THE PAISANO
Third annual Transgender Day of Visibility march
By Alejandra Garza Staff Writer
Unfiltered Wings, an organization “dedicated to empowering the transgender and non-binary community,” held their third annual “March of Us” for trans visibility on the morning of March 29. The organization was accompanied by other communities supporting the LGBTQ+, such as Thrive Youth Center, Equality Texas, San Antonio gender association and Trans Masc Folks y Mas. Volunteers were also present to provide support with water and snacks throughout the march.
The event began with a rally at the Bexar County Courthouse with close to 250 demonstrators. There were multiple guest speakers and a Native American Seven Directions prayer. Lynz Andrews, an activist and drag artist, initiated the start of the protest.
“Are we ready to let them know that we are angry? Are we ready to let them know we are gonna be seen and heard?” Andrews shouted.
“Here, in the state of Texas alone, there are 126 anti-trans bills,” Andrews said. “What we are going to do [today] is show them we are not going anywhere. We belong at that seat and that table.”
Following Andrews, District Two Councilmember and former math teacher Jalen Mckee-Rodriguez spoke at the event regarding how six students left an impact on him during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“My last year of teaching before I got elected with most of my students being online, it was during this year that the most students I ever had either attempted to runaway or commit suicide. There were six of them. and every single one of them were a part of the LGBTQ+ community,” Mckee-Rodriguez said. “Four of them were struggling with gender identity issues.”
Mayoral candidate Gina Ortiz Jones was also in attendance.
“I am a proud member of the LGBTQ community, and I think it is really important in these times when our entire community is under attack — but in particular our trans neighbors, friends and family members — that we show up,” Ortiz Jones said.
Logan, a participant, shared how they learned of the event and their experiences.
“I am a college student at Texas State University. I was at my planned parenthood visit for my hormone therapy picking up my testosterone, and sitting in the lobby, there was a poster for this march,” Logan said. “I think I have been missing the community a lot. I had not realized how beautiful it was until today.
“To me it is about being comfortable in your body and being able to express yourself as you wish. I consider myself to be non-binary trans. I was raised a girl, but I still want my testosterone, my beard, my chest hair, but I wanna wear my skirts.” Logan added about what it means to be trans.
Sofia Sepulveda, organizer and field director for Equality Texas and an open transgender Latina, spoke about the importance of visibility within the trans community.
“I have been out since I was 19, so it is super important to continue to show visibility, especially in a state that continues to try to take away our rights.”
Sepulveda said. “I think visibility is super
Hillel host Israel Expo for the second year on Main Campus
By Khoi Nguyen Staff Writer
Roadrunners once again got the opportunity to participate in Hillel San Antonio’s Israel Expo, an exhibition of Israeli culture, history and government. Set up outside the Student Union, the expo — hosted on March 25 — featured five different booths on innovation, pop culture, history, humanitarian aid and diversity. Students could read from infographics and win prizes from games and roulette wheels while representatives offered bags of popular Israeli snacks, one of them being Bissli and Bamba and limonana, a mint lemonade popular in Israel during summer.
As the local chapter of nonprofit Jewish empowerment group Hillel International, Hillel San Antonio is part of a larger mission to enrich “the lives of Jewish students so that they may enrich the Jewish people and the world.”
The organization has previously visited UTSA, sparking debate with other student organizations — including the San Antonio chapters of Students for Justice in Palestine and the Party for Socialism and Liberation —
amid the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict. Hillel’s previous ‘Israel Block Parties’ were met with protests from SJP, and in 2023, Hillel organized a display on the Sombrilla Lawn depicting Israeli hostages kidnapped during the conflict.
This year’s Israel Expo marks Hillel San Antonio’s second year holding the event. Attendees were informed of ethnic, religious and sexual diversity in Israel, offered cards detailing Israel’s humanitarian aid to various countries and quizzed on Israel’s influences in pop culture and technology.
Students interested in Israel’s history could play a version of cup pong with a representative where each cup held a slip of paper revealing facts about Israel or visit the History Booth, which featured pamphlets describing Israel’s history spanning over 3,000 years. At the Diversity Booth, students could get their names written in Hebrew.
As Hillel San Antonio continues hosting events at UTSA, the organization engages students in Israeli history, culture and discussion.
When contacted for an interview, Hillel San Antonio did not respond.
San Antonio libraries and museums monitor potential federal cuts
By Marisela Cruz Assistant News Editor
Texas libraries, museums and archives could undergo budget cuts from one of the seven named executive orders signed by President Donald Trump on March 14. Executive order “Continuing the Reduction of the Federal Bureaucracy” aims to reduce the federal funding allocated to multiple agencies within the federal bureaucracy, including the Institute of Museum and Library Services. The IMLS is an independent federal agency that supports all 50 states and U.S. territories’ libraries, archives and museums.
Multiple state organizations under the IMLS have issued statements in response to the executive order, but the State of Texas has not released a statement as of this current issue. The Texas State Library and Archives Commission refused to comment for The Paisano.
14,000 libraries that are supported and funded by the IMLS, 29 of which are in San Antonio.
According to San Antonio Express News, the city’s public libraries are monitoring the situation. The Witte, Mcnay and San Antonio’s Museum of Art have received numerous grants such as the Mellon Foundation Grant, National Endowment for the Arts and the San Antonio-based Less Charitable Trust. The city’s libraries also receive their grants from Texas State Library and Archives Commission with bond programs and private donations contributing to their funding as well. These grants from IMLS provide money to help fund their exhibits, events and educational services. As of current issue, the funding for these city institutions has not been affected by the federal cuts. When contacted regarding the developing situation, the aforementioned museums and The Central Library
San Antonians participate in Transgender Day of Visibility March in the heart of downtown.
Regan Williams /The Paisano
Ezequiel Pena /The Paisano
By Khoi Nguyen Staff Writer
San Antonio Food Bank, UTSA kick off food distribution SA Councilman Whyte calls for greater budget transparency
Volunteers brought the San Antonio Food Bank to UTSA last Saturday for a mobile food distribution event. A fixture of local philanthropist Harvey E. Najim’s $1.25M donation to the San Antonio Food Bank, the mobile distribution is the first of many as UTSA and the Food Bank collaborate to fight food insecurity at UTSA and in San Antonio.
The distribution comes a month after Najim’s donation. Alongside $125,000 going to the San Antonio Food Bank annually through 2034, Najim will fund eight distribution events at UTSA each year.
“If [students] have to pay for tuition, books, fees, cars and gas plus food. Guess what? They get rid of the food,” Najim said. “If they don’t have food to eat, they can’t concentrate on their studies. We need to make sure they have a breakfast in the morning.”
Volunteers from the Roadrunner Pantry and the San Antonio Food Bank distributed packs of potatoes, bread, eggs, gatorade and juice as well as boxes of dry goods — including rice, cereal, spaghetti noodles and dry beans. Patrons were able to attend on foot or by vehicle; goods would then be loaded by volunteers.
Sebastian Legorreta, a student assistant at the Roadrunner Pantry, expressed gratitude for Najim’s donation. He says the pantry is excited to take advantage of the resources the donation presents and to organize more distribution events.
“Because of that donation, we’re able to do so much more with the food bank. We get to order more. It’s helping us make the pantry bigger and better for everybody,” Legorreta said.
Chief Sustainability Officer of the San Antonio Food Bank Michael Guerra pointed
out the crucial timing of the donation as food prices have risen and UTSA and UT Health San Antonio have merged.
“It’s getting a little bit more expensive with maybe tariffs and other things that we’re facing as a nation, so we think we’re going to see more people,” Guerra said. “People like Mr. Najim here today — they’ve often been very generous when it has come to a crisis time of helping us buy food.”
While Najim’s donation has proven helpful in the San Antonio Food Bank’s efforts, Guerra believes stigma may limit outreach. As a former college student who struggled with food insecurity, he urges students to take advantage of resources.
“There’s a stigma maybe, to think ‘I don’t want to ask for food,’ especially with college students, and that was my experience as a college student. It took me about four months to finally get the courage up to ask for help,” Guerra said. “We just want to help students, and people see that it’s okay to ask for help and that it’s easy to access it.”
As food insecurity continues impacting students, Najim’s donation and the partnership between UTSA and the San Antonio Food Bank will ensure students do not have to choose between education and meals. With more mobile distribution events to be announced, students have access to another essential food resource on campus.
The Roadrunner Pantry can be found at 1.04.06 in the Student Union for the Main Campus and at 1.306 in the Durango Building for the Downtown Campus. To volunteer at the pantry, sign up on RowdyLink or email RoadrunnerPantry@utsa. edu for more information. The San Antonio Food Bank can be found at 5200 Historic, Old Hwy 90. To volunteer or find more information, go to safoodbank.org.
Americans United rallies against state imposed religion
By Henry Holmes Contributor
Americans United for Separation of Church and State took to downtown San Antonio to advocate against the state’s recent measures to push religious and Christian rhetoric in schools. With a focus on pushing for policy through events, combatting laws through litigation and spreading awareness, AU has fought for “protecting the foundational American principle of freedom of religion” for nearly 80 years.
One such event was the Separation of Church and State: Drawing the Line for Our Public Schools discussion panel hosted at Trinity University by the National Council of Jewish Women. The panel featured David Brockman, a professor at Texas Christian University and scholar for the Baker Institute’s Religion and Public Policy Program, Rachel Laser, the President of AU, and Texas State Representative James Talarico. Moderator David Martin Davies covered topics, including Christian Nationalism, Texas’s new Bluebonnet Learning curriculum, a bill to post the 10 Commandments in every classroom in the state and the usage of unlicensed, religious chaplains as school counselors.
Brockman, who did an independent review of the Bluebonnet Curriculum for Texas Freedom Network, called it “an open resource curriculum for reading and language arts for kindergarten through 5th grade, [with] the idea to have a state approved curriculum with full instructional materials that any school district can pull from so they don’t have to purchase materials from the usual publishers.” While Brockman believes it is “theoretically a pretty good idea,” he recognizes that the curriculum “vastly over emphasizes Christian and biblical content at the expense of other religions.” He cites that Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, Sikhism and Hinduism are all presented in a limited scope, while biblical stories, like the great flood, wisdom of king Solomon and the last supper, are all “implicitly treated as straightforwardly true and historical.” According to the Texas Tribune, districts that adopt the curriculum will also receive $60 per student.
One school district that has already begun implementing this curriculum is South San Antonio ISD. In an interview conducted after the event, Laser expressed her concern that “kids in [South San Antonio ISD] won’t feel as welcome in their public schools, and might even be ostracized or bullied because they can’t fully endorse what the state is teaching.” She and the panel hold that the curriculum “will actually affect the learning environment for everyone for the worse.”
Representative Talarico expressed his fear that, given the already high teacher turnover rate, more teachers will leave the classroom and that students are being given a disservice if teachers are not focusing on increasing academic outcomes. Brockman also highlighted that the 10 Commandments teachers would have to post in their classrooms are specifically prescribed by the Texas Legislature. Those commandments “apply only to [particular] groups of Christians, not Christians overall” because it includes sections that are not in the Roman Catholic Church or the Lutheran Church.
All three speakers urged the importance of separating church and state in regards to both the government and the values of Christianity.
As a Christian, Rep. Talarico defined Christian Nationalism as “the worship of power in the name of Christ.” He says it was used to consolidate power in the “Roman Empire, Jim Crow south, Nazi Germany and now, in this country.” Affirming Rep. Talarico’s sentiment, Brockman held that because the United States began with a diverse set of Christian faiths that disagreed, the founders knew that if “the government favored one religious community over others, [it] would bring descent and ruin [their] young nation.”
In addition to pointing out potential harms of religious legislation, the panel provided several reasons why it should not be allowed. Laser, who is also an attorney, spoke on how executive orders in the first Trump administration used religious freedom as a “sword” to deny healthcare, turn away people from social services and to deny individuals jobs. She also brought attention to a prior Supreme Court case, Stone v Graham, where the court struck down legislation that required the 10 Commandments to be posted in Kentucky classrooms. Using that case as a precedent and the Establishment Clause in the constitution, she voiced her hopes that the Supreme Court will rule against these laws.
In the meantime, the panel gave the audience hope for what could be done until then. A lesson in the Bluebonnet Curriculum that had misinterpreted the golden rule as a solely Christian value was changed to include the perspectives of other religions that mention it. Parents and students can advocate against institutionalized religion by contacting AU. Students can stay updated on these issues through AU’s social media accounts and can join the organization for free.
As deeply religious people, the panel affirmed that “no one is going after voluntary prayer in school. What we’re going after is government coerced prayer, government mandated prayer.”
By Jake Mireles Editor- in-Chief
District 10 Councilman Marc Whyte has called for greater transparency in the City of San Antonio’s budget process by introducing a Council Consideration Request to establish a Taxpayer Impact Statement to be compiled by City Manager Erik Walsh. The proposal comes as the city of San Antonio is weeks away from its annual budget making procedures.
According to Whyte, the decision to introduce the CCR stems from the frustration of constituents surrounding the transparency and access to the budget making process.
“So one of the things I found in my first term in office is the people want more transparency in government. And what frustrates a lot of folks is they don’t understand or they don’t have the information concerning what they’re being taxed for, where the money is going, how it’s being used, etc.,” Whyte said. “We’ve consistently heard those concerns at community meetings over the last two years, and that drove us to look at what we can do to more simply show the members of the community exactly what they’re being charged for.”
According to Whyte, the proposed Taxpayer Impact Statement would be just two pages long where constituents can see information surrounding the changes of tax rates in relation to the proposed budget compiled by the City of San Antonio.
The CCR filed by Whyte outlines the specifics of what
could be included in the statement if the proposal is passed by the city council. The statement would be split into two sections: A tax rate adjustment section, which outlines how the proposed budget would impact the taxes constituents pay, and a section outlining how the proposed budget would impact fees, utility bills and property taxes.
The proposed statement will likely be modeled after the Taxpayer Impact Statement implemented by the City of Austin, which follows a similar format to the one proposed by Whyte.
Four other councilmembers — Terri Castillo (D5), Melissa Cabello Harvda (D6), Mariana Alderete Gavito (D7) and Manny Pelez (D8) — co-signed the CCR proposed by Whyte. Should the proposal go to the City of San Antonio Governance Committee and move on to be voted on by the City Council, the resolution would need the vote of six council members to pass. Whyte anticipates that this resolution would pass should it be introduced.
“I do think this is something that’s going to pass, because which city council person is going to be against more transparency in the budget process?” Whyte said.
“I can’t imagine anybody anybody would be. Certainly, I haven’t talked to any of my council colleagues who’s against this. And so I think this is something that will pass, and we’re headed for a new ordinance here.”
This is a developing story. Visit paisano-online.com for future updates.
State of the City
Week of 4/ 1
By Alejandra Garza 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 body discovered in a local lake to the city of San Antonio being most impacted by tariffs.
Woman’s body discovered in Woodlawn Lake
Delilah Jimenez, a 61-year-old woman who was well-known in the homeless community as “Ms. D,” was living in a storm drain when she was found dead in Woodlawn Lake. Jimenez’s body was discovered on March 25 at 8:30 a.m. by a jogger.
When authorities arrived on scene, there were no signs of outward trauma. Detectives and medical examiners conducted a full investigation and determined Jimenez died of drowning due to being swept away from heavy rainfall.
Body
discovered at local highschool
Authorities confirmed an unidentified 66-year-old man’s body was found at Jefferson High School. The deceased man, who was not connected to the school, was discovered on the morning of March 28 and was believed to be caught on video. Police have ruled his death as a possible suicide, but the Bexar County Medical Examiner’s Office will determine the man’s official cause and manner of death.
San Antonio impacted most by Canada’s tariffs
A recent study by the Canadian Chamber of Commerce revealed the areas that Canada most depends on for imports. San Antonio was at the top of the list followed by Detroit, Michigan.
San Antonio’s exports — such as aerospace, auto and energy sectors — go to Canada. Donald Trump announced on March 26 an additional 25% on imported auto parts beginning April 3. Leaders of Canada have warned the United States of the increased prices, fewer jobs and slower growth within the economy.
Mayor of San Antonio Ron Nirenberg attended the North American Mayoral Tariff Summit in Washington D.C. to talk about local impacts.
“I learned that the mayors in Mexico and Canada are equally concerned as we are about the job loss that is coming and the cost for consumers and families,” Nirenberg said.
End the crusade against political speech
Trump administration detains international graduate student over Op-Ed in newspaper
Editorial
Turkish doctoral student at Tufts University and former Fulbright scholar Rümeysa Öztürk was abducted by plainclothes Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers in Somerville, Massachusetts, on Tuesday, March 25. According to the Associated Press, Öztürk was swiftly moved to an immigrant detention center in Louisiana. Her lawyers were unable to contact her until Wednesday night — approximately 24 hours after her arrest.
Öztürk’s abduction is the latest attempt by the Trump administration to stifle “pro-terrorist, anti-Semitic, anti-American activity” on college campuses across the nation. This label has been broadly applied to student protest movements emerging in support of Palestine or to criticize the conduct of Israel in Gaza. Notably, the Trump administration has opted to target foreign students who engage in such political activity. Öztürk’s detainment is a clear miscarriage of justice. While the Department of Homeland Security claims that Öztürk engaged in activities that support Hamas, no
Kara Lee/The Paisano
evidence has been provided to support this claim. The only activity Öztürk was confirmed to have engaged in that supports this premise was her co-authoring an Op-ed in a Tufts University newspaper calling for the administration to engage with the demands of student protestors and consider cutting ties with Israel. If this is the justification provided for Öztürk’s detainment, the Trump Administration
has blatantly disregarded the First Amendment.
According to the BBC, Secretary of State Marco Rubio claims the U.S. has revoked approximately 300 student visas as part of this sweeping effort.
“We gave you a visa to come and study and get a degree, not to become a social activist that tears up our university campus,” Rubio said. “We’ve given you a visa and you decide to do that, we’re going to take it away.”
At this point, there has been no evidence provided that Öztürk engaged in activity that warrants her deportation. The actions taken by the Trump administration to detain Öztürk and attempt to deport her without following due process is a clear violation of her free speech protections. The evidence and justification provided for Öztürk’s arrest by the Department of Homeland Security are insufficient. Öztürk has not been accused of a crime, and if she is not charged, she should be released. The Trump administration cannot turn a blind eye to the pillars of the justice system when committing this crusade against political activism.
Dodging loyalty: LA Dodgers betray fan base
Commentary
By Haley Aguayo Sports Editor
When the Los Angeles Dodgers won the 2024 World Series, fireworks lit the Los Angeles skyline, parades were thrown downtown and fans celebrated internationally as they rejoiced for their favorite team. The renowned baseball team received their championship rings on March 18, which sparked a second wave of celebrations over five months later. Nonetheless, the team’s acceptance of President Donald Trump’s invitation to visit the White House to celebrate their win comes during an unnerving political period, especially for Los Doyers fans.
Next week, the Dodgers will play a mid-week series against the Washington Nationals. On one hand, there is no better time for them to make time in their schedule for a detour from South Congress Street to Pennsylvania Avenue to celebrate their eighth championship win on a national level. But for a team that amasses a large Latino fan base in a sport that has largely been built up by immigrants, the question remains: can tradition and politics coexist in sport? ` The short answer? No. Sport may be the last American frontier attempting to separate itself from politics, but
that attempt has proven unsuccessful. Associations such as the NFL have banned players from wearing political gear, but the White House administration’s ban on transgender athletes is currently being upheld. Executive orders from the pinnacle of American politics have entered the stadium, and they are here to stay. Because of this, the Dodgers’ acceptance of Trump’s invitation is a direct betrayal of their fan base.
The White House — no matter who is in office — extending invites to championship teams is an established courtesy between a reigning president and America’s winningest teams. The Dodgers have a strong Latino representation both on the roster and in the fanbase, so their visit can be seen as a continuation of a longstanding American tradition that dates back to the 1800s. Others, particularly Latino fans, view the visit as a betrayal given Trump’s policies and rhetoric toward people of color, immigrants and Latin American communities.
Los Angeles is a city with a deep Latino identity, and its baseball team reflects that. From Mexican-born pitcher Julio Urías to Cuban outfielder Andy Pagés, the Dodgers are home to immigrant players and Latino talent. Under the Trump Administration, immigration policies
have led to the separation of families and an increase in deportations, which have disproportionately impacted Latino communities. This is why the team’s decision to visit the White House during Trump’s term is seen as turning a blind eye to the struggles that the Latino community is facing.
The Dodgers are not the first team to face scrutiny over a White House visit. In recent years, multiple championship teams across various sports have declined invitations due to political reasons. Some view visiting the White House as an outdated tradition that no longer exists in a neutral political space, but the team’s manager does not see it that way.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts defended the visit, calling it “a great honor” and noting that all World Series champions receive the same invitation. The team has framed the trip as a celebration of their baseball accomplishments rather than a political statement, which is how it should be, but the world is not black and white.
However, the decision was not unanimous — Japanese star and citizen Shohei Ohtani initially opted out of attending, though he did not publicly state why. Still, as of Monday morning, he has changed his mind. Freddie Freeman, who plays for Team Canada in international
competitions, and other non-U.S. citizens on the roster may see the visit differently than the Latino community. When Mookie Betts played for the Red Sox, he chose not to visit the White House during Trump’s first administration and may decide to bench himself during this upcoming visit, too.
The controversy highlights a growing divide between sports as an escape from politics and sports as a reflection of society’s more significant debates. Latino fans have every reason to feel conflicted. The Dodgers — a team that has historically been a beacon for diversity and inclusion — are now stepping onto a political platform that alters the message they have been trying to convey since 1947. Since the inclusion of Robinson, the message has been to blur the line between Black and White and end segregation in sports, something that Trump will not be remembered for.
Despite the disappointing disregard for loyalty from the team, the Dodgers will ultimately take their trip to Washington, celebrate their title, and return to playing baseball. However, the rift created in their fanbase will not fade so easily.
By Jackie Cardona Staff Writer
It is no secret that Elon Musk has made himself more than comfortable in the Trump administration. Musk has managed to hold more power than any actual qualified White House staff member. The most recent controversy with Musk involves his access to top-secret US plans for a potential war with China. Reports of this have surfaced thanks to an article written by the New York Times
The Times released an article on the war plans with Musk’s involvement a day before a briefing after gaining intel from two U.S. officials that the briefing may include some discussion over war plans with China. Since the publishing of that article, both Musk and Trump have denied the claims made. Arguing that Musk’s
business with China could get in the way of his car production plans. Whether it is fake news or not, no one would put it past Musk to meddle in whatever plan Trump and his team have coming for China.
The Pentagon is a military powerhouse that holds top-secret information that only certain government officials can access. It would be a problem if a billionaire as unqualified as Musk were to contribute to the discussion of war or even be informed of the ongoing events in the Pentagon because of his nonexistent experience and authority on the topic. The claims that Musk was just visiting the Pentagon seem questionable because if it was just a casual briefing, there would be no need to hold it in the U.S military hub.
In an interview with Eric Schmitt, a Times national security reporter, he talked about what ended up happening
the morning of the Musk briefing with the Department of Defense. Schmitt mentioned that the meeting where a war plan briefing would occur kept being pushed back and eventually scrapped. It appears as odd behavior for someone who was attending a meeting that had nothing to do with classified information Elon Musk has had access to most information and decisions coming from the Trump administration. The thought of a billionaire who has no qualifications to handle legal matters in the government being informed of some top-secret information is terrifying. As he oversteps his executive branch authority, what he plans to do with that information and access is something to look out for in these next four years.
Commentary
Calli Recore/The Paisano
Vincent Agquiz /The Paisano
OpiNION
When the war plans leave the chat
Commentary By Kara Lee Graphic Editor
The Atlantic recently released the entire Signal chat among senior national security officials, revealing that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth shared the exact timing and locations of bombing strikes in Yemen.
National Security Adviser Michael Waltz explained that he had set up the Signal group chat and inadvertently invited The Atlantic’s Editor-In-Chief Jeffrey Goldberg, who later exposed the conversation and published a transcript.
The irony of the situation is stark; government officials casually sharing “war plans” in a group chat without concern is baffling and alarming. The current administration’s behavior feels like a farce, and America’s national security appears to be a poorly orchestrated circus. Leaked plans are just another act in this ongoing performance.
It is especially disturbing that even Marvel Studios protects sensitive information more effectively than the American government. Getting details about Spider-Man’s next suit seems more challenging than uncovering America’s military strategies.
Hegseth denied sharing any actual war plans, stating, “Nobody was texting war plans. And that’s all I have to say about that.” However, the Pentagon confirmed that the top military official, Admiral Christopher Grady, was not included in the group chat. It is unclear why Grady, the president’s top military adviser, was not part of such a crucial conversation about military strikes.
timing of various phases. These messages included information, such as when a “strike window” would begin, the location of a “target terrorist” and the schedule for weaponry and aircraft launches.
(2nd strike package)” and “1415: Strike Drones on Target (THIS IS WHEN THE FIRST BOMBS WILL DEFINITELY DROP, pending earlier ‘Trigger Based’ targets).”
In the leaked group chat, Hegseth posted several details regarding a potential strike, using military language and specifying the
1st Strike Window Starts (Target terrorist is at his known location, so SHOULD BE ON TIME — also, Strike Drones Launch (MQ-9s)),” “1410: More F-18s LAUNCH
Voter’s rights, right?
Commentary
By Adith Magavi Contributor
Article 1, Section 4 of the U.S. Constitution is clear; it dictates that it is only the responsibility of the states and Congress to make or alter the “time, place and manner” of federal elections. On March 25, President Donald Trump signed an executive order that, if enforced, would upend voter registration, block millions of eligible voters and empower the Department of Governmental Efficiency to review citizens’ voter registration documents. If put into effect, the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act will attempt to unconstitutionally force voters to provide unreasonable methods of identification, while simultaneously kicking American citizens who fall behind to the curb.
The current voter registration requirements ask registrants to swear under the penalty of perjury that they are American citizens who are eligible to vote, alongside requiring them to provide a form of identification, a driver’s license number, a state ID number or a social security number. Now, in addition to these previous forms of identification, this act is attempting to require citizens to bring an additional “proof of citizenship” to the polls. The options for the additional voting requirements are a U.S. passport, a federal or state-issued ID card that meets proof of citizenship requirements or a military ID. The limited number of available ID options is one of the root causes of the issue that many Americans are now at risk of facing on election days. According to a
2024 publication by USA Facts, “Passport issuances dipped by 43.4% from 2019 to 2020,” with only about half of Americans currently possessing an American passport. Alongside the difficulties that American citizens without a passport now possibly face, only about five states currently offer enhanced driver’s licenses, which meet proof of citizenship requirements. Citizens who do not have a passport, military ID or enhanced DL will forcefully have their constitutional right to vote taken from them.
Donald Trump initially responded, claiming he did not believe the information was classified, but later backtracked, saying, “That’s what I’ve heard. I don’t know. I’m not sure. You’ll have to ask the various people involved. I
situation feels like something out of a show, specifically “South Park.” Goldberg and Shane Harris, who wrote the article, noted that “statements by Hegseth, Gabbard, Ratcliffe and Trump — combined with assertions from numerous administration officials that we are lying about the content of the Signal texts — have led us to believe that people should see the texts for themselves to draw their messages from the chat included exchanges, such as “JD Vance: What?” and “Michael Waltz: Typing too fast. The first target - their top missile guy - was identified walking into his girlfriend’s building, and it’s now collapsed.” Vance responded, “Excellent,” and Waltz followed up with a series of three emojis: a fist, an American flag and fire. Trump administration has downplayed the significance of these messages. However, war plans have a global impact, and for government officials to make light of them is reckless. This is not just a political issue—it is a matter of life and death. Such careless handling of national security is damaging to America’s image and risks making the country appear unserious and disorganized on the global stage.
This order also calls for federal and central agencies to release voter data to prosecute election crimes, while granting federal agencies — including the head of DOGE — access to check state rolls to verify “consistency with federal requirements.” It also allows federal agencies to share personal data with the states and allows the checking of eligibility of names within state voter rolls.
Voting rights advocates warn that the data provided by outdated databases can erroneously list naturalized citizens as noncitizens. Past efforts to clear voter rolls have often led to the unjust clearing of the names of eligible U.S. citizens.
“It’s illegal at many different levels,” said Sean Morales-Doyle, the voting rights director for the Brennan Center for Justice, a nonprofit organization that advocates for voting rights.
This order directs the Elections Assistance Commission, a small,
independent bipartisan agency, to make changes to the federal voter registration form. Morales-Doyle argues that the president cannot tell the commission what to do.
Taking power away from the central government and forcing it to conform to federal regulations is an almost ironic turn of events for Trump, who has historically advocated for greater central governmental autonomy.
Increasing the requirements for voting, clearing redundant voter rolls and strengthening the people’s system of political participation are all aspects of democracy that must be addressed in due time. The issue that stands now, however, is that the Trump administration is rushing to implement these changes with little to no regard for American citizens and no proof to reinforce their claims against noncitizens. Baseless accusations and federal overreach are once again rearing their ugly heads in the wake of this administration’s latest attack on the American people.
The Paisano
Editorial Board
Jake Mireles | Editor-in-Chief Editor@paisano-online.com
Jasmine Williams | Managing Editor Manager@paisano-online.com
Alessandra Avila | News Editor News@paisano-online.com
Marcela Montufar Soria | Opinion Editor Opinion@paisano-online.com
Malaki Lingg | Arts & Life Editor Arts@paisano-online.com
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Karis
By Selasie Gifa-Johnson Staff Writer
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arts & life
santikos palladium hosts new a24 screening and q&a
By Malaki Lingg Arts & Life Editor Reviews
Writer and director Alex Garland released “Civil War” last year with the eclectic production studio A24. Following the wartime aesthetic, Garland has created his second work in the genre with his new film, “Warfare,” co-directed by former Navy SEAL Ray Mendoza.
On March 25, “Warfare” had a firstcome, first-serve screening at the Santikos Palladium, featuring a Q&A with directors Garland and Mendoza and military consultant Brian Philpot.
“Warfare” follows a platoon of Navy SEALs deployed to Iraq in 2006, based on events from co-director Mendoza’s experience and perspective while deployed in Ramadi, Iraq.
When an attack on the group is coordinated, they attempt to medevac those who were injured, leading to a disastrous situation when their armored transport triggers an improvised explosive device. The explosion that follows suit leaves two members of the group incapacitated, one of whom is Eliott Miller, a U.S. Navy sniper. The film is dedicated in Miller’s honor, with him losing a leg due to his injuries during the events depicted on screen.
The film is fast-paced and ever moving. Throughout its hour-and-35-minute runtime the audience is left little room to take the air in, as each act of the story seamlessly leads into one another. The small gaps that allow the audience to breathe are short-lived, adding to the anxiety and chaos of the group’s predicament. Because of Mendoza’s true-life experiences, his choreography is on point. Every gunfight and move the SEALs make feels hyper-realistic and calculated. Previously, Mendoza worked with Garland, helping plan the action choreography on “Civil War.” While Garland’s previous film had great action sequences, “Warfare” takes the cake; it is downright phenomenal. Mendoza first entered the film industry with “Act of Valor,” which
provided him an introduction to filmmaking while he was still enlisted.
“[Filmmaking] piqued my interest,” said Mendoza. “I was still active duty, so it wasn’t something I was considering seriously at the time. I met some stunt coordinators, met some directors and I started to kind of do day playing, which means I will kind of come in for a day and do some stuff.”
“The Lone Survivor came around, and Marcus Luttrell, who I was in a platoon with, asked if I would advise on his movie. That’s where I met Peter Berg. They did a lot more behind the camera. I just started to see how it all came together. It was very similar to the military. There are multiple department heads all working in concert to achieve one objective. So in that aspect, it was very easy to transition into. Then it got to the point where it was time for me to go to the military,” continued Mendoza. “I just love the art of telling stories; I love problemsolving, working with people with good work ethics. [There are] some brilliant minds that work in the movie industry.”
Mendoza, Philpot and Garland first worked together on “Civil War,” with Philpot as a performer and Mendoza as the choreographer.
“Brian was one of the performers [on ‘Civil War’], and Ray choreographed some of the combat sequences, really and honestly, both of them, awesome guys. Really, just incredibly impressive all-the-way through in the sequence that Ray choreographed and Brian performed in,” said Garland.
“[We worked together on] several, but the key one was moving down a corridor in the White House towards the Oval Office. And when I was in the edit, I didn’t cut into it at all. There were no time compressions. Just showed it exactly as Ray had choreographed, as Brian and his colleagues had performed it. And there was something really interesting about that because these guys were all
in combat. [They are] veterans, and when you just let them do their thing, there was something really interesting about what they were showing you.”
After working together on “Civil War,” Garland was left impressed by the tight-knit choreography they were able to achieve. This impression led to Garland contacting Mendoza, hoping to work on another project together — this is what became “Warfare.”
“I, then, contacted Ray in postproduction and said, ‘Is there a story you would like to tell?’” said Garland. “What we would do is look for an hour and a half or something real-time and just attempt to
forensically recreate it, so we can make a truly honest, as to the best vulnerability, film about war. And, then I said, ‘I think we should pick it up,’ because there was a story he had always wanted to tell. I really just, in a way, offered that as an opportunity and then got out of their way.”
“Warfare” comes as another success for Garland, showing he has what it takes to not just write but to direct such an intense film as this. With previous works — like his directing and writing on “Ex-Machina” and his writing on “28 Days Later” and the upcoming “28 Years Later,” Garland is cementing himself as one of the strongest and most
Post meridiem including strings and keys
By Sarah Quintanilla Assistant Graphic Editor
On a rainy Friday afternoon an audience of music students and music enjoyers impatiently wait at the Main Recital Hall for an eclectic performance. Taking the stage is guest violinist Minju Kim, an assistant violin professor at Boston University School of Music, and pianist Jeong-eun Lee.
The hall’s dim spotlight illuminated the middle of the stage where a music sheet stand and a solitary piano stood. Nicole Cherry took the stage, thanked the audience for their attendance, and introduced Kim, recalling how they met in 2020.
As Cherry left the stage, applause welcomed Kim and Lee, who bowed at the audience and commenced their performance with Ludwig van Beethoven’s first Allegro con brio of“Sonata for Piano and Violin No. 3 in E flat Major, Op. 12.” Lee shimmered through the keys as Kim played the lively and elegant piece with complete focus on the music sheet. She was careful and exact with her notes. Her impenetrable eyes and inscrutable countenance gave little away, yet her confidence playing as the song got faster said it all.
The Adagio of the piece came next, in which a more mellow piano initiated
the song. Kim’s bow swam through the strings, smoothly playing each note with exact precision. The piece was reminiscent of a walk in the park on a spring day in the 17th century. One could not help but be immersed in the sound, as the piece had a sense of mystery that the audience was deeply intrigued by.
The audience was studying Kim and Lee’s every move. Both were calm and deeply focused on their instruments, with Lee slouching to see the notes perfectly and the music flowing through Kim.
At the Rondo: Allegro, the last movement of the piece, both performers felt every note with every fiber of their being. The piece intensified to the point that Kim had to move. Without an ounce of stress in her expression, she looked as if she was winning a battle against the music sheet and the violin, paralleling the image of taming a wild horse.
“I encourage [young violinists] to try as much as possible, and don’t be afraid to go out and seek the opportunity that you want.You want to find your calling. You don’t want to just follow the path everybody’s doing.” said Kim, who performed on international stages such as Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center, as well as appearing on the Grammynominated album “Canto America.”
Kim enjoys teaching, saying her favorite part is “seeing the students improve, and I think it’s never boring, like you’re working with each person. It’s not just a group of people. Everything is different for each person. It’s not always like I try not to be the same with everyone, so I think that’s fun for me.”
As the quick intermission ceased with a round of applause, music sheets flipped, and Amy Beach’s piece “Romance” began. It was a sweet and melancholic piece, as demonstrated by Kim’s expression. She was having a pensive moment on stage, and the vibratos evoked awe in the audience, a technique that dominated the show. This piece was rewarded with applause, and Kim shared some words about the program, thanking the audience and saying that it would be a fun project for her to get familiar with the pieces and share them on stage.
Her joyous and calm demeanor changed dramatically into a serious and determined expression as intense vibratos overpowered Lili Boulanger’s solemn “Nocturne for Violin and Piano. “ There was a brief intermission as the piece ended, with audiences whispering about the performance.
“I’m at a loss for words, it’s so spectacular,” said Malachi Landin, a
music performance major enjoying the performance with his violin case beside him. Kim tuned her violin, and Lee adjusted her sleeves for the show’s last piece — Johannes Brahms’ “Violin Sonata No. 3 in D Minor, Op. 108.” It was a beautiful interpretation, as both took turns playing while never taking their eyes off the music sheet. Kim waved through the strings, and the audience was intensely focused on the performance, not wanting it to end. The piece intensified, and one could see they are playing with such passion on each intricate note. The violin jumped through the tune with pizzicatos, making quick appearances. Kim judged the music sheet. The deep sound of Lee’s piano added a dramatic yet playful tune. She furiously played through the piece and chased the notes as they ran away from the page.
“[The] performance was beautiful, it was so piercing,” Daniel Rocha, a firstyear music performance major, stated. The flawless performance left audiences dumbfounded. What an exciting ending to a show. Applause, hollering, and standing ovations rumbled through the hall, pleading for an encore. It was one of the most mellifluous performances of the semester, inspiring a young generation of musicians and music lovers at UTSA.
Minju Kim (pictured left, playing violin) and Jeong-un Lee (pictured right, playing piano) perform at the Main Recital Hall on Friday, March 28.
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Ezequiel Pena/The Paisano
Arts & Life
‘Daredevil’ brings IrishCatholic representation
By Christopher Delgado
Copyediting Coordinator Reviews
Spoiler Warning:
In a two-episode release, “Daredevil: Born Again” brings tense action, emotional depth, a spine-chilling villain and the rebirth of the Man Without Fear.
Episode 5, “With Interest”
On St. Patrick’s Day, Matt Murdock applies for a bank loan but is rejected by Assistant Bank Manager Yusuf Khan — played by Mohan Kapoor. This episode is not the first time viewers may have seen Khan, with him being the father of Kamala Khan, also known as Ms. Marvel.
The inclusion of Y. Khan subtly brings together a larger world without feeling contrived. The naturalness of K. Khan’s father in his everyday job serves the narrative well and does not overshadow the plot. This example of a cameo is one that Marvel Studios should begin employing more rather than trying to shoehorn A-List stars into media that does not require their presence.
Murdock is denied the bank loan and the scene ends. Suddenly, a bank robbery at Khan’s employer occurs. Murdock, in his common New Yorker attire, rushes into the bank to help; however, it becomes clear that he is in over his head, as he cannot do much against a group of
armed robbers with hostages. After all, he does not have any real superpowers.
The episode sees Y. Khan offer moral advice to Murdock in the form of fables he shares with his daughter. The episode culminates in a fight between Murdock and the lead robber Devlin, played by Cillian O’ Sullivan. The choreography displays Murdock’s acrobatic technique — something that was missing in the Netflix series — and his brutality when he snaps the leg of Devlin in half.
Notably, Wilson Fisk was absent in this episode that felt like a filler episode to introduce the larger MCU — granted in a natural locale.
Episode 6,
“Excessive Force”
Matt Murdock finally dons the red suit.
Episode 6 takes audiences back to the main plot of the season and introduces a hunt for a serial killer known as Muse.
The killer siphons the blood of his victims and uses it to create murals across town.
Both Fisk and Murdock are made aware of the situation, and each reacts in their own way.
Continue reading online at paisano-online.com
‘Princess Mononoke’ is powerful and timeless
By Ezequiel Pena Staff Writer Reviews
Hayao Miyazaki has always been a force to be reckoned with in the creative field of animation. He is well-known for spending nearly thirty years trying to retire from his art, but like any true artist, he always has something new to say.
Despite his wave of masterpieces, like “Spirited Away,” “Kiki’s Delivery Service” or even his more recent works like “Boy and the Heron,” “Princess Mononoke” might just outrank them all.
To celebrate the 40th anniversary of Ghibli’s American distributor GKIDS, Mononoke is returning to the big screen for a limited time via IMAX auditoriums.
Audiences will not only be allowed to see the new 4K restoration of the film, but the rerelease will also allow for audiences old and new to experience the beautiful hand-drawn cells. In one move the rerelease puts the Ghibli AI art trend to shame, while proving how timeless Miyazaki’s views on man and the environment can be nearly 28 years later.
“Princess Mononoke” follows the journey of Ashitaka as he travels across mountains and forests to try and heal a curse eating away at him.
Simultaneously, he tries creating peace in the conflict between a village and their wars with man and nature. As part of that would suggest, this film deals heavily with themes of industrialization and deforestation, but it arguably does it better than any other film before or after it.
Most films discussing environmentalism usually villainize humans for taking down forests and make the main antagonists to be sadistic, greedy scrooges.
Miyazaki, on the other hand, flexes his strengths as a writer by bringing humanity and sympathy to all of the characters in his stories — whether they be heroic or villainous.
Lady Eboshi takes the role of the antagonist in this film. While she certainly has her faults in a lust for conquering and controlling the god and beasts that surround her, she manages to be incredibly fleshed out. Eboshi, in her efforts for expansion, manages to help the villagers she comes across. She teaches the local women how to fend for their village and gives a role for the injured and scarred members of the village to help others in their state.
between hero and villain. Instead, it deals with the dilemma that constantly arises between man and nature and how both may bring harm to each other for their own growth and survival. Ultimately, the story lingers with most audience members after the credits have rolled because it is openended enough to have some wondering about the mysticism of the forest and Mononoke herself, while being clear about how we nevertheless need to see with eyes that are not blinded by greed or hate.
The film does not address the conflict
Miyazaki’s writing in this film provides women with dignity and respect. Most anime suffer from an over-sexualization of female characters. However, the women in Mononoke are modest, admirable and strong. Even Ashitaka at a point in the film praises the women of Irontown for how hard they work to maintain the town and their courageousness to defend it on their own while their husbands go out with Eboshi to war. It ends up inspiring how Miyazaki can make his film feel more potent through its deep themes and showcasing the women’s strength. To call Studio Ghibli’s animation stunning is beyond redundant. “Princess Mononoke” delivers rich colors and bizarre imagery that attracts the viewer’s attention like a magnet and stays in their minds long after the film’s conclusion. Through meticulous craftsmanship, the animation is able to convey an epic scale of biblical proportions in the visuals, while also conveying the brutal consequences of an intoxicating hate that can consume down to the bone. Beyond that, the film encourages the audience to better understand and admire this world’s brutishness and magnificence through its fantastical creatures and ecosystems that very much reflect those that have and still exist. Any Miyazaki film is worth watching, but Princess Mononoke stands out as one that feels right to understand the human soul, and how nature has, and always will, share in that same soul. It is a rare work that can be enjoyed by children, appreciated by adults, and can inspire everyone. It is certainly worth watching and worth remembering.
Propaganda Palace: A pop culture paradise
By Olivia Lliteras Contributor
North of downtown San Antonio, located about 25 minutes from UTSA, holds a hidden gem for anyone looking to take a short trip back in time. Propaganda Palace, as the owner A.J Martinez says, holds “the best collection of retro video games in the entire state,” as well as having walls of various consoles, records, CDs, cassette tapes
and other relics from the retro period.
After the doors open, the small shop turns into a convention of commotion on the history of antiques, with throwback stories from the owner and guests. Going on 13 years strong, this palace takes pride in itself and the history that made it what it is today.
“All of this started back in the mid70s when my father, Alex, graduated from college and was chosen as a rep for the first Atari Pong,” Martinez said.“I
was his lucky 3-year-old brat that grew up in that environment and got to play on his consoles, which he got early access to when he was off. That was the beginning of my love affair with video games. That was 50 years ago. I never intended to be a store. I collected for myself, but all my access became the shop that you see here before you.”
“The music side of this started when I was a teenager. When I turned 13, my dad bought me my first stereo,” Martinez said. “I was thrilled but confused and then asked my dad, ‘Where’s the record player?’ My dad then told me that CDs are the future, and vinyl is dying.” Martinez went on to offer to purchase his uncle’s Technics 1200 Turntable, leading him to collect vinyl from wherever he could scavenge. When asked by customers, “How did you know vinyl would make a comeback,” Martinez replied, “I didn’t.”
“I have all sorts of people come in here all the time, new customers and my regulars that have been with me from when I was a flea-market booth at the Eisenhower over 13 years ago,” said Martinez. “I’m a collector myself, so I have the same mindset as my clientele. They come in and tell me what they’re looking for. If I’ve got it, great, and if I don’t, then I help them find it. The thrill of the hunt is the best part, and I love helping people — to put a smile on their face.”
Martinez has big plans for the future, as he mentions they are the process of moving locations to for more space for the ever expanding collection of treasures. The move will take them to West San Antonio, close to the planned site for the new Missions stadium. On top of this, Martinez hinted at another project, “A Blockbuster in 2025 would blow people’s minds because it’s so retro, and nobody’s been to a video shop in 20 years.”
Propaganda Palace is located at 2100 McCullough Ave. The store is open Tuesday through Sunday from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. The store’s impressive collection of retro video games and consoles — like Nintendo 64 and Atari — alongside the hundreds of records and CDs pull an array of customers in. Whether it be someone yearning to recall their childhood joys or someone looking to learn about the past of pop culture, Propaganda Palace is the place to be.
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Athletes of the week
Sarah
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Two huge upsets stand tall in an otherwise quiet March Madness
By Aramis Santiago Staff Writer
In a collegiate sport where upsets are expected, especially during March Madness, the 2025 NCAA tournament has played out in a surprisingly conventional fashion. Power-five programs have largely maintained control, with mid-major Cinderellas struggling to break through in both the men’s and women’s brackets. While the absence of major chaos has dominated headlines, a few games have managed to cut through the noise — not necessarily because of massive seeding gaps, but due to the unexpected narratives and seasonshifting implications they carried. Two matchups in particular exemplified the unpredictability that still defines this time of the year.
Women’s basketball: Kansas State defeats Kentucky
No. 5 Kansas State University’s 8079 victory over No. 4 University of Kentucky sent shockwaves through the women’s bracket. While Kansas State has hovered around the top-20 nationally this season, few expected the Wildcats to survive a hostile road environment and emerge victorious against a redhot Kentucky team. In women’s college basketball, major upsets are significantly
rarer compared to the men’s side, due to the top-heavy nature of the teams. So, when a five-seed knocks out a four-seed in overtime, especially one with Final Four aspirations, it carries weight.
Guard Temira Poindexter’s electric performance from deep, combined with center Ayoka Lee’s impactful presence in the paint, flipped the game on its head. Lee’s return to the lineup after limited minutes during the regular season made Kansas State far more dangerous than their seeding would suggest. Her ability to draw defenders’ attention created the space Poindexter needed to go 8-for15 from beyond the arc, scoring all 24 of her points from distance. Guard Serena Sundell also chipped in with a double-double, and the Wildcats found just enough to counter Kentucky’s 19 offensive rebounds and late-game push.
Guard Georgia Amoore led Kentucky and was central to their comeback effort, but her missed floater in the final seconds of overtime sealed the upset. Kansas State, long overshadowed in the Big 12, proved it belongs in the national conversation.
Men’s basketball: Arkansas defeats St. John’s On the men’s side, No. 10 University of Arkansas’ 75-66 win over No. 2 St. John’s University might go down
Rain City redemption
New year, new man; Jorge Polanco gives Mariners the Opening Day of their dreams
By Rylan Renteria Staff Writer
The Seattle Mariners captured their first win of the 2025 season after defeating the Athletics 4-2 on Thursday night at T-Mobile Park.
After setting career lows in batting average and on-base percentage in his first year with Seattle in 2024, infielder Jorge Polanco had to approach the 2025 campaign with a tabula rasa. With the Mariners (1-0) trailing entering the eighth frame, Polanco drove a tridentshaped dagger into the hearts of the Athletics (0-1) with a two-run home run to steal the win.
“This one is a special one for me,” Polanco said after the game. “I wasn’t really pressured. I just wanted to get a good pitch to hit. It sounded really good, so I knew it right off the bat.”
Seemingly headed for a frustrating Opening Day result, blockbuster trade deadline acquisition outfielder Randy Arozarena tied the game in the bottom of the eighth with a solo-home run past the left field wall. Shortly after, Polanco — who had already registered two hits in two at-bats earlier in the game — smashed one over dead-center field for the go-ahead run. Following that, infielder J.P. Crawford turned a double
as the most improbable result of the tournament. A 10-seed taking down a 2-seed isn’t unheard of in the men’s game, but this wasn’t a typical upset. Arkansas began SEC play 0-5, lost its best scorer midseason and looked dead in the water by January. Meanwhile, coach Rick Pitino’s Red Storm squad was riding a 31-win season, a Big East Conference Championship and widespread Final Four expectations. However, none of that mattered on Saturday. Arkansas physically overwhelmed St. John’s in the paint, outmatched them defensively and capitalized on a shockingly cold shooting night from the Red Storm, who shot just 28% from the field and 2-for-22 from three. Star guard RJ Luis Jr., who had been instrumental in St. John’s success throughout the season, struggled mightily — finishing just 3-for-17 from the floor with nine points before being benched by Pitino in the closing minutes.
With guard Billy Richmond III stepping up and coach John Calipari’s young guards attacking relentlessly, the Razorbacks showed a composure and cohesion that had been absent all year. The victory wasn’t the product of chance but rather the result of a well-executed game plan and timely contributions from a team that found its rhythm at the most important moment of the season.
play in the top of the ninth to secure the final two outs.
“Great ballgame and a great way to start the year,” coach Dan Wilson said.
Continue
A diminishing return from the New York Mets leads to opening day loss
By Christopher Delgado Copyediting Coordinator
The New York Mets nearly managed a last-minute comeback before losing 3-1 to the Houston Astros on Thursday at Daikin Park.
Heading into the ninth inning, the game seemed over for the Mets until infielder Francisco Lindor helped put the team on the scoreboard with a sacrifice fly. Down by two runs, the Mets appeared to be positioned for a miracle when newly acquired left fielder, and former New York Yankee, Juan Soto stepped up to bat with runners on first and third.
It would have been a poetic ending for Soto’s debut as a Met given his record-
breaking 15-year, $765 million contract.
batter in roughly four innings. opening day loss comes after a near-Cinderella story postseason for the Mets in 2024. They began the season with a disappointing 22-33 start; however, the team somehow managed to clinch a wild card spot and go on to the NL Championship Series, where they lost to the eventual World Series Champion Los Angeles Dodgers. The turnaround of their 2024 season — thanks to the opening pitch of McDonald’s mascot Grimace — is a testament to the type of game the Mets play. A 22-33 record was no reason to count the Mets out of the playoffs or even the World Series.
Mike Roth: The Canadian claimed first place in the 400m dash at UTSA’s outdoor track meet. He also qualified for NCAA West Preliminary’s with a time of 3:07.25 seconds at the Austin Relays.
James Taussig: He played an instrumental role in UTSA baseball’s sweep of Florida Atlantic University. He topped off game three with a walk-off, his second walk-off of the season.
Kalee Rochinski: The catcher earned the only RBI of Sunday’s matchup against the Florida Atlantic Owls. She also currently leads the conference in catching runners stealing bases.
Selma Ims: The Norwegian took first place in the 400m hurdles last weekend. She also ran the 400m hurdles in 57.52 at the Austin Relays, her best time yet.
Mia Lien: She gold-medaled at the Austin Relays, in relays. The Norwegian also recorded a personal-best height of 1.82m in high jump this past weekend.
Miguel Alonso: Alonso won his singles match against ACU, his first singles win at home this season. This also marked the first time he’s won a singles match over the Wildcats in his collegiate career.
Márquez crash opens door for Bagnaia’s win
By Hannah Velasquez
Assistant Sports Editor
ucati Lenovo Team driver
DFrancesco Bagnaia claimed the win at Circuit of the Americas on Sunday to pick up his first victory of the 2025 season.
After qualifying sixth, Bangaia displayed mettle while defending first place. Bagnaia took the spot from teammate Marc Márquez when a costly mistake ended the Italian’s race. After overtaking BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP driver Álex Márquez in an exchange battle for second place, Bagnaia was able to fend
Márquez clipped the curb and lost control. The crash resulted in him dropping to last place and surrendering his two-second gap to Bagnaia. In the next four laps, M. Márquez recovered to No. 18 but chose to retire on lap 13, resulting in a no points finish. The crash marks the second year in a row that he has crashed out of the Austin race.
“We did the most difficult thing in the easiest moment of the race,” M. Márquez said. “When I was controlling the distance, I cut a bit too much that curb in Turn 5, and I lost the front. It was completely my mistake.”
season, Bagnaia overtook A. Márquez as the Spanish driver failed to obstruct him any longer on turn 13. By being late on the breaks along with the slipstream and inside line advantage, Bagnaia prevailed. As a result of finishing the race behind the Italian, Á. Márquez now leads the drivers championship with one point over his brother.
“Really happy about how we’re managing everything,” A. Márquez said, reflecting on the race. “We are constantly in the top three in every session, every qualifying and all that. Leading the championship is something really
Fabio Di Giannantonio of the Pertamina
Enduro VR46 Racing Team finished third overall — earning his first podium since 2023 after qualifying second, dropping to fourth and gaining a spot following the Márquez crash.
“We put so much work into it,” Di Giannantonio said of the finish. “It’s a super [great] feeling. I can’t thank my team enough because they’ve always been by my side. [They] always believe in me. It’s not a thing to take for granted. We knew around here would be tough.” Round four of the 2025 season will continue at 12 p.m. on April 13 in Qatar at
Bust out the brooms
Roadrunners sweep in conference series against the Florida Atlantic Owls
By Rylan Renteria Staff Writer
UTSA baseball swept Florida Atlantic University 10-7, 7-3, 7-6 over the weekend at Roadrunner Field.
Riding high off wins over I-35 rival Texas State University and No. 8 The University of Texas at Austin, the Roadrunners (23-7, 5-1 AAC) continued their stretch of excellence over a highly-touted conference foe. The Owls (19-9, 2-4 AAC) jumped out to large leads in the first two games of the series but were unable to maintain them as the ‘Runners’ offense continued to battle at the plate. In the finale, UTSA completed its sweep of Florida Atlantic in walkoff fashion.
Game one
After establishing a 1-0 lead, courtesy of senior outfielder James Taussig, Owls outfielder Marshall Lipsey launched a grand slam on Roadrunner ace junior Zach Royse in the second inning. With the nation’s leader in strikeouts on the mound for the Owls, coach Pat Hallmark felt that Florida Atlantic “thought they
had the game [won].” Contributions from freshmen Caden Miller, Jordan Ballin and Nathan Hodge; junior infielder Ty Hodge and senior catcher Andrew Stucky lifted the team to the win.
“We’re a gritty team when we face adversity,” Miller said. “We keep punching and going. That’s big for any team, and I think this team has a lot of fight, and we just keep going no matter what’s going on.”
Game two
In game two, Florida Atlantic once again established an early lead. A pair of home runs from junior outfielder Drew Detlefsen and a pair of sacrifice fly outs from Miller put the Roadrunners firmly ahead on the scoreboard. N. Hodge drove in an insurance run at the bottom of the eighth, and UTSA moved to 2-0 in conference series, with the opportunity to record a sweep on Sunday.
Game three
With the Owls trying to avoid being swept for the first time all season, they took a 5-3 lead in the middle innings of the finale. The Roadrunners tied the game 6-6 in the seventh off an RBI double from Taussig that scored senior outfielder Mason Lytle and N. Hodge. Taussig delivered once again in the bottom of the ninth with a clutch hit into right field.
The ‘Runners slugged .275 at the plate across the series and got revenge against the Owls, who eliminated them from last year’s American Athletic Conference tournament. Miller and Detlefsen both notched four-RBI nights, while the best performance on the mound came from junior pitcher Connor Kelley in the team’s series-clinching win on Saturday. Kelley pitched 1.1 innings, allowed zero runs on zero hits and tossed two strikeouts.
The Roadrunners will head back to the DFW area to face Texas Christian University at 6 p.m. Tuesday at Lupton Stadium.
Left to right: Francesco Bagnaia races ahead to take first place following a turn, Bagnaia celebrates his win, Fabio Di Giannantonio smiles. Bottom: Álex Márquez racing.
Miles Jones/Diego Cisneros/The Paisano
Top to bottom: Utility Caden Miller, the team in a pre-game huddle on Friday, the team celebrates winning Saturdays matchup. Right: Senior outfielder James Taussig.
Rylan Renteria/Karis Vickers/Jake Mireles/The Paisano