The South Texan Vol. 96 Issue 6

TheSouthTexan

Texas A &M University-Kingsville Award-Winning Student Publication

Honoring those who have and continue to serve

celebrated Veterans Day

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A round table covered with a white table cloth sits alone on the stage. A bible, a single red rose, a red ribbon, a candle, a slice of lemon, a pinch of salt and an inverted glass adorns the table. The table set for one represents the everlasting concern, purity of intentions, strength, remembrance, spirit, bitter faith and tears of a family. The single empty chair at the table symbolizes the Prisoner of War, the military brother or sister unable to join in on the toast for Veterans Day.

Texas A&M University-Kingsville celebrated Veterans Day in the Memorial Student Union Ballroom to honor graduating veterans and to unveil a new piece of artwork by Navy Veteran Homer Ramirez III that will rest in the Military and Veterans Resource Center (MVRC) ofce. The art piece by Ramirez was purchased by former TAMUK President Dr. Mark Hussey. Hussey then donated the art to the MVRC ofce.

Ramirez’s piece is titled “Divided We Stand” that he was inspired to make during the COVID-19 pandemic, as the country faced adversities in race and prejudice during the Black Lives Matter movement.

“Nobody was working together; it was difcult to see that it was just breaking apart,” he said. “Even though we are divided and breaking apart we’re still held together by one and that’s where I had that one back piece that I call the back bone and that’s how we’re supposed to be.”

The art piece is made from ceramics and is textured with curves, ridges and spikes that break apart in the middle and then connected by steel and metal glued to a piece of mesquite wood as a backbone, connecting the pieces.

During the unveiling and ceremony, veteran graduates were recognized.

Graduates were presented with a service stole by TAMUK President Dr. Robert Vela in recognition of their service, an honor cord by Assistant Vice President of Student Access Dr. Maria Martinez to recognize their dedication and a TAMUK

challenge coin as a reminder that the university is always with them was presented by Dr. Rito Silva, vice president of Enrollment Services and Student Afairs.

“It’s important for us to recognize our veterans because they are a part of Javelina Nation,” Vela said. “Not only are they veterans, they are also a part of a family of Javelinas that really care about its own and its students. So for us it’s a way to honor our Javelinas especially those that are vet-

A brighter future for tomorrow’s Javelinas

TMISD signs dual enrollment agreement

Young, fresh faces will soon occupy the desks at Texas A&M University –

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All it takes is walking

Through Their Steps

Chatter echoed and flled the Memorial Student Union Building Ballrooms as students walked around and participated in the annual Through Their Steps event...

Kingsville (TAMUK) as the Javelinas of tomorrow fnish crafting their school schedule, flling it up with new dual enrollment offered courses.

On Oct. 18, TAMUK and Tuloso-Midway Independent School District (TMISD) signed an agreement to provide dual credit courses to high school

students.

“This is a unique and amazing opportunity, not only for students, but for their families as well. My vision and hope are that students take advantage of this opportunity that we are making available to them,” Superintendent of Schools for TMISD Steve VanMatre said.

“This is a period of transition for Tuloso-Midway High School (TMHS). How fortunate they are to be enrolled at this school when this is taking place.” VanMatre ofcially began working for TMISD in June. He explained that as soon as the board approved his contract, he started networking with

representatives from TAMUK, the administration at TMHS and district level ofcials.

“Through their participation, high school students gain frst-hand knowledge as to the college-level academic and social expectations that facilitate the transition of motivated students to

higher education,” Dual Enrollment Coordinator Miranda Joiner said. “The students will beneft from completing courses taught by our instructors who are renowned leaders in their academic felds.” Courses ofered for the dual enrollment program

Annual Social Justice symposium

Honored A&I alumnus Sidney Blanks

In honor of Javelina alumnus Sidney “Sid” Blank, a social justice pioneer and All-American member of the Texas A&I football team, the Sid Blanks Social Justice Symposium was held on Nov. 4, giving students an opportunity to present their research in the feld of social justice.

Blanks played on the football team from 1960 to 1963 and was also a member of the Javelina track and feld team.

Blanks’ acceptance onto the Javelina football program made him the frst African American to play at an integrated school on a football scholarship in the state of Texas, and

the frst African American football player in the Lone Star Conference.

In 1960, Hall of Fame Head Football Coach Gil Steinke offered Blanks a football scholarship to play at Texas A&I University.

Blsnks’ acceptance made him the frst African American to play at an integrated school on a football scholarship in the state of Texas. In 1989, Steinke told The Houston Chronicle, “We integrated football in Texas. We had Sid Blanks before anyone else integrated.” In spite of being the only African American player on the football team, Blanks would eventually lead as team captain.

He went on to play for the Houston Oilers in 1964 and championed social justice issues during a boycott of the 1965 All Star football game, where racist acts targeted African

American football players, according to a school-wide email sent by Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Dr. Jarett Lujan.

“The purpose of this symposium is to gather everyone that has done research in the social justice

feld and share the knowledge of our community,” Lujan said.

“We are really excited to honor [Blanks] as a pioneer for the social justice movement, during the time of civil unrest.”

While Texas A&M Uni-

versity-Kingsville hosts the symposium annually, a diferent individual is honored each year. Sid Blanks was honored at this year’s symposium.

During the frst hour of the event, students were

Jessica Tijerina

Dr. Maria Martinez places a cord on US Air Force

Veteran Jorge Rivera, while Dr. Robert Vela and Dr. Rito Silva looked on.

Jessica Tijerina

The sole table set with a bible, red rose, red ribbon, a candle, lemon slice, salt and inverted glass.

Jessica Tijerina

Crystal Trigo and Savanah Velez present research on The Psychological Impact of Censorship Policies and Legislation on LGBTQ+ Communities at the Sid Blanks Social Justice Symposium.

Thanksgiving-themed food to be given at food pantry

Targets students who stay on campus for holiday

As Thanksgiving approaches, the plans to go home and eat a hearty and memorable meal with family are set in motion. However, this may not be the case for some who are not able to go home and celebrate Thanksgiv-

ing with their family. That is why the Javelina Care Closet at Texas A&M University–Kingsville (TAMUK) will have Thanksgiving themed food items for students to pick up before the holiday.

“We know that students often struggle with food insecurity, so we are providing this service and are constantly looking for ways to meet that need to the level that is most helpful to our students,” Dean of Students Kirsten Compary said.

Located in the Memorial Student Union Building

in Room 220, the Javelina Care Closet provides currently enrolled students in need with food and hygiene products, as well as a professional clothing closet.

This Thanksgiving season it will be flled with shelf-stable food such as green beans, potatoes, fruits, corn and more. Stufng, mashed potato mix, canned soup, as well as some frozen and refrigerated items will also be avaliable. Anyone in the Kingsville community who meets the income guidelines set by the Coastal Bend Food Bank will be eligible to receive food from the Care Closet.

“Not a lot of people have the opportunity to go home, so they stay here. They would need food during the break for Thanksgiving,” student worker at the Javelina Pantry Cassandra Ochoa said.

The Care Closet will not be open when the university is closed for the Thanksgiving break,

Pro-Life group ofering Bright scholarship

Scholarship to fnancially help pregnant women, parents |

In hopes of helping students who are parents or who are expecting a child while obtaining their degree, Pro-Life Javelinas is ofering a Bright Pregnant & Parenting Scholarship.

The organization strives to serve pregnant and parenting students attending Texas A&M University-Kingsville (TAMUK) through pro-life activism, volunteer work and education on campus and around the community, according to the scholarship fyer posted on their Instagram.

Pro-Life Javelinas was founded in 2021 by Noelle Nguyen, Daniel Lerma and Bright Obi. However, Obi passed away before the organization and the plans were fnalized.

“Once Daniel and I learned that Bright had passed away while we were finalizing every-

thing, we thought it was right to name it after him, honoring him and symbolizing that everyone’s future is bright no matter what they went through,”

Former Organization President Nguyen said.

This scholarship is to fnancially help parents with tuition, books, the child’s diapers, appointments, childcare or anything that may improve the quality of life for the parent and/or child.

In Spring 2022, the organization awarded three students, who were either pregnant or parenting, $650 each.

The organization also donated diapers, wipes and canned food items to the Javelina Care Closet.

“During my undergrad and grad programs, I had quite a few people in my classes that were pregnant and/or parenting. Many college students have food insecurities and fnancial instability, especially with cost of attendance, room and board,” Nguyen said.

“The other founding ofcers and I had these students in mind when we created the scholarship. Our world tells parents, especially mothers, that

we cannot have a family while obtaining an education or working. The scholarship was created to encourage moms and dads that they can do both.”

This year, the number of scholarship recipients and the amounts awarded depend on the amount Pro-Life Javelinas fundraise each semester and the number of people who apply.

“We understand that being a student parent is difcult, but we want to help,” Organization President Zoe Garcia said. “We created this scholarship to lessen the fnancial burdens of being a student parent.”

To apply for the scholarship, one must be a student at TAMUK who is either pregnant or a parent and enrolled in a minimum of six credit hours. If they have already had their child, the child must be living with them.

The full list of criteria is listed on the scholarship application, which can be found at https://forms.gle/ aeWAe5WRc1hZ1BhN7.

For more information on the scholarship, please contact @prolifejavelinas on Instagram.

as the last day of operation will be the day before Thanksgiving. However, there is a limit on the number of items per week, so visits can be made until that limit is reached.

“[Providing food to students is] important because during these holiday times, it can kind of hit you really hard emotionally and food can be that comfort to really have you remember home,” graduate supervisor for the Care

Closet Ashley Longoria said. “It’s less of a worry for them, so we’re hoping to ease those stresses, worries and have individuals feel a bit better during this time.” A simple application that takes about five minutes can determine eligibility. Applications are available at the Care Closet and there is no appointment necessary. The Care Closet is open every business day during the

academic semesters. The pantry also has services for students to go to if they want to look for outside assistance like food stamps or health insurance so if they have any application situation, problems or questions they can come to us and get that info as well.

For more information, the Javelina Care Closet can be reached at (361) 593-3606 or go online at tamuk.edu

Rae Martinez

Thanksgiving food avaliable for students.

Courtesy @prolifejavelinas on Instagram.

Organization with guest speaker Jenny Hamann.

Rae Martinez

Food items available for students at the Javelina Care Closet.

TAMUK Rangeland Plant ID team wins big

Cole, Allison placed high individually

The Texas A&M University-Kingsville (TAMUK) Rangeland Plant ID team has kicked of its competition season with a win at the Texas Section Society for Range Management Collegiate Plant ID Contest in Denton, Texas.

TAMUK Rangeland Plant ID team is currently made up of many returning members, along with a handful of newly recruited members.

The team travels to three competitions a year, two are state competitions and one being a national competition. The team has plans to attend the

next competition in Boise, Idaho, for the National Society of Range Management Conference on Feb. 14.When preparing for competition the members go through a list of steps to prepare for success.

The team meets weekly for practices where they review a list of plants that were provided to them for the contest and they practice identifying each plant by having quizzes on them. These quizzes give the coaches an idea of who the top members are and how to assemble each team.

“Teams are organized of four individuals, however only the top three scores go towards the team,” Coach Lori Massey explained.

In Denton, team 1, including Peter Cole, Josh Allison, Nadia Castanon and Carolina Munoz placed first as a team. Team 2, including Shanna

Gleason, Andres Rosales, Meghan Anderson and Jack Davison placed third as a team. Individually, Cole was frst place high individual and Allison second place high indi-

TAMUK presents: voice studio

Mighty, strong family; part of the School of Music

While individuals typically associate Texas A&M University-Kingsville’s (TAMUK) band with marching and jazz, they might not think about the overlooked sections, such as voice studio, which is under the direction of Professor of Music and Director of Choral Activities Dr. Kenneth Williams.

“I think when people think about music here, the frst thing that comes to mind is marching band,” Williams said. “And so, we are not necessarily frst in the minds of the people.” Although voice studio can sometimes be dis -

regarded, students who participate in that subgenre of TAMUK music still give their performances a full 110 percent.

“Pretty much all of our performances that we’ve had as a group, I have been proud of,” student Tomas Galvan said. “We do a lot of diferent creative music from diferent genres and we’ve done music from all women composers. This year we are doing music all by Mexican composers, mostly in Spanish which is really cool.”

However, not every student will have the same exact experiences while participating in voice studio.

“It’s been a little weird since half of my experience has been afected by COVID,” student Susana Maldonado said. “During the COVID semesters, we weren’t allowed in the same room or even if we were, we had to wear a mask and couldn’t hear

each other.”

While the pandemic was an issue for members of voice studio, Williams and his students did the best they could during the challenging times and still continued to grow not only as students, but as performers as a whole.

“The connections I’ve made with everyone here have been very strong and have gotten stronger, because we all struggle together and that helps us bond,” Maldonado said.

Williams and his students are always looking to get new talent and grow their studio, whether you are a music major or not.

“If music is what you want to do, then you should do it,” Williams said.

If you are interested in learning more about voice studio, please visit https://tamukvocalprogram.weebly.com/.

SGA gives back to students

The Student Government Association (SGA) will give rides to students around campus for Javelinas Give Back Week, which is this week.

Many students usually walk to class from their dorm or apartment which may take much time for students to get to class.

Tyler Larraga Student Body President

SGA wanted to give back to Texas A&M University- Kingsville and show them a great gesture of kindness.

“I think our version of philanthropy week, Javelina Give Back Week, is a great initiative because as Javelinas we are a family and stick together. The week al-

lows us to show our appreciation to the community from staf, alumni, friends and even students who have given in some way to advance our mission,” SGA Chief of Staf Ruben Martinez said.

The Student Government Association is always ready to be involved in everything that deals with giving back to the university.

If any students have any concerns or questions, they can talk to the Student Body President and other SGA executives in the Student Union Building, Room 201. The SGA ofce is open Monday through Friday from 8a.m. to 5 p.m.

“SGA knew we wanted to do something for Give Back Week, and we wanted it to be something fun and different. Students dread the walk across campus from class to class, what better way to give back than to make their day a little easier by giving

them a ride,” Former Student Body President Micayla Grossman said.

Javelinas Give Back Week is from Nov. 14 to 19 and it mainly focuses on everyone giving back to the university. Giving back can range from many diferent things, such as giving another student a ride to class or helping a professor carry their books.

It all comes down to helping others and making TAMUK a university that cares

“I think that Javelinas Give Back Week is a very important and it shows that we all care about each other in diferent types of ways. I really think that SGA giving rides to students is a perfect way of giving back to the students,” TAMUK freshman Keerstin Garza said.

vidual.

“I am extremely proud of this year’s team,” Massey said. “The team is one of the best we have had and I look forward to seeing what else they ac-

complish as the year progresses.”

Throughout the year, the team volunteers with many organizations and facilities to help them receive donations towards

covering expenses when traveling to each competition. Weekly, the team meets at the Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute (CKWRI) to help clean and maintain the garden.

“I personally enjoy our time at CKWRI because I like to be outside around all the pretty plants and it’s good exercise for me,” Castanon said.

New members can join the team whenever and are more than welcome. The more they know about plants, the better chance a new member will have of getting to compete.

“I did plant ID in high school and enjoyed it, so I joined the TAMUK Plant ID when I could,” Cole, who is the team president, said.

To join the team, contact Cole at peter.cole@students.tamuk.edu or Coach Massey at lori.massey@ students.tamuk.edu.

Submitted Photo

Plant ID team 1 (1st Place Team) left to right: Nadia Castanon, Josh Allison, Peter Cole and Carolina Munoz.

Submitted by Dr. Hope Fairchild Thacker

The Choral and Vocal Music of Mexico on Oct. 20.

Our Opinion

Did you vote?

This year’s spot for Texas governor was said to be one of the most anticipated elections nationwide with incumbent Governor Greg Abbott running for his third consecutive term against former U.S. Representative for Texas’s 16th congressional district and El Paso native Beto O’Rourke.

Though O’Rourke was leading by about 300,000 votes when early voting numbers rolled in, his almost 10-point lead would soon cease as Abbott would surpass him by almost one million votes and would soon be declared the winner shortly after on the night of Nov.8.

These results made this midterm election a red sweep, with other Republican candidates like Dan Patrick winning re-election as Lieutenant Governor and Ken Paxton winning re-election as Texas Attorney General.

This election had so many lives and important issues on the line yet of the over 17 million registered voters in Texas less than nine million voted.

The lives of women and children, gun reform, abortion are important issues, and yet people did not vote.

After the outcry of women all over America and in Texas when Roe v. Wade was overturned, so many were upset and outraged at the outlaw of abortion and yet people did not vote.

Nineteen children were killed in their classroom days before school was set to end, and people did not vote.

Abbot has shown many times he is not capable of dealing with the issues Texas faces. He fails crisis after crisis. He failed to fx the grid after warnings, and Texans died. He failed to enact gun reform, and children died. He failed to protect a woman’s right to choose, and women are sufering and will die, and yet people didn’t vote.

Educate yourself and think about the direction Texas is heading the next time elections come around.

“It could have been worse,” Abbott said of the mass shooting at Robb Elementary in Uvalde, Texas. That is the Texas we still live in.

Don’t turn me away, I’m more than just my resumé

As graduation creeps up (cue panic) the pressure to fnd and secure a job before I walk the stage gets more intense.

Unfortunately, I have not had any luck yet, but I am remaining optimistic. I must admit that it is hard to remain optimistic when you have not heard back from anyone.

One of the things that upsets me the most is the “job experience” part of

Make sure you get this on record because it will be the only time you hear it from me: I was wrong. This whole time, for the entirety of my existence, I thought daylight savings was the worst possible manmade idea to ever make its way to our planet, when in fact it was the exact opposite.

Daylight savings essentially means darker mornings and longer

Have you ever had a friend that began to act diferently once they entered a relationship? I, more than anyone, know how that feels.

Having best friends is one of the most valuable things anyone could have. They become core members of your life and people you depend on. Studies show that having friends leads to healthier mental and physical health. However, things take a turn for

applying for a job. There have been times where I did not get called back because employers saw that I had nothing under the “job experience” portion of my resumé. While I completely understand that I cannot get hired for that reason, I also want to express the frustration that comes with it. How does one manage to get work experience when no one is willing to hire them? I understand that it is skeptical, and truthfully, I would not be so keen on hiring someone who has not worked before. However, do employers really need to turn someone down before an applicant gets

days. Daylight standard means brighter mornings and shorter days.

We don’t need the thought of shorter days. It already feels like time is going by in the blink of an eye.

Let’s all agree that daylight standard time is the real enemy here.

Standard time started Nov. 6 at 2 a.m. and lasts until March 12.

According to CBS news, 46 percent of Americans prefer daylight savings time all year round compared to the 33 percent who prefer standard time and the 21 percent who want to switch back and forth.

In March 2022, the

the worse when those friends start to place greater value on romantic relationships over friendships. When friendships begin to sour it makes you feel less important and relevant in someone’s life, which is exactly what happens to me when my friends get in relationships. I’ve noticed that everyday habits of texting each other, hanging out and talking start to dwindle. The things you used to do as a duo are now what your friend does with their signifcant other.

When friends get into relationships, it is a responsibility to maintain the friendships you had

the chance to show what they can do?

If given the chance, I can be an efcient team member. Among many things, I am adaptable, resilient and a hard worker. I want to work for a company that sees the potential in me because I am more than what my resumé contains.

Rather than only focusing on the resumé, employers should communicate with potential employees. This can let employers know who they are talking to, and it can help them decide if they want to give the applicants an interview.

I do not know about you,

Senate passed a bill that would make daylight savings time permanent, however the House of Representatives has yet to reach a decision.

Daylight savings time should be the permanent time because more daylight during the mid-day and evenings will allow people to feel more productive and work more efciently.

When it gets dark at six in the evening, my body has the tendency to shut down and get in bed. The dark sky is my cue to slip into my pajamas, recharge and get ready for the next day. I avoid all work that still

prior to that dating situation. It’s important to put emphasis on balancing the person you’re dating with the people who have always been by your side. Things you should avoid doing to your friends would be keeping distance, avoiding communication and ditching plans you’ve made together. The time you spend together is what keeps the friendship alive. If you’re on the receiving end of the bad friendship, don’t just sit back and let it happen. Speak your mind and tell the other person what’s going on and how you feel. It’s the responsibility of both parties to put

Erik Estrada Digital Editor digital.editor@thesouthtexan.com

Zena Desouza

Chris Olivarez

but I think this is better than turning someone down right away.

I would just like to end this column by asking that employers not turn people down right away. Although it is a crucial factor, looking at a resumé should not be the only confrmation one needs to hire or not hire someone. It is their potential and what you see in them that should also be considered. Please take this into consideration and give people the chance to prove themselves. Who knows? They may surprise you by being the best employee you have ever hired.

needs to be done and will sometimes even fake on the gym.

However, when the sun takes its time to go down, I feel unstoppable. I voluntarily choose to go out. I don’t mind staying late at work and I generally just get more done since the day feels longer.

It’s no secret where I stand on this topic. I’m hoping the House reaches a unanimous decision to put an end to daylight standard once and for all. If that means I won’t get my one extra hour of sleep once a year, I’m willing to make that sacrifce.

efort into maintaining a healthy friendship. Set time aside to hang out and don’t let each other forget how valuable your friendship is. I personally have attempted to maintain friendships when situations like this come up, but it only works if both sides put in the efort. When someone has healthy social connections, their survival rate increases by 50 percent. This could also mean that when someone begins to devalue your friendship, they’re lowering your survival rate by that same amount. It’d be selfsh of both people to let that relationship die out.

Aryssa Enriquez Marketing Manager marketing.manager@thesouthtexan.com

Rae Martinez Managing Editor managing.editor@thesouthtexan.com

Sarah Reyna Campus Editor campus.editor@thesouthtexan.com

Dylan Sanchez Sports Editor sports.editor@thesouthtexan.com

Frank Villarreal Entertainment Editor entertainment.editor@thesouthtexan.com

Nicole Perez Morris Adviser nicole.morris@thesouthtexan.com

Senior Reporters

Melissa Mata Abigayle Hayden Reporters

Dominic Valdez

Mireya Martinez

Jessica Tijerina Photographers

Mackenzie Bryce Social Media Manager

Melissa Mata Circulation Manager

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for redress of grievances.”

I’ve got your back, you should have mine, too

Come back daylight savings, we miss you

Review: Surfer Girls, Ballyhoo and Hirie shake the crowds

House of Rock featured three bands that put on a good show

The House of Rock located in Corpus Christi is a hot spot for bands big and small to stop and perform for their fans. That is what bands Surfer Girl, Ballyhoo and Hirie did on Saturday night, Nov. 5. I was able to experience this show alongside my little brother and father and I can speak for them when I say the show was an amazing experience start to fnish.

The opening act was Los Angeles-based reggae band named Surf-

er Girl, which blew my mind away. Though all three bands were the same genre each band brought their own styles and inspirations into their sounds. Surfer Girl was a mix of mellow and slow songs with a few fast-paced tracks to keep the crowd pumped up. I felt more classic reggae vibes from this group and they did not disappoint. The way the group performed on stage, not just with their instruments, but the way they moved along to their music and had huge smiles on their faces. These guys were a wonderful way to open the night and now I have some of their music in my playlists.

The next group was the oldest of the three

bands, having been active since 1995, this Maryland-based band called Ballyhoo took the stage next. This band had a diferent vibe from the opener, being a lot more punk inspired when playing their reggae music. Some even bigger diferences are that the band did not have a bass player, only a backing track, and had a synth player instead.

It really did not make much of a diference but personally I really enjoy the bass when there is a player present, though that does not make them any less talented. They did a wonderful job keeping the crowd moving and played their hearts out from the moment they walked onto the stage to the moment

they left.

Finally, the band I had been waiting for, Hirie. This group is an amazing mixture of reggae and ska music that flls my soul. The great part about ska music is that there are additional instruments that one might not consider when they think of popular music. Hirie has the standard bass and guitar, but alongside that they have

a trumpet, trombone and didgeridoo sound. Of course, this was not my frst-time seeing Hirie live. I had seen them open for Sublime with Rome and the Dirty Heads. Seeing them tour and have bands open for them now makes me happy that more people are listening to their music. After the show I was even able to meet and hangout with the bass

guitarist, Andy Flores. I was able to ask him about what he thought about the show and city. “Corpus Christi always brings the vibes. I’m a huge Selena fan so I feel the spirit; it’s special,” he said.

All three bands were incredible, and I was not let down one bit and I am glad I was able to experience it alongside my family as well.

Review: Zimmerman fans should leave the album on

Bailey Zimmerman’s new album breaks the hearts of many

Despite the misery and helpless feeling of heartbreak, Bailey Zimmerman found light in his experiences that walk us through a journey of heartfelt breakups and tough patches that lead to creating an album called “Leave The Light On.” It does not come as a surprise that the 22-year-

old’s debut EP album seems to be sparking radio stations since its release on Oct. 14.

His viral hit, “Fall in Love,” turned heads and re-broke hearts all over again. People began flming TikTok videos to the heart break banger. “Fall in Love” then climbed to the Billboard Hot Country Songs’ Top 10 chart.

Zimmerman took nine songs to create a country album. Along with his distinctive soft raspy voice he stands out from other country singers.

His single “Fall in Love” describes the

feeling of losing the one person you never thought you would lose. He says in the song, “You can act like you’re doin’ fne ‘cause love’s a smoke ring wrapped around your fnger one second, it’s a blessing and the next it’s already gone……You don’t wanna fall in love.”

The song has Zimmerman telling the girl that left him not to fall in love because it’s not really love. He then expresses how hurt and lost he is that she left him because the other guy has more money.

Comparing this song

How to Adult: Celebrating Thanksgiving on a budget

Helping yourself to family-sized savings

Thanksgiving can be a wonderful time of the year when many families come together after long periods apart in order to show their gratefulness for each other and for the opportunity to indulge in what’s likely to be the biggest meal of that year.

Taking all of that into consideration could make Thanksgiving one of the costliest holidays when it comes to getting food, but it doesn’t need to be a budget shredding experience.

There are plenty of options around to help you prepare for a cheaper-than-expected family dinner. It’s also a good idea to be open to the possibility of replacement dishes for what you had planned as well.

The frst and simplest things that’ll send you down the path to sav-

ings are coupons and discounts. It’s likely that you pass by dozens of deals without realizing it. Whether they’re in the aisles you’re browsing or in advertisements that have been sent to you by mail, there could be a deal for almost anything you want if you keep your eyes open. Look out for digital deals as you browse a company’s app or site since there’s the chance that you’ll see similar bundled offerings to ones from the physical store. Some stores also ofer memberships and loyalty programs that sometimes let you join for free. This can give you the opportunity to see if there’s any exclusive ofers that you could be missing out on. There’s also paid memberships like with Sam’s Club where you’ll get access to a wide range of items including making purchases of items in bulk at a better price than if you bought them elsewhere. This can be useful for stocking up on favorites that quickly disappear during Thanksgiving.

If you can’t aford to stock up on the popular

foods, then there’s no shame in using substitutions that can be equally as flling and delicious.

Potato based dishes could be substitutes, since potatoes are a good and cheap base ingredient for many meals.

Baked potatoes, mashed potatoes, potato salad and more can make for nice replacements for anything you had forgotten to get or simply couldn’t set aside the money for.

If you’re willing to hold of on celebrating for a couple days, then you can get everything after Thanksgiving. There will likely be sales for products that are going out of season.

The meal may be delayed, but you make up for that time with the money you saved. Be sure to keep tabs on what coupons are eligible when doing this because there could be exceptions for the goods that you have your eye on.

These ideas may not save every penny you own but keeping them in the back of your mind may help you save a dollar here or there.

to his most streamed lyrical masterpiece “Rock and a Hard Place” shows that it is just one of those songs that hits diferently.

Whether you have personally experienced a painful relationship of either staying or leaving, you will most defnitely feel all the feelings while listening to this song.

While making the tough decision of picking my favorite song on the album, I chose “Rock and a Hard Place.” The heart wrenching emotion this song holds is immaculate. Zimmerman starts of the song

strong by opening with the lines, “We’ve been swingin’ and missin’ It ain’t broke yet, but damn, it needs fxin’.” This is something we do not normally hear in a song.

The tough reality of knowing the relationship is ending but trying to pick up all the pieces or just letting it go. Zimmerman easily executed the exhausting sensation your heart feels of “Throwin’ in the towel” into this song.

This album is a perfect masterpiece for today’s world. Zimmerman expresses sorrow in heart-

break.

He seems to be right on the trend by releasing this album during heartbreak season. Rest assured this album is everything a country music fan wants to hear. Songs about heartbreak and the working class always catches listeners’ ears. For the non-country music fans, no need to worry, you will fnd more than a few songs to blast during your next crying session. So go ahead and get out those tissues, trust me you will need them.

Submitted by Aaron Carbajal.

Exhibition hands men’s basketball team loss

Division I opponent to start the season is a way that Head Coach Johnny Estelle gauges the readiness of his young men.

“The A&M game was a difcult game,” Coach Estelle said. “The game is not refective of what we’re going to be.”

Friday, Nov. 4, the Javelina men’s basketball team traveled to College Station for their exhibition against the Aggies for the third meeting, where they fell 90-47. This was the largest margin the Javelinas have lost to the Aggies.

The Javelinas are coming into the season with nine total newcomers and fve freshmen on the roster.

Facing of against a

The team is set to play South Dakota Mines to start the season in the Gil E. Steinke Physical Education Center and the coaching staf has worked hard in the of-season to get the new guys on board and help the seven returners be the example to start of the 2022-23 season.

Assistant Coach Omar Gonzalez has entered his ffth year on the staf and has, like every other group, enjoyed putting in the work to get all the

To the Sunfower State

petitors.

young men on the same page.

“We have seven players returning from the previous season,” Coach Gonzalez said. “We knew we had to teach and help the nine newcomers get on board with our program and our style, but to their credit, they’ve done nothing but grow and learn every day.”

Senior Creighton Avery led in all major categories except blocks in the Aggie exhibition and is one of the leaders heading into this new season.

Last year, the sixfoot guard from Corpus Christi was second on the team in scoring and assists after starting the season with an injury and has come into this season healthy and with

improvements to his game. “Last year was a difcult year for me coming into the season injured,” Avery said. “I attacked every day and I’m coming in healthy, and I

think this year will be diferent for me.”

The Javelinas hope to continue the winning ways already established this fall.

“We are always looking forward to uphold-

ing our responsibilities and duties as the men’s basketball program,” Coach Estelle said. “This year is a special year, and we would love to continue what volleyball and football has initiated.”

TAMUK Rec brings in new equipment

“whether that’s weight equipment, whether that’s programming, whether that’s facility oferings…you know whatever brings students to feel connected to the university.”

Starting Dec. 3, the Texas A&M University – Kingsville (TAMUK) track teams will be racing and competing in the Boo Rogers Invitational meet in Pittsburg, Kan. This will be the frst meet they have and also the frst away meet.

This will be the start of their 2022-2023 track season, and they hope to compete with the best and win against the best. With this meet being an away event, many of the athletes face difculties not being able to run and compete on their home turf. Some athletes think, “It is a lot diferent running and competing against teams on the road. It takes a diferent type of focus to win events like these,” Roel De Leon said.

These track athletes go through the same thing as every sports team in the world. Competing on the road and not in your home stadium always seems to make things more difcult, being that it is diferent from what you are used to.

When you compete at home you have that small or even sometimes huge edge on your com-

Even though track and feld events do not bring in the biggest crowds, you still notice a diference when competing.

“We don’t really bring in a crowd, but a big difference is the weather, altitude, and even just not being able to run on the track you are used to running on every single day. These are all big factors when we travel and compete in diferent places around Texas and the country,” Criselda Cruz said.

Although these informalities may cause a change in how athletes compete, they still are able to embrace them and compete at a high level no matter where they are. These athletes train and prepare themselves mentally, physically and emotionally to compete like this. They even train for these situations.

“We always prepare for the worst and always make sure we are ready to compete no matter where we are and who we are going up against,” Bryson Dyer said.

TAMUK’s track and feld team is ready for the season to start and are prepared to reach new heights that they haven’t reached in past years.

On Oct 27th, 2022, the Student Recreational Center here at Texas A&M University-Kingsville opened their doors to new and updated workout machines. This included all new upper body machines, new lower body machines, new cable machines, and some rearranging.

Being able to have access to the new and updated equipment is a great way for the students to interact at the Rec Center and enjoy being on campus.

“Our student population is always changing so what was big maybe a year ago or two years ago might not be what students are into now, so I think it’s always important for a Rec Center on a college campus to be able to adapt and fnd out what meets the students’ needs,” Director of University Recreation Marcus Wirth said,

The Rec Center opens their doors and welcomes students to come and try out the new equipment and get a great workout in.

“Within two weeks of me being here, getting new equipment at the university and we’re already looking at redesigning some things and programming offerings that we can do here to really engage the student body and make them feel connected to not only the Rec Center but the university as a whole,” Wirth said.

The Rec Center ofers great opportunities for students like personal private training, intramural sports and an indoor track. Students on the campus enjoy having access to a place where they can set and reach their workout goals.

“Your physical health plays a big factor in your life, and it could afect you positively and academically,” student Ly-

nette Guerra said. “College can get tough and stressful but by the university providing students access to physical ftness it could take some of that stress away by feeling good physically because it helps me better mentally.”

Paving a path for a healthy lifestyle can be fun and purposeful at TAMUK.

“We got a lot of better equipment than we

had in the past…before it was a lot of repetitive machines,” Faculty Supervisor Eric Vela said. “Now we have more diverse machines and the machines themselves count your reps for you, your rest time, and how long you’re undergoing a workout on the machine.” Follow the Student Rec Center on all social media for further updates.

Season of success in Cross Country

Javelinas look to the future with a young team

The Javelina cross country team ran through this season fnishing in the top 10 or in the top three in their regular season meets before fnishing 13th at the Lone Star Conference championship meet this past Saturday.

With a young team, four freshmen, a sophomore and graduate student, this season seemed to be the step in the right direction and the start of something great for the cross country team.

“I feel pretty good about the team; they made a lot of progress, and I am happy we were able to have a full team this year and they

have made signifcant progress,” cross country coach Zachary Hall said.

When it comes to building a team and preparing them for the sport of cross country it is always best to have a full team and get them ready to be up against anything. “Our main goals were to make sure we were able to have a full team and get them ready for the upcoming years, so just getting a training program ready and then focusing on getting them ready for the season,” Coach Hall added.

With the season now concluded, Coach Hall refected on what the takeaway was from how his team has changed from the beginning to now.

“The biggest takeaway from our season would have to be the development of our athletes and how much their relationship with running has changed,” Coach Hall said. “Many of our ath-

letes came in with a bad experience in running from poor coaching or from high school and the fact that they are excited to train and compete is defnitely the direction we want to go.”

With this, the runners are excited for the future of the program.

“I am excited for the future of the program since we are all young and with a new coach, we are gonna develop nicely in the coming years,” sophomore runner Cody Fountain said. The team also learned many things about themselves when it came to what they are capable of doing out on the course.

“I learned I can push myself to higher extremes than I previously could’ve and for the team I think they have learned a lot, especially since for most of them this was their frst time running in college,” Fountain said. Looking ahead to next season the

expectations are expected to be higher.

“Next year we have a good shot at improving even more and being better than previous years,” Fountain added.

With the bulk of the team being freshmen, many of them had to make the transition from running high school cross country, where the varsity boys run fve kilometers, to college cross country, where the men’s team runs eight kilometers.

“Coming from high school cross country, it was a lot of under coaching,” freshman runner Nicolas Torres said, “but coming into college cross country and be surrounded by people who want to run and want to perform it really changes how you preform.”

Overall, the Javelina cross country team is in high spirits as they begin to shift their focus to next season and the coming future.

Dominic Valdez

New Hack Squat machine in the Rec.

Javelina Athletics

Javelina track and eld set to begin on Dec.3.

Javelina Athletics

Thrower Gertrudis Balli.

Javelina Athletics Javelinas lose exibition in College Station.

erans and ensure that they know that we are part of their family and will continue to honor them for the days and months and years to come.”

Veteran graduates included David Pete Rubio who served in the United States (U.S.) Army from November 2008 to August 2016, Jonathan William Earwood a Marine Corps veteran who served from October 2012 to October 2017, U.S. Air Force Veteran Fernando Macias who

by TAMUK are approved in the undergraduate course inventory of the university. TAMUK ofers a cadre of only freshmen and sophomore (1000 and 2000) level courses to eligible students. Based on availability each semester, these courses consist of core curriculum and foreign language dual enrollment courses as outlined in the approved course equivalency crosswalk. The crosswalk equates high school courses with college courses and identifes the number of cred-

able to attend a poster presentation to showcase their research on social justice.

“Our research poster is the impact Roe v. Wade is having on our students, or just women in general,”

Social Work major Jacqueline Holliday said.

Only 10 percent of students in college think about condoms Holiday said of research done at a

served from June 2001 to December 2004, and Jorge Luis Rivera Jr. an Air Force veteran who served from May 2014 to May 2018.

Veterans Day, a federal holiday, is an avenue to honor the men and women who have and continue to serve the country. The holiday takes on a diferent meaning for each veteran and family member. For Silva, the day is special. His father was killed in action during the Vietnam War, weeks before his father was set to meet him for the frst time.

its that may be earned for each course completed through the program.

“Our university is proud to partner with an outstanding district like Tuloso-Midway—a district with excellent leadership and dedicated educators,” TAMUK President Dr. Robert Vela said. “It is our mission to provide educational access and opportunity for the students of our region, and this agreement allows us to extend our reach to the students of TMISD.”

Students must be enrolled in grades nine through 12. The student

Detroit college.

The rest of the symposium consisted of speeches from a keynote and invited speaker and breakout rooms attendees had the opportunity to attend.

Dr. Enrique Alemán, the Lillian Radford Professor in Education at Trinity University, directs the Trinity Tomorrow’s Leaders Program and co-directs the Center for Educational Leadership. His

“To me it is very personal and then I also remember that the freedoms that we have is… because of these veterans who are brave - the women, the men who put on a uniform and stand on the front lines so that we can do what we’re doing today. I’ll never forget that and that means quite a bit to me,” Silva said.

Veterans on campus in need of assistance can contact the Military and Veterans Resource Center at veterans@tamuk.edu or (361) 593-4421.

must meet the minimum college readiness standards on a state-approved assessment relevant to the course(s) they are requesting. Juniors and seniors from TMISD will take their dual enrollment classes on the university campus.

Freshmen and sophomores will take their dual enrollment classes at Tuloso-Midway High School. Additionally, some students will also take online courses through the university.

“The instructors do an amazing job in truly preparing students for the ac-

areas of research include Critical Race Theory in Education, Social Justice Leadership and Educational Policy. Alemán was the keynote speaker invited to the Blanks symposium and spoke about “Remembering Our Past to Create Our Future: Racial Consciousness in the Building of Educational Pathways.”

“My main message is to share ideas about how

ademic rigors of college,” Joiner said.

Participating students earn college credit while also meeting the requirements of their high school curriculum. This program also ofers the opportunity to shorten the time needed to earn an undergraduate degree by providing afordable access to university courses. TMISD will be covering the cost for their participating students.

“We know that dual-credit programs ofer high school students the chance to begin earning college credits with little

we can learn from our past and hopefully inform the kinds of pathways communities, like Kingsville, can learn from,” Alemán said. “A lot of the work I do focuses around studying educational equity and creating more pathways to college.”

The second speaker invited to the symposium was NBA career veteran ,team executive, representative and former pro-

to no cost to them,” Vela said. “These courses can then transfer and be applied toward their degree programs as they pursue their higher education goals.”

The frst cohort of students from TMISD will be on campus for the Spring 2023 semester. Then, a much larger group of more than 100 students will be on campus for the Fall 2023 semester. Students enrolled in dual credit courses are considered college students and will have access to college resources such as academic/counseling support,

fessional basketball player and son of Sid Blanks, Lance Blanks. Blanks is also the current ESPN and The Longhorn Network College Basketball color analyst and spoke about “The Legacy of Sid Blanks.”

“It’s important to discuss my dad today because he took part in advancing society with the university, key people in the community and throughout

career planning services, library materials and tutoring services.

“We are really impressed with A&M Kingsville. It is an honor for TMISD to be given the opportunity to not only take classes online, but to also send students to campus,” VanMatre said.

“It gives them the chance to check the university out to see if they want to call this their second home after they graduate high school. We are so appreciative; this could not have happened without A&M Kingsville allowing it to.”

Texas, at a time that was tumultuous for our nation,”Blankssaid. Blanks’ speech conveyed the message of the importance of social justice, while also using his father’s legacy and experience with social justice as an example for others to hopefully follow. Sid Blanks passed away on Dec. 12, 2021, leaving an impact on civil rights and the sports world.

Jessica Tijerina

Dr. Robert Vela, Homer Ramirez and Dr. Rito Silva pose with the art work “Divided We Stand.”