Vol.68, Issue 13

THE PAISANO

By

“I spoke with our chief legal officer and he indicated that this does not have a direct correlation to expressive activities we are likely to see on campus,” Joe Izbrand, UTSA chief communications officer, said in an emailed statement following the Supreme Court’s denial. “Mckesson is about the potential liability of a protest organizer if a protest turns violent. It sounds like this still has a journey to make through the legal process before there is a final outcome to consider.”

In addition to UTSA administration, campus organizations felt it necessary to speak on the situation.

“This decision from The Supreme Court is contemptible but not surprising,” UTSA’s chapter of Young Democratic Socialists of America (YDSA) said. “In hindering the ability to protest peacefully for many constituents in multiple states, they mean to scare us all into inaction. This decision is just one of the many steps that we as a nation have taken on the road to fascism recently.”

The chapter detailed the reasons behind their anger toward the decision and took a stance against previous government decisions.

“Historically, popular movements have never been in the interest of the ruling and wealthy classes and we are witnessing the suppression of free speech and assembly as a result. The Young Democratic Socialists of America at UTSA sees and stands in solidarity with campuses across the U.S. like Columbia University, where peaceful divestment movements result in police arrests and arbitrary academic suspensions; like USC, where 2024 valedictorian Asna Tabassum has been silenced from speaking out about her experiences as a Muslim-American at her own commencement ceremony. Decisions like this happen because oppressive government regimes in the southern states get scared. Because they know our voices en masse are powerful.”

On a broader scope, the Party for Socialism and Liberation (PSL) has many chapters in the U.S. and the San Antonio chapter is no stranger to organizing protests. The San Antonio protest organizers voiced similar thoughts while

emphasizing the clickbait surrounding the issue.

“Headlines that say the Supreme Court ‘effectively abolishes’ the right to protest in Texas and other states are pure clickbait,” PSL San Antonio said. “Our right to protest has not been abolished, and we should keep protesting confidently. In actuality, the Supreme Court has only delayed reviewing the constitutional question raised in the important First Amendment case Mckesson v. Doe.”

“The Supreme Court decided not to hear Mckesson v. Doe — yet — and Justice Sonia Sotomayor explained why in a statement. A few days after the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals made its anti-protest decision on Mckesson, the Supreme Court made a different First Amendment ruling — Counterman v. Colorado. Sotomayor asserts that as Mckesson continues moving through the lower courts, the lower courts are now obliged to give ‘full and fair consideration’ to the higher court’s ruling in Counterman, and she suggests that might lead them to reverse their decision on Mckesson. The implication is that if Mckesson is not reversed at the lower level after considering Counterman, the Supreme Court might then step in.” With uncertainties surrounding the possible infringement of the First Amendment, people are gearing up for possible political warfare.

“The YDSA at UTSA is not interested in surrendering to half-baked tactics to repress our fundamental American right to free speech and

peaceable assembly,” a YDSA spokesperson said. “We believe this Supreme Court decision to be temporary — they will never overturn the First Amendment and so we will continue to be active on campus in whatever political actions our national student communities call us to.”

Similarly, PSL San Antonio is prepared to follow the case and protect their rights as they continue to confidently protest.

“PSL San Antonio believes that Mckesson is an important case which could potentially have significant impact on our First Amendment right to protest. However, headlines that suggest that the right to protest in Texas and elsewhere has been ‘effectively abolished’ is clickbait. We still have the right to protest and we should protest confidently. We urge everyone to try to understand this case, even though the U.S. has a bizarre legal system and uses a ‘legal language’ that is intentionally hard to grasp without training.”

“The PSL will continue to follow the Mckesson case as it moves through the lower courts, with full knowledge that this matter is by no means settled, and that the Supreme Court has yet to hear or rule on any aspect of this case. As we follow the case, the PSL in Texas, Mississippi and Louisiana will continue organizing mass protests, as we have always done, in the great tradition of the Civil Rights and other mass movements for change.”

By Faith Kouadio Staff Writer

Following the spring general election, the last student general assembly on April 18 confirmed nominees for next school year’s election commission, committee chair seats, speaker of the senate and deputy speaker positions. Additionally, there was a brief overview of the last events of the semester.

There were no inquiries during the open forum, and Speaker Ryan Faidley proceeded to new business. SGA has proposed new general assembly rules for itself listed in documents shared with senators “to make meetings more accessible for senators and to serve as a reference so that meetings can’t be manipulated. This will help [SGA] condense business and spend more time serving students.”

previous Speaker, Karli Robertson. Through a video submission, Senator Madeleine Snyder made her case for the position. “As a PhD student, I have chosen to dedicate over six years of my life to this university, and I care deeply about this community and seeing it become the very best it can for our student body,” she said. Snyder was unanimously confirmed as Speaker of the Senate for the Fall.

The current election commission, composed of Michaela Mgba, Liam Bage and Ana Diaz, was renominated and confirmed for the Fall semester. Next, nominees for committee chairs were given an opportunity to speak for themselves before a vote was passed. The assembly decided to vote on all four nominees at once. All were unanimously confirmed: Paul Gonzalez for Academic Affairs, Christine Powell for Business Affairs, Giselle Torres-Villarreal for Student Affairs and Alexis Segovia for Sustainability.

Faidley temporarily filled the position of Speaker of the Senate following the departure of the

The position of the Deputy Speaker was also made available. Senator Gloria Tran selfnominated herself for the position, citing her active membership in other organizations, a recent showcase during the Public Health Fair Week and her current position as Chair of the Internal Affairs committee as reasons for qualification.

“I am applying to be the Deputy Speaker of the Senate because I am committed to holding senators responsible for their attendance.

I would ensure that our senate’s actions are documented accurately and made accessible to all those who see them.” Tran was unanimously voted in.

For executive reports, President Nepote remotely thanked the assembly for a “great year.”

Nepote will be presenting findings and recommendations related to graduate health insurance and stipends to the board of regents. The assembly closed with reminders of Día en la Sombrilla, Earth Day Fair on April 22, a Scantron giveaway on

By Elizabeth Hope Staff Writer

Senate Bill 17 (SB 17) was put into effect on Jan. 1, forcing all diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) offices to close at Texas universities and colleges. Through the DEI offices, the Multicultural Engagement Center hosted cultural graduations. Cultural graduations are “campus-wide events that honor all students’ achievements and academic excellence while incorporating traditions and practices that uplift our communities.” There are three ceremonies comprising cultural graduation including Lavender Graduation, Latinx Graduation and Black Graduation. However, because of the state-wide ban of DEI offices, universities have renounced their support for cultural graduations and can no longer adhere to the ceremonies. With spring graduation approaching, students have been questioning the future of cultural graduations and whether the ceremonies will take place. One ceremony will be held, Lavender Graduation, co-hosted by UTSA’s studentled organization, Womxn in Leadership (W.I.L.) and Prism. W.I.L. states they are “focused on building a community among students where we can support each other in sharing our experiences, creating friendships, and building leadership skills that will help each one of us thrive on and off campus.” PRISM is an LGBTQ+ focused social group. The Womxn in Leadership President, Sarah Skinner, has provided information about the upcoming event. “Lavender Graduation is a ceremony to honor LGBTQ+ graduates,” Skinner said. “We have seen a wave of homophobic and transphobic rhetoric, legislation and violence over the past few years in this country, particularly in states like Florida and Texas. So it’s important for us to come together, support each other and

recognize the hard work and accomplishments of people in our community. When our state government is seemingly working to erase queer people from public life, it’s important to make each other feel seen and appreciated.” Managing this event are PRISM Co-Chairs Idalis Lopez, Sam Potts and Sarah Skinner. “It’s been challenging to get this event together,” Skinner said. “This year, we decided the ceremony will be hosted by the three of us rather than Dean of Students LT Robinson, and we hope it will more accurately reflect the attitudes, community and values of the student population.” Despite the challenges of getting the event together, the event planning crew is “proud to do this work and determined to make this event happen.” The organization is an intersectional feminist organization that welcomes anyone regardless of gender identity. They were inspired to host this ceremony due to the large number of past and present officers who have identified as members of the LGBTQ+ community. “In the years I’ve been a part of W.I.L., a significant proportion of its officers have been queer, and topics of queer identity and acceptance are common in our meetings,” Skinner said. “W.I.L. is a queer organization and we have a responsibility to support the queer community here at UTSA.”

Lavender Graduation registration is open and welcome to any LGBTQ+ graduate at UTSA. “You are not required to disclose your sexuality or gender identity on our registration form, though

Courtesy of UTSASGA

SGA releases Spring 2024 election results

By Jasmine Williams Staff Writer

The Student Government Association (SGA) held an election for their executive positions between Feb. 22 and March 4. The results were posted to their Instagram on April 18. In total, 645 students voted in the election out of the 32,368 eligible voters, which is approximately 1.99% of the student body. This is an increase from the previous year’s 578 voters who comprised 1.82% of the student body.

Student Body President

Aydan Villarreal was elected president after amassing 88.52% of the cast votes. Abstained votes made up 8.21% of the total while write-in candidates made up 3.25%.

Student Body Vice President

Emily Gaither was elected vice president upon receiving 84.03% of the votes. Abstained votes consisted of 14.26% of the total while write-in candidates consisted of 1.7%.

Student Body Treasurer

Ethan La Borde was elected treasurer with 82.17% of the total votes cast. Abstained votes were 16.43% of the total while write-in candidates were 1.39%.

Sophomore Senators

Sahana Babu was elected as one of the four sophomore senators with 79.78% of the votes. Three additional seats remain open for this position. Abstained votes made up 17.93% of the total while write-in candidates made up 2.26%.

Junior Senators

Alexia Segovia was elected as one of the four junior senators upon receiving 80.27% of the cast votes. Three additional seats remain open for this position. Abstained votes received 16.84% of the total while write-in candidates received 2.87%.

Senior Senators

Christina Powell, Angelina Rodriguez, Megan Brown and Belicia Vasquez were elected as the four senior senators. They received 22.03%, 21.24%, 18.77% and 17.34% of the total votes respectively. Candidate Haley Aguilar received 14.16% of the votes, 5.8% of the votes were abstained and the remaining 0.63% of votes were cast towards write-in candidates.

Graduate Senators Madeline Snyder was elected as one of the four graduate senators after amassing 81.3% of

the votes. Three additional seats remain open for this position. Abstained votes comprised 16.1% of the total while write-in candidates comprised 2.57%.

College of Business

All five seats remain open for the senator of the College of Business positions as abstained votes made up 72.16% of the total and write-in candidates made up 27.82%.

College of Education and Human Development

The two senator seats for the College of Education and Human Development positions remain open as no votes were cast for candidate Tay Moh, abstained votes, nor write-in candidates.

College of Engineering and Integrated Design

All four seats remain open for the senator of the College of Engineering and Integrated Design positions as abstained votes comprised 72.85% of the total cast while write-in candidates comprised 27.12%.

College of Health, Community, and Policy

Giselle Torres-Villarreal and Gloria Tran were elected as two of the five senators for the College of Health, Community and Policy. They received 53.52% and 36.47% of the cast votes respectively. Three additional seats remain open. Abstained votes made up 9.41% of votes cast and write-in candidates made up 0.58%.

College of Liberal and Fine Arts

Fritz Houston was elected as one of the four senators for the College of Liberal and Fine Arts upon amassing 69.93% of the total votes. Three additional seats remain open. Abstained votes amassed 22.37% of the votes and write-in candidates amassed 7.67%.

College of Sciences

Paul Gonzalez was elected as one of the five senators for the College of Sciences with 80.62% of the cast votes. Four additional seats remain open. Abstained votes comprised 13.17% of the votes and write-in candidates comprised 6.2%.

University College Senators

All three seats remain open for the University College senator positions as abstained votes made up 80.82% of the votes while write-in candidates made up 19.15% For more information on the SGA, visit utsa. edu/sga/.

Spurs confirm talks of Hemisfair relocation

Following an announcement that the Institute of Texan Cultures, and the real estate it resides on, will be leased to the City of San Antonio, rumors began circulating about a possible move to Hemisfair for the San Antonio Spurs. These rumors may finally be put to rest. According to the San Antonio Express-News, Spurs Sports & Entertainment (SS&E) have confirmed that they are in negotiations with the city to embark on a joint economic venture on the ITC property.

The intent by SS&E to partner with the City of San Antonio to construct a new arena in the Hemisfair district was discovered in a letter by SS&E to Attorney General Ken Paxton. The letter was written to argue against disclosing information about the project requested by the San Antonio Express-News under the Texas open records law. In the letter, SS&E discloses that the records being requested by the San Antonio ExpressNews contained details about negotiations between SS&E, the

new arena for the organization. The negotiations have not been finalized, and the potential location for the new arena has not been disclosed to the public. The letter alleges that “Prematurely disclosing the location of these properties will adversely affect all parties’ planning and negotiating positions including SS&E’s.”

Rumors of the potential move for the Spurs back to the Hemisfair district have been reported since July of 2023 when a source confirmed to KSAT12 that discussions concerning the feasibility of a move downtown were taking place between SS&E and the City of San Antonio. The Spurs currently call the Frost Bank Center home since its debut in the 2002-03 NBA season. Previously, the Spurs played in the HemisFair Arena from 1973 until 1993, when the facility was demolished. This is a developing

More construction to hit Loop 1604

By Noah Willoughby Staff Writer

Phase four of the Loop 1604 expansion began when the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) broke ground last Tuesday. This phase will focus on expanding a four-mile segment of Loop 1604 between U.S. Route 281 and Redland Road.

Phase four will cost $218 million and is expected to be completed by 2027. This is the first phase to focus on the part of Loop 1604 that is east of U.S. 281. Most construction on the highway has been concentrated west of U.S. 281 to Bandera Road.

The project is headed by the Texas Clear Lanes Initiative, created by TxDOT in 2015. This initiative is “aimed at relieving congestion on highways across the state while improving mobility and safety.”

“The Loop 1604 North Expansion is a transformative project that will bring the improvements needed to increase mobility and reduce congestion now and in the future,” Texas Transportation Commission Chairman J. Bruce Bugg said.

The six-phase project, which started in 2021, will cost around $1.5 billion to complete and take roughly seven years, with an expected completion date of 2028.

When the project is finished, Loop 1604 will be expanded from a fourlane expressway to a 10-lane with implemented HOV lanes in each direction. Drivers should expect commute time to be reduced by 76%. Bicyclist and pedestrian safety accommodations will also be added to the frontage roads.

To read about the Loop 1604 phase plan and see a map, visit TxDOT’s project webpage.

State of the City Week of 4/23

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 the confession of a 10-year-old in an unsolved murder case to a protest held at the Central Library.

Murder confession made by 10-year-old

On Jan. 28, 2022, the Gonzales County Sheriff’s Office discovered 32-year-old Brandon O’Quinn Rasberry dead in his RV after missing work for two days. Medical examiners determined that the cause of death was from a single gunshot wound to his head while he was asleep. The case went unsolved until April 12, when a Nixon Smiley Independent School District principal contacted the Gonzales County Sheriff’s Office. The Gonzales County Sheriff’s Office reported that a child at the school confessed to murdering a man two years prior after he had threatened to harm another student while on a school bus.

The then seven-year-old child confessed to taking a 9mm handgun from his grandfather’s glovebox at the RV park while he was visiting him. After this, he found and killed Rasberry in his RV while he was asleep. The child claimed to not know who Rasberry was before the incident and that he had no ill emotions toward him. According to Texas Penal Code 8.07, children under the age of 10 do not have criminal culpability, meaning he will not be charged for the murder of Rasberry.

Dr. Shoshnev awarded $1 million grant

By Naydine De La Fuente

Copyediting Coordinator

In a recent development, the Cancer Prevention & Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT) has recently recognized researcher and assistant professor in the UTSA Department of Neurosciences, Developmental and

Shoshnev’s project “Understanding the Mechanism of Linker Histone Mutations in Malignancy” mainly focuses on chromatin, a polymer complex composed of DNA and associated proteins. This polymer complex is essential in the role of various stages for cells, such as when dividing, fixing damage and controlling genes. An important component in chromatin is the histones, which are the main proteins in chromatin and aid with the structure of DNA and managing how they function. to this work, “Soshnev and collaborators recently demonstrated that chromosome decompaction can precipitate a chain of events leading to malignant transformation, and over a third of patients diagnosed with B-cell lymphoma carry somatic (i.e. tumor-specific) mutations in genes encoding H1 histones.” response to this, Soshnev stated, “Our results show that H1 histones act as tumor suppressors in B-cells.

H1 loss drives the stem cell programs in fully differentiated cells, in effect sending them back in time and increasing the potential progress into

cancer.” Soshnev continued, “However, a lot of details of how H1 mutations lead to malignancy remain unknown and are something we’d like to learn more about. Beyond H1 mutant lymphomas, our findings will be immediately relevant to an emerging class of malignancies associated with aberrant chromatin decompaction.”

As stated by the National Cancer Institute, more than a million people were living with B-cell lymphoma in the U.S. in 2020, and an estimated 8,570 new cases and 910 deaths have occurred in 2024. Although there are a lot of treatment options at hand and a high five-year relative survival rate of 88.9%, the lymphoma five-year mortality rate still ranges between 10% and 25% for different subtypes. However, with this funding, Shoshnev can further his work to uncover crucial insights into the development and progression of lymphomas and potentially make a breakthrough with diagnosis and treatment options.

To stay up to date on UTSA’s research grants, visit UTSA Today to learn more.

Jake Mireles/The Paisano

SGA continues to disappoint

The results for the Spring 2024 Student Government Association elections are in. While this time brings a change in leadership to the organization and new representatives for the respective colleges, two things have remained the same — SGA’s abysmal voter turnout and the organization’s inability to field enough candidates to fill the ballot.

This election cycle, all executive and legislative positions were open for candidates to run for, with each academic college, along with the different classes, being allocated different amounts of legislative seats. According to the SGA By-Laws, the only elections that do not occur during the Spring election cycle are freshman class senators and the Speaker of the Senate.

In keeping with SGA’s trend, this election saw many of the legislative positions remain vacant. Additionally, all of the candidates for the SGA executive positions ran uncontested.

The Sophomore and Junior classes only have one senator each, with both classes having three seats remaining vacant. The Senior class was the only class to completely fill their four legislative seats. The Graduate class also has only one senator, with three seats remaining vacant. The College of Business, the College of Education

and Human Development, the College of Engineering and Integrated Design and the University College all have no representation in SGA, as there were no candidates running to fill their legislative seats. The College of Liberal and Fine Arts and the College of Sciences both have only one senator. The College of Health, Community and Policy has two senators, with two seats remaining vacant.

These vacant seats will possibly be filled during the fall semester using an internal election process. Constituents of the colleges or classes with vacant seats will have no say in who will fill these vacancies and represent them.

Additionally, voter turnout has remained extremely low during this election cycle. According to the election results provided by SGA, only 645 of the 32,368 eligible voters participated in the election. This is a voter turnout rate of 1.99%, a minuscule improvement from the last election which had a voter turnout rate of 1.82%.

This brings up important questions about the validity of SGA elections. Why can the organization not fill its seats completely? Why is there not more than one candidate for executive positions? What is the point in holding elections if a large majority of the positions are unfilled or uncontested? Why does UTSA continue to provide SGA with thousands of dollars when the organization can barely fill enough seats to run the organization?

These questions cannot continue to remain unanswered. SGA must address these concerns and take action to improve participation in their organization and improve voter turnout in their elections. SGA needs to communicate a clear plan to UTSA students on how they are working to increase their visibility and voter participation.

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”

This is the First Amendment written in the Bill of Rights, a document that outlines the freedoms our country so proudly celebrates. America takes pride in being a place where its citizens can freely speak their minds, but lately, certain examples of this freedom are being met with anger and hostility. Throughout the beginning of the decade, individuals nationwide have been taking to social media and the streets to voice various grievances with our government, and the government’s responses have grown increasingly militant.

Despite being an app flooded with dance trends, funny videos and various product reviews, TikTok is no stranger to radical political conversations. This was evident in 2020 when the murder of George Floyd sparked videos spanning discussions of police brutality to imploring individuals to educate themselves on the history and current standings of race relations in America, and when the Presidential election took place the following November.

Lately, conversations like this have crept back into the TikTok algorithm, except now they are discussing events in the Middle East and the United States’ role in the region. What is being discussed not only on TikTok, but across social media, is conflicting with what the government tells us, and they hate that such conversations are out of their control. Due to the prevalence of the internet and social media, now more than ever we are able to see the truth of the country’s political and military actions with our own eyes. Apps like TikTok are then used to have

eckoning

conversations deconstructing and disputing what the Government tries to feed us, so it makes sense that they want to ban it.

In early March, The House passed a bill that could ban TikTok if the app’s China-based parent company, Bytedance, did not sell it. This past Saturday, after a bipartisan vote of 360-58, this legislation moved frighteningly closer to becoming a reality. The bill in its current state, if signed, would give TikTok 270 days to find a new owner or risk being banned nationwide.

The government can complain all they want about how TikTok is a matter of national security, or how it is ruining the minds of young people, but the real reason is plain and simple: suppression.

By forcing Bytedance to sell TikTok to a preferably American owner, or banning the app altogether, congress would be censoring the voices of dissent that have become so prevalent recently. This sets an ominous precedent in terms of freedom of speech, especially on social media — one where the Government displays how it can effectively censor or silence conversations that oppose its propaganda machine.

Maria Wence Staff Writer

Not only do citizens express their beliefs and grievances on social media, but they do so on the streets as well. The power of protests has been prevalent throughout our country’s history, and during the aforementioned summer of 2020, several protests took place which sparked a flame that has only continued to grow as the decade progresses. For instance, there was also a spike in pro-choice protests following the Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe V. Wade, the law that stated a woman’s right to have an abortion was protected by the Constitution. Now, the country has seen six months’ worth of protests sparked by the ongoing events in Palestine.

Mass protests have been the driving force of political change for decades, but now that may be in danger, too.

On April 15, the Supreme Court announced that it would not hear Mckesson v. Doe, effectively leaving in place a lower court decision that puts the right to organize mass protests in jeopardy in the states of Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas.

This move by the lower courts is an attempt

scare them into inaction. If passed, this would be an alarmingly casual infringement on our First

However, Justice Sonia Sotomayor assured in a statement that the Supreme Court’s decision not to hear this case was not absolute. She explained how the ruling in Counterman v. Colorado, a First Amendment case that the high court heard last term, must be considered as Mckesson continues to move through the lower courts. Sotomayor implies that if the lower courts do not reverse Mckesson after Counterman is taken into account, then the Supreme Court might become involved.

The role of courts in our country is to uphold and abide by the rights that are ingrained into America and all of its citizens. A lower court attempting to pass a law that would infringe on such rights is reprehensible, and it is imperative that they do their duty and reverse this unconstitutional legislation. If not, as the highest court in our nation, the Supreme Court must step in and right this wrong so that individuals may continue to freely practice their right to protest without the worry of any ban or law that prevents them from doing so.

In writing the First Amendment, the founding fathers deemed it our right as citizens to voice our beliefs and protest injustices that we are called to oppose. However, now various governmental bodies throughout the country — whether it be lower courts or Congress itself — are taking it upon themselves to decide who fits the bill.

14 states’ anti-choice crusade

Donald Trump is now the first ex-president to go to trial for trying to cover up all of his past scandals. He is being charged with falsifying internal Trump Organization records to help cover up another scheme of other multiple damaging stories that he is involved with, involving sexual relationships and baby cover-ups, in an attempt to try to protect himself during his 2016 presidential campaign.

The main allegations are focused on how he paid off two women, Stormy Daniels, a porn actor, and Karen McDougal, a Playboy model, who had claimed to have extramarital sexual encounters with Trump, years previous to his campaign even including one claim by his Trump Tower doorman that knows all about his alleged child he had out of wedlock. This led to Trump’s former lawyer, Michael Cohen, attempting to pay Daniels and McDougal between $130,000 and $150,000 . As they call it in the journalism world, “catch-and-kill,” meaning that they pay for the right to the exclusive story but cannot and will not have any intention of publishing it, seen as a favor to the subject of the story whether they are a celebrity or just someone to gain leverage over. These large amounts of money can be seen in the Trump Organization records as “legal expenses.”

On the whole, Trump has been charged with 34 counts of felonies for falsifying business records. Through a prolonged process of his trial, due to the countless failures of choosing proper jurors who will not be biased in any way towards the ex-president, it is a waiting game of who is worthy. As of recently, there have been seven jurors chosen for the trial: an information technology worker, an English teacher, an oncology nurse, a sales professional, a software engineer, and two lawyers. However, eleven more must be sworn in before anything can begin for the trial, making it seemingly impossible for new jurors to be chosen. Trump’s new lawyer has been able to make sure any jurors considered by the court are deemed unfit. By researching their past — whether it was about their personal lives, social media posts and even political views — to prevent any progress in being able to begin the trial. In total, 12 jurors must be chosen with the addition of six alternatives, and Judge Juan M. Merchan will be the one making the final decision of the trial.

If Merchan decides to find Trump guilty, the ex-president could face up to four years in prison. Ironically it would put Trump where he has more than once expressed for others to be, more specifically those whom he has targeted in the past — Hispanics. It may be the wake-up call many in higher power need; to be reminded that money and a high place in life do not guarantee full security. Commentary By

There are 14 states considering bills right now that would grant fetal personhood. One of the complications after overturning Roe v. Wade is that there is no longer standard legislation on topics related to abortion. Though these states are considering similar bills, they are all approaching it differently.

The Roe v. Wade ruling declared that a fetus cannot be considered a person until 24 weeks — when it is viable outside of the womb. Fetal personhood bills are an issue because they are trying to regulate abortion and would allow states to control pregnant people.

According to abortion law

historian Mary Ziegler, if fetuses were considered children, then someone pregnant could be prevented from receiving certain health treatments in the name of child endangerment laws, for example, if the hypothetical pregnant person

needed to undergo chemotherapy for cancer treatment.

Even though abortion is already illegal in many states, a bill accepting an embryo as a person could mean that people are punished for having abortions in other states, similar to abortion travel bans. It also gets confusing with in vitro fertilization in states such as Alabama, where they consider fertilization the beginning of personhood. These facilities destroy the fertilized eggs after a certain amount of time, but that would then mean they are causing the “death of an unborn person” and could result in a felony. This language of defining a fetus or embryo as a person is even being snuck into other bills. In Kentucky, for example, they are considering the right to be able to demand child support for a fetus.

These bills would not only create a situation limiting reproductive rights but also ensure that the reproductive rights that have already been stripped away will stay in place unless a national law or case takes legal superiority. Abortion should be a legal right because it is exercising the right of bodily autonomy, and these bills aim to further separate people from that. Commentary By Bela Ross Staff Writer

Noah Willoughby/The Paisano

OpiNION

Despite the stated claims of UTSA administration, demolishing the Texas Pavilion will be a mistake. The best use of the property is the continued maintenance and revitalization of the structure and its satellite buildings so Hemisfair’s largest surviving pavilion persists long into the future.

The Texas Pavilion was conceived of as a permanent structure from its initial design. Indeed, since it became a UTSA property in 1969, it has lived a colorful “life.” It quickly became synonymous with the Institute of Texan Cultures (ITC), the museum it houses. From 1972 until 2019, the ITC hosted the annual Texas Folklife Festival. What made Folklife special was the way it brought cultural education to the community through experience. Visitors had a chance to experience traditional arts and cuisine from each of the many cultural groups that make up Texas’ population. The property was also home to the local Asian Festival until that event relocated to the UTSA

Downtown campus in 2023. Both festivals brought attention, attendance, and a continual sense of timelessness to the museum.

The ITC has also been crucial for UTSA’s museum studies program and a portion of the University’s Special Collections.

Fifty-six years after opening, the Texas Pavilion retains its unique value as a landmark and local fixture, even hosting important events such as naturalization ceremonies for new citizens. A 2022 assessment carried out by the Raba Kistner engineering firm at the request of UTSA revealed that the building is in good shape as well. University officials have subsequently made statements contradicting these results, but the fact remains that the building is structurally sound. With proper maintenance, it can persist into the future. In January of this year, the Conservation Society nominated the Texas Pavilion for addition to the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). Although placement on the NRHP does not protect a structure from demolition, it makes preservation a more attractive option in tax

The past few months have been filled with shocking reports of in-flight incidents by Boeing airplanes, with multiple emergency landings due to mechanical problems ranging from wing damage to cracks in windows. Videos of tires flying off a plane during takeoff and of a midflight door blowout quickly made waves on the internet, frightening the public and drawing attention to the company.

The Boeing Company — founded in Seattle in 1916 — is an aerospace manufacturer that develops commercial aircraft, spacecraft, and defense products. It is the second largest manufacturer of commercial airplanes in the world, right behind Airbus.

Drama has unfolded this year following the recent accidents. The U.S. Justice Department opened an investigation into the company this past March following the attention-catching door blowout. Company whistleblowers have come out to condemn Boeing’s leadership for negligence.

Witnesses at the Senate hearings included Ed Pierson, a former Boeing manager, who accused the company of attempting a criminal cover-up given the lack of paperwork they provided to the National Transportation Safety Board investigators after the blowout incident.

Sam Salehpour, a Boeing quality

By Jackie Cardona Contributor

incentives the University can’t take advantage of as a state institution.

Demolition of the Texas Pavilion will call into question

UTSA’s values as a Hispanicserving institution, given it is the only downtown building designed by a Mexican-American. William Merriweather Peña was one of the lead architects for Caudill Rowlett Scott, the architectural firm that designed the pavilion. Although Peña’s surname was left out of the firm’s name to avoid the racial tensions of the 1960s, he was instrumental in designing and constructing the pavilion. Choosing to demolish his work for convenience and profit would send a message counter to the one UTSA hopes to send about the value of Hispanic accomplishments in the community. There is also the Hemisfair revitalization effort to consider. San Antonio has spent the last several years redeveloping the former World’s Fair site while making heavy use of the Hemisfair name, so it is only logical that original structures remain within the area if possible. Very few

engineer, accused the company of producing defective airplanes. He claims to have been ignored and even physically threatened when bringing up concerns to superiors.

In a sad twist to the situation, John Barnett, a former Boeing employee who had been giving evidence in a lawsuit against them, was found dead on March 9 of a “self-inflicted” wound. The suspicious timing of his death left the public pointing fingers at Boeing, accusing them of assassination.

Though this has not been proven, this entire situation has been fueling paranoia, increasing people’s fear of air travel — which remains the safest mode of transportation. Boeing’s subpar standards and negligence — essentially pretending

pavilions remain and not all of those in existence are in good condition; the Women’s Pavilion, for example, is located within walking distance of the Texas Pavilion but is in poor condition due to years of neglect. The Texas Pavilion itself is in good condition, and it forms a boundary of sorts for the Hemisfair footprint. It makes little sense to demolish a piece of Texas History to build a stadium, as the city intends, almost directly where one already exists (the Alamodome).

UTSA is taking steps to assure the public that the Texas Pavilion will receive its due respect as it is razed, but willfully destroying an important piece of history in the name of profits runs directly counter to this supposed goal. The Texas Pavilion is a national landmark, not merely a local one. A university that offers a historic preservation certification program, as UTSA does, should recognize what a grave error it would be to demolish such a landmark when it can be repurposed instead. The Institute of

that everything is fine and defending their safety standards — is criminal at worst and embarrassing at best.

Flight is a wonder of the modern world, being both a privilege and a necessity. People must demand transparency and better standards and not let themselves be frightened off visiting their families and traveling the world for fear of cracked windows. Avoiding flights on Boeing aircraft is not enough and prevents holding company leadership responsible.

When getting on a plane, passengers put their faith and trust in the airline and aircraft to transport them safely. It is imperative that lazy leadership does not go unpunished and that things change at Boeing to earn back that faith and trust.

arts & life

RThe real question is, “Who does Kendrick Lamar think he is?” While Lamar is respected by a majority of hip-hop fans everywhere, respectfully, he does not compare to Drake. Lamar’s best work came in the early 2010s when he dropped his widely acclaimed albums “To Pimp a Butterfly” (TPAB) and “good kid, m.A.A.d city.” Make no mistake, those are

good albums, but what has he done since? TPAB came out in 2015 and Lamar has released four albums since, all failing in comparison to his earlier work. Drake, on the other hand, continues to own the charts and capture the attention of audiences whenever he drops an album. When you go to a party, not a single soul is saying, “Put on that new Kendrick Lamar.” He just does not have

9 oz wines and $4 off their “Half Yards,” which are 32 oz beers signature to the restaurant. Yard House has a second late-night happy hour with the same deals on Sunday to Thursday from 9 to 11 p.m.

Besides these bars, there are many others not listed that could make for great barhopping during happy hour. Tabs can run up high, but enjoying a drink or two on a deal makes it easier on a college student’s budget.

“According to Global Web Index, Gen Zers spend an average of 2 hours 43 minutes a day on social media,” Ignite Social Media wrote. Assuming your usage is close to average, you likely spend around 990 hours a year on social media. But do not fret, there is a more productive way to satisfy your social media cravings: professional social media. With over 830 million users and 55 million job listings, LinkedIn can be a valuable tool for your success in today’s dicey job market if you reallocate only a fraction of your social media screen time to the platform. That being said, consider these tips to optimize your professional social media profiles.

Profile appearance

• Keep your profile photo up to date. Your profile photo should be an in-focus, well-lit photo from your shoulders up. If possible, dress professionally or put on light makeup. If you feel comfortable doing so, a smiling photo goes a long way. If you are a UTSA student, take advantage of the University Career Center’s free professional headshot resource, the Iris Booth.

• Strategically choose your job headline. Are you actively applying for jobs? Personalize your headline to match the job title you are searching for. Are you graduating and want employers to know you will be in the job market soon? Put something like “Senior communication major at UTSA” in your headline.

• Create a custom banner. While you can use a plain banner photo, go the extra mile and personalize it by adding your job title, email address or a QR code linked to your portfolio.

Resume materials

• Keep your job experiences up-to-date in the “Experience” section. You can chronologically display internships, part-time positions, full-time jobs or freelance work. Add descriptions of your duties using strong action verbs and quantifiable achievements.

• Update the “Education” section with any schools you may have attended along with the activities or societies you were involved in.

• Are you forklift certified? Make sure to note that in the “Licenses & certifications” section. This could also include TABC certifications, food handler licenses, CPR certifications and more.

• Strategically choose the assets you add in the “Skills” section. LinkedIn has a maximum of 50 skills per profile, so tailor them to the jobs you are applying for.

• LinkedIn has several profile section options for users to showcase their experiences and qualifications. Other sections to add include services, career breaks,

Arts & Life

A purr-fect show

The Amazing Acro-Cats stop at San Antonio’s Josephine Theatre

crew wrangles the cats back to the stage. From there, the cats were introduced, along with a chicken named Cluck Norris who was later seen in the Rock Cats band.

With the show having commenced, Martin described the backstories of many of the cats, including the original star Tuna and the current stars, Tuna’s proteges, Ahi and Albacore. With cats being placed on stage, Martin and her human companions had the felines push carts around holding other cats, run through obstacles and make daring leaps across platforms.

performances ran from Friday through Sunday night at the Josephine Theatre located just off St. Mary’s St. at 339 W Josephine St.

Starting their performance, Martin and her human helpers gave some important info to the crowd, directing them to stay calm when cats run off-stage and making sure that only the

Besides the stunts and amazing feline acrobatics, there were some small mishaps. Cats are not the easiest animals to train — Martin and her team made that clear to the audience at the start of the performance. There were many times when a cat would run off stage to return later or would ignore their cues to do their tricks. But the show must go on, so with a missed trick the audience would applaud and the cast of felines would continue to their next

By Jenna Taylor Magazine Editor

daring stunt.

Alongside the normal roster, the Acro-Cats are touring with a few kittens. While they are still learning their cues, they are also up for adoption from the Rock Cats Rescue. Anyone interested in adopting can contact Martin and her team through the Rock Cats Rescue website or email emailkarma@ rockcatsrescue.org. According to Martin, the kittens traveling are not ready for adoption just yet but will be around the time they are performing in Fort Worth, Texas, starting on May 9. Following the performance from the Acro-Cats came the Rock Cats and the Jazz Cats bands — which shared most of the cast between the bands and the Acro-Cats performance. The Rock Cats band hosts an impressive lineup with St. Claude on guitar, Alley on drums, Newt on keys, Cluck Norris on cymbals,

Taylor Swift shocked the internet with her ground-breaking double album “The Tortured Poets Department” (TTPD).

Swift dropped the first 16 songs off of TTPD at midnight Eastern Time on Friday, April 19, followed two hours later by the release of “The Tortured Poets Department: The Anthology,” which features an additional 15 tracks. This now makes “The Tortured Poets

Ahi on cowbell, Albacore on xylophone, Annie on saxophone and Mickey on trumpet. The cats hilariously played their instruments, making noise some of the time but capturing the audience’s hearts the entire time. The cats seemed the best behaved during the musical act of the show, staying in their respective seats as long as possible — mostly due to the amount of treats they would receive to keep them performing.

All in all the Acro-Cats, Rock Cats and Jazz Cats put on a fun, endearing and, most of all, entertaining show. The AcroCats is a unique experience that should not be missed if given the opportunity, and luckily, they are still touring Texas. They will be performing in Austin at The Rollins Theatre from April 24 through May 5 and in Fort Worth from May 9 through 12, before leaving the state for the rest of their tour.

Independent production company A24 collaborated with UTSA’s film and media program to allow students to watch the entertainment company’s unreleased film “Sing Sing,” this past Wednesday. Awardwinning producer Monique Walton was also on campus for an audience Q&A session.

The title “Sing Sing” is derived from the film’s setting, Sing Sing Correctional Facility, a maximum-security prison in Ossining, New York. The plot centers around a group of personable characters based on real-life inmates serving sentences, with some also starring in the film playing themselves. Acclaimed actor Colman Domingo takes on the lead role of John Whitfield, an inmate convicted of murder participating in the Rehabilitation Through the Arts program by organizing theatrical performances.

Without a doubt, the film is a must-watch. Elements like the cinematography and score are exceptionally well crafted and give audiences something to look forward to for its release this coming July.

Following the screening, there were speakers on standby, one of them being Walton.

Upon introducing herself, Walton mentioned she attended graduate school at UT, offering UTSA students an example of where the film industry can lead. Various crowd members were eager to ask in-depth questions regarding the production of “Sing Sing.” Walton proceeded to give detailed answers regarding the production of the film as well as any other show biz.

UTSA’s film program Director Paul Ardoin was also in attendance to offer more insight regarding the screening and more. When asked how this opportunity was presented to them, he said, “We had some

Department: The Anthology” Swift’s longest album in terms of track quantity and album length.

American rapper Post Malone sings with Swift for the album’s opening track, “Fortnight.” Malone and Swift’s soft vocals are beautifully harmonized alongside a synth-pop music production.

A fortnight is two weeks, and Swift uses the title throughout the track to describe a short-lived whirlwind romance that she cannot let go of. “Fortnight” ends with Swift feeling left behind in the lyrics

help from friends in town and A24 when they had reached out to us in December [2023].” “I thought it was great,” Ardoin said about the film. “The performances were fantastic. I think we’re going to hear a lot about it when it’s released.”

“another fortnight lost in America, move to Florida, buy the car you want.”

These lyrics foreshadowed track eight of TTPD, a track Swift did in collaboration with Florence Welch titled “Florida!!!” The track is a wave of emotion and power, with Welch and Swift’s voices meshing together seamlessly in the upbeat duet. Vocally riffing off each other throughout the ballad, the artists end the song with a strong and astounding belt.

Since 2022, UTSA’s film program has been under the Multidisciplinary Studies path as a concentration. As UTSA grew to R1 Carnegie classification in recent years, it allowed the field to switch to the College of Liberal and Fine Arts as a full-fledged program. Ardoin elaborated more on the program’s expansion, saying, “It’ll be much more productionoriented. We’re adding new courses like Lighting & Cinematography, Editing, Sound and even in-front-ofthe-camera courses like Acting for the Screen. We have a huge number of incoming students, doubling the size of the program for a second year in a row.”

By Malaki Lingg Web Editor

Malaki Lingg/The Paisano

Armin Suljovic/The Paisano

Jenna Taylor/The Paisano

Arte de San Antonio

By Luke Lawhorn Sports Editor

In a league where over half of the NBA teams make the playoffs, on a team that had an all-time franchise worst year in 2023 and landed the No. 1 overall pick and with most of their players returning with more experience under their belt, the Spurs are yet again sitting at home for the fifth straight postseason. Concluding the season at 22-60 for the second straight year –– which is tied for third for worst seasons by record in San Antonio’s history ––did have one obvious difference, though. That, of course, was Victor Wembanyama, who gave Spurs fans so many great moments when the team was perennial championship contenders. From the stat lines to the record-breaking

performances, Wembanyama was the light in the cataclysmic season. But what gives the loyal fanbase hope and excitement for what is to come is that the worst the Spurs should ever be in the foreseeable future is now behind them. Throughout the 82-game roller coaster, the rookie Frenchman showcased time and time again that he is on an all-time trajectory, which was backed all season by his mindboggling totals.

Wembanyama ended the season as the first rookie in NBA history to surpass 1,500 points, 250 assists and 250 blocks. Only Hall of Famers Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Hakeem Olajuwon and David Robinson have done so in their entire careers. Wemby also joins those three as the only players in the league’s existence to have seven or more games of 20-plus points, 5-plus assists and 5-plus blocks in a season. He

also became the 10th player ever to average 20 points, 10 rebounds and three blocks in a season, the first to record such averages in less than 30 minutes per game. Wemby joined Tim Duncan as the only rookies in NBA history to reach 1,400 points, 700 rebounds, 200 assists and 200 blocks while becoming the first player to surpass 1,500 points, 250 blocks and 100 3-pointers in a season. Not only did he lap the field in rookie seasons, but Wembanyama is already stacking up numbers against the greatest basketball players ever.

Despite the records, the 7-foot-3 sensation didn’t seem surprised by any of his performances. In fact, Wemby stated at his end-of-the-year press conference that he didn’t even feel he exceeded his own expectations. “Not really,” he said. “This is not how I

feel. Maybe it’s the case, but not how I feel because everyday I try to push harder and to do more: get more achievements, more records, more wins. But the next thing I always tell myself is that I didn’t do enough and to push [myself] even more. My first impression isn’t that I exceeded any expectations, [but] that I should’ve done more.”

This is what San Antonio fans can hold on to for the long summer until he returns to the Frost Bank Center in late October. Not only has he become one of the best players in the NBA at 20 years old, but he’s never once seemed to think he’ll slow down. And with the numbers he’s putting up now, with the inexperienced supporting cast around him — including himself? The sky’s the limit for the Alien.

By Noah Willoughby Staff Writer

Sure, sports may be all about the human body exceeding its expectations, but what of those athletes who transcend the human form and reality itself? Here are the top five fictional athletes born into a life they didn’t choose and decided to make the most of it, even without opposable thumbs.

5. Chicken Joe - “Surf’s up”

Even though Joe won the Big Z memorial competition by default, he lands on this list because of his love for the sport of surfing and life. Unlike most athletes, he wants nothing to do with fame or money, he just enjoys the sport he was born to do. He didn’t even care that he won, let alone know that he won, how humble.

4. Max Goof - “An Extremely Goofy Movie”

Tony Hawk, who? People don’t even recognize the guy in public. X Games champion Max Goof finds his raw talents on this list because they helped his team best a cheating Bradley Uppercrust team. Not many professional teams have pulled off wins against cheaters like the Dodgers losing to the “trashcan” Astros in 2017 or the Colts losing to the “deflategate” Patriots in 2015. Goof did what the Dodgers and Colts couldn’t do — beat the team with an unfair advantage.

3. Buddy - “Air Bud” & Air Buddies franchise

How did the parents of the other team’s players feel when they got demolished by a dog? Air Bud is a jack-of-all-trades winning machine, which is why he finds himself a spot on this list. Ask him to swing a bat and the ball will go further than Mike Trout. Ask him to hit the ice and he will score more goals than Wayne Gretzky. Ask him to shoot the and he’ll be better than Mark Richards. There is nothing this purebred can’t do.

2. Lightning McQueen - Cars Franchise

Once the 2005 Piston Cup Rookie of the Year Lightning McQueen figured out racing was a team sport, nothing stopped this maniac on wheels. He has won seven piston cups in his 12-year career, which ties him with Strip ‘The King’ Weathers for the most in the Cup’s history. What separates McQueen from Weathers, though, is his success with the smallmarket franchise,

center fielder Madi Hays showed signs of magic with two diving catches that prevented a few runs. On top of the errors that were made and the scoreless run column, the pitching was a big reason why this game was lost. Sophomore pitcher Reagan Smith threw three and one-third innings with three earned

doors of her chosen college sport to be introduced to professional teams and audiences. Thankfully, they’re being recognized for more than beauty, though they continue to be subjected to discrimination and face sexist standards. The difference is that this year, women are coming up as the greatest and hardest athletes in all sports society. To be able to refer to the golden age of basketball implies it is not happening now. The next big name in the sport could have been Purdue University’s towering Zach Edey, standing 7-foot-4 with 926 points to his name, if he weren’t dwarfed by sixfoot superstar Caitlin Clark’s remarkable 1183 points. To aggravate matters, the top ten women average 23.96 points per game versus the top ten men’s average of 22.51.

Independently, the women are strong, and as such, their teams are akin to

superhero leagues. The final four, or the Fantastic Four, showed out on their stats: South Carolina holds the top defensive mark in the country, Iowa’s strength is its discouraging offense, UConn’s high defense and offensive efforts make them a jack of all trades and N.C State’s low foul rate keeps them in the game. The shining potential being generated has caught the eye of a powerful few watching, as every step is leaving money all over the court – and off it, too.

Recently, the NCAA and ESPN shook hands on a $65 million contract for women’s basketball, a hike over 10 times higher than the previous contract. Shoe deals were signed for 15 women from nine different brands, including Nike, Reebok and Puma. Jenny Nguyen, owner of The Sports Bra, the first sports bar to feature only women’s sports, put her passion simply: “I’ve been watching women’s basketball for decades, it feels like everyone else is just catching up… it’s about damn time.”

Indeed, audiences have caught up with the times, with a recent game between the

Iowa Hawkeyes and LSU Tigers pulling in a record 12.3 million viewers. That’s record-breaking for men and women, by the way.

Even Lebron James, Travis Scott and Shaquille O’Neal are watching the games, with the latter sharing on his podcast: “The boys suck, so I’m not following, but I’m definitely following the girls. Actually, women’s basketball is kicking a–. I don’t think I know any men’s [players].” There doesn’t seem to be a need to know them either. The competition, money and fun are pouring out of the women. Demand and supply are increasing in other women’s sports, too, such as soccer or F1 racing.

The Angel Reese, Paige Bueckers and more dance across the court floor, waiting to be selected for the upcoming shining era of women’s basketball.

Bela Ross/The Paisano

Over the past four seasons, UTSA football has enjoyed an unprecedented amount of success. Two conference championships, four bowl game appearances and two nationallyranked seasons are not something that happens by accident. A key reason why the Roadrunners have been regarded as a top Group of Five team is due to their stability at the quarterback position. However, program icon Frank Harris’

By Logan Martinez Staff Writer

Sitting atop the AL East with a 13-6 record, the New York Yankees have played outstanding baseball in their brief opening stint. Despite losing their ace Gerrit Cole to begin the year, the Yanks have put together incredible wins to start the season. Kicking off the 162-game schedule with a series sweep over the flailing Houston Astros, many fans have begun to marvel at how different the team looks from last year. With blockbuster offseason trades and smart free-agent signings, the storied franchise has finally started to look like the Yankees of old. Though it is extremely early, there is no doubt that the New York Yankees can go all the way and win their 28th championship. Their culmination of bonafide star power, solid role-playing and elite pitching make them incredibly dangerous for any team within the MLB.

With blockbuster offseason additions such as Juan Soto, Marcus Stroman and Alex Verdugo, the Yanks have looked as fresh and energized as ever. Retaining key pieces from last year, the team now sits with arguably the best-hitting lineup in the American League. The new threeheaded monster of Soto, Aaron Judge

‘Runners continue their success without him?

nation for four years is a privilege not a lot of schools can say they’ve had recently. Most quarterbacks at larger schools play maybe one or two years before declaring for the NFL Draft because they have nothing left to prove. We’ve seen this happen to national championship contenders like Ohio State, Georgia and Alabama, yet their success is uninterrupted. UTSA should be no different.

exit of one player cannot set the team back in a major way. In 2023, the ‘Runners were without

By Nicholas Kingman Assistant Opinion Editor

and Giancarlo Stanton has continued to strike fear into opposing pitchers, as each is capable of beaming a ball straight into the stands. The new Bronx Bombers have made their impact heavily felt so far this year, hitting 13 of the team’s 22 total home runs. The pinstripes’ role players have also contributed a great deal so far, proving early that they are more than championship caliber. Fan favorites such as Verdugo, Anthony Volpe and Anthony Rizzo all played exceptionally well early on, avoiding errors and making the most of their time on the plate.

Though the preseason loss of Cy Young, Cole served as a huge blow to the Yanks’ rotation, many pitchers have stepped up and played amazingly in Cole’s absence. While Nestor Cortes Jr. and Carlos Rodón have somewhat struggled in early innings, their ability to paint the zone has made them key contributors to the team’s early success. Others in the rotation, such as Stroman, Clarke Schmidt and Luis Gil, have all pitched outstanding games so far, throwing smooth sliders and heated fastballs.

Continue reading at paisano-online.com

five of this year’s Formula 1 season took place last Sunday in Shanghai, China, at the Shanghai International Circuit. The Chinese GP returned to the F1 calendar for the first time since 2019 after being removed due to the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic in the country. Red Bull Racing had a front-row lockout for the second time this season after Qualifying on Saturday, meaning both their drivers started at the front of the grid. Current World Champion Max Verstappen started from pole position with his teammate, Sergio Perez, behind in second position (P2). Verstappen’s pole position was Red Bull Racing’s 100th pole, the first of which was also achieved in the Chinese GP 15 years ago by the now-retired four-time world champion, took the 58th win of his career after crossing

the finish line, extending his lead in the World Championship after an incident-filled race with two safety cars deployed. Perez lost P2 to Lando Norris from McLaren, who secured his second podium of the season and finished P3, extending his own second place in the World Championship. Norris remains fifth in the Driver Standings. Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso had qualified for P3 but lost the position due to the inferiority of his car’s performance compared to teams like Red Bull, McLaren and Ferrari. He finished P7 and secured the fastest lap of the race in Lap 45 with a time of 1:37.810 seconds. This race weekend was also the first Sprint weekend of the calendar. A Sprint race is a half-an-hour-long race held before the regular Qualifying session that offers a smaller amount of points but provides teams the opportunity to test racing conditions at the track. Norris had managed to qualify P1 for the Sprint but lost the position in lap one of 19. Verstappen won the Sprint after starting P4 and was joined on the podium by seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton in P2 and his teammate, Perez, in P3.

Hamilton, who has won the Chinese GP six times in his career, finished Sunday’s race P9 after a difficult qualifying session that saw him start P18 at the back of the grid. When asked if he enjoyed the race by an interviewer afterward, he said, “Not particularly. I was pretty slow.”

Zhou Guanyu from the Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber, who finished P14, received much attention during the weekend as the first and, currently, only Chinese F1 driver. This was his first home race, as he joined the grid in 2022 when the Chinese GP was suspended. He was given a special parking spot on the track after the race finished and was reduced to tears due to the support from the fans.

“Very emotional weekend, of course,” Zhou said in the Post-Race show. “I never expected to have such a crowd like that.” Round six of the 2024 F1 season will take place at 3 p.m. Sunday, May 5, in the United States at the Miami International Autodrome.

The countdown to the Olympics

regrouped after throwing an interception in the second quarter by marching down on their ensuing possession and capitalizing the drive off on a 4-yard touchdown throw to receiver Marquez Stevenson. With less than a minute left in the first half, Michigan (2-2) got their first points on the board with a 49-yard field goal by kicker Jake Bates to shave the deficit to 16-3 at the break.

The Brahmas offense slowed down in the second half, punting the ball three out of the final four drives of the night. Michigan, who struggled all day to gain traction, began to drive down the field after a quarterback change.

“Sometimes when you are in the UFL and [with] how these rules are, people start looking at the scoreboard and seeing the clock going,” receiver Justin Smith said. “In the second half when we are up, we have to slow down and calm down.” The Panthers got their first touchdown late into the fourth after backup quarterback Danny Etling tossed a 41-yard touchdown to receiver Marcus Simms, bringing the deficit to 19-9 with two minutes left in the game. Michigan converted their fourth-and-12 conversion to retain possession, but the Panthers couldn’t capitalize on the opportunity. Under pressure, Etling stepped up to pass but was picked off by Brahmas safety Jordan Mosley, sealing the victory for San Antonio.

“We have a strong pass rush,” coach Wade Phillps said.

“I thought our secondary really played well today.”

In his debut, Dormady finished the game completing 23 of 37 passes for 269 yards and a touchdown. Smith and Kirklin both had 100-plus yard games on eight targets. The Brahmas defense had their best game of the year, ending the night with a season-high six sacks, along with a pair of fumble recoveries and one interception.

“We put a challenge to the [defensive line] this week to get to the quarterback,” linebacker Jordan Williams said. “Last week, we really didn’t get to A.J. as much as we wanted to.”

The San Antonio Brahmas face the Arlington Renegades at 6 p.m. Saturday at Choctaw Stadium.

By Haley Aguayo Assistant Sports Editor

With 94 days left, athletes are preparing for what could be the biggest day of their lives as they train for the 2024 Paris Olympics. Between athletes, culture, history, technology and legacy, this year’s much-anticipated event is worth a four-year, or in this case, a three-year wait.

This summer, Paris will officially become the third city to host the Olympics for the third time, though the last time the city of love hosted this event was 100 years ago.

Dating back to 776 BC, the Olympics began in Olympia, Greece as a way for athletes to showcase their strengths for entertainment for large audiences. After a seemingly short stint within a historical timeline, the tradition ended in 393 AD and did not begin again for another 1,503 years.

The first of what people know as modern-day Olympics was started up in Athens and lasted a mere 11 days in April of 1896. Since then, athletes and supporters alike have been able to celebrate one of humanity’s longest-reigning traditions.

The Olympics can be an exciting event for all fans and competitors as each new venue brings in new technological innovations along with it, proving that even a long-standing sporting event can usher in a new era as it moves forward into the future.

This year, the U.S. will have more than 500 athletes competing for the country. So far, only 122 people have secured their spot in various

sports such as triathlon racing, beach volleyball, fencing, track and field, tennis, taekwondo, etc. There are already 22 categories that have been accounted for and 10 left to compete for. American wrestlers officially secured their spots over the weekend, finishing on April 20.

With so many athletes competing for the U.S. this year, it goes to show what an impact these people can make for generations to come. Each year, new athletes hit the scene as well as the podiums. Swimmer Katie Ledecky broke the most decorated American athlete Michael Phelps’ record last year for most individual world swimming titles, a huge feat for all young swimmers

More importantly, one of the main goals of the Olympics is to promote peace and unity within the world. Athletes can proudly compete for their countries despite facing adversities that pose setbacks to their own countries. It is an event that is meant to be celebrated as viewers watch the strongest of people triumph.

Kara Lee/The Paisano

Rylan Renteria/The Paisano

Jenna Taylor/The Paisano