May 2021

Jessica Hamlin has started bowling in 2009 and was coached by her grandfather, Duane Hunt, during her youth league. She has bowled in tournaments throughout the United States. When she entered high school, she joined the high school team and was coached by Robin Cnossen and Gary Sisco. Jessica’s hardwork and dedication has paid off by her offer to bowl collegiately at Columbia College in Columbia, Missouri. She has signed her letter of intent to start her college bowling career in August 2021.

One of Japan’s largest newspapers is calling for the cancellation of the Tokyo Olympics. In an explosive editorial published Wednesday, The Asahi Shimbun said that it is “simply beyond reason to hold the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics this summer.” In a piece headlined “Prime Minister Suga, please call off the Olympics this summer,” the paper’s editorial board noted that the COVID-19 pandemic “has yet to be brought under control,” adding that it is inevitable the state of emergency orders will have to be extended to other areas of the country.

The Ponca City Varsity and Junior High cheerleaders attended the Jeff and Craig Camps in Norman this week and earned several team and individual awards. Awards received at the camp included: Varsity • Received a bid to Open Nationals in Orlando, Florida • Champions Gold Cup • Powerful Pyramid • Dynamic Stick Day 3 Junior High Awards • Dynamite Stick: Day 1 and Day 3 • Powerful Pyramid • Dynamic Dance • Champions Gold Cup Cheerleaders named All-Americans included McKenzie Cox, Jayce Bickford, Piper Jones, Tottie Bales, Emma Kate Graham, Ashton Leven and Rikki Baird.

If there’s one thing about COVID-19’s death toll that researchers seem to agree on, it’s that the official count is probably way too low. But the extent of the undercount is a source of contention.