February 3 2015 by The University Star

TUESDAY

FEBRUARY 3, 2015 VOLUME 104 ISSUE 51 www.UniversityStar.com

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TRANSPORTATION

DENISE CATHEY ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR San Marcos locals play unicycle football Feb. 1 at Gold Crown Billiards.

Unicycle football popular San Marcos pastime By Jonathan Hamilton LIFESTYLE REPORTER @Jonodashham1

he Unicycle Football League is taking San Marcos by storm one scraped elbow at a time. The league is the brainchild of Marcus Garland, former juggling instructor, who took an outlandish idea and formed a mainstay in the city of San Marcos. Garland grew up with a love for the quirkiness of street performances, a hobby he immersed himself in

as a teenager. That passion, along with his diehard allegiance to the Houston Oilers football team, is the reason behind his formation of the league. Garland launched the league in San Marcos the summer of 2008 with the help of students from his juggling class. The group came together and raised enough cash to purchase unicycles for two teams. The first game, a matchup between the Hotdogs and the Unicychos, took place after a couple of months of gradually incorporating football techniques and unicycle riding.

Garland has spent almost seven years successfully running the league. He is still surprised his vision has become reality. “When I first envisioned it happening, it was a fantasy,” Garland said. “Never in a million years did I think the league would go this far.” The games were originally held in the parking lot of the The Hitch food trailers before moving to Tantra Coffeehouse. Attendance at the matches continued to grow, and city officials

allowed games to be played at the San Marcos Activity Center in exchange for community service by the teams. A couple hundred people can be expected to watch the eight teams actively participating in games that take place from 1-3 p.m. every Sunday. The league’s headquarters is now located in the parking lot of Gold Crown Billiards, a spot the UFL hopes to keep for years to come.

See UNICYCLE, Page 2

CITY

CAUTION CONTINUES UNDER STAGE 2 DROUGHT By Jake Goodman NEWS REPORTER @jake_thegoodman As of Feb. 1, San Marcos has lowered the drought restrictions due to an increase in rainfall, according to the Edwards Aquifer Authority (EAA).

2 last week. Dianne Wassenich, program coordinator for the San Marcos River Foundation (SMRF), said the recent rains and reduced water usage will only temporarily increase the flow of the aquifer. “Still be cautious,” Klein said. “We’re in a long-term drought, and

Feb. 2. The reading was an increase from 644.2 CFS on the 10-day average. Wassenich said recent rains helped increase the flow of the aquifer. Residents typically do not water lawns frequently in the winter, which lessens stress on the aquifer and increases flow.

out of the area before it can be collected into the aquifer. Klein said the aquifer ordinarily drops in the summer months when rainfall is lower and farmers take in water for irrigation. City officials instituted Stage 3 water restrictions for the majority of 2014. Officials enacted Stage 4 status between July

Still be cautious. We’re in a long-term drought, and we don’t know how long it’s going to last.” —Jan Klein, conservation coordinator for San Marcos Stage 2 water limitations allow lawns to be watered on a weekly basis compared to bi-weekly restrictions under Stage 3. Jan Klein, conservation coordinator for the city, said the restrictions were reduced following the EAA move to Stage

we don’t know how long it’s going to last.” The J-17 Index Well, which is used to measure the aquifer in San Antonio, read a flow rate of 645.1 cubic feet per second (CFS) on

POLICE

Meredith Miller, senior program specialist at the Meadows Center for Water and the Environment, said recent rains have not significantly increased the flow of San Marcos Springs. Rainwater flows

and November. The aquifer has been dropping consistently over the past two years, Wassenich said. Rain continues to

See DROUGHT, Page 2

San Marcos to add two Oil spill fuels Texas mental health officers State research after spike in cases By Frank Campos NEWS REPORTER @frankcamposj The San Marcos Police Department may soon see two new faces on the force. City council passed the first of two readings Jan. 20 for a $266,538 grant to be added to the 2014-2015 budget for two new mental health officers. SMPD currently employs one mental health officer to serve the entire city. Chase Stapp, chief of police, and Howard Williams, who formerly held the position, noticed a rise in mental health cases and applied for a grant in 2013 to hire two more officers. Mental health officers assist in crises and ensure those in need get immediate help with medication, counseling and access to facilities, Stapp said. The amount of mental health cases has increased 98 percent since 2012, rising to 700 investigations in 2014, Stapp said. The department uses patrol officers when the current mental health specialist is dealing with another case. “Only having one mental health officer has forced us to use regular patrol officers if he is ever tied up,” Stapp said. “This not only takes

UNIVERSITY

away department resources, but it may also effect the outcome of the encounter during a mental health crisis.” Citizens who call can end up going to jail if the department does not have the resources to help, Stapp said. Todd Salmi, pastor for First United Methodist Church, spoke at the Jan. 30 city council meeting in favor of the grant because of his own experience with a mental health crisis. “I told (city council members) I once had to call 911 for someone I was counseling who was contemplating suicide,” Salmi said. “A mental health officer responded and was able to completely defuse the situation.” Salmi was amazed by how welltrained the police officer was, easily creating a conversation and keeping the situation under control. “What I saw was truly amazing,” Salmi said. “He ensured the man got the help he received and because of that he was able to attend a court date later that day.” The patient’s family would have been evicted and homeless if he had missed the appointment, Salmi said.

See MENTAL HEALTH, Page 2

By Jake Goodman NEWS REPORTER @jake_thegoodman

Fines from the 2010 Deepwater Horizon drilling disaster will fund ecosystem health and restoration studies for Texas State researchers. The Deepwater Horizon spill was an environmental disaster caused in April 2010 by the explosion of an offshore drilling rig in the Gulf of Mexico. The spill lasted for three months and contaminated tens of thousands of square miles, according to the U.S. Department of the Treasury (USDT). It is the largest oil spill in American history. The U.S. government enacted the Resources and Ecosystems Sustainability, Tourist Opportunities and Revived Economies of the Gulf Coast States Act, also known as the RESTORE Act, in response to the disaster, according to the USDT. The act authorized 80 percent of the fines paid by the owner of the well, Transocean, to fund two research groups in each of the five Gulf Coast states. Funds are used to study the effects of the disaster and

ways to restore coastal ecosystems. Texas OneGulf, one of the groups, will receive $3,148,837 in grant money to research possible repairs to the area, according to the USDT. Rudolph Rosen, director of the Conservation Leadership Initiative at the Meadows Center for Water and the Environment, said Texas OneGulf research projects are still in the beginning stages, and the research is “far in the future.” Planning could begin as early as March, when funds are disbursed. “This is going to evolve over the next few years, and this is a long-term effort to establish a base of research to help us respond better if we have another spill,” Rosen said. He said providing research expertise and necessary information for responding to events such as the spill is one of the goals of OneGulf. “This consortium will be focused on providing research in the future, and this may take many forms, including graduate student projects and undergraduate help and support,” Rosen said.

See OIL, Page 2

Rideshare services possible pending city ordinance By Nicholas Laughlin NEWS REPORTER @nick_laughlin City council plans to pass regulations on rideshare services this spring, making alternative transportation in San Marcos a reality. The ordinance, which is currently being drafted, will apply to transportation networking companies such as Lyft and Uber, said Chase Stapp, San Marcos chief of police. “(Rideshare services) will provide new transportation options for the community,” said Mayor Daniel Guerrero. Some companies are operating in the area but do not have official legal status in San Marcos yet, Stapp said. “I haven’t talked to representatives from either (Uber or Lyft) yet,” Stapp said. “We’ve heard they are operating here but on a limited basis.” Cities create ordinances specific to rideshare services because the business model differs from that of a taxicab company. Current ordinances are written around the taxicab business model, Stapp said. “Until we get an ordinance that operates around (the rideshare) business model, they are in violation of the current ordinance,” Stapp said. “It is a priority that we make an ordinance that fits.” The city is still in “early conversations” about creating an ordinance, he said. Guerrero wants the city to be “fair” to taxi companies currently operating and those who come in the future. “Nothing is set in stone,” Guerrero said. “(The city council) would like to learn more about (the rideshare services) first.” City council proposed Jan. 20 that an ordinance should be geared toward registration rather than regulation, Stapp said. “I envision something that would require them to register their business and a small registration fee of some kind on an annual basis, performing background checks on drivers and making sure that the equipment is safe,” Stapp said. The safety of San Marcos citizens is the main priority, Stapp said. The ordinance will be made to fit the rideshare services’ business models and current operating policies. Stapp will work with the city’s legal department to come up with an ordinance to fit San Marcos’ needs. The ordinance will go to the city council sometime in March for consideration. Many cities in the state do not limit the amount taxis can charge, but San Marcos set a cap in 2010, Stapp said. “I can’t tell you for sure if we are going to cap their rates or not,” Stapp said. “I am aware that (cost gap) has been an issue for some cities. Some cities have chosen to use cost gaps, and some haven’t. We haven’t made that decision yet.” Guerrero hopes San Marcos will and “serve as a model” for implementing a rideshare ordinance. May Olvera, communication design freshman, said services such as Uber will be “beneficial” because she does not have a car. “It’s so hard to get around town if I want to go to the store because I have to rely on other people,” Olvera said. “With my personal experiences of using Uber, they are really reliable and cheap.” Stapp said if the services do well, the city could see other start-up companies come on board. “It kind of is a gut feeling on my part,” Stapp said. “I have nothing to base it on, but I feel like there will be a demand for these services here.” Guerrero said having such services in San Marcos would create jobs and income for families and improve the city. “Having other options for transportation will, over time, help with traffic congestion, improve air quality and help with parking,” Guerrero said.

2 | The University Star | News | Tuesday, February 3, 2015

UNICYCLE, from front The season runs from the middle of August through April with the prestigious Stupor Bowl, the unicycle league’s equivalent of the Super Bowl, serving as the championship game. First-year players are allowed to participate for free, while veterans are charged twenty dollars for the duration of the season. The matches are competitive and rivalries sometimes develop between opposing squads, but the main goal is always to have fun. Jeremy Logan, Hotdogs player, said a relaxed approach to the game is important. “You can drink beer and hang out, but if your team has numbered plays, you guys

might be doing it wrong,” Logan says. Injuries are always a possibility, but most players leave the field sporting only a couple of nicks and bruises. Josh Palmer, a member of Los Bierdos, said he is not overly concerned about the risk of injury on the gridiron. “There are not really a whole lot of really bad injuries,” Palmer said. “We are friends, so we try not to hurt each other.” Palmer, now a seasoned veteran of the game, is proud to be a part of such an organic atmosphere. “It’s just a huge group of eclectic weirdoes that like to drink beer and ride unicycles,” Palmer said. “It’s all pretty

The Unicychos catch a pass against the Dumps in their matchup Feb. 1 at Gold Crown Billiards. DENISE CATHEY ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR

DROUGHT, from front miss the recharge zone, and the increasing area population forces more water to be removed, stressing the aquifer more than usual. “We’ll be back in Stage 3 very soon,” Wassenich said. Klein said the historical average flow for the aquifer in the month of February at the J-17 well is 669.3 CFS, 24 CFS above the present flow. “It doesn’t seem logical or sensible

to reduce the restrictions in a multiyear drought,” Wassenich said. The aquifer will drop low enough to implement Stages 3, 4 and possibly 5 restrictions during the summer unless “something significant” changes in the weather under the current projections from the EAA, Wassenich said. Miller said several years of consistent rain may be necessary to bring the aquifer back to normal levels con-

sidering the current depletion. The city briefly instituted Stage 4 restrictions last summer but went back to Stage 3 after rains, Klein said. San Marcos has never instituted Stage 5 restrictions and has no specific guidelines for that condition except to do “everything necessary” to protect the aquifer and San Marcos springs. “We don’t know how low the aquifer has to get before the springs stop

MENTAL HEALTH, from front

OIL, from front

“This goes so far beyond just the initial contact the officer makes,” Salmi said. “It can lead to better care and a better quality of life.” Salmi said metal health officers help veterans coming home from war with invisible wounds such post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as well as students dealing with the stress of college. Robert Herndon, a clinical social worker for Cedar Creek Associates, has had a private practice in San Marcos since 1991 and believes the city can benefit greatly from the added officers. “It is urgent we get more mental health officers,” Herndon said. “This area is terribly underserved when it comes to mental health resources.” Herndon thinks the two new officers will be a critical step in the right direction but will not solve everything. “A lot of people dealing with these issues do not belong in the penal system,” Herndon said. “This way they can be handled by someone with an expertise on mental health.” The second reading and final approval for the grant is scheduled for the Feb. 3 city council meeting. The hiring process is projected to begin by Feb. 19 if funding is approved, Stapp said.

He said the university was one of nine institutions across the state selected to participate. Each institution has additional expertise in diverse fields, including medical and health research. Seven of the 143 OneGulf researchers are from Texas State, and most of them have backgrounds in ecosystem health, Rosen said. Texas State and the Meadows Center could contribute to OneGulf in capacities other than research, Rosen said. The Meadows Center has expertise in public environmental education, and members of the staff have background in areas like emergency response. Emergency management and oil-spill

flowing, and we really don’t want to find out that number,” Miller said. Wassenich said students and residents should watch for water leaks and report violations of the restrictions, especially the overuse of lawn sprinklers. “Basically you should still use less water,” Wassenich said. Students should encourage apartment complexes to install water-

response go “hand-in-hand” because the same protocols apply to both, said Shane Townsend, senior program advisor for the Meadows Center. “In both situations, you have a number of people that get together and get everything prepared to respond in the shortest amount of time,” Townsend said. He said the first step to disaster response typically involves a team with mixed backgrounds that evaluates each situation. The key is to plan ahead for the general and respond to the specific. “While one oil spill might be six million gallons, the next might be completely different, so hopefully with the research you learn how to respond to

saving appliances and make an effort to reduce personal usage despite the relaxed restrictions, Klein said. Citizens can receive free water audits. City inspectors examine where water is wasted and find ways to conserve in the audits. “General awareness is what people need,” Klein said. “If we all paid attention to leaks and water usage, it would be a big step.”

the next,” Townsend said. Rosen said OneGulf could also utilize the Texas Stream Team, which provides “citizen scientists” with work around the state and along the San Marcos River. The Texas Stream Team exists to facilitate community outreach and collect data, which can be applied to OneGulf, said Meredith Miller, senior program coordinator for the Texas Stream Team. She said the majority of the team members are citizens with specialized training conducting general work and testing. “We learned from Deepwater Horizon that it’s important to have boots on the ground, if not eyes, to go out and monitor the water quality,” Miller said.

The University Star Cordially Invites You To Announce Your Wedding in

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The University Star would like to feature your wedding announcement in our Bridal Issue February 24, 2015. The deadline to submit couples’ information is Februaury 19 at noon. Information can be submitted online at Universitystar.com or in our office located in the Trinity building.

The University Star | Tuesday, February 3, 2015 | 3

LIFESTYLE

UniversityStar.com

Local songwriters circle provides creative outlet By Kara Dornes LIFESTYLE REPORTER @KaraDornes A local songwriters circle gives San Marcos artists the chance to play, listen and learn in an intimate setting. Kent Finlay’s Songwriters Circle at Cheatham Street Warehouse offers a night when all participating members are encouraged to closely listen to other artists to gain as much knowledge as possible. The circle is a tradition started by Finlay, founder of Cheatham Street, and has taken place every Wednesday since 1975. It is the one event that could be known as “the nucleus” of Cheatham Street and has kept Finlay from closing the warehouse. “It is a open mic night for songwriters here,” said Blaine Moore, head bartender at Cheatham Street. “Everybody plays three songs, but they have to be original songs. That is the only rule. We do not have any pool tables, no talking, and everyone just sits around and listens to everyone’s music.” Moore said the songwriters circle has helped famous artists get started. Country singer Randy Rogers got his start at Cheatham Street. The experience becomes a very personal tradition for some of the singer-songwriters who participate, Moore said. The artists look forward to attending the circle in order to have a good time and sing. “I had always heard about Cheatham Street, and I was trying to find open mics and saw they had one there, and I wanted to check it out,” said Ty Dillon, performer. “It was very intimate. It is about listening to the artwork each performer displayed, and I kind of

fell in love with that aspect of it.” Dillon said he has been singing since before he could talk. He later progressed to performing in a church. Dillon continued pursuing music by drumming in a rock band in high school. Dillon goes to every songwriters circle and likens it to having

a family right around the corner. “I moved here about two years ago from Baytown, and Cheatham Street is actually the reason I came here,” said Robert Cannon, performer. “It has so much history, and George Strait is one of my biggest influences, and he started there along with Stevie

Ray Vaughn.” Cannon said he started getting into singing and songwriting by composing lyrics in high school. His ultimate goal is to be a Texas songwriter with recognized music. Cannon explained he started coming to the songwriters circle about a year ago and loved it. He

said it is a therapeutic source of songwriting inspiration. “I have been to other songwriter circles, but there is something intimate, especially toward the end when everyone circles up,” Cannon said. “No one is plugged up, and we are all just singing together, and it is amazing.”

PRESLIE COX STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Ty Dillon performs a song on Jan. 28 at Cheatham Street Warehouse during Kent Finlay’s Songwriters Circle.

HOT YOGA STUDIO FUNDED BY DONATIONS By Kara Dornes LIFESTYLE REPORTER @karadornes Blazing Heart Yoga, a San Mar-

cos studio, will host donation-only classes open to anyone with a desire to learn and have a good time. The studio offers a variety of classes including form, candlelight flow, happy hour flow and Shakti

church flow. The studio features hot yoga, ranging from 85-95 degrees. Jason Lobo, instructor and owner, said the decision to take donations comes from a desire to serve any customer regardless of

HARON SAENZ STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Haleigh Holt, English sophomore, practices a triangle pose Jan. 31 at Blazing Heart Yoga.

Picks of the Week By Britton Richter LIFESTYLE EDITOR @Brittonrichter

For the alternative rocker:

Portland natives The Decemberists released their farewell album, What a Terrible World, What a Beautiful World, on Jan. 20. The alternative music group has a crowd of diehard fans, but for those who do not know the music the band sounds like salty sea rock. Poetic lyrics and expert musicianship provide a fantastic album. This compilation will take listeners through the full spectrum of human emotions, as any great artwork should.

For the jazz lover:

The 25th annual Hill Country Jazz Festival will be held Feb. 7 on the Texas State campus. The festival will feature Texas State faculty as well as renowned saxophonist Ralph Bowen. Jazz is often portrayed as dull, but the big bands and combos will put that myth to rest.

For the athlete:

The Gear Up 10 Mile Run, presented by the San Marcos Manufacturers Association,

will take place Feb. 8 at 7 a.m at the Tanger Outlets. This is the third annual SMMA run, with proceeds funding scholarships for local San Martians. The run may not be for early birds, but participants can only benefit.

For the cowboy or cowgirl:

The Greater Randolph Area Trail Riders (GRA-TRAils) will make a pit stop in downtown San Marcos Feb. 9 at 11:30 a.m. Entertainment and free peach cobbler will be served to cowboys and everyone else. This annual stop occurs on the way to the San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo.

For the bored:

Boredom can seem easy to find in small towns such as San Marcos, but luckily enough this town is bursting with unique activities. Watching unicycle football can cure any case of small-town-induced monotony. The Unicycle Football League plays football on unicycles, which sounds slightly far-fetched but will serve up some unforgettable memories. Matches occur every Sunday at the San Marcos Activity Center parking lot.

socio-economic status. “We opened in March 2014, and we are a donation-based yoga studio, which means we take students on a sliding scale, which means there is no set fee or contracts,” Lobo said. “We have a suggested donation of $5-$15, but we do not turn anyone away.” Lobo said the motto for the studio is that everyone should be able to practice yoga without any limitations because it is so beneficial. Yoga is especially important in a college town close to campus, Lobo said. He wanted to give students the opportunity to do something good for themselves mentally, physically and emotionally. “As the years went by, I really wanted to share the effects of yoga, so eventually I started teaching at other studios, and as the desire grew, I wanted to start my own studio,” Lobo said. Lobo has set up a variety of classes and times, which ensures availability for anyone’s schedule. Annalisa Turner, yoga student at Blazing Heart Yoga, said the classes can benefit even the most inexperienced student. “I was pretty bad when I first started, but Jason’s classes are very foundation-based—more of the engineering parts of yoga—and K.K., his partner, is more of the mystical-type person,” Turner said. “Obviously,

though, she is still devoted into good alignment.” Turner said the first few classes were overwhelming. He spent a few months learning before he understood what Lobo was really talking about. “Jason was pretty patient, but after a while, when I wasn’t going anywhere, he got strict in a way good teachers do,” Turner said. “He took me and all of his other students under his wing. That is why we take his classes. We are there every week.” Haleigh Holt, instructor at Blazing Heart Yoga, said teachers at the studio go in-depth to form a greater understanding of the meaning of yoga with students. “Blazing Heart is my first time teaching,” Holt said. “I got certified in Brooklyn to teach a breathing type of yoga. What is great about Jason, the owner, is that he is super open to teachers utilizing their own experiences.” Holt said there is no strict guideline or script to follow while teaching, which is done in order to build a relationship with the art form. “If I were to go to a yoga studio and follow a script while teaching, it would take away what yoga means to me, which is being in the moment and responding to the energy correctly,” Holt said. “I really believe yoga to be self-reflectiveness.”

4 | The University Star | Tuesday, February 3, 2015

OPINIONS

UniversityStar.com

THE MAIN POINT

New technologies a cost-effective alternative to print textbooks

niversity faculty and staff should seek modern alternatives to traditional teaching supplements, such as expensive textbooks, as the price of education rises. Millenials are often the butt of jokes from older generations. We have been called everything from lazy to self-obsessed to ineffective communicators. Some of those things may be true on an individual basis, but one thing millenials bear no responsibility for is the current inflation of textbook prices. A Jan. 27 report from the United States Public Interest Research Group states students spend $1,200 per year on supplies including textbooks. Tuition is already expensive, and adding pricy textbooks only hurts students. Students should not be forced into buying overpriced textbooks under a fear of not passing their classes. Sixty-five percent of students did not buy textbooks because of cost, and 94 percent of them feared doing so

would hurt their grade. Few things are more frustrating than shelling out big bucks for a textbook an instructor requires, only to use it twice during the whole semester. Even worse than the outdated ritual is trying to re-sell books and then being told no one is buying them back. Students have long accepted the ritual as an infuriating but inescapable part of the college process. Instead of everyone just accepting this for “how it is,” there are alternatives to textbooks that students and faculty can work together to incorporate into lesson plans. The library gives students, faculty and staff access to many databases, many of which go unused by most of the university population. Professors can use databases to find scholarly articles and journals to supplement their teachings. Requiring students to read a PDF is much easier than assigning chapters from a textbook hardly anyone purchased in the first place.

JORDAN GURLEY STAR ILLUSTRATOR

University faculty should also make better use of the TRACS system available. Some professors do not even use the system for classes. Instead, they use the email system or other websites. TRACS is free and comes with everyone’s net IDs. Teachers can customize their sites as much or little as they want, and students can easily download and upload assignments. Additionally, the pop culture course in the Department of Sociology uses alternative methods to get information to students. Rachel Romero, sociology senior lecturer, requires students to get a Netflix account in order to watch documentaries the class discusses. This is a perfect example of a modern solution to

an age-old problem. Teachers who continue to hold onto the antiquated method of requiring textbooks they never use are only hurting their students. Nowadays, textbook revisions include only a small amount of difference, yet the latest edition costs hundreds more than earlier

ones. Making students buy more expensive editions just to fill the pockets of textbook manufacturers is ridiculous. Faculty should adapt to the times and rising prices instead of continuing to require students to buy overpriced textbooks. Millenials grew up in the technology age, and it is time for us to take advantage of that in other ways besides using social media.

The Main Point is the opinion of the newspaper’s editorial board. Columns are the opinions of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the full staff, Texas State University Student Media, the School of Journalism and Mass Communication or Texas State University.

SOCIAL MEDIA

Misleading tweeting a dangerous problem

Maddie Teague OPINIONS COLUMNIST @maddiebell_bell

hen it comes to politics and mainstream news coverage, more and more people are ignoring facts and sources released by big name companies such as Fox News and CNN and turning instead to hearsay on Twitter. Twitter was designed as a social

media outlet for everyday people to talk about their lives or even tell a silly joke they heard. It has since evolved into a medium for anyone with an opinion, informed or not, to spread their own agendas to their “following.” Take into consideration the recent apprehension of Jessica Hernandez. According to a Jan. 27 CBS News article, an officer was called to check on a suspicious vehicle. A colleague arrived after it was determined the car had been reported stolen, said Robert White, chief of police. In a statement, police said the two officers then "approached the vehicle on foot when the driver drove the car into one of the officers." Attempting to apprehend a stolen vehicle and then being assaulted with a car, making it a deadly weapon, White said he believes

his officers followed protocol in opening fire. Whether or not one believes the shooting was justified, CBS News has been trusted for years as a credited, validly sourced news outlet. In response Elisabeth Epps, a relatively popular blogger, tweeted, “DPD shot and killed a 16-year-old girl today. Cops say she was driving a stolen car. Yeah. We totally believe you, @DenverPolice.” This tweet appears to be an unsourced opinion, omitting the assault with the vehicle and implying it was not stolen. Everyone has a right to his or her opinion, and everyone has the right to express that opinion. The problem comes not from the opinion itself but from the belief that the opinion is fact. People would take her view more seriously if Epps had provided

UNIVERSITY

Students should not have to pay for internship courses

Kirsten Peek OPINIONS COLUMNIST @kirsten_peek

niversity students should not have to pay a regular course fee to receive credit for their internships. For many college students, completing an internship for class credit seems like a great way to gain real-world experience while saving money. Many students do not realize at Texas State they must pay for the hours they are pursing credit for even though the school is not teaching the course. Often, internships for college students are unpaid but offer course credit. Many students take this option so while they are not making any money, they are gaining valuable experience and saving money they would otherwise be spending on a course taught through the school. It is often only after a student accepts an internship that they discover they must

pay the school to enroll in a course called “Internship,” which is the same price as a regular course. This class does not have a regularly-scheduled meeting time, and there is no structured lesson plan involved. Depending on the number of hours they are pursing for internship credit, resident students pay between $238.68 and $1,432.08 for enrollment, not including additional fees, according to Texas State’s website. Elizabeth Sanders, mass communication senior, is interning for a publishing company during her final semester at Texas State. “I definitely thought I wouldn’t get charged to work for free,” she said, after learning of the increase in her tuition a week into the semester. Sanders said it would make sense for the school to charge a small processing fee instead of the full price of a regular class. “There is some administrative work that goes into it, but as far as actual teaching, I don’t think we should have to pay because the school isn’t teaching us,” Sanders said. Students in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication completing internships for course credit during a 15-week semester must work an average of seven hours each

The University Star Interim Editor-in-Chief...................................Nicole Barrios, stareditor@txstate.edu Managing Editor....................Cameron Cutshall, starmanagingeditor@txstate.edu Letters................................................................................universitystar@txstate.edu News Editor..............................................Kelsey Bradshaw, starnews@txstate.edu Lifestyle Editor..........................................Britton Richter, starlifestyle@txstate.edu Opinions Editor.......................................Imani McGarrell, staropinion@txstate.edu Photo Editor...........................................Madelynne Scales, starphoto@txstate.edu Sports Editor........................................... Quixem Ramirez, starsports@txstate.edu Copy Desk Chief.....................................Sam Hankins, starcopychief@txstate.edu

week if they are pursing one credit hour. Student must work 24 hours each week if they are pursuing six credit hours. Internship requirements vary between departments. While students often have to complete work for their courses outside of scheduled class time, they are able to finagle these tasks around jobs and other classes. The amount of designated time students must invest in an internship is enough to prevent them from being able to hold jobs in addition to being a full-time student. Between the high workload and financial obligations, this situation puts students who are trying to enrich their résumés under significant strain. At the end of the day, they could have simply taken Physical Fitness and Wellness courses for open elective hours and experience a much more relaxed and self-paced semester for the same price. If administrators cared more about the success of Texas State students than money, they would allow students to transfer credits from approved internships for an administrative fee instead of the full price of taking a course actually taught by the school. —Kirsten Peek is a journalism senior

proof that the officers who apprehended Hernandez were sexist aggressors. As it stands, the tweet should be taken as what it is: an unproven opinion. Younger people tend to believe the opinions posted on Twitter rather than facts provided by news companies. “I think that sometimes you look at ownership of news corporations,” said Kyla Hobbs-Darilek, philosophy lecturer. “Perhaps they think Twitter is more user-based, firsthand knowledge and word on the street— what really happened without the angle or perspective of the mass media.” Mainstream media outlet users have been known to spin facts to suit their own agendas. “In the end, I would rely on Twitter only because you can get every single aspect of the story through

Twitter,” said Keaton Hahn, electronic media senior. “If you go through a specific news source, you’re going to get one side of it.” Hahn makes a valid point. At the end of the day, it is up to the reader to gather information and sources and make their own educated opinion. Do not simply take everything seen on Twitter as fact. Research and look at situations from every angle. Even though people on Twitter are not a major news source, they may have an agenda as well, and it is wise to take what they say with a grain of salt. It is up to the individual to discover what is really true. —Maddie Teague is an English sophomore

SOCIETY

Fandom culture more than weirdos in costumes

Rivers Wright OPINIONS COLUMNIST @MonsieurRivers

andoms, or fanatic domains, have been around for a while but have recently taken off and become a mainstream form of information and entertainment. With the rise of fandoms comes the rise of a new type of fan. Sometimes these fans get so extreme and violent. Outsiders wonder if entering fandoms is the equivalent of joining a cult-like group. As a foreigner looking in, it is hard to look at a fandom and not see some hardcore religious-like following of a television show or fictional character. There are those fans that blur the lines between being a simple fan and being borderline obsessed with someone or something, said Gabriela Ramirez, University of Texas rhetoric senior. Ramirez cites people sending squirrel meat to popular Walking Dead actor Norman Reedus because his character ate a squirrel on the show as one of the times fans have gone too far. When people think of fandoms, they often associate them with the word “obsessed.” The idea of fandoms boiled

down to its simplest form is a bunch of people strongly following fictitious characters in a made-up world. It is almost a grown up version of fairy tales. Even though fandoms have their dark sides, as most anything else, they are a good place for people with common interests to come together, feel welcome and not be ostracized for liking something unpopular. Ramirez said being a part of The Walking Dead fandom has opened doors for her, and she had been able to meet people who share in her interests. Even though there is an intense following in fandoms and one aggravated fan can spark a riot of nasty words through the internet, once in a while something will come out of that to create a new fandom. While the writing of the Fifty Shades of Grey trilogy is terrible and can stand to be run through a few more editors, a fan of the Twilight saga inspired the series. The author of Fifty Shades of Grey, E. L. James, started the book as a darker and sexier reworking of the first book in the Twilight saga. She then managed to turn the book into a trilogy, has made it into a major motion picture and sparked another fandom from a fan fiction she started herself. Immensely liking Harry Potter or Doctor Who is no different than having a deep appreciation for the Seattle Seahawks or being able to say you have gone to every single Fall Out Boy concert since they started touring. Everyone may not like fandoms, but there is definitely a fandom for everyone. —Rivers Wright is a journalism junior 601 University Drive Trinity Building, Room 101 San Marcos, TX 78666

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SPORTS

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BOBCATS LOSE IN DOUBLE OVERTIME TO LOUISIANA-LAFAYETTE By Quixem Ramirez SPORTS EDITOR @quixem

DENISE CATHEY ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR

Erin Peoples, junior forward, attempts a shot Jan. 31 against Louisiana-Lafayette at Strahan Coliseum.

There was no doubt in Coach Zenarae Antoine’s mind after a layup by Erin Peoples, junior guard, tied the game with three seconds left in regulation. “I truly believed when we went into overtime—I thought we were going to win the game, to be honest with you,” Antoine said. Peoples scored the initial five points in the first overtime period before Louisiana-Lafayette responded with a 11-6 run in the next three minutes. Texas State forced a second overtime period when Ayriel Anderson, junior guard, converted a jump shot on the final possession. The Ragin’ Cajuns outlasted the Bobcats in the second overtime in their 83-81 victory. “Obviously this is a really tough game for me because it’s really tough for the kids,” Antoine said. “I just think we ran out of time, but my hat goes off to Lafayette to come in after a loss. They won that game.” Antoine pointed to the rebounding department as the culprit for the loss. The Bobcats allowed a season-high 25 offensive rebounds, translating to 13

second-chance points for the Ragin’ Cajuns. “I’m definitely disappointed,” Antoine said. “We talked about it, but we didn’t get the job done. I think if you have to look at it, that’s where we lost the game. Twenty-five offensive rebounds is ridiculous.” Jacqueline Jeffcoat, senior forward, reached double digits in points for the first time since Dec. 30, 2014, snapping a nine-game streak. Jeffcoat, who tallied 13 points and eight rebounds in the loss, reiterated Antoine’s point. “I wasn’t worried about hitting my shots,” Jeffcoat said. “We just wanted to rebound and win.” Taeler Deer, freshman guard, joined Jeffcoat in double figures to support the Texas State starters. Deer and Jeffcoat combined for 27 points and 14 rebounds. “They did a great job offensively, being able to come in and find those moments,” Antoine said. “Anytime you bring Jacqueline and Taeler (off) the bench, you’re gonna get that piece. This team has multiple young women that can score in huge numbers.” Antoine utilized a zone in the second half in response to Louisiana-Lafayette’s shooting. The Ragin’ Cajuns are last in the conference in 3-point

field goal percentage, making 86 out of 348 attempts this year. Antoine said the zone was beneficial in order to create rebound opportunities and protect her players with foul trouble. “This is traditionally not a 3-point shooting team, but they hit big shots,” Antoine said. “Staying in the zone was the right thing to do. It made sense for us. Lafayette stepped up and made some big shots. They didn’t die.” The Bobcats attacked a matchup advantage by incorporating Peoples in the post. Antoine identified the mismatch and put Peoples, who set season-highs in points (23) and free throws (11), in a position to capitalize. “Erin is one of the top five players in the conference and played like it tonight for sure,” Antoine said. “She took the team on her back. Whatever way she needed to score—and she found a way to score.” Texas State’s loss ended a three-game winning streak, putting the team in a tie for third place in the conference. “I don’t question their heart whatsoever,” Antoine said. “Their heart was definitely there. I just think Lafayette played hard as well.”

MEN’S BASKETBALL

BOBCATS FALL TO RAGIN’ CAJUNS FOR FIFTH STRAIGHT LOSS By Sabrina Flores SENIOR SPORTS REPORTER @SabrinaFloresTX Louisiana-Lafayette responded to the Texas State men’s basketball team’s second half run with an adjustment—a 1-22 zone defense. The Ragin’ Cajuns’ adjustment paid off. They finished the final five minutes on a 14-1 run to earn the 72-63 victory. Texas State trailed by 16 points during the first half. The team closed the doubledigit deficit in the second half, making four consecutive 3-pointers. Kavin Gilder-Tilbury, sophomore forward, converted three of those four 3-pointers. Gilder-Tilbury, averaging two points and 4.5 percent shooting in his previous four games, set a career high with 20 points. “I’m frustrated that we did not come out ready to play but

happy we had some resilience to bounce back,” said Coach Danny Kaspar. “We have got to do a better job defending in the post. We have to do a better job not letting them get to the basket on fast break.” The matchup pitted the Sun Belt Conference’s topscoring offense and defense against each other. LouisianaLafayette was averaging 80.5 points per game. Texas State’s defense allowed 59.2 points per game. Shawn Long, Ragin’ Cajuns junior forward, was the focal point for the Bobcats’ defense leaving Johnathan Stove, Ragin’ Cajuns point guard, with space to operate offensively. Long, the team’s leading scorer, tallied 17 points and 13 rebounds for his eighth double-double this year. Stove scored 16 of his teamleading 19 points in the first half. The freshman guard was on Kaspar’s radar last offsea-

son when he tried to bring Stove to San Marcos for a visit. Stove passed the 10-point threshold for the first time since Nov. 21, 2014. “We’ve got to play better defense,” Gilder-Tilbury said. “We were so focused on (Long) and doubling him sometimes. He got all those assists early. They gained momentum, and we couldn’t stop that.” The Bobcats turned the ball over 12 times, which Kaspar identified as a positive considering Louisiana-Lafayette’s defensive pressure. Texas State has lost six of its last seven matchups by an average of six points per game. “I’m frustrated,” Kaspar said. “I know the players are too. I think the effort is pretty good. It can be better if you’re going to beat good teams (like) Louisiana-Lafayette. I know they are struggling, but they are a good team.”

DENISE CATHEY ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR

Ojai Black, sophomore guard, moves up the court Jan 31. against the Ragin’ Cajuns at Strahan Coliseum.

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

NOTEBOOK: LOUISIANA-LAFAYETTE 83, TEXAS STATE 81 By Quixem Ramirez SPORTS EDITOR @quixem WHAT THE LOSS MEANS The Texas State women’s basketball team dropped to fourth in the Sun Belt Conference and is now one game ahead of LouisianaLafayette for fifth. As the conference season winds down, this loss could be the difference between a favorable first-round matchup and an unfavorable one. TURNING POINT Louisiana-Lafayette held a one-point lead before Robbie Brown, Ragin’ Cajun senior guard, converted her third 3-pointer of the game with 1:10 remaining in double overtime. Texas State did not have an answer down the stretch.

SPOTLIGHT PLAYER: ERIN PEOPLES, JUNIOR GUARD. Peoples exceeded 20 points for the second time this season, with 11 free throws bolstering her total. Texas State ranks toward the bottom in the conference in free throw percentage and attempts, so Peoples’ aggression propped up the offense when it was most needed. ANTOINE’S ROTATION Coach Zenarae Antoine praised her team’s offensive balance last week. Six players scored against Louisiana-Lafayette. The rotation is essentially seven players, including two freshmen. There is going to be a fair share of hiccups while Antoine is relying on younger players in close matchups. GOOD: SHOOTING.

The Bobcats made 43.1 percent of their field goals, 42.1 percent of their 3-pointers and 81 percent of their free throw attempts. Each figure is above their regular season mark. Texas State’s 54.6 true shooting percentage, a metric indicating the team’s overall shooting efficiency, was 10 points higher than Louisiana-Lafayette’s. Shooting was not the problem. BAD: KILEAH MAYS, JUNIOR CENTER. Mays finished with zero points and three rebounds, snapping a seven-game stretch when she scored at least one point per matchup. Her 19 minutes is the lowest total in a game this season. Texas State’s offense lacks a post presence when Mays is not in the lineup, though Antoine did

incorporate Peoples more in the interior to attack a matchup disadvantage. UGLY: RIM PROTECTION. Texas State gave up 50 points in the paint to Louisiana-Lafayette, a team that is last in conference field goal percentage. The Ragin’ Cajuns added 17 points in transition, which allowed them to win a game while shooting less than 40 percent. Winning is tough when the team consistently allows high-efficiency attempts. WHAT’S NEXT Texas State will play South Alabama Feb. 4 in its next conference matchup. South Alabama defeated Louisiana-Lafayette Jan. 29 for its first conference win this season. The Jaguars are scoring a conference-worst 54.2 points per game.

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