Chef Grant Achatz, working here at his Alinea restaurant in Chicago, Ill., is featured in the award-winning documentary, "Spinning Plates."

NACOGDOCHES, Texas - The Stephen F. Austin State University School of Art and the Friends of the Visual Arts will present a free, one-night screening of "Spinning Plates" at 7 p.m. Friday, Jan. 9, in The Cole Art Center @ The Old Opera House in downtown Nacogdoches.

For many Lumberjack families, love for SFA spans generations. Members of one spirited East Texas clan have left an enduring mark on a particularly beloved and admired university tradition - the SFA Twirl-O-Jacks.

Pat (Griffin) Bridges, a 1962 SFA graduate, started it all when she came to campus in fall 1959. She was recruited by then Lumberjack Band director Jimmy Hudgins, who came to her home to ask her to help "build a great twirling line" and play the oboe in his concert band.

NACOGDOCHES, Texas - Stephen F. Austin State University will be closed for winter break beginning Saturday, Dec. 20. All university operations will resume regular hours on Monday, Jan. 5, 2015.

Regular hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. In addition, the Office of Admissions will not provide any scheduled tours of campus during the break.

In case of emergency during the break, please contact the University Police Department at (936) 468-2608.

NACOGDOCHES, Texas -The Cole Art Center @ The Old Opera House, Stephen F. Austin State University's art gallery located in downtown Nacogdoches, will be open most days during the Christmas and New Year's break, according to John Handley, director of galleries for SFA.

Cole Art Center will be closed Wednesday through Friday, Dec. 24 through 26, and Thursday, Jan. 1. The center may close early on Wednesday, Dec. 31, if there is no traffic. Otherwise the center will be open during regular hours, which are 12:30 to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday.

The person who has influenced Hrubesh most is CNN founder Ted Turner. "Shortly after starting my career at the cable channel, I began to adopt Ted's views of the world," he said. "He inspired me to recycle, eat bison and reduce my carbon footprint." Photos by Hardy Meredith

The most important thing senior CNN editor/producer Chris Hrubesh says he learned at Stephen F.

The Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival has recognized Stephen F. Austin State University's recent production of "Spamalot" with a number of awards and nominations.

NACOGDOCHES, Texas - The recent production of Monty Python's "Spamalot" presented by Stephen F. Austin State University's schools of Theatre and Music has garnered a number of awards and nominations from the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival.

Dr. Dana Cooper

NACOGDOCHES, Texas - Dr. Dana Cooper, associate professor of history at Stephen F. Austin State University, was interviewed for a three-part documentary series scheduled for broadcast on the Smithsonian Channel in January.

Pictured (front row, from left) are Dr. Michael Walker, Peggy Muckelroy, Tony Brown, Paige Pattillo Brown, Amanda Ellsworth, Heather Kartye and Susan Robertson.

Stephen F. Austin State University and the Family Crisis Center of East Texas hosted a grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony Tuesday for the new outreach office located in the University Health Services Clinic.

NACOGDOCHES, Texas - Outstanding Stephen F. Austin State University donors will be honored during the 26th annual SFA Gala on Saturday, Dec. 13, in the Grand Ballroom of the Baker Pattillo Student Center.

This year's Gala honorees include Nacogdoches Medical Center, Nacogdoches Memorial Hospital, Elliott Electric Supply and the late Nelson Rusche.

NACOGDOCHES, Texas - The Music Preparatory Division of the Stephen F. Austin State University School of Music will host a holiday open house from 4:30 to 6 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 20, at the Music Prep House located at 3028 Raguet St.