By Didi Martinez | Digital Managing EditorWorking for a school paper is not easy. Aside from the pay and sense of pride most of us feel at seeing our work published, the costs don’t always outweigh the benefits. We work long hours, are constantly on deadline and consistently required to produce fresh content. To top it all off, we’re not exactly the most well-liked bunch within the university. Common complaints against those who work for the Lariat range from saying we take ourselves “too seriously” to “not seriously enough”— both of which are fairly valid depending on who you talk…
Author: Deidre Martinez
By Didi Martinez | Digital Managing Editor It’s an email that no student at Baylor wants to receive. The sender? Baylor Parking and Transportation Services. Every Monday through Friday, Baylor Parking and Transportation services drives around campus looking to enforce parking regulations and to the dismay of some, issues tickets. And while individuals have the option to dispute the charges to parking services, the first attempt does not always lead to a drop in charges. That’s where Baylor’s Student Court comes in. “Typically, what we get is that they [appellee] feel the citation is invalid,” said Baylor Student Court deputy…
By Didi Martinez | Digital Managing Editor Waco Hall transformed into a space of wonders Thursday evening as performers shimmied between aerial fabric strips and contortionists hoisted themselves up to the sound of familiar cinematic melodies. In its last concert of the 2017-2018 season, the Waco Symphony Orchestra partnered with the Cirque de la Symphonie, a group of aerial gymnasts, jugglers, balancers, acrobats and contortionists who choreograph stunts to music. The “pops,” or contemporary concerts, are traditionally among the most popular types of performances that the symphony offers, adding an element of familiarity to concert-goers before they even step foot…
By Didi Martinez | Digital Managing Editor Bare plastic hooks line the walls of Old Main as a series of building robberies have forced officials to take several decorative paintings down. Building officials first noticed that a painting belonging to the Department of Modern Languages and Cultures had gone missing on March 29 with no indication as to who might have committed the robbery, according to Dr. Michael Long, interim chair of the Department of Modern Languages and Cultures . The most recent painting stolen from the department was Victor Vasnetsov’s “The Three Knights,” but this was just one of…
Didi Martinez | Digital Managing Editor Baylor University has confirmed that the suspect who fled officers and was the subject of a manhunt in and around campus has been apprehended. Police told KXXV the string of incidents began near Carver Park Baptist Church where the suspect was involved in a hit-and-run accident and fled the scene. He later ditched the car and hid near the University Parks Apartments. Police were able to appehend the suspect shortly after 11 p.m. The University has since confirmed that no shots were fired and told individuals the area has been cleared. “All students are…
Didi Martinez | Digital Managing Editor Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats says he remains “skeptical” of Kim Jong Un’s upcoming talks with President Donald Trump, citing what he sees as time lost through concessions and broken promises over the years. The former U.S. Senator and ambassador to Germany spoke at Baylor University on Wednesday ahead of a speaking engagement at an intelligence conference in Austin. Coats was appointed as the fifth director of the agency by Trump last January and has since been tasked with providing the president with daily intelligence briefings. He said that on Tuesday his intelligence…
Didi Martinez | Digital Managing Editor With job-hunting season in full swing, Baylor is making sure all students can be dressed for success for their next interview. Baylor’s Office of Career and Professional Development is now offering students the opportunity to enter the workplace through the opening of its Career Closet. The closet, which is located in 127.01 Sid Richardson, offers a variety of dress pieces, shoes and accessories to students, free of cost. Similar to The Store and The Fridge, the Closet’s exists with the goal of filling a need within campus, according to executive director of the Office…
By Didi Martinez | Digital Managing Editor In the realm of urban Latin music, a range of female artists are riding the newest wave of the genre to push through the sexism that has historically plagued the industry. “Musica urbana,” or urban Latin music, which includes sub-genres such as Latin trap, hip hop and reggaeton, is a genre dominated by males. While male artists usually have their breakout moment with the next tune that dominates the airways, the road is much harder for women who have to work to move past a “featuring” credit. Recently, however, a slate of young…
By Didi Martinez | Digital Managing Editor Images of users packing heat may soon be taken down by Bumble, which has announced that it will be moderating profiles for pictures of guns.The move by the popular dating app comes after the Stoneman Douglas High School shooting that occurred in February and has since reignited debates about gun control.”As mass shootings continue to devastate communities across the country, it’s time to state unequivocally that gun violence is not in line with our values, nor do these weapons belong on Bumble,” wrote Bumble in a blog post.This, no less, will affect those…
Story by Didi Martinez | Digital Managing Editor, Video by Rylee Seavers | Broadcast Reporter Just in time for this year’s primary elections, Democratic U.S. Rep. Beto O’Rourke stepped into Heritage Creamery on Saturday night ready to make his case for the Senate seat — namely, that of incumbent Republican Sen. Ted Cruz. O’Rourke took his place atop a wooden chair in the middle of the ice cream shop and began to speak to the crowd, freshly-adorned with the “Beto for Texas” buttons, most of them nearly half his age. Hosting his fourth town hall event of the day, the…
By Didi Martinez | Digital Managing Editor *This review contains spoilers The box office numbers are in, and “Black Panther” has already earned its place among the second largest four-day gross in history, raking in $263,013,041 domestically. Studio earnings, however, are a mere afterthought compared to the social buzz the film has created prior to and after its release. Featuring a primarily black cast, this superhero movie was faced with high expectations by crowds who saw it as the first film of its kind. True enough, on opening night, many black moviegoers arrived wearing African or African-inspired clothing, positioning “Black…
By Didi Martinez | Digital Managing Editor A former Baylor student on death row has been granted a recommendation for a lesser sentence just two days before his scheduled execution. On Tuesday, the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles voted in favor of clemency for Thomas “Bart” Whitaker. The move, should it be approved by Gov. Greg Abbott, would change Bart’s sentencing to life in prison, and not death by execution. Bart’s attorney, Keith Hampton told the Lariat that since the decision, he has placed numerous calls and tried to meet with the Governor’s General Council. He said he would…
By Didi Martinez | Digital Managing Editor A former Baylor student is set to be executed on Thursday after being convicted in a murder-for-hire scheme against his own family. The 38-year-old convict, Thomas “Bart” Whitaker, was sentenced to death after it was revealed that he had planned a staged burglary that would leave his family dead and enable him to receive a $1.5 million inheritance, according to court documents. The December 2003 murder took place after the family was returning to their Sugar Land home from a dinner celebrating Bart Whitaker’s graduation from Sam Houston State University — the school…
By Didi Martinez | Digital Managing Editor I remember seeing the word “Latinx” for the first time last year. My initial ignorance had me assume that the “-x” at the end of “Latin” was simply a typo. I now know that the word is a gender neutral term for Latin Americans. However, as a Mexican-American, I have found myself unconvinced at its wide-spread adoption. Proponents of Latinx argue that the elimination of the -o and the -a at the end Latino or Latina strip the term of its gender and can describe those who are gender fluid, transgender or non-binary.…
By Didi Martinez | Digital Managing EditorLocal mom-and-pop shops are a beloved staple in nearly every town. Offering a more intimate shopping experience than a corporate franchise, small business is frequently considered “the underdog” as far as commerce is considered. Not afforded the mega-budget and structure of larger enterprises, these businesses appear to have the odds stacked against them if they are not intentional about how they stay at the forefront of consumers’ minds. While the survival rate varies, the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Business Employment Dynamics reports that 20 percent of small businesses close their doors after the first…
By Didi Martinez | Digital Managing Editor The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) has lifted its warning sanction on the university, according to Baylor President Linda Livingstone.The announcement, which was made Tuesday morning in an email to the Baylor community, marks nearly a year since news first broke that the university would be put under warning by the accrediting body.“I would also like to extend my personal appreciation to the hundreds of faculty and staff members who have worked diligently over the past 18 months on the completion of the 105 recommendations and the subsequent…
By Didi Martinez Underrepresented at the polls and in office, Texas women are taking stand against the lack of political participation in the state. According to the Institute for Women’s Policy Research, a research organization that looks at public policy as it affects women today, Texas is among the worst states when it comes to political participation. In the think tank’s state report card, the Lone Star State has been given an “F” for criteria like female voter registration, political representation and election turnout. The institute’s report card is conducted every few years, with the most recent edition showing numbers…
By Didi Martinez | Digital Managing EditorABC’s newest TV drama, “The Good Doctor” has earned itself a top spot in weekly viewership since its September debut. But the show’s positive reception is more than just another success story. The drama, which centers around the life of a surgeon with autism, is unique in its character portrayal and frequent commentary about the social limitations imposed on those with the disability. As I watched the show for the first time, one scene in particular stood out to me. It involved the protagonist, Shaun Murphy (Freddie Highmore) missing his bus stop on the…
By Didi Martinez | Digital Managing Editor Grocery shopping is therapeutic. I know this may sound a bit strange, but I have a feeling that a portion of the people reading this will understand exactly what I’m talking about. With a grocery cart in hand as you walk down each aisle, searching for products can lead to a slew of new discoveries. A sale on potato chips? Sold. Nutella-flavored cereal? Sign me up. And it’s basically Christmas Day if the store is handing out food samples. You can believe I’ll be asking for an extra bagel for my “sister.” This…
By Didi Martinez | Digital Managing Editor Over the weekend, Hurricane Harvey swept through Texas, in what has been a devastating blow to the southern part of the state. Harvey was the first hurricane to hit Texas since Ike made landfall nine years ago, and most area residents could not remember the last time they prepared for a storm of this magnitude. There have been a lot of false alarms since Ike, but none had ever come close to the category four storm that pushed its way along the coast. Now as images of submerged cities and aid workers assisting…
By Didi Martinez | Digital Managing Editor Salvador, Brazil, freshman Joao Moraes was playing the violin in his room when his father gave him an ultimatum: learn English or say goodbye to music lessons. “I started learning English when I was 12,” Moraes said. “I didn’t want to learn English at all. But my father pushed me to learn English just to get a better job and stuff.” Moraes, whose full name is Joao Pedro Costa Grillo Moraes, said he went to a three-hour class twice a week for four and a half years to learn English. Chewing on a…
WASHINGTON – An array of breakfast pastries and coffee greeted various Texans who gathered to meet Sen. John Cornyn on Thursday in the Russell Senate Office Building in Washington. The event, which is held every week while Congress is session, is called Texas Thursday Coffee and puts the Texas senator face to face with his constituents. This week, the crowd was made up of people who came to Washington for President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration. Among those who attended were the Lil’ Wranglers, a country and western dance team from College Station, who performed at the breakfast after meeting Cornyn. “They…
I will hardly ever make this column about myself, because the young girl in a new city narrative has been pretty overused, don’t you think? Still, for the purpose of this column, I have to backtrack to the beginning of my time here in Washington D.C. Unlike Texas, where people drive pretty much everywhere, most people in D.C. choose not to drive. Why? Traffic is horrible and the city is full of alternative modes of transportation. Needless to say, I did not bring my old clunker (I say that lovingly…sort of) from home, leaving me to take an Uber everywhere…
Associated Press —The family of a construction worker drowned in the Brazos River in 2014 while helping build a Baylor University pedestrian bridge has been awarded almost $18 million by a Harris County jury. The Waco Tribune-Herald reports jurors deliberated about six hours before returning its verdict against Austin Bridge and Road Co. for the death of Jose Dario Suarez. The family’s attorney had asked the jury for $27 million. A message left with Austin Bridge and Road, the general contractor on the bridge contract, wasn’t returned. Suarez drowned after a lift to which he and another worker were strapped…
Latin dances sometimes get a bad reputation for being too passionate or sexual. All too often music of this genre is used to express romance in a movie. Take for example, the moment when two characters are dining at a restaurant. The lights get dimmer and just as the characters make eye contact, a slow, rhythmic song in Spanish comes on — the realization of their attraction to each other becoming evident with every sway. The association is not only manifested in movies, though. As a culture we have a hard time breaking the contact barrier. It’s as if there…
I am turning into my mother. Well, actually, I have come to realize that I have more in common with my mother than I previously thought. This is hard to admit in part because I’ve always had a romanticized notion of being a unique individual unlike anyone else on Earth. I imagined myself as a daisy in a field of tulips. Vain? Yes. Uncommon? No. I do not know if it is a symptom or condition of growing up, but I have been spotting an increase in resemblances between us with age. Even at Baylor I seem to adhere to…
At the beginning of a new course, students are given a syllabus that provides a grade breakdown for the class. While participation points may be seen as a good way to earn points, others look at the rubric with dismay. Being graded based on how many times one talks in class can be a struggle for students who are more introverted or take longer to make sense of new material. Although class participation can be an effective form of education engagement, tying it into a grading system is problematic because it does not take into account all different types of…
HOUSTON — After Donald Trump, Ben Carson, Ohio Gov. John Kasich, and Sens. Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio left the debate stage well past 9:30 p.m. at Moores Opera House at the University of Houston, the Republican presidential candidates filled the Yeoman Field House where hundreds of journalists lined up to ask post-show questions. Despite the fact that both Cruz and Rubio teamed up against competitor Trump at last night’s debate, the pair did not stay around long to answer questions regarding their performances. Conversely, Kasich quickly made his way down the aisle to weigh in on what he thought…
HOUSTON — Just 11 days after the last Republican presidential debate in Greenville, S.C., White House hopefuls Donald Trump, Ben Carson, Ohio Gov. John Kasich, and Sens. Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio took the stage Thursday inside Moores Opera House at the University of Houston. In a last-minute effort to rally potential voters before the Super Tuesday primaries, the candidates focused their attention on Latino issues—a fitting topic given that 43.8 percent of the city’s population is Hispanic, according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau. When the debate started off with illegal immigration, Rubio and Trump went head-to-head on the…
Valentine’s Day is coming up. Yes, I know this column is already set up to look like the a cliche that only a young blogger in romantic comedies would use to write about love. However, I aim to write about a subject that is not nearly as synonymous with the day: tipping. From a business perspective, Valentine’s Day is a reliably profitable day for resturants. Falling on Sunday this year, the holiday will predictably bring longer wait times. That’s not the problem, though. The issue is what a portion of diners will be tempted to do after they’ve eaten the…