2017-01-17

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Tuesday, January 17, 2017

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STATE

85th Legislature addresses key issues

By Mikaela Cannizzo @mikaelac16

Texas legislators have filed more than 1,600 bills since the 85th session of the Texas Legislature began, spanning topics from gun control and ride-hailing regulations to abortion policies.

Here are some hot-button topics and bills that are likely to take precedence as the session unfolds.

Gun Rights The campus carry law pertaining to UT-Austin and

other public universities in Texas, which went into effect August 2016, allows licensed gun holders to carry concealed handguns.

This law, officially known as Senate Bill 11, restricts any university from creating a rule prohibiting license holders from actually carrying their guns on campus. This legislative session will address the controversial campus carry law with House Bills 282 and 391.

According to the record of filed house bills, Bills 282 and 391 propose to amend Senate Bill 11 to allow institutions

of higher education to have the option of “prohibiting license holders from carrying handguns on the campus of the institution, any grounds or building on which an activity sponsored by the institution is being conducted, or a passenger transportation vehicle owned by the institution.”

Transportation Popular ride-hailing companies Uber and Lyft put their services on pause in May after the majority of Austin voters

ISSUES page 2

Stephanie Tacy | Daily Texan Staff

During the 85th session, the Texas Legislature will cover topics spanning from gun rights to transportation.

By Lisa Dreher @lisa_dreher97

Joshua Guerra | Daily Texan Staff

Local Austin residents march from the University of Texas campus to the State Capitol to celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. day on Monday morning, marking the 50th anniversary of the holiday.

STATE

UTPD logs persistent crime rate over break @catherinemarfin

Austin celebrates 23rd annual MLK march

MARCH page 5

CAMPUS

By Catherine Marfin

CITY

Thousands of UT students, Austinites and activists marched to remember civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr., marking his birthday and the holiday’s 50th anniversary on Monday.

“This is a great opportunity for Austin and [the] surrounding community to come together to represent Dr. King, who truly stood up for justice, love, equality [and] peace for everyone,” said Brenda Burt, UT MLK march coordinator. “This is history that we should always continue.”

At the 23rd annual Austin community march, speakers echoed a message of unity in light of recent political events.

“Many of you are concerned about what’s going on in this country … and whether or not you have a voice to make things

bit.ly/dtvid

Although most students were away during the recent four-week holiday, crimes still occurred almost every day, according to the UT Police Department.

The UTPD Daily Crime Log lists the past 60 days of crimes reported by UTPD every day. From Dec. 15 — the day after the last finals were scheduled on campus — to Jan. 13, a total of 94 crimes took place both on and off campus.

Of the 94 crimes reported that took place during the 30 days of winter break, the majority were drug- and alcohol-related, with 13 reports of possession of marijuana and other controlled substances, 14 reports of public intoxication, nine reports of driving while intoxicated and three reports of alcohol consumption by a minor.

There were also multiple incidents of theft and graffiti, with 10 and 11 UTPD reports occurring during the break, respectively.

Traffic, vehicle and license violations were also common, with seven UTPD reports occurring over the holiday. UTPD also reported five incidents of criminal mischief and seven incidents of criminal trespass.

Assault, fraud, forgery and other miscellaneous crimes were the least common and accounted for the remaining 11 reports.

Business freshman Aleyiah Pena said that although most people are

CRIME page 5

CITY

Texas legislators set goals, Austin City Council welcomes continue debate over key bills new members, tackles issues

By Claire Allbright @claireallbright

After the pomp and circumstance and calls for unity of the first day died down, legislators resumed debate over key bills and set goals for the 85th session of the Texas Legislature.

The first week of the session was characterized by talks of major legislation, including the “bathroom bill” and bills supporting school choice and police safety.

On Wednesday, House members got a preview of future debate on the “bathroom bill,” or Senate Bill 6, which would require transgender individuals to use the bathroom of their “biological sex,” rather than the

gender they identify with.

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick defended the bill, titled the Texas Privacy Act, Wednesday in an interview with Evan Smith, the CEO and editor-in-chief of The Texas Tribune. Patrick also said the bill is one of his priorities for the session because it will ensure the safety and privacy of women and girls.

“This legislation codifies what has been common practice in Texas and everywhere else forever — that men and women should use separate, designated bathrooms,” Patrick said in a Jan. 5 statement. “SB 6 also ensures that businesses have the freedom to determine their own bathroom policies and that no public school can

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By Lisa Dreher @lisa_dreher97

With the addition of two new faces, Jimmy Flannigan and Alison Alter, the Austin City Council will tackle old and new objectives such as land development, homelessness and anti-immigration sentiment from the federal level on down.

Here is what the freshmen members plan to bring and what the Council overall wants to focus on.

Jimmy Flannigan Democrat Jimmy Flannigan ousted conservative incumbent Don Zimmerman for District 6 in City Council elections in November. According to the Austin American-Statesman, Zimmerman was the most

Emmanuel Briseño | Daily Texan Staff

Mayor Steve Adler speaks at the City Council Inaguration on Jan. 6.

fiscally conservative Council member, fighting for lower taxes and limited government spending. Zimmerman was frequently the dissenting Council member on key votes and has sued the

city several times. According to the Statesman, with Zimmerman and Sheri Gallo of District 10 gone, the Council’s conservative voice has

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institute a bathroom policy that allows boys to go in girls restrooms….”

According to The Texas Tribune, talk of the socalled “bathroom bill” even made it onto the House floor during debate over House Resolution 3, which sets the standard rules for people with House access and the salaries of some Capitol employees. Rep. Matt Schaefer, R-Tyler, suggested an amendment to HR 3 that would require people in the Capitol to use the restroom according to their biological sex.

This amendment was not adopted into the resolution.

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CONTACT US Main Telephone (512) 471-4591 Editor-in-Chief Alexander Chase (512) 232-2212 editor@dailytexanonline.com Managing Editor Akshay Mirchandani (512) 232-2217 managingeditor@ dailytexanonline.com News Office (512) 232-2207 news@dailytexanonline.com Sports Office (512) 232-2210 sports@dailytexanonline.com Life & Arts Office (512) 232-2209 lifeandarts@dailytexanonline.com Multimedia Office (512) 471-7835 multimedia@ dailytexanonline.com Retail Advertising (512) 471-1865 advertise@texasstudentmedia.com Classified Advertising (512) 471-5244 classifieds@ dailytexanonline.com

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Thursday, Patrick asked Sen. Royce West, D-Dallas, to sponsor Senate Bill 12, which would allocate $25 million to local, county and state law enforcement units to buy bulletproof vests.

Patrick identified SB 12 as one of his top priorities for the session. This bill comes after the July 7 shooting when five police officers were killed and nine others were injured in Dallas.

“Let it be real clear, whether you are a Democrat or Republican, we support law enforcement,”

West said Thursday. “We don’t want to have spouses worry about whether or not their loved ones are going to come home.”

House members also elected Rep. Joe Straus, RSan Antonio, to his fifth term as speaker Tuesday.

In an address to the House, Straus laid out his legislative priorities, which include investing in mental health reform, the school finance system and child welfare programs. Straus said the Legislature should consider policies that invite economic activity.

Sen. Kel Seliger, R-Amarillo, announced a

plan to make permanent a pilot program which helps students who failed standardized tests in high school still graduate. Students are eligible for the program if they have passed all of their coursework and failed no more than two STAAR tests.

Seliger said his program has helped thousands of students graduate, and the current policy isn’t fair to students who might have testing anxiety, learning disorders or language issues.

“Even though assessment systems are important, there is nothing

magical about the STAAR exam,” Seliger said.

The program, which is set to expire in September, would be expanded through the implementation of SB 463.

Although the Legislature will be working with $3 billion less this session than last, according to Comptroller Glenn Hegar, Gov. Greg Abbott said he was looking forward to a historic session in comments with each chamber.

After observing Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Monday, the House reconvenes at 2 p.m. Tuesday and the Senate at 11 a.m. Tuesday.

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Editor-in-Chief . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Alexander Chase Associate Editors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Michael Jensen, Janhavi Nemawarkar, Khadija Saifullah, Caleb Wong Senior Columnists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Emma Bernadier, Alyssa Fernandez, Sam Groves, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Noah M. Horwitz, Josephine MacLean, G. Elliott Morris Forum Editors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 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continues from page 1 rejected Proposition 1, which would have lifted the city’s requirement for drivers to undergo fingerprint-based background checks. While these companies no longer operate in Austin, they are currently available in other Texas cities.

However, Senate Bill 113 now aims to create statewide uniformity of transportation network companies, which means individual cities would not have the ability to determine their own requirements for these companies. Senate Bill 176 also outlines driver prerequisites including submission of an application, completion of a background check without requiring fingerprints and assessment of the individual’s driving record.

Social Issues Multiple bills concerning LGBT rights and abortion were filed this session in response to recent Supreme Court decisions legalizing same-sex marriage and overturning a Texas initiative that shut down the majority of abortion clinics in the state.

House Bills 192 and 225 seek to prohibit discrimination in housing and employment situations based on sexual orientation or gender expression. Other bills such as House Bill 428 would exempt certain religious groups from complying with nondiscrimination standards.

Stricter abortion regulation proposals have been filed by Republican legislators. Some of the proposed changes concerning Texas’s abortion policies include a ban on partial birth abortion, stated in Senate Bill 8, and a ban of thirdtrimester abortions “if the fetus has a severe and irreversible abnormality,” as stated in House Bill 87.

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Bills to Watch Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick’s top 10 legislative priorities are Senate Bills 1–10.

These bills address the 2017 budget proposal, property tax reform, school choice, sanctuary cities, photo voter ID, women’s privacy act, inappropriate teacher-student relationships, fetal tissue/partial birth abortion, spending cap and hailstorm lawsuit reform, according to the website.

“Starting in 2017, we will have a friend in the White House who was clearly elected because the people of this country believe in the conservative principles that have guided the way we govern in Texas — life, liberty and lean government that promotes prosperity,” Patrick said in a statement. “I remain committed to those principles and the legislative priorities I am announcing today all reflect that commitment.”

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Tuesday, January 17, 2017

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ALEXANDER CHASE, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF | @TexanEditorial Tuesday, January 17, 2017

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COLUMN

‘Bathroom bill’ deserves to be taken seriously

By Noah M. Horwitz

Daily Texan Senior Columnist @NmHorwitz

On May 1 of last year, Houston City Council Member Mike Knox participated in a picket outside a local Target. He and his fellow miscreants protested the department store’s inclusive policies regarding the transgender community, as well as other pro-LGBT policies.

The most controversial policy in question pertained to bathrooms. Patrons were allowed to use the bathroom matching their gender identity. Knox and company would rather Target prohibit transgender people from using their preferred bathroom, although they were light on specifics of how that should be enforced.

Enter Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick. Flanked by state Sen. Lois Kolkhorst, R-Brenham, Patrick announced last week the filing of a bill, Senate Bill 6, which aims to crack down on “predator” men using women’s restrooms, ostensibly under the cover of non-discrimination ordinances that protect the transgender community.

There is no evidence of predators abusing non-discrimination ordinances. The data simply is not there. And much ink in this newspaper under my byline has espoused this point in the past, specifically in the lead-up to Houston’s shameful 2015 referendum on equal rights for LGBT people. The bathroom myth led to the non-discrimination ordinance’s downfall and the election of conservative zealots, such as Knox, to the City Council.

The handwringing and complacency I have seen since the ordinance’s unveiling is unnerving for many reasons. Far too many otherwise reasonable people have assured me that SB 6 — a mean-spirited bill that will have the express effect, if not the insidious intention, of killing transgender teens — will not survive Joe Straus’s House. This is wrong. The complacency reminds me of similar assurances in the lead-up to the non-discrimination ordinance debacle in Houston.

Illustration by Geo Casillas| Daily Texan Staff

Potty politics is a strong force. The people swept up in its furor are sometimes not limited to a single political party. In 2014, Houston City Council Member Dwight Boykins, a Democrat on the nominally non-partisan body, voted against the Houston Equal Rights Ordinance as he callously pandered to his constituents’ will and against justice. Some Democrats in the State Legislature, more concerned with their re-election than their legacy, could easily do the same.

Knox’s office refused comment. And I had similar trouble in nailing down Republican positions on the bill. My hometown legislators, Sen. Joan Huffman and Rep. Sarah Davis, both Republicans of Harris County, provided no clarity. Rep. Jason Villalba, R-Dallas, tweeted at me that he was skeptical of such skirmishes in the “culture wars,” but did not state his position.

I cannot fathom what went into Knox’s mind to picket outside of a Target because a persecuted minority, a community in which nearly one in two have attempted suicide, could feel safer on the premises. Perhaps he really does think he is protecting women and children from predators?

Hatred is often surreptitious. It hides but is ever ubiquitous in plain sight if one simply looks hard enough. SB 6 has a good chance of passing, no matter what a complacent and often incorrect establishment has to say. The underlying hatred is being espoused by so many, including our leaders.

Much attention will be placed on Washington, D.C., as Donald Trump begins his presidency. Many, including myself, have dedicated inordinate time to his antics. But state and local affairs matter a great deal as well. People will die

I cannot fathom what went into Knox’s mind to picket outside of a Target because a persecuted minority, a community in which nearly one in two have attempted suicide, could feel safer on the premises. if this bill becomes law. We need to remember what our representatives do, specifically keeping it in mind during the next election.

Horwitz is a first-year law student from Houston.

COLUMN

State legislators ignore constituents’ top priorities

By G. Elliott Morris

Daily Texan Senior Columnist @gelliottmorris

With the 85th Texas Legislative Session now underway, our policymakers have taken up the hardest task in public policy: crafting and implementing solutions to the problems facing our state. Or so we think. With the rise of social media analytics, we can measure the priorities of everyday Texans and compare them with the priorities of Texas legislators. The results are bleak.

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick outlined his priorities for the 140-day session last Tuesday.

He says the legislature should slow the growth of property taxes, pass new abortion restrictions, plug the porous Texas border and, last on his list, promote his so-called “school choice” legislation. Education, however, is not on the bottom of most Texans’ demands for the Legislature — it’s first.

According to an analysis of the first week’s worth of tweets with the hashtag #txlege, education is the number one priority of those involved in the conversation. This is an easy computation; all we had to do was count the number of tweets about education and divide it by the total number of tweets from Jan. 10 to Jan. 13. This tells us that roughly 11 percent of the 50,000 tweets

sent about the Texas Legislature last week were on the topic of education. Six percent of tweets were on the subject of restricting transgender Texans to the bathroom corresponding to their birth sex (the “bathroom bill”), 1.5 percent were about immigration, and 1 percent were about abortion.

It’s fair to say that the Texas public is more interested in fixing our education system than legislating bathroom use. To be fair, this analysis is just on how many tweets are about certain topics — could this be representative of the non-tweeting public?

As it turns out, in an October 2016 poll by the Texas Politics Project, 18 percent of Texans said immigration was the most important issue facing the state. Although only 7 percent said education was the most important issue, social issues such as abortion, gay marriage and “moral decline” barely even registered.

It remains true that the Texas Legislature is not actively prioritizing solutions to problems most Texans care about. Lt. Gov. Patrick’s focus on the non-issue of transgender bathroom use and ignorance of his legislation’s serious impact on the jobs and economy of Texas is thus not only misguided, but misplaced.

During the State’s biennial legislative sessions, it’s common to hear cries similar to these. Common lines of complaint include “Fix the problems actually facing Texans!”

Infographic by G. Elliott Morris | Daily Texan Staff

and “Focus on the real issues!” Social media and polling data add substance to these grievances, and they back up current opponents of the Legislature.

If our elected officials truly do work to represent all Texans, it would be wise for Texas legislators to focus on the issues that Texans actually — quantitatively! — prioritize.

On the other hand, if Dan Patrick and the

Texas Legislature represent some other constituency — whoever is loudest, or perhaps whoever fattens wallets best — their current priorities are answers unto themselves. For those great lawmakers who would like to represent who they claim, analyses like these would be a good place to start.

G. Elliott Morris is a government, history and computer science junior.

EDITOR’S NOTE

Find your voice, join The Daily Texan this semester Whether you spent your winter in the snow or on some tropical beach, I’m excited to welcome you back to the 40 Acres. We greatly value what makes our home unique — a diverse array of large and welcoming communities, high-quality educational resources, more burnt orange clothing than anywhere else on the planet — but also know that it takes a great deal of work to maintain it.

No matter where you are in your educational journey, I hope you stop to spend some of your time contributing to your University community by working at The Daily Texan.

In its 116 years of print, this paper has given voice to thousands of students. And it is in that diversity of ideas, backgrounds and visions for the future that this paper is able to serve our student body. If we are not able

to assemble a cross-section of the University to discuss the issues it faces on these pages, we run the risk of unintentionally excluding many students who may most need their voices heard.

This spring, as you consider how you will fill your time at our University, I hope you consider making the trip down to our basement in the HSM building and helping us fill a few pages. No matter your background or where you hope to be in the future, there can be a place for you here.

Between the departments who work to bring you everything you see in print or online and the people who work behind the scenes to make that possible, there are roles here for students with every conceivable skillset.

Have a nose for uncovering the sorts of stories that change our University? Our

LEGALESE | Opinions expressed in The Daily Texan are those of the editor, the Editorial Board or the writer of the article. They are not necessarily those of the UT administration, the Board of Regents or the Texas Student Media Board of Operating Trustees.

news department would love to see you.

Are you passionate about UT baseball, local music or ground breaking physics research? Our sports, Life&Arts and Science&Technology departments are looking for writers. If you want your voice heard on the issues that affect us on campus, make sure to drop in an application to work with us in the opinion department.

And if you’d rather make sure we’re using the correct version of their, there or they’re, then our copy department might be just the place for you.

Maybe you’re more interested in images than you are in words. Our photo, video and comics departments could give you just an outlet for that. Or you could help us pull the entire organization together by working in design, technical operations or podcast. If

SUBMIT A FIRING LINE | Email your Firing Lines to editor@dailytexanonline.com. Letters must be more than 100 and fewer than 300 words. The Texan reserves the right to edit all submissions for brevity, clarity and liability.

you have a skill and want to help serve our community, we have a department to help you do exactly that.

We’ll be accepting applications online now through Wednesday, Feb. 1. Before then, make sure to stop by one of our two information sessions, which will be held in BUR 136 on Jan. 19 and 26, both Thursdays, at 5 p.m.

Whether you’ve already decided on a career in journalism or just want to up your writing skills, this is a place where anyone with the right attitude to learn and meet deadlines can succeed. So venture down to meet us, ask us all the ridiculous questions you can muster and give us your best shot. Who knows, you might find your voice or a passion for a topic you cover — or maybe you’ll find that you like it here.

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Place the paper in one of the recycling bins on campus or back in the burnt-orange newsstand where you found it.

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NEWS

5

Tuesday, January 17, 2017

CITY

Event unites writers in wake of inauguration

By Sunny Kim @sunny_newsiee

Austin writers and poets have mixed views on President-elect Donald Trump’s effect on the writing and journalism community.

At an event called Writers Resist, local writers and poets came together to express their thoughts. The event was sponsored by PEN America, an organization that defends freedom of expression for writers. It included representatives from organization such as Black Lives Matter Austin, Austin Justice Coalition and the Austin chapter of Citizens’ Climate Lobby.

Alyssa Harad, a writer and organizer of the event, said Trump’s actions toward the journalism community are concerning.

“He’s throwing people

out of the White House and denigrating journalists and threatening them,” Harad said.

Harad said the real danger of Trump’s presidency is that people would feel isolated.

“I think that oppressive governments — and that is what we’re currently [seeing] — work by spreading dread, fear and panic,” Harad said. “[But] even when you can’t find people to join in with, you can always find a book. There are always going to be voices on the shelves of your local library that can speak to you in your current moment across time.”

Author Kristin Casey said she believes Trump’s presidency will motivate journalists and writers to voice their opinions.

“We’ve been complacent,” Casey said. “But journalists will hopefully lead the charge, inspiring the rest of us and [as a

result] writers will write.”

Emily Rankin, an actor, director and writer, read her own piece titled “Power,” saying the people will continue to love each other, even if Trump triggers fear.

“People will always continue to love, no matter how much hatred you’re spreading,” Rankin said. “I will do everything I can to show you for what you are. Promise me you’ll do the same.”

Isadora Serrano, a senior at Reagan High School, said she felt personally victimized by Trump’s rhetoric against women and immigrants.

“For the first time in my life, who I am has become a political discussion in a man’s head,” Serrano said. “I feel stripped of everything I am. I am scared of being all these things, a woman, Latina and a daughter of immigrants.”

CITY

Megabus moves to improved indoor location downtown

By Van Nguyen @nguyen_van

Students who use Megabus services will have to walk a bit farther than usual to get to the service’s new terminal located on 15th Street and San Jacinto Boulevard.

Megabus spokesperson Sean Hughes said the new location opened toward the end of December and is an upgrade over the parking lot behind Dobie Twenty21, where the buses originally picked up.

“Our new facilities are temperature controlled, there’s seating [and] we have Wi-Fi,” Hughes said.

The terminal is the only location where Megabus picks up and drops off in Austin. In other cities such as Houston, there are terminals spread throughout the city for greater access.

Chemical engineering freshman Ramya Parthipan uses the services to get home

COUNCIL

continues from page 1 shrunk even more. Flannigan said he wants to expand transit routes, promote city growth and reduce property crime in his district. As the first openly gay man elected to Council, Flannigan said he advocates for LBGT rights.

Alison Alter Alison Alter beat Sheri Gallo for District 10 in a runoff in December. Alter and Gallo mainly disagreed on how to approach city growth. Gallo wanted quick expansion while Alter wanted careful planning. The Grove at Shoal Creek and Austin Oaks were two contested areas when it came to respecting the wishes of both developers and neighbors. Alter said she worries developments in the area would increase traffic congestion and not provide enough affordable housing.

Alter said she is not against developments, but wants to ensure the city has a solid plan before moving forward.

Mobility Bond In November,

Austin

and said her experience with the Dobie pick-up spot was far from perfect due to the lack of shelter provided.

“It’s nice that they have an actual building that you can wait in, but it’s a lot further,” Parthipan said.

Parthipan said when she returned from the holidays at the new location, the walk to her dorm was approximately 30 minutes, a longer walk than usual.

Megabus received approval from Austin City Council in 2015 to make the move, but Megabus needed to make renovations and acquire permits before the move was complete, Hughes said.

One obstacle the company faced was an appeal of their permit to operate in the new location by owners of a neighboring apartment complex, who cited concerns over loitering and illegal parking.

The owners were also

concerned the hours of operation would disturb the peace and quiet of their apartment complex. As a result, no buses will run between 4–6 p.m., before 7 a.m. and after 11 p.m., according to the Austin American-Statesman.

Austinites for Urban Rail Action, a local organization advocating for accessible transportation and housing, fully supported the move to the new location. Member Dan Keshet said Megabus provides a superior service to other affordable bus services because of its location and pricing.

Greyhound is another costefficient bus service, but it operates out of a terminal near U.S. 290 and Airport Boulevard, a much farther distance for students and those who live downtown.

“Having a central location is really important for a bus depot,” Keshet said.

voters approved a $720 million mobility bond to fund projects that would increase public transit options and create more pedestrian and bike friendly areas and pathways. On Dec. 15, City Council agreed $28 million of funding would go toward projects such as improvements to Guadalupe Street. Especially along the Drag, Guadalupe will become an activity corridor with added bicycle and pedestrian pathways.

needs and services to guide the homeless toward affordable housing opportunities.

It also provides health, employment and legal services.

According to the online forum, Mayor Steve Adler said property tax revenue collected from high-value property areas could better fund the ARCH.

Immigration On Dec. 15, Council approved city managers to find emergency funding to cover the cost of immigration lawyers. Adler, Council members and other elected officials vowed to protect undocumented immigrants.

Newly-elected Travis County Sheriff Sally Hernandez promised in her campaign to keep ICE federal agents from deporting undocumented immigrants held in local jails.

Homelessness Austin Resource for Homelessness is a building which provides shelter, basic

CodeNEXT Austin’s over-30-year-old Land Development Code has been rewritten and the new draft will be presented Jan. 30. The code determines land usage and building placement. The revised code is part of the Imagine Austin initiative, adopted

by Council in 2012. Imagine Austin aims to make the city affordable, environmentallyfriendly, healthy and interconnected, according to its website. Council members continue to question the appropriate spaces and locations for affordable housing.

Community members and stakeholders are involved in the drafting process. The revised code is set to be voted on by Council sometime in 2018, according to the Austin Chronicle.

Austin City Council member Kathie Tovo, whose district encompasses campus and surrounding areas, was also at the event.

“I was very interested in the writers here today to offer their artistic expressions,” Tovo said.

“I think Austin will continue to stand strong on its values.”

Shannon Baley, who is an American Studies professor at St. Edwards University and a volunteer at the event, asked people what words came to their minds when they thought of democracy.

Some of the words were “freedom,” “speech,” “vagina” and “ain’t Trump.”

Baley said the answers were mostly positive.

“I think people still have faith and hope for democracy,” Baley said. “We deal with words and ideas. This was meant to create an atmosphere of thinking

away for the break, she still thinks 94 reported incidents seems like a high amount.

“It doesn’t surprise me that alcohol and drug crimes are reported the highest, but it still seems like a high number considering that when school is in session there’s supposed to be way more people here who could actually be involved in that sort of thing,” Pena said.

Finance junior William Leavitt was on campus various times during winter break and said he didn’t notice less of UTPD’s presence despite the lack of students in the area.

“When I was here, I didn’t notice a difference in the police presence near campus, but the amount of crimes seems high since it seems like there’s no one here during the break,” Leavitt said.

In comparison, the number of reported crimes was significantly higher during the remaining 29 days of the UTPD Daily Crime Log, which included crimes from Nov. 16 to Dec. 14 during the fall semester. During this time, a total of 141 crimes were reported both on and off campus.

MARCH

continues from page 1 happen,” Rep. Dawnna Dukes, D-Austin, said. “You should make a decision to fight harder here in America, harder here in Texas [and] harder here in Austin.”

One participant in the march carried a Black Lives Matter sign, and some sang and clapped as they moved between clusters of people.

Burt has organized the University’s part of the celebration for more than 10 years, which was originally started by UT students more than 20 years ago. Burt said the Austin Area Heritage Council was created to plan and include the Austin community in the march as well.

“Every year there has been probably the thousands [of marchers] that start here on our campus,” Burt said.

“There are people who will also be at the Capitol

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writers can speak their minds in these safe spaces.

“We need [safe spaces] more than ever because book stores are places of learning,” Madha said. “It’s so great to speak our minds here. This is free speech, free press and freedom.”

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about what are the words and ideas we can hold onto and be positive about.”

English senior Schandra Madha, who works at Malvern Books, writes fiction, poetry and plays and also attended the event.

Madha said she is happy that

CRIME

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While more crimes occurred during this time, drug and alcohol crimes still occurred the most, with 22 reports of possession of marijuana and other controlled substances, 17 reports of public intoxication, 10 reports of consumption of alcohol by a minor and five DWIs. Similarly, theft and graffiti had the next highest number of reports, with 32 and 11 recorded incidents, respectively.

Traffic, vehicle and license violations occurred eight times during these 29 days, while criminal mischief and criminal trespass occurred six and five times, respectively.

The remaining reports, which

included assault, disorderly conduct and other miscellaneous crimes, accounted for the remaining 25 reports.

The majority of crimes occurred off-campus in West Campus and surrounding areas. UTPD could not be reached for comment on these reports.

“If the reported crimes are being committed by older students, it makes sense that the most would occur in West Campus,” biology freshman Kimberly Tirso said. “The closer you get to campus the more specific the rules are about drugs and alcohol, so it makes sense that would happen more there.”

grounds, and we always pick up people along the way.”

Marchers met Austin City Council members and local state representatives Donna Howard and Gina Hinojosa, both Democrats, at the Capitol, where University gospel choirs and musicians performed.

King advocated for equality during times of segregation and restrictive voting laws. King’s legacy includes his “I Have a Dream” speech to about 250,000 Americans on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., on Aug. 28, 1963.

It was finance sophomore Amie Jean’s first time participating in this particular march, and she said demonstrations nowadays are simpler than when they were silenced by police and politicians during King’s time.

“It’s important to not forget the events of history,” Jean said. “We’re marching for those who marched

before it. I just think in the wake of recent events in our nation, it’s more important to demonstrate where our country has been.”

Burt said UT students started to make plans to erect an MLK statue on campus in 1987 as one of three MLK statues on U.S. college campuses. The first black students to attend UT, a group called the Precursors, integrated the University in 1956. Last year, some of the Precursors returned to their alma mater and were recognized during the Texas vs. UTEP football game.

“Their experiences on this campus in the 1950s was compromised by discrimination, intolerance and racism,” UT President Gregory Fenves said. “It is clear that we have come a long way since the Civil Rights Movement … but there is no question that we still have a long way to go.”

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6

ZIA LYLE, SCIENCE&TECHNOLOGY EDITOR Tuesday, January 17, 2017

ECOLOGY

Suburbanization poses threat to Hill Country wildlife

By Sarah Bloodworth @bloodworthy22

This month marks one year since the publication of a UT study cautioning the Texas Hill Country community about rapid population growth and decreasing water resources.

The study forecasts not only issues for the human population but also the wildlife that sings, slithers and swims throughout the diverse Hill Country.

The study cited two main issues threatening wildlife: urbanization and water depletion. Study authors said that these problems could contribute to massive habitat loss and water changes.

“The overarching issue is the Austin suburbanization on the countryside [which is] causing ‘willynilly’ planning of housing and resources,” said Meg Merritt, coauthor and UT architecture lecturer. “In terms of wildlife, they will suffer anytime suburbanization occurs. This is a very common story — worldwide even.”

An estimated 88 total endangered species live in

the Hill Country, which includes 17 counties in Central Texas. The Hill Country Alliance protects species including the Texas blind salamander, freshwater mussels and the goldencheeked warbler bird.

Rufus Stephens, Texas Parks and Wildlife biologist, said that when a population grows and construction increases, water cannot re-enter the ground. According to the Hill Country Alliance 2017 State Water Plan, municipal water needs will double by 2030.

“With an increased population comes increased use of water and land.

When we have suburban type land situations there is a lot of impact on the water system because there is increased runoff and less infiltration,” Stephens said.

Additionally, water pollution is created when runoff water mixes with fertilizers, pesticides or other chemicals. According to the study, regular floods throughout the area increase the amount of polluted material entering natural bodies of water.

This increased runoff means a trashy day for animals like the freshwater mussel, which requires clean water to survive.

This species was declared 70 percent extinct or endangered as of last year by Project Passenger Pigeon.

According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, mussels act as natural filters and are major food sources for raccoons, egrets and some fish.

“Some of the issues we have with mussels has to do with barriers that are built like dams. This alters the water conditions which doesn’t allow them to complete their lifecycle,” said Nate Smith, a research biologist at the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center.

Smith added that fishermen aren’t allowed to harvest any endangered species in the Hill Country, and companies must account for the species in an area before building a dam.

While land animals are only indirectly affected by water loss compared to aquatic species, they still must compete for living

Illustration by Mel Westfall | Daily Texan Staff

space, Stephens said. According to the study, a little over three million residents currently live in the Hill Country but this number is expected to double by 2050. Stephens said one consequence of continued development is land fragmentation, or the breakup of large expanses of land into smaller districts.

According to Texas Parks and Wildlife,

farmers and ranchers can boost productivity by sharing a piece of land, but this produces less open space.

Land fragmentation limits hunting territory for carnivorous animals such as wolves, which significantly decreases their ability to survive. According to Texas Parks and Wildlife, gray wolves originally occupied two-thirds of Texas, but because of land

fragmentation and other factors, not one wolf remains in the state today.

The study includes initiatives to develop walkable towns, better public transportation and land management practices.

These initiatives, which the authors of the study hope are completed within five years, aim to reduce the negative environmental effects on water and wildlife.

BIOLOGY

UT researchers help discover new theory of complex life evolution

By Zia Lyle @ZiaLyle

Recently discovered microbes named after Norse gods may explain how complex life evolved on Earth.

A paper published in Nature last Wednesday found that a group of microbes from the archaea domain share genetic traits with eukaryotes. These microbes are prokaryotes, or single-celled organisms, while eukaryotes are more complex multicellular organisms, such as animals.

Brett Baker, assistant professor at the UT Marine Science Institute and co-author of the paper, said this discovery is exciting because the traits found in the archaea, part of the Asgard group, were previously thought to be unique to eukaryotes.

The research supports a theory of evolution which includes all three domains of life: archaea, bacteria and eukarya.

The theory hypothesizes that archaea and bacteria, which are both prokaryotic, split apart and archaeal cells then evolved into eukaryotic ones.

Ruth Buskirk, a UT biology professor not involved in the study, said scientists have been studying the relationship between prokaryotes and eukaryotes since the 1970s, when archaea and bacteria were determined to be two different domains. She said the current

question is how eukaryotes came into existence.

“We could say ‘eukaryotes evolved, somehow, from archaea’ but now we have bit more specific evidence of the connection,” Buskirk said.

This recent paper analyzed genomes from the Asgard archaea, collected from the North Oak River, an estuary in North Carolina. Baker said he believes Asgard archaea might help explain the origin of eukaryotes.

“The theory is that at one point an archae and a bacterium merged through some close symbiotic relationship and formed what were the first eukaryotes,” Baker said.

“We think [Asgard archaea] are the descendants of [these] early eukaryotes.”

Baker said the Asgard archaea have certain genes similar to those in eukaryotes that help create proteins inside the cell.

“There are certain genes that make a eukaryotic cell what it is, giving it its internal structures — these [code for] eukaryotic signature proteins,” Baker said.

“They were only thought to be present in eukaryotes before, and finding them in Asgard archaea is what links the whole thing together.”

This research follows the 2015 discovery in the midAtlantic ridge of the first group of Asgard archaea, called Lokiarchaeota, by Thijs Ettema, Uppsala University microbiologist

Audrey McNay Daily Texan Staff

and the study’s main author.

Baker said the hardest part of this research was reconstructing the Asgard genomes. Baker said because archaea are very challenging to grow in a lab, the team had to instead collect fragments of Asgard DNA from nature and piece them together.

“The analogy I like to use is that you’re taking a thousand puzzles and dumping them all on a table and mixing them up and then you need to put them all back together, which is essentially what we

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do when we try to reconstruct these genomes,” Baker said. “It takes a lot of computer power and time to put these puzzles back together.”

Kiley Seitz, a UT Marine Science Institute graduate student who assisted with the paper, said once the DNA was sequenced, the team was able to compare the Asgard genomes to preexisting eukarya genomes and found similarities between them.

Baker and Seitz began their research focused on the impact

the microbes may have on the overall health of their environment, not on their similarities with eukaryotes.

“These microbes have a large ecological benefit because they’re really in charge of keeping the environment healthy and clean,” Seitz said. “[They] turn over different types of pollutants or matter that starts to build up in the environment and needs to be sent up to higher organisms.”

Baker said the team hopes to understand the role of Asgard

archaea in nature and capture the first image of the microbes to determine if they resemble prokaryotic or eukaryotic cells. He said while this discovery was unexpected, it is still exciting.

“We’re discovering and finding something new that people didn’t really think existed,” Baker said. “Essentially we’re blurring the lines of what we thought were clear rules in biology. Finding something like [the Asgard archaea] is once in a lifetime.”

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LIFE&ARTS

7

Tuesday, January 17, 2017

BUDDHA

ALBUM REVIEW | ‘I SEE YOU’

continues from page 10

The xx released their new album, I See You, featuring raw, emotional vocals.

Courtesty of The xx

The xx combines past familiar sound with experimental new style, emotion

By Daisy Wang @daisyxwang

The xx is known for their minimalistic compositions and hushed, longing whispers, but their latest record, I See You, is full of emotion and vibrancy that never wastes a beat or breath.

In 2009, the trio released their self-titled debut album, xx, to widespread acclaim — something that the band itself didn’t even expect. It’s a thoughtful reflection on the members’ younger years, but their follow-up 2012 album, Coexist, was more of the same of their first album but with seemingly less of its impact; good but nothing new. With I See You, the band stays true to their roots. Through Jamie xx’s dazzling production, guitaristvocalist Romy Madley Croft and bassist-vocalist Oliver Sim’s same soft, subtle vocals explore and embrace a more expansive sound. They walk the line between optimism and sorrow, yet are still more hopeful than ever before.

The opening track, “Dangerous,” blares at the listener with a deafening horn before transitioning into a fast-paced, smooth groove. It’s a song that begs to be played on full volume and danced to endlessly. Exuberant, club-friendly songs like this introduce The xx to uncharted territories. But for Jamie xx, creator of the critically acclaimed 2015 LP, In Colour, and the band’s producer, energetic beats are nothing new. The band’s previous arrangements, limited to what they could perform live, have been replaced by adventurous samplings characteristic of Jamie’s solo tunes. In the track, “Say Something Loving,” Jamie samples the Alessi Brothers’ song “Do You Feel It?” Instead of overshadowing the singers’ vocals, he adds to them by providing a sense of urgency with the Brothers’ line “Before it slips away” echoing intermittently in the background.

On the single, “On Hold,” Sim and Madley Croft utilize their trademark vocal interplay while discussing the realization that some things are not meant

to be. “I can’t hold on to an empty space,” Sim sings about someone slipping away from him. The song is bittersweet and longing, and the listener can’t help but feel like they’re intruding on a private conversation between the two singers.

Despite the melancholy lyrics, Jamie xx colors the song with synths, frenetic drums and a sampling from Hall and Oates track, “I Can’t Go For That (No Can Do).”

But the trio haven’t completely devoted themselves to danceable, pop songs. On “Performance,” Madley Croft’s sings about the burden of reality and having to develop a false persona because of it.

“Brave for You” leaves Madley Croft at her most vulnerable: as she acknowledges the loss of her parents in a song for the first time. “So I will be brave for you/Stand on a stage for you/ Do the things that I’m afraid to do,” she croons, voice hushed and quivering with emotion.

It’s reminiscent of the stripped down tracks found on their first two albums.

I SEE YOU Artist: The xx Genre: Alternative/Indie Rating:

Even Sim lays himself bare on the song, “Replica.” During the group’s hiatus, Sim struggled with alcoholism, and the song explores his resistance to his own self-destruction. The album’s final track, “Test Me,” refers again to Sim’s alcoholism only this time from Madley Croft. Her lyrics are raw and harsh, but it’s a much needed emotional catharsis for the band, emphasizing both their highs and lows.

On I See You, The xx accomplishes what many artists are unable to do successfully — transition into a richer sound without losing sight of who they are. It’s an outlet for the band’s feelings: raw, real yet restrained, showcasing their ability to deliver even the softest murmur into the harshest impact.

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it just took off,” Lanski said. “Within a year, I was supporting myself with just the one farmer’s market.”

At first, Lanski was working alone out of her kitchen. As the business expanded, she realized she needed more hands.

Her close friend Gremillion offered to start helping her bottle kombucha on Friday nights to get ready for Saturday farmer’s markets.

“I didn’t know what it was [at first],” Gremillion said. “I’d tried another brand before and I had just thought ‘Oh my god, why would you drink this?’ But, when I tried Buddha’s Brew, I was like ‘This is awesome!’ It made me feel really good and healthy.”

When they first began, Gremillion and Lanski did not anticipate the huge increase in demand that would come as the kombucha market took off. When they first began, Buddha’s Brew was one of six commercial kombucha breweries in the United States.

Now, they’re one of five in

Austin alone.

“Just starting, I was like, ‘Wow, we’re late in the game,’” Gremillion said.

“But really, we were there before anybody. We’re the old guys. We have high quality brew and we feel good about providing it to the most people that we can because we put pride in it.”

Sawyer Kinser, an employee at Buddha’s Brew, said their commitment to their local customer base is what makes Buddha’s Brew special. Though they have enjoyed great success, the brand is not interested in selling out to a conglomerate.

“Kimberly doesn’t have any kids so this company is kind of her baby,” Kinser said. “She started in her garage. Just seeing the transition that the company has taken in the last few years alone has been incredible.”

At the heart of the company driving the operation is Gremillion’s and Lanski’s passion for making healthy drinks.

“It’s really authentic to make money and also help people,” Lanski said. “I’m very grateful to be able to do that.”

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TYLER HORKA, SPORTS EDITOR | @texansports Tuesday, January 17, 2017

VOLLEYBALL

Different season, same sorrow for Texas

By Leah Vann

@Vanntastic_Leah

With two NCAA National Championships and fivestraight Final Four appearances on their resume, the No. 4 Longhorns were not a true Cinderella team.

But they still became one.

For the second year in a row, Texas walked out of the National Championship dodging gold and silver victory streamers in a colosseum of red. After a season of defensive struggles and position changes, the Longhorns surpassed expectations. But a second runner-up finish seemed more haunting than the first.

“I walk away from the season obviously devastated we didn’t win this because I really, really wanted this and I felt we had a good shot going into this match,” head coach Jerritt Elliott said. “We’re kind of ready to get back to the point of taking this next step.”

Signs of a rebuilding year loomed over Texas. For the first time since 2010, the Longhorns didn’t win the Big 12, dropping matches to No. 6 Kansas and Iowa State due to season-long adjustments.

Despite having veterans in junior libero Cat McCoy and senior setter Nicole Dalton leading the defense, passing remained inconsistent

throughout the season. Senior outside hitter Paulina Prieto Cerame struggled with her back row rotation, forcing freshman libero Autumn Rounsaville to step up.

A vacancy at the middleblocker position proved troublesome for the team’s blocking. After trial and error with freshmen middle blockers Orie Agbaji and Blair Westerlund, sophomore Morgan Johnson took the starting position at middle blocker and outside hitter Yaazie Bedart-Ghani also moved to the middle.

“I thought Yaazie and Mo had a tremendous year and gave us this opportunity to have this run,” Elliott said.

“And I think Morgan is more of an M-2 than she is an M-1, but has developed now into a very solid player.”

But Texas’ strong suit was its offense. Led by junior outside hitter Ebony Nwanebu, freshman outside hitter Micaya White and Prieto Cerame, the Texas attack carried the Longhorns deep into the postseason.

Texas swept University of Texas Rio Grande Valley and SMU in the early rounds but faced potential elimination against BYU. In the fifth set of the Sweet 16, the Longhorns stared down a 12-7 deficit and two match points for the

When the story is told of this 2016–17 Texas squad, it will likely include how the Longhorns were just a few plays here and there away from winning more games.

The ability to close tough games is a trait that is most often seen in more experienced clubs. Texas touts seven underclassmen, including four freshmen, who have played significant minutes.

“If this year’s freshmen were freshmen on last year’s team, they probably wouldn’t have played as much,” head coach Shaka Smart said. “I think they would’ve played some.”

It’s no secret that the Longhorns have struggled immensely so far this season. Texas (7–10, 1–4 Big 12) has lost

five of its last six games, including a demoralizing 63-58 home loss to Kent State on Dec. 27.

Texas’ lone win in the Big 12 thus far came at home against Oklahoma State, 82-79, on Jan. 4. But perhaps what’s most telling about this young squad is that it has lost five games by three points or less.

Texas has been close — really close. It nearly edged a top10 opponent on Saturday at home in its 74-72 loss to No. 10 West Virginia.

But there’s no time for thinking about moral victories as Texas faces another steep test Tuesday on the road at No. 6 Baylor (16–1, 4–1 Big 12).

“The best thing about them is just how well-rounded they are,” Smart said. “They’re good in a whole lot of different areas. They have a lot of different things they do well.”

KANSAS

IOWA STATE

TOP TWEET Tom Herman @CoachTomHerman Joshua Guerra | Daily Texan file

Freshman outside hitter Micaya White attempts to put the ball past Stanford blockers in the National Championship match on Dec. 17. The Cardinals outlasted the Longhorns in four sets.

Cougars. White and Nwanebu fueled a comeback, nailing three kills for the victory.

The red carpet rolled out as the Longhorns put an end to Creighton’s record-setting season in the Elite Eight with a 3-0 sweep, securing their fifthstraight Final Four appearance. In the much-anticipated rematch of the 2015 finals, the Longhorns defeated a seniorstudded No. 1 Nebraska team in the NCAA semifinals.

“I mean, late October I don’t think anybody would have picked us to be in the finals

and we found a way to make that happen,” Elliott said.

With a top-seeded upset, Texas was the favorite against No. 6 Stanford. But the Cardinal would wear down Texas’ Achilles heel: Its defense.

The 6-foot-6-inch and 6-foot8-inch Stanford hitters lifted a daunting wall of blocks while freshman libero Morgan Hentz commanded the defense from behind, popping up balls that would normally hit the floor.

As the Texas defense imploded, so did Prieto Cerame, prompting Elliott to move

Bedart-Ghani back to outside hitter and Agbaji to enter as middle blocker for the first time since pre-season.

Without a defense, the Texas offense was limited. Players collapsed to the floor in sadness after a 3-1 defeat, but despite all their weaknesses, the Longhorns concluded a rocky season that wasn’t supposed to last until the bitter end.

“I think one thing that this team had a lot was fight,” White said. “And we need to make sure we transfer that into next year’s team, definitely.”

The Bears, who were ranked No. 1 last week before losing to West Virginia last Tuesday, are a Final Four-caliber team and are very tough to score on.

Baylor allows only 60.6 points per game, the fewest in the Big 12, and the lowest field goal percentage at 38.3 percent.

“Obviously with Baylor, for us on offense, the biggest thing is their defense is different with their zone,” Smart said. “It’s different than anything our guys have seen this year.”

One of Texas’ biggest challenges against the Bears will be containing junior forward and leading scorer Johnathan Motley. He comes in averaging a near double-double at 14.8 points and 9.1 rebounds per game.

“He’s gotten better and better,” Smart said. “Coming from someone who redshirted his

Emmanuel Briseño | Daily Texan Staff

Freshman forward Jarrett Allen posts up an Oklahoma State defender on Jan. 4. Texas defeated the Cowboys, 82-79.

first year and now in his fourth year, I think he’s a poster child for what you can do if you develop and grow as a player.”

The Longhorns remain shorthanded heading into Tuesday night’s matchup as they will be without

sophomore guard/forward and leading scorer Tevin Mack for a second-straight game. Mack remains suspended indefinitely after violating team rules.

The undermanned Longhorns tip against Baylor at 6 p.m. on ESPN2.

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Aston, McCarty ready for rivalry game

By Sydney Rubin @sydneyrrubin

The No. 12 Longhorns look to extend their winning streak to 11 on Tuesday as they host No. 20 Oklahoma.

Texas is coming off a 7363 road victory over thenNo. 18 West Virginia on Saturday. The triumph in Morgantown marked the Longhorns’ 10th consecutive victory and their first 6-0 conference start in program history.

“It was a terrific road win,” Texas head coach Karen Aston said after the victory. “I have to give this game to our bench. They made the real difference in the game.”

The Longhorns have not lost a game since Dec. 4, and their only four losses came against teams currently in the AP Top 10, including No. 1 Connecticut. As big as the bench was against West Virginia, which included a 10-point performance by sophomore guard Lashann Higgs, the Texas starters have carried the Longhorns to their success.

The Longhorns have outrebounded their opponents in 14 of 16 games this

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SIDELINE

season, mostly behind the effort of senior center Kelsey Lang and freshman forward Joyner Holmes. In her final season, Lang is playing the best basketball of her career, averaging 9.6 points and 9.1 rebounds per game for the surging Longhorns.

Holmes is stringing together an impressive season and has solidified herself as a key piece in Texas’ starting lineup. Holmes, who has started 14 games for the burnt orange this season, is one of three Texas players averaging double-digit points, alongside junior guards Brooke McCarty and Ariel Atkins. McCarty leads the team in scoring and three-point shooting, averaging 13.6 points and 34 three-point makes on the season.

“It definitely feels good, but I think it’s a reflection of how we come into work every day,” McCarty said after a recent 66-35 victory over Oklahoma State. “I just feel like it’s a confidence booster definitely for us.”

The rivalry game against the Sooners will mark Texas’ second-straight game against a top-20 opponent.

Oklahoma hits the road for Austin after a commanding 21-point victory against Texas Tech on Saturday.

Oklahoma currently sits in third place in the conference behind No. 2 Baylor and Texas, who are tied for first place in the Big 12 with perfect 6–0 records.

The Sooners are riding a two-game winning streak and have won six of their last seven. Oklahoma’s sole Big 12 loss came at the hands of West Virginia.

The Sooners are averaging just over 75 points per game and have two players on the roster who average double-digit points. Senior guard Peyton Little leads the crimson and white in scoring, averaging 18.3 points per game. Little also leads Oklahoma in steals with 35 on the season.

But center Vionise PierreLouis has given the Sooners the edge under the basket recently. The 6-foot-4-inch junior is averaging a near double-double and leads the team in rebounding.

Texas and Oklahoma hit the hardwood Tuesday at 6 p.m. at the Frank Erwin Center.

After dropping the initial doubles point in a closely contested series, Texas won out in its remaining singles games to secure the weekend win and improve to 3–0 on the season.

Texas senior George Goldhoff and freshman Leonardo Telles swept the Mustangs 6-0 at second doubles, but their victory was overshadowed by close losses on the first and third positions.

Despite the early struggles, the Longhorns’ doubles performance impressed Texas head coach Michael Center.

“The doubles (point) was a real battle,” Center said. “We played great at No. 2 to win at 6-0, which was fantastic. We lost two very tough matches at Nos. 1 and 3 but the guys battled back and won five first sets in singles.”

Freshman Yuya Ito evened the score at second singles, dispatching Hunter Johnson 7-5, 6-4 to remain unbeaten in dual-match play. Sophomore Harrison Scott then posted a narrow win at fourth singles to give Texas the lead.

Longhorn freshman Christian Sigsgaard defeated Ronald Slobodchikiv in a three-set match, and sophomore Julian Zlobinsky polished off a 7-6, 6-2 win at fifth singles to clinch the Texas victory.

“I thought it was a great team win today,” Center said. “The guys had a great attitude and just a great team spirit.

Obviously we have a lot of work to do. But, it’s tough to beat SMU here, so I was really proud of the guys.”

Texas’ No. 4 ITA preseason ranking is its highest since 2009. The Longhorns hope to continue their hot streak against Tulsa and Arkansas this weekend.

—Dalton Phillips

COMICS 9

COMICS

Today’s solution will appear here next issue

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10

NATIONAL

ALUMNI

Comedians respond to election

UT alumnus expands kombucha company

By Morgan O’Hanlon @mohanlon

As Trump gained prominence in the national political scene, orange-faced and yellow-haired caricatures became regular fixtures of comedy routines across the country. As inauguration day draws closer, new satire mocking Trump has arisen on both national and local levels.

Though the “What A Joke” national comedy festival will not limit its performers to political humor, it was orchestrated by New York comedians Emily Winter and Jenn Welch as a direct response to Trump’s election. The festival is composed of 83 shows taking place across the U.S. and Britain over inauguration weekend and proceeds will go to the American Civil Liberties Union.

“As a black guy, I’m horrified,” said Eric Nimmer, an Austin comedian and UT alumnus who will perform in Austin’s “What a Joke” show this Friday at The New Movement, of his fear of a Trump presidency. “I still make Trump jokes because he hasn’t really targeted my community yet, but if I were an immigrant, I don’t know if I still would be.”

Brently Heilbron, another Austin comedian, compared the fear comedians feel in the wake of the election to what many must’ve felt at another pivotal time in American history: the Red Scare of the 1950s.

However, he believes that comedians will once again be able to fight fear with sharp wit and smart jokes.

“In that era, the artists

By Mae Hamilton @thedailytexan

Illustration by Albert Lee | Daily Texan Staff

that were being blacklisted asked ‘How can you outsatirize the absurdity that we’re seeing?’” Heilbron said. “They realized all they had to do is hold up the mirror and let the politicians do the work.”

Nimmer said comedians have been offered a mine of rich comedic material by a historic situation he believes is ironic.

“Right now, we have Black Lives Matter, the Trayvon Martin decision and a lot of contentious racial issues. Historically speaking, the timing for all the racism associated with Trump couldn’t have been any more perfect,” Nimmer said.

In light of the serious-

ness of theses political topics, Nimmer said comedians must focus their efforts beyond trivial humor if they want their jokes to be effective.

“The worst thing you could ever be called in comedy is a hack,” Nimmer said.

Emily Winter, one of the organizers of the national event, also warned against alienating Trump voters with jokes that specifically make fun of them.

“Taking aim at the people in power is activism, but I would caution the instinct to make fun of the people who voted for him,” Winter said. “The best comedy comes from a place of vulnerability and positivity.”

Winter said “What a

his accomplishments.

“My grandfather was an engineer and he worked on the Boeing 77,” Moser said.

“It was really huge that he was part of that project. It was the first airplane ever made just by computers.”

As a way to help her cope

with grief, Moser decided to tattoo an airplane on her shoulder blade with a Bible verse.

“It’s John 16:33,” Moser said, “In the world you may have troubles. But take heart. I have overcome the world.’ It’s a reminder that I don’t need to worry about anything.”

American studies sophomore Kristen Moser’s tattoo is a tribute to her late grandfather’s role in the Boeing 77 project. The bible verse helped Moser cope with grief.

Juan Figueroa Daily Texan Staff

By Mae Hamilton @thedailytexan

American studies sophomore Kristen Moser was always proud of her grandfather. When he passed away in 2011 at 75, she wanted to get a tattoo in remembrance of

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Joke”’s purpose is not so much to make commentary on the politics of the moment, but to create an atmosphere of unity and solidarity for all of the people who are ostracized by Trump’s views and to raise money for an organization that she believes will need help more than ever.

Heilbron said that this sort of unity will be essential over the next four years.

“Being a comedian is a very solitary art, but if you think about it, it’s also a collective experience because your whole audience is with you,” she said. “I think if we keep the mindset that we’re all in this together, then we’re going to do some great things.”

After he decided to quit Austin’s drinking scene, UT alumnus and Buddha’s Brew co-owner JP Gremillion was at a loss for what to do with his Friday nights. Gremillion always had a love for making food so he jumped at the opportunity to help his close friend and now business partner, Kimberly Lanski, with her kombucha stand at the local farmer’s market.

Kombucha is an ancient Chinese fermented tea with live probiotics that has been brewed for the last 2,000 years, but only began gaining popularity in the United States in the last 30 years. Kombucha is revered for its metabolism-stimulating and gut-healing abilities.

Buddha’s Brew is Austin’s oldest commercial kombucha brewing company and one of the first in Texas. Founded in

2006, the company began as a small stand at the farmer’s market selling 35 cases of kombucha a week and now pushes out thousands of cases every week for sale at eight farmer’s markets and larger stores like Whole Foods. After being introduced to kombucha by political science professor David Edwards who used to brew the drink in his own kitchen, Lanski felt inspired to start making her own.

“I just loved it,” Lanski said. “It just felt great in my body and really resonated with me.”

Later, Lanski bonded with a vendor selling kombucha at the Barton Creek farmer’s market and offered to take over if he ever retired.

Incidentally, the vendor had recently decided to retire and Lanski found herself with her own kombucha stand.

“It was a big hit and

BUDDHA page 7

Rachel Zein | Daily Texan Staff

Sawyer Kinser, an employee of Buddha’s Brew, chats with customer Evelyn Fujimoto as she pours kombucha at the Republic Square farmer’s market. The kombucha company, which was co-founded by a UT alumnus, has been brewing and selling the probiotic tea for over a decade.