Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2023

Tuesday, January 31, 2023

Cowboy baseball: Four OSU players make top 100 college prospects list

Daniel Allen Staff Reporter

In less than a month, Opening Day will arrive and a new year of college baseball.

D1Baseball

released its top 100 MLB draft prospects rankings. Four Cowboys saw their names on the list. Here’s a breakdown of the four players and a glimpse into what earned them a spot on the list.

Juaron WattsBrown, sophomore, right-handed pitcher Last season with the Long Beach State Dirtbags, Watts-Brown posted a 4-4 record as

a starter along with a 3.68 ERA and 110 strikeouts, which was tied for 28th nationally among Division-I pitchers. His stellar freshman season was highlighted by a complete game, no-hitter against UC Riverside.

Watts-Brown is one of four pitchers OSU coach Josh Holliday and his staff reeled in from the transfer portal this off-season,

In Memphis, some refuse to watch beating video that ‘exploits’ Black grief

1.7 million views within 17 hours of its release.

MEMPHIS, Tenn.

— When it came time for Memphis officials to release graphic footage from the police beating of Tyre Nichols, Amber Sherman couldn’t stand to watch.

As the video was being released at 6 p.m. Friday, Sherman and other protesters gathered outside the headquarters of the Memphis police’s organized crime unit, then headed south, reaching a highway and blocking a major bridge. Shouting into a bullhorn, she told the other protesters that they didn’t need to see the images because they already knew what they showed:

Pain. Terror. Helplessness. The sight of yet another Black body writhing under the blows of police fists and boots.

looking to fill the void of four different starting pitchers the Cowboys lost from last year. Steady command of his fastball, which sits around 93-95 miles per hour, consistency in the zone and a deceiving wipeout slider likely makes him a prime candidate to be the Friday night arm for the Cowboys come Opening Day.

See Prospects on page 3

The shaky video of the Jan. 7 traffic stop in southeast Memphis sparked a national outcry. Local community leaders and President Biden condemned the actions of the five officers who dragged the 29-year-old Nichols from his car, punching, kicking, pepper-spraying and using a Taser on him as he pleaded for them to stop. He died at a hospital three days later.

A spokeswoman for the city said the recording had

But Sherman and others in this Southern city of 600,000 who refused to watch the footage saw the images as exploiting Black trauma. In the era of police body cameras and smartphones, Americans have seen enough violence and brutality by law enforcement to know what the Nichols recording would show, said Sherman, an organizer with Black Lives Matter-Memphis.

“I think the need to watch someone be murdered is really around the spectacle of death and how we objectify Black people and their bodies and how we don’t see their humanity,” said Sherman, who has emerged as a prominent voice in the protests that followed Nichols’ death. “I think that just removes the humanity from us and continues to objectify us, and I think that’s one of the main reasons that police treat us like dogs in the streets.”

For Sherman, the decision to not watch the video was as much a necessary act of self-care as it was a political statement. But she also recognized the need for others to bear witness to police brutality, recognizing the raw power these images have in jolting the collective consciousness and effecting social change.

See Memphis on page 4

Cowgirl tennis: Rojas leads OSU to win against Oregon

Gina Foster Staff Reporter

Saturday kicked off the opening weekend of the Intercollegiate Tennis Association at the Greenwood Tennis Center.

The Cowgirls took advantage of being in front of their own fans and finished the day 4-0 against the Oregon Ducks.

OSU started off successfully as it earned the doubles point and then played substantially well in

the singles, winning all but one of the teams’ first sets. The doubles matches were slightly more strenuous, as new teammates are learning to work together and match each others’ level. Enhancing skillset is simply the objective when matching and preparing the doubles teams.

“I was really happy with the improvement we made,” said coach Chris Young. “We put a big emphasis on that and I think it’s going to be really important tomorrow. Ayumi is doing such a good job with Lucia because she has tons of potential, but to have somebody who’s a two-time All-American as a

partner helps out a lot.”

Sophomore Sofia Rojas was victorious in her match against Oregon’s Ares Teixido Garcia, 6-1 and 6-3. This was a great contribution to the Cowgirl win and helped Rojas show the consistency that is to come during this season. She even improved significantly enough to move from courts five and six to playing on court three.

“I felt really confident with the home crowd, so I think my match went really well, especially the first set. When Garcia started picking up I was able to regroup and keep playing,” Rojas said. sports.ed@ocolly.com

Chase Davis

Long Beach State transfer Juaron Watts-Brown became one of four Cowboys to earn a spot on D1Baseball’s top 100 college prospects.

Cole Gueldenzoph

Sofia Rojas and the Cowgirl tennis team defeated Oregon, 4-0, on Saturday at the Greenwood Tennis Center in Stillwater.

Libor Jany Los Angeles Times

Cowboy wrestling: Sheets’ fall bolsters

OSU’s victory against Northern Iowa

Rowdy Baribeau Staff Reporter

Northern Iowa’s Austin Yant rarely misses opportunities to capitalize on single-leg takedowns.

OSU’s Wyatt Sheets defended a single-leg shot attempt by Yant with more than 40 seconds remaining.

With Sheets’ leg in his grasp, Yant drove him into the mat but Sheets flipped over with Yant’s head in a cradle and seconds later, the referee slapped the mat. Sheets three-bonuspoint victory would be the difference in the grudge match for the Cowboys as Oklahoma State downed Northern Iowa 19-17 in Cedar Falls.

After five matches, UNI held a 10-7 lead over OSU thanks to a major decision by Kyle Golhoffer over Zach Blankenship at 125 pounds and an upset by No. 26 Derek Holschlag over No. 11 Kaden Gfeller in the 157-pound bout. At 133 pounds, No. 2 Daton Fix continued his undefeated season with a 8-1 decision over No. 11 Kyle Biscoglia. Fix was gunning for a major decision but fell short.

OSU had a major victory at 141 pounds as Carter Young defeated No. 8 Cael Happel with a 15-7 major decision. If not for Sheets’ pin, Young’s bonus-point victory would have been the biggest for OSU not just from a scoring standpoint, but a moral standpoint as the victory is a major one for Young who’s been inconsistent for the

entirety of the season. However, much of the same can be said for Sheets who ended his six-dual losing streak and got his fourth bonus-point victory of the season. The Cowboy light-heavyweights didn’t get the bonus-point victories they’ve become known for getting. While OSU got big wins at 165 and 141 pounds, the two biggest takeaways going forward are the health of 197-pounder No. 18 Luke Surber and the absence of No. 11 Travis Wittlake in the 184-pound bout.

Surber was able to pull away from Wyatt Voelker with a 2-1 decision after injuring his head in the first period. Wittlake was replaced by Gavin Stika and dropped his match with a 20-6 major decision to No. 2 Parker Keckeisen.

Whether the two wrestle Sunday against No. 4 Iowa State, will likely be a lastminute decision.

No. 6 Dustin Plott handled his rematch with No. 13 Lance Runyon to the tune of a 7-3 decision. Runyon pinned Plott in last year’s matchup between the Cowboys and Panthers. At heavyweight, No. 24 Konner Doucet suffered a 3-2 decision loss to No. 13 Tyrell Gordon, ending his seven-match winning streak. While UNI got two bonus points thanks to two major decisions, the four bonus points were the difference-maker for the Cowboys as they took the first of two duals slated for the weekend in Iowa.

sports.ed@ocolly.com

Molly Jolliff

Wyatt Sheets, OSU’s 165-pounder, pinned Northern Iowa’s Austin Yant on Saturday night.

Prospects...

Continued from page 1

The transfer was listed at No. 22 in the rankings.

Roc Riggio, sophomore, second base

In his first season of college baseball last year, Riggio posted a .295 batting average — which ranked seventh among starters — 11 home runs and 47 RBI’s. His performance in the Stillwater Regional last season

pinpointed the former top 100 recruit’s potential, where he batted .555 through 27 at-bats, and raised his average. Not to mention, his defensive ability was almost nonpareil among D-I second basemen. His successful freshman campaign earned him a spot on the All-Big 12 Freshman Team. Reggio was No. 30 on the list.

Nolan McLean, junior, utility

After being drafted by the Baltimore Orioles with the first pick in the third round of last year’s MLB Draft, McLean returns to Stillwater with prime expectations heading into his

junior season. The 6-foot-4 slugger began last season at right field before meshing into a permanent role at third base. Last year, McLean batted .285 while posting a team-leading 19 home runs and 47 RBIs. However, strikeouts were a recurring issue throughout the year, as he led the team with 107. McLean also saw himself become the team’s closer midway through last season. During that time, he posted a 4.97 ERA with 39 strikeouts and five saves. Of course, a near-5.00 ERA isn’t ideal for any closer in baseball.

Consistency was an issue for McLean. However, his fastball — which sat around 97-99 miles per hour — along with a backdoor slider and a changeup with movement has him poised for a potential breakout season on the mound with a full offseason of preparation with that role. The two-way star appeared at No. 56 on the list.

Marcus Brown, junior, shortstop Brown isn’t too flashy, and certainly nowhere near a slugger, yet, consistent offense and the ability to make his way

around the bases makes him a pivotal piece for this year’s Cowboy baseball team. Last year, Brown posted a .316 batting average along with 31 RBI’s and four home runs. While still leading the team in errors, Brown ranked second in the Big 12 last season in double plays initiated, just behind former Texas shortstop, Trey Faltine. Brown was No. 81 on the list.

sports.ed@ocolly.com

Habbie Colen

Roc Riggio, an All-Big 12 Freshman Team selection a season ago, earned a spot on D1 Baseball’s top 100 MLB Draft prospects rankings.

Continued from page 1

After all, she said, much of white America didn’t fully realize the brutality of law enforcement in Black and Latino neighborhoods until the video of Los Angeles police beating Rodney King during a traffic stop in 1991 became public.

Before then, Sherman said, those victims of police violence were widely ignored.

“If a Black person says that, we only believe it if: one, there’s a death; two, if there’s video; and three, if there’s witnesses,” she said.

But Sherman’s decision to avoid the traumatizing images herself was endorsed on social media, which was filled with commentary about the need for collective healing and the right of Black people to grieve privately when tragedy strikes.

More than any other high-profile police killing in recent memory, the Nichols recording — compile d from various forms of video, including body camera footage and pole camera images was widely anticipated, inspiring dread.

Memphis officials said early last week that the release would be Friday. Some residents in a city synonymous with blues music and the civil rights movement feared a repeat of the largescale protests that followed the acquittal in 1992 of the officers in King’s beating. The FBI issued a warning to local law enforcement agencies around the country to be on alert for potential unrest , while some school districts canceled after-school activities and businesses shut down early.

For several days, the city held its breath.

Adding to the anxiety were comments by senior law enforcement leaders who had seen the images and described them as “heinous” and “absolutely appalling.” Lawyers for the Nichols family, which also previewed the footage, told reporters that officers were seen treating Nichols like “a human piñata“ and compared it to the recording of King — only in higher definition.

Attorney Benjamin Crump said Nichols’ family agreed to investigators’ request to wait a week or two before making the recording public to “make sure to give this family what they want most, and that is justice.” Nichols’ mother, RowVaughn Wells, said that she

had been unable to finish watching the video, and encouraged parents everywhere to keep their children from seeing it. She asked that those who protest do so peacefully.

Some observers credited officials’ decision to release the videowith helping defuse violent protests. And police Chief Cerelyn “CJ” Davis — who became the city’s first Black female top cop after taking the job in 2021 — also drew praise in some quarters for firing the five officers most directly involved in Nichols’ beating.

The officers — Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Emmitt Martin III, Desmond Mills Jr. and Justin Smith — were indicted on various criminal charges, including second-degree murder. They were released from the Shelby County Jail early Friday morning after posting bond, according to jail records. Several hours after the video’s release, Jerry Torres, 22, was one of several people who’d stopped by to pay their respects at the spot where Nichols was taken into custody. After pulling him over for unclear reasons, officers chased Nichols for nearly half a mile to a cu l-de-sac of tidy brown brick buildings down the street from his mother’s house. Torres said he felt that as difficult as it was, people should watch the video of the beating so that they could grasp the horror of what happened to Nichols.

“The only reason that people are out here is because of the body cam footage and that’s the only reason that people really know where the incident happened,” he said.

The next day, roughly 200 people gathered under a light rain outside the city’s Public Safety Building before marching through downtown. Walking several yards behind the main group, Frank Gibson, a local activist known as “Frank Gottie,” said he pulled the video of the beating up on his laptop, but had to turn it off after about 30 seconds.

“That was enough. Five seconds of it was enough,” he said. “I seen how they ran up on him like in football; he kicked him like he was kicking a field goal.”

Theodore Martin, 51, said he knew some people, including his sister, who refused to watch the video. But, he said, even though he doubted that the actions of police would surprise him, he still wanted to see it.

“I’m just curious, was this man handcuffed and all that, you know why’re they doing all this to him ,” said Martin, 51, who was sitting on a fourwheeler outside a home in the New Chicago neighborhood in North Mem-

CheckouttheOriginalHideaway!

phis. A friend he was chatting with, OJ Phillips, 62 , nodded. “Some people said they can’t stand to watch it,” Martin said.

Research has shown that viewings of Black people dying at the hands of law enforcement can be psychologically and emotionally harmful for other African Americans, according to Duane Loynes Sr., an assistant professor of urban and Africana studies at Rhodes College in Memphis Nichols’ anguished cries for his mother during the beating are likely to trigger traumatic memories in the minds of Black Memphians, many of whom had grown up on a hard lesson: Running from the police often results in a beating.

For many, he said, it was enough to hear a description of what happened.

“These realities are not new to Black residents in Memphis or many communities around t he United States, a nd so for a lot of people it’s like, ‘Why would I watch something so brutal and violent when I’ve lived this reality?’” said Loynes, whose research focuses on the relationship between Black communities and police. “For some people, they didn’t watch this video, because they lived this reality, because it’s going to bring a great amount of stress and anxiety.”

Similar images of Black bodies being brutalized, at the hands of police or other civilians have in the

past sparked strong condemnations from elected officials, but rarely led to lasting changes in the real world. Not even three years ago, a video of George Floyd dying under the knee of a Minneapolis police officer sparked widespread protests and a reckoning over racial injustice, he said. But most cities have fallen far short of the radical changes to policing that many advocated for in the wake of Floyd’s murder, he said.

“For every Tyre Nichols, I guarantee you already in the month of January that are many other [similar incidents] we will never hear about. And so, will that change America? I’m not so sure,” Loynes said. “If we don’t learn our lessons, we’ll be here again, the next city, the next state.”

By Sunday, a sense of normality had returned to parts of the city.

At the morning service at First Baptist Church Broad, guest Pastor Eric Givens’ sermon was about the biblical story of Elijah and its lessons about the power of prayer and trusting God’s plan at the cost of great personal sacrifice. As Givens’ voice thundered through the large church auditorium, some churchgoers stood to clap or swayed with arms outstretched to the sky.

When he finished, the congregants gathered their belongings and prepared to march through the surrounding neighborhood. news.ed@ocolly.com

Courtesy of Tribune Protesters block traffic as they rally against the fatal police assault of Tyre Nichols, in Memphis, Tenn., on Jan. 27, 2023. The city of Memphis released graphic video footage depicting the fatal police assault of a 29-year-old Black man. (Seth Herald/AFP/Getty Images/TNS)

Former UCLA lecturer accused of making violent threats ruled mentally unfit to stand trial

Terry Castleman Los Angeles Times

LOS ANGELES — A former postdoctoral fellow at UCLA who was arrested nearly a year ago after allegedly threatening students and staff was found mentally unfit to stand trial last week by a judge in the U.S. District Court in Denver.

In a Jan. 27 court filing, Judge Raymond P. Moore wrote that counsel for defendant Matthew Harris filed a motion on Oct. 4 “for determination of Defendant’s competency to stand trial.”

An exam by a forensic psychiatrist found Harris

“presently suffering from a mental disease or defect rendering him incompetent to proceed,” the judge wrote. The filing states that mental incompetence left the defendant “unable to understand the nature and consequences of the proceedings against him or to assist properly in his defense.”

Harris, then 31, was arrested Feb. 1, 2022, and charged by federal prosecutors with making criminal threats across state lines after he sent an 803-page manifesto and a video referencing a mass shooting to students and faculty.

He threatened to kill a female professor, according to a court filing from May. His students had also noticed warning signs in the classroom and on the

former lecturer’s YouTube channel.

Neighbors in Boulder, Colorado, where Harris moved after being dismissed from UCLA and was ultimately arrested, and UCLA students have voiced frustrations about lack of warnings from law enforcement officials about Harris’ violent threats.

The document stipulates that Harris will be hospitalized and treated for mental illness to allow experts to determine whether his mental condition might improve enough for him to stand trial in the future.

The judge ordered a written report on Harris’ mental condition by May 27, or four months after the filing. news.ed@ocolly.com

Courtesy of Tribune

Students walk through a near empty campus after UCLA moved classes online Tuesday, Feb. 1, 2022, in the wake of violent online threats. (Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times/TNS)

OSU students chosen as finalists in national graphic design competition

Luisa Clausen News & Lifestyle Editor

The annual American Institute of Graphic Arts Baltimore Flux Student Design Competition selected the work of two graduate and Four undergraduate students from Oklahoma State University’s graphic design program.

Nick Mendoza, assistant professor of graphic design, said AIGA Flux is a nationwide design competition that gives students a gauge of how their work stacks up against other schools.

“Having the student’s work recognized by design professionals makes the long hours and multiple iterations to their projects all worth it,” Mendoza said.

Students from around the nation submit their work for consideration.

The AIGA Baltimore chapter has hosted the Flux Student Design Competition annually since 2007.The event this year was the largest and most competitive event to date with 631 pieces submitted. Of the total submissions, only 205 were chosen as finalists.

Jamie Kimball, a graphic design junior and AIGA Flux finalist, entered the competition for the first time and said design professors encourage and support students to enter design competitions.

It made me realize how fun it is to share your work and to also see what other students are designing,” Kimball said. “There is something freeing and exciting about being in the learning stage of your passion.”

Finalists will find out Friday if

they’re among the AIGA Flux 2023 winners.

Chris Whittey, head of the Department of Art, Graphic Design and Art History, shared what he believes to be the two equally important elements to his department’s success.

“First, the work must be produced at an incredibly high level. That is a given but it’s far rarer than one might suppose,” Whittey said. “Secondly, it takes guts, real and true fearlessness — and nothing less — to put one’s work out there in the world, to be analyzed and judged.”

Whittey said the accomplishments of students in the program reflect the dedication to growth within the field and he is proud to be part of a department that nurtures students whose work gets attention in such prestigious venues.

“It is so deeply fulfilling to see them being this creative and getting noticed and respected in the world. Their careers are really off to a glowing start.” Whittey said.

AIGA Baltimore Flux Student Design Competition - OSU Finalists

Aly Zetah, IN-N-OUT IDENTITY SYSTEM REBRAND

Madissen Brannon, TULSA ZOO REBRAND

Jamie Kimball, TypoRoma TYPOGRAPHIC CONFERENCE IDENTITY

Gerardo Rodriguez-Sariñana, ITALIAN NEOREALISM

Mahshad Faridfar, POETIC REALISM

Carley Vassh, DOUBLE DUTCH SUMMER CLASSIC PROMO VIDEO news.ed@ocolly.com

HIMALAYAN GROCERY STORE

Courtesy of OSU

The annual American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA) Baltimore Flux Student Design Competition selected the work of two graduate and Four undergraduate students from Oklahoma State University’s graphic design program.

In Dallas, a youth basketball team mourns a player lost to gun violence

Jamie Landers The Dallas Morning News

DALLAS -- De’Evan McFall once thought his days playing basketball were over before they ever really began.

It seemed to come out of nowhere, when late last year, his first season playing for Angelo Williams in the DTown Magic Youth league, the 11-yearold called the coach himself, and said he wouldn’t be coming back. Money was tight; his mom just couldn’t afford it.

But Williams saw potential, and he couldn’t let it go.

He got De’Evan a sponsor, and no one had ever seen a kid more grateful for a second chance. He never missed a practice. In fact, De’Evan would arrive so early, he’d greet Williams before he could even park his truck. He treated every day in the gym like it was the most important game of his life, and his teammates believed that, in him, they’d found a leader.

Williams, who has been coaching for more than a decade, said he’s worked with players just like De’Evan in the past — eager, but a little rough around the edges — and he had big plans to take him under his wing, to build his confidence, and one day, he hoped, send him off to play college ball.

It was just going to take some time. Time De’Evan didn’t have.

On Jan. 15, De’Evan was fatally shot outside an apartment complex in the 3300 block of Southern Oaks Boulevard. Dallas police said two girls were fighting in the parking lot when one of them — a 14-year-old — fired a gun in the direction of the other. He was a bystander.

Less than a month into 2023, De’Evan is far from the only young person taken by gun violence in North Texas. On Jan. 4, a triple shooting in Fort Worth left two teenagers dead. On Jan. 16, a 16-year-old was found fatally shot in a central Oak Cliff creek. Four days later, a 17-year-old boy was killed near the Whataburger he worked at in Fort Worth, while trying to shield his cousin from gunfire.

So when Williams and his wife, Vanetra, considered what to tell De’Evan’s teammates as they gathered for their first practice without him, they decided to use the tragedy as a means toward awareness.

“We told them something had

happened to their friend, something that could have been prevented, and that he wasn’t coming back,” Vanetra Williams said. “You’re as honest as you can be, because if not, how do we prevent this from happening again?”

Besides, she said, this isn’t the first loss they’ve faced.

‘Long live Mike Hickmon’

D-Town Magic Youth Basketball, which was founded in 2017, doesn’t hold tryouts, and Angelo Williams said that’s because “at D-Town, there’s a place for everyone.”

The coaches, usually family members of the players, are all volunteers. Like Michael Hickmon, another member of the organization taken by gunfire in the past year.

Hickmon died Aug. 13, when he was shot multiple times after a fight broke out during a youth football game between Dragon Elite Academy and North Dallas United in Lancaster. Hickmon was a member of DEA’s coaching staff, but Angelo Williams said he was also the typical “dad coach” for Magic Youth basketball, where his son, Mike Jr., has played for three seasons.

“It was so tough on everyone, and when his son was ready to come back and play, we really dedicated ourselves to lifting him up,” Angelo Williams said. “Losing De’Evan has definitely brought some of those feelings back.”

“#LLMH” — for “Long Live Mike Hickmon” — was put on the back of every jersey, and Angelo Williams said it was to serve as a “constant reminder of why we’re doing this: to build community.”

Hickmon’s brother, Robert Williams, who has since taken the lead on keeping Mike Jr. involved in the program, told The News their efforts “meant everything to both of us.”

“Being a part of an organization like this, it gives these kids something to be a part of, instead of just sitting alone in their grief,” he said. “They’re building character, they’re getting structure, they’re not isolating — that means something.”

‘Keep this from happening again’

On Jan. 19, the Williamses hosted a balloon release for De’Evan in the parking lot of Trinity Basin Preparatory’s Ledbetter campus, where practice was set to start later that night.

The crowd of nearly 50 people lit candles, took photos and shared memories of De’Evan as they waited for his mom, Vashunte Settles. She was running late, coming straight from the

funeral home.

In the days after De’Evan was killed, Settles felt a responsibility to be outspoken. The morning after his death — tears streaming down her face, struggling to breathe — she pulled her phone out and recorded a video. Settles was at the apartment complex when De’Evan was shot, and explained witnessing gun violence inflicts its own kind of injury.

“I wish I could hear my baby talk again, to laugh, to see his face — not how I saw him before he left,” she said. “A piece of me left with him. I will never be the same.”

At a news conference that day, Settles pleaded with the community to “protect your babies.”

“I don’t want nobody else to have to feel like this,” she said. “I don’t. Protect your babies at all cost. You can’t get them back. I will never see my son again.”

But Settles was silent when she arrived at the vigil, merely observing the Williamses as they spoke about De’Evan to a TV station. It wasn’t until the group prayer began that the tears

did, too.

“Heavenly Father, we just ask that you would help us have a word of prayer and encouragement to keep this from happening again,” Preston Malone II, a local high school teacher, said to the crowd. “We just ask that all of the families here would reach out to their loved ones and their children and make sure they know there is another alternative from looking at one that will take someone’s life.”

A cacophony of red, gold, black and basketball balloons filled the night sky. Children clung to one another as they cried, a sight Vanetra Williams called “heartbreaking, yet reaffirming.”

“We’re family on this team,” she said. “We win, we want to win, but that’s really not the point. If we’re not teaching these kids to be good to one another, if they’re not building a community they can count on, then we’re losing. I’m not in this to lose.”

As the rest of the parents consoled their children on the walk over to the gym, Settles went home.

news.ed@ocolly.com

Courtesy of Tribune

On Jan. 15, De’Evan was fatally shot outside an apartment complex in the 3300 block of Southern Oaks Boulevard. Dallas police said two girls were fighting in the parking lot when one of them — a 14-year-old — fired a gun in the direction of the other. He was a bystander.

Lifestyle

The Snub goes to…: The biggest snubs from the Oscar nominations

Jaden Besteda Staff Reporter

With every Oscar category, there comes a snub. One omission from nominations that people think should’ve been on the list. The Oscars dictate their nominations in a way where some are big and some are expected. Here is my list with the biggest snubs of 2023.

Nominations for “Nope” or horror movies aren’t there

The horror genre has rarely been represented at the Oscars. There have only been four films that have ever won awards and even though “Get Out” won Best Original Screenplay, Jordan Peele didn’t receive a nomination for his horror blockbuster, “Nope.” “Barbarian,” the great horror film that com-

bined several genres while providing a completely original story, also didn’t get one. Lastly, even though “Pearl” probably shouldn’t earn the Best Picture nomination, its star Mia Goth was snubbed hard. She’s a star.

Superhero movies I won’t argue with you that “Thor: Love & Thunder,” “Black Adam,” “Morbius” and “Doctor Strange in the Multitude of Madness” needed to win any awards in this year’s Oscars but “Wakanda Forever” and “The Batman” should’ve had several nominations and Best Picture nods. Even though Angela Bassett gave the Marvel Cinematic Universe its first acting nominee, the comic book movie world could’ve had much more this year.

“The Woman King”

Viola Davis is no stranger to the Oscars, which makes the snub that much more surprising. You could argue

a nod for Lashana Lynch should’ve happened for her performance. This movie deserved much more recognition.

Female directors

Even though Sarah Polley’s movie, “Women Talking” received a Best Picture nomination, Polley seemed to be dismissed for Best Director. “Aftersun”director Charlotte Wells, who made what almost everyone agrees is one of the year’s best films also didn’t earn a nomination. The “Woman King”’s Prince-Bythewood and Till’s Chinonye Chukwu did not receive a nod. Some of these just don’t make much sense especially given their recognition in other categories.

Janelle Monáe

“The Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery” star herself was snubbed. She was the standout in a star studded cast and brought the emotional element to 2022’s top comedy film.

James Cameron If “Avatar” is nominated for Best Picture, then how is this possible? They do know he’s almost the full creative force behind these films right? James Cameron is more than deserving of a directing nomination.

Margot Robbie

Not often do you see movies that weren’t critically acclaimed get nominated for anything really. So, this wasn’t a giant surprise but Robbie deserves some recognition for her role.

Will Smith

“Emancipation” is some of Will Smith’s best work. He may never even see a nomination again after the fiasco that happened last year. That doesn’t take away from how great of a performer Smith is when the content is dramatic.

entertainment.ed@ocolly.com

Courtesy of Tribune News Service

Director James Cameron and “Avatar: The Way of Water” recently hit the big screens. Despite the buzz, Cameron didn’t earn an Oscars nomination.

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

Business Squares Business Squares

Salem Lutheran Church Corner of Duck & Elm Sunday Evening 5 p.m.

Informal, 30-minute, acoustic music, candlelit prayer

Guaranteed

Company Coming?

Check

Airbnb.com/h/cowboy-cabin

Daily Horoscope

Nancy Black

Tribune Content Agency

Linda Black Horoscopes

Today’s Birthday (01/31/23). Fortune follows creativity, communication and connection this year. Regular practices develop personal goals into achievements. Household changes require adaptation this winter, enabling a productive, creative springtime surge. Summer changes redirect your professional path, motivating adventures, travels and investigation next autumn. Share news, information and resources.

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 an 8 — Write everything down; ideas, plans or letters to loved ones. What you have to say is important. Listen and learn. Develop your creative expression.

Taurus (April 20-May 20) — Today is a 9 — Avoid reckless spending. Generate a cash flow surge by increasing your pace to match demand. Prioritize practicalities and abandon illusions. Luck favors your own initiative.

Gemini (May 21-June 20) — Today is a 9 — You have the power and confidence to make things happen. Shift into a higher gear. Don’t leap without looking. Build solid foundations. Create something beautiful.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) — Today is a 7 — Outside changes reveal new opportunities. Organization is key. Clean workspaces and rooms. Revise plans, budgets and preparations. Align efforts to realize a practical vision.

Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) — Today is an 8 — Abandon tenuous ideas and develop the ones with traction. Align forces for common cause and together you can accomplish wonders. Assess public opinion.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) — Today is an 8 — Consider professional opportunities and responsibilities. Strengthen foundational structures before elaborating. Anticipate changes. Study a subject that’s outside your experience. Learn from experts. Listen carefully.

Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) — Today is a 9 — Explore new worlds and experiences. Distractions abound along the road. Stay practical. A mirage entices but fades upon approach. Coordinate solutions. Make fascinating connections.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) — Today is an 8 — Money goes out as quickly as it came in. Consider all options, but don’t act without consulting your partner. Strengthen financial foundations. Collaborate for growth.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) — Today is a 9 — Collaborate on practical goals. Be receptive to another’s point of view. Solutions are simpler than expected. Score extra points for making your partner laugh.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) — Today is a 9 — Quicken the pace to match the music. Keep juggling. Don’t worry about what you don’t have. Focus on practical priorities. Physical action gets satisfying results.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) — Today is an 8 — Open your heart and mind to new possibilities. You may as well have fun. Creative projects grow in new directions. Romance, beauty and art flower.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — Today is a 7 — Invite comfort and ease into your domestic environment. Physical efforts pay lasting dividends. Rebuild something better. Prioritize basic support structures. Savor delicious results.

By John Guzzetta

Solution

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