June 30 by The O'Colly

Wednesday, June 30, 2021

The gift that keeps on giving How this sorority brought a blessing to OSU’s community Lauryn Thomas Staff Reporter Over the past couple months, the Theta Mu chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority has worked on a unique way to give back to the Oklahoma State University community. Their way of doing this was by creating OSU’s very first Blessings Box. The Delta Sigma Theta’s (DST) Blessings Box is a red wooden box filled with non-perishable food items and toiletries located outside of the Family Resource Center (FRC). Items from the box are free for all students and are restocked weekly by members of DST. DST President, Dezavia Taylor, believed that creating a Blessings Box would help the OSU community because food insecurity is one of the leading factors of stress for college students. According to New York City Food Policy.org, this year an estimated 54 million Americans, including 18 million American children, are now food insecure. The New See Gift on pg.2

Lauryn Thomas The Theta Mu sisters behind the creation of the “Theta Mu Blessing Box” are happy to give back to their community by providing basic needs for those who need them.

The new ‘Delta-plus’ coronavirus variant Tribune News Service

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The Delta variant of the coronavirus has spawned a variant of its own that has gained considerable attention since being dubbed “Delta-plus” in India. It is slightly different from the original Delta variant that also was first identified in India. The original Delta variant is perhaps twice as transmissible as other strains of the coronavirus — meaning unvaccinated people are more likely to become infected if they are exposed to it. The United Kingdom was forced to delay a new phase of reopening its economy as the variant began to spread among unvaccinated people there, causing an uptick in cases and hospitalizations. Delta’s contagiousness is obvious cause for concern. But what about Delta-plus? Statements issued

by the Indian government say the characteristics of Delta-plus also include increased transmissibility. But it’s unclear whether the strain is more transmissible than the regular Delta variant. Scientists in California say there isn’t enough evidence to suggest that Delta-plus is any more problematic than the original Delta. “It has a good name,” said Dr. Benjamin Pinsky, director of the Clinical Virology Laboratory at Stanford University. But there’s not much information available to suggest it’s worse than anything else that’s circulating, and more research is needed, he said. “It sounds like just another variant that’s no better, no worse, than the regular Delta variant, and it’s a little unclear why everybody’s pushing on it,” said Dr. George Rutherford, a UC San Francisco epidemiologist. “I don’t See Coronavirus on pg.3

Page 2 Wednesday, June 30, 2021

News Gift... Continued from pg.1 York Food Policy.org also found that food insecurity was linked to poorer mental health and specific psychosocial stressors across global regions, independent of an individual’s socioeconomic status. While OSU offers meal plans to students, DST wanted to create something for the community to help in times when meal plans run out. “When you live on campus, your meal plan eventually runs out and you’re kind of stuck hoping that someone can help out,” Taylor said. “Through our Blessings Box, we just wanted to make an easy way for families and students in our community to have access to items they may need.” When introduced to the idea of the Blessings Box, Assistant Director of the Family Resource Center and Graduate Student Housing, Elizabeth Carver-Cyr, was thrilled to have it

located outside of the FRC. “I was very humbled that they would think of this community as we have lots of food insecurity both on OSU’s campus and in the Stillwater community,” Carver-Cyr said. According to OSU’s Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Oklahoma has significantly higher food insecurity than the national average and more than 656,000 Oklahomans are struggling with food insecurity every day. As of today, Oklahoma ranks 10th in the nation for food insecurity. Carver-Cyr explained how before the grand reveal of the Blessings Box to the public, she sent an email to 800 residents informing them. Within two-three hours after the reveal, all the items from the box were gone, making the Blessings Box a huge success! “I think that the Blessings Box is a positive impact; there is a lot of need here and it’s heartwarming that Delta Sigma Theta thought of this community to help,” Carver-Cyr said. “The Blessings Box along with the FRC’s Red Pantry and Our Daily

Bread are all blessings to the community in many different ways.” Back in February, Oklahoma experienced harsh winter weather. According to The Weather Channel. com, in February, Oklahoma experienced the coldest winter outbreak in over 30 years, breaking multiple records. The coldest temperature being negative 14 degrees. Due to the extreme weather, many OSU and Stillwater residents experienced busted pipes and damaged housing. This ultimately left many people without secure housing and food options for days. Oklahoma State University Mechanical Engineering Senior, Kemi Rufai, explains how the Blessings Box has helped her after the harsh Oklahoma weather. “During the winter storm in Stillwater my apartment flooded, and I was misplaced for a couple of weeks,” Rufai said. “I used the nonperishables from the box to help me get back on my feet and transition into my apartment.” “Receiving items from the Blessings Box made me feel seen and

it made me feel good that I could go and get help on campus without being a burden on someone else,” Rufai said. Taylor explains how giving back to the community is the sole purpose of her sorority’s Blessings Box project along with inspiring others to help within the community. “The purpose of the Blessings Box is to give people quick access to food and toiletries and just be a blessing to those in our community,” Taylor said. “We are hoping that the Blessings Box will inspire people to help others in the community as well.” When asked about the future of the Blessings Box, Taylor says that they hope to have the box up forever. “We want this to be the impact that we leave here at OSU even after we are gone,” Taylor said. “We hope that whoever sees the box will be encouraged to be a blessing for someone else.”

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Allen J. Schaben

Coronavirus... Continued from pg.1

see that this is a big, big problem right now. I mean, it may get worked up; it may turn out to be a bigger problem. But there’s certainly nothing that I’m seeing that gives me undue concern right now.” Dr. Monica Gandhi, an infectious-diseases expert at UC San Francisco, noted that the lack of data on Delta-plus is due in part to limited genomic surveillance in India because of funding shortages. “I don’t think you can tell yet, by the data we have, if it’s more transmissible,” she said. While the world continues to worry about ever more contagious variants, some experts say that at a certain point, there will be a limit to how transmissible the coronavirus can become. Scientists do not expect that this coronavirus will ever be as transmissible as measles, one of the world’s most contagious viruses. “I know it keeps on seeming like there’s more and more, and so it’s certainly understandable why people are like, ‘Why doesn’t it stop?’” Gandhi said. “Once you tamp down transmission, it really will stop accumulating these mutations.... That is the reason why we want to, of course, have global vaccine equity: to stop transmission.” The rise of more transmissible variants is understandably concerning to scientists and

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public health experts. With the initial coronavirus strains, it might take 71% of the population to be immune for a region to reach “herd immunity,” in which ongoing transmission of the virus is interrupted, Rutherford said. But a more transmissible version, such as the Delta variant, would increase the herd-immunity threshold, perhaps to 84%, he said. “Viruses mutate all the time,” he added. As far as Delta-plus is concerned, “they really haven’t figured out whether it’s that much worse or whether it really does represent a new threat,” Rutherford said. Health officials have already been sounding warning bells about the original Delta variant, which has gained a significant foothold in some areas of the United States. From May 9 to May 22, the Delta variant accounted for fewer than 3% of genomically sequenced coronavirus samples nationwide. But from June 6 to June 19, that proportion rose to more than 20%, according to figures presented last week. Dr. Anthony Fauci, the U.S. government’s top infectious-disease expert, called the strain “currently the greatest threat in the U.S. to our attempt to eliminate COVID-19.” The proportion of coronavirus cases caused by the Delta variant has increased recently in California, where it is known to have infected 372 people, according to figures from the state Department of Public Health. According to the latest data, Delta is now California’s third-most common variant, accounting for 14.5% of analyzed cases in June. The Alpha variant, first identified in the U.K., is

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found in 37.7% of analyzed cases, and Gamma, first identified in Brazil, is in 21.6%. The data show that the Delta variant is increasing its proportion of California’s coronavirus cases, which are the lowest they’ve been since the first few weeks of the pandemic, 15 months ago. In May, just 4.7% of analyzed coronavirus cases were Delta, and it was the fourth-most identified variant in California. That month, Alpha accounted for the most genomically sequenced cases in the state, at 58.4%, while Gamma was identified in 10.1% of cases. A variant first identified in New York, known as B.1.526.1 (no Greek letter has been assigned to it), was identified in 5% of analyzed cases. The nation’s most populous county, Los Angeles, has confirmed 123 cases of the Delta variant — 49 of them among residents of Palmdale and Lancaster. L.A. County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said that number “has happened between the middle of April and now,” so “you can see that we’ve had a lot of increase in the circulation of the Delta variant.” But, she continued, “if you are fully vaccinated, you have a lot of protection.” “And for the very small numbers of people that may end up in fact with a breakthrough vaccination case, they really did not have serious illness,” Ferrer said.

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A LITTLE WHILE! “For yet a little while, and He who is coming will come and will not tarry. Now the just shall live by faith…” (Heb.10:37-38 NKJV) “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory…” (2Co.4:17 NKJV) Our calling as true believers and disciples of the Lord Jesus will be filled with challenges of different kinds. These difficulties drag on and on at times. We wonder “when will this come to an end?” Why doesn’t something happen? Won’t this ever come to an end? Thankfully, trials do come and go. It is easy to quote a scripture about trusting God; don’t lean to your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge him and he will direct your path.(Prov.3:5-6) These are true and can minister to us in times of difficulty. Also, these two scriptures mentioned above, give a perspective of relating our times of challenge with the purpose of God that has eternal value.

The writer of Hebrews said to these Jewish believers who under real persecution from their countrymen; “Just a little while! Jesus is coming!” :To these believers it seemed “forever”, the hardships were dragging on and on. But, the apostle Paul, tells the Christians, “just a light affliction, which is but for a moment” I believe he used the word “moment” because of the great, eternal reward that coming to these believers as they stand fast for Christ in a hard situation. The Just (true believers) are to live by faith (trusting) God’s ways are right for us all and his timing is perfect. From a little experience, I can say things look clearer after the trial has past. When Jesus comes, and he will come, we will all see and know things clearly. Now, we are to trust our faithful God and see how He works!

Page 4 Wednesday, June 30, 2021

sports

In the era of mass transfer, how does OSU keep players around? Dean Ruhl Assistant Sports Editor

Brett Rojo Oct 31, 2020; Stillwater, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma State Cowboys head coach Mike Gundy watches over warmups before a game against the Texas Longhorns at Boone Pickens Stadium.

Offensive lineman Josh Sills walked into West Virginia’s compliance office on Dec. 15, 2019. He met with a compliance officer to discuss transferring from the program, and before he’d even left the building his phone rang with a call from his coach. “I went over and sat and talked to him - basically kind of told him what I wanted to do and why I wanted to do it,” Sills said. “That was it. I think a day or two later my name went into the portal.” It took Sills two weeks to find a new school. On Dec. 31, 2019, it was announced he would transfer to Oklahoma State. Roughly a year and a half later, Sills’ reflection on the process was simple. “I loved it,” Sills said. “I loved every second of it.” Since the NCAA unveiled the transfer portal on Oct. 15, 2018, it has been praised by

student athletes in search of better situations, and a new headache for athletic departments. Almost three years since its debut, the portal has exploded, thanks in part to the COVID-19 pandemic, with more athletes looking for new schools than spots available. OSU softball coach Kenny Gajewski said the softball transfer portal is so backed up, he expects only a quarter of the athletes on the portal to find a new school without having to drop from Division 1 to a lower level or junior college. Coaches also worry because of the ease the portal gives athletes, they will “jump the gun” and enter the portal too quickly without fully understanding the risks being taken. OSU football coach Mike Gundy said the football portal is getting so large, the athletic department is considering hiring someone to strictly be in charge of the portal. “It’s not as easy as just looking at a tape,” Gundy said. “You have to weed through all the different things that you need to before you bring somebody into the organization. Read the full story at ocolly.com

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Page 6 Wednesday, June 30, 2021

sports

‘We always recruit’ The Oklahoma State men’s basketball team has no freshmen on roster. As the offseason pushes on, the Cowboys have one remaining scholarship left unused for the 2021 cycle. As for what coach Mike Boynton plans to do with that scholarship, it wouldn’t change if he didn’t have that scholarship. The Cowboys have been in the conversations for a couple of transfers still seeking a new home, but as July approaches no filler has been found. “We always recruit. If we didn’t have a scholarship to fill right now, we would be recruiting, because you just don’t know,” Boynton said. “You know less now than ever before. “I don’t feel like I have to fill it, but if the right type of player is available we’ll certainly look at it.” However, the nature of recruiting and college athletics is changing due to the transfer portal in the NCAA. The Cowboys have made good use of the portal, bringing in three recruits this cycle instead of freshmen. The ever-looming figurative portal overshadows rosters, leaving coaches with the uncertainty of what their rosters will look like at any given time. “There was a time when I first got into coaching where probably by April, end of April, you felt pretty

Josh Duplechian INDIANAPOLIS, IN - MARCH 19: Isaac Likekele #13 of the Oklahoma Cowboys puts the ball up over Keegan McDowell #20 of the Liberty Flames in the first round of the 2021 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament held at Indiana Farmers Coliseum on March 19, 2021 in Indianapolis, Indiana.

good. This was your roster, and you knew, ‘Alright, I got three sophomores and two juniors, my senior class...’ There’s no class balance with the transfer portal and all that stuff,” Boynton said. Boynton and his signature shoes are now on the trail of the 2022 recruiting class in addition to the final 2021 spot. The Cowboys hosted five-star and No. 6 in the class Keyonte George for an official visit Sunday. “We’ll be our normal aggressive selves, but the new staff asked like, ‘Coach, how many scholarships do we have next year?’ The magic

question. Just got to get to 13 by next year. Between the portal and seeing ‘22 guys for the first time in a year, it’s going to be a different look to the recruiting cycle this year,” Boynton said. One major thing could hold the Cowboys coaching staff back from recruiting as hard as normal: the NCAA. The Cowboys still have not heard a ruling on its appeal of penalties, which includes a loss of scholarships. The Cowboys on top of not knowing its penalties also could have just one open scholarship for 2022 or up to four depending on non-seniors’

decisions to stay or leave. Bryce Williams will be done after the 2021-22 season, but his scholarship doesn’t count, which makes Isaac Likekele the only countable senior on the Cowboys roster. However, others could decide to head to the NBA after this season, depending on their success. “We could have quite a bit of turnover,” Boynton said. “We could be looking at three or four guys. Just try to be good this year and if they’re all good enough to go, that means we had a pretty good team.” sports.ed@ocolly.com

FOR RELEASE JUNE 30, 2021

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Daily Horoscope

Level 1

Nancy Black Tribune Content Agency Linda Black Horoscopes Today’s Birthday (06/30/21). Shared ventures gain value this year. Build family and strategies this summer, before autumn reveals social hurdles. Healthy practices energize your work next winter, before renewed community connections develop next spring. Play to win. To get the advantage, check the day’s rating: 10 is the easiest day, 0 the most challenging. a comfortable perch. Creative visions animate your thoughts. Capture inspiration into sketches and notes. Make dreamy plans. Taurus (April 20-May 20) — Today is an 8 — Teamwork can lead to victory. Set sible. Play your part. Gemini (May 21-June 20) — Today is an 8 — Discover creative solutions for a professional puzzle. An unexpected door opens toward a dreamy possibility. Discuss future options. A positive situation develops naturally. Cancer (June 21-July 22) — Today is a 7 — Choose your path carefully. Dig deeper into a fascinating subject. Read the back story. Expand your view through another’s eyes. Your exploration reveals hidden treasure. Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) — Today is a 9 — Contribute to grow family fortunes. Pay misunderstandings. Consistent efforts pay extra dividends. Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) — Today is an 8 — Imagine perfection with your partner, and invite suggestions. Strengthen bonds with simple connections. Share the load and share the laughter. Have fun together. Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) — Today is a 9 — Indulge in movement and rest. Dance to excellent music. Walk for a change of scenery. Physical action generates satisfying results. Healthy pursuits energize your work. Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) — Today is an 8 — A romantic dream appears within reach. Adapt for practicalities. Artistic efforts provide an advantage. Draw upon hidden resources. Have fun and invite participation. Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) — Today is a 7 — Home renovations take focus. Clean and prepare. Repair and restore. Upgrade spaces to support family. Research purchases carefully for best quality and value. Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) — Today is an 8 — Creative muses enchant you. Capture words and images. Craft, mold and edit. Exchange ideas with your networks. Follow intuition and clever hunches. Solve a puzzle. Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) — Today is a 9 — Energize a lucrative endeavor. Keep your bargains. Provide excellence. A dream comes into sharper focus. Put your heart into your work and it pays extra. Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — Today is a 9 — Inspiration feeds a personal dream. Advance by sharing what you see possible. Learn and develop. Take advantage of lucky circumstances. Shine your light.

6/30/21 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