19th Street Magazine March 2019 Issue 3 Volume 2

68 Team Giveaway

March Madness

Attorney Talks Tax Debt

Trouble with Taxes

Veteran of the Month

Denver Williams

Orthodontics Exclusively

March | CONTENTS 2019

ISSUE 3 - VOLUME 2

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Mark Doescher

MANAGING EDITOR

Chip Minty

SENIOR EDITOR

Lindsay Cuomo

PHOTOGRAPHY

Mark Doescher

CONTRIBUTORS

Sharla Bardin | Kaylee Campbell Lindsay Cuomo | Josh Helmer Chelsey Kraft | Chris Plank Paige Uhr

08

by Josh Helmer

34

ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVES

Tracie Gray - tracie@sportstalk1400.com Trevor Laffoon - trevor@sportstalk1400.com Perry Spencer - perry@sportstalk1400.com

PUBLISHER Randy Laffoon

68 Team Giveaway

SportsTalk listeners to gather for annual March Madness fun.

12 by Lindsay Cuomo

Love Inspires Long Life

SportsTalk Media 2020 E. Alameda Norman, Oklahoma 73071 Phone: (405) 321-1400 E-mail: editor@boydstreet.com Copyright © SportsTalk Media

WW II Vet celebrates 100 years of serving God, family, country.

16 by Paige Uhr

Back to the Future

Any articles, artwork or graphics created by SportsTalk Media or its contributors are sole property of SportsTalk Media and cannot be reproduced for any reason without permission. Any opinions expressed in SportsTalk are not necessarily that of SportsTalk management.

Old Town Park looks ahead to reconstruction of old depot.

20 by Chelsey Kraft

Festive Shopping

Ace Party Supply gives customers head start on fun.

26 by Sharla Bardin

Business Summit

Technology center’s annual event to foster business growth.

30 by Kaylee Campbell

Orthodontics Exclusively

Orthodontist’s new location looks to serve the surrounding community.

44by Lindsay Cuomo

Trouble with Taxes

Norman attorney rescues clients from tax debt.

40 by Lindsay Cuomo

Disaster Ready

Norman Regional prepares for severe weather season.

Cover photo provided 4 | March 2019

S P O RT S

BY: JOSH HELMER

68-Team Giveaway

SportsTalk Listeners to Gather for Annual March Madness Fun

S

portsTalk Media Group is excited to welcome back the 18th annual 68-Team Giveaway on Monday, March 18 at Buffalo Wild Wings in Moore. This event gives listeners an opportunity to have their name drawn for one of the teams competing in the postseason NCAA men’s basketball tournament, affectionately known as “March Madness.”

Depending on how an individual’s team performs in the tournament, great prizes from SportsTalk Media Group’s advertisers are awarded.

“It’s like a giant community office pool at Buffalo Wild Wings,” SportsTalk owner Randy Laffoon said. “People turn out to get a team, but they all want to know what they can win. It’s a win for the advertiser, and it’s a win for the listener.”

Buffalo Wild Wings is the perfect place to host the event thanks to its spacious complex. Show hosts from SportsTalk will be set up in the bar area atop a stage to announce teams beginning during the 1 p.m. hour of programming. Thanks to Buffalo Wild Wings’ setup, families with kids don’t have to 8 | March 2019

be bashful about joining in on the fun and can nab a team, too.

“The speaker system goes throughout the whole building, so we can have a lot more people than just in the bar area,” Laffoon said.

SportsTalk program director TJ Perry has been a part of the event since its inception back in 2002.

“It’s just always been a special event,” Perry said. “Regardless of what the prizes have been over the years, the event has become more about the togetherness, about friends getting together.”

As the station’s biggest event of the year, he noted the event’s importance to SportsTalk’s listeners, as well.

“It’s the one time of the year that the loyal listeners to the station can all get together. It’s almost like a family reunion,” Perry said. “Many take vacation days to be there, because a lot of it starts in the middle of the day. They don’t want to miss anything. People meet one another and save tables.”

ple hours, all of the on-air talent, hall of fame callers, people you may have never met face to face.”

Toby Rowland, host of the “T-Row in the Morning Show” and voice of the Sooners, said the event has really grown and he appreciates the opportunity to engage with listeners and callers.

Longtime listener and caller Kurt Keeley echoed those sentiments. He is an event regular for many years, and he was lucky enough to win an iPad one year.

“It’s my favorite event, just the camaraderie of it,” Keeley said. “It’s always packed. I enjoy everybody getting together all in the same place for a cou-

“This is the one time where a significant percentage of listeners are all under the same roof at the same time,” Rowland said. “It’s grown and grown. I remember when it first started, we would give away multiple teams to the same people because we didn’t have enough people to draft all 68 teams.”

“It’s just fun,” Rowland said. “They’ve got wing sauce all over their face, and they probably have had a couple of their favorite beverages. Everybody’s excited about the tournament and the brackets being out, and so we all get together to figure out who is going to win this thing.” – 19SM

COM M U N I T Y

BY: LINDSAY CUOMO

Love Inspires Long Life

PRESENTED BY

WW II Vet Celebrates 100 years of Serving God, Family, Country

B

orn in 1919, Denver Williams has seen a century of life, with a bounty of memories that include love, family, celebrations and war.

“I lived a lot of places as a kid,” Williams said.

A wandering spirit would carry him throughout his life, even into his years of service in the military during World War II. Just two months after marrying his wife, Letha, Williams volunteered to serve in the 45th Infantry, signing up at a recruiting station in Oklahoma City.

Not long after joining, Williams moved to the Army Air Corps and then transferred to the Navy, where there was a need for more aircraft mechanics.

“They needed people to work on the planes to keep them flying,” Williams said. “I had an ear for that sort of thing.”

12 | March 2019

After about a month of training in California, Williams was deployed to the Pacific Theater, where he still has vivid memories of harrowing moments at sea.

He recalls when his ship was caught in a heavy storm at the same time it was under attack by an enemy submarine.

“I remember we were in the bottom of the boat, feeling sick as a dog. The waves were so high. The captain would yell ‘Quiet’ because torpedoes were being fired at us.

We’d sit, trying not to throw up.”

They arrived at their destination safely, but the memory of that trip has stuck with Williams. Still, more than 70 years later, he has an aversion to being on the open ocean. An avid fisherman, Williams prefers the calmer waters and near shores of Oklahoma lakes.

He spent three years, serving as an aircraft mechanic, responsible for working on bi-planes and training aircraft.

“It was a lot of work, patching wings, fixing landing gear, tuning engines,” Williams said.

He found himself working in tight spaces, tucked inside the body of damaged planes. Often Williams did so with the engines running, carefully listening for flaws in their mechanics. His work on those engines would eventually damage his hearing, but Williams knew many other soldiers were facing the harshest of wartime conditions.

“It makes me feel bad when I think about what our boys went through in those fox holes. They were out there protecting me. Some of them went through a lot.”

After the war, Williams went to work at Tinker Air Force Base, where he would make a career of keeping our military in the air. He spent 30 years as an inspector. His liberal use of pink slips issued to people for substandard work earned him the nickname “Pinkie.”

At home, Williams and Letha raised two boys in their 72 years of marriage,

and they enjoyed traveling together as a family.

“I always took all my vacation time every year,” Williams said. “We had a trailer we would hitch up.”

They spent a lot of their time at Lake Texoma, fishing in their favorite spots.

But, when he retired in 1975, Williams and his wife traveled on the open road, visiting all 48 states.

“I can remember Letha would put her legs up on the dash, and we’d drive. I think that part was her favorite.”

After experiencing so much in his life, it’s those memories and his love of his family that now come to mind most often.

Later this year, Williams will celebrate his 100th birthday at the Norman Veterans Center, with his son, Ronald, and daughter-in-law, Linda, and he credits his many years to his faith.

“I tell people all the time, the Lord has never forsaken me. When I think of the times that He has protected me, of what He has done for me, I love Him so much.” - 19SM

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COM M U N I T Y

BY: PAIGE UHR

Back to the Future

Old Town Park Looks Ahead to Reconstruction of Old Depot

M

oore is continuing efforts to restore its downtown, and there are high hopes it will become an integral part of the city again. The newest construction project, Old Town Park, is in full swing and is one of the exciting changes coming to Main Street.

Old Town Park sits on approximately one acre at the corner of Main Street and the railroad tracks. It is just a quarter of a mile from The Station, the city’s stateof-the-art recreation and aquatic center.

While there are many visions for what the park might entail, the City of Moore is focused on beginning phase one – building a replica of the old Santa Fe Railroad depot.

Community interest over the original depot sparked a conversation with the city and they decided to look into it. Now privately owned, the original depot building was sold in 1975 and moved to a different location. It would be difficult and expensive to buy it back, move it and update it. Instead, the city has decided to recreate it to be similar.

While the outside of the replica will 16 | March 2019

be almost identical to the original, the plans for the inside are quite different. The depot will be just under 1,100 square feet and serve two purposes.

The city would like to feature an artist in residence and have a coffee and juice shop operator that can provide beverages, bagels, donuts and more.

In an effort to make the interior a unique space that changes every so often, the depot will house an artist for a one-year term and can host any art form, such as sculpting, painting, woodworking or others.

“Our goal is for the depot to be a dynamic space,” said Todd Jenson, assistant city manager.

The goal would be not only for the artist to showcase their work but have the opportunity to sell pieces while in residence. The city would also like to have pieces at City Hall or The Station to bring awareness to the artist’s work.

According to Jenson, the city hopes to have an official process open by April for artists and potential coffee shop operators to submit applications. Artists

will be required to submit photographs of their artwork and complete an application.

Coffee shop applicants must already have experience of some form and will be required to submit financials, a business plan and other documents.

Additionally, there will be a fee or rent tied to the operator space.

Regarding hours of operation, Jenson said there will be a proposed set of hours, but they may be flexible. While the coffee shop will be a full-time operation, the artist will not be required as much. However, the artist will likely have to be available more on the weekends due to higher traffic.

The city hopes to have an artist and operator secured by the end of this summer, so they can begin planning. The

depot is set to open in spring 2020.

“We are excited to have this space here and are hoping it will be a place residents and families can go and enjoy,” Jenson said.

While Jenson is unsure of what the next phases will entail, other features of Old Town Park may include a trail to connect the park and The Station. They have also discussed having a significant landscape and public art presence outside of the depot. – 19SM

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B U S I N E SS

BY: CHELSEY KRAFT

Festive Shopping

Ace Party Supply Gives Customers Head Start on Fun

W

hen customers walk through the doors of Ace Party Supplies and Showtime Concessions, they are greeted by 9,000 square feet of fun.

Offering merchandise ranging from bridal shower decorations and edible glitter to a nacho cheese machine, this warehouse turned colorful party store offers customers an array of products to celebrate any occasion.

“We have everything you need for a party,” said Katy Priebe, who handles social media marketing for the business.

Previously, the space was a warehouse for Showtime Concessions, which opened more than 20 years ago. Owner John Lohman was looking for a new business to open in the Moore location and ended up deciding a party store would be a good fit.

“We were actually looking for something to put in here,” said Mike English s, the store’s general manager. “Moore has never had a party store like this. We talked to someone down in Texas to see how to set it up, and he was looking to 20 | March 2019

get out of his store completely, so we ended up buying his store name and all the fixtures and moving it here.”

The Ace Party Supplies component of the business offers all the décor needs for parties. Some popular party theme requests right now are llamas, cactuses, unicorns, “Minecraft” and “Jurassic World,” and Priebe expects “Frozen” and “Toy Story” to be big again as both have new films coming out this year.

Priebe said the store is also a popular spot for graduation party supplies since it is licensed to print the logos of Moore, Westmoore and Southmoore high schools and will soon be adding Norman High, Norman North and Community Christian School.

“It’s bigger. It’s brighter. It’s more of a family,” said Priebe, who said the space features big aisles to make shopping more comfortable for customers. “A lot of people come in and say it’s a bigger store than they expected it to be. We also try to go above and beyond and do what we can to help. Usually, if we don’t have something, we can 90 percent of the time get it for you.”

This family component even includes a beloved and popular silver chocolate lab named Hudson, who is a staple of the store.

“I think we have more people who come in and ask for her than anything else,” Priebe said. “They’re like, ‘Where’s the dog? Where’s Hudson?’”

Most of the local schools and banks get their popcorn and popcorn machines from Ace Party Supplies and Showtime Concessions, Priebe said. The company also offers both purchases and rentals for snow cones and cotton candy and

will soon be adding a disco ball for rent.

The party supply store will be celebrating its second anniversary on April 8, and community members are invited to celebrate on April 6 with a party that will feature popcorn, giveaways and sales.

“I love it here,” Priebe said. “It’s laidback and fun. I mean, it’s a party store, so coming to work is a party every day.”

Ace Party Supplies and Showtime Concessions is located at 200 SE 19th Street, just east of Interstate 35. – 19SM

COM M U N I T Y

L

BY: SHARLA BARDIN

Business Summit

Technology Center’s Annual Event to Foster Business Growth

ocal business owners who attend the “Grow Your Business” summit will find resources to help strengthen their companies and encouragement to achieve their dreams.

The annual event is presented by Moore Norman Technology Center on April 24 and provides attendees with the opportunity to network with other business leaders and learn about services and programs that can benefit companies.

Participants also will hear from speakers on a variety of topics, such as cyber security, medical marijuana in the workplace, how to navigate conflict with confidence and tips on how to get organized and stress less, said Gina Bertoletti, business development coordinator for the technology center.

The summit, now in its second year, takes place at the technology center’s South Penn campus in Oklahoma City.

The event covers subjects that can apply to companies that vary from startup to mature.

ees concise, impactful messages.

“People love getting nuggets of information in a short period of time,” Bertoletti said.

Attendees will be able to stay in one conference room. She said she received comments from the audience last year who said they enjoyed the breakout sessions but were interested in other sessions happening simultaneously in different rooms.

This year’s schedule gives all the attendees the opportunity to hear each speaker, Bertoletti said.

Also featured at the summit is keynote speaker, Korey McMahon. McMahon is the CEO of McMahon Marketing in Norman. He’s also an author and a former professional snowboarder and marketer for Mountain Dew. McMahon said he’ll be speaking with the group about “living the dream.”

“This is for businesses of all sizes,” Bertoletti said.

“My goal is to inspire a million people to go and live their dream” and to accomplish the biggest dreams they have, he said.

The summit will feature a forum similar to the popular TED Talks, which is a series of brief talks given by experts.

She believes the setup can offer attend-

“We’re going to talk about achieving your authentic happiness and achieving and understanding what is most important to the individual.”

26 | March 2019

business community.

McMahon said he and his company have benefited from initiatives and classes offered through the center.

“It’s one of the key components to our success,” he said.

McMahon is also looking forward to talking with business owners about growth and the importance of outlining clear goals and plans that can help companies move forward.

“If we can help grow a business, the ripple effect is just remarkable,” he said.

Bertoletti said the summit is another example of the technology center’s goal of helping to equip businesses to grow and succeed.

Korey McMahon, McMahon Markting CEO

McMahon said he encourages business owners to take advantage of the resources and insight they can gain from the summit, as well as the programs that the technology center offers to the

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“Moore Norman Technology Center considers it a privilege to be in the service of businesses in our community,” she said. “We appreciate them. This is our way of giving back to them and helping them.”– 19SM

B U S I N E SS

BY: KAYLEE CAMPBELL

Orthodontics Exclusively

O

ver the last twenty years, Dr. Tim Shannon has made giving back a part of life at Orthodontics Exclusively.

It started small, hosting study clubs, teaching at the University of Oklahoma College of Dentistry and building relationships with other specialists in Norman.

Then, in the early 2000s, Norman-based oral surgeon Dr. Perry Brooks teamed up with Orthodontics Exclusively to take on the challenging surgical case of an OU student athlete, Shannon said.

“We ended up seeing [the student] three days after the Cotton Bowl,” Shannon explained. “We had to do two jaw surgeries [and orthodontic treatment].”

The patient was the practice’s first trauma case of a university athlete, but was certainly not the last.

Since that time, Dr. Mark Revels has joined the practice and Orthodontics Exclusively has continued to uphold their reputation, among coaches, students and their families, as being the go-to orthodontists in Norman, particularly when there has been trauma sustained to the mouth.

Of course, it takes a thriving business to keep up this level of dedication. And 30 | March 2019

Orthodontics Exclusively owes a good deal of their success to word of mouth.

When the orthodontists at the practice realized that the growth at their Norman location, at 2214 W. Boyd St, was due to patients coming from south Oklahoma City and Moore — which had not traditionally been the case — they began to investigate by reaching out to dentists in the area.

The team found that, while many of their patients from north of Norman were referred by their general dentists, there were many more referrals who were deterred by the drive.

“People are so busy today that even 15 minutes can make a difference in their decision,” Shannon said. “We had just brought [Dr. Gaby Restuccia] on, and she’s bilingual, so we thought [a location on the south side of Oklahoma City] was a great opportunity.”

With some 250 orthodontic patients in the new office, at 1516 SW 119th St, in the first year alone, it looks like Orthodontics Exclusively made the right call.

Restuccia, originally from Venezuela, came to Norman to study English for a year at OU. She returned for her residency at the University of Oklahoma School of Dentistry where Shannon was one of her part-time instructors.

As orthodontists, Shannon, Revels and Restuccia appreciate the success, but as people like the rest of us, their drive really comes down to one thing — the kids.

Whether donating scoreboards to community centers, playground equipment and recess racks to elementary schools or providing free orthodontic treatment to low-income children with complex cases and sponsoring local community events, the team at Orthodontics Exclusively is always finding new ways to give back to youngest residents.

“We just want to make sure the kids — their time when they’re out of the classroom — that they’re decompressing and having fun,” Shannon said.

Perhaps the most well known of the practice’s charitable contributions is their sponsorship of the OU Junior Captain program. The program makes it possible for kids aged 6-14 to get an up-close-and-personal look into what game day is like for University of Oklahoma student athletes.

“It’s an experience these kids will never forget,” Shannon said. “We’ve been able to do it for football, men’s and women’s basketball, softball and baseball.

“We’ve had kids who’ve been able to be batgirl for the [National Championship] softball team. It’s so exciting to see how excited these kids are to do some of these things.”

Shannon and Revels see patients at both Orthodontics Exclusively locations while Restuccia stays at the new south side location. For more information, visit www.orthoexc.com.– 19SM

General Membership Luncheon Keynote Speaker: Chickasaw Nation Governor Bill Anaotubby

Thursday, April 4 11:45 am - 1:00 pm Register online at www.MooreChamber.com $25 Member; $30 Non Member #DoMooreBizLocal #ShopMooreLocal #EatMooreLocal

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S P O RT S

SOONER PREVIEW

BY: CHRIS PLANK

PRESENTED BY

McIntyre Law is a proud supporter of OU athletics.

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Return Trip OU Baseball Hopes for Another Postseason Run

Six top hitters and nearly 60 percent of OU’s pitching staff graduated or were drafted into Major League Baseball.

After a 38-25 season that ended in an NCAA regional championship game, OU is now without top draft picks Kyler Murray, drafted ninth, and Steele Walker, drafted 46th.

Of the 47 home runs last year, this season’s returning players accounted for just 11.

“We had a tremendous first year, ended up in a regional championship against a lot of odds, and the attitude of the team 34 | March 2019

was really good,” Johnson said. “We’re really looking forward to the opportunity in front of us.”

The Sooners also lost pitcher Braidyn Fink to an arm injury.

Despite losing so many key pieces, Johnson is encouraged by the amount of talent that has stepped up.

“Depth is going to be one of our strengths.

We have a lot of young depth,” Johnson said. “There will be bumps and bruises and adversity, but guys gain experience as we go through. We got better as the year went last year. What we talk about day in and day out is winning the last game of the season. That’s what we talk about as our vision for the program.”

While depth is a strength, Johnson is charged with finding leaders and personalities to replace the experience that left for the next level. From rally babies

Photos by: Mark Doescher

T

he second season of Skip Johnson’s head coaching tenure will have a much different look than his inaugural season. While much has changed for Sooner baseball, the foundational pieces remain in place as the team works toward a return to Omaha.

to eccentric personalities, the Sooner clubhouse has been loaded with character, over the last few seasons.

“We’ve still got the characters in the locker room,” senior Brylie Ware said. “Blake Brewster’s probably our biggest character. That’s what we love about Brew.”

While many faces and names have changed on the field and in the clubhouse, a few things have remained the same. SportsTalk 1400AM and 99.3 FM will continue as the play-by-play radio home of Sooner baseball, providing coverage of all 56 regular season and all post-season games on both the terrestrial radio signals and on-line at SportsTalk1400.com.

“Being in the Norman community, we try and bring the best coverage of OU that we can, even broadcasting some things outside the box like soccer and volleyball,” said TJ Perry, SportsTalk’s program director and morning show co-host. “But for me, baseball works on the radio better than any other sport.

You can have it on in the office, work-

ing around the house, etc. Plus, it comes at a time of the year when people are getting out enjoying the weather. OU baseball has also been extremely popular with our out-of-state listeners on our app.”

Randy Laffoon took over ownership of SportsTalk 99.3FM and 1400AM in April of 2009, and the partnership with Sooner baseball has been a key piece of the relationship the station has within the community and with Oklahoma Sooner athletics.

“I felt as loyal as Sooner fans are, our location in Norman and with me being an alumnus, baseball broadcasts are a perfect fit,” Laffoon said. “Every year, we carry every game. It’s a commitment to OU, to the community and, of course, to the fans.”

In fact, SportsTalk 99.3FM and 1400AM is branded as the home of Sooner fans.

In addition to baseball broadcasts, the station carries women’s basketball, football coaches’ shows, soccer, volleyball and more.

19th STREET MAGAZINE | 35

“Home of the Sooners tells exactly who we are. All of our hosts cover OU yearround,” Laffoon said. “Toby Rowland, Chris Plank, James Hale and Teddy Lehman are all pros and are well respected. We’re able to cover all sports, but we lean toward the Sooners.”

Toby Rowland enters his eighth season calling Sooner baseball. Rowland also co-hosts the T-Row in the Morning show every weekday with Perry from 6 to 9 a.m. For a die-hard baseball fan like Perry, preparing for the season is a lot of work, but also a labor of love.

“Preparing for the season, I work closely with several people at Sooner sports, Learfield and OU,” Perry said. “Over the years, we’ve developed a pretty good system to make sure everything is good to go for the start of the season since we produce nonconference games

in house. It takes a lot of work to coordinate making sure everything runs smoothly.”

For Laffoon, it’s an opportunity to not only showcase his alma mater, but also one of his favorite sports.

“Baseball has always been a favorite sport of mine,” Laffoon said. “We’re committed to giving Sooner baseball the coverage it deserves for its fans and the university. That’s why we’re there every game home and away, any time of day.”

In addition to hearing the games on SportsTalk 99.3FM and 1400AM, Sooner baseball broadcasts also stream at SportsTalk1400.com and on the SportsTalk app. You can find the SportsTalk app by searching SportsTalk 1400 in your app store. – 19SM

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BY: LINDSAY CUOMO

Disaster Ready W

hether facing straight-line winds, heavy rain and tornadoes or extreme heat and dangerous drought, severe weather is a reality in the Sooner state. It’s not a matter of if, but a matter of when, said Capt. Matt Myers, paremedic and crew chief with Norman Regional EMSSTAT.

“We have to be disaster prepared,” Myers said. “One of the best ways to ensure your safety is to plan ahead of time. It’s much harder to figure it out afterward.”

This goes beyond household preparedness. At the same time you are packing your tornado bags and readying your emergency plans, Norman Regional’s EMSSTAT and emergency departments are doing the same, just on a larger scale.

“We do routine disaster drills to be sure we are prepared for an influx of patients,” confirmed Dr. Patrick Cody, emergency medicine physician and medical director of Norman Regional’s EMSSTAT.

Norman Regional’s EMSSTAT is part of a federally funded, statewide network tasked with comprehensive emergency response preparations. This network addresses training and physical resources, as well as the cooperative efforts among a variety of organizations.

“Weather-related emergencies can easily overwhelm a single agency so we are connected with mutual aid partners,” Myers explained. “We have agreements with surrounding agencies, to help each other in times of need.”

Given their unique role within the Okla40 | March 2019

homa Regional Response System, Norman Regional’s EMSSTAT is equipped with an entire strike team. The team has a full arsenal of specifically trained staff and specialized equipment designed for a scope of emergency situations, including a mobile command trailer and an all-terrain ATV that is fully-equipped to act as a mini ambulance.

“We are prepared to bring all our capabilities right to the disaster,” Myers said.

The department recently acquired a wildfire rehabilitation trailer, with support from Norman Regional Foundation and Firehouse Subs. The trailer is equipped to provide care and supplies to fire fighters fighting wildfires as well as citizens that have been injured as part of the event, explained Myers.

“It has a full-functioning kitchen, a shower and bedding to make extended response possible,” he said.

Cody and Myers hope that you have a plan in place as well.

“Having a plan and practicing it a couple times a year is very important,” Myers encouraged. “It’s not just a cliché, it is true.”

However, even with the best safety plans, injuries still happen.

“If you find yourself involved in a disaster situation and you have the ability to get out of the situation, you should,” Cody added. “Go quickly and as safely as you can to the nearest hospital.”

But, if you don’t have the ability to get yourself out, Cody had some helpful advice.

“Everyone should have a first aid kit around their house and, if you can, put a tourniquet in it. We know those save lives,” Cody said. “Since it is likely the debris you come in contact with is contaminated, we like to say the best solution to pollution is to wash it out. Even clean tap water will help wash containments from a wound and you want to do that as soon as you can. Then, cover it with the cleanest thing you can find like gauze or even a clean t-shirt.”

While tornadoes first come to mind when addressing your severe weather plans, Cody said that extreme heat is also very dangerous.

“We are so used to hot weather, we don’t talk about the risks. It’s important to stay indoors when possible when we experience extreme heat, but if you can’t, stay hydrated and watch out for others,” Cody advised.

Dangerous physical symptoms related to the heat include vomiting, behavioral changes and stroke-like symptoms.

And, for those eager to help during a disaster, Myers is thankful for your gen-

erosity, but encourages you to be patience.

“This is Oklahoma. I know we want to help but that can cause problems with traffic and communicaEmergency medicine tion, and there physician and medical diare safety con- rector of Norman Regional’s EMSSTAT cerns,” MyDr. Patrick Cody ers explained.

“Keep yourself and your family safe. Don’t rush out and put yourself in danger. You can volunteer at a food distribution center, donate blood or provide in-kind items that are needed.”

Norman Regional Health System has three emergency rooms, two in Norman and one in Moore. Their EMSSTAT serves Norman, Moore and surrounding communities across approximately 400 square miles. – 19SM

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B U S I N E SS

BY: LINDSAY CUOMO

Troubles withTaxes

Norman Attorney Rescues Clients from Tax Debt

T

ax season is upon us once again, and, as we wade through earnings and credits, expenditures and assets, April 15 can bring about an intense amount of stress for those with a mounting tax bill.

Rod Polston, senior attorney and founder of Polston Tax Resolution & Accounting, has seen firsthand the dire situations some face.

“The fear of the unknown is the worst,” Polston said. “I am no different than anyone else. I am holding my breath a little every time I do my taxes too. But there are manageable solutions.”

In fact, this is the very reason he started working in tax resolution. Polston spent many of his college years working as an intern for a tax lawyer and then several years in his own start-up law firm focusing on other aspects of the tax law specialty. However, his experience with an oil field welder shaped what his firm has grown to become today.

had done to become a lawyer, and I saw the purpose in it all: it was to help people that owe back taxes. God kind of laid it in my lap and I love it.”

Today, Polston Tax employs a team of 100 people focused on helping people like that first client, those in over their heads trying desperately to make things right.

“People just think ‘why don’t they just pay their taxes,’ but it’s not that simple.

No one just wakes up one day and decides not to pay their taxes,” Polston said. “Events happen that you don’t plan on. Divorce causes problems. Traumatic events happen. All my staff is trained and very aware of the stress that our clients are experiencing. We know they’re in a difficult situation.”

So, he offers some sage advice this tax season. When a problem develops, respond to it. Not doing anything about it just makes the problem worse.

“My first collections client was a tough oil field guy, but there he was crying in my office,” Polston recalled. “He was the sole financial provider in his household. I knew I needed to help this guy.”

“I know people get nervous that they can’t pay and then they just don’t file,” Polston said. “But the IRS files for you anyway. The longer you let it go, the more penalties you accrue. And not filing or filing a false return is a crime.”

“After that case, I thought about all that I

“Plenty of people owe back taxes,” he

44 | March 2019

“Someone who doesn’t do that can really mess things up,” he said. “You are already in a tough financial situation.

You don’t want someone who dabbles.”

Polston said his company has been helping people with appeals, audit representation, bank levies, installment agreements and more for nearly 15 years.

said. “The good news is there is a solution, one you can live with.”

People who find they are unable to pay their tax debt should find an attorney that knows the ins and outs of tax resolution, Polston said.

“We’re not just crunching numbers around here. We’re in the business of helping people. We work to get (our clients) compliant and to find the best solution for them,” he said. “Then we work on an advance tax plan to make sure, going forward, taxes don’t become a problem again.”

To learn more about the options and services available, visit polstontax.com or call 801-2146 for a free consultation.

They also have a selection of helpful videos on YouTube about topics such as small business bookkeeping, audits and debt relief options.– 19SM

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Portrait taken at Red Earth Art Center in Downtown Oklahoma City