September 1, 2011

The Independent Student Newspaper of Sam Houston State University Vol 119— Issue 3

Thursday, Septermber 1, 2011

UH Baptist Church concert recap, pg. 4

File Photo

Football season begins today, pg. 7

Jessica Gomez | The Houstonian

INDEX

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Police crack down on PI’s

By Hugo Lopez Contributing Reporter

Huntsville Police (HPD) arrested eight people for public intoxication and University Police (UPD) arrested three people for PI on August 25.

When bars and clubs close, police are on the parking lots of businesses, such as Shenanigans & Confetti’s Beach Club, trying to see if the individuals walking out are intoxicated or not, then arrest those who are intoxicated.

“Students got to calm down and not get wasted when they go out,” Oscar Marquez, junior business major, said. “Some people walk out and fall, so the police will arrest them. Just don’t do anything dumb while walking to your

a

Christian Pratt | The Houstonian

STRICTLY ENFORCED. The Huntsville and University Police Departments are cracking down on alcohol- and drug-related offenses. The 2 departments reported a collective 25 alcohol- and drug-related offenses between August 25 and 28. The above graphic reflects the August 28 weekend reports, with PI standing for Public Intoxication and DWI for Driving While Intoxicated.

friend’s car and the cops won’t mess with you.”

Some students avoid the risk entirely.

“I’ll rather drink at my

apartment or at a friend’s apartment, because I know nothing bad will happen,” Marvin Craig, junior kinesiology major, said.

“It is illegal to be drunk in public, so we enforce the law,” Deputy Chief James Fitch of UPD said.

According to daily police

Dry county under fire

Three fires broke out around Walker County Tuesday, one of which involved a structure. As of 10:30 p.m.

Wednesday, one fire had grown to 500 acres and was 80 percent contained. The county has been under a burn ban since February 28.

activity reports released

by HPD, most arrests in Huntsville are due to alcohol- and marijuanarelated offenses.

“If we can determine that [an] individual is a hazard to himself or others then we have to arrest them,” Fitch said.

Important Parking Info The orange parking lot next to Elliott T. Bowers Stadium will be closed Thursday in preparation for the football game at 6 p.m.

Those with orange permits may: - park in blue lots - park in green lots - take a special shuttle, running from 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. from the satellite lot The satellite lot is located at the corner of the IH45 north feeder road and Lake Road, also known as the old Hillcrest Ford Dealership. For those taking the shuttle, it will be dropping off and picking up students at the dead end next to the CHSS building.

Parking will return to normal on Friday morning.

Jessica Gomez | The Houstonian

Erin Peterson | The Houstonian

HOT STUFF. Three fires were reported Tuesday afternoon, one of which, located in northwest Walker County grew to encompass 500 acres and 80 percent containment as of 10:30 p.m. on Wednesday.

File Photo

City approaches Stage 2, University learns to conserve If Huntsville reaches a Stage 2 water shortage...

Non-essential water use: water uses that are not essential or required for the protection of public, health, safety, and welfare, including: - irrigation of landscape areas, including parks, athletic fields, and golf courses, except otherwise provided under the Water Conservation and Drought Contingency Plan; - use of water to wash any motor vehicle, motorbike, boat, trailer, airplane or other vehicle; - use of water to wash down any sidewalks, walkways, driveways, parking lots, tennis courts, or other hard-surfaced area; - use of water to wash down buildings or structures for purposes other than immediate fire protection; - flushing gutters or permitting water to run or accumulate in any gutter or street; - use of water to fill, refill, or add to any indoor or outdoor swimming pools or Jacuzzi-type pool; use of water in a fountain or pond for aesthetic or scenic purposes except where necessary to support aquatic life; - failure to repair a controllable leak(s) within a reasonable period after having been given notice directing the repair of such leak(s); and - use of water from hydrants for construction purposes or any other purposes other than firefighting.

Ways to save

By McKinzie Brocail Senior Reporter Due to increasing drought conditions, Sam Houston State University has voluntarily begun to cut back its irrigation levels in anticipation of a Stage Two water shortage in Huntsville.

If levels rise from the current Stage One conditions, university athletic fields and campus grounds will no longer be watered.

According to Carol Reed, Huntsville Public Utilities Director, much of the surplus watering comes from sprinkler and irrigation systems.

“These complexes pay a lot of money to have nice landscaping, and since we are under voluntary restriction, they aren’t going to risk losing it,” Reed said.

Sam Houston State University has its own, separate irrigation meter.

This allows for our groundskeepers to manage the sprinkler systems themselves.

“We’ve reduced [sprinkler] cycles and changed [their] times to evenings to maximize the… use of the water,” said SHSU President Dana Gibson, Ph. D. Thus far, Reed said, the influx of students returning to SHSU from being home over the summer has not severely affected the number of gallons used.

A large number of students live in off-campus apartment complexes, which use their own irrigation meters. These systems, Reed said, are large factors in the consistently high water usage levels.

Huntsville is required to develop a new drought contingency plan every 10 years with the newest plan passed in 2009. Currently, numbers that were factored into the plan assume there is more water stored than is

actually available.

Reed said the consequence of a nonworking well contributes to that difference.

A recent main water break, nearly 75 water line breaks since April, and Tuesday’s fires are also factoring into the shortage.

To reach Stage Two levels, the City has to use 10.6 million gallons, or more, for 10 consecutive days.

Huntsville has exceeded 10.6 million gallons six times in the past 10 days and currently has an average of 10,444 gallons.

The city has had voluntary restrictions in effect since the beginning of summer.

As it approaches Stage Two levels, residents are being diligently urged to conserve water wherever they can.

The city asks citizens to reduce water usage when watering lawns, washing motor vehicles, buildings, and other tasks that use excessive amounts of water.

Visit the EPA online at http://www.epa.gov/WaterSense/water_efficiency/tips.html for additional ways to conserve water at home and work.

Viewpoints

Page 2 Thursday, September 1, 2011

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STAFF LISTING Robin Johnson

FACULTY ADVISER 936-294-1499

Erin Peterson EDITOR-IN-CHIEF 936-294-1505

Let’s get to work Paws Up, Tyler Eberhart commends Senate,

looks forward to serving student body

epeterson@houstonianonline.com

Stephen Green ASSOCIATE EDITOR sgreen@houstonianonline.com

Karmen C. King VIEWPOINTS EDITOR

kking@houstonianonline.com

Kolby Flowers WEB AND MULTIMEDIA EDITOR

kflowers@houstonianonline.com

Zachary Birdsong SPORTS EDITOR

zbirdsong@houstonianonline.com

George Mattingly A&E EDITOR

gmattingly@houstonianonline.com

McKinzie Brocail SENIOR REPORTER

mbrocail@houstonianonline.com

Jessica Gomez PHOTOGRAPHER

April Sanders COPY EDITOR

Marlyn Montoya GRAPHIC COORDINATOR

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Today in history: 1939 – Adolf Hitler signs an order to begin the systematic euthanasia of mentally ill and disabled people.

1958 – Iceland expands its fishing zone, putting it into conflict with the United Kingdom, beginning the Cod Wars.

1969 – A revolution in Libya brings Muammar al-Gaddafi to power, which is later transferred to the People’s Committees.

1972 – In Reykjavík, Iceland, American Bobby Fischer beats Russian Boris Spassky and becomes the world chess champion.

1979 – The American space probe Pioneer 11 becomes the first spacecraft to visit Saturn when it passes the planet at a distance of 21,000 km.

1982 – The United States Air Force Space Command is founded.

1985 – A joint A m e r i c an – Fre n c h expedition locates the wreckage of the RMS Titanic.

TYLER EBERHART Guest Columnist The mission of the Student Government Association has always been to support and represent the student body at Sam Houston State.

The interests and issues affecting the student body

dictates our mission and objectives. The drive of the SGA comes from the Senate and their desire to serve their peers.

Traditionally, the summer session is a time for the Senate and Executive board to take a breather and plan for the semester ahead. This was far from the case this year as SGA remained fired up and driven all summer.

The important issue of redistricting the city’s four wards and allowing the students to have a voice, not only on campus issues, but a voice in the city we live, work and play in, became a shinning example of the passion in the Senate.

I am more than proud of the work done this summer.

DC on DC David Cullen doesn’t

I witnessed the Student Government say that there was no student issue they wouldn’t fight for.

The flexibility of our members in the organization really showed that they would stop at nothing for their fellow Bearkats. It was a humbling experience to be surrounded by people of exceptional character and a boundless desire to serve.

I am very excited for this semester and encourage all students to bring their voice to the SGA meetings on Tuesdays at 6p.m. in the LSC.

-Tyler is the student body president.

illegals who cannot legally have insurance, but that is simply not the case.

“Texan” is defined as lawful residents of the state. I know, for example, plenty of Sam students who lack healthcare and rely on the student health center for their care, as well as the emergency room when necessary.

He supports laws that make it illegal to be in a gay relationship, and he also supports a Federal ban on same-sex marriage, despite being against the federal government, and for states rights.

This is indeed a contradiction, and he in fact used to support state sovereignty on this issue until he was pressured by groups like the American Family Association, and the Family Research Council to change that position.

He believes that manmade climate change, or global warming, is a liberal lie, and he is also in charge of the most polluting state in the union, due in a large part to the non-regulation of the Texas state government on the oil industry.

He signed a law that forces all women to have sonograms before they can have an abortion, thereby, in my opinion, making that difficult process even more traumatizing for women.

He denounced the president’s stimulus package in 2009, but then hypocritically turned

“Paws SIDEWAYS” to parking closure by Bower’s Stadium. However, there is alternate parking and a shuttle to alleviate the situation.

“Paws UP” to the end of triple digit weather forecasts.

DAVID CULLEN Recurring Columnist around and used stimulus funding to rescue the budget of the state of Texas from falling apart and giving our state more debt.

He refused to use the state’s rainy day fund last year for education in the state, and instead cut education in the state of Texas, putting many students in trouble of losing their only means of education, financial aid.

My best friend went through that and there was an easy solution to the education-spending shortfall last year, the rainy day fund, and Perry refused to use it.

And the biggest pitfall of Perry: he has legitimately threatened Texas secession.

These were all things before the campaign started, and since then he has called the Federal Reserve chairman a traitor, and referred to Social Security as a ponzi scheme.

Simply put, I will not be voting for Rick Perry when the Texas primary occurs next year, and in my opinion, neither should anyone else.

All comics courtesy Creators.com

- David is a sophomore political science major.

SHSU NAACP shines Cortnie Crayton is proud of Unit 6816

Proud---The only word that can describe the way I feel about being a part of Sam Houston’s own NAACP Unit 6816.

It’s enough that we are the oldest and strongest civil rights organization in history, founded in 1909. It’s amazing that we have SHSU NAACP UNIT 6816 thrown countless programs encouraging that this has happened. diversity and unity on Sam Through dedication and a Houston’s campus for commitment to innovation decades. and service of all people, It’s humbling and almost Unit 6816 has proven that unbelievable that we were they will stop at nothing recognized with a Sammy to make the world a better for Outstanding Cultural place. We will continue in organization (which means our journey of excellence the world to all of us). throughout the coming year But at the recent National and have every intention Convention, July 23 – July of bringing the title home 28, Sam Houston State again… for the third time.

University was awarded This is truly a testament the prestigious and highly to Sam Houston. Without sought after title of National this University’s dedication Chapter of the Year for the to its students and the second time in a ROW. desire of the faculty to The amazing thing about ensure they have a full that is it’s not the first time college experience and get

“Paws UP” to the return of Bearkat football today!

“Paws DOWN” to the health clinic for continuing to not take walk-ins.

want Rick Perry taking the reigns of the nation It is evident from this week’s new polling numbers that Rick Perry is a serious contender for the Republican nomination, while Mitt Romney has seemed to have fallen back.

Now, it is well known that personally I do not find any of the Republican candidates appealing and find our current president to actually be a political moderate, much like his democratic predecessor, Bill Clinton.

Therefore I find it appropriate to have some words of caution for those of you who are thinking that Rick Perry is a good man for the presidency of the United States.

First, he wrote “Fed Up!”, and he seems to be in favor of states rights, so why would he want to head the federal government?

Just something to look at.

He believes that Social Security and Medicare are unconstitutional. These are staple entitlement programs of our country, and though both likely need reform, neither have been deemed unconstitutional in our great country.

Twenty-five percent of all Texas children are impoverished, and yet he and Republican lawmakers in the state cut childcare services.

1 in 4 Texans lack healthcare coverage, making us the most uninsured state in the union.

You may say it is the

P a w s D ow n

involved, I may have never been a part of the greatness that is the NAACP. Being a freedom fighter has made me into a better person. I’ve learned to empathize with others, become more resilient than I ever thought I could be, and have been put in a position to really help people and make a difference.

Being a Bearkat allowed me to be a freedom fighter.

My heart is full and humbled by all of the recognition and congratulatory comments by my colleagues, and I can promise as the current president of SHSU NAACP Unit #6816, we will not let you down.

Fired up and ready to work!! Eat ‘em up Kats!

-Cortnie is the. president of SHSU NAACP

shivenes | Flickr

SPEAK UP! Students, faculty, and staff: we want to hear from you! Send in your opinions!

Letter to the Student Body Dear Sam Houston Students, Staff and Faculty and Alumni: The Houstonian would not survive were it not for the continued involvement and dedication of the SHSU student body. We welcome all column submissions and letters to the editor. If at any time you feel the need to express an opinion, please do not hesitate to email your thoughts or drop by our office in the Dan Rather communications building. We look forward to hearing from you and thank you as always for your continued support of the Houstonian.

Karmen C. King Viewpoints Editor kking@houstonianonline.com

The individual opinions on the Viewpoints page are not necessarily affiliated with the view of The Houstonian or SHSU. The Houstonian is published semi-weekly on Tuesdays and Thursdays. It is a news publication of Sam Houston State University, a member of the Texas State University system, and is produced by students. It is self-supporting and welcomes all advertisers. Those interested in placing ads or classifieds should call 936-294-1495. The Houstonian is a member of the Associated Press and the Texas Intercollegiate Press Association.

News

Page 3 Thursday, September 1, 2011

houstonianonline.com/news

Everyday Bearkats: David Kapalko

By Stephen Green Associate News Editor Many students on their first day of school may have seen a man standing next to the parking garage entrance, assisting students having problems with the new technology.

David Kapalko, assistant parking and transportation director, stood outside those gates for about 8 hours with minimal breaks, interacting with his customers, and most importantly to him, learning.

“Interacting with your customers is the best thing,” Kapalko said. “It’s the only way to build respect and you learn things you didn’t know before.”

Almost appropriately, Kapalko said his favorite places to work are in university atmospheres.

“There is a dynamic and energy level that you just can’t find in an office building,” he said. “At M.D. Anderson for example, the professionalism and the staff was great, but you see a lot of sick people, and a lot of sad people.”

SGA Pres. sets plans for term, picks VP

By Stephen Green Associate News Editor SGA Pres. Tyler Eberhart began his first term in office warning senators to be ready for changes to the way the organization is run.

“For the remainder of the year...we won’t write legislation that just says something,” Eberhart said.

“I’m proud of the Summer Senate, no one that attended

“You just don’t have that good atmosphere like you do at a college campus.”

Kapalko said the best organization he ever worked for was an M.D. Anderson hospital, but said he left because it “just wasn’t a university environment.”

“I missed the college campus.”

Of all the places he has worked, Kapalko said, Sam Houston State University is distinctly different and the best place he has worked.

“This is the nicest place I’ve ever had the opportunity to work,” he said. “I’ve really enjoyed my time here.”

“The campus is growing, but not to where you have traffic headaches or conflicts with growth and the surrounding town.”

He said he has no plans to leave the area, especially after buying a house in Conroe one year ago.

“I just don’t see myself leaving, I don’t want to move,” he said.

Before coming to SHSU as its first assistant parking and transportation director in 2009, Kapalko worked at

several different businesses including 5 universities, a hospital and a parking consultation firm. He said the size of the town makes his job more respected.

“I’m accepted as more of an expert and professional,” he said. “There are less conflicts among managers.”

However, it’s the students ,Kapalko said, that separate this environment from the others he has worked at.

One example, he cited, is that usually people who appeal a ticket would be angry when that appeal is denied, but not always here.

“I get students who will write me back after being denied an appeal and they will actually thank me for taking the time to respond to them,” Kapalko said.

“You don’t get that kind of treatment in a large city.”

He compares those jobs to jobs like his one at George Mason University, the University of Texas at Austin and at other businesses.

“People and students around here aren’t as hurried as those in the larger cities,” Kapalko said.

“These

students are more down-toearth and understanding.”

Its also people in general that make his time worthwhile.

“People here think before they react,” he said. “It’s not like a Houston, or a San Antonio, Austin or a Dallas.”

“Although not everyone will necessarily be happy, after I talk to someone, they will at least not be as mad as they came in,” Kapalko said, “and I learn a lot from those people...my customers.”

Kapalko said that looking forward to this semester he expects the parking situation to remain stable if not better due to a flat enrollment, but a higher percentage of students who distance learn, or take solely online classes.

Immediately after the interview, Kapalko left UPD and went to the parking garage, helping more students, or his customers, make what can be considered a mundane and frustrating task, just a little easier.

treated it like summer vacation.”

The main focus, Eberhart said, of the Student Government Association this semester will be to get more students connected to their representatives.

“We want 100 percent of our students to have a direct line to student government,” Eberhart said. “One hundred percent of our students will know what this organization is about. It’s going to make a difference this semester. ” In an attempt to accomplish this, Eberhart told senators that when they are in the office, they must make contact with organizations under their college.

More

specifically, he mandated that each senator make four contacts with students, or organizations, every time they work their mandatory office hour.

“We are going to saturate our school organizations with SGA emails,” Eberhart said. “They will know who we are.”

Following that report, Eberhart announced that he chose his nominee for the office of the vice-president.

He chose Sen. Jason Tilton (COBA) who was unanimously voted into the Senate last fall.

The Senate went into a brief executive session where they held discussion over the nomination. At the end of discussion, Tilton’s

nomination was tabled until another meeting.

Eberhart said he interviewed 10 other people for the position, however, he didn’t want to release their names unless they spoke up themselves.

“Everyone I interviewed was qualified for the position,” he said. “I can’t hold a candle to anyone’s qualifications. I chose Sen. Tilton because he is extremely driven.”

Eberhart said even though the nomination hasn’t been voted on, he is still fully behind his nomination. “(Tilton) attended 100 percent of Summer Senate sessions,” Eberhart said.

“He’s ready to roll and willing to give his all in any

under one umbrella so we can all stay unified,” senior Sigma Kappa Omega President Krystina Christiansen said.

Students were given the opportunity to see the Multicultural Greek Council chapters during Wednesday’s showcase as a part of MGC week. All of the MGC chapters were in attendance, and each one gave a presentation about their chapter and why students should join their particular organization and be a part of multicultural Greek life.

“What sets us apart from other Greek council is that we don’t just focus on our individual sisterhoods and brotherhoods, we focus on having that bond among our entire council,” Christiansen said.

The MGC is made up of 8 different fraternities and sororities: Delta Xi Nu, Kappa Delta Chi, Lambda Theta Alpha, Omega Delta Phi, Sigma Kappa Omega, Sigma Lambda Beta, Sigma Lambda Gamma, and Sigma Rhomeo.

Like all Greek life, these fraternities and sororities each have their own values and traditions, and they encourage interested students to join whatever sorority and fraternity that seem to enthrall them the most.

Once the showcase ended, the sororities and fraternities continued to recruit outside the ballroom and those who wanted to learn more about the organizations went to their table to find out more information.

“Greek Life seems so fun and inspiring,” freshman Lykendra Mims said. “I would do it.”

MGC orgs. recruit students

By Chrystal Golden Communications Specialist As the lights were dimmed and the crowd was silenced, the Multicultural Greek Council opened up their showcase with an exciting video that featured their multiple organizations, and also extended an invitation for interested students to be a part of multicultural Greek life.

“MGC is a group of historically multicultural sororities and fraternities that are coming together

Jessica Gomez | The Houstonian

MGC GOT TALENT. Nick Smith, sophomore Omega Delta Phi, was a part of the eight Greek fraternities and sororities who performed for students to get them interested in rushing.

UPD Update August 31, 2011 At 3:54 AM, officer observed a pickup truck parked in the 1600 block of Avenue I with its passenger door open. Upon further inspection, officer located a 18 yearold male university student passed out in the vehicle. The male was arrested and charged with Public Intoxication of a Minor, a Class C Misdemeanor (119357).

August 30, 2011 Officer was dispatched to Raven Village (located at 2133 Avenue I) at 4:12 PM in reference to a report of a suspicious odor. Upon investigation, officer detected the odor of marijuana in the room. The residence was secured and a search warrant was obtained. During the execution of the search warrant, contraband was located within the residence. Subsequently, a male University student was arrested and charged with Possession of Marijuana, a Class B Misdemeanor (119331), be forwarded to the Dean of Students’ for review.

Stephen Green | The Houstonian

IN THE CLEAR. David Kapalko, assistant parking director, said he personally sees to parking needs when the situation calls for it.

For example, on the first two days of school he went to the parking garage to assist students with the new software and equipment.

position, even if he didn’t get this office. He’s all about SGA and that speaks to his character.”

In addition to the nomination, Eberhart spoke to the Senate about items SGA will focus on first.

They include: four day summer schedules, a change in regular schedules, and alleviate, or reduce, online course fees.

Eberhart also said that students will be able to

access their representatives at the 18 town halls the organization will host this semester, or three per college caucus.

The SGA will have its second meeting of the fall semester next Tuesday in the Lowman Student Center.

The SGA office will be open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. starting next week.

CORRECTION: In the Aug. 25 issue article about Roberta Sloan, Dean of Fine Arts and Mass Communication, the article incorrectly stated she was the second person to graduate from the University of Michigan with a Ph.D. in Theatre. It should have stated, second woman, rather than second person.

Arts & Entertainment University Heights unifies

Page 4

Thursday, September 1, 2011

houstonianonline.com/a-e

By George Mattingly

Arts & Entertainment Editor

Usually on Tuesdays at University Heights Baptist Church, TRUTH has their weekly meetings. But this Tuesday, it served as a place for building community through music.

The church hosted a concert featuring top Christian artists: Freely, Bethany Dillon and Shane & Shane as a way to build a faith-based community among students and citizens of Huntsville.

University Heights partnered with Student

Activities to share the concert with SHSU students.

Among the organizations at the concert were TRUTH, Chi Alpha and the Fellowship of Huntsville Church.

“We wanted to start the semester off by bringing students together,” said Ken Holland, Minister of Administration at University Heights. “I want to spark interest to get students involved with a faith based organization on campus,” he said.

The concert also served as a way to raise awareness and support for

Jessica Gomez | The Houstonian

SPREADING THE WORD: Christian bands help bring the community together at University Heights on Tuesday.

homelessness, and world mission work. University Heights has its own college ministry called Bridge Ministry that delivers food, water and clothing to the homeless in Houston every month.

Shane & Shane are also involved in mission work around the world and have helped raise money for the children of Zambia in Africa.

“I know we can’t help everyone, but I know that helping just one child can make a difference,” said Shane Barnard to the audience.

The two causes are to the hearts of the performers and members of the church and although the concert was free, they asked for donations from the audience.

The large crowd of

about 500 included not only SHSU students, but also several high school students and older citizens of Huntsville who all came to share the concert experience.

“It is a good idea because it brings many different people together,” said freshman Caitlyn Woodhouse.

During the performances, the crowd

stood and clapped along, all moved by the music that seemed to unite them more than anything else.

“It doesn’t matter if you’re a believer or not,” said international student Chenyan Jiang. “It’s about the opportunity to connect with other people.”

Jessica Gomez | The Houstonian

BANDS MOVE THE CROWD; Members of Freely join Shane & Shane on stage to perform songs that had the crowd up on their feet clapping to the music.

Bands heat up Weenie Roast

By George Mattingly

Arts & Entertainment Editor

Despite the sweltering 107-degree heat, the second Bud light Weenie Roast concert went off without a hitch. The concert, held at Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, was presented by Houston’s radio station, 94.5 the Buzz, and was headlined by Papa Roach.

Papa Roach performed an array of songs, and featured crowd favorites. The band opened up with their smash hit “Getting Away with Murder,” that instantly put the crowd into a frenzy, and it continued through their entire set. The band wrapped up with their hit debut single “Last resort.”

The crowd was loud and boisterous throughout the song as lead singer Jacoby

Shaddix, told the crowd to sing along. The other bands that accompanied Papa Roach included: Buckcherry, Puddle of Mudd, P.O.D, Red, Crossfade and Drive-A. While each band performed great, the stand out moment of the show was when Puddle of Mudd blasted into a cover of the Rolling Stone’s “Give Me Shelter.” The song was performed with an accompanying female lead singer, and with her, Puddle of Mudd was able to put their own spin on the classic.

While some of the younger fans were unfamiliar with the song, the older crowd sang along. Performed by an accompanying lead singer, Buckcherry had the crowd

energized, and before the band took the stage, fans were screaming in excitement. Though the band did sound good, it was noticeable that some fan’s lost interest in the band.

Lead singer Josh Todd was able to get them back towards the end of their set. Todd hit on the sex and drugs aspect of rock and roll and made comments toward the crowd that they reacted to. Buckcherry ended on a high note, performing their debut single “Crazy B*tch,” that had almost every person in the venue singing along.

P.O.D. kicked off their set with their hit “Boom,” and finishing it with their classic song “Alive,” made their set feel nostalgic as fans were seemingly transported back to 2003 when the band was

Parks to feature live music

By George Mattingly

Arts & Entertainment Editor

This fall, Huntsville’s parks will be host to a free summer concert series titled “Music in the Park,” presented by the Huntsville Tourism Department, beginning this month all the way through November.

The series will kick off on September 15 with local country artist “Jarrod Sterrett & The Hired Guns” from 6-8 p.m. at Sam Houston State Amphitheater.

Every Thursday after, except parade days, will feature a variety of musical talent including jazz, country and rock artists.

Each performance will be held from 6-8 p.m. at one of many Huntsville’s local parks with the last performance on November 17.

Also scheduled to perform this month are alternative rock group, “The Last Great Assault” on September 22 at Rather Park, and “Dale & Kat Lynch”, a blues rock group, at Jane Monday Amphitheater on September 29.

“Music in the Park” was the idea of Kim Thomas as a continuation of the music festival held this summer, and serves as

an opportunity for both artists and the Huntsville community.

“We wanted to carry our summer music festival through the fall,” said Jaimi Matthews from the Huntsville Department of Tourism. “We want to bring out local artists and have the community enjoy the talent.”

Unique to these concerts is the fact that they will be held at many of Huntsville’s local parks which gives the Huntsville community the chance to see more of the city while at the concerts.

Although the official lineup for October and November has not yet been filled, all types of musical talent have the opportunity to be a part of the concert series.

“We are open to more artists of any kind even if they just know how to play an instrument and want to perform,” said Matthews.

To sign up to perform or for more information about the series, contact Kim Thomas at 936-2919726 or 936-291-5932, or e-mail her at kthomas@ huntsvilletx.gov .

on top. Red, Crossfade, and Drive-A, were given limited time on stage, but did well with their time slots.

Each band did their job and got the crowd excited for the rest of the bands.

Gates to the Pavilion opened at 3:30 p.m., and the venue offered happy hour deals for the fans that came out early and battled the heat.

From 3:30-5 p.m. the venue cut the price of beer to $4, and Candelari’s supplied hotdogs that could be bought for a dollar. Overall, the concert provided fan’s with a deluxe rock and roll experience, and each band did a good job of keeping the crowd involved and made it fun.

Phil Reed | cwgmagazine.com

LEAD MAN: Lead singer of Papa Roach Jacoby Shaddix headlined Bud light Weenie Roast on Sunday.

“Music in the Park” September lineup September 15: Jarrod Sterret & The Hired Guns at SHSU Amphitheater September 22: The Last Great Assault at Rather Park September 29: Dale & Kat Lynch at Jane Monday Amphitheater

Sports

Page 5 Thursday, September 1, 2011

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Q&A with Johnson

By Cheval John Sports Reporter

Junior decathlete Matt Johnson competed in the 17th annual Thorpe Cup that was held on August 13-14 at the USA Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, California. The event is an international competition between the USA and Germany and is named after track and field legend Jim Thorpe.

Each team is made up of eight men and eight women that participate in the decathlon and the heptathlon.

Johnson represented Team USA and finished with a score of 7,675 that ranked him 6th overall and was the third highest score as an American.

Johnson was one of three decathletes that were selected to represent Team USA in the Pan American Games that will be held in Guadalajara, Mexico on October 24-28.

Recently, we caught up with Johnson to talk about his time at the Thorpe Cup and his preparation for the Pan American Games.

The Houstonian: How important was it to participate in the Thorpe Cup? Matt Johnson: It was a great opportunity for me. It allowed me to get my foot in the door and is the next step to take my athletic career to the professional level.

TH: How much does it mean for you to be among the top athletes in the Thorpe Cup? MJ: I’ve already done way more than I’ve ever thought I would have. I

Photo courtesy of gobearkats.com

#WINNING. Junior Matt Johnson competes during the spring. Johnson was selected as a member of Team USA for the Thorpe cup and will represent the USA at the Pan American Games.

thank God everyday for giving me the opportunity to compete in such a high level with an elite group of athletes. It’s a blessing to do the things that I love and to be successful.

TH: Looking forward to this upcoming season, what does this experience mean for you?

MJ: Being one of the youngest members on Team USA, I’ve learned how to approach the decathlon and how to mentally go through each and every event and to compete to the best of my ability.

TH: Outside of athletics, what does it mean for you to be a student-athlete representing Sam Houston State? Does it have additional pressures?

MJ: I wouldn’t say pressure, but you have to be more careful on how you prioritize your time because it can be very easy to just focus on athletics and let your grades drop. When you have free time, you have to

Road Trip: Soccer team prepares for Grambling, Rice

By Zach Birdsong Sports Editor

After losing two straight games, the SHSU women’s soccer team is looking to respond and get back to winning this weekend when they take on Grambling State and Rice University.

The team is coming off a weekend where they lost to Oral Roberts, 3-2, and lost to the University of Tulsa, 6-0.

Even though the team lost both games, head coach Tom Brown is using this as building time for his team. Last weekend, the team was forced to leave approximately 25 percent of the team behind in Huntsville, as they were suffering from injury.

“It’s going to be a little bit before we get some of those players back in the mix,” Brown said. “I think it’s a good opportunity for some of our young players to gain some experience that they’ll need during conference play.”

Last weekend, every freshman that traveled with the team was able to get some game time during the weekend. When SHSU plays Grambling State on

Friday, he anticipates on starting three freshmen and one redshirt freshman.

Freshmen Jessica Toms and Ashley Fluty have started on a consistent basis for the Kats.

Since it’s hard for a team in the Southland Conference to make the NCAA tournament based on their non-conference schedule, Brown is relying on their conference play.

“The only way you can get to the NCAA’s is to win the conference tournament,” Brown said.

“Conference play is about making sure that you’re in one of those six positions to get to the tournament.

No team in the Southland can be successful enough, even going undefeated, to get their RPI high enough to make an at large bid.”

Though conference play is the most important, Brown wants his team to do well outside of conference play.

“We’re always playing to be successful and we always want to do well in these games,” Brown said.

The Kats will take on Grambling State Friday night in Louisiana, and then will travel to Houston on Sunday to take on Rice.

Jessica Gomez | The Houstonian

STRIKING. Junior Hailey Shelpuk kicks the ball during the game against Houston Baptist. The Bearkats won the game, 2-1.

be studying so that you can keep your grades up and to be successful academically.

TH: You won a lot of awards during your time here at Sam. How does it impact the team?

MJ: I am thankful that I was able to achieve those rewards as well as what it brings to our team. Even though we are one of the smaller Division I schools, doesn’t mean that we can’t be good. With hard work and dedication, we can achieve big things.

TH: Dave Self, your track and field coach, how much does he mean to you?

MJ: He played a major role for me to becoming the best athlete that I am today.

Along with coach Clint Blinka, who is my event coach as well as former assistant coach Michael Herston. They all had an impact that made me the man that I am today. They did not allow me to slack off, but kept me discipline so that I can be successful

on and off the track.

TH: Do you believe that their guidance help you to achieve your goals at the Thorpe Cup? MJ: Absolutely. They put in a lot of work and a lot of hours to prepare a training plan so that I can be injury free and that I can be able to compete at a high level and to peak at the right time. It is a blessing to have great coaches that know what they are doing.

TH: How are you preparing for the Pan American Games?

MJ: Right now, I am coming off from a break from participation in the Thorpe Cup. I am doing slow weights three days a week and next week, we are going to pick it up a bit and do a couple of events each day to try and maintain what I have. I will then build on my weakness just a bit so that I can go and compete in the Pan American Games to the best of my ability.

Volleyball takes perfect 4-0 record to North Texas

By Zach Birdsong Sports Editor

After a dominating performance this past weekend, the Bearkat women’s volleyball team is looking to carry its momentum with them on the road when they play in the North Texas Invitational this weekend. The team will face competition from the University of North Texas, the University of Cincinnati and the University of Oklahoma.

Last weekend, the team won the Bearkat Invitational Tournament and started the season 4-0. Head coach Brenda Gray says she learned a lot about her team during last weekend.

“Coming off last weekend, I think we came through a lot of adversity,” Gray said. “We were down in some sets, but we were able to keep our momentum going.”

This weekend, the team will play an elevated level of competition. This will also be the first road trip for the team, but Gray feels confident in her team and expects them to stay focused.

“We won’t be uncomfortable by any means,” Gray said. “It’s just a different gym, everything else is the same.”

SHSU’s first game of the tournament will be against North Texas. This game will also be the first home game of the season for North Texas, and Gray expects a rowdy crowd.

“It’s a small gym, and it will probably be packed

Jessica Gomez | The Houstonian

PERFECT. Junior Kaylee Hawkins (left) and sophomore Kelli Stewart (right) go up to hit a ball against Rutgers. SHSU won the match in four sets.

and loud” Gray said. “But that’s ok because you’ve got to be able to go into other people’s settings as well and be able to handle that.”

Gray stated that an experienced team will help the Kat’s on the road.

Gray also highlighted the play of Carli Kolbe, who received tournament MVP, and finished with 62 kills over the weekend. As important as Kolbe is to the team, Gray wants to see her team play well in the tournament.

“My goal is to see the team get gradually better, work together as a team, work together as one and keep that fire and execute our game plan,” Gray said.

The tournament begins on Friday for the Kats when they take on North Texas, and will continue on Saturday when they play Cincinnati and Oklahoma.

For more information on the volleyball team and the team’s schedule, visit gobearkats.com.

Sports

Page 7 Thursday, September 1, 2011

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Football team kicks off season

By Zach Birdsong

2011 Football Schedule

Sports Editor

The young, but experienced Bearkat football team will begin the season on Thursday with a rematch against a Western Illinois team that beat down the Kats last season, 56-14.

While the Kats have been preparing for the upcoming season, they have had a busy offseason. The team was selected by Dave Campbell’s Texas Football to finish fourth in the conference behind Stephen F. Austin, Central Arkansas and McNeese State.

“I think we should be a contender,” head coach Willie Fritz said. “We finished 4-3 (in Southland Conference games) and played a lot of young guys.

We’re still a very young football team, but we have a lot of guys with experience because we had to throw them in the fire last year.”

This season, the team is returning nine of 11 starters on defense, and all 11 starting offensive players, including quarterback Brian Bell, as well as running back and Southland Conference freshman of the year Tim Flanders.

Bell started nine games for the Kats in 2010 as a true freshman. Bell believes that experience will help him for this upcoming season.

“The snaps I got last year

Sept. 1 WESTERN ILLINOIS 6 p.m.

Sept. 17 CENTRAL ARKANSAS 6 p.m.

Sept. 24 at New Mexico 4 p.m. (MT) Oct. 1 UTSA 6 p.m.

Oct. 8 #Stephen F. Austin 2 p.m.

Oct. 15 NICHOLLS 2 p.m.

Oct. 22 at McNeese St. 7 p.m.

Oct. 29 LAMAR 2 p.m.

Nov. 5 at Southeastern La. 7 p.m.

Nov. 12 NORTHWESTERN ST. 2 p.m.

Nov. 19 at Texas St. 3 p.m. #Reliant Stadium, Houston, Tx. Photo courtesy of gobearkats.com

MAKING A PLAY. Junior Kenneth Jenkins makes a tackle during the game against McNeese state last season. Jenkins is one of nine defensive players that are returning for the 2011 football season.

are going to help me out this year,” Bell said. “Just having those players under my belt and knowing how fast the game is, I don’t have to adjust to any speed, and that helps a lot.”

While the team is still considered young, Fritz agrees with Bell and believes that the experience from last season will help out the returning players.

“There’s no substitute for actually playing in real ball games,” Fritz said. “You can do all the practicing you want, and that helps you obviously, but playing in one game is worth two months of practice. Guys now understand our philosophy on all three phases and what we’re looking for.”

SHSU also had 11 players that were named to the

pre-season All-Southland Conference team. Five of the 11 players were named to the first team, while six were named to the second team.

The SHSU players named on the First team include: Flanders, defensive linemen J. T. Cleveland and Preston Sanders, linebacker Will Henry and defensive back Kenneth Jenkins.

The second team includes: offensive linemen Travis Watson and Caleb Hopson, defensive back Darnell Taylor, place kicker Miguel Antonio, punter Matt Foster and return specialist Brandon Closner.

Both Flanders and Closner were also included on the College Football Performance Awards (CFPA) preseason watch list

Jagau represents Namibia

Travels to China for 2011 World University Games

By Cheval John

Contributing Reporter

While the traditional student spent their summers working, relaxing, or taking summer classes, sophomore and tennis player Imke Jagau spent her summer in China.

Jagau was a part of a delegation that represented Namibia in the 2011 World University Games that was held from August 12-23 in Shenzen, China. The games had student-athletes from 150 countries and territories that participated in 27 sports.

The international business major competed in tennis against the top players in the world.

“I was living the dream,” Jagau said. “I got a glimpse of what it would be like to be a professional player.”

In the tournament, when a player lost in the first round, the winner moved on to the next round and had the opportunity to try to make it to the medal round. The loser would have another opportunity to compete for a consolation prize. Although they were allowed to compete for the consolation prize, they were not allowed to win a medal.

Jagau lost in the first round against Niriantsa Rasolomalala of Madagascar. The loss put her in the consolation round.

In that round, she won against Engela Olivier of South Africa by the score of 5-7, 6-4, 10-5. That put her in the semifinals where she won against another South African that allowed her to reach the finals where she lost against Petra Sunic of Croatia.

Participating in the games taught Jagau how to become a better player.

It also taught her about the importance of being a role model.

“The people in China

Photo courtesy of gobearkats.com

GLOBE-TROTTER. Sophomore Imke Jagau competed in the 2011 World University Games, held in Shenzen, China, August 12-23. Above: Jagau competes during the Spring 2011 semester.

wanted your autograph and the media wanted to do interviews,” Jagau said.

“It allowed me to see the impact that you can make by just being an athlete.”

Jagau and her teammates will participate in

the Bearkat Doubles Fundraiser on Saturday, September 17. The event will begin at 1 p.m.

For more information about this tennis team visit gobearkats.com.

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for the coming 2011 season.

“It means a lot,” Flanders said. “I take it as a big stride, but the only way I got this was because of teammates, my offensive line, defensive players on our defensive unit, and the coaching staff.

They all put me in the right position to make plays for this team and that’s why I got the honors.”

Training camp opened up August 3 for the Kats. And while the team has been battling the heat, they do feel prepared for the upcoming season.

“We’ve been preparing for this the last 30 practices,” Bell said. “We’ve been going through a lot as a team and growing as a family. Our main objective is to be a cohesive unit, and everybody play together

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as one. I feel like we are developing that every day.

We’re just going to progress with that as the season goes on.”

Last season, when the Kats played Western Illinois, they were still trying to figure out their identity. Bell says he isn’t worried about last year, and is focused on this coming season.

“They stuck it to us, there’s no question about that,” Bell said. “Last year, I think we were still trying to progress as a team, and figure out who some of our starters were. This year I’m sure we have a good idea of who our players are going to be. We’re just excited to get out there and play our first game.”

Fritz will also be using Thursday’s game as a measuring stick to see

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how well his team has progressed.

“We feel like we are much better,” Fritz said. “It will be a good test for us to see how far we’ve come in a year’s time.”

Before the game in the North parking lot, tailgating will occur. Houston Texans cheerleaders will be at the tailgating, signing autographs and posing for photos. At 5 p.m., the marching Band will begin its traditional “March to Bowers” from the library to Bearkat Alley.

Kickoff for the game will be at 6 p.m. at Bowers Stadium. The game will also be broadcasted on the Southland Conference Television Network.

For more information on the football team and information about the game, visit gobearkats.com

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