Edmond Life and Leisure - December 31, 2020

December 31, 2020 Vol. 21, No. 33

In This Issue FOUR SEASONS

Four Seasons, by Kevin Box, in real life is located in front of the Center for Transformative Learning on the UCO campus, but this week is hidden somewhere in our paper.

Email contest@edmondpaper.com with the correct location to be entered in the weekly drawing.

For more information, see page 4.

Paul McCartney’s visit enshrined in Arcadia See Page 7

FRIDAY, January 1 Partly Cloudy High 43° Low 26°

SATURDAY, January 2 Mostly Sunny High 48° Low 29°

SUNDAY, January 3 Sunny High 54° Low 35°

By STEVE GUST In a matter of hours the year, known as 2020 will come to its merciful end.

Social media has been abuzz with those who can’t wait for its conclusion. Many of our problems from this year, the virus, as well as political unrest is bound to follow us into 2021.

Next week, Edmond Life & Leisure, will look at some of the images, which shaped 2020.

The COVID-19 virus was the main event of the year. The possibility of spreading the virus led to dozens and dozens of cancellations.

Among those were the famed Downtown Edmond Arts Fes-

tival in early May and the LibertyFest celebration over the summer.

Movie theaters, some sporting events and thousands of private events were a “no-go” this year. Even the University of Central Oklahoma football team skipped their first season since World War II. If you have any thoughts on 2020, please feel free to share by e-mailing news@edmondpaper.com Please see Page 4 this week as Edmond Life & Leisure publisher Ray Hibbard shares his impressions on what 2020 has meant to him.

Remember also, that many pri-

vate businesses are still suffering from the soft economy left by the virus. Please try to support them as much as possible.

And as always look for ways you can improve your life, your community and your future.

As always we will be here to chronicle the achievers and those who want to keep Edmond one of the top spots in the state.

If you have any story ideas for us, please share. And hopefully we will be having more events this year.

So here’s a toast to 2021.

Please note also, our office in downtown Edmond will be closed on New Year’s day.

Page 2 • December 31, 2020 • Edmond Life & Leisure

Edmond Life & Leisure • December 31, 2020 • Page 3

Myths & facts of COVID-19 vaccines The FDA has rigorous scientific and regulatory processes in place that ensure the safety, effectiveness and quality of both the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines. Oklahomans should feel confident in receiving either of the vaccines.

Still, we know there is a lot of mis-information out there. The Mayo Clinic debunks many of the most common myths below.

Myth: The COVID-19 vaccine is not safe because it was rapidly developed and tested.

Fact: Many pharmaceutical companies invested significant resources into quickly developing a vaccine for COVID-19 because of the worldwide impact of the pandemic. The emergency situation warranted an emergency response but that does not mean that companies bypassed safety protocols or perform adequate testing.

To receive emergency use authorization, the biopharmaceutical manufacturer must have followed at least half of the study participants for at least two months after completing the vaccination series, and the vaccine must be proven safe and effective in that population. In addition to the safety review by the FDA, the Advisory Committee on Immunization has convened a panel of vaccine safety experts to independently evaluate the safety data from the clinical trials. The safety of the COVID-19 vaccine will continue to be closely monitored by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the FDA. Myth: I already had COVID-19 and recovered, so I don't need to get a COVID-19 vaccine when it's available.

Fact: There is not enough information currently available to say if or for how long after infection someone is protected from getting COVID-19 again. This is called natural immunity. Early evidence suggests natural immunity from COVID-19 may not last very long, but more studies are needed to better understand this. Mayo Clinic recommends getting the COVID-19 vaccine, even if you’ve had COVID19 previously. However, those that had COVID-19 should delay vaccination until about 90 days from diagnosis. People should not get vaccinated if in quarantine after exposure or if they have COVID-19 symptoms.

Myth: There are severe side effects of the COVID-19 vaccines.

Fact: There are short-term mild or moderate vaccine reactions that resolve without complication or injury.

Keep in mind that these side effects are indicators that your immune system is responding to the vaccine and are common when receiving vaccines.

Myth: I won't need to wear a mask after I get the COVID-19 vaccine.

Fact: It may take time for everyone who wants a COVID-19 vaccination to get one. Also, while the vaccine may prevent you from getting sick, it is unknown at this time if you can still carry and transmit the virus to others. Until more is understood about how well the vaccine works, continuing with precautions such as mask-wearing and physical distancing will be important.

Myth: More people will die as a result of a negative side effect to the COVID-19 vaccine than would actually die from the virus.

Fact: Circulating on social media is the claim that COVID-19's mortality rate is 1%-2% and that people should not be vaccinated against a virus with a high survival rate. However, a 1% mortality rate is 10 times more lethal than the seasonal flu. In addition, the mortality rate can vary widely and is influenced by age, sex and underlying health condition.

While some people that receive the vaccine may develop symptoms as their immune system responds, remember that this is common when receiving any vaccine and not considered serious or life-threatening. You cannot get COVID-19 infec-

tion from the COVID-19 vaccines; they are inactivated vaccines and not live vaccines.

It's important to recognize that getting the vaccine is not just about survival from COVID-19. It's about preventing spread of the virus to others and preventing infection that can lead to long-term negative health effects. While no vaccine is 100% effective, they are far better than not getting a vaccine. The benefits certainly outweigh the risks in healthy people.

Myth: The COVID-19 vaccine was developed as a way to control the general population either through microchip tracking or nano transducers in our brains.

Fact: There is no vaccine "microchip" and the vaccine will not track people or gather personal information into a database. This myth started after comments made

by Bill Gates from The Gates Foundation about a digital certificate of vaccine records. The technology he was referencing is not a microchip, has not been implemented in any manner and is not tied to the development, testing or distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine.

Myth: The COVID-19 vaccine will alter my DNA. Fact: The first COVID-19 vaccines to reach the market are messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines. According to the CDC, mRNA vaccines work by instructing cells in the body how to make a protein that triggers an immune response. Injecting mRNA into your body will not interact or do anything to the DNA of your cells. Human cells break down and get rid of the mRNA soon after they have finished using the instructions.

Myth: The COVID-19 vaccines were developed using fetal tissue.

Fact: Current mRNA COVID-19 vaccines were not created with and do not require the use of fetal cell cultures in the production process.

INTEGRIS Health is a member of the Mayo Clinic Care Network. Click here for more information on the COVID-19 vaccine.

Page 4 • December 31, 2020 • Edmond Life & Leisure

From the Publisher

New Year, new knee, more kindness Many of you that have seen me walking around downtown the last year probably noticed that it was more of a limp then a walk. Hiking in 2012 and weighing over 300 pounds caused a tear in my knee that would heal, some what. Fast forward to my garden in 2015 and 100 pounds lighter, I re-injured the same right knee. It was Ray Hibbard pretty much downhill from there folks. The deterioration had started and it wasn’t going to get any better.

The plan was for the knee joint to be replaced last April but Mr. Covid took care of that with the cancellation of elective surgeries. Next available time was three weeks ago due to the demand on my incredible surgeon. The two weeks before the end of the year can be slow for newspapers even in non-Covid years so we made it happen. Progress is coming along just dandy. I have lots of physical therapy but it helps the knee and leg get stronger and stronger. Ice and elevation have become my new friends.

I serve on the board of directors of a hospital but I am a stranger when it comes to hospitals as a patient. At 62 years of age, this was the first time for me to spend a night in a hospital and I am thankful for that. Care was excellent and professional. The 36 hours in the hospital was pleasant and without pain but then I figured it was a trick. You get a spinal block before the surgery so that the timing is for you to be pain free until after you get home. These medical folks have it all figured out. My favorite medical phrase is, “You may experience some discomfort.” That is medical code for it is going to hurt like heck.

The truth is that I was overwhelmed at the kindness and care I was given by these medical folks we should now know as heroes. Every person in the process was reassuring and went to great lengths to make me comfortable and calm about my procedure. I like many of you have been watching the incredible valor of our medical teams in this country since the beginning of the pandemic and admiring their heroics. They would say that it is just doing their job but I say it is much more than that.

All political views aside, it was a surprise to me to see who Time Magazine put on the cover for person of the year. I have high hopes for our new president and his vice president but honestly they haven’t done anything just yet. Time missed a bet. The person(s) of the year should have been our incredible medical hero’s along with fellow front line workers.

Having surgery didn’t make me less curious. I spent much of my time in the hospital talking with medical staff about their personal situations. Folks, the stories I heard were incredible.

They were the most selfless group of people I have ever met. They are sacrificing their safety, time with their family and in many cases their emotional well being to take care of us. They are beat down and just tired from not only the hours each day and night but also the true emotional beating they are taking.

Some of these good people are seeing more death in a day then they normally see all year. In

so many cases the medical staff feels helpless. In a number of cases they also are the only ones by the patients bedside to give comfort. Even though the staff that took care of me were not currently working in the COVID floors, you could tell that they along with the whole system were strained by COVID. Everything they do is now more difficult with a number of added steps.

They didn’t complain. I had to pry it out of most of them. They are not complainers but rather just professionals doing their job. These heroes will be paying a price for their efforts for a long time and we need to be there for them.

This isn’t the New Year for making predictions.

It is rather a time to reflect. The overwhelming word that comes to mind when I reflect on 2020 for me is kindness. There have been so many acts of kindness that have given me heart and encouragement about mankind. This horrible virus has caused us to stop and pay attention to the most important parts of our lives and given others a chance to shine with their acts of kindness.

My wife had ordered some Christmas T-shirts from a small, in home business for our Christmas morning. The lady did a beautiful job on them.

After Lisa gave her and paid for the order, the lady started to cry on the phone. She told Lisa that our order was going to make it possible for her daughter to have a Christmas. Of course, Lisa started to cry as well. What would have seemed like a non-event at Christmas time turned into something that this businesses really needed.

An idea from the documentary “Kindness is Contagious” appeals to me for 2021. It is the idea of spreading kindness through our social networks. I don’t mean social media. Each person dedicates themselves to acts of kindness for three people causing it to spread, well, like a virus. There is nothing random about it folks. It needs to be purposeful and planned. In the docu-

mentary they described it as a emotional pyramid scheme. Instead, this one gives instead of takes from the people in the pyramid.

Our 2021 business plans at Edmond Life & Leisure call for doing just that. We are going to launch our own virus of kindness in the face of the COVID virus. We don’t have a bunch of grant money to give away but we are blessed with skills and services we can offer at little or no cost. We plan to use our resources to help in the best way that we can.

If you have a business in Edmond that is struggling please contact me. It doesn’t matter if you have ever been an advertiser or not. We want to help your business. My old boss, Leland Gourley, used to tell folks with problems, “Strap it on my back and we will work together.” My message is the same to our businesses in Edmond, big or small.

It doesn’t mean the solution will be to sell you advertising. It means we can talk about what can be done to help your business succeed. I am chairman of the board of the best local bank in the United States. I am also an accountant. My connections in this community run deep. Let me help you find ways to help your business not only survive but continue through 2021 with prosperity.

The only caveat is that in turn, you will do the same to your vendors and fellow businesses. We heard the phrase, “We will get through this together” often in 2020. My plan is to move beyond saying it and doing something about it.

Let’s turn it into action Edmond. We can do this together and I would be honored if you will start with talking with me. Let’s launch that kindness virus today.

Happy New Year!

(Ray Hibbard may be reached at ray@edmondpaper.com)

Check out what’s inside!

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

---- When Paul McCartney was here ..................................................Page 7.

---- Calendar ......................................................................................Page 8.

---- Top doctor named........................................................................Page 9.

---- People lose more faith in feds ....................................................Page 10.

---- New UCO programs offered ......................................................Page 11.

---- Business News ............................................................................Page 17.

---- Worship directory ......................................................................Page 19.

A famous local Reatlor is honored. See Page 8

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 © 2020 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 • December 31, 2020 • Page 5

Group gives donation to Free to Live The Epsilon Sigma Alpha chapter in Edmond recently helped out the local animal sanctuary, Free to Live.

Free to Live is Oklahoma’s largest non-profit-no-kill animal sanctuary and is dedicated to the care of stray, abandoned and mistreated cats and dogs.

In 1982 Bill and Pat Larson purchased 20 acres of land. In 1984 Free to Live opened its doors and immediately adopted 77 animals that needed shelter and someone to care for them.

Currently approximately 300 dogs and cats live at the sanctuary. Staff works to find adoptive homes for them, but for animals that are not adopted or who are not adoptable due to specials needs continue to live at Free to Live Sanctuary for the rest of their lives with healthy food, shelter, and medical care.

All donations are tax-deductible and any amount is greatly appreciated. You can give securely online.

Donations may also include: cat & dog food, puppy & kitten food, cat litter, rakes, shovels, fencing supplies, concrete & cement, bricks, lumber, tools and office supplies.

Volunteers are involved in every aspect and are the heart of Free to Live. If you can help then Ccntact Free to Live at 405-282-8617.

PHOTO PROVIDED

Jacci Gantz, Gamma Zeta member of Epsilon Sigma Alpha International service organization, donates blankets to Free to Live.

Saving on property taxes There are some opportunities to save on property taxes, according to Oklahoma County Assessor Larry Stein.

“More senior homeowners might qualify for property tax savings soon because the income level to secure an Assessment Freeze has increased $600 from last year. If you are 65 years of age on Jan. 1, 2021 and have a TOTAL HOUSEHOLD yearly income of less than $74,400 you may be eligible for an assessment freeze on the value of your home. This income level is set by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and is the median income for a family of four and is determined for every County in the state,” said Stein.

“State Question 714 was proposed by and supported by Oklahoma Assessors to provide property tax savings for senior citizens and tie the income for a median family of four to HUD data which adjusts for inflation every year.

Before the state question passed in 2004---to be eligible for the assessment freeze total household income was $25,000 and there was no adjustment for inflation. The old law penalized seniors who planned for their retirement,” Stein said. The income limit for Oklahoma County has INCREASED 197.6 percent since 2004 when the current statutes went into effect.

“The HUD income level varies by county. Woods County income limit is highest with $84,000 while McIntosh County is the lowest at $42,200,” Stein said.

“To see all the available exemptions available go to https://assessor.oklahomacounty.org /143/apply-for. If you have a question, I encourage you to contact our friendly staff by phone at (405)713-1236. When you call, you will be talking with a real person who will be able to answer any questions you may have,” Stein said.

All the property tax savings are available at no cost to property owners. The Senior Assessment Freeze currently saves Oklahoma County residents more than $1 billion in lower property taxes.

HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION Homestead Exemption lowers your property tax bill on your home and can provide a property tax savings of $80 to $136 in Oklahoma County by exempting the first $1,000 of assessed

value from taxation on your residential property. For the property tax savings to be in effect for 2021, you must file

by March 15th, 2021 by mail or in person with the Oklahoma County Assessor's Office, 320 Robert S. Kerr, Room 315. The application can be found at www.oklahomacounty.org/assessor.

SENIOR VALUATION FREEZE Senior citizens (65 and Older) earning $74,400 or less are eligible for the Senior Valuation Freeze which can reduce your property tax bill. This will freeze the taxable value of the property. For the property tax savings to be in effect for 2021, you must file by March 15th, 2021 by mail or in person with the Oklahoma County Assessor's Office, 320 Robert S. Kerr, Room.

315. If you are currently benefiting from the SENIOR VALUATION FREEZE on your homesteaded property there is no need to reapply.

ADDITIONAL HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION An additional homestead will deduct another $1,000 from the assessed value of your home. This exemption will save you an additional $80 to $136 in taxes. Regardless of age, if the annual gross household income from all sources, received by all persons occupying the same household is $20,000 OR LESS you qualify for the additional exemption. Fill out both parts of the short application form and file it by mail or in person with the County Assessor by March 15th of the year in which the exemption will begin. You must file it annually with the County Assessor by March 15th as long as your income is $20,000 OR LESS until you reach the age of 65.

100% Disabled American Veterans American military veterans who are 100% service connected disabled may be eligible for a total exemption from any property taxes on their homestead property. This plan also allows the unremarried surviving spouse to continue enjoying the property tax break for as long as they own the property. If you are a qualified 100% service connected disabled military veteran, have a family member or friend who might qualify, please have them call the Oklahoma County Assessor’s Office at (405) 713-1236.

Page 6 • December 31, 2020 • Edmond Life & Leisure

Edmond Police arrest report (The following arrest reports are provided by the Edmond Police Department. Guilt or innocence is determined in a court of law.

Dec. 14 Preston Tanner Blundnick, 19 of Stillwater. Charged with domestic assault (strangulation), kidnapping and domestic assault (dangerous weapon).

Matthew Gregory Hatcher, 26, homeless. Failure to appear.

Tonya Jean Lesseg, 47 of Edmond.

Trespassing.

Dec. 15 Jessica Amber Easter, 25 of Edmond. Interruption disruption, interference with emergency phone call and misdemeanor abuse assault.

Thomas Frederick Johnson, 18, of Oklahoma City. Possession of a firearm after the conviction of a felony, use of a firearm while committing a felony, use of a vehicle to facilitate a firearms discharge, conspiracy, misdemeanor value of receiving stolen property and eluding police officer (endangering others, a felony.)

Corey Darnell Turner, 20 of Norman. Use of a firearm while commit-

ting a felony, possession of a firearm after conviction of a felony, use of a vehicle to facilitate a firearms discharge, misdemeanor value of receiving stolen property and eluding police office (endangering others, a felony) Francisco Alexander Downey, 22, homeless. Trespassing after being forbidden, obstruction of police officer and larceny from building petit larceny.

Walter Howard Jr., 20 of Edmond.

Public intoxication.

Sierra Alena Lucas, 22 of Edmond.

Petty larceny.

Dec. 16 Lynn Ann Page, 37 of Earlsboro, Okla. Petty larceny..

Sophie Taber Sadeghy, 20 of Edmond. Failure to appear.

Christopher Allen Myers, 41 of Jones. Possession of drug paraphernalia.

Clayton John Phliip Blair, 36, homeless. Failure to appear.

Tera Oshay Stone, 21 of Oklahoma City. Possession of marijuana and non-assault resisting officer.

Karen Lynn Hudspeth, 47 of Edmond. Public intoxication.

Dec. 17 Amanda Sue McLish, 29 of Edmond. Operate (DUI or APC) vehicle under the influence of alcohol.

Thomas John Lydon, 36 of Edmond. Felony warrant, driving without proper/valid driver's license and following too closely.

Tara Michelle Everett, 31 of Edmond. Petty larceny.

Chadrick Gene Amos, 39 of Edmond. Felony (second offense or more) domestic abuse assault in the presence of a minor child and public intoxication.

Dec. 18 Maia Marie Matarrese, 34 of Midland, Texas. Failure to stop from acci-

dent resulting in damage to vehicle.

Operate (APC or DUI) vehicle under the influence of alcohol.

Kellen Blacke Mangrum, 20 of Edmond. Operate (APC or DUI) a motor vehicle with a blood alcohol level of .15 or more.

Latisha Rene Henderson, 39 of Edmond. Non-assault resisting officer.

Dane Scott Holland, 34 of Warr Acres. Possession drug paraphernalia and possession of CDS. Sarah Elizabeth Decker, 30 of Warr Acres. Possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of CDS. Dec. 19 Timothy Darrell Rathbun, 21 of Shawnee. Operate (DUI or APC) a motor vehicle with blood alcohol content of .08 or more.

Justin Lee Revas, 23 of Sand Springs, Okla. Trespassing.

Teal John Johnson, 41, of Edmond.

Abuse sexual, abuse exploitation or neglect of vulnerable adult. and abuse sexual abuse exploitation or neglect of vulnerable adult.

Travis Lane Prichard, 52 of Edmond and homeless. Two counts of failure to appear.

Blake Lindsay Boswell, 20 of Tulsa.

Misdemeanor warrant and a felony DUI/APC. Jeremy Scott Stewart, 34, of Edmond. Operate (DUI or APC) a motor vehicle with blood alcohol content of .15 or more.

Dec. 20 Tracy Jean Messner, 41 of Oklahoma City. Misdemeanor value of receiving stolen property, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of CDS and obstruction of a police officer.

Fred Joseph Messner, 43 of Oklahoma City. Violation of protective order, possession of drug paraphernalia, misdemeanor value of receiving stolen property, obstruction of a police officer and possession CDS.

State lawmakers want protest of Jan. 6 vote A group of Oklahoma House Republicans last week sent a letter to the members of the Oklahoma congressional delegation urging them to challenge the certification of the Electoral College votes on Jan. 6, 2021.

The 24 lawmakers contend that election law changes and violations in swing states disenfranchised the votes cast by Oklahomans.

“Every state in our Union is dependent on the others to hold free, fair and constitutional elections,” the lawmakers said in a joint statement.

“When any state willfully violates our mutual contract – the U.S. Constitution – and/or their own state election laws (in order to skew the outcome of their election), the process and subsequent results shall not be dismissed or ignored. We must commit ourselves as a state to ensure our constituents’ votes are not disenfranchised, and we must hold accountable those who intend to harm us through election tampering.”

The following lawmakers signed on to this statement: •Rep. Jay Steagall, R-Yukon •Rep. Ty Burns, R-Pawnee •Rep. Sherrie Conley, R-Newcastle •Rep. Denise Crosswhite Hader, RPiedmont •Rep. Eddy Dempsey, R-Valliant •Rep. Mike Dobrinski, R-Okeene •Rep. Sheila Dills, R-Tulsa •Rep. Tom Gann, R-Inola •Rep. David Hardin, R-Stilwell •Rep. Brian Hill, R-Mustang •Rep. Justin Humphrey, R-Lane •Rep. Gerrid Kendrix, R-Altus •Rep. T.J. Marti, R-Broken Arrow •Rep. Stan May, R-Broken Arrow •Rep. Kevin McDugle, R-Broken Arrow

•Rep. Garry Mize, R-Guthrie •Rep. Jim Olsen, R-Roland •Rep. Randy Randleman, R-Eufaula •Rep. Eric Roberts, R-Oklahoma City •Rep. Sean Roberts, R-Hominy •Rep. Todd Russ, R-Cordell •Rep. David Smith, R-Arpelar •Rep. Wendi Stearman, RBartlesville •Rep. Kevin West, R-Moore The full text of the letter can be seen below: Oklahoma House of Representatives Dec. 21, 2020 Dear Member of the Oklahoma Congressional Delegation, We, the undersigned members of the Oklahoma House of Representatives, find it appropriate, according to Article II Section 1 of the U.S. Constitution, and necessary, in order to provide a republican form of government as guaranteed by Article IV Section 4, to insist that you challenge the certification of the Electoral College votes on January 6, 2021.

Every State in our Union is dependent on the others to hold free, fair, and constitutional elections. When any State willfully violates our mutual contract - the U.S. Constitution – and/or their own State election laws [in order to skew the outcome of their election], the process and subsequent results shall not be dismissed or ignored.

We must commit ourselves as a State to ensure our constituents’ votes are not disenfranchised, and we must hold accountable those who intend to harm us through election tampering.

Edmond Life & Leisure • December 31, 2020 • Page 7

PHOTO PROVIDED/SHELLEE GRAHAM

Toby Thompson, who met Paul McCartney, was invited to show Oklahoma County workers where to place the sign.

Arcadia sign marks visit by McCartney Famed performer of The Beatles was in the area in 2008

By Kimberly Burk Announcing that you’ve just spoken with one of the Beatles, says Arcadia resident Toby Thompson, “is like saying you saw a UFO.” So, Thompson didn’t mention it to a lot of people after he met Paul McCartney and his then-girlfriend Nancy Shevell on Aug. 5, 2008, on the original stretch of Route 66 that adjoins his property a couple miles east of Arcadia.

But he did tell his neighbors, Jim Ross and Shellee Graham, who are all about Route 66. And 12 years later, a sign was erected on the Oklahoma County road to commemorate Thompson’s big moment and provide a photo opportunity for fans of the Mother Road and the Fab Four.

“I don’t often get requests for special signs,” said Kevin Calvey, who is the District 3 Oklahoma County commissioner. “But when I was approached about doing this sign, I was certainly interested. I think Route 66 is just cool anyway, especially the Oklahoma part.”

Calvey said that besides being a Beatles fan, he’s interested in anything that will help improve tourism and civic pride.

Ross is a Route 66 historian and author of several Route 66 guidebooks.

His wife is an author and photographer who collaborated with him on some of the books.

Graham, who designed the 30-by36-inch sign, said the idea had been “percolating” in her mind for several years before she approached Calvey.

“When you retire, it gives you time to think about things that have been on the back burner,” she said.

Thompson said he was in a ditch, tackling the weeds in a culvert, when McCartney pulled up in the 1989 Ford Bronco he drove along Route 66 to celebrate his 66th birthday.

“I went up to the passenger window and asked if I could help them,” Thompson said. “They said they were trying to get back on Route 66, and wanted to know how

far it was.”

After assuring them they were near the end of the original stretch of road, which is now a diversion from Historic Route 66, Thompson popped the question.

“I said, ‘are you who I think you are?’ And he said, ‘probably,’” Thompson related.

“And I told him it was an honor to meet him.”

Thompson has a few regrets.

“I looked like hell,” he said with a laugh. “I had mud all over me. I was wearing shorts, a pair of socks that were calf-high, a pair of work boots, a T-shirt and a safari hat I got from the San Diego Zoo. So I looked like a goofball hillbilly.”

He’s also sad that he didn’t have so much as a piece of paper to ask for an autograph.

But he is happy about the sign, and he was invited to be on hand when it was installed Nov. 16.

The county sign tech, Buck Brockaw, an old friend from high school, wanted Thompson to show him just where the conversation happened.

Thompson, 63, is a retired agricultural equipment sales representative and a Beatles fan from way back.

His favorite single is “Let It Be.” Ross, who has lived on the original stretch of road for 23 years, said it became a county road in 1952, after it was bypassed by Route 66.

“It’s a really durable road surface,” he said. “The west portion consists of asphalt over concrete, paved in 1929. The eastern portion was paved in 1928. It’s two different projects that meet.”

In 1999, Ross wrote the nomination to have the road placed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Because it’s so well-built, he said, it’s survived nearly 100 years with only occasional patching of small holes in the asphalt.

The sign is on the east side of the road, two-tenths of a mile from the Intersection of the original highway with Hiwassee Road. Calvey said he plans to hold an official dedication, “when COVID-19 calms down.”

Page 8 • December 31, 2020 • Edmond Life & Leisure

No First Friday Gallery Walk set for Jan. 1 Due to the continued pandemic, we will not be promoting a First Friday Gallery Walk for Jan. 1, however, we encourage you to contribute to First Friday in Paseo by patronizing your favorite Paseo restaurants by dining in, curbside or delivery if available.

Also, the merchants in our district still need your support more than ever and you are invited to visit them any time, but recommend you check their hours first. Many of them have online shopping options and we encourage you to take advantage of these and other social distanced options like purchasing gift cards to show your support. When visiting, please know all guests are required to wear a mask, practice social distancing and use provided hand sanitizer.

The Paseo Arts Association has always put the health and safety of its patrons first. With the steadily increasing threat of COVID-19 in our state, we believe that these precautions are necessary. We are proud and appreciative of your continued effort to join with us to protect our community and our city. Thank you for your understanding.

The Paseo Arts & Creativity Center (PACC) presents the work of three artists – in Gallery One, paintings by Bradley Bauser, and in Gallery Two, pen and ink drawings and paintings

by Patrick Laird and digital art by Trace Logan. Their exhibits will be featured January 1-30 in the PACC at 3024 Paseo. “I am excited to start 2021 with three accomplished artists and their beautiful art,” says Amanda Bleakley, executive director of the Paseo Arts Association. “It really warms my spirit to see the art community continue to be creative during a time most feel stifled.”

Bradley Brauser earned his Bachelor and Masters of Education degrees at Oklahoma State University in Natural and Physical Science, as well as a

PhD in Administration of Higher Education from the University of Oklahoma. Brauser spent 46 years teaching for the United States Atomic Energy Commission, as well as owning and operating multiple businesses. Following his retirement, Bauser picked up his life-long love for art. Brauser’s preferred mediums are oil and acrylic, and between his 82nd and 84th birthdays, he has created over 160 pieces.

Patrick Laird, of Madill, OK, primarily works in pen and ink or India ink wash drawings and paintings, gravitating towards expressive human faces, animals and allegorical symbols inspired by songs, poems or religious themes as subject matter. A graduate of Southeastern Oklahoma State University, he has lived and worked his entire life in southern Oklahoma, and currently teaches high school art and is working towards transitioning to a full-time studio artist.

Trace Logan is a local artist who works primarily in two mediums, digital/new media and painting, but is willing to experiment with different processes. Logan received an early Graphic Design and Commercial Art education in Philadelphia where he was born and raised before moving to Oklahoma City in his late 20s and attaining a Psychology degree from OCU. His current art practice attempts to meld his artistic preferences with his interest in particular psychological concepts.

Oklahoma City’s Unique Arts Destination, the Paseo Arts District is located between NW 27th & 30th Streets and Walker & Hudson and is home to ten restaurants, galleries and boutiques that are distinctive to Oklahoma.

For more information, call the Paseo Arts Association at (405) 5252688 or email amanda@thepaseo.org. Visit thepaseo.org/join for membership information.

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.

What’s Happening Jan. 1 to 16 ---- In the Gallery: Matt Nelson ---- Winter Edmond Farmer’s Market ---- VIRTUAL: Marie Benedict Event ---- Darci Lynne’s Got Talent Exhibit ---- Julian Schwarz, Cellist, Gerard Schwarz and Mozart Orchestra of New York: Father-Son Duos ---- Eagle Watch ---- Opening Reception: Ada Trillo: La Caravana Del Diablo Exhibit ---- Panel Discussion: Ada Trillo: La Caravana Del Diablo Exhibit ---- Ada Trillo: La Caravana Del Diablo Exhibit ---- International Finals Rodeo ---- Kids Take Over the Cowboy: Women of the West ---- Drop-In Drawing ---- Read the West Book Club: Killing Crazy Horse: The Merciless Indian Wars in American ---- Downtown in December ---- Armstrong Auditorium Presents: Julian Schwarz & Gerard Schwarz ---- OKC Philharmonic presents: A Beethoven Birthday Celebration ---- Wine Class ---- Oklahoma Winter Bead & Jewelry Show ---- OKC Boat & RV Show ---- OKC Broadway presents: STOMP

Location: University of Central Oklahoma – Melton Gallery Extra Info: Free; Fri, Jan 15 – Thu, Mar 4; uco.edu

Extra Information

Drop-In Drawing Location: National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum Extra Info: Jan 10; 2 – 3 p.m.; nationalcowboymuseum.org

In the Gallery: Matt Nelson Location: Edmond Fine Arts Institute Extra Info: Free; Thu, Jan 7 Gallery opening 5 -7 p.m.; Matt Nelson’s art will be displayed during the month of January.

Winter Edmond Farmer’s Market Location: MAC in Mitch Park Extra Info: 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.; Sat, Jan 2 – Sat, Mar 27; edmondok.com VIRTUAL: Marie Benedict Event Location: Best of Books Extra Info: $0 ---- $25; 7 p.m.; Tue, Jan 5; Facebook.com Darci Lynne’s Got Talent Exhibit Location: Edmond Historical Society & Museum Extra Info: Now – Jan 30, 2021; edmondhistory.org Eagle Watch Location: Arcadia Lake Extra Info: $3 per vehicle; Fri, Jan 8 – Sun, Jan 10; 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.; edmondok.com Opening Reception: Ada Trillo: La Caravana Del Diablo Exhibit Location: University of Central Oklahoma – Melton Gallery Extra Info: Free; 5 – 7:30 p.m.; Thu, Jan 14; uco.edu Panel Discussion: Ada Trillo: La Caravana Del Diablo Exhibit Location: University of Central Oklahoma – Melton Gallery Extra Info: Free; 5 – 7:30 p.m.; Fri, Jan 15; uco.edu Ada Trillo: La Caravana Del Diablo Exhibit

International Finals Rodeo Location: Lazy E Arena Extra Info: $20-$25; Fri, Jan 15 – Sun, Jan 17; ipra-rodeo.com Julian Schwarz, Cellist, Gerard Schwarz and Mozart Orchestra of New York: Father-Son Duos Location: Armstrong Auditorium Extra Info: Thu, Jan 7; 7:30 p.m.; $31-$71; armstrongauditorium.com Kids Take Over the Cowboy: Women of the West Location: National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum Extra Info: Jan 2; 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.; nationalcowboymuseum.org Read the West Book Club: Killing Crazy Horse: The Merciless Indian Wars in American Location: National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum Extra Info: Jan 17; 1 – 2 :15 p.m.; nationalcowboymuseum.org

Downtown in December Location: Downtown OKC Extra Info: Now – Jan 31; downtownindecember.com Armstrong Auditorium Presents: Julian Schwarz & Gerard Schwarz Location: Armstrong Auditorium Extra Info: Jan 7; 7:30 p.m.; armstrongauditorium.org OKC Philharmonic presents: A Beethoven Birthday Celebration Location: Civic Center Music Hall Extra Info: Sat, Jan 9: 8 p.m.; okcphil.org Wine Class Location: 1884 at the Railyard Extra Info: Wed, Jan 13; 6 – 8 p.m.; railyard1884.com Oklahoma Winter Bead & Jewelry Show Location: Oklahoma State Fair Park Extra Info: $5; Fri, Jan 15 – Sun, Jan 17; Fri – Sat, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. & Sun 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.; aksshow.com OKC Boat & RV Show Location: Oklahoma State Fair Park Extra Info: Fri, Jan 15 – Sun, Jan 17; Fri & Sat: 11 a.m. – 8 p.m. & Sun 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.; okcboatandrvshow.com OKC Broadway presents: STOMP Location: Civic Center Music Hall Extra Info: Fri, Jan 15 – Sun, Jan 17; 8 – 10 p.m.;

GM donates vehicles to OCC’s Auto Service Education program Oklahoma City Community College (OCCC) recently announced a significant donation of vehicles to its Automotive Service Education Program (ASEP) by General Motors (GM). The college received 11 Chevy and GMC 2019 diesel half-ton trucks, each with a 3-liter inline six diesel engine, a new offering from GM. This donation ensures OCCC’s automotive tech students are learning on the late-model vehicles and that they’re able to head straight into a new career with relevant experience.

“New vehicles in our department stir excitement from both students and teachers,” said OCCC’s Automotive Department Chair Brad Walker.

“These new pickups from GMC and Chevy will get out students interested in those products, and significantly, will allow them to see a direct link

between their academic programs and their real-life careers yet to come.”

OCCC has been a General Motors Automotive Service Education Program school for over 25 years. As a leader in the automotive tech career in Oklahoma and the region, OCCC maintains partnerships with several vehicle manufacturers, and when it receives donations from those partners, the college will often – as it will again this time – donate seven of its vehicles to other partner schools and career tech centers in the area, and keep four at OCCC. “We want students across Oklahoma to see the value of a career in automotive,” said Walker. “High school and college students alike should see and be excited about these kinds of opportunities.”

Send photos, news to news@edmondpaper.com

Edmond Life & Leisure • December 31, 2020 • Page 9

Metro Tech student learns how to assess a patient, using high-tech mannequins.

Gift helps train the nurses of future As the coronavirus threatens to overwhelm Oklahoma’s already strapped health care system, one state agency received a gift that will help it train even more nursing students during this critical time.

Oklahoma CareerTech received 49 hospital beds from the Emergency Medical Services Authority.

With an estimated value of $2,500 to $5,000 per bed, EMSA’s gift was a game changer for health careers education. EMSA and CareerTech have partnered for years on various training programs, and this year, that partnership paid off in a big way.

Regional Medical Response System Director Heather Yazdanipour said EMSA purchased the beds years ago as part of the durable medical equipment it needed to set up alternative care sites. Those sites allowed EMSA to operate a temporary hospital in an arena or tent or just about anywhere.

When the Federal Emergency Management Agency later created pod systems that were easier to deploy, EMSA no longer needed the beds, and they were put in storage, where they remained until this year.

The beds were gathering dust in a warehouse when Yazdanipour decided to give them away. She immediately thought of Metro Technology Centers, one of Oklahoma’s 29 technology center districts.

“I know how hard it is for educational institu-

tions to get approval to purchase large pieces of equipment like this,” Yazdanipour said.

She knew that from personal experience. Many years ago, after an industrial accident forced her to retool for a new career, Yazdanipour had enrolled at Metro Tech as a student. Before the accident, she’d been working on an art degree, but after her experience, she decided to become a paramedic.

After graduation, she went to work as an EMT. Because she had loved her learning experience at Metro Tech, when a teaching job opened up at the tech center, she returned to teach at her alma mater. She taught several years at the tech center and then returned to EMSA as an instructor to set up her own program.

“I was able to use the training I received at Metro Tech to create a great paramedic program at EMSA, so now we run our own in-house paramedic program,” she said.

To find a home for the beds, she called Metro Tech nursing instructor Josie Scott with the offer of all 49. For several years, Yazdanipour and Scott worked together on an annual mass casualty event, during which Scott had originally seen the beds. As excited as she was at the prospect of getting new beds for her program, she said she did not need 49. Scott reached out to Lara Morris at the Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education.

“I asked, ‘Can other schools utilize these as

A major award for Dr. Shah thor for more than 80 publicaThe Dean McGee Eye Institions and book chapters and tute (DMEI) announces that has addressed a large number Dr. Vinay A. Shah, Clinical of topics in his scholarly work, Professor at DMEI and in the including observations regardUniversity of Oklahoma ing vitreoretinal disease; tech(OU) Department of Ophniques in vitreoretinal surgery; thalmology, has been named posterior ischemic optic neuthe inaugural recipient of the ropathy, idiopathic intracranial Thelma Gaylord Endowed Dr. Shah hypertension, and other neuroChair in Ophthalmology. ophthalmologic disorders; resiA native of India, Dr. Shah dent surgical training in vitreoretinal completed an extensive educational and training process there, including a surgery and refractive surgery; infections of the eye; and the use of smartresidency in ophthalmology and a felphones in ophthalmology. He has lowship in vitreoretinal surgery. In 2002, he moved to the United States, published in such respected ophthalmologic journals as Retina, American where he was engaged in pre-residency fellowship experiences in vitreo- Journal of Ophthalmology, Archives of Ophthalmology, Ophthalmology, Euretinal diseases and neuro-ophthalmology at the University ropean Journal of Ophthalmology, Survey of Ophthalmology, Eye, of Florida – Jacksonville and University of Iowa respectively. As a resident Cornea, and Ophthalmic Surgery, Lasers, and Imaging, along with a in ophthalmology at the University of number of others.

Missouri – Kansas City (UMKC), Dr. As an educator, Dr Shah is widely Shah performed in stellar fashion, recognized for his work as one of the serving as Chief Resident during his final year and being recognized with a creators of the Eye Handbook, a mobile comprehensive ophthalmology dispecial award as “The Best Resident agnostic reference and educational Ever” for his contributions as a “Leader, Educator, Researcher, and Cli- product developed for smartphones.

With more than three million downnician.” loads, this has become a highly popuAfter his fellowship in vitreoretinal lar smartphone ophthalmology surgery at the Kresge Eye application for ophthalmologists in Institute/Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan, Dr. Shah joined the training and in practice. In addition, Dr. Shah has directed a long-running, faculty at DMEI/OU in 2011 and has highly popular instructional course at distinguished himself as a respected the American Academy of Ophthalleader as well as a highly productive mology (AAO) annual meetings on and innovative clinician and surgeon the use of smartphones in ophthalmic with a particular interest in treating complex surgical retinal pathology. Dr. practice since 2012, a nearly record run.

Shah has served as author or co-au-

well?’” Scott said.

Morris, health careers education program manager at ODCTE, immediately went to work.

With help from other CareerTech staff members, the beds were delivered to 23 campuses in 16 different technology center districts.

“To be able to have brand new beds was awesome,” Scott said.

Morris said more beds in the technology centers means more students can get hands-on training.

“A lot of short-term nursing programs might only have one bed at their disposal for all 10 or so students,” she said. “Now they can get hands-on experience, rather than watching another student and having to wait their turn.”

The beds are nothing fancy, according to Morris, but the simple crank beds are similar to the beds still being used in many rural areas.

CareerTech has 26 training programs across the state to train licensed practical nurses that provide a foundation for two- or four-year registered nurse programs.

In addition, Morris said, CareerTech is working on a staffing surge for the pandemic. This includes training people to do other things in a hospital to help nurses, such as donning and doffing protective gear and handling basic hygiene and cleanliness tasks.

CareerTech also offers a nurse refresher course at 10 campuses, in partnership with the University of Oklahoma’s College of Nursing.

Page 10 • December 31, 2020 • Edmond Life & Leisure

Commentary ... We’re on YOUR Side

Many doubt the feds Even though it would have nothThis probably wasn't the ing to do with COVID relief, the year that instilled great conmeasure would still be legal. fidence in our federal govWhat gets me is I had a Conernment. gressional aide tell me one time Our courts won't take a it was almost impossible for all look at a possible election members of Congress to agree fraud case, that affects milon one bill. Even a comma could lions of people. In fact the gum up the works, he told me. justice system has many challenges. It does seem like Steve Gust Yet somehow a majority of lawmakers can agree on 5,000 we live in a two-tier legal system. People like Hunter Biden, seem to pages.

I really don't understand the need get a pass as do most on that side of for all the foreign aid in a COVID relief the political isle. Don't believe me? bill. How does the average American How about California Rep. Eric Swalbenefit from Egypt getting $1.3 bilwell. The guy is linked to a Chinese lion? spy, but it's not a big deal. Had SwalThere should be an amendment to well had a R instead of a D next to his name, he'd be in much greater trouble. the United States Constitution, which What I also don't understand also is prohibits bills of this size from being passed. this latest COVID relief bill.

This COVID relief bill is truly a The bill, allegedly 5,000 pages, wasNancy Pelosi case of "we have to pass n't read by Congress in the few hours it to see what's in it," kind of bill. they had to accomplish that. Who People's faith in government is could read 5,000 pages that quick? shaken. Our election integrity (if we Most people don't read 5,000 pages in a year or two. have any) is seriously questioned and Who knows what exactly was in the our Congress has just shown itself be bill? There could be a clause that says ineffective. Folks I recommend some Oklahoma is to be renamed “Pelosiserious reform to the federal governland.” Who would know about it? ment. It's screaming out for it.

Metro school district right to see class return

By Oklahoman Editorial Board With any luck, far more Oklahoma City Public School students will be attending class in school buildings during the second semester than did so during the fall. District officials are working on making it happen.

Most of the first semester saw students learning remotely due to COVID-19. Pre-K and kindergarten students went back to in-school learning in October but that lasted just a few weeks. All other students returned in November, but after one week buildings were closed again due to rising positive cases.

The district is planning a phased return for 2021, beginning with

Columnist missed the mark on the law EDITOR: I seldom have knee jerk reactions to ignorant commentary, but couldn’t resist reacting to Mr. Gust’s quote “swamp lives on” (Dec. 17 Steve Gust column) comments. So much knee jerking I will need treatment for restless leg syndrome.

Don’t know that Trump did any swamp draining over the past four years. Given his pathological lying, revolving door of staff and criminal convictions of his closest allies and now the pardoning of his cronies, it would appear that the swamp will be drained on Jan. 20, 2021.

You seemed puzzled by 50 different courts not taking action after the election. By puzzled, you mean that you were sad that the courts did not over throw the election in several states and give the election to Trump. Trump expects favors from everyone, so he and you were dismayed when his baseless election fraud allegations were not affirmed by state courts, federal courts and/or the Supreme Court on two occasions. The irony of the various courts’ rulings against Trump is that he appointed several of the trial judges and three of the Supreme Court justices, supposedly cementing a conservative federal trial court and Supreme Court with justices he felt would be beholden to him.

Alas, our founders figured this out long ago when they made judicial appointments for life. This insulates justices from the political whim and caprice and the popular whim of the day. Justices must and do look at the big picture. Judges at the trial level did look at the evidence presented by the Trump minions or the lack of said evidence and no fraud was proven. It takes evidence to prove a case and apparently there was none.

Letter to The Editor Law school students learn on the first day of class that you must submit evidence to prove a case and non-law school people learned it from Perry Mason back in my day or some criminal justice television show today. It is pretty basic law.

You were correct when you said are by no means an attorney. I often wonder how you made it through journalism school.

You state that Trump judicial appointees want to be popular with the liberals. For what possible reason does a sitting Supreme Court Justice need to be popular with any political faction. They are constitutionally insulated from the need for popularity. In fact if they do their job they may well be unpopular. It is better to do the right thing than the popular thing, i.e. our founding fathers knew this, too bad it is lost on you.

You state the left would like to impeach each Justice, but will settle for stacking the Supreme Court. I will bet you in the next four years you will not see a legitimate move to stack the Court. It has worked well for over 200 years. Remember, Supreme Court Justices, unlike some newspaper entertainers, have to be big thinkers.

RANDEL SHADID P.S. I just had another knee jerk. You stated that most Justices listened to mainstream press to ascertain there was no evidence of voter fraud.

That may be your most asinine remark to date.

Judges listen to sworn testimony and evidence, not the television or the print media to make rulings.

two weeks of remote learning. The week of Jan. 19 will see the return of pre-K through fourth-grade students, with some students on site Tuesdays and Thursdays, and others on site Wednesdays and Fridays. All classes will be virtual on Mondays.

The district hopes to bring fifth- through 12th-grade students back into classrooms the week of Feb. 1.

Superintendent Sean McDaniel said he “would have loved to lay out our whole second semester,” but the city-county health department advised against making decisions past January because of forecasts of high transmission rates throughout the month.

Other metro-area dis-

tricts held in-person classes at least two days per week during the first semester and plan to continue doing so.

Oklahoma City Public Schools needs to do the same if possible, to benefit the students academically but also socially. Most children desperately need in-person contact with their teachers, and they need to be around their peers in the classroom, on the playground and in the cafeteria.

The district will require all students, staff and visitors to wear a mask. It is installing equipment in each school and classroom to remove airborne viruses, bacteria and particles. Two trained contact tracers at each school will evaluate risk of spread when cases arise.

The district also will have rapid COVID-19 tests available at seven testing sites for school staff and household family members 18 and older who may wish to be tested.

Teachers concerned about a return received good news recently when the state announced teachers and staff are moving up to Phase 2 of the state’s vaccine rollout plan. A priority will be placed on older teachers or those with co-morbidities. How soon Oklahoma gets to Phase 2 will depend on how frequently the state receives vaccine shipments and how many of the roughly 158,000 Oklahomans in Phase 1 want to be vaccinated.

State schools Superintendent Joy Hofmeister noted after announcement of the vaccine lineup change that teachers “are the heart and soul of our school community …”

Lankford backs bill but has criticism Senator James Lankford (R-OK) last week issued a statement following passage of HR 133, Consolidated Appropriations Act, which includes targeted relief in response to the coronavirus pandemic. The bill now heads to the President. (Editor’s Note: The president has now signed the bill) “Oklahomans and Americans have endured a year with too many challenges. That includes waiting for relief that Congress should have provided months ago. We have agreed for months that another relief package is needed for those directly affected by Covid, the unemployed, small businesses, and educators. Today, we have finally passed needed targeted relief that provides direct payments to Americans in need, extends the pandemic unemployment program for those out of work, and provides support for small businesses who are struggling, including our essential nonprofits. Most importantly, it provides funding for every Oklahoman to receive any of the Covid vaccines for free if they choose to take it.

“Those who are hurt the most by the pandemic get the most help in this bill. But, the bill also includes all 12appropriations bills to fund every program in the federal government for the rest of the fiscal year, an energy bill, tax policy, homeland security bills, an end to surprise billing in hospitals, and more. There are many essential bills in this package, but each of them should have been done individually over the past seven months, rather than crammed into the last legisla-

See LANKFORD, Page 11

Edmond Life & Leisure • December 31, 2020 • Page 11

FILE PHOTO

Believe it or not, it’s been more than two months since a historic ice storm smacked into the state, causing widespread damage, including downtown Edmond.

Feds OK emergency assistance for ice storm damage Gov. Kevin Stitt announced last week the federal government has approved the state's request for disaster assistance for 13 counties related to the ice storm that began on Oct. 26.

The declaration delivers public assistance to municipalities, counties, tribes and rural electric cooperatives for debris removal, infrastructure repairs and other costs associated with responding to the storm.

“I am grateful to President Trump and his administration for getting this important assistance

across the finish line to help Oklahomans,” said Gov. Stitt. “This funding will help us continue to recover from a historic winter storm.”

The counties included in this declaration are Caddo, Canadian, Cleveland, Dewey, Grady, Kingfisher, Kiowa, Logan, Noble, Oklahoma, Payne, Pottawatomie, and Roger Mills.

The multi-day storm system produced up to two inches of ice in some areas, left hundreds of thousands without power and caused millions of dollars in damages. In these 13 counties alone, the storm

Lankford From Page 10 tive week of the year.

“The process to get to this final bill has been the ugliest I’ve seen in my time in Congress. Excuses about Covid, the election and a failure to even try the committee process has stacked up a year’s worth of work for the last week of the year. This isn’t sustainable.

Amendments were behind closed doors, arguments were conducted through the media and the bill grew larger the longer it stayed in the dark.

This process needs sunshine.

“It took three short-term spending bill extensions in the last week to get to a final agreement. Over and over I reminded the Senate that if we had passed my bipartisan Prevent Government Shutdowns Act, we would have had much less drama. We need to get back to actually conducting the appropriations process on time and allow it to happen in the public throughout the year, not behind closed doors with four people, four days before Christmas.

It’s time to get back to legislating again. The bill includes hundreds of essential and important policies that should have been considered individually, rather than combined into one enormous bill.”

In March, Lankford supported the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. Lankford secured in today’s COVID relief package an extension of a $300 deduction ($600 for those filing jointly) for charitable giving on federal income taxes.

Oklahoma highlights in the bill in-

clude: • In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the bill: • A second round of direct payments of $600 for individuals ($1200 for those filing jointly) plus $600 for each qualifying child.

• Temporarily extends the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) through April 5, 2021 with an additional $300 a week for 10 weeks.

• Provides $325 billion for a second round of the successful Paycheck Protection Program for small businesses with the highest need.

• Businesses who borrow will receive full loan forgiveness if they spend at least 60 percent of their PPP second draw loan on payroll cost.

• Provides for the deductibility of PPP expenses, something Lankford has heard extensively from the Oklahoma small business community.

• Provides simplified loan forgiveness for loans of $150,000 or less, the vast majority of PPP loans.

• Expands PPP allowable and forgivable expenses and provides simplified loan forgiveness for loans of $150,000 or less.

• Extends the eviction mortarium through Jan. 31, 2021.

• $10.25 billion for child care providers, including direct support for child care providers to ensure parents have access to child care to return to work.

• Additional assistance for Oklahoma foodbanks.

resulted in an estimated $27 million in debris removal and other damages.

Following the governor’s disaster declaration request last month, the state has continued to document damages and will submit a request to add 16 additional counties to the declaration.

Oklahoma counties that will be included in the add-on request are Alfalfa, Blaine, Comanche, Custer, Ellis, Garfield, Grant, Jackson, Kay, Lincoln, Major, McClain, Pawnee, Stephens, Tillman, and Washita.

Page 12 • December 31, 2020 • Edmond Life & Leisure

PHOTO PROVIDED

The University of Central Oklahoma has received recognition for social mobility according to a recent national ranking by CollegeNET. According to the ranking, Central ranked 183 out of nearly 1,500 colleges and universities in the United States according to their contribution to economic mobility. This places Central in the top 12% nationally for social mobility.

National recognition given to UCO’s social mobility CollegeNET ranks the University of Central Oklahoma among the top higher education institutions in the nation for social mobility according to its recent national ranking.

Central ranked 183 out of nearly 1,500 colleges and universities in the United States according to their contribution to economic mobility. This places Central in the top 12% nationally for social mobility.

“In a world where advantage often starts with privilege, the University of Central Oklahoma is proud to be an institution that offers students a

promising path to socioeconomic success,” said Patti Neuhold-Ravikumar, UCO president.

“Our affordable tuition, low student debt and strong median career earnings of our graduates have been recognized as a winning combination.

Already ranked as the state's Best College for Getting a Job After Graduation, this improved SMI ranking is a further demonstration of our commitment to our students and our state.”

The Social Mobility Index (SMI) measures to what extent a higher education institution accepts students from economically disadvantaged back-

grounds and graduates them into well-paying jobs, based on factors such as cost of attendance, economic background of the student body, graduation rates and early-career salaries.

According to CollegeNET, a high SMI ranking means a school contributes in a responsible way to solving the problem of declining economic mobility in the U.S. To view a complete list of CollegeNET’s rankings, visit www.socialmobilityindex.org.

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

New programs offered The University of Central Oklahoma has expanded access to its quality, accredited degree programs with the addition of three new fully online programs through UCO’s Connected Campus. The university now offers a Master of Science in nursing and two Master of Public Administration (MPA) programs – urban management and public and nonprofit management.

The Master of Science in nursing offers online coursework for individuals who have a bachelor’s degree in nursing and want to pursue their master’s degree. It offers nurses the prospect of more job opportunities and increased pay in the areas of nursing education or administrative roles. The program can be completed in as little as 16 months if pursued full time. Students are required to also complete 100 clinical hours. The online Master of Science in nursing can be completed for as little as $15,000.

The MPA programs in urban management and public and nonprofit management can be completed within two years for students who take nine hours each semester. Both of the 36-credit hour programs prepare students for career opportunities in public service. The urban management track is designed for students interested in careers involving city and municipal management. The public and nonprofit management option is broader—with career opportunities

in nonprofit leadership, public affairs, education and community programming in both the private and public sectors. The online MPA can be completed for $15,500.

“Our suite of online graduate offerings is for professionals who are busy, seek affordability, desire flexibility and yearn for quality,” said Jeanetta Sims, Ph.D., dean of the UCO Jackson College of Graduate Studies.

“Through graduate instruction that reflects a commitment to transformative learning and career readiness, we are demonstrating our continued commitment to the metro and advancing graduate education in Oklahoma.”

Other online degrees offered through the UCO Connected Campus include the Bachelor of Business Administration in either human resource management or marketing, the professional Master of Business Administration and the Master of Education in library media education, as well as the RN to B.S. in nursing track.

UCO also offers adult degree completion programs designed for adults who have earned prior college credits and want to complete their degree.

Students can earn a Bachelor of Business Administration in general business, a Bachelor of Science in organizational leadership or general studies or a Bachelor of Arts in applied liberal arts.

UCO Connected Campus students are assisted by a concierge who will guide them through the admissions and enrollment process and be available for questions as they pursue their degree. Applications now are being accepted for the spring and fall 2021 semesters.

To learn more or apply, visit online.uco.edu.

Edmond Life & Leisure • December 31, 2020 • Page 13

State Sen. Adam Pugh gets panel assignments Sen. Adam Pugh has been named Chairman of the Senate Education Committee for the 58th Legislature by Senate President Pro Tempore Greg Treat, R-Oklahoma City. He will also sit on the Appropriations Subcommittee on Education, which sets the budgets for Oklahoma's 11 education agencies—that combined account for half of the annual state budget.

“I want to thank Pro Tem Treat for appointing me to lead the Senate Education Committee. There is no greater gift we can give Oklahoma’s youth than a highquality education to grow their minds and prepare them for the workforce,” Pugh said. “Great strides have been made to strengthen education at all levels in recent years, but there is more to be done, especially as we continue to address the unique needs of schools and students during this unprecedented pandemic. We also must continue growing our higher education and CareerTech partnerships with the business community to fill the workforce pipeline for vital industries like aerospace.”

The Edmond Republican will also serve on the Business, Commerce and Tourism, and Health and Human Services Committees.

“The pandemic has impacted every area of our state from commerce to health care,” Pugh said. “The work done in these committees will be crucial next year as we work to help our businesses, state agencies and families begin to recover from the pandemic.”

Pugh was also appointed last month to the Senate Select Committee on Redistricting, which is currently hosting town hall meetings around the state to gather public input on redrawing legislative district lines as required by the state constitution.

The aerospace executive and former U.S. Air Force captain also chairs the Legislative AERO Caucus that works to support the aviation and aerospace industry, which is the state’s second largest and fastest growing industry.

The Legislature will convene for an organizational day on Tuesday, Jan. 5, and the First Session of the 58th Legislature will kick off on Monday, Feb. 1.

Sen. Adam Pugh, taking the oath of office, earlier this month.

Page 14 • December 31, 2020 • Edmond Life & Leisure

Review of ‘Wonder Woman 1984

Long run time ends up hurting film

By George Gust We all tend to indulge during the holiday season, a little extra cookie here, another bag of pretzels there and then you find yourself feeling bloated and queasy.

The filmmakers of “Wonder Woman 1984” should know this feeling all too well now as their follow up to the 2017 blockbuster DC Film “Wonder Woman” is colorful nonsensical fun, but will is lacking in real substance that made the first movie so beloved.

Most of what you loved about the first film is back in this sequel, Godot and Chris Pine return with their fun back and forth chemistry and there are some colorful heroic sequences, but at a whopping two and a half hours with an overcrowded story “Wonder Woman 1984” is mostly a mess.

Diana Prince (Gal Godot) lives quietly among mortals in the vibrant, sleek 1980s -- an era of excess driven by the pursuit of having it all. But soon, Diana will have to muster all her strength, wisdom and courage as she finds herself squaring off against Maxwell Lord (Pedro Pascal) and the Cheetah (Kristin Wiig), a villainess who possesses superhuman strength and agility.

“Wonder Woman 1984” has its heart in the

right place with the overarching tone of the film; the truth is important, you can’t take shortcuts to get ahead in life, etc., but the way the film conveys these ideas ranges from effective to goofy.

Pascal is entertaining in the role of the scummy 1980’s businessman who’ll step on anyone to prop himself up, but his scenery chewing performance felt like it didn’t mesh with Godot’s more grounded and empathic approach to Wonder Woman.

And Wiig brings a different kind of energy to her familiar villain origin story role, but her storyline takes so long to develop you don’t feel the full weight of her superpowered transformation.

Overall, “Wonder Woman 1984” feels like a

throwback superhero comic book movie for better and for worse.

Much like the pre-Marvel superhero movies “Wonder Woman 1984” has a campy feel to the action scenes that also feature perplexingly underwhelming visual effects for such a big-time blockbuster movie from 2020. However, there’s also the altruistic and sincere hero figure that reminds of the boy scout persona brought to the screen by Christopher Reeve in the first Superman movies all those years ago.

“Wonder Woman 1984” can be a fun campy superhero romp at times, but the strange pacing and lack of editing (there could easily be about 40 minutes trimmed from the bloated run time) keep it from being a movie you’ll want to return to.

“Wonder Woman 1984” is rated PG-13 for violence and sequences of action. Now available in theaters and to stream on HBO Max for a limited time.

2 out of 5 stars

To comment on this film review, or any other movie review, please e-mail George at gust.george@gmail.com Check out George’s previous reviews on www.edmondlifeandleisure.com

PHOTO PROVIDED

JGal Godot returns to the big (and little) screen as the Amazonian Princess Wonder Woman, this time she's tasked with saving the world from a slimy 80s businessman and a new feline supervillain, the Cheetah.

Answers appearing on Page 19

School quarantine measure opposed Several Oklahoma House Democrats sent a letter recently to Oklahoma Health Commissioner Lance Frye after the state Department of Health decided to allow schools to quarantine students on site who have been exposed to COVID-19.

The letter, which was written by members of the Oklahoma House Democratic Education Policy Team, asked about the absence of data in justifying the mass quarantine of children.

“We all agree the best place for quality learning is via in-person schooling – but we cannot risk student and staff safety nor health for a study,” said Rep. Melissa Provenzano.

“This surprise decision feels like a plan which was developed in a vacuum with little to no input from experienced education professionals, nor with evidence to support its implementation. Our children are not test subjects.”

The group asked who would supervise students in quarantine. Districts are already experiencing teacher and substitute shortages due to COVID-19.

“We all want our children back in school and learning in person,” the letter said. “That is clearly not the main motivator here.”

Crossword Puzzle STATEPOINT CROSSWORD THEME: International Menu ACROSS 1. Arithmetic operation 6. Romantic getaway destination 9. "Hold on!"

13. Foolish 14. Unit of electrical resistance 15. Ann Patchett's novel "Bel ____" 16. Parallel grooves 17. New Zealand's bygone bird 18. Daisy-like bloom 19. *En ____, cooked and served in individual pot 21. *Raw fish 23. Like Second Testament 24. Archipelago unit 25. Fool's Day mo.

28. "Days" in Havana 30. Just one of TV's "American ____" 35. Russian mountain range 37. Urban haze 39. Spiral-horned African antelope 40. Aggressive remark 41. 10 percent to charity, e.g.

43. Milk choice 44. Burnt ____ 46. "Nobody ____ It Better" 47. London art museum 48. Evening party 50. Boll weevil, e.g.

52. Dianne Feinstein, abbr.

53. Windmill blade 55. "... ____ he drove out of sight" 57. *It's battered and fried 61. *Cheese and potato dumplings 65. Loudspeaker noise 66. Sheep sound 68. Frank Wright's middle name 69. Atones, archaic 70. Days of ____ 71. Containing fat 72. Cut the crop 73. College degrees 74. Stainless material

DOWN 1. Catchall abbr.

2. Gung-ho about 3. DEA agent 4. Jimmy Hoffa's organization 5. Position while landing 6. A few 7. *Vietnamese soup 8. Accumulate 9. Done in loads 10. Opposing prefix 11. Unit on a list 12. Torus, pl.

15. Milk protein 20. *Cocktail garnish 22. Mont Blanc, e.g.

24. Heavy hydrogen, e.g.

25. *With jus 26. First-rate 27. Browning's "____ ben Ezra" 29. In the thick of 31. Benign lump 32. New Zealand parrots 33. Like NCAA's eight

34. *Japanese noodle soup 36. Suggestive look 38. *Clarified butter 42. Ruhr's industrial center 45. "The Dean Martin Show" and "The Carol Burnett Show" 49. Lobe locale 51. Ogres of the Norse 54. Bigwig in the Orient 56. Approval of the audience 57. Tow rope alternative 58. River in Bohemia 59. Comedian Rudolph 60. "Dead Poets Society" school, e.g.

61. Cowboy's prods 62. Apple leftover 63. Jekyll's alter ego 64. Bucolic poem 67. *____ ____ mode

See Answers Page19

Edmond Life & Leisure • December 31, 2020 • Page 15

Avoiding online romance scams Online romance scams reach a peak during the holiday season to pray on loneliness. This year it will be compounded by COVID-19.

An Oklahoma-based social media influencer had his identity stolen by Nigerian romance scammers during the COVID-19 pandemic and they used it to trick victims seeking love out of their money.

Jake Hudson, from OKC, (Social handle: @batmanhudson) is available for interview as part of a new study from SocialCatfish.com called Catfishing: A Growing Epidemic During COVID-19.

The study used the most recent data from the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center, an exclusive sevenminute video interview with a Nigerian scammer, and a 20-page leaked playbook.

Americans lost $201 million to romance scammers this past year -more than any other type of scam -and that number is projected to increase significantly in 2020. Due to loneliness and isolation, a record 26.6 million people are using dating

apps in 2020.

Out of 130 social media influencers surveyed, 112 have had their identities stolen during the pandemic.

SocialCatfish.com President and author of the report David McClellan is also available Five Tricks Romance Scammers Are Using During Coronavirus: 1.. Cannot Meet Because of COVID: The hallmark of a catfish scammer is to come up with excuses why they cannot meet, such as pretending to be in the military overseas. The pandemic gives them a built-in excuse not to meet. Beware.

2.. Need Money for a COVID Emergency: Once they form an emotional connection with lonely victims, they ask for money saying they are sick and need help with treatment, or are low on food, water, and other supplies. These are lies, as people who have never met do not ask you for money for an emergency, they would rely on family and friends.

3.. They Are Overly Sweet and Confessing Love Quickly: If you are

Vaccine Pioneer PHOTO PROVIDED

Cheryl Ransom, a health unit coordinator in the Intermediate Care Unit, was the first to receive the vaccine at the hospital. She has been working on the frontlines taking care of Oklahomans since the beginning of the pandemic. She gladly volunteered to be among the first to get the shot. See Page 3 for a look at myths & facts about the vaccines.

stuck in your house with limited contact with your loved ones, then someone else’s sweet words can win you over, especially when they are confessing their undying love for you. Beware of someone who says overly sweet things that are too good to be true.

4.. Moving too Fast: Scammers are using the extra time at home to chat more often so they can build trust and drain your bank account faster.

Beware if your relationship begins to move too fast.

5.. Do Not Want to Video Chat: The oldest excuse in the book… they cannot video chat with you because their video camera is supposedly “broken”, or they do not have the best access to Wi-Fi. These are red flags. The real reason they do not want to video chat with you is that they are pretending to be the person you see in the pictures and are not actually that person.

Avoding 1.. Never Give Money: Do not give anyone you meet online money, no

matter the reason.

2.. Do not Give Personal Information: Scammers can use basic information to commit identity fraud, get access to your banks and steal your money.

3.. Take Things Slow: If you like someone online, do not let them rush you. Nigerian romance scammers will be pushy about falling in love right away. If that is the case, know something is not right.

4.. Meet or Video Chat: Do not form a relationship with someone who will not video chat with you or meet you in person.

5.. Compare Against the Published Nigerian Scam Playbook: Compare what they are saying to the playbook to see if it matches at all. If what the person sent you matches word-forword to the text in the playbook or is similar to it, then that is a major red flag. This means they are probably copying and pasting everything they are telling you from a scammer’s playbook and will try to steal your money later.

Page 16 • December 31, 2020 • Edmond Life & Leisure

ESA holds district meeting in Guthrie

PHOTO PROVIDED

In the picture from left are Edmond Gamma Zeta members Liz King, Jacque Cantrel, and Dr. Billye Putnam.

Epsilon Sigma Alpha, Intl. (ESA) Western District held their Leadership Meeting at the Noble Avenue Baptist Church in Guthrie recently. President Ramona Bench with her theme “Fluttering Away with ESA” welcomed guest from across the state.

Guest Speaker, Dana Hornbeck gave an entertaining speech which involved audience participation and fun props. The educational theme of the State this year is “Women Who Made A Difference.” Dana imitated some of the traits in the women who made a difference and the audience tried to guess who she was imitating.

Cheryl Tarter from Guthrie provided musical entertainment with songs and piano renditions of old-time favorites.

State President, Mona Johnston from Wilburton, Past State President Margaret Kramer from Eufaula and First Vice President Sandy Lackey from Wagoner were special guests.

The Western District Project “Shoes That Fit” was again accepted for another year. They are based out of Shawnee and the members brought many pairs of socks for the organization. The ESA Foundation Scholarship program will also be supported. Any student can apply at epsilonsigmaalpha.org Jr. Past President of Okla ESA, Linda Leveridge from Norman, gave an interesting Educational on “Butterflies” which is the District Coordinator’s logo. Members learned which butterfly represented their birthday month and the difference between a butterfly and a moth.

It was a very interesting and informative meeting with more than 40 members and guests in attendance. Edmond ESA members of Gamma Zeta chapter attending included Dr. Billye Putnam, Jacque Cantrel, and Liz King.

Dec., Jan. top months for home breakins December and January are two of the the top months for theft claims reported to State Farm. If you’re planning on traveling for the holidays, you may want to tighten up your home security with these tips: • Add a generic security sign to your yard or stickers to your door. It may not fool a burglar, but he may think twice.

• Don’t leave an invitation into your home for a criminal. Put valuables out of sight.

• Be mindful about throwing boxes away that may let everyone know what you have inside (TV, tablets, etc.)

• Consider setting up a home security system, which can qualify homeowners for discounts on insurance.

• Install a motion sensor light to catch intruders by surprise.

• Dogs are exceptional deterrents to theft. Let your dog be seen — and heard.

Keep your home looking lived-in when you're away.

• Leave lights on random timers

when you're away so thieves can't detect a pattern.

• If you'll be away for a short time, leave a radio or TV on, turned up loud enough that it might be heard outdoors.

• Don't post your travel plans on social media websites. Some burglars use social networking sites to find victims.

• When you're leaving for longer period, ask a trusted neighbor to watch your home, gather your mail and otherwise give the appearance of activity.

• Leave your spare key with the neighbor, too — burglars know the usual hiding places.

Last and most important, review your insurance coverage. Ask questions about contents and any endorsements needed for collections, such as jewelry. And create or update your home inventory. Take photos or a home movie of every room and its contents and store the film in a safe deposit box. Learn how to create a home inventory with tips from State Farm®.

Edmond Life & Leisure • December 31, 2020 • Page 17

A good time for a home inventory

By Oklahoma Insurance Commissioner Glen Mulready It’s the most wonderful time of the year! People are busy decorating, gift-shopping and thinking about New Year’s resolutions. Tradition is one of the things that make the holiday season so special.

While insurance may be the last thing on your mind during the holidays, the start of a new year is the perfect time to review your insurance coverage and update your home inventory list. When you reflect on the last 12 months, especially with the pandemic, you might realize that some of those changes could greatly affect your insurance needs.

The holiday season is when many people reflect on the past year and pledge to do better next year.

Whether it’s eating healthier, being more organized or running your first marathon, try starting a new tradition: update your home inventory list. Here are four good reasons to add an annual insurance review and home inventory update to your list of holiday traditions.

Your new gifts may not be covered.

I hope you’ve been good this year and receive some nice gifts over the festive period. Your homeowners insurance will cover most of your bigticket gifts like a big screen TV, new electronics and expensive jewelry, but only up to your policy limits. That’s why it’s important to maintain a current record of all your belongings. Update your home inventory this holiday season so your coverage limits meet your needs.

A lot can change in a year.

Think about the new “normal” we’re living in with COVID-19. With many people spending more time in their homes, it is not surprising that home improvement projects have increased in popularity. According to a recent Porch.com survey, 76% of homeowners have completed at least one home improvement project since the start of the pandemic. Take photos or a video of your remodeled kitchen or bathroom, gather receipts and add them to your inventory list. When you review coverage at

the start of the year, you can ensure your new assets are safeguarded.

It will make filing an insurance claim easier.

The information you put into the home inventory list can make an insurance claim settlement faster and easier. This is especially crucial for high-value items. Don’t forget to document your attic, basement, closets and other storage areas. Can you imagine trying to compile all this information after a disaster? Without a record of your belongings, remembering everything you own or what you’ve lost can be challenging.

It’s free and easy.

With today’s technology, it’s never been easier to keep a detailed catalog of your possessions. Check out our free Home Inventory Checklist resources to get started. Keep your home inventory list in a safe place outside your home or cloud-based storage services like Dropbox or Google Drive. Also, your insurance agent will be happy to review your insurance coverage with you at no cost.

Another record month for Edmond home sales (The following is by Brian Preston, an Edmond Realtor, who follows the local market carefully in his Preston Report.)

By Brian Preston November had its highest month ever, like most months this year. 90 more than last year for an increase of 28% to 412 transactions. That brings year to date to 5053 closed deals. 673 more than last year’s 4380. an increase of 15%.

We are on November numbers and already have the highest increase in number of sales in the 22 years I have done this report, and we still have December to add to the mix. The 15% figure is not the biggest increase, that goes to 2012 with 19%, but we still have a month to do it. The big difference is 2012 which had the second highest total closings increase with exactly 600, was a come back year. Those increases only brought us back to 2007 numbers after

the mortgage bust of 2008. This year's increase is being compared to the record setting year of 2019.

Which blows the mind.

In November we have passed the 5,000 mark for closed deals for the first time, and also for the first time surpassed the 1.5 billion dollar closed volume. with over 1.6. Average and median price records will be broke this year as well. Unlike some of the records of the past, that barely beat or 100 or 200 more deals, we are flying past last years numbers. Even the only number going down is doing so at break neck speeds. That is active homes on the market. For those who have not read earlier reports this year, we have not been below 1,000 listings for any month in 22 years until this year. and this month they fell below 600 to 579 at time of the report search.

Again we have more total pending contracts waiting to close than homes left available to buy for cur-

More expansion plans set for Amazon in metro Amazon.com, Inc. plans to open a new fulfillment center in Oklahoma City. The new fulfillment center, which is anticipated to launch in 2021, will create over 500 new fulltime jobs with industry-leading pay and comprehensive benefits starting on day one.

“We’re thrilled to announce a new fulfillment center in Oklahoma City as we strive to better serve our customers throughout the state,” said Alicia Boler Davis, Amazon’s vice president of global customer fulfillment. “Our growth in Oklahoma wouldn’t be possible without the amazing local workforce and strong support we’ve received from local and state leaders.”

Every day at Amazon, incredible employees come together to deliver magical experiences for customers. In the new one million square-foot fulfillment center Amazon associates will work to pick, pack, and ship bulky or larger-sized customer items such as patio furniture, outdoor equipment, or rugs.

“Amazon’s new facility is another testament to the nation and the world that Oklahoma is open for business,” said Oklahoma Governor

Kevin Stitt. “As governor, it is my priority to foster a climate where businesses can grow, thrive and expand in order to provide jobs for hardworking Oklahomans to support their families. I salute Amazon on its expansion and look forward to its continued growth in our state.”

On top of Amazon’s industry-leading minimum $15 per hour wage, the company offers full-time employees comprehensive benefits including full medical, vision, and dental insurance as well as a 401(k) with 50 percent match starting on day one. Amazon prioritizes the safety and health of its employees and has invested millions of dollars to provide a safe workplace.

The company also offers up to 20 weeks of maternal and parental paid leave and innovative benefits such as Leave Share and Ramp Back, which give new parents flexibility to support their growing families.

“We appreciate Amazon’s continued investment in Oklahoma City and look forward to the positive impact their presence will have on future job creation and the overall economy of our great city,” said Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt.

LifeShare named a top workplace LifeShare has been awarded a Top Workplaces 2020 honor by The Oklahoman.

The Top Workplace list is based solely on employee feedback gathered through a third-party survey administered by employee engagement technology partner Energage, LLC. The anonymous survey uniquely measures 15 drivers of engaged cultures that are critical to the success of any organization: including alignment, execution, and connection, just to name a few.

In addition to being named a Top Workplace for the second year, LifeShare President and CEO, Jeffrey Orlowski, won the Leadership Award for a midsize company.

“In times of great change, it is more important than ever to maintain a connection among employees,” said Eric Rubino, Energage CEO. “When you give your employees a voice, you come together to navigate challenges and shape your path forward based on realtime insights into what works best for your organization. The Top Workplaces program can be that positive outcome your company can rally around in the coming months to celebrate leadership and the importance of maintaining an employee-focused culture, even during challenging times.”

“The Top Workplace award reflects our talented team who are passionate about our mission,” he added.

rent buyers. Most of these are under $400,000, The prices above that there are still more active listings than pending contracts. But even these price ranges are having huge pending numbers and closings. Setting records in all price ranges and bringing down the absorption rate in all price ranges. You get down in the lower price ranges and the absorption rate is in days not months. Even new homes under $200,000 the absorption rate is one week. There is not a new home price range with a rate higher than five months and most are around 2.5 months. I do not know a builder who can get one done that quick. Even the seven figured homes are booming. With over 50 closed for the first time and absorption rates I can actually put on the chart. With the total market at 10.25 months and new homes at 2.6 months. Unlike the 2.5 and 5 years we were seeing just a few years ago.

Page 18 • December 31, 2020 • Edmond Life & Leisure

Fireplaces have alluring beauty but can pose a fire risk if not used properly.

Make home fire safety a priority The staff at the INTEGRIS Paul Silverstein Burn Center would like to pass along these fire safety tips in relation to heating your home during the winter months.

Smoke Detectors First, the most important aspect of home fire safety is making sure every home has a working smoke detector, and that these detectors are checked monthly with batteries being changed every six months or at daylight savings time in spring and fall.

Carbon Monoxide Alarms are easy to install and can save lives. They do not take the place of smoke alarms; however, having one is the next step to a safe environment in the home.

Any open flame heater creates carbon monoxide gas and if your home’s heating devices are not functioning properly, this gas can be deadly. The alarms are becoming more affordable, more effective and if you have a flame operated heating device in your home, indispensable.

Space Heaters • Dust and lint may have accumulated in the space heater. Be sure to clean them thoroughly with a vacuum cleaner.

• Gas space heaters need to have the flame adjusted to blue in order to reduce the risk of carbon monoxide build up.

• Caution children not to stand too close to a space heater to warm up, as their clothing could catch fire.

•Give space heaters their space!

Be sure that all combustible material is away from the heater, at least three inches in all directions.

Floor Furnaces • Floor furnaces are safest when they are equipped with a thermostat and automatic shut off device.

• Clean the floor furnace by removing the grate and using a vacuum to remove dust and lint from inside the unit.

• During the summer months, people often place throw rugs on the floor furnace. As the weather cools, they may remove these rugs and turn the furnace on.

During the warm days following a cold snap, people often throw the rug back onto the furnace without turning the unit off. Then, when it becomes cold again, the floor furnace automatically comes back on igniting the throw rug. Be sure to remove rugs whenever the unit is switched on.

Central Heaters • Clean or replace the furnace filter.

• Clean the entire furnace area using a vacuum to remove dust and lint.

• Be sure to remove any brooms, boxes, magazines, newspapers or any other combustible material stored in the heater closet.

Fireplaces • Inspect the fireplace and chimney at least once a year. Look for cracks in the firebox, flue and chimney. Also check for build-up of soot and creosote inside the flue.

• Open the damper enough to allow the smoke and gases to escape up the chimney.

• Never start a fire with gasoline, kerosene or any other flammable liquid.

• Always keep a good-quality metal fireplace screen in front of the fireplace whenever it is being used to prevent burning logs from rolling out or embers from flying out.

• Keep a three-foot area in front of and to the sides of the fireplace clear of any combustibles including, logs, kindling wood, paper, rugs, clothing or furniture.

• Never leave a fire unattended.

Make sure the fire is completely out before leaving your home or going to bed.

• Never burn charcoal in a fireplace. Charcoal gives off deadly carbon monoxide gas that can fill a room and overcome the occupants.

• Never cook in a fireplace. Grease from the food can build up inside the flue and catch fire.

• Never burn more than two or three natural logs at one time.

• Artificial logs made of compressed sawdust and wax should be handled differently from natural logs because they generate more heat.

Burn only one artificial log at a time and do not burn an artificial log with natural logs.

•Always make sure fireplace ashes are placed in a metal container.

Never place hot embers in a combustible container such as a trashcan.

Allow ashes to cool thoroughly before disposing of them.

Kitchen • Kitchen pan handle safety - keep handles turned away so a kiddo can’t reach up and grab it or cook on back burners instead.

• Microwave safety - use caution when removing hot liquids, especially for pediatrics when microwaves are mounted high or above stovetops.

•Hot water safety – do not set your hot water heater higher than 120 degrees or just below the medium setting.

• Never use a gas oven for heating your home.

Generators • Never use a generator inside your home, basement or garage or less than 20 feet from any window, door or vent; fatal levels of carbon monoxide can be produced in just minutes, even if doors and windows are open.

There are many potential problems when we are heating our homes during the cooler months. With a little caution, we can all remain safe and healthy during the winter season.

Edmond Life & Leisure • December 31, 2020 • Page 19

Metro grants help to support seniors The Oklahoma City Community Foundation has awarded $214,000 in grants to support programs helping central Oklahoma senior citizens living independently this winter.

Community Foundation donors have long since focused their charitable giving on serving the elderly population in central Oklahoma, and the Foundation has helped strengthen donor giving by establishing grant programs to financially support local churches, nonprofit service agencies and civic organizations that help seniors stay in their own homes.

With the vulnerability of the senior population continuing to increase in 2020, the Community Foundation feels it is now more important than ever to step up and help.

“This year has been challenging for most of us, but it has been particularly difficult for homebound seniors, who rely on services that provide access to health care, nutrition, recreation and interaction with others,” said Nancy B. Anthony, Oklahoma City Community Foundation president. “We are grateful for our donors, who give the resources to support essential care for the most vulnerable among us.”

Earlier this year, the Community Foundation’s 2020 Disaster Relief Fund awarded $80,000 in grants to organizations serving senior citizens.

Grants include: •$20,000 to help the Metropolitan Better Living Center deliver food and other at-home services to the homes of elderly clients.

•$35,000 to help Sunbeam Family Services work with senior citizens, especially those experiencing homelessness.

Almost 4,000 homeless in Oklahoma On any given night during the cold month of January, over 568,000 people experience the fear and discomfort of homelessness. In Oklahoma, that number is estimated at 3,944 While homelessness rates fell between 2007 and 2019, the problem has started to increase again. According to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, in 2017, the U.S. began seeing a rise in homelessness year over year for the first time since the most devastating part of the housing crisis in 2010.

Homelessness also has a disproportionate effect across the nation. California, for example, saw a substantial 16% increase in 2019 over 2018. Cities also seem to struggle the most with a lack of housing for the most vulnerable. More than half of all homeless people (53%) are in the 50 largest U.S. cities.

While these numbers are alarming, they likely understate the true size of the problem. The very nature of stigma around homelessness makes people less likely to report how insecure their housing is.

The past year has been challenging for low-income workers as a result of COVID-19. Those who were already at risk for homelessness find themselves in a difficult position. The alarming rise in joblessness, combined with soaring housing and rental prices, means that many people are suddenly unable to pay for their living situations. As a result, 2020 could see the biggest rise yet as lower-income individuals and families grapple with joblessness in the face of the pandemic.

The potential dramatic rise in homelessness during 2020 could make already complicated housing policies even worse.

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 • December 31, 2020 • Edmond Life & Leisure