america’s 250th birthday
A piece of history at OSU
On Thursday, June 26, Oklahoma State University unveiled a gifted copy of the Declaration of Independence by former student Ken Brown. Ken Brown, a renowned
calligrapher, created a copy of the Declaration of Independence in 1976 in commemoration of the United States bicentennial. The piece earned recognition as it was hanged in the speaker’s office in the U.S. Capitol in 1976, and has now found its
permanent home at Edmon Low Library at OSU – where Brown first fell in love with the art of what would become his beloved profession, calligraphy.
The unveiling was held in the library in celebration of America’s 250th anniversary.
In attendance was OSU President Jim Hess, Library Dean Sheila Johnson, students, alumni and Ken Brown. Johnson introduced speakers beginning with Hess, Kallie Kosc who’s an associate professor of history at OSU, Librarian John Phillips, Mary
Larson who’s an associate dean for special collections at OSU and concluding with Brown. Brown spoke of the great honor it was that the gift was accepted by the university.
See UNVEILING on page 3
Stillwater airport suffers damage due to storm
On Friday night, June 26, Stillwater Regional Airport planes were overturned due to the 86 mile an hour winds.
Although Stillwater’s airport suffered damage of various kinds, Kellie Reed, C.M. Airport Director at Stillwater Regional Airport, shared in an email statement that the airport is pleased to share that all people, pilots and tenants are safe with no reported injuries.
“Stillwater Regional Airport (SWO) did experience various forms of damage from last Friday’s weather event, which include major and minor aircraft damage, old and new terminal damage, major and minor hangar damage, flooding, power outage, and other minor airfield damage,” Reed wrote in the statement.
Reed also acknowledged the amount of damage the airport suffered, and how the airport prioritized safety throughout the thunderstorm.
“Two parked general aviation aircraft were inverted in the storm, many others were damaged. Our current total count is 13 aircraft damaged. Airport staff immediately responded to ensure airport safety and security throughout incident response and recovery,” the statement wrote.
Caleson Coon
Caleson Coon
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Payton Little, The O’Colly
Edmon Low Library celebrates America’s 250th anniversary with a Declaration of Independence art piece presentation by Ken Brown.
Payton Little,The O’Colly
Payton Little,The O’Colly
speed
86 mph.
Lifestyle
4th of July in Stillwater
Delaney Waterman STAFF REPORTER
As America celebrates its 250th anniversary, the town of Stillwater has different events to celebrate the milestone. Here are some events to kick off the commemoration of the 4th of July.
Stillwater, Cinema 34 at Block 34
723 S. Lewis st. 74074
July 1st, 7 p.m.
For those in need of a relaxed evening, Block 34’s Cinema 34 is the perfect way to kick off both the month of July and Independence Day. Guests are encouraged to bring their own blankets and chairs. Food and drink vendors will be present and giveaways are also part of the evening.
Fan of the Marvel franchise? This month’s fan-favorite screening at the KICKER soundstage is Captain America, which sets the tone for the weekend of celebration ahead.
Stillwater, The Birthday Bash at Block 34
723 S. Lewis st.. 74074
July 2nd, 5-9 p.m.
If you want to start celebrating America’s birthday in advance, Block 34 is hosting a Birthday Bash event on Thursday, July 2nd.
For the younger audience, there will be a water slide, bounce house, face painting and lawn games. Drinks, snacks and sweets are free at this event. The first 250 guests will even
have the opportunity to receive a Chick-fil-A sandwich!
Stillwater, Boomer Blast Fireworks
Show
Boomer Lake Park – 2310 E Lakeview Road July 3rd, 6-10 p.m.
In need of some small-town hospitality to help celebrate this weekend? Boomer Blast is back again to celebrate the 4th! Sponsored by Visit Stillwater, the celebration will feature food truck vendors along with a fireworks show.. Fireworks are synced to music from 93.7 FM radio.
Boomer Blast is held in Boomer Lake Park, specifically on the corner of Washington Street and Lakeview Road. The event is free and open to the general public.
Vehicles are not allowed in the park through the duration of this event. Free parking is available at the Stillwater High School stadium.
At 4 p.m., the Boomer Lake Park and boat ramp will close for both vehicle and boating traffic, along with Harned road. At 6 p.m., food trucks will open for the evening.
At 7 p.m., Lakeview Bridge will close. At 8 p.m., Stillwater Radio will begin their two-hour, live remote broadcast on Hot 93.7 FM.
At 9:30 p.m., the fireworks show will begin! The show is meant to conclude at approximately 10 p.m.
Around 11:30 p.m., the park will reopen to traffic.
On This day
1974. 52 years ago.
“Despite the crisis surrounding the United States today, this country can look at itself, its people and its government and be proud of what has transpired over these 198 years.
The Great Experiment has produced the greatest country on earth.
This nation, admittedly flawed, has introduced man to the moon and reaped the accompanying benefits, developed an effective vaccine to fight polio, revolutionalized and humanized an employer’s relations with his employees, aided countless millions of people in foreign countries in the aftermath of natural disasters and started down the road to reclaiming its place in nature and protecting the environment.”
ANDREW TEVINGTON | DAILY O’COLLEGIAN EDITOR, 1974
Safety precautions for the 4th
Delaney Waterman STAFF REPORTER
Celebrating the 4th typically includes fireworks, cookouts and more. Regardless of how you spend the weekend, here are some ways to prepare and take appropriate precautions before any festivities.
Fireworks & other items
While the City of Stillwater has deemed it illegal to personally possess, purchase, and use fireworks, officials at events across the town are allowed to handle them. Sparklers, smoke bombs, bottle rockets and firecrackers are all banned for personal use and one should never attempt to make their own. Fines for any violators can be up to $500.
Regardless of the ban, general safety rules apply when it comes to fireworks. Watching from a safe distance at public events is imperative. In case one does spark a fire, water will put it out. Be vigilant about pets as well, because the loud noise can cause animals to panic. It may be best for them to remain inside over the duration of any fireworks show.
Grilling & outdoor cooking
For cookouts, remember to wash your hands and clean all utensils and cookware before eating. If packing foods in a cooler, remember that separation
is key to ensure no drink or food cross-contamination, as advised by the National Restaurant Association. Be sure to pack the cooler with plenty of ice or gel packs to ensure that the food will not begin to spoil.
Keep your grill at least 10 feet away from your home. Keep the grills away from low-hanging branches and leaves alongside any railings or furniture. Cold foods should follow the “two hour rule,” if sitting out, which FoodSafety.gov claims is best for perishables to avoid illness. Hot foods – especially whole cuts of meat and fish – should be at least 145 degrees to avoid the chance of sickness as well. Ground meats should reach 160 degrees while poultry should reach a minimum of 165 degrees. Never leave a hot grill unattended and ensure that children do not get too close. Water & outdoors
If on or near water, be sure to use proper floatation devices, reapply sunscreen or sunblock often, and remain vigilant. The Red Cross advises no diving headfirst and to always have a lifeguard or sober, trusted adult nearby to watch both children and nonswimmers. Be sure to remain hydrated and wear lightweight articles of clothing as well to avoid heatstroke or heat exhaustion.
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Payton Little,The O’Colly Fireworks displayed at Big Jake’s Fireworks in preparation of Stillwater residents celebrating America’s 250th anniversary.
Payton Little,The O’Colly Fireworks are required to come with safety instructions and precautions on packaging.
remarkable,” Brown said. “And I thought, ‘I got to make an impact, I got to do something that will, you know, create attention and be meaningful.’”
“It’s very meaningful that it has a home where I was exposed to calligraphy the first time, and got the bug and just never did turn loose,” Brown said. “So, this is where it’s supposed to be.”
To Johnson, it meant a great deal as it was gifted and created by someone who has ties to the state and town of Stillwater as well as it being unveiled with the upcoming celebration of the 250th anniversary on 4th of July.
“This is just a wonderful and inspirational kind of piece,” Johnson said.
She believes it spoke to their love of wanting to have a piece of heritage and history at the university.
The piece took three full nights to complete years ago when Brown first tackled the challenge at his hometown in Hugo, OK, when he was 14 years into his calligraphy career.
“I challenged myself, I had not done anything
Brown said he had no idea that the piece would turn into something ‘grand,’ before creating it.
When first enrolling in an architectural design class where the professor gave instructions to grab a pen, a bottle of ink and a piece of paper to write something as homework, Brown said he soon became fascinated with the letters written by a steel pen.
“And one thing led to another, and I was having a great time in architecture, but something – when I got into that class – something wonderful happened while I was at OSU, that eventually changed my life,” Brown said.
“So, over the decades, calligraphy carried me much farther than I could have ever imagined,” Brown said. “And all of it allowed me to make a nice living doing something that I love, and not everyone can say that.”
A long time friend of
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There are also plans for continued response for further damage repair.
“We continue to respond to airport damage for short term and long-term repairs and are working with aircraft owners for damaged aircraft inspection and recovery,” Reed wrote in the statement.
However, for all traveling, the airport is still available.
“The airport remains open and available for both commercial air service and general aviation,” the statement wrote.
Stillwater’s airport will also look toward solutions to stay on schedule with the upcoming opening happening in August.
“We are actively seeking emergency response and recovery solutions to damage sustained to our brand-new terminal, to remain on schedule with our new commercial service terminal grand opening on August 19,” the statement wrote.
Reed wrote of the Stillwater Regional Airport’s gratitude for continuous support of the airport staff, tenants, partners in emergency response and multiple city departments who reached out in support of the airport’s response and recovery efforts.
Brown’s and classmate ‘many many years ago,’ Sharon Brown attended the unveiling as a show of support for Brown as she felt the event happened at the perfect time.
“I love our country, and I just couldn’t wait to see what he had done with his calligraphy, with the Declaration of Independence, and it’s absolutely wonderful,”
Hess shared the sentiment as he thanked Brown for his generosity and talent during his speech at the event.
“I’m greatly appreciative of this celebration of Declaration of Independence to remind all of us how all this happened in our country, and how we got our great start,” Hess said.
Hess concluded his speech with a speech with the promise of visiting this calligraphed reminder often.
Later, Brown recalled thinking back to creating the piece, and how when committing to it, it became a special part of his life.
“And so after having it, owning it for 50 years, I decided that it’s time to give it a home,” Brown said.
SURPLUS AUCTION
Payton Little,The O’Colly
The piece by Ken Brown took three full nights to complete.
Courtesy Kellie Reed
The airport continues to respond to airport damage for short and long-term repairs.
Courtesy Kellie Reed
Stillwater Regional Airport is grateful for the support throughout their recovery efforts.
Courtesy Kellie Reed
Due to the storm, there also was damage to the airport’s terminal.
OSU Unified at 2026 Special Olympics USA Games
OSU Unified placed sixth at the USA Games
“USA Games was an amazing experience. Opening Ceremonies was one of my favorite moments. All of the state delegations walk in as groups and are announced, it was a huge moment.
I loved seeing all the hard work our flag football team put in to get there and then they gave it their all against teams from all over the country. The very first game of the week was a highlight for me because it was seeing 15 months of work come together. The team came out and played the best game they have ever played. The excitement level was so high. Just so proud of the team and all they accomplished.
We had an almost 50 family members and friends travel to Minnesota to cheer on and support our team. We had a huge cheering section. Seeing the level of support behind the team was awesome.”
ERICA STILL
PROGRAM COORDINATOR FOR CENTER FOR DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES AT OSU
Courtesy Erica Still
Carter Pfieffer (left), Dominic Adkins (middle), Garrett Jones (right) competing in flag football.
Courtesy Erica Still
Back row left to right: Coach Tim Jones, Dominic Adkins, Emma Roy, Garrett Jones and Shanovia Forbes. Middle row: Carter Pfieffer, Alex Fruits, Jared Lowry and Gracie Maschmeier. Front row: Stephen Clarke and Abby McNeeley.
Courtesy Erica Still
Carter Pfieffer running for gold.
Courtesy Erica Still
OSU Unified had almost 50 friends and family travel to Minnesota for support.
Friday, July 3, 2026
OSU guard Natt files lawsuit against NCAA seeking extra year of eligibility
Logan Cole STAFF REPORTER
The Cowboys have some legal wrangling to do.
Oklahoma State guard Kashie Natt has filed a lawsuit against the NCAA in Payne County, seeking another season of eligibility to play for the Cowboys. Natt joined OSU this offseason after beginning his collegiate career at a junior college before transferring to NAIA LSU-Alexandria. Natt’s lawyers claim that his “five-year period commenced when he enrolled at LSUA in
August 2022; it does not expire until August 2027. Under that construction, the plaintiff should be eligible for one more season during the 2026-27 academic year without an additional waiver.”
Natt filed a waiver claim this offseason for another year under the NCAA’s previous eligibility rules, alongside Parsa Fallah. After the NCAA adopted new eligibility rules earlier this year, Natt’s waiver was canceled. The fate of Fallah’s waiver is currently unknown.
“The NCAA applied an undisclosed categorical policy
to cancel a waiver request submitted on behalf of Kashie Natt instead of conducting the individualized review its own bylaws require or engaging with the extensive record of extraordinary circumstances OSU submitted.” Natt’s attorney, Darren Heitner, said.
“We are seeking immediate injunctive relief so Kashie can resume full team activities and compete for OSU during the 2026-27 season. He withdrew from the 2026 NBA Draft in reasonable reliance of the NCAA’s process. Kashie is entitled to a fair adjudication on the merits.”
Before arriving in Stillwater, Natt spent three seasons at LSUA before transferring to Sam Houston, becoming Conference USA defensive player of the year. He led the team in steals and averaged 10.8 points per game. He scored nine points and grabbed six boards in a game against OSU this past season.
OSU head coach Steve Lutz released a statement on X.
“Kashie has been a standout teammate,” Lutz said. “We’re doing everything in our power to support him and will continue to stand in his corner as he and his legal
representation move forward. This matter is now in the hands of the court, and we remain hopeful for a positive resolution.”
Lutz had previously spoken highly of Natt at a press conference back in early June.
“He’s an unbelievable human being,” Lutz said. “He’s constantly bringing energy... He’s just got that personality. So, it’s been enjoyable.”
As the case moves through the courts, Natt has been removed from OSU’s roster, leaving the Cowboys with 13 of their 15 roster spots filled.
sports.ed@ocolly.com
Catherine Dzanski, The O’Colly
OSU guard Kashie Natt is seeking another season of eligibility through a lawsuit against the NCAA.
Sports
OSU claims Bedlam Series again, wins rivalry for sixth time in seven years
Weston Wertzberger SPORTS EDITOR
The Bedlam rivalry continued to tilt toward Oklahoma State during the 2025-26 academic year.
OSU claimed the all-sports Bedlam Series over Oklahoma for the sixth time in the last seven years and the 11th time in the last 13 years. The Cowboys posted an 18-5-1 record, marking the largest margin of victory in series history.
After opening the year with a 4-1 women’s soccer loss in Norman on Aug. 17, OSU responded by winning 10 consecutive Bedlam matchups before OU claimed four of the next five. The Cowboys closed the academic year with seven straight Bedlam victories.
Here are some of the best moments from this year’s Bedlam Series.
Wrestling: Cowboys shut out the Sooners in front of a sold-out crowd
OSU has been on the rise since David Taylor arrived two years ago, and the Cowboys added another emphatic Bedlam victory by shutting out OU 37-0 on Jan. 11. It was OSU’s first shutout over the Sooners since 1992, while the 37-point margin was the largest since 2018 and the sixth-largest in series history.
One of the night’s biggest moments came when Jax Forrest made his collegiate debut after graduating high school early and enrolling at OSU for the spring semester. He immediately made a statement by pinning Carter Schmidt in 47 seconds.
Casey Swiderski, Landon Robideau and Kody Routledge each earned bonus-point victories. Routledge provided one of the night’s biggest surprises by defeating former All-American Peyton Kellar in an 11-3 major decision.
Alex Facundo, Zach Ryder and Cody Merrill also boosted their résumés with wins over top-11-ranked opponents in three consecutive matches.
Baseball: Cowboys take revenge in Tulsa
After falling 10-1 to OU at the Shriners Children’s College Showdown on Feb. 14, the Cowboys flipped the script two months later against the eventual national champions at ONEOK Field on April 14.
OSU hit four home runs as Campbell Smithwick blasted a pair of solo shots in the first and fourth innings while finishing 3-for-4 with three runs and two RBIs. Kollin Ritchie and Garrett Shull also homered to build a 7-0 lead by the sixth inning.
Jaxon Willits ended the shutout with a threerun homer in the bottom of the eighth before the game was called because of heavy rain in Tulsa. Head coach Josh Holliday improved to 38-16 in Bedlam games since taking over the program in 2013.
Softball: Cowgirls upset the No. 1 team in the country
One day after the Cowboys earned the Bedlam win in baseball, the Cowgirls secured their biggest upset of the season at Devon Park in Oklahoma City.
OSU scored in five consecutive innings after a scoreless first and controlled the game for most of the afternoon. Karli Godwin hit the Cowgirls’ lone home run in the third inning as OSU finished with five extra-base hits. Tia Warsop went 2-for-3 with a run scored and two RBIs.
The story of the day was Ruby Meylan in the circle. The All-American tossed a complete game, allowing seven hits, four runs (two earned), one walk and striking out nine.
The 6-4 victory marked the eighth win over a No. 1 team in program history. Four of those have come under head coach Kenny Gajewski, including three against the Sooners.
sports.ed@ocolly.com
Trey Creel, The O’Colly
The Cowgirls scored in five consecutive innings to pull off the 6-4 upset at Devon Park in Oklahoma City.
Payton Little, The O’Colly
Jax Forrest earned his first-career collegiate pin as the Cowboys earned a 37-0 shutout at Gallagher-Iba Arena.
Catherine Dzanski, The O’Colly
Campbell Smithwick hit a pair of home runs for three runs during the Cowboys’ 7-3 win in Tulsa.
Sports
Former Cowboy Hovland wins Travelers Championship
With tons of Norwegian fans and his mother, Galina, in attendance, former Oklahoma State golfer Viktor Hovland defeated Scottie Scheffler in a playoff Monday to win the Travelers Championship at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell, Connecticut.
Hovland, who played at OSU from 2016-19, earned his 10th professional victory worldwide and eighth on the PGA Tour. It was his first win since the 2025 Valspar Championship and moved him up 36 spots to No. 20 in the FedEx Cup standings.
Hovland recovered from an
early bogey in the opening round to shoot 67 before firing a tournament-best 62 on Friday to vault into contention. He followed with a 64 on Saturday and entered the final round tied atop the leaderboard before matching Scheffler shot-for-shot on Sunday.
Scheffler forced a playoff by sinking an eight-foot putt for par on hole 18, as the sky turned to night on the course after an 83-minute weather delay caused play to be suspended until 7:30 p.m. ET.
Hovland and Scheffler began the playoff with tee shots down the middle of the fairway and landed on the
green with backspin on their 150+ yard approach shots.
Hovland was nine feet away from the hole, while Scheffler stood four feet from the cup.
Hovland was the first to putt and had a downhill lie to work with. He tapped his ball, letting the downhill slope do the rest of the work. The ball rolled toward the right side of the cup, but was just enough inside to roll in for a birdie.
Scheffler had to make his four-foot putt to force a second playoff hole. His ball rolled quickly toward the left edge of the cup, clipping the side, but passing the hole and securing the title for Hovland.
In a post-match interview
on Golf Channel, Hovland talked about the rollercoaster of emotions he felt after the weather delay on Sunday and the playoff hole the following day.
“It’s been stressful,” he said. “I knew I had to bring in my best to have a chance to beat him, and he certainly brought it out of me, and I couldn’t be happier.”
He said that he wanted to be kinder to himself in his golf game. He spoke about the moments when he had to be kind to himself.
“I know how good I can get, and I keep pushing myself, and I keep wanting to get better,” Hovland said. “And
then when I fall short, it really pisses me off. I didn’t get off to a great start on Thursday, and I didn’t let it bother me as much. Obviously, it helps when you’ve got people like this cheering you on as well, so it was a blast.”
Hovland talked about the support from the Norwegians and the special moment of his mother seeing him win in person for the first time.
“I thought about that early in the week,” Hovland said.
“My Dad still hasn’t watched me win, but I’m glad my Mom got to be here. We get to share this moment together … couldn’t be happier.”
sports.ed@ocolly.com
OPEN YOUR HEART TO GOD!
“Open your heart and let him in. God will remove all your sorrow and sin. He may not pass this way again, so open your heart and let him come in.” These are words from an old hymn.
Many struggle so hard to take this step, not wanting to give up their independence; not wanting to humble themselves before God. In the Psalms, David said: “When I refused to confess my sin, my body wasted away, and I groaned all the day long. Day and night your hand of discipline was heavy on me. My strength evaporated like water in the summer heat. Finally, I confessed all my sins to you and stopped trying to hide my guilt. I said to myself, ‘I will confess my rebellion to the Lord.’ And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone.”
(32:3-5 NLT)
It seems so simple, and it is! Yet, so many
struggle with honesty and humility. These qualities are of great importance with God. The truth is another has paid the penalty for your sins and mine. That is the good news! What we could not do (get rid of our sins), Jesus did by dying in our place. Therefore, “Blessed are they whose transgressions are forgiven,whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will never count against him.” (Ro.4:7-8 NIV)
Again, blaming friends or relatives will not help; getting religious does not help, thinking you are among the “better” people does no good. Trust what God has done for you through Christ. Get honest and humble yourself before God. Confess your sinfulness, and God will freely forgive. You will be free of guilt and stand innocent before God. Then you can begin a lasting and fruitful relationship with this great and loving God.
Photo courtesy of OSU Athletics
Viktor Hovland won the Travelers Championship at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell, Connecticut.
OSU softball adds Ole Miss transfer Kennedy
The Cowgirls added another arm through the transfer portal.
Sophomore Payton Kennedy, a right-handed pitcher from San Clemente, Calif., announced her commitment to Oklahoma State on Thursday night.
Kennedy spent her freshman season at Ole Miss, where she appeared in three games and posted a 6.00 ERA across seven innings.
Although she did not record an at-bat for the Rebels, Kennedy was listed on the roster as a pitcher/utility player.
Coming out of high school, Kennedy was ranked the No. 25 prospect in Extra Inning Softball’s Extra Elite 100 and earned 2025 PGF All-America honors.
Kennedy is the fifth transfer portal addition for Kenny Gajewski and the Cowgirls, joining former Utah catcher Kennedy Proctor, former Houston utility player Madison Hartley, former Wisconsin utility player Kendra Lewis and former Mississippi State pitcher Delainey Everett.
She gives OSU another pitching option after the departures of Ruby Meylan and RyLee Crandall and becomes the eighth pitcher on the Cowboys’ 2027 roster.
Kennedy will have four years of eligibility remaining.
sports.ed@ocolly.com
