Edmond Life and Leisure - June 1, 2023

In This Issue

FOUR SEASONS

Big Rigs a comin’!

Touch-A-Truck this Saturday

See Page 11

FRIDAY, June 2

Scattered Thunderstorms

High 82° Low 66°

SATURDAY, June 3

Scattered Thunderstorms

High 81° Low 65°

SUNDAY, June 4

Scattered Thunderstorms

High 81° Low 63°

Edmond Electric is bringing back the annual TouchA-Truck event on Saturday, June 3, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. in University of Central Oklahoma parking lot #6.

Touch-A-Truck is a fundraising event benefiting The Hope Center of Edmond, allowing kids of all ages to experience life-size vehicles and interact with community support leaders like law enforcement officers, firefighters, lineworkers, and others from local businesses. Families will have the very unique opportunity for hands-on exploration of the many City of Edmond vehicles such as fire trucks, police cars, an Edmond Electric bucket truck, a solid waste truck, plus more from the community like tow trucks, storm tracker vehicles, hot air balloons, and construction equipment.

Admission for the Touch-A-Truck event is a suggested $2 donation with all proceeds going to The Hope

Center of Edmond to benefit residents in need. The last event displayed more than 30 different vehicles, a helicopter, kid-friendly characters, and face painting for kids to enjoy and raised $6,500 for The Hope Center of Edmond.

Continuing in 2023, there will be a “quiet hour” from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. to accommodate those sensitive to loud noises. During this time, no horns or loud music will be allowed.

To find out more about the event visit edmondelectric.com/touchatruck, or contact Hannah Stewart with Edmond Electric at 405-216-7462 or Hannah.Stewart@ edmondok.gov.

And for more events, please see Calendar of Events, Page 6.

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.

Elaine’s trip to Italy

PHOTOS BY MELINDA INFANTE

Lawmaker looks back at session

By: Collin Duel

The Legislature officially finished business on Friday, May 26, at 5 p.m. The Oklahoma Constitution states that the Legislature's regular session shall be "adjourned sine die not later than five p.m. on the last Friday in May of each year."

propriations bill, House Bill 1004X, passed the House on Wednesday.

The largest area of the budget continues to be education, at $5.65 billion. Public K-12 schools are funded at the highest level in state history, $3.97 billion.

Duel

We've had a very successful session and passed bills covering everything from education to election protection to economic development.

Session started with 1,901 House Bills and 1,191 Senate Bills filed ahead of deadline. In the end, we passed over 370 House and Senate Bills onto the governor during the regular session, in addition to 90 bills filed in our concurrent special session, which we called to consider bills related to the Fiscal Year 24 budget and federal COVID relief appropriation.

So far, over 280 bills have become law through the governor's signature or through a veto override, which requires a 2/3 vote from each chamber.

We passed our budget and ARPA bills during our concurrent special session, which allows us to come back to override any vetoes on those bills if needed.

The legislatively-appropriated budget takes months to prepare and is based on input from dozens of public legislative budget hearings, the governor's executive budget proposals, hundreds of publicly available agency budgets and requests, and all citizens through their elected representatives, who each serve on budget committees.

We approved our state budget for Fiscal Year 24 this week. The entire budget is appropriated through dozens of bills, but the general ap-

Our historic education plan increases common education appropriations by $625 million annually and creates a tax credit program with a Fiscal Year 2024 cap of $155 million, which climbs to $255 million for Fiscal Year 2026.

Higher education receives just over $1 billion, including a $130 million state appropriation increase, as well as a $48.9 million increase to faculty salaries, $20 million for the expansion of engineering programs, and $17.4 million for the state's scholarship program and teacher employment incentive program.

Health remains the second largest area of investment at 18.2% of the budget; included in that is SB33X. It provides $10 million for home-based services for developmentally disabled individuals and $5.6 million for the Child Abuse Multidisciplinary Account. Investing in these services strengthens the fabric of our communities, and I am thankful to see it included in the budget.

With my first session nearly behind me, I'm thankful for all that I've learned about the legislative process this year, and I'm excited to use the knowledge and skillset I've gained this year to continue to serve District 31!

I am thankful and honored that the constituents of House District 31 have entrusted me with the responsibility of serving in the Oklahoma House of Representatives. As always, please do not hesitate to reach out to me with any concerns at 405-5577350 or collin.duel@okhouse.gov.

Rep. Collin Duel, a Republican, serves District 31 in the Oklahoma House of Representatives, which

City of Edmond issues warning on possible water from OKC

A potential purchase of water from the City of Oklahoma City could require Edmond residents who require the use of a home kidney dialysis machine to adjust their method of operation.

Edmond’s water supply consists of two primary sources and a secondary source. The primary sources are surface water from Arcadia Lake and well water from the Garber-Wellington aquifer. The secondary source is treated water purchased from Oklahoma City and may be used during the summer months.

Oklahoma City water, if necessary, will not be purchased any earlier than 30 days from the date of this notice. City of Edmond Water Resources officials want to advise residents of the purchase because some home dialysis machines may need adjustment due to the different disinfection system used by Oklahoma City.

Although residents typically do not notice any change, kidney dialysis machines may require a different method of operation.

Oklahoma City uses chloramines and Edmond uses chlorine, which is termed “Free” chlorine, for disinfection. Both disinfecting processes meet all state standards and are accepted industry-wide.

When bringing in smaller amounts of Oklahoma City water, Edmond uses the connection located on the southwest side of town. Water is de-

livered to a large ground tank and then pumped back out as needed. The Oklahoma City water used from this location is diluted with Edmond “Well” water.

In the event Edmond needs to bring in large amounts of water, there is a connection and pump station in northwest Edmond. This facility can accommodate up to 15 million gallons of water per day. If it becomes necessary to utilize this facility then Edmond can, if needed, convert the chloramine disinfectant back to the “Free” chlorine state, or use it as it is.

Water Resources Department personnel are contacting hospitals and other medical facilities to advise them of the potential purchase of Oklahoma City water. Personnel are also calling residents that are known to use home kidney dialysis.

Residents are encouraged to advise the Water Resources Department if they have a medical condition that would warrant notification prior to a change. To report a medical condition, call 405-216-7811 between the hours of 7:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Monday-Thursday and 7:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m. on Friday.

Also, fish aquariums with filters may require a different method of operation due to the chloramine disinfection process. Fish owners are urged to contact their local pet store for instructions.

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.

Sculpture Park site plan OK’d

The Edmond City Council meeting was a long one last week. My clock showed it was over 5 hours of hard work by the council. Taxpayers will tell you they want transparency in government, and they sure got a chance to see how the sausage was made during the council’s discussion and ultimate approval of the developing sculpture park, Uncommon Ground.

The park will be donated to the City of Edmond by a trust. They were asking for only nine variances and the approval of the site plan so construction can get started. There are over 40 sculptures in storage that have been selected with more to come.

The discussion between city council members, city staff and the developer were all riveting subjects that kept you on the edge of your seat, not. They included setbacks, drainage, retention ponds, right of way, easement, fences, and more. The temptation for me was to scream that this whole project has not cost the city any money and is going to be donated. It is a project that Edmond could never do on its own and without so much donated time and resources. “Just approve the damn variants and consider the city lucky to have this project”, was running through my mind.

The other side of my rant is that these things must be done correctly and if not set straight in the first place, can go sideways down the road. Hours of piecing together all the facts and figures and getting a clear understanding of how both the developer and the city will move forward is important. Those of us in private business tend to move quicker and make faster decisions. Doing things my committee tends to be like herding cats or in this case turtles. They got through it, and it passed with the project able to move forward.

I just hope the philanthropic folks behind this project do not throw up their hands and decide to do something else with this property. I will say the homeowners nearby seem to understand what a value it will be to them. The property is zoned for high density housing which could be built with no variances asked for and I am sure nearby property owners would much prefer the park.

Here is some history on Uncommon Ground:

The property is located on land on Second Street just west of Coltrane here in Edmond.

As we reported last August, a long

time Edmond art lover and philanthropic resident came to Edmond attorney Randel Shadid and wanted help to purchase a piece of land he owned an option on. His vision for the piece of land was to build a sculpture park for Edmond to enjoy and have access to. Shadid had been thinking about such a park himself but had a different piece of land in mind. It was a family-owned ranch with an incredible history as a horse ranch and Shadid thought would be a better fit for such a park.

A couple of years later, the land was purchased. The plan was for the property to be operated through a foundation much like the Gathering Place in Tulsa. It was hoped that many characteristics of this new park would be like the Gathering Place but not to that scale. The Gathering Place is a 100acre piece of land along the Riverfront in Tulsa that was completed in 2018.

Progress has continued at the Edmond property. Dirt work and pad sites have been cleared for the sculptures. The property owner has now brought together the "dream team” including Scott Howard of HFSD Landscape Architecture to do the layout and planning of the entire 62 acres. Rand Elliott is the architect for the buildings that will go on the property. Ackerman McQueen, an internationally recognized advertising agency based in Oklahoma City, will help provide communications and branding support. Without a doubt, this is a first-class park that will eventually be turned over to the city of Edmond and run by the foundation much like The Gathering Place.

A piece titled "Valley of the Horses” done by sculpture Paul Moore will greet visitors as they enter the park. Admission to the park is expected to be free to the public. This project will become a crown jewel of Edmond.

Features will include play areas for

the kids, event meadows, a dog park, ponds, splash pad, trails, and an amphitheater for small events. It is hoped that the trail system at The Uncommon Ground will tie into the City of Edmond Spring Creek trail which continues to other parts of the community. On the site of the original home for the family horse farm is going to be the visitor center. It will be called the Glass House and as the other buildings on the property were designed by Elliot. Another great area is called the Horseshoe Pavilion and will feature picnic tables, seating and outdoor fire pits for evening activities.

Elliot has taken not only the history of the old ranch into account for his design work but also the importance of the Cross Timbers Forest. It has a good amount of history and importance and much of the land will be preserved in that forest. One of the sculptures purchased is called the Birds Nest. It will be in the middle of the roundabout that is at the front of the property. Visitors will be able to climb to the top of the piece which will give them a view above the tree line and enable them to see a true bird’s eye view of the property.

Thousands of new trees will be planted in the park replacing many of the existing diseased or fallen trees. The removed trees are being made into wood chips to be used for walking paths and mulch. A plan for sustainable tree growth and maintenance will be implemented. The plan is to include locally produced/sourced trees, plantings, and other materials available within the State of Oklahoma. Various sizes and colors of stone will be utilized in retaining walls, pathways and as inert mulch in planting beds. Perennial flowers will be planted for seasonal color and to pollinate for a natural habitat.

There are restaurant sites as part of the plan overlooking the small lake and park. Discussions are taking place now with different local restaurant groups as to what would be a good fit for the area. There is no doubt that the restaurants selected will be as well thought out as the planning for the entire park. Income from the commercial use of these acres will be used to help provide for maintenance of the park.

The Uncommon Ground Sculpture Park is committed to being a good neighbor. The planning has considered the community’s lifestyle as well as considerate of the land/sustainability. Existing structures on site will be renovated where possible. For example, the historic horse barn will be repurposed as the equipment maintenance barn. Recycled steel pipe will be repurposed for structures and Corten steel will be used which requires no painting or repainting. Prefabrication will be used where possible to reduce on-site construction time.

Sound and Visuals

The design team will have an acoustician who will help design controls and solutions to dissipate sound from park activities. Events will have scheduled times that will be posted on the park website so the neighborhood will be informed.

A substantial perimeter earth berm will be built on the site adjacent to residential areas and streets to provide additional sound control and visual screening where possible. Currently parking for four hundred is available on site. If more parking is needed for certain events a shuttle service will be provided to offsite locations.

This is a blessing for our community that will be enjoyed for decades to come.

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

“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.

Ray Hibbard

A drawing of the park entrance.

Metro man reflects on Navy service

Petty Officer 3rd Class Stephen Hunt a native of Oklahoma City, serves in Japan aboard a U.S. Navy warship.

Hunt attended Moore High School and graduated in 2016.

Hunt joined the Navy four years ago.

“I joined the Navy so I could see the world,” said Hunt. Today, Hunt serves as an electronics technician aboard USS Chief. Skills and values learned in the Navy are similar to those found in Oklahoma City.

“I come from a city with a small-town feel, which helped me get a sense of the Navy community,” said Hunt.

USS Chief is an amphibious warship. These types of ships embark, transport and land U.S. Marines for a variety of warfare missions. Because of their inherent capabilities, these ships have been and will continue to be called upon to support humanitarian and other contingency missions on short notice, according to Navy officials.

As a member of the Navy, Hunt is part of a world-class organization focused on maintaining maritime dominance, strengthening partnerships, increasing competitive warfighting capabilities and sustaining combat-ready forces in support of the National Defense Strategy.

“The Navy is important to national defense because at the end of the day it's really the Navy that will prevent our enemies from getting to the United States.,” said Hunt.

Hunt serves in Japan as part of the Forward Deployed Naval Forces. These naval forces operate with allies and partners to preserve a free and open Indo-Pacific region. Service members in this region are part of the U.S. Pacific Fleet, which has the largest area of responsibility in the world.

“As the largest force in our nation’s front line against revisionist actors, U.S. Pacific Fleet meets this great responsibility with strength, resolve and confidence," said Adm. Samuel Paparo, U.S. Pacific Fleet Commander. "Together with our joint and combined partner operations, we are positioned to defend - across all domains - any attempts to threaten our nation, our allies and partner’s security, freedom and well-being."

Hunt and the sailors they serve with have many opportunities to achieve accomplishments during their military service.

“I am most proud of being able to have the technical knowledge to solve equipment malfunctions on the ship while underway at sea,” said Hunt.

As Hunt and other sailors continue to train and perform missions, they take pride in serving their country in the United States Navy.

“Serving in the Navy means showing our allies that we're here for them,” said Hunt. "Recently we went to Okinawa and the people of Okinawa really showed their appreciation."

Hunt is grateful to others for helping make a Navy career possible.

“I would like to thank my parents,” added Hunt. "They were really supportive of me. Also, my recruiter, Toni Knight, was very helpful in navigating my way and helping me understand the process."

‘The Navy is important to national defense’

Stephen Hunt of the U.S. Navy

(Editor’s Note: The following arrest reports are provided by the Edmond Police Department. Guilt or innocence is determined in a court of law. Also, CDS is controlled dangerous substance; APC is Actual Physical Control; DUI is driving under the influence.)

May 15

Susan Lynn Oden, 52 of Oklahoma City. Shoplifting.,

John Christopher Bauman, 38 of Edmond. Operate (DUI or APC) a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol and driving with license canceled, suspended or revoked.

May 16

Tony Samuel Puckett, 33 of Nichols Hills. Carrying a weapon under the influence of alcohol and operate (DUI and APC) a motor vehicle with a blood alcohol content level of .15 or more.

Malaki Thomas Scruggs, 32, of Edmond. No proof of insurance and driving while privilege is canceled, suspended, denied or revoked.

Claudia Alejandra Byers, 38 of Edmond. Non assault resisting an officer and public intoxication.

May 17

Ralphael Andrew Hill, 23 of Edmond. (Felony) Domestic abuse assault & battery and two counts of assault &/or battery with a deadly weapon.

Joshua Jerome Wilhoit, 32 of Newalla. Public intoxication.

Kevin Murphy Reeves, 35 of Edmond. Expired tag of over three months and driving while privilege is canceled, suspended, denied or revoked.

Scott Gregory Hook, 59, of Saint Louis Park, Minn. Operate (DUI or APC) a motor vehicle with a blood alcohol content level of .15 or more.

Vince Laray Vaughns, 40 of Yukon. Public intoxi-

cation.

May 18

Kaylan Louise Lowery, 32 of Edmond. Operate (DUI or APC) a motor vehicle with a blood alcohol content level of .15 or more.

Syna Monett Cornelious, 43 of Edmond. (Misdemeanor) domestic abuse assault.

Jeremy Jay Lashley, 45 of Edmond. Two counts of failure to appear.

Ashley Ann Franklin, 27 of Bethany. Driving while privilege is canceled, suspended, denied or revoked and operating motor vehicle with improper equipment.

Tyleecia Pamela Mays Delaney, 22 of Oklahoma City. Failure to appear.

Breana Lauren Roberts, 33 of Edmond. Four counts of failure to appear, no proof of insurance, driving while privilege is canceled, suspended, denied or revoked and no tag – improper tag.

Bradleigh McCall Wolf, 28 of Edmond. Possession of drug paraphernalia and public intoxication.

May 19

Cody Dale Altmiller, 26 of Edmond. Public intoxication.

Dirt Odell Roberts, 46 of Edmond. Public intoxication.

May 20

Daniel Lee Steeds, 39 of Oklahoma City. Operate (DUI or APC) a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol.

Hall Dewitt Milton, 63 of Edmond. Five misdemeanor warrants, three felony warrants and public intoxication.

Janay Tiera Jackson, 31 of Edmond. Misdemeanor warrant.

Danny Dwayne McConnell, 40 of Oklahoma City. Public intoxication.

Randall Coy Grifford, 52 homeless. Public intoxication, possession of marijuana, non-assault resisting officer and trespassing after being warned.

Tory Lynn Scott, 26 of Edmond. Public intoxication.

K. Two Sam, 31 of Edmond. Public intoxication.

May 21

Cody Joe Hooks, 34 of Edmond. Felony warrant and public intoxication.

Patrick Pearson, 37 of Edmond. Public intoxication.

Eric Alexander Guerra, 27 of Altus. Public intoxication.

Kaylee Nicole Newman, 19 of Oklahoma City. Public intoxication.

Mazi Cole Watson, 19 of Edmond. Public intoxication.

Benton Wade Rector, 23 of Edmond. Public intoxication.

Ryan Matthew Deas, 21 of Edmond. Public intoxication.

Ronnell Amir Banks, 23 of Edmond. Public intoxication.

Madeline Elisa Prevo, 20 of Edmond. Public intoxication and false representation to an officer.

Efren Lugo Medrano, 69 of Oklahoma City. Public intoxication, obstruction of police officer, false personation of another and two felony warrants.

Charles Williams Dory, 19 of Edmond. Public intoxication.

Malaki Scott Hesby, 20 of Edmond. Public intoxication.

Hali Rose Anna Lanke, 20 of Edmond. Public intoxication.

Michelle Lynn Esker, 39 of Midwest City. Felony warrant.

Reaudrey E’Charae Maxwell, 31 of Edmond. Driving while privilege is canceled, suspended, denied or revoked.

Weekend calendar, June 1-4

What’s Happening This Weekend June 1-4

---- In the Gallery ---- Tiny, But Mighty! Exhibit ---- Unveiled: Edmond’s Bridal Fashion 1875 ---2020 ---- Beginners Pickleball Club ---- Farmer’s Market ---- Lance Graves International Barrel Race ---- Concert in the Park

VIBES: Downtown Edmond’s Art Experience

Edmond Electric Touch-a-Truck

Yoga + Beer

Edmond Bike Night ---- Heritage Table: Immigrant Heritage Month ---- Kids Take Over the Cowboy: Desert Life

Signature Tour ---- Red Earth Festival ---- OKC Broadway presents: Hamilton ---- Redbud Spectacular Horse Show

Night Market ---- Bluegrass, BBQ & Brews ---- Oklahoma Craft Beer Festival ---- All-American Kid’s Fishing Derby ---- Guthrie Motorcycle Swap Meet ---- Red Brick Nights ---- 10 Minute Opera Festival

Extra Information

In the Gallery

Location: Edmond Fine Arts Institute

Extra Info: Thu, Jun 1: Herb Graves Gallery Opening; Free; 5 – 8 p.m.; Featuring the art of Herb Graves; edmondfinearts.com

Tiny, But Mighty! Exhibit

Location: Edmond Historical Society & Museum

Extra Info: Wed, Oct 5 – Thu, Aug 31, 2023; edmondhistory.org

Unveiled: Edmond’s Bridal Fashion 1875 – 2020

Location: Edmond History Museum

Extra Info: Wed, Mar 1 – Fri, Dec 1; visitedmondok.com

Beginners Pickleball Club

Location: Kickingbird Pickleball Center

Extra Info: Sat, May 6 – Sat, Dec 30; 8 – 10:30 a.m.; Free; edmondok.com

Farmer’s Market

Location: Festival Market Place and Farmers Market

Extra Info: Sat, Apr 15 – Sat, Oct 28; 8 a.m. – 1 p.m.; edmondok.gov

Lance Graves International Barrel Race

Location: Lazy E Arena

Extra Info: Thu, Jun 1 – Sun, Jun 4; lazye.com

Concert in the Park

Location: Hafer Park

Extra Info: Thu, Jun 1; Free; 6:15 – 9 p.m.; edmondok.gov

VIBES: Downtown Edmond’s Art Experience

Location: Downtown Edmond

Extra Info: Thu, Jun 1; Free; 5 – 9 p.m.; edmondvibes.org

Edmond Electric Touch-a-Truck

Location: University of Central Oklahoma

– UCO Nigh Center

Extra Info: Sat, Jun 3; 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.; suggested $2 donation; edmondok.com

Yoga + Beer

Location: American Solera – Icehouse Project

Extra Info: Sat, Jun 3; Free; 11 a.m. – 12 p.m.; americansolera.com

Edmond Bike Night

Location: Festival Market Place and Farmers Market

Extra Info: Tue, Jun 6; 6 ---- 8 p.m. Free; edmondbikenight.com

Heritage Table: Immigrant Heritage Month

Location: National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum

Extra Info: Thu, Jun 1 – Sun, May 28; 1 ---- 2 p.m.; nationalcowboymuseum.org

Kids Take Over the Cowboy: Desert Life

Location: National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum

Extra Info: Sat, Jun 3; 10 a.m. ---- 12 p.m.; nationalcowboymuseum.org

Signature Tour Location: National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum

Extra Info: Sat, Jun 3 – Sun, Jun 4; 1 ---- 2 p.m.; nationalcowboymuseum.org

Red Earth Festival Location: National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum

Extra Info: Fri, Jun 2; 9 a.m. ---- 6 p.m.; nationalcowboymuseum.org

OKC Broadway presents: Hamilton Location: Civic Center Music Hall

Extra Info: Wed, May 24 – Sun, Jun 4; Evening performances: Tue – Thu: 7:30 p.m.; Fri – Sat: 8 p.m.; Sun: 7 p.m.; Afternoon performances: Thu –Sat: 2 p.m.; Sun: 1:3o p.m.; okcbroadway.com

Redbud Spectacular Horse Show

Location: Oklahoma State Fair Park

Extra Info: Thu, Jun 1 – Sun, Jun 11; okqha.org

Night Market Location: Scissortail Park

Extra Info: Fri, Jun 2; 5:50 – 10 p.m.; scissortailpark.org

Bluegrass, BBQ & Brews

Location: Riversport OKC

Extra Info: Sat, Jun 3; Adventures Hours & Beer

Specials & BBQ: 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.; Cornhole Tournament: 1 p.m.; Live Music: 2 – 5 p.m.; riversportokc.org

Oklahoma Craft Beer Festival

Location: Oklahoma State Fair Park

Extra Info: Sat, Jun 3; VIP Session: 1 – 4 p.m.;

General Admission: 6 – 9 p.m.; okcraftbeerfestival.com

All-American Kid’s Fishing Derby

Location: Arcadia Lake

Extra Info: Sat, Jun 3; 8 a.m. – 12 p.m.; edmondok.gov

Guthrie Motorcycle Swap Meet

Location: Logan County Fairgrounds

Extra Info: Sat, Jun 3 – Sun, Jun 4; Sat: 9 a.m. – 4 p.m,; Sun: 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.; guthrieswapmeet.com

Red Brick Nights

Location: Oklahoma Ave & Wentz Ave, Guthrie, OK

Extra Info: Sat, Jun 3; 5 – 11 p.m.; facebook.com

10 Minute Opera Festival

Location: University of Central Oklahoma Jazz Lab

Extra Info: Sun, Jun 4; $25; 7 p.m.; operaontap.org

Bill targets non-citizens buying land in the state

In an overwhelming vote, the Senate gave its final approval to Senate Bill 212 to strengthen the state’s fight against illegal purchases of Oklahoma land by aliens and non-U.S. citizens. Sen. David Bullard, R-Durant, said with the proliferation of land grabs following the legalization of medical marijuana, the state must take swift, definitive action to preserve and protect Oklahoma and its citizens.

“I have been working to stop the foreign takeover of our state by means of illegally purchasing our land,” Bullard said. “To date, they have consumed over 380,000 acres of land. Senate Bill 212 closes the loopholes they are using and adds an affidavit to the process to create a paper trail for law enforcement to shut it down.”

SB 212 clarifies that no alien or any person who is not a U.S. citizen may directly or indirectly, through a business entity or trust, own land in Oklahoma unless otherwise authorized by current law.

The measure requires any deed recorded with a county clerk to include an affidavit executed by the person or entity coming into title attesting that the person, business entity, or trust is lawfully obtaining the

land and that no funding source is being used in the sale or transfer in violation of any states’ laws or federal law.

The bill further requires an affidavit before a county clerk may record any deed. The attorney general would create a separate affidavit for individuals and for business entities or trusts to comply with this legislation.

Businesses engaged in regulated interstate commerce in accordance with federal law would be exempt from this prohibition.

Rep. Justin Humphrey, R-Lane, is the bill’s principal House author, which now goes to the governor’s office.

"We know the grass is greener here in Oklahoma, but we don't need the Red Chinese Communist Party, drug cartels or the mafia coming here to buy up our land to grow black market marijuana that will get shipped to other states or around the world,” Humphrey said. “This measure will help us crack down on this illegal foreign ownership of land in our state through straw purchasers and better protect our citizens. I'm glad to see it pass the Senate with our House amendments."

If signed, the new law will go into effect Nov. 1, 2023.

A look at the housing market

Sen. Kristen Thompson, R-Edmond, with Edmond Santa Fe High School senior, Hannah Haymore, who served as a page for the Senate during the 15th week of the legislative session from May 15-19.

Senate approves bill restoring powers to tourism commission

Appropriations Chair Roger Thompson, R-Okemah, has won Senate approval for Senate Bill 11X, restoring powers to the Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Commission, including the ability to hire and fire the agency’s executive director and restoring oversight of contracts and financial expenditures.

Legislation approved in 2018 transferred most of the powers held by the commission to the executive director, and made the commission an advisory panel only. Thompson said the findings of a report issued last year by the Legislative Office of Fiscal Transparency (LOFT) on spending by the agency examined questionable expenditures and contracts with Swadley’s Foggy Bottom Kitchen.

“I’ve been concerned about this since the LOFT report raising questions about some $16 million in taxpayer funds,” Thompson said. “That same report recommended the restoration of oversight powers previously assigned to the Tourism Commission. I want to stress, this is

not about personalities, this is about policy that will provide a critical check and balance in how taxpayer dollars are used.”

SB 11X modifies the Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Commission by removing its status as an advisory board. The members, appointed by the governor and subject to Senate confirmation, would have the ability to appoint the executive director and set their salary, and could only be removed by the governor with cause. The board would also have oversight of contracts.

Thompson praised the current executive director of tourism, Shelley Zumwalt, who has been working since being appointed last fall to address concerns raised in the LOFT report.

“I have the greatest respect for Shelley and complete confidence in her abilities and those of her team,” Thompson said. “These guardrails will ensure their dedication to transparency and accountability will continue in the years and decades to come. This is simply good public policy.”

UCO ProMedia students win top honors at regional journalism awards

University of Central Oklahoma professional media students won Best Newscast and Student Broadcaster of the Year at the 2023 annual Great Plains Journalism Awards.

The regional contest honors newspaper, web, television and magazine journalists for outstanding stories, photography and design. The eightstate competition included Oklahoma, Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Iowa, North Dakota and South Dakota.

Ben Anderson, a professional media spring 2023 graduate from Edmond, Oklahoma; Trey Guzman, a professional media spring 2023 graduate from Tulsa, Oklahoma; and, Kelly Merka, a professional media fall 2022 graduate from Mustang, Oklahoma, received the Best Newscast award for their leadership of UCentral News election night coverage in 2022.

“The team came together, worked tirelessly that night and pulled off an incredible newscast,” Merka said.

“I could not have asked for a better group of people to work with. This award is not just for myself and

my directors –– it’s for every single person who worked that night to make it such a success and I can’t thank them all enough.”

Jocelyn Schifferdecker, a professional media spring 2023 graduate from Tulsa, Oklahoma, received the Student Broadcaster of the Year award for her investigative work, weather, election coverage and more.

“Whenever I walked into the UCentral newsroom for the first time two years ago, I never would’ve guessed I’d receive this award,” Schifferdecker said.

“I’m so thankful to have the amazing professional media program with the best faculty members who always push me to be better and give me endless opportunities to grow.”

The regional competition included more than 500 entries, with winners and finalists named in more than 70 professional and student categories.

For more information about UCO’s Department of Mass Communication, visit www.uco.edu/cla/departments/mass-communication/.

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

niversity of Central Oklahoma professional media students won Best Newscast and Student Broadcaster of the Year at the 2023 annual Great Plains Journalism Awards in May. Pictured, left to right, Jocelyn Schifferdecker, a professional media spring 2023 graduate from Tulsa, Oklahoma; and, Kelly Merka, a professional media fall 2022 graduate from Mustang.

OMRF names summer scholars

More than two dozen students comprise the largest group of summer lab interns in the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation’s 76-year history.

Those interns include 16 Sir Alexander Fleming Scholars, six Langston University Biomedical Research Scholars and four John H. Saxon Service Academy Summer Research Program students.

“These programs are a win-win for everyone,” said OMRF Vice President of Human Resources Courtney Stevens Greenwood. “Every summer, our labs benefit from these students’ youthful energy and perspective. For the students, it’s a chance to obtain meaningful biomedical research experience while seeing how their efforts contribute to the next amazing discovery.”

Fleming and Langston scholars will arrive in early June and work with the foundation’s scientists on research projects in areas including autoimmune disease, osteoarthritis, cancer and cardiovascular disease. At the end of the eightweek program, they will author scientific papers and deliver presentations to the foundation’s research staff.

The Fleming Scholars program, founded in 1956, is named for the British scientist who discovered penicillin and in 1949 came to Oklahoma City to dedicate OMRF’s first building.

OMRF Vice President of Clinical Affairs Judith James, M.D., Ph.D., and Distinguished Career Scientist Rod McEver, M.D., started their research careers as Fleming Scholars.

The Langston Scholars program, now in its third year, aims to diversify biomedical research in the

state. It is a partnership between OMRF and LU, Oklahoma’s only historically Black college or university. Following the internship, Langston students may continue working with their OMRF mentors on ongoing research projects.

The Saxon program compresses an intensive summer internship into three to four weeks. John Saxon III, M.D., a Muskogee physician and OMRF board member since 2000, established the program to honor his father, a West Point graduate who taught at the U.S. Air Force Academy and was a career Air Force pilot.

The 2023 Fleming Scholars, their hometown and schools are:

Nabaa Al Hashimi, Norman, Norman High School, Princeton University

Katy Beaudreau, Norman, Norman High School, University of California, Berkeley

Lindsay Best, Oklahoma City, Bishop McGuinness Catholic High School, University of Southern California

Chloe Cagle, Durant, Interlochen Arts Academy, University of Oklahoma

Jenna Chan, Oklahoma City, Classen School of Advanced Studies

Gerson Estrada, Oklahoma City, Classen School of Advanced Studies, University of Southern California

Andy Gamez-Rico, Oklahoma City, Classen School of Advanced Studies, University of Tulsa

Bess Glenn, Stillwater, Stillwater High School

Vivian Ha, Oklahoma City, Westmoore High School, Rice University

Anna Hayashizaki, Tokyo, Japan, Westmoore

High School, University of Oklahoma

Austin Lopez, Tulsa, Union High School, Oklahoma Baptist University

Grant McCutchan, Piedmont, Piedmont High School, University of Oklahoma

Carolyn Sutliff, Edmond, Edmond North High School, Bowdoin College

Manu Thomas, Mustang, Mustang High School, University of Oklahoma

Makayla Tillett, Oklahoma City, Putnam City North High School, Oklahoma City University

Danielle Walker, Broken Arrow, Broken Arrow High School, Texas Southern University

Langston Scholars are:

Genesis Dambreville, Moore, Moore High School

Trendon Edwards, Fort Worth, Texas, Fossil Ridge High School

Amari Griffis, Edmond, Edmond North High School

J’Taelii Heath, Oklahoma City, Harding Charter Preparatory School

Faith Porter, Houston, Texas, Hightower High School

Amia Quinn, St. Louis, Missouri, Riverview Garden High School

Saxon students are:

Samuel Jun, Oklahoma City, Casady School, U.S. Air Force Academy

Sean O’Boyle, Steilacoom, Washington, U.S. Naval Academy

Aba Quainoo, Chantilly, Virginia, West Point

Timothy Wright, Millville, New Jersey, U.S. Naval Academy

This year’s stuedents who will be summer lab interns at OMRF.

By Steve Gust

The senior classes have graduated and have moved on to new challenges.

They heard the speeches from graduation speakers and hopefully have been inspired.

I heard speeches like that once myself. Both my college and high school graduations are a long, long way in the rear view mirror.

If I was to speak to graduates, I’d tell them to keep learning and reading. I heard it said that a nice chunk of adults, after they leave school, never read a book again. That’s sad.

Here are some other tips I would give a graduate.

Pay your bills and stick to a budget. This seems basic, but apparently a lot of people don’t do it.

Find a great place to worship. Doing this can help improve yourself. It also allows you to give back to your community. It’s a good idea. It can help give you peace of mind as well.

Think about others. A great lesson to learn is to realize there are

other people in this world besides yourself. A lot of them need help. It doesn’t hurt to smile and be kind. Or you can actually send “thank you” notes to people who have given you a graduation present.

Be skeptical of the government. I’m not an anti-government zealot by any means. But public officials have a way of spinning things. That might be a nice way of saying they stretch the truth every once and awhile. Sometimes they downright mangle it. And remember, there’s a difference in how you feel about the country and how you feel about the government.

Be open to starting a family. This is a great way to leave the world a bit better than the way you found it.

Now, I’d like to say, I’ve always done a good job with the items above. The truth is I haven’t. And that’s probably the last lesson. Sometimes things just don’t work out right and you find yourself down on the canvas.

There’s no shame when you have some bad luck. The shame is when you don’t get up off the canvas and try again.

(Steve Gust may be reached at news@edmondpaper.com.)

Laast week Governor Kevin Stitt signed a historic school choice bill into law. House Bill 1934 makes a tax credit of at least $5,000 available for every family with a school-aged child, with the credit eligible to help offset private school tuition. The credit for private school tuition increases to $7,500 per child in households making less than $75,000 annually. Additionally, parents of homeschool students can claim a $1,000 tax credit per child for online curricula, tutoring, instructional materials, and other qualified expenses. The tax credits will be available starting in January 2024.

HB 1934 is part of a larger education package that includes $500 million for teacher pay raises and other benefits, $150 million for school safety, $125 million for rural and charter schools, and $10 million to improve reading outcomes.

American Federation for Children-Oklahoma Senior Advisor Jennifer Carter, released the following statement following the bill signing ceremony:

“House Bill 1934 will help every child in every family find the school that best suits their unique needs. At the same

time, it will help improve student outcomes and the academic quality of all Oklahoma schools by injecting more choice and competition into our education landscape. This is a great day for families and students, and we are thankful for the leadership and courage demonstrated by our elected officials in delivering this wonderful outcome.

Congratulations to Gov. Stitt and Oklahoma lawmakers for this historic achievement.”

——

The full Senate gave final approval Thursday for Senate Bill 290, which increases pay for election day poll workers. The bill is by Sen. Warren Hamilton, R-McCurtain.

“It is incredibly important that we recruit and retain poll workers as there has been a shortage in recent years,” Hamilton said. “Increasing compensation is the least we can do for these dedicated community members who often work 12 to 14 hours on election day.”

Under the provisions of SB 290, pay for election inspectors would increase from $110 to $225 and pay for judges and clerks would double from $100 to $200.

“Many in my district and across the state are excited about this legislation as it rewards our hardworking election day staff and will hopefully encourage other Oklahomans to fill the spots of those who have retired. I am very pleased that this legislation is one step closer to becoming law, and I hope to see it on the governor’s desk very soon,” Hamilton said.

The bill now moves to the House of Representatives for one last vote. If approved, SB 290 will be sent to the governor for consideration. If signed into law, the new pay scale would go into effect on July 1, 2024.

——

House Majority Leader Tammy West, R-Oklahoma City, today commented on the awarding of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds that will go to local nonprofits to provide long-term housing or care facilities for children and their families.

The House and Senate this week passed House Bill 2943, which appropriates $4 million to Ronald McDonald House Charities for construction of a new home to be located by Mercy Hospital in north Oklahoma City, and $2 million to the Bethany Children's Health Center

Attack by

Senator James Lankford (R-OK), Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND), and Congressman John Joyce, M.D. (R-PA) sent a letter with 82 of their colleagues to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), urging it to withdraw portions of a proposal which would place more stringent vapor emissions requirements on small bulk gasoline plants.

The rule would lower compliance thresholds using plants’ theoretical maximum design capacities, rather than their actual throughput. If finalized, it could drive compliance costs, impact regular service, and during emergencies, choke off supplies to entire communities. As such, the group also suggested the EPA convene a Small Business Advocacy Review panel to engage energy marketers in a conversation about the proposal’s consequences.

“We are concerned with the adverse economic impacts Subpart BBBBBB could impose on small business energy marketers, specifically in rural America and areas subject to extreme weather… We understand that the EPA takes its mission seriously. However, we hope the EPA will be mindful of its statutory obligation to understand the impact of this rule on small

on energy sector alleged

business interests and the American people,” the Members wrote in the letter.

Joining Lankford and Cramer are Senators Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Jim Risch (R-ID), Pete Ricketts (R-NE), John Barrasso (R-WY), Mike Braun (R-IN), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Mike Lee (R-UT), John Kennedy (RLA), Dan Sullivan (R-AK), Ted Budd (R-NC), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), Roger Marshall (R-KS), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Roger Wicker (R-MS), John Boozman (R-AR), Joni Ernst (R-IA), John Hoeven (R-ND), J.D. Vance (R-OH), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), Deb Fischer (R-NE), Ron Johnson (R-WI), Ted Cruz (R-TX), Mike Rounds (RSD), John Thune (R-SD), and Katie Britt (R-AL).

Dear Administrator Regan:

We write regarding the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) proposed rule to revise the current requirements for small gasoline bulk plants under the National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollution [NESHAP Subpart BBBBBB (small bulk gasoline plants)]. We are concerned with the adverse economic impacts Subpart BBBBBB could impose on

small business energy marketers, specifically in rural America and areas subject to extreme weather.

Gasoline is typically shipped to customers daily in cargo tank vehicles that pick-up product at a large supply terminal and deliver a full truckload directly into customer storage tanks. However, some customers, including state and local governments, farmers, ranchers, commercial end-users, and first responders, require a smaller volume of gasoline than a full truckload on an even less frequent delivery schedule. In those instances, our constituents’–small, familyowned companies’–bulk storage plants are used as intermediaries. Small gasoline bulk plants, as well as straight trucks or tank wagons, factor into the small gasoline distribution segment.

If finalized, this rulemaking would require the installation of gasoline vapor balancing equipment for delivering to a bulk storage plant and loading a cargo tank wagon at virtually all small, intermediate storage bulk plants. The compliance costs associated with the proposed NESHAP Subpart BBBBBB rule would make the intermediate storage of gasoline at and its distribution from these bulk plants unworkable. This infeasibility is directly tied to the rule’s proposal to lower the compliance threshold for small gasoline bulk plants from 20,000 gallons per day of actual throughput to just 4,000 gallons of daily maximum design capacity. Since the proposed threshold in the NESHAP Subpart BBBBBB rule is based on a theoretical maximum design capacity rather than actual daily throughput, almost every small bulk plant in the nation would be negatively impacted by its requirements – forcing them to downsize, close, or face the high cost of compliance. In other words, we see this proposal inevitably and implicitly leading to higher fuel costs or the elimination of intermediate gasoline storage at small bulk plants, impacting supply to end users offering vital services to their local communities and potentially cutting off whole communities during an emergency.

Steve Gust

The splendor of northern Italy

By Elaine Warner

If you asked my husband what his favorite place in the whole world (the parts we’ve seen) his answer would be Lake Como. I have to agree. Tucked into the Alps in northern Italy, the shores of this blue, oh-so-deep, glacial lake is dotted with charming villages – a photographer’s delight.

We were signing up for a Viking cruise on the Rhine. There were several pre- and post-trip extensions offered. One was three nights on Lake Como. We’d been to the area before and the chance to go again was just too tempting.

First off, Viking makes everything easy. A driver met us at the Milan airport and, in less than an hour, dropped us at the Grand Hotel Imperiale in Moltrasio, a few miles north of Como.

The exterior of the lakeside hotel is very traditional so the entry into ultra-modern lobby was a surprise. The hotel, which opened in 1920, has gotten a heart transplant. Here and there, particularly in the in-house restaurant, some of the earlier era elegance is in evidence. Our room was a blend of modern conveniences with romantic decor –our balcony opened the room up to a view of hillside gardens and homes.

Only breakfast was included in our Viking package – but the hotel buffet was lavish. Whole tables held fruit, pastries, meats and cheeses, a variety of fresh vegetable (salad for breakfast?), an omelet station, and a frame of honeycomb.

We were on our own for lunch and dinner but that gave us a chance to try several different local spots. The first night we ate in Café Bellini and we, my husband Jack, daughter Zoe, and Edmondite Mark Parkhurst and I, couldn’t resist ordering pizza. Jack and Mark shared a pizza with cherry tomatoes, arugula, mozzarella, and smoked roast veal. Zoe and I split the quattro formaggi (four cheeses) with mozzarella, gorgonzola, taleggio and provola. The gorgonzola added piquancy to the milder cheeses – I loved it.

Italians do everything about food with such panache. The next day we ordered sandwiches to go from an attractive, little bistro, Ammare, in Como. The sandwiches were wonderful but the togo boxes were amazing. White, blue, and yellow –like the decorative tile in the café – it seemed a shame to throw it out.

We had started that day with the trip into Como and a ride up a funicular (fun fact: the popular Italian song, “Faniculi, Fanicula,” was written in 1880 to celebrate the opening of the first funicular up Mount Vesuvius) for a spectacular view of the town from the little village of Brunate. Our guide was a talented raconteur who made the history of Como, from 1st century B.C.E. Roman colonization through the centuries, fun and fascinating.

The historic area of Como is replete with cafes and boutiques with high-end fashions. A main gathering spot is the Piazza Duomo, the plaza of the Cathedral. Como’s Cathedral sits on the site of an earlier church. Construction began in 1396 and continued for 400 years. While the main features are Gothic, there are also Romanesque, Renais-

sance and Baroque elements.

The next day was taken up with exploring the southwest leg of the lake. A local description says “Lake Como is shaped like a man.” On a map you can easily see the trunk and two legs (the head and arms seem to be missing) with Como at the end of the west leg, Lecco at the end of the east , and Bellagio at the crotch. A private boat with our guide picked us up for the first half of the day. We cruised past historic villas, probably the most famous being the Villa d’Este, built in the sixteenth century for Cardinal Gallio, Secretary of State to Pope Gregory XIII. It’s now a luxury hotel complete with a swimming pool which floats on the lake.

Other notable sites included George Clooney’s villa (impossible to see through the thick hedges), Richard Branson’s villa, and Villa Balbianello, an 18th century beauty which has served as a set for movies as diverse as Casino Royale and Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones.

Our guided tour ended in Bellagio. Even in April, the town was packed with tourists – probably hoping to get a glimpse of a celebrity. Waterfront cafes were full of outdoors diners. We made a quick tour of shops along the waterfront. Souvenirs here consisted of silk scarves, watches, and diamonds. I didn’t see a single “My parents went to Bellagio and all they brought me was this lousy tee shirt.”

Varenna is situated a short ferry ride away – on the eastern side of the main part of the lake. It’s less pretentious than Bellagio, but it lacks nothing in beauty and charm. The Passarella, a waterfront promenade, connects the ferry boat harbor with the main part of town. We walked past a number of interesting cafes but were trying to locate one where we had eaten before. Either it had changed or we’d forgotten – finally giving up -- we turned up one of the many staircases up the hillside.

Fortunately we found a beautiful little outdoor restaurant overlooking the lake. The view from wisteria-draped pergolas added to the ambiance. The menu was limited and the prices raised our eyebrows, but we were too tired to leave. We settled for sandwiches and Coke Zero – probably earning ugly American points – but the serenity of the scene was worth the price.

Thanks to dawdling over lunch and difficulty with the ferry schedules, we had to skip a planned stop in Argegno for gelato at Zoe’s, a favorite (loved the name) from a previous trip. We did enjoy the views from the ferry of attractive lake villages like Tremezzo with its famous Villa Carlotta, now a museum.

Disembarking in Moltrasio, we were ready for dinner and La Vecchina (The Old Lady) was nearby. We were leaving early the next morning and needed to pack and knew if we went to the hotel we wouldn’t want to come out again. Stopping here was one of our best decisions. The food was excellent – I ordered spaghetti. Having seen the portions coming out of the kitchen, I requested a half-portion. With the simplest ingredients (spaghetti, cherry tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, fresh basil, olive oil, salt and pepper) the dish was perfection.

We ended with gelato – each ordering a different flavor and sharing. It was a sweet finale to a wonderful, if too short, stay.

FYI: You’ll be seeing more articles about our Viking voyage. If I could give you one piece of advice, it would be: see Mendy at Prime Time Travel. I booked our trip myself and the phone calls and paperwork were unbelievably time-consuming. There’s no charge for her services and she’ll deal with all the details!

Varenna’s waterfront offers lots of cafes, gelaterias, and benches for enjoying the view.

Myriad staircases lead from the waterfront to the center of town in Varenna

Elaine

From Brunate, 1700 feet above Como, visitors get a bird’s eye view of the city

Lankford continues to look into woes at the border

TUCSON, AZ – Senator James Lankford (ROK), lead Republican on the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Subcommittee on Government Operations and Border Management, was joined by Senator Kyrsten Sinema (IAZ), chair of the Subcommittee, today held a press conference on the US-Mexico border near the Port of Nogales in Arizona.

During their time at the southern border, the Senators have met with Border Patrol agents after the end of Title 42, learned first-hand about the broken asylum process, and toured portions of the border where drugs and human trafficking victims are being moved. The Senators reiterated the need for reasonable solutions to address the broken asylum process that involve the Senate, House of Representatives, and the White House. They also reiterated the ways the criminal cartels are using the new CBP One app to manipulate Border Patrol locations to scatter groups along the border so they can’t possible all be interdicted.

Lankford remains the leading voice in the Senate to secure our southern border, end catch-andrelease, and fix the broken asylum process. Lankford got Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas to admit that our asylum process is broken and being abused and that our entire immigration process is broken.

St. Jude’s tickets

Tickets go on sale for the 2023 Oklahoma City St. Jude Dream Home Giveaway during a live sellathon on FOX25. ONLY 11,000 tickets are available to raise $1,100,000 dollars for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. The house is being built by Shaw Homes in The Preserve at Covell Valley and tickets to win the approximately 2,700 square foot house are available now.

The St. Jude Dream Home Giveaway benefits the life-saving work of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, the world’s premier pediatric cancer research center. For complete information about the St. Jude Dream Home Giveaway, visit dreamhome.org.

For $100, you have a chance to win this brand new home built valued at $550,000 and other great prizes. All tickets reserved by June 1st will be entered to win a $2,500 grocery shopping spree courtesy of Homeland. Winners will be announced Thursday, August 24 on FOX25. We are expected to sell out!

Tickets can be reserved at dreamhome.org or by calling (800) 592-1596

Other prizes include a $10,000 VISA gift card courtesy of the Dream Day Foundation and a new Taos Volkswagen courtesy of Bob Moore Auto Group.

About St. Jude

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is leading the way the world understands, treats and defeats childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases. It is the only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center devoted solely to children. Treatments invented at St. Jude have helped push the overall childhood cancer survival rate from 20 percent to 80 percent since the hospital opened more than 50 years ago. St. Jude freely shares the discoveries it makes, and every child saved at St. Jude means doctors and scientists worldwide can use that knowledge to save thousands more children.

Oklahoma Sen. James Lankforde with Arizona Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ).

Three years in business for Auto Hail

Auto Hail Logistics held a ribbon cutting with the Edmond Area Chamber of Commerce on Thursday, May 25 to celebrate their 3rd Anniversary as a member of the Edmond Chamber at 449 NE 144TH PLACE.

With over 50 years of collective experience, Auto Hail Logistics, or AHL, is excellence defined in the auto hail industry. Specializing in SMART (small to medium area repair techniques) which encompasses Paintless Dent Repair, Auto Hail Logistics provides services to any commercial, retail,

wholesale, or manufacturer customer. Processing over 100,000 claims, AHL has never found a job too big nor to small.

Speed, efficiency, and attention to detail are what separate Auto Hail Logistics from your average dent repair shops. Excellence is expected from each job, and not a single claim leaves the floor without our owners personally inspecting each repaired dent.

To learn more about Auto Hail Logistics, visit https://autohaillogistics.com

State Democrats respond to GOP budget proposals

Senate Democrats issued the following statements Tuesday regarding the GOP’s budget proposal.

“On the 106th day of the 2023 regular legislative session, with three working days remaining, the Oklahoma GOP released a budget proposal, including $150 million for private school tuition vouchers, at least $60 million in unnecessary tax cuts, and inadequate funding for dozens of Oklahoma’s core services, including the State Department of Health and the Ethics Commission.

“Even though we have a record surplus of funds and face unprecedented challenges, Republicans have released a last-minute budget crafted by a small few behind closed doors. Oklahoma families are not asking for vouchers or tax cuts. They want qual-

ity education for their kids, affordable health care, and safe neighborhoods. This budget does not accomplish those goals.” – Senate Democratic Leader Kay Floyd, D-Oklahoma City.

“This budget proposal is just another example of the supermajority's failure to govern despite having every resource available. The chaos of this session has left real Oklahomans behind, whether we are talking about access to mental health services or passing meaningful policies that could improve their lives. Because of inflation, we know agencies with flat budgets are getting a budget cut, and Oklahomans deserve better than that. Our constituents deserve government they can count on.” – Sen. Julia

Kirt, D-Oklahoma City.

Auito Hail being honored by the Chamber.

Disney film surprisingly fresh

By George Gust

Disney has been notorious of late for rehashing their catalogue of classic movies. In the past couple of months, we’ve already seen a mostly unsuccessful reimagining of Peter Pan in “Peter Pan & Wendy” and the much-anticipated nostalgia fueled summer blockbuster in the live action remake of “The Little Mermaid.” But Disney has also made space for some original stories on Disney+ most recently with the streaming release of “Crater.”

“Crater” follows Caleb (Isaiah Russell-Bailey), a boy growing up on a lunar mining colony who after the death of his father, takes a trip to explore a legendary crater, along with his four best friends, prior to permanently leaving the Moon and relocated to another planet.

It’s interesting in a time of endless options for film and tv that original movies like “Crater” are buried amongst the more high-profile releases, even as the movie going public bemoans the lack of originality. “Crater” is a movie geared towards the young adult crowd in the spirit of Netflix’s “Stranger Things” with all the familiar coming of age tropes and fantastical setting. There’s something comforting and in the fa-

miliarity of the story of friendship and adventure that seasoned film watchers will feel is predictable and trite, but for a middle schooler stumbling upon this on Disney+ this could feel more representative of their experience.

While “Crater” isn’t necessarily breaking new ground plot wise, the polished visual presentation, hints of heavier societal themes, and chemistry of the core group of teenagers lifts this movie above the ‘straight to streaming’ patina. For the bulk of the running time, “Crater” is an exploration and adventure

movie full of fun sequences using the lack of gravity and beautifully designed moon setting, but the final act of the film takes chances that you wouldn’t have expected that are both heartbreaking and emotionally resonate.

“Crater” is a direct to streaming movie that is way better than it had any right to be. You can tell there was a lot of effort put into the design and the production of the film. Going into “Crater” one could have (me included) expected a TV movie designed for kids in the spirit of the Disney Channel original movies of years past (“Brink” and “Zenon: Girl of the 21st Century”), but the cinematic ancestors of “Crater” are something closer to “Stand by Me” meets “Interstellar.” If you’re looking for a fresh release amidst the constant deluge of nostalgic big budget releases, you could do much worse than “Crater.”

“Crater” is rated PG for thematic material, action/peril and language. Now streaming on Disney+ 3 out of 5 stars

To reach George Gust for a comment on this review, please e-mail gust.george@gmail.com

Answers on Page 19

‘Crater’ is the new full length coming of age film now streaming

who go on one last adventure

Measure affects farm teens

Rep. Carl Newton, R-Cherokee, this week thanked the governor for signing into law a bill that will allow teens as young as 14 years old who live or work on a family farm to be eligible for a driving permit to go directly to or from home, work or school.

House Bill 1962 becomes effective Nov. 1, which will allow Service Oklahoma time to prepare the new permit.

"Those who run family farms work from dawn to dusk to raise food and other crops to provide for families across the nation," Newton said. "Allowing these responsible teens to be a more effective part in meeting the needs on the farm by using their driving skills in work around the farm or driving to school will be a major benefit for family farms. I've already heard from a number of constituents that this will help them tremendously, and I'm very pleased to be able to offer them this added benefit."

Sen. Darcy Jech, RKingfisher, was the principal Senate author of the bill.

Crossword Puzzle

34. Key component of a loan

35. Highly skilled

37. E in CE or BCE

38. "____ ____ a high note"

39. End of the line

40. Like certain yellowish hair color

42. Compass bearing

43. Ambled 45. Warhol or Samberg, formally 47. Churchill's sign 48. Anna Wintour's magazine

50. "Heat of the Moment" band

52. *Like some seats

56. More slippery

57. Initial bet in poker

58. Popular dunking cookie

59. "Little ____ fact"

60. Simon and Gurfunkel,

Answers on Page 19

PHOTO PROVIDED

on Disney+ following a group of teens

with their friend before leaving the planet for good.

Unique OSU athletic training program

To benefit student athletes throughout the state

In collaboration with the Oklahoma State University Human Performance and Nutrition Research Institute (HPNRI), OSU Center for Health Sciences launched an Athletic Training - Sports Medicine Project ECHO line last week.

“This new ECHO line, developed in partnership with OSU’s Human Performance and Nutrition Research Institute, will allow us to support health providers caring for student-athletes across the state,” said Dr. Johnny Stephens, OSU-CHS president. “More than half of the counties in Oklahoma have zero athletic trainers or sports medicine professionals to aid in the health and well-being of our young athletes.

“The goal is to share knowledge specific to treating student-athletes in order to reduce injury and keep them active and healthy. We are grateful to the Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust (TSET) for providing $4.5 million in funding to OSU-CHS to expand Project ECHO’s lines of care to support more health providers and physicians across the state with the goal of improving health outcomes, particularly in rural areas of Oklahoma.”

Project ECHO provides access to specialty care for complex health conditions, especially in rural and underserved communities where specialists are fewer in number and more difficult to access. Project ECHO brings best-practice health care to patients who normally wouldn’t receive it because of where they live. Instead of moving people, Project ECHO uses a hub-and-spoke telementoring model to move knowledge, so local primary care providers can access expertise to provide high-quality, specialized care to patients in their communities.

The new ECHO line — the first ever to focus on athletic training — will reach athletic trainers and sports medicine providers at schools across the state to give them access to a multidisciplinary team of athletic training, sports medicine, counseling and nutrition experts in a virtual mentoring and educational network through Project ECHO.

The Athletic Training - Sports Medicine ECHO will be held from noon to 1 p.m. on the second and fourth Wednesday of each month. Anyone providing care to student-athletes is invited to participate in the new ECHO, including: athletic trainers, athletic directors, coaches, nurses, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, physical thera-

Arledge & Associates Q&A

pists, rural physicians and school administrators.

Participants will learn about the best practices in the identification, reduction and treatment of sports-related injuries to keep student-athletes active, healthy and expedite return to play. In addition, participants will learn about policy implementation and management strategies to improve outcomes, sustainability and quality of life across Oklahoma. Participants are encouraged to submit cases to the ECHO team of specialists who will review the case and provide feedback, best practices and educational resources which can be implemented to improve care for student-athletes. Athletic trainers will have the opportunity to earn continuing education credit, as well.

Rick and Gail Muncrief Executive Director Lance Walker leads HPNRI. A licensed physical therapist and an internationally recognized expert in fusing sports performance, sports science and sports medicine, Walker has seen significant shifts in the industry over the last 30 years.

Walker said the new ECHO line — the first of

College costs & taxes

By Josh Mullins

three new ECHO lines HPNRI plans to launch — will provide the kind of practical and research-supported solutions that will make a difference for athletic trainers, sports medicine professionals and the people they serve.

“That’s what HPNRI is all about — helping Oklahomans live better lives through a performance mindset. We do that by making connections, providing resources and operating as thought leaders on the cutting edge of the industry,” he said.

“Early in my career, it felt like there were times I was on an island. Getting this level of access to expert guidance from the academic community is a game changer for athletic trainers, regardless of their experience level. This is not a simple profession. Human health is complicated, and athletics presents unique challenges. Project ECHO is going to deliver convenient access to experts, putting the latest, research driven information and tactics into the hands of those who need it regardless if they’re in a metropolitan area or in a rural corner of the state.”

Mullins

As the school year comes to an end, there is a new group of high school graduates getting ready to begin the next chapter of their lives by beginning college.  One part of the college financial puzzle is what options are available from a tax perspective.

Q. Are there any state tax benefits available for college?

A. Oklahoma offers 529 plans. These are college savings accounts that allow taxpayers to contribute to the savings accounts and take a deduction against their Oklahoma adjusted gross income for the amount of the contributions each year.  The annual limit of the deduction is $10,000 or $20,000

for taxpayer’s filing jointly.  Also, the earnings from the investments are excluded from both federal and state income taxes when they are used to pay for qualified education expenses.  These funds can also be used to repay student loans of up to $10,000 lifetime limit per individual.  Also, any remaining funds in the account can be transferred to another eligible beneficiary to use for qualified education expenses.

Q. Are there any federal tax benefits for college?

A. There are two different federal tax credits that are available to be used to reduce your federal income tax expense.  First, there is the American Opportunity tax credit.  It provides for a maximum benefit of up to $2,500 per eligible student.  It is only available for the first four years of post-secondary or

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Fitness specialist Lance Walker leads a class.

Downtown will get another brewery

By Richard Mize Oklahoman.com

Cheers, Edmond! Another brewery and taproom are headed downtown, and city leaders say the more the merrier.

The Edmond Council approved a new Prairie Artisan Ales location at city-owned Festival Market Place, 26 W First St., in an agreement with Edmond native Brandon Lodge's Lap 7 Development LLC as a development partner with the Edmond Economic Development Authority.

Prairie Artisan Ale, owned and operated by fourth-generation Oklahoma brewer Zach Prichard, will be the third taproom and brewery in Edmond's booming downtown, one leg of an "ale trail," city planners said, along with American Solera Edmond, at 129 W Second, Frenzy Brewing Co. at 15 S Broadway Ave., and The Patriarch Craft Beer House & Lawn, at 9 E Edwards St.

"This is my town. I grew up here. It's very personal to me," Lodge told the council at its meeting Monday evening. His career took him away and when he returned, he said, what he found happening downtown "blew my mind."

Downtown Edmond, he said, "is the hottest district in the metro area, which is shocking to say." The heat, he noted, is being brought by local developers and businesses, not by chains, and not as part of a strip center.

Lodge was lead developer of 8th Street Market at 3 NE 8 in downtown Oklahoma City, the city's first urban "market hall," which is also home to a Prairie Artisan Ale taproom and brewery. Prairie Artisan also distributes beer and ale nationally and overseas. Lodge also developed The Icehouse Project at 109 W. Second Street.

"Lap 7 Development will construct a 4,200 square-foot taproom and brewery and Prairie will bring its award-winning recipes and national name to the burgeoning area," city staff told the council.

The new project in Edmond, on a ground lease from the city, is the result of a coordinated push by the city and Edmond Economic Development Authority to capitalize on the boom already underway and enhance it.

City planners and the authority were "interested in further activating the Festival Market Place in downtown to help accomplish the vision of the Downtown Master Plan which is a 'healthy, vibrant

walkable urban neighborhood full of people living, working, eating, playing, shopping, and learning," city staff said in information given to the council.

Prairie Artisan Ales "will add to the dynamic atmosphere being created in downtown Edmond," said Janet Yowell, executive director of the development authority.

Lap 7 Development was one of two responders to the city's Request for Qualifications for developing 5,000 square feet of the 102,000-square-foot Festival Market Place, now a storage building, on a ground lease.

Two city staff, along with Yowell, director of the authority; Stephanie Carel, executive director of the Downtown Edmond Business Association; and Jason Duncan, chairman of the Central Edmond Urban District Board, selected Lap 7 Development to begin negotiating the terms of a ground lease.

Some components of the ground lease bringing Prairie Artisan Ales to downtown Edmond, Oklahoma

The lease is effective immediately, but the term begins Nov. 1. Lap 7 has until Jan. 1, 2024 to begin construction and then a year to complete it.

Term: Initial term is 25 years with five separate five-year options that can be exercised through mutual agreement.

Lease rate: $12,750 annual rent for the first five years, increasing 10% with each five-year extension.

The building will cost a minimum of $1,000,000 with a minimum of $250,000 in equipment or personal property.

Construction shall not negatively impact the operation of the Farmer's Market.

Before commencing construction, Lap 7 must execute a sublease with Prairie Artisan Ales.

Lap 7 may not sell, convey, transfer or assign all or any portion of its interest in the lease without the city's consent.

Indian Clinic hosts walk for wellness

Oklahoma City Indian Clinic (OKCIC), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit clinic providing health and wellness services to American Indians in central Oklahoma, held its annual Walk for Wellness and 5k Fun Run on May 20, 2023, at Route 66 Park at Lake Overholser.

The Walk for Wellness and 5k Fun Run is held each year to promote regular physical activity and provide an opportunity for those in the community to come together and learn about health and wellness.

“Regular physical activity plays a key role in preventing a number of health conditions,” said Matt Drobot, OKCIC’s Wellness Center Manager. “We want to provide a fun way for patients and community members to get active.”

The event was free and nearly 275 people attended. The 5k Fun Run was available for those who enjoy a challenge, and 62 people participated. The first place male and female winners received a special prize. In addition to the Walk for Wellness and 5k Fun Run, attendees enjoyed a community health fair, stickball, archery, free healthy snacks and a Native American dance performance.

Special thanks to OKCIC’s friends, patients and community partners who supported this event: SAPTA Grant, Oklahoma Intertribal Diabetes Coalition, Native Youth Preventing Diabetes Coalition, Adventure Guides, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Oklahoma, Caddo Nation, Community Health Aide Program, Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes, First Americans Museum, Hiawatha Boudin Jr., Oklahoma Indian Legal Services, Oklahoma Metro Chickasaw Community Council, Oklahoma Tribal Engagement Partners, OSU - OKC, Sac and Fox Nation, Santa Fe Family Life Center, Southern Plains Tribal Health

PHOTO/OKLAHOMAN.COM

Downtown Edmond, near the Festival Marketplace, will be the home for a new brewery.

Two of the 275 people who attended the annual Walk for Wellness event held at Lake Overholser recently.

State makes up some funding to nursing homes

Care Providers Oklahoma President and CEO Steven Buck today thanked the Legislature for including in their budget agreement a $47.8 million increase in funding for Oklahoma’s skilled nursing facilities and for Intermediate Care Facilities for Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities (ICF/IIDs). The funding replaces a roughly equal amount of federal dollars made available through the COVID19 Public Health Emergency that will no longer be available starting July 1, 2023, and avoids a steep funding cliff for skilled nursing in Oklahoma. However, Buck also warned that nursing homes and ICFs still provide a large amount of uncompen-

sated care that threaten the financial viability of many homes and may lead to closures. According to OHCA projections, the cost of treating a typical Medicaid resident in a skilled nursing facility is $246 per day. With the $47.7 million in additional state funding, nursing facilities will now be compensated approximately $225 per day per Medicaid resident, a $21 per day deficit.

“The Legislature has averted an outright catastrophe by replacing federal dollars that have been revoked due to the end of the COVID-19 emergency declaration,” said Buck. “That action will likely be enough to avoid widespread closures

New refinery in Cushing

Rep. John Talley, R-Stillwater, last week commented on the news that Southern Rock Energy Partners (SREP) has selected Cushing as the site for a $5.6 billion refinery in Cushing.

"The creation of this refinery is a generational gamechanger for Cushing and the surrounding north central Oklahoma community. The economic impact of Southern Rock Energy Partner's new refinery is the most significant development in Cushing's recent history, and I look forward to seeing the future of SREP in Oklahoma. For the past two years, I've worked with the leaders at the Cushing Economic Development Foundation and the City of Cushing to secure this investment, and I want to thank them for their diligent work and support as we deliver for our community."

The 250,000 b/d crude refinery will process domestically produced light, sweet shale (WTL and WTC) and light, sweet crudes (WTI) into low carbon transportation fuels by utilizing advanced technologies with a zero-carbon footprint.

The refinery project will generate and consume hydrogen as a fuel source, capture and sequester carbon dioxide emissions, generate and consume electricity from waste heat, geothermal, and renewable assets, produce water from waste vapor streams, and recycle and repurpose wastewater.

As a result, 95% of greenhouse gas emissions will be reduced or eliminated, water production and consumption will be reduced by 90% with 80% being recycled and repurposed, 100% renewable electricity will be consumed, 98% of fugitive emissions will be eliminated, and the land footprint will be reduced by 65%.

Cushing, known as the “Pipeline Crossroads of the World” for crude oil, is home to approximately 100 million barrels of storage in the tank farms surrounding the community. The project, announced May 25, is anticipated to create over 400 fulltime jobs. Construction is scheduled to begin in 2024 and operations are expected to begin in 2027.

Architecture firm hires Edmond man

Guernsey proudly announces the newest addition to its team, Omar Khoury AIA, NCARB, LEED AP BD+C as one of four design group directors focusing on Architecture.

Omar, of Edmond, brings more than 30 years of experience to Guernsey, having worked in the metropolitan Oklahoma City area since 1992 at all levels from project manager and designer to principal.

“I thrive in a team environment with the highest level of professional integrity and creativity and where great work is fun,” Khoury said. “I look forward to blending with the Guernsey team and achieving new levels through collaboration, research, analysis and synthesis – all inspired by the creative leadership at Guernsey.”

Mr. Khoury’s work includes numerous educational K-12 and higher education projects at OU and OSU. He

has also been involved on an impressive list of award-winning projects such as the Oklahoma City Civic Center Music Hall, First Americans Museum, Oklahoma City Museum of Art, Oklahoma City Community Foundation, Calvary Baptist Church, First American Title offices and Saint Elijah Orthodox Church.

"We are thrilled to have Omar on our team not only as a gifted architect but as a great person," Guernsey Senior Vice President and Director of the Design Group Jeff Napoliello said. "He brings a different perspective, which will only drive more positive change to an already very successful group of experts, ensuring Guernsey keeps moving in the right direction to meet client’s needs.”

Mr. Khoury founded MODA Architecture in Oklahoma City’s Bricktown in 2008 following numerous years with other firms.

within the industry and provide some sense of stability for most residents and staff. We are grateful to our lawmakers for taking action on that front.”

“However,” continued Buck, “the majority of skilled nursing residents pay for their care using Medicaid. Each of those residents costs their facilities $21 a day in uncompensated care. In the long run, we cannot continue to expect reliable, highquality services unless we can at least match the cost of care for our residents. Furthermore, facilities will not be able to hire and retain qualified workers at the $13 to $15 an hour rate that our current funding levels support.”

Boom Town Creamery arrives

Boom Town Creamery is excited to open their second location in the Edmond community! Boom Town’s mission is to create unforgettable, craveable, and creative ice cream. Ice cream that’s exciting and different. Classic flavors done better than you’ve ever had them, and new flavors that will become your favorites. Boom Town's 24 flavors include 4 limited seasonal flavors and 4 non-dairy options. Everything at Boom Town is made in-house. From the brownies to the hot fudge sauce, we seriously mean everything! All while using as many local ingredients as possible. Our Espresso Crunch uses the Classico beans from Elemental Coffee, and Carmelita Crumble has a house made salted bourbon caramel ribbon made with Same Old Moses bourbon.

More than just creating great ice cream, Angela hopes that the shop will become a fixture in the Edmond community. A place where you can get dessert on date night, celebrate a good report card, or bring your friends when they come to visit. Boom Town has hopes to partner with local schools and organizations to do fundraisers that give back to the community.

To learn more about Boom Town Creamery, visit https://boomtowncreamery.com.

Boom Town Creamery recently held a ribbon cutting with the Edmond Area Chamber of Commerce to celebrate their grand opening at 17 E 5th St.

vocational school and for students pursuing a degree or other recognized education credentials per the IRS.  This tax credit is also partially refundable, meaning that if you don’t owe any tax you may still receive a refund from the American Opportunity tax credit.  The second credit is the lifetime learning credit.  This credit can be up to $2,000 per tax return, per year, no matter how many students qualify.  This is also available for all years of postsecondary education and also for courses taken to improve or provide job skills.  There isn’t a limit for the number of tax years this credit can be taken.  The IRS provides an Interactive Tax Assistant tool to help you determine if you are eligible for one of these credits as well.

Q. Are there other deductions for the cost of a college education?

A. Yes, one other example of something that may be deductible is student loan interest.  There are income limitations that if exceeded eventually phase out the amount of student loan interest deduction.

Q. Any other tax planning issues

around college?

A. Something important to keep in mind, sometimes scholarship or grants may be considered taxable income.  If you receive enough scholarship/grants or something specific that pay for room and board that would fall outside of qualified education expenses and is taxable.  Scholarships and grants are tax free if they don’t exceed qualified education expenses in a tax year.

Josh Mullins, CPA, is a partner at Arledge, the largest locally owned accounting firm in the Oklahoma City metropolitan area. Arledge is a recognized leader in the accounting industry offering practical solutions in the areas of tax planning, auditing, consulting, accounting advisory services and client accounting.

This article contains general information only and does not constitute tax advice or any other professional services. Before making any decisions or taking any action that might affect your income taxes, you should consult a professional tax advisor. This article is not intended for and cannot be used to avoid future penalties .

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Hägar the Horrible

Senate passes paid maternity measure

The Senate approved Senate Bill 16X during special session last week to provide six weeks of paid maternity leave for Oklahoma’s full-time state employees following the birth or adoption of a child. Sen. Jessica Garvin, R-Duncan, introduced the reform at the beginning of the 2023 session and praised her Senate colleagues for supporting the pro-family policy.

“Women are leaving the workforce at alarming rates across the country, and this is just one more incentive to help recruit and retain highly qualified employees to state agencies, so we can improve government efficiency,” Garvin said. “State employees are drastically underpaid compared to the private sector. I know there are a lot of private sector employees who are already receiving this benefit, so this will help the state be more competitive.”

The benefit would be available to state employees who have been on the job for at least two years. Employees would not be required to use their accrued leave for the initial six-week period but could request to use such leave for any additional time off needed up to the 12 weeks provided under the federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA).

Oklahoma currently has nearly 31,500 state employees, and over 59% are women and more than 40% of the state’s workforce are of the age to have children. Employee turnover costs Oklahoma an estimated $110 million a year, and a

majority of those leaving are women.

“As a Republican, we always talk about being pro-life, and this is part of that. We’ve got to support families during and after birth,” Garvin said. “We need to surround them and provide all the support and assistance we can, especially for women who suffer from things like postpartum depression. Those six weeks at home with the baby are imperative to the long-term health of the child and mom, and I’m extremely grateful

for the Senate’s support of this important family and workforce development reform.”

Rep. Nick Archer, R-Elk City, has worked with Garvin to get the reform through the Legislature, and was the principal House author of her original state employee maternity leave measure, SB 193.

“I’m proud to carry this torch with Senator Garvin,” Archer said. “This bill empowers mothers and families, while strengthening our workforce.”