Edmond Life and Leisure - August 10, 2023

Next Heard on Hurd to celebrate back to school!

Edmond Public Schools starts August 17th

Citizens Bank of Edmond’s Heard on Hurd will return to downtown Edmond on Saturday, August 19.

The monthly food truck event and concert series will be on Broadway, between 1st and Hurd. Attendees will enjoy original Oklahoma music as well as a variety of food trucks and pop-up shops from 6-10 p.m.

“August’s Heard on Hurd is one of the best months to attend because the community is back from summer travel and school will have just kicked off,” said Jill Castilla, president and CEO of Citizens Bank of Edmond and founder of Heard on Hurd. “The streets are always filled with friends and neighbors supporting small businesses and enjoying local music. It’s hard to pick favorites, but August is always a great month to be in downtown Edmond and enjoy Heard on Hurd.”

Taking the Heard on Hurd stage this month will be:

Carter Sampson at 6:00PM, featuring songs from the award-winning artist’s new album Gold (which spent months on the Americana Music Charts);

Ross Clayton at 7:20PM, Mc-

Loud-based singer/songwriter as heard/seen on NBC’s The Voice (Season 23); performing original country music, and

KALO at 8:40PM, Oklahoma-based guitarist/vocalist brings “groovesome rhythm and blues meets fiery rock ‘n’ roll” with her fiery electric show of original songs.

Heard on Hurd hosts more than three dozen food trucks every month ranging from BBQ and samosas to pizza and tacos.

“We have been blessed to be a part of Heard on Hurd for the past five seasons,” said Tim Wheeler, owner of Dos Gringos. “Having the opportunity to work alongside the Citizens Bank of Edmond employees and volunteers has been one of the highlights of our food truck adventures.”

Citizens Bank of Edmond’s Community Lobby will feature kids activities including photos with one of Disney’s favorite pairs: Woody and Buzz from Toy Story.

Heard on Hurd was started by Citizens Bank to revitalize downtown Edmond, showcase Oklahoma’s homegrown talent and small busi-

nesses and provide sustainable support to the Edmond Public Schools Foundation. In its 10th season, the event has drawn almost 2 million attendees, resulting in more than $60 million in economic impact and a transformed downtown Edmond small business community. Heard on Hurd was named the Urban Land Institute’s “Best Community Building Effort” and is regularly recognized as one of the state’s favorite events. Stepping into the footsteps of the legendary H&8th food truck festival, Heard on Hurd is now both the nation’s largest monthly food truck event as well as America’s most popular monthly original music concert series.

To find out more about the event, follow Heard on Hurd on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and the website at www.mycitizens.bank/heard-onhurd.

Citizens Bank of Edmond is a nationally renowned, employee-owned community bank operating on the same downtown Edmond intersection where it was founded in 1901. For more information, visit www. mycitizens.bank

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

PHOTOS BY MELINDA INFANTE

Jill Castilla, president and CEO of Citizens Bank of Edmond.

Edmond Republican Women’s Club will meet August 21

The next Edmond Republican Womens Club meeting will be Monday, August 21st, at Oklahoma Christian University on Memorial Road in Edmond. This month we are proud to have State Representative, Preston Stinson, as our sponsor for the month of April. Preston represents the 96th District of the 59th Oklahoma Legislature. He is Vice Chair of the Appropriations and Budget Subcommittee, as well as serving on seven other committees in the House.

We are so happy to have Jenni White as our guest speaker this month. Jenni has a Master's in Biology and has taught public school from the college level to 7th grade. She also taught three of her own children through graduation and scores of others through their homeschool coop. A freelance writer, she has written numerous published articles and technical papers. She has also studied and written about federal, state and local education policy for over a decade, during which time she's also proposed, written, and analyzed education legislation.

From 2017 - 2021, Jenni served as the elected Mayor of the Town of Luther where she helped grow Town funds from $135 thousand to just over one million dollars.

Recently, Jenni was appointed as the Alternate Member of the Okla-

Preston Stinson

homa Election Board. She continues to work diligently to help candidates, especially those who are seeking to serve on local school boards. Her knowledge and experience in election activities is a great asset to all candidates that she mentors.

Jenni and her husband have been married since 1997 and have five children.

Sign-in for the meeting will begin at 11:15 AM, with the buffet being served at 11:30. The food prepared by the OCU catering service has been outstanding. The cost for the meeting and lunch is $20, or meeting only $5. If you would like to make a reservation or would like more information, contact us at ERWC1787@gmail.com. We would love to have you join us.

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 submitted by noon Thursday.

Prize Tomato

The Gibsons know how to grow tomatoes. This one weighed one pound and 9 ounces and is 16 inches around. They grow them in their garden where they live in north Edmond. Darryle Gibson also has black eyed peas, potatos, carrots and tons of other tomatoes. Helping is wife Patsy. He is a retired dentist, they move here five years ago from Guymon to be close to family. The couple is said to be very active and Patsy cans a lot of garden produce and is a great baker as well. He is 90 and she is 87. They are also the parents of renown home designer, Brent Gibson.

City accommodates business leaders

If you are one of those people that believes the City of Edmond does not listen and accommodate taxpayers, this is a case that will prove you wrong. When the city released its street closures two weeks ago for the new city complex building structure, it was a concern for many of the businesses in the downtown area. It was going to have such an impact that some felt they would not survive.

Ray Hibbard

Citizens Bank of Edmond CEO, Jill Castilla, took up the cause and listened to the concerns of many of the area businesses as did the Downtown Edmond Business Association. They organized and took their issues to members of the city council and city staff. The street closings were so severe that safety concerns could have suspended Heard on Hurd that is held March through October and sponsored by Citizens Bank of Edmond. This would have been terrible for downtown Edmond since it was Heard on Hurd that sparked much of the development you now see in downtown Edmond. It put us on the map for residents and businesses alike.

As I said in my column last week, this is a fantastic time for downtown Edmond with over 1,000 new folks expected to be living down here in the next two years. Keeping the infrastructure in place and making it be up to the challenge of that much pressure is going to call for construction projects. However, the business leaders downtown did not want the street closing to cause loss of momentum for businesses that have just located. Running a small business is a challenge even in the best of conditions folks.

Happily, the folks at city hall listened and agreed to make some improvements in the master plan which should be a big help. I know all of downtown is grateful and residents will appreciate it being easier to get around downtown which will keep them coming down through the constructions.

Here is the description of the improved plan: Main and Littler closures (updated): Fencing and preparation for the demolition of the Downtown Community Center is on-going. This will result in the closure of Littler Avenue, between First and Main streets. Previously planned to close, Main Street will reopen Monday and remain open through the end of this year. Beginning January 2024, Main Street will close from the Littler intersection to half a block west of the four-way stop. Those closures will remain in place for the duration of the City Center Complex project work. Several parking areas near the construction site will be closed, including the Littler Lawn parking areas, the east parking lot behind the Planning and Public Works building, and a portion of the City-owned parking lot on the northwest corner of Littler and Main. Closures are anticipated to take 20 months. This may seem minor but trust it is not. This change will be a large improvement for the city complex center to move forward and keep traffic flowing to several small business. We certainly appreciate the business leaders that approached the

city to communicate their concerns and the city for taking the time to listen and help with an alternate plan.

Here are some other traffic updates for those of you who enjoy our downtown area and can certainly continue to do so:

Main Street: Main Street is closed west of Broadway at the railroad tracks to N. Santa Fe Street while work is being completed on the Oxlley multi-family project, as well as streetscape and additional on-street parking on Main Street. With cooperative weather, the street will reopen in early December.

New projects

Water line and alleyway work: Contractors have begun saw-cutting and demolition work in the alleyway between Hurd and Campbell streets. When finished, new concrete will be poured in the north half of that alleyway beginning the morning of Aug. 7. Saw-cut and demolition work on the north half of the alleyway will begin after the initial concrete pouring is complete. The alleyway will reopen Aug. 11, with cooperative weather.

Boulevard lane closures: Boulevard southbound between 9th Street and 15th Street will have intermittent lane closures for water line construction as part of the FY20 Water Line project.

Fourth Street closure: As part of the Stephenson Park improvements project, work on the streetscapes and parking upgrades will have Fourth Street closed from Boulevard to Littler Avenue into September, with cooperative weather.

Completed projects

First Street closure: Concrete work has been completed and the road and alleyway reopened the afternoon of Aug. 3.

Water line and alleyway work: Water line work on the west side of Broadway has been completed and is reopened.

There is a weekly report that provides updates on public and private construction projects, road/lane closures, alternative routes, and other information that is of importance to our downtown community. Anyone interested in getting the email notifications can sign up at https://www.edmondok.gov/list

I just have to shake my head when folks call to complain about traffic and road construction. It is a two-way street, pardon the pun, folks. If there is going to be a traffic issues, then often road construction is the only way to make it better. It reminds me of what my dad used to say when we would get a bump or fall. He would look at it first then say, “Well, it will feel good when it quits hurting.” The pain of the construction will be gone once the effected roads are re-opened.

One of the most common questions we get at the newspaper is why two projects are being done so close together. The answer is usually that federal funding is involved. The path to obtaining federal funding for road projects which results on off setting 80% of the city cost is a long and uncertain one. If your project comes up for federal funding if you don’t take it, then it goes back to the end of the line which no one wants to happen. Even though it might not be ideal with two projects close together the inconvenience is offset by the cost savings.

I spent an entire year traveling this state and visiting fellow newspaper publishers. That was back when most of the papers were locally owned. We were all family and yes, I do miss those days. The oil bust had really done a number of some of these communities, and I don’t think they have come back yet. These are towns that have no traffic problems or construction woes at all. Trust me folks, you do not want to live in a town where there are no traffic problems because that means no growth. For those of you that believe no growth is good, shame on you. Another saying my dad had was, “You are either going forward or backward, there is no such thing as neutral”. This is just as true with a community.

Uncontrolled growth is not good either, but no growth means your community is dying and we do not want that. Once it starts, it is almost impossible to stop. So, try and be patient with the construction and the city when these projects come up. They are trying to make the improvements that are needed but it isn’t always easy on us drivers.

(Ray Hibbard may be reached 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.

Get ‘nutty’ with your cooking

By Carol Smaglinski

Nutrition in a nutshell - that’s the story of walnuts, an instant energy source.

There are so many varieties of walnuts. Some are so hard that it sometimes takes a nutcracker to crack one open, while others have a woodsy covering so thin that a bird could pop it open up with its beak.

Used in so many recipes, I've even read that when cooking smelly Brussels sprouts, just by adding a few walnuts to the boiling water can perhaps take away some of the cabbage odor.

Black walnuts (Juglans nigra) are difficult to get out of their shells without breaking the nut into pieces. But all is not lost, because when the black walnuts are pressed, they produce a fragrant salad oil.

They were native to the eastern part of the U.S., where they were initially cultivated and then in the 17th century, cultivated in Europe.

The most popular walnut eaten today is the English Walnut (Juglans Regia). However, due to their level of polyunsaturated fats, they can go rancid quickly.

Adding them to Chinese stir-fries might be a little unusual, but it adds a bit of sparkle and crunch to the dish. But for the most flavor from the walnuts, heat the oven to 350 degrees and let them roast for about 8 minutes, but stay alert as with the high fat content they contain, they can burn easily.

Shelled walnuts freeze easily with no problem. Just make sure they have not been roasted or salted and they will keep as long as several months if stored in a place that is cold and dark.

In the following recipe, chop the ingredients into 1/2 inch cubes, so each item can be picked up with chopsticks.

And, be aware that the tiny bit of cornstarch used is imperative so that you do not come out with a thick gloopy gravy that would dominate the

recipe and have all of the Chinese dishes you cook taste the same.

Try as we may on our own kitchen stoves, we cannot possibly reach the high temperatures (hot flames up to 700 degrees) that Chinese restaurant cooks achieve in their restaurants, but we can sure try by heating the wok ahead.

In the Walnut and Chicken Stir Fry recipe, the formula makes a light gravy and will show off its distinctive taste of the ingredients. It took me a long time to settle down on the amount of cornstarch and realize that sauces get thicker as they cool. I also had to avoid overcooking in the hot wok, but I soon learned.

Walnut and Chicken

Stir-Fry

Makes 3 to 4 servings.

½ lb. boned raw chicken, cut in small cubes

About a dozen snow peas, strings removed

Dice into ½-inch cubes:

½ cup sliced mushrooms

1 cup chopped cabbage

1 can drained water chestnuts

3 stalks celery

Salt and pepper to taste

1 Tbsp. soy sauce or to taste

¼ cup cold water

Mix: 1 tsp. cornstarch with 3 Tbsp. water

1 Tbsp. sherry

½ cup shelled walnut halves, roasted

Heat a wok until a drop of water sizzles, then add 2 Tbsp. oil and when heated, add the chicken and tir-fry for just a couple of minutes.

Add veggies and the soy sauce. Stirfry for just a minute. Add the quarter cup of water, cover the wok and cook for 2 minutes. Reduce theheat, add the cornstarch slurry and sherry and cook for just a few minutes.

Garnish the dish attractively with walnuts or add them into the mixture and serve over rice or noodles.

Weekend Calendar of Events, Aug. 10-13

What’s Happening This Weekend Aug 10 -13

---- In the Gallery

---- Tiny, But Mighty! Exhibit

---- Unveiled: Edmond’s Bridal Fashion 1875 ----

2020 ---- Beginners Pickleball Club ---- Farmer’s Market

---- Edmond Jr Rodeo

---- Board Game Day at Frenzy ---- Cycle 66 Training Ride

---- Sunday Spotlight: Oklahoma Run

---- All Star Team Roping Finals

---- Oklahoma Shakespeare Presents: Shakespeare in Love ---- Guided Gardens Tour Extra Information

In the Gallery

Location: Edmond Fine Arts Institute

Extra Info: Featuring Artist Katherine Sanders; free; Gallery is open Mon – Thu ; 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.; 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: Sat, Jul 1 – Sun, Dec 31; 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

Edmond Jr Rodeo

Location: Edmond Round-Up Club

Extra Info: Fri, Aug 11 – Sat, Aug 12; Adults: $5; 18 & younger: $1; 6:30 – 11 p.m.; edmondroundupclub.com

Board Game Day at Frenzy

Location: Frenzy Brewing Company

Extra Info: Sat, Aug 12; 12 p.m.; Free; Facebook.com

Cycle 66 Training Ride

Location: Edmond Library

Extra Info: Sat, Aug 12; 7:30 a.m.; Cycle66ok.com

Sunday Spotlight: Oklahoma Run

Location: National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum

Extra Info: Sun, Aug 13; 1 – 1:30 p.m.; nationalcowboymuseum.org

All Star Team Roping Finals

Location: Lazy E Arena

Extra Info: Tue, Aug 8 – Sun, Aug 13; allstarteam-

roping.com

Oklahoma Shakespeare Presents: Shakespeare in Love

Location: Shakespeare Gardens, OKC

Extra Info: Thu, Aug 10 – Sun, Aug 20; Thu & Sun: 7:30 p.m.; Fri & Sat: 8 p.m.; okshakes.org

Guided Gardens Tour

Location: Myriad Botanical Gardens

Extra Info: Fri, Aug 11; 1 – 2 p.m.; myriadgardens.org

(E-mail

During

items for calendar to infante318@cox.net)

the summer heat this visitor comes at intervals from eight in the morning to eight in the evening at the home of Frances Bryan. Sometimes he/she lays on the pavers in the backyard if the sprinkler system has cooled them.

Summer no time to stop going to the gym

By Brian Attebery

Summer vacation is ending as school schedules come out and lastminute vacations are being taken. For many gym goers, fitness took a vacation as heat sored, lake visits increased and generally lack of motivation set in during the “lazy days of summer”. It is time to get back on track and figure out the best way to merge back into the gym.

While the temperature is high, most gyms have air conditioning and fans. I know we keep it nice in my facility. So, you really don’t have an excuse with the heat if you are inside. You still need to drink a lot of water and pay attention to wearing light clothing and take breaks as need be. Regardless of the heat, you need to work back into your workouts slowly.

Most people lift weights 3 days per week. General recommendations are to perform 3 sets of 8-12 reps per body part. I would rest approximately 30-60 seconds between sets to make sure you keep your body moving but also give it the opportunity to feel recovered before you attempt your next set. Bigger muscles will

need a little more recovery between sets than smaller muscles.

Also, if you are in shape, you will find that your heart rate returns down to normal between sets faster than a person who has gotten out of shape. You need to listen to your body and take your time as you get back into shape. Start with only performing 1-2 sets per body part and work yourself back into your workout slowly. There is no reason to try to break world records if you have been out of the gym for a few months or more.

Starting back is also a good time to try an entirely new program. Let’s face it, most of our “weakness” occurs between our ears. Our mindset is the primary driving force behind getting into the gym and into shape. You must try various techniques and motivational tools to keep yourself motivated. I also say, the key is that you do it regardless of your motivation or not. Sometimes you do things just because you know you need to do them. They are in your best interest. It always helps to get new programs and goals established to pursue. I recommend my online and out of area program clients to reach out to me every month for a

new program to stay accountable and focused. Your body also gets complacent with things and new exercises help to keep shocking it into change.

Schedules will change for many people with school starting. When designing a program, factor that in as well. Don’t ignore the reality of traffic patterns, meetings and practices that will occur on one level or another for Edmond. This is true even if you don’t have kids in school. Traveling across town before 6 a.m. is much quicker and more peaceful then waiting until even 7:30 a.m. The same thing applies for traveling between 4 and 6 p.m. being way worse than waiting until after 7 p.m. There may be days that it makes more sense to go early and other days that you can go late. Take advantage of those slower traffic times and throw in a Saturday and/or Sunday workout and you will find that you do have more time than you thought to achieve your fitness goals.

Lazy days of summer need to come to a slow down. Get your health back on track and then cool off in the pool after you made yourself a priority. Take it slow the first couple weeks back, find a partner to join in your fitness goals and work back in together.

Workouts can be fun, and I don’t know anyone that can’t benefit from being healthier. Make the end of summer time a time to get yourself back in the gym and back on track.

(Brian Attebery is a Degreed/Certified Trainer. He owns and operates Results Fitness and Nutrition Center, L.L.C. in Edmond. www.resultsfitnessusa.c om)

Attebery

Review of ‘Meg 2: The Trench’

Filmmakers missed mark with sequel

By George Gust

"Meg 2: The Trench" follows a research team as they encounter multiple threats while exploring the depths of the ocean, including a malevolent mining operation.

"Meg 2: The Trench" is the much awaited (?) follow up to the 2018 surprising success of the overthe-top shark film "The Meg." And when it comes to sequels the rule of thumb is generally to up the stakes while continuing to deliver the parts of the first film that were successful. "Meg 2: The Trench" however does little to build upon the campy fun of the first film, instead jumbling together two different tones between the first half and second half of the movie. Where the first half wants to be a more serious and thrilling movie in the vein of a movie like “Jurassic World” the second half becomes the over-the-top ‘forget physics’ action flick like the silliest parts of this summer’s “Fast X.”

When it comes to leave your disbelief at the door “Meg 2: The Trench” leaves you in the more than capable hands of Jason Statham. In recent years Statham (along with Gerard Butler) has be-

come the poster boy for the 80s and 90s action thriller with his straight-faced delivery and tough guy antics in outlandish action set pieces.

And while Statham can hold together the action pieces of “Meg 2” there is too much Statham and not enough of the shark vs people vs giant octopus that the poster and advertising have promised.

Ultimately, “Meg 2: The Trench” is movie that works on a visceral, so bad its good level, but if

you have higher expectations, it will be let down. The shark action in this film is mostly bloodless and lacks the punch that you would want in this kind of popcorn fare, there are points where the film wants to have the cathartic comeuppance, but when those moments come up, they don’t land the way the film intended, which is an accurate encapsulation of the experience of “Meg 2: The Trench.”

The right pieces are on screen, but the way the filmmakers chose to set up the tone and pacing held this movie back from the full enjoyment of the mindless B-movie enjoyment you would expect in this film.

“Meg 2: The Trench” is rated PG-13 for action/violence, some bloody images, language and brief suggestive material.

2.5 out of 5 stars

Answers on Page 19

Acclaimed Oklahoma City guitarist Edgar Cruz will present an Elm Tree Concert on Sunday, Aug. 20, at the Arcadia Round Barn.

The concert is from 1 to 3 p.m. beneath the shade of the giant elm tree on the north side of the Round Barn. Admission is free but donations are accepted for the maintenance of the barn, which was built in 1898 and is owned and operated by the Arcadia Historical and Preservation Society.

Cruz is a classical and fingerstyle guitarist who has recorded 19 CDS in styles ranging from classical to flamenco to pop to jazz. He is a headliner every year at the prestigious Chet Atkins Festival in Nashville.

Elm Tree concerts are presented three Sundays a month from May through October. Live music at the barn also includes the Round Barn Ramblers concerts from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. every Saturday, and the Round Barn Rendezvous jam session from noon to 4 p.m. on the second Sunday afternoon of the month.

For more information about music at the Round Barn, call Joe Baxter at 405-833-1350.

To reach George for comment on this review or any for others movie reviews, please e-mail him gust.george@gmail.com STATEPOINT

Crossword Puzzle

Edgar Cruz will perform Aug. 20

Insurance advice for back-to-school season

By Oklahoma Insurance Commissioner Glen Mulready

As the parent of three sons—one in undergrad, one in grad school and one starting his professional career, I understand how exciting (and a little scary) this time can be for students and parents. Whether you are a recent high school graduate going into college or a nervous parent getting ready for your child’s first day, it is important to review your insurance policies to ensure your entire family is adequately protected.

As the school year gets underway across the state, I’d like to remind Oklahomans that having proper insurance can provide greater peace of mind and protect your family from financial disaster. Here are insurance tips to help make your back-to-school season go more smoothly.

Home

If your student is moving into a dorm room, your homeowners policy will likely cover their personal property in case of a loss. Ask your child to let you know if they buy a new computer or other pricey items. You should double check with your agent or insurance company to ensure your coverage will cover these items. Students living off-campus should consider renters insurance. This coverage will protect students’ personal property and provide liability coverage if someone is injured on the property. Premiums for renters insurance can range between $13-$30 a month, depending on the location and size of the rental unit and the value of the possessions. A home inventory is always a good idea whether they live on or off-campus. This list of items will make a future

insurance claim much quicker and easier to settle.

Auto Oklahoma requires every car to have auto liability coverage. Auto liability insurance pays for property damage and bodily injury to someone else if you are found responsible for an accident up to your policy’s limits. If the title to the car is in your student’s name, they must have their own policy. If your college student is driving a vehicle you own, your child can likely stay on your policy and be listed as a driver.

If your student is heading to college without a vehicle, you might be eligible for a “student away at school” car insurance discount. Check with your insurance agent or company and let them know where the car will be stored if the address differs from what’s on your policy.

Health

Students have several options for health insurance coverage while away at college. If your children are covered under your insurance now, they will still be covered while at school. Any insurance plan that offers dependent coverage must make that available until the dependent is 26. If you are currently enrolled on an HMO, your child may need to return to your home area for routine care and may have emergency care only while at school.

Many colleges and universities also offer their own student health insurance plans. The premiums and features vary widely from school to school. Check with your student’s school health center to see available coverage options.

Questions to ask

By Steve Gust

Some of these political articles in The Oklahoman don’t mask their progressive slant.

On Sunday, the subject was climate change. The gist of the article was that more and more people are allegedly becoming disciples of the climate change gospel and “let’s all feel sorry” for the people who don’t believe.

The reason for this article? It’s summer and it’s gotten hot.

I don’t remember too many summers when it didn’t get hot.

But there are other good reasons for being skeptical. Most every dire climate thing Albert Gore predicted 20 years ago in “An Inconvenient Truth,” never happened. That came 20 or 30 years after professor Paul Ehrlich’s wrong predictions in the liberally acclaimed book “The Population Bomb.” Environmentalist Greta Thunberg, the Swedish youth, recently had to scrub a wrong prediction off her social media.

Also I remember a friend of mine on social media posting two pictures. They were both of a Florida shore, except eighty years apart. Not one inch of the shoreline was changed.

And if you want more proof, ask yourself why Barack Obama would spend millions of dollars on buying

oceanfront property? If it’s going to be under water in a few years, why would he do it?

A lot of questions need to be asked before we blindly follow the left.

That isn’t the only questionable article I read. The paper had one about Joe Biden and some of the legal questions he faces. One of them continues to be when Biden was vice president and wanted a Ukrainian prosecutor fired. Biden threatened to withhold $1 billion in aid to the nation unless the prosecutor was fired, which he was.

Now the left will defend this by saying that other people wanted the prosecutor fired also. There is also some question if the guy was looking into the Ukrainian energy company that was paying Biden’s infamous son Hunter a ridiculously small fortune to sit on their board.

It doesn’t matter if others wanted the guy fired. To threaten to withhold $1 billion in aid at best is extremely unethical. At worst it’s illegal. And you have Joe on tape admitting to it. And rest assured, folks. You’ll never see that tape on NBC, ABC, CBS, CNN or MSNBC. Never.

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

State Democrats not keen on Stitt’s action

House Democratic Leader Cyndi Munson, D-Oklahoma City and Assistant House Democratic Leader Melissa Provenzano, D-Tulsa released the following comments regarding Governor Stitt’s "Women's Bill of Rights" Executive Order:

“It is not the government’s job to define the identity of the citizens of Oklahoma. Once again, the Republican supermajority continues their government overreach by infringing on the rights of citizens. This executive order is just another attempt to distract from the real problems everyday Oklahoman’s face by using partisan, polarizing politics to divide the people of Oklahoma,” Leader Munson said.

“Governor Stitt should focus on how to improve the lives of women in Oklahoma like addressing domestic violence. Oklahoma ranks third in the nation for women killed by men. Forty percent of Oklahoma women have experienced intimate partner violence, rape or stalking in their lifetimes. And Oklahoma continues to have one of the worst maternal mor-

tality rates in the nation, while continuing to eliminate access to basic healthcare like abortion care. Oklahoma women still do not get equal pay for equal work. Women in our state, on average, are paid just 75 cents to every dollar men are paid. We have much work to do in Oklahoma around the status of women and this executive order does nothing to address those issues,” Leader Munson said.

“It’s pretty rich that a man would feel it’s appropriate for him to define what makes me a woman. Even more so, for the government to do it. This bill couldn’t make it across the line and into law during session because it was fraught with conflict and all but guaranteed (yet another) lawsuit filed against the state for overstepping their bounds and inserting ourselves into the rights and private lives of Oklahomans,” Rep. Provenzano said.

“Instead of a symbolic Executive Order, don’t we have better things to do with our time? Like solving the actual problems that have earned us our ranking of the worst in the nation when it comes to women? Things like equal pay, access to preventative health care, the maternal mortality rate, abortion care and the atrociously high rate of domestic violence women are subjected to in Oklahoma, which has led us to have one of the highest homicide rates in the nation for women. This Executive Order is lip service. Let’s move on to something that will actually make an impact,” Rep. Provenzano said.

Response to complaint by senior golfer

EDITOR

n reading a letter to the Editor in your recent August 3, 2023 edition from Mr. William C. McAlister, I am moved to respond and feel it is very important to set the record straight about several facts surrounding Mr. McAlister’s letter and statements made by him that are simply false.

First, and in full disclosure, I am a sitting member of the KickingBird Golf Advisory Board. I have enjoyed serving the City of Edmond and all of its citizens in this capacity for over ten years. I speak here not in any such capacity, but simply as a private citizen to correct the misstatements of fact given by Mr. McAlister. All facts cited by me below are in the public record of the City of Edmond meeting minutes from years 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023. I was present at all relevant times and have personal, firsthand knowledge of the circumstances and situations distorted by Mr. McAlister’s letter.

Second, Mr. McAlister’s letter misleads the reader into thinking his specific group has been singled out to be forced to play golf somewhere else against their will. This is false. To be clear, the golf course is closed to all golfers for a few hours on Tuesday mornings for routine and seasonal maintenance. This is not a closure that involves the entire day, nor does it involve the entire morning of play. It is merely for a few hours

from prior to the first tee time until about 10:00 am. It is not singling-out senior golfers or one group or any other identified group of golfers—all golfers means exactly what it says: all golfers. The golfers affected primarily by this closure are those who would otherwise reserve a tee time during those times that the course is closed for maintenance. As this is a stated, published and fully-debated policy, this is not a discrimination against Mr. McAlister, his group or any other specific group of golfers. There is no specific or specially-designated group to which this policy applies, other than across the board for all golfers, period. Mr. McAlister’s group of loyal, senior golfers are not specifically targeted by this policy any more than a public library has targeted them by electing to close its doors for a few hours one weekday morning for purposes of weekly cleaning and organizing. Mr. McAlister wishes the uninformed reader to believe that he and his group have been targeted and singled out by a selfish motive by the City of Edmond—this is not correct and is unfortunate that he believes this. He has been reminded of this policy directly and evidently remains disgusted at the result, choosing to belittle and defame the City of Edmond and KickingBird staff publicly instead of simply understanding the sacrifices we all have to make together in order to maintain our industry-leading and regionally-incomparable golf course.

While a Tuesday morning course closure may inconvenience some of the golfing public (indeed, all of those wishing to play golf during those times of closure), and I’m especially sensitive and empathetic to Mr. McAlister and his group, the important issue here that he fails to explain is that this was a policy that was proposed in the public record of the open-meetings of the City of Edmond, made by the staff and approved by the Advisory Board more than one year ago. As part of the approved policy, it was also stated that the Board and staff would re-visit the closure decision at a later time following re-opening to determine if the decision to remain closed for a few hours on Tuesday mornings is needed going forward.

Another point of importance here, and one that is of public record multiple times in the past several years, is that the staff studied the entire revenue and proceeds of the golf course in an effort to determine the best time, place and manner for golf course maintenance. The numbers don’t lie: Tuesdays are the lowest revenue days for the golf course. To have any other day chosen for a maintenance closure would be irresponsible stewardship of the revenue to be generated by the course itself.

Third, Mr. McAlister does a good job in the opening of his letter of making the reader believe that Brian Soerensen (and by inference the entire golf staff) have only one goal in mind: To maximize the revenue and sales tax dollars generated by the golf course. This is disingenuous at best and outright dirty pool, at worst. Brian, Terry Wiles and Brad Jolliff all believe deeply in the the customer experience and the full satisfaction of every person who visits this fine facility. There are no three people in this entire region who take their jobs and their approach to making sure they’re doing the right thing every day more seriously than Brian, Terry and Brad. To have their ethics and intentions called in to question, and Brian's quotes taken completely out of context in an otherwise excellent article published about the course re-opening is troubling to me. To

Shawn Pryor named a ‘Champion of Character’

Radio and television sports broadcaster Shaun Pryor received the award of Champion of Character for flexibility from the Character Council of Edmond on Wednesday, August 1, 2023, at the Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark.

Pryor moved to Edmond nine years ago from Moore, OK. He met his fiancée, Kassie Stevens about that time. He credits Stevens and his son, Riley Pryor, a freshman at Santa Fe High School, for supporting him and providing the freedom for his flexibility.

Pryor describes himself as “flexible, high energy and a go, go, go person.” He loves sports and the Edmond community. He holds three jobs and finds the importance of adaptability in each one. Flexibility requires planning ahead so he can be ready to help others. It also means maintaining a good attitude even when expectations go awry.

Pryor is probably best known for his radio and television broadcasts. However, he also works full time with AZP Multifamily where he is an operations manager. AZP supplies housing development predominantly for apartments. They warehouse and supply them with refrigerators, stoves and repair parts.

Pryor says, “Flexibility is being ready when others need you.” In times of inclement weather, he has a fleet of trucks ready to deliver necessary supplies, including new pipes. On ordinary days he arrives in his Camaro. However, it’s his Tahoe that allows him to work around and plod through the ice glazed streets and freezing rain to meet urgent demands.

Pryor is also a radio broadcaster, and works with the Southern Sports Network, and is a sports analyst for CBS Sports Radio for high school football season. Additionally, he is a host for the OKC Dodgers baseball team, on Bally’s Network and live on Fire and Apple TV.

Pryor says, “You never know what will happen on live radio. It’s hard to be flexible.” While he’s on the air, he sometimes receives questions he doesn’t know how to answer. To avoid dead air, he finds himself stalling or heading for a commercial break so he can Google the information. While it’s challenging it also keeps him sharp.

Inappropriate language is another hazard broadcasters encounter. There

is a five second delay on the radio, allowing leeway to get off the air if there is profanity. Pryor says, “The unpredictability forces your flexibility.”

Television is even more subject to the unexpected. As a host for the Dodger’s games, Pryor walks around on the field with a mic in hand and a TV camera following him. His “Blue Crüe” works with him to interact with the crowd and promote a funfilled-family-friendly atmosphere. They play games with the audience between innings. It’s all high-spirited and they have a good time.

There is a game called, “Stack It,” in which Pryor enlists kids to stack zebra cakes on their nose and hold it for 4 seconds. The Jumbotron picks it up. One day, they had a young man who was shy and a little awkward. Pryor spent about 20 minutes beforehand encouraging him and getting him fired up. He had the best smile and a great voice. The red light came on. He started stacking and won the game.

The unpredictability of 15-yearold…in the excitement, he let loose with a primal scream, and a phrase accompanied by a four-letter word.

Pryor says, “I didn’t anticipate his response. Everyone cheered, caught up in the energy of the moment. No one complained. However, the cameras caught my spontaneous reaction to his unexpected language on air. That doesn’t happen on the radio.”

There are rare times when Pryor struggles with remaining adaptable. He works with a lot of young girls at the ballpark. Like cheerleaders, they pump everyone up. However, in a large crush of people, there are those who consume too much alcohol.

Pryor says, “My greatest challenge comes when someone who is inebriated says things to the girls that I feel are inappropriate. It’s hard to keep my cool. A lot of the guys are old enough to be their fathers. It’s the nature of the beast. You can’t make people be nice. As a public figure, I must guard myself and not be easily provoked.”

Pryor was born and raised in Chicago but also lived in Canada. Pryor says, “Edmond is heaven. We really have something special here.” Baseball fans who see him at the stadium often stop him and say nice things. Pryor says, “Humility and flexibility go hand and hand. The two are not mutually exclusive.”

Making time for the people of his community is important to Pryor. He felt limited in his ability to communicate with a group of deaf fans who frequent the OKC Dodgers’ stadium. He wanted to draw them into the activities at half-time. So, he started learning sign language to bridge the communication gap. Pryor says, “Baseball is for everybody.”

Despite his busy schedule he finds a way to volunteer with Positive Tomorrows and Ronald McDonald House. He also uses his time to speak to Edmond high school football players. Using his experiences, he prepares and motivates them to pursue excellence.

Pryor expressed concern that we’re always in a hurry. He encourages others to take time to appreciate life.

Whether he is working a nine-tofive job, broadcasting or interacting with those in the community, it’s his desire to be there for others. Pryor says of the people of Edmond, “We have an intrinsic vibe and are awesome people. We need to embrace flexibility and humility. Slow down and enjoy what we have.”

On behalf of the City of Edmond and the Character Council of Edmond, Shaun Pryor was honored as a Champion of Character for exemplifying the character trait of flexibility, defined by Character First as “adjusting to change with a good attitude.”

The Character Council is a grassroots, nonprofit organization committed to creating a citywide initiative to build Edmond into a "Community of Character."

The group believes that the character of a nation can only be strengthened one person at a time, one community at a time. Toward that end, the Character Council of Edmond seeks to recognize residents who demonstrate character, as witnessed by those who have been affected and influenced.

To nominate a citizen as a “Champion of Character,” one who exemplifies these character traits, visit www.edmondcharacter.org or write: Champions of Character, PO Box 392, Edmond OK 73083-0392.

Shawn Pryor

Strategies to help transfer students adjust to a new school

A new school year presents a wealth of opportunities for incoming students. Students returning to the same school can build upon the previous year’s successes, while students transitioning from elementary school to middle school or middle school to high school can embrace the excitement and accept the challenges posed by continuing on their academic journeys.

It’s not uncommon for all students to experience some first day jitters, but that nervous excitement might be especially pronounced for transfer students. The transition to a new school is made simpler for many students because they make it alongside classmates they’ve known for years. Transfer students have no such security blanket, but can embrace the following strategies as they prepare to begin the school year in a whole new environment.

• Attend student orientation sessions. Orientation sessions can benefit any student, but may be especially useful for transfer students. Orientation sessions typically include a campus tour, a rundown of both academic and social activities and a chance to meet the school staff, including teachers and coaches. Transfer students who attend these sessions also may meet fellow classmates, who typically serve as guides on campus tours or in other capacities which requires them to interact with session attendees. This can be a great opportunity to connect with individuals who could serve as a familiar face come the first day of school.

Did you know? Did you know? Did you know?

small size makes them ideal for kids. It’s easy to learn a few chords and play familiar songs. Plus, parents may appreciate that the ukulele is a relatively quiet instrument.

Recorder

Playing a musical instrument benefits people of all ages, including children. Young children may take to music education more readily than adults, acquiring skills in record time. While many instruments are beneficial to kids, certain choices are best for children just starting out.

Piano

The piano is a great instrument to learn because it enhances fine motor skills and often serves as a foundation for music education. The good news is one doesn’t have to purchase a piano to get started. Digital keyboards and even online piano keyboards can replicate piano sounds quite well and provide an inexpensive way to learn piano.

Ukulele

are affordable and their

A recorder often is one of the first instruments introduced to children in music classrooms. A recorder is an ideal introductory wind instrument because it is easier to play than a flute or clarinet. Nonetheless, it still requires students to learn coordination and breathing techniques.

Drums

Drums teach children rhythm, which is an essential component of all music. Drums are attractive to kids because they can be great fun to play and help reduce stress by getting out all that nervous energy. Electronic drum kits are available as quieter alternatives and are great options when space for a regular drum set is unavailable.

As children acquire skills on these instruments, they can continue or move on to more complicated alternatives.

• Schedule a visit with a guidance counselor. Guidance counselors can be invaluable resources for transfer students. Parents can come along and discuss the student’s interests in a direct conversation with a counselor, who can fill the family in on all that’s available on campus. That can include academics and extracurricular activities.

• Dive in socially. Though it’s not always easy to transfer to a new school that already has its own social networks, the best way to meet new people is to make a concerted effort to engage socially. Student-athletes may have an advantage because the team atmosphere provides a ready-made social network. However, extracurricular clubs also provide that benefit and do so without the added pressure of competing for a spot on a team.

• Don’t go it alone. Students should recognize that the transition is not something they need to do on their own. If students transferred because their family moved, then others in the family, including parents, are likely to experience their own ups and downs as well. Speak with parents and siblings if the transition does not get off to a smooth start. Such openness can open the door to new strategies and help to alleviate some of the stress that can accompany a transition to a new school.

A new school year can be a nervous time for transfer students. However, various strategies can help to make the transition go more smoothly.

Steps for starting a club at school

A well-rounded school experience is comprised of a host of variables. Academics are an important part of being a student, but extracurricular activities are valuable as well. In addition to sports, clubs comprise extracurricular activities that students can enjoy.

Many schools have dozens of clubs that students can join. However, if students can’t find one that correlates with a particular passion or interest, they are often welcome to start one that does. Each school has its own protocols, but this rundown can help students start a club at school.

• Think about ideas. Figure out where there may be deficits in club offerings and brainstorm ideas with like-minded friends. Talk about activities you enjoy, such as fishing, skiing or reading, and build a club around it.

• Identify a mission. Before moving forward with a club, define its purpose or mission. Will the club be built around entertainment, learning new skills, landing a job, or doing community service? Defining your mission will help guide the planning process.

• Be sure to get permission. Follow the school’s rules when forming a new club. Check with the school principal or another school official who oversees extracurricular activities to find out the right way to establish a club.

Volunteering

When is the right time for kids to start?

• Find a sponsor for the club. Oftentimes clubs require a moderator or sponsor that is an administrator in the school. If you have a particularly good rapport with a teacher at your school, ask this teacher if he or she would be willing to dedicate time to overseeing your new club. Sometimes it is better to find a teacher whose area of interest matches that of the club. For example, a French language teacher may be able to sponsor the French Club.

• Decide where the club meets. In addition to figuring out why you want to start this club, map out the logistics. This includes where the club will meet. Some schools may have rooms set up for club meetings; otherwise, you may need to take your club to a library or a recreation center in your community. In addition, determine when meetings will occur and the frequency of those gatherings.

• Advertise the club and recruit title holders. A club will need an organizational body of other students to be successful. As the club initiator you may serve as president. However, a treasurer, secretary, marketing person/ recruiter, and others may be needed. People in these roles can help keep the club running smoothly.

These guidelines can serve as a solid foundation when developing a new school club.

Aristotle once said the essence of life is “to serve others and do good.”

It’s well documented that volunteerism offers many benefits to those who are recipients of the charitable work as well as the volunteers.

According to The Corporation for National & Community Service, one in four Americans volunteers. Volunteers come from all walks of life and various age groups. Nearly one-quarter of all volunteers are people under the age of 24.

Parents and guardians who want to introduce their children to volunteerism may not know when is the right age to do so. Many experts agree that there isn’t a definitive age for children to get involved in volunteering. In fact, no child is too young to volunteer. Joseph F. Hagan Jr., M.D., a clinical professor of pediatrics at Larner College of Medicine at the University of Vermont, says helping out during the toddler and preschool years helps shape a child’s sense of morality.

Rather than wondering if a child is too young to volunteer, adults should focus on finding the right activity to match the child’s age. For example, a three- or four-yearold child can fill bags or boxes

with donated food or help gather blankets and towels to donate to an animal rescue. However, a toddler or preschooler may not have the stamina to complete a 5K walk.

Volunteerism doesn’t even have to be in the traditional sense of working with an established charity. A youngster can pick flowers from a field and deliver them to an elderly neighbor. Or a preschooler can invite a child playing alone to come play together. A toddler who loves sorting items can help sort recycling items at home and watch a parent deliver them to the recycling center.

Another way to engage kids in volunteer work is to match their interests with the tasks. Many kids can’t get enough of animals, so they may want to help out an animal organization or be involved with a conservation group. A child can collect change to “adopt” an endangered species.

Kids also can visit a children’s hospital and deliver gifts to youngsters battling illnesses. In such situations, kids may be more engaged if they can help kids their own ages.

Children are never too young to volunteer. Finding the right fit can inspire a lifetime of giving back that benefits youngsters throughout their lives.

Lecture Series

VillagesOKC gets ready for lecture series

Paula Settle, VillagesOKC relationship ambassador, joins Oklahoma City Town Hall President Dawn Hopkins, left, to promote the upcoming Town Hall lecture series. Paula is a new Town Hall board member.

VillagesOKC is excited about the upcoming series, which begins Sept. 21. The lecture series provides a forum for nationally recognized speakers who enrich, entertain, stimulate, inform and educate. The full lineup and tickets are available online now at okctownhall.org.

Scott Klososky

OSU event will explore changes at the workplace

The inaugural Oklahoma State University Future of Work Summit will be Thursday, Aug. 31 and Friday, Sept. 1 at the Oklahoma City Convention Center. This multi-day summit will examine the rapidly changing facets of work and showcase ways organizations can stay ahead of the curve. Interactive sessions will include topics related to evolving workplace cultures, technology integration, workforce agility and much more.

Keynote speakers Stephen Dubner and Scott Klososky will invite attendees to think outside of the box when considering how to pivot and adapt. Dubner, bestselling author and co-author of “Freakonomics,” will challenge attendees’ preconceived notions about business while Klososky, a leading expert in technology innovation, will discuss leading through disruption and Humalogy in the workplace.

Abbey Davis, director of the Center of the Future of Work and assistant professor of professional practice at the OSU Spears School of Business, said the Future of Work Summit is a pivotal opportunity for businesses and individuals.

“Participants will be able to walk away with practical strategies they can implement around emerging technologies, sustainability, social impact and culture,” Davis said. “We’ll unpack and demystify terms like automation and AI and together reimagine how we do work in the future.”

Marc Tower, assistant dean of outreach and economic development for Spears Business, discusses the innovation that is already happening in Oklahoma.

“We’ve seen groundbreaking developments and future of work headlines from all over the globe, but what excites us the most is the transformative work that is being done in our region, and in our state,” Tower said. “We’re excited to showcase some of these thought leaders at the summit.”

The Center for the Future of Work is a division of the Spears School of Business at OSU. The center’s mission is to empower organizations and individuals to navigate change and thrive in the future of work. The center addresses this need by providing professional and leadership development programs, services such as customized training, executive coaching, and consulting, and conducting research to better understand and prepare for the workplace of tomorrow.

To learn more and register, visit https://okla.st/fow.

Gasoline prices inch up again locally, nationally

Last week the national average for a gallon of gas has continued its summer U-turn, but price increases have slowed and more relief could be on the way. The national average increased by 10 cents since last week to $3.83. Pump prices have primarily risen due to the price of oil, which was near $80 per barrel last week, but has since softened recently. The national average of $3.83 is 29 cents more than a month ago and 30 cents less than a year ago.

In Oklahoma, the gas average is $3.57, up 15 cents in the last week and 14 cents lower than one year ago.

Since late last month, these 10 states have seen the largest increases in their averages: Nebraska (+25 cents), Iowa (+23 cents), Minnesota (+21 cents), Florida (+19 cents), Missouri (+18 cents), North Dakota (+18 cents), Oklahoma (+17 cents), South Dakota (+17 cents), New Mexico (+16 cents) and Alabama (+16 cents).

The nation’s top 10 least expensive markets: Mississippi ($3.32), Louisiana ($3.43), Alabama ($3.45), Kentucky ($3.46), Ohio ($3.46), Tennessee ($3.48), Texas ($3.49), Arkansas ($3.49), South Carolina ($3.53) and Oklahoma ($3.57).

According to new data from the Energy Information Administration (EIA), gas demand decreased slightly from 8.94 to 8.84 million b/d last week. Meanwhile, total domestic gasoline stocks increased by 1.5 million bbl to 219.1 million bbl. Lower gas demand amid increasing supply will likely help to slow price increases in the days ahead

“Last month’s extreme heat played a role in the recent spike in gas prices due to some refineries pulling back, but now operations are getting back to normal,” said Rylie Mansuetti, AAA Oklahoma spokesperson.

Real Deals marks grand opening

Real Deals recently held a ribbon cutting with the Edmond Area Chamber of Commerce to celebrate their grand opening at 610 S Kelly Ave.   Real Deals on Home Decor and Boutique opened its doors on August 2nd. Aspen and Patrick Spaulding wanted to bring a shopping experience to Edmond where everyone could find something.

Real Deals is a premier destination for home decor and women’s fashion with budget-friendly prices that keep customers smiling. Real Deals is

Back-to-School bank contest

Starting now, RCB Bank launches their Back-to-School Cash Giveaway promotion giving anyone a chance to win $1,000! The promotion is set to run during the months of August, September and October of 2023.

How to Earn Entries Daily: Participating in the promotion is easy and there are three ways to enter:

1.Use your debit card. Earn one (1) entry for each qualifying debit card transaction. Entries double after 50+ transactions per each Qualifying Period.

2. Enter online. Complete the Entry Form online at RCBbank.bank/Giveaway23. To be eligible, each entrant must submit all requested information including: the entrant’s full name, birth date, phone number, and the RCB Bank Location Segment closest to the entrant’s home (OKC Area, Tulsa Area, Wichita Area or Rural Area).

3. Mail in your entry.

Earn one (1) entry per day through the mail. To be eligible, each entrant must submit all the following: the entrant’s full name, birth date, phone number, and the RCB Bank Location Segment closest to the entrant’s home (OKC Area, Tulsa Area, Wichita Area or Rural Area). Mail entries must be addressed to:

RCB Bank Attn: Marketing Department 323 S. Muskogee Ave. Claremore, Oklahoma 74017

full of hand-picked items from all around the world, and their inventory changes daily. Prepare yourself for a treasure hunt shopping adventure with inspiration around every corner.

Be sure to follow Real Deals Edmond on social media and become a Real Deals fan. Fans receive insider information regarding special events, newest arrivals and more.

To learn more about Real Deals visit Real DealsEdmond, OK: Home Decor & Fashion.

Real Deals and the chamber celebrate a grand opening

have the City of Edmond’s motivations about closing the golf course for a few short hours on the lowest revenue-generating day of the week be stated falsely by Mr. McAlister as an intentional act discriminating against him and his group is simply terrible.

Fourth, Mr. McAlister claims to be the forgotten soul in the town square who has spoken the truth to power and has been left out in the cold. He does this by falsely stating that he proposed a remedy to this situation and that “[n]o response or reason why maintenance could not be performed in the manner that was proposed was received from any KickingBird staff member.” This is perhaps the most inaccurate statement among many that Mr. McAlister makes in his letter to the Editor. Once again he fails to give the reader a truthful picture of the public record and the conversations he mentions. He and his group were given prominent position in the open-meeting of the Advisory Board, his letter was read and included in the minutes of the meeting, and it was agreed then that the staff and Board would consider its requests and would provide a response at a later date. To state that “[n]o response or reason why” has been received by him is simply not true. Responses and reasons have been given, and are repeated here in part. To be disappointed in such responses and reasons is one thing; to falsely claim that none have been given is just flat wrong.

Mr. McAlister was given the option of making tee

times on another day of play (just like every other member of the public), including earlier tee times prior to other group play on Monday mornings. His response was that “that just won’t work for us because we play and have played on Tuesday mornings there since 1990”. He and his small group of seniors do not like this alternative to their “long standing” Tuesday morning tee times. This disagreement is fair enough— I, too, wish things could be different in certain situations, but as Mr. McAlister inadvertently admits in his letter, they have found Tuesday morning golf at other courses. I’m sure those courses are grateful for their patronage and I am happy they’ve found a place to play on Tuesday mornings, if they refuse to play any other time at KickingBird. Mr. McAlister is simply angry at being inconvenienced and I get that. He is not irreparably harmed by the Tuesday closure.

To be clear yet again (and as is also a matter of public record), the response that Mr. McAlister received, yet falsely claimed was never given, is simply this: This Tuesday closure decision is made for the short-term and there will be assessments and studies performed by the staff and the Board to determine the best practices for such closure going forward, likely after the high-golf seasonal months. Recommendations were made to Mr. McAlister that he and his group book tee times early on the day prior each week, as well. Mr. McAlister knows this, but simply doesn’t like it. Fair enough.

In closing, to be disappointed in a decision by the City of Edmond is one’s constitutional right. You could rightly say the inalienable right to disagree peaceably is the primary reason why we all love America and her hard-fought freedoms. To paint this disagreement in a completely disingenuous and false light is not right and is the reason I’m writing this response. As to the matter at hand (the maintenance needs of the golf course and the proper, compliant stewardship of its resources) it is imperative that certain agronomic practices take shape and be performed on the tourquality turfgrasses throughout the KickingBird property. In case there is any doubt, our City’s beautiful public golf course does not just happen by accident or by osmosis (or not nearly enough by osmosis, as it were). Indeed, golf course maintenance practices are the key to becoming and remaining great stewards of the investment our fine City has made in KickingBird since it opened in 1971. It is unfortunate that a small group of senior golfers have failed to see any other alternative to their ability to play golf at KickingBird— and it is further unfortunate that they have taken to a false narrative publicly about how these decisions have affected them selfishly. The fact that a few golfers are displaced or inconvenienced by this openly-deliberated decision by the City is an unfortunate yet necessary reality of maintaining this great course for all ages and groups to enjoy for the next several generations.

CHAD STANFORD

Hi and Lois

Shoe

Zits

Family Circus

Beetle Baily

Blondie

Hägar the Horrible

Applications open for state health program

The Oklahoma State Department of Health (OSDH) is celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Certified Healthy Oklahoma Program and is now accepting applications for 2023.

“It has been exciting to watch this program continue to grow over the past 20 years,” said Commissioner of Health, Keith Reed. “I want to say thank you to those across the state that work diligently to help make Oklahoma healthier.”

Applications must be received by close of business on Nov. 1, 2023 to be considered. There is no cost to apply.

Certified Healthy Oklahoma – a collaborative effort of OSDH, The Oklahoma Academy, Oklahoma Turning Point Council and the State Chamber of Oklahoma – is a public health initiative launched in 2003 to recognize businesses and organizations that implement best practices and policies that support improved health and wellness.

“Businesses, organizations and communities that earn the Certified Healthy Oklahoma status lead the way when it comes to making health and wellness a top priority,” said Karin Leimbach, OSDH certified healthy consultant. “This is an opportunity for programs across the state to gain recognition of the work that has and is being done to help increase the health of their community.”

To learn more about Certified Healthy Oklahoma, a virtual event will be hosted from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Sept. 14, 2023. Click here to register.

The Certified Healthy Oklahoma program offers

certifications in seven categories: Business, School, Campus, Community, Congregation, Early Childhood Program and Restaurant.

Applicants will receive a comprehensive assessment to gauge how effectively they are supporting health, and could qualify for additional resources to help create healthier environments. Program participants will be notified in early January 2024 of which certification level they were awarded, and in the spring will receive formal recognition at an annual awards ceremony.

Just under 1,200 Oklahoma businesses and organizations were certified through the program in 2022.

To learn more about Certified Healthy Oklahoma, or to apply, please visit https://oklahoma.gov/certifiedhealthy.html.

The Oklahoma State Department of Health (OSDH) protects and improves public health through its system of local health services and strategies focused on preventing disease. OSDH provides technical support and guidance to 68 county health departments in Oklahoma, as well as guidance and consultation to the two independent city-county health departments in Oklahoma City and Tulsa. Learn more at Oklahoma.gov/health.