Rayce Phillips, a visually impaired student at the University of Central Oklahoma, had always dreamed of going to college.
“College is something I’ve wanted to do ever since I was a child, and now I’m here,” said Phillips.
Phillips began to lose his vision around 10-years-old, and while he can still see out of his peripheral vision in one eye, he uses a walking cane to navigate through life.
Phillips said for the most part his experiences at UCO have been positive, but there are still areas where he runs into trouble, mainly when it comes to accessibility on campus.
“If I need to go get books or something, that’s a much larger process,” said Phillips. Describing how he has to first locate the book number and then report it to Disability Support Services (DSS) in order to get it the way he needs it for his classes. He said this process can be time consuming and can cause him to get behind in classes.
Phillips is not the only student to run into accessibility issues on campus, Bailey Williams, a UCO student who uses a wheelchair, has also experienced issues with accessibility.
Williams describes accessibility on campus as not adequate enough, and feels that further
steps can be taken to ensure accessibility for all students.
Phillips spoke in detail about an incident in which he could not find a room located in the School of Music, because it did not have a braille room number. Phillips said this has been an issue in other buildings as well.
When describing campus, Phillips said, “It is accessible to an extent.”
Williams also described the campus as doing a great job of meeting the bare-minimum for the
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements.
Statements like these, and more, have grown on college campuses across the nation in recent months as the number of students with disabilities at universities has grown, according to the United States Government Accountability Office. The GAO is an independent, nonpartisan agency that is known as the congressional watchdog.
Chos first 3-0 start since 2014; beat Nebraska Kearney 32-17
Ian Nikkel Contributing Writer
The Bronchos earned a big victory on Saturday and with losses by Oklahoma and Oklahoma State, UCO is now the state’s only undefeated
football team following the 32-17 win over Nebraska Kearney.
Road woes have haunted this team since the arrival of Adam Dorrel, only going 2-9 over the last two seasons. The game started off poorly with a Jett Huff interception on the first drive
of the game after only three plays. But Central’s defense would force a three and out and a Lopers punt. The Bronchos would go on an 82 yard drive but come up two yards short on fourth down at the goalline. Both defenses would hold their own in a scoreless tie after the first quarter.
on Page 4.
“A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder,”
Zoe Gfeller Reporter
UCO Musical Theatre will be presenting “A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder” at 7:30 p.m., Sept. 26 to 29, and 2 p.m., Sept. 29, in Mitchell Hall. Students are eligible for a free ticket with a valid UCO ID.
This Tony Award-winning musical is set in Edwardian England and follows main character Monty Navarro as he navigates fortune, romance, deception and murder. After discovering he is ninth in line to the D’Ysquith family fortune, Navarro is determined to claim his title. He sets off on a humorous adventure to dispose of the eight in line in front of him. Along the way, he must deal with the swills of romance, caught in a love triangle between characters Phoebe D’Ysquith and Sibella Hallward. Navarro’s misadventures are always met with a good dose of humor that will undoubtedly keep the audience laughing throughout.
The humor of the show stretches to rehearsals as well. Lillie Taylor, portraying Phoebe
Correction: Art Cotton is
D’Ysquith, said,“It’s just so funny and we laugh so much in rehearsal.”
The fun of the rehearsals will no doubt be translated to the stage, creating a truly unforgettable experience for the audience. Not only will the audience be laughing, they will be kept on their toes as they navigate through the many twists and turns of the plot. Taylor continues, “There are a lot of surprises and you never really know what is coming next.”
The show was a quick success upon its 2013 Broadway debut, winning four Tony Awards in 2014 including Best Musical. It was met with critical praise for its comedic aspects and inspired writing. New York Times reporter Christopher Isherwood praised the musical stating it was “among the most inspired and entertaining new musical comedies.” Despite its praise, the show has rarely been produced outside of Broadway and national tour circuits, making it a truly special and exciting experience for UCO Musical Theatre to embark on. “I’m very excited for the audience to see it and to have the ability to bring a rarely seen show to Edmond,” said
opening Sept. 26
Taylor.
This production is an example of what the UCO Musical Theatre department is made of. The show is directed by program alumni Justin Larman and features several cast members playing various characters. This is no easy feat for an actor at any level. The most notable performance of this type is Colin Rizzo who plays all eight members of the D’Ysquith family. All of Rizzo’s characters are vastly different in personality and gender presentation, adding to the difficulty of the performance. Furthermore, the show is double-casted, meaning the main roles are alternated between different actors. Monty Navarro is portrayed by Daniel Johnson and Harrison Shaw, Sibella is portrayed by Emilie Lange and Chloe Kenyon, and Phoebe is portrayed by Lillie Taylor and Jenna Gaston.
Students can see the show for free with the presentation of a valid UCO ID an hour before showtime. All other tickets range from $15- $25.
Rayce Phillips navigates his classroom using his walking cane and his hands to feel for desks and debris. Speech
Professor Deborah Deppe ensures the aisles are clear for Phillips to walk through. (VICTOR LOPEZ/THE VISTA)
Continued
William Mason (22) breaks through Central Missouri Mules defense during the second game of the season. (ANDREA VASQUEZ/THE VISTA)
Couple views art at the OVAC Fundrasier. (ARRIANA CHARQUEÑO/THE VISTA)
Community member views art at the OVAC Fundrasier. (ARRIANA CHARQUEÑO/THE VISTA)
Crowds view art at the OVAC Fundrasier. (ARRIANA CHARQUEÑO/THE VISTA)
Viewers look at Mindless by Madison Moody-Torres (ARRIANA CHARQUEÑO/THE VISTA)
Infrustructure and instruction both important in accessibility, study shows
Continued from Page 1.
As Williams noted, many of the buildings on campus are historic, and with that many were not built with people with disabilities in mind. While many buildings, such as Thatcher Hall, may present a challenge, some amenities have been built.
However, Williams said this is not enough. She described difficult experiences she had while trying to access the building.
A ramp placed outside Thatcher Hall at the entrance closest to Broncho Lake presents a challenge to students in wheelchairs, Williams said. The accessibility button which electronically opens the door is placed at the top of the ramp, causing Williams to have difficulty holding momentum in her chair, while also waiting for the door to open.
This being one of the few accessible doors to the building presents another challenge for students with disabilities.
While students do face challenges on campus, DSS offers options and assistance to those who may need it.
“Our main job in the department is to qualify students with disabilities and determine what those accommodations are that they may need,” said Sharla Weathers, director of DSS.
Weathers said DSS offers an array of services for students with disabilities, including reduced distraction environments for quiz and test taking, screen-readers for visually impaired students, converted textbooks and letters of accommodations to provide to professors.
When describing their experiences with accommodation letters, both Phillips and Williams said there were difficulties.
Phillips had not received his accommodation letter for the fall 2024 semester until Sept. 11.
While Phillips did have to wait four weeks for his letter, he said all of his professors had been very understanding of the situation. Weathers noted the beginning of the semester being one of the most difficult for DSS, as they had students across the university which needed accommodations, and each student had to be assessed for what accommodations best meet their needs.
Williams however faced a different set of circumstances with her letter. During an aggressive storm a few semesters ago, Williams fell out of her chair while getting into her car, at her apartment.
This incident caused her to seek additional excused absences in the event of severe weather, which can present a challenge to her, she said.
DSS denied the request, frustrating Williams.
Still, DSS seeks to be a support option for students, said Weathers.
“ADA is the floor,” said Weathers, describing the act as not enough when seeking to accommodate students.
While Phillips and Williams both faced, as they described, negative experiences on campus, they also described how professors have assisted them.
Classroom accommodations were the most important to Phillips, who said making a personal connection with his professors made his experience better.
Phillips said a professor can make or break a class for him.
“If I decide to switch a class at the start of the year, I’ll switch it if I get a bad vibe from the instructor or I don’t believe they are a right fit,” said Phillips. He described how most of his work is done electronically through screen-readers and other accessibility applications, and that it does take him more time to do his work than it would most, which requires an understanding professor.
“If a professor’s willing to work with me, it shows a lot as to their character,” said Phillips. Williams also described a professor’s willingness to work with her as a big factor in her learning experience.
When discussing how UCO can provide more to students who require accommodations, Weathers said the classroom is the most crucial element of accessibility. Describing how when showing videos, professors can use closed-captioning options, or ensure walkways are cleared for students who may have difficulty navigating the path, she also said professors can have multiple ways to assess students, so they can display their knowledge of the content beyond just tests.
Weathers said DSS has had a higher number of accommodation requests when compared to the post-Covid-19 fall semesters and, as of the Sept. 13 interview with The Vista, Weathers said DSS was still a week booked out in scheduling appointments.
While DSS is at its peak accommodations request time, there are still options for students with disabilities on campus, said Weathers, pointing to accommodations from professors.
In a study published by the University of Washington, it found that it takes a more holistic approach to ensure accessibility on campus.
“It is not just the disability services office or the disability services provider or the director or the coordinator that is responsible to making sure that access is provided for students with disabilities, or that their needs are being met. It is a university-wide responsibility,” said Beatrice Awoniyi, director and assistant dean for the Student Disability Resource Center at Florida State University.
The study found that campus accessibility is both an infrastructure and instruction issue.
Skunk chases ROTC student near Wantland Hall early in the morning
Mariah Vanzant
Copy Editor
University of Central Oklahoma student Daniel Smith was chased by a skunk Monday, Sept. 16 at Wantland Hall before he walked into the building.
Smith is a Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) student. He goes to Wantland Hall in the mornings for physical training. Sept. 16 at 5:40 a.m. he was walking into the building and a skunk ran out of the bushes he was passing and chased him to the door.
“A skunk jumped out of the bush,” Daniel said. “It was really angry and acting really aggressively. I think it must have been a mom and had babies in that bush because I know they are not supposed to chase you.”
He then ran away from the skunk into the building and shut the door behind him. Since this incident he has seen skunks three more times around Wantland Hall at around the same time. Tiffany Dyer, administrator specialist for the department of kinesiology and health studies inside Wantland Hall, is unaware of any skunks on campus. She said she has not received any reports of skunks around the building. Dyer said the next step for a student who comes in contact with a skunk would be to report it to that building. Wantland Hall would then contact pest control.
UCO Biology Professor Vicki Jackson said that it is very rare for a skunk to chase somebody as their first line of defense is to spray whoever is threatening them. Somebody would have to be really close to the skunk or the skunk would have
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to be protecting its babies.
Jackson said there are skunks all over campus.
“Striped skunks are very adaptable to rural, suburban and urban settings,” Jackson said. “Even though we feel like this is a fairly developed area in Edmond, if you look around, especially around Wantland Hall there’s a park, there’s a lot of greenery and there’s a lot of landscape.”
She said on that side of campus there is a creek that runs up towards 2nd street and the skunks like that. The skunks also come from Fink Park which is really close to campus.
“We have lots and lots of patches of wild areas,” Jackson said. “They do really well in these sorts of areas because they can burrow under houses, live in bushes and they eat our trash.”
She said if students are not careful of how they
dispose of their trash they could be supplementing their food. Skunks like to live in places where they can get easy food.
“Especially when people have outdoor cats that they feed,” Jackson said. “That is very attractive to skunks, raccoons and opossums because they love cat food. I do know that sometimes people see outdoor cats on campus and start feeding them.”
Jackson said that skunks are nocturnal so it is unlikely that any students will come into contact with any skunks during the day. Should a student come into contact with one during the day or are chased by one they should report them to whichever building they are near so pest control can be called.
UCO’s Student Voice Since 1903
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.
EDITORIALS
Opinion columns, editorial cartoons, reviews and commentaries represent the views of the writer or artist and not necessarily the views of The Vista Editorial Board, the Department of Mass Communications, UCO or the Board of Regents of Oklahoma Colleges. The Vista is not an official medium of expression for the Regents or UCO.
LETTERS
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
The Vista encourages letters to the editor. 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 questionable 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 jramsey14@uco.edu
Wantland Hall sign at the University of Central Oklahoma. (MARIAH VANZANT/THE VISTA)
Bronchos breakaway from Lopers in fourth quarter
The Lopers would strike first in the second quarter with quarterback Reagan Jones rushing for a 24 yard score. Huff would respond with his own rushing touchdown from three yards to even the score 7-7. UNK was forced to punt on their next drive, but Terrill Davis would fumble the return, which led to another Loper touchdown. But the Bronchos wouldn’t give up, driving down the field for a nine play 62-yard drive capped off by a William Mason rush to even the score at 14-14 at the half.
Following a field goal from Nebraska-Kearney, UCO went on another long drive, but at the 12-yard line, Huff would throw his second interception of the game to Loper cornerback Kendall Brewer, who caught it at the one yard line but then ran backwards into the end zone before being tackled by Broncho tight end
Dominique Dunn earning UCO a safety and the ball back. That would be the game changer as the Bronchos never looked back, adding 16 points in the final quarter and shutting down the Loper offense for the rest of the game. Central would win the game 32-17, earning their best start since 2014.
William Mason was the bellcow in the game, the Coweta native had 27 carries for 133 yards and a touchdown against one of the best rushing defenses in the MIAA. Jaylen Cottrell had a quiet 10 carries for 27 yards, but the Bronchos are a running back by committee team, so don’t be surprised when Mason & Cottrell have big increases or decreases in stats week to week.
The Bronchos will host Fort Hays State this Saturday, as Central Oklahoma looks to have their first 4-0 start since 2004.
Bennett Baldwin focuses on golf national title for final year
tions get to me is kind of almost more important to me now than working on my actual swing or anything physical.”
year, Baldwin said that his motivation for this year’s season is to win nationals and go out with a bang.
UCO’s All-American senior golfer Bennett Baldwin is going after a stellar final year before trying the pro circuit.
“I told myself my sophomore year that if I had a great junior and senior year that I would try and attempt professional golf,” said the 21-year-old from Stillwater. “I had a great junior year and so if I continue that trend this year then I think that’s a real possibility.”
Baldwin said he would like to hone his game through smaller tournaments like the Oklahoma Open, then go through Q-School, the annual qualifying tournaments for the PGA Tour.
“At this point in my career and my skill level it’s a lot of mental preparation,” said Baldwin. “Staying focused on the next shot and meditating and just making sure I don’t let my emo-
Baldwin’s morning routine consists of a cold shower and five to ten minutes of meditation to settle in for the day. He tries to practice that same meditation and relaxation at the golf course to center himself after bad shots.
“You have no option but to hit the next one.” said Baldwin, “So you have to just stay focused on what’s in front of you and not worry about the past or the future.”
A golf management major, Baldwin also wants to potentially coach and help young people play golf.
“Golf’s a really expensive sport and it’s hard to get into,” said Baldwin. “So if I give kids and underprivileged people the opportunity to play golf and let them feel the joy I felt playing the game, that would be awesome.”
After making it to match play at nationals last
In this year’s season debut, Baldwin finished ninth with a 211 total, his eighteenth career top-20. Last year Baldwin had a scoring average of 72.35, making it his best season at UCO so far.
Baldwin said that golf can be a love-hate relationship, feeling like Sisyphus pushing a boulder up a mountain forever, but that loving the process makes it all worth it.
“I think the thing about golf is that you can’t be perfect in it and it’s always, you’re always improving,” said Baldwin. “It’s something about trying to get to that perfection, but you know you’re never going to get there, and it’s just like with life, you’re going to have bad breaks and you’re going to miss some puts, but you have to go on to the next hole.”
UCO tennis struggles at ITA Central Regionals Championships
Ian
Contributing Writer
The University of Central Oklahoma tennis team didn’t see much success at the ITA Central Regional Championships this past weekend. The Bronchos hosted the championship at Edmond Center Court, and were out in full force, however it was not for long.
All six Broncho tennis players made it to round 32, however, only one would advance any further and that was Neftali Zafeiri, who made it to round 16 before losing to Missouri Western’s Johanna Priedite. It was the same story for doubles as all three Broncho teams were eliminated in their second game of the tournament in round 16. No champions of the region have been crowned yet, due to the rain throughout Sunday.
The Broncho’s fall tennis season is over and the team will resume action in January.
Xzavier Booth (35) celebrates at previous win against Mules (ANDREA VASQUEZ/THE VISTA)
UCO golfer Bennett Baldwin during media day. (PROVIDED/PHOTO SERVICES)
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UCO hockey splits home opener against Drury
Cedric Brossie Contributing Writer
Over the weekend, the UCO men’s hockey teams had a two game home opener against the MD1 Drury University.
During the first game the Broncos pulled out a 4-2 victory against the Drury Panthers, with 32 attempted shots on goals, and 0-6 on the power play goals.
During game two the Bronchos had a hard fought game. In the first period, the Bronchos were trailing the Drury Panthers 1-0, but that quickly changed in the second period.
UCO’s own Zach Guerra scored the team’s first goal, tying up the game 1-1. In the middle of the second period the Drury Panthers scored another goal, leading the Bronchos 2-1.
In the third period the Bronchos played a tight defense, but still came up short, ultimately losing to the Panthers 6-2.
The Drury Panthers tie the series with the Bronchos 1-1.
The UCO hockey team faces Missouri State on Oct. 11 and 12 on their home turf, or ice, the Arctic Edge Ice Arena. Tip-off is at 7 p.m. for both games.
Volleyball remains undefeated as soccer improves record
Ethan Suntken
Contributing Writer
The UCO women’s volleyball and soccer teams went a combined 5-0 this past week.
The volleyball team continued their dominance with another 4-0 week to bring their overall record to 13-0. The team is ranked No. 15 in the country and will most likely rise after their successful week.
UCO played their home opener Thursday after playing their first nine games on the road. The team opened their week Thursday in the MIAA/GAC crossover with a sweep of Southwestern Oklahoma State University. The No. 15 Bronchos weren’t ever challenged
by SWOSU, taking all three sets by scores of 25-11, 25-20, 25-23. Jenna Karp and Mikaela Garvin took over the third set by combining for nine kills in the set alone.
The following day, the Bronchos took on Oklahoma Baptist University for the second time this season.
After sweeping the Bison in the first match on Sept. 10, this game was the same story. The Bronchos did drop one set to the Bison, finishing the match in four sets by scores of 25-22, 22-25, 25-9, 25-11.
Later that day, the Bronchos handled the East Central Tigers easily. The team swept East Central 25-18, 25-9, 25-17. To round out their week on Saturday, they took on the Savage Storm of Southeastern Oklahoma State. Again, the
Bronchos finished the match with a sweep. After a close first set, 25-20, the Bronchos dominated the last two by scores of 25-9 and 25-16.
The Bronchos capped off their 4-0 week as they look to move into the top ten of the Division II Women’s Volleyball standings this week.
The Broncho soccer team improved their record to 3-2 overall and 2-1 at home Wednesday when they took on the Southern Nazarene Storm.
The game was scoreless after the first 45 minutes and for much of the second half, too. In the 75th minute, Albany Adair opened up the scoring for the Bronchos to put her team up 1-0. About three minutes later, Adair scored her second goal of the match to put the Bronchos up
2-0 with a shot that barely got past the goalkeeper. In the 86th minute, SNU got their first goal to make the score 2-1, but the Bronchos were able to hold off the late rally from the Storm to win by a final score of 2-1.
The team plays their final non-conference game vs. Oklahoma Christian University Monday, Sept. 23 at 7 p.m. in Oklahoma City. Later in the week, the team goes on the road to take on Washburn on Sept. 27 at 6 p.m. and Emporia State Sept. 29 at 1 p.m.
Looking ahead, the UCO volleyball team plays twice this week. Both games will be played at Hamilton Fieldhouse. The bronchos host Newman Sept. 27 at 6 p.m. and Pittsburg State Sept. 28 at 2 p.m.
Column: Oh, the times they are a’ changin’: Football continues to evolve
Coach Bradie Gray Columnist
There are few things as cyclical over time as football. No matter how far the game goes in one direction, it always seems to come back around. Just six years ago, Patrick Mahomes was going nuclear in the NFL with 55 touchdowns and over 5000 yards passing. At the same time, the Big XII Conference was in full swing averaging 30.2 points per game, nearly three points above the national average. Even perennial powerhouse Alabama was a high-flying offense averaging 45 points per contest. They routinely won games with scores like 9-6 and 17-10 just five years prior but decided to change. Every analyst and their mother were telling us, “This is just what football looks like now so get used to it.”
For fans, many will not enjoy it. They will root for their favorite teams and players all the same, but deep down they will still feel a sense of boredom and longing for the regular 44-38 shootouts they grew up watching while they lose yet another game 18-13. But as a coach, I cannot wait for this era of football. No more West Coast simplicity. No more only running four types of run plays. No more only winning if you win the turnover battle. Elite play designers will rise to the top. Coaches who utilize elite rushing offenses of decades past like 1940s Oklahoma, ‘60s Michigan, and ‘80s Nebraska will be the ones who dominate. The ones who don’t believe in winning with volume deep passing but instead by taking well-calculated shots. A game of intelligence rather than gimmicks. Coaches today need to do what all the greatest coaches in history did and get with the times. If they don’t, they’ll forever be stuck in 2016 still throwing fades up the sideline and wondering why they keep losing ballgames. Sports
Fast forward to today. Offenses in the NFL are scoring at historic lows. College teams like OU and Oklahoma State, teams that we grew up watching score 50+ points routinely, are now having to win games scoring 20 points or less. What happened to offensive football? The same thing that happens every twenty years or so: the game has finally evolved. Again. Look back to 1975. The NFL was dominated by the Steel Curtain Steelers, led by their generational defense and Hall of Fame fullback
Franco Harris. They averaged 165 yards rushing per game but only 160 yards passing (with Hall of Famer Terry Bradshaw under center). Ten years later, it looks very similar with the ’85 Bears. On defense, the fabled Monsters of the Midway, and on offense, the great Walter Payton toting the rock. Yardage? 173 yards per game rushing and only 160 yards passing. Now look forward to 1995. When you look around the league, things are completely different. There’s still some traditional teams, but the best teams got with the times: Green Bay’s Brett Favre lit up the league with over 4200 passing yards and 38 scores; the Buffalo Bills lightning fast offense was tearing up the league to the tune of over 330 yards per game; the San Francisco 49ers were still thriving off of Bill Walsh’s West Coast offense built for them years before with wide receiver Jerry Rice’s 1800 yards through the air. Not to mention the actual Super Bowl Champion Dallas Cowboys, who averaged only 136 yards rushing per game versus 214 yards passing. A stark difference to the decade prior.
In the years that followed, the passing game continued to take over. In the NFL, it was Favre and Manning in the 2000s, Brady and Brees in the 2010s, and now Mahomes and Josh Allen today. In college, the Air Raid offense gave us Colt Brennan and Graham Harrell who led the way for guys like Johnny Manziel, Baker Mayfield, and Joe Burrow. How did offenses find so much success? They were one step ahead of defenses in evolving. Lineback-
ers were 6-foot-2 and 250 pounds trying to guard receivers that were 5-foot-10, 185 pounds. Safeties only ran 4.7 second 40s while tight ends developed into 4.5 second guys. Running backs became receivers hauling in five or six passes per game on a bad year. Offensive speed and utility have reigned supreme for the vast majority of our lifetimes, but who said defenses weren’t allowed to evolve?
Defenses are faster than ever. All the best linebackers, like Fred Warner, only weigh 225 pounds and run like receivers. The best safeties, like Jessie Bates, run 4.3 second 40s and hit like sledgehammers. Heck, even defensive linemen run sub-4.5 second 40s hawking down even the best runners. It is absolutely insane what defenders today are capable of. Defenses have dominated the past few years. Seattle’s Legion of Boom in ’13, Denver’s No Fly Zone in ’15, and Kansas City’s defense last year led by Steve Spagnuolo all dominated their way to Super Bowl victories. Offenses were strong to run, so defenses became big. Defenses got bigger, so offenses became faster. Offenses got fast, so defenses have become faster than ever, so now what? Like the Ouroboros circling around to eat its own tail, so too does the cyclical sport of football. I believe offenses will become strong to run again. They have to. Players are not magically going to start running faster than they do, but plenty of them are already bigger than the defenses across from them. As boring as some fans may find it, welcome back to power running football. Teams will win by
averaging 200 yards passing or less and running it 30+ times per game. They will win with field position thanks to elite special teams. They won’t dominate with explosive plays, but rather with time of possession. Football will become no longer a game of 50-yard haymakers, but rather a chess match between gameplan designers and play callers.
UCO outside hitter Mikaela Garvin (21) soars above the court.
(ANDREA VASQUEZ/THE VISTA)
Central Oklahoma hockey stays focused on the ice. (ARRIANA CHARQUEÑO/THE VISTA)
UCO midfielder Izzy Van Zanten strikes the ball. (ANDREA VASQUEZ/THE VISTA)
The first-ever Route 66 Balloon Festival in Oklahoma launched at Arcadia
each balloon simultaneously, making them glow.
Oklahoma’s first annual Route 66 Balloon Festival took place this past weekend in Arcadia, featuring hot air balloons, food vendors, live music, games and more.
From 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. from Friday to Sunday, hundreds of people, some even traveling from out of state, came to visit the historic Route 66 road to participate in this newly introduced festival.
Throughout each day that the event was happening, from the morning to the evening, multiple hot air balloons could be seen and heard launching into the air from the bigger of the two fields that the festival was taking place on.
At certain times, the balloons were even available to take tethered rides inside of, depending on if the weather was suitable for it.
“We wanted to do a special something for our granddaughter’s birthday, and this is where we picked to come. She’s very excited to ride in the hot air balloon,” said Melba Lynn, who traveled from Kansas City, Missouri to be there.
Those who joined the festival were also welcomed by dozens of vendors lined up on the west field; some of whom were selling things like food, clothing, art and collectables.
“I love all of these kinds of events because it’s so nice to be able to talk to new people. Some of the things they make that they want to sell are really great,” continued Lynn.
Near the end of the of the day’s event during the evening hours, people gathered and sat on the grass of the main field to watch as all of the balloons were being blown up once more for the festival’s “Balloon Glow” event, a special showcase in which the flames from the balloon’s burners were repeatedly shot into the inside of
As the balloons were being blown up, multiple people, including the balloon’s pilot, were needed to ensure it was being inflated and set up properly.
This part of the day continued for about an hour, then all of the balloons were deflated and packed up to be used for the next morning’s launch.
Other activities present at the Route 66 Balloon Festival included helicopter rides provided by FlyTulsa Helicopters, some outdoor games such as cornhole and basketball, as well a section with bouncy castles for kids to play on.
In addition, one of the sponsors for the event, Chicken Shack, was also serving food throughout each day of the festival, with musicians even performing live for guests dining inside of the restaurant.
A Look Into Oklahoma City’s Unhoused Population’s Daily Lives
Jesse Miller, a professor of photography, and Matt Jones, a professor of criminal justice, embarked on a project three years ago with the goal of displaying the life of homeless individuals, and allowing them to create narratives around their reality. Now, the photo exhibition is being held at the Downtown Metropolitan Library, and will be up until Saturday, Sept. 28.
The University of Central Oklahoma professors applied for a grant before COVID-19, and then got accepted for this collaborative project. They then gave unhoused individuals disposable cameras and told them to photograph their daily lives.
“A lot of my interests deal with poverty and kind of the edges of the criminal justice system,” said Jones. “I view a lot of what the criminal justice system deals with of the fallout from larger systematic arrangements.”
Jones described how he was working with a research assistant at the time and that’s when the idea for the project came along. He described the quantitative work that went into most assess-
ments of people facing homelessness, and said he wanted to do something different and focus on the human aspect.
“We see people who don’t have houses, and we kind of have these narratives forced upon them,” Jones said. “So, we wanted to let them try to have more of a say in that narrative.”
They met candidates for this project by going
to the main campus of the Homeless Alliance and “Fresh Start” classes. The Homeless Alliance offers housing, food, showers, computers and more.
“Fresh Start” are what the art classes are called that the Homeless Alliance offers.
“I just kind of hope it sensitizes people to the issues and things that they might see,” said Jones. “I hope it lets you see a little bit through their eyes. Empathy, humanity, I hope those things kind of result.”
Peyton Cleek Reporter
Troy Isbell Reporter
A row of hot air balloons during the glowing from the flames under them. (TROY ISBELL/THE VISTA)
One of many photos at display at the Downtown Metropolitan Library. (PROVIDED/JESSE MILLER)
A girl watching flames being shot into the bottom of one of the hot air balloons. (TROY ISBELL/THE VISTA)
People shooting flames into the hot air balloons during tthe festival. (TROY ISBELL/THE VISTA)
Pineapple Willows set to perform at ACM’s Live Room
Callie Turley Reporter
Oklahoma band Pineapple Willows will perform Thursday at ACM’s Live Room in Oklahoma City with The Wavelength opening. The show is set to start around 7 p.m. Admission is $10 or free with a UCO ID.
Pineapple Willows is an emo indie rock or shoegaze pop band with artist influences of Hippo Campus, U2, Beabadoobee, The Beatles and My Chemical Romance, said Danté Frame of Pineapple Willows.
The band is made up of lead vocalist and guitarist Danté Frame, bassist Dillon Polston and their newest member Andy Copeland who does rhythm, drums and backing vocals.
They will perform mostly original songs and one cover at the ACM Live Room show, said Frame. He said they will play songs from their recent EP “Pick Up the Tab.” Frame said Dillon Polston wrote most of the EP after returning to the band. Frame said Polston was one of the founding members of the band.
The band originally was called Diva, but they decided to change the name for a more recognizable one. Frame said a former bass player of the band came up with the name Pineapple Bombs. There were a couple of other bands with the same name, so they decided on Pineapple Willows, Frame said. Frame got the idea to use the word “willows” from a lyric from the first song they wrote.
gan Kelley, and bass player Riley Luttrell. The Wavelength is a Pop and R&B band, said Ruyle.
for a show at Resonator in August, said Ruyle. They contacted local band baileyboy who recommended Pineapple Willows, said Ruyle. The Wavelength reached out to Pineapple Willows to open for them and they agreed to it.
Since then they have been playing other shows together. They even performed a cover of a song by The Beatles together at a previous show, said Ruyle.
The Wavelength will perform mainly originals at the Live Room show that Ruyle and Kenna wrote by themselves, said Ruyle. They also will likely perform two covers which are “Valerie” by Amy Winehouse and “Naive” by The Kooks, said Ruyle.
The band met because they all work at the School of Rock in Oklahoma City, said Ruyle. Ruyle is a studio coordinator there, Kenna teaches keys and voice, Kelley teaches guitar and bass and Luttrell teaches guitar and bass at the School of Rock.
The Wavelength will be opening for Pineapple Willows at ACM’s Live Room. The band comprises drummer and singer Rebekah Ruyle, keyboardist and singer Kenna, lead guitarist Lo-
Kenna, of The Wavelength, is a current student at ACM and is also a part of band OK3 which was featured on “The Voice.”
The Wavelength asked Pineapple Willows to perform with them at ACM’s Live Room. The two bands have previously performed alongside each other. They started performing at shows together after The Wavelength needed an opener
They have been playing together for eight or nine months now. After Kenna was on “The Voice,” she asked Ruyle to play shows as a duo and they thought if they ever needed a full band they could ask Riley Luttrell and Logan Kelley to be in the band, said Ruyle. The first gig that they got was headlining at Resonant Head, so they needed a full band. Then they just continued getting asked to perform at places together, said Ruyle.
Lexi Onyango opens for Arlo Parks at Tower Theatre
Callie Turley Reporter
Tulsa-based artist Lexi Onyango recently opened for English indie pop artist Arlo Parks at Tower Theatre on Sept. 15.
Onyango started playing guitar when she was about 10 or 11 years old, said Onyango. She has been exposed to music for most of her life by her grandparents and her mom. She said it felt like it was the only thing she was good at. Onyango said she started playing live and writing music when she was 15.
When she was 15 or 16, she started finding local bands and trying to figure out how she could play shows. She said her first show was at The Vanguard in Tulsa. She also started music by playing at her school in her choir class.
She said the people at Tower Theatre were the ones who reached out to her about booking her for the Arlo Parks show.
Onyango said she had never performed at Tower Theatre or a venue with that capacity. She said she is trying to play at bigger venues and this was the first time she had played a show at a venue with more than a 500 capacity.
She said she was shocked that there was a local artist opening for the Arlo Parks show and that she is super grateful for the experience. “I feel like I made a lot of connections and made some new fans that night for sure,” said Onyango. Onyango describes her music as Indie pop. She said she feels like she has always been an indie artist whether it’s pop, folk, or singer/songwriter. She said artists like Faye Webster, Joni Mitchell, Beach House and SZA influence her music. She
feels like her music has so many genres mixed into one, said Onyango.
She said the new music she has been releasing is about her childhood. “You know you grow up very fast and it’s kind of sad to think about maturing and the changes that come in and out of your life all of the time,” said Onyango. She said she wanted to slow down with the singles she has been making to tell her story as a person and as an artist. She said she is a writer and she connects with the writing aspect of music more than anything.
When asked about the support she gets at her concert from family, friends and others she
says it helps a lot because it can be hard making actual fans. She said it takes playing for someone who is a big deal, like the Arlo Parks show, to be looked at as talented even though they are a local artist. She feels like local artists can be overlooked sometimes.
She said that her family comes to almost every show, especially the bigger shows. She said her best friends often come to her shows and her band members are some of her best friends as well. She feels like there are so many people that support her that are at almost every show and she is super grateful for that, said Onyango.
Her backing band who has been playing shows with her since 2019 includes Logan Bruhn who is also her producer, Jhakobi Harkey, Josh Fudge and Tyler Sexton. Onyango said they all make their own music and often help make music for each other. She said they even live within walking distance of each other and specifically moved into houses to be close to each other.
Onyango said her plans right now are to stay consistent with her music. She said for now she is trying to be consistent with releasing as much music as she can to keep her numbers up. She said sometimes when you take breaks it’s hard to keep your numbers up. People just listen more frequently when you are releasing often, she said. She said right now she is trying to build her team. She recently got a management team and she is trying to figure out how to do the funding side of music, Onyango said. She said she is trying to build her practice and her following and keep writing the music she wants to write and take it as far as she can while staying true to herself.
Free art exhibition, Plaza Walls Mural Expo
Ella Spurlock Reporter
The Plaza Walls Mural Expo is a free art exhibition opening on Sep. 28 and will feature over 40 unique murals created by regional and local artists. The expo is a part of the Plaza District Arts Festival, which includes dancing, live music and gallery expos. The brick wall murals have a one-year run time and the fence-line panel murals have a six-month run time. All murals are available for viewing 24 hours a day.
Pineapple Willows will be performing at ACM’s Live Room. (JACK PIERCE AND CORBIN TAYLOR/PROVIDED)
Lexi Onyango performs at Tower Theatre. (CALLIE TURLEY/THE VISTA)
Plaza Walls Mural Expo from 2023 that feature 40 regional and local artists that stay on display yearround will be replaced at this years Plaza Walls Mural Expo. (VICTOR LOPEZ/THE VISTA)
Lady walks around the plaza taking photos of the many murals on display. (VICTOR LOPEZ/THE VISTA)
The Penguin: Batman Villian Seen in a New Light
Britton Summers Reporter
“They’re schemers…schemers trying to control their little worlds. I’m not a schemer.” - The Joker, The Dark Knight. Everyone schemes in “The Penguin.” It is the nature of the beast that is organized crime. Criminals do whatever they can to get the advantage, to seize power by any means necessary. Conscience or restraint is obsolete in this world, and that’s what “The Penguin” excels at.
After “The Batman,” many people were looking forward to what would come next from director Matt Reeves’ interpretation of the world of Gotham. While Reeves is only an executive producer on this show, his touch is felt all over “The Penguin” and it feels like he had some creative say for this series.
Easily the best part of this series is Colin Farrell’s performance as the titular character. Considering Oz’s look, it easily could have been a horribly ridiculous caricature of a performance, and yet Farrell gives Oz such humanity, even though he is clearly a scumbag who’s itching for power and will do anything to get it. Also to be commended is Cristin Milioti as Sofia Falcone, the deranged daughter of feared crime boss Carmine Falcone. There’s an intensity to her performance, but she also hides an intelligence behind her insanity, making her a formidable foe for our villain protagonist in Oz.
Newcomer Rhenzy Feliz also proves himself among giants such as Farrell as Vic, a young street kid who at once exudes both vulnera-
bility and toughness.
There were some concerns that this could turn into a “Sopranos” rip off, but luckily “The Penguin” doesn’t fall into such traps. There are some comparisons to be made with “The Sopranos,” such as the gritty tone, and Oz’s relationship with his mom bears some similarities to Tony’s relationship with his mother (though not as tumultuous, at least so far). But the real drama of this series comes from the power plays and moves of the gangsters and criminals of Gotham. It’s clear “The Penguin” understands why people like gangster movies and shows, and what the audience is getting is a classic gangster story told in a classic style, more “Godfather” than “Goodfellas,” though “The Penguin” doesn’t share
“The Godfather’s” operatic tone.
The character of Batman has been deconstructed, reconstructed, reimagined and explored in all sorts of ways in the media, but we haven’t seen as many depictions of his rogues gallery (unless you’re The Joker that is). With “The Penguin,” we see the potential of seeing more from Batman’s villains. Colin Farrell proves once more that he is a very gifted actor, and when he’s given a meaty role, he commits all the way and is completely unrecognizable here. As Jack Nicholson and Heath Ledger were for The Joker, Farrell is proving to be for The Penguin.
LISTEN UP FOR LIVE MUSIC
SEPTEMBER
Allen Stone, Sept. 24, Tower Theatre, 425 NW 23rd, towertheatreokc. com
“Avatar: The Last Airbender,” Sept. 24, Civic Center Music Hall, 201 N. Walker, okcciviccenter.com
Shawn James, Sept. 25, Beer City Music Hall, 1141 NW Second, beercitymusichall.com
Theo Von, Sept. 25, Paycom Center, 100 W. Reno, paycomcenter.com Silversun Pickups, Sept. 25, Tower Theatre, 425 NW 23rd, towertheatreokc.com
“Spider-Man: Across the Spiderverse,” Sept. 25, Civic Center Music Hall, 201 N. Walker, okcciviccenter.com
Hozier, Sept. 26, Paycom Center, 100 W. Reno, paycomcenter.com Cuco, Sept. 26, The Criterion, 500 E. Sheridan, criterionokc.com
