Stephen Yeargin

Let's begin with a piece of pop culture trivia.

More than 3,000 potential students have applied for next fall, setting a fourth consecutive year increase in applications.

Two former UTM students were among at least 23 people killed in a series of deadly tornadic thunderstorms that swept across West Tennessee Sunday night.

A record graduating class and a high-profile commencement speaker has UTM administrators scrambling to accommodate the crowds.

Most students learned of the closure by listening to local radio stations or television news programs. UTM had also placed a notice on their Web site alerting visitors that the main campus would be closed Monday.

Twenty years ago Monday, the nation honored civil rights leader Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. UTM is celebrating the occasion with demonstrations and movie showings.

The 12th Annual Tennessee Soybean festival has been billed as a great source of food and fun for the Martin community, including students. The event, supported by area businesses, civic organizations and UTM, attracted 30,000 people last year. The Martin area benefits from more than $100,000 in sales tax revenue.

We had nearly three days worth of warning before the first landfall in New Orleans. We even watched television specials on the ''worst-case-scenario'' before the first drop of water from Hurricane Katrina landed on Bourbon Street.

The UC will be abuzz today with the fourth annual 2005 Technology Showcase.

This year's Greekfest events, a week long celebration of greek life at UTM, will benefit local chapters of the American Red Cross.

''Cooperation is key'' was the central message brought to county civic leaders from the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development.

Typically, I would be the last to complain about time off. I tend to enjoy a carefree lifestyle devoid of any academic obligations.

Even with the spotlight on the national elections, there were still a number of contests of interest in West Tennessee. U.S. Rep. John Tanner (D) held off challenger James L. Hart (R) in the 8th Congressional District.

Over the next few weeks, you'll see the theme from both parities that it is time to ''put the past behind us.'' For one, it's to console their base who fought ever so hard for a victory that wasn't meant to be. For the other, it's a plea for acceptance from what became very bitter foes.

''Browning's on fire.'' Those are never the words you want hear, unless you are a journalist who only a few hours earlier was wondering what would fill the next week's issue.

Hockey fans living in Martin? Not likely, but on occasion a few make their way from other portions of the state and country.

The Skyhawk volleyball team took top academic honors for student athletes earlier this year, while Alpha Gamma Rho and Alpha Delta Pi lead the UTM greek system in grades.

Over the holiday weekend, posters asking for men interested in Kappa Sigma fraternity to contact David Aurich began appearing on campus.

With the political storms already raging on the national scene, most college-age voters tend to agree: We've made up our minds.

Gov. Phil Bredesen today named seven Tennesseans to fill vacancies on the University of Tennessee Board of Trustees, the Tennessee Board of Regents, the Tennessee Higher Education Commission and the Tennessee Student Assistance Corporation Board of Directors.

First it was the 38238 zip code, now a new telephone prefix that separates UTM from your typical Martin city residents.

Despite significant drops in security personnel, UTM kept narcotics crime in check, while losing ground in fighting larceny/theft crimes in 2003.

Sweeping four out of five colleges, Sen. Dusty Dean has been named president-elect of the Student Government Association.

The Pacer has written seven editorials this academic year, yet none seem to have sparked as much controversy as last week's endorsement of SGA presidential candidate Dusty Dean.

A group of UTM students bound for Spain were turned back shortly after national news outlets reported explosions in a Madrid train station on March 11. Spanish Medical Police said Tuesday that the bombings killed at least 190, and wouded more than 1,000.

When a ballot is cast electronically in the SGA general elections, a separate space will be devoted to allow students to vote for three out of th e four candidates.

While many UTM students will be packing bags and heading to destinations such as Panama City Beach, Baton Rouge, or North Carolina's Outer Banks for Spring Break, some destinations are just a short drive away.

The Andy Holt Humanities Building will have another passenger elevator by August 2004, said Director of UTM Physical Plant Timothy Nipp on Wednesday.

Student Government Association officials confirmed this week that elections were on track for the begining of April, with candidate nomination forms available as early as March 8 and due back to the SGA office no later than March 24.

Tuesday's two-state presidential primary proved to be the fuel for one campaign's continued dominance as another reached the end of the road.

Many users of popular AOL Instant Messenger (AIM) client may have fallen prey to a recent round of tricks to install adware on their computers.

On February 1, 2003, a small group of University Scholars Organization members gathered after President George W. Bush's annual State of the Union address to discuss the coming conflict.

My philosophy as editor has always been to remain fair and balanced in every level of our reporting. Sometimes, it is not as apparent as others.

UTM Computer Services announced the newest worm virus threat to students on the local area network on Tuesday and reassured campus residents that steps were being taken to track down Internet issues.

Visiting Central Baptist College players told UTM Public Safety officers November 24 that over $1,600 in personal property had been stolen during a basketball game in the Elam Center.

Sources close to The Pacer say that Information Systems assistant professor Keith Herrel has filed as many as 12 cases of plagiarism violations with Student Conduct Officer Vishenia Huery for review.

Effective this week, switching cell phone service providers will be less of a hassle. The Federal Communications Commission approved new guidelines that require assigned phone numbers to be ''portable'' (switched between carriers) within a local calling area.

UTM will join over 50 other campuses across the nation in an online professor rating system if the Student Government Association has its way.

Here's a shock-the last real column I wrote was in August, in an issue the majority of the campus has only heard about, First Flight. Guess now's the time.

An accident that occurred about 8:30 last night on Mt. Pelia Road in front of the UC did not result in any serious injuries.

Katie High didn't have to look very far for a new Coordinator of Greek Life and Student Organizations. In fact, he was only down the hall. Louis Ragsdale, the then interim, beat four other finalists for the position two weeks ago after an extensive search process.

I am disappointed by your judgment that this newspaper has sensationalized the events cited at the bottom of our October 10 issue.

University Street was closed briefly Monday afternoon about 2:15 for a natural gas leak, Public Safety officials said. Chief Rick Hatler said that a construction crew member accidentally struck a gas main while on the job at the Alumni Gymnasium.

Complex science stories aren't making it to the pages of the nation's newspapers and airwaves not because of the lack of achievement, but because of misunderstandings between journalists and the scientists they interview.

Over sixty names, addresses and Social Security Numbers on petitions to form four new campus organizations were posted publicly on the Student Life website, contradicting a university-wide initiative to protect the private information of students.

What does it take to found a chapter of a national fraternity? In a word, time. That was the message sent to a group of about 50 attendees, mostly alumni and undergraduate members of Sigma Chi at regional chapters, during a presentation Tuesday night.

While rumors run rampant of about who will be the next President of the University of Tennessee System, one candidate says he isn't even in the running.

An otherwise routine SGA meeting to open the term of the new administration and Senate had an unexpected turn Thursday night, as the Senate struck down Sen. Kevin Teets's nomination for Procedures Chair.

Jennifer Ogg has been elected to serve as the next President of the SGA after a rain soaked run-off.

Enrollment numbers provided to The Pacer indicate that the college of Business and Public Affairs (CBPA) may have been allotted an extra seat, against the guidelines in the SGA By-laws.

A week of intense campaigning is riding on the outcome of two days of voting next week. Elections will be from noon to 5 p.m. on Monday and Tuesday, April 7 - 8 in UC 111.

Dr. Carl Jay Buchanan of Union City, an assistant professor in the UTM English Department, died Saturday at Baptist Memorial Hospital-Union City. He was 46.

Following a flurry of petitions and campaign planning, the 2003 Student Government Association elections are set. For the office of President, Sen. Jason Balestrini, incumbent Vice President Nikki Draper, and Sen. Jennifer Ogg.

A committee chosen to make the official recommendation for the foodservice contract delivered a 3 to 4 decision in favor of Sodexho Alliance, Inc.

The window is closing for students to involved with next year's Student Government Association as an elected official. Petitioning began Thursday night and will close at noon on Thursday, March 27. Students wishing to run for Senate must pick up an application from the SGA office (Room 214 in the University Center).

Two nationally recognized broadcasters were to be on campus today to make keynote speeches as part of the UTM Communications Department Career Day event. Local high school students are also on hand for tours and awards for broadcast and print media.

The events of Sept. 11, 2001 (and I despise using the date as a propper noun; it sounds like a holiday, not a tragedy), were NOT acts of war, they were acts of terrorism. Allow me to explain.

Books on solar systems, lesson plans for hands-on workshops, photographs of shuttle launches, workbooks on microgravity and videos on everything in between are stacked from floor to ceiling.

A piece of foam insulation that ripped from the external fuel tank during liftoff may have damaged the tiles that protect Columbia from the extreme heat of re-entry.

You may notice that one of your favorite web sites doesn't look like it did this time a week ago. After only a semester in operation, the Pacer Online Edition received a much-needed face-lift.

Planning is in the works for a Civil Rights Conference. In other business, the SGA Senate voted Wednesday night to reinstate Sen. Danielle Neely of the College of Engineering and Natural Sciences.

Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving holiday with family and friends. Of course, I’m sure you didn’t travel far, unless you skipped class on Wednesday. Who didn’t?

Following two resignations, the SGA discussed measures to enforce the disciplinary action against senate members who surpass their two allowed absences.

Finding your way to the poll will not be an excuse this election, thanks to the Student Government Association. Elections are November 5.

Imagine my surprise when I walked into the office one Thursday evening, and found a letter written by Barbara Castleman, a distinguished member of the UTM Board of Trustees, sitting on the Opinions desk. Seldom do we have the honor of publishing the thoughts and concerns of such a prominent figure.

The spirits were high as authentic Cajun music echoed over the crowd assembled to watch this year's homecoming rope pull match ups.

Remember when Christ turned water into wine?

A Catholic Lent often consists of a 40-day vow against certain foods, but this time the craving that must be subdued is more than just a change in diet.

Check out the Pacer online. It rocks. Really.

Although parking may be tough at UTM, the Library wants to make it free for one lucky student next semester.

The final piece of a campus renovation project started in 1998 is finally on track for completion. Overlooked in the original renovation of the University Center due to financial constraints of the time, the game room faces a similar situation this year.