Oklahoma Magazine October 2022

The Medical Issue

The Renaissance starts today

Here to Help You Rebuild Your Life®

Maintaining the Status Quo During Divorce

ing. Oftentimes, the parties may not agree on these items and a judge will have to decide. In oth er cases, the parties may be able to agree.

their practice to family law matters including divorce, child custody, child support, paternity, guard ianship, adoption, mediation, col laborative law and other domestic relation matters.

After a divorce has been filed, there can be a lot of loose ends for the parties in terms of how to deal with items like payment of bills, child custody, and support issues, etc.

This can be problematic in many respects because right after a divorce has been filed, there are not normally any orders in place through the court. Without any orders in place, many are not sure what they should do and what they shouldn’t do.

In many cases, the parties will ultimately end up in court on a pedente lite or temporary motion (or something called similar in various jurisdictions). In these motions, the parties ask the court to enter an order as to payment of bills, child custody, and support issues, etc., while the case is pend

But before a pedente lite or temporary motion being heard, judges ordinarily are looking for the maintenance of the status quo. The laws can certainly vary by state. Individuals should clear ly get the advice of an attorney li censed and competent to practice law in their jurisdiction for specif ic advice.

But as a general rule, mainte nance of the status quo pending further order of the court is what lots of judges are hoping for from the parties. That means that the parties are generally expected to pay bills and obligations in the same manner as before the di vorce.

Parties are also expected to give each other access to the chil dren. Money and assets are gener ally not to be moved, transferred, encumbered, or concealed.

Stange Law Firm, PC limits

Stange Law Firm, PC gives clients 24/7 access to their case through a secured online case tracker found on the website. They also give their clients their cell phone numbers. Call for a consul tation today at 855-805-0595.

To schedule a consultation: 855-805-0595

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The choice of a lawyer is an important decision that should not be based solely upon advertisements. Stange Law Firm, PC is respsonsible for the content. Principal place of business is 120 South Central Ave, Suite 450, Clayton, MO 63105. Court rules do not permit us to advertise that we specialize in a particular field or area of law. The areas of law mentioned in this article are our areas of interest and generally are the types of cases which we are involved. It is not intended to suggest specialization in any areas of law which are mentioned The information you obtain in this ad vertisement is not, nor is it intended to be, legal advice. You should consult an attorney for advice regarding your individual situation. We invite you to contact us and welcome your calls, letters and electronic mail. Contact ing us does not create an attorney-client relationship. Past results afford no guarantee of future results and every case is different and must be judged on its merits.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

6

State Whether or not you believe in ghosts, some claim that a variety of Oklahoma buildings house spirits from the past.

8 Infrastructure 10 Nature 12 Politics 14 Culture

Hobbies

Industry 20 Happenings

Business

People

Insider

28

Life and Style 28 Destinations e Indonesian island of Sumba is a hidden gem getaway for those looking for tranquility.

e Dynamics of Full-Body Health

e frontiers of medicine are ever-changing. We explore several facets of physical health – from the brain and eyes to the heart and lungs – as well as learn more about tech advancements in the OR and the myriad symptoms of ‘long COVID.’

Creating Charm

Step inside some of Oklahoma’s most enticing kitchens. e pros expound on the renovation process and divulge the secrets to making these areas of the home true oases of opulence.

30 Health 31 FYI 32 Outside the Metro 34 Scene

56

Taste

A long-held dream spurred forward by pandemic pondering, Freya: Nordic Kitchen introduces Tulsa to Scandinavian cuisine. 58 Chef Chat 59 Local Flavor

Tasty Tidbits

60 Where and When Oktoberfest, autumn festivals, concerts and performances – October has it all! 62 Film and Cinema

Closing Thoughts

ON THE COVER: The medical issue returns this month with a vast array of subjects covering full body health. From oculoplastic advancements to robotic surgery, the experts weigh in.

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LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

A very happy autumn season to you all! Here's hoping that by the time you're reading this, the temperatures have dipped below 80. (Wishful thinking, I know.)

We’ve got plenty of fall content to get you into a cozy mood, including a story on Halloween-related activities (page 20); suggestions on where to enjoy horseback riding (page 16); a sitdown with the talented special e ects makeup artist Tate Steinsiek (page 24); a look at a state park perfect for foliage viewing (page 10); and two pieces on potential haunted hot-spots in the state (pages 6 and 26).

October also ushers in the annual medical feature (page 37). is year’s spotlight is jam-packed with info you need to know, ranging from head-to-toe health to new technologies in the operating room, surgical innovations and a look into the many symptoms of the elusive ‘long COVID.’

Other highlights include a foray into a few beautiful kitchens around Oklahoma (page 50); a virtual tour of the Indonesian island of Sumba (page 28); a peek into Tulsa’s newest Scandinavian restaurant (page 56); and a chat with the head of the Oklahoma Department of Transportation (page 64).

Happy fall, Oklahoma! May the ‘coze’ be with you.

Mary Willa Allen Managing Editor

What’s HOT at OKMAG.COM

COMING IN OCTOBER Oklahoman Tate Steinsiek earns his living making monsters – literally. e special e ects makeup artist gave us a tour of his Tulsa-based studio, Ill Willed Productions, and there are too many great shots to include in print. Visit okmag.com now to see additional shots of Steinsiek and his spooky work.

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THE STATE

A History of Hauntings

As the autumn season bursts into color, you may nd that you’re in the mood for a scary story. Although this time of the year ushers in an abundance of horror movies, you may be surprised to learn that Oklahoma has dozens of allegedly haunted hotspots, with plenty of homegrown lore to boot.

Whether you choose to believe in these supernatural accounts is up to you, but one thing holds true: these urban legends have taken on lives of their own.

The Cherokee Strip Museum, Alva

Built in 1932, the Cherokee Strip Museum in Alva was originally the Alva General Hospital. e hospital closed in 1972 and was soon replaced with the Cherokee Strip Museum. e museum uses the building to showcase hundreds of historical artifacts related to the Cherokee Outlet and Oklahoma’s land runs, and also allows paranormal investigators to rent the building for a fee.

“Ghosts or no ghosts, we’ve got a great place here, and the ghost hunting has helped boost

our economy,” says Elaine Graybill, business manager at the Cherokee Strip Museum.

Many believe that the deceased patients of the Alva General Hospital haunt the museum.

“One of the hotspots could be the emergency room,” says Graybill. “ ere’s been a lot of activity there.”

Others believe that there are spirits attached to the personal possessions of World War II prisoners of war, which are a part of the museum’s collection. During WWII, Oklahoma was home to eight POW compounds, one of which was constructed in Alva. ese compounds held more than 20,000 captive German soldiers, and Camp Alva was the maximum security camp for Nazis and Nazi sympathizers. Graybill says that one of the museum’s visitors claims to have had a paranormal encounter with the ghost of a German POW.

Graybill also notes that the museum sta has experienced strange phenomena. During a paranormal investigation in 2016, the security guards spotted unexplained oating orbs on surveillance footage.

“We watched [that footage] constantly that evening,” she says. “ at [experience] was my rst hint that maybe there was something really going on here.”

is October, visitors can learn about the ghost stories that contribute to the museum’s mystique at its Haunted History fundraiser, which takes place on select dates throughout the month.

“We are entertained every day whether we have spirits or not,”

Whether or not you believe in ghosts, some claim that a variety of Oklahoma properties house spirits from the past.

Fort Washita Historic Site and Museum, Durant

Located near Durant, the government constructed Fort Washita in 1842 to protect the Chickasaw and Choctaw tribes from invaders. For nearly two decades, federal forces operated the fort, which became a popular destination for westbound settlers during the California Gold Rush.

On the brink of the Civil War, the United States military abandoned Fort Washita, and the Confederacy quickly gained control. Troops used the fort as a supply depot until abandoning it in 1865. At the time of their departure, the troops set re to the fort, which almost destroyed it entirely.

Because of its history, many locals believe that the fort is haunted. Most paranormal accounts include a mention of “Aunt Jane,” the mysterious spirit of a woman who was allegedly murdered there. Although Aunt Jane’s identity and death has never been con rmed, there are multiple theories about who she once was. One is that Aunt Jane was a freed slave who was killed by Confederate forces after traveling to Fort Washita as a spy for the Union. Another account posits that Aunt Jane was the wife of a stationed o cer, who was murdered en route to the fort by bandits.

Similarly, a third account suggests that Aunt Jane was the wife of a stationed o cer,

and got caught up in a deadly love triangle with another soldier.

is October, visitors can get a taste of times bygone by observing Civil Reenactments on select dates and touring the ruins of the fort.

The Gilcrease House, Tulsa

Founded in 1949, Gilcrease Museum was the passion project of omas Gilcrease. Over the course of his lifetime, the oil tycoon and philanthropist amassed one of the world’s largest collections of western and Native American art and historical artifacts.

From 1913 to 1943, Gilcrease and his family lived in a two-bedroom home, known as the Gilcrease house, which is located on the same property as the museum. is modest home is considered one of Oklahoma’s haunted hotspots for two di erent reasons.

When omas Gilcrease vacated the home in 1943, he deeded it to the omas Gilcrease Foundation, which converted it into an orphanage for Native American children. After 5 years, the orphanage closed due to administrative issues.

is backstory has spurred several supernatural encounters, with some visitors claiming to have seen the ghosts of the children playing in the gardens. According to an article from e Tulsa World, the Paranormal Investigation Team of Tulsa explored the Gilcrease home in 2020 and say they heard loud crashing noises and quarreling voices coming from the second oor.

Others believe that the grounds are haunted by the spirit of omas Gilcrease, who refuses to part ways with his beloved art collection. After the orphanage closed, Gilcrease resumed living in the house until he passed. Gilcrease’s remains were put to rest in a mausoleum located on the same property as the museum, which is currently undergoing renovations.

FAITH HARL

says Graybill. “Of the dozens of investigations that we’ve had, no one has ever left disappointed.”

Change is A-Comin’

Apedestrian bridge was scheduled to be hoisted into place in the early morning hours of Sept. 14, and Shannon Cox was not about to miss it.

Oklahoma City’s always-busy Northwest Expressway was closed from midnight to 5 a.m. between Wilshire and MacArthur boulevards so that the 121-foot-long bridge could be moved into its spot spanning Northwest Expressway, east of Wilshire.

“I wanted to watch that bridge get installed,” says Cox, the city’s public works public information o cer, about her decision to burn some midnight oil. “I like to watch things being built.”

e $5.3 million project will link the Lake Overholser and Lake Hefner trails and provide safer passage for walkers, runners and cyclists across Northwest

Expressway. Cox expects the bridge to open by the end of the year.

A pedestrian bridge is also part of Tulsa’s West 51st Street Extension Project, a reminder that street departments do much more than x potholes. In an effort to make transportation safer, more e cient and even more enjoyable, cities spend tax dollars on street widening and resurfacing projects, but also build sidewalks, exercise trails and beauti cation projects such as median streetscapes.

e 51st Street project will address a quality-of-life issue by reconnecting a street and a neighborhood that was divided when U.S. Highway 75 was built in the 1960s.

“I think that neighborhood is going to be celebrating,” says Paul Zachary, director of engineering for the city of Tulsa. “When U.S. 75 went in between Union and Elwood, it really split the west side of west 51st Street, and stopped communication between Union and Elwood. It just really created a barrier.”

e project will reconstruct about a mile of West 51st Street and will include a sidewalk along the entire length of the street, new bridges and ramps at U.S. 75, and a new connection to the Arkansas River Trail.

e Oklahoma Department of Transportation “is spending hundreds of millions of dollars on the improvement of the Interstate 44 and U.S. 75 interchange,” says Zachary. “So this is a small part of that project.”

RAISE Program

e 51st Street project is a joint e ort between ODOT, the city of Tulsa, Tulsa County and other agencies.

Funding comes largely from a $10 million grant awarded under the federal Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) program. U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg visited Tulsa in August to champion the bipartisan spending program.

Other Oklahoma projects awarded RAISE grants include $10 million worth of rail crossing improvements in Moore; $16.2 million for a multimodal trail system along the Arkansas River in Tulsa; $1.5 million for a long-range South Western Oklahoma Development Authority regional transportation plant; a $7 million curbing and sidewalk project designed to ease ooding in Wagoner; and $4 million for road and walkway improvement at the lopthlocco Tribal Town headquarters.

“Better Streets, Safer City” is the title of an Oklahoma City bond package approved by voters in 2017 to invest more than $1.2 billion in critical infrastructure including police and re protection, parks, trails, bicycle infrastructure, streets and sidewalks.

“We do about $100 million worth of projects a year,” says Shannon.

KIMBERLY BURK

anks to the Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity program, as well as city-speci c funds, major upgrades are on the way.

L-R: Tim Gatz, executive director of the Oklahoma Department of Transportation; Pete Buttiegieg, Secretary of the U.S. Department of Transportation; and Tulsa mayor G.T. Bynum met in August to discuss the RAISE program. Photo courtesy the City of Tulsa

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Five miles south of I-40 on US-281, the Oklahoma prairie yawns open, revealing a canyon near Hinton. e chasm, made of orange-brown, cross-bedded, ne-grained sandstone, is known as Red Rock Canyon Adventure Park. e Caddo County site is a geological formation, part of the Permian-age Rush Springs aquifer.

e canyon includes an unusual formation, sometimes labeled a “hoodoo,” that has begun separating from the canyon wall.

Tom Stanley, Ph.D., a geologist for the Oklahoma Geological Survey located on the University of Oklahoma Campus, says the hoodoo is “technically an erosional remnant, or pinnacle, of the Rush Springs formation. e canyon is about sixty feet deep.”

rough time, wind, water and natural forces carved out the canyon, which is now home to a fullservice RV park and campground on the canyon oor. A popular rappelling, climbing and hiking location, the park o ers plenty of fun, including glamping – or glamor camping.

“On Saturdays, 50 to 100 cars come through the park,” says park manager Jordan McSperitt. “Spring and fall are our busiest times.”

Situated on 310 acres, the park entrance takes guests along a 1 1/2-mile winding road with switchbacks. Visitors may watch sunrises and sunsets paint the red dirt canyon walls with nature’s palette of colors.

e park is open seven days a week, from sunup to sundown, year-round. Unless inclement weather

The Canyon’s History

Plains Indians winter camped in the canyon, which held abundant game and a fresh water stream. Then the canyon became a landmark on the California Trail, and a stop for those heading to the 1849 California Gold Rush. The location became Kiwanis Canyon Park, and in 1956, the state obtained the location, naming it Red Rock Canyon State Park. McSperitt and her father have privately operated the park since 2018, and in so doing, they renamed the outdoor venue.

requires park closure, visitors can hike trails that o er grandiose views, complete with brushstrokes of wild owers. From mid-October to mid-November, colored foliage blazes through the canyon. Wagon wheel ruts may be found on your journey.

Five shelters with picnic tables have large pedestal cooking grills, water and electric service. In season, there’s a swimming pool with a bath house. And Camp Social sells concessions, T-shirts, hats and gifts.

Although great for day trips, overnighters nd RV sites with water, electricity and sewer hookups. Others have water and electricity plus more primitive accommodations.

Pop-up glamping sites include the Nash Tent on a deck, with a queen size bed, furnishings and air conditioning. Other less ashy glamping sites o er two cots, a rug and a light.

“Big groups rent a big portion of the park and host their own events,” says McSperitt.

McSperitt hosts year-round-family-friendly events including movie nights and live music in the canyon.

is year’s fourth annual Fall Festival, scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 22, will include a carnival, pumpkin painting and hay rides. In 2021, over 3,000 people attended, and the park held its rst Okie Grown Music Festival with Oklahoma artists, vendors and food trucks.

Book online for overnight and day-use shelters at redrockcanyonadventurepark.com.

CAROL MOWDY BOND

A Canyon For All e Red Rock Canyon Adventure Park beckons campers, glampers, history bu s and everyone in between.

October is the ideal time to visit the Red Rock Canyon Adventure Park in Hinton.

Photo courtesy Red Rock Canyon Adventure Park

An Important Election

Tuesday, Nov. 8 ushers in Oklahoma’s general election for a variety of government leadership roles.

Oklahomans will either elect the state’s 29th governor or re-elect incumbent Governor Kevin Stitt. Also running for the state’s top executive seat are Joy Hofmeister (D), Ervin Yen (I) and Natalie Bruno (L). Oklahoma’s rst 17 governors were all from the Democratic Party, but since 1963, more than half of Oklahoma governors elected have been Republican.

ere are other critical positions at the state level up for grabs, including Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, State Treasurer and State Superintendent of Public Instruction. Oklahomans will also elect the Oklahoma Corporation Commissioner and State Commissioner of Labor.

For lieutenant governor, candidates are Matt Pinnell (incumbent, R), Melinda Alizadeh-Fard (D) and Chris Powell (L). Only two candidates are running for attorney general: Gentner Drummond (R) and Lynda Steele (L).

ere are two U.S. Senate races on the November ballot; incumbent James Lankford (R) will defend his seat against Madison Horn (D), Michael Delaney (I) and Kenneth Blevins (L). Having served as U.S. Senator from Oklahoma since 1994, Jim Inhofe will retire this year and his seat will be up for grabs in a special election. Candidates are Kendra Horn (D), Markwayne Mullin (R), Ray Woods (I) and Robert Murphy (L).

U.S. House Oklahoma District 1 will be contested among Kevin Hern (incumbent, R), Adam Martin (D) and Evelyn Rogers (I).

Information on all candidates can be found on the Oklahoma Election Board website, under the heading “candidates.”

Voter Turnout and Resources

Since 2014, Oklahoma voter turnout has been steadily growing, with the greatest increase among voters aged 18 to 24. is age group still represents the smallest percentage of total voter turnout – a mere 6% of all voters – while voters over age 44 represent 66% of all voters. However, this older demographic has declined by 11% since 2014.

e League of Women Voters creates a voters guide for non-partisan information to help make informed decisions during election season. Additionally, for those worried about election security and the integrity of the vote count process, the league recently published a review of election security in Oklahoma, available at my.lwv.org/oklahoma.

ELECTION DETAILS

ELECTION DAY: Nov. 8, 7 a.m.-7 p.m.

918 Vote is an initiative of Tulsa Young Professionals (TYPROS) which focuses on registering, educating and mobilizing voters 40 and under in the Tulsa area. Utilizing non-partisan and community-building tools, TYPROS aims to create a new generation of young, engaged voters and establish more representative election outcomes (typros. org/918vote).

VOTER REGISTRATION DEADLINE: Oct. 14

ABSENTEE VOTING DEADLINE: (last day to request ballot) Oct. 24, 5 p.m.

EARLY VOTING DATES AND TIMES: Nov. 2-4, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Nov. 5, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

OKLAHOMA VOTER PORTAL: oklahoma.gov/elections/ ovp.htm

Vote Your Values is a coalition of tribal nations and community partners developed as a voter education initiative to increase voter registration and engagement across Oklahoma. is is another educational voting resource aimed to inspire every of-age citizen to engage more meaningfully with the voting process (voteyourvaluesok.com/ be-involved).

JEFF THOMPSON

A handful of critical roles are up for grabs during the Nov. 8 general.

Candidates from

THANK YOU!

Because of you, the Tulsa Community College Foundation Vision Dinner 2022 was a success! With your help, more than $460,000 was raised!

On behalf of our students, faculty and staff, we are extremely grateful for your support.

THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING THE TCC FOUNDATION!

VISION

From left: Tyrance Billingsley, accepting on behalf of Vision Dinner 2022 Honoree Tyrance Billingsley, II; TCC President Leigh Goodson; Vision Dinner 2022 honoree Ron Looney; Vision Dinner 2022 honoree Alana Hughes; and Vision Dinner 2022 Chair Molly Jarvis.

Birds of a Feather

e American Pigeon Museum and Library nests right here in Oklahoma.

“We’re a donationbased museum,” says Lauren Gandara, who greets people at the American Pigeon Museum and Library (APM&L). “ ere’s no entry

these cages. We just display them here for visitors. Some of our birds are personable, make great pets and can be trained. Several know me when I walk into the Loft, and they land on my shoulder.”

e family-friendly, self-guidedtour museum has spacious, wide-open rooms and can hold up to about 100 people. APM&L targets the history and heritage of humankind’s oldest feathered friends, and guests visit from around the world.

e venue o ers exhibit rooms that display how pigeon carriers impacted communications during wartime, and pigeon racing as a popular sporting event. A third room o ers knowledge of di erent types of high-brow pigeon breeds. is space includes information about passenger pigeons which were North America’s most populous birds 200 years ago, prior to extinction. One ock was estimated at 3.5 billion birds. A fourth room houses a research library.

With hundreds of breeds, and as the oldest domesticated bird, some pigeons can wing it for 1,000 miles, and may reach speeds of

THE PIGEON RACING UNION

A national organization for pigeon racing hobbyists founded in 1910, the American Racing Pigeon Union (AU), standardizes rules for the sport, awards cash prizes and promotes the sport. Since the AU was already located in Oklahoma City, the APM&L originally formed there in 1973. And the board members chose to roost its new state-of-the-art museum next door to the AU, creating a central hub for pigeon fans. Located at 2300 N.E. 63rd St., the APM&L is open Fridays from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Call 405-478-5155 to make an appointment.

90 miles per hour over shorter distances (with the wind’s assistance). ey are found in both domesticated and feral states.

ey’ve been used for food and entertainment. And one of the oldest methods of long-distance communication is via homing pigeon – a Roman army used them 2,000 years ago for that purpose. In fact, history is replete with pigeon contributions to the world, such as the German pharmacist who used pigeons to deliver medicine in 1907.

ere are fancier breeds, like show breed pigeons. And there are homing breeds, a.k.a. racing pigeons; some of them have pedigrees like horses. People breed homing pigeons for speed, whether to race professionally or just for fun. And it’s a popular sport, with associations and clubs circling the globe.

Enthusiasts sometimes invest heavily in pigeons. e priciest racing pigeon, as of Nov. 2020, sold for a feather-whopping $1.9 million. And race-winning-prize monies can be just as impressive.

CAROL MOWDY BOND

At the American Pigeon Museum and Library, guests can interact with 16 different pigeon breeds.

Photo by Carol Mowdy Bond

Dr. Matthew Walker and Dr. Brian Gosnell and the team at Utica Dental offer patients a truly relaxed, professional, state-of-theart experience, with beautiful results from the moment they walk through the door. Conveniently located between 15th and 21st Street on South Utica Ave. in Tulsa, Utica Dental provides patients with peace ful, serene views out of the floor-to-ceiling windows while the dental team provides gentle care. Television monitors allow patients to get comfortable and watch a favorite show or movie. Want to hear music instead? Just ask Alexa to play it while in the dental chair.

Dr. Walker and Dr. Gosnell provide

cosmetic and family dentistry to patients of all ages. General restorative care, dental implants, Invisalign, teeth whitening, root canal treatment, extractions, crown and bridge, preventative hygiene care, sedation dentistry, nitrous oxide (laughing gas) and full mouth transformation procedures are all available at Utica Dental.

Our hygiene staff is one of the best in the area. We offer many different techniques to make your visit with us as comfortable and painless as possible. We are a family-based practice so all members of your family can be seen in the same office, no more travel ing to different offices for dental care. We take pride in the care that we give to our

Utica Dental family.

Infection control and sterilization are top priorities at Utica Dental. Using the most up-to-date, strictly followed CDC guided sterilization procedures and products, Dr. Walker and Dr. Gosnell are committed to creating a sterile environment for the safety of every patient and team member.

Utica Dental is an Oklahoma Magazine “The Best of the Best” recipient, and Dr. Walker and Dr. Gosnell continue to elevate his dental techniques to provide the best dental care to patients. Dr. Walker and Dr. Gosnell encourages you to come and expe rience Utica Dental, where every patient is a priority and truly a member of the family.

From left to right: Dr. Brian Gosnell, Mary, JerriLynn, Maggie, Dr. Matthew Walker

Back in the Saddle

While some people think seeing Oklahoma by motor vehicle is the way to go, others would argue the proper way to do it is by horseback.

Jeanne Ke er Remer, director of the trail program at Honey Lee Ranch Trail Rides in Jones, thinks fall is a great time to get back in the saddle again ... or discover horseback riding for the rst time.

“ e weather is just perfect,” she says. “Warm enough to be comfortable. e wildlife is much more active, too. We have deer, bald eagles, armadillos, raccoons, foxes and coyotes in abundance.”

Remer’s ranch has guided trail rides, ideal for riders of all ages.

“We have guided trail rides on calm, quiet and beautiful horses that are trained to safely carry children or adults with no previous riding experience,” she says. “We also have private lessons on weekends for children and adults. Our ranch is open to those who have their own horses and want to haul in with their truck and trailer and ride, too.”

Remer notes Honey Lee Ranch puts safety rst for both the horse and the rider.

“Our minimum age is 6 years old and we don’t allow children to ride double on a horse with an adult,” she says. “All minors – ages 6 to 17 –

Riding Safety Tips

•

must wear a certi ed riding helmet. We provide the helmets and t them to each individual.”

Remer adds their horses do not trot or lope on trail rides, or turn back to the barn.

At Heavenly Halo Ranch in Sapulpa, Tonja Frazier says the team enjoys riding all year long.

“September through November and even into December is the most popular [time of year] because of the beautiful colors and cool temperatures,” she says. “Horses even enjoy it and become frisky, especially in the mornings.”

Some of Frazier’s favorite places to ride are Turkey Mountain, Sheppard’s Point at Lake Heyburn, Keystone Lake, Bell Cow Lake and at private trails.

“We always try to work in a trip to Talimena Scenic Trails,” she adds. “We load up all our horses, tack and food, and ride as long as we can, soaking up God’s creation.”

Frazier says her group teaches horseback riding from beginner to advanced levels in Western, English saddle and even bareback disciplines.

“We have three instructors and just love to horse around,” she says. “We only take intermediate and above levels on the trails due to required skills, such as climbing very large hills, going back down, jumping logs and owing creeks.” e bene ts of a peaceful ride on a massive animal are not always obvious.

“Horses are incredibly intuitive,” says Remer. “ ey can work wonders for children who are shy and timid, lack self-con dence and have di culty being assertive around other children.”

Mastering even a few short rides on a 1,000-pound horse gives a child con dence and a self-esteem boost, says Remer.

“We are so thrilled to dismount a young rider who beams ear-to-ear and says, ‘ is is the best day of my whole life!’”

DEBI TURLEY

October is the perfect time to make a trip to a horse stable.

Honey Lee Ranch Trail offers guided trail rides and private lessons for

Photo courtesy Honey Lee Ranch

A Blooming Business

Flower farms have been blooming all over Oklahoma. And, much like the delightful products they grow, they come in a rainbow of varieties: Some allow for customers to visit and pick owers themselves, while others sell pre-picked and selected bouquets to clients or for special events. And while this may sound like a simple, pleasant afternoon in the garden, there is really quite a bit that goes into being a ower farmer.

Kristin Davenport, who owns and manages Simple Acre Farm and Flowers with her husband Joel, turned to owers for comfort as a teen after losing both parents. She remembers carefully drying and pressing many of the owers after the funeral.

“ ey just gave me something to love and appreciate during a pretty hard time,” she says. “It was just kind of my thing, and it gave me a way to reach people when they were hurting.”

She also has fond memories of working in the garden with her mother, grandmother and greatgrandmother. Now, Davenport

Flower Subscriptions

If the idea of a collection of fresh flowers arriving

agrees that managing a ower farm is no walk in the park.

“ ere is a lot of science involved, [and] there’s a lot of physical labor that’s involved,” she says. “It’s a lot of work out there.”

Barr, who grew up on a farm in Kansas, grows everything from tulips to larkspur to dahlias and heirloom mums, and primarily provides blooms for weddings and events. Wild Lark Farm also provides some ower subscriptions. Barr keeps up with event and wedding color trends, and grows lots of white, peach and pink for those, as well as bright pinks and oranges for other events.

“I have the staples that a lot of people grow as well; the things that grow really well here,” she says. “But then I like to try new things, see what will happen.”

All in all, growing the blooms is a labor of love for both farmers.

“When things are going well, it’s beautiful out there, and then I’m able to share some of that beauty with a lot of people,” says Barr. “ at feels good.”

Davenport contines: “Life is hard! But you’ve got to take the beauty while you can, and appreciate what you’ve got.”

BONNIE RUCKER

Flower farms are sprouting up across the state.

Kristin Davenport runs Simple Acre Farm and Flowers in Pocasset.

Photo by Mandy Stansbury Photography

Time to Get Spooky

e Halloween season is well underway in Oklahoma.

Pumpkin, witches and ghouls, oh my! October beckons Oklahomans to visit a variety of Halloween-centric activities.

Along with the spooky stu , you might also nd some lions, tigers and bears at the 39th annual Haunt the Zoo in Oklahoma City.

Every Saturday and Sunday in October from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Haunt the Zoo provides an entertaining and unique way for guests of all ages to experience one of Oklahoma’s largest and longest-running trick-or-treating events – all while connecting with wildlife and nature.

Adults and children alike are invited to wear their Halloween costumes, barring full face masks and fake weapons. Guests will also discover 20 original booths, perfect for photo ops.

It takes about six months of planning, multiple sponsors, nearly 500,000 pieces of candy and hundreds of zoo employees and volunteers to kick o the annual event, according to Candice Rennels, director of public relations at the zoo.

Other activities include pumpkin painting crafts, a hay maze, a Halloween-themed sea lion show and the endangered species carousel. Tickets are on sale now at okczoo. org/htz. e Oklahoma City Zoo also o ers an adult-only event, Haunt the Zoo: All Grown Up, on Friday, Oct. 28 from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m.

Whether you’re looking for family fun or a good scare, Haunt the Zoo is not your only option around the state. ere are plenty of mazes,

ghosts, fall fun and good frights just about everywhere.

On the hunt for some Halloween spirit without the creepy crawlies or ghouls? Visit Pumpkinville from October 7-23 at the Myriad Botanical Gardens in OKC. Visitors can see creative displays made of more than 30,000 pumpkins, gourds, haystacks and mums. ere are a variety of activities to try, including handcrafted games, pumpkin painting, storytimes and unlimited rides on Mo’s Carousel. Visit myriadgardens. org for complete details.

Pumpkin Town Farms on 61st and Garnett in Tulsa also o ers a bevy of activities for all ages. You can catch the horse-drawn hayrides or get lost in a corn maze. After the sun sets, the farm gets a little eerie at Insanity Farms. Brave scare-seekers can take their chances every Friday and Saturday in October with haunted mazes and zombie paintball. Visit pumpkintownfarm.com for more info.

e Castle of Muskogee is 14 acres of fall festivities and Halloween thrills. e gates open from 5:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. every Friday and Saturday during October. To plan your visit go to okcastle.com/halloween. If you’re worried about the frights, the castle’s website provides a “skull” rating to help guide you from fall fun to the truly terrifying. Guests can ride the castle train, take a journey on the haunted hayride, stroll through the woods on the Trail of Blood, or choose among a variety of other activities at the castle.

ALAINA STEVENS

NEED MORE IDEAS FOR FALL ACTIVITIES?

CHECK THESE OUT:

STORYBOOK FOREST AT ARCADIA LAKE Oct. 23-30 edmondok.gov/1599/ Storybook-Forest

BRICK-OR-TREAT Oklahoma City Oct. 24 downtownokc.com/brickor-treat

NORMAN FALL FESTIVAL Oct. 28 normanfallfest.com

FRIGHT FEST AT SIX FLAG’S FRONTIER CITY Oklahoma City Through Oct. 30 sixflags.com/frontiercity

CHESTER’S PARTY BARN & FARM Piedmont Through Oct. 31 chesterspartybarn.fun

GUTHRIE HAUNTS SCAREGROUNDS Through Nov. 5 guthriescaregrounds.com

HEX HOUSE Tulsa Through Nov. 5 hexhouse.com

ORR FAMILY FARM Oklahoma City Through Nov. 12 orrfamilyfarm.com/fall

TULSA SPIRIT TOURS Year-round tulsaspirittour.com

For a mixture of spooky and fun activities, visit Haunt the Zoo at the OKC Zoo.

Photo courtesy OKC Zoo

WHY SHOULD YOU TUNE-UP YOUR HEATING SYSTEM?

Maintenance on your heating and cooling system is something that homeowners don’t often think about, yet it has one of the most dramatic effects on our utility bills. A TuneUp twice a year on your heating and cooling equipment helps for continued efficiency, safety and extends the life of your equipment. Call Airco today and take advantage of our membership savings on a yearly maintenance!

Shining Light on the ODC

The Office of Disability Concerns helps those in the community with an array of issues, from increasing food accessibility to transportation concerns.

Photo courtesy the ODC

Navigating all the responsibilities of life can be di cult enough for anyone, but for people with disabilities, the challenges can be exacerbated by a lack of accessibility. In the state of Oklahoma, however, there is somewhere they can turn: the Oklahoma State O ce of Disability Concerns.

“ e O ce of Disability Concerns acts as a conduit for Oklahoma citizens with disabilities to understand what resources are available, as well as what they should expect in terms of accessibility when working with both the public and private sectors,” says Brenda Hoefar, interim director.

For example, if a person with disabilities is struggling to get nutritious groceries, the ODC will help connect them with food banks and other resources for services that they need. Hoefar describes how the dedicated disability specialists will sometimes even go so far as to pick up and deliver food to a client.

“ at’s how good we are,” she says.

Another aspect to the work of the ODC is to serve as a resource for companies in their e orts to comply with federal law in

the form of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Hoefar and the ODC sta present trainings on ADA and employment of people with disabilities topics, as well as conduct accessibility audits for buildings.

“[We will] go into their building and see what needs to change and what’s correct about their accessibility,” she says.

e ODC is a small o ce consisting of Hoefar and a handful of disability specialists. ey also utilize the help and support of a Governor’s Advisory Council on People with Disabilities, and a Council on Employment of People with Disabilities, which give ideas and feedback as to ways to help this population. And there are several persons with disabilities who sit on each of these councils, so the input is invaluable, says Hoefar.

One of the issues that the ODC handles regularly may be unexpected. ey are often asked to clarify the rules and regulations concerning service animals – both for those utilizing a service animal and establish-

ments serving the public.

“ ere is a huge misunderstanding about service animals in Oklahoma and where they can be permitted and not permitted,” says Hoefar. “And we have to do a lot of talking to people about service animals.”

Another issue that comes to light frequently is that of accessibility of transportation. e ODC is often called upon by their clients to help solve problems in getting where they need to go.

“A lot of these people are in assisted living or some type of apartment complex, and they have no transportation, [except] their mobility device,” says Hoefar. is can present a challenge in doing things as simple as getting to the store. But the ODC is there to help.

GET IN TOUCH

Need to get in touch with the Off ice Disability Concerns for yourself or a family member?

Call 800-522-8224

Email odc@odc.ok.gov Visit ok.gov/odc

“Every case is a win,” says Hoefar. “Somebody always gets help no matter what, if they call us, there’s never a no answer. Everybody can expect some kind of assistance. Even if it’s something we can’t handle, we guide them to someone who can.”

BONNIE RUCKER

Oklahoma’s O ce of Disability Concerns creates opportunities and advocates for those who need it.

Justin Campbell, DC Owner, The Campbell Clinic

Making Monsters

Special e ects artist Tate Steinsiek followed a childhood passion into adulthood success.

Special e ects (SFX) and prosthetic makeup are some of the most integral parts of lmmaking, especially when it comes to horror and science ction. Tate Steinsiek, a native Oklahoman, is a master of the craft, working on everything from small budget horror icks all the way up to e Amazing Spider-Man

“Monsters and imagination were a big part of my childhood,” says Steinsiek, citing the Michael Jackson music video for “ riller” as a major impetus for his obsession. He particularly loved the special features interview with Rick Baker on how he created and applied the makeup for the iconic music video.

“ is was a game changing moment,” says Steinsiek, “when I realized that making monsters was possible.”

Steinsiek left Oklahoma after high school and took a class under Tom Savini, a groundbreaking special e ects artist baed in Pittsburgh, Pa.

“Towards the end of my rst semester, Tom gave me a script called Zombie Honeymoon. Tom was retired from FX and acting full time, so he asked if I wanted to take a look at it,” he says.

Working on the lm in New Jersey, he instantly fell in love with the process.

“I’d never seen such a complex machine at work; it was beyond inspiring,” he says. us began a fruitful career.

After a decade in New York, Steinsiek found himself called back to Oklahoma to open his studio, Ill Willed Productions.

“I anticipated my studio being the home base for the creation of things, and I’d y out for execution,” he explains. “To my

great surprise, I returned to nd Oklahoma alive with a creative community, and a lot of lms shooting in and around the state. at was nearly ten years ago, and seeing the progress since has only con rmed that coming home and joining the local creative movement was 100% the right move for me.”

Steinsiek has garnered his fair share of career highlights, including two stints on the SyFy reality series Face O , as well as a 2019 Saturn Award nomination for “Best Practical Makeup E ects” for the lm Dragged Across Concrete.

“I was competing with Marvel lms – it was absolutely bananas,” he says. “Clearly Avengers won the award, but as they say, it was an honor just to be in the same conversation as artists like Mike Marino and Bill Corso.”

In 2019, Steinsiek also directed a horror lm titled Castle Freak, a reboot of the 1995 original.

“We shot on location in Albania,” he says. “I only thought I had experienced the true meaning of ‘challenging’. Try directing a lm with a DP [director of photography] that speaks literally zero English. ings got creative!”

Steinsiek was thrilled to make it to the end of shooting.

“It was a sunrise, and we were all standing outside in the courtyard of a twothousand year old mountain top fortress looking at the open sky,” he says. “We watched the sun come up, passed around a bottle of Raki and celebrated. It was a fantastic experience.”

More recently, Tulsa’s independent theatre, Circle Cinema, honored Steinsiek on its Walk of Fame.

“It was such an insane complete circle in my life, ttingly at Circle Cinema,” he says. “Plus, I’m only feet away from Chuck Norris’ medallion and that alone is life changing.”

As for advice on getting into the special e ects industry, Steinsiek says you should always be practicing.

“You have to be patient and learn the process, but these days, there are volumes of options out there,” he says.

He also recommends getting on set early and often.

“ e experience of interacting with a crew and nding your place in that machine,” he says, “is the most valuable education you can get in lm.”

DREW JOSEPH ALLEN

Tate Steinsiek creates a variety of ghoulish characters in his Tulsa-based studio, Ill Willed Productions.

Photos by Stephanie Phillips

Hosting a Ghost or Two

Tulsa’s beloved concert hall may harbor some musical spirits ... depending on whom you ask.

As Brett Bingham and I noted in our recent book, Twentieth-Century Honky-Tonk, what might be termed the “modern era” of Tulsa’s Cain’s Ballroom began 48 years ago this month, when a pair of young Tulsa promoters – R.C. Bradley and Jim Edwards – talked the owner into letting them book a Halloween show featuring neither Westernswing nor country-music acts. For nearly 50 years, those two musical genres had been the ballroom’s bread and butter, beginning in 1935, when Western-swing pioneer Bob Wills made the Cain’s his base of operations.

Bradley and Edwards, however, on Halloween night 1974, booked a slate of acts ranging from country-rock to R&B, breaking with tradition and starting a run of Oct. 31 events that helped change the image of the ballroom from country to, well, hippie, attracting a whole new demographic in the bargain.

So Halloween figures strongly into the history of the Cain’s Ballroom. And what’s Halloween without ghosts?

There are, of course, the metaphorical ghosts of yesterday, the fading echoes of a vanished time, the ghostly flickers of familiar faces, brought back to life whenever old-timers congregate again at the Cain’s and find themselves facing the younger spirts of their former selves. But evidence exists to suggest that there are literal ghosts haunting the venerable ballroom as well.

David Standingwater, a longtime Cain’s bartender, figures he first saw what his bar manager David Ward calls the Phantom Cowboy back around 2006 or 2007, after he’d been working at the bar for a few years.

“Before I became a bartender, David hired me to be the bar-back, so I would help set up the bars and make sure everything was stocked,” says Standingwater. “In those days, it took a lot more to get the bar ready, because we weren’t as advanced as we are now, so I’d sometimes come in the night before. It’d be me, by myself, and the ballroom would be all dark except for the bar area. The room creaks, so I’d hear little noises here and there.

“To set up, I’d have to be in and out of the walkway at the main bar. There’s a little hallway between the walk-in and the bathroom, and there’s a pillar in the middle of the bar that kind of coincides with the hallway. So, when I was coming out of the walk-in and into the hallway, that pillar would be in my line of sight. And on two or three particular nights, as I was going in and out – all of a sudden, from the corner of my eye, in my peripheral vision, I saw a cowboy, leaning against the bar.”

Standingbear adds that the figure seemed to be waiting for something – “maybe for me to get done, so that I could serve him,” he guesses – but when he focused on the figure, it evaporated into the surrounding darkness.

“I guess ‘silhouette’ would be the best

description of what I saw,” he says, “but I can remember that he was in a jacket, and he had a hat on. It reminded me of the picture of Hank Williams Sr. that’s on the [Cain’s] wall – kind of that slender, jacketed cowboy.”

He figures he spied the apparition two or three times, all within the space of a couple of nights. And he feels that there’s reason to believe it could be the spirit of Hank Williams himself, whose complicated and ultimately tragic life has given rise to any number of ghostly legends. (Listen, for instance, to the 1983 hit country single “The Ride,” by former Cain’s habitue David Allan Coe.)

“There’s a red couch with the Cain’s embroidery on it that’s in the [Cain’s] off ice now,” says Standingbear. “Before we had the bar area upstairs and opened [the balcony] to the public, the couch was being stored up there – and it’s rumored that Hank Sr. actually fell asleep on that couch a long time ago.”

That rumor is likely true, as the one time Hank Williams was booked into the Cain’s he showed up but was unable to perform for any length of time ... reportedly due to his overconsumption of Choc beer from down the street.

Maybe, he stuck around.

The upstairs renovation Standingbear mentioned began around 2006, when Cain’s management decided to put a bar and rest

room in the ballroom’s former attic and open the area to patrons. The work done to transform the space included tiling, which was contracted.

“There was a young man who was doing the tile, and one day he ran down to the off ice and told Chad [Rodgers, Cain’s co-owner] that there was a ‘phantom cowboy’ upstairs,” notes David Ward. “That guy wouldn’t come back. They had to send someone else to finish the tile.”

Like Standingbear, David Ward has experienced things in the Cain’s Ballroom that defy logic. And he and his former bar-back are hardly alone. Several years ago, the Paranormal Investigation Team of Tulsa, or PITT, spent a night in the ballroom, setting up equipment in hopes of recording something otherworldly. PITT sent over a computer file of the results, and during a show, Ward and ballroom co-owner Hunter Rodgers listened to it on the Cain’s off ice computer.

“I didn’t hear a thing,” Ward remembers. “I came out and had a couple of the bar staff listen, and they couldn’t really hear anything either.”

A couple of weeks later, he decided to try again. He put the file on his thumb drive and, when he was through for the night, took it home with him. In the very early morning quiet, with just him and his computer and the file, he heard a distinct voice – that of a child.

“It said ‘I wanna help,’” he notes, “and the hair stood up on the back of my neck.”

Returning to the Cain’s, he brought in his home computer and played the recording for two of his staff members. They not only heard the voice as well; they also told Ward they were familiar with it. It would always, they said, come from the northwest corner of the ballroom.

After the initial excitement of hearing and sharing the spectral words, and having his staffers tell him that they recognized them, Ward didn’t give the recording much more thought. That changed one evening while he was working a private event at the Cain’s. There, he heard a lecturer explain that, during Bob Wills’ days at the ballroom, parents would sometimes bring in cots and blankets, set them out beside the walls, and leave their kids there, to play with other children and eventually fall asleep. One of the parts of the ballroom used for this purpose, the speaker said, was the northwest corner.

“I knew, when I heard that story, my ghost was real,” says Ward. “That’s why there was a child there.”

He adds that the PITT people told him ghosts like that one are “residual.”

“Whatever they are, they’re leftovers,” he explains, “and they have some connection to the room. Sometimes that connection is positive, and sometimes that connection is negative. What I think is this: Citizens in Tulsa and Oklahoma have been coming into that room for a long time, and as it approaches 100 years, it’s probably hosted a ghost or two.”

“I’m not necessarily sold on the ghost thing,” admits Standingbear. “But, you know, I believe in something. If you think about my ancestry, the Native Americans, we have all the stories of what are called skill’li in the Cherokee language – the little people who roam around in the woods and lead children astray. So I guess it’s in my nature. I believe something’s going on out there. I’m just not sure exactly what it is.”

JOHN WOOLEY

THE PROFESSIONALS

Open enrollment is the period when you have a chance to make changes to your employee benefits package. It’s helpful to understand the different terms you are likely to encounter. 1. Premiums – The amount you and your employer pay to your insurer every month. 2. Deductible – The amount you have to pay in total (usually annually) before your health insurance assumes the costs. 3. Copay – A fixed amount you pay each time you use a medical service. 4. HMOs and PPOs – HMOs are health maintenance organizations, available for lower monthly premiums but come with some restrictions. PPOs are preferred provider organizations, which tend to have higher premiums. 5. Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) – HAS features allow you to set aside money on a pre-tax basis to pay for qualified medical expenses. 6. High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP) – In conjunction with an HSA, HDHPs are available for a lower monthly premium, but require that you carry a higher deductible. 7. Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs) – This benefits option lets you pay many out-of-pocket medical expenses with tax-free dollars.

David Karimian, CFP®, CRPC®, APMA®

Prime Wealth Management

A private wealth advisory practice of Ameriprise Financial 2431 E 61st St, Suite 400, Tulsa, OK 74136 918.388.2009 David.x.Karimian@ampf.com www.primewealthmgmt.com

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What are some things to know during open enrollment?

FINANCIAL ADVISOR

DAVID KARIMIAN CFP®, CRPC®, APMA®

WEIGHT MANAGEMENT SPECIALIST

MELODY HAWKINS

LIFE & STYLE

If you want to know what Bali was like before it hit the big time, visit Sumba. e classic Indonesian islands lie almost next to each other on the archipelago, but are worlds apart in the glitz and glam department.

Yes, some investment has come to Sumba Island as of late but so far, not widespread commercialism. And, for many, that’s precisely Sumba’s charm – along with waterfalls, dramatic rock cli s, white sand beaches and some of the best sur ng anywhere.

Fly into either Waingapu in the north central part of the island or Tambolaka in the northwest. Waingapu is Sumba’s largest city (population: 36,000) and has a strong geographic bond with the land and the water.

Tambolaka airport and the city of Waitabula are smaller than Waingapu, and o er glimpses into traditional

Sumbanese life. At Ratenggaro Village, homes are built on hilltops in the time-honored fashion, featuring highpitched thatched roofs and tall, pointy peaks made of bamboo and grass.

Stay at the Nihi Sumba, a secluded resort about 40 miles south of Tambolaka on the shores of the amazingly blue Indian Ocean. Built in 1988 by die-hard surfer Claude Graves in the indigenous style, Nihi is 33 villas scattered on more than a mile of oceanfront.

is is where you can swim with horses, plan a spa day, enjoy a private suite with your own pool and rejuvenate in the open-air Ombak restaurant looking out over the ocean.

What drew Claude to the Nihi area is just o shore – world-class sur ng, anchored by “Occy’s Left,” a break that produces waves of epic proportions.

Locals call it the perfect left-hander. Several surf camps are in the area. e island’s unusual beauty is accented by several striking waterfalls such as Tanggedu, the so-called Grand Canyon of East Sumba, just north of Waingapu. It’s a little bit of a hike, but once you get there, several natural swimming spots make it all worthwhile.

Ninety miles from Tambolaka is Batu Bolong on Bawana Beach. e ocean has carved a huge hole into the massive rock wall that juts out into the surf from the lovely sand beach and green cli s. It’s the stu of movies –you can almost see James Bond ying a gyroplane through the arch.

In western Sumba, what lies just o shore on Watu Maladong Beach is jaw-dropping: Enormous scrubcovered rocks rise out of the beach

A MAP TO

Serenity in Sumba is Indonesian island is a getaway for those in search of an alluring respite.

LIFE

STYLE

unexpectedly, as if on stilts. e beach is soft and the swimming is excellent.

At Walakiri Beach just outside Waingapu, the shoreline is adorned with a troupe of dwarf mangrove trees that emerge so expressively from the water, it appears they’re dancing. (It’s a great sunset spot, too.)

Sumba Island is part of the Coral Triangle, and the snorkeling is fantastic. e sand is white, the waters are blue and the wildlife is abundant. More than 600 different corals and 3,000 species of reef sh inhabit these waters.

Burying loved ones in above-ground stone megaliths is still done routinely on Sumba. ousands of the revered, often decorated monuments dot the landscape; many villages are actually built around them.

A number of small, quirky restaurants stay busy in Waingapu and Tambolaka. Have ginger co ee in the morning; it’s a Sumbanese tradition. Take a break for a lunch of manggulu, a local dish made of bananas and fried peanuts. Dinner might be manu pata’u, a native concoction of chicken marinated in coconut milk. e goat is also very good.

Shoppers take note: Unusually high quality double-woven Ikat cloth is made in many smaller villages. e weavings use bright colors and may depict animals, mythical creatures or warfare. Look for well-made sarongs and baskets, too.

CHUCK MAI

Understanding Diabetes

According to the American Diabetes Association, approximately 37.3 million Americans have diabetes and 1.4 million Americans are diagnosed every year.

But if you’ve not had experience with this disease, either personally or through a friend or family member, you may not be aware of its physical e ects, or the unique distinctions between type 1 and type 2.

“ e di erence between type 1 and type 2 diabetes can be confusing,” says Shannon Bailey MS, RDN/LD, CDCES, the manager of Ascension St. John Healthy Lifestyles in Bartlesville. “Type 1 diabetes, in the past called ‘juvenile onset’ diabetes, is an autoimmune disease that usually develops when a person is young. However, we now know that type 1 diabetes can be diagnosed at any age.”

She says type 1 diabetes occurs when a person’s immune system attacks and kills the beta cells in the pancreas.

“Unable to produce adequate insulin, people living with type 1 diabetes require insulin to maintain blood sugar control,” she says. “ e incidence of type 1 diabetes is on the rise, and there are many ongoing studies to understand why, but having type 1 is less common than type 2 diabetes.”

Formerly known as ‘adult onset’ diabetes, type 2 diabetes typically develops later in life, but it can begin at any age as well, says Bailey.

“Type 2 diabetes is caused by insulin resistance, which means the insulin produced by their bodies is not able to lower blood glucose levels e ciently,” she

says. “Overtime, many living with type 2 diabetes also require insulin, as insulin production slows. People at highest risk of developing type 2 diabetes are those who are overweight, not very physically active, have a family history of type 2 diabetes, or history of gestational diabetes during a pregnancy.”

Individuals who are Native American, Hispanic, Asian and African American also have a higher risk.

Managing Diabetes

At this time, there is no known cure for type 1 diabetes, but the disease is treated through lifestyle changes and insulin therapy.

“Type 2 diabetes develops years after insulin resistance begins,” says Bailey. “Most people will have prediabetes before they develop type 2 diabetes.”

She says type 2 diabetes can be managed with lifestyle changes, oral medications, injectable medications and insulin – and many new diabetes medications are changing the way the disease is treated.

“Losing 5-8% body weight through lifestyle changes – diet and physical activity – decreases the risk of developing diabetes by 58%,” says Bailey. “Bariatric surgery and medical weight loss programs are other ways to improve insulin resistance and reduce or eliminate diabetes medications for those with type 2 diabetes. Remission is possible for many with the disease.”

She adds that people living with diabetes do not have to deal with it alone.

“Ascension St. John, in Bartlesville and Tulsa, o ers diabetes education and support programs to assist patients navigating the diabetes landscape,” she says. “Knowledge is power, and we are here to support your lifelong journey to improved health.”

REBECCA FAST

Health experts explain the di erence in the two types and o er treatment options.

Fire Safety 101

From prevention to your rst moves when disaster strikes, a re chief weighs in to help you prepare.

Have you given any thought to the most common reason for house and apartment res?

According to Benny Fulkerson, Battalion Chief of the Oklahoma City Fire Department, the answer might surprise you.

“In Oklahoma City, there are numerous reasons why structure res happen, but unattended cooking is among the leading causes for these incidents,” he says. “We always remind people to ‘keep an eye on what you fry.’ In other words, stay in the kitchen and keep a close eye on your cooking until you are completely nished and the heat is turned o .”

Fulkerson notes that turning your back on your cooking could result in the grease catching re. And if you nd yourself facing this terrifying situation, never pour water on a grease re.

“Water causes a grease re to react violently and will make the re much worse, and [that] can certainly cause injuries,” he says. “Likewise, never put our on a grease re. Simply sliding a lid over the skillet and then turning o the heat is the cleanest, fastest and most e cient way to extinguish a re in a skillet.”

He also advises against attempting to carry the burning skillet outside. In doing so, the hot pan may be dropped, running the risk of a personal injury and allowing the re to spread.

Fulkerson says the OKC Fire Department responds to approximately 92,000 emergency calls annually, with some 700 to 800 of those runs being structure res.

“We also see structure res commonly start due to improperly discarded cigarettes,” he says. “It is not uncommon for a cigarette to be dropped into bedding or

onto cushions of furniture, which can then start a re which could quickly spread to other areas of the home.”

ink it’s OK to discard a lighted cigarette into a ower bed or on a deck? ink again.

Fulkerson advises that cigarettes can easily ignite mulch and vegetation in ower beds and also the wooden decks themselves.

“ e key here is to be prepared,” he says. “Having working smoke alarms is one of the most important things people can do.”

What To Do in the Event of a Fire

“ e very rst thing you should do is get out,” he says. “Everyone in the home should participate in periodic exit drills in the home and should know how to escape the home, and where the pre-established meeting place is located. Everyone should know two ways out of every room.”

IMPORTANT TIPS:

• Feel doors with the back of your hand. If the door is hot, fire is on the other side.

• Close doors behind you to compartmentalize the fire and smoke.

• Call 911 from outside of the burning home.

• Be prepared to tell firefighters where the fire was located and if anyone, or pets, are still inside.

DEBI TURLEY

A

Located in the northeast corner of Muskogee County, Fort Gibson is a noteworthy spot on Oklahoma’s map – not only for its proximity to today’s beckoning outdoor recreational opportunities, but for the nearby reconstructed military fort that holds historical signi cance to the entire state.

Near the town of 3,740 is the Fort Gibson military outpost that played a vital role in the settlement of what became Oklahoma, before and after the Civil War. Reconstruction of the fort began as a 1930s Works Progress Administration project.

“I do believe Oklahoma would not have been here if not for the fort,” says Jennifer Frazee, director of the Fort Gibson Historic Site. Frazee oversees exhibits, activities and demonstrations that o er visitors a glimpse into the outpost’s role from the time it was rst established in 1824.

To tell the story of Fort Gibson is also to know the tragic, painful story of the removal of the American Indian from the southeast United States to Indian Territory.

Built where the Arkansas, Verdigris and Grand Rivers converge south of the Ozark Plateau, Fort Gibson rst was key to

river navigation – according to the Oklahoma Historical Society – as keelboats, and later steamboats, navigated the waterway. It also served as an outpost on the Texas Road that connected settled Missouri with Mexico.

Fort Gibson was established to keep the peace between the Osages, already living in Indian Territory, and the relocated Cherokees, says Frazee. It also served as a starting point for several military expeditions to explore the American West.

Abandoned in 1857, the post was reactivated during the Civil War, renamed Fort Blunt, and it served as the Union headquarters in Indian Territory. e Army stayed through the reconstruction and Indian Wars periods, combating the problem of outlaws and squatters, according to the OHS.

Frazee says that today’s fort is a reproduction of the fort to scale.

“We have furnished rooms [from that era], so you can see how folks lived,” she says. Open to visitors are two mess halls, from the 1820s and 1850s eras.

“It’s a place where you can see the diverse cultures before, during and after removal – a microcosm of Oklahoma.”

Living history demonstrations are o ered from September through May, and Frazee says plans are being nalized for the Oct. 8 re-opening of one of the fort’s three hospitals, including a new visitors center and gift shop.

Today, visitors are welcome to tour the fort and the nearby Fort Gibson National Cemetery – but also to take advantage of other

opportunities nearby, including ree Forks Harbor and River Center. Located on the McClellanKerr Arkansas River Navigation System, the harbor o ers boaters access to the nation’s waterways and seaports of the world, says Kimbra Scott, port director for the Muskogee City-County Port Authority.

e harbor’s chief drawing card is the River Center, a 10,000-square-foot multipurpose events center and plaza. Also part of the Harbor are two hiking trails – the four-mile ree Forks Trail which ends near the military fort, and the 1.5-mile Jean Pierre Chouteau Trail. Both are maintained by volunteers.

One volunteer, Steven Hill of Fort Gibson, says he enjoys meeting visitors and explaining the historical signi cance of the area.

“ ree Forks Harbor gives the community recreational access to the same water resources that commercial and industrial out ts have taken advantage of for years,” he says. “It’s truly a mixed-use port development.”

e harbor hosts bass shing tournaments, boat races, bicycle rides and unique events that include mud volleyball and cardboard boat races.

Scott explains that the McClellan-Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System provides navigation, plus recreation, hydropower, water supply, ood control, and sh and wildlife habitats.

“A lot of our activities are in spring and summer,” says Scott, “but in fall, it’s a beautiful place.”

HENRY DOLIVE

Fort Gibson offers a variety of aquatic amenities and activities.

Photo courtesy Muskogee City-County Port Authority

Dr. Leigh Goodson, Alana Hughes, Molly Jarvis, Kari Shults; 2022 Vision Dinner, TCC Foundation, Tulsa

Justin & Marianna Lund, Harriet & Adam Robinson; Great Futures Gala, The Salvation Army Boys & Girls Club, Tulsa

Janet & Ali Meyer; Care Packs and Cocktails, Tenaciously Teal, OKC

Gary Oberste, Tiffany Harrel, Rae Harrel, Kambrie Turley; Meet the Comets, Bishop Kelley High School, Tulsa

Ken Callen, Gregg Conway, Cammie LaPorte; Tulsa Boys Home

Alexander Mickelthwate, DG Smalling, Jay Shankar; Renaissance Ball, OKCMOA

Tracey Black, Madison Moody-Torres, Tammy Conover, Lori Grant; exhibit opening, Living Arts of Tulsa

Jennifer Hudgins, Jacque Herb, Shonda Wagner, Kim McGinty; Sixth Annual House Party preparations, Ronald McDonald House Charities of Tulsa

Lynn Peacher, Carol Klenda, Michelle Place, Katherine Frame, Pam Hillis; TTH presentation to Tulsa Historical Society; Tulsa Town Hall

Erin Engelke, Cheryl Borelli, AJ Griffin, Jim Priest; Ripples of Hope, Calm Waters Center for Children and Families, OKC

Steve Harris, Xavier Neira, Kristi Spomer; Oklahoma Born and Brewed, Oklahoma Hall of Fame, OKC

2022, we have been recognized as the best facility in Oklahoma for a joint replacement - placing in the Top 100 in the nation - and winner of the Patient Safety Excellence Award from HealthGrades.

THE BRAIN

SIGNS OF DEMENTIA

By Rebecca Fast

THE DYNAMICS OF FULL-BODY HEALTH

The frontiers of medicine are ever-changing. We explore several facets of physical health – from the brain to the eyes, heart, lungs and bones – as well as learn more about technological advances in the OR and uncover details on the myriad symptoms of ‘long COVID.’

King says early symptoms of dementia vary by disease.

“Dementia is an umbrella term,” says Jason King, M.D., a neurologist with Ascension St. John in Bartlesville. “There exists an array of dementing illnesses – vascular dementia, Lewy body dementia, frontotemporal dementia and Alzheimer’s dementia – and there can be ‘mixed dementia’ as well.”

The most common type in the U.S. is Alzheimer’s disease, which carries genetic risk factors.

“Studies have indicated that variations in the APOE gene can either reduce or enhance one’s risk of developing the disease,” says King. “If you are a carrier of the gene APOE2, you are at a slightly decreased risk, while if you carry the APOE4 gene, you are at a slightly increased risk. However, being a carrier of the APOE4 gene does not automatically guarantee you will develop Alzheimer’s disease. In terms of true, genetic Alzheimer’s which is directly inherited from a parent – this is extremely rare and has only been found in a few families worldwide.”

Personal behaviors can influence the risk.

“Recent studies indicate that strict control of ‘vascular’ risk factors such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure and diabetes are very important,” says King. “In fact, we have found that when blood pressure is most strictly controlled, normalized to 120/80, not merely just less than 140/90, risk of dementia can be significantly reduced.”

“For Alzheimer’s, it is the very short-term memory which is generally affected first; other cognitive domains are spared early on,” he says. “However, in frontotemporal dementia, executive function and personality changes can be seen in the early stages.”

RECOGNIZING A STROKE

“Roughly 1.9 million brain cells die each minute during a stroke,” says Cameron Richardson, MSN, RN, ASC-BC, stroke program manager with Tulsa’s Saint Francis Health System. “That’s about 31,600 brain cells each second. With a blockage type stroke –ischemic – there is a core area of dead brain with an area around it that is at risk of dying – penumbra. For the bleeding type stroke –hemorrhagic – blood is touching the brain when it normally does not, and an area of the brain is not getting that blood flow.”

Stroke treatments are what potentially save at-risk brain tissue.

“Calling 911 is so critical because it’s the first step in the stroke chain of survival, which decreases the total time for someone to potentially receive treatment,” says Richardson. “Less time means less brain cell death. Time is brain.”

Richardson explains that the time frame from when a person was last feeling and acting normal helps guide which type of stroke treatment may be administered.

“However, we are in the middle of an exciting time of stroke research where there

are the beginnings of a transition from only time guiding care to time and tissue,” he says. “That means how the brain looks on a scan can also guide treatment.”

The medical community encourages people to follow the acronym B.E.F.A.S.T. – for Balance, Eyes, Face, Arms, Speech, Time and Terrible Headache. While the majority of strokes aren’t painful, Richardson says the most deadly type of stroke, hemorrhagic, is commonly associated with a sudden, terrible headache.

People can also experience a transient ischemic attack (TIA), often called a ‘mini stroke.’ A TIA is a temporary blockage of blood flow to the brain, with symptoms lasting from a few minutes to up to 24 hours.

“The frightening thing about a mini stroke is the heightened chance of an actual stroke within the next year,” says Richardson.

He also shares the reminder that a stroke can happen to anyone.

“It isn’t just the middle aged and older or those with numerous risk factors,” he says. “We see marathon runners and football players. Children and young adults have strokes every year and often do not get treatment because they arrive to the hospital after 24 hours.”

MAXILLOFACIAL HEALTH

In the field of oral and maxillofacial surgery, common procedures include wisdom teeth removal, placement of dental implants, and jaw surgery, also known as orthognathic surgery, says Christopher Ray, D.D.S., an oral surgeon with Eastern Oklahoma Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (EOOMS) in Tulsa.

“Other related procedures include bone grafting or full mouth extraction in preparation for implants and implant-retained dentures,” he says.

Heath Evans, D.D.S., an oral surgeon and Ray’s colleague, says people may not realize the frequency or impact of corrective jaw surgeries.

“These are cases typically done in conjunction with orthodontics to correct jaw misalignment,” says Evans. “These patients have some of the most profound changes that we see, and these procedures can certainly be life changing.”

Ray shares that technological advancements in imaging have facilitated better surgery planning.

“We use digital intraoral scans and cone beam computed tomography (CBCT, 3D scanning) in conjunction with planning for orthognathic surgery as well as complex full replacement dental implant cases,” he says. “We are able to merge hard and soft tissue data and digitally complete the surgery in order to fabricate splints, guides and other modalities to translate planning into practice.”

Evans offers assurances that comfort is a priority for his patients.

“Our ability to provide in-off ice anesthesia for qualified patients is a huge part of our practice, and oral and maxillofacial surgery,” he says. “This allows us to ensure patient comfort even in very challenging circumstances.”

THE EYES

THE WORLD OF OCULOPLASTICS

If you’ve not needed an oculoplastic surgeon, you may not be aware of the particular skill sets this field of medicine offers.

“Oculoplastic surgeons are ophthalmologists who are specialized in plastic and reconstructive surgery of the periorbital and facial tissues, including eyelids, eyebrows, orbit [eye socket] and lacrimal [tear] system,” says Thai Do, M.D., an ophthalmologist at Oklahoma City’s Dean McGee Eye Institute. “With extensive training, oculoplastic surgeons have the anatomical understanding and surgical finesse to treat complex conditions around the eyes.”

He says common cosmetic procedures performed by oculoplastic surgeons include blepharoplasty (removal of excess eyelid skin), ptosis repair (droopy eyelid lifting), endoscopic forehead and brow lift, midface lift, herniated orbital fat removal and injectables.

Jeremy Tan, M.D., an ophthalmologist and Do’s colleague, says there are standard approaches to a blepharoplasty and a brow lift, but each patient’s anatomy is unique.

“For instance, addressing the upper eyelid crease in the Asian eyelid is one of the most challenging aspects of upper eyelid surgery – there may need to be a reinforcement, or sometimes complete creation of this fold,” says Tan. “In lower eyelids, fat pad prolapse in relation to the position of the globe [eyeball] presents certain challenges for maintenance of lower eyelid height. Finally, the weight of forehead tissues and hairline height are taken into consideration for the type of brow lift that is offered.”

Do says eyelids and periorbital tissues are some of the body’s most complex and intricate structures.

“These structures serve essential functions, including eyelid opening and closing, blinking, tear drainage and facial expressions, which can easily be impaired,” he

Christopher Ray, D.D.S., says common procedures in his field include wisdom teeth removal, dental implant surgery and jaw surgery.

Photo courtesy EOOMS

says. “The margin of error for these surgeries is often in millimeters – sometimes a fraction of a millimeter.”

From a cosmetic perspective, Tan says the periocular region sets the stage for the visual mood of the face.

“The biggest compliment I get from patients after they have healed from a procedure is that their friends and family tell them they look ‘well-rested,’” says Tan. “From a functional standpoint, the upper eyelids and brows, when heavy and droopy, can block peripheral vision. Also, straining to recruit forehead muscles all day long, to lift droopy lids, can cause headaches. Our surgical interventions can help these issues directly and are a common benefit noted by our patients.”

CATARACT SURGERY AND CORNEAL TRANSPLANTATION

Many people find themselves faced with diminished vision, in need of cataract surgery or a corneal transplant.

“Cataract surgery technology continues to improve with respect to both safety and eff icacy as biometric, microscopic and microsurgical equipment technologies continue to advance,” says Marc Goldberg, M.D., an ophthalmologist with The Eye Institute in Tulsa.

“Existing pre-operative and newer intraoperative measuring technologies have improved our lens implant selection accuracy dramatically, even over the past few years,” he says. “The improved accuracy of our measurements and the rapid evolution of

‘premium’ intra-ocular lens implant options (IOL’s), which can correct for astigmatism and also for simultaneous near and distance vision correction inside the eye, has elevated modern cataract surgery to the point that we can now consistently provide excellent uncorrected vision to most cataract surgery patients with a brief, usually painless and low-risk procedure.”

Goldberg says individuals who are good candidates for a corneal transplantation are those with abnormalities of corneal contour, corneal scarring or opacity, and persistent corneal edema or swelling.

“Corneal transplantation, also called keratoplasty, may be complete (penetrating) or partial thickness (lamellar) depending on the corneal disease type and severity,” he says.

Jeremy Tan, M.D., is an oculoplastic surgeon, which his colleague Thai Do, M.D., describes as an “ophthalmologist who specializes in plastic and reconstructive surgery of the periorbital and facial tissues. “

Photo courtesy Dean McGee Eye Institute

THE HEART

Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death in the U.S., and an estimated 80% of cardiovascular diseases are preventable, according to the American Heart Association. To avoid joining the statistics, diet and exercise still reign supreme – but it’s a challenge for many.

“The biggest changes are often the easiest to make, on paper anyway, but oftentimes are the hardest to implement, as it requires a change in behavior,” says Mark Blubaugh, D.O., partner and medical director at Tulsa ER & Hospital.

He says a heart-healthy diet should include two to three helpings of fruits and vegetables at every meal and limiting red meat intake to once a week.

“This can be replaced with healthier animal proteins like chicken and fish or even substituting with plant proteins,” says Blubaugh. “Try to limit the amount of saturated fat and trans fat, along with the amount of sweets. While alcohol indulgence is not advised, a good rule of thumb for alcohol along with non-heart healthy foods is ‘everything in moderation.’”

Along with a healthy diet, exercise is key to strengthening the heart.

“Good cardiovascular exercise increases the heart’s ability to efficiently pump blood throughout the body and also decreases peripheral vascular resistance,” he says. “Both of these combinations will lead to increased cardiovascular health and better blood pressure.”

However, before kicking off any new routine, Blubaugh recommends visiting your primary care provider to assess your heart health and risk factors.

“This is especially true if you are high risk for cardiovascular disease,” he says.

THE LUNGS

While smoking cigarettes remains the No. 1 cause of lung disease and lung cancer, Sergio Garcia, M.D., a pulmonologist with Norman Regional Health System, says it’s still important to remember the effects of secondhand smoke exposure and other respiratory threats.

He often sees family members who have developed cancers, emphysema and worsened asthma due to secondhand smoke exposure.

He adds that individuals need to be aware of the dust and chemicals they are exposed to at work. Farmers are subjected to certain allergycausing dust, pesticides and other chemicals that may cause lung disease. Those who work with dusts, ground metals and aerosolized cotton particles can be harming their lungs if they’re not careful to protect themselves.

“Of course, the environmental allergens, smog, temperature and weather can also affect the lungs,” says Garcia. “Even radon found

especially in older buildings with basements can predispose us to lung cancer. The list of potential exposures is long.”

Fortunately, Garcia says new advancements in technology continue to expand treatment options for those suffering with lung disease and/ or lung cancer.

“Numerous new inhalers that are used for lung disease, such as asthma and COPD, have been developed and improved over the last decade,” he says. “Newer diagnostic and therapeutic tools that use the latest in technology have been applied to interventional bronchoscopy to help detect, stage and treat lung cancers. Navigational bronchoscopy and robotic bronchoscopy are good examples, as well as endobronchial ultrasound.”

In addition, he says chemotherapy agents have changed significantly, and now genetic markers in certain lung cancer help guide the decision to choose the most successful therapeutic agent.

Mark Blubaugh, D.O., medical director of Tulsa ER & Hospital, says replacing red meat with healthier animal proteins, getting your fruit and veggie intake and participating in cardiovascular exercise are all great ways to stay heart healthy.

Photo courtesy Tulsa ER and Hospital

THE GASTROINTESTINAL SYSTEM

IDENTIFYING PROBLEMS

William Tierney, M.D., an OU Health gastroenterologist and professor at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, says there are a number of digestive symptoms that warrant an evaluation by a gastroenterologist.

“Patients with longstanding heartburn, particularly if it is not responsive to overthe-counter remedies or is associated with diff iculty symptoms such as a sense of food getting stuck in the esophagus or weight loss, should be evaluated by a specialist,” says Tierney. “Likewise, anyone with signs of bleeding from the digestive tract, which can be red blood in the stool or black stool, should be seen urgently.”

He adds that anyone with diarrhea that persists more than a couple of weeks, new or consistent constipation, and any symptoms associated with weight loss or signs of bleeding should seek help.

NEW TECHNOLOGY

“There have been several advances in gastroenterology that have transformed the care

of patients,” says Tierney. “This includes the development of new combination medications for chronic hepatitis C.”

Previously, hepatitis C was the most common cause of chronic liver disease and cirrhosis in the U.S., and it was diff icult to completely eradicate or cure. The treatment plan required injection medications with multiple side effects.

“Now, there are combination pills which can eradicate the virus in six to 12 weeks with very few side effects,” he says. “These medications are so effective that hepatitis C is no longer the most common cause of cirrhosis and the vast majority of patients can be cured.”

For inflammatory bowel disease, new medications are offering improved treatment.

“Even over the last one to two years, there have been numerous medications developed which are more effective at reversing the damage caused by IBD and dramatically altering the quality of life for these patients,” says Tierney.

In addition, he says over the past 10 years, innovation in endoscopic techniques now allows for the removal of cancerous lesions, or the creation of anatomic connections in

the digestive tract, that previously were only possible with major surgery.

COLONOSCOPY SCREENINGS

“For average risk individuals it is recommended to start screening at age 45,” says Tierney.

Tierney says the change in 2018 from screenings beginning at 45 (from age 50) was made due to an increase of colon cancer in younger people.

“The reason for this shift to younger individuals is not clear but has been gradually occurring over several decades and is accelerating,” he says.

Tierney adds that patients with an increased risk of colon cancer based on a family history of colon cancer or the presence of certain bowel diseases should discuss when to start screening with their physicians.

For patients whose colonoscopy results are normal, the recommendation is to repeat the screening in 10 years. However, Tierney says that if the screening reveals polyps, then future colonoscopies will be needed in a shorter time frame based on the number and size of the polyps.

William Tierney, M.D., says persistent and drug-resistant heartburn, bleeding from the digestive tract and diarrhea that persists for more than two weeks are all signs one should be checked out by a gastroenterologist.

Photo courtesy OU Health

Blue

THE BONES AND JOINTS

ARTIFICIAL DISC REPLACEMENT

As an alternative to spinal fusion, an artificial disc replacement surgery offers patients more options and greater mobility, according to Kris Parchuri, D.O., an orthopedic surgeon with Tulsa-based Advanced Outpatient Surgery of Oklahoma, as well as Spine and Orthopedic Specialists.

During artificial disc replacement surgery, a herniated or damaged disc is replaced with an artificial disc, unlike a spinal fusion surgery, where the problem disc is removed, replaced with a bone spacer or plastic implant, and then the vertebrae are fused together. Over time, this fused area can begin to cause stress on the vertebrae above and below, which may lead to pain and additional surgeries.

“While fusion surgery limits mobility, patients with a disc replacement can go back to full activities as tolerated,” says Parchuri. “There’s no restrictions; you can get back to the gym or even train as an Olympic athlete.”

Recently, players in the National Hockey League garnered national attention for refusing spinal fusion treatment and opting for artificial disc replacement surgery.

“There’s no set age range,” says Parchuri.

“The best candidates are those that typically have one or two level disc problems. It also depends on a person’s activity level and how much arthritis they have in their spine.”

He says recovery time ranges from six to eight weeks and that artificial disc replacement surgery can only be performed in the neck (cervical spine) and the lower back (lumbar spine).

Parchuri says studies with 20 to 25-year data show very minimal wear to the artificial disc.

“As long as it’s put in correctly, there’s no indication that it should not last the rest of your life,” he says.

HIP & KNEE SURGERY AND ROBOTICS

“Robotics allows for customization of the implants specific to the patient’s anatomy as well as real-time modifications in surgery,” says Yogesh Mittal, M.D., an orthopedic surgeon with The Orthopaedic Center in Tulsa. “It also allows much more accuracy with less invasive techniques versus manual joint replacements.”

Mittal is currently doing extensive research and development work in the field of robotics to help improve patient outcomes.

“These improvements can allow for better balancing of the ligaments in surgery, along

with more anatomic implant positioning,” he says. “Subsequently, patients can recover faster, with less pain and better motion. Next steps include artificial intelligence and machine learning. We have just begun to scratch the surface in this evolving field of robotics.”

He says reported literature suggests that hip and knee replacements last about 12 to 15 years. But “with new and improved current technologies, including robotics, we can expect 25 to 30 years,” says Mittal.

The best candidates for hip replacements are patients who have significant pain in the front crease or side of their hips.

“Oftentimes, these patients have stiff ness and loss of motion along with a limp,” he says. “Sometimes they even have limb length discrepancy.”

Individuals in need of a knee replacement may experience knee pain along with stiff ness and swelling.

“Oftentimes, they start to lose mobility and lose motion in their knee,” says Mittal. “Both hip and knee patients describe pain with weather changes and stiff ness when they first get up from sitting. Prior to surgery, we often try to provide conservative treatments such as NSAIDs, steroid injections and physical therapy.”

Yogesh Mittal, M.D., is doing extensive research and development work in the field of robotic surgery with the end goal of better patient outcomes. Photo courtesy the Orthopaedic Center

WHAT IS ‘LONG COVID’?

“Long COVID is an umbrella term for the wide range of health consequences that are present four or more weeks after infection with SARS-CoV-2,” says Teresa Hardesty, D.O., an internal medicine physician with OSU Medicine in Tulsa. “These symptoms can last weeks, months or years.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one in 13 U.S. adults are experiencing ‘long COVID’ symptoms.

“Potential symptoms include shortness of breath, exertional intolerance, fatigue, headache, chest discomfort, palpitations, weight loss, diff iculty with memory and concentration, anxiety, depression, insomnia, nausea, joint or muscle pain.”

At this time, she says patients who were severely ill and required hospitalization are more likely to have long-term symptoms that last beyond three months. Research is ongoing to determine what risk factors contribute to long COVID, and treatments vary by symptoms.

“For example, patients with post-COVID anxiety or depression can be treated with antidepressant medications and/ or counseling,” she says. “Patients with exertional intolerance may benefit from physical therapy, and patients with shortness of breath may benefit from specific inhalers and/or pulmonary rehab.”

While research continues to try and identify the underlying cause of long COVID, risk factors and develop treatments, Hardesty says there are multiple long COVID clinics available to help patients who are struggling with symptoms.

“Oklahoma State University has a long COVID clinic that consists of a multidisciplinary team including internal medicine, pulmonology, cardiology, neurology, psychiatry, physical therapy and osteopathic manipulative medicine,” she says.

IBS VS. IBD

“The most common conditions seen by gastroenterologists include gastroesophageal reflux disease, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD),” says OU Health’s Tierney. “IBS and IBD are often confused because of the similar acronyms, but they are very different disorders.

IBS is more common, and patients typically have abdominal pain associated with either constipation or diarrhea, and importantly, it is not associated with any damage to the intestinal lining. I tell patients the ’S’ in IBS stands for symptoms but no damage, and treatment is designed to improve the symptoms.

“On the other hand, IBD is also associated with abdominal pain and usually diarrhea, but in some patients with Crohn’s disease they may have constipation rather than diarrhea – there is also typically some blood in the stool.”

He says both Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis require specialized medications—which may suppress the immune system and require close monitoring for side effects.

“I tell patients the ‘D’ in IBD stands for damage, and the goal of treatment is to heal the damage which will improve symptoms and prevent further complications that can include life-threatening infections or damage that requires surgery,” says Tierney.

OSU offers a long COVID clinic that consists of a multi-disciplinary team, covering everything from internal medicine to psychiatry and cardiology.

Photo courtesy OSU Health

Alma TED (TransEpidermal

shedding,

loss,

thinning.

TED is an ultrasound based system that uses sound waves' power and air pressure combined with topical Hair Care Formula The sound waves and air pressure allow deeper penetration into the scalp of the formula No needles No pain

Eastern Oklahoma Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (EOOMS) is committed to providing comprehensive oral surgery care.

EOOMS practices the full scope of oral and maxillofacial surgery. Common proce dures include wisdom teeth and dental extractions with intravenous anesthesia for patient comfort. We specialize in all aspects of dental implant surgery, bone grafting and jaw reconstruction. As a group we offer 24-hour practice coverage and take trauma calls for local hospitals.

For patients’ convenience, most of the group’s services are provided in the EOOMS offices. The offices are board certified for office IV anesthesia to ensure patient

comfort. Quality of care and patient safety are always the group’s primary concern. The EOOMS staff is a committed group of employees striving to achieve the high est standard of care. The surqical team has specialized training in oral surgery and anesthesia assisting, which provides for a more comfortable and safe oral surgery experience.

PANDEMIC VS. ENDEMIC

A pandemic recognizes the far-reaching and/or global spread of an infectious disease. The World Health Organization off icially declared COVID-19 a pandemic on March 11, 2020. The previous pandemic declaration was in 2009 concerning the novel influenza A (H1N1) virus. Today, questions continue regarding COVID-19 moving into an endemic. As defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, an endemic “refers to the constant presence and/or usual prevalence of a disease or infectious agent in a population within a geographic area.” Key words attributed to an endemic are stable and predictable. Examples of other endemic diseases include the flu, syphilis and in other parts of the world, malaria. Time will tell if and when COVID-19 reaches an endemic status.

NON-SURGICAL EYE TREATMENTS

Drs. Do and Tan with Dean McGee say non-surgical rejuvenation, such as injectables and laser therapy, are powerful techniques to accentuate and redefine a patient’s natural appearance.

“Unlike traditional surgery, these techniques are less invasive, have a lower complication rate, and have minimal to no risk of scarring,” says Do. “These procedures can be performed in-off ice with minimal downtime.”

Botox is the most popular non-surgical rejuvenation procedure, he says.

“The treatment blocks the release of acetylcholine and paralyzes the affected muscles,” says Do. “Strategically placed, injections of botulinum toxin can effectively smoothen wrinkle lines and accentuate certain facial features.”

Tan says resurfacing laser modalities are the best to truly tighten skin but require significant recovery time.

“Not all patients are candidates for all types of procedures, and an in-depth knowledge of the thickness of skin, Fitzpatrick skin type and relative contraindications will identify appropriate candidates,” he says.

Kris Parchuri, D.O., says artificial disc replacement surgery offers patients more options and greater mobility than the standardized spinal fusion surgery. Photo courtesy Advanced Outpatient Surgery of Oklahoma

PUT

BEST FACE FORWARD!

When the signs of aging, stress, or sun dam age appear, the oculofacial plastic surgeons at the Dean McGee Eye Institute (DMEI) can help reverse the effects.

Distinct from other plastic surgeons, oculoplas tic surgeons have specialized surgical training in the delicate and intricate anatomy of the eyes and surrounding areas, namely the eyelids, brows, forehead, and mid-face. Their exper tise in micro-surgery and focus on preserving movement and function sets them apart, enabling them to attain the most natural-looking results. Plus, DMEI’s oculoplas tic surgeons have the latest technology and products to meet your cosmetic needs.

Creating Charm

By Gina A. Dabney

Step inside some of Oklahoma’s most enticing kitchens. Experts expound on the renovation process and divulge the secrets to making these areas of the home true oases of opulence.

A ROUSING REMODEL

Located in Tulsa’s historic Maple Ridge neighborhood, this alluring home received a brand new kitchen. Prior to the remodel, the galley kitchen was small and dark, but a few strategic moves let in the light. e main goal of the remodel was to lean into the historical aura of the home.

“ e house looks historic even though it was built in 1988,” says Carolyn Fielder Nierenberg, an interior designer and president of Tulsa-based Campbell Design Associates. Certi ed by the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) and an Oklahoma Registered Interior Designer, Nierenberg has been president and owner of the company for over six years. However, she’s been with the business since its start over 40 years ago.

One focus of the remodel was to create a more usable space “for people who love to cook,” she says. e galley kitchen was opened to make one large area, which in turn exposed existing windows on two sides, bringing nature inside.

Inspirations

e client chose a quartzite countertop for the island. is countertop, called ‘Taj Mahal,’ is ivory and light sage green, and was the inspiration for the remodel’s total color scheme. e island seats ten and is one of Nierenberg’s favorite spaces in the home.

“I like the island,” she says. “It is the gathering place; they entertain a lot.”

Photography by Nathan Harmon

The island in this Maple Ridge home serves as a gathering place for the family and their guests, says Nierenberg.

Highlights

Must-sees in this kitchen renovation include a large sink with two faucets, colorcoordinated countertops and a beverage center.

e sink, from Gallery Sink, has cutting board and drying rack inserts that provide exibility. e perimeter quartz countertops are o -white with ecks of green. e island countertop is quartzite, which Nierenberg describes as “stronger than granite” and “real stone.” e beverage center has an ice machine and a sink, and one of Nierenberg’s favorite details is the LED lighting within the glass-front cabinet that displays barware like Waterford crystal glasses.

“ e crystal sparkles so beautifully,” she says.

Other highlights include hardwood oors by Chris Edwards Wood Flooring; appliances from Metro Appliances; and lighting from Ferguson Supply.

With no wall between the kitchen and den, the new hardwood oors were re nished to match the rest of the home’s ooring. A stack of ovens includes a steam oven – used for cooking veggies, ribs and sh. Perched above the island are glass cylinder pendants.

Noted features are the built-in pantry, another favorite of Nierenberg, and a custom-made iron bar that displays the client’s collection of pizza paddles.

“It’s wonderful and interesting,” says Nierenberg. “People are drawn to it.”

The Process

Nierenberg and her clients decided on myriad aspects of the kitchen remodel together, including the oor plan and kitchen cabinets. Nierenberg enjoys the creative process and loves when clients “participate and brainstorm.”

“ ey were wonderful to work with,” she says. “ ey were friends before, but even better friends now.”

The kitchen’s countertops are made of quartzite in an ivory and sage green color scheme.

This remodeled kitchen offers a beverage center with an ice machine, sink, mini fridges and LED-lit cabinets for optimal display of glassware.

A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT

A new kitchen was the goal for this traditional-style home built in 2010. Even though there were no structural changes for this remodel, the kitchen was a complete tear-out.

“ is was a renovation in midtown Tulsa,” says designer Janae Dixon of Tulsabased Kitchen Ideas. “We started fresh.”

Dixon, who helmed the project, is an interior design graduate from Oklahoma State University. She has been with Kitchen Ideas for ve years and is an Oklahoma native.

For cohesion, the new kitchen maintained the home’s traditional design elements while still modernizing the space.

e kitchen, which is open to two other areas of the home – the main and formal living areas – received design attention.

“We needed to make sure all three spaces owed together,” says Dixon.

Inspirations

e existing traditional aspects of the home were an inspiration for the kitchen design. To ensure it owed stylistically with the rest of the home, colors from adjoining rooms were implemented. Warm whites and grays were used, while natural light also played an integral role. e goal was to be “warm and inviting while still being bright and timeless,” says Dixon.

“We looked to the house itself for the kitchen design,” she continues. “ e home has a great amount of natural light.”

Photography by Sarah Baker Photos

Above: Natural light blended with soft white cabinets gives the kitchen a light and airy feel.

Brushed nickel and brass found in appliances, pendants and accents create design cohesion.

Janae Dixon with Tulsa-based Kitchen Ideas says she wanted to blend soothing colors to make the kitchen seem warm and inviting as well as bright and timeless.

Highlights

Quartzite countertops, frameless cabinets, concrete-look ooring, a multi-purpose island and a tile mosaic backsplash feature are all major stars in this kitchen renovation.

Painted a soft white, the cabinets are of European construction which “kept the lines clean,” says Dixon. For the ooring, large format tiles (48 by 24 inch) in taupe gray were chosen to “minimize the grout lines,” giving the look of solid concrete. e island’s dark gray stain on American poplar wood provides contrast to the cabinets while “mixing warm and cool tones,” supplies Dixon. A marble tile mosaic, which is above the range and below the custom-made hood vent, are Dixon’s favorite aspects of the remodel.

Additional gems include cohesive faucets, xtures and lighting. e brass light pendants from Ferguson hang above the island.

“ e space includes a mix of brushed nickel and brass,” she says.

Adjoining the kitchen are built-in hutches with glassfront cabinets which “gives a nice e ect” to display upscale glassware. One hutch includes wine bottle cubbies and extra storage below.

The Process

It was important that the kitchen incorporated ample area for the family to cook together, as well as space for homework and working from home. e client and Dixon worked closely together to select the kitchen nishes.

“It was a collaborative experience,” she says.

FOOD, DRINK AND OTHER PLEASURES

A Warm & Welcoming Place to Be

A long-held dream spurred forward by pandemic pondering, Freya: Nordic Kitchen introduces Tulsa to Scandinavian cuisine.

Taking inspiration from all across Scandinavia, Freya embodies the concept of ‘hygge’ – or a sense of well-being.

Photos by Valerie Wei-Haas

Alluring dining experiences continue to pop up in Oklahoma, now with a unique addition – Freya: Nordic Kitchen. Nestled in the Center 1 section of Tulsa’s Brookside, Freya o ers classic and re-invented dishes and libations from Scandinavia. e project is helmed by Justin ompson Restaurant Group, which also o ers Juniper, Prhyme Steakhouse and Farrell Bread and Bakery.

“Chef Justin and chef Ti any [Taylor] have put together such a well thought-out menu, taking inspiration from all across Scandinavia,” says general manager Ashlin Gustin. “Our focus is sustainability, and you see that in

everything from food, environmentally conscious wine selections, even down to the recycled paper that our tables are made from.

“Hygge is what we center our service around,” she continues. “It is a centuriesold Danish word that means ‘a sense of intense well-being brought on by a place or experience, emanating warmth, charm and coziness.’ We have been very fortunate to be able to bring this concept to Brookside.”

Chef and restaurateur Justin ompson has gifted Oklahoma with a variety of creative, award-winning restaurants over the years, and says the idea of Freya was a long-held dream.

“ is concept came out of discussion with Derek Hillman, our director of restaurant operations, during the pandemic,” he says. “We were daydreaming about what was next. is concept was the top of the list; we both thought it was something no one else in town would do and we wanted to introduce Tulsa to a completely di erent style of food, plus a lot of fun. We were just a couple of guys talking dreams and hoping to make it through the pandemic, to a time when people were dining out again.”

e ambiance for dining is an integral part of the experience, says ompson.

“ e setting brings a deep sense of comfort and welcoming in the architectural style of Scandinavia, which is minimalist with lots of natural wood and live plants – making it simple, calming and straightforward,” he says. “We also commissioned some art by local artists to help create a welcoming, comfortable space.”

At rst glance, ompson realizes that Scandinavian cuisine may seem unfamiliar.

“Most people think of weird sh or odd dishes, and that’s not at all it,” he assures. “With any di erent type of cuisine, there will be the one-o s that get the attention. But it’s the technique of how they make food that makes the di erence. Scandinavian countries have colder months and they have gured out how to preserve food with techniques like curing, pickling and canning, and that’s what we’ve developed with Freya.

“For many Scandinavian dishes, you may already know some like Swedish meatballs, because everyone loves that. One of my favorites, salmon gravlax, is a cured dish, for example. At the end of the day, when you look at our menu, there are things you already know – like halibut or shrimp skagen which is a shrimp salad served on rye toast.”

Since the restaurant opened in July, ompson is nding that diners try the familiar dishes rst, building trust to the point where, on the next visit, they’ll want to try less familiar and perhaps more interesting entrées.

“My favorite [dish] is one that has become a favorite of our customers – the grilled elk chop with goat cheese cream, root veggie ribbons and cloudberry demiglace,” says ompson. “ e dish is a little sweet, tangy, savory. It’s become wildly popular, and I never would have predicted that we’d go through so much elk and that it would become our number one dish.”

For many diners, dessert is the star

of the night-out experience, and Freya delivers on that front as well with Swedish cheesecake, honey baked pears with honey caramel sauce, and another menu favorite, kladdkaka – a ourless, glutenfree chocolate fudge cake.

Juniper was the rst restaurant ompson co-owned, he says, but now Freya is “up there among my favorites. People love it. I was recently at PetSmart with my daughter, and a couple told us that Juniper used to be their favorite restaurant in Tulsa, but now it’s Freya. I think that’s because it’s just a warm and welcoming place to be.”

TRACY LEGRAND

The Calling of a Lifetime

ONLINE

It might seem like pulling o the impossible – to open (or re-imagine) three restaurants in nine months. But such industry and creativity de ne chef Je Patton.

In October 2021, a re-inspired Mary Eddy’s Dining Room opened in the 21c Museum Hotel in Oklahoma City. Originally opened in 2016, it was forced to close during the worst of the COVID pandemic. So, “during the downtime, we started planning a refresh,” says Patton. What emerged was “a smaller, more intimate dining room, with more nesse in our

In July, Patton and his team unveiled the Pool Bar and the Bodega, also at the hotel. e Bodega opens for breakfast at 6:30 a.m. with classics such as housemade biscuits and gravy, sweet cream pancakes and “a killer egg croissant sandwich –classic breakfast fare,” says

Grab-and-go items available all day include a pastrami sandwich, a smoked pork burrito and a sweet hummus wrap. Beverages include craft co ee and tea, fruit smoothies and even a few

Hand-held food is the order of the day at the Pool Bar, with snacks such as palm fries, crudite, smoked chicken wings, a suckling pig sandwich and a chocotaco.

“ at food is so fun and light-hearted, and the team is doing it so well,” he says. “And we have vegan and vegetarian options at all the restaurants.”

Patton spent most of his childhood near Portland, Ore., where a nightly family dinner was a big deal. ere are a variety of cooks in his family; his mother did a lot of the cooking at home, his dad loved to grill, and his maternal grandmother – who immigrated from England in 1956 – also tried her hand in the kitchen.

“She perpetuated a lot of the English stereotypes, with food that was well done and not a lot of salt,” says Patton with a laugh.

e family moved to Orlando, Fla., when Patton was a teenager, and he lucked into a public high school with a culinary program. at led to a scholarship for further career training.

“As soon as I was able to join the workforce, I did,” he says. “I’ve been doing this for 16 years.”

Patton was working in Atlanta about six years ago when a chef he knew from his Florida days invited him to join the team at 21c. He started working his way up the ladder, his friend eventually

moving on – allowing Patton to become executive chef.

For fun, Patton says, “I hang out with my family.”

He and his wife, Bre, have three daughters, who help him with yardwork and wood projects.

ere’s also a garden and chickens competing for space out back.

“We get the most out of our little lot,” he says.

Bre was a bartender when they met, but now works for the Metropolitan Library System. When they bought their house, Bre asked for a red front door and chickens in the backyard, says Patton. He bought the paint with intentions of painting the door the next weekend, but she couldn’t wait and painted it herself.

Patton is, naturally, teaching his daughters to cook.

“I’m in a big omelet phase right now. My oldest has gotten really good. It’s something she has really taken pride in. She’s ten,” he says.

“We get so many eggs from our own chickens and those eggs are so orange, you don’t need to add much to have a good time.”

KIMBERLY BURK

With plenty of culinary inspirations around since childhood, Je Patton takes the lead in reimagining fare at 21c Museum Hotel.

Jeff Patton honed his culinary skills at home with his family as well as at various jobs around the country before landing in Oklahoma.

Photos courtesy 21c Museum Hotels

SEE JEFF PATTON’S RECIPE FOR PORCINI RUB AT OKMAG.COM/ THECALLINGOFALIFETIME

THE HEMINGWAY

At the Hemingway, the team believes that “food should be an experience. One that nourishes all aspects of your being. Re ned, yet unabashedly primitive, answering the demands of the soul.” Over a year in the making, this sleek steakhouse opened in mid-September on Cherry Street in a mixed-use building that also houses luxury apartments, Cyclebar and Sidecar Barley and Wine Bar. O erings include, of course, plenty of steak options, plus braised beef, salmon, chilled seafood and appetizers like the ‘tater tot wa e’ with smoked king salmon, shaved fennel and cured egg yolk. e menu does change daily, so you’ll just have to make the trip yourself to see what all the excitement is about. 1515 E. 15th St., Tulsa, thehemingwaytulsa1515.com

Plato’s Provisions

ere’s no need to be vegan to appreciate Plato’s Provisions, a curated, SaturdaySunday, plant-based mobile kitchen. A diner favorite is the Cubano special with vegan sliced ham, smoked Gouda, mayo, mustard and pickles on Cuban bread, served toasted and with a side of fries, hash browns or potato salad. Try the French Dip Special with sliced vegan beef made in house in small batches, covered in smoked Gouda on a toasted baguette. Currently parked at 5000 N. May Ave. in Oklahoma City, Plato’s is helmed by a husband-wife duo who have a brick and mortar phase planned soon. platosprovisions.square.site

Cricket and Fig Chocolate

At Cricket and Fig, the ne chocolates are created in a litany of avors evoking the passion, appreciation for decadence and focus on pure joy by chocolatier and owner Randy Page. Choose from an array of avors depending on availability and the season. Additionally, the shop o ers cafe goodies like salads, sandwiches and pastas as a preview to your succulent treats. e shop is open Tuesday-Saturday. 5800 S. Lewis Ave., Ste. 131; cricketand g.com

TRACY LEGRAND

JIMMY B’S CULINARY + KRAFTED

Nestled within the aesthetically pleasing and historic Automobile Alley district of OKC, Jimmy B’s is the brainchild of restaurant group Hal Smith Restaurants. A culinary venture that steps away from other concepts in the group’s repertoire, Jimmy B’s presents diners with an eclectic international menu as well as an expansive wine menu and elevated craft cocktails.

When we say ‘eclectic,’ we mean it – starters range from burrata on toast to deviled eggs and trout dip, and the restaurant also serves up a bevy of sushi rolls including nigiri, coconut shrimp and hiramasa.

Healthy options include a ai steak and noodle salad, as well as a yellowtail sashimi and kale salad. Mouthwatering sandwiches like the crispy chicken and French dip are also diner favorites.

Mains include chicken meatballs with spaghetti, Korean beef tenderloin, and steak frites. Enjoy 30 by-the-glass wine options, and a heavy handful of creative craft cocktails including the Anime Lunch Box, with lichiko shochu, amaretto, house yuzu, simple syrup and Sapporo foam. Make sure to swing by from 3 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. daily for enticing happy hour deals on cocktails, wine, shots and bar bites that include poke bowls, dumplings, wings and garlic noodles. 1225 N. Broadway, OKC; jimmybsculinarykrafted. com

MARY WILLA ALLEN

Photo courtesy Hal Smith Restaurant Group

Photo courtesy the Hemingway

Photo courtesy Cricket and Fig

Photo courtesy Plato’s Provisions

WHERE & WHEN

ON THE STAGE

EVENTS LISTED ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE. CHECK INDIVIDUAL WEBSITES FOR UPDATES.

IN TULSA PERFORMANCES

SIGNATURE SYMPHONY PRESENTS: RACHMANINOFF AND THE DANCE FLOOR Oct. 1 TCC Van Trease PACE In this whirlwind program, American composer Mason Bates leads the way with his technoinfused Mothership complete with improvisation and 21st-century dance elements. signaturesymphony.org

CELEBRITY ATTRACTIONS

PRESENTS: HADESTOWN Through Oct.

2 Tulsa PAC Welcome to Hadestown, where a song can change your fate. celebrityattractions.com

TULSA SYMPHONY CHAMBER ORCHESTRA PRESENTS: HAYDN’S SYMPHONY NO. 83 Oct.

2 Tulsa PAC Enjoy Dr. David B. Waters Chamber Music Series in the Lorton Performance Center. tulsasymphony.org

JOHN MULANEY Oct.

6 River Spirit Casino Resort John Mulaney is a two-time Emmy and WGA award-winning writer, actor, and comedian. riverspirittulsa.com

GREAT

THE FALL SEASON KICKS OFF

A plethora of arts o erings present themselves in Oklahoma this fall.

In Tulsa, visit the TCC Van Trease PACE for Signature Symphony’s Rachmanino and the Dance Floor, which explores music with American composer Mason Bates. e PACE also welcomes Tulsa Opera’s e Italian Girl on Oct. 28 and 30. Celebrity Attractions’ Hadestown continues its run at the PAC until Oct. 2; you can catch it again Oct. 25-30 at the OKC Civic Center Music Hall courtesy of OKC Broadway. Celebrity also ushers in Frozen from Oct. 20-29. Stick around the PAC for Tulsa Symphony’s Unforgettable – Berstein’s Symphonic Dances on Oct. 8, led by guest conductor Gerhardt Zimmermann. e PAC additionally hosts Chamber Music Tulsa’s presentation of the Laredo, Robinson, Ngwenyama and Polonsky Quartet on Oct. 15-16. And if you’re looking for a family-friendly outing, visit Studio K at Tulsa Ballet for Jack and the Beanstalk on Oct. 14 and 15.

At OKC’s Civic Center Music Hall, enjoy Canterbury Voice’s Felix Mendelssohn’s Elijah on Oct. 9. Other goodies at the center include OKC Philharmonic’s Mahler’s Vienna on Oct. 15, as well as OKC Ballet’s Val Caniparoli’s Lady of the Camellia’s, described as a “powerful tale of forbidden love between a wealthy Parisian Courtesan and a provincial bourgeois gentleman.” At the Plaza eatre, get in the spooky spirit with Lyric eatre’s e Rocky Horror Show, running Oct. 5-10. And you should make a quick trip to Stillwater’s McKnight Center for the Performing Arts to see legendary blues guitarist Buddy Guy on Oct. 7.

1MCKNIGHT CENTER

CRAIG FERGUSON Oct. 8 Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Tulsa See Ferguson on his Fancy Rascal Tour hardrockcasinotulsa.com

TRACY MORGAN Oct. 7 Osage Casino Skyline Event Center For big laughs and a great time, head to Osage Casino in Tulsa for a hilarious evening with Tracy Morgan. osagecasino.com

THE GREAT AMERICAN TRAILER PARK MUSICAL Oct. 7-15 Tulsa

PAC There’s a new tenant at Armadillo Acres, and she’s wreaking havoc all over Florida’s most exclu-

sive trailer park. tulsapac.com

TULSA SYMPHONY PRESENTS: UNFORGETTABLE – BERNSTEIN’S SYMPHONIC DANCES Oct. 8 Tulsa PAC Enjoy this show with guest conductor Gerhardt Zimmermann. tulsasymphony.org

JERRY SEINFELD Oct. 14 Tulsa PAC America’s premier comedian, Jerry Seinfeld, comes to the Tulsa Performing Arts Center to perform his newest stand-up routine. tulsapac.com

TULSA BALLET PRESENTS: JACK AND THE

BEANSTALK Oct. 14-15 Studio K Jack and his new friends return for another season of fantastical fun on stage. tulsaballet.org

CHAMBER MUSIC TULSA PRESENTS: LAREDO, ROBINSON, NGWENYAMA AND POLONSKY QUARTET Oct. 15-16 Tulsa

PAC This show is dedicated to the memory of pianist Joseph Kalichstein, founding member of the Kalichstein-Laredo-Robinson Trio chambermusictulsa.org

N Gilcrease Museum Rd 918.585.9369

CELEBRITY ATTRACTIONS

PRESENTS: FROZEN Oct. 20-29 Tulsa PAC A mysterious secret. A family torn apart. As one sister struggles with being an outsider and harnessing her powers within, the other sets out on a thrilling adventure to bring her family together once again. celebrityattractions.com

DADDY LONG LEGS Oct. 21-30 Tulsa PAC Based on the classic novel, which inspired the 1955 movie starring Fred Astaire, Daddy Long Legs is a beloved tale in the spirit of Jane Austen, The Brontë Sisters and Downton Abbey tulsapac.com

THEATRE TULSA PRESENTS: LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS Oct. 21-30 Tulsa PAC Seymour Krelborn stumbles across a new breed of plant that promises fame and fortune ... as long as he keeps feeding it human blood! Get ready for TT’s new reimagining of this deviously delicious musical comedy. theatretulsa.org

BLUE’S CLUES & YOU Oct. 27 BOK Center Round Room Live and Nickelodeon announced the first 50 plus cities for the U.S. tour of Blue’s Clues & You! Live On Stage. bokcenter.com

TULSA OPERA PRESENTS: THE ITALIAN GIRL Oct. 28, 30 TCC Van Trease PACE In Rossini’s raucous comedy of errors, a beautiful Italian girl is shipwrecked off the coast of Algeria and finds her lover ... much to the dismay of the bumbling Bey of Algiers. tulsaopera.com

CONCERTS

THE ALL-AMERICAN REJECTS Oct. 1 River Spirit Casino Resort Since the start of their career, alt-rock/power pop titans The All-American Rejects have sold over 10 million albums worldwide. riverspirittulsa.com

TRAIN Oct. 13 River Spirit Casino Resort Train is a multiGrammy and Billboard awardwinning band from San Francisco. riverspirittulsa.com

THIRD EYE BLIND Oct. 21

Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Tulsa See this beloved 90s rock band live in person. hardrockcasinotulsa.com

MARK CHESNUTT Oct. 27 Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Tulsa Country crooner Mark Chesnutt comes to Tulsa. hardrockcasinotulsa.com

ALICE COOPER Oct. 28 Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Tulsa Rocker Alice Cooper visits the Hard Rock. hardrockcasinotulsa.com

POST MALONE Oct. 28 BOK Center 3x diamond-certified artist Post Malone has announced the Twelve Carat Tour. bokcenter.com

CARRIE UNDERWOOD Oct. 31 BOK Center On the heels of her triumphant headlining return to the iconic Stagecoach Festival, 8-time Grammy Award winner and 3-time ACM Entertainer of the Year, Carrie Underwood, announces her new arena tour. bokcenter.com

ART

DONALD G. LONGCRIER: SIN TITULO Oct. 7-Nov. 23 108 Contemporary See the work of Donald Longcrier at 108 Contemporary. 108contemporary.org

MADISON MOODY AND ANDREA MARTIN Through Oct. 14 Living Arts of Tulsa See a combo show of these two talented artists. livingarts.org STICKER BOOK: JULIE ALPERT Through Nov. 20 Ahha Tulsa See works from talented artist Julie Alpert at this exciting show. ahhatulsa. org

MARTINE GUTIERREZ: INDIGENOUS WOMAN Through Nov. 27 Philbroko Indigenous Woman began in 2014 when artist Martine Gutierrez (American/ Mayan, b. 1989) served as art director, photographer and model to create an entire world of high fashion in a 124-page glossy magazine. philbrook.org

ENJOYING SPOOKY SEASON

One word to describe October? Jam-packed!

First and foremost, don’t miss Tulsa Oktoberfest, running Oct. 20-23 at River West Festival Park. Fun rides, delicious food, authentic music and entertainment, plus beer and competitions comprise one of the city’s most beloved traditions.

For something a bit spooky, try the Haunted Castle Halloween Festival, running from Oct. 7- 28 at the beloved Castle of Muskogee. And if you want to stay in the fall mood, swing by the Tulsa Botanic Garden for Autumn in the Garden, running through Oct. 30. Fall fun for the whole family can be found at Pumpkin Town Farms on 61st and Garnett, replete with hayrides, pumpkin patches, games and more. And don’t forget – the Tulsa State Fair runs through Oct. 9 at

Expo Square.

In OKC, Pumpkinville at Myriad Botanical Gardens kicks o Oct. 7, running through the 23rd. Another can’t-miss cultural event is the Red Earth Parade and Fallfest Powwow, also at the gardens on Oct. 15. Make the short trip to Norman to enjoy the National Weather Festival on Oct. 29 on the National Weather Center grounds.

Birders can descend upon Wolf Creek Park in Grove for the Pelican Festival, which celebrates the fall migration of the American white pelicans, running Oct. 6-9. Other goodies include the Poteau Balloon Fest from Oct. 14-15 at the LeFlore County Fairgrounds and the Robbers Cave Fall Festival from Oct. 14-16 at Wilburton’s Robbers Cave State Park.

Photo courtesy McKnight Center

COMMUNITY

AUTUMN IN THE GARDEN

Photo courtesy Tulsa Botanic Garden and Tulsa Oktoberfest

TULSA OKTOBERFEST

SLUMGULLION: THE VENERATE OUTPOST Ongoing Philbrook Museum of Art Philbrook is proud to partner with awardwinning artist Karl Unnasch to present Slumgullion, a full-scale log cabin built from the skeleton of a late-1800s pioneer home. philbrook.org

SPORTS UNIVERSITY OF TULSA FOOTBALL Oct. 1, 29 H.A. Chapman Stadium The Golden Hurricane returns to the gridiron. tulsahurricane.com

OKC THUNDER VS. DALLAS MAVERICKS Oct. 5 BOK Center

The Oklahoma City Thunder is set to return to Tulsa during the 2022 preseason. bokcenter.com

TULSA OILERS Oct. 21 BOK Center See the Oilers take on the Allen Americans. bokcenter.com

ARABIAN & HALF-ARABIAN NATIONALS Oct. 21-29 Expo Square Equine excellence is around the corner at the annual Arabian and Half Arabian Nationals. exposquare.com

SIMULCAST HORSE RACING

Through Nov. 5 Expo Square Fair Meadows is home to exhilerating horse racing; don’t miss out! exposquare.com

COMMUNITY

FIRST FRIDAY ART CRAWL

Oct. 7 Downtown Tulsa Since 2007, the Tulsa Arts District has presented the community with rotating art displays as part of the First Friday Art Crawl. travelok.com

HAUNTED CASTLE HALLOWEEN FESTIVAL Oct. 7-Oct. 28

The Castle of Muskogee The Castle of Muskogee is Oklahoma’s largest haunted attraction with over 62 acres of spine chilling thrills and excitement. travelok.com

TULSA STATE FAIR Through Oct. 9 Expo Square One of Tulsa’s most beloved traditions returns for a week of fun at Expo Square. exposquare.com

SECOND SATURDAY ARCHITECTURE TOUR: OLD TOWN

TULSA Oct. 14 100 E. Second St. Take a fun and educational walking tour during the Second Saturday Architecture Tour. tulsaarchitecture.org

TULSA OKTOBERFEST Oct. 20-23 River West Festival Park Tulsa Oktoberfest offers fun for all ages. tulsaoktoberfest.org

AUTUMN IN THE GARDEN

Through Oct. 30 Tulsa Botanic Garden Thousands of pumpkins for sale, a scarecrow contest and a hay maze decorate the garden for fall. A host of activities include live music every Thursday night and BOO-tanical trick-or-treating every Thursday evening in October. tulsabotanic.org

THE HEX HOUSE Through Oct. 31 5610 W. Skelly Dr. Travel to Tulsa for the Hex House, northeast Oklahoma’s extreme haunted attraction. travelok.com

PUMPKIN TOWN FARMS

Through Oct. 31 6060 S. Garnett Rd. Come on down to Pumpkin Town Farms in Tulsa for an array of family-friendly fall activities. pumpkintownfarm.com

PUMPKIN FESTIVAL AT SHEPHERD’S

CROSS Through Nov. 5 Shepherd’s Cross, Claremore Celebrate fall with pumpkins, hayrides and harvest educational activities at Shepherd’s Cross, an authentic working farm in Claremore. shepherdscross.com

IN OKC PERFORMANCES

LYRIC THEATRE PRESENTS: THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW Oct. 5-30 Plaza Theatre Back by popular demand, one of Lyric Theatre’s biggest hits of all-time returns with a new rendition of Richard O’Brien’s The Rocky Horror Show. lyrictheatreokc.com

WORLD BALLET SERIES: SWAN LAKE LIVE Oct. 7 Civic Center Music Hall A part of the World Ballet Series, the Swan Lake will be performed live by a multinational cast of 50 professional ballet dancers gathered to bring the most famous love story to life. okcciviccenter.com

TOM SEGURA Oct. 7 The Criterion Comedian Tom Segura visits the Criterion for two shows in one night. criterionokc.com

CANTERBURY VOICES PRESENTS: FELIX MENDELSSOHN’S ELIJAH Oct. 9 Civic Center Music Hall The triumphant oratorio Elijah is one of the most spectacular musical dramas ever written. okcciviccenter.com

OKC PHIL PRESENTS: MAHLER’S VIENNA Oct. 15 Civic Center Music Hall Works come from composers including Von Suppe, Johann Strauss and Gustav Mahler. okcphil.org

OKC PHIL PRESENTS: PHILHARMONIA FANTASTIQUE –THE MAKING OF THE ORCHESTRA Oct. 16 Civic Center Music Hall Join the Philharmonic for a short film exploring the Orchestra as the OKCPHIL performs the soundtrack live. okcphil.org

OKC BALLET PRESENTS: VAL CANIPAROLI’S LADY OF THE CAMELLIA’S C Oct. 21-23

Civic Center Music Hall A powerful tale of forbidden love between a wealthy Parisian Courtesan and a provincial bourgeois gentleman, Lady of the Camellias is a deeply romantic and tragic story of self-sacrifice and class divides. okcballet.org

OKLAHOMA SHAKESPEARE IN THE PARK PRESENTS: BLITHE SPIRIT Oct. 21-Nov. 5 Oklahoma Shakespeare on Paseo Book your tickets to see Blithe Spirit performed live by Oklahoma Shakespeare in the Park this Halloween season. okshakes.org

OKC BROADWAY PRESENTS: HADESTOWN Oct. 25-30 Civic Center Music Hall Welcome to Hadestown, where a song can change your fate. okcbroadway.com

CONCERTS

KOE WETZEL Oct. 1 Paycom Center Koe Wetzel returns to Oklahoma City with special guests Kolby Cooper and Dylan Wheeler. paycomcenter.com

CONAN GRAY Oct. 5 The Criterion See pop sensation Conan Gray on his Superache Tour. criterionokc.com

PARAMORE Oct. 8 Criterion See pop punk icons Paramore live in concert. criterionokc.com

WALLOWS Oct. 13 Criterion See indie band Wallows on their Tell Me That It’s Over Tour. criterionokc.com

REBA Oct. 15 Paycom Center Oklahoma’s own Reba McEntire will perform live in concert with special guest Terri Clark. paycomcenter.com

OZUNA Oct. 16 Paycom Center Ozuna brings his Ozutochi US Tour 2022 to Oklahoma City. paycomcenter.com

ART

TRADITIONAL COWBOY ARTS EXHIBITION & SALE Oct. 1-Jan 2 National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum The American Cowboy is beloved around the world. As an icon, they have endured for over a century because of what cowboy culture represents. nationalcowboymuseum.org

ABBAS KIAROSTAMI: BEYOND THE FRAME Oct. 15-Jan. 15 OKCMOA Organized by OKCMOA in partnership with the Kiarostami Foundation, Kiarostami: Beyond the Frame is a multimedia, retrospective survey of artworks by acclaimed Iranian filmmaker, photographer, and visual artist, Abbas Kiarostami. okcmoa.com

ALIENTO A TEQUILA (THE SPIRIT OF TEQUILA) Through Oct. 23 National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum The exhibition explores and celebrates the landscape, culture and traditions that gave birth to tequila, Mexico’s mestizo national drink. nationalcowboymuseum.org

COLTER’S HELL: YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK AT 150 Through Oct. 23 National Cowboy and Western Heriage Museum The sesquicentennial of Yellowstone National Park is an opportunity to exhibit more of the National Cowboy Museum’s permanent art collection that focuses on the unique landforms and spaces in Yellowstone National Park. nationalcowboymuseum.org

CELESTIAL CONNECTIONS Through Oct. 23 Mabee Gerrer Museum of Art, Shawnee See art pieces tied to religion and otherwordly connections at this exhibition. mgmoa.org

SOMBREROS TEXANAS AND BOSSES OF THE PLAINS: COWBOY HATS FROM THE PERMANENT COLLECTION Through Jan. 8 National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum This exhibition will examine the development of what is known today as a “cowboy hat” using the Museum’s permanent collection. nationalcowboymuseum.org

LA CASA QUE NOS INVENTAMOS: CONTEMPOARY ART FROM GUADALAJARA

Through Jan. 9 Oklahoma Contemporary La casa que nos inventamos: Contemporary Art From Guadalajara provides an opportunity to consider how, since the 2000s, one city in Mexico has built upon its rich cultural history as the capital of the state of Jalisco. oklahomacontemporary.or HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE ROSE FAMILY GLASS COLLECTION Through Jan. 15 OKCMOA The Rose Family Glass Collection provides visitors with a deeper contextual understanding of OKCMOA’s collection of Chihuly glass by showcasing the broader story of the Studio Glass movement that originated in America in the 1950s. okcmoa.comg

FILM AND CINEMA

OSCAR SEASON BEGINS

A smattering of Oscar bait goodiesrelease this month.

October has arrived with all its spookiness – and hopefully some cooler weather! Although only one lm on this month’s list has any horror elements, there are still plenty of excellent lms to see as Oscar season gets underway.

First up is a drama titled Tár Starring Cate Blanchett as the titular, renowned classical music conductor and composer Lydia Tár, the lm explores her life and musical creations. e trailer almost solely consists of Blanchett breathing out smoke in slow motion as a voiceover waxes poetic about power and destroying oneself publicly ... so the lm is sure to be an artistic ride when it releases on Oct. 7.

Next, the big horror for the month arrives with the nal installment of the new Halloween franchise, aptly named Halloween Ends. e third lm from David Gordon Green, the movie continues four years after Halloween Kills, with Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) returning to try and take down Michael once and for all. Although the rst lm was a large critical and nancial success, the second didn’t fare as well – so here’s hoping Green and Curtis have rekindled the magical mayhem when it hits theaters on Oct. 14.

For your overseas choice, take a look at Decision to Leave. A South Korean romantic mystery, the plot nds a detective falling for a mysterious widow – even though she’s the prime suspect in his latest murder investigation.

Directed by Park Chan-wook, known best for his 2003 lm Oldboy and more recently for the miniseries e Little Drummer Girl, this lm looks to have all the intrigue and potential violence we’ve come to expect from Chan-wook. e movie won Best Director at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival and early reviews are extremely positive, so this is one to keep an eye on when it drops on Oct. 14.

For your comedy drama by one of the best lmmakers working today, check out e Banshees of Inisherin. Written and directed by Martin McDonagh, the story sees two friends, played by Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson, abruptly end their friendship with disastrous results for both. Also starring Kerry Condon and Barry Keoghan, this is one of my most anticipated lms of the year. McDonagh has a brilliant and explosive way with words in both his plays and lms, and I cannot wait to see what he does next. e lm releases on Oct. 21.

Lastly – and regrettably – I must inform you that the Disney Plus miniseries

Obi-Wan Kenobi is not very good, and you would do well to avoid it. Not only does it waste a lot of time meandering around for nearly four episodes before anything of value happens (it could have been a small, concise lm), Obi-Wan as a character just makes ba ingly stupid choices that don’t add up – despite Ewan McGregor acting his heart out. With each subsequent mediocre Star Wars release, it becomes easier and easier to just ignore everything other than the original trilogy of lms.

DREW JOSEPH ALLEN

Tim Gatz

2019 was a big year for Tim Gatz – he was appointed Secretary of Transportation by Gov. Kevin Stitt as well as named the executive director of the Oklahoma Department of Transportation. Gatz is no stranger to the department – he started at ODOT in 1990 as a drafting technician and worked his way up the ladder.

An Oklahoma native, Gatz has received a variety of accolades in his career, including the Oklahoma Good Roads and Transportation Association’s Bill Skeith Stewardship Award, as well as the Governor’s Public Service Award. Gatz lives in El Reno with his wife, Sandy, and their two sons. We caught up with him and got his thoughts on ...

... his dedication to ODOT.

I am but one among a sizable group of long-tenured Transportation Cabinet employees. I think the most signi cant factor for me has been being a part of an organization that truly believes that our employees are our most important resources. We care about one another and, in many cases, are absolutely trained to look out for each other. ere is a great deal of job satisfaction that results from making a measurable di erence for Oklahoma citizens and in improving our infrastructure to support future generations.

... what drew him into transportation.

At the time I graduated from Oklahoma State University in 1989 with a bachelor’s degree in landscape architecture, Oklahoma’s unemployment rate was somewhere around 7-8% and jobs were hard to nd. I am a fourth generation Oklahoman and had no desire to leave the state, so ultimately, I worked part-time and as contract labor.

After about a year, I was extremely fortunate to land an entry level, fulltime position as a drafting tech with ODOT. A landscape architecture degree is not just about horticulture and plant material. It turns out that the surveying, construction materials and construction management, design, project management, urban planning and computeraided drafting education I received at OSU was a great t for the transportation sector. It was still supposed to be the

job that was going to get me to my next job. But I wasn’t afraid of hard work, the department had plenty to do and was full of great people meeting some pretty extreme challenges every day. So, some 30-plus years later, here I am, and I still love the people I work with and every minute of the job we do together.

... ODOT’s main responsibilities.

You really don’t have to look any further than the back of our business card. We are responsible for providing a safe, economical and e ective transportation network for the people, commerce and communities of Oklahoma. My job is to make sure we stay aligned with the Governor and the Legislature to accomplish that mission through the wise investment of and stewardship for the taxpayer dollars with which we are entrusted. Also,

I serve as the head transportation team builder. I have the privilege to work every day with incredible state, county, local and federal o cials along with ODOT and private-sector engineers, contractors, equipment and material suppliers, administrators and other professionals who are dedicated to the same mission.

...his hobbies.

My time outside of work is focused on spending as much of it as I am able to with my family, especially my wife Sandy. Her support is the only reason that I get to do what I do and sometimes, that’s not easy on her. Someday I’ll nd those lost hobbies and interests, but right now there’s work to be done.

Photo courtesy the Oklahoma Department of Transportation ONLINE TO READ MORE OF OUR INTERVIEW, VISIT OKMAG. COM/TIMGATZ

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