TODAY’S FORECAST
HI: 76o LOW: 34o
Connor Hyde | The Houstonian
SHSU alumni Taylor Gunderson opened a coffee and hookah shop on Wednesday were students can study and listen to live music.
Chance of Rain:
40%
Newly-elected SGA officers to tackle “bad image”, more communication
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Word on the Street: Do you feel safe from the same events at Lone Star?
www.HoustonianOnline.com
Volume 123 / Issue 21
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Thursday, April 11, 2013
Student stabs at heart of Lone Star campus CONNOR HYDE Sports Reporter Ayodele Ilesanmi was in the hallway filling his water bottle between classes at Lone Star College Cy-Fair when he heard screams rip through the halls. Suddenly, two administrators pulled him into a downstairs office of the Health Science Center where he confronted two girls with gashes dug into their neck. Student Dylan Andrew Quick was soon accused for wielding the knife that stabbed the two women and 12 other students, according
to Harris County Sheriff’s office. Quick was charged with three counts of aggravated assault after admitting to investigators he had fantasized stabbing people to death since elementary school and has planned the incident for some time. According to KHOU the victims were taken to Memorial Hermann Texas Trauma Institute and the North Cypress Medical center were treated and released the same day and Wednesday morning. Four victims are still being treated in the hospital. Pieces of the scalpel blade
were found in at least one victim and around the area where the stabbings occurred, police say. Quick was brought down from students tracking him through the north side of the Lone Star campus where he was apprehended by Harris County police four minutes after his first victim. Ilesanmi said he saw Quick outside the Health Science Center before being pulled into an office. Students tackled Quick and instantly Tweeted pictures and posted photos of him on
AP Photo/Teaundrae Perryman
A victim is loaded into an ambulance after being wounded in a stabbing attack on the Lone Star community college system’s Cypress on Tuesday. At least 14 people were wounded when a suspect went building-to-building in an apparent stabbing attack at the college campus authorities said.
Instagram. “We pushed him down,’’ student Steve Maida told Jay Gray on NBC’s T O D A Y Wednesday. “As soon as he knew he was caught (he said), ‘I give up. I give up.’ I just sat on top of him and was like, ‘Why? Why did you do this?’’’ Although an alert notice was posted on the school’s website, many students became aware of the incident through social media venues such as Twitter and Facebook as well as texting. “I actually didn’t see anything I was in class when I heard about it,” student Vincent Aleman said. “I found out about the incident on Twitter. People were updating about the stabbing.” Buildings were evacuated around noon once officials confirmed there only one suspect but the campus remained on lockdown for the remainder of the day. Classes resumed Wednesday morning Tuesday’s incident continued the gun debate involving concealed handguns on college
campuses. “So if someone had brought a gun to the knife fight in #TX, maybe there wouldn’t have been so many hurt #LonestarStabbing #tcoc #2A #NRA,” Twitter user Christy Waters (@ ThatChristyChic) tweeted. According to the Houston Chronicle, individuals are debating the inclusion of background checks for knife purchases. Lone Star students who appeared on CNN show host Pierce Morgan complained about the restriction of concealed handguns on the campus, and suggested students who are certified to carry concealed weapons on campus. The incident at the Cypress location is the second incident in QUICK the last two months for Lone Star Colleges. Trey Foster allegedly injured three students in January at the North Harris location. In response to Tuesday’s incident, Sam Houston State University sent out an email to students and faculty to update their information for KatSafe, SHSU’s emergency notification system. Police say Quick is being held without bail and has been transferred to a mental hospital after admitting to have fantasized of stabbing since childhood.
Domestic abuse victim speaks out to help survivors SOPHIE NELSON Senior Reporter “You’ve got six, seven, no… eight shattered vertebrae. Some of these are old and some are new. This is repetitive trauma. What has happened to you?” When Beth heard her physician she knew she could no longer hide from the reality of her husband’s abuse. Almost five years later, Beth has partnered with SAAFE House in Huntsville and speaks out about her abuse to raise awareness at a presentation for the family violence classes at Sam Houston State University. Beth, a student at SHSU, fled with her son from her home in Conroe, after her husband of 21 years allegedly threw her into the wall, breaking eight vertebrae, multiple ribs, and causing brain trauma. “From the day he threw me the second time on Dec. 24, to Dec. 23, the night I left, I knew I had
to get out,” Beth said. “I left in the middle of the night. I packed up my son, my cats and disappeared off the face of the map.” Beth wants to warn people of abuse signs before it is too late. “It’s not like I wasn’t smart, I’m a pretty sharp cookie,” Beth said. “There was sexual abuse, there was monetary abuse, there was medical neglect, and there were all the signs and the symptoms except for the actual physical abuse. I didn’t notice the [abuse] at first because you’re kind of oblivious until it’s too late.” Beth said potential abuse victims need to realize exactly what abuse entails, and that it is not just about the physical aspect. “My husband was never abusive to me before the last year of our marriage, or so I thought,” Beth said. “. . . In reality, he started verbally abusing me around three years after the beginning of our marriage. He enjoyed playing all of the psychological games for years for he got physical.”
Beth also encouraged anyone in a relationship to not hesitate leaving when it gets abusive. She knows it is possible to live after the marriage is over. “It’s ok to be alone,” Beth said. “When you feel like crying, cry, and then pick yourself off the ground when you’re done. What scares you the most is fear of the unknown, so I teach people to go through all of the variables. As long as you can take the sting of the unknown out, they can deal with it better.” One of the most difficult parts of leaving, Beth said, was having no money, and being forced to stay in a shelter. Her experience while staying at the shelter in 2008 was demeaning. “To them, I was a white, entitled woman, and I shouldn’t have necessarily been there,” she said. “They micromanage you as if you were a criminal. I understand now why women go back to their husbands so many times after being abused, it’s because shelters
George Mattingly | The Houstonian
Student Maryann Williams strums to the sounds of “Margaritaville” with her classmates as part of a lesson of her Fundementals of Guitar class, taught by guitar instructor James Johnson.
suck.” Raymond Teske, the criminal justice professor who hosted the event for his family violence class, said the reason most shelters are horrible places to stay is because the shelters do not receive much funding on account of the staff pushing women for divorce during their time there. “Most shelters have one goal, which is to get the women they house to divorce their spouse,” Teske said. “This push to destroy the families is exactly what puts shelters at the end of the food chain. When they ask for assistance from the government,
judges and the legislature feel so negatively about shelters, that they don’t spend a lot of effort trying to help them.” Beth said the most important thing to remember is to never make excuses for other people’s bad behavior. “Let me be clear, someone is violent because they are violent, not because they have a mental illness,” Beth said. “Knowing that I could [leave] when I finally realized the truth, is what made all the difference. But I was moments away from death’s door when I finally realized. Don’t wait that long.”
Sexual assault case moves to grand jury KASSIDY TURNPAUGH Staff Reporter A grand jury is set to convene on April 30 for an alleged sexual assault of a female Sam Houston State University student, who told the Houstonian her story in the March 7 issue. The student filed a report with the University Police Department about the incident, which occurred in Crawford Hall dormitory in October 2012. Six months later, SHSU criminal justice major Ryan Jones will stand before the grand jury, but an indictment hasn’t been filed and may take until June, the victim said. “I just want it to be over with,” the student said. “I don’t think it’s been a fast process honestly. I know my parents are frustrated with it, I’m frustrated. … There is a lot of bitterness towards the justice system. Not a lot has been done yet.” The case has not been addressed
by Sam Houston State University. The campus’ disciplinary board and inner courts system have yet to be informed of the case, Dean of Students John Yarabeck said. “There is no precedent in cases that go through [the collegiate courts system],” Yarabeck said. “It is impossible to know how this case would be handled or any punishment related to it.” Despite all the pain and trouble the student said the case has caused her, she said she believes that she has made the right choice and is remaining positive. “Honestly I don’t want to ruin his life,” the student said. “I just want him to know what he did was wrong. I wish I could just drop the charges and have some of my buff guys kick his butt, but I know it won’t do any good. Looking back I think that with all that has happened, I would have said something sooner.” David Weeks, the Walker County district attorney, and UPD refused to comment at this time.
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News
Thursday, April 11, 2013 houstonianonline.com/news
Campus
BSA ignites awareness for domestic abuse HANNAH BEACH Contributing Reporter “It was difficult for me to get up there. I figured it was time for me to tell someone,” Ariel “Warrior,” as she calls herself, found the courage to share her story at the second annual Ignite the Night, an event held to promote sexual abuse and domestic violence awareness. The event, hosted by the Sam Houston State University Counseling Center on April 10, continued with back-to-back survivor stories read by victims, or friends of victims, sharing poems or personal experiences. Only a select few of Ariel’s friends knew her story until last night. “After going to it last year I realized there are people out there going through similar things I did. What helped me share my story was knowing that I could be giving courage to people who are too scared. It is good for people to know they’re not alone, you can make it through it.” Ariel had the audience on their feet for a standing ovation after fighting past her tears, struggling just to make it through her
heartbreaking story. Even though life dealt her a bad hand of cards, she had such a positive outlook on life, even ending with a joke, “If you ever need someone to talk to call the counseling center… we pay for it in our tuition.” Katelynn King shared the story of a close friend who was a victim of rape. King attended the first Ignite the night and said compared to last year, “it was a lot better than the first one. A lot more people showed up, it was a really good turnout.” King thinks this event helps people speak up about being a victim to crime. “If you don’t know about sexual assault, it is good for you to hear other people’s stories and see how people really react towards it. It opens people’s eyes to how real this is, it’s not just something you see on CSI” To give the audience a break from the heartbreaking stories, SHSU’s Police Department had patrol officer, Chanda Brown speak. Brown explained the correct actions to take if you are a victim of sexual assault or domestic violence. She said if you are a victim you should call the police immediately. She said if you have been sexually assaulted it is important that you do not shower, that way
Ashley Baker | The Houstonian
BEATING BACK ABUSE. Students gather after the annual “Ignite the Night” event aimed at raising awareness for domestic abuse victims. The event was moved from Lone Star Hall to the Criminal Justice Building due to the weather.
authorities can collect as much evidence as possible. Alcohol and drug abuse coordinator, Eddie Gisemba, stressed how alcohol and drugs can completely change the way a person acts. “Alcohol and drugs decrease your inhibitions,” Gisemba said, “you’re more prone to act out,
Campus
SGA president- elect wants to be ‘true voice’ of SHSU student body JAY R. JORDAN Senior Reporter The new president-elect of the Student Government Association and other officers for next year are hoping to improve their organization’s image and increase communication with students. Although the election season is over, president-elect Ramiro Jaime said that the REAL Bearkats ticket will still be campaigning for a better SGA. In addition to Jaime, Kolby Flowers was elected to vice president, Chaston Pruitt to secretary, Robert Arriaga to treasurer and Michael Harvey to chief of staff. After Tuesday’s SGA meeting, the REAL Bearkats met and discussed the reason why they campaigned despite the fact they ran unopposed. “After SGA being criticized for not representing the student body, I thought it’d be a good idea to still campaign to make sure we earned the vote,” said Jaime. “It wasn’t just about us.” Jaime said that once they learned that the “I Like Mike” campaign was disqualified, he realized that he would be campaigning for SGA and not his ticket. Flowers said the versatility of the elected executive board will help student government communicate and collaborate with various organizations on campus. “If you take a look at who we have here, it’s a really diverse group,” Flowers said. “We’re not all a part of the same organizations. We represent about 30 organizations and we have our hands in a lot of different pots.” Treasurer-elect Robert Arriaga said even with the elected executive board’s involvement in other organizations, their dedication won’t be deterred from
Richard McKinney | The Houstonian
BETTER SGA. President Elect Jaime wants to better SGA’s image by better representing the student body.
SGA. “I’m involved in four other organizations, but if I didn’t think I was capable of serving my position in this office, I wouldn’t have [sought] it,” Arriaga said. “I dedicate 100 percent to all my offices.” Flowers, the only officer returning in the same position he currently holds, said he believes in his fellow future officers. “I have full faith in every one of these guys that they’re going to dedicate the time necessary to get the job done,” Flowers said. “There are no requirements for us to be at senate meetings. We’re there on our own will.” Jaime said that utilizing
technology in order to communicate with students is going to be a priority during his administration. “One thing that I want to do is send an email to every student organization and say ‘send us your leaders’ because we need more leaders in student government,” Jaime said. “We’re going to use every avenue we can. … Facebook I think is the number one deal, Twitter is another one. Any way we can get our word out.” Students can access the REAL Bearkats’ mission statement online by visiting its Facebook page. Each elected executive board member will begin his term at the beginning of the fall semester.
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thus increasing the likelihood of domestic violence, increasing the likelihood of sexual assault.” “It’s not about you, it’s not about them, it’s about us.” Is a slogan Gisemba says he keeps close to him and shares with victims to help them grow strong through their healing process. A skit, named “domestic
affairs,” was performed by the group Act One about a young couple whose relationship suffered from domestic violence. Act One’s final message was that the key to a healthy relationship is communication, and before you can love anyone else, you must learn to love yourself.
Campus
Raven’s Call to honor fallen members of SHSU community MOLLY WADDELL News Editor Students, faculty and staff members who passed away in the last year will be honored on Friday at the second annual Ravens Call event. “It is meant to show their families and the community what type of impact these individuals have had on others and on Sam Houston State University,” Andrew Colarusso, Raven’s Call chairman for the Orange Keys said. This year, Raven’s Call will also be honoring SHSU President Dana Gibson’s father as an “honorary Bearkat.” “My mother and I are truly honored and our hearts are touched that my father is among those being remembered at Raven’s Call this year,” Gibson said. “Dad loved Sam Houston State University so much, and he had a very special bond with the university community. He enjoyed being around the students, and he enjoyed celebrating their accomplishments with them.” Along with Gibson’s father, Raven’s Call will be honoring about 30 individuals according to Colarusso. This includes eight students, four faculty or staff members, and 17 retired faculty and staff members. “I also hope the attendees will be able to understand the appreciation our university has towards these individuals for their many years of service,” Colarusso said. The speakers at Raven’s Call this year will be president of Orange Keys Kalyn Cavazos; Dean of Students John Yarabeck and Colarusso. Colarusso said that the Orange Keys want to keep Raven’s Call as close as possible to tradition, so they did not change anything this year. “We are just hoping to have a big turnout this year so that we can properly pay our respects to fellow
Ashley Baker | The Houstonian
CALLING ALL BEARKATS. The bell tower is the site for the Raven’s Call event. Sitting on top of the steps leading to the bell tower, a small memorial that glows orange at night was donated to remember Bearkats that have passed away during their time at SHSU. It is in rememberance of students, staff, faculty and alumni who called themselves Bearkats.
Bearkats whom we have lost and also so that the tradition of Raven’s Call carries on for a long time,” Colarusson said. The first Raven’s Call event was in 2012. The event will be held Friday at noon at the clocktower in front of the Bobby K. Marks Administration Building.
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Viewpoints
Thursday, April 11, 2013 houstonianonline.com/viewpoints
Attempts to defund GLBT center at Texas A&M are misguided at best COLIN HARRIS
Staff Reporter
Growing up, I was never the most attentive kid at church, so I guess I missed the biblical edict instructing Christians to get the vapors and then vehemently object to the notion that homosexuals exist and have the same human needs as their heterosexual brethren. Well, it’s high time to break out the smelling salts in Aggieland, because there’s a shit storm a-brewin’ with the allocation of general student funds to the GLBT Resource Center on the Texas A&M campus. The source of all the consternation in College Station is a center that “educates all campus and community constituencies on GLBT issues through programming about sexual orientation and gender identity/expression, advocacy, leadership, and visibility.” If there’s any state school in Texas whose students would most benefit from a center like this, it’s A&M. The school has deep, historic ties to the military and is known to be one of the most culturally conservative public universities in the nation. These are both things Aggies rightfully take an immense amount of pride in, but they could also lead to compounded feelings of isolation and despair that already plague many young gays and lesbians. A Student Senate bill, proposed March 20 by Chris Woolsey, succinctly titled “The GLBT Funding Opt-Out Bill” contends that students
who disapprove of the GLBT Resource Center ought to be able to opt out of funding it via their student fees. In an article published in A&M’s student newspaper, The Battalion, Woolsey suggested that the rationale behind the bill was to “protect the religious liberties of students.” Now I could spend the rest of this column inventing slippery-slope hypotheticals with various religious sects opposing funding for a diverse set of campus activities. The Aggie scientologists object to paying for psychiatric services! The Aggie Mormons object to paying for coffee served at campus social events! The Aggie Muslims object to paying for pigs in the Ag Department! The Aggie Quakers object to paying for the Corps of Cadets! I could even imagine my own special religion that disavows written language, relying only on spoken word as our ancestors once did. Why should my student funds pay for more wicked books in the heathen library!? The point is that university can either allocate student funds for all reasonable activities or it can allocate student funds for no activities. The moment students are allowed to opt out of paying for some activities, but not each individual activity, it’s no longer about religious liberty, but an irrational antipathy towards “the other,” in this case, homosexuals. In reaction to this very valid criticism, the bill was rewritten so as to not single out the GLBT Resource Center, but by this time the message had already been made abundantly
clear: the GLBT Resource Center and the gay community at large was the target of the religious exemption proposal. No amount of rewrites and amendments could erase the discriminatory history of the legislation. In defending his bill, Woolsey went on to lament the fact that no “traditional family values center” exists at A&M to counteract the GLBT Resource Center. Let’s ignore for a moment that nearly every campus religious organization exists in this capacity and that all are eligible to receiving funding via student fees. Who exactly is stopping Woolsey or anyone else from starting such a center? Esteemed Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis once wrote “If there be time to expose through discussion the falsehood and fallacies, to avert the evil by the process of education, the remedy to be applied is more speech, not enforced silence.” Essentially this means that if you believe someone is saying something untrue, don’t try to shut them up, but rather explain why what they’re saying is wrong. Anyone opposed to the principles of the GLBT Resource Center would be wise to heed this advice. Instead of trying to deny the Center funding its rightfully eligible for, a better solution would be to advocate against homosexuality in the marketplace of ideas, whether through existing institutions or by founding a “traditional family values center.”
Budgeting is key to financial success in college, beyond RICHARD MCKINNEY Staff Reporter
I’ve got the magic in me. Well, I think it’s magic – I haven’t looked at the label. It tastes so incredible though – that settles it. I’m addicted to TruMoo chocolate milk. It’s become as much a part of my life as the senioritis that set in my freshman year. Every moment I live without it is like an eternity without air. Okay – that’s it. I’m going to run and get a bottle real quick. Ah – now that’s refreshing. Where was I? Right – the magic of TruMoo. If you haven’t tried this drink you need to drop what you’re doing and go get some now. The problem with trying it, though, is that you always go back for more. The strain this leaves on my wallet is a bit of a burden. Which leaves me crying in the fetal position on the floor – not because I have no money, but because I can’t get any TruMoo. I clearly need to spend my money more wisely. I’m in college after all – it’s not easy. If there’s one thing I’ve learned in the past five years of education it’s to always attempt to finish your work early; but if there are two things, the second is we have to save money anywhere and everywhere we can. For me, this has proven to be
incredibly difficult. I have somehow managed to have an apartment, pay utilities and afford gas in a truck for the last year. I honestly can’t offer much advice on how I did this – but I can say this is important. We have to keep in mind that frivolous spending done now leads to the less money later. This is groundbreaking – I know. Sadly, I didn’t grasp this until next year. I always tell myself that I am going to be stricter with my finances. I talk to myself about creating a budget. The conversation goes something like this: “Hey, Richard!” “Yeah, Richard?” “We should create a budget for ourselves.” “That a good idea. How about later? After we watch some Disney Channel and listen to One Direction!” “Awesome!” So the plan never goes quite as expected and I always end up spending my last bit of change on the last four bottles of TruMoo. Then I scavenge beneath my couch for rent money and wonder why, as a student who works two jobs, I never seem to have the finances necessary to sustain myself. It’s quite simple – I have no plan. This is something I urge each and
every one of you to do – especially those freshman who still have three years ahead of them. Go talk to the student money management center here at SHSU, located the Estill Building, Suite 228. They help cover a wide range of things including budgeting, credit, identity theft, saving money, financial goals and even buying a car! Students may make an appointment or walk-in for peer
Richard McKinney | The Houstonian
counseling Monday, Wednesday, Friday 9-11 a.m. and 1-3 p.m., and Tuesday, Thursday 8 a.m.-12 p.m. I implore each and every person reading this to develop a saving plan. You’ll need it if you plan to go to graduate school and these are real world skills that you can’t necessarily get from classroom education. With help from them, I might have been able to afford more TruMoo in my time here. Seriously, I think it’s made with magic.
Ten things NOT to do in a relationship MISTI JONES Viewpoints Editor
Relationships are a lot of work to maintain. Believe me, I’ve been in a relationship for almost five years now. Unfortunately, the demise of most couples comes from a lack of trust, communication and space. Here are 10 things not to do in a relationship that could help you maintain a long-term commitment.
Do not:
1. Talk to or about your exes - Exes are called “exes” for a reason. If it ended between you two, let it go and respect the fact that your new lover does not like you talking to or about your old flame. 2. Cheat, flirt or appear to be interested in someone else - If you’re in a relationship, you could be committed to the other person. Focus on him/her, not other distractions. If you’re not faithful, end your relationship before someone gets hurt. 3. Invade privacy – Don’t call, text or Facebook your partner too often. Don’t read their texts, emails, Facebook conversations, etc. Trusting your partner is essential. 4. Avoid confrontation Communication is the key to relationships. If you say “I’m fine” when you aren’t, you’re just asking for it all to come crashing down eventually. 5. Move too fast – Never ever say “I love you” before you mean it. It could cause you to get into something you’re not ready for like signing a lease, getting a love pet or having sex too quickly. 6. Let yourself go - Just because you’re in a relationship doesn’t mean to need to never shower, workout or get dressed. To keep your partner’s interest, try to stay interesting and hot for them! 7. Spend every waking moment together - This may be hard but it’s true. Spending too much time together is not healthy, and your friends will hate you for it. Learn to balance your friends and your boyfriend/girlfriend. 8. Don’t ask dumb questions - Yes there is such a thing as a dumb question. If you don’t want to know if you truly are fat, don’t ask the question. 9. Lose your identity – Don’t forget yourself. You need to remember who you are and what YOU like to do. Don’t become the person you’re with because you need to be an individual when you’re away from your sweetie. 10. Point the finger - You don’t need to always blame the other person. I know it’s hard to believe but you’re not always right. You don’t need to win every battle. Try practicing saying, “I’m sorry.” If you take my advice and do not do any of the above, you just might be able to save your relationship.
Word on the street
“With the recent stabbing at Lone Star Cy-Fair campus on Tuesday, do you feel like you are safe here at Sam Houston State University? Is there anything that the university could do to make you feel safer?”
“
I feel safe, but can we ever be 100 percent safe? We have a lot of things like KatSafe that are here to protect us.”
- Corey Chenier Senior Public Relations & Marketing
“
I feel safe here, there was the whole nerf incident that happened last year or so, and they were pretty extreme about it then. We need a faster response team KatSafe has improved a bit, but it’s still not fast.”
- Regina Morgan Junior FACS
All photos by Morgan Mears | The Houstonian
Editorial Staff Robin Johnson Faculty Adviser
936-294-1499
Stephen Green
Molly Waddell
News Editor mwaddell@houstonianonline.com
Cody Lewis
Editor-in-Chief
Sports Editor clewis@houstonianonline.com
sgreen@houstonianonline.com
Matt Frazier
936-294-1505
George Mattingly
A&E Editor gmattingly@houstonianonline.com
Misti Jones
“
I always feel pretty safe here at Sam they’ve got the KatSafe system, and they do a really good job of keeping us updated; it works pretty well. We are in prison city, so I don’t worry about too much happening here. I don’t see too much security walking around on campus though we could have a couple more law enforcement officials here on campus doing like hourly walks.
Viewpoints Editor mjones@houstonianonline.com
Online News Developer mfrazier@houstonianonline.com
Ashley Baker
Online News Director abaker@houstonianonline.com
Connor Hyde
Sports Reporter chyde@houstonianonline.com
- Brandon Banire Junior Kinesiology & Education
Monty Sloan Copy Editor
Sophie Nelson
Senior Reporter snelson@houstonianonline.com
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Multimedia Reporter csimpson@houstonianonline.com
Jay Jordan
Senior Reporter jjordan@houstonianonline.com
Kayla Stallings
Production Manager & Graphic Designer
kstallings@houstonianonline.com
Staff Reporters Morgan Mears Christian Vazquez Carian Parker Richard McKinney Colin Harris Ryan Bowers Kassidy Turnpaugh
“
I feel pretty safe, it’s one of those things that just happens. Be cautious about it, but don’t worry about it. I think they do a pretty good job here at Sam as far as UPD and that is concerned.
“
It’s a risk being here all the time, it;s a prison city; something could happen... the university could put more cameras because people are getting jumped and into fights and get some cops that don’t just sit there and talk to each other… do your job.”
- Justin Coates Junior Agriculture Engineering & Industrial Tech Construction Management
- Zakiya Carter Junior Political Science
Business Staff Paty Mason
Business Manager 936-294-1500
pmason@houstonianonline.com
Stacy Hood
Advertising Manager shood@houstonianonline.com
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Account Executive
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Delivery Manager cmolina@houstonianonline.com
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Account Executive
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Account Executive
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Arts&Entertainment
Thursday, April 11, 2013 houstonianonline.com/a-e
Alum opens Huntsville’s first hookah lounge Students buzz with excitement over refreshing environment, tastes
GEORGE MATTINGLY Arts & Entertainment Editor Students at Sam Houston State University now have a place to lounge, socialize and do some late night studying with the opening of “Gundy’s”, the first hookah lounge in Huntsville, on Wednesday. The lounge is the brainchild of 2011 Mass Communication graduate Taylor Gunderson and a group of his friends as a way to give back to the college community in town. “[Gundy’s] isn’t about the money and it never was,” Gunderson said. “It’s about giving students a place to be free, to be themselves and a place to just get on the internet, play some games and just socialize.” In addition to being a hookah lounge, Gundy’s also serves a wide variety of coffees and teas at affordable prices for students with a comfortable atmosphere, music playing in the background and a small area for live music. Additionally, students can study or browse the internet with the free internet connections available. In Sept. 2012, a friend of Gunderson’s proposed the idea of opening a hookah bar in Huntsville. Although Gunderson works a regular job as a sound producer for traveling bands, he agreed to the idea and began scouting different locations for
Connor Hyde | The Houstonian
GETTING THE HOOKUP: Students John Schulty, Haley Gutierrez, Sarah Casey and Shanna Henry were among the students enjoying the sounds, tasts and hookah flavors of “Gundy’s” lounge, located at 2212 Ave. I in Huntsville.
the ideal environment for college students. “Our biggest demographic are people from the dorms because they’re too young to go to the clubs and if they do, they have to pay ten dollars to get in,” Gunderson said. “Gundy’s will never charge a cover….We also
made sure our products are the cheapest in Huntsville, even compared to campus.” Nestled across from Raven Village dorm building, next to Potato Shack, Gundy’s appears to be small on the outside but upon walking in, the music and lowlighting take over to provide a
relaxing environment for students. The brick walls are decorated with old posters and pictures of movies and rock bands. Completing the décor and unique to Gundy’s, is the “Wall of Confessions” where customers can write whatever they want. Several students were excited to
see something new to Huntsville, especially a business specifically geared toward them and open late until 1 a.m. every day. “I think Huntsville needed it,” sophomore kinesiology major Jarriet Jensen said. “Before I would just go hang out at the Kat Klub on campus but even that isn’t much. The environment here is real chill and I’ll definitely be regular.” According to freshman biology major Cory Broady, the environment in combination with the late night hours, are a genius idea for a college town. “[Hookah, coffee and tea] are very popular things for college students,” said. “This is the first spot besides the LSC to really hang out and the hours are perfect for us.” Gunderson said the official Grand Opening of Gundy’s will be sometime in early May, but he is excited for what the future has in store for his business and the students of SHSU. “Our ultimate goal is to expand next door and build an outside area for Huntsville because we believe in this place, we believe in the community and we believe in the students that we can expand it not for our benefit but for Huntsville’s benefit.” For more information, follow Gundy’s on Facebook.
Students move to Brazilian beats, music in culture festival RUTH OVIEDO Contributing Reporter Students got an unexpected workout as festive music filled the room at the Brazilian Arts Foundation event sponsored by the Sam Houston State University Program Council Wednesday night. The Brazilian Arts Foundation brought a little bit of culture, food, music and dance to the Lowman Student Center Ballroom, educating attendees on the
Brazilian culture and heritage. Freshman biology major Kourtney Lyons was attracted to the diversity of the event. “This is different and creative,” she said, “I have never seen anything like this on campus.” Criminal justice student Brandon Alcala agreed, admiring the refreshing atmosphere. “This is pretty cool, something completely different” Alcala said. “Everyone is participating and having a good time”. One of the most popular events of the night included the
Capoeira art of dancing to which many attendees participated in. Capoeira is an ancient Brazilian martial art that combines dance and music with quick, complex moves. This was taught by special invited guests who encouraged all to participate. Many students jumped out of their seats and joined in as the group demonstrated their movies for everyone. International student Omar Puente from Mexico was very pleased with the Capoeira lessons. “I used to practice Capoeira”
Puentes said. “This dynamic activity that they’ve done has been enjoyable.” A live band was present comprised mostly of percussion instruments that complimented the art with rhythm, captivating the emotion of the dance. As part of the movement, Capoeira encourages trust among participants. Students were blown away by how much of a learning experience the teaching was as much as it was a fun workout. “It’s great how friendly, patient
and fun this is for everybody” student Brandon Alcala said. “Everybody’s just having fun and learning.” The Brazilian Arts Foundation showed all, participants and spectators, that leaning about a different culture can be both exciting and enlightening. “This is a great opportunity to meet people from Brazil,” Omar Puentes said. “A definite International experience.” For a complete schedule of Program Council events, visit their page via the SHSU website.
Q & A: ‘Castle’ star Tamala Jones talks charity involvment, offers advice to students Actress Tamala Jones stars on ABC’s Castle. She plays forensic analyst Lanie Perish. Although this is a crime drama, Jones brings her comedic personality to the show. Not only is she an actress, but she proudly participates in charity events and is a spokesperson for the brain aneurysm foundation. She also is a bargain fashionista. “Castle is a very popular Television series that follows the lives of mystery novelist “Richard Castle” and NYPD detective “Kate Beckett” as they solve crimes in New York City. There are a lot of crime shows currently on TV, and according to Tamala Jones, “Castle” is in its own lane. The show reached its 100th episode on April 1. Houstonian: Growing up, you always wanted to be in the entertainment industry. You were in a girl band when you were younger similar to the Fugees. Why did you decide to pursue acting? Tamala Jones: “In the beginning it was intimidating. When I received my first role for “Booty Call,” I was 21 years old. It was an amazing experience. I remember I was outside with my grandmother hanging clothes on the line when I got the news. I told my grandmother, ‘I’m going to buy you a washer and dryer!’” H: Mostly, you have been in comedies like Next Friday, Blue Streak, Two Can Play That Game, and The Wood. Did you have to practice in order to switch up for her role as Lanie Perish in Castle? TJ: I had to realize the importance of the relationships in the show. I was able to bring my sassiness into my character. I’ve studied at the Lee Strasberg Institute. I’ve been to a lot of different workshops to learn how to change roles. I still attend workshops. H: What’s your advice for aspiring actors and actresses here at SHSU? TJ: “Always take acting workshops, stay in acting classes and stay rehearsing. You will hear ‘No’ a thousand times, but never give up. Stay on your craft, and when you get your first break it will all be worth it.” H: Not only are you an actress, but you are also a spokesperson for the Brain
Aneurysm foundation. Having experienced one yourself at age 23, how did that affect you? TJ: “I am very proud of this position. I felt that if I told the story enough, I would save lives. I want to make people aware of how sensitive the head is. Some people are born with it and don’t even know. People should get cat scans at least once a year of the brain, as they do other body parts. More awareness needs to be raised about this illness.” H: Jones will be speaking at the Brain Anuerysm Foundation’s Lobby Day on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, on May 21. What else do you like about charities?
shoes and are always jealous of the price I pay!” H:Thrift shopping is a common trend for students. TJ: “Back in the day, I would cut out pictures from Vogue and Elle, go to the thrift shop and recreate the outfits for an extremely cheaper price. I highly suggest going to thrift shops, they are full of neon 80s clothing and other items for spring.” H: Have you reached your career goals now that you are on prime time television? TJ: “I think that I’m in the middle of my career goal. I’m just now touching ground in what I want to do. A film you can look out for is titled, “Things Never Said.” It’s going around various film festivals and will be featured during the BET Awards Weekend. It’s a cast full of great actors and actresses whose talents need to be seen.”
TJ: “I love working with the youth. I like talking to kids who are unaware of the danger in their environments, or who are lacking love from home. I participate in the Party 4 Peace weekend every summer along with Will Smith and others. We go to You can catch Jones in action on ABC’s youth prisons and speak to kids and open up to them, letting them know that they don’t Castle Mondays at 9 p.m. Central on ABC. have to be products of their environments. *Interview conducted by Adrina Vines. I also enjoy going to high schools and speaking to girls about sex, diseases, and the Visit us online @ importance of protection. Houstonianonline.com I want them to realize that their body is their temple. H: You are also known for your smart fashion decisions. Can you give any advice to SHSU students who are usually looking for any way to save money when they shop? TJ: “I’d rather spend my money taking care of my grandmother and my necessities. I love looking good, but don’t like to pay retail. So many websites have bargained designer clothes. My top three are net-a-porter. com, theoutnet.com and amazon.com. My friends always see my clothes and
Photo by Bobby Quillard
POPPIN’ TAGS: Tamala Jones admitted that while being a fashonista, she is also a frequent bargain shopper on sites like amazon.com. When she was younger, she would also go thrift shopping to recreate stylish outfits.
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Sports
Thursday, April 11, 2013 houstonianonline.com/sports
SHSU falls to Texas A&M, 4-1 CONNOR HYDE Sports Reporter Sam Houston State baseball’s habit of upsetting top ranked teams came to an end after losing to No. 24 Texas A&M 4-1 Tuesday night in College Station. The Bearkats were scoreless into the fourth inning until a solo home run from Luke Plucheck, but the Aggies capitalized early off mistakes from SHSU starting pitcher Tyler Eppler. Aggie catcher Troy Stein headed TAMU’s offense with three hits and four RBIs, including a threerun home run. In the bottom of the first, Stein doubled into left field to drive in third baseman Blake Allemand from first base. Stein would connect again off a mistake pitch from Eppler for a three run homer in the bottom of the third. Head Coach David Pierce said that the game came down to Eppler’s performance in the third inning. “Really the game came down to just one pitch,” Pierce said to GoBearkats.com. “Eppler missed his pitch and the homerun was the difference in the game.” SHSU led off most of their
Alex Broussard The Houstonian
ALMOST: Tyler Eppler made one wrong pitch in the third inning against Texas A&M, allowing a three-run home run that proved to be the difference.
innings with a base hit but were unable to piece together a string of hits to drive in runs. Overall, the Bearkats left seven runners stranded on base combined with a .161 batting average against the
Aggies. Logan Boyd came in to relieve Eppler in the seventh inning to toss two quick innings. He faced seven batters and recorded two strikeouts.
SHSU will travel to Beaumont to face conference opponent Lamar University for a three game series starting Friday. First pitch is set for 6:30 p.m. The Bearkats will return to
Huntsville Tuesday for another chance at the top ranked Aggies at Don Sanders with the first pitch at 6:30 p.m.
Women’s golf places seventh in Florida Invitational CODY LEWIS Sports Editor Sam Houston’s Meghan Musk and Nicole Budnik led the Sam Houston State women’s golf team as they placed 11th and 22nd respectively in Pointe Vedra Beach, Fla. The Bearkats finished seventh overall out of 20 different schools. The event was hosted by Jacksonville University at the March Landing Country Club on the par 72, 6,056 yards course. Sam Houston finished with a 291-294306—891 card. Purdue took first place overall with a score of 857. Iowa State took second place with 857, followed by Texas Tech (869), Florida State (886), Central Florida (887) and Florida International (888).
Following behind Sam Houston was East Carolina (894), Kennesaw State (894) and Maryland (900). East Carolina and Kennesaw State tied for eighth place. Purdue’s Paula Reto was the invitational’s individual medalist, having a four-under total of 71-71-71—212. Musk led the Bearkats with a 75-69-75— 219 card, while Budnik was not far behind with a 71-74-76—221. Shelby Hard placed 41st with a 72-78-75—225, Jessica Borth placed 49th with a 74-73-80—227 and Jenna Stene’s 74-82-80—236 card landed her in 86th place. The event in Florida was the final regular season tournament for the Berakat women before competing in Frisco for the Southland Conference Championship. The tournament will run from Monday to Wednesday.
Southland Conference Standings
Baseball
Southeastern La. Sam Houston State Texas A&M- CC Stephen F. Austin McNeese Central Arkansas Lamar Oral Roberts Nicholls Northwestern State
7-2 7-2 6-3 6-3 5-4 4-5 4-5 4-5 1-8 1-8
Softball McNeese Northwestern State Sam Houston State Lamar Southeastern La. Nicholls Central Arkansas Houston Baptist Stephen F. Austin Texas A&M-CC
10-3 9-5 9-6 9-6 8-7 8-7 7-7 6-9 5-10 2-13
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Purdue Iowa State Texas Tech Florida State Central Florida Florida Intl. Sam Houston East Carolina Kennesaw State Maryland
290 289 293 292 297 294 291 298 292 298
284 290 287 298 297 297 294 303 296 303
283 286 289 296 293 297 306 293 306 299
857 865 869 886 887 888 891 894 894 900
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4 chan, users announce support for gay marriage CHRISTIAN VAZQUEZ Staff Reporter
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LAKE ROAD
This is not an elaborate hoax. 4chan.com, called a “wild-west, highly NSFW environment where irreverence, mischief and lewdness thrive, according to Tech Crunch, is taking LGBT rights seriously. On March 18, the moderators of 4chan’s random image board, /b/, launched a new forum on 4chan, labeled / lgbt/, along with the other boards. Many students at Sam Houston State University reacted positively to 4chan’s latest move. “It’s tricky for them,” junior Sarah Adams said. “But I’m just glad they’re taking a serious stand for human rights. Because LGBT is much more than just gay rights.” Another student said that 4chan might be trying to reinvent themselves. “Maybe they’re trying to change their image,” junior Dalton Glass said. “They usually get a lot of crap for it, so maybe they’re doing this to be taken more seriously.” 4chan’s, /b/, is known to be one of the most vulgar and profane corners of the Internet. They recently tried to vote an all-white starting lineup into the 2013 NBA All-Star game and get developer advocate Adria Richards fired after she called out attendees of a tech conference on Twitter
Jessica Gomez | The Houstonian
for making a sexual joke. However, 4chan has always been about far more than just /b/. The site, launched in 2004 by Christopher “moot” Poole, currently hosts over 40 different image boards focusing on topics like music, politics and travel. Most of them aren’t nearly as raunchy as /b/. Users share fashion advice on /fa/, encourage each other to get in shape on /fit/, and trade recipes on /ck/. In January, 4chan’s auto board /o/, helped police track down a group of California drivers who stopped traffic on a highway to do donuts. Yet despite all of /b/’s malevolence, or perhaps in spite of it, a new safe haven for the LGBT community has emerged. The new board, /lgbt/, touches on heavy issues such like gender, reproductive rights and same-sex marriage. But that’s not all;
No reproach or trolling is allowed in the board. Forum /lgbt/ has already shown many posts from users asking about their bodies, how to dress and even different sexual situations. One commenter provided the following advice to a fellow anonymous user who was struggling to identify himself as bisexual or pansexual. “There are two sexes (well in all practicality anyway),” user NeverTrollin commented. “Yes there are also hermaphrodites and pseudo-hermaphrodites of all sorts of chromosomal makeup, but there are more than two genders. You are pansexual if you are attracted to people of those other non-binary genders, as well as to the binary two.” With /lgbt/, users say 4chan not only enters the national conversation but manages to do so in a civil and thoughtful manner.
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