2/8/18

INDEX:

2|CAMPUS

3|OPINION

4|SPORTS

Men’s Track & Field ranks No. 14 in the nation

5|ENTERTAINMENT

6|AD

See page 4

THESOUTHTEXAN.COM Thursday, February 8, 2018

Signs For Our Ancestors

Volume 92 Issue 14

Historical Names Placed on Street Signs Darcy Ramirez Managing Editor

The honorary project, “La Colonia Mexicana,” has finally been completed.

On Feb. 2, at the corner of Avenue B and 7th Street a ceremony was held to showcase the changing of the street signs in the community to recognize the original street names of Avenues A, B and C and the first Hispanic community in Kingsville.

During the ceremony, Maggie Salinas was recognized as “the biggest champion behind the project,” for her unwavering dedication. “La Colonia Mexicana,” is a project that has been in the making for approximately five years.

Salinas worked alongside Dr. Shannon Baker, Texas A&M University-Kingsville’s assistant dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, and Briana Rodriguez, a TAMUK student who recently received a full ride to College Station’s doctoral program. All three women were

fully determined to accomplish this goal of honoring the Hispanic community and heritage by researching and presenting the project to the Kingsville City Commission for approval. The completion of the project has now allowed the addition of the original street names - Perez, Chapparal and Garza - in brown to signify them as historical markers along with the newer names of Avenues B, C and D. At the event, many prominent community members spoke, including Kleberg County Judge Rudy Madrid, City Commissioner Edna Lopez, Kingsville City Manager Jesus Garza and TAMUK President Dr. Steven Tallant.

“Let’s not forget who we are and where we came from. This part of town is historic and as we move forward we should always remember [that],” Dr Tallant said.

Many of the speakers thanked and joked about Salinas’ immense dedication to her projects and her endless ideas.

“Maggie is just a force of nature.

She always has another idea. It was an honor to work with her,” Baker

laughed.

Salinas, a small woman full of tenacity, wore all purple and spoke softly but with conviction.

“Today is a special day and a wonderful way to pay tribute to those who have given us the gift of community. This is basic and of vital importance to our community in preserving the legacy of the first Hispanic neighborhood in the development of our city of Kingsville,” Salinas said.

Salinas gave a moving speech thanking various Hispanic families “Castillos, Ybarras, Perezes,” and their accomplishments while also mentioning successful family businesses like Lydia’s. Salinas wants it to be known that the Hispanic culture and community is very distinguished in Kingsville and should be honored and remembered.

“When you have outstanding citizens like Maggie Salinas, who take it upon themselves to recognize our ancestors, where it all began - because at the end of the day that’s what it’s about - it’s amazing,” Madrid said.

Salinas has many more ideas and hopes to accomplish these ambitions and aims to make a difference for the city of Kingsville and its

citizens.

Rodriguez, who was present at the ceremony, was happy to see the finished product.

“I’m so excited.

I remember when it was voted in and we were all jumping up and down, happy it finally went through,” Rodriguez said.

Avenue B/Perez sign on 7th Street in Kingsville displayed

Photo by Darcy Ramirez

Justice For Andre

Alumnus’ death remains unsolved were the things Andre wanted to see from people and life.”

Lorraine Killion, associate professor at TAMUK and coordinator of the EC-12 Physical Education Program, first met Fuqua through his passion for running. The two even competed together in races; these are now moments Killion will forever cherish.

“Andre is the kind of person you will never forget.

Everyone loved Andre. He was an amazing talent, yet was so humble and had a huge heart. He would finish a race and then go back out on the course to support and run others back in across the finish line. He holds a very special place in my heart and I, like so many others, miss him,” Killion said.

The last year has been particularly hard for the Fuqua family as they wait for closure and arrests to be made, but still they hold on to hope that their son’s killer will be apprehended.

Dr. Killion & Andre Fuqua

lieve he deserves justice.

Despite all efforts - such as pleas from the family, donations and reward money - no arrests have been made or a motive found. But even through this difficult time, many are still trying to memorialize and honor their family member and friend.

His family and devoted friends urge anyone who knows or heard anything regarding Andre’s death to please come forward and call (361) 888-TIPS, as the police are still accepting tips.

Fuqua’s family and friends need closure.

Emanuel Ibanez, a recent Texas A&M University-Kingsville (TAMUK) graduate, was affected and shaped by his dear friend’s passing.

“I think people are doing what they can, keeping his memory alive in their own ways,” Ibanez said. “Again, he touched many lives and though he is gone, for the people that were closer to him, they keep his memory alive by living with joy. Living with joy through their marriages, love for each other and their passions. Those

seeing the recital halls and practice rooms,” said Elina Vasquez, music education major. “The recital hall is supposed to be much bigger than the one we have now, and I want to see the practice rooms because that’s where I’ll be most of my time.”

Representatives of the construction company, Spawglass, are happy to hear of students’ excitement.

“We understand the students need for a better-mandated facility,” said David Gutierrez, senior project manager. “Our team is working on making sure we’re on time with the construction.”

The new music building will triple in size from the current building and will in-

clude a 450-to-500-seat performance hall, a 100-seat recital hall, 48 student-practice rooms and 32 faculty offices.

It will also feature five classrooms, four rehearsal halls for band, jazz, choir and orchestra, two study areas, one computer lab, one electronic keyboard lab, one recording studio, and one administrative office.

“For most of the music faculty, it is not so much about us as it is about the students.

We will be able to provide students with the facilities, equipment and opportunities that they deserve,” said Dr. Paul Hageman, chair of the Music Department.

Student Adan Delgado III, a music education major,

says the larger space is appreciated.

“The new music building will give us the opportunity to have more space and practice more. The technology is also going to be a big gain as well for ensemble and individual works,” Delgado said.

Hageman acknowledges the practicality of the new facility.

“We must also acknowledge that with the new facilities and equipment, we will be able to provide instruction that will be greatly enhanced by technology, convenience, a lack of space conflicts, etc. which makes our job easier, more efficient and certainly more pleasant,” Hageman said.

Darcy Ramirez Managing Editor

Oscar Fuentes

Ebenezer Oloba

Tragedy leads to lawsuit

Families of TAMUK students seek compensation for crash Dakota Roberts Editorial Editor

The parents of Ebenezer Oloba and Oscar Fuentes, the two Texas A&M University—Kingsville students who were involved in a fatal crash last year, have filed suit in Kleberg County seeking compensation of more than $1 million.

Defendants in the case are General Motors, Enterprise, Odyssey Automotive and Bridgestone; along with

a number of other business entities.

Last February, while driving a Chevy Cruze along Highway 77 to attend a student government event, Fuentes and Oloba unexpectedly veered off the road, hitting two traffic signs, before plunging into the San Antonio River. The lawsuit was filed Jan. 22.

The lawsuit was announced at a news conference in Atlanta by the law offices of Stewart, Seay and Felton the same day the original petition was filed. Olo-

ba’s family lives in Atlanta and is represented by Stewart, Seay and Felton. The Fuentes family has attorneys in San Antonio.

The petition holds that the Chevy Cruze, a car modeled

by General Motors and available for rent by Enterprise Rent-A-Car, showed signs of mechanical and software failure; alleging that these defects led to the car crashing.

The lawsuit states, “The

See Lawsuit Page 5

Music to their ears Students happy to see progress of new facility Crystal Zamarron Editor-in-Chief

The new music building walls are now visible for everyone to see, and the waiting intensifies.

The music program has outgrown the J. L. Bellamah Music Building, built in 1959 at 32,000 square feet, and ac-

commodates 100 students and 12 faculty members. The new music building will triple to 90,000 square feet.

University President Steven Tallant was notified nearly 10 years ago of the music department at risk of losing its accreditation from the National Association of Schools of Music because of its current facility conditions.

Andre Fuqua was tragically killed a year ago on Jan. 22, 2017 while heading home from a cross-country competition near Galveston.

Gunned down while driving along Interstate 37, his death remains a mystery.

Friends remember Andre as an innocent and kind person who was, “best friends with everyone and a magnetic-happy person. “They be-

In April 2017, the Texas A&M University System Board of Regents approved the construction of the new $60 million music building.

Construction began in June 2017 and is set to finish in June 2019 and will open Fall 2019.

Students are anxious for the building’s completion.

“I am anticipating first

See Justice Page 5

2

Campus

THURSDAY,FEBRUARY 8, 2018

Women of TAMUK Show Their GRIT Low price, Feminism Workshop informs, inspires through the subtlety of language Josue Villarreal Reporter

Marcy Tucker, alongside colleague Professor Janet Smith, on Wednesday, Jan. 31, worked together to organize a workshop discussing the nuances of tone of speech and language as it relates to feminism and how it is used to dehumanize women.

“Feminism and feminist methodology has always been part of what I do,” said Tucker as to why she decided to organize this event.

She said she notices every day that not just the students, but people in general, do not quite understand the extent of the power that their language has and how to properly use it in discussions of feminism.

Thus, she created a series of workshops all under the title GRIT, an acronym for “Getting Real Insight Together,” which also has a little more meaning.

“Grit is that little extra something you have to have to push through talking

about oppression,” Tucker explained.

This particular workshop of the series was titled, “Sticks and Stones: How Language Continues to Keep Women Down.”

It details how not just men, but how other women, unintentional or not, use language to disrespect women and treat them as lesser human beings.

“I learned that I, myself, am guilty of having this gender-speak and have also put myself in a lesser position with the language that I use,” said TAMUK alumna Jeanette Killian, who is the Assistant Market Center Administrator for KW Coastal Bend Realty.

The workshop detailed how uses of words such as “girl” or “lady” have connotations of childishness and ownership in them, and the use of them can be interpreted as dehumanizing.

Acknowledging that it may not sound like a lot, Tucker assured more than anything that language does matter.

The workshop ended

high standards TAMUK Online MBA Program named most affordable in the nation C.R. Neal Reporter

By Josue Villarreal

Marcy Tucker presents at the feminism workshop

with an open discussion that involved everyone in attendance.

“It was very enlightening to realize that feeling a certain way about your own gender shouldn’t be something that you’re ashamed of,” said Katherine Villarreal, education major.

The discussion was full of students casually expressing thoughts and notes on feminism.

“It was very enlightening to realize that feeling a certain way about your own gender shouldn’t be something that you’re ashamed of,” Villarreal said.

After the event, many attendees continued the discussion with Tucker, and many thanked her for organizing the event and for enlightening them about the importance of language.

The online Masters of Business Administration (MBA) program at Texas A&M University-Kingsville (TAMUK) ranked number one in Top Management Degree’s recent “Top 50 Most Affordable Online MBA Programs” 2018 list.

The estimated tuition for the program is $5,380 per semester, according to Top Management Degree.

Not only is the online MBA program affordable, it is also one of the bestplanned MBA programs.

“It’s a challenge for the students, because every eight weeks they’re taking different classes,” said Thomas Krueger, DBA, chair of the Accounting and Finance Department at TAMUK. Graduating from the online MBA program can feasibly only take one year with this accelerated curriculum.

“It makes it good for everybody,” Krueger said.

“Good quality at cheap prices; that’s what you’re al-

ways looking for, regardless of whether it’s getting gasoline or getting food at a grocery store.”

According to Top Management Degrees, “It is truly a unique program coupling the lowest base tuition in the country with the highest industry standard in business accreditation.”

“We, as a college, are able to advertise that when we recruit for additional professors,” Krueger said. “We can indicate that we are an AACSB accredited institution, that [students] can participate in a recognized and affordable MBA program.”

TAMUK’s business college is looking to utilize these honors as a recruitment tactic.

“I had both the MBA Director [Jesus Carmona, Ph.D.] and Assistant to the MBA Director [Kim London, BBA] in my office, and we were discussing our plans for the spring semester,” said Natalya Delcoure, dean of the Business College at TAMUK. “We’re going to go to a number of recruiting events around Texas.”

Learn the Signs That Can Save Lives

Question, Persuade and Refer – three steps to help prevent suicide America Quintero Campus Editor In 2014, Lee Walker, a student from the University of Texas at Austin, committed suicide. His death prompted Texas to pass Senate Bill 1624 requiring college students to be informed about mental health and suicide prevention.

In response to the bill, the Department of Student Health and Wellness at Texas A&M University-Kingsville (TAMUK) will be hosting of series of Question, Persuade and Refer (QPR) training sessions.

QPR educates people on suicide prevention by uncovering suicide myths, and teaching warning signs and suicide cues.

TAMUK Student Health and Wellness started to host QPR in 2016, but Fall 2017 was the first time they began to hold the sessions at the wellness center.

Rennee E. Weiss, assistant director of counseling services at TAMUK, hopes the sessions teach people that you don’t have to be a mental health professional to help someone who is dealing with suicidal thoughts.

Weiss believes that most people who want to commit suicide feel helpless.

“They [suicide victims] feel like there’s no hope…If you can instill a little bit of hope in somebody, give them hope, let them know that somebody cares, then you can sustain life,” Weiss said.

Ya-Wen “Melissa” Liang, assistant professor of the department of educational leadership and counseling at TAMUK, states it is important for people to recognize the signs of suicide.

Liang explains that most people who feel the need to inflict self-harm experience moods of long-term sadness, tiredness and anxiety and may even start to give away their personal belongings.

To determine if a person is feeling suicidal, trained counselors, such as Liang, conduct suicide assessments.

The assessment helps people explore and find reasons to live.

“We remind this person ‘this is the reason for living,’ and the person might suddenly recognize, ‘yeah, I do have a reason to continue my life,’” Liang said.

Suicide often results from social pressures, depression, mental conditions, financial stress, coping or even legal issues.

Liang thinks it’s a good thing that students, professors and staff are being educated about the signs and

symptoms of suicide.

She believes talking about suicide reduces the chances of harmful actions and behaviors.

It is recommended for people who are experiencing suicidal thoughts or know someone who is to immediately contact a counselor, call a suicide hot line or contact their local police department.

Currently, the TAMUK University Police Department has nine officers who are certified as Mental Health Peace Officers and work closely with the Student Health Center.

Todd Burris, TAMUK lieutenant of the TAMUK University Police, encourages students and staff to report potential suicide cases as soon as possible.

“Even if a person is not having a crisis or situation, but you know somebody who is, we try to tell them that you are not snitching your friend out or getting them into any trouble. If your friend needs help, reach out to us on their behalf…and we can give them the help they need,” Burris said.

For more information on suicide prevention and QPR training sessions, contact the TAMUK Student Health and Wellness Center at 361-5933991.

crime crime on on campus campus DATE REPORTED

DATE OCCURRED

LOCATION

CRIME

01/29/18

01/28/18

Lewis Hall

Forcible Foundling

Closed

01/29/18

01/28/18

Lot J

Assault

Active

01/30/18

01/29/18

Lot L

Criminal Mischief

Active

Lot J

Criminal Trespass Warning

Closed

02/02/18

02/02/18

DISPOSITION

Opinion

3

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2018

The Alt-Right Movement If that is what you would call it?

Dakota Roberts Opinion Editor I spent the weekend and the bad half of a Monday reading Alt-Right literature; if that’s what you’d call it.

In the fray of bad website design, trash-post anthologies, and the mantras of the self-proclaimed fringe anarchist, I felt myself losing footing with reality; the great and unexpected troubles of the internet age had come.

Outwardly the movement seemed so disgusting, so off-based from reality you couldn’t make much sense of it, but then it sort of clicked. It’s a weird part of the internet, but the internet nonetheless. Internally, these people were the same ones you’d find on any site. So, I kept reading: database after database, article after article, conspiracy after conspiracy; I felt baptized in their murky waters.

What began as a small group causing problems at a Corpus Christi university, became a real insight into

a new movement; if that’s what you’d call it.

Texas A&M University—Corpus Christi found itself facing an Alt-Right problem after members of a group called Border Stormers placed White Supremacist propaganda flyers across the campus. Students who removed the flyers counted around 30 different papers exhibiting a number of offensive designs: like one that read “Rape-ugees not welcome” and another featuring a happy White family titled “You will not replace us.”

One of the flyers directed readers to the Border Stormers profile on Gab, a twitter alternative where hate speech breeds and so does awful website design.

The site acts as a haven for red-pillers, bigots, and the like; really they just come here to pat each other on the back. The community is a lot of the same, it’s a mixture of online personas brandishing their favorite badass quote or catchphrase; for the extra cultured some are in Latin.

The latest news being passed around the Border

Stormers page is a celebration of their “flyer campaign.” If that’s what you’d call it.

Like a kid that somehow got a picture of himself giving bunny ears to the principal into the newspaper, Border Stormers is celebrating on Gab with posts that essentially state, and I am paraphrasing here, “Oh boy, we are on Reddit” and “Did you see we were in the Caller Times?!” Really just take these comments, throw a racist spin in and you have the experience that is Gab. I don’t want any reader to walk away and come to the conclusion that the Alt-Right is harmless, because a lot of the profiles on Gab would tell you the same thing. Plenty of posts mock news reports when cases like the flyer situation are handed over to the authorities. Make no mistake though, these things don’t just cause harm to the community but put a lot of people in danger; including the perpetrators. Despite the awkwardness I found on Gab, the more I looked into the community, the more I realized how sinister the sys-

and have you continue to use their services.

Of course, this sounds great: news and blogs, even your favorite celebrity gossip sites, all tailored to you and how you view the world around you, but is that terrific or terrifying? Imagine if you had a friend who said yes to everything you said and told you everything that they think you want to hear, nothing would be genuine, everything would be superficial, and you effectively would be shut out from the great human conversation.

Everything you felt uncomfortable about would infuriate, every person you have had a disagreement with would soon become a bigot or a snowflake, a Nazi or

a Communist, one extreme or another extreme. This is a sketchy situation we find ourselves currently in, and if we continue with this situation we will effectively end all human conversation.

So how do we counteract this grim predicament? Do we get rid of social media and effectively all of media in general? We don’t need to jump to such extremes. Instead we can do something rather easy yet painful to some: look on the other side, continue to read the articles that you normally enjoy but read the dissenting opinion and gaze into the mindset of your fellow man, be the devil’s advocate we all need in today’s post-modern world.

tem was designed.

Looking into the bigger sites, ones that offer news articles, personal journals, opinion pieces, everything you would find in your average newspaper arsenal, you get a much bigger scope into the people’s ideology, if that’s what you’d call it.

They are a paranoid people, but not ultimately unhinged. The reality of their world is not just a cruel one but one of weighted realities.

The balance of the world can never be truly equal in their eyes; for one race to gain, another must fall into its place.

Society is a give-and-take situation, and they believe they see their side of the balance slipping.

In terms of violence, the Alt-Right seems to portray a symbol of peace while also decking itself out in gore images and the occasional death threat. However, this is where the Alt-Right actually becomes deadly. This sort of propaganda, whether it be fliers or internet manifestos, inspires hate and can lead to some gruesome events.

Dylan Roof and Elliot Roger

both were inspired by AltRight literature and networks and the casualties among these two incidents together come to 31 people.

No article from the numerous sites really made me understand these people more than a piece by a man named Vincent Law titled, “What Exactly Does Modern Society Offer Young White Men Anymore?” The article is essentially a culture piece discussing why White people feel left out and seek out the Alt-Right. While I disagree with some of the guy’s point, Law kind of drones on and on before getting to it, I do think he is right about why children, especially, are moving to the Alt-Right; because the Alt-Right is convincing them that they have what these people need. Here is the end of that article: “Pick Up Artists meetups help them learn the skills to get girls. In the place of a gentleman’s club, or underground boxing ring, or Boy Scouts-type activity, the AltRight has stepped up to give camaraderie and a sense of purpose. The internet gives

them their entertainment and a place to intellectually grow.

As all the old institutions die, new ones rise to meet the demand and fill the vacuum.

Till the perks come back, young White men are going to keep tuning out of society, cast adrift by previous generations that just don’t give a damn. The lucky ones will wash up on our shores.”

“The lucky ones will wash up on our shores.” The AltRight is offering these people escape from the banal. All they need to do is commit to a narrative. In return, you will be offered friendship, an eschewed moral compass, and the chance to annoy people.

Now, a group like Border Stormers, who are supposedly not even students of TAMU-CC, are insisting that certain staff be fired. The audacity of the notion that the school would care what some anonymous guy has to say is in itself infuriating.

But remember, the reality of the Alt-Right is that it isn’t a movement, it’s a joke. If that’s what you’d call it.

The Social Dilemma TWITTER POLL QUESTION The Internet as the ‘Yes’ Friend Graham Castor Reporter

Social Media is an amazing symptom of the post-modern world we live in. It’s an incredible thing to realize that we, as people, have information that can be sent directly to us at any point in time, anywhere in the globe. Sites such as Twitter, Facebook and Google have advanced algorithms and marketing techniques at their disposal to all accomplish the same goal: to get your viewership. With a retweet here, some thumbs up there and a click anywhere, massive conglomerates are able to cater to your specific worldview

The South Texan The South Texan is a student publication produced by Texas A&M UniversityKingsville 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).

Staff:

Crystal Zamarron - Editor-in-Chief Darcy Ramirez - Managing Editor America Quintero - Campus Editor Dakota Roberts - Editorial Editor Plaserae Johnson - Sports Editor Robert “Bobby” Puentes - Circulation Manager Josue Villarreal - Reporter C.R. Neal - Reporter Hector Andres Landin - Reporter Joshua Lin - Reporter Iliana Flores - Reporter Graham Castor - Reporter Nicole Morris - Adviser Dr. Manuel Flores - Content Supervisor

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First Amendment Right 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.

Do you believe that award shows, such as the Oscars, the Grammys, the Emmys, the Country Music Awards, etc, are important in today’s times?

The Twitter poll will appear every week on the South Texan’s Twitter page, where anyone can vote on the weekly topics dealing with campus and national issues

Driving While Informed

Drunk Driving kills Thousands Darcy Ramirez Managing Editor Every day, 28 people die from an impaired driving collision making motor vehicle accidents the fourth leading cause of death in the United States. In 2016, there were 34,439 fatal motor vehicle crashes in the U.S. and among those collisions 37,461 deaths occurred.

There isn’t a way where we can permanently stop death from occurring; it’s simply a way of life, but maybe we can prevent some fatal car crashes from happening. Alcohol affects you by impairing your judgement, depth perception as well as vital motor skills required to drive safely, so it’s easy to think you are driving normally when actually you are not. Don’t become another drunk driving statistic.

In 2015, nearly 1.1 million drivers were arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol. For most wrecks, the drunk driver or impaired driver is not the victim in the accident, but the culprit.

Drunk drivers usually survive the crash, but unfortunately the car they crashed into holds many casualties.

A study from the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) showed that not only does a considerably high blood-alcohol level seem to increase a trauma victim’s chances of survival, but also the drunker a victim is, the more likely he or she is to survive.

“After an injury, if you are intoxicated there seems to be a pretty substantial protective effect,” said Lee Friedman, the author of the study and an assistant professor of environmental and occupational health sciences at UIC. “The more alcohol you have in your system, the more the protective effect.” This doesn’t make you invincible, though.

Now I understand that when finals are finished, and at the end of a long week, you want to drown your sorrows or celebrate your success with a few beers, shots and laughs. But don’t turn that party into a tragedy. If you’re at your own residence, don’t leave. Definitely stay at home until the morning and then relieve that hangover when

you wake up. But, if you’re at a friend’s house, do the considerable thing and either stay the night or ask someone who isn’t drunk to take you home. I know that at most parties everyone is drinking and having a good ‘ole time, and no one wants the responsibility of being a designated driver, but there are ways of preventing a catastrophe.

Don’t ruin your night, and please don’t ruin the life of some innocent driver on the road just because you’re wasted and want to go home.

In high school, most of us were shown a presentation about the statistics of drunk driving, and while some students listened and became cautious of their actions, others ignored the teacher’s warnings and got drunk that night. And maybe there is nothing anyone can say or do to stop you from sloppily getting into your car, putting the keys in the ignition, and driving into the dark night with a Jack Daniels bottle in one hand, the steering wheel in the other, and beer cans scattered on the floorboard. I just hope that drink is worth your life and the life of some innocent soul in the car next to you.

4

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2018

Sports

The Javelinas Host ‘Pack the House’ The Men’s, Women’s Basketball Teams will face Tarleton Texans

Plaserae Johnson Sports Editor

A “Pack the House” game is approaching. The Lady Javelinas and Javelinas basketball teams will be facing the Tarleton State University Texans at 5:15 p.m. and 7:15 p.m., respectively, on Thursday in the Steinke Physical Education Center.

“Pack the House” happens every season. It is a home game that calls for the encouragement of students, alumni and supporters of the Texas A&M UniversityKingsville (TAMUK) Javelinas.

The objective is to get the campus at TAMUK more involved. During “Pack the House,” the half-time period will be filled with activities and contests for the Javelina fans. “’Pack the House’ is always a fun experience because you can feel the energy from the crowd,” said

Lexi Wick, a former volleyball player for the Javelinas.

The children are also invited to dance and play games. The atmosphere is fun and engaging.

The game attendees pour excitement into Javelina players who host competitors in their gym.

“We can’t give up any wins in our own house,” said Angelica Wilson, a forward and center for the Lady Javelinas Basketball Team.

Wilson said these are always the words of Head Coach Wade Scott when approaching a home game.

The basketball players feed from the energy of the crowd.

“It just makes the players feel like they have the school’s support,” said Jameesha Wade, a graduate assistant and former player for the Lady Javelinas basketball team. The players and crowd are ignited during “Pack the House” games.

“It’s an exhilarating

Photo by Javelina Athletics

Angelica Wilson going for a lay-up

experience and it definitely helps us get hyped up and excited to play the best we can,” Wick said.

Wick experienced “Pack the House” when she played.

The Javelina Volleyball and Basketball teams traditionally host at least one “Pack the House” within

their seasons.

Occasionally, the contests differ depending on the sport and the organizer of “Pack the House,” but the goal is the same, amplify the players and crowd.

During“Pack the House” last season, T-shirts were given away to the first 200

students who attended the game.

Giveaways included gift cards to winners of contests during the half-time break.

“Our preparation for that game has been the same for all of our conference games,” Wade said.

Expectations are high for the Javelinas as they take on the Texans.

“We’re playing to get in the conference tournament and I’m expecting a lot out of each player,” Wade said.

The desired outcome in the game is to propel in the Lone Star Conference (LSC) polls for both Javelina and Texan basketball teams.

The game will be highly competitive.

If the Javelinas use the energy and support from the crowd on Feb. 8, then they can move up in the LSC polls.

This is a chance for Tarleton, as well as TAMUK, to increase their ranking.

“Believe it or not, the home crowd plays a huge role in a game, especially [the] very close games with a few minutes left,” Wilson said.

“We don’t really get as much support as the guys do; the support is needed.”

Javelina Tennis Team Moves Forward Despite Losses Lady Javelinas Lose First Couple Games on Schedule

Joshua Lin Sports Reporter

The Javelina Tennis season has begun, and the first few games were uneventful.

They lost the first couple of games on their schedule against University of TexasRio Grande Valley and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.

Last season, the winloss record for the Javelinas was 13-10. They played in the Lone Star Conference Tournament (LSC), but fell short in the semi-finals against Midwestern State University.

The 2018 season calls for improvement. The goal is to win the matches the team fell short on last year and continue to be a competitive team in the LSC. “Our first two matches are against two very formidable [Division 1] opponents.

These matches are ways for us to see what we are missing

and opportunities to make us better down the road,” Head coach Autumn Williams said.

The lineup has been adjusted and prepared to progress in future matches.

“We have worked very hard with our starting lineup, we will continue to make adjustments personally and get better,” Williams said.

The losses failed to discourage sophomore and tennis player Stephanie Baerman.

“We knew that we had nothing to lose going into our first two matches… I think we have everything we need for our next match, our fight is there, our energy is there, and our skill is there. We just have to put it into action,” Baerman said.

Sophomore Julia Rauer also believes the team is working hard.

“I think for the next matches we don’t have to do [anything] completely different. We are a good, hard-working and talented

team,” Rauer said.

During the Fall semester, the tennis team was participating in early matches. The intention was to see what the team learned and what was needed moving forward.

“After we were done playing matches in early October, it gave us the most amount of time to spend advancing. We worked very hard on our fitness,” Coach Williams said.

Valerie Ruiz, Viktoriia Romanovskaia, Baerman and Rauer are the four line-up players for the tennis team.

“After starting last season, I think all four know what to expect and are more confident than last year,” Williams said.

Changes have been made this season and the team has more competitive matches approaching on the schedule.

“I have definitely grown as a person and an athlete since last year. I have learned what it truly means to be on a

Photo by Javelina Athletics

Stephanie Baerman in action

team and putting the team’s best interests first. Being one of the team’s captains this year has given me the opportunity to work on my leadership skills that my coaches and teammates see in me,” Baerman said.

Last season’s experience for Rauer led her to improve on her skills mentally and

physically.

“I definitely think that the last season, which was my first one, gave me a lot of confidence and experience.

It also gave me a lot of motivation to work even harder and accomplish more with the team,” Rauer said.

The competition is fierce but the expectation of a good

season is reasonable.

“I am looking forward to competing with the team and I’m ready to feel that energy… we[‘ll] step on the court ready to fight [and] I’m ready to win with my girls,” Baerman said.

The team will face St. Mary’s at 2 p.m. on Friday, Feb.9, in San Antonio.

Men’s Track and Field Team Ranks No. 14 The Javelinas’ sees Success on the National Poll, Two Meets into the Season

Plaserae Johnson Sports Editor The Men’s Track and Field Team of Texas A&M University-Kingsville (TAMUK) was recently ranked No. 14 on the United States Track and Field and Cross-Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) national poll.

The Men’s Track and Field Team has conference championships for various seasons in the Lone Star Conference (LSC). The team had only competed in two meets prior to the ranking.

Individuals such as Javier Lopez, Todd Nicholas, Richard Cervantes and Charles Greaves rise to the occasion by rounding up points in the hurdles, sprints, throws and jumps.

The ranking on USTFCCCA poll is rich for the Javelinas because they have just begun their season.

“It just shows the hard

work that me and my teammates have been putting in day in and out, and the season is far from over with…we need to use this as motivation to continue to keep working hard [and] not to be satisfied,” said Nicholas, a junior and Kinesiology major at TAMUK. The Men’s Track Team competed well at its second meet. Their performances there led them to this ranking so early in the season. On Jan. 26, in New York, N.Y., part of the Javelina Track and Field team performed at the historical Armory Indoor Track complex.

The Armory Complex is the fastest indoor track in the United States.

The atmosphere was thriving and the Javelinas responded positively.

Cervantes, Kenneth Zamorano, Jorge Rios and Lane Michna swept the top four positions on the scoreboard in the throwing events and racked up points to place the men’s team in a

Javier Lopez leading a hurdle race

winning position for the Dr. Sanders Armory Challenge track meet.

On the track, López, scored points in the 60m hurdles final and qualified for nationals. Nicholas scored points in the 60m dash finals where he partnered Greaves.

Greaves continued to score in the Men’s Long and Triple jump.

“I’m really excited to see

how the season ends because I think we will move up in the ranking soon. We have a better team than last year, and based on what I feel, more united as a team,” said Lopez, a senior majoring in Physical Therapy at TAMUK. The Javelinas are now dominating the conference.

“Well it’s early in the season since we only had two meets so far and we

Photo by Javelina Athletics

have a few guys that were added to the team that have potential for points also,” said Greaves, a Kinesiology major at TAMUK. The ranking is still not enough for the Javelinas.

“But there’s still lots of room for improvement’” Greaves said.

The expectation is to be on top by the end of the season because they want the

number one spot.

“If we bring the best out we will be the number one team,” Nicholas said.

Throws Coach Tim Miller will be focusing on his group of athletes to ensure points at the conference and national meets.

“Within the throws group I know we are capable of some great things,” Miller said.

Every year, the Track and Field team starts conditioning in the Fall semester with nationals on their mind from the very first day.

“I think more about working towards getting people to the national meet and taking care of business every day,” Miller said.

The team headed up to Baton Rouge, La., on Feb. 1, to compete at Louisiana State University. There, Cervantes reached a new shotput record at the distance of 18.21 meters. Their next meet will be on Feb. 9 in Staten Island, N.Y.

Entertainment

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2018

Conner Museum hosts the ‘Celebration of Quilts’ Annual Exhibit displays works by the members of the Kingsville Saturday Quilters Iliana Flores Reporter For 14 years, the Conner Museum has hosted an annual quilting exhibit featuring original quilts made by the Kingsville Saturday Quilters.

This year is no exception as quilts ranging from traditional patterns to abstract patterns cover the walls of the museum for the “Celebration of Quilts 2018.”

The quilting exhibit currently displayed at the Conner Museum is an “annual exhibit dedicated to the art and craft of quilting,” accord-

ing to the museum’s website.

On Jan. 17, the exhibit began with an opening ceremony with more than 200 people attending.

Ralph Cuevas, the museum curator, said the opening of the exhibit brought about a big turnout.

The exhibit will continue to be open for viewing to TAMUK students and the public free of charge until March 14.

This year’s display features 40 quilts which come in a variety of different sizes and colors. The story and inspiration behind each quilt also varies depending on the

Photo by Iliana Flores

Spring 2018 Quilt Exhibit

Lawsuit continued from Page 1 subject car was caused and/ or contributed to by one or all of the following: a mechanical or software failure in the subject vehicle, which caused the vehicle to suddenly and uncontrollably accelerate; the sudden catastrophic failure of the passenger-side rear wheel, and/or the sudden failure of the driver’s side front tire rod.”

Three similar reports were filed by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration concerning the 2016 model Chevy Cruze, the car rented by Oloba and Fuentes.

One complaint in the lawsuit states, “While stationary, the vehicle accelerated rapidly without warning and crashed into a tree. Upon removing pressure from the brake pedal, the vehicle accelerated independently. The air bags did not deploy.”

The failure of the front tire rod is alleged to be the responsibility of Bridgestone Retail Operations and the IAH service center, having performed a vehicle inspection just two months before the crash.

Along with these two,

Justice continued from Page 1 “I still have a hard time accepting that he’s gone. I find myself texting him and I’ve even called him a few times,” Andre’s cousin Kylie Fuqua wrote in a statement.

“I wish I could find the perfect words, but still I struggle to find them. While Andre’s case has gone unsolved, and is a cold case, we still pray and hope that justice will be served.”

As time goes on, the stress and circumstances behind Andre’s death became overwhelming and continues to impact people today. Killion was very emotional and an-

gry as she thought of Andre’s case remaining unsolved, but she too clings to optimism.

“Andre was an innocent victim who had his life ended abruptly by someone who is still out there. Justice should be served for Andre’s untimely and unnecessary death,” she said. “It is still painful for me to discuss this.

Someone out there knows something. I urge them to come forward and speak the truth about this vicious crime. I have faith the perpetrator will be found and brought to justice.”

But on the anniversary of

creator.

One quilt on display is “Dance of the Cherry Blossoms” made by Nancy Gilliam. Gilliam was inspired to create this quilt from a trip she took to Japan.

“I had been to Japan and to the Cherry Blossom Festival and so when I saw that I wanted to make a quilt with it,” Gilliam said.

Gilliam is often inspired to make quilts from aspects of her life such as her children, grandchildren and her travels.

Billie Lee also has quilts on display at the exhibit, one of which is “Mama Through the Years.”

Lee has been quilting for most of her life and enjoys it because it allows her to be creative, and “I like the end results of something that starts at nothing,” Lee said.

Another one of Lee’s quilts being displayed at the exhibit consist of T-shirts that her grandson helped pick out and arrange.

“That was extra special because he picked out the T-shirts, he picked out the material, he arranged them the way he wanted and then I put it together the way he designed it. So, that gave me

Quilts displayed at the Conner Museum

time with him, special time with him,” Lee said.

After viewing the exhibit, TAMUK alumna Esperanza Garcia expressed what quilting meant to her.

“Quilting symbolizes… family heritage.

“Especially when handmade by them and when they’re comprised of clothing worn by generations of family heirlooms eventually making them heirloom quilts.

“I know if my family had one, I’d be interested in

three separate construction companies have been included in the petition as defendants: Hunter Industries, Delgado Construction and Roadside Traffic Systems.

Hunter industries, along with the support of the other two companies, was laying “hot mix” roughly two weeks prior to the Feb. 25, 2017 crash; failing to comply with public safety requirements.

According to the lawsuit, “Defendants Hunter Industries, Delgado Construction and Roadsafe Traffic Systems were required to place pavement markings on the subject roadway by Feb. 23, 2017.

Despite the requirement, permanent pavement markings were not installed as of the date of the subject incident.”

According to both the crash and medical examiner’s reports, neither Fuentes nor Oloba were intoxicated, speeding or fatigued. The two students’ phone records also reveal that neither were distracted by texts or phone calls at any relevant times.

Traffic was light, and the road was alleged to be dry.

Defendants have yet to respond formally to the complaint of liability and negligence that the lawsuit contends.

Andre’s passing, a friend has a sense of loss.

“Even though I think about him daily it was a subtle reminder that a year has passed and justice has not been served. Andre was one of my groomsmen in my wedding as was my brother, Jared. Both passed away, and so I try to live my life in a manner that would make them proud and enhance their legacy,” said Chris Garza, a close friend of Andre and a recent TAMUK graduate. “When I walked the stage last May with my Master’s I dedicated that to them.

Andre and I had planned to graduate together so not doing so felt like I was robbed.

Andre was a unique person with so much to offer and the person at fault should accept full consequences for the unthinkable actions that took place that day.”

Ibanez too felt an incredible emptiness on the recent anniversary of Andre’s murder.

“I felt that emptiness that everyone gets when they remember they lost something.

I personally feel it more when I need someone to talk to, because I feel I had so much left to talk to him about, to tell him. I think the community, the running community, and the world lost someone that brought some fun and joy to everything,” Ibanez said.

knowing all about it,” Garcia said.

For Cuevas, putting together the annual exhibit has shown him what quilting and who the members of the Saturday Quilters really are.

“After doing these quilt shows I understand these women are more than just somebody who’s sewing.

They are really artists.

“When you look at what they have to do, how they put things together, how they design them…it takes an art-

Photo by Iliana Flores

ist’s mind to do something like that,” Cuevas said Both Lee and Gilliam are members of the Saturday Quilters.

This group consists of both men and women who share a passion for quilting and wish to discuss and learn more about the art.

The group meets every fourth Saturday of the month and is open to anyone in the community who likes to quilt or wants to learn more about quilting.

6

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2018

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