TITLE DEFENSE PAGE 8 LIFE &
SPORTS SOFTBALL BEGINS CAMPUS
TUESDAY
TWO NEW PAWFFICERS
By Arabella DiChristina Life and Arts Contributor
Content warning: this story contains discussion of suicide.
Between the applause and wagging tails, Mando and Baloo could hardly contain their excitement as they prepared to be sworn in as Texas State’s newest “pawfficers.”
This ceremony marks not only a commitment to uphold the law but also a major milestone in an officer’s career, where they make the formal transition from recruit to officer. On Jan. 28, the University Police Department (UPD) welcomed two new therapy dog officers: Mando and Baloo.
Mando is a two-to-three-year-old German Shorthaired Pointer, while Baloo is a year-old black lab mix. However, their ages and breeds are uncertain because both are from a shelter in Florida.
Eric Algoe, executive vice president for operations and chief financial
Black student orgs discuss DEI changes, Black History Month
By Blake Leschber Editor-in-Chief
One year after Gov. Greg Abbott signed an executive order to ban DEI initiatives from state agencies, Black students at Texas State experience its effects on and off campus.
Monay Stallworth, vice president of Black Women United and business management junior, said the removal of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives feels like a reversal of decades of social change.
“It’s sad to see replications of the past in a way,” Stallworth said. “I think it’s also motivating because we have to be bigger; we have to do something bigger than ourselves at the end of the day. We have to go out and make change.”
On Martin Luther King Jr. Day, less than two weeks before the start of Black History Month, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton issued an opinion declaring some DEI policies unconstitutional and suggesting that private companies that engage in DEI practices would open themselves up to “legal liability under state and federal law.”
officer, said it’s easy to get lost behind the cuteness factor of the therapy dogs, but they are helpful in many aspects of student health.
“They’ve only been here with us now for just a very short period of time, and we had a terrible incident since they arrived: A student committed suicide off campus,” Algoe said. “The therapy dogs were able to be deployed at the scene and to help with the people there, to help with that situation, to help diffuse things.”
Police officer Kendra Marsteller and Pawfficer Brady moved to Del Valle ISD in July 2025, due to the officer’s well-being and health, allowing Mando and Baloo to become the two new therapy K-9 units.
Algoe said therapy dogs, like Mando and Baloo, are tools to help law enforcement make connections with students in need and break down barriers within the situation.
By Jakob Salsgiver News Reporter
The new San Marcos Buc-ee’s location is set to open in July, according to Buc-ee’s Media Coordinator Crissy Gonzales.
Gonzales wrote in an email to The Star that staff are eager to welcome San Marcos patrons. The location was approved by the city during a March 5, 2024 San Marcos City Council meeting
Chisom Ezeonu, senator of the Texas State National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) and computer information systems senior, said DEI repeals are already impacting the conventions the organization goes to.
By Arabella DiChristina Assistant News Editor
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) will now flag “lower-earning” institutions when first-time undergraduates apply for
“Even at our whole regional conferences in Houston, we saw a lot of companies pulling out, taking away sponsorship and funding for our
aid, which could impact some Texas State programs.
The Department of Education launched a new earnings indicator, where if an institution’s graduates don’t earn more than an adult aged 25-34 with a high school diploma in that institution’s state, it will be flagged
organization,” Ezeonu said.
Ezeonu said he’s nervous about the upcoming national NSBE convention in Baltimore and what it will look like for the students attending.
“We are aiming for a projected opening date of July 2026,” Gonzales wrote. “Buc-ee’s is dedicated to offering a ‘clean, friendly, and in-stock experience’ for all our customers.” San Marcos Mayor Jane Hughson said Buc-ee’s would bring multiple benefits to San Marcos, including city taxation benefits, no rebates on sales tax and over 200 jobs. Hughson said the building would be an investment of $50 million, with $5.9 million in property tax paid over a period of 15 years, as well as half of the store’s sales tax. The store will be about 74,000 square feet.
as a “lower earning” program when a student selects it as their interested institution on the application.
If a program is deemed “lower earning” for two to three consecutive years, the program will lose direct loan eligibility for two years according to the document acquired by The Star
The FAFSA changes won’t go into effect until July 1, 2026, with the earliest programs losing their direct loan eligibility on July 1, 2028.
Pawfficer Mando and Pawfficer Baloo get badged during their swearing in ceremony, Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2026, at LBJ Student Center.
Pawfficer Mando
Pawfficer Baloo
PHOTOS
Community holds meeting discussing data centers
By Ryan Claycamp News Editor
The Data Center Action Coalition held a community meeting on Jan. 27 to discuss issues with data centers, such as water consumption and pollution ahead of city council votes.
The discussion centered on the downsides of data centers and opposition to their construction in surrounding areas. The meeting, held at Rodriguez Elementary, came two weeks after the San Marcos Planning and Zoning Commission approved a zoning change application for the CyrusOne data center on Francis Harris Lane, despite about 78 people speaking against it at the meeting. City council previously rejected an application for the CyrusOne project.
The zoning application will now go before city council, with a public hearing scheduled for Feb. 3 and votes scheduled for Feb. 17 and March 3.
Major concerns raised by the organizers centered on environmental risks from data centers, such as water overconsumption, increased flooding risks and noise pollution.
“We want to live in a world where everybody has clean air to breathe, clean water to drink, where we can leave the cities, and there’s still rural land that hasn’t been engulfed by cement, and we can still admire the stars,” Si Frede, one of the organizers, said. “A world in which just because somebody has tons of money doesn’t mean they can imperil our homeland, poison our water and air and prevent us from meeting even our most basic needs.
Other concerns included allegations of a lack of transparency in development and the chemicals that could be used at potential data centers.
“Data center coolant contains hazardous substances, which are
FROM FRONT CONSTRUCTION
“[Buc-ee’s] noted that during the pandemic, it takes 175 jobs just to operate that store, even during the pandemic. [That’s] what they went with, but it’ll really be a lot more than that,” Hughson said. “One of their things we’re really impressed with is their employee benefits and their employee pay scale.”
Hughson was unaware of how many part-time
Organizer with the Data Center Action Coalition, Si Frede, answers questions at a community meeting ,Tuesday Jan. 27, 2026, at Rodriguez Elementary. The community meeting focused on concerns about proposed data center construction
proprietary secrets, so the water discharge from data centers can carry harmful carcinogens like PFAS , propane, glycol, heavy metals,” Frede said. “PFAS is particularly concerning. These are persistent, bio-accumulating poisons which are not removed by wastewater treatment plants.”
PFAS, also known as forever chemicals, are a class of man made chemicals that are known to cause numerous health conditions, such as cancer. According to The Guardian, data center companies are not required to report chemicals used or the volume of chemicals discharged.
Another concern raised by organizers and attendees centered on power usage by data center facilities. According to the Texas Comptroller’s Office, the Texas Energy Reliability Council of Texas forecasts the energy demand for Texas to double by 2030.
jobs would be available for students compared to the number of full-time jobs that will be available at the location.
Hughson said some job benefits include health insurance, extra pay for night shifts and three weeks of paid time off per year. She also noted 401K benefits and community fund donations, in addition to following
Large parts of that increase in demand will come from data centers’ growth, according to The Texas Tribune.
“In addition to the extreme cost of overhauling the electric grid, over 100 new gas-fired power plants are planned for construction in Texas over the next few years to meet the demand from these industries,” Frede said.
Torrie Martin neighbors the planned CyrusOne data center in San Marcos. She’s spoken before both city council and the Hays County Commissioners’ Court regarding concerns about how data centers will impact her family’s ranch.
“What will this do to our property value, our water bill, our power bill? Will we even have water?” Martin said. “Will I be able to sell my ranch when it becomes too hazardous to live there? Who will want to buy it? Oh, another data center.”
San Marcos lighting standards, in order to prevent light pollution.
“They will not have any lights pillage into other areas,” Hughson said. “Certainly not the residential area that’s over across the railroad tracks behind them, which is the closest.”
The residential area behind the Buc-ee’s construction location is
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San Marcos city council member Amanda Rodriguez explained the process the zoning application for the CyrusOne data center will go through before final approval or rejection.
Rodriguez encouraged attendees to register to speak at the Feb. 3 city council meeting for the public comment period and the public hearing. According to a city of San Marcos Facebook post, speakers for public comment must now register at or before 5:30 p.m. on the day of the meeting.
“Our job is to listen to you. It’s not to sit here and force feed you an item that you don’t want,” Rodriguez said. “So in order for us to listen to you, while it may be scary and intimidating ... we need to hear you.”
San Marcos Mayor Jane Hughson and Hays County Judge Ruben Becerra were both present at the meeting, but organizers refused to allow them to speak. Organizers argued that they already had an audience and platform due to their being in elected office.
After the meeting, Hughson spoke to organizers, questioning where they got their information from. Hughson insisted she was interested in reading the sources for herself as she had concerns about some of the organizer’s points, such as chemical usage.
No representatives or proponents of data centers were present to speak at the community meeting.
The CyrusOne project that will be presented to city council over the next three meetings is only one of numerous proposed projects in the areas surrounding San Marcos. Other projects will separately come before city council, the Hays County commissioners court, the Caldwell County commissioners’ court or special utility districts, respectively.
called Blanco Vista, which includes around seven San Marcos neighborhoods.
As of late January, the location only has fulltime managerial position applications open, according to the Buc-ee’s website.
Councilmember Alyssa Garza has been critical of the store in past city council meetings. In the vote approving the store at the March 5, 2025 council meeting, she was the only councilmember who voted against it.
Garza said during this vote that she heard that Buc-ee’s has a history of employee mistreatment. She noted that she did not want to bring in an establishment that would continue with this behavior.
“I feel like I’m not doing my due diligence if I don’t ask [questions regarding employee treatment],” Garza said at the meeting. “I personally am not [comfortable] moving forward with this.”
On Indeed, Buc-ee’s has a 2.5-star employee rating, based on over 1,600 reviews.
Camila Velazquez, a
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political science sophomore said that she believed the new store would create work and had an ideal location.
“I think it’s an amazing location, honestly. It’s between San Marcos and Austin, so it’s good that it’s not on the other side of San Antonio to Austin,” Velazquez said. “I feel like it would lead to more jobs for the students as well, so I think it’s a good idea to have it there.”
Taelor Kelsi, a finance freshman, said she believes the Buc-ee’s is in a location with a sizable amount of student traffic. She said she is excited for students to enjoy the store.
“[Buc-ee’s] offers like a lot of food, a lot of, you know, [merchandise], and it’s just overall a welcoming business, and I know I enjoy it, so I know many other students will enjoy it as well,” Kelsi said.
As the store gets closer to opening, Buc-ee’s plans to issue a press release two weeks before the opening date. The release will include all store details, according to Gonzales.
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“When a student chooses a college, they’re also looking at a department in a major, and there are a lot of parents, a lot of students [who] will look at the success of our alumni,” Gary Ray, associate vice president of enrollment management, said. “Do they get good jobs after they attend that university? Those [questions] are critical in making a decision of where they go.”
Ray said this rule is trying to get at the time to value, meaning how long it takes for a student to gain back the money they’ve invested in a major.
Dede Gonzales, assistant vice president for financial aid and scholarships, said that until all the information comes out from the Department of Education, it is difficult to say whether this will affect Texas State’s enrollment.
Gonzales stated that if a program is deemed “lower earning” for two out of three years, it will lose eligibility for federal student loans directly from the government, and students would be forced into other ways of paying
“Of course, any program at any school that is [designated] to be low earning, part of the requirement is that we send a warning to the student to let them know that,” Gonzales said. “If that happens, a student would have to make a decision on, ‘Is this the right path for me?’”
Gonzales said that until the Department of Education releases the official rules, the university doesn’t have solid guidance.
According to the Department of Education’s press release, more than 2% of undergraduate students
nationwide attend an institution where graduates earn less than someone who holds a high school diploma on average; those institutions receive upwards of $2 billion in federal student aid annually.
Ray said he doesn’t expect a big impact on undergrad majors for Texas State due to the high number of ranked national programs. However, he will not know until the rules are finalized.
Most of the 1,365 institutions flagged are for-profits and beauty schools, with few being community colleges and historically Black colleges and universities, according to Inside Higher Ed.
Nalani Pennick, a Texas State alumnus, said she is concerned for the institutions that are going to be flagged as “lower earning”, especially beauty schools.
“My mom did go to one of those schools, so that’s very interesting and crazy to say because we need hairstylists,” Pennick said. “We need people that do nails, like people love getting their nails done, people love getting their hair done it’s an experience.”
Ray said he doesn’t think the community college partners will get flagged by FAFSA due to their programs being in high demand, like business, marketing, accounting or administration.
As stated in the document, programs that fail to pass the earnings metric in a single year would have the option to add on to their Program Participation Agreement (PPA), committing to cease all new
enrollments in that program and teach out the existing cohort. Meanwhile, the Department of Education would have to determine if it would be in the best interest of the students to allow an extension for direct eligibility for the
lesser of three years or the full-time normal duration of the program.
The Department of Education will release its proposed rules for public comment in early 2026, with a final rule by June 1.
Trinity Taylor, president of the Black Pre-Law Association (BPLA) at Texas State and a history senior, said her organization is experiencing the effects of rolled-back DEI initiatives, and she feels students do not take BPLA seriously because it is a Black pre-law association.
“Our student org has been hit with a lot of racial comments,” Taylor said. “... We had to take a step back, but we had to be professional because we can’t act out as Black students here.”
In September 2025, Black organizations at Texas State reported an increased amount of racial threats after Gov. Greg Abbott shared a video of former student Devion Canty “mocking” Charlie Kirk’s death at a memorial. Organizations like Black Student Alliance had to lock down their social media accounts and stop publicly posting where their meetings were.
DEI opened doors for students from underrepresented backgrounds, Ezeonu said. He believes the continued repeals of DEI initiatives will shut down decades of that effort.
“One thing that DEI did for us, as a Black STEM major and Black engineer was to give us visibility and
exposure to different big organizations,” Ezeonu said. “Coming up from wherever, different background, different ethnicities, etcetera, you may not think that you might be able to work at an oracle.”
Stallworth said students of color who may be impacted by DEI removals should continue to keep their heads down and work hard to build community.
“Don’t let other people’s opinions or ideas affect who you are and how you live,” Stallworth said. “At the end of the day … if you continue to be who you are and live your life, you could build a community and you can create something great.”
For Ezeonu, Texas State has provided him with a community since he transferred from community college.
“Being able to come to Texas State … definitely gives me a sense of camaraderie in a good place that I can call home,” Ezeonu said.
For Black History Month, Texas State is offering an art exhibit highlighting Black history at Texas State, an art and performance show, a themed Tunes at Noon, Hump Night at Sewell Park and a cookout at Bobcat Trail.
Stallworth said she feels Texas State could have more conversations with Black students to put together a Black History Program that celebrates culture more.
“I know [Texas State does] host events, and they support, but I feel like it doesn’t really showcase Black
History Month as it should,” Stallworth said. “I feel like when they do their events, they should consider talking to the Black students on campus more so they can host a more curated event that are celebrations of our culture.” Taylor said BPLA is
hosting a few of its own events targeted toward pre-law individuals on Feb. 11 with the NAACP at Texas State’s political action committee to promote healthy debate and political discussion.
FROM FRONT DEI
LAURA WALKER | STAR PHOTOGRAPHER
CAROLINE TRANG | STAR ILLUSTRATOR
(Top) Texas State psychology freshman JaNyia Thomas signs the interest book for Black Women United at the LBJSC Student Involvement Fair, Thursday, Jan. 29, 2026, at LBJ Student Center.
MEG BOLES | MULTIMEDIA EDITOR
(Bottom) Black Pre-Law Association Outreach Coordinator Jordan Nnadozie (left) and President Trinity Taylor (right) present information about Texas State’s Black Pre-Law Association with students at the Student Involvement Fair, Thursday, Jan. 29, 2026, at LBJ Student Center.
Tuesday, February 3, 2026
Opinions in The University Star are not necessarily those of our entire publication, Texas State University’s administration, Board of Regents, School of Journalism and Mass Communication or Student Publications Board.
visa freeze could upend TXST goals
By Editorial Board
Texas’s ongoing battle against immigrants is leaving its universities in the crossfire.
As Texas State pushes for R1 status and continued campus growth, the university is trying to move forward, however the state seems determined to pull it back. New visa restrictions risk stunting growth at Texas State and other institutions.
Last Tuesday, Gov. Greg Abbott ordered all public universities and state agencies in Texas to halt new H-1B visa applications, a visa program for high-skilled workers, unless written permission is granted, a freeze that will remain in place until May 31, 2027. The order also requires detailed reports on currently sponsored employees, including their job titles, countries of origin and visa expiration dates.
This directive will not accomplish what it promises. Instead, it will likely erode the supply of much-needed professionals. In doing so, the state is limiting its own potential for growth by artificially shrinking its talent pool.
In a letter to state agency heads, Abbott justified his decision by claiming that H-1B visas strip Texans of economic opportunities.
“Texas state agencies and institutions of higher education collectively employ hundreds of thousands of Texans and have a significant role in shaping the State’s labor market,” the letter reads. “State government must lead by example and ensure that employment opportunities—particularly those
funded with taxpayer dollars—are filled by Texans first.”
This argument raises important questions, particularly about reducing people and their immigration status to economic metrics and risks jeopardizing the state’s economic future. While the governor is correct that higher education plays a significant role in shaping the labor market, those successes have occurred alongside visa holders, not despite them.
At Texas State, a university running to achieve R1 status, an abundance of talent is essential. While Texas is home to many highly skilled individuals, access to a global talent pool allows Texas State and other institutions to recruit leaders in their fields, ultimately strengthening the labor market by creating opportunity rather than tightening it.
The state and federal governments have become fixated on immigration, funneling vast resources and policy efforts toward targeting immigrants
and fueling an ongoing cultural war against them. In doing so, they scapegoat an entire community, placing society’s broader woes on a group that can be conveniently labeled as the “other.” Texas education is not at risk because of the talent within it; it is at risk because of state and federal government attacks against it.
Texas is home to several of the world’s leading research institutions, from Rice University to the University of Texas. Public and private universities across the state produce cutting-edge research and graduate top talent, generating billions in economic opportunity. As of 2021, Texas State alone generated roughly $2 billion in economic activity, while Texas A&M added more than $22 billion. Immigrants are already deeply rooted within university systems and have helped drive these gains. Restricting access risks sacrificing the value immigrants add, and the momentum of these institutions, for the sake of culture-war politics.
Another key motivation lies in the artificial barriers imposed by the federal government. The Trump administration dramatically increased the cost of H-1B visas. Yet, this economic strain was created by allies of Abbott, not by immigrants within the state. The state government can point to this prohibitively expensive sponsorship process, while ignoring the irony of how it was enacted.
While the situation is difficult to navigate, the Texas State Employees Union (TSEU) urged institutions to push-back within their legal limits.
“TSEU calls on the state government to halt this purge of state workers and instead commit to building well-funded public institutions with decent pay, benefits, and working conditions. TSEU further calls on state agencies and public higher education institutions to refuse voluntary compliance with these directives, provide supportive resources to employees that may be affected, and take a public stand against these attacks on state workers,” TSEU wrote in a press release.
Institutions can operate within legal limits to provide support for employees targeted during the process, protecting their rights and ensuring fair treatment.
Ultimately, the pursuit of political brownie points risks further weakening Texas’s higher education system and, in turn, the economic opportunities available to Texans. This policy constricts the talent pool, threatening to derail Texas State’s R1 initiative and reduce access to highly qualified faculty.
Diversity is necessary in Texas education
By Andrew Bencivengo Opinion Editor
Ken Paxton seems committed to eliminating DEI, but 74 pages of a legal opinion don’t always lend to its correctness.
For the past year, state officials in Texas have moved to eliminate Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) policies, labeling them as discriminatory, while ignoring why these practices were created and what they are designed to address. These actions can erode opportunities for minority students both in education and employment.
On Martin Luther King Jr. Day, in what can only be interpreted as a jab, the Texas Attorney General (AG), now a Republican Senate candidate, released a scathing opinion on DEI practices.
In a press release that devotes more energy to attacking a rival than to brevity, titled, “Attor ney General Paxton Issues Legal Opinion Dismantling DEI in Texas, Declar ing Decades’ Worth of DEI Frameworks Memorialized in Over 100 Woke State Laws Unconstitutional and Over ruling a Flawed Opinion from then-AG Cornyn that Allowed DEI to Flourish,” the AG argued he was fulfilling MLK’s vision.
“This action to dismantle DEI in Texas helps fulfill the vision articulated by Martin Luther King,
Jr. when he dreamed that his children would one day live in a nation where they were judged not by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character,” Paxton wrote in the press release.
Paxton, for his part, is not the first official in the state to attack DEI practices. Last January, Gov. Greg Abbott directed state agencies to eliminate DEI policies, calling for the removal of “any form of DEI attempting to divide Texans,” as his press release put it. However, what Abbott and Paxton’s actions ultimately result in is the removal of opportunities for those already disadvantaged.
DEI does not refer to a set of standard efforts, but rather ones employed by various universities, agencies and businesses to promote fairness, introduced following the Civil Rights Act of 1964, passed by Texas State alum Lyndon B. Johnson. Before this, minorities often faced systemic barriers in the workplace and education, but DEI policies were not a band-aid fix; they simply began to reduce some of these injustices.
Paxton is not advancing the vision of Martin Luther King Jr.; instead, he is championing what his critics have long stood for: the removal of opportunities. DEI does not aim to eliminate merit; rather, it intends to remove the barriers that have caused qualified minorities and other underrepresented groups to be overlooked to level the playing field and expand merit.
The state benefits from expanding opportunities and funding inclusive initiatives, as doing so fosters diversity
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of thought and satisfaction, already seen at the private level. For minority students, eroding these policies creates an uncertain future.
Chisom Ezeonu, senator of the Texas State National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) and a computer information systems senior, highlighted how opportunities are already eroding for many.
“Even at our whole regional conferences in Houston, we saw a lot of companies pulling out, taking away sponsorship and funding for our organization,” Ezeonu said in an interview with The Star
What Paxton and his allies get wrong is that we are, unfortunately, not past discrimination, and policies that aim for inclusion attempt to level
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a still unfair playing field. Politicizing educational opportunities and using them to attack political opponents, while ignoring that qualified candidates can be overlooked due to bias, is deeply alarming.
Instead, the government’s role should be to ensure opportunities are fair, that people are treated with respect and that we honor the legacy of those who fought for equality, not twist them for political gain. As people celebrate Black History Month, Paxton’s opinion is a reminder that the fight for true equity and opportunity is far from over.
-Andrew Bencivengo is a business management junior
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HORSE OF FORTUNE
San Marcos serves up first-ever restaurant week
By Cady Clements Life and Arts Reporter
From Palmer’s mouthwatering crusted redfish to Grins’ delicious homestyle burgers, San Marcos restaurants showcased a wide range of flavors during Savor San Marcos Restaurant Week’s debut from Jan. 23 through Feb. 1. The event brought local chefs and longtime favorites together for the city’s first restaurant week.
In its inaugural year, Savor San Marcos offered special menus and a chance for residents to explore some of the city’s best places to grab a bite. Behind the scenes, organizers spent months shaping the concept into a coordinated, citywide effort to celebrate local flavor and support small businesses.
Page Michel, Chamber of Commerce President and CEO, wrote in a press release to The Star that she is excited for the first year of Savor San Marcos.
“Savor San Marcos is our way of highlighting the incredible flavors and creativity of our local restaurant community,” Michel said.
Kristin Sheffield, owner of Palmer’s and chair of Savor San Marcos, developed the plan with Michel for 20 participating restaurants to each contribute a $100 gift card, with winners selected twice a day for 10 days. The chamber selected winners through a social‑media raffle, where patrons entered by posting a photo with the restaurant’s Savor San Marcos sign.
Michel emphasized the impact this event has on a typically slow season due to students being home for winter break. As January is a slow season for restaurants not in a college town, Savor San Marcos boosts sales
FROM FRONT DOGS
Taylor said. Palmer’s owners shared Taylor’s appreciation for the flexible structure, noting that the open-ended approach made it easier for businesses of different sizes and capacities to take part. Some chose to highlight signature dishes while others experimented with limited-time specials or discounts tailored to their regular customers.
Though many aspects made the city’s restaurant week unique, Savor San Marcos had its own set of challenges in its creation. Michel said the process of getting in touch with restaurant owners and managers took lots of outreach and persistence.
“[The key to creating Savor San Marcos] is just follow-through,” Michel said. “You can’t just send a message and sit back and wait for people to respond. You really have to follow through and make those personal contacts to make things happen.”
The event hit another obstacle when the extreme weather rolled in during the first few days of the promotion. Many restaurants closed their doors during the icy weather to protect the safety of staff and customers.
during the period after students return from winter break. Michel said shopping local, especially during the slow seasons, is the best way to benefit from one’s tax dollars.
“Your tax dollars are what supports your roads and schools and parks and libraries, so if you have a habit of always going to a nearby city ... you’re basically sponsoring their police department and libraries,” Michel said.
Each restaurant varied in its promotions, from featured Savor San Marcos menu items to discounts.
Cody Taylor, Grins’ and Valentino’s owner, said this format set San Marcos
Pawfficers Mando and Baloo received training from Paws & Stripes College at the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office in Florida to learn obedience training by selected and trained jail inmates.
UPD corporals David Velasco Martinez and Monique Grijalva trained with Mando and Baloo in Florida for about a week to bond with the dogs and to maintain their partner’s future training.
Dean of Students Valerie Holmes said there are increasing rates of mental health issues among students who attend college.
“The reality is that our students at Texas State University actually show a higher rate [than the national average] of having anxiety and mental distress,” Holmes said. “... We only have so much clinical capacity at the institution and any institution. So, having therapy dogs are a very strategic, purposeful, high-impact way for us to address the needs of our students.”
Velasco Martinez and Grijalva are mental health officers who are trained in providing informed and empathetic support to students in need.
apart from other cities that have done restaurant weeks because it allowed restaurants to have autonomy.
For example, Palmer’s restaurant offered a fixed price three course menu for dinner at $49 and a threecourse menu for brunch at $29. Grins offered 20% off for the entirety of the week, and Valentino’s took a similar approach to Palmer’s with a Savor San Marcos exclusive meal of a cheese bread stick, a large pepperoni pizza and a choice of a large house or Caesar salad for $40.
“I thought this kind of leaving it open-ended [idea] was a unique idea that definitely made it ours,”
Grijalva, who is paired with Baloo, said their relationship has grown stronger since their Florida training.
“As he grows, I want to try and teach him pressure therapy to help ground students who are going through a crisis, who may be worried about finals, things like that, and kind of just need a dog to relax them,” Grijalva said.
Grijalva said she has wanted to be a part of the K-9 unit for a while because she knows “the power a dog brings.”
“I’ve always had my own dogs, and they’ve been around through my tough times as a police officer,” Grijalva said. “So, it’s kind of surreal to me that I get to be a part of this program and to bring [Baloo] to this program as well.”
Velasco Martinez, who is paired up with Mando, said a challenging part as an officer is knowing when to take Mando on a call or not.
“... I don’t want to come up to a room with somebody and speak about [a] theft and then they’d be allergic to dogs, so I got to make sure that not
Sheffield said Palmer’s had a slow start with the recent extreme weather, but the promotion became very successful by midweek. She is excited to see how Savor San Marcos grows and changes in future years. Sheffield believes this first run of Savor San Marcos will teach the participating restaurants what works and what doesn’t to make the promotion even better in the future.
“I think more people will be on board and have a better idea of what is selling during that week, so they can pinpoint that and put that on promotion next year,” Sheffield said.
only is he safe, but the person that I’m talking to is safe as well,” Velasco Martinez said.
Velasco Martinez said Mando has a trick he learned on his own: if students get to eye level with Mando, he will give a hug and sometimes kisses. Velasco Martinez often has to warn people before they go to pet Mando.
Velasco Martinez and Grijalva will work 12-hour shifts walking around campus, responding to calls and encouraging students to stop and say hello to Mando and Baloo.
“I’m so proud of [Mando] already, just from today, [seeing] some of [the] actions he’s had with people, it makes me so happy to see that,” Velasco Martinez said. “Having him with an actual like little badge here on his chest, it’s gonna be beautiful.”
For students who are experiencing mental health illnesses, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline can be reached at 1-800-273-8255.
“Palmers Benedict” at Palmer’s Restaurant Bar & Courtyard consists of a seafood cake and poached egg with Hollandaise sauce on top and comes with a side of roasted potatoes and fruit, Friday, Jan. 30, 2026, at 218 Moore St. The Benedict is one of the brunch menu items offered for Savor San Marcos Restaurant Week.
CADY CLEMENTS | LIFE AND ARTS REPORTER
Texas State electronic media freshman Serenity Rivera (right) poses for a photo with Beto O’Rourke (center) Monday, Feb. 2, 2026, on The Quad. O’Rourke was on campus to encourage Texas State students to register to vote.
Texas State’s basketball band heckles Marshall during the men’s basketball game, Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2026, at Strahan Arena. The Bobcats beat Marshall 7268.
Hilda Torres, Texas State doctoral instructional assistant for anthropology, makes an arrowhead for class, Thursday, Jan. 28, 2026, outside the Trinity Building. Students made arrowheads to better understand how to identify them.
Texas State Chief of Police Matthew Carmichael badges Pawfficer Baloo, Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2026, at the LBJ Student Center Ballroom.
ABEL BARCENAS | STAR PHOTOGRAPHER
AIDEN FRITSCHE | STAR PHOTOGRAPHER
RHIAN DAVIS | MANAGING EDITOR
Texas State fifth year guard Kyndall Davis (9) dunks the ball, Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026, at Strahan Arena. The Bobcats defeated Old Dominion 81-64.
Bobcats look to leave SBC as champions
By Adrian Ramirez Sports Editor
Preseason conference favorites, preseason player of the year and preseason pitcher of the year: three awards Bobcat softball has claimed leading up to the 2026 opener.
There is a clear buzz about Texas State softball this year, evident from the preseason accolades that were handed out. Maybe it’s all just noise, but regardless, Bobcat softball is likely out to prove that it is warranted.
The Bobcats will come into the 2026 season as the defending Sun Belt regular season champions, but the loss to James Madison in the conference tournament ended their bid at another NCAA tournament and sent the ‘Cats home in 2025.
Still, Texas State won a regular-season title with a roster full of new faces and a young team. Now, last year’s core group is back and ready to aim for another NCAA tournament.
“[The team] has a totally different feel to it, while having almost the exact same players,” Texas State head coach Ricci Woodard said. “I think thats because of the maturity from last year. Its been fun to watch the team grow up over the past year.”
However, TXST will have to contend with a marquee schedule and a conference full of teams looking to dethrone the Bobcats before they leave the Sun Belt for good.
Preseason Hype
Texas State softball is home to the Sun Belt Preseason Pitcher of the Year in Madison Azua and the Sun Belt Preseason Player of the Year in first baseman Aiyana Coleman.
After Azua spent her freshman year as the number two option behind former Bobcat Jessica Mullins, she stepped into the spotlight full-time as a sophomore in 2025. Azua saw
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her innings increase from 96.2 as a freshman to 170.0 in her second year in San Marcos, taking over the role of the Bobcats’ ace.
Azua pitched to a 2.76 ERA and fanned 187 batters in the circle last season while limiting opponents to a .214 batting average. Azua’s numbers landed her a spot on the SBC All-Conference First Team.
Coleman arrived at Texas State as a transfer from Texas A&M and lit the Sun Belt on fire, rewriting the Texas State record book.
Coleman set three single-season program records during her first year in San Marcos. She mashed 17 home runs, tallied 55 RBI and slugged .893. Coleman also hit .404 and found her way on base in over half of her plate appearances, compiling a .553 OBP.
Coleman’s numbers earned her recognition as the 2025 Sun Belt Player of the Year and the nod for the 2026 Preseason Player of the Year.
Along with Coleman and Azua, senior catcher Megan Kelnar picked up a preseason nod, being named to the Sun Belt All-Conference Preseason Team.
Kelnar posted career-best numbers across the board in 2025, batting .330 with a .443 slugging % and 19 RBI. Her numbers landed her a spot alongside Azua and Coleman on the SBC All-Conference First Team.
Pitching Probables
While Azua has garnered most of the attention on the pitching side, the Bobcats will have several arms they should be able to rely on this season.
Notably, senior Emma Strood figures to be in line for another heavy workload with the Bobcats this season. Strood played as the Bobcats number two in the circle behind Azua, tallying 117.0 innings of work in 2025.
Strood’s numbers were more than serviceable as she went 12-8 on the
year and posted an ERA of 2.81. A repeat performance in 2026 could be invaluable to the Bobcats.
A few other names could also be in the mix to find time in the circle.
Senior Analisa Soliz was a valuable bullpen arm in 2025, pitching to a 2.28 ERA in 43.0 innings of work.
Another name to possibly look out for is freshman Kaili Witherell. Witherell comes to Texas State from New York and was the New York Gatorade Player of the Year.
“[Witherell] has really impressed me,” Woodard said. “I feel like she is in the best spot we could possibly have a freshman going into the season.”
“Go Out With a Bang?”
The Bobcats will look to depart the Sun Belt as back-to-back regular
season conference champions while also aiming to reclaim the Sun Belt conference tournament title they lost last year.
To do so, they likely need to take every team’s best punch, but the Bobcats will be nothing if not prepared.
“I do think that we definitely have a target on our backs,” Azua said. “I also think the roles can be switched though and we’re coming for everybody else because this our last time in the Sun Belt and we’re going to go out with a bang.”
Texas State will kick off its 2026 campaign against Toledo at the Kajikawa Classic at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 5, 2026, at Alberta B. Farrington Stadium in Tempe, Ariz.
Johnson logs 100th win on Gumbs game winner
By Jack Lysaght Sports Contributor
Texas State delivered a performance for the ages last Wednesday evening in Strahan Arena, in the form of a 72-68 heart-stopper against the Marshall Thundering Herd, notching Texas State head coach Terrence Johnson’s 100th career win.
“I think sometimes we take for granted what goes into winning … it’s really hard to win,”Johnson said. [Athletics] told me we reached the milestone and it feels like we just started.”
In front of a loud crowd fresh off winter break, the men’s basketball team knotted a momentous win. With a stifling defense backed by an improving offense, the Bobcats held Marshall to their third-lowest point total of the regular season.
“We just play differently [in Strahan Arena],” Johnson said. “We’re a little bit grittier, a little bit tougher.
But I’m not worried about [Marshall’s] average, I’m worried about us. This is who we are, it’s about us.”
The Bobcats went into the game needing a statement win after a pair of road losses to Coastal Carolina and James Madison. The game started with a blistering assault by the defense, which attacked the ball from the jump. Marshall struggled to find rhythm and Texas State controlled the tempo for most of the first half. All in all, the Bobcats accumulated 41 rebounds, 11 of which were offensive boards.
“In the scout film, it showed that sometimes [Marshall] doesn’t box out all the way,” Fifth-year Guard Kyndall Davis said, “So we knew that attacking the glass could be key for us and getting the victory, even though they were bigger than us.”
Texas State went on to a commanding lead at halftime, 39-29. They padded this lead early in the second half, pushing the lead out to as
many as 14 points.
Going into this game, the Bobcats, had the second-worst three-point average (4.6 PPG) in the country. However, they made distance shots when it mattered against Marshall.
In the waning minutes of the second half, Marshall let their big centers chip away at Texas State’s lead and build momentum, tying and then reclaiming the lead from the Bobcats. But struggles at the free-throw line and turnovers began to cost the Thundering Herd, keeping the Bobcats in the game.
While senior guard Mark Drone and Davis combined for 32 points, 13 rebounds and seven assists, junior guard Kaden Gumbs was the hero of the evening.
After two crucial free throws from freshman center Robert Fields with two minutes to go, the Bobcats spread Marshall out thin. While charging in the paint, Drone delivered the ball into Gumbs’ hands, who let
it fly through a hushed arena, sinking the shot through the hoop for Texas State’s seventh and final three-pointer of the game with 21 seconds on the clock.
As Gumbs calmly regrouped his team, the crowd broke into a fever pitch.
“There wasn’t any doubt. It wasn’t a drawn-up play,” Johnson said. “[Drone] impressively made the right read [and] pitched it out to [Gumbs], who never hesitated.”
When asked about the momentum the crowd generated for tonight’s great win, Davis simply smiled and said, “If they keep showing up, we’re going to show up.”
Texas State’s next game is set for tip off at 6:00 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2026 against Georgia Southern at Jack and Ruth Ann Hill Convocation Center in Statesboro, Ga. The game will be streaming on ESPN+.
Left: Texas State men’s basketball head coach Terrence Johnson reacts to a call during the game against Marshall, Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2026 at Strahan Arena Right: Texas State junior guard Kaden Gumbs (11) celebrates a victory against Marshall, Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2026 at Strahan Arena. The Bobcats won 72-68.
AYDEN OREDSON | ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR
Texas State softball crowds sophomore pitcher Maddy Azua (22) after an inning against Wichita State, Wednesday, Mar. 19., 2025 at Bobcat Softball Stadium.