Lindsay Powell

A lot of potential Bobcats have been roaming the halls today. They are here for the annual Bobcat for a Day. Texas State students served as mentors to high school juniors interested in attending the university. The students were given a full tour of the campus, they attended classes with their mentors, and ate in a campus dining hall. 

Adelina Valdez

As graduation approaches, so does the need for graduates to find jobs. Adelina Valdez tells us how students can polish their skills.

Students attend college to train for the professional world, but before landing the dream job comes the interview. There's something about interviews that just seem to make people anxious.
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Standup: For many, the interview process can be very stressful, but here at Texas State the Career Services department offers many ways to help students prepare for entering the job market.
Those who want to polish their interview technique can schedule a mock interview with a career counselor. During the process, students can expect to answer the same challenging questions as the real-life scenario.
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Upon completion, the career counselor will provide feedback on areas of improvement.
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Students can also practice interview skills from the comfort of their own homes by using the "interview stream" option on the Career Services web page. For Bobcat Update, I'm Adelina Valdez.

Alixandra Papa

The first bank robbery in San Marcos since 2011 occurred Monday morning at Pioneer Bank. Police are searching for the suspect. Pioneer Bank is located in the center of the Wonder World Medical Plaza. The man was armed with a handgun and demanded money from the teller. No one was hurt and the suspect got away with an undisclosed amount of money. The suspect was described as a 6-foot-tall white male and wearing a black hoodie and jeans. If you have any information about the robbery, please call the San Marcos Police Department.

Alexa Perez

The Associated Student Government of Texas State is holding elections once again. However, this year, choosing a president may be a little easier than in the past. Alexa Perez explains in this Bobcat Update.

Perhaps you've noticed that A-S-G campaign signs are back up around campus. However, if you've only seen signs for one pair of running mates, it's because they're the only ones running.
Vanessa Cortez and Edward Perez are applying for Student Body President and Vice President unopposed. They held a rally this past Monday.
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Some students wonder whether competition is still an option.
Stand-Up: Although it is too late to run for A-S-G President and Vice President, Cortez still insists the student body come out to vote,
As there will be other important matters included on the ballet, such as the decision on whether there should be a 17-dollar bus fee increase starting next semester.
The Associated Student Government is established to serve as the voice of the students at Texas State.
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Students are encouraged to voice their opinions at A-S-G meetings on Mondays at 7 p.m. in the L-B-J teaching theater. For Bobcat Update, I'm Alexa Perez. 

Lane Lewis

The Texas State baseball team traveled to Austin to take on the Texas Longhorns last night. The Bobcats were trying to stop a 15-game losing streak to the Horns but fell in a close one 5-to-3. After giving up three runs in the first, the Bobcats fought back to tie the game after a 2 R-B-I double from Morgan Mickan and some smart base running by Cody Lovejoy. It wouldn't be enough in the end, though, as Texas State gave up runs in the 6th and 7th innings and couldn't mount a comeback. The Bobcats' next game will be tomorrow night against Seattle, here in San Marcos. 

Yvonne Zamora

It's that time of year again. The 2012 federal tax return deadline is quickly approaching, and if you haven't filed yet, don't panic. It's not too late. There are plenty of resources available to help you file your returns. Tax preparation help is being offered for free at McCoy Hall and the San Marcos Public Library. And there are plenty of businesses in town that can help you for a fee. If you don't need any help; you can prepare your own taxes. Forms are available at the Public Library, and you can file online. For more information visit the I-R-S website.

Marco Enriquez

A Texas State organization is doing its part to provide Easter festivities for the San Marcos community.  Marco Enriquez has more in this Bobcat Update.

Flyers are handed out at all the elementary schools in San Marcos and nearby communities inviting children and their families to participate in the free event.  It's an event that has been growing for the past decade and is getting a bigger turnout every year.
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Many organizations are invited to help volunteer for the event to help strengthen the bond between the community and the university.  It's something many volunteers say is a feeling that can't be described, only felt.
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The Easter Eggstravaganza has become an event that many San Marcos families to look forward to every year, and preparations for next year's event are already underway.  For Bobcat Update, I'm Marco Enriquez.

Kristina Coble

Riding a bike in San Marcos can be dangerous. Kristina Coble explains, in this Bobcat Update.

Bicycles are just one option for getting around campus, but cyclists are at a disadvantage. The streets and sidewalks are already filled.
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The lack of bike lanes force cyclists to ride on the shoulder of the street or ride on sidewalks weaving in and out of pedestrians. Safety is key when navigating around campus on a bike.  
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Cyclists would like to see more done to promote safety.
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[  ] For Bobcat Update, I'm Kristina Coble.

John Beck

Officials are still talking about it, but so far NO firm date has been set for starting construction of a new overpass in San Marcos. John Beck tells us about the latest developments, in this Bobcat Update.

The Texas Department of Transportation and the City of San Marcos co-hosted an open forum last Thursday at the San Marcos Activity Center to talk about the proposed Loop 82 overpass. The project would raise Aquarena Springs Drive from Thorpe Lane to Charles Austin Drive.
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The overpass project will contain a bridge that will pass over the railroad tracks next to Bobcat Stadium. When the bridge is completed, drivers will be able to look into Bobcat Stadium as they pass by.
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Standup: Although a projected groundbreaking date isn't set just yet, the project is slated to begin around next year. The estimated cost of the project is 36 (m) million dollars. For Bobcat Update I'm John Beck. 

Karen Buenrostro

Music lovers gathered at Embassy Suites Saturday night to celebrate their passion for mariachi music. Karen Buenrostro has more on the story.

Past, present and future generations are here celebrating the 14th annual Feria del Mariachi --and the 10th anniversary of  the Latin Music Studies at Texas State.
Young mariachi Juliana Villapando says she feels a stronger connection to her heritage by coming to the Feria.
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Mariachis of all expertise levels compete and attend workshops during the two-day event that ends with a concert.
America's Got Talent Semi Finalist Sebastian De La Cruz received the Rising Star Award. De La Cruz says he looks forward to seeing how his performances bring out the emotions in people.
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Many people showed their appreciation for this event and what it represents for Texas State. 
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The continuing interest in mariachi music is visible in both younger and older generations in the Central Texas area. For Bobcat Update, I'm Karen Buenrostro.

Scott Panther

Registration for fall and summer classes is going on at Texas State. It started on Monday and will end on April 22nd.  Students are encouraged to make an appointment with their advisor if they have questions about their schedule, but some advising centers are booked up until about mid April. Students also need to check their registration times using Catsweb and be sure there are no holds preventing them from registering. Late registration times for the summer semester are May 28th through 30th and times periodically throughout the month of August for the fall semester.   

Tiffany Cinco

Tuesdays are a good time to find fresh fruits and vegetables in San Marcos. Local vendors set up in the 200 block of South Edward Gary. They offer a wide variety of homemade goods, ranging from coffee and vegetables to candles and pottery. The Farmers Market is open between 3 and 6 on Tuesday afternoons as well as Saturdays from 9 to 1. The market gives area farmers a way to sell their products directly to consumers. If you'd like to be a vendor, you can submit your request online at the farmers' market website.

Hady K Mawajdeh

Texas State University and Austin Community College have formed a new partnership. In this Bobcat Update, Hady Mawajdeh tells us how their common goals will help students make a seamless transition.

Adjusting to University life after spending time at a community college can be hard. The larger class sizes, tougher course load and a more expansive campus can take some time for new students to get used to, but Texas State's new partnership with Austin Community College looks to lessen the pressure for transfer students.
SB: Stephanie Perez Student – Had to leave school after transferring, because of a tough adjustment.
Future students at Texas State will likely benefit from a program designed to ease the transition.
SB: Texas State vp for enrollment management – Micheal R. Heintze, Introduces and talks about the pathway program
Stand Up: Facilities like this – the theatre in Tower Dormitory can be helpful in the transition, because new students will be able to make friends (this is sort of what I said… I cannot remember my exact words).
The partnership with A-C-C Kyle begins in the fall of 2014. Professor Debra Feakes says she's excited about its potential benefits.
SB: professor Debra Feakes – tracks transfer's academic success, and she is a supporter of the pathway program.
For Bobcat Update, I'm Hady Mawajdeh.

Chelsea Kelley

The Texas legislature is considering a bill that would allow liquor stores to be open on Sundays. Chelsea Kelley has more in this Bobcat Update.

Blue laws in Texas have made it illegal for consumers to buy liquor on Sundays ever since prohibition, but House Bill 421 may change all of that.
If enacted, the bill would allow liquor stores to be remain for more hours during the week and be open from noon to ten P-M on Sundays.
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Not everyone is happy with the bill though
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Texas is one of only 14 states that prohibit liquor sales on Sunday. For Bobcat Update, I'm Chelsea Kelley.

Greg Burnam

Federal budget cuts will likely lead to layoffs at 149 airports across the country, including the one in San Marcos. Greg Burnam has more in this Bobcat Update.

Standup: The San Marcos Airport may go silent after April 7th That's because air traffic controllers might be forced to cut their days short or even take mandatory time off. That time off would likely only average one day per pay period through the end of the September but that could mean at times airports like San Marcos won't have any air traffic controllers on duty. But what effect is that going to have on traffic in and out of the airport?
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The F-A-A has procedures in place for uncontrolled airports and airports that don't have towers. Some of those procedures at the San Marcos airport date back to when it was an army airfield, but the possibility of planes landing without someone watching over them can still be a scary thing.
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The San Marcos Airport stays relatively busy -- with more than a dozen businesses and three runways, but it hardly compares to Austin or San Antonio.
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For Bobcat Update I'm Greg Burnam

Alexa Perez

Texas State students are getting together to help beautify the San Marcos community this weekend. Bobcat Build is a one-day community service project where students say “thank you” to the residents of San Marcos by painting houses, planting flowers and trees, and picking up trash. This year over four thousand student volunteers have been matched to 215 job sites. The Texas State tradition is now the second largest of its kind in Texas. Bobcat Build will begin this Saturday, March 23rd in the Strahan Coliseum parking lot at 8:30 A-M.

Russell Bisbey

The Texas Department of Transportation will host an open house at the San Marcos Activity Center tonight from 6:00 to 8:00 to seek public input on a proposed Aquarena Springs overpass. The overpass, still in the design phase, will extend over the Union Pacific railroad tracks  Access roads will allow traffic to enter and exit at Post Road and the football stadium. The city hopes the overpass will help alleviate traffic problems on Aquarena. It'll cost an estimated 39 (m) million dollars and will take two years to complete once construction gets underway.

Dawn Brooks

If you find yourself getting tired of the same old thing when it comes to dining options on campus, you don't have to go far to find some unique food choices. Take a quick walk down to the corner of Hutchison and North Guadalupe and you'll find several food trucks offering a wide variety of tasty dishes. You can find everything from Hawaiian-style burgers to barbecue to baked goods. Plenty of seats are available, and you can even a few board games.

Jennifer Schmerber

The city is considering a project that would stabilize the banks of the San Marcos River and add some native plant life. The city will have a public meeting at 5:30 this afternoon at the Dunbar Center to talk about possible changes to the Habitat Conservation Plan. The plan was implemented in 2011 to help preserve and protect  water resources in the region, including plant and animal life. Part of the plan has already been implemented with the removal of invasive species such as elephant ear plants and non-native fish.  

Yvonne Zamora

Hosted by the University Police department and taught by certified instructors, Krav Maga self-defense classes are being offered for free to Texas State students and faculty. The classes offer a self-defense system combining elements from jiu jitsu, boxing and Karate. The tactics are easy to remember and can help sharpen one's survival instincts. The next class will be tomorrow afternoon at 5 o'clock. If you're interested in learning Krav Maga, you can register online at the University Police Department's website.