City Council may reconsider taxicab ordinance

By: Rachel Nelson
www.universitystar.com

A city ordinance stuck in park for decades could get a jump-start.

City Council members are discussing allowing taxicabs to wait for fares downtown, a practice local law currently prevents .

Howard Williams, San Marcos Chief of Police, said 1970 was the last time the ordinance was updated.

“The way our ordinance is written now, the taxicabs can’t do what we call patrolling for fares,” Howard said. “They could get a citation if they show up without being called.”

Howard said no one seems to know the rationale behind the ordinance.

“We kind of need to modernize it and bring it up to modern standards,” he said. “I just know that today it doesn’t meet the needs of the city so we need to change it.”

Changing the ordinance would mean cabs could line up in areas around The Square and other populated places late at night, to aid bar-goers in finding a ride home.

“The logic now is we want it to be easy for people who are downtown to get home,” said City Councilmember Kim Porterfield, Place 1. “If they don’t feel like they can drive their car, and if it’s not safe for them to drive their car, my belief is there needs to be an alternative for people to get home in a safe manner.”

Porterfield said the recent disbandment of Students With Alternative Transportation, did not contribute to the proposed changes.

Robert Rubio, one of the owners of Hays Taxi Service, said he could not be sure if changing the ordinance would benefit his business, but he sees a need for the change.

“I hope it works out for the young kids because we don’t want the kids taking a chance getting in their vehicle intoxicated trying to get home,” Rubio said.

Rubio offers rides to any location in San Marcos for a maximum of six people for a total of $10.

“I just hope the kids can give taxi services a shot and see how it works for them,” Rubio said.

Porterfield predicts the emergence of pedicabs, powered by bicyclists, if the ordinance is changed.

Williams said he is working with the bar task force to update the taxicab ordinance.

“Right now we are tentatively scheduled to have this heard at the Oct. 20 City Council meeting,” Howard said. “They will look it over and see what they want to do with it.”

Texas State among top military friendly schools

By: Rachel Nelson
www.universitystar.com

When it comes to military friendliness, Texas State makes the grade.

G.I. Jobs magazine recently named the school among the nation’s top 15 percent of military friendly colleges.

“We’re very excited about it,” said assistant registrar Melissa Hyatt. The honor stems from a survey taken from more than 7,000 schools. G.I. Jobs considered the efforts of institutions to recruit and retain military and veteran students as well as academic accreditation.

“I’m not surprised by it because of the great things people around campus are doing, and I think it’s well-deserved by the university,” said Chris Schave, international business junior and veteran of the U.S. Air Force.

Texas State has taken several different initiatives to accommodate veterans, Hyatt said.

“We have the Veterans Affairs Office, whose primary focus is to assist veterans for getting benefits through the VA,” Hyatt said. “We assist them with applying for financial aid and that kind of stuff.”

Besides financial aid advising, the university offers personal counseling, provides job placement assistance and free tutoring to veterans. The university held a resource fair Sept. 9 at the LBJ Student Center that had several booths geared toward veterans, Hyatt said.

Schave said veterans were welcomed to campus this semester with approximately 3,000 feet of yellow ribbon, which was displayed by the Office of Student Affairs on behalf of the Veterans Advisory Board.

“The yellow ribbons were used to welcome (veterans) back and give awareness to students and veterans, and kind of a way to say thank you for your service and welcome to the school,” Schave said.

Schave is president of the Veteran’s Alliance at Texas State, an organization sparked last winter.

“Essentially we try to help incoming and current veterans adapt to the university life,” Schave said.

The group organizes social events so that veterans can find a place to fit in.

“Often they’ll be older coming back to school, so they may not feel like they fit in with a bunch of 18, 19 and 20 year olds,” Schave said.

Schave said the Veteran’s Advisory Board was developed last year and is comprised of faculty members from offices that deal with veteran outreach.

“They identify the needs of veterans and see if it’s reasonable to fulfill them as a university,” Schave said. “Not many universities have a group like this, and every body’s so pro-veteran and willing to do their share to help us out.”

Hyatt said Texas State will be offering a workshop for veterans Oct. 1 from 9:30 a.m. to noon in JCK1100. The workshop, “Transition from Combat to Classroom: Helping Student Veterans Succeed at Texas State,” will focus on helping veterans achieve a smooth transition from military to college life.

Physical geography alumnus David Rasmussen graduated from Texas State in May and is now on active duty in the Army as a gold bar recruiter for Texas State’s ROTC program. Rasmussen said he believes Texas State accommodates veterans “very well.”

“We have a lot of veterans who come to school here,” he said. “ I would say maybe 40 percent of the guys in ROTC are veterans. Texas State is a really good school, and they do a lot for the (ROTC) program. They help out the program by helping us use their facilities .”

Rasmussen said Texas State also honors veterans with an annual Veteran’s Day ceremony. This year the ceremony will be held at 10:45 a.m. Nov. 11 in The Quad and will include guests and speakers. Schave said recognition in G.I. Jobs is an honor to the university but acknowledged a desire to be better.

“We are not satisfied with the top 15 percent,” he said. “We want to be in the top 1 percent.”

Sisterhood and tradition

By: Rachel Nelson
www.universitystar.com

Pan-Hellenic councils encourage young women to seek communities, friends and goals by joining Texas State sororities.

Gabriela Perez, advertising junior, said she joined her sorority, Delta Zeta, for a number of reasons.

“It’s a great way to meet new people and get involved with the university,” Perez said. “It makes you work harder on your grades, and you make the friends that you know will be there forever.”

“Women will have a chance to attend events at the different sorority houses with the six groups of the Pan-Hellenic Council,” said Michelle Lopez, associate director of student activities.

Texas State Pan-Hellenic President Laura Fowler, communication studies senior, said recruitment for the six Texas State Pan-Hellenic organizations is “a mutual selection process,” meaning the girls choose the sororities they wish to belong to and the sororities choose the girls they believe are the best matches.

“Texas State sororities are well known for always finding a sorority for girls,” Fowler said.

Registration for the Pan-Hellenic organizations has ended, but Fowler said girls can get a head start on next semester now.

“They could definitely go online (www.txstatepanhellenic.com) and attend events that we’re holding if they’re interested,” Fowler said. “Sororities definitely hold a lot of different events throughout the year that they can attend and get them involved, and maybe next fall they can go through recruitment. It’s a really, really formal process.”

Others who missed registration could consider joining the Multicultural Greek Council.

MGC President Sarah Rebollar said the council is viewed primarily as Latino-based but is open to anyone and includes members who are Anglo, Black, Puerto Rican, Brazilian and more.

Like the Pan-Hellenic Council, Rebollar said the MGC holds GPA requirements.

According to Lopez, academic excellence is a priority in greek life.

“They create a community to make sure they are living up to highest standards for academic excellence,” Lopez said.

Grade reports from the last few years can be viewed online on the academics page at www.txstategreeks.com. According to Lopez, the average Panhellenic GPA at Texas State has been higher than that of all women combined at the school for the past nine semesters. Fowler said the over-all Pan-Hellenic GPA last semester was a 3.0.

Another aspect of going Greek includes doing community service, Lopez said.

“Every sorority is linked with a philanthropy, and we work together,” Fowler said. “We do an all Greek clean up where we go around San Marcos and clean up. Each sorority has a philanthropy that they are involved in.”

Fowler said some philanthropy projects include doing volunteer work at the Ronald McDonald House and the Make-A-Wish Foundation. They also promote breast cancer awareness and research.

An upcoming event is the annual Greek dodge ball tournament that will take place at Jowers Sept. 27 and will benefit the San Marcos Education Foundation, Fowler said.

According to Fowler, hazing during initiation into a Pan-Hellenic organization is not tolerated despite rumors.

“Initiation with sororities is actually more of a ceremony, and it’s just where we present the girls their membership,” Fowler said. “It’s not threatening at all. Most sororities have what I would call a beautiful ceremony. We absolutely do not allow hazing at all. It’s more of a beautiful ceremony is how I would describe it.”

Joining greek life at Texas State links girls to the campus and builds character, Lopez said.

“I think (women should join sororities) if they’re looking for an opportunity to become connected to Texas State, but also really to go through some personal development and growth,” Lopez said.

When it comes to joining a sorority, money is a factor.

“There’s a lot of first-time fees as a new member to a sorority, but there are also a lot of payment plans that will help you break up the dues by semester,” Fowler said.

Rebollar said getting involved with the MGC may be a more affordable way for students to get involved in greek life.

Interfraternity Council encourages students to 'Go Greek'

By: Rachel Nelson
www.universitystar.com

It is not uncommon to see back windshields adorned with Greek decals or shoe polished slogans that read "Go Greek" cruising around the Texas State campus. Houses with "rush" banners stand tall around the school. But what does it all mean?

According to Michelle Lopez, associate director of student activities, joining a fraternity "provides an instant community and instant connections for students on the campus. It offers that opportunity for them to really connect."

Although Lopez recognized the social aspect of being involved in a fraternity, she said there is more to it than the party stereotype often associated with the groups.

"I'm not gonna lie," Lopez said. "We have social aspects of our organizations, but these are not the reasons that these organizations are founded or why they exist. They also create a community to make sure they are living up to highest standards for academic excellence."
Jay Yarbro, president of the Interfraternity Council, said fraternity members must meet GPA criterias.

"Most are just a typical 2.5 to stay an active member and to become initiated," he said.
Lopez said fraternities also complete community service projects.

"We've got some who will do things with the local community such as we have one fraternity that will put on an annual easter egg hunt (in Sewell Park) for kids in the community who may not have the opportunity to do an easter egg hunt," Lopez said.

The three fraternity principles are brotherhood, philanthropy and scholarship, Yarbro, a computer information systems senior, said.

"We ask you to be leaders within the community as well as the classroom," he said. "We have a lot of Greeks in the ASG senate."

Yarbro said he encourages incoming freshmen and returning students to consider Greek life.
"It's one of the best decisions I've ever made coming to this school and I would strongly, strongly suggest it to anyone I'd talk to," Yarbro said. "There's so many opportunities to go from being Greek. Some doors are opened for you and stuff like that."

Jordan Johnson, a management senior, said being involved in a fraternity can lead members to desired positons.

"Greek organizations are gateways to leadership positions on campus and other organizations," Johnson said.

Meeting connections is one of the biggest advantages to being involved in a fraternity, said public administration senior Kyle Lamb.

"Fraternities are a great way to surround yourself with a large group of gentlemen who hold themselves to a higher standard than your average student," Lamb, a member of Phi Delta Theta, said.

Yarbro said there are a couple of ways students can get involved in a fraternity.

"Once they step foot on campus, they see all the houses and stuff like that," Yarbro said. "You can go up and talk to some of the guys."

A formal recruitment will take place Sept. 12 at the LBJ Student Center where male students can visit different rooms to obtain information on the various fraternities at Texas State. Those who want to attend the event should register online at the Texas State IFC Web site and pay a $35 registration fee, Yarbro said.

Yarbro said hazing is not tolerated by groups involved with the IFC.

"All initiation really is is you actually becoming an active member," Yarbro said. "All fraternities do it different, and it's all secret. Everyone keeps that very secret. It's nothing bad, don't get that from it. Greeks will understand that it's just a ritual that was written by the founders and stuff like that, but it's nothing bad. It's just you becoming a full active member of the chapter."

Another concern to those seeking fraternity membership is the cost.

"Your first semester might be the most expensive, and I say that just because of all the materials you get when you're a new member," Yarbro said.

Yarbro said his ball park estimate to be involved with a fraternity could typically range from about $600 to $700 per semester and be reduced to about $500 or $600 after that. He also said some organizations reward students with good grades by reducing their dues.

"It varies from different fraternities," Yarbro said.

Lopez said Texas State currently has 13 Interfraternity Council groups that students can get involved in. A list of those organizations can be viewed at www.txstateifc.com.

"Being Greek is not just four years of your life," Yarbro said. "It's from the time that you're initiated to the time that you pass on."

University will move forward with recital hall despite setback

By: Rachel Nelson
www.universitystar.com

Requests for tuition revenue bonds did not see approval from the state legislature in May, but Texas State officials said they will break ground for a new recital hall and theater building in 2011 — a project expected to reach completion by 2013.

“As we moved into the legislative session last summer, we initially heard there were not going to be any tuition revenue bonds considered,” said Bill Nance, vice president for finance and support services. “Then we got communication from our system office that they were going to consider TRBs.”

Texas State requested TRB funding for five construction projects.

“(Funding for) the new recital hall and theatre center were our highest priorities at the time,” he said.

Richard Cheatham, dean of the College of Fine Arts and Communication, said he was not surprised Texas State’s requests did not make it past the committee stage in the legislature and cited the poor state of the national economy. Institutions in Houston which suffered hurricane damage were awarded construction funding, Cheatham said.

“Unless it was a special need like that, the budget was so tight this year they did not fund any of the tuition revenue bonds,” Cheatham said.

A gift of $8 million donated by Patti Harrison will go toward funding for the recital hall and theater center. The rest of the funding will come from Education Assistance Fund allocations, Nance said.

Nance said $52 million in TRBs had been requested for the project. When combined with Harrison‘s gift, the building was estimated to cost $60 million. However, Nance said economic conditions have caused the price of construction materials to fall.

“Because we’ve re-done the construction cost estimate, we’re going to be able to get everything for something closer to $40 million than (the original estimate) $60 million,” Nance said.

Nance said the recital hall and theater center is just one part of several projects. Other elements, such as a parking garage and road modifications, will be funded by “self-supporting revenues,” he said.

Nance estimated the parking garage will have 350 to 400 parking spaces and will be pay by the hour, not permit-based. It will be erected adjacent from the new recital hall and theater center where Falls Hall currently sits.

“It’s being put in this location to facilitate the attendance of the events that will be held in the new center,” Nance said. “Student and community members will have convenient parking.”

Other projects Texas State requested TRB funding for have been put on hold.

“We’re hopeful two years from now when the legislature meets again, the economy will have improved and some of these projects will be funded,” Cheatham said.

Tax Man and Judge D to headline Toxic Kitten's 'Back to Skull Bash'

By: Rachel Nelson
www.amarilloscene.com

With the end of summer fast approaching, Nina, creator of Toxic Kitten Clothing, wants to throw Amarillo a party.

"I have so much excitement in me that I can't even sleep," she said. "My mind is like 'What can I do to make it even better and bigger; what can I do to blow their minds?'"

The Back To Skull Bash will be held August 28 at the Nat Ballroom, 604 S. Georgia Street, and will present what Nina describes as a "death and psychobilly theme" to compliment her newest fashion items.

Besides live music, merchandise booths, free beer and giveaways from Toxic Kitten and SRH Clothing, Nina will premiere Toxic Kitten's latest clothes with a runway fashion show featuring several local models.

"I like modeling for Toxic Kitten because it shows a different kind of model," said Hylann Camacho, a local Kitten who will participate in the show. "It's not your everyday run-of-the-mill girl."

According to Nina, it is important for her to introduce her new clothes at the event before releasing them in stores or on her recently renovated Web site, www.toxickittenclothing.com.

"It gives Amarillo an advantage of having it first, and I dedicate that to Amarillo since it is a hometown clothing line," Nina said. "I want to give back to my community."

Nina will have a merchandise table set up at the event where she will sell Toxic Kitten's clothes for $20 "straight across the board," she said.

Merchandise will also be available from The Glass House, a new Amarillo head shop.

To celebrate Toxic Kitten's success, Nina is bringing in special guest Tax Man, the anti-hero from the Kottonmouth Kings, who said he is "happy to come do the show." He will perform with hardcore/experimental/hip-hop artist Judge D. The bash will mark the first time for these artists to appear in Amarillo. A signing and meet-and-greet will be held for guests at the bash.

The Bastard Sons of David Hasselhoff and the Yellow City Rockets are local acts that will play at the event. Johnny Handgun, a band out of Lubbock, will also perform.

Jeremy Knowles, drummer for the Yellow City Rockets, said guests should expect a high-energy show from all bands that will be "a lot of fun to watch."

Joan Pollock, owner of Amarillo's newest booking and promoting company 2 Gun$ Calamity Entertainment, is helping to organize the happening and said party-goers can also expect a surprise act.

"It's going to be so big that I would hate to say that I missed the Back to Skull Bash," she said.

Pollock is pleased with the event's location.

"(The Nat) is a beautiful, historic landmark," she said. "Musical prodigies and wonders have played there. All kinds of crazy people have played there. It makes me happy to bring my friends into a place that has so much musical history behind it. It's such a neat, cool place."

Nina said an after party will be held across the street from the Nat at the R&R bar following the event.

Toxic Kitten emerged in December, and Nina said the clothing line has come a long way since it debuted.

"It just kind of blew up unexpected," Nina said. "I wanted to start with baby steps, and it just kind of turned into something big over night. Now I'm trying to keep up."

Nina sponsors the Route 66 Roller Derby, which is sporting Toxic Kitten shirts in its second bouting season. Nina's clothes can be found in Amarillo at The Music Box, The Glass House and Vertical Movements Dance Studio. Items can also be purchased online at toxickittenclothing.com. Nina said the site gets an average of 3,500 hits per month, and she is currently looking for people to advertise for a monthly fee of $20.

Although she will not introduce these items at the event, Nina said something to watch out for is Toxic Kitten's 2009 jewelry line, which includes hand-made, edgy pieces.

"They're just the cutest things you've ever seen," she said. "No piece is the same."

The Back to Skull Bash will start at 7 p.m. The cost is $15 at the door, but tickets may be obtained in advance for $13 at the Glass House, located next to The 806 coffee house on 6th Avenue.

The event is B.Y.O.B., and all ages are welcome. Nina stressed that there will be tight security at the show, and underage drinking will not be tolerated.

"I encourage everybody to come out and check out the clothes and check out the models," Camacho said. "It's going to be a good, unconventional time."

Local Shark Fights Promotions makes world-wide mark on MMA

By: Rachel Nelson
www.amarilloscene.com

Amarillo is a tough town.

Take a look at Heath Herring, the late Evan Tanner, Paul Jones, Steve Nelson, Justin Martin and Paul Buentello. These household names to Mixed Martial Arts and Ultimate Fighting Championship fans have one thing in common: they call the heart of the Panhandle home.

"All of these guys come from one small town in the top of Texas," said Michael Lister, seventh degree Tae Kwon Do grand master and owner of the Mixed Martial Arts and Athletic Center in Amarillo. "I would say we have some of the toughest guys walking around."

With the emergence of the Shark Fights Promotion in Amarillo, MMA is blowing up. It's unlikely to go anywhere in town without seeing at least one person sporting MMA gear. But according to Jim Larsen, owner of the Shark Fights Promotion, the sport has been big in the Panhandle since the emergence of the Unified Shoot Wrestling Federation in the '90s.

"That's the very first form of MMA in Texas, and it started in Amarillo," Larsen said.

According to Lister, whether people like it or not, humans are intrigued by competitive fighting.

"It is barbaric, but it's fighting ... I think that's in our blood," Lister said, making reference to the gladiators. "It's in our nature. I mean come on, has there ever been at time that there wasn't a war?"

Larsen had been working as a car salesman for several years when he was invited to a UFC party at a friend's house six years ago.

"I went, and I was absolutely hooked," Larsen said. "I fell in love with the sport. I just watched it every chance I could get, bought every pay-per-view, subscribed to every MMA channel. I really started to try to understand the sport."

From there, Larsen sponsored good friend Brent Medley on his fighting ventures in Las Vegas and went on to sponsor Amarillo native Evan Tanner, who died when he ran short of supplies while on a journey in the California dessert.

"I actually cornered Evan's last fight in the UFC," Larsen said. "It aired on Spike TV June 23, 2008. It was the main event on the Ultimate Fighter's season 6 Finale."

Before Tanner's passing, Larsen said he told Tanner and Medley that he wanted to bring his own MMA promotion to Amarillo.

"I went to a MMA event in Lubbock, and it was ridiculous," Larsen said. "You couldn't see anything or hear anything. It was bad."

Larsen said that event was the push he needed to start his own promotion.
"On September 15, 2008 we formed Shark Fight Promotions, which was my brainchild, and shortly after that, Evan passed away in the tragic accident," Larsen said. "For Shark Fights 1, (October 24, 2008) we did a tribute to Evan Tanner."

According to Larsen, Shark Fights 1 was the first live pay-per-view event from Amarillo and was distributed via the Internet. The event took place at the Amarillo National Center.

The Shark Fights promotion has now held 5 events and has been featured on major MMA Web sites such as Sherdog, Bloodyelbow and ESPN's Inside MMA.
"We've got the largest cage in the country of any MMA company, including UFC," Larsen said.

Larsen's wife, Sheila, helped organize a group of women called the Shark Angels, which can be compared to the UFC's Octagon Girls. Twenty days before Shark Fights 1, Larsen said 34-year-old Sheila collapsed of exhaustion and was taken to BSA Urgent Care where she found out she had low hemoglobin levels in her blood. It later was discovered that she had multiple malignant tumors in her small intestine, which were surgically removed. Despite the obstacles, she still supported the first Shark Fights event as a Shark Angel.

"We remove 3 feet of her small intestine, and she is actually at the show," Jim Larsen said of his wife. "She is such a fighter."

By the time Shark Fights 3 rolled around in March, Larsen said that Shark Fights decided to sponsor the Children's Miracle Network and raised $750 at the event that was donated to a local family who has a child battling cancer. Also at Shark Fights 3 was the introduction of the first three Texas MMA-endorsed belts--featherweight, wellterweight and heavyweight. Although the belts were introduced at Shark Fight 3, they were not won until Shark Fight 4 in May. The event was held in Lubbock and was also offered as an online pay-per-view event. Current belt holders include T.J. WaldBurger (welterweight) and Doug Evans (featherweight) and Darrill Schoonover (heavyweight). Schoonover is scheduled to appear on Spike TV's reality show The Ultimate Fighter for its 10th season.

"We used the same belt maker that the UFC uses," Larsen said. "Let me tell you, these fighters freaked out when they saw our belts."

Two weeks prior to Shark Fights 4, Larsen’s wife was diagnosed with a brain tumor the size of a plum and underwent surgery to remove the mass. She was able to be at the event, but not as a Shark Angel this time.

"On that card alone, we had 3 UFC veterans fight for us: Don Frye, Jesse Taylor and Phil Cardella,"Larsen said.

During the course of the Shark Fights Promotions, Larsen also opened up the Shark Fights Store in Westgate Mall.

Meanwhile, his wife went to the doctor for a check-up and was given devastating news that more tumors had consumed half of her liver and returned in her brain. She was diagnosed at a stage 5 terminal level with no available treatments. According to Larsen, the couple has four daughters--ages 5,9,15 and 17.

Shark Fights 5 was scheduled to take place June 27 as an outdoor happening at Gamboa's Outdoor Event Center, but the event was rained out. To make up for the cancellation, Shark Fights refunded all tickets, and Shark Fights 5.5

“Nothing to Lose” was offered as a free event to the public on July 18. Shark Fights 5.5 attracted a record-breaking 10,603 people, Larsen said.

"We didn't even let the rain out keep us down," Larsen said.

In its first 5 MMA events, Larsen called his company a success, although its formation has been met with personal battles.

"It's just such a connection because we own a fight company, and that's what we are doing; we are fighting," Larsen said. "This company is fighting internally with the fighting of my wife and supporting children in this community. We're going to take a bite out of cancer one fight at a time."
In less than a year after its formation, Shark Fight Promotions has left its mark on MMA world-wide.

"It gives us place in Texas and gives us place in the MMA community across the globe, and I think that that's important," Larsen said.

Lister said he believes Amarillo has more stars in the making, including Marcus Sursa, an Amarillo native and 2001 graduate of River Road High School. Sursa beat Ricky Shivers of Alaska at Shark Fights 5.5. Before Shark Fights 5.5, three of Sursa's fights had been cancelled due to injuries of his opponents.

"It does suck that I don't have three wins to make my record better, but I have to train anyway," Sursa said. "But I have to train anyway. It's just prepared me better for the next fights."

Sursa said that he didn't feel like he had any ring rust before his win against Shivers, and he proved that when he defeated Shivers with a triangle choke 57 seconds into the second round.

In 2006, Sursa participated in the Jungle Fights in Brazil where he fought against a black belt for the first time and won. He has three losses to UFC veterans Stefan Struve, Eliot Marshall and Alan Belcher. Although he did not win these fights, Sursa believes he has the potential to make it to the UFC himself.

"That's the dream and goal of every fighter," Sursa said. "I definitely think I have the caliber to make it."

According to Lister, another up-and-coming fighter with the potential to make it big is Edgar Santos, the Brazilian Jiu Jitsu instructor at the Martial Arts and Athletic Center. He trained for 12 years and earned his second degree Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt in Brazil before making his way to Amarillo about one year ago. He now contributes to the 100 years of collective martial arts experience at the MAAC.

Santos won the last North American Grapplers Association event in Dallas and took third place at the World Cup of Jiu Jitsu. He has also taken first place twice at the Brazilian Nationals.

"You're getting guys that are the best in the world right here in Amarillo, Texas," Lister said.

Santos said his dream is to eventually fight in Japan and said he "has been waiting for this day for a very long time."

Lister said he has been teaching Tae Kwon Do in the Amarillo Independent School District as a P.E. credit for the past 19 years and coaching others to achieve their MMA potential at his gym for 28 years.

"If they only get in the cage one time or two times then they've had their fun and I'd say they've learned a lesson," Lister said.

Lister said the values he strives to instill in his students are discipline, respect, dignity, honor and self control.

To any person with dreams of making it big in MMA, Sursa offers this advice: "Say your prayers, take your vitamins and do your push-ups."

Mexican drug wars affect Texas, students

By: Rachel Nelson
www.universitystar.com

Ada Pomar remembers a time when she and her friends would cross the Texas-Mexico border with ease to shop, eat or go clubbing.

“Since 2004/2005 we haven’t gone across at all,” said Pomar, communication studies senior.

The acts of violence stemming from the long-running Mexican drug war were once common to fear at night, but in recent years “they started doing it during the day time,” Pomar said.

Bystanders who are not involved with the drug cartels are now at risk of being victimized more than ever.

“They just don’t have any regard for anybody anymore,” Pomar said. “If you’re in the way, it’s your fault.”

Pomar is from Laredo, a Texas border town, which is separated from Nuevo Laredo, a Mexican city, by bridges. Since her father gained U.S. citizenship in 1995, Pomar said her entire family resides in Laredo and seldom crosses the border. However, the violence is increasingly moving into Texas.

“You can’t say it’s completely safe on one side or the other anymore,” she said.

According to The Associated Press, the Mexican drug war grew much more violent in August 2006 when Javier Arellano Felix, the leader of a

Tijuana-based cartel, was arrested. Since December 2006, 10,700 people have lost their lives throughout Mexico as drug lords from different cartels fight for control of the trade.

Angel Keen, public administration and Spanish senior, is from Laredo and said some of her family members reside in Nuevo Laredo. Since starting college, Keen rarely visits there, mostly because “the border is so dangerous,” she said.

Keen said her fear of the violence escalated when people involved in a drug cartel hi-jacked her mother at gunpoint two years ago. Police never recovered her stolen Nissan Altima.

Pomar and Keen said they have dealt with the drug wars when they were raised in Laredo. Keen remembers seeing a house that was burned down in Nuevo Laredo in relation to the drug war just around the corner from her grandmother’s residence.

“We’ve learned how to deal with it,” Keen said. “We have to make accommodations to be able to live there.”

Pomar said she and others who come from the area tend to be desensitized to the violence.

“It’s just become so normal that it doesn’t scare anyone who lives there,” Pomar said.

Keen said the increasing violence combined with a slumping economy has taken a noticeable toll on the area.

“There used to be a lot of tourism,” Keen said. “You don’t really see much of that anymore. A lot of the stores have closed down. It’s just not as safe as it used to be.”

Victor Santiesteban, Spanish senior, said his parents and younger siblings relocated to El Paso three years ago to escape the increasing bloodshed.

“I feel they are safe and that my brother and my sister will be safe more than how it was when I was their age,” Santiesteban said. “At the same time, I am sad they are not going to get to experience the same Mexican culture I experienced.”

Santiesteban said members of his family still reside in Juarez, but most have moved to residential areas where gates and security surround their homes. Santiesteban returned to Mexico to visit those family members during Christmas break. He said there seemed to be a sense of fear from the locals.

“You can tell people are scared,” Santiesteban said. “I mean, they don’t trust anybody.”

Santiesteban said although he hears brutal stories that sometimes involve decapitations and hangings, he believes the government is making an effort to stop the bloodshed.

Pomar said the violence at the border has never stopped her from going to Laredo, but she takes precautions while she is there.

“You just have to know what you know and keep your mouth shut when you’re not supposed to be talking,” Pomar said.

Santiesteban exercises the same caution and said he uses “common sense” when he returns to his hometown.

“Pretty much, stay alert all the time, don’t be too trusting with people, and of course don’t get a ride from a stranger,” he said. “All my life I’ve lived there, and all my life I’ve been cautious.

However, for Keen the thought of returning home is not as appealing, especially when it comes to crossing the border because “it’s just not smart,” she said.

Student health fair offers Gardasil vaccine, cancer tests

By: Rachel Nelson
www.universitystar.com

Women assembled Tuesday in the LBJ Ballroom to receive the first round of the Gardasil vaccine.

The free injections were given to 128 women who attended this year’s Student Health Fair.

“The Gardasil vaccines were very well utilized,” said Ashlee Dozier, health education coordinator.

The vaccine protects against four strands of the common Human Papilloma Virus, or HPV, that can lead to genital warts and cervical cancer in women.

Those who got the first injection at the fair qualify to obtain the two remaining rounds of the vaccine at the Student Health Center at a discounted rate of $25 per injection.

Priscilla Hargraves, director of the Hays County Health Department, said all women are encouraged to get the Gardasil vaccination because regardless if a person has one strand of HPV, she can be shielded against the remaining three strands the shot protects against.

Hargraves said women who get the vaccine should get annual screenings and be aware of changes they notice in their bodies.

“It’s very important to keep getting your pap smears every year,” Hargraves said. “The best case scenario is to get Gardasil, get annual pap tests and pay attention to your body.”

Rebecca Herring, a nurse at the Hays County Health Department, said Gardasil vaccines will likely be made available for men, who have the capacity to carry the disease and pass it to women.

“(Men) are half the problem,” Herring said. “They are hopefully going to be in the next round.”

This year’s fair took on a cancer theme in conjunction with Cancer Awareness Month.

Dozier, who organized the event, said besides providing cancer awareness and screenings, there were nutritional and fitness booths that “will help students stay healthy long-term.”

More than 30 booths were set up in the ballroom for the fair, she said.

Services made available to students included voice screenings to detect laryngeal disorders, oral cancer screenings and lung function tests.

Amanda Martinez, health professions senior, gave lung function tests to students and encouraged smokers to quit. She said because students are young, they often do not worry about the long-term damage they are doing to their lungs by smoking.

“You get one set of lungs and that’s it,” Martinez said. “Once you ruin it, that’s it. You can’t live without breathing, so that’s pretty much the bottom line.”

Thomas Naveja, radiation therapy senior, gave out information about lung cancer at the fair and said he thinks it is a good idea for students to be informed about the different forms of cancer.

“It’s pretty important for people to know about cancer and know ways to prevent it so they don’t end up in that type of situation,” Naveja said.

Colon, breast, prostate, skin and other types of cancers were addressed at the fair. Women were encouraged to give themselves regular breast self-exams and students were reminded to protect their skin against sun damage and tanning.

Remaining Cancer Awareness Month events can be found by visiting cancerawareness.healthcenter.txstate.edu.

Bobcats save lives, raise awareness about cancer

By: Rachel Nelson
www.universitystar.com

Leukemia survivor Lawrence Estaville had no idea the donor who helped save his life in August 2007 was sitting behind him during the National Marrow Donor Program presentation Wednesday.

“Wow,” Estaville, professor in the department of geography, continually repeated after the surprise guest was revealed. “This is incredible. He saved my life.”

Estaville was filled with emotion as he hugged Rick O’Neil from Massachusetts for the first time. Yvonne Ybarra of the South Texas Blood and Tissue Center in San Antonio arranged the meeting.

Estaville asked O’Neil if he received a letter expressing his gratitude for the marrow donation. Estaville was surprised when the answer was “no.”

“It was the hardest letter I wrote in my whole life, and it was hard because I cried the whole time,” Estaville said. “I couldn’t put in words how much I love my donor — Rick O’Neil of Massachusetts.”

O’Neil said he is not normally an emotional person, but meeting the man who benefited from his donation evoked strong feelings.

“This is the closest I’ve come to crying since I was probably about five years old,” O’Neil said. “The only thing I can say is that I’m thankful I could help someone else.”

O’Neil decided to become a marrow donor after a family friend was diagnosed with Leukemia. O’Neil was not a match for that person, but he signed up for the National Marrow Donor Program hoping he could provide a match for someone else.

Guest speaker Dr. Jeffrey Chell, chief executive officer of the donor program, delivered a presentation focused around marrow donations.

This was part of a series of events taking place at Texas State throughout April, which was declared cancer awareness month in San Marcos this year. Chell said to be a compatible marrow donor, a person’s sixth chromosome must match with whoever needs the transplant. Chell said the process is more complex than finding a blood or organ donor.

Chell said there are more than 70 diseases that have marrow transplants as a treatment option, but only 40 percent of patients find the match they need. In his speech, Chell encouraged the audience to register for the program.

“When you donate marrow, two lives are changed,” Chell said, referring to the patient and the donor. “Donors tell me that it’s one of the greatest experiences of their lives.”

For the past three days, Texas State has hosted a marrow drive that has drawn 1,591 people to join the registry. Today is the last day to register on campus, and Estaville said the goal is to raise that number to 2,000. Donors must be between 18 and 60 years old and be in good health. Chell said minorities are especially encouraged to apply because it is more difficult to find matches for them.

Angelika Wahl, Cancer Awareness Month Committee board member, said there are tables set up throughout The Quad where people can register. Those who register can expect four cheek swabs, which is the first stage of screening.

Last year was the first time Texas State held the marrow drive, and 1,163 people registered. Estaville said two children have received transplants so far from Texas State students — an 8-year-old boy and a 2-year-old girl.

“That’s Texas State students saving lives,” he said. “Just that alone makes this worth it. There are children out there who need another chance at life.”

Wahl said 90 percent of people making it to the final stage of donation give marrow through stem cells. The process, she said, includes taking injections and getting blood drawn. The blood is returned to the donor after the stem cells are removed.

O’Neil said the procedure is painless.

“I encourage you to sign up for the list and if you’re called, donate … absolutely,” O’Neil said.

Estaville said the Cancer Awareness Month Committee strives to achieve two objectives.

“The whole idea is to make our community here, as well as Texas State, aware of cancer and the signs of cancer so that we can prevent it,” Estaville said. “Many cancers are preventable. Students are young and think they’re invincible. It’s about students. They can’t keep smoking. They can’t keep laying out.”

The second goal, he said, is “to reach out and help save people stricken with cancer.”

One way the committee hopes to raise awareness is through the largest student health fair Texas State has ever hosted. The event will take place Tuesday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the LBJ Ballroom.

“There’s going to be tons of freebies,” said Ashlee Dozier, health education coordinator.

Different kinds of cancer screenings will take place at the event including oral, lung and skin. Dozier said door prizes will be given away every 15 minutes.

The event will make it possible for women to qualify for the first round injection of Gardasil, a vaccine that protects against the common

Human Papilloma Virus that can lead to cervical cancer. From there, appointments can be made at the Student Health Center to obtain the two remaining rounds of the vaccine at a discounted rate of $25 per injection.

“They found (Gardasil) to be safe and very important,” Dozier said.

The event will also promote fitness and nutrition, she said.

Chell said those who do not register for the marrow drive on campus can learn more about National Marrow Donor Program by visiting bethematch.org.

Estaville is thankful he was able to find a marrow match.

“God is great,” he said. “Life is beautiful.”

Relay for Life raises cancer awareness

By: Rachel Nelson
www.universitystar.com

Shannon McFadden, communication studies senior, learned in middle school that her best friend had Leukemia.

McFadden’s friend was unable to find a bone marrow match and as a result died after the Leukemia came out of remission when they were in high school.

“It’s hard because you can’t do anything but sit there and watch,” she said.

Now McFadden is working to ensure Texas State students play an active role in cancer awareness. She is the American Cancer Society’s Texas State Relay for Life co-chair.

McFadden said a Relay for Life event, held 7 p.m. April 17, took place in her hometown four weeks before her friend died.

“Basically, that 12 hours we had our friend back again because you wouldn’t know she was sick,” McFadden said. “She was so happy to be there.”

This is the sixth year Relay For Life will be held at Texas State, and will include food, guest speakers, entertainers and on-site cancer fundraisers.

This year, April is a big month for cancer awareness in San Marcos.

Texas State, Hays County, the City of San Marcos and San Marcos CISD have made proclamations declaring April as Cancer Awareness Month. Events are planned on campus throughout the month, starting Wednesday with a workshop in J.C. Kellam 1100 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The theme of the workshop is “Cancer Has Struck Your Family: What Do You Do Now?”

A bone marrow donor drive will take place April 13 to 16 throughout campus to help those like McFadden’s friend who need a transplant.

Relay for Life will take place at Bobcat Stadium and will run throughout the night. There are 68 teams participating.

“The idea is that cancer doesn’t sleep, so at least one person from your team has to be on the track at all times,” said Aubri Nowowiejski, advocacy chair for Relay for Life.

The relay kicks off with a survivor lap where those who have lived through cancer walk around the track. The event will run until 7 a.m.

Nowowiejski, public relations sophomore, got involved with Relay For Life this year because both of her grandmothers have breast cancer.
Nowowiejski learned last week her sister was diagnosed with the disease.

When Nowowiejski’s maternal grandmother learned about her involvement with Relay For Life, she gave Nowowiejski a plaque that was presented to her grandfather for service to the American Cancer Society in the ’70s. Nowowiejski said her grandfather died before she could meet him.

“It just gave me a connection with him I never had because I never got to meet him,” Nowowiejski said. “Me going out there — it’s kind of continuing what he started.”

Among events taking place at the Relay for Life event will be the luminary ceremony. Luminaries are paper sacks with glow sticks placed in them, each one representing a life affected by cancer. The bags have names and messages written on them and can be purchased for a suggested donation of $5.

“The bags are lined all the way around the track so when people walk around the track they’ll see the bags constantly,” McFadden said.

Participating in the Relay for Life event this year is Sergio Palacios, public relations senior. Palacios is the founder of Cans for a Cure, an organization that collects and recycles aluminum cans for the purpose of donating to organizations that fight cancer. Cans for a Cure is in its first year, and Palacios said proceeds are going toward Relay for Life.

Cans For A Cure has donated $500 to the relay and hopes to double that amount by the date of the event, he said.

“We’re going to have a tent set up and everything, but we’re also going have two, 50-gallon can canisters so people who don’t know about us will know about us, and at the same time we’ll still be doing our recycling,” Palacios said. “We’re trying to save lives one can at a time.”

Palacios said 36 aluminum cans equal one pound, which is currently worth about 25 cents.

“There are about 30,000 kids who go to Texas State,” he said. “If each student donated one pound of cans per month, that would add up to $7,500 per month.”

People can still get involved in the Relay for Life.

“They can definitely join a team if they don’t want to start their own team,” McFadden said.

McFadden said the relay is seeking volunteers for the event, particularly for cleaning afterwards.

People unable to participate in the event can contribute by purchasing a shirt from the bookstore that reads “Texas State” on the front and “Gives Hope” on the back for $10.99.

“Five dollars from every shirt goes to Relay for Life,” McFadden said.

Local woman launches Toxic Kitten Clothing

By: Rachel Nelson
www.amarilloscene.com

It is not uncommon to see pink Toxic Kitten stickers slapped on walls, signs and lightposts in Amarillo. But what does it mean?

According to Nina, an Amarillo local and creator of Toxic Kitten Clothing, the stickers and a dream were all she had to work with just over a year ago. She spent months working out the kinks: buying wholesale clothes, sketching design concepts, finding models, organizing promotional parties and meeting connections eager to help with screen printing and artwork.

"It's just a clothing line with an attitude," Nina said.

The idea to create a clothing line sparked when Nina began taking frequent trips to southern California.

"We used to go when I was little because my grandparents lived there, but I wanted to experience it when I was older," she said.

After connecting with friends on social networking site MySpace, Nina ventured to the west coast where she noticed several people have independent clothing lines.

"MySpace is awesome," Nina said. "I never thought in a million years that I would know the people that I know. I never thought that this is where I'd be right now at all, but it's mostly because of MySpace."

Nina said she was inspired to bring her clothing line ideas back to Texas, and a special man in her life who lives in California was instrumental in creating the name.

"He's so supportive of me," she said. "My pet name from him was kitten. He always called me kitten, and then we got into a huge fight and we kind of didn't talk for a couple of months and it drove me crazy. So I became toxic, and I put toxic and kitten together and that's how I got my name."

The first Toxic Kitten items emerged just before Christmas, and Nina said she is not stopping there.

"Right now I'm doing my summer line, and I'm really trying to stray away from
t-shirts right now," she said. "I already started on my winter line."

Current items are being sold through MySpace at myspace.com/toxxxickitty and at toxickittenclothing.com. The selection includes designer t-shirts, jewelry, hair accessories and belts. The shirts come in sizes small to extra large, and there are
clothes and accessories for little girls as well.

LaNita Diaz, a Toxic Kitten model, said one of the things she loves about the clothes is how comfortable and form-fitting they are.

"(Nina) knows what's sexy and casual, and everything she has is so comfortable," Diaz said. "She has different sizes that fit different body styles. It's kind of like naughty, edgy clothing without being so vulgar."

Nina said items to watch out for are Toxic Kitten buttons, booty shorts, dresses, hats, work shirts for males and items personally adorned by Nina with rhinestones, chains and other custom embellishments.

Deric Holland is a photographer and photo editor for Toxic Kitten.

"When Nina started talking about doing her clothing line, I basically just jumped right in and volunteered to help in any way possible," he said.

Holland said he believes the clothing line will be a success.

"(Nina) is very, very passionate about everything she does, and you don't find a lot of people who go into these kinds of ventures with a lot of passion."

Diaz agrees that Toxic Kitten has a bright future.

"I'm so proud of (Nina)," she said. "I'm flattered that I get to be a part of this journey with her."

Nina said long-term goals for Toxic Kitten are brewing.

"I'm really interested in doing an all-girl toxic kitten band and a quarterly magazine," she said.

Nina said a clothing store in Germany contacted her and is interested in Toxic Kitten. She said she also would like to see her clothes in Hot Topic.

"I don't want to get too overwhelmed or get myself under water," she said. "I'm excited at least the opportunity's there."

According to Nina, Toxic Kitten's first photo shoot was done by the daughter of Barbi Benton, Hugh Hefner's girlfriend through much of the 1970s.

Diaz said she will be modeling clothes for the next photo shoot, which will include new items.

Diaz describes herself as professional by day, but said when she puts on Toxic Kitten clothes it feels empowering.

"Every woman's got a little toxic kitten in them," she said. "Every woman's got that inner beauty that wants to come out in some form."

Toxic Kitten's progress is unraveling at a vigorous pace, Nina said.

"Things are going a lot faster than I thought, but it's good ‑ that's a good problem," Nina said. "I'm stoked about it. I still can't believe it. Like everything's just falling into place. It's really weird ... I'm just so positive right now all the time. I'm so happy every day."

Road-construction project contract causes public outcry

By: Rachel Nelson
www.universitystar.com

A proposed contract with Kellogg Brown & Root for a Hays County road-construction project provoked criticism from active military personnel, veterans, local taxpayers and Texas State students.

The opposition stems from charges brought against the firm for unethical and fraudulent practices performed during their contract with the U.S. government in Iraq. County Judge Elizabeth Sumter said as a result, it is likely negations with KBR will be “pulled off the table” at the county court meeting Tuesday.

“I’m certain the public outcry would have something to do with that,” Sumter said of recent testimony from Hays County residents against KBR. “It’s pretty powerful when your own constituents walk in the door.”

Greg Foster, history senior, a veteran of the U.S. Army who was deployed to Iraq in 2004, is one of the Texas State students protesting the contract. He voiced his opposition to the county court about using tax dollars to do business with KBR, which has been a leading contractor in Iraq.

“Pretty much every step along the way from what my research has told me is that they (KBR) have defrauded the government out of thousands of dollars,” Foster said. “They have provided substandard services, and they have just kind of played on this idea of patriotism, when in reality, they are nothing more than profiteers in this whole thing.”

KBR is a former subsidiary of Halliburton, and has been accused of bribery, fraud and putting soldiers’ lives in jeopardy with their work, including installing faulty wiring in showers that reportedly electrocuted troops, according to The Washington Post.

According to commissioners court records, Pct. 1 Commissioner Debbie Gonzales Ingalsbe recommended KBR to design and engineer work on Farm-to-Market Road 110 in Hays County for $617,929.

Ingalsbe is at a conference this week, and could not be reached for comment.

Laureen Chernow, Hays County communications specialist, said the issue is still up in the air.

“A lot of public criticism about KBR and some additional information that came to the county regarding their capabilities to properly complete some of their contracts in other areas,” Chernow said. “Apparently, the court is considering reopening the issue at the commissioner’s meeting April 7 and discussing whether or not those discussions with KBR should continue.”

Foster said he heard dealings with KBR could be axed, but he plans to be among protestors at the County Court meeting Tuesday.

“I think it’s kind of our responsibility, to not believe a rumor that the contract is dead, but to be actively working against it until we know that it’s dead,” he said.

Chernow said the Commissioners Court meetings welcome public comments and concern.

“This is part of the public governing process, and that’s what the Commissioner Court is all about,” she said.

KBR is contracted by the City of San Marcos for work on the Wonder World Drive extension project scheduled for completion in 2010.

“That project started several years ago, so at the time we did not have the same issues that the county is experiencing right now,” said Laurie Moyer, assistant city manager of San Marcos.

Moyer said KBR has been involved in the design and engineering of several TxDOT projects that involve working with sensitive environmental and archaeological conditions.

“They have been a very good firm to work with,” Moyer said. “We as a municipal agency have a process where we select firms and they have to submit a proposal, and we look very closely at their experience and the types of projects they have done.”

Foster said he hopes the concern expressed by he and others will catch on in San Marcos.

“I’d like to see that the city never signs another contract with them,” Foster said. “This is how we hold corporations accountable for unethical behavior — by not giving them any more money.”

Bill would grant tax-free textbooks to students

By: Rachel Nelson
www.universitystar.com

College students in Texas could see tax-free textbooks if Senate Bill 22, filed by Texas Sen. Judith Zaffirini, passes.

“It’s one of my highest priorities,” said Zaffirini (D-21).

Zaffirini filed the bill in November and is now waiting for the appropriations bill to be passed, which could happen late this week.
“After that, I’ll pursue it in the finance committee,” she said.

This is not the first time a bill of this kind has been filed. Zaffirini filed similar bills in 2005 and 2007, but they each died before being passed.

The bill would provide a holiday at any store for those who have a valid student identification card, Zaffirini said.

“Basically, it would give them two, 10-day tax-free periods — one at the beginning of the fall semester and one at the beginning of the spring semester,” Zaffirini said. “I wish all textbooks would be free.”

Ans Bucio, pre-health care administration sophomore, agrees.

“I think we should get free books along with our tuition,” he said.

Bucio said he buys around five books per semester and estimates saving about $45 if SB 22 passes.

“I guess it’s a good amount of pocket change,” Bucio said. “It would help.”

Zaffirini said students at a four-year institution pay an average of $843 for books annually.

“Everything is so expensive, and there are so many students that are working hard to complete their college education,” Zaffirini said. “And those who are supported by their parents — their parents need relief, too.”

Alli Cox, digital and photographic imaging freshman, said she sold three of her textbooks back to the store before Spring Break because she was having financial struggles. She said, if passed, the bill would help students like her.

“I think it’s a good idea,” Cox said. “I know I have to pay for my own books, so anything would help.”

Zaffirini said there would be no way to regulate if students are always buying textbooks during the tax-free holiday period, but she does not believe it would be an issue.

“I don’t think many students buy extra books not tied into their coursework,” she said. “Most students can’t afford it.”

Zaffirini said the tax-free textbook holiday would not have a negative impact on cities.

“I do not believe this will be harmful to the cities in any way because students who spend money on books will spend the money elsewhere,” she said.

Zaffirini said she promotes the idea of tax-free textbooks because it is what the students requested.

“I appreciate the students bringing this to my attention and being so passionate about it,” she said. “Students throughout Texas have been wonderful about supporting this legislation.”

Zaffirini spent 10 terms on the Senate Education Committee and is now the chair. She has 13 years of teaching experience, including at the college and university level.

Stimulus bill gives Hays, close counties money

By: Rachel Nelson
www.universitystar.com

San Marcos will receive money from the stimulus bill passed in congress last month for transportation projects the city is collaborating on with neighboring counties.

Mayor Susan Narvaiz said money for transportation is available in two pots.

She said the first sum of $1.2 billion is going directly to the state. The second, containing $30 million, will be divided among Travis, Williamson and Hays counties.

“We all have a lot of projects we would like to see on the list,” Narvaiz said.

Narvaiz, Capitol Area Metropolitan Planning Organization board member, said a meeting was called March 2 to discuss how to apply the funds.

Liz Sumter, Hays County Judge, said the money will primarily go toward road construction. Sumter said CAMPO must decide to either put the funds toward one project benefiting all three counties or divide the money among the counties.

“We’re a regional board, so we’re supposed to be thinking very regionally,” Sumter said. “We’re asking, ‘How can we best spend those dollars that would benefit the region as a whole?’”

Sumter said CAMPO must present a package that will be voted on by the court after the organization determines how the money will be best spent.

Narvaiz said projects being discussed for San Marcos include a railroad overpass on Aquarena Springs Drive near Bobcat Stadium, improving the Interstate 35 exit ramp for River Ridge Parkway and improvements to the intersection of I-35 and Highway 80.

Narvaiz said she wants a four-lane divided roadway at I-35 and Yarrington Road.

A downtown street-scape project has been proposed. Narviaz said it would benefit pedestrians and improve drainage.

“None of these have been finalized or selected yet,” Narviaz said. “We’re still in that process.”

Joe Cantalupo, executive director of CAMPO, said projects must meet conditions before funding is considered.

“What we’ll do is we’ll put them on a list and make sure they are eligible to receive federal funds,” he said.

Cantalupo said a project has to go toward a federal road, already exist in CAMPO’s long-term plan and be designed and ready for construction within a year to receive federal transportation funding.

“We will screen (the projects) to make sure we meet those conditions,” Cantalupo said.

He said social and economic impacts will be taken into account.

Narvaiz said one of the projects will cost an estimated $26 million, but the city has funding set aside.

“Any dollar we can receive that we can put for transportation will help us get projects done faster,” she said. “It will minimize the impact to local taxpayers. We just want to continue to ask for San Marcos’ fair share.”

Cantalupo said state funds have been allocated to the area while CAMPO is figuring out how to spend the money.

“The commission has already decided to put some money into the CAMPO region,” he said. “They’ve decided to put $10 million into the road 1460 in Williamson County.”

Canatlupo said $19 million has been designated for direct connectors between highways 183 and 290 in Travis County and $7 million will go toward construction of the Main Street bridge over I-35 in Buda. He said another $26 million has been provided for maintenance projects throughout the CAMPO region.

Law enforcement in San Marcos will receive benefits from the stimulus bill. According to a press release, the city will receive a Justice Assistance Grant of $80,041 from the package. $147.5 million is going toward agencies across Texas out of $2 billion in Recovery Act allocations for state and local law enforcement.

“The JAG Program supports a variety of efforts, such as hiring and support for law enforcement officers; multijurisdictional drug and gang task forces; crime prevention and domestic violence programs; and courts, corrections, treatment and justice information sharing initiatives,” the press release entails.

BIKE FOUND

UPD returns prized possession to happy cyclist, others not so lucky

By: Rachel Nelson

www.universitystar.com

Jake Johnson thought his mountain bike was gone forever when it was stolen February outside his dorm at San Jacinto hall.

“I freaked,” he said. “I found my bike lock there, and it was cut.”

Johnson, undeclared sophomore, said he immediately called UPD. They arrived within 10 minutes to take his report.

“Eventually, almost three weeks later, they called me and told me they found my bike at the pawn shop,” Johnson said.

He said the bike was a gift from his brother. It is worth about $1,200.

“I went on a 5-hour bike ride that day I got it (back),” Johnson said. “It was pretty exciting.”

Johnson, though more fortunate than others, is not the only student with who has had to go through this.

An increase in stolen bikes this semester has led to two arrests, according to the University Police Department.

UPD Officer Otto Glenewinkel said 11 bikes have been stolen from campus this year. The last incident was reported Feb. 15. Glenewinkel said there is usually a ring of people involved when several bikes are stolen in a short amount of time.

“They travel from university to university and they’ll stay at one university for a while until police start developing a case,” Glenewinkel said. “Then they decide to move on.”

Glenewinkel said police suspect the recent wave of thefts at Texas State is connected to stolen bikes at other universities. He said stolen bikes are typically sold at pawnshops or in Mexico, or disassembled and sold for parts on the Internet.

“Very few bikes are actually kept and used,“ he said.

Glenewinkel suggests investing in a good lock to avoid becoming a victim of theft.

“I would say stay completely away from cable locks because they can be cut,” Glenewinkel said.

Glenewinkel said he recommends U-locks.

“It takes every ounce of strength and four or five tries (to cut the locks),” he said. “It’s going to protect your bike because a thief is going to see this and walk away.“

Glenewinkel recommends threading a cable lock through both wheels of the bike and then back through the U-lock once the bike is secured to a rack.

“So it’s a double layer of security,” he said. “The odds of your bicycle getting stolen at that point are very slim.”

Aldon Mines, art senior and Bike Cave employee, said he agrees a U-lock combined with a cable is a good defense against thieves. The wheels on bikes can be removed without using tools.

“People will just come up and steal wheels,” he said. “It doesn’t happen as often, but it does happen. I’ve seen sets where you can buy a

U-lock and a cable (together) so you can run the cable through your wheels.”

Glenewinkel said students can register their bikes for free through UPD’s Web site.

“This is not yet mandatory, but may be at some point,” he said. “If we found a bike, we would know who to send it back to.”

Mines said people can join the national bike registry. Registering makes it more likely a stolen bike will be located if it is pawned in a different city. Registration can be achieved at nationalbikeregistry.com, and a certificate is provided to the registered bike’s owner. Ten dollars covers a bike for a decade and $25 offers coverage for 30 years. Family registrations, which cover up to five bikes at a single address for 10 years, can be purchased for $25. Bikes can be registered for 99 cents after being stolen so they can be returned if located.

“If you get a bike stolen here you’re probably not going to find it on Craigslist or Ebay,” Mines said.

Johnson said he keeps his bike under his bed fearing it will be stolen again. Johnson said he was given the option to press charges against the person who pawned his bike, but declined.

“Honestly I don’t even care,“ Johnson said. “That’s not my concern. I got my bike back. I don’t need to do anything to them. I just don’t even care to know who it is.”

Stimulus plan stirs controversial opinions

By: Rachel Nelson
www.universitystar.com

The $787 billion economy stimulus plan signed into law by President Obama Tuesday caused relief and concern among politicians, economists and taxpayers.

William Chittenden, associate professor in the department of finance and economics, said the short-term effects of the plan will benefit the economy but long-term results depend on the actions of elected officials.

“Are they going to have the discipline to cut back once the economy starts rolling again?” he said. “It’s very difficult for politicians to let go of money once they start spending it.”

Chittenden said the government cannot continue to spend vast sums of money without detrimental consequences

“Although this might not be the perfect plan, doing nothing is not an option,” he said.

Chittenden compared the economic condition of the United States to a recession that took place in Japan during the 1990s. The period is referred to as “the lost decade” because it took the country 10 years to climb out of economic turmoil.

“The economy would eventually work itself out, but it would take years and years,” Chittenden said. “It’s unacceptable.”

Fidencio Leija, international studies and geography senior, said he followed the progress of the economic stimulus bill as it made its way through the legislature. Leija is in favor of the bill because it appears best for the country, he said.

“No one has a crystal ball to know if this is going to fix it or not, but we have to make a decision right now for the people that are suffering,” Leija said.

Leija, a member of College Democrats, believes it is important for members of both parties to work together and make compromises to relieve the financial crisis.

“Only three moderate republicans came on board to support the bill,” Leija said. “There were no republicans who voted for it in the House. In my opinion, we’re still having issues on the whole philosophy and ideology each party has, rather than looking at it as a United States issue.”

Steven De La Cerda, public relations chair of College Republicans, said the stimulus package saw little support from the right.

“Republicans finally came to their senses and remembered they are fiscally conservative, and spending billions of dollars isn’t the answer to solving this crisis,” he said.

De La Cerda, public administration junior, said government action is necessary at this time, but the bill contains excessive spending that will not benefit the economy.

“I do believe an economic stimulus package of some sort is necessary, but without all of the pork spending, that will do little to stimulate the economy,” he said.

“Bad business by banks and automakers should be reason enough for failure. Government intervention with taxpayer money and excessive spending that will increase our debt is not what will solve this economic crisis.”

Instead, tax cuts, less government spending on special programs and raising consumer confidence would be means of progress for the economy, De La Cerda said.

Chittenden called the stimulus plan a good use of debt, but acknowledged it is still risky. He said it is like college students who finance their education with loans.

The end result is good if the students take steps to pay the money back, but will remain in debt if they continue to borrow.

The bill’s amount is several billions of dollars less than the original package called for, but it still stirs controversy.

“This amount is ludicrous, mainly because it does a lot for special interests and government programs that do not have a direct stimulate to the economy,” De La Cerda said. “It is one of the biggest spending programs since World War II, which encompasses down payments for Obama’s healthcare, energy and education initiatives. This does not stimulate the economy nor put us on the road toward prosperity.”

Chittenden said he feels the sum is good as long as the money is spent fast.

“That definitely can get the economy stimulated,” he said. “If we spend it all in the next year, it’s definitely going to have a (great) impact on the economy.”

De La Cerda said he does not believe this is the last stimulus plan Obama will introduce. He was proven right when Obama proposed a $75 billion forclosure package.

“This is very dangerous for our country because our grandchildren will have the burden of paying off our debt,” De La Cerda said. “Obviously the government plays a vital role on the economy, but staying true to our capitalist values and staying away from Obama’s socialistic views would better suit America and its economy.”

The outcome of the stimulus bill will not be known until the money is spent and time passes.

“We’re all crossing our fingers,” Leija said. “We really don’t know what’s going to happen.”

Students could benefit from Pell Grant increase

By: Rachel Nelson
www.universitystar.com

Higher education will reap some benefits from the $787 billion stimulus bill that was signed into law Tuesday, but the gains will not be what some hoped for when the plan surfaced.

Allocated funds for higher education construction and the federal work-study program were reduced by U.S. Senators while making cuts to the package.

President Barack Obama addressed the nation in early January before sworn into office, communicating his optimism about the proposal to build educational facilities.

“To give our children the chance to live out their dreams in a world that’s never been more competitive, we will equip tens of thousands of schools, community colleges and public universities with 21st-century classrooms, labs and libraries,” Obama said during his economic recovery speech Jan. 8. “We’ll provide new computers, new technology and new training for teachers so students in Chicago and Boston can compete with children in Beijing for the high-tech, high-wage jobs of the future.”

According to information provided by the Texas State Financial Aid Office, there was a 1.1 percent increase for allocated federal work-study funds during fiscal years 2008 and 2009. However, the number of work-study positions was reduced as a result of the increase in minimum wage that occurred in July 2008.

The number of students receiving Pell Grants will see an increase, and the maximum amount of the grants are greater than previous years.

The original House package sought to increase the grant amount by $500 and the number of recipients by 800,000 in the next year.

The maximum amount in the revised Senate version of the bill for a Pell Grant is up $281 during the 2009-2010 award year, but will jump to $400 in 2010-2011. The number of recipients will increase in 2009-2010 by 175,000 and 250,000 in 2010-2011, respectively.

Sidencio Leija, College Democrats member, said he was disappointed in the decision to cut educational facility funds because of the jobs they would have created for Americans.

“I think by them increasing (Pell Grants) by this amount, it will hopefully reduce the amount of students going into debt over the four or five years in college,” Leija said. Leija is a veteran of the U.S. Navy and said grants and the G.I. Bill have made it possible for him to focus on his studies rather than having to work while in school.

The Financial Aid Office said 6,611 Pell Grants were awarded at Texas State, according to data from 2007-2008. The office encourages students to reapply for grants each year because they may be eligible for subsidized need-based loans, such as a Federal Direct Loan, if they do not qualify for Pell Grants.

A higher tax credit is designed to provide relief for college students and their parents.
The legislation states 100 percent of tuition and related expenses paid by citizens during the taxable year will be credited provided the amount does not exceed $2,000. Twenty-five percent will be credited for costs between $2,000 and $4,000.

Leija said he thinks it is a great time to be a student during this economic turmoil, especially for freshmen and sophomores because they will not have to struggle to find jobs until after they graduate.

“They hopefully will be there at the point when things are going up,” Leija said. “If you’re a junior and senior, looking for a job is going to be tough.”

Graduate school is something Leija said he is looking into to avoid the dwindling job market for two more years.

“We don’t know what’s going to happen,” Leija said. “We won’t see any results until the beginning months of next year if we get lucky.”

Get DONK!'d by unique Amarillo band

By: Rachel Nelson
www.amarilloscene.com

Luke Holder has been strumming his guitar and singing into Amarillo microphones as the front man of his own band for years, and the past 2-and-a-half have been spent jamming with local group 'DONK!'

'We just finished an album, and we're about to release that in a couple of months,' he said.

Holder said he has released four albums on his own since 1999, but this is DONK!'s first recording. Although the release date is not yet set, Holder said all 11 songs already can be heard on the Internet by visiting myspace.com/lukeholder and myspace.com/donktexas.

Holder calls DONK! Amarillo's 'soul boogie bar band' and said the four-piece can be spotted playing locally at the Golden Light Cantina, Burberry's, Marty's and occasionally at the Amarillo Museum of Art's Third Thursday events.

'Our main agenda is for (our audience) to have a good time, and we try to provide quality entertainment to make that happen,' he said.

Holder's brother, Drew Holder, plays drums for the band and owns AMP Studio in Amarillo, where DONK!'s album was recorded.

'We're a bunch of guys who just love to play music, and that's what we're doing,' Drew Holder said.

DONK! delves in different styles of music and does not limit their playing to one genre. They use a pedal steel guitar, played by Rick Faucett, which is an instrument normally associated with country music. But DONK! is not a country band. In fact, according to Drew Holder, it's hard to put DONK! into one musical category because each member brings different tastes and influences to the group.

'All four of us are from different backgrounds of music, and that's what really makes us unique, I think,' Drew Holder said. 'If you looked at all of our record collections then there would be totally different music all around.'

Three quarters of the band's live performance is made up of original music, Drew Holder said. The covers they do include songs by Creedence Clearwater Revival, Neil Young and Willie Nelson.

'We definitely don't play anything that anyone else is playing in town,' Drew Holder said.

The band's name, an example of onamatopoeia accented with an exclamation point, is a symbol of the group's enthusiasm.

'It's just a fun word,' Luke Holder said. 'People like to scream it.'

Drew Holder said the name came to exist at one of the group's practices and has since become 'a brand new cuss word.'

'We were practicing, and the bass player, Justin Hedgecoth, hit a wrong note, and it sounded like a 'donk',' he said.

According to Luke Holder, DONK! plays for fun and is not striving to win a Grammy any time soon. Their main goal is to 'continue making the best music we can make,' he said.

'We're going to do what we do and see where it takes us and play as much as we can.'

Upcoming acts include a performance at Marty's in Amarillo, 2740 Westhaven Vlg., January 16 at 9:00 p.m. They also have been selected to play for High Plains Public Radio's Living Room Concert Series on February 13 at 7 p.m., a gig Luke Holder said DONK! was flattered to get. That event will be held at HPPR's studio at 101 S.W. 5th Ave., Suite 100, in Amarillo. For more information on that show, visit hppr.org/lrc.html.

'I think people should come see us and support live music in Amarillo,' Luke Holder said. ' ... We deserve a chance. I think people would enjoy us if they'd just come and see us.'

'The crowds are getting bigger and better all the time,' Drew Holder said.

Stay up-to-date with DONK!'s schedule by visiting myspace.com/donktexas.

Colorless makeup transforms to match skin tone

By: Rachel Nelson
http://www.amarilloscene.com/

Being a very pale person, it has always been hard for me to find the perfect shade of makeup to match my skin. Even the lightest ivory concealers often leave a clashing baseline at the bottom of my jaw.

A couple of months ago, a friend of mine purchased some of Almay's Smart Shade™ Makeup at Wal-Mart. It was slightly expensive, I thought, at almost $11 for a 1-ounce tube. "You'll have to let me know how that works out for you," I said, too skeptical to purchase one for myself.

The next time I saw her, I asked if the "magic makeup" was all it was cracked up to be.

"I'm wearing it right now," she said as she moved to a more well-lit area so I could examine her baseline. She tilted her head back, and to my surprise it blended so well that I could not even tell it was there. I was convinced enough to try it out myself.

When I opened the makeup, I was intrigued at its white color. But when I rubbed it onto my face, it blended like magic. The makeup is also a bronzer, so it gives skin a sun-kissed look.

I also noticed that it has a runny, light-weight texture to it. The end result was clean, even, natural-looking skin. When I wear it, it never looks like I have a ton of base caked on my face.

The Smart Shade™ Makeup contains tiny color beads that are designed to blend to a person's skin tone when it is smoothed on. Rubbing it in is what activates the beads.

Complimenting skin tone isn't the only advantage to wearing Smart Shade™ Makeup. According to information provided at Almay.com, it contains nourishing antioxidants such as grape seed, ginseng and gingko biloba that "help give skin a healthy glow." It is also hypoallergenic, meaning there is little possibility that using it will cause an allergic response.

You don't have to have ultra-light skin like me to use the Smart Shade™ Makeup. There are three variations to choose from: light, light/medium and medium. Just choose the one that best applies to you.

Although slightly expensive, a little bit of the makeup goes a long way. If you decide to try this revolutionary product, keep in mind that a dime-size amount will be plenty to cover your face. When applying, be sure to rub it in very well so that the color beads can reach their full potential.

After discovering the Smart Shade™ concealer, I liked it so much that I had to try Almay's Smart Shade™ blush. The tube is half an ounce and costs around $8 at Wal-Mart. I was just as pleased with the blush as the makeup. It definitely gets the job done of making your cheeks rosy while blending to look natural. And like the bronzer, there are a few different shades to choose from. I say it's worth a try, but if you are not big on splurging for makeup and have a blush you already are pleased with, you may want to stick with what you've got.

Still skeptical? Visit Almay.com to view a product demo.

Be in the know for Back to School

By: Rachel Nelson

http://www.amarilloscene.com/

It can be exciting, overwhelming or even depressing, but it's ultimately inevitable.

The first day of school is approaching, and along with it comes a lot to think about for students and parents. From what to wear to where to buy school supplies and get immunized, much preparation goes into the beginning of a new school year.

Taylor St. Charles will be a senior at Amarillo High School this year and said she is optimistic and is "ready to get it over with."

"I think everyone is just ready to get back to school," she said. "I'm sure it will be fantastic this year."

For others, beating the back to school blues can go much smoother when you know where to shop, what to buy and freebies offered in the community.

The Church at Quail Creek, located at 801 Tascosa Road, will be giving away free school supplies packets August 8, to the first 400 people that register. Registration starts at 6 p.m.

Although the packets won't include all items on the school district's complete school supplies list, it will include the basics, said Norma Thomas, a church employee.

They also will be giving away free lunch box snack bags and a sack of back to school groceries to all families. There will be a live band and an inspiring message given at the event. Those planning to attend should enter at the playgroud doors.

The third annual KidsFest will be taking place at Thompson Park August 9 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.
"We have over 10,000 people attend," said Kae Rae Austin, administrative secretary at the Amarillo Independent School District superintendent's office.

According to Austin, KidsFest will have food, entertainment, games, bouncers, school supplies and more.

"It's all free to the community," she said.

Kids must be accompanied by a parent at the event. Immunizations will be available, but parents must bring shot records for their kids. There also will be information about how kids can get involved with organizations such as the Boy and Girl Scouts.

"It's just a fun event for families and we hope everyone will come out and support us," she said.

For fashion, retro-styles of the 70's and 80's are hot for the fall, according to information provided by ARA content. Polka Dots of all sizes have been in style for the summer, and the trend is expected to continue. Fashionclub.com predicts designer hoodies and tops adorned with bows to be popular fashion must-haves this fall.

Accessories to customize binders and lockers, such as stickers and magnets, also are in demand. Trapper Keeper turns 30 this year and is celebrating with new products such as Trapper folders and index card holders. They also have a weekly assignment planner full of 80s trivia, ARA reports.

Some students, on the other hand, aren't concerned with fashion.

"I am probably going to wake up half and hour before I'm supposed to be there and throw on jeans and a tee-shirt," St. Charles said.

But for those who are, keep an eye out for back to school sales going on at local department stores. Thrift stores also may be a good place to shop for vintage clothing.

FYI:
Classes for Amarillo I.S.D. and Canyon I.S.D. start August 25. Complete school supplies lists can be found at amaisd.org and canyonisd.net.

Tiger Moth to bring taste of Dallas music scene June 14

Photo by: Gavan Nelson

By: Rachel Nelson
www.amarilloscene.com

A newly formed rock 'n' roll quartet from Dallas, Tiger Moth, is one of the bands that will perform at Scene Fest '08 at John Stiff Park. The group independently released its debut self-titled EP in April. The festival will mark their eighth show and their first appearance outside of Dallas since forming six months ago.

Tiger Moth consists of:
Cheyenne Schweitzer - Lead Vocals/Rhythm GuitarGlenn Jackson - DrummerDerek Jackson - Lead GuitarRoss Boyd - Bass The Scene did an interview with Schweitzer, who offers a taste of what Amarillo should expect when Tiger Moth takes the stage June 14.

The Scene: First of all, why did you guys decide to call your band Tiger Moth?
Schweitzer: Our bass player's mother gave him a calendar of old biplanes. The Tiger Moth was one of them, and we thought it sounded very rock and roll.

The Scene: Who are your musical influences?
Schweitzer: Speaking for the band, I'd say between Derek and Glenn, they are really into Led Zeppelin and Cheap Trick. Ross is really into Madonna, Robbie Williams and George MIchael. For myself, I like Prince a whole lot, and Radiohead.

The Scene: Can you describe your band's sound?
Schweitzer: You'll definitely hear the 70s influence. You'll hear the riff rock and the Zeppelin. I think you'll also hear some Sabbath as well.

The Scene: Is all of your music original or do you do covers as well?
Schweitzer: It's all original, every bit of it.

The Scene: What makes Tiger Moth unique?
Schweitzer: We are sort of like an older style rock and roll band instead of newer metal and new rock. We take our lessons from the older generation of rock and roll. You can actually step and dance to rock and roll. It makes you want to to boogie, I think.

The Scene: What should people expect when they hear you guys jam at the festival?
Schweitzer: They should expect to see a band that's having a lot of fun with what they do. We really enjoy ourselves, and we like to rock out. So they should expect that. They should expect some really good guitar solos. We're a band with some soul.

The Scene: What is your fan base like? Has the group seen a good response so far?
Schweitzer: Our crowd is pretty varied. They seem to be generally enjoying it.

The Scene: What's the most exciting thing about your live performance?
Schweitzer: We take the performance very seriously. As far as the visual aspect of it, we take that seriously as well. That tends to excite the audience. Hopefully it's very entertaining.

The Scene: What do you try to achieve through your music?
Schweitzer: Ultimately, creativity. We want to represent what we like in our music and also put our own spin on it. Obviously enjoyment as well because we like it. So hopefully we portray that and we communicate that as well.

The Scene: Do you have anything else you want to add?
Schweitzer: We're a real band. There's no alterior motive behind our music. We're not like trying to get girls or become big rock stars, although that would be nice. We're doing this because we genuinely enjoy it. I think it's just real... it's just real music. Also, our drummer is opening up a club in Deep Ellum in Dallas soon to promote live music.

Be sure to look up Tiger Moth on MySpace for a sneak peek before the show.