Monday, November 4 2019
The Independent Student Newspaper of Sam Houston State University
Students Dedicated to Professional Journalism Volume 131 | Issue 6
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Huntsville Memorial Hospital Expected to File Bankruptcy BY AMANDA J. RAASKA Community News Editor The following story is largely based on reporting from The Huntsville Item. On Oct. 31, Walker County Hospital Corporation rejected an offer to fund the near-bankrupt Huntsville Memorial Hospital. Walker County Hospital Corporation is responsible for the operation of the Huntsville Memorial Hospital. Walker County Hospital District, the governmental body that offered the funds, is trying to keep the doors of the Huntsville Memorial Hospital open to the public. The agenda called for the hospital district to agree to become the corporation’s debtor, which helped the transition process to bankruptcy by better control of asset pricing and fees. However, the corporation had another plan in mind with using a bank out of California as the secured creditor. Hospital district officials confirmed that the corporation is expected to file a Chapter 11 Bankruptcy by the end of the month. Hospital Financial Ruin In 2017, under former Walker County Hospital Corporation CEO Shannon Brown, the corporation became involved with a laboratory scheme that
Sharon Raissi overcharged for routine tests. The scheme led to one hospital closing its doors. At the same time, the corporation expanded their network of facilities to Madisonville, Riverside and Coldspring.
In September 2018, the corporation could not meet payroll and the interim CEO of that time, Micheal Morgan, requested that the district provide subsidies to assist with financial issues.
During this time, the corporation owes $5.4 million in missing rent. The People If Huntsville Memorial Hospital ends up closing its doors, the act would change the dy-
namic of the surrounding areas. Huntsville Memorial Hospital acts as one of the few hospitals for not only Huntsville, but also the surrounding towns of New Waverly, Willis, Centerville and Madisonville. The hospital’s services go further than just medical clinics, it has specialists in fields of women’s health, rehabilitation and heart and vascular services. This is all while trying to keep the bills and pricing open to a wide variety of incomes. According to the 2018 census, the median household income in Huntsville is $32,715 with 34.4% of the community living under the poverty level. On top of the lack of funds, 19% of the Huntsville community under the age of 65 does not have health insurance, according to the census. Another group of people affected by the doors closing is prisoners living in the local prisons. The prisons do have inhouse clinics, but large medical issues are handled on hospital property. Last Plan The district has negotiations with Community Hospital Corporation, a non-profit hospital management group, to create a joint-venture. These negotiations will stop in their final stages to wait for the conclusion of the bankruptcy process.
The Houstonian | bit.ly/SHSUCampusNews | Monday, November 4, 2019
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campus news
Two-Year Colleges Offer Bachelor’s Degrees, Competition Broadens BY MASON STORRS Assistant EIC/Campus News Editor With a growing number of two-year colleges beginning to offer bachelor’s degree programs, competition has increased for four-year universities. Lone Star College submitted three bachelor’s degrees for approval by their regional accreditor, the Southern Association of
Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges. Lone Star College will learn in January 2020 if those programs in cybersecurity, nursing and energy, manufacturing & trades management are approved. If they are approved, the college will open applications for the programs in February 2020 for registration as fall 2020 classes, according to lonestar. edu. With Lone Star College
marketing their classes as being significantly cheaper than Texas A&M University, University of Texas and Sam Houston State University, it would seem to complicate the future of SHSU, especially in the case of our nursing program. “Our nursing programs have continued to grow with the demand of health care providers seeking highly qualified nurses,” Director of the SHSU School of Nursing Denise Neill said. “We
choose to focus on the quality of course work and clinical rotations that have prepared our students to test extremely well for the NCLEX, the qualifying licensure exam to become a Registered Nurse. Over the past several years, our passing rate has been increasing and the most recent Texas Board of Nursing reported rate is 95.70%.” With a large population of SHSU students transferring in from two-year colleges, one
might also wonder what impact these new programs will have on the university as a whole. “Competition builds innovation,” Dean of the College of Health Sciences Rodney Runyan said. “As long as we continue to align the university with the needs of students, no matter if they are first generation college students, non-traditional students or parents who have decided on switching careers, success will follow.”
SHSU Not Recognized as Hispanic Serving Institution BY RACHAEL FORBES Contributing Reporter Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs) are receiving more public attention than ever as colleges and universities continue to grow. With 55 Texas institutions qualifying for this title, Sam Houston State University is not quite there yet. Enrollment of Latinx and Hispanic students is on the rise within institutions across the nation. While the majority of HSIs are located near the border,
nearby schools like Lone Star College and the University of Houston both qualify. Mary Petron is the undergraduate program coordinator of the Teach English as a Second Language program as well as the Bilingual/English as Second Language program. “Hispanic Serving Institutions are either public or private two-year and four-year colleges that have a student body of 25% or more Hispanics,” Petron said. “There is also an additional requirement that 50% of those students must be qualified for federal student loans or grants.”
The title of HSI can be an advantage for university recruiting and funding purposes. “After meeting HSI requirements, schools must also apply for it in order to be accepted,” Petron said. “Then you can publicize it, which can be very beneficial.” A major benefit of becoming a Hispanic Serving Institution is being eligible to receive specific grants. The U.S. Department of Education provides grant funding to schools and assists in educational opportunities for Hispanic students. They do this by strengthening institutional
Photo courtesy of: CUNY programs, services and facilities for Hispanics and other students
from underrepresented backgrounds. Despite missing HSI status, SHSU still has many groups geared towards Hispanic student’s success. SHSU is home to various student organizations like the National Organization of Hispanics in Criminal Justice, Latinx Graduate Student Organization, Bilingual Education Student Organization and The Latinx Club of the Department of World Languages and Cultures. These organizations all cater to Hispanic students.
The Houstonian | bit.ly/SHSUCampusNews | Monday, November 4, 2019
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campus news
Texas Arbor Day Celebrated by Planting Trees BY DOMINIQUE STANFORD Contributing Reporter The Department of Landscape Services and Leadership Initiatives at Sam Houston State University will team up to host their annual Texas Arbor Day event on Nov. 7 from 2-4 p.m. Texas Arbor Day is a holiday that is usually celebrated on the first Friday of November every year. It is a day that people can get together to plant trees and work towards bettering the environment. When students get involved in Texas Arbor Day, they have the opportunity to experience planting trees and working on
community service projects. “The big thing that I tell the students when they come out to Arbor Day is that, number one, planting trees is a really good thing not just for us but for the community,” Urban Forester and Arborist at SHSU Evan Anderson said. “Trees help a lot with our climate, protecting our soil, preventing floods, lowering energy costs, all these different things.” A popular initiative occurring right now that goes hand in hand with Arbor Day is a project called Team Trees that has a goal of raising $20 million in order to plant 20 million trees, according to Anderson. “A big goal of mine is to
Photo courtesy of Evan Anderson communicate my knowledge of trees to the students who might not have had the same access to trees and nature that I have,” Anderson said. “So I try to take the things that I learn, and not everybody’s interested in trees and that’s fine, but I think it’s nice to be able to tell people, to communicate the knowledge
that I have and engage them on trees so when they look at a tree they don’t see an obstacle or something that drops acorns in their yard. They see something that’s cleaning their air, that’s cooling their yard. It’s actually part of our green infrastructure on campus.”
SHSU Landscape Services and Leadership Initiatives wants to plant at least 20 trees located near the new Life Sciences Building. The decision to plant the trees there was made because it is a new building that doesn’t have much canopy coverage due to the lack of trees surrounding it. Trees provide benefit when it comes to keeping electricity costs low in the summer and winter because of the shade and warmth that the trees provide, according to Anderson. To participate in Texas Arbor Day, you can sign up at https:// www.shsu.edu/dept/leadership-initiatives/cls/ArborDay. html.
The Houstonian | bit.ly/HuntsvilleNews | Monday, November 4, 2019
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community news
Q&A With the “No” Man of City Council: Ronald Allen BY BRE’ANNA BIVENS
Staff Reporter Ronald Allen, known by some as the “no” man of the Huntsville City Council, is retiring from the position of council member of Ward 3 after fulfilling his term limit. As Allen tells it, the council didn’t seem ready for a humble man raised right off Highway 130. In this interview, Allen reflects on his political career trying to achieve one thing: a “common plan” for his “common man.” Describe one of your most rewarding experiences as the Ward 3 council member. I guess it would be to bring attention to Ward 3, and I hope that I’ve accomplished things that needed to be done. I tried to get Ward 3 on the same level as the rest of the wards, and I hope I did. I hope I did. What were some things that you were advocating for [in Ward 3] in your position? The first thing is that Ward 3, and I don’t mean this derogatively, is basically a meat and potato ward. In other words, the people like me, who have lived there their whole life, just want the basic city services. We want our ditches clean, we want our potholes fixed, we want our streets paved and when we call, we want police protection. We aren’t asking for special treatment, we’re just asking for the things we deserve and the things we pay our taxes to get. So, certainly not all those pools, golf courses and the like? Oh no. We’re just simple people who work, pay our bills, go home, try to figure out how to get our kids educated and that’s it. But sometimes you have to
rock the boat to get some attention brought to this ward. There aren’t many people that grew up like I did in Boettcher’s Mill and ever figured that they would get elected into public office, and I can say that I was lucky enough to stick it to the man before I passed on.
“...I can say that I was lucky enough to stick it to the man before I passed on.” How did your upbringing influence your position on the council? To be honest with you, because of my upbringing, I did not totally trust anybody in positions. I saw how things were and how people were treated. So, I went in there with a chip on my shoulder, but I never took anything for face value. That’s me. What would you consider your most memorable moment? Oh, the Safe Route to School sidewalk program. This is when the federal government gives money to the states and then to the cities to build sidewalks to the different schools. Well, every one of them was in my ward. After being there for six months, I was getting complaints. The company that was building the sidewalks was tearing stuff up, jumping from area to area in people’s driveways. It was a mess, but I got another construction company in there and they finished the work. And that right there was the biggest headache I had on the council.
Serving on the council is understandably long nights and longer mornings, but what do you believe you’ve contributed to the city in your endeavors? I think that I really tried to read the agenda and tried to understand it. I watched things closer than some. When I got the agenda, I studied it, asked questions and got opinions from others who weren’t in city government because I wanted my vote to matter. That, and I never voted for a property tax increase. They call you the “no” man, where did you get this infamous name from, and how did this influence your advocacy for your ward? When I first got there, they kept telling me that I had to be a
team player. Well, I didn’t run to be a team player, I ran to be an independent mind and to serve my ward. I voted what I thought was right, and sometimes that was a lot of no’s. Define the highlight of your career as a council member. The first one was the only one voting against purchasing the old hospital to turn it into a police and fire station complex and the second was being sanctioned. I think those two moments really showed them that I was not a part of the establishment. With your political career seemingly at rest, what do you look forward to in your retirement? My retirement is that I get six nights off and don’t have to spend every weekend reading
Courtesy of the City of Huntsville LEAVING HIS MARK. Ronald Allen reflects on his time as council member of Ward 3. an agenda. I can actually just work, and its already started, and I sure feel better. I think my blood pressure went down too. I didn’t think I would feel better, but I do. Well, you sure did leave your mark. It’s better to leave your mark, whether it’s good or bad.
The Houstonian | bit.ly/HuntsvilleNews | Monday, November 4, 2019
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community news
Ruben Gutierrez Avoids Execution for a Third Time
BY AMANDA J. RAASKA
Community News Editor On Oct. 22, Ruben Gutierrez avoided death for the third time when his execution was stayed due to clerical errors. Texas law states an execution warrant “under the seal of the court” must be issued by the district clerk within 10 days to
the county sheriff. When in the hands of the sheriff, the warrant is escorted to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. At the same time, a different copy of the warrant is sent to the prosecution’s and defense’s offices for review. This process must happen in a timely manner after the execution date is set by the courts. According to court briefings,
the warrant sent to the sheriff and the lawyers didn’t have the seal on it, and it was sent 12 days after the execution date was set. It was on those grounds that Gutierrez’s lawyers issued a stay application. The court stayed his execution and a new date has not yet been set. Gutierrez was sentenced to death for the act of robbing and
killing 85-year-old Escolastica Harrison in her home. Gutierrez maintains that DNA testing would prove his innocence, but potential testing is pending before the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals. Gutierrez landed behind bars after his trial was over in 1999. His first execution date was scheduled for September 2018. His execution was then
rescheduled in June of this year due to a defect in the warrant. His execution date was set for Oct. 30. On Oct. 22, his execution was stayed again due to clerical error. After avoiding death three times, Gutierrez will be waiting for the courts to decide his next execution date.
New Economic Development Plan for Huntsville BY TYLER MOWERY
Contributing Reporter The City of Huntsville’s public officials met Oct. 24 in City Hall to discuss a new economic development plan. In the next several months, officials will introduce these plans to city council members during the regularly scheduled meetings. “We have talked about this a fair amount over the past couple of years,” City Manager Aron Kulhavy said. “One of the things that was very clear to myself and staff was [we] want to take the lead on this. We want to put together a very detailed work
plan and we’re going to do it ourselves.” According to Kulhavy, the purpose of this work plan is to guide the city in fulfilling its economic goals over the next five years by consulting with small business owners and prominent entities around Huntsville, such as Sam Houston State University and Texas Department of Criminal Justice. “One of the biggest things that we need to consider as a city is a way to overcome the demographic identity,” Council member Mari Montgomery said. “We have a population that is close to 40,000 and a quarter of that are incarcerated.”
Another factor contributing to difficulty in economic development is the lack of a skilled workforce. “At the university here, one of the big questions that keeps getting asked is ‘why don’t the graduates stay here in Huntsville?’” Council member Joe Rodriguez said. “One of the reasons is that somebody who comes out of college, their salaries are not going to be at the top when they start a new job, and they can’t afford to live here because we don’t have affordable housing.” Other topics of discussion were the importance of Huntsville’s location and the reasons
for land annexation. “Our biggest economic strength is our location,” Council member Paul Davidhizar said. “If a company wants to locate someplace that’s going to take off, it’s Huntsville. That’s why we as a council are developing infrastructure and annexing land because there’s no place in the city limits to put distribution centers or small industrial situations.” Mayor Andy Brauninger and many of the council members stress the importance of attracting industrial growth over the next several years. SHSU and TDCJ could also play a role in attracting vendors to the city.
Courtesy of the City of Huntsville Public officials aim for this economic plan to be finalized by the January 2020 strategic sessions. The next City Council meeting takes place Nov. 19 at 6 p.m.
The Houstonian | bit.ly/HoustonianAandE | Monday, November 4, 2019
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Arts & entertainment
‘Office Ladies’ Podcast is a Fresh Look at Dunder Mifflin Hosts Angela Kinsey and Jenna Fischer reveal behind the scenes treasures and little known facts about the series that has become a cult classic.
BY SHARON RAISSI Editor-in-Chief Two beloved characters from “The Office,” Angela Kinsey (who played Angela Martin) and Jenna Fischer (Pam Beesly), have teamed up for a behind the scenes podcast. The podcast, fittingly titled “Office Ladies” is a weekly breakdown of an episode of “The Office” from the perspective of two of its stars. With a trailer and three episodes out, the podcast has already revealed a lot about what went on when the cameras were not rolling at the fictional Dunder Mifflin Paper Company. Listening to the podcast, a few things became clear. One, these women are real-life best friends and their dynamic is hilarious and contagious. Two, they are making serious bank on this venture. Every time I was drawn into the narrative, boom there’s an advertisement. This is unsurprising given that people jump at almost every opportunity to capitalize on the monumental success of “The Office” and this podcast is no exception. If not for the continual advertisements, it really would just feel like two old friends reminiscing. To be fair to the women, in the second episode they called for their listeners to tell them what sort of advertisements they most want to hear. This is a transparent way of considering the audience’s feelings when recording these product and service plugs, which I appreciated. In addition, it is free to listen to whereas streaming the actual
ad-free show requires a Netflix account. Aside from that, the content itself is exactly what fans were hoping it would be. The podcast has many ‘Steve Carell is such a nice guy’ comments and ‘we didn’t realize the show would be so successful’ remarks, as expected. We learn which lines were improvised, what scenes made the actors break character, what went on when the cameras stopped rolling and more. They still found ways to bring in unexpected bits and pieces that really make each episode feel like a full experience, worthy of the almost one hour it takes to listen. For fans of “The Office,” the perspective from these two actresses is a treat to listen to. Unlike the morning news podcasts I find myself frequenting, this is a more relaxed listen. It is nice to be able to put on this podcast, and mindlessly do something like cooking or painting and listen to these women reminisce on their good ol’ days. Much like the show itself, the podcast is a safe and lighthearted retreat for listeners. The hosts take their job seriously, watching each episode and writing their thoughts on notecards beforehand. They have also reached out to cast members for more information and openly share it with their listeners, which gives a well-rounded, often hilarious, look at the inner workings of the show. Since added to Netflix as a streaming option, “The Office’s” popularity skyrocketed. According to a report from the Wall Street Journal’s tech conference in October, “The Office” is the
most streamed show on the platform by a margin of about 20 billion. Given the wild success of the show, NBC reclaimed their hold on “The Office” and will pull it from Netflix in 2021, moving it to their new streaming service launching next year. When it makes its migration to the NBC streaming platform, at least fans
will still have this podcast to listen to when they inevitably decline to pay for yet another streaming service. Overall, the podcast feels like an exclusive look at one of the most successful shows in modern history, but comes across as just two women chatting over brunch. Really, it is something to behold.
Photo courtesy of NBC
The Houstonian | bit.ly/HoustonianAandE | Monday, November 4, 2019
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Arts & entertainment
Kanye West’s Shift From ‘I Am A God’ to ‘Jesus is King’ BY ARIOLE JONES Arts & Entertainment Editor We know Kanye West as Ye, Yeezy, Yeezus or just Kanye. But today, we only know him as “that dude that switched up.” Remember that one song where Kanye and Lil Pump dressed in big body suits and repeated vulgar phrases and literally everyone hated it? That’s kind of what’s happening now, but instead Kanye is talking about Jesus and his newfound religion. Although it’s something
different for some of his fans, we can consider the fact that he actually grew up in the church and that he even professed Jesus walks in a testimonial song about his spiritual journey. So, this is not the first time we are seeing this. First of all, Kanye has been on the idealism of God from the beginning and has been sprinkling it into his music for years. Another popular song “Mercy” featuring artists like Big Sean and Pusha T sampled bible verses in the beginning and background of the song. The lyrics were “It is a weeping, and a moaning, and a gnashing of
teeth” referenced from the Bible verse Matthew 13:50 where Jesus is talking in a parable about the end of times. Now we know Kanye is a smart man and not only is he good businessman, but he is a people’s man. Some people worry that this new person has a motive just like he usually does and that he may use the clout of Christians around the world to put him in a higher position to create sabotage. I’d like to say that is a reach and he does not possess that much power. Some think he is just flat out crazy or going through some type of depression where he doesn’t know
who he wants to be. We don’t know what’s going on in his head and I think that is what is really driving everyone crazy, not the fact that he’s decided to be a Christian. Furthermore, after the drop of his “Jesus Is King” album and the mixed reviews, Kanye is still staying faithful to himself. He’s continuing his Sunday Services and even shaking hands with well-known pastors. We don’t really know what to expect from here and personally I see potential. The only thing we can do at this point is just wait for if or when he changes because well,
Photo courtesy of esquire.com it’s Kanye. I have much respect for his dedication and devotion to his profound faith and hope it is only positivity from here.
Theatre Students Bring Life to a ‘Dying City’ on Stage BY DIERDRE SMITH Contributing Reporter Senior musical theatre major Marcella Alba is directing a play titled “Dying City,” playing Nov. 6, 8 and 9 at Sam Houston State University. “Dying City” was originally written by Christopher Shinn, an American playwright who graduated from NYU. Shinn’s
play “Dying City” was a finalist for the 2008 Pulitzer Prize for the drama genre. The time frame of the play is set between the years 2004 and 2005 in New York City, where the fall of the twin towers on 9/11 is a cloud that hangs over the city and its people. The war in Iraq is still going and people are still grieving. A woman who has just lost her husband is struggling to gain the strength
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to move on and overcome her grief, until she sees his twin brother a year later. In Alba’s take on the play, there will be only two main actors. Emmy Smith will play a widow, and Joshua Mcmahan will be playing a set of twins, the late husband of the widow and his brother. “This story is about moving on and dealing with grief and how manipulation, deception
and the past all affect relationships both platonic, familial and romantic,” Alba said. “Each character has something that people can relate to.” This play will not only give Alba the chance to get directorial experience, but it will also give her the chance to put this on her resume for future job opportunities. “I have been uplifted and humbled in the process of making
this play, and I have gained so much from it,” Alba said. “I’m so happy to have gotten this opportunity to not only showcase my work but the work of my team as well.” The play will show on Nov. 6, 8 and 9 at 7:30 p.m. at the Showcase Theatre. Tickets can be bought at shsu.edu/boxoffice.
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The Houstonian | bit.ly/HoustonianOpinions | Monday, November 4, 2019
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Opinions
Consumer Outrage Dwindles as BlizzCon Thrives BY TYLER FEDERICO Contributing Writer
Popular video game publisher and developer conglomerate Activision Blizzard has come under large amounts of scrutiny after they banned professional “Hearthstone” player Ng Wai Chung for making a statement in support of pro-democracy protests in his hometown of Hong Kong during a livestream of a tournament. With BlizzCon 2019 happening this past weekend, there was reason to believe that there was going to be some sort of protest following recent controversies, and indeed, many demonstrators
Photo Courtesy of The Washington Post showed up outside of the conpublic relations stunt? vention center where it was held. There’s an age-old adage that This begs the question, can no publicity is bad publicity. Activision Blizzard or any This is an adage I’ve questioned company come back from a bad several times in my life. It would
seem like being on the wrong side of a fight against human rights violations to prevent your company from losing money in the Chinese market would be hard for even the best public relations person to spin as a positive. Certainly Activision Blizzard, who has made some of the most beloved and commercially successful video games of all time such as “StarCraft” and “World of Warcraft,” doesn’t need any more publicity than they would usually get around the time of their own convention. But despite the recent bad publicity, Blizzard doesn’t seem to really need to bounce back from it, at least not in the only way that actually matters to them: their cash flow.
A decent portion of the public seems to have already stopped caring about their controversial handling of the Hong Kong protests by focusing instead on the company announcing long awaited sequels to popular games “Overwatch” and “Diablo.” Ultimately, it is up to the consumer to decide whether or not a company succeeds despite bad PR. Sometimes boycotting does work, but oftentimes the demand for a product outweighs people’s moral integrity. A large majority of the public has a different view of Activision Blizzard after the Hong Kong controversy, but I don’t think any company really cares how the public views them if they’re still making money.
against those billionaires that continue to keep most of their money from their dealing in medical opioids should be the biggest priority in my opinion. If any faith in the American system of the democracy is to be taken seriously, there must be consequences for those who
wrong the public and break the law, no matter how big their bank account is. Even with such a victory of justice, it will take funding from the government supported by our taxes in order to see those suffering from addiction recover fully.
Bitter Pill to Swallow: Paying for Opioid Crisis BY JACOB COURTNEY Opinions Editor
The White House Council of Economic Advisers announced last week that it will take an estimated $2.5 trillion over the next four years to fix the continual opioid crisis. With a price tag like that, it makes me wonder if enough is being done to those responsible for the epidemic and its victims. Opioids are typically prescribed as pain relievers and can become addictive. OxyContin, Vicodin and illegal drugs like heroin fall into the opioid category. Most opioids are still legal for doctors to prescribe, but companies like Purdue Pharma and Johnson & Johnson aggressively marketed the painkillers as being safe and non-addictive in the 1990’s and 2000’s. The American people pay the
consequences with more than money, with over 130 people a day dying from overdosing on opioids, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, all done for the greed of a few executives. What has followed this is a flood of lawsuits and government action that has yet to solve the crisis. These are only half measures that give little justice to those affected. The lawsuits that followed the 2007 federal government case against Purdue Pharma for selling its OxyContin opioid as a safer alternative have lost the company and others who have done similar actions millions of dollars. Though doctors have gone to prison for their illegal roles in dealing and over prescribing opioids, no criminal charges have ever been filed against any of the executives, who through marketing and pressuring doctors to prescribe the addictive
opioids, created this situation in the first place. With a multitude of deaths still happening, the millions of dollars won in lawsuits will only provide little relief from the $2.5 trillion needed to fix the problem. Pressing criminal charges
The Houstonian | bit.ly/HoustonianOpinions | Monday, November 4, 2019
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Opinions
College Students Need More Options to Eat Healthy BY KATHERINE SOOKMA Contributing Writer
The decision to eat healthier foods should be readily available to the student body at Sam Houston State University. We shouldn’t have to settle for fast food just because that is the only option. As a college student, I’ve come to find that we are always in a hurry and on the go. It’s just a part of who we are. When we want something to eat, we’ll mostly take anything as long as it’s cheap and easy to get. I remember my first year living in Huntsville and I rarely remember ever cooking. It wasn’t that I couldn’t cook, it was just easier to go and pick up fast food after a long day of
school and work. I think that habits like these develop in college and continue in our lives well after we graduate. It doesn’t have to be that way and we should be able to choose healthy eating that is affordable and appealing to all of us. It’s really not that hard to find something to eat around here if you’re willing to settle for fast food or pizza. If you think about it, it’s like a vicious cycle. If you want to eat healthier you could potentially go and buy groceries to make your own meals. But what if you can’t afford groceries or if you’re in a hurry and don’t have the time to really cook at all?
Miranda Martinez Then that’s when we turn to fast food or delivery and fall right back into this harmful cycle of unhealthy eating. College weight gain is inevitable when you’re surrounded by so many fast food restaurants
and pizza chains that offer deals and coupons almost every day. As college students, we should have the option to be healthy and eat better without having to worry about whether we’ll be able to afford to pay our bills.
I think that eating healthier is so much more than just making plain salads or eating more vegetables. There are so many opportunities to introduce a restaurant on or off campus that offers healthy food at an affordable price. Students not only want these options, they need them. Something common that I’ve noticed is free food being offered to students on campus. It’s no surprise that one way to get college students to participate in something is to feed them, and the food that is usually given away is either pizza or some type of fast food. It is imperative that establishments prioritize healthy eating opportunities for students so they remain fit in the future.
The Houstonian | bit.ly/HuntsvilleSports | Monday, November 4, 2019
Page 10
SPORTS
All You Need to Know Before Bearkat Basketball Tips Off BY COLTON FOSTER Assistant Sports Editor The Sam Houston State University men’s and women’s basketball teams are set to tip off the 2019-2020 campaign next week. If last year is any indication, this season should be an exciting one for Bearkat fans as both programs are coming off stellar regular-season performances in 2018-2019. The men’s basketball team is looking to defend its regular-season Southland Conference title while the women’s team is ready to keep building with second year head coach Ravon Justice. After a 16-2 record in Southland play and a conference championship last year, the
men’s team looks to continue its dominance even though four out of the five starters graduated. Having a new young core, the Bearkats were still picked to finish in second place according to the Southland Conference pre-season poll. SHSU also garnered seven first-place votes. “Any time you win a championship it gives you a lot of confidence,” head coach Jason Hooten said. “We lost four really good seniors that meant a lot to this program and this university. We’ve got some work to do. There’s enough guys returning and enough in there in that locker room right now that have experienced what it’s like to hoist that trophy up.” With the possibility of sophomore guard Zach Nutall taking over the point, fans might
see a change in how the game is played compared to last year when Josh Delaney held that position before he graduated.
“I think our guys are really hungry to get to [the NCAA tournament].” -Jason Hooten Women’s basketball is coming off a completely unexpected turn-around in Justice’s first year at the helm. She inherited a four-win program that captured only one conference victory in 2017 and led the Kats to a 16-13 record and a Southland Conference tournament berth last year. “I think the biggest thing is being consistent,” Justice said.
“I think that’s the biggest focus. I thought last year there were times we were inconsistent, and it cost us some games.” Fans will see familiar faces, as returning for the Bearkats is all but one player from last year. Veteran leadership will need to be a point of emphasis if SHSU is going to repeat and even build on its success. The team will continue to be
“We want...to be more consistent so we can build on the foundation we laid.” -Ravon Justice led by senior guards Jenniffer Oramas and Jaylonn Walker. Men’s basketball is set to tip
off Nov. 5 at 6:30 p.m. against Paul Quinn to begin the season. Women’s basketball starts Nov. 6 versus Howard- Payne. and tips off at 6:30 p.m. Conference plays starts Dec. 18 at home when SHSU welcome Northwestern State University at 6:30 p.m. Their first Southland Conference contest will also be Dec. 18 against NSU, but it will be on the road in Natchitoches, Louisiana. The first home game of conference play for the women will by Jan. 2 versus McNeese. Both games on Nov. 5 and 6 to open up the teams’ seasons will be home matches for the Kats and will be played at Bernard G. Johnson Colisuem.
bearkat volleyball northwestern state
november 7 at 6:30 pm johnson coliseum
central arkansas
november 9 at 1:00 pm johnson coliseum
Louisiana paul quinn
MBB - november 5 6:30 pm johnson coliseum
Howard payne
WBB - november 6 6:30 pm johnson coliseum
WBB - november 10 3:00 pm johnson coliseum
The Houstonian | bit.ly/HuntsvilleSports | Monday, November 4, 2019
Page 11
SPORTS
Kats Soccer Looking for Turnaround at Southland Tournament
BY SCOTT MORRIS Sports Reporter The Sam Houston State University soccer team finished its regular season with a conference record of 5-5-1 (7-10-1 overall), capturing the No. 7 seed in the upcoming 2019 Southland Conference Tournament Nov. 6-10. The Bearkats finished up the year with three competitive
losses against the University of Incarnate Word Cardinals, the Abilene Christian University Wildcats and the Stephen F. Austin University Lumberjacks. The Bearkats lost a close game to the Cardinals 3-2 in double overtime. Freshman forward Brooke Jones had both of the Kats’ goals including a game-tying goal in the 89th minute. ACU shut out SHSU 1-0.
Freshman goalkeeper Tatum Krueger had a busy day as the Bearkats were outshot 26-10. She had nine total saves in the game but the deciding factor came in the 55th minute when the Wildcats found the net. The Bearkats then ended the regular season at Pritchett Field Friday with their third straight loss coming at the hands of the rival Ladyjacks 2-1 who outshot SHSU 19-2. Freshman midfield-
er Kalynn Bickford finished off her strong freshman season with another goal coming in the 78th minute. The Bearkats honored their seniors that night— including Hannah Dupin, Carlota Suarez Crespo, Lexi Bullard, Acacia Shepardson, Josee Jacobellis and even Katy Johnson who suffered a season ending injury last weekend. She stepped onto the field to kick the ball out of bounds and was subbed out, giving her one last start for the Kats. The Bearkats are now looking forward to the Southland Conference Tournament in Conway, Arkansas against No. 2 seed Northwestern State University. In their first meeting this season the Bearkats lost a tight match with a final score of 1-0. Krueger had a strong showing in that game with five saves on six shots on goal. SHSU will miss Johnson’s presence in the match as she had one of the two shots on goal in the previous matchup with the Demons. First place Lamar University will look to run the tournament beginning with a game against the No. 8 seeded SFA Ladyjacks. ACU will try to take back its title after winning last year by
Strike a Pose! Kat Klash Bowling Invitational
defeating SFA 3-1 in the final. They will take on sixth ranked McNeese University in the opening round. The Bearkats will be looking for their young core to make a strong impact in the tournament. Krueger needs to continue her strong season going into the playoffs. She took over the primary starting roll in the net halfway through the season and has been a large part of the reason for the defense being so strong and allowing two goals or less in six of the last seven games. Bickford will also be a key player that needs to make a huge impact for the team. Leading the Bearkats this season with five goals, she has been able to find opportunities all over the place. She began her season by making the game-winning penalty kick against the 2018 regular-season champion Central Arkansas. Three of her team-leading five scores were game winners. The Bearkats will begin their tournament against second ranked NSU in Conway, Arkansas on Wednesday Nov. 6 at 11 a.m. The game will stream live on Southland.org/live.
SHSU Bowling hosted the Kat Klash Invitational and finished in fourth place in a talented 16-team field.
Tyler Josefsen
Jordan Likens
“Every year this field gets stronger. We want the best teams here to bring the best out in ourselves.” -Head coach Brad Hagen