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Issue 66 •• Oct. Oct. 22, 22 2012 Vol. 87 Issue
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This week Early voting begins today Early voting for the general election starts today and continues through Nov. 2. Registered voters can vote at any early voting location. The closest polling site to the college is the VIA Metropolitan Transit Center, 1021 San Pedro Ave. Hours of operation for early voting locations are 8 a.m.–6 p.m. today-Friday, 8 a.m.-8 p.m. Saturday and noon-6 p.m. Sunday through Oct. 28. Hours Oct. 29-Nov. 2 are 8 a.m.-8 p.m. Voters may vote in their precinct 7 a.m.-7 p.m. on Election Day Nov. 6. Sample ballots and other early voting locations can be found at www.bexar.org/elections091004/ index.html. For more information, call the Bexar County Elections Department at 210-335-8683.
Ingrid Wilgen
HIV testing set for this week Peer Educators will sponsor free HIV testing 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Thursday and Friday in Room 101 of the nursing complex. Hope Action Care, a nonprofit community-based organization, will provide test materials and administer the actual test. The test, conducted in private, is an oral swab called OraQuick and requires no needles. Results are available in 15 minutes. Along with testing, Hope Action Care will provide information on HIV prevention. “Anybody who is sexually active should get tested,” Peer Educator Mariana Solis said. Hope Action Care, 132 W. Grayson St., provides health education, promotion and support services to people who have disabilities, are low-income or are homeless, according to the website at www.http://hopeactioncare.org. For more information, call Peer Educators at 210-486-1448.
Carlos Ferrand
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Hofstra University junior Corinne Mestemacher poses with life-size cut out cardboards of President Obama and Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney ahead of the second presidential debate Oct. 16 in Hempstead, N.Y. AccuNet/AP
Debate tonight could be crucial By INGRID WILGEN
icobham@student.alamo.edu
President Barack Obama and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney are battling it out on the debate floor to explain to America the merits of their positions on issues. Two presidential debates and one vice-presidential debate have given the public an unfiltered view of the differences in the Democratic Obama-Biden and Republican Romney-Ryan tickets. The last of three debates will air at 8 p.m. today. Government Professor Wanda Lee Smith said the presidential debates will not change the minds of voters aligned closely to their party or to those who have made their choice. Smith said the debates are important to undecided voters. Undecided voters who are citizens of swing states are critical players. Battleground states may just deter-
A debate booklet is held up after the second presidential debate between President Barack Obama and Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney at Hofstra University. AccuNet/AP mine the outcome of the election, Smith said. According to Politico, the swing states are Colorado, Florida,
Iowa, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Virginia, Ohio and Wisconsin. Politico promises “insid-
er-like access to Washington and the latest from the world of politics” at www.politico.com. As of Wednesday, Politico shows a small Democratic lead in swing state votes. Dr. Paul Wilson, social sciences and humanities chair, said the debates become more important the closer the election gets. Wilson said many viewers rely on coverage from news organizations to interpret what candidates say during the debates. He said it is important for voters to take time to watch the debates to get a first-hand experience. “You can’t delegate that responsibility to others,” Wilson said. Smith said to look at multiple issues when considering voting for a candidate. “Don’t get swayed on only one issue,” she said. The debates can be viewed at www.2012presidentialelectionnews. com/2012-debate-schedule.
Tobin Lofts to begin leasing Nov. 1 Office will match roommates for the fall 2013 semester. By ALMA LINDA MANZANARES amanzanares6@student.alamo.edu
Applications to live on campus when Tobin Lofts opens in August will be accepted beginning Nov. 1 in a leasing office in Building 19 of the continuing education annex, 309 W. Dewey Place. Tobin Lofts is a four-story, public-private partnership at the northwest corner of North Main Avenue and East Laurel Street, which includes residential space, commercial space and a parking garage. Groundbreaking for the lofts will be 10:30 a.m. Thursday in Lot 26 at Evergreen Street and Main. The lot will be closed from Oct. 24-25 for the event. West Evergreen street will be closed between Howard and Main beginning today for construction of the lofts. A banner advertising the residential housing availability will be displayed on campus Thursday, general manager Renee Cavazos said. The public/private partnership was first proposed at a Building, Grounds and Sites Selection Committee meeting Feb. 16, 2010.
Room rates and the application fee have not been determined, Cavazos said. However, David Mrizek, vice president of college services, told The Ranger April 25, 2011, that apartments are estimated to be $925 for a one bedroom, one bath; $1,400 for a two bedroom, two bath; and $2,000 for a four bedroom, four bath. At Pizza with the President Sept. 13, President Robert Zeigler said apartments are estimated to be $600 to $700 per month. The lofts will provide 552 beds in furnished apartments and with all bills paid, Cavazos said. At the June 12 Buildings, Grounds and Site Selection Committee, Jim Plummer, a partner in Fulbright and Jaworski LLP, said the Tobin Lofts is a 225-unit residential development for students, faculty and staff. Cavazos said 65 beds will be available for families and faculty and staff in a building connected to the parking garage that will be constructed in Lot 26 at Evergreen Street and Main. Each unit in the student area contains four beds, so if students do not have roommates, the leasing office will match roommates based on a questionnaire, Cavazos said.
“You’d fill out a questionnaire and we’d match somebody who we feel will closely match to you, and they will be your roommate,” she said. At the June 12 committee meeting, Plummer said the commercial frontage at the lofts will include a fitness room; leasing center; study and entertainment areas; theater room; meeting space for the Tobin Hill Community Association; and 12,000 square feet of leasable space, with Luther’s Restaurant as anchor tenant. The lofts also will have a café with a “continental breakfast” set-up with self-service snacks and drinks, such as Starbucks coffee, chips and granola bars, Cavazos said. Students from the University of Texas at San Antonio, University of Incarnate Word and Trinity University can rent apartments in Tobin Lofts, she said. A model of a full-size bed, sofa, dresser, desk and office chair will be available to see Nov. 1 in the leasing office, she said. Leasing office hours are to be determined, Cavazos said. For more information, call Cavazos at 512-4847316, email at rcavazos@livetobinlofts.com or visit www.facebook.com/tobinlofts. Ivie Okungbowa contributed to this story.