NEWS
OPINIONS
LIFE & ARTS
PAGE 2
PAGE 4
PAGE 6
SAN MARCOS GETS ‘BIRD CITY’ DESIGNATION
NAACP PRESIDENT DISCUSSES HARDSHIPS AT TXST
MITCHELL CENTER CELEBRATES ANNIVERSARY
TUESDAY
February 18, 2025 VOLUME 114 ISSUE 22
UPD increases residential hall patrols
Inside the Capitol: Senate Bill 556 By Ryan Claycamp Assistant News Editor
Inside the Capitol” examines key bills from the 89th legislative session that impact the Texas State and San Marcos communities. The session began on Jan. 14 and ends June 2.
meeting, where they identified the Department of Housing and Residential Life (DHRL) as a priority for the spring semester. “We thought ‘What is one of the best ways we can improve our service to our students who live here?’ We came up with increased patrols and doing some crime prevention interaction and training, starting with the [resident assistants] RAs,” Carmichael said. Record enrollment was another factor behind the increased patrols, which brought more than 9,000 freshmen who live on campus, according to Carmichael.
Public colleges and universities may be required to begin carrying Narcan in residence halls with a new bill from Texas’ 89th legislative session. State Sen. Nathan Johnson introduced Senate Bill 556 (SB 556), which would require Texas public universities to keep opioid antagonists, such as Narcan, in residence halls and train resident advisors on how to identify opioid overdoses and administer Narcan. “The supply of opioid antagonists at a campus must be stored in a secure location at each residence hall and be easily accessible to resident advisors authorized and trained to administer an opioid antagonist,” SB 556 text stated.
SEE POLICE PAGE 3
SEE LEGISLATION PAGE 3
MEG BOLES | ASSISTANT MULTIMEDIA EDITOR
University Police Department officer David Velasco Martinez (Left) and Sgt. Gilbert Verastegui (Right) patrol Alamito Hall, Friday, Feb. 14, 2025. UPD conducts daily walkthroughs of all dorms. By Lucciana Choueiry News Editor
University Police Department (UPD) officers are patrolling dorms more frequently this semester in an effort to enhance security in on-campus housing. According to UPD Chief Matthew Carmichael, officers conducted 595 patrol checks across all 26 dorms in January, a significant increase from 215 in January 2024. Since the beginning of the semester, at least one officer has been stationed at each dorm “all the time,” something Carmichael hopes to continue going forward. Carmichael said UPD leadership decided to increase patrols following a December
Grins to change management after celebrating 50-year anniversary By Marisa Nuñez Editor In Chief
The co-owners of Grins are preparing to say goodbye to their workplace of 50 years after selling the restaurant to a San Marcos local following the 50-year anniversary of the restaurant. After opening on Valentine’s Day 1975, Paul Sutphen began his first shift at Grins as its first cook on March 1, 1975. Sutphen, co-owner of Grins, was a senior at Texas State when he began working at Grins as a way to get by. “I got $2 an hour,” Sutphen said. “It was just survival, just a way to get through school.” Johnny Ferrell, co-owner of Grins, started working at Grins in the summer of 1975 and like Sutphen, was looking for a way to pay for rent and school. Sutphen bought out one of the partners in 1977, followed by Ferrell in 1979. After 50 years of working together at Grins, Sutphen and Ferrell are selling their beloved restaurant. DIEGO MEDEL | ENGAGEMENT EDITOR “We’re selling out after 50 years, we’re going to walk away from this place,” Sutphen said. “We’ve Texas State freshmen Marcus Bracken, Eryn Zinsmeister and sophomores Shauné Smith, Benjamin Keppler sit got another local… with his group [who] are going at a table laughing with friends during Grins 50th anniversary celebration. Grins first opened its doors in 1975. to take over the restaurant within the next few weeks and we’re so happy for that because it’s local. He wants to keep Grins, Grins… and that’s a big pride thing.”
SEE COMMUNITY PAGE 6