Edmond Life and Leisure - March 4, 2021

March 4, 2021

Vol. 21, No. 42

In This Issue FOUR SEASONS

Selected as new Edmond Superintendent

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.

OND

EDM

FAVORITES 2021 THE RESULTS ARE IN!

Edmond Favorites Results See page 9

IMAGE PROVIDED

Dr. Angela Mills Grunewald, selected as the district’s new superintendent.

FRIDAY, March 5 Partly Cloudy High 63° Low 42°

SATURDAY, March 6 Partly Cloudy High 64° Low 46°

SUNDAY, March 7 Partly Cloudy High 66° Low 44°

The Edmond Board of Education has selected Dr. Angela Mills Grunewald, current Associate Superintendent for Educational Services, as the district’s next superintendent.

Edmond board members approved her hiring during a special meeting today, following a comprehensive two-month search.

Grunewald will be the first female superintendent in the district’s history, with the exception of an interim superintendent in the early 1900s. She will oversee 23,600 students, nearly 3,000 employees and 30 campuses when she assumes the leadership position following the retirement of Bret Towne at the end of the 2020-2021 school year.

“We are excited Dr. Grunewald will be the next leader of Edmond Public Schools,” Kathleen Duncan, Board of Education president, said.“ From her days as an Edmond principal to her current position, she has long been a driving force behind the success of our district and its students. Her knowledge of

the district – and the relationships she’s built – will allow her to hit the ground running as superintendent; however, it is her vision for the future of EPS, and her strengths as a school administrator, that make her the perfect fit for the job.”

Grunewald began her career as an elementary teacher with Snyder Public Schools, before continuing in the classroom in El Reno and Leedey. She then joined the EPS family, serving as assistant principal and principal of Charles Haskell Elementary School from 2003-2008 before moving to Sequoyah Middle School from 2008-2011.

After a successful tenure as principal, she transitioned to district administration, serving Piedmont Public Schools as the Director of Curriculum and Instruction and Mustang Public Schools as the Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction, before returning home to Edmond in 2016 as the Executive Director of Elementary Education. She was then elevated to her current position, Associ-

ate Superintendent for Educational Services.

Grunewald received her bachelor’s degree in elementary education and her master’s degree in school leadership from Southwestern Oklahoma State University and her doctorate from Oklahoma State University. She served as an adjunct professor for the University of Central Oklahoma. This marks her 33rd year in education.

According to Grunewald, accepting the position is especially rewarding because of her affinity for the district and the Edmond community.

“I love Edmond Public Schools, and there’s nowhere I’d rather be. It is the people that make it a special place to work and to learn. They’re my family,” Grunewald said. “EPS is an outstanding school district with high expectations and strong community support. Together, with help from our incredible team, I am excited to build on this foundation continued on Page 3

Page 2 • March 4, 2021 • Edmond Life & Leisure

Edmond Life & Leisure • March 4, 2021 • Page 3

Data shows steep decline in nursing home COVID cases Data released by the Oklahoma State Department of Health (OSDH) shows that new COVID19 infections in long-term care (LTC) facilities have fallen to less than 10 percent of rates reported in late 2020.

From Feb. 11-18 of 2021, there were 39 new COVID cases among residents, according to data reported by OSDH. In the last week of December 2020, that weekly total was 443.

Additionally, test positivity rates continue to decline. In data released by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, far fewer Oklahoma counties are listed as “red.” In the last week of December 2020, 29 Oklahoma counties were listed as red counties for high nursing home positivity rates. In the week ending on Feb. 17, just 11 counties were listed as red.

Most skilled nursing facilities in Oklahoma have now held at least one vaccination clinic, and many have completed the three clinic process. Nationally, upwards of 80 percent of LTC residents have now received at least one dose of the vaccine, as reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Those vaccinations appear to be contributing to

declining rates of COVID transmission in nursing homes that are far outpacing the rest of the population, according to a study by the Kaiser Family Foundation.

Care Providers Oklahoma President and CEO Steven Buck attributed the declining COVID positivity rates in nursing facilities to a combination of vaccines and rigorous infection control procedures.

“These vaccines are successfully driving down positivity rates in our facilities,” said Buck. “That, combined with the enormous investment our skilled nursing facilities have made in enhanced PPE, infection control training, and ‘hero pay’ for staff are all contributing to these positive outcomes. It is also important to give a nod to our neighbors for helping minimize community spread, which is the number one indicator of whether COVID-19 impacts long term care settings” While regulatory authorities have directed skilled nursing facilities to limit visitation for safety reasons, Buck said he anticipates those restrictions to be slowly relaxed as positivity rates continue to decline.

“Our providers follow CMS guidelines and the guidelines laid out by the Oklahoma Department

Addressing post-storm questions With the historic February 2021 winter storm behind us, numerous questions remain for the immediate future and recovery. Below are some key questions and answers for Edmond residents:

for all the water that was lost?

Customers can submit repair receipts for a water leak adjustment to Utility Customer Service. To start the process, please email them at customerservice@edmondok.com.

My recycling was never picked up and is full. Is someone coming to get it?

Our recycling contractor, Republic Services, was unable to pick up recycling at some homes last week due to the road conditions. Since we are back on a regular schedule, Republic will pick up additional recyclables placed outside the container (bagged or in a cardboard box) for the impacted customers on their next service date. This is a one-time occurrence only for those impacted customers.

My annual wastewater bill is based upon December, January & February usage. Is my bill going to be higher all year because I dripped my faucets?

Utility Customer service is analyzing usage trends as meters are read to determine whether adjustments will need to be made to the formula for the coming year. This will take a few weeks and communication will be sent out to customers once more information is known.

I’ve heard that people in Texas are getting $7,000 electric bills. How much is my bill going to be?

The Oklahoma Municipal Power Authority (OMPA) is still working with the Southwest Power Pool (SPP) and natural gas suppliers on final costs. We are working with OMPA on ways to minimize the impact on our customers. OMPA is not planning to pass the increased costs to us all at once so we are not planning on a sudden increase in bills in the future. For the energy used during the cold spell, the per kWh price for electricity is not increasing. We do expect that customers will have used more energy during this time so, any increases in a customer’s normal bill will be from increased usage, not an increase in electric rates. As the longterm impact becomes known, we will communicate it with our customers.

I had a pipe burst during the extreme temperatures. Do I have to pay

There are potholes everywhere!

Who do I tell and how?

Residents can report potholes and associated road issues to Public Works at 405-216-7770 or online at https://www.edmondok.com/forms.a spx?fid=153. Please note that E. 2nd Street & S. Broadway are state highways and maintained by the Oklahoma Department of Transportation.

I have serious damage at my home from the weather. Is there some type of assistance available?

The State of Oklahoma is working on a damage assessment for potential federal assistance. Oklahomans are asked to document and report damages sustained, including but not limited to, flooding from broken pipes, power surges that caused damage to furnaces, electrical systems or major appliances, number of days without utilities, number of days displaced, and any injuries sustained as a result of the winter storm. State officials are asking that all damage be reported at https://damage.ok.gov.

Cover From Page 1 of excellence and to take the district to the next level.”

Grunewald, a Woodward native, said students, staff members, parents and residents can expect her to foster a supportive school environment where all students and staff are welcomed and feel a sense of belonging.

“I will be accessible and available,” she said. “People can count on me to listen to and respect their feedback and input. By working together, we can deliver great opportunities for our students. My focus will always be providing them with a safe, innovative place to learn and grow academically, socially and emotionally.”

During her career, Grunewald’s professional memberships have included the Association of Supervision and Curriculum Development, Learning Forward: The Professional Learning Association, the Oklahoma Association of School Administrators, the Oklahoma Association of Elementary School Principals, the Oklahoma Middle Level Education Association and Oklahoma’s Teaching and Learning Consortium.

Grunewald has twice been named

regional Assistant Superintendent of the Year by OASA – once for District 14 in 2014 and once for District 7 in 2020. She served on the Oklahoma State Department of Education’s Wavier Writing Committee and assisted Canadian Valley Technology Center as an advisory board member.

As a teacher, she was a National Board Certification Teacher Scholarship recipient and a building-level Teacher of the Year.

Her community involvement includes being an Edmond Fine Arts board member, serving as an Edmond Mental Health Committee member, teaching children’s Sunday School and leading a small-group Bible study at her church.

As part of the search, board members launched an online survey that allowed community members to provide input about the qualities they wanted in the next superintendent.

“Thank you to the parents, staff, students and community members who took time to complete the search survey,” Duncan said. “Your feedback was very valuable to the process.”

of Health when it comes to visitation, so there will still be significant precautions in place for the foreseeable future, including health screenings, social distancing and mask wearing,” said Buck. “Still, we are quickly reaching a point where nursing homes are the safest environments available for seniors because of our high vaccination rates among our residents and our safety protocols. We are on the cusp of being able to restore more normal visitation patterns which are so important to family and residents.”

Buck said that skilled nursing facilities are encouraging state and federal officials to define standards for safe visitation and taking input from residents, family members, and staff about how to best balance family and visitor engagement with safety procedures.

“This has been such a challenging time for all of us, especially our residents and their families,” said Buck. “We appreciate the patience and support we have experienced, and we expect that patience to be rewarded with meaningful and positive changes in the very near future. Our providers are eager to welcome visitors back into their facilities and look forward to the upcoming guidance.”

Page 4 • March 4, 2021 • Edmond Life & Leisure

From the Publisher

Interesting year for Edmond Favorites This year marks the 18th straight year that we have asked our readers to name their Edmond Favorites. It is the original “best” of Edmond survey. There have been a few attempts to do a knock off and some that cover the entire Oklahoma City area with a few questions about Edmond but ours is the original and of Ray Hibbard course the most comprehensive for Edmond. You can see the full results on Page 9 of this week’s Edmond Life & Leisure.

This year was an interesting one as far as voting. Not only are we in the middle of a worldwide pandemic but we have so many new businesses in Edmond. Typically, it takes a couple of years for new places to show up in the results from our readers, but we had a couple of standouts that were new that leaped to the top of our reader’s favorites. It could be because they involve food and adult beverages.

Frenzy Brewing Company took top honors as Favorite Brewery here in Edmond as well as a favorite night hot spot. The ownership and management of Frenzy has done a fantastic job of not only getting their business up and running at a difficult time, but they also have made it one of Edmond’s favorite places to visit here in downtown Edmond. I look for great things from Frenzy in the future as well.

Another new business here in downtown that broke through to the top is The Blues & Jazz Café. They were voted as Edmond’s Favorite place for ethnic food. Our readers that voted really like this place and we cannot wait to get over to the Railyard to try it. Nashbird Chicken was another newcomer that took top honor this year. It is fantastic that we have so many great places to choose from here in Edmond.

There is a new place opening in downtown that did not make it in time for the annual survey, but you can expect it to be voted favorite something next year. It is called Railyard Pie Company. They have sweet pies, savory pie, whoopie pies and more. I may just gain back the 100 pounds I lost six years ago with fresh baked pie slices available every day. I never met a pie I did not like.

Chamber and EEDA help local restaurants The Edmond Area Chamber of Commerce and Edmond Economic Development Authority have teamed up to bring you the March Madness Restaurant Rebate. For every $50 you spend at any restaurant in Edmond city limits during the month of March, you can get a $10 gift card back to the restaurant you supported.

Each week, you can submit up to $500 in receipts, and we will send out your gift card by the end of the next week. Receipts must be submitted by Tuesday at midnight for purchases made the previous Monday through Sunday. Limit $50 in gift cards per week per household. Submit your receipts starting March 1 to sink a slam dunk and support local restaurants!

Rules and limitations: Limit $50 in rebates ($250 in receipt totals)

per week per household Receipts must be from an Edmond Chamber member or local business within Edmond city limits Receipts must be submitted by midnight each Tuesday for purchases made the previous Monday through Sunday Multiple receipts can be submitted to reach $50 minimum purchase, but all receipts must be from Edmond Chamber members or local business within Edmond city limits Purchases made through third-party services like Postmates, DoorDash, etc. do not qualify for a rebate Purchases made with a gift card do not qualify for a rebate, but you can submit a receipt for the purchase of a gift card Rebates are first come, first-served until funds are dispersed Once funds are depleted, there is no guarantee of a gift card rebate Purchases that can help support our local restaurants: Dine-in, to-go or delivery meals (through restaurant service only - no delivery services like Postmates, DoorDash, etc.)

Gift certificates and gift cards Pay it forward - Buy a gift card or certificate for someone else Buy a meal for someone in need For questions, please contact Kristen King at kking@edmondchamber.com or call (405) 2162031. Please note chamber staff will not be in the office during weekend hours, but we will be reachable by email for your questions.

A giant thank you to the Edmond Chamber and our EEDA for always working to help our local businesses!

Come “feel the vibes” in downtown Edmond on April 1st at the inaugural event of VIBES! VIBES, Edmond’s First Thursdays, is a monthly art walk that features local artists in downtown Edmond from 5 to 9 p.m., April through October. Each month, this free community event highlights a variety of creative talent hosted in participating businesses. The VIBES event series lineup includes sixty-five visual artists and thirty performing artists during the seven-month season.

During VIBES, community members are invited to stroll, sip, and see while being entertained by creative visual and performing talents in downtown Edmond. All artists are partnered with businesses to provide 15 fabulous blocks of art experiences. This creative collaboration is facilitated by the Edmond Fine Arts Institute, a 501c3 arts nonprofit, located in the heart of downtown at 27 East Edwards.

A sneak peek at the artists exhibiting in April include Micah Wylie-Sylph high flying dancing feats; Poetry n’ Chill laying down rhymes; a live mural installation presented by T-Mobile with paintings by Dusty Gilpin and Yo Bro OKC (Lindsay Zodrow and Hayley Owen); visual artists on display include Aimee Eishcen; Chris Cargill; Marie Kash Waltzheimer and many, many more.

All artists will entice attendees at various loca-

‘Yo Bro’- Lindsay Zodrow of Yo Bro OKC painting at Rollin Deep 2020 VIBES Mural Installation at the corner of Hurd & Broadway. tions beginning at 5 p.m. on April 1. Visit the EdmondVibes.org website for more information on participants, times, and locations.

VIBES is made possible with support from the City of Edmond, Downtown Edmond Business Association (DEBA), and dedicated community sponsors, including headline sponsor- Mercy Hospital, Chickasaw Community Bank, Edmond Electric, Citizens Bank, Engel & Volkers Duncan Group, The Grant Group, Small Architects and United Production Co. For VIBES updates, performance schedules, artists, maps, and news, follow @edmond_vibes on Instagram and VIBES Edmond’s First Thursdays on Facebook.

Another downtown project begins You may have noticed that construction is underway in what has become known as the Icehouse Project. Developers are taking an area in downtown Edmond that houses the old Icehouse by the railroad lines and turning it into what will be one of Edmond’s best entertainment options.

There will be places for dining and gathering as well. It will be a unique lifestyle development that will bring folks to Edmond.

The old Icehouse will be saved, and the complex will include a creamery. There will be an outdoor courtyard and even an event space that can be used by the public. It is really a big undertaking but will become a crown jewel for downtown Edmond.

As difficult as 2020 was for everyone, it is looking like none of it is turning back people and activities that believe in Edmond. It is going to be an interesting year to see some of the growth that was postponed finally start to happen. Hang on folks, more is coming.

(Ray Hibbard, publisher of Edmond Life & Leisure may be reached by e-mail at ray@edmondpaper.com)

Check out what’s inside!

---- Police arrest report ......................................................................Page 6.

---- Gourmet Gallery thanks health workers ......................................Page 8.

---- Improving Arcadia Lake..............................................................Page 10.

---- Cancel Culture back at it again ..................................................Page 10.

---- Elaine Warner visits Crystal Bridges............................................Page 12.

---- Animated film called ‘epic’ by George Gust ..............................Page 14.

---- Crossword puzzle ......................................................................Page 14.

---- State Sen. Adam Pugh honored ..................................................Page 17.

---- Kenneth Wohl’s ‘Mortgage Matters’ column..............................Page 18.

Edmond Favorite winners listed, Page 9

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 • March 4, 2021 • Page 5

March happenings -Editor’s Note If wishing to attend an event, please check ahead to make sure it remains scheduled.

--- In the Gallery: Zonly Looman ---- Frenzy Frenz Walk/Run ---- Ada Trillo: La Caravana Del Diablo Exhibit ---- Winter Edmond Farmer’s Market ---- What’s Cooking, Edmond?

---- Hike + Brew: Arcadia Edmond Park to Swam Train ---- Musical Theatre: Sweet Charity ---- Taproom Tones featuring Adam Miller ---- Taproom Tones featuring Nick Massey ---- Taproom Tones featuring Rocky Kanaga ---- Taproom Tones featuring Ravens Three ---- La Revue de Cuisine ---- Rhea Lana’s of Edmond Spring Shopping Sale ---- UCO Wind Ensembles ---- The Spaces Between: Opening Reception ---- The Spaces Between Exhibit ---- Cinch Timed Event Championship ---- LowChella Car Show ---- Bob Feist Invitational Team Roping ---- Kid’s Galaxy Spring Break Bash ---- VIRTUAL: Jewels & Sparkles ---- Texhoma Mounted Shooters – Mounted Shooting Classic ---- Brown Bag Lunch Series: Exploring Spiro and the Art of the Mississippian World ---- Kids Take Over the Cowboy: Spiro Scratch Art: Decorations for Another World ---- Cherokee Beadwork ---- Sunday Spiro Spotlight – Margaret Wheeler ---- Brown Bag Lunch Series: Spiro and its Rock Art Connections ---- Educators After Hours: Spiro and the Art of the Mississippian World ---- Drop-In Drawing ---- Spring Break Drop-In Activities ---- Brown Bag Lunch Series: The Quachita Connection: Novaculite Arrow Points at Spiro ---- Read the West Book Club: The Freshour Cylinders ---- Brown Bag Lunch Series: Adventures of the Mound Boys: The Looting of Craig Mound and WPA Archaeology at Spiro ---- Oklahoma City International Auto Show ---- OKC Philharmonic presents: Ragtime & All That Jazz ---- First Friday Gallery Walk ---- Oklahoma Youth Expo ---- Oklahoma Gun Show ---- OKC Philharmonic presents: The Inner Realm ---- St Pat’s in the Park ---- Spring Break at the Orr Family Farm ---- Spring Break in the Park ---- OKC Philharmonic presents: A Beethoven Birthday Celebration Extra Information In the Gallery: Zonly Looman Location: Edmond Fine Arts Institute Extra Info: Free; featuring the art of Zonly Looman; Gallery Opening Thu, Mar 4; 5 – 7 p.m.; edmondfinearts.com Frenzy Frenz Walk/Run Location: Frenzy Brewing Company Extra Info: Mon, Feb 1 – Mon, Feb 22; Free; 6:30 – 7:30 p.m. every Monday; Facebook Ada Trillo: La Caravana Del Diablo Exhibit Location: University of Central Oklahoma – Melton Gallery Extra Info: Now – Thu, Mar 4; Free; uco.edu Winter Edmond Farmer’s Market Location: MAC in Mitch Park Extra Info: 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.; Now – Sat, Mar 27; edmondok.com What’s Cooking, Edmond?

Location: Edmond Historical Society & Museum Extra Info: Now – Tue, Aug 31; Free; edmondhistory.org Hike + Brew: Arcadia Edmond Park to Swam Trail Location: Arcadia Lake

Extra Info: Mar 15 & 29; 8 – 9:30 a.m.; Free; edmondok.perfectmind.com Musical Theatre: Sweet Charity Location: University of Central Oklahoma – Mitchell Hall Theater Extra Info: Thu, Mar 4 – Sun, Mar 7; calendar.uco.edu Taproom Tones featuring Adam Miller Location: Frenzy Brewing Company Extra Info: Fri, Mar, 5; Free; 7-10 p.m.; Facebook La Revue de Cuisine Location: Univ. of Central Oklahoma Extra Info: Sat, Mar 6; 5 p.m.; Facebook Cinch Timed Event Championship Location: Lazy E Arena Extra Info: Thu, Mar 11 – Sat, Mar 13; $25-$50; lazyetec.com Taproom Tones featuring Nick Massey Location: Frenzy Brewing Company Extra Info: Sat, Mar 6; 7 – 10 p.m.; Facebook Rhea Lana’s of Edmond Spring Shopping Sale Location: Edmond Marketplace Shopping Center Extra Info: Sun, Mar 7 – Thu, Mar 11; $10-$40; eventbrite.com UCO Wind Ensembles Location: University of Central Oklahoma-Mitchell Hall Theater Extra Info: Mon, Mar 8 – Tue, Mar 9; 7:30 – 9 p.m.; calendar.uco.edu The Spaces Between: Opening Reception Location: University of Central Oklahoma – Melton Gallery Extra Info: Thu, Mar 11; 5 – 7:30; Free; Facebook The Spaces Between Exhibit Location: University of Central Oklahoma – Melton Gallery Extra Info: Thu, Mar 11 – Fri, Apr 30; Free; Facebook LowChella Car Show Location: Downtown Edmond Extra Info: Sat, Mar 13; 4 ---- 9 p.m.; Taproom Tones featuring Rocky Kanaga Location: Frenzy Brewing Company Extra Info: Sat, Mar 13; Free; 7 p.m.; Facebook Bob Feist Invitational Team Roping Location: Lazy E Arena Extra Info: Sun, Mar 14 – Thu, Mar 18; $25-$75; bfiweek.com Taproom Tones featuring Ravens Three Location: Frenzy Brewing Company Extra Info: Fri, Mar 19; Free; 7 – 10 p.m.; Facebook Kid’s Galaxy Spring Break Bash Loc.: Kid’s Galaxy Indoor Playground Extra Info: Sat, Mar 20; 12 – 2 p.m.; $19.99; Facebook VIRTUAL: Jewels & Sparkles Location: Silver Leaf Gems Extra Info: Tue, Mar 23; 8 ---- 9 p.m.; Facebook Texhoma Mounted Shooters – Mounted Shooting Classic Location: Lazy E Arena Extra Info: Fri, Mar 26 – Sun, Mar 28; cmsaevents.com Kids Take Over the Cowboy: Spiro Scratch Art: Decorations for Another World Location: National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum Extra Info: Mar 6; 10 – 12 p.m.; nationalcowboymuseum.org Cherokee Beadwork Location: National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum Extra Info: Mar 6; 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.; nationalcowboymuseum.org

More Events, On Page 7

Donating Blood & Winning $2,000 Former Edmond Mayor Elizabeth Waner, was a recent Oklahoma Blood Institute blood emergency hero award winner. Mayor Waner won $2,000 in gift cards for donating blood during the winter storm emergency.

Page 6 • March 4, 2021 • Edmond Life & Leisure

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.)

Feb. 8 Walter Howard White, 50, of Edmond. Charged with obstruction of police officer and (misdemeanor) domestic abuse assault.

Zachary Dale Huddleston, 27 of Edmond. Operate (DUI or APC) vehicle with a blood alcohol content level of .15 or more.

Ricky Leon Adams, 21 of Edmond. Public intoxication.

Curtis James Taylor, 21 of Edmond. Operate (DUI or APC) a motor vehicle with a blood alcohol of .15 or more.

Derek Brandon Steele, 36 of Edmond. Three counts of failure to appear.

Harold Bruce Wright Jr., 50 of Edmond. Public intoxication.

Feb. 9 Dequann Qshay Javonta Gresham, 24, of Oklahoma City. Speeding, 15 mph or over and driving while privilege is canceled, suspended, denied or revoked.

Harold Bruce Wright 50 of Edmond. Public intoxication.

Shianne Renee Bullard, 31 of Edmond. Interruption, disruption, interference with an emergency phone call and domestic abuse with a prior pattern of physical abuse.

Guymon Francisco Carter, 45 of Oklahoma City.

Possession of drug paraphernalia and fraud/ mislead, false represent as one's driver's license/ ID card, larceny, (possession of stolen vehicle) unathorized used of vehicle or implement of husbandry and obstruction of police officer.

Henry Charles Peshlakai, 29 of Edmond. Operate (DUI or APC) motor vehicle with a blood alcohol content of .08 or more.

Feb. 11 Ira James McCrae IV, 33 of Bethany. Felony warrant and (misdemeanor first and second offense) larceny from retailer.

Zachary Olin Lipscomb, 28 of Midwest City.

Possession of marijuana and public intoxication.

Feb. 12 Raegan Chandler Querido, 27 of Oklahoma City. Public intoxication.

Rachel Alex Frans, 26 of Edmond. Operate (DUI or APC) vehicle under the influence of alcohol.

Jonathan Diep Tran, 27 of Oklahoma City. Operate (DUI or APC) vehicle under the influence of alcohol.

Brenden Kyle Reuther, 28 of Paris, Mo. Transporting open container of intoxicating beverage or beer and operate (DUI or APC) vehicle under the influence of alcohol.

Ira James McCrae IV, 33 of Bethany. (Misdemeanor first and second offense) larceny from a retailer and a felony warrant.

Terrence Lamar Brumfield, 39 of Edmond. Eluding a police officer, obstruction of a police officer and operate (DUI or APC) vehicle under the influence of alcohol.

Mae Daniele Chavez, 36 homeless. Public intoxication.

Thom Raymond Pringle, 39 of Warr Acres. Possession of marijuana and public intoxication.

Feb. 13 Joshua Neil King, 37 of Edmond. Felony DUI/APC. Mason Michael Sharp, 24 of Mustang. Operate (DUI or APC) vehicle under the influence of alcohol.

Grant Mitchell Young, 26 of Edmond. Public intoxication.

David Wayne Pitzer, 46 of Edmond. Operate (DUI or APC) vehicle under the influence of alcohol.

Mark Anthony Young, 53 of Edmond. Failure to appear.

Thomas Scott Nelson, 38 of Edmond. Public Intoxication.

Ashton Alan Willson, 41 homeless. Public intoxication.

Jacquel Rayshawn Ingram, 23 of Oklahoma City.

Failure to appear.

Chad Antonio Coburn, 45 of Oklahoma City.

Driving without proper/valid driver's license, possession of marijuana and no proof of insurance.

Feb. 14 Tywan Debra Goosby,34 of Edmond. Driving while privilege is suspended, canceled, denied or revoked and non-assault resisting officer.

Ramzy Zaid Halasa, 31 of Edmond. Leaving scene of accident unattended vehicle, operate (DUI/APC) vehicle under the influence of alcohol.

Feb. 15 McKayla Lynn Gregg, 25 of Moore. Misdemeanor warrant, possession of CDS and (anything other than alcohol) operate (DUI or APC) a motor vehicle under the influence of anything other than alcohol.

Dionte Tarron Anderson, 32, homeless. Misdemeanor warrant and trespassing after being forbidden.

Feb. 16 Reese Gene Botchlet, 22 of Yukon. Possession of drug paraphernalia, possession CDS and operate (DUI or APC) a motor vehicle with a blood alcohol content of .08 or more.

Coby Blake Stechmann, 18 of Edmond. Purchase, procure, possess obscene material and using photographic/electronic equipment to record in an illegal manner or publish.

Feb. 17 Ted Keegan Miller, 47 of Edmond. (Misdemeanor first offense) Domestic abuse assault. (In the presence of a minor child.)

Feb. 18 Carson Paul Tate, 28 of Mustang. Operate (DUI or APC) vehicle under the influence of alcohol.

Harley Cheyanne Hill, 23 of Ardmore, Operate (DUI or APC) a motor vehicle with a blood alcohol

content of .15 or more.

Jacob Allen Rodriquez, 39 homeless. Failure to appear.

Justin Reese Darling, 42 of Edmond. Three counts possession of CDS and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Brittany Lynn Hemmerich, 33 of Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Petty larceny.

Nathan Dion Gonzalez, 34 of Edmond. Possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of CDS. Feb. 19 Nathaniel Thomas Mantooth 26 of Guthrie.

Speeding, obstruction of an officer and operate (DUI or APC) vehicle under the influence of alcohol.

Jonathan Rodriguez, 29 of Waterbury, Conn.

Driving while privilege is canceled, suspended, denied or revoked.

Travis Lane Prichard, 52 homeless. Obstruction of a police officer.

Edgar Antonio Loredo-Cruz, 28 of Edmond.

(Misdemeanor) Domestic abuse assault.

Billy Kalin Johnson, 36 of Edmond. Felony warrant and public intoxication.

Sarah Jane Short, 31 of Oklahoma City. Operate (DUI or APC) a vehicle under the influence of alcohol.

Feb. 20 Drake Hayden White, 28 of Oklahoma City. (anything other than alcohol) Operate (DUI or APC) a motor vehicle under the influence of anything other than alcohol.

Conner Alex Morrissey, 27 of Oklahoma City.

Possession of drug paraphernalia, public intoxication and possession of CDS. James Earnest Horne, 23 of Edmond. Operate (DUI or APC) a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol.

Roy Angelo Flores, 63 of Edmond. Public intoxication.

Xiang He, 40 of Brooklyn, New York. Operate (DUI or APC) a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol.

Dallas Faqwuan Hodges, 26 of Edmond. Kidnapping, interruption disruption interference with emergency phone call, (misdemeanor first offense) domestic abuse assault (in the presence of a minor child) and obstruction of a police officer.

Bobby Gabrielle Gray, 32 of Oklahoma City.

Public intoxication.

Bliss Nicole Ellis, 31 of Midwest City. Public intoxication.

Matthew Ray Hutcherson, 29 of Edmond. Public intoxication.

Feb. 21 Gary Mace Campbell, 38 of Edmond. Public intoxication.

Dallas Leslie Dunn, 28 of Oklahoma City. Possession of drug paraphernalia and possess with intent with distribute CDS. Charise Anderson, 34 homeless. Failure to appear.

Cameron Lee Benge, 27 homeless. Possession of drug paraphernalia and possess with intent to distribute CDS.

Lawmakers move to cut time public spends at DPS The Oklahoma House of Representatives last week passed legislation designed to help cut down on lengthy wait times currently occurring at the Oklahoma Dept. of Public Safety (DPS).

House Bill 1059 is authored by Rep. Brad Boles, R-Marlow, and would help the Dept. of Public Safety address the significant backlog that has built up as a result of the challenges brought by COVID-19 and the implementation of Real IDs. “Lawmakers have heard from many of our constituents who are upset with the large backlog and months-long wait time at DPS offices, and I believe House Bill 1059 will be a positive step forward to help alleviate this problem,” Boles said. “These changes would make the process more efficient for Oklahomans and ease some of the burden on DPS.” The legislation authorizes local tag

agencies to issue commercial driver’s licenses renewals, replacements, change of addresses and downgrades for Class A, B and C licenses. Currently, DPS must process all of these requests.

The bill would also allow tag agents to issue an ID card even if the driver’s license is expired or suspended, as long as the person requesting the ID has an existing Oklahoma driver’s license file. Currently, the person requesting the ID must have a valid unexpired license to receive an ID card from a tag agent.

HB1059 would allow third party examiners to test anyone with a commercial driver’s license permit. Thirdparty examiners are only allowed to administer driver’s tests to their own students.

The bill passed the House 91-2 and is now available to be considered in the Senate, where it is authored by Sen. Jessica Garvin, R-Duncan.

Engagement, Wedding notices 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.

Edmond Life & Leisure • March 4, 2021 • Page 7

Retired Air Force doctor leaves OMRF $2.2 million Wesley Robert “Bob” Mote, M.D., was soft-spoken and private. A U.S. Air Force physician for 39 years, Mote still lived in the 1,200-squarefoot Moore home he purchased in the ‘60s when he died at age 83.

Mote, who never married and had no children, made a $75 gift to the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation in 1989. When he died, both foundation officials and Mote’s family were more than a little surprised to learn of a second gift to OMRF worth $2.2 million.

“We were shocked to learn the size of his estate,” said Mote’s greatnephew and namesake, Wes Mote, who said that his great-uncle lived a modest life. “Money meant very little to him. He cared nothing at all about impressing people.”

A second-generation physician, Mote’s family traces his love of medicine to a childhood spent around his father’s clinic in Ardmore. After graduating from medical school at the University of Oklahoma, the young man who had devoted hours of his childhood to writing letters to soldiers during World War II joined the Air Force.

Following posts overseas and stateside, Mote took a staff position at Tinker Air Force Base. He devoted nearly four decades of his life to the care of servicemen and servicewomen and retired as Tinker’s chief of occupational medicine.

Beyond his medical career, Mote

PHOTO PROVIDED/WES & LEEA MOTE

Retired U.S. Air Force physician Dr. Bob Mote was soft-spoken and private.

The Moore, Oklahoma, outdoorsman made a single $75 gift to the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation in 1989. When he died, he made a second gift to OMRF — worth $2.2 million.

was an outdoorsman who enjoyed traveling the world, logging thousands of miles over his lifetime. “He would call us and say, ‘I’m calling from China,’ or ‘I’m headed to Costa Rica,’ or somewhere else,” said Wes Mote’s wife, Leea. “He had just got-

More information on March events Brown Bag Lunch Series: Spiro and its Rock Art Connections Location: National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum Extra Info: Mar 11; 12 – 1 p.m.; nationalcowboymuseum.org Educators After Hours: Spiro and the Art of the Mississippian World Location: National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum Extra Info: Mar 11; 5:30 – 8:30 p.m.; nationalcowboymuseum.org Drop-In Drawing Location: National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum Extra Info: Mar 14; 2 – 3 p.m.; nationalcowboymuseum.org OKC International Auto Show Location: Oklahoma State Fair Park Extra Info: Fri, Mar 5 – Sun, Mar 7; 10 a.m. – 9 p.m. & Sun til 6 p.m.; okcautoshow.org Backwoods Hunting & Fishing Expo Location: National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum Extra Info: Fri, Mar 5; 11a.m. – 7 p.m.; Sat, Mar 6; 9 a.m. – 7 p.m.; Sun, Mar 7; 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.; backwoodsshow.com OKC Philharmonic presents: Ragtime & All That Jazz Location: Civic Center Music Hall Extra Info: Fri, Mar 5 – Sat, Mar 6; 8 p.m.; okcphil.org

First Friday Gallery Walk Location: Paseo Arts District Extra Info: Fri, Mar 5; 6 -9 p.m.; thepaseo.org Oklahoma Youth Expo Location: Oklahoma State Fair Park Extra Info: Mar 8 – Mar 19; okcfairgrounds.com Oklahoma Gun Show Location: Oklahoma State Fair Park Extra Info: Mar 13 – Mar 14; oklahomagunshows.com OKC Philharmonic presents: The Inner Realm Location: Civic Center Music Hall Extra Info: Mar 13; 8 p.m.; okcphil.org St. Pat’s in the Park Location: Scissortail Park Extra Info: Mar 13; 11 a.m. – 7 p.m.; scissortailpark.org Spring Break at the Orr Family Farm Location: Orr Family Farm Extra Info: Mar 15 – Mar 20; 10 a.m.

– 5 p.m. daily; orrfamilyfarm.com Spring Break in the Park Location: Scissortail Park Extra Info: Mar 15 – Mar 18; 10 a.m.

– 9 p.m. daily; scissortailpark.org OKC Philharmonic presents: A Beethoven Birthday Celebration Location: Civic Center Music Hall Extra Info: Mar 20; 8 p.m.;

ten back to Colorado after following the Lewis and Clark Trail and was about to head home when he died unexpectedly.”

Although he was quiet-natured, his great-uncle radiated empathy and had “a manly way of being gracious

and caring,” said Wes Mote. He especially delighted in mentoring young medical students, going out of his way to call and check in on them as their careers progressed. “He was so excited about what was to come in medicine,” said Wes Mote.

An avid reader with an insatiable intellectual curiosity, Mote remained a student of medicine even after his retirement. According to Wes Mote, he attended seminars around the country and kept up with the latest advancements in science and medicine.

Because Mote did not designate his donation to a particular area of science, the gift will fund research at OMRF where it is needed most. At OMRF, scientists work on projects affecting a wide range of illnesses, including cancer, Alzheimer’s and heart disease.

“Dr. Mote’s generosity will make a difference in the lives of countless Oklahomans and people everywhere,” said OMRF Senior Director of Development Sonny Wilkinson.

“It’s clear that the hope for a brighter future medical research offers to us all mattered deeply to him.”

Wes Mote agrees. “He’d been around medicine since the time he was born, so to us, it makes perfect sense that he left his estate to research,” he said. “I think probably his only regret about dying was missing out on what’s to come in medicine.”

Page 8 • March 4, 2021 • Edmond Life & Leisure

Edmond FFA’er seeks state office

Lexie Evers

Lexie Evers, a member of the Edmond FFA chapter, is a candidate for state FFA office. Running for the office of central area vice president, Evers faces the opportunity of serving more than 25,000 Oklahoma FFA members.

State FFA officers travel across the state and nation to provide leadership and personal development training for FFA members. They also make decisions about organizational policy.

“Serving as a state officer is one of the greatest honors in FFA,” said Trevor Lucas, state FFA executive secretary. “Officers play an extremely important role within our state association and are expected to set the example both in and out of the jacket for all of Oklahoma FFA members.”

Through a series of interviews on February 20 and 21, a nominating committee narrowed the field of candidates to three for each of the seven offices up for election. The eighth race is for state president, whose candidates have served as officers since May 2020. Two delegates from each of Oklahoma’s 365

official FFA chapters will cast the deciding votes during the upcoming convention. The new officers will be introduced during the final convention session Wednesday, April 28, in the Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City, Okla.

To provide a safe, socially distanced convention experience for all guests, attendance will be limited. For those unable to attend due to COVID-19 protocols, all sessions will be livestreamed and accessible free of charge on www.okffa.org.

FFA is an integral part of the Agricultural Education Division of the Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education system. The Oklahoma FFA Association is the fifth-largest state association in the nation with more than 25,000 members. The FFA mission is to make a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth and career success through agricultural education. For more information, visit www.okffa.org and follow @FFAOK on Twitter or @okffa on Instagram.

Store thanks health workers For Valentine’s Day, Edmond’s Gourmet Gallery had a chance top ‘Share the Love’ with frontline health care workers, thanking them for their service and care during the pandemic. Gourmet Gallery is a unique gourmet and specialty food store in Edmond. The store is at 3325 S.Blvd #107.

Tax Commission appointment Part of her current duties inGov. Kevin Stitt announced clude assisting and advising this week he has appointed Gov. Stitt, Chief Operating State Budget Director Shelly Officer John Budd and Chief Paulk to the Oklahoma Tax Financial Officer Amanda RoCommission for a six-year driguez in management of term pending State Senate state agency budgets by trackconfirmation. ing, analyzing and reconciling Paulk has worked for the revenue collections to all state State of Oklahoma since NoPaulk appropriated or authorized vember 2006 in progressively funds and analyzing all revmore advanced roles related to state budget and finances. She ini- enue or tax related legislation.

“I have seen Shelly Paulk’s expantially joined the Office of Managesive and detailed knowledge of our ment and Enterprise Services as a state budget system and its processes revenue and budget analyst before firsthand as she has been an imporbeing promoted to Deputy Budget tant member of my finance team,” Director for Revenue in 2011 and to said Gov. Stitt. “Her experience and her current role as State Budget Dicommitment to excellence will be inrector in 2019. valuable for the Oklahoma Tax Com“I am greatly honored by the opportunity the Governor has extended mission. I am pleased to appoint her to this new role as she continues to to me to serve the people of Oklaserve our state but will miss interacthoma in this new role,” Paulk said. ing with her more frequently.”

“During the 14 years I've spent at Before joining state government, OMES, working with revenue reporting and following tax policy has been Paulk spent 18 years in the education field. She holds a bachelor’s in busimore than just a job. It's exciting to be able to continue that work from a ness management and ethics from Mid-America Christian University in different perspective and to conOklahoma City and an MBA in leadtribute to the great work the Oklaership and organizational develophoma Tax Commission is already doing. I am especially grateful for the ment from Oklahoma Christian University in Edmond. experiences I've had working with Shelly and her husband, Jon, have such wonderful people at OMES over the last 14 years and the support and three children and eight grandchildren. mentoring I've received.”

Child obesity rate alarming Oklahoma has the eighth highest youth obesity rate in the country, with an estimated 150,000 children who are classified as overweight or obese.

To help reverse this trend, the Oklahoma Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust (TSET) is launching Swap Up, a media campaign focusing on youth obesity prevention across the state.

The TSET Board of Directors heard an update on the effort during a special board meeting on Friday.

The Swap Up campaign, which is part of the TSET Healthy Youth Initiative, launched Feb. 11 and delivers nutrition messages to teens 13-18 years old by providing tangible tips to incorporate into their daily lives. Teens will receive information on how to eat healthier and drink more water, which helps teens feel better, improve their studies and enjoy leisure time.

“Obesity is linked to 13 different cancers and is a risk for factor for many of the leading causes of death in Oklahoma,” said TSET Executive Director Julie Bisbee. “Teens are influenced by their environment, their friends and social settings when it comes to the food they eat. As teens approach adulthood, they’re making more independent choices. Swap Up provides

teens with realistic ways they can improve their health outcomes today and in the future.”

Swap Up developed messages based on a research survey conducted with more than 400 Oklahoma teens. The survey provided information about eating habits, meal and snack sources, and nutrition-based knowledge, attitudes and beliefs. Oklahoma teenagers have a nearly 70% chance of being overweight or obese as adults, so the need for nutritional education was high. A follow up survey will be conducted in spring 2021 to assist in tracking impact of the campaign.

“Changing youth nutrition behaviors is a challenge. Many times teens receive messaging and information from multiple sources. Effective obesity prevention messaging must do more than just tell teens to live healthier, it must show them the what, how, where, and when of healthy living,” said Jeff Jordan, president and executive creative director of Rescue Agency. “We developed Swap Up for Oklahoma to not only provide teens with specific and attainable changes they can make, but to also illustrate how those choices can lead to a healthier, and sustainable lifestyle change.”

Edmond Life & Leisure • March 4, 2021 • Page 9

THE RESUL RESULTS LT TS ARE IN!

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gives us a better picture of what our readers are thinking. Our goal is to highlight and celebrate the number of quality people, places and businesses that we have in our Edmond. In many categories, two or three names received the majority of the votes and were very close but the business that received the most votes is highlighted in italic.

Edmond is a community full of great choices of where to shop and places to enjoy. We thank our readers for their time and responses to this ORIGINAL Edmond Life & Leisure annual event.

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Bakery: Café 501

Gifts: Silver Leaf Gems, Gourmet

Insurance Agent: Gary Baccus, State

Barbecue: Earl’’s Rib Palace

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Jewelry: BC Clark Jewelers, Silver

Oil Change: Autoworks

Desserts: Café 501

Leaf Gems

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Ethnic Food: The Blues & Jazz Cafe

Mattresses: Sleepworld

Pet Grooming: Bubbles & Pets

Food Truck: Wicked Hangry

Men’s clothing: Native Summit

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Pharmacy: Thrifty Pharmacy

Shoes: Elite Feet

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Two w Hearts Inn

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FAVORITE F FA A AV VORITE PLACE VO PLA ACE AC C T TO O BUY: BUY Y: Y: Antiques: Edmond Antiques, Brroadway o Antiques, Appliances: Weathe e er’’s TV and Appliance Athletic Shoes: Elite Feet Books: Best of Books Children’s Clothing: Cinnamon Bears Consignment/Resale: HOPEfully Yo ours Flooring: Don’’s Floo Floor Gallery

BUSINESS / SERVICES: SER RVICES: RV V Automobile repair: Kennedy Tirre & Auto Center Barber: Friendly Barber in Downtown Edmond Birthday Parties: Paint aint Your o Art Out Car Wash: Okie Expr prress e Carwash Chiropractor: Brantt T. Koenig D.C. Custom framing: Framin’ Gallery Dance Studio: Dance Makers Dry cleaner: Legacy Cleaners Esthetician: Salon & Spa at Spring Crreek e Eye Care: Sight to See Vision i Associates Financial Planner: Edwar dwarrd Jones -P[ULZZ /LHS[O *S\I! RESULTS Fitness & Nutrition Florist: A Flower Place Golf Course: Kickingbir gbirrd Golf Course /HPY :HSVU! Tangles a

OTHER: O TH HER: ER: Best Customer Service: Citizens Bank of Edmond Most Attractive Building: Fine Arts Institute of Edmond e Civic Organization: Edmond Arrea errce c Chamber of Commer Edmond Event or Festival: Hearrd on Hurrd Locally Owned Business: Citizens Bank of Edmond Long Te erm Business: Busines Citizens Bank of Edmond Public Art: Blue Hippo Special Event Venue: e enu Ve enue 102

Page 10 • March 4, 2021 • Edmond Life & Leisure

Commentary ... We’re on YOUR Side

Why not debate issues?

By Steve Gust Editor Edmond Life & Leisure I was coming up to work today and heard about a liberal actress mad about the Conservative Political Action Committee (CPAC) meetings over the weekend.

She called attendees “Nazis” and then vowed to punish the hotel chain in Florida, which hosted the event.

Welcome to Cancel Culture 2021.

I don’t know why she thought people at the event were Nazis. The people I saw deeply love their country and want to see a strong America and a strong economy. The Nazi remark doesn’t sound like a very “unifying” comment to me. But why take it out on the hotel?

Do they not want the hotel to ever host a bunch of conservative people again? Or does the actress, and her colleagues, just not want to debate any of the issues facing the country?

I suspect it’s because the left is tired of debating. They know conservatives are going to make some good points and challenge them. They don’t like that.

Reminds me a bit of former vice president Al Gore.

During his environmental rants, Gore would look straight in the camera and say, “Look the debate is over.”

Then Gore would make a bunch of predictions. I’m not sure any of them ever came true.

One of those predictions was the total melting of the polar ice caps.

If Gore really believed that, then why didn’t he warn Barack Obama not to spend millions on a coastal residential property?

Getting back to our actress friend for a second.

If she was successful in ruining this hotel chain, who would that help?

She would idle hundreds, or perhaps thousands of employees who most likely really need the jobs.

Here’s an idea.

Why don’t we just let the left say what it wants to and have the right say what it wants? Then we can have free speech and let people make up their own minds.

(Please send comments to news@edmondpaper.com)

Improving Arcadia Lake door fun. We wanted

By Jennifer Seaton to understand Lake opTourism Director erations and One year ago make it better. in March, Brief History 2020, An EdLesson: In 1987 mond business the City of Edowner, City mond conCouncilor and tracted with the Tourism DirecUnited States tor met for Corps of Engilunch at Nashneers to conbird Chicken.

Seaton struct Arcadia The topic was Lake for three Arcadia Lake. reasons in this priority: We noticed things like Flood Control, Water lines for boating, conSource and Recreation. fusion with kayaking, It contains 26 miles of shore erosion, the shoreline and 14,530 need for connected acres of water and has trails, outdated baththe capacity to provide rooms and too much 11 million gallons of trash. But most of all we were excited about water per day. Guests enjoy 650 acres of the potential of our park land including piclake. Arcadia Lake is an Edmond gem along nic areas, pavilions, three overnight camphistoric Route 66. grounds with swimSometimes attracting ming beaches and criticism, but more three boat docks. often attracting out-

In July 2020 we participated in a conference call with Lt. Governor Pinnell who also serves as Secretary of Tourism and Branding, Brent Kisling with Oklahoma Department of Commerce, Buffy Hughes, Main Street Program and others. We learned about resources available to elevate Arcadia Lake’s tourism potential. They also highlighted examples of Lakes that have succeeded in developing and attracting more visitors. These experts said it was important for Edmond to have a plan before requesting funding.

In August 2020 we organized an internal brainstorm about Arcadia Lake’s purpose, strengths and opportunities and needed improvements.

Based on staff feedback, we decided to hire a professional facilitator to develop a vision and strategic plan.

During COVID in 2020, Arcadia Lake saw record numbers.

Vehicle counts jumped from 194,354 to 369,464. Annual pass purchases, rentals, University of Central Oklahoma’s Center for Outdoor Adventure Recreation (OAR) visits and campsite reservations almost doubled.

Instead of vacations, people bought boats and RVs. Our lake was getting lots of attention and use. Edmond citizens and visitors made memories and voiced concerns.

On February 26, we took the first step on a journey to develop a strategic vision for Arcadia Lake. A task force of 15 “experts” on various aspects of

See Lake, Page 11

Cancelling traditional energy is a bad idea

By Senator James Lankford (R-Edmond) Did you enjoy the recent free trial of living in Alaska? The sub-zero temperatures in the entire region challenged our families, our first responders, our churches, our nonprofits, and our energy infrastructure. The weather tested our resolve and our power framework. The first was proven again; the second was pushed beyond its limits. Ice-encased wind towers, snow-covered solar panels, frozen natural gas well heads all decreased electricity production and dramatically increased the costs to heat our homes and run our businesses. The words “energy diversity,” “base power,” and “system resilience” were the buzz words for a week, but they should be the priority moving forward.

No question: everyone wants clean air, land, and water. But, when the rolling blackouts started in the sub-zero temperatures, everyone also wanted to know how we can keep the power on.

I have stayed in close contact with our Oklahoma

and regional energy partners to assess the risks, reasons, and response for the rolling blackouts.

We have also discussed ways to protect consumers from major price spikes on their energy bill and maintain energy supplies for the future.

People see that there are real consequences on the wall switch and in their wallet when we have an over-reliance on energy sources that can fail or are unprepared during peak usage.

I was recently asked to serve on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee to bring the Oklahoma perspective to the nation. In Oklahoma, we know just about every business is connected to energy producers in some way.

Oklahoma produces nearly five percent of all the oil used in the country, nine percent of all the natural gas used, and more than 10 percent of the wind electricity. We are truly an all-of-theabove energy state with 45 percent of Oklahoma’s energy coming from renewable sources.

Sadly, some in the media and on social media

Letters to the Editor policy We love mail, especially mail from Edmond Life & Leisure readers with complaints, compliments or comments about what they read here. The rules, even for e-mail letters: 1) You must tell us your full name; 2) You must give us your complete address and phone numbers (but we will identify you only by name); and 3) We reserve the right to edit letters for length, clarity and taste (our taste).

Send mail to Letter to the Editor, Edmond Life & Leisure, 107 S. Broadway, Edmond, OK 73034, or fax to 340-3384 or e-mail to news@edmondpaper.com.

continue the narrative that states like ours just need to find another place for people to work because all traditional energy is “cancelled.” But as we’ve seen this past week, if you don’t have a baseload power on the coldest and the hottest days of the year, you could have a real crisis at the worst possible moment.

I have already reached out to President Biden to ask for an energy meeting in the White House to talk about the importance of energy diversity, mineral leasing on federal lands, and pipeline permitting. This is more than a conversation about jobs, which is obviously important; it is about American energy independence, system resilience, and helping those in poverty get access to reliable inexpensive energy.

Our national energy policy directly affects our current jobs, our take-home pay, and our future opportunities, but it also reflects our values. As I mentioned before, we all want clean air and water, but we also do not want to empower major human rights abusers like communist China when we buy solar panels and rare earth minerals from them.

China maintains abhorrent child-labor practices and deplorable working conditions, which some leaders ignore to advance their clean-climate agenda. We should produce resources in America so we do not benefit the communist Chinese government and instead maintain our energy independence.

I support all Oklahoma energy sources, but we should remember that each one has strengths and weaknesses. Expanding our energy diversity and our ability to produce clean, reliable, and affordable base power in the peak usage moments should be one of our top goals for the future.

Edmond Life & Leisure • March 4, 2021 • Page 11

Also known as ‘Sarah Stitt Act’

Bill to help inmates passes out of committee Reps. Marilyn Stark, R-Bethany, and Brian Hill, RMustang, last week passed House Bill 1679, also known as the “Sarah Stitt Act,” through the Oklahoma House of Representatives Criminal Justice and Corrections Committee.

House Bill 1679 would require the Oklahoma Dept. of Corrections (DOC) to identify inmates leaving custody within the next nine months and begin gathering certain documentation to assist the inmate in obtaining post-release employment, including a four-year state ID. The bill was presented in committee by Stark.

“We know a criminal record can make it extremely difficult for a person to find gainful employment, and without that employment chances are high that they will ultimately return to prison,” Stark said. “House Bill 1679 will help ease some of the burden facing our citizens leaving incarceration and

prepare them to become contributing members of society as they transition back into civilian life.”

Other documentation includes vocational training records, work records, state-issued identification cards, birth certificates, Social Security cards and resumes. In 2019, Stark held an interim study over providing state IDs for inmates upon their release.

“First Lady Sarah Stitt saw the need to prepare people leaving incarceration during the November 2019 historic commutations with the tools they will need to find a job, secure housing and begin to rebuild their lives,” Hill said. “Her work in criminal justice reform should be commended, and it’s an honor to again advance legislation to applaud her efforts to aid Oklahomans in this way.”

The bill is a combination of Stark’s House Bill 1310 and Hill’s House Bill 3113, which both passed the House unanimously in 2020 but ultimately

were not heard in the Senate due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Hill named HB3113 after Oklahoma First Lady Sarah Stitt to recognize her work to prepare people leaving incarceration to find employment prior to the historic commutations in Nov. 2019.

“House Bill 1679 puts into law the idea behind the re-entry fairs that were started in November 2019,” Stitt said. “It is so important to the Governor and me that our fellow Oklahomans have the resources and support they need in order to successfully transition back into society. This bill aligns with that vision, and I am excited to see it become a permanent fixture of our corrections system.”

Having passed committee 4-0, HB 1679 is now eligible to be heard on the House floor. It is authored in the Senate by Sen. Darrell Weaver, RMoore.

Rebate to public school parents studied Lake State Rep. Ryan Martinez, R-Edmond, last week won committee passage in the House Appropriations & Budget Committee of a bill that would grant $1,000 refunds to any parent or guardian of a child enrolled in prekindergarten through 12th grade at any Oklahoma public school.

House Bill 1927 would allow the payments from the state’s General Revenue Fund upon the bill’s effective date, Nov. 1, 2021.

“Many of our public schools were closed to in-person learning for much of last spring, and some have not yet re-opened this school year,” Martinez said. “This left parents scrambling for other options such as paid childcare or forced them to either quit their jobs or alter their work schedules, all at a loss of personal income. These people pay tax dollars to fund public education, but when such education is not available, they should be rec-

ompensed.”

Sen. Adam Pugh, R-Edmond, is the Senate author of the bill and the chair of the Senate Education Committee.

“This minimal refund is an attempt to help parents and guardians who experienced unexpected education and childcare expenses over the past year due to the shutdown of COVID19,” Pugh said. “Parents and families have navigated challenging economic uncertainty, with many losing their jobs or having reduced hours and pay. At the same time, they have been asked to juggle these stresses with the additional responsibility of having their school-age children at home or making arrangements for childcare that comes with more costs.

This refund is warranted.”

The bill passed out of committee with a vote of 29-1. It is now eligible to be considered by the entire House.

In defense of the 1889 Okla. Land Run Memorial Editor’s Note: On Feb. 4, 2021, we published a photograph and article concerning Oklahoma City Community College removing a monument to the 1889 Land Run, which founded Oklahoma City. College officials claimed it represented “cruelty and oppression.” We asked what you thought. This letter is from Craig Evans.

EDITOR: I respectfully disagree with the OCCC officials who have labelled the Land Run Monument as representing “cruelty and oppression” because I believe it is unrealistic to describe the settling of Oklahoma Territory by more people in those terms.

Since man’s beginning from the cradle of civilization to “be fruitful and multiply and subdue the earth,” there has been expansion to occupy more land as more people existed.

Thus, there would be conflict for existing land. The Americas through its native people were blessed initially by small populations existing in large areas of land. Even so, the native tribes would fight over mutually coveted areas because that is the inherent nature of all mankind. But it was always an inevitability that this land would be eventually occupied by more people as human population grew.

The stronger groups, because of more numbers or innovations of war, rightly or wrongly, always conquer

Part Three the weaker-this is the human condition. The great eventual advantage in the Oklahoma Territory, which then became a state, is that it became a part of the USA governed by a Constitution. Thus, imperfect people were “controlled” by the rule of law and eventually a woman was born whose grandfather was a Cherokee, and she is now a senior administrator with OCCC. This woman was able to get her college education and her career. She enjoys food security because of the farmers and ranchers who developed this land after the land run. She turns on a switch in the morning and has light and all the other electrical conveniences. This greatly ordered civilization has allowed this grand daughter of a Cherokee to have these advantages.

So, I respectfully disagree with Ms. Danita Rose and OCCC interim president Dr. Jeremy Thomas that this monument represents “cruelty and oppression”. I believe it was conceived to celebrate the opportunity the 1889 land run gave that more people could thrive and grow. The monument was never intended, in my opinion, to denigrate the great existing native American population of our state.

CRAIG EVANS Edmond

From Page 10 the lake including biking, hiking, kayaking, boating, fishing, equestrian, camping, lodging and fishing gathered for a comprehensive tour.

We call them the Dream Team (see attached spreadsheet of task force members). No dream is too small.

No idea is too big. We met at the University of Central Oklahoma’s Center for Outdoor Adventure Recreation (OAR) in Edmond Park and caravanned to Central State

Park, Carl Reherman Park, Scissortail Park and Spring Creek Park. We stopped at each place for an overview and discussion about amenities, future plans and possible improvements.

The Arcadia Lake Task Force is just getting started. We will meet during Open Meetings for the City of Edmond and will want your input along the way. Watch for future articles for ways to include feedback.

Page 12 • March 4, 2021 • Edmond Life & Leisure

An aerial view of Crystal Bridges reveals its unusual design Cr. Crystal Bridges.

The beauty of the ‘Crystal Bridges Museum’

By Elaine Warner A tree with branches like witches’ fingers reached for the gray, threatening sky. The building, what I could see of it, looked foreboding – minimalist, stark, no promise of what was inside except the wording “Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art.” Crystal Elaine Bridges, in Bentonville, Ark., sneaks up on you.

I’ve never seen Crystal Bridges in the sunshine.

Then the tree, shining stainless steel, must look inviting rather than scary. And, knowing that secrets hide behind the austere façade, whatever the weather, I’ll hurry in to enjoy one of the nation’s preeminent art museums. Now, with its current temporary exhibition, Crafting America, I look forward to diving into a wonderland of color and creativity.

Always expect the unexpected at Crystal Bridges – and this exhibition is no exception. It examines and defines craft and its relationship to American identity in new ways. With 120 objects by 98 artists, the scope of the exhibition is wide. The artists represent a broad swath of the nation with representation from many geographical locations and ethnic identities. The materials used are just as diverse.

Crafting America is divided into several sections beginning with a definition of craft as “skilled making on a human scale.” This is a more contemporary definition than “hand-made,” since contemporary craftspeople often employ tools and technology in the process of creation. But it still retains the differentiation from items which are mass produced. The underlying theme of the exhibition comes from the Declaration of Independence and the concepts of “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”

I’ve chosen a few pieces from each section to give you the tiniest peek at the variety and diversity of items and artists.

Artist Anne Lemanski often uses the relationships between humans and animals as her theme Cr. Steve Mann.

PHOTO PROVIDED

The entrance to Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art gives little indication of the innovative architecture of the structure and the wealth of artistic excellence inside Cr. Crystal Bridges.

What is Craft: Cases display pairs of objects which illustrate different interpretations of key elements of craft. A pairing of two very different ceramic pieces references history. Michelle Erickson’s “Koi Junk Teapot” includes influences from English and Chinese traditions while Roberto Lugo’s “Frederick Douglass/Arthur Ashe Urn” is a modern interpretation of a classic display piece.

Ideas of Independence: Works presenting aspects of independence from different perspectives include “Home of the Brave” by Consuelo Jiminez Underwood, which uses an American flag theme and incorporates indigenous weaving. A frayed strip along the bottom perhaps indicates the idea that our country is a work in progress.

One of the most appealing pieces to me reflects a darker view. “In Numbers Too Big to Ignore” by Mississippi Choctaw-Cherokee artist Jeffrey Gibson calls attention to the tribulations of Native American women. The base of the hanging is a repurposed, wool army blanket. You can only glimpse it on edges of the piece which is covered with beads and framed by copper jingles, ornaments often used on ceremonial and dance wear.

Life: Pieces in this area relate to everyday living.

While some of the creations are obviously functional, a number of items stretch the genre to the limits of imagination.

The artists’ biographies and their relationship to their work are also interesting. Two pieces of furniture are by Japanese artists George Nakashima and Gentara Kenneth Hikogawa, who met in the Minidoka Internment Camp during World War II. Hikogawa’s chest of drawers was built while he was in the camp and made from scraps of wood he was able to find. A trained artist, he taught the younger Nakashima, whose work is represented by an unusual rocking chair.

Echoing quilt-like patterns, Sabrina Gschwandtner uses strips of 16 millimeter film to create backlit assemblages. Close examination of the tiny frames reveals historic images of women in the process of creating textiles.

Liberty: This section features larger works from

the post-war period including those by artists Peter Voulkos, Sheila Hicks and Ruth Asawa. Guest curator Glenn Adamson describes the pieces as illustrating liberty through “individual artistic freedom powered by craft.”

Ruth Asawa takes the traditional craft of Mexican wire basket-making to abstraction with a seven-foot-tall hanging form of iron wire.

A massive finger ring of silver, turquoise and coral by Hopi artist Charles Loloma is one of three pieces on loan from the National Museum of the American Indian, Smithsonian Institution.

Pursuit of Happiness: Like chocolate sauce, whipped cream and a cherry on a great dessert, this area provides a fabulous and flamboyant finish. Included are fantastic costumes, giant fruit and a large tapestry embellished with everything except the kitchen sink. “Tigris T-1” by Anne Lemanski, a new acquisition by Crystal Bridges, is also one of the stars of the section. It features a life-size tiger balancing on a red and white ball. Lenamski created this unusual piece by building a metal armature, printing a straw motif on archival paper and stitching the pieces together with artificial sinew.

Although I have been to Crystal Bridges several times, I haven’t seen the exhibition in person yet, but, thanks to extensive information and videos from Crystal Bridges, I have been able to see – and listen to interpretations of – a number of pieces in the display. Once I feel comfortable traveling, Bentonville will be one of my first destinations – all because of this exhibition. Ordinary words don’t do it justice. I’ll probably show my age, but I’m pretty sure Mary Poppins would exclaim, “It’s Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!”

FYI: Crafting America will be on view until May 31. Currently the museum is open Wednesday through Monday. While there is no charge for admission to the museum, timed tickets must be ordered in advance. There is a $12 charge for Crafting America for adults. Admission to the exhibition is free for museum members, SNAP participants, veterans and youth ages 18 and under. For more information: www.crystalbridges.org.

Edmond Life & Leisure • March 4, 2021 • Page 13

PHOTO PROVIDED/UCO

The University of Central Oklahoma is ranked as the top institution for forensic science according to a recent national ranking by Study.com. Central ranked one out of 34 and is the only higher education institution in the state recognized on the list. Pictured, a UCO student works in one of Central’s forensic laboratories.

UCO ranked No. 1 for forensic science The University of Central Oklahoma is ranked as the top institution for forensic science according to a recent national ranking by Study.com.

Central ranked one out of 34 and is the only higher education institution in the state recognized on the list.

Programs were ranked in areas based on the comprehensive curricula offered in both physical science and the criminal justice system. Other factors that were considered included the university facilities, partnerships and career placement opportunities. Additionally, data from the United States Department of Education and key factors like accessibility and affordability, internship and research opportunities, faculty expertise and extracurricular opportunities were taken into con-

sideration when ranking.

“It is an honor for UCO to be recognized as the best along with so many other deserving programs,” said Dwight Adams, Ph.D., director of the W. Roger Webb Forensic Science Institute at UCO. “The W. Roger Webb Forensic Science Institute’s faculty, facilities and association with law enforcement make our program an exciting place to prepare for a forensic science career and to develop a passion for service.”

Central offers four majors within the Bachelor of Science degree program, forensic science-general, forensic science-chemistry, forensic science-molecular biology and forensic science-digital forensics.

Central’s forensic science undergraduate program is a concurrent degree program, which means stu-

dents are required to declare a second degree in addition to forensic science.

In addition to the undergraduate programs in forensic science, Central offers master’s degree programs in forensic science, forensic science-molecular biology, forensic science-chemistry and forensic science-digital forensics.

Undergraduate forensic science degree programs at Central are accredited by the Forensic Science Education Program Accreditation Commission (FEPAC).

To view a complete list of rankings, visit www.study.com/articles/List_of_the_Best_Schools _for_Bachelors_Degrees_in_Forensics.html.

For more information about the forensic science degree programs at Central, visit www.uco.edu/fsi.

Page 14 • March 4, 2021 • Edmond Life & Leisure

Review of ‘Raya and the Last Dragon’

Film takes animation to an epic level

By George Gust “Raya and the Last Dragon” is the latest princess film from Disney Animation. Long ago, in the fantasy world of Kumandra, humans and dragons lived together in harmony. But when sinister monsters known as the Druun threatened the land, the dragons sacrificed themselves to save humanity. Now, 500 years later, those same monsters have returned and it's up to a lone warrior, Raya (voice of Kelly Marie Tran), to track down the last dragon in order to finally stop the Druun for good.

“Raya and the Last Dragon” is an epic female-led adventure movie like modern Disney princess movies like “Frozen 2” and “Moana” in its epic scope and adventure but eschews the heartfelt musical ballad for intricately choreographed and animated fight sequences. The striking thing about the story and tone of “Raya and the Last Dragon” is that it feels closer to an action/adventure movie like Indiana Jones than it does to animated princess movies like “Beauty and the Beast.” With booby trap laden caves, mysterious magical ancient artifacts, bustling market bizarre chases and a bevy of comedic sidekicks that join the team along the way. And while the first act of the film does much of the heavy lifting of building this mythical world, which is a beautifully drawn approximation of the countries of southeast Asia, once the

characters and motivations are set up there is an energetic pace to the film that is always engaging.

Sometimes you have to pinch yourself and remember how far animation has come in our lifetimes, as “Raya and the Last Dragon” marks another leap forward in the way these animated films look. From the rainbow spectrum hairs on the dragon’s head to the remarkable recreation of the region’s food that looks good enough to eat so much attention has been paid to the details of this mythical world creating a feeling of reality while also ramping up the magical and adventure aspects of the story. There is still a cartoony animation on some the of the characters to accentuate their character aspects (the imposing warrior character is built like a brick wall while the streetwise trickster baby is a round and plump ball of cute), but

there is a sharpness to the animation in “Raya and the Last Dragon” that feels like another step in the progression of animated films of recent years.

The only real drawback you could find in the movie is the lack of a real identifiable villain as the Druun depicted in the film is more of an idea as opposed to a scenery chewing villain character that has been a hallmark of these films in the past, but the overall message of trust among people divided by self-imposed factions benefits from this amalgamated antagonistic approach. But with its compelling female characters of color, a strong mind for action and adventure, an offbeat comedic performance from Awkafina as an altruistic yet quirky colorful dragon, and beautiful animation style, “Raya and the Last Dragon” is an achievement in animated filmmaking.

There may be points of fighting in this movie that is too intense for the youngest demographic, “Raya and the Last Dragon” is that rare movie that can provide entertainment to adults and kids alike.

“Raya and the Last Dragon” is rated PG for some violence, action and thematic elements. Available in Theaters and on Disney+ Premiere Access.

4.5 out of 5 stars.

To comment on this film review, or any other movie review, please e-mail George at gust.george@gmail.com

‘PHOTO PROVIDED

‘Raya and the Last Dragon’ is the latest Disney Animated princess feature film that highlights the culture of South East Asia with epic action adventure instead of the traditional saccharine musical approach.

Virtual concert at Arcadia Answers appearing on Page 19

Singer-songwriter Andy Adams will present a livestreamed concert at 8 p.m. Thursday, March 4, as a benefit for the Arcadia Round Barn.

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.

Adams is an Oklahoma City-based musician who has been performing across the city and state for more than 10 years.

In conjunction with the virtual concerts, an interview series with the musicians entitled “Behind the Barn” can be found on the Instagram page, @thearcadiaroundbarn.

The Round Barn is six miles east of Interstate 35 on historic Route 66.

Donations for the upkeep of the barn, which is owned and operated by the nonprofit Arcadia Historical and Preservation Society, can be made on the Arcadia Round Barn website and during all concerts. For more information about music at the barn, call Joe Baxter at 405-833-1350.

To volunteer at the Round Barn, call Kimberly Burk at 405-6510240.

Crossword Puzzle STATEPOINT CROSSWORD THEME: HEAD TO TOE ACROSS 1. *A or O, to blood 5. Catch a wink 8. "Don't know what to say" sound 11. Eon, alt. sp.

12. Severe blow 13. *Blood ____, type of blood test 15. Eastern ____, 1947-1991 16. *Respiratory rattling 17. Enormous ones 18. *Annual exam 20. Largest city of Norway 21. Like a romantic movie?

22. *Anatomical pouch 23. Work over with fists (2 words) 26. Levee next to water mill 30. Not cooked 31. What a terrorist wants to spread 34. Continental currency 35. Wide open 37. Charged particle 38. Colorado resort 39. Hipbones 40. Recede, as in tide (2 words) 42. Laos resident 43. Stinging shrub, pl.

45. Handrail's main supports 47. Caribou kin 48. Relating to a lobe 50. Saint's topper 52. *L in ACL 55. Bad-tempered 56. Affirm with confidence 57. Stain on Santa 59. Work the dough 60. Tiger Woods' pegs 61. Ruptured 62. "____ my party, and I'll cry if I want too..."

63. Store posting, abbr.

64. *Largest organ DOWN 1. Can opener 2. Crowd's judgement 3. Tubby little cubby 4. Enclose within a cyst 5. W.E.B Du Bois's

org.

6. Assuage 7. Spa treatment 8. 2016 western "____ or High Water" 9. Type of shark 10. Not Miss or Ms 12. Influenza 13. Sandbar 14. *Cardiac, smooth or skeletal ones 19. Quickly fry 22. Knightly title 23. *Cerebellum location 24. Two under on one hole 25. Look forward to 26. *Kissing disease?

27. Having two parts 28. Beatles: "He's ____ ____ nowhere man" (2 words) 29. Plural of #26 Down 32. *12 pairs of these 33. Rip off 36. *a.k.a. kneecap 38. Mr. T's team

40. Comic book cry 41. Unlocks the gate 44. Andrew Webber's middle name 46. Forcefully grabs 48. *Blood filter 49. S-shaped moldings 50. "The ____ for Red October" 51. Greek god of war 52. Strip of wood 53. Breakfast spot?

54. Spelling or Kelly 55. Biathlon equipment 58. One less than jack

See Answers on Page19

Edmond Life & Leisure • March 4, 2021 • Page 15

Cordelia Steen Chapter Regent Andrea Aven, left, and Vice Regent Tammy Ross with the chapter's donations to the COVID-19 vaccine clinic.

From left, Vice Regent Tammy Ross, School Nurse Valerie Johnson, RN, BSN, and Regent Andrea Aven.

DAR Cordelia Steen Chapter Supports Edmond Schools’ COVID-19 Clinic On Feb. 26, Regent Andrea Aven and Vice Regent Tammy Ross of Cordelia Steen Chapter, NSDAR of Edmond, delivered cookies, snacks, fruit and water, donated by chapter members, to the COVID-19 vaccine clinic at the Edmond Public Schools administration building on Danforth Road. As Regent Aven shared, “The goodies were a big ‘Thank You!’ to all school employees: to the teachers, staff, and school nurses - who administered the vaccines - for all they do for our community."

The vaccine clinic for all Edmond Public Schools employees was held every day last week, with an average of approximately 400 vaccines administered each day.

Edmond-area Baha’is put prayer for community and Iranian Baha’is in spotlight this March 6 Edmond-area Baha’is will begin a 24-hour prayer chain with an emphasis on praying for the easing of the COVID-19 pandemic, for the local community, for America and for their co-religionists in Iran who continue to live under extreme persecution. Edmond Baha’is will sign up to say prayers in 30minute increments throughout the 24-hour period, lifting up the community from 7 p.m.

Saturday, March 6, to 7 p.m. Sunday, March 7.

The public will have an opportunity to participate in one of those hours through a special virtual devotional gathering on the topic of spiritual healing at 11 a.m. Sunday, March 7.

Those interested in attending the virtual devotional where a variety of interfaith prayers will be shared may look for event details @edmondbahaifaith on Facebook.

Oklahoma Baha’is, along with Baha’is around the globe, are concerned for their fellow Baha’is in Ivel, Iran, due to a recent court ruling affirming the government’s confiscation and demolition of Baha’i homes as legal.

While Baha’is have lived in this region of Iran for more than a century, they continue to face persecution there and across the country purely for their faith alone. This latest action in Iran sets the precedent that it’s acceptable for anyone to ransack and loot Baha’i homes without any ramifications.

This prayer effort on behalf of Iranian Baha’is and the local community coincides with the annual spring fast, scheduled for March 119 during the Baha’i month of Loftiness. Ba-

Lily and Zane Ferdowsian, of Edmond, visited the Edmond Baha’i Center for the kickoff of Ayamm-i-Ha activities this week. Baha’i children were invited to briefly visit the center to pick up a small gift and take photos. Baha’is around the world celebrate the four-day festival Feb 25-28 by socializing, being hospitable, giving generously to the poor and needy and preparing for the start of the 19-day fast, which begins March 1.

ha’is age 15 and older, who are medically able, fast by avoiding food and drink from sunrise to sunset those 19 days. This annual period helps Baha’is refresh themselves spiritually and prepare for a new year of 19 months of 19 days each. This week, from Feb. 24-28, Baha’is worldwide and locally are celebrating Ayyami-i-Ha, which also are known as the Intercalary Days and are the four additional days in the calendar that balance out the solar year of 365 days.

These four days are dedicated to socializing, being hospitable, giving generously to the poor and needy and preparing for the start of the 19-day fast. In Edmond, all Ayyam-i-Ha gatherings are being observed virtually or in a socially

distanced setting along with service projects undertaken by individuals and families.

For more information about the Edmond events, please call the Edmond Baha’i Center at 405-348-9992 or email edmond@edmondbahai.org. Or visit @edmondbahaifaith on Facebook or go online to www.edmondbahai.org.

-----Additional information: Baha’is view the world's major religions as part of a single, progressive process through which God reveals His will to humanity. Other major Baha’i tenets include the oneness of humanity, equality of men and women, eradication of prejudice, harmony of science and religion and universal education. To learn

more about the Baha’i Faith in America, visit www.bahai.us.

Page 16 • March 4, 2021 • Edmond Life & Leisure

DRAWING PROVIDED

Designed to be an open space where students and business minds can come together, the Francis Tuttle d.school space would be an idea spot for companies going through the state-certified small business incubator or the new pre-accelerator.

Francis Tuttle campus to stress entrepreneurship Francis Tuttle Technology Center’s Danforth Campus will not only be a place where students turn ideas and concepts into career opportunities; it will also serve the same purpose for the entrepreneurs and business owners of the community when it opens in August of this year.

The Danforth Campus — 3841 E. Danforth Road in Edmond — will be the place in the Oklahoma City metro for entrepreneurs and their ideas. This campus will provide the opportunities, connections, and resources for aspiring and active entrepreneurs to generate and validate ideas, establish and grow businesses, and solve problems challenging our community. The Danforth programming will continue to offer services through the awardwinning small business incubator, a new pre-accelerator for start-ups and numerous other entrepreneurial events and collaborations across the OKC Metro.

“Francis Tuttle has long been a leader for business incubation and small business development in our area,” Jennifer McGrail, director of Francis Tuttle’s business incubator, said. “We’re excited to build upon our history and create a dedicated entrepreneurial space in the Danforth Campus, where

any entrepreneur can turn for connection and activity to help them.”

Francis Tuttle already serves the business community through a state-certified small business incubator located at the Business Innovation Center in Edmond. The small-business incubator will Client graduates have gone on to record over $65.6 million in revenue, make a collective net profit of over $9.7 million, and provide more than $21 million in salaries and wages.

Dolce Vita IT Solutions is a prime example of how the state-certified small business incubator serves local companies. The incubator helped the soon-to-be Dolce Vita establish a client base upon its move to the U.S. from Italy.

“Our experience in the Incubator has allowed us to develop and formalize our marketing process, as well as improve our traction with sales to the level that we hired our first dedicated sales engineer in the middle of the pandemic,” Lane Griffing, President and CTO of Dolce Vita, said. “It has also prepared us to operate multiple sales campaigns parallel, instead of in sequence. We have developed the tools to improve our cashflow and increase our client engagement, which was originally

a challenge for us.”

A startup pre-accelerator will operate out of Danforth to address one of the missing resources for potential start-ups in the area.

“In conversations with our entrepreneurial ecosystem partners, SitchCrew accelerator identified a gap where no resource existed,” Kristin Garcia, start-up programs specialist for Francis Tuttle, said. “Through working with StitchCrew and other community partners, we have the ability to step in and meet this need by connecting entrepreneurs to the resources that led to successful startups.”

The goal of building an entrepreneurial ecosystem continues the trend of connecting the talents and ideas of local entrepreneurs with the resources that build successful ventures.

Francis Tuttle has proudly joined Launch OKC Metro, a community collaboration that brings others together to support local start-ups and the people who make them happen.

By using the Danforth Campus space and resources as both a catalyst and a community for entrepreneurship, Francis Tuttle hopes to support a new wave of ventures and help shape the future of the business community.

Lawmakers want to see the cost of insulin capped The Oklahoma House of Representatives Insurance Committee last week passed legislation to cap the cost of insulin for many Oklahomans with Type 1 diabetes.

House Bill 1019’s author, Rep. Rande Worthen, R-Lawton, said the bill seeks to cap the amount of copayment an individual would be required to pay. Currently, an individual’s copay is based on their own insurance plan.

Worthen said he had wondered for years why the cost of insulin has continued to increase, but decided to file legislation to address the problem after hearing from several people that the price of insulin had become astronomical.

“It’s pretty bad when we’re more concerned about the amount of money that can be made than we are with people’s lives,” Worthen said.

“Insulin is not like vitamins where if you miss it once, it’s no big deal. It must be taken daily to avoid the negative effects of diabetes. No person should be forced to choose between paying for life-saving insulin and paying other bills.”

The bill also requires the Oklahoma Insurance Commissioner to enforce

compliance of the cap on copayments and gives the commissioner authority to promulgate rules as necessary.

HB1019 passed committee 8-0 and is now eligible to be considered on the House floor. Worthen encouraged Oklahomans who are supportive of the measure to contact their legislators.

“There have been several attempts over the last several years to address the skyrocketing price of insulin, so I hope there is enough interest to get this bill passed by both chambers and signed into law by the governor,” Worthen said. “House Bill 1019 would be a great step forward to provide relief for the hundreds of thousands of our citizens who are insulin dependent.”

In Oklahoma, approximately 451,888 people, or 14.3% of the adult population, have some form of diabetes. Approximately 5% of Oklahomans with diabetes have Type 1 diabetes and require insulin. According to the American Diabetes Association, Oklahomans with diabetes have medical expenses approximately 2.3 times higher than those who do not have diabetes.

Type 1 diabetes is caused when a person’s body does not produce enough insulin, resulting in high levels of blood sugar or glucose. This puts them at risk of serious health complications, including kidney failure and stroke. There is no known way to prevent or cure Type 1 diabetes.

Edmond Life & Leisure • March 4, 2021 • Page 17

Homeowners can apply for funds Oklahoma homeowners and renters in the 16 counties designated for individual assistance who sustained damage may now apply for disaster assistance with FEMA. If you have insurance and are applying for disaster assistance, you must also file a claim with your insurance company as soon as possible. By law, FEMA cannot duplicate benefits for losses covered by insurance. If insurance does not cover all your damage, you may be eligible for federal assistance.

The fastest and easiest way to apply is by visiting www.disasterassistance.gov.

If it is not possible to register online, call 800621-3362 (TTY: 800-462-7585). The toll-free telephone lines operate from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. CDT, seven days a week. Those who use a relay service

such as a videophone, Innocaption or CapTel should update FEMA with their specific number assigned to that service.

The counties are: Canadian, Carter, Cherokee, Comanche, Cotton, Hughes, Jefferson, Le Flore, McIntosh, Oklahoma, Okmulgee, Osage, Pittsburg, Stephens, Tulsa, and Wagoner.

When you apply for assistance, have the following information readily available: A current phone number where you can be contacted Your address at the time of the disaster and the address where you are now staying Your Social Security number, if available A general list of damage and losses If insured, the insurance policy number, or the

agent and company name If it is safe to do so, start cleaning up now. Take photos to document damage and begin cleanup and repairs to prevent further damage. Remember to keep receipts from all purchases related to the cleanup and repair.

Disaster assistance may include financial assistance for temporary lodging and home repairs, low-interest loans to cover uninsured property losses, and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster.

Low-interest disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration are available to businesses, homeowners and renters. Call the SBA at 800-6592955 (TTY: 800-877-8339) or visit www.sba.gov/services/disasterassistance.

State Sen. Adam Pugh honored as ‘outstanding’ economic advocate Each year, the Oklahoma Economic Development Council honors an outstanding legislator who has been a strong advocate for the future of economic development in Oklahoma.

This year, Sen. Adam Pugh, R-Edmond, was chosen for his diligence in authoring legislation creating universal and reciprocal licensing and certification in the state, strengthening the aerospace and aviation industry, and helping teachers, trade licensees, and veterans’ families moving to Oklahoma continue in their field without dealing with unnecessary government red tape.

“I enjoy working with local communities to help address their workforce needs and strengthen their economic development efforts. In order to make Oklahoma as business-friendly as possible, we must attract new industries and

help professionals be able to enter our workforce quickly and without unnecessary roadblocks that might keep them from moving to our great state,” Pugh said. “I’m honored to receive this award and will continue working to grow our state’s economy by attracting highly qualified workers to help fill employment gaps in our various industries.”

The OEDC is a statewide group of 80 economic developers who have honored legislators since 1996 for their economic development advocacy. Nominations are taken from the group at large and then the honorees are voted on by a committee of the group. For the past five years, both a representative and a senator have been honored at the annual Economic Development Day at the Capitol on Feb. 9.

Alcohol modernization bill clears hurdle at State Capitol Oklahomans may soon be able to purchase alcohol through liquor store drive-thrus thanks to bipartisan legislation that passed the House Appropriations & Budget Committee on Wednesday with a vote of 22-8.

House Bill 2868, authored by A& B Chair Kevin Wallace, R-Wellston, allows retail spirit licensees to sell alcoholic beverages in their original, sealed containers via drive-thru.

“This bill is about parity,” said the bill’s coauthor Rep. Trish Ranson, DStillwater. “As alcohol laws continue to be modernized, we need to make sure that our small businesses can

keep up with the big box stores.”

The legislation does nothing to remove barriers put in place to curb drinking and driving or dangerous alcohol consumption.

“Drinking and driving is something this body takes seriously,” said Wallace. “This change in state statute doesn’t remove a single safeguard the Legislature has put into place to decrease drinking and driving. Instead, it takes a common-sense approach to protect small businesses who are sole proprietors and local economies.”

House Bill 2868 is now ready to be heard on the House floor.

Edmond CPA among those named as ‘Trailblazer & Path Finder’ winner The Oklahoma Society of Certified Public Accountants (OSCPA) announces its 2021 Trailblazer and Path Finder award recipients, which honors distinguished CPAs in Oklahoma.

Only 10 individuals were selected for the honor.

Mike Crawford, CPA – Path Finder Retired, Crawford & Associates, PC (Oklahoma City) Lauren Crawford, CPA – Trailblazer Tax senior, Hogan Taylor LLP (Tulsa) Denise Felber, CPA - Trailblazer Tax partner, HoganTaylor LLP (Tulsa) Jane Haskin, CPA – Path Finder Retired, First Bethany Bank & Trust (Bethany) Rachel Johnson, CPA – Path Finder Director of accounting, Humphreys Capital (Oklahoma City) Stephanie Keller, CPA – Trailblazer Tax Partner, Eide Bailly LLP (Norman) Shawn Loader, CPA – Trailblazer Director, BKD CPAs & Advisors (Tulsa) Casey Pierce, CPA – Trailblazer Accountant, Klingenberg and Associates, Inc. (Oklahoma City) Tony Scott, CPA, Esq. – Path

Finder Director of business development, Arledge & Associates, PC (Edmond) Stephanie Taylor, CPA – Trailblazer Tax project manager, CCK Strategies, PLLC (Tulsa) The OSCPA’s Trailblazer award honors the innovation, professional dedication and community commitment of the OSCPA’s new CPAs – defined as OSCPA members who are under 40 or have five or fewer years of CPA experience. Honorees are selected based on their achievements, awards, educational background and civic and professional service.

The OSCPA’s Path Finder award honors an elite group of Oklahoma CPAs who are successful and well-respected for business accomplishments, community involvement and mentoring new CPAs. Honorees are selected based on professional dedication and inspiring the future of the CPA profession in Oklahoma.

Award winners will be recognized in a special edition of the Society’s magazine, CPAFOCUS, which will be released in March. The 2021 honorees will also be celebrated at the OSCPA’s 103rd Annual Members Meeting in September.

State Sen. Adam Pugh of Edmond

Page 18 • March 4, 2021 • Edmond Life & Leisure

Mortgage Matters

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requirement.

VA Loan Benefits --- 100% Financing - The VA guarantees this loan, potentially allowing you to finance the entire purchase price of the home. Nearly all conventional and FHA loans require the loan-to-value to be below 100%.

--- No Monthly Mortgage Insurance Costs - Most loans with less than a 20% down payment require you to pay for monthly mortgage insurance.

While there is no monthly mortgage insurance, there is a one-time funding fee, based on your eligibility and down payment. You may also be exempt from the funding fee - talk to a lender to find out.

--- You Can Have Two VA Home Loans at a Time - VA does allow you to purchase another home if you are choosing to move prior to selling your current VA-financed home. It depends on how much entitlement you have left from the previous purchase and the loan limits in the area where you are buying your new home.

RCB Bank is proud to offer a VA loan benefit to our active duty service members and veterans. We can help you determine your eligibility and qualifications. We will walk you through the process from start to finish.

I am here to help, even if you are not an RCB Bank customer. Feel free to call me at 405.608.5291 or email me at kwohl@bankrcb.net.

Sources Eligibility Requirements For VA Home Loan Programs | Veterans Affairs Chapter 6 Home Loan Guaranty Office of Public and Intergovernmental Affairs (va.gov)

Opinions expressed above are the personal opinions of Kenneth Wohl and meant for generic illustration purposes only.

For specific questions regarding your personal lending needs, please call RCB Bank at 855-BANK-RCB. With approved credit. Some restrictions apply.

RCB Bank is an Equal Housing Lender and member FDIC. RCB Bank NMLS #798151. Kenneth Wohl NMLS #453934.

UCO ranked among top universities for pandemic & social justice response

PIEDMO PIEDMONT NT SCHOOLS SCHOOLS UNDER 200K!

By Kenneth Wohl RCB Bank If you are an active or retired United States military service member, you can likely get help buying or refinancing a home. The DepartWohl ment of Veteran Affairs (VA) Loan helps current and former military members get better mortgage terms than you would with a private lender loan.

Eligibility Requirements for VA Home Loans You may be eligible for a VA-backed purchase loan if the following three requirements listed below: -- Qualify for a VA-backed home loan Certificate of Eligibility (COE).

Your COE is based on your service history and duty status. If you are currently active, you will need to show you served for 90 continuous days during wartime or 181 days during peacetime. If you are a veteran, your eligibility will depend on when you served, for how long and under what circumstances you exited the military.

Click here for a full list of COE requirements for veterans. You are not required to have your COE to apply for a VA loan. Most lenders are able to pull your COE through the VA’s automated system.

-- Meet the VA—and your lender’s— standards for credit, income and other requirements. A VA Loan is the only loan that does not require student loans deferred over one year to be included in the debt–to-income ratio, which is used by lenders to determine how much you can afford to borrow.

-- You will live in the home you are buying with the loan. The VA developed occupancy requirements to ensure that VA loans are for primary residences only. Second homes and investments properties do not qualify for a VA loan. Homebuyers have 60 days to occupy the home after the loan closes, but the VA can extend this limit if you are on active duty or preparing to separate from service. A spouse or dependent child of an active service member also satisfies the occupancy

Great Value Colleges ranked the University of Central Oklahoma No. 28 in the nation on its list of “30 U.S. Colleges That Handled the Crises of 2020 Well.” Central is the only institution in the state of Oklahoma to be ranked.

The ranking is based on evidence of a college keeping on-campus coronavirus cases low, making significant changes to promote racial justice and having strong overall university strategies at the start of 2021.

“Successful responses to crises are based on a future-focus and require unified action across the university.

Our world has experienced the confluence of these two powerful moments in time; both invoking significant disruption to the status quo,” said UCO President Patti Neuhold-Ravikumar.

“We made the choice to face and embrace both of these situations as opportunities that have high stakes and require our urgent and unified attention. Our responses model what we teach our students: awareness of self and others and an openness to learn.”

The ranking recognized Central for its shift to virtual learning and its ongoing commitment to making transformative learning more equal. UCO joins other notable universities on the list, such as Howard, Rice, Brown, Princeton, Cornell, Georgetown and Harvard.

To view a complete list of Great Value Colleges’ rankings, visit www.greatvaluecolleges.net/collegeshandling-2020-crises.

For more information about Central, visit www.uco.edu.

Distracted driving deaths show increase LO LOTS TS & ACREAGES ACREAGES

The Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) announced the release of the inaugural Behavioral Traffic Safety Cooperative Research Program (BTSCRP) report, Using Electronic Devices While Driving: Legislation and Enforcement Implications, published this morning by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine’s Transportation Research Board (TRB) and funded through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

Driver distraction remains a major roadway safety concern, and the impact of these preventable crashes are felt every day across the country.

Crashes involving a distracted driver killed 3,142 people in 2019, up nearly 10 percent from the year before. When a person reads a text while driving, his or her eyes are off

the road for an average of five seconds. At 55 miles per hour, that is like driving the length of a football field while blindfolded. Every state currently has restrictions in place to address distracted driving but the laws vary in scope and rigor. Additionally, some states – such as Ohio, Michigan and Utah – are considering legislation in 2021 to enhance their distracted driving laws. This new report can help inform state and local efforts to strengthen laws and address the issue comprehensively.

Researchers at Westat reviewed distracted driving laws as well as enforcement and public education practices across the United States and Canada to develop a library of resources and best practices that states and other stakeholders can use to enact or revise their laws.

Edmond Life & Leisure • March 4, 2021 • Page 19

Sunbeam Family Services receives a $25K donation “The Kirkpatrick Family Fund is pleased to support the many services provided by Sunbeam Family Services,” said Elizabeth Eickman, director of the Kirkpatrick Family Fund, “particularly its programs that support vulnerable seniors, families and foster youth.

We appreciate Sunbeam and the critical role it plays in our community.”

This generous grant helps central Oklahoma children and families thrive.

“Kirkpatrick Family Fund’s partnership provides life-changing services to our neighbors,” said Sunbeam CEO Sarah Rahhal, LCSW. “With their support, children and families are connected to a caring team at Sunbeam.”

Learning begins long before a child starts kindergarten. As the Early Head Start provider in Oklahoma City, Sunbeam is a leader in early childhood education. With support from community partners and donors like Kirkpatrick Family Fund, Sunbeam’s early education centers and partner sites prepare young children from birth through age five to enter kindergarten with the skills necessary to be ready for school– and beyond.

Sunbeam is a traditional foster care agency providing temporary care and supportive services in a home environment for children in Canadian, Cleveland, Grady, Kingfisher, Lincoln, Logan, McClain and Oklahoma counties. As one of the 15 private foster care agencies in Oklahoma, Sunbeam works to improve the safety, well-being and permanency of children from birth to 18 years of age by recruiting and training new foster parents.

Since 1940, families have been supported through compassionate mental health services from a skilled team of mental health clinicians, which now includes the state's largest concentration of infant and early

Bill: No abortions if heartbeat detected State Rep. Todd Russ, R-Cordell, last week won committee passage of a bill that would stop abortions from being performed once an unborn child is determined to have a detectable heartbeat.

House Bill 2441 passed the House States Rights Committee with a vote of 5-1.

“This bill is about protecting the most vulnerable – the unborn child,” Russ said. “Hearing a heartbeat confirms what everyone already knows: these are living babies, not clumps of tissue that feel nothing.

This is one among a series of measures designed to protect and save unborn lives.”

The Rev. Paul Abner, who leads the group Oklahoma Faith Leaders, expressed support of this measure.

“Oklahoma Faith Leaders couldn’t continue to defend the sanctity of life in Oklahoma without the leadership of state legislators like Representative

Todd Russ,” Abner said. “Through his unwavering defense of the unborn and his belief in the mission of the faith leaders we represent, together, we’ve been able to pass impactful pro-life legislation like House Bill 2441, and create a culture in our state that believes in life.”

HB 2441 would only allow for abortion if the attending physician has certified in writing that a pregnancy is “medically futile” or when a medical emergency exists that threatens the life of the mother.

The measure also would require any facility where abortions are performed to post a sign in a conspicuous place stating that it is against the law for anyone to force another person to have an abortion and that abortions induced by medication using a two-step process may be reversible if the second dosage has not been taken.

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.

Page 20 • March 4, 2021 • Edmond Life & Leisure