You are on page 1of 28

May 14, 2015

Vol. 15, No. 49

Four seniors from one family are among the 1639


students who will graduate from Edmond Public
Schools during the 2015 Commencement Ceremonies on May 16 at the Cox Convention Center in
Oklahoma City.
Dustin, Meredith, Lewis and Bethany Boatright
have attended Edmond Schools since kindergarten
and will graduate from Memorial High School.
Rex and Mary Boatright adopted Bethany at birth
and triplets Dustin, Meredith and Lewis were born
seven months later.
We tell Bethany the blessing started with her.
Our youngest son, Mark, was born sixteen months
after the triplets. So, we were blessed with all five
children in 23 months, said Mary Boatright.
Like most parents, the Boatrights are experiencing
a range of emotion as graduation approaches.

"Parenting is such a hard balance of holding on


and letting go. I imagine the feelings my husband
and I are having are the same as parents with
one child graduating, just multiplied times four,
said Mary. We are flooded with memories of
their childhood. They have grown up doing
everything together yet they have their own interests and talents. We thank God for what they
have accomplished and we pray they will always
remain the best of friends as they embark on
their individual journeys.
Memorials graduation ceremony begins at 10
a.m. followed by Edmond North at 2 p.m. Edmond
Santa Fe will hold its ceremony at 6 p.m. None of
the graduation ceremonies require an admission
ticket. This commencement is the last for Edmond
Superintendent David Goin who will retire June

30. During his 16 years as Superintendent, he has


shaken the hand of every graduate who has
crossed the stage.
Commencement is very special, said Goin. Its
very important to me to be able to look each graduate in the eye, extend my hand and offer a hearty,
Congratulations for all that they have accomplished
during their time in Edmond Schools. I am so proud
of each and every one of them and look forward to
keeping up with many of them even as I make my
own transition to a new season of life.
Edmond also will have an alternate graduation at
6 p.m. Tuesday, May 18, at Memorial High School.
The ceremony is for students from all three high
schools who cannot attend the May 16 ceremony
due to their participation in OSSAA athletic events
that are scheduled on that day.

FRIDAY, MAY 15

SATURDAY, MAY 16

SUNDAY, MAY 17

Thunderstorms
High 77 Low 67

Scattered Thunderstorms
High 79 Low 67

Mostly Sunny
High 84 Low 65

IN THIS ISSUE

Cow chip toss champ


lives in Edmond

Schools planning
playground upgrades

New season all set


at Armstrong

See Page 7

See Page 17

See Page 18

Page 2 May 14, 2015 Edmond Life & Leisure

Edmond Life & Leisure May 14, 2015 Page 3

For fiscal year starting July 1

A $252 million budget?


By Diana Baldwin
NewsOK.com/The Oklahoman
A $252 million budget featuring 3 percent raises for city employees was proposed to the
Edmond City Council last week
for the fiscal year that starts July
1.
The budget is down from last
years budget by 6 percent, or
$16 million. The smaller budget
is mainly from a reduction in
capital improvement spending
for the next year, primarily because of the new public safety
center project, said City Manager
Larry Stevens.
The $29 million public safety
center complex is expected to be
completed by October, Police
Chief Bob Ricks said.
Edmond creates a five-year financial plan. The multiyear document gives city leaders advance
notice when there might be a
budget shortfall.
Sales tax revenues have significantly exceeded projections for
at least five years. Every month
this fiscal year has been a recordhigh month of revenue for the
city.
We just got our 11th check
from the state this week and
were still 4.6 percent above last
years actuals, Stevens said. We
are in good shape.
Lisa Goodpasture, human re-

The smaller budget is


mainly from a reduction in capital improvement spending
for the next year.
sources director, is proposing to
add eight employees two dispatchers, a parks maintenance
worker, a police technical investigator, a police custodian, a utilities customer service employee,
and a water resources assistant
superintendent and to make
an urban forestry part-time position full time.
The new employees would
bring the total of authorized fulltime jobs to 726.
A big factor in calculating the
budget depends on what happens next year to the price of oil,
which is less than half of what it
was last summer.
City Finance Director Ross
VanderHamm conservatively projected a decrease in fuel costs
with a budget of $1.1 million,
down $1 million from this year.
We can adjust at mid-year if
we have to, VanderHamm said.
City leaders had 2.5 percent
growth figured in next years
budget and 5 percent for each of
the remaining four years. Council
members said they want a more

conservative 4 percent growth


for the last four years of the fiveyear plan.
City leaders anticipate $300
million worth of capital improvement for the water and wastewater systems over the next five
years. VanderHamm said the city
does not have the money for the
projects and will turn to the use
of debt bonds.
Residents may see water and
sewer rate increases during the
next two budget years, Stevens
said.
This is not unique to Edmond, Stevens said. Most
cities are having to do this. We
are trying to be proactive.
For the water system, the
plant needs expanding and intake structure projects are
needed, at an estimated cost of
$100 million. A water tower in
northwest Edmond is needed at
an estimated cost of $5 million.
Wastewater projects include
two new lift stations estimated
at $17 million, and a wastewater
treatment plant expansion estimated at $80 million.
In response to the new Water
and Wastewater Master Plan,
staff is moving forward with the
design of many of the major
projects identified to meet with
the growing need for water supply, Stevens said.

UCO seeking volunteers


for the Endeavor Games
The University of
Central Oklahoma seeks
community volunteers
to assist at the 2015
UCO Endeavor Games
June 11-14 at the nations largest multisport, multi-disability
sport competition.
The event has grown
immensely since it
began in 2000 and now
welcomes over 450 athletes each year. The
games allow participants of all ages to
compete in multiple
sports and provide
training clinics for aspiring athletes.
Volunteers are
needed for all positions
including drivers, paratriathlon, track and field

and more. Each volunteer shift will last no


more than four hours.
Each volunteer will be
provided with a t-shirt
and water bottle.
Our volunteers are
central to the success of
the Endeavor Games.
They are a big reason
why the event has
grown into the largest
of its kind, and we are
very grateful for their
contribution, said
Heather Kohl, coordinator for Adapted Sport
and Events.
Volunteers can expect to have a lot of fun
and have a unique opportunity to see these
inspiring athletes in action.

For more volunteer


information, contact
Kohl at 974-3140 or
ucoendeavor@uco.edu.
To register for participation, volunteer or
view a schedule of this
years events, visit
www.ucoendeavorgames.com.
Central is an official
U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Training Site and
is the host training site
for mens and womens
sitting volleyball. Currently, Central hosts resident athletes in the
Paralympic sports of sitting volleyball, archery,
track and field and
powerlifting and the
Olympic sport of taekwondo.

Check out whats inside!


n Weekend calendar of events ........................................................Page 6.
n Patrice Douglas column ................................................................Page 8.
n Dave Farris looks at Bigfoot in Oklahoma ..................................Page 9.
n Focus on Edmond feature ..........................................................Page 13.
n Kiwanis Club holds a benefit ......................................................Page 19.
n George Gust warns the public of a bad movie............................Page 21.
n Crossword ..................................................................................Page 21.
n Business News ............................................................................Page 23.
n Worship directory ......................................................................Page 27.

Page 4 May 14, 2015 Edmond Life & Leisure

From the Publisher

FT incubator client honored


With experience
in the energy and
technology industries, LevelOps provides comprehensive
solutions in the oil
field from servers
and switches to
towers, tank batteries and wellheads.
Ray Hibbard
They can architect,
implement, train and/or augment to
ensure delivery on every element of IT
through field networking, wireless communications, automation, SCADA,
measurement, telemetry and equipping
pumpers with new technology to reduce lease operating expenses and
drive field economics through innovation and process efficiencies.
LevelOps Energy is a graduate
client of Launch Pad FT at Francis
Tuttle Technology Center. The company is owned by Caleb Eastman, Sid
Helms and Jason Well. Under the
guidance of the Francis Tuttle Incubation center, LevelOps has far outperformed the original business plan,
growing from three employees (the
founding owners) to 35 in just one
year, along with significant revenue
growth.
The Edmond-based company was
honored as the Outstanding Incubator Client, in the technology category, at the National Business
Incubation Associations 29th International Conference on Business Incubation in Denver during the annual
awards luncheon in April. LevelOps
Energy founders credit the support
they received from Launch Pad FT
and Director Fred Green for much of
their success. The incubators workspace and office setup were ideal for
their needs, and Green mentored the
young company by providing guidance in goal-setting, accounting systems and ethical issues.
The company operates on a principle of Do Good Now, hiring excellent people first, empowering them
to make decisions and providing a
generous benefits package. The company has Master Service Agreements
with a number of energy companies,
including AEP, Devon and Chesapeake and has worked to diversify
revenue vectors outside of the oil/gas
sector, receiving monitoring contracts
with the City of Oklahoma City and
the Oklahoma River Lock & Dam System.
For 2015, LevelOps anticipates expansion from its current territories in
Oklahoma, Texas and New Mexico
to Wyoming, Ohio and Louisiana, as
well as a conservative estimate of a
minimum 400 percent growth in revenue and 33 percent increase in net
profit.
NBIAs 29th International Conference on Business Incubation is a dynamic event with more than 600
leaders from the worldwide incubation industry. It is not a surprise to
me that a client from Launch Pad FT
took this honor. Fred Green is a master at helping clients grow. He uses
his extensive knowledge of finance,
business planning and marketing to
get clients started on the right path
so that they can achieve the goals
they have for their company. He also
throws in a heavy dose of reality to
keep these folks with great ideas
grounded but includes lessons on
business ethics.
Launch Pad FT is located in the
Francis Tuttle business center at
Covel and I-35. We are lucky to have
it in Edmond and our town makes a
great place for business to get
started. Even so, clients for the business incubator come from all of the
Francis Tuttle system and are not restricted to Edmond businesses. This
partnership will lead to much growth
for Edmond.
Edmond FFAs Student
Accomplishments 2014-2015
Readers of my column will be very
familiar with my appreciation of the
Edmond FFA program and its leadership. Years ago, I went from being a
parent who didnt even know that
Edmond had an FFA to being one of
its biggest cheerleaders. When young
son Kyle came home in eighth grade

RAY HIBBARD

At the podium is Sid Helms, CEO and Shayne Nelson, COO with past Chairman and President of the NBIA.

and announced to his mother and


me that he wanted to join FFA we
looked at each other and said at the
same time, Does Edmond have an
FFA?
I can promise you that they do and
it is an active program. All three of
the Edmond high schools combine
and make one FFA program which
makes a lot of sense when you consider the cost of the facilities and
equipment. They do much more then
raise animals. FFA is a complete
smorgasbord of activities that high
school age students can pick from
which includes taking classes, speech
contest, academic competition, agricultural events, shooting teams, raising animals of course and much
more. Kyle was busy every weekend
with events. Most importantly, FFA
provides leadership skills and opportunities. They learn how to get things
done and how to motivate a team.
There are a number of college scholarship opportunities as well. And parents, they have to keep their grades
up to participate in these other activities. Having raised five children I can
promise you that you want them
busy during the teen years. Being idle
is not a good thing for your teenager.
One of the things I like most about
FFA is that it is not an elitist program. They help students who may
be on the edge and in danger of
dropping out of school as well as the
students that excel and have successful high school careers. Very few programs look out after both kinds of
students. The instructors are well
suited to mentor both types of students. They know when to give a pat
on the head to students and when
they need some tough love as well.
These instructors are unsung heroes
folks. They work year round and
most weekends as well. Im not sure
when they ever get time with their
families but then again, they consider
these kids family.
The Edmond FFA just recently finished their state contests and had
one of the best years in recent memory. There were multiple students recognized for being the top in the state
of Oklahoma which is out of over
27,000 members. This overview is to
recognize those students placing and
the monies received:
n Kalee Horn- Elected as the 20152016 State Central District Vice-President ($2,000 scholarship)
n Kalee Horn- OYE Scholarship
($5,000)
n Ashton Shepler- Named as a Star
in Oklahoma in Placement which is
the top out of 700 students ($1,500
cash award)
n Emily Kennedy- State Champion
public speaking in 8th grade opportunities ($300 cash & $1,000 scholarship)
n Lauren Lacy- State Champion
public speaking in Agribusiness
($300 cash & $1,000 scholarship)
and third overall in plant science
($200 cash)
n Kalee Horn, Ashton Shepler,
James Monaco, Allison Vierps, & De-

Forest Hall all received the State FFA


Degree which is the highest that can
be received at the state level.
n Allison Vierps- State proficiency
award winner in Agriscience Plant
Systems ($650 cash)
n Kalee Horn- State proficiency
award winner in Agriscience Animal
Systems ($650 cash)
n Ashton Shepler- State proficiency
award winner in Equine Placement
($650 cash)
n Jacob Cammock- State proficiency award winner in Nursery/
Landscape ($650 cash)
n Sage Holder- State proficiency
award runner-up in Ag Communication ($250 cash)
n Kalee Horn- State winner in Job
Interview Career Development Event
n Shae Grooms- Third overall in
AGED CDE ($200 cash)
n Morgan Gullet- High individual
in Agricultural Mechanics CDE ($350
cash & $11,000 scholarship)
n Ashton Shepler- Third high individual in Agricultural Mechanics CDE
($200 cash & $3,000 scholarship)
n Megan Smith- Third high individual in Floriculture
n Agricultural Mechanics TeamSecond place team overall at the
state contest
n Dairy Evaluation- Third place
team overall at the state contest
n Sr. Parliamentary Procedure
Team- Third place team overall ($150
cash)
n Floriculture- Third place team
overall at the state contest
n Lauren Lacy- Agriscience Fair di-

visional winner ($250 cash)


n Shae Grooms- Agriscience Fair
divisional winner ($250 cash)
n Betsy Sweiger- Agriscience Fair
divisional winner ($250 cash)
n Jessica Kenville- Agriscience Fair
divisional winner ($250 cash)
n Shae Grooms- Future AGED
Academy recipient
n Lauren Lacy- WLC Scholarship
($1,200)
n Sage Holder- WLC Scholarship
($1,000)
n Career Passport RecipientAlaina Fornal, Lucy Greenwalt, Morgan Gullett, Ashton Shepler, Taylor
Gilbert, and Victoria Thomas
n Chance Myers- Supreme overall
heifer at the Oklahoma Youth Expo
The following students have qualified for nationals in their respective
categories and will be representing
Edmond Public Schools next October:
n Kalee Horn
n Lauren Lacy
n Shae Grooms
n Betsy Sweiger
n Jessica Kenville
n Ashton Shepler
n Allison Vierps
n Jacob Cammock
Congratulations to the Edmond
FFA, students, instructors and administrators that have given this program
their support.
It has a wonderful ROI as they say
in the business world.

(Ray Hibbard may be reached by email at ray@edmondpaper.com)

Weekly News about Edmonds


Families, Neighborhoods & People
Edmonds only locally owned and operated newspaper
The Edmond Paper

Publisher
Ray Hibbard Jr.
Partner
Christopher T. Hoke
Editor
Steve Gust
Production
Sharon Schad
Robby Harris
Sr. Advertising
Account
Executive
Melissa Bake
Advertising
Account
Executive
Alexx Reger
Vice President
of Special Sections
Carl Hancuff
(the lovely & talented)
Contributing Writers
Dave Farris, Mallery Nagle,
Susan Henry Clark,
Elise Connor, Rose Drebes,
Anne Schmidt, George Gust.
Photographer
Anne Schmidt

Cover Photo Edmond Schools


Cover Design Sharon Schad
Legal
Counsel
Todd McKinnis
Ruebenstein &
Pitts PLLC
Copyright2015 by
Edmond Media Publishing
107 S. Broadway
Edmond, OK 73034
405 / 340-3311
fax: 405 / 340-3384
Mailing address:
P.O. Box 164
Edmond, OK 73083
All rights reserved.
Material contained herein may not
be reproduced in any form without
the express written permission
from Edmond Media Publishing.
www.edmondlifeandleisure.com

www.facebook.com/pages/
Edmond-Life-Leisure

Edmond Life & Leisure May 14, 2015 Page 5

Heard on Hurd this Saturday Night

FILE PHOTO/MELINDA INFANTE

Edmonds street party is back this Saturday evening with Heard on Hurd. Its in downtown Edmond and sponsored by Citizens Bank of Edmond. The fun,
music and food is all from 6 to 10 p.m.

Law makes schools tobacco free


Gov. Mary Fallin last week signed
House Bill 1685, requiring all Oklahoma schools to be tobaccofree.The bill is known as the "24/7
Tobacco-Free Schools Act".
Tobacco use of any kind will not
be allowed on school grounds and
the use of a tobacco product will
also be prohibited in school vehicles,
and at any school-sponsored or
school-sanctioned event or activity.
Many Oklahoma schools have
banned tobacco products voluntarily,
but HB1965 will make sure that all
children will be protected. Prohibiting
tobacco use at all times on school
grounds protects them from exposure
and reinforces for them that most
people do not use tobacco products.
This is a common-sense measure
that will reduce tobaccos influence
on our children, said Fallin. It is encouraging that 83 percent of Oklahomas students already attend
schools where tobacco is banned 24

hours a day, seven days a week. This


bill will protect the remaining 17 percent by ensuring they are no longer
exposed to cigarettes and other tobacco products when they are at
school.
Seventy-five hundred Oklahomans
die each year from smoking and tobacco use costs Oklahomans over
$3.7 billion annually in medical expenses and lost productivity. In addition to the health consequences of
smoking, research shows that tobacco use affects student attendance
and academic performance.
Tobacco use is still the No. 1 preventable cause of death and disease
in the United States. A tobacco-free
environment is fundamental in any
school effort designed to prevent or
reduce tobacco use in young people, said Dr. Terry Cline, Commissioner of Health and Cabinet
Secretary of Health and Human Services.

Page 6 May 14, 2015 Edmond Life & Leisure

Thursday May 14
---- Cimarron Wind
Quintet at UCO Jazz
Lab
---- OKC Dodgers at
New Orleans at 7pm
Friday May 15
---- Broadway Tonight:
Rising Starr
---- Groove Merchants at
UCO Jazz Lab
---- Movie Night in the
Park Big Hero 6 at
Hafer Park
---- OKC Dodgers at
New Orleans at 7pm
Saturday May 16
---- Broadway Tonight:
Rising Starr:
---- Demo Day at My
Hearts Fancy
---- Downtown Edmond
Historic Tours
---- Edmond Farmers
Market 8am-1pm
---- Eldredge Jackson at
UCO Jazz Lab
---- Golf Family Fun
Night at Kickingbird
Golf at 5pm
---- OKC vs Iowa at
7:05pm, HOME

---- Train Rides at Oklahoma Railway Museum


Sunday May 17
---- Broadway Tonight:
Rising Starr
---- OKC vs Iowa at
2:05pm, HOME
Extra Info for
Weekend Happenings
Broadway Tonight: Rising Starr: Kay Starr, A
Life in Song
This world premiere of
Rising Starr: is a moving evening of story
and song beginning at
7:30pm.
Location: Mitchell Hall
Extra Info: 405-9743375 or Mitchellhalltheatre.com
Demo Days at My
Hearts Fancy from
10am-4pm every 3rd
Saturday. Come and
go. Free make and take
Location: 16534 N
Penn
Extra info: 405-5096788
myheartsfancystampinnews.blogspot.com/
Downtown Edmond
Historic Tours
Local tour guides will
tell the history and stories of Edmond. Each
tour takes about 45
minutes. 3:30-5:30
Price: $5 - Limited Tick-

ets
Location: Downtown
Edmond
Extra Info: 405-2859700 or email silverleafgems@aol.com
Edmond Farmers
Market
Location: Festival Market Place
Extra Info: 405-3594630 or www.edmondparks.com
Golf Family Fun Night
Play 9-Holes of golf
with the Family. Special
junior tees, a FREE putting course, $2 range
tokens, food and beverage discounts.
Time: 5:00pm
Price: $7 Green Fees,
$7 Carts
Location: Kickingbird
Golf Club
Extra Info: 405-3415350 or www.kickingbirdgolf.com
Heard on Hurd
Presented by Citizens
Bank of Edmond. Local
live music including Graham Colton, Autumn
Ray, Chase Kerby and
the Company Men, almost 30 food trucks
and pop up shops &
late hours for local businesses on Broadway between Main and Hurd.
Location: Downtown
Edmond on Broadway

between Main and


Hurd
Extra Info: 405-7155121 or www.facebook.com/heardonhurd
Movie Night at Park
Free movie starts at
dusk. Please bring your
blankets and lawn
chairs. Food and drinks
will be available to purchase. No outside food
and drinks allowed.
Location: Hafer
Extra Info: 405-3594630 or www.edmondparks.com
OKC Dodgers
Location: Chickasaw
Bricktown Ballpark
Extra Info: 405-2181000 or
okcdodgers.com
The Oklahoma Railway
Museum will present
train rides the first and
third Saturdays thru August. Trains leave at
9:15am, 11:15am,
1:15pm, and 3:15pm
Location: 3400 NE
Grand Blvd. OKC
Extra Info: 405-4248222 or www.oklahomarailwaymuseum.or
g
UCO Jazz Lab
Concerts
Location: UCO Jazz Lab
Extra Info: 405-3597989 ucojazzlab.com

Send news to news@edmondpaper.com

Edmond Life & Leisure May 14, 2015 Page 7

Certified Wildlife Habitat site

Middle school honored

PHOTO PROVIDED/BEAVER COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

From left are winners of the annual mens cow chip throwing contest in Beaver.
They are Drew Russell, first; Jon Elfers, second and James Pratt, third.

Edmonds Russell also sets record

Cow chip toss champ


By Steve Gust
Edmonds history features a long and distinguished list of athletes
and you can now add
cow chip throwing
champion Drew Russell,
to the mix.
Not only is he now
the reigning champion
of the annual Beaver
event. Hes the worlds
record holder, tossing
the dried bovine dung
the most in the contests 45-year history -188 feet, six inches, according to Sherry Parker
of the Beaver County
Chamber of Commerce.
That bested the old
mark of 185 feet.
It is an odd feeling,
but its great, he said.
Russell, 28, grew up
in Beaver and went to
school at the University
of Oklahoma.
When hes not heaving cow chips, hes a
landman for an energy
company.
But Beaver has special spot in his heart, as
does as his girlfriend,
Jennifer Degge. Last
month he took her back
to visit his hometown
of Beaver and decided
he would try his hand
in chip tossing.
The cow chips are
more than a novelty for
the panhandle town.
They harken back to the
days of the rugged folks
who settled on the flat
plains.
Originally settlers
learned they could burn
buffalo chips to stay
warm and heat food.
Later, with buffalo in
short supply, it was discovered cattle chips
would work just as well.
They needed them
with so few trees out
there, Russell said.

PHOTO PROVIDED/BEAVER CO CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Edmonds Drew Russell, a former high school


pitcher, is this years winner of the annual mens
cow chip throw in Beaver.

Growing up in
Beaver, he was familiar
with the annual cow
chip festival, which also
includes a talent show,
parade and carnival.
Its a great event for
a small town, he said.
Russell had thrown
cans in the youth division, but this was his
first time in the adult
cow chip throw. He did
have something of an
advantage. During high
school he was a baseball pitcher for Beaver.
I was just hoping for
a respectable showing
and maybe place, he
said.
He was going up
against veterans, and
some past champions
of the contest, which
first began in 1970.
Apparently the baseball form was good

enough for first place


and a world record. It
also made him, and his
family, somewhat famous in the small town.
My dad told me he
kept getting texts and
congratulated days
later, Russell said.
There are plans for
him to return next
spring to defend his
title.
I think I pretty much
have to go back, he
said.
By then, there might
also be plans for him to
marry his girlfriend. At
press time he planning
on how he might pop
the big question. He
wasnt thinking of burying the engagement
ring in a cow chip.
She probably wouldnt want it after that,
he said.

The National Wildlife Federation


(NWF) is pleased to recognize that
Cheyenne Middle School in Edmond
has successfully created an official
Certified Wildlife Habitat site. NWF
celebrates the efforts of Cheyenne
Middle School to create a garden
space that improves habitat for birds,
butterflies, frogs and other wildlife
by providing essential elements
needed by all wildlife natural food
sources, clean water, cover and
places to raise young.
Providing a home for wildlife in
our communities whether its at
home, or in schools businesses or
parks is the demonstration of a
healthy and active eco-system. There
is no more rewarding way to stay
connected to nature right outside
your door, said David Mizejewski,
naturalist with the National Wildlife
Federation.
Children need a place where they
can explore the natural world and become knowledgeable about the environment. If our young people are
never given the opportunity to experience nature, then how can society
expect them to be stewards of the
environment? The Exploratorium at
Cheyenne Middle School gives students a place where they can learn
to be caretakers of plants and animals; developing skills that will benefit society while learning to enjoy
nature. said Jeannine Macrory
NWFs Certified Wildlife Habitat
program has been helping people

take personal action on behalf of


wildlife for more than 40 years. The
program engages homeowners, businesses, schools, churches, parks and
other institutions that want to make
their communities wildlife friendly.
This new certified habitat joins
NWFs roll of more than 150,000
certified habitats nationwide.
Wildlife habitats are important to
year-round wildlife residents as well
as species that migrate, such as some
birds and butterflies. Each habitat is
unique for both beauty and function.

Page 8 May 14, 2015 Edmond Life & Leisure

Commentary ... Were on YOUR Side

Memorial grad on show STEM a good investment


There was an interesting program on
EWTV the other
day. It featured a
Memorial graduate,
Fr. Shane Tharp.
Fr. Tharp has
served as a priest of
the Catholic Archdiocese of Oklahoma
Steve Gust
City since 2000.
He was the guest of an hour-long
program of EWTV, the global
Catholic television network.
The program he was on is called
The Journey Home, and it looks at
people Catholic who used to be
members of other faiths or
unchurched.
Fr. Tharp was unchurched growing
up in Edmond during the 1970s and
1980s.
A few things from the show really
impressed me. For one, Fr. Tharp was
highly complimentary of the Edmond
School District -- calling it one of the
best in the state.
Secondly, he credited a sixth grade

science teacher for leading him on his


path to find God. It was during a discussion on the natural gases that
make the earth what it is. It dawned
on Fr. Tharp that Venus has approximately the same gases, yet is not an
inhabitable atmosphere. He asked
why, and his teacher told him in an
off hand way it must be God.
For Fr. Tharp, he had to know why
and wanted to get to know more
about God. As someone of science,
he started to see the hand of God in
nature.
That got Fr. Tharp to visit many
different Edmond churches. He even
joined some choirs, because he has a
good voice.
Finally, he settled on Edmonds St.
John the Baptist Catholic Church,
where he was confirmed in the
1990s. He eventually entered the
seminary and now serves God.
Fr.Tharp is a real success story and
one Edmond can proudly call their
their own.
(Steve Gust may be reached at
news@edmondpaper.com.)

By Gov. Mary Fallin


Science isnt just
something that happens
in labs. It touches every
industry in our state
and it impacts every
Oklahoman. Science,
technology, engineering
and math (or STEM)
lead to innovative
breakthroughs that improve our quality of life,
promote a better-educated workforce, create
higher-paying jobs and
help Oklahoma retain
our most valuable asset
our people.
For that reason, it is
important that we keep
up with the demand for
STEM-educated Oklahomans.
Being STEM-educated
requires pursuing education beyond high
school: either a traditional four-year college
degree, an associates

Dont make the same mistake again!


By Patrice Douglas
Do you take care of your home
by doing routine maintenance?
Do you change the oil in your
car? Would it be smart to buy a
house or car only to let it fall
apart? No. It would be a silly mistake, and one that could be
costly.
Douglas
My mom always repeated the
old saying: Fool me once, shame
on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. Voters, we
need to remember this Oklahomans should not
elect people who make the same mistake twice, and
cost us billions of infrastructure investment dollars
by failing to hold the course on road and bridge improvement.
Like our homes, our Oklahoma roads and bridges
require investment. How many times in the last 15
years have we heard about Oklahomas deteriorating bridges? The Governor, along with our Secretary
of Transportation, came up with a plan to make
sure our bridges were repaired in this decade. We,
the taxpayers, have paid billions of dollars to bring
our roads and bridges up to par. Oklahomans cannot afford to let our bridges and roads fall apart
again we need to hold the course.
Our billions in investment hangs in the balance as
politicians at the state capitol threaten to target road
funds to meet a budget shortfall. I intentionally use the
word politician instead of statesman. A decision to
cut funds for roads and bridges is a shortsighted one
one I credit to politics at its worst. It certainly is not a
fiscally responsible decision.
Oklahoma has a budget shortfall. I agree that we
should not overspend. But frankly, the shortsighted
attitudes of politicians wear me out. Instead of targeting infrastructure projects that save lives and
bring new dollars into Oklahoma, their focus should
be on government waste. Fiscal decisions should
focus on needs verses wants. We may want a lot
of cool projects, but we need to protect our billions

in investment.
Two decades ago, Oklahoma was spending
money on pork barrel road projects that were out of
control. Powerful legislators were building unnecessary projects in their district.
As term limits kicked it, we began to clean up
decades of fiscal irresponsibility. One of the strategies employed by the Oklahoma Department of
Transportation was the 8 Year Plan. Simply put,
the 8 Year Plan requires that a road or bridge project be vetted before it can be built. Only after close
scrutiny can a project can be placed on this 8 Year
Plan. The planning requirement has prevented dollars from being wasted by legislators on pork barrel
projects.
As a former mayor for Edmond, I admit that at
times the 8 year Plan frustrated me. It slowed road
improvements in Edmond by requiring that we do
extensive planning to get our projects listed by
ODOT to be completely in 8 years. But at closer inspection, I understand why this protection was put
in place and fully support it. The planning allows
valuable projects to move forward, and knocks silly
projects off the table. It protects the tax dollars of
all Oklahomans.
Planning allowed us to focus funds on repairing
bridges and improving highways. Oklahoma has methodically moved forward and has made considerable progress. Thoughtful planning is what makes
government less wasteful. It is the kind of government that constitutional conservatives support.
So politicians, dont jeopardize it. Rather than
worrying about the next election, stand up and lead
like statesmen. Encourage long-term planning.
Dont incentivize bad government by robbing
money from strong infrastructure investment and
maintenance that has been vetted. Fund our roads.
Fund our bridges. Let the 8 Year Plan continue. It is
the smart decision, and the decision that Edmond
voters will support.
(Patrice Douglas is a former State Corporation
Commissioner and former Edmond Mayor.)

degree, or a career tech


certificate. Unfortunately, only about half
of our population receives any formal education after high school.
That means we have a
long way to go to fill
the states pipeline for
STEM-related jobs. That
is especially true given
that Oklahoma is expected to have to replace 54 percent of the
existing STEM workforce due to retirement
and other factors over
the next 10 years.
To help accelerate
STEM learning and to
increase overall educational attainment in
Oklahoma, I have
launched a new initiative called Oklahoma
Works. It is an aggressive plan to support
partnerships between
local businesses, career

Clintons fly
under radar
of the press
Historically,
politicians tried to
conceal corruption,
like former Illinois
Gov. Rod Blagojevich, convicted of
seeking to sell appointment to a vacant US Senate
seat.
But now corruption occurs openly,
because a corrupt
news media have
become part of the
governing elite.
And Bill and
Hillary Clinton live
lavish lifestyles
under the pretense
of collecting
money to fix the
world's problems.
Their personal
wealth is now well
over $100-million,
and their foundation adds another
$500-million or so.
National reporters should be
blowing whistles,
but too often are
too busy, also living the lifestyles of
the rich and famous.
With insights,
I'm Ernest Istook.

tech, higher education


and K-12 schools. Oklahoma Works is about
getting students and
adults the tools and
skills they need to find
great careers. Its also
about ensuring we have
a skilled, educated
workforce that can support our businesses.
There are already
great examples of successful private/public
partnerships of the kind
Oklahoma Works will
promote and
strengthen.
For instance, last
month the GE Foundation (the charitable arm
of GE) announced it
would donate
$400,000 to create
STEM Empowers OK,
a partnership with the
Oklahoma Center for
the Advancement of
Science and Technology
and the Oklahoma
School of Science and
Mathematics. The new
initiative includes a
weeklong STEM program, regional innovation forums and an
Open Innovation Challenge for middle- and
high school students to
share their ideas on
ways to build a better
and stronger Oklahoma. The challenge
will involve students offering inventions and
solutions to help solve a
real-world problem in
one of three major industries tied most
closely to Oklahomas
business ecosystem
energy, aviation and
transportation.
In Tulsa, PSO and the
AEP-Foundation have
partnered with Tulsa
Community College and
Tulsa Public Schools to
promote STEM learning
by allowing high school
students to be simultaneously enrolled in college-level STEM courses
and by promoting
STEM career opportunities through activities
like job fairs.
Tulsa Public Schools
also recently announced
they will be opening the
Tulsa Tech Aerospace
Academy, specifically
geared towards giving
high school students
the skills they need to
get great aerospace jobs
after graduation.
Quite fittingly, all of
these announcements occurred in April: Oklahomas Science and
Technology Month. For
more than 20 years, science teachers across the
state have used that
month to partner with
OCAST and honor thousands of middle- and
high school students
who are excelling in
STEM courses. I am
proud not only of the
students who received
those awards, but also of
their teachers, who are
instructing the next generation of inventors, researchers and innovators.
Oklahoma has a long
way to go to reach our
STEM goals. But by
building creative partnerships between the public
and private sector and
continuing to get our
kids excited about
STEM, I know we can
achieve those goals and
ensure the next generation is even more technically skilled and
productive than the last.

Edmond Life & Leisure May 14, 2015 Page 9

Oklahomas long history with Bigfoot


By David Farris
Its legend predates the arrival of
the first white explorers. Reported
sightings have come
from every
State in North
America, and all ten
Canadian provinces.
The Salish Indians of
Farris
British Columbia call
it Sasquatch, meaning
wild man of the woods.
The earliest recorded encounter between such creatures and white explorers occurred in 986 A.D., when Leif
Ericson and his men first sailed to
North America. The Vikings returned
home with tales of encounters with
huge monsters, described as, horribly
ugly, hairy, swarthy and with great
black eyes.
Elkanah Walker, a missionary to the
Spokane Indians in Washington, wrote
in a letter of a race of giant who live in
the mountains. It read in part, They
hunt and do all their work at night
they frequently come in the night and
steal their salmon from their nets and
eat them raw. If the people are awake,
they always know when they are near,
by the strong smell, which is most intolerable. This account was published
in the book, The Diary, 1838-1848, of
Elkanah Walker, by Clifford M. Drury.
Even a United States President expressed his belief in the existence of
such a creature. In his book, The
Wilderness Hunter, Theodore Roosevelt
recounted a tale involving a creature he
referred to as a wendigo. He described it as a large, two-legged wild
beast, uttering a, harsh, grating, longdrawn moan, a peculiarly sinister
sound. Roosevelt recounted a tale of
two trappers whose camp had been repeatedly invaded by the strange beast.
One of the trappers, named Bauman,
returned to camp one evening to find
his partner dead of a broken neck. The
body of the victim had been thrashed
around and four great fang marks
were found in his neck. Bauman himself told his story to Roosevelt, who apparently believed him. In The

The big guy. Myth or fact?

Wilderness Hunter he wrote, He


must have believed what he said, for
he could hardly repress a shudder at
certain points of his tale
Monster tales have one thing in
common; you can find them wherever
you find people. When people migrated into Indian Territory, so did the
wild man legends.
Historically, the area of Oklahoma
with the most reported Bigfoot activity
is in the southeast corner around McCurtain County, in the Choctaw Nation. The best source of information
detailing the Choctaws history of Bigfoot comes from a half-page article
published in the July 9, 1978, edition
of the McCurtain Sunday Gazette,
under the headline, McCurtain
County Has a Man Beast. Reporter
Len Green knew many of his Choctaw
neighbors, whose families were relocated to the area during the early
1800s. Old timers who had lived here
their entire lives recalled decades of
Bigfoot encounters. One man claimed
that the origin of the man-beast was
a tale told in his family for generations.
It began during the early 1830s,
when a great witch or hatukchaya
moved into the area. He brought with
him one of these huge, hairy monsters
from the great Mississippi swamps,
and used his powers to enslave him.
The Choctaw name for the man-beast
is Hattak Lusa Chito, which translates
to mean, big, black man. The witchman could not order the creature to
kill, but could dispatch him to harass
people he didnt like. The beast would

lurk around homes causing mayhem


and terrifying the inhabitants with his
hideous howl. However, when the creature sensed fear in others, he became
fearful himself and fled in terror.
The witchs reign of terror lasted for
30 years, until a family who had been
the focus of his anger decided to take
action. One moonless night, the man
and his sons crept into the witchs
home, tied him to his bed, and then
burned his house to the ground. The
demise of his master freed the creature
to run wild. According to Choctaw legend, if you are fortunate enough to encounter the man-beast, and show no
fear, you will be his new master.
The first reported sighting of such a
creature by a white settler in this remote region was recorded in a diary
entry dated May 14, 1849. Bertrand
Tonihkah lived in the town of Eagle,
now known as Eagletown. He wrote of
a hunter and trapper known to locals
as One-Eyed Bascomb. On this date,
Tonihkah recorded that Bascomb had
walked into the general store that also
served as a post office, with a story
about a strange critter he had seen
the day before in the swamps southwest of the community. He described
the critter as having long arms, a
stooped posture, and greyish-black hair.
This is a similar description of Bigfoot
reported today; however, in 1849, accounts of such creatures were not
widely known. According to Tonikahs
report of Bascombs tale, the creature
fled from the hunter in a strangely loping gait.
Greene included in his article a Bigfoot encounter that was believed to
have resulted in a mans death, but not
by violence from the creature. One
local resident recounted the story as his
grandmother had told him before her
death. The mans grandfather had returned home one day, apparently
shaken. He told his wife that he had
seen a big, hairy man, while riding
his horse along a trail near their home
between Redland and Goodwater. As
the story progressed, the fellow wasnt
wearing any clothes, was hairy all over
and was the biggest man he had ever
seen.

About three weeks later, the mans


horse returned home without a rider.
His family went looking for him and
found his body along a river trail, not
far from where he had reported seeing
the big, hairy man. It looked as if his
horse had thrown him, resulting in a
broken neck. The mans grandmother
said that she had a feeling that the
man-beast had frightened the horse,
causing it to bolt and throw its rider.
Sightings of the creature also occurred from 1906 to 1910; then, the
topic seemed to fade from conversation, until the mid-1920s. In archived
copies of the McCurtain Gazette,
Greene found two encounters that occurred during the spring of 1926, and
were noteworthy enough to be
recorded by the papers editor, W.J.
Old, Sr.
The first sighting was by a doctor
from Haworth. He was driving his
Model-T Ford one night close to
Goodwater, when his headlights
caught the big, shaggy creature darting
across the road. The second encounter
involved a couple of hunters who were
camped along the Mountain Fork
River. While stalking game west of
their campsite, they topped a hill and
sighted a big, black, hairy ape-man in
a small clearing below. The men yelled
at the creature, which immediately
jumped up and ran away. One of the
men sicced his hunting dog that
wasnt afraid of nothin on whatever
it was. The men never saw the creature again, but after about an hour
they found the carcass of the fearless
hound that had been just almost tore
in two.
The McCurtain man-beast doesnt
seem to do much roaming. His primary
residence is reported to be an area the
Choctaws call the Boklawa, which
translates into many waters. It is between the Little River and its confluence with Yashau Creek and the
Mountain Folk River. This is an area of
swamp land that includes several small
natural lakes and a lot of heavy undergrowth. Decades later, without reference to Choctaw legend, reported
sighting of Bigfoot in McCurtain
County have continued.

Page 10 May 14, 2015 Edmond Life & Leisure

ANNE SCHMIDT

PETER PAN PRODUCTION ---- Last week St. Mary's Episcopal School presented Peter Pan. The cast above delighted the audience.

Cruz making run for White House

Candidate to be in metro
One of the U.S. Senates most outspoken conservative leaders, Sen. Ted
Cruz, will be the keynote speaker for
the Energizing America Gala on Friday, May 22 in Oklahoma City. The
gala is one of several events included
in the Southern Republican Leadership Conference (SRLC) being held
May 21-23 at the Cox Convention
Center. The gala is Cruzs only speaking engagement during SRLC.
Cruz, a 2016 presidential candidate, is one of 14 speakers confirmed
for the SRLC and will only take the
stage during the Energizing America
Gala.Cruz was elected to the U.S.
Senate in 2010 and quickly garnered
national attention in Congress for his
leading efforts to defeat Obamacare.
"Sen. Cruzs recent announcement
for president has created quite a buzz
among Republican voters, and I know
primary voters will want to hear what
he has to say, said Randy Brogdon,Chairman of the Oklahoma Republican Party (OKGOP)."With the
future of Obamacare increasingly in
doubt, many have looked to Cruz as
the point of the spear in Republican
efforts to defeat the presidents signature policy."
Tickets to the Energizing America
Gala can be purchased online
through May 19
atwww.okgop.com/srlcgalaor by
phone at (405) 528-3501.
Tickets to only the gala are $100
per individual or $175 per
couple.Guests also have the opportunity to purchase tickets to a 7 p.m.
reception, which includes a picture
with Cruz before the plated dinner at
7:30 p.m. Ticket sales from the gala
will benefit the Oklahoma Republican
Party.
The SRLC is a quadrennial event

Sen. Ted Cruz

expected to draw at least 2,000 Republican Party activists from 14


southern states to hear from keyRepublican leaders on policy and politics of the day, to takepart in
grassroots training and participate in
the first major presidential straw poll
that is being conducted by Sooner
Polling.
In addition to the Energizing America Gala, the three-day conference
will also include an Oklahoma Welcome Reception on Thursday, May
21 at the Myriad Gardens and a
luncheon featuring legendary energy
entrepreneur T. Boone Pickens on Friday, May 22 at the Cox Convention
Center.
Both of these events are in addition to the conference fee. More inL
formation is available
h
athttp://www.srlc.gop.

Edmond Life & Leisure May 14, 2015 Page 11

Helping out during Marathon

Summit and Sequoyah Middle


Schools gathered students
from their Friends of Rachel
clubs to go the recent OKC
Marathon and cheer on the
participants. Students made
signs, cheered and high-fived
runners as they went by. They
had fun being encouraging to
others! Sequoyah Middle
School students who participated are: Lissa Bryant, Brennan Thompson, Mike Lemos,
Megan Cherry and Kalli Launhardt. Summit Middle School
students who participated are:
David Crone, Jack Glover, Kristine Nguyen, Irene Oh, Shreya
Kumar and Hannah Lang.
PHOTOS BY VICKI KELLER

OCS students visit the State Capitol

PHOTO PROVIDED

Last week the fourth graders from Oklahoma Christian School came for their annual visit to the Oklahoma State Capitol. Included in the picture are Representatives Lewis Moore and Randy McDaniel.

Page 12 May 14, 2015 Edmond Life & Leisure

Bob Grant becomes UCOs oldest grad

PHOTO PROVIDED

Bob Grant, 82, became the oldest graduate in the University of Central Oklahomas 125-year history last week when he received his masters of gerontology from the universitys Jackson College of Graduate Studies.

Todays average American college


student completes his or her degree
in approximately six years. For Bob
Grant, it took more than six
decades.
He earned his bachelors degree
in general studies at age 79 from
the University of Central Oklahoma
in 2011. But he didnt stop there.
Grant then enrolled in Centrals
Jackson College of Graduate Studies
to pursue a masters degree in
gerontology. Last week, just two
weeks shy of his 83rd birthday, he
became the oldest graduate in Centrals 125-year history, breaking the
record he set when he earned his
bachelors degree.
Grant, who now lives in Edmond,
says he was just a semester short of
a college degree in 1954, but after
four and a half years at the University of Oklahoma plus two summer terms the real world called.

Life got in the way


back in the 1950s
He left school and joined the
Army, serving in the 13th Signal
Corps as a motion picture photographer. In 1955 he married Joan, and
in 1956 the couple welcomed their
first son.
They had another son, then a
daughter. Life took off, and Grant,
providing for a family of five, didnt
have the time to look back.
I tell everyone I can that Im the
oldest and second oldest graduate UCO has ever had, Grant
said with a laugh.
And then he tells them, degreeholding or not, that it isnt too late
for them to go back.
Its never too late. If you dont
have all the education you want or
need, its never, everto late to go
back to school. Im proof.
A grandfather to six and greatgrandfather to two, Grant is a lifelong Oklahoman. His first courses
on Centrals campus werent when
he enrolled to complete his bachelors degree in 2009, but instead in
1944 when he attended the sixth
grade in Centrals iconic Old North.
Grant was a pupil of the student
teachers enrolled in what was then
Central State College.
The summer after his graduation
from Classen High School, Grant
worked part time for WKY-TV
now KFOR News Channel 4 in
Oklahoma City. The experience was
enough to get him hooked on the
business, and Grant went off in pursuit of a bachelors degree in television broadcasting.
By his own admission, he wasnt a
terrific student that first time
around, and he really liked to have
fun. It wasnt a great combination.
Of the 137 units he attempted, he
passed 120.
He needed 126 for a diploma.
I tell people if theyd given a degree for drinking beer, Id have had
one, Grant chuckled.
So when the Army called, Grant
answered. After his active duty, he
returned to Oklahoma City and to
WKY-TV as a photographer, reporter, assignment editor and
scripter.
Grant left television news in the
mid-60s, working first as a financial
adviser and a stockbroker and later
moving into automotive sales, dabbling in different investments and
projects along the way. He remained a member of the U.S. Army
Reserve for 13 years, retiring with
the rank of captain.
His career was diverse, and the
shift from industry to industry
didnt bother him. But in 2009,
after retiring from the car business
and becoming a full-time caregiver
to his ailing wife, not having a college degree did.
Retirement and duties to Joan

The truth is, success


doesnt have anything to
do with dollars. It has to
do with what youre
doing.

Graduate Bob Grant


notwithstanding, Grant found he
still wanted to work. Not having a
degree was a sore spot on his pride,
but more than that, it made applying for jobs difficult.
Job applications are all online
now, and 99 percent of them have
a box with a little red asterisk next
to a question that says, What year
did you graduate from high
school? Grant said.
Tired of being turned away for
work he knew he was qualified for,
Grant opted to make himself a better candidate.
He met with an adviser at UCO
to find out what it would take to
complete his degree.
She said, Well, gee, Mr. Grant,
your grades are a little bit low, but
that was a long time ago, Grant
recalled with a laugh. His GPA at
OU had been a 1.88.
He learned he would need to
complete 30 credits and maintain a
2.5 GPA while enrolled at Central.
He was happy to do it, filling his
schedule with courses that interested him and marveling at the diversity on campus a welcome
change from his classrooms of 60
years prior.
When I went to high school and
college, I was in WASP world,
said Grant, referencing the acronym
for white Anglo-Saxon Protestant,
first popular in the 1950s.
But at UCO, sometimes I was
the only Caucasian in class. Which
is not just fine its wonderful. I
love that our education system is
such a diverse group.
After earning his long-awaited
bachelors degree with a 3.51
GPA, he noted with a smile Grant
applied for jobs but never found the
right fit.
He suspects it happened that way
for a reason: his wife, who died in
March in 2014, still needed a fulltime caregiver. Rather than work, he
decided to devote his time to her
and go on to complete a masters
degree. A masters of gerontology,
he said, made him a better caregiver
for his wife.
I thought, wheres an occupation
it doesnt matter if youre old or
not? I think gerontologys it. I had a
great interest in it, of course. Im in
the old-old category when you start
looking at the books.

Inspiring others
to go back to college
Grant now hopes to find a parttime job and teach a course on
aging. He considers himself an expert on the subject with the date
of birth and degree to back the
claim up.
More than anything, Grant wants
to spread the word about degree
completion, inspire adults to go
back to school and encourage people to get upper level degrees. Its
never too late, Grant will remind
them.
And he hopes that his encouragement will make a difference in
someones life.
The truth is, success doesnt
have anything to do with dollars. It
has to do with what youre doing,
said Grant.
I consider myself more prosperous now than Ive ever been. I used
to think that success had to do with
money and cars and titles and paychecks. It doesnt have to do with
any of those. It has to do with what
you do for other people.

Edmond Life & Leisure May 14, 2015 Page 13

- Verizon employees including district manager, Kennie Walker, store


manager, Nathan Myers and their sales staff. Verizon Wireless is located at 225 W Edmond Rd #120. They are open Monday- Saturday 9
a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday noon to 5 p.m. They may be reached at
405-771-6760.
Below the Edmond Area Chamber of Commerce Chamber ambassadors
and Verizon employees celebrate the ribbon cutting. Store Manager,
Nathan Myers cuts the ribbon.

Photos byAnne Schmidt

Verizon Wireless has grand opening


and makes donation to food pantry
To celebrate the grand opening
of its newest store in Edmond, located at 2225 W Edmond Rd
#120, 73003, Mobile Destination,
an authorized agent of Verizon
Wireless, presented Project 66
with a donation.
The addition of this new store
provides our community with an
even broader option of wireless
technology to choose from, said
Stephan Swafford, District Manager for Verizon Wireless.

In addition, we are pleased to


mark this grand opening with a financial contribution to Project 66
in support of the very important
work they do for this area, said
Kennie Shaw, district manager for
Mobile Destination.
Project 66 provides food, clothing, support and encouragement
for the less fortunate.
This locally-based program
serves the Edmond and Arcadia
communities.

Page 14 May 14, 2015 Edmond Life & Leisure

Edmond Life & Leisure May 14, 2015 Page 15

The University of Central Oklahoma recently recognized the accomplishments of its top student leaders and organizations during its annual Campus Leadership Awards. Pictured from left are Outstanding Senior Student Leader Award winners Paul Brown, Nela Mrchkovska, Lauren Trecartin, Blakeley Elliott,
Vice President for Student Affairs Myron Pope, Ed.D., Shelby Allen, Kalisa Mora, Abbey Canaday, Oon Feng Lim and Collin Troester.

UCO honors its student leaders

The University of Central Oklahoma recently recognized the accomplishments of its top student
leaders and organizations during its annual Campus Leadership Awards.
UCOs Campus Leadership Awards are a celebration of the outstanding leadership displayed by our
students and student organizations. These students
and organizations have continuously displayed their
commitment to this university, their peers and their
organizations, said Nicole Doherty, coordinator of
student engagement at Central.
The student recipients for the 2014-15 Campus
Leadership Awards, followed by hometown, are:
Outstanding Freshman Student Leaders: Macie
Snowden, Ada; Mason Thompson, Bixby; Cash
Deitz, Oologah; Reagan Adams, Edmond; Nicole
Elias, Bartlesville; Victoria Hack, Marlow; Jordan
Broiles, Oklahoma City; Katelyn LanCaster, Sulphur; Rachel Meyer, Enid; Natasha Haughton,

Moore.
Outstanding Sophomore Student Leaders: Denton Scherman, Perry; Christen Hickey, Edmond;
Cindy Vo, Riverside, California; Mariah Wagner,
Enid; Alex Naylor, Balko.
Outstanding Junior Student Leaders: Mackenzie
Hodge, Moore; Hung-Lin (Jimmy) Lai, Ping-Tung
City, Taiwan; Riley Cole, Moore; Daniel Woods,
Moore; Raina Wainsick, Hartshorne.
Outstanding Senior Student Leaders: Nela
Mrchkovska, Skopje, Macedonia; Paul Brown,
Waurika; Blakeley Elliott, Edmond; Alex Baker, Edmond; Abbey Canaday, Tishomingo; Shelby Allen,
Oklahoma City; Kalisa Mora, Guymon; Collin
Troester, Edmond; Lauren Trecartin, Tahlequah;
Oon Feng Lim, Penang, Malaysia.
Top Central Man: Paul Brown, Waurika
Top Central Woman: Nela Mrchkovska, Skopje,
Macedonia

Broncho Spirit Award: Matthew Frech, Woodward


Outstanding Commitment to Diversity: Kylee
George, Edmond
Outstanding Commitment to Service: Aamr
Hasanjee, Edmond
Outstanding Commitment to Civic Engagement:
Heather Martin, Edmond
Spirit of Student Affairs: Mikayla Goad, Cushing
Student organization recipients for the 2014-15
Campus Leadership Awards are:
Student Organization of the Year: Fandoms
Anonymous
Impact Organization of the Year: Student Programming Board
Healthy Campus Initiative: Food and Nutrition
Club
Outstanding Commitment to Diversity: National

See UCO, Page 17

Page 16 May 14, 2015 Edmond Life & Leisure

Edmond Life & Leisure May 14, 2015 Page 17

Edmond
Teacher
Finalists
Edmond Public Schools
took time recently to honor
the districts top teachers.
Landing the honor of
Teacher of the Year was
Kevin McDonald, middle.
Finalists are, from left,
Kela Baird from Chisholm
Elementary, Amber Johnson from West Field Elementary, Kevin McDonald
from Memorial High
School, Betsie Polk from
Orvis Risner Elementary
and Mindi Mendez from
Centennial Elementary.

PHOTO PROVIDED

To become ADA compliant

Playground upgrades OKd


By Steve Gust
All elementary school
playgrounds in the Edmond school district are
on track to be accessible for children with disabilities by summer
2016.
Members of the Edmond School Board on
Monday approved
$375,000 of work on
five campuses. That approval came after the
board peppered staff
members with questions about the playgrounds.
Associate Superintendent Bret Towne
fielded many of the
questions. At issue were
computer animation illustrations showing
what the playgrounds
would look like.
Board member Cynthia Benson was concerned about a drawing
showing a small canopy
area at Cross Timbers
Elementary. A similar
drawing of a playground at Washington
Irving Elementary
showed a bigger area
and more equipment.
This canopy area at
Cross Timbers looks like
it can only hold about 20
students, Benson said.
Tim Stiger, director of
plant services for the
district, said the drawing didn't show all the
equipment, and some

PHOTO PROVIDED

This photo, from Noahs Park and Playgrounds,


shows how a ramps can be made ADA compliant.

of the work would involve replacing the playground surface.


Playgrounds at both
schools, as well as those
at the Angie Debo, Centennial and Charles
Haskell campuses, will
have $75,000 of work
done. Each will then be
compliance with the
Americans with Disabilities Act, officials said.
From this I don't see
how they can be accessible by a wheelchair,
Benson said. Other
board members voiced
similar concerns.
Stiger assured her
there would be ramps
and the playgrounds
would be accessible.
Towne, who becomes
superintendent July 1,
said playgrounds traditionally have been built
by parent-teacher
groups. Now the district
is involved to make sure
the playgrounds are
more uniform and ADA
accessible.

The work will be


done by Noah's Park
and Playgrounds. Six
companies submitted
bids.
Towne said the playgrounds will feature an
artificial turf surface,
safer than materials
used in the past such as
sand, pebbles and
wood chips.
Board member Lee
Ann Kuhlman said there
have been complaints in
the past about children
at one school throwing
the pebbles.
Other action
Sixty-one staff members who will retire
were thanked for their
service to the district.
The employees had
1,524 combined years
of service in education.
Among them was Superintendent David
Goin, ending a 38-year
education career, including 16 as superintendent. He received a
standing ovation.

UCO

Organization for Women


Outstanding Commitment to Community Service and Philanthropy:
Sigma Phi Lambda
Advisor of the Year, Faculty: Art
Christie
Advisor of the Year, Staff: Erica
Townsend
Fraternity and sorority award recipients for the 2014-15 Campus Leadership Awards are:
Outstanding Chapter of the Year:
Delta Zeta
Outstanding New Member of the
Year: Austin Hamm
Outstanding Chapter Advisor of
the Year: Tara Gerhardt

From Page 15
Outstanding Greek Woman of the
Year: Mikayla Goad
Outstanding Greek Man of the
Year: Connor Thompson
UCO Wellness Center award recipients for the 2014-15 Campus Leadership Awards are:
Peer Health Leader of the Year:
Jacquelynn Skocik
Female Intramural Athlete of the
Year: Alex Fischer
Male Intramural Athlete of the
Year: Ryan Capps
For more information on Central or
opportunities for leadership and student involvement, visit www.uco.edu.

Page 18 May 14, 2015 Edmond Life & Leisure

Polish-Baltic Philharmonic orchestra

Violinist Joshua Bell

Grammy winner Sara SantAmbrogio

Full season packages available

Armstrong lineup 2015-16


The Armstrong International Cultural Foundation continues its mission of presenting world-class
performances to central Oklahoma
audiences with the announcement of
its 2015-2016 Performing Arts Series.
The series showcases an eclectic mix
of talent from around the world the
entire family will enjoy.
Armstrongs 17th performing arts
season kicks off with the superstar
classical violinist Joshua Bell a
Grammy winner who was recently
named music director of the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields. Another legend conductor Gerard
Schwartz will take his New York
Mozart Orchestra though the composers last three symphonies in an
all-Mozart program.
Adding an international musical
flair, the Grammy-winning Mariachi
Los Camperos will explore Mexicos
most beloved folk songs while the
military bands and pipes, drums and
highland dancers of Her Majestys
Scots Guard appear for a return engagement sure to delight the entire
family.
The series also features Grammy
Award-winning cellist Sara SantAmbrogio in a program titled Chopin on
the Cello, and an all-Beethoven program presented by the Polish-Baltic
Philharmonic featuring Beethovens
beloved Fifth Symphony.
The series includes Oklahomabased jazz musician Mark Jenkins
and ends with the Edmond-based
Herbert W. Armstrong College
Choral Union accompanied by professional orchestra performing Song of

Songs, a new composition by Ryan


Malone, which vibrantly brings to life
the text of King Solomons Song of
Songs.
We are looking forward to another year of great performances
from our diverse season line up, said
Shane Granger, marketing director for
Armstrong Auditorium. From local
Oklahoma talent, to Grammy Awardwinners and even some returning favorites, the 2015-16 series is sure to
bring in audiences with a variety of
musical and performance passions.
Three- and five-performance FlexPass packages are available to create
personalized subscriptions, saving 10
percent and 15 percent off of regular
ticket prices, respectively.
A full-season subscription not only
ensures great seats for each performance, but also ensures a host of additional benefits including 20 percent
off ticket prices to all season performances, preferred seating in advance of
the general public, free and easy
ticket exchanges and access to the
exclusive subscriber pre-paid parking
lot. Full season packages start as low
as $218 for balcony seating and
$549 for orchestra seating for all ten
events.
To subscribe to the Armstrong Auditorium 2015-16 Performing Arts Series call 405-285-1010 or visit
ArmstrongAuditorium.org starting
June 1. Single event tickets go on
sale July 1.
Groups of 20 or more may be eligible to receive a $5 discount off the
original ticket price. Please contact
the box office for more information.

Edmond Life & Leisure May 14, 2015 Page 19

Husky Pom Team


The North High School freshman pom team for next year has been named.
On the back row, are, from left, Mackenzie Baumert, Mena Suddock,
Tatum Richardson, Maddie Haiges, Rhagan Carter and Natalie Herring. On
the front are Paige Rounsavall, Graycen Guthrie, Courtlyn Burton, Sarah
Szukala, Grayson Flaherty and Lilly Guyer.
PHOTO PROVIDED

A Kiwanis Benefit

PHOTO PROVIDED/DAN ONEIL

From left, Shelly Douglas, Director of Community Health Charities, holds


the M&P 15 she won in the raffle during the fourth annual Aiming for Miracles Sporting Clay event held recently at Silverleaf Shotgun Sports in
Guthrie, while Tessica Carter, Miss Canadian County (one of the Miss Oklahoma contestants) and Lee Mathews,Talk Show Host on KTOK radia
andMCat this year's event watch her holding the weapon. The event, sponsored by Edmond Kiwanis Club, raised money which was donated to Children's Miracle Network Hospitals to support Children's Hospital
Foundation's efforts to fund pediatric research and clinical care for ill childfren.Edmond Kiwanis Club Member Al Warren, 642-2771, coordinated the
event.

PHOTO PROVIDED/DAN ONEIL

From left, Kaleb Ford, Children's Miracle Network Hospital's Miracle Child,
speaks to those attending the fourth annual Aiming for Miracles Sporting
Clay in Guthrie while his father, Kelly Ford, listens to his presentation.The
event was sponsored by Edmond Kiwanis Club and all money raised was donated to Children's Miracle Network Hospitals to support Children's Hospital Foundation's efforts to fund pediatric research and clinical care for ill
children.Edmond Kiwanis Club Member Al Warren, 642-2771, coordinated
the event.

Engagement, Wedding notices


Do you have a wedding or engagement notice? If so, please contact
us at Edmond Life & Leisure, either by phone, 340-3311 or e-mail,
news@edmondpaper.com. We will then send or fax you an engagement
or wedding form.The cost is $35, which includes a photograph. Payment is due upon submission by noon Thursday.

Page 20 May 14, 2015 Edmond Life & Leisure

Games played at Mitch Park

Season under way for Miracle League

See Answers,Page 27

By Tess Thomson
NewsOK.com/The Oklahoman
Miracle League of Edmond
gives those with special needs a
chance to be a part of a team.
The nonprofit organization has
its own baseball field where
players can play against each
other.
With about 125 people divided among 12 teams, the
players play in one game a week
for eight weeks each fall and
spring. Teams are split by age,
and games are played at Mitch
Park in Edmond.
In 2001, the director of Miracle League of Edmond, Margo
Price, started a baseball league

for people with special needs to


give her son and his friends a
team to be on. Her son, James,
was diagnosed with autism
when he was 2 years old. Four
years later, her league officially
became a branch of Miracle
League, an organization based
out of Atlanta.
I just want to make a difference in their lives, Price said.
Price said she likes being able
to keep the players active and
giving them something to do
outside of school. She said it's
also a way for those with special
needs to participate in a sport,
rather than just be spectators.
Having volunteers at games is
a huge help as well. There are

usually about five to 10 volunteers at each game to help keep


the game going and assist when
necessary.
The volunteers aspect is very
important to each game, Price
said.
The biggest need of the organization is money. Monetary
donations help buy equipment
and make it so Price doesn't
have to increase the registration
fee.
There is also a Miracle League
in Enid and one in Lawton.
For additional information on
Edmonds Miracle League, please
log onto www.edmondmiracleleague.org or give them a call at
850-7603.

PHOTO PROVIDED

Junior League members making a charitable grant to Neighborhood Services, are, from left, Nazette Zuhdi Cleaver- JLOC President-Elect, Stacey
Ninness Neighborhood Services Organization and Kristi Leonard- JLOC President.

Junior League grants


The JLOC Community Enrichment
Committee spent the past year reviewing applications from many
unique and deserving organizations.
Ultimately three community partners were selected to each receive a
$5,000 grant from the JLOC.A reception was held recently at the Myriad Botanical Gardens to present the
following awards.
The first recipient was Calm Waters Center for Children and Families.
The awarded funds will support the
organizations mission to assist children and families in grief counseling.
The second recipient was Neighborhood Services Organization, Incorporated, in support of dental
screenings for Oklahoma Citys children in need. The JLOC grant will be
used to support this program that
provides preventative care to help pa-

trons avoid chronic dental problems.


The last recipient was the Oklahoma Foundation for the Disabled,
Incorporated. League support will
cover the expenses for the organization to install two specialized wheelchair swings.This foundation is the
largest provider of day health services
for disabled adults in the region.
The Junior League of Oklahoma
City is committed to improving the
quality of life for our fellow citizens.
These grants are an illustration of our
commitment to our community. It is
our hope that these gifts will generate
a new momentum in improved health
for the youth of Oklahoma City, said
Kristi Leonard, JLOC President.
For more information, contact Kristen Ferate by phone at (405)
843.5668 or email at
br1040@gmail.com.

State triples the wait


time to have abortion
Gov. Mary Fallin last week signed
legislation that extends the waiting
period for women getting an abortion to 72 hours.
House Bill 1409 increases the time
for voluntary and informed consent
before an abortion from 24 to 72
hours. Additionally, abortion facilities
that operate a website must add a
web link to the states website, A
Womans Right to Know.
This legislation will help women

get the information they need before


making a decision they cant take
back, said Fallin. It will allow for
more time to consider medical risks
as well as explore alternatives to
abortion, such as adoption.
HB 1409 was authored by Rep.
Lisa Billy and sponsored by Sen. Greg
Treat. HB 1409 takes effect Nov. 1.
When the measure takes effect,
Oklahoma will become the fourth
state with a 72-hour waiting period.

Letter to the Editor

Beat the Christmas rush and


stop texting & driving today
EDITOR:
Yay! Were No. 46! Or we will be
on Nov. 1 when Oklahomas law banning texting while driving kicks in,
making us the 46th state to pass
such legislation. But why wait? Avoid
the rush. Stop texting now.
We congratulate the Oklahoma
Legislature for their wisdom in passing this much-needed law. It will no
doubt cause more and more of us to
think twice before picking up the
phone as we drive.
Distracted drivers are a huge menace to themselves and others on the
road. And its not just texting. The
Oklahoma Highway Safety Office reports that in 2013, there were 1,712

Oklahoma drivers involved in crashes


who were distracted by an electronic
device.
But get this: There were another
5,776 drivers involved in crashes that
year who were distracted by something other than an electronic device.
These stats are based on drivers selfreporting the conditions that led to
the crash, so theyre no doubt low.
The list of distractions ranges from
putting on make-up to looking at
other drivers to interacting with fellow passengers. Bottom line: reduce
all distractions and you will increase
your chances of surviving driving.

CHUCK MAI, AAA

Edmond Life & Leisure May 14, 2015 Page 21

PHOTO PROVIDED

Reese Witherspoon, left, and Sofia Vergara go for the laughs, but fall short in the new motion picture release, Hot Pursuit.

Review of Hot Pursuit

Put film on must avoid list


By George Gust
Its probably happened to every high
school student. A 10page essay is due on
Monday, its Sunday
and youre staring at a
blank page.
You panic, and frantically try to throw together a few half-baked
ideas and dress up
every questionable
source you can think of.
What results is a crude
version of an essay that
definitely wont get you
a passing grade.
This weeks new release, Hot Pursuit,
makes me feel like the
exasperated teacher responsible for reading
and grading that lastminute essay from the
student who really
should have known better.
Hot Pursuit stars
Reese Witherspoon as a
straight-laced, by-thebook cop whos tasked
with escorting a federal
witness, played by Sofia
Vergara, from San Antonio to Dallas to testify
against the leader of a
drug cartel. With
crooked cops and cartel
enforcers on their tail,
Witherspoon and Vergara must use any
means necessary to stay
alive and take down the
murderous drug kingpin.
Hot Pursuit is the
epitome of a hot mess.
The story is generic and
boring, the characters
are annoying and unrealistic, and the writing
and directing feel criminally lazy. In theory, this
film could ride on the
likeability of its stars,
but fails to give them
anything funny or interesting to do. It feels as
if Vergaras performance tries to emulate
Lucille Ball, but ends up
feeling more like sitting
next to a crying baby
on a crowded plane. Its
disappointing to see
Witherspoon fail to
bring any amount of
magnetism to her role,
as shes been able to do
previously in films like
Legally Blonde, Walk
the Line and Sweet
Home Alabama.
Hot Pursuit pulls
out all the stops for
every terrible slapstick
comedy youve ever
seen. Watching these
silly and played-out
scenes between charac-

ters that have no chemistry made this film feel


more awkward than
funny. About halfway
through the film I
began to wonder how
so many talented people could put together

such a shoddy film.


Most of the jokes
seemed to be added in
after the fact; as if during early screenings of
the film, the filmmakers
realized they needed to
be more funny and

tried to squeeze in a
few lame jokes that
ended up feeling
painfully out of place.
Hot Pursuit is an
awkward and unfunny
piece of counter-programming that aspires
to be 2013s The
Heat, but falls helplessly short.
Avoid it if you can.
Hot Pursuit is rated
PG-13 for sexual content, violence, language
and some drug material.
0.3 out of 5 stars

Crossword Puzzle
STATEPOINT
CROSSWORD
THEME: THE '80s
ACROSS
1. Inhabitant of Aleutian
Islands
6. "____ alive!"
9. William McKinley High
School's famous club
13. Caterpillar to butterfly
14. Ribonucleic acid
15. Members of Christian
community
16. More so than fine
17. Banking convenience
18. Matter of debate
19. *Elected twice in the
'80s
21. *Popular along with
shoulder pads
23. *___ Zeppelin, broke
up in 1980
24. Mountain lake
25. *Blake Edwards comedy with Julie Andrews
28. Editor's oversight
30. Fate
35. Like a devoted fan
37. *1981 flick with
George C. Scott and Timothy
Hutton
39. Clingy
one
40. Famous
French couturier
41. Highest
point, pl.
43. Greek
god of war
44. Clown
act
46. Japanese
stringed instrument
47. Stretched
ride
48. Twinings
package
50. Fill to excess
52. Goes
with sin and cos
53. Argument
55. ____been
57. *Often
carried on shoulder
61. *19080s
Olympic city
64. Sac enclosing embryo,
pl.
65. Anger or
wrath
67. Less wild
69. Soil for
cultivation
70. Sailor's
assent
71. Clear the
blackboard
72. Eye afflic-

tion
73. Albanian money
74. As opposed to owns
DOWN
1. *TV's friendly alien
2. Den
3. Marine eagle
4. Relating to uvea
5. Walmart competitor
6. *Location of hostage
crisis
7. *Ted Turner's TV addition
8. Brazilian dance
9. Deep wound
10. *____ Whelchel of
"Facts of Life"
11. Purse to match a
gown
12. Ogler
15. Woody polymer
20. Temples' innermost
sanctuaries
22. Aggravate
24. At or near the top
25. *Assassinated Egyptian
President
26. Sheep-like
27. Plants and animals
29. *"Brat ____"

31. Navy commando


32. Like Boy Scout's badge
33. Organ swelling
34. *Youngest heavyweight champ
36. Small quantity, especially of a liquid
38. Stiff hair
42. Bantoid language
45. *"Rock the ____" by
The Clash
49. Government Printing
Office
51. Resurrection Sunday
54. Relating to axis
56. Close call
57. *"Harvey's Wallbangers" were good with
them
58. Bypass
59. *"For Your Eyes ____"
60. Dust allergy trigger
61. They will inherit the
earth?
62. Middle Eastern sultanate
63. Used to be wild?
66. Marbled bread
68. Hi-___
See Answers, Page 27

Page 22 May 14, 2015 Edmond Life & Leisure

Bulldogs advance to state tourney


The Edmond Memorial Bulldogs went 3-0 to win their
baseball regional at home.
The Bulldogs advance to the
6A State Tournament and
improve to 24-9 on the season. Sophomore Bryce Newson threw a complete game
shutout in the finals to beat
Choctaw and Bulldogs win 80.

Teachers Appreciated

PHOTO PROVIDED

PHOTO PROVIDED

Sequoyah Middle School parent organization hospitality co-chair Kylee


Rice, left, hands a plate of goodies to eighth-grade teacher Janice Ragan
at the Teacher Appreciation Lunch held last week. Last week was
Teacher Appreciation Week and parent groups across the district
spoiled teachers with food, flowers and fun.

PHOTO PROVIDED

John Ross students, from left, Kylie, Sami and Xander honored secondgrade teacher Leah Hedger by bringing her flowers. She also received
balloons and hand-made cards.

Rising Starr production

Reminder on upcoming
Broadway Tonight finale
The University of Central Oklahomas Broadway Tonight Series will
wrap up its Oklahoma Voices season with the world premiere of Rising Starr: Kay Starr, A Life in Song
at 7:30 p.m. May 15-16 and 2 p.m.
May 17 in Mitchell Hall Theatre, located on campus.
Written and directed by Broadway
Tonight director Greg White, Ph.D.,
Rising Starr offers a look into the
life of Oklahoma native Kay Starr
and her musical legacy
Kay Starr is truly an Oklahoma pioneer spirit strong, diverse, humorous yet tough, self-actualized, with
focus on a goal and ambition to
achieve it, White said.
Starr is noted for having pioneered
the road of versatility, making hits in
the genres of jazz, country, pop, spirituals, rhythms and blues and Broadway tunes. Between 1948 and 1954,
Starr had more than two dozen top40 Billboard hits. Her gold record
Wheel of Fortune became the No.
2 top-selling single of 1952 and The
Rock And Roll Waltz became
1956s No. 2 single in the United
States and the No. 1 single in the
U.K.
While Kay Starr mastered all genres, she was always able to add her
own distinctive style to whatever she
performed and recorded, White
continued.
To captured Starrs rise to fame
and Native American heritage, White
has written the script in chronological form.
The musical is cinematic in nature
an episodic style where each song
bleeds into the next scene, White
explained.
The cast will consist of both current Central students and alumni as

PHOTO PROVIDED

Angela Lansdown will star as Kay


Starr.

will the 12-piece band accompanying


the production. Many of the alumni
worked with White on his awardwinning musical Flipside: The Patti
Page Story, which was performed
Off Broadway and continues to tour
throughout the nation.
Rising Starr has a lot of the
same performers and production and
creative team as Flipside, which has
helped lend a tight, intimate dynamic to Rising Starr, said White.
Its also nice that seasoned
alumni will be working side by side
with current students, offering various perspectives and experiences,
White concluded.
Tickets for Rising Starr: Kay Starr,
A Life in Song can be purchased by
visiting www.mitchellhalltheatre.com
or by calling the Mitchell Hall Box
Office at 405-974-3375.
For a complete listing of UCO College of Fine Arts and Design events
and performances, including Broadway Tonight Series performances,
visit cfad.uco.edu.

Edmond Life & Leisure May 14, 2015 Page 23

Appointments
Engelbert lands
new audit post

Lower energy prices taking toll

Edmond accounting
firm Arledge & Associates has promoted
Bryce Engelbert to
audit senior.
Engelbert, a Certified Public Accountant,
is a 2013 graduate of
Fort Hays State University.
In his new role, EnEngelbert
gelbert will serve as
the in-charge auditor on various audit engagements as well as train staff auditors.
We are excited to announce Bryces
promotion, said Jim Denton, managing
partner. He has been an integral member
of our team, and we are confident he will
excel in his new role.
Arledge & Associates, PC is a recognized
leader in the accounting industry offering
practical solutions in the areas of tax planning, auditing, consulting, accounting advisory services and client accounting.

Oklahomas April Gross Receipts to the Treasury report shows marginal overall growth from the prior
year due to the effect of low oil and natural gas
prices, State Treasurer Ken Miller announced last
week.
Monthly collections of $1.32 billion exceed last
Aprils receipts by 0.5 percent. Aprils growth brings
12-month collections to $12.1 billion, 4 percent
higher than receipts from the trailing 12 months.
These numbers indicate Oklahomas economy is
still thriving, but growth is more subdued than during
the past few years, Miller said. Due to Aprils tax filing deadline, income tax collections provided a boost
to the bottom line to counter the impact of falling
gross production tax receipts.
Income tax collections in April provided more than
50 percent of total revenue, and were up by more
than $53 million, or 8.2 percent, from last April.
Collections from gross production taxes on oil and
natural gas dropped by more than 54 percent, to
$33.2 million in April, levels not seen in more than a

HR firm hires
Amber Price
RealTime HR announced Edmond resident Amber Price has joined its growing
human resources services practice.
Price will serve as
vice president consulting services and
will manage the
human resources
team to ensure quality of services. She
will also direct business development efforts, aid clients in
operational efficienPrice
cies and development strategies as well as conduct
employee trainings.
Amber brings tremendous business
expertise to our firm and our clients,
said CEO Todd Rogers. Amber has put
her knowledge and experience to work
for our clients, helping them to maximize their employee resources, increase
productivity and effectively manage
human resources matters. She is a welcome addition to our team.
Price received an MBA from Oklahoma Christian University after earning
her undergraduate degree from the University of Central Oklahoma.
Founded in 2008, RealTime HR provides turn-key human resources solutions
to businesses of all sizes, from benefits
and employee administration to governmental compliance and risk management.
The firm helps businesses align
staffing resources with their specific operational needs.
RealTime HR is located at 920 NW
139th St. Parkway in Oklahoma City and
online at www.realtimehr.com.

Numbers up ... but


dozen years. April collections come from February oil
field production, when crude oil sold for $50.58 per
barrel and natural gas was set at $2.96 per thousand
cubic feet.
Gross production collections are impacted by both
price and production volume, and indications are that
production is being scaled back. The Baker Hughes report on drilling activity this week shows 108 oil wells
are in development, down by 70 wells, or 39 percent,
from a year ago. Notably, gas wells in development
are at zero this week, compared to 17 in May 2014.
Motor vehicle tax collections were also down in
April, by more than 11 percent, while sales tax collections increased by just more than one percent.
Collections during the past 12 months show two
major revenue sources with lower collections than
during the previous 12 months gross production
and motor vehicles tax receipts. This marks the first
time since September 2013 that two major revenue
sources have had lower collections than during the
trailing 12-month period.

Realtors report housing market status


The Edmond Board of Realtors (EBR) home sales
statistics for April 2015 are now available online at
http://www.edmondrealtors.com/stats. The statistics
provided are published monthly by EBR based on
MLSOK multiple listing service data.
The statistics are based on residential properties in
the City of Edmond.
Overall, median prices increased and days on the
market increased. The listed vs. closed ratio finished
weak this month.
The total housing inventory at the end of April

2015 increased 4.31 percent to 1,138 existing homes


available for sale.
Officials said the market experienced some upward
momentum with the increase of median price this
month. Prices went up 4.24 percent in April to
$250,125 vs. the previous year at $239,950.
The median days on market has increased to 31.
The Edmond Board of Realtors was established in
1947 and currently represents over 630 Realtor members and 115 affiliate members serving the Edmond
area.

Gold Star recipient

Armstrong director gains recognition


The Greater Oklahoma City Area
Certified Tourism Ambassador program is pleased to announce
Shane Granger as the recipient for
the CTA Gold Star for 2015.
Birthed in July of 2012, the program partnered area tourism leaders to unite front-line tourism
representatives not only to serve
current visitors, but also to prepare
for the future of Oklahoma City.
The program demonstrates the
dedication to promoting Oklahoma City as one of the best destinations with a high level of
commitment to visitors. Every year,
the Gold Star Award is presented
to the Certified Tourism Ambassador (CTA) who exemplifies excellence in hospitality and customer
service.
Granger, named the Marketing
Director at the Armstrong International Cultural Foundation in
2006, sets the bar high for what it
means to be a CTA in the Greater
Oklahoma City area. He attracts
and greets visitors at the Armstrong Auditorium, a main metro

Shane Granger, left, with Visitors


Bureau president Mike Carrier.

attraction in at the foundations


campus in north Edmond. The auditoriums archaeological exhibits
and performing arts series make it
host to thousands of visitors every
year, and Shanes reputation exceeds him with these visitors as he
goes above and beyond to create a
memorable experience for each
and every person he comes into
contact with. He and his reputable
staff at the Armstrong are in con-

stant interaction with the visitors,


asking about each experience at
the auditorium and finding ways
they can improve and make the
visit better. Their personal social
media accounts are filled with positive quotes from the visitors that
help testify to the fact that they
truly do have a memorable and enjoyable experience when they visit
the Armstrong Auditorium.
Though busy with a full agenda
at the Armstrong, Shane is always
able to meet the needs of others in
the tourism industry to help shed a
positive light on the Greater Oklahoma City Area. "He responds to
every private-tour request from our
office, no matter how large or how
small," said Terry Lanham, marketing coordinator for the Edmond
Convention and Visitors Bureau.
He and his staff are also very active with the CTA program, attending and arriving promptly to every
CTA Networking Social. He exhibits his interest in the program

See Armstrong,Page 24

Page 24 May 14, 2015 Edmond Life & Leisure

AAA sees
increase
this year for
Memorial
Day travel

AAA projects a surprising 5.3 percent increase in the number of Oklahomans who will hit the highway over
the long Memorial Day holiday weekend this year compared to last year.
Gas prices have been rising lately
but theyre still more than $1 below
where they were one year ago, said
Chuck Mai, spokesman for AAA Oklahoma. Cheaper fuel is helping coax
more Oklahomans off their couches
and into their cars in fact, were saying we should see the highest number

of state and U.S. travelers for Memorial Day weekend in ten years.
Overall, AAA predicts 649,000 Oklahomans will travel 50 miles from home
over the holiday, 4.5 percent more
than last year. Air travel will be up 2.4
percent and auto travel up by 5.3 percent. However, travel by other means
(rail, boat, bus or inter-modal) will decline by 3.6 percent.
Nationwide, AAA expects 37.2 million Americans will journey from home
over Memorial Day, a 4.7 percent in-

crease from the 35.5 million people


who traveled last year. Kicking off the
summer driving season, 33 million travelers will be driving to their destinations. AAA defines this years Memorial
Day holiday travel period as running
from May 21 to May 25.
Most drivers will likely pay the lowest Memorial Day gas prices in at least
five years. Last weeks Oklahoma average price for self-serve regular gas is
$2.42, $1 lower than the average price
for Memorial Day last year.

Armstrong

From Page 23
and places a high level of importance
in learning about his surroundings in
order to have first-hand knowledge
that his visitors and staff can use.
Shane is always willing to go above
and beyond what is required of him
in his job duties and as a CTA. He
provides free tickets to performances
regularly to the local convention and
visitors bureau for use in their gift
baskets in order to help enhance the
visitors experience of the area. Recently, Shane and his staff made it
possible for around 50 of our CTAs
to attend the Russian Ballets performance of Swan Lake for no charge
so that the CTAs could experience

Armstrong Auditorium for themselves.


"We were treated to the Russian
Ballets performance of Swan Lake
there at the Armstrong Auditorium.
Each CTA and a guest were invited to
attend for a tour of the beautiful facility followed by the performance,"
Lanham recalled. "I attended with my
granddaughter and it was a night she
will remember forever."
We congratulate Shane Granger on
being recognized as this years CTA
Gold Star recipient and thank him for
his hard work and dedication to delivering the experience that is Oklahoma City to visitors.

Weight lifting can


improve flexibility
By Brian Attebery
One of the big
myths that have
haunted weight lifting
is that building muscle
will make you less
flexible.
Throughout the
years, I have seen
Attebery
some incredibly flexible
people. Some have muscle and some
dont have much. A persons lack of
flexibility has more to do with their
lack of stretching than anything.
Proper weight lifting should actually
help your flexibility.
I have no doubt that anyone can
feel tight in their muscles. Motion is
one of the best ways to assure that
you are able to have the best Range
of Motion (R.O.M.) that you can
have. We lift weights to build
strength. That strength helps to stabilize and move joints. We need to understand how that works.
I see a lot of weight lifters lifting
weights at all costs. They will use improper form, momentum and risk
their joint health just to get a weight
up. If you get
injured from
this type of
lifting, it will
limit your
R.O.M. due to
inflammation
from the injury. Hopefully,
you will recover from this
injury. If you
continue to do
this type of
abuse to your
body, you may permanently injure
yourself.
Push yourself in the weight room
but listen to your body. Are you
going through a full range of motion?
Do you understand what the proper
R.O.M. is for that exercise? Are you
able to lift the weight without using
momentum and fad form? If so, then
you are fine.
Most of us are creatures of habit.
One of the factors that keep a person from feeling flexible is their lack
of exercise selections.
I think it is good to do basic, challenging exercise that work a lot of
muscles at once. The bench press is
great example for the pecs (chest),
shoulders and triceps. This compound
movement has been used for decades
as a staple exercise for the upper
body. The shoulder joint can get
worn down from doing that movement over and over.
Make sure you do other movements such as a chest fly with cables
or dumbbells to stretch those pecs

out and slowly go through a greater


range of motion in the shoulder.
Abandon the bench press for a few
weeks for a completely different
angle and focus on the incline bench
press or even substitute the barbell
for individual dumbbells.
Legs are probably the most important muscles to keep flexible. I see
very lean, skinny people who have
hamstrings that are so tight that they
can barely lean forward and touch
their knees without rounding their
backs much less even consider touching their toes.
Ironically, I have also seen professional body builders who can do the
splits. Lack of flexibility is commonly
linked to lower back issues. When
you see a weight lifter do the leg
press with large amounts of weight
and only go a few inches down, they
are limiting their R.O.M. The leg
press is great. I do it often. I also like
to do walking lunges without weight
and take big steps and go nice and
slow to get my legs a greater range
of motion and to keep up my R.O.M.
They make me sore but I also love
how it strengthens muscles
throughout a
great R.O.M.
compared to the
leg press. I combine the two for
a greater workout. You must
also understand
that some exercises are not for
everyone either.
Lunges can be
hard on some
peoples knees and they are not for
beginners. I try to change up at least
half of my exercises each workout to
give my body different angles to be
challenged with. This gives me a
greater potential for maximizing my
R.O.M.
We cant talk about R.O.M. without discussing stretching. Use it or
lose it. You have to stretch on a frequent basis to maximize your flexibility. Stretch 15 seconds here and there
throughout the day if you are limited
on a formal stretching routine time.
The stretching improves R.O.M. and
that will also improve your potential
for strength. I know quite a few
golfers that would love to see their
swing improve. Combining strength
training with a proper stretching routine works every time.

(Brian Attebery is a Degreed/Certified Trainer. He owns and operates


Results Fitness and Nutrition Center,
L.L.C. in Edmond. www.resultsfitnessusa.com)

Edmond Life & Leisure May 14, 2015 Page 25

Buchanan wins photo contest


highlighting metro art museum
BancFirst announced the launch of
the 2015 BancFirst Oklahoma! photo
contest in January where they extended an invitation to photographers
from all levels of expertise to submit
their unique images from BancFirst
communities across Oklahoma.
Edmonds own Rick Buchanan has
been selected as a winner of the
contest. His unique image of the
Oklahoma City Museum of Art captured the spirit of Oklahoma in an
artistic and interesting way that
wowed BancFirst executives and
employees.
Buchanans photo will be featured
in BancFirst promotional materials
across the state.
The contest is taking place
throughout 2015, so other photographers still have the opportunity to
submit photos to the contest for a

Contest continues
chance to be featured by BancFirst.
We are thrilled that Rick has been
selected by BancFirst as a winner of
the photo contest, said BancFirst Edmond president Mark Lisle. His winning photo proves that no one is
better equipped to capture the
uniqueness of Oklahoma than the
people that live here. The people of
this state are getting the chance to
tell our story through our own eyes.
That kind of community involvement
is what BancFirst is all about, and we
are very excited that an Edmond photographer was recognized.
For information about the types of
photos needed or to submit an
entry, please visit
www.bancfirst.com

Page 26 May 14, 2015 Edmond Life & Leisure

Companion Healthcare
293-9000
901 S. Bryant, Ste. A
www.companionhealthcare.net

Companion Healthcare has


been at its current location in
Edmond since 2005. Jeff Chappell
is the owner of this home health,
hospice, and private duty business. With three locations and
over 50 years of dedicated service
to
Oklahoma
communities,
Companion Healthcare is a business you can trust.
The owners were in the longterm care business and they saw a
need to offer home care options to
meet the healthcare needs of
clients and seniors, says Certified
Home Care Administrator, Donna
Bennett.
We started Home Health,
Hospice, and Private Duty to offer
more services, especially to senior
citizens, says Bennett. Our focus
is to promote independent living
and give our loved ones the ability
to remain in their home. We want
to make sure they have a safe

environment to age in place.


Services
that
Companion
Healthcare provides range in variety. This includes hospice or end
of life care, home health nursing
and therapy services and private
care companion services.
Companion Healthcare is a family owned, local business and they
have a strong passion and commitment to the communities they
are in. Our staff have years of
experience and live in the communities we serve, says Bennett.
They have a strong commitment
to provide the best healthcare
services possible to our friends
and neighbors.
In the future, Bennett says they
would like to continue to develop
their services and staff to meet the
growing needs of their clients. We
hope to be the company people
think of when they need the type of
services we have to offer, says

Bennett. Our staff are always participating in continuing education


and learning about new technology and products that will enhance
our clients healthcare needs.
Edmond is a beautiful community a wonderful place for a business
to thrive. Having a business in
Edmond is a blessing, says
Bennett. Being able to support
local events, contribute to charitable organizations and the overall
camaraderie of Edmond helps
Companion Healthcare be successful. Our location in Edmond
allows us to be close to our clients
and the physicians we serve as
well.
For more information on
Companion Healthcare call them
at 293-9000 or visit their website at
www.companionhealthcare.net.
Alexx Reger

Give youngsters rules for the summer


By Belinda Crosier
Edmond Family Counseling
Oh, those lazy,
hazy, crazy days of
summer!
Theyre almost
here, & with them,
come expectations
by parents and children about what
those days will render. Sometimes
Crosier
those expectations
dont align very closely at all, nor are
they likely to be spoken aloud, which
leads eventually to surprising realizations by all parties.
Its safe to say most adolescents
expect that very description to come
to fruition lazy, hazy and yes, even
crazy, while parents usually expect
or at least hope to see their kids
being slightly more productive. One
way to navigate this more smoothly
is to have a family meeting ASAP
after the last school bell rings and
make the expectations clear. This will
probably be met with fewer groans
and rolled eyes if parents can acknowledge that theyre willing for
their kids to have some fun while
school is out. That being said, now to
the unpleasantness of establishing
summer rules about ... (yuck!) chores.
There are several ways to look at this
age-old source of grumbles; however,
I personally feel that chores are simply preparation for the real world and
that all kids should have chores all
the time, but not everyone in Ed-

mond, America concurs.


The question is, do the kids take
on extra chores in the summer? Its
seems reasonable, especially if both
parents have jobs outside the home,
that the people in the house with the
most spare time on their hands,
could take on an extra task or two
without risking enslavement. Factor
in the expense of increased activities
kids expect to participate in & those
additional chores can be seen as a
means of earning their fun, which is
how the real works for most of us.
Then theres the sticky wicket of
(yuck, again!) curfew. Adolescents, in
particular, seem to operate under the
belief that everyone in the free world
can stay up half the night and sleep
half the day, wreaking havoc on the
sleep schedules of their parents. It is
not unreasonable to expect or demand that your children be and
stay in the house after a designated
hour of your choosing. Explaining
that the roof over their heads and
the latest electronic gadget in their
hands at that moment exist as a result of the adults in the household
being able to wake up & get to their
appointed responsibilities five to
seven days a week, might make it a
little more palatable to suggest that if

their nighttime antics prevent that


from happening, they will be prevented from enjoying those luxuries.
Its not incomprehensible that parents
may have to employ some innovative
methods for insuring their kiddos stay
tucked in the house beyond the established bewitching hour.
Having been there and done that
myself, I understand this will elicit
many complaints, and certain testing
of the limits & consequences. If these
rules have been sufficiently explained
from the get-go, the broken record
technique (i.e., The rule is..
as many as times as needed) will suffice to restate the expectation without being drawn into any lengthy
debate about the perceived fairness
of these rules. Having a pre-thought
out response to complaints/accusations such as, Thank you for your
thoughts on that, or a simple,

Could be, with a little smile, lets


your child know youve heard their
protest but youre not swayed by it.
The truly persistent youngster may
well intensify the attack, but you, as
the just-as-persistent parent, continue
to mindlessly repeat the broken
record statement. The mindless, or
automatic response will help you stay
detached, and by not feeling you
need to defend your stance, its more
likely youll avoid taking the resistance as a personal affront and
thereby sidestep attack/counter-attack, escalating interactions with your
child. Have a great summer! Edmond
Family Counseling is here to support
you and your family.

Please support us with your donation so everyone has access to mental health care.
www.edmondfamily.org

Edmond Life & Leisure May 14, 2015 Page 27

Baptist volunteers
help serve those
affected by storms
Last weekend, with more bad weather forecast, Oklahoma Baptist Disaster Relief volunteers continued serving communities affected
by the May 6 storms. To date, more than 80
volunteers have served more than 2,500 meals,
in addition to other work that includes debris
clean-up.
According to Wes Johnson, a volunteer
leader with the Baptist General Convention of
Oklahoma (BGCO)'s disaster relief operation,
workers have served victims in various parts of
the state, including the Tuttle and Newcastle
areas.
Johnson also reported that the BGCO disaster relief has received more than 60 requests
for debris removal, roof tarping, mud removal
and other services, all of which are offered at
no cost to the owner.
People may request assistance from the
BGCO disaster relief operation by calling (405)
443-7583 or by visiting
www.okdisasterhelp.org. The BGCOs disaster
relief operation, a non-profit, faith-based group
which offers a wide array of services, also receives tax-deductible donations to help victims

Vacation Bible School notice


Join First United Methodist Church Edmond in
June for Superheros in Training VBS where kids
will learn how to be a superhero by following
God. All children ages three through fifth grade
are welcome. Each day your child will hear a great
Bible story and meet a new Bible Superhero.Kids
will experience Gods unstoppable power and discover how they too can do great things!Kids will
participate in daily activities including:
n Art - educational art projects (psst, hey
kids...by educational we mean messy and awesome! You will even make your very own superhero cape!)
n Snacks - healthy snacks (psst, hey kids...the
snacks are only somewhat healthy! The best part
is that it is totally OK and encouraged, to play
with your food at VBS!)
n Games -fun recreational games (psst, hey
kids...the games are amazing! You get to throw
water balloons, knock down walls and bowl a

giant down, just to name a few!)


VBS will be June 8 to June 11 from 6 p.m. to 8
p.m. For more information or to register, visit our
website at www.fumcedmond.org, call the church at
405-341-0107, or e-mail megan@fumcedmond.org.

St. Johns also will


be having VBS
VBS at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church,
Ninth and Boulevard, will be held this summer,
June 8-12.
The next VBS training workday will be this Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Seton Hall.
This year the parish will be having an opportunity for the teenage volunteers to compete in a
decorating contest for the Bible Expedition environment. Please contact the Religious Education
Office for more information or the contest director, Jamie Sparks at sparks74@gmail.com or (405)
359-5605. Enrollment is now open until May 29.

Behold, I send you


out as sheep in the
midst of wolves.
Therefore be wise
as serpents and
harmless as doves.
Matthew
10:16
Good Shepherd Anglican Church
(Traditional Episcopal)
1000 N. Broadway, Edmond
314-8715
Sundays - Holy Communion
8:00 & 10:00am
Rector's Class 9:00am
Learn about the Anglican Faith
Sundays at 10:00am
www.anglicancogsedmondok.com
1928 Book of Common Prayer anglicancogesedmondok.com

SCRIPTURE TRADITION REASON

ST. MONICA
CATHOLIC CHURCH
2001 N. WESTERN - EDMOND
1/2

MILE NORTH OF

DANFORTH

ON

WESTERN

359-2700 FAX: 341-0023


www.saintmonicaparish.com
stmon@swbell.net
MASS TIMES
SATURDAY 5:00 P.M. SUNDAY 8:00 A.M. & 10:30 A.M.
SPANISH MASS: 1:00 P.M.
DAILY MASS: TUES.-THUR. 5:30 P.M. FRIDAY 7:30 A.M.
RECONCILIATION: SAT. 4:00 P.M. TUES. & THUR. 5:00 P.M.
PERPETUAL ADORATION: 24 HOURS A DAY, 7 DAYS A WEEK

Like a bird that


wanders from its
nest is a man
who wanders
from his place.

Proverbs
27:8

Page 28 May 14, 2015 Edmond Life & Leisure

You might also like