Tuesday, September 20, 2016

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TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 20, 2016 VOLUME 106 ISSUE 5 www.UniversityStar.com

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New H-E-B sparks disagreements in San Marcos

By Bri Watkins Assistant News Editor star.txstate.edu @briwatkins17 The proposal of a third H-E-B has caused concerns for residents throughout San Marcos. A petition has SAFETY received over one thousand signatures in opposition of this development. Ben Scott, H-E-B director of real estate, presented information to the public Thursday on the H-E-B proposal to help alleviate some of the residents’ concerns and provide an understanding of what work has been conducted. He spoke on the environmental issues, traffic congestion and By Vivian Medina incorporated solutions to Lifestyle Reporter make this development a @vivianjmedina College is a time of freedom “fresh forward neighborhood store.” and independence. It can “We are absolutely trying also be a reality check. to open up and be as transSexual assault cases on parent as possible,” Scott college campuses are fresaid. “We’ve handed over quent news headlines. It is all of the reports to anyone important all students take precaution and are prepared that wants them, any expertise that we can find, we are for anything to happen. ready to listen.” Being informed of all Lauren Mikiten, San Marthe safety resources and programs Texas State has to cos resident, signed the peoffer is a good way to start. tition to stop this project. She said one of her biggest Here is a list of ways be concerns is the breaking of prepared while on campus: an agreement the city made in 2010 with the Texas DeCall a Bobcat Bobbie partment of Transportation If a student is walking over the Wonder World Dr. alone at night on campus and don’t feel safe, the Bob- bridge project. “My understanding is that cat Bobbies can help. part of that agreement is Officer Otto Glenewinthat people in the communikel, part of the Texas State ty were apprehensive about University Police Departthat bridge for some of the ment, said during fall and same reasons,” Mikiten said. spring semesters, the BobIn order to relieve some bies run seven days a week. of the problems the citizens “The Bobcat Bobbies is the program which provides had, the city made an agreement with TxDot to allow safety escorts from dusk to no curb cuts on Wonder dawn,” Glenewinkel said. World Dr., between Hunter Keep in mind the program offers a walking buddy and the Bobbie will not always come in a golf cart.

5 ways to stay safe on campus

Use the Emergency Call Boxes

Located around campus are emergency call boxes. The boxes are intended to be a quick way to report an emergency. Officer Glenewinkel said the boxes are simple and ready to use at all times. “When you press the button on the call box it calls 911 and we get the location of the box,” Glenewinkel said. “The line stays open while you speak with one of our dispatchers while police are dispatched to the scene.” If the danger is getting closer, one can move on to another nearby emergency call box. By moving to other boxes, police can track movement and arrive at one’s current location.

The Northwest corner of Hunter Rd. and Wonder World Dr. Sept. 19, this is the proposed site of what would be San Marcos’ 3rd H-E-B. City council will vote on this controversial topic Tuesday. PHOTO BY TYLER DUMAS | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Road and Craddock Ave. “So if H-E-B or anyone were to build something at this location that only needed access for Hunter, that would be fine,” Mikiten said. “The environmental concerns would be there, but it wouldn’t be breaking the city agreement that they made in 2010. You can argue back and forth, but ultimately there was a promise the city made that it seems like its going to break, and that concerns me.” Although there are concerns throughout the community about this project,

there are others who are in support of an H-E-B store at this site. Katie Orr, public administration graduate, is an advocate for the new H-E-B. She referred to herself as a liberal environmentalist. Initially, she did have a concern with this project, but after looking at the facts, she is now in support of the proposal. “I think their development standards have gone above and beyond, and every single city should be modeling after this,” Orr said.

Orr believes people who are against this opposition are being mislead by false information. “You are entitled to have your own opinion, but you are not entitled to have your own facts, and I think that there’s a lot of misinformation floating around in the city right now,” Orr said. “I think H-E-B deserves a little bit better respect and support from us.” With a mixture of concerns and approval from citizens, Scott affirmed that developers will aim to make this a great location for all.

“We will go above and beyond what any developer I believe would do on this site,” Scott said. “You have our name, our brand, 61 years of history that will tell you we will be here and do the right thing.” The first reading for the H-E-B proposal was approved by City Council with a 5-2 vote on Aug. 2. The council will vote again on the second reading Tuesday, Sept. 20.

NEWS

NASA gives Texas State professor a grant for research

Robert McLean, Microbiology Professor, works with bacteria colonies in the Supple Laboratory Sept. 15. McLean has been awarded a grant through NASA to further study the growth of microrganisms in microgravity. PHOTO BY BRANDON VALENCIA | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

By Bri Watkins Assistant News Editor @briwatkins17 Take a Krav Maga class Texas Stat e professor in Knowing self-defense is a the Department of Biolgreat skill to have, especially ogy Dr. Robert McLean was as a college student. awarded a grant by NASA’s Texas State offers Krav Physical Sciences Research Maga classes. Program to conduct a study Officer Glenewinkel said of biofilm functions in mithat the course is free, but crogravity. donations are always apMcLean refers to biofilm preciated. as bacteria that adheres to “We teach the basic surfaces. Examples of biocourse 22 times in the acafilm on Earth include dental demic year, and we currently plaque found on teeth and teach the course in the the slimy coating on river Pecos building,” Glenewin- rocks. kel said. Over the course of four You can register to take a years, McLean will study the Krav Maga class online by similarities and differences going to the services tab on of biofilm growth in space UPD’s website. and then provide an analysis See, over his research. “Up in space, we don’t reSAFETY, ally know that much about pg. 2. biofilms except that they do occur in low gravity situa-

tions,” McLean said. One of the reasons NASA wanted to learn more about biofilm was for the health of astronauts in the International Space Station. “It is very expensive to bring fresh water, and so what they would do is recycle the water that is there,” McLean said. Astronauts are able to recycle water through breath, humidity and urine. The water is then treated, purified and filtered to block bacteria. “Now if you’ve got biofilm forming in that filter, it will clog it up, so that is where you will have a potential problem,” McLean said. Biofilm can pose a threat to an astronaut’s health and create potential issues with the equipment in space.

CITY

BUBBLE GUY

In 1998, McLean was given an opportunity to do a space project with five eighth graders on the John Glenn space shuttle. “We asked the question: can bacteria stick onto a surface if you take away gravity?” McLean said. “Thankfully it worked. So that was the first publication that showed that bacteria could actually attach pretty well in low gravity situations. That provided some of our background for why we were able to go after this grant.” McLean will be accompanied in his research by Starla Thornhill, an aquatic resources doctoral student. Thornhill recruited one of her undergraduate students, microbiology senior Quentin DiPasquale, to assist in these studies. DiPasquale came across

specific bacteria in the San Marcos River which preferred a microgravity environment. Thornhill said not many people have studied why some organisms prefer microgravity versus normal gravity, which is what she will be focusing on in this research project. “Cells produce proteins and then the proteins carry out the function of the cell, so I will be looking at what proteins they are producing and how that changes,” Thornhill said. “That’s what I love about this—there are so many things I can look at.” McLean expressed his gratitude toward his assistants’ help. “The secret is that you get people working with you that are better than you are, and you just let them do the

work and you can’t go too far wrong,” McLean said. “Nobody has ever asked the question if some organisms prefer to live in a low gravity environment, so what Quentin and Starla have found is that that’s the first anywhere.” McLean said they are referring this new, unknown species of bacteria DiPasquale discovered as “Darth Vaderus” for now. McLean and Thornhill both said they were excited for this grant and to uncover more research, and are looking forward to what they learn. “The time and opportunity to get on a space station is so rare and precious, we want to make sure we are going to get stuff where we have our best chance getting good science,” McLean said.

COMPETITION

Unsanctioned personal items to be Bubble Believer spreads positivity Bobcat football alum successful in removed from city cemetery across campus Hallmark cooking contest By Rae Glassford Senior News Reporter @rae_maybe Residents can expect to see the San Marcos City Cemetery, home to over 20,000 burial sites, a little busier than usual throughout the first week of October. From Oct. 3-7, maintenance crews will conduct

an official cleanup of the cemetery. Those with loved ones buried in the cemetery have been advised by the Cemetery Commission to remove unsanctioned memorial items from gravesites prior to the cleanup. See, CITY, pg. 2.

By Miranda Ferris Lifestyle Reporter @mirandajferris One Texas State student, also known as the ‘Bubble Believer,’ has been spreading positivity across campus by blowing bubbles. Joseph Losoya, public relations senior, has become one of the many

well-known personalities of Texas State since the 2015 fall semester. Losoya said he was originally inspired to blow bubbles during his time in the Air Force as a way to cheer everyone up. See,

BUBBLE GUY, pg. 2.

By Stacee Collins Assistant Lifestyle Editor @stvcee A former Texas State football player entered a cooking contest on a whim, but didn’t expect to have so much success. Michael Odiari, 2014 graduate, has advanced to the second round of the

Home and Family cooking contest. The Hallmark Channel and DreamJobbing launched the contest in hopes of finding America’s Best Home Cook and Odiari believes he fits the part. See,

COMPETITION, pg. 2.


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