
Student Body Elections Results President: Brandy Roberts Vice President: Nick Goettsche
Formal King and Queen
Courtesy of businessinsider.com Khalid Ali-M Aldawsari was charged with attempted use of weapons of mass destruction.
Lubbock continued on p. 3
King: Zane Crownover
Queen: Jordan Welch