Feb 18 2015

Page 1

WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 18, 2015 VOLUME 104 ISSUE 58 www.UniversityStar.com

Defending the First Amendment since 1911

LOCAL BUSINESS

FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA

F

facebook.com/universitystar

t @UniversityStar E youtube.com/user/theuniversitystar Go to university star.com

UNIVERSITY

Looking back: a term as president, vice president Byron Bueche and Lucas Andrews finalize a purchase of marked-down goods Feb. 17 at Tuttle Lumber.

By Kelsey Bradshaw NEWS EDITOR @kbrad5 Student Government power duo President Tiffany Young and Vice President Sean Quiñones will be handing over the titles Feb. 19 once election votes are tallied. Young and Quiñones were elected in April 2014, leaving them with little time to adjust to new roles before their predecessors left. Elections for 2015 opened in February to give newly elected leaders a transitional period to get situated, something started by Young and Quiñones. Young and Quiñones will not officially leave office until June. In the meantime, Student Government officials will work on organizational funding. “Student organizations need all the funding they can get,” Young said. “Now we are going to have a pot of money that was given to us through (the) Student Service Fee that will allow us to give organizations money.” The Student Government constitution was revised in 2014 to decrease the number of senators allowed in office. Young said the beginnings of senators’ terms were changed to be staggered. “I believe that it helped and made us a little more strategic with who we accept to become a senator,” Young said. Revising the constitution proved to be a time-consuming process, she said. “I’m not entirely happy with the way the constitution worked out,” Quiñones said. “It was a lengthy process, and we were pressed for time at the end. I feel a lot of things were overlooked and revisions still need to be made, but overall it was a process that helped us in the long run.” The student leaders were previously unsure if they would be able to have veterans acknowledged at commencement. A similar initiative was tried in the past with ROTC, Young said. Quiñones comes from a family of veterans, and being able to provide recognition was a big accomplishment, he said. “There was a time at commencement where veterans were acknowledged,” Quiñones said. “I remember when veterans were asked to stand up and be presented, but they stopped doing that for a while, so I’m glad we brought that back.” Young plans to stay active in Student Government after her term is over. Young wants to run for a senator position and get involved in organizations she did not have time for as President.

See STUDENT GOVERNMENT, Page 2

MADELYNNE SCALES PHOTO EDITOR

Tuttle Lumber Company closes after 65 years By Darcy Sprague NEWS REPORTER @darcy_days

T

he owner of the Tuttle Lumber Company has decided to close the store after more than 60 years of operation. Don Gilbreath, owner, said in an interview with Impact News he lost his “passion” for the store during the recession. He cannot ask his employees to put their lives “on hold” when the company’s future is uncertain. He attempted to regain passion for the store but with no success.

The announcement was made on Jan. 30, according to Impact News. Long-term employees are saddened by the news, said Trish Simpson, administrative assistant at Tuttle Lumber. She said most employees have been around for many years and act like a family. Simpson has been with the company for 24 years. Simpson said customers are sad or angry the store is closing. “A lot of (customers) do not understand why,” Simpson said. “They are confused about the reason.” Some patrons are on a first-name

See LUMBER, Page 2

MADELYNNE SCALES PHOTO EDITOR Tuttle Lumber is having a retirement sale from Feb. 5 – March 14 as they prepare to close their business.

FOOD

Torchy’s Tacos holds grand opening By Jon Wilcox NEWS REPORTER @thrilcox A line of diehard fans braved the pre-dawn chill and gloom 7 a.m. on Tuesday outside Torchy’s Tacos to enjoy free breakfast at the restaurant’s grand opening. After months of construction, San Marcos residents and Texas State students can now enjoy the taco restaurant without driving to Austin or San Antonio. The new location features an outdoor patio, a fully stocked bar, plenty of indoor seating and tacos. Matthew Stone, Texas State alumnus, said he was the first person in line, arriving a full hour before the 7 a.m. opening. Stone heard about the restaurant from his friends in Austin but never had the chance to try it, he said. Stone ordered six tacos in total, including “The Wrangler” and “The Monk,” for

himself. “I just wanted to try a range of tacos,” Stone said. “I don’t even know how big these things are, so I could be eating a lot of tacos this morning.” Cati Kincaid, criminal justice junior, arrived at 6:30 a.m. to have a chance of snagging a free taco. Kincaid said she is a longtime Torchy’s fan and enjoyed the tacos on a regular basis in Austin. Her favorite taco is the “Trailer Park” made “trashy” style, which features fried chicken, green chilies, Pico de Gallo and melted queso. “I’ve just been waiting for a long time for them to open (a Torchy’s Tacos) in San Marcos so I can start coming here and get my taco fix,” Kincaid said. Kirsten Dorrier, a bartender at Torchy’s Tacos, trained for two weeks before the grand opening. Dorrier, who plays unicycle

HARON SAENZ STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Melissa Garza, nutrition senior, and Kelsy-Michele Moore, psychology junior, eat at Torchy’s Tacos Feb. 17 during the grand opening.

football under the name “Ladybird” for the Ill Eagles, scooped ice and hurried between customers at the packed bar despite spraining her wrist at a recent game.

Dorrier said the opening went smoothly, which she chalked up to her training and fellow employees.

See TORCHY’S TACOS, Page 2

CITY

Loop 82 overpass construction to start, complete with maroon, gold aesthetics By Nicholas Laughlin NEWS REPORTER @nick_laughlin Construction on the Loop 82 overpass, which will last an estimated two years, is slated to start April 6 on Aquarena Springs Drive after

months of delay. The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) will start work on the access roads first. Construction will then move to the Post Road configuration and the overpass, said Nancy Nusbaum, interim director of Transportation Services.

HARON SAENZ STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER TxDOT officials plan to build an overpass on Aquarena Springs Drive to relieve train traffic.

The overpass access roads will consist of two lanes, one on each side, Nusbaum said. Aquarena Springs Drive will become a twoway road for an estimated two weeks during construction, Nusbaum said. “The City of San Marcos has been concerned with these at-risk railroad crossings for a long time,” said Bill Nance, vice president of finance and support services. According to the city website, the project will increase mobility and safety along Aquarena Springs and allow traffic to travel without interruptions from train crossings. Nusbaum said TxDOT gave the university an opportunity to voice an opinion on the look of the overpass. Denise Trauth, Texas State president, wrote a letter to TxDOT stating the university would support the project if officials could have input on the aesthetics of the overpass. The bridge will feature arches mirroring the architecture of Bobcat Stadium, the Texas State star and maroon and gold elements, Nance said. Designs on the concrete will “evoke” the feeling of the

San Marcos River where the bridge meets the earth. “TxDOT and the city have been very good about incorporating what they can within the budget,” Nance said. “We think, given that it’s an overpass, it’s going to look as nice as it can look over there.” Nance said TxDOT officials have been easy to work with and are dedicated to keeping the university’s parking lots accessible. The university will lose the parking spaces between the stadium and Strahan Coliseum to make way for the overpass and a new water line, Nance said. TxDOT officials paid the university for the land acquired on both sides of Aquarena Springs Drive. “With some re-striping, we believe that we can get back most of the spaces but not all of them,” Nusbaum said. Three of the six Aquarena Springs Drive bus routes will be reconfigured as TxDOT recreates the access roads, Nusbaum said. The access roads will not parallel the overpass. The overpass will start near Mamacita’s and gradually

come up to its highest point at Post Road, Nance said. The overpass will start to level out and meet the current road at Charles Austin Drive. TxDOT negotiated to keep the stadium driveways open during home football games and commencement, Nusbaum said. The contractor will place signs near Interstate Highway 35 directing drivers to open lanes. Nusbaum and her colleagues will attend construction meetings to stay informed and get notices out “as fast as we can.” “(University officials) will do our best to send out notices,” Nance said. “The key will be communication between the contractor and the university.” Nusbaum said university officials will advise students living off Aquarena Springs Drive to leave “a little bit earlier” to get from their apartments to classes on time. “I think it’s going to be a dramatic improvement,” Nance said. “The fact that you don’t get stopped by trains will be a benefit for everybody, but the two and a half years getting there will be painful.”


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.