The City of San Marcos held a public meeting Wednesday to discuss the implementation of a plan aiming to protect federally listed species in the Comal and San Marcos rivers.

The Edwards Aquifer Habitat Conservation Plan covers the entire Edward’s Aquifer Watershed. The plan was prepared during a four and a half year period by a diverse body of approximately 40 stakeholder groups including municipalities, agriculture users and river authorities. According to the plan, habitat restoration and flow protection are the two focuses of the initiative.

The habitat restoration will protect endangered plant and animal species and control or remove non-native species in the Comal and San Marcos Springs. Underwater litter removal and stabilization of the banks of the San Marcos River to prevent erosion are parts of the restoration.
Reducing agricultural and municipal water usage will help to protect the rivers’ flow level.

Improving the city’s education system can lead to academic success for students and economic growth for the community, according to members of a subcommittee.

The Core Four represent the entities in Hays County that concern public education. The City of San Marcos, Texas State, the San Marcos Consolidated Independent School District and Hays Consolidated Independent School District are all members of the education subcommittee. The Core Four hope to increase graduation rates and decrease the number of students dropping out of high school.

Mayor Daniel Guerrero and City Manager Jim Nuse established the Core Four as part of the “Dream San Marcos” project, which developed a long-term vision for the area.

Bobcat Trail is expected to be repurposed into a pedestrian mall similar to the one in front of the Undergraduate Academic Center.

Restricted parking spaces and a road in the middle of campus will be converted to green space during the Bobcat Trail Mall Redevelopment project.

The Aspen Heights Apartment Complex will soon be known as The Village on Telluride.

After three years in San Marcos, the Aspen Heights apartment complex has changed its name to The Village on Telluride due to a recent change in ownership and management.    

Stuart Watkins, the complex’s director of public relations, said a “major investor” bought the apartment in 2012. Aspen Heights kept the management rights to the property, located on Mill Street, until the buyer decided to mainstream its portfolio. Aspen Heights then abandoned the property management agreement, and the complex’s name was changed to The Village on Telluride, effective Feb. 1.

A former restaurant space has been transformed into storefronts for several businesses new to San Marcos.

City Planning Technician Tory Carpenter said a Montana Mike’s Steakhouse used to be at the location on the corner of Interstate 35 and Hopkins Street. Ideas for developing the steakhouse into spaces for new businesses were submitted to the City of San Marcos in December 2011. The retail area is now home to Five Guys Burgers and Fries and Best Buy Mobile.

Five Guys opened Monday, Feb. 4, and Best Buy Mobile will have a ribbon cutting on Feb. 22, said Brian Bondy, president of the San Marcos Chamber of Commerce. Bondy said a check-cashing store will be located in the building, but its opening date has not yet been determined.

Chris Williams, Five Guys area supervisor, said the restaurant has attracted a large amount of customers since its opening.

Members of Texas State’s newest fraternity, Phi Kappa Tau, are eager to see their organization grow this semester.

As of the fall 2012 semester, Phi Kappa Tau is the newest social fraternity at Texas State. According to the fraternity’s website, 1988 was the last time it had a chapter in Texas. The organization was brought back in September 2012, and the Phi Kappa Tau nationals are supporting recolonization efforts.

President Jeremy Wortham said he wants to make Phi Kappa Tau a top-tier fraternity at Texas State and to change the image of greek life while doing so.

According to their website, Phi Kappa Tau members prefer the word “fraternity” as opposed to “frat.” The latter, in their view, is a “social drinking club that is more likely to damage your individual merit than create any real value in your life.”

Chin-Hong Chua, director for Chartwells at Texas State, has taken over operations on campus.

The new leader of Chartwells at Texas State has been named and is bringing years of similar job experience at other universities to the table.

Chin-Hong Chua has been promoted to resident district manager of Chartwells. He said his main concern this year will be service and addressing the specific needs of different customers in the dining areas on campus. Chua said he will use the Chartwells survey students take to get some insight into how to provide customers with what they want in the campus dining halls and restaurants.

“We want to enhance the customer service experience for all of our guests,” Chua said. “We want to bring our food service to the next level.”

A Texas State student organization is building self-sufficient growing beds to help local high schools.

Entrepreneurial Action Us, or Enactus, builds and sells aquaponic systems to high schools as a part of its “Project Growth” undertaking. The outreach project assembles the aquaponics systems, which sustainably grow produce and raise fish. The group, formerly known as Students in Free Enterprise, sells the aquaponic systems to high school horticultural programs for $250 to use as learning tools.

Greg Souquette, member of Texas State Enactus’ executive committee, said one reason the project is so important is the amount of water the aquaponics systems conserve compared to traditional methods.

“You use so much less water with these because you use the same water over and over again,” Souquette said.

Melissa Millecam, spokeswoman for the City of San Marcos, discusses the town’s recent ban on alcohol in its parks and what changes residents can expect it to bring.

WS: What positive changes do you hope to see come from the recent ban on the display of alcohol in San Marcos city parks?

MM: The new rules are intended to increase the safety and family-friendly character of San Marcos city parks by reducing the number of alcohol-related incidents and accidents.

WS: What were the main concerns that prompted the city to act on this issue?