Edmond Life and Leisure - March 16, 2023

FOUR SEASONS

Heard on Hurd Back for season 10

Four Seasons, by Kevin Box, in real life is located in front of the Center for Transformative Learning on the UCO campus, but this week is hidden somewhere in our paper. Email contest@edmondpaper.com with the correct location to be entered in the weekly drawing. For more information, see page 4.

March Madness

See page 16 & 17

FRIDAY, March 17

SATURDAY, March 18

SUNDAY, March 19

Cloudy High 47° Low 295°

One of Edmond’s top outdoor events os scheduled to return this weekend, although the forecast may not be the best,. Heard on Hurd, sponsored by Citizens Bank of Edmond, will mark its 10th year this year., Heard on Hurd is a street festival in downtown Edmond powered by Citizens Bank that features more than 60 retail and food vendors and 3 local, live performing artists!

Thousands of people visit the street gala each year and the bank estimates $6 million in economic impact annually.

There is a lot to do at each festival as you can listen to a variety of local musicians as you browse through rotating pop-up shops and local stores for one-ofa-kind items and Oklahoma-made goods. Stroll along the downtown district’s streets and check out the charming businesses open late

during this local festival. You’ll also have the opportunity to dig into tasty bites from some of the metro’s most popular food trucks. Don’t miss the best of Edmond at this food truck and live entertainment extravaganza.

And again, please be sure to check your local weather forecasts. If, for instance, the event is postponed or canceled this weekend, don’t worry. It will return for many more fun times this year.

PHOTOS BY MELINDA INFANTE

Charles Memphis performed at Heard on Hurd last September

Billy Sims and Pan Kanaly with the football, signed by 22 Heisman Trophy winners, which he donated to Arise Single Moms' upcoming Sporting Clays Tournament. The organization is a 501 c3 nonprofit and donations are tax deductible.

Benefit for single moms to be held on March 31

By Rose Drebes

Former Sooner and NFL inside linebacker Curtis Lofton is to be the speaker and a football signed by 22 Heisman Trophy winners is to be given away during the Arise Single Moms’ Sporting Clays Tournament on Friday, March 31.

The event is set for 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Silver Leaf Shotgun Sports in Guthrie.

Pam Kanaly, who co-founded Arise Single Moms with Shelley Pulliam, said the organization celebrated 20 years in 2022 of providing resources for single moms.

“Our mission is to help single moms navigate life as they raise children alone,” she said. “We are one of America’s leading advocates for single moms.”

The Sporting Clays Tournament is a major fundraiser for the organization. Kanaly said some 120 participants are expected.

Everyone starts the day with a continental breakfast, followed by a day of fun, prizes, a 100-round main event, a raffle drawing and a catered lunch.

Lofton played college football for the University of Oklahoma and professionally for the Atlanta Falcons, the New Orleans Saints and the Oakland Raiders. He was also raised by his grandmother as his mom could not, Kanaly said.

“It’s a very compelling story,” she said. “He gives so much praise to his

grandma.

“We’re excited to have Curtis.”

In addition to the football donated by Heisman-winner Billy Sims, she said a package from the Hilton Garden Inn, 10 pounds of meat from Dunagan Farms, Yeti mugs, a Polar Bear ice chest, a piece from a Norman artist and much more are to be on the silent auction and in the raffle.

The online auction can be viewed and raffle tickets purchased at arisesinglemoms.com. The deadline to register for the clay tournament is Wednesday, March 22. Registration is also available on the website.

“Men and women are welcome to come – anyone who likes to shoot clays,” Kanaly said.

Single moms compose the single largest demographic. The free online resources offered by Arise Single Moms have been accessed by a quarter-million moms raising children on their own from all over the world. She said there have been 27,000 podcast downloads.

“To see what God has done over the last 20 years is amazing,” Kanaly said. “We are grateful for the influence we have had.”

She encouraged anyone knowing someone who needs Arise’s resources to pass the word along.

“They may not be a single mom, but they know one.”

Visit the website for more information on Arise Single Moms.

Swine Week at Memorial High School

The high schools’ season of giving came to an end last week as Memorial High School held its annual Swine Week.

Proceeds totaled $361,333. Benefiting will be Hope House OKC and City Care. Getting the bulk of the funds is Hope House OKC. It is a facility for the homeless population that helps them find clothes, work, transition homes, work on life skills and make sure the kids are going to school. Also getting funds is City Care serves homeless families. City Care was the common thread for all three high schools this year. Seven percent of funds gathered went to them.

Blue Lou at the UCO Jazz Lab

This weekend marked the fourth time Ann Hampton Callaway graced the stage at the UCO Jazz Lab. She was performing her tribute to the music of Linda Ronstadt. She did two shows this weekend and also gave a masters class at the university for music students.

Callaway opened the Jazz Lab 21 years ago and has remained a special supporter of the efforts there. The performance was a collaboration of the not for profit Tres Amigos Productions that raises money for music scholarships through the UCO Foundation and the UCO Broadway Tonight program.

They will be teaming up again for a show in April with saxophone great, Lou Marini also known as Blue Lou. If you saw the movie the Blues Brothers, there was a scene inside the café where Aretha Franklin breaks into her incredible rendition of THINK. Enriching that performance is Marini behind her on saxophone. He even gets up and dances on the counter. He will be bringing a few of his Blue Brothers Buddies with him so it will be a jazz killer of a night.

You will not want to miss this rare Oklahoma performance of Marini especially in the personal setting of the UCO Jazz Lab. The show will sell out. The performance is on Friday, April 7th at 8:00 p.m. and you can get tickets by calling (4050 641-6380. The ticket price is $60, and it will rock you off your heels.

The movie or his time on Saturday Night Live may be how people were first introduced to Blue Lou but there is so much more to him.

Often referred to as an “unsung jazz hero,” platinum recording artist, Lou Marini, Jr. is the seasoned soul and adept multi-instrumentalist, arranger, composer, educator, and producer credited with inspiring the origins of a fan-following cult across multiple genres of music.

Making a name for himself as a sideman in various high-profile groups, any top New York jazz musician will tell you he’s “one of the absolute best jazz musicians.” The New York based Marini is famed for his chameleon-like adaptability to imagine and perform inventive ideas in jazz, rock, blues and classical music. Describing Lou’s performances, the New York Times said, “(he ’ s) the focal point of the group… (who) gives the band most of its colors and shadings, and provides it with a strongly melodic lead voice.”

Five time Grammy Award winning arranger / composer Bob Belden had this to say about one of the time-honored contributions from Lou Marini, Jr., “This composition and arrangement reflects Lou ’ s mability to create exciting, new music that embraces rock and the most advanced ideas of jazz music.”

The statement helps illustrate Marini ’ s ability to inspire and traverse multiple music disciplines.

Highly Sought Sideman

Popular since the early 1970s, Lou Marini, Jr. continues to be one of the most sought-after

sidemen and session musicians on the New York scene. Due in part to his incredible skill and talent of the highest caliber, Marini masters many styles and instruments. He is accomplished on soprano, alto, tenor, and baritone saxes, piccolo, flute, alto flute, bass flute and clarinet.

The ever-present influence of Lou Marini, Jr. is all around. Jingles, television, radio and concerts all reflect the irresistible, innovative sounds of this veteran performer who electrifies audiences internationally. He truly is one of the industry’s most prolific luminaries who demonstrates a tireless commitment to his craft.

Marini is best known as a member of several distinguished bands: Woody Herman Orchestra, Doc Severinson, Blood, Sweat and Tears, The Band, Levon Helm & the RCO All-Stars, Dr. John, Frank Zappa, Saturday Night Live (SNL) Band, The Blues Brothers, Maureen McGovern, Lew Soloff Quintet,

BlueBeck with Joe Beck, Eric Clapton, Red House, and the Magic City Jazz Orchestra. He has toured four times each with James Taylor ’ s Band of Legends and the John Tropea Band. A true blue lover of big bands, Lou has had the honor of performing with some of his childhood idols such as Thad JonesMel Lewis and the Buddy Rich Band, the latter with whom he also arranged.

In fact, it is Marini ’ s seven year association as an original SNL band member that led to his role as “Blue Lou” in John Belushi and Dan Akroyd ’ s cult classic movie, “The Blues Brothers.” To this day, the remarkable popularity of the Blues Brothers Band is kept alive. Lou and the other band members tour worldwide, giving live concerts to packed houses and hundreds of thousands screaming fans.

No stranger to film, Lou Marini enjoys a formidable roster of success in this arena, too. His character as a band member and the saxophone

soloist, who performs with his sax on the counter of a diner as Aretha Franklin sings “Think” in “The Blues Brothers” movie, remains throughout the sequel “Blue Brothers 2000.” Dubbed ‘ Blue Lou ’ by Dan Akroyd, he is also well-recognized for his saxophone solos at the open and close of SNL episodes, and as the golden pharaoh who plays a solo instrumental hit for comedian Steve Martin ’ s “King Tut” sketch on a 1978 episode.

Happy St Patrick’s Day!

In 1995 I found myself in Chicago on St. Patrick’s Day. My travel was for business but it did not stop me walking into one of the many Irish Pubs that are located around Michigan Ave. It sounds like the start of a joke, “a Lebanese guy walks into an Irish Pub…”. I literally hurt the next day and it wasn’t from the drink. It was from laughing at all the jokes. None of them are below. The best Irish jokes cannot be printed in the pages of a family publication but here is our best shot at some of the clean ones.

After examining him, an Irishman goes to the doctor and says, “You have some problems with your heart, but if you take these tablets, I think it will be okay.

“So the doctor gives the man the tablets, and the patient asks, “Do I have to take them every day?” No,” replies the doctor, “take one on a Monday, skip the Tuesday, take one on Wednesday, skip the Thursday and go on like that. “Two weeks later, the doctor walks down the street and sees the patient’s wife.” Hello Mrs. Murphy,” he says, “how’s your husband?”

“Oh, he died of a heart attack,” says Mrs. Murphy.

“I’m very sorry to hear that,” says the doctor, “I thought if he took those tablets, he would be all right.”, “Oh, the tablets were fine,” says Mrs. Murphy, “It was all the bloody skipping that killed him!”

Paddy says to Mary if you were stranded on a desert island, who would you like most to be with you?”

“My uncle Mick” replies Paddy.

“What’s so special about him?” asks Mary. “He’s got a boat,” says Paddy

This one is for our British friend and owner of Prime Time Travel, Victor Neal:

A man is walking down the street in Dublin when he sees a sign in the window of a travel agency that says cruises on Liffey River – $100.

He goes into the agency and hands the guy $100. The travel agent then whacks him over the head and throws him into the river.

Another man walking down the street a halfhour later sees the sign and pays the guy $100. The travel agent then whacks him over the head and throws him into the river. Sometime later, the two men are floating down the river together, and the first man asks, “Do you think they’ll serve any food on this cruise?”

The second man says, “I don’t think so. They didn’t do it last year.”

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

Publisher Ray Hibbard Jr. ray@edmondpaper.com

Partner Christopher T. Hoke

“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.

Editor Steve Gust news@edmondpaper.com

Production Deanne York Advertising Director Business Editor Alexx Reger alexx@edmondpaper.com

Contributing Writers Mallery Nagle, Patty Miller, Rose Drebes, and George

Ray Hibbard

Blue Lou

Paycom donates $50,000 to Edmond School Foundation

Paycom Software Inc., a leading provider of HR software, gifted $50,000 to Edmond Public Schools Foundation. The donation is part of a two-year commitment that began in 2022 and funds several student behavioral and mental health needs through multitiered systems of support. This affects over 26,000 students across the entire Edmond Public Schools district.

Paycom’s donation contributes to the Edmond Public Schools Foundation’s $1.25 million commitment to invest in mental health initiatives from 2021-2026.

“The foundation is incredibly grateful for Paycom’s generous gift,” said Deanna Boston, chief executive officer of Edmond Public Schools Foundation. “Our country is in the middle of a mental health crisis, and Edmond Public Schools Foundation made mental and behavioral health a strategic priority in its support of Edmond Public Schools in 2021. It is more important than ever to identify support for our schools. With Paycom’s help, the foundation can continue championing the mental health and behavioral needs of Edmond children, from preschool to high school.”

While the nation as a whole has experienced a growing trend of childhood and adolescent mental health

conditions over the past two decades, the recent pandemic accelerated and accentuated the rate of incidences of mental illness.

The foundation’s programs, in partnership with the students’ guardians and families, consider the best ways to support students’ mental health needs, both proactively and during a crisis. Last school year’s programming included mental health professional development for educators and support staff, Feeling Buddies for Pre-K through first graders and calming stations for all 19 Edmond elementary schools.

“Mental health and wellness are very important values to Paycom and its employees,” said Cassie Niemann, director of talent and organizational development at Paycom. “With this donation, we can simultaneously support local schools and mental health initiatives for young community members. We are grateful to partner with Edmond Public Schools Foundation to fund programs for student success, in the classroom and beyond.”

Niemann also serves on the board of directors for the Edmond Public Schools Foundation, working to advance excellence in education and enrich student opportunities through Edmond Public Schools.

From left, Cassie Niemann, director of talent and organizational development at Paycom and Deanna Boston, chief executive officer of Edmond Public Schools Foundation.

It was another packed house at Memorial High School last Friday as the final assembly for Swine Week was held. See article, Page 3.

Ava to mark birthday 105

Ava Forrester, an honest-to-goodness World War II Rosie the Riveter, will soon celebrate her 105th birthday. Living in Oklahoma City, she was hired as a Riveter for the left wing of C-47 planes at Douglas Aircraft, when war broke out.

On April 7, 2023, Lyndale Edmond Senior Living Center, at 1229 Lakeshore Drive, Edmond, Oklahoma, will host Miss Ava’s birthday celebration from 3 to 4 o’clock.

Forrester, one of America’s six million Riveters, retains an outstanding memory. She takes no medicine and loves to dance. Daily she walks a mile, taking stairs and long hallways at the Lyndale Independent Living Center where she resides in Edmond, Oklahoma.

At 98, she purchased her last car and, at 104, was given free merrygo-round rides at the Oklahoma State Fair. She believes she is Oklahoma’s only remaining Rosie the Riveter.

Her story currently appears in “Unsung Heroes: A Salute to Oklahoma Women Who Served Their Country” by author Glenda Carlile.

Miss Ava says of her war service: “The work was hard, and I went home tired, but also with a feeling of accomplishment. I realized early in my life that if I didn’t believe in myself, no one else would.”

For more information, contact Glenda Carlile, 405 694 6466 or glencarl@cox.net, or Forrester’s granddaughter Brandy Binkley at 405 808 1899.

Senior briefs

VillagesOKC offers two learning sessions for seniors in March

VillagesOKC, a nonprofit which connects older adults to activities and learning opportunities, will offer a free learning session in Northwest Oklahoma City and one in Edmond in March.

On March 20, a Senior LifeSkills Learning session titled "I Want to Volunteer, But..." will be at Our Lord's Lutheran Church. It will include a panel of four people who are volunteers, have managed volunteers or are looking for volunteers. Participants will leave with a handout of good places to start with volunteer opportunities.

On March 21, the Edmond Education Series will host Dr. Jonathan Vestal from Family Wellness Chiropractic. His “Steps for Improving the Brain" presentation will address how older adults can continue to grow their brains. The series is held in the Edmond Parks and Recreation building.

Both events are from 1-2:30 p.m. Details and registration information are available on the Events tab of VillagesOKC's website (www.villagesokc.org) or by calling (405) 990-6637.

(Send senior news to news@edmondpaper.com)

Weekend calendar, March 16-19

What’s Happening This Weekend Mar 16 -19

---- In the Gallery

---- Tiny, But Mighty! Exhibit

---- Indoor Winter Market

---- As, Not For Art Gallery

---- Live Music at Round Midnight

---- March Events at Frenzy

---- March at the UCO Jazz Lab

---- Jeff Smith & 3 Point Productions Winter Classic

---- Kinan Azmeh and Aizuri String Quartet

---- St Patrick’s Day Party ---- Art in Public Places Tour ---- Heard on Hurd

---- The Lucky Coyote 5K

---- Spring Break Activities: Paddle Boats

---- Brown Bag Lunch Series: Playing Cowboy

---- Spring Break Activities: Spring Scratch Art

---- Date with the Duke: North to Alaska

---- Signature Tour

---- Read the West Book Club: Lonesome Dove

---- Oklahoma Youth Expo

---- Pollard Theatre presents: Clue ---- The Musical

---- Spring Break at the Orr Family Farm

---- sham-ROCK the Gardens: St Patrick’s Day Celebration

---- Farm-to-Table Festival

Extra Information

In the Gallery

Location: Edmond Fine Arts Institute

Extra Info: Featuring the art of Marie Kash Weltzheimer; edmondfinearts.com

Tiny, But Mighty! Exhibit

Location: Edmond Historical Society & Museum

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

Indoor Winter Market

Location: Mitch Park

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

As, Not For Art Gallery

Location: University of Central Oklahoma – UCO Nigh Center

Extra Info: Thu, Mar 2 – Mon, Mar 27; Free; calendar.uco.edu

Jeff Smith & 3 Point Productions

Winter Classic

Location: Lazy E Arena

Extra Info: Fri, Mar 17 – Sun, Mar 19; lazye.com

Live Music at Round Midnight

Location: Round Midnight

Extra Info: Thu, Mar 16: Vintage Vinyl; Fri, Mar 17: Noah Engh Trio; Sat, Mar 18: Savoy Trio; facebook.com

March Events at Frenzy

Location: Frenzy Brewing Company

Extra Info: Thu, Mar 16: Tommy Joe Smith; 7 p.m.; Fri, Mar 17: Raven’s Three; 2 p.m.; BluTic; 7 p.m.; Sat, Mar 18: Kennedy Fine; 7:30 p.m.; frenzybrewing.com

March at the UCO Jazz Lab

Location: University of Central Oklahoma

– UCO Jazz Labb

Extra Info: Thu, Mar 16: Edgar Cruz w/Ansy McClain; 7:30 p.m.; $20; Fri, Mar 17; Brian Gorrell & Jazz Company; 8 p.m.; $15; Sat, Mar 18; Garrett Jacobson Jazz Collective; 8 p.m.; $15; ucojazzlab.com

Kinan Azmeh and Aizuri String Quartet

Location: Armstrong Auditorium

Extra Info: Thu, Mar 16; 7:30 p.m.; $30; armstron-

gauditorium.org

St Patrick’s Day Party

Location: Frenzy Brewing Company

Extra Info: Fri, Mar 17; 12 – 6 p.m.; Free; facebook.com

Art in Public Places Tour

Location: MAC in Mitch Park

Extra Info: Sat, Mar 18; 10 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.; $15; edmondok.gov

Heard on Hurd

Location: Downtown Edmond

Extra Info: Sat, Mar 18; 6 – 10 p.m.; mycitizens.bank

The Lucky Coyote 5K

Location: The Patriarch Craft Beer House

Extra Info: Sun, Mar 19; 2 – 5 p.m.; $35; runsignup.com

Spring Break Activities: Paddle Boats

Location: National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum

Extra Info: Thu, Mar 16; 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.; nationalcowboymuseum.org

Brown Bag Lunch Series: Playing Cowboy

Location: National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum

Extra Info: Thu, Mar 16; 12 -1 p.m.; nationalcowboymuseum.org

Spring Break Activities: Spring Scratch Art

Location: National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum

Extra Info: Fri, Mar 17; 10 – 2 p.m.; nationalcowboymuseum.org

Date with the Duke: North to Alaska

Location: National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum

Extra Info: Fri, Mar 17; 5:50 – 8:30 p.m.; nationalcowboymuseum.org

Signature Tour

Location: National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum

Extra Info: Sat, Mar 18 – Sun, Mar 19; 1 ---- 2 p.m.; nationalcowboymuseum.org

Read the West Book Club: Lonesome Dove

Location: National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum

Extra Info: Sun, Mar 19; 1 – 2:15 p.m.; nationalcowboymuseum.org

Oklahoma Youth Expo

Location: Oklahoma State Fair Park

Extra Info: Wed, Mar 8 – Fri, Mar 17; 8 a.m. – 10 p.m.; okyouthexpo.com

Pollard Theatre Presents: Clue – The Musical

Location: Pollard Theatre, Guthrie

Extra Info: Fri, Mar 10 – Sat, Apr 1; Fri and Sat

Bills would benefit prep seniors

The House last week passed two bills to give high school seniors an additional opportunity to retake the ACT and to modernize state graduation requirements.

House Bills 2673 and 2675 are authored by Rep. Rhonda Baker, chair of the House Common Education Committee

HB 2673 calls for a fall semester retake of the ACT for Oklahoma high school seniors and offers ACT WorkKeys for those who aren't seeking to pursue college.

"A voluntary fall ACT retake for seniors with an option for WorkKeys provides two fundamental needs for Oklahoma," Baker explained. "First, it provides additional instructional time to address the lost learning from the pandemic. This may improve ACT scores, expand eligibility for scholarships, and to reduce the need and costs for postsecondary remediation. Second, it provides students who do not plan to attend a four-year college with a credential that certifies to employers and training providers that the graduate has the essential workplace skills that are the best predictors of job performance."

Baker told lawmakers it is worth mentioning that prior to the pandemic, states that implemented similar measures have seen a tremendous return on their investment. In the first four years

of providing an ACT retake opportunity, Tennessee saw 77,000 students increase their ACT score and 10,000 additional students qualifying for scholarships, while saving the state more than $32 million in remediation costs.

HB 2675 creates a task force to study and make recommendations to modernize Oklahoma's high school graduation requirements. The task force would be comprised of 14 members of various educational experience.

It would be required to meet for the first time no later than Sept. 1, 2023, and deliver a report of recommendations to the governor and legislative body no later than Nov. 1, 2024.

"It's always a good idea to periodically review our state's graduation requirements to make sure we are current with college entrance prerequisites and workforce needs. We also want to examine whether it would be prudent to have different requirements for students not planning to attend college, but who might instead plan to be certified in a trade through the state's CareerTech system or who might simply wish to go straight into a career field."

The bills now move to the state Senate for consideration. HB 2673 is authored by Sen. Adam Pugh, R-Edmond. HB 2675 is authored by Sen. Brenda Stanley, R-Midwest City..

Genealogy meeting set March 20

Records for all people counted in the 1950 Census were released by the National Archives and Records Administration April 1, 2022. You’re invited to the March 20, 2023 program "The 1950 Census: Information & Genealogical Pointers" sponsored by the Edmond Genealogical Society.

Our speaker, vehoae/Shirl Yancey will be looking at often overlooked census details on the Census Bureau and National Archives' websites, 1950 statistics, geographic finding aids for the 1950 census, the 1950 Infant Enumeration Study, the separate 1950 Indian census, and other related genealogical research resources.

An author, historian, and speaker, vehoae has a deep interest in non-revisionist history and primary documents. She was born and raised in Washington, D.C., and eventually began a career there with USDA’s Rural Development Administration. The last twenty years with USDA were spent helping cities and water associations throughout southwest Arkansas build and manage water and wastewater collection & treatment systems. After

retiring from USDA, vehoae headed west, stopping first in Oklahoma. Her signature research, Conscience: Breaching Social Amnesia, was published by 4RV Publishing, followed by a historical novel, Pahutchae’s Pouch; vehoae’s work is now held by the University of Oklahoma in its Western History Collection. Life events have kept vehoae in Oklahoma as she continues with research, writing, speaking engagements, and many other activities including music, volunteer work, and more.

Edmond Genealogical Society meetings are free and open to the public. Programs start at 6:30 p.m. Meetings are held the third Monday of the month at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints located at 15700 N. Penn, Oklahoma City. Enter through the doors on the south side of the building. The church offers plenty of parking and is fully handicap accessible. For more information on EGS, go to: www.edmondgensoc.org, or visit us on Facebook at Edmond Genealogical Society. If any changes are made to this event, we will post the information on our Facebook page and website.

In case federal law conflicts with state statutes

Federal election trigger bill passes state house

The House last week approved a bill that would decouple Oklahoma elections from federal ones should federal election laws substantially change.

Rep. Denise Crosswhite Hader, R-Piedmont, described House Bill 1415 as a trigger bill that would only take effect should federal election laws change in a way that conflicts with state laws. If that happened, Oklahoma elections would be held separately, and federal laws would be followed only during federal elections.

"Currently, our state election laws are tied to federal regulations," Crosswhite Hader said. "As the U.S. Congress continues to look to amend their election process, as is their prerogative, I am concerned about federal overreach in our state elections. We must be prepared to maintain authority over Oklahoma elections. This bill will simply give us a break from federal elections if it is needed so that we can affirm our state authority. This would only go into effect if the federal government oversteps their authority on our state."

The bill would establish that the Oklahoma attorney general with concurrence of the secretary of the State Election Board would confirm if a trigger has taken place. If or when the action is needed, a committee is to be established within two weeks and make a determination on time, place and manner of election dates for the state within 60 days. The Committee would be made up of four members each appointed by the House and Senate, as well as the state's attorney general, the chair of the District Attorneys Council, and the governor or a designee.

Crosswhite Hader brought forward the same legislation last year, which passed the House but failed to advance in the Senate. This year, she is working in tandem with the Senate and at the previous request of the State Election Board secretary.

HB 1415, presented last week, passed the House with a vote of 77-20. It now moves to the state Senate where it is authored by Sen. Dave Rader, RTulsa.

Shirl

... We’re on YOUR Side

By Steve Gust

Here are some of the items making news this week.

The Edmond North boys and girls basketball teams have won the State Tournaments once again. This makes the second year in a row the teams have won.

Last year it was believed that teams from the same school had never won it all in 6A in the same year. Now it’s happened for a second consecutive year. What a great accomplishment. Hats off to everyone at North.

——

While we’re at it, congratulations also goes to the UCO wrestling team for winning a national title last weekend. Awesome.

—-

I read an interesting article in Readers Digest. Some people are questioning whether lush, green yards are worth the effort, and the money.

And some folks actually have dug up the yards and replaced them with drought resistant plants.

I have a hard time seeing that trend

come to Edmond. I like nice, well trimmed yards and find them easy on the eyes. And if you live in a HOA, you best check once or twice to see if you can tear up a yard..

Steve Gust

State Senator wants reforms for medical marijuana field

In the near future, I can see the left championing the cause against nice yards. A few liberal city councils somewhere (not Edmond) might toss around a few terms like “equity,” and “conservation,” and ban yards. It’s hard to imagine but these are crazy times we live in.

—I was also surprised that the marijuana measure failed by such a large margin last week. Then again, I was surprised medical marijuana passed so easily a few years back.

——-

There is so much acrimony in politics and seemingly, human relations, these days. Just look at the exchange in Washington last week between Sen. Mullin and the union leader during a committee hearing.

I really wish people could dial it back just a bit and learn to talk, and disagree with one another, without hating each other.

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

Checking headlines Prepare for the rains

By Oklahoma Insurance Commissioner Glen Mulready

Here in Oklahoma, we know all too well the damage flooding causes and the danger it presents.

In May 2019, Oklahomans saw some of the worst flooding in history after 17 tornadoes struck the state in one day. The storm carried 5 to 6 inches of rainfall, causing the tragic loss of lives and significant financial damage. Flooding devastated thousands of Oklahomans, resulting in more than $31 million in estimated losses. In addition, more than 6,000 flood claims were reported, yet far too many storm victims did not have flood insurance.

March is Flood Insurance Awareness Month in Oklahoma. I want to remind Oklahomans to get ready before spring flooding and consider getting flood insurance coverage now. Here are three reasons why now is a great time to learn more about the importance and benefits of flood insurance.

You live in Oklahoma. Flooding is the number one natural disaster in the United States. 90% of natural disasters in the U.S. involve flooding. While most standard homeowners policies cover tornadoes, hail, and wildfires, they do NOT cover floods. You are 27 times more likely to experience a flood than a fire during a 30-year mortgage.

On the heels of Oklahomans’ overwhelming defeat of State Question 820 that would have legalized recreational marijuana, Sen. Jessica Garvin, R-Duncan, Wednesday said the result of the recent election shows the state’s medical program needs reformed.

With more than 61% of voters rejecting the state question, not a single county voted in favor of the measure. Opposition to the question included industry leaders, educators, law enforcement officials and community leaders.

Garvin said while she is happy the measure failed, more needs to be done to reform the current medical program.

“Oklahoma is a better place for this state question failing,” said Garvin. “I think the overwhelming results are also a clear sign that Oklahomans are not happy with the current medical marijuana program and want it to be reformed. That is why this session, I have introduced a number of bills that will close loopholes in illegal activity, further protect children and make the program a true medical marijuana program, not recreational marijuana lite, which is what it is now.”

Garvin’s proposed legislation came from Senate members working over

the past nine months with cannabis industry professionals to better understand the issues, problems and concerns they have and discuss how lawmakers can make it better.

“Oklahomans made the right decision last night by vehemently voting this measure down,” said Sen. Greg McCortney, R-Ada, who serves as the Senate Majority Floor Leader. “The medical marijuana industry is here to stay. That is one reason why Senate leadership has heavily relied on Senator Garvin to invest the necessary time to understand the industry better, both the pros and cons. She has worked with other members to present a series of bills to substantially improve patient safety and close many loopholes we have found in our current agency rules and state regulations. I am proud to support her work as session continues.”

Senators have filed several measures to help eliminate the vast array of illegal activity and negative outcomes that have flooded the state over the past five years. The Senate’s robust plan includes bills that will better protect the public, such as limiting marijuana access to minors. Other bills include requirements for physicians who recommend medical marijuana products to complete a thorough initial training and annual continuing education. Additionally, Senate Bill 806 closes loopholes to prevent illegal land ownership.

“Having worked in the medical field for my entire professional life, I have seen patients who have benefited from the CBD and THC found in cannabis. That said, the people of Oklahoma have spoken and it’s time for the Legislature to step up and take action based on Tuesday's vote,” said Garvin. “We're beginning to see data supporting the medical benefits and we need to ensure patients who are thriving, such as our veterans and cancer patients, continue to have the best quality of life possible. However, Oklahomans are frustrated with the negative activities, including human trafficking, loss of life, strain on our already brittle infrastructure, and increasing burdens on our judicial and mental health systems. Reform begins with looking at data supporting both sides of the argument and having meaningful conversations about public policy that uphold what voters supported in 2018 when they passed SQ788, but also striving to eliminate the unintended consequences it created.

Illegal land sales concern lawmakers

It typically takes 30 days for a flood policy to go into effect, so the time to buy is well before a disaster. That is why you need to purchase or renew flood insurance well in advance. Waiting until you see the water rushing in is too late. Get flood coverage under the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) or through private insurance. Talk to your agent today. Cost of flooding. Flooding can be an emotionally and financially devastating event. According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, an inch of water in a home could cause more than $25,000 in damages. About 33% of all flood claims come from outside of high-risk areas. In 2021, the average flood insurance claim payment through NFIP was $44,050, while Oklahoma's average flood insurance premium was $81 a month.

While we cannot prevent another flood from occurring, we can get our state financially prepared for the damage when it hits. This month let’s make sure Oklahomans understand their flood risk. As I always like to remind folks—If it rains where you live, it can flood where you live.

For more insurance information, please contact the Oklahoma Insurance Department at 1-800-5220071 or visit our website at www.oid.ok.gov.

Letters to the Editor policy

A measure to stop the illegal purchase of Oklahoma land passed the Senate unanimously last week. Sen. David Bullard, R-Durant, worked with the attorney general’s office in crafting Senate Bill 212 to keep non-U.S. citizens from directly or indirectly, through a business entity or trust, owning land in the state unless otherwise authorized by law.

“Oklahoma land is as rich for growing crops as it is with the heritage of hard-working people. It is no wonder a lot of people want land here, including those from other countries,” Bullard said. “It is not an excuse to allow foreign nationals to buy up one of our most valuable resources, especially when they are cartels and from communist parties. We cannot continue to auction our state off to the highest criminal bidder.”

Currently, it is illegal for non-U.S. citizens to acquire or own land in Oklahoma, and if they acquire it “by devise or descent,” they must dispose of it within five years. Bullard’s bill addresses the common occurrence of foreigners utilizing “straw owners”, which can be individuals, businesses, or trusts, to fraudulently complete real estate transactions to get around the law. Under SB 212, any deed recorded with a county clerk will be required to include an affidavit executed by the person or entity coming into title attesting that they, the business entity, or trust are lawfully obtaining the land in compliance with Oklahoma law and that no funding source is being used in the sale or transfer in violation of any states’ laws or federal law. The attorney general would create a separate affidavit for individuals and for business entities or trusts to comply with this legislation. Businesses engaged in regulated interstate commerce in accordance with federal law would be exempt from this prohibition.

Much more to ‘Music City’ than tunes

By Elaine Warner

To many, Nashville is known as “Music City,” but it has an earlier soubriquet which highlights another of Nashville’s notable features. Ten years before Tennessee became our 16th state (1796), Nashville was building a reputation for erudition which earned it the nickname “The Athens of the South.” While most visitors head to the city for its extensive music scene, others come to experience the history and culture.

In 1788, Andrew Jackson, a young lawyer who had been appointed Prosecuting Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina, arrived in the small, but growing community. After statehood, he served in both the U.S. House and Senate. He was a hero during the War of 1812 and in 1828 was elected seventh President of the United States.

For history buffs, a visit to Jackson’s home, The Hermitage, is a must. Begun in 1819, the home underwent subsequent expansion and remodeling, a disastrous fire, reconstruction, and ultimately opened as a museum in 1889. Renovations in the 1980s and ‘90s restored the interior to Jackson’s post-presidential period.

. Since presidential libraries were not established until 1939, the museum here is the closest you’ll get to a complete history of the man and his career. Admission to the extensive grounds and mansion require tickets – best arranged online in advance as numbers are limited.

Belle Meade Historic Site and Winery offers a look at other aspects of Tennessee history – bourbon and bloodlines. This beautiful property was established in 1807 by John Harding – with a cabin and 250 acres. Harding farmed and eventually began breeding horses – the start of what would become one of America’s most famous stud farms.

His son, William Giles Harding, was the second owner. He built a magnificent, Greek Revival mansion in 1853. In 1872, he purchased a 20-year-old, British-bred Thoroughbred, Bonnie Scotland, who became a premier sire of American racehorses. All but two of the past Triple Crown winners have traced their lineage back to this stallion.

Three different tours are offered here. The Mansion Tour provides family and mansion history. The Jubilee Tour concentrates of the enslaved workers who were brought or born here – from the Head Hostler and Horse Trainer, Robert Green, and the Head of Domestic Staff Susanna Carter, famous for her award-winning fruit cordials and wine, to gardeners, dairy workers and others. The Southern Food Traditions Tour explores iconic Southern dishes, history and tastes. Just don’t expect a meal!

At some point, another branch of the family became involved in distilling whiskey. In a replica 1820 ice house, guests can learn about the bourbon connection while sipping on mini-cocktails.

Another interesting stop is Belmont Mansion on the campus of Belmont University. Not only is this a beautiful, historic home – one of the few 1850’s era homes still standing – but its owner, Adelicia Acklen, had a fascinating history. She was a woman of great wealth before she married Col. Acklen, and actually insisted a pre-nuptial agreement that allowed her control of her fortune. In 1853, the couple built Belmont.

Col. Acklen died in 1862. With Nashville occupied by Union troops. Adelicia managed to smuggle cotton crops from her Louisiana plantations past war blockades and increase her fortune. PostCivil-War, with the ending of slavery, she began selling off many of her properties, including, in 1887, Belmont. The story of this complicated woman, slave-owner, business woman, society matron, traveler, art collector, and philanthropist, is as

interesting as the elegant home she created.

I love Belmont and Belle Meade, but my favorite has to be a much more contemporary estate, Cheekwood. The mansion, completed in 1932, is the epitome of an American Country Estate. The property includes 55 acres with 13 distinct gardens. Among the gardens are areas dedicated to seasonal color, perennials, roses, and herbs. Specialty gardens like the Japanese Garden, Water Garden, and Children’s Garden add more interest.

Trees are not neglected on the property either –with over 1,200 deciduous trees, 576 evergreens, 16 deciduous conifers and 238 dogwoods. A mileand-a-half walking trail through a woodland forest features a number of outdoor contemporary sculptures.

The mansion is definitely worth touring. The first floor of the 30,000 square-foot mansion is dedicated to the family home with furnished rooms like the spacious and elegant drawing room and the wood-paneled library. A niche displays antique Royal Worcester porcelain. The second floor features art both from the permanent collection and traveling exhibitions.

And now for something completely different –an homage to the original Athens. Nashville was so obsessed with its nickname that in 1897, in celebration of the Tennessee Centennial Exposition, it constructed a full-scale replica of the Parthenon. Originally designed to be temporary, the structure underwent renovations which turned it into a permanent icon of the city.

Extensive research went into the construction of the Parthenon, replicating, as near as possible, the original structure. The centerpiece of the Greek temple was a majestic sculpture of Athena by Pheidias, one of Greece’s greatest sculptors. The Athena in Nashville was created by Nashville artist, Alan LeQuire.

At 41-feet, 10 inches, Nashville’s Athena is the largest indoor statue in the Western Hemisphere. For perspective -- the tiny figure of Nike in Athena’s right hand is actually six-feet, four-inches tall. Garbed in gold leaf, this is one glittering goddess.

Galleries on the upper floor display castings of pieces of the original Parthenon pediments taken to England in the early 1800s by the Seventh Earl of Elgin. Other exhibits are located in the lower level of the structure. A permanent display, the Cowen Collection, features American works created between 1765 and 1923 and includes paintings by Winslow Homer, William Merritt Chase, Benjamin West and Albert Bierstadt.

The ancient Greeks would be surprised and the early settlers would be jealous. Modern travelers have a plethora of pleasures to experience. Nashville is so much more than country music. More than a week-end getaway, this is a major destination requiring much more time to properly savor the city.

The majestic statue of Athena in Nashville’s Parthenon is the largest indoor sculpture in the United States.

Warner

A painting of Bonnie Scotland, famous foundation stallion, is prominently displayed along with family pictures in the entry hall of the Belle Meade mansion.

Gardens on the Cheekwood estate provide a riot of seasonal color.

Still No. 1!

North girls & boys win state again

NORMAN — The interview room in Lloyd Noble Center evoked a significant memory for Dylan Warlick.

When the Edmond North junior took his place behind the crimsonskirted table and spoke into the microphone, he recalled sitting in that spot a year earlier.

There, when he was a sophomore caught up in the grandeur of a fresh state title, a bold declaration had slipped out of his mouth.

“I said we’re gonna win two in a row, so I kind of put it on myself,” Warlick remembered.

Twenty-six wins and 364 days later, the Huskies made it happen.

In a showdown of the top-ranked Class 6A West and East teams, Edmond North emerged with a 58-49 victory against Broken Arrow on Saturday, securing its second straight state title. Only about five hours after celebrating the girls basketball team’s second consecutive championship, Edmond North was enjoying another repeat.

In a showdown of the top-ranked Class 6A West and East teams, Edmond North emerged with a 58-49 victory against Broken Arrow on Saturday, securing its second straight state title. Only about five hours after celebrating the girls basketball team’s second consecutive championship, Edmond North was enjoying another repeat.

“We were stressed,” junior guard T.O. Barrett said.

The reality of expecting to win a second straight state title sank in for Warlick throughout the season, and he said his nerves were higher this year in the state finals than they were during his championship debut.

“Expectations are difficult to handle at times,” Edmond North coach Scott Norris said. “But I think our team did a great job day in and out of preparing.”

Broken Arrow led throughout the first half, taking advantage of early opportunities from 3-point range. Senior guard Justice Sutton finished the game with 14 points, going 4 of 5 from beyond the arc, while Dow logged a team-high 15 points.

Despite the Tigers’ energetic start, the Huskies headed into the second half with greater defensive concentration. After shooting 7 for 11 from the field in the second quarter, Broken Arrow hit only 3 of 12 field-goal attempts in the fourth quarter.

The Huskies had swung the pendulum in the third quarter, using a 5-0 run from Barrett and Warlick to take a 41-37 lead, and they didn’t relent.

Although Warlick and Barrett led the way, they didn’t have to carry their team. TJ Strong added 11 points and went 4 for 4 from the free-throw line, adding the last point of the game. Dontrell Yearby carried out his defensive assignment against Dow. Tatum Ridge provided nine points, making all four of his field-goal attempts.

Girls end season at 29-0

NORMAN — After the champions rushed toward the trophy and gloriously paraded it in front of Edmond North’s student section, Elle Papahronis embraced Laci Steele.

Just as they did a year earlier, the childhood friends stood on the court at Lloyd Noble Center with shiny gold medals around their necks. This time, it was the final moment of their high school basketball careers.

“I may get emotional because these girls have brought this program on the map,” said Edmond North coach Pete Papahronis, sitting between daughter Elle and a misty-eyed Steele in the postgame news conference. “Not themselves only, but (they’re) four-year starters, (and) in my opinion, the best senior tandem in the state of Oklahoma.”

Saturday afternoon, they lifted their team out of an unfamiliar scenario to reach the pinnacle of Class 6A success again.

The Huskies escaped a nail-biter against Norman, 65-58, to secure their status as back-to-back state champions and polish off an undefeated season.

After trailing by as many as 13 points, West top-ranked Edmond North made a tremendous comeback.

Call it the fancy bow on the gift that Elle Papahronis and Steele have given to Edmond North’s girls basketball program.

Through four starting seasons, the dynamic duo has lost only a dozen games.

This year, the Huskies (29-0) rolled past every opponent, usually in dominant fashion. But in the state finals, they had to win differently. East thirdranked Norman (22-5), featuring star sophomore guard Keeley Parks, led 166 at the end of the first quarter while Edmond North was shooting 2 for 11 from the field.

It was a wake-up call.

“I didn’t want the last thing that I would remember about high school (to be) losing my last game,” said Elle Papahronis, who had a monster game with 30 points and 12 rebounds. “I don’t know. I think I just blacked out. I was like, I have nothing to lose. I’m going to go out, and I’m going to do everything I can to win this game “

The Huskies celebrate yet another state title.

The North girls hold up the Gold Ball of the champs.

Text, copy courtesy of THE OKLAHOMAN.

Marking one year in business

Lash Addiction recently held a ribbon cutting with the Edmond Area Chamber of Commerce to celebrate their one-year anniversary at 2424 NW 150th St. Lash Addiction is locally owned and operated in Edmond. With over 20 years in the beauty industry and 9 years in the lash extension business, they offer unparalleled service with real eyelash extension results. Owner/Operator Stephanie Hearon is also an educator and trainer specializing in lash extension certification. Using the latest and current products and the finest medical-grade products, every session is customized to meet your specific lash needs to help reach your goals with your designed look in mind.

They are committed to helping you look and feel your personal best. The highly professional staff, continued education, and comforting atmosphere makes Lash Addiction the best choice for your lash extension needs. Lash Addiction offers other services including Lash lifts, Lash and brow tinting, waxing, facials, microdermabrasion, dermaplaning, and brow lamination.

To learn more about Lash Addiction, visit www.lashaddictionokc.com.

State revenues still show solid economy

Boosted by record receipts from oil and gas production, Gross Receipts to the Treasury in February show the state’s economy continues to expand despite ongoing inflationary pressure, State Treasurer Todd Russ announced last week..

Collections for the past year are $17.62 billion, up by 12.9 percent, compared to the 12-month collection total in February 2022 of $15.61 billion. For the first time in any 12-month period, oil and gas gross production taxes topped $2 billion.

February receipts of $1.21 billion are up by 13.4 percent from the same month of last year. The monthly sales and use tax revenues of $528.3 million are the highest February on record.

“While inflation remains a major concern, Okla-

homa’s economy is benefitting from strong energy prices and low unemployment,” Treasurer Russ said. “In addition, economic activity in the state continues to be robust as reflected in sales and use tax receipts.”

Other indicators

As measured by the Consumer Price Index, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports the annual inflation rate at 6.4 percent in January. The energy component of the index increased 8.7 percent over the last year, and the food index remained at 10.1 percent.

The U.S. jobless rate was 3.4 percent in January, down by one-tenth of a percentage point from the

Real estate market is not off to a red hot 2023 start

By Brian Preston

Still on the downturn to start January 2023. January saw 197 closed transactions. 66 fewer than last year for a decline of 25 percent.

Pending contracts are also down with 476 for this month, 273 fewer than last year, so they are down 36 percent. And active listings are at 694, up 435 from this time last year for an increase of 168 percent. Now the active listings is based on the lowest inventory month in 24 years with only 259 active listings last January.

The average sales price for January though was higher than any month last month with an average price of $439,036.

The absorption rates for all price ranges are under five months. Lower price ranges are still in days

So we are starting the year off down again and will see another down year but the news this year will be to watch the sales prices. Also the has changed status on new homes and will have to watch how it goes for getting new home information. I hope it works out but will keep you posted.

(Editor’s Note; Brian Preston is an Edmond Realtor who closely follows the Edmond home market and reports on it each month in a report called the Preston Report.)

Edmond Realtor & new office

The Oklahoma Association of Realtors recently announced its 2023 slate of Officers and Directors from across the state. Edmond Realtor Jilian Gardner has been elected to serve on the executive committee as District 5 vice president. There are an estimated 14,000 Realtors in Oklahoma.

prior month. While the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics is not expected to report the state January unemployment rates until next week, Oklahoma’s employment numbers are expected to continue to show strength. In December, the rate was 3.4 percent.

Regional economic trends have turned positive. The Creighton University Mid-America Business Conditions Index for the nine-state region reached its highest level since last July, after three straight months below growth neutral. The Oklahoma component of the index rose to 54.9 in February –a sharp increase from 43.3 in the previous month.

Jilian Gardner

Rushed scenes hamper boxing movie

By George Gust

“Creed III” is the follow up to the revived “Rocky/Creed” franchise. After a brilliant first entry in 2015’s “Creed” and middling sequel “Creed II” it’s now star Michael B. Jordan’s turn in the director’s chair.

Reminiscent to the way Sylvester Stallone wrote the first Rocky, Jordan aims to put his creative vision into “Creed II” but would this new direction prove to be a fresh reinvention to the franchise that started with such strong performer empowerment.

Adonis Creed (Jordan) has been thriving in both his career and family life, but when a childhood friend and former boxing prodigy (Jonathan Majors) resurfaces, the face-off is more than just a fight.

“Creed III” is a visceral experience of a boxing movie. As the popularity of the sport is as low in public opinion for the past few decades there’s always drama to be mined from the mano y mano conflict that boxing presents. In this regard, Jordan has taken the drama and created a unique way of presenting that conflict in a visual way that re-

minds of the more heightened style of Japanese anime.

When we get those heightened and visually dynamic scenes “Creed III” is riding high, but the plotting and pacing of the picture feel unbalanced and hamper the overall impact of the story. In this film we’re introduced to a character from Adonis’ past in Majors character, but for long stretches of the runtime his story arc feels rushed through and not given the full weight that Marjors’ impressive

screen presence requires. The result is a movie that ends up feeling overstuffed and rushed at times. However whenever we get those crowd pleasing moments, some of those nagging issues fall by the wayside in favor of the engaging sequences featuring two of the more exciting actors of their generation.

Overall, “Creed III” is thrillingly original entry into the franchise that may have had too much footing in the past. Notable is the absence of Stallone who does not appear in the film for the first time in the franchise, but when viewed as a more standalone entry “Creed III” is able to deliver a fun and engaging theatrical experience even though some of the story progression feels glossed over at times.

“Creed III” is rated PG-13 for intense sports action, violence and some strong language.

3.8 out of 5 stars

Answers on Page 19

3.8 out of 5 stars

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

OSP among those to get a grant Crossword Puzzle

Patrick Flick, Executive Director of the Shakespeare Theatre Association (STA) and Mark Edelman, founder and president of Theater League, Inc, a Kansas City, Missouri based contributor to the performing arts, announced today that the League will be gifting thirty-five Shakespeare Theatres across the United States and internationally with a grant of $255,000 in general operating support. These non-restricted gifts of either $5,000 or $10,000 each based on budget size will be awarded in 2023 to STA- member producing theaters with budgets between $100,000 and $1,400,000, including Oklahoma Shakespeare in the Park. An award of $5,000 was also made to the Shakespeare Theatre Association itself.

“As regular contributors to the Heart of America Shakespeare Festival in Kansas City—a long-time STA member--we were looking to expand our support of nonprofit organizations with similar goals and objectives,” explained Edelman. “That led us to STA and Patrick, who helped us Identify the mid-level Shakespeare producing organizations we wanted to fund.”

PHOTO

Michael B. Jordan takes on the directing responsibilities and a up and coming fighter (Jonathan Majors) from the character's past in ‘Creed III.’

UCO wrestlers are tops in USA

There’s strength in numbers and Central Oklahoma certainly proved that old adage correct in breaking a long drought at the NCAA Division II Wrestling Championships Saturday afternoon at Alliant Energy Powerhouse.

The top-ranked Bronchos placed nine of their tournament-high 10 qualifiers in the top seven and that superior depth was more than enough to propel UCO to its first national title since 2007.

Central entered Saturday with a 6.5point lead over No. 2 Lander, then went 14-5 in the all-important consolation rounds to pull away from the field. The Bronchos finished the morning session with a unsurmountable 35-point cushion over Bearcats (113-78) to clinch their 16th championship.

Dalton Abney (197) and Shawn Streck (Hvy) will compete in Saturday night’s finals. UCO also got third-place finishes from 133 Dylan Lucas, 141 Nate Keim and 165 Ty Lucas, while 184 Alex Kauffman took fifth, 149 Brik Filippo sixth and 157 Gabe Johnson and 174 Anthony DesVigne seventh.

“It’s long overdue,” said seventh-year head coach Todd Steidley. “Our guys have really, really worked hard and it hasn’t sunk in yet. We’re all so excited and we still have two big matches tonight in the championship finals.

“I’m so proud of our guys and not just the 10 guys who wrestled here. It's all the guys in our room, the UCO community, the booster club. It doesn’t just happen with 10 guys, it takes a team and a family and that’s what we preach and that’s what we are.”

Abney will go for his second straight national title after pulling out an overtime victory in Saturday morning’s semifinals. The top-seeded junior and No. 4 Dominic Murphy of St. Cloud State were deadlocked 2-2 after regu-

State

February collections

February 2023 collections compared to gross receipts from February 2022 show:

$528.3 million – up by $50.1 million – or 10.5 percent.

lation, but Abney scored off a singleleg takedown shot 20 seconds into the sudden-victory period to advance.

Streck made the finals with a workmanlike 5-3 victory over Ouachita Baptist’s Johnny Green. The No. 1 seed, Streck had two first-period takedowns and was never in trouble in moving to 25-0 with his third win of the season over the fourth-seeded Green.

Dylan and Ty Lucas became the ninth set of brothers to earn All-America honors for the Bronchos with their third-place finishes.

Dylan won three matches Saturday, all against higher seeds. The eighth seed, Dylan started with a 3-0 shutout of No. 4 Elijah Lusk of Lander, then edged No. 7 Vincent Scollo of West Liberty before cruising past No. 2 Eric Bartos of Mercyhurst 9-3 for the bronze medal.

Ty dropped a 6-2 decision in the semifinals before bouncing back with two hard-fought wins. The seventhseeded senior clipped West Liberty’s Alec Cook 3-1 on a takedown with 30 seconds left in the sudden-victory period, then edged No. 4 Daniel Hunsberger of Lander 3-2 behind a second-period takedown to become a three-time All-American.

Keim went 3-0 on the day to join his dad (Mike) as the fourth pair of father-son All-Americans in program history.

The seventh-seeded senior opened with a 6-2 win, followed with a big 74 upset of No. 1 seed Zeth Brower of Lander and then pinned long-time nemesis Peter Kuster of Drury in the consolation finals. There was no score in the second period of that match when Keim grabbed Kuster’s head and arched back to get the rare defensive fall.

• Total monthly gross collections are $1.21 billion, up by $142.8 million, or 13.4 percent.

• Gross income tax collections, a combination of individual and corporate income taxes, generated $367.8 million, up by $49.2 million, or 15.4 percent.

◦ Individual income tax collections are $341.6 million, an increase of $39.0 million, or 12.9 percent.

◦ Corporate collections are $26.2 million, up by $10.2 million, or 64.0 percent.

• Combined sales and use tax collections, including remittances on behalf of cities and counties, total

◦ Sales tax collections total $450.0 million, an increase of $42.7 million, or 10.5 percent.

◦ Use tax receipts, collected on out-of-state purchases including internet sales, generated $78.3 million, an increase of $7.4 million, or 10.4 percent.

• Gross production taxes on oil and natural gas total $124.6 million, an increase of $35.0 million, or 39.1 percent.

• Motor vehicle taxes produced $67.5 million, up by $7.7 million, or 12.8 percent.

• Other collections composed of some 60 different sources produced $118.5 million – up by $0.8 million, or 0.7 percent.

Gerardo Myrin, M.D., of Integris recently achieved a major milestone. He completed his 1000th joint replacement surgery using the Mako roboticarm. This number is significantly higher than the national average. Typically, an orthopedic surgeon will perform 27 total hip replacements and 33 total knee replacements per year. For Myrin to successfully complete 1000 in roughly four and half years is well above pace. Congratulations to Dr. Myrin and his team at INTEGRIS Health Medical Group Orthopedics Central.

Hi and Lois

Shoe

Zits

Family Circus

Beetle Baily

Blondie

Hägar the Horrible

Maternity bill clears the senate floor

A measure to better support mothers in Oklahoma’s state agencies passed out of the Senate Thursday. Sen. Jessica Garvin’s Senate Bill 193 would provide six weeks of paid maternity leave for full-time employees, following the birth or adoption of a child.

“Through our pandemic working groups and interim studies, like mine last fall, we’ve learned there are major issues impacting our state’s workforce, especially women who have been the largest population to leave the workforce in recent years,” said Garvin, R-Duncan.

“In my study, we examined what issues cause so many women to leave the workforce. Not having paid maternity leave was one of the main reasons. We don’t want to force Oklahoma mothers to choose between their career and having a family or taking enough time in those vital first weeks to care for their newborn.”

To qualify for the leave, mothers would have to be employed by the state for at least two years prior to requesting off. Leave could be used for the birth or adoption of a child. Employees would not be required to use their accrued leave for the initial six

week period, but could request to use such leave for any additional time off they might need up to 12 weeks as is required by the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA).

“I’m proud of the Legislature for working to address this important issue this session, not only for state employees but for teachers and others,” Garvin said. “The workforce is changing, and if we want to address the high turnover in our state agencies, we’re going to have to provide better benefits, like paid maternity leave, that give parents the flexibility to care for their families or we’re going to continue to lose qualified employees.”

Garvin pointed out that employee turnover in 2021 cost the state $110 million, and a portion of

those employees were women who quit following the birth of a child.

“This is a workforce development issue and one that will save the state millions in the long run. Six weeks of paid maternity leave is much cheaper than losing a good employee and their knowledge and expertise, only to have to train someone else,” Garvin said. “There is endless data that paid maternity leave lowers employee turnover rates, and given how much Oklahoma is losing every year, I think this is a commonsense cost-savings policy and a wonderful investment in our hardworking public servants.”

SB 193 now moves to the House where Rep. Nick Archer, R-Elk City, is serving as the principal House author.