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Siera Coulter, a physiology sophomore, and Taylor Tyson, an apparel merchandising sophomore, visit the memorial to the fatal crash at OSU’s homecoming. A memorial was set up at the intersection of Hall of Fame and Main after the scene of the incident was cleared after the Sea of Orange Parade. Visitors stopped by on Sunday to reflect on the event and leave notes, flowers and stuffed animals.
STATEWIDE SOLIDARITY SOONERS OFFER CONDOLENCES AFTER OKLAHOMA STATE TRAGEDY
FROM THE OSU HOMECOMING TRAGEDY
JOE BUETTNER • ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR • @JOE_BUETTNER A day intended to host two joyous homecoming celebrations in the state of Oklahoma turned in to a nightmare for countless families, a school, a city and a state on Saturday. The events that unfolded in Stillwater, Oklahoma — a driver, arrested at the scene for suspicion of DUI, plowed through the crowd at the end of Oklahoma State’s homecoming parade route, killing four and injuring dozens — were unthinkable. The shock and terror, while greatest in Stillwater, were felt beyond the Oklahoma State campus. As game time in Norman approached, a moment of silence was taken at the Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial
Stadium. The OU marching band even raised an orange and white flag with Oklahoma State’s signature “O-S-U” logo at its center. The university paid its respects to the lives lost, the people critically injured and the many others struck by unnecessary tragedy. At coach Bob Stoops’ postgame presser Saturday evening, before speaking on his team’s win over Texas Tech, the long-tenured OU coach offered his condolences to the Oklahoma State community. “I’ll start off by saying that all of us at the OU football program and here in our locker room are really saddened about the tragic events at
Oklahoma State today,” Stoops said. “Our thoughts, prayers are very much with them. We’re all deeply saddened.” “These Saturdays are pretty special for all of us and (for) the people who do the same thing we do. Fans come to cheer — and things like this shouldn’t happen, and we’re sad that it did,” he said. Offensive coordinator Lincoln Riley and several current and former players sent their thoughts and prayers on social media. F o l l o w i n g h i s t e a m’s win, however, junior Baker Mayfield was asked if there was any panic from him S a t u rd a y m o r n i n g . T h e Sooners’ starting quarterback
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dates Oklahoma State senior Baillie Burmaster, a former Cowgirl soccer player. Burmaster wasn’t in Stillwater for OSU’s Sea of Orange Parade. Rather, she was in Norman to watch Mayfield face his former team. “She was in town here for the game — no panic,” Mayfield said. “Obviously, you hate to hear stuff like that. It’s terrible.” Oklahoma and Oklahoma State won’t meet on the football field until Nov. 28. However, the schools’ rivalry ceased Saturday as the state joined together in the midst of a horrible tragedy — a tragedy that won’t soon be forgotten.
At 10:31 a.m. Saturday, 25-year-old Adacia Chambers drove her car into the crowd at the OSU homecoming parade, killing four people and injuring 47 others. Chambers was arrested for driving under the influence and is currently being held at the Payne County Jail on four charges of second-degree murder. The victims: Marvin Stone, a retired regents professor at Oklahoma State University, his wife Bonnie Stone, 23-year-old UCO student Nakita Prabhakar, and 2-year-old Nash Lucas, son of OSU sophomore Nicolette Strauch. Sources: The Associated Press, The Oklahoman, and the Tulsa World
OU ignores ruling, construction to continue District court upheld injunction to halt renovations ANDREW CLARK
assistant news managing editor @Clarky_Tweets
R e n o v a t i o n s t o O U ’s Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium will continue despite a Friday injunction ordering the university to temporarily discontinue them. A construction company sought the injunction to halt renovations to OU’s stadium, which are projected to be finished by the beginning of the 2016 college football season.
WEATHER Cloudy with a high of 67, low of 47. Updates: @AndrewGortonWX
Thad Balkman, Cleveland County district judge, r u l e d i n f av o r o f Ha a s Metal Engineering Inc., who claimed OU violate d O k l a h o m a’s P u b l i c Competitive Bidding Act of 1974. However, Anil Gollahalli, the OU vice president and general counsel to the Board of Regents, said in a statement that construction will continue despite Friday’s injunction. The act says that all public construction contracts worth more than $50,000 shall be awarded to the “lowest responsible bidder.” OU awarded the contract to a different construction company, W&W, who was
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the second-lowest bidder on the contract, because it has more expertise in stadium construction. W & W ha s p a r t i c i p ated in the building of AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, and Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City as well as renovations of the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. But while W&W has more stadium construction experience, the university had no reason to believe that Haas Metal Engineering Inc. was not a responsible bidder, according to Cleveland County district judge Thad Balkman.
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Jon Haas, President of Haas Metal Engineering, Inc., speaks with the press after the judge announces his decision to sustain an injunction on the OU football stadium construction in court Oct. 23. HME was one of SEE LAWSUIT PAGE 3 the companies that had a bid to turn the Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium into a bowl.
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