08 30 2005

Page 1

ROUGH START

VMATROCIOUS

Bobcats off to a bumpy roll on the road

The Star exposes the dark side of the moonman

SEE SPORTS PAGE 9

SEE TRENDS PAGE 5

TEXAS STATE UNIVERSITY SAN MARCOS

www.UNIVERSITYSTAR.com

AUGUST 30, 2005

TUESDAY

VOLUME 95, ISSUE 1

By Anita Lee, Don Hammack, Joshua Norman and Margaret Baker Knight Ridder Newspapers BILOXI, Miss. — Hurricane Katrina devastated the Mississippi Coast on Monday with a force not seen since Camille 36 years ago, sweeping aside multimillion-dollar casinos, burying the beach highway and killing at least 50 people in Harrison County. “This,” said Biloxi Mayor A.J. Holloway, “is our tsunami.” At least 50 people are confirmed

dead in Gulfport and Biloxi. Katrina raged ashore in Mississippi at dawn and terrorized the Coast until winds subsided after 3 p.m., leaving massive damage in her wake. Monday night, communications were down and transportation systems demolished. Katrina also crippled medical services. Beleaguered emergency personnel awaited reinforcements from the federal government and other states to shore up assistance. “We are still in the search and rescue mode,” Holloway said. It

will be days before the costs of Katrina, in lives and property, are known. Katrina’s tidal surge swept away bridges that had linked the three Coast counties. Along the waterfront, the storm surge obliterated businesses, homes, community landmarks and condominiums. It swept away the concrete Eight Flags display marking the Gulfport-Biloxi boundary on the beach. Countless treasures washed from homes joining streams of debris that settled 5 feet high on

Fighting

residential streets off the beach. New sets of stairs to nowhere joined those Camille left when she washed away waterfront mansions on Aug. 17, 1969. Katrina will forever be compared to Camille in many ways: Camille cost the Coast 144 lives and more than $6.5 billion in property damage in current dollars. A revitalized and growing Mississippi Coast had even more to lose. In Biloxi, Holloway said at least

Photo Courtesy of KRT Direct

Katrina lashes Gulf Coast, at least 50 dead

Residents of Escatawba, Miss., use a boat to get out of their flooded homes along the Escatawba River on Monday.

See KATRINA, page 3

Frances

FOR

LEFT: Jewel Nelms, the mother of a Houston deathrow inmate, joined Saturday’s protest to continue to preach of her daughter’s innocence and the lack of sufficient evidence. BELOW: Miller X is just one of the many protestors who showed Saturday to voice an opinion on the upcoming execution of Frances Newton.

Armando Sanchez/ Star photos

Protestors gather to oppose upcoming Newton execution By Clayton Medford News Reporter Dozens of protesters withstood scorching temperatures in Austin on Saturday to oppose the impending execution of convicted murderer Frances Newton of Houston. Newton, who was found guilty of homicide in the death of her husband and two children in April of 1987, is scheduled for lethal injection on Sept. 14, which would make her the third woman and the first black woman to face capital punishment in Texas since the Civil War. The rally began midafternoon on the four corners of the bustling intersection of Sixth Street and Lamar Boulevard in Austin. The protesters held signs — some homemade, some professionally printed — emblazoned with slogans such as “She may be innocent: Should we kill her?” and “Income-based death penalty.” The majority of the people in the 45-member rally was bused in from Houston by the Committee to Free

Frances Newton. Members of the committee said they have sent more than 10,000 e-mails and just as many postcards to Gov. Rick Perry proclaiming the innocence of Newton. Participants in the rally handed out more of those postcards in hopes that Perry will heed their call to stay the execution, or ideally, free Newton. Among those from Houston was rally organizer and committee head Gloria Rubac. “Ideally, we’d like the governor to invite us in for iced tea and talk about [the case],” Rubac said. “We hope he will realize there is a lack of evidence against her.” Rubac made her way from one corner to the next, carrying a hip-mounted loudspeaker and leading chants of “Stop the execution, free Frances Newton.” Amid cheers, honks of support and peace signs being thrown from the driver’s side of a new Volvo and jeers such as one driver who yelled, “Kill them all,” and another who yelled, “It’s Texas,” Rubac kept the rally See PROTEST, page 3

ASG looks to the year ahead, plans for amending constitution Sean Wardwell News Reporter The first meeting of Texas State’s Associated Student Government kicked off as newly elected senators were officially sworn in for their term of office. ASG Vice President Cassie Holman issued the oath en masse to the Senate, which swore to, “represent the students of Texas State University to the utmost of their ability and discharge the duties of their office with integrity and honesty.” “This is my 31st student government class,” said Dean of Students John Garrison, addressing ASG as its guest speaker. “When I first came here we were trying to get a shuttle bus on campus. Student government helped get that.” Garrison then talked about the issues that ASG was facing this year including a new statue of LBJ and changes to the ASG constitution. “I’m looking for a banner year from ASG,” Garrison said. ASG President Jordan Anderson then issued his report. “I’m appointing five Senators for a selection committee to review applications for the student regent position,” said Anderson, public administration senior. “We get five nominations that will then be reviewed by the governor.” Anderson spoke about some of the new responsibilities of the senators. A bill passed last year requires senators to take time to read to schoolchildren. Kyle Morris, economics senior, was appointed as the interim student liaison with the San Marcos city council. Anderson will be conducting interviews for a permanent liaison at a later date. Anderson mentioned that he See ASG, page 3

Sean Wardwell News Reporter Texas State students will have a few more options in their wallet thanks to the new BobcatCard issued by the university and Wells Fargo bank. The BobcatCard combines the standard ID card with optional features that include the ability to make off-campus purchases at participating businesses through the Bobcat Bucks program. “The new card can be used to pay for a number of on-campus

services including the Campus Bookstore, the Student Recreation Center, Paws Market, the Student Health Center and all on campus dining locations,” said John Root, director of Auxiliary Services. Off-campus businesses that have also entered into agreements with the university include Domino’s Pizza, Subway and Mochas and Java’s, among others. The card is issued in conjunction with Wells Fargo bank. “We went through the standard state bid process,” Root said.

TODAY’S WEATHER

Sunny 99˚/69˚

Precipitation: 20% Humidity: 64% UV: 10+ Extreme Wind: N 7 mph

“We had talks with three companies and a university committee determined that Wells Fargo was the most robust and best suited for campus.” Students who have accounts with Wells Fargo bank can also use the BobcatCard as their ATM card, although this feature has lead to some confusion regarding if a student needs a Wells Fargo account in order to get their new ID. “There is an idea that because a student does not have a Wells Fargo account they don’t have to

get the new card. The new card is required for all students,” Root said. “You don’t have to bank at Wells Fargo, but it still serves as the primary student ID.” Root also emphasized that Bobcat Bucks are different than the dining dollars that students living in residence halls get as part of their meal plan. Bobcat Bucks allow students to spend money in the form of a debit card at off-campus stores and restaurants that do not accept dining Texas State ID Services was unusually busy this semester thanks to the new, required ID cards. Staff member Kristy Aldape estimated that around 500 students per day went into See CARDS, page 3 the JC Kellam building to receive their new IDs..

Two-day Forecast Wednesday Sunny Temp: 102°/ 71° Precipitation: 0%

Thursday Sunny Temp: 100°/ 70° Precipitation: 0%

Tiffany Searcy/Star photo

Bobcat Bucks supplement student dining options

Inside

TEXAS STATE UNIVERSITY SAN MARCOS

Classifieds Comics Crossword News

8 7 7 1-3

Opinions Sports Trends

To Contact The Star: 4 9 5-7

Trinity Building Phone: (512) 245-3487 Fax: (512) 245-3708 www.UniversityStar.com © 2005 The University Star


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.