Volume 26 Issue 8

Where is home?

Exploring Greek housing at the Island University

page 5

Islanders bring home ‘ADDY’ gold

by JAMIE FINK web editor in chief

N

photo courtesy of TAMUCC GREEKLIFE FACEBOOK

There are more than 14 different chapters of various Greek organizations present at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi including the six pictured above: (left to right, top to bottom) Beta Thi Pi, Delta Delta Delta, Sigma Phi Epsilon, Sigma Lamda Gamma, Phi Delta Theta and Lambda Phi Alpha.

by JAMIE FINK web editor in chief

W

hen visiting the campus of Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, visitors are able to experience certain aspects that make the university unique and special. For example, the university sells itself as the only university in the country on its own island. One thing not found however, is Greek housing.

The university does not offer on or off campus separate Greek housing, but everyone can notice the presence of Greek pride around campus.

“As a former member of a fraternity myself, I believe that by providing Greek housing our students would have a closer sense of camaraderie, along with a place to meet and more engagement within the school and its organizations,” said President and CEO of Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, Dr. Flavius Killebrew. “However, it’s not always up to administration to supply the housing.”

Greek housing has been absent since the university’s inception according to both Killebrew and Lily Gonzalez, Assistant Director Student Activities.

“Greek housing can be pretty expensive and being that we are on our own island, we are landlocked, so we don’t have the on-campus space to build more housing specifically for Greeks,” Gonzalez said.

Greek housing, in most cases, is usually bought and provided by the fraternities and sororities themselves. Some schools however do provide housing for Greeks. These houses have to be approved of and financially backed by that Greek chapter’s national organization. see GREEK HOUSING on page 3

The ongoing question of safety

Investigating the status of campus safety walks

by CONNER TICHOTA editor in chief

S

afety walks, are inspections of the campus grounds for any potential safety or security issues. Island Waves recently received a tip that campus safety walks at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi were no longer being conducted. In response, Island Waves looked into the matter and found it to be a false statement.

There are safety walks conducted at the Island University. The question now remains of how thorough or effective these walks are.

The Environmental, Health and Safety (EHS) committee is responsible for overseeing various safety

aspects of the campus ranging from hurricane evacuation plans to onsite inspections. Director of EHS Roy Coons said in an e-mail that safety walks used to be part the Safety Committee meetings. However, they are now conducted separately.

“We still perform safety inspections [safety walks,] but not as a part of our Health & Safety Committee meetings,” Coons said. “We try to hold the meetings to one hour. Having our members participate in the walk around inspections was taking them away from their regular jobs much longer than prudent.”

Even though the walks are not conducted, Coons said these walks are still occurring on a regular basis.

“[EHS] personnel as well as University Police Department officers perform campus safety inspections daily,” Coons said. “[EHS] inspects and documents the status of our hazardous waste building, Universal Waste, our fueling station at the motor pool, laboratories, studios, building fire and life safety, [etc.]. The world of the safety professional revolves around inspections.”

UPD was contacted for a statement. Island Waves is still awaiting a response.

While there is physical evidence that these safety walks are indeed happening, Island Waves is still uncertain about the frequency or efficiency of them. see SAFETY on page 3

INDEX NEWS 3 | HOUSING 4-7 ENTERTAINMENT 8-9 | SPORTS 10-11 | TEASERS 12

ineteen current Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi design students won 42 awards at the recent American Advertising Awards competition. The students were able to win 15 gold, 11 silver, 11 bronze and five special judges awards.

The entries from TAMUCC students who were awarded gold, silver or bronze now have the opportunity with the chance to eventually be judged at the national level.

Previously known as the ADDYs, the event is the advertising industry’s largest competition. The competition recognizes and rewards “creative spirit of excellence” in advertising.

Graduate student Tyler Barnes, and seniors Thi Nguyen and Alyssa Garza led TAMUCC by winning five, four and five individual awards respectively. Barnes was awarded the 2014 American Advertising Awards Best of Show and Rising Star award.

Nguyen won two gold and two silver awards. Garza walked away winning a gold, silver and bronze award.

Garza also walked away with two Special Judges awards for Best Use of Snark for her Sarcastic Stamp Collection.

According to the American Advertising Awards website, applicants must be enrolled full or part-time in an accredited U.S. educational institution or student interns are also eligible to enter. read the full story at ISLANDWAVESNEWS.COM

VOLUME 26, ISSUE 8

2

opinion

ISLAND WAVES

03.12.2015

Romances are a no-go in college

a student publication of

Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi

island waves staff CONNER TICHOTA editor-in-chief

JAMIE FINK

web editor-in-chief

AMBER QUAID

managing editor

KELSEY FLORES copy editor

JUSTIN VU NGUYEN

advertising assistant

LUIS GOMEZ

advertising assistant

THI NGUYEN

layout assistant

KARA HERRERA layout assistant

STERLEN KEMP news reporter

GERI LEMMONS

features reporter

TREY SEAL

entertainment reporter

JEREMY PAPE

sports reporter

ELI T. BERKE

photographer

MARK MARTINEZ

distribution manager

WENDY MOORE faculty adviser

AMY KOTULSKI staff adviser

JESSE DE LEON

graduate adviser

contact us 6300 Ocean Drive Unit 5783 Corpus Christi, TX 78412 (361) 825-5862

write us a letter The Island Waves accepts letters no longer than 250 words.

Letters are subject to editing. Send letters to the editor via email at editor@tamucc.edu.

about island waves The Island Waves is a student-produced publication at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi. The newspaper is printed weekly, except during summer sessions.

Since A&M- Corpus Christi has no journalism department, Island Waves is supported by student fees and advertising sales.

Any student or University employee may submit material for publication consideration. To become a contributor, e-mail or call the Island Waves editor.

photo by AMBER QUAID

by Amber Quaid managing editor

F

reshman year of college is the turning point of growing up for most students.

That year is when students step out of their parent’s world and into their own, shaky, confused but free. For some students it is the end of a high school relationship with new opportunities on the horizon. For other students it is the high school sweetheart whom some go to college with. Yet for others it is the breaking ground to start dating, whether serious or not so serious. Romantic relationships in college are tricky.

Stepping away from parent’s help and support, though freeing, can shock students into a reality they never knew as freshmen. Tests, homework and time management create a schedule that seems chaotic at first. Now let’s throw a relationship into the mix. For freshmen the relationship factor should be left to the friend zone. He/She is my one true love and I cannot let them go. In this case both parties must be on equal ground and understanding that life and friends happen, do not get mad.

“If it’s important to you, you’ll find a way,” Clarissa Salinas, a junior communication major, said, “If not you’ll find an excuse.”

The Association for University and College

Counseling Center Directors say that the third leading cause of suicide by college students is relationship issues, first and second causes are anxiety and depression.

Let’s not say that one should not be in a romantic relationship in college but remember that as freshmen the world is changing and how students view the world is changing too. How a person views the world today may not be the same tomorrow and to have a romantic partner that is understanding and on the same path is rare.

In a relationship, trust and communication are important and both sides must have it.

Romantic relationships are not worth more than friends, future or life.

“They’re doomed to fail,” said Dennis Aligno, Corpus Christi resident and college graduate.

The reason romantic relationships fail in college is because most start when students are freshmen to junior level. In those years is when students change, they get new ideas and views on life and most times the romantic partner that was chosen does not grow along the same path. Then there is the added stress of school and social life, not to mention parents who check up on their kids out of concern, love and curiosity. Have friends, have connections, have fun but do not let a romantic relationship be all there is. People can

connect with people so many different ways and on so many different levels.

“To love oneself is the beginning of a lifelong romance,” said Oscar Wilde, famous Victorian Era writer.

Wilde hit the nail on the head. If a person loves themself, truly and knows who they are and in all this they are comfortable with themselves, only then can they move into a romantic relationship. If a person is a bumbling mess and they meet another person who is a bumbling mess and they travel a path that lets them be less messy together, as long as they have the same future ideals, then they can move into a romantic relationship.

“Love all, trust a few, do wrong to none,” said William Shakespeare, famous writer.

Love and romantic relationships are not to be avoided in college, but remember they are not the whole reason for living.

Beautiful, talented, smart, funny, inspiring, crazy, constant, caring, rebellious, those are the reasons for living and each student has unique aspects of those qualities.

Each student is loved by a friend, boy/girlfriend, mother/ father, sister/brother, and roommate. Each and every one of us is tied to another, remember to hold on to those relationships, and in the end find love.

“I knew I found the one I wanted to spend my life with because no matter how hard times got I refused to give up and so did he,” said senior Heather Childers, an English major.

3

news

03.12.2015

ISLAND WAVES

photo by CONNER TICHOTA

photo by AMBER QUAID

Curlew Parking Lot on Feb. 27, 2015. The middle row of street lights are not lit.

SAFETY continued from page 1 The three most recent safety reports provided by EHS showed inspections that had taken place in June of 2014 and Jan. of 2015. This would suggest that the inspections are occurring on a semi-annual basis. However, at this time Island Waves does not have any conclusive

evidence to prove this true.

Though the inspections are happening, there is still evidence of safety and security hazards throughout campus. For example, the street lights in the Curlew parking lot has been out for at least the past week. The photo on the left was taken during homecoming week on Feb. 27 shows three lights out in the center

GREEK HOUSING continued from page 1 These chapters also would have to be able to maintain the upkeep on the houses or have the money buy these services. Most Greek chapters at the Island University do not have the funds in order to obtain housing on or off campus.

“When you think about money and dues, our chapter’s dues run anywhere from $100 to $700 a semester,” Gonzalez said. “When you add a house into the equation you would also have to pay rent to live in the house, so you would be paying a lot more than what they are currently already paying.”

As mentioned before, the Island University sells itself as being the only university on its own island.

This makes for difficult decisions when it comes to housing and even building for academia purposes.

The university has already began its expansion of campus because of the steady increase of students year after year.

For many, off-campus housing appears to be the only option if the Greek organizations would want to obtain housing, however there are problems when trying to do this.

“There’s a certain difficulty in just buying a house off-campus somewhere,” Killebrew said. “Most cities, including Corpus Christi, have city ordinances saying that you can’t have a certain number of unrelated people living in the same place at the same time. Students would also still have to abide to both the university’s and their national organization’s code of conduct.”

This is the most difficult part, other than having the money and funds, to buy a house off-campus. The city of Corpus Christi would have to have the area in which the property was bought rezoned and many neighbors

would most likely not be too fond of having to have the area rezoned.

Dr. Killebrew mentioned that if there are some Greek groups who are interested in having housing then there are some accommodations that can be made, but there also are some things the Greeks need to for themselves.

“If the Greeks wanted to lease a set of apartments or an entire floor, we could make those accommodations either here or over at the new Momentum Campus,” Killebrew said.

“They have to always be aware that other people are watching them.

Showing themselves as good citizens is always the best thing they can do.

Sometimes the Greeks will get a bad reputation after one bad party that gets out of hand or something like that.”

Gonzales shared her own opinion on the Greek experience.

“I think there is something to be said for the Greek experience,”Gonzalez said. “While there isn’t a lot of students who take advantage of the Greek experience, there are those students who are missing out on that major part of having their own space and own area to conduct all of their ceremonies, socials, recruitment activities and the overall atmosphere would be different.”

The mission of the Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi Greek Community is to enhance the college experience of fraternity men and women and compliment the mission of the university through engagement, service, scholarship, diversity and leadership opportunities.

Do you feel that the Greeks deserve to have their own housing whether on or off-campus? You can tell us your opinion, e-mail us at editor@ tamucc.edu.

Curlew Parking Lot on March 8, 2015. The middle row of street lights are still not lit.

of the parking lot. The photo on the right shows the same parking lot on March 8 with the same three lights out.

This is concerning because there are a lot of students who like to use the Dugan Wellness Center in the evening and navigating through a darkened parking lot is dangerous for both men and women alike. Whether

or not a work order has been put in for these lights is unknown at this time.

What is known, is that Island Waves will continue to cover this story until a definitive answer and possibly a solution presents itself.

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housing

03.12.2015

ISLAND WAVES

On Campus

photo by STERLEN KEMP

Campus Living, convenience versus expense

by STERLEN KEMP news reporter

D

eciding whether to stay oncampus or off is one of the many hassles that college students face. On-campus residents have the convenience of being closer to classes and university facilities while students who decide to stay offcampus have the freedom to find a place that better fits their needs and pocketbooks.

Students of Texas A&M UniversityCorpus Christi are open to a wide variety of options when it comes to staying on or off-campus. Those who choose can take advantage of the on-campus experience offered by Camden Miramar housing or live in the many apartment complexes that line Ennis Joslin.

“The only thing I necessarily liked about living on-campus was the convenience,” said Niccolo Clark, a sophomore in biochemistry. “Other than that, there was nothing else. The rooms were too small for the price and the furniture included wasn’t the best.”

Many students often decide to move to off-campus residences during their sophomore or junior years. Since many freshmen come to the Island University without any friends or connections, staying oncampus tends to be the best choice to get the university experience that many seek when starting college.

“I stayed on campus in the 20132014 school year,” Clark said. “This was considered my freshman year. I decided to stay on-campus due to my parent’s wishes.”

“For the first year, I don’t think it is a bad idea to live on-campus,” said Larissa Quinonez a junior nursing student. “Students can get used to everything around the university.”

Though some students choose to stay in on-campus residence halls because of the convenience to the campus, others however, choose to stay in apartments or rented homes because of the better affordability and larger space enjoyed by offcampus students.

For a student who decides to live on-campus in the Camden Miramar facilities, a single-bedroom, shared bath residence hall with approximately 406 square feet, will cost them $5,454 for the academic year, which only include Fall and Spring semesters.

A student who chooses to live in one of the local apartment complexes off-campus, perhaps Campus

photo courtesy of Islander Village

Off Campus

photo courtesy of Campus Quarters

Quarters that is located off of Ennis Joslin, a two bedroom, two bath with approximately 943 square feet, will cost be $815 per month or roughly $6,500 for the academic year. This is double the space and bedrooms with a slight increase in price, which can be broken down with an addition of a roommate.

“I like living off-campus because where I live, it is still close and it is at a better price,” Quinonez said. “It is more comfortable and the living space is better for an affordable price.”

Choosing where to live when coming to college can be one of

the scariest and most intimidating parts about college. For most college students, it is the first time they ever had to worry about budgeting money to pay rent and bills. But deciding to stay on-campus or off-campus really depends on the student’s individual needs and expectations of college.

Comfort, cost and convenience are the three greatest factors that often determine where a student will live

LEFT TOP: Camden Miramar offers - Roommate Matching, Housing Options, Adjacent to the Wellness Center, a Hike & Bike Trail, Swimming Pool, On-Site Management and Residence Life Team, 24/7 Maintenance Response, Sand Volleyball Court and Pavilion, Recreation Center with Deck, Community Kitchens and Studies in Residence Halls, Kayak and Surfboard Racks, and Rooms with Billiards, Shuffleboard, Wi-Fi & Big Screen TV. MIDDLE: Islander Village offers a resort-style pool, a clubhouse room with pool tables They established an award-winning resident life program, allowing them to help you succeed in the classroom and after college.

BOTTOM LEFT: Campus Quarters offers a hammock garden, free stand-up tanning, a billiards lounge, shuffleboard and picnic stations. They plan events, activities, and workshops to set students up for success.

BOTTOM RIGHT: Air Conditioning, balcony, cable ready, interior oversized closets, some paid utilities, a clubhouse, covered parking, emergency maintenance, fitness center, laundry facility, playground,and swimming pool.

photo courtesy of Sunchase Apartments

while they attend college at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. Apartments often have more space compared to Camden facilities and the cost tends to be appropriate for the amount of space one gets. However, the convenience of the college and facilities like the Dugan Wellness Center Gym are a great asset when living on-campus.

“The only thing I necessarily liked about living on-campus was the convenience” - Niccolo Clark Sophomore, Biochemistry

5

housing

03.12.2015

College Life: learning how to live on a budget

ISLAND WAVES

S N A T LO

N E D STU T N E R • S G K N O I O N B N A • L P T E G D • BU

by GERI LEMMONS feature reporter

B

udgeting and figuring out when to spend money is an important thing to learn in college.

With student’s living in dorms or apartments it is important to know how much money is spent after school, for rent and books. Going to college may be expensive but it can also be a learning experience that can happen outside the class room too.

“I have student loans, grants and my parents are helping me out when it comes to paying for college and my rent to stay on campus” said freshman Catherine Borquez a business major.

When it comes to paying for all the expenses in college it is hard to know what to do with the money that is left over. It is important to have a plan and figure out what to do so that when it is all said and done there will not be a big issue when it comes to money.

One of the ways to stay on a budget is to track spending and know exactly what is being spent.

A student can do this in a number of ways. Someone could save all of their receipts and track there spending from there. Another way is if anyone is using a debit card, all of the spending can be tracked online when setting up an account.

Keeping a log of what is being spent is important when trying to figure out how much money is left over to use for miscellaneous items.

Another way to do this is to always look for and utilize things on campus and off campus that are free or very inexpensive. This includes riding the bus or going to places to eat that have student discounts.

Coupons are a student’s best friend while in college. Lots of places around the University give student discounts that can be very useful

when trying to spend less money on things that would be otherwise really expensive. Coupons are not just for the crazy ladies on TV who collect millions just for fun, they are for everyone and if someone looks closely they will find that most of the coupons that they throw away are actually very helpful.

“I don’t buy things that I know I will regret buying, I only buy it if it is necessary,” said freshman Nagisa Miura a communication major, “and if it’s expensive I think about it for a week or so and if I am still thinking about it than I buy it.”

Sometimes students get themselves in trouble in college when it comes to credit. Some are not taught how to use credit before college so they think that if they use it and take a long time to pay it off it will be a good thing.

This is incorrect, it is great to build up credit in college but, it is bad to develop bad credit and not know how to fix it. People should make sure to pay off a credit card at the end of every month and make sure to keep up with the payments because bad credit can follow students around for a very long time.

Having credit is not a bad thing as it can help people buy some of the bigger purchases in life such as a house or car, which is why students need to start building credit in college.

The last important thing to try is a budgeting app. There are tons out there that will help a student stay on budget and they can help purchase things from books to food. They are really helpful when it comes to teaching students about how to keep a budget themselves as they hope to stay on track while being in college. Some of the apps are free but the good ones cost a little money but they will be helpful in the long run.

The Time Has FINALLY COME

Island Waves Has Gone Digital CHECK OUT news and features on the website:

www.IslandWavesNews.com

6

housing

03.12.2015

Microwave Recipes

ISLAND WAVES

by GERI LEMMONS feature reporter

W

ith studying, writing papers and going to club meeting, there seems to be little time to slow down in college. Having the time to cook full meals seems to be a thing of the past. Here are some solutions to that problem, these are meals that can be cooked in the microwave in just minutes. From quesadillas, baked potato casserole and even chocolate cake. With these meals students will have a dinner that can be made in just minutes and they will not even taste like they came from the microwave.

Directions: Spread beans evenly over two tortillas. Sprinkle evenly with 3/4 cup cheese, and drizzle with 1/4 cup taco sauce. Top with remaining tortillas.

Microwave one quesadilla, covered with a paper towel, on a microwavesafe plate at HIGH for one to one minute and 30 seconds. Repeat procedure with remaining quesadilla.

Cut each into eight wedges and serve with remaining 1/4 cup taco sauce, sour cream, and remaining 1/2 cup cheese.

(This recipe idea comes from the website Myrecipes.com)

Baked potato casserole:

1/4 c. butter 1 lb. frozen hash browns 1 tsp. salt 1 can cream of chicken soup 1 c. shredded cheddar cheese 1 c. sour cream

Quesadilla: ¾ cup of refried beans 4 (8-inch) flour tortillas 1 ¼ cups (5-ounces) of shredded Mexican cheese blend (or any type of chees that someone likes) ½ cup of taco sauce

Directions: In an eight by 12 microwave pan, microwave the butter until is soft and melted.

Add the remaining ingredients and microwave on high for 15 minutes.

Top with a mixture of 1/4 cup melted butter and one cup crushed corn flakes.

Microwave for an additional two to three minutes.

(This recipe idea comes from the website: Cooks.com)

chocolate cake in a mug: 1 box of chocolate cake mix (or any other type of cake) 1 box of angel food cake mix 2 tablespoons of water Directions: Mix the two cake mixes together in a big gallon zip lock bag Take three table spoons of cake mix and two table spoons of water mixed together in the microwave for just one minute and then serve with any kind of topping like whipped cream or fruit. Enjoy in just seconds. Also one can make this dish with any other type of cake mix. Someone can make vanilla, strawberry and even confetti cake.

With all of these dishes there is no way someone will not find something that will fill them up in just seconds.

“I had no idea that I could make chocolate cake in the microwave and the fact that it could take less time in the microwave than in the oven” said freshman Karla Calderon a nursing major.

There are many more ideas out there for different things you can cook in the microwave and these are just a couple. Believe it or not there are so many dishes out there that can be cooked in the microwave people just have to be a little creative.

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housing

03.12.2015

ISLAND WAVES

Apartment horror story byTREY SEAL entertainment reporter

T

here are few major milestones in life as liberating as moving into ones own place. After eighteen (or more) years of living with mom and dad, it’s now time to be independent in the real world. As young adults, most are often confined to moving into a campus dorm or leasing an apartment for a period of time.

Some people move in and love every bit of their living arrangement without an issue in the world. On the other side of the spectrum are the horror stories of crazy neighbors, infestations, and other major issues that become living nightmares to those who experience them.

“A place that we were at about a year ago had a small leak that led to a massive mold problem in addition to destroying a lot of our files and paperwork.” said Bernardo Perez, a sophomore music industries major.

Perez along with his girlfriend Summer Hicks, a junior music industries major come from San Antonio and have had more bad luck with apartments than the average person.

Their scariest incident by far was when their next door neighbor, in the midst of an argument, shot bullets through their dividing wall. Neither Hicks nor Perez were home at the time.

“The bullets became lodged in our water heater and the apartment manager did not want to tell us anything about the guy,” Perez said.

Breaking a lease agreement can in many cases prevent anyone from ever becoming approved for an apartment again or serious damage to people’s credit scores. In order to get to the bottom of the issue, they took it up with the partner manager.

“She told us that she couldn’t speak about what goes on in our neighbor’s private life” Hicks said.

Later, the same neighbor’s tires being slashed. Once again, they confronted the apartment manager.

“We asked why she didn’t warn anybody so that we could be more careful about what we leave in our cars,” Hicks said. “Additionally, the lack of lighting made it somewhat unnerving to go out there. She responded by saying that it was because our neighbors might be gang affiliated and that they were the only ones that had that happen to them.”

One day, Hicks and a friend were hanging out when the man returned and broke through his now padlocked door.

“We called the police over and they had a hard time finding the place due to the lack of outdoor lighting and then they were frustrated because the place didn’t have security cameras,” Hicks said.

After the police arrived, Hicks laid eyes upon the neighbor’s apartment for the first time.

“Oddly, there was hay all over the place,” she said.

Eventually the two were able to get out of that complex a few months later. Their troubles were not over though.

“We moved into a place that we were really satisfied with at first,” Hicks said. “It had a great arrangement and it was very spacious. As soon as we started to live there, we started noticing roaches in the kitchen and in the bathroom.”

For the first four months, Hicks and Perez went through a terrible roach infestation through no fault of their own. It turned out that a neighbor who resided on the opposite side of their building was a hoarder whose lack of cleanliness attracted hundreds, if not thousands of roaches to breed within their connected walls.

“The maintenance guys came in on multiple occasions and would bug bomb our place, but every time they came the roaches grew not only in numbers but size too,” Hicks said.

They would be found on the floor, in the cabinets, above the stove, behind the fridge and in their bathrooms.

The couple did not even feel safe stocking their cabinets with dishes after seeing roaches gets stuck in cups and walking across plates.

After four months, the apartment managers finally evicted the unsanitary tenant leading to the end of the infestation.

uiw.edu

SUCCESS. UIW graduate students experience flexible, interactive learning opportunities in the setting of a private liberal arts university.

At UIW, our students can choose from more than 30 degree plans, including several doctoral programs.

Interested students can learn more at uiw.edu/orgs or by calling (210) 829-6005.

OFFICE of RESEARCH & GRADUATE STUDIES

8

entertainment

03.12.2015

ISLAND WAVES

Deadlegs Entertainment presents the sounds of Corpus Christi

by AMBER QUAID managing editor

I

n 2014 a group of guys got together with their love of music to create Deadlegs Entertainment.

This Corpus Christi based company searches for local and regional talent to perform at events to showcase their abilities. Their next event is Mar. 14 for a spring break event known as “Bass Break,” to be performed at the House of Rock located at 511 Starr Street.

“We have had the opportunity to work with Deadlegs Entertainment a couple of times and we are looking forward to the upcoming Bass Break event on Mar. 14,” said Casey Lain, owner and manager of House of Rock. “‘Bass Break’ is a little different style of show than we host on a regular basis. We have always been interested in different types of live entertainment and art in general. ‘Bass Break’ will offer a unique experience that we are happy to be a part of.”

Roger, his brother Eric Briones and a friend, Hunter Orrick, got together to create Deadlegs Entertainment as a way to bring the masses of Corpus together with local talent such as Ragyd and BENVY. “Keep business local,” Roger Briones, managing member of Deadlegs, said.

Deadlegs Entertainment created its name based on the idea that when someone goes to dance to music at a venue and they are having so much fun they dance all night and the next day their legs are dead, therefore Deadlegs was born.

All three managing members of Deadlegs went to Ray High School with Roger and Hunter being Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi students, giving them a local connection throughout their youth.

This connection to the community is what gave them the idea for the company.

“We wanted to combine our passion for music and help cultivate a good music experience and a good art experience here in Corpus Christi,” said Eric Briones, managing member of Deadlegs Entertainment, “because it is a beautiful city with so much potential.”

The EDM or electronic dance music is a very popular form of music and Deadlegs wanted to bring it to Corpus in March.

The headliner for the spring break event is PSYMBiONiC, out of Austin. Three of the four local Dj’s at the event are Ragyd, a University Alumni, and BENVY and GOLDSTEIN who are current Texas A&M students. All the Dj’s will be performing their own style of EDM. “I want to move the masses,” DJ

GOLDSTEIN said. “Even if you have heard this music, you haven’t heard it like this before.”

Goldstein’s style is a little of everything, where BENVY focuses mainly on house music and Ragyd has more of a reggae tone.

“I love doing this so much that I sometimes get behind on other things,” DJ BENVY said of producing his music.

There is a little of something for everyone. The show will include a full laser light presentation and a live interactive art piece, a model.

“We bring a presence to Corpus Christi where we felt there was an absence,” Briones said.

Bringing together people who really love music is the goal of

Deadlegs Entertainment.

“Even if you’re not into EDM, or if you’re apprehensive on the thought about it, just come out,” DJ GOLDSTEIN said, “because believe it or not EDM has influence from everywhere else and that why people like EDM.” GOLDSTEIN plays every Friday at the club Recess and BENVY plays every Friday at the Boathouse Bar and Grill.

For more information on Deadlegs Entertainment go online to www.deadlegsentertainment. com and for House of Rock go online to www.texashouseofrock.com or call them at 882-7625.

photo courtesy of DeadLegs Entertainment

DeadLegs Entertainment managing members (left to right) Eric Briones, Hunter Orrick, Roger Briones.

photo courtesy of DeadLegs Entertainment photo courtesy of House of Rock

DJ BENVY putting on a show for a crowd at DLE Bass Headz during a Texas tour.

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entertainment

03.12.2015

ISLAND WAVES

by JESSE DE LEON graduate advisor

T

he oysters that were shucked today were in Aransas Bay last night,” said Fulton mayor Jimmy Kendrick.

That sense of pride in their natural surroundings is something that the citizens of this charming seaside city are always ready to share. However, it becomes even more noticeable around this time of year. That is because the Fulton Oyster Fest not only brought out the best in everyone in the community, but the event also was as an open invitation for everyone to come together to enjoy some of the area’s best music, art, entertainment and, of course, oysters.

“This was the 36th Fulton Oyster Fest,” says Russell Cole, volunteer firefighter and coordinator of this year’s gathering. “It was great to see the community come together in a way that was not only fun, but it had a great purpose, too.”

That purpose was the Fulton Volunteer Fire Department. Ever since the first Oyster Fest was held here in 1979, all of the proceeds have gone to help equip the Fulton Volunteer Fire Department with all of the tools, supplies and resources they need to protect the community. But this year, the need was a little greater.

“The department has been desperately in need of a new fire truck,” says Cole. “It is something that is an obvious necessity and with the money made over this four-day event, we hope to be able to move forward in the process of the acquisition of a new vehicle.”

Oyster Fest has not only established the tradition of giving back to the community of Fulton, but it has also created an equally impressive tradition of offering an appealing variety of music, art, food and family fun.

The big party took place in Fulton Navigation Park this past Thursday through Sunday. Guests enjoyed a

Photo courtesy by FULTONOYSTERFEST.ORG

Singer Amber Digby performed at this year’s Oyster Fest in Fulton

variety of attractions that included taking in some unique art exhibits, strolling through a big tent that featured the work of some highly talented artisans and craftsmen and enjoying the games and rides of the on-site amusement park.

Of course, it would not have been Oyster Fest without some great music, and there was no short supply of that.

Crowd favorites like Riptide, Amber Digby and Killing Time Band took the stage, as well as James Edwards, Tony Booth and Charlee Mykels.

Cole has seen the community’s participation of Oyster Fest grow over the years, and despite the fact that so many dedicated artists, musicians and business people come together for the event, the oysters are still the stars of the show.

“Whether guests liked to shuck their own or they preferred a big plate of them fried up, there was never a shortage of our famous oysters,” Cole said.

There were also plenty of bragging

rights to be earned, with the highly anticipated oyster eating contests.

There were cash prizes up for grabs in the men’s and women’s raw oyster eating contests, oyster shucking contest, and the increasingly popular oyster decorating contest.

“Between 90,000 and 100,000 oysters were shucked for this event,” Mayor Kendrick said.

Judging from the preliminary attendance numbers, the Fulton Volunteer Fire Department could soon begin making room at the fire station for that new vehicle.

“We saw an impressive number of people through the gates this year,” Cole says. “It was truly a matter of hometown pride that brought people out to Oyster Fest.”

Ultimately, the festival’s spirit of generosity and community is what makes it possible for Fulton’s Volunteer Fire Department to continue its mission of service.

10

sports

03.12.2015

ISLAND WAVES

From the left: Jonathan Martin, Joshua Thompson, Bianca Garcia and Thi Nguyen show their big smile for a group photo at NCTTA Regionals tournament at Texas Wesleyan.

Photos by GRANT BERGMANN

FOCUS AND LOVE FOR GAME KEEPS TABLE TENNIS CLUB GOING

Jonathan Martin, Thi Nguyen, and Bianca Garcia recieved their division medals from Willy Leparulo- the president of National Collegiate Table Tennis Association (NCTTA).

by JEREMY PAPE sports reporter

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exas A&M-Corpus Christi’s Table Tennis Club competed at the Regional Collegiate Table Tennis Association Tournament at Texas Wesleyan University in Fort Worth on Feb. 21.

Though none of the four club members who attended placed at the regional tournament, senior graphic design major Thi Nguyen is advancing to Nationals as a wild card because her ranking is more than 1200. Before the regional play, the club of five total members earned 2nd Coed Team in the South Texas Division, 1st and 2nd in women’s singles and 2nd and 3rd in men’s singles.

Before attending the tournament, the members of the team had spent plenty of time honing their craft.

“I started playing table tennis

about 10 months ago,” junior Bianca Garcia said.

Nguyen, who also organizes meetings for the club, said she started playing about four years ago.

“Before that, I had played for a few years when I was little,” Nguyen said.

Senior computer science major Jonathon Martin said he started playing in 2007, took a break, and recently started playing again.

Table tennis is an activity that is becoming more and more popular in the United States. Each of the club’s four members enjoys participating for different reasons.

“The most exciting thing to me about table tennis is that it’s a new discourse community for me,” Garcia said. “It’s something totally different, especially in American culture.”

Nguyen said her favorite part of playing with the Table Tennis Club is the sense of accomplishment and

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team camaraderie.

“You might think it’s an individual sport, but when you go to a game, you see the teamwork,” Nguyen said. “You know when you are [competing], the team is back there supporting you.”

For Martin, the nature of the game is what is most appealing.

“I enjoy the competition; the mental aspect of the game,” Martin said. “You’re hitting against somebody else, who is going to win?”

As with any sport, a more experienced player is likely to play differently than someone newer to the sport.

“If I’m playing someone for fun, I’ll try to make the volleys long and keep the point alive,” Martin said.

“It’s good experience for me, and good experience for them. But in competition, you want to go for the win.”

With the amount of time Garcia, Martin and Nguyen have spent playing, they have learned the ins and outs of the sport.

“My tip for people that want to play table tennis is definitely to take the game seriously,” Garcia said. “It’s not as easy as it looks.”

Martin said patience is key to learning how to play table tennis.

“When just starting out, everybody’s learning curve is different, she said. “Some people are going to advance faster than others. If you really like the sport, stick with it.”

Before each match, the team has a few practice rounds on the table to get ready for the event they are playing in.

“After practicing, I try to my mind free, and have some fun, and not focus too much on the game until I actually

Joshua Thompson competed against one of the top players from Texas Wesleyan.

start to play,” Garcia said.

Garcia said she likes to have fun and clear his mind before his match begins, then she really focuses at match start. Martin likes to make sure the equipment is in peak performance condition before the matches begin for the day.

“I clean my paddle before warmup, because a clean paddle is going to grab the ball and spin it more, and you’re going to be able to do a lot more with it,” Martin said.

“A deep plie´ would make my body so happy before getting into the game,” Nguyen said.

In such a fast-paced game, there are some skills that a person needs to have if they want to be successful.

“Everyone has a different playing style,” Nguyen said. “You need to know your strength and weaknesses, watch them play and start planning your game better, and never give up”.

Garcia said all of the moves are tied together, and help a player progress in the game.

“You can’t just focus on a couple of skill moves, you have to bring them all together,” he said.

Martin said that seeing the different ways the game is being played by experienced people might make someone a better player.

“Learn the rhythm of the game, because no matter how different somebody’s style is, the rhythm will stay the same,” Martin said.

Nguyen said she just received her letter announcing her Nationals competition. She said her next step is to ask for money from the Island University Parent’s Council to foot the cost of travel to Eau Claire, Wisconsin in April.

11

sports opinion

03.12.2015

ISLAND WAVES

Defying The Odds

by JEREMY PAPE sports reporter

I

Spurs vs the Nuggets March 6, 2015.

Photo courtesy of CAROLINA HERRERA

Kawhi Leonard practicing before the game

Photo courtesy of CAROLINA HERRERA

t has been said for years that the San Antonio Spurs were too old to compete in a league that skews younger and younger by the season.

As a fan, I have watched as the team routinely defies the odds of the experts, including winning the NBA championship with the same core trio in Tony Parker, Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili that it has had for more than 12 years.

Age was always going to be a factor in this season. I do not believe that anyone, even the experts that pore over facts and figures for a living, could have predicted that the team would be performing the way that it is right now.

Now that the media has finally learned to stop counting the Spurs out, it seems that the window has finally closed.

As of March 3, the team has a record of 36-23. While that record is not bad in and of itself, it is a cause for concern. Sure, the Spurs have had to deal with nagging injuries to several players, the most recent of which is Tony Parker. However, the team has dropped four of its last six contests, and have at times looked like a shell of themselves.

Some have called the point guard position the “quarterback” of a basketball team. If the point guard struggles, a team struggles. During the Spurs’ long run of dominance, Tony Parker has been a masterful floor leader. However, his current season averages of 13.8 points and 4.8 assists would be his lowest totals since he came to the NBA from France in 2001.

Even though the team has had a history of being ignored because

of the view that they are a “small market team,” the Spurs have been an organization that has quietly dominated the league for the better part of two decades. Fans have always known that they can count on “their Spurs,” as local fans like to say.

The mood of the fan base and the team alike has seen a shift. Tim Duncan, widely known for his stoic nature and the ability to transcend his age, was recently quoted in an ESPN article as saying that this year’s team is “a work in progress.” That would not be seen as a cause for concern, especially given the fact that the Spurs are much closer to the top of the league than the bottom.

However, when a normally reserved player admits that there is a problem, it is clear that there is one.

Obviously, winning a championship in any sport is no small feat. It seems that as championship stalwarts such as Duncan, or the Lakers’ Kobe Bryant, get older, the younger and faster competition is waiting in the wings, eager to emulate the success of their all-star contemporaries.

The Western conference is extremely difficult to get out of. Teams such as the Oklahoma City Thunder, who have challenged the Spurs for several years, and the Golden State Warriors, whose stars have begun their prime years, have been foiled by the consistency of the Spurs.

There is still a month and a half of basketball to be played before the playoffs begin. In that time, it is entirely possible for the Spurs to heal from their injuries, regain their composure, and to be among the favorites in the postseason. As a fan, I truly hope that can happen.

What is certain is that, with the possibility of both Duncan and Ginobili retiring at season’s end, the Spurs must do as they have five times before: win when it counts most.

12

teasers

03.12.2015

University theatre department presents ‘Water by the Spoonful’ ISLAND WAVES

by REAGAN ELAM contributing writer

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he Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi Department of Theatre will present “Water by the Spoonful” by playwright, Quiera Alegría Hudes, on Tuesday March 10, through Saturday March 14 at 7:30 p.m. It will be performed in the Wilson Theatre at the Center for the Arts.

The show is a 2012 Pulitzer- prizewinner. The show focuses on different family dynamics that are connected through the development of the story.

“The script is very universal. It speaks to the world we are living in,” director and theatre professor Alison Frost said.

The plot of the story was inspired by real life experiences that were life changing to the playwright. The setting takes place in Philadelphia, where a character named Elliot returns from Iraq and struggles with finding his place in the world after such a traumatic experience.

Somewhere in a chat room, seven strangers recovering from various addictions end up connecting with each other through the development of the story. The relationships that

are formed through the online chat room give the characters an undeniable bond of love and support.

Each character deals with feeling lost in the world and hopeless due to his or her unique circumstances. The audience will get to see if the connections being made through cyberspace and it gives the characters hope to pick up their lives where happiness once was.

“Wow that white sure doesn’t discriminate,” is one of the most powerful quotes made by one of the characters in the story.

“It doesn’t matter who or where you are,” Frost said.

Four of the characters cope with an everlasting crack cocaine addiction that overtakes their own self-happiness. For other characters, it is a struggle with human touch Frost said. Said theme is important to characters like Orangutan.

Orangutan was born in Japan and deals with the feeling of loneliness and isolation. read the full story at ISLANDWAVESNEWS.COM Photo courtesy of TAMUCC.EDU

Senior Mariah Claiborne is embraced by her companion in “Water by the Spoonful.”