KUDOS First Issue - Jan. 20

Our first issue of the semester has been published. It is disappointing that we only had four pages, but the short week, the early deadline and the Martin Luther King holiday on Monday plus getting adjusted to a new semester dictated this decision. In the short run, we had a good issue. We broke the story on the audit the Texas A&M System did on our university and secured an interview with Dr. Tallant about the consequences that audit would have on faculty, staff, students and the Kingsville community. Edwin Vasquez had an outstanding story. JC Reyes got a nice front page picture of the new renovated Rhode Hall. What is disappointing here is the layout on pi. It's much too horizontal modular and you can't tell what the main story is. It's hard. The Rhode Hall story was not strong enough. It was adequequate at best. Angela's story on the inauguration celebrations on campus was a little better. Page 2 had some new and exciting items - "It's Easy Being Green" by the gregarious and humble Bob Pena and "Things Your Mama Never Taught You" by the effervescent and knowledgable Erika Hernandez. We are looking for big things from this. Let's see what happens. Page 2 looked decent. The editorial page (page 3) was solid with columns, editorials, a good cartoon and a letter to the editor. I like the "Rate Bush" feature. It's an attempt to go interactive. Let's see how this does, as well. We need a folo on the response. The sports page was supposed to be a photo spread. It didn't work. A photo spread is supposed to have one BAP, a scene setter and then a series of smaller photographs. The copy is good and I think the photos are solidbut nothing in the spread says "Cactus Bowl." We will do better. As for KUDOs, it is difficult to choose someone in the first week. However, because of their innovated reporting and for going the extra mile, we must give it to the people who put life back into P2. KUDOs go Erika Hernandez and Bob Pena. Well done. You're in the pot for $100 to be given out at our "-30- Party." Let's make it work this time.