TUESDAY March 19, 2024 VOLUME 114 ISSUE 24 www.UniversityStar.com
Buc-ee's approved to build in San Marcos By Blake Leschber News Editor San Marcos City Council and Hays County Commissioner's Court approved the construction of a new Buc-ee's store in San Marcos.
According to a city of San Marcos presentation, the proposed store, located on the Southside of I-35 and Yarrington Road, will span approximately 74,000 square feet and will have 120 fueling stations. According to Christian Smith, economic and business development manager for San Marcos, Buc-ee's will be
required to invest a minimum of $50 million into the project. In addition, the company will have to donate $100,000 to a city community fund which, according to Smith, will be spent with the city council’s direction for different city projects.
SEE DEVELOPMENT PAGE 3
Theater students to perform original written play By Megan Weise Life and Arts Contributor
In 1903, women's history in sports at Texas State’s began with the first athletic group organized on campus being an intramural women’s basketball team called 'The Gypsies.' Following the development of a men’s basketball team in 1904, women’s basketball and tennis teams outnumbered their male counterparts for a decade. Today, Texas State has six men’s teams and eight
Stephanie Wilson, a theatre sophomore, wrote her novel "Sera and Sam" at age 13 and has since molded it into an original script set to hit the stage March 23-24 at The Theatre Center. Before attending college, Wilson originally wrote "Sera and Sam" as a detailed book following the main character Sera's inner dialogue. After taking a dramatic writing class for her major, Wilson was inspired to turn her story into a performable script. "I've always like been in love with creating stories," Wilson said. "I was writing and acting from a very young age and... that and singing are my greatest passions in life." COSMO Theatre Troupe, a student-run theater production organization, accepted Wilson's pitch for "Sera and Sam", allowing her story to come to life in a full stage production and bridging her passions for acting and writing. Wilson grew up acting from a young age because of her mother's influence. Wilson's mother Nicoletta Mondellini was a professional actress who starred in telenovelas in the '90s through the early 2000s. "She's my biggest inspiration," Wilson said. "I got the acting bug from her."
SEE FEMALE SPORTS PAGE 7
SEE THEATER PAGE 5
PHOTO BY MEG BOLES
Texas State junior forward Jaylin Foster (11) makes a lap around the court with her team to celebrate the victory over ULM, Friday, March 1, 2024, at Strahan Arena.
TXST female athletes reflect on Women's History Month By Candice Gilmore Sports Contributor Women’s History Month is an opportunity to celebrate women who’ve inspired and lifted others up by showing their dedication and hard work in every field. It’s a time to remember and commemorate achievements made by women for the betterment of their community.
Leadership San Marcos gives back with sculpture By Cara Cervenka Life and Arts Reporter Located on Hopkins Street near Zelicks Icehouse, the "Love Locks" sculpture invites the community to put a permanent piece of themselves in San Marcos. Like popular lock sculptures in Paris, France and Austin, Texas, the love lock sculpture is intended to be a living and breathing piece of the city. Leadership San Marcos is a two-year program that promotes community involvement and awareness. The graduating class of 2024, Brooke Spruiell, Heather Demere and Tiffany Harris, met at Leadership San Marcos and were the first class to graduate post-COVID-19. Leadership San Marcos requires a final project to graduate, and these women decided their project should reflect the love in the community. SEE COMMUNITY PAGE 5
PHOTO BY KOBE ARRIAGA
Multiple locks attached to the 'Love Locks' sculpture, Monday, March 11, 2024, located on West Hopkins in San Marcos.
MAP BY MELANIE CAMARA
Downtown intersection closes for accessibility construction By Candace Taggart News Reporter The current construction at the HopkinsGuadalupe intersection is set to enhance downtown accessibility in San Marcos by the end of May. The project will include lane improvements like the restriping of lanes and parking spaces and laying asphalt on Hopkins Street from the Fredericksburg-Hopkins intersection to the LBJ Drive-Hopkins intersection. The construction began on March 11 with a deadline for completion on May 28, but Senior Project Engineer for the city of San Marcos Rohit Vij estimates it could be finished by the end of
April or early May. "It's not going to be a long duration of construction," Vij said. "There might be disturbances to businesses though." There will be intermittent lane closures throughout the two months of construction and parking across from the courthouse on Hopkins Street between Guadalupe Street, and LBJ Street will close temporarily according to Vij. The improvements will also modify the curb ramps on the north corners of the GuadalupeHopkins intersection to be compliant with the Americans with Disability Act (ADA) and more accessible to the handicapped parking spaces.
SEE SAN MARCOS PAGE 3