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CONTENTS 43

LIFE

ON THE COVER

NEWS

Being black in OKC presents challenges to students already facing adversity. Officials at Oklahoma City Public Schools are working to alleviate the strain and find workable solutions to problem areas including disciplinary procedures, economic concerns and academic performance. Story by Ben Felder. P. 4

Cover: black in OKC schools

Eat Local

News briefs

OKG shop: Father’s Day

Chicken-Fried News

Shop Local

Commentary

Letters

Education: The Foundation for Oklahoma City Public Schools

LIFE 16

OKG picks

Food & Drink: Anchor Down, Cocktails for Conservation, Vast, Fung’s Kitchen, OKG eat: duck

MISSION STATEMENT Oklahoma Gazette’s mission is to stimulate, examine and inform the public on local quality of life issues and social needs, to recognize community accomplishments, and to provide a forum for inspiration, participation and interaction across all media.

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m a r k ha n coc k

news cover

above Dr. Valerie Thompson, president of Urban League of Greater Oklahoma City, inside Dell Collaborative Learning Lab at Urban League, where OKC students can come to receive help with school subjects. In two years, the program that Simpson oversees has worked with nearly 200 18- to 24-year-olds who lack high school degrees or have criminal records. Out of that 200, around 70 are now employed, 12 are enrolled in a full-time university and 41 have job certification. “Most of the kids who come into this program are coming from less privileged households, so the options after school, including just dreaming about a better life, are very limited,” Simpson said. “Growing up in this community, many of these kids feel like they don’t have any options, and Oklahoma City schools don’t really promote secondary education to a lot of these kids.”

Warning bells With odds stacked against many of OKC’s black students, what can be done to increase academic performance and economic mobility while reducing dramatically high discipline rates? By Ben Felder

Oklahoma City’s African-American children face a reality in which they will be underrepresented in postsecondary education and overrepresented in prison. “It’s sad, isn’t it?” said Valerie Thompson, president of Urban League of Greater Oklahoma City. Indeed, 9 percent of students enrolled in Oklahoma public colleges are black, according to data from State Regents for Higher Education. Also, the latest numbers from the Oklahoma Department of Corrections shows that 28 percent of the state’s inmates are black. The inequality between children of color and their white, more affluent classmates is well researched and documented both locally and across the country. Even when compared to national research that shows ethnic students who live in poverty and attend urban schools often score lower in nearly every education, income, health and incarceration benchmark, OKC’s and the state’s rankings regarding black students expose a grim picture. For an African-American, Oklahoma City offers few opportunities to improve income mobility or achieve academic success.

Suspension judgment

Even from birth and into their grade-school years, research shows that African-American children face hardships and challenges that affect them well into adulthood. “It’s alarming,” Oklahoma City Public Schools Superintendent Rob Neu said last year in reaction to a report from The Center for Civil Rights Remedies.

4 | june 3, 2015 | Oklahoma Gazette

Current academic performance data tells us there is something more important than poverty ... that is influencing our African-American students’ ability to thrive. — Robert Neu

and learning areas and develop new problem-solving strategies that are specific to the district’s needs. Thompson agrees with Neu’s approach. “I think part of the solution is having teachers and school officials who are trained on what some of those issues are in [the African-American] community,” Thompson said. “Being aware that we have an issue is the first step, but the schools also have to have resources they can use. I think [Oklahoma City] schools understand that.”

Financial barricade The study revealed that OKC public schools suspend more black males than any other public school district in the nation. Oklahoma City Community College’s Planning and Research Department recently told the OKC school board that suspension is a key indicator of challenges that might follow for a student, including raising the possibility of dropping out of school and reducing access opportunities for posthigh school education. Other top indicators of restricted income and social mobility opportunities include poverty and school absences. District data shows that black students experience both at higher rates than other ethnic groups. Neu has said there are ways to improve how — and how often — local black students are disciplined. He also invited several outside firms to gather and examine student-level data in order to identify problem teaching

Thompson said poverty drastically impacts children and families of all ethnicities and poverty rates in our city’s African-American community are higher than the national average. “There is a cycle of poverty,” Thompson said. “A lot of these kids don’t have the same opportunities that you would find in more affluent schools or communities.” Education is a critical part of a child’s life, especially in the local black community, because options for those who become involved in any criminal activity or fail to earn a degree can be further limited as a student reaches adulthood. Young black adults who lack a high school degree or job training face a stark probability, said Jermaine Simpson, employment and training program director at Urban League of Greater Oklahoma City. “It’s pretty much guaranteed they are going to go back into the [prison] system,” Simpson said.

Earning power

Family income levels influence education outcomes, and when data shows that Oklahoma’s AfricanAmerican children often face higher poverty rates, it might be no surprise that many of these students do not reach academic benchmarks. Forty-four percent of the state’s black school-age children live in poverty, compared to 17 percent rate of white children, according to the National Center for Children in Poverty. That 27 percent gap is the fourteenth highest in the nation. However, there are two key statistics that also indicate poverty isn’t the sole hardship that hinders many black youth from receiving a better education. First, 60 percent of all OKC students living in poverty can read at their grade level in third grade, district data shows. However, only 49 percent of third-grade black students read at grade level, regardless of their economic status. “Current academic performance data tells us there is something more important than poverty ... that is influencing our African-American students’ ability to thrive,” Neu said. The Learner First, a Seattle-based education consulting firm that is working with the district, found a similar theme in other subjects. “A lot of people would say that the reason African-Americans aren’t doing well in math, for example, is that a lot of them are living in poverty and there are factors in their home and community environment that are impacting their ability to achieve,” Jane Davidson, a consultant with The Learner First, said continued on page 6

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OklahOma Gazette | june 3, 2015 | 5 5/27/15 1:58 PM

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news cover continued from page 4

last year in an interview with Oklahoma Gazette. “Well, if that’s the case, then kids on free and reduced lunches, kids who are living below the poverty line, should be doing worse than AfricanAmerican kids, because some of those African-American kids are not living below the poverty line. But the reverse was true.” The school district’s goal is to find out what other issues negatively impact their learning experience so they can help address them. Blacks comprise more than 80 percent of student enrollment at seven district schools: Edwards Elementary School, Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary, Thelma R. Parks Elementary School, Frederick A. Douglass Mid-High School, Northeast Enterprise Mid-High, Harper Academy Charter School and Stanley Hupfeld Academy at Western Village. In the three ZIP codes feeding those schools, the average adjusted gross income is $23,419, which is $17,826 less than the state average, according to the most recently available income tax return data. Some studies indicate that growing up poor in Oklahoma City is more detrimental to children’s futures than it would be if they grew up with the same economic hardship in neighboring communities. The Impacts of Neighborhoods on Intergenerational Mobility study shows that geography plays an important role in children’s income earning ability as they enter adulthood and finds that moving from OKC to a neighboring suburb like Yukon or Mustang increases their lifelong earning potential. Raj Chetty and Nathaniel Hendren, the two Harvard economists who

authored the study, compared the earning potential of poor children based on which county lived in. Research shows that, on average, poor children growing up in Oklahoma County will earn $1,470 less per year in adulthood compared to the national average of other poor children. Further, the study indicates that earning potential improved by $4,600 a year for children who grew up with similar economic challenges in Canadian County. The study also asserts that Oklahoma County is one of the worst places for children when it comes to breaking the cycle of poverty, no matter the race or ethnicity. “Our findings provide support for policies that reduce segregation

Income mobility Growing up in poorer counties impacts children’s ability to improve income mobility, or their economic status and earning potential, as they grows up. Each year a child spends in this county, their earning potential and household income skews even farther away from the national average, often making it even more difficult for individuals to lift themselves out of poverty.

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Source: Raj Chetty and Nathaniel Hendren, “The Impacts of Neighborhoods on Intergenerational Mobility” for The Equality of Opportunity Project and The New York Times

6 | june 3, 2015 | Oklahoma Gazette

Options after school, including just dreaming about a better life, are very limited. — Jermaine Simpson

and concentrated poverty in cities (e.g., affordable housing subsidies or changes in zoning laws) as well as efforts to improve public schools,” wrote Chetty in a review of his study. “The broader lesson of our analysis is that social mobility should be tackled at a local level by improving childhood environments.” That is why John Thompson, an OKC-based education writer and former inner-city teacher, believes education levels among poor children will never show drastic improvement without policy changes that are also made outside of school walls. “[Some] school reform is based on the idea that you can ignore adverse childhood situations by just having high expectations in the school,” Thompson said. “But most problems faced by a child in school are interconnected with the outside world ... and we have to address all of the interconnected problems together. Number one has to be early investments in healthcare, prenatal care [and] healthy living.” Oklahoma ranks in the top five nationally for its high number of stroke deaths, heart disease and diabetes, according to the Oklahoma State Department of Health. Health outcomes for the state’s African-

Jermaine Simpson, employment and training program director at Urban League of Greater Oklahoma City American population are even more problematic. Infant mortality among Oklahoma African-Americans is 13.7 per 1,000 — nearly twice the rate of Hispanic and white residents. Blacks also have higher rates of cancer, stroke and diabetes than whites. However, rates of fruit consumption, smoking and physical activity are similar for both blacks and whites in Oklahoma. Schools can require children to take physical education courses, but they are not involved in policy and infrastructure decisions as they relate to promoting healthy lifestyles outside of classrooms. “There’s been a lot of research that shows us there is [a] very clear correlation between educational attainment and health and wellness,” said Gary Cox, Oklahoma City-County Health Department executive director. He said the agency hopes to build a health and wellness center in south OKC next to Parmelee Elementary School, which would be similar to one located near Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary in the northeast. The health department also offers physical education programs to local schools.

Community involvement

In April, parents gathered at Frederick A. Douglass Mid-High School for a forum that was hosted by the local (PTA). State Superintendent of Public Instruction Joy Hofmeister addressed continued on page 8

Oklahoma Gazette | june 3, 2015 | 7

news cover

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the community, as did state lawmakers from northeast Oklahoma City. “Between the two (Tulsa and Oklahoma City), you may have 20 to 25 urban legislators,” said Rep. George Young, D-OKC. “All the rest of them ... are ranchers and farmers. They don’t get what we go through. They can’t speak for us.” Young’s remarks came after several lawmakers said that northeast Oklahoma City — home to the city’s largest African-American population — must do more to improve its schools because solutions likely wouldn’t come from the city or state. Their voices echoed the results of a survey conducted last year by the city’s Strong Neighborhoods Initiative. It found that 67 percent of northeast residents believe the quality of education in northeast OKC is not equal to that in other areas of the city. “The community has known this has been an issue for quite some time, and we [at the district] have to be honest about it,” Neu said of the survey results. “We are taking on this issue because if we fix this cultural issue ... you are going to see a significant change

in the achievement levels.” During the forum, Rep. Mike Shelton, D-OKC, another northeast lawmaker, also reiterated the need for community involvement. “We are going to have to get some help [for our schools], and it’s going to have to come from the people who live in this community,” he said. Increased attendance at PTA forums like this one and improved voter participation were suggested, as was considering the addition of more charter schools. OKC district enrollment data shows approximately 13 percent of African-American students attend charter schools, and with the success at some of charter schools, parents and lawmakers at the forum expressed interest in finding ways to increase that number. In 2014, the average state-ranked grade for the seven schools with more than 80 percent black enrollment was 54.1, which translates to an F letter grade. However, during the same time period, Stanley Hupfeld Academy at Western Village, a charter school

looking closer A look at student enrollment in OKC middle and high school, compared to the percentage of black students who were suspended over the past academic year.

School

Black enrollment

Percent of black students suspended in past academic year

Belle Isle Enterprise Middle School

20%

Capitol Hill High School

13%

33%

Classen School of Advanced Studies

14%

Douglass Mid-High School

84%

35%

Douglass High School

88%

35%

Jefferson Middle School

11%

32%

John Marshall High School

72%

21%

John Marshall Mid-High School

65%

10%

Northeast High School

82%

12%

Northeast Academy Mid-High

80%

17%

Northwest Classen High School

21%

Oklahoma Centennial High School

61%

37%

Oklahoma Centennial Mid-High School

64%

40%

Rogers Middle School

74%

41%

Roosevelt Middle School

Southeast High School

16%

19%

Star Spencer High School

79%

28%

Taft Middle School

22%

53%

U.S. Grant High School

30%

Webster Middle School

22%

38%

Source: Oklahoma City Public Schools

8 | june 3, 2015 | OklahOma Gazette

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with a black student enrollment of 80 percent, had a state grade of 70 percent. Similarly, KIPP Reach College Preparatory, a charter with black enrollment at 78 percent, scored a 91, one of the highest in the district. Half of the district’s charter schools are located in the northeast side. Earlier this year, the school board rejected a Lighthouse Academies application that could establish a charter school in that area. However, the application was later approved after Lighthouse agreed to locate the school on the south side, where the district is experiencing overcrowding. School board member Ruth Veales, who represents northeast schools, said district leadership told her the Lighthouse decision did not mean other northeast charter applications would be denied. Amber England, executive director for Stand for Children Oklahoma, an education advocacy group that promotes parental empowerment in the district, is hopeful. “I think parents are in the mindset right now that it’s up to us,” she said, “and charters can be a way to do that.” As a middle school, KIPP draws students from elementaries like Martin Luther King, Jr. and Thelma Parks. “We are a charter school that is designed to get our kids to and through college,” said Tracy McDaniel, KIPP’s principal. McDaniel said KIPP increased daily instruction time for math and reading. It also studies data to help identify problems and works with students into high school and college. KIPP is a high-minority and high-poverty school — 80 percent of students participate in free or reduced lunch programs. “Our teachers, administrators and our secretaries, we are all counselors too,” McDaniel said. “We are … teaching kids that no matter what is going on in their life, you have to finish your work.”

Success studies

Charter critics say the schools remove high-performing students from traditional public schools just as they’re developing ways to improve education opportunities and results for

left KIPP Principal Tracy McDaniel above Children listen to a presentation during Learn How to Tie a Tie at FD Moon Elementary. their black students. FD Moon Elementary Academy, a northeast school with black enrollment at 77 percent, is viewed as an F school by the state with low marks in math and reading. However, initial results from its Summer STEAM Academy, launched last summer, show growth. As a partnership between SNI and the district, its curricula focuses on STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and math) and aggressive reading intervention. Students were tested before and after the four-week summer program, and results showed improvements in reading and math scores for every grade, including a 29 percent increase in sixth-grade reading levels and a 43 percent improvement in first-grade math scores. “The best part of this is we can see that it’s working,” said Shannon Entz, an SNI senior planner. Collaborating with the city and other organizations and acknowledging and adapting for cultural, health and economic issues, developing solutions and intensive, individual-focused student programs can improve long-term economic and social mobility in largely underserved African-American communities. “Its a systemic problem that we have had here in Oklahoma City for many years,” Thompson said. “The first thing we have to do is admit we have a problem and then be committed to finding a solution.” For the transformation to happen, city and school leaders agree that there must be a collaborative effort between agencies. Neu, who is completing his first year as OKC superintendent, has said African-American achievement is a primary, critical issue and many solutions can be found by partnering with the community and working with students on an individual level. He also spoke about improving the relationship with the minority community.

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Streets improving Do you find the nearly 8,100 miles of roads in Oklahoma City to be of good quality? If you do, then you’re in the minority. Survey results from the city’s public works department show that just 35 percent of city residents are satisfied with the condition of local streets. However, that’s just a percent or two off of the national average, said Eric Wenger, public works director. Wenger presented his Fiscal Year 2015-16 budget to the Oklahoma City Council last week in preparation for final budget adoption later this month. During his presentation, Wenger said the city’s roads were improving, even if satisfaction levels were not high among residents. The city’s pavement condition index currently stands at 64, which is slightly higher than 2011’s score of 60. A 100 is a rating given to a new road and a 0 to one that is undrivable. Wenger also said his department plans to lay 35 new lane miles of road and 10 miles of new sidewalk during the next budget year.

Red Wolves

ProVIDeD

Following the school board’s abrupt removal of the Redskins mascot at Capitol Hill High School in December, students at the southside Oklahoma City school have selected Red Wolves as the new mascot. “It is an exciting moment for Capitol Hill students, staff and community,” said Principal Alex Souza. “The students have been patiently anticipating finding out what the new mascot will be and to begin coordinating fun activities that incorporate pride and celebration; now the fun begins for all of us.” Several finalists were named early in the year, and students were given the chance to vote between Red Wolves and Guardians, which lost by 30 votes.

10 | june 3, 2015 | OklahOma Gazette

ArtScience winners

P roVI DeD

Five Oklahoma City students are headed to Cambridge, Massachusetts, to compete in a weeklong innovation lab. At last month’s ArtScience prize finals, Team BioBlue was selected to represent Oklahoma for an international workshop in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The Oklahoma ArtScience Prize is a yearlong after-school program through which Oklahoma high school students are challenged to develop innovative design ideas infused with concepts at the forefront of modern science. This year’s students were given creative freedom to explore the 2014-2015 theme of biodiversity to develop projects that can bring change into the world. Team BioBlue is made up of five team members: Arynn Howell, a homeschool student; Kenny Bradley, a Metro Career Academy student; Amy Armenta and Daisy Mezano-Fuentes, Southeast High School and Metro Technology Center students; and Alex Brown, a Star Spencer and Metro Technology Center STEM student.

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Festival readies The third Annual Classen Ten Penn Community Festival is 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday, June 13 at McKinley Park, 1300 N. McKinley Ave. It offers a free family- and pet-friendly festival featuring music, art, food trucks and interactive games and art activities throughout the day. “This event brings families together to enjoy the gorgeous park, live entertainment, and celebrate all that Classen Ten Penn has to offer,” said Cayla Lewis, Classen Ten Penn Board member, resident and event organizer. “It’s also a great way for people to meet the people running organizations that are doing good things to improve life in Oklahoma City.”

Quotable “We’ve been presented an opportunity by the state to look at the future completion and operations of the Native American Cultural Center. I think it’s important that we don’t pre-judge whether this is a good or bad opportunity. I’ll be putting together a Council Committee to study the proposal, look at the numbers and determine if there is a sustainable business model to complete and operate the facility. We hope to be able to do that before the end of summer.” Those were the thoughts of Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett following Gov. Mary Fallin’s signing of House Bill 2237, which allows the state to issue $25 million in bonds. State lawmakers say that is enough to complete the project when combined with $9 million from the city and $31 million in private donations. Construction of the center began in 2006 but came to a stop due to a lack of funds, although the state says it spends nearly $7 million a year to maintain the partially completed facility southeast of downtown. “For years, the cultural center has been a potential asset that has gone ignored,” Fallin said in a statement last week. “The completed center promises to be an important tourism attraction, an economic boost for the state and for Oklahoma City, and an educational tool to remind Oklahomans and non-Oklahomans alike of the important contributions that Native Americans have made to our history and culture.”

OklahOma Gazette | june 3, 2015 | 11

CHiCKEN CKEN Russell Westmeme

Russell Westbrook isn’t content with dominating the basketball court. The honey badger is using the time he’d normally spend shooting hoops in the playoffs to conquer this mysterious beast some call the Internet. The NBA star took to Instagram (@ russwest44) with a selfie and invited fans to make his bespectacled smirking face into a meme. They did not disappoint. “TFW STEVEN ADAMS ASKS FOR THE BALL” and “WHEN MOM MAKES PIZZA ROLLS” perfectly sum up the online experience. Russ didn’t stop there, however. Perhaps courting a new fan, Westbrook also dropped a hot new sing-along single to the picture- and video-sharing app by rocking out to Taylor Swift’s “Bad Blood” while driving. We don’t believe that one

12 | JUNE 3, 2015 | OKLAHOMA GAZETTE

FRiED NEWS of NBA’s toughest players is rolling over to show everyone his new, softer side. Our guess is that Westbrook is just shaking off the last injury-plagued Thunder season with a little downtime before making a run for the championship this fall.

Green gobblin

Kevin Durant was partying in LA recently when a bottle of greenish stuff fell out of his car and onto the ground. “Come on, man. Don’t do that. Don’t do that,” Durant said as the photogs zoomed in on the bottle, according to Huffington Post, which cited TMZ as its source. We don’t know what’s worse: The prospect of KD doing what more than 65 million Americans have done, according to PBS.org, or the fact that the Post propagated a story from TMZ, which essentially

foments an outdated perspective on a relatively harmless endeavor. To prove it, we’ll cite a more reliable source, PBS.org: “The quarter century since large numbers of Americans began to use marijuana has produced remarkably little laboratory or epidemiological evidence of serious health damage done by the drug.”

Bold move

Several of our readers balked at the hardworking news sleuths here at Chicken-Fried News after we wrote that Gov. Mary Fallin will be forced out of the governor’s mansion for “six glorious months” while repair work is done. Last week, Fallin announced that she won’t be leaving after all.

“After reviewing the work proposal, Governor Fallin has decided not to proceed this year with the plan for mansion repairs,” NewsOK.com quoted Alex Weintz, the governor’s spokesman. “The disruption it would cause to the governor’s ability to fulfill the duties of her office is not feasible at this time. She may reconsider the proposal at a later date.” Considering the 86-year-old, three-story, 14,000-square-foot building also is her residence, her home office, her event space, her meeting space, her library and the place in which she welcomes dignitaries, lawmakers and business leaders, it would only make sense that she wait “until a later date” to make updates, improvements and repairs on things like a smelly, waterlogged basement, rotting windows and replacing the heating and cooling systems.

Running interference

Science shows that Oklahoma earthquakes are likely caused by the fracking process. “There is now a heap of peer-reviewed research finding that Oklahoma’s earthquake swarm is directly linked to fracking — not the gas drilling itself, but a follow-up step where brackish wastewater is re-injected into disposal wells deep underground,” wrote Tim McDonnell for Mother Jones. Yay, science! Also, our state’s overarching political philosophy is that local governments should be free to make the decisions that are best for it, without unneeded interference by outside agencies, including the federal government. At least, that’s the message that our state lawmakers regularly send to Washington, DC. Yay, liberty! So, we all agree that Oklahoma is primed and ready to let municipalities decide what’s best and safest for their communities, even if it includes fracking. Right? Nope. The Oklahoma Senate and House both approved Senate Bill 809, which prevents any municipality from

unilaterally setting its own fracking ban. And our governor signed it. Wait, what?

Bad manners

Like Grandma used to say, “Watch what you eat.” These days, you might want to add “and what you eat it off of.” Oh, and don’t do drugs — especially if you’re in prison. An inmate at Davis Correctional Facility in Holdenville was killed by “blunt force trauma” in April after another inmate allegedly beat him with a “red plastic food tray” reported NewsOK.com. Officials at the Oklahoma Department of Corrections said he was supposedly high on bath salts during the assault.

Secondhand drugs

Wait! Don’t throw away those pills you don’t need anymore! Well, don’t throw them away if you live in an

Oklahoma nursing home. For more than 10 years, Oklahomans have been putting unwanted medication to good use. Linda Johnston, director of social services for Tulsa County, developed a plan to give the medication to those in need. On May 22, NPR reported that Johnston uses a group of retired doctors to collect the medication from nursing homes and put it to good use. “We began the program in September of 2004, and we have filled 172,149 prescriptions … I have spent less than $6,000 to recycle $16.8 [million of medicine]” said Johnston, director of social services for Tulsa County. While Tulsa County is the only known recycling prescription drugs at this time (as far as we know), residents of Oklahoma may safely and legally dispose of their expired drugs in all 77 counties. Oklahoma Statute 59367 allows Tulsa County Pharmacy to legally collect and distribute the recycled

JUNE 5, 2015 - JAN. 17, 2016 Ellen and Richard L. Sandor Photography Gallery

medicine, according to Tulsa County Medical Society’s website. However, the pharmacy cannot redistribute controlled dangerous substances (narcotics) or most drugs not in their original or single-dose packaging. Johnston’s program has won awards from numerous organizations, including Tulsa Mental Health Association, Oklahoma Public Health Association and Blue Cross Blue Shield. Now that this program is making the news, maybe we can expand it to the rest of Oklahoma and be known for actually doing something good for a change.

Quote of the week “I’m trying to stay alive.” — Oil man and Oklahoma State University benefactor Boone Pickens, celebrating his 87th birthday with business-related matters.

For information and accommodations on the basis of disability, please call (405) 325-4938. The University of Oklahoma is an equal opportunity institution. www.ou.edu/eoo

OKLAHOMA GAZETTE | JUNE 3, 2015 | 13

COMMENTARY

P ROVI DE D

What rivalry? BY DUSTIN AKERS

With strong economies, growing arts and culture scenes and promising opportunities for entrepreneurs, it’s no surprise that Tulsa and Oklahoma City metro populations continue to increase. It’s also no surprise that we’re both quickly becoming cities full of young transplants. When I relocated to OKC from the East Coast in 2012, I heard talk of rivalry between the two cities. In theory, they really aren’t that different. Both fight for their place in the state and national economy and look for ways to make their communities better. However, the reality is that without uniting these cities on important issues, we might lose our ability to put our state on the map in a positive light. The University of Oklahoma’s Institute for Quality Communities recently hosted Gil Penalosa, an internationally renowned urban issues

expert, who said, “Oklahoma City is not competing with Texas or Tulsa. Oklahoma City is competing with the world. You must plan to attract the best.” Penalosa’s quote is just as appropriate for Tulsa as it is here. Over the past year, Urban Land Institute Oklahoma Young Leaders Group (YLG) and Tulsa’s Young Professionals (YoungPros) established Cultural Exchange, a partnership aimed at uniting our metros’ emerging leaders on issues that impact urban community growth, with a special focus on increasing civic engagement among a demographic — their own — that is often apathetic to the public process. Since then, we’ve twice sent over two dozen people up and down the turnpike for daylong, intercity visits filled with tours and presentations by community leaders. Our partnership goal is simple: Learn

from each other’s successes and mistakes and equip our young leaders with the knowledge and understanding they will need when it’s their time to take the reins. However, our groups quickly discovered that the time is now for us to do more. YoungPros is a leading voice for change, with major initiatives like Bring it to Tulsa, which brings businesses like Trader Joes and Uber to the city. It stood firm through heated debates with the mayor about redesigning Riverside Drive, which ended in a victory for walkability. It also responded to the national embarrassment of winning first place in Streetsblog’s Worst Parking Crater in America designation by creating a successful event called StreetCReD. Similarly, YLG has examined tough issues by hosting events, including touring Edgemere Elementary’s pilot school concept, which is changing how

Opinions expressed on the commentary page, in letters to the editor and elsewhere in this newspaper are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of ownership or management.

LETTERS Oklahoma Gazette provides an open forum for the discussion of all points of view in its Letters to the Editor section. The Gazette reserves the right to edit letters for length and clarity. Letters can be mailed, faxed, emailed to jchancellor@ okgazette.com or sent online at okgazette. com. Include a city of residence and contact number for verification. Modest proposal

The Norman Forward project has really gotten my attention and stirred the speculative juices once again. As I understand it, they suggested having a little more sales tax for a while in order to raise $143 million that will be used to enhance the quality of life for the citizens of Norman. While I’m in no way a financier, it does sound to me like enough to guarantee subsidies for all our citizen homeowners and for the schools and hospitals and to guarantee low-interest loans for businesses. It also sounds like enough to pay to retrofit all city buildings with energy-efficient and energyproducing upgrades of the sort that pay

14 | JUNE 3, 2015 | OKLAHOMA GAZETTE

for themselves in 10 years or so. Norman could be well on its way to being a net-zero city, a solar-friendly city, a truly progressive city with a growing, new industrial component because such projects will induce other related developments in addition to adding new jobs and new businesses. The citizens would enjoy a lower cost of living via lower utility bills, and the schools would reap large energy savings, which would free up funds for better education. Businesses, too, would earn more on their investments. Ultimately, the city would save a bundle on expenses and could undertake the development of more amenities. The project is a shot in the arm for everyone in Norman once the initial cost barrier is lowered. And as the loans are repaid, funds also would be available for new parks and playgrounds and the east side library. — Joel Olson Moore Fracking fracas

All of the big oil haters and greenie weenies who dislike fracking wells seem to have the misguided notion that every well drilled, completed and put on production somehow leaks fluid into

potable water sources. Well, I have news for them: Every effort is made to avoid doing so. Why would anyone want to pollute potable water with oil and salt water, much less fracking fluids? And, of course, it is their opinion that all of the fracking fluids are toxic. If this was the case, why is it necessary to add a biocide to the fluid to control bacteria? Bacteria, if left unchecked, will degrade the guar gum gelling agent. Of course, objectors rail against biocide being in the fracking fluid. Never mind the fact that many of them degrade with time, and by the time they return to the surface, they are essentially harmless. The oil industry is not unlike most

we approach education by starting with community-building. It visited Anthem Brewing Company and learned how our state’s antiquated alcohol laws impede entrepreneurship and economic development. It also held frank discussions with Ralph Ellison Foundation founder Michael Owens about the challenging history of northeast OKC and what needs to happen to inspire change in this deeply underserved area. Uniting Oklahoma City and Tulsa’s young professionals is crucial in order to strengthen our state’s identity as an attractive place for commerce and as a place to build a life. Partnerships like Cultural Exchange continue to empower and educate our next generation of leaders. Unity accelerates positive change that works for more people. Dustin Akers is the outgoing chairman of Urban Land Institute’s Young Leaders Group.

other industries and commercial ventures. Accidents occur, even when measures are taken to avoid them. As with most endeavors, there are risks involved, but they are worth taking considering the rewards received. We do not live in perfect or entirely risk-free world. — Mickey McVay Edmond Correction

A building named in the story “Ironed out” (Life, Culture, Louis Fowler, May 13, Oklahoma Gazette) was incorrectly identified. We called the Heierding building the Harding building. We apologize for the error.

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OKLAHOMA GAZETTE | JUNE 3, 2015 | 15

OKG picks are events

recommended by Oklahoma Gazette editorial staff members. For full calendar listings, go to okgazette.com.

BOOKS

COMPETITIVE WAGES: HEALTH INSURANCE • 401K • VACATION FREE MEALS (EMPLOYEE CAFE) • ROOM DISCOUNTS

Gary King Book Signing, author of Oklahoma’s Bennie Owen - Man for All Seasons, 6:30 p.m., Jun. 4. Full Circle Bookstore, 1900 Northwest Expressway, 842-2900, fullcirclebooks.com. THU Jenny Martin Book Signing, author of Tracked will sign her latest young adult novel, 5-6:30 p.m., Jun. 9. Best of Books, 1313 E. Danforth Road, Edmond, 340-9202, bestofbooksedmond.com. TUE

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Summer Book Tasting, fun and fast-paced event, with a chance to sample the newest literary delicacies the library has to offer, as well as some unique goodies you may have overlooked, 6:30-7:30 p.m., Jun. 4. Almonte Library, 2914 SW 59th St., 606-3575, metrolibrary.org. THU

Results, (US, 2015, dir. Andrew Bujalski) issues arise when two mismatched personal trainers take on the same wealthy client, 5:30 p.m., Jun. 5-6; 2 p.m., Jun. 7. Oklahoma City Museum of Art, 415 Couch Drive, 236-3100, okcmoa.com. FRI-SUN

The Other Son The Jewish/Muslim Film Institute joins with more than a local dozen organizations to present The Other Son, a story about a young Israeli man and a young Palestinian man who learn they were switched at birth. It screens 2 p.m. Sunday at Mercy School Institute, 14001 N. Harvey Ave. A 30-minute panel discussion will follow. The event is free, but RSVP is required. Visit jewishmuslimfilminstitute.com.

The Goonies, (US, 1985, dir. Richard Donner) a group of young kids discover a secret treasure map, 7 p.m., Jun. 9. Harkins Theatre, 150 E. Reno Ave., 231-4747, harkinstheatres.com. TUE

Sunday

Old School, (US, 2003, dir. Todd Phillips) three old friends open a fraternity near their alma mater, 7 p.m., Jun. 10. Farmers Public Market, 311 S. Klein Ave., 232-6506, okcfarmersmarket.com. WED

History Comes Alive River Cruise, characters will reenact history through the eyes of those who created it; each week holds a new topic and character, 11:30 a.m., Jun. 6. Exchange Landing, 1503 Exchange, 702-7755, okrivercruises.com. SAT

Breaking the Bread Habit, learn to make Paleo lettuce wraps, 2-3:30 p.m., Jun. 7. Natural Grocers, 7001 N. May Ave., 840-0300, naturalgrocers.com. SUN

HAPPENINGS

Essential Oils 101, learn about the benefits of essential oils, 7 p.m., Jun. 9. Uptown Grocery Co., 1230 W. Covell Road, Edmond, 509-2700, uptowngroceryco.com. TUE

23rd Street East Meets West Event, celebrate cultural diversity and OKC’s international district with film, live music, food, wine and beer, 5 p.m., Jun. 4. B&B Theater, 4623 NW 23rd St. THU

A Taste of Culture, dine on various appetizers and desserts from local restaurants and sample a variety of wines from around the world while enjoying live entertainment; proceeds help benefit the YMCA’s international partnerships, 6 p.m., Jun. 7. Cafe do Brasil, 440 NW 11th St., 525-9779, cafedobrazilokc.com. SUN

FOOD

Whole Food’s Local 101 Session, Lynda Berrios and Kelly Landrieu educate small-batch product makers to meet Whole Food’s criteria to sell creations in stores, 9:30 a.m., Jun. 9. Whole Foods Market, 6001 N. Western Ave., 8793500, wholefoodsmarket.com. TUE

Red Earth Festival 2015, award winning festival featuring American Indian artists and performers, Jun. 5-7. Cox Convention Center, 1 Myriad Gardens, 602-8500, coxconventioncenter.com. FRI-SUN Classics Cars & Vintage Bikes, vintage car and bike show in conjunction with the current exhibit, America’s Road: The Journey of Route 66, 11 a.m.-2 p.m., Jun. 6. Oklahoma Country-Western Museum & Hall of Fame, 3929 SE 29th St., 677-3174, nationalcowboymuseum.org. SAT

In This With Blood and Bone, family friendly event to raise money for the Leukemia Lymphoma Society; beer tasting, food trucks, and live music from Lower 40, 7-11:30 p.m., Jun. 4. The Bleu Garten, 301 NW 10th St., bleugarten. com. THU Deep Deuce Food Tour, walking tour through the Deep Deuce neighborhood learning the history and sampling foods at several restaurants, 6-9 p.m., Jun. 6. The Wedge Pizzeria, 4709 N. Western Ave., 602-3477 SAT

The Winter’s Tale

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16 | JUNE 3, 2015 | OKLAHOMA GAZETTE

GAZETTE / FILE

This Shakespearian play about a royal family’s dream that transforms into a jealousy-fueled nightmare launches Oklahoma Shakespeare in the Park’s season with shows 8 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, June 9-11 and 16-20 on the Water Stage at Myriad Botanical Gardens, 301 W. Reno Ave. Tickets are $10-$15. Visit oklahomashakespeare.com or call 235-3700.

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Suzan Shown Harjo Reading & Signing, Suzan Shown Harjo will participate in the 2015 Sovereignty Symposium; Copies of Nation to Nation: Treaties Between the United States and American Indian Nations will be signed and read, 10 a.m., Jun. 4. Skirvin Hilton Hotel, 1 Park Ave., 2723040, skirvinhilton.com. THU

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Oklahoma’s Bennie Owen: Man for All Seasons OU football team mentor, athletic director and baseball and basketball coach Bennie Owen’s innovative life and career is showcased in Gary King’s new book, Oklahoma’s Bennie Owen: Man for All Seasons. King will sign copies of the book 6:30 p.m. Thursday in the cafe at Full Circle Bookstore, 1900 Northwest Expressway, inside 50 Penn Place. The event is free. Call 842-2900 or visit fullcirclebooks.com.

SUNDAY TWILIGHT CONCERTS J U N E - S E P T E M B E R, 7:30 PM - 9 PM MYRIAD GARDENS GREAT LAWN STAGE JUN E 7

DAVID BRUSTER & THE STORYVILLE SCOUNDRELS

JUN E 14

MATT STANSBERRY & THE ROMANCE AT DEADCENTER FILM FESTIVAL

JUN E 21

POLYPHONY MARIMBA

JUN E 28

KALO

Big Band/Swing Retro Rock

World Beat

Blues

JU LY 5

ELIZABETH SPEEGLE BAND

Thursday

JU LY 12

TAP BAND

YOUTH

JU LY 19

AIR LINE ROAD

JU LY 26

BEAU JENNINGS

AU G 2

AARON NEWMAN AND THE OK CARAVAN

AU G 9

SHAWNA RUSSELL

AU G 16

ROLAND BOWLING BAND

AU G 23

UNCLE ZEP

Babysitting 101, learn how to care for children of all ages including CPR and fun activities to make your babysitting experience safe and fun, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Jun. 3-4, OSU-OKC Campus, 900 N. Portland Ave., 947-4421, osuokc.edu/home. WED-THU Charlotte’s Web, interactive festival with free arts and crafts, performances, games and activities, face paintings and many more fun things, 10 a.m.-7 p.m., Jun. 5-7; 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Jun. 8-10. Children’s Garden, 301 West Reno & Harvey Ave., 445-7080, oklahomacitybotanicalgardens.com. FRI-WED Snoozin’ for Rhinos, learn about your favorite horned pachyderm and what you can do to help wild rhinos; enjoy a night hike, bedtime snacks and a sleepover at the zoo, 7 p.m.-9 a.m., Jun. 6-7. Oklahoma City Zoo, 2000 Remington Pl., 4243344, okczoo.com. SAT-SUN

Pop/Jazz

Jazz/R&B

Country/Rock

Rock

Red Dirt

Country

Blues

70s Rock

Chuggington Live! The Great Rescue Adventure, trainees are on their first day of Advanced Training, and are eager to impress their mentors but Koko finds herself in trouble and looks to her friends for help, 2 p.m., Jun. 7. Civic Center Music Hall, 201 N. Walker Ave., 297-2264, okcciviccenter.com. SUN

AU G 30

PORCH MICE

SEPT 6

HIP HOP NIGHT

CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE

SEPT 13

GRASSLAND CARAVAN

SEPT 20

ALLIE LAUREN

SEPT 27

HORSE THIEF

Alt-Country

Hip Hop/Rap

Modern Bluegrass Alt-Pop

Americana

PRESENTED BY DEVON ENERGY ARTSCOUNCILOKC.COM OKLAHOMA GAZETTE | JUNE 3, 2015 | 17

P ROVI DED

continued

Best of the West This annual exhibit launches with a complementary brunch at 10:30 a.m. June 14 at JRB Art at the Elms, 2810 N. Walker Ave. Works by Tulsa-born and New York-based painter and author Joe Andoe will be on display. His pieces have been shown everywhere from coffeehouses and arenas to the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York and the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. Works from Judy Kelley, Bert Seabourn and Billy Schenck also will be on display. Visit jrbartgallery.com or call 528-6336.

Sunday, June 14

PERFORMING ARTS Vince Morris, stand up comedy show, 8 p.m., Jun. 3-4; 8 & 10:30 p.m., Jun. 5-6. Loony Bin Comedy Club, 8503 N. Rockwell Ave., 239-4242, loonybincomedy.com. WED-SUN

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Lung Force Walk, walk through the Myriad Gardens raising awareness for lung cancer and lung health; enjoy live entertainment, food, kids activities, 9 a.m.-noon, Jun. 6. Myriad Botanical Gardens, 301 W. Reno Ave., 445-7080, oklahomacitybotanicalgardens.com/events. SAT 9th Annual Free to Live Golf Tournament, a day of golf to benefiting the dogs and cats at Free to Live, 8:30 a.m., Jun. 8. River Oaks Golf Club, 10909 Clubhouse Road, Edmond, 771-5800, riveroaksgolf.com. MON

Good People, a single mother of a special needs daughter is fired from her job and is in need of work; playwright David Lindsay-Abaire brings his signature humorous glow to the struggles and unshakable hopes that come with having next to nothing in America, 7:30 p.m., Jun. 4; 8 p.m., Jun. 5-6. Carpenter Square Theatre, 806 W. Main St., 232-6500, carpentersquare. com. THU-SAT

VISUAL ARTS

One-Man Lord of the Rings, Charles Ross recreates Lord of the Rings and takes the audience on a journey through the trilogy, 7:30 p.m., Jun. 4-5; 1:30 & 7:30 p.m., Jun. 6, 1:30 p.m., Jun. 7. Freede Little TheatreCivic Center Music Hall, 201 N. Walker Ave., 297-2264, okcciviccenter.com. THU-SUN

Cassie Stover/Natalie Kent, artist Cassie Stover created a series of 8”x10” paintings inspired by animals with comedic and human qualities; Natalie Kent creates work with various forms of symbolism and imagery meant to spark a question and create interpretation. DNA Galleries, 1709 NW 16th St., 525-3499, dnagalleries.com.

Caddie Woodlawn, Carol Ryrie Brinks award-winning novel “Caddie Woodlawn” in which Caddie leads her siblings in a series of thrilling adventures is brought to life as a musical, 7:30 p.m., Jun. 5-6; 2:30 p.m., Jun. 7. The Stage Door Theater, 601 Oak Ave., Yukon, 265-1590, stagedooryukon.com. FRI-SUN

Catch A Painted Pony, art show featuring a collaboration of ten award-winning Oklahoma artists in celebration of the American Paint Horse, 6 p.m., Jun. 5. Paseo Gallery One, 2927 Paseo St., 524-4544, facebook. com/paseogalleryone. FRI

Cat on a Hot Tin Roof by Tennesse Williams, the classic play of the relationship among members of the Tycoon family and the conflict between Brick and his wife, Maggie, 8 p.m., Jun. 5-6; 2 p.m., Jun. 7. Civic Center Music Hall, 201 N. Walker Ave., 297-2264, okcciviccenter. com. FRI-SUN

ACTIVE OKC Dodgers vs. Sacramento River Cats, professional baseball game, 7 p.m., Jun. 3-5. Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark, 2 S. Mickey Mantle Drive, 2185-1000. TUE-FRI OKC Energy vs. Portland Timbers, professional soccer game, 7 p.m., Jun. 5. Taft Stadium, 2901 NW 23rd St. FRI

Emphasis on a Colour Environment, art by painter and curator Amena Butler who investigates color and ways hues in differing compositions impact our environment. Urban Roots, 322 NE 2nd St., 297-9891, urbanrootsokc. com. Enter the Matrix: Indigenous Printmakers, exhibition exploring how printmaking has become a matrix for cultural and key figures of artistic exchange. Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art, 555 Elm Ave., Norman, 325-3272, ou.edu/fjjma. THU Expressions of Spring, new work by three colorful expressionists, Jami Tobey, Theresa Paden and Bonnie Teitelbaum. Kasum Contemporary Fine Arts, 1706 NW 16th St., 604-6602, kasumcontemporary.com. First Sunday at Brass Bell Studios, new paintings by J. Chris Johnson and the premiere of Ryan Lawson’s “People I Know”, with a reading by Robert Spencer accompanied by Brad Fielder, 5-9 p.m., Jun. 7. Brass Bell Studios, 2500 NW 33rd St., 361-3481, facebook.com/ brassbellstudios. SUN Ghost Towns: A Photographic Exploration of

Claudette Torneden, photographer fascinated with history through art records images of the social climb and disappearing generations; she explores many of the state’s historical sites and ghost towns documenting remaining history. Red Dirt Gallery, 13100 N. Colony Pointe Blvd. #113, Yukon, 657-6207, reddirtartists.com. Jan Hellwege: My Blue Mind and KB Keuteman: Manitou Spirit Collection, oil paintings by artist Jan Hellwege and mixed media works by KB Keuteman. Contemporary Art Gallery, 2928 Paseo St., 601-7474, contemporaryartgalleryokc.com. Paseo Arts District’s First Friday Gallery Walk, an opportunity to explore the Paseo with open houses and artists receptions in the 20 galleries, live music, refreshments and food trucks, 6-10 p.m., Jun. 5. Paseo Arts District, 3022 Paseo St., 525-2688, thepaseo. com. FRI

Pencil Light, a series of drawings inspired local poet Jane Vincent Taylor’s newly published book, “Pencil Light”. Artspace at Untitled, 1 NE 3rd St., 815-9995, artspaceatuntitled.org. Relics from the Akashic Prairie, body of work inspired by dreams, spiritual readings, random thoughts and moments of synchronicity comprised of mixed media including clay, wood, paint and glass by artist Molly O’ Connor. The Project Box, 3003 Paseo St., 609-3969, theprojectboxokc.com. The Kitchen Sink, new works in photography, ceramics and abstract paintings by gallery artists Jean Keil, Caroline Cohenour and Chad Woolbright. In Your Eye Studio & Gallery, 3005-A Paseo St., 525-2161, inyoureyegallery.com.

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Negroni Week Cap off Negroni Week with the Oklahoma chapter of United States Bartenders Guild. Toast the Arts runs 4-7 p.m. Sunday at TAP Architecture, 415 N. Broadway Ave., and features food, live entertainment and, of course, a lot of variations of the popular gin, Campari and vermouth-based cocktail from the experts at O Bar, The Pump Bar, Slaughter’s Hall, TapWerks Ale House, In the Raw Sushi Bar, Ludivine and WSKY Lounge. All proceeds benefit Arts Council of Oklahoma City. Tickets are $25 per person or For OKG $45 per couple. Visit negroniweek.com.

Sunday

music picks see page 47

CONCHO

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20 | june 3, 2015 | OklahOma Gazette SR-2015 - GAZETTE AD.indd 1

5/15/2015 10:31:36 AM

Dropping Anchor

Chicken and spring onion corndogs

This new eatery creates its own niche with its eclectic array of specialty corndogs. Yes, corndogs.

Sweet corn balls are filled with fresh fruit and dusted with powdered sugar.

BY GREG ELWELL

Just before they opened their first restaurant in 2012, the owners of Hungry Town Concepts were quick to correct people who described their eatery as “just grilled cheese and beer.” Oh, how time changes things. Today, the website for its runaway success, The Mule, touts its “Hot Melts & Cold Beer.” John Harris, Joseph Morris and Cody Rowan mellowed as they watched their bar become the toast of the Plaza District. Of course it’s a grilled cheese restaurant. What a brilliant idea! And now, with chef Beth Ann Lyon at the helm, they’re eager to talk about their newest unconventional venture. Of course it’s a corndog restaurant. What a brilliant idea! Their hope is for Anchor Down, 30 NE Second St., to

Anchor Down

do for corndogs what The Mule did for grilled cheese sandwiches, which is elevate and perfect them. Ask Lyon, a veteran of beloved Kitchen No. 324, about frying foods skewered with sticks and you will witness a woman possessed. “Nothing is off limits,” she said. “We are exploring all kinds of different flavors and combinations as we put the menu together.” Animated and energized, she is passionate about deep-frying batter-dipped sausages. Whether it’s grinding and casing meats, creating a variety of batters or

discussing options for sticks, her corndog enthusiasm would be contagious ... if everybody wasn’t already excited.

Fast following

With more than 800 Facebook fans before it even opens its doors, Anchor Down has a built-in audience that seems to include just about everyone. “We’ll have great meat dogs, of course, but we’re doing plenty for vegan and gluten-free folks,” Lyon said. “Our vegan dog is going to be a field roast with apple and sage.” A corndog is a deceptively simple food: batter, filling, oil. But that means if any ingredient isn’t right, it’s obvious. That’s why Lyon is working with Ralph’s Circle R Brand in Perkins to make a special, all-beef hotdog just for Anchor Down diners. Add in a wild boar sausage using Oklahoma hogs, smoked cheddar cheese and a chicken dog with spring onions and owners believe their eatery offers something for everyone. And if the dog doesn’t do it for you alone, Lyon OPENING DAY said she’s working on The crew aboard some “crazy sauces” Anchor Down hopes for dipping, like a to open the restaurant

within three to four weeks. For a definitive opening date, follow @AnchorDownOKC on Twitter.

signature maple whole grain mustard. It’s a kick of sweet and savory flavor that brings these monster corndogs to life. The space — part of the shipping container chic development OK Sea — seats about 50 in a relaxed environment adorned with rich wood and trinkets from the briny deep. Deep Deuce residents will provide a steady customer base, Lyon said, but like the Mule, it’s easy to see this place becoming a citywide destination. With the playful Hungry Town crew steering the ship, it’s a good bet the small, focused menu will be a hit. In addition to a seasonal corn chowder and corndogs, the compact kitchen turns out a fist-sized hushpuppy filled with slices of fresh jalapeños and cheese curds. Crispy outside, buttery and cakey inside, these appetizers pack a wallop of flavor. Though they’re keeping the permanent menu slender, Lyon does have a lot of ideas for specials. And for dessert, look for sweet corn balls filled with fresh fruit and dusted with powdered sugar. The moist fruit gives the interior a meltingly seductive texture that makes it a delightful aftermeal treat.

OklahOma Gazette | june 3, 2015 | 21

PHOTOS BY M A RK HA n COC K

LIFE FOOD & DRINK

P HOTOS BY GA Re TT FI S Be C K

LIFE FOOD & DRINK

Toasting friends Cocktails for Conservation and other events at Classen Curve help benefit The Oklahoma City Zoo. BY CHRISTINE EDDINGTON

Margaret Holloway, general manager of Cafe 501, sat across the table and was clearly ill at ease. Before we could get down to business, Margaret looked earnestly and said, “It makes me really uncomfortable that you don’t have anything to eat or drink. What can I get you?” After a round or two of halfhearted protest, a plate of sweets and a Gecko Fizz quickly appeared. The Fizz is a cocktail created by Holloway and her mixologists, and it is a whimsical, sparkling blend of cucumber-infused gin, St. Germain, Green Chartreuse and mint syrup. It’s also the emerald in the crown of the series of Saturday’s Cocktails for Conservation event is 5:30-7:30 p.m. on the patio at Cafe 501. It features food, Gecko Fizzes, other libations and a selection of artwork created by zoo animals. A couple of small critters will attend the event, and if you ask nicely, you can probably pet one. Tickets are $65, available at zoofriends.org or by phone at 425-0615. More than a dozen events, each tied to the All Creatures Great and Small theme, are planned through June. Each Classen Curve shop has added its own personality to the mix. Some events will happen at the zoo and others at Classen Curve. “This is the first thing that Classen Curve has done that is truly united,” Holloway said. “When we started planning things, it really garnered a lot of excitement.” Republic has created a signature drink, Rupert the Rhino, made with Prairie Wolf Vodka, Hibiscus Strong Tonic, lemon juice and simple syrup.

22 | june 3, 2015 | OklahOma Gazette

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above left Margaret Holloway poses for a photo with her signature drink, The Gecko Fizz. above right Bar Manager Mike Folks poses for a photo with Rupert the Rhino at Republic Gastro Pub. It’s available through June — as is the Gecko Fizz — and drink sale proceeds benefit ZooFriends and The Oklahoma City Zoo. Whole Foods is taking it to the zoo for Wild Tuesdays Story Time Safaris at 9:30 and 10:30 a.m. each Tuesday through July. Kids ages 11 and under will hear stories, meet a zookeeper and receive a healthy drink from Whole Foods. Tara Henson, spokeswoman for The OKC Zoo, was in on the Classen Curve project from its inception. “The Oklahoma City Zoo and ZooFriends is committed to the stewardship of our natural world,” she said, “and we are beyond thrilled when the Oklahoma City community shares our commitment and takes the initiative to demonstrate that commitment by partnering with us.” Kendra Scott hosts a Sip & Shop 6-8 p.m. Tuesday, with a percentage of sales benefiting the cause. Red Coyote’s Pack Pint Run is 6 p.m. June 11; Zoobilation, the zoo’s annual gala, is 7-11 p.m. June 19; animal ambassadors starts at 10:30 a.m. June 20 at Uptown Kids; Tucker’s Onion Burgers has declared 4-9 p.m. June 22 Zoo Night; and Liberte offers closing ceremonies 6-8 p.m. June 25 in the form of a champagne Sip & Shop.

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High hopes The view from the top of Vast is even better after menu and management changes. BY GREG ELWELL

For a short time after he took over the restaurant, Kurt Fleischfresser considered changing Vast’s name. “I thought, ‘Vast sounds cold and impersonal.’ And I wanted to turn that around,” he said. But as he talked to more people in the community, he learned that almost everyone knew the name. However, their opinion of the restaurant wasn’t always positive. Located on the 49th and 50th floors of Devon Tower, 333 W. Sheridan Ave., early reviews lauded the view but panned the menu. It was that reputation that nearly kept Fleischfresser — food and beverage director at Western Concepts Dining Group and owner of The Coach House (one of Oklahoma’s two AAA Four Diamond Restaurants) — away. “I was wrestling with whether to do it, and it seemed like everywhere I turned, there was the Devon Tower,” he said. So Oklahoma City’s culinary King Kong climbed to the top. In the dining room, Fleischfresser highlights a few changes he made to the look and feel of the restaurant. Some might be considered small touches — the addition of art to the walls and wine displays and tables arranged farther apart — but they belie an attention to detail that has served him well. The resulting space, he said, is more welcoming and grand. Creating intimacy in a restaurant that large is challenging, but as he walks room to room, it’s clear he succeeded. Perhaps his biggest and most celebrated move was “unleashing” executive chef Patrick Williams, whose love of regional Southern and

24 | june 3, 2015 | OklahOma Gazette

Chef Kurt Fleischfresser explains menu updates and additions at Vast. low-country cuisine brought new life to the menu. “Some people you give more freedom and they freeze up, but Patrick just gobbles it up,” Fleischfresser said. Williams’ signature is found on every page of the menu, from the seared gulf shrimp appetizer served with smoked paprika butter and sweet potato polenta to a selection of steaks that reads almost like a wine list — it’s organized by cut, origin, size, price and how long the steaks were dry-aged in-house. “This isn’t Southern like plain old fried-chicken served familystyle,” Fleischfresser said. “There’s an elegance in the plating and refinement in the ingredients. Fine dining is about making sure you pay attention to all the details and making sure you get them right.” To experience the purest expression of the kitchen’s vision, Williams recommends the features, which change weekly. On the Three Course Chef’s Tasting Menu ($65), a recent list of courses included a play on fish tacos made with blue marlin, a No Name Ranch filet with shrimp, a fried egg and bacon foam and a white chocolate mousse torte. Gone too soon was an appetizer of frog leg ragout on toasted brioche with a dijon cabbage coleslaw and a pan-seared redfish over couscous. Williams lived through Vast’s initial missteps, taking the criticism in stride, and has now emerged a stronger chef. A favorite of both Williams and Fleischfresser is Vast’s signature rack of lamb ($46), which

P HOTOS BY GA Re TT FI S Be C K

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Frog leg ragout

Pan-seared redfish

Some people you give more freedom and they freeze up, but Patrick just gobbles it up. —Kurt Fleischfresser

is based on a South Carolina-style barbecue with smoky rib bones and a roasted loin. Another favorite they agree on: chef de cuisine Kevin Lee, who came up through The Coach House’s apprentice program. “I can’t emphasize enough the impact Kevin Lee has had on the menu and the kitchen,” Williams said. Having an able lieutenant on whom he can rely is a boon both personally and for customers, he said. Vast might seem like primarily a dinner spot, but it’s open at lunch

and at 4 p.m. for drinks and early dinner with corresponding menus that appeal to a broader base of customers. With the metro laid out around you — you can see all the way to El Reno’s wind farms on a clear day — it’s a more affordable way for diners to experience the city’s tallest building. Plus, who wouldn’t want crab deviled eggs ($12) or a plate of shrimp and grits ($19) for an upscale, downtown lunch? Since opening in 2012, the reviews at Vast have turned around considerably. Once again, the city is excited about the restaurant, and Fleischfresser said it has become a destination spot for visitors. With Fleischfresser, Williams and Lee in the kitchen, what arrives on the table has become even more captivating and beautiful than what is outside those giant windows.

OklahOma Gazette | june 3, 2015 | 25

Black pepper steak with broccoli at Fung’s Kitchen

P HOTOS BY M A RK HA n COC K

LIFE FOOD & DRINK

Fung lovers If the menu selection here feels overwhelming, don’t worry. We’re here to guide you through it. BY GREG ELWELL

“We ordered too much food.” slightly vegetal. Add soy sauce or “That’s not a thing.” Chinese mustard if you want, but it’s That’s a conversation that pops up not necessary. These are the platonic a lot around me, as ordering a lot of ideal of egg rolls. Put a plate of 20 food is kind of my signature move. But in front of me and I promise I won’t how else does one explore a menu as be mad. large and diverse as the one at Fung’s Kitchen, Fung’s kitchen 3321 N. Classen 3321 n. Classen Blvd. | fungskitchenoklahoma.com | 524-4133 Blvd? Almost all What WOrks: Lamb with onion, black pepper steak and the quintessential egg roll. Chinese restaurants are intimidating. What needs WOrk: Communication during the There are language dim sum brunch can be challenging. barriers — with tip: Don’t go there today! Fung’s reopens your server, the Wednesday, june 10. menu or both — that can sometimes make for a worrisome experience. Will you Classics like egg drop soup (small like the food? Will it be cooked the $1.55, family size $5.95) and hot and way you want? Are there any bones in sour soup (small $1.65, family size there? $6.95) were tasty as well. (Fact: Almost every animal you’re But egg rolls and soup are just going to eat had a skeleton at one starters. The real force of the menu is point or another, so it’s time to get in the specialties. The black pepper over eating food with bones. If you steak ($15.95) is not a hard dish to want boneless food, I suggest you start parse. It is steak. And onions. And exclusively eating vegetables, fruits and black pepper sauce. You put it on top grains.) of rice and enjoy all that spicy pepper So, let’s start with something and tender pieces of beef. boneless and familiar. The egg rolls These are big enough to share … if ($1.60 each) are legitimately some of you’re a quitter. the best I’ve ever eaten: crisp on the The chicken chow mein ($8.45) is outside, waiting to crackle and shatter good and mild. Chicken chow mein as you bite into them. The inside’s still is kind of a base food on which you fresh, with its own satisfying crunch, can build your own flavors. My palate and is not overloaded with grease. requires that I add a fair amount of The flavor is salty and oily and chili sauce and soy sauce, which is easy

26 | june 3, 2015 | OklahOma Gazette

Saturday, June 6th, 10am-4pm

Grilling demo on a Blaze Grill provided by American Propane

Barbecue pork buns from the dim sum service

enough to do. Personally, I’d veer toward the lamb with onion ($14.95). This is not a dish that seeks to confuse you: It is stir-fried lamb with green onions in a brown sauce. “Lamb? You’d eat a defenseless little lamb?” Yes. I don’t care if this was a sheep in the joint custody of Mary and Little Bo Peep, as this is some delicious lamb. It’s succulent and slightly sweet, which gives a lovely contrast to the crunch of the fresh green onions. This is plate-licking good. If you want something a bit lighter, try the shrimp with eggplant ($11.95). Plump shrimp cook up fast and stay juicy, and the eggplant has an earthy, creamy texture. If you go Saturday or Sunday mornings, you also can try Fung’s dim sum service, in which servers push around carts covered in freshly cooked small plates. Take what you want, let them mark your card and pay on your way out. Be aware; you will make at least one questionable decision during dim sum service. You will get a dumpling you might not devour or some kind of pork that doesn’t suit your taste buds. Do not be discouraged. At some point, they will bring out barbecue pork buns (bread with barbecue pork baked inside) and beef flat noodles (beef with flat noodles). Generally, though, if you think you’ve ordered too much, you’ve got just enough. Fung’s makes some wonderful Chinese dishes, and you’ll be hard-pressed to stop eating, even after you’re full. And if, by chance, you actually did order “too much,” there’s nothing wrong with having a little leftover Fung’s the next day.

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devious ducks Ducks — they’re trying to kill you. Much as apes and unicorns fought for dominance, ducks and humans are in an age-old war to rule Earth. We have the upper hand for now, but if we don’t continue hunting and devouring these waterfowl, it will be us waddling around the park, begging for bread. Here are a few great duck dishes to help mankind continue its reign. — by Greg Elwell, photos by Mark Hancock and Garett Fisbeck

Golden Phoenix

Paseo Grill

Canton Restaurant

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2909 Paseo St. | 601-1079 paseogrill.com

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It’s a well-known fact that ducks, like the cast of Jersey Shore, love tanning. So, when you see the roast duck at Golden Phoenix, know that this is basically a dream come true for our de-feathered friends. Served with buns on the side, this quacktastic dish is sure to fill you to the bill and energize you for clubhopping with Snooki.

You had me at “cracklins.” The big pile of tossed greens is nice, and the slices of medium-rare duck breast are exquisite, but the true delight of Paseo Grill’s Maple Leaf Farms Duck Salad is in the crunchy bits of fried duck skin. Finally, a salad with what we all really crave: lots of meat and skin! Now, who’s coming with me?!

Why is chicken the bird we’re always frying? Sure, your weird uncle might try to fry a turkey on Thanksgiving and accidentally set the yard on fire, but mostly it’s chicken that gets a hot oil bath. Well, no more! Canton Restaurant has taken a bold stand, batter-dipping its duck before frying it up to a dark, crispy brown and slathering it with gravy and almond slices.

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More than a meal it’s an experience. 6014 N. May • 947.7788 www.zorbasokc.com 28 | june 3, 2015 | OklahOma Gazette

Covell Park 1200 W. Covell Road, Edmond covellpark.com | 285-1720

Covell Park, the new sister restaurant to 23rd Street’s popular Guernsey Park, has a similar menu in a new venue. With the same high-quality service and presentation, it’s a real treat to chow down on its gorgeous duck salad. Served almost like a seared ahi tuna, it has a big flavor and satisfying heft that will turn anyone into a duck lover.

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The Pot Union has been hard at work trying to get equal treatment under the law for years, yet they can’t make inroads against the powerful Pan Lobby’s influence. Who has even heard of PotSeared Duck Breast? Not the folks at The Mantel, where its Pan-Seared Duck Breast is served with an intoxicating chipotle raspberry beurre rouge and perfectly cooked mushroom jasmine rice.

I don’t think you’re ready for this jelly. Well, it’s not really jelly. Actually, it’s duck rillette, which is delicious duck meat poached, salted and cooled with fat to form a flavorful spread. And with creole mustard, cherry compote and caper berries, it might be too much goodness for most mouths to bear. Still, if you think you’re ready, head over to Packard’s and start spreading the news.

Rococo 12252 N. May Ave. | 212-4577 rococo-restaurant.com

Ugh. Men. Why are they so obsessed with a duck’s looks and not with what’s on the inside? Let those superficial dudes eat duck breast while you pay attention to something more meaningful: its liver. Rococo rolls its smooth duck liver mousse in pistachios and serves it up with crackers, relish, onions, marmalade and more for a sophisticated take on the duck’s inner beauty.

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OklahOma Gazette | june 3, 2015 | 29

Father’s Day Father’s Day is June 21, and this year, he deserves more than an oversized, music-playing card that blasts out “Born to be Wild” and cracks a snoring joke. Oh, you haven’t given Dad one of those before? Be grateful. (We know he definitely is.) Then go find him something that’s truly special. — By Kory B. Oswald | Photos by Mark Hancock

Red Carpet 2136 NW 39TH ST. REDCARPETOKC.COM 525-0066

Every father should experience the serenity caused by a freshly cleaned car without the sweat and man hours associated with it. Washing vehicles since 1972, Red Carpet offers everything from quick exterior washes to a complete detail. And with four locations to choose from, your patriarch won’t have to drive far. Byron’s Liquor Warehouse 2322 N. BROADWAY AVE. BYRONSLIQUOR.COM 525-2158

Possibly the largest liquor store in the city, Byron’s has more than 10,000 square feet filled with everything from 6,000 wines to more than 1,500 beers and all the liquor you can dream of. And what dad doesn’t love booze? With the option to order online, you don’t even have to peruse the aisles looking for dad’s drink of choice; Byron’s will have it ready for you to pick up in-store within 24 hours. So go ahead and get the man a bottle of Bulleit Rye or Scissortail Bourbon. OK Runner 3720 W. ROBINSON ST, #116, NORMAN MYOKRUNNER.COM 285-1455

Whether he is just beginning or he is a marathon master, OK Runner’s two metro locations have what Dad needs. Find shoes that will protect his feet and his peace of mind while he jogs

30 | JUNE 3, 2015 | OKLAHOMA GAZETTE

along the city streets. OK Runner’s Norman location offers a short two- to five-mile group run at 7:15 p.m. every Monday. The best part is dad gets a free beer at Pub W when he’s done with the group run. Avid Extreme Sports 2622 N. MOORE AVE., MOORE AVIDEXTREMESPORTSPARK.COM 912-0961

Visit Avid Extreme Sports and give your father the gift of family fun. Offering the newest equipment, like the Tippmann FT 12 paintball marker or the youth-friendly JT Splatmaster gun, Avid has two metro locations, and both are perfect for parties, like the one you’re planning for Pops.

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LIFE EDUCATION

Solid ground For 30 years, The Foundation for Oklahoma City Public Schools has worked to improve schools.

More than 30 years ago, a small group of philanthropists developed a framework to help bridge a gap between Oklahoma City Public Schools (OKCPS) and the community. Their thinking was that students and teachers alike could greatly benefit by connecting the district to community resources. So in 1984, The Foundation for Oklahoma City Public Schools (FOCPS) was born. Through the years, it has been instrumental in developing the MAPS for Kids campaign and helping the district achieve its goals. Today, the foundation has an energetic new leader and a fresh, reinvigorated way of engaging the community. “Our overarching mission is to create community ownership for the success of every child in the district,” said Mary Mélon, foundation president and chief executive officer. “The foundation can’t be successful unless the district is successful. That being said, the district can’t do it alone. Our primary function is to align, collaborate and support. In this new day, we must continue finding new and better ways to serve and support our schools and answer the call of our community in terms of skilled labor and thoughtful, caring leaders to serve our communities in the future.” Last fall, Mélon left her longtime post as publisher of Oklahoma City’s The Journal Record, taking the helm at FOCPS. The broad vision of the foundation is to see sustainable performance improvements at OKCPS, Mélon said. It plans to do that by aligning its goals and strategies with those of the district, the chamber and other key constituents. “I have been part of the district’s recent strategic planning process, The Great Conversation. The results are coming together now, and it is amazing how clearly aligned the foundation is with where that process has taken the community,” she said. FOCPS recently partnered with DonorsChoose.org in a campaign that links teachers and donors and allows donors to engage with educators in OKC. Through DonorsChoose.org, teachers are able to fund supplies and grants for the classroom, according to the foundation’s website.

32 | JUNE 3, 2015 | OKLAHOMA GAZETTE

M A RK HA N COC K

BY MARK BEUTLER

Mary Mélon

Since the DonorsChoose partnership began last November, FOCPS has seen 278 projects funded for 220 teachers at 61 schools. The number of students impacted is nearly 31,000, and total financial impact so far is $179,560. FOCPS matches half of every project posted by an OKCPS teacher that is $1,000 or less, Mélon said. The McLaughlin Family Foundation, Inasmuch Foundation and school district employee giving, as well as money directed by the foundation for OKCPS, is funding this effort. “This is also a convenient platform for teachers to outline their specific needs, where donors can learn about a project they wish to support,” Mélon said. Another way the foundation is getting the community involved is a program called Partners in Action. It is a technology-based outreach program that gets concerned members of the business community and the public at large fully engaged at every school in the district. “This provides them with a menu of ways to help based on their interests,” Mélon said. “We are also currently developing some ideas around support of the English Language Learning

programs and are meeting with key constituents to coalesce thinking about ways to address this populace in our community that is growing so rapidly.” Mélon said this group of students has unique needs that require a new way of thinking and responding. Changing the status quo and developing new ways of thinking has been part of Mélon’s approach to rebranding FOCPS during her first few months on the job. Having been at the foundation for about seven months now, she said the primary challenge has been defining a new way of thinking that combines community engagement with real strategies for change. “It seems so simple because that is the way Oklahoma City has been successful, but that isn’t the way public education has traditionally worked, so it is a cultural shift,” Mélon said. “Everyone is committed to this at all levels, but it still takes some time to solidify thinking.” Mélon also wants to examine the complex issues that current students face. She said there are societal problems that everyone must acknowledge and accept as their own in order to turn things around. “Again, the district can’t do it

alone, and we as a community need to take a holistic view of each student and understand that every situation is different,” Mélon said. The foundation recently named Samantha Murch teacher of the year for OKCPS. Murch is the drama and speech teacher and soccer coach at Star Spencer High School. Murch received a $1,500 classroom grant and will represent Oklahoma City Public Schools in the state Teacher of the Year contest. The statewide winner will be announced in August. Murch also received a new watch from BC Clark Jewelers as part of her award for teacher of the year. Eight other teachers were honored as finalists for the award. Each one will receive a $750 grant. The foundation’s Stars of Education program also honors support staff, volunteers and partners in the district. Support staff honorees receive a $500 award, as do the schools with volunteer honorees. Russell Westbrook’s Why Not? Foundation partnered with the school district to create reading rooms at three locations and recently won FOCPS’ Perfect Partnership Award and received $1,000.

GA RETT FI S BE C K

LIFE SHOPPING

Manifest makeup A cosmetics store thrives after 14 years of ups and downs. BY CARISSA STEVENS

Thirty years ago, Alex Mendez applied for her first job in makeup. As a student at Bishop McGuiness, she was only 14, but she knew she couldn’t babysit forever. Instead, she preferred to sit in her mother’s sink and play with her makeup. “I wanted to grow up and own a place that had a lot of lipstick,” said Mendez. When it came time to begin the job search, Crème de la Crème, a popular local salon specializing in upscale beauty products, was her first choice. Mendez even remembers what she wore when she approached the shop owners about a job. “I had on a long denim prairie skirt and peach bomber jacket with the biggest shoulder pads you ever did see. It was like Ralph Lauren meets Dynasty,” she said. Mendez walked in and told them she would own a boutique like Crème de la Crème one day and that she needed to start somewhere. Eventually, she was offered and accepted a position. At the tail end of the Penn Square Bank failure in 1982, it was a tough time to get into a luxury business. “The new kid was always the one who would get her hours cut first. Although I never had to, I would have worked for free just so I could be there and learn and soak up the knowledge,” Mendez said. Mendez has been the owner of The MakeUp Bar, 7646 N. Western Ave., for 14 years. The boutique is known to cater to the occasional celebrity.

Alex Mendez poses for a photo at The MakeUp Bar. Wayne Coyne frequents the shop, and Metallica stopped in because The MakeUp Bar was the only place in town that carried the hair products they liked. Mendez said Prince’s crew stopped in when they forgot eyeliner. “You just never know who you might see,” she said. That sentiment applies to locals, too. “We have a lot of multigenerational clients,” she said. “Grandmothers might bring their daughters and daughters might bring the granddaughters. This is why I love owning local, especially in Oklahoma because I’ve seen such a renaissance happen here.” Although the economy has fluctuated recently and many rely on the Internet to make purchases, Mendez is confident in The MakeUp Bar’s future. She explained that nothing beats the instant gratification of making a purchase in person and being able to verify the quality of something for yourself. Mendez said that when it comes to makeup, it’s important to feel confident that the color matches your skin tone. “Create a look, mood and an attitude with makeup,” she said, surrounded by an endless amount of lipstick tubes in all shades. “Wear a different color lipstick every day of the week and have it be completely different. Be bold; don’t be afraid. Just have fun.”

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gazette’s weekly winner will be announced each week in the table of contents Printed winners have 7 days to claim tickets OKLAHOMA GAZETTE | JUNE 3, 2015 | 33

LIFE VISUAL ARTS

Fit print

A new exhibit explores the age-old art of printmaking with 21st-century technology.

BY MARK BEUTLER

Enter the Matrix: Indigenous Printmakers 7 p.m., Thursday through January 17, 2016 Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art 555 Elm Ave. ou.edu/fjjma Free

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The art of printmaking has been around for hundreds of years, dating all the way back to the 15th century. By the 1950s, it was becoming increasingly popular as an important art form. Now, a new exhibit at Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art, 555 Elm Ave., in Norman explores printmaking among indigenous artists. Enter the Matrix: Indigenous Printmaking opens at 7 p.m. Thursday with a lecture by Heather Ahtone, the museum’s James T. Bialac Assistant Curator of Native American and NonWestern Art. “Printmaking is a highly technical medium that encompasses several processes, all of which use some kind of matrix to pass the image to the surface,” Ahtone said. “Some of the most common processes people are familiar with are serigraphy, or screen printing; etching; or lithography — each of which requires manual attention to the printing process, and that makes each print an original work of art.” Ahtone said printmaking is different from the mechanical reproduction commonly used in posters and other printed materials, where there is little variation between prints. Fine art prints are each manually pulled and represent the skills of both the artist and the printer. During the latter part of the 20th century, Ahtone said Native American artists began using the medium more actively and the majority of this new exhibit is from this more recent period. “There are almost 100 works in the gallery presenting the scope of where printmaking has been developed as a medium,” Ahtone said. “The exhibition includes art from across North America ... collaborations done by Native American artists working with indigenous people from New Zealand to Botswana. In addition to the art, we’ve prepared didactic materials that can help explain the processes and where key sites for

Joe Feddersen lithograph, 2003 printmaking are located.” Enter the Matrix includes art from the museum’s permanent collection and works on loan from Crow’s Shadow Institute in Pendleton, Oregon; the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum; and the private collection of Melanie Yazzie in Boulder, Colorado. To accompany the exhibition, the museum worked with the University of Oklahoma to develop itsfirst iTunes U course. “We identified key topics that recurred within the exhibition checklist and then developed the course to address these themes,” Ahtone said. The exhibition offers insight into printmaking sites and people, and the iTunes U course further explains what is happening within the themes that are important to the artists. Using the Internet, the exhibition is able to explore whether audiences will be interested in learning more through the iTunes digital content, which includes podcasts, videos and other multimedia. “We are very interested in connecting with people through the art, and the short course is an additional tool for us to use,” Ahtone said. The exhibit will be on display through Jan. 17, 2016, and it is targeted to people who want to learn more about printmaking within the indigenous community. “We will have something for those who are already learned on the subject and for those who are interested in learning more,” she said. “The art is amazing, and there are several works I think will really excite people to see in person.”

Female lens A Norman photographer has mapped out her own career and has the photos to prove she was there.

Shevaun Williams

BY MARK BEUTLER

Women of the World Through June 21 North Gallery Oklahoma State Capitol 2300 N. Lincoln Blvd. 521-2931 Free

ALL PHOTOS BY SHEVAUN

Housed in a 100-year-old building on Norman’s Main Street is Shevaun Williams and Associates, one of the area’s leading commercial photographers and artists. Recently, Williams brought a sampling of her work to the state Capitol, giving visitors a peek into her world behind the lens.

“Fèlices, Homemaker, Crafter” “I wanted a themed selection that would stand up to such a distinctive location as the Capitol,” Williams said. “I knew I wanted to show images of the world; however, it was not until I studied my favorite images that I noticed a frequently recurring theme of worldly women. I felt the images told a story of dignity, grace and beauty.” The exhibit, Women of the World, features women from Havana to Zimbabwe, some in portrait settings and many more captured candidly on the street. It will be on display in the Capitol’s North Gallery through June 21. Looking back, Williams says her passion for photography began early one Christmas morning when she was a kid. She received a Kodak Pocket Instamatic camera, which she still has today. “I would love to be able to get some film for it and give it a go,” she said.

Williams credits a summer trip to Paris and the south of France during college for cementing her love affair with travel and photography. She revisits all of her images and recently went through her transparencies from almost 40 years ago. “My only class in photography during college was in the school of architecture,” she said. “We concentrated heavily on black-andwhite processing and printing. It taught me to be consistent in process and obsessed with precision.” Besides that class, Williams is a self-taught photographer who grew up with a father, local media personality Danny Williams, who was very artistic in his own right. “I definitely got my work ethic from him,” she said. “He was the most nonjudgmental person I ever knew, so I think he just wanted us to choose paths that made us happy. There is an element of entertainment in the way I run a shoot. The photographer must be the ringleader in the circuslike environment of a photo shoot.” A typical day for Williams begins early, around 4:30 a.m., blogging, studying or enjoying the images of a newly found photographer. Then it’s an hour of exercise and she sets off to work. “Those location shoots with a 5 a.m. call time puts a wrench in that plan,” she said. “If I am not on location, I head for the studio. Then, in the evenings, I usually work on editing the day’s shoot. Sunday is my day — no plans allowed! And in my spare time, I plan my next big trip. I am most excited when I am at the departure lobby of the airport. New visual environments are like mother’s milk to me. After 40 years, I continue to be inspired by the art of photography.”

OKLAHOMA GAZETTE | JUNE 3, 2015 | 35

life Performing ARts

Traintastic time P rovi de d

Chuggington Live! promises to be off the rails. By Christine Eddington

Chugginton Live! The Great Rescue Adventure 2 p.m., Sunday Thelma Gaylord Performing Arts Theatre Civic Center Music Hall 201 N. Walker Ave. okcciviccenter.com 297-2264 $25-$50

All aboard! If you don’t know who or what Chuggington is, you can bet your kids probably do. No, he and his friend Brewster are not bartenders, nor are they on the summer cocktail list at Republic Gastro Pub. Chuggington is a town, and Brewster lives there with his friends. The live show is based on a BBC traintastic series aired on Disney Junior in which valuable life lessons are taught by a ragtag bunch of beloved animated trains with wildly different personalities. Wilson is responsible and heroic. Koko is

fearless and electric (literally). Hanzo is a super speedy bullet train, and Irving is a perfectionist. These characters and more make up the trainees, and together, they learn things like cooperation, tolerance and perseverance. Now, the citizens of Chuggington will be in Oklahoma City. Live. “This is a great first introduction to live theater for children. It’s got singing, dancing, and the audience is invited to sing along. And what child doesn’t love trains, especially everyone’s favorites ... performing on stage?” said Libby First, marketing director at Celebrity Attractions. For those of you who speak Chuggington-ese, the trainees have started their advanced training and are anxious to practice and perfect their newly gained skills, which will make them braver, faster

and stronger. When Koko finds herself in trouble at Rocky Ridge Mine, her friends have to help her. It’s a nail-biter! Can the trainees use their new skills to save their friend? Will Wilson earn the title of Chug Patrol hero by rescuing Koko? Make tracks to Civic Center Music Hall on Sunday and find out for yourselves. Chuggington airs in more than 178 countries and is translated into 36 different languages. It first aired on Disney Junior (then Playhouse Disney) in 2010. In the United States, the TV show is seen 22 times per week across Disney Junior and Disney channels, with an estimated 2 million viewers every week. The design of the train characters is inspired by real engines from all over the world. Chuggington is an abbreviation of Chugging Town. According to a fact sheet about the TV series, the original working title of the TV show was Chuggington

Chuggington has an estimated 2 million viewers. Tracks and 80 children auditioned for the opportunity to become the voices of the three main characters: Wilson, Brewster and Koko. Sarah Ball, who directs the TV show, is the one who shouts, “Honk your horns!” in the intro of the Chuggington theme song. The North American premiere tour of Chuggington Live! The Great Rescue Adventure rolls into Civic Center Music Hall for one special performance 2 p.m. Sunday. This live-action, musical children’s show gives young fans and their families the opportunity to experience the adventures of the Chuggington trainees. Tickets are now on sale and may be purchased at 800-869-1451, at the Civic Center box office or online at celebrityattractions.com.

One-man army Provid ed

Charlie Ross brings his interpretation of The Lord of the Rings trilogy to OKC. By Greg Horton

One Man Lord of the Rings 7:30 p.m. Thursday-Friday, 1:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, 1:30 p.m. Sunday Freede Little Theater Civic Center Music Hall cityrep.com 297-2264

One actor, a bare stage and nine hours of material condensed to 60 minutes is a counterintuitive recipe for entertainment in an era of blockbuster movies that feature guitars that shoot flames, vehicles built of amps and an ever-expanding reliance on CGI. Charlie Ross is returning to Oklahoma City, and fans of his 2002 One Man Star Wars Trilogy will surely be in the audience when his One Man Lord of the Rings debuts in the state. Ross took his Star Wars act on the road, hitting the fringe theater circuit with no idea of how well received his condensed version of his favorite 36 | June 3, 2015 | Oklahoma Gazette

childhood movies would be. Before he was done, fans in 180 cities on four continents had seen the show. Media outlets as diverse as Conan, Esquire and Chicago Tribune gave him rave reviews. “Charlie watched the movies hundreds of times as a kid,” Donald Jordan said. Jordan is the artistic director of Oklahoma City Repertory Theatre (CityRep), the organization bringing Ross back to the metro. “The trilogy was sort of a babysitter for him,” Jordan said. As with the first trilogy, Ross wrote the LOTR script himself, and he performs it by himself. Wearing a wireless microphone, a jumpsuit and elbow and kneepads, Ross has only his talent, humor and script to work with. “There is lighting support and sound, of course,” Jordan said, “but it’s Charlie’s energy and creativity that make the show work.” CityRep is known mostly for

cutting-edge drama, the kind of material that is not very familyfriendly. Ross’ shows are an exception. For the Star Wars trilogy, JediOKC got involved by dressing in costume, ushering guests and taking pictures with kids (and adults). The atmosphere around Ross’ shows is much more conducive to a family outing, and the energy that he brings to a performance keeps young people engaged. In addition to energy and talent, Ross’ shows work because he is a genuine fan. He calls himself a professional geek, but the Canadian comic is more than a geek. He brings what Jordan calls “the magic of human talent and live theatricality” to his show. They are homages to his childhood loves, which helps bridge the divide between actor and audience. “These shows really do appeal to the hardcore fan,” Jordan said. “But they are entertaining for those who aren’t familiar with the material too.”

Charlie Ross performs One Man Lord of the Rings. As Ross moves from Gollum to Legolas, Samwise and Gandalf, he changes voices and posture, imbuing each character with vocal and physical differences that the audience will quickly recognize. Rather than staying detached from his audience, Ross engages them with asides and commentary on Peter Jackson’s epic films. He isn’t afraid to poke fun at Jackson’s interpretation when he believes it’s appropriate either. Knowing the films well is important for getting some of Ross’ jokes, but the show works for everyone because Ross inhabits each character and captivates audiences with energy, wit and genuine fanboy love.

P HOTOS BY GA RE TT FI S BE C K

LIFE ACTIVE

Lincoln lodge A new $9.25 million clubhouse ushers in a new era of municipal golf luxury. BY BRENDAN HOOVER

A trio of golfers recently walked into the foyer of Lincoln Park Golf Course’s new $9.25 million clubhouse and stopped in their tracks. They marveled at the building and gazed up at a public art installation suspended from the ceiling: huge ribbons of wood, painted blue on one side, looping magically in the air. One golfer turned and regarded the others. “Are you sure we’re at the right golf course?” he asked. City officials celebrated the grand opening of the 32,000-square-foot clubhouse, located at 4001 NE Grand Blvd., with a ribbon cutting led by Mayor Mick Cornett on May 1. The clubhouse features a new 3,100-squarefoot event center, a restaurant area and snack bar, an executive conference room, a designer pro shop and a 19th Hole terrace bar offering excellent views of the golf course, the state Capitol and downtown. Funded using $2.25 million in 2007 General Obligation bonds and another $7 million in golf revenue bonds, the clubhouse has elicited many expressions of pleasant surprise like the ones displayed by the golfing trio, said Steve Carson, Lincoln Park Golf Course’s director of golf. “The first time people visit, you kind of get that,” Carson said. “Everybody just loves it.” Designed by LWPB Architecture, the clubhouse also features a geothermal HVAC system and energy-efficient LED lighting. The facility was built to the same standards as other recent city projects, such as Myriad Botanical Gardens and Chesapeake Energy Arena upgrades, said Carson, who has been at the golf course since 1990.

above Artwork by Paul Vexler hangs in the foyer of Lincoln Park clubhouse. “Our golf clubhouses haven’t kept up with that movement,” he said. “So this is that first step. It’s just an overall asset to the city and to the quality of life in Oklahoma City.” The two-story clubhouse, with a basement cart barn that can store up to 150 golf carts, was designed to provide a higher level of service not achievable in the previous clubhouse, which was built in 1960. The clubhouse was moved closer to Lincoln Park’s West course while not disturbing the 36-hole layout. The facility is a hit with non-golfers too. Carson said he has been booking weddings and birthday parties and he is considering hiring an event planner to coordinate non-golf functions. The event center seats up to 200 people, and the state-of-the-art kitchen can put out a full buffet. The banquet room and terrace, which overlook the West course’s three finishing holes, is perfectly suited for big tournaments. Through the city’s 1% for Arts program, mandated by a 2009 ordinance, all new municipal building or park developments must dedicate 1 percent of their budget to public art. Washington state sculptor Paul Vexler — known for making largescale, lightweight, suspended sculptures — was chosen for the clubhouse project. Photographs and other golf memorabilia from the old clubhouse will be displayed in the new facility. Carson said officials are planning a similar project for Earlywine Golf Club in southwest Oklahoma City.

Lincoln Park Golf Course Clubhouse

OKLAHOMA GAZETTE | JUNE 3, 2015 | 37

LIFE ACTIVE

P HOTOS BY A N DY C HASTE E N / P ROVI DE D

Rock on

Oklahoma offers some of the region’s best climbing inside and outdoors.

BY BRENDAN HOOVER

In 1979, famed mountaineer and writer Doug Robinson traveled to Oklahoma to teach rock climbing. After living in California’s Yosemite National Park during rock climbing’s golden age in the 1960s, he was so enamored with the quality of rock climbing here that he began returning each year. “Something extraordinary had happened in Oklahoma,” he wrote in a 1985 cover story for Outside Magazine. “A band of world-class climbers had arisen out of the heart of flatness.” That group included climbing legend Duane Raleigh, who later scaled peaks in the Alps, and Marion Hutchison, who is perhaps the state’s biggest climbing advocate today. “There’s a lot of history in Oklahoma climbing,” said Hutchison, a petroleum geologist who lives in Norman. “And most people aren’t aware of it.”

State rock

Thousands of climbers flock every year to Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge near Lawton and Quartz Mountain Nature Park, located 20 miles north of Altus. Advocacy groups like Wichita Mountains Climbers Coalition and Access Fund, a national climbing organization, work to protect climbing at both sites. One of only a few granite sites

38 | JUNE 3, 2015 | OKLAHOMA GAZETTE

in the region, the refuge’s climbing history dates back more than 50 years. Today, hundreds of high-quality routes have been established. They have difficulties in the 5.6 to 5.11 range on the Yosemite Decimal System, the sport’s standard. Most venerated are the traditional, ground-up routes, but in the last 10 years, some sport routes have been developed, emphasizing more gymnastic moves. “It’s well-known throughout the country,” Hutchison said of the refuge. Baldy Point, or Quartz, as climbers call it, rises 300 feet above the prairie. Its half-mile-long south face features some of the region’s best routes. The land was once privately owned by farmers Ted and Margaret Johnson, and some feared it might be sold to developers after Ted died in 1993. Access Fund and WMCC purchased Quartz in 2001 and immediately donated it to the State of Oklahoma. Robinson called Quartz the Tuolumne of the Midwest, comparing it to the Tuolumne Meadows in Yosemite. Every year, two events — the Spring Fling and the Fall Gathering — are held at Quartz. Climbers reunite, reminisce and complete service projects around the sites, Park Naturalist Sue Hokanson said. Robbers Cave in southeastern Oklahoma features sandstone routes

and boulders, and Tulsa’s Chandler Park, where Hutchison learned to climb as a boy, is considered the state’s limestone bouldering mecca. Bouldering is a form of climbing done without harness or rope, typically less than 30 feet off the ground. Hutchison doesn’t climb as often as he used to, but he looks forward to teaching his 8-year-old son. “Climbing gives you a lot more than physical activity. There’s a real sense of accomplishment and confidence that you build in yourself,” he said. “I’ve seen it in just about everybody that I’ve ever met or known when they begin.”

Popularity boom

The sport’s popularity is rising, and indoor climbing gyms have blossomed in Oklahoma City, Norman and Tulsa. “The nice thing about indoor climbing is you have a controlled environment to learn the fundamentals before going outside to experience that additional risk,” said Aaron Gibson, who owns Climb UP, a 12,000-squarefoot indoor climbing gym that recently opened in Norman at 2701 Washington Drive, with his wife Lisa. The facility recently held the first annual Norman Bouldering Competition, and 105 climbers participated, said Gibson, who is

also Access Fund’s state regional coordinator. With the convenience of indoor gyms and a new generation of climbers drawn to the sport, the state’s rock climbing community is thriving, said Andy Chasteen, operating manager at Rocktown Climbing Gym, 200 SE Fourth St., in Bricktown. Rocktown operates in a 100-foottall former grain silo, offering lead climbing, top roping, auto-belay systems and a bouldering room. Its 70 indoor routes and 11 outside routes offer some of the highest gym climbing in the nation. An orientation course teaches novices climbing basics and safety techniques to minimize the sport’s inherent danger. Rocktown Youth Mentoring, a local nonprofit, currently owns 91 percent of the facility. Its mission is to teach at-risk youth self-esteem and physical activity through climbing and oneon-one mentoring. Executive Director Steven Charles said about 90 children currently participate in the program. The gym operates as a for-profit business to sustain the nonprofit organization, said Chasteen, who also founded 24 Hours of Horseshoe Hell, a climbing competition held annually in northwest Arkansas. “I’m excited about the future,” he said.

NO TRACE Climbers take care to have little impact on outdoor climbing areas. Faced with potential environmental impact as popularity increased, rock climbing was threatened in 1993 when the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) initiated an environmental assessment at the 59,020-acre Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge. The process was controversial, as climbing had been allowed in the area since the 1940s, and Wichita Mountains Access Association (WMAA) was formed to represent climbers. The USFWS concluded in 1995 that climbing caused no significant impact and could continue, subject to additional regulation. WMAA evolved into Wichita Mountains Climbers Coalition (WMCC) in 1996 to protect the refuge’s climbing resources and natural environment. Today, refuge managers and WMCC’s board of directors, including local climbers Marion Hutchison, Andy Chasteen and Aaron Gibson, have formed a beneficial partnership. “The climbers are really some of our best stewards,” said Ralph Bryant, the refuge’s deputy manager. For outdoor climbers, the mantra is “Leave no trace,” which means disturbing the land as little as possible. There are some permanent anchors in the cliffs, and the WMCC has established a bolting advisory committee that recommends if and when new or replacement anchors can be drilled into the rock. WMCC also organizes trash cleanups, trail rehabilitation and other volunteer projects. “Climbing is not a right,” Hutchison said. “Everybody appreciates the fact that we can climb here, so they go out and try to do the right thing.” Climbing legend Duane Raleigh, who went on to become publisher and editor-in-chief of Rock and Ice Magazine, called Hutchison the Cesar Chavez of the state’s climbing community. “Take him out of the picture and there would be little, if any, climbing at Quartz or in the Wichitas,” Raleigh wrote in 2009. “Once Marion latches onto a cause and gets under its skin, you couldn’t carve him out with a razor.”

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T U L E B O Y B L E O R C S

L I P K S E S

When this puzzle is completed, the circled letters will form a path (starting in the shaded circle) spelling out the puzzle’s theme. Each long Down answer contains a hidden city, reading in order from top to bottom, not necessarily consecutively. The location of the city, and its number of letters, are indicated.

ACROSS 1 Exactly 5 Obama vis-à-vis Columbia 9 Deg. from Columbia 12 Much-anticipated nights out 20 Company with a fleet 22 Prefix with watt 23 Window shopper’s cry 24 Like the roots of democracy 25 Mario’s brother, in gaming 26 Breeding ground 28 Eventually became 29 Relative of a kite 30 Proofer’s mark 32 “O, never say that I was false of heart …,” e.g. 34 “Not only that …” 35 Used a pouffe 36 Language whose own name is represented as 37 Once, old-style 38 Competitor of Petro-Canada 40 Laura who wrote and sang “Wedding Bell Blues” 44 Join 46 “That’s a ____” 48 Stuck in a mess? 50 “Ain’t gonna happen” 52 Heart 54 Imminent 56 Local theater, slangily 58 Ones in an annual hunt 60 Ulan-____ (capital of a Russian republic) 61 Vehicle with a folding top 62 Suffix with stink 63 Fulda tributary 64 Jack’s partner 65 Cousins 66 Goes for the gold? 67 Not quite right 69 Alternative to metal 70 Goddess in The Tempest 71 Win at auction, say 72 Warrior in the Discworld fantasy books 73 Small force 74 Form a coalition 76 Jokesters 77 Personnel list 78 ____ chi ch’uan 79 Travelers at the speed of light 80 Former Jets coach Ewbank

81 Tavern menu heading 82 One with a stiff upper lip? 83 Speed-skating champion Kramer 85 Captain’s spot 87 Kind of adapter 89 Act the rat 91 It’s folded before a meal 93 Dodge Aries, e.g. 95 “Walk ____” (1964 hit) 97 Red Rock dweller 99 Magazine mogul, familiarly 102 “Pretty Maids All in ____” 103 The sun’s “10th planet,” once 104 Half of a Senate vote 105 “This looks bad” 106 Singer ____ Rose 107 Barber’s supply 108 Routine response? 109 Kyrgyz province 110 Trite 112 Needle holder 113 ____ Paradise of On the Road 114 Was bankrupt, say 115 Blue shade 117 Stupefy 118 Like some missed pitches 119 Stupefy 120 Baritone in The Mikado 121 Dyspepsia reliever 122 All at the start? 123 Home of the Big 12’s Cyclones 124 One who’s behind 126 Solomonic 128 ____ colada 130 Plantation machines 132 Holes in Swiss cheese 133 Grasps 135 The Night Circus author Morgenstern 137 Chicago mayor Emanuel 139 Yamaha Grizzly, e.g., for short 142 Trunk part 144 Pond or sand trap 146 One of the Jackson 5 147 “____-haw!” 148 Long-running event? 152 “Et voilà!” 154 One following an order 156 Countermanded 157 Verdi’s “____ tu” 158 Power-play result, often 159 Pope’s vestment 160 They’re blown at some weddings 161 Yahoo! alternative 162 Do a body scan? 163 Meanie DOWN 1 With 141-Down, author whose work is the basis of this puzzle’s theme 2 Shipmate of Spock 3 Brooklyn Heights school [U.S.; 3,9]

VOL. XXXVII No. 22

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62 67

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41 “Get it?” [Japan; 8] 42 Send off 43 Popular party feature 45 Often-illegal turns, informally 47 “Hmm, gotcha” 49 Wolfe of mystery 51 Sugar suffixes 52 Benjamin 53 Mitchell heroine 55 Firehouse catching fire, e.g. 57 “Someone Like You” singer, 2011 59 Overdo it at dinner 68 Two-masted craft 73 Dr. of hip-hop 75 Ones pressed into service in the kitchen? [Egypt; 4] 76 Spitball, e.g. 77 Mens ____ (legal term) 84 Asseverate 86 Ambulance destinations, for short 88 Anatomical sac 90 Book before Esth. 91 Event often in a front yard 92 Passage between buildings 94 Stream 96 ____ Tate, onetime English poet laureate 98 Secretariat’s org.

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147

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128 129

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4 Yank 5 En route, as a tanker 6 Relaxing [U.K.; 6] 7 Host of the first World Cup, 1930: Abbr. 8 Michael of Reservoir Dogs 9 Spooky sounds 10 1988 Bon Jovi hit [India; 6] 11 Words said with a sigh 12 Witchy woman 13 Others, in Oaxaca 14 1996 Geena Davis thriller [China; 4,4] 15 Mountain ____ (soft drinks) 16 What chemists find attractive? 17 Cookie holder 18 “Dig in!” 19 ____-Cat 21 Leans 27 As an example 31 PBS craft show for 21 seasons [U.S.; 3,4] 33 Sci-fi narcotic 39 Military trial for a misdemeanor [India; 8]

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Stumped? Call 1-900-285-5656 to get the answers to any three clues by phone ($1.20 a minute). The answers to the New York Times Magazine Crossword Puzzle that appeared in the May 27 issue of Oklahoma Gazette are shown at left.

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0531

New York Times Magazine Crossword Puzzle A TALE OF MANY CITIES By Kevin G. Der / Edited by Will Shortz

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Okl ahoma Gaz ette | J u ne 3, 2015 | 41

42 | june 3, 2015 | Oklahoma Gazette

life music

P rOVi DeD

Home boy Country music superstar Vince Gill talks to Oklahoma Gazette about his Saturday concert, his local roots and the countless songs and memories he has made during his decades-long career. By GReG HORTOn

Vince Gill with Tracy lawrence 7 p.m. saturday The Zoo Amphitheatre 2101 ne 50th st. protix.com 866-977-6849 $35-$69.50

By the time he graduated from Northwest Classen High School, Vince Gill knew how to play five instruments, including banjo and guitar, and at least as many music genres, including bluegrass. Gill added country-rock to that skill set when he joined Pure Prairie League in 1979. Some of his songs from that time are still embedded deeply in our cultural memory, especially “Amie (Falling in and Out of Love)” and “Let Me Love You Tonight.” Gill said he has only performed “Amie” live a couple times. “I didn’t write the song, so I don’t think it’s respectful,” he said. That might be the easiest decision he has to make when it comes to what he will play at his concert Saturday at The Zoo Amphitheatre, 2101 NE 50th St. “Well, I can’t do everything,” Gill said. “The first thing is to figure out what the band plays best. We’ll mix it up and show the crowd a good time.” This leaves his set list options wide open, and as an artist known for his collaborations and genre-bending live sets, his studio door is also usually wide open. “When the phone rings, I say yes as often as I can,” Gill said. “Working with friends on fun projects is an easy yes.” His signature, beautiful, languid tenor makes him an easy choice as a duet partner or backup vocalist. His multi-instrument

resume certainly helps, too.

Creative collaborator

Gill said the high point of his songwriting career occurred when Willie Nelson covered “Whenever You Come Around” on his 2014 album Band of Brothers. Imagining Gill excited about another artist, even a legend like Willie Nelson, recording one of his songs is difficult given that Gill has worked with the likes of George Strait, Eric Clapton and Barbra Streisand, all part of a list that no Oklahoma kid would dare to draw up while playing in a high school bluegrass band. In 2013, he and multi-instrumentalist Paul Franklin (Dire Straits, Barbara Mandrell, Mark Knopfler) released a tribute to their Bakersfield, California, roots — not family or birthplace roots (Franklin grew up in Detroit), but their earliest musical influences, including Buck Owens and Merle Haggard. Bakersfield was Gill’s first duet album, which was surprising from a man who has been involved in so many notable duets. Franklin is Gill’s bandmate from The Time Jumpers, a Western swing band composed of first-call studio musicians. Collaboration, however, has been the beating heart of Gill’s career. Including singing, writing, producing and playing, Gill has been a part of more than 400 albums. Another recent project was Divided & United: The Songs of the Civil War, a collaboration album on which Gill and artists like Ricky Skaggs, Old Crow Medicine Show, Shovels & Rope and Dolly Parton recorded new versions of war-era songs. Gill chose “Dear Old Flag,”

and the mandolin work on the track is heartbreaking, as is Gill’s voice, which never descends into sentimentality or inappropriate emotionalism. In 2011, he worked with Rodney Crowell to record “I Hope You Shed a Million Tears” for the album The Lost Notebooks of Hank Williams. Gill is very animated when discussing the collaboration with Crowell. “A janitor found a notebook with unpublished lyrics from Hank Williams in a dumpster,” he said. “It was such a fun project.” The album started when the notebook was handed over to Bob Dylan to complete the lyrics, with help from Gill and Crowell, Jack White, Lucinda Williams, Levon Helm and others. Being Vince Gill means that when someone finds a notebook of unpublished Hank Williams songs — kind of like the guy who finds a Picasso at a garage sale — you are on the short list of people who get a call.

No debating

Gill now lives in Nashville, but he no longer talks about the traditional-versusmodern country debate that divided the city’s music scene for over two decades. While he is clearly capable of working on both sides of that divide, he is a product of the traditional school wherein artists write, play and sing. In addition to his role as a caretaker of the bluegrass tradition, Gill’s work with The Time Jumpers and Asleep at the Wheel also helps keep alive the vibrant tradition of Western swing. “I grew up with Western swing,” Gill

said. “It was the music of dance halls all over Oklahoma and Texas, partly because it was such a perfect way for rural towns to get people together. There wasn’t much to do in those small towns, but people would come together for a night of swing.” These days, he has built his own home recording studio and is working on a new solo album, which he says is almost finished. He also helped produce country musician Ashley Monroe’s latest project, Like a Rose. He still plays live, too, but it’s a different kind of show. Gone are the days of jumbo-sized arena and stadium tours. “I like the medium-sized venues,” Gill said. “Some of those theaters have real history behind them, like the State Theatre in Pennsylvania or The Birchmere music hall in Virginia.”

Few words

For this homecoming, he did find himself reminiscing about how growing up Okie influenced his music. “I think what I took most from Oklahoma was common sense,” he said. “I’m amazed at how widespread it is where we’re from. It’s that matter-of-fact, no woolpulling, no blowing smoke way of seeing the world, talking and working.” How we pick ourselves up after a crisis also inspires and warms the soft-spoken musician. “The work ethic I saw after the bombing — we just had the 20-year anniversary — did not surprise me,” he said. “I was proud of Oklahomans, proud to be one. I try to bring that same ethic and focus to my songwriting, to say the most with the least words.”

OklahOma Gazette | june 3, 2015 | 43

P r OVi De D

life music

Sing Guthrie

A new fall festival brings music, holistic experiences and more to the former state capitol.

leon Russell

By AlissA lindsey

TAlOA music festival sept. 25-27 downtown Guthrie taloafestival.com $99-$249

Artists and music lovers of all ages will converge in a powerful way for the first TALOA Music Festival in historic downtown Guthrie at the end of September. “I’m very intent on bringing together community collaboration and offering a more dynamic festival experience by comingling the locals and the people who are coming in to enjoy the city of Guthrie,” said Nathan Trotter, TALOA founder and executive producer. Sept. 25-27, the festival showcases about 70 musicians in genres like electro, funk, soul, jazz, hip-hop, bluegrass and folk, new grass, blues-rock and red dirt. Oklahoma native and legendary Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Leon Russell will play from his extensive repertoire, which includes pop, rock, folk, blues, country and gospel. Approximately thirteen more bands from Oklahoma will be announced later this month, but until then, music lovers can get excited about the fivepiece fusion folk rock band Nicnōs from Oklahoma City and other headliners like jazz pianist Marco Benevento, three-piece electronic band The New Deal, heavy instrumental rock-fusion band TAUK, downtempo act Desert Dwellers, electronic hydro funk band SunSquabi and bluegrass band The Travelin’ McCourys. “We handpicked this lineup to reflect what Oklahoma City and basically the state of Oklahoma would love to see … this is a family-friendly event, and all of our artists are familyfriendly oriented in their personal values,” Trotter said. The festival is meant to be a

44 | june 3, 2015 | OklahOma Gazette

celebration of music and art and was named TALOA for a Native American word meaning “to sing,” which ties back to Trotter’s heritage. While live music will be the main focus of the festival, attendees will also experience visual, performance and presentation art. TALOA is still accepting applications from interested artists. One of the goals of TALOA is highlighting the emerging health motif in Oklahoma and integrating that into the festival culture. “Basically, this state is in a revival period, and with that revival period, a consciousness of health has come into effect,” Trotter said. “We really want to expand that consciousness by bringing different types of unique, holistic and healthy lifestyle efforts into our community.” One health-oriented option for festivalgoers will be healing workshops like yoga. The festival will also hold a Spikeball tournament, which is a sport activity played using a small trampoline on which to spike the ball. It has rules similar to volleyball. Spikeball teams will be coming to play all the way from California. To round out the community experience, several efforts will be held to fund a new recreational center for education of the arts and academics in Guthrie. Patrons can donate items like clothing, canned food, books and musical instruments. A three-day General Admission Weekend Pass costs $99, and a VIP Pass is $249. The number of festival tickets will be capped at about 5,000, and tickets are available for purchase online at taloafestival.com. TALOA offers a variety of sponsorship levels to promote community involvement. For more information, email hello@taloafestival. com.

OklahOma Gazette | june 3, 2015 | 45

A MusicAl DrAMA

6/7 Skirvin Hilton Brunch - Sundays 11-2pm 6/11 Mustang Town Center 730pm 6/12 OK Music Hall of Fame, Muskogee 8pm 6/12 Arts on the Avenue, Tahlequah 6pm 6/13 Heritage Park Festival, Harrah 8pm

By susan Hunter & Tom shelton Based on the book by carol ryrie Brink

Opens June 5-14

Directed by Rebecca Upshaw

Stage Door Theatre

The

601 Oak • YukOn, Ok 73099 • FridaYs & saturdaYs 7:30pm • sundaYs 2:30pm

tickets: visit www.stagedOOrYukOn.cOm

The Apu Trilogy Pather Panchali Thursday, 8 p.m.

Aparajito Friday, 8 p.m.

Apur Sansar

Saturday, 8 p.m.

Results

Friday & Saturday, 5:30 p.m. Sunday, 2 p.m.

For movie descriptions and ticket sales visit

OKCMOA.COM

SAT, JUNE 6

FLOGGING MOLLY TUES, JUNE 9

BEN HARPER THURS, JUNE 11

ZOMBOY (16+) SAT, JUNE 13

OTHER LIVES SUN, JUNE 14

BEN FOLDS WED, JUNE 17

THE MOWGLI'S FRI, JUNE 19

KEVIN FOWLER W/CURTIS GRIMES FRI, JUNE 26

HAYES CARLL MON, JULY 6

[PeAcH], Blue note lounge, saturday

46 | june 3, 2015 | OklahOma Gazette

JASON ISBELL TULSA, OK ★ 423 NORTH MAIN ST. TICKETS: cainsballroom.com or 877.4.FLY.TIX

life music LIVE MUSIC

Gentry, Kendell’s Bar. VARIOUS

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 3

Howard Brady, Sauced on Paseo. VARIOUS

Amarillo Junction/Ben Brock & Friends, JJ’s Alley. ACOUSTIC Casey & Minna, Saints. VARIOUS Grant Wells, Skirvin Hilton Hotel. PIANO

Huey Lewis and the News, Brady Theater, Tulsa. ROCK Jay Falkner, Toby Keith’s I Love This Bar & Grill. COUNTRY Jim the Elephant, Belle Isle Restaurant & Brewery. COVER Jimmy The Hat/Amanda Cunningham, JJ’s Alley. ACOUSTIC Karen Khoury, Legend’s Restaurant, Norman. PIANO

Mark Vollertsen, Red Rock Canyon Grill. ACOUSTIC

Matt Blagg, Broadway 10 Bar & Chophouse. SINGER/ SONGWRITER

Maurice Johnson, R&J Lounge and Supper Club. JAZZ

Maurice Johnson, Waters Edge Winery. JAZZ

Naturalist/Limp Wizurds/Wallclouds, 89th Street Collective. ROCK

Max Ridgeway, Full Circle Bookstore. ACOUSTIC

Scott Lowber/Will Galbraith/Ed VanBuskirk, Friends Restaurant & Club. COVER

NIKI, Riverwind Casino, Norman. COUNTRY

Sophia Massad, Colcord Hotel. ACOUSTIC

THURSDAY, JUNE 4 Aaron Newman Band, Sidecar Barley & Wine Bar. ACOUSTIC Admirals, 51st Street Speakeasy. ROCK Brent Saulsbury/Will Galbraith/Wayne Duncan, Friends Restaurant & Club. ROCK Butch Walker/Jonathan Tyler/The Dove & The Wolf, Cain’s Ballroom, Tulsa. ROCK David Morris, Skirvin Hilton Hotel. PIANO

staY true P HOtOs / P rOVi De D

Aaron Newman Band, Baker St. Pub & Grill. ACOUSTIC

Greg Jacobs, The Blue Door. SINGER/SONGWRITER

Michelle Leigh, The Paramount OKC. COUNTRY

Terror

Overdrive, Remington Park. COVER Remedy OKC Band, Oklahoma City Limits. ROCK Rich O’Toole, Wormy Dog Saloon. COUNTRY

OKG

music

Roy Lee Scott & The Flying Cowboys, Sliders. COUNTRY

pick

Shortt Dogg, UCO Jazz Lab, Edmond. BLUES Superfreak, Louie’s Grill & Bar, Lake Hefner. Cover

The story so far, Terror, four year strong, souvenirs friday

Hardcore legend Terror joins this headstrong lineup for a Friday tour stop at OKC Farmers Public Market, 311 S. Klein Ave. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., and showtime is 7:30 p.m. Tickets for the all-ages show are $20 in advance or $23 at the door. Visit okcfarmersmarket.com or ticketstorm.com.

The Story So Far/Four Year Strong/Terror/Souvenirs, Farmers Public Market. ROCK Tragikly White, Baker St. Pub & Grill. COVER Zoom City, Buck Thomas Park, Moore. ROCK

SATURDAY, JUNE 6

Kristen Stehr, Riverwind Casino, Norman. COUNTRY

Avenue, Red Rock Canyon Grill. COVER

Loretta Lynn, Sugar Creek Casino, Hinton. COUNTRY

MONDAY, JUNE 8

Awna Teixeira, The Blue Door. SINGER/SONGWRITER

LUCKY, Mickey Mantle’s Steakhouse. COVER

Jimmy the Hat/Gentry Counce, JJ’s Alley. ACOUSTIC

Rose’s Pawn Shop, Opolis, Norman. FOLK

AWOLNATION/IronTom/Family of the Year, Diamond Ballroom. ROCK

Mary Catherine Reynolds and Louise Goldberg, Full Circle Bookstore. JAZZ

Rick Toops, Friends Restaurant & Club. ROCK

Rowdy Folk, Wormy Dog Saloon. COUNTRY

Blake Lankford, Toby Keith’s I Love This Bar & Grill. COUNTRY

Metal Headz, Oklahoma City Limits. ROCK

TUESDAY, JUNE 9

Hosty Duo, The Deli, Norman. ROCK Patti LaBelle, Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, Catoosa. SINGER/SONGWRITER Que Pasa?/Yves, Dope Chapel, Norman. ROCK

Saturday Night Soldiers, JJ’s Alley. ACOUSTIC Stars, Baker St. Pub & Grill. COVER Tyler the Creator/TACO, Diamond Ballroom. HIP-HOP Upon this Dawning/Eskimo Callboy/Outline in Color, 89th Street Collective. ROCK Wendy Colonna/Levi Parham, The Blue Door. COUNTRY

FRIDAY, JUNE 5 Christian Pearson/Gary Johnson, Skirvin Hilton Hotel. PIANO

Mormons in Vegas, Blue Note Lounge. ROCK

Chase Sanford Band, Wormy Dog Saloon. COUNTRY

Pearl, Belle Isle Restaurant & Brewery. ROCK

Don and Melodee Johnson, Twelve Oaks, Edmond. JAZZ Flogging Molly/Radkey, Cain’s Ballroom, Tulsa. ROCK Grant Stevens, Skirvin Hilton Hotel. PIANO Groove Merchants, Red Rock Canyon Grill. COVER

Roy Lee Scott & The Flying Cowboys, Sliders. COUNTRY

Ben Harper & The Innocent Criminals, Cain’s Ballroom, Tulsa. ROCK

Smilin’ Vic, UCO Jazz Lab, Edmond. BLUES

Blake Lankford/Scott Keeton, JJ’s Alley. ACOUSTIC

The Weathermen, Tapwerks Ale House & Cafe. ROCK

LUCKY/Shaun Suttle, Skirvin Hilton Hotel. COVER

TJ Mayes, Grandad’s Bar. ROCK

Jacob Stiefel, Grady’s 66 Pub, Yukon. COUNTRY

Urban Addiction, Russell’s, Tower Hotel. COVER

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 10

Val Gladden Band, Remington Park. VARIOUS

Aaron Newman Band, Colcord Hotel. ACOUSTIC

Vince Gill/Tracy Lawrence, Zoo Amphitheatre. COUNTRY

Andy Adams/Ben Brock & Friends, JJ’s Alley. ACOUSTIC

Troy Hardin, Colcord Hotel. COUNTRY

Jimmy The Hat/Danny Lawrence with Chris Boyd/Eric Dunkin, JJ’s Alley. ACOUSTIC JUNEBUG SPADE!/The Elms/King Latifah, The Hi Lo Club. ROCK Karen Khoury, Legend’s Restaurant, Norman. PIANO

SUNDAY, JUNE 7

Tyler the creator, diamond Ballroom, Thursday

Blake Lankford & Friends/Jesse Cahn’s Open Mic, JJ’s Alley. ACOUSTIC

Cigarette Bums/Who and the Fucks/Trash Pops, Opolis, Norman. VARIOUS Grant Wells, Skirvin Hilton Hotel. PIANO LUCKY, Baker St. Pub & Grill. COVER Maurice Johnson, R&J Lounge and Supper Club. JAZZ

Brent Blount, Colcord Hotel. JAZZ

Rockwell Ryan, Red Rock Canyon Grill. ACOUSTIC

Brit Floyd, Brady Theater, Tulsa. ROCK

Scott Lowber/Will Galbraith/Ed VanBuskirk, Friends Restaurant & Club. COVER

Bryan Hayes, Grandad’s Bar. COUNTRY David Bruster/Storyville Scoundrels, Myriad Botanical Gardens. VARIOUS Dylan Stewart, Grady’s 66 Pub, Yukon. FOLK Edgar Cruz, Skirvin Hilton Hotel. ACOUSTIC Karen Khoury, Legend’s Restaurant, Norman. PIANO Mike Hosty ‘One Man Band’, The Deli, Norman. ROCK PrOViD eD

Dylan Hammett, O Asian Fusion, Norman. ACOUSTIC

Scott Lowber/Will Galbraith/Rick Toops, Friends Restaurant & Club. COVER

Submissions must be received by Oklahoma Gazette no later than noon on Wednesday seven days before the desired publication date. Late submissions will not be included in the listings. Submissions run as space allows, although we strive to make the listings as inclusive as possible. Fax your listings to 528-4600 or e-mail them to listings@okgazette.com. Sorry, but phone submissions cannot be accepted.

Okl ahOma Ga z et te | j u n e 3 , 2015 | 47

COMPLIMENTARY MOVIE PASSES

life music

invites you and a guest to a special advance screening!

HARKINS BRICKTOWN 150 E. RENO AVE, OKC

Pick up your pass for two at

The Paramount OKC 701 W sheridan 405.517.0787 theparamountokc.com WHILE SUPPLIES LAST. PASSES NOT A GUARANTEE OF ADMISSION. SEATING IS LIMITED TO THEATER CAPACITY, AND IS FIRST-COME, FIRST-SERVED ONLY. SCREENING HAS BEEN OVERBOOKED TO ENSURE A FULL HOUSE. THEATER IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR OVERBOOKING. PASS HOLDERS ARE STRONGLY ADVISED TO ARRIVE AT LEAST 90 MINUTES EARLY. NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. VOID WHERE RESTRICTED OR PROHIBITED.

IN THEATERS, REAL D 3D AND IMAX® 3D JUNE 12

48 | june 3, 2015 | Oklahoma Gazette

Collective thread This hungry band proves that success is best when it’s shared. By Alissa Lindsey

As if fulfilling their own untold prophecy, Oklahoma City hip-hop collective Sativa Prophets found one another through a mutual creative hunger. There are rappers in the city. There are producers. There are visual artists. As a group that accepts many avenues of expression, Sativa is all of those things and none of them. “We came together for Sativa Prophets with the idea that anyone can be a Sativa Prophet,” member Mike HuckWheat said, “Sativa meaning creative and prophets meaning storytellers — more than emceeing, more than me, more than us.” Igloo Panda, a local music producer who specializes in jazzy, psychedelic sounds akin to Aphex Twin and Flying Lotus, was ready to leave Oklahoma altogether and pursue music in Austin before the Prophets were formed and convinced him to stay local. Panda met emcee Rodrick Malone through another friend and Sativa member Atomic Calm. Through that connection, he then joined up with HuckWheat and Umi Ra Shakir, formerly known as Mr. 808. There are now seven to 10 members in the Prophets’ informal collective. Panda emphasizes that the Prophets are not as much a music group or band as they are a collective of individual artists. Members support one another’s artistic endeavors, be it musically, through visual art or otherwise. “I think Sativa Prophets is about artistic expression,” Panda said. “If anyone in the Prophets wanted to branch off into anything, be it visual art, film, poetry — anything really — we’d all be behind each other and support each other.” The full extension of the collective’s creativity can truly be seen in their

from left Rodrick Malone, Igloo Panda, HuckWheat, Trill Collins, and Tedajet of Sativa Prophets. paintings. The visual art bug started with Malone, a frequent drawer and painter who moved in with Panda prior to the Prophets being formed. After watching the documentary Gerhard Richter Painting, he bought in fully. After Panda got into it, HuckWheat decided to try his hand in the medium. His first painting started as a collaboration with Panda. He went on to do 10 in his first week. “First one I painted, someone said, ‘How much?’ which was what kept me going also,” he said. “It’s just another outlet. I tore my ACL two years ago and can’t play ball like I want to, so it helped me get my mind off life and feel free.” The Prophets hope they can spread the good news on creativity throughout Oklahoma City and the region, an area not necessarily known for having an affinity with hip-hop culture. Shakir called the local scene “a gruesome motherfucker.” Members agree there is talent in the state but suggest that many local artists are too often divided amongst themselves and competitive. The mindset of the Prophets, Malone said, is to work together toward a common goal. “We’re a collective of artists,” he said. “People always want to divide and separate. To me, art is art. There’s art in everything. Music is what brought us together, but that’s just one aspect of what we all have to offer.” More information and music from the collective can be found at sativaprophetscollective.com.

Ga re tt fi s be c k

TUESDAY, JUNE 9 AT 7:30

life film

Camera work Blake Sullivan didn’t consider a job in film at first, but now he has his own production company that revels in it.

In Oklahoma City’s past, those in creative media industries like audio and film production found their opportunities in the metro stagnant at best. But like much of the city, greener pastures and opportunity have arisen and those would-be filmmakers now give their home a second glance. One example of this fresh perspective is Blake Sullivan, a 2002 Deer Creek graduate whose initial calling did not involve cameras and lenses. While attending the University of Central Oklahoma (UCO), his ambition pointed to three routes. “I was thinking about becoming a lawyer, a professor or a musician while at UCO,” he said. After research, the appeal of the three careers began to wane. In an effort to occupy his creative mind, Sullivan decided to enroll in film and video production classes at Oklahoma City Community College (OCCC) in the fall of 2009. The experience, including classes taught by Gray Fredrickson, Oscar-winning producer of The Godfather trilogy and Apocalypse Now, brought his future into focus. “I knew within the first two weeks of OCCC that this is what I wanted to do,” Sullivan said. “I realized I might be able to realistically be involved in making some cool, creative stuff and make a living at it.”

Career path

Sullivan’s initial exposure to real-world filmmaking was on the set of The Killer Inside Me, the 2010 drama starring Casey Affleck, Jessica Alba and Kate Hudson that was filmed partly in Guthrie. He served as Hudson’s assistant and then as Alba’s assistant later in production. His first film production job was as videographer for Oklahoma City Ballet. This opportunity altered the trajectory of Sullivan’s career. “A company out of New York decided to do a development, a prospective reality show, about the Oklahoma City Ballet,” he said. In the world of television production, reality shows are rarely ideas stemming

49 | june 3, 2015 | Oklahoma Gazette

from networks. Sullivan said the majority of prospective reality shows are pitched by production companies to networks like TLC and A&E. Sullivan was hired as a field producer to create a film reel and trailer for the proposed Oklahoma City Ballet show. He was flown to New York City to help pitch the idea. Though the show was not picked up, the experience opened doors to other opportunities. “I pretty much kept getting work, and I never came back,” he said. He moved to New York City and kept busy for two years. He found himself in locations like Toronto, Las Vegas and Alaska as a field producer, editor, camera operator and director of photography. While in New York City, he met his future wife Jessica. Sensing the seriousness of the relationship, Sullivan and Jessica, a Salt Lake City transplant, decided to make Oklahoma their home. “New York is fun and great, but it is not the best place to foster a long-term relationship,” he said.

Friendly coworkers

Now back home, Sullivan decided to use his knowledge and contacts to establish his own production company. “In the last five, 10 years, Oklahoma developed enough legitimate film work force and experience,” he said. “I knew I could come back and start my own company.” Sullivan looked to his roots to help create the foundation of the business. Zac Davis and Sullivan met at OCCC in the fall of 2009. “Blake and I appreciated each other’s work in school and developed a friendship out of that,” said Davis. Upon Sullivan’s return, the two worked together on documentary projects. They began receiving offers to create commercials and chose to turn full focus to advertisements. It was during this time, in the summer of 2013, that Sullivan officially planted his flag and established Mule Train Productions. “Zac is my go-to editing person,” Sullivan said.

provi ded

By Adam Holt

Davis is contracted out per project and specializes in motion graphics. Though Sullivan has plenty of experience behind a camera, he wanted someone who had cinematography in their veins and the gear to back it up. His search led him to Shad Wyckoff, videographer and co-owner of Blind Sight Digital. Wyckoff’s career spans 19 years. His primary focus is political campaigns and commercials. He has worked in more than 40 states and overseas. “He basically cold-called me to see if I was interested in working with him,” Wyckoff said. He agreed and became Sullivan’s cinematographer and friend.

Full circle

Wyckoff brings an arsenal of top-flight camera gear into the Mule Train fold. “We’ve got the gear not everyone has,” said Sullivan. The company’s current camera lineup includes an ARRI Alexa, Sony F55 and a Red Epic Dragon, all industry-leading technology. The Red Epic Dragon was used to shoot House of Cards and upcoming film Jurassic World. However, Mule Train will soon upgrade to the unreleased Red Weapon Dragon camera. “I know we are the only one in the state with an Alexa, and I’m about 90 percent sure we are the only one with the F55,” said Wyckoff. The trio’s first project was with

Blake Sullivan displays his two ADDY awards. Oklahoma City Ballet. Mule Train produced advertisements for the ballet’s Cinderella and Beauty and the Beast performances. Mule Train’s work was honored with two Oklahoma City American Advertising Awards, or ADDYs. At the awards ceremony, usually dominated by the who’s who of Oklahoma City advertising like Ackerman McQueen and Saxon, Mule Train took two first-place prizes in the Electronic and Broadcast Television category. Mule Train’s flag is planted and reinforced with fresh eyes and young talent. Sullivan’s future plans for his company include increasing its reach and clientele and branching into more creative endeavors. Currently, Mule Train is working with singer and composer Lisa Reagan Love. Their work with the former Miss Oklahoma includes a filmed live concert and music videos. Sullivan’s philosophy behind Mule Train is always to create work of a higher standard, no matter the subject of the project. This comes easy for the trio whose love for film would not allow anything less. “Film work is our passion,” said Sullivan. “This is a bit of a dream job.”

FREE WILL ASTROLOGY Homework: Homework: I dare you to bestow a blessing on a person you’ve considered to be beneath you. Testify at FreeWillAstrology.com ARIES (March 21-April 19) The Persian scholar Avicenna was so well-rounded in his knowledge that he wrote two different encyclopedias. Even as a teenager he was obsessed with learning all he could. He got especially consumed with trying to master Aristotle’s Metaphysics, which did not easily yield its secrets to him. He read it 40 times, memorizing every word. When he finally understood it, he was so excited he celebrated by giving out money and gifts to destitute strangers. I suspect you will soon be having an equivalent breakthrough, Aries. At last you will grasp a truth that has eluded you for a long time. Congratulations in advance!

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) When it’s rush hour in Tokyo, unwieldy crowds of commuters board the trains and subways. They often need help at squeezing in. Railway workers known as oshiya, or pushers, provide the necessary force. Wearing crisp uniforms, white gloves, and neat hats, they cram the last stragglers into each car. I foresee the possibility of you being called on to perform a metaphorical version of the service these pushers provide. Is there a polite and respectful way for you to be indelicate in a worthy cause? Could you bring light-hearted tact to bear as you seek an outcome that encourages everyone to compromise? GEMINI (May 21-June 20) Nobel Prize-winning physicists Wolfgang Pauli and Niels Bohr were both amused at how counterintuitive their innovative theories seemed. Once Pauli was lecturing a group of eminent scientists about a radical new hypothesis. Bohr got out of his seat in the audience and walked up to the front to interrupt his colleague. “We all agree that your theory is crazy,” Bohr told Pauli. “The question that divides us is whether it is crazy enough to have a chance of being correct. My own feeling is that it is not crazy enough.” Pauli defended himself. “It is crazy enough!” he said. But Bohr was insistent. “It’s

not crazy enough!” he argued. I’m going to pose a comparable query to you, Gemini. Are your new ideas and possibilities crazy enough to be true? Make sure they are.

CANCER (June 21-July 22) You’ve wandered into an awkward phase of your cycle. Missed connections have aroused confusion. Disjointed events have led to weirdness. I’ve got a suggestion for how you might be able to restore clarity and confidence: Make a foray into a borderland and risk imaginative acts of heroism. Does that sound too cryptic or spooky? How about if I say it like this: Go on an unpredictable quest that will free your trapped vitality, or try a mysterious experiment that will awaken your sleeping magic. P.S. For best results, ask for help every step of the way. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) Gesamtkunstwerk is a German word that can be translated as “total art work” or “all-embracing art form.” It refers to a creative masterpiece that makes use of several genres. The 19th-century composer Richard Wagner had this in mind when he produced his opera cycle The Ring of the Nibelung, which included orchestral music, singing, theater, and literature. I’m invoking the spirit of Gesamtkunstwerk for your use, Leo. The coming weeks will be an excellent time to synthesize and coordinate all the things you do best, and express them with a flourish. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) Defender was a popular video game that young people played in video arcades during the 1980s. Fifteen-year-old Steve Juraszek was profiled in Time magazine after he racked up a record-breaking 16 million points while playing the game for 16 hours straight. But when his high school principal found out that Juraszek had skipped classes to be at the arcade, he was suspended. I’m wondering if there may soon be a similar development in your own life, Virgo. Will you have to pay a small price for your success? You should at least be prepared to risk an acceptable loss in order to accomplish an important goal.

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LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) People I meet are sometimes taken aback by the probing questions I ask them. Recently an acquaintance said to me, “Why don’t you feel driven to talk about yourself all the time, like everyone else?” I told him the truth: “Being curious is just the way I was made. Maybe it’s because of my Mercury in Gemini, or my seventh-house sun, or my three planets in Libra.” I suspect that you are due to go through a phase similar to the mode I’m so familiar with. If it doesn’t happen naturally, I suggest you coax it out. You need to be extra inquisitive. You’ll benefit from digging as deeply as you dare. The more information you uncover, the better your decisions will be. SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) I love to watch an evolved Scorpio get his or her needs met by helping other people get their needs met. It’s thrilling to behold the paradoxical Scorpio assets in action: the combination of manipulativeness and generosity; the animal magnetism working in service to the greater good; the resourceful willpower that carries out hidden agendas and complex strategies designed to make the world a better place. I expect to see a lot of this idiosyncratic wisdom from you in the coming weeks. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) “Would that life were like the shadow cast by a wall or a tree,” says the Talmud. “But it is like the shadow of a bird in flight.” That’s a lyrical sentiment, but I don’t agree with it. I’ve come to prefer the shimmering dance over the static stance. The ever-shifting play of light and dark is more interesting to me than the illusion of stability. I feel more at home in the unpredictable flow than in the stagnant trance of certainty. What about you, Sagittarius? I suggest that in the immediate future you cultivate an appreciation for the joys and challenges of the shimmering dance. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) The core of your horoscope comes from the poem “A Color of the Sky” by Tony Hoagland. Imagine that you are the “I” who is saying the following: “What I thought was an end turned out to be a middle. What I thought was a brick wall turned out to be a tunnel.

What I thought was an injustice turned out to be a color of the sky.” Please understand, Capricorn, that speaking these words might not make total sense to you yet. You may have to take them on faith until you gather further evidence. But I urge you to speak them anyway. Doing so will help generate the transformations you need in order to make them come true.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) Lessons in luck are coming your way. Will they help you attract more luck? Maybe. Will they show you how to make better use of your luck? Maybe. A lot depends on your ability to understand and love the paradox of luck. I’ve assembled a few enigmatic teachings to prepare you. 1. “Luck is believing you’re lucky.” - Tennessee Williams. 2. “It is a great piece of skill to know how to guide your luck even while waiting for it.” - Baltasar Gracián. 3. “Sometimes not getting what you want is a brilliant stroke of luck.” Lorii Myers. 4. “The harder I work, the luckier I get.” - Samuel Goldwyn. 5. “You’ve got to try your luck at least once a day, because you could be going around lucky all day and not even know it.” - Jimmy Dean. 6. “Go and wake up your luck.” - Persian proverb. PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20) The word “boudoir” means a woman’s bedroom. But hundreds of years ago, it had a more specific definition. It was a room where a well-bred girl was sent when she was pouting. “Boudoir” is derived from the French verb bouder, which means “to sulk.” If it were in my power, Pisces, I would send you to the sulking room right now. In fact, I would encourage you to sulk. In my opinion, a good long sulk would be just the right prescription for you. It would trigger brainstorms about how to change the soggy, foggy conditions that warranted your sulking in the first place. Go to RealAstrology.com to check out Rob Brezsny’s expanded weekly audio horoscopes /daily text message horoscopes. The audio horoscopes are also available by phone at 1-877-873-4888 or 1-900-950-7700.

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