Wednesday, March 15, 2023

Wednesday, March 15, 2023

Reece Witcraft to face Pat Glory, Dustin Plott chases All-American

tougher to begin. He’ll face Glory in the first round. But Smith isn’t counting out his cinderella story at 125 pounds.

Princeton’s Pat Glory has a tough opponent in the first round of the NCAA tournament.

At least that is what coach John Smith said. Glory has the No. 2 seed at 125 pounds.

Glory’s opponent?

Reece Witcraft.

It’s another difficult draw in an even harder tournament for OSU. In the Big 12 Tournament, Smith was disappointed about the seeds OSU was given. In the the NCAA tournament, Smith’s feelings were the same. Despite seeds that may be unfavorable to the Cowboys, Smith is excited about the environment in Tulsa, and how well Dustin Plott is wrestling going into the most important tournament of the season. Witcraft draws

Glory, Smith indifferent about NCAA seeds

Reece Witcraft defied odds during his Big 12 championship run and placed third with a fall over Wyoming’s Jore Volk. Witcraft wrestled a tough tournament with some difficult draws. This time, he’s got it even

“Number two guy has got a tough guy,” Smith said. “A tough guy who’s excited about wrestling.”

Smith said he still wishes things were done differently as far as seeding goes.

“I wish we could have seen a few things differently,” Smith said.

“It just seems like every year, It’s this. To be honest with oyou, I don’t think we got it as heavy as some other teams. There’s been years where it seemed like somebody had to hand pick this against us. That’s not the case this year. I think we got some tough draws, but we also have some guys that are ready to wrestle.”

Dustin Plott ready for a run at back-toback All-America honors

Last year, Plott finished sixth in the NCAA Tournament, earning AllAmerican honors for the first time in his career. After back-to-back Big 12 titles, the bar is higher for Plott going into this NCAA tournament.

See Plott on page 3

Prepare for the NCAA Wrestling Championships with this Tulsa-themed playlist

can serve as your playlist during your stay in Tulsa.

Enjoy the wrestling.

“Home” -Joe Diffie OSU fans and many of its wrestlers can relate to this classic from a Tulsa legend. Eight of OSU’s national qualifiers are Oklahomans. Daton Fix and Reece Witcraft hail from the 918.

With humor and Xanax earrings, she fearlessly puts Latino mental health on display

Lisa Boone Los Angeles Times

LOS ANGELES

-- “I felt anxious before I came here today,” Rosa Valdes said as she arranged her Educated Chola T-shirts, totes and mugs inside the Cafe Girasol coffee shop in Boyle Heights.

“Just because I take anti-anxiety medication, it doesn’t mean it’s gone.”

migraine headaches.

“When it’s bad, I ruminate in my thoughts more and I develop depression,” she said. “I don’t think non-neurodivergent people understand how much one has to fight with their own brain when they have a mental health condition.”

Wrestling fans from all corners of the country flock to the BOK Center and Tulsa for the NCAA Wrestling Championships from Thursday to Saturday.

In the spirit of competition and Oklahoma pride, here are 10 songs, in no particular order that

The lyrics are timely with a mention of a pot of gold. St. Patrick’s Day is Friday.

“You Dropped a Bomb on Me” – The Gap Band OSU fans are familiar with this song from the Tulsa-based group. It’s the home run song for

OSU but fits well for the NCAA Wrestling Championships. This isn’t Greco-Roman wrestling, so there won’t be any five-point bombs scored at the BOK Center.

“Lose Yourself” -Eminem No, this song doesn’t relate to Tulsa or Oklahoma at all. It’s a better for the 2022 NCAA Wrestling Championships in Detroit. But here’s the thing. This is a wrestling song. It’s not about wrestling but can be related to it. The fast-paced rap and beats make for a great pump-up song. Many guys just want to get lost in the music and seize everything they wanted in

See NCAA on page 2

While friend and colleague Beth Guerra, a brand strategist she met at the Los Angeles Economic Equity Accelerator & Fellowship program at Cal State L.A., offers support and helps soothe her nerves for a photo shoot, Valdes takes a deep breath and forges ahead.

Valdes is used to living with anxiety. In 2018, the 33-year-old entrepreneur was diagnosed with a generalized anxiety disorder that left her with insomnia, little appetite and

Today, she is funneling that energy into her own line of T-shirts, tote bags, stickers and jewelry, which range in price from $3 to $40 and are designed to inspire other Latinos to become more comfortable with talking about their mental health.

“It’s looked down upon to talk about mental health in my culture,” Valdes said as she folded T-shirts bearing the slogans “Tengo Muchos Feelings” and “Respira Profundo” (Take a Deep Breath).

“The whole point of my business is to create awareness about mental health.

See Health on page 4

Carson Toulouse

Reece Witcraft will duel the

Courtesy of Mark Selders, Penn State Athletics

Penn State’s Roman Bravo-Young, No. 1 seed at 133 pounds, could meet OSU’s Daton Fix in the NCAA final for the third time. Fix lost the two most recent meetings.

Adam Engel

Editor-in-Chief

Rowdy Baribeau

Staff Reporter

Notebook

NCAA...

Continued from page 1

this one moment.

“MMMBop” – Hanson

Can’t exclude this late-90’s song from this group of Tulsa natives. It’s catchy, so don’t let it get stuck in your head. It’s also a song mostly full of ad-libs. Shoutout to Hanson for making MMMBop an unofficial word of hypothetical unofficial Tulsa language.

“Tulsa Time” – Don Williams

Of course. Probably a song many Tulsans are sick of hearing but it’s a classic. Unlike Williams, people are entering Oklahoma. Not leaving. Wonder how many times this song will be played throughout the tournament

“Take me Back to Tulsa” –Bob Wills

An oldie but a goodie from the King of Western Swing. Wills and the Texas Playboys held weekly shows at Cain’s Ballroom, now known as the home of Bob Wills.

“Seek and Destroy” -Metallica

Again, a song that has nothing to with Tulsa or Oklahoma but many wrestlers may use this mentality this weekend. They will let it fly and do whatever needs to be done to win. Black eyes? Bloody noses? Nothing new for wrestlers.

“Heading South” – Zach Bryan

A popular song from an Oklahoman artist on the rise. Many teams will also travel south to get to Tulsa. You know… geography. Because there aren’t many Division I wrestling programs in the south.

“Never Been to Spain” – Three Dog Night

Many OSU fans sing this on Saturdays in Boone Pickens Stadium. How does it relate to Oklahoma?

The classic line. “Well, I never been to heaven but I been to Oklahoma.”

“Fight On, State” – Penn State Marching Band

You might hear this song on Saturday night as Penn State enters as the heavy favorite in the tournament. The Nittany Lions seek their 10th championship since 2010. Coach Cael Sanderson returns four national champions.

sports.ed@ocolly.com

Molly Jolliff

OSU fans and wrestling fans from across the country will converge on Tulsa this weekend for the NCAA Wrestling Championships.

Plott...

Continued from page 1

Plott finished the year 2-3 in his last five duals. It was a lackluster finish that motivated him in the Big 12 Tournament to seek redemption, which he did against Missouri’s Peyton Mocco. Smith said Plott has bought into himself and the message that the coaches have

preached all season.

“You gotta wrestle better than you’ve wrestled all year to win a title,” Smith said. “When you grab a hold of that and have that belief system in that, and that’s the one hing we’ve talked about, is wrestling better than you have all year. What do you do (when you do that)? You peak.”

Smith excited about NCAA environment in Tulsa

Oklahoma City has hosted the NCAA Tournament plenty of times dur-

ing Smith’s time coaching and wrestling in Stillwater. However, he’s never had the opportunity in Tulsa, like many of his athletes will. Smith said he’s pleased with the reception of having the tournament in Tulsa.

However, judging from last year’s tournament in Detroit, Smith said he’s expecting a unique challenge for the event, but also referenced similar issues in Detroit that people may face in Tulsa.

“I think (the reception) has been

good,” Smith said. “I think Tulsa’s really put a big effort into it. It’s not gonna go smooth… And I’m sure that I think Tulsa has planned on that. I think a lot of people enjoyed Detroit. I didn’t. You’re gonna have the same here, but I think Tulsa’s really opened up their arms. (They) did some things that most cities wouldn’t do. That’s cool.”

sports.ed@ocolly.com

Molly jolliff

Dustin Plott, OSU’s 174-pounder, seems a repeat as an All-American during the NCAA Wrestling Championships this weekend in Tulsa. He finished sixth in 2022.

Continued from page 1

There’s no shame in taking medication, although it has a huge stigma in communities of color.”

Guerra said she has experienced the same issues as Valdes, whose parents immigrated from Tijuana. “Our backgrounds are very different,” Guerra said of her friend. “I am a fourth generation Latina while Rosa is first generation, and yet it’s very much the same in both our worlds. Mental health is not something we talk about. Going to see a psychologist or a psychiatrist is a very big deal.”

Despite surrounding herself with friends such as Guerra, Valdes knows that it’s easy to feel alone, especially as a woman of color who has been taught to internalize her feelings. “While the new age of Latinos may be more open about their mental health, there are still many who don’t want their families to know they are struggling or even getting help,” she said.

Valdes’ assertion is backed up by a recent study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that found that Latinos do not seek out therapy at the same rates as other racial or ethnic groups.

Such feelings are what prompted Valdes to try to normalize mental health struggles by interlacing her products with humor. “I try to be as funny as I can,” Valdes said, “because if I’m feeling down and can bring some laughter to my day or to someone else, I feel like I’ve accomplished something.”

At the Unique L.A. makers event in downtown Los Angeles last year, Valdes elicited laughter among customers as she shared stickers printed with humorous slogans such as “Always Tired” and “Amygdala ¡Callate!” alongside serotonin-molecule bracelets and colorful pill-shaped earrings representing lithium, Cymbalta, Xanax and Prozac.

“I think it is a fun but subtle way of breaking the mental health stigma of taking medication,” Valdes said of the earrings. “I always love explaining them to people and am happy to do so if it helps.”

Valdes was born in Boyle Heights and grew up in southeast Los Angeles. After her father died when she was 5, she and her two sisters were raised by her mother, who encouraged Valdes to “take a breath” when times were hard. “It works,” she said with a smile.

Valdes’ crusade to get people talking about mental health is based on her

experience with life-long anxiety.

“I clearly remember being depressed at one point but not knowing what it was,” she said of her youth. “In regards to anxiety, I have always been very ambitious and a perfectionist, to the point where it would just exhaust me. So I was always trying to get the best grades since I was in third grade because I felt that if I didn’t get into the honor roll, in honors or AP classes, that I wouldn’t get into college. Now we know that is not exactly true, but that’s something you do with anxiety: You catastrophize and assume the worst. I did everything I could to potentially prevent failure.”

While attending graduate school at New York University, where she received a master’s degree in public administration, Valdes felt like she didn’t measure up to the other students.

“I think myself and other students of color have impostor syndrome,” she explained, “but we are so good at hiding it, or acting like we know what we’re doing, that it usually just gets suppressed so that we can continue to move forward.”

After graduating from NYU, she took a job working for a nonprofit, where she found it difficult to advance.

“I learned that nonprofits are not a healthy place for people of color,” she said. “I had my master’s degree, and yet I got a job at the same rate of pay as before. Many institutions aren’t built for people of color to succeed.” Also, the job did not help her mental health. “I already have impostor syndrome,” Valdes said quietly. “It exacerbated that.”

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit in March 2020, Valdes decided to fulfill a lifelong dream of owning her own business. Using her savings and continuing to work full-time as a leasing agent, she started Educated Chola, inspired by the things she felt deeply about. “‘Always Tired’ came from the fact that my brain is always going,” she said. “With anxiety, it’s constant. You’re thinking and worrying all the time. You have to interrupt yourself, which is probably why I’m always tired. If I can catch it, then I don’t spiral and worry about things that I don’t need to worry about.”

Inspired by her transparency and vulnerability, Valdes’ TikTok and Instagram accounts are often jammed with direct messages from followers who want to try therapy and are curious about her experience.

“When we go to events or popups, people will see the pill earrings and open up and talk about their mental health with Rosa,” Guerra said. “It’s awesome to watch her breaking stigmas

in real time.”

Although Valdes stresses that she is not a medical professional, she is comfortable talking about her own mental health experience in the hopes that it will generate conversations at home.

“I always tell people that regardless of what your family or culture says, do what’s best for you,” she said. “It’s your mental health. Find what works for you and know that it’s OK to be scared when seeking professional mental health [help]. That fear and shame is the exact reason why I created this business.”

Asked what advice she would give to other Latinos who are grappling with anxiety and depression, Valdes suggested testing out the waters with family first. “See what their feelings are about mental health, as well as how supportive they would be if you shared your struggles,” she said. “If they seem supportive, then wonderful. If not, don’t let that hinder your pursuit of taking care of your mental health.

“As a part of our culture, we tend to feel like we have to share everything with everyone, in particular our families, but we are allowed to keep things for ourselves,” she continued. “And in this case, you are the most important one to take care of first. You can’t do anything to help anyone else if you don’t make yourself a priority.”

Having lots of feelings is hard and exhausting, she said. “I have a full-time job and I’m constantly trying to create new ideas. I pour everything into my days off. Eventually, it builds up, and

by the time I realize my anxiety is off the charts, I realize I should have called my psychiatrist before I end up in a ball crying. That kick-starts me to reset. This year, I’m telling myself to do less and not feel bad about it.”

As she looks ahead, Valdes hopes to turn Educated Chola into a full-service brand. “I’d like to create a database of resources to help people navigate mental health depending on their insurance or lack of insurance,” she said. “I’ve been on Medicaid before, and it’s very hard to navigate and find mental health services. They make it sound super easy. It’s not.”

At some point, she’d like to have her own self-care events or a conference where she can offer group therapy to anyone who would like to participate.

In the meantime, she will continue to sell her products at Molcajete Tienda in Montebello, Cafe Girasol in Boyle Heights, online and at various pop-up events, such as LatinaFest on March 19.

Being vulnerable comes with risks, but the reactions she has received about her products have been worthwhile.

“I’ve had people come up to me and thank me for being so open about my mental health issues,” Valdes said. “People will send me hugs or good vibes on my social media accounts, and I’ll take all the good vibes. But I tell them, ‘Do it for someone in your life. Do it for yourself.’”

Courtesy of Tribune

Rosa Valdes, who has generalized anxiety disorder, is trying to create awareness about mental health issues through her Educated Chola line of totes, jewelry, mugs and T-shirts. (Francine Orr/Los Angeles Times/ TNS)

Crews start dismantling Orlando Free Fall ride, where Tyre Sampson died

Katie Rice Orlando Sentinel

ORLANDO, Fla. — Ten days before the first anniversary of 14-yearold tourist Tyre Sampson’s death on the Orlando Free Fall drop tower at ICON Park, cranes began arriving at the ride to start taking it down.

On Tuesday morning, workers placed weights on a telescoping crane that would eventually extend to reach the top of the 430-foot drop tower as a second crane lifted other components nearby. A fence encircled the ride and blocked off parts of the nearby sidewalk and road.

The ride’s gondola, holding its harnesses and seats, rested at the foot of the tower behind a smaller barrier. It was still attached to the ride as the construction crew prepared the area.

Outside the fence, tourists on spring break walked around the site and peered up at the drop tower.

“I’ve actually never seen a crane this big,” tourist Demetrios Perri, of New Port Richey, said while watching workers from across the street.

Perri said he works in construction as an equipment operator and was amazed by the “massive” scale of the takedown process.

“They’ve probably got a day or two of setup. I’d be shocked if they start taking it down tomorrow, but I’d say within the next day or two,” he estimated. “... This is a big crew. You don’t see this often.”

Free Fall ride operator Orlando Slingshot announced March 7 the ride would begin coming down this week as part of a lengthy process that could go into the following week.

“We hope to have the ride fully deconstructed before the anniversary of Tyre Sampson’s tragic death, and we will continue to work in that direction and give timeline updates as they are available,” Orlando Slingshot attorney Trevor Arnold said in a statement at the time.

Orlando Slingshot hired amusement business Ride Entertainment to coordinate the ride’s removal. Ride Entertainment did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the

timeline Tuesday.

Representatives for Big Iron International and Beyel Brothers Crane and Rigging, the companies who own the cranes at the site, declined to comment.

Orlando Slingshot promised in October it would take down the ride after the state’s accident investigation ended. A Feb. 23 final inspection of the ride cleared the Free Fall for dismantlement after the state’s probe concluded in November and parties in the civil lawsuit surrounding Tyre’s death finished their survey of the attraction.

Tyre’s parents are suing Orlando Slingshot, landlord ICON Park and various companies involved in the ride’s manufacturing over his death, alleging negligence.

ICON Park has said it was not involved in any aspect of the ride’s operation and only serves as the Orlando Slingshot’s landlord.

The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ inquiry into the accident found Tyre, who was from St. Louis, died after slipping through a restraint investigators determined Orlando Slingshot had modified to accommodate larger riders. Tyre, a football player who weighed 383 pounds, was allowed on the drop tower despite exceeding its weight limit by nearly 100 pounds.

Orlando Slingshot initially denied the agency’s claims but settled with the agriculture department last month, paying a $250,000 fine and agreeing to never operate the Orlando Free Fall again.

Tyre’s mother, Nekia Dodd, has said she hopes the ride’s removal “does not remove the memory of this tragedy.” She and Tyre’s father, Yarnell Sampson, have asked for a memorial to their son to be placed at the attraction’s site.

Many out-of-town tourists passing the Free Fall Tuesday said they did not know about the accident.

Chris Sexton, a 21-year-old vacationing from Long Island, said he was unaware of Tyre’s death until researching the area on his phone turned up the accident.

He and his friends Scott Marro, 21, and Adam Barker, 22, said they were disturbed by what they learned but saw it as a “freak accident” that did

not affect their perception of Orlando’s attractions.

“There are still plenty of other things to do around here, but it does give you a little bit of caution, and I’m sure for families as well,” Sexton said. “... It wouldn’t stop me from coming here.”

Perri said he does not let his kids on high-thrill rides like the Free Fall because “it’s just too dangerous.”

“You don’t need to go that high in the air to have fun. You can have fun right here playing golf,” he said, gesturing at the Pirate’s Cove mini-golf course nearby.

As crews work to take down the Free Fall, legislators are reviewing bills filed in Tyre Sampson’s name.

One dubbed the Tyre Sampson Act proposes to close gaps in ride safety laws identified during the state’s accident investigation of Tyre’s death last March.

It would prevent Florida’s smaller attractions operators from making unauthorized adjustments to a ride’s restraint systems, as the state determined happened in the accident, and require operators to submit more detailed safety and operational documentation to the state. It also would broaden the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Service’s oversight of the industry by allowing it to establish minimum training standards for employees and conduct regular, unannounced ride inspections.

An amendment to the bill filed Monday would require rides to have secondary safety restraints like seat belts for attractions that raise riders more than 100 feet. Tyre’s family and a safety expert have said they believe a seat belt could have saved his life.

A companion bill would exempt all records in an active ride investigation from public view, keeping them confidential until an investigation ends. The bill says the early release of such records could jeopardize an investigation and prevent the state from “effectively and efficiently” conducting an investigation.

Critics, including Tyre’s mother, praised the safety bill but voiced concerns over the records legislation. The release of public records in the case

gave Tyre’s family some answers in his death nearly seven months before the investigation ended, her lawyer told the Orlando Sentinel in a previous interview. Both bills were approved by the Senate agriculture committee Monday.

Courtsey of Tribune Work crews assemble the cranes that will be used to dismantle the Orlando FreeFall at ICON Park.

(Ricardo Ramirez Buxeda/Orlando Sentinel/TNS)

OSU launches new aviation app

well.

OSU launched its newest app: aviateOK.

The app is an aviation and aerospace STEM app that provides many benefits. Some of these benefits are resources for K-12 students and activities, educational content, educators and parents in technology, science, mathematics and engineering fields.

This app helps educate students on the aviation industry and encourages students who are interested in aerospace.

The idea for the app came from Timm Bliss, the aviation and space pro-

gram coordinator for graduate studies and a professor at the College of Education and Human Sciences, and IrenenMiller, the assistant professor of aviation at Southern Illinois University.

Bliss and Miller said aviateOK will likely have an impact on the U.S. aviation and aerospace industry for educating students.

“Introducing young people to aviation and aerospace is an investment in the future of the industry,” Bliss said. “AviateOK is designed to provide early exposure to STEM engagement and to inspire students of all ages to learn and explore more in the aviation/aerospace field.”

The presidential strategy at OSU put a strong focus on the development

or research of knowledge and tools like this app in aviation and aerospace. OSU’s vice president for research, Kenneth Sewell, talked about what the impact will be.

“Being a land-grant university means making sure the work we do here at OSU is having a positive, real-world impact,” Sewell said. “Empowering our students and faculty to develop practical tools like the aviateOK app is just one of the many ways we are working to advance research, not just for the benefit of our students and institution, but for the public good.” Similarly developed apps to aviateOK give valuable learning experiences to students and benefits the public as

The manager of the OSU App Center, Jai Rajendran, said getting hands-on experience with developing applications is vital to be prepared to enter the workforce.

Rajendran said students designed the entire app from user interface to user interaction. The students did this while collaborating with others to include the educational material.

“At the App Center, the students interact with clients mimicking their future workplace,” Rajendran said. “Learning through working on a real-world, highimpact project is tremendously valuable for the students’ early careers.”

news.ed@ocolly.com

Courtesy of OSU

The aviation and aerospace STEM app provides educational content, activities and resources aimed at K-12 students, parents and educators in science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields.

Taylor Carroll Staff Reporter

Minnesota Senate passes bill for universal school breakfast, lunch

Ryan Faircloth Star Tribune

Minnesota schools are poised to offer free lunches and breakfasts to all students under a bill passed by the state Senate on Tuesday.

The Senate approved the free school meals bill on a bipartisan 38-26 vote. It now heads back to the House, where the bill already has passed but must be taken up again because its language was amended.

“We shouldn’t make children pay the price or go hungry in school for problems that are out of their control,” said state Sen. Heather Gustafson, DFLVadnais Heights, the bill’s sponsor. “Look at it like a lunchbox tax cut. It gives money back to families.”

Gustafson estimated that a family living in White Bear Lake with two students would save nearly $1,900 each school year if they received the daily free meals.

Providing free lunch and breakfast to all students regardless of their family income is expected to cost about $200 million annually. Minnesota lawmakers have a $17.5 billion surplus on the bottom line to fund their priorities this year.

The bill could provide relief to Minnesota families who don’t qualify for free or reduced-price school meals but still struggle to pay out of pocket for them.

Hunger Solutions, a school nutrition advocacy group, estimates that one in six Minnesota students are food insecure. Of those students, 25% are from households that don’t qualify for free or reduced-price meals.

“There are some very real needs out there that this will help to address,” said Sen. Jim Abeler, a Republican from Anoka who joined Democrats to vote for the

bill. “Some might say that it helps a few who may not need the help, but actually I’m OK with that. There are a lot of pressures on a lot of families that this will take a load off of. They can invest their money elsewhere.”

Supporters say giving students access to free school meals will help them perform better in the classroom because they won’t be hungry. Critics have expressed concern about the bill’s price tag, saying the state should provide free school meals only to those who struggle to afford them.

“This bill is going far beyond and saying that ‘100% of Minnesota students will get this assistance,’” said Sen. Jason Rarick, R-Pine City, who tried unsuccessfully to amend the bill Tuesday to impose a $500,000 annual income cutoff.

Several Republicans criticized Democrats for not directing the roughly $200 million in annual funding toward other pressing school needs.

Sen. Steve Drazkowski, R-Mazeppa, said the money should be invested in efforts to improve reading, math and science proficiency.

GOP Sen. Zach Duckworth of Lakeville cosponsored the bill although he shared his colleagues’ concerns about its cost. But Duckworth voted to approve the bill, saying the benefits outweigh its flaws. “I’m forced to ask myself, ‘When it comes to the bill as it stands, does it do more good than bad?’” Duckworth said. “And to that I’d say, ‘Let’s feed our kids.’”

DFL Gov. Tim Walz included the universal school meals policy in his budget proposal earlier this year. He is expected to sign the bill if it reaches his desk.

Courtesy of Tribune

Every Minnesota student would be guaranteed a free school lunch and breakfast per day under the bill being considered.

15-year-old autistic boy beaten, called racial slur in possible hate crime in Manhattan train station

By First Last Staff Reporter

NEW YORK — Detectives have identified the three teens who allegedly beat a 15-year-old autistic boy in an upper Manhattan subway station as others yelled the N-word at him in an attack that police are investigating as a possible hate crime.

The three teens hadn’t been arrested by Tuesday, as community activist groups decried the sheer viciousness and flippant racism seen in the video.

The boy, sporting glasses and a blue hooded sweatshirt, was pulled off a northbound A train at the 181st Street station near Fort Washington Avenue in Washington Heights around 5:30 p.m. Friday, cops said.

Video taken of the attack shows one teen handing the victim off to a teenage girl who grabs him by his sweatshirt and forces him to walk down the crowded platform.

“Walk!” the girl screams as her frightened victim tries to get back on the train. Commuters stare as she forcemarches the boy down the platform.

After being shoved down the platform, the teen tries to break free, but the girl grabs his sweatshirt tighter.

“You runnin’!” she screams. “Why you runnin’!”

As a crowd gathers, several onlookers start screaming “N----- alert!” as the victim, who is Black, tries to break free one more time and jumps back on the train.

“Get off!” the teenage girl screams before slapping him in the face.

“Why do you want me to get off?” the teen asks meekly, taking a punch from another teen as he is pulled back to the platform.

When the teen tries to break free again, the teenage girl and two others assail him with haymakers and punches before the video ends.

After the assault, the victim gets on the A train to the Dyckman St. station, where police were told what happened.

The teen suffered bruises to his face and body and his glasses were broken, an NYPD spokeswoman said.

The teen’s mother told WABC News that her child is autistic. She finds

the video of her boy being beaten hard to watch.

“Nobody wants to see their kid being assaulted,” said the mom, who didn’t wish to be identified.

The NYPD Hate Crime Task Force is investigating the attack since racial slurs were thrown around during the attack. All of the assailants appear to be Hispanic, police sources said.

Outraged by the video, Manhattan community activist Rosemary Severino held an anti-bullying rally outside the 181st St. station Tuesday.

“I think it’s unacceptable to even feel that it’s OK to use that slur,” Severino said at the rally. “The way that they were chanting, that’s what really broke my heart.”

Severino said she wants to find the family of the brutalized boy to get his side of the story.

“Is he OK?” Severino asked. “Did

they randomly pick on him, or was it a suspected relation from a previous similar incident in November 2022 where a young Mexican was attacked?”

About a dozen people attended the rally, where some described the victim as a “transit kid” fascinated with trains.

“We just enjoy the subway,” said Eduardo Medellin, 15. “We find happiness, our safe place in the subways. That’s how we make friends. We’re a community that enjoys transit.”

“Something needs to happen so that they understand that you should not do this,” Severino said of the teens involved. “It’s not OK.”

Richard Davey, president of the New York City Transit, condemned the violence.

“This video is heartbreaking and disturbing, and our hearts are with the young man seemingly being senselessly victimized,” he said. “No one should

be subject to this sort of hateful harassment while they are riding with New York City Transit, and the MTA is fully cooperating with the NYPD in its investigation into the incident.”

Afaf Nasher, executive director of the New York chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, which speaks out against all forms of racial hatred, was also outraged by the disturbing imagery.

“The violence perpetrated against this young Black youth was horrific,” Nasher said. “We pray that the victim recovers and heals from this traumatic experience. Bigoted anti-Black violence will not be tolerated in our society. We must work together to eliminate the rise of hate against minority communities.”

Lethal fentanyl poisoning is real.

The drastic increase in opioid overdose deaths is largely due to fentanyl poisoning. Illegal fentanyl is cheaper than most other drugs on the streets and is being intentionally substituted into cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine and drugs like counterfeit Adderall®, Percocet® and Xanax® as well.

Learn the facts and protect those you love.

Courtesy of Tribune

Participants holds signs during an anti-bullying and anti-racism rally at West 181st Street and Fort Washington Avenue on Tuesday, March 15, 2023, in Manhattan, New York City. (Barry Willilams/New York Daily News/TNS)

Edited by Patti Varol and Joyce Lewis

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 li quor 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

Business Squares Business Squares Company Coming?

Check out “Cowboy Cabin” 550 steps east of Boone Pickens Stadium

Daily Horoscope

Nancy Black

Tribune Content Agency

Linda Black Horoscopes

Today’s Birthday (03/15/23). Resources multiply this year. Prioritize daily acts of self-care, exercise and rest. Clarify winter miscommunications, before positive cash flow gushes this spring. Summer travel or research obstacles motivate alternate solutions, leading to a busy, lucrative autumn for your family. Divert maximum possible savings.

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 — Advance a professional goal. Discuss the potential with trusted friends and allies. Listen to your heart and intuition. Resolve any lingering doubt through research.

Taurus (April 20-May 20) — Today is an 8 — Stay connected with friends and allies, in person or through social networks. Find useful and practical applications for what you’re learning. Share far and wide.

Gemini (May 21-June 20) — Today is an 8 — Begin another educational phase. Collaborate to build and grow. Pull together to harvest and conserve a windfall. Strategize and envision perfection. Follow your heart.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) — Today is a 9 — Talk about dreams, passions and possibilities. Romance arises in conversation. Contribute love and kindness and it returns multiplied. It’s not always about winning.

Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) — Today is an 8 — What you’re learning energizes your work and health. Get out and move your body. Physical action gets results. Prioritize basics. Pamper yourself.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) — Today is a 7 — Relax and enjoy simple pleasures with your inner circle. Talk about what you love. Invent enticing possibilities together. Discuss dreams, desires and wishes.

Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) — Today is a 7 — Apply your talents and creativity to home improvement. It’s not too early for spring cleaning. Discover forgotten treasures and heirlooms. Build family support.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) — Today is a 9 — You have something to say, so say it. Capture your unique perspective. Talk about dreams, visions and possibilities. Create works of passion and beauty.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) — Today is an 8 — Have faith in your own incomeproducing capabilities, creativity and imagination. Wheel and deal. Dreams seem within reach. Stash resources. Maintain a positive balance.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) — Today is a 9 — Take action to advance a personal dream. Use your power and confidence for good. Research options. Discover exciting opportunities in unexpected places. Listen to intuition.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) — Today is a 7 — Peaceful settings inspire productivity and imagination. Consider long-term implications of your plans. Find strength in nature, spirituality, art, music and meditation. Rest and recharge.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — Today is a 9 — Connect with neighbors, friends and the larger community. Teamwork gets results. Lead by example. Advance your shared vision. Together, you can move mountains.

Prasanna Keshava

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

Tribune Content Agency,