DROP DATE TODAY Students wishing to drop a class must do so by today. See more details on page 4A.
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Senate bill to boost security KC housing director teams with brother to improve background checks JORDAN MOSS Staff Writer KC is working with Texas lawmakers to give colleges the ability to conduct deeper criminal background checks on student housing applicants statewide. Senate Bill 146 will grant schools access to the Department of Public Safety’s secure website. Only a school’s police chief or housing officer would be approved to access the database. KC was influential in bringing the bill to the floor of the Texas Senate. Edward Williams, director of KC housing, and his brother, Texas Senate Finance
Chairman Tommy Williams (R-The Woodlands), have worked together to create and promote the bill. Five or six years ago a fight in a KC residential hall prompted Edward Williams to push for deeper background checks on residents. “When they ran his criminal background as a part of the investigation, [the student arrested] had multiple assaults, including assault of a police officer as part of his criminal history,” Williams said. Another incident just last year saw a KC student resident do more than $40,000 in damages on campus.
Edward’s relationship with his brother helped get things moving to create the bill. “He’s heard me talk about it at family gatherings, just with problems we were having,” Edward Williams said. Sen. Williams has heard his brother’s issue and is working to make sure the bill becomes law. “This legislation fits nicely with the school safety measures we are promoting this session,” Sen. Williams said. As of now, colleges can conduct See BACKGROUND on Page 3A
The Flare Rangerette Express
A CLOSER LOOK: Senate Bill 146 Background checks will include an in-depth review of past criminal history and pending charges. With this Senate Bill, only the police chief and campus housing director will have access to the database. Senate Bill 146 was introduced by Senator Tommy Williams (R - The Woodlands), brother of KC housing director Edward Williams.
Friday, April 12, 2013 Vol. 76 No. 19
Serving Kilgore College since 1936
Revels 2013
Randi Vinson-Davis / THE FLARE
T
he Rangerettes annual spring show continues through Saturday. For behind-the-scenes photographs, personality profiles and more information, see the special section inside.
ABOVE: Freshman Julia Goebel performs her solo “I Follow Rivers” in Act I.
Student publication continues sweepstakes streak FROM STAFF REPORTS KC’s student publications have received top honors in two state competitions, including being named best non-daily college newspaper in the Lone Star State. That honor came at the April 5-7 Texas Associated Press Managing Editors convention in San Antonio. The Flare, KC’s weekly newspaper, earned first place for best nondaily college/university newspaper in Texas for the fourth consecutive year.
Named best daily college/ university paper by APME was The Daily Texan of the University of Texas at Austin. On the same weekend at the Texas Intercollegiate Press Association convention in Fort Worth, The Flare won sweepstakes in Division 23competition for the 23rd time in 27 years. The Kilgore paper scored 113 points in the TIPA contest. Rice University placed second with 70 points. KC student journalists won 25 awards, including 11
first places, at TIPA, which was founded in 1909 and is the oldest collegiate press association in the nation. “I am so proud of our students. They have worked hard to produce publications that Kilgore College can be proud of,” said Bettye Craddock, Flare adviser. For the second consecutive year at TIPA, Kilgore students also received top honors for individual excellence. Kasi Dickerson, from Van, was selected See AWARDS on Page 3A
Flare takes top national honor FROM STAFF REPORTS The Flare, KC’s weekly newspaper, is one of only two college papers in the nation to receive 2013 Gold Crown (first place) awards from the Columbia Scholastic Press Association. The Gold Crown awards were presented at the CSPA’s Awards Convocation in March in New York City. Joining Kilgore as a Gold Crown national winner was the Indiana Daily Student newspaper from Indiana University.
Bre a k i n g n ews, videos an d exten ded cover age at www.thef lareonline. com
The Flare’s Gold Crown was awarded for the 11 issues published in Spring 2012 when Kasi Dickerson, of Van, was editor. Newspaper adviser for Kilgore College’s newspaper is Bettye Craddock. Photography adviser is O. Rufus Lovett. Six college newspapers were awarded Silver Crown (second place) awards by Columbia. They included the publications at Baylor University, See COLUMBIA on Page 3A