The wonderland of the Avalon Faire in Kilgore takes a step back into the glorious days of old, and days that never were. The faire is found at 1076 FM 1252 W, Kilgore, 75662, and is open each weekend in April. Tickets may be purchased on-line or at the box office on-site.
Season passes are available for $75 which allows you to attend all five weekends and receive free water. Day passes are $12 for adults, $6 for ages 12 and under and the littles four and under may enter without charge. Tickets are not weekend specific.
This is the third year for Avalon Faire to open its gates in Kilgore. Upon entering the grounds, the clash of lances can often be heard as mounted knights on their fearless steeds’ joust to the roar of the crowds.
Sir Mordred (played by James Fortner), rides Asgard (Liberty), his destrier, to battle other knights from the Hanlon-Lee Action Theater. This is the group’s 24th year traveling the country to delight young and old alike.
The path continues through open fields lined with large shade trees that surround a small pond. Stages abound for the entertainers to work their magic upon the masses. Such crowd pleasers as Knightwings – a bird of prey exhibition, Dr. DeWitt and his Punch and Judy puppets and belly dancers from all over east Texas await the faire goers.
There are vendors scattered throughout the grounds with a plethora of wares on display. Need a new pair of fairy wings: Lydia Perlick handmakes the ethereal offerings at Faeward Inn.
Love the sound of a hammer striking metal? Stop by The Damn Yankee Blacksmith, and listen as Logan Talonsgrip tells a gripping tale accompanied by the melody of his hammer and anvil.
As you wander the grounds, be prepared to see elves or pirates. If you are lucky, you might even see a queen.
Come hungry and thirsty because treats for the palette await. The Dragon Pit offers typical faire food such as burgers and brats.
The Lusty Lemon has a lemonade that is outstanding and they offer reduced price refills.
There are bridges to cross, axes to toss, roaming performers and sights, sounds and smells aplenty.
Avalon Faire is small when compared to the Texas Renaissance Festival and Scarborough Renaissance Festival but it has some of the same feel, just on a much more intimate level.
There are not as many vendors, food stalls or entertainers but what is there is on par with a larger faire. Getting lost is not a problem as the site is not huge, but there is plenty to see and do throughout the day.
The atmosphere is exciting but laid-back and there is something to see around every corner as you wander across the fields, under the trees, across the bridges and through the woods.
Avalon Faire is worth the price of admission, especially as it offers a glimpse into a world that is not run-of-the-mill east Texas.
Christina Lloyd, Mexia sophomore, and Travis Noriega, Kilgore freshman, look at each other lovingly as they play their characters in “Almost, Maine.”
The KC Theatre Department’s production of “Almost, Maine,” is different in the fact that it is not necessarily one whole story but small cuts of different lives that all relate to one thing. Love.
The show is a romantic comedy that comes together nicely with the work of director, Kaitlin de Graffenried and assistant director and student, Trevor Newlin.
I fell in love with each character because each of them were relatable: a broken heart, an awkward first love, lost hope and love given away and traded.
Parts of the show were so adorable that I gasped, and sometimes even squealed a little bit. I’m sorry. I get attached to characters easily.
One of the reasons why the characters are so relatable is because of the great acting in this show. The duo of Judah Armour, playing East, and Hannah Sanders as the character Glory, is a great example of this. On stage, both seem like they are truly living their character’s story.
Every scene of this play is fantastic and captures the audience in each love story. I highly recommend seeing this production, but I also recommend bringing someone with you to watch it. It is a great couples play and represents many types of relationships.
For more information on tickets for the show or show times, go to www.kilgore.edu/theatre.
At noon today around 30 students gathered in protest against self-proclaimed saint, Jesse Morrell, while he preached at students and stood on his soapbox labeled “Judgment Day.”
During his time stationed in the Mike Miller Plaza in front of the Devall Student Center, Morrell preached against homosexuality and drinking, while saying the campus needs Jesus.
Tori Gannon, Longview Freshman, protests against self-proclaimed saint Jesse Morrell with Bible verses.
“This campus needs a spanking with the scriptures,” he yelled at students.
Students around him shouted obscenities and Bible verses. Some sang gospel songs to combat his speech. Two students, Tori Gannon, Longview freshman, and Kassey McDonald, Kilgore freshman, counteracted his words with Bible scriptures that described Jesus as loving and compassionate.
KC admissions counselor, Wade Cates, said it was Morrell’s First Amendment right to be on campus
“He is allowed to be here,” Cates said. “We cannot force him to leave. If you do not like it, just walk away. Walk away.”
Morrell said he has spent the last 10 years traveling to more than 100 college campuses, preaching to students. His business card lists him as a missionary with Open Air Outreach.
When the guard at the gate walked away, we made a run for it, opened the gate and snuck backstage. As we made our way to the tour bus, we kept in the shadows and out of sight from the police officers. Every time a guard or officer came near by, a surge of adrenaline ran through us. Finally, we saw .38 Special exiting the smoke-filled stage. Before we knew it, the lead singer was coming toward us and we almost tripped over ourselves running up to him. We thought to ourselves, “Wow, this is really happening!”
Fellow Flare staff member Hunter Lohr and I covered the music event Rock the Square in Tyler on Saturday, Oct. 17. We were warned we probably couldn’t get to the bands because they were under contract. However, that didn’t mean we weren’t going to try. Journalists will not give up just because they’re told no.
The experience overall made for one of the most memorable days of my life. Rock the Square consisted of a classic car show and a concert. It began with the car show which boasted dozens of classic beauties including a Chevy Chevelle and several ’60s Mustangs in mint condition. It was a classic car enthusiast’s paradise. Once we finished touring the car show, we realized there were a couple of food trucks on the square and we could not help but wander to them. We opted for a burger from a food truck called Rock n’ Dawg. It was absolutely delightful. The patties were savory and hand pressed while the fries were flavorfully seasoned. They also had interesting names for the food relating to rock, such as the ‘Fall Out Boy’ and the ‘ZZ Top’.
After lunch, we had a couple of hours to kill before the concert started so we decided it would be a good idea to walk to a record store. Bad idea. Not only did we not have proper walking shoes, but we also ended up in a shady part of Tyler. On the upside, I did find some rare records and we made it back to the festival alive just in time.
Special guest Jimmie Vaughan and his band were the opening act. They played mellow tunes featuring amazing guitar solos. It was a perfect transition between the car show and .38 Special. While we were walking around looking for good angles to take pictures from, Hunter and I discovered an opening that was not guarded. It lead to Jimmie Vaughan’s tour bus. We quickly slipped in and watched the rest of the show from backstage. When the show ended, I noticed Jimmie coming off the stage towards us. I turned to Hunter and yelled, “Jimmy’s coming! Hurry, take out your camera!” While he fumbled to take out the camera, I ran up to Jimmy and introduced myself. He was very nice and cool about letting us take pictures. He even took out his guitar. After, it took us a while to process what had happened. We were overjoyed.
We then made our way back beside the stage to capture .38 Special’s epic performance. By this time, the place was packed. Energy was high and people were dancing. The band played several of their most popular songs including ‘Rockin into the Night’ and ‘Caught up in You’. They had the crowd going wild.
About halfway through their performance, we decided would try to go backstage like we had for Jimmie Vaughan. Unfortunately, our secret spot was now completely blocked off and guarded. The number of police officers had doubled as well. We were not discouraged, though. I told Hunter that we would walk around the block all the way behind the concert. When we got there, we were faced with a gate and a guard.
Amazingly, the guard left and that is how we found ourselves sneaking in and hiding while freezing to wait for .38 Special. We had an amazing spot to witness their closing song, all time favorite ‘Hold on Loosely’. Most of the band was on the bus before we could even say hello. But it was just our luck that lead singer Don Barnes was walking our way. I jumped up faster than I’d ever have with Hunter right behind me and we went up to him, introduced ourselves, and got some great pictures with him. He was also very nice and I feel like he would have talked to us more if the policies officers had not discovered us and asked us politely to leave.
And that my friends, is what you call a great ending to our night. Now you have some insight into the life of a journalist. Pretty awesome, right?
KC students were interviewed about their opinions of the construction going on around campus. Their answers reflect the many thoughts people have about the changes taking place.
Below is a layout of the plans for the Lee Mall area of KC. It provides a glimpse of what the future central gathering spot of KC will look like.
Kilgore’s 4 Star Cinema’s anual Fall Film Festival begins today and will run through Oct 1. A variety of independent features that did not receive a wide theatrical release in movie theaters will be shown.
Mr. Holmes is directed by Bill Condon and stars acclaimed actor Ian McKellan. It is a crime/drama/mystery film that centers around a 93-year-old version of the famous fictional British sleuth Sherlock Holmes, played my McKellan, as he struggles to recall the details of his final case. It is based on the 2005 book A Slight Trick of the Mind. It has received very positive reviews, with website Rotten Tomatoes saying “Mr. Holmes focuses on the man behind the mysteries, and while it may lack Baker Street thrills, it more than compensates with tenderly wrought, well-acted drama.” It is rated PG and will be playing Sept. 9 – 12.
Iris is a documentary about fashion icon Iris Apfel. At 93 years old, the film shows how Apfel still continues to be creative, inspiring, artistic and busy even in her advanced age. Director Albert Maysles has made many famous documentaries, including Grey Gardens, Gimme Shelter, and When We Were Kings. It is rated PG-13 and will be playing Sept. 13 – 15.
I’ll See You In My Dreams stars Blythe Danner as a widow and former singer who rediscovers the joys of life, along with the help of her three best friends. This drama/comedy explores the theme of taking chances and having new beginnings at any age. Actor Sam Elliot plays her new love interest, and actress Malin Ackerman plays her estranged daughter. It is rated PG-13 and will be playing Sept. 16 – 19.
The Hundred Year Old Man Who Climbed Out The Window and Disappeared is a Swedish comedy film about a 100-year-old explosives expert escaping from a retirement home. It is the third highest grossing Swedish film of all time, only being surpassed by the first two installments of the original Girl With the Dragon Tattoo films. It is rated R and will be playing Sept. 20 – 22.
Testament of Youth is the true story of World War I nurse Vera Brittain, based on her memoir. It stars young actors Alicia Vindaker, lead of the recent film Ex Machina, and Kit Harrington of Game of Thrones. The book was previously adapted as a BBC five part miniseries in 1979. It is rated PG-13 and will be playing Sept. 23 – 26.
Infinitely Polar Bear is a comedy film starring Mark Ruffalo and Zoe Saldana. Ruffalo plays a manic depressive father trying to win back his wife by taking full responsibility of caring for the couple’s two young daughters. Director Maya Forbes based the film on her own experiences growing up with her bipolar father in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Rolling Stone magazine Peter Travers said “The movie is a small miracle, lifted by Ruffalo and these two remarkable young actresses.” It is rated R and will be playing Sept. 27 – 29.
Best of Enemies is a documentary about the televised debates between intellectuals William F. Buckley and Gore Vidal in 1968. Actors John Lithgow and Kelsey Grammar star as the off-camera voices for Vidal and Buckley respectively. An article entitled “18 Best Films From Sundance 2015” said “This might have been both the most entertaining and the saddest film of this year’s Sundance: a riveting gabfest that slowly becomes a lament for the Republic.” It is rated R and is playing Sept. 30 – Oct. 1.
Houston Rockets NBA player and KC alum Marcus Thornton will be returning to his former college on “Marcus Thornton Day,” Fri., Aug. 29. He will be recognized for his induction into the KC Athletics Hall of Fame.
A meet-and-greet with Thornton will be held in Masters Gymnasium from 3 to 5 p.m. Kilgore Mayor Ronnie Spradlin will be in attendance and will recognize Thornton at halftime of that night’s KC football game.
Thornton attended KC from 2005-07. He played basketball under head coach Scott Schumacher and earned All-American Honors.
Thornton is a native of Baton Rouge, LA. His first season at KC, he averaged 19 points per game, and the following year he netted 27 points per game.
After attending KC, he became a member of the LSU Tigers in his hometown. He averaged 21 points per game and won the Southeastern Conference player award.
Thornton was then drafted to the Miami Heat but was immediately traded to the New Orleans Hornets. He made a franchise record by scoring 23 points in a single quarter and made the NBA’s all-rookie team. He officially signed with the Rockets on July 25, 2015.
Thornton is active on Twitter, and can be followed @OfficialMT23.
Geeks and nerds of all walks of life will come together in their common love of fandom in Kilgore. The second annual Killgore Geekend will be May 2 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. in downtown Kilgore on Commerce Street.
Kilkgore Geekend is being held to celebrate National Free Comic Book Day, which is held annually on the first Saturday of May. Jennyfer Keohane of Tours of Tyler said, “It’s a promotional event for the geek-minded and nerdy-minded. We held it for the first time last year. Saturday it was packed, but Sunday wasn’t. We had a two day event for May the Fourth.” May the Fourth is known in geek culture as Star Wars Day. Last year, May the Fourth and Free Comic Book Day fell on the same day.
RC Comics in downtown Kilgore was a huge partner of last year’s event. When it closed earlier this year, the future of the event was uncertain. “We weren’t going to do anything this year,” said Keohane. “We weren’t sure how it was going to go over, but it went over so well that Kilgore Main Street contacted us to have the event again this year.”
There will be vendor booths, artists and activities that the whole family can enjoy. Keohane said the vendors at the event will include “comic bookstores, anime related booths, video game stores, soap and body lotions and face painters.” Charlie’s Sno Cones of Kilgore will also be there providing treats.
Anyone attending will be sure to see attendees dressed up as their favorite comic book, anime and pop culture characters. “We’re still lining up performers,” said Keohane, “but so far we have an electric violinist. There will be tons of cosplayers, and a costume contest.”
Kilgore Geekend is being put on by Tours of Tyler. It is an event planning company that also holds the Tyler Rose City Comic Con, Tyler Paranormal Conference, Tyler Record and CD Expo, and many different tours of the city of Tyler.
There is no cost to attend or enter costume contests. Vendor spots at Kilgore Geekend are $25 for a 10 by 10 space. Free space is also available for a limited number of nonprofit organizations and art departments.
Indonesian students Leddy Ansanay and Monica Agathiara are finding success at KC. Photos by E’Lexis Hodge and Denise Macon of The Flare.
International KC students, Leddy Ansanay and Monica Agathiari, both come from the country of Indonesia. Though these women are from the same country, their lives are very different. Both students share their experiences in Indonesia and thoughts of America.
Where are you from?
L: Papua, Indonesia.
M: Jakarta, Indonesia, the capital city of Indonesia. A lot of people live there. It’s really too much for me. The traffic is awful. It’s better to take the subway or bus for transportation. I would have to leave my house two hours before school started just to get there on time because of the traffic. Indonesia is a second world country. There are a lot of homeless people and poor communities.
How long did it take you to get here?
L and M: 27 hours.
How did you find out about Kilgore College?
L: I went to LeTourneau in Longview, and I saw that I could take cheaper classes here. I received a scholarship to America from the [Indonesian] government. In America, the schooling is more specific. In Indonesia, you are not experienced in your career until you graduate and work in your career. [In America], college gives you experience before you work.
M: My aunt told my parents I should come here. There are a lot of trees. I live with my cousin in Longview.
What is your major?
L: Chemistry
M: Computer networking. It’s really tough.
What profession are you wanting to have concerning your major?
L: I am hoping to work in the forensic chemistry field.
M: I don’t know yet. Google would be a fun place to work!
What are your thoughts on Texas so far?
L: It’s big and hot. Everything is spread out. I came to America in 2009 to Salem, Oregon to go to Corban University. It’s so beautiful there. Texas is beautiful, too, but very different.
M: It’s so hot! In Indonesia, we only have rainy days and hot weather. I never know what weather to expect here.
What do you plan to do after Kilgore College?
L: I just want to finish getting my chemistry degree at LeTourneau and then find a job wherever they will take me.
M: I plan to work, save money, and then continue school. I don’t want to transfer just yet.
Do you plan on moving back to Indonesia after you are done with school?
L: I really like America; I will probably stay. Texas is not bad. Here things are much easier and America has so many beautiful places. Indonesia is not well taken care of, but America is much cleaner. Sometimes, especially when I first came to America, I get homesick. I haven’t been to Indonesia since last December though.
M: No. Maybe if I have to.
How do you keep in touch with your family?
L: My family calls every once in a while. I have five siblings and I Skype them sometimes. I am the only one in America.
M: Skype! I also use the Whatsapp and Facebook. I have been in America for three years, but I have only been to KC one year. I am the oldest of two sisters and one brother. At first I was homesick but not anymore.
What are some of your favorite Indonesian dishes?
L: Fried rice and Thai food. In Indonesia, if you want to take someone to a fancy dinner on date night, that’s when you go to KFC or Pizza Hut.
M: I love spicy food! I like beef with coconut milk and remband. Remband is popular in Indonesian communities. You eat it with white rice. Indonesia has some dog, bat, snake, and turtle markets. Snakes and turtles taste like chicken. There is also a lot of fresh fruit like durian.
What are some of your favorite American dishes?
L: French fries and mashed potatoes. I love mashed potatoes!
M: Pizza King, Burger King, and chocolate!
What are you hoping to gain from your time spent in America?
L: I want more work experience and a better education. I also have gotten a different perspective of people. Before I came to America, I thought people partied all the time. I thought you just come to America and make money, That was the image of America in Indonesia.
M: I love the respect Americans have for me, and I hope to learn to have respect for them.
How different are your cities from one another?
L: Monica is from a much bigger city where her dialect is different. I feel more comfortable talking in English than I do in our language because I have a harder time understanding her dialect. We really are from two completely different areas. There’s more of an economy and competition in Monica’s city.
M: I have never been to Papua, but I know their looks and skin tone are different than mine. They also dress much different. We do not dress as modest.
What languages do you speak?
L: I speak Bahasa. It has many different dialects. I took English classes in high school, but I didn’t start speaking it until I came to America.
M: I know Chinese, English (thanks to ESOL), traditional Indonesian languages, and Bahasa. Bahasa actually means “language” in Indonesian.
What music do you listen to?
L: Pop music and reggae are very popular types of music, but rap is evolving.
M: The music I listen to is pop, Korean pop, and classical music.
What sports are popular in Indonesia?
L: We play soccer, badminton, and volleyball for sports.
M: I like those sports, but I also played basketball.
What fashion is popular in Indonesia?
L: A lot of girls dress more modest in Indonesia because the main religion there is Islam.
M: We actually have people from the jungle who wear tribal clothes, but Jakarta is not any different from America.
Leddy said the main religion in Papua is Islam. What are the major religions in Jakarta?
M: There is a heavy Muslim influence in Indonesia. Indonesia has five main religions. You have Islam (the major religion), Christian (Catholicism is the main denomination), Buddhism, Hinduism, and Kong Hu Cu, which is a like a combination of Buddhism and Hinduism.
How is America different from where you lived in Indonesia?
L: In America, you give up freedom for security. In Indonesia, people don’t care about obeying the law. There is a lack of knowledge. In America, the attitude is more “what can you give to me?” In Indonesia, the attitude is “what can I give to you?” There is a difference in respect. Children respect their parents more in Indonesia. Indonesia is hot like Texas, but there are no tornadoes. It only gets cold when it rains. We never have snow. But also, in Indonesia you don’t have a last name. It wouldn’t be on your birth certificate.
M: I think America is a great opportunity to make money. You can have a better future. In Jakarta, the culture is not much different from the culture of America. I love shopping and seeing movies. Our movies are the movies Americans made in Hollywood. The United States is cleaner. Jakarta has many tourists, which is what our economy lives off. We also have a lot of international students. Jakarta even has schools for international students. The police in Jakarta are active, but there is just so much crime. I love America and Indonesia the same amount. They both have their pros and cons.
Do you have any last statements?
L: I enjoy myself in Kilgore!
M: I love the United States. People are more respectful. There’s also Black Friday where electronics are cheaper!
Facebook garage sale groups are a new way for local buyers to buy and sell items. Photograph by Kat Agee.
Valuable antiques at a good price, like-new clothes for cheap, affordable furniture and more can be found at garage sales. Most people keep looking in the Classifieds or driving around looking for signs directing them to the weekend treasure troves.
The rising popularity of online garage sale groups on Facebook, however, is changing how garage sales operate, especially with young people,
Search the name of any town plus garage sale in the search box on Facebook, and no doubt many results for groups will pop up. Kilgore has eight different garage sale groups on Facebook, not including the groups that encompass the whole East Texas area.
To join the group, all you have to do is click on the Facebook link to the group and request to. After being approved to join, you can post a listing of an item you’d like to sell.
A typical listing consists of a few pictures of the item, the price of the item, contact information, and where the person would like to meet up to trade the item for cash.
Unlike a bidding website such as eBay, Facebook groups allow you to see who is posting the item. You can contact the person selling an item though Facebook messenger, or in the comments section on the post.
An advantage of the Facebook garage sales is that they are local. People feel safer selling and buying things from people who live in their hometown. They don’t have to worry about shipping costs or time.
One disadvantage is that unlike eBay, it is first come first serve. On eBay, you have a chance to increase your bid to win an item. On a Facebook group, whoever comments first will usually get it.
Another disadvantage is that people can still be cheated. There is no worry about losing your money or credit card information, but people lie about meeting places and times. An item being brought to the meet-up that is a lesser quality than in the picture is also a problem.
If problems occur, buyers can report it to the moderator of the group. The moderator can then ban that person for the group.
This is much quicker than eBay’s policy of reporting swindlers, due to the fact that a package could take a very long time to arrive. By then it may be too late for eBay to intervene, if the seller made excuses as to why the item was taking longer than usual.
Facebook garage sale groups are the newest and quickest way to sell unwanted items online. They offer a simplicity and ease that Facebook users have embraced, and the groups will only grow in size in the years to come. The next time you need to sell something, try the online Facebook way for a quick and easy way to get cash fast.
J. Karol Pruett. Photograph by O. Rufus Lovett / SPECIAL TO THE FLARE
The KC Board of Trustees approved J. Karol Pruett to fill the vacant Place 6 seat during their regular business meeting Tuesday evening. Charlie Hale, former board president, resigned the seat in August, citing health reasons.
Pruett will fill the unexpired term in the Central Zone (Kilgore ISD), until a special election can be called in May 2015.
“I am overwhelmed by the positive responses I received all day after my appointment to the KC Board,” Pruett said. “In all my deliberations, I plan to keep the core mission of the college at the top of my mind: that we prepare students for success in life.”
Pruett graduated salutatorian from Kilgore High School in 1973 and attended Kilgore College.
She earned a bachelor’s degree in finance and real estate, and then a master’s degree in finance from the University of Texas at Austin.
Pruett began working at KC in 1987 as a Library Audiovisual Technician. From there, she moved to secretary to the dean of occupational therapy, then personnel officer, and later assistant dean of occupational therapy.
She was assistant to KC President Dr. Bill Holda from 1996 to 2012.
After leaving the college, she spent the summer conducting land title research for T.S. Dudley Land Company in Sullivan County, Penn.
She currently works part-time since January 2013 as office manager at the Law Office of Jeff Jackson in Kilgore.
It is finally official. The Liberal Arts building is coming down.
On Monday night, KC Board of Trustees approved a demolition schedule.
The work will begin as soon as the Fall Semester ends on Dec. 13.
“I am excited that we finally have a schedule and a plan to remove the Liberal Arts building,” KC President Bill Holda said. “Hopefully by the spring, the building will be gone.”
According to a timeline provided by ERI Consulting, Inc. of Tyler, the first step after a contractor is approved by the board in early December will be asbestos abatement.
The abatement will take until the end of January to complete.
The demolition contractor will begin building safety fences around the LA building right before Christmas. The granite benches on the south walkway will be moved.
The LA building was built in 1957 and has been vacant for many years; however in 2008, the second floor as well as a small portion of the first floor were briefly opened for classes.
The debate of whether or not the building would be demolished has been underway for nearly 30 years.
The demolition will end a week after classes resume from Spring Break in late March. The board has not yet discussed the plans for the space now occupied by the LA building.
A student was ticketed by KCPD for possession of K2, also known as synthetic marijuana, and has been banned from campus housing.
While patrolling in front of Stark Hall for parking violations, Officer J.H. Lanier came to a vehicle that did not have a proper parking sticker.
Upon circling the vehicle to check for a sticker possibly affixed elsewhere, he came across a sleeping male.
Lanier awoke the student, who was identified as Bradley Q. Fields of Lubbock, and asked if there was anything in the vehicle that he wouldn’t want him to find.
According to the police report, Fields stated he had “marijuana” and then proceeded to reach for a packet of “3G Kush – Anonymous Potpourri.”
It was noted that the packet came from the Glass Dragon Super Store in Longview.
K2 possession is a violation of city ordinance in Kilgore and Longview.
Lanier confiscated the substance, tagged it as evidence and consulted Lt. Tony Means and Laurence Sabeta, assistant coordinator for student life.
Means instructed Lanier to issue Fields a municipal citation for a city ordinance violation.
Lanier also contacted Kilgore Municipal Court about the possession of K2, resulting in the final charge being “Possession of an Illegal Smoking Substance.”
Campus housing rules have a strict no-drug policy.
“KC in its entirety is a drug-free, gun-free, gang-free campus. KC has a responsibility to enforce the City of Kilgore’s laws,” Sabeta said. “K2 is listed under the drug-free policy and is a municipal violation of the city. If found to be involved with drugs, guns or gangs, the student will be asked to leave campus housing.”
Next to K2 problems, parking is another issue on campus.
It has brought many students and staff complaints. Students feel as though there is not enough parking spots for everyone, thus resulting in them parking in staff or no-parking zones ultimately leading to upset staff members. Incorrect parking is the top citation.
“People want to show up late and park up close,” Means said. “It isn’t logical.”
Means wants all students to know The Back Porch parking lot is KC property and students will not be towed if they use this area.
The Shakespeare Building parking lot, located on the corner of Houston Street and Broadway Boulevard, also has plenty of spaces for students to park.
As for parking in staff parking, most tickets issued to students parking in staff areas are a result of staff members calling in complaints.
“If there is golden or fluorescent paint on the spot, you as a student probably don’t belong there,” Means said. “That is my number one piece of advice.”
Students need to arrive early enough to park up close or to have enough time to walk to class.
When the parking lots aren’t being used during school hours, they aren’t always empty.
Another campus security issue is students loitering in parking lots too close to housing areas.
“Curfew is 11 p.m. around the housing areas and the adjacent parking lots. No students are allowed there after that time,” Means said. “If you feel like you need to hang out, you can go to the tennis court parking lot, the band hall parking lot or the mall area between the L.A. Building and the library.”
KCPD predicts this semester’s level of crime-related activity will be lower than past semesters. They believe students are more willing to listen to authority and comply with campus rules.
At one point, Means and other officers felt they had to enforce their authority by repeatedly asking students to follow the campus rules, but this semester, they believe as though they haven’t had to do so.
“I want to have a good and safe semester. I want students to feel safe and to know that anyone can come to KCPD and ask for help with anything, police-related or not,” Means said. “I want the police department to be the solution, not the problem.”
A Homecoming dance, hosted by Student Activities, is scheduled for 9 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 12 in the Devall Student Center ballroom. The theme is “Night of the Stars.”
The event will feature a live DJ, prize giveaways, and a green screen photo booth. Snacks and beverages will be available.
Attendees are required to wear formal attire. Men should wear dress pants and dress shoes, while women should wear dresses.
Student IDs must be worn. Students are allowed to bring other students who are not enrolled at KC, but they must have a student ID from their respective schools.
For more information, contact Ross Costanzo at 903-988-7504.
The votes are in for the Homecoming court nominees.
Voting for Homecoming king and queen begins Sept. 23 between 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. in front of the Devall Student Center. Students may also vote on Sept. 24 between 9 a.m.- 2 p.m. in front of the Business Administration building.
Last year’s king, Morris Williams II, and queen, DeeDee Davis, will crown the new Homecoming king and queen during pre-game on Oct. 5.
