NEWS
CITY INVESTIGATES 11 MAJOR CRASHES IN 2025 PAGE 2
LIFE & ARTS
SPORTS
RESEARCH INTO PECOS RIVER STYLE PAINTINGS CONTINUES
SOFTBALL FACES MARQUEE OPPONENTS
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TUESDAY
January 27, 2026 VOLUME 115 ISSUE 18
Celebrating 115 years of Journalism Excellence
State of TXST discusses goals, plans
FEATURE
UNIVERSITY
Faculty, alumni arrange decades of metalsmithing
By Arabella DiChristina Assistant News Editor
LAURA WALKER | STAR PHOTOGRAPHER
Mixed media artist Cathrine Richard admires Beverly Penn’s bronze art piece ‘Fata Morgana’ at the opening reception of Foregrounding Paradise: Beverly Penn, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026, at Texas State Galleries. The showcase of metal-based artworks will be open until March 6. By Carlene Ottah Life and Arts Editor
An 11-foot-tall array of black, fluted steel columns and arches fills a room at TXST Galleries. Cast classical fragments, laboratory glass, bronze botanical forms and flexible metal conduits formed into various hybrids to decorate the columns. As visitors wandered between the columns on Jan. 20, they were immersed in the environ-
ment, presented with the question of preserving and defining nature amid human intervention. The large metal installation, “At the Edge of Paradise,” is part of the solo exhibition “Foregrounding Paradise,” which features the work of Beverly Penn, Distinguished Professor Emerita of Texas State University. Through “Foregrounding Paradise” and the group exhibition “Deeply Routed,” they showcase the creativity and community forged through
metalsmithing, the practice of transforming metal to create objects. Penn recently retired from teaching and was a faculty advisor for the TXST Metals program, the university’s metals guild, for 25 years. Nicole DesChamps-Benke, professor of instruction, said “Deeply Routed” would bring together current and former TXST Metals members.
SEE METAL PAGE 3
FOOTBALL
Texas State hosted its third annual State of Texas State speech, highlighting the university’s milestones over the year and its goals going forward on Jan. 23. For the first time, the speech was open to the Texas State community, unlike past years when it was only open to faculty and staff. Within the LBJ Student Center, the ceremony opened with the student choir VocaLibra, followed by a speech from Texas State President Kelly Damphousse and a live recording of Damphousse’s podcast The Current. Texas State reached record enrollment numbers for the fall 2025 semester with a total enrollment of 44,630 students, comprised of a recordbreaking freshman class of 9,329 students, 5,215 graduate students, 3,968 online students and 2,083 international students. Texas State also added a 10th doctoral program and is expected to reach R1 status by the end of 2027.
SEE SPEECH PAGE 2 UNIVERSITY
Rebuild to relevance: Where Texas Chick-fil-A State stands heading into the Pac-12 By Adrian Ramirez Sports Editor
After years of fighting for relevance, Texas State football is no longer defined by a losing record and is on the fast track to a new page in the program. A culture shift has seemingly taken place in the Bobcat football locker room, as in last three years, Texas State went from a bottom-feeder to a program capable of garnering national attention. “Texas State wasn’t known for being bowl eligible and [winning games], to be able to help change the culture at Texas State and now we have three back-to-back bowl wins, it just means everything,” senior running back Lincoln Pare said. “We have great guys in the locker room and that’s what ultimately pushed us over the edge.” Texas State head coach G.J. Kinne also appears to be pleased with how far the program has come in the three years since he took the job in San Marcos. “I think we’re probably further along than most anticipated when I
to remodel over summer By Ryan Claycamp News Editor
AYDEN OREDSON | ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR
Texas State senior running back Lincoln Pare (7) interacts with Texas State fans, Friday, Jan. 2, 2026, at the Amon G. Carter Stadium. Bobcats won 41-10.
took the job,” Kinne said. “I think there’s a lot of momentum heading into the new conference … I think the way we ended the season, we did that the right way. There’s a lot of excitement, and the guys are ready to go to work.” Prior to Kinne’s arrival on campus in 2023, Texas State hadn’t had a
winning season since 2014 and had never been selected to a bowl game. Now, through Kinne’s first three seasons, the Bobcats were selected to and won three straight bowl games.
SEE REBUILD PAGE 6
According to documents from the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR), the Chick-fil-A location inside the LBJ Student Center is set to be remodeled over the summer. Texas State spokesperson Jayme Blaschke said Texas State facilities expects to begin the remodel on May 18 and will conclude by July 31. The TDLR license for the remodel lists the start date as May 5 and the completion date as Aug. 8. “TXST is moving forward with the 2025-036 LBJSC Suite 105 Chick-fil-A Renovation,” Blaschke wrote in an email to The Star. “A site walk with the contractor was held on Thursday, Jan. 8, and the contractor’s cost proposal is expected this week.” The TDLR documents state the remodel will be non-structural and will include a full-service front counter, new walls and upgraded equipment. The project is estimated to cost $700,000.
See FREEZE page 5