SOUTHBOUND 35
TWO-TIMING
Pat Green & Friends have Texas on their minds
Bobcat soccer lassoes Cowgirls, takes Colonels down a rank
SEE TRENDS PAGE 6
SEE SPORTS PAGE 12
TEXAS STATE UNIVERSITY SAN MARCOS
www.UNIVERSITYSTAR.com
NOVEMBER 1, 2005
TUESDAY
VOLUME 95, ISSUE 28
Car wreck victim may be Texas State student; autopsy pending
MARCH FOR MORATORIUM By Leah Kirkwood News Reporter
O
n Saturday, hundreds of death penalty protestors nationwide came together for the Sixth Annual March to Stop Executions. This year’s march was planned to coincide with the National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty’s conference that took place last weekend at the Hyatt Regency Hotel. The march began at 3 p.m. with an hour-long rally at the Austin City Hall Plaza. The reggae band Diaspora played their politically loaded music with shouts of “Abolish the death penalty!” between songs.
Protestors lined the streets holding signs reading, “Stop All Executions” and “Innocent” with mug shots of several men currently on death row. The crowd cheered every time a passing car honked its horn. The University of Texas chapter of Campaign to End the Death Penalty had a booth set up at the plaza with copies of The New Abolitionist newsletter and information sheets on several death row inmates the group believes were wrongfully convicted. Campaign member and UT doctorate student Bryan McCann said he feels students
By Kirsten Crow News Editor
See MORATORIUM, page 3
Monty Marion/Star photos Protesters march north on Congress Avenue during Saturday’s protest. The group went on to surround the Governor’s Mansion in a call to end all state executions.
San Marcos police believe a Texas State student was one of the victims in a wreck early Saturday morning, which killed two people. According to the press release, the wreck occurred at the intersection of Aquarena Springs Drive and the east access road of Interstate 35 after a 1998 Tahoe, which investigators estimated to be traveling between 75 and 80 miles per hour, clipped a Honda Civic at 12:28 a.m. The press release reported that the Tahoe continued through the intersection after clipping the Honda, went over the center median divider and crossed into the opposite lane before striking a tree head-on. Upon impact, the car was engulfed in flames, according to the release. The driver of the Honda was uninjured, the release stated. The press release further stated that the driver of the Tahoe, Zachary Hoy, 20, of Spring, Texas, was ejected from the vehicle upon impact. Hoy was not wearing his safety belt. The passenger, who was identified in the press release as a 22-year-old Texas State fashion merchandising sophomore, was later found still strapped in her seat. Justice of the Peace 1st Precinct, Place 2, Margie Hernandez, said she pronounced the two occupants of the vehicle (Tahoe) dead at 1:37 a.m. She said she ordered autopsies and toxicology reports for both victims but had only received the autopsy of the driver, Hoy, by press time. The autopsy revealed he had died of trauma from the wreck. The passenger, however, has not been positively identified yet, Hernandez said. “We’re waiting on dental work,” she said. “The See WRECK, page 4
ASG hears from athletic department, reads new legislation omorrow night, we have one of our “T biggest volleyball matches of the year against University of Texas.” By Clayton Medford News Reporter
The Associated Student Government heard from the athletic department and read a new piece of legislation at an abbreviated meeting on Monday. On hand from the athletic department were Associate Athletic Director Don Coryell and Director of Marketing Brian Miller. Coryell and Miller discussed with senators the best time to arrive at Bobcat Stadium for tailgating as well as upcoming athletic events. “Tomorrow night, we have one of
— Don Coryell associate athletic director
our biggest home volleyball matches of the year against University of Texas,” Coryell said. “It’s not often we get those guys from Austin to come down here.” Other events include what Miller called a “College GameDay” atmo-
sphere, referring to ESPN’s football preview program, being held on Wednesday afternoon in The Quad. Coryell and Miller told senators about Fandemonium, the Texas State basketball tip-off celebration Thursday
night. The tip-off event will include a performance by the San Antonio Spurs Silver Dancers and a concert by Django Walker. The legislation read by lead sponsor biochemistry senior Sen. David Terrell concerns the expansion of the membership requirements of the Environmental Service Fee committee to include tenure-track professors. The environmental service fee, which is $1 per student and per long semester, and 50 cents per short semester, goes toward “recycling, landscaping, transportation initiatives like hike-and-bike
trails and other ‘campus greening’ activities,” according to the legislation. The three faculty members of the committee represent the departments of geography, agriculture and biology, respectively. Membership is limited to tenured professors, but author of the legislation Sen. Cat Reed, communication studies senior, felt the requirements were too narrow. “(The legislation) widens the pool of possible qualified faculty members to serve on the Environmental Service Fee committee,” Reed said.
Early voting shows Pam Muñoz Ryan receives Rivera award accepts his award is an increase in students Author award during “T a testament to the community 10-year celebration and the school. It casting their ballots shows what this By Alysha Hernandez News Reporter On Wednesday and Thursday, 962 people showed up for early voting at the LBJ Student Center. The polls were open to Texas State students, faculty, staff and Hays County residents. Joyce Cowan, elections administrator and voter registrar for Hays County, said she felt that a good number of those who voted at the LBJ Student Center were students. Cowan said she was pleased that young adults were exercising their right to vote in their registered county. “Our young people, early- to mid-20s, have the lowest percentage of voter turnout. We used to go up on campus, and we would have maybe 25 people that would vote,” she said. “Now, young people are coming out,
students are voting, and there is an increasing voter turnout.” As of Saturday, Cowan said 2,360 people had voted in early elections. In Hays County, there are more than 78,000 registered voters. Of these 78,000, San Marcos has more than 25,000 registered voters. The San Marcos ballot includes voting on issues in Hays County and the city of San Marcos, as well as nine Texas Constitutional amendments, including one that would define marriage in Texas as between one man and one woman. The ballot includes six bond propositions dealing with the issuance of various bond monies. If approved, the various proposals would allow for the improvement of green space See EARLY, page 4
Today’s Weather
Sunny 75˚/ 43˚
Precipitation: 10% Humidity: 32% UV: 6 High Wind: N 13 mph
By Jason Buch News Reporter
A Texas State institution celebrated a decade of honoring authors and illustrators who contribute to the Hispanic community through children’s literature, beginning with an awards ceremony last week. Awarded annually, the Tomás Rivera Mexican American Children’s Book Award was presented to Pam Muñoz Ryan on Friday for her book Becoming Naomi León. “When you write a book, you are so far removed from accolades,” Ryan said. “I was thrilled to find out I would be receiving this award in conjunction with the 10-year anniversary. This award is a testament to the community and the school. It shows what this college makes a priority.” Ryan grew up in Bakersfield, Calif. She first became a teacher
college makes a priority.”
— Pam Muñoz Ryan Tomás Rivera award recipient
but returned to school for her master’s degree in order to teach literature at the college level. It was when she was studying for her master’s, she said, that a teacher suggested she try professional writing. Since then she has written over 25 children’s books. About 40 people attended the ceremony on the seventh floor of the Alkek Library including members of the Rivera family and University President Denise Trauth. “I’m so glad our university is the university that gives this award and by giving it supports the development of the popu-
Two-day Forecast Wedneday Sunny Temp: 79°/ 45° Precipitation: 0%
Thursday Sunny Temp: 81°/ 52° Precipitation: 20%
Monty Marion/Star photo Pam Muñoz Ryan accepts the Tomás Rivera Award from Rosalinda Barrera, education dean, and Perry Moore, provost and vice president of Academic Affairs on Friday, in Alkek Library. Ryan won the award, which recognizes excellence in children’s books for Mexican Americans, for her book Becoming Naomi Leõn. lation of Texas,” Trauth said. “Having something that supports the involvement of Hispanics is very important, and it’s a great book.” Rivera’s brother, Antonio Rivera, spoke on Tomás Ri-
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vera’s legacy and University Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs Perry Moore and Education Dean Rosalinda Barrera presented See AWARD, page 4
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