UCO's The Vista, Sept. 13, 2022

Blowing smoke

Recreational marijuana up in the air for November ballot

Quinn Daugherty Reporter

State Question 820 is uncertain to reach the Nov. 8 general election ballot after the Oklahoma Supreme Court sent the peti tion to a 10-day waiting period.

The petition, first submitted Jan. 4

this year by organizers from Oklahomans for Sensible Marijuana Laws, was designed with the intention to generally legalize, regulate, and tax adult-use marijuana under state law. Should the initiative become law, personal use of marijuana for persons aged 21+ would be protected by the state so long as quantity limits and safety standards are met.

SQ 820 received over 117,000 signatures from Oklahoma voters, but was most recently delayed Aug. 30 when the Oklahoma Su preme Court ruled to uphold the legislative procedures necessary for a state question to advance to the ballot. Proponents of the

Continued on Pg. 3

Madison Horn focuses on rural areas in U.S. senate campaign

Matilda Harvey Reporter

Madison Horn became the Democratic nominee for the United States Senate in a runoff election on Aug. 23, 2022. She will now run against incumbent James Lankford, with the general election being held Nov. 6.

spending time learning about rural communities, while Re publicans have pandered to them without doing anything for the communities in question.

Prior to deciding to run

State fair lights up OKC with action, food and music

Zachary Carter Contributing Writer WORDS,

The Oklahoma State fair has a lot of new and exciting things to offer this year, intro ducing some new activities this year as well as keeping some of the staples that Oklahomans have grown to expect. The fair has a list of amazing musical artists, the food menu has grown and there are new additions to the midway rides and games.

The Oklahoma State Fair has lined up artists from many different genres to perform at the Chickasaw Country Enter tainment Stage. Kicking off this

year’s musical performances will be Tracy Lawrence. Known for his hits “Time Marches On” and “Paint Me a Birmingham,” Lawrence will perform at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 15. Lawrence will be followed at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 16 by Jason Farris, or as he is known onstage, Colt Ford. A former professional golfer turned coun try artist who is known for his country-rap lyrics, this show is likely to be an impressive one for Ford fans.

The Equine Empowerment Horse Show, 10 a.m. Sept. 21, features horses with special physical

Horn, a native of Stilwell, Oklahoma, has put an emphasis on rural communities during her campaign. Over the course of what Horn said was about 200 days, she visited all 77 counties in the state. Going into the 2022 Senate campaign, she felt frus trated that it seemed that nobody on either side of the aisle cared about rural communities. Horn said that due to her background in cybersecurity, she had experi ence working with “third world countries,” but when it comes to critical infrastructure, she said there are counties in Oklahoma that face similar deprivation.

“We don’t think about America as having third-world countries,” Horn said.

She additionally claimed that rural communities have been forgotten, with Democrats not

for Senate, Horn was a cyberse curity expert. She said this gives her a “modern view of the world” that makes her qualified to serve in the Senate.

Through cybersecurity, Horn has been exposed to geo politics and what she calls a new industrial revolution. The effects of technology on the workforce are a focus for her, specifical ly with regards to current and future education. Related to this, she avoided a question about

Continued on Pg. 8

(Provided/ Madison Horn)

Aidan Lynch, age six, of Oklahoma City, participates in the Mutton Bustin’ event at the Oklahoma State Fair Sept. 16, 2019, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

Life in photos: The band PUP performs at the Tower Theatre in Oklahoma City on Saturday, Sept. 10, 2022. They are currently support ed by two other bands while on tour, Palehound and The OBGMs. (The Vista/ Graycee Hubbard)

Weekly Horoscope

AQUARIUS January 21-February 18 PISCES February 19-March 20 March 21-April 19

Thursday’s fall equinox may bring a sense of harmony to your day – connecting to your inner sense of peace may be easier at this time. When the Moon and Mercu ry shift into Virgo on Friday, expect a couple of days full of attention to detail. Saturday’s Venus-Neptune opposition could have everyone seeing through rose-colored glass es, possibly to a detriment. Sunday’s New Moon is a lovely time to walk in nature or otherwise polish the self care.

As the equinox shines equal hours of light and shad ow upon the Earth, the sun slips into the sign of balance: Libra. The Leo moon mid week may have you feeling inspired. It’s a lovely time to create art. When your sister sign Virgo hits the sky on Friday, you may find that you have increased mental energy. This weekend will be an excellent time for as signments or putting on the finishing touches. If you like to celebrate the New Moon, meditation is one possibility.

The waning Leo Moon brightens up your world and adds just a touch of dramatic flair through Thursday. The sun in your sister sign Libra brings a time of alignment for you even as Mercury ret rograde grinds along. Thurs day’s conjunction encourag es you to look carefully over any major decisions before pulling the trigger. Friday’s Virgo sky is excellent for progress on work. The new moon may affect you and Libra more than others, pro viding a reset and a look at emotions through new eyes.

TAURUS April 20-May 20 GEMINI May 21-June 20

A Leo Moon midweek will be excellent for presenting, socializing, and encourag ing confidence. Libra season is here, ruled by Venus the same as you. The fall equi nox offers an opportunity to ask yourself how you can increase feelings of harmony and balance in your own life. The weekend may take a turn for the work-oriented with the Virgo sky, but you can also divert this energy into crafts or hobbies.

As the sun slips into fellow air sign Libra like a long evening dress, you may find yourself considering both sides of many conversations. With Mercury still in ret rograde, an aspect Thurs day encourages us to read any fine print carefully. You might feel right at home with the increased mental energy Friday when the Moon and your ruling planet Mercu ry shift into Mercury-ruled Virgo.

CANCER June 21-July 22

The Leo Moon could have you craving some you-time. Making time for self care is crucial to success. When the sun makes its move into Li bra on Thursday’s fall equi nox, equalizing energy can help you identify where you feel most balanced. Friday’s Virgo sky might have you thinking about what you nurture: projects, art, and those things that are dear to your heart.

LEO July 23-August 22

The moon shines in your sign Wednesday and Thurs day, meaning that you will feel even more like yourself during this time. Congrats! As the sun in Libra comes to town, the fall equinox bathes the Earth in equal day and night. You can make it as magical as you are. Two ce lestial bodies in Virgo swing in Friday, lighting up the way we think and speak. Prepare for some interesting conver sations!

VIR GO August

The Fall equinox may bring a peaceful energy with it as the sun slips into Libra. With Mercury back in your sign on Friday, it may be wise to begin cultivating your care ful sense of optimism. Rose colored glasses can be a good tool for mental health if you’re considering the facts too. The coming Monday contains a lucky aspect that may cause just the luck you need.

LIBR A September 23-October 2 2

Happy early birthday, Li bra suns! The sun moves into your sign Thursday and brings a Sun conjunct Mer cury in Libra, which encour ages you to weigh major de cisions carefully. Friday, the Moon and Mercury switch to Virgo which can cause a surge in perfectionism. Tem per it with self-compassion. Sunday’s New Moon in your sign may feel like breathing fresh air. What will you man ifest?

SCORPIO October 23-November 21

The fall equinox on Sept. 22 shines a light onto some thoughts that may typical ly be hidden in shadow on Thursday. Weigh decisions mindfully and press on. Wednesday and Thursday are under the Leo moon, which may increase consid erations of where you are diverting your inner power. On Friday Virgo fills the sky, increasing your curiosity and mental energy. You’re already a natural detective; it’s up to you what to do.

SAGITTARIUS November 22-December 21 CAPRICORN December 21-January 20

Wednesday and Thursday are ruled by fire energy, ex pect an exciting and smooth couple of days. Thursday also brings you the sun in sweet Libra. It kind of acts like but ter on bread to friendships and love. Friday the Moon and Mercury both shift into Virgo, which may increase your natural curiosity in much the same way it will Scorpio’s. Where will it take you? Sunday’s lucky New Li bra Moon and Pluto-Venus trine add extra glitter to your charm.

The Leo moon is an excel lent time for connecting with your inner power through Thursday as the sun shifts signs too. The Moon and Mercury’s shift into logical Virgo may shift the way you approach projects. Analytical perfection-seeking thoughts help you make your vision a reality, but compassion and rest keep you healthy. The Libra sun and New Moon Sunday will help you find the balance. A Pluto-Venus trine Sunday also increases your charm.

Sunday’s

Recreational cannabis state question hits snag on the way to ballot

Continued from Pg. 1

initiative had filed a request to circumvent Oklahoma’s new statutes for state questions, but were ultimately denied.

The 5-4 opinion sent SQ 820 to a 10-day pro cess in which anyone can challenge various aspects of the petition such as its wording, constitutionality, and the authenticity of its signatures.

The Oklahoma Farmers’ Bureau Legal Foundation applauded the decision for its “commonsense” in an Aug. 30 press release.

“The State Chamber Research Foundation Le gal Center, the Oklahoma Farm Bureau Legal Foun dation and the Oklahoma Cattlemen’s Association

are pleased with the Okla homa Supreme Court’s commonsense decision to uphold the state statute requiring a 10-day chal lenge period for all state question initiatives before advancing to the ballot,” the press release said. “This ensures the vital right of Oklahomans to petition the government through an initiative and maintains the integrity of the rules and procedures that all Oklahomans must play by, regardless of the subject matter.”

Oklahoma Supreme Court Justice Dustin Rowe said given the op portunity he would have shelved SQ 820 altogeth er, saying it was too late to change ballots made to send early to service

Horn contrasts proposals with Lankford policies

Continued from Pg. 1

student loan forgiveness.

“I’m looking at other ways that we can ensure that people can continue their education, and perhaps even finding alternative pathways,” she said.

Horn said that she would vote to protect abortion access on a federal level, citing widespread support of abortion access in the United States. Additionally, she said that she would advocate to protect same-sex marriage and expand the definition of “hate crime” to include LGBTQ+ individuals. When it came to her opponent’s support of Title 42, which allows the CDC to turn away people at the border if they might have a contagious disease, Horn said it was interesting that Lankford supported that legislation, citing his attitude toward coronavirus.

The stance Horn takes on gun control is to require responsible gun ownership and training. Additionally, she said it was necessary to both protect communi ties while also protecting the right to bear arms. Horn pointed out that Oklahoma has no red flag laws, calling it a gap in what can be done, and saying that more needs to be done to ensure that guns do not get into the hands of those with mental health problems.

Oklahoma, considered a red state during the last two presidential elections, has not had a Democratic senator since 1995, when David Boren’s term ended. This is a fact that does not intimidate Horn, rather she says she is energized and excited.

“[Oklahoma] was predominantly a Democratic stronghold and it was a swing state for a long time,” she said. “As we’ve seen in history, things always come back around.”

In a recent speech by President Joe Biden, he as serted that democracy is under assault. Horn agreed with this point, saying trust in elected officials has been eroding for a long time.

“We need to have people that are focused on serving people versus a party or special interests,” she said.

members overseas.

“Delaying this matter, which could culminate in changes to ballots which have already begun to be produced, undermines the Election Board’s ca pacity to fulfill its lawful obligation to voters and threatens the voting rights of portions of the elec torate — particularly, our men and women serving in uniform overseas,” he wrote in a dissenting opinion.

The petition has trav eled slower than other state questions in large part due to HB 2564, a February 2021 law that amended the process required for recounts on statewide issues or question elections. Addi tionally, the law required

signatures to be counted by independently con tracted certifiers. In the past, signatures were verified manually by state employees managed by the secretary of state.

The most recent state question to reach an Oklahoman general elec tion ballot was medicaid expansion, which carried nearly triple the signa tures and only took 17 days to count.

Before the 10-day waiting period, SQ 820 underwent 48 days of certification, but despite the delays, campaign organizers for SQ 820 say they are optimistic for the petition’s future.

“It appears the Court is giving itself the opportu nity to order SQ 820 on

the ballot if we survive the protest period,” Campaign Director Michelle Tilley said in an Aug. 30 press release.

“We are confident that our more than 117,000 valid signatures will pass the 10-day protest peri od set by statute and are optimistic the Oklahoma Supreme Court will order State Question 820 on the ballot for the 2022 general election.”

At the end of the 10-day protest period, Oklaho ma justices will decide whether or not to include SQ 820 on the November general election ballot. Until then, the petition’s fate remains uncertain. For more information on SQ 820 visit yeson820. com.

Fair offers new attractions, food and the Ninja Nation Obstacle Course

Continued from Pg. 1

needs in the competition. “This is a horse show for equestrians with disabil ities that will provide them a place to compete, which is something that is not often available to them in the equine world,” said State Fair spokesperson Holly Kinyon.

One thing people get excited about every year is the food at the fair, which includes some ex otic items for the braver attendees.

“We’re always very ex cited to see what crazy and delicious items our vendors have come up with since last year’s

Ainsley Martinez Editor-in-Chief

Sam Royka Managing Editor

Brinlee Lenochan Sports Editor

Eden Jones Sports Reporter

Logan Gassett Graphic Designer

Tilly Harvey Reporter

Quinn Daugherty Reporter

Britton Summers Reporter

Graycee Hubbard Photographer

Denver Miller Photographer

LaBrika Chaffer Advertising Executive

George Lang Adviser

VISTA 2022-23 layout by Kevin Davis

Advertise with us!

The Vista is published weekly during the spring, summer and fall semesters. In all issues, The Vista has opportunities for both digital, online and print ads. For information or questions, contact: 405-974-5549 or thevista.ads@gmail.com

EDITORIALS

Fair,” Kinyon said. “We definitely appreciate the staple fair items like corn dogs and funnel cakes, but we also want fairgo ers to be able to branch out and try something that they can only get at the Fair, once a year.”

This year, the fair will offer alligator corn dogs, apple pie churro bites, giant banana split pies, frozen brown sugar sweet tea, snake bite nachos and more.

The Ninja Nation Obsta cle Course will be located on the Bandshell Lawn. Other events include the Mini Silky Fainting Goat Show, Pirate Game Show and the Giant Pumpkin Competition and Weigh Off. Visit okstatefair.com for information on tick ets and full schedules.

The midway will offer games and a large selec tion of thrill rides. The fair will be offering some exciting new attractions this year, including the Ninja Nation Obstacle Course., “We’re excited to bring in a new attraction, the Ninja Nation Obstacle Course,” Kinyon said. “It’s free for all fairgoers — all they need is closedtoed shoes. You can race against your friend or against the clock. We think it’ll be a lot of fun for visitors.”

The Vista is published as a newspaper and public forum by UCO students weekly during the academic year, at the University of Central Oklahoma. The issue price is free.

Opinion columns, editorial cartoons, reviews and commentaries represent the views of the writer or artist and not necessarily the views of The Vista Ed itorial Board, the Department of Mass Communications, UCO or the Board of Regents of Oklahoma Colleges. The Vista is not an official medium of ex pression for the Regents or UCO.

LETTERS

The Vista encourages letters to the ed itor. Letters should address issues and ideas, not personalities. Letters must

be typed, double-spaced and must include the author’s printed name, major, classification and phone number. Phone numbers are included for contacting purposes only.

Letters are subject to editing for libel, clarity and space, or to eliminate statements of ques tionable taste. The Vista reserves the right not to publish submitted letters.

ADDRESS LETTERS TO: Editor, The Vista 100 N. University Dr. Edmond, OK 73034-5209

Or, deliver in person to the editor in the Mass Communications Building, Room 131. Letters can be emailed to thevista@ucentralmedia.com.

UCO’s Student Voice Since 1903

The Ninja Nation Obstacle Course will offer visitors to the Oklahoma State Fair a chance to test their skills on a course similar to “American Ninja Warriors.” (Provided/Oklahoma State Fair)

Crest Foods announces new location

Gov. Kevin Stitt and community lead ers gathered Aug. 30 as Crest Foods broke ground at their newest Edmond location and promised 300 new jobs by 2023. The new lo cation will be located at the northwest corner of Covell and Sooner roads in east Edmond.

“I’m so proud of our state and I know what it has to offer,” Stitt said. “So, I love to see Crest recognize Oklahoma as having the best beef, the best dairy products, the best pro duce, the best of everything that was made right here in Oklahoma.”

Stitt also pledged to continue to work with state legislators to remove the grocery tax and noted that Oklahoma is one out of 13 states with that tax. He said that people with lower incomes spend a higher percentage of their income on groceries. He is asking that leg islators remove the tax or suspend it for two years.

The 101,422-squarefoot, 24-hour, full-service facility will be the 10th Crest Foods location after a five-year wrestle with the city for permits.

The store is project ed to open in Fall 2023. However, officials noted that supply chain shortag es could cause delays.

“This is a larger area where we have a lot of opportunity for economic development,” said Josh Moore, Ward 2 Edmond City Council member.

Janet Yowell, the Director of Edmond Economic Development Authority, said that Crest will be a “catalyst” for full commercial economic development. The City of Edmond built the intersection to handle full develop ment, but will add left turn lanes and a traffic

Fall into pumpkin season

Emma Nickles Contributing Writer

The 11th annual Parkhurst Pumpkin Patch in Arcadia opens Sept. 21 for fall activities close to UCO’s campus.

Parkhurst Pumpkin Patch, located at 720 S. Henney Road in Arcadia, will open at 1 p.m. Wednesday through Friday. 10 a.m. Saturday, and noon Sunday through Nov. 13. Parkhurst closes every day at dusk.

Admission includes tractor rides, a petting zoo, crafts, mazes, a fun fort, outdoor games, a woodland fairy castle, photo op portunities, and a free miniature pumpkin to take home.

“We try to go every year,” said Jake Steelman, a student from UCO’s College of Business. “My girlfriend and I take pictures for our Instagrams. Plus, I love the petting zoo because of their

(Provided)

bunnies that they let you pick up and feed.”

General admission tickets are $13 at ParkhurstRanch.com. For 12 years and younger, tickets are $10 each and free admission for children ages two and under. Tickets are available online or at the gate. Military and senior dis counts are available at the gate.

“We definitely recommend buying your tickets in advance so that way you can skip the line,” said Emily Francis, an employee of Parkhurst.

Concessions like hot dogs, popcorn, and s’mores will be available to purchase. Pony rides will be available for $6. Face painting is $10 and petting zoo feed is $1 per bag. Parkhurst has fire pits for roasting marshmal lows as well as tire swings, a gift shop with Granny P’s Gourmet Goods products, and a stage for concerts.

signal on Sooner Road to help the flow of traffic.

“I know it’s a popular project and one that Crest has wanted to do for a long time. I couldn’t be more excited for my neighbors that are going to have more convenience with groceries in their area,” Moore said.

Rocketship slide gone after park renovations

Hayden Smith Contributing Writer

Aug. 30 was the last day that anyone had the opportunity to slide down the historic rocket ship slide at Stephenson Park in Edmond, because the city will be renovating the park at South Littler Avenue and East Fourth Street. The historic park has been an Edmond staple since it opened around 1934.

The remodel of Stephenson Park is primarily due to safety concerns, since the slide was built such a long time ago.

“My kids grew up playing on the rocket ship slide and we have many good family memories there,” said Edmond resident Julie Hinkle. “I remember the first time

I took my kids there when we first moved to Edmond, so I will miss the slide.”

The slide will be taken apart and used as artwork at the park because of the many people that cherish it. The slide is not the only thing that will be missed as the playground, yard and picnic table will also be closed off for reno vations. An amphitheater will be placed in the park as part of its makeover.

“I am going to miss the many memories I made here as a kid, but I look forward to seeing what the new park has to offer,” said Edmond resident Anna Wilkin son.

Renovations are on schedule to be completed by 2023.

Superintendent candidate stresses support for teachers

Allison Miller Contributing Writer

Jena Nelson, the Democratic Party nominee for State Super intendent for Public Instruction, responded to Education Secretary Ryan Walters, the Republican Party nominee for State Super intendent for Public Instruction, request to revoke the teaching license of a Norman teacher, on Aug. 31. The teacher, Summer Boismier, shared a QR code for the Brooklyn Public Library’s Un banned website to her students, which was seen as a violation of HB 1775.

“The structure of HB 1775 is full of ambiguity and this situa tion is just one example of how vague this education legislation is in practice,” Nelson said in her response. “Oklahoma schools, teachers and students need dedicated support that actually addresses actual problems and strengthens our education poli cies,” said Nelson.

A video of Walters discussing how the state superintendent

can take teaching licenses away was posted on Twitter after the release of his statement. In the video, Walters said that someone is unable to be in the classroom without a teaching or administra tion certificate and discussed the powers the state superintendent has over those certificates.

“The state superintendent can take those away,” Walters said in the video. “I mean, your school board can fire, but the state su perintendent, that department, can absolutely do that. There’s no reason we shouldn’t have been doing that. I will be doing that.”

Walters’ request for Boismier’s license to be revoked is not the only worry educators have.

“Well, Mr. Walters right now thinks thats we should not accept any federal funds to help our schools, which is very concerning because those federal funds help programs like our special edu cation programs, they help our free and reduced lunch so they’re making sure our kids our fed, making sure we have Title I, Title II funds, and the list just goes on

and on,” Nelson said.

Federal dollars also fund programs like Head Start, home services for homeless children, programs for the gifted and tal ented, Indian education, school grants, and more, said Kimberly Blodgett, a third grade teacher.

“And so, it’s like, I can’t believe he’s even threatening to get rid of federal dollars for public schools,” said Blodgett.

Teachers are also facing a teaching shortage due to teacher flight. This shortage has result ed in an increase in emergency certified teachers, bigger class sizes, and empty positions, said Blodgett.

“We’re at Sept. 1, and it’s unfortunate how many districts across the state are still needing to fill positions,” she said.

This shortage is not from a lack of certified teachers, but from teachers leaving the profes sion, said Nelson. She said that teacher flight is the first issue she will tackle if she is elected.

“I mean, if Walters were to win state superintendent in Novem

ber, I mean, so many teachers right now, just some that have talked to me are like I will quit, I will resign immediately,” said Blodgett.

“I honestly feel that this race, the superintendent race, is the most important race that’s on the bal lot,” said Nelson.

State superintendents work with all teachers and school’s ad ministration and superintendents to develop curriculum and set the tone for students’ education.

The 101,422-square-foot, 24-hour, full-service facility will be the 10th Crest Foods location after a five-year wrestle with the city for permits. (Provided)

Emma Nickles Contributing Writer

(Provided/Jena Nelson)

(Provided/ The Oklahoman/Doug Hoke)

Senator applications for UCO’s student government can be found under surveys/forms on the Univer sity of Central Oklahoma’s Student Association UCORE page.

The deadline to apply is Sept. 25.

Increasing diversity is a goal for UCOSA this semester, said Jess Addai, a UCOSA senator. UCOSA President Josh Chao agreed.

“UCOSA is constantly trying to raise the level of diversity within all bodies,” Chao said.

He continued.

“I cannot speak specifically about the Congress side of things, how ever myself, VP Hambrick, and the rest of my executive cabinet are taking initiatives to have a more united campus. We want each and every student org to be connected with each other to support each of their events and initiatives,” Chao said. “The cabinet is in the process of creating a ‘master calendar,’ you could call it, where each org president will be invited to add their own events to the calendar for everyone to view. We look forward to being able to start this and share this with everyone on campus.”

(Provided/UCO)

share too much information that is not set in stone.

There may be more coming to UCOSA as well.

“The cabinet does have other diversity ini tiatives in the works, but I don’t want to

I look forward to being able to share this information with the student body when we are ready,” Chao said. “I also invite everyone and anyone to come and join us at our week ly congressional meetings on every Monday at 4 p.m. Meeting locations vary but they are typically held in the Will Rogers Room of the Nigh University Center.”

Jacob Schultz, a former UCOSA senator,

praised the program for its re al-world experience.

“It’s a great chance for students to just get involved in something that gives them a little bit more say in what’s happening on campus. And like understanding the atmosphere here on campus, because it’s a way that students actually get to start making dif ferences into, like, problems that they’re noticing, Schultz said.

They also emphasized another important aspect of the student association.

“While I think it’s import ant for people to join, it also is important for students that aren’t able to sign up as senators to come to meetings and voice their opinions as constituents, because it doesn’t really work unless everyone works as a democra cy,” Schultz said.

Schultz said increasing diversity within UCOSA this semester may be especially im portant as “a lot of the times the people that are running UCOSA are from fraternities and sororities, Greek Life specifically. So it would be nice to see a lot more people from smaller organizations and then from just different fields of study on campus.”

A link to the UCOSA UCORE can be found at ucore.uco.edu/ucosa/home/.

Updated film studies minor debuts Spring 2023 at UCO

Andrea Zuniga Contributing Writer

UCO is setting up a new and improved film studies minor this upcoming spring semester. Matt Knutson has plans to revitalize the minor.

The minor will consist of classes dealing with analysis of both new and old films, and the impact they held then and now. There are multiple different topics that can be discussed in the minor, such as representation in films and their history. The minor will also be good for any student looking to work in the film industry.

“You’re gaining a great deal of insight into how films are made and how films make meaning,” Knutson said.. “The primary concern right now is making sure that all the classes in the minor, as for the spring semester schedule don’t overlap.”

Knutson said he hopes to hold extra blocks on class schedules for movie screenings. This way, if students enroll in the class they will automatically be enrolled in another class right after for the screening, avoiding scheduling conflicts with other classes.

“It would be really preferable if everyone in that class could have a shared viewing experience of seeing a film together, ” Knutson said.

Knutson’s longterm goal for the program is for the minor to combine with other media subjects, like gam ing, and turn it into a media studies major.

Other goals in clude co-sponsor

ships with film festivals in Okla homa for screenings. Oklahoma Cine Latino Film Festival is a possibility, with the help of UCO professor Guillermo Martinez Sotelo in modern languages. Another possibility is a new film program led by Knutson and Dr. Lindsey Churchill from the history department. For more information on the

Batman (Robert Pattinson) addressing Selina Kyle (Zoe Kravitz) in The Batman (2022). (Provided/Warner Brothers)

The masked villian raises a blood-soaked knife in “Scream.” (Provided)

minor, contact Matt Knutson at mknutson2@uco.edu.

Sam Royka Managing Editor

Ukrainian official Khrys tyna Hayovyshyn said that 2.5 million people have been forcibly deported to Russia as Russian officials conduct searches and interrogations the official called “danger ous.”

The UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) has evidence of Russian officials conducting interro gations and body searches, sometimes involving threats, violence, and forced nudity as part of a ‘filtration oper ation.’

The OHCHR has also doc umented cases of Ukrainian persons suspected of ties to Ukrainian military, govern ment or just “having proUkrainian or anti-Russian views” subjected to torture, holding, and ”enforced dis appearance.”

The U.S. ambassador to the U.N. called Russia’s ‘fil tration’ plan “horrifying” in a press release Wednesday.

“We are further aware that the Russian presidential administration officials are providing lists of Ukrainians to be targeted for filtration,” said State Department Spokesman Vedant Patel, demanding Russia “halt these filtration operations immediately.”

“Russia has systematically used the practice of forced deportations previously and the fear and misery it evokes for people forced to live un der the Kremlin’s control are hard to overstate,” he said.

The ambassador, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, spoke to reporters about the ‘filtration operations’ outside the UN Security Council chamber.

“They’ve been subject to invasive searches, interro gation under inhumane and demeaning circumstances,”

Thomas-Greenfield said.

She said that Russia is doing this in preparation for an annexation.

“The goal is to change sentiments by force. To provide a fraudulent veneer

of legitimacy for the Russian occupation and eventual, purported annexation of even more Ukrainian terri tory. This effort to fabricate these facts on the ground is the predicate to sham refer enda,” she said.

Meanwhile, the Russian ambassador to the UN, Vassily Nebenzia, has denied

the accusations of ‘filtration operations’.

“We have wasted time” discussing the allegations when they could have been talking about real issues, Nebenzia said to the Securi ty Council Wednesday.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky tweet ed about his phone con

versation with President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen.

“Emphasized the need to prepare the 8th package of sanctions, including a ban on issuing visas to Russian citizens,” he said in a tweet Sept. 4.

Both suspects dead in Canadian stabbing case denies

Sam Royka Managing Editor

Chief Wally Burns calls for tribal policing after both suspects died last week following the Canadian stab bing spree that left at least 10 dead, 18 wounded.

Currently the Royal Ca nadian Mounted Police have one officer assigned to the James Smith Cree Nation, who is stationed around 27 miles away.

Burns said that having their own tribal police would allow the community to respond to emergencies more effectively because “we have people that know this person, that know their weaknesses and their habits.”

When the stabbings occurred, it took over 40 minutes for the two police officers to arrive. The RCMP stated the officers were sent immediately.

Myles Sanderson, 32, was responsible for the major ity of deaths last Sunday, according to witnesses at the scene. His death ended a three-day search.

One official told the Asso

ciated Press on condition of anonymity that Sanderson died due to self-inflicted injuries.

The Canadian police said that Sanderson went into “medical distress” after being taken into custody.

A high speed chase in which police “directed” his car into a ditch led to his

arrest.

While police said they were unable to provide fur ther detail about his death, they said that “all life-saving measures” were used and there was an ambulance called to the scene.

Sanderson was rushed to a hospital in Saskatoon, where he was pronounced dead.

Before his death, Sander son was charged with first degree murder and two others.

His brother, Damien Sanderson, was found dead in a grassy area the day after the stabbings with inju ries that did not look to be self-inflicted, according to police.

The mass stabbing oc curred across 13 locations in an indigenous community in Saskatchewan, Canada, on Sept. 4. These stabbings shocked a country unused to mass violence.

The motive for the attacks is still unknown.

Rhonda Blackmore, commanding officer of the Saskatchewan RCMP, said since Myles’ death “we may never have an understanding of that motivation.”

Nine of the 10 people killed belonged to the James Smith Cree Nation, while one was from a nearby town called Weldon. Their ages ranged from 23 to 78 years old. Police have released their names. The community is grieving.

Authorities said that some of the killing seemed to be planned while others were seemingly random.

With both suspects lo cated, Blackmore said that the “province is breathing a collective sigh of relief.”

Starbucks stores unionize in Oklahoma City

Matilda Harvey Reporter

Local Starbucks workers protested outside the state capitol on Labor Day to advocate for unionizing.

Last December, the first Starbucks in the United States to unionize was a Buffalo, New York location. Since, 247 Starbucks loca tions have voted to unionize and 210 of those locations have successfully unionized. There are currently 15,446 Starbucks locations in the United States.

The first Starbucks in Oklahoma to unionize was the location at NW 23rd Street and Robinson Avenue in May 2022. In the follow ing months, three other Starbucks in the metro filed with the National Labor Relations Board to vote on unionization.

The Oklahoma chapter of Starbucks Workers United is

not the only avenue for stores to unionize. The Ser vice Employees Internation al Union (SEIU) is working with the 23rd and Robinson Starbucks, as well as the Classen Starbucks. There is no rivalry between the two union groups, according to the Starbucks Workers United website.

“We believe that an injury to one is an injury to all and that the only way to act on that value is to stand in solidarity with our cowork ers and other workers in our industry,” the website FAQ page reads.

Police and investigators gather at the scene where a stabbing suspect was arrested in Rosthern, Saskatchewan on Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2022. Canadian police arrested Myles Sanderson, the second suspect in the stabbing deaths of multiple people in Saskatchewan, after a three-day manhunt that also yielded the body of his brother fellow suspect, Damien Sanderson.(Heywood Yu/The Canadian Press via AP)

A woman walks as smoke rises in the air in the background after shelling in Odesa, Ukraine, Sunday, April 3, 2022. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)

Last year, Starbucks workers won a streak of election wins to unionize their locations. In April 2022, graphic designer Logan Gassett created a graphic showcasing the thoughts of workers about unionizing. (The Vista/Logan Gassett)

Bronchos home opener takes out Emporia State, 21-13

Eden Jones Sports Reporter

A new era of Broncho football dawned on Thursday as UCO stung the Emporia State Uni versity Hornets, winning 21-13. There were a lot of cheers for returning Bron chos, but the loudest were for Coach Adam Dorrel.

It was almost a coro nation, as it was the first home game for the new head coach and former coach for the Northwest Missouri University Bear cats, as well as the first use of Chad Richison Stadi um. People flooded into the stadium, excited to see what a new Dorrel-led team looked like.

Senior quarterback Ste phon Brown led the team out to a thunderous roar, and after winning the coin toss, the game began.

The Hornets struck first with a first-quarter touch down, but it did not take long for the Bronchos to come back from that sev en-point deficit. Though starting slow on Thursday, a big 10-play, 65-yard scoring drive in the sec ond quarter tied the game after Brown found the end zone on a 3-yard run. It was tied 7-7 at halftime.

By this point, there was a lot of back and forth

between the two teams. It was stagnant for a bit while not much was going on offensively, as Emporia was playing man-to-man coverage.

But Emporia capitalized again. After forcing a punt on defense to start the second half, the Hornets scored and led 13-7 with 10 minutes and 40 sec onds to play in the third quarter. However, the Broncho defense did not let up, and the Broncho offense scored on backto-back possessions to put the game away. Brown found running back Nasir Kemper for 26 yards on the first play of the drive, and then again for the touchdown pass, giving UCO the lead 14-13. Then it was all Brown scoring up the middle for the final touchdown of the night. UCO led 21-13 with 4:03 to play. The Broncho’s defense was solid for the rest of the game, as Empo ria tried to make some thing happen, but cracked under the pressure of the UCO defense.

After falling short to Missouri Western Uni versity last week 35-0, the Bronchos came into this game with a chip on their shoulders. In a post-game interview, Junior Layne Grantham said he was

feeling ecstatic.

“It’s always good to win the first one at home and bounce back after last week,” Grantham said. “We just played more confident. We came out and had a good game plan; had a good week of practice. Once we were tied at halftime, we just stuck to our core values, we just came out in the second half and didn’t do anything special, we just did what we were sup posed to do,.”

UCO is now 1-1 on the season following this win and is hoping to keep this momentum going as they move forward into

their season. Brown led in rushing yards and said that their play did help with the win, but it was more than that.

“We stuck to our keys. We learned this whole off-season, just selfless ness and discipline, and just sticking to what we know, and just finished as a team,” Brown said.

Daunte Mcgee, a senior tight end, said Dorrel told them at halftime they needed to execute. Mcgee said the motivating midgame talk played a big role in the turning point of the game. The Bronchos are looking to build off this momentum heading into

next week.

“We haven’t beat them since 2017, so it feels good to beat them. As far as carrying into next week, we’re going to get these two days off to rest and regroup and then after that it’s game time going back to Missouri South ern. They beat us last year, so definitely want to get some vengeance on that,” Mcgee said.

“We just got to keep tak ing it day-by-day,” Brown said. “We feel like the only people who can beat us is us. So, just stop shooting ourselves in the foot and just keep building off of this momentum.”

UCO soccer scores 4-2 victory over East Central

momentum going into the second half with the score at 1-1.

Amaya Grace scored to open up the second half on a pass from Linavong, only to have ECU answer back less than 10 minutes later to put the score back at a 2-2 tie.

In the 70th minute of play, UCO took the lead again on another Linavong assist to Eden Jones, who scored her first goal of the season. The final nail in the coffin was put in by Emily Tincher as she put UCO ahead 4-2 to secure a win at home.

“We have to tighten things up in the backend, we gave up a penalty kick and a counterattack. Have to finish chances and put teams away,” said Head Coach Mike Cook.

UCO women’s soccer team charged into its home opening match Sept. 1 against the Tigers of East Central University. UCO’s Madison Linavong etched her name into the record book as she tied a school record with three assists in a single match. Four different players for the Bron

chos scored goals in the 4-2 victory over ECU as two second-half goals within a nine-min ute span led them to a 3-0 record. Both teams had to overcome sloppy playing conditions at the rain-soaked Tom Thompson Field.

UCO started strong, getting ahead within the first 10 minutes of the match off a pass from Linavong to Kylee Wickersham. The Tigers tied the match with 10 minutes to go in the first half and would steal some

UCO Soccer also recorded the 500th match victory in program history this past Saturday on the road in Shawnee against OBU in a 1-0 victory. Linavong had the lone goal after a race for the ball against the goal keeper of OBU. That improves the ‘Chos to 4-0 on the season and a record of 340-126-36. Cook has been part of every win since 1998.

“I want to say thank you to everyone who has ever been a part of this program,” Cook said. “We have been fortunate to be successful for a long time and it was great to get a win on the 500th game. That is pretty cool. We could have done more tonight, but we got the win, and we got a shutout.”

FCA offers Christian athletes strong moral support

Eden Jones Sports Reporter

Every day, student athletes from all across the country compete in their various sports, and for most athletes, they have a mo tive. It could be their family, friends, or being an inspiration to their younger selves. For some, it’s their faith.

Fellowship of Christian Athletes is a “non-denominational Christian sports minis try that focuses on coaches, campus, camp and community ministry,” according to FCA.org. It centers around seeing the world impacted for Jesus Christ through the influence of athletes and coaches. FCA allows for athletes to grow in their

faith and in their sport Shalyn Files is a UCO alumnus and FCA Area Director for the North Metro. She also competed as a member of the UCO cheer and track teams. She was the FCA leadership president as a student but knew this was something she wanted to carry on in life.

“FCA played a huge role in my spiritual growth and helped me through some very diffi cult and dark seasons of life,” she said.

Files said that FCA desires to serve ath letes and coaches by reminding them that their sport may be their platform, but it is not their purpose.

“So many people look at athletes and want or expect something from them. They are put under immense stress to be the best, repre

sent their school, win games and do well and, yes, athletes have a huge impact on their cam puses, but they are more than an athlete, they are a child of God,” she said.

Karly Wadsworth is a current UCO student athlete on the women’s basketball team. She is also on the leadership team for FCA. She shared how she glorifies God as a student ath lete.

“One way I try to glorify God every day is having a smile on my face and to encourage my teammates in practice and to show others Christ living through me,” she said.

UCO FCA has weekly meetings at 8:00 p.m. in Hamilton Field House. All students, athlete or not, are invited to participate.

Bronchos get a half-time pep talk from Head Coach Adam Dorrel before carving out a 21-13 vistory against Emporia State. (Provided/UCO Photo Services)

Devon Bajek Contributing Writer

UCO’s women’s soccer team won a decisive victory against East Central University, 4-2. (Provided/UCO Photo

PUP at Tower Theater

LIVE CONCERTS

SEPTEMBER

Jack White, Sept. 27, The Criterion, 500 E. Sheridan, criterionokc. com

John Mark McMillan, Sept. 27, Beer City Music Hall, 1141 NW Sec ond, towertheatreokc.com

Drug Church, Sept. 28, 89th Street OKC, 8911 N. Western, 89thstree tokc.com

Wheeler Walker Jr., Sept. 29, Tower Theatre, 425 NW 23rd, tow ertheatreokc.com

Keith Urban, Sept. 30, Paycom Center, 100 W. Reno, paycomcenter. com

Satsang, Sept. 30, Beer City Music Hall, 1141 NW Second, towerthe atreokc.com

Killer Queen, Sept. 30, Tower Theatre, 425 NW 23rd, towertheat reokc.com

John Fullbright, Sept. 30-Oct. 2, The Blue Door, 2805 N. McKinley, bluedoorokc.com

Logan Wood Contributing Writer

Middle Earth recently returned to the small screen with Amazon Prime’s new series, “Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power.”

This series is set thousands of years before Peter Jackson’s “Lord of the Rings” and “The Hobbit” trilogies and is expected to culminate in the massive battle against Sauron that was shown via flashback in the first “Lord of the Rings” film, “The Fellowship of the Ring.”

The first season will include eight episodes and Amazon has already committed to doing four more seasons after that.

“Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom” director J.A. Bayona directed the first two episodes, which were released together on the same day. They are titled “A Shadow of the Past” and “Adrift.”

Bayona had the daunting task of rein troducing the audience to Middle Earth after almost eight years away and did an amazing job. The show offers the same sense of wonder and whimsy that Peter Jackson was able to capture with his “Lord of the Rings” and “Hobbit” films.

The first episode of “Rings of Power” starts off pretty slow, taking its time

introducing each character along with their motivations and getting the au dience reacquainted with the world. It is the Middle Earth you know and love from the original “Lord of the Rings” trilogy but thousands of years in the past, so some things are a little different.

Galadriel and Elrond return from the Peter Jackson films to play much bigger roles in this series, but are no longer played by Cate Blanchett and Hugo Weaving. They are now played by Clark and Aramayo, respectively, who both give great performances. Every time they share a scene together my eyes are glued to the screen.

The visuals of the show are absolute ly top notch, which is to be expected since this series is said to be the most expensive television show of all time at over $60 million per episode. So far, it is money well spent.

The show uses maps as scene tran sitions to show the viewer where each scene is taking place ,which is useful since Middle Earth is a big place and it is nice to have a sense of where the char acters are physically at all times.

The first two episodes were a strong start to the series. After eight years away from Middle Earth, this show seems to be worth the wait.

Behind the Hit: Beyonce’s ‘Break My Soul’

Payton Scott Contributing Writer

Beyonce had the country in a frenzy with the release of her album, “Renaissance.” Her single “Break My Soul” ascended to the top of the Bill board Hot 100 in June 2022, debuting at No.15 but quickly rising to the No.1 stop on the billboard charts. “Break My Soul” is Beyonce’s eighth chart-topping hit in her prestigious career, it is also her first solo No.1 on the Hot 100 in 14 years. The last time Beyonce had a Hot 100 No.1 hit was for her 2008 classic “Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It),” which stayed at the top of the charts for four weeks.

Some of the producers credited on the song are The-Dream, Christo pher “Tricky” Stewart and Beyonce. The-Dream has been a household name in hip-hop and R&B for the past two decades, being behind hits like “Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It),” Jay Z’s 2013 chart-topping single “Holy Grail’’ and

Justin Bieber’s 2009 worldwide hit, “Baby.” The-Dream has also been a vocalist for some of hip-hop’s best, in cluding LL Cool J, Nas and Kanye West.

“Tricky” Stewart has just as great of a resume when it comes to producing, having credits on hit songs like Rihan

na’s 2007 anthem “Umbrella”, Frank Ocean’s single “Novacane” and Mariah Carey’s 2009 song “Obsessed”.

The hit contains two samples: Robin S. ‘s 1992 song “Show Me Love (Stonebridge Mix)” and Big Freedia’s 2014 song “Explode”. The sample of

“Show Me Love” appears at 11 seconds into “Break My Soul” and continues throughout the song as one of the main riffs. You can hear the part sampled at 13 seconds of “Show Me Love”. The sampling of Freedia’s vocals on “Ex plode” presents at seven seconds into the song, staying consistent throughout the hit. Big Freedia took to social media to express her joy for collaborating with Beyonce.

“It feels surreal to be on the track with Queen Beyonce once again. I’m so hon ored to be a part of this special moment. I’m forever grateful lord… someone please catch me,” Freedia tweeted.

In addition to the release of “Break My Soul,” Queen Bey provided her “Beyhive” with five remixes to the song, one featuring Madonna labeled “The Queen Remix.” The four other mixes feature artists such as will.i.am, Honey Dijon and Nita Aviance. “Break My Soul” has spent almost 12 weeks on the Hot 100 and maintained its No.1 spot for two weeks.

‘Dragon’ brings new stories and redemption to Westeros

Britton Summers Reporter

One of the biggest shows in television, “Game of Thrones,” came to a controversial conclusion and left many fans, me included, vastly disappointed by the way that the show ended. It turned from an intriguing deconstruction of classical fantasy tropes into generic fantasy fare that had the bare minimum put into it (ex emplified by the infamous coffee cup.) It was shocking, as if entirely different people had decided to complete the show and do it as poorly as possible. So, it was easy to imagine my hesitance to try a new “Game of Thrones” show.

Game of Thrones is a political dark fantasy that takes place in the ficti tious world of Westeros, where houses such as The Lannisters, The Targaryans, The Starks, and the Tyrells fight amongst each other to take power and sit on The Iron Throne, which is the seat of the king of Westeros. “Game of Thrones” is inspired by George R. R. Martin’s fantasy novel series “A Song of Ice and Fire.” The new series, “House of The Dragon,” is based on Martin’s book “Fire and Blood,” where he goes over the history of the Targaryan bloodline and their rule in Westeros.

There were a couple of stories from the “Game of Thrones” universe that could have been adapted from the books, such as the Blackfyre rebellions (where il legitimate Targaryan children revolted against the legitimate Targaryans and fought several wars) or the “Dunk and Egg” stories (which are “Conan”-style adventures about a future Targaryan king and his friend who will become one of the most leg

endary knights in Westeros history.) But the story that is being told here is proving to be worthy of the original series in terms of its storytelling, moral complexity, and political intrigue.

The show is exquisitely shot and well designed. Along with “The Sandman,” “House of The Dragon” is probably the best shot and designed show that I have seen all year. The imagery of this series is evocative and gives the feel of an ancient house slowly falling into decadence. The dragons that the Targaryans ride look magnifi cent as well and fit in nicely within the show’s texture. The scope of the show is also remarkable and the worldbuilding is steller, as is fitting for a “Game of Thrones” show.

While it might feel slow to some, I’ve appreciated the careful pace that this series has taken to get to its destination. It’s a show that believes fervently and wants its audi ence to believe in it, despite the ache and pain of the ending of the original “Game of Thrones” show, and it shows a lot of promise so far.

But where this show succeeds most is where the original show initially succeeded: great characterization. All the characters are flawed, conflicted and are in constant battle on what they should do. I often find what makes compelling and interesting characters is to give them two conflicting desires that drive their arc. As Martin once said when quoting William Faulkner, the only thing worth writing about is the human heart in conflict with itself, and the characters in this show fit this quite nicely. All the characters are defined by their personal conflicts and de sires, and none of them feel one dimensional.

Beyonce on the cover of ‘Renaissance.’ (Provided)

Life in photos: Graycee Hubbard shoots

Canadian punk rock band PUP performs at the Tower Theatre in Oklahoma City on Saturday, Sept. 10, 2022. (The Vista/ Graycee Hubbard)

‘Rings of Power’ is one show to rule them all