M A R C H 2 5 - 3 1, 2 0 19 | W E E K LY I N P R I N T | O U D A I LY. C O M
PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY PAXSON HAWS/THE DAILY
The OU Daily spoke with four influential women on OU’s campus: Mirelsie Velazquez, Crystal Perkins-Carter, Lauren Scheuler and Kristen Partridge.
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Four women in leadership positions at OU speak to their work, legacies at the university
o c e l e b r a t e W o m e n ’s History Month, The Daily spoke with four women who are making a difference on OU’s campus. From giving up personal time, money and energy, to participating in campus activism, to running programs that help women feel empowered and be involved, these women will leave OU better than they found it. To listen to the full interviews, visit OU Daily on soundcloud.com. M i r e l s i e Ve l a z q u e z ( i n t e r v i e w e d b y E m m a Ke i t h , editor-in-chief ) Velazquez is an educational historian working with OU’s Educational Leadership and Policy Studies department. She arrived at OU in 2014 and is currently working with teachers on studying social inequalities in Oklahoma City Public Schools. Q: Your name popped up on my radar originally because I saw you speak at the Rally to End Racism back in January, and I watched you get up and read something that you said you had read four years ago when (the SAE incident) happened. Why was it important for you to re-emphasize all those points and make your voice heard in front of all those students? A: It was interesting because the event in 2015 — I think it was called Seven Convocations of Healing — but the word “healing” stands out. Usually when something heals, it’s because you’re moving on from it, because it’s fixed. We heal from illnesses, from experiences ... There was no closure. We kind of moved on until the next time it happens. So when the students reached out to me and asked me to speak at the event, I intended to write something. I was sitting there thinking, “What would I write differently?” I wouldn’t write anything differently. It’s the same kind of ... injury that I talked about in 2015 and nothing has changed. So, to me, to read it without people knowing that what I was reading was what I wrote except for two people, for them to kind of hear that, to me, was a little more profound was because it was a recognition that I’ll probably be here again reading these exact same words
because it’s a cycle. And we haven’t moved beyond that cycle. Q: Why is it important for faculty and staff to have their voices heard on these issues? A: Where power lies really matters. It’s a good reminder for students to understand that faculty and staff don’t have the type of power that students think we have … But students come in and out of spaces, so it’s important for us to teach those new students about the institutional history in these spaces. And I think social media makes that a little easier. Q: What do you want to have left behind at OU? A: One thing I would want to leave in this space is the fact that you’re not alone in this … That what you’re experiencing in a classroom where you’re the only black or brown face and can’t connect to either your classmates or the faculty member that’s in front of you — that there is a genealogy of love and resistance because I do think those go hand-in-hand. I resist because I love myself and I love my community and I love those who are going to come after me. You’re part of that. As long as you remember that you’re part of something that is grounded on love … I hope that makes the process of them being here a little easier and they continue to work toward creating the type of change they want to see even if they don’t witness it themselves but for people in the future. Crystal Perkins-Carter (interviewed by Emily McPherson, copy chief ) Perkins-Carter is the co-director of Project Threshold, a program on OU’s campus that provides services to students who are first-generation, economically disadvantaged or have disabilities. While working in higher education, she has used personal funds to start a publishing company to write books and provide assistance to students. Q: You’ve written multiple books. And you use some of those proceeds to give scholarships for students? A: Yes. I always use a portion of my proceeds to continue to
do scholarships for my students. Scholarships could be bursar bills. Sometimes I have to pay my students’ rent because they’re about to be evicted, so if they need that help, that’s something I’m willing to do. Sometimes it’s an airline ticket to get home because they have an emergency. So whatever the need is, if my heart feels led to bless them, then I do. Q: Multiple people have said you have changed their lives. How does it make you feel when you hear that? A: I’m inspired. I strive to be the change I desire to see, and because we serve a large population of students who are first generation and students who are economically disadvantaged, s ometimes the y come from homes where they haven’t had the example of what it’s like to be a college student or some of them come from really traumatic backgrounds … So to see them transform and blossom is very rewarding because I know that I planted a seed and I watered it and I convinced them to believe enough in themselves that they have been able to rise and become vice presidents and CEOs or doctors and lawyers, and it makes me feel good. Q: How do you see your role as a woman at OU and in academia in general? A: I feel like my role is very important, not only because I am a woman, but because I am a role model. I believe, again as I said, you have to be the example that you desire to see. So for my students, I just try to influence them to believe that they can. I think it’s important to let them know that in spite of what the system has said or statistics have said about them, that you have the ability to soar as high as you desire. My parents were 16 years old when they had me. So growing up in Detroit, I had tons of labels that I experienced as an adolescent that my instructors would sometimes try to put on me and I just remember the strong women in my life — my grandmother, my mother — and even as a 16- or 17- or 18-yearold, inspiring me to believe that I could be whatever I wanted to be. I write my ticket. And that’s
what I’ve tried to share and instill in my students — you write your ticket. So if you come in with remedial classes, but if you desire to be that doctor, then you work extra hard to get to that standpoint. I feel like roles are important, but I feel like more so than the role it’s what I show them and what I teach them. I can sit here and be a woman on OU’s campus and do absolutely nothing in terms of influence. But my role as a woman on OU’s campus to me is very important.
others students ... It’s a launching pad for the women who go through the program ... Now that we are coming up on 18 classes of N.E.W. leadership, we’ve got women who are in office in Oklahoma, they are working on campaigns, they are in different state departments, they are doing policy work. We’ve got graduates in four out of five congressional offices. It’s really about the network, which is the most important part of what we do. We’re the connectors.
Lauren Schueler (interviewed by Kayla Branch, enterprise editor) Schueler is the director of women’s leadership programs at the Carl Albert Center. She leads N.E.W. Leadership and Pipeline to Politics, two programs aimed at providing women with mentors, knowledge and leadership opportunities to become involved in public service
Q: How do you all focus on different demographics — women of color, women from different socioeconomic backgrounds? A: Everything is about intersectionality and about how do we work together as a whole group, not just feminism being for middle class or higher class white women. We are thoughtful about the way that we put together the program, what kinds of speakers we are bringing to the table, because I could go out and find every single speaker that is a white woman, but that’s not representation and that’s not what our students need to be seeing. There are women of color that are Black, Hispanic, Muslim, from the LGBTQ community that are there doing that work, and so it’s about finding the right people and elevating their voices and putting students in front of them and giving them a platform. We know that students need to see themselves in the people who are in power because that makes them dream and gives them something to aspire to.
Q: A really basic question — why is it so important to have women in public office? A: We can always revert back to the research, but there are a couple of things ... Women are half of the population, if not 51 percent. So that is a whole group of people that need to have a seat at the table. We also know that when women come to the table, they bring different experiences to that. They understand their own bodies, they understand being a mother or being a single parent … I think they change the conversation when they come to the table or at least elevate a different topic or experience that may not have been thought about before. We also know that women ... compromise more, they work across the aisle more, and women come to politics not because they want power but because they want change or they have a specific thing that launched them. They want to be helpful and help people. It really is the foundation of wanting to do good for the community. Q: Do your programs have a lot of real world application? A: Absolutely. Our graduates say they immediately have skills. They are connected with people, they have internship opportunities, they are working with
K r i s t e n Pa rt r i d g e (interviewed by Drew Hutchinson, news reporter) Partridge is the associate vice president of student affairs and associate dean of students at OU. She oversees departments like Housing and Food and Health Services to provide support to directors to better serve students. Q: How do you maintain a work-life balance?
See WOMEN OF OU page 3
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• March 25 - 31, 2019
NEWS
Nick Hazelrigg, news managing editor dailynews@ou.edu • phone: 405-325-3666 oudaily.com • Twitter: @OUDaily
Students face food insecurity Many students at OU utilize food stamps, donations CHARLEY LANZIERI @charlanzieri
The seating area in front of The Bookmark was bustling with the usual midday traffic looking to get their coffee fix. Mikayla Chandler sat in one of the booths munching on a small snack she got for free from her job, which — before she got on food stamps — was a necessity in order to get enough food daily. Chandler, an English education junior, has had to deal with food insecurities, both growing up and since coming to college and becoming independent. “I never woke up one day and was like, ‘Dang, I have food insecurities.’ It was more like these little moments in the back of my mind where it was constantly gnawing at me,” Chandler said. “Most of the time I wasn’t struggling or suffering because we always had food stamps and school lunches, like I wasn’t going to starve, but if I didn’t have those forms of aid in place, then I definitely would have been in a much different path I feel like.” Growing up, her family was on food stamps, and after her freshman year, Chandler also applied to get food stamps. She’s one of many students who have struggled to get enough food on a daily basis — almost half of all college students are affected by food insecurity, according to a 2017 study, and 38,050 people lived with hunger in Cleveland County from 2017-2018, according to the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma. Julia Ehrhardt, an OU associate professor who teaches about perspectives of food and culture, says there are three levels of food insecurity: very low, moderate and high. “When we say people are food secure, that means they’re not hungry, and they know where their next meal is coming from; they have plenty of money to buy food or to access food that ’s edible and that ’s culturally acceptable, and that’s diverse enough to give them the nutrients they need,” Ehrhardt said. When most people talk
An OU Daily file photo of the OU Food Pantry. The pantry can be a resource for OU students with food insecurity.
about food insecurities, they are referring to high food insecurity. Ehrhardt said this is when people don’t have enough money or access to food that will give them sufficient nutrition and diversity and culturally appropriate food. “I couldn’t afford food o n m y o w n ,” C h a n d l e r said. “The meal plan freshman year was definitely my sole source of food besides work, so it’s like I’m not eating unless I’m on campus.” Du r i ng h e r f re s h ma n year, Chandler had to worry about how she was going to eat on weekends, when the campus was closed or when the weather was too bad for her to walk to the cafeteria to get food. “If I’m not going to school ... especially on w e e k e n d s o r h o l i d a y s, like what am I going to eat, what do I do now?” Chandler said. “Having to worry about that as an additional factor as well as the stresses of being a college kid is not exactly the most comforting thing.” During her sophomore year, before she received food stamps, Chandler said she experienced stronger food insecurities. “I think I realized I was food insecure at the beginning of this year before I got on food stamps when I would go food shopping,” Chandler said. “It
was a struggle — I couldn’t even get the things I needed, much less the things I wanted.” Ehrhardt said food insecurity can cause short-term stress in the classroom, like being hungry and worrying about flunking a test, but it can also cause longterm issues like the stress of being ashamed, not having access to food, possibly losing scholarships due to dropping grades or having to feed family members. “I think it’s something that no college kid should ever have to go through,” Chandler said. Chandler said that realizing she didn’t have any food at home or any healthy food was a stress factor for her. “It took away from my academic focus; it wasn’t something I wanted to be thinking about,” Chandler said. “Before food stamps, it was always in the back of my head, like how many times can I just eat work food, how many times can I have Chick-fil-a in one week from my meal plan?” Another problem Chandler said students have to face is not only finding enough food, but also finding enough time to eat. “I hear so often, like, ‘Oh, it’s midnight and I haven’t eaten anything today,’ or it’s like, ‘I’ve only had this
one granola bar ‘cause it’s all I’ve had time to eat,’ and it’s such a common thing to hear,” Chandler said. Ehrhardt said food insecurity can affect a student’s education in multiple ways. Students may have to choose between eating, keeping the lights on, buying textbooks or fixing a laptop. “I shouldn’t have to decide between toilet paper and food if that’s all I can afford,” Chandler said. “Food is a huge expense, but what if your shoes get a hole in them, what if you rip your jeans, what if your car breaks down? It’s difficult, like how do you prioritize?” Ehrhardt said it’s more extreme than just hunger pangs from missing a meal. It’s extreme stress that affects the body nutritionally from not getting enough vitamins and minerals. “It can be very stressful if you have to worry about where your next meal is coming from, how you’re going to eat, where you’re going to eat, and when you’re going to be able to get some food,” Ehrhardt said. OU provides a food pantry on campus for anyone with an OU ID to be able to access and use. Claire Funk, a nutrition junior and staff member at the pantry, said there are no intake forms or income
requirements — someone just needs their OU ID to use the food pantry. “ I t ’s p u r e l y o n a n as-needed basis,” Funk said. “We put a lot of trust in our clients in that way.” The food pantry provides a lot of common shelf staple household food items, as well as hygiene products. It also occasionally has frozen meat and fresh vegetables. “I’ve heard of the food pantr y. I’ve never used it, but I’ve heard of it,” Chandler said. “I had so many mixed feelings about it, ‘cause it’s partially a pride thing, but partially it’s a ‘Do I really deserve it?’ thing. Like should I just leave that food for someone who needs it more? It always felt like I didn’t think I should.” Ehrhardt said there are a few problems with the food pantry. While it’s on campus, it’s not open every day, and it has a limited amount of food. “With a busy college schedule, if it’s only open a few hours or it runs out of food, that can be very anxiety-provoking,” Ehrhardt said. “If I’m a food-insec u re s t u d e nt, I hav e t o worry about whether or not I want to go there and take the risk of someone recognizing me, because being food insecure is a matter of extreme shame.”
CAITLYN EPES/THE DAILY
Ehrhardt said that the lines outside of food pantries and demands on social services are ever-increasing, and that’s a big problem because people can’t learn if they’re hungry and if a student doesn’t have enough to eat, they can start on a downward path. “We don’t want people to have to go to the food pantr y,” Ehrhardt said. “We want them to be able to get adequate work and adequate school support so they don’t have to worry a b o u t f o o d , a n d t h a t ’s where the problem is.” Ehrhardt said people just need to have more awareness of the issue at OU. That there may be people in a class who look laggard or show other signs of being hungry, and they will not ask for help. “ T h e re’s t h i s s h a m e. It’s very very stressful, especially on campus here, where we don’t usually like to admit that there are people who are having problems,” Ehrhardt said, “I don’t think that any university likes to admit that, but this is a problem nationally, not just here.” Charley Lanzieri
lanzieri.charlton@gmail. com
OU Daily shifts to once-weekly print news Digital focus will help to allocate resources efficiently
that in a changing journal- focus more of our efforts on ism landscape, putting out that digital presence we’re that print edition multiple known for. times a week is not always As we work internally to the best investment of our reconfigure how some of money or time. We also un- The Daily’s desks operate EMMA KEITH derstand that most of our and how some of our fea@emma_ckeith readers are coming to us tures publications come digitally through Facebook, together, this change will I n 2 0 1 5 , T h e D a i l y Twitter and our website. also allow us to reconfigstopped printing a paper This shift will free us up to ure how we invest our time five days a week and dropped to two print publications a week. This week, we’re announcing another publishing change, this time to a once-weekly print edition. Starting March 25, The Daily will be in print on Mondays only. We’ll still have special editions when necessar y — specifically during home football games — and will continue to invest in and grow our features print publications, like Crimson Quarterly. This change is not one we make lightly, but it is one we look forward to. While we recognize the value of a print publicaCAITLYN EPES/THE DAILY tion and its presence on Stacks of OU Daily newspapers sit in the rack outside of the campus, we understand newsroom March 24.
and resources into both our news publication and our features publications. We hope that by starting this publication pattern this semester and establishing some new systems, we’re setting up our fall semester and future teams for greater success. This decision should not
be taken as any sign of dire financial or industry circumstances. We’re making it because we want to be smarter about where we’re putting our resources and in which audiences we’re investing. We’re making it because we want to be better at serving you. If you have any
questions, concerns or comments about our decision, we’d love to hear from you at dailyeditor@ou.edu. Emma Keith
emmakeith97@ou.edu
NEWS
March 25 - 31, 2019 •
Students call for gun reform March For Our Lives hosts rally at state Capitol EMILY TUCKER
@carthagedelenda
Thirteen months after the school shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School claimed the lives of 17 students and staff, student groups across the country are still marching to end gun violence. The Oklahoma chapter of March For Our Lives – the organization started by survivors of the shooting– held its second-annual rally on
the steps of the state Capitol building March 23 to call for action and remember those lost to gun violence. OU political science and social studies education freshman Jamie Pool helped organize the event, and she said she is worried about the direction Oklahoma is headed in terms of gun violence – especially because of the permitless carry bill signed into law by Gov. Kevin Stitt earlier this year. “We really need to work on voting in legislators who support common sense gun legislation,” Pool said. “We need to get more young people especially involved in gun violence prevention
groups.” Electrical engineering and pre-law sophomore Rosa SanRoman went to the national march in Washington, D.C., last year and said despite recent attention to gun violence in America, it is not a new problem. “There are so many marginalized communities that have been fighting this for so long,” SanRoman said. “It’s really like an ongoing fight, and it really affects people in marginalized communities disproportionately, and so I think it’s just very important to just include everyone, and really push more for intersectional gun reform.” A g r o u p o f
counter-protesters attended the event in support of the Second Amendment. One counter-protester, Donna Kearns, said she thinks both groups have common goals. “I think it’s important that we’re all interested in safety for everyone, in particular children and schools,” Kearns said. “But that doesn’t mean we have to compromise our rights or that we have to prohibit people from their rights. I think there are other ways to protect people that I don’t hear anyone talking about.” Speakers at the event included students of all ages, from college students to middle schoolers, many of
whom have experienced gun violence in their communities and even at their schools. Repres entative Jacob Rosecrants, D-Norman, also attended the event, and said he came because when he sees youth getting involved, he wants to be there. “These aren’t kids that are being told to come up here,” Rosecrants said. “They’re coming up here because they truly believe in something, and that’s what is just amazing to me.” Emily Tucker
emtuck99@ou.edu
Emma Keith Editor in Chief Nick Hazelrigg News Managing Editor Julia Weinhoffer Engagement Editor George Stoia Sports Editor Siandhara Bonnet Culture Editor Kayla Branch Enterprise Editor Caitlyn Epes Visual Editor Emily McPherson Copy Chief Emily Douthitt Print Editor
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Attendees of the march wore orange flowers, each with the name of a victim of a school shooting, their age and the date their life was lost attached to them March 23.
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A group of organizers hold a blue “March For Our Lives” banner on stage March 23.
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An attendee wears a T-shirt that reads “We say #NEVERAGAIN” and holds a sign reading “Protect the Kids” March 23.
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Attendees listen to speeches while holding signs reading “March For Our Lives” March 23.
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Three attendees hold signs reading “Enough,” “Help us,” and “No more silence, end gun violence” at the OKC March For Our Lives March 23.
WOMEN OF OU: Continued from page 1
A: The word “balance” isn’t the word — I’d say “rhythm.” For me, it’s carving out time every evening to spend time with my children. They’re young — 3 and 6 — so they go to bed at 7:30 p.m. So I have a short window of time that I get to spend with them … But ultimately I have to be really intentional about making time for my family, coming home, putting whatever stressers out of my mind and really spending that quality time. That’s a muscle group that you have to work, it’s a habit you have
to make. I love to cook, we sit at the table and eat dinner, we read … Then I use that evening time after they’re in bed to wrap up things at work or read … I’m really fortunate I have a life partner who also works at the university, so we’re equally yoked … But I won’t tell you that I’m great at it all the time because I’m not. There are seasons at the university that are more challenging than others. Q: Can you tell me a little bit about your biggest mission on campus? A: If I could change my business card, it would say, “helping students understand their worth.” So many of OU’s students have had negative experiences
in school and in life and they arrive at the university with high expectations, or some of them, unfortunately, with low expectations, about what this experience will mean for them. And my mission is to help them not only understand but be able to articulate what it is that makes them unique and wonderful, because that kind of a confidence builder changes your trajectory once you understand this is what I’m wired to do, this is what I’m passionate about, this is what I want to pursue with my time and energy. Once you can harness that energy for students, they are unstoppable.
woman in a power position on campus? A: I actually feel fortunate here. I know that academia has more men than w omen, but in Student Affairs I feel much more of a balance. I’m not sure why that is. I’m sure as a helping profession, more women are attracted to this. But I’m fortunate that I’ve always had supervisors — men and women — who have championed me. When I look around my office team, for the past seven months, we’ve been an all-women office team in the vice president’s office. When I look at directors, there are several women at that table. So I know that is the reality in some Q: What is it like being a places, but here at OU, I’ve
always felt really encouraged and supported. And I also have the unique opportunity to oversee the Gender + Equality Center, which used to be called t h e Wo m e n ’s Ou t re a c h Center for many years. So I feel like I get to spend time with people who are really in the business of promoting women and women’s issues and their needs. So I feel kind of uniquely fortunate that as a woman at the University of Oklahoma and as an administrator at the University of Oklahoma that I’m surrounded by other women administrators who are my mentors and my friends and really inspire me. •••
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VOL.104, NO. 18
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• March 25 - 31, 2019
CULTURE
Siandhara Bonnet, culture editor dailyent@ou.edu • phone: 405-325-3666 oudaily.com/culture• Twitter: @OUDailyCulture
Midway born, bread in Norman Local deli a symbol of town’s political, cultural history ALMA CIENSKI @almacienski
When Oklahoma Republican S en. James Lankford wanted to meet w i t h O k l a h o m a’s m o s t liberal-leaning crowd he could find on its own turf, he found himself holding a town hall in a Norman sandwich shop in April 2017. Midway Deli, located midway between Boyd and Main Street, has been a staple of the Norman community for decades. Midway’s significance, however, has gone beyond sandwiches, serving as a statement about Norman’s political and cultural history. Bob Thompson, owner of Midway, said this unique quality of the shop is exactly why someone like Lankford chose it for his town hall. “His team tried to figure out what was the most liberal spot in the most liberal town in the most liberal county in Oklahoma, and we’re like ground zero,� Thompson said. Hidden in a residential neighborhood on Eufaula Street, this five-sided building is covered with signatures, chalkboards and pictures of musicians and politicians. With open seating and a variety of comfort-food style sandwich options, Midway invites customers to make themselves at home — an invitation many prominent Oklahomans have accepted over the years. H I S T O R Y A N D COMMUNITY In 1926, the building served as a grocery store and meat market. Today, it is a humble yet successful restaurant. The Midway Grocery and Market opened in 1926 and was owned and managed by Lee Kidd. In the 1950s, Kidd became ill and Bill Ashley, still a current employee, saved Midway by maintaining all of its daily operations. Ashley has worked at Midway for 62 years, working his first 40 years as a butcher in the meat market. Ashley was the only employee in the restaurant, working six days a week, 10 hours a day, Thompson said. Today, Ashley only comes in once a week to make a Midway favorite — “Bill’s Chili.� “I wasn’t going to stay here,� Ashley said. “I had been here a long time anyways. When I started working here, I would come in at seven in the morning and leave at seven at night. But it’s the people. Bob’s been good to work for.� When Thompson purchased the Midway building in 1985, he said he wanted to create a place where people felt welcomed and trusted, even though the building was in a bad neighborhood during the time he
purchased. “When I bought the building, there were bars on the windows,� Thompson said. “We got broken into pretty often. I got robbed one time. Then we had this transition time where the properties were cheap, young couples started to move into the neighborhood, buy cheap houses and fix them up, and we started having the neighborhood kids come in. I’ll tell you, that breathed life into this place.� Thompson said the first person to decorate the store by signing the wall was 3-year-old Abby Flax around 20 years ago. The signature added character to the store and Thompson let the trend run along. Every wall is now covered in the signatures of customers past and present. Although the relaxed atmosphere may indicate otherwise, Thompson keeps a tight ship with a small crew comprised of those close to him. Thompson also employs outside of the family, though he ensures that the students he employs understand the way a family business works. Human relations junior Desiree Howell heard about the job from her Bible study leader and has worked at Midway for more than a year. She said she has stayed because of Thompson’s understanding and willingness to work with her student schedule. “I need flexible hours, and a lot of corporate places want to work you a lot,� Howell said. “Out of all the jobs I’ve ever had, small businesses are the ones I prefer to work at. The bosses treat you a lot better; they actually care about what you may be going through personally and about your work ethic here.� Howell is often the only employee in the store when she opens at 7 a.m. Her responsibilities include baking the bread, serving breakfast and preparing the store for the lunch rush.
Although Henry is more With a menu of sandwichThompson’s “brand,� he es, soups and spuds, loyal said it is always an honor to customers are bound to find serve a public servant. their favorite lunch item. The walls are not only One of Thompson’s most decorated with colorful sig- loyal customer is former OU natures and niche political head football coach Barry figures, but also with posters Switzer. of musicians given to him Switzer has come to by his customers. Midway Midway almost every day for often hosts artists like Terry the past 10 years, Thompson Buffaloe Ware, a freelance said. Switzer will often go guitarist and singer, to play on different streaks of what in the deli once a month for he likes to order,includa crowd of 35 to 40 people in ing a time when he specifa nightclub style, Thompson ically wanted pinto beans, said. Thompson has always even though Thompson preferred a smaller crowd did not serve pinto beans at because he has always been Midway. used to knowing everyone “One day at lunch, he by their name, he said. came to the door and said, “Nobody has to give you ‘I’m going to take you to a sermon about how im- lunch,’ “Thompson said. portant every customer is “So we get in his car and go — you’ve got it imprinted to a restaurant and I had on your heart,� Thompson cornbread and beans — and said. “We just don’t want he eats a raw onion slice to do anything that makes along with that. That was POLITICS, MUSIC AND them wish that they’d gone true country. He’s from the somewhere else for lunch depths of Arkansas, so when SANDWICHES in Rome, do as the Romans Though Midway serves that day.� do. That was hard to fall in the public as just a sandwich shop, it is decorated A L O V E F O R T H E love with. But he had the cook come out and verbally with political themes, from CUSTOMERS the “Governor’s Reuben� sandwich to a framed picture of American political activist Eugene V. Debs on the wall. By Eugenia Last “I’ve read all the books Copyright 2015, Newspaper Enterprise Assn. about (Debs’) speeches; I probably have 30 volumes eliminate chaos and discord from MONDAY, MARCH 25, 2019 at home,� Thompson said. your life. Put your best foot forward ASTROGRAPH by Eugenia Last “People think that socialand do your own thing. ism is all that, that it’s all Consider how to best expand your about people not working. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23) -- Get out horizons. Educational pursuits and I was always a worker, and and do something that will add to sharing information with people I got to be an owner, but I heading in a similar direction as you your knowledge, skills and experididn’t have any desire to will all contribute to your success. If ence. Refuse to let situations at be that kind of person that home slow you down. Compromise you try your hardest, the rewards got where he was going by and move on to more enjoyable will be worthwhile. making other people do his tasks. ARIES (March 21-April 19) -- Set work. To me, socialism is SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 22) -- Push high standards and cover as much a very work-ethic oriented the envelope when it comes to ground as possible. If you know deal.� creative pursuits. Find a way to what you are talking about, you’ll Thompson works with differentiate yourself from the gain respect and the support you and serves those all over competition. Dedication and hard need to get what you want. the political spectrum, inwork will pay off. cluding former governors TAURUS (April 20-May 20) -- Work Mary Fallin and Brad Henry. quietly behind the scenes. Use your SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23-Dec. 21)
HOROSCOPE
intelligence to overcome obstacles. Change is within reach, but making it happen will require finesse.
Previous Solution
Monday - Very Easy Tuesday - Easy Wednesday - Easy Thursday - Medium Friday - Hard
Instructions: Fill in the grid so that every row, every column and every 3x3 box contains the digits 1 through 9. That means that no number is repeated in any row, column or box.
XANDIE WOOD/THE DAILY
Midway Deli owner Bob Thompson speaks to a reporter inside the restaurant March 1.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20) -- Take care of business without making a fuss. Be open to suggestions, but don’t give in if someone is pressuring you to take on the impossible. Personal gains should be your objective. CANCER (June 21-July 22) -- If you offer something special or unique, you will get the help you need to make your idea fly. A change will turn out better than anticipated. Keep moving forward. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) -- If you take on too much or engage in indulgent behavior, you won’t like the results. Take the high road and project an image that is consistent and discreet. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) -- Don’t put up with anyone playing emotional mind games. Be direct and
-- Charm will help you get your way, as long as you don’t venture too far from the truth or mislead someone. An emotional matter should be resolved before you make a personal change. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) -- Put some muscle behind your aspirations if you want to make progress. Your enthusiasm will gain you support as well as criticism. Don’t get angry; use the advice offered to your benefit. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) -- Consider what’s doable and what isn’t. Don’t be shy when you need help. Call in favors and get things done. Romance will eliminate tension and stress.
PISCES (Feb. 20-March 20) -- You’ll have some big ideas that will spark interest and put you in the limelight. Before you make unreasonable promises, go over your plans and your budget.
tell me how he made those pinto beans. So now I make pinto beans.� When Thompson gets a good product in, he will try out a new recipe on Switzer. Thompson recalled a time he made Switzer a pastrami sandwich, which he liked so much he told everyone in the restaurant to try it. “When coach Switzer tells you to try the pastrami, you try the pastrami,� Thompson said. The “Big Pastrami!� sandwich is only one of 22 sandwiches Midway offers. Thompson said “The Vulcan� is Midway’s most popular sandwich — it was also named the best sandwich on the OU Daily sandwich crawl last fall. Many of the choices are named after friends of Thompson, like “The Coach!� after Switzer or “The Arnie� after his golfing buddy, Kent Von Bargen, which is an inside joke between the two, Thompson said. Thompson said it is easy to identify a new customer
because they will tr y to order right as they walk in. The ordering system of Midway asks the customer to come to the side, write down their name and order, find a table as they wait to be served, eat and then pay. This system of eating before you pay requires a large amount of trust in the customer, but Thompson said that is how he builds a deeper relationship. “I love making food, but the people truly excite me,� Thompson said. “I like to see people enjoying being here. This place as a gem; it’s got different facets that depending on where you stand at, a different facet will gleam in your eye — it could be music, it could be politics, it could be food — but something about the place will catch your eye. I have to be in all of those spaces so it keeps my mind really challenged, really occupied. I don’t have boring days.� Alma Cienski
aacienski@ou.edu
Universal Crossword Edited by David Steinberg March 25, 2019
ACROSS 1 Pine (for) 5 Sore throat soother 11 “The Walking Dead� network 14 Shrinking Asian sea 15 Take into custody 16 Road goo 17 *Peacock courtship ritual (note the starred answers’ vowel progression) 19 Weed whacker 20 Apple music source 21 Org chart topper 22 Et ___ (and others) 23 Prepares for laundry day 24 *It has a finger on a city’s pulse 26 Gershwin or Glass 27 Alphabetic man’s nickname 29 Caribbean island near Nevis 30 Country star Lovett 32 Amtrak stop, briefly 34 Poetic dedications 35 *“Iron� Bears coach 39 Skunk’s giveaway 3/25
41 Beats by ___ 42 Unlikely, as chances 46 M, L or K, for MLK 49 Pop-ups, e.g. 51 Hartfordto-Boston dir. 52 *Goes from No. 1 to No. 2, say 54 Extra-prim sort 56 White pinot option 57 Stimulating cuppa 58 Wipes clean 59 Uneven? 60 *Red-faced fowl 62 Born as 63 Squeaky wheel’s need 64 Intro drawing course 65 Speech pauses 66 Jeremy of “Tag� 67 Take a break DOWN 1 Antifungal brand 2 Art of public speaking 3 Artificial’s opposite 4 Flicker of light 5 Witches and crones 6 BOS : Logan :: ___ : O’Hare 7 Slightest quantity
8 Core beliefs 9 Chaperone 10 Dined, but didn’t wine 11 Olympics contestant 12 Some Chinese revolutionaries 13 Flight complaints? 18 Noted loch 22 Three-striped sneaker maker 24 Commercial break button 25 “Enough already!� 28 “Shame!� syllable 31 Overacts 33 Sum 36 Blue or hazel ring 37 Country west of Afghanistan 38 Nonprofit with Talks
39 Not in stock yet 40 Computes 6/2 = 3, say 43 Casual ’70s suit type 44 Locusts and termites and beetles, oh my! 45 Military cookware 46 “See ya!� 47 Earnestly advise 48 Make less tight 50 Nimble 53 “Yes ___!�: Bob the Builder 55 Weathertracking tool 58 Always 60 Supervisor: Abbr. 61 Sugary suffix
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“Doctor’s Orders� by Stephanie Kim and Zhouqin Burnikel
5
• March 25 - 31, 2019
SPORTS
George Stoia, sports editor dailysports@ou.edu • phone: 405-325-3666 oudaily.com/sports • Twitter: @OUDailySports
Sooners outmaneuver Jayhawks Kansas fails to seize opportunity to tie Saturday’s game JORDAN GLEDHILL @J_gled
Anyone that can get the last out of the game is worth their weight in gold. That’s what head coach Skip Johnson said about “the closer,” a role designated for a very special reliever whose job is to do exactly that — get the last out of the game. When current closer Jason Ruffcorn entered the game in the top of the ninth, the Sooners were just three outs away from grabbing their 20th win of the season and clinching yet another series win — this time against cross-state rival Kansas. The right-hander surrendered a base hit to his first batter but pitched three straight groundouts to notch his fifth save of the season and, more importantly, complete the 4-3 victory. “You can see (Ruffcorn) growing as he gets more and more out there,” Johnson said. “He made a big pitch to jam guy on a 2-0 (count), got (the ball) in on his hands (to force a groundout for the second out) ... We’re really proud of him. Just gotta stay humble and keep doing what we’re doing.” The win marks Oklahoma’s ninth win in
PAXSON HAWS/THE DAILY
Junior pitcher Nathan Wiles throws the ball in a game against Columbia March 1.
the last 10 games and shows once again that the team can win in a multitude of ways. When the Sooners scored three runs in the first and tacked on another just two innings later, it looked as if the red-hot lineup — which had averaged more than eight runs per game over the last two weeks — was set to go on another scoring spree. But then they stopped scoring suddenly and the Jayhawks, who looked lost
against junior Nathan Wiles early in the game, scored three runs in the fourth to cut their 4-0 deficit to 4-3. “Some things had happ e n e d t h rou g h ou t t hat game where we didn’t have some quality at-bats,” Johnson said. “Whether it was a guy making a quality pitch, us swinging at balls outside of the strike zone … because that’s what separates you, if you can still grind out at-bats after you
score early.” As the Kansas pitching staff held Oklahoma scoreless on just two hits over the final five innings, Wiles and company needed a strong performance. And the Sooners brought it. Wiles held the Jayhawks scoreless in the final three frames to cap off a seventh-inning outing in which he allowed just two earned runs, five hits and one walk.
After an hour and a half weather delay, a bullpen quartet of freshman Wyatt Olds, sophomore Ledgend Smith, sophomore Zack Matthews and Ruffcorn tiptoed out of potential danger in the eighth and ninth innings to finalize the victory. Kansas had a runner in scoring position in each of the final two innings but failed to bring home the lone run it needed to tie the game. The early offense, led by
senior Brylie Ware’s three hits, two runs scored and RBI, would prove to be sufficient for Oklahoma on Saturday. The Sooners beat Kansas on Sunday, 10-5. Full coverage can be found at oudaily. com. Jordan Gledhill
jordan.r.gledhill-1@ou.edu
OU wrecks Texas Tech in weekend matchup No. 2 Oklahoma sweeps first Big 12 games of season
Aviu hit a two-run home run. The two pitchers in the circle for the Sooners were juniors Giselle Juarez and S h a n n o n S a i l e . Ju a r e z VIC REYNOLDS pitched the first five innings @vicareynolds and got six strikeouts, while Saile came in for the final No. 2 Oklahoma con- two and struck out three tinued its dominance in a batters. three-game series March 22-24, sweeping Texas Tech SATURDAY: SOONERS 8, on the road its first Big 12 TEXAS TECH 3 matchup of the season. The Sooners scored four He re’s a re ca p o f t h e runs in the second to take weekend. an early lead, but Texas Tech responded in the botF R I DAY: S O O N E R S 5 , tom of the inning to make it TEXAS TECH 1 4-3. Oklahoma scored the first Oklahoma extended of its five runs in the first in- its lead in the third when ning when senior Sydney freshman Grace Green hit Romero hit a sacrifice fly to a solo homer to left field. In bring senior Caleigh Clifton the fourth, Clifton singled home. The next runs came to plate Romero to make when junior Nicole Mendes the score 6-3. tripled to send two Sooners The Sooners’ final two home in the third. runs came when Aviu batThe last two runs came in ted in Romero in the sixth the fourth when senior Fale and when Green hit her
second homer in the eighth. Senior Mariah Lopez got the start in the circle and pitched the first and part of the second inning, allowing four hits and three runs. Saile came in for the rest of the game and pitched nine strikeouts and only allowed two hits. SUNDAY: SOONERS 13, TEXAS TECH 1 Green hit her first career grand slam in the sixth inning. Senior Shay Knighten and sophomore Jocelyn Alo both hit home runs in the fifth inning, and Romero hit one in the sixth. Juarez got the start and pitched six innings, zero earned runs, three strikeouts and allowed one hit. Vic Reynolds
victor.reynolds@ou.edu
CAITLYN EPES/THE DAILY
Freshman Grace Green high fives OU coach Patty Gasso on her way into home plate during a hame game against Northwestern March 10.
Kyler Murray meets with Arizona Cardinals Quarterback looks to be No. 1 pick as NFL Draft nears CALEB MCCOURRY @CalebMac21
As the 2019 NFL Draft g e t s c l o s e r, i t s e e m s the chances of former O klahoma quar terback Kyler Murray going No. 1 are getting warmer. T h e He i s ma n w i n n e r was reported to have met with the Arizona Cardinals on OU’s campus Tuesday, March 19, according to Aaron Wilson of NFL Network. The Cardinals have the No. 1 pick in the draft. Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury said in an interview back in 2018 — when he was still at Texas Te c h — t h a t h e ’d t a k e Murray first overall if he
had the power to do so. When Kingsbury landed the job in Arizona, speculation of Murray going No. 1 only got more popular. March 23, Kingsbury told NFL Network’s Steve Wyche “everything’s on the table” with the first pick. “ W h e n you have t hat first pick, you’ve gotta turn over every stone and look at ever y scenario that’s out there, and so we’re d e f i n i t e l y d o i n g t h a t ,” Kingsbury told Wyche. Arizona’s meeting comes just a week after OU Pro Day, where Murray only participated in a weight measurement and throwing exercises. He was impressive in his throwing workout, going 64-of-70. The 2019 NFL Draft will be on April 25 at 7 p.m. CT. in Nashville, Tennessee. Caleb McCourry
caleb.a.mccourry@ou.edu
Former OU quarterback Kyler Murray throws at OU Pro Day March 13.
CAITLYN EPES/THE DAILY
6
SPORTS
• March 25 - 31, 2019
Sooner gym teams dominate Women head to regionals; men continue streak
STEVEN PLAISANCE @splaisance00
Both the women’s and men’s gymnastics teams had successful weekends, with the women taking home a Big 12 Championship and the men finishing the regular season strong. Here’s how each performed this weekend: WOMEN’S GYM No. 1 Oklahoma’s dream season continues. The Sooners defeated No. 5 Denver, Iowa State and West Virginia Saturday afternoon to improve to 20-0 on the season and earn their eighth-straight Big 12 Championship. Junior Maggie Nichols was the star for the Sooners, earning a pair of 9.950s in bars and balance beam. The Sooners began the meet on vault and delivered a strong performance, scoring a 49.350. Meanwhile, Denver started on uneven bars and scored a 49.425, jumping out to an early lead. Sophomore Anastasia Webb led the way on vault with a 9.925. Oklahoma stormed back in the second rotation, scoring a 49.575 on bars to claim the lead. Nichols anchored the lineup with a 9.950. The Sooners carried their momentum onto beam, scoring a 49.475 and extending their lead. Nichols anchored the Sooners once more and delivered another 9.950 routine. Oklahoma struggled early on the floor exercise, but senior Brenna Dowell and freshman Olivia Trautman delivered clutch performances from the final two spots. Dowell scored a 9.925 in her final routine at the Lloyd Noble Center. This set the stage for Trautman, who needed a 9.650 to clinch the conference title for the Sooners. The freshman gave a
stellar performance, scoring a 9.975 and sealing the victory for the Sooners. Oklahoma will receive its regional assignment on Monday, March 25. Regional competition will be held April 4-6.
MEN’S GYM No. 1 Oklahoma defeated No. 11 Cal and No. 18 UI Chicago Saturday night in its regular-season finale. Oklahoma posted a 423.400, its highest road score of the season. Cal finished second with a 397.650, and UIC third with 370.300. The meet marked Oklahoma’s 113th consecutive victory and the program’s fifth straight undefeated regular season. Oklahoma also secured possession of the third-longest winning streak in NCAA history, passing University of Connecticut’s women’s basketball’s mark of 111. It was a team effort from the Sooners, as four different Sooners helped to sweep all six event titles. S e n i o r Yu l Mo l d a u e r claimed three, owning event titles in pommel horse, rings and parallel bars. Oklahoma started out strong, scoring a 70.550 on still rings. The Sooners also scored a 71.000 on floor exercise and a 72.800 on vault before finishing the meet with a season-high 71.750 on parallel bars. Moldauer posted an NCAA season-high 15.250 on parallel bars. The Sooners get a week off before beginning postseason play when they host the Mountain Pacific Sports Fe d e rat i o n c o n f e re n c e championship. Oklahoma will look to extend their conference championship streak to eight. The meet will take place on Saturday, April 6, at 4 p.m. CT at McCasland Field House in Norman.
CAITLYN EPES/THE DAILY
Sophomore Anastasia Webb performs her floor routine March 3.
Steven Plaisance
srplaisance@ou.edu Redshirt senior Jake Maloly talks with kids after the meet against Jan. 26.
KATHRYN STACY/THE DAILY
Oklahoma falls to Virginia in round of 32 Despite 63-51 loss, Sooners’ future still looks bright CALEB MCCOURRY @CalebMac21
After advancing a step further than in the 2017-18 season, the Sooners had to pack their bags after falling to Virginia — the No. 2 team in the country — in Columbia, South Carolina, Sunday night. One way to look at it is an abrupt goodbye to a senior class that’s stuck with the program through years of its ups and downs. A Final Four run their freshman year, an 11-w in s eas on their sophomore year, the “Trae Young Show” their junior year and, finally, a round of 32 exit their senior year. Another way, the brighter way, to see the loss is as a minor setback for three players : junior for ward Kristian Doolittle, sophomore forward Brady Manek a n d t h e l o n e f re s h ma n Jamal Bieniemy — the only three Sooners to score in the first half Sunday. The three will soon welcome Wichita State transfer Austin Reaves, JUCO transfer Kur Kuath, and a nationally acclaimed 2019 recruiting class that features three four-stars and the No. 37 player in the nation, per Rivals.com. In Sunday’s loss, Manek kept the Sooners in the first half with 13 points, running from baseline to baseline in the final seconds to receive a pass from senior guard
Sophomore forward Brady Manek waits to throw in the ball during a game Feb. 4.
Christian James to get a last-second layup. James finished the half with no points, as did the rest of the seniors. James’ offense took a change in the second half after he scored 13 points to close out his OU
career. So did Manek’s, as he didn’t score at all in the second half. Manek and Christian couldn’t get their scoring in sync. It still seemed like a ball game to the Sooners after going into halftime with a
single-digit deficit, but the Cavaliers ran away with it in the last 20 minutes. Virginia finished the game shooting 48 percent from the field, and had a 36-29 re b o u n d i n g a d v a n t a g e over the Sooners. The No.
the S ooners w ere 11-1, and made their way all the way to a No. 20 ranking in the nation. Wichita State head coach Gregg Marshall called the Sooners a “second-weekend team” after the Shockers fell to OU, 8048, back in December. Things changed when Big 12 play came in January. The Sooners finished the season 7-11 in the conference. The threemonth stretch included a five-game losing streak that started with the Sooners getting clobbered by 30 at home against Baylor Jan. 28 and another loss to Baylor Feb. 11. In order to stay in t h e N C A A To u r na m e nt conversation, the Sooners had to start winning with the season’s finish line in sight, and that’s exactly what they did. They won four of their last six games, a stretch that included an 81-68 win against then-No. 13 Kansas. Looking back, the Sooners’ season can be considered a success after a 95-72 win against Ole Miss in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. The team shot 57 percent from the field, and four Sooners were in double-digit scoring. It was the definitive performance of a senior class that’s saying goodbye CAITLYN EPES/THE DAILY to Sooner Nation. Now, Oklahoma will look to the future — Manek, 1-seeded Cavaliers weren’t Doolittle, Bieniemy and a going to allow a Sooner set new of faces — in hopes run. of returning to the Final T h e S o o n e r s f i n i s h Four soon. the season with a 13-2 out-of-conference record as they head back to Caleb McCourry Norman. Before January, caleb.a.mccourry@ou.edu