NEWS
CITY OF SAN MARCOS GENERAL ELECTION VOTER’S GUIDE PAGE 3
LIFE & ARTS
SPORTS
ALUMNA STARS ON BROADWAY
BOBCATS FALL FOR THIRD CONSECUTIVE WEEK
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TUESDAY
October 21, 2025 VOLUME 115 ISSUE 11
FOOTBALL
Community members come together for No Kings Protest SAN MARCOS
By Cielo Perez-Aguilar & Alyssa Venegas News Contributors
Step Up San Marcos, a local organizer, held a “No Kings” rally at the Hays County Historic Courthouse on Saturday, Oct. 18. Step Up is a non-partisan group that commits itself to “using our voices and actions to peacefully protest policies and decisions we disagree with in the current administration,” according to pamphlets the
organization handing out to protesters. “No Kings” is a nationwide movement that spreads the peaceful message that, “America has No Kings” and with the goal of opposing the actions of the Trump administration. At least 891 community members peacefully protested with chants and signs and joined the more than 7 million people across more than 2,700 locations worldwide at the No Kings protest.
SEE PROTEST PAGE 3 ISABELLE CANTU | ASSISTANT MULTIMEDIA EDITOR
Hundreds attend the No Kings protest in San Marcos, Saturday, Oct. 18, 2025 on E Hopkins Street and North LBJ Drive in San Marcos, . The protest ran in tandem with thousands of other No Kings protests across the world.
COUNTY
GOLF
Hays County Patience brings strong results ends contract to Lindblom following injury for ALPRs By Grace Darcy Sports Reporter
By Ryan Claycamp News Editor
The Hays County Commissioners Court became the first in the state to end its contract with Flock Safety for automated license plate reading cameras (ALPRs) on Tuesday, Oct. 14. The decision came after months of delaying votes, an open house held for community feedback and learning and State Rep. Erin Zwiener (D-Driftwood) urging commissioners to vote to end the contract. The vote was 3-2 along partisan lines, with the Democratic commissioners voting against and the Republicans for the contract. “I’m proud to have led the effort for greater accountability in how surveillance is used in Hays County,” Hays County Judge Ruben Becerra wrote in a Facebook post. “In times like these, we must be vigilant about who has access to information about the people in our community. I support public safety technology, however, never at the expense of privacy, transparency or public trust.” ALPRs are cameras that read the license plates of cars for law enforcement purposes, such as finding stolen vehicles or missing persons. Hays County Sheriff Anthony Hipolito said the Sheriff’s Office had been using ALPRs since 2022 during an August open house at the San Marcos Library. The open house was hosted by Commissioners Debbie Ingalsbe and Michelle Cohen to discuss ALPRs after the vote had been tabled multiple times. According to Sam Benavides, an organizer with the Hays Caldwell Education Fund, the movement to end the Flock contract started in July. It came as a natural continuation of a movement to block a Flock expansion in San Marcos.
GRACE DARCY | STAR PHOTOGRAPHER
Texas State sophomore golfer Fia Lindblom drives the ball at the Jim West Challenge, Sunday, Oct. 19, 2025, at the Kissing Tree Golf Course. Texas State placed ninth in the Jim West Challenge.
Sophomore golfer Fia Lindblom is in the midst of a strong comeback this fall after cutting her 2024-25 season short with an injury. During her freshman year at Texas State, Lindblom tore the right labrum in her hip. Throughout the year, Lindblom played with the injury, unaware of its extent. “I actually didn’t know about it for almost a year, I think, now when I’m looking back at it,” Lindblom said. “It was right when I got here as a freshman. Our trainer, she was thinking it might be a little bit of a tear, but she didn’t know it was as bad as it was at first.”
SEE RECOVERY PAGE 7
EVENT
Downtown pride: San Marcos named Great American Main Street semifinalist By Enrique Lara Life & Arts Contributor
With culture flowing in the river running through Downtown San Marcos, residents wake up a little brighter on what is now “Downtown San Marcos Day,” knowing they have taken home a title that showcases city pride.
The Downtown San Marcos team accepted the proclamation from Mayor Jane Hughson at city hall on Oct. 8 after becoming a semifinalist in the Great American Main Street Award. Main Street America, a national organization that builds economic power in downtown areas and neighborhood commercial districts, recognized the team’s efforts toward
guiding San Marcos’ growth while staying loyal to its modest upbringings by supporting small businesses and keeping the arts and culture alive downtown. “Small businesses are the lifeblood of a city,” Josie Falletta, manager of Downtown San Marcos, said.
SEE CITY PAGE 6
FENAN MOREDA | STAR PHOTOGRAPHER
SEE TECHNOLOGY PAGE 2 The Downtown San Marcos team poses for a photo after San Marcos becomes a 2026 Great American Main Street Award semifinalist, Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2025, at the San Marcos City Hall.