October 30 2013

Page 1

VOLUME 103, ISSUE 30

www.UniversityStar.com

WEDNESDAY

OCTOBER 30, 2013

Defending the First Amendment since 1911

VIDEO | UniversityStar.com Black Out Signs is a San Marcos-based business that creates images for local establishments such as Classic Tattoo and Zelicks.

CRIME

Armed suspect arrested at Copper Beech Townhomes By Traynor Swanson News Reporter

San Marcos Police Department officers arrested a suspect at the Copper Beech Townhomes Sunday night after responding to a call about a man with a shotgun. Police apprehended and charged Miguel Alonzo-Garcia with aggravated assault and failure to identify himself. He was released Monday on $22,000 bail. According to a statement sent to city officials by SMPD Assistant Chief Chase Stapp, police arrived at the complex shortly after 10 p.m. in response to a disturbance call. A witness reported seeing three men, one of whom was armed with a shotgun, approach an apartment, knock on the front door and call for a resident to step outside. The group of men dispersed by the time police arrived at the complex, leaving the shotgun in one of their vehicles, according to the statement. After a 20-minute search throughout the apartment complex, AlonzoGarcia and his weapon were in custody, according to the statement. Alonzo-Garcia was arrested while attempting to hide on a separate balcony belonging to Copper Beech residents unrelated to the investigation. “(The residents) let him in their apartment, but I don’t think they knew who he was,” said SMPD Sgt. Erik Spriegel. “It sounds like he was just

See SUSPECT, Page 2

University Star City Council Debate 6 p.m. ELA 116 TRANSPORTATION

San Marcos sees lower gas prices Students, residents feel effects of cheaper fuel By Scott Allen

News Reporter

R

esidents and students are experiencing declining gasoline prices in San Marcos as part of a state and national trend of lower oil costs. San Marcos is averaging about $3.06 per gallon of regular gasoline, according to gasbuddy.com. The highest gas cost indicated on the price watch site for the San Marcos area is $3.15 at the Shell, Exxon and Valero stations on Aquarena Springs Drive. Gas prices across the state were more than $3.37 per gallon during the summer, but did not rise higher than $3.47 per gallon from May to September, according to information from the AAA website. Gas prices across Texas have dropped recently because of the seasonal change, said Sarah Schimmer, AAA Texas spokesperson. The gas supply across the

Kathryn Parker | Staff Photographer Mercedes Inocencio, physical geography senior, commutes from Buda to San Marcos to attend classes at Texas State.

nation switches from summergrade to winter-grade fuel during the colder months, Schimmer said. This switch in fuel quality is done to reduce pollution and smog during the summer ozone season, which occurs from June 1 to Sept. 15. “The summer gas is cleaner burning, but it costs more for the consumer, while the winter blend is cheaper to supply and produce,” Schimmer said.

Texas has the third least expensive gas in the nation, only behind Missouri and Oklahoma, according to gasbuddy.com. Patrick DeHaan, senior petroleum analyst for the website, said Texas generally has some of the lowest gas prices in the nation because of its oil production. Since Texas is a large oil-producing state, gas has less distance to travel to reach the consumer, he said.

Texas’ reduced gas prices can be attributed to low fuel taxes as well, DeHaan said. The average gas tax for Texas is $.38 per gallon, while California and New York have an average gas tax of $.69 per gallon, he said. Despite higher fuel taxes in some other states, national gas prices have dipped overall recently as well, contributing to

See GAS, Page 2

ATHLETICS

Sun Belt move increases suite sales By Rebecca Banks News Reporter

Luxury seating in the Jerry D. and Linda Gregg Fields Bobcat Stadium West Side Complex has sold out this footbal season, which officials attribute to the football team’s increasing recognition. Justin Reckenwald, Bobcat Club major gifts officer, said Texas State entering the Sun Belt Conference has helped bring a brighter light to the football team and as a result, helped sell more luxury seating. Steven Kenney, assistant director of development for Bobcat Club, said options for luxury seating at the football games are designated as the Champions Club and Legacy Suites, both of which range in prices. The Champions Club has nine sections, 450 seats and is located outdoors. The Legacy Suites seating is made up of private rooms located on the sixth floor of the West Side Complex of Bobcat Stadium. Josh Whittenburg, director of the Bobcat Club, said luxury seating has a three-year contract, and he is expecting several existing contracts to expire by next season. Whittenburg said the current waiting list has 200 individuals who have shown an interest in

purchasing luxury suites. Whittenburg said the luxury seating contracts are spread out over time to ensure not all will end at the same time. The current seat holders have first priority regarding whether to renew their contracts. “In theory, every year someone’s contract is ending, and in theory, every year somebody could choose to not make those seats available for the wait list,” Whittenburg said. Kenney said the organization uses a priority point system to

monitor a member’s history with the university if they are season ticket holders and have previously donated to the club. “In essence, what it does is reward those individuals that support our program either through season tickets or through donations to the Bobcat Club,” Reckenwald said. “So what will happen is if they purchase season tickets and/or make a donation towards that Bobcat Club, then they will aquire what we call ‘priority

See SUITES, Page 2

Chris Motz | Staff Photographer Bobcat Stadium’s luxury seating area provides patrons with buffet-style meals and beverages during home football games.

Lisa Prewitt City council Place 1 candidate

By Taylor Tompkins News Editor

Lisa Prewitt is running for San Marcos City Council Place 1, a seat left open by the departure of current councilwoman Kim Porterfield. She sat down with The University Star to discuss her platform, ideas for the future of the city and opponent. TT: You announced your candidacy pretty early on. What made you want to run for council? LP: My desire to run for city council is I see that San Marcos has a great opportunity for growth by utilizing all of the characteristics and heritage we have in San Marcos along with the university. I think that we’re not quite embracing those characteristics right now and 20 years from now, I don’t want to look back and say, ‘Hey, I should’ve gotten up

Courtesy of Lisa Prewitt

and done something,’ if the direction the town goes is not the right direction. You’re running against Bill Taylor who has some prior experience in the city. How do you feel your campaign, and maybe the election, are affected? Well, Bill Taylor has given service to the city for many years. We all appreciate and applaud anybody who will volunteer for service in any city or municipality. My opinion is that there’s time in any city for change, and I think Bill Taylor has worked hard while he’s worked for the city, but I think we’re in a new time right now. I think we need more progressive movement. I think we need more community engagement. I don’t know if Bill can pull that together. He’s

See PREWITT, Page 2

CITY

New mobile app allows San Marcos residents to stay connected By Michelle Balagia News Reporter

San Marcos officials recently teamed up with web development company PublicStuff to launch a mobile app designed to keep residents and students better connected with the city. The app, “SMTX Connect,” was released Sept. 25 and allows users to submit concerns, requests for service, questions and comments to city officials. As of Oct. 23, the app has racked up 191 downloads from

iTunes and has been downloaded 74 times from the Google Play store, said Trey Hatt, City of San Marcos communications specialist. The app cost the city just under $50,000 for five years of upcoming service, he said. In the next five years, the app will receive development, maintenance and support from PublicStuff, Hatt said. “It was a council-initiated project,” Hatt said. “This project was aimed for citizen convenience. It’s too soon to say with certainty how much staff time it has saved,

but the app is integrated with our major work order systems.” The app is designed to make the lives of residents simpler, Hatt said. When a request is submitted, it is sent to a designated person in the correct department to address the issue. The request is sent to the departments’ managers if it is not completed within three days, he said. There is a “general request” category where residents can submit anything not specified under other categories. City administration will run monthly reports to see

which categories are being used and which ones need to be added to the app, Hatt said. “I’m not very good with technology,” said Allison Smith, a San Marcos resident for more than 20 years. “The app is real easy though. I made a noise complaint request just the other night.” Other types of requests that can be made through the app include animal issues, fallen trees, park maintenance, graffiti removal, broken signs, sidewalk repairs, potholes and sewer problems, according to the city’s website.

The app has been in the works since September 2012, according to Hatt. “We called other cities to inquire about the vendor during our research, and they are all pleased with them,” Hatt said. “The City of Philadelphia has been very innovative with their mobile app.” The city administrative staff has the ability to update the app as needed, Hatt said. There are icons prepared for emergency weather and city events that can

See APP, Page 2


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