rattler the
Have the perfect Valentine’s Day Take a look into the minds of the opposite sex, find the most romantic places on campus, give gifts on a tight budget and find out how to reveal your crush. PG. 10
A St. Mary’s Student Publication since 1925 • Vol. 97 Issue 7 • 02-10-10 • STMURATTLERNEWS.COM
Gubernatorial debate heats up
By Clayton Billadeau Staff Writer
Incumbent Gov. Rick Perry stood shoulder-to-shoulder with U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison and Debra Medina during a live debate between the Texas Republican gubernatorial candidates on Jan. 29. The debate was hosted by Belo, a Texas based news company and owner of KENS 5 San Antonio. A combination of four Texas journalists moderated the debate and challenged the candidates to respond to Texan concerns: highways, taxes, immigration and other social issues. Concerning highway infrastructure, Hutchison and Medina called for the immediate audit of Texas Department of Transportation. The toll road debate among Texans involves the appropriation of public infrastructure funds to private interests. The apprehension lies in increased population, resulting in traffic jams. Hutchison called for “new leadership” in cutting TxDOT cases of mishandled funds. Perry revised such comments, asserting that TxDOT is audited every two years. Medina supported a Texas gas tax, currently 38.4 percent per gallon of gasoline, but asserted a need for “transportation dollars to stay in Texas.” The federal government should not overstep state sovereignty by dictating appropriation of funds, she affirmed. Perry’s tax plan included budget cutting for state agencies, overall balanced budget and consolidations, such as Public Utility Commission and Railroad Commission. Hutchison agreed with Governor Perry on consolidations, appending Governor Perry’s Enterprise Fund for not producing jobs and results speculated by the Texas executive. Perry defended the Enterprise Fund, calculating a favorable increase in Texas employment and revenue – “$380 million spent to produce $16.4 billion of capital and 54,600 jobs.” Medina, however, disagreed with her contenders, noting a 13 percent increase in executive department spending. Medina stated her position on the elimination of property tax by subsidizing with increased sales and consumption tax. The highlight of the debate was KHOU’s Len Cannon, who inquired about the issue of allowing undocumented students, whose parents brought them to Texas illegally, to be allowed to attend Texas colleges with an in-state tuition rate. Governor Perry defended his position supporting students who are undocumented. Cont. on PG. 3, SEE “GOVERNOR”
Inside:
Cyber love
Brother Cletus Behlmann, a Marianist brother for 54 years, is getting ready to construct an 8 by 440 feet long mural at the new Haven for Hope facility in downtown San Antonio. Photo by Emily Scruggs
Marianist artist chosen to paint mural By Austin W. Newton News Editor Brother Cletus Behlmann, S.M., has been chosen as the main artist to paint a large mural for Haven for Hope, a new three-story, 37-acre facility for the city’s homeless, scheduled to open in April. The mural he will be painting measures 8 feet tall and 440 feet long and is located at 1 Haven for Hope Way downtown. “When I was [at Haven for Hope], [the mural] seemed like it went on forever,” Behlman said. “Way across the yard was another wall. I thought another group was going to do that,
Web sites create a new realm of dating on the internet. PG. 13
[but] they told me, ‘Oh no, we want you to do that one too,” said Behlmann with a laugh. The construction of the mural will begin between the middle or end of February and will continue through spring once Zachary Construction Corporation finishes working on Haven for Hope, according to Behlmann. “I am going to get some St. Mary’s students to help, [and] Kathe Lehmen-Meyer is going to help do a documentary on the project,” said Behlman. Behlmann has done many projects with his artwork for the past 54 years. After graduating from McBride High
A chocoholic’s paradise
School in St. Louis, Mo., he decided to become a Marianist brother. Behlmann had been teaching at elementary schools and parishes in El Paso and Victoria for several years, then decided to ask the Society of Mary if he could study art. He then attended the Art Institute of Chicago in the 1960s and taught for 19 more years until the society granted him an art career as a full time occupation. “I had enough credits to teach art in Missouri. So I turned a chicken coup into an art gallery in St. Louis – that is where I began for seven years,” explained Behlmann.
Coco Chocolate Lounge and Bistro serves up exotic dishes. PG. 15
“Then I came to San Antonio [and] I had the art gallery on the other end of the block on Augusta Street for 30 years; only two years ago I moved from Augusta Street to where I am today.” Behlmann’s workplace and gallery is located behind the St. Mary’s Center for Legal and Social Justice on 2507-B N.W. 36th St. Upon entering the gates for the center, there is a sign with an arrow that says in a distinct font “Cletus.” Behind the center and beyond the parking lot, two mobile trailers that house Behlmann’s niche. There he Cont. on PG. 3, SEE “CLETUS ”
“From the get-go”
Softball team wins 2-1 against East Central University. PG. 20