The O'Colly, Wednesday, May 31, 2023

Wednesday, May 31, 2023

NCAA Tournament Notebook:

Cowboys face familiar foes in Stillwater Regional

Midweek games

don’t usually have as much of a grasp on a team’s season as a weekend series.

In OSU coach Josh Holliday’s mind, midweek contests are opportunities to dig deep into the pitching staff and find some hidden gems. Simultaneously they can expose flaws within it ahead of a weekend series.

On Monday morning, the Cowboys were given the No. 11 seed in the NCAA Tournament, and Washington plus two of OSU’s midweek opponents -- Oral Roberts and Dallas Baptist -- make up the rest of the four-team field in Stillwater Regional at O’Brate stadium this

weekend. OSU takes on ORU in its first game of the regional Friday at 6 p.m. Competing in the Summit League and Conference USA doesn’t often bode well for a team’s RPI. In one instance this season, the Golden Eagles swept conference foe Western Illinois, yet dropped 10 spots in the RPI. So, midweek games can matter more to non-Power Five programs.

In both matchups with this year, DBU started occasional weekend starting pitcher, Zach Heaton. Oral Roberts started Joshua Caravalho, a young arm who has fluctuated in and out of the weekend rotation for the Golden Eagles.

Having Big 12 weekend series on the weekends, the Cowboys often opted for a bullpen game in the midweeks –a catalyst in OSU’s 1-3 combined regular season record against DBU and ORU.

See NCAA on page 4

Texas Legislature focused on culture issues, less on bread and butter, some lawmakers say

AUSTIN, Texas — Despite a near $33 billion budget surplus, the Texas Legislature failed to reach agreement on what was described as the biggest property tax cut in history. Lawmakers didn’t come together to give pay raises to public school teachers or significantly improve access to health care.

Instead, legislators used the 140-day session that ended Monday to pass a broad array of legislation that some lawmakers

argue are related to culture wars sweeping the nation — a set of wedge issues rooted in conflicting cultural values. They approved bills aimed at regulating transgender people, including dictating the sports in which they participate. Bills banning gender affirming medical treatment and regulating drag shows passed the Legislature.

Texas became the largest state to ban diversity, equity and inclusion programs on college campuses. Lawmakers stepped up their efforts to override policies developed by local jurisdictions and made voting illegally a felony.

Though the session will be defined by Saturday’s dramatic impeachment of Attorney General Ken Paxton, the most impactful legacy could be the prolific passing of legislation that builds on what Republican lawmakers accomplished in 2021.

“I see this as a very conservative session,” said Rep. Craig Goldman, R-Fort Worth, a top lieutenant of House Speaker Dade Phelan, R-Beaumont. “We passed some very conservative legislation that every single Republican can be proud to take home to their districts.”

See Texas on page 6

WCWS preview: A look at the rest of the field, history with OSU

defending national champions, looking for their third-straight national championship.

only Bedlam rematch would come in the finals.

The stage is set 60 miles south of Stillwater.

The Division I softball season will come to its apex in Oklahoma City at USA Softball Hall of Fame Stadium, where the Oklahoma State Cowgirls head into the Women’s College World Series as the No. 6 seed.

OSU starts play against No. 3-seed Florida State on Thursday at 7 p.m. The Seminoles are just one of seven teams standing in the way of a Cowgirl WCWS title. Here’s a look at the rest of the field at the WCWS, which runs from Thursday until June 9. No. 1 Oklahoma The Sooners are the

Oklahoma has won five national championships in the last six seasons. The Sooners (56-1) set the all-time Division I record for consecutive wins this season with 48. This is their 11th appearance in the WCWS in the last 12 seasons. The Sooners have made it to the WCWS 15 times and have been ranked for 406 consecutive weeks.

The Cowgirls went winless against the Sooners in this season’s Bedlam series in Stillwater. OSU has not defeated OU since playing in the Big 12 Championship last season, when the Cowgirls took the conference title in a 4-3 victory. With the Cowgirls and Sooners on the opposite side of the bracket, the

Oklahoma begins its run Thursday at 2:30 p.m. against Stanford. No. 3 Florida State Florida State has a rich history when it comes to softball. The Seminoles have appeared in the WCWS 11 times, with championships in 2018 and 2020. FSU (55-9) is one of nine schools to make an NCAA Regional every year since 2000.

The Cowgirls played the Seminoles earlier this season in Stillwater. OSU won the first game 3-2 and the second game 9-1. The Cowgirls have not faced the Seminoles in the WCWS since 2021, when FSU eliminated the Cowgirls, 4-2.

Juan Figueroa

State Sen. Royce West, center, D-Dallas, chatted in the Senate chamber at the Capitol in Austin on Thursday, May 4, 2023. (Juan Figueroa/ The Dallas Morning News/TNS)

Daniel Allen Staff Reporter

Gromer Jeffers Jr. The Dallas Morning News

Tessa Dorrell Staff Reporter

In spite of loss, Riley Taylor fulfilled a lifelong dream

recalled countless “what-if” conversations with them about the possibility of walking on to the baseball team, in spite of holding offers from smaller schools.

He walked-on in 2019 and waited five seasons for an opportunity to make his first collegiate mound appearance.

present, but for more than they initially anticipated.

TCU made early work of OSU, attaining a 4-0 advantage through two innings before extending it to a 10-5 lead through seven.

As Taylor took the mound in the top of the eighth, he captured every moment in his mind in case it was the only opportunity he’d get in an OSU uniform.

Holliday said. “A kid who doesn’t complain, does what he’s told and gets an opportunity and makes the most of it. You can’t ask for it any better.”

ARLINGTON, Texas --

When Riley Taylor first set foot in the home dugout of Globe Life Field on Sunday evening, he didn’t anticipate anything unordinary.

Taylor, a redshirt junior pitcher, served in the same role during every game over the past five years: cheering on his teammates and staying prepared. He didn’t expect that to change, especially in the Big 12 Championship game against TCU – an eventual 12-5 loss for OSU.

His parents were graduates of OSU, and Taylor

Every year, there was a slight dose of cautious optimism mixed with the reality that his live-game reps would be minimal -- if that.

That longing for his moment ended at a big-league ballpark, in front of his hometown.

“I’d been dreaming of the moment since 2019, five seasons,” Taylor said. “I really didn’t foresee any of this coming.”

A native of Haslet, Texas, Taylor had company for OSU’s game against the Horned Frogs. His parents and friends were

The Cowboys had utilized nine arms in six games over a five-day span in the conference tournament. The bullpen thinned as the innings went on, and coach Josh Holliday’s reach for arms got further.

Before the sixth inning, Taylor was told to warm up.

“I blacked out,” he said. “I didn’t know how to react.”

Scrambling for answers in his head with emotions frantically fluctuating, he did as he was instructed.

Ace pitcher Juaron WattsBrown, initially supposed to throw one inning, was kept in for another in the seventh. Then, Taylor’s moment finally came.

His first two batters didn’t go as planned. TCU freshman catcher Karson Bowen singled, which was followed by a towering home run to right field by Brayden Taylor.

“He gave up a home run to (Brayden) Taylor, but so have a lot of people over their career,” Holliday said. “He still went out there, competed and gave it his all.”

Riley answered, retiring six of his next eight batters with two strikeouts to conclude what he considered a dream outing.

As he exited the mound, teammate Ben Abram embraced him with a hug. Others followed with high-fives and pats on the back.

“That’s a great story,”

Jokingly, Riley noted his fastball and cutter were working, allowing him to attain a lead in the pitch count with Horned Frog batters. In retrospect, Riley didn’t entirely care how it went.

A half-decade itch had finally been scratched.

“Striking out six would have been a lot cooler,” Riley said. “But I’m honestly just grateful for the opportunity and that (Holliday) let me go out there and compete.

“I finally got the chance to compete for the school I’d already dreamed of playing for, and I really didn’t feel a worry in the world.”

sports.ed@ocolly.com

Courtesy of OSU

Riley Taylor has been a walk-on pitcher for OSU since 2019 but had never taken the mound during a game. That changed for Taylor, in his fifth season, during the Big 12 Championship game on Sunday.

Daniel Allen Staff Reporter

No. 4 Tennessee

The Lady Volunteers have been to the WCWS on seven occasions.

There are not deep roots when it comes to OSU and Tennessee softball matchups. Tennessee (49-8) is one of two teams in the WCWS that the Cowgirls didn’t face this season.

The last time OSU played Tennessee was in Clearwater, Florida, in 2018. The Cowgirls lost the game 5-1. The two have only played five times, and Tennessee leads 3-2.

No. 5 Alabama

This year marks the 14th appearance in the WCWS for the Crimson Tide after missing out on a trip to Oklahoma City last season.

Alabama’s SEC-leading 14 WCWS appearances have come in just 27 seasons, which means the Crimson Tide has qualified for the WCWS more times than it has not. Alabama (45-20) won the National Championship in 2012.

Alabama is the other team to not have played OSU this season, with the most recent matchup coming in February 2020 in Clearwater, Florida.

The Cowgirls beat the Crimson Tide 4-1 in that game; however, Alabama leads the all-time series against OSU, 4-1. The two teams have never met in the WCWS.

The Crimson Tide begins tournament play against Tennessee at noon on Thursday.

No. 7 Washington

The WCWS is nothing new for Washington.

The Huskies have ventured to the world series on 14 occasions. UW has only been crowned National Champion once, in 2009, but has been in the finals three more times.

OSU faced the Huskies earlier this season in Clearwater -- a 7-6 loss for the Cowgirls. OSU has only one win in seven tries against Washington.

Washington starts its WCWS against Utah on Thursday at 9:30 p.m.

No. 9 Stanford

This is Stanford’s third time making it to the WCWS. The last two appearances were in 2004 and 2001.

Stanford (45-13) recorded its most wins in a season since 2009. This is its

first season with 40 wins or more since 2012. Stanford has 14 wins this season against top-25 opponents.

The Cowgirls played Stanford in Stillwater twice in March. OSU won the first game 6-1 but lost the second game 5-1. No. 15 Utah

The Utah Utes will be returning to the WCWS for the fifth time in program history.

This is the first WCWS for the Utes since 1994. The Utes begin tournament play against another PAC 12 team, the Washington Huskies. This is the fifth game between the teams this season.

OSU and Utah have only ever played three times. The Cowgirls played the Utes in February and defeated Utah 4-3.

is 3-0 in matchups against Utah.

Continued from page 1

The Cowgirls begin their WCWS run against Florida State on Thursday.

NCAA...

Continued from page 1

Now the Cowboys have another shot with their two midweek foes. This time with the aid of their weekend starting arms.

“Regional baseball is a lot different than Tuesday night baseball,” Holliday said. “I think you can take away what you’ve learned across the field, but at the same time, the slate is clean.”

Watts-Brown still holds starting role

OSU’s pitching plan for the Big 12 Tournament was, unorthodox, Holliday said. Given the circumstances of the excess of unrested arms, it was necessary.

Ben Abram made his third start in nine days against TCU in the Big 12 Championship game. Freshman southpaw Brennan Phillips, usually a backend bullpen option for OSU, threw a career outing in a semifinal game against Texas Tech. Even usual Game 1 starting pitcher Juaron Watts-Brown was utilized twice in a bullpen role.

sports

Last season at Long Beach State, Watts-Brown was given a bullpen role after initially being a starter, and he then blossomed. Since his outing against TCU on April 8, his ERA has elevated from 2.61 to 4.50. Still, Holliday made one thing clear: not much will change within the pitching rotation moving forward. Presumably, Watts-Brown still holds the status of the team’s ace pitcher.

“We’ll evaluate and we’ll see where they’re all at (Monday),” Holliday said. “We were just trying to play it smart but play it to win.”

Holliday displeased with Big 12 representation Six Big 12 baseball programs attained a bid to an NCAA regional, marking the largest total since 2017, when the conference sent seven teams to the field of 64.

Still, it could have been larger.

Over the course of the season, Holliday hasn’t been coy regarding his belief for how underappreciated baseball in the Big 12 is. He reiterated his disdain for the national outlook on the conference when Kansas State (35-24, 13-11 Big 12) was not awarded a regional bid Monday morning.

Just three weeks prior, the Wildcats and Cowboys were tied at first place in the Big 12 standings, competing in a three-game series in Stillwater, with K-State even winning Game 1. KSU

went 2-2 at the Big 12 Tournament, with a trip to the semifinals. Ace pitcher Owen Boerema and firstteam All-Big 12 closer Ty Neighbors portray that of a postseason team in Holliday’s eyes.

“That’s disappointing for (Kansas State), I had a lot of respect for their team,” he said. “I’m disappointed for them that they would carry such a good conference record that deep into the season and get left out, and that’s a tough thing.”

Stillwater Regional schedule

Friday, June 2

Game 1 – Washington vs. Dallas Baptist, 12 p.m.

Game 2 – Oklahoma State vs. Oral Roberts, 6 p.m.

Saturday, June 3

Game 3 – Loser G1 vs. Loser G2, 12 p.m.

Game 4 – Winner G1 vs. Winner G2, 6 p.m.

Sunday, June 4

Game 5 – Winner G3 vs. Loser G4, 12 p.m.

Game 6 – Winner G4 vs. Winner G5, 6 p.m.

Monday, June 5

Game 7 – Winner G6 vs. Loser G6 (if necessary), 6 p.m. (Times subject to change for TV purposes) sports.ed@ocolly.com

File Photo

The OSU baseball team will host an NCAA Regional at O’Brate Stadium, with the Cowboys’ first game on Friday at 6 p.m. against ORU.

Droughts impact the beef industry News

Jaycee Hampton Assistant News and Lifestyle Editor

Ponds are dry, pastures are brown and cattle herds have been liquidated.

A drought is a period of dry conditions in weather that last longer than normal. It can last for days, months and even years, which has immense impacts on ecosystems and agriculture of the affected regions. Local economy is easily harmed throughout these dry-spells, especially in western Oklahoma.

Rain has fallen across much of the state this past month, and weary producers wonder if a long-awaited recovery is near. Difficult decisions will reveal themselves.

Families all across Oklahoma have dedicated generations of hard work to maintain their herds; this remains true for Lindsay Coker and her brother.

“My dad always taught me to not overstock, but that has gotten a little more challenging,” Coker said. “This past winter, we had the leanest pastures we’ve ever started with, and we had to supplement more with forage, cake and protein.”

They decided to leave their careers in Houston to move back home to help their parents farm near Texola, Oklahoma. They grow cotton, wheat and hay while managing an Angus cow-calf operation. Some western Oklahoma producers like Coker live in an area teetering in the extreme to exceptional drought category.

Coker’s operation uses a pasture rotational program to ensure forages recover to maintain cattle grazing and minimize inputs. However, this method is more difficult to follow when grass is stunted or dormant from drought.

As a result, additional hay must be purchased, and the concentrated, processed cake cattle feed made from distillers’ grains, soybean meal, sunflower meal and other crude protein is expensive.

When hay can’t be found and water is limited, older cattle and those not bred are sold to reduce expenses.

Rancher Johnny Owens owns yearlings near Buffalo in northwestern Oklahoma. He has 50% fewer cattle this year and said if his area doesn’t receive additional rain soon, he will be forced to sell his stock.

“Since last August, up until three weeks ago when we got a couple of inches of rain, we’ve had almost no moisture whatsoever,” Owens said. “We have 20% of what our normal grass growth would be this time of year.”

In eastern Oklahoma, green forage covers the landscape which is completely opposite to western Oklahoma’s cracked, bare earth. Cattleman Dax Burchett manages Burchett Cattle Co. in Talala with his father and uncle and has worked as director of sales and operations at Mid America Feeds for 25 years.

“We’re on the edge of stocker country, but we also have a lot of smaller, momand-pop operations that rely on hay when they don’t have a lot of forage,” Burchett said.

Mid America Feeds typically provides feed for about 300,000 head of cattle in Northeast Oklahoma every day, but drought conditions earlier this year forced local producers to cull at least 10% of their herds. The reduction in numbers trickled down to lower feed sales at the mill.

Burchett’s cow-calf and stocker operation was also impacted by the drought with diminished pond water, hay and forage.

“We were watering a large percentage of our animals on city water, which

because we live next to a large lake wasn’t an issue, but we would have had to reduce numbers due to water needs,” he said.

But in February, Burchett’s area of northeast Oklahoma received a lifesaving rain that filled some ponds and alleviated the drought’s intensity. Timely showers also fell in March and April, and now Burchett is developing a pasture recovery plan after two years of poor forage yields.

Improving weather conditions are on the rise, but drought recovery takes years, said Derrell Peel, Oklahoma State University Extension livestock marketing specialist.

In his latest segment on SUNUP, OSU Agriculture’s weekly production agriculture television show, Peel said 54% of Oklahoma pastures are still in poor condition.

“It’s highly unlikely that we could stop herd liquidation completely,” Peel said. “It’s deceiving. Pastures look green, but producers tell me there’s not a lot of growth. Unless we get a lot of followup moisture within the next couple of months, we’ll still see a somewhat limited forage season.”

During the first half of 2023, cow and heifer slaughter has climbed as producers reduced numbers. During a drought, more female cattle are sent to market, a key indicator of desperate times, Peel said.

“It’s all related to the female side of the industry,” Peel said. “The fastest thing we can do [for recovery] is cut back on cow slaughter. I think it will drop as we go throughout 2023.”

If wet weather continues, pastures and hay fields will produce more forage this summer and producers can work with aged cows and young heifers to rebuild herds. Only then can the Oklahoma beef industry begin to recover.

Currently, Peel said calf

market prices are 40% higher than they were in October 2022, and those prices will jump even more when drought conditions subside.

High prices are a good thing in theory, but for those ranchers who had to liquidate and now want to get back in the game, the price to play will be very expensive. “High input costs and drought impacts mean a little bit slower recovery process than the last drought,” Peel said, referring to the drought from 2011 to 2013. “We had two years of high cattle prices in 2014 and 2015, but this time around, we’ll see a relatively elevated cattle price situation for an extended period of time.”

While ranchers watch for rain, beef consumers can expect to feel the effects of a drought-stricken industry. Beef production is expected to be slow. Supplies will tighten, and shoppers will pay higher prices for beef.

“Next year and beyond, we’re going to make a decreasing supply of beef even smaller, because to increase production long term, we will have to save heifers,” Peel said. “You can’t fix things fast. This industry turns slowly.”

Peel said current retail beef prices have been steady for the past 15 to 18 months. As cattle inventory drops to recover from the drought, consumers should expect higher prices at the meat counter.

“We’re setting ourselves up for better conditions in 2024,” Peel said. “That’s the earliest I would expect to see the tightest squeeze on cattle sold at market.”

To learn more about Oklahoma’s drought history and current conditions, visit https://www.drought.gov/states/ oklahoma

news.ed@ocolly.com

Courtesy of OSU

Improving weather conditions are chipping away at the broader area of drought, but drought recovery takes years, said Derrell Peel, Oklahoma State University Extension livestock marketing specialist.

Continued from 1

Goldman shrugged off criticism by Democrats and others that the session was too focused on red meat issues craved by hard-right Republican activists. “We passed the supermajority of things we came here to pass,” he said.

Democrats are more sullen about the results of the session. Rep. Chris Turner, D-Grand Prairie, said the Legislature missed an opportunity to pass laws that would help all Texans, including teachers. He said the GOP-controlled Legislature spent too much time “attacking LGBTQ Texans and preempting local government’s ability to ensure health and public safety [of Texans].”

“It’s unfortunate and a real loss for Texas,” he said. “The people of Texas want to focus on good public schools, health care and reasonable property tax relief.”

In contrast to Turner, Sen. Bob Hall, R-Edgewood, said culture issues are just as important as nuts-and-bolts proposals. “We’re talking about problems that didn’t even exist when I first came to the legislature that have a significant impact on who we are as a people,” Hall said. “We’re obliged to address the issues of the day.”

Rep. Jeff Leach, R-Plano, defended the work of the House, despite criticism of the ultra-conservative approach.

“In the Texas House, we’ve been focused on the issues that matter most to the people of Texas — property tax relief, education, border security, protecting parents and children,” he said. “I don’t think those are culture issues. Those are issues that the people of Texas by and large care about.”

“We have to address

public education and make sure that our schools are adequately funded and our teachers are taken care of,” said Rep. Julie Johnson, D-Farmers Branch.

“That needs to be a top priority, but there’s a lot of discussion over culture war issues that are deeply dividing the state.”

On Monday, as the legislative session was adjourning, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick lamented that more of his priorities did not pass, including allowing the Ten Commandments in Texas classrooms, the banning the teaching of critical race theory in higher education and outlawing countywide polling places. Patrick asked Gov. Greg Abbott to consider these issues and others during a special session.

Texas GOP’s priorities

Last year, delegates at the Texas Republican Party convention approved eight priorities for the 2023 legislative session.

The Legislature addressed most of the priorities, which include what grassroots Republicans framed as “protecting elections, securing the border, banning gender modification of children, stopping the sexualization of Texas kids, banning Democratic Party chairs in the GOP-controlled Legislature, abolishing abortion, defending gun rights and [promoting] parental rights and education freedom.”

Banning Democratic Party chairs in the House is not something that would be made into law. In 2021, the Texas Legislature passed some of the strictest anti-abortion laws in the nation. Hardright Republicans didn’t get all they wanted with border security, including the defeat of a bill that would have enlisted citizens to help with state border operations. The Legislature did allocate $5.4 billion to beef up the state’s presence on the border.

The biggest setback on the list is “education freedom:” Legislation to create a voucher-

like program that uses public money to help students pay the cost of private school did not pass the Texas House. It was one of Abbott’s biggest priorities and is expected to be reconsidered during a special legislative session.

While some GOP activists and elected officials lament not getting everything they wanted from the above list, or their own priorities, most of the conservative wish list passed the Legislature.

Patrick touted passing more than culture war legislation, including bills that bolstered the state’s power grid, allocated money to make public school safer and providing mental health funding for rural areas.

‘Social issues have great political power’

“Culture war” is a term used to describe the political struggle between conservatives and progressives on a number of issues, including gun rights, LGBTQ rights, education reform, censorship, immigration, abortion and much more.

Texas is not unlike other conservative states that have had a renewed focus on culture wars. Such laws are being passed all over the country, including Florida, where Abbott has a friendly rivalry with Gov. Ron DeSantis, who is running for president on his strength as a culture warrior.

“Social issues have great political power,” said Larry Sabato, director of the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia. “These are winning issues for them [Republicans], because there are voters out there who they resonate with. If there were no voters, they wouldn’t be winning issues.”

Sabato said the GOP’s focus on transgender Americans is dangerous. “They’re really being pushed up against the wall,” Sabato said of transgender Americans who make up 1% of the population.

“It’s being made worse for them with these laws, but they [lawmakers] don’t care about

that.” Jonathan Gooch, a spokesperson for the LGTBQ advocacy group Equality Texas, said the bills passed by the Legislature would deprive transgender residents of necessary health care.

“When lawmakers are deciding who has the right to access life-saving care, what they’re really deciding is who gets to live and who dies,” he said. “That’s where I see the biggest harm out of this session, banning health care, which I think sets a dangerous precedent for all Texans.”

But Dave Carney, Abbott’s chief political strategist, said Republican lawmakers were right to focus on issues important to conservative Texans.

”Eighty-percent of Texans support protection of minors from gender modification, so it’s really not culture wars,” he said weeks before the session ended. “It’s not like some fringe argument, like the other side that’s actually arguing for the fringe.”

Some Democrats broke with others in their party to back various bills aimed at transgender Texans. Four House Democrats voted with Republicans to ban hormone therapy and puberty blockers for transgender Texans under the age of 18.

Ten House Democrats voted with Republicans to pass Senate Bill 15, which would require college athletes to compete on sports teams that align with their gender assigned at birth.

Sen. Royce West, D-Dallas, voted for a bill regulating drag shows. And more than a dozen Democrats supported a bill that would ban books deemed too sexually explicit.

“It remains my legislative duty and moral obligation to vote the conscience and core values of my constituency,” said Rep. Shawn Thierry, D-Houston, during her floor speech in support of the bill banning hormone therapy

and puberty blockers for transgender youth.

Carney also defended anti-DEI legislation and the need to rein in local prosecutors who are not committed to prosecuting crimes. “There’s a lot of name calling, but there’s not a lot of facts,” he said. “It’s just common sense.”

Still, critics say the Legislature should have used the state’s abundant resources to tackle more meaningful problems, like improving access to health care, pouring more money into public education and bolstering the state’s infrastructure.

“At the beginning of the session, when I saw we had a $33 billion surplus, I was really hopeful that we could make investments that would set the state up for economic dominance for decades to come,” said Rep. Rafael Anchia, D-Dallas. “Unfortunately, we missed our moment to rise to the occasion.”

Abbott’s priority list

Whether it’s hot-button issues or bread-and-butter bills, Texas lawmakers are expected to finish their work in a special session.

Abbott didn’t get the Legislature to approve a voucher-like plan that gives public money for students to attend private schools. It was blocked by a coalition of urban and rural lawmakers who fear the impact of such a plan on public schools.

While Abbott didn’t get many items on his priority list, the most glaring omission of the session is the lack of the promised and much ballyhooed property tax cut. House and Senate leaders couldn’t compromise on a deal before the regular session adjourned.

“Texans expect and deserve and demand real property tax relief,” said Leach, the Plano lawmaker. “Anything less than us delivering the largest property tax relief in the history of the state of Texas is not acceptable.”

Abortion bans are driving off doctors and closing clinics, putting basic health care at risk

Julie Rovner KFF Health News

The rush in conservative states to ban abortion after the overturn of Roe v. Wade is resulting in a startling consequence that abortion opponents may not have considered: fewer medical services available for all women living in those states.

Doctors are showing — through their words and actions — that they are reluctant to practice in places where making the best decision for a patient could result in huge fines or even a prison sentence. And when clinics that provide abortions close their doors, all the other services offered there also shut down, including regular exams, breast cancer screenings, and contraception.

The concern about repercussions for women’s health is being raised not just by abortion rights advocates. One recent warning comes from Jerome

Adams, who served as surgeon general in the Trump administration.

In a tweet thread in April, Adams wrote that “the tradeoff of a restricted access (and criminalizing doctors) only approach to decreasing abortions could end up being that you actually make pregnancy less safe for everyone, and increase infant and maternal mortality.”

An early indication of that impending medical “brain drain” came in February, when 76% of respondents in a survey of more than 2,000 current and future physicians said they would not even apply to work or train in states with abortion restrictions. “In other words,” wrote the study’s authors in an accompanying article, “many qualified candidates would no longer even consider working or training in more than half of U.S. states.”

Indeed, states with abortion bans saw a larger decline in medical school seniors applying for residency in 2023 compared with states without bans, according to a study from the Association of American Medical

Colleges. While applications for OB-GYN residencies were down nationwide, the decrease in states with complete abortion bans was more than twice as large as those with no restrictions (10.5% vs. 5.2%).

That means fewer doctors to perform critical preventive care like Pap smears and screenings for sexually transmitted infections, which can lead to infertility.

Care for pregnant women specifically is at risk, as hospitals in rural areas close maternity wards because they can’t find enough professionals to staff them — a problem that predated the abortion ruling but has only gotten worse since.

In March, Bonner General Health, the only hospital in Sandpoint, Idaho, announced it would discontinue its labor and delivery services, in part because of “Idaho’s legal and political climate” that includes state legislators continuing to “introduce and pass bills that criminalize physicians for medical care nationally recognized as the

standard of care.”

Heart-wrenching reporting from around the country shows that abortion bans are also imperiling the health of some patients who experience miscarriage and other nonviable pregnancies. Earlier this year, a pregnant woman with a nonviable fetus in Oklahoma was told to wait in the parking lot until she got sicker after being informed that doctors “can’t touch you unless you are crashing in front of us.”

A study by researchers from the State University of New York-Buffalo published in the Women’s Health Issues journal found that doctors practicing in states with restrictive abortion policies are less likely than those in states with supportive abortion policies to have been trained to perform the same early abortion procedures that are used for women experiencing miscarriages early in pregnancy.

See full story at ocolly.com

Courtesy of Dreamstime

The rush in conservative states to ban abortion after the overturn of Roe v. Wade is resulting in a startling consequence that abortion opponents may not have considered: fewer medical services available for all women living in those states. (Dreamstime/TNS)

Road rage reimagined: Diving into Netflix’s “Beef”

Tanner Kenyon Staff Reporter

Tired of mundane TV dinners? Netflix’s “Beef” dishes out a piping hot serving of road rage and humor, proving that drama isn’t always a tough chew.

I have one simple test whenever it comes to determining a show as good or bad: Did I set my phone down?

“Beef,” Netflix’s latest hit drama is an outstanding blend of dark, existential thrills and on occasion, extremely humorous dialogue. The hit show created by Lee Sung Jin stars Ali Wong as Amy Lau and Steven Yeun as Danny Cho. The pair, respectively, are two rage-fueled drivers whose lives unexpectedly intertwine resulting in a suspenseful and entertaining drama following the aftermath of a road rage incident.

“I am so sick of smiling,”

says Danny in the first episode of the Netflix’s series. For me, this shows inherent superpower is displaying humanity amidst its characters. It advocates for themes that are integral to living an enjoyable life. We are all scared of what the world has in store for us and we all deserve to be loved. It is an often scarce message in today’s day and age.

The Pros:

Cinematography: The cinematography of this series was outstanding. The production company, A24, has once again blown it out of the water. A24 is very quickly becoming one of my favorite production companies in Hollywood. Every product of theirs that I have viewed has balanced humor, drama and emotion; flawlessly resulting in products that will be forever remembered such as “Beef,” “Uncut Gems” and “Everything Everywhere All At Once.”

Character Arcs: Danny Cho and Amy Lau’s life were visualized to be dire and full of existential dread from the very beginning of the series. They have become full of anger and frustrated with the way the world has treated them. Thus, whenever they get into the road-rage incident, everything goes downhill. Neither one of them can seem to control their outrage, and it goes on to become a moment that will change both of their lives forever. There is a saying that goes “Hurt people, hurt people,” and this show advocates that message through the damaged main characters.

The Acting: “Beef’s” dramatic and tragedy-filled narrative would not be possible without outstanding performances from Steven Yeun and Ali Wong. Somehow, they were able to portray dual protagonists who are selfcentered and impulsive at

their core, while also being sympathetic and kind at times.

The Ending: The ending of this show was excellent in my eyes. The show wrapped up most of its story threads while also maintaining a strong narrative in the final episode. The final episode of this show solidified this as one of Netflix’s best series in a long time. I personally do not want to see another season of this show; However, due to its success it seems only a matter of when, not if.

The Cons: Pacing Issues: While “Beef” successfully keeps the tension rising from episode to episode, the pacing of the script at times could be a bit jarring. There were a few moments, especially in the first few episodes, where the pacing was hard to follow along in my opinion. Some episodes are filled with tension while others drag behind, ultimately undermining the narrative in a

sense. Predictability: This show was filled to the brim with shocks and cliffhangers, leaving the audience hooked and wanting to come back for more. However, that does not mean that each individual plot point had the intended shock value A24 and Netflix was aiming for. This was more apparent in the first two episodes than any other in the series in my opinion.

Conclusion:

Overall, “Beef” offers an electric exploration of road rage, revenge and regret at many levels. The absorbing story, character development arcs and outstanding performances more than make up for some of its narrative shortcomings. It is not without flaws, but if you are a fan of tense and emotion filled dramas, you might find “Beef” to be a captivating watch.

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Steven Yeun, left, as Danny and Ali Wong as Amy in “Beef.” (Netflix/TNS)

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6

Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle

Edited by Patti Varol and Joyce Lewis

Daily Horoscope

Nancy Black

Tribune Content Agency

Linda Black Horoscopes

Today’s Birthday (05/31/23). This year illuminates long-term dreams. Grow profes sionally with discipline, organization and determination. Accomplish springtime prizes in teamwork. Nurture health and wellness this summer, for an autumn of love, fun and passion. Peaceful winter productivity organizes for what’s ahead. Work back stage to realize your vision.

To get the advantage, check the day’s rating: 10 is the easiest day, 0 the most chal lenging.

Aries (March 21-April 19) — Today is a 7 — Work with your partner around an obstacle. Keep your agreements, patience and a sense of humor. Provide stability. Defuse tension with kindness. Clean messes.

Taurus (April 20-May 20) — Today is a 7 — Prioritize your work and health. Avoid risky terrain. Support your partner with a challenge. Coordinate to manage a mess. Walk and talk together.

Gemini (May 21-June 20) — Today is an 8 — Make a connection of the heart. Savor your favorite people and places. Don’t take expensive risks. Walk and talk. Share a picnic somewhere pretty.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) — Today is a 9 — Manage domestic priorities. A breakdown provides an excuse for an upgrade. Beautify spaces. Add candles and flowers for romance. Fill your home with love.

Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) — Today is an 8 — Communication flowers. A creative project could make domestic messes. Patiently edit, refine and mold. Clean and clarify. Simplify for elegance. Consider color and style.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) — Today is a 9 — Focus on bringing home your daily bread. Communicate your way around delays or shortages. Polish marketing materials and share promotions. Creativity gets lucrative.

Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) — Today is a 9 — Dress for success. You’re gaining influence, despite self-doubt. Invent lucrative possibilities. Develop your talents, skills and capacities. Maintain positive cash flow. Pursue profitable opportunities.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) — Today is a 7 — Consider your moves in advance. A puzzle presents multiple options. You’re the author of your own story. Plan, imagine and invent new possibilities.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) — Today is a 7 — Collaborate to deal with social changes. Learn from multiple perspectives. Discuss and determine group practices. Privately process recent transitions. Let go of assumptions.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) — Today is an 8 — Advance shared professional objectives together. Notice what’s working with a team project and what’s not. Stay objective. Don’t take things personally. Prioritize results.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) — Today is an 8 — Your investigation could lead to professional opportunities. Build new elements on strong foundations. Simplify and narrow the focus. Explore options and potential. Make interesting connections.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — Today is an 8 — Revise plans and budgets for unforeseen expenses. Strengthen financial foundations. Save for educational adventures. Research for value. Study and investigate purchases before choosing.

17

Katie Hale

Redding 30 Hushed summons

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Solution to Tuesday’s puzzle

Complete the grid so each row, column and 3-by-3 box (in bold borders) contains every digit, 1 to 9. For strategies on how to solve Sudoku, visit sudoku.org.uk © 2023