Friday, April 25, 2025
OSU club organizes music festival for local musicians JACOB SELLERS
for the past several years. This year, Wintle decided to try something bigger than he’s ever done. “I got this building, Release Radar is an and what I want to do Oklahoma State club is give back to kids,” dedicated to helping Wintle said. “What I’m small-time musicians building here at the get connected and start Bait Shop is essentially living their dreams. the Mercury Lounge Saturday marked the Tulsa, but all ages in second Release Radar Stillwater, and this is Fest, which featured going to be definitively 10 groups performone of the best music ing from 3 p.m. to venues this town has midnight. What made ever seen.” this year special for Wintle opened the those performing and venue earlier this year, in attendance was the but he hadn’t come up location. with a name that stuck The Bait Shop is a until recently. Not venue that opened ear- wanting to use a generlier this year, offering ic-sounding name, he Stillwater and the OSU eventually landed on community something The Bait Shop, which it has never seen before. he said is all because of “It’s especially awe- his family. some for a spot like “I wanted to name this, The Bait Shop, this place something where it’s offering an weird,” Wintle said. opportunity to see “My son and I love music and to go out fishing so much, and and have a show that’s he’s gotten me back not 21-plus,” said Sam into it since I haven’t Miess, guitarist and been since I was 15, so vocalist for Ugly Cow- I wanted to pay respect boys. to my son and what’s Bobby Wintle, a long- brought us really close time Stillwater resident together.” and business owner, The Release Radar has always loved music. club began a few years He’s been performing ago, organized by OSU in bands since he was alumna Elizabeth 15 and booking shows Sanders. with local venues in Stillwater See RADAR on page 6A
O’COLLY CONTRIBUTOR
Courtesy Brad Fletcher
Release Radar Fest took over The Bait Shop.
Anthony (AJ) McNeal was officially crowned Mr. OSU after competing in the fourth annual pageant.
Kareem Sawan
McNeal makes history, wins Mr. OSU NOAH BRYANT
thing is possible if one puts their mind to it. STAFF REPORTER “I ran for Mr. OSU to give Mr. OSU a bigger platform,” McNeal said. “A bigger representation of what it is, what honor it needs to On a night filled with energy hold about this university… I see and celebration at Oklahoma a lot of people not trying to talk State, Anthony (AJ) McNeal II to each other, not trying to be a was crowned Mr. OSU 2025. bother or stay in their own little But for McNeal, the title represented far more than a crown (group of) friends. So I advise people to get out and do things or sash. It was a recognition of purpose that they don’t know.” McNeal was born and raised and the impact of stepping into in Fort Worth, Texas, before spaces Black men at OSU never moving to Houston at 15. Growhave before. ing up in a household full of McNeal is the first Black Mr. women and without brothers, OSU in the contest’s fourth year, he learned early how to stand and wants to show students anyon his own and find his voice.
That sense of independence and drive would follow him to OSU, but not without thoughtful planning. When it came time to choose a university, OSU stood out to McNeal because of its Spears School of Business. McNeal had done his homework; he knew its accreditation ranked it in the top 6% of business schools globally and has a graduation-to-employment success rate of more than 90%. For someone focused on building a strong foundation for a future in financial consulting, these weren’t just numbers; they were opportunities.
See MR. OSU on page 5A
Gov. Stitt creates working group after wildfire critcism RAYNEE HOWELL
ASSISTANT NEWS & LIFESTYLE EDITOR @RAYNEEHOWELL
In the early morning hours of March 14, the Olive Volunteer Fire Department was full of firefighters prepping equipment and listening to their chief brief them on a day capable of producing a historic wildfire outbreak. The high wind, low humidity and dry conditions led to several volunteer firefighters from Olive taking time off from their day jobs in preparation. The wildfire outbreak inevitably came, and when it did, it killed four people and destroyed more than 500 homes. Fire personnel across the state worked long hours into the night and next day, including Chief Jason Dobson’s crew in Olive, which traveled in an attempt to put out several fires. “We started off responding to a fire in the Freedom Hills area, just right across our border,” Dobson said. “The
next call was to assist Drumright, and were unacceptwhile I had the truck over at Drumable. right, we ended up getting called to “We’re really Oilton, which turned out to be a false an extension (of call, but at that same time, we end up OFS) and when getting the call to go help Freedom Hill the governor says, because the Mannford fire actually ‘Well, the forestry started in (the) Freedom Hills area.” really didn’t do The Mannford fire raged for hours, a good job,’ well destroying 29 homes. The Stillwater that’s really a fire also left devastation in its wake, slap in the face to destroying 98 homes and affecting 123 the firefighters, more. Gov. Kevin Stitt was out of the because we’re a state when the fires broke out, but upon forestry extenhis return found he lost his home to sion,” Dobson wildfires north of Luther. said. “So, we’re In response to the fires, Stitt made out there doing some changes to the Oklahoma Forit, and when they Payton Little estry Services leadership and started a say, ‘Well, they Ninety-eight homes were lost in Stillwater during the March 14 wildfires, includworking group. He fired director Mark didn’t do a good ing several in the Pecan Hill Neighborhood. City of Stillwater — to express concern Goellner, who had served in various job,’ well that roles at OFS for 33 years. Stitt, in a means the fire departments didn’t do a about the possibility of OFS disbanding. The letter was several paragraphs press conference, said “Why do I even good job.” long including sentences expressing the have a Department of Forestry? Let’s Members of the Oklahoma State importance of OFS. just get rid of the whole thing.” Firefighters Association sent a letter Lawmakers and other fire personnel to the governor’s office on behalf of like Dobson felt the governor’s words several organizations — including the See STITT on page 4A