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Since 1919

The Prairie News

Since 1919

The Prairie News

Since 1919

The Prairie News

All content by Krystina Martinez
The Prairie editor bids adieu to WTAMU

The Prairie editor bids adieu to WTAMU

Krystina Martinez December 3, 2012

It was a long and frustrating journey, but completely worth it. I came into WTAMU as a transfer student in 2010. I graduated high school in 2007, spent a semester at the University of Texas at Arlington,...

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Screen Shot of the Game Crowd video.

Homecoming 2012: Game Crowd

Krystina Martinez October 16, 2012

Our Editor got some video of the crowd at the 2012 Homecoming Game! You can watch it below. To check out the rest of our videos, visit our YouTube channel.

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Screen shot of the Pre-Game Crowd video.

Homecoming 2012: Pre-Game Crowd

Krystina Martinez October 16, 2012

Our editor got some video of the crowd at the First United Bank Center, getting ready for the Homecoming 2012 game. You can watch it below. To check out the rest of our videos, visit our YouTube channel.

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Screen Shot of the Marching Band Video.

Homecoming 2012: Marching Band

Krystina Martinez October 16, 2012

Our editor got some video of Marching Band practicing for the Homecoming 2012 game. You can watch it below. To check out the rest of our videos, visit our YouTube channel.

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Screen Shot of the Cheering Video.

Homecoming 2012: Cheering

Krystina Martinez October 16, 2012

Our Editor got some video of Lady E.X. Clusive and the Cheerleaders cheering at the 2012 Homecoming Game! You can watch it below. To check out the rest of our videos, visit our YouTube channel.

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2012 Republican National Convention Logo. Courtesy of the RNC web site.

Election 2012: What You May Have Missed So Far

Krystina Martinez September 4, 2012

Mitt Romney formally accepted his nomination for the Republican ticket last week at the Republican National Convention in Tampa, Fla. He emerged as the Republican winner in the long primary season,...

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WTAMU Student Senate amendment fails to pass

Krystina Martinez May 1, 2012

An amendment to the WTAMU Student Government constitution failed to pass in the Student Senate meeting on April 23. The amendment would allow part-time students to run for Student Senate. Current requirements...

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“There will always be something to argue about.” Former president speaks on the importance of cooperation

Krystina Martinez April 24, 2012

Former President Bill Clinton spoke at the First United Bank Center on April 24. The former president attracted people young and old, who listened to his remarks on the Flight 93 Memorial, his time as...

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Study finds multi-generation households increase

Krystina Martinez April 23, 2012

In a recent study conducted by the Pew Research Center, 63 percent of 18- to 34-year-olds know someone who has moved back home because of economic conditions. The study, entitled “The Boomerang Generation:...

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Valerie Swope, Dulce Chavez, and Kiana Garcia plant flowers. Photo by Krystina Martinez.

WTAMU hosts Arbor Day Celebration

Krystina Martinez April 17, 2012

Web Editor's Note: To see more Arbor Day photos, click here! The WTAMU Campus Beautification Committee and Roots and Boots teamed up for the Arbor Day Celebration on April 14. Students planted trees...

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“Victory” team members receive medals for their second place finish at the ATO softball tournament. Photo by Lisa Hellier.

ATO Fundraiser Game: This Week in Photos

Krystina Martinez April 17, 2012

Alpha Tau Omega had a softball game to raise money for Ronald McDonald House. You can read more about it here or check out our pics of the fundraiser.

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Linda Washington explains to volunteers how to plant grass and flowers. Photo by Krystina Martinez.

Arbor Day: This Week in Photos

Krystina Martinez April 17, 2012

Check out the pics of this week's Arbor Day events! To read more about the Arbor Day celebration at WT, click here.

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Student services and extracurriculars take a cut

Krystina Martinez April 10, 2012

Web Editor's Note: The list of approved allocations is posted outside the Student Affairs office in the JBK. The final recommendations for Student Service fee allocations for the 2012-2013 school year...

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Social, traditional media explodes over Trayvon Martin

Krystina Martinez April 10, 2012

The Feb. 26 shooting of 17-year-old Florida teen Trayvon Martin has captured national attention. He was shot and killed by George Zimmerman, a self-appointed neighborhood watchman. The controversy comes...

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Budget Meeting Dates. Graphic by Krystina Martinez.

WT town hall budget meeting looks at the 2013-2014 year

Krystina Martinez April 3, 2012

A town hall budget meeting was held on March 27 to discuss updates for the 2013-2014 school year. “State appropriations have declined [14 percent] over the last couple of years,” WTAMU President...

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Student Government, SIFE calls to “Fill the Field”

Krystina Martinez March 27, 2012

WTAMU Student Government and Students In Free Enterprise (SIFE) will be co-sponsoring a humanitarian project called “Fill the Field,” which will take place on April 4 at the Buffalo Sports Park from...

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Graphic courtesy of courtesy of Wt’s Parking Services.

WT’s traffic appeal process to change

Krystina Martinez March 6, 2012

WTAMU announced a change to the traffic appeals process on Feb. 20. The new process will allow students to appeal parking tickets prior to payment. “There was some current concern about paying...

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WT’s Student Fee Committee holds second budget meeting

Krystina Martinez February 28, 2012

The WTAMU Student Fee Advisory Committee met on Feb. 24 to continue the discussion on student fee allocations for the next school year. The meeting’s agenda covered allocations towards academic organizations...

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A "money puzzle". Photo courtesy of iStockphoto.

WTAMU Student Fee Advisory discusses budget

Krystina Martinez February 21, 2012

Members of the WTAMU Student Fee Advisory Committee met on Feb. 17 to discuss the allocation of student fees for the 2012-2013 school year. “We’re going to try not to raise [fees] because they’ve...

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WTAMU’s Code of Student Life will undergo revisions

Krystina Martinez February 15, 2012

The Code of Student Life Committee, which consists of WTAMU students, faculty and staff, will be accepting proposals for changes to the Code of Student Life. “The Code of Student Life is the rules and...

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Twitter. Photo courtesy of iStockphoto.

Twitter announces new withholding capability

Krystina Martinez February 7, 2012

On Jan. 26, Twitter announced on its blog the capability to “reactively withhold content from users in a specific country while keeping it available in the rest of the world.” The announcement...

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This Week in Photos: Miscellaneous

This Week in Photos: Miscellaneous

Krystina Martinez February 7, 2012

Check out the miscellaneous photos for this week! To read the articles related to these stories, click here: Cornette Library at WTAMU offers Kindles for checkout Twitter announces new withholding...

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WTAMU’s Student Senate works to fill vacancies

Krystina Martinez January 31, 2012

As of Jan. 26, the WTAMU Student Government has 22 vacancies in its senate. According to the Student Government Constitution, the Senate must have at least 51 percent or two-thirds of their seats filled...

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Then there were five: GOP candidate gives up bid

Krystina Martinez January 24, 2012

On Jan. 19, Texas Governor Rick Perry announced that he was ending his election campaign, just days before the South Carolina primary. Although Perry’s campaign started off strong, the announcement...

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Republican Party Logo. Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

Then there were five: GOP candidate gives up bid

Krystina Martinez January 24, 2012

On Jan. 19, Texas Governor Rick Perry announced that he was ending his election campaign, just days before the South Carolina primary. Although Perry’s campaign started off strong, the announcement...

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Music department wins “Can-Tree” food drive

Krystina Martinez December 6, 2011

On Nov. 30, the departments of the Sybil B. Harrington Fine Arts College came together for “Cans For Christmas,” an event put together by the Ad/PR Society to support the High Plains Food Bank. “Our...

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Obama and Republicans face challenges in 2012

Krystina Martinez November 29, 2011

President Barack Obama will have to jump a few hurdles in his 2012 re-election campaign. According to a recent New York Times & CBS News poll, 43 percent approve of his performance. The nation’s...

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Comedy Club Night to host Chad Daniels

Krystina Martinez November 22, 2011

On Nov. 29, CORE will be hosting Comedy Club Night in the JBK Legends. The show will feature Chad Daniels, who has performed on Comedy Central, the Late Late Show on CBS, and the Tonight Show with Conan...

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Election 2012 road sign. Courtesy of iStockphoto.

Candidates vie for Republican nomination: Part 2

Krystina Martinez November 15, 2011

Web Editor's Note: This is Part Two of a two part series. To read the first article in this series, click here. Election season has kicked off strong with ten Republican candidates seeking the GOP nomination...

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Candidates vie for Republican nomination: Part 1

Krystina Martinez November 8, 2011

Web Editor's Note: This is Part One of a two part series. To read the second article in this series, click here. Election season has kicked off strong with ten Republican candidates seeking the GOP nomination...

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Graphic by Krystina Martinez.

Amendment will expand the ability to finance student loans

Krystina Martinez November 1, 2011

On Nov. 8, Texas voters will line up at the voting booths to vote on several amendments to the state constitution. One of the amendments is Proposition 3, which will expand the Texas Higher Education...

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(L-R) Dr. James Webb , Dr. Patrick O’Brien and Dan Garcia. Photo by Krystina Martinez.

Dr. O’Brien wins Tricycle Race

Krystina Martinez November 1, 2011

On Oct. 31, WTAMU administrators faced off in a tricycle race to benefit the State Employee Charitable Campaign (SECC). Dr. Patrick O’Brien took first place. “We decided to increase the excitement...

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State Employee Charitable Campaign Tricycle Race: This Week in Photos

State Employee Charitable Campaign Tricycle Race: This Week in Photos

Krystina Martinez November 1, 2011

Photos of the State Employee Charitable Campaign Tricycle Race! Want to read all about it? Click here! [imagebrowser id=103]

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Students, faculty sound off on Occupy Wall Street

Krystina Martinez October 25, 2011

Amidst growing unrest over the state of the economy, Americans took to the streets  to protest in a movement known as “Occupy Wall Street.” The first demonstration was on Sept. 17 at Zucotti Park...

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Power outage strikes Canyon

Krystina Martinez October 25, 2011

A late morning power outage affected WTAMU and parts of Canyon on Oct. 24. “[The power outage] fried four computers in the HELC,” Jessica Phillips, an IT employee, said. “We got a call about an...

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Libya’s former leader is dead: Cellphone footage shows the capture of Muammar Gaddafi

Krystina Martinez October 20, 2011

Libya’s former leader, Muammar Gaddafi, was killed on Oct. 20. According to Reuters, National Transitional Council fighters captured the leader’s hometown of Sirte, where there had been fighting...

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The WT Buff Cricket Club poses after their tournament win on Sept. 17. Photo courtesy of Buff Cricket Club.

WTAMU Cricket Club sets their sights on regionals

Krystina Martinez October 18, 2011

On Sept. 17, the WTAMU Cricket Club participated in the seventh annual W.P. Dayawansa Memorial Cricket Tournament at Texas Tech University. The club beat out 16 other teams to win the tournament. “People...

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C.J. Johnson hypnotizes students and puts them into a deep sleep. Photo courtesy of Eternal Flame.

Johnson hypnotizes, entertains WTAMU students

Krystina Martinez October 11, 2011

On Oct. 3, the C.J. Johnson Comedy Hypnotist Show took place at 10 p.m. in the Mary Moody Northen Recital Hall. The event, sponsored by the Residence Hall Association, was in lieu of the cancellation...

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Dr. O’Brien signs the time capsule lid. Photo by Krystina Martinez.

Time capsule sealed in special ceremony

Krystina Martinez October 4, 2011

On Oct. 3, a time capsule was interred in a special ceremony at the Fine Arts Mall. Dr. Patrick O’Brien opened the ceremony with a speech, leaving a message for the future University president...

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Time Capsule: This Week in Photos

Time Capsule: This Week in Photos

Krystina Martinez October 4, 2011

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Infographic courtesy of WT University Police Department.

UPD releases annual WT crime report to public

Krystina Martinez September 27, 2011

The WTAMU University Police Department released their annual Campus and Fire Safety Report. The report contains statistics of reported crimes on campus and in the surrounding area.“Canyon...

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Teaching leadership for the real world

Krystina Martinez September 20, 2011

The Freshmen Leadership Organization (FLO) is a branch of the WTAMU Student Government whose main goal is to build leaders among freshmen. Although FLO is a part of Student Government, Executive Director...

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Student Government opens applications for associate justices

Krystina Martinez September 13, 2011

Student Government will have applications open for students interested in serving on the judicial board. The judicial board is responsible for hearing a wide variety of cases assigned by WT, ranging from...

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President speaks to student senators about budget

Krystina Martinez September 6, 2011

A special session Student Senate meeting took place on Aug. 29 to address budget concerns. University president Dr. Patrick O’Brien came to speak to student senators about the challenges the school will...

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Student Government appoints chief justice for 2011-2012

Krystina Martinez May 12, 2011

Through an executive order signed by Student Body President Tim Vela, Audra Thurman was sworn in as Chief Justice of Student Government on May 12. The original motion failed at the May 2 senate meeting...

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Student dancers perform at "True Colors of Dance". Photo by Krystina Martinez.

Annual Spring concert depicts students’ hard work

Krystina Martinez May 3, 2011
‘The True Colors of Dance’ was this year’s theme for the WTAMU Dance department’s annual spring concert. The concert featured five pieces, all of which incorporated colors in costuming, set design, and the overall theme of the individual piece.
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Student Government will start school year without chief justice

Krystina Martinez May 3, 2011
The judicial branch of Student Government was placed on hold after the bill to appoint Audra Thurman as chief justice failed to pass during the Student Senate meeting on May 2. Thurman, a Public Administration major, was the only applicant for the position of Chief Justice. She had previously served as an associate justice on the judicial board, and briefly served as Chief Justice Pro-Tem.
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Photo by Maria Molina.

Annual Spring concert will begin this week

Krystina Martinez April 26, 2011
WTAMU’s Dance department will be putting on their annual spring dance concert from April 28-30. This year’s theme is the “True Colors of Dance,” where the performers will be able to showcase styles of dancing that may be unfamiliar to the audience.
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TOMS CEO Blake Mycoskie autographs a flag. Photo by Frankie Sanchez.

Students bring some criticism for shoe program

Krystina Martinez April 26, 2011
Through WTAMU’s “21 Days of Change” campaign, TOMS shoes were the talk of the university in the days leading up to CEO Blake Mycoskie’s visit.
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TOMS Style Your Shoes being auctioned by the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum.

Spring Fling draws an all-ages crowd

Krystina Martinez April 19, 2011
Spring Fling brought the party to WT on April 16, featuring entertainment for all ages. Sponsored by CORE, it was an opportunity for the community to come together to see local bands, play carnival games, and enjoy a good Snow Cone.
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Panhandle Plains Historical Museum announces renovations

Krystina Martinez April 18, 2011
Cliff Vanderpool, director of the Panhandle Plains Historical Museum, announced April 6 that the museum will be undergoing renovations. Specifically, Pioneer Town will receive a $20,000 upgrade.
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“By the Bog of Cats”: a must-see show

Krystina Martinez April 12, 2011
On April 7, “By the Bog Of Cats” opened in the Happy State Bank Studio Theatre. An Irish tragedy written by Marina Carr, “Bog” takes a different turn from the WT theatre’s last big production, “The Secret Garden”.
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"Muggle" Quidditch. Courtesy of Words and Light.com.

Quidditch will make magical debut at WTAMU

Krystina Martinez April 5, 2011
Thanks to the Resident Hall Association, the fictional game of Quidditch will make its WTAMU debut on April 8. Fans of the Harry Potter franchise will be familiar with the game, a popular sport in the books and movies.
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Blake Mycoskie. Courtesy of forbes.com.

TOMS shoes founder coming to WT

Krystina Martinez March 29, 2011
April 1 will start ‘21 Days of Change’, a university-wide initiative culminating with a lecture by Blake Mycoskie, the CEO of TOMS shoes on April 21.
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Downtown El Paso. Courtesy of texastribune.org.

El Paso named on Foursquare’s ‘20 Rudest Cities’

Krystina Martinez March 22, 2011
Mobile platform Foursquare has named the 20 rudest cities in the English-speaking world based on check-in data from their servers. The top American city on the list was not Los Angeles (number-15), but El Paso, Texas, taking second place to Manchester, England.
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The unfinished Virgil Henson Activities Center additions. Photo by Maria Molina.

Student Senate opposes proposed athletic fee

Krystina Martinez March 22, 2011
The March 7 session of the WTAMU Student Senate came away with the passing of SR 21011 in response to the proposed raise of the student athletic fee. The senators chose not to support the proposed fee increase.
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Khalid Ali-M Aldawsari was charged with attempted use of weapons of mass destruction. Photo courtesy of businessinsider.com.

FBI law enforcement foils terrorism plot

Krystina Martinez March 8, 2011
A 20-year-old Saudi Arabian from Lubbock was charged with attempted use of a weapon of mass destruction on Feb. 24. FBI investigators were tipped off when the Carolina Biological Supply of Burlington, N.C. reported suspicious purchases by Khalid Ali-M Aldawsari on Feb. 1.
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Jean Kilbourne gives her presentation "Killing Us Softly" for WTAMU's Communication Week. Photo by Maria Molina.

Gender, racial issues at forefront of talk

Krystina Martinez February 22, 2011

The second event of Communication Week on Feb. 15 featured a lecture by visiting scholar Dr. Jean Kilbourne. Dr. Kilbourne is internationally recognized for her work on alcohol and tobacco advertising. ...

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A South Korean soldier, foreground, stares at a North Korean soldier across the border at the Joint Security Area near Panmunjom, which is inside the Demilitarized Zone. Courtesy of Dr. Butler Cain.

North, South battle: Korean talks end on ugly terms

Krystina Martinez February 15, 2011

 Hopes for reconciliation between North and South Korea were dashed on Feb. 9 when the North Korean delegation walked out on the first official talks with South Korea since the Yeonpyeong island bombing...

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Secret Garden cast blossoms on stage

Secret Garden cast blossoms on stage

Krystina Martinez February 8, 2011

 The WTAMU theater department brought The Secret Garden back to life on Feb. 3. The musical, directed by professor of theater Royal Brantley, is an adaption of the classic children’s novel by Frances...

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Astrological chart by Chris Brennan. Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

Signs are a’changing

Krystina Martinez February 1, 2011

Astrology lovers around the world were shocked when it was reported in early January that the dates for the zodiac signs had “changed”. The Minnesota Star Tribune published an article stating...

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Severe winter weather enters area

Krystina Martinez January 31, 2011

Freezing fog will develop on Monday afternoon in the Canyon area. Monday night temperatures will be around five degrees with a wind chill below zero. A spokesperson with the National Weather Service...

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Annual dodgeball tournament kicks off

Krystina Martinez January 25, 2011

Rec Sports will host a dodgeball tournament on Jan. 27 to kick off the spring intramural season. The tournament began six years ago, when dodgeball started to gain increased popularity, thanks to movies...

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Procrastinator’s Guide to Christmas Shopping

Krystina Martinez December 6, 2010

The holidays are serious business for the U.S. economy.  With the combination of this year’s extended Black Friday and Cyber Monday blowouts, the Dow Jones jumped up 250 points on Dec. 1. According...

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Faith City Ministries hosts benefit

Krystina Martinez November 30, 2010

Faith City Ministries hosted its annual benefit at Trinity Fellowship Church in Amarillo on Thursday, Nov. 18.  The “With Open Arms” benefit featured guest speaker, Texas Rangers all-star outfielder...

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Cover of Schlegel's book. Courtesy Photo.

WTAMU faculty publishes Christmas tale

Krystina Martinez November 30, 2010

WTAMU communications instructor Paula Schlegel will be the second faculty member this year to publish a book. Dr. Emily Hunt, assistant professor of mechanical engineering, co-authored a children’s...

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Official Movie Poster.

Harry Potter charms audience once again

Krystina Martinez November 20, 2010

The “Harry Potter” film series is nearing its end, but the hype over the films is anything but dying. “The Deathly Hallows,” the last film installment of the book series by J.K. Rowling,...

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HD Studio to host KWTS’ The One Sessions

Krystina Martinez November 2, 2010

WTAMU’s AT&T HD Studio will host its first event on Nov. 8 with KWTS’ ‘The One Sessions’. “It will be an all-acoustic show, with a VH1 Storyteller vibe,” Ricky Mariscal, program director...

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Students vote against restrictions for offices

Krystina Martinez October 19, 2010

A constitutional amendment seeking to restrict student body candidates failed at the voting booths on Oct. 5. The amendment passed through the student senate 22 to 7 before it was presented to the student...

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Student Employment Services. Photo by Frankie Sanchez.

Campus jobs are scarce: Students struggle against budget cuts

Krystina Martinez September 21, 2010

WT students will have a hard time finding an on-campus job with the University’s increased fall enrollment and budget cuts. The university has raised tuition and cut $6 million out of their fall...

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