THE PAISANO
Demonstrators advocate to protect national parks
By Marisela
At the San Juan Missions, citizens and visitors of San Antonio attended the “Protect the Park” protest that occurred nationwide on March 22. Protesters wore mementos from the national parks they have visited to show solidarity for the park rangers who were terminated in mid-February and to protest budget cuts causing a decline in park services across the nation.
The San Antonio Missions law enforcement office is one of 34 to be terminated under President Donald Trump’s administration. Eden, a protestor at the event, spoke about the significance of the San Antonio Missions and their advocacy to protect the parks.
“I chose this park because of the cultural significance it has to San Antonio. It’s the most accessible and most central of national parks. We hope we don’t have to migrate to protect Texas Parks, but unfortunately, Texas Parks are also under threat,” said Eden.
This was the second protest to take place since the Feb. 14 mass layoffs of nearly 1,000 newly hired National Park Service workers without warning. This is part of a broad-based effort to downsize the government and to slash federal spending.
National parks in Texas are being affected by the federal cuts, and citizens in and outside of Texas are becoming aware of this situation. A visitor of San Antonio wearing a Big Bend National Park shirt found out about the event through resistancerangers.org. The website has a community of over 800 off-duty park rangers rallying together in an effort to save National Park sites. Their mission is to preserve and protect public lands in America. Jolie H. speaks on her attendance to the San Juan Missions protest in regards to her own personal sentiments to Texas parks.
“The very first place I ever visited in San Antonio was these missions because I don’t even live in Texas” Jolie H. said.
“The parks are important to me. It’s not just parks, it’s national monuments, it’s historical sites, it’s things like Big Bend. It’s conserving space for historical culture, for ecosystems and for wildlife protection,” she stated.
While holding a “Protect our Parks” board, Hal Broth, a five year resident of San Antonio, spoke on his concern
of the parks protection and his personal connection with National Parks in America.
“It matters a lot because we enjoy going to national parks and state parks,” said Broth.“My daughter lives in Montana. So every year, we go up every summer, and we visit Glacier National Park all the time. And we lived in Colorado, and we visited Rocky Mountain National Park. So even before all this, we were supporters of the park.”
There has been an increase in visitors to the parks across the nation since the cuts. Not only do families visit national parks for recreation but also as a form of education. Eden makes note of this with an encounter she had with a park ranger discussing this topic.
“I was talking to one of the rangers here and asking them, kind of like about this, the cultural significance of this park,” said Eden. “And I think one of the other things that’s very difficult for me when they attack our national parks is that it’s not just the parks in general, it’s also an attack on education. I remember coming here on a field trip when I was a kid.”
According MySA, a federal judge ordered the reinstatement of park rangers saying that the terminations were illegal, but the Association of National Park Rangers does not anticipate workers to return due to more layoffs anticipated in the future.
Professor urges admin transparency on DEI compliance
By Jasmine Williams Managing Editor
In a proposed position statement presented to faculty senate, a UTSA professor contended that a lack of explicit administrative guidance on diversity, equity and inclusion compliance has created an atmosphere of “fear and ambiguity” within the university community.
Initially, 15 minutes were set aside in the March 20 faculty senate meeting agenda to discuss the position statement; however, the senate spent over 30 minutes going back and forth on the matter.
The statement calls upon university leadership to take immediate actions to clarify UTSA’s commitment to its Hispanic Thriving Institution status, uphold its founding purpose and mission and safeguard accreditation for programs requiring diversity, equity and inclusion competencies.
The position statement was introduced at a previous meeting by Edwin Barea, a professor in the College of Sciences and Program Director of Maximizing Access to Research Careers and Initiative for Maximizing Student Development. The first discussion of the statement had to be shelved for time.
Barea spoke on behalf of other senators and faculty who felt concerned and uncertain due to the absence of administrative guidance after state and federal efforts to remove DEI initiatives. He argued that programs across multiple departments are already being impacted and that his questions to administrators pertaining to the programs and grant funds have repeatedly gone unanswered.
“I brought some of these grants that paid for these students. Nobody has contacted me to ask me how your grants are being affected. One of my grants, I haven’t received the notice of award. It was due
on February 1.
“So this is an example that if they’re talking with people, there’s- I don’t know who they’re talking with. I have around 60 students that are being affected by these changes.” Barea said.
Some of the points in the document call for university leadership to affirm its commitment to DEI in legally permissible areas including, but not limited to, academic instruction, scholarly research and student success programs.
After reading the document, Mihai Popa, an assistant professor in mathematics, responded.
“I don’t know how much you can expect from that,” Popa said. “We should choose our battles and our weapons. As long as
forward through conversation today, but we’ve changed the statement because they say it has typos in it,” Professor of Educational Psychology Michael Karcher stated.
“It’s not the typo. It’s the fact that I got feedback from all of my faculty and communicated it back on our last document. I felt confident in my ability to support that document, especially after your responsiveness in making minor changes. This is a complete redo. This is night and day, and I can’t do anything with this until I go back to my faculty.
“I feel like this is something we ought to talk about next meeting, not this one, unfortunately,” Karcher said.
Assistant Professor of Practice
“a lack of explicit administrative guidance on diversity, equity and inclusion compliance has created an atmosphere of ‘fear and ambiguity’ within the university community.”
it’s just for our administration, it’s fine. But using ‘diversity, equity and inclusion,’ imagine if this will go in the media. And imagine the backlash from the state and the federal [government].”
“This is not to the media or anything like that,” Barea responded. “This is to tell [the administrators], ‘Look, we need guidance from you.’”
Since the last faculty senate meeting, the position statement has undergone heavy revision, due to typos. The senators were not made aware of the extent of the changes, and they were not sent the revised position statement ahead of the meeting.
“I’m a little surprised. I thought we were gonna, like, actually move that statement
Marguerite Newcomb added her concerns regarding the position statement being disputed only amongst the senators. According to Newcomb, this meeting was held in-person for the senators to discuss the statement directly with Heather Shipley, Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs.
“It feels like we’re baiting and switching to then let her walk out the room, and now put this in front. This could have been read to her,” Newcomb notes. “This was on the agenda, so no one can say they didn’t know that it was coming.”
Multiple senators shared their dissatisfaction with the wording of the statement coming across as vague and
considered it to be a draft in need of revision. Mary Dixson, a professor in the department of communication, suggested the Academic Freedom, Evaluation and Merit Committee gather information and revise the draft.
“[Shipley] has the power to actually implement these things. She should have a say in what could be implemented. We should negotiate, not assert,” Communication Professor Kimberly Kline urged.
The discussion on the position statement came to a close when a motion by Dixson was accepted to refer the statement to the AFEM committee.
“They need to gather the information. They need to review it all and then research what’s going on, and then refer back to us what they think we need to do, whether it’s a statement of conversation with the administration. So it charges them to make decisions,” Dixson explained.
“The whole idea is it will be up to AFEM to decide what the best course of action is. But a statement is required to be voted on by 50% of the senate to be approved. So that’s why it would have to come back,” she stated.
After the meeting, Barea reflected on how the discussion of the position statement went. He was disappointed in the typos present in the document; however, he still considered the discussion to be a net positive.
“This is the farthest that we’ve gone in this meeting,” Barea said. “Every meeting — I mean, I’ve been in this for two years — it’s all about curriculum and programs and all that. But having this very difficult conversation, this is the first one.”
The next faculty senate meeting will be held online via Zoom on April 17, and the final meeting of the spring semester will be held in the John Peace Library Assembly Room on May 8.
A group of women gathers to take photos with signs to protect their national and local parks.
Cruz Assistant News Editor
Erick Carmargo/The Paisano
Student protestors arrested for pro-Palestinian demonstrations
By JohnPaul Buwule Staff Writer
More than 3,000 students have been arrested and detained for holding pro-Palestinian demonstrations on college campuses across the U.S.
In response to Israel’s war with Hamas, which has claimed the lives of over 50,000 Palestinians, college students have held sit-ins, encampments and protests calling for the U.S. to withdraw its involvement. These demonstrations have spanned from April 2024 to present day. However, the advent of President Donald Trump’s administration has marked a period in which students have not just been arrested but posed with deportation.
On Jan. 29, Trump signed an executive order seeking to address antisemitism and deport noncitizens participating in pro-Palestinian demonstrations. The order’s premiss conflates pro-Palestinian demonstrations to antisemitic, pro-terrorist acts, which have been contested by demonstrators and civil rights groups.
“To all the resident aliens who joined in the pro-jihadist protests, we put you on notice: come 2025, we will find you, and we will deport you,” as Trump’s fact sheet outlined. “I will also quickly cancel the student visas of all Hamas sympathizers on college campuses, which have been infested with radicalism like never before.”
Trump’s order has already begun taking effect on campuses such as Columbia University. Immigration and Customs Enforcement revoked the visa of Ranjani Srinivasan and detained Leqaa Kordia and Mahmoud Khalil for their proPalestinian stances. In addition to apprehending students protesting, Trump has pressured universities to adhere to his efforts of punishing pro-Palestinian demonstrators.
The Trump administration’s threat to cut Columbia’s $400 million in federal funding resulted in the university agreeing to employ Trump’s stipulations,
including hiring more campus security that can arrest demonstrators.
Pro-Palestinian demonstrators, however, differ in their perception of their anti-war efforts. In an interview with NPR, suspended Cornell student, Nick Wilson, explains that “for me and for students like me — students who are facing police violence, students who are facing arrests, students who are facing suspension — this is a cause that just matters more.”
The crackdown on pro-Palestinian demonstrations has raised concerns about the violation of college students’ constitutional rights.
“The First Amendment protects everyone in the United States, including foreign citizens studying at American universities,” Carrie DeCell, an attorney for the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University, said in an article by Reuters. The crackdowns likely violate protestors’ constitutional rights, making these arrests susceptible to legal April to June 2024, UCLA pro-Palestinian demonstrators
Texas bill may soon ban cell phone use in schools
By Khoi Nguyen Staff Writer
Backed by bipartisan support, Texas House Bill 1481 may soon ban cell phone usage across schools. The bill, proposed by State Representative Caroline Fairly of Amarillo, will prohibit students from using personal wireless devices during “instructional time.” Schools will be required to provide a “secure, out-of sight” storage area for these devices.
strong chance of being passed.
HB 1481, among similarly proposed bills, comes amid growing concerns over the mental health impacts of cell phone and social media usage. Parents and educators have called for the removal of cell phones from classrooms as a growing body of research suggests that cell phone use can hurt classroom engagement. Texas lawmakers, citing declining test scores and shortened attention spans, are now responding.
Fairly, who is currently the youngest member in the Texas Legislature, drew on her personal experiences with cell phones in schools during the committee hearing. She voiced her hopes that the ban can improve mental health and academic performance.
“My generation is more anxious, depressed, less focused and more distracted than ever before,” Fairly said.
“Democrats, even Liberal Democrats [are] jumping onto this,” Taylor said. “[House Bill 1481] has enough support to get through — at least some sort of legislation will get through this session,”
As similar policies are passed across the U.S., Yondr, a company focused on creating “phone free spaces,” has contracted to sell schools more than $8 million worth of products in the past five years. Its “Yondr pouch” has faced public scrutiny recently, as schools have sought more direct methods in prohibiting cell phone use.
Taylor, who acknowledges that cell phones can “[interfere] with learning” and create “issues with bullying [and] distractions, is concerned about HB1481’s impact on students’ privacy.
demonstrators filed against the university for executive order has caused universities to follow suit in his policy efforts to quell pro-Palestinian demonstrations, resulting in the detainment and threatened deportation of immigrants participating in such demonstrations
Trump admin to dismantle federal HIV prevention
By Henry Holmes Contributor
The Trump administration has been weighing the idea of cutting federal funding for HIV prevention, in a departure from his first term. According to the CDC, as of 2022, around 1.2 million people in the United States have HIV, and 31,800 people were newly diagnosed. These numbers represent the continuing decline of HIV cases in the 21st century. Since 2018, the amount of people diagnosed has dropped by 12% or 4,400 estimated annual cases.
While it is treatable, HIV is near impossible to cure, meaning those who contract it often live with the virus for the rest of their lives. NPR notes that only seven people have been cured of HIV.
An HIV diagnosis can often be devastating for individuals. A study by the National Library of Medicine reveals people with HIV, on average, spend $33,921 or more annually on medical expenses than individuals without HIV. The CDC also reports that people with HIV experience social stigma due to their condition.
Since President Donald Trump has taken office, many federal jobs and programs have been partially or heavily cut back. One of the programs proposed to be cut is the CDC’s division on HIV prevention. This division oversees diagnoses, prevention and treatment for HIV cases by collecting data on the disease and investing in community organizations.
One such organization, Texas Health Action, a 501(c)(3) non-profit that provides medical services to individuals with HIV through clinics in Central Texas, has actively spoken out against any form of cuts to HIV funding. In a recent statement released by Texas Health Action, the
organization says, “the proposed cuts to federal funding for HIV prevention and the elimination of the CDC’s HIV Prevention Division are reckless and dangerous. These changes would undo decades of progress in the fight against HIV, directly increasing new infections and putting countless lives at risk—especially here in Texas, where our state leads the nation in new HIV diagnoses. HIV prevention is a proven, cost-effective public health strategy. Reducing funding doesn’t save money—it leads to more infections and higher long-term healthcare costs.
Nearly 5,000 Texans were diagnosed with HIV in 2022 alone. Cutting these essential programs now would be catastrophic for communities that rely on them.”
NBC News reports the CDC’s HIV program could transfer to the Health and Human Services department. However, the CEO of AIDS United Jesse Milan notes that the HHS primarily deals with the treatment of HIV rather than the actual prevention of it.
This proposal marks a significant departure from Trump’s approach to addressing HIV in his first term. In his 2019 State of the Union, Trump expressed his desire to “eliminate the HIV epidemic in the United States within 10 years.”
He promptly launched the Ending the HIV Epidemic in the U.S. initiative, which sought to reduce new HIV infections from 75% to 90% by 2030.
Cuts to funding for prevention would significantly impact Texas. As reported by CDC, 4,896 Texans were diagnosed with HIV in 2022, making it the state with the highest number of new cases that year.
Much worse, while new cases for HIV had generally decreased, Hispanic/ Latino communities saw a 17% increase between 2018 and 2022. Hispanic people diagnosed with HIV have also received the least amount of care for the disease. In addition, Hispanic and African American populations accounted for 70% of new HIV cases while only representing approximately 30% of the U.S. population.
Details continue to unfold for what the cuts to HIV prevention or transfer from the CDC to HHS could look like. In a continuation of their statement, Texas Health Action “remain[s] steadfast in [their] mission to provide affirming healthcare, including HIV prevention, testing and treatment” and “urge[s] our elected officials to reject these cuts and protect the vital programs that keep our communities healthy.”
Several other states have enacted similar bans, and Fairly says that around 20 school districts in Texas already limit cell phone use. Policies range from having students keep their devices in their bags to implementing schooldesignated storage spaces. HB 1481 would leave districts on how to implement the ban.
Dr. Jon Taylor, the Department Chair of Political Science and Geography, points out that Republican dominance in the Texas Legislature and support from Governor Greg Abbott and Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick
“What kind of privacy protections are there for the actual owners of those phones?” Taylor said. “We seem to see a lot of overreach in education, particularly in K through 12. I’m worried about their civil liberties — even as [they are] minors — because those civil liberties are still protected under the Constitution.”
Anthropology professor Deborah Moon has had a no-technology policy in her classroom for the 21 years she has taught at UTSA, having students keep devices in their bags. While she acknowledges that the policy is “an outlier” among others, she notes that students respond positively to it by the end of the semester.
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State of the City
Week of 3/25
By Bailey Hall Staff Writer
Not subscribed to local news but still want to stay up-to-date on the happenings around town? Look no further. Highlighting notable stories from external San Antonio news sources, State of the City summarizes the most captivating news headlines of the week. This week’s topics range from a fire on the West Side to a stabbing on the South Side.
Fire on West Side destroyed two homes
The San Antonio Fire Department was notified about a fire around 10:30 a.m. March 20. They arrived in the 10700 block of Leopard Path, which is not far from Loop 1604, to see two houses engulfed in flames. Firefighters put the flames out as some of the structural interior of the house had already been compromised. Evan Southall, a person who lives in one of the homes, said his 66-year-old mom and 32-year-old cousin were inside at the start of the fire. No injuries sustained from the fires; however, both houses were destroyed along with the belongings inside.
Stabbing on South Side
The stabbing of a man took place around 2:30 p.m. on March 21 in the 2000 block Goliad Road near Pecan Valley Drive. The San Antonio police stated the man walked into the Dollar Tree with a series lacerations on his upper back. A cashier saw the man and called the police. The man was taken to the hospital with a critical injury. An update has been made as of Saturday with the man in stable condition with non-life-threatening injuries.
Shooting on West Side, four men hospitalized
Shots were exchanged in the 1900 block of West Laurel Street near Culebra Road, which ended with four men being hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries, according to the police. Around 4:20 p.m. March 18, the San Antonio police were called about the shots. Once arriving on the scene, police sent two men to the hospital, ages 22 and 35. However, two other men arrived at a hospital nearby in a vehicle covered with bullet holes, from the SAPD report on Wednesday. Police suspect that there was an altercation between the men that led to the shooting. They found 18 shell casings and also retrieved a pistol at the scene. There have been no charges so far, while other details of the shooting are still unknown.
Glitz, Glitter, glamour and get gone
Editorial UT System Board of Regents implements controversial drag show ban on campuses
The University of Texas System announced on March 18 that its universities are banned from sponsoring drag shows or hosting them in their facilities, a few weeks after the Texas A&M System’s board of regents approved a similar ban. The outlawing of drag shows on UT campuses is not only unnecessary, but it distracts from more pressing issues and has alarming implications for America’s future.
Drag is the art of “acting and dressing exaggeratedly as another gender, usually for entertainment — such as comedy, dancing and lip-syncing.” Drag Queens, in particular, often wear excessive amounts of clothing; they typically wear exaggerated makeup and striking clothing.
“If the board of regents needs to take further action to make this clear, we will do so,” UT System Board of Regents Chair Kevin Eltife stated on Tuesday, adding that this is a measure “to comply with all applicable federal, state and local laws and executive orders, including any restriction on the use of public funds.” Eltife declined to say what specific laws they were seeking to comply with — suggesting that politicians can simply outlaw anything, regardless of harm, without needing to back it up to the law.
In January, President Donald Trump signed an executive order directing federal agencies to ensure funds are not used to “promote gender ideology.” Later, Texas Governor Greg Abbott directed state agencies to reject the efforts of drag
groups, which according to him, “distort commonsense notions of biological sex.” He later stated on X, “Drag shows are not welcome at Texas universities. Our focus is to educate the next generation, not indoctrinate them.”
Abbott is blinded by his bigotry and prejudice for a group purely because he does not understand the importance of gender nonconforming entertainment. These shows could broaden people’s horizons and are a good source of representation for the community.
Nobody is being indoctrinated by drag shows on a college campus; this is a scenario drag opposers have made up in their minds to justify hate towards a minority group. Unfortunately, the Trump Administration is familiar with targeting minorities, especially regarding schools. Abbott’s post on X was in response to a local student group at Texas A&M being denied the right to host a drag show on campus. The students claimed it was a violation of the First Amendment, which states, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.” If this is not a violation of the student’s right to peaceably assemble or exercise their ability of free speech, then the lines have become blurred on what does and does not qualify for free speech.
The UT System has an issue with drag shows but allows schools such as UTSA to have people bombard others with explicit images of aborted foetuses under the guise of free speech. It is disappointing to see the UT System follow through with the ban of something so innocuous when there are much more pressing issues to deal with. Unfortunately, this is just another page in the story of America’s slow descent into fascism.
Texas shoves private beliefs into public schools
Commentary By Selasie Gifa-Johnson Staff Writer
Spearheaded by the Republican Party, the Texas Senate finally passed Senate Bill 10 and 11 on March. 18 and 19. These bills require that the Ten Commandments from the Bible be listed in every classroom and that a mandatory prayer period be instituted in Texas public schools. While this is a return to American school tradition, such measures are no longer viable due to the increased diversity of public schools resulting from global interconnectedness. Senate Bill 10 and 11 are unnecessary and have the potential to increase religious intolerance in public schools.
The primary issue with these two bills is that they violate the First Amendment of the Constitution. The First Amendment states that “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.” Both of these bills endorse Christianity, which directly violates the constitution.
Texas is not the first state to enact laws of this nature. Louisiana, Oklahoma and Florida have passed laws that were overtly supportive of Christianity, all of which are facing legal backlash from various sources because they explicitly violate the First Amendment.
While the First Amendment prohibits the endorsement of any individual religion by Congress, it also prohibits the suppression of any religion. This is significant because it indicates that without Senate Bill 11, Christian students and teachers would still be allowed to pray and read the Bible in school, making these new laws unnecessary. The mandatory Ten Commandments plaque in each classroom instated by Bill 10 is
also unneeded given that Christians can observe the commandments without them being mandatorily hung in all classrooms.
In a broader sense, these bills could lead to increased intolerance or discrimination toward other religions. When one religion is forcibly favored by the government, teachers and especially students who have backgrounds from other religions will feel alienated from their peers.
In the case for students, this is due to the dissonance between what they are taught by their parents, and for teachers, what they personally believe fuels their isolation. For such students, Senate Bill 10 and 11 will only negatively affect their mental health, as they are confronted with an unnecessarily glaring difference between them and their fellow students. Meanwhile, teachers who follow other religions may choose not to teach in states with these laws leading to the cultural homogenization of Texas public schools.
These bills are not the first measures Republicans have taken to increase the involvement of the church in schools.
On Sep. 1, 2023, Senate Bill 763 passed, which allowed public schools to hire chaplains as paid or volunteer student counselors. While chaplains are often regarded as paragons of morality, their utility as school counselors especially for non-Christian students is limited. The role within schools that Bill 763 allows chaplains to fill is better suited to specially trained school counselors.
Ultimately, the First Amendment putting strict limits on the ability of the government to endorse religion is valuable because it gives parents the freedom to teach their children whatever religion they choose without students feeling alienated when following their religious traditions.
Degradation of education in the United States
Commentary By Adith Magavi Contributor
Administration after administration has passed the walls of the White House with disagreements ranging from policy to social disparities to arguments as simple as deciding holidays. The common denominator between each administration being that, regardless of viewpoint, legislative due process was followed. Unfortunately, for the constituents of this administration, it seems that “due process” is simply a suggestion at best. March 20, 2025, will historically become known as the day that President Donald Trump attacked education by signing an executive order to dismantle the Department of Education.
The DoE is one of the smallest cabinet level departments, with its spending of $268 billion in 2024 only representing 4% of the total U.S. budget. In 2024, the Office of Federal Student Aid distributed over $160 billion to students in need of tuition assistance across the U.S., demonstrating
its crucial role in enabling the creation of opportunities for many students across the United States.
On March 11, Secretary of Education
Linda McMahon announced the administration would be initiating a reduction in the workforce, unfortunately impacting nearly 50% of the department’s employees. When Trump took office, the DoE’s workforce stood at 4,133 workers, but since the announcement, the employee total now stands at a staggering 2,183.
The elimination of over half of the federal education workforce is a blatant attack on the foundation of the DoE with ulterior motives; Trump and McMahon know they cannot disband the Department of Education without congressional approval. The Trump administration’s cruel solution to bypassing the need for congressional support lies in gutting the DoE, bleeding it dry through attacks on the workforce and operations of the department.
Sheria Smith, President of the American Federation of Government Employees, said the Trump administration has misled
the public on what the department does.
“So we must ask our fellow Americans: do you want your and your children’s rights enforced in school,” Smith questioned. “If yes, then you rely on the Department of Education, and the services you rely on and the employees who support them are under attack.”
For decades, conservatives have talked about dismantling the DoE, trailing back to the administration of President Ronald Reagan. The discussions in the past have involved mass layoffs, budget cuts and transfer of responsibility for the department. The Trump administration is supposedly assuring this transfer of responsibility. White House Press Secretary, Karoline Leavitt, stated that “critical programs will be protected,” speaking specifically to the transfer of student loans, Federal Pell Grants and Title 1 loans to other departments within the Trump administration.
Many advocates for differently abled children say that dismantling the DoE will strip resources from disabled children. Keri Rodrigues, co-founder of the
National Parents Union, said she fears the dismantling of the DoE would leave parents of differently-abled children with nowhere to turn to when their children are treated unfairly — speaking specifically to how only those with the resources to sue will be able to attain justice for their kids. French revolutionary Maximilien Robespierre believed, “The secret of freedom lies in educating people, whereas the secret of tyranny is in keeping them ignorant.”
On March 20, the Trump administration launched its attack on education. Based on Robespierrian ideology, what they truly attacked was the freedoms ensured by the constitution Am: the freedom to break the cycle of poverty through federal assistance, to inspire curiosity through scholastic programs and to finally be the first child in your family to complete a college education. Robespierre and many others would agree that not only did this administration launch an attack on education, but they also launched an attack on the American Dream.
Mass service held at St. Paul’s United Methodist Church in downtown Houston.
Diego Cisneros/The Paisano
Catherine Salonga /The Paisano
OpiNION
Trump’s warpath upends justice
By Jake Mireles Editor-in-Chief
President Donald Trump’s administration, hellbent on finding every legal loophole that allows them to carry out mass deportations of immigrants, has employed The Alien Enemies Act of 1798. The Alien Enemies Act — which is more than two centuries old — has a past fraught with heinous acts by the U.S. government.
The Alien Enemies Act allows the U.S. government to deport or detain noncitizens without giving them the opportunity to appear before an immigration or federal court judge during times of war. Essentially, the act eliminates due process when it comes to the deportation of illegal immigrants.
The Trump administration invoked the act to deport members of the Tren de Aragua gang, who originated in Venezuela, without the proper process or procedures. While the U.S. is not in a state of war on the gang — one of the requirements for the act to be employed — Trump
has proclaimed the gang an invading force.
According to the Associated Press, the Trump administration has not disclosed the identities of noncitizens deported under the act or provided any evidence that those deported were members of the gang or committed any crimes in the U.S.
An order was issued by a federal judge to cease deportations committed using the act. At the time of the order, two planes carrying deported noncitizens were already en route to El Salvador. The judge verbally ordered the Trump administration to turn the flights around, but they continued on to their final destinations.
Trump’s dangerous, unilateral move to deport noncitizens without following due process — without providing sufficient evidence to justify their expulsion — echoes the past atrocities committed by the U.S. government when invoking The Alien Enemies Act. Most notably, the U.S. invoked the act to detain thousands
possible gang affiliation. This shameful action by the Trump administration circumvents due process and gives the administration a dangerous level of unchecked power to
deport noncitizens they deem a threat. This is compounded by Trump’s refusal to follow a verbal court order, presenting a warpath against illegal immigrants has caused irreparable damage to thousands of individuals. This dangerous agenda is not worth upending the essential pillars of the U.S. justice system — or its democracy.
When fake posts lead to real hate
Commentary
By Hannah Velasquez Assistant Sports Editor
Ayo Edebiri has been the latest celebrity to call out Elon Musk’s unemployed behavior on his platform X, where he took the bait of yet another fake post that sent his racist fanboys on a frenzy to attack the Emmy award winning actress. The post claimed that Disney is considering Edebiri as Johnny Depp’s replacement in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise.
While Musk’s post occurred last February and read, “Disney Sucks,” Edebiri on March 11 took to Instagram stories with a screenshot of the reply saying, “Just remembering when I got some of the most insane death threats and racial slurs of my life for a fake reboot of a movie I had never even heard of because of this man LMAO. So not only is he double S**g H**l-ing fascist, he’s an idiot but anyway.”
Edebiri’s response references the Nazi salutes Musk has yet to deny doing during the inauguration. The
actress on Instagram has called out the billionaire before by praising Bill Burr’s comments on NPR’s Fresh Air where he prominently calls out Musk for the racist gesture. In the same interview, Burr rightfully criticized liberals for not standing up against President Donald Trump and credible reports circulating in Hollywood from trustworthy sources. And, of course, she attacks Elon Musk.” As if Musk is not a grown man who cannot defend himself, his fans often think they might receive his attention if they come to his every beck and call. The situation with
colors of users online as fan casts continue to stir up controversy, especially when those fan casts include people of color.
Edebiri’s response to the baseless rumors and the ongoing racist backlash points out a disturbing pattern in online culture — particularly
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By Alejandra Garza Staff Writer
Jackie Robinson is a prominent figure in the Black community, being the first African American to play in Major League Baseball. Robinson was also a big part of the Civil Rights movement as he appeared with Martin Luther King at rallies, fundraising events and demonstrations. In early life, Robinson joined the army and attended officer school where he was commissioned as a second lieutenant. On March 19, a story dedicated to Robinson was removed from the Pentagon website titled “Sports Heroes Who Have Served.” It was later restored the same day after backlash for the decision.
“Some important content was incorrectly pulled offline
to be reviewed. We want to be very very clear, history is not DEI,” Chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said. This was no mistake of the Department of Defense but a clear notion of the Trump administration to promote racism. The removal of the story is a disgrace to Black American history because Robinson did not earn his accomplishments through a diversity program but through merit and honor.
The Trump administration has continued to purge any sight of diversity, equity and inclusion within the federal government. Recently, the DOD has begun removing stories about certain languages that promote DEI. Several stories were taken down under the jurisdiction relating to the
history of people of color, LGBTQ+ individuals and women who have made contributions to the military. This is not the first time the administration has been caught in an act of racism. Earlier this year, the Air Force removed course videos that featured the Tuskegee Airmen, the first black military pilots who
served in the AAF during World War II. A story about the Airmen has also been removed from the Pentagon website with no restoration. The Arlington National Cemetery has begun removing the histories of Black, Hispanic and women war heroes.
“I’ll tell him to his face. No problem,” Tuskegee Airmen Col. James H. Harvey III said.
“I’ll tell him, ‘You’re a racist,’ and see what he has to say about that. What can they do to me? Just kill me, that’s all.”
The White House will continue to blame the use of AI generated tools for the removal of these important stories but will never openly admit to promoting the return of the Confederacy.
The Editorial is the official opinion of The Paisano editorial board. Commentaries are the opinion of the individual writer.
The Paisano is published by the Paisano Educational Trust, a non-profit, tax exempt, educational organization.The Paisano is operated by members of the Student Newspaper Association, a registered student organization. The Paisano is NOT sponsored, financed or endorsed by UTSA. New issues are published every Tuesday during the fall and spring semesters, excluding holidays and exam periods.The Paisano is distributed on the UTSA Main Campus. Additionally, Paisano publications are distributed at a variety of off-campus locations, including Tripoint and a variety of apartment complexes near the UTSA Main Campus. All revenues are generated through advertising and donations. Advertising inquiries and donations should be directed to: 14526 Roadrunner Way Suite 101 San Antonio, TX 78249 Phone: (210) 690-9301 © 2025 The Paisano The University of Texas at San Antonio’s Handbook of Operating Procedures states in 5.03 that: The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) will not exercise control over the format or content of Student Publications, but will regulate distribution on campus. Student Publications will be free of censorship and advance approval of copy, and their editors and managers are solely responsible for editorial and content policies and decisions. Editors and managers of Student Publications will not be subject to arbitrary suspension/expulsion or
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arts & life
Russell hill’s gallery unveils new cam exhibit
An artist’s transitional periods from two extremes can become a common occurrence. The highs in life feel euphoric compared to the quick pitfalls that will catch one high and dry. “The Inbetweenness,” curated by Marisa Sage, encapsulates those feelings and experiences from six selected artists’ pieces, displaying their personal perspective of the exhibition’s theme.
At the UTSA Southwest Campus, Sage’s exhibition was part of the 2025 Contemporary Art Month Perennial Exhibition on March 22. CAM is an annual event in San Antonio showcasing local artists, performers and curators at local galleries, museums and studios in various unconventional locations across the city. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, their initiative is to raise the national profile of the finest artists in the Alamo City.
At the Russell Hill Rogers Gallery room in the Santikos Building, curator Sage recounts her visits with each artist and how it contributed to her vision of the central themes behind the exhibition. The artists in the central room were the individual stories that were most significant to Sage’s vision of “The Inbetweenness.”
“I did studio visits with every single one of these artists. One of the things they ended up speaking about are these translations or transformations and what happens in between those moments, and that was literal. That was metaphorical; that was conceptual.
“Bella Martinez, who really talks about the inbetweenness of the materials that she’s sourcing from — when something is pulp versus when it’s acrylic,
what’s inside the canvas and what’s outside of it, what’s popping or moving outside of the canvas and those in between spaces working between mediums,” said Sage in regards to an artist’s mixed media piece.
Each artist physically and metaphorically conveys transitions in their work with found objects, sculptures, and photographs as well as paintings. Raw emotion is intricately detailed throughout the gallery, especially physical experiences that were endured by the artist such as Brittany Ham’s pregnancy which she documented through oil paintings.
“You can see these moments that she was talking about transitioning to becoming a mother during a very tumultuous time, [during] COVID, and these ways in which she made these translations or transformations in between each one of these drawings,” said Sage in regards to Ham’s gallery wall. “Sometimes that drawing was a word or a word association, and then it became a very tight drawing or a sketch, which then became a graphite drawing, until you get to these incredible oil paintings. And so those in-between moments right where you’re slipping in between a sketch and those very formal compositions are the narratives she’s telling.”
A mobile was hung in the corner of the room closest to the exhibition panel describing the central themes of the art show in the middle of Josie Norris’ gallery of photos and canvas portraits wrapped around in crochet blankets. They were one of the artists that Sage visited when she went to search for the artists’ to be selected for the show.
By Sarah Quintanilla Assistant Graphic Editor
Dive into the relaxing sound that Japanese Breakfast brings with their latest release “For Melancholy Brunettes (& sad women).” There is finally representation for all the brunettes and sad women who yearn to be understood, and Michelle Zauner brings the listeners her misty vocals that are for the first time recorded in a professional studio, instead of her usual improvised locations.
“Here is Someone” starts with a mandolin, a dreamy sound that pairs well with Zauner’s delicate vocals. One goes into a nostalgic trance with the instrumentals as if they were looking through a pond on a sunny day, which defeats the purpose of the melancholy and sadness that Zauner wants to portray.
“Orlando in Love” begins with a light strumming of an acoustic guitar, in which Zauner’s vocals are incredibly sweet and enjoyable. There are violins and drums backing the song, creating a celestial mental image that soothes the listener and makes one want the song to be longer.
A strong drumbeat starts “HoneyWater,” an upbeat track that has a whooshing, shoegaze sound reminiscent of a My Bloody Valentine tune or Blur’s 1991 album “Leisure.” It works well with the themes of melancholy and what Zauner describes as the “psychic state of poets on the verge of inspiration.”
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“Josie’s work, I had seen in 2-D form and chose to do a studio visit, but then, when I went into their studio and saw this configuration in their space, in various places, all the stories that are going on in their family and those in between moments that they share in this very personal space, and they themselves going through various forms of transformation, even in their own family, is really told throughout this whole installation” recollected by Sage in her encounter with Josie before that night art show.
In the opposing corner, Gabi Magaly has digital photo portraits and journal entries about the heartbreak she endured and her transcendence experienced from it. Her work flowed across the walls surrounding a desk and table in the center of the art-work, which allowed visitors to write their own goodbye letter to their former lover.
“These moments of transition between finding oneself in a relationship and outside of a relationship, and re-finding and defining who you are after trauma or a really tumultuous partnership where it’s so intimate but it’s so difficult,” said Sage. “How do you come out of that? And what are those in-between moments of transition in those very personal spaces?”
Allowing the space for artists to be vulnerable with their community demonstrates the practice of empathy and connection to occur. When in doubt, support local art, and visit art shows and exhibitions showcasing underdeveloped artists. CAM has created a great practice to allow people to support one another in the stepping stone of becoming an artist here in San Antonio.
The splash of a cymbal and a muted resemblance to an Arctic Monkeys indie sleaze track makes the single “Mega Circuit” fitting to listen to in a locally-owned coffee shop. Her vocals fit with the ‘90s alternative shoegaze era; it would have been incredible to listen to a collaboration between Japanese Breakfast and Hope Sandoval’s Mazzy Star.
Acoustic guitar and whispering vocals make “Little Girl” one of the most dismal songs on the album. Eyes are the window to the soul, but art and music are a door to the mind, and the lyrics of this song show raw emotions that relate to Zauner’s upbringing, creating empathy within the listener.
As the album goes on, one can feel the themes of melancholy and sadness get stronger with every song. “Leda” has an acoustic guitar echoing through the studio, and Zauner interprets the song with so much emotion that one wants to listen for ages. The tracks of the album also seem short. On average, each tune is three minutes, allowing onemaking one long for more to soak in the emotions that the band brings.
An upbeat percussion in “Picture Window” causes the listener to snap out of the previous song's sadness. It, once again, has an indie sleaze sound to it., something that the band Inhaler is also doing recently in their discography. Her vocals are soothing and in tune but do not overpower the songs in any way, which meshes well together with
the instrumentals to create a cohesive atmosphere.
“Men in Bars,” featuring Jeff Bridges, utilizes a piano and quiet drumbeat to create a subtle country flair. has a piano, a very slight and quiet drumbeat and a subtle country flair to it. Bridges, the Oscar-winning actor known for his roles in “Crazy Heart,” “The Big Lebowski” and “Iron Man,” is a renowned musician as well — contributing to the song with deep and slightly shaky vocals that contrast well with Zauner’s delicate and controlled voice.
The song “Winter in LA” is happier and opens the vault of memories with a distant festive, winter feeling, yet the singularity of the song is that even if one can listen to the jingle bells, the winter feeling does not overpower the track. It makes one feel that they are enjoying a summer song talking about a winter memory.
The last song of the 32-minute album, “Magic Mountain,” features the acoustic guitar, Zauner’s whispering vocals and cello arrangements that evoke a dreamy feeling that makes the track worthy of the title because that is what it exactly sounds like — a walk through a magic mountain.
Although one wishes for the album to be longer, the overall feeling is tranquil, comforting and calm. It evokes the feelings of nostalgia, melancholy and sadness that Zauner warned the listeners about.The album is lyrically and instrumentally more mature than her last four album releases and can be a top pick for when one wants to lose their train of thought on a cold spring day.
Artist, Josie Norris, stands in front “Aunt Carole Says Goodbye” at “The Inbetweeness” exhibition opening at the UTSA Southwest Campus’ Russell Hill Gallery for CAM.
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Edmo Martinez sits at a part of Gabi Magaly’s exhibit, writing a letter. “Untitled Walls” by Jorge Villarreal. Made on mixed media canvas.
By Marisela Cruz Assistant News Editor
Arts & Life
The man without fear halts the MCU’s armageddon
By Christopher Delgado Copyediting Coordinator
Spoiler Warning:
The Devil of Hell’s Kitchen has risen. After Netflix cancelled “Daredevil” in 2018, Marvel Studios announced plans to revamp the series with “Daredevil: Born Again.” Charlie Cox graciously plays Matt Murdock while Vincent D’ Onoforio reprises his role as Wilson Fisk, the Kingpin.
“Daredevil: Born Again” continues the grittiness and angst of the original series. It plays with technical aspects, such as switching camera lenses and shifting aspect ratios — a sign of the increased budget. The story continues to deliver, but some emotionally-driven moments suffer from clunky dialogue.
The same can be said about Marvel Studio’s continued overuse of CGI. It does not make sense for New York City to look as clean as it does; however, the show tries to balance this out with its intersplicing footage covering the perspective of New York City citizens.
Episode 1,
“Heaven’s Half Hour”
This episode opens several years after the “Daredevil” season 3 events. Murdock’s best friend — Foggy Nelson, played by Elden Henson — is shot by Bullseye, played by Wilson Bethel. This act leads to Murdock donning the Daredevil suit to fight Bullseye in a five-minute one-shot action sequence — paying homage to the Netflix series’ hallway fight scenes. As Murdock utilizes his enhanced hearing, the screen changes aspect ratios and employs a dolly zoom to convey a troublesome atmosphere. After Daredevil throws Bullseye off a roof for killing Nelson, “Born Again” jumps another year to crime-riddled New York City without the vigilante protecting it.
This opening is the first instance of the series’ persistent weakness: pacing. No time is given to Murdock’s mourning or for him to contend with his attempt on
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Bullseye’s life. In the span of 15 minutes, the audience has endured two time jumps. In Daredevil’s absence, Fisk campaigns in and wins the New York City mayoral election. Meanwhile, a festering corruption within the New York Police Department causes Murdock to doubt his decision.
The first episode acts as a refresher of Fisk and Murdock’s relationship before introducing Hector Ayala’s White Tiger, played by the late Kamar de los Reyes. The episode ends with Ayala majestically fighting a pair of cops before one of the officers falls onto the subway tracks and is killed by an oncoming train.
Episode 2, “Optics”
The disorienting pacing is quickly solved in episode two. This episode places the attorney side of Murdock at the forefront of his character. As Murdock begins to unravel a conspiracy against Ayala, Fisk discovers that fixing New York City will be much more difficult than he imagined. The episode culminates in Murdock having an action-packed encounter with the NYPD. “Optics” depicts the griminess of New York while showcasing much of the gore that fans came to love in the original series.
Episode 3,
“The Hollow of the Hand”
The third episode brings depth to Murdock that was previously missing from the character by placing him in the middle of a courtroom drama with the trial of Ayala. Notably absent from the series is Murdock’s Catholicism. However, this episode makes it clear that the court has become his church. A beautiful scene depicts Murdock alone in the courthouse with a horn from his mask in hand. Murdock can no longer trust himself to play the role of judge as Daredevil, so he must trust in the system. He worships not God but the legal
Movies always end up changing a novel in some way for the sake of being able to adapt it to the big screen. Sometimes it is for pacing, budget, or even just because the writer thinks they have a better idea how to work the film. However, there is usually something that ends up going wrong whenever a film decides to take the task of adapting a novel, while not adapting its atmosphere. There are cases of it working before as in the case of the 1993 adaptation of “Jurassic Park.” It was able to take a horrifying novel and turn it into an action-adventure that was still able to get the novel's themes across while making it a bit more digestible for modern audiences then.
This technique of adapting is getting old and stale, especially when the Russo brothers attempt to do the same thing with “The Electric State,” based on the novel of the same name, which was written and drawn by Simon Stålenhag . By this point, it may start to make most people wonder if the Russo brothers had any writing talent whatsoever after their success with Marvel Studios.
The novel, which the film was based on, was an apocalyptic art book that mainly focused on allowing the reader to absorb its atmosphere. It was a novel that traded long-winded storytelling for visuals and ideas that left the reader thinking even after they had flipped from cover to cover. However, as they had done with their other films, the Russo brothers ended up taking these ideas and turned them into a mosh pit of good special
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effects mixed with a forgettable story.
It is spectacular how so many talented people could work on this film and still make it go from a novel that is worth devoting attention to into a film that is barely even worth playing in the background. Changes are made to bring more heart into the story, but it only makes the story feel more cliché and broken. Despite so many great actors involved in the film, they all feel wasted in some way, either a waste of good talent or a waste of a big budget.
The budget on this film is making headlines for a good reason. It is reportedly one of the most expensive films ever made at a budget of a whopping $320 million. What is even more mindblowing is it is more expensive than the combined amount of money it took to make the entire “John Wick” franchise and even more money than it took to make the past 15 years worth of Best Picture Winners — 10 if accounting for inflation.
The Russo brothers have worked with a budget like this before with “Avengers: Endgame” costing even more than that, but the hard work put into that film clearly showed and no steps were taken to make that film less impactful than it should have been. But now, it is downright insulting to see something that could have been great, that had the budget and talent to make it so, be turned into another bit of random garbage thrown at the audience. At the end, it really feels like the film is committing the very same sins of consumerism that it tries to warn against in the first place.
system of the United States. God failed him when Nelson died, but the legal system put Bullseye behind bars for life.
After a key witness changes his story, Murdock is forced to reveal Ayala’s alias. This reveal poses the question, “Why wear a mask?” It is one that Murdock terrifically explains and capitalizes on to help acquit Ayala of his charges. Murdock’s faith in the system continues. De los Reyes gives a scene stealing performance at the end of the episode, so when the final scene of the episode plays out, the audience is left in shock and tears.
Episode 4,
“Sic Semper Systema”
“Sic Semper Systema” opens with Murdock reassuring Ayala’s niece, Angela del Toro, that someone will get justice for her uncle, and so begins his doubt of the system.
Fisk continues to struggle with the mayoral position, and he realizes that the only way to make change happen will be to play dirty.
D’Onoforio is spine chilling in the role. He comes across as tender in his scenes with his wife Vanessa, played by Ayelet Zurer. He demonstrates humor in a scene with school children. On the outside, he is perfect for mayor. He gets things done — sentiments echoed in the news clips of New York City citizens spliced into the show as transitions. The showrunners are unafraid to show off his darker, intimidating side by showing his abusive interactions with his mayoral staff.
Meanwhile, Murdock begins to hunt down the person who shot Ayala. The bullet casing leads him to an abandoned warehouse and into the presence of Jon Bernthal’s Frank Castle — the Punisher. An emotional confrontation ensues
regarding Murdock fearing the rage that festers from within. In the scene, Castle beckons Murdock to come to terms with his grief and realize that the court system is not enough to sate his vengeance. The moment culminates in Murdock finally saying “Foggy” — a name he has avoided since his friend was killed at the hands of Bullseye. Murdock returns home and opens a crate with red batons. The score swells and a terrifically edited montage cuts between Fisk torturing his wife’s secret lover and the Devil of Hell’s Kitchen being reborn. Shoehorned into the episode’s final minute, much like this sentence, is a tease for the series’ secondary villain — Muse. Episodes one through four of “Daredevil: Born Again” are now streaming on
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Kara Lee/The Paisano
By Ezequiel Pena Staff Writer
Who will take the 2025 VTO?
By Alejandra Garza Staff Writer
The Valero Texas Open is set to take off with the opening round in nine days.
The tournament winner will earn a $9.5 million purse with a $1.7 million winner’s share and 500 FedExCup points. Those points help determine a player’s performance during the FedExCup regular season and playoffs. With 33 players successfully committed to participating in the Open, here are some predictions of who could finish at the top of the leaderboard.
So far, eight players returning to the field have previously won the VTO: Jordan Spieth, Zach Johnson, Corey Conners, Martin Laird, Charley Hoffman, Jimmy Walker, J.J. Spaun and Akshay Bhatia. These players will be top-three in the upcoming tournament: Spaun, Collin Morikawa and Russell Henley. Morikawa is a decorated PGA tour
player who has played in 126 events, with 44 top-10 finishes and six wins under his belt overall. During the second round of the Players Championship, Morikawa carded a 7-under-par to improve to 9-under-par 65, allowing him to move his way up the leaderboard quietly and calmly.
This year, Morikawa has finished runnerup two times, the most recent being at the Arnold Palmer Invitational. The TaylorMade enthusiast has been strong from the tee box and around the green with an impressive ability to recover from difficult situations. Morikawa has been able to secure wins with his stealth movement up the leaderboard in past tournaments.
Spaun’s name was important last week as the Los Angeles native went head-tohead with number one FedExCup leader Rory McIlroy in a three-hole playoff. Unfortunately, the wind was a factor in his loss, and Spaun failed to take home the win for the Players Championship, but he showed fans he is a worthy competitor. However, Spaun is familiar with TPC San Antonio as the Valero Texas Open was
his first win in his PGA Tour career. This could be an advantage for him because of his familiarity with the course.
Consistency is important for a golfer; it builds confidence in the shots a player takes or the club used in a specific situation. Arnold Palmer Invitational winner Henley is third in the golf world based on the FedExCup standings. He finished fourth overall in the 2024 VTO.
“Putting in consistently on the short game, wedges and hitting balls. Trying to work on all of it all the time, no matter if I am playing well or playing bad,” Henley said on his win at API.
Henley is also a strong player when it comes to remaining calm during toughhole results. In the final round of his last win, he carded three bogeys, which is difficult on a final round because one shot could change the trajectory of winning or losing the tournament. In the end, Henley took home the win along with the $20 million purse.
Many more great players will attend the Valero Texas Open, and some will be looking to earn their first win this season. Spectators are in for a treat as they await to see what each tour player brings to the table.
How the Stars can break through the golden wall
By Logan Martinez Staff Writer
As the 2025 NHL Stanley Cup playoffs draw near, Texas’ own Dallas Stars look to be peaking at the right time. The team has been on an offensive rampage this season, scoring 89 points and averaging 3.37 goals per game. The Stars currently sit in second place in the Central Division with a record of 43-21. Holding the second-best title odds at +600, the team is just below the defending champion Florida Panthers. The well-rounded roster and high level of play should push the team on a championship run this postseason.
The Vegas Golden Knights continue to be a thorn in the Stars’ side. The teams have met numerous times in past playoffs, with Dallas holding the edge at two victories to one loss. Their face off this postseason is almost inevitable, and it will be a battle
of epic proportion. Dallas must clamp down defensively on all facets if they are to take down their new rivals. Their defense and goaltending will be crucial in their playoff race, especially against the Golden Knights. Along with their elite offensive ability, the Stars have been exceptional on defense, thanks to their star defenceman Miro Heiskanen.
Heiskanen is renowned for his high IQ and elite defensive awareness. Likely to be matched up against Knights superstar Jack Eichel, Heiskanen will have to play near perfectly on the defensive side of the puck. The team also needs
to hunker down defensively and prevent other Knights stars such as Mark Stone from having a breakout performance.
There is no reason for Marc Marquez to fail
By Marcela Montufar Soria Opinion Editor
The third race of the MotoGP 2025 championship is lined up to take place at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas, on Sunday. After taking victories in the first two races of the calendar, which took place in Thailand and Argentina, eight-time world champion Marc Marquez is very likely to continue his win streak in Austin with the Ducati Lenovo Team.
COTA is a counter-clockwise track with a 41-meter elevation change and sharp left-hand corners that challenge riders to race to the best of their ability. Weather predictions for Austin promise little chance of rain and some wind for race day, neither of which presents complications.
M. Marquez holds the record for most wins and pole positions at COTA, with seven each. After crashing out of the race in 2024, the championship leader will be looking to reclaim his title as the King of COTA.
He is likely to be joined on the podium by his younger brother, Alex Marquez,
who finished second in the first two races of the season. A. Marquez has two championship titles to his brother’s eight and is chasing a first in the premier class, of which, M. Marquez has six. He races for the BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP Team, a Ducati satellite team and M. Marquez’s old team.
If M. Marquez makes no mistakes, he is bound to expand his championship lead in COTA. The only other COTA winners currently on the grid are Alex Rins and Maverick Vinales, but both of them have started their season on the back foot, which makes them unlikely contenders for a podium-finish this weekend. They finished 16 and 17 in Thailand, with Vinales ahead, and 11 and 12 in Argentina, with Rins ahead.
At the moment, M. Marquez’s only clear competition is his brother, with the third place on the podium up for grabs. M. Marquez’s teammate at Ducati Lenovo Team, Francesco Bagnaia, is a possible contender. He finished third in Thailand and fourth in Argentina, so a return to the podium should not be too difficult for him.
In addition to locking down their defensive zone, Dallas’ goaltending performance must be practically flawless a healthy and suitable goaltender is crucial when headed into the postseason, and the Stars are no exception. Starting goaltender Jake Oettinger needs to perform at a high level if the team is to make a championship push and take down Vegas. Though he has
seen a recent dip in play, posting a 3.35 goals against average and .869 save percentage in his last five games, it is trusted that Oettinger will be back to his reliable self come the playoffs. His reaction time and shot stopping ability needs to elevate against Vegas. The offensive attack of Eichel and former Conn Smythe Trophy winner Jonathan Marchessault will keep the Stars goaltender on his toes for the entirety of the series.
If Dallas is to make it to the Stanley Cup Final, they must get through a stacked Western Conference. This almost certainly means defeating the newly rivaled Vegas in the playoffs. Though the Stars have more points and victories than the Knights this season, that does not mean the playoff series will be an easy one. The matchup is set to be one of the best in the postseason.
MotoGP: The pinnacle of motorcycle racing
By Christian Loustaunau Distribution Manager
The MotoGP World Championship is the most prestigious motorcycle racing championship in the world. Often regarded as the crème de la crème, the race showcases the fastest riders and the most advanced racing bikes.
The grid consists of 22 riders competing in a structured race weekend, including practice sessions, a sprint race, qualifying and the main Grand Prix event.
MotoGP features three main classes. The MotoGP category, with 1000cc bikes, is the top-tier class, boasting the most powerful machines and the most skilled riders. Moto2, featuring 765cc bikes, serves as a crucial stepping stone for aspiring MotoGP competitors. Moto3, with 250cc bikes, acts as the entry-level Grand Prix racing category where young talents begin their journey.
Most teams in MotoGP are factorybacked, representing major manufacturers — such as Honda, Yamaha, Aprilia, Ducati and KTM. These manufacturers either enter their factory teams or support
satellite teams, providing promising riders with the opportunity to prove themselves at the highest level.
Drivers racing professionally built Motorcycles compete against one another. The competition is structured around three major championships. The Riders Championship is awarded to the best individual rider of the season. The Constructors Championship recognizes the best manufacturer based on race results, and the Teams Championship takes into account the combined efforts of all riders from a single team and points they accumulated.
Points are awarded based on finishing positions in the main race on Sunday, with first place earning 25 points and lower positions receiving progressively fewer points. Before riders can compete, they must earn a spot in the most elite motorcycle racing platform.
Becoming a MotoGP rider is a long and demanding process requiring years of dedication. Most riders begin as children in mini-moto racing before progressing tonational championships.
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UTSA’s pro day puts hopeful seniors on display
NFL scouts get an in-depth look at 13 different Roadrunner prospects this year
By Rylan Renteria Staff Writer
With 21 NFL scouts in attendance, UTSA football held its annual Pro Day to showcase its pro-hopeful talent. Three defensive players, nine offensive players and one special teams player took to the practice fields outside of the RACE building in preparation for the upcoming NFL Draft.
“Our guys had some great days,” coach Jeff Traylor said. “I’m very happy for our defensive kids, but it also scares the heck out of me because I know how much we’re losing. Obviously, the only offensive players we have out here is Chris Carpenter and CJ, those two will be losses, but the majority of our kids were defensive
football players that have had great careers here.”
UTSA kicked off the event with bench press. This was the only drill tight end
Oscar Cardenas and defensive lineman
Joe Evans participated in as they continue recovering from significant knee injuries suffered in 2024. Evans led in reps of 225 with 28 and linebacker Brevin Randle followed with 27. Other notable totals include Cardenas with 22 reps and defensive back Zah Frazier with 14, which would have ranked fifth amongst all corners at the NFL Combine.
Defensive back Elliott Davison and Frazier registered a 37” vertical jump, and shortly after, Davison added an impressive 10’6” broad jump.
The 40-yard dash is typically the most popular drill at the Pro Day and is often
the most valued by NFL scouts. With Frazier already posting a blazing 40yard time at the NFL Combine earlier this year, he decided to sit out and let his former teammates showcase their speed. Carpenter posted the best time of the event with a 4.44-second official time, closely followed by defensive back Ken Robinson’s 4.60-second time.
Footwork drills like the three-cone and shuttle were dominated by defensive players, like Robinson and money backer Donyai Taylor. As the event came to a close, the focus shifted to position-specific drills. Quarterback Owen McCown made an appearance to throw to Frazier and Robinson, so they could show off their jump-ball skills. All eyes were on Frazier, as he is widely-regarded to be the
Roadrunners’ best draft prospect coming out in 2025.
“I think I did great [today],” Frazier said. “Just coming here to finish what I didn’t finish at the combine —that was bench, vert — and I wanted to get footwork in.” Though Frazier says he doesn’t have an idea of which teams might select him in April, teaming up with former UTSA defensive back Tariq Woolen would be a “blessing.”
“I would love to play with Riq,” he explained. “It’s God’s plan at the end of the day. Only thing I can do is control what I can control. If that time was to come, that’d be great; I’d be excited.”
Day one of the 2025 NFL Draft will take place at 7 p.m. Thursday, April 24 at Lambeau Field.
Roadrunners set pace in outdoor season debut
Five athletes beat out ‘Power Five’ A&M to claim first
place in five categories
By Haley Aguayo Sports Editor
UTSA’s Track & field outdoor season has officially commenced with the hosting of the UTSA Invitational on Friday and Saturday at the Park West Athletics Complex.
“Track is mainly a mental sport and I have to fully trust myself and my faith,” Diew said. “I like the aggressiveness of the sport. You start off slow and at the end you have to be so explosive.”
Freshman hurdler Charlie Staddon brought home the gold with his first finish place in the 110m hurdles with a time of
The Roadrunners competed against athletes from Texas A&M, Incarnate Word, North Dakota State, Our Lady that distance, there was no need for an additional attempt.
using my arms and now I know what it feels like to win here.”
Staddon was not the only freshman to walk away with a first-place win, freshman hurdler Selma Ims won gold in the 400m hurdles with 57.79-second finish. Ims also claimed second place in the 100m hurdle race.
Senior sprinter Mike Roth — a member of Team Canada — also claimed first
Tarleton State University, senior hurdler Hugo Menin topped off Saturday’s win column by running the 400m hurdles race in 51.16 seconds to claim first place. Staddon trailed by 6.47 seconds to come in seventh place.
Track events that saw the Roadrunners top finishes included steeplechase, women’s 5000m run, 4x400m 4x100 relays, 200m dash, 1500m run, 400m dash, 100m dash and the 800m dash. Top marks made in field events were made in hammer throwing, shot put, long jump track & field team will be splitting up this week as they head to both the Bobcat Invitational Thursday-Saturday at Texas State University Track and Field Complex in San Marcos. Other members of the team will attend the 97th Clyde Littlefield Saturday at Mike A. Myers
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Freshman hurdler Zane Hodges (left) finishes third and behind teammate freshman hurdler Charlie Staddon (middle), who claimed first place in the men’s 110m hurdles race.
From left to right: safety Elliott Davison, safety Ken Robinson, cornerback Zah Frazier and wide receiver Chris Carpenter participate in UTSA’s annual football Pro Day.
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