So long, Third Place

Familiar coffee shop out of business

To those who knew and loved it, the little coffee shop and café on Stillwater’s Strip will be missed

Students passing by stop and peer into the coffee shop’s dark windows in confusion and dismay.

Their eyes scan the room, passing over the bookcase and empty round tables once covered in board games, laptops and homework.

“We’ve made the decision to close Third Place for now basically just out of financial reasons,” said Dawnell Reese, pastor of Mosaic Community. “Since 2000, since it’s been open, over half of the church’s budget has gone to support Third Place and what it needs to stay open, and this summer, even that wasn’t enough.”

Oklahoma State prepares for home opener in nearly completed Boone Pickens Stadium

After traveling halfway across the country for it’s season opener, OSU will return home to the familiar faces of Stillwater for the next four games.

The strange part for the players is that they will still be playing in an unfamiliar stadium.

For the first time, the Cowboy football team will take the field this Saturday for a game in the completely bowled-in Boone Pickens Stadium.

Union book sales help students

Every year, many students make the somewhat dreaded trip to the Student Union Bookstore to buy hundreds of dollars worth of books not knowing where all of their money will go.

“The students’ dollars go right back in to support student activities and student life,” said Mitch Kilcrease, Student Union director.

The money the bookstore brings in makes up 85 percent of the total Student Union operating costs including salaries, utilities, maintenance and one-third of the Campus Life operational budget.

Hargis agrees: graduation is boring

OSU President Burns Hargis said during his meeting with the O’Collegian Editorial Board on Thursday that he wants to improve commencement exercises.

We’re not quite sure what he’s talking about.

We all enjoy watching thousands of strangers shake hands with important people we’ve never met. And everyone loves a good graduation speaker. We’re sure everyone vividly remembers what Gov. Brad Henry and Lt. Gov. Jari Askins said last year.

Right.

One student’s garbage is another’s environmental concern

While you are enjoying a few beers with your buddies at Saturday’s tailgate, the SGA Sustainability Committee will be there to remind you to save those cans after smashing them on your forehead.

The tailgating recycling program, known as “Real Cowboys Recycle,” began last year as part of the committee’s goal to make OSU a more environmentally friendly campus.

“Even small things, like one can or bottle, can make a difference,” said Wes Haddox, co-chair of the committee.