The Houstonian, April 12, 2011

Page 1

The Independent Student Newspaper of Sam Houston State University Vol 117— Issue 22

Art Gallery, Page 5

Photo courtesy Rachelle Sadler

Crown Classic, Page 4

Jessica Priest | The Houstonian

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Entertainment.............page 5 Viewpoints.................page 2 Special........................page 6 Special........................page 3 Sports.........................page 7 INDEX

The Child

University ready to roll out red carpet

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News...........................page 4

Special........................page 8

Criminal Justice student finds salvation after human trafficking nightmare

By Kolby Flowers Senior Reporter Student Activities is hosting the 17th Annual Sammy Awards tomorrow evening in the James and Nancy Gaertner Performing Arts Center. The official student award ceremony of the university will begin at 6 p.m. and is hosted annually to recognize outstanding student leaders, organizations, and advisors. Eighteen individual and organizational awards require nominations from members of the University Community at large as well as Sammy Awards. These awards will be presented to approximately four graduating students and faculty/staff members for outstanding contributions and service to the university. Five individual awards representing students from each of the five colleges at SHSU are strictly made from members of the SHSU Faculty within the student’s college and recognize service to his/her college.

Jared Wolf | The Houstonian

BREAKING CHAINS. One SHSU student was among the 27 million people worldwide who are sold into the black market of human trafficking. Eighty percent are women, and almost half are minors. Texas is a hotbed for this criminal enterprise. A quarter of all human trafficking victims in the United States are here, mainly in the Houston area.

By Lauren Adkins Contributing Writer

Breanna Bryant did not grow up like most girls. When she was just three years old, a man broke into her mother’s apartment late at night. He held a gun and an extension cord. He demanded

KATlinks The Nominees are at: http://www.shsu. edu/~slo_sad/sammys/ nominees.html

money. Her mother told him that she couldn't pay him, and he beat her and threatened to electrocute her to death. In fear, Bryant cried out. Her innocent cry of terror saved her mother’s life that night, but the cost was her childhood. She was kidnapped. He took her as a payment for her mother's debt – then he sold

her. So instead of doing all the things young girls take for granted – going to school, making friends, playing with toys and dolls – Bryant was sold into the dark underworld of human trafficking, dramatically altering her life forever. — See CHILD, page 4

Commuters count pennies By Hugo Lopez Contributor Reporter

Students and professors from SHSU, who don’t live in Huntsville, try to find different solutions in order to save money due to the increasing fuel prices. People living in nearby cities like New Waverly and the Woodlands are spending up to a month’s worth

of rent on gasoline. SHSU psychology major Rachel Brass says she spends about $500 a month on gasoline using an Exxon credit card as she drives to school about every day. Brass currently lives in New Waverly with her parents. She has tempted to move into Huntsville as her Prius, which she barely got in December, already has over 10,000 miles.

Other people do not have any problem with the rising gas prices as they find alternative ways of getting here. “I drive a Prius so I don’t spend that much money on gas,” said Assistant Professor of History Jeff Littlejohn who lives in the Woodlands and only drives to Huntsville on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Littlejohn said the reason he lives in the Woodlands is because there are “more opportunities for leisure” and with his wife being a teacher, “Conroe schools offer higher pay to teachers than Huntsville.” Time is his only issue when it comes to living so far away from the campus. — See COMMUTERS, page 4

Sammy Bearkat Debate team sets multiple national champ again records at national tournament

NUMBER ONE. University Mascot, Sammy Bearkat, placed first at the National Cheerleading Association Mascot Competition held in Daytona Beach, Florida for the second year in a row.

Senior Reporter

Sammy the Bearkat placed 1st in the National Cheerleading Association Mascot Competition held in Daytona Beach, Florida for the second year in a row. The Orange Pride Dance Team also placed first in the National Dance Alliance competition for the second year in a row. Brandon Cooper,

assistant director for student activities, traveled with the teams to Florida. “The university is extremely proud of all the teams who competed this weekend,” said Cooper. “It is an amazing accomplishment for our teams to place first two years in a row and it really shows how hard we have worked.” The All Girl Cheerleading Squad also traveled to Florida and placed 3rd in NDA.

Nation & World

Former President Arrested Police forces have arrested former Ivory Coast president, Laurent Gbagbo, whose refusal to accept the results of a presidential election last year has plunged the African nation into civil war. President-elect Alassane Ouattara urged citizens to lay down their weapons and asked the justice minister to start legal proceedings against Gbagbo and his wife. While Gbagbo claimed himself the winner of the Ivorian Election of 2010, the first election in the country in 10 years, Ouattara, along with numerous countries, organizations, and world leaders has claimed victory. Aftershocks continue to devastate Japan A landslide triggered by a 6.4 magnitude earthquake has killed 6 people in Japan. The quake struck at about 8:08 a.m. Tuesday morning (6:08 p.m. Monday CT), according to the US Geological Survey. It had a depth of about 8 miles and was centered about 77 miles east-southeast of Tokyo. Another aftershock, a 6.6 magnitude quake, killed one person in a separate landslide on the same day. Both earthquakes strike exactly one month after the country’s devastating 9.0 earthquake that has killed at least 13,116 people with 14,000 still missing. Burqas banned in France France’s controversial ban on certain kinds of Muslim veils took effect on Monday, April 11, 2011. Two French women, who protested the law, stepping out into the Notre Dame Cathedral in full Islamic face veil, were arrested. According to police, they were not arrested for wearing the veil but for staging an unregistered protest. French police must not forcibly remove the veil but instead give a verbal warning and ask for the woman to identify herself by removing the veil. If she refuses, the officer is then to bring her down to the station for a possible 150 euro fine. Presidential race shaping up as Romney creates committee Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney threw his hat into the ring for the 2012 presidential election on Monday with the announcement that he set up a presidential exploratory committee. This committee will allow Romney to begin to fundraise for the election. As of Monday afternoon, Romney's statement of organization and statement of candidacy are both on file with the Federal Election Commission. Romney is being considered the first real contender for the GOP nomination to take this step. Rebels reject plan to stop fighting in Libya Libyan rebels have rejected a "road map" proposal offered by the African Union to bring an end to the fighting between them and the government of Moammar Gadhafi, stating that they would reject any plan that does not call for Gadhafi's removal and claiming that the proposal does not provide any solution to the violence against the Libyan People, according to Rebel Leader Abdul Hafiz Ghoga.

Photo courtesy of Brandon Cooper

By Kolby Flowers

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Photo courtesy of Adam Key

RAISING THE BAR. (left to right) Back row: Adam Key, Steven Perry, Fabiola Sanchez, Stephen Green, Lotis Butchko, Bekka Frizzell, Bob Trevino Front row: Ashley Olson, Devon Hernandez, Clayton Goss, Holly Lindsey, Sara Harrigan, Cathy Luzadas.

By Meagan Ellsworth Editor-in-Chief

The Speech and Debate team won several national titles and set multiple new records at the International Public Debate Association National Tournament this weekend at Stephen F. Austin State University.

Clayton Goss, Criminal Justice junior, defeated University of Arkansas at Monticello student Chris Brown to win the tournament in the varsity division. The round took place at the awards banquet and allowed 15 different universities to cast ballots

to determine the year’s national winner. Goss won with a decisive 13-2 vote. Goss was also 4th place speaker at the tournament and earned the varsity season-long national championship for the second year in a row. — See DEBATE, page 4

Government shutdown narrowly avoided In an effort to hold off the governmental shutdown, lawmakers announced that they had reached a deal on how to fund the government through Oct. 1. However, they instead voted on a one-week extension that would slash $2 billion in spending from transportation and housing programs. Lawmakers passed the one-week bill because the larger compromise measure hadn't been written yet. The compromise was not available at press time.


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