Edmond Life and Leisure - January 5, 2023

A look back at 2022

by Kevin

Van Gogh exhibit in OKC

2022 A Look Back

Edmond’s Kentucky Derby Winner

A case can be made that the most exciting sports moment of the year was at Churchill Downs in Kentucky in May when Edmond’s Rich Dawson’s horse, Rich Strike, above, won! The animal, who barely got in under the Friday deadline, won at the end of the race. Rich  Strike was an 80to-1 winner.

Ann Hampton Callaway returns

The upcoming Ann Hampton Callaway Concert is a year overdue. The Tres Amigos attempted to have this “20 Year” Celebration of the UCO Jazz Lab last March, but because of health concerns still lingering from the Covid-19 Pandemic it was postponed.

There will be two concerts on Friday, March 10th and Saturday, March 11th at 8:00 PM at the UCO Jazz Lab. These concerts are a joint effort between the “Tres Amigos” and “Broadway Tonight,” both annual programs that support the University of Central Oklahoma music programs. Tickets are $60 and can be purchased by calling (405) 641-6380.

Callaway was the first artist to ever perform at the UCO Jazz Lab, when she graced the stage with her concert celebrating the Grand Opening on March 14, 2002. This year, she will not only be recognizing the 20th Anniversary and 21st year of the UCO Jazz Lab, but she will also be honoring the incredible life and career of one of America’s most beloved female vocal artists, as both shows will be a tribute to the Linda Ronstadt Songbook.

Tres Amigos founder and architect for the UCO Jazz Lab, David Hornbeek, described Callaway: “Ann Hampton Callaway is one of the leading advocates and champions of the great American Songbook, having made her mark as a singer, pianist, composer, lyricist, arranger, actress, educator, TV host and producer. A Platinum Award winning writer, whose songs have been featured on seven of Barbara Streisand’s albums, she has also written songs with Carole King and is the only composer to have collaborated with Cole Porter.

Callaway’s live performances showcase her warmth, spontaneous wit and passionate delivery of Standards, rock and jazz classics, as well as her own originals. She is a gifted improviser, taking words and phrases from her audience and creating songs on the spot. A truly gifted and genuine entertainer, her unique style blends traditional pop, rock and jazz, making her the perfect “must see” artist at the UCO Jazz Lab.”

Callaway was the perfect artist to open the UCO Jazz Lab in 2002. She set the stage and culture for its future. Each time she returns the audience is delighted by not only her incredible voice and talent but also by her sense of humor. Space is limited so you do not want to miss this chance to see her in such an intimate atmosphere.

Last time she performed, I was part of the crew that picked her up at the airport. At Tres Amigos we cannot afford to hire a professional car service, so we do all the running around for each artist. Every dime saved on artist expenses goes straight to the UCO Foundation scholarship funds for students. Folks around us were calling me by my nickname which is “Raybo.” She turned to me and asked if my name was Rainbow. I politely corrected her but told her if she preferred calling me “Rainbow” I was good with it.

“You know what you can call me?” she said. I was thinking she was going to give me her nickname as well. Instead, she said, “You can call me Ms. Callaway.” We both just busted out laughing and from that point on I have enjoyed a warm bond with Ms.

Callaway.

At dinner one night, she asked Lisa and I how we met. After telling her our story of being junior high sweethearts only to marry 47 years later, she shouted that she had the perfect song for us. “I will sing it in your honor tonight,” she proclaimed. She did just that for the performance.

Lisa and I had told her we were grateful to have found each other again after all those years but often wonder what life would have been like if we had married many years earlier. Ms. Callaway was quick to tell us not to think about it and that the song, On My Way to You, was something we needed to listen to often. Alan and Marilyn Bergman wrote it along with French composer Michel Legrand. Here are the words:

“So often as I wait for sleep I find myself reciting The words I've said or should have said Like scenes that need rewriting

The smiles I never answered Doors perhaps I should have opened Songs forgotten in the morning

I relived the roles I've played The tears I may have squandered The many pipers I have paid along the roads I wandered

Yet all the time I knew it Love was somewhere out there waiting Though I may regret a kiss or two

If I had changed a single day What went amiss or went astray I may have never found my way to you”

The song is a great lesson in not looking back to what if and rather to just appreciate what we have right in front of us. I hope you will take the opportunity to see this wonderful performer at our very own UCO Jazz Lab.

Stop texting and driving

You know who you are folks. Even at stop lights it can be dangerous because it distracts you from the task at hand. A few weeks ago, I was hit from behind by a texting driver. The good news is that traffic was moving slowly and neither of us was injured. If that had happened at 60 miles per hour it would have been devastating for both of us. Yes, she was texting and driving thinking she was keeping traffic in front of her in her sight. The giant dent in my back door is proof she was not.

In addition to there being about four hundred deaths a year in this country related to texting while driving, here are some other statistics to consider before you pick up that phone while driving:

660,000 of drivers are using their cell phones while operating a vehicle at any moment in the day. (NHTSA)

60% of teens 18 and older admit to emailing or texting and driving compared to 16% of 15- and 16year-olds (CDC)

Texting while driving has the same effect on your driving reaction time as if you had consumed four beers in a single hour. (Drivesafeonline.org)

Texting distracts you long enough to travel the length of an entire football with your eyes off the road, driving at 55 mph. (NHTSA)

35% of teens admit to texting and driving, even though 94% of them understand the dangers. (AAA) 1 in 4 teens admit to responding to at least one text every time they drive. (AAA)

10% of parents and 20% of teens admit to having multi-text conversations while driving. (AAA)

Teens who text while driving spend an average of 10% of their driving time outside of traffic lanes. (Drivesafeonline.org)

Between 2012 and 2019, nearly 26,004 people died in crashes involving a distracted driver. During this time, distraction-related fatalities increased by 10%. (S. Department of Transportation)

Almost 9% of all fatalities are linked to distracted driving. (U.S. DOT)

16- to 24-year-old drivers have been observed using handheld electronic devices while driving at higher rates than older drivers have since 2007. (U.S. DOT)

9% of drivers 15 to 19 years old involved in 2019 fatal crashes were reported as distracted. (U.S. DOT)

In 2019, there were 566 nonoccupants (pedestrians, bicyclists, and others) killed in crashes involving a distracted driver. (U.S. DOT)

(Ray Hibbard may be reached by e-mail at ray@edmondpaper.com)

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

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

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

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

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

Ray Hibbard

Ann Hampton Callaway

2022 — Liberty Fest turns 50

2022 One Very Sad Day

Sgt. C.J. Nelson

LibertyFest, the official Fourth of July party, turned 50 in 2022. The Edmond History Museum had an exhibit to mark the milestone.

Edmond Mayor Darrell Davis waves to the crowd during the 2022 LibertyFest Parade held in downtown Edmond.

Up until 2022, Edmond had never lost a police officer in the line of duty. That changed on July 19, 2022 when Edmond police Sgt. C.J. Nelson, 38, was killed in a multi-vehicle accident on Broadway. He was on his police motorcycle at the time of the crash. Another driver, acccused of the accident, was arrested on several counts including being under the influence of drugs.

Sgt. Nelson’s death led to an outpouring of grief and sympathy for Nelson and his family, which includes two young children.

Weekend calendar, Jan. 5-8

What’s Happening This Weekend Jan 5 - 8

---- In the Gallery

---- Tiny, But Mighty! Exhibit ---- Edmond Ice Rink ---- Indoor Winter Market ---- Downtown in December ---- Devon Ice Rink ---- Arcadia Lake’s Eagle Watch ---- Sunday Spotlight: “Bonnie Parker” Purse ---- Signature Tour ---- OKC Philharmonic presents: Nordic Soundscapes ---- Oklahoma High Performance Racing Auction Trade Show & Swap Meet ---- Oklahoma Bridal Show ---- Cattlemen’s Congress ---- Round Barn Rendezvous

Extra Information

In the Gallery

Location: Edmond Fine Arts Institute

Extra Info: featuring Eric Lyons & Natalie Biggs; edmondfinearts.com

Tiny, But Mighty! Exhibit

Location: Edmond Historical Society & Museum

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

Edmond Ice Rink

Location: Mitch Park

Extra Info: Sat, Nov 5 – Sun, Jan 15, 2023; hours vary; edmondicerink.com

Indoor Winter Market

Location: Mitch Park

Extra Info: through Sat, Mar 18; 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.; Free; edmondok.gov

Downtown in December

Location: Downtown OKC

Extra Info: Thu, Nov 3 – Jan 27, 2023; downtownindecember.com

Devon Ice Rink

Location: Myriad Botanical Gardens

Extra Info: Fri, Nov 11 – Sun, Jan 29, 2023; downtownindecember.com

Arcadia Lake’s Eagle Watch

Location: Arcadia Lake

Extra Info: Fri, Jan 6 – Sun, Jan 8; $3 per vehicle; 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.; arcadialakeok.com

Kids Take Over the Cowboy: outLAWman

Location: National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum

Extra Info: Sat, Jan 7; 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.; nationalcowboymuseum.org

Sunday Spotlight: “Bonnie Parker” Purse Location: National Cowboy

& Western Heritage Museum

Extra Info: Sun, Jan 8; 1 – 1:30 p.m.; nationalcowboymuseum.org

Signature Tour

Location: National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum

Extra Info: Sat, Jan 7 – Sun, Jan 8; 1 ---- 2 p.m.; nationalcowboymuseum.org

OKC Philharmonic: Nordic Soundscapes

Location: Civic Center Music Hall

Extra Info: Sat, Jan 7; 8 p.m.; okcphil.com

Oklahoma High Performance Racing

Auction Trade Show & Swap Meet

Location: Oklahoma State Fair Park

Extra Info: Sat, Jan 7; 8 a.m. – 9 p.m.; raceshow.net

Oklahoma Bridal Show

Location: Oklahoma City Convention Center

Extra Info: Sun, Jan 8; 12 – 5 p.m.; okbride.com

Cattlemen’s Congress

Location: Oklahoma City Fairgrounds

Extra Info: Fri, Dec 31 – Thu, Jan 12; cattlemenscongress.com

Round Barn Rendezvous

Location: Round Barn, Arcadia, OK

Extra Info: Sun, Jan 8; 12 – 5 p.m.; arcadiaround-

2022 A Look Back Welcome Back Crowds

There may have been some exceptions, but crowds once again were seen just about everywhere including here at Santa Fe High  School. The students celebrated its annual community benefit, called Double Wolf Dare Week.

2022 A Look Back

Edmond North Rules State

You don’t see this every day —- two state champions from one school. That’s what happened in March at the North High School boys and girls basketball teams both won state. Both winning teams celebrated after the boys’ win at Lloyd Nobel in Norman.

In June Megan Gold, formerly of Edmond, won Miss Oklahoma at the River Spirit Casino in Tulsa. She also represented Oklahoma at the Miss America Contest.

Support local stores

2022 A Look Back Bikers dominate downtown

Cycle 66 saw hundreds of bikers in downtown Edmond during the fall. The event is drawing more and more interest each year.

Recalling 2022

By Steve Gust

It’s interesting taking a look back at 2022.

I had forgotten a few things. For instance this was the year that Larry Stevens stepped down as City Manager. Larry had been here quite some time and had done a good job.

That’s got to be a hard job. Hundreds of employees and thousands of citizens, aka customers. I’m sure his successor Scot Rigby can attest to that.

I noticed it was also the year Kathleen Duncan left the Edmond School Board. She had been there for several years.

Being a school board member, especially these days, is one tough gig. Helping to lead a massive school system is also a challenge. I really hope folks know the work involved with that.

We also had two great sports feats.

The first was in the early spring. The North High School boys and the girls basketball teams won the state 6A tour-

nament. That is rare folks. What a great thrill for the kids at North.

And then we had a Kentucky Derby winner in late spring.

That still has got to be one of the most exciting things I can remember seeing. Rich Dawson’s horse, Rich Strike came out of nowhere to win that race in front of hundreds of thousands of people back in May.

It was a massive upset. An 80 to 1 horse won. Let me get my time machine and go back and bet a few thousand on Rich Strike.

I think that 2022 will probably be remembered as the year folks bid farewell to the COVID pandemic.

People were still cautious but they were officially tired of seeing so many events canceled and wearing masks on jetliners.

What got me about the pandemic in 2020 is how fast all of that happened. To my knowledge, 2020 started out like a normal year, but it sure didn’t end that way. Keep that in mind as we start over in 2023.

Have a safe and great new year folks.

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

A look at new traffic bills filled

Sen. Nathan Dahm, R-Broken Arrow, has filed three pieces of legislation to protect Oklahoma drivers from unnecessary headaches on the road.

Senate Bill 82 would prohibit law enforcement entities from requiring officers, justices, or judges to fulfill traffic citation quotas.

“At the end of each month, and especially nearing the end of the year, many Oklahomans are concerned about receiving a traffic ticket due to an arbitrary ‘quota’ that traffic officers are forced to meet,” Dahm said. “This bill will ensure that law enforcement officers are free to protect and serve our communities instead of being pushed to bolster revenue.”

SB 84 would prohibit the use of red light cameras, which take photos of vehicles that pass through intersections during a red light.

“Research indicates that in some cases accidents increased after red light cameras were installed,” Dahm

said. “In some instances, municipalities shortened the yellow light to increase the chance of catching someone on a red-light violation, thus increasing revenue. Such blatant disregard for public safety just to generate more revenue is unacceptable and should not be allowed in our state.”

SB 83 would ban the detention, interdiction, or other disparate treatment of an individual solely on the basis that the person drives or rides on a motorcycle or wears motorcycle-related clothing or paraphernalia.

“Disparate treatment based on clothing or vehicle type doesn’t make our roadways any safer,” Dahm said.

“Law enforcement must have a reasonable and articulable suspicion to justify a detention or investigatory stop of a motorcyclist.”

Sen. Nathan Dahm, R-Broken Arrow, has filed legislation requiring school districts to inform teachers of their First Amendment rights and obtain reauthorization every year before deducting union dues from teachers’ paychecks.

“Four and a half years ago, in Janus v. AFSCME, the United States Supreme Court ruled that collecting public sector union dues from non-consenting public employees violates the First Amendment,” Dahm said. “Our state has done a poor job informing teachers of their First Amendment right not to join or pay dues to teachers unions, and this bill aims to fix that.”

SB 75 requires school districts to provide a written statement to teachers, informing them that they have a First Amendment right to refrain from joining, paying dues, or making political contributions to any professional employee organization and that they will not be discriminated against for refusing to join or financially support such an organization.

“This bill ensures that teachers are aware of their rights and that the teachers unions actually have the informed consent of their members,” Dahm said. “Teachers who don’t want to continue paying dues won’t have to proactively take steps to end dues deductions, they simply won’t sign the reauthorization form.”

Make 2023 the year for your health

By Brian Attebery

It’s a new year and you know what that means. Time for new goals, ideas, and projects to get under way. Fitness is always at the top of the list for most of us. Even fitness “fanatics” fall off the wagon with their eating, frequency of exercise and focus on their goals. These are all normal things for anyone. The key is to get back on track, refocus and set new goals so you can climb back to your ideal, healthy self.

It is important to take it slow when getting back into shape. I don’t care how good of shape you “used to be” in, you still are not currently in that kind of shape, and it is much easier to get out of shape than into shape. This is especially true if your “previous awesome shape” was about 10-30 years ago! Let the ego go, take a deep breath and do less than you think you should do. You would rather walk away from the workout saying, “That wasn’t

too bad” instead of “I felt like I was gonna die!”

I advise many of my clients to get a physical if they haven’t been to the Doctor in recent years for one. Have you had your blood pressure checked? What are your cholesterol and triglyceride levels currently? What about your hormones like your thyroid, testosterone, estrogen and progesterone for overall wellness depending on your gender? Have you had your blood sugar/A1C levels checked? Did you know that 90% of Type II diabetics have this disease as a direct result of being obese? Do you know where you rank in the obesity spectrum? All these things are important to know and great for a baseline of knowledge so you can compare and contrast for later in the year and see your progress beyond just how your clothes are fitting or how the scale is moving.

I would recommend a mixture of weight training, moderate cardio and stretching as a baseline for a fitness program. A starter weightlifting program for most will be a full body workout utilizing 3 sets per body part for a average rep range of 8-12 per set.

Letters to the Editor policy

This should be done 3 Non-consecutive days per week and should ideally be done prior to your cardio workout. Cardio workouts can be walking on the treadmill, riding the bike, or performing the Elliptical or similar non-impact device. I generally don’t advise people to run at first and sometimes never depending on the health of their joints, age, body type and overall goals. Cardio should be performed at least three days per week but if you want to see significant weight loss, you need to aim for most days of the week or you will most likely be frustrated in the long run. Yes, it is just that hard to lose weight for most people. You need to burn calories daily and keep in mind, you are trying to make up for not doing that for a long period of time and bad eating. To get extra weight off, you need to burn extra. Once you get the weight off, you can maintain most of the changes with less effort as long as you maintain a healthy diet.

Stretching can be a simple task that you do 10-20 seconds here and there throughout your day and/or workout. You can also commit to a Yoga or Pilates class to help your core and flexibility 1-2 days per week or more. It is important to include stretching for maximum range of motion and injury prevention. It is estimated that 80% of Americans will suffer a debilitating back injury in their lifetime. I believe that many of those injuries would have been prevented with some simple, daily stretching and core routines. Take care of your body and it will take care of you.

I know many of you have been off your fitness wheel the last couple of years for a variety of reasons. Enough is enough. Taking care of your health is the most important thing you can do. How can you care for others, work hard, or have quality of life without a healthy body? There is zero rationale for skipping daily exercise. You can do it!

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

Steve Gust

Attebery

A look at ‘Immersive Van Gogh’ OKC

By Elaine Warner

The spacious room was dark but the walls danced with images which morphed from wheat fields to skyscapes – accompanied by evocative music from the plaintive soprano of Edith Piaf to Mussorgsky’s crashing chords. This was the impressive Immersive Van Gogh Oklahoma City.

Tickets are not inexpensive – and I wasn’t particularly a Van Gogh fan –but friends who had seen the exhibition in other cities gave it rave reviews. Tickets went on sale in May and I bought two – then put it out of my mind for months.

The production opened December 14 at the new Oklahoma City Convention Center. True confession – as a travel writer, I’m pretty much a princess. Hosts pick me up, drop me at doors, and I don’t have to worry about driving or parking – or much of anything else. I dreaded driving downtown and having to find a place to park; I wasn’t even sure where the new Convention Center was.

In case you’re in my boat – the main entrance faces Robinson and the parking garage is just north and east with the entrance on Broadway. Turns out, parking was a breeze and there was an elevator and skywalk from the garage into the Center.

Tickets come in VIP, Premium and Basic categories. Basics are for floorsitters! There are a few seats, but mainly for those of us who, once we got on the floor, couldn’t get up! Premium gets you a cushion, a poster, and some flexibility in arrival time. VIP adds a souvenir and priority entry. Prices range from $40 to $70

The 35-minute presentation is continual – a loop – and it really doesn’t

make much difference if you start in the middle. You’re allowed to stay as long as you want – even watching it several times.

The projection is 360 degrees –and the images travel around the walls so you can see everything from one spot. Animation gives motion to Van Gogh’s art – static fields become waving fields of golden grain.

The creator of this visual display is Massimiliano Siccardi, whose background in choreography and photography has blossomed into the highly creative elaborations like Immersive Van Gogh.

Luca Longobardi, a classically trained pianist and composer, has combined classics with contemporary music and his own compositions to paint a sound picture accompanying the visual images.

Images are not presented in the order in which they were created but flow into one another in random order. Undefined segments feature places of importance in Van Gogh’s life including the Netherlands, Paris, Arles, and Antwerp.

In retrospect, I wish I’d done some research before going. Although Van Gogh only actively painted for ten years, not working seriously until he

was 27, he created over 2000 works of art.

Some of the paintings – sunflowers, iris, olive trees, and, of course, Starry Night – I recognized. Others were unfamiliar. I was startled to see what I thought was Millet’s Angelus projected. As a very young man, Van Gogh had worked as an art dealer in Paris and became interested in that artist. Later in life, he made numerous drawings of Millet’s painting.

Van Gogh tried a number of occupations – teacher, bookseller, lay preacher; he even considered becoming a missionary – before turning to art in 1880.

Still concerned with the plight of the poor, his first works reflected rural life – landscapes, still-lifes, and peasants. It was during this period that he produced what would become one of his most significant works, The Potato Eaters.

He briefly studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp, Belgium, but soon left for Paris where he joined his brother Theo. There he was influenced by works of Cezanne, Seurat, and Gauguin.

Subsequently, he moved to Provence, in Arles, where he produced a large number of his paint-

ings. He dreamed of establishing an artist colony along with Gauguin, but their relationship fractured and the dream came to nothing.

By the end of the friendship, Van Gogh, who had suffered from depression, tinnitus, and vertigo, checked himself into an asylum. Some of his most famous works were painted during this period, including Starry Night. He later, moved to Paris to be treated by a doctor there. On July 27, 1890, he shot himself in the chest and a day later, died of an infection.

During his lifetime, he sold only one of his paintings, The Red Vineyard, to a woman named Anna Boch who paid 400 francs for it. It now hangs in the Pushkin Museum in Moscow.

In the decade after his death, his genius was recognized. His works hang in the world’s major museums and are replicated on everything from calendars to bedclothes.

Immersive Van Gogh is a magnificent tribute to his greatness and a joy to experience.

There are still tickets available to performances before the exhibition closes on January 15. For more information: www.vangoghoklahoma.com.

Among the 130 paintings Van Gogh produced during his time in the Saint-Paul-de-Mausole asylum in Saint-Remy, several were of irises growing on the grounds.

Elaine

Vincent Van Gogh wrote: People say…that it’s difficult to know oneself – but it’s not easy to paint oneself either.” The artist painted at least 35 self-portraits.

School Board Member steps down

Kathleen Duncan, former Edmond School Board member, was honored for her years of service with the board. Helping her to celebrate in early 2022 were members of her family.

Patti Neuhold-Ravikumar, presdient of the University of Central Oklahoma, announced in the fall she would be stepping down from her post.

By George Gust

The cultural legacy of the “Shrek” has lingered while as a movie franchise “Shrek” doesn’t seem to have the same juice as the phenomenon it was all those years ago, except for “Puss in Boots.” With Netflix specials and offshoot stories “Puss in Boots” has thrived on low expectations.

However now “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish” puts the swashbuckling feline back on the main stage, but would audiences tire of this fairtale franchise or is there one more life to live for Puss in Boots?

“Puss in Boots: The Last Wish” is the sequel to the Shrek spinoff “Puss in Boots” that came out back in 2011.

This time, Puss in Boots (Antonio Banderas) discovers that his passion for adventure has taken its toll: he has burned through eight of his nine lives. Puss sets out on an epic journey to find the mythical Last Wish and restore his nine lives.

“Puss in Boots: The Last Wish” is a wonderful example of a movie that knows what it wants to be and isn’t ashamed to be too sincere at times. In essence “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish” is a western about an old cowboy whose seen it all and is facing down his final ride to the sky.

And while the movie grapples with these heavy themes of mortality there are still fun and exciting animated action sequences and slapstick humor for the children in the audience. “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish” utilizes the animation as a filmmaking form by its use of a free and imaginative camera, making for sequences that feel unique to this animated film.

Where the filmmakers also succeeded was the balance in tone of the film. Where you get the tried and true cutesy eyes of Puss in Boots, you also have a deep sense of menace from the film’s antagonist=the Big Bad Wolf (Wagner Moura) who actually is able to

impart sincere danger to our beloved feline friends we meet throughout the film. It’s refreshing to see an animated movie for children where the villain adds real stakes instead of the trend that’s plagued modern animated movies recently where the movie either has no real villain to speak of or the villain turns out to actually be a good person inside.

Overall, “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish” is a breath of fresh air to the animated movie landscape and adds modernity to a long dormant “Shrek” universe. “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish” isn’t afraid to take chances with mixing in some different animation styles to what we’ve seen before with these kinds of movies and coupled with a tightly constructed story and brilliant voice cast this movie elevates beyond the more corporate mandated animation films in recent years.

“Puss in Boots: The Last Wish” is rated PG for action/violence, rude humor/language, and some scary moments. Now available in Theaters.

4 out of 5 stars

To reach George Gust for a comment on this review, please send an e-mail to him at this address gust.george@gmail.com

City project will affect traffic on Kelly

Traffic on a portion of Kelly Avenue, between Edmond Road and W. First Street, will be reduced to one lane in each direction beginning Jan. 3, 2023 while work to install a new sanitary sewer line and manhole access is completed.

Part of a project to support a new carwash at 111 N. Kelly, the closure will reduce lanes just north of Edmond Road and just south of W. First Street for approximately 10 days, with cooperative weather. Access to Kelly from the RCB Bank parking lot at the corner of Kelly and Edmond will be restricted to right turns only. Access to Kelly from W. Second Street, one block north of Edmond Road, will be closed during construction.

Motorists are asked to be aware of the restrictions and adjust their routes and travel time accordingly.

Crossword

PHOTO PROVIDED

Antonio Banderas returns to lend his voice to the loveable fairytale rogue Puss in Boots in ‘Puss in Boots: The Last Wish.’

2022 Look Back Coach Gets First Win

Genealogy group to read book pasaages

Letters from a Farm Boy

Growing up on a farm is quite different from growing up in the city. Growing up in the first quarter of the 20th century was quite different from growing up in the 21st century. Add in the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl of the 30’s and 40’s and you will get a picture of how farm life has changed and yet is still the same in many ways.

Paul Cunningham, lifelong resident of Oklahoma and a retired investment advisor, experienced life on the farm of the early twentieth century and wrote about it in his book, “Letters from a Farm Boy,” a compilation of memories from those years in the Hughes community southeast of Lindsay, Oklahoma. Daily chores, school, picking cotton, tending animals, time spent with family and friends all find their place in his stories.

The Oklahoma Home and Community Education Genealogy Group will host Paul on January 18th, 10:00 a.m. for his reading of some excerpts from his book. Our group meets at the Oklahoma County Extension office, 2500 SE 63rd St., and the public is invited. You can also check out our website: www.ohcegenealogy.com or our Facebook page: ohcegenealogy.

Tree recycling news

City of Edmond offers plenty of recycling option for live Christmas trees Drop-off location at Mitch Park will turn live trees into mulch through Jan. 31

When the holiday is over, don’t let the spirit of Christmas (recently) past come back to haunt you.

If your family enjoyed a live Christmas tree this holiday season, taking care of them after all the festivities is easy. The City of Edmond has a program that will recycle live trees and make them useful, turning them into mulch.

Live Christmas trees can be recycled by dropping them off at Mitch Park. The deadline to drop off is Jan. 31, 2023. Trees brought to that location are chipped, and free mulch from those trees is available for residents to pick up at Mitch Park. The drop off location is in the north parking lot adjacent to Marilyn Williams Drive, east of the pavilion and playground.

Because trees will be run through a chipper, tree stands, nails and ornaments must be removed before a tree is dropped off. Commercial accounts, Christmas tree lots and other businesses also can drop off trees for processing at the Mitch Park drop-off location.

If you can't drop off your tree, residential customers can schedule a special, free collection. Call the tree-cycling hotline at (405) 359-4701 between Jan. 2 and Jan. 6 to be placed on the schedule.

New UCO football coach Adam Dorrel got his first win in September, beating Empioria State 21 to 13.

Cunningham

In response to the culture's constant negative chatter about decline, aging and being over-the hill, VillagesOKC is offering reliable but common sense opportunities for education and action for older adults.

VillagesOKC is launching Senior LifeSkills Learning with two components in 2023. The first is a monthly series of free learning session which will begin in January and be led by authorities in their fields. This effort is both learning and hands-on engagement designed to develop a sense of community among the attendees.

Coming together as a community provides the socialization needed for a balanced life. Attendance is expected to be between 20 and 50. While the sessions are free, registration is required.

A second larger citywide Senior LifeSkills Learning pilot is planned for spring and fall in four quadrants of the greater Oklahoma City. While still under development, these are planned as daylong events, including a keynote speaker, a light lunch, a related film and a hands-on action. These sessions will be focused on the brain, vitality and what individuals can do for themselves.

“Keeping a strong brain and sharp mind are key concerns for many of the 370,000 mature adults in greater Oklahoma City,” said Executive Director Marilyn Olson. “More than anything, VillagesOKC members, their friends, and soon to be members want to know what we can do for ourselves to continue to live with vitality and purpose.

“We want education combined with laughter and practical application. Rather than just reading an article about healthy living, Senior LifeSkills Learning provides that ‘good peer pressure’ in community which encourages personal action.”

The monthly learning sessions begin on January 16 with the topic, “How to Fall Correctly.” The presenter will be Kendra Orcutt, OTR/L (Occupatioal Therapist, Registered, License). She is an adjunct clinical assistant professor at the OU College of Allied Health.

Learning sessions will be from 12:30 p.m. at Our Lord’s Lutheran Church, 2900 W. Hefner Rd. Sessions are free. Registration is required, either online at www.villagesokc.org or by calling (405) 990-6637

Below is the schedule for the year:

Crawford Security Consulting LLC Celebrates Grand Opening in Edmond

OMRF receives

to study hearing loss

An Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation scientist hopes a new, two-year grant will help him pinpoint the genetic variants that can cause age-related hearing loss.

Scientist Gaurav Varshney, Ph.D., will receive $469,000 from the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, a part of the National Institutes of Health.

Varshney’s lab studies human disease through zebrafish. More than 80% of human genes known to be associated with disease have a counterpart gene in the paperclip-sized fish.

In the U.S., hearing loss affects 1 in 8 people ages 12 and older, according to the NIH. The numbers rise as we age, with 1 in 3 experiencing hearing loss among those 65 to 74 years old.

Genetic causes account for up to half of all hearing loss cases, Varshney said. Scientists have narrowed the possible responsible genetic variants to about 100 mutations through genomewide association studies.

One such U.K. study, published in 2019, analyzed the DNA of 250,000 people between 40 and 69 years old with diagnosed and self-reported hearing loss. That study identified 44 regions within the DNA where one or more genetic mutations could cause hearing loss.

Humans and zebrafish share 39 of those 44 regions. Those 39 areas will be the focus of Varshney’s research.

“We want to pinpoint the specific genes within those 39 regions that could be responsible for hearing loss,” he said. “With that information, scientists can design better

treatments for the condition.”

Varshney’s lab will use the geneediting tool CRISPR/Cas9 to turn off individual genes within a given DNA region in the fish. To determine whether that missing gene results in hearing loss, his team will track fish behavior immediately after generating a startling sound. He’ll then repeat this process for genes in all 39 regions.

“Dr. Varshney’s research is a critical step, and it’s representative of how genetic studies often work,” said Patrick Gaffney, M.D., who chairs OMRF’s Genes and Human Disease Research Program. “You narrow the list of potential mutations until one day, hopefully, you can target a specific mutation with a drug therapy. That’s the direction his research is headed.”

Crawford Security Consulting LLC recently held a ribbon cutting with the Edmond Area Chamber of Commerce to celebrate their grand opening.

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$469,000

Scientist Gaurav Varshney

Hi and Lois

Shoe

Zits

Family Circus

Beetle Baily

Blondie

Hägar the Horrible

2022 LOOK BACK — Ryan Walters addressed the Edmond AMBUCS last summer. Walters won the GOP nomination for the State Superintendent job and then went on to win in the general election along with Gov. Kevin who won re-election.

Campaign under way to have teens eat healthy

A campaign aimed at encouraging Oklahoma teens to eat healthy is making an impact, according to a recent academic paper published in an international journal.

The research found that teens exposed to Swap Up, a campaign by the Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust (TSET), reported an increase in healthy behaviors compared to those who hadn’t seen the campaign. This shows teens felt Swap Up’s messaging was relevant and relatable, according to the authors of the peer-reviewed article.

The study, “Swap Up Your Meal: A Mass Media Nutrition Education Campaign for Oklahoma Teens,” published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, shows that within five months of launch, nearly three out of four Oklahoma teens reported they were aware of the campaign.

The self-reported change in behavior underscores the importance of education campaigns in influencing behavior among teens.

“Swap Up is the first known mass media nutrition education and obesity prevention campaign to attempt to reach adolescents across an entire state…these findings provide a promising foundation for the campaign’s long-term goals of documenting incremental changes in teens’ behavior and obesity prevention,” the article states.

Oklahoma has one of the highest youth obesity rates in the U.S., at 17.6%. Launched in 2021, Swap Up focuses on youth obesity prevention using simple nutrition messaging.

The campaign recognizes the specific barriers to healthy living encountered by youth and offers realistic solutions youth can incorporate into their

daily lives. Swap Up models healthy “swaps" for everyday beverage, snack and fast-food options. It also highlights how these choices will help youth think, feel and perform the way they want.

“TSET’s work is breaking new ground in obesity prevention by educating young people on how to make healthy choices and the benefits of those choices,” said Julie Bisbee, executive director of TSET. “The impact of the Swap Up campaign on teen awareness and behavior shown in this paper are very exciting and we will continue to monitor the progress and successes of this campaign and its impact on health in Oklahoma. Inspiring and

supporting Oklahomans to live healthier lives is at the core of what we do at TSET.”

Efforts to inform Oklahoma youth on how to improve nutrition and physical activity is important in countering the hundreds of millions of dollars that the fast food and beverage industries spend each year marketing their products.

Swap Up is part of the TSET Healthy Youth Initiative, a statewide program focused on preventing and reducing obesity and tobacco use among Oklahomans ages 13-18. For more information about Swap Up and the TSET Healthy Youth Initiative, visit TSETHealthyYouth.com.