The South Texan
Thursday, February 20, 2020 Volume 94, Issue 16 TheSouthTexan.com
The Award-Winning Texas A&M University-Kingsville Student Publication
Dr. Hennessey
Sonic
Page 3
Page 6
Jim Carrey shines in latest video gamebased movie
TAMUK Advisor wins regional award
The South Texan
@thesouthtexan
@thesouthtexan
The South Texan
Cancer is not her defining tune Get taxes Benefit concert for done at Dr. Fronckowiak to be held Feb. 21 TAMUK ARYSSA ENRIQUEZ Managing Editor
A performer at heart and a battle scarred warrior, Dr. Ann Fronckowiak is battling cancer for the second time. Musicians from all over the nation will gather at Rosch Recital Hall in New York to honor Fronckowiak during a benefit/celebration concert at 8pm on Feb. 21. Fronckowiak is an Associate Professor of music at Texas A&M Kingsville. While growing up in New York, Fronckowiak was always surrounded by music. Her mother plays the guitar, piano and is actively involved in the church choir while her father played the accordion. At the young age of 10, Fronckowiak found her calling and knew she wanted to be a performer. Fronckowiak attended State Uni-
versity of New York at Fredonia, Ohio State University where she earned her doctoral degree and studied at the Manhattan School of Music. In 2010 Fronckowiak took the opportunity to join Javelina nation and immediately began impacting the music department and her students. When Fronckowiak first arrived at TAMUK, she only had one oboe student, Amanda Perea. Perea pursued music education and is now teaching
Contributed photo
Dr. Fronckowiak
in Edinburg, Texas. During Perea’s undergrad years she recalls the intensive practices and the persistence to keep on thriving. “Dr. Fronckowiak inspired me to be a better performer and educator,” Perea TAMUK alumnus, said. “It wasn’t until she became a professor at TAMUK that I became a ‘serious’ oboe player. I finally had someone to look up to and to go to for help. She always made time for me whenever I needed it whether it was oboe related or just needing someone to talk to. I also loved how high her standards were for me. It taught me to expect more from myself because I could achieve it if I worked hard enough. I carry that into my teaching with my own students today.” However, in 2014 Fronckowiak’s life would take an unexpected turn. “I was first diagnosed with breast cancer when I was living here in 2014, at the time I needed chemotherapy infusion , surgery radiation… In august I decided to have some scans done in M.D. Anderson and realized that my
out and I saw tables there and there were people playing. They were really good. I’m like ‘Can I try?’ I beat three people and they said ‘we have a team, can you join us?’” Abdullah said. For Abdullah, playing table tennis has been a big part of his life. It has
Ping Pong continued on Page 3
Taxes continued on Page 3
Dr. Fronckowiak continued on Page 2
Champion player Hamad learn life lessons from table tennis ILIANA FLORES Editor-in-Chief
Contributed photo
Hamad Abdullah in 2012 at Arabic Championship Tournament Austria, Dubai and the World Championship in Egypt. At 17, Abdullah came to the United States on an academic scholarship from Kuwait. He studied at Arizona State University. It was there that he was introduced to the table tennis college circuit in a bit of an unconventional way. “Actually, I went to the gym to work
ARYSSA ENRIQUEZ Managing Editor
While tax season can be stressful, Texas A&M-Kingsville business students are doing their part to help the community alleviate some stress. For years, students have been collecting paperwork, crunching numbers and filing taxes through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program. Each year the College of Business Administration encourages students to file their taxes, and participate in VITA. VITA enables students to implement skills learned in the classroom, while being able to give back to the community. “The students and faculty of the College of Business Administration were motivated to join the VITA program because we feel strongly about fulfilling our mission to provide experiential learning for our students and community service to the area. VITA is a perfect way to fulfill our vision of positively impacting society,” Genevieve Scalan, VITA site manager, said. While for some students filing someone’s taxes can be intimidating, many students jump at the opportunity. VITA provides a platform for students to gain valuable experience that can help them develop their resume and in future careers. “I feel it is important because we both benefit from the process,” Cyan Chavez, accounting major, said. “We help them file their taxes when they might not be able to do it on their own or they might not be able to afford to go somewhere else. In return, they help us with gaining relevant experience and communication skills.” This year is the first time a VITA site is held on campus. Students and volunteers will now be able to assist the community at two different locations including Texas A&M-Kingsville. Taxpayers can seek help Monday and Tuesday in Room 107 of the College Administration Building through April 14. from 4 to 8p.m.
Ping ponging across the globe
We all know the dreaded first day of class icebreaker introduction. You know, the one where the teacher asks, “what is something interesting about you?” Most people anxiously wait for their turn to answer and try to think of something that makes them unique, but for Hamad Abdullah this answer comes easy as he is a champion table tennis player. In Abdullah’s family, playing table tennis runs in their blood. Abdullah’s father, uncles and sisters all played table tennis and Abdullah’s father even played for the Kuwait National Table Tennis team. At the young age of five, Abdullah began following in his father’s footsteps and began his table tennis training. Just four year later, Abdullah became the youngest player on the Kuwait National Table Tennis team at nine years old. By 10 years old, he was competing internationally in countries like China,
Students help community members submit taxes
Campus Dr. Brou selected as semi-finalist in directing
Have an upcoming event for us to cover? Email us at: thesouthtexan@tamuk.edu
Thursday, February 20, 2020
2
BRENDA RIOJAS
Opinion Editor
Dr. Melinda Brou was recently selected as a semi-finalist for the 20192020, Opera Division, American Prize in Directing - The Charles Nelson Reilly Prize. She was nominated for the submission of Franz Lehár’s operetta, The Merry Widow. “I felt honored and excited. This is a huge recognition for our growing vocal program,” said Dr. Brou, associate professor of Voice and Opera at Texas A&M University-Kingsville. The show has a total running time of about 90 minutes and was performed last semester. “The Merry Widow was about a wealthy widow who all the men want for her money, except Danilo, her true love interest. After being proposed to by the Baron, who was allegedly cheated on by his ‘dutiful
wife,’ the widow reveals that she will lose her fortune if she remarries. Upon hearing this, Danilo proposes out of true love and not greed, and she accepts. She then reveals that the fortune won’t be hers, because it belongs to her and her husband,” vocal music education student Erika Lopez explained. The performance included 31 cast members that either sang, acted, were a part of the orchestra or stage crew. “Dr. Brou prepared for this performance by carefully planning out each and every rehearsal with the exact parts in the music to work on. There was never any time wasted and each rehearsal further moved us closer to the goal of having a full show,” music performance major Juan Gonzalez said. The cast practiced several hours a week, but Dr. Brou’s small pep talks really encouraged the students to
perform at their best. “We had three hours a week for practice with two weeks of night rehearsals in the choir room and Jones Auditorium. We went through numerous music rehearsals and then went onto staging with our scripts. She prepared us with lots of pep talks and reassurance for us being amateurs to acting and some of us (including me) on singing opera louder than we’ve ever performed,” music education major Persephanie Cano said. Dr. Brou’s impact on the students brings attention to the Texas A&M University-Kingsville music program. “This is great for our reputation and working under her grants us the opportunity to represent our impressive program, contribute to recruitment and encourages us to work harder for future submissions,” Lopez said.
Photo Courtesy of tamuk.edu
Dr. Brou The contest’s social media accounts will have the finalists, runners-up and winners posted. For further details about the national competition, visit www.theamericanprize.org.
Bon Appétit! and French cuisine for students
Chef cooks for French class JULIO VALADEZ
Contributing Writer
The late Anthony Bourdain once stated that “Food is everything we are. It’s an extension of nationalist feeling, ethnic feeling, your personal history, your province, your region, your tribe, your grandma. It’s inseparable from those from the get-go.” This past Thursday the French department had the privilege of welcoming Chef Ashley, a classically trained French cuisine chef, from Bonn A-Petit Catering in Ingleside, Texas, to the Blue Room in Sam Fore Hall. Chef Ashley brought a small assortment of French desserts and meals for students to experience a bit of French cuisine. Students had the opportunity to try meals such as boeuf bourguignon, a French beef stew brined in red wine; croque monsieur, a French styled ham and cheese sandwich; and poulet romarin, a French inspired rosemary chicken. Additionally, they had the chance to taste desserts such as quiches, pain au chocolat, chocolate croissants, and an assortment of various flavored macarons. Dr. Jacqueline Thomas, regent’s professor of French, held this event for her second semester French students who are currently studying French cuisine. Dr. Thomas has had a long standing relationship with Chef Ashley and has
held this event multiple times for her classes. Dr. Thomas finds that Chef Ashley’s “nice perspective” of France, as an individual who ”works in the local community, and who has been to France, and goes regularly, and talks about the benefit of travel” is a phenomenal addition to each of her classes. Chef Ashley admits that having a French-inspired restaurant in South Texas is a bit different. “A lot of people don’t understand French cuisine sometimes,” the chef said. “They confuse it with Italian food, and it’s not Italian food. It’s very different, the flavors are not as bold and in your face. Everything is very delicate, the flavors are very thought out, but everything is about simplicity. French food should be very simple and should be very delicious.” Toni Mata, a social work student taking French 1312, enjoyed this event, and said “it’s good to challenge our local mindsets and even our palettes.” Mata was also astounded by the chef. “It was an awesome time talking to someone who was so passionate about what they do and eager to share with others,” Mata said. Mata believes that the university should bring more diverse restaurants and foods to campus so that way students who can’t visit other countries can literally get a taste of more cultures. She said events such as this one “are important due to our campus being diverse and having international students.” Chef Ashley is very passionate about
Contributed photo
Left to right: Linda Williams, Toni Mata and Julio Valadez enjoying French food.
experiencing other cultures. However, she does recommend that individuals who wish to experience a new and different culture should be mindful and proceed cautiously. “If you want to go to another culture definitely study it first, and always keep in mind that other countries are not America. So, you can’t go somewhere with the mentality that they will speak English, they will do things differently,” she said. “It’s a lot easier
to learn a culture through food, than through any other way usually. Food and music are gonna be your doorways. So definitely learn some music and take some cooking classes of that culture that you want to try out.” If anyone would like to learn more about the French culture, the French Club does hold weekly afternoon meetings on Wednesdays, Or, contact Dr. Thomas at her office in Sam Fore Hall, Room 101B.
Want to know about what’s happening on campus? Visit: thesouthtexan.com
Campus
Thursday, February 20, 2020
3
Hennessey earns regional advising award Engineering advisor recognized for service DIANA IBARRA Contributing Writer The National Academic Advising Association has recognized Dr. Margaret M. Hennessey for her outstanding performance in academic counseling. Driven and inspired by her colleagues, Dr. Hennessey guides her students through their university endeavors as they walk along the path to their dream career.
Dr. Fronckowiak continued from Page 1 cancer had returned. I had to start treatment immediately,” Fronckowiak said. The benefit concert will be livestreamed for the community to enjoy, donations will also be collected to help Fronckowiak and other organizations. “I’m raising some money for my own treatment. It’s really expensive even with health insurance, staying in hotels, getting food, those are all things that are not covered. “In addition to that I also wanted to raise support and awareness and donate to some young adult’s cancer programs…I’m unbelievable thankful for The young adult cancer program at Roswell Park and Angel Flight. These organizations are extremely important to me.” Her impact didn’t stop with her first student, throughout her years at TAMUK Fronckowiak has helped many
Dr. Hennessey has been an academic advisor for the Frank H. Dotterweich College of Engineering at TAMUK for five years. The students she particularly caters to attend classes for chemical, natural gas, mechanical and industrial engineering. “It’s a tremendous honor, and if you told me five years ago that was going to happen I would have been like, ‘Yeah sure,’” Dr. Hennessey said. However, for Interim Associate Vice President for Student Success Dr. Shannon Baker, this came as no surprise. “Dr. Hennessey stands out as an advisor because she always acts with intention. “She puts thought into the smallest of details so that her students feel welcomed from the second they enter her office. She focuses her full atten-
students flourish into successful careers. While some students explored the realm of education others took the route of performing on the big stage. “Dr. Fronckowiak was my theory and ear training teacher, my oboe professor, and my woodwind quintet coach,” Flor Cruz, TAMUK alumnus said, “I spent a lot of time with Dr. Fronckowiak during my undergrad, in and out of the classroom, learning from her in every area of her teaching. I would do anything to help her. I have experienced chronic illnesses throughout my life, most recently just a couple of years ago. I understand what it is like for your life to come to a screeching halt and know the frustration one feels when this happens. When I was invited to help through music, I jumped at the opportunity without thinking twice.” Fronckowiak has impacted the lives of many through education, and is continuing to influence those in her life through her battle with cancer.
tion to the student in front of her; her students know that they have been heard when they speak with her. She is a strong advocate for her students, and her students know that,” Baker said. In December 2019, Dr. Hennessey was notified of her achievement by the NACADA for her excellence in academic advising. Dr. Hennessey received the Region 7 award for Professional Academic Advising. “I really believe in my students. At the end of the day I hope they fulfill their ambitions to get an engineering degree, but I also support them if they feel like it’s not for them,” she said. “Our primary goal is to get them through to the degree that we adPhoto Courtesy of tamuk.edu vise in but it’s also helping them find Dr. Hennessey their niche, whatever that may be.”
Ping Pong continued from Page 1
Taxes continued from Page 1
provided him with physical skills such as coordination and agility as well as made him a better person by teaching him respect and patience. “Being patient. Being respectful. I should know that every game you can lose or you can win so don’t let it disappoint you...just do your best [even] if you lose. Train hard, exercise hard, and you can do it,” Abdullah said. Abdullah loves the sport of table tennis and believes the lessons and memories it has brought him are invaluable. Since transferring to TAMUK, Abdullah has not been able to compete as a table tennis player because there is not a local team. However, this May, Abdullah will be graduating with his degree in civil engineering. He has plans to go back to Kuwait and start competing in table tennis again or become a coach.
The second location is at the Texas Community Federal Credit Union, located on 605 E. Caesar Ave in Kingsville. Volunteers will be at the VITA site from 1 to 8 p.m. on Thursday and from 9:30 a.m to 1 p.m Saturday. VITA has enhanced the learning experience for many business students. Students and community members who are puzzled with their taxes are encouraged to visit a VITA site. “Being able to participate in VITA has been a great experience for me,” Leandre Dever, accounting major, said. “It’s a great feeling being able to help taxpayers do their taxes in the city of Kingsville because it’s a great deed and just feels good. This is huge for taxpayers because they don’t have to come out of pocket and can potentially use that money for another need.”
Thursday, February 20, 2020
4
Opinion
Want to join the conversation? Visit us at: thesouthtexan.com
Why the DNC’s failure of unity will win Trump 2020
The South Texan The First Amendment “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for redress of grievances.” The South Texan is a student publication produced by Texas A&M University- Kingsville students. The views, opinions and commentary do not necessarily reflect the views of the Texas A&M University system. The South Texan uses student fees in part to publish. The South Texan is part of the Art, Communications, and Theatre Department (ACT), The Javelina Broadcast Network (JBN), and the Texas Intercollegiate Press Association (TIPA).
ADAM PENA
Reporter
Photo Courtesy of www.vanityfair.com
Donald Trump will most likely win the 2020 Presidential election. Despite left wing outcry over the President’s actions and his impeachment by the House of Representatives, Trump’s presence in Washington is largely uncontested by Democratic nominees. It’s also the left’s inability to produce a truly strong competitor to the incumbent president that will ultimately lose the Democrats the Presidency for another four years. The current favorite of most young people who are liberal-aligned is Senator Bernie Sanders, who, according to Real Clear Politics, stands the greatest chance for the Democratic nominee in the 2020 election, despite himself being Independent. At a glance, it is easy to see why most college-aged people see Sanders as an appealing choice; his socialist-leaning policies stand to benefit that age group
Senator Bernie Sanders considered to be Trump’s biggest rival. more than any other with his promised enactment of a universal healthcare system in America. Also with the elimination of student debt, which is at an all-time high because of the increasing rise of the cost of tuition to attend college which has doubled in price since the 1980s, according to Business Insider. Despite Bernie’s popularity among the left, he still has much opposition from the right and more moderate Democrats, the largest criticism of his stances is that such changes would be nearly impossible to enact in a presidential term limit, especially with a Republican Senate ready to contest any major policy he may propose, and the cost viability of a universal healthcare system for more than 327 million Americans. While Sanders is the perceived front
runner, names like Joe Biden, Elizabeth Warren, Pete Buttigieg and Michael Bloomberg are all relatively close behind in the metrics as provided by CNN. Biden in particular appears to be the favored choice for nomination by the DNC, being a “safer” option than Sanders. Herein lies the crux of the issue. The indecisiveness of the DNC and the inability to fully back a single strong candidate will ultimately lose the 2020 election to the Republicans, and Trump has no real, viable opposition in his own party. It seems like the only hope for Democrats in November is for all voters ages 18 to 30 to come out in support of Bernie Sanders, anything less than that will result in Trump winning another four years in the White House.
STAFF Iliana Flores Editor-in-Chief Aryssa Enriquez Managing Editor Ronni Reyna Campus Editor
It’s never too late to HIIT the gym
Dylan Dozier Sports Editor Brenda Riojas Opinion Editor Calista Reyes Entertainment Editor Jaylin Morales Advertising Manager Reporters Adam Pena Sarah Reyna Gabriella Mastroianni Mark Gutierrez Podcast Host Tom Miller Nicole Morris Adviser Advertising For advertising inquiries, e-mail The South Texan at thesouthtexan@tamuk.edu or call (361) 593-4370. Letters to the Editor Letters must be typed, signed and include a phone number. Letters considered for publication must be 300 words or fewer. Letters may be emailed to thesouthtexan@tamuk.edu The South Texan, Manning Hall 165, Texas A&M
DANIEL GONZALEZ
Contributing Writer
It’s about that time of year when New Year’s resolutions begin to slowly fade away. That motivation you had to hit the gym every day might be fading, or your gains could be plateauing. With some fun and new workout ideas you can give your muscles a new stimulus and continue to stay on track with your fitness goals. One great way to change up your workouts is by doing High Intensity Interval Training also known as HIIT. These short workouts typically last between 15 and 25 minutes and get your heart rate into a fat burning zone and can even save you time in the gym. Adding in movements like dumbbell squats, lunges and kettlebell swings are all easy to learn exercises that can make you stronger and increase your aerobic capacity. For this workout, you would work for 20 seconds and rest for 10 seconds before quickly moving to the next exercise and repeating the 20-on-and-10-
Photo courtesy of www.rehband.com
Lost sight of your New Year’s resolution? Don’t worry. off pattern. Your heart will be racing and your muscles aching but in no time you’ll see results that will have you looking forward to your next workout. Famous actors getting their bodies into Marvel Superhero shape use HIIT workouts just like this to get in the best shape they can. The results speak for themselves and the best part is with a quick Google search you can find hundreds of free HIIT workouts that will keep your body guessing and keep you on track to meet your fitness goals.
For those just beginning to implement this style of workout I would suggest only doing these HIIT workouts one or two times a week to begin as the intensity for this training can be straining. As your body begins to adapt try for three or four times a week in addition to your normal cardio or resistance training. For all those losing motivation and considering pushing your New Year’s resolution to 2021, try these short HIIT workouts that only take as long as one episode of The Office.
Send us your opinion through our website: thesouthtexan.com
Opinion
Thursday, February 20, 2020
5
Campus dorms, high price with low expectations
CALISTA REYES
Entertainment Editor Living on campus is actually not that bad. You don’t have to worry about being late to class because you can’t find parking and you don’t have to worry about monthly rent dates. It’s overall just much easier. However, when you are paying a lot of money in order to live in these dorms you would expect for them to be kept up with. Clogged sinks at Lynch Hall contribute to issues of living on campus. Unfortunately, that isn’t always the case here at Lynch Hall. don’t need to have. Lastly, there have been a lot of Now don’t get me wrong, it’s not Another annoying thing is the air plumbing problems. horrible. conditioning and heater temperatures. Over the break there was a hot waI’ve had lots of fun living here, we When the temperature has dropped ter leak which led to lots of moisture have cool residence assistants, awe- significantly below 45 degrees outside building up in the building. some socials and everyone is really the air conditioner stays on indoors. When we arrived back we discovfriendly. For example, last semester when the ered most of our personal belongings With that being said there are some temperature dropped to 30 degrees the along with the furniture and mattressthings that go on that are unacceptable. air conditioner stayed on the whole es were covered in mildew. It all started last semester with the time until the heater finally turned on We received no prior notice that we washing machines being completely a few days later. were going to have to wash and disinshut off during the day, overcharging I would give my thanks for actually fect everything. our cards or not working at all. turning it on but seeing that the temAn email early on in the day would We have lots of things to do during perature outside had already gone up have been nice so residents could have the week and worrying about whether to 72 degrees and I had already lost made arrangements to get back earlier you are going to be able to wash your sleep from freezing at night I don’t see seeing how they were going to have to clothes or not is an extra worry that we the point. clean for the majority of the evening.
Photo By Calista Reyes
The last problem is the shower drain being clogged and the shower collecting water rapidly. You couldn’t be in there for more than 5 minutes before it overflowed. It took three whole days before it was fixed and that was just unacceptable seeing how it could have affected our hygiene if we had not figured out how to keep the water down long enough to shower efficiently. Some of these issues are understandable seeing that the building is old but I just think that for the amount of money we’re paying, these issues should be resolved quicker and taken more seriously.
Javelina Viewpoints This Week’s Question:
“How do you feel about the conditions of the dorms?”
Name: Claudia Martinez Name Joseph Balderas Major: Criminal Justice Major: Math “I lived in Lynch, and the only prob- “I lived at Mesquite, and it was pretty lem I had was that I didn’t like the nice, and very clean.” communal bathrooms, because not all the other students were clean.”
Compiled by: Sarah Reyna
Name: Michelle Padilla Major: Marketing “The dorms are not the best, especially the restrooms; they’re too small and get crowded.”
Name:Jasmine Ortiz Major: Marketing “The dorms aren’t bad, but I would like a better selection of roommates.”
Thursday, February 20, 2020
6
Entertainment
Have different thoughts on Sonic? Let us know your thoughts on Twitter: @thesouthtexan
Review: Sonic The Hedgehog
RATINGS
46%
of 100%
63%
of 100% Photo courtesy of Paramount Pictures
CALISTA REYES Entertainment Editor This film was better than expected. There is always a little bit of fear now with video games being turned into films because usually they do not do well. Up until “Pokémon Detective Pikachu’’ there hadn’t been any adaptations that lived up to fans’ expectations of the original content. Fans of the video game will especially be able to appreciate it as there are many Easter eggs hidden throughout the movie. It would have been nice to see a little more exploration of Sonic’s origin in the beginning of the film but overall the plot was good.
The film has already broke a box office record earning $58 million its opening day, which is the highest earning for a video game adaptation. The earnings have continued to grow giving it a global total of $113 million at the moment. It’s a relatively short film at 99 minutes. I give praise to the screenwriters and producers for not adding in low-quality fillers to achieve a longer film. The CGI work on Sonic is much better than what they had originally planned. Honestly if it wasn’t for the backlash that the studio received over the original design, which caused a redesign in the first place, this film would have failed. The cast gave terrific performances; however, there was one that no doubt stood out. Yes. Jim Carrey. You
cannot talk about this movie without talking about Jim Carrey’s return to a big screen comedy. He hasn’t made a comedy film since “Dumb and Dumber Too” in 2014. To see him in his element again is refreshing and this role brought a feeling of nostalgia seeing that it was very much like his wacky characters he brought to life in the ’90s and early 2000s. It’s definitely a family-friendly film that is worth a watch. Although it caters to children, the adults that have been long-time fans of Sonic can still enjoy the adventure. This film has truly given some hope that Paramount Pictures has needed as their past few releases have completely failed. Perhaps they should listen to the opinions of the public more often.
6.9 of 10 CALISTA’S RATING
Review: To All The Boys: P.S. I Still Love You To all the fans from before, it’s still good ANNALISA PERALES Contributing Writer Watch out rom-com lovers, Netflix’s new second installment in the trilogy of To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before is out. Although the films are not exactly like the book series they are based on, the storyline and eventful moments are right on the spot. The start of the series begins with hopeless romantic Lara Jean Covey as she is thrown into a crazy dilemma when her little sister, Kitty, sends out old love letters written by Lara Jean. When Peter Kavinsky confronts Lara Jean, and tries to let her down easy as he just broke up with his girlfriend, the situation is turned into a scheme as they begin to fake date in order to make both their longing loves jealous. But as most rom-coms go, both Peter and Lara Jean begin to catch feelings for each other but things become complicated as Lara Jean is conflicted on what she wants.
The second film, P.S. I Still Love You takes place after the first film as Peter and Lara Jean begin to embark on the journey of their newly established relationship as an official couple. While Lara Jean is excited about their relationship, she can’t help but feel insecure about Peter’s past relationship with her ex-best friend, Gen. As insecurities begin to set it, Lara Jean receives an unexpected surprise from her fifth letter recipient, John Ambrose McClaren. When beginning to spend time with McClaren and things between Peter become rocky, Lara Jean begins to wonder if she made the right decision dating Peter. Lana Condor’s portrayal of Lara Jean is a masterpiece as always as she is able to capture the hopeless romantic and quirkiness of the beloved character. As far as adaptations go for movies based on books, the To All The Boys series isn’t exact but it is good at following the timeline needed to keep fellow bookworms interested.
ANNALISA ’S RATING
Photo courtesy of Netflix
What are your thoughts? Let us know your thoughts on Twitter: @thesouthtexan
Entertainment
Thursday, February 20, 2020
7
‘From a Past Love’ to A New Endeavor Local artist plays his
songs at Novel Blend CARLOS GONZALEZ Contributing Writer Christian Louis shared his “love” for folk music at an Open Mic Night last week. Louis, 26, is an acoustic folk artist from Corpus Christi who is currently working toward a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering at Texas A&M University-Kingsville. Louis recently played at The Novel Blend for Open Mic Night last week on Wednesday and played some of his new songs from his upcoming debut album “From a Past Love.” He plans on playing the full album soon at local venues in the Kingsville and Corpus Christi areas. “[Last week] was the first time I saw Chris Louis and I was really impressed by his performance. His style was really chill and energetic, he seemed very confident while he was playing. I would like to see him play live again,” new fan Roxy Chapa said. As a child, Louis always felt a close
connection to music and always desired to express himself through the canvas of an instrument in the hopes that people would one day hear it and resonate with it. “Unfortunately, I didn’t get to see Chris play last week. His voice has a special rasp to it and his music is very relatable. He’s quite talented at writing his own music from past experiences. Hopefully I get to see him perform again soon,” longtime fan Heidi Saenz said. His upcoming 12 track album is centered upon, “[what] if you could revisit the times in your life you felt true love or true heartbreak through the lens of where you are now?” Louis explained. The inspiration for the songs on his album come from his past struggles and heartbreak. You can help support Louis and other local artists in Kingsville by attending Open Mic Night at 8 p.m. on Wednesdays at The Novel Blend, 311 E Kleberg Ave. in downtown Kingsville. Check Louis out on Spotify, follow him on Facebook, and keep a look oufor his “From a Past Love” album releasing this year in April.
Photo taken by Carlos Gonzales
Adulting 101: How to get better fast
CALISTA REYES Entertainment Editor Although we attempt to avoid getting a cold like the plague, there comes a time when it happens because somebody didn’t have the decency to keep their germs from spreading. Sometimes it doesn’t matter how many times you sanitize or wash your
hands the germs will get you as sometimes they are airborne. When you get a cold, as if you didn’t have enough to worry about, now you have to worry about being able to breathe at night, the headaches from coughing and looking like “Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer” from blowing your nose all day. However, do not worry; here are some tips on how you can get better
quickly and lessen the suffering. 1. See your doctor as soon as possible. As soon as you feel like you’re getting sick, make time to go see your doctor so you can get help early rather than letting it get worse and suffering with any idea or clue about what you have. 2. Have your medications. Make sure you have all the medications that were prescribed as well as any others that you wish to take like NyQuill or fever reducers. Check with your doctors to ensure that additional medications are ok to take with your prescriptions. 3. Stock up on tissues because if you end up having a lot of congestion you will need them. A lot of them. 4. Drink plenty of water and keep hydrated. Drinking water will also help you flush all the toxins out of your body and help you get better faster. Electrolyte drinks like Gatorade will also help you recover from fevers and dehydration. 5. Sleep propped up with lots of pillows so it’s easier to breathe and will help your nose keep from getting too stuffy. 6. Disinfect your area. Even though
you cannot re-infect yourself with the same cold it’s still not healthy or sanitary for you to be sitting in your own germs. Wash any bedding that you’ve been using. Wipe and spray surfaces that you’ve been touching. Even your trashcan should be at least sprayed with disinfectant. Don’t forget about your bathroom and shower. You don’t want to get anyone else sick. 7. Take hot showers. Taking a hot shower won’t make your cold go away but it will help you clear your nasal passages and give some relief. 8. It’s best you try to eat a little cleaner while you are sick. A go-to meal of course is soup. Try a soup that is made from broth and has vegetables to get as many essential nutrients as you possibly can. Eat fruits if you can. You can even drink fruit juices but watch out for the high sugar levels. 9. Sleep. It won’t get rid of your sickness but when you sleep your immune system is able to continue to fight infection. Hopefully these tips will help the next time you find that you have a cold and have you back on your feet in no time.
Psychology class conducts bilingual research Speaking two languages sends brain waves JACQUELINE BARRERA Contributing Writer Upcoming neuroscientific research on the bilingual brain has young, experimental psychologists completely psyched. Dr. Dana Byrd, associate professor of
Psychology, reveals the latest updates on the cognitive abilities bilinguals may hold over monolinguals. “Our class will research the workings of the bilingual brain,” Dr. Byrd said. “Recent studies indicate bilinguals have a cognitive advantage over monolinguals on a non-linguistic inhibition task. Behavioral evidence suggests that being bilingual improves some forms of brain functioning and cognition, ways of processing and reacting to stimuli, even in non-linguistic ways.” Students enrolled in the Experimental Psychology class are preparing for both stages in the neuroscientific research. Stage 1 will notify researchers on
conflicting signals and stage 2 will focus on the actual response. The research will take place at the end of the semester on campus in Manning Hall. TAMUK students Aaron Carbajal and Aniza Lazo, both Psychology majors, say they enjoy the fascinating teachings this course has brought. “This course is very challenging,” Carbajal said. “I do anticipate that bilinguals might have a quicker reaction time. As we perform the test, the electrodes connected to the participants scalp will record electric signals. I am excited to see what findings will appear at the end of the semester during our research.” Lazo, a former student of Dr. Byrd,
feels just as eager. “The work leading up to our research is interesting and very complex,” Lazo said. “Coming from a Hispanic family, I feel that people who are bilingual have a quicker reaction time. I am nervous to see our research unfold but I imagine it will be a very rewarding feeling.” Dr. Byrd encourages all students to take part in classes within the Psychology department. “The students are very anxious and are currently studying the procedures,” Dr. Byrd said. “I look forward to what our research will conduct. Will bilingual brains prove to be more advanced than monolinguals? We will just have to wait and see.”
Thursday, February 20, 2020
8
Sports
For live game updates Follow us on Twitter: @thesouthtexan
Dustdevils best Javelinas, 56-48 Women look to snap four-loss run Thursday ARYSSA ENRIQUEZ Manging Editor
The Texas A&M - Kingsville women showed flashes of momentum during the second half of play against Texas A&M International Saturday, but inconsistency and a rough second quarter proved too much to overcome. The Javelinas recorded just two shots from the field in the period and fell into an 11-point halftime hole they would not climb out of during a 56-48 Lone Star Conference loss to the Dustdevils on Saturday afternoon at the Steinke Physical Education Center. TAMUK shot 15.4 percent during the second quarter, as opposed to A&M International, which shot 70 percent and won the quarter 21-7. Javelina coach Michael Madrid stressed lack of aggression in the loss. “I think we allowed their pressure to sort of dictate the game, and kind of played back on our heels,” Madrid said. “We weren’t aggressive, I thought we were really passive offensively with a lot of turnovers that led to easy baskets or layups for them that I think really separated them and made a big difference in the game.” The loss is the fourth in a row for the Javelinas (4-16, 3-15), while the Dustdevils (9-15, 6-12) completed the season sweep. TAMUK’s Anastacia Mickens led the
Madison Lucas scored 12 points Thursday night in Kingsville . way with 14 points, seven rebounds, four steals and a block. Teammates Madison Lucas and Bridget Upton also netted double digits, scoring 12 and 10 points, respectively. Texas A&M International’s Nicole Heyn led all scorers with 21 points. The Javelinas went into the half trailing 29-18 but came out of the half on an 8-2 run, capped off by a layup from Mickens to cut the lead to five points. That was as close as the Javelinas would get to the Dustdevils, who stretched the lead back to nine points by the end of the quarter. The Hogs
shot better in the second half as a team (36 percent), but miscues would keep them from sustaining momentum. “It was very frustrating,” Mickens said. “Stuff wasn’t going as we wanted to but eventually (in the second half) we had to just pick it up and play. It was the simple things that we could have just fixed ourselves. In the next game, we just got to pick it up.” The Dustdevils pushed their lead to 50-38 on an Eva Langton bucket before Mickens went to the line and sank a pair of free throws, sparking an 8-2 run that was bookended by a couple of
Photo by The South Texan.
Upton freebies to cut the lead to 54-48 with 21 seconds to play. The Javelinas won the second half 30-27, but a sluggish first half on both sides of the ball proved to be the difference. “It comes down to taking care of the ball,” Upton said. “I feel like in the fourth quarter we took care of the ball more. In the first half I feel like it just came down to the point guard, taking care of the ball having less turnovers and making layups.” TAMUK will look to snap its losing streak Thursday at Angelo State.
Kingsville Tourney opens up 2020 season
Javelinas looking to prepare for nationals DYLAN DOZIER Sports Editor
Two years removed from their national championship run, the TAMUK beach volleyball team is preparing to kick-off their 2020 season. The Blue and Gold open the spring schedule as the hosts of the Kingsville Tourney on Friday, Feb. 21. An 11 a.m. matchup with Ottawa University is first on the docket, followed by a 5 p.m. game against Missouri Baptist University. Kingsville Tourney play will continue Saturday, Feb. 22, seeing the Javelinas take on Stephen F. Austin University (SFA) at 12:30 p.m. and the Cedar Valley Suns (CVU) directly after at 1:30. In an interview with Javelina Athletics, Head Coach Tanya Allen expressed excitement about opening up the tough slate ahead with the homecourt advantage. “I’m excited about this year’s schedule. We have a few tough tournaments, but those are going to help prepare us for nationals,” Allen said. “We get to open the season at home, which will be a great experience for the team.” After the opening weekend, the women will travel to Cowtown for a triple-header against Division-1 opponents Abilene Christian University, Texas Christian University and Nebraska. The Blue and Gold will follow the trip to Ft. Worth with a visit to New
The Blue and Gold open up 2020 on Feb. 21. Orleans for the Uno Tournament where they will play five matches over the course of two days. On March 13, they will head west to Phoenix for the two-day Grand Canyon University Tournament where they will take on Ottawa, Loyola Marymount and Grand Canyon University. Four days later, a return to their home court will see the Javelinas take on Houston Baptist University. A week later, CVU returns to Kingsville for a single-day, single-match pairing. A trip to Hattiesburg, Miss. will fall
next on the calendar, where the Blue and Gold have two double-headers lined up for Friday, March 27, and Saturday, March 28. Friday’s matchups in the Magnolia State include a noon pairing against Southeastern Louisiana and a match against Southern Mississippi at 4 p.m. Matches against Spring Hill College and Southern Miss will be played on Saturday. On March 31, South Texas beach volleyball action will continue with a throw down with sister-school Texas A&M- Corpus Christi (TAMUCC). Four days later, the Javelinas will re-
Photo courtesy of Javelina Athletics.
turn to Louisiana to participate in the University of Louisiana-Monroe Tournament. The last tournament before nationals will be played in Nacogdoches, TX., where the Blue and Gold are locked in for a Friday-doubleheader against Ottawa University and SFA. Saturday in “The Oldest Town in Texas” will see the teams participating in SFA Pairs Tournament. The three-day AVCA National Tournament will be played April 17 to 19 in Tavares, Fla, where the Javelinas won just two years ago.
Sports
Want the full story on all things Blue and Gold? Visit us at thesouthtexan.com
Thursday, February 20, 2020
9
Diamond dreams still rolling strong
Baseball and softball teams start 2020 hot CHAUNCEY THOMAS Contributing Writer The Javelina men’s and women’s baseball and softball teams are both off to a hot start to their season. The men are 9-1 and the women are 11-4. This weekend both teams played Lone Star Conference games. While the baseball team played at home, the softball team played away and came up short. The men went 3-0 over Valentine’s weekend, storming by Lubbock Christian with a clean sweep. In an interview with Javelina Athletics, Head Coach Jason Gonzales was proud of his team’s relentless effort. “We played extremely hard, and I told them I was proud of them,” Gonzales said. “We got behind, then we took the lead, they took the lead, and we just kept fighting.” The Lady Hogs went 2-3 last week losing to very high caliber teams in Western Oregon, Dixie State and Hawaii-Hilo, but also got back in the win column against Colorado Mesa and Fort Lewis. “I’m excited for the season, knowing
the talent we have on this team. Each one of us brings something different to the table and when we all work together, it’s something spectacular,” Lady Javelina Outfielder Jory Cervantes said. While the softball team wasn’t able to bring home more wins, they’re still in the right mindset for the coming week. “We beat ourselves sometimes this weekend. We have the talent but we just need to get on another level mentally. We have a tough schedule and it’s good to be in tight situations under pressure so soon in the season so we can learn and get better,’’ Cervantes continued. The girls’ next two games will be played at home Feb. 22. Game times are at 1 and 3 p.m. against Texas A&M International (4-11). “I hope all the fans are excited just as much as we are and hope to see everyone out at the field supporting and cheering in the stands,” Cervantes said. The men are on the road against a hot West Texas A&M (8-2) in Canyon, Texas.
Anastacia Leibas swings for the fence.
Photo courtesy of Javelina Athletics
Javelinas sweep the floor with Dustdevils School record for conference victories in a season set, five players score double-digits BRENDA RIOJAS Opinion Editor
Chauncey Thomas moves upcourt.
The Texas A&M International University (TAMIU) Dustdevils came looking for their first road win in over 11 attempts this season, but the Javelinas smothered any hopes of a TAMIU victory. After last week’s 83-76 defeat, the JaPhoto courtesy of Javelina Athletics. velinas redeemed themselves putting up a season-high 96-62 over TAMIU. The team put down their 14th conference win, a school record for most conference wins in a season. This puts the men in a bye for the first round of the LSC Championship Tournament. The game started with the men putting up 5 points, but the Dustdevils responded with 5 of their own, being the only tie of the game. “When I push the ball and be aggressive in front of my teammates it makes everybody’s job easier,” Chauncey Thomas said. During the first half neither team was able to receive more than a two-possession lead. The Javelina’s left the first half with a 38-26 lead, leaving TAMIU in the dust. The team pushed their win scoring 58 points in the second half. TAMUK kept the pressure on, not allowing TAMIU to come any closer than 19. The last 10 minutes of regula-
tion saw eight different Javelinas contribute to the stifling of any comeback hopes. “We’re trying to make sure we get as sharp as possible to the Lone Star Conference Tournament and we just need to make sure that we clean everything up defensively and be able to execute offensively even though we scored 96 points tonight,” Assistant Coach Omar Gonzalez said. Five different players, Rashon Thomas, Tre Flowers, Chauncey Thomas, John Guerra and Will Chayer scored double-digit points helping contribute to the huge victory over the Dustdevils. “Individually I’m glad I shot the ball well. It’s really a product of my teammates especially Chauncey setting me up so all I have to do is catch a shoot,” Guerra said.. Rashon Thomas led the home team’s offensive attack with 18 points. Flowers was just one bucket behind with 16, and Chauncey Thomas was one field goal behind Flowers with 14. Guerra scored 11 and Chayer put up 10. Chayer also pulled down 10 rebounds, posting his first career double-double. The men have their hopes high as they prepare to travel to face San Angelo on Thursday, February 20 and Lubbock Christian just two days later. The team wore Texas A&I uniforms to celebrate the program’s second annual
Thursday, February 20, 2020
10
Sports
For live game updates Follow us on Twitter: @thesouthtexan
Blue and Gold find success in Houston Two Javelinas medal at indoor meet last week DYLAN DOZIER Sports Editor
The Blue and Gold track and field program turned in some big performances over the weekend at the Howie Ryan Invitational at Yeoman Fieldhouse. Sophomore Reyes Rodriguez placed second in the 800-meter. His time of 1:55.56 was only a hundredth of a second behind the first-place Travis Jacobs from Houston Baptist University. Freshman teammates Dustin Richardson and Xavier Callandret turned in impressive performances at the high jump pit. Richardson picked up a bronze medal, clearing the bar at 1.95m
on his second attempt. Callandret also cleared this mark, but did so on his third attempt. Sprinter Todd Nicholas was one place out from the podium, locking in a 6.93 in the 60-m dash. The men weren’t the only Javelinas to find success in Houston. Redshirt senior De’Stini Henderson clocked a 7.76 in the 60m dash semifinals. Her run was good enough to land her a space in the finals. Henderson also represented TAMUK in the 200 m dash, clocking in at 25.30 and placing 10th. Rounding out the Javelina finishers was junior Kimberly Ortolon, finishing fourth in the pole vault. The Edna-native vaulted herself over the 3.70m bar, making her the top finisher outside of the Division-1 ranks. The Javelinas were previously scheduled to compete in the FasTrak Athletix College Conference Tune-up on Saturday, but the meet is cancelled.
Todd Nicholas sets in the blocks.
TAMUK saw two high-humpers place.
Photo courtesy of Javelina Athletics.
Photo courtesy of Javelina Athletics.
What events are happening on campus? Let us know at: thesouthtexan@tamuk.edu
News and Jumps
Thursday, February 20, 2020
11
2020 PRIMARY ELECTION VOTING GUIDE
Feb. 18 will mark the beginning of early voting for the Primary election in Texas. For those who are not residents of Kleberg County, you will still have the opportunity to particpate in the Primary election through a limited ballot. If you will need a limited ballot, you can only vote during the early election period which is from Feb. 18 to Feb. 28 at the Kleberg County Early Voting Annex Office at 720 E. King. On your ballot, you will only be able to vote for the same offices as those up for election in the county you are registered to vote in. These will be marked for you. If you are a resident of Kingsville, you can also participate in early voting. You can also vote on March 3 at any Kingsville polling location. To see these locations and for any other voting questions visit http://www.co.kleberg.tx.us/page/kleberg.Elections
* Please note ballots only show front sides. For both sides of ballot, visit thesouthtexan.com
Democrat Sample Ballot Republican Sample Ballot
Thursday, February 20, 2020
12
News
Want an advertisement in our paper? Email us at: thesouthtexan@tamuk.edu
Texas A&M University-Kingsville University Housing & Residence Life
Current Residents
Amenities:
Barbecue and Picnic area Exterior card access system Game tables Ice machines & Vending Machines Intramural teams Lounges with living rooms and TVs Planned residence hall activities Professional staff members Resident/Community Advisor staff Smoke-free building Student leadership opportunities
Email: residencelife@tamuk.edu Phone: 361-593-3419
Lucio Hall, Office 119, Kingsville, TX 78363-8202
We are cutting our rates in Lucio and Mesquite Village West for all current students that renew their Housing Agreement. Our rates will now be cut between $500 and $600 a year! Remember you pay NO utility costs when you live on campus. MARTIN HALL $2,300 PER SEMESTER
LYNCH HALL $2,500 PER SEMESTER LUCIO HALL & MESQUITE VILLAGE WEST $3,200 or $3,400 PER SEMESTER