11 14 2006

Page 1

FOOTBALL FAREWELL

GOOD GOLLY DIWALI

Seniors say goodbye with drubbing of Tigers

Indian festival of lights celebration hits LBJ Student Center Ballroom

SEE SPORTS PAGE 10

SEE TRENDS PAGE 4

DEFENDING THE FIRST AMENDMENT SINCE 1911

WWW.UNIVERSITYSTAR.COM

NOVEMBER 14, 2006

TUESDAY

VOLUME 96, ISSUE 34

Burglaries plague apartments heavily populated by students By Jacqueline Davis The University Star At least 10 apartment break-ins were reported to the San Marcos Police Department Thursday in what appears to be a string of connected burglaries. Randy Holmes, SMPD day shift supervisor, said the culprits entered through unlocked doors and windows in many instances.

Holmes identified some of the apartments affected as the Ridge Apartments, Zone Apartments, Village on the River, Hill Country Apartments and Bobcat Village. Holmes said there have been reports from other apartment complexes along Aquarena Springs Drive. Holmes said similar strings of burglaries have occurred in the past, and they tend to escalate around Christ-

mas, Thanksgiving and spring break. No suspects have been identified, but the University Police Department released a warning Thursday that said suspects were seen kicking in the front door of an apartment at Bobcat Village. Blake Bartlett, communication sophomore and resident of Bobcat Village, recalled the incident. Bartlett said the break-in occurred at the apartment

of a woman who lives near him. “I was here when it happened,” Bartlett said. “I was on the computer when I heard someone break down the door. It was a loud boom that sounded almost like a gunshot. Then I heard two really loud screams. I ran outside, and I see a black dude running toward the railroad tracks.” Bartlett said the man who ran away was “really tall” and wore a white, bag-

gy T-shirt, basketball shorts and a red do-rag on his head. “I thought it might have been a joke,” Bartlett said. “I didn’t take it seriously at first. But later I saw four or five cop cars right over there,” Bartlett said, gesturing to the parking lot. The UPD warning highlighted three suspects, who were described as black

On the move again

University program brings wheelchair ramp, mobility to local resident By A.N. Hernández The University Star Cyndi Underwood says she’s missed the sun for too long. For two years, she viewed the world through slivers of propped-open doors or kitchen windows. “This is what I usually do,” she said, in between shouts to her goats grazing outside. “People just walk outside; they don’t think as they walk through that door, ‘Hey, I’m going outside.’ But, me, I’m either sitting at the doorway or watching through windows.” This weekend, she did the same, waiting eagerly for a wheelchair ramp to be built and for the concrete to dry so she could venture out onto her 10-acre ranch and into the pen with her 13 boer goats. Texas State’s Safe At Home program built the ramp free of charge, with the aid of Lawhead General Contracting and $7,000 in donated materials from McCoy’s Building Supply. Underwood, 47, has a rare neurological disease called generalized dystonia. She is wheelchair-bound. Because the doorways to her mobile home are several feet off the ground, going outside is nearly impossible. The few times she leaves the house it’s for a doctor’s appointment or family visit. But with her husband’s back and her slow, painful pace, she said leaving is often a 20-minute ordeal. “This will change my life. I am thrilled to death about the ramp,” she said. “Plus, I can get mad at my husband and say, ‘I’m going outside,’” she said, laughing. Wearing light-brown glasses and sitting on her cherry-red motorized scooter, she joked with her husband, John Underwood. “Now when I go outside, she’ll be able to follow me,” he said. Cyndi’s disease was caused by a headon collision in 1978 that left her in a coma for a month. She had no symptoms until she lost her voice for a month in 1999 and a handful of doctors couldn’t figure out what was happening. “Finally one of the doctors told me I had to see a neurologist,” she said. “When I was

diagnosed with this, I had never heard of this disease. I just really want people to be aware that it’s out there and what it is.” Dystonia leaves painful knots in Cyndi’s arms, thighs, chest, legs and feet. If untreated with medication, it would leave her body in continuous, uncontrollable spasms. She also has dysphonia, a form of dystonia that affects her vocal chords, making it painful to talk for extended periods of time. “It has really changed me as a whole. I am not really the same person,” she said. Cyndi and her husband breed boer goats. They were forced to sell more than half their stock when caring for Cyndi and the goats became too much for John. “I never thought of myself as strong. I didn’t think about all the stuff I did, I just did it because it needed to be done,” John said. “It’s a lot of work, but I mean I am learning stuff, like how to cook.” Peggy Akin, regional coordinator for the Dystonia Medical Research Foundation’s Texas division and director of the Greater Dallas Dystonia/Dysphonia Support Group, said dystonia can be genetic or situational. “It can be genetic or due to a trauma or prolonged stress, like if you were in a car accident and got whiplash. That’s what makes it so hard for doctors to diagnose it because every situation is different, and every person’s onset on it is different too,” Akin said. “If you have generalized dystonia, a lot of the time it starts in your right foot or right hand, but that’s not always the case.” The wheelchair ramp will make Cyndi’s life easier. The Safe at Home program at Texas State aims to reduce the risk of injuries at home among the elderly and disabled residents of San Marcos and works in conjunction with the College of Health Professions. “We are going to be in careers that help people, so it only makes sense that we’re out here. It feels good to help people in the community,” said Daniella Huber, A.N. Hernández/Star photo healthcare administration senior. IT HAD BEEN A LONG TIME: Cyndi Underwood pets her boer goat Dharma Sue Huber, seven of her peers and Safe at for the first time in two years Saturday after Texas State’s Safe At Home program See RAMP, page 3

built a wheelchair ramp at her home, free of charge.

Mayor’s State of the City Address Nazi Party protests immigration, covers growth, management stirs up controversy in Austin By Paul Rangel The University Star San Marcos Mayor Susan Narvaiz held the second-annual State of the City Address Thursday in the Activity Center to provide residents with information about the city and thank them for their Narvaiz efforts. The event began with various booths open for San Marcos citizens to obtain information about different departments and their role in city government. “This is good for people to see what each department does,” said Rebecca Britain, administrative assistant and public administration graduate student. “We work with the city manager’s office, administration and taking in cit-

izens’ concerns as well as getting them oriented with the city.” Departments attending included water and wastewater, the department of environmental health and animal services. The fire department had two firefighters demonstrate equipment use, and the chamber of commerce, Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, city clerk department, public works and several others provided pamphlets, cards and general information to the public. Melissa Millecam, city communications manager, said this was the second-annual State of the City Address. “It’s good for the public to come together and for the mayor to summarize where San Marcos is, and plans for the future,” she said. Pastor Tom Ray of Hill Country Christian Church presented the invocation and blessing of the city. “I am proud to report that the state

Today’s Weather

Partly Cloudy 85˚/56˚

Precipitation: 10% Humidity: 63% UV: 5 Moderate Wind: SSW 22 mph

See CITY, page 3

Two-day Forecast Wednesday Partly Cloudy Temp: 85°/ 56° Precip: 10%

Thursday Sunny Temp: 72°/ 40° Precip: 10%

By Nick Georgiou The University Star AUSTIN — About 20 members of the National Socialist Movement, or America’s Nazi Party, went to the steps of the Capitol Saturday to not only protest illegal immigration, but to test the First Amendment a few hours after the Veterans Day parade ended. “We’re here to test freedom,” said Tim Bishop, storm troop leader. “We’re here to see if freedom does exist, because if we don’t have the freedom to stand up and use whatever symbol of expression we choose, then freedom no longer exists. We’re here to see if freedom and the constitution does, in fact, exist.” The Nazis carried signs that said “Illegal Immigrants Go Home Now,” “Close the Border” and “Support White Troops,” and had Mexican flags, which they trampled, spit on and tore. “The problem is (illegal immigrants)

are costing the American taxpayers billions,” Bishop said. “I believe they will eventually destroy America.” The Nazis were met by an angry, young crowd of about 200 counterprotestors, many of who came from out of town. John Brown, a 24-year-old city worker and student from San Antonio, said the Nazis should be prevented from speaking in public. “I don’t think racists or Nazis have a right to speak,” Brown said. “I think racism has no place in society. I think it has to be fought.” The Nazis did not make any speeches since they were not able to secure a permit. The city provides a PA system and other equipment only when a permit is acquired. They addressed a large crowd, and the entire hour-long event was marked with both sides yelling obscenities, profanities and expletives at See NAZI, page 3

See BURGLARIES, page 3

Scholarship announced at ASG By A.N. Hernández The University Star A new scholarship fund worth more than $29,000 was announced Monday at the Associated Student Government meeting. The University Bookstore provided the scholarship amount, unprecedented in its breadth. “It’s a win-win situation for everybody,” said Sen. Daniel Browning, author of the legislation. “The reason the bookstore is giving us this money is to promote people buying books at the bookstore and to promote the idea that the bookstore is giving back to the community at large.” The scholarship is expected to be ready by the 2007 fall or summer semesters. For the first year, the scholarship will give 10 percent of the fund to San Marcos High School seniors who plan on attending Texas State. Another 30 percent of the money will be given out as bookstore scholarships, only usable at the University Bookstore. Each bookstore scholarship will be worth $250 to $500. “The reason its such a low price is to get as many students involved and able to use the scholarship,” Browning said. The remaining 60 percent of the scholarship money will be awarded to the ASG scholarship fund. Browning has worked on the scholarship with John Root, director of auxiliary services, and Jacqueline Slaughter, manager of the bookstore, since August. He said the amount of money available for the scholarship is expected to grow within the next two or three years as the University Bookstore pays off its debt and has more money left in surplus amounts. Browning could not disclose the amount of the bookstore’s debt, but said he was certain it could be paid off within the next couple of years as more students shop at the bookstore. “This is a good start,” he said. “We already have the money. It’s just in process with the financial aid folks.” During the meeting, a piece of legislation was read that calls for the placement of security cameras in existing and future parking garages. The legislation comes in response to car burglaries on campus. In other business, ASG Vice President Amanda Oskey announced the planned removal of Sen. Matthew Priest and Sen. Eric Heggie for violations of the senatorial attendance policy. Priest had three unexcused absences, including the night of the vote. Heggie had two unexcused absences and moved to separate his situation from Priest’s during voting. The senate voted to remove Priest and to keep Heggie.

Inside News ..............1-3 Trends .............4-6 Crossword ......... 5 Sudoku .............. 5

Texas State University-San Marcos is a member of the Texas State University System

Comics .............. 5 Opinions ............ 7 Classifieds ......... 8 Sports ........... 9,10

To Contact Trinity Building Phone: (512) 245-3487 Fax: (512) 245-3708 www.UniversityStar.com © 2006 The University Star


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