The O'Colly, Tuesday, March 12, 2024

Tuesday, March 12, 2024

Sunshine Week

Support Local Journalism

Courtesy of Sunshine Week

Sunshine Week is March 10-16, and this year, there’s an even greater need for you to get involved.

Sunshine Week annually celebrates freedom of information laws in every state. It also salutes efforts by good government advocates and journalists to use and ensure the effectiveness of those

laws to get the information we need as self-governing citizens.

The name is a play on the commonsense words spoken more than a century ago by U.S. Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis, that “Sunlight is said to be the best of disinfectants.” Brandeis’ remark was not made in a court opinion. It was in a 1913 article published in the news magazine Harper’s Weekly. Along with its observations on American culture and events,

Harper’s was part of the “muckraking” news era, with journalists holding business and government accountable for corruption, waste and illegal activity. As a special treat of each Sunshine Week, we get to see current examples of news reporting on behalf of the public, the type of journalism that the nation’s founders had in mind when they adopted strong First Amendment protection for a free press.

See Sunshine on 5

OSUPD academic class turns stipend into scholarships

Courtesy of OSU News

In 2021, the Oklahoma State University Police Department created a threecredit hour course covering the realities of modern law enforcement. This year, OSUPD is taking the stipend paid to those teaching the course — Building Partnerships Through Policing — and turning it into student scholarships.

OSUPD Capt. Colt Chandler said spring 2024 will be the first time the scholarships will be awarded.

“We have been absorbing the cost of the course since its inception,” Chandler said. “Two years down the road, we decided we could use the teaching stipend to benefit students. So, we’ve been working to figure out how we can get that stipend put into our foundation account, so we can, in turn,

offer scholarships. We finally got it done this past December.”

Most of the funding for these scholarships is coming from OSUPD officers and their salaries. As the class continues to grow, the police department is hoping to collaborate with others across campus to match funds to reach an endowment stage with the OSU Foundation account. Without a donor, it will take eight more courses until an endowment level is reached.

“Building Partnerships Through Policing,” offered in the sociology department as a 2000-level course, is perfect for students exploring the idea of a career as a first responder or in law enforcement.

This class helps students understand what going into the police force looks like, allowing them to see if it’s truly something they want to pursue as a career. Chandler has been working with

OSU wheat genetics dominate commercial markets despite outdated infrastructure

Courtesy of OSU News

In February 2021, a round of sub-zero temperatures crippled the 60-year-old greenhouse facility at the OSU Agronomy Research Station, nearly destroying OSU’s internationallyacclaimed wheat breeding program.

Faculty, staff and student workers at the OSU Agronomy Farm worked around the clock to salvage what they could of the young and vulnerable wheat plants that froze in the site’s main greenhouse. Some of the delicate hybrid wheat that had been crossed to develop new varieties was a permanent loss.

Three years later, the facility’s aging plumbing and electrical systems are still cause for concern as researchers and staff attempt to keep up with repairs and maintenance.

“Modernization of the OSU Agronomy Research Station is needed to position the wheat breeding team to continue its outstanding scientific and economic impacts,” said Jayson Lusk, vice president and dean of OSU Agriculture. “Our efforts at OSU to feed and nourish the world begin at the agronomy farm with the wheat improvement team. Some of the university’s earliest research began in 1892 on experimental wheat field plots named after A.C. Magruder, the university’s first professor of agriculture. The Magruder research site is among the oldest of its kind in the United States, and that speaks volumes about our commitment to agricultural research and our land-grant mission.”

structure sits the metal-clad Wheat Research 618 building where OSU’s valuable wheat germplasm is stored.

Carting seed from one facility to another across a parking lot without a covered walkway is a little risky for plants developed by one of the top wheat geneticists in the country.

“We don’t just go down to the mill and buy seed; we create it on our own,” Carver said. “We have to maintain a collection that comes from our own nurseries to have something to rely on in a disaster. Right now, if a disaster occurs, we don’t produce enough seed to go back to fully recover. That’s what happened in 2021 when some of the seed was never recovered.”

Wheat varieties developed at OSU have the largest footprint in the Great Plains region and are known for their disease resistance, drought tolerance, grazing tolerance, nitrogen-use efficiency and wide appeal to the U.S. milling and baking industry. OSU has commercialized 34 varieties since 2000, and Oklahoma Wheat Commission surveys report that 71% of the named wheat acreage in Oklahoma was developed in Stillwater. In Texas, 25% of the named wheat acreage comes from OSU wheat genetics.

OSU’s newest hard red winter wheat variety, High Cotton, debuted in commercial markets in 2023. The dual-purpose variety is expected to offset potential declines in planted wheat acreage in the future by increasing yield rates.

the sociology department to make this class more accessible to students interested in law enforcement.

“It offers an intrinsic perspective about law enforcement, then why we feel OSUPD models success and is successful,” Chandler said.

“The very first day we open with very difficult conversations and theoretical models that people need to understand are critical to our job.” Chandler noted some students don’t fully grasp the challenges that may arise from working in the field.

“It’s basically a very in-depth Citizens Academy for students,” Chandler said. “We’ve hired one of the students as an OSUPD officer, had five phenomenal interns from three classes, and know of at least four students who went on to be hired at other agencies. Even if they don’t go on to law enforcement, they are educated and informed about why we do what we do.”

Located on the west side of campus along Highway 51 in Stillwater, the farm supports OSU Agriculture’s three mission areas of research, teaching and Extension. It features 28 structures and 134,826 square feet for classroom instruction, greenhouse trials, research and support services. A master plan study conducted in 2018 to identify potential improvements and expansion of the research station indicated the need for several stand-alone projects or phases of modernization. Many of the buildings were constructed in the 1940s and 1950s and have been deemed in need of at least minor repairs. Several others require major renovations or have been categorized in a state of “end of life.”

“We are limited on space, so we have to do things that are not ideal in terms of efficiency,” said Brett Carver, OSU regents professor and wheat genetics chair.

Space and efficiency challenges It’s late morning in January, and Carver sits in the agronomy farm’s headhouse, also known as the greenhouse common area, where rainwater from the night before has seeped in and spread across the cracked concrete floor. Staff have attempted to clean it up twice. He points across the parking lot to two other older buildings involved in Wheat Improvement Team operations. The Small Grains Building was once shared by several USDA and OSU scientists working primarily on wheat and barley breeding and genetics. Some of its floors are now unsafe to inhabit. Diagonal from the

“This is the program where it happens, and we want to keep that going — the producers want to keep it going,” said Carver, one of only three wheat geneticists to lead the Wheat Improvement Team since the 1940s.

Oklahoma’s wild weather swings of deep-freeze nights and warm, sunny days regularly plague the agronomy farm’s greenhouse heating and cooling system. The situation makes wheat breeding program manager Jason Ray nervous, and during inclement weather, he visits the facility every couple of hours throughout the night to check on equipment and ensure the greenhouse environment is stable.

“If a pipe bursts or a heater goes out, we’ve got around 30 minutes to go to our backup plan,” he said. “If something breaks, I have to shut off water to the entire facility. In 2021, I couldn’t shut off the water in one area to change a broken line at midnight. I had to run water in all of the other greenhouses to live-change the line. When there’s an issue, we have to fix it fast.”

Between patched-up plumbing and electrical units and the constant threat of rodents eating wheat germplasm worth millions of dollars, Ray devotes much of his time to emergency maintenance.

“Every single day, I have to fix something. We’re keeping up with it just barely,” he said. Advancing wheat research Despite the agronomy farm’s infrastructure challenges, Carver and the Wheat Improvement Team find ways to develop some of the world’s leading wheat varieties, but reliable, modern facilities would open new opportunities.

Courtesy of Sunshine Week

Gene Policinski

OSU finishes runner-up at Big 12 Championships, scores largest total ever for second-place team

Braden Bush Sports Editor

TULSA – The TV at the end of the southeast tunnel inside the BOK Center stole John Smith’s attention and validated his takeaway from the Big 12 Championships.

Smith, Oklahoma State’s coach, stopped to watch Iowa State’s Yonger Bastida upset Wyatt Hendrickson, Air force’s top-seeded and 24-0 heavyweight, in the finals. Bastida was undefeated himself, and the No. 2 seed, but Hendrickson was the reigning back-toback champion. Smith was impressed.

“We, by no means, we didn’t lose the tournament,” Smith said. “Iowa State won it.”

The Cowboys wrestled well. Daton Fix won his fifth 133-pound title. Three other Cowboys placed second, and two placed third. Most years, OSU’s 141.5 points would have been good enough for a title –21 of the past 26, to be exact – but this year, it wasn’t. The Cyclones finished with 152.5 points, making OSU’s score the highest for a runner-up in Big 12 history.

“We scored a lot of points,” Smith said. “If you told me we were gonna score 140s, I would have told you, ‘We won the tournament. We’re gonna win it.’”

For the most part, OSU and Iowa State were even on the weekend. The Cowboys sent four to the championship round, and the Cyclones sent five. OSU went 31-14 in matches, while ISU finished one match better, 32-13.

OSU had just one champion, Fix, while Iowa State had two. The Cowboys had to win two more finals matches than the Cyclones entering Sunday night, so OSU ended up needing to win all four finals matches to win the team title. It didn’t happen.

Where ground could have been made up was bonus points. ISU earned bonus points in 20 matches over the course of the weekend. Only nine for the Cowboys. That’s a big separation in bonus points, especially in a tight tournament. But all season, OSU lived on grinding out wins rather than bonus points.

“You saw all our matches this year,” Smith said. “I mean, we had to fight to win dual meets. We had to fight to win matches.”

For the third year in a row, OSU left Tulsa without a Big 12 title. That’s not what Smith or the Cowboys wanted, but Smith said, overall, he was pleased with the performance.

Troy Spratley (125) gave up a late takedown in the finals that cost him the crown. Jordan Williams (149) made a run to the finals as a No. 4 seed before injury defaulting. Two freshmen in the finals is a good sign for OSU.

Dustin Plott (184) was

dominant other than his majordecision loss to Parker Keckeisen, who Smith said Plott will have to go through at NCAAs, in the finals. Heavyweight Konner Doucet found offense in his last match and finished fifth with an automatic bid to the NCAA Championships.

Brayden Thompson (174) and Izzak Olejnik (165) each made runs in the consolation brackets to finish third.

In a tough loss, there was plenty of positive for OSU. There are moments to learn from, but nationals is the most important tournament. A Big 12 title would have been nice, but Smith can live with the results this weekend. All eyes are now ahead.

“We’re gonna have to take

some things from here and get better,” Smith said. “We had good effort. Again, I’ll emphasize that Iowa State won this tournament. We didn’t lose it. They won it.”

Daton Fix becomes first 5-time Big 12 champion; shifts focus to NCAA Championships

allowed the takedown.

In the moment, OSU could have used bonus points in the team race, trailing Iowa State by seven points. But as coach John Smith said, he’d rather Fix to leave bonus points on the table than lose. Or worse, be pinned.

nearby Sand Springs, said it felt all the better accomplishing the feat in front of his hometown.

Now his focus is on winning his first national championship in Kansas City in two weeks.

TULSA – Daton Fix struggled to catch his breath.

The thrill of the moment mixed with the grueling efforts and exhaustion from Big 12 championship match against No. 2-seed Evan Frost of Iowa State. The reality of the moment took a couple of minutes to seep in.

He’d made history.

Until Sunday night at the Big 12 Championships at the BOK Center, there had never been a five-time Big 12 individual champion. After an 8-5 decision over Frost in the championship round of the 133-pound weight class, Fix became the first.

“I’m just grateful to be here at Oklahoma State,” Fix said. “Grateful to be here. Grateful to be a Cowboy. Any time you can do something that hasn’t been done at Oklahoma State, it’s a big deal. I’m proud to be a Cowboy. I love it here. I love the fans.”

Fix dominated the first two periods of his match, needing a takedown to clinch a major decision over Frost. Multiple scrambles later, Fix had leverage on Frost. However, a missed opportunity resulted in Fix being in danger of him being placed on his back. So, he

“I felt that (Frost) was turning onto that cradle,” Fix said. “It’s just wrestling smart. Obviously, I wanted to get the major decision for my team. I mean, I was in a position to do that. I just got a little sloppy in my finish.”

Ultimately, the potential bonus points didn’t matter. Iowa State won the team race with 152.5. OSU fell 11 points short, with 141.5, becoming the highest-scoring second-place team in Big 12 Wrestling Championships history. And with that, the Cowboys conference title drought was extended to three years.

Fix didn’t discredit the magnitude of his accomplishment. With the aid of an extra season of eligibility because of COVID, Fix did something few have the chance to do and that might not be done again. He was the only of four OSU wrestlers to come out of the finals round victorious.

As he was called to the podium for the 133-pound awards ceremony, Fix glanced around at the stands. He’d stood on the same podium four times prior. But this one meant more. In all likelihood, Sunday was his last time wrestling in that venue. And Fix, from

“Good work (from Fix),” Smith said. “Five-time Big 12 champion. But he basically told the team that it doesn’t matter. I think he knows that something bigger lies ahead.”

Payton Little

With an 8-5 win in the 133-pound Big 12 finals on Sunday, Daton Fix became the first five-time Big 12 champion.

Daniel Allen Staff Reporter

Baylor Bryant Staff Reporter

Oklahoma State lost its second straight matchup against a top-20 team.

The No. 26 Cowboys hosted the No. 14 San Diego Toreros, and the Toreros defeated the Cowboys, 4-2. OSU is on a two-match losing streak with both matches coming down to the end. OSU coach Dustin Taylor said that despite the loss, there were a lot of bright spots.

“I can take today over last week for instance,” Taylor said. “The guys really responded, when the bell rang and when their backs were pushed against the wall. And it kind of came down to a couple points once again, and they just didn’t go our way. We can’t let that define this team because we just haven’t fired on all cylinders quite yet.”

For the second match in a row, the Cowboys lost the doubles point in a tiebreaker. On Court 3, the Toreros defeated Erik Schiessl and Goran Zgola, 1-6. On Court 1, OSU’s Tyler Zink and Alex Garcia tied it up, 7-6 (4). On Court 3, Isaac Becroft and Alessio Basile went into a tiebreaker. The OSU duo lost, 6-7 (5). In singles, the Toreros continued the momentum from doubles. San Diego won four out of six of the first sets. The Toreros took two courts down fast, but No. 26 Zink and Becroft won their matches and kept the match alive for the Cowboys. On Court 1, Zink defeated No. 5 Oliver Tarvet, 7-6 (4), 6-1.

The match came down to Francisco Pini and Basile. Both Cowboys battled it out, with Pini bringing his match into a third set, and Basile taking both the sets into tiebreakers. Despite the effort from the Cowboys, they could not get it done. Taylor was impressed by the team’s resilience.

“That’s all we’re looking for is when they get their backs pushed against the wall, when the tough gets going that they get tough,” Taylor said. “Today we saw that which is a big step in the right direction.”

Big 12 matches start against BYU on March 21. Zink said that the body comes first in their preparation for Big 12 play.

“We’re a gritty team,” Zink said. “If we don’t have our legs then it’s going to be a tough go. I think obviously just saving the leg, saving the body, taking care of all the details off the court and making sure that we’re ready to go, so that we’re at our best.”

sports.ed@ocolly.com

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128

Stillwater,

coach

Queen

Madison

OSU

Dustin Taylor said his Cowboys can’t let the loss to San Diego “define this team.”

Markets . . .

Continued from 1

Unlike wheat breeding teams at other land-grant universities, OSU does not conduct research in high-throughput phenotyping or the rapid measurement of plant traits under carefully controlled environmental conditions, such as in a greenhouse. Instead, OSU is solely focused on hybridization and seed increase in one breeding cycle from October to May. Oklahoma’s often extreme heat cuts the breeding season short in greenhouses, and space restricts the potential for additional research.

“We don’t do any kind of hypothesis-based research in these greenhouses,” Carver said. “We use them as a hospital, a birthing room instead of a testing room. A new facility will allow us to expand our expertise and build substantially upon the success we have enjoyed at our research field laboratories. Plus, we will be able to confidently conduct two breeding cycles per year

that, in turn, puts the world’s wheat germplasm at our fingertips for almost the entire year.” Seeds stored at the agronomy farm undergo milling and baking analysis in a wheat quality laboratory currently housed in OSU’s Robert M. Kerr Food and Agricultural Products Center. However, Carver said the prospect of centralizing all OSU wheat research and development appeals to the food industry as well as other forward-thinking scientists and wheat researchers whose resident expertise could advance the Wheat Improvement Team’s historic success. The need for state-of-the-art greenhouses to grow high-yielding wheat directly supports the world’s food supply.

In January, the OSU/A&M Board of Regents approved a request to draft construction plans for new facilities at the agronomy farm. Architectural and construction management firms will be selected to begin the design phase. Details on a project timeline and fundraising opportunities will be announced soon.

Sunshine...

Continued from 1

Sunshine Week was started in 2005 by the American Society of News Editors. The Joseph L. Brechner Freedom of Information Project at the University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications is coordinating Sunshine Week for the first time this year. Each year, we celebrate the thousands of local, state and national print, TV, radio and online reports that tell us what the government or others are doing and how they are doing it; reports that explore and expose otherwiseunseen information we need to know to make good decisions at the ballot box, when petitioning for change or simply things we should know about our communities. Just a few examples, from a 2023 New York Times report:

• In the Hunter Hills neighborhood of Atlanta, idle freight trains blocked a main road, sometimes for more than 30 hours, potentially blocking ambulances and fire trucks.

• In Colorado, a libertarian “food freedom” movement has reenergized a long battle over the safety of unpasteurized milk.

• A city manager in DuBois, Pennsylvania, gave himself raises and allegedly took hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars.

• After bus issues caused school closures in Jefferson County, Kentucky, two reporters followed one school bus trying to complete an impossible route.

• An investigative report of wage theft in New York State uncovered rampant abuse in the horse racing industry, with repeat offenders owing workers more than $4.4 million.

But this year as we celebrate that work being

done on behalf of democracy, there is an increasingly needed partner in that work: You and your support for local journalists.

The number of journalists continues to plummet, from more than 75,000 newsroom jobs in 2005 to 31,860 in 2022, according to the Medill Local News Initiative.

Far too many of us now live in “news deserts,” areas across the nation where not a single news outlet exists.

Medill reported that in 2023, that out of 3,143 counties nationwide, 204 counties had no newspapers, local digital sites, public radio newsrooms or ethnic publications, and another 228 counties were at substantial risk of losing all local news media.

Even where there are established news media outlets, economic pressures have resulted in staff cuts that mean there is less coverage of local government institutions like the city council, school board and local courts. We need to face the fact that there just aren’t enough journalists to do the job of monitoring and reporting on government, business and others.

To be sure, journalists and free press advocates are working to cut those losses and to buttress the flow of information to the public. There are new projects to fund local reporting or produce statewide or local reports, including the American Journalism Project; the Indiana Local News Initiative; Signal, a nonprofit organization in Ohio; and Houston Landing, a recently launched Texas publication. Studentoperated news media at several universities are reporting on their communities as well as their campuses.

Student journalists are sometimes providing the only full-time reporting in some communities. Innovative nonprofit statewide news operations such as Wisconsin Watch, South Dakota

News Watch and The Maine Monitor report, investigate and examine issues in their states.

Among notable national efforts: Freedom Forum funds two reporters, in Tennessee and Florida, in partnership with Journalism Funding Partners, who are dedicated to the First Amendment beat.

The Lenfest Institute for Journalism provides tools and resources for local journalism leaders. The Knight Foundation has been a longtime advocate and supporter of efforts to energize local news outlets and nonprofit journalism operations. But even with all those long-term and new initiatives, more help is needed.

Let’s turn again to Brandeis, who according to an article by the Sunlight Foundation in 2009, said in that Harper’s article, “The individual citizen must in some way collect and spread the information” through civic groups and the press, which he believed would lead to “remedial action.”

This does not necessarily mean filing a Freedom of Information request. There are ways to help hold government accountable beyond this direct action. Whether you are red or blue, progressive or conservative, Democrat, Republican or independent, you need to support those who do that investigative work on a daily basis.

Get behind and get engaged with those who use FOI laws and shoe-leather journalism to bring you the facts required for real selfgovernance. Take that that information and make up your own minds about the concerns of the day where you live – and perhaps give the national pundit class a rest. Open your eyes, your minds –and, yes, perhaps your wallets too – and bring a little sunlight into your life. Celebrate Sunshine Week. Justice Brandeis would be pleased, and you and your fellow citizens will be better off for the effort.

news.ed@ocolly.com

O’Colly Media Sales Manager Needed

The O’Colly Media Group is now accepting applications for a full time summer Account Manager, Media Sales. This position is responsible for contacting and selling local, University and Oklahoma businesses OMG advertising opportunities. Specifically print, online and mobile and video streaming service.

Job duties include developing sales, marketing and promotional strategies and create materials to support this effort and propose additional special issues and revenue streams and implement said issues and revenue streams.

Qualified applicant should be able to work with and train students, develop advertising and agency expense budgets, create and monitor daily revenue goals, determine credits and adjustments for advertising errors, serve as liaison between O’Colly and local retail community, university advertisers and other college newspapers. Serve as part of a long term strategic planning to further determine marketing strategies and additional revenue opportunities. Build relationships with prospective clients by attending local Chamber of Commerce meetings and making non sales calls.

Send resume to Lori@ocolly.com for consideration.

Courtesy of OSU News

Wheat being transplanted on the wheat research farm greenhouses at Oklahoma State University in Stillwater on Dec. 18.

Courtesy of Sunshine Week

96th Oscars: Big winners, ‘Barbenheimer’ rivalry put to rest

Hayden Alexander Staff Reporter

The 96th Oscars is another entry in a long tradition of glamorous evenings at the movies.

Hollywood’s biggest night saw many winners, hilarious moments and standout performances. Grab your tickets; we are going to the cinema.

First is the red carpet, where our stars modeled fashion’s finest looks and designs. The Oscars are a classy affair, and the stars did not disappoint.

Jennifer Lawrence, Michelle Yeoh and Florence Pugh are among many actresses who brought opulence to their black, white and silver gowns. Margot Robbie left the pink behind for a black chainmail Versace gown. Zendaya, never one to disappoint, graced the carpet in an Armani Privé number that encapsulated the vintage Hollywood style.

Among the silver and gold, America Ferrera wore a splash of pink in a Versace gown. Emma Stone brought a soft coral green to the red carpet in her Louis Vuitton gown. Lily Gladstone brought style and culture together in her collaborative design with Gucci and Joe Big Mountain, an indigenous designer.

The men did not disappoint. Cillian Murphy, Bradley Cooper, Colman Domingo and their fellow gentlemen looked quite dashing in their suits.

It’s time to take your seat in the Dolby Theater because the Oscars are starting. Now introducing your host, Jimmy Kimmel.

The late-night talk show host’s opening monologue was hilarious and poignant. He discussed the 148-day strikes fighting for protection from Artificial Intelligence. He kept it light with plenty of jokes and paid tribute to all the fantastic talent in the audience, those in the film industry and the union workers who did not cross the

picket lines during the strikes.

It’s awards time, baby; bring out the Oscars!

Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer” was the night’s biggest winner. The feature film won Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor, Best Director, Best Original Score, Best Cinematography, Best Film Editing and Best Picture.

Director Christopher Nolan, Cillian Murphy and Robert Downy Jr. took home their first Oscar.

The other big winner of the night is, drumroll please, “Poor Things!” The film won Best Makeup and Hairstyling, Best Costume Design, Best Production Design and Best Actress.

Emma Stone accepted her second Oscar through tears and dedicated her award to the team who put together poor things and her fellow nominees.

“I share this with you,” Stone said. “I am in awe of you, and it has been such an honor to do all this together.”

She also took a moment to tell her soon-to-be 3-yearold daughter, “I love you bigger than the whole sky, my girl.”

Many in the film community and on social media wonder if Lily Gladstone should have won, but she won the night without the Oscar. Gladstone made history as the first Native Woman nominated for Best Actress. She stole the show and will no doubt be back on the nomination list in the future.

Speaking of making history, Scott George and the Osage Singers performed “Wahzhazhe (A Song For My People),” one of many songs in the running for Best Orginal Song. Their performance resulted in a standing ovation from the audience.

Billie Eilish sang “What Was I Made For” before winning Best Original Song with her brother Finneus O’Connell.

Eilish and O’Connell’s win is the only Oscar for “Barbie,” but Ryan Gosling put on some pink rhinestones for his Oscar performance of “I’m Just Ken,” an Oscar-worthy performance. The singers were not the only showstoppers of the night; several actresses and actors presented awards and hilarious skits. Arnold Schwarzenegger (Mr. Freeze) and Danny Devito

(The Penguin) got a stare-down of their old nemesis, Michel Keaton(Batman).

Emily Blunt and Ryan Gosling traded roasts over their “Barbenheimer” rivalry, and John Cena presented in the nude.

On a serious note, many took to the stage to advocate for ending violence worldwide.

The “Zone of Interest” won two awards for Best Sound Design and Best International Feature Film. In his acceptance speech, filmmaker Jonathan Glazer condemned the dehumanization of all people, not wanting to diminish the horrors of the Holocaust, while calling out the violence of the IsraelGaza conflict. Several actors and actresses wore red pins, supporting a ceasefire in the conflict.

“20 Days in Mariupol” won Best Documentary Feature by Ukrainian Filmmaker Mstyslav Chernov. He spoke about the war in Ukraine, saying he wished that they never had to make the film, “I’ll be the first director on this stage who will say, I wish I never made this film,”

Chernov said.

The rest of the winners are as follows: Best Supporting Actress-Da’Vine Joy Randolph; Best Animated Feature—”The Boy and the Heron”; Best Live Action Short Film—”The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar”; Best Visual Effects—”Godzilla Minus One.”

Best Adapted Screenplay“American Fiction,” Best Documentary (Short Subject)- “The Last Repair Shop,” Best Original Screenplay- “Anatomy of a Fall,” and Best Animated Short Film- “War is Over! Inspired by the Music of John & Yoko.”

As far as I’m concerned, every nominee deserves a standing ovation for a spectacular year in film. After a tumultuous few months in the battle for the ages for writers’ and actors’ rights, these creatives won the day.

We’ve got another great lineup of movies for the 2024 season and the 97th Oscars to look forward to, too. For now, Hollywood is getting to celebrate the end of another starstudded awards season.

“But

One

who took the initiative. We are so dead in our sins that we did not even see our need fully. To save us, God sent his Son, Jesus, to die for us; to pay the

penalty that was rightfully ours, so that we, humans, could go free.

What does he ask from us? When we learn (hear) the message of God’s love, of Jesus’ sacrifice for us; we trust him, admit our need(our sin), and honestly thank him for his love gift. God forgives all our sins and declares us righteous in his sight.(Ro.5:1) He also gives us a new life within. We are “born again”, and we begin a new and real relationship with God. It is a love relationship; “We love him because He first loved us.” (1 Jn.4:19)

“How great is the love the Father (God) has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!” (1 Jn.3:1 NIV) Not by any works we have done, but receiving freely Gods love gift. It is free to all!

Ryan Gosling during the 96th Annual Academy Awards in Dolby Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center in Hollywood, California, on Sunday.

“Building Partnerships Through Policing,” offered in the sociology department as a 2000-level course, is perfect for students exploring the idea of a career as a first responder or in law enforcement.

Courtesy of OSU News

OSUPD . . .

Continued from 1

As part of helping educate future

law enforcement employees, Chandler and OSUPD have been working to provide scholarships for students to make the class more accessible financially. “OSUPD wants to show commitment to our community by giving back and the scholarship program is a way for us to do that,” said police Chief Leon

Jones. “We understand the importance of education and as members of this great community, we strive to educate as well.” Scholarships are available to Criminology and Criminal Justice majors and minors, and all declared CRCJ students will be considered for scholarships this

spring. Scholarship recipients will be selected via a partnership between OSUPD and OSU Sociology. If you’d like to learn more about these scholarships, contact Laken Pruitt at laken.pruitt@ okstate.edu or 405-744-6114.

news.ed@ocolly.com

sports.ed@ocolly.com

6 podcasts to listen to on the way to your spring break plans

Jocelyn Perez Staff Reporter

As spring break approaches, so does that long drive to your hometown.

Although some students have a 40-minute drive back to cities like Edmond, others have drives that can be anywhere from 4-9 hours. To make that drive a little more doable, here are some podcast recommendations to help the time go by more quickly.

1. “Ten Percent Happier with Dan Harris”

Spring break is a time of distress, and the “Ten Percent Happier with Dan Harris” podcast can assist with that.

Dan Harris hosts the podcast and discusses sciencebased techniques to help with anxiety and relationships. Harris also covers meditation methods to help with these issues and brings on prestigious meditation experts.

Harris was inspired to talk about these issues after he had a panic attack on live television; this lead him to start meditating.

2. “The Apology Line”

If you ever had a “Criminal Minds” phase, it’s time to move forward with “The Apology Line.”

In the ‘80s, a phone line was posted around New York City, advised as an outlet for people to apologize for whatever was haunting them. As people openly confessed to cheating and murder, the owner of the phone line became “Mr. Apology” and decided to do something about the confessions he heard.

Marissa Bridge took the project over, and she continues this story of obsession and treachery.

3. “The Bill Simmons Podcast”

This one is for all the sports lovers reading right now. Bill Simmons, the host, is a sports critic who talks about anything in sports. This week’s episode covers headlines in the

NBA, including LeBron’s next move, and the New England Patriots saying goodbye to quarterback Mac Jones.

“The Bill Simmons Podcast” is the most downloaded sports podcast in history.

4. “The Daily” New York Times hosts a news podcast called “The Daily.”

Hosted by Micheal Barbaro and Sabrina Tavernise, the two cover the important news stories of today’s time. Episodes come out five days a week and average around 20 minutes an

episode. Spend time on that drive home educating yourself on our nation’s issues. With events like the presidential election coming up, it’s more important than ever to stay up to date with our country.

5. “Rolling Stone Music

Now”

Have you ever wondered about the behind the scenes of the music industry? Senior writer of the Rolling Stone, Brain Hiatt, gives us the inside scoop on what goes on in music, from Snoop

Dogg giving insight on creativity, music recommendations and Grammys insight from the executive director. Hiatt deep dives on all our favorite artists’ careers from Nirvana to Olivia Rodrigo to Travis Scott.

6. “The Broski Report” This recommendation is for the girls. “The Broski Report” is hosted by TikTok sensation Brittany Tomlinson, professionally known as Brittany Broski. “The Broski Report” covers a wide range of topics; it’s hard to

categorize it. Broski talks about it all from Chernobyl, what it’s like being a woman and whatever celebrity man she’s hyperfixated on. If she’s obsessed about it, she will talk about it. If you haven’t heard of the podcast, you actually might have because multiple clips from the show have gone viral on TikTok. If you heard the TikTok sound “I need him biblically,” you’ve heard “The Broski Report.”

Courtesy of YouTube Brittany Broski hosts “The Broski Report,” where she talks about the things she is obsessed with.

Classifieds

Business Squares

Come check out the wide variety of elegant clothing at Formal Fantasy!

Located on

121 E. 9th Ave, Downtown Stillwater

The best selection of beer, wine and liquor that Stillwater has to offer! Perfect for all your game day needs, come to Brown’s Bottle Shop located on 128 N. Main

“The Original Hideaway, located on the corner of Knoblock and University.

Serving quality pizza and more since 1957.”

Murphy’s Department Store

815 S Main, Downtown Open 10-6

Monday thru Saturday

Houses for rent

O’Colly Media Sales Manager Needed

The O’Colly Media Group is now accepting applications for a full time summer Account Manager, Media Sales. This position is responsible for contacting and selling local, University and Oklahoma businesses OMG advertising opportunities. Specifically print, online and mobile and video streaming service.

Job duties include developing sales, marketing and promotional strategies and create materials to support this effort and propose additional special issues and revenue streams and implement said issues and revenue streams.

Qualified applicant should be able to work with and train students, develop advertising and agency expense budgets, create and monitor daily revenue goals, determine credits and adjustments for advertising errors, serve as liaison between O’Colly and local retail community, university advertisers and other college newspapers. Serve as part of a long term strategic planning to further determine marketing strategies and additional revenue opportunities. Build relationships with prospective clients by attending local Chamber of Commerce meetings and making non sales calls.

Send resume to Lori@ocolly.com for consideration.

Cowboy Calendar

Tuesday, March 12

Education Career Fair @ 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Location: Wes Watkins Center OSU

http://hireosugrads.com/Employers/Events-EducationCareerFair.aspx

Cowboy Tennis @ 5 p.m.

Location: Greenwood Tennis Center

https://okstate.com/sports/mens-tennis/schedule Memories & Inspiration: The Kerry and C. Betty Davis Collection of African American Art @ 11 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Location: OSU Museum of Art

https://museum.okstate.edu/art/memories-and-inspiration.html

Some Recent Apparitions | Andy Mattern @ 11 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Location: OSU Museum of Art

https://museum.okstate.edu/art/some-recent-apparitions.html

Organ Recital By Members of The American Guild of Organists Cimarron Chapter @ 12:05 - 12:50 p.m.

Location: First Presbyterian Church-Stillwater

https://stillwaterfpc.org

Painting Cookies with Natural Colors @ 6 - 8:30 p.m.

Location: Round House Bakery

Admission: $45

https://www.theroundhousebakery.com/workshops1/p/painting-cookies-with-natural-colors Trivia Tuesdays @ 7 - 9 p.m.

Location: EM Curators of Craft

https://curatorsofcraft.co/pages/weekly-events

Live Trivia @ 7 - 9 p.m.

Location: Iron Monk Brewing Company

https://www.ironmonkbeer.com

Wednesday, March 13

Beginning Acrylic Painting w/ Mark Crow @ 6 p.m.

Location: Prairie Arts Center

Admission: $70

https://artscenter.okstate.edu/adult-classes/drawing-and-painting/1326-beginning-acrylic-paintingwith-mark-crow-wednesdays1

Cowgirl Softball: OSU vs. Central Arkansas @ 6 p.m.

Location: Cowgirl Stadium

https://okstate.com/sports/softball/schedule Kids’ Night @ 11a.m. - 11 p.m.

Location: Louie’s Grill & Bar

https://www.facebook.com/LouiesStillwater Singo Wednesday @ 7 - 8:30 p.m.

Location: College Bar

Live Trivia Night @ 7 - 9 p.m.

By Dan Schoenholz 3/12/24

2 Get hitched in a hurry

3 Fix for distressed genes?

4 Draped garment in Hindi films

5 Toward the rudder

6 “Jerry Maguire” director Cameron

7 Carrier that makes short hops

8 Elite British boarding school

9 Source of information for vacation planners

10 Best Western rival

11 Approximately

12 “The Wire” drug lord Stanfield

13 Editor’s “Actually, don’t cut that”

21 Reaction to a chill or a fright, to Brits

23 Fitzgerald of jazz

26 Pastrami on __

29 Hon

31 Nettle

32 “Erin Burnett OutFront” channel

33 Friendly cat’s spot

©2024

Monday’s Puzzle Solved 3/12/24

36 Bad-mouth

37 Devoured

39 Hoppy brew, briefly

41 Cooking spray brand

44 Again

68 Puts the kibosh on DOWN

1 Fly into pieces

Daily Horoscope

Nancy Black Tribune Content Agency

Linda Black Horoscopes

35 Decide by calling heads or tails, and an apt title for this puzzle

Today’s Birthday (03/12/24). Blend creativity and communications to strike gold this year. Steady, disciplined practices develop personal capacities. Springtime collaborative efforts pay extra, before shifting summer income sources. Your work gains autumn recognition, before collaboration resolves tricky summer finances. Harmonize with your creative muses for brilliant results.

To get the advantage, check the day’s rating: 10 is the easiest day, 0 the most challenging.

Aries (March 21-April 19) — Today is a 9 — Maintain momentum. Keep a steady work and cash flow, despite obstacles or delays. Disciplined efforts produce satisfying results. You’re building for a dream.

Taurus (April 20-May 20) — Today is a 9 — Make plans to realize a personal dream. Don’t worry about the future. Envision the results you’d love. Listen to your heart. Nurture yourself.

Gemini (May 21-June 20) — Today is a 7 — Wait for developments. Take a moment to catch your breath and reassess the situation. You can get especially productive behind closed doors. File documents.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) — Today is an 8 — Friends provide the honey and spice. Enjoy the time together. Stay connected with community networks and kindred spirits. Have fun with someone you love.

Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) — Today is a 9 — Take advantage of a lucky break. Don’t worry about long-term plans. Focus on immediate objectives. A disciplined push can take valuable ground. Look sharp.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) — Today is a 7 — Plot your routes and itineraries before setting off. Research best options and make advanced reservations. Do the homework for stellar results. Enjoy the journey.

Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) — Today is an 8 — Coordinate and collaborate to navigate uncharted waters. Support each other and enjoy the company. Take action to advance a common passion or dream.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) — Today is a 9 — Collaborate for a shared vision. An unexpected spark catches flame. Don’t worry about the unwritten future. Enjoy the present moment with your partner.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) — Today is an 8 — Natural settings feed your spirit. Clear your head with a walk outside. Practice your moves. Nurture yourself with rest and good food. Prioritize healthy routines.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) — Today is an 8 — Relax and have fun. Romance sparks easily with curiosity and playfulness. Abandon preconceptions. Pursue a fascinating obsession. Give in to passion. Share something sweet.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) — Today is a 7 — Settle into your cozy nest. Handle household chores and tasks. Leave rooms cleaner than you find them. Enjoy your favorite chair. Relax with family.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — Today is a 9 — Creative communication projects flower. Don’t launch yet, or share unfinished work. Develop ideas, descriptive text and illustrations. Carefully edit and prepare for later revelation.

45 “__ Always Sunny in Philadelphia”

46 Word before Leone or Madre

48 “Understood?”

49 Duane __: New York drugstore chain

51 Mediterranean oil source

53 In a mental fog

54 Newspaper pundit pieces

55 Pet adoption org.

56 Female sheep

58 Post-it jotting

61 Fitness class

Level

Solution to Monday’s puzzle

Complete the grid so each row, column and 3-by-3 box (in bold borders) contains every digit, 1 to 9. For strategies on how to solve Sudoku, visit sudoku.org.uk ©