Thursday, Feb. 2, 2023

Thursday, February 2, 2023

Hoyt calling for more students for March push

students here?’ We have to continue to build that because I think it matters for the opposing team.”

Davis Cordova Staff Reporter

Students have a low attendance record for Cowgirl basketball, but coach Jacie Hoyt hopes pizza can do the trick versus the Lady Raiders and beyond.

Responsible drinking

The danger of drinking and driving

Carter White Staff Reporter

Drinking and driving is a present issue in the life of college students.

Lt. Terry Low works in the Stillwater Police Department and said drunken driving affects OSU’s campus. Low said DUIs are something current in the police station and students often do things without considering the consequences.. “It happens almost daily,” Low said. “A lot of college kids come to college, obviously they get away from their parents, they’re seeking their independence.”

According to The Toney Law Firm, a company that concentrates in the

areas of criminal defense and DUI defense, approximately 30% of college students admit to driving under the influence of alcohol, over 50% of college students report getting into a car with an intoxicated drive and almost 40% of college students believe they are OK to drive after 3 or 4 drink .

Gus Warne, majoring in agricultural leadership, said college students are not responsible drinkers and as an employee at Coney Island, a bar in Stillwater, he tries to stay aware of when they have underage drinkers with fake IDs.

“You just gotta educate yourself about drinking and driving, because you might get a DUI,” Warne said. “Get a ride home, if you have friends

that are sober enough to drive, go home with them, and or if you have someone who can get you an uber, there’s nothing wrong with getting either uber or lyft.”

Uber partnered with groups like Drinkwise, an organization committed to to shaping a healthier and safer drinking culture, and they created a feature on the uber app called “Ghost with Uber” that will inform friends when you are out, and when you are on your way back home.

Levi Murphy, a sophomore studying marketing with a minor in finance, said that students who drink cannot recognize the fact that it’s not safe for them to drive.

“I think most people don’t understand the risk that they’re creating

because they think that they’re fine,” Murphy said. “They don’t understand that they’re actually way more impaired.”

When asked about what advice he would give to students who think about drinking and driving, Murphy said “Worse comes to worse, sleep in your car.”

Students at OSU can receive alcohol and drugs awareness training from the campus OSUPD. They can request this training by calling 405-744-6523, or by reaching out to osupd@okstate.edu. They can call 405-744-2818 for help from the OSU Alcohol and Substance Abuse Center.

On Wednesday, the Cowgirls take on Texas Tech at 6:30 p.m. in Gallagher-Iba Arena. In OSU’s four conference home games, it has an average of 2,470 fans, but little of that comes from the students. For Wednesday’s game, OSU will be giving out pizza vouchers to OSU students in attendance in an effort to get more in the seats.

Fans are key in the tough Big 12 conference. In OSU’s road losses to OU and Iowa State, the fan attendance tallied at more than 9,000 for each game.

At OSU games, the student section floor seating is usually full, but not with students. It’s filled with visiting high school teams, other student-athletes and non-students. Hoyt said the team needs the students’ help and wants to have a large crowd for every game.

OSU heads into this game having lost three of its last four, but those three were on the road at the top three Big 12 teams – Oklahoma, Iowa State and Texas. OSU lost those games by an average of six points and the Cowgirls didn’t seem to quit. Hoyt said she’s learned a lot from those games.

“We’re a really good basketball team and we belong, and we can compete with the best of them,” Hoyt said. “We’ve had a lot of different forms of adversity thrown at us and what I’ve learned about our team is that they just find a way to step up and respond.”

The Cowgirls have completed one of their toughest months and have a little more space to breathe, but not let-up.

OSU will play Texas Tech and West Virginia twice and host top conference teams in Baylor, OU and Iowa State. The backhalf of the schedule is more favorable for the Cowgirls, especially Wednesday’s game. “This is a huge month for us to get some momentum going into March,” Hoyt said. “I definitely feel like our conference schedule was about as tough as any, if not the toughest, in January. So, in February, we’re excited to be home, we’re excited to get some momentum and get those teams that we felt we could have beat, should have beat, back on our home floor.”

sports.ed@ocolly.com news.ed@ocolly.com

“Passion remains unchanged” Q&A with Brett Carver

industry.

Luisa Clausen News & Lifestyle Editor

The O’Colly interviewed Brett Carver who received the Eminent Faculty Award last month for his contributions to instruction and service.

Carver holds the Wheat Genetics Chair in Agriculture and is a Fellow of the American Society of Agronomy and the Crop Science Society of America. He leads the OSU Wheat Improvement Team in its charge to develop and release winter wheat cultivars custom-fit for the Oklahoma wheat

Q-Tell me a little bit about your career. You are originally from Atlanta, correct? How was your time at the University of Georgia? Did you always know what you wanted to do?

A- Yes, I was raised mostly in Decatur, GA, a suburb of Atlanta, and then moved into the city of Atlanta after my 9th grade year to finish high school at Druid Hills High. For not one minute in a central city high school did I think I would pursue this career in agriculture and plant breeding. I credit UGA for helping me eventually find my way to OSU.

After establishing a strong educational base in premedicine for two years, I started to look at science in different and much

broader ways. My biology classes took the blinders off. I was intrigued by the applications of scientific research to food production (no surprise–it was the 1970s). I changed majors from pre-med to agronomy, and from there, the race was on. Friends in high places thought I had lost it...completely derailed. I never thought of myself as a risk-taker, except then.

Q- Who were Dr. Weaver and Dr. R.H. Brown? How did they influence you? What did you learn from them?

A-In the longer term, we tend to recall our college experiences by the professors we meet and get to know. Dr. Brown was a well-known crop physiologist who specialized in photosynthetic research. He satisfied my

deep desire to know how plants work, and how different plants work in different ways, Well, that is the driver of plant adaptation, something I educate and research about today.

Dr. Weaver was a renowned cotton geneticist and breeder, but I was fascinated by his drive to not just make cotton a more productive plant, but to make it a different kind of plant, one that produced a finer fiber or a different boll structure to evade insects. To a city kid, this was pretty cool stuff. I was able to work under Dr. Weaver as an hourly employee for over a year, and those were defining moments in my career...even the cottonpicking moments.

“We desperately need our fans’ help,” Hoyt said. “I believe we win at OU if you take the fans out. They had a great environment. We’ve got to create that here. I don’t know what that’s going to take. I’ll ask you guys, ‘How do we get our

File Photo

Drunken driving can be an issue anywhere but especially in a college town. Students try to use fake IDs to enter bars and sometimes do not understand the consequences of driving under the influence.

Cowgirls preparing for late season push before postseason

want to just get the ball rolling and tackle each game at a time,” junior forward Taylen Collins said. “Just get it picked up here a little bit.”

team finds ways to step up and respond, just kind of a next man up mentality.”

As the downhill slope of the season approaches, the Cowgirls have one thing at the forefront of their minds.

It’s not uncommon for expectations to change throughout the year, yet coach Jacie Hoyt keeps it simple; just wanting to win. Winning is the overall goal, but an increased focus on the task at hand is essential for a positive end to the season.

The remainder of OSU’s schedule is less strenuous than what January handed them, and since the outcome of each game is unknown, the hard work cannot deplete. This past month the Cowgirls have taken on four topfive teams and were unable to have the entire team play.

“We’re feeling good. We really

Throughout this difficult segment of the season, perseverance has been evident in the way the Cowgirls have played. Although they have had some hard-fought losses, pride is still present because they kept competing and working against the adversity. In previous losses they have stayed within 10 points of top-five teams. Even with injuries, sickness and foul trouble, each player has stepped up.

The NCAA Tournament is the end goal, but there is still plenty of basketball to be played before reaching that point. At this point in the season, it is a venturous situation to figure out which team could potentially be placed.

“We’re a really good basketball team and we belong and can compete with the best of them,” Hoyt said. “Our

The Cowgirls have put themselves in the mindset of one game at a time. Improving before, during, and after each game is important, and if the focus is on the next month, the matchup occurring in the present will not go as previously designed.

“Of course, our goal is to come in and win,” Collins said. “We really want to key in on how important it is for us to just finish strong.”

One advantage this team has is the number of weapons on the court that are continuously mentioned. No matter the situation the Cowgirls encounter, they have a teammate that can take on the challenge, drain the shot or make the play.

Naomie Alnatas may be the leading scorer for one game and two days later Lior Garzon or Claire Chastain is taking the crown. Each player is capable

of stealing the ball, making assists and scoring. There is simply not one reoccurring superstar, but each player can increase their contribution when needed.

Each girl is confident in the others’ abilities, so everyone portraying confidence while competing is the goal. Knowing and preparing for an opponent, along with increasing their own skillset, is necessary to thrive in the last element of the regular season.

“We’re just focused on continuing to work really hard and not become weary in doing good,” Hoyt said. “But at the same time, having a lot of confidence because what we did in the month of January is very impressive. So, we have a lot of confidence, but we also can’t let up, we gotta keep grinding.”

Carson Toulouse

Coach Jacie Hoyt is preparing her team, both mentally and physically, for the last month before the postseason.

Gina Foster Staff Reporter

sports

Q&A: OSU great Dieringer talks Michigan, Bout at Ballpark

A: “It’s a little weird going up against my alma mater. I’m excited to see those guys. Excited to scrap against them. It’s gonna be a competitive match. The cool thing is that it’s on an MLB baseball field. That’s good for the sport. I’m excited to be a part of it and wrestling against my alma mater makes it even cooler.”

more historic. It’s the biggest stadium in all of the nation.”

Q: “You were teammates with assistant coach Chris Perry. Coach John Smith and Zack Espostio coached you. Have you talked with them recently?”

cool. Just learning the ropes right now and taking everything in from all the coaches. Just trying to absorb all I can before I start my coaching career.”

A Cowboy great will stand in the opposite corner on Friday.

Alex Dieringer, a four-year starter for Oklahoma State (2012-16) won three national championships. He claimed the 2016 Hodge Trophy, college wrestling’s equivalent of the Heisman Trophy.

Dieringer recently became Michigan’s recruiting and video coordinator. No. 11 OSU battles No. 6 Michigan on Friday night at the Bout at the Ballpark in Arlington, Texas.

The O’Colly recently talked with Dieringer about his time at OSU and role in Ann Arbor.

Q: “You were a huge name at OSU and know you’re at Michigan. To coach against OSU, how are you feeling?”

Q: “A lot of people are excited about the ballpark setting. Michigan wrestled on an aircraft carrier in the fall, right?”

A: “Yeah, I wasn’t able to attend that but I heard that it was very cool. It was the first time that has happened.”

Q: “Is that just the latest trend? Wrestling duals in unconventional settings?”

A: “It’s great for promoting the sport. I think we should do that way more often. It can only help it. Obviously, it costs money but at the end of the day, it’s gonna help our sport.”

Q: “Would you rather have a dual in Michigan Stadium or Boone Pickens Stadium?”

A: “The Big House because it’s

A: “Oh yeah. I’ve been gone for a couple of years, but I hit them up every once in a while. My parents still live in Guthrie so every time I visit, I plan on also seeing the coaches and the guys.”

Q: “You recently started your new job as Michigan’s recruiting and video coordinator. What does your day look like with that?”

A: “Right now, I do a lot of the video stuff. I’ll go in there, watch our previous dual meets, break down the videos and make highlights. Whether it’s negative or positive, just break down the action of the match. I add descriptions whether you need to work on something or if it was a good technique. I really focus on that on Mondays and Tuesdays. For recruiting, I haven’t done too much of it yet, but I keep in contact with some of the recruits. I made my first call the other day so that was

Q: “Over the years, how have you seen the usage of film in wrestling grow?”

A: “It’s pivotal. You can watch someone’s film and you know what they’re gonna do, that’s definitely gonna help. If you’re not with it now, I think you’re gonna get left behind. It’s there so why not use it?”

Q: “Are you still training at Cliff Keen Wrestling Club?”

A: “Yeah, I’m actually recovering from an injury right now but my first match will be at the U.S. Open. I’m excited. I’m feeling good. It’s been a while since I competed.”

Q: “Same weight, 79 kilograms?”

A: “That’s the plan. I’m pretty big so I can make the adjustment to 86 if I need to. I’m gonna make that decision here in the next week or two.”

OSU great Alex Dieringer (left) will coach against John Smith and the Cowboys during Friday night’s Bout at the Ballpark in Arlington, Texas.

Adam Engel Editor-in-Chief

Grow bags increase in popularity for gardeners

and then movie it with them when they go from place to place.

Hentges said it’s vital to analyze what types of plants grow best in a mobile or moving environment.

Mallory Pool Staff Reporter

Grow bags are the new green thumb.

Ceramic pot gardens, raised beds and traditional in-ground beds are the primary types of gardening methods, but grow bags extend the use and skillset to this popular practice.

Casey Hentges, OSU Extension associate specialist and host of OSU Agriculture’s “Oklahoma Gardening” TV show, said that grow bags are versatile and can be used by many types of gardeners.

“One of the biggest advantages is the convenience,” Hentges said. “Grow bags are great for both seasoned and novice gardeners. The bags are available in a variety of shapes and sizes to meet you gardening needs. Also, they’re good for gardeners with mobility issues because they’re higher than traditional inground beds.”

While you are looking for these bags, make sure to pick the right type of material. Select those made from durable polypropylene fabric or heavy-duty landscape fabrics. Some of the bags, depending on the value, will last three or four growing seasons. Prices can vary, but like most things, investing more money in the beginning will give gardeners a better and more long-lasting product.

The bags have many factors that contribute toward their convenience. They often come with handles to make moving them easier. They are also lighter than typical clay pots that experienced gardeners use. Grow bags are useful for people with small patios or balconies or people that have little space for a traditional in-ground garden. Grow bags are also important for people with green thumbs that don’t live in permanent housing. People who rent or live in temporary housing can plant a garden

“Select plants with a relatively shallow root system, such as salad greens and radishes,” she said. “Plants that need more space to spread out, including melons, parsnips and winter squashes, most likely won’t do well. However, there are dwarf cultivars of many varieties that will grow well.”

Oklahoma gardeners are experienced in the summer heat. This presents precautions considering plants grown in grow bags need to be watered more often, said David Hillock, OSU Extension consumer horticulturist.

“In the heat of the summer, the bags will need to be watered probably once a day,” Hillock said.

“Grow bags need well-draining soil that can retain moisture in between waterings. This soil helps ensure roots can breathe as excess water flows through the soil and the bag.”

Plants in grow bags may need additional fertilizing on top of the additional water. Plants grown in containers like grow bags are restricted to the amount of nutrients in the soil, which can drain out with constant watering. Always follow the directions on the fertilizer or grow bag container.

If cared for properly, grow bags can be used for several years. If they are correctly cleaned and stored at the end of a growing period, they will last longer. Empty and wash the bags with soapy water; this will kill any bacteria or fungus that lingers on the bags. Make sure to allow them to dry completely before storing to prevent things like mold.

“This cleaning process is important because any soil-related problems gardeners have with their plants during the growing season will remain in the bag unless it’s properly cleaned,” Hentges said.

For more information regarding gardening tips and grow bags, please visit their website.

Courtesy of OSU

Ceramic pot gardens, raised beds and traditional in-ground beds are the primary types of gardening methods, but grow bags extend the use and skillset to this popular practice.

How is Texas’ power grid holding up as a winter storm grips much of the state?

Eleanor Dearman Fort Worth Star-Telegram

AUSTIN, Texas — Gov. Greg Abbott on Tuesday assured Texans that the state’s power grid is working as a winter storm covers much of the state.

The Public Utility Commission expects to see some outages as a result of icing on electric infrastructure and power lines, but local outages do not mean there’s a problem with the grid, Abbott said from the State Operations Center in Austin.

“The power grid itself is functioning very efficiently as we speak right now, and there’s not anticipated to be any challenge to the power grid in the state of Texas,” he said.

Abbott instructed those who may experience an outage to check with their electricity provider for updates. Oncor delivers electricity to much of the Fort Worth area.

As of 4:24 p.m., the grid was operating under normal conditions with enough power to meet demand. There were 30,450 electricity customers experiencing power outages across the state as of 4:15 p.m., including 68 in Tarrant County, according to poweroutage.us.

In February 2021, the state experienced widespread outages and at least 246 people died when a freeze swept Texas.

Public Utility Commission Chairman Peter Lake said reforms put into place in the time since have been working for Texas. The state agency regulates Texas utilities, and has oversight of Texas’ power grid manager, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas.

ERCOT is not expecting to ask Texans to conserve power, said President and CEO Pablo Vegas.

“We have plenty of reserves to make sure that the ERCOT grid is stable and powered throughout this weather event,” Lake said. “As the governor said, the primary concern this week is icing at the local level. Accumulating on tree branches and power lines can lead to down lines and local outages.”

Texas Division of Emergency Management Chief Nim Kidd said

power lines could be knocked out if people have wrecks and hit power lines, causing outages. He and other officials urged Texans to avoid driving if possible.

The National Weather Service warned that dangerous travel conditions are expected through Wednesday in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. An ice storm warning is in effect through 6 a.m. Thursday for Tarrant and 13 other North Texas counties.

The governor’s office on Monday announced that a number of state emergency responses had been mobilized. The Texas National Guard is working around the clock to respond to the storm, Abbott said.

The Public Utility Commission is monitoring power outages and coordinating with utility providers, Abbott said. Lake said Texans should not see high electricity prices like those seen after the February 2021 storm.

Texas Railroad Commissioner Christi Craddick said the state should have plenty of natural gas. The agency regulates Texas’ oil and gas industry.

Last legislative session, following the February 2021 storm, lawmakers passed bills reforming ERCOT and requiring weatherization of electricity generators and transmitters and some natural gas facilities. The PUC has since approved changes to Texas’ electricity market that are subject to review by lawmakers in Austin and have been met with some criticism.

Since legislators met in 2021, the grid has shown that it can hold up, even under extreme conditions, with Texas’ population, Abbott said. But Texas is quickly growing, Abbott said.

“We’re going to need more power generation going forward, and we will accomplish that,” Abbott said. “Part of that is based upon the design that was set out by the PUC earlier this month.

There will be other ideas that surface this session. Bottom line is this: We’re not going to end this session without having strategies to make sure that we will be able to provide the power to the people of this state for the next 40 years.”

Check power grid’s status and outages ERCOT offers real-time updates on the state of Texas’ power grid on its website, ercot.com. The number of power outages across the state is tracked at poweroutage.us/area/state/texas.

Road conditions across the state can be found at drivetexas.org

Courtesy of Tribune News Service

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott speaks during a news conference on Tuesday in Austin, Texas. Gov. Abbott held a meeting and news conference in preparation for the winter storm that is sweeping across portions of Texas.

OSU names Loughridge research foundation CEO

“To become the nation’s preeminent land-grant institution, we must bolster and enhance our connection to Oklahoma’s economy — including contributing new knowledge and cuttingedge innovation in close collaboration with firms and organizations in our state and our region,” OSU President Dr. Kayse Shrum said.

“We have an opportunity, given what our new strategy has to say about how we are committed to becoming the nation’s preeminent land-grant university, to increase our positive impact,” Loughridge said. “OSURF provides a nimble, creative and powerful organizational mechanism to directly impact Oklahoma.”

federal investments contained in the CHIPS+Science Act recently signed into law, we are poised to win yet more federal grants to drive innovation and scientific breakthroughs.”

Shrum said that with Loughridge and Sewell’s roles, the university can exponentially improve its accomplishments.

A new boss will oversee the OSU Research Foundation.

James Loughridge, OSU’s senior vice president of system operations, will now man the nonprofit. The foundation is concentrated on collaborative efforts of discovery and partnerships to bring OSU innovation. OSURF connects OSU’s innovation with innovation needs to help boost Oklahoma’s economy.

Cowboy Technologies and other industry-facing functions will be housed under the foundation. The functions will make way to host various university institutes such as the Hamm Institute for American Energy at OSU, the Human Performance and Nutrition Research Institute and the Oklahoma Aerospace Institute for Research and Innovation.

Loughridge will connect OSU’s innovation with industry.

With Loughridge’s new role, Kenneth Sewell, OSU’s vice president for research, will focus on developing sponsored research opportunities such as those from the Department of Defense and National Science Foundation.

“OSU faculty researchers have increased their expenditure of federal research dollars by 40% since 2015, growth that moved OSU into Carnegie’s top tier of research universities in 2018,” Sewell said. “With the increased

Loughridge developed the process that led to OSU’s recent strategic plan. He spent more than two decades in the energy sector and Wall Street private equity. He also served as the Oklahoma Secretary of Health and Mental Health. He earned a master’s of public policy from Harvard.

Courtesy of OSU

James Loughridge will become the CEO of the OSU Research Foundation, a nonprofit concentrated on collaborative efforts of discovery and partnerships to bring OSU innovation.

Adam Engel Editor-in-Chief

Brett...

Continued from page

Q- How was your time at North Carolina State University? Can you explain to me what research in soybean lipid biochemistry and in soybean genetics and breeding mean?

A-Believe it or not, I was still trying to find myself going into graduate school. I knew I wanted to pursue a career in ag research, but I did not know if that meant working at the more basic level of plant physiology or the more applied level of plant genetics or breeding. I started at the most basic level, in soybean lipid biochemistry, or in more common terms, soybean oil quality.

The lipid fraction of a soybean, or its oil, is naturally quite healthy for human consumption, most often in salad dressings or as a cooking oil. However, its fatty acid makeup is highly unstable over time or under heat. Chemical hydrogenation makes the oil more saturated (i.e., fewer double bonds) and thus more stable with less rancidity potential. Just check out the label on a bottle of salad dressing for “hydrogenated soybean oil”. The hydrogenation process, however, shifts the chemical structure of certain soybean fatty acids to a less healthy “trans” fatty acid structure. As consumers, we are more sensitive to foods that contain “trans fatty acids”.

A soybean geneticist at N.C. State had already developed new strains of soybean with a more stable oil quality that required far less chemical processing. My graduate research at N.C. State was to elucidate the biochemical (M.S. research) and genetic mechanisms (Ph.D. research) of naturally stable oil quality.

Q- How was the transition from North Carolina to Oklahoma? How long did it take for you to get used to it?

A-My first thought was that this move was going to be a reach. I had no family in Oklahoma or nowhere close. So why not start one? I am proud to say both of my sons graduated from OSU some 22-25 years later. Looking back, it took me all of one day to get used to Stillwater. I gave the job all I had. I became immediately immersed in the college atmosphere and the true college town. Acclimation seemed natural.

Q- Do you miss Atlanta or North Carolina?

A- Only the family and the eastern North Carolina barbeque are missed. And both of those can be in Stillwater on moment’s notice.

Q- You joined the faculty to begin a research and teaching career in quantitative genetics and wheat germplasm development. How was the transition from only being a researcher or student, to being a teacher?

A-The transition from college student to college professor was not difficult. I attribute that, in part, to the education and training I received from UGA and NCSU. Plus, it really did not matter, because the stakes were SO much higher for making tenure than making good grades. Fear can be a highly effective motivator in managing transition.

The greatest challenge for me was learning a new plant with a complex history and complicated personality – wheat. I spent as much time the first two years of my career in the library (yes, Edmon Low) as I did during graduate school altogether. Remember, no internet in the mid-1980s. I had to learn a new plant which previously came to me only in pictures, a new genetic system and a totally new phylogeny. Fortunately, the classes I taught were fundamentally about plant breeding theory and quantitative genetics. Today, I still go to school on wheat.

Q- In 1998 you started leading the OSU Wheat Improvement Team and conducting a wheat breeding and genetics research program. Can you tell me a little bit about that? What does the wheat improvement team do? If you could explain the process of wheat breeding and how is that connected to genetics research?

A- First of all, wheat breeding is the application of genetic principles. Genetics tells us how a trait, or more realistically, a group of traits, is inherited; breeding puts those pieces of knowledge together in the form of a new progeny, something better than the parents one started with. Inheritance can be, but is not always, explained at the DNA level. That makes plant breeding a bit more accurate and effective, but wheat has a complicated family tree, which makes the DNA more cumbersome to interpret.

The OSU wheat improvement team (WIT) was formed to engage complimentary research skill sets already present in the Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources, and thus create a research synergy that previously did not exist. What makes OSU WIT so unique is the transparency which exists among team members in their planning and work output, to the point a single unified research proposal is submitted to the Oklahoma Wheat Research Foundation each year, instead of nine or

more competing proposals. The WIT was formed out of necessity and greater efficiency, because nine faculty with their unique expertise (agronomy, physiology, pathology, entomology, molecular genetics, weed science, and modeling) can provide better information on those traits than a single plant breeder could ever fathom alone. The challenge is to encourage nine independent faculty to fly in formation toward a common goal. We have been able to make it work wonderfully, unlike any other wheat improvement program in the country.

Q- How does your life look like now? What are your professional priorities? What about professional goals?

A- One priority hardly changes, because it is intrinsic to the wheat improvement program’s existence. And that is to maintain the good-will connection long welded between the public and the university. My concept of the public has changed, or broadened, from the conventional farming public to include a consumer public. Consumers see wheat through a different lens today than just 10 years ago, when gluten was an infrequent word in our vocabulary.

And my passion remains unchanged – to help make OSU the best academic institution on the Plains and beyond. Plain and simple.

My professional goals are turned more outward now, toward our junior faculty. I care immensely about younger faculty fulfilling their career aspirations. I care about students having the same opportunity I had to see the world ahead of them and around them. That is what the college experience is about.

Q- Do you think about working somewhere else or is OSU home?

A- All-out commitment to an institution and its ideals makes the roots grow deeper. Nufsed.

Q- You were awarded the Oklahoma State University Eminent Faculty Award for your outstand-

ing contributions to instruction and service. What did that mean to you? Were you expecting it?

A- The only expectation I had was to find a letter that essentially said, “nice try, and keep up the good work”! That would have been just fine.

Q- Winning the Eminent Faculty Award brings a bit of satisfaction that no other award outside the university can possibly recognize?

This goes back to the ‘public’ mentioned before. I have grown to better appreciate the faith and confidence our rural communities throughout Oklahoma place in OSU fulfilling its land-grant mission. This faith transcends wheat, but for the wheat program, I realize there are livelihoods on the line when growing a wheat crop. And while OSU cannot control the weather and influence wheat prices, it can provide a genetic safety net to help Oklahoma wheat growers work through those challenges. So in a way, through this award OSU is telling our farmers and ranchers and the people they serve, we got you covered.

Q- What makes you the proudest today?

A- I get a deep sense of joy when a wheat farmer takes ownership of an OSU wheat variety and says about their crop, “My Gallagher was the best wheat I ever produced”, or “My Doublestop toughed it out this year”. Their pride is the source of my pride.

Q- What does your profession mean to you?

A- I will boil it down this way. Academicians share a cognitive purpose to make this world a better place to live for future generations, especially the generations we educate. Plant breeding is one small way to contribute, but it certainly has given me that sense of purpose, odd as it may seem for an urbanite from Atlanta.

Courtesy of Brett Carver

Brett Carver, regents professor and wheat genetics chair in the Oklahoma State University Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, received the Eminent Faculty Award last month.

Girardi, disgraced LA lawyer and ‘Real Housewives’ spouse, indicted on fraud charges

LOS ANGELES — Tom Girardi, the once-vaunted Los Angeles trial attorney, was indicted by federal grand juries in two states on fraud charges amid allegations of swindling millions of dollars from injured and wounded clients, prosecutors announced Wednesday.

In Chicago, Girardi and his sonin-law, attorney David Lira, and the former chief financial officer of Girardi’s law firm, Christopher Kamon, were charged with eight counts of wire fraud and four counts of contempt of court. Prosecutors said they misappropriated more than $3 million in settlement funds from the relatives of those who died in an Indonesian plane crash.

In Los Angeles, Girardi was charged with wire fraud following accusations of embezzling more than $15 million from clients and using the funds to cover his law firm’s payroll and pay his personal expenses, including a

hefty American Express bill and fees at two country clubs. The L.A. case also includes charges against Kamon, the former CFO, and indicates that he and his boss “devised, participated in, and executed a scheme to defraud victim clients” from 2010 until the firm, Girardi Keese, collapsed in late 2020.

The prosecution marks the latest chapter in Girardi’s downfall and follows extensive reporting by the Los Angeles Times on how Girardi eluded discipline by the State Bar despite facing decades of credible accusations of misappropriating his clients’ money.

“Mr. Girardi and Mr. Kamon stand accused of engaging in a widespread scheme to steal from their clients and lie to them to cover up the fraud,” the U.S. attorney in L.A., Martin Estrada, said in a statement. “In doing so, they allegedly preyed on the very people who trusted and relied upon them the most — their clients. Actions like the ones alleged in the indictment bring disrepute upon the legal profession and will not be tolerated by my office.”

In Chicago, U.S. Attorney John

R. Lausch Jr. said of Lira and Girardi: “Attorneys who violate the trust of their clients and breach a fiduciary duty that is paramount to the practice of law must be held accountable.”

Representatives for Girardi, Lira and Kamon did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The prosecution of the 83-yearold former attorney, who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease by a physician in March 2021, sets the stage for a legal battle over whether Girardi is fit to stand trial.

Now living in a memory care facility in Orange County, Girardi is subject to a court-ordered conservatorship that gives his younger brother, Robert, a dentist in Seal Beach, authority to make decisions for him about health care and finances.

Conservatorship records indicate that Girardi has been prescribed medication for dementia and is also suffering from blindness in one eye and “hearing issues.”

In L.A. legal circles, many have questioned whether the legal legend

claimed dementia to avoid the consequences of his misconduct. The first assertion that he has serious cognitive problems was through a criminal defense lawyer at a December 2020 hearing where a federal court judge was confronting him with evidence that he had stolen millions from clients.

Officials from the State Bar of California even went to court to challenge the conservatorship a few weeks after the diagnosis, saying that the proceeding was occurring under “highly unusual circumstances” and that the evidence of impairment was “sparse.”

In a filing, they noted that the month before the claim of cognitive problems, Girardi had hosted a continuing education class for lawyers on complex litigation strategies. Agency officials asked for more extensive neurological testing for the lawyer, but the request was denied.

news.ed@ocolly.com

Courtesy of Tribune News Service

Attorney Tom Girardi is accused of misappropriating millions in client funds, dishonesty and other acts of moral turpitude in his law practice.

Matt Hamilton and Harriet Ryan Los Angeles Times

Edited by Patti Varol and Joyce Lewis

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Daily Horoscope

Nancy Black Tribune Content Agency

Linda Black Horoscopes (TNS)

Today’s Birthday (02/02/23). You have the gift of gab this year. Grow personal power and confidence with steady routines. Adapt around winter domestic changes for brilliant springtime art and creative communications. Professional changes reorient summer plans, motivating autumn investigations. Use your persuasive powers to grow what you love.

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 7 — Household issues require attention. Avoid tense or awkward situations by fixing something before it breaks. Extra patience pays with family. Include comfort foods.

Taurus (April 20-May 20) — Today is an 8 — Get good advice. Read the words of philosophers and poets. Misunderstandings or delays could frustrate creative projects. The rules may change. Reinforce basic structures.

Gemini (May 21-June 20) — Today is a 9 — Stay cautious with spending; there may not be as much as you think. Unexpected expenses could drain. Avoid risky business. Maintain steady cash flow.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) — Today is an 8 — Your self-confidence could waver, facing a personal challenge. Ignore rumors, gossip or negative chatter. Reconnect with a sense of purpose or a dream.

Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) — Today is a 6 — Find a peaceful spot for private planning and organization. Review and adapt budgets and schedules. Don’t overextend. Rest and recharge. Consider the big picture.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) — Today is a 7 — Social challenges could frustrate or get awkward. Avoid automatic reactions. Notice, observe and listen to what’s going on. Misunderstandings abound. Offer to help.

Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) — Today is a 7 — Professional obstacles or surprises could require adaptation. Slow down and focus to finish faster. Take care with your work. Patiently simplify. Imagine dreamy results.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) — Today is an 8 — Find a nice view for a rest stop. Monitor conditions and reassess your route and itinerary. Obstacles may block your investigation. Discover unexpected possibilities.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) — Today is a 7 — Contribute to shared accounts. Avoid controversy or gossip. Financial discussions could get heated. Don’t throw your money around. Quietly maintain a positive balance.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) — Today is an 8 — Actions speak louder than words, especially with your partner. Do what you said. Avoid arguments or fuss. Find unusual solutions. Work behind the scenes.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) — Today is a 7 — Slow for tricky sections. Physical barriers block your way. You could receive conflicting advice. Take time to assess the situation and choose your best path.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — Today is a 7 — Keep your patience, especially with romance. Expect the unexpected. Misunderstandings abound. Practice finding humor in unlikely places. Discover love hiding in plain sight.

Alexander Liebeskind &