OPINIONS
GUEST COLUMN: SUPPORTING WOMEN AND THEIR FUTURES PAGE 4
LIFE & ARTS
SPORTS
ALUMNI ENTER REALITY SHOW BASED ON FILM PRODUCTION
INTRAMURALS OFFER COMMUNITY ON CAMPUS
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TUESDAY
March 24, 2026 VOLUME 115 ISSUE 25
AGRICULTURE
CHARLSIE DANIELS | NEWS CONTRIBUTOR
Sarah Shook overlooks her crops, Wednesday, March 11, 2026, at Shook Farms in New Braunfels. According to Shook, she experiences difficulties due to drought.
By Charlsie Daniels News Contributor
Farmers across Central Texas are struggling with an ongoing drought, forcing increased operating costs and difficult decisions about how to sustain business. While dry spells are
not uncommon in Central Texas, severe and persistent drought conditions began to take hold in early 2022. Data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) shows that San Marcos typically receives between 30 and 35 inches of precipitation annually, but
it only recorded 24.7 inches in 2025. Local growers and farmers argue that broader environmental and development trends are contributing to the drought’s long-term impact. Carey Jones owns a small farm in San Marcos called
Tickle Root and focuses on growing native Texas plants while educating the public about its environmental benefits. He said urban development and current landscaping techniques are major contributors to the ongoing drought across Central Texas. “Construction compa-
nies don’t use Texas native [plants], they use Bermuda grass,” Jones said. “Bermuda grass has very shallow roots that don’t penetrate the soil to retain water.”
SEE DROUGHT PAGE 2
BASEBALL
FINE ARTS
TXST community expresses Au revoir Louisiana: heartfelt themes at art exhibit ‘Cats sweep Cajuns By Adrian Ramirez Sports Editor
The Texas State Bobcats welcomed longstanding rival Louisiana-Lafayette back to San Marcos for one last go as conference foes over the weekend at Bobcat Ballpark. Texas State played its best baseball of the season, sweeping the 25th-ranked
Ragin’ Cajuns and saying au revoir to an old foe in dominant fashion. From power pitching to power hitting, here are three key takeaways from the Bobcats’ sweep of the Ragin’ Cajuns.
SEE TAKEAWAYS PAGE 7
GOVERNMENT
RAE KNIGHT | STAR PHOTOGRAPHER
Artist Emily Fule speaks about “Tiny Organs,” a piece created by her colleague and studio art alumna Hannah Sanders at the TXST Creative Community Show opening reception, Friday, March 6, 2026, at the San Marcos Art Center. Fule had two of her pieces displayed in the gallery.
By Anaiya Brannon Life and Arts Contributor
Photography, paintings, prints and 3D pieces line the floors and walls of the San Marcos Art Center (SMAC) from March 4-27. Texas State students and alumni displayed a variety of unique artworks at the fourth annual TXST Creative Community Show. The San Marcos Art League (SMAL) hosted the show for four years and allows anyone affiliated with the university to submit artwork for the show regardless of skill level, medium or subject matter. “Tiny Organs” Hannah Sanders, studio art alumna , is the creator of
“Tiny Organs.” The piece is a spun cotton sculpture depicting a mouse atop a bitten apple. As a lifelong fan of animals, they are often the subject of her work. “I have always been obsessed with animals,” Sanders said. “As long as I can remember, I’ve always either drawn or sculpted animals. I’ve just always been obsessed with finding their forms and bringing them to life.” Sanders began her art journey with Texas State in 2011, and graduated with her master’s in studio art with an all-level teaching certificate in 2017. “Tiny Organs” was the result of her recent interest in mice, with the apple as an additional, familiar element
the mouse interacts with. Sanders said the title is symbolic of smaller, overlooked creatures and systems that often are ignored by humans, such as the mouse depicted in the piece. “What I would want people to think about when looking at the sculpture is to stop and notice that there are tiny lives and worlds all around us that we maybe don’t think about and that our day-to-day actions can impact those lives,” Sanders said.
SEE GALLERY PAGE 6
Student loans in default transferred to Treasury By Ryan Claycamp & Arabella DiChristina News Editor & Assistant News Editor
The U.S. Department of Education announced in a March 19 press release that it will transfer the management of loans in default to the U.S. Department of the Treasury. According to the press release, the Department of Education manages $1.7 trillion in student loan debt, with only 40% of borrowers in repayment and 25% in default. The press release did not outline a timeline for the transfer of the management of loans in default. For most federal student loans that fall under the Department of Education, loans enter default when the borrower fails to make
payments for more than 270 days, or about nine months. Doing so makes the entire unpaid balance immediately due, and students lose eligibility for future federal aid, according to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. “Throughout each phase of the partnership, [the Department of Education], in conjunction with Treasury, will communicate directly with stakeholders, including students, parents, borrowers, institutions and vendors, to outline anticipated plans and timelines and address any questions,” the Department of Education wrote in its release.
SEE LOANS PAGE 2