Edmond Life and Leisure - June 8, 2023

What happened? Developer pulls plug on sculpture park

Four Seasons,

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.

Drawings of what some of the park art would have had.

A proposed sculpture park like “nothing else” in Oklahoma won’t be built after all.

Hal French, a successful energy and development entrepreneur notified city officials Friday that numerous “delays, hurdles and obstacles ... drained our energy, vanished our enthusiasm and ended our dream.”

His letter to the city notifying it that he is ending his efforts to build The Uncommon Ground sculpture park came less than two weeks after council members spent hours reviewing the site’s plans before approving a variety of modifications French’s development team had requested.

Despite gaining those approvals, French wrote that he

IMAGES PROVIDED

and the park’s design team “were often met with skeptical, disingenuous and arrogant attitude. As a person who grew up in Edmond and was attempting to give back, this was most disheartening.”

Edmond Mayor Darrell Davis said Friday he believed the city earnestly worked with French and his team to resolve issues the proposed development raised.

“I would hope in the coming days we may have the opportunity to visit with Mr. French and his team to discuss how the project could move forward,” Davis said.

For more on the article, please see Publisher’s Column on Page 4 and also a letter to the editor on Page 3. Oklahoman.com

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Touch-A-Truck event is moved to June 17

Edmond Electric’s annual Touch-ATruck event has been rescheduled to Saturday, June 17, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. in the University of Central Oklahoma parking lot #6.

The event was originally scheduled for last weekend, but organizers postponed it due to bad weather forecasts.

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

storm tracker vehicles, hot air balloons, and construction equipment.

Admission for the Touch-A-Truck event is a suggested $2 donation with all proceeds going to The Hope Center of Edmond to benefit residents in need.

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

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

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

Citizen questions why city didn’t make park happen

Dear Mayor Davis,

I'm writing to express my deep disappointment that our City of Edmond was unable to offer the Uncommon Ground Project the kind of support it deserved. Surely you can see how beneficial this project would have been for businesses as well as for resident families--sir, how is it possible we fumbled this?

We should be working tirelessly to make deals such as this possible in Edmond, especially when they come partially offered as gifts.

As a taxpayer I feel entitled to answers. I expected so much more from this city government. I've read all correspondence related to the matter. The explanations given by Mr. Shadid and Mr. French for what has happened here seem pretty damning.

A great benefactor of Edmond is walking away from a highly anticipated city improvement--and, in disgust! How did this happen? There must be a plan to investigate this matter fully. Will you announce this plan? Obviously, it is paramount that you discover any dereliction of duty among your staff that may have con-

Letter to the Editor

tributed to the demise of this project to avoid future failures of this kind. Is Scott Rigby preparing any kind of report? People will certainly expect that.

Your constituents have questions. Great effort should be made to adequately investigate and then report on the situation. If Mr. Shadid and Mr. French have been unreasonable in some way, or if there is some logic or relevant fact that we simply are unaware of, let it be known. This is not a good look for the city. Please attempt to restore our faith that your offices and our public officials are indeed working on our behalf. At least give us the respect and courtesy of investigating and reporting on the matter.

I voted for you twice, and happily. I believe that you are working for the good of Edmond, please affirm my belief in whatever action you take next.

Thank you for your service,

NATALIE SMITH

The Endeavor Games, which gives physically disabled athletes, a hance to compete, is in Edmond this weekend starting today. For more information, please see www.endeavorgames.org. See story, Page 5.

MOU not

Last Friday morning, I was sitting on my patio of the bed and breakfast in Sedona, Arizona, feeling the cool of the morning with a hot cup of coffee, looking at the incredible mountains and being soothed by the sounds of the birds. Zap, my phone was hit with a text from Randel Shadid telling me the plug had been pulled on the proposed Edmond Sculpture Park at Coltrane and Second street. That was the end of my tranquility.

Later that afternoon, when the information was released to the public, my phone was filled with texts, social media and phone calls wanting to know how this could happen. You can read the letter from Hal French who was behind the effort and funding to this point. You can see his point of view and the reasons for his decision to pull the plug on the project.

I wrote about the difficulty getting the project moved forward in last week’s column. Here is what I wrote:

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

My dad would tell people, “I am not going to say I told you so, but I told you so”. My hope was that my feeling of doom for the project would be way off base. I could sense the frustration from the public appearance of the donors so why couldn’t the city staff and council? Back in the saddle and at my desk on our deadline day, the questions remain as to how this project could get away from the City of Edmond. There is so much confusion. It is like the pieces just would not fit together.

The city sent out a response from the mayor and the city manager. Most media were happy to print just that and move on. Edmond Life & Leisure had to break from the herd. We will not shrink from our journalist responsibilities, period. With a little insistence we were able to meet with Edmond City Manager, Scot Rigby. We wanted to know directly from the person in charge how things had gotten to the point where the plans for such a great gift to the city would be pulled from future consideration.

When I asked the question, “how did we get to this point”, Rigby was quick to explain that they had been working together on different issues including who would be responsible for what. “What do you provide and what

for Sculpture Park

do we provide”, he said. He pointed out that public private partnerships work that way. In fact, it has been my experience that there is always a memorandum of understanding or MOU for these type of projects.

Apparently, the MOU for this project was still being worked on and was not complete. To move forward, the site plan progressed with the MOU still in committee between the developer and the City of Edmond. Rigby said there was a desire to keep the process moving. He also said that the site plan was pretty benign until the variances were asked for right before the planning commission meeting. Rigby said he believed if completed beforehand, it could have made the variances presented at the council meeting move much quicker through the system especially with regard to those dealing with drainage and road considerations.

Again, he was putting no blame on anyone but rather rethinking the steps the city had taken and how they progressed through the system. I asked him if he felt the staff had been disingenuous and arrogant as stated by the developer. His simple answer was “no”. He emphasized that the staff wanted the project to move forward and still does. He said he could see how all the questions from city staff could be frustrating but that they must do their due diligence when it comes to any use of taxpayer funds.

In fact, Rigby has about four giant posters hanging in his office with strategic goals listed for the council to consider. The sculpture park is listed among those goals. It could not have been staged for me. It was in the middle of projects, and we were too fast getting to his office the listing as a city goal must be sincere.

Rigby hopes that both parties can go back to the table and work out the MOU to get the process to continue. He says the city still wants this project to go forward but admits it is a slower process without the MOU. Rigby believes in the city’s responsibility to taxpayers and the developer to make sure there is clarity in who is responsible for doing what with any project that goes forward.

What next? I think most of us would love to see the developer and the city go back to the table to move forward again. According to Shadid that is not going to happen. They are tired and do not have the effort in them any longer. If it does go forward,

June 2, 2023

Dear Edmond Community,

It is with a heavy heart that I am announcing the end of our efforts to build and donate a unique 62-acre park in east Edmond. For more than 2 1/2 years, we have attempted to work with City leaders and staff to bring this vision to life. Unfortunately, we have encountered numerous delays, hurdles and obstacles that have drained our energy, vanished our enthusiasm and ended our dream. We had hoped to create a park similar to “The Gathering Place”, which stands as a model

for successful public-private partnerships. While we made many concessions with the city in hopes of foraging a genuine partnership, we were often met with a skeptical, disingenuous, and arrogant attitude. As a person who grew up in Edmond and was attempting to give back this was most disheartening.

I want to express my sincere apologies to the Edmond community for being unable to make this gift happen. It is a shame that the land, which is currently zoned for commercial and high-density apartments, will not become a unique sculpture park, with many amenities, that would have set Edmond apart from other

communities across our country.

I would like to thank the many citizens and friends who encouraged us along the way, as well as a few city leaders who responded with words of encouragement and support. I also appreciate how the Edmond Planning Commission passed our variance requests in about 30 minutes. I would like to give special thanks to former Mayor Randel Shadid who shared my passion and love for this project.

I hold only deep disappointment. It’s time to move on.

Sincerely,

the MOU needs to be completed first with one voice for the city and not a multitude of committees who have the authority to make decisions. It is what should have been done in the first

place and answers the question as to how we got here.

(Ray Hibbard may be reached at ray@edmoindpaper.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

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

Ray Hibbard

UCO to host 24th Endeavor Games

The University of Central Oklahoma will host the 24th annual Endeavor Games, an opportunity for athletes with physical disabilities to participate in various sporting events on a competitive level, June 8-11, on Central’s campus and throughout the Edmond, Oklahoma, community.

The UCO Endeavor Games is the nation’s largest multi-sport, multi-disability event. The 2023 games include 11 sports — air rifle, archery, cycling, powerlifting, sitting volleyball, swimming, track and field, table tennis, wheelchair basketball, wheelchair softball and wheelchair tennis.

“We are thrilled to welcome more than 250 athletes to Central’s campus for this amazing event,” said Cassidhe Walker, coordinator for adaptive sports and events at Central.

“We look forward to another great year of community, sportsmanship and fierce competition.”

The games will open Thursday, June 8, with a day of sports clinics and camps for aspiring athletes. Competition kicks off Friday, June 9, with powerlifting and wheelchair basketball in the morning; air rifle shooting throughout the day; and, an evening of swimming at the Edmond Mitch Park YMCA, 2901 Marilyn Williams Drive.

Saturday’s events feature track and field at Edmond North High School, 215 W. Danforth Road, followed by a goalball tournament and sitting volleyball on Central’s campus. The games conclude Sunday, June 11, with wheelchair softball at the Hamilton Field House parking lot, located on Central’s campus, and indoor archery and table tennis at the UCO Wellness Center.

Additionally, Johnnie Williams, U.S. Army veteran and Paralympian, will be inducted into the Endeavor Games Hall of Fame at 7:30 p.m., Saturday, June 10, at the UCO Nigh University Center, Grand Ballroom.

Competitions will be held at seven sites across UCO and Edmond. All events are free and open to the public.

Central is an official U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Training Site and is the host training site for the U.S. Men’s and Women’s Sitting Volleyball teams.

To view a complete schedule of events for the 2023 UCO Endeavor Games, visit http://www.endeavorgames.com/edmond.

For more information about UCO Endeavor Games, contact Leigha Pemberton, assistant director of partnerships and events at UCO, at lpemberton@uco.edu or 405-974-3160.

The Songs & Stripes Big Band Show to be at Museum July 3

The Edmond History Museum presents the LibertyFest event Songs & Stripes: Big Band Show on Monday, July 3, 2023, at 6:30-7:45 pm. During the show, attendees will be transported back to the World War II era when well-known entertainers cheered up American troops through comedy skits, beloved music and patriotism.

Modern-day comedian, Tommy Woodard, will entertain in the style of a Bob Hope USO tour from the 1940s, while acknowledging modern military heroes from Edmond. Big band music is performed by Talk of the Town Orchestra, with special guest singers Jeanise Wynn and Shirl Yancey.

This 1940s Radio Theater presentation sponsored by Junk Platoon, is a national award-winning performance series hosted by the Edmond History Museum and directed by Barrett Huddleston. The show features live musicians and actors reading Old Time Radio-style scripts, with the addition of original Edmond-specific material.

Tickets to Songs & Stripes are $20 each, children under 12 are $5. Forty tickets are reserved FREE for Active Military or Veterans, but RSVP is required to obtain free tickets. Tickets will increase to $25 on July 3rd. Purchase tickets at EdmondHistory.org or donate to support a Veteran’s ticket. The show will be performed live at the Edmond History Museum, 431 S. Boulevard in Edmond.

Artist Bios:

Talk of the Town Orchestra formed in 1988 to keep the Golden Era of Big

Band Music alive in the Oklahoma City metro. The orchestra, along with lead singer, Miranda Crawford, perform family-friendly music for large community events, dance clubs, and weddings.

Tommy Woodard is part of the duo comedy team, The Skit Guys and lead in the feature film, Family Camp (c2022). He has co-authored over a dozen publications with Eddie James and is a pastor at Newchurch in Oklahoma City.

Jeanise Rene Wynn has directed children’s choirs, volunteer choruses, musicals, pit orchestras, and praise teams, both in the US and in Japan. Jeanise is the Artistic Director for Windsong Chamber Choir and sings at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church.

Shirl Yancey has spent her life involved with music, including choruses, madrigals, state choirs, quartets, musicals, and more. From 1967 to 1970, she sang country music with The Talkabouts out of Nashville. In recent years, she has sung with various acapella groups and as a soloist for weddings and events.

Museum I nformation:

The mission of Edmond History Museum is to celebrate Edmond history through preservation and education. Museum hours are 10:00-5:00 Monday – Friday, and 1:00-4:00 Saturday. Please visit the museum website at www.edmondhistory.org or by calling the museum at 405-340-0078. Museum admission is free.

Park project should have happened

TO THE EDITOR

The death of the Uncommon Ground park has brought tremendous sadness and disappointment to me and thousands of people in Edmond.

That one of our most respected and generous citizens agreed to build and donate this progressive and farreaching project was tremendously significant. And to be met with city staff who were in his words "skeptical, disingenuous with an arrogant at-

titude" is absolutely unacceptable and unprofessional. .

The city staff member(s) who treated this gift in such a cavalier way must be identified, humiliated and terminated. If our city manager does not support public art then he is in the wrong place and should quickly move to a less progressive city.

I am sickened by this outcome.

MITZI HANCUFF

The University of Central Oklahoma will host the 24th annual Endeavor Games, an opportunity for athletes with physical disabilities to participate in various sporting events on a competitive level, June 8-11, on Central’s campus and throughout the Edmond,

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

May 22

Brenda Kay Bensinger, 64 of Edmond. Public intoxication.

Cooper Chamberlain Bell, 30 of Fayetteville, NC. Public intoxication.

Dakota Gene Kappus, 27 of Edmond. Shoplifting.

Courtney Sheree Pollard, 32 of Edmond. Contributing to the delinquency of monitors and (felony) larceny of merchandise from retailer.

May 23

Andrew William Arnold, 26 of Oklahoma City. Failure to stop for red signal light, reckless driving and elude police officer – endanger others (F)

Charles William Paine, 53 of Edmond. Failure to appear.

Douglas Keith Goodson, 49 homeless. Possess CDS, misdemeanor warrant and grand larceny.

Mandy Lynn Vickers, 45 of Edmond. Operate (DUI or APC) a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol.

May 24

Cherise Monique Dulaney, 35 of Edmond. Operate (DUI or APC) a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol.

Reginald Keith Liddell, 48 of Spencer. Misdemeanor warrant.

Kameron Devon Cole, 26 of Edmond. Misdemeanor warrant.

Colton Stone Jones, 20 of Edmond. Public intoxication.

Austin Daniel Steiner,36 of Edmond. Operate (DUI or APC) a motor vehicle with a blood alcohol content level of .08 or above.

Joshua Louis Whitener, 37 of Guthrie. Misdemeanor larceny.

Brittney Lashay Brown, 19 of Oklahoma City. Personation of another.

Jamir Damarcus James, 18 homeless. (Fel) unlawful to create, modify, alter or change personal identifying information of another to obtain money/goods, conspiracy and (felony value) obtaining by false pretense trick or deception.

Steven Eual Robertson, 69 of Oklahoma City. Driving while privilege is canceled, suspended, denied or revoked.

May 25

Frank Dillon John, 30 homeless. Public intoxication.

Mighuel Anthony John, 23 of Oklahoma City. Driving with license canceled, suspended or re-

voked, obstruction of police officer and operate (DUI or APC) a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol.

Britni Shaye Johnson, 33 of Edmond. Five misdemeanor warrants.

Ashia Nicole Strickland, 26 of Edmond. No proof of insurance and driving while privilege is canceled, suspended, denied or revoked.

Madison Michaela Gathright, 20 of Edmond. Shoplifting.

Leon Camrae Coffey IV, 24 of Edmond. Two counts of failure to appear.

Clinton Lee Miller, 36 of Oklahoma City. Felony warrant.

May 26

Jase Tyler Keck, 18 of Edmond. Public intoxication.

Emma Elizabeth England, 19 of Edmond. Public intoxication.

Haylee Grace Marie Burnett, 19 of Guthrie. Failure to appear and driving while privilege is canceled, suspended, denied or revoked.

Jessie Robert Ramirez Jr., 38 of Edmond. Nonassault resisting officer and petty larceny.

Kaitlin Taylor Brook Stotts, 28 of Edmond. Disregard traffic light, driving while privilege is canceled, suspended, denied or revoked and failure to appear.

Eric Warren Davis, 39 of Edmond. Two misdemeanor warrants.

Kaitlin Taylor Brook Branscum, 28 of Edmond. Felony warrant.

May 27

Rachel Nicole Dymon, 40 of Edmond. Operate (DUI or APC) a motor vehicle with a blood alcohol content level of .15 or more.

Kimberly Jayne Evans, 58 of Edmond. Four felony warrants.

Travis Don Horton, 29. Possess drug paraphernalia, public intoxication and trafficking in illegal drugs.

Yan-Amont Billy Darianssen, 49. Possess drug paraphernalia, public intoxication and trafficking in illegal drugs.

Calvin Ryan Yocham, 19 of Tuttle. Possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of marijuana, unlawful possession of alcohol under 21 at Arcadia Lake and public intoxication (lake only)

Hammah Elizabeth Keefer, 33 of Edmond. Failure to devote full-time attention to driving, expired tag – over three months, failure to appear, no proof of insurance and driving while privilege is canceled, suspended, denied or revoked.

Ryan Dale McWaters, 30 of Edmond. Possess drug paraphernalia, indecent exposure and two counts possession CDS.

Emma Lorraine Carmona, 25 of Edmond. Operate (DUI or APC) a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol.

K Two Sam, 31 of Edmond. Non-assault resisting officer.

Jimmie Joe Priest IV, 19 of Edmond. Two counts of no proof of insurance, failure to appear and driving while privilege is canceled, suspended, revoked or denied.

May 28’

Marcie Marie Owens, 39 of Oklahoma City. Operate (DUI or APC) a motor vehicle with a blood alcohol content level of .15 or more.

Amanda Victoria Dingess, 36 of Edmond. Felony DUI/APC.

Craig Allen Stillwell, 55 of Moore. Felony warrant.

Micheal Anthony Ross, 25 of Oklahoma City. Public intoxication.

Dean Allen Parks, 56 of Edmond. Driving with license canceled, suspended or revoked, possess CDS, misdemeanor warrant and a felony warrant.

Stevie Mark McClendon, 64 of Oklahoma City. Misdemeanor warrant.

Precious Raquel Byrd, 30 of Edmond. Obstruction of police officer and assault and battery/battery (felony) on police officer or correctional staff.

Krystina Michelle Tapley, 36 of Edmond. Misdemeanor warrant, possess CDS and possess drug paraphernalia.

Jackie Lee Johnson, 72 of Edmond. Domestic abuse assault (deadly weapon.)

Callista Cheyenne Smith, 21 of Watonga. Public intoxication.

May 29

Maureen Kelly Moore, 37 of Edmond. Operate (DUI or APC) a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol.

Allan Keith Tullos, 55 of Oklahoma City. Operate (DUI or APC) a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol.

Tyler James Hutchens, 37 of Edmond. Operate (DUI or APC) a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol.

Garrett Lee Rowe, 26 of Edmond. Three counts of failure to appear.

Priscilla Jean Ross, 37 of Edmond. Misdemeanor warrant, operate a motor vehicle with no valid driver’s license and petty larceny.

April Oweta, Chasenah, 45 of Edmond. Shoplifting.

John Carl Parker, 46 of Oklahoma City. Misdemeanor warrant and failure to appear.

Kyle Curby Airington, 47 of Edmond. Operate (DUI or APC) a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol.

Weekend calendar of events, June 8-11

What’s Happening

This Weekend June 8-11 ---- In the Gallery ---- Tiny, But Mighty! Exhibit

---- Unveiled: Edmond’s Bridal Fashion 1875 ---2020

Beginners Pickleball Club

Farmer’s Market ---- U.S. Mounted Shooting World Championship ---- Concert in the Park ---- UCO Endeavor Games ---- Beats & Bites – Gin Blossoms ---- Signature Tour ---- Prix de West ---- Artist Talk: Kyle Polzin, 2022 Prix de West Purchase Award Winner

---- Prix de West Artist Demonstration: Scott L. Christensen & Sherrie McGraw

---- Sunday Spotlight: The Art of D. LaRue Mahlke ---- Redbud Spectacular Horse Show

---- Oklahoma Shakespeare Presents: Much Ado

About Nothing ---- deadCenter Film Festival

---- Pollard Theatre presents: Little Shop of Horrors

Extra Information

In the Gallery Location: Edmond Fine Arts Institute

Extra Info: Featuring the art of Herb Graves; edmondfinearts.com

Tiny, But Mighty! Exhibit

Location: Edmond Historical Society & Museum

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

Unveiled: Edmond’s Bridal

Fashion 1875 – 2020

Location: Edmond History Museum

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

Beginners Pickleball Club

Location: Kickingbird Pickleball Center

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

Farmer’s Market Location: Festival Market Place and Farmers Market

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

U.S. Mounted Shooting World Championship Location: Lazy E Arena

Extra Info: Thu, Jun 8 – Sun, Jun 11; lazye.com

Concert in the Park

Location: Hafer Park

Extra Info: Thu, Jun 8; Free; 6:15 – 9 p.m.; edmondok.gov

UCO Endeavor Games

Location: University of Central Oklahoma – UCO

Nigh Center

Extra Info: Thu, Jun 8 ---- Sun, Jun 11; 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.; $35; endeavorgames.org

Beats & Bites – Gin Blossoms

Location: Riverwind Casino

Extra Info: Sat, Jun 10; Gate Time: 5 p.m.; Show Time: 6 p.m.; riverwind.com

Signature Tour Location: National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum

Extra Info: Sat, Jun 10 – Sun, Jun 11; 1 ---- 2 p.m.; nationalcowboymuseum.org

Prix de West Location: National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum

Extra Info: Fri, Jun 9; 10 a.m. ---- 5 p.m.; nationalcowboymuseum.org

Artist Talk: Kyle Polzin, 2022 Prix de West

Purchase Award Winner

Location: National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum

Extra Info: Sat, Jun 10; 10 ---- 11 a.m.; nationalcowboymuseum.org

Prix de West Artist Demonstration: Scott L. Christensen & Sherrie McGraw

Location: National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum

Extra Info: Sat, Jun 10; 1 – 2:30 p.m.; nationalcowboymuseum.org

Sunday Spotlight:

The Art of D. LaRue Mahlke

Location: National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum

Extra Info: Sun, Jun 11; 1 – 1:30 p.m.; nationalcowboymuseum.org

deadCenter Film Festival

Location: various OKC downtown locations

Extra Info: Thu, Jun 8 – Sun, Jun 8; deadcenterfilm.org

Redbud Spectacular Horse Show

Location: Oklahoma State Fair Park

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

Oklahoma Shakespeare

Presents: Much Ado About Nothing

Location: Shakespeare Gardens

Extra Info: Thu, Jun 8 – Sun, Jun 18; Thu & Sun: 7:30 p.m.; Fri & Sat: 8 p.m.; okshakes.org

Pollard Theatre presents: Little Shop of Horrors

Location: 120 W Harrison Ave, Guthrie, OK

Extra Info: Fri, Jun 9 – Sat, Jul 1; Fri & Sat: 8 – 10; thepollard.org (E-mail items

State Speaker looks back at concluded regular session

Senate President Pro Tem Greg Treat, R-Oklahoma City, recently commented on the conclusion of the regular lawmaking session that began in February.

The pro tem said the Senate Republican caucus was more united than ever before and built momentum going into the summer, which he hopes to carry into next year.

“I am proud beyond measure of all of our accomplishments this session,” Pro Tem Treat said. “We passed comprehensive school choice, significant teacher pay raises, record investments in schools and many more policy initiatives that will benefit Oklahomans across the state for generations. We also accomplished a lot for business development that will create jobs and opportunities for communities across the state.

“I appreciate the leadership team, the members of the Senate Republican caucus, the Senate staff and everyone involved this session. We wouldn’t have been able to accomplish as much as we have without everyone working in the same direction. After this year’s session, members of the Oklahoma Senate can say without a doubt that they have made Oklahoma a better place for the future of the state.”

The following are notable accomplishments by Senate Republicans this year where they worked with their House counterparts to get the measures passed and signed into law.

Education Package

The Oklahoma Parental Choice Tax Credit Act provides refundable tax credits to parents. The following are the income brackets and annual amount of for each tax credit:

Lawmaker criticizes court for voiding abortion laws

$7,500 per student in households earning under $75,000;

$7,000 per student in households earning between $75,000$150,000;

$6,500 per student in households earning between $150,000$225,000;

$6,000 per student in households earning between $225,000$250,000; and

$5,000 per student in households earning over $250,000 annually.

The act also provides $1,000 per child for parents who homeschool their kids.

Additional public education measures include:

$625 million recurring total investment into public education.

$500 million directly into the education funding formula, including six weeks of paid maternity leave.

Longevity-based pay raises for all certified staff, ranging from a $3,000 increase for teachers with 0-4 years' experience; $4,000 for 5 to 9 years; $5,000 for 10-14 years; and $6,000 for teachers employed 15 years or more. .

An additional $10 million into a three-year literacy program to employ a literacy instructional team to support school districts.

$125 million to the Redbud Fund, largely benefiting rural schools that don’t have the same ad valorem tax collection as other districts.

An additional $150 million into a three-year pilot program for school safety and security. This will provide every district with a school resource officer, or security upgrades depending on needs. For each year of the program, each public school district in the state will receive approximately $96,000.

Local promotions are noted

David Baggett was promoted to CRA Officerat Quail Creek Bank by the board of directors in April 2023. Baggett joined the bank in 2022 as a credit analyst and continues to serve in this capacity in addition to his new role as CRA Officer. Prior to banking, he spent several years working in the energy sector after graduating from Oklahoma State University with a major in finance. Baggett stated he felt it was important to work in the same community where he planted his roots and said it helps him feel more connected to the people the bank serves.

A man of many talents, David plays multiple instruments including bass guitar, guitar, drums, and piano.

——Price Lang Public Relations has named Mikala Novitsky to its staff as multimedia content manager.

“As our staff continues to grow, we are pleased to add Mikala’s videography and production skills to enhance our service offerings for our clients needs, including increasing their social media presence,” said Charlie Price, co-founder. “We look forward to rounding out our team with her unique skill set.”

Novitsky, a 2020 University of Central Oklahoma graduate, previously served more than two years as producer, reporter and anchor at KOLD News 13 in Tucson, Ariz.

At the University of Central Oklahoma, where she served as producer, anchor and reporter for Ucentral News, Novitsky earned several awards, including the 2020 Best New Media Award from the Oklahoma Broadcast Education Association and the 2021 Great Plains Journalism Student Broadcast of the Year honor.

Sen. Julie Daniels, R-Bartlesville, released the following statement last week after the Supreme Court ruled her Senate Bill 1503 and House Bill 4327 unconstitutional.

“On May 31, a rogue Oklahoma Supreme Court, acting as self-appointed legislators, unleashed another attack on Oklahoma’s unborn children. The court also thumbed its nose at the Legislature and showed their contempt for the separation of powers.

“These laws ensuring abortionists faced paying damages and the loss of their medical licenses was already precedent in other states, such as Texas.

“Our court should have dismissed these two lawsuits last year. Instead, they ignored the fact that the government can’t be the defendant under these civil laws.

“In both decisions, the majority said not one word about a right to

life of the unborn child. This is a dangerous game the Supreme Court is playing in terms of judicial activism. It should be a wakeup call to my colleagues that we need to strongly consider legislative intervention to avoid any more erosion to pro-life measures, or any other pieces of legislation that the Oklahoma Supreme Court doesn’t like.

“The Legislature had an opportunity to clarify our pro-life statutes this legislative session. SB 834 would have made language, including definitions and exceptions, consistent throughout our laws that could have thwarted this attack on the right to life in our state. We had a duty to use our legislative authority to act to protect unborn children from unelected pro-abortion justices. I am gravely disappointed and saddened that we stood silent. We still have options. We must work quickly. We must work together.”

State Senator joins criticism

Sen. David Bullard, R-Durant, released the following statement May 31 regarding the Oklahoma Supreme Court ruling Senate Bill 1503 and House Bill 4327 unconstitutional. Bullard served as a co-author of HB 4327.

“It is a peculiar thing to have a Supreme Court in Oklahoma that is so out of tune with the Constitution and citizens that they would rule a law unconstitutional for having the very exception for the life of the mother, which they claim makes it unconstitutional. Every bill they have struck down already had an exception for the life of the mother. The reality is that this court continues to make the same mistake of the court in 1973 by only applying the right to life to one person involved in the abortion. The unborn person has

committed no crime and should not be convicted and sentenced to death by inept judges. They also continue, with each radical left ruling, to make themselves incompetent and out of touch with the state they serve. They are, however, making judicial reform more and more of a necessity and the Legislature will reform the courts to be what they should have been all along.”

House Democratic Leader Cyndi Munson, D-OKC reacted differently.

"I am pleased to learn about today’s ruling from the Oklahoma Supreme Court that will keep healthcare decisions where they belong, between Oklahomans and their physicians. Oklahomans value their right to make their own decisions when it comes to healthcare.”

David Baggett

Mikala Novitsky

Sounding the alarm on grid reliability, again

By Senator Markwayne Mullin

The Biden administration’s overreaching energy regulation is sacrificing Americans’ ability to run their businesses and power their homes.

Democrats’ Green New Deal (GND) policies have left America dependent upon unreliable energy sources that strain our electric grids, cause rolling blackouts across the country, and have increased energy costs by over 40%. Just this past December, more than 10 states experienced rolling blackouts as the demand for electricity exceeded our available supply. Time and again, environmentalists have overlooked the continued necessity of fossil fuels to power our world.

These GND proponents have failed to learn from Europe’s rush for renewables or acknowledge how many European Union countries have now returned to fossil fuels after their premature abandonment. Germany, as a prime example, now generates more than a third of its electricity from coal-fired power plants after their abandonment of natural gas and subsequent rising power demand from France.

Domestically, we have watched as greenwashed Californians experience blackouts and are told to which degree to heat their homes. Yet, we continue to see lawmakers enact the same policies that led to these disasters in the first place.

Biden’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently proposed a set of burdensome regulations that will force the closure of coal and gas-fired power plants, regulations reminiscent of the illegal Obama-era Clean Power Plan. This proposal is a direct attack on our domestic energy producers and electric grid operators, forcing them to shutter reliable baseload power plants while relying on risky renewable sources that can’t deliver the certainty American families and businesses need.

In 2022, approximately 60% of electricity generated in the U.S. came from burning fossil fuels at our nation's 3,400 coal and gas-fired plants. By requiring fossil fuel plants to capture nearly 90% of emissions, knocking their generating capacity down to uneconomical levels, the EPA will force a de facto shutdown of our nation’s affordable, reliable energy.

Ironically, this rule comes amid the administra-

In concert this Sunday.

tion’s continued push for electrification that has already catalyzed concern for our electrical grid’s ability to withstand an uptick in consumption.

From 2017 to 2021, according to data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration, electricity consumers nationwide spent an average of almost seven hours a year without power, which is an increase of three hours per year from 2013 to 2016.

Democrats’ climate hysteria is getting ahead of operational reality, and Americans are taking notice.

In February, PJM Interconnection, the nation’s largest grid operator, released a report warning that retirements are at a risk of outpacing the construction of new resources onto the bulk power system. Simply put, fossil generation retirements are the key accelerator of grid unreliability.

I’m a firm believer in an all-of-the-above energy approach. The United States should strongly embrace oil and natural gas to power our grid, while continuing to explore alternative energy sources, just as we have done in my home state of Oklahoma.

During my time on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, we repeatedly questioned the Department of Energy and EPA Administrator Michael Regan on how they planned to mitigate the impending blackouts last summer. We were met with silence.

I now sit on the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee and the Senate Armed Services Committee, and in just five months, we have questioned both the Department of Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm and EPA Administrator Michael Regan on what energy reliability and security truly

means for our country. Despite the continued pressure we have put on Democrat officials to implement policies that allow reliable energy to thrive, we are provided with nonsensical explanations that quickly suffocate a viable path forward for our grid.

Forcing cost and reliability to take a back seat to emissions considerations is a dangerous approach, and I will continue to fight for realistic solutions for all Americans.

Over the past 50 years, emissions of the six most common greenhouse gases dropped by 78%. Utilities and power companies have taken dramatic steps to curb emissions while still providing affordable and reliable power. Environmentalists often forget that innovation is America’s greatest export. President Biden’s EPA, however, refuses to acknowledge this progress and continues to push unrealistic standards that weaken our grid.

Unstable grids result in blackouts that are lifethreatening and dangerous. Not to mention, Americans deserve dependable electricity at a price they can afford. We have seen what has happened to coastal states on both sides of the country that have rushed to green and paid the price; the rest of America shouldn’t have to worry about the same.

U.S. Senator Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) is a successful business owner and working cow-calf rancher serving Oklahoma on the Environment and Public Works; Armed Services; Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions; and Indian Affairs Committees. He is an enrolled member of Cherokee Nation and is the first Tribal citizen to serve in the U.S. Senate in nearly two decades.

Dunlap to put on Arcadia concert

ARCADIA – Singer-songwriter Chuck Dunlap, a seminal figure in the creation of what became known as Red Dirt Music, will present an Elm Tree Concert at 1 p.m. Sunday, June 18, at the Arcadia Round Barn.

Dunlap was among the pioneers of the distinctly Oklahoma sound during his time as a student at Oklahoma State University in Stillwater in the 1970s. He describes his music today as “a smooth blend of blues, folk and alt-country deeply rooted in the Red Dirt genre.”

He has been the opening act for such artists as Emmy Lou Harris, Leon Redbone, Jerry Jeff Walker and Willis Allan Ramsey.

The Sunday concerts are beneath the shade of the giant elm tree on the north side of the Round Barn.

Admission is free but donations are accepted for the maintenance of the barn, which is owned and operated by the nonprofit Arcadia Historical and Preservation Society.

Guests can bring lawn chairs or sit at the picnic tables. Cold bottled water is available inside the museum.

The Round Barn is six miles east of Interstate 35 on Historical Route 66 and is open every day from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

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

Chuck Dunlap

By Carol Smaglinski

“He sure got egg on his face,” we say about a person who did something quite embarrassing.

That’s just one of many common expressions written about eggs from being a good egg, or a bad egg, or being an egghead, which means being a smart gal or guy or even being bald.

How about stashing away extra money in a nest egg? Other metaphors include expressing fear by walking on eggshells.

Another example is hearing little kids yelling “Last one in is a rotten egg!” while jumping into a swimming pool.

But the best is attributed to Mark Twain, which was along the lines of warning us not to put all of our eggs in one basket. The writer actually said to put them all in a basket, but watch that basket.

A show-stopper recipe with eggs for an intimate gathering is a French souffle, Never made one? Don't be a chicken. There is a popular misconception that souffles are difficult to make. Not so. With a little prompting, and practicing once before you serve it to company,it should be a slam-dunk and you won't have egg on your face.

Who Knew Eggs?

Some tips:

Work with three bowls. Crack each egg separately into the middle bowl, reach down and grab the egg yolk and let the white drip down into the bowl. Put the whites in one bowl and the yolks in another. Be aware as one tiny piece of egg yolk or oil on the beater can prevent the egg whites from standing up nice and tall.

When beating the whites, (it is best in a copper bowl) do not overdo it or they can collapse. Beat enough so stiff peaks form, then stop.

Have everyone at the table when you bring the souffle out as it will collapse in minutes, so it needs an attentive audience for its glorious entrance.

It must be timed exactly, so ask Uncle Jimmy to hold onto the rest of his story as you make your grand entrance with the souffle. Remember, the guests can wait, but the souffle cannot.

Grand Marnier Souffle

5 egg yolks

¼ cup sugar

2 Tbsp. butter

3 Tbsp. flour

1 and ½ cups hot milk

¼ cup Grand Marnier

6 egg whites, stiffly beaten

1 Tbsp. sugar

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Generously butter a 6-cup souffle dish and dust the inside with sugar. In another bowl, beat yolks with a whisk until fluffy. Add the sugar slowly and beat for two more minutes. Melt the butter in a saucepan, add flour and mix well until a smooth paste forms. Then slowly, add the hot milk, stirring constantly. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for one minute.

Very slowly, pour the mixture over the egg yolks. Mix well and add Grand Manier. Then fold in egg whites. Pour gently into the souffle dish.

Place in the oven and reduce heat to 375 degrees and bake for 30 minutes. Then, gently open the oven door, dust the top with sugar and let it bake for another 10 minutes with no peeking. Allow it to bake to ensure a light souffle in which the egg To serve, hold two tablespoons back to back in two hands and plunge gently into the center of the souffle, pull apart and serve on separate plates immediately. Superb!

A French souffle, ‘eggsactly’ done, is a comfy dessert

By Steve Gust

It’s eye-opening to see the number of arrests the Edmond Police make for drunk driving.

A sobering thought Representative seeks tighter future budget

There are just too many people driving after they’ve had too much to drink.

And far too many times, there are some serious consequences for those who drink and drive.

We saw it here in Edmond toward the end of last month.

A minor teen girl, riding with her head out of a car, was hurt when her head struck a mailbox.

I don’t know the name of the girl, and if I did, I wouldn’t release it because she’s a minor.

What struck me about the incident was the emergency call the girl’s mom made to 911.

The mom was, understandably, extremely distraught. So much of what we hear these days is the result of staging, or acting. But that wasn’t the case with this call. The mother was heartbroken and scared.

What I’m going to suggest probably isn’t practical, but what if all of our high schools made all their students listen to that call on the first day of school? After hearing it, you can ask the kids if they thought it

was worth drinking and driving.

I remember they showed a film at my school, McGuinness. Maybe schools still show it. It was called “Signal 30” or something like that. It featured grisly wreck scenes and screams. It effectively made its point, but I think this 911 call would appeal to emotions and hit home.

Everyone should drive carefully and the speed limit. And when it comes to alcohol, just say no.

A DUI is expensive and can keep you from being considered for a whole lot of jobs. Worse than all of that, is the possibility you could hurt, or God forbid, kill someone. Maybe you might hurt multiple people. That would gnaw on your conscience for life.

If you’re a teen, or an adult, please don’t drink and drive.

—--

About 10 years ago, I did an article for the international Knights of Columbus magazine. I interviewed a Catholic priest who was the chaplain for the Los Angeles Dodgers. He celebrated Mass for players, staff, which included the iconic announcer Vin Scully.

Things change a lot in 10 years and not always for the best.

In reaction to this year's nearly $13 billion general appropriations' bill, State Reps. Tom Gann, R-Inola, and Rick West, R-Heavener, have proposed capping future legislative appropriations, retaining only what is necessary to be responsible in savings for a rainy day and sending back to the taxpayer any excess funds.

“We are fiduciaries of tax payer dollars not investment advisors," Gann said. "Regrettably, lawmakers have demonstrated repeatedly through massive spending increases over recent years that they are unable to resist the temptation. It's time for the people of Oklahoma to intervene with the Legislature."

West expressed his disappointment that Oklahoma's rampant spending has caught national attention.

"These actions do not reflect the values of Oklahomans," West said. "We are a conservative people who believe in the wisdom of limited government and controlled spending. What we are witnessing now is unrestrained spending that will prove destructive as the economy cycles into the next downturn. These are the values of California

or New York – not Oklahoma!"

West further noted that the extensive spending is particularly terrible during a period when many Oklahomans are grappling with inflation driven by government spending.

"While numerous Oklahoma families are forced to tighten their belts, Oklahoma lawmakers have the audacity to insist on significant increases in their own budgets."

Gann further warned, "In the event of the next economic downturn, revenues will decline while the Legislature's extravagant spending persists. This means not only will there be no meaningful tax reduction, but there will be tremendous pressure on the Legislature to revert to the days of tax hikes to avoid reducing their new spending levels."

HJR1001X is available for consideration during the current legislative special session. If successful, the people of Oklahoma would be able to vote on the plan next year.

Tom Gann serves District 8 in the Oklahoma House of Representatives. His district includes parts of Mayes, Rogers and Wagoner counties.

Lankford: Agency makes abortion priority

Senator James Lankford (R-OK) is leading the Oklahoma congressional delegation on a letter to Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra for suspending the $4.5 million Title X Family Planning grant awarded to the Oklahoma State Department of Health (OSDH). HHS is suspending this funding over the OSDH’s refusal to refer for abortions. Lankford is joined on the letter by Senator Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) and Representatives Frank Lucas (R-OK), Tom Cole (R-OK), Stephanie Bice (ROK), Kevin Hern (R-OK), and Josh Brecheen (R-OK). HHS Has Put Abortion Agenda Ahead of Actual Health Care

“HHS has chosen to prioritize abortion instead of prioritizing actual health care, by suspending Title X funding awarded to OSDH because of its obligation to abide by federal law and the state laws of Oklahoma. It is absurd that HHS is suspending funds previously granted to OSDH for its refusal to refer for a procedure that the underlying federal statute explicitly forbids,” the Members wrote.

Suspending Funding Puts Oklahomans at Risk

“Oklahomans rely on OSDH’s family planning program for Title X family planning services including cancer screenings, pregnancy prevention, STI diagnostics and treatment, breast exams, and depression screenings and referrals, among a multitude of other services. OPA’s decision to suspend OSDH’s award will severely limit Oklahoman’s access to these services. In doing this, HHS is disregarding one of its own stated goals to ‘protect and strengthen equitable access to high quality and affordable health care,’” the Members wrote.

Dear Secretary Becerra,

We are extremely concerned by the decision of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Population Affairs (OPA) to suspend the $4.5 million Title X Family Planning grant awarded to the Oklahoma State Department of Health (OSDH). Oklahomans across the state, particularly in rural areas with limited access to affordable health care, rely on the services provided by this funding. The suspension

Letters to the Editor policy

of the funds due to HHS’ novel interpretation of federal law regarding OSDH’s obligations under state law will substantially harm our constituency.

We demand the immediate reinstallation of the award FPHPA006507 ‘Oklahoma State Department of Health Family Planning Services Project,’ and strongly disagree with HHS’ interpretation and application of the obligations of grantees under federal statute.

Section 1008 of the Public Health Services Act, which authorizes Title X grant funding, explicitly prohibits funds from being ‘used in programs where abortion is a method of family planning.’ The same sentiment is reiterated each year as a condition of Title X appropriations, which states that Title X funds ‘shall not be expended for abortions.’ Nevertheless, HHS has chosen to prioritize abortion instead of prioritizing actual health care, by suspending Title X funding awarded to OSDH because of its obligation to abide by federal law and the state laws of Oklahoma. It is absurd that HHS is suspending funds previously granted to OSDH for its refusal to refer for a procedure that the underlying federal statute explicitly forbids.

It is troubling that access to necessary Title X services for Oklahomans has now been caught in the crossfire of HHS’ continued work to promote abortion while neglecting conscience protections. OSDH serves 30,000 Oklahomans in need of these free or low-cost services in accordance with federal and state law, in part through the Title X grant awarded to OSDH in March 2022. Yet, OSDH was wrongly determined by OPA to be out of compliance with the Administration’s regulations under Title X that illegally promote abortion as a method of family planning because OSDH cannot counsel or refer for abortion under state law.

Miles of famed Rt. 66 right here in Edmond

By Jennifer Seaton Director of Visit Edmond

We take our role as host seriously! Did you know Route 66 will be 100 years old in 2026? Communities along the route are ramping up for a big Centennial Celebration. Edmond is ahead of the game by organizing our signature event – Cycle 66 – in 2021. This cycling event begins and ends in Edmond and takes riders along Route 66. It has grown from 500 riders to 823 riders in two years. We are planning for 1,000 riders on Sunday, November 5. Choose from a 1-mile kids ride, 10 miles, 33 miles or 66 miles. $45 registration is open at www.cycle66ok.com.

Edmond has several fun stops along Route 66:

The one-of-a-kind Blue Hippo is fashioned out of fiberglass in a “kitsch” style. This humorous hippo is the perfect stop for selfies.

The Edmond 66 Softball Complex offers four fields for softball leagues, inviting teams and individuals to participate. With a concession stand and covered playground, the whole family can enjoy.

“Touch the Clouds” is a 15-foot-wide, 18-foot-tall bronze sculpture of a Sioux chief by David McGary that sits at the entrance of UCO.

Arcadia Lake offers a variety of outdoor recreational opportunities including camping, swimming, fishing, hiking, disc golf and special events.

The University of Central Oklahoma is the oldest public institution of higher education in Oklahoma and third largest university in the state. Old North was the first higher education building in Oklahoma Territory, built in 1892.

Find more Route 66 information at www.visitedmondok.com/route66.

Bicyclists rode past Pops 66 in Arcadia on the way to completing a 66-mile route during Edmond_s Cycle 66 on Nov 6, 2022.

Among the Edmond sights, are the Touch the Clouds statue at UCO, above,and trhe famous Blue Hippo, left.

A grant to study HIV drugs’ effects

Thirty-five years ago, an HIV diagnosis was a death sentence. Thanks largely to advancements in drug therapies, a person who tests positive for HIV at age 20 can now expect to live just as long as someone without the disease.

With a $2.7 million grant from the National Institutes of Health, Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation scientist Jasim Ahamed, Ph.D., hopes to increase the quality of life for people who take antiretroviral drugs to treat HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.

With the grant, Ahamed is studying whether these drugs – which people with HIV take for their lifetime – contribute to the formation of scar tissue in the heart. This condition, called cardiac fibrosis, ultimately leads to heart failure.

“Certain types of antiretroviral drugs are linked to cardiovascular risk, and people with HIV who die suddenly often show the presence of cardiac fibrosis,” Ahamed said. “This research aims to dive deeper into understanding whether their life-saving therapies increase the risk of cardiac fibrosis, and if so, to determine why and which drugs carry that risk.”

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, about 35,000 people in America contract HIV each year. Roughly 1.2 million people in the U.S. live with the virus. Worldwide, the United Nations estimates that nearly 40 million people have HIV. More than half are female, and almost 5% are children. Left untreated, HIV typically leads to AIDS, which is almost always fatal.

Ahamed’s lab at OMRF studies TGF beta 1, a protein that can be generated by blood platelets at levels almost 100 times higher than by other cell types in the body. This contributes to several disorders, including cardiac fibrosis.

“We believe some antiretroviral drugs activate the platelets to release TGF beta 1, leading to cardiac fibrosis,” Ahamed said. “Using research models, we will test all the HIV drugs available on the market – alone and in combination.”

Ahamed hopes to discover a way to inhibit the TGF beta 1 release and cardiac fibrosis in people with HIV.

“Science has produced tremendous improvements in HIV therapies over the past three decades,” OMRF Vice President of Research Courtney Griffin, Ph.D., said. “If Dr. Ahamed’s hypothesis proves correct, it could lead to yet another major advancement for millions of people living with HIV.”

Ahamed’s four-year grant, 1R01HL16765601A1, was awarded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, part of the NIH.

Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation scientist Jasim Ahamed, Ph.D.

AAA notes 100 deadliest driving days

he unofficial start to summer has arrived the season for backyard barbecues, road trips, ball games and basking in the sun. But AAA Oklahoma reminds that the period between Memorial Day and Labor Day is also a season of increased risk on the roadways, making those summer days the 100 Deadliest Days of the year.

More than 7,300 people died nationwide in crashes involving teen drivers from 2012 to 2021 during the 100 Deadliest Days, the period between Memorial Day and Labor Day. That’s nearly half of the number of those killed in teen-driver crashes for the entire remaining months out of the year. In 2021 alone, 900 people were killed in teen-driver crashes, up from 851 the previous year a nearly 6% increase. The number killed in 2021 also represents a greater than 25% increase over pre-pandemic 2019. Often, the victims are passengers, pedestrians or occupants of other vehicles, making the roadways more dangerous for all.100 Deadliest Days.png

“There are more daily deaths from crashes involving teen drivers during the summer months than the rest of the year because teens tend to have more unstructured time behind the wheel, as they commute to summer jobs, enjoy summertime activities and spend time with friends,” said Rylie Mansuetti, public affairs manager, AAA Oklahoma. “Unfortunately, as more teens take to the road over the summer, the results can be deadly. AAA recommends that parents take time now to both model safe driving behaviors and help ensure their teens practice them as well.”

AAA encourages teen drivers to double down on staying focused when driving, buckling up for every ride and driving within posted speed limits. Parents should also talk to their teens specifically about the dangers of impaired driving.

In Oklahoma, 154 people were killed in crashes involving teen drivers ages 15 to 18 during the 100 Deadliest Days from 2012 to 2021, representing 30% of all vehicle crash fatalities during that 10-year period.

Helping teen drivers keep roadways safe

According to the AAA Foundation 2021 Traffic Safety Culture Index, teen drivers ages 16-18 admitted to having engaged in at least one of the following risky behaviors in the past 30 days:

Driving 10 mph over the speed limit on a residential street (39%)

Driving 15 mph over the speed limit on a freeway (34%)

Travel insurance and hurricane season tips

One major thing to keep in mind – buy travel insurance early. Once a storm starts forming, it is considered a “foreseeable event” and insurance coverage will no longer be available to cover losses related to that storm.

How Hurricane Coverage

Works

Travel insurance is an effective and cost-efficient way to cope with the risk of travel during hurricane season and to help guard against potential financial losses.

When it comes to severe weather, insurance may enable travelers to receive reimbursement of pre-paid, non-refundable trip costs if they must cancel a trip due to severe weather-related issues covered under the trip cancellation benefit.

Here are some scenarios that may trigger travel insurance coverage:

Flights are grounded due to a hurricane: Many plans may cover a traveler when common carriers - such as airlines and cruise lines - cease service due to weather. The cessation of services must be for a certain number of hours, usually 24-48.

Resort is in the path of a hurricane: A few plans may cover when the traveler's destination is under a NOAA-issued hurricane warning. *

A hurricane damaged my hotel or resort: Many plans may cover a traveler when a hotel, resort, or vacation rental is devastated and made uninhabitable by a storm.

A hurricane damaged my home: Many plans may offer coverage when the primary home of a traveler sustains destructive storm damage that renders the home uninhabitable.

I changed my mind: For the flexibility to cancel a trip for reasons other than those listed as "covered

reasons" on a policy, a traveler may consider Cancel for Any Reason (CFAR) protection.

CFAR is an optional time-sensitive benefit available on some plans that allow a traveler to cancel a trip for any reason, up to 48 hours before the scheduled departure. Reimbursement is usually 50-75% of the prepaid, non-refundable trip cost. A traveler must meet specific eligibility requirements and must purchase a policy with CFAR within 14-21 days of making an initial trip payment or deposit.

Hurricanes and Airline Cancellation Policies

Flight cancellation policies vary by airline and circumstance. When an airline cancels a flight due to bad weather, most will try to rebook passengers on the next available flight.

Airlines are not required to reimburse travelers for losses incurred as a result of a canceled flight due to weather. Travelers concerned about protecting pre-paid, non-refundable trip expenses should consider travel insurance.

T ravelers interested in learning more about insurance plans for travel during hurricane season can visit www.InsureMyTrip.com or call 1-800-551-4635 to speak with a licensed travel insurance agent.

*With most comprehensive travel insurance plans, the NOAA-issued hurricane warning must be issued for the traveler's destination within 24-48 hours of the traveler's scheduled departure. The cancellation must also be more than 14 days after the traveler's effective date for trip cancellation coverage. This means this coverage would not be available if the traveler is trying to purchase coverage 15 days or closer to a trip's departure.

Texting (28%)

Red-light running (27%)

Aggressive driving (25%)

Drowsy driving (16%)

Driving without a seatbelt (12%)

Drinking enough alcohol to be over the adult legal limit (4%)

Riding in a car driven by someone who has had too much alcohol (8%)

Driving within an hour of having used marijuana (6%)

In addition to modeling safe driving behaviors and talking to their teens about factors that can contribute to the risk of a crash, parents should also consider having their teens complete a comprehensive driver education course to learn the rules of the road.

“While they sometimes may not think so, parents remain the best line of defense to keep everyone safe behind the wheel,” said Mansuetti. “It’s never too soon for parents to talk to their kids about the dangers of distracted driving, speeding, and alcohol and marijuana impairment. But they also need to model good driving behavior themselves.”

To keep roads safer this summer, AAA encourages parents to:Teen Safety Tips.png

Talk with teens early and often about abstaining from dangerous behavior behind the wheel, such as speeding, impairment and distracted driving.

Teach by example and eliminate their own risky behavior when driving.

Establish a parent-teen driving agreement that sets family rules for teen drivers.

Conduct at least 60 hours of supervised practice driving with their teen, including 10 hours of night driving.

To support parents in conducting practice driving sessions, AAA provides a free four-page guide to help parents coach their teens on how to drive safely, “Coaching Your New Driver – An In-Car Guide for Parents.” The guide offers a driving log as well as behind-the-wheel lesson plans.

The AAA Teen Driver Website has a variety of tools to help prepare parents and teens for the dangerous summer driving season. The online AAA StartSmart Parent Session also offers excellent resources for parents on how to become effective incar coaches as well as advice on how to manage their teen’s overall driving privileges.

Review of ‘Spider-Man Across the Spider-Verse’

Sequel equals success of original

By George Gust

“Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” is the follow up to the 2018 surprise animated hit “SpiderMan: Into the Spider-Verse.” Miles Morales catapults across the Multiverse, where he encounters a team of Spider-People charged with protecting its very existence. When the heroes clash on how to handle a new threat, Miles must redefine what it means to be a hero.

Anytime you’re making a sequel to a surprise sensation, it can be a tall task to up the stakes from the first film and continue to innovate on ideas that made the first film a success. “Across the Spider-Verse” does just that. After the first film’s massive success there was a new trend in animation that saw other filmmakers splicing in different animation styles to the genre in stead of the static animated style that had been the standard to that point.

This was seen most recently in “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish” which also included story-driven changes to the overall style. In “Across the SpiderVerse” you see this idea taken to the next level, where you can interpret emotional story beats

from the shifting and creativity of animation style.

If you printed out the story synopsis of “Across the Spider-Verse” you would go cross-eyed trying to make sense of the multi-dimensional plotline, but the filmmakers have made the progression through this intricately complicated plot/universe a fun ride instead of a college lecture. For how much comic book logic and lore going on in this movie the emotional character arcs come first and never feel like they’re being sacrificed in the

Answers on Page 19

service of spectacle. And in terms of voice cast, there are too many names to point out, but the entirety of the cast feels pitch perfect for the story they’re telling, and add their own unique energy to the proceedings.

Overall, “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” is a phenomenal entry into a growing franchise of animated Spider-Man feature films, the action is fun, inventive and fresh, the story is engaging and the voice cast is locked into the story. It’s telling that in a landscape overflowing with superhero content and even Spider-Man specific content in the past few years, that “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” is still able to grab your attention and tell a new story that is both entertaining and emotional.

“Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” is rated PG for sequences of animated action violence, some language and thematic elements.

4.5 out of 5 stars

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

Documentary preview set for June 11

A documentary on the Oklahoma State Capitol will premiere at the deadCenter Film Festival in Oklahoma City. “The People’s House” was directed by Oklahoma native Bryan Beasley and produced with support from the Inasmuch Foundation and Oklahoma Historical Society (OHS).

The premiere on Sunday, June 11, at 1:30 p.m. will take place at the Harkins Theatres Bricktown 16 in Oklahoma City. It is a free screening. No film festival pass is needed.

The trailer features a four-minute drone tour of the Capitol building with a glimpse into the House and Senate chambers, the Supreme Court, the Blue Room and more.

“The drone shot was done to look like a single take. It gives the audience a complete tour of the restoration. It is a visual marvel and something I have never done before in a film,” said Beasley. “My team and I really strived to make this documentary both educational and entertaining for our audience.”

The documentary talks about the history of the Capitol.

Crossword Puzzle

on Page 19

The Spider People are back and this time they've dug deeper into the multiverse and caused problems in all existences in ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.’

A grand opening held for UkanCamp

UkanCamp, LLC recently held a ribbon cutting with the Edmond Area Chamber of Commerce to celebrate their grand opening at 125 NE 138th St. UkanCamp, LLC is a locally owned Manufacturing company, and its founder and CEO is a local Oklahoman and a proud Navy Veteran.

William Ashlock started building Teardrop style Trailer/Campers out of his garage for his own use in 2008. The first few campers were very basic but met his needs for a small, lightweight camper that could hit the road easily and economically. After hauling it around, his friends wanted one also…. So, he started building and selling one at a time.

In 2012, Ashlock moved out of his garage into a small shop. That year, he built and sold eight campers. He continued building at that pace as he maintained his full-time IT position with a local Oil and Gas Company. The company had a severe

RIWF (Reduction in Work Force), so William continued to build his unique design continually upgrading and improving with each new model.

In May of 2021, William joined forces with two Edmond businessmen, Dennis Smith and Steve Aduddell. Ukancamp moved into a new building in north Oklahoma City, hired several employees and started manufacturing on a larger scale. Their company immediately applied and became an authorized manufacturer by the State of Oklahoma in September of 2021. UkanCamp, LLC Campers is registered with the NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) and J.D. Powers. UkanCamp provides VIN numbers and Manufactures Certificate of Origin with each unit sold and they can be bank financed.

To learn more about UkanCamp, LLC visit https://ukancamp.com.

Academic All-Staters noted

The Oklahoma School of Science and Mathematics (OSSM) announced today that 10 seniors have been named as Oklahoma’s 2023 Academic All-Staters. Awarded by the Oklahoma Foundation for Excellence (OFE), the list consists of the top 100 public high school seniors from 75 schools in 68 Oklahoma school districts.

The OSSM students are Amanda Dai (Ardmore), Charles Liu (Stillwater) and Sarvesh Ramakrishnan (Edmond) from the residential campus; Robby Batson (Tahlequah) and Reed Trimble (Muskogee) from the Tahlequah/Stilwell Regional Center; Landon Schultz (Kremlin) and Elsa Stewart (Enid) from the OSSM Enid Regional Center; and Kate Boothe (Purcell), Jennie Higdon (Washington) and Wyatt Jensen (Altus) from the OSSM Virtual Program.

To qualify for the Academic-AllState scholarship, students must meet one of the following criteria: An American College Test (ACT) composite score of at least 30 or a combined SAT evidence-based reading and writing and math score of at least 1,370; or selection as a Na-

tional Merit semi-finalist. Each scholar receives a $1,500 merit-based scholarship.

“These seniors have accomplished a great deal in their high school career,” said Tony Cornforth, president of OSSM. “We congratulate them for this achievement of being among the state’s most academically talented high school students.”

The 2023 Academic All-State class is the 37th to be selected by the Oklahoma Foundation for Excellence. Since its inception in 1987, about 3,700 high school seniors from 335 school districts have been named Academic All-State scholars.

About OSSM

Nationally ranked in the top 1 percent of high schools nationwide, OSSM provides a college-level, academically advanced curriculum to juniors and seniors across the state. For more information, visit www.ossm.edu or call (405) 5216436.

For more information, call (405) 521-6436 or visit the website at www.ossm.edu.

Among those earning the honor is Sarvesh Ramakrishnan of Edmond.

The chamber celebrated a grand opening for manufacturer UkanCamp.

Lessons learned from a fitness lifestyle expert

By Brian Attebery

I have been a personal trainer/fitness expert full time for 26 years. I have owned and operated my gym for 20 years this coming November. I have been involved in fitness from a personal and athletic level my entire life. When you experience and witness thousands of workouts, histories, body types and situations, you understand that we are not bullet proof and our bodies must be cared for. If you want to have and continue to have a quality of life, you must treat yourself with care and thought when it comes to your fitness and health. You must be intentional in taking care of your joints and overall health if you want to optimize success. Here are some of the key points I have learned throughout my career that will help you.

Success in fitness and life will require a plan of action. You must establish short term, intermediate and long-term goals. You should not just start a gym membership with, “I want to lose 50 pounds.”. This also goes for the little league football player that says they want to become an NFL star on day one of practice or the 7th grader who thinks the first time they do arm curls they will shoot for Mr. Universe. Let’s start with establishing daily, weekly, monthly and year to year consistency. If you lose 5 pounds in 3 months, that is good even if it is not what you thought would happen. Celebrate the little victories and learn to overcome the life obstacles like schedules, time constraints and weather excuses people will give. I could write a book on when the gym will slow down. If it rains, a snowflake is in the air, it’s too hot or it is the week leading into a holiday. You can bet the farm that it will be lower attendance those days. It is called human nature. We all fall into it. Don’t tell yourself you can’t just because of those things. We have a roof and a heater, air conditioning and fans, and you do have time. You may just have to shorten the workout a bit.

Your body needs change. If you do any kind of workouts, you must mix up how you approach them. You need to change angles, types of machines versus free weights and cables, adjust the rep ranges and intensity. You are not a robot, and your body needs to have time for recovery. Exercise is like tools in a toolbox. There are many tools to choose from and you need to choose different ones. If your knees are aching, don’t just go ahead and do heavy squats and lunges. It may be a good day to do light leg presses, focus on extra hamstrings and calves and just let your body take a step back. If you push through it and hurt yourself, you are

not helping anything and a light, modified workout will help you to maintain and possibly be a blessing in disguise as you change your routine and shock the body a little.

If you are working out and have zero clue what you are putting in your body, then you are making the biggest mistake in your fitness journey. God could send a workout from above but if you don’t feed your body the proper amounts, ratios and varieties of foods, vitamins, and minerals then you are not going to maximize recovery and outcome. I always say, “You need to eat like you want to be, not how you are.” Star with trackingyour calories and ratios to get an idea of what you need. This is especially true if you are actively trying to lose weight. You may be surprised that you are eating more than you think OR you may be eating way too little and that is not good either in the long term.

Your joint health is going to be one of the greatest challenges as you go through a long life of fitness. We have aches and pains if we don’t take care of ourselves. We also have aches and pains if we do too much. Changing the exercises as mentioned previously will help reduce these issues but supplements do too. I am a huge believer in anything that will help your joints stay healthy. Glucosamine, collagen powder, flax seed, turmeric and a variety of vitamins and antioxidants are crucial for feeding the joints to reduce inflammation and aid in repair. I also like my Herbal teas that I load up with nitric oxide boosters for circulation and blood flow along with my shot of aloe for gut health and my probiotics added in with those things as well. Your internal gut health is vital for all the food to absorb and don’t forget about adequate fiber for proper elimination and reduction of cholesterol. I have found it is helpful to read about the benefits of various supplements for my mindset of taking them. If I envision what they are doing for me, it is not a difficult choice to be consistent with taking them. I like thinking about making my body healthier.

If you are just starting your fitness journey or have been on one for decades, you must constantly be thinking about how you are going to continue keeping yourself active. Set new goals, reestablish old ones, be intentional about trying new workouts and actively seek alternative healthy recipes and supplements to nourish your body. Get your mind wrapped around the ups and downs that will inevitably happen and decide that you will never quit!. You will never regret making fitness a lifestyle. Anyone can do it. Make it happen.

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

Attebery

OG&E back before Corp. Commission

Oklahoma Gas and Electric Company (OG&E) last week asked for approval from the Oklahoma Corporation Commission (OCC) of its plans to replace two aging power generation units at the Horseshoe Lake Power Plant in eastern Oklahoma County with more efficient units that will deliver increased reliability, improved efficiency and operational flexibility, and lower emission rates, all at the lowest reasonable cost for its customers.

The Horseshoe Lake Power Plant units being replaced are the oldest in OG&E’s generation fleet and have served customers for more than 60 years. OG&E will replace the vintage gas-fired steam units with new gas-fired combustion turbines. The new units will provide approximately 450 megawatts of generation capacity.

Additionally, the new units will have the ability to be turned off and on quickly, allowing them to supply power during peak times and lower emission rates than the existing units. The new combustion turbines will be designed to burn hydrogen

safely and reliably once it becomes available as a fuel and could convert to use hydrogen as its primary fuel in the future.

“We’ve seen tremendous growth across our service area as the communities we serve continue to thrive, “said Sean Trauschke, OGE Energy Corp. chairman, president & CEO. “With affordability for our customers top of mind, adding combustion turbines at our existing Horseshoe Lake facility, with its highly skilled workforce, provides our customers the most cost-effective option to meet their energy needs.”

To help meet power generation needs in recent years, OG&E has invested in solar and wind generation, expanded energy efficiency and demand response programs, as well as acquired existing power generation facilities. Due to significant growth in OG&E’s customer base and pending Southwest Power Pool (SPP) rules increasing power generation capacity to support reliability, the electric company sought new resources to meet generation needs.

Spotlight on Let’s Do Greek

Greek & Mediterranean cuisine right in Edmond

By Alexx Reger EL&L Business Editor

Let’s Do Greek is a Mobile Food Truck owned by Marsha and Glen Aguilar. Marsha is also the Manager of the business which has been in business for 30 plus years, nine of those years as a food truck.

The Aguilar’s opened Let’s Do Greek because they thought it would be something fun for the weekends. They soon figured out it was going to be much more than that and a very successful, popular venture.

Let’s Do Greek offers Greek and Mediterranean cuisine. “We do a lot of weddings, rehearsal dinners, corporate office events, festivals and literally everything!” says Marsha.

Some of the cuisine offered includes yummy gyros, feta fries, hummus and pita, baklava, and their popular oregano chicken which is slightly breaded and tossed with grilled onions, virgin olive oil, herbs and lemon juice and then topped with lettuce, tomatoes and their famous Spicy Oregano Sauce.

When asked what sets their business apart they hope it is their expertise in this business which helps them and will always try and be help to others who are starting out in this business as well.

Marsha adds they have made many lifelong friends by meeting people in the food business. And it is always a great feeling, as a business owner, to be that first contact for anyone trying to book an event, Marsha says.

The Aguilar’s love being in this business and hope to grow each and every year while continuing to build relationships and take on new things.

“We always love coming to Edmond since we had a restaurant here for eight years, so when we do festivals and such here we always get to see a few of our customers!” says Marsha.

For more information on Let’s Do Greek Food Truck and where they might pop up next, or to book an event, visit letsdogreek.com or call 405-642-2021.

Metro home sales up and down

Spring home sales in the Oklahoma City area acted more like a Slinky on stairs in April: stretching, pulling and tumbling down, after sidestepping national declines during the first quarter of the year.

Sales were down nearly 10%, pending sales were down 2.3% and new listings were down 4.2% compared with March, according to the Oklahoma City Metro Association of Realtors.

The median price slipped, but less than 1%, to $270,000.

The drops were greater on a yearover-year basis: sales down 30.8%, pending sales down 11.6%, and new listings down 17.2% compared with April of last year.

That's the difference higher mortgage rates make: Loan rates hovered right around 5% in April 2022, about 1.5 percent points less than last month, when they were around 6.25% and brushed against 6.5%, according to Freddie Mac.

"Fluctuations in mortgage interest rates have caused buyers to pull back," the Realtors said in a monthly report.

Even so, buyers kept buying, and with fewer houses on the market, the inventory of homes for sale dropped 4.2% to 2,496 listings, a 1.7-month supply. That's counting only homes listed with Realtors and not offered directly by builders or for-sale-byowner. OKLAHOMAN.COM

OG&E conducted an extensive analysis to determine what combination of new resources, including solar power generation, are the lowest reasonable costs to customers, followed by a competitive bid process. OG&E is exploring solar expansion through Department of Energy grants through the Investment in Infrastructure and Jobs Act (IIJA) and Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and will continue to pursue solar as part of its commitment to fuel diversity.

“Our service area enjoys plentiful options for power generation, including renewables and natural gas, and yet we operate in states prone to severe weather making resiliency a critical component of our power generation decisions. With this in mind, we always look for opportunities that help us balance resiliency and reliability needs for our customers. The Horseshoe Lake investment is an exciting opportunity to provide increased reliable and resilient electric service to our customers as we continue to plan for the future,” Trauschke said.

Dental Depot

- Dental Depot recently held a ribbon cutting with the Edmond Area Chamber of Commerce to celebrate their grand opening at 16401 Iron Stone Drive.

Since 1978, Dental Depot has been your dental clinic for sensitive, sensible family dentistry. With 14 metro locations, we cater to both adults and children with flexible scheduling and several offices to choose from! Providing a diverse set of dental services, our main goal is to help you and your family have the best oral health possible.

To learn more about Dental Depot, visit http://dentaldepot.net

‘Stamp Out Hunger’ success

The Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma received more than 547,277 pounds of food donations and $71,194 as part of the National Association of Letter Carriers' Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive on Saturday, May 13.

Oklahomans were asked to leave a bag of nonperishable food donations by their mailbox on May 13. Letter carriers across central and western Oklahoma collected the donations and transported them to various post offices for Regional Food Bank volunteers to sort. In the Oklahoma City metro, 373 volunteers helped sort donations at 20 post office sites.

"The Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive is such a unique and incredible opportunity to help thousands of Oklahomans living with hunger" said Stacy Dykstra, chief executive officer of the Regional Food Bank. “Without the help of the letter carriers who collected donations and our hard-working volunteers who sorted them all, this event would not have been possible.”

In total, the drive will help the Regional Food Bank to provide more than 547,277 meals to Oklahomans living with hunger. Donations will stay local

and benefit Regional Food Bank partners in the more than 200 communities across central and western Oklahoma where it was collected.

"This drive is essential to keeping the shelves stocked at our partners across our 53-county service area. We are so thankful to the letter carriers for continuing their commitment to fighting hunger and our sponsors for ensuring the Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive is a success,” Dykstra said. “We also want to thank all of the volunteers who continue to donate their time and energy to our mission.”

Since 1992, the Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive has collected more than 13 million pounds of food and raised $10,198,979 dollars to fight hunger in Oklahoma.

The 2023 Stamp Out Hunger Food drive was sponsored by Marathon Oil, American Fidelity, Express Employment International, Aldi, Inc., Blue Cross Blue Shield of Oklahoma, OGE Energy Corp., Lamar Outdoor, 405 Direct, AFL-CIO, CVS-Health, Jake FM, Kellogg’s, KMGL Magic 104.1 FM, KOMA 92.5, La Zeta 106.7, Malarkey Roofing, NALC, and USPS,

Hi and Lois

Shoe

Zits

Family Circus

Beetle Baily

Blondie

Hägar the Horrible

The Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) will conduct its annual Heroes Ball on Saturday, July 29. The event happens each summer to recognize those Oklahomans –heroes –who have worked to improve the quality of life for the state’s youngest residents.

The event will be held at The National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City. The highlight of the evening is the presentation of the Anne Roberts People’s Choice Awards.

“The Anne Roberts People’s Choice Award is given annually to an Oklahoma individual and an organization that the public feels deserve special acknowledgment,” said Dorman. “The process begins with nominations made by the public and culminates with public voting for the winners.”

The individual nominees should display work, either volunteer or through their profession, which goes above and beyond to benefit children. The organization nominees should also have demonstrated efforts that go above the standard for youth.

The awards, named for OICA’s longest serving executive director, are wholly in the hands of the people. Nominations can now be made on OICA’s website, or by going directly to https://oica.org/2023-peoples-choice-nominations/. Nominations will close at 5 p.m., Friday, June 30.

“From the nominations, the finalists are nar-

rowed down by a committee of OICA board members,” Dorman said. “Then, the people will choose the winners in both the individual and organization categories.”

Once finalists are selected, they will submit videos and biographical information that will be available for interested individuals to view on the OICA website and social media when they cast their votes, which also will occur online.

The Heroes Ball is held annually to raise funding for OICA’s ongoing mission of child advocacy. To learn more about how to purchase

tickets, donate auction items, or become a sponsor for the Heroes Ball, please visit https://oica.org or call (405) 236-5437.

About OICA: The Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy, celebrating its 40th anniversary, was established in 1983 by a group of citizens seeking to create a strong advocacy network that would provide a voice for the needs of children and youth in Oklahoma, particularly those in the state’s care and those growing up amid poverty, violence, abuse and neglect, disparities, or other situations that put their lives and future at risk.