Contributing Writer

A grandma mask, bowling shoes and a purple robe. These are all items you would see Jennifer Shifflett, a Tarleton State and Purple Poo alumna, wearing to raise the spirit of Oscar P.

However, you wouldn't quite know it was her if you saw her.

Shifflett graduated from Tarleton State University in 1994 while being a Purple Poo. Shifflett is now in her seventh year at Poolville ISD, where she serves as the junior high school principal.

The Purple Poo is a spirit organization on campus established in 1921. The organization consists of ten men and ten women, who are known as the Ten Tarleton Peppers and Ten Tarleton Sisters, respectively. Traditionally, each member put on a purple robe and masked every part of their body, hiding their identity. It is also known as “the best kept secret in Texas.”

Shifflett remembers participating in making “Poo Signs.” The signs are made by the Poo themselves for events on campus, saying things like “Poo say: go to the basketball game” or “Poo say: on Thursdays we wear purple.”

“It was very secretive, we used to make signs every Monday night,” Shifflett said. 

These signs are now given out by the Poo at events to students who show spirit and enthusiasm for Tarleton. However, they haven't always been given out to students in this fashion.

Shifflett remembers when signs were nailed to trees on Monday nights and were not taken down by students until Wednesday morning. Though still around on campus, this tradition seemed to hold more significance at the time. She said it was their way of letting students know what was happening on campus and when. 

“When you woke up Tuesday morning, all the signs were there,” Shifflett said. “It was just like magic.”

Shifflett said that initially she had no idea what the Purple Poo were and had no intention of joining. She worked tirelessly on her schooling and job. She never socialized much. 

Shifflett said the only reason she was chosen to be a Poo was due to one of her good friends already being one, and she chose her to carry on the tradition. 

“I called [my parents], telling them everything, and that it's a secret and nobody's going to know, and that we dress up in these robes and masks,” Shifflett said. “My mom immediately said, ‘Oh my gosh, are you in a cult?’”

This was during the time of David Koresh and the Branch Davidian cult in Waco, causing her mother to question what exactly she was involved in.

After Shifflett was inducted, so to speak, she had to come up with a signature costume. 

“We would go during Halloween, find masks and come up with whatever,” Shifflett said. “I had an old lady mask and also I had one that was a witch's mask.” 

With current rumors that the Poo raid the drama closets for their costumes, Shifflett quickly shut the hearsay down, at least for her generation.

“Nope, I took a pair of bowling shoes from the bowling alley in Stephenville,” Shifflett said. “I had a lot of my old shoes, old bandanas and costume jewelry. Anything you could find to make yourself look gaudy, that's what we did.”

Shifflett reflected on how unique the costumes used to be.

“We didn't have names, only masks; we had a Ronald Reagan, and we had a Bart Simpson,” Shifflett said. “It was before everybody had the ‘Scream’ mask; we were all very individualized.”

While it is unknown where the Purple Poo meet now, Shifflett said their old meeting spot was especially interesting.

“There was an attic in the Trogdon House, where Dr. Hurley lives,” Shifflett said. “We would meet up there, but nobody lived there. It was an office building when I was there.”

Shifflett said she doubts they meet there now due to the President and his family living there. She also said the Poo reveal process used to be different.

“We gave a pig at graduation, the president would hug us and we would take a picture,” Shifflett said. “We would have on our robes, our masks would be off and everyone else would turn around so you couldn't see our faces. Then it came out in the yearbook.”

Shifflett’s Purple Pig is on display in the Barry B. Thompson Center, located in a display case across from the circulation desk on the bottom left shelf. It is labeled “Jennifer Morris” and has her unique Poo signature.

Although the reveal tradition has changed, she did say that the new way of revealing the Purple Poo was neat, with parents involved and other students realizing who was behind the mask the whole time.

With that, she never recalled a time when her mask almost came off and revealed her identity before the reveal in the yearbook. However, she said that you could see her distinct blue eyes while wearing the mask, and that a group of her friends became suspicious. 

During the basketball games, she would mess with the student body. When she saw her friends, she tried not to make direct eye contact with them. One of them tried talking to her, but she didn't talk back. Instead, she shook her head and turned away so they couldn't see her eyes.

“Whenever I revealed myself, they were like, ‘I knew it was you,’ but I never would confirm that they picked that out,” Shifflett said.

Shifflett said it was hard at times when friends wanted her to participate in something, and she couldn't. She also said she recalls a time when her own roommate started to become suspicious of the excuses she made to hide her Poo identity.

Developing new friends, unknown to current friends, was a hard thing to mask for Shifflett.

“You hang out with your normal crowd, and then you develop this whole secret group of friends. And everybody is like, ‘How do you know them?’” Shifflett said.

Even though keeping “the best-kept secret” in Texas came naturally for Shifflett, it was tough at times, but she never let anything slip.

According to Shifflett, one of her fondest memories of being a Purple Poo was rallying the crowd at Texan football and basketball games.

“We had so much fun because they would mess with us and we would mess with them,” Shifflett said.

Once a spirit organization she knew nothing about, it quickly became a huge part of her journey.

“I bleed purple. It’s been one of my favorite windows of my life, aside from my kids and my marriage. The pride is a real thing,” Shifflett said. “It’s one of the top achievements in my educational career.”

The Purple Poo continue to raise the spirit of Oscar P to this day. With new generations coming in and with past ones proudly representing the title, some Purple Poo traditions may change, but the secret will always stay. 

“Make friends and show up to everything, because you never know who you're talking to,” Shifflett said.

Digital Media Director

On March 20, “Ready or Not 2: Here I Come” was released in theaters, continuing the story of our protagonist, Grace MacCaullay, after her new in-laws tried to kill her in a game of hide-and-seek.

Before we start on the review, just a quick recap of what previously happened in “Ready or Not.”

Grace MacCaullay, a former foster kid, marries the love of her life, Alex Le Domas, and ends their wedding night by playing a game chosen at random with the rest of the Le Domas family, a family tradition of theirs. 

After selecting the game “hide-and-seek,” the Le Domases begin to hunt her down during the game due to a deal their ancestor, Mr. LeBail, made with the devil. If the Le Domases don’t find and kill Grace by dawn, they will all die in the name of Mr. LeBail. In the end, Grace survived, leaving the Le Domases and her husband to die. 

Now, onto “Ready or Not 2: Here I Come.”

When the movie started, and I was sitting in the theater, I was very surprised to see that the sequel starts directly after the first movie, even re-showing the very final scene of “Ready or Not.”

Grace ends up in a hospital and, once healed, is taken down to a police station for questioning since the cops believe she killed the Le Domases. Her sister, Faith MacCaullay, arrives at the hospital to check on her, where we learn just how distant the two are.

Later on, we learn that other families are tied to a deal with Mr. LeBail and the devil. These families are the Danforths, the Wan Chens, the Rajans and the El Caidos. They have a chance to fight for a ring that gives them power over the world, now that the Le Domases are gone.

Even though Grace has already survived hide-and-seek once, she must play again with her sister in order to truly survive Mr. LeBail and tear down his whole society.

In order to keep the movie a surprise for first-time viewers, I’ll turn instead to the acting performances.

First, this cast was absolutely stacked. Samara Weaving, Shawn Hatosy, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Kathryn Newton and Elijah Wood played some vital characters and truly let their acting abilities shine. My personal favorites were Weaving, Hatosy and Wood.

Weaving, who plays Grace MacCaullay, is an actress absolutely built for the horror genre. Her crying and screams are so realistic and visceral that I always forget she’s acting when it happens. She carries a rage and desperation in her character choices that are impossible to ignore. Considering her emotional range along with her comedic timing, it's no wonder she’s the lead of the movie.

Hatosy did fantastic with his character, Titus Danforth. While a few of his lines were a little cheesy, Hatosy still delivers them in a way that is as terrifying as his character. He plays Titus with such chaos and anger that you can feel how dangerous he is through the screen. Even then, Hatosy’s performance is captivating and really makes an impact.

Wood is the most different character here, playing the lawyer for all of these families. Rather than having to carry heavy emotions, Wood’s character doesn’t express himself much, keeping fair and calm throughout the whole movie, even in the most climactic moments. I find this incredibly impressive, as I find it hard to keep myself from expressing too much.

I also felt that the plot of the movie worked well despite immediately following the first film.

I was nervous at first, especially considering that having a sequel follow directly after the prequel is risky since there’s no room for character development off-screen. However, I feel like it strangely worked in this case. By having no time skip for the sequel, it makes Grace’s anger even more justifiable and hits harder, especially now that her estranged sister is dragged into it. 

I also like that, even though it’s people hunting down Grace in hide-and-seek once again, it has a different feeling to it than the first movie did. In “Ready or Not 2,” Grace is prepared rather than being surprised by the deadly twist.

I’d love to dive more into this movie and why I think it’s great, but I’ll save it for another article. “Ready or Not 2: Here I Come” will be on select streaming services soon, so keep an eye out for this thrilling sequel.

Contributing Writer

It’s that time of year again when the Texas sun shows no mercy. With summer quickly approaching, I was on the hunt for something to cool me off, and preferably something sweet, thanks to my insane sweet tooth. 

While doom-scrolling on TikTok, I stumbled upon the most glorious thing I’d seen in a while: The local snow cone stand in Stephenville, Funky Munky, was opening in just two days.

As a self-proclaimed snow cone connoisseur, I felt it was my civic duty to give my expert opinion on the top five most popular snow cones purchased at Funky Munky in Stephenville. 

But I couldn’t just selfishly experience this all by myself; I had to recruit some help. I gathered three Tarleton students who know their sweet treats inside and out: Ava May, Gabby Dodd and Skye Calderon.

Each snow cone was ordered as a small, or as they call it, a chimp. We got them with the tops off, meaning they didn’t have the dome on top. The flavors we tried were suggested from the Fancy Flavors menu. 

With that, the ranking begins from bottom to top: the top five snow cones at Funky Munky, based on the workers’ recommendations.

5. Dr. Pepper

According to the Funky Munky website, the Dr. Pepper snow cone is described as plain shaved ice with Dr. Pepper syrup. They also offer a gourmet option called the “Dr. Pepper Dream,” which includes the same base but is topped with their homemade cream. 

We were told we received the regular Dr. Pepper snow cone; however, despite that description, ours came topped with a generous amount of their homemade sweet cream. So much so that it completely masked the Dr. Pepper flavor. 

As a Dr. Pepper lover, I was disappointed because I was hoping for the classic flavor I love. The ice of the snow cone was very soft and did not contain large chunks, which made it easy to eat. It wasn’t too sweet, but with the cream, it was hard to judge the true sweetness. 

Overall, this snow cone was good, but without the cream, it would have been a bit higher on the list. My recommendation to fellow Dr. Pepper lovers is to order it, but try it without the cream.

4. Cowboy Kid

According to the Funky Munky website, the Cowboy Kid is a root beer snow, stuffed with a scoop of ice cream, topped with whipped topping and a cherry. As someone who personally does not like root beer, this one was a hard no. 

It had a spot-on root beer flavor, which was surprising to us, because sometimes root beer flavoring isn't always accurate. 

“The ice cream and whipped cream were a nice touch, but that really sold it to me as a root beer float,” Dodd said. “If I wanted something like a float, I would just go get an actual root beer float.” 

The ice consistency remained the same throughout the testing, which was a plus, because no one wants inconsistent shaved ice. The ratio of ice cream and whipped topping to the snow cone was well-balanced. Neither seemed to overpower the other. 

Die-hard root beer fans would definitely enjoy this one; however, for those who simply like root beer or floats, the general consensus would be to stick with a root beer float.

3. The New One

According to the Funky Munky website, The New One is a mix of pina colada, blue coconut and pineapple snow stuffed with a scoop of ice cream and topped with homemade cream. This one was good and definitely smelled like summer in a cup. 

All of the flavors paired nicely together. Though according to Calderon and Dodd, they didn't enjoy it as much, because they were getting different flavors with every bite they took. The snow cone was a bit too syrupy for some as well. 

The sweetness level for The New One was probably a solid nine out of 10. Considering the three different flavors plus ice cream and the cream, it was a lot — not in a bad or a good way, just not for everyone. The color of this snow cone was the prettiest out of all of them. It looked like a green and blue tie-dye. 

Tropical lovers will enjoy this snow cone, but to tone it down if needed, try it without the ice cream and cream. For those who aren't fans of tropical flavors, I would suggest choosing another option.

2. Rockin Roo

According to the Funky Munky website, the Rockin' Roo is a wedding cake and blue coconut snow stuffed with a scoop of ice cream and topped with homemade cream. It's also stated on the website that it's their most popular flavor.

“The wedding cake overpowers the blue coconut, but it's still a great snow cone,” May said. 

To be honest, I am not a fan of almondy flavors in anything but cake. However, I was overruled by my cohorts, who enjoyed the wedding cake flavor, placing it at number two on the list. 

The ice cream added a good creaminess that paired well with the almond flavor, and the color was a beautiful blue. Despite the overpowering wedding cake flavor, it was rich and flavorful, making it easy to see why this is their most popular snow cone. 

For wedding cake and almond flavor lovers, this one is a must-try, with its authentic taste standing out in every bite.

1. The Wedgie

According to the Funky Munky website, The Wedgie is a strawberry cheesecake snow, with an actual slice of cheesecake, whipped topping, graham cracker crumbs and strawberry drizzle. This one was a showstopper. 

The flavor of the strawberry cheesecake snow was by far the best we had tasted. It also came with a slice of cheesecake, accompanied by whipped cream, strawberry jam (or what seemed to be jam) and graham cracker crumbs on top. 

This all paired so nicely with the snow cone. With the others we had tested, the homemade cream seemed to get in the way at times. But, surprisingly, all of these items did the complete opposite for this one. 

The cheesecake added a smooth, creamy touch, which seems to be something snow cone lovers enjoy, since most snow cones here are topped with ice cream or homemade cream. Visually, this was the best-looking snow cone, in addition to its flavor. 

Everyone agreed this was the most outstanding snow cone of the day. Overall, The Wedgie is a cheesecake lover's dream, with each bite being better than the last. It was a beautiful combination of everything a snow cone connoisseur wants and needs.

Whatever type of snow cone strikes your fancy, Funky Munky has something to satisfy it. This list is just based on their top five sellers, but it’s worth trying a few different flavors to make a personal favorites list.

News Editor / Podcast Producer

“Guys, it’s sumo wrestling!” 

I shouted that with excitement to my group of TNS staffers as I looked through a storefront window. We were strolling through Denton’s Town Square after a day of sessions at the Texas Intercollegiate Press Association (TIPA) when we stumbled across the captivating glow of sumo wrestling coming from Kurowashi Sumo Collective at The Dojo. 

We had just wrapped up boulder climbing at Movement, a gym just down the street, and were heading to dinner when we collectively decided to stop and check out the wrestling. 

Upon entering the dojo and receiving a warm welcome from everyone, we were directed to sit in the viewing area and watch the wrestlers warm up. After 15 minutes or so of spectating, our staff was asked if we wanted to participate in the warmups. 

We said yes about as fast as one can, and walked onto the mat. We started with fairly regular stretches and eventually learned how to perform several sumo rituals. Shiko was the first we were taught and is likely the most iconic of them all. It’s essentially a foot stomping exercise, that both warms up the wrestlers and is meant to symbolize stomping out evil spirits. The Chirichozu ritual was next, and for this one, we were all in the ring. We got down into the sumo resting position and clapped once, then raised our hands to show we had no weapons and intended to have a clean fight. 

This is when our staff started to realize just how much meaning is in sumo. 

Matt Kuruks'irari Jim was the first wrestler we met, and he patiently walked us through all the warmups, rituals and matches we participated in. 

He started Kurowashi Sumo in March 2024. Before that, he was a member of the Dallas Sumo Club. He also hosts a sumo podcast called Sumo Punkz in his free time. 

“We practice Amazumo, or amateur sumo,” he said. “Japan has a tight monopoly on pro sumo, or Ōzumo (grand sumo). There are tight restrictions on who can be accepted into a sumo stable in Japan. You have to be under 23 years of age, and they only allow one non-Japanese foreigner per stable.”

He said the rise in popularity of sumo has led to the creation of several semi-pro organizations. 

“Our organization, Kurowashi Sumo, has trained with a former professional rikishi (rikishi is the Japanese term for a professional sumo wrestler) named Ryuichi Yamamoto,” he said. “He wrestled under the name Yamamotoyama and retired back in 2012. [Yamamoto] used to train sumo wrestlers in Los Angeles, including Justin Kizzart (lightweight national gold medalist), who had trained my sumo teacher. He trained with us directly, and we hosted a few seminars for other aspiring sumo wrestlers to come learn from him. We also had training with John Jacques from Hawaii. He is one of the Godfathers of American Sumo (along with Ernie Hunt). He started practicing sumo in the 1970s, and is responsible for training and scouting the Hawaiians who had dominated professional sumo in Japan in the 1980s and 1990s."

This training was, of course, for sumo wrestling on the mat, but much of it was applicable to life. 

“[Jacques] taught us what it means to walk the sumo path, also known as 'Sumodo,’” Kuruks'irari Jim said. “It is the embodiment of the cultural aspects of what is expected of a sumo wrestler outside of the ring. He also taught us to embrace our fighting spirit, to push ourselves beyond our comfort zones and to keep getting back up and moving forward, no matter how many times you fall. Learning sumo from John Jacques was a privilege.” 

Our team also got to practice with Jared Parham, the Heyagashira (top senior student) of the Kurowashi Sumo Collective. He has been recruited into World Championship Sumo for several years and has recently fought with the World Elite Sumo promotion, created by former pro Sumo wrestler Ōzunaarashi (Great Sandstorm). 

Parham recently competed at Nationals in Las Vegas and got fifth place in the openweight division. He has also won the 2024 Mighty Eagle Team Tournament, the 2025 Olympia Sumo Tournament and the 2025 Texas Classic Openweight Tournament. 

I had the pleasure of fighting both Matt and Jared, and for both fights, it only took a few seconds to realize how steep the learning curve is in this sport. 

Aside from the obvious weight, height and strength difference, the amount of technique that they both had sealed their victory before I could even realize I had been picked up and flung into the ground. 

All sumo wrestlers have a style of fighting, and this is where you can start to gain an advantage among other wrestlers just as strong as you. Matt told me he has lost before to wrestlers who were much smaller and lighter, simply because they can move around much quicker on the mat. In amateur sumo, there are four weight classes, but once you reach heavyweight, there is no weight cap. This is where the technique really comes into play. 

My technique was to survive, but Matt showed me how to grab the opponent's Mawashi (belt) and use that leverage to (try to) move them. Did it at all work against him? No. But if I were wrestling another TIPA journalist, I have no doubt this would give me the upper hand. 

By the end of the evening, our TNS staff knew how to (somewhat) properly enter a sumo ring, perform the pre-fight rituals, square up against our opponent, fight and even how to properly celebrate your victory. 

This was an opportunity that we just don’t say “no” to. Sumo wrestling was one of those things for me that I was almost certain I would never seek out, but nevertheless something I have always wanted to try. 

For anyone walking through the Denton Town Square, or inspired by our team’s bravery, this was an experience we would all recommend. 

Sports Editor

“People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

It’s a quote from the late American poet Maya Angelou.

It’s also someone else’s self-proclaimed “code” as a human being. That person — by coincidence or not — is now Tarleton State’s men’s basketball coach.

Life has come fast at Eric Haut. Just over a month ago, he was coaching Utah State to a first-round win in the NCAA Tournament, while working a second job trying to get his staff and roster together at Tarleton State University.

Now, over a month into the new job, all that sits in Haut’s office, still, are a couple of water bottles, a container of Clorox wipes, some unpacked boxes and a flat-screen TV.

“I’m not even in the move-in process yet,” Haut said. “My wife and my son went back to Utah from the Final Four, so she’s packing up. They’ve got me in some temporary housing.”

“I literally have the same clothes that I packed for the NCAA Tournament; that’s the same suitcase that I’m living out of right now. Because I never went back [to Utah].”

All of that — and still, no one has embraced their platform more in that time than Coach E.

Since rebranding himself as Tarleton State’s men’s basketball coach, Haut has been very active on social media. From spontaneous video messages, to a Q&A session, to showing his presence at a number of university events, Haut is choosing to integrate with the community — and faster than most people would expect.

“It’s the only way I know how to be,” Haut said. “I've always been very engaging wherever I've been in the community, on campus. It's just, people want to feel a connection, right?”

He views his coaching the same way.

“I can't get our players to their maximum potential if I don't have relationships with them. I just can't,” he said.

Haut learned the art of developing rapport with players from his former boss at Utah State, Jerrod Calhoun, who recently accepted the head job at Cincinnati.

“That was kind of like our secret sauce at Utah State. We were never the most talented team in our league… but we were the most connected team in the league. We were the best team in the league,” Haut said.

In his opening press conference, Haut went as far as declaring that he and his staff will lead the country in time spent with their players. And he has a plan, starting with what he calls the foundation of his program: player development.

“I'm going to be working guys out individually, along with the rest of our staff,” Haut said. “I'm going to be doing a lot of individual film sessions with different positional groups; I'm going to have daily and weekly touch points with all of our players.”

Those responsibilities are usually pawned off, in his words, to assistant coaches. But Haut will be very hands-on.

His plans off the court, though, are where the connections will really be shaped.

“We may have a leadership council, where three or four guys are in that and we're reading a book about leadership over the summer,” Haut said. “That could mean, I'm gonna grab so-and-so and we're gonna go to Buffalo Wild Wings and have lunch. … That could be, I'm going to have three or four guys over to my house to have dinner one night with my wife and [son] Karter.”

Haut views his players as a part of his family. They’re a huge priority in his life.

In fact, in his eyes, every player’s family should be embraced as an extension of the team. He has a plan to welcome them, too.

“We'll have a parent group, where it's a group text with all our parents on it so that they can be connected,” Haut said. “We're gonna have parent meals. We'll pick three or four [home] games a year where this is a family day; so after the game, we'll have a meal catered in for our parents and our significant others and their children and their siblings so that we can build that connection.”

Guess what: it doesn’t stop there.

Haut wants to broaden that web of connection to the entire community. To him, this means putting more time into community service than any other team in the university—and showing up to support those other teams at their games.

“I want our players to be well known in the community… I want to share in everyone's success,” Haut said. “So, that's really important for our program and for our guys to, again, understand you're a part of something bigger than yourselves.

“To me, that stuff, that leads to wins,” he continued. “Maybe not in the win-loss column — I think it does — but just in life in general. I just think that's important, man.”

Haut may be a good quote. But with only three losing seasons in 22 years as an NCAA coach (all of which came at TCU from 2008-11), six appearances in the NCAA Tournament and fresh off contributing to a record-setting season at Utah State, he has the cachet to say… it’s working.

And despite inheriting a team coming off two straight losing seasons, Haut was not shy about his goals for the Texans’ next season.

To remind himself of these goals, Haut will soon be making another addition to his bare office: a piece of net he cut down after Utah State’s win in the Mountain West conference championship on March 14.

The net will be in his line of sight every day — because a year from now, he plans to add to the collection with a fresh piece of net from the UAC Championship.

“I've always set ambitious goals,” Haut said. “Nobody thought I could be a Division I player; I ended up being a Division I player. Nobody thought I'd be an all-conference player; I was an all-conference player. I don't think anybody knew what my path would be in terms of coaching, but I feel like I've always just set high expectations and worked my butt off to get there. And I feel like this is no different.”

How will he get Tarleton State to the mountaintop? Again, it all comes back to player development.

Tarleton State may not be the most talented team in the UAC this year. Neither was Utah State in their conference. So when players inevitably make mistakes, or don’t come up with the right results, Haut wants to remind them to be “process-oriented.”

Take, for example, the way a player shoots a basketball.

“When you're working on your shooting, guys will get caught up in if they made it or missed it. But you can shoot a shot the wrong way and make it, and you can shoot a shot the right way and miss it,” Haut said. “So if you get caught up in the makes and misses, it's really not best for your development. You want to shoot the right shot the right way.”

Haut has a system he’ll implement to reward players for doing things the right way. They’re called accountability charts, one for offense and one for defense.

Players will be graded every day in practice on how well they apply certain concepts the coaching staff wants to emphasize. For instance, if a player makes a great pass but their teammate misses the shot, the former will still be graded positively.

“It's process over outcome,” Haut said. “If you embrace the process and you believe in the process, the outcomes that you want, they will come.”

What the “process” really means, to Haut and his staff, is having championship habits every day. Part of that is to not let their players get down about the results maybe not coming as fast as they want.

“We coach with a lot of positivity. Even when we have to push guys, it's always because we know how good they can be,” Haut said. “... I'm high care, high accountability. And that's where the relationship piece comes in.

“I cannot maximize someone's potential if we don't have a relationship,” he continued. “‘Cause at some point, I'm gonna have to push them further than they think they can go. And if they know I have their best interests at heart and I'm really trying to get them to where I feel like they can get as a young man and as a player, they're gonna be more open to that coaching.”

Another area Haut wants the program to shine in is efficiency.

“I've been a part of staffs and workplaces where you'd meet for five hours, and you could have got that meeting done in about 45 minutes,” he said.

That’s why Haut said he wants to keep film sessions to about 15 minutes. He may even show film on the court some days with a portable TV, he said, so then after about five clips, players can get up and start applying the lessons immediately.

“Our practice plan will be down to the minute. We'll know exactly when we're transitioning to the next thing,” Haut said. “We will jog to the next thing; we're not walking around. Everything will be very, very efficient in everything we do.”

To this point, Haut has more goals set for the program than he has items in his office.

Never mind the program structure and accountability, he’s set tangible goals as well, like being top 50 nationwide in assists, top 30 in tempo, top 20 in steal percentage and top three in offensive and defensive efficiency.

Besides steal percentage, the team wasn’t close to any of those marks last year. But that doesn’t matter to Haut.

“This is a new era, this is a new energy, and we're just moving forward,” he said.

Haut’s approach may be a little different than most. It’s certainly a significant deviation from the previous regime. But even if his vision takes some time to come into focus, he won’t blink.

“I'm not saying it's better or worse. Just different,” Haut said. “It’s gonna be a different way of doing things.

He just has to be him, he said. It’s the only way he knows.

“We're gonna win in everything we do. We're gonna win in the weight room; we're gonna win in our recovery; we're gonna win in the community; we're gonna win in the classroom; we're gonna win on the court,” Haut said. “I just feel like it's a mindset, and right now, we are building that mindset.”

There are a lot of factors that will play into Haut’s goals being realized — some of them uncontrollable. For instance, another goal he has is to double the home attendance record of 3,187 in year one. Ambitious.

But there’s one thing Coach E knows to be true:

“When people feel a connection to something, they're more apt to support it.”

And it’s on to 2026.

Multimedia Journalist

In Stephenville, live music has always had a place. Whether it’s a small set at a local venue or a larger weekend show, artists and audiences have kept the scene active, creating a space where music is a regular part of community life.

In just a few years, Stephenville’s live music scene has exploded, moving from small hometown shows into a destination for nationally recognized artists. Crowds are growing, energy is building and more people, both locals and visitors, are taking notice. Stephenville is no longer just a place with music; it’s becoming a place people come to for music.

Part of that excitement comes from the steady flow of artists choosing to perform here. Venues like Twisted J Live have helped create an atmosphere where live music feels fun, consistently bringing in talent that keeps audiences coming back for more.

In recent years, well-known Texas artists such as Koe Wetzel, Randy Rogers Band and Josh Abbott Band have taken the stage in Stephenville. Their presence reflects a larger shift and shows that Stephenville is becoming a recognized stop on the Texas music circuit, a place artists are excited to play and fans are eager to experience.

That momentum has only grown with the arrival of nationally recognized artists like Kodak Black and That Mexican OT. Bringing wider audiences and different attention, these performances mark a turning point for Stephenville’s music scene.

Events like the Larry Joe Taylor Texas Music Festival add to that reputation. Known for bringing together large crowds and a wide range of artists, the festival has become a memorable part of Stephenville’s music culture, one that continues to draw attention and reinforce the town’s growing presence in the music world.

What makes Stephenville’s music scene more special right now is that it’s not just about the artists coming in; it’s about the artists coming out of Stephenville.

Emerging artists like Hudson Westbrook highlight the momentum that continues to build. As newer voices begin to gain attention, it becomes clear that Stephenville’s music scene isn’t slowing down.

When interviewed by reporter Taylor Brooks with “The Ones to Watch,” Westbrook talked about the impact of community in the early stages of his career.

“They had faith in a kid who was a college kid. I think there is something so special about that” Westbrook said.

That kind of environment where artists are given a chance before they’ve fully made a name for themselves is part of what makes Stephenville stand out.

That growth doesn’t stop with just one name. Artists such as Tyler Halverson, Kolby Cooper and Giovannie and the Hired Guns further show how much the music scene is evolving. Whether performing in Stephenville or influencing the broader Texas music landscape, they contribute to the sense that something bigger is happening here.

Another reason for this rapid growth is the role of social media. Platforms like TikTok and Instagram have completely changed how artists build their audiences. A single performance, a short clip or even a crowd reaction can reach thousands of people almost instantly. What happens in Stephenville doesn’t stay in Stephenville anymore, it spreads.

For artists, that kind of exposure is a game changer. It means they can build careers without leaving behind where they came from. For fans, it means being part of something that feels both local and larger than life at the same time.

As this visibility increases, so does the pride within the community. There’s a growing sense that Stephenville is becoming known for something new, something that expands its identity rather than just changing it. Music is becoming part of the town’s future in a way that feels exciting and full of possibility.

That excitement is hard to miss. It shows up in packed venues, in crowds that know every lyric and in the growing anticipation of what’s coming next. People are paying attention—not just because of who is performing, but because of what Stephenville is becoming.

Of course, with growth comes the need for more opportunities, more space and continued support for artists. But if recent years have shown anything, it’s that Stephenville is ready for that challenge. The demand is there, the talent is there and the momentum is already in motion.

Right now, Stephenville feels like a town on the edge of something bigger. The music scene is flourishing, drawing in artists, building up local talent and creating experiences that people want to be part of. It’s no longer just about individual performances, but about a scene that is growing stronger with each show, each artist and each crowd that fills the room.

And as that growth continues, one thing is clear: Stephenville isn’t just participating in the Texas music scene anymore, it’s becoming a place that helps shape it.

Contributing Writer

Stephenville, Texas, is growing at a rapid rate. According to the Stephenville Chamber of Commerce, the town has already seen a 54% growth rate since the year 2000.

Tarleton State University sits at the heart of Stephenville and is responsible for a sizable amount of the city's growth. Tarleton recently made a massive leap to being a Division I university, attracting more students from all over the world.

Erath County is also in the top 10% of counties in the state leading agricultural production according to the Chamber. So, it’s not surprising when people move here for the small-town feel — the sense of warmth and community you don't find in the heart of a metroplex.

Just because the town is growing, new people are settling in and Tarleton is bursting at the seams does not mean the rich memories of Stephenville’s past have left.

Sheri Tomlinson Eddy and her sister Luann Tomlinson Rez, both Stephenville natives and Huckaby residents, said they recall a time when they spent their days going down the “Drag.”

The “Drag” was a loop that friends and families would take from the Dairy Queen on Washington Street to the former Dairy Queen north of Jake and Dorothy’s cafe.

“That was how you saw your friends, ‘honk, honk,’” Rez said.

JoAnn Shipman, a longtime Stephenville resident, also remembers going down the “Drag.”

Shipman said she can't recall how many times she and her friends cruised up and down from one Dairy Queen to another. She said that’s all there was to do. It was a way for her and her friends to get out and socialize with everyone they knew.

The Dairy Queen on West Washington Street was opened by Margaret Frayne in the late 1970s.

The establishment not only held countless memories on the road for friends, but the lot itself served as a community.

Dean Parr, a Stephenville City councilman, said that's not something you see around anymore. He said a handful of FMC retirees meet weekly at the Whataburger for coffee, and that's about all you see in terms of recurring gatherings.

For his family and the community back then, Dairy Queen was that place for them.

“My folks would have coffee and talk over everything under the shining sun,” Parr said. “Us kids would get ice cream and play football until the parents got tired.”

The specific lot, 1601 West Washington St., has been home to many businesses over the years, including a steakhouse. But the Dairy Queen was the most prominent, and it held the most memories.

However, this long-time community hub has officially closed its doors. The physical building may soon be gone, but old memories stand strong and new memories are soon to come.

Tarleton has purchased the lot where the old Dairy Queen stands. The university plans on expanding its academic facilities onto the lot.

Don't worry, though — the iconic soft serve will soon make its return to Stephenville. Construction of a new Dairy Queen is in progress at 703 E. South Loop.

It isn't the only thing soon to come for Stephenville; many more changes around the town are being put into play, such as new businesses, hotels and dining options.

That brings up a word some residents are cautious of: “change.”

“Serving on council, we’re still trying to maintain that small-town feel,” Parr said. “But also have the businesses, where people don't have to drive to the Metroplex.”

Gathering hubs like the Dairy Queen are fading. Small towns are growing and developing, but the changing landscape of the city alone is not to blame.

Technology comes into play when dealing with lower levels of face-to-face interaction. With it at the forefront of our society, we can't escape it. It’s all around us, in stores, restaurants and events. It's important not to let human interaction slip away.

Some residents don't want to see it, and some welcome it, but Parr said how crucial it is to grow and embrace change.

“Small towns either grow or they die. There’s no gray area anymore,” Parr said. “The idea of country living and living in a small community has fallen to the wayside for the younger generations.”

Eddy said she understands both sides of the story.

“It’s hard… It’s not that I don’t understand, because I do, but it's been overwhelming for us since we’ve been here all our lives,” Eddy said.

Shipman said she is not 100% in favor of a change in Stephenville, but she thinks it’s for the best.

“I’m sure what's taking place, coming in and happening is good for Stephenville,” Shipman said.

If we're lucky, Stephenville won't lose its charm. After all, the people here are what make it what it is. The small town charm reels people here; the city is doing its best to keep that feeling, despite rapid development.

Change is here. Stephenville is growing. But it’s community memories, hubs and hangouts that keep the city alive.

Get outside, talk to your neighbor and ask someone how their day was. Keep the small-town charm alive.

News Editor / Podcast Producer

Stephenville, Texas has evolved a lot over the last decade.

The “Cowboy Capital of the World” currently has around 22,000 residents, and is projecting a 22% population increase by 2030. This growth mirrors Tarleton State University’s growth as the fastest growing university in Texas, and a now prominent name in regards to sports after a strong Division I entrance.

All of this growth has happened quickly for Stephenville. Driving through the city's main road, Washington Street, you see businesses left and right that were pieces of land just a couple years ago. Entire shopping centers have been added with large, national brands while small businesses still continue to thrive.

Much of this growth is overseen by the Stephenville Economic Development Authority. Jeff Sandford is the President and CEO, and says the SEDA is funded entirely by Stephenville sales tax.

“We take a small percentage, (one eighth of one cent of everything), for our organization to operate,” he said. “We spend the vast majority of our time recruiting businesses, recruiting investment, recruiting new dollars into our community, that either advance and provide more jobs at our higher paying levels, so increasing the median wage, or investing with new buildings, new amenities, new things like that.”

In short, the goal of the SEDA is to work with Stephenville to (as the name says) economically develop the city. Over the past six years, that’s looked like more than 60 new projects and just over half a billion dollars in investments.

A large part of Sandford’s job is bringing new businesses to Stephenville, which he described as kind of like building a puzzle. Stephenville can’t just go and grab all of the businesses that people are asking for and toss them along Washington Street. Instead, it’s a game of figuring out not only what businesses fit, but where in the town they fit. “Fit” as in physically fit, but also “fit” as in making sure they complement the other businesses and steadily follow the population growth of the city.

“Even though there is a rich history of greatness in our community, we felt like there were some ways that we could expand upon those championship ideals in different areas,” he said. “And so we have attacked as many areas as possible to grow and make it (Stephenville) something that my own kids would want to stay here for.”

An important step in getting businesses to come to Stephenville is advertising. No one will put a business in a town they’ve never heard of. Sandford said the best advertising Stephenville has is Tarleton’s football team.

“Whether you're a sports fan or not, the biggest marketing tool we have is when our sports teams play on a national stage,” he said.

It doesn't end when the game is over either. Sandford said the coverage that comes after it, especially the coverage from publications like SportsCenter, reaches far more people than regular advertising.

The best example of this is when Tarleton beat Army last year. A game-winning field goal in double overtime put the Texans in headlines from ESPN to the New York Times.

Now, the city of Stephenville, Texas sticks a little in the minds of everyone who saw that game.

“Tarleton's success helps us tell the story of Stephenville's success,” he said.

Tarleton, without a doubt, helps Stephenville. The students of Tarleton also help support all of the business around the city from August to May. After summer break starts, the bars may be a little less crowded and the midnight drive through lines may be a tad shorter, but Stephenville still thrives.

Sandford says quite a few Tarleton students stay over the summer, and businesses simply budget their inventory for the months where student traffic may be lower.

“Obviously, when they (students) come back in August, it just goes through the roof. And so what our businesses have learned to do…you learn to sort of budget your stock based on the trends of the student population,” he said. “So you'll see ups and downs. In April, you have the Larry Joe Taylor Texas Music Festival that will see 60,000 plus people come into town. So they know to stock up at different places. It's still going to stay high through May because in May, you have all of the different things that happen with graduations. June still stays pretty good…and the summer school attendance though is much higher than it used to be. So you're going to have a higher number of people that stick around.”

He said in July, business does drop down, but only for it to pick right back up in August and September, once all of the students are back.

Despite Tarleton being such an integral part of Stephenville, the businesses aren't solely relying on the Tarleton student population. In fact, the student population really doesn't account for that much of Stephenville's total shopping traffic.

A “trade area” is defined as a region where a city draws its customers.

The population of Stephenville is only about 22,000 people. The trade area of Stephenville, or the number of people that shop in Stephenville, was 80,000 in 2018.

Now, that number is 147,000.

Even when you remove the number of Tarleton students on the Stephenville campus, the number of people Stephenville attracts is still well over 100,000.

This is why Sandford says that while Stephenville wants to cater to the student population, “The soccer moms and newly retired are just as important.”

Stephenville's recent development clearly caters to a wide range of people. Recently, residents got a Hobby Lobby, Ross, TJ Maxx, Old Navy and Five Below all in one plaza.

He stressed the need for a wide range of businesses for every type of customer. Stephenville is now catering to an audience that allows them to have common retail spots and restaurants like Ross and McDonalds, but also higher-end destinations like Venture19 and The Seeker.

Stephenville helps accomplish this by also catering to those outside the city limits.

“So now we're drawing in not just the students, not just the local residents, but people from out of town that now don't have to go to Weatherford or Brownwood or Granbury or Fort Worth for that matter. So now we're capturing dollars that are already being spent. We're not poaching dollars from anywhere in town, these are dollars we have been spending in other communities,” Sandford said.

Now, that sales tax money can be put right back into the city.

“So now if [the money] is spent in town, that sales tax rises, and that gives us a chance to invest back in our town, not raise people's individual taxes, as much, if ever, and we can still do the kinds of things that are needed to be done, such as roadwork, infrastructure, all those things that aren't real sexy, but are needed in a town that's growing,” Sandford said. “And we use other people's money, which is awesome. They're going to spend and buy a pair of shoes anyway, buy them here.”

So what’s new for Stephenville?

First off is a new convenience store right off 281 by Atwoods. That, combined with a new travel center will hopefully catch those driving past Stephenville and lure them further into the town.

Sandford said attracting new visitors is the key, because as much as the residents want new restaurants, for example, “we’re not going to eat a fourth meal.”

He said that when new restaurants come to the city, they inevitably take business away from the others unless more people are coming to the town as well.

New restaurants are still in the works though.

Sandford says new family sit-down restaurants are looking at parcels in town, and then addressed some of the most requested business, at least from the Tarleton student body.

“A variety of quick serve restaurants, or QSRs, are high on the list, and we will continue to pursue places like Raising Canes and Chipotle, among others,” he said.

A new Springhill Suites by Marriott hotel with 126 rooms and convention space will be built next to the Bosque River Taphouse.

A Home2 Suites hotel with 120 rooms will be built on the western part of town, and a Holiday Inn Express with just over 80 rooms will be on the Robert J. Glasgow loop.

A new Cash America pawn shop will join Stephenville's shopping catalog, and the Dairy Queen that used to reside on the outskirts of the Tarleton campus is being moved to the South Loop.

A new golf practice facility will also be built out on the way to Dublin.

A "luxury laundromat” will reside in between HTeaO and the Hampton Inn, and Sandford mentioned countless other plans soon to be revealed to the public.

It’s an exciting time to be a Stephenville resident or Tarleton student. The campus is growing at a record-breaking rate and the city continues to grow right alongside it.

There’s a lot to look forward to for the Cowboy Capital.

Managing Editor

“Texas’s best kept secret,” better known as Tarleton State University, is becoming less of a secret and more of a trend. What used to be considered a moderate university tucked away in the “Cowboy Capital,” Stephenville, Texas, is growing rapidly and setting student enrollment records.

According to Tarleton State News, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) released data that recognizes Tarleton as the fastest-growing public university in Texas.

Tarleton State News also shared that Tarleton saw record enrollment numbers for the sixth consecutive year in the fall of 2025, totalling more than 21,000 students.

In the January 2026 edition of Fort Worth Magazine, Brian Kendall wrote in “True Texans: Tarleton State University, the Stephenville college that embraces its Western identity, expands to ‘Where the West Begins,’” that Tarleton was “a university whose growth in student enrollment and expansion to markets outside of Stephenville, including Fort Worth, has signaled a hard right turn from the once obscure rural college to first class, first choice, destination university.”

After speaking with incoming and current freshmen about what drew them to a town where everyone bleeds purple, it seems that many factors anchor students to “the ‘Ville.”

Incoming freshman from Robinson, Texas, Kamryn Petty felt drawn to Tarleton due to the opportunities she saw for herself, as she plans to major in early childhood education.

“I wanted to apply to Tarleton State University because of its strong academic programs, supportive environment and sense of community,” Petty said. “I was especially drawn to how the university focuses on student success and provides hands-on learning opportunities.”

Petty also noticed the tight-knit community that not all universities can offer.

“What makes Tarleton State University stand out to me is its welcoming atmosphere and smaller class sizes, which allow for more personal connections with professors,” Petty said.

Incoming freshman from Lingleville, Texas, Brody Hurt noticed similar aspects that led him to Tarleton.

“To me, Tarleton stands out because of its hometown roots,” Hurt said. “I have lived in Erath County now for 11 years, and every time I visited Tarleton or have been around Tarleton, I have felt like it has been super structured around that hometown feeling.”

The academic programs Tarleton offers are top-tier and have earned a well-deserved reputation. Students with ambitious career goals see Tarleton as their ladder to success.

“I applied to Tarleton because when I was asking other people who were much wiser than me where to attend college to get an engineering degree, the common answer was Tarleton,” Hurt said. “So I decided to apply.”

Student success is undeniably a great contributor to the growth being seen at Tarleton.

Kendall wrote in his article, “One such number, which is likely the most important number to many a college-bound student, is the school’s 84% employment rate within a year of a student’s graduation, which leads all public universities in the state of Texas.”

Current freshman Kobe Norman from Angleton, Texas, first considered attending Tarleton after a family member recommended it to him. Upon his first visit, he instantly noticed the friendliness of Tarleton’s campus.

“The people I encountered during the tour were amazing,” Norman said. “During orientation, we were just exploring campus, and the people we came across were really nice.”

Norman said that his faith is the biggest influence in his life, and that he felt God calling him to attend Tarleton.

“I was praying for a month straight about where to go,” Norman said. “God led me to Tarleton, and I am here.”

From the experiences he has had thus far, Norman said, “I have no regrets. Everyone should consider Tarleton.”

Community and student success seem to be the motivating factors for many entering “the gates that are always open.” It has never been a more exciting time to Bleed Purple and embrace the Texan spirit.

Feature Editor

Cade Mathis is currently managing 200 beehives across Texas, balancing his growing honey company and still leaving enough time to serve his community as a full-time animal science student at Tarleton State University.

To many, that much responsibility might seem overwhelming, but to Mathis, it’s just a byproduct of having the patience and discipline to slowly add to a system that sticks.

What would eventually become a widespread honey company earning more than six figures began 10 years ago, when Mathis’ dad bought two beehives to sit in a secluded corner of Cross Timbers Ranch.

Before he knew it, Mathis was not only looking after the bees like they were his own, but he began gifting and eventually selling the honey they produced to teachers and classmates at just 12 years old.

What Mathis would come to learn is that beekeeping has to be about the bees, not how he could use them. In fact, a lot of what he contributes to his success is leaving enough honey behind for the hives to sustain themselves with as little outside interference as possible.

“If you compare us to a lot of the commercial bee companies and honey production companies, a lot of them treat chemically,” Mathis said. “I don’t do that. I feel very strongly against it. I’m very holistic and natural-based when it comes to beekeeping because they were around long before us.”

Mathis drives pests and parasites out of his hives with techniques like placing peppermint candies in the corners and dryer sheets over the top as a trap.

The secret to his success seems to be leaving enough time to learn what works with his bees and what doesn't, revealing these simple solutions.

“I think he sets a great example of finding that balance of still doing really well in school, but doing really well outside of school as well,” Dr. Eileen Faulkenberry, dean of Tarleton Honors College, said.

Mathis initially had a bee allergy before being stung enough to develop immunity. The stakes always felt high, but his resilience ran deeper.

“I didn’t really have any guidance. I went to Tractor Supply, and I think they had a beekeeping book for probably like $10. I watched a lot of YouTube, so I was self-taught,” Mathis said. “Some of those hives were mean, and they just swarm, so it took a lot to overcome that.”

In fact, he began to see these more aggressive swarms as an opportunity. According to Mathis, the bees with Africanized genes, better known as “killer bees,” that he keeps at Cross Timbers Ranch are often identified by this behavior.

“I check them twice a year, but they produce a lot more honey, like two or three times more than a regular beehive would,” Mathis said.

Mathis came to Tarleton because he didn’t just want the opportunity to sell honey; he wanted to learn more about the bees he was responsible for and open opportunities to make an impact by educating communities.

As a student in the Honors program with a passion for animal science, he published his book “Learning to Leave Enough” last month. “Learning to Leave Enough” not only serves as a beginner’s guide to fellow beekeepers, but also details Mathis’ experiences in the honey business in hopes that it helps people learn about the values of good stewardship.

Faulkenberry knew he was special as soon as he invited a group of students he had just met to grill steaks with him for his birthday, which also happened to be move-in day.

“His smile and sweet spirit struck me that very first day, and I thought, ‘This is an awesome kid. I am so glad he’s in the Honors College,’” Faulkenberry said. “He invites people into the community with him anytime that I see him on campus. He’s just that sort of positive personality that makes everything brighter around him.”

Faulkenberry said she admires not only his generosity but also his passion for beekeeping and producing honey. She specifically remembers the detail that went into the packaging of a Mardi Gras honey blend sample he gave to the Honors College administrative assistant.

“The number of hives that he has, the different flavors of honey, the honey sticks, his business, is way bigger than he lets on,” Faulkenberry said. “He doesn’t brag about all of this other kind of stuff that he’s doing.”

Mathis approached Dr. Faulkenberry with the idea of keeping beehives at Tarleton’s Agricultural Center in 2024.

“I was like, ‘Yeah, that’s a great idea. I think that could be a nice symbiotic relationship out there,’” Faulkenberry said. “All I did was point him towards a certain direction and say, ‘Go talk to either this person or this person.’”

In August 2025, Mathis’ dream of creating a “living classroom” of opportunities for his peers became a reality.

“My goal with that is to eventually create a four-credit class to teach future generations about the importance of pollinators, the honeybees themselves and how they can affect Tarleton agriculture, or our community’s agriculture and agriculture as a whole,” Mathis said. “Because without honeybees, you won’t have life, pretty much.”

While these classes aren’t in session at Tarleton just yet, those who are interested in learning the ins and outs of beekeeping can book two-hour beginner’s lessons at millheimhoneycompany.com for $200.

Millheim Honey Company also offers services for beehive removal and management for those who can’t or don’t wish to look after the bees themselves.

“Rather than killing the beehive, like a lot of exterminators would do, we’ll take it and relocate it to start a new hive,” Mathis said.

Mathis has just as big a heart for Texans as he does for honeybees.

In fact, from July 15–18 of 2025, 100% of Millheim Honey’s profits went directly to supporting relief efforts after severe flooding in Kerrville, affecting Camp Mystic and surrounding communities.

Despite seeing big success, Mathis has stayed as sweet as his honey.

“He sees what he does as a service for others, not something that’s going to inflate him, but it’s going to inflate others and support them and build them up,” Falkenberry said.

Contributing Writer

There are many clubs and organizations that go above and beyond here at Tarleton State University, not just because of their successes, but for the continuous progress and impact they have on their members.

Organizations like Alpha Epsilon Delta, Tarleton Ultimate Frisbee and the Tarleton Pre-PA Society have grown their impact on campus and in the community, showcasing the broader success that clubs and organizations at Tarleton have been seeing.

New initiatives and growing membership are important, but they also prioritize personal, academic and professional development with their members.

Alpha Epsilon Delta

According to Texan Sync, “Alpha Epsilon Delta (AED) is a national health pre-professions honor society dedicated to the encouragement and recognition of excellence in pre-professions scholarship, including medicine, veterinary medicine, dentistry, optometry, physical therapy, physician assistant and many other advanced pre-health professions.”

AED has seen significant progress over the past two semesters, adding around 15 new members. Shelby Perrenound, the AED president, said she is constantly seeing new faces.

AED has also been increasing community service opportunities for members.

“We coordinated a food drive for the Treehouse afterschool program,” Perrenound said. “We want to continue to build upon the structure we have created this year.”

AED assists with the progression of students on their way to the medical field. They honor excellence, but also provide opportunities for members to get a headstart on certain exams required for their professions.

“Recently, we’ve incorporated a new opportunity called MCAT and DAT Mondays. Those are the entrance exams for medical and dental schools,” Perrenound said. “We’ve been holding these meetings for our members who are wanting to go to medical and dental school. Here, they can study and complete practice tests to prepare to take their exams.”

Although AED has had many recent successes, they're not planning to slow down anytime soon. Plans to continue the growth of member numbers and outreach opportunities are in the works.

“One exciting upcoming event is that we will be having a meeting where we have snacks and play volleyball to give us a brain break meeting before finals,” Perrenound said.

According to Perrenound, the organization intends to ensure members have the opportunity to be introduced to various fields of medicine and prepare those students for their applications into programs and future schooling.

Ultimate Frisbee

According to USA Ultimate, ultimate frisbee is a non-contact sport played with a disc, where two teams of seven players compete while officiating themselves. Tarleton’s Ultimate Frisbee team is constantly evolving, rebuilding each year as seniors graduate. They work to create a strong environment that encourages players to improve physically while also having fun.

Despite these sometimes difficult transitions, the team has made steady progress in learning from mistakes and working as a team. The new team recently participated in a tournament at the University of North Texas and placed fourth.

“Considering only four of us had ever played in a tournament, I see it as a huge accomplishment,” Evan Underwood, the risk management officer, said.

The team's growth on the field has been on a steady incline, and they have seen a pique in interest for the sport.

According to Underwood, Ultimate participated in Rec Fest last semester, bringing in around 100 potential new members’ information.

“About half of Ultimate members attended the next day we played,” Underwood said.

Ultimate will also be in attendance at the Tarleton Sports Club Takeover. According to Underwood, they will be playing Kanjam and hosting a throwing contest.

“I think it will be a lot of fun and we can introduce people to a sport they may have never heard of,” Underwood said.

Ultimate has one big goal they’d like to achieve for the future: more members. Gaining members, especially for a lesser-known sport, is difficult, but they have a plan to change that.

“We will try to be more active in our recruiting process and try to convince more people to come out and try our club,” Underwood said. “... I could see us reaching 100 [members] if we keep recruiting and sharing the game we love.”

Pre-PA Society

Newly founded in Fall 2025, the Pre-PA Society aims to support pre-physician assistant students by providing resources, promoting awareness of the profession and creating opportunities for professional growth, networking and community, according to Texan Sync.Though their time on campus has been short, the society has experienced notable progress. It can be a very difficult, long and laborious process trying to create a new student organization at Tarleton.

Within the first semester, they established bylaws, elected officers and received approval from the university. With these steps, the society was able to see instant results.

After doing an informational tabling during Pre-PA appreciation week, Vice President Katie Peugh said, “We had over 90 students join our Instagram and delivered over 100 student-written thank you notes [to local physician assistants] within our two-hour tabling period.”

The prioritization of outreach is something the society wants to remain at the forefront. Peugh also said the club has seen a significant increase in members in the last semester.

Considering how difficult it can be to gain members for a brand-new organization, it speaks to the interest and need for this type of organization. The Pre-PA Society is continuing to pick up speed with plans to continue fostering the growth of the organization and support for the physician assistant profession. The society also has plans to visit the local nursing home.

“We’ll be putting on a short play to entertain the residents and brighten their day,” Peugh said.

For the next few years, the society plans to see growth in numbers due to the increasing interest in the PA profession.

Sports Editor

The EECU Center has been acclaimed as a game changer for the Stephenville community and a venue bound to conceive Tarleton State University into a newfound sense of belonging at the Division-I level.

Through in its first few months of operation, the initial goals are starting to come to fruition — and even be exceeded in some cases.

Ben Andersen has been serving as executive director of event center operations since January, overseeing event coordination, planning and venue logistics. As the venue approaches the end of its first fiscal year in August, Andersen says he is “very pleased” with the results thus far and making it through basketball season largely unscathed from any public backlash.

“Everything that I've seen up to this point, we're exceeding where we wanted to be at,” Andersen said. “... Transparently, the first couple deals were a little bit more lucrative than we would like, but that's just all to bring talent to Stephenville, just to put the city on the map. So now that we've got some traction with those events, promoters and agents, [we’re] starting to see that we can really bring some good talent to this city.”

Andersen is optimistic about continued growth over the next couple years, including expanding the venue’s revenue budget of $1.8 million to around $2.5 million, while pushing the current agenda of six headlining shows a year to 10 or 15.

“My goal was — when I came in — to not only book some of these touring shows, but also big private events,” Andersen said, “So, that's kind of my focus right now, is pitching to other types of shows to bring additional revenue into the venue — you know, boat shows, gun shows, high school graduations, other elements that we can bring to the venue to increase revenue.”

While the venue’s “primary tenet” is hosting basketball games, Anderson insisted that the EECU Center has found the most success when appealing to the town’s family-focused environment, meaning putting on events that families — from grandparents to little ones — can enjoy together.

The most recent example of this was the Harlem Globetrotters game on Feb. 13, a stop on their 100 Year Tour, which sold over 2,300 tickets.

“It was a really fun event, great to see all the families come out,” Andersen said. “It really showed us, again, that this is going to be a family town market, so that'll bring more and more of those types of shows to the city of Stephenville.”

Andersen has also been eyeing the possibility of landing another eccentric family act: Dude Perfect.

The viral comedy group is based out of Frisco and currently has a deal with Dickies Arena in Fort Worth. Schedulers at the venue’s booking agency, Oak View Group, have not reached out to Dude Perfect’s team yet, but Anderson said a gig at the EECU Center will hopefully be in the works “in the near future.”

“Kind of shows like that are more kid-focused. It just seems like there's a lot of families, grandparents here in Stephenville and surrounding area that would love to see a show like that without having to travel to Fort Worth or Dallas,” Andersen said.

A big indicator for future growth will be how well the venue can showcase its versatility, while testing some of its structural challenges for certain events.

For instance, it’d make sense for the EECU Center to eventually host a rodeo, being at the heart of the Cowboy Capital of the World; the ticket demand would be robust. However, the arena is not ideal for rodeo conditions, having tight corners and limited runout space, which could disrupt barrel racing patterns, roping events and bull-riding staging — not to mention permanent seating areas that take up vital space in a floor already smaller than the standard rodeo arena.

“It's going to take a very unique kind of dirt event,” Andersen said. “... However, there are some ways we can work around it.”

Another event schedulers have ambitions for is Disney On Ice, which would play well with the family atmosphere, but it would be very expensive to install ice in the arena with the limited amenities.

“Whether or not that's cost effective for how much we’d make on the show is TBD,” Andersen said.

“I’m not saying it can't be done, but those are the types of events that might be a little more challenging to bring into the venue.”

Nonetheless, among the talent that has graced the EECU Center stage so far includes big names in comedy and country music — such as Leanne Morgan, Koe Wetzel and Hudson Westbrook, with Parker McCollum set to perform on Sept. 24.

“I mean, I think in our first few shows, we've showcased all what we have to offer, and I'm very pleased with the results of our first few shows,” Andersen said. “I'd love to bring as many shows here as possible, so we're going through the booking process right now to look forward to the rest of 2026 and 2027.”

With the crux of the event focus being on basketball, and state-of-the-art undertakings in facilities, the EECU Center is built to help athletic recruitment as well as community growth.

“Texan Nation will watch high-level basketball in a high-level environment for a long time to come,” Tarleton’s Vice President and Director of Athletics, Steve Uryasz, said at the time of the venue’s grand opening in August. “The EECU Center ranks among the best venues I’ve been in across my entire career in collegiate athletics.”

Overall, the vision stands the same, and aggressive — in pushing Stephenville along as one of the fastest growing communities in Texas.

“It's a big deal for Stephenville,” Andersen said. “I mean, you put this arena anywhere else in the country and it'd be a gem by itself. So, I think this is a huge, huge thing for the city to bring everybody together.”

Digital Media Director

During the fall 2025 semester, Dr. Jacob Brewer, Dr. Walter Moore and instructor Meg Cline made their work come to life and began to have meetings for Tarleton State University’s new literary magazine, the Bosque River Review (BRR).

Now, the BRR gears up for their first issue to be launched this April.

In the BRR, many students’ works of fiction, poetry and/or art will be featured, displaying their hard work so others around Tarleton and Stephenville can enjoy a good story or art piece in their spare time.

Although Cline left the project after the fall semester, Brewer and Moore have continued to help lead the student editors throughout the final steps.

While Brewer and Moore may be observing and managing the budget, the students involved are the real leaders. Student editors decide the accepted pieces and make final edits, making it their final product.

During the process of creating this magazine, the students split into two groups: fiction editors and poetry editors.

Andrew Kitchens, a poetry editor, decided to join the BRR due to his love for puzzles and music and found that poetry bridges these two very well. According to him, creating a literary magazine is much more than printing a story.

“In 2026, when the current world order is changing before our very eyes, it's important for us students to make our voices heard and share our ideas with a wider audience,” Kitchens said. “It's our turn to step up and bat, and here at the Bosque we're swinging for the fences.”

Teagan Driscoll is another member of the BRR and is a fiction editor for the nine stories that will be featured. His reason for taking on this genre was his love of editing written pieces.

“What draws me more to fiction than poetry is how I can look at the pacing and development of a story like a puzzle to bring out the most impact,” Driscoll said. “Being able to work with writers in piecing together something that they feel the most proud of is such an incredibly rewarding process for me.”

The upcoming BRR magazine will not be focused on one topic or genre, but rather cover a plethora of options so there is something for everyone. Such genres include fantasy, horror, supernatural and literary fiction.

While also submitting her own fantasy piece, senior Zeina Halili, the Editor-in-Chief for the BRR, has helped put together the magazine and conducted her own interview for a special feature in it.

“Being Editor-in-Chief has been a mix of a lot of things at once,” Halili said. “I get to work with all the editors reading submissions, then working on editing them. I was also able to perform some interviews for the first edition and learn everything that goes into putting something out there for others to read.”

Having this magazine built by students is incredibly important for the members of the BRR.

“The BRR needs to be built by students because we're actively building a community through student work,” Kitchens said. “While I appreciate our professors for their continued support, we're the ones that have something to prove, and we've built this journal from the roots up.”

Halili agreed, noting how having students make the journal makes it feel more personal for other students that are just starting to find their fit in the writing world.

“We are not just looking at pieces, we are holding stories and ideas that people had and are giving them a place to belong,” Halili said. “I think it makes it more intentional and meaningful, because it's coming from people who actually understand what it means to want your work to matter.”

On April 27, the BRR will celebrate the launch of its very first edition. Students, family and residents of Stephenville will be able to find copies of the literary magazine on campus and at select locations.

Podcast Host

Music lovers gathered this March for the first-ever music festival in Hamilton. The Santa Teresa Music Fest marks a new chapter in the community’s growth.

The festival features artists such as Shane Smith and the Saints, The Great Divide, Red Shahan, The Droptones and home-grown celebrity Presley Haile. The festival also featured a VIP performance by Josh Weathers.

The music festival was held in Hamilton, Texas, at Santa Teresa Ranch. The ranch was originally known as Bywater Hereford Ranch in the 1930s. In 1950, the ranch was repurchased, and then again in 2003.

The owner, Casey Fields, bought the land a few years back and heard that this historic ranch had tried to host a music festival in the past, but the idea never became a reality — until now.

“We had heard, I guess it was in the 90s, they tried to do some music fest out here. I believe Hamilton and Hico are up-and-coming, and we thought it would be cool for the community,”  Fields said.

With this being the festival's first year, the Santa Teresa team set realistic expectations for attendance; however, the community's support exceeded expectations and helped drive strong attendance.

This music festival would be another venture added to the ranch’s resume. Along with a music venue, Santa Teresa was also a pub and steakhouse, and is even rumored to have a hidden speakeasy somewhere on the land.

Along with the music, there were vendors for attendees to shop at, such as American Hat Company, Will Leather Goods, Van Garden and more.

One of these businesses is Uncle Bekah’s Inappropriate Trucker Hats, a small business that sells “comedic dirty” hats, based out of McKinney, Texas.

The owner, Bekah Hardick, heard about Santa Terresa from some of the other vendors they have worked in the past at other music festivals. Working with Santa Teresa, Hardick has noticed the community's and workers' support.

“I like working with festivals that want the vendors to do well, and they support me as much as I am trying to support them,” Hardick said.

Hardick knew little about Hamilton before the music festival, but after seeing the town, she said she has come to respect the charm it offers.

“I drove through it and heard about it, but no, I didn't know much about it. I literally just passed through, but I always thought it was super cute,” Hardick said.

Hardick and so many others have come to learn more about the small town through this festival.

The Santa Teresa Music Festival has brought significant attention to the small town of Hamilton, Texas, through live entertainment, shopping and community engagement.

Contributing Writer

Tarleton State University is continuing to grow its on-campus housing with the construction of Regents Hall, a new five-story residence hall that will house nearly 1,000 students. University officials approved the $120 million project, which will be located on Lillian Street.

As Tarleton prepares to welcome more students into this new space, current residence halls like Hunewell and Integrity offer a look at how on-campus living has evolved over time — from older, community-centered layouts to more modern, amenity-focused designs.

Hunewell/Hunewell Annex is one of the oldest residence halls on campus. It was built in 1961 and renovated in 2017. It is now used as a residence hall for only first-year college students.

Hunewell offers a four-person suite-style layout with two built-in desks, built-in drawers, a mini fridge, a microwave, a bathroom with two sinks, two closet spaces and two twin XL beds in each room.

The cost of this living space is relatively cheap compared to other residence halls on campus. Starting fall of 2026, it will be $2,183 per semester, compared to other residence halls across campus that sit anywhere from $2,000 to $4,000 per semester.

Hunewell Hall is said to have a “great sense of community” but not much space for each student. It has a reputation of having the least liked rooms on campus, but some people beg to differ.

Isabella Ruiz, a freshman at Tarleton, currently lives in Hunewell Hall. She explained her view on comfort, community and space throughout the hall.

“Honestly, I think the dorms are pretty comfy. It definitely is a little on the smaller side, but I make the best of it,” Ruiz said. “But the sense of community we have makes up for it, everyone is familiar with everyone, and if anyone needs anything we can always just knock.”

Hunewell also includes multiple laundry rooms, a lobby with a kitchen and vending machines in the hallways. This allows for easy access to snacks, residential assistance and laundry at all hours of the day.

Tarleton has many different residence hall buildings that have all been built at different times. Integrity Hall, one of the newer residence halls on campus, finished construction in 2015.

Integrity is a residence hall that houses first year and continuing students. Integrity layouts include four separate rooms with a full-sized bed, dresser, desk, nightstand and closet, along with two bathrooms, four sinks and a common area. The common area includes a microwave, refrigerator and couch.

They also provide an option with two bedrooms and one bathroom, but they each have the same amenities in each room.

Living in Integrity cost $3,780 per semester for the two-bedroom suite and $3,570 per semester for a four-bedroom suite starting next semester.

Integrity also comes with laundry rooms, a lobby with pool table and gaming systems, outdoor areas, in-hall mailboxes and community kitchens with stainless steel items.

Buck Powell, a Tarleton freshman who currently lives in Integrity Hall, shares his thoughts on living in this residence hall.

“A typical day in this dorm is pretty chill and overall manageable,” Powell said. “Everything is reliable. Even though it can feel a little small at times, it feels like home. I can also study easily as well as hangout with friends.”

Hunewell only has stairs to get to the next floor, while Integrity has both stairs and an elevator.

Although they were built at different times, both residence halls have some things in common. They both have community kitchens, microwaves, refrigerators, private bathrooms for students and safe places for students to sleep, hang out and feel at home.

Even though some residence halls may be older than others, that doesn’t mean they can’t be right for a student.

Regents Hall is expected to be completed in February 2027 and is part of the university’s broader campus master plan to support continued growth and expand on-campus housing options.

All in all, Tarleton is evolving each day. With every residence hall building built, it calls for new students and more advanced amenities. Tarleton offers many different living situations for every student on campus to ensure a sense of safety and comfort inside a student’s home.

Multimedia Journalist

When students returned from winter break this January, Tarleton’s Recreation Center was noticeably different.

Since the start of 2026, Tarleton’s Recreation Center has seen substantial changes to its facility and programs, including new equipment, restructured workout spaces, pickleball courts and an expanded range of fitness classes offered at more times.

In the past two years especially, there’s been a lot of talk and concern about how overcrowded the Rec was becoming and what could be done to alleviate that pressure as the student body continues to grow.

Director of Campus Recreation Mario Rios said that growth is exactly what is driving these changes.

“Campus recreation must grow with the university,” Rios said. “As more students come, we must adapt to meet their wellness needs.”

Associate Director of Fitness and Wellness Sara Segoviano has been working behind the scenes to address the equipment quality, quantity and layout since arriving in May 2024, and her plan has finally come to fruition.

At first glance, the changes seem to be for aesthetics, but Segoviano says she put a lot intentionally and thought into it.

“My main objective was to get new equipment and make sure the layout is friendly for everybody, not just one type of body,” Segoviano said.

Before the redesign, the space was cramped and outdated. Equipment placement did not always account for accessibility or comfort, particularly for female students. Segoviano said many machines were positioned without considering how exposed or uncomfortable certain movements could feel.

“You don’t want to be showing your bits and pieces to everybody, you want to be comfortable during your workout,” Segoviano said.

To address this, equipment such as hip thrust, back extension and abductor machines were strategically relocated to more private areas facing walls or windows, allowing students to focus on their workouts without feeling watched. Additional upgrades included increasing the number of Smith machines from one to three, adding four new two-sided lifting platforms and expanding rack space for strength training.

The redesign also improved accessibility.

“The old layout wasn’t up to ADA standards. I made it very accessible, and now everybody’s included,” Segoviano said.

Walkways were widened to meet ADA standards of at least 32 inches of space, creating enough room for people using walkers or mobility aids. This makes it easier for all students, including those using mobility aids, to navigate the space.

“I train someone twice a week who uses a walker, and now they can move in and out without any problem,” Segoviano said.

Beyond physical changes, the Rec has also seen rapid growth in its group fitness programming. When Segoviano arrived in 2024, only about seven classes were offered. That number has since grown to more than 70 per week.

“We’re offering gold standard group fitness instruction that’s free to students. You’d normally pay $25–$35 per session at a studio,” Segoviano said.

Popular classes include Pilates, yoga, cardio dance and kickboxing. Participation has risen sharply, with Pilates seeing a 100% increase, cardio dance up 40% and rehabilitative classes, such as foam rolling and glute/ab workouts, growing by roughly 60%.

The overall expansion has also shifted student engagement patterns. Segoviano noted an increase in male participation in fitness classes, while more female students are utilizing the weight room.

“We’re starting to normalize male instructors and in turn getting more male participants,” Segoviano said. “We’re normalizing that everybody can use every space.”

For many, the weight floor can feel overwhelming, especially for those new to college or coming from structured athletic backgrounds. Group fitness classes have helped bridge that gap by offering guidance, routine and a sense of community. Segoviano emphasized that need, saying, “A lot of kids here need to feel supported, they haven’t had consistency.”

This support can make all the difference. During my own difficult first year, fitness classes were a reliable outlet that provided me with a safe and structured environment that felt far more approachable than the weight room.

That sense of support is a key component in how campus recreation is viewed. Rios emphasized that the new goal is no longer just physical activity, but overall wellness.

“Recreation isn’t just about intramurals or working out anymore, it’s about holistic wellness, offering spaces to relax, practice or participate in organized activities,” he said.

“We want to create a space where students can relax, recharge and then go back to their academic pursuits.”

Looking ahead, the Rec center plans to continue expanding its offerings. Potential additions include strength and conditioning-style classes modeled after athletic training programs, increased yoga availability taught by Les Mills certified instructors and new wellness initiatives such as aromatherapy and recovery-focused experiences.

The push for more recovery and strength-based programming is a direct response to trends seen on campus.

“The wellness center has been seeing a lot of students coming in with back and leg injuries lately, so we want to be more proactive,” Segoviano said. “That’s part of why we’ve expanded recovery fitness programs and plan to bring in strength training classes to help prevent injuries instead of just treating them after they happen."

Future plans also include upgrading the second-floor cardio area by replacing underused equipment with more dynamic options like ski ergs, battle rope stations and upper-body based cardio machines.

“I want to give students options,” Segoviano said.

Sports Editor

It’s been more than a week since reports started to arise that the NFL and NFL Referees Association had reached a gridlock on negotiations for a new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), and that the league is well on its way toward its first referee lockout since 2012.

This means regular NFL officials would not show up to work while replacement referees assume their duties — likely for preseason and regular season games — until the two sides reach an agreement on a new CBA.

If there’s one thing all sports fans can agree on, it’s that we never want to hear about officiating. It’s just one of those things that brings an impotent nausea to our being.

It’s bad enough when a blown call overshadows the outcome of a game, and all people can focus on is a lapse in judgment from an arbiter instead of the brilliant athletic feats from the game’s real heroes. But imagine talking about officiating in the offseason — when there are no games. There has to be a bigger issue(s) at stake, and that’s where we are today.

So how did we get here? And which side is right to be dug in?

Where we stand today

The NFL and the referees’ union have been negotiating a new CBA since 2024, and with the current agreement set to expire on May 31, they expected much more progress to this point. To get a sense of just how far apart the two sides are, one league source told ESPN it would take an “act of God” for the parties to reach an agreement before a lockout.

That’s why the NFL is now laying the groundwork for replacement officials—and much earlier than they did the last time these negotiations went awry. In 2012, the league didn’t start training replacements until two months prior to the regular season. It was an abject disaster. This time, the NFL will begin hiring and onboarding new refs as early as May 1 if talks don’t improve, many of whom would come from the low-college ranks.

But ironically, hiring replacement officials will make a deal with the NFLRA even harder to come to, “just from simple economics,” according to a source close to the matter. That’s why the NFL is setting a May 1 deadline for a resolution before they go through with stand-ins, even though the CBA doesn’t technically expire until the end of the month.

What are the key issues?

Salary: (Yeah, what else is new?) NFLRA executive director Scott Green said NFL referees are “substantially under-compensated” compared to game officials in the MLB and NBA. The union is reportedly demanding a 10% raise over the course of the new labor deal, while the NFL has offered 6.45% over six years. According to NFL executive vice president Jeff Miller, a 10% raise would be almost double the rate that has been given to the players over the current CBA period.

The NFLRA is also lobbying to increase officials’ compensation for marketing fees from $775,000 to $2.5 million, a figure Miller says is never given to rank-and-file union members.

Additionally, the NFLRA wants the same health care benefits for certain officials as those at the league headquarters receive. However, NFL referees are technically part-time employees, which forces many legal workarounds into discussion.

Job structure/performance standards: The NFL reportedly wants access to underperforming officials during the “dead period” — where officials don’t work from after the Super Bowl until May 15 — to deploy them to spring leagues for extra reps and other avenues for training. Along that same logic, the league also wants to increase the probationary period for new officials — where they can be fired without cause — from three years to five.

The NFLRA strongly opposes these changes. However, that’s not to say they don’t care about improving their performance.

According to Green, the union is proposing a performance program that would pay officials to attend at least two preseason team training camps, where they would work with their crews, players and coaches. The program also requires officials to attend three clinics during the season to discuss rules, foul recognition and crew consistency. The NFL cut funding for these clinics last year, says Green.

Despite however many officials end up working in season and out of season, the NFL does not want to reach the point of having to pay referees year-round. The league wants to get the best out of their officials without having to exhaust too many resources, a philosophy the two sides inevitably have to find middle ground on.

The NFL is also calling for meritocracy over seniority in assigning playoff games. This means the highest-performing officials — based on their yearly grade — would be more likely to get assigned the playoff games, instead of the current system where experience is more heavily weighted. (To fans, we couldn’t ask for much more.) But the union fears this system could cycle out referees too often and threaten long-term stability in an already prestigious profession.

It’s getting personal…

Sure, it’s normal for hard negotiations like this one to hit an impasse. The NFL just didn’t expect it to last this long. And now, mounting frustrations are spilling into the public.

League sources say owners are “alarmed” that the NFLRA has resisted the performance and accountability measures: “You have to perform every day. Players do it, coaches do it, lawyers do it, owners do it, and we continue trying to test ourselves and improve,” a source told ESPN.

On the other hand, the union challenged the NFL’s notion of performance pay and exposed the league for paying referees less for the conference championships and Super Bowl this year than they were paid for regular-season games: “That certainly isn't rewarding performance, as the NFL claims is their goal,” Green told ESPN.

The NFLRA also accused the NFL of spreading “false and misleading information” about the state of talks “instead of wanting to meet at the negotiating table,” in a message sent to Pro Football Talk.

Both sides have accused each other of refusing to negotiate in good faith. On March 25, reports came out that two days of planned negotiations were called off after less than half a day.

In fact, the situation has gotten so sensitive that the NFL sent a memo to teams on March 27 prohibiting public comment on the CBA negotiations, which some could argue is the league trying to control the narrative. But one day earlier, Green wrote a guest column for Sports Illustrated presenting the union’s arguments while attempting to clear up what he called “several inaccurate and false claims” that have swirled about officials.

Yeesh.

If you’re thinking, “Why not keep these things in-house?” you’re right. What’s supposed to be a fairly confidential situation has gone completely off the rails, and each side is attempting to save face, but also fight for attention, and — oh yeah — they’re not making any progress on what really matters.

Frankly, the fact that we’ve gotten to this point is ridiculous, which leads us to the million-dollar question…

Which side is right?

I’m siding with the NFL on this (as you may have assumed from the headline). I realize I can only speak as a fan, so I’m going to do so responsibly.

To me, the referees are overestimating their value to the game. Are they underpaid? Probably. But to keep asking for a 10% raise — double the rate that players have realized over the last six years, while the NFL is offering a respective bump of 6.45% — is too much. To be clear, the union has been demanding a 10% raise for two years. It’s OK to request that mark up front, but to sit on it as long as they have and expect the NFL to cave is a bit delirious, in my opinion.

Also, about the health care benefits, referees certainly deserve some level of protection — as they expose themselves to big, violent football players — but to demand benefits on the same level as Roger Goodell (Commissioner), Troy Vincent (EVP of Football Operations) and other members of executive leadership, even if they serve in a full-time position, is — again — delirious. Referees are important, but not that important.

Along those same lines, I don’t think NFL referees should be classified as full-time employees as their job requirements currently constitute. Green tried to sell them as such in his SI column, but he didn’t make the critical assertion that their jobs are on par with baseball and basketball officials — the levels at which they want to be compensated.

Here’s how I see it: even if the union argues that NFL officials do just as much work as their equals in baseball and basketball, and the NFL has plenty of money to reward them, ultimately the value is in the games, not the work. MLB officials work more than 100 games a year; NBA officials work more than 70 games a year. No NFL official works more than 18 games a year. Even if NFL officials spend an ungodly amount of time studying and meeting with their crews, and it somehow makes up for the limited game time, consider, too, the amount of travel and logistical gymnastics officials have to go through in baseball and basketball. It’s not even close. As much as the NFLRA doesn’t want to hear it, NFL refs have it easy.

Look, I know that the job of a referee is incredibly difficult; I can’t even catch every mistake when I first read my stories, let alone apply an NFL rulebook in real time. But I think—actually, I know—that a lot of NFL fans, coaches and players will agree when I say this:

Officiating has not been up to par in recent years.

Roger Goodell finally admitted it, too, saying in a press conference on March 31 that “[the league’s] No. 1 objective is to improve officiating.” Yes, he also said before the Super Bowl that he’s “so amazed” at how good NFL officials are. Some see this as insincerity and trying to manufacture leverage; I see it as, yes, they are so good at what they do, but society is pushing them to be even better.

With the continued rise of gambling, social media and advancements in instant replay technology, there is a bigger spotlight on game officials than ever before. They’ve always made mistakes, but when they do now, it’s undeniable. The NFL has also put a great emphasis on player safety and cracking down on “ticky tacky” procedures in recent years, like illegal formation, pass interference and illegal contact. Many players and pundits alike see the new thresholds officials have set for these penalties as hard or even impossible to adjust to. It’s seemingly turned the game into two-hand touch in some cases.

So now, more than ever, the NFL is seeing too many outcomes of games be overshadowed, or even defined, by “bad officiating.” And the worst part is people can’t come to their senses about it. You see it on social media, with people claiming, “the NFL is rigged,” or “officials favor the Chiefs,” and other ridiculous conspiracies. Whether any of that is fair or not, it’s bad for the game.

The one thing everyone can agree on at this point is that NFL officials need to be better. That’s why I love the idea of enforcing a results-based system for playoff assignments. (The NBA already does it.) To me, this is the NFL showing they care about their fans, while driving officials to be more accountable. Increasing the probationary period from three years to five helps accountability as well. It’s tough love. It’s what the league needs.

Again, officiating a football game is more difficult than most people can imagine. But whether it’s fair or not, NFL officials do not have favorable optics right now, and the NFL seems to be on the side with the fans. I think I know how this is going to end…

Now what?

Well, with both sides content to play hardball and no indications on which will blink first, it probably means the NFL will have to operate with replacement referees for the first time in 14 years.

If you don’t remember 2012, or any time there has been a lockout of any kind in a sports league, just know: this is bad for football. Officials are part of the product just like the players, and when one of those parties is degraded, the product suffers.

But the NFL is preparing to support potential replacement refs, while also exercising any leverage cards they haven’t already played with the referees union.

At the annual league meeting in Phoenix March 31, owners authorized staffers in the league’s command center in New York City to correct mistakes — calls and no-calls — made by replacement officials during a game — much like Replay Assist works to instantly correct “clear and obvious” errors related to ball spots, roughing the passer, intentional grounding, etc. That’s the NFL saying, we can go on without our regular officials — and here’s how.

The NFL should have a great amount of leverage here. I think their proposals for the new CBA are good for the game of football, and they will ultimately win this battle. With a lot of the NFLRA’s demands, they just need to settle on more reasonable figures and get the ball rolling. It’s been too long already.

Let’s just hope we don’t have another “Fail Mary” in the meantime.

Contributing Writer

Artemis II was successfully launched toward cislunar space on April 1, 2026. This marks the first time humans have been sent on a lunar mission since 1972, on the Apollo 17 mission. 

The Artemis international space program will consist of five deep-space missions, all of which—except for the first mission, Artemis I—are manned. 

Artemis I’s purpose was to test the Orion Spacecraft and Space Launch System (SLS) before flying astronauts. After a successful test of the craft, Artemis I landed in the Pacific Ocean on Dec. 11, 2022. This paved the path to Artemis II.

Artemis II took flight from launch pad 39B at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 6:35 p.m. EDT. 

President Donald J. Trump addressed the nation on Wednesday evening regarding the ongoing war in Iran, but he made sure to shine light on this historic launch.

“Let me begin by congratulating the team at NASA and our brave astronauts on the successful launch of Artemis II,” Trump said. “They are on the way, and God bless them, these are brave people.”

Even though astronauts did step foot on the moon during the last NASA lunar mission, that will not be the case for Artemis II. 

Artemis II is the second mission in a series of five lunar missions constructed to propel humans from the moon to Mars. It will not consist of human contact with the lunar surface, but it will be the first manned Artemis mission, with Mission Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover, Mission Specialist Christina Koch and Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen occupying the craft.

The flight path consists of an altitude of anywhere from 3,000 to 9,000 miles above the lunar surface. If successful, this will be the farthest any human has gone into deep space.

The crew's mission is to test life support systems, crew operations and safety systems in deep space to pave the way for the future Artemis missions that will touch down on the moon. 

In preparation, the Artemis II crew spent all day on April 1, 2026, preparing for the launch, with activities like playing cards, inspecting their gear for a final time and staying in a quarantine zone for their health. 

When the time came, Charlie Blackwell-Thompson, the Artemis launch director, gave the final go-ahead through a muffled headset for the launch.

“Reid, Victor, Christina and Jeremy, on this historic mission, you take with you the heart of this Artemis team, the daring spirit of the American people, our partners across the globe and the hopes and dreams of a new generation,” Thompson said.

They will be in deep space for 10 days completing the mission. 

Artemis II is set to make its parachute-assisted splashdown in the Pacific Ocean near the coast of Southern California on April 14, 2026.

Following a successful touchdown back on Earth from Artemis II, Artemis III will take place in 2027, Artemis IV in early 2028 and Artemis V in late 2028. 

Artemis V, if successful, will be the first human step on the moon since the Apollo program in 1972.

Even though the first human step back on the moon depends on the successful completion of Artemis II, NASA plans for this to mark a key step toward a long-term return to the moon and future missions to Mars.

NASA plans to have subsequent missions every year after Artemis V.

“Good luck and Godspeed, Artemis II,” Thompson said.

You can watch live updates on the Artemis II mission on NASA’s website.

And while you're waiting for Artemis II to touchdown back on Earth, you can also take the Artemis II Quiz to find out which Artemis astronaut you are. 

You can take this quiz as well as watch live updates on the Artemis II mission at NASA’s official website.

Feature Editor

On the dawn of a once quiet Sunday morning, tragedy struck near the intersection of North Ollie and West Green Streets in Stephenville.

According to a press release from the Stephenville Police Department, officers responded at approximately 3:26 a.m. to a report of a vehicle that had veered off the road, crashing into a Stephenville home as its residents were still sleeping.

Multiple people were found injured inside the house. Despite life-saving efforts from the local fire department and Erath County EMS, an adult female and a juvenile male were pronounced dead.

The driver, identified as 18-year-old Gracie Lane Yates, is being held on two counts of criminally negligent homicide following Sunday’s incident. According to police, she has no prior adult criminal history on record in Erath County 

In a split second, a road regularly passed on the way to class or work became the graveyard of a once standing home with investigators surrounding rubble wrapped in orange caution tape.

While not even legal drinking age herself, Yates has faced backlash on social media from outraged members of the community who assume that she had been intoxicated while behind the wheel.

“In these types of investigations, they can get frustrating because they’re not fast… we utlilize a lot of experts” Captain Jeremy Lanier, of the Stephenville Police Department said. “...We’re doing that on this case like we would any other, so it’s a non-fast process and we want to collect as much evidence as we can and then have it interpreted by the best experts that we can. Justice is not the fastest thing in the world, and we do try to make sure we get it right as best as we can.”

Though the arrest affidavit for Yates indicates alcohol may have been a factor. 

“Upon speaking to the defendant, officer observed blood shot/glassy eyes, extreme slurred speech, and a strong odor of alcohol emitting from her person,” the report states.

Yates is originally from Santa Anna and told police she was in Stephenville visiting a friend.

As Emergency responders remain active in the investigation, friends and family grieving the loss of 49-year-old Barbara Rocha and her seven-year-old son Alex have done their best to pick up the pieces.

The pastor of LightHouse Community Church was shocked to receive the news before the morning service that Sunday. Members of the congregation have all united in prayer for the Rocha family.

“In recent months, almost every time our doors were open, the little boy and his sister would come across the street to the church – to play, to laugh, and to enjoy some snacks. We loved seeing them,” A recent Facebook post from LightHouse Community Church said. “Their joy brought life into the room, and they quickly became dear to us.”

Barbara Rocha worked as a server at the Purple Goat, a local restaurant in Stephenville. Upon receiving the news, the business also posted a public statement on Facebook that day:

“As we mourn, we also lift up Alfredo, who is know facing the unthinkable loss of his wife, his child, and his home. No one should ever have to endure this kind of pain,” The post said. “We ask our community to come together during this devastating time. Please keep Alfredo in your thoughts and prayers, and if you are able, consider supporting him as he navigates the days ahead. Hold your loved ones a little closer tonight. Life can change in an instant.”

Dondee Soto, a Stephenville resident and friend of Alfredo Rocha, has created a GoFund me to help raise $60,000 for funeral costs for his wife and son as well as temporary housing in his time of need. It has received overwhelming support from the community, with over $50,000 of donations just a day of the crash.

“Alfredo and his family are good people who did not deserve to have this tragedy happen to them because of a drunk driver,” Soto wrote under her GoFundMe post. “His life will never be the same.”

Sports Editor

After a historic 2025 season, Tarleton State Football has reloaded for 2026 — and in a big way, tabbing the No. 1 rated transfer portal class in the FCS, according to Athlinkd and 247Sports.

It’s the most successful recruitment class in program history — as the team vowed to replace, per head coach Todd Whitten, 42 seniors and eight transfers.

Fans have had the chance to celebrate their record 63 new Texans for two months now. But a few weeks before spring training began, coach Whitten gave a more tempered outlook on whether the team hit it out of the park.

“We’ll know when we play Prairie View,” he said, referring to the first game of the 2026 season on Aug. 29.

Nonetheless, Whitten is excited by what he’s seen so far from the class.

Of the 63 newbies, 54 are transfers and nine are high school signings. Seventeen players come from the FBS ranks, headlined by Arizona quarterback Braedyn Locke, who was ranked as the number one QB transfer by FCS Football Central.

The Texans also nabbed Wyoming quarterback Kaden Anderson — the number seven QB transfer — Jackson Gilkey from Weber State and Kauna'oa Kamakawiwoole from Golden West College.

The talk of the town is sure to be the quarterback position in the spring and summer months. Whitten declared the position an open competition, saying reloading at signal caller— after the departures of Victor Gabalis and Daniel Greek — was “priority number one” in the recruitment period.

“We gotta find our best guy,” Whitten said. “We'll let the guys battle it out, have equal reps, evaluate them, scrutinize them after every practice — and see what we find.”

Some fans have been quick to assume that Locke will have the leg up in the quarterback battle, having the most distinguished upbringing.

Locke was a four-star recruit out of Rockwall High School in Texas, where he set the Class 6A state record for touchdown passes. In fact, he played one season — in 2019 — with the NFL’s latest leader in receiving yards, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, with video of the two’s connection resurfacing on social media ahead of Super Bowl 60.

Locke was the backup at Arizona last season and has appeared in 20 collegiate games across three Power 4 schools, as he heads into his final year of eligibility at Tarleton.

Whitten praised Locke for his arm talent and called him a “talented young man.” He said Locke “certainly has a chance” to remake his career at Tarleton — like other FBS retreads have done at the FCS level. But even as Locke seems cut out to do well in the quarterback battle, Whitten left the door open for a surprise.

“Certainly, Braedyn’s coming from the most prestigious place, but you just never know,” he said.

As for the other three quarterbacks, Anderson started every game at Wyoming last season, throwing for 1,971 yards (164 per game) and 12 touchdowns against 10 interceptions. Gilkey is coming off a season-ending ankle injury, but is ready to go for spring training after starting the first five games of last season for Weber State. And Kamakawiwoole, who goes by Oa for short, threw for 2,286 yards and 25 touchdowns at Golden West in 2025.

“You've got to have guys that can throw it and throw it accurately,” Whitten said. “And I think we've accomplished that with not only Braedyn, but all of our guys that we brought in. So, it'll be a good battle.”

Experience was the calling card for the Texans’ 2026 recruits and will continue to be in the coming years, as the team aims to maximize their window for a championship.

“We're going to try to stay old every year, that's our plan,” Whitten said. “We always want to be well represented with our senior class, and we'll do that again.

This year’s team will have 40 juniors and 29 seniors, according to Whitten, making up about 60% of the roster — a similar share as last year.

“We tend to hang on to our players, we don't lose them very often. And so [the] year after next, we could have another really big senior class.”

As a whole, Whitten summed up the class as “complete.” The biggest emphasis came on the defensive line, with 14 new players coming in. Arguably, the biggest signee at that spot was interior lineman Kareem Edmon from Kilgore College.

Whitten usually isn’t one to boast, but he expressed a particular pride in landing Edmon, who also fielded offers from Oregon State, Stephen F. Austin and UTSA, among other schools.

“I really don’t like to go out in public and say, ‘We beat these guys.’ We beat these guys recruiting, we did that,” Whitten said on his radio show, the Todd Whitten Show. “I did not think we would get Kareem. There were multiple FCS offers that he had, and we beat every one of those guys. I think he will be an impactful guy for us.”

Another standout signee is wide receiver BJ Fleming from North Dakota. When asked which players are poised to make an immediate impact, Fleming was the first one mentioned by Whitten.

Fleming was an all-conference player in the Missouri Valley Conference last season and led North Dakota in receiving with 837 yards and seven touchdowns on 48 receptions. Whitten anointed him the fastest player on the team, which is “really saying something,” he said, considering the good team speed overall.

“We have a lot of fast guys out there, but he really seems to just have a different gear,” Whitten said. “I think he sure has a good shot to be one of the main guys.”

Whitten also said he expects another jump from Marquis Willis, who steps into a bigger role following the departure of Cody Jackson in the portal.

The Texans also added Tanner Schmidt from Golden West — who was the offensive player of the year in his junior college conference — DeAndre Buchannon from West Georgia and three others from Florida State, SMU and Alabama State to round out a reloaded group of receivers.

“That’s another good list for us, and we’re going to be talented there again, I think,” Whitten said.

On the offensive line, the Texans added Caleb Flores from Incarnate Word, who brings over 2,000 snaps in his collegiate career to Stephenville. Whitten expects Flores to “get after it right away” after he chose Tarleton over multiple other competitive offers. Flores will have an opportunity to replace Kurt Hatch, who graduated, at right tackle.

“We’ve been good up front for… I don’t remember when we were not good,” Whitten said. “And I think there will be more of that.”

The last major question the Texans have to answer is at running back, following the surprise transfer of All-American back Tre Page III, who landed at Oklahoma State.

Tarleton signed four running backs in the portal, most notably Miequle Brock from Nicholls State. Brock made second-team all-conference last season and — amazingly — led his team in catches (41) and receiving yards (340).

The Texans have become known for rotating running backs and will take the same approach this year, led by the returns of Tylan Hines and James Paige. Whitten said Brock will fit right into the mix, along with two other transfers — Aiden Ramos and Cade Searcy — who bring some much-appreciated depth.

“We’re a team that really values being able to run the ball, and so we’ve gotta have multiple guys in there,” Whitten said. “Sometimes we may just feature one guy, but you gotta be ready. You saw last year, just about everybody got banged up in that room.”

The 2026 season will see a lot of new faces in Stephenville, and the key — as it is every year in college football — will be how well and how quickly the new pieces can jell, as the Texans look to be the favorite in the UAC once again.

“That's one of the fun things about coaching to me,” Whitten said, “is A: seeing some of the fellows that are in the program step up and find their way, and then B: getting to work with some new kids and seeing how well those guys can be a part of our team. But we have a good place to start in that we're really athletic and we can run well.”

Contributing Writer

Through the reverb of God's creation, you can hear the voice of Tarleton Texans glorifying Him through music. 

Rising Christian group, The Mended Hearts Band, is making its place at Tarleton State University. The band was started by five friends who all met through Tarleton’s Baptist Student Ministry (BSM). 

They knew immediately the Christian genre was the right choice, opposed to other genres such as country or alternative. 

“We want it to be focused on God,” Mended Hearts vocalist and guitarist Sydney Land said. “We want it to be focused on the Gospel and sharing how Jesus is the way, truth and life.”

All five members are in the BSM’s house band; they glorify Him every week at the BSM’s Thursday worship night, 402. They all contribute by running sound, playing instruments and providing vocals.

Even though they practice and lead worship every week, the idea of an actual band formed quickly one night during a group get-together. 

“Austin [Austin Mims, Mended Hearts bassist and vocalist] was showing another one of his originals,” Mended Hearts vocalist Ian Martin said. “I was like, ‘He has all these original songs, and we are not doing anything with them, so why don't we finally do something?’”

Suddenly, The Mended Hearts Band was a real thing.

Mims said the “Mended Hearts” name didn't come from just any place. He said the name is based on a scripture from the Bible, Psalm 147:3.

“He heals the broken hearted and binds up their wounds” (Psalm 147:3). The group also mentioned that the verse is the message they want to get across to listeners.

However, the goals they hope to complete in the summer of 2026 include leading worship at different events as well as recording their first single and uploading it to music platforms like Spotify and Apple Music. 

Following that, the band plans on leading a worship night at Bluff Dale High School’s football stadium in April. They mentioned it's not only for high school youth groups but also for the surrounding communities and anyone who wants to hear the word of God.

But don't get them twisted, they want to release music and become a huge deal, but that would just be an extra cherry on top of serving God.

“He’s given me these gifts, He’s given me these songs in my heart and He’s given me these words,” Martin said. “What am I doing with them if not for His glory?”

With some members growing up with one another and the rest coming together at the BSM, they all have one ultimate goal in mind. 

The band seems to want to serve the Lord with every gift they have been given, and to do it with a community behind them.

“The band is very special to me,” Mended Hearts keyboardist and bassist Shay Weise said. “It’s people that I already love and people that I was close to. And now that we’re able to collaborate in something we all love to do, and to have those memories is just a little token of what the Lord is doing in our lives.”

Mended Hearts does not seem to be here for fame, but for the glorification of God; their close dynamic seems to carry them through to that.

Be on the lookout for The Mended Hearts Band’s first single, and remember when these Texans make it big; they bleed purple.

Multimedia Journalist

Few novels feel as emotionally violent and all-consuming as “Wuthering Heights.” Published in 1847 by Emily Brontë, the novel has long stood as one of the most haunting works of Gothic literature. 

It's not a gentle love story but a portrait of obsession, pride and generational damage set against the unforgiving Yorkshire Moors.

This year’s film adaptation, produced by Emerald Fennell, starring Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi, does not betray the novel so much as reinterpret it. 

While the film preserves the skeleton of Catherine and Heathcliff’s story, its reinterpretation shows how differently a 19th-century gothic novel can exist in a 21st-century medium.

One of the most striking differences is Fennell’s decision to only adapt the first half of the novel. Brontë’s original tale bleeds into two generations, using the second half of the book to show the consequences of Heathcliff’s obsession and the eventual collapse of his plot for revenge. 

The film, however, closes its focus around Catherine and Heathcliff’s doomed love, ending before the younger generation is able to change the narrative. 

This is not necessarily a flaw; it creates a tighter, more emotionally concentrated story, but it does fundamentally shift the narrative from one about trauma cycles to another about tragic romance. 

The novel lingers in the aftermath; the film ends in intensity.

Another critical difference is the choice to change Heathcliff’s race. In the novel, Heathcliff is described as having dark skin and appearing racially ambiguous. 

At some point, Mr. Linton even refers to him as "a little Lascar, or an American or Spanish castaway.” The term “Lascar" typically referred to Indian or Southeast Asian sailors. 

His race shapes how he is treated, why he is degraded and how he becomes alienated in the unfair class structure of 19th-century England. 

By casting a white actor in the role, the film strips away an important layer of his outcast identity. 

His suffering becomes framed almost entirely as romantic heartbreak rather than racialized exclusion and marginalization. 

While adaptations inevitably reinterpret characters, altering Heathcliff’s racial identity softens the novel’s commentary on prejudice and belonging. 

In a story so deeply rooted in themes of social cruelty, that shift is not just surface-level, it changes the moral guidelines of the narrative.

The adaptation also chooses to leave Hindley Earnshaw, Cathy’s brother, out of the picture. Hindley is an important part of the novel, as he contributes greatly to the reason Heathcliff turns into the vengeful character he becomes. 

Hindley’s treatment of Heathcliff, reducing him from adopted brother to servant, is one of the first cruel acts in the novel. 

The film chooses to portray Heathcliff as an anti-hero who is filled with hatred toward the world because of romantic heartbreak, rather than a complex character who is filled with hatred because of the way he was treated as a child.

One of the most dramatic shifts, however, lies in the way intimacy was expressed between characters. 

In the novel, Catherine and Heathcliff’s love is obsessive, spiritual and destructive but not overtly physical. In fact, they share only one kiss, and it occurs on Catherine’s deathbed. 

Their relationship is defined more by emotional connection and strain than sexual expression. 

The film, by contrast, transforms their connection into a full-fledged affair with heightened physicality not seen in the novel. 

This oversexualization makes their love seem passionate and consumable, rather than suffocating and corrosive. 

Cathy and Heathcliff are not a love story; they are toxic and not good for each other. Where the novel centers on trauma, pride and revenge, the film leans into sensuality. 

The result is more cinematic, but arguably less psychologically disturbing.

Even the setting experiences reinterpretation. In Brontë’s writing, the Yorkshire Moors are not simply a backdrop; they are a character in their own right. The wild landscape mirrors the volatility of the main characters.

In the film, the moors are undeniably beautiful. The cinematography captures golden light and vast horizons that really reflect the emotion of the story. 

Visually, it is stunning. Yet the landscape functions more as an aesthetic background than an active force. 

The moors frame the romance; in the novel, they’re part of it.

That said, the film’s visual achievements cannot be understated. The costume design, lighting and composition transform the adaptation into something undeniably captivating. 

There is intent behind every shadow and softness behind every close-up. The visual storytelling was intoxicating and filled with beauty. 

While the book explores an inner world and the unreliable narrator, the film achieves a sense of longing through the use of silence and visuals. It might simplify the narrative, but it adds depth to the experience.

Ultimately, this adaptation does not replace Brontë’s vision but refracts it. The film transforms a generational gothic tragedy into a concentrated romantic drama. Where it’s missing aspects of the original story, the film makes up for it in beauty.

Nearly two centuries after its publication, “Wuthering Heights” continues to prove its adaptability. The story survives reinterpretation because its emotional core overflows with addictive obsession and tragic longing.

Multimedia Journalist

Walking on the Tarleton State University campus is a one-of-a-kind experience that differs from entering a larger institution. It feels like a homecoming.

Tarleton’s uniqueness was forged in over a century of rich history. Founded in 1899 as a private college, Tarleton joined the Texas A&M University System in 1917 during a period of financial uncertainty. 

It transitioned from the “Junior Aggies” into the Plowboys and lastly into the Texans, all while protecting the rituals that belong to the Texans alone. 

Many have a misconception of Tarleton as just a “sister school” for A&M, but Tarleton is so much more. It has been proven for more than a hundred years that Tarleton can uphold the standards of A&M and excellence, all while flying the bright purple flag. 

The Program for System Admission (PSA) serves as an alternative for students who are not originally accepted into A&M. They have the opportunity to attend any offered school in the system for the first year. 

Then they can transition to be a full-time Aggie beginning their second year with guaranteed admission. With this, it is extremely important that the GPA requirement is maintained with a completed set of curriculum. 

For the students who choose this route, it acts as a waiting room and a test to see what the college scene holds. But for many, the charm and personality of Stephenville keep them here.

For PSA students like Truett Tinkman, the atmosphere, brotherhood and community played a major role in his decision to permanently stay at Tarleton. Tinkman found that community isn't just a thrown-out buzzword, but a reality that was found through his faith and social organizations. 

“When I first got here, I joined BSM (Baptist Student Ministry). It was an instant community and everyone was there to help you and teach you,” Tinkman said. “Everyone wanted you there and everyone was so welcoming.”

Beyond his faith-based community, Tinkman found a home within his fraternity, which provided both personal growth and lifelong friendships. 

“I think being here allows you to create better relationships, because it's smaller and more tight-knit,” Tinkman said. “Relationships are more intimate and personal, and you can create stronger bonds, especially within brotherhood.” 

For Benjamin Bolding, the dream was always the big university, just as many PSA students hope for. It took a deep dive into Tarleton's unique traditions to realize that a big student body doesn't always equal a better experience and opportunities. 

For Bolding, the shift of seeing Tarleton as his backup school changed at Duck Camp, Tarleton’s freshman transition camp, to show students what bleeding purple is all about. 

“I realized I would be here for longer than expected at Duck Camp,” Bolding said. “I really enjoyed it; I got to meet so many people who I am still sharing my time with. It showed me that just because it's a small school, it doesn't mean that it's not all that bad.” 

His initial spark grew into realizing the charm and intimacy Tarleton upholds is uniquely different from A&M, giving him opportunities for longer and stronger connections. 

“I wasn't really sure if I'd like a small school,” Bolding said. “I always dreamt of going to a bigger school like A&M, but since I've come here, I realize that smaller communities are a lot better. You get to meet a lot of people and actually know them for a long time.” 

There is a common saying in the A&M System that the “spirit can ne’er be told.” But at Tarleton, that spirit is felt in every tradition and every close bond. Students have shown time after time that the choice to drop the PSA track and stay in Stephenville isn't about settling, it's about finding your identity within the school. It is a visible testament to the fact that while Tarleton shares rich history with the Aggies, it offers a future that is uniquely its own. 

Feature Editor

Karrah Blackman grew up with a love for art and animals. When she wasn’t spending time with her mom or their three dalmatians — Rainy, Baby and Maisie — and four cats — Mr. Honey, Lily, Big Mama and Raven — she was usually sketching, crocheting or begging for a cat of her own to dote on.

“When I was little, I always, always, always wanted a cat. I begged my mom. She told me if I would go find a cat, I could keep it. Guess what I did?” Blackman said. “I went and found a cat. She didn’t let me keep it.”

But everything changed during her senior year of high school, when a coworker from Pappadeaux was trying to find a safe home for a tuxedo kitten, Betty. She asked Blackman to take her in because she knew that she would be the perfect fit.

As it turns out, Betty and Blackman are both just as sweet and sassy as her homemade brownies with pink sprinkles.

“She just lets me pick her up,” Emmaleigh Shipman, Blackman’s friend and loyal client, said.

Betty’s claws, although she doesn’t seem to use them, partially inspired the name of Blackman’s growing custom press-on and nail-tech business, “Claws by Tina.” Her parents lovingly gave her the nickname Tina, which is short for her middle name, Christina.

Two years ago, Blackman rediscovered her love for gel-x nail art while taking animal science courses at Tarleton State University. Initially creating her designs on press-ons, she eventually graduated to practicing on human hands.

“At the beginning, I was quiet about it, and I just did my friend’s nails for free, and now I’m open. I’m more outgoing now. I was outgoing before, but college really broke me out of my shell,” Blackman said.

As a self-taught nail-tech with plenty of practice, she is confident in how far her skills have come since then.

“I became bold, and I was going around like, ‘I should do your nails. You should let me do your nails,’” Blackman said.

Posting content on her Instagram page, @claws_by_tina, quickly opened the door to more clients.

“I didn’t have a busy schedule with doing nails until a couple months ago, honestly. I wasn’t popular,” Blackman said. “But then I started doing model sets, which is discounted.”

Her schedule can get hectic at times as an animal science major, line cook at Buffalo Wild Wings and fully-booked nail tech, but she wouldn’t change it for the world.

“I like to be challenged,” Blackman said.

One client who challenges her at every appointment is Shipman, who enjoys intricate nail art and appreciates Blackman’s attention to detail.

“She’s not break-the-bank kind of expensive, and she does really good work, better work than I’ve seen at a lot of salons where I paid double what she charges,” Shipman said.

Having been to several salon appointments before, Shipman prefers the cozy environment of Blackman’s apartment.

“With Karrah, she makes the experience more personable,” Shipman said. “She talks to you. At salons, people just sit there, and then nail techs will talk to each other sometimes, but they don’t really talk to you much.”

Of course, it wouldn’t be an appointment with Blackman without her adding her own artistic flair.

“With any nails I do, I have to put gemstones on them, because if there’s no sparkle, that’s not my set,” Blackman said.

One of Blackman’s future clients is already her biggest fan.

“My grandma loves it. She said I’d have to do her nails when I come back [home]; like it’s a must,” Blackman said. “I haven’t done her nails yet. I’m excited to do them.”

Blackman is always looking to help someone be confident in their claws, whether it’s a person or a furry friend. When she’s not in class studying animal anatomy, she’s designing the perfect nail sets for her clients. 

After graduating from Tarleton State University with her bachelor’s in animal science, Blackman wants to rehabilitate pets or wildlife.

“I think that’s why a lot of people choose animal science as a job, because they get the satisfaction of healing an animal, or helping an animal when they can’t help themselves,” Blackman said.

Blackman not only has a passion for art and animals, but also a heart for people. She would never let anyone leave her chair without a smile on their face.

“She’s someone I love to hang out with outside of getting my nails done, too,” Shipman said. “When I’m having a rough day, I love to talk to her. When I’m having a good day, I like to talk to her. She makes my day better.”

Most who know her would agree that the personalities of Blackman and her beloved cat, Betty, provide exactly the kind of sparkle a college campus needs.

Managing Editor

Growing up in a small, southern community at a big church as the preacher’s kid comes with a lot of pressure. Rumors and expectations could cause an individual to conform or rebel; however, Kyndall Hurt never let a title define who she would be or what she would believe. 

Kyndall’s father, Ryan Hurt, is the pastor at Lingleville Baptist Church (LBC) in Lingleville, Texas. LBC has been experiencing tremendous growth over the last few years, much of it due to attendance from Tarleton State University students. 

Kyndall, a junior at Tarleton, is easily recognized on and off campus as “Ryan’s daughter.” 

With eyes on her from every angle in her community, Kyndall explains the pressure she often feels. 

“Being a preacher’s kid has put me in a glass house,” Kyndall said. “I don’t have anything to hide, but that does come with all of my problems. Everyone knows everything that I struggle with.”

Bailee Kelcy is a sophomore at Tarleton and has been a close friend to Kyndall for more than ten years. She has been by Kyndall’s side as she has faced much social pressure.

“She has to keep in mind what others might think of her decisions,” Kelcy said. “She has done a good job of not letting that control her. I think it would be very easy for her to allow this pressure to control her and the choices she makes, but she stays true to herself and lives her life freely and stands for what she believes.”

Pursuing Christ is obviously a lifestyle and choice of Kyndall’s father; however, she explains that the Christian lifestyle was never forced upon her and is something she chooses on her own.

“It isn’t because my dad is a preacher,” Kyndall said. “My faith has been something that I have created. It’s never been my parents’ faith, basically. I chose this because I feel like that’s what the Lord has called me to.”

Many say that love is a choice rather than an emotion. Kyndall describes the Christian lifestyle as one of choosing to love day in and day out, regardless of one’s circumstances.

“Christianity—it is based around love, the way we love each other and love everyone else,” Kyndall said. “You love as Christ loved us.”

Kyndall strives for her community to recognize her for her love for Christ and others, rather than the position her father holds at LBC.

“I want people to see me differently,” Kyndall said. “I don’t want them to just see me as Kyndall, the preacher’s kid. I want it to be Kyndall, the preacher’s kid, who loves the Lord so much, and she not only loves the Lord, but she loves people and everyone around her.”

Kyndall and Kelcy are not only friends but also co-workers at the Lingleville Country Store in Lingleville, and Kelcy has witnessed her friend live out the lifestyle she describes striving for.

“There have been so many times I have seen customers come into our place of work and share small bits of their life with Kyndall,” Kelcy said. “And as I watch them walk out the door, I see Kyndall become broken for that person for whatever reason. This empathy that Kyndall shows for others reminds me of Galatians 6:2.”

Galatians is a book in the New Testament of the Bible written by the Apostle Paul. 

“Share each other’s burdens, and in this way, obey the law of Christ.” (Galatians 6:2)

Kelcy explains that her friend takes the instruction found in this scripture seriously.

“This verse says that we should carry each other's burdens and show Christ’s love through that,” Kelcy said. “I see Kyndall do this every day. Kyndall loves people, and she continues daily to put a smile on others’ faces while also sharing her faith with them.”

Staying committed to a Christian lifestyle might seem simple from an outside perspective, however, it comes with many challenges. Kyndall urges her community to be aware of the challenges they might face, but to persevere. 

“I don’t think it was intended to be easy,” Kyndall said. “When you are living out your faith, I think that it’s hard. Don’t sign up for something that is easy. We go through spiritual warfare. We have the enemy who wants to steal, kill and destroy us, so it’s not easy.”

Kyndall shares encouraging advice to those who are also striving to live a life devoted to Christ. 

“Stay grounded in your faith,” Kyndall said. “The people you surround yourself with are really, really, really important. If you are hanging out with a whole bunch of drunks, you are going to become a drunk. But, if you are hanging out with people who love the Lord, you are also going to love the Lord.”

To those who are unfamiliar with Christianity or find it odd, Kyndall urges them not to be closed off to it.

“Definitely try it out,” Kyndall said. “Our culture has made Christianity so weird, and we are ‘the weird Jesus people.’ And there are some weird Jesus people, and that is fine. But I think that the Lord loves everyone genuinely. That's not just something that we put on a coffee cup. He loves us so, so much that He sent His son to die for us.” 

Kyndall says she is thankful that she has grown up as the preacher’s kid and overflows with joy as she describes the love she has experienced in her life from her church community and Christ.

“I just think that the Lord loves everyone, and He loves everyone so much,” Kyndall said. “I am so blessed to have this opportunity and be able to be a voice and to be a preacher’s kid. I have been very blessed by our church. I will never be able to say I had a bad rap on the church, because the church has been so good to me, my family and everyone.”

Managing Editor

On Feb. 28, the United States and Israel launched an attack on Iran due, what the administration said, was growing nuclear threats in the region. “Operation Epic Fury” targeted military infrastructure in Tehran, Iran’s capital, killing Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

News headlines and overwhelming graphics have taken over media platforms ever since. Many find themselves confused as to what prompted “Operation Epic Fury” and the United States’ involvement in it.

Tarleton State University senior Cole Gerrek has served in the Army National Guard for nine years and is currently still active. 

After being deployed in the Middle East more than once, he is able to paint an accurate picture of what is currently taking place and its relevance. 

“You have to understand that Iran, for half a century, has been at our throats, has been basically the little brother poking at us, saying, ‘I am going to kill your people, and there is nothing you can do about it,’” Gerrek said.

While the United States and Israel initiated the attack on Feb. 28, Gerrek explained that this attack was not random nor without reasoning.

“Iran has been backed up by Russia and China most of the time,” Gerrek said. “It’s a whole game of chess. It’s strategic. We don’t do anything out of spite. We are not the aggressor. It’s like somebody that you know coming to you and threatening your family. After a long period of time, you are like, ‘Come on. Well, let’s see what you got.’ So basically, that is what has been happening. We’ve had enough.”

According to the Council on Foreign Relations, the United States considers Iran to be the foremost state sponsor of terrorism. The first Trump Administration withdrew the United States from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) in 2018, which was an agreement that lifted sanctions previously imposed on Iran.

This decision was made because the JCPOA did not address concerning issues such as its missile programs. The hopes of retracting from the agreement were to coax Iran to negotiate new terms; Iran’s response was one of retaliation. 

Issues and tensions have continued. According to BBC News, “The Iranian leadership has consistently called for Israel's elimination and denounced the U.S. as its greatest enemy.”

Gerrek explained why Iran obtaining access to nuclear weapons, as well as why tensions between Israel and Iran, concern the United States.

“These guys have an ideology of death to America,” Gerrek said. “The best way I know to explain it is, you give the schoolyard bully a big nuke, he thinks he can use it against anybody he wants and there are no repercussions. So it’s a scary situation. The other thing, too, is who is to say they don’t use it on Israel? That’s another scary thought. That country is under the UN [United Nations] Treaty. Unfortunately, we would have to respond to that situation.”

Gerrek summarized the entirety of “Operation Epic Fury” by referring to Pete Hegseth, United States Secretary of Defense. 

Hegseth reinforced the idea of “peace through strength,” a philosophy originally used by Roman Emperor Hadrian, and later borrowed by former United States President Ronald Reagan. 

After the initial attack on Iran, Gerrek reached out to close friends he had previously made on deployment who are currently stationed in Kuwait, which neighbors Iran.

“I’ve been keeping up with them,” Gerrek said. “It’s been some sleepless nights, because when it’s daytime here, it’s nighttime there. I was staying up during the middle of the night, making sure everything was cool. I remember my first time getting that air raid siren. It was a realization of, ‘Oh crap. This is actually happening.’”

Gerrek understands the realities of being deployed in the Middle East. After enlisting in 2017, he found himself on deployment in Iraq and Syria by 2019 as a part of “Operation Inherent Resolve” (OIR).

“It was everything you expect to see in the movies,” Gerrek said. “The whole showering twice a week, washing your clothes on an old iron rack, using the restroom in a plastic bag and throwing it over the fence. We were in the middle of a village. We were right off the Euphrates, so this was no base. That is where we spent our next ten months or so.”

In addition to the harsh realities already being faced, Gerrek had a new challenge thrown his way: being left behind.

“Due to COVID, we were left behind,” Gerrek said. “We had a whole brigade leave us, make it back home and we were there for an extra month because of COVID restrictions, so that was trifling in itself.”

Gerrek shared the horrifying thoughts that he and many others had to battle every day on deployment. 

“You had to wake up with the mentality of, ‘Hey, today is it. Today, do what you can; if it happens, it happens. There were people hating, praying to kill,” he said.

While many students fresh out of high school prepare for college life on campus, Gerrek found himself preparing for college in Iraq.

“I was just sitting there bored one day and saw my buddy’s Instagram,” Gerrek said. “He was posted up at Tarleton. I was like, ‘You know what? I’m going to apply for college.’ Within two and a half weeks of me submitting the application, I got accepted. Tarleton offers a great veteran’s service, so that process was easy.”

While defending his country, Gerrek also began his freshman year. 

“It was a hassle sometimes,” Gerrek said. “The communication and internet over there was just so poor. The fall semester, they literally opened up my classes. All the classes said, ‘Hey, get it done by the end of the semester.’ And I was like, ‘You know what? I am going to do this in two weeks, because I don’t have time for this.’ So I did a semester’s worth of work in two weeks on deployment, while maintaining my job with the aircraft. It was a little hectic.”

Though his college career began far from Stephenville, he eventually made his way to Tarleton’s campus.

“I came home in 2023,” Gerrek said. “This town was all new to me. I was like, ‘You know what? I can’t sit in my house and stare at my walls.’ So I decided to look around on campus and try to find things. 

After some trial and error, Gerrek found where he fit at Tarleton.

“I found this club,” Gerrek said, “the Tarleton Shotgun Club. I ended up going through and joining the Tarleton Shotgun Club. I really took a liking to it, it was the really welcoming people. It’s a really competitive sport, but I’ve learned a lot. We actually have our nationals this week; we’re competing against 1,800 kids.”

While he is a member of the Tarleton Shotgun Club and a student, he is also still active in the Texas Army National Guard and is currently assigned to 2nd Battalion, 149th Aviation Regiment, a General Support Aviation Battalion (GSAB) based in Dallas, Texas.

Gerrek encourages students to support those who are currently serving and ask questions.

“Kids that go [to Tarleton], their brothers, sisters or parents probably serve overseas,” Gerrek said. “Just reach out and talk to them. Be that support system. We have a great veteran service on campus, so if you ever feel the need to question what’s going on, just stop by. It’s by the financial aid office.”

Gerrek advises his community to follow reputable sources while staying informed of the United States’ involvement in “Operation Epic Fury.”

“There’s a lot of fake accounts out there,” Gerrek said. “Most of your official updates are going to come through CENTCOM. There is a lot of propaganda. Be aware of what you are watching.”

Multimedia Journalist

College is often portrayed as a time of freedom, experimentation and no-strings-attached relationships. But behind the jokes and movie stereotypes, hookup culture is more complicated, messier and at its core, more foolish than it seems.

We’ve all heard the stories that make us cringe for the people involved: one-sided feelings, sexually transmitted surprises, regret, emptiness and the lingering sense of being taken advantage of. The list goes on endlessly. It’s called the “walk of shame” for a reason.

Interestingly, out of all the hook-up experiences I’ve heard about, never once have I thought, “Wow, that sounds like a healthy situation that went really well.”

That would be an exceedingly rare experience. 

In fact, I’d put my money on the idea that the nature of hook-up culture relies on the opposite. Keep reading, and I’ll explain what I mean.

This is not going to be a religious piece. Nor will it be anecdotal (not directly anyway). Instead, it’ll consider the vast list of things that could (and eventually will) go wrong by indulging in this lifestyle. 

The word ‘indulging’ is purposefully picked. Sex can feel like a treat. It releases intense pleasure-inducing hormones, but that moment of anatomical bliss does not tell the full story.

Let’s start by listing some things we know. Scientifically speaking, sex is primarily for procreation, to make a baby. So then, simply put, having sex equals the possibility of making a baby, even if that was not the goal of the activity. 

Some would argue that contraceptives remove that concern. Well, the data shows most people aren’t using protective measures the way they should. 

A study in the Journal of Health Communication asked participants to rate condom use on a scale from 1 (never) to 5 (always), and the average response was 3.56, indicating that condoms are sometimes used but not consistently among young adults. Basically, it’s a 50-50 usage. 

But even with proper protective measures, there’s not a single product on the market with a 100% success rate. It’d be quite unfortunate then, for the woman who falls into the 1-27% of contraception failure. 

These statistics are also based on perfect and consistent use of contraceptives, which the previous data on usage already established isn't happening. And most of the time, it’s pretty unfortunate for the baby too. 

Next thing we know: the possibility of a medical price. This hazard of ‘casual sex’ is especially ruinous. 

At the start of the sexual revolution in the 1970s, physicians had to worry about only two or three sexually transmitted diseases, and now it’s more like two or three dozen. 

Eight specific pathogens are linked to the highest incidence of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), with four being curable (syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, trichomoniasis) and four being viral (hepatitis B, herpes simplex virus, HIV, HPV). 

There is no cure that eliminates the virus from the body; there is only treatment and management. 

You may be thinking, “Those are very rare cases, and most people are careful about that sort of thing.”

The data suggests otherwise. While the Tarleton State University Student Health Services does not release STD diagnoses, testing rates or incidence among the student body, a look at Erath County public health data reveals that gonorrhea rates have risen in recent years, revealing a broad upward trend in STI cases within the surrounding community.

And its apparent popularity at Tarleton has even earned a nickname, “The Texan Tickle.” This is a fun trivia question.

The idea that most people are cautious relies on another assumption: that individuals are fully informed about their partner’s sexual history, including the sexual histories of each of their partner’s previous partners. 

That’s right, when it comes to sexually transmitted diseases, it goes that far back. If that doesn’t give you an icky feeling, you ought to reevaluate some things. 

Some people can swerve these past two concerns, but no one leaves emotionally unscathed. In many cases, these encounters alter self-perception, and someone leaves the arrangement feeling used, which often turns into feelings of worthlessness or feeling ‘cheap’. 

Because hookup dynamics depend on emotional detachment, they can signal a level of emotional unavailability. And emotional distance has a paradoxical pull. 

It can attract deeply compassionate or empathetic individuals who feel drawn to invest more than the situation was ever designed to hold, believing they can cultivate connection, where little exists. I’ve seen this happen time and time again.

Hookups also carry social consequences, especially within close-knit college communities. Tarleton may be growing, but it’s still a pretty small social ecosystem. Private encounters can quickly become public knowledge through gossip or social media. 

This damages reputations, strains friendships and creates awkwardness within friend groups, especially if multiple people are involved over time. 

And unfortunately, gender double standards still exist, meaning women are likely to face harsher judgment for the same behaviors that earn males’ social approval. These social pressures intensify the emotional impact of a hookup gone wrong.

Then there’s the concern of consent. A lot of hookups are facilitated by alcohol or drug usage, which greatly impairs judgment and blurs communication. 

Misunderstanding comes easily in these situations. Many might scoff at this, but the consequence of missing this crucial detail can be criminal charges for sexual assault, rape, lengthy prison sentences, substantial fines or even mandatory, often lifetime, sex offender registration.

And perhaps this one is personal (though likely not uncommon), but the thought of one day telling a future spouse how many others shared those same intimate experiences is not something to look forward to. 

When something is shared so widely, the very definition of intimacy begins to lose its meaning.

The issue isn’t just sentimental; it’s also philosophical. There’s a common myth that says, to make wise choices about sex, you must experience it, just like anything else. And it’s true that some things in life are like this. 

But other things aren’t like that at all. No one would claim you have to try drugs to become wise about them. 

There are a ton of behaviors where experience doesn’t produce wisdom and even reinforces poor judgment. Think about gambling, substance use, pornography consumption and social media validation. Casual sex encounters absolutely fall into this category. 

These behaviors don’t clarify judgment through repetition; they train it. Because they’re reward-driven, the urge to seek the dopamine spike grows stronger while reflective evaluation becomes secondary, making reinforcement feel like growth.

Regardless of what your beliefs are, the rational individual has to look at all of these dangers and wonder if maybe there are certain premises in which sex should be had – if the superficial pleasure of a careless night is worth the dangers. 

The question of empowerment deserves scrutiny. Hookup culture’s real impact is the visible mutation of healthy views of intimacy, relationships and self-worth.

If you find yourself struggling to step out of this cycle or working through trauma connected to it, know that this struggle deserves attention, not shame. Healing begins with honest reflection and the courage to ask for help. 

If you’re ready to take a step toward support, you can call 254-968-9044 to schedule with Student Counseling Services on the Tarleton Stephenville campus or visit the office in person on the first floor of the University Health Center (Traditions North). 

In addition, all Tarleton students have access to the TELUS Health Student Support app, which offers free 24/7 counseling by phone or chat, along with short-term telehealth sessions. Help is accessible, confidential and already covered by student fees. Sometimes the hardest part is simply reaching out.

Contributing Writer

It's spring break time, and there's only one perfect destination on a Texas college student's mind: Port Aransas. Like you, I also spend the month of February and the first two weeks of March dreaming of the time I am going to have with my friends down in Port A. 

I can see it now, as I get in my truck to drive down to the beach, my mom yells out, “Have fun and BE SAFE.” She's right; spring break can be fun and safe. Here’s 10 quick safety tips to follow for your trip.

1. Go in pairs

This one is simple yet effective. Going and leaving places with another person is important because it lowers the chances of vulnerability, and, in case an emergency were to arise, there will already be people there.

2. Write down emergency numbers

Maybe you forgot to charge your phone, or it got lost in the sand. Write down phone numbers of trusted friends and family members and keep them in a purse, wallet or car.

Just in case you don’t lose your phone but it runs low on battery, bring a portable charger. These can help so that you're never stuck without a way to call for help.

3. Share your location

Share your location with someone you trust. It can be your parents, friends or even your friends' parents. This allows someone to see that you've arrived safely at your destination and can help them find you fast if something were to go wrong.

“Anything can happen, and we are lucky to live in a time where we have the opportunity to make sure our loved ones are safe via our phones,” Regan Noel, a graduate of Howard Payne University and frequent spring breaker in Port A, said.

4. Stay alert

Being aware of your surroundings is a great way to prevent accidents before they happen. Always pay attention to where you are, who is around you and what is going on. Staying alert can help you to avoid bad situations and look out for others as well.

5. Don’t drink and drive

If you plan on drinking, make sure you have a designated driver (DD). Make sure your friends also have one and rotate the responsibility of being the DD. Drinking and driving can not only affect your future, but it can impact the future of others. 

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), “Every day, about 34 people in the United States die in drunk-driving crashes — that's one person every 42 minutes.” Make smart choices and drink responsibly.

6. Know your limits

When it comes to alcohol, know what your body can handle. You should know how many drinks you can have before you can't function or remember what happened. You can’t stay safe if you're not in control of your body.

7. Stay hydrated  

Staying hydrated during your time in Port A is important. Sun and alcohol can be a dangerous combination that leads to dehydration and heat exhaustion. Drink plenty of water throughout the day and bring things like Liquid I.V. packs, Gatorade and Electrolit to replenish your body’s electrolytes.

“I know for me, just being out on the beach with the sun already drains me, and adding alcohol to the mix makes it worse,” Noel said. “No one wants to feel bad on spring break, so drinking plenty of water can help you feel good and have fun.”

8. Follow flag warnings

Every beach posts colored flags to indicate water conditions and hazards. Be sure to educate yourself on what each color means and check them daily. The flags are put out for a reason and not following them can have dangerous consequences. 

9. Don’t go in the water intoxicated

Just like how the sun doesn't mix with alcohol, neither does the water. Being intoxicated affects your sense of reality and can increase the risk of accidents and drowning.

10. Check for rip currents

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), “Ripcurrents are powerful currents of water that often pull people under, where many drown.” Before getting in the water, make sure to look for rip current warnings. 

If you're unsure about conditions, you can go to weather.gov/beach and find Port A’s rip current conditions on the map. Rip currents can pull even strong swimmers away, so don't risk it.

Spring break in Port Aransas should be fun and memorable, but also safe. 

“Spring break is a time where a lot of people let loose, so you have to be continuously careful,” Noel said. “You don't have to let your guard down to have fun.”

The best spring break is one you will actually remember. Making smart choices doesn't take away from the fun. Staying in pairs, remaining alert and being hydrated are all small choices that make a big difference. The goal here is simple: make it home safe with fun stories to tell.

Contributing Writer

Imagine a 16-foot animal coming down from the sky and eating from your palm. This happens every day at Fossil Rim Wildlife Center, where visitors can roll down their car windows and feed Africa's tallest animal by hand. 

Located in Glen Rose, Fossil Rim Wildlife Center covers nearly 1,800 acres of land in the Texas Hill Country. The center offers a drive-through wildlife adventure, accompanied by a variety of activities that combine conservation efforts with unforgettable experiences.

In 1973, Tom Mantzel, a successful oilman with a passion for exotic animals, purchased an exotic game ranch named Waterfall Ranch in Glen Rose, Texas, and renamed it to Fossil Rim Wildlife Ranch.

Mantzel used the ranch as a weekend retreat, but it soon became an obsession. His concerns about conservation led to a captive breeding program. In 1982, he introduced Grevy’s zebras in an attempt to establish a local population to increase the numbers of this endangered species.

This led to Fossil Rim becoming the first ranch to participate in the species survival plan (SSP). Developed in 1981, the SSP is a conservation program whose goal is to manage and protect endangered species.

Mantzel's success with the zebras inspired him to work with other endangered exotic animals. In 1984, after the collapse of the oil industry in Texas, he chose to open his ranch to the public. Fossil Rim Ranch experienced financial issues when Jim Jackson and Krystyna Jurzykowski decided to purchase it in 1987 and create what is known today as Fossil Rim Wildlife Center.

Unlike a typical zoo that uses closed exhibits, Fossil Rim has a variety of animals that roam freely in large open habitats designed specifically to mirror their natural environment.

According to Ashley Bevans, the director of marketing and development, the layout of the wildlife center is intentional and ties into the organization's mission of creating a better future for wildlife through their passion, place and partnerships.

The layout also allows visitors to drive through the wildlife center on winding roads to see exotic animals such as zebras, giraffes, cheetahs and more. Additionally, each vehicle is given a 16-ounce bag of food to feed the animals waiting alongside the vehicles.

​While most wildlife centers keep their giraffes contained, Fossil Rim allows them to roam freely. These are the only animals in the center that are allowed to eat directly from a visitor's hands. 

These opportunities that allow guests to get up close and personal with wildlife tend to incorporate the public with conservation education.

​“Fossil Rim Wildlife Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and stands apart through its unique combination of immersive safari experiences, active endangered species conservation and scientific breeding programs,” Bevans said.

Their funding structure allows the center to support endangered species recovery efforts both locally and globally. Fossil Rim’s website states every transaction at the park goes right back to conservation and animal programs. 

They contributed 18 scimitar-horned oryx to the reintroduction of the species in its native country, Chad, located in central Africa. The reintroduction of the scimitar-horned oryx in Chad is important because they help restore broken ecosystems, control vegetation populations and re-establish biodiversity in the area.

Additionally, they are one of the top three cheetah breeding centers in North America. As of 2021, there have been 223 cubs born at Fossil Rim. 

The cheetah breeding success is important due to the declining populations in North and West Africa. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species, there are only 6,517 mature cheetahs in the wild.

Their various conservation efforts have positioned the center as one of several private conservation facilities that contribute to the recovery of wildlife populations.

Although their primary focus is on educating visitors on the importance of conservation, the center also includes scenic overlooks, hiking trails, adventure discoveries and a cafe. These additional adventures provide different learning opportunities for all ages.

“2026 is shaping up to be a landmark year for Fossil Rim,” Bevans said. “This October, we're launching Safari Camp, which is an exclusive glamping experience that lets guests spend the night in safari-style accommodations right in the heart of our main pasture.”

The experience is designed to give guests a once-in-a-lifetime way to experience wildlife up close.

“We're also wrapping up construction on our new state-of-the-art animal hospital, which will serve double duty as a veterinary education and research facility,” Bevans said. “This means school groups and vet students will get first-hand experience with wildlife care, helping us train the next generation of conservation professionals."

​Fossil Rim Wildlife Center functions with the idea that getting up close and personal with these animals creates a driving need for change. Although the drive-through experience gives visitors a rare chance to look at exotic wildlife, the organization's primary achievement is its contribution to the SSP.

As the center looks toward the future, it will continue to use up close encounters to bring attention to challenges facing some of the world's most endangered animals.

Contributing Writer

The Erath County Humane Society (ECHS) in Stephenville, Texas, is a non-profit organization that helps many stray cats and dogs get healthy and find homes. On average, they house up to 100 cats and dogs combined but are currently housing approximately 80. 

With every donation, they can help their animals become healthy, cleaned, medicated and loved. The donations also contribute to the construction of a new building, where all animals could be housed inside.

In the building the ECHS currently runs, inside boarding space is limited, and 60 to 70 percent of dogs live outside full-time.

General Operations Manager Caroline Dean, who began her Humane Society journey in 2016, explained the society’s role in the community.

“Our main goal is to house animals, get them ready for adoption and put them up for adoption to find them great homes,” Dean said. 

When they receive animals, they scan them for microchips, give them the required shots, try to get in contact with their owners, test them for any health issues and make sure they aren’t harmed in any way. If they cannot get in contact with the owners, they will take a photo of the animal and post it on their Facebook page.

The ECHS is different from other animal rescue organizations because it is a nonprofit. Not only do they take in animals from animal control, but they also provide transportation for animals that need to be spayed or neutered to a low-cost clinic in Weatherford, Texas. 

The ECHS has changed over the years. Since starting in the 60s, they have relocated once and are working on relocating to a new building soon. They started with only one building and one set of kennels in the yards. 

They gradually built many other kennels in the yards and eventually built their second building, which they are currently housed in. In the past year, they have finished a new building where they are now housing their adoptable cats. 

A typical day at the ECHS includes feeding, cleaning, giving medications and sanitizing in the mornings. After leaving for lunch, employees return to make sure everything is ready for the rest of the operating hours. 

They typically have several volunteers come to walk dogs and foster animals while classes at Tarleton State University are in session, in addition to many visitors who miss their dogs from back home.

The ECHS does have some adoption protocols. Dog adoption fees are $90, but if the animals have been at their facility for over 60 days, the fee drops to $60. Cat adoption fees are $45. They also get a copy of the adopter’s driver’s license or ID and go over the adoption agreement with them before they sign a contract.

Their adoption contract makes sure that potential adopters won’t be neglectful, providing the animal with the food, shelter and care that is needed. In cases when this is no longer a possibility, they must ensure that they bring them back to the Humane Society to keep them safe. 

The ECHS does not euthanize animals for space. They say they want to make sure that animals have a safe place to sleep with fresh water and food to eat. They also say they want animals to get the medical attention and exercise that they need. 

Humane Society members say they appreciate any help they can get from volunteers with cleaning kennels, walking dogs, fostering or feeding animals and washing dishes to give pets the best experience they can. 

To become a volunteer, visit their facility and fill out a form.