February 11, 2021 Vol. 21, No. 39
In This Issue FOUR SEASONS
Four Seasons, by Kevin Box, in real life is located in front of the Center for Transformative Learning on the UCO campus, but this week is hidden somewhere in our paper. Email contest@edmondpaper.com with the correct location to be entered in the weekly drawing. For more information, see page 4. D MON
ED
FAVORITES 2021 Vote for your Edmond Favorites See page 15
FRIDAY, February 12 Cloudy High 23° Low 8°
SATURDAY, February 13 AM Snow Showers High 15° Low -1°
SUNDAY, February 14 Partly Cloudy High 16° Low 7°
Life After Death
Edmond man’s time in heaven
By Steve Gust The question of life after death has been pondered by some of the world’s greatest minds since the beginning of time. Edmond’s Ron Carte is confident he has the answer. Last summer he said he died and came face-toface with God. And the creator of the universe sent him back to earth to tell everyone that God and heaven are real. Many other people claimed to have died and had similar experiences such as Carte’s. What makes Carte’s story unique is he probably one of the most down-to-earth and honest guys ever to have lived in Edmond. For decades he was well known banking executive and a fixture at most Edmond Area Chamber of Commerce events. In 1978 Ron Carte was president of the group. The scores of people who have known him, know he is honest. And prior to his own experience, Carte said he was a little skeptical of such events. His unique trip to the other side got its start last Aug. 14. Carte, 78, was doing payroll checks for a construction business near Second and Coltrane. He left there and proceeded to go north. “I was probably going about 50 miles an hour,” he recalled. In the middle of the intersection at Second and Coltrane he passed out from heart problems and his car crossed into the left lane and crashed into a tree on the other side of the road. The air bag deployed and Carte struggled to find his cell phone on the ground. He called 911. “I remember smelling gas,” he said. Soon an Edmond firefighter pulled him out of the car and he was taken for medical treatment.
He broke nine ribs and was in intense pain. The ambulance came and took
PHOTO PROVIDED
Ron Carte & wife Marie
him to Mercy Heart Hospital. There, his cardiologist decided to equip him with a pacemaker. On Aug.16, during surgery, Ron Carte was later told he had died on the operating table. “One of the nurses took my wife Marie by the arm and told her ‘I’m sorry but we lost him,’” Carte was later told by his wife of 60 years. It was horrific news for her. The couple had been married since a week after the high school sweethearts graduated. From there Carte woke up somewhere else. He remembers waking up in an old garden with a man next to an oak tree. He said the man had reddish-brown hair and beard. “He kept calling me Ronnie,” Carte said. “The only person who ever called me Ronnie was my mother.” The man took Carte by the hands and the pain in his ribs immediately vanished. “I felt an incredible peace,” he said. There was a fence and Carte asked if he was going with him. “No, I’m not ready for you yet,” the man told Carte. Then Carte felt he was dealing with more
than just a man. He asked if Ron Carte would do a favor for him. “I said ‘Yes God,’” he remembered. God made Carte promise upon his return to earth that he would tell everyone that heaven is real and God is real. With that, Carte returned back to Heart Hospital. He suffered a stroke, which left him paralyzed on the left side and unable to walk. Since then he has learned to walked by using a walker. He has one goal. “I plan to play golf again some day,” he vowed. Prior to the stroke he was accustomed to playing 18 holes regularly with friends at Oak Tree. He has told his story to friends and others including his three children and seven grandchildren. One of those grandchildren is Grant Carro, studying to be a Catholic priest in St. Louis. Carte facetimed him and saw a painting on his wall. He said a nun had also had an afterlife experience and described what God looked like to her. It was the same face that Ron Carte saw. Prior to this event, Carte had never been a religious fanatic, although he attended church and has always believed in God. “I realize now that there is a designated time for everyone to die,” he said. And he’s grateful that he was able to have the experience, although he wishes he wouldn’t have had to have suffered a stroke. “I see people out at Oak Tree walking the sidewalks and I tell them to enjoy every day and be grateful,” he said.
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UCO inks 34 players on signing day EDMOND – The University of Central Oklahoma football team announced Wednesday that 34 high school football players signed national letters of intent to play for the Bronchos next fall. “National signing day is exciting because it breathes new life and excitement about the future,” UCO head football coach Nick Bobeck said. “The recruiting process is difficult for all parties involved. It is tough on the student athletes and families as well as our coaches and their families. Building relationships takes a great deal of team work and effort by everybody involved. We are appreciative of trust earned from our signees, their families and coaches.” Bobeck signed 34 future Bronchos, a high for the ninth-year head coach. All 34 are also all from the state of Oklahoma. “This high school signing class is one of the largest classes we’ve signed in my time at UCO,” Bobeck said. “We felt the high school class in the state of Oklahoma was strong and we were able to add talented individuals to each position group. Recruiting is about creating competition within the program. We believe that we were able to do that at every position. All 34 signees are from Oklahoma high school football programs.” Bobeck praised his coaching staff for the groundwork done in the state of Oklahoma. “Our staff has done a great job of building relationships with the outstanding high school coaches in the state of Oklahoma,” Bobeck said. “Their character evaluations and projections are vital in finding student athletes that fit our program. This #CHOSen21 class is dynamic. Their on-field work is noteworthy but the work they have done in the classroom is outstanding. They will do a great job representing the University of Central Oklahoma on and off the field. “I am very proud of our coaching staff for the work they have invested into the future of the UCO football program,” Bobeck added. “They have worked tirelessly to build meaningful relationships with these young men and their families that will continue when they step on campus. “We have had a great deal of help throughout this process from several offices on campus. The experience prospective student-athletes have on our campus is very important and it could not be done without a great team effort coordinated by Crystal Bailey (Director of Football Operations/Recruiting) and Jesse Ornelas (Recruiting Coordinator).” Bobeck also thanked the following individuals for assisting in signing this class: Jeremy Rogers – Director of Athletic Compliance Sheridan Leake – Athletic Compliance Coordinator Reggie Jordan – Director of Athletic Academic Support Services Laura Donner – Assistant Registrar – Athletics Academic Eligibility Samm Chavez – Manager of Athletic Aid & Student Success Grant Spencer – Student Assistant – Video Here is the complete UCO 2021 Class Caleb Allen, QB (6’4” 190) Stillwater, Okla. (Stillwater) Evaluation: Strong armed athlete that throws a natural deep ball. Will really develop with reps and maturity. Caleb has a very high ceiling. Logan Smith, RB (5’11” 205) Sulphur, Okla. (Sulphur) Evaluation: Physical built kid that can really run with natural movement skills in space. Plays the game with and edge that will translate well to the college game. Dominique Dunn, HB (6’3” 215) Mustang, Okla. (Mustang) Evaluation: Versatile athlete with the ability to play multiple positions either offensive or defensive. His natural feel on the offensive side of the ball will serve him well in our scheme. Sherrod Davis, WR (6’2” 205) Del City, Okla. (Del City) Evaluation: Big bodied pass catcher that can play multiple receiver spots. His strength and athleticism will create matchup problems as he develops. Jalen Teague, WR (6’3” 200) Tulsa, Okla. (Booker T. Washington) Evaluation: Athletic big man who has a high ceiling. He has outstanding body control and can separate. He has a noticeable physical presence on the field. Terrill Davis, WR (5’11” 180) Choctaw, Okla. (Choctaw) Evaluation: Raw prospect that has rare athleticism. Terrill can really elevate and is a strong kid that attacks the football. Garret Humann, OL (6’5” 295) Oklahoma City, Okla. (Westmoore) Evaluation: Big thick built kid that will provide position versatility along the offensive line. He’s athletic enough to play tackle but could bounce down and be physical enough to play on the interior. Lyndon Evans, OL (6’2” 275) Newcastle, Okla. (Newcastle) Evaluation: Athletic interior lineman who played defensive line and some tight end in high school. Will add versatility to the interior of the offensive line. Montriel Lee, OL (6’2” 300) Del City, Okla. (Del City) Evaluation: Another athletic interior lineman who shows nice physicality. Montriel is a smart player could play any of the 3 interior positions. Cooper Wieden, OL (6’7” 340) Waukomis, Okla. (Waukomis) Evaluation: Massive small school athlete that played all over the field for his high school team. Cooper is a natural athlete who will transition well to the college game. Robert Givens, OL (6’2” 300) Anadarko, Okla. (Anadarko) Evaluation: Athletic kid who could play either side of the ball. Plays with natural strength and leverage on the interior of the line. Noah Dobson, OL (6’3” 330) Oklahoma City, Okla. (Carl Albert) Evaluation: Huge body mover that shows flashes of surprising athleticism. He is strong at the point of attack and recreates the line of scrimmage. Bo Phelps, P (5’11” 180) Piedmont, Okla. (Piedmont) Evaluation: Bo is an athletic kid with a high ceiling. He is flexible and hits a consistent ball. He is young and will get even better with additional weight and strength. Jamar Goff, N (6’4” 300) Pawhuska, Okla. (Pawhuska) Evaluation: Extremely athletic big man with a ton of potential. Jamar is athletic enough to rush the passer from the interior and shows physicality to play in the run game. Jaden Brown, N (6’0” 290) Owassso, Okla. (Booker T. Washington) Evaluation: Twitchy defender who does a great job of recreating the line of scrimmage. Jaden made a ton of plays in the backfield this year. Evan Raines, DL (6’3” 260) Claremore, Okla. (Verdigris) Evaluation: Big time effort guy who plays with strength and leverage. Has good length to escape blockers and the athleticism to finish tackles. Nick Hughes, DL (6’1” 235) Vian, Okla. (Vian) Evaluation: Physical kid that plays with good leverage. Played multiple positions along the front and makes plays behind the line of scrimmage.
Caden Wolford, LB (6’2” 215) Meeker, Okla. (Meeker) Evaluation: Athletic defender who played all over the field at Meeker. Has natural pass rush ability and the ability to drop in coverage. Darian Davis, LB (6’1” 205) Muskogee, Okla. (Muskogee) Evaluation: Raw athlete who missed most of his senior season. Shows natural pop on video and has the length to disengage from defenders. Caleb Webb, OLB (5’11” 200) Muskogee, Okla. (Muskogee) Evaluation: Athletic defender who has played in the secondary and in the box. His ability to play in space fits well within our scheme. La’Marreon Clayton, OLB (5’11” 205) See Signing Day, Page 6
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From the Publisher
We forgot to load the truck Many of you realized when you went to grab your Edmond Life & Leisure from the driveway or favorite pickup location last Thursday morning that there was a problem. Our papers were delayed by several hours and for that we certainly apologize. We like to have the paper out on time and switched to carrier deliver instead of the post office Ray Hibbard many years ago just for that reason. I got a call from our printer last Thursday morning. What I heard on the other end of the line was, “We forgot to load your papers on the truck.” We use the same press as the Oklahoman, and it is in Tulsa. “But we are going back to get it”, the voice added. Stuff happens in any business and this was just one of the things that can go wrong but honestly, it is the first time for us. The Oklahoman and their press have always done an outstanding job and sometimes it does just come down to the one guy that literally is loading the truck. The person that oversees loading the truck has an important job too. I appreciated that they went back to get our papers the same day and it only caused a delay of a few hours. We appreciate their help. We did get several calls asking me if we had stopped publishing the paper. I guess folks can wonder that in this day and age. We also did have a long-published newspaper in town go out of business back in May. I was happy to tell them that we are still in business and plan to be here for a long time. A few folks were mad at us for the delay until I reminded them that they pay nothing for the paper and asked them to give us a bit of a break this one week. I like that folks feel that they are entitled to our newspaper. Does not bother me in the least. We literally have a parade of folks that come by the office on Thursday starting about 9 a.m. and going through out the day to pick up the new edition. The same thing happens in locations all over town. When I was on the road for the Oklahoma Press Association back in 1994, I spent some time training the advertising staff at the Sequoyah County Times in Sallisaw, Okla. Their paper came out on Thursday afternoon and the line would form right before the paper dropped in the racks. I was so impressed and thought how cool it would be to have a newspaper where people did just that. Because of our delay, I can see we do and that makes all of us here at Edmond Life & Leisure
happy. My dad had a great phrase to describe how folks should concentrate on getting their work done. He used to say, “Sometimes you just have to stop talking about it and load the darn truck.” Since we are a family newspaper, I have edited the actual phrase and words he used. When my friend and fellow Heritage Hall graduate, Aubrey McClendon, sent me an e-mail many years ago wondering what he should do about his staff getting distracted from all the publicity about the company and not concentrating on getting their work done, I sent him my dad’s saying in the raw context. His response was to send me this: I love that. I think we have found our new company motto. LOFT releases first report The Legislative Office of Fiscal Transparency (LOFT) was created to offer legislative oversight in 2019 to money that is spent by departments within the State of Oklahoma government units. Their first report was release last week that raised question about how the governor’s administration spent $1.26 billion in federal coronavirus relief. The draft report was critical of Gov. Stitt’s administration. As you can expect, the governor’s office had some push back to the report. The report said the handling of CARES Act funds was opaque, marked by shoddy record-keeping and the office warned that some projects may not meet strict federal standard for how coronavirus relief funds could be spent. The governor’s office said there were misunderstandings and incomplete information in the report and that they looked forward to working with their partners in the Oklahoma House and Senate as they fulfill their constitutional duties. That all sounds promising but you just must wonder what the administrative branch of our Oklahoma Government was thinking when they authorized some of the expenses listed. For example: There was $18.6 million of the funds used for modernizing the state’s welcome centers. Another $2 million was used as a tourism push to encourage tourists to visit Oklahoma. There was $100 million for disaster recovery for state agencies which would seem a good use but then $250,000 for a Cattlemen’s Congress event. There was also $80,000 for office furniture. Let me remind you that this is a Republican administration folks. It gets better. An estimated $122 million of the state’s CARES Act spending may not align with the U.S. Treasury definition of necessary pandemic expenditures the report tells us. The money was intended to cover cost associated with the pandemic
that were not previously accounted for in our state budget. There was also $103 million of the funds, according to LOFT, that there was not any documentation provided. This included $81 million for the State Department of Health’s surge contracts with hospitals. LOFT said it was not provided any documentation. You do not have to be much of a businessperson to understand that no federal money comes without rules on the way it is spent. Ask any of us who took PPP money during the pandemic. Documentation was rigorous and understandably so. According to an article in The Oklahoman, “While there may be valid reasons for the approval of (these) projects ... the lack of documentation and clear communication raise questions,” the report says. In a lengthy response to the 34-page report, the Stitt administration dismissed LOFT’s findings as full of inaccuracies and a “gross misrepresentation” that calls into question the report’s credibility. Does not sound like the spirit of working together to make for better government to me. I would hope that our governor would make more of an effort to sit down with the folks at LOFT and compare notes including timelines, calculations and provide more information to get the report correct. Instead, the administrative branch accused LOFT of having their own agenda. The pandemic is like nothing we have faced in our lifetimes. It has all happened fast and the money was pouring out of Washington D.C. to help the states. I understand it could get confusing but how spending $18 million on updating welcome centers would play into helping the citizens and businesses here in Oklahoma is beyond me. It would be like a business taking PPP money and using it to change the color of paint in the bathrooms. I would expect more out of a “business” leader such as Governor Stitt. Planning, organizing, modernizing, and updating are all expectations of Governor Stitt from the folks that voted for him in the last election. In short, we are looking for him to use his self-touted business skills to provide leadership in state departments full of bureaucrats. So far, we have not seen it, but we are hopeful he will get to work and take a hands-on approach to solving problems and making good decision in these challenging times. (Ray Hibbard may be reached at ray@edmondpaper.com)
Check out what’s inside! ---- EPS names top employees ............................................................Page 7. ---- Police arrest report ......................................................................Page 8. ---- GOP Women’s Club supports Edmond Police ..............................Page 9. ---- Does the Land Run offend you? ................................................Page 10. ---- Elaine Warner views murals while in Enid ..................................Page 13. ---- Crossword puzzle ......................................................................Page 14. ---- George Gust reviews ‘The Little Things’ movie ..........................Page 14. ---- Business news ............................................................................Page 17. This and so much more in this week’s edition
Schools revamp community benefit projects. See Page 13
See if you can find ‘Four Seasons’ “Four Seasons” in real life is located in front of the Center for Transformative Learning on the University of Central Oklahoma campus, but this week is hidden somewhere in our paper. Please e-mail contest@edmondpaper.com with the correct location to be entered in the weekly drawing. Commissioned as a partnership between UCO, the City of Edmond and the Edmond Visual Arts Commission, “Four Seasons” was created by sculptor Kevin Box of New Mexico and was dedicated on the campus on March 24, 2011. Kevin is a member of the National Sculptor’s Guild. His Box Studio LLC is a strong supporter of the Reduce, Reuse and Recycle concept, using recycled metal as part of the casting process for his sculptures. All of his work is 100 percent recyclable. For more information on Edmond public art, please visit http://visitedmondok.com/public-art.php.
Publisher Ray Hibbard Jr. ray@edmondpaper.com Partner Christopher T. Hoke Editor Steve Gust news@edmondpaper.com Production Deanne York Advertising Director Alexx Harms alexx@edmondpaper.com Contributing Writers Mallery Nagle, Kacee Van Horn, Rose Drebes, and George Gust. Photographer Melinda Infante
Cover Design Deanne York Legal Counsel Todd McKinnis Ruebenstein & Pitts, PLLC Copyright © 2021 by Edmond Media Publishing 107 S. Broadway Edmond, OK 73034 405.340.3311 (office) 405.340.3384 (fax) Mailing address: P.O. Box 164 Edmond, OK 73083 All rights reserved. Material contained herein may not be reproduced in any form without the express written permission from Edmond Media Publishing. edmondlifeandleisure.com facebook.com/edmondlifeandleisure twitter.com/edmondlifeandleisure instagram.com/edmondlifeandleisure
Edmond Life & Leisure • February 11, 2021 • Page 5
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Signing Day olence on both sides of the ball. Nunu has natural snap out of his hips and shows the ability to finish on contact. Gage Laney, S (5’11” 175) Owasso, Okla. (Owasso) Evaluation: Gage is a ball magnet at the safety position. He has great ball skills and is willing to be physical in the run game. We love his competitiveness. Qua’shon Leathers, S (5’10” 175) Hulbert, Okla. (Tahlequah) Evaluation: Qua’shon has a unique feel for space in the alley. He understands leverage and plays fast. Kishaun Denton, CB (5’10” 180) Oklahoma City, Okla. (Putnam City North) Evaluation: Thick built defensive back that is twitchy and shows nice balls skills. He is one of the best return men in the state as well. Marc Gouldsby, CB (5’11” 175) Tulsa, Okla. (Holland Hall) Evaluation: All around athlete who makes plays on both sides of the ball. Marc is patient at the line of scrimmage and has great ball skills. Kobey Stephens, CB (6’0” 175) Wewoka, Okla. (Wewoka) Evaluation: A big talent from a small town. Kobey is an explosive athlete and shows outstanding change of direction and ball skills. Braden Drake, ATH (5’9” 175) Wagoner, Okla. (Wagoner) Evaluation: Tough competitor who shows outstanding contact balance. Braden could play on either side of the ball but will start out on offense. Stephon Tolon, ATH (6’1” 185) Bristow, Okla. (Bristow) Evaluation: Stephon is really good with the ball in his hands and shows great range in the middle of the field. He tracks the ball really well and has
From Page 3 nice ball skills. Kris Akins, ATH (6’3” 215) Hugo, Okla. (Hugo) Evaluation: Big athlete that played all over the field for Hugo. Kris can really run for a big man and has natural hands. He will bring position versatility on the offensive side of the ball. Javyn Wright, ATH (5’11” 165) Vian, Okla. (Vian) Evaluation: Javyn is lightning in a bottle. He has uncommon ability to stop and start. His skill set fits well on either side of the ball. He will have opportunities in the return game as well. Tatton Anderson, ATH (5’10” 180) Alex, Okla. (Alex) Evaluation: One of the most productive kids in the state. He fits well on offense or defense. Tatton is a compact athlete that demonstrates good playmaking ability. Chase Nanni, ATH (6’3” 195) Wagoner, Okla. (Wagoner) Evaluation: Chase is a unique athlete in that he will long snap and play receiver. He is a big kid that can really run which will serve our coverage units well. Kaleb Cunningham, ATH (6’4” 210) Collinsville, Okla. (Collinsville) Evaluation: Long athlete with good speed. He will continue to grow into his frame and could grow into an H-Back or Defensive End. Kaleb is an outstanding athlete with a great frame. Joe Maytubby, ATH (6’4” 220) Shawnee, Okla. (Shawnee) Evaluation: Joe is a natural athlete. He will start on the defensive side of the ball where his flexibility will allow him to pressure the QB.
GOP Women to meet Feb. 15 The Edmond Republican Women’s Club monthly meeting will be held on Monday, Feb. 15 at Eddies Restaurant located at 2828 E Second Street in Edmond from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. This month the group will host Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs, VP of Advocacy, Dave Bond. Bond previously was CEO of OCPA Impact and an advocate at the Oklahoma State Capitol on issues of free enterprise, individual initiative and limited government. The Tulsa World has referred to Bond as "a prominent Oklahoma anti-tax lobbyist”. Past work includes Executive Director of the Republican State House Committee and Oklahoma elections
focused on state legislative campaigns. Other speakers in the lineup include the Co-Founder of Epic Schools, Ben Harris and the successful candidates of the February 9th Primary Election for Edmond School Board. Edmond Republican Women’s Club meets regularly at Eddies every third Monday of the month. A buffet is available for $15 (cash or check) to those who would like to dine and attend. Doors open at 11:15am and the buffet available at 11:30am. Club meeting begins promptly at noon. For more information on how to become involved with the organization contact the VP of Membership at jen@nextlevelgo.com.
Edmond Life & Leisure • February 11, 2021 • Page 7
From Character Council of Edmond
Respiratory therapist & inventor Rowley honored for positivity Justin Rowley, received recognition for the honor of Champion of Character for Positivity in a “Drive-by Presentation,” on Feb. 4. Social distancing and donning a mask, Character Council of Edmond President Jim Hulsey and board member Gloria Baumann presented the certificate at Rowley’s home in Edmond. Rowley is the clinical manager of Respiratory Therapy at Oklahoma Heart Hospital. He’s also an inventor and anticipates the release of one of his devices soon. The past ten months stretched Rowley’s faith and positive outlook with the demands that SARSCoV-2, also known as COVID-19, has placed on him and the other 30 resJanet Daugherty, left with Gloria Bauman and the honeee Justin Rowley. piratory therapists that he manages. All of whom medical treatment safer and help improve health he described as “the best in the state.” to people worldwide. They face life-threatening situations every day. Daugherty said, “The inventions that he has deJanet Daugherty, who nominated her boss for veloped could potentially help many people with the award, said Rowley goes the extra mile to enrespiratory illnesses, thus giving their families presure the safety of his staff and patients. cious time with their loved ones.” Daugherty said, “This generosity of spirit and his One thing that Rowley discovered about his posinnate ability to handle situations with honesty, itivity was that, when you give it away, it comes kindness and compassion, promotes positivity—not back. He said, “I have seen the love and hope we only in the Respiratory Therapy department, but in can provide to each other by being positive and the hospital as a whole.” empathetic, and taking the time to understand Rowley said, “I have seen over and over again people’s fears and needs. I believe positivity and a during difficult and stressful situations, how simply strong faith in God are all you need to have a full being positive and acknowledging people’s hard cup within your own heart, so that you may be work can lift every one up to navigate the storm blessed by pouring that love into others.” with grace and class.” Rowley met his wife, Jordan, at Oklahoma Heart Rowley believes everyone should seek to form Hospital, where they both still work. They bought an optimistic outlook. He said, “There is no situatheir home in Edmond four years ago, where they tion or scenario where you are trying to achieve a live with their three children, an 8-year-old daughpositive outcome, where interjecting negativity ter Camdyn, 5-year-old son Mason, and an eightinto the situation is going to improve that outmonth-old son, Brooks. come.” On behalf of the City of Edmond and the CharHe also acknowledges some people possess a acter Council of Edmond, Justin Rowley was honGod-given, natural bent toward a cheerful attitude. ored before the City Council as a Champion of He gives as an example, his own parents, Jeff and Character for exemplifying the character trait of Debbie Rowley, who modeled positivity to him as positivity, “maintaining a good attitude even when he grew up. faced with unpleasant conditions.” Rowley said, “[They] instilled in me from a The Character Council is a grassroots, nonprofit young age to work hard, and stay positive no mat- organization committed to creating a citywide initer what.” Their example prepared him early for his tiative to build Edmond into a "Community of career as a respiratory therapist. Character." His trust and faith in God help Rowley to stay The group believes that the character of a nation positive and grateful for the opportunities his job can only be strengthened one person at a time, provides. He finds encouragement in the hard one community at a time. Toward that end, the times from his life verse, Philippians 4:13, “I can do Character Council of Edmond seeks to recognize all things through Christ who strengthens me.” residents who demonstrate character, as witnessed Rowley said, “The opportunity and trust I have by those who have been affected and influenced. been afforded to spread his light and message of To nominate a citizen as a “Champion of Charhope and positivity to those around me is not someacter,” one who exemplifies these character traits, thing I take lightly and is the basis for all I do.” visit www.edmondcharacter.org or write: ChampiFor the past two years, Rowley has been workons of Character, PO Box 392, Edmond OK ing on three different devices designed to make 73083-0392.
INTEGRIS Health Welcomes New Urologist Gregory Jia, M.D., FACS, is a board-certified urologist with INTEGRIS Urology South in Oklahoma City. He has been practicing urology for more than 22 years. Dr. Jia received his medical degree from Beijing Medical University in China. He completed his residency training in urology at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center in Oklahoma City. His areas of interest include: General urology, enlarged prostate, stones, urological cancers, incontinence, urinary tract infections, erectile dysfunction and vasectomy. "My passion for medicine lies in providing the highest standard of care to each and every one of my patients through building lasting, personal relationships with patients and their families, combined with the most up-to-date knowledge and skill to treat patients with compassion and empathy." Jia joins INTEGRIS Urology South, located at 4200 S. Douglas Ave., Suite 200 Oklahoma City, OK 73109. For more information call 405-636-7499.
Gregory Jia, M.D., FACS
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Edmond Police booking report (The following arrest reports are provided by the Edmond Police Department. Guilt or innocence is determined in a court of law. Also, CDS is controlled dangerous substance; APC is Actual Physical Control; DUI is driving under the influence.) Jan. 25 Aaron Nathaniel Stephenson, 22, of Edmond. Operate (DUI or APC) vehicle under the influence of alcohol. Marcia Louise Pruitt, 54 of Edmond. No proof of insurance, driving while privilege is canceled, suspended or revoked and failure to appear. Roy Allen Mosher, 35 of Guthrie. (Felony) uttering any forged, counterfeit, altered instrument or counterfeit gold/silver coin, (fel) unlawful use of personal identity of another to obtain credit and a misdemeanor warrant. Jeremiah Cameron Gene Woods, 22, of Guthrie. Possession of drug paraphernalia, failure to maintain compulsory insurance, operating a motor vehicle without a valid driver’s license, operating a motor vehicle without current license plate and possession of CDS. Jan. 26 Byran Alexander Perez, 20 of Edmond. Operate (DUI or APC) vehicle under the influence of alcohol. Kevon Trewell Johnson, 30 of Edmond. Failure to appear. Tyler Mark Roberts, 21 of Oklahoma City. Operate (APC or DUI) a motor vehicle with blood alcohol content of .08 or more. Charles Fields Jr., 64 of Oklahoma City. Petty larceny, trespassing and two counts of failure to appear.
Jan. 27 Theresha Amelia-Lashay Abram, 25 of Oklahoma City. Misdemeanor warrant, trespassing and (misdemeanor first and second offense) larceny of merchandise from a retailer. Jan. 28 Christian Leonard Avant, 20 of Edmond. Two count of possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia. Nicole Lachelle Payne, 32 of Edmond. (Misdemeanor value) receive stolen property, take or receive credit or debit card, and three counts of possession of CDS. Breanna Lynn Henderson, 28 of Edmond. (misdemeanor first and second offense) larceny of merchandise from a retailer. Jan. 29 Robert Jay Nixie, 37 of Edmond. Driving with license canceled, suspended or revoked, possession CDS and (anything other than alcohol) operate (APC or DUI) a motor vehicle under the influence of anything other than alcohol. Ryosuke Hata, 34 of Edmond. Operate (DUI or APC) vehicle under the influence of alcohol. Timothy Glenn Garner, 38, homeless. Possession of drug paraphernalia, no proof of insurance, driving while privilege is canceled, suspended, denied or revoked, improper backing and failure to appear. Martha Lazaro Camacho, 49 of Edmond. Driving without a proper or valid driver’s license. Aaron Scott White, 34 of Blanchard. Non assault resisting officer and public intoxication. Kristal Lynn Shirley, 37, homeless. failure to appear.
Jan. 30 Drake Monroe Leming, 20 of Sulphur, Okla. Non-assault resisting officer and public intoxication. Tatyana Marie Alexander 34 of Edmond. Failure to maintain compulsory insurance and (anything other than alcohol) operate (DUI or APC) a motor vehicle under the influence of anything other than alcohol. Lamont Lavel Brooken, 40 of Edmond. Transport open container of intoxicating beverage or beer, operating a motor vehicle without a valid driver’s license, failure to maintain compulsory insurance and operate (DUI or APC) vehicle under the influence of alcohol. Cassie Doriene Wilson, 38 of Guthrie. Operate (DUI or APC) vehicle under the influence of alcohol. Bobby Lee Parker, 45 of Edmond. Misdemeanor warrant and failure to appear. Jason Nelson Cordero, 42 of Guthrie, (Felony) DUI/APC and transport open container of intoxicating beverage or beer. Arteja Dazshanique Hill, 21 of Edmond. Possession of marijuana and driving while privilege is canceled, suspended, denied or revoked. Brianda Yamile Cardenas, 19 of Edmond. Public intoxication. Jan. 31. Stacy Dawn Gescat, 34 of Edmond. Public intoxication. Daphi Jo Jennings, 21 of Edmond. Operate (DUI or APC) a motor vehicle with a blood alcohol content of .15 or more. Kimberly Dawn Springer, 34 of Guthrie. Two counts of possession of ID cards not issued to person.
Lawmaker wants to see more driving exam sites Rep. Dick Lowe, R-Amber, is the author of House Bill 2465, which would allow certain locations, approved by the Department of Public Safety (DPS), to be proctors for the written examination for applicants for Class A, B, C or D licenses and for endorsements. “Over the last year we have seen an almost unbelievable increase in wait times for individuals trying to take their driver exams,” Lowe said. “These wait times are a burden for those seek-
ing to take the test, parents of new drivers, our tag agencies and DPS. My bill seeks to relieve some of the backlog we are currently seeing and ensure that we don’t find ourselves in this situation again.” HB 2465 states that approved locations for the written exams could include local school districts, The Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education, or institutions of higher education. It goes on to state that certified driver education instruc-
Engagement, Wedding notices
tors (operators or employees of commercial driver training schools, or instructors employed by any Oklahoma school district) are eligible to apply to be designated examiners of DPS for administering the driving skills portion of Class D exams to anyone who has been issued a learner permit. “Allowing our schools, particularly our technical schools, to administer the written tests, and in some cases the driving skills portion of Class D exams, should go a long way to re-
ducing wait times and getting new drivers on the road more quickly,” added Lowe. “Shifting the burden of some of these tests will also allow those needing to renew licenses to get that done faster. Additionally, this bill will help drivers needing CDLs get those appointments. With less DPS resources being used for new drivers, it frees up appointment slots for these CDL drivers and helps keep our businesses up and running. Everyone wins.”
Tesla invests big in Bitcoin
Do you have a wedding or engagement notice? If so, please contact us at Edmond Life & Leisure, either by phone, 340-3311 or e-mail, news@edmondpaper.com. We will then send or fax you an engagement or wedding form.The cost is $35, which includes a photograph. Payment is due upon submission by noon Thursday.
Tesla has acquired around $1.5 billion in Bitcoin under an investment policy at the electric car maker headed by Elon Musk, and it plans to begin accepting the digital currency as payment for vehicles soon. The California company revealed the new strategy in a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission early Monday, saying its investment in digital currency and other “alternative reserve assets” may grow. Bitcoin spiked 14% and appeared to briefly hit a new all-time high. Shares of Tesla moved higher as well. In its fourth-quarter earnings report last month Tesla said it had cash and cash equivalents of $19.4 billion. Palo Alto-based Tesla reported its first annual net profit in 2020, but once again the company needed regulatory credits purchased by other automakers in order to achieve it. Without $1.58 billion in credits for the year, Tesla would have lost money. In a year that saw its stock soar to make it the world’s most valuable automaker, Tesla earned $721 million, capped by a $270 million profit in the fourth quarter. It was the company’s sixth straight quarterly net profit after years of mostly losses. Critics say Tesla’s sales and profits are puny compared with established automakers such as Toyota and Gen-
eral Motors, and its huge valuation is not justified by financial fundamentals. Tesla faces challenges this year from traditional automakers, which are rolling out more electric vehicles. Tesla’s meteoric stock price rise has generated big payoffs for Musk, making him one of the world’s richest people. It’s been a wild ride for Bitcoin since it made its Wall Street debut in December 2017. Major futures exchanges rolled out bitcoin futures, pushing it to roughly $19,300, a thenunheard of price for the currency. It evaporated quickly in 2018, and by December of that year Bitcoin was worth less than $4,000 a coin. Up until the most recent rally, which started in October, Bitcoin generally floated between $5,000 and $10,000. While in the last two years companies have embraced the technology that underlies digital currencies like Bitcoin, a concept known as the blockchain, the actual uses for Bitcoin have not really changed since its rally three years ago. It’s still largely used by those distrustful of the banking system, criminals seeking to launder money, and for the most part, as a store of value.
Edmond Life & Leisure • February 11, 2021 • Page 9
Official: Receipts slip to start the year January Gross Receipts to the Treasury dropped by almost six percent compared to monthly collections from January of last year. This is the largest onemonth revenue reduction in eight months, State Treasurer Randy McDaniel announced last week. Collections from all sources in January total $1.19 billion, down by $72.1 million, or 5.7 percent, from January 2020. Combined gross receipts from the past 12 months of $13.12 billion are below collections from the trailing 12 months by $610.4 million, or 4.4 percent. This January had two less tax collection days than last January because of how the weekends fell. In addition, a pause in stimulus-related unemployment payments in late December is thought to have impacted income tax remittances. Combined
individual and corporate income tax collections of $432.4 million dipped by 8 percent in January, down by $37.9 million during the month. “Oklahomans have demonstrated remarkable strength and resiliency during the past year, but the state economy is clearly not immune to the fiscal impact caused by the pandemic,” Treasurer McDaniel said. “Even so, we continue to anticipate recovery as public health improves and economic activity increases.” Collections from the gross production tax on crude oil and natural gas followed a more than yearlong pattern, falling by almost 35 percent, to $57.5 million, during the month. Gross production tax payments in January are based on production from November, when the average price of West
Texas Intermediate crude oil at Cushing was just under $41 per barrel. Crude oil prices rose to more than $50 per barrel in January, which will be reflected in future receipts. Combined sales and use tax receipts of $506.4 million in January rose above prior year collections by $8.1 million, or 16 percent. However, the growth came exclusively from use tax, paid on outof-state purchases including internet sales. January motor vehicle taxes collections of $64.5 million were below those of the prior year by $1.5 million, or 2.3 percent Combined gross receipts from the past 12 months show contraction in all major revenue streams, ranging from 40.9 percent in gross production to 0.7 percent in total income tax collections.
Jan Moran named top volunteer
April Scarbrough teaches a class of students about confidence and self-respect at Mana Martial Arts.
Mana Martial Arts
Couple moves from Hawaii to teach martial arts here By Rose Drebes The goal of Mana Martial Arts in Edmond is to help children build confidence so that they may have the courage to make the right choices in life. “We build self-respect through hard work and respect for others during our fitness games/playtime,” owner Jason Scarbrough said. “Our students/campers learn integrity, discipline, respect, honor and compassion.” Jason and his wife, April, moved to Kona, Hawaii on the Big Island in 2004. He said they started martial arts training to defend themselves. There, Jason met Master Christopher Chapman, the founder of Mana Martial Arts. Jason earned his black belt in 2010. Chapman has since relocated to Tampa, Fla., where he owns and operated Mana Martial Arts Florida. Jason and April opened their own
Mana Martial Arts in Hawaii in 2008. They turned that location into a non-profit organization and left it to one of their students. “After we had our first two children by 2013, we wanted to move closer to our families as we were separated by thousands of miles in Hawaii,” Jason said.”I grew up here in Edmond and graduated from Deer Creek High School in 2001. We felt it would be a good place to relocate and serve the community.” Mana Martial Arts is a self-defense academy for all ages. “We specialize in young children and youth, but have served people up into their 70s,” Jason said. The 5,000-square-foot facility located at 441 S. Fretz Ave. was remodeled in January 2020. It features a a weight/cardio room, a 2,000-square-foot matted training area, a movie theater, an arcade/game room, a classroom, a
See Martial Arts, Page 11
The Edmond Chamber is proud to name Jan Moran the 2020 INTEGRIS Health Volunteer of the Year! Jan is the Area Manager of External Affairs for AT&T and has been an active supporter and volunteer of the Chamber for many years. She has served on the Board of Directors, including being the first person to serve as the Chair of the Board two times, first in 2009 and again in 2019. Jan has been a volunteer for our Total Resource Campaign since it’s inception in 2008 and has been the #1 salesperson every year since that time. Jan has served on numerous committees and has also willingly volunteered her emcee skills for our Awards Banquet and for our Dancing with the Stars event. The Edmond Chamber is thankful for Jan's time and effort over the
Jan Moran years, and we look forward to celebrating her at the Annual Awards Banquet on Thursday, March 25.
Page 10 • February 11, 2021 • Edmond Life & Leisure
Commentary ... We’re on YOUR Side
Challenges of driving By Steve Gust One thing I don't understand is why some people Edmond L&L Editor don't pull over somewhere I’m glad the state has finally finwhen it's raining real heavily. ished the ramp at I-44 that feeds You know the kind of rain into the northbound lanes on the I'm talking about. It's the Broadway Extension. kind that your windshield Although it will take some of wipers can't keep up with the excitement out of driving. when they're going at full With the old merge lane, you had speed. Some people not all of one to two seconds to safely decide whether you would be able Steve Gust only don't pull over, they keep going at the same to merge into the north bound lane. speed as if it's 73 degrees outside and Invariably a car would sneak up on me pretty rapidly. It would leave me say- sunny. ---ing “Where the heck did that car come By far the worst kind of driving befrom?” longs to people who have been drinkThe new ramp sure seems to climb ing. What are they thinking? Since into the air. we've published the police arrest re----ports, I've noticed way too many folks Of course there isn't any driving any drinking and driving. The punishments more challenging than winter driving. are pretty stiff also. You're looking at I'll never forget about 20 years ago I was feeling oh so confident in my ability thousands of dollars for just the first offense. Besides the money though, there to handle winter driving. That was my first mistake. The second thing is to real- is a human equation. You could hurt someone if driving while intoxicated. ize how quick something bad can hapThat person you hurt could be a child. pen. I was living in Edmond's Pebble Creek Even if it's not, the woman or man hit are someone's children, even if they're housing addition at the time. I took a 40 or 50 years old. turn into the addition and my tires didIf you must numb your brain, please n't get the memo to turn. They locked have the courtesy of calling a ride servup and smacked into a curb. I thought ice. It's a heck of a lot cheaper and you no big deal until I continued the drive. can spare your conscience a life time of The ole alignment took a big hit. But pain and regret. you know it could have been worse.
Ghost students explained
Fix school funding system By Curtis Shelton Many of Oklahoma’s public school districts may be haunted. Official enrollment records show that nearly 90% of Oklahoma school districts have at least one “ghost student." No, these districts do not have eerie specters roaming the halls. “Ghost student” is the term used to describe students who have moved from one school district to another but still count toward their previous district’s enrollment figure when calculating state funding. This is because Oklahoma law states that school districts receive funding based off the highest student enrollment number from the preceding two years. Thus, a district with declining enrollment will still receive funding for students enrolled in previous years. For example, Oklahoma City Public Schools had 37,344 students enrolled for the 2021 school year, but will receive funding for 44,138 students (its enrollment num-
ber in 2018), giving the district 6,794 ghost students. Spooky, I know. Currently, Oklahoma has more than 55,000 ghost students at an estimated cost of $200 million. Most of these students are in the metro areas such as Oklahoma City and Tulsa. The state's 10 largest school districts account for more than 20,000 ghost students. This number may be higher than usual as a large number of students have left traditional public schools, many of which have curtailed in-person instruction for online options such as Epic Charter Schools. Epic, both in its onlineonly and blended models, has seen enrollment increase by more than 30,000 during the past year. This double counting hurts districts that are attracting new students because funding is funneled to the districts that no longer enroll these students. That leaves less money for the districts that are actually doing the educating. Indiana and Arizona are two states that faced a similar issue and have since changed their funding formulas so that the money more directly follows the student. Oklahoma should follow that lead and convert its funding system to a real-time funding model. This would allow state funding to follow the student and provide growing districts with a more accurate amount of state dollars. This common-sense reform would help strengthen Oklahoma’s education system without adding tax dollars. The good news is lawmakers at the state Capitol are already considering making this change during the upcoming legislative session. They should absolutely do so. Oklahoma's students deserve full funding now. Shelton is a policy research fellow at the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs, a free-market think tank (www.ocpathink.org). From Oklahoman.com
Superintendent continues tweaking COVID response (The following letter is from Edmond Public Schools Superintendent Bret Towne who addresses concerns and ongoing ways to conduct school during the COVID-19 pandemic. Dear Parents, I write to you today feeling more optimistic than I have in a long time about the pandemic and its impact on our ability to safely return to the classroom on a more full-time basis. In Oklahoma County, the number of Covid-19 cases is trending downward. That trend is also evident in our local data. Towne In addition, some district employees over the age of 65 have begun to receive their vaccines. And, at Monday’s board of education meeting, board members approved an agreement with Total Wellness, a private, third-party provider that will offer Moderna vaccines to all employees who desire them. The Moderna vaccine has an 80% efficacy rate 14 days after the first inoculation. While the vaccines will be provided by the Oklahoma CityCounty Health Department (OCCHD), this agreement with Total Wellness will allow us to hold a mass inoculation of employees soon after the vaccine shipment to facilitate a quicker return to full-time in-person instruction. I wish I could share that we have a target date to begin vaccinations, but the distribution of the
vaccines from the federal government to states has varied from week to week. I can share that once we receive word that vaccines are available, we will be able to put our vaccination stations into place in just a few days. To allow for social distancing, we will hold the events at two of our high school auditoriums. Our initial plan is for certified employees to be vaccinated on a Wednesday and support employees on Thursday. Total Wellness, an approved OCCHD vendor, has promised us enough nurses to deliver 2,000 vaccines in two days. If the district only receives vaccine shipments in smaller allotments, there will be a tiered approach of vaccine distribution that will focus on staff members' ages, comorbidities, and amount and type of daily student interaction. While not mandatory, it is our hope that all employees will be vaccinated. The results of our recent employee survey show more than 73% of our staff plan to receive the vaccine. About 18% are undecided, and 8% have indicated that they will not receive the vaccine at this time. While I would propose to the Board of Education returning four days a week—with Wednesdays set aside for teachers to create remote lessons for students in isolation or quarantine—it will ultimately be up to the board members to determine when and how we return to increased instructional days. This week, we are convening a Covid Advisory Committee and along with our operational departments, the committee will review current
safety protocols, evaluate the most current research concerning Covid, and study the current state of Covid in our schools, our community, and other school’s actions. The committee will advise the administration and the Board of their findings. We believe that this work can be completed in the next two to three weeks. Additionally, district administrators are beginning to plan for if, and how, staffing needs will be met if we return to more full-time, in-person instruction. Any change to our current delivery of instruction is complicated; every move has a consequence that must be considered. While there are reasons to be positive, the virus is still with us; and our return to a more full-time method of instruction is dependent on all of us continuing to follow the CDC guidelines of wearing masks, social distancing and washing our hands. It’s also worth repeating to please keep your children home from school if they are showing any signs of Covid-19. They should also stay home if they have recently been exposed to someone with the virus and are awaiting a test result. It will take our combined efforts to ensure a safe return to school. Nobody wants your children back to a more full-time schedule than I do, but we must do it safely while offering the best virus protection possible for our dedicated staff. Sincerely Bret Towne Superintendent Edmond Public Schools
Edmond Life & Leisure • February 11, 2021 • Page 11
Basheer Dawud helps a student
Martial Arts From Page 8 study hall, a kitchen and cafeteria, two locker rooms, three restrooms, two concrete safe rooms, two water fountains, a fenced outside area, a fish pond and large grass field. “We also have a 15-passenger van for field trips for families who want to participate,” Jason said.. Mana now has over 200 members. In addition to he and his wife April, there are two permanent employees who have been with the facility since 2016 and junior black belt helpers for a total of 5-7 employees. Mana Martial Arts has offered summer, spring and winter break camps for kids since it opened and will start a brand new after-school program in the fall. Camps include self defense training, fitness, game time, outdoor playtime, reading, movies, quiet time art and crafts. “Our camps are the most fun,” Jason said “We don’t simply house the kids, we engage them for a personal experience with their instructors. Our program is fueled by the enthusiasm and positive reinforcement practices by our teachers.” For the new after-school program, Mana Martial Arts will pick kids up after school and take care
of them until their parents get off of work. “All the same amenities are available for this program including homework help, fitness, self-defense, games and snacks,” Jason said. When everything shut down due to COVID-19, Mana Martial Arts stepped in help parents who were juggling their own work with helping their children do their homework. “When the pandemic hit, and the kids were handed a virtual learning curriculum, we opened a home school during the day to help them do their schoolwork while their parents are working their jobs,” Jason said. “We have serviced 20 children in this program on the A/B schedule of the public school system. This has been a very productive and helpful program for these families.” Through it all, Jason said Mana Martial Arts strives to build a framework of confidence and selfrespect for its participants. “We are a modern program that teaches traditional values and morals,” he said. To learn more, visit mmaok.com.
Page 12 • February 11, 2021 • Edmond Life & Leisure
An overhead view of tacos with shrimp.
Take pleasure in crustaceans? By Carol Smaglinski Years ago, while on one of our many visits to the Bahamas Islands to visit our best friends, my late husband and I walked down a sturdy dock in Freeport all set for a day of ocean sailing. As luck would have it, a tired shimper coming to shore offered to sell us his fresh-caught shrimp for just $3, a ridiculously low price. Feeling as if we just won the lottery, we paid up, grabbed the gorgeous shellfish and headed back home instead. Just minutes later as we were peeling them in the sink, I was suddenly pushed aside by a guest of my friend, a young native Bahamian woman, who took over and gave me a lifelong lesson in sea creatures. I stepped aside, but kept my eyes peeled on her. She began the deveining process by removing the black line, or the intestinal tract, that runs along the back of the shrimp. Like a skilled surgeon working with a small but very sharp knife, she quickly made a small incision and removed the vein. Then, she demonstrated an easy way to peel. As we were planning on shrimp cocktails later, we left the tails on for easy handling while eating. She
popped the heads off by just pulling quickly on each one, I then watched as she grabbed each critter between her thumb and index finger. The expert removed the whole shell with one simple pull. Then she cut along the back, but not through, to butterfly the shrimp for a lovely presentation. It was a lucky encounter I never forgot and worth celebrating. The following quesadillas are a true example of Mexican flavors including what we love most crisp. Shrimp Quesadillas 1 lb. peeled and cooked shrimp ½ cup salsa, plus 1 cup more ¼ cup sliced green onions 10 flour tortillas, 7 inches 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese (3 and ½ ounces) 1 Tbsp. chopped cilantro
Heat oven to 425 degrees. Combine shrimp, salsa and green onions. Arrange 5 tortillas on 2 or 3 baking sheets. Brush a bit of oil on each tortilla and turn over on the pan. Sprinkle part of the cheese over the tortilla, pressing down gently. Divide the shrimp mixture among the 5 tortillas, leaving a border around the edges to keep the filling from leaking.. Add the rest of the cheese on top. Place tortillas on top of each and brush each top with a bit of oil. Bake for 7 to 8 minutes, changing the positions of the baking sheets halfway through until they are golden brown. Transfer to a wooden cutting board and let them rest for about 5 minutes before cutting to avoid them from sliding apart. With a pair of sharp scissors, cut each tortilla into 6 wedges, yielding about 30 appetizers. Serve with sour cream, sliced avocado, more salsa and plenty of paper napkins. Another time, place an oiled side of a tortilla in a skillet and place the filling only on one side. Flip the other side over the top and press down. Then add another saucepan on top with a can of beans in the saucepan. In just minutes, carefully flip once after the first side has browned.
Edmond Life & Leisure • February 11, 2021 • Page 13
This year, North High School helped the Down Syndrome Association of Central Oklahoma.
Pandemic forces North, SF and Memorial to ‘reinvent the wheel’
Schools adapt with community benefits From the early days of the pandemic, the student councils at all three Edmond high schools knew that their annual fundraising initiatives; BALTO, SWINE WEEK, AND DOUBLE WOLF DARE WEEK, would look very different. "The kids have been great about focusing on the spirit of BALTO instead of the dollars, as we are expecting a serious drop in our usual grand total," said Edmond North High School Student Council Sponsor Brian Hunter. Sponsors and students are reinventing the wheel for almost all of their fundraising events this year. They're utilizing apps for their silent auctions—which allow people to bid on items in realtime— allowing participants in the fun runs to submit their times on the honor system and are holding more virtual events. The most notable change, however, will be the assemblies, which will be mostly virtual or limited to a 25% capacity. "We will be live streaming our assemblies so that all students who can't come can still be involved," said Edmond Santa Fe High School Student Council Sponsor Meg Gatewood. "Another major change is that we will be having our assemblies in the evening in order to allow teachers as much time as possible with their students in class," she said. The school's broadcasting events classes are playing a larger role in the fundraising effort this year as they try to find creative ways to showcase the beneficiaries and their missions. "The biggest challenge has been trying to take events that are all about bringing people together and reimagining them so that students, parents, and staff can still connect with our recipient while staying safe," noted Hunter. Sadly, some events have had to be put on the
Santa Fe’s cause this year is Keaton’s Kindness Foudnation.
shelf until next year. "Our biggest heartbreak was letting go of the Daddy Daughter Dance," said Edmond Memorial High School Student Council Sponsor Ron Crawford. "This dance is traditionally one of Memorial's biggest fundraisers. Ultimately, the students came to the decision that it could not be done safely." But even with cancellations, students are learning skills about how to regroup and move forward. "We've been forced to get back to our roots, and are finding tangible ways to be involved with our beneficiary," noted Crawford. Students are also learning about cooperation and helping one another. Months ago, they created a plan to provide a cushion for the total amount donated to the primary beneficiaries at each school. Instead of a 95-5 split of funds between the pri-
mary recipient and the common thread recipient, there will be a 90-5-5 split. Ninety percent of each high school's total will benefit their chosen charity, and the other ten percent will be split between the two sister high school's charities. The middle and elementary school funds will be included in the high school of their vertical, prior to the 90-5-5 disbursement. "Students believe the new arrangement will help unify the three high schools as they work for others with one another," said Debbie Bendick, associate superintendent of secondary education. The high schools have chosen the following as their 2020-21 beneficiaries. Memorial - Keaton's Kindness Foundation North - Down Syndrome Association of Central Oklahoma Santa Fe - The Dragonfly Home
Page 14 • February 11, 2021 • Edmond Life & Leisure
For new Amazon Film - Ignorance is “Bliss”
film and ignorance By George Gust “Bliss” is a mind-bending dysfunctional love story following Greg (Owen Wilson) who, after recently being divorced and then fired, meets the mysterious Isabel (Salma Hayek), a woman living on the streets and convinced that the polluted, broken world around them is nothing but a computer simulation. Doubtful at first, Greg eventually discovers there may be some truth to Isabel’s wild conspiracy. The advertising for “Bliss” would have you believe that this movie is a street level science fiction simulation story in the order of “The Matrix” or “Inception” but ultimately it feels like more of an examination of addiction and homelessness. As is the case with any good mind-bending sci-fi movie, there are a multitude of misdirects that keep you guessing at what could be a futuristic simulation reality and what could be a drug induced shared psychosis between the film’s two leads. However, as the story plays out the filmmakers are more interested in keeping the mystery of whether Wilson is in fact a traveler from a utopian future trapped in an “ugly” simulation than telling an
engaging story. And while the story and tone of “Bliss” lacks humor and excitement, the performances of Wilson and Hayek are compelling in an unorthodox way. Wilson’s down and out performance elicits empathy for a man who apparently has addiction issues and continually finds himself in an out-of-control situation. There’s little of the patented Wilson ‘awe shucks’ persona in this movie, but he remains relatable through his internal conflict between wanting to live in a ‘perfect’ utopia and dealing with the harsh realities of the cruel world of addiction. And playing into Wilson’s vicious cycle of apparent addic-
tion, Hayek is electric and maddening in the role of an unhinged would-be free spirit that is either a helpful guide back to the ‘real’ world or a manipulative and harmful character in Wilson’s life. Overall, “Bliss” is too concerned with trying to play up the mystery of whether what Wilson and Hayek were experiencing was a mind-bending sci-fi story or a harsh examination of addiction and homelessness in America. The color pallet of “Bliss” is mostly washed out and practically black and white at points, which adds to the drab and gloomy mood of a movie devoid of fun. And in an effort to conceal the true nature of the film’s story, the filmmakers made the dialogue and characterizations vague enough to keep the mystery alive, but too vague to ring true on either reading of the film’s narrative. Wilson and Hayek turn in respectable performances, but the overall experience of “Bliss” is underwhelming and disjointed. “Bliss” is rated R for drug content, language, some sexual material and violence. Now available to stream on Amazon Prime. 2.3 out of 5 stars.
‘PHOTO PROVIDED
Owen Wilson and Salma Hayek dive into either a harsh world of addiction and homelessness or a strange futuristic simulation in an endless pursuit of "Bliss."
Answers appearing on Page 19
Aracadia will have concert Norman singer-songwriter Gregg Standridge will present a virtual concert to benefit the Arcadia Round Barn from 8 to 9 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 11. The concert can be found on the Arcadia Round Barn Facebook page and is part of the Virtual Barn series of livestreamed concerts, which continue every Thursday night through April 22. Standridge, who holds a master’s degree in classical guitar performance, said his musical compositions are mostly from his own experiences. He has played with such bands as “Terry Buffalo Ware and the Shambles,” “The Sunday Flyers” and “Gregg Standridge and Sacred Holler.” In conjunction with the virtual concerts, an interview series with the musicians entitled “Behind the Barn,” hosted by Haley Jane Pierce, can be found on the Instagram page, @thearcadiaroundbarn. The Round Barn is six miles east of Interstate 35 on historic Route 66. Only the loft is currently open due to the pandemic. Donations for the upkeep of the barn, which is owned and managed by the nonprofit Arcadia Historical and Preservation Society, can be made on the Arcadia Round Barn website, in the loft and during all concerts. For more information, call Joe Baxter at 405-833-
Crossword Puzzle STATEPOINT CROSSWORD THEME: GOLDEN AGE OF TELEVISION ACROSS 1. *Quiz show whistleblower, ____ Stempel 5. Time std. 8. "____ Like it Hot" movie 12. Walkie-talkie word 13. Wild hog 14. Blender setting 15. Coniferous tree 16. Of long ago 17. Gastric problem 18. *A show that had a Ball 20. Surveyor's map 21. Changes to a manuscript 22. Mai follower 23. Get a move on 26. *Superman portrayer 29. Knot-tying words 30. Like unskilled work 33. Play with a bow 35. New Mexico's state flower 37. Will Ferrell's Christmas classic 38. On the radio 39. Nobel Peace Prize capital 40. Beat around the bush 42. Toddler 43. SAT administrator 45. Software plug-ins 47. Facebook photo option 48. Indulgence of impulses 50. Brees or Barrymore 52. *"Dragnet" sergeant 56. Old Brazilian coins 57. Pakistan's official language 58. *"Your Show of Shows" comedian Reiner 59. Novelist Zola 60. Not made up 61. *"The ____ of Night" 62. Extinct bird 63. Call minus c 64. Gloom's companion DOWN 1. Arizona tribe 2. Bad to the bone 3. Nevada city near Lake Tahoe 4. Warrant for officer promotion with no pay
5. As opposed to stay in 6. Chagall and Anthony 7. 3-pointer in basketball 8. *"Toast of the Town" host 9. Willy of "Free Willy" 10. Track event 11. Always, to a poet 13. Reference to the writer 14. Between larvae and adults 19. Allergic reaction to bee sting 22. ____ Aviv 23. *Ranger's call to Silver 24. Sunbaked, archaically speaking 25. Wall or pedestal support 26. Kon-Tiki, e.g. 27. One of the Muses 28. Offspring 31. Getting warm 32. Not in good health 34. Tiny leftovers 36. *Abbott's comedic partner 38. Online purchase
40. *Marjorie Reynolds in "The Life of Riley" 41. Scolding 44. Schoolmarm's whip 46. Defrosted 48. Popular winter boot brand 49. Put it to the metal 50. Audition tape 51. SWAT attack 52. France/Switzerland border mountain range 53. Carpenter's groove 54. Ben Affleck's 2013 Oscar winner 55. Original matter 56. *Buttons or Skelton
See Answers on Page19
Edmond Life & Leisure • February 11, 2021 • Page 15
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S E T I R O V FA 2021 VOTE ONLINE! EDMONDLIFEANDLEISURE.COM Simply answer each question below. Feel free to elaborate on a separate piece of paper! We will announce your Edmond Favorites in our March 4 issue. Ballots can be mailed to:
EDMOND FAVORITES, 107 S. BROADWAY, EDMOND, OK 73034
You are welcome to drop your ballot at our office (same address as mailing address above).
DEADLINE: FEBRUARY 26
AT LEAST 50% OF BALLOT MUST BE COMPLETED FOR YOUR VOTE TO COUNT! PLEASE WRITE CLEARLY AND COMPLETELY.
FAVORITE FOOD / RESTAURANT: Asian Food
Ice Cream / Frozen Yogurt
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Bakery
Italian Food
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Barbecue
Lunch Spot
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Breakfast / Brunch
Mexican Food
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Brewery
New Restaurant
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Burger
Night Spot
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Caterer
Pizza
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Chicken
Sandwiches / Subs
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Coffee House
Seafood
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Desserts
Special Occasion Restaurant
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Ethnic Food
Steak
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Food Truck
Sushi
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S E T I R O FAV 2021 FAVORITE PLACE TO BUY: Antiques
Home Decor
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Appliances
Jewelry
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Athletic Shoes / Apparel
Mattresses
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Books
Men’s Clothing
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Children’s Clothing / Accessories
Plants / Landscaping
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Consignment / Resale
Shoes
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Flooring
Sporting Goods / Outdoor Gear
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Furniture
Tires
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Gifts
Wine & Spirits
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Groceries
Women’s Clothing / Accessories
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Hobby Supplies __________________________
Edmond Life & Leisure • February 11, 2021 • Page 17
DEADLINE: FEBRUARY 26 VOTE ONLINE! EDMONDLIFEANDLEISURE.COM Simply answer each question below. Feel free to elaborate on a separate piece of paper! We will announce your Edmond Favorites in our March 4 issue. Ballots can be mailed to:
EDMOND FAVORITES, 107 S. BROADWAY, EDMOND, OK 73034 You are welcome to drop your ballot at our office (same address as mailing address above).
PLEASE WRITE CLEARLY AND COMPLETELY.
FAVORITE BUSINESSES/SERVICES: Automobile Repair
Fitness / Health Club
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Barber
Florist
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Birthday Parties
Golf Course
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Car Wash
Hair Salon
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Chiropractor
Home Maintenance
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Custom Framing
Insurance Agent
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Dance Studio
Lawn Care
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Dentist
Live Music Venue / Live Music Spot
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Dry Cleaning
Massage
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Esthetician
Nail Salon
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Eye Care
Oil Change
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Financial Planner
Park
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S E T I R O FAV 2021 VOTE ONLINE! EDMONDLIFEANDLEISURE.COM FAVORITE BUSINESSES/SERVICES (CONT): Pet Grooming
Senior Living Community
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Pharmacy
Travel Agency
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Physician
Veterinarian
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Romantic Place To Stay The Night
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Locally Owned Business
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Most Attractive Building
Long Term Business
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Civic Organization
Public Art Piece
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Edmond Event Or Festival
Special Event Venue
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Masons give $200K to assist nurses Nurses who want to return to work through Oklahoma’s nurse refresher course can now get assistance, thanks to a donation from the Masonic Charity Foundation of Oklahoma. The foundation has donated $200,000, which translates into 100 scholarships of $2,000 each -the cost of the revised nurse refresher program. Applications for the scholarships will open Feb. 10. “We thought it was a great opportunity to do something we all desperately need,” said John Logan, MCFO executive director. “We thought it sounded like a wonderful program.” “We are very thankful and grateful for the Masonic Charity Foundation of Oklahoma’s donation,” said Marcie Mack, Oklahoma CareerTech state director. “The $200,000 donation will make a great difference in the lives of nurses wanting to return to work and in the lives of the patients they will be caring for.” The statewide nurse refresher course is part of a partnership between the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center Fran and Earl Ziegler College of Nursing and the Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education. Ten Oklahoma CareerTech technology centers offer the course for nurses who do not have an active license but want to return to practice. The program includes a self-paced, online nursing theoretical course, a nursing skills lab provided by Oklahoma CareerTech technology centers and a clinical experience that will show students’ clinical competency. The revisions have lowered the number of hours required for students who achieve baseline competency. The fees have also been lowered, from $2,599 to $2,000.
Religious freedom measure advances In its inaugural meeting last week, the House States Rights Committee approved legislation to protect religious freedom and the constitutional right to worship. Rep. Jon Echols, R-Oklahoma City, authored House Bill 2648, or the Oklahoma Religious Freedom Act, which dictates that anything closing places of worship would be considered a substantial burden on people’s freedom of religion. He said he filed the bill after witnessing how many religious organizations were unable to meet for several weeks due to government restrictions on the size of gatherings or emergency orders that did not deem places of worship as essential. “Our country was founded on the premise of religious freedom for all, but we have seen and continue to see situations across the country where Americans’ right to worship has been trampled and
ignored by overreaching bureaucracy,” Echols said. “A person’s sincerely held faith is an integral part of their life, especially how they cope with difficulties, and forcing places of worship to close for weeks or months at a time during a state of emergency or crisis is un-American and goes against the very core of our nation.” Rep. Brian Hill, R-Mustang, who co-authored the legislation, presented the bill before the committee. “For many like myself, my faith is as essential as the food I eat or the air I breathe,” Hill told the committee. “And I think that is constitutionally protected by our First Amendment and by our Oklahoma Constitution.” The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution reads: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof…”
In light of COVID 19 for the time being, some worship services may be suspended or online. Please check with your house of worship for more information.
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