09 18 2012

VOLUME 102, ISSUE 11

www.UniversityStar.com

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TUESDAY

SEPTEMBER 18, 2012

GO NE ONLI NOW

Hays County Bar-B-Que

Hays County Bar-B-Que and Catering is a local restaurant and catering service that specializes in Texas barbecue. For more, visit UniversityStar.com.

Schools create new, healthier eating options

By Adrian Omar Ramirez News Reporter

Katrina Barber, Staff Photographer

Britt Bousman, associate professor in the Department of Anthropology, aided in the excavation of a one million-year-old human molar in South Africa. The molar is helping anthropologists gather information about the evolution of early humans.

Professor helps find million-year-old artifacts

By Colin Ashby News Reporter The discovery of an ancient bone in South Africa has brought scientists one step closer to a more complete understanding of human evolution.

Britt Bousman, professor of anthropology at Texas State, participated in the excavation of a human tooth and stone tools dating back approximately one million years ago.

Bousman worked alongside James Brink, head of the Florisbad Quaternary Research Department at the National Museum in Bloemfontein, South Africa, who led the excavation. Bousman dated the excavation site in collaboration with Andy

Herries of Australia’s La Trobe University using a technique called paleomagnetism.

Bousman and his team recently published a journal on human evolution where they debuted these discoveries to the public.

Through paleomagnetic dating, the molar and hand tools were determined to be around one million years old. The age of the ancient discoveries makes them the oldest remains found in the north region of South Africa.

“It’s brilliant to have these new pieces of information,” Bousman said. “They help bridge the gaps of missing information about human history and evolution.”

Bousman said little is known about early humans living between 1.5 million and 200,000 years ago.

The site, discovered in the 1930s by archaeologist Van Hoepen, is located near Cornelia, South Africa. The excavation site where the tools and molar were found is known for being the source of numerous fossil finds.

The molar and stone tools were found in a bone bed probably created by ancient spotted hyenas. The bone bed supports the presence of early Homo erectus in southern Africa. The findings provide archaeologists with new insight into living patterns of early Homo erectus species, Bousman said.

The stone tools were found in 2003 and 2006, and the molar was found in 2010.

READ ANCIENT, PAGE 2

Hays County begins feral hog program

By Natalie Berko News Reporter Hays County, in partnership with Caldwell County, will be raising awareness for a unique cause starting this October.

“Hog Out” is a Plum Creek Watershed Partnership program sponsored by the Texas Department of Agriculture. The program aims at controlling the feral hog population throughout counties across the state.

Beginning Oct. 1 and continuing through Dec. 31, residents will be awarded $2 per hog tail brought in from feral hogs killed in Hays and Caldwell Counties.

Mark Jones, Hays County Precinct 2 commissioner, said feral hogs cause damage to peoples’ yards and contribute to water quality issues.

Jones said $1,500 is being set aside from the commissioners’ and judge’s office accounts for special projects to fund the $2 tail bounty. He said anyone can shoot the hogs and a hunting license is not required.

“It is open season, and you can shoot them any time,” Jones said. “Please do.”

Nick Dornak, Plum Creek watershed coordinator, said more than 20 counties are participating in the competition-style program this year. Hays and Caldwell counties are hosting the 3-year-old program for the first time.

John Cyrier, Caldwell County Precinct 1 commissioner, said Plum Creek watershed presented the idea to the Caldwell County Commissioners Court a couple months ago.

The court voted and agreed to pass the proposal based on the success of other counties that have implemented the program in the past.

Participating counties will be awarded points based on hogs killed and attendance at training and educational workshops. Dornak said each county will receive one point per person who attends an event and five points for every 10 hog tails.

The three counties earning the most points will receive $10,000, $15,000 and $20,000 grants, respectively, provided by the Texas Department of Agriculture to implement a long-term program.

The remaining counties will receive funds

based on the amount of hog tails turned in, Dornak said. He would like to have a grand prize for the most hogs turned in to each county, as well as door prizes for participants.

Dornak said volunteers are still needed to help document and verify the hogs when citizens turn in tails. Plum Creek uses this information for data collection.

There will be two volunteer training sessions for Hays County Oct. 2 at the Hays County Extension Office from 6 to 7 p.m.

There will also be a training session Oct. 3 at the Cypress Creek Cafe in Wimberley from 6 to 7 p.m.

Dornak said he hopes hunters will devour the kills after they are verified through respective counties.

“There is no stipulation on that. It is just what we hope they do,” Dornak said. “I have eaten (feral hogs) before and they are lean, good pork.”

Training, education and other event information for this year’s Hog Out can be found on the Plum Creek Watershed Partnership website.

Tech game brings variety of police citations

By Nancy Young Special to The Star As hoards of Texas Tech fans descended upon San Marcos last weekend for the university’s first FBS football game, the San Marcos Police Department started handing out citations.

From Friday, Sept. 7 to Saturday, Sept.

8, SMPD reported multiple violations.

There were four suspicious persons arrests, one harassment ticket, nine public intoxication incidents and five minors in possession were reported that weekend.

Officers also had to contend with the noise that comes along with a record 33,006 fans in Bobcat Stadium, many of whom came from Lubbock to see the Red Raiders face off against the Bobcats.

“For both Saturday and Sunday, the main problem was noise violations,” said Chase Stapp, SMPD Assistant Chief of Operations.

SMPD and the University Police Department had been planning for the onslaught of fans since January. The weekend started with an unofficial event, Rally on The Square, when students and fans gathered Friday night.

The increase in pedestrian traffic on The Square during the weekend prompted SMPD to add four officers to its normal two officer downtown patrol, according to SMPD Commander Kelly Earnest. There was a spike in traffic in downtown San Marcos Friday evening.

“It became dangerous for pedestrians

READ CITATIONS, PAGE 2

Citations given the weekend of the Texas Tech football game

4 Suspicious persons arrests 1 Harassment 9 Public intoxication 5 Minors in possession —Courtesy of University Police Department.

Officials from the San Marcos Consolidated Independent School District, the League of Women Voters and parents met Saturday to chew over new federal regulations regarding school meals.

Mike Boone, associate director of child nutrition services for the school district, said 71 percent of students in the district qualify for free or reduced meals.

The new regulations are a result of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010, which Boone called the “Michelle Obama Act.” Among the changes are caps on calorie counts, as well as free breakfast for all students.

“It’s not their fault that they’re poor.

So, we take care of those kids,” Boone said. “These may be the only two meals they get a day.”

Boone said studies show kids who eat breakfast are better behaved, engage in fewer fights, arrive on time to class more often and experience fewer illnesses.

“We feed the tummies so the district can feed the brain,” Boone said.

Foods now being served in the district are lower in fat and sodium content. The vending machines offer baked chips and the schools have not used fryers since 2007.

The use of healthier food does come at a cost, as many of the items being offered are more expensive. Boone said the pizza crust previously used by the district, for example, cost $26 a case, but the whole grain crust replacing it costs $46 a case.

Tony Mendoza, compliance and production supervisor for SMCISD, outlined newer, healthier food items being offered, as well as challenges in altering the menus.

Mendoza said the calorie counts for meals offered at the schools are 500-650 per meal for kindergarten through fifth grade students. The calories are 600-700 per meal for sixth through eighth grade students and 750-850 for ninth through 12th grade students.

“It was a nightmare trying to figure out all these calories and trying to keep them within the calorie categories,” Mendoza said.

READ NUTRITION, PAGE 2

Police arrest assault suspect

By Megan Carthel News Reporter The suspect linked with the assault of two custodial workers is now in custody.

Pablo Franco was pulled over near Sinton during a traffic stop off Highway Photo courtesy of San 181 in San Patricio Marcos Police Department County at approximately 10 p.m. Sunday.

Franco was arrested and charged with one count of aggravated assault. Officials have a warrant in place to charge Franco with an additional count of aggravated assault.

On Friday, Sept. 14, Franco allegedly attacked his wife and stepdaughter, members of the campus custodial staff, while they were walking from Harris Dining Hall to the Child Development Center.

Franco allegedly assaulted the victims with his hands and feet. He pulled his wife’s hair and held a knife to her neck as he tried to force her into an SUV. Sergeant Alexander Villalobos said the stepdaughter intervened while Franco was trying to pull his wife into the SUV, directing his attention to her. He then got in the car and left.

Villalobos said 911 was called at some point during the incident, causing Franco to flee the scene. An arrest warrant was sent out for Franco.

There was no specific motive behind the attack, Villalobos said.

“There definitely was a disagreement within the relationship,” Villalobos said.

“There’s multiple things going on, and there was no one definitive reason at this point.”

Police say Franco has an extensive criminal past.

2 | Tuesday September 18, 2012 | The University Star

NEWS

NUTRITION

For more viewpoints or letters to the editor, e-mail staropinions@txstate.edu

ANCIENT

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The tools date back 250,000 to 1.6 million years ago.

The stone tools include large hand axes and cleavers used to hunt animals and break down objects. Brink said the tools are unusual because of their measurements, which signify the humans who used them had advanced hunting practices. Brink said they probably hunted in teams and lured prey through exhaustion before entrapping them.

Dating the molar and tools proved to be difficult. Electron Spin Resonance dating was originally used on the tooth, but Uranium levels were too high to successfully obtain results. Bousman then suggested paleomagnetic sampling, and the artifacts underwent research at the University of Texas’ Geomagnetic Laboratory.

“We see in cases that southern Africa acted as a source area for the appearance of new species,” Brink said. “The hominine fossil from Cornelia evidently represents

(this).”

Brink, who led the excavation team, said he has done fieldwork at the Cornelia site for nearly 10 years.

Bousman has been doing archeological studies in South Africa since 1976. He first visited the Cornelia site in 2003 when dating methods for ancient discoveries were still being tried unsuccessfully.

He encourages students to take advantage of field excavation opportunities to become better oriented in archeology and histories of cultures. Bousman singles out the Shumla Field School near Comstock, Texas as having a range of programs regarding land and cultural heritage for students to take advantage of.

Carolyn Boyd, co-founder of the Shumla School and adjunct professor at Texas State, said she encourages students to participate in field schools like hers to learn more about the past.

Austin Humphreys, Photo Editor

Heather Martin, middle school parent and registered dietitian, gives feedback Sept. 15 regarding foods she sampled at San Marcos High School. Parents were given the opportunity to review new federal regulations for cafeteria foods.

New requirements also require student meals to include more vegetables. Mendoza said there are now plenty of vegetables on the menu. Caesar, cranberry and tossed salads are offered at least three times a week, as well as mixed vegetables, peas and carrots, sliced cucumbers and celery sticks.

Parents who attended the session had an opportunity to sample some of the foods being served to students, including a fruit slush and a pizza with a whole wheat crust.

Heather Martin, a registered dietitian, said she attended the session to make sure the district is serving the required foods.

Martin has an 11-year-old son attending middle school.

Martin said she decided to try the new food herself after her son came home praising it. Boone said many students in the district have already taken a liking to the new menu items.

“I’m glad (Boone) said he hasn’t had a lot of kids who refused the food,” Martin said. “That’s what I would expect from parents when I do outpatient counseling.

At first parents say children won’t eat (new foods), but if you stick to it and find different ways to serve it and offer it many times, eventually they’ll accept them and prefer them.”

wild art

Haydon Reese, psychology sophomore, skateboards Sept. 17 on Peques St.

Sept. 15, 5:04 P.M. College Inn Possession of a controlled substance A student was arrested for possession of a controlled substance and transported to Hays County Law Enforcement Center.

Sept. 15, 10:30 A.M. Beretta Hall Possession of a controlled substance A student was arrested for possession of a controlled substance and transported to Hays County Law Enforcement Center.

Sept. 14, 11:42 A.M. Student Recreation Center Theft under $500

to walk on The Square because the sidewalks became so packed. They eventually had to start walking on the street,” Earnest said. “That is where accidents happen.”

SMPD reported eight traffic incidents, including five accidents, two hit and runs and one traffic hazard. Earnest said he was “pleasantly surprised” by these numbers, citing that it “could have been a lot worse.”

UPD was called to assist SMPD in The Square, but focused its attention and manpower on the football game and tailgate, said UPD administrative sergeant Adam Rodriguez.

“There were a lot of people at tailgate,” Rodriguez said. “But as far as incidents go, there were no major incidents at tailgate or at the game.”

“We had about 56 officers working both in and outside of the stadium,” Rodriguez said. “We had more people, and we had more cause for service, but there was nothing that was out of the ordinary.”

Overall, both SMPD and UPD were pleasantly surprised with the outcome of the weekend.

“Although there were some unfortunate events that occurred, all-in-all it was a successful weekend,” Earnest said.

It makes you smarter.

Carlos Valdez, Assistant Photo Editor

A student reported personal property had been taken without consent. This case is under investigation.

Sept. 14, 1:07 A.M. Wood Street Evading arrest One student was arrested for evading arrest and driving while intoxicated. Another student was cited and arrested for public intoxication. Both students were transported to Hays County Law Enforcement Center.

Sept. 14, 12:27 A.M Tower Hall Possession of marijuana Three students were cited for possession of marijuana and minor in possession of alcohol. Another student was arrested for possession of marijuana and was transported to Hays County Law Enforcement Center.

—Courtesy of University Police Department

library beat

Alkek launches new website

This week the Alkek Library launched a new website that incorporates a mix of functionality and design. The website now highlights services and resources along with current and upcoming events and exhibitions.

On part of the website, students can share library experiences with the Texas State Community. The hope is to capture the voice of the library community and spread the word about what a huge asset the library is to students, faculty and staff.

If you have an experience you want to share, please contact library@txstate.edu.

Mention in the email that you want to be part of the voice of the library.

Another feature of the redesign is a search box allowing patrons to start their research easily from the homepage, with multiple search options available. Each tab offers a different search. When you click on the tab, you’ll see a description of what is being searched. For example, the first tab called “Start Your Research,” searches mul-

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CRIME BLOTTER

Sept. 15, 10:47 P.M. Smith Hall 1 Minor in possession of alcohol A student was cited for minor in possession of alcohol. This case is under judicial review.

CITATIONS

tiple library resources including articles, books and media, while “Books & More” searches the library catalog. A new option is our “Research & Course Guides” search, where librarians recommend databases and other resources that are best for your particular topic. If students go to the library for an instruction session, the course guide developed for class may help.

Special services are available to you as a member of the Texas State community.

For those who want to go to a specific database, a link to the Research Databases page is easy to find. Frequent users of the Ask a Librarian service know if you cannot find what you need, the person on chat or the phone line will help you.

Feedback is welcomed concerning the website’s new look. When visiting the library website, please take a moment to fill out a short survey. The link can be found toward the bottom of the page on the right.

—Courtesy of Lisa Ancelet

Advertisement | The University Star | Tuesday September 18, 2012 | 3

4 | Tuesday September 18, 2012 | The University Star

OPINIONS

For more viewpoints or letters to the editor, e-mail staropinions@txstate.edu

More patrol officers needed in downtown area

Grace Perkins, Star Illustrator

T

he San Marcos Police Department’s decision not to increase patrol officers in the downtown area runs contrary to the logic and comfort of residents and students.

According to a Sept. 12 University Star article, there have been nine vehicle-related deaths in San Marcos this year, five of which included pedestrians. That is almost double 2011’s total of five fatalities, three of which were pedestrian.

Despite this statistical jump, the recent hit-and-run that injured three pedestrians and another crash that left one person dead, SMPD is not increasing the amount of officers in the area.

“There is not a whole lot we can do,” said San Marcos Police Chief Howard Williams in the Sept. 12 article. “It’s really hard for us to have any proactive effort to reduce the leaving-the-scene collisions.”

It is not the fault of police officers when students or

residents of San Marcos drink and drive, or when pedestrians suddenly wander into a street in the path of an oncoming car. Personal responsibility cannot be overstated. However, increasing the amount of officers stationed in the downtown area could increase the chances that these dangerous activities are spotted and stopped before accidents occur.

One of the main functions of law enforcement should be to make a concerted effort to prevent crime. Williams’ comments make it seem like police officers are powerless against the potentially dangerous activities that occur in downtown San Marcos, and that should be worrisome to anyone spending time in the area. Simply having a noticeable police presence in the downtown area may be enough to give someone pause before driving drunk, or wandering into the middle of the street.

Having an attentive presence downtown will allow officers to spot jaywalking or notice when people emerge from bars looking unfit to drive and proactively work against that potential danger. That sort of attention and presence can only be achieved by having more officers present.

Texas State and San Marcos are only getting bigger, and the demographics of its population tend to gravitate toward the downtown area. The same police force that was able to adequately respond and prevent crime when the school’s population was lower and the city less developed cannot hope to sustain the same effectiveness in that area now.

SMPD officials said they will be increasing the number of officers patrolling during big events, such as the Texas Tech football game weekend. However, the problem expands beyond that game day and that weekend. A sustained increase in enforcement is the only thing that can adequately protect Bobcats and San Marcos residents.

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.

Students neglected in Romney’s “59-point plan”

By Ravi Venkataraman Opinions Columnist

I

t is still uncertain how presidential candidate Mitt Romney plans to benefit current and future college students between his promises to create new jobs and condemnations of Obama’s policies.

During the recent Republican National Convention in Tampa, thousands of people gathered to rally behind Romney and his support group. Romney’s supporters include many notable figures such as his running mate Paul Ryan, former secretary of state Condoleezza Rice, New Jersey

Governor Chris Christie and actor Clint Eastwood.

The convention’s major speakers did not say much about the extreme increase in public university tuition during the past four years or the party’s plan to make higher education more affordable. Completely overlooking this issue is irresponsible and inexcusable on Romney’s part, especially if his focal point is improving the economy.

“I am running for president to help create a better future,” Romney said Aug. 30 at the Republican National Convention. “A future where everyone who wants a job can find a job, where no senior fears for the security of their retirement, an America where every parent knows that their child will get an education that leads to a good job and a bright horizon. And unlike the president, I have a plan to create 12 million new jobs.”

What are the exact aspects of his plan?

Only Romney seems to know.

We do have a general idea of Romney’s policies from his year-old “59-point plan.”

The plan details his ideas on creating jobs, increasing oil drilling and organizing free-trade agreements with other countries.

However, his plan’s single reference to education pertains to student visas rather than student debt.

Republican speakers, including Rice, emphasized solidifying a strong math and science foundation in K-12 education in order to compete with India and China. In previous interviews, Romney’s response to the increasing cost of higher education was to push for more technical schools, junior colleges, for-profit institutions and online universities so people can search for the best option based on price tags. In addition, Romney supports placing more of the responsibility for public institutions on individual states, limiting Pell Grant recipients and restricting the amount of grant aid given.

Romney’s main argument in his “59-point plan” is to lower taxes for businesses and allow business owners to be job creators,

which in return will ignite the sputtering economy. But not everyone is as fortunate as Steve Jobs or Bill Gates. We can’t all become such incredible job creators without a complete college education. Many large business owners and corporation leaders hold advanced degrees and have disadvantaged backgrounds, including Howard Schultz, chairman and CEO of Starbucks.

Between balancing the budget and growing debt, states are struggling to handle their own fiscal situations. Statewide tuition increases and academic budget cuts have burdened students across the U.S. for years now. Republican policies, or lack thereof, would prove to be even more troublesome for students than the current ones.

When a four-year degree is financially out of reach, how can we expect individuals to become economy-saving job creators when they cannot afford to learn first?

—Ravi Venkataraman is a creative writing masters student.

Texas State website and mobile app need updates

By Savannah Wingo Assistant Opinions Editor

D

espite recent adjustments, the Texas State website and mobile app still lack intuitive design and should be remodeled in the near future.

Though the website received an update toward the end of last semester, the homepage needs to be more convenient for students.

It is hard to navigate, especially for new students who are not already acquainted with it.

The huge drop-down menu on the front

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page is irritating on the web, but downright impossible on mobile phones. Students have to search through five tabs of links at once with the current menu, making it hard to find specific ones. Scanning through the huge list is time consuming and a strain on the eyes.

In addition, popular resources such as Student Business Services and CatsWeb are not easily accessible from the homepage. The business services link is not even listed at the top of the page alongside other important features like Bobcat Mail and TRACS. Getting to CatsWeb requires the user to make three more clicks than necessary. Since students have to pay their tuition online and access CatsWeb regularly for degree audits, financial aid and other services, both sites should be easy to access from the homepage.

CatsWeb does not have full compatibility

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

with Google Chrome, a popular browser among students. According to a report from StatCounter, Google Chrome is the third most popular browser in the United States.

Texas State should ensure official websites are accessible on all popular browsers.

Texas State should aim to make the website intuitive and easy to use. Users should not have to scan through a huge, unwieldy laundry list of links to find what they need, nor make several clicks to get to a popular link. The site should have a clean, simple interface enabling users to easily find the resources they are looking for.

Perhaps Texas State should be taking cues from communication design classes on campus. Some classes in the communication design major even give students the opportunity to redesign the Texas State homepage as a class project. Since students tend to use the site the most, perhaps they should

Multimedia Editor.........................Alex Peña, starmultimediaeditor@txstate.edu Design Editor................................Michelle Wadsworth, stardesign@txstate.edu Account Executive........................................Christina Carr, starad4@txstate.edu Account Executive...................................Casey Neubauer, starad2@txstate.edu Account Executive..................................Michelle Rohmer, starad3@txstate.edu Account Executive.....................................Hannah Wilson, starad5@txstate.edu Media Specialist.............................................Mary Scheske, ms88@txstate.edu Advertising Coordinator...........................Kelsey Nuckolls, starad1@txstate.edu Publications Coordinator.......................................Linda Allen, la06@txstate.edu Publications Director...........................Bob Bajackson, stardirector@txstate.edu

be able to give input into what changes the university administration makes on the web.

Other university-affiliated online services need renovation as well. For instance, the Texas State Mobile app has its own issues.

In particular, articles from The University Star are hard to read on the university’s app, and only a limited number of recent stories are displayed. The tram schedules are infamously inaccurate, though this is due more to the NextBus system and other outside influences.

Although the Texas State website was recently updated, there are many ways to further improve its functionality. University officials should take steps to improve the homepage and the mobile app to make resources easier for students to navigate.

—Savannah Wingo is a mass communications sophomore.

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 Tuesday, September 18, 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.

Visit The Star at www.UniversityStar.com

The University Star | Tuesday September 18, 2012 | 5

TRENDS

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Texas State alumna uses creativity at Democratic National Convention

By Paige Lambert Trends Reporter One alumna’s passion for politics and social media led her to a job with a party’s most important meeting of the election: the Democratic National Convention.

Christina Gomez, who graduated from Texas State with a degree in political science, served as a creative strategist for this year’s DNC. But her love for politics began long before her move to Washington D.C. That interest was sparked while working for The University Star as the trends editor.

“I decided to make the jump when I got a chance to write staff (editorials) and political pieces for The Star,” Gomez said. “I had high aspirations then. I even thought about writing for The Washington Post some day.”

Gomez took an internship with the Texas Democratic Party after changing her major from journalism to political science. Gomez was able to apply lessons in the classroom to the actual events in the Capitol.

There, she performed tasks big and small, from making coffee to helping with web design. Her previous jobs and background with graphic design helped her succeed in the internship.

“I first heard of Christina from her blog Stay {Up} Early,” said Martin Golando, legislative assistant for state representative Trey Fischer. “She was exceptionally creative and hypercompetitive. People like that do well in this office.”

During Gomez’s time there, she oversaw press releases and social media. She ascended to Fischer’s communication di-

rector, dealing with all aspects of public communication.

Gomez designed logos, created web designs for multiple businesses and coordinated events for political organizations.

One gala raised thousands of dollars for the Mexican American Legislative Caucus.

“I just made myself useful: that’s what you have to do in an internship,” Gomez recalled. “Being the first to show up and the last to leave really shows that you’re dedicated. It helps you network and make connections that could lead to a future job.”

Strengthening and keeping those connections helped Gomez in the long run. One of her mentors in the Capitol, Tanya Tarr, had previously worked in national politics and suggested that Gomez move to Washington D.C. “Christina has an amazing affinity to online strategy and just a variety of skills,” Tarr said. “She knows how to utilize social media and talk about her life in a way that brings people in. Personal narrative is essential in an election.”

Gomez put those skills to use, and soon after moving to D.C., was hired by the DNC. She was given the position of creative strategist for the digital department.

“Its probably the coolest job title in the DNC,” Gomez said. “We are taking a 30,000 foot view of a variety of things, especially on social media channels. I look for ways to extend our message, that could help reelect the president.”

One of the opportunities Gomez jumped on was when representative Akin made his statement about “legitimate rape.” Gomez immediately sent out emails and tweets about women’s rights and her party’s views.

It’ll be another four years until the next convention, but Go-

Photo courtesy of Christina Gomez

Christina Gomez, Texas State alumna, landed a social media job in creative strategy with the Democratic National Convention. mez said she is ready to use her creative and political skills to help people in the future.

“I now love the DNC, and I’ll be gearing up for the next go as long as I can wake up and make a difference for people,” Gomez said.

New music shop to take Sundance’s place

Austin Beavers, Staff Photographer

The old Sundance Record Store location will become Superfly’s Lone Star Music Emporium this fall.

By Xander Peters Trends Reporter

An aroma of 35 years’ worth of incense and aged vinyl still lingers in the old building once home to Sundance Records and Tapes.

Change has been on the horizon ever since the San Marcos landmark closed shop for the last time this April. A new record store will soon take its place.

Zach Jennings, Superfly’s Lone Star Music Emporium owner, was given an inside tip earlier this year about Sundance’s closing. He and the rest of Lone Star Music realized the closing presented the opportunity for something unique.

“We’re not looking to replace the decades’ worth of tradition (Sundance) instilled in this town,” Jennings said. “It was an emblem to what this place is all about.

We just want to take the best elements from Sundance, as well as what Lone Star has to offer, and make it a record store truly fit for the 21st century.”

Richard Skanse, editor of Lone Star Music magazine, has been a long-time fan and resident of San Marcos since 2007. He utilized the opening to show the New Braunfels-based company around town.

After an in-depth visit to the college town, Jennings agreed that it seemed like a good meshing of personalities and cultures.

“A college town needs a cool record store,” said Skanse. “I loved Sundance. I’d go in there and browse around at least once a week. In the end, we want to be looked at as a place to hang out.”

Although Superfly’s owners are keeping the unique groove of Sundance in mind, the aesthetic sense of the new record store will be very different.

“We don’t want people to walk in and say, ‘These guys just repurposed Sundance,’” Jennings said. “I mean, Bobby had the place decked out. But we’ve invested heavily in 3,500 to 4,000 pieces of vinyl so far. The old fans will be pleasantly surprised with that, and the Lone Star loyals will be just as pleasantly surprised with the music tastes. We have some tricks up our sleeves.”

One “trick” the owner mentioned is the move to host in-store performances from local and national touring lone star state musicians. Possible performers include artists in the Americana and Texas Country genres that Superfly’s is gearing toward.

Genres like indie, punk and other assortments of alternative rock, which Lone Star Music might not have been able to reach before, are also expected to feature

at the renovated record store.

“We want to bring new musicians to San Marcos so they can see just how fantastic this place really is,” Jennings said.

Along with live events, there will be a listening bar where window shoppers can relax and be entertained while enjoying free keg beer. The beer will be available once a month for the organization’s promotional event “Weekend Browsing Beer.”

Jennings and the people at Superfly’s also plan to bring a whole new spectacle to the shop. They plan to install a projection screen that will stream live major music festivals and events such as Coachella, Austin City Limits and Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival.

“Essentially, this is based around the incoming and outgoing students every year. What we want to be is a central cog in their memory,” Jennings said. “I went to school in Austin and would sometimes blow my entire paycheck at Waterloo Records. I want it to be that way for other youth out there. I want them to say, ‘What would I have done without Superfly’s?’”

The store owners hope to open some time this month.

“Internal discussions between us show a college town with diverse people and a fresh set of revelations,” Jennings said. “Everything is in place for a type of renaissance. There’s this organic energy flowing through the town like Austin was before everyone felt they had put a ‘Keep Austin Weird’ sticker on their bumper. We want to be an integral part in a musical uprising. Not a driving force, but a part that makes people look back 10 years from now and say what we did was really cool. We just want to be a part of the discussion.”

6 | Tuesday September 18, 2012 | The University Star

SPORTS

Check out more at UniversityStar.com

VOLLEYBALL

Texas State earns first WAC win against San Jose State

By Jordan Cole Sports Reporter The Texas State volleyball team began WAC play last week looking to improve on a 5-6 overall record against the San Jose State Spartans and the Utah State Aggies.

The Bobcats split the weekend, defeating San Jose State last Thursday and losing to Utah State on Saturday. They now have a 6-7 record for the season (1-1 in the WAC).

Against the Spartans, the Bobcats managed to win not only their first match in the WAC but the first conference WAC

John Casares, Staff Photographer

Amari Deardorff, junior right side hitter, spikes the ball past two defending Spartans Sept.13 at Strahan Coliseum. Texas State defeated San Jose State 3-1 in their first Western Athletic Conference victory of the season.

game of any Texas State sport.

The Bobcats won the first set 25-23, lost the second 22-25, and won the next two 25-23 and 28-26.

Coach Karen Chisum said the win is already one of the most noteworthy memories of her long and decorated career. It is not the first time the volleyball team ushered Texas State into a new era with a win.

“To get the first WAC win in our program is huge to me,” Chisum said. “If you think back from when we went from SWT to Texas State, we had a win versus Weber State that was the first win for ‘Texas State University’ and its new name. That was pretty neat, and all of the ‘firsts’ are special to me.”

The match against San Jose State was competitive through every set, featuring 34 tie scores and 18 lead changes.

Freshman defensive specialist Sierra Smith had two aces and 11 digs. She said the game was an important win to obtain to start out conference play and felt honored to have been given the chance.

“It was really exciting,” Smith said.

“I’m glad that Chisum gave me the opportunity. If I was on the bench, then I’d contribute anything I can, but being on the court is just a completely different experience, and I appreciate it.”

Senior Caleigh McCorquodale and sophomore Caylin Mahoney, both setters, notched 21 and 14 assists respectively in this match.

Junior middle blocker Ashlee Hilbun led the team with 13 digs and was second in kills with seven. “(The win) started us off strong,” Hilbun said. “Just showing us that we can do this. We’re ready to play. We’re in the WAC now, when (games) matter. Preseason doesn’t mean anything anymore.”

The second match of the weekend was against Utah State. The Bobcats lost its first two sets 23-25 and 15-25. The final set went five points past regulation before Texas State fell 27-29 and lost the match.

Chisum said the Bobcats had issues with consistency, and they needed their outside hitters to improve.

“They weren’t terminating the ball, and we were just inconsistent,” Chisum said.

“We stuck with them. Utah State was definitely better, and it shows that we can compete with them. We just have to be able to terminate, play aggressive and with that gritty nature.”

The two setters had another good match as McCorquodale notched her fourth double-double of the season, finishing with 14 assists and a team-high 15 digs. Meanwhile, Mahoney led the Bobcats with 21 assists to go along with four kills.

Sophomore outside hitter Alexandra Simms led the team with 10 kills. She has led the team in kills eight of the last 13 matches. Junior middle blocker Amari Deardorff also posted 10 kills.

Next, the team will face UTSA in the

AROUND THE WAC Thursday Sept. 13

Saturday Sept. 15

3-1

3-1

Utah State

@UTSA

UT Arlington

3-2 New Mexico State

@Louisiana Tech

1-3 @Seattle

San Jose State

0-3 Denver

@UTSA

2-3 @Idaho

Dever

@Seattle

3-2 New Mexico State

Alexandra Simms has this season, leading the team. She had just 58 for all of 2011.

134 Kills service aces per game for Texas State this season.

That’s good enough for third in the conference.

1.26 Average

3.625

Average loss in sets for San Jose State this past weekend against Texas State and UTSA. The Bobcats defeated the Spartans in four sets but their largest margin of victory was just three.

GOLF

Bobcat finishes first, team comes in fourth

By Eddie Baty Sports Reporter The Texas State women’s golf team headed to Michigan State on Sept.

15 for the Mary Fossum Invitational, where senior Krista Puisite managed to clench the individual first place slot and earned another title.

There were 17 teams and 92 players total. Texas State placed fourth as a team, losing by 21 strokes in the Chris Banister Golf Classic a few weeks ago. Coach Mike Akers said he suspects the Bobcats need to focus on consistency and trying to improve with each round.

“Consistency was definitely an issue,” Akers said. “And the quality of the teams that were there versus at the Chris Banister was much different.”

The Bobcats had a hard time getting to the tournament. It took the team 25 hours to get to the invitational because of flight issues, leaving some players fatigued and disrupting the team’s practice time. The first two days’ rounds were the team’s weakest, but the Bobcats managed to pull together in the final day’s round.

“The last day was our best round,” Akers said. “Only one team beat us that day, and it was by only one shot I believe.”

Not only was the competition tougher at the invitational, but the course itself was narrow and more punishing than usual. Getting off track was costly.

“It was a very difficult course, but it was a really good course for us

too,” Puisite said. “If you slipped up a little bit it made the course much harder.”

Puisite seemed to have been on top of her game and maintained consistency through the three rounds. She scored 71 for the first two rounds, and 73 on the final. The team, however, had a harder time maintaining its stronger scores throughout each round.

“You just have to hit well and make sure you are putting good, and you’ll be more consistent,” Puisite said.

“The bigger misses will give you a hard time later on, so you have to make sure to hit your best each time.”

The team has a month off before heading to Oklahoma for another tournament. The Bobcats should be more prepared, considering they only had four days to prep for their first tournament,.

“I think we will be able to rebound,” Akers said. “We have a whole month to prepare for Oklahoma. We’ll definitely have a much better chance to settle in and get a structured practice.”

Ultimately, the team needed to experience Forest Akers West Course to improve. The course’s terrain is more difficult and it will not be the first time the team runs into a similarly challenging course “The whole reason I scheduled that event was to get experience up there,” Akers said. “So, now we will just make sure to work hard next month and recharge.”

Twitter: @EddieBatyIII

@Idaho

Austin Beavers, Staff Photographer

Ashlee Hilbun, junior middle blocker, spikes the ball against San Jose State Sept. 13 at Strahan Coliseum. rivalry of I-35. The match will take place on Friday, Sept. 21 and will begin at 6:30 p.m.

Twitter: @TXStatesman

SOCCER

Sports | The University Star | Tuesday September 18, 2012 | 7

Bobcats determined to stay positive despite losing streak

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Kristen Champion, freshman midfielder, slides for the ball Sept. 16 at the Bobcat Soccer Complex.

By Odus Evbagharu Sports Reporter The Bobcats’ soccer club was unable to win either of the first two matchups in its five-game home stand, extending its losing and goalless streak to four games.

The team, 2-7-1, lost to Stephen F. Austin (6-2) in the closing minutes of the game on Friday and was defeated by McNeese State on Sunday.

A Bobcat defender fouled Ladyjack midfielder Kylie Louw in the box with seven minutes remaining, which resulted in a penalty kick for SFA. Louw scored and gave the Ladyjacks the game sealer to avenge last year’s championship lost to Texas State, 1-0.

“I thought we actually came in really well in the first half, and I honestly thought we came in the second half really well too,” Coach Kat Conner said. “We just made a silly mistake, and they got a (penalty kick.)

And she finished it. It’s frustrating. (We) put together 83 minutes of a stellar performance and just made a silly mistake, and it cost us.”

The Bobcats were outshot 13-9, but only two of their attempts were on target.

“We’re just going to stay positive,” freshman midfielder Kristen Champion said. ”Our defending has been solid, and we’re just working on our set pieces. We are working on our offense, attacking the ball, and (we) just have to keep a positive mentality heading into Sunday.”

The club’s scoring woes continued Sunday as they took on the McNeese State Cowgirls (5-3-1), and weather conditions did not help. Texas State could not find the back of the net in wet and muggy conditions.

“I think we just need to settle down and figure out how to be dangerous in our attacking third and put it together,” sophomore midfielder Tori Hale said. “Obviously we’re working on our set pieces, and that has become a problem for us. We just need to put our hearts into more, and we’ll be fine.”

Throughout the game Sunday, the Bobcats had many opportunities to score, outshooting McNeese 13-5, but only had four of their shots on goal. The Cowgirls found the back of the net in the 34th minute to score the go-ahead goal and get the victory, 1-0.

“Today was frustrating, as again we made a costly mistake and (McNeese State) capitalized,” Conner said. “As a coach, the second half was very good, and we had some great opportunities in front of the goal. The players know it has been tough, and they have not given up. It will come.”

Texas State has been outscored 9-1 in its current five-game slide. The Bobcats last scored in a defeat by Rice, 2-1, which began the losing streak. Texas State will try to end its struggles when it takes on Texas Southern at home on Friday.

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“San Diego State is a big game for us. They are a fellow CSU member in the state system. So, our presidents see each other all the time. We are excited about going to San Diego and playing.

They have a very good football team, a lot of speed and a lot of athleticism. It’s going to be a very tough test for us.”

—San Jose State coach Mike MacIntyre on their in-state game against San Diego State

“The (WAC) is playing awfully well.

I know this is the last year of the league football-wise, but everyone’s playing well. Our game at Georgia State is

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probably our best game we’ve played since we started football here a year ago. I was very encouraged by that. It was a good win for us.”

—UTSA coach Larry Coker after anothe Roadrunner victory to remain undefeated

“We’ve gotten some time to evaluate our personnel and evaluate ourselves.

When you look at a college football season in regard to practices, we’re about halfway through. We’re blessed this year that we have two open weeks, and I like that for getting healthy and getting emotionally and physically rested.”

—Texas State coach Dennis Franchione talking about the benefit of this past bye week

—Report compiled by Cameron Irvine, Sports Editor Twitter: @txstcamirvine

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FOOTBALL RUNDOWN On Monday morning, WAC coaches had a teleconference to update the media about their respective teams. Here are some highlights from the discussion, as all seven WAC teams prepare for games this weekend.

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8 | Tuesday September 18, 2012 | The University Star | Advertisement