The University Star | Wednesday September 12, 2012 | 3
OPINIONS
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Drinking and driving: there is no excuse
Haley Householder, Star Illustrator
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tudents and residents of San Marcos need to pay attention to the warnings against drunk driving they hear each day. The slogans, posters and presentations denouncing drunk driving are nearly as omnipresent in college life as the alcohol they warn against. When any message, no matter how well intentioned, is thrown in a person’s face as rapidly and repeatedly as anti-drunk driving campaigns, the meaning can begin to get lost in the noise. However, drunk driving remains a dangerous activity and leaves absolutely no excuse for the Sept. 2 hit-and-run incident that left three people hospitalized and the driver of the car that hit them in jail. Pedestrians in an area as concentrated as The Square depend on the respon-
sibility of every single driver on the road for their safety. As the city saw last week, just one intoxicated driver is enough to seriously compromise the well being of everyone in the vicinity. Fortunately, San Marcos police were able to stop and apprehend the driver in question. Tiffany Dahl, 25, is currently out of jail on $75,000 bail and faces three felony charges of failure to stop and render aid as well as two counts of intoxication assault. Only Dahl and the people she was with know the amount of alcohol that contributed to the incident and how enjoyable the night may have been to that point. However, it is doubtful she considers those memories worth it with the consequences she faces now. Drinking is not an inherently shameful activity. The economy of San Marcos, especially The Square, relies on the sale and consumption of alcohol by responsible adults looking for ways to relax and enjoy themselves after working and studying. For an area so heavily
trafficked, The Square is usually a safe place to enjoy such activities, as long as proper precautions are taken. However, incidents like the one on Sept. 4 threaten the safety of everyone involved and damage San Marcos’ reputation. The issue of drunk driving does not stem from lack of education, but application of that knowledge. In this age of public service announcements and multi-million dollar campaigns, no one of drinking age can reasonably claim not to know the dangers of drinking and driving. Problems occur when the time arises to make the decision to drive after drinking. Too many people choose the wrong option, with potentially deadly results. A small town like San Marcos cannot afford to be known as a place where such dangers are common, especially since the university works hard to improve its reputation with parents of future students. Though the public has heard this message thousands of times before, it obviously was not enough last week. Anyone
who chooses to drink accepts the responsibility for all of his or her actions under the influence. Every group should include a driver responsible for getting their friends home safely. Drinking has its own dangers in itself, but they can be sharply reduced if the alcohol is handled properly. But drinking and driving is always dangerous and oftentimes fatal. Three peers to the thousands of students and residents across San Marcos were hospitalized because of one drinker’s negligence. There is no excuse.
The Main Point is the opinion of the newspaper’s editorial board. Columns are the opinions of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the full staff, Texas State University-San Marcos Student Media, the School of Journalism and Mass Communication or Texas State University-San Marcos.
Cape Road bridge renovations are much needed, well-timed
By Ariella Hannon Opinions Columnist
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f $800,000 is going to be spent to replace the bridge on Cape Road, it should be beautiful, structurally sound and convenient for residents and tourists. The fate of the bridge has been a topic of discussion with the Texas Department of Transportation for more than a year. The bridge is located in John J. Stokes City Park near Thompson’s Island. TxDOT and city officials are now on board to replace the bridge, which provides a path for residents and visitors over the San Marcos River. According to an Aug. 30 University Star article, con-
struction is set to begin Sept. 10, and the project is supposed to last no longer than four months. The $800,000 bridge update may seem costly, but it will benefit the community overall. It is important that the bridge is replaced due to its age and condition, according to the agenda from a June 19 city council meeting. In addition, the completed project will widen and raise the bridge for improved safety and mobility. Aside from making repairs for regulation and safety reasons, the bridge is old and could use a little modernization. It was smart for officials to start construction on the bridge during the colder months when the project would not discourage tourists, tubers and kayakers from enjoying the river. According to the same article, TxDOT and the bridge contractor, Dan Williams Company in Austin, originally planned to shut down the river from IH-35 to the construction site. Under that plan, people would have to exit the water and catch the river about a half-mile downstream. However, since exiting the water could harm businesses, like T&G Canoes, officials and locals joined efforts to design a plan around the construction area. Instead of disadvantaging those who want to enjoy the river, the contractor of the project decided to cutoff
the traffic closer to the bridge. That way, kayakers and tubers could use the left channel or get out of the river and only walk a little way downstream. If the contractor had chosen to make people get out and walk about half a mile, business owners, families and tourists would have been inconvenienced. Due to the September to December time frame, the construction of the bridge is not only needed, but it is made more convenient for the community. If officials had chosen to start construction on the bridge during the summer months, or even late spring, the traffic flow on the river would have made construction a hassle. Also, it would have most likely discouraged many people from entering the water in the first place. Although kayakers may be a little inconvenienced due to traffic control and congestion, the number of people present during the cooler months does not come close to the amount on the river during the spring and summer. After a pending stage, the bridge on Cape Road is finally coming to fruition. With the compromise of construction plans for the bridge, cooperation between TxDOT and the city will greatly benefit river-goers, local businesses and the community as a whole.
Construction signals new growth for Texas State
By Christian Penichet-Paul Opinions Columnist Construction signs and wire fences around Texas State are now as iconic as the Bobcat statue near the bus loop. Even though construction on campus may appear to be an everlasting endeavor, it is critical to the continued growth of the campus. As Texas State strives to improve the campus, the inconvenience of construction has gotten in the way of many students. Some students are forced to walk farther distances around construction sites to get to class. Oth-
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ers must give up on shortcuts and merge into the flowing mass of people in The Quad. Yet the construction of new projects around campus is good news because it points to a better and stronger future for the university. Additionally, construction projects will help build the reputation of Texas State. New buildings, like the recently completed Undergraduate Academic Center, will increase the amount of classroom space. According to an Aug. 20 University Star article, the center now serves as the academic home for psychology, sociology and political science majors. Instead of being overcrowded in an older building, these three departments now have more classroom space and better facilities. It is also compelling to have a university with up-todate facilities. The Performing Arts Center Complex, which should be completed in September 2013, will give students a better venue to create and perform in quality productions. These new buildings will result in better educational opportunities and will complement Texas State’s recent classification as an emerging research institution. The new structures are also bound to affect pride in the university. There is something about seeing new buildings rise up that signals the university is moving forward. Improving facilities, buildings and dorms could strengthen pride among students. Eating food at a
Editor In Chief................................................Beth Brown, stareditor@txstate.edu Managing Editor............................Lee Moran, starmanagingeditor@txstate.edu Letters..................................................................................starletters@txstate.edu News Editor...................................................Caitlin Clark, starnews@txstate.edu Trends Editor............................Hollie O’Connor, starentertainment@txstate.edu Opinions Editor..........................................Liza Winkler, staropinion@txstate.edu Photo Editor.......................................Austin Humphreys, starphoto@txstate.edu Sports Editor..........................................Cameron Irvine, starsports@txstate.edu Copy Desk Chief......................Thomas Glasebrook, starcopychief@txstate.edu Web Editor............................................Karyn Kittlitz, starwebeditor@txstate.edu
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deteriorated dining hall does nothing to encourage students to care about their new home. New construction, on the other hand, would present a sense of improvement and dedication to make students feel proud about the university. Many students may graduate before much of the on-campus construction is completed. However, this should not create apathy or disdain for the current obstacles perpetrated by the construction projects. The new structures will likely help the university receive a better reputation. Students should consider the construction an investment for what their college diploma will be worth in the future. For example, the reputation of the University of Texas is not the same today as it was in the 1970s. The university has grown since then to become one of the best-known public institutions in the country. In a similar manner, new construction will benefit Texas State alumni in the future by increasing the reputation of the university and the value of its degrees. Shortcuts and easy routes to class have largely been blocked for the last two years. In many ways, the blockades around campus have been inopportune. However, it is important to remember that this new growth will have many positives aspects for Texas State and its students.
The University Star is the student newspaper of Texas State University-San Marcos and is published every other Wednesday in the summer semesters. It is distributed on campus and throughout San Marcos at 8 a.m. on publication days with a distribution of 6,000. Printing and distribution is by the New Braunfels Herald-Zeitung. Copyright Wednesday, September 12, 2012. All copy, photographs and graphics appearing in The University Star are the exclusive property of The University Star and may not be reproduced without the expressed written consent of the editor in chief. The first five issues of each edition of the paper are free. Additional copies of the paper can be purchased at 50¢ per copy. Contact The University Star office at (512) 245-3487 to purchase additional copies.
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