Several departments have purchased EZ Tags after Texas State accumulated more than $10,000 in delinquent fees to the Texas Department of Transportation.

After years of wandering invoices and unpaid tolls, university officials finally paid the balance that was negotiated to more than $2,500 in fees. The $2,500 Texas State paid was negotiated down from $10,000 because the delinquencies were the result of TxDOT having the wrong address for the university.

About a month and a half ago Grady Hillman, director of Community Arts at Texas State, suffered a heart attack while walking his dog, Joanie around the block of his home. After days of blood thinners, three stints in his heart and aspirating through his lungs, doctors discovered a blood clot in the left lobe of his brain — a stroke.

The entire right side of Hillman’s body was immobile. Although the doctors have been optimistic, they have been unclear about whether Grady will recover 100 percent.

Central Texas has been plagued by drought for much of the past year, but conservation guidelines in San Marcos will not be further restricted through the remainder of the summer.

Tom Taggart, executive director of San Marcos Public Services, said residents will not face Stage 3 drought restrictions unless Canyon Lake dam ruptures and the reservoir fails.

The San Marcos City Council passed an ordinance earlier this month delaying Stage 3 water restrictions until Oct. 1, even if the Edwards Aquifer Authority (EAA) declares Stage 3 in the upcoming weeks.

Michelle Hamilton, director of Center for P-16, said one reliable way to get younger kids reading is to give them a book.

“It starts at an early age — it starts with young children,” Hamilton said. “Kids don’t just get behind in high school, they get behind sometimes before they even start school.”

Texas State’s Material Science, Engineering and Commercialization program will receive an addition by the end of the summer.
A new research commercialization facility will break ground next month as a way to physically expand the program and equip students and the community with tools for research.
Last month, the Texas State University System Board of Regents approved the 40-acre design development of the new building, which will begin construction in July.

Texas State is doing its part to contribute as recycling opportunities continue to grow throughout San Marcos.

The Recycling Center, Bobcat Blend and Res Life are three programs dedicated to promoting green habits across campus.

“One of the biggest factors to get anyone to recycle is convenience,” said Richard Medina, assistant director of Housing and Residential Life. 

The Faculty Senate elected new representatives at its last meeting.

It started as an exercise to show what each council member liked and disliked about San Marcos, but ended with a set of outlined goals for the community over the next two years.

Carter Maddox did not think his sleeveless shirt event on Facebook would cause more than 700 people from across the state to take interest in protest against concealed carry.

“It started as a joke,” said Maddox, literature graduate student. “I wore a sleeveless shirt to work at the Writing Center one day. Another one of the tutors, Will, was joking how he wished he could wear sleeveless shirts to work.”