The O'Colly, Friday, August 11, 2023.

Friday, August 11, 2023

OSU is in a familiar QB battle, but this time, Gundy ‘might play multiple’

That was the last time OSU has had a quarterback battle ahead of the season. Now, in 2023, Gundy is back in that spot. A redshirt freshman in Garret Rangel, or a sixth-year senior in Michigan transfer Alan Bowman will lead the offense. Gundy hasn’t announced a starter and admitted he likely won’t until at least 12-14 practices into preseason camp, which still is no guarantee. There’s a chance he doesn’t settle on one at all.

The news didn’t break until two hours before go time.

After months of speculation, there was still no decision regarding the Cowboys’ starting quarterback job the morning of the 2019 season opener against Oregon State in Corvallis. Redshirt freshman Spencer Sanders battled senior Hawaii transfer Dru Brown all spring and summer for the reins of the offense, but coach Mike Gundy never announced a winner.

Twelve hours until the game –nothing. Still no word with six hours to go. It wasn’t until 7:39 p.m. – two hours and one minute before the 9:40 p.m. CST kickoff time – that the decision came, but it wasn’t from the mouth of Gundy. In a tweet, Brett McMurphy reported that Sanders had beat out Brown and would get the start.

“We might play multiple quarterbacks,” Gundy said Saturday at OSU’s Football Media Day. “If there’s two guys that deserve to play, we’ll play multiple guys. If one guy takes the job, we’ll play one guy, but if two guys deserve to play then we’re going to have to play two guys.”

The Cowboys have played multiple quarterbacks in a season before. Clint Chelf, J.W. Walsh and Wes Lunt each made starts in 2012, and each also passed for more than 1,000 yards. In 2015, Mason Rudolph was the main man, but Walsh was used in shortyardage and redzone packages where he threw for more than 700 yards and 13 touchdowns but ran for another 359 yards and 13 scores.

OSU MBB six-pack

this summer during FIBA basketball about how to coach the four-star forward.

“Being able to pick up his tendencies, the things that he naturally gravitates to try to do on the court, how we can implement the things he’s really good at... those are some of those things I was able to really, really tune into,” Boynton said.

Breakdowns and breakthroughs

was no secret to the people around him he would not stop until he got what he wanted.

From age 3, Engel had the guidance of speech therapists, occupational therapists and a counselor.

“I always knew there was something there,” Adam said.

Since the OSU men’s basketball team is currently in Spain for three exhibition games, now seems like an appropriate time to lean back, kick your feet up and crack open a six-pack. A Cowboy basketball six-pack, of course. Enjoy responsibly.

Mike Boynton learned how to coach Eric Dailey Jr. with USA Basketball

Not many college coaches get to coach their players before they make it to campus.

Mike Boynton, though, has now coached freshman big man Eric Dailey Jr. twice, thanks to USA Basketball the last two summers.

Despite the two having a long relationship, Boynton was able to answer some questions

cancer came back in full force in 2020 and did not give her and her family time to process the news before saying goodbye. The central pillar of the family, who shaped the lives of three humans, died at home with her kids around her.

Bryce Thompson and John-Michael Wright’s commitment to OSU

Many key pieces from the 2022–23 Cowboy squad aren’t Cowboys anymore. Bryce Thompson and John-Michael Wright are the two older guys left standing.

It’s more than just sticking around to better themselves; the two want to represent the program and feel they have more to give in their time at OSU.

“I just feel like we as a team left a lot on the table,” Wright said. “I didn’t really want to go out like that... I just wanted to give another crack at it and just see what we can do (with) another year with a new group, new faces and just (a) new attitude to the program.”

See Roster on 2

People are different. Different is good.

That is what Adam Engel heard from his mom, Christine Engel, since he was a kid.

Adam, an OSU graduate, used this phrase as an encouragement when he felt distant from the people around him. Diagnosed with autism and Asperger syndrome in third grade, Adam did not let that stop him from achieving his dream: working with sports.

Growing up in Gillette, Wyoming, Adam always knew what he wanted to do, and it

“But my family has embraced me, no one treated me differently. My mom started a chapter of an autism support group in Wyoming to connect with other moms.”

As Adam grew older, the challenges of his diagnosis started to play a role in the family dynamic. Christine dedicated her time and love to Adam and his two sisters, Emma and Ami. The glue that kept everyone together, Christine was her kids’ best friend and her husband’s, Scott Engel, better half.

After being cancer free for 15 years, Christine’s kidney

“She dedicated her life to the kids, specifically Adam,” Scott said. “His mom had the highest emotional intelligence of anybody I’ve ever met.”

Before her sudden passing, Christine guided Adam through anger episodes, bullying and emotional conflicts. After many stays at mental health facilities, Adam said he was a junior in high school when the doctors found the right combination of medication that allowed him to manage overwhelming feelings. Since then, it has been a daily progress toward understanding and accepting his differences.

Mackenzie Janish

Garret Rangel started the Cowboys’ final two games in 2022 but only completed 43.8% of his passes. After the bowl game, he went right to work to improve and earn the starting job in 2023.

Mia Ledbetter

John-Michael Wright came back to OSU for a final year, saying he felt like last year’s team “left a lot on the table.”

Courtesy of Adam Engel

Christine Engel left an enormous legacy before her passing. She taught her son to embrace who he is and never give up.

Braden Bush

Sports Editor

Luisa Clausen

Editor-in-Chief

Ashton Slaughter Assistant Sports Editor

Texas Tech, McGuire looking to show ‘everything runs through Lubbock’

Parker Gerl Staff Reporter

Over the next few weeks, The O’Colly sports staff will release its Big 12 preseason rankings in the form of team previews. This time, it’s the Texas Tech Red Raiders, which our writers picked to finish fourth.

Everything runs through Lubbock, according to Texas Tech coach Joey McGuire.

After defeating Texas last season, McGuire declared that the country would soon find out that everything runs through Lubbock, and specifically, his Red Raiders.

“I think our players do believe that,” McGuire said at Big 12 Media Days. “I do think in 2024 there’s an opportunity for some teams to take a huge step in this conference. It’s going to start this year with what we do, but whenever you have an administration and alumni base that is behind

Roster...

forth between who wins). Brandon Garrison on competition in practice against other big men

a university like they are at Texas Tech, you do have that opportunity.”

As McGuire looks to back up his statement, he returns 18 of his 22 starters from Texas Tech’s 2022 bowl game.

On offense – where they ranked second overall and first in passing in the Big 12 last season – leading rusher Tahj Brooks and top pass catchers Jerand Bradley and Myles Price are back, with quarterback Tyler Shough stepping into the full-time starting role.

Shough, who appeared in seven games and made five starts in 2022, threw for 1,304 yards and seven touchdowns last season. He’s 8-0 in games he’s finished and is key to why McGuire is highly confident in his QBs.

“I feel like we have as good, if not the best quarterback room not only in the Big 12, but in the country, and I’m excited about (Shough and Behren Morton),” Mcguire said. “Tyler is

such a leader for this team, and he’s going to have a great year for us.”

Of those 18 starting returners, defensively, there’s a ton of experience in the secondary. Free safety/cornerback Dadrion Taylor-Demerson is coming off his best season in which he compiled 53 solo tackles and three interceptions, and cornerback Malik Dunlap also returns after a good season in 2022.

McGuire also grabbed cornerbacks C.J. Baskerville (San Diego State), Bralyn Lux (Fresno State) and A.J. McCarty (Baylor) from the transfer portal to give Tech added depth. Baskerville is expected to start at the STAR position, with Lux and McCarty serving as backups.

“I think the same way in football, basketball, baseball, if you can play with an older team, guys that have played a lot of snaps, then you have the opportunity to be a good football team,” McGuire said.

sports.ed@ocolly.com

Fresh-start roster

With the excess of players moving in and out of the program last offseason, the roster looks completely different than the team from the NIT.

Despite this being looked at as a good thing by OSU players and coaches, Boynton believes that this kind of roster turnover will become the new norm moving forward.

“I actually kind of think that this is going to be more normal moving forward, unfortunately,” he said. “I hate to even think of that, but it’s just the nature of college athletics.”

Since there are nine newcomers — five freshmen and four transfers — having the roster pulled up on your phone during tipoff on opening night may be a wise decision. Or else, it’ll be a “Wait, who’s that?” kind of night.

Players on Keiton Page’s promotion

Keiton Page is a wellknown figure around Cowboy basketball who’s spent the last several years toward the end of the bench. The former All-Big 12 player is now an assistant coach after serving as the director of player development.

“I was really happy to see him get that job... he earns it. He’s a good guy, comes to work every day, and he pushes me,” Thompson said.

Wright called Page “a heart and soul Oklahoma State person,” and Brandon Garrison said Page helped recruit him.

Still, though, Thompson won’t miss any opportunity to face off against his assistant coach in a three-point shootout (which he admits goes back and

Continued from 1 sports.ed@ocolly.com

When you’re a McDonald’s All-American and don’t play at IMG Academy or any other dominant prep school, it’s difficult to find suitable competition in high school.

For Garrison, the talent gap between practices in GIA versus practices in the Del City gymnasium is night and day different.

“You know, it’s small kids out there (in high school), but playing against them every day, I feel like I’m getting better and getting ready for the Big 12,” Garrison said.

Garrison credited transfer Mike Marsh for fitting that classic physical, veteran big man role, teaching the younger center how to get to areas on the court, and also mentioned another transfer, Isaiah Miranda (standing at 7’1”), for being longlimbed and difficult to finish over in practice.

Cowboys are out on bullfighting

Although they’re visiting Spain and even watching a bull fight during their time overseas, most Cowboys are passing on the thought of bull fighting.

“I’m not sure if I’m ready to get out with no bull yet,” Thompson said.

“We didn’t take out that kind of insurance,” Boynton joked. No, (I wouldn’t bull fight; why would I do that?”

“I don’t think I can do that one,” Garrison said.

Yet there was one taker.

“I would definitely do it,” Wright said. “I’m taking a red cape; I’m gonna act like I know what I’m doing, like I’ve been training my whole life for that moment.”

Wright’s fearless. Mark it down, Cowboy fans.

File Photo

Mike Boynton was able to better understand how to coach Eric Dailey Jr. by coaching him again with USA Basketball. He’s also out on the idea of fighting a bull.

Davis Cordova

Texas Tech coach Joey McGuire said last season that the country would soon find out that everything runs through Lubbock. “I think our players do believe that,” McGuire said at Big 12 Media Days.

QB battle...

Gundy said this year’s competition and the possibility of utilizing two quarterbacks doesn’t hinge on one being a better athlete or one being better suited in a goal-line situation. He’s simply looking for who has earned it most and is the best fit to run the offense for the Sept. 2 opener against Central Arkansas: the young guy with potential and more time in the system, or the older player with less experience in the program – just like Brown and Sanders four years ago.

“So, you have really the same kind of situation,” Gundy said.

Rangel started three games for the Cowboys last season and had chances to

get ahead of any quarterback competition, and he looked good at times, but it wasn’t always pretty. He went 0-3 as the starter, and in the final two games, he threw two touchdowns and two interceptions and only completed 43.8% of his passes.

The rest of the team around Rangel struggled, too, so it’s hard to put it all on a freshman thrown in during a losing stretch with Sanders, the fouryear starter, injured. Rangel still sees last season as a chance for personal growth.

“I learned that I wasn’t quite ready yet, but I also learned that whatever is thrown at me I can handle it. I realized that,” Rangel said. “I didn’t really mope around after the bowl game. I got right to work. Just to better myself as a player with my footwork, tidying things up mechanics-wise and getting better understanding of the offense.”

Bowman offers 19 more ap -

pearances’ worth of experience and has passed for 4,600 more yards than Rangel, but Bowman has just four appearances and 11 pass attempts in the last two years at Michigan. Meanwhile, Rangel spent the end of 2022 getting game reps and practicing with the first string.

Rangel has more recent experience and more experience at OSU, while Bowman has been playing college football for five years and brings the maturity of a 23-year-old compared to that of 19-year-old Rangel. But the playing field, to some extent, has been evened with both quarterbacks adjusting to an under-center offense this season, which will emphasize rushing the football and utilize more power concepts.

“Over the summer we worked with all the centers, and this fall camp we’re doing really well with exchanges, and we’ve been pounding the ball,” Rangel said. “So, it’s been really good.”

As in 2015, Gundy has shown he isn’t afraid to use two quarterbacks, but he’s proven he’ll also pick a starter and stick with him as in 2019. He’s chosen the youngster over the veteran, like in 2019, but he also opted with experience in 2018 with senior quarterback Taylor Cornelius over the freshman Sanders. To Gundy, nobody has separated from the pack enough to announce a starter, but he’s optimistic that either could be good enough to help the cowboys win. Now, that could be decided by the 12th practice, or it could be two hours before the season begins, but nonetheless, a two-quarterback system is on the table as the competition rolls on. “I love competing. It’s in my nature,” Rangel said. “At the end of the day, I’m taking it one day at a time and doing the best I can.”

sports.ed@ocolly.com

Continued from 1

Andy Crown

OSU coach Mike Gundy hasn’t announced a starting quarterback yet, and at OSU’s Football Media Day, he said, “if two guys deserve to play then we’re going to have to play two guys.”

Garret Rangel improved game over summer, competing for OSU’s starting quarterback spot

Davis Cordova Staff Reporter

Garret Rangel didn’t finish his freshman season the way he wanted to, so he got right to work.

Rangel appeared in four games last season, but the Cowboys lost each of the three games he started. The losses weren’t necessarily his fault, with injuries plaguing OSU’s final seven games, but he threw more interceptions (five) than touchdowns (four) and completed just 51.3% of his passes.

Rangel seemed to be in the driver’s seat for the starting quarterback spot once Spencer Sanders entered the transfer portal, but OSU then brought in veteran Alan Bowman to compete for the job.

Rangel doesn’t back away from competition, just ask his dad, Jerry Rangel, who said Garret is focusing only on working to better himself.

“Competition for Garret has never been a concern or worry,” Jerry Rangel said. “He’s been fighting off quarterbacks since he was in elementary school. Dads and coaches would bring in their kids and Garret would just keep his nose to the grindstone and keep working. Garret is going to do Garret and not worry about other factors.”

Rangel worked this summer improving his game, mostly with quarterback trainer Damian Williams back home in Texas with the goal of competing for OSU’s starting quarterback competition this season.

Williams said Rangel worked on his mechanics and improving planning out plays before getting to the line of scrimmage. For Rangel, the

summer showed him things about himself and prepared him for the upcoming season.

“I’ve learned a lot about myself,” Garret Rangel said.

“I’ve been taking it one day at a time and trying to get 1% better each day. And whatever I set my mind to, I try to get through it and be positive about it.

“I’m definitely a lot more comfortable in the offense.

I’m bigger, I’m stronger, the ball comes out of my hand a lot faster, and I’ve been really calm.”

Rangel finished last season with 711 passing yards and a 51% completion rate. It was an up and down season. In his first start against Kansas, he threw three interceptions but finished with more than 300 yards and two touchdowns.

Then he started the final two games but had a completion percentage less than 50% in each.

Ollie Gordon II, an OSU running back and freshman last season, started earning more reps toward the end of the season alongside Rangel. Gordon said he has noticed an improvement in Rangel from the end of the Guaranteed Rate Bowl to

the start of fall camp.

“We all know Garret was always gonna be a good player,” Gordon said. “It takes time with us growing up. As time goes, we mature more, and I feel like he’s in even better shape than he was last year. He’s more patient now, and he goes all the way through his progressions and he’s making better throws.”

sports.ed@ocolly.com

Mackenzie Janish

Garret Rangel worked with his trainer to improve his thoughts pre-snap and to work on his mechanics.

Future of Work Summit explores changing work landscape

of the box when talking about how to adapt to situations.

KOSU and The Spy announce relocation near downtown OKC

award-winning stories, information and events that define KOSU and connect us with our community,” KOSU Executive Director Rachel Hubbard said.n

Oklahoma State University will host its first ever Future of Work Summit to help show the rapidly changing workforce. The summit will be held Thursday, Aug. 31 and Friday, Sept. 1 at the Oklahoma City Convention Center. The twoday convention will show the quickly adapting facets of jobs and provide ways organizations and companies can stay ahead of the curve. Interactive sessions include ideas and topics related to changing workplace cultures, agility, technology integration and much more.

The keynote speakers are Stephen Dubner and Scott Klososky, and they will invite participants to think outside

Monday - Wednesday: 10:00am - 10:00pm Thursday - Saturday: 10:00am - 11:00pm

Dubner, the bestselling author and co-author of “Freakonomics,” will push attendees’ predetermined notions about business. Klososky, a forefront leader in technological advancement and innovation, will talk about leading through disruption and Humalogy in the workplace.

Abbey Davis is the director of the Center of the Future of Work and assistant professor of professional practice at the OSU Spears School of Business and said the Future of Work Summit is a pivotal opportunity for individuals and businesses.

“Participants will be able to walk away with practical strategies they can implement around emerging technologies, sustainability, social impact and culture,” Davis said. “We’ll unpack and demystify terms like automation and AI and together reimagine how we do work in the future.”

Marc Tower, assistant

dean of outreach and economic development for Spears, talks about the innovation that is currently happening in Oklahoma.

“We’ve seen groundbreaking developments and future of work headlines from all over the globe, but what excites us the most is the transformative work that is being done in our region, and in our state,” Tower said. “We’re excited to showcase some of these thought leaders at the summit.”

The Center for the Future of Work is a section of Spears School of Business at Oklahoma State University. The department’s goal is to empower companies and individuals to navigate through changes and prosper in the future of work. It addresses the need for giving professional and leadership development programs, services such as executive coaching, customized training and consulting and conducting research to better comprehend and prepare for the workplace of tomorrow.

news.ed@ocolly.com

Bella Casey Staff Reporter

KOSU and The Spy are making a major move.

The pair announced their operations are relocating to a newly developed area of OKC located at 18 N Klein Ave. The 5,200-square-foot studio allows for future expansion and will house music and news production under one roof.

“We are pleased that KOSU and The Spy will be under the same roof, a continuation of the collaboration that has developed between the two organizations over the past 11 years. We view this location as a hub of activity and hope to contribute to the neighborhood where StarSpace 46, Beer City Music Hall, Stonecloud Brewing Company and the new Mexican Consulate already call home,” Ferris O’Brien, owner of The Spy and the owner of the new building said.

The new design for the space features seven new studios for community production and work and meeting spaces for community journalism.

“Surrounding ourselves with some of Oklahoma’s brightest and most creative visual and audio artists each day inspires our work and sparks the curiosity that becomes the

This isn’t KOSU’s first expansion. In 2013, KOSU expanded its operation from its original location on the Oklahoma State University campus to include a new studio on Film Row inside the Hart building. One year prior, KOSU partnered with The Spy to bring independent and local music back to the airwaves in Oklahoma.

The expansion increased investment in Oklahoma news by addressing the need to connect residents with local news that impacts their daily lives. New coverage areas include Indigenous affairs, agriculture and rural issues, and water.

The upcoming relocation will move KOSU’s Oklahoma City studios to the Farmer’s Union building, which was originally built as a hub for agricultural producers in 1921. Renovation is set to begin this fall with the opening of the new studios planned for March 2024.

The move will revive the building’s original purpose of civic inclusion. Members of the public will be invited to work with KOSU and The Spy as they continue to builda community around local and independent music and journalism. The new technology available in this building will further the creation of a modern system for news and information for Oklahomans.

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N Main St. Stillwater, OK 74075

Courtesy of OSU

Scott Klososky and Stephen Dubner will be the keynote speakers at the 2023 OSU Future of Work Summit.

Courtesy of OSU

The new design for KOSU and The Spy will feature seven new studios for community production and work and meeting spaces for community journalism.

Mallory Pool Staff Reporter

Superpower...

Continued from 1

“I wouldn’t say, ‘I wish it wasn’t like this,’” Adam said. “I get stressed out easily and my social cues are a little off but I can’t help but work on it.”

Alongside medication, Christine and Scott were fully present to help Adam navigate his emotions, and after tantrums and anger episodes, Adam’s parents made sure he knew he was still loved and they would always be there for her.

“My mom would always say ‘forgive,’” Adam said. “I can’t ever pay back my mom for how much she’s taken from me. Physically and emotionally.”

Scott said Adam’s outbursts did not change his love and admiration for his son and he and his wife tried to teach Adam how to express himself correctly.

“Adam is the male version of Christine,” Scott said. “He loves people with all his heart, he cares so much about people.”

Outside of his personal battles, Adam dealt with bullying at school, where kids broke his hand, pushed him in the shower after PE and called him different names.

Emma Engel, Adam’s oldest sister, has protected her brother since he was little and was by his side during his breakdowns and breakthroughs. Emma said she didn’t understand the reality of the situation as a kid, but her parents brought constant awareness on the matter by using different resources to help Emma understand.

“We would get books about autism and mail them out to other people, like cousins and uncles,” Emma said.

At school, Adam had to defend himself against people who thought his condition was funny, and at home, everyone tried to help him understand that those people did not define him. Scott said his wife’s approach was to forgive the mean people and be the bigger person, but for him, as a dad,

it was harder to forget. Scott said he did not get upset when his son would stand up for himself and when he wasn’t afraid to address a situation.

“If I had a different set of parents, I would probably be in jail right now,” Adam said.

“I didn’t have many true friends in high school. I always thought all you need is a small circle of people you trust.”

That is what Adam found when he moved to Oklahoma State University.

Scott and Christine encouraged their kids to follow their passion, and they did not hesitate when Adam, since a young age, demonstrated an interest in sports. Christine was interested in the sports world, and the family subscribed to daily newspapers that were delivered to their house.

At 9, Engel used the piano chair at his house as a desk and, without a scrip or professional guidance, he started announcing a game between the Denver Broncos against Kansas City.

“I would wake up in the morning, go to my seat at the table and my dad would put a copy of the Casper Star-Tribune on my plate,” Engel said. “My parents always encouraged me, they are voracious newspaper readers.”

Before his mom’s passing, Adam spent one year at Gillette College, where his dad was a psychology professor, but he wanted to pursue his dream of working with a high-quality media team. Christine, who’s always been a sports fan, said she would visit Adam in Stillwater all the time and looked forward to watching her son wear orange. Adam did not hesitate in moving to Stillwater in the fall of 2020 and said there wouldn’t be a better tribute to his mother other than following his heart and being happy.

After he arrived at OSU, Adam became a leading figure in the Paul Miller Journalism Building. He first got involved with The O’Colly TV because his initial plans involved being a sports announcer. Scott said he was shocked when Adam decided to leave announcing on the side and focus on writing.

“I ran into one of his high school teachers and told her he was switching focus to writing,” Scott said. “She couldn’t believe it because he hated writing and announcing was his thing. But I told her he is really good at it.”

After understanding his passion, Adam dived deep into OSU’s newspaper, The O’Colly. There, he said he felt comfortable writing, talking about, covering and thinking about all kinds of sports. He took it as a mission to cover not only popular sports, such as football and basketball but the sports he thought needed more attention, such as cross country and golf. Adam became close with OSU’s wrestling head coach John Smith, and he also gained attention from Mike Gundy, OSU’s football head coach, who told him he understood Adam’s stutter but he would always be patient and make sure to answer his questions.

“Every kid with autism has one specific thing they are obsessed with,” Adam said. “Mine is sports.”

Adam went from a staff reporter to the paper’s editorin-chief and said throughout his time at The O’Colly he not only grew professionally but he also grew as an individual. Adam said the progress has been visible because when he first started, he would throw

the chairs in the newsroom as a sign of frustration. By the time he graduated, he could communicate with his coworkers about his overwhelming feelings and walk away from situations. As a leader, Adam coordinated and oversaw several copies of the paper, guided incoming freshmen and helped them fit in, and built a friend group, who he said, has accepted him for the way he is.

“Hanging out with my O’Colly friends has been one of my favorite memories at OSU,” Adam said. “I was welcomed in by amazing people from Oklahoma.”

Adam lived at OSU’s residential halls throughout his time in college, and that’s where he made a friend who did not have any connections to The O’Colly or sports, and she changed his time here.

Adam said when he met Kirsten Hollansworth, a second-year graduate student learning about agricultural communications, he felt safe because she understood him.

“I love Adam for who he is,” Hollansworth said. “But I also try to challenge him and make him a better person. He will say I remind him of his mom because of the advices I give him such as not burning bridges and controlling his reactions to people.”

Adam said he wishes

she could meet his mom but the Hollansworth met Adam’s family on the weekend of his graduation. Hollansworth said she is proud of Adam’s work as the editor-in-chief and will miss all the small moments with her friend, such as football games, dinners and hangouts.

Adam graduated from OSU on May 13 and is continuing his career in Idaho, where he is the sports editor for the Time-News in Twin Falls.

On the day of his graduation, after a summer storm, Adam and his family were eager to leave the restaurant they were having dinner at and go outside to search for a rainbow.

Before Christine’s passing, she told her family every time they looked at rainbows, they should know it was her looking down on them.

That day, Christine was there. They all knew it. Adam knew it. His mom wouldn’t miss out on this milestone.

Adam said he will continue to pursue his passion while learning even more about accepting who he is and taking on his mother’s legacy with him. For other kids with autism, Adam has some advice.

“Embrace it,” Adam said. “You should embrace it like a superpower. Be different and be proud of that. It’s tough, but it’s worth it.”

news.ed@ocolly.com

Courtesy of Adam Engel

The Engels went through challenging times but always spread awareness and love to people going through the same as them. From left to right, Anneke Engel, Christine Engel, Adam Engel, Scott Engel and Emma Engel.

Lifestyle

‘Talk to Me’ is a Gripping Milestone of Modern Horror

and turns the narrative takes, so it’s best to go in as blind as possible.

If there’s one company to thank for saving the independent film industry, it would be A24.

From mainstream hits like “Everything Everywhere All at Once” to niche arthouse films like “Beau is Afraid,” this distribution helps give a voice to fantastic filmmakers. And the company’s most recent production “Talk to Me” proves they are masters of their craft.

“Talk to Me” follows a group of teens messing with paranormal forces in the form of a mysterious hand that gives them strange visions. The best part of the film is the numerous twists

To understand what makes the movie so great, it is important to compare the film to horror movies with similar ideas that miss the mark. 2018’s “Truth or Dare” follows a vaguely similar premise to this film, yet its execution is far worse. “Truth or Dare” rushes its plot and ruins the characters to cram in contrived scares, convoluted lore, and tons of unnecessary padding.

“Talk to Me” leans into its simplicity to avoid these pitfalls. There is no explanation for the events that take place in this film, which is one of the best choices the directors could have made. Not only does this leave a lot of the finer details to the audience’s imagination, making the film and its gimmicks far more memorable, but it also allows the filmmakers to focus on the actual story rather than the reasoning behind it.

One of the most refreshing parts of this movie is the fact that the char-

acters act realistically and are well-developed. Sometimes the cast acts smart, and sometimes they act like stupid teenagers, but it never feels like they are out of character or poorly written to serve the plot. Many horror flicks have a swarm of characters rushing toward completely preventable deaths.

“Talk to Me” gives us believable teenagers while using excessive violence sparingly. When something goes down, it feels all the more devastating and intense since the characters are built up so thoroughly. The all-time greats in horror understand a movie is far more terrifying when you genuinely care about the characters.

Of course, sometimes the plot can get a little sidetracked by its characters and their personal problems, but every time the film felt like it was slowing down, something happened to jolt the audience awake into another gauntlet of terror. The horror in this film is wellpaced, constantly building up to a truly haunting finale. There’s a great variety

in the types of scares as well, from gross situations to body horror, to psychological horror. It keeps the audience on the edge of their seat until the final shot of the film. The movie is well-directed and that brings a sense of joy. The composition of every shot is competent and aesthetically pleasant. The editing is sharp and keeps each shot lingering just enough to soak in the atmosphere of each scene. The special effects are entirely practical which, combined with stellar acting across the board, makes everything feel all the more real.

With all of that in mind, “Talk to Me” is undoubtedly the best horror movie since “Hereditary,” simply because the film lets you soak in the atmosphere and enjoy a thrilling, compelling narrative rather than throwing a bajillion jump scares at you. I believe this movie shows once again that A24 is only capable of straight bangers. entertainment.ed@ocolly.com

Courtesy of Tribune

Sophie Wilde stars in “Talk to Me.”

Michael Clark Staff Reporter Review

Doctors sound alarm about child nicotine poisoning as vapes flood the US market

Hospital toxicologist Ryan Marino has seen up close the violent reactions of children poisoned by liquid nicotine from electronic cigarettes. One young boy who came to his emergency room experienced intense nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting, and needed intravenous fluids to treat his dehydration.

Kids can also become dizzy, lose consciousness, and suffer dangerous drops in blood pressure. In the most severe case he’s seen, doctors put another boy on a ventilator in the intensive care unit because he couldn’t breathe, said Marino, of Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine.

Thousands of kids a year are exposed to the liquid nicotine in e-cigarettes, also known as vapes. For a toddler, even a few drops can be fatal.

Cases of vaping-related nicotine exposure reported to poison centers hit an all-time high in 2022 — despite a 2016 law, the Child Nicotine Poisoning Prevention Act, that requires child-resistant packaging on bottles of vaping liquid. In what doctors call a major oversight, the law doesn’t require protective packaging on devices themselves.

Refillable vapes are designed to hold liquid nicotine in a central reservoir, making them dangerous to kids, Marino said. Even vapes that appear more child-resistant — because their nicotine is sealed inside a removable cartridge — present a risk, because the cartridges can be pried open. And some disposable e-cigarettes, now the top-selling type on the market, allow users to take thousands of “puffs” and contain as much nicotine as multiple packs of cigarettes.

Many e-cigarettes and liquids seem designed to appeal to kids, with pastel packages, names such as “Candy King,” and flavors such as bubble gum and blue raspberry. That makes vapes far more tempting — and

hazardous — than traditional cigarettes, which have lower doses of nicotine and a bitter taste that often prompts children to quickly spit them out, said Diane Calello, the executive and medical director of the New Jersey Poison Information and Education System.

“Nicotine liquid is an accident waiting to happen,” Calello said. “It smells good and it’s highly concentrated.”

Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), who co-sponsored the 2016 legislation, said he would push to expand the childproof packaging requirement to disposable and pod-based e-cigarettes.

“Every day that FDA allows flavored e-cigarette products to remain on the market is another day that children can be enticed by these dangerous, and sometimes deadly, products,” he said.

Although the FDA declined to comment for this article, on Aug. 2 the agency included a special feature about nicotine poisoning in children in its “CTP Connect” newsletter.

The number of reports to poison control centers about e-cigarettes has more than doubled since 2018, according to an FDA analysis. Poison control centers reported more than 7,000 vaping-related exposures in people of all ages from April 1, 2022, to March 31, 2023.

According to the FDA, 43 of those exposures resulted in hospitalization and an additional 582 in other medical treatment. About half of poison center reports had no information about whether patients needed medical care.

Nearly 90% of exposures involved children under 5. Authors of the report say their numbers likely underestimate the problem, given that poison control centers aren’t contacted in every case.

A 1-year-old died from vaping-related nicotine poisoning in 2014. The new FDA report also mentions the apparent suicide of an adult via e-cigarette poisoning.

A spokesperson for the vaping industry said companies

take safety seriously.

“All e-liquid bottles manufactured in the United States conform to U.S. law,” said April Meyers, the president of the board of directors and CEO of the Smoke-Free Alternatives Trade Association, which represents the vaping industry.

“Not only are the caps childresistant, but the flow of liquid is restricted so that only small amounts can be dispensed.”

Yet many vaping products are made outside the U.S., which has recently been flooded with illegal e-cigarettes, mostly from China.

The increasing number of nicotine exposures among kids — especially curious toddlers who put virtually everything they can grab into their mouths — likely reflects the sheer volume of e-cigarette sales, said Natalie Rine, the director of the Central Ohio Poison Center at Nationwide Children’s Hospital.

E-cigarette unit sales grew 47% from January 2020 to December 2022, rising from 15.5 million every four weeks to 22.7 million, according to a report published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“This isn’t something that parents see as a really big risk,” Marino said. “But with the popularity of e-cigarettes, the risk isn’t going away anytime soon.”

One effective strategy to reduce e-cigarette sales has been to ban flavored products. California, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, and Washington, D.C., have banned all flavored ecigarettes, while Utah and Maryland have banned some flavors. A study showed overall e-cigarette sales dropped 25% to 31% in states after flavor bans, compared with states that didn’t ban them.

Some doctors say the country needs to do more to protect children.

“If the numbers are rising, then the law ain’t working,” said Carl Baum, a professor of pediatrics and emergency medicine at Yale School of Medicine.

Pediatrician Gary Smith

said the lack of child safety requirements for e-cigarette devices is a major problem. Refillable e-cigarettes are relatively easy for kids to open.

Although most poison control center reports don’t include brand information, disposable e-cigarettes — including Elfbar, Puff Bar, and Pop Vape — were some of the most common products mentioned in the FDA analysis. Elfbar is now known as EB Design.

Expanding the federal law to include devices would be “an important step,” said Smith, president of the Child Injury Prevention Alliance, an Ohio-based advocacy group that works to prevent injuries in children.

In addition, federal officials should limit the nicotine concentration in vape juices to make them less toxic, as well as ban candy-like flavors and colors on packaging, Smith said.

“The public health response should be comprehensive,” Smith said.

Kids have been known to pick up a vape and begin puffing, in imitation of their parents, Calello said.

Even if children don’t inhale the aerosol, sucking on a vape exposes their skin to nicotine, which can be absorbed into the bloodstream, said Robert Glatter, an assistant professor of emergency medicine at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. Glatter noted that e-cigarette liquids also contain numerous harmful chemicals, including arsenic and lead, which is toxic at any dose; carcinogens such as acetaldehyde and formaldehyde; and benzene, a volatile organic compound found in auto exhaust.

Fortunately, children who inhale nicotine get a much lower dose than those who ingest it, reducing the risk of serious harm, said Marc Auerbach, a professor of pediatric emergency medicine at Yale School of Medicine.

Only about 2% of exposures in the FDA study were recorded as having a moderate or major effect.

That may be because little kids who get into dangerous

liquids — from vape juice to household cleaning products or gasoline — usually spill most of it, Baum said. “They often end up wearing it rather than swallowing it,” Baum said.

Although Stephen Thornton has seen a lot of children with nicotine exposure, he said, the human body has ways of protecting itself from toxic substances. “Fortunately, when kids do ingest these e-cig nicotine products, they self-decontaminate. They vomit — a lot — and this keeps the mortality rate very low, but these kids still often end up in emergency departments due to all the nausea and vomiting,” said Thornton, an emergency medicine physician and medical director of the Kansas Poison Control Center.

The FDA urges parents and guardians of young children to keep e-cigarettes and vaping liquid out of reach and in its original container.

For emergency assistance, call Poison Help at 800-2221222 to speak with a poison expert, or visit poisonhelp.org for support and resources.

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Courtesy of Tribune

An illustration shows a man exhaling smoke from an electronic cigarette in Washington, DC, on October 2, 2018.

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Daily Horoscope

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Linda Black Horoscopes

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ACROSS 1

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Solution

By Landon Horton

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