NEWS
SNAP CUTS IMPACT SAN MARCOS RESIDENTS PAGE 2
LIFE & ARTS
SPORTS
WITTLIFF DISPLAYS TAYLOR SHERIDAN’S SCRIPTS, DRAFTS
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL LOOKS TO WIN IN LAST SBC SEASON
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TUESDAY
November 4, 2025 VOLUME 115 ISSUE 13
BREAKING
“WE COULD HAVE BEEN SHOT”
THREE SHOOTINGS OCCUR IN ONE NIGHT By Blake Leschber Editor-in-Chief
Three separate shootings happened in San Marcos on the night of Nov. 1-2, causing one death and multiple injuries. The first happened at around 10 p.m. on Nov. 1. Multiple gunshots were fired in the area of Kissing Alley on Hopkins Street, according to Russell Wilde, public safety communications specialist for the city of San Marcos. Three people were shot and transported to area hospitals. One person died at the hospital. “The officer encountered a male victim
who had been shot outside of the bar,” Stan Standridge, SMPD police chief, said. “As other officers arrived, they were told a second victim was inside of this same bar after having been shot outside. Within a few minutes, officers learned of yet another victim who was also shot, but he fled to the opposite side of the courthouse.” The male that died was Ronnie Hernandez Jr., born in 2006. Standridge said Hernandez was shot five to seven times. The second victim, who was found inside the bar, was shot twice in the stomach and shoulder. The third was shot twice in the forearm and the waist. Both are expected to survive.
Patrons walk past Hopkins Street after it closed due to the shooting, Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025, at The Square. BLAKE LESCHER | EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
SEE SHOOTING PAGE 3 ATHLETICS
UNIVERSITY
TXST releases guidance on course audits By Ryan Claycamp News Editor
ISABELLE CANTU | ASSISTANT MULTIMEDIA EDITOR
A case displays various Sun Belt trophies in the Texas State Hall of Honor, Monday, Nov. 3, 2025, in Strahan Arena,
TXST coaches reflect on time in the Sun Belt before moving out west By Kendall Barry Sports Reporter
Texas State joined the Sun Belt Conference 12 years ago; the coaches with the longest tenure since joining the Sun Belt have seen Texas State go through many major changes and developments. Volleyball head coach Sean Huiet, women’s basketball head coach Zenarae Antoine and softball head coach Ricci Woodard all have career records with Texas State above .500. What went into their successes in the Sun Belt will lay the foundation for the transition into the Pac-12 when the university
officially joins on July 1, 2026. Huiet is the youngest tenured head coach out of the three, despite working with Texas State since 2006. He was promoted to the lead position in 2019 from the assistant role. His predecessor, Karen Chisum, had a career record of 919-559-3 and was the longest tenured head coach in Texas State history. “There’s things that were super exciting about [becoming head coach], but then there are things that are also very scary, like following someone who had done it for 40 years and been so successful,” Huiet said. “The exciting part is
the culture is already built, and we’ve been successful. The scary part is, can you live up to those expectations?” While Huiet said he had big shoes to fill, he’s managed to fit in them just right. Since becoming head coach, he’s had an overall record of 117-47 and 68-12 in conference play. Huiet became the second-fastest head coach in program history to get 50 career wins in just two seasons with the Bobcats. Huiet expects to continue the winning culture, with the awareness of challenges that come with joining a new conference.
SEE SUN BELT PAGE 7
Texas State University sent guidance to faculty on Oct. 28 on how to comply with the course audit and how to ensure “value neutral instruction and curriculum.” The guidance came weeks after a notice by the Texas State University System that course audits would be required by all universities in the system. It also comes after Gov. Greg Abbott wrote on X that Texas is targeting professors “who push leftist ideologies rather than preparing students to lead our nation.” The guide says course titles need to be descriptive, “discipline-appropriate,” “ideologically neutral,” “academically professional” and “student-accessible.” “This guide is intended for faculty, academic departments, and colleges to engage in curricular discussions, development, and reviews on incorporating a neutral tone into curricular components,” the university wrote in the guide. “It serves as a foundation for exploring potential curriculum modifications.” The guide instructs faculty to remove language that refers to advocacy. Examples given include: decolonizing, challenging, liberation, transformative and more. It also instructs faculty to design course descriptions to include objective statements of fact, the methodological approach of the course, skills and competencies and a content overview.
SEE ACADEMIC FREEDOM PAGE 3
ENVIRONMENT
Managed Access Test Plan led to cleaner, safer park By Rhian Davis Managing Editor
On May 22, the city of San Marcos implemented temporary chain link fencing at Rio Vista Park. The fences were part of the “Managed Access Test Plan” (MATP), which provided clear access points managed by park ambassadors and city staff on weekends and holidays throughout the summer. The fencing was implemented to mitigate issues faced in previous summer seasons, such
as litter and safety concerns. In 2024, city staff reported 8,714 violations out of 13,113 visitors. Violations included issues surrounding possession of alcohol in the parks, charcoal grills, tents and the single-use container ban. “[The MATP] was nothing more than to bring organization to what had previously been chaos,” Tiffany BLAKE LESCHBER | EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Williams, San Marcos city marshal, said at an Oct. 8 city council work Fences sit alongside the sidewalk by the San Marcos River, Sunday, June 1, 2025,
SEE RIVER PAGE 2
at Rio Vista Park. The fences were there to mitigate litter and safety issues.