FUN IN THE SUN
NFL DREAMS
San Marcos music scene heats up with Summer in the Park
Two Bobcat football players are making their way in the pros
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SEE SPORTS PAGE 10
TEXAS STATE UNIVERSITY SAN MARCOS
www.UniversityStar.com
JUNE 14, 2006
WEDNESDAY
Texas State track star suffers severe injury in bicycle accident By David Saleh Rauf The University Star A member of the Texas State track and field team has undergone surgery to amputate a portion of his right leg after sustaining a severe injury during a bicycle accident on June 5. Twenty-one-yearold James Ortiz was riding his bike down the sidewalk on N. LBJ Street, in front of Grin’s, when he collided with the side of a BFI Waste Services garbage truck while making a left turn onto Forest Street. Ortiz, special education and exercise sports science senior, was transported to Austin’s Brackenridge Hospital where he has since been through a number of medical procedures. “He’s got several surgeries still lined up,” said Ruben Ortiz, James’ brother. “Our number one concern right now for him is to recover from his injury. He has another surgery on Sunday and then another on Tuesday and the big one is on Wednesday.” Ruben Ortiz said doctors are making sure the affected area is safe from infection “There just trying to save as much of his leg as they can,” he said. “Right now, there hasn’t been any infection. He’s been fighting that off.” San Marcos Police Department Assistant Chief Johnny James said the officer that investigated the accident filed a complete report, including eyewitness testimony and an inspection of the commercial vehicle, which
indicated Ortiz failed to the yield right-ofway to the garbage truck. “The garbage truck was in the traffic on LBJ, executing a legal left hand turn onto Forest Street, and Mr. Ortiz ran into the side of the garbage truck,” James said. Family and friends have been by Ortiz’s side since the accident occurred. Nathan Ehlinger, exercise sport science senior, ran cross country with Ortiz for four years and said the situation is unfortunate. “Everybody that knows him knows how much he loved to run,” Ehlinger said. “It’s just a tragic situation.” Ortiz has maintained an optimistic outlook regarding the situation thus far, Ehlinger said. “He’s doing pretty good; he’s been positive about it,” Ehlinger said. “At certain times he’s kind of been down and out, you know, but what I saw for the most part, he’s been pretty positive. It looks like he’s keeping a level head about it.” Josue Cervantes, Texas State alum, has made regular trip to the hospital to visit and support Ortiz. Cervantes said Ortiz has remained mentally strong, but the idea of not being able to run anymore is causing some anguish. “The fact that he is a runner is causing him a lot of emotional distress, because, I mean, that’s the one thing he’s giving up,” Cervantes said. “It’s just that much harder knowing that as a runner you’re legs provide you with so much. I like to tell him to start over. There’s so many other options for him.” One potential option includes the use of a prosthetic limb. Cervantes said the option of See BICYCLE, page 4
Loan consolidation plan offers students chance to decrease debt By Bradley Childers The University Star The letters have come in the mail. The flyers are up on campus: “Student loan interest rates expected to rise July 1. Consolidate now!” The interest rate for federal loans such as Stafford and Perkins will increase from the current 4.7 percent to 6.54 percent, marking a 1.84 percent increase. For loans already in repayment, the rate will rise from the current 5.3 percent to 7.14 percent. Rates on Parent PLUS loans will also go up to 7.94 percent from 6.1 percent. Chris Jass, assistant director of the Office of Student Financial Aid, said students should highly consider consolidating their
loans but cautions students to do research first. “Do your homework. Keep a file on your loans, what you’ve gotten, who their lender is, when they got them,” Jass said. “When you consolidate, you’ll want to have it all in line to make the consolidation easier.” Elizabeth Belli, vice president of marketing and sales at Student Trust, a privately owned student loan consolidation agency, said the average amount a student who consolidates with Student Trust borrows about $20,000. If such a student consolidates before June 30, they could save about $2,000, lowering their monthly payment by $19. See LOAN, page 4
VOLUME 96, ISSUE 1
ALL EYES ON THE BORDER Cameras, civilian call-ins to be part of proposed $125 million border security plan By Nick Georgiou The University Star Frustrated by federal inaction and a 31 percent cut in Texas’ Homeland Security budget, Governor Rick Perry plans to install hundreds of surveillance cameras along the Texas-Mexico border in an effort to combat illegal immigration. The surveillance cameras are part of Perry’s proposed $125 million border security plan. The video feed from the cameras will be shown in real time, 24 hours a day to state, local and federal law enforcement agencies. The video stream will also be posted on the Internet, allowing anyone with Web access to report illegal activity. A toll-free number will be available to those who witness a crime. “This is a program that will be run and staffed by law enforcement officers, so when a citizen calls in having viewed suspicious or criminal activity on a border camera, that activity will verified by law enforcement and the response will be coordinated by law enforcement,” said Rachael Novier, press secretary for Perry. “It’s simply a neighborhood watch program that has broad participation and uses technology.” Latino civil rights groups disagree. Luis Figueroa, legislative staff attorney for the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund, said the program is an unproductive use of time and taxpayer money. “It can lead to people who do not understand immigration policy profiling on the Internet,” Figueroa said. “It’s harmful to all Latinos.” MALDEF, the largest Latino civil rights group in the United States, has called on Perry to reconsider his surveillance camera plan. The group fears “intolerant” individuals will make false reports. “Local law enforcement and private citizens are not authorized, trained, or equipped to enforce federal immigration laws,” Nina Perales, MALDEF southwest regional counsel, said in a press release. ”Improper enforcement
A.D. Brown/Star file photo THE GREAT DIVIDE: As Americans and immigrants protest the recent immigration issues, Texas Gov. Rick Perry, as part of his proposed $125 million border security plan, has approved the installation of hundreds of surveillance cameras along the U.S./Mexico border.
by unqualified private individuals will lead to more problems for federal law enforcement that will have to respond to false alarms, frivolous allegations and racial profiling.” MALDEF has already been concerned about possible civil rights violations in El Paso, where a sheriff has been accused of illegally using money from a state fund to apprehend immigrants. The El Paso County Sheriff’s Office has denied the allegations. “We are in the process of learning more about those activities,” Figueroa said. Perry has recognized the complaints, and has directed them to the U.S. Attorney. Anthony Martinez, Democratic Sen. Eliot Shapleigh’s press secretary, said the abuse and racial profiling of Hispanics in El Paso has been rampant. In addition to the $5 million appropriated for cameras, Perry will dedicate $20 million from state funds to expand Operation Rio Grande, a project aimed at reduc-
ing illegal drug activity and illegal entry along the southwestern border of the United States. Perry will also ask the Texas Legislature in the next session to authorize $100 million to sustain the operation. Novier said she expects the legislature to approve the $100 million. “We certainly believe the threat of the border is compelling and budgeting is about priorities and this is certainly one of the states highest priorities,” she said. “Given the threat posed by our porous border in Texas and other key critical infrastructures in our state and the fact that we are recovering from catastrophes like hurricane Katrina and Reno last year, a reduction in homeland security funding for our state defies logic.” The funding disparity, combined with continual federal inaction, jeopardizes border security and reinforces the belief See BORDER, page 4
Country crooner, alumnus Strait receives honorary doctorate By Kathy Martinez The University Star Award winning county music singer/songwriter George Strait was presented an honorary doctoral degree by his alma mater Texas State in a private ceremony last month. Strait, who graduated from Texas State in 1979 with a bachelor’s in agriculture was presented with an honorary doctor of humane letters by university President Denise M. Trauth. Mark Hendricks, assistant director for the Texas State University News Service, said the university considers awarding honorary doctoral degrees to recognized individuals with a record of excellence in public affairs, humanities, the arts, business and the sciences. “To have the university’s name and image associated with Strait in such a positive manner and in so many large and diverse media markets cannot help but be beneficial to the university,” Hendricks said. Individuals who have con-
tributed significantly to the university, the state, the nation, internationally or who have made distinguished contributions to humanity are also eligible for consideration. In 1984, Strait was also honored by Texas State with the university’s President’s Excellence Award, and in 1987 the Alumni Association Board of Directors named Strait a Distinguished Alumnus of the university. Marketing senior Valerie Moore said she was disappointed that Strait was not able to receive his honorary doctorate at the commencement ceremony this past May. “George Strait is most definitely a favorite amongst college students at the university. His musical roots are here and I would love to see him come back and give a performance for the university,” Moore said. Most honorary doctorates are presented during regular commencement ceremonies, however Strait’s schedule would not permit him to attend a commencement. Instead, Strait re-
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quested a private ceremony be arranged. To date, Strait has recorded 52 number one singles — more than any artist across all genres of music. Strait has also been named Entertainer of the Year and Male Vocalist of the Year on multiple occasions and has been awarded a Special Achievement Award by the Academy of County Music. In his article “It’s the music: Kent Finlay’s Cheatham Street Warehouse in San Marcos Texas” in the Journal of Texas Music History, history professor, Dr. Gregg Andrews writes about Strait and his musical beginnings at Cheatham Street Warehouse. “Strait has one of the greatest and purest country music voices and a very strong attachment to traditional county and western swing influences,” Andrews said. “He knows how to choose a great song that’s just right for his voice and that appeals to the feelings he wants to convey in his music.” Andrews said while Strait was
complishments and feels the singer is more than deserving of an honorary doctorate from the university. “He has done so much for this town and for the university in putting them on the map and establishing a cultural history of Texas music,” Finlay said. Criminal justice graduate Michael Eagan said he is a longtime fan of Strait and enjoys going to Cheatham Street Warehouse to listen to the county music tradition that Strait established. “George Strait has created a history for Cheatham and has been an inspiration for many county music bands that are starting out for the first time on this stage,” Eagan said. Photo courtesy of Media Relations Finlay said he remembers his DOCTOR STRAIT: Country icon and Texas State alumnus George first impression of Strait, deStrait receives an honorary doctoral degree from Texas State Presi- scribing him as a genuine perdent Denise Trauth in a private ceremony on May 26. son and a real cowboy. “He has never changed and a student at Texas State, the debuted at Strait at Cheatham nothing is contrived about country singer responded to a Street on Oct.13, 1975. him,” Finlay said. “He is still notice posted on campus that Kent Finlay, songwriter and the same guy wearing the same advertised an opening for a lead owner of Cheatham Street Wrangler jeans and cowboy hat singer in a band. Warehouse, said he is very See COUNTRY, page 4 The band, Ace in the Hole, proud of Strait’s musical ac-
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