As students are constantly complaining about Huntsville, a student at SHSU is gearing up to actually do something about it.
After recently graduating with a double major in political science and American history from SHSU, Jason Myers, 24, from Houston, is now currently pursuing a Masters degree in political science and a city council position.
“In the last election cycle, there were a lot of student issues that went unnoticed. My friends and I contacted those on city council and told them about the issues we would like to have addressed,” Myers said. “No one there took us seriously and they blew us all off. It was then that I decided that I was going to run for a city council position.”
As most students agree, Myers is fighting to extend the local bar curfew to 2 a.m.
By doing this, Myers says that it will increase public safety.
“I feel that if the bar curfew is extended, Huntsville will be a better place,” Myers continued. “There are serious ramifications with not allowing the bars to be open until 2 a.m.”
The consequences Myers is referring to is how students will go out and drink until midnight and then travel to either Conroe or The Woodlands to continue their evening.
“Many college students feel that midnight is still early so they will go out and that means that they are traveling down I-45 at 3 a.m. Because of this, we are losing students to drunk driving,” Myers said. “Students can’t have fun Huntsville.”
While Myers says that he does not condone leaving town to continue the evening, he feels that by keeping local establishments open an equal amount of time, it will help keep students safe.
Another way Myers wants to change Huntsville is by allowing more jobs to come to town, instead of having students and citizens find jobs outside of the city limits.
“Students have a hard time finding jobs here in Huntsville,” Myers said. “I would like to see jobs created here for students.”
Other issues Myers would like to address include supporting the I-Drive program.
The designated driver program created by an SHSU faculty member is designed to reward those who drive their friends who have had too much to drink.
“To the best of my knowledge, the local bars are signed on to the program,” Myers said. “Those who have decided to be a designated driver will go into the bar, receive a wrist band and then can have all the free non-alcoholic drinks they want.”