Monday, Dec. 12, 2022

OSU’s ticket revenue declined in recent years

Nick Friesen O’Colly Contributor

OSU’s Athletics Ticket Revenue has been a weird situation every year.

The fans show up, but the ticket revenue for each sport doesn’t back that up.

Football is the main thing at Oklahoma State. Every weekend, fans gather in Boone Pickens Stadium to cheer on the Cowboys. But just how many fans are buying tickets?

According to data obtained from

Oklahoma State, the ticket revenue for football has been on a steady decline for the last eight years.

No one knows why this is the case. Cowboy Football has been one of the more consistent programs over the last 10 years.

Dane McPherson, a student at Oklahoma State University, said he has noticed some effects in ticket revenue at the games.

“Whenever a new season begins, the top portion of the stands looks worse and worse,” McPherson said.

“The top right of the stadium never has fans for any home games for as long as I

can remember.”

This isn’t just about football though. Most of the big sports in Oklahoma State Athletics has been up and own over the past couple of years. Men’s and women’s basketball have been up and down since 2014 as well.

OSU Associate Athletic Director Strategic Marketing & Ticket Sales, Payton Phillips, said key issues play into the revenue.

“The revenue varies with team performance,” Phillips said. “Pricing changes over the years has caused that as well.”

There are several reasons for

the ticket revenue being down in other sports. OSU men’s and women’s basketball hasn’t been good over the last five years. Phillips said team performance plays in the revenue being down for those sports.

One thing that is offered to students is the all-sports pass. The $250 pass gives you access to all Oklahoma State Athletic events. This pass just started a couple years ago, and it has been a great addition.

Jesse Beck, a student at OSU, says the all-sports pass is a great tool to have during the week.

Oklahoma climate crisis Past, present, future

curve ball ready for me.”

O’Colly Contributors

Many farmers face challenges each day in their everyday lives.

Oklahoma farmers are no different. With a state that has varied terrain, they must be prepared for any problem that comes their way. Oklahoma has more than 10 ecoregions ranging from plains to plateaus to hills. Precipitation is higher in the eastern part of Oklahoma, whereas the west gets more rainfall variability. This means that it is measured as the standard deviation of the growth rate of rainfall.

Soil varies across the state as well, which in turn, affects the moisture for plant and animal life. This is an important factor for farmers to decide where they settle and what crops or livestock are most profitable.

With Oklahoma’s diverse conditions, farming has more issues now as the temperatures increased and precipitation decreased over the course of the year.

“Every day is a challenge,” said Jerry May, farmer and owner of May Precision Ag.

“Every morning, Mother Nature has another

Before graduating from Oklahoma State University and starting his own business, May grew up in northwest Oklahoma on his father’s farm. Living on a farm and owning his own company, May has seen it all when it comes to Oklahoma’s climate. Even living with the advanced technology of the 21st century, May is still affected by the extreme climate.

The Oklahoma climate crisis has affected farmers since the devastation of the Dust Bowl in the 1930s. In recent years, similar weather conditions have negatively impacted farmers and are predicted to drive agriculture out of Oklahoma as a whole.

“We actually have two droughts going on right now,” said Gary McManus, state climatologist for Oklahoma.

“We have the long term drought that started in August of 2021. And then we have the flash drought that started about the second week of June this year.”

Along with the steadily rising temperature in the state, the lack of precipitation mimics the drought that began the Dust Bowl in the 1930s.

Second half shortcoming

comeback

Ashton Slaughter Staff Reporter

Three out of five OSU starters had zero points after 20 minutes.

Avery Anderson, Moussa Cisse and John Michael-Wright all hadn’t found the bottom of the net in the first half of play, as the Cowboys had already totaled 10 turnovers with the offense looking completely out of sync, leaving them down nine at halftime.

“I feel like the first half we came out very flow and we weren’t in sync,” said Cowboy guard Caleb Asberry.

Out of the break however, they came out firing, making the game close, til ultimately falling short, dropping to 6-4 in their 70-

65 loss against Virginia Tech.

“I feel like we should’ve won,” said forward Kalib Boone. “There’s certain things I can do as a senior on this team and I didn’t.”

Tied at 60-60 with two minutes left, it looked like anyone’s game, as the outcome was completely up in the air. But three turnovers in the final two minutes ended the Cowboys hopes of coming out on top, as the Hokies took advantage of their mistakes and closed the game out. OSU coach, Mike Boynton, acknowledged his team’s struggles to close games out.

“We got to be better there to close out games against good teams,” Boynton said.

Anderson ended up having 15 points in the contest, tying Kalib Boone for a team-high, as a major part of the Cowboys’ early comeback push came from Anderson’s shooting, as he drilled three threepointers in a span of a minute and forty seconds.

“Avery came out and played like Avery,” Asberry said. When

he does that I feel like we’re a way better team and we just need that from him way more.”

The Cowboys downfall were their turnovers, as they ended with 17 turnovers in the contest, with the Hokies having a great defensive outing. On defense though, the Cowboys were able to force 10 Hokies turnovers, which is impressive considering they averaged an NCAA-best 8.6 turnovers per game coming into the game.

The Cowboys, who are currently last in the Big 12, will need to finish non-conference play strong, as their offensive struggles and inability to close thus far in the season have cost them.

“A lot of disappointment,” Boynton said. “ To not be able to close better is certainly disappointing and certainly something we got to own and look forward to trying to fix.”

Chase Davis

OSU guard Avery Anderson III scored 15 points in the Cowboys’ 70-65 loss to Virginia Tech on Sunday afternoon in Brooklyn.

Katy Leard, Lilly Smith & Lauren Suarez

Courtesy of Katy Leard, Lilly Smith & Lauren Suarez

Jerry May is just one of many farmers keeping local agriculture alive even with the ongoing affects of climate change.

sports

Surber stuns Sooners in Bedlam classic

Adam Engel Co-Editor-in-Chief

NORMAN — Luke Surber heard a whistle and let a roar of 100-plus decibels serenade his ears.

He stomped toward his coach, John Smith, and hoisted him.

Surber didn’t know what to do with his hands. He didn’t know how to react. But his teammates did.

They jumped in circles. Bumped chests and hugged while Surber paraded around the mat as if he was king of Oklahoma.

In a way, he was. Surber, OSU’s 197-pounder, rescued the Cowboys from potential defeat to Oklahoma. He finished the job with vengeance.

Unsure of the score. But he had to win. He added a signature Bedlam moment pin for good measure.

Surber’s heroics in the final bout, a 34-second flattening of Keegan Moore lifted No. 12 OSU to a 21-15 win over Oklahoma on Sunday afternoon.

And it had to be over Moore, a former OSU wrestler. It had to be the last bout to finish an epic Cowboys comeback.

Because Bedlam.

“He kinda threw me off,” Surber said. “I was going for the cradle and then he just rolled to the back. I had him pinned like five times probably but happened so fast.”

It was a blur for a former heavyweight who was used to wrestling in a dual’s final bout. Too many times last year, Surber said, he lost duals in the last bout.

So, Surber know how it felt to lose a dual for his team. He ensured that didn’t happen Sunday.

Surber, a junior from Tuttle, taunted the OU bench and exchanged words with Moore.

Welcome to Bedlam. He declined to comment about what was said. But it was a moment in which Surber said he took personal. Wrestling in the last bout.

“Honestly, what kinda made me mad is I think they wanted to do that on purpose,” he said, “They thought it

would come down to the end match. I think they thought that I would probably lose it because I lost to them last year,” he said.

He stuck to the process, just like his fellow teammates did. The Cowboys entered intermission with four losses in the first five duals. Second half? Opposite outcome.

Dustin Plott, OSU’s 174-pounder, earned a tech fall over Darrien Roberts. At 184, Travis Wittlake kept the Cowboys in position to win with a sudden victory win over Greyden Penner. A bout that had Smith harassing the officials.

But the last one? Enter Surber.

A quick scramble and a flurry that left Moore stunned, ended things.

“He put it away,” Smith said. “It was off his shot. Pretty good counter and from there on it was a scramble to the back. When you put them to the back, you wanna see him pin them. That’s something we talk about often.”

Surber, just like OSU’s other upper weights, found momentum with wins in Norman. He had enough of losing. Trusted his training and turned it into a highlight.

One he shared with Smith. The embrace, similar to what he did after the 2022 Big 12 semifinals, symbolized the bond between wrestler and coach.

“I lose some matches I probably shouldn’t but he (Smith) sticks with me,” Surber said. “He gets on me just saying, ‘That can’t happen again,’ but he sticks with me through it all.”

No other OSU wrestlers were available to the media.

“I think I’m one of the hardest workers in my weight class in the nation,” Surber said. “I just know that if I just keep putting the work in, come March, I’ll be able to win it.”

sports.ed@ocolly.com

Abby Cage

Luke Surber, OSU’s 197-pounder, pinned Keegan Moore to win Bedlam, 21-15, on Sunday afternoon in Norman.

sports

Second-half Power Stroke

Upper weights secure Bedlam dual victory

Rowdy Baribeau Staff Reporter

OSU was boosted to a win by powerful victories at the heavier weights.

After OSU’s first five matches saw them go 1-4 to trail OU 12-4, the Cowboys desperately needed to find momentum — and they found it during No. 9 Kaden Gfeller’s near-bonus-point victory over No. 29 Jacob Butler.

The Cowboys’ chances of winning the dual looked grim the moment the hands of Butler and Gfeller met on the mat. However, when Gfeller took down Butler and exposed his back, netting four near-fall points, it seemed like the tide had shifted in McCasland Fieldhouse.

Gfeller didn’t pin Butler, but he kept him pinned to his side for almost

half of the match. After a 7-1 decision victory by Gfeller, No. 20 Wyatt Sheets fell to No. 17 Gerrit Nijenhuis to make the dual 15-7 Sooners. Nijenhuis’ win over Sheets shifted the tide back into the Sooners’ favor until No. 4 Dustin Plott stepped on the mat.

Plott understood what was at stake. One more Sooner decision victory would effectively clinch the dual for Oklahoma, but No. 13 Darrien Roberts simply wasn’t ready for the power and finesse of Plott. Plott dominated Roberts with his inner Dakota Geer by battling Roberts with a catch-and-release tactic, but it wasn’t something coach John Smith instructed him to do in his match.

“We didn’t really need that, you know, it’s not something we had to have,” Smith said. “We didn’t have to have a major there, we didn’t have to have that but you want it. You want the next guy to go out with some fire under his ass, like, ‘That dude just wrestled,

I’m wrestling too!’ So, it was exciting to see a tough major decision, not an easy one either.”

After Plott’s 22-6 tech fall over Roberts, No. 16 Travis Wittlake edged out No. 29 Greyden Penner in sudden victory to make the match 15-15. The sprawling between the two wrestlers in sudden victory was edge-of-yourseat stuff as there were rolls and ankle picks being traded all before Wittlake weaseled himself on top of Penner for a takedown to win the match.

Then came what developed into the match of the night between No. 28 Keegan Moore and No. 29 Luke Surber at 197 pounds. More than 3,100 fans on their feet in McCasland Fieldhouse waiting to see who would become the winner of the first Bedlam dual of the 2022-2023 season.

As the match began, it was clear the momentum was in OSU’s favor, propelled by Gfeller’s strong victory

over Butler. After 34-seconds, Surber won the dual for the Cowboys with a pin against Moore.

The second-half surge by the Cowboys’ heavier wrestlers was evident. It could have been Gfeller’s win over Butler, but it could also be attributed to a, “speech” Smith gave to his team during the intermission. When asked about what changed after the intermission, Smith’s response summarized what fired his team up down 12-4 against the Sooners.

“Maybe I flipped out, I think I flipped out,” Smith said. “Literally, flipped out. Like, ‘what are we doing here?’ I mean, we got no fight in us, nobody’s fighting. Talked about, ‘if we’re gonna win, we need to win one at a time from here on out.’ I thought we did a good job as being in the situation, knowing we can’t have more than one loss in the next five matches.”

sports.ed@ocolly.com

HIMALAYAN GROCERY STORE

Abby Cage

Travis Wittlake celebrates his sudden victory win over No. 29 Greyden Penner in OSU’s 21-15 Bedlam win in Norman.

“It could be a Monday night, and you have no idea what to do, and you can go to a basketball game,” Beck said. “There is always some sport playing during the week and that’s what makes it amazing.”

Beck said her favorite sport to use it on is baseball.

“There will be some weeks where

they play 4 times. The all-sports pass gets me those games all the week to watch the series.”

The ticket office offers several other bundles for each sport throughout the year. They do that to give fans an opportunity every year.

“Just depends on the flow of the year with the bundles and deals,” Phillips said. “We did a $1 Tulsa basketball game this year, which was a success.”

Some players have been realizing it as well. Players can tell whether their game is getting attention from fans and students or not.

Kennadi Price, a cross-country runner for OSU, said it was up and down experience from the fans this year.

“The number wasn’t big at our first two meets and that was kind of expected,” Price said. “I really expected only parents and friends to be there.”

Oklahoma State hosted the CrossCountry National Championship this year. Price said it was a better experience then.

“The experience was way more fun because how many people attended and everyone was excited to be there,”

she said.

One thing fan are excited for is the non-conference games for football the next several years. Oklahoma State has a home and home series with Alabama, Oregon and Arkansas over the next 10 years.

Fans are expecting the ticket revenue to go back up the next several years. They expect the three major sports will play a role into that.

Cole Gueldenzoph

Ticket revenue for OSU doesn’t match the actual fan turnouts at football, basketball and baseball games. Ticket...

The Dust Bowl is one of Oklahoma’s most infamous and brutal climate crises, characterized by long periods of drought, strong winds and high-pressure systems, dry soil and hot and dry conditions.

In the 1930s, farmers continuously tilled the same wheat fields after every harvest. These long plow seasons resulted in the domino effect that eventually led to the wind storms and dust tornadoes we know today.

“[Farmers] began to put a lot of land into production,” said Mette Flynt, assistant professor of the OSU History Department. “Imagine if there was nothing to hold all that dirt down, combined with the intense heat and the overproduction of the land created somewhat of a perfect storm.”

PRESENT:

The spring and summer of 2022 created challenging production seasons. Farmers were forced to adapt to unsuitable conditions such as strong winds, low precipitation and extreme heat. January, February and March are the ideal months for planting wheat in Oklahoma. March provides a suitable time for farmers to add fertilizer to their fields. March came with extreme winds that prevented farmers from adding fertilizer. May experienced this first hand. May woke up every day at 4 a.m.

to plant wheat to avoid strong winds. He planted for 4-5 hours each morning starting again around 7 p.m. and running until midnight.

“Thirty to 40 mile-an-hour winds. Throughout the whole month of March,” May said. “We ran a lot of stuff at night, the wind would die down and then we could run.”

Many wheat producers in western Oklahoma experienced a disastrous season this past summer. The extreme drought and heat resulted in low wheat production and forced farmers to salvage what little of the harvest they could for silage or winter hay.

“Wheat production was down 44% in Oklahoma,” May said. “You take 44% off of your bottom line and your inputs have doubled or tripled, you’re losing quite a bit of money.”

Harvest disasters can also affect cattle production, especially stocker cattle raised on pastures in the fall for beef production.

“The crop you are harvesting is the animal that is going to be slaughtered for beef production,” said Karen Hickman, OSU’s environmental science program director.

With the lack of precipitation, ranchers had less vegetation supply to make hay bales, forcing them to buy more expensive hay bales from further away. Some farmers were even forced to sell their cattle to make back the money lost.

Richard Coffey, the department head of Animal and Food Sciences at OSU, said, “The drier it gets…Crop yields aren’t what they used to be,” Coffey said. “Grazing livestock that rely on pastures and ranges, It challenges forage production. Feed input prices become much higher than they used to be.”

Drought also increases temperatures which can result in heat-stressed cattle. Heat stress is linked to several health issues including decreased growth, proficiency and dairy production. Fertility rates in male cattle are significantly affected along with their ability to reproduce.

“[Heat stress] can really cause a whole host of things,” Coffey said. “All of the factors that we look at, just in terms of efficiency of animal growth, can be negatively impacted by heat stress.”

Oklahoma’s climate and weather changes affect crops and livestock differently, both currently and in the future, depending on which species are being grown and what those species will produce.

FUTURE: May is hopeful for the future technological advances in farming. On his farm, he uses autonomous tractors to plow his fields and an automatic sprayer, which is 120 feet long with 96 nozzles, to water his crops.

“John Deere is coming out with this new technology that can individu-

ally turn off and on nozzles for variable rate,” May said. “It’s got cameras that can identify a weed versus a crop.”

Although farmers continue to face problems like the drought that require immediate solutions, they cannot be met.

The Ogallala Aquifer in the Oklahoma panhandle suffers the most from a lack of precipitation. Farmers and ranchers are taking vast amounts of water out of the aquifer to compensate for the lack of rainfall. Yet, there is not enough precipitation to replenish the supply.

Oklahoma’s weather is unique in this way and can range anywhere from 60 to 80 inches of rain annually in some parts to 12 to 15 inches annually in others.

The dropping water levels in the Ogallala Aquifer and continued drought are pushing crop and livestock production away from the Midwest and western regions toward the north where more water is available.

With the continued decrease in water, Oklahoma production is predicted to possibly move out of the state as a whole.

“We are seeing shifts in where we grow crops and livestock production is going to follow that,” Coffey said.

“With less ability to sustain some of our pastures and rangelands we will see that production moving to other areas.”

Courtesy of Katy Leard, Lilly Smith & Lauren Suarez

Climate change and drought have been affecting Oklahoma’s largest industry for the last several years now.

Courtesy of Katy Leard, Lilly Smith & Lauren Suarez

Climate change and drought have been affecting Oklahoma’s largest industry for the last several years now.

Announcements, Elden Ring, and Bill Clinton: A Recap of the Game Awards

Michael Clark Staff Reporter

On Thursday night, Geoff Keighley continued his yearly tradition of hosting The Game Awards at the Microsoft Theatre in Los Angeles.

The night held many surprises, such as an appearance from Al Pacino, exciting new game announcements and a hijacking at the end that led to a 15-year-old getting arrested. To put it lightly, it was a wild night.

To start off, the company Valve gave out a free Steam Deck every minute to viewers watching the stream on their Steam website. This led to an exceedingly high view count well into the millions. While only about 150 lucky viewers left with a Deck, it was an exciting incentive.

The new game announcements were amazing this year. Some of the most exciting include a sequel to the 2020 video game “Hades,” which was nominated for Game of the Year in 2020, a new look at the upcoming Star Wars video game “Jedi Survivor,” which is set to release in March 2023.

Finally, Hideo Kojima revealed the trailer to “Death Stranding 2,” which is seemingly set decades after its controversial, yet ambitious predecessor.

The awards side of the presentation was predictable. The O’Colly writer Payton Little’s predictions for the event were mostly correct. While he was wrong about “Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga” receiving the Best Family Game award, every other prediction was correct. With “Stray” winning Best Indie Game and “Elden Ring” taking home the prestigious Game of the Year award.

Its competitor “God of War: Ragnarök” did not leave empty handed either. The game received several other awards such as Best Action Game, Best Accessibility Features, and Best Soundtrack. Christopher Judge, voice of Kratos, also received an award for Best Performance, which Pacino presented.

With “Elden Ring” winning Game of the Year, the night seemed to be over. As Hidetaka Miyazaki finished

his acceptance speech, promising a new wave of “Elden Ring” content in the future, something unprecedented happened.

As the camera panned out and the livestream prepared to end, a 15-yearold who has since been identified as Matan Even took the mic and gave a bizarre acceptance speech of his own. He said he was going to nominate his

reformed orthodox rabbi Bill Clinton for the award. He was detained immediately. While being perhaps one of the most nonsensical phrases ever spoken in the English language, it was also completely unprecedented to see someone take the mic and ruin such a legendary moment for the developers of “Elden Ring.”

This year’s The Game Awards

would’ve been relatively cut and dry if it wasn’t for some exciting new game announcements, guest stars, and a surprise hijacking to cap off the night. Because of these events, it became one of the most memorable shows in recent years.

Courtesy of Tribune News Service

Action role-playing game “Elden Ring” won Game of the Year at the Game Awards on Thursday at the Microsoft Theatre in Los Angeles. (Bandai Namco/TNS)

Taylor Swift is set to direct her first feature film from her original script

Pop musician Taylor Swift will make her feature directorial debut after writing an original script for the Searchlight Pictures film.

The studio behind the Oscar-winning movies “Nomadland,” “The Shape of Water” and “Birdman”announced the move in a statement Friday.

Searchlight did not share further details about the film’s story or plot.

Searchlight presidents David Greenbaum and Matthew Greenfield called Swift “a once in a generation artist and storyteller.”

“It is a genuine joy and privilege to collaborate with her as she embarks on this exciting and new creative journey,” they said.

Swift is deep into the Oscars push

for her music video and short film, “All Too Well,” which was a part of the 2021 rerelease of her “Red” album. The film, a semi-autobiographical narrative of a crumbling relationship, had special screenings at Tribeca Film Festival and the Toronto International Film Festival. At Toronto, she made a splashy appearance for a panel with actor Cameron Bailey, who starred in the short film.

At that event, she talked about the kinds of films she hoped to direct moving forward.

“I could see it going in a more comedic, irreverent place,” Swift said. “I don’t always see myself telling stories about extreme, guttural heartbreak at your most formative age that really ... debilitates you emotionally for years and then you have to develop the scar tissue to move on with your life ... I think I’ve done that.”

Throughout her career, Swift has directed her own music videos. A

recent video for her single “Anti-Hero” was criticized for alleged fatphobia.

Her recent “All Too Well” video, which features the 10-minute version of her song of the same name, and her subsequent awards have signaled a shift from music videos to short films, despite debate over whether to categorize the video as one.

As a music video, the short has won MTV Video Music, Europe Music and American Music awards.

Fellow music artist Kendrick Lamar is also making a similar Oscar push for a live-action short nomination with his music video for his song “We Cry Together” off his latest album, “Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers.”

Swift has received acclaim for her directorial efforts. She is set to make an appearance on Variety’s “Directors on Directors” series, which features high-profile filmmakers, such as James Cameron and Ryan Coogler, in conver-

sation with each other. She will speak with Oscar-winning filmmaker Martin McDonagh, whose film “The Banshees of Inisherin” has received awards buzz.

The announcement of her inclusion in the series also drew backlash from fans and people within in the film industry who questioned her pedigree, compared to other filmmakers in the series, and said she took up a spot from other more-deserving directors [warning: link contains profanity]. Some attributed her quick rise to directorial attention to her stardom and wealth.

“All Too Well” has drawn positive reviews among critics, and has spawned a pop cultural obsession around who Swift’s love interest in the film is about (prevailing theories point to Jake Gyllenhaal, despite his denial), as well as lore around her red scarf referred to in the song.

Jonah Valdez Los Angeles Times

Courtesy of Tribune News Service

Taylor Swift is expanding her resume and adding movie director to the list.

Photos by Abby Cage

815

Houses for rent

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“Sacred __”: Bocelli album

Largest plot on a block, typically

__ Hall

Quaker’s parent

One-named singer who co-wrote Rihanna’s “Diamonds”

Look over

“Guilty Crown” protagonist __ Ouma

Qualifying term

In real time

Edible pockets

Cycle starter?

__ Burger

Rough landings?

Stimulates, in a way

Azadi Tower country

Surge

Spa sound

Not prone to crushes, for short

Sound of frustration

“Daughters and __”: intergenerational tale by Ivy Compton-Burnett

Turns the hose on

Works on the road

Daily Horoscope

Nancy Black Tribune Content Agency Linda Black Horoscopes

Today’s Birthday (12/12/22). Rewards bless your house this year. Disciplined efforts can realize a creative dream. Adjust work or health strategies this winter, for springtime fun and romance. Private summer reflection reveals new directions, leading to teamwork and victory next autumn. Family joys illuminate what’s most important.

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 — Gain skills with steady practice. Take creative or romantic projects to the next level. Aim for high performance. Play for fun and to win.

Taurus (April 20-May 20) — Today is an 8 — Domestic matters require attention. Clean an unexpected mess. Disciplined efforts get satisfying results. Tackle chores with gusto and finish early with a treat.

Gemini (May 21-June 20) — Today is an 8 — Words come easily. Write your story. Adapt around unusual conditions or surprising news. Tackle administrative data management. Power on for solid results. Keep creative deadlines.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) — Today is a 9 — Follow through and profit. Don’t drain your savings. Keep practical considerations in the forefront. Redeem valuables you’ve stored away. Your discipline is admirable.

Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) — Today is a 9 — Advance a personal passion project with determination and persistence. You’re energized. Dress for success. Try a new cut or style. Shake things up a little.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) — Today is a 6 — Hide away from noise, crowds or chaos. You can get especially productive behind closed doors. Adapt plans for recent changes. Organize and manage details.

Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) — Today is a 9 — Friends help you make a connection. Teamwork and coordination supports a shared effort around pitfalls. Push together for common gain. You’re especially powerful together.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) — Today is a 9 — Your work is gaining attention. Energize a professional project with disciplined, coordinated efforts. Adjust around deviations. Build upon the strong foundation already set.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) — Today is a 9 — Your exploration advances by leaps and bounds. Traffic flows freely although deviations could arise. An organized push takes satisfying ground. Widen your investigation. Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) — Today is an 8 — Collaborate to grow family financial strength. Learn from wise elders. Build for the next generation. Invest and prepare for the future. Work together for love. Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) — Today is an 8 — Share and coordinate with your partner for greater ease and efficiency. Contribute to advance a joint venture. Keep promises and deadlines. Enjoy common obsessions. Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — Today is a 9 — Adapt workouts for changing conditions. Your body wants to move. Get your heart pumping. Shake your booty. Practice makes perfect. Focus on technique and form.

Sydelle of Netflix’s “GLOW”

Astronaut Jemison who was the first Black woman in space

“... need I go on?” abbr.

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

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.”

Edited by Patti Varol and Joyce Lewis