Public conversation Tuesday, September 28, 2021
Courtesy of the City of Stillwater
The Stillwater City Council will hold its next meeting at 6:30 p.m. on Sept. 27.
Kylie Hammack Staff Reporter
said this declaration expired because of the improvements in the number reported from the hospital. He said the hospital is not “bustThe Stillwater City Council con- ing at the seams” with people waiting in the Emergency Room for rooms in sidered reinstating a mask ordinance the main hospital, but the Intensive at last week’s meeting. Ultimately, the Council decided not to bring the draft- Care Unit (ICU) is still full. “Hopefully we’ll see a continued ed mask ordinance to a vote and instead keeping it just case things like infection reduction in the number of patients at Stillwater Medical Center,” Joyce said rates rise and local medical facilities become overwhelmed. in the city council meeting. As of Sept. 23, Stillwater Medical Stillwater was under a State of Center is reporting no ICU beds availEmergency but the declaration ended on the day of the city council meeting, able and four non-ICU beds available. Councilor John Wedlake said the Sept. 20. Stillwater Mayor Will Joyce
while the numbers are not good, they are having a positive trend. Wedlake said he hopes the numbers continue to be positive but people do not know what is coming up in the fall. He said having a draft ready could help prepare, however Wedlake said he hopes the city will never have to use it. The City of Stillwater has experienced an increase in the number of COVID-19 infections reported. Stillwater City Councilor Amy Dzialowski said infections in Oklahoma have been on the rise because of the Delta variant. However, this year brings different questions in terms of effective-
ness.
Councilor Dzialowski outlines of the largest barrier to community partners like Oklahoma State and Stillwater Public Schools in complying with a potential mask ordinance is measures taken by state officials. However, Councilor Dzialowski still encourages the people of Stillwater to practice COVID-19 mitigation methods including “vaccination, masking in crowded indoor spaces and hand hygiene.”
Pumpkin Fever Amy Drew Thompson Staff Reporter
Pumpkins at the OSU Botanical Gardens.
Habbie Colen
news.ed@ocolly.com
vinaigrette to the menu for winter around the end of November. But until then, he’s happy to share the recipe. The Stillwater City CounInitially, he’d planned on uscil considered reinstating a mask ing Halloween-traditional hulled ordinance at last week’s meeting. seeds for something that looked Ultimately, the Council decided not even more seasonal. to bring the drafted mask ordinance “It has a slightly different to a vote and instead keeping it just flavor inside the shell, which also case things like infection rates rise adds an extra layer of crunch,” says and local medical facilities become Rogers. overwhelmed. Don’t break out your So, says the chef, feel emUggs just yet, Orlando. powered to toast your own seeds Before I jump on the basic at home, post-carve, to use in this you-know-what, Target-shopping, salad instead of the easily-bought, latte-sipping pumpkin spice train, pre-toasted pepitas. I wanted to bring you something “Just throw them on a tray in fall-ish and intrinsically pumpkin the oven as usual — a little olive that isn’t what everyone expects this oil, salt and pepper. My prefertime of year. ence is to lean Mexican with the And so, pepitas. seasoning if you want something Delicious and crunchy, these more — some sort of chili powder, shell-free pumpkin seeds (which whether traditional or chipotle or come from different varieties of Calabrian,” he suggests. “And if you pumpkin than the ones we harvest want to use seeds in a sweet applicome carving time) are addictive all cation — outside the salad — you by themselves. Don’t believe me? could roast them in honey or maple Ask Venoy Rogers III , who not syrup. That’d be delicious on top of long ago took the helm as execusweet potato pancakes.” tive chef for the Grand Bohemian OK, so pumpkin seeds are so Orlando and thusly, its Boheme versatile, we’ve been pulled off-topRestaurant, where they’re presently ic, but the suggestions all are sound. scattering these nutty little gems on For this salad, Rogers chose a salad for Magical Dining. three types of kale — using slightly “We have to keep them in a softer baby varieties of each — but closed container,” he laughs. “Or says you could use just about any everyone in the kitchen would be enjoyable green as long as it stands grabbing handfuls.” up to his lightly creamy honey I asked about the salad after poppy seed vinaigrette. a recent visit and though tasty, it’s “I used green, purple and one they’ve been serving since Tuscan baby kale, which has similar before Rogers’ tenure. Inspired, he flavor as the more mature version, decided to craft one of his own just but it’s a little lighter and a little for us — and soon, guests of the more tender. On mature kale, I’d Boheme. lose the stems, but here they are He’ll be adding the baby kale very complementary to the salad.” salad, featuring toasted pumpkin seeds, apples, pickled onions and a lightly creamy, honey-poppyseed See Pumpkin on 2