Edmond Life and Leisure - June 17, 2021

June 17, 2021 Vol. 22, No. 5

In This Issue FOUR SEASONS

Heard on Hurd back

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.

LiberyFest Program Inserted in this issue

FRIDAY, June 18 Sunny High 97° Low 73°

Citizens Bank street party returns Saturday

FILE PHOTO/MELINDA INFANTE

These were the scenes the last summer Heard on Hurd was held in person in 2019. Virus restrictions canceled in person attendance last year and for some of this year. That all changes this Saturday night as the crowds are invited back to downtown Edmond for the street party. The event is sponsored by Citizens Bank of Edmond.

SATURDAY, June 19 Mostly Sunny High 93° Low 73°

SUNDAY, June 20 Partly Cloudy High 91° Low 73°

Citizens Bank of Edmond’s Heard on Hurd will return to Downtown Edmond on June 19 from 6 to 10 p.m.

Over 40 local food trucks and pop-up shops will line the streets of Downtown Edmond with live local music performances throughout the highly anticipated family event.

Citizens is celebrating its 120th anniversary this year and started the event in 2013. Heard on Hurd has drawn over 1 million attendees to Downtown Edmond resulting in more than a $35 million economic impact. The event is scheduled for every third Saturday, June through October, 6 to 10 p.m.

“We’re just thrilled to celebrate our return to “normal” with the

kickoff of our 8th season of Heard on Hurd on June 19,” said President and CEO Jill Castilla. “When we started Heard on Hurd in 2013, our goal was to reinvigorate Downtown Edmond and fill empty storefronts with thriving small businesses. The impact exceeded our wildest dreams as Downtown Edmond is now overflowing with incredible shopping, dining and experiences. Based upon all of the calls & messages this year, we’re expecting to top our largest single event attendance of 55,000.”

This season’s music talent will kick off with BedTime at 6 p.m., Jacobi Ryan at 7:20 pm and The Imaginaries at 8:40 pm. Additional entertainment will include the aerial acrobatics of Alissa Snider, street

games on Broadway and Character Connections princesses in the Citizens Bank of Edmond Lobby located at 1 East 1st St. “The Citizens team was so excited, that we’ve scheduled our band line-up for the entire season through October”, said Marla Lance, Citizens’ Heard on Hurd Committee co-chair.

June Heard on Hurd’s showcased nonprofit will be Down Syndrome Association of Central Oklahoma, an organization that provides support and resources for families and promotes acceptance and inclusion for people with Down Syndrome.

To find out more about the event, visit the Heard on Hurd Facebook page: www.facebook.com/heardonhurd

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Edmond Life & Leisure • June 17, 2021 • Page 3

The University of Central Oklahoma School of Music's Summer Band will perform its annual free Concert in the Park at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, June 24. Under the direction of Brian Lamb, D.M.A., director of the UCO School of Music, the concert will be held on the lawn between Mitchell Hall Theatre and the Lillard Administration building on Central's campus.

PHOTO PROVIDED

UCO Summer Band to perform at Edmond LibertyFest concert The University of Central Oklahoma School of Music's Summer Band will perform its annual free Concert in the Park at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, June 24. Under the direction of Brian Lamb, D.M.A., director of the UCO School of Music, the concert will be held on the lawn between Mitchell Hall Theatre and the Lillard Administration building on Central's campus.

The concert is a part of LibertyFest, Edmond's annual Fourth of July celebration.

Due to COVID-19, this year's band will comprise of UCO School of Music faculty, staff and students instead of community musicians, as in the past.

"Although this is a break from our traditional 'community' band open to everyone who can play, this is still a celebration that marks the ending of a

pandemic and a return to live music and audiences," Lamb said.

"The UCO faculty, staff and students volunteering for this year's band are giving a musical 'gift' to the Edmond and Oklahoma City communities."

The hour-long concert is set to include a mix of marches, light classics and patriotic music. The audience will be treated to free watermelon and ice cream following the concert.

A small number of folding chairs will be available; however, attendees are encouraged to bring chairs or blankets.

For more information about the UCO School of Music, visit www.uco.edu/cfad/academics/music.

For more information about the College of Fine Arts and Design, visit www.uco.edu/cfad

Engagement, Wedding notices Do you have a wedding or engagement notice? If so, please contact us at Edmond Life & Leisure, either by phone, 340-3311 or e-mail, news@edmondpaper.com. We will then send or fax you an engagement or wedding form.The cost is $35, which includes a photograph.

Payment is due upon submission by noon Thursday.

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From the Publisher

Historic neighborhoods recognized If you drive around in downtown Edmond odds, are you have noticed new street signs placed on top of the green street signs at some corners. The new signs are blue and white.

Our Edmond Historic Ray Hibbard Preservation Trust (EHPT) has been hard at work making sure a piece of Edmond’s past is around for decades to come.

City employees installed street sign toppers to recognize four of Edmond’s legacy neighborhoods. The blue 9” by 24” signs highlight the Original Townsite, the E.B. Townsend Addition, the Classen Addition, and the Capitol View Addition. EHPT spearheaded the project to increase public awareness and neighborhood pride in the areas of town that once included the family homes of many of the city’s early business and civic leaders.

According to Stephanie Carel, chairperson for the EHPT, “The special recognition of the area does not impact in any way what individual homeowners can or cannot do to improve their residences; it just simply encourages them to appreciate the heritage of their neighborhood.”

Lisa Truesdell, EHPT member, conducted research on 17 different historic neighborhoods of Oklahoma City and found that all of them had benefited from their special designation in terms of community identification and preservation efforts. Examples of notable neighborhoods in Oklahoma City include Mesta Park, Heritage Hills, Gatewood, Lincoln Terrance, Edgemere and Crown Heights.

In Edmond, the Original Townsite is north of Second Street, east of the railroad tracks and includes the core of the historic downtown area. Home values are high for this area since it is one of the few historic areas we have in Edmond. The official designation is a sure way to keep that history in the present.

Eddy B. Townsend, reportedly the first horseman to arrive in Edmond the day of the Land Run, began selling lots south of Second Street and east of the railroad tracks in 1892. It was not until the next year that the U.S. Supreme Court confirmed, in Smith v.

Townsend, his ownership in a land dispute that been ongoing since 1889.

Anton Classen, who donated the initial ten acres for what is now the University of Central Oklahoma, launched his housing addition in 1901. It covers an area east of Boulevard and north of Main Street.

RAY HIBBARD

An example of one of the signs, near downtown Edmond.

H.W. Clegern set aside part of his land for a new grade school in 1930 which he believed would attract families to build in his subdivision called Capitol View. He chose the name to imply that homeowners could see the state capitol building in Oklahoma City across the vast 12 miles to N.E. 23rd Street. The area sits between South Boulevard and Rankin and Ninth Street on the south.

Other key neighborhoods will be recognized in the future, and we will be sure to keep you updated.

Have your joints pre-rolled It has been three years since Oklahoma passed its medical marijuana law and they have finally decided to beef up enforcement. The question I have is why are they just now deciding to be tough on the law? Have we been letting folks in the cannabis business get away with not following the law?

Honestly, I am still floored that we have this law. It was such a rag tag and ambiguous state question that has let to confusion and the opportunity to make the entire process a wild west approach to providing medical marijuana to residents and some non-residents of our state. Like all medical pot laws, it is just the beginning. The conversion to recreational selling of pot

was always part of the plan and is not far behind.

One of the most disappointing results of our cannabis laws is that there is no zoning allowed for the dispensaries. At first, cities were prohibited from creating zones for selling or not selling the stuff. The result is a dispensary on every corner that we see now.

Take a drive down Broadway from 33rd to Danforth here in Edmond and you will count dozens of dispensaries that are only feet apart on both sides of the street.

Contrast that to New Mexico where they have had medical marijuana laws on the books for the last five years.

We were in Santa Fe recently where you must look hard to find a dispensary because the city code requires that they be more then a square mile apart. We saw no dispensaries in their historic square area which would have ruined the town from my viewpoint.

So, the big news with the new rules is that you no longer must roll your own joints. Dispensaries will be able to package and sell pre-rolled joints. Existing law says only licensed processors can craft and package marijuana cigarettes. Wow, glad that change is in place. Are pot smokers so lazy they cannot roll their own joints. How was this change even needed or wanted?

You still will not be able to light up

in the stores, however. Patients will be able to touch and smell some marijuana buds so long as those samples are for display purposes only and not sold to customers. I guess you would not want to smoke a bud that folks had touched and stuck their noses in to smell.

Our Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority is going to be able to get some help from a couple of state agencies with the new regulations.

They can contract with the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs to help enforce the state laws. It is hoped that this will send a “strong message” to criminals outside the state that they cannot set up business here in Oklahoma. My conversations with law enforcement tell me they are already here.

They will get help from the Oklahoma Tax Commission to step up enforcement and tax collections for folks in the business. It being an all-cash business makes that a bit difficult I would think. The tax Commission will charge the Medical Marijuana Authority a 1.5% fee on gross medical marijuana tax collections which is a 7% tax overall. This is supposed to give the commission enough money to do audits of these businesses.

Last but not least, the marijuana authority will be hiring 76 new staffers to add to the authority’s already growing staff. They will mostly work in compliance and enforcement positions. My guess is that non-compliance is running crazy with all he grow operations. It could turn into more expense than law enforcement had when pot was illegal.

Utility companies tell me that pot growing, and production operations are really good at by passing the meters when getting electricity. I understand they are having to hire new staff to go and check that the buildings are hooked up properly to the meters. It just is not an industry with honor folks.

My son stopped by the house the other day. He was upset that when he saw a big building with a sign out front that said “Cookies.” Yet when he went in there were no cookies to be found. It was a dispensary named Cookies. “It was painted in Cookie Monster Blue,” he said with disgust.

I guess that I should not be too upset with the world if my son’s biggest concern is not finding legitimate cookies and still believes in the Cookie Monster. His grandmother even nicknamed him the Cookie Monster for the amount of her cookies he could destroy.

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

Check out what’s inside!

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

---- Obituaries ....................................................................................Page 7.

---- Senior News ........................................................................Pages 8 & 9.

---- America’s justice system needs help ..........................................Page 10.

---- Elaine Warner visits Stockholm ..................................................Page 12.

---- George Gusst reviews latest Pixar movie ....................................Page 14.

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

---- Business news ............................................................................Page 17.

---- Church directory ........................................................................Page 19.

This, and much more, in this week’s edition!

See if you can find ‘Four Seasons’ “Four Seasons” in real life is located in front of the Center for Transformative Learning on the University of Central Oklahoma campus, but this week is hidden somewhere in our paper.

Please e-mail contest@edmondpaper.com with the correct location to be entered in the weekly drawing.

Commissioned as a partnership between UCO, the City of Edmond and the Edmond Visual Arts Commission, “Four Seasons” was created by sculptor Kevin Box of New Mexico and was dedicated on the campus on March 24, 2011.

Kevin is a member of the National Sculptor’s Guild. His Box Studio LLC is a strong supporter of the Reduce, Reuse and Recycle concept, using recycled metal as part of the casting process for his sculptures. All of his work is 100 percent recyclable.

For more information on Edmond public art, please visit http://visitedmondok.com/public-art.php.

Publisher Ray Hibbard Jr. ray@edmondpaper.com Partner Christopher T. Hoke Editor Steve Gust news@edmondpaper.com Production Deanne York Advertising Director Alexx Harms alexx@edmondpaper.com Contributing Writers Mallery Nagle, Kacee Van Horn, Rose Drebes, and George Gust.

Photographer Melinda Infante

Cover Design Deanne York Legal Counsel Todd McKinnis Ruebenstein & Pitts, PLLC Copyright © 2021 by Edmond Media Publishing 107 S. Broadway Edmond, OK 73034 405.340.3311 (office) 405.340.3384 (fax) Mailing address: P.O. Box 164 Edmond, OK 73083 All rights reserved.

Material contained herein may not be reproduced in any form without the express written permission from Edmond Media Publishing. edmondlifeandleisure.com facebook.com/edmondlifeandleisure twitter.com/edmondlifeandleisure instagram.com/edmondlifeandleisure

Edmond Life & Leisure • June 17, 2021 • Page 5

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(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.)

June 1 Carson Dean Marion Cornett, 21 of Edmond.

Burglary in the first degree, malicious injury or destruction of property, threaten to perform violent act, obstruction of police officer and public intoxication.

Dessirae Nichole Walter, 35 of Edmond. Expired tag -- over three months, no proof of insurance, driving while privilege is canceled, suspended, denied or revoked and two counts of failure to appear.

Rolman R. Torres, 23 of Oklahoma City. Driving without proper/valid driver's license.

Calvin Maurice Owens, 41 of Edmond. Driving with license canceled, suspended or revoked and possession of CDS. June 2 Lindsay Lauren Wright, 38 of Edmond. Transporting open container of intoxicating beverage or beer and operate (DUI or APC) a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol.

Tommy Wayne Heddlesten, 56 of Edmond. Public intoxication.

Bradley Daniel Heam, 25 of Edmond. Non-assault resisting officer and public intoxication.

Conal Wallace Persun, 24 of Edmond. Operate (DUI or APC) a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol.

Candace Lynn Heddlesten, 28 of Edmond. A felony charge of elude police officer and endangering others and operate (DUI or APC) a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol.

Timothy Blake Weaver, 39 of Edmond. Felony warrant.

Austin Hunter McClendon, 25 of Edmond.

Felony value of receiving stolen property.

June 3 Taylor Aaron Dotson, 38 of Edmond. Carrying a weapon under the influence of alcohol and felony DUI/APC. Bodie William Klepper, 18 of Edmond. Under 21 operate (DUI/APC) a motor vehicle under influence of alcohol or other intoxicating substance.

Quavon Deshawn Taylor, 21 of Oklahoma City.

Public intoxication.

June 4 Kevin Ronell Rutherford, 30 of Oklahoma City.

Misdemeanor abuse assault, driving with license canceled, suspended or revoked, misdemeanor eluding police officer and operate (DUI or APC) a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol.

Bryce Gains Carter, 25 of Oklahoma City. Operate (DUI or APC) a motor vehicle with a blood alcohol content of .08 or more.

Jeffrey David Hayden Jr., 27 of Oklahoma City.

Operate (DUI or APC) a motor vehicle with a blood alcohol content of .08 or more.

Marquez Antre Butler-Kendrick, 26 of Arcadia.

Careless driving, no proof of insurance and driving while privilege is canceled, suspended, denied or revoked.

Avdelkhabir Elaroua 40 of Oklahoma City. Possession of CDS and (misdemeanor first and second offense) of larceny of merchandise from retailer.

Chelsey Lea Beals, 30, of Oklahoma City. (Misdemeanor first and second offense) of larceny of merchandise from retailer.

Derek Lee Jump, 39 of Edmond. Operate (DUI or APC) a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol.

Gregory James DePlois, 43 of Edmond. Operate

(DUI or APC) a motor vehicle with a blood alcohol content of .15 or more.

June 5 Zackery Jacob McCown, 40 of Edmond. Operate (DUI or APC) a motor vehicle with a blood alcohol content of .15 or more.

Jacquelyn Annabelle Carder, 22 of Edmond. Operate (DUI or APC) a motor vehicle with a blood alcohol content of .08 or more.

Trevor Wade Evans, 22 of Edmond. Two felony warrants and a misdemeanor warrant.

Je'Liyah Denise Plummer, 22 of Oklahoma City.

CDS possession and operate (DUI or APC) a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol.

Charles Leonard Boyles, 57 of Edmond. Assault and/or battery with a dangerous weapon and burglary in the first degree.

Sara Beth Cruz-Sears, 21 of Guthrie. No proof of insurance, no tag or improper tag, careless driving and operating a motor vehicle with no valid driver's license.

June 6 Vonkesha Janette Miller, 29 of Oklahoma City.

Failure to maintain compulsory insurance, operating a motor vehicle without a valid driver's license, transporting open container of intoxicating beverage or beer, obstruction of police officer and operate (DUI or APC) a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol.

Veronica Lashay Williams-Miller, 28 of Oklahoma City. Obstruction of police officer.

Jessica Renee Evans, 27 of Oklahoma City. Operate (DUI or APC) a motor vehicle with a blood alcohol content of .15 or more.

Antonio Lamont Sprowl, 22 of Oklahoma City.

Trespassing after having been warned.

Kiyah Rose McCarter, 23 of Edmond. Expired tag one to three months and operating a motor vehicle with no valid driver's license.

Weekend Calendar of Events June 17-20 ---- In the Gallery: Rae Stone ---- What’s Cooking, Edmond?

---- VIRTUAL:: Edmond’s African American History ---- Upstage Theater Presents: Big Fish ---- Father’s Day Cannonball Competition ---- Heard on Hurd ---- Outdoor Edmond Farmer’s Market ---- Signature Tour ---- Children’s Garden Festival ---- Lyric Theatre presents: Grease ---- Bricktown Blues and BBQ Festival ---- Cactus & Succulent Show & Sale ---- Chesapeake Energy Arena presents: In Real Life Comedy Tour ---- NRHA Derby ---- Live from the Lawn presents: Tre Burt ---- Summer Music Series ---- Oklahoma Railway Museum Train Rides ---- Sunday Twilight Concert Series Extra Information In the Gallery: Rae Stone Location: Edmond Fine Arts Institute

Extra Info: Free; featuring the art of Brad McNeill; edmondfinearts.com What’s Cooking, Edmond?

Location: Edmond Historical Society & Museum Extra Info: through Tue, Aug 31; Free; edmondhistory.org VIRTUAL: Edmond’s African American History Location: Edmond Historical Society & Museum Extra Info: through Fri, Dec 31; edmondhistory.org Upstage Theater Presents: Big Fish Location: MAC in Mitch Park Extra Info: Thu, Jun 17 – Sat, Jun 19; 8 p.m.; Adults: $18, Students & Seniors: $12, Kids 4 & under: Free; upstagetheatreok.com Father’s Day Cannonball Competition Location: Pelican Bay Aquatic Center Extra Info: Sat, Jun 19; 2 – 4 p.m.; pelicanbayaquatic.com

Heard on Hurd Location: Downtown Edmond Extra Info: Sat, Jun 19; 6 – 10 p.m.; mycitizens.bank

Exhibition Center Extra Info: Sat, Jun 19 – Sun, Jun 20; 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.; oklahomacactus.com

Outdoor Edmond Farmer’s Market Location: Festival Market Place Extra Info: Sat, Jun 19; 8 a.m. – 1 p.m.; edmondok.com

Chesapeake Energy Arena presents: In Real Life Comedy Tour Location: Chesapeake Energy Arena Extra Info: Sat, Jun 19; 7 p.m.; chesapeakearena.com

Signature Tour Location: National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum Extra Info: Sat, Jun 19 & Sun, Jun 20; 1 ---- 2 p.m.; nationalcowboymuseum.org Children’s Garden Festival Location: Myriad Botanical Gardens & Crystal Bridge Tropical Conservatory Extra Info: through Sat, Jun 20; daily 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.; oklahomacitybotanicalgardens.com Lyric Theatre presents: Grease Location: Bishop McGuinness Catholic High School, OKC Extra Info: Tue, Jun 15 – Sun, Jun 27; times vary by date; lyrictheatreokc.com Bricktown Blues and BBQ Festival Location: Sheridan & Oklahoma Ave Extra Info: Fri, Jun 18 – Sat, Jun 19; bricktownokc.com Cactus & Succulent Show & Sale Location: Will Rogers

NRHA Derby Location: Oklahoma State Fair Park Extra Info: Sat, Jun 19 – Sun, Jun 27; 8 a.m. – 8 p.m. daily; nrhaderby.com Live from the Lawn presents: Tre Burt Location: Scissortail Park, OKC Extra Info: Sat, Jun 19; 7:30 p.m.; scissortailpark.org Summer Music Series Location: Riversport OKC Extra Info: Sat, Jun 19; 4 – 8 p.m.; riversportokc.org Oklahoma Railway Museum Train Rides Location: Oklahoma Railway Museum Extra Info: Sat, Jun 19; ticket prices and hours on the website; oklahomarailwaymuseum.org Sunday Twilight Concert Series Location: Myriad Botanical Gardens Extra Info: Sun, Jun 20; 7:30 – 9 p.m.; artscouncilokc.com

Edmond Life & Leisure • June 17, 2021 • Page 7

Obituary notices Mary E. Whitlow Spiser Carpenter Mary E. Whitlow Spiser Carpenter departed this life on May 28, 2021, in sure and certain hope of the resurrection. Mary was born in Nevada, MO June, 26, 1932, the daughter of Consuelo “Penny” and Edward M. Elder. In 1941, her family moved to Tulsa, where she lived until attending the University of Oklahoma.

On April 11, 1953, she married Walter M. Whitlow of Tulsa, who preceded her in death on May 21, 1979.

Mary was preceded in death by her second husband, Dannie E. Spiser and mourned by stepsons Michael and Greg Spiser of Oklahoma City.

On November 19, 2016, Mary married her love, George F. Carpenter. They shared a wonderful life of travel, family and companionship together.

Mary is survived by husband, George F. Carpenter and mourned by his children, Alan and Laura Carpenter, Ardmore, OK; Frank and Beth Carpenter, Columbia, SC, and Bill and Amy Carpenter, Broken Arrow, OK. Survived by daughter and son-in-law, Madeline and Greg Chaney, Renton, WA; daughter and son-in-law Allison and Ron Knight, Austin, TX; son and daughter-in-law, Walter and Tami Whitlow, Austin, TX; and son and daughter-in-law John and Tammy Whitlow, Whiteville, NC; grandsons, Lindsey “David” Powell and Ethan Whitlow; and great granddaughters, Lindsey Powell and Ryleigh Powell.

Mary was preceded in death by her beloved brother and sister-in-law, John B. and Patti Jo Elder and grandson, Tyler Powell.

Mary served as the public information representative for the Oklahoma Water Resources Board for 21 years, during which time she coordinated 20 Governor’s Water Conferences, prepared news releases and edited the OWRB publication and composed the Oklahoma Water News, the Board’s monthly newsletter.

She retired in June, 2000.

Memorial services will be held Saturday, June 26th at 11:00AM at Touchmark Senior Living (Grand Hall) located at 2801 Shortgrass Rd., Edmond, OK with the Rev. Mark D. Story officiating.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial gifts to St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, 3100 N. Broadway, Edmond, OK. The family would like to thank Mary’s Touchmark community of friends; personal caregivers Gabriela Escalante and Frances Odeh and the staff of Lifespring Home Health and Hospice for their loving care and support given our dear mother in her final days.

Ronald James Krakowski God had a perfect plan and called Ron Krakowski home on his 76th birthday.

Born in Detroit, Michigan on June 10, 1945, Ron was the youngest son of John and Carol Krakowski.

He is survived by his caring wife of almost 47 years, Diane; their three children: James Krakowski and wife Amy, Kara Vorderlandwehr and husband Jacob, and Kristin Kraham and husband James; adoring grandchildren: Allison, Jackson, Asher, Macy, Evelyn, and Harrison who each had a special bond with their grandpa; brother, John and his wife Patricia and their children; and a large extended family that he truly treasured.

As a geologist, Ron worked for numerous oil and gas companies in Houston, Michigan, and Oklahoma. He was an active member of the Oklahoma City Geological Society, serving as editor of the Shale Shaker for many years. Ron was also a member of the Oklahoma Mineral and Gem Society, most recently serving as president. Ron’s passions included collecting rocks, minerals, books, and especially capturing special moments on camera.

Services were held at Saint John the Baptist Catholic Church in Edmond, Oklahoma.

Grant to Francis Tuttle noted Francis Tuttle Technology Center has received a $16,000 grant to benefit students in its manufacturing technology and machining program.

The Gene Haas Foundation grant will be used for scholarships, student competitions and credentialing of programs that meet National Institute for Metalworking Skills standards.

“This grant provides numerous opportunities. We are excited at the possibilities it provides and thankful to our friends at the Gene Haas Foundation, as it is our longest-standing organizational donor and our largest contributor,” said Lori Alspaugh, executive director of the Francis Tuttle Foundation.

The Gene Haas Foundation was created by the owner and founder of Haas Automation, a computer numer-

ical controlled machine tool manufacturer. The foundation was created in 1999 to benefit community charities.

Its mission was later expanded to include support for manufacturing training programs.

Francis Tuttle Technology Center serves high school students and adults in the Oklahoma City metropolitan area with career-specific training, in support of developing and maintaining a quality workforce for the region. Francis Tuttle also offers complete business and industry training and consulting services, and short-term training for career development or personal enrichment.

With four locations in Oklahoma City and Edmond, Francis Tuttle offers central Oklahoma diverse training programs

Page 8 • June 17, 2021 • Edmond Life & Leisure

Evaluating seniors’ biggest expenses New parents may not be able to visualize that one day their largest expenditures won’t be centralized around providing necessities for their children. Adults go though many years of paying for diapers, toys, clothing, food, and education for their children. Yet, when the children have flown the coop, spending patterns change, and even more changes await come retirement.

According to a 2020 survey from the financial services firm Edward

Jones, 68 percent of workers soon to retire said they had no idea how much they should be setting aside for expenses, particularly health care and long-term care. Professionals approaching retirement would be wise to analyze the Consumer Price Index - Elderly (CPI-E). It is a good reference to estimate which future expenses will cost the most after retirement.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics looks at consumer spending and uses various data to determine the rate of in-

flation in key areas that apply to older adults starting at age 62.

Individuals may be surprised to learn about where they’ll be spending the bulk of their money when they get older. Here’s a look at some key categories.

• Housing: According to data from the Employee Benefit Research Institute, in 2017, the most recent year for which data is available, housing accounted for roughly 49 percent of all spending for seniors. Focus should be centered on lowering those costs when a fixed income is imminent.

The possibilities include paying off a mortgage; downsizing a home to have a lower rent or mortgage payment; refinancing a home to a fixedrate loan so that costs are predictable; and taking on a tenant to offset costs.

• Food: The cost of food will not change dramatically, but it can eat into your budget. Even though food costs may decline when there’s only two mouths to feed, food and beverage spending may go up due to more leisure time and dining out. Utilize

senior discounts by shopping on days when stores offer percentages off purchases. Save money on restaurant spending by eating out at lunch instead of dinner, splitting plates or skipping appetizers.

• Healthcare: Experts warn that while many expenses decline in retirement, health care spending increases.

According to Fidelity, the average 65year-old couple retiring in 2020 in the United States needed roughly $295,000 just to cover their retirement health care expenses. Those with family histories of severe illnesses or those with preexisting conditions will need even more. It’s also important to realize that roughly half of the population will need long-term care at some point, offers The Motley Fool, and that requires advanced budgeting as well. Many people find that Medicare supplement plans can bridge the gap in expenses that government-run plans will not cover. Saving through a health savings account (HSA) when employed also can create extra cash on hand for retirement expenses.

Understanding which retirement expenses will be high can help people plan better for the future.

Edmond Life & Leisure • June 17, 2021 • Page 9

Giving back to veterans

By Statepoint News While there are certain holidays and events each year dedicated to members of the U.S. military, the need to support veterans and active-duty military members and their families is an ongoing effort.

The good news is that there are plenty of ways you can give back all year long from your smartphone: Volunteer and Donate Virtually: Volunteering doesn’t have to be in-person these days. Soldier’s Angels has numerous virtual ways to make an impact in a service member’s life – from supporting deployed service members by collecting and sending care packages to adopting a family for the holidays and hosting virtual baby showers.

It’s never too late to donate your quarantine wardrobe and de-clutter the house. Organizations like Vietnam Veterans of America accept gently-used clothing and household items and will even pick up donations safely from your home. Providing reliable transportation is another way to help. Programs like Vehicles for Veterans and Recycled Rides provide donated cars and vehicle maintenance and repair assistance for veterans in need of a ride.

Take Honor Flights to the Next Level: The Honor Flight Network enables veterans to visit war memorial monuments and museums at no cost, but for veterans unable to travel to Washington D.C., T-Mobile and virtual reality mental fitness solutions company Healium are bringing a virtual Honor Flight experience to veterans where they live. Veterans can tour the Washington D.C. war memorials from the comfort of their own homes using virtual reality goggles and a hotspot, powered by T-Mobile’s 5G network.

Give a Gift the Gives Back: The next time you need to buy a birthday gift or stock up on household essentials, make a purchase you can feel

good about. American-made apparel company Oscar Mike donates 100 percent of their proceeds to help injured military members stay active.

Boss Dog provides tasty and nutritious food and treats for your fourlegged companions while giving back to disabled veterans and service dog organizations like Victory Service Dogs and Pets for Vets. Providing a fun night out for service member families is a way to boost mental health and well-being. Non-profit organization Vet Tix provides tickets to concerts, sporting events and more to families in need of a little fun.

How Your Business Can Help: Large or small, your business can make an impact. Offering a veteran or military discount at your business will not only show appreciation and support, but will also drive business.

Companies like T-Mobile offer discounted military smartphone service plans and support programs like Hiring Our Heroes, a U.S. Chamber of Commerce initiative to help provide military members and their families with meaningful employment opportunities.

Those who serve in the Armed Forces have given so much of themselves. These are just a few ways we can continue to show our gratitude.

Edmond Genealogical Society will hold a meeting on June 21 A unique and exciting event happened on April 22, 1913; a time capsule, the Century Chest, was buried in the basement of the First English Lutheran Church (now the First Lutheran Church of Oklahoma City) at 1300 N. Robinson.

The ceremony was witnessed by a capacity crowd. Through a century of dutiful vigilance, the congregation of the church guarded the Century Chest. One hundred years later, on April 22, 2013, the Chest was opened.

To find out the original idea for the chest, what was buried, how completely entombed the items were, and the conditions of the items in the unearthed Chest, plan to attend the Edmond Genealogical Society’s meeting Monday, June 21, 6:30 p.m.

Presenting the program will be Chad Williams, Director of the Research Division at the Oklahoma Historical Society. A native Oklahoman, Mr. Williams has been instrumental in the development of the OHS online research catalog which includes a variety of digitized

records. Prior to working full time in the Research Division, he volunteered for three years and wrote his Masters thesis on “Digitization in the Archives of the Oklahoma Historical Society.” Williams earned a Bachelor of Arts in History and Public Administration and Masters in Public Administration from the University of Oklahoma.

Meetings are free and open to the public. Programs start at 6:30 p.m.

Edmond Genealogical Society meetings are held the third Monday of the month at the Edmond Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints at 1315 E. 33rd Street, Edmond.

Enter through the doors at the rear (north side) of the building.

The church offers plenty of parking and is fully handicap accessible, with social distance seating at the meeting. Masks are required for all attendees.

For more information on EGS, go to: www.rootsweb.com/~okegs, or visit us on Facebook at Edmond Genealogical Society. The July 19, 2021 program will be “Making Sense of the Census”.

Local news?

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Share the good news with your neighbors and the community through Edmond Life & Leisure newspaper.

Simply e-mail the items to news@edmondpaper.com There is no charge.

Page 10 • June 17, 2021 • Edmond Life & Leisure

Commentary ... We’re on YOUR Side Two-tier system of justice Dems need Manchin There will come a time some day when people will demand honesty from their press.

The latest gaffe was last week when the Inspector General's office said Trump did not clear Steve Gust the Lafayette Square near the White House, so Trump could hold a "Bible" photo op.

Gee only took a year for that to come out. (By the way, why isn't an attack on the White House by leftists last year considered an insurrection?)

The national press is wrong and slanted on so many issues. It's amazing anyone even listens to them anymore.

The latest revelation is only the tip of the iceberg.

Now everyone knows I was not in favor of the Capitol disturbance last Jan. 6. And I said so clearly in this column space.

But is it really right for people charged with misdemeanor trespassing to be denied bail or kept in jail?

We have people every week in the Edmond Police Report who are arrested and jailed for trespassing. I doubt any of them have been jailed since Jan. 6.

Let's face it. Because of our disgraceful two-tier system of justice in America, we now have political prisoners in Washington D.C. People might come back and say, "Yes, but that was an armed political insurrection."

Was it? I don't think I've seen anyone arrested for carrying a firearm in the Capitol.

And why won't government officials release the name of the law enforcement official who shot the lady? That seems odd to me.

And why aren't the leftists who were involved in the HUNDREDS of riots last summer given the same treatment? You had hundreds of law enforcement officers hurt. Leftists are not given the same treatment because we have a two-tiered system of justice.

It's shameful and it's time people got upset and demand accountability. (news@edmondpaper.com)

By Marc Thiessen National Columnist Democrats are furious with Sen. Joe Manchin III, D-W.Va., for announcing that he will oppose their “partisan voting legislation” and that he will “not vote to weaken or eliminate the filibuster.”

Rep. Mondaire Jones, DN.Y., tweeted that Manchin was voting “to preserve Jim Crow.” Even President Joe Biden publicly laid into Manchin last week, declaring he can’t get more done because Manchin is one of “two members of the Senate who vote more with my Republican friends” (the other is Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, Democrat of Arizona).

Democrats should be careful; their Senate majority rests in Manchin’s hands. They need to decide: Do they want

Manchin to be their party’s John McCain, RAriz. — a maverick who went his own way on issues but stayed within the party fold? Or do they want Manchin to become their party’s Jim Jeffords, the Vermont Republican who became the first senator in history to hand Senate control to the opposition by switching parties?

In May 2001, Jeffords announced he was leaving the GOP to caucus with the Democrats.

Then, as now, the Senate was split 50-50 — which meant his defection made Democrats the majority. “Increasingly, I find myself in disagreement with my party,” he said in explaining his decision.

“In order to best represent my state of Vermont, my own conscience and the princi-

badly

ples I have stood for my whole life, I will leave the Republican Party and become an independent.”

Do Democrats want to hear Manchin utter similar words? Then keep right on attacking him.

In resisting their radical agenda, Manchin is simply representing his constituents. West Virginia is one of the reddest states in the country — so red that its Democratic governor, Jim Justice, switched parties in 2017. If Manchin chose to do the same, he would be welcomed by the Senate Republicans with open arms. Like Jeffords before him, he would be given a plum committee chairmanship. And he would still be the decisive swing vote in the Senate — except with Republicans in control, he would have even more influence than he does today in setting the agenda.

Instead of complaining that Manchin threatens their far-left policies, Democrats ought to recognize that voters did not give them a mandate to pursue so radical an agenda. They elected an evenly split Senate and gave Democrats a narrow majority in the House — one they are in danger of losing in 2022. The normal reaction to this outcome would be to follow Manchin’s advice, temper their demands and reach across the aisle.

Yet, Democrats are acting as if they won in a landslide, trying to ram through extreme partisan bills. If they had an actual mandate to do this, one conservative West Virginia Democrat would not be able to stand in their way.

Rather than railing about Manchin, they should moderate their agenda and seek bipartisan compromises with Republicans that Manchin can support.

Sen. Lankford’s take on current issues Senator James Lankford (R-OK) last week spoke on the Senate floor to give an update on what’s happening at the southern border and to provide his perspective on the recently reported apparent leak from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) of sensitive taxpayer information. Lankford also disLankford cussed President Biden’s affinity for Russian pipelines over Canadian-American ones and Ukrainian President Zelensky’s outspoken requests to meet with President Biden that have gone unanswered. Additionally, Lankford discussed the hearing he attended this morning in the Senate Finance Committee to discuss the President’s Budget request for the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) with HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra, during which Lankford highlighted that the request refers to moms as “birthing people.”

On the uptick in border crossings and the Biden Administration releasing individuals into the country Days ago President Biden and his team released out what's the current status of what they call the border challenge. This comes from the White House itself and their update. They stated this.

‘There's improved processing of unaccompanied children.’ The second thing they list is the Administration has reduced the average amount of time children are in Customs and Border Protection facilities. The third thing they list is the Administration has reduced the number of unaccompanied children in the care of health and human services.

Then they move and say they've removed barriers to unifying children with parents and sponsors in the United States. And they give the details on how much better they are at unifying parents and children in the United States. When you read through this and look at the language, you say, gosh, the numbers are going down. What they're really saying in this report is, ‘We're moving people across the border faster than they used to. They don't spend as much time at the border as they used to. They're now in the interior of the country…

On the mixed messages being sent to Central Americans because of Vice President Harris’s visit For the Vice President to come to Guatemala and say, ‘Don't come, don't come,’ but then for the Administration to say, ‘But if you do come, we're a lot faster at getting you into the country than we used to be.’ This is the mixed signal problem. And it's why coyotes continue to be able to move record numbers of people through central America into the interior of the country, and it's not just from central America. We've had this year a more than 400 percent increase in migration from nations outside of the northern triangle and Mexico because the coyotes are learning, we know how to move people and the world is seeing, if you want to be able to come to America illegally, now is the time to do it. So if you go back to March, we had all these individuals that were coming from Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador.

Now there is a 400 percent increase of people from outside those areas that are coming in those same trafficking networks moving into the United States.

On the Biden Administration’s decision to not enforce the law at our southern border What are we doing? 3,000 people have been deported in our country in a month, and individuals literally selling heroin and attacking our police officers. ICE is not allowed to deport individuals in this country that are currently pending charges on sexual abuse of a child are not being deported, not even a detainer to be able to hold them. Is this what America wanted? It's certainly not what the people of Oklahoma want. It certainly does not strengthen the morale of our ICE agents who currently cannot make an arrest or a Border Patrol, and our Customs and Border Patrol individuals that function more like hotel check-in staff than they are law enforcement. This is not creating a stable environment in America. It is unstable. This has got to stop. This is not a radical request of the administration. It is a simple statement. Follow the law.

On the recently reported apparent IRS information leak There's a new leaked document that came out, that was released by the press, of tax documents that have been leaked out of the IRS that somehow miraculously got to individuals in the press who ran the extensive story about tax documents.

We can all have our different perspectives on how people pay taxes and how much taxes they pay, but one thing should be clear for every person in this body. It is against the law to release tax documents. It's against the law to do that. But somehow mysteriously tax documents start getting released in the last couple of weeks. This reminds me so much of a few years ago when the IRS was

See Lankford, Page 11

Edmond Life & Leisure • June 17, 2021 • Page 11

OC golfer part of winning U.S. team SUGAR GROVE, Ill. -- When Trevor Norby arrived sight-unseen at Oklahoma Christian in 2018, few could have imagined what he'd achieve over the next three years for OC golf – five individual tournament wins, two team conference championships and two (soon to be three) All-America honors being among his many accomplishments.

He capped his OC experience – and his time as an amateur golfer – on Sunday by making another outstanding memory, celebrating as part of the winning U.S. team in the Arnold Palmer Cup at Rich Harvest Farms.

The U.S. squad of elite collegiate players finished off a 33-27 win over an International team that also included the best of the best collegians from the rest of the world who attend U.S. universities. It was the first win for the U.S. team since 2019 and it gave the Americans a 13-11-1 lead in the annual event.

Norby contributed the first point toward the U.S. overall score on Friday before falling in three close matches the rest of the weekend, including a tough 2-and-1 loss to Pontus Nyholm of Campbell in a singles match on Sunday. But Norby, the only male NCAA Division II player on the U.S. roster, said he learned a lot about himself during the Palmer Cup – namely, that he belonged and could play at the high level necessary to be competitive during the event.

"This was so much fun," Norby said.

"To come out and represent the United States of America and hit the golf shots that I hit and execute when I needed to – I proved to myself that I'm going to be good enough. The experience of playing in the Arnold Palmer Cup is something I'm going to remember for the rest of my life. I had so much fun this week!

"It's been a very, very long road.

But to end it with this exclamation point is something I will remember

Sports

Trevor Norby forever. It's a foundation that I can leap off of going into the future."

The competition in the Palmer Cup is fierce, as Norby experienced firsthand. A day after facing the No. 18 player in the World Amateur Golf Ranking, David Puig of Arizona State, in a mixed fourball match, Norby on Sunday took on another of the world's outstanding amateurs, No. 75-ranked Nyholm, who's from Sweden and was the Big South Conference player of the year at Campbell.

Norby took the early lead with a par on the par-4 No. 2, after Nyholm hit into a greenside bunker. But Nyholm answered with a 25-foot birdie putt on the par-3 No. 3 to even the match, then went 1-up with a birdie on the par-3 No. 5.

Norby tied the match on the par-4 No. 6, hitting his tee shot into the left rough but recovering to save par, while Nyholm found a greenside

Professor to be the speaker at GOP Women’s Club meeting sociate editor for the On Monday, June academic journals "Pe21st the Edmond Retroleum Geoscience" publican Women’s and "Groundwater."

Club will host Dr. Deming has published David Deming. articles on environDr. Deming is promental and energy isfessor of Arts and Scisues in the "Wall Street ences at the University Journal," "Washington of Oklahoma in NorTimes," "Investors Busiman. He graduated ness Daily," "Oklafrom Indiana Univerhoman," and other sity in 1983 with a BS David Deming newspapers. degree in geology, and In 2006, Dr. Deming received a Ph.D in geotestified before the US Senate on physics from the University of Utah global warming. in 1988.

Members and guests are invited to Prior to his arrival at the University of Oklahoma in 1992, Deming held a attend. The club meets regularly at Eddies every third Monday of the National Research Council postdocmonth. toral fellowship at the US Geological A buffet is available for $15 (cash Survey in California. From 1992 through 2005, Dr. Deming was an as- or check) to those who would like to dine and attend. Registration and sistant and associate professor in the School of Geology and Geophysics at Mingle opens at 11:15 a.m. and the the University of Oklahoma. Deming buffet available at 11:30 a.m. Club is the author of more than forty peer- meeting is from 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. reviewed research papers, a textbook For more information on how to become involved with the organization on hydrogeology, and a four-volume history of science, *Science and Tech- contact the VP of Membership at nology in World History." He is an as- jen@nextlevelgo.com.

Lankford From Page 10 weaponized for political purposes, and Lois Lerner was shutting down conservative nonprofits getting access to nonprofit status but left-leaning nonprofits were expedited through, and we all expressed our frustration that the IRS was being politicized.

The IRS should not be politicized.

On the Biden Administration’s disdain for American-Canadian pipelines but support for Russian pipelines We saw that during the ObamaBiden Administration as well and now we're seeing it in the Biden-Harris administration that suddenly pipelines are bad news. When the Colonial Pipeline went down for a couple of days, the east coast pan-

icked because they couldn't get fuel, when one pipeline went down. We shouldn't be talking about how to not build pipelines. We should be talking about how to build pipeline redundancy to make sure if a pipeline goes down we're not trapped as Americans with no fuel, in the situation that we're in right now. But in the middle of this to be able to please the environmental left, the President of the United States shut down the Keystone Pipeline, and the company finally gave up and said, ‘We're not going to invest any more money in something we can't finish.’

Will that change? America's use of oil by one drop? No, it won't.

bunker after his tee shot also went into the rough and made bogey.

Norby's approach shot on the par-4 No. 9 landed four feet from the hole and he converted for birdie, but Nyholm answered with a 10-foot birdie putt of his own.

The match remained tied until the par-4 No. 12, when a risk by Nyholm paid off. He aimed his tee shot over a group of tall trees on the angled hole and ended up with a second shot from just feet off the green. That resulted in an easy birdie putt to put him ahead.

On the par-3 No. 13, both players hit into the same front greenside bunker. Nyholm, playing first, nearly holed out, hitting the pin with his chip and giving him an easy par putt, which Norby conceded before making a pressure-packed 5-foot par putt.

Nyholm yanked his tee shot on the par-4 No. 14 so badly it landed on the

No. 13 tee box, but that proved fortuitous for him, as he had a perfect angle to the No. 14 green for his second shot. Norby missed a 25-foot birdie putt just inches to the right of the hole that would have tied the match.

Norby's tee shot on the par-3 No. 16 landed only six feet from the hole while Nyholm was 50 feet out and two-putted. Norby's birdie putt grazed the right edge of the hole and rolled away and he did well to save par.

Nyholm caught yet another break on the par-4 No. 17. His tee shot found a deep grassy area to the right of the fairway, but his ball's lie was good, allowing him to punch out, then hit an easy approach shot to the green and eventually recorded a bogey.

Norby, from the fairway, sailed his second shot over the green, under trees and in an area with wood chips.

It took him two more shots to get onto the green, and even then, his chip sailed well past the hole and his long par putt was unsuccessful, giving him a double bogey. Nyholm made his four-foot bogey putt to close the match.

A pro golf career awaits for Norby, who will play in a qualifier for the Texas State Open on Tuesday in Flower Mound, Texas. He hopes to follow in the path of another OC golf legend, Rhein Gibson, who now is in his second stint on the PGA Tour. It's a different path than Norby imagined when he started his college career six years ago at San Diego State, but it's worked so far for him.

"It was a leap of faith to come to OC, that's for sure," he said. "I had a really, really good friend, Casey Rebmann, who was there and he talked you guys up. He was not lying at all. It's a great program and a great school and I'm proud to call myself an Eagle!"

Page 12 • June 17, 2021 • Edmond Life & Leisure

One of Stockholm’s finest museums

By Elaine Warner Pride goeth before a fall.” In the case of the great warship Vasa, it went before a sinking. The ship and her story are the subject of one of Stockholm, Sweden’s finest museums.

Construction on the Vasa began in 1626. She was to be the pride of the Swedish Navy. The goal of Elaine the king, Gustav II Adolf, was to establish Sweden’s dominance in the Baltic region.

The King and his admirals had different opinions as to the tactics of war. Naval experts depended on closing in on enemy ships, boarding them and, in hand-to-hand combat, conquering them. King Gustav advocated artillery warfare. And, so, the Vasa was to be outfitted with 48 bronze cannons firing 24-pound cannon balls. This was supplemented by 16 lighter cannons on the upper deck.

Gustav’s ship was the most heavily armed ship in the area.

More than just utilitarian, the ship itself made a statement of power and importance. It was lavishly decorated with intricate carving – 500 statues -- and painted with many bright colors. A 10-foot, leaping lion served as the ship’s figurehead – the lion representing courage and power and a traditional symbol of Swedish kings from the Middle Ages on.

Rigged with ten sails on four masts, she would have been quite a sight under full sail – although using all sails at once would have been unusual in the Baltic. The anchors weighed up to three tons each.

Ships in that time were not built from drawings or plans. Construction was overseen by Dutch shipbuilders plus artisans from other countries. The efficacy of the design was based on the performance of similar ships. The King’s insistence on adding an upper layer of cannons on the Vasa made the ship considerably taller than average. Add the rigging and sails and it was decidedly top-heavy.

An early test of its seaworthiness in the summer of 1628 involved having 30 seamen run back and forth across the upper deck while the ship was moored. The Vasa rolled so violently that the test was called off. Although the Admiral, who watched the demonstration and halted it, observed the disturbing action of the ship, he did nothing to halt its planned use.

On Aug. 10 of that year, the ship was prepared for a short trip to pick up more crew members. On board was a small crew, some members with their families. The ship was moored in waters below the royal palace and was towed toward more open waters.

Only four of its 10 sails were raised, rippling slightly in a pleasant breeze. Suddenly a gust of wind filled the sails and the ship rolled sharply, finally righting itself. The gun ports were open and Vice Admiral Erik Jonsson quickly checked to make sure the cannons were secure. Less than a mile from where she set sail, a stronger gust caused the ship to roll again – this time so extremely that water rushed in the open gun ports and the sea swamped the ship. She capsized about 100 yards from shore.

The water was shallow enough that the tops of the masts were above the water line – giving some of the people aboard something to hang onto until help arrived. Others swam to shore. Of the 150 people on the ship, most were saved. Thirty were drowned.

Her location was eventually lost and the Vasa was doomed to lie on the seabed for over 300 years. Her resurrection began with her discovery in 1956. Five years later, she broke the surface of her watery grave.

The Vasa Museum is a wealth of information about the ship, ship construction, recovered artifacts, information about life aboard the Vasa and the recovery and restoration. Architects Goran Mansson and Marinne Dahlback won a competition for design of the structure. The height of the building is the equivalent of a 36 story building.

On part of the roof, three tall, steel masts represent the height of the Vasa’s masts above the water line. Built over an old dry dock, the building was built with an open end so the salvaged Vasa could be towed in. The water was then released and the building completed. The Vasa had arrived at her new home.

Among artifacts recovered from the ship were pottery, utensils, wooden shoe lasts, waxed thread, thimbles, leather, boards for board games, fishing reels, nets and so much more. Clothing found included un-dyed wool, woolen caps and leather mittens. Remains of a dozen and a half victims, including two women, gave clues to life in the 17th century. One skeleton wore the remains of a long jacket made from expensive, imported black cloth. One of the women wore a fine jacket and embroidered shoes. One of her front teeth was notched. She probably had done a lot of sewing and had bitten off threads with her teeth.

One of my favorite exhibits was a 1:10 scale model of the Vasa under full sail. The original ship was 226-feet-long including the bowsprit – the long pole which stretches beyond the prow and

ELAINE WARNER

A scale model of the Vasa shows the ship under full sail.

ELAINE WARNER

Reproduction of the Vasa’s main masts, mounted above the museum, show the height of the Vasa.

beakhead (with figurehead) to which two of the sails are attached.

We went to the museum late in the afternoon and had to rush through the many interesting exhibits. I actually got locked in the gift shop waiting in line to buy a book about the Vasa. My family was on the other side of the lowered grate. It was raised enough for me to duck under!

I’d recommend going when the museum opens and plan to spend several hours – watching an introductory film and taking one of the guided tours.

During COVID, these are self-guided with the use

of audio-guides. The museum’s web site www.vasa.museet.se/en is one of the most complete, information-rich sites you’ll find.

Stockholm is one of the most interesting and beautiful cities we visited on a European trip in 2019. We had selected it because my daughter (okay, me, too) was a big ABBA fan. Their museum was lots of fun.

The Vasa wasn’t on our radar but Rick Steves gave it a great rating. His guidebooks have never let me down – and they certainly didn’t where the Vasa was concerned.

Edmond Life & Leisure • June 17, 2021 • Page 13

Integris & transplant milestone

Endeavor Games in Edmond

MELINDA INFANTE

Lera Doedelen crosses the finish line at the Pops bicycle event.

MELINDA INFANTE

Javier Garaytexa looks to pass the ball to Brooklyn Gibson. The Endeavor Games exists to create competitive, fun, safe and high quality sport competitions for athletes with physical disabilities throughout the United States.

MELINDA INFANTE

Kaden Hensarling (51) shoots the ball for a score

INTEGRIS Health achieves a triple crown milestone in the success of caring for heart failure and critically ill shock patients across the region. INTEGRIS Advanced Cardiac Care (IACC) celebrates touching 1800 lives with advanced therapies. To date, INTEGRIS Health has performed 657 Heart Transplants, 613 LVAD Implants and 692 patients have received ECMO treatment. All of these programs reached the 600 mark roughly around the same time celebrating tremendous success in treating Oklahomans and beyond with heart or respiratory failure.

The INTEGRIS Heart Transplant Program was established in 1985 when Nazih Zuhdi, M.D., performed the first such procedure in the state of Oklahoma. James Long, M.D., PhD, and Douglas Horstmanshof, M.D., co-founded the INTEGRIS LVAD Program in 2008. Aly El-Banayosy, M.D., and his team, created the state’s first adult ECMO Program in 2014.

David Nelson, M.D., the Chief of Heart Transplant Medicine says, “The Nazih Zuhdi Heart Transplant Program is proud to serve the community as the only heart transplant program in the state. Over the past 36 years, we have celebrated many successes, such as high one-year survival rates and we are one of only a few programs in the world to have successfully performed heterotopic heart transplants (2 hearts working in the same chest). It is a joy to continue caring for our transplant recipients, including many who are now more than 20 years post-transplant.”

The INTEGRIS Advanced Cardiac Care LVAD program has become the site of many “firsts” for INTEGRIS Health, including the first in the U.S. to implant the newest cutting-edge technology, the Abbott HeartMate 3 pump and the first in the state to implant the Syncardia Total Artificial Heart.

“We are honored to serve this region with access to the most advanced therapies. We are grateful to an incredible team of caring, compassionate professionals - our partners - who made this possible, and most of all to our patients and their families,” says James Long, M.D., the Medical Director of the Nazih Zuhdi Transplant Institute and Advanced Cardiac Care.

The INTEGRIS ECMO Program has become a one-of-a-kind program with a team of experts who travel around the region placing patients on cardiac and lung support and transporting them back to INTEGRIS Health for care. Aly El Banayosy, M.D., the Medical Director of the Critical Care ECMO Program says, “ECMO has a wide spectrum of indications and with our team’s experience, high volumes, versatility and the ability to transport various high-risk patients, our contribution of caring for Oklahomans is at a world class level. We provide the kind of care that is not offered in many parts of the country and are privileged to do so.”

INTEGRIS Health provides the most comprehensive heart failure care in Oklahoma and with volumes approaching those of hospital systems such as the Mayo Clinic, Columbia University and the Cleveland Clinic, INTEGRIS Advanced Cardiac Care has placed itself at the forefront of advanced heart failure treatment.

Page 14 • June 17, 2021 • Edmond Life & Leisure

Review of animated film ‘Luca’

Pixar effort not a home run, but not bad

By George Gust Set in a seaside town on the Italian Riviera, "Luca" is a coming-of-age story about one young boy experiencing an unforgettable summer.

Luca (voice of Jacob Tremblay) shares these adventures with his newfound best friend, Alberto (voice of Jack Dylan Grazer), but all the fun is threatened by a deeply held secret: they are sea monsters from another world just below the water's surface.

There was a time when Pixar could do no wrong. Their first run of original films featured home run after home run earning them critical accolades and beaucoup box office receipts. Now nearly 30 years after their first fully computer-generated animated feature, not all their films can be home runs.

Narratively “Luca” is not a home run, but the impressive visual aesthetics and the sincere relatable coming-of-age emotional beats make this film a solid double.

From a father’s search across the ocean to a curios robot traversing outer space many of the other films in the Pixar oeuvre feature larger than life characters tackling epic adventures. However, to its

credit, “Luca” feels like a much smaller and intimate story of friendship, and the painful changes of growing up and finding your place in the world.

“Luca” is at its best when the characters are growing their relationships and enjoying the small wonders of a world they never knew existed but gets bogged down when transitioning from the relational storytelling to the more traditional ‘gotta win the big race’ storyline.

The result of merging the heartwarming story of friendship and the more traditional plotline leaves “Luca” feeling disjointed from a pacing perspective.

Overall, “Luca” features many of the hallmarks of a Pixar animation film, charismatic vocal performances from a talented cast, beautiful semi-realistic visual style of a picturesque town and a heartwarming emotional arc that satisfies adults and children alike. However, the disjointed pacing of the story leaves you with a feeling that there was a missing element to propel “Luca” into the upper echelon of Pixar movies. As it stands, “Luca” is an enjoyable animated film with a fun fish-outof-water premise kids will enjoy and a relatable coming-of-age story for the parents in attendance.

“Luca” is rated PG for rude humor, language, some thematic elements and brief violence. Available to stream on Disney+ this Friday.

3.3 out of 5 stars

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

www.edmondlifeandleisure.com

PHOTO PROVIDED

Disney & Pixar's ‘Luca’ sweeps the audience away to a beautiful Italian seaside town and follows a pair of human/sea creature friends as they navigate the strange world of humans above the surface of the sea.

Edgar Cruz & friends in concert Answers appearing on Page 19

The Brave Amigos will present an Elm Tree Concert on Sunday, June 20, at the Arcadia Round Barn.

Elm Tree Concerts are from 1 to 3 p.m. beneath the shade of the giant elm tree on the north side of the barn.

Guests can bring lawn chairs or sit at the picnic tables. Admission is free but donations are accepted for the maintenance of the barn.

The Brave Amigos is a trio comprised of Edgar Cruz, Blake Bricker and Marco Tello. The word “brave” indicates their willingness to try any song or any style of music.

Cruz is a classical and fingerstyle guitarist who has recorded 19 CDs in styles ranging from classical to flamenco to pop to jazz. He has been a headliner at the prestigious Chet Atkins Guitar Festival every July in Nashville since 1995 and has performed throughout the United States, Europe and South America. Cruz holds a bachelor’s of music degree in guitar performance from Oklahoma City University.

Tello is a singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist and lead singer in the group, accomplished in such musical styles as reggae, disco and funk, classic rock, bluegrass and Latin music. The Round Barn is six miles east of Interstate 35 on historic Route 66 and is open every day from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Crossword Puzzle STATEPOINT CROSSWORD THEME: The 4th of July

ACROSS 1. Steps to the river, in India 5. Hot springs resort 8. Meal in a shell 12. Driver's misbehavior?

13. *Grilling technique 14. Medal of Honor descriptor 15. Cracked open 16. What Knave of Hearts stole from Queen of Hearts, sing.

17. Raise one's rank 18. *July 4th pyrotechnic display 20. Hubble Space Telescope operator, acr.

21. Chip dip 22. i topper 23. *Main Street tradition on the 4th 26. Superlative of fumy 30. Ribonucleic acid 31. Store as fodder 34. Moonfish 35. Rose oil 37. Number cruncher 38. Fairytale garden dweller 39. Indian Lilac tree 40. Extinct type of zebra 42. Steampunk decoration 43. Did 2 + 2 (2 words) 45. Crocheted blanket 47. Swedish shag rug 48. Ancient port city in Israel 50. Smiley face 52. *First President to hold July 4th celebration at the White House 56. Snoop Dogg's "Gin and ____" 57. Medicinal succulent 58. Hit the bottle 59. Earthenware pots 60. View from a high-speed train?

61. Observer 62. "Glengarry ____ Ross" 63. G, in solfa 64. "The Foun-

tainhead" author DOWN 1. Former tennis pro Steffi 2. One who's made the pilgrimage to Mecca 3. Petri dish filler 4. Mother of Calcutta 5. Roebuck's partner 6. a.k.a. anorak 7. A in B.A. 8. *"No ____ without representation" 9. Unfortunately, exclamation 10. *Drink to wash down burgers and hot dogs?

11. Table scrap 13. Steal, past participle 14. What haters spew?

19. Crane or heron 22. Expecting woman's date 23. Life force in Sanskrit 24. Chipped in 25. What Motion Picture Association of America did 26. *Most popular July 4th decoration 27. Notable period

28. Polynesian island country 29. Feudal lord 32. Fish a.k.a. porgy 33. Beer acronym 36. *Lee Greenwood's "Proud to Be an ____" 38. Blooper 40. Sine ____ non 41. Old-timer 44. Force units 46. Wedding tossable 48. Jiggly dessert 49. Run _____ of the law 50. Type of sea bird 51. Agitate 52. Kickboxing moves 53. Miso bean 54. U.S. ____ in golf or tennis 55. Egghead 56. Leisurely run

Answers are found on Page19

Edmond Life & Leisure • June 17, 2021 • Page 15

The criminal who kept escaping from jail

By David Farris To say that the law had caught up with Wilbur Underhill was nothing new. He had been arrested, convicted and sentenced to prison four times previously, including Farris two life sentences for two different murders. The problem was keeping him behind bars. He had escaped custody on many occasions from county jails throughout Oklahoma, in addition to the State Penitentiary at McAlester.

Underhill's first life sentence was for the murder of 18-year-old George Fee during an armed robbery attempt in Okmulgee, on the night of December 25, 1926. He escaped from the State penitentiary at McAlester, Okla., on July 14, 1931. The following month, he murdered a police officer in Wichita, Kansas, 48-year-old Merle Colver, on August 14, which earned him his second life sentence.

On May 30, 1933, the slippery con proved that he was also no match for the maximum security Kansas State Penitentiary, when he and 10 other inmates orchestrated a spectacular prison break involving some of the most notorious gangsters of their time.

Of all of the tough-customers to come from the Sooner State who became targets of John Edgar Hoover's fledgling, federal bureau, none was more challenging than Wilbur Underhill, a.k.a. the “Tri-State Terror,” named for his numerous crimes in Oklahoma, Kansas, and Missouri; not to mention Arkansas and Kentucky.

He became the first fugitive killed by the newly established Federal Bureau of Investigation, formerly known as the Justice Department's Crime Bureau. The following account of Wilbur Underhill's last few days on Earth will sound like comic book, science fiction, perhaps only paralleled in reality by the tremendous amount of effort it took to dispatch the “Mad Monk” Rasputin.

The F.B.I.'s focus turned to Oklahoma, where efforts were already underway to locate Charles Author “Pretty Boy” Floyd. Where as Pretty Boy had disappeared, Underhill resumed his temporarily interrupted crime wave leaving agents a trail to follow.

On the night of Dec. 29, 1933, Ralph Colvin, Agent In Charge of the Oklahoma City F.B.I. office, received a tip that Underhill was holed-up in a rent house at 606 West Dewey Street, in Shawnee, along with his latest wife, 28-year-old Hazel Winn, and a second couple, Ralph Roe and Eva Mae Nichols.

Hours later, on the following, foggy morning at about 2:00 am, Colvin arrived with 15 federal and local officers armed with 12 gauge shotguns and .45 caliber Thompson sub-machine guns.

Hoover's G-Men were accompanied by Oklahoma City Police Officers, Clarence Hurt, Mickey Ryan and a young rising star in the depart-

ment, Jacob Aldolphus Bryce, better known as “Jelly.” He earned his nickname during the 1920s, when Jelly, or Jellybean, was a popular handle for snappy dressers and Bryce fit the bill. Hurt had witnessed Bryce's spectacular quick-draw and marksmanship abilities with his revolver during a local shooting match, and recruited him to join the OKC Police Department.

After the posse surrounded the run-down house, Colvin with his Thompson and Hurt with a tear-gas gun crept towards the lighted bedroom window for a closer look. They spied Underhill, clad in his long-johns and socks, along with Hazel who was wearing very little.

It was then when dogs nearby began to bark, drawing Underhill's gaze to the window where he locked eyes with the lawmen. Hurt announced, “This is the law Wilbur, stick 'em up!”

He replied, “Okay,” then grabbed his go-to gun; a long barreled, German Luger pistol, fully loaded with a 31-round drum magazine. Hurt fired a round from his gas gun that crashed through the window and bounced off of the outlaw's stomach.

Colvin then emptied his Thompson into the room, which prompted the agents behind him to also open fire, pouring hundreds of rounds into the modest building, effectively destroying it.

Gunfire tore through the house into the adjacent bedroom where the second couple were lying in bed. Roe was struck in his left arm and shoulder, prompting Nichols to jump up and run screaming to the front door where she was shot twice in the stomach. Mortally wounded, she still had strength enough to continue out the door where a third round struck her in the foot, knocking her to the ground. Luckily for Hazel, she fainted when the shooting started and avoided injury while lying on the bedroom floor out of harm's way.

A bloodied Underhill was seen running into the bathroom where he briefly returned fire, before running through the house and out the front door into the blazing guns of the posse. He was struck with a barrage of buck shot and machine gun fire, knocking him to the muddy ground where he fell hard. A brief moment of still and quiet followed, abruptly ending when the desperate outlaw suddenly jumped to his feet and ran around the side of the house, nearly colliding into a surprised Colvin. The agent managed to squeeze off a short burst from his Thompson, as Shawnee Night Chief Frank Bryant emptied his' at the fleeing fugitive who quickly disappeared into the foggy night, still clutching his Luger.

Colvin later stated, “I don't know how he did it. The bastard just wouldn't stay down.”

Chasing after the fugitive The astonished lawmen spanned out in a futile pursuit of the fugitive.

Additional lawmen were summoned to help in the search, but to no avail; Underhill had escaped, once again.

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Wilbur’s favorite gun, a Luger with a 31-round magazine.

After lying freezing in a ditch for hours to avoid the search party, and a failed attempt to steal a truck, the shot-to-pieces outlaw managed to travel 16 blocks from the scene of the battle to the back door of the McAlester Furniture Store, were he ironically knew the manager, R.A. Owens, from their time in the McAlester Penitentiary. At around 7:00 am, Owens contacted the Shawnee Police Department to report that an unknown, bloodied man in his socks and underwear had broken into the store and laid himself out on a bed.

Officers arrived to find Underhill, who was too weak from blood loss and exposure to wield the fancy, imported gat that was still at his side. A combination of buckshot and .45 caliber slugs had struck him 13 times in the lower back and backside, arms, legs, and once to the left front side of his head, taking off the top of his ear. He told Oklahoma County Sheriff Stanley Rogers, “Ya, I'm shot to hell, they got me five times. I counted the slugs as they hit me.

When I set sail, they really poured it to me.”

Underhill was transported to the Shawnee Municipal Hospital, to join Roe and a dying Nichols, who lingered for two days. The fugitive's newlywed bride, Hazel, was residing in the Shawnee jail.

One round to Underhill's back had torn through the liver, pulverizing his bladder and kidney. Federal agents knew that his death was eminent and did their best to interrogate him as he drifted in and out of consciousness for his first couple of days in the hospital. Then, a funny thing happened; the shot-up, lanky, tough guy seemed to be getting better.

The end draws near On New Year's Day, the outlaw felt strong enough to mean mouth his doctors and nurses. The following day he was rushed into emergency surgery to correct a blockage in his bladder, which improved his condition.

By January 5, Underhill was strong enough to sit up in bed. To the doctors' amazement, his appetite returned and his torn up insides were able to digest solid food. As the outlaw began to feel more like his old self, he asked a nurse how far was the highway. It seemed unlikely that such a critical patient could actually make a break for it. A more likely scenario was that his psycho associate,

Ford Bradshaw, might show up at the hospital with his gang to rescue his pal. Fearing the worst, authorities insisted that he be transferred to the infirmary at the McAlester State Prison for safe keeping, and to resume his first life sentence; although his doctors argued that such a journey could be fatal. Perhaps, that was the plan all along.

On the morning of January 6, at 8:30 am, Underhill said goodbye to his mother, Almira, and sister, Dorothy, as he was loaded into an ambulance under the watchful eyes of machine gun toting guards for the 90 mile excursion. Lawmen piled into two cars and escorted the outlaw along to his old digs.

At around 9 p.m., on the day he was returned to the penitentiary, Underhill slipped into unconsciousness, and then drew his last breath at 11:42 pm. He was 33 years old.

After a crowded service at the Byers Avenue Methodist Church, in Joplin, Missouri, on January 10, the Tri-State Terror took his last ride, to the Ozark Memorial Cemetery. More than 2000 spectators were on hand for the services, and to watch the notorious bad man laid into his finally resting place.

Back in Shawnee, the owner of the bullet-riddled, rent house contacted Hoover and requested financial compensation. The Director scrolled on the bottom of the letter, “This unmitigated nerve.”

He then ordered agents to charge anyone who had knowledge of the “safe house” with harboring a fugitive.

Despite their best laid plans, the F.B.I.'s first attempt at capturing a truly desperate character had been a disaster. Hoover knew that his agents needed firearms training and Jelly Brice was recruited as an instructor.

Bryce later told his biographer, Ron Owens, “They hired me as a hired gun, no question about it; they were getting too many accountants and lawyers killed.”

Bryce, Colvin, and a lot of other lawmen from Oklahoma were responsible for making Hoover's fledgling, federal office a success. In spite of the efforts of many dedicated agents, it was Director Hoover who addressed the media. Often using much spin to best frame his department, so he could then tout such achievements as his own.

Wilbur Underhill died at age 33.

Page 16 • June 17, 2021 • Edmond Life & Leisure

‘Edmond’s Favorites’ winners honored

The Frenzy Brewing Company, at 15 S. Broadway, hosted a recognition reception put on by Edmond Life & Leisure newspaper. The event honored businesses who recently were voted by readers as favorite businesses or services in Edmond. Above many of the business leaders relaxed and socialized at Frenzy. Left, Edmond Life & Leisure business partner, Chris Hoke, attended as did Victor Neal, right. Neal is the owner of Prime Time Travel, a longtime popular downtown Edmond business.

Be sure to vote next year in the Edmond’s Favorites contest

Edmond Life & Leisure employees welcomed guests to the reception. They included ad director Alexx Harms, left, and Deanne York, Edmond Life & Leisure production artist.

One of the big winners of the evening was Citizens Bank of Edmond. The downtown Edmond business is one of the oldest in Edmond. On hand to accept to winners’ certificate was Jill Castilla, President & CEO of Citizens, with two of her bank board members, Ray Hibbard, chairman of the board, left, and David Hornbeek.

Photos by Melinda Infante

Among the community and business leaders present were Josh Moore, right, and Tony Blatt of Hornbeek Blatt Architects. Moore is also one of five members of the Edmond City Council. This marked the 18th consecutive year Life & Leisure has hosted the Edmond Favorites contest.

Edmond Life & Leisure • June 17, 2021 • Page 17

Official: State economy & ‘strong growth’ Gross Receipts to the Treasury indicate Oklahoma’s economy is rapidly emerging from the pandemic-driven downturn as every major revenue stream shows strong growth, State Treasurer Randy McDaniel announced last week.

Total collections in May generated $1.24 billion, a jump of more McDaniel than 34 percent from the same month of last year.

Combined receipts from the past 12 months are at an all-time high but are partially inflated by last July’s delayed income tax filing deadline.

“What a difference a year can make,” Treasurer McDaniel said. “At this time last year, unemployment was high, numerous businesses had signifi-

cantly reduced operations, and many people were quarantined in their homes. Today, pent-up demand has been unleashed and the economy is performing quite well.”

The strongest indicator of ramped up economic activity can be found in consumption tax receipts.

Combined sales and use tax collections for the month are up by 26 percent. Motor vehicle receipts are 16.6 percent higher than May of 2020.

May’s gross production tax on oil and gas activity generated $87.3 million, a jump of almost 128 percent from the prior year. Collections for the month reflect oil field production during March when oil was more than $62 per barrel after falling below $20 per barrel during the prior year.

Combined gross receipts from the past 12 months of $13.88 billion are above collections from the previous 12 months by $808 million, or 6.2 percent. Every major revenue stream except gross production shows growth during the 12 months, but those collections are quickly recovering.

Other indicators The Oklahoma Business Conditions Index in May remained above growth neutral for a sixth consecutive month. The May index was set at 68.9, down from a record high of 70.9 in April.

Numbers above 50 indicate economic expansion is expected during the next three to six months.

The April unemployment rate in Oklahoma was reported as 4.3 percent, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The state’s jobless rate was unchanged from March, but down significantly from 13 percent in April 2020. The U.S. unemployment rate was set at 6.1 percent in April.

May collections Compared to gross receipts from May 2020, collections in May 2021 show: • Total May 2021 gross collections are $1.24 billion, up $314.7 million, or 34.1 percent.

• Gross income tax collections, a combination of individual and corporate income taxes, generated $404.1 million, up by $114.8 million, or 39.7

See Growth, Page 18

Senior UCO position filled University of Central Oklahoma President Patti Neuhold-Ravikumar recently named Art Cotton as the university's vice president for Advancement and president of the UCO Foundation, effective July 1.

"Art brings an impressive record of success in fundraising and administrative management both in and outside of higher education to the vice president role," Neuhold-Ravikumar said.

"I look forward to the energy and expertise Art will bring to our efforts to raise funds and friends to support our students and initiatives at UCO." Cotton brings 30 years of experience to the vice president role. He served as senior director of development at the Oklahoma City Boathouse Foundation, vice president for University Advancement and External Relations at Oklahoma City Univer-

sity, vice president for development at the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, senior director of major gifts for the Oklahoma State University Foundation, chief of staff for the lieutenant governor of Oklahoma, manager of business development and marketing for the Benham Group and associate director for the Oklahoma Water Resources Board.

He also is committed to serving the community.

He currently serves as board chairperson for Pivot and has been involved with the Council for Advancement and Support of Education, Association of Fundraising Professionals, Oklahoma Arts Institute Foundation, Teach for America, State of Oklahoma Board of Legislative Compensation and deadCenter Film Festival. He is a member of Leadership Oklahoma, Class II.

PHOTO PROVIDED

From left are, Wes Bennett, Edmond Electric; Brett Griffin, Edmond Electric Dave Wetherell, Edmond Electric; James Platt, Edmond Electric; and Tom Rider, Oklahoma Municipal Association.

Edmond Electric recognized for its stellar safety record Oklahoma Municipal Alliance (OMA) recognized Edmond Electric for its Outstanding Achievement in the association’s annual Electric Safety Competition in Oklahoma. The utility was recognized in the category for cities over 10,000 population.

Edmond Electric is being recognized for its exceptional safety record for 2020. The utility’s personnel had two reportable incidents that resulted in no lost work time through 112,320 man-hours. Edmond Electric participates in the OMA Job Training and Safety program as one resource for ensuring safe work practices.

OMA General Manager Tom Rider presented the award to Edmond Electric.

“As important as electric system reliability is to citizens, knowing that each and every day, the work is being performed correctly and safely should be a source of pride for Edmond customers. The current operational standards and employee training standards of this utility are superior.” Rider said. “This training and development of staff and in-

creased funding for reliability resulted in the continued excellent performance of the utility. Local control means local crews. That means fast response. And fast response means less outage time.”

OMA is a municipal utility trade association representing cities in Oklahoma, Missouri, Kansas, and Arkansas. The association’s member utilities provide non-profit electric services and electric power generation to some 750,000 people in four states. The City of Edmond purchases its energy from the Oklahoma Municipal Power Authority.

To ensure fast response to emergencies, Edmond Electric is also a signatory to Mutual Aid Agreements in the region. These agreements are recognized by FEMA for use in the event of emergency or natural disaster. Utilities in Kansas, Missouri, Arkansas and Oklahoma agree through the program on the conditions under which assistance may be received in an emergency ahead of the event so there are no delays in responding to the needs of another utility.

Art Cotton

Page 18 • June 17, 2021 • Edmond Life & Leisure

Growth From Page 8 percent. ◦ Individual income tax collections are $355.8 million, an increase of $76.6 million, or 27.4 percent. ◦ Corporate collections are $48.3 million, up by $38.2 million, or 380.4 percent.

Large monthly variances in corporate collections are not uncommon.

• Combined sales and use tax collections, including remittances on behalf of cities and counties, total $534.2 million – up by $110.1 million, or 26 percent. ◦ Sales tax collections total $458.6 million, an increase of $96.3 million, or 26.6 percent. ◦ Use tax receipts, collected on out-of-state purchases including internet sales, generated $75.6 million, an increase of $13.9 million, or 22.4 percent.

• Gross production taxes on oil and natural gas total $87.3 million, an increase of $49 million, or 127.9 percent.

• Motor vehicle taxes produced $71.3 million, up by $10.2 million, or 16.6 percent.

• Other collections composed of some 60 different sources including taxes on fuel, tobacco, medical marijuana, and alcoholic beverages, produced $141 million

– up by $30.6 million, or 27.7 percent. ◦The medical marijuana tax produced $6 million, up by $817,643, or 15.8 percent from May 2020.

Twelve-month collections Combined gross receipts for past 12 months compared to the trailing 12 months

Colonel Frederick Drew Gregory, front row middle, was the first African American to pilot and command a Space Shuttle mission.

show: • Gross revenue totals $13.88 billion. That is $808 million, or 6.2 percent, above collections from the previous period.

• Gross income taxes generated $5.02 billion, an increase of $655.6 million, or 15 percent.

◦ Individual income tax collections total $4.25 billion, up by $382.6 million, or 9.9 percent. ◦ Corporate collections are $774.8 million, an increase of $273 million, or 54.4 percent.

• Combined sales and use taxes generated $5.77 billion, an increase of $293.5 million, or 5.4 percent. ◦ Gross sales tax receipts total $4.91 billion, up by $175.1 million, or 3.7 percent. ◦ Use tax collections generated $854 million, an increase of $118.4 million, or 16.1 percent.

• Oil and gas gross production tax collections generated $694.2 million, down by $207.5 million, or 23 percent.

• Motor vehicle collections total $812 million, an increase of $35.9 million, or 4.6 percent.

• Other sources generated $1.58 billion, up by $30.4 million, or 2 percent.

Colonel Frederick Drew Gregory was honored at the White House by President George H.W. Bush and First Lady, Barbara Bush.

Written by Edmond’s own Charlotte Cosby

Children’s book honors an American hero

Edmond author Charlotte Cosby has written a children’s book on the life of forrmer Colonel Frederick D. Gregory, one of the first African American astronauts.

Although written for the elementary

By Katherine Webster audience, with classroom implications, it Edmond author Charlotte Cosby just can be enjoyed by all explorers intrigued released her first children’s book entitled by space exploration. Gregory was the “Dad’s Mission: A Pictorial Biography of first African American flight leader to Colonel Frederick Drew Gregory U.S. Aspilot a Shuttle spacecraft, the Orbiter tronaut,” and his career as one of the Challenger in 1985. first African American Astronauts.

Astronaut Gregory states ‘you have After visiting Kennedy space center got to give the next generation more in Florida author Charlotte Cosby than what you have in your own and wanted to write a book about an as... constantly raise the bar.” tronaut that her second grade son He hopes future generations will could read. She asked her husband's support the space program. Gregory mentor former NASA Deputy Director, also expects to see more cargo sent Fred Gregory, to help her write the to satellite stations and a possible exbook. ploration of Venus. The Air Force This pictorial biography includes imAcademy has named a hallway after ages from the personal archive of the this astronaut, Fred Gregory. former United States Air Force AcadThe children’s book is available on emy graduate, Vietnam veteran, and The new children’s book, with many venues worldwide including Amazon NASA Deputy/Acting Director. great life lessons, ‘Dad’s Mission.’ and BarnesandNoble.com. Colonel Colonel Gregory's career was influGregory’s granddaughter lives in the Edmond. A few enced by notable historical figures including Tuskegee Airman General Benjamin O. Davis, Jr. The Tuskegee Air- years ago Charlotte met Colonel Gregory’s granddaughter during a basketball team party. Her husband helped men were primary a group of Black airmen who fought coached the team for their 10 year old son. in World War II.

Edmond Life & Leisure • June 17, 2021 • Page 19

Event to help raise funds for homeless women On Friday, July 23, Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City will host the 12th annual Reds, Whites & Brews at Dunlap Codding in Oklahoma City’s Film Row. “We are excited to have Reds, Whites & Brews at Dunlap Codding this year after many years at Cattlemen’s,” said Catholic Charities Director of Annual Giving Christi Jeffreys. “With more elbow room, we can raise more money for the women and children at Sanctuary Women’s Development Center. The money raised from this event allows our day shelter to provide rental assistance, utility assistance as well as hygiene needs, showers, laundry facilities and much more.”

This event supports homeless services of Catholic Charities’ Sanctuary Women’s Development Center

in Stockyards City. Rocky Kanaga, a singer-songwriter from Bethany is the musical entertainment for the evening. Beer will be provided by unique, local breweries. Four wineries hand-selected by the committee will also be available to each ticket holder.

“Sanctuary Women’s Development Center in Stockyards City supports homeless women and children as they navigate homelessness and transition into permanent housing. Our case workers help them get on their feet so they can transition into permanent housing and make it on their own by showing them the road to self-sufficiency,” Jeffreys said.

Sanctuary Director Racheal Singley said “We are up and running at full speed after a rough year dealing with the pandemic. Sanctuary is beginning to see an increase in attendance in Stockyards City and we

are serving the women in many ways. From case management to showers and a meal, the donations we receive from this event go to support these services,” Singley noted that Sanctuary is beginning an art therapy group and a job skills class in collaboration with Goodwill. “We hope to start a recovery group and a life skills group to help teach budgeting, cooking skills and much more. Because of the support of the community these programs are sustained, so events like this are pivotal in maintaining self-sufficiency for these women.”

For more information on sponsorships or to purchase individual tickets for $65, please contact Christi Jeffreys at cjeffreys@ccaokc.org or call 405.526.2323 or visit Reds, Whites & Brews.

Honoring school leader Heritage Hall will honor its retiring president, Guy Bramble, Saturday, June 26 by hosting “Roast, Toast & Celebrate” at the McClendon Athletic Center (MAC) on campus.

The tribute celebration will recognize Bramble, the School’s longest-serving headmaster and Bramble president, for 33 years of exemplary leadership.

Immediately following a ribbon cutting ceremony at 6:30 pm to dedicate the updated Charger Plaza south of the MAC, guests will convene indoors for dinner and recollections of Bramble’s many accomplishments during his tenure.

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Please check with your house of worship for more information.

Page 20 • June 17, 2021 • Edmond Life & Leisure