CITY Community, family call for father’s release from ICE custody
Community members are advocating for the release of a San Antonio father in ICE custody after San Marcos Police conducted a stop that led to an arrest.
SMPD performed a traffic stop on March 14, responding to a report about a missing
15-year-old girl seen with an older man in a pickup truck. The vehicle description matched the truck Gerardo Reyes and his 17-year-old son Esteban Reyes were in, leading to both getting arrested and charged with interfering with an officer’s duty after refusing to exit the vehicle twice.
Esteban Reyes was
released on bond shortly after the arrest, while Gerardo Reyes, who is undocumented, was transferred from SMPD to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody, according to Gerardo Reyes’ daughter, Guadalupe “Lupe” Sarinana.
Mano Amiga, a local advocacy group that supports immigrants and marginalized
families in Hays and Caldwell Counties, organized a press conference on April 2 in front of City Hall, demanding SMPD drop all charges and Gerardo be released from ICE custody.
Hays County Judge Ruben Becerra sent a letter to ICE asking that they let Gerardo
By Jakob Salsgiver News Reporter
The Texas State University Police Department initiated a campus program, hiring students to monitor around 900 cameras on the San Marcos and Round Rock campuses.
“Project Overwatch” will hire students to the UPD dispatch center to observe cameras for the full duration of their shift. Student workers will be on the lookout for incidents so they can directly report them to a dispatcher, without UPD having to wait for a call to come in.
The program will not only provide student employment, but could help ensure quicker
“Pete is basically part of our family” Local photographer shares bond with ‘Cats softball
By Julia Chew Sports Reporter
While competing teams, fans and athletes cycle in and out of Bobcat Softball Stadium through the years, one person is a constant presence.
Nearly 20 years ago, Peter Vives, also known as “Photo Pete,” was looking to include more variety in his photography portfolio, specifically women’s sports. On March 11, 2007, an advertisement for a Texas State softball game caught his eye, and he decided to make the drive from San Antonio.
From that day, Vives was hooked.
“I was like, this is fun,” Vives said. “I came back for
a doubleheader a week or so later and it just bit and stuck with me.”
What drew him in was the culture surrounding the program and the environment head coach Ricci Woodard created. He is grateful for the numerous “moments and memories” he’s had with the team.
Vives said during his second trip to Bobcat Softball Stadium, he was looking over the photos he took after the game when Woodard approached him. She stopped in the middle of her busy schedule to ask him if he got anything good during the game.
Cultural cornerstone: San Marcos Studio Tour grows in fourth year
By Carlene Ottah Life and Arts Editor
Art enthusiasts and curious visitors surrounded MotherShip Studios within an hour of the fourth annual San Marcos Studio Tour to explore the local art scene. The San Marcos Studio Tour is a two-weekend event where local artists and art collectives open their creative spaces for the public to visit. MotherShip Studios, a women-built art space that offers studio spaces to local
artists, launched the event last week with a kick-off party on April 3.
Rebekah Porter, assistant director at MotherShip Studios, said the studio tour gets people from Central Texas and beyond to see what the San Marcos art scene is all about, ranging from home studios to artist communes.
She said she believes the studio tour continues to grow in cultural significance, as she spends less time explaining what it is and more time helping people plan who to
visit and make the most of their experience.
“It’s a great way for these artists to not only showcase their skills and the works they make, but showcase where that gets made,” Porter said.
According to Porter, MotherShip Studios co-founder Jacqueline Overby developed the studio tour to build a young and vibrant art scene. She realized artists would leave San Marcos to go to Austin or San Antonio once
ABEL BARCENAS | STAR PHOTOGRAPHER
Multimedia artist Alicia Philley stands next to her untitled artwork, Friday, April 3, 2026, at MotherShip Studios.
AIDEN FRITSCHE | STAR PHOTOGRAPHER
Texas State photographer Peter Vives, better known as Photo Pete, leaves a softball game, March 25, 2026, at Bobcat softball Stadium. Vives captures women’s sports and photographers.
By Arabella DiChristina Assistant News Editor
ARABELLA DICHRISTINA | ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR
Gerardo Reyes’ daughter, Guadalupe “Lupe” Sarinana, calls for her father to be released from Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody during Mano Amiga’s press conference, Thursday, April 2, 2026, in front of City Hall.
Pollinators decline, beekeeping groups try to rebuild
By Charlsie Daniels News Contributor
Texas lost two-thirds of its honeybee colonies as of early 2026, a Texas State beekeeping club is rebuilding its hives to help restore pollinators and protect local ecosystems.
Bobcat Buzz, a student-run beekeeping organization created in 2016, is dedicated to raising honeybees and educating students about pollinator conservation and agricultural sustainability. The club is working to recover after losing all of its hives last year due to mismanagement, parasites and pesticide use.
Susy Esqueda, co-president of Bobcat Buzz, said the decline is already having visible impacts on pollinators and agriculture across the state.
“Bees are the backbone of our food supply and the faces of agriculture, but they don’t get the recognition they deserve,” Esqueda said.
Esqueda said that as of this year, Texas lost about 60% of its honeybee colonies. The rapid decline threatens both food production and local ecosystems like the San Marcos River.
Project Apis m., an organization dedicated to studying and protecting honeybees, confirmed that Texas lost 61-67% of honeybee colonies as of early 2026.
Pollinators commonly found in Hays County include honeybees, carpenter bees, monarch and queen butterflies, hummingbirds, moths, flies and beetles. According to Esqueda, all pollinators contribute to local biodiversity and agriculture.
Esqueda said The Bee Supply in Round Rock is delivering two new shipments of bees on April 10, which is a major step in rebuilding the club’s operations.
“The bees rely on native plants near the
Reyes return home to his family, and met with Sarinana on April 2 for a press conference before Mano Amiga’s.
“We are living in a moment where fear is starting to creep into our communities, and now it appears that fear may also be coming from our very own local law enforcement agencies,” Becerra said.
I don’t know when he will be able to come home, and that uncertainty is something that no family should have to carry.”
Sanjuana Escalante, Gerardo Reyes’ wife.
According to Sarinana, Esteban Reyes was driving when SMPD pulled them over without letting them know the reason for the stop, citing “per case law” while attempting to get him out of the vehicle.
“Literally not even ten seconds later, they yanked him out, and my dad was like, ‘Why are you treating him like that? He’s a minor and a U.S. citizen. What’s going on?’ and my brother was asking why he was getting arrested,” Sarinana said. “At a certain point, if you know a cop stops you, they should let the person know why they’re being pulled over.”
After arresting Gerardo Reyes and his son, officers later confirmed the missing girl was still at home,
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agriculture building, but will travel three to five miles to forage and avoid attracting predators,” Esqueda said. “The bees will pollinate surrounding areas like [Sewell] Park and the river.”
According to Iliana Peña, the chairwoman of Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s (TPWD) Wildlife Conservation Advisory Committee, habitat loss from urban development, pesticide use and extreme weather conditions are key factors in decreasing pollinator populations in Texas.
In response to the decline, TPWD launched the Wild Thumb app in February to encourage Texans to plant native species that support pollinators.
The app provides region-specific plant
and no crime had occurred, according to KXAN.
Before Becerra’s press conference started, he and Sarinana were able to video call Gerardo Reyes to check on him and discuss the support behind his case.
“He’s just really overwhelmed, knowing that he doesn’t want to make the wrong move with anything, and then on top of that, he does live in a cell with four other inmates, they don’t even have their own space, and they only eat once a day,” Sarinana said.
recommendations to help residents incorporate native plants into yards, gardens and smaller spaces like apartment patios.
Wild Thumb is part of TPWD’s Pollinators and Prairies program, which works to improve the quality and quantity of grassland habitats statewide.
Julie Shaddox, director of development and conservation programs at TPWD, said the app takes away the hassle and stress of gardening through features like watering schedules and weather updates.
“By planting even a few native plants, Texans can make a tangible difference in restoring the critical habitat these species [pollinators] depend on,” Shaddox state in a TPWD press release.
Peña said tracking pollinator populations is difficult due to the need for large-scale data collection. However, digital tools like iNaturalist allow residents to document plants and animals across Texas. The platform enables users to photograph wildlife, helping researchers monitor biodiversity and identify where conservation is needed.
Students in San Marcos can still play a role in protecting pollinators, even in small living spaces according to Peña.
Container-friendly native plants such as Texas lantana, Turk’s cap, pink evening primrose, red yucca and esperanza provide essential resources to pollinators, according to Peña.
Esqueda said students do not need to interact directly with bees to help support their survival.
“Even if you’re afraid of bees, planting native plants and providing water sources still helps them survive,” Esqueda said. “If every student could grow just one plant, it would really make a difference in the environment.”
Sarinana said the detention center always makes Gerardo Reyes sign a handful of documents or else they threaten to take away his visitation hours.
Gerardo Reyes’ wife, Sanjuana Escalante, said she was emotionally and physically dependent on her husband because she is permanently disabled and can’t work.
“I live every day with worry, fear and heartbreak. I don’t know when I will be able to see him again,” Escalante said. “I don’t know when he will be able to come home, and that uncertainty is something that no family should have to carry.”
Escalante said she is close to losing the house without her husband’s help.
“This is about a system that punishes immigrant families first and asks questions later, and we have
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to name the bigger picture, because this did not happen in a vacuum,” Nataly Avendano, immigration equity director for Mano Amiga, said. “Texas Laws like Senate Bill 4 have created a culture of fear and overreach.”
SB 4, which passed in 2023, forces local enforcement to collaborate with federal immigration authorities, and it encourages officers to act as extensions of ICE, Avendano said.
“These policies do not make our community safer. They make them more vulnerable,” Avendano said. “They create a deportation pipeline, where a traffic stop, a false report or a simple interaction with police can escalate into detention [and] deportation in permanent family separation, and that is exactly what we are seeing here.”
Avendano said programs like 287(g), which allows local law enforcement to act like ICE agents,
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open the door for residents to be interrogated and funneled into the deportation system.
“[Mano Amiga] has definitely seen different [immigration] cases throughout the county,” Avendano said. “We’ve had a family from Kyle who also had a husband that was detained and eventually deported, also we cannot forget the ICE raid that happened in Dripping Springs.”
Avendano said the raid in Dripping Springs led to 49 individuals being arrested at a kid’s birthday party. According to her, more than a year later, there has still been no evidence presented showing gang affiliation, despite law enforcement claiming that it was the reason for the raid.
Sarinana said her father is currently held at the T. Don Hutto Detention Center, in Taylor, Texas. The family is raising money to afford an immigration lawyer.
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Gerardo Reyes’ daughter, Guadalupe “Lupe” Sarinana, calls for her father to be released from Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody during Mano Amiga’s press conference, Thursday, April 2, 2026, in front of City Hall.
ABBY FUNDERBURK | STAR ILLUSTRATOR
FROM FRONT ICE
ARABELLA DICHRISTINA | ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR
County partnership plans to open new animal shelter
By Madison Winzer News Contributor
Hays County and the city of Kyle plan to build and open a new animal shelter in 2026, after San Marcos decided to not renew its interlocal agreement.
In 2024, the city of San Marcos ended its partnership with the San Marcos Regional Animal Shelter (SMRAS) due to severe overcrowding and the city’s rapid growth. On Jan. 26, Hays County approved an interlocal agreement for a new animal shelter with the city of Kyle, offering a larger space for animals, set to open by the end of 2026.
Hays County Commissioner Michelle Cohen said the future facility will be located in Kyle at the intersection of Sunflower Road and Dacy Lane.
“It’s not just a shelter. It’s a place to house, care for and support the community so animals can stay with their families,” Cohen said.
Since 2022, SMRAS continues to struggle with overcrowding as more animals continue to come in. According to the animal services 2025 annual report, the shelter took in 2,349 dogs, 1,764 cats and 343 other animals.
Cohen said the new shelter will offer veterinary care, adoption services and housing for cats, dogs and some larger animals.
At its April 8, 2025, meeting, the Hays County Commissioners Court created the Animal Welfare
response time, according to Cat Hoyt, alternative program coordinator for UPD.
“If we have a student overwatcher who’s sitting there watching a camera, [that is] in The Quad, and they see something happen, they can immediately turn to the dispatcher who they are sitting with and say ‘Hey, I just saw this,’ so we’re not having to wait for a call to come in,” Hoyt said.
Employees, called Public Safety Officers (PSOs), are tasked with providing real-time information to officers and dispatchers, watching out for any suspicious or criminal activity. In addition, they will identify dangerous ground hazards, according to Tatiana Salazar, a public information officer with the Texas State Newsroom.
The program is estimated to be fully staffed for the fall 2026 semester. Cameras at Texas State are currently watched 24/7 by UPD employees, on top of their current duties, whereas the student employees will be solely responsible for watching the cameras, according to Hoyt.
Hoyt said no experience or previous employment is required.
Upon hiring, employees will undergo a thorough background check and fingerprinting.
“We’re looking for any sort of Texas State student that has an initiative and a want to help out fellow students and help protect campus,” Hoyt said.
Students will also train with an UPD investigator. Training will include situational awareness, how to make reports, where cameras are located and how to use cameras with controls.
Services Division to manage programs like adoption events, vaccination clinics and spay and neuter services.
During the meeting, Commissioner Walt Smith said the division will keep animal services at the county level, giving officials more direct control and consistency instead of depending on outside partnerships that might not always be guaranteed.
“I think that this division, housed in the public health department, gives us roots; it gives us oversight,” Smith said during the meeting.
Cohen said the animal welfare services division will help ensure long-term support for pets and their owners, regardless of who is in office.
“This initiative can’t rely on one person in office,” Cohen said. “With the Animal Welfare Division, we can maintain services no matter who sits on the court.”
With the Hays County population estimated to reach 314,441 in 2026 and Texas State continuing its streak of record-breaking enrollment, the rising number of pets requires a long-term solution, according to Cohen.
“We’ve all seen the growth in our county. More people means more pets,” Cohen said. “We wanted to take more accountability for animal services and make sure pets and their families are supported.”
Jerrod Sawyer, a volunteer at the San Marcos Regional Animal Shelter and general studies sophomore , said overcrowding creates a loud,
chaotic environment that stresses animals and triggers survival instincts.
“The animal shelter is very loud,” Sawyer said. “I do think a reduction of animals could calm tensions down for [the animals].”
“Shelter stress” is how an animal reacts to different variables in a shelter. Stress can stifle the animal’s personality and suppress their immune system, which could lower chances of adoption, according to the Animal Humane Society.
Sawyer said the high stress environment animals are placed in affects their behavior and overall well-being.
“Environment depicts what you become,” Sawyer said. “That applies to animals just like it does to humans.”
Cohen said the new facility could house more than 100 animals, including larger pets such as horses or ponies, depending on future needs.
“We want this to be a place where the community can come together for pets,” Cohen said. “It’s a game changer for East Hays County, which has long lacked resources for animals and residents alike.”
Residents will be able to attend future open houses, ask questions and support programs once the shelter opens, according to Cohen.
UPD Chief Matthew Carmichael said at the March 3 Campus Safety Committee meeting that as more students are hired, the program is on its way to being fully monitored 24/7. Hoyt confirmed that because of the program, more cameras will be monitored.
“[PSOs] aren’t having to [go] back and forth of doing one thing, to this thing, to [those] sort of [other duties],” Hoyt said.
Michael Faber, an associate professor of political science, said students in his Politics of Dystopia class critiqued the project during class discussion.
“[Project Overwatch] seemed to fit in with this general theme that we were discussing about government surveillance and the idea of government watching its people at all
times on a very local level and with a very personal connection,” Faber said.
Faber said the class generally disliked the idea of the project. One student mentioned the Panopticon, a design for a prison where someone may think they are constantly being watched, despite not having enough staffing to watch every person.
“[The program] probably does actually increase safety, but that perception, especially against the backdrop of reading 1984, especially against the backdrop of a U.S. government that really over the entire lives of these students, has been increasing surveillance tendencies, it’s very easy for them to assume that there may be something nefarious going on here,” Faber said.
According to Lucia Summers, a professor in the school of criminal
justice and criminology, active monitoring of CCTV cameras in a systematic review is more effective than passive monitoring, which is known to show significant and moderate reductions in crime.
Summers said all police data is monitored and tracked, and that students would not receive jobs such as a dispatcher without appropriate training and being familiar with policies.
“Any law enforcement agency will have general orders on their own organizational policy. So that’s something that’s not ignored,” Summers said.
In public locations, there is no reasonable expectation of privacy, according to Summers.
“[CCTV] cameras [are] very much what we’re used to. There are other countries, for example, in the [United Kingdom], they have so many CCTV cameras all over the place, and the police use them to solve crimes,” Summers said. “The murder solvability rate is incredibly high because they have that tool and they have access to information that maybe other places don’t have.”
Salazar reported that as of March 24, the program had three PSOs. Currently, they have already assisted around campus by ensuring the cameras operate properly and ensuring maintenance issues were up to date.
FROM FRONT CAMERAS
MADELINE CARPENTER | STAR ILLUSTRATOR
CARSON RODGERS | DESIGN EDITOR
Tuesday, April 7, 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.
Students are working at expense of education
By Maryam Ali Opinion Columnist
With changes in public policy and rapidly increasing prices, college students are working more than ever before and facing a new set of financial challenges. As costs continue to rise, students are adjusting how they live and learn.
Tuition at public Texas universities has roughly doubled over the last 15 years. An average student in 2020 spent almost 163% more on tuition than a student in 2003, according to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.
Instead of working a few shifts for extra spending money, undergraduates are picking up consistent part-time or even full-time hours just to stay enrolled. According to the Texas Tribune, rising costs have already pushed many students to change how they live, including taking on more work hours, delaying graduation or reducing course loads.
Gavin O’Connor, computer science junior, said working as a student is more of a necessity than an option.
“Cost of living has increased, people need to work more in order to afford a college degree,” O’Connor said. “It’s a challenge having to work while in school.”
The cost of being a student has expanded far beyond the classroom.
Rent, groceries and gas prices have all increased, turning what used to be manageable expenses into constant pressure.
Gas prices continue to fluctuate across the country as global tensions continue to push up crude oil costs. At the same time, rising food prices and changes to programs like SNAP add to the pressure and make it harder for students to afford groceries.
Cuts and restrictions on the federal student loan system are also putting pressure on undergraduates, and this tension is expected to intensify when the One Big Beautiful Bill Act takes effect in July 2026.
The inability of federal aid to keep up with rapidly changing factors forces some undergraduates to lose access to essential resources. The
Hope Center for Student Basic Needs estimates nearly 60% of students experience at least one form of basic needs insecurity, such as food or housing.
Time that used to go toward studying, joining organizations or building connections is now spent clocking in. Students are scheduling classes around work shifts instead of the other way around. Some are taking fewer classes per semester to keep up with bills, stretching a four-year degree into five or six.
Barbara Green, who attended Texas State in 1951, said many undergraduates came from small towns and had limited financial aid like her, meaning they often had to work while in school, but not nearly as much as students do today.
“It was making a financial sacrifice on our families for us to be on campus and go to college,” Green said. “But student debt was not nearly what it is today. I am astounded when I hear the amount of indebtedness that students have when they graduate.”
A long-term analysis of college affordability shows just how dramatic the shift has been. In 1963, a student working a part-time minimum wage job could cover a full year of public college tuition by working a summer and a few hours a week. By 2024, that same strategy falls short, requiring significantly more hours just to keep up with tuition alone, not including housing or food.
“You gotta hang in there. It’s really hard to balance [school and work], but you just have to keep on keeping on,” Green said.
Students 70 years ago, along with those today, work, but that work has shifted from a choice to a need. There is no single fix to rising costs, but the gap between what colleges demand and what undergraduates can afford continues to grow. If working long hours becomes a requirement, then the structure of higher education needs to be adjusted.
Whether through expanded financial aid, more flexible academic options or better access to paid opportunities, the reality is clear: students should not have to choose between staying enrolled and staying afloat.
-Maryam Ali is a computer science junior
Creating a supportive campus through prevention
Promoting a safe environment and providing survivor-centered education on campus is crucial for students to feel respected and like they belong. On college campuses, sexual and intimate partner violence disproportionately impacts students. This highlights the responsibility of everyone on campus to be involved in prevention efforts such as how to intervene as a bystander, how to recognize a problematic situation, supporting those who have experienced harm, and as small as calling out a harmful joke. Violence prevention education is necessary for creating a campus culture where individuals feel safe, know their resources and support survivors.
Students Against Violence (SAV) is a peer education program of Health Promotion Services and was founded as Men Against Violence in 1997 before being rebranded as Students Against Violence in 2020. This student-led program focuses on violence prevention through education with the mission of promoting the importance of healthy relationships, respecting bodily autonomy, boundaries and healthy conflict resolution.
SAV utilizes interactive,
creative programming in weekly meetings and events to engage students and encourage them to get involved with violenceprevention efforts on campus and in their community.
SAV’s peer educators lead weekly meetings covering topics including supporting survivors, defining healthy relationships, bystander intervention and understanding and recognizing stalking. In these meetings, students are encouraged to engage in discussions about these topics
and participate in activities such as scenarios, myth versus fact and zine making. Every semester, SAV hosts tabling, events, and displays that encourage student involvement in violence prevention. Because violence prevention is a collaborative effort, SAV partners with campus and community resources such as their sibling program Healthy Cats, the Counseling Center, University Health Services and the HaysCaldwell Women’s Center, and Bluebird’s Hope.
SAV hosts many of their
Letters to the Editor Policy
annual events during Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month in April.
The goal of these events is to show support and solidarity to survivors by highlighting their experiences and connecting students to campus and community resources. Some of the events that SAV hosts in April include a Denim Day tabling and displays across campus, Consent Bingo & Pizza Party and Take Back the Night. Take Back the Night is a community event that highlights the stories of survivors by offering a safe
The University Star welcomes letters from our readers. Letters must be 300 words or fewer to be considered for publication. Writers must include their full name, mailing address, major and academic year designation (for students), phone number and e-mail address when submitting a letter. Submissions that do not include this information cannot be published. This information is seen only by the editors and is used to verify the identify of the letter writer. It is not used for any commercial purpose.
and respectful space for them to share their experiences.
When students, faculty, and staff engage with these events and information, it helps create a campus community that supports survivors and empowers individuals to stand up for others.
For support on campus and in the community please visit TXST’s Sexual and Dating Violence Resources webpage.
Letters become the property of The Star and may be republished in any format. The letter may be edited for length and clarity. An editor will contact the letter writer if their letter is a candidate for publication. The Star will not run letters that are potentially libelous, discriminatory, obscene, threatening or promotional in nature.
Letters can be submitted to staropinion@txstate.edu or by mail to Attn: Opinion Editor, The University Star, 601 University Drive, San Marcos, TX, 78666.
SOPHIA GERKE | CREATIVE SERVICES DIRECTOR
MEG BOLES | MULTIMEDIA EDITOR
By Students Against Violence
SAV Member Meredith Randall (top left); SAV Peer Educator Nadia Madrid (bottom left); SAV Peer Educator Kathryn Harrison (top right); Health Promotion Specialist Marisa Montelongo sit at their table, Tuesday, March 31, 2026, at The Quad. SAV tabled as a part of Denim Day, an event where people wear denim to combat victim blaming and educate others about sexual violence.
GUEST COLUMN
US Air Force Band performs at Texas State
By Rae Knight Life and Arts Contributor
Symphonies soared into Evans Auditorium as the U.S. Air Force Concert Band and Singing Sergeants visited for their spring tour on March 30.
Composed entirely of active-duty musicians, the Concert Band and Singing Sergeants are two of six performing ensembles within the U.S. Air Force Band, the musical organization of the U.S. Air Force in Washington, D.C. The ensembles embarked on a 12-day community relations tour from March 22 to April 2 in Louisiana, Texas and Oklahoma, showcasing musical excellence and connecting with young musicians and the surrounding communities.
Caroline Beatty, Texas State band director, said the group asked to perform at Evans Auditorium. She agreed, especially since Master Sgt. Daniel Dowling, a former student, was one of the performers.
“I thought it was pretty exciting for our students to get to sit side-by-side with these extremely experienced, incredible, professional musicians,” Beatty said. “To get to know them a little bit and to get to play with them. I think that’s a great thing to provide for [the students].”
FROM FRONT TOUR
The Air Force Band performed an arrangement of patriotic songs such as “God Bless America,” the National Anthem and “Red, White, and Blue.” The Singing Sergeants also sang pop culture hits, including a Wizard of Oz medley titled “Journey Through Oz.” Dowling, sound recording technology alumnus and drummer for the Singing Sergeants, was among many
graduating from Texas State. In 2020, she and co-founder Courtney Peterson rented a warehouse on the outskirts of San Marcos and transformed it into a working artist studio. As Overby worked with Austin art, she saw the city’s model for its studio tour and realized San Marcos could host a local studio tour.
Porter said the only way the San Marcos Studio Tour happens is due to a group of very dedicated artists who work together to solve problems and advocate for the artists. She said in the past four years, it grew into “cultural cornerstone” for the artists in San Marcos.
to be recognized for being a Texas native or for going to school in Texas.
“We try to connect with audiences using the universal language of music,” Dowling said. “Often we do that by playing familiar songs, something that would be meaningful to the audience.”
Since part of the Air Force Band’s mission involves connection, it conducts biannual tours of
the U.S. and participates in international tattoos, which are performances of musical military excellence that focus on percussion instruments. It also invites local performers or ensembles to join it on stage at each stop on the tour.
For this performance, it brought members of the Texas State School of Music on stage to perform “God Bless America.” Twenty-two students in concert-black,
professional black clothing worn for performances, mixed in with the Air Force’s blue.
Beatty said she chose performers based on their previous auditions for the advanced ensembles in the school of music. Among the selected was Jasmine Montero, a music education sophomore, who plays the clarinet for the Texas State Band.
“I’ve never done anything like that before,” Montero said. “I never had considered performing professionally, and I still want to teach, but seeing them, experiencing that and hearing them play, I thought, ‘This is such a cool thing,’ and thought, ‘Maybe I could be a part of that someday.’”
Along with inviting students to perform, the Air Force Band also asked Beatty to conduct a song for the concert. She led it in composer John Philip Sousa’s “Gumsucker’s March,” a piece named for a slang word for being a native Australian.
“I was thrilled,” Beatty said. “It was like being given the keys to a Ferrari for a test drive.”
and I don’t think four years ago people knew that,” Philley said.
The San Marcos Studio Tour continues from 6-9 p.m. on April 9 in the JCM Building at 233 W. Sessom Drive with “JCM Open Studios Night” and from 12-6 p.m. on April 11-12 in the Greater San Marcos Area with the “Tour Open.”
ABEL BARCENAS | STAR PHOTOGRAPHER
People attend the kick-off party for the San Marcos Studio Tour, Friday, April 3, 2026, at MotherShip Studios.
Master Sergeant Adrienne Kling (center) sings a solo with the Singing Sergeants and the Air Force Concert Band in Evans Auditorium, Monday, March 30, 2026, in the Evans Liberal Arts Building at Texas State.
AVA MILLER | STAR PHOTOGRAPHER
Multimedia artist Alicia Philley’s “The Seeds We Plant” series, Friday, April 3, 2026, in her studio at MotherShip Studios. The pieces are a few of 70 wood and steel sculptures originally installed at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center in Austin.
CARLENE OTTAH | LIFE AND ARTS EDITOR
TRACK AND FIELD
‘Cats post strong showing over weekend
By Luke Landa Sports Reporter
Texas State track and field competed at two track meets over the week, performing well at both the Texas Relays and the Bobcat Invitational.
Bobcat Invitational
Senior Easton Hammond put forth an effort for the history books as he set both a meet and facility record. He took hold of the nation’s top spot in the decathlon. Winning first place in high jump (2.08m), long jump (7.09m), pole vault (4.90m), javelin (54.00m) and the 1,500-meter (4.26.10).
Decathlon history did not stop there as sophomore Sophie Daugard claimed the women’s title and set the school record with 5,537 points. She also earned first place in the javelin (43.48m) and was runner-up in the long jump (6.00m), shot put (12.93m) and 800-meters (2:25.55).
Freshman Bostyn Baskin also made a trip to the podium for the women’s decathlon team, adding a third-place finish. Baskin won the high jump with a mark of 1.66 meters and the 800-meters with a time of 2:24.30
Aiden Hayes won the men’s high jump with a clearance of 2.22 meters, which ranks number-one in the nation among all high jumpers. Tshephang Dankuru finished runner-up with a mark of 2.16 meters.
Giovanni Walker won the men’s B section long jump with a jump of 7.79 meters
The Bobcats posted strong numbers in the pole vault event. Breanna Brandes took gold in the women’s B section with a mark of 3.90 meters, while Connor Skopik won in the men’s B section with a clearance of 5.00 meters.
Daniel Strooh, who also earned gold at the Texas Relays, won the A section of the men’s discus with a throw of 59.17 meters. Cassandra Rendon finished third on the women’s side of discus with a throw of 49.64 meters.
Sophia Harberer captured first place in the women’s shot put with a mark of 16.13 meters. Hannah Kemele
FROM FRONT SOFTBALL
“It struck me. Here’s the head coach of a college softball team taking a moment to ask a person that she’d probably only seen once,” Vives said. “That kind of cemented it for me. It was mainly because Coach Woodard cares.”
Another moment was in 2024, when the team received its Sun Belt Conference championship ring. He was taking pictures of the players receiving their rings when suddenly, the public announcement called out his name to receive his very own ring.
“It stunned me,” Vives said. “That’s probably my number one memory.”
He and the athletes know each other by name, and the ladies see him as part of the Bobcat softball family.
“Pete is basically part of our family. He shows up for
finished in second place with a throw of 14.91 meters.
Charlize Goody placed first in the women’s javelin with a mark of 50.07 meters, and Connor Warzecha placed third in the men’s bracket with a throw of 64.75.
Elisabet Runarsdottir earned her second gold of the weekend, and her first at the Bobcat Invitational after finishing in first place in the women’s hammer throw with a mark of 68.46
The Bobcats left no doubt in the men’s 110-meter hurdles and swept the podium. Ja’Shaun Lloyd led the way and placed first with a time of 13.61 seconds. Joshua Taylor took home silver with a time of 14.02 seconds and Arveyon Davis finished third with a time of 14.04 seconds.
Sophomore Paige Archer found success in both the 100 and 200-meter events. Archer earned silver with a time of 11.63 in the 100-meter sprint and a gold medal in the 200-meter event with a time of 23.43.
Similar to Archer, Drew Donley posted strong showings in the 100 and 200-meter events. Donley opened up day one with a first-place finish in the 100-meter with a time of 10.38 and finished up day two with a runner-up performance in the 200-meter with a time of 20.65.
Ty’Shaun Lloyd placed second with a time of 10.47 in the 100-meter sprint.
Aiden Sheffield placed third in the men’s 200 meters B section with a time of 21.20.
In the women’s 400 meters, freshman Kerrah Evans finished in first place and Sai Brookins finished in second. Evans posted a time of 55.43, while Brookins finished narrowly behind her with a split of 55.84. On the Men’s side, Mihaljo Katanic found the podium with a third-place finish with a time of 48.31.
The Bobcats shined in the men’s 400-meter hurdles as Ja’Shaun Lloyd ran a time of 51.65 to earn gold while Katanic finished directly behind him with a time of 52.59 to come in second place.
Texas State dominated the podium in the women’s 3,000-meter steeplechase. Alexia Macias won gold
practices, he shows up for games, he captures moments that you know you’ll never get back in time,” Megan Kelnar, senior catcher, said. “It’s so lovely to be able to look back and see that bond we have with our teammates, and what he captures will bring us to tears sometimes.”
Every year on senior day, Vives prints out his favorite image of each senior to gift to them personally. What makes these images stand out from others, though, is the fact that they are printed in black and white.
“If you can gain someone’s attention in a black and white photo, you’ve done something really good because people always see color photos,” Vives said. Vives said the smile he receives from an athlete when he hands them a photo is the
But the great thing is, women’s athletics is growing astronomically and maybe my job is almost done. But I figure I’ll keep doing this until God says, ‘no more, dude. Relax.’”
and posted a new personal best time of 10.55.78, while Sofia Pena placed second with a time of 11.22.14. Destiny Rose took third place with a time of 11.27.91.
Texas Relays
The Bobcats only had a couple appear in the prestigious Texas Relays event, but still left Austin with firstplace finishes. Runarsdottir claimed gold in the women’s hammer throw with a mark of 69.89 meters. Strooh won gold in the men’s discus with a throw of 57.11 meters.
What’s Next Texas State will get some rest with nothing on the schedule next week. The Bobcats will return to action in a trio of meets in California beginning April 16.
most rewarding part of the job.
“The smile. That’s what’s most important,” Vives said. “When I hand them a photo and see that smile.”
Through his photography, he aims to bring more awareness and recognition to women’s sports, of which players say his impact goes further than the images he takes.
“He brings such a light to our team and just walks in with such a presence every day and is just grateful to be here,” Abigail Jennings, sophomore pitcher, said. “I think it just changes the perspective of how we show up every day.”
After photographing softball for close to 20 seasons, Vives said he is continuing to expand his skills and is dipping his toes into volleyball and basketball photography. He hopes to see women’s sports continue to grow and plans to keep capturing special moments for athletes for as long as he can.
“Female athletes, a lot of times, never get any recognition. So with my camera, I try to give them recognition,” Vives said. “But the great thing is, women’s athletics is growing astronomically. And maybe my job is almost done. But I figure I’ll keep doing this until God says, ‘No more, dude. Relax.’”
Texas State junior sprinter Sai Brookins competes in the women’s 200m, Friday, April 3, 2026, at Texas State’s Track and Field Complex. Brookins placed 14th with a time of 24.11.
LESLIE BELLO | STAR PHOTOGRAPHER
Local photographer Peter Vives, better known as Photo Pete, hands out flowers to the Texas State softball team, Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026, at Bobcat Softball Stadium. Vives has covered women’s sports at Texas State with a focus on softball since 2007.
AIDEN FRITSCHE | STAR PHOTOGRAPHER
Peter “Photo Pete” Vives, Local Photographer
Texas State senior David Richards runs the 200 meter, Saturday, March 28, 2026, at Texas State’s Track and Field Complex. Richards placed 27th with a time of 23.15.
AIDEN FRITSCHE | STAR PHOTOGRAPHER
Star Snaps
BELLO | STAR PHOTOGRAPHER
Texas State freshman pole vaulter Caden Ohara competes in pole vault, Friday, April 3, 2026, at Texas State’s Track and Field Complex. Ohara placed sixth in the event with a height of 5.10 meters.
Texas State sophomore pitcher Luke Saunders (28) signs a ball for a young fan, Tuesday, March 31, 2026, at UFCU DischFalk Field in Austin. The Bobcats would go on to lose to the Texas Longhorns 10-8.
Scan QR to view the full gallery online.
Senior Master Sergeant Mandi Harper, member of the Singing Sergeants, sings her solo with the Air Force Concert Band, Monday, March 30, 2026, in Evans Liberal Arts Building.
Texas State sophomore short stop Dawson Park (3) slides into second base, Tuesday, March 31, 2026, at UFCU DischFalk Field. The Bobcats lost to the University of Texas in Austin for the first time since 2021.
Texas state freshman sprinter Siena Farrell competes in the women’s 400 meter hurdles, Friday, April 3, 2026, at Texas State’s Track and Field Complex. Farrell placed eighth with a time of 1:01.20.
LESLIE
AIDEN FRITSCHE | STAR PHOTOGRAPHER
AVA MILLER | STAR PHOTOGRAPHER
LESLIE BELLO | STAR PHOTOGRAPHER
AIDEN FRITSCHE | STAR PHOTOGRAPHER