The South Texan Vol. 94 Issue 12

The South Texan The Award-Winning Texas A&M University-Kingsville Student Publication

Thursday, November 21, 2019 Volume 94, Issue 12 TheSouthTexan.com

Mac Miller

CfSS Symposium

Page 7

Page 10

Faculty recital paying tribute to late rap artist

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Posters based on novel made by UNIV students to be judged for scholarships

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Opera heading to Ohio Coach

Wilk sacked

TAMUK opera one of four to perform at Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

Roach announces new direction for football program

RONNI REYNA Reporter The university’s interpretation of musical number Officer Krupke from the award-winning musical West Side Story has led to national recognition for the TAMUK Opera Musical Theatre.

The TAMUK Opera Theatre has been named one of the four finalists in the country for the National Opera Theatre Scenes competition. The competition will be held Jan. 9 at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio.

“This is a program in which you submit a short scene from a production you’ve done, so I submitted the scene from our Bernstein at 100 production which we performed last fall,” Associate Professor of Voice and Opera Dr. Melinda Brou said.

DYLAN DOZIER Sports Editor Photo Courtesy of Javelina Nation

Cast of “West Side Story” that will be heading to Ohio for competition “Only four scenes from the entire country were invited and we’ll be one of them, so we’ll place somewhere between one and four in the country for musical theatre scenes this year,” she said.

The scene submitted for the National Opera Theatre Scenes competition

Opera award continued on Page 10

Kingsville Record closing its doors C.R. NEAL Editor-in-Chief After more than a century, a post on the Kingsville Record and Bishop News website announced Wednesday, Nov. 13, that it would be delivering its last issue on Dec. 5.

The article stated, “This decision was not made quickly or lightly. As many of you are aware, the newspaper industry faces troubling financial times and an even more uncertain future.”

The newspaper said on its website it plans to contact subscribers, advertisers and other partners over the next few weeks to discuss details of its plans to close.

The newspaper’s publisher Chris Maher did not respond to requests to comment.

The Kingsville Record’s closing is not an isolated event. Local newspapers across the country are being forced to close their doors because of financial reasons.

These closures have left a hole in the communities they leave behind, as local newspapers provide something the larger papers cannot: trust.

Ray Mosby is the editor and publisher for the community newspaper in Rolling Fork, Miss. Mosby experiences the role of a small-town paper, and knows the importance of having one.

“The community newspaper is not

some monolithic entity; its editor is not some ivory towered ‘big shot.’ He or she is also a neighbor. He or she is one who goes to church with you, or stops to chat in the grocery store or is always there to volunteer at community functions or stops to shake hands or just waves in passing,” Mosby said.

Kingville’s Interim City Manager Deborah Balli said the newspaper’s closure was not a surprise to those in the community.

“It’s a sign of the times, and we were expecting it,” Balli said. “It just shows that they don’t have the readership to supports the newspaper.”

Balli said they will still get information such as notices for ordinances out by posting information on their website and doors. They will also be looking into getting that information printed in Corpus Christi Caller-Times, although she notes it may not reach the same portion of the community if it is not printed in the local newspaper.

Chair of the Department of Art, Communications and Theater Todd Lucas puts this closing in the context of the overall state of journalism, specifically the role of the journalist.

“They’re not just writers anymore.

They’re not just the person that goes out, gets the story, writes it up and submits it. They’re now a part of the whole process,” Lucas said.

To respond to the evolution of journalism, the communications depart-

Photo by C.R. Neal

The Record has served the Kingsville area for more than a century ment is looking into creating a more rounded experience for aspiring journalists at TAMUK. “Here we’re getting into something more multi-media and possibly cross-disciplinary between film, speech and journalism… really creating that multi-media person who can then have more opportunities to write for corporate America, for small business, for small ad firms or newspapers in a variety of areas, not just print media,” Lucas said.

The South Texan has served the university and the community since 1925.

It is printed weekly through each of the long semesters.

TAMUK Executive Director of Athletics Steve Roach announced Monday morning that head football coach Daren Wilkinson will not return in Fall 2020.

“We appreciate Coach Wilkinson’s commitment and dedication to the Javelina football program and the positive impact he made on this community,” Roach said in a Javelinas Athletics’ release. “However, at this time, we felt it was best to make a change in the leadership of the football program.”

The Javelina’s 2019 season commenced on Nov. 16 with a 70-14 loss to UT Permian Basin. Saturday’s decision marked the second time the Blue and Gold allowed 70 points or more and brought TAMUK’s record to 2-9 overall and 1-7 in Lone Star Conference play.

During his five-year tenure, Wilkinson compiled an overall record of 2135 and was 11-28 in LSC competition.

His stint included three All-American selections, 10 All-Super Region IV accolades and 59 All-LSC awards.

The Blue and Gold finished the 2017 and 2018 seasons with an identical record of 4-7.

The 2016 season proved to be Wilkinson’s most successful season. His second-year efforts churned out a 9-3 record and was capped by a 24-17 win over Southern Arkansas in the Live United Bowl.

Wilkinson’s first season at the helm ended with a 2-9 record.

Prior to Wilkinson’s stint in Kingsville, TAMUK built a reputation synonymous with winning. The Javelinas have compiled a 579-326-16 overall record, 27 LSC titles, seven divisional titles, 27 playoff appearances and seven NAIA national championships. Their last conference title was won in 2009.

“Javelina football has a proud tradition and rich history, and I am confident we will find the next head coach to lead us back to that prominence,” Roach said.

Roach also announced that Parker Executive Search has launched the nationwide search for a new head coach.

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Campus

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Traditions of Latin harmonies Javelina Mariachi keeps Latin beat alive at TAMUK ARYSSA ENRIQUEZ

Campus Editor

Upbeat melodies and passionate voices were synchronized as the university’s Javelina Mariachi ignited the stage on Monday, Nov. 18, at the Smith Recital Hall.

The Javelina Mariachi performed eight songs, each highlighting the Hispanic culture on campus. Throughout the show students performed solos and duets that had the audience captivated.

“Mariachi is a big part of our culture, some of these songs I remember growing up listening with my grandparents….I think it’s super important that we don’t forget about the past and I get to honor it through the performance of some of these pieces,” Director of Mariachi Sammy Posada said.

The Javelina Mariachi gave out emotional performances as they commemorated the importance of keeping traditions alive.

“It’s a different style of music, people have jazz and then you have mariachi.

You have a swing and then you have caballeros, you have different types of styles and it’s fun to keep these styles alive,” Alexis Ramirez, violinist in Ja-

Photo by Aryssa Enriquez

The Javelina Mariachi after their performance in Smith Recital Hall.

velina Mariachi, said.

The fast-paced song, El Fandanguito had the audience clapping and dancing in their seats.

The concert concluded with a duet

by Alyssa Guerra and Benjamin Torrez performing La Madrugada arranged

by David Rivera “I felt like we gave a great performance; it’s been a different year. We are under new leadership, we are also all multiple majors, so not all of us are music majors. That being said, we are

able to come together and collaborate and hopefully give out a beautiful performance.

“My favorite part of tonight’s show would be [performing] El Fandanguito because that one was a challenge, given the level of difficulty for each instrument itself; it was a challenge and then to come together and put the difficult piece together as a whole was interesting and very successful,” Alyssa Guerra, violinist and vocalist of Javelina Mariachi, said.

The Javelina Mariachi received a great audience reaction as they sang along to the traditional tunes and gave a grito in between songs. “ I thought the kids did really well, like I said earlier doing the recital I have a lot of pride in this university …I have a lot pride in the fact that I get to come back and kind of pass down some of the stuff that I learned from here. I thought the kids did a really good job; it’s really exciting” Posada said.

Painting College Hall

Students and staff showcased their Javelina pride by

painting College Hall on Wednesday Nov. 13. at the JSEC

The event was sponsored by the Campus Activity Board and gave students an opportunity to be creative through the guidance of Amped Events.

Photo by Aryssa Enriquez

Students expressed their creativity as they painted College Hall.

Campus 3 Three students earn Irene Ryan nominations

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Thursday, November 21, 2019

Students competed at the KCACTF with play Gravity ARYSSA ENRIQUEZ Campus Editor

Gravity, an original play by Theatre Director Corey Ranson, captivated judges during the annual Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival (KCACTF). Theatre students competed against four other states and earned recognition for their hard work and talent by earning three Irene Ryan nominations. Recipients of the prestigious award are Laurie Guajardo Hoefelmeyer, Lexi LaCour and Gage Roberts.

“I think [the awards] it’s recognition Photo courtesey of Facebook of the stellar work that Corey Ran- Laurie Guajardo Hoefelmeyer (left), Lexi LaCour (center) and Gage Roberts after recieving their nomination. son does with the program and helps “It is one of the biggest challenges “This is my first KCACTF getting an one, for grad school and even when develop student talent to be able to you go into certain auditions and they but also the greatest honor to be the Irene Ryan nomination and it felt just compete at a state level,” Department see that on your resume…you get to first actress to play the role. Nobody like a really big accomplishment for Chair of Arts, Communications and skip the line and you immediately get has done it, you have no one to look me as an actor,” Roberts said. “Doing Theatre Todd Lucas said. off. an original play is always an exciting that audition,” Hoefelmeyer said.

The Irene Ryan Award honors the “When you get an original work like thing because you have nothing to go Hoefelmeyer earned her nominamost outstanding performers and tion by playing the role of Moonlight, this, you give birth to it… I loved her off, this is your first dive into it. In othgives students an opportunity to earn a a widow who helps the protagonist eccentricity. I like how cosmic and out- er plays you can see other productions, scholarship to help further their the-atre you can see clips on Youtube and see actor cope with the death of her boy- there she is,” Hoefelmeyer said. career.

The original work offered students what other people have done, but this friend. Hoefelmeyer’s enigmatic char“It’s very important because it is acter and ability to tell a story pulled an opportunity to expand on their abil- is getting to sink your teeth into someimmediately recognized within the the heartstrings of many of the audi- ities and explore different characteris- thing new and it was very interesting,” theater scholastic world, so as soon as tics for their characters. he said. ence members. they see you’ve been nominated for

TAMUK hosts Toys for Tots charity event MARK GUTIERREZ Reporter The holidays are just over the horizon and ‘tis the season for giving as Texas A&M University-Kingsville hosts a Toys for Tots charity event.

Toys for Tots’ purpose is to distribute toys to the children of parents who have difficulty in purchasing these items for their children. The charity also brings awareness of the less fortunate and allows the community to lend a helping hand. TAMUK will, yet again, assist in taking on the role of Santa Claus for the families of Kleberg and Kenedy counties.

“Each year, it is our hope that students, faculty and staff get involved and participate in this toy drive,” Lo-

real Robertson, assistant director of student activities, said. “The student organizations who do participate, enjoy the competitiveness of this activity as the organization who donates the most toys receives a sponsorship of up to $150. One year, we collected a little over 1,000 toys to donate.”

The Toys for Tots donation isn’t an exclusive charity to TAMUK, as many other businesses and individuals host their own toy collection drop box to provide support to the families. According to the Marine Toys for Tots website, “With help from countless individuals, local businesses as well as our corporate sponsors, we were able to augment our local toy drives with an additional six million toys valued at $70 million allowing our Marines and volunteers to support all families seeking their assistance.”

The students at TAMUK are also hoping for yet another great turnout for the charity. “Toys for Tots is like one of the well-known charities I hear about around Christmas, and it’s so good to see the community coming together to help those who weren’t able to afford a gift on Christmas,” Georgiana Gallegos, architectual engineering major, said. “Christmas is the time

Expires 10-17-19 Expires 11-28-19

for giving and I feel like with Toys for Tots we have that opportunity to give back.”

TAMUK will continue to assist in collecting toys for the charity throughout the month of November. However, the charity will not stop collecting toys until Dec. 18, so students, faculty and staff will have many opportunities to support those in need this Christmas.

Photo courtesy of operationtoytrain.com

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Opinion

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Tribulations of a turkey baby

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).

STAFF

C.R. Neal Editor-in-Chief Iliana Flores Managing Editor Aryssa Enriquez Campus Editor

BRENDA RIOJAS Reporter As Thanksgiving Day approaches, I don’t only think about turkey I also think about birthday cake. I’m truly a turkey baby and was born on Thanksgiving Day. When I have to give people a fun fact about myself, I usually say that I was born on Thanksgiving Day. Every year varies, sometimes it’s the day before Thanksgiving, and sometimes it’s the day after. Whether it’s before or after, I only think about birthday cake and how picking a cake is more important than eating turkey.

Every year I find my birthday to be Thanksgiving related, whether it be on the cake or the decorations on my dinner table. Each year my cake usually has a turkey on it, and my presents are wrapped in autumn colored wrapping paper. I genuinely love to celebrate my birthday as much as I do Thanksgiving, but sometimes celebrating the two together gets frustrating.

Although my birthday might not be on Thanksgiving Day every year, it’s still celebrated on Thanksgiving since all of my family gets together on that

Photo courtesy of theodysseyonline.com

one day.

All of my friends spend time with their families or leave out of town. If I plan a get together with my friends, it has to be a whole week before or after Thanksgiving. Having a holiday birthday also means that I usually have to spend it at home.

Stores close early the day before Thanksgiving and the day after is Black Friday, which makes stores extremely hectic. The worst part of it all is having my birthday so close to Christmas. I’m usually given “early Christmas presents” on my birthday or “late birthday presents” on Christ-

mas. Therefore, I don’t just share my birthday with Thanksgiving, but with Christmas, too.

As I’ve gotten older, I’ve actually learned to appreciate how close my birthday is to a holiday, and how I’m surrounded by my family. I’m thankful to have been born on Thanksgiving Day. Over the years I’ve learned to embrace that I have a unique birthday. My family always tells me that I get double presents on my birthday, which are gifts and turkey to eat. I laugh but it’s true, not many people get gifts and a whole Thanksgiving dinner on their birthday.

Abortion clinics going exinct

Dylan Dozier Sports Editor Jaylin Morales Advertising Manager Kelby Sprinkles Online Editor Reporters Adam Pena Brenda Riojas Sarah Reyna Gabriella Mastroianni Mark Gutierrez Sabrina Gonzalez Ronni Reyna Calista Reyes 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 University-Kingsville Kingsville, Texas 78363

KELBY SPRINKLES Online Editor I am a 22-year-old female college student living in rural South Texas. At this stage in my life, sexual and reproductive health is of the upmost concern.

Unfortunately for me and the other 29 million residents of Texas, sexual and reproductive health is not of the upmost concern to our state and the individuals who run it.

In 2013, more than 40 abortions clinics were operating in Texas. This number dropped by over half in the years that followed July 12, 2013; i.e. the day that House Bill 2 passed. This bill required abortion clinics and their staff to adhere to impractical and, in most cases, impossible standards, effectively closing the majority of abortion clinics in Texas.

Requirements of HB2 included, “Abortion doctors were required to have admitting privileges to a hospital within 30 miles of their clinic. All abortions clinics were required to upgrade to become ambulatory surgical centers (ASCs). Abortions after 20 weeks were prohibited, except in the case of ‘severe fetal abnormalities’ or to ‘avert the death or substantial and irreversible

Photo courtesy of kff.org

Texas hands out jail sentences for abortions past 20-22 weeks. physical impairment … of the pregnant woman.’ Women who take abortion-inducing pills, must do so under the supervision of a physician, requiring two trips to the clinic for each dosage,” as stated by The Independent.

HB2 was overturned by the Supreme Court in 2016, but the damage had already been done.

As of today, there are only 22 abortion clinics operating in Texas. In addition to losing the majority of abortion performing clinics, the remaining clinics are not easily accessible to everyone in Texas.

This poses a major issue for women, like me, who live in South Texas or rural West Texas. These two geographic areas have the least amount of resources in the state when it comes to sexual and reproductive health. “…Women living in rural Texas were

affected the most, What we saw is that [in] West Texas and South Texas, access was incredibly limited,” Investigator of Texas Policy Evaluation Project at the University Of Texas Kari White says, “and women living in those parts of the state were more than 100 miles — sometimes 200 or more miles — from the nearest facility,” as stated by NPR. Abortion clinics going extinct in Texas is not a matter of moral debate, it is a sexual health crisis. With infamously pathetic attempts at sexual education in the Texas public school system, it is more important than ever that we save these clinics from nonexistence.

These facilities provide more than just legal abortions. They provide community outreach, sexual and reproductive education, medical resources and are essential in working towards a more inclusive and progressive society.

Opinion

Send us your opinion through our website: thesouthtexan.com

Letter to the editor

Currently, most of South Texas is in an economic recession or light depression; I have been studying the economy for the last year and a half because about two years ago I got fed up with my financial issues and started asking myself, “How much of my money problems are my fault?”

So I asked Google and YouTube.com for answers, and to my surprise I got a lot of good answers. So, I started reading more and more and I am so thankful that I did that, because I am no longer depressed or angry at myself or others. Because now I understand what’s wrong.

For sometime now I have been listening to all kinds of economy experts like economists, bankers, college professors, billionaires and CEO business owners. And now I know that more than 80 percent of my financial problems are not my fault, it’s mostly the fault of other people and systems and false beliefs, some bad luck, government decisions and rules, economics supply and demand, my genetic code, my health, etc. etc.

Here are some of the reasons we are in a recession or light depression: 1.

The oil field recession or de-

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Photo courtesy of CNBC.com

The Great Recession was a fiscal catastrophe for many middle-class Americans. pression started in December 2014, when the price of oil dropped below $70 per barrel caused by the global supply and demand cycle.

2.

The U.S. government having a tariff war with China and other countries which has hurt our farmers and other parts of our nation which in turn hurts the economy.

3.

Too many business and government: games, rigged systems, customs, laws and rules that hurt the middle class.

4.

Too many business monopolies that control us, by reducing competition, controlling wages and jacking up the prices for goods and services for

everyone.

5.

Too many greedy stupid politicians receiving bribes, both directly and indirectly, from wealthy hoarders and corporations that in turn hurt and have shrunk the middle class and increased the poor population over the last 40 years.

6.

Too many got-damn corporations and government officials who believe in and practice daily in criminal racketeering.

7.

Plus, we are still in the recovering stages from the 2009 recession.

According to hundreds of experts the economy is supposed to go into a recession or depression within the next

one or two years. If this happens then maybe we can have the capitalist system repaired or maybe have it replaced with something that’s more humane and fair for everyone and gets rid of this massive wealth inequality problem and all of these rigged economic games.

I hope that this letter will inspire more people to self-educate themselves so they can understand what’s wrong with our economy. Please don’t take my word. Do your own research on Google or YouTube or other websites.

Tomas Cantu

Javelina Viewpoints This Week’s Question:

“With Thanksgiving Day celebrations on the horizon, what are you most grateful for?”

Name: Carlos Garcia Name: Mauricia Gallegos Major: Music Education Major: Bio-Chemsitry “I’m grateful for music and how it “I’m grateful for having the opporlet’s me experience things differently.” tunity to live on campus because of scholarships. Scholarships are important because I would probably not be able to come to this university without them.”

Compiled by: Aryssa Enriquez

Name: Kassidy Lackey Major: Animal Science/ Pre-vet “I’m most thankful for the community because they really help support my sorority, and all the things we do on campus.”

Name: Natalia Flores Major: Biomedical “I’m most thankful for the opportunities I’ve been given and the support system that I have because without them I would not be here.”

Entertainment

Thursday, November 21, 2019

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Did you see Cinderella? Let us know your thoughts on Twitter: @thesouthtexan

Opera performs Cinderella

ILIANA FLORES Managing Editor

Students, faculty and staff and the community gathered to watch the TAMUK Opera and Musical Theaters’ performance of the iconic musical Cinderella on Nov. 16 and 17.

The show which the opera workshop performed was written in French by Pauline Viardot and translated to English by Rachel M. Harris. It was the first show in more than 10 years written by a female that the TAMUK opera workshop has performed.

While the show follows the general storyline of Cinderella as she attends the ball and meets Prince Charming, there are some differences between the Disney version most are accustomed to. Instead of an evil stepmother there is an indifferent stepfather and not two evil stepsisters but two airheaded sisters who still want the best for Cinderella.

The show was performed by two casts meaning each character was played by two people. One cast performed at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 15 in the Smith Recital Hall and another at 3 p.m. on Sunday, Nov.17.

“I am exceptionally proud of the cast and crew of Cinderella. They performed

Photo by Iliana Flores

Cast of “Cinderella” after final performance on Sunday afternoon. with professionalism and they relied on their training. They were able to make adjustments in the moment (always needed in live theater) and they really knocked it out of the park,” Dr. Melissa Brou, the director of the TAMUK opera workshop, said.

Danielle Rodriguez played Cinderella at Friday’s performance. This is her second time being cast in a show for the opera workshop, however, it is her first time performing as a lead character. After Friday’s showing, she felt bittersweet to have finished playing her role as Cinderella.

Adulting 101: How to manage a budget ILIANA FLORES Managing Editor As college students, we all know one of the most difficult things to do is manage our money. Rent, eating out, groceries, cell phone bills, etc., quickly add up, and before you know it, you only have $20 in your bank account and a week before your next paycheck comes in. As satisfying as it may be to know you’re capable of making the money stretch through the week, it can also be stressful, and as the holidays are approaching it can be beneficial to keep better track of your money. So, here is how to make a budget.

The first thing you should look at is how much you are spending a month.

The best thing to do is look at your checking account and add up every expense from the previous three to six months then divide by the number of months you looked at. It’s best to look at multiple months since random expenses can pop up on occasion so averaging the expenses for several months allows you to get a better picture of your spending habits. Then add up the essential expenses such as bills, groceries, gas, etc. and average it as well. If you subtract this amount from the original average of expenses, you will see how much you may be unnecessarily spending. The second average

you come up with is the amount you should absolutely not touch. It may also be helpful to add 10 percent to this amount for emergencies.

Next, you should look at your income. This of course includes your paycheck and then any other money you are expecting to receive such as loans, grants and/or scholarships.

After taking into account the amount needed to cover your expenses you can figure out how much you should put into savings and how much you can spend on eating out, going to the movies, clothes and other things you may want.

While some may find it helpful to make their budget on paper, some may find it difficult to follow a budget this way. So, for those who would like to have their budget with them at all times, downloading an app may be beneficial. “Mint” is an app that has more than 520,000 reviews and a 4.7 rating in the Apple app store. The app allows you to connect your account to any bank accounts and credit cards. It then compiles this information in one place so you can manage your money easier. It will also sort out your expenses and categorize them for you.

Managing your money can be difficult, but once you get the hang of it you will have one more important adulting skill under your belt.

“It felt like a lot of stress [was] lifted off my shoulders. It was very exciting but also very stressful because of classes and all that, but in the end, it went by very fast and I wish I could do it all over again because it was really fun,” Rodriguez said.

Irma Reyes is a music performance graduate student who played the stepsister Maguelonne at Sunday’s performance. For her performance as one of the infamous stepsisters she enjoyed getting to know the character’s backstory and understanding why they treated Cinderella unfairly. Performing

for her was both nerve-wracking and fun.

“It’s always nerve-wracking because you never know what to expect from the audience because...every audience is different and it’s always going to be a different reaction from everyone. So, you’re out there nervous because you practice and you never know what’s going to happen on the day of because there is always going to be mistakes, but that’s the joy of live theater, you never know what’s going to happen.

And, just to see it all come together is very magical,” Reyes said.

Have something you want to review? Email us at: thesouthtexan@tamuk.edu

Entertainment

Thursday, November 21, 2019

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Remembering Mac Miller at TAMUK

Moncada dedicating faculty recital show to rapper C.R. NEAL Editor-in-Chief After pop artist Mac Miller’s death in 2018, Adjunct Professor of Music Edward Moncada felt the urge to honor his memory in the only way he knew how: music.

Moncada reached out to contacts and colleagues in the music community to put on a recital entitled, “I remember Mac Miller.”

The recital will be performed at 6:30 p.m., Monday, Nov. 25 in Bellamah Music Building in Smith Recital Hall, and will be the last performance in the hall, as the music program will be moving to the new music building in the Spring.

Moncada had listened to Miller’s music since his senior year of high school, and reflected on it as the soundtrack to his life.

“Wherever I was going and whoever I was hanging out with; that was the music that was playing pretty much all

the way up until his death. I felt almost a responsibility or an urge to pay tribute,” Moncada said.

The program will chronologically explore Miller’s evolution as an artist, from his first to his last album, and will transition seamlessly from one song to the next, sometimes using voice samples from Miller to bridge the gaps.

Moncada remembers an interview Miller gave on Larry King in which he was asked how he defined success.

Miller responded that it was not to sell 10 million records like some artists, but to make music that lasts forever and makes a positive impact on the lives of those who listen to it.

J.D. Guzman, a member of the percussion staff, will be playing the drums for this recital, and noted that he had not listened to Miller’s music before Moncada introduced him to it.

Guzman said that, as a musician, the most interesting thing about Miller’s music was his constantly evolving

style, which he believes lends itself to a wild show.

“It’s going to be a good show, because the style of music that we’re getting across is crazy,” Guzman said.

In the end, Moncada realizes that the music is inevitably a big part of the recital, but hopes attendees w i l l take part in something larger.

“I want everyone to enjoy t h e music, but I also want them to be immersed in the memory,” Moncada said.

The performers listed for this recital are Christian Lewis, MC, Claria Buddle on vocals, Moncada and Jerry Ezpinoza on the saxo-

phone, Iram Reyes on trumpet, Frank Cano on piano, Eddie Chavez on vibraphone, Stephen Flores on guitar, Art Fonesca on bass, and Guzman on drums.

Admission for this event is free for all attendees.

Photo courtesy of US Weekly

Mac Miller

Video Game Review: Pokémon Sword and Shield

Pokémon franchise deserves better than latest game release ADAM PENA Reporter

playing Pokémon games.

This year is no different, marking the release of “Pokémon Sword” and “Pokémon Shield” to the Nintendo I have loved Pokémon ever since my Switch home console. This release takes parents bought me a Gameboy Color the franchise to a different medium with a copy of “Pokémon Blue” and than any other main series Pokémon “Pokémon Crystal” in the early 2000s. game has done before; Sword and Almost immediately I was hooked; Shield are the first mainline games in what’s not to love about catching su- the series to star on a home console. perpowered animals and having them Naturally, many fans of the series fight each other for entertainment? Ap- were hyped about the news. The Ninparently, I wasn’t the only one to think tendo Switch is the most powerful this was awesome, and Pokémon as a console Nintendo has ever developed cultural trend swept across America in to date, far exceeding the capabilities those times, one of the earliest forms of of the 3DS handheld console. With all eastern media to do so. this computing power, it’s only natural As the cultural wave associated with that the Pokémon series be pushed to Pokémon began to slowly die down new limits that just weren’t possible on over the coming decade following the older systems, right? turn of the century, I was still hooked Sadly, this just didn’t happen. To on the franchise, never missing a new understand why many fans were upgame release for as long as I’ve been set about Sword and Shield’s rocky reception prior to release, we must first talk about Dexit. The phrase “Gotta Catch ‘Em All!” has been the coined motto of the entire Pokémon franchise ever since its release in America, and in previous games, the completion of the “National Dex” or the capture of every Pokémon in the game was the goal for the most dedicated of trainers.

As the number of Pokémon in existence grew over the years, so too did the amount of Pokémon needed to be found and captured in the games to complete the National Dex. Finally, developer of the Pokémon games Game Freak announced earlier this year that they would be removing the National Dex from Sword and Shield, and this Photo courtesy of https://swordshield.pokemon.com/en-us/buywill be the new standard for now/ the series, citing turning their

focus on maintaining the quality of animations for a smaller group of characters. With the National Dex no longer in the games, Game Freak made the decision to cull over half of the entire roster of almost a thousand Pokémon, with only roughly 400 being available in Sword and Shield. This angered many fans who were hoping to transfer some of their old favorites to the Switch, only to find that their beloved Pokémon are literally not programmed into the game.

Fans quickly coined the term “Dexit” to refer to the removal of the National Dex and subsequent reduction of the roster, playing on the term Brexit, in reference to the setting of “Pokémon Sword and Shield”, the Galar region being based on the United Kingdom, referencing their ongoing referendum to leave the European Union.

Despite the controversy surrounding Dexit and Sword and Shield, I was cautiously optimistic for the release of the games.

After all, for long-term fans of the series the prospect of playing Pokémon on a home console is certainly an exciting one. I pre-ordered “Pokémon Shield” and was one of the first customers at Gamestop at midnight on Nov. 15, playing a few hours of the game before getting some rest for class the next morning.

My first impressions of the game were of almost childlike wonder, the drama behind Dexit forgotten as I was able to witness Pokémon wandering around the 3D environment, engrossed in the rolling hills and wheat fields of the Galar region in a quaint homage to a quiet English countryside. It wasn’t until the game began to progress and the initial awe began to wear off that the glaring problems with the game began to manifest.

Despite their claim to have enacted Dexit to preserve the quality of animations, many of the characters and

ADAM’S RATING Pokémon animations p re s e n t in the game are a direct copy and paste of those from the previous entries of the series, “Pokémon Sun and Moon.”

Such is the case of the player’s rival in Sword and Shield, Hop, who is almost a carbon copy of the previous game’s rival, Hau, even going so far as reusing the same walk cycle and idle animations present in Sun and Moon.

The Pokémon themselves do not appear to have changed much since the previous iteration of the series. Analysis of the models and animations of Pokémon from Sword and Shield have found that there is no discernable difference from Sun and Moon, indicating that there was little care taken to producing new assets to the series, and Game Freak’s reasoning behind Dexit was at best an overstatement referring to a few various quality-of-life tweaks, or at worst a blatant lie.

Parts of the game appear as if corners were cut to meet time or budget restraints. Pokémon seem to pop out of the ground if you get close, and shrink away if you move too far away, attributing to the low draw distance which the game renders characters. Particular areas in the game have a graphics quality more suitable for that of the GameCube than a modern console, with jagged, low polygon meshes and low-resolution textures that wouldn’t look out of place in 2003.

That’s not to say that enjoyment can’t be gleaned out of these games, and I would be lying if I said I didn’t find myself engrossed in Pokémon battles or playing with my team in the new camping feature, but for the world’s highest grossing media franchise, Pokémon deserves better than what it’s getting.

Sports

Thursday, November 21, 2019

8

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Saturday night lights shutter down following 70-14 loss Javelinas wrap up 2019 with a loss in Odessa DYLAN DOZIER Sports Editor The TAMUK football season came to a close Saturday as the Javelinas fell 70-14 to UT Permian Basin (UTPB).

The Blue and Gold turned the ball over on the game’s opening drive by way of a Koy Detmer Jr. fumble near midfield. The Falcon’s scoring onslaught kicked off four plays later when Kameron Mathis found Ben Galaviz for a 34-yard touchdown.

After a stalled Javelina drive, punt-

er Karch Kasper pinned UTPB inside their one-yard line. The poor field position did little to dishearten the hosts, as Mathis polished off an eight-play, 99-yard drive with a 39-yard sprint.

Down 14-0, Detmer and company marched 54 yards before the Somerset-native capped the 73-yard drive with a 19-yard touchdown shot to senior Kris Barnes. The successful 11play drive cut the host’s lead in half.

The Falcons would go on to score four more times in the first half. Two drives after Barnes’ touchdown reception, Mathis linked up with Kyle McBride for a 50-yard touchdown pass.

With six-and-a-half minutes remaing in the second frame, Mathis would continue the air assault with a 52-yard

bomb to Matt Zubiate. Caleb Forrest then found pay dirt with a 13-yard rushing touchdown.

The last of TAMUK’s first-half offensive effort was snuffed out when John O’Kelley picked off a Detmer pass inside the 10-yard line and ran it back 58-yards before handing the ball off to Chris Hoad. Hoad’s 21-yard sprint ended in the endzone and increased the Falcon’s first-half lead to 42-7.

UTPB kept the momentum rolling on the first drive of the second half. David Sutton rushed three times for 75 yards and capped his ground attack with a 35-yard touchdown rumble.

The hosts would score three more times during regulation. Jacob Granado punched in a one-yard rushing

touchdown to kick off the final period of play. Dylan Krans paired up with Rocky Barnes for a 16-yard passing score, and Davion Sutton crossed the goal line from 5 yards out to push the Falcon’s lead to 70-7.

TAMUK’s final score of 2019 came off of a seven-yard touchdown pass from redshirt-junior Cade Dyal to receiver Alan Smith. Dyal and Smith’s pairing cemented the score at 70-14.

Detmer Jr. finished with 165 yards on 18-for-33 through the air along with one touchdown. Barnes added 83 yards on the ground on 15 carries, and redshirt senior Devin Milburn led the receiving corps with six catches for 65 yards. Redshirt junior Tre’Michael Tutt led the defense with nine tackles.

Blue and Gold women fall to BYU Cougars

Second Division-1 game results in 90-38 loss DYLAN DOZIER Sports Editor

Sammy Brooks drives past a defender.

Photo courtesy of Javelina Athletics

Javelina hoops fails to maintain early-season momentum in Idaho

Roadtrip to the Gem State results in a pair of hard-fought losses DYLAN DOZIER Sports Editor

Following a pair of comeback victories, the TAMUK men’s basketball team picked up their first two losses of the year during a weekend road trip in Idaho. Friday night’s 83-72 loss came courtesy of the Central Washington Wildcats (CWU). Despite a 20-point outing from junior Sammy Brooks, Saturday saw TAMUK fall to the Nighthawks of Northwest Nazarene (NNU), 82-68.

After a minute and a half of trading buckets, the Javelinas led 4-3. The next five minutes of play was controlled by the visitors who racked up 11 unanswered points. Five members contributed to the scoring run. The 12-point margin would be the largest of the night.

Halfway through the first period, the home team would go on an uncontested scoring run of their own. Xavier

Smith kicked off a 9-0 run for the Wildcats, scoring seven of the nine points and tightening the deficit to 20-19.

Sammy Brooks hit two from the field to extend the Javelina lead to five, but the Wildcats picked up the next seven and took their first lead, 27-26. The lead was exchanged two more times before the break, and it was the home team who held the midpoint advantage.

After a quick back-to-back exchange from both teams, CWU took a two-bucket lead 49-44, and held on to that lead for most of the second half.

The home team led by no more than six but kept the Javelinas from coming within three.

The Javelinas found themselves down eight points near the five-minute mark, but Rashon and Chauncey Thomas picked up seven straight points to tighten the deficit to 68-67.

More back-to-back buckets ensued, leading the mark to 72-70, but CWU stole 11 of the night’s final 13 points and consequently, the 83-72 victory.

Rashon Thomas, Brooks, and Will Chayer hit double-digits in the scoring column with 14, 10 and 11, respectively.

Saturday night, TAMUK had a chance to end their road trip with a

win against the Northwest Nazarene Nighthawks. Despite a 20-point night from Brooks, the Nighthawks bested the Blue and Gold, 82-68.

Strong defensive play from both teams kept points off the scoreboard until the five-minute mark.

The lead was exchanged six times in the first half of the opening period, but a 10-3 run at the 10-minute mark gave the Nighthawks a 21-16 advantage.

NNU picked up 15 of the first 19 points in the second half, pushing their lead to 49-35. This lead was kept until Brooks hit three-consecutive jumpers from beyond the arc to bring the Javelinas within five. The Nighthawks then pushed the lead to 11.

Later in the period, Brooks sunk two more three-pointers, and cut the Nighthawk’s lead down to 66-61. But the six-point effort would be the Javelina’s last run of the night. NNU would outscore TAMUK 16-3 in the closing minutes.

Brooks hit five of his seven attempts from the three-point range and was 6-of-12 from the floor.

TAMUK commences Lone Star Conference play on Nov. 21 against the Oklahoma Christian Eagles in Oklahoma City.

The Javelina women’s basketball team picked up a 90-38 loss last Saturday against Brigham Young University (BYU).

“BYU is an extremely well-coached team and will have an incredibly successful season,” Head Coach Michael Madrid said in an interview with Javelina Athletics. “We can’t thank them enough for the opportunity to play in Provo. We will learn a lot from this game and look forward to preparing for our first LSC game when we return home.”

The Cougars kicked things off in Provo by scoring 13 unanswered-points.

This intial run was iced when junior Ravae Payne stopped short of the arc and sunk the Javelina’s first basket of the night. Payne’s three-pointer was the only basket of the first frame for the visitors. BYU held a 23-3 lead at the break.

Second-quarter scoring was catlyzed by a deep three-pointer from Junior Daisah Purnell. The Kansas City-native had another deep three midway through the second, and senior Brynae Thompson got in on the beyond-thearc action with 2:36 remaining in the first half of play.

The first half closed with two buckets from BYU. The home team strolled into the break with a 44-17 lead.

Senior Danielle Meador hit a three-pointer early in the third, but the Cougars opened up offensively and built up a 71-28 lead by the end of the period.

Freshman Maeghan Palmer started the final period’s scoring. The home team responded by scoring 19 points, pushing their final total to 90. Payne hit the last bucket of the night for the Javelinas, bringing their final tally to 38.

Palmer and Purnell led the Javelina’s offensive attack with eight points a-piece. Palmer went three-for-seven from the field and racked up three rebounds. Purnell came off the bench and went three-for-10 while grabbing five off the boards.

Meador finished the night with six points of her own. Payne and Thompson both added five a-piece.

The Javelinas kick-off Lone Star Conference play on Nov. 21. The women will visit Oklahoma Christian before UA-Fort Smith on Nov. 23.

For more sports and outdoors information visit our website: thesouthtexan.com

Sports

Thursday, November 21, 2019

9

Cashing in on whitetail romance Things to keep in mind during this years rut DYLAN DOZIER Sports Editor Though academic obligations keep student hunters from spending quality time in the early-season deer woods, TAMUK hunters have reason to rejoice. They will be out of school just in time for the rut.

“The rut” is the period when deer breed. Depending on your geographical location, this time frame varies.

With a breeding period between the dates of Nov. 9 and Feb. 1, South Texas has the latest rut of any region in Texas.

The eastern half of the brush country plains have a peak breeding date of Dec. 16, and the western half’s zenith is about a week later.

Whitetail movement intensifies during this period. Does cover more ground to evade unlikely suitors, and bucks will be on the move seeking a receptive doe. During this period, hunters should be on the move seeking reckless bucks.

After the excitement of opening weekend, some loathsome hunters view outings where they only see does as a bad night. But the aficionados and optimists know that a hunt spent watching does is an omen for good things to come. During the rut, a passerby doe is often followed by a hopeful buck. Hunters must be patient and on full-alert. Things move fast when love is on the line.

Whitetail activity increases when mating season begins.

If there was ever a time to use those knick-knacks you pick up on discount during the off-season, the rut is prime time.

Bucks will be more aggressive to grunts and rattling. In locations where populations are stable, competition for a mate will be high. Those brush-bound bruisers that normally travel by moonlight will be raring for a fight. Simple grunt cadences can entice competitive bucks from far and wide. The rattling game is best played on the ground, where one can incorporate foot stomping and brush thrashing to recreate the sounds of a real antler battle.

This is also the time to pull out the scents and attractants that you swear never work. Doe estrous in bottled-liquid and squeezable gel forms can work magic during the rut. If you are hunting with a rifle, the attractant’s job is to get the buck out into the open. A cheap, efficient and reusable method of application is the pairing of liquid attractant and a film cannister. Poke small holes into a film cannister or similar mechanism. Fill the cannister with cotton balls or small bits of cloth, and pour in the estrous. This gadget can be hung from a limb, allowing the breeze to pass through and carry the scent to

Photo courtesy of wideopenspaces.com

rutting bucks.

When bowhunting, try squeezing a nickel-sized amount of gel unto the sole of your boot about 50 yards from your stand. After splitting the distance between your initial application and your stand, apply the same amount and head towards your seat. Bucks will hit the trail and walk right into your ladder.

The rut is prime time to use every tool at your disposal to fill the freezer, but having these tips and tactics in your arsenal is worthless if you aren’t out in the woods. So, when the deer are bumping, make sure you’re hunting.

News

Thursday, November 21, 2019

10

CfSS to host UNIV poster symposium GABRIELLA MASTROIANNI

Reporter

On Nov. 25, one group of selected freshmen from each of the 34 UNIV classes will be presenting their posters at a symposium in the Memorial Student Union Building. The event is from 4 to 6 p.m. with the winners announced at 5:30 p.m.

These groups, which were selected as the strongest poster from each class, have been working on this project since September.

This event showcases the work of the university’s newest students. Each poster is a reflection on how the novel The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time has taught students about being a college student.

The objective of the poster project and the symposium was to give students an inside look of the mind of a college student and undergraduate research.

“Through the poster project, students learned practical skills like time management and note-taking, but they also enhanced their critical thinking skills and tackled issues pertaining to neuro-diversity,” said Dr. Shannon Baker, assistant dean of the College of Art and Sciences as well as interim AVP for the Center for Student Success. “I had previously organized a poster symposium for freshmen in the College of Arts and Sciences, and I wanted to bring that model to the university level. I worked

with a great team of staff members to organize this event. Ms. Nicole Morris, the coordinator for the first-year experience, was the main point person in the planning.”

Besides Dr. Baker and the freshmen students, 12 faculty members volunteering as judges along with peer mentors and UNIV instructors are also involved in the preparation of the upcoming symposium.

“The symposium gives freshmen students the opportunity to compete for scholarships, the practice of presenting in such a setting and the ability to showcase their work,” Morris said.

The 12 judges will be divided into small groups, each assigned a certain number of posters to assess. The judges will be utilizing a rubric to select the winners.

The top three posters will receive mini-scholarships with varying amounts. The top prize-winning group will receive $100 each. An audience winner will be chosen and given a door prize as well.

The freshmen students involved in this poster project have had their own journeys of creating their longtime project while balancing out the kinks of being a new college student.

“My journey personally was panicky, but nothing I couldn’t handle.

It taught me that even though I’m in a rush, I still have to work within a group in order to get the project done,” said Trenton Payne, communications major and one of the possible students advancing to the symposium.

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Opera award continued from Page 1 was performed during Johnny Lozano’s Memorial concert. During the concert, students gave emotional performances to commemorate the memory on one of TAMUK’s accompanists.

Officer Krupke was an audience favorite receiving a standing ovation.

“I felt awesome, it felt great knowing that the scene that we did was chosen at a national level,” Ramon Garcia said.

Garcia played “Action,” one of the lead roles in the submitted scene.

Many of the students were shocked with the big news. Being recognized at a national level offers new opportunities for the TAMUK Opera Musical Theatre. During the competition students will attend different sessions that offer insights as to how to improve a production, stage managing and costumes.

“We were put in a really good direction,” Erik Zamorano said of the performance and being selected.

“I felt like with that group of people

and the amount of hard work we put into it, it wasn’t too surprising to me but it still came as a shock because I had no idea.”

The scene was directed by Alisha Beirne, a first-time student director who directed alongside Dr. Brou.

The students are currently raising money through a GoFundMe to be able to attend their competition in Cleveland, Ohio. The link to their GoFundME can be found online on their Facebook page @TexasA&MUniversity-KingsvilleOperaandMusicalTheatreWorkshop.

Nine students will be traveling for the competition in January: Garcia, Kenneth Beal, Martel Gonzalez, Zachary Hamilton, Cody Macha, Shane Vasquez, Gilbert Peña and Zamorano, along with student pianist Bora Cho. Students who participated in the selected piece but will not be performing are Juan Carlos Gonzales, Oscar Lara, Gage Roberts, Daniel Salinas, Ryan Duncan-Ayala and Joshua Martinez.

The Opera Musical Theatre students are currently working on their next musical production and look forward to performing in Ohio.

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