Edmond Life and Leisure - March 14, 2024

In This Issue

FOUR SEASONS

Four Seasons, by Kevin Box, in real life is located in front of the Center for Transformative Learning on the UCO campus, but this week is hidden somewhere in our paper. Email contest@edmondpaper.com with the correct location to be entered in the weekly drawing. For more information, see page 4.

See Page 11

Heard on Hurd is back Street party starts Saturday

FRIDAY, MARCH 15

Partly Cloudy

SATURDAY, MARCH 16

SUNDAY, MARCH 17

Citizens Bank of Edmond’s Heard on Hurd returns for the 11th season on Saturday, March 16. The street festival will be at the corner of Broadway and Hurd in downtown Edmond. Festival attendees will enjoy live, local music and a variety of food trucks and pop-up shops from 6 to 10 p.m.

Heard on Hurd, presented by Citizens Bank of Edmond, is a celebration of community, local businesses, and vibrant culture, featuring more than 60 vendors, including food trucks and pop-up shops.

Heard on Hurd’s March musical lineup includes talented local artists: Max Sise will take the stage at 6 p.m., followed by YZMN at 7:20 p.m., and headlining the event the Jason Young Band at 8:40 p.m.

“Citizens Bank of Edmond is honored to bring Heard on Hurd to downtown Edmond each year,” said Jill Castilla, president and CEO of Citizens Bank of Edmond. “Heard on Hurd not only brings our community together but also provides a platform for local businesses to thrive. It’s incredible to see friends and neighbors at Heard on Hurd each month!”

The bank’s Community Lobby will feature Merida from Brave from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. Additionally, Heard on Hurd is partnering with Edmond Fine Arts and the Edmond Visual Arts Commission to host a scavenger hunt of 16 pieces of public art during the event. Participants can pick up a game card in the Community Lobby or by the Citizens Bank of Edmond table near the stage. Completed game cards can be returned to the Community Lobby by 8:00 p.m. for a prize.

The featured nonprofit of Heard on Hurd this season is the Edmond Public Schools Foundation. They will be set up near the Heard on Hurd stage with information on their organization and opportunities to support and get involved.

Event Details:

Date: Saturday, March 16, 2024

Time: 6:00-10:00 p.m.

Location: Corner of Broadway and Hurd in downtown Edmond

To find out more about the event, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter and Instagram.

PHOTOS BY MELINDA INFANTE

Heard on Hurd crowds enjoy the 2023 season.

UCO honors an astronaut

Big push for Round Barn tourism

Students and other tour groups who visit the Arcadia Round Barn can learn more about agriculture, history, transportation, architecture, building construction and what it was like to live during a time when most machines were powered by humans and horses.

The narrative of how the barn was built in 1898 begins with a series of storyboards just inside the door, and continues nearly 100 years until the day the restored barn was dedicated as a museum. Other exhibits include photos and sketches of the town of Arcadia dating to the early days of the barn, a collection of vintage farm equipment and hand tools, artifacts donated by the descendants of the barn builders, a restored railroad baggage cart and a refurbished black buggy, and photos and other memorabilia that tell the story of Route 66, which is approaching its 100th birthday.

Tour group members are invited to end their narrated tours in the loft,

where they can view the majestic ceiling and test out the acoustics.

The length of a guided tour can be customized to fit the needs of the group, with visits of at least 30 minutes recommended. Visitors are also welcome to take self-guided tours.

The suggested donation for tour groups and all visitors is $2 per person. Bottled water is sold in the gift shop, and hot coffee is available with advance notice.

Joe Baxter, who coordinates the live music at the barn, also provides narrated tours.

“I am a lifelong resident of Oklahoma and have been volunteering at the barn for nearly 20 years,” Baxter said. “I am constantly hearing new stories and gaining new insight about the contributions of pioneers such as the Round Barn builders to Arcadia, Oklahoma territory and the state of Oklahoma. “

To arrange a tour, call Baxter at 405-833-1350.

Elder citizens from the Chickasaw Nation toured the Round Barn in February. (Photo by Andrea Moon, Round Barn board member and tour guide)

Lisa puts out a theme for every holiday and the Easter season is no different. I love it but would never do it myself. It is a lot of work. Grandkids make it even more fun. Our grandson who is five came over the other day and has been seeing these displays since he was born. He looked up at the Easter bunnies on the fireplace and said, “Hey Misa (what all the grandkids call her) you have the Easter dudes up.”

Ray Hibbard

That has kind of stuck at our house. We no longer have Easter bunnies, but we have very cool Easter Dudes instead. I would encourage you to adopt the same name for your rabbits that help bring in the holiday. After all, these are just another part of the pagan side of this holiday. It is meant to be the resurrection and the hope God gave us. The meaning is so deep and is the foundation of Christianity but can get lost in all the candy, egg hunts and the display of Easter Dudes.

That was always handled differently in my house growing up. We are Orthodox Christian and because of a calendar shift our Easter usually falls a week later then when the western rite churches celebrate the holiday. This year is really out of alignment since Orthodox Easter is a month later. The truth about the difference is that we Lebanese like to buy the easter stuff on sale.

It always gave us a chance to have fun with all the pagan trappings about Easter including the Easter Dudes. That part of the celebration was different because when Orthodox Easter was held it was all about the resurrection of our Lord and Savior. It was clear from a very young age that the two were different celebrations and allowed us to concentrate on the Holy week leading into the resurrection. I would invite you to attend one of our Easter services at St. Elijah church. It is moving and beautiful.

Increasing the lodging/visitor tax

Our paper goes to press before the Edmond City Council meetings. This week, the council should be voting on putting an increase to the lodging tax on the ballot for citizens to vote on in June. We anticipate this will pass and for good reason.

This is not a tax that we in Edmond pay most of the time. It is paid by folks who come to Edmond and stay in our hotels, motels and shortterm rental housing. In 1994, voters approved a 4% lodging tax on overnight stays at lodging properties inside Edmond City Limits that is still in place. Registered voters in Edmond could vote on a proposition to increase it to 6%.

Most of us have gotten multiple raises on our pay since 1994. It is unfair to continue to ask our good folks at Visit Edmond to continue to meet their goals at the same rate they were granted in 1994. People who stay the night in Edmond’s 13 hotels, one bed & breakfast and more than 150 short-term rentals located inside Edmond city limits pay this tax.

We travel a bit, and I can tell you that even at 6% it is lower than any tax or fees I see on my bill for lodging. Most cities have gone way beyond a hotel and motel tax. They add resort fees, tourism fees and more to your night’s stay. We are blessed not to have to make a decision on travel based on this fees, but I still think they are too much. Edmond only has the one lodging tax and a 2% increase is not out of line as an increase.

Revenue from the visitor tax is used by Visit Edmond, a city department, to market Edmond as a destination and attract new meetings and events to increase economic impact. It funds tourism efforts within the city of Edmond and nearby attractions to encourage overnight stays.

When visitors come to Edmond, they generate sales tax dollars that benefit the city of Edmond and its residents through projects like road improvements, new parks and much more. My friend Steve Kreidler put it best when he said that tourism dollars are the best because, “People come to town, leave their money and then go home.” Visitors do not require growth of infrastructure, police or fire budgets. They visit our shops, eat in our restaurants and fill up their cars with gas which all generates revenue for the city without providing new housing and causing zoning changes.

What are the numbers?

On a $100 room, the current visitor tax of 4% charges visitors $4 per night. Under the proposal, this cost would increase to $6, using the $100-room example. Passage of the proposal is projected to add $350,000 annually for tourism development and opportunities. I cannot remember the last time I paid only $100 for a room but you get the idea. The increase is not so much that it would keep people from coming here because of the price but provides the funds to increase the number of folks coming to visit.

How much is visitor tax in cities around us?

Edmond’s current visitor tax is the lowest in our region. Oklahoma City is 5.5%, Guthrie and Stillwater are 7% and Norman is 8%. It is time we brought our rate up to the area standards

and allowed Visit Edmond to do the work they can do for us. It is amazing the work and success they have had on such a limited budget for they need for voters to let them get to their full potential with more funding. And it is funding that we do not pay for the most part.

How will the dollars be used?

Marketing Edmond as a destination for visitors with new branding and more advertising dollars. Develop and implement a robust sports tourism strategy to promote Edmond facilities as a destination for local, regional and national sports tournaments. (KickingBird Golf, Edmond Center Court, A.C. Caplinger, MAC, Pelican Bay, Service Blake Soccer Complex, Edmond 66 Park)

Provide sponsorships to attract, retain and sustain conferences and events.

Partner with Edmond facilities to bid on NEW events. For example: Regional Conferences like Great Plains AMBUCS coming to Edmond Conference Center. Bidding on the NCAA Division II Men’s Golf Championships during May 17-21, 2027 and the NCAA Division II Men’s and Women’s Tennis championships during May 1823, 2027. Supporting UCO to keep the OSSAA State High School Football Championship.

I served on the Visit Edmond advisory board for almost a decade. I took myself off two years ago only because I felt we needed younger minds to take our tourism to the next level. As an accountant I can tell you that Visit Edmond are good stewards of their funds and that 100% of this increase will go directly to their work and not be taken away for other purposes.

The organization has had good leadership in the past and their current leader, Jennifer Thornton, is clear on her vision and what can be accomplished with the increased funds. She also has a skill set to bring folks together as does her staff. Hopefully, the council will have voted to put this on the ballot by the time you read this, and we can take the funding restrictions off of Visit Edmond and give them the opportunity to increase our tourism to help out businesses prosper.

(Ray Hibbard, publisher, may be reached at ray@edmondpaper.com)

“Four Seasons” in real life is located in front of the Center for Transformative Learning on the University of Central Oklahoma campus, but this week is hidden somewhere in our paper. Please e-mail contest@edmondpaper.com with the correct location to be entered in the weekly drawing.

Commissioned as a partnership between UCO, the City of Edmond and the Edmond Visual Arts Commission, “Four Seasons” was created by sculptor Kevin Box of New Mexico and was dedicated on the campus on March 24, 2011.

Kevin is a member of the National Sculptor’s Guild. His Box Studio LLC is a strong supporter of the Reduce, Reuse and Recycle concept, using recycled metal as part of the casting process for his sculptures. All of his work is 100 percent recyclable.

For more information on Edmond public art, please visit http://visitedmondok.com/public-art.php.

Teacher bonus issue revisited

Rep. Mark McBride, R-Moore, last week passed a bill in the Oklahoma House of Representatives that he said would fix the State Department of Education's flawed signing bonus for teachers returning to Oklahoma public school classrooms.

House Bill 4017 directs the Oklahoma State Board of Education to establish a $7,000 annual signing bonus program for teachers who return to teaching in state public schools beginning with the 2024-25 school year and who agree to serve for five years. The signing bonus shall be paid in five equal annual installments not to exceed $35,000 per participant.

"The State Department of Education did wonderful work in recruiting more than 500 teachers to return to Oklahoma public school classrooms," McBride said. "But this legislation puts some safeguards in place to address some issues with the way the former bonus was crafted. This will protect these teachers going forward so they can still be rewarded for choosing to help our kids but without the fear that their bonus could be clawed back."

McBride said the legislation was needed after reports surfaced earlier

this year of teachers being asked to repay up to $50,000 in new teacher signing bonuses after the State Department of Education acknowledged the teachers were not eligible to receive the award in the first place.

McBride, who chairs the House Appropriations & Budget Subcommittee for Education, said he worked with Rep. Rhonda Baker, chair of the House Common Education Committee to develop the legislation.

HB4017 would require participating teachers to have at least three years of prior teaching experience and a valid or expired teaching certificate but they cannot have been employed by an Oklahoma public school in the past five years. They also must agree to teach fulltime for a minimum of five years and meet additional requirements set by the board. Verification of eligibility is required each year. The bonus does not count towards salary calculations or retirement benefits. The legislation directs the payment to be made to the teacher by Sept. 1 each year.

HB4017 passed the House on a vote of 79-16. It moves the Senate where it is authored by Sen. Adam Pugh, R-Edmond, who chairs the Senate Education Committee.

Spring break fun & Old West heritage

Experience a fun-filled Spring Break at The Cowboy! Stop by for familyfriendly STEAM activities, immersive explorations of American West history, interactive storytelling and exciting new exhibits!

March 18: Capturing the WestEmbark on a photography challenge!

March 19: Tech in the WestLearn about the cutting-edge technology of the Old West!

March 20: Agriculture in the West - Enjoy agricultural activities and a journey into the heart of Western ranch life!

March 21: Butteri! The Italian

Cowboy - Learn about cowboys from other cultures!

March 22: Storytelling with Chickasaw Nation - Develop stories and characters of your own!

March 23: Kids Take Over the Cowboy: Native Artistry - Explore the diversity and significance of Indigenous art forms and celebrate the artistry and history behind different techniques!

Visit our website for a full list of activities. Available while supplies last. Bring your lunch to enjoy in the garden or purchase one from The Museum Grill.

(Editor’s Note: The following arrest reports are provided by the Edmond Police Department. Guilt or innocence is determined in a court of law.

Also, CDS is controlled dangerous substance; APC is Actual Physical Control; DUI is driving under the influence.)

Feb. 26

Connor James Dryden, 31 homeless. Trespassing after being warned.

Brett Alexander Willard, 25 of Edmond. Operate (DUI or APC) a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol.

Cortney Nicole Croney, 26 of Edmond. Public intoxication.

Thomas Michael Andrews, 26 of Mustang. Felony warrant.

Alan Lewis Craig, 61 homeless. Public intoxication.

Feb. 27

Chad Wesley Schwerdtfeger, 51, homeless. Public intoxication.

John Carl Daniel, 51 of Hurst, Texas. Operate (DUI or APC) a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol.

Michael Cornelius Harvey Jr., 28 of Edmond. Expired tag – over three months and driving while privilege is canceled, suspended, denied or revoked.

Caleb Matthew Muhammad, 21 of Cedar Hill, Texas. No proof of insurance, expired tag – over three months and operating a motor vehicle with no valid driver’s license.

Nathan Lee Griffin, 29 of Edmond. Trespassing after being warned.

Nicholas Patrick Colwell, 35 of Edmond. Felony warrant.

Travis Don Horton, 29 homeless. Trespassing after being warned and public intoxication.

Melvin Wayne Mock, 37 of Edmond. Driving while privilege is canceled, suspended, denied or revoked.

Feb. 28

Jordan Defoe Tatum, 32 of Oklahoma City. Speeding (10 mph or less excess), transporting open container alcoholic beverage and driving while privilege is canceled, suspended, denied or

revoked.

Hua Hui Lin, 38 of Staten Island, N.Y. (Misdemeanor) possession of another’s debit card, proceeds derived from illegal drug activity, possess CDS and trafficking in illegal drugs.

Defu Shi, 39 of Brooklyn, N.Y. (Misdemeanor) possession of another’s debit card, proceeds derived from illegal drug activity, possess CDS and trafficking in illegal drugs.

Valentin Valles Meza, 53 of Oklahoma City. Felony warrant and driving while privilege is canceled, suspended, denied or revoked.

Kimberly Dawn Crouch, 60 homeless. Trespassing.

Syeda Masooma Abedi, 43 homeless. Public intoxication.

Feb. 29

Jovita Rochelle Galindo, 39 of Oklahoma City

Three counts of failure to appear.

Haleigh Lauren Murray, 28 of Edmond. Resisting arrest and assault and battery/battery (felony) on police officer or correctional staff.

Richard Michael Money, 29 homeless. Misdemeanor warrant,

Jimmy Lucio Ramos, 22 of Edmond. Public intoxication.

Colton Stone Jones, 21 of Edmond. Public intoxication.

Jesse Alexander Chavarria, 29 of Edmond. Driving while privilege is canceled, suspended, denied or revoked.

Tyler James Hutchens, 38 of Edmond. Trespassing after being warned.

Curtis Odell Spencer, 43 of Edmond. (Felony second or more offenses) domestic abuse assault (in the presence of a minor child.)

Jeffery King Gett, 42 of Edmond. Operate (DUI or APC) a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol and domestic abuse assault (strangulation)

March 1

Stephen Adam Guyton, 27 of Edmond. Operate (DUI or APC) in a motor vehicle with a blood alcohol content level of .08 or more.

Miguel Angel Cruz-Gonzalez, 37 of Edmond. Driving while privilege is canceled, suspended, denied or revoked.

Joana Margaretha Thompson, 42 of Edmond. Pedestrians walking along roadways and public intoxication.

Tammy Diane Patlan, 49 of Edmond. Pedestrians walking along roadways and public intoxication.

Joseph Rene Castro, 27 of Oklahoma City. Shoplifting.

Ryan Chris Williamson, 41 of Oklahoma City. Felony warrant.

March 2

Anthony Zequar White, 53 of Chandler. No proof of insurance, stop sign violation and driving while privilege is canceled, suspended, denied or revoked.

Andrew Dewayne Mobley, 52 of Oklahoma City. Public intoxication.

Travis Don Horton, 29 homeless. Threaten to perform violent act and (Felony) malicious injury or destruction of property.

Teegan Cole Green, 20 of Laverne. Public intoxication.

Karson Trey Rogers, 26 of Edmond. (Misdemeanor first offense) domestic abuse assault (in the presence of a minor child)

Micah David Crawford, 24 of Edmond. Misdemeanor warrant, possession of marijuana, expired tag – over three months, no proof of insurance and driving while privilege is canceled, suspended, denied or revoked.

William Franklin Stockwell Jr., 35 of Oklahoma City, Public intoxication.

March 3

Syeda Masooma Abedi, 43 homeless. Trespassing after being warned.

Chasie Michael Odom, 28 of Oklahoma City. Driving while privilege is canceled, suspended, denied or revoked and failure to appear.

Jordan Paul Krug, 33 homeless. Petty larceny. Archie Jr. Whibbey Jr. 57 of Oklahoma City. No proof of insurance, driving while privilege is canceled, suspended, denied or revoked and three counts of failure to appear,

Romay Christopher Abdullah, 30 homeless. Public intoxication.

Jorge Hassed Massas Garcia, 31 homeless. Public intoxication.

Weekend Calendar of Events, March 14-17

Weekend Calendar of Events Marchch 14-17

---- In the Gallery

---- Edmond’s Social Fabric

---- Kingdom of David and Solomon Discovered ---- Indoor Edmond Farmer’s Marchket ---- Ray Chen

---- Heard on Hurd

---- Events at Frenzy

---- Lazy E Events

---- Park Opening & Spring Break at Frontier City ---- National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum Events

Oklahoma Youth Expo ---- Jurassic Quest ---- Paddy O’ Party

---- Lucky’s St. Patrick’s Day Bar Crawl ---- Stockyards City St. Patrick’s Day Parade ---- Farm-to-Table Festival

---- Disney Princess: The Concert

---- sham-ROCK the Gardens: St. Patrick’s Day Celebration

Extra Information

In the Gallery

Location: Edmond Fine Arts Institute

Extra Info: Featuring “XO –The West”; free; Gallery is open Mon – Thu; 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.; edmondfinearts.com

Edmond’s Social Fabric

Location: Edmond History Museum

Extra Info: Fri, Dec 1 – Sun, March 31; free; 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.; edmondhistory.org

Kingdom of David and Solomon Discovered

Location: Armstrong Auditorium

Extra Info: Mon, Feb 26 – Fri, Jan 17 2025; Free; Mon – Thu: 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.; Fri & Sat: 10 a.m. –4 p.m.; closed Saturdays; armstrongauditorium.org

Indoor Edmond Farmer’s Marchket

Location: MAC in Mitch Park

Extra Info: through Sat, March 16; 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.; edmondparks.com

Ray Chen

Location: Armstrong Auditorium

Extra Info: Thu, March 14; $55; 7:30 p.m.; armstrongauditorium.org

Heard on Hurd

Location: Downtown Edmond

Extra Info: Sat, March 16; 6 – 10 p.m.; mycitizens.bank

Events at Frenzy

Location: Frenzy Brewing Company

Extra Info: Thu, March 14: The Brave Amigos @ 7 p.m.; Fri, March 15: Robert Allen @ 7:30 p.m.; Sat, March 16: Cali Sickler @ 8:30 p.m.; Sun, March 17: Ravens Three @ 2 p.m. & Blutic String Band @ 5 p.m.; frenzybrewing.com

Lazy E Events

Location: Lazy E Arena

Extra Info: Fri, March 15 – Sun, March 17; lazye.com

Park Opening & Spring Break at Frontier City

Location: Frontier City

Extra Info: Sat, March 16 – Sun, March 24; Mon –Fri: 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.; Sat: 11 a.m. – 7 p.m.; Sun: 12 – 7 p.m.; $45; sixflags.com

National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum Events

Location: National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum

Extra Info: Thu, March 14 – Sun, March 17

Choose Your Adventure & Explore the Code: Annie Oakley; 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.; Sat, March 16 – Sun, March 17: Signature Tour @ 1 – 2 p.m.; nationalcowboymuseum.org

Oklahoma Youth Expo

Location: Oklahoma City Fairgrounds

Extra Info: Tue, March 12 – Fri, March 22; 8 a.m. – 10 p.m.; okyouthexpo.com

Jurassic Quest

Location: Oklahoma City Fairgrounds

Extra Info: Fri, March 15 – Sun, March 17; 9 a.m. – 8 p.m.; jurassicquest.com

Paddy O’ Party

Location: The Jones Assembly

Extra Info: Sat, March 16; 11 a.m.; thejonesassembly.com

Lucky’s St. Patrick’s Day Bar Crawl

Location: 121 E California Ave, OKC

Extra Info: Sat, March 16; 4 – 10 p.m.; crawlwith.us

Stockyards City St. Patrick’s Day Parade

Location: 2303 Exchange Ave, OKC

Extra Info: March, Sat 16; Parade: 10 a.m.; Activities: 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.; stockyardscity.org

Farm-to-Table Festival

Location: Oklahoma History Center

Extra Info: Sat, March 16; 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.; okhistory.org

Disney Princess: The Concert

Location: Civic Center Music Hall

Extra Info: Sun, March 17; 2 p.m.; okcbroadway.com

Sham-ROCK the Gardens:

St. Patrick’s Day Celebration

Location: Myriad Botanical Gardens

Extra Info: Sun, March 17; 11:30 a.m. – 2 p.m.; myriadgardens.org

Harpist to present concert

in loft of Arcadia Round Barn

Harpist Jessica Tate will fulfill a lifelong wish with a concert at 1 p.m. Saturday, March 30, in the loft of the Arcadia Round Barn.

“I’m from Oklahoma and have been going to the Round Barn since I was a little girl,” said Tate, who lives in Oklahoma City. “I remember being a little girl standing in the middle of the loft and clapping. I always wondered what it would be like to play up there.”

Tate said her father started taking her to the barn in the 1990s, soon after it was restored and opened as a museum.

Tate will present a concert of folk, Americana, Bluegrass and Celtic music, including some of her original compositions. She will sing and accompany herself on a traditional folk harp.

“That’s a lever instrument, which is smaller and more lightweight than my pedal harp,” Tate said. “It’s what I use for my traditional Celtic shows.”

Tate was 5 years old when she started taking harp lessons. She has been a working musician for 25 years, and for the last four years it has been her sole occupation. In ad-

dition to her solo performances, she leads an eight-piece ensemble called the Green Mystic Orchestra.

Take is also a jazz and blues artist.

“The harp is an instrument like any other, and it can be anything the player can make it,” she said.

Tate’s musical background includes engagements with orchestras, philharmonics and a variety of music venues domestically and internationally.

“Highlights include my time working with the Ritz-Carlton International group, and as a Jazz Ambassador for the U.S. Consulate in China,” Tate said.

Admission to the concert is free, but donations will be accepted for the maintenance of the barn, which was built in 1898 and is owned and operated by the nonprofit Arcadia Historical and Preservation Society.

The barn is six miles east of Interstate 35 on Historic Route 66 and is open every day from 10 a.m. to 5 pm.

For more information about live music at the barn, call Joe Baxter at 405-833-1350

ESA chapter has new members

ESA Gamma Zeta chapter welcomed eight new members into its international philanthropic organization, whose motto is “Good Friends, Good Works, and Good Times.” Volunteering with local nonprofit organizations like U R Special, Salvation Army, No Boundaries, International, Free to Live, and Boys’ Ranch Town keep members busy.

State projects are Oklahoma School for the Deaf in Sulphur and Oklahoma School for the Blind in

Muskogee. St. Jude Children Research Hospital is the national project.

Volunteering helps you make new friends, expand your network, and boost your social skills as well as give a sense of pride and identity. Volunteer work is a reflection of who you are as an individual. Come join us in working with the Edmond community. If you have questions, call Jacci Gantz at 405922-5954.

PHOTO PROVIDED

New Gamma Zeta members front row, left to right: Ruth Foote, Anita Palmer, Rayne Tubbs, Christine Merideth. Back row, left to right: Dottie Cather, Debbie Lindley. Not pictured Adeline Wooldridge and Debby Hagedorn.

Tate

An extension of time to file is available that will allow you up to October 15th to file.

Caution!

There is no extension of time to PAY

A guide for tax time

By Mark O. Neumeister CPA, CGMA

By the end of February, most of us have the information needed to file an income tax return.

Neumeister

Those typical forms include W-2s, 1099s, 1098s, etc. and were supposed to have been mailed out either in January or early February. So, no reason to delay, let’s get those tax returns filed.

First the basics. This year the due date actually falls on April 15th. That is true for those living in the 48 states that are not Maine or Massachusetts. An extension of time to file is available that will allow you up to October 15th to file. Caution! There is no extension of time to PAY. Any amounts due and paid after the original due date of April 15, will be subject to penalties and interest.

Tax planning after year-end. For the most part, all of our tax items for 2023 have been set and it’s just a matter of getting it all reported on the proper form. However, some tax planning decisions can still be made after year-end. Here’s a few you might find helpful.

Contributions to an Individual Retirement Account (IRA). The maximum amount you can contribute to an IRA for 2023 is $6,500 ($7,500 if age 50 or greater). Even if you did not contribute yet for 2023, you have until April 15th to make a contribution. This rule gives you time to determine how much you may qualify for, and even to set up a new IRA account (if you don’t already have one set up). How much you can contribute and deduct is based on your compensation and participation in other qualified plans (such as employer 401(k) plan). A great deal if you qualify. You get to pay yourself, take a deduction, and lower your taxes.

Oklahoma College 529 Plan Contributions. Oklahoma provides a de-

duction for up to $10,000 ($20,000 if filing a joint return) for contributions to an Oklahoma 529 College Savings Plan account. To qualify for the 2023 deduction the contribution can be made as late as April 15th (the due date of the Oklahoma tax return). If you contribute more than the limit, that excess carries forward and can qualify for Oklahoma deduction is succeeding years. There is a five-year maximum carry-forward period.

Filing Status for Married Couples. We almost always see married couples file as “married filing joint” (MFJ) tax return. There’s good reason for that, as MFJ almost always produces a lower overall tax. However, watch for the situations where the decision to use “married filing separate” calculates to a lower overall tax. One situation that sometimes works is where one spouse has the majority of the income items, and the other spouse has most of the deductions (such as medical). You are always allowed to run the calculations both ways and choose the lower result. Fortunately, many of the better tax software platforms make the dual calculations fairly easy.

Happy Tax Season!

Mark O. Neumeister, CPA, CGMA, is a partner at Arledge, the largest locally owned accounting firm in the Oklahoma City metropolitan area. Arledge 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.

This article contains general information only and does not constitute tax advice or any other professional services. Before making any decisions or taking any action that might affect your income taxes, you should consult a professional tax advisor. This article is not intended for and cannot be used to avoid future penalties that may be imposed by the Internal Revenue Service.

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.

Take it all with a grain of salt

By Carol Smaglinski

Salt is a vital part of our food chain and also, our vocabulary with so many expressions used about it. The once ancient valuable commodity was used as money as part of an allowance for Roman soldiers.

The price came down into the 19th century as salt became more common.

In Old English, it was known as “sealt” or in Latin, “salarium” and is the linguistic root for the word “salary.”

Most recipes today tell us to “salt to taste” and we all can tolerate different levels of seasoning with some dishes being too bland while others are too salty. But a little bit goes a long way; don’t go overboard.

While serving as the Assistant Director under Nathalie Dupree, at Rich’s Cooking School in the heart of downtown Atlanta years ago, Iasked the guest celebrity chef, the late Paul Prudhomme (1940-2015) a question after assisting him in a master class. I wanted for once and all, an answer to the mystery of why we, at the school, were not allowed to put the salt and pepper grinders on our dining room tables.

“Depends who is eating it,” Prudhomme told me, as he autographed his cookbooks for the crowd. Ahhh, the case was closed, but the shakers stayed off the tables anyway as the culinary staff didn’t want to “rub salt in anyone’s wounds.”

There are several varieties of salt, which is sodium chloride, minerals that are craved by our bodies, and salt originates from the sea or salt mines.

Among them are the most popular supermarket salt, known as granulated table salt, and Iodized salt, Kosher salt, Sea salt, and rock salt.

There is also Celtic salt and Pickling salt.

My French tutor, Mylene Ooley, once presented me with a small tin of the delicate Fleur de sel, (which translates to “flower of the salt”) harvested in West-Central France by skimming the surface of its ponds.

Fleur de sel is pure sea salt and harvested by hand, which makes it quite expensive.

Table salt is free-flowing due to calcium silicate, an anti-caking ingredient.

Iodized salt is fortified table salt. The added iodine is said to help avoid thyroid disease. It contains

cuprous iodide or potassium iodide, added as a public health measure to prevent goiter because at one time, Americans were just not getting enough iodine in their diets.

Kosher salt is large-grained, coarsely crushed salt preferred by Orthodox Jews who adhere to Kosher food laws and is the preferred type to use

Sea Salt comes from evaporated sea water and is finely grained or course and can be costly.

Rock salt? Not for eating, just presentation help under oysters or clams.

We all use it judiciously, but most comes from processed foods. Keep checking those labels. This recipe will appeal to all ages.

Grilled Chicken Strips

2 lbs. skinned, boneless chicken breasts (about 8)

3 Tbsp. honey

3 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice

1-½ Tbsp. catsup

1/4 tsp. ground cumin

1 tsp. salt

After cutting, each chicken breast should give you five strips. In a glass dish, mix the honey, lemon juice, catsup and cumin. Add chicken and let marinate for a few hours. Stir salt into the mixture, Drain chicken and discard the marinade. Preheat the broiler and broil for about 3 to 4 minutes per side until no longer pink.

Serves 8 as a main dish. Just add your favorite sides, such as fresh dinner rolls, pasta salad, raspberry pie or a simple scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Paying your unfair share

By Steve Gust

Thankfully last week’s State of the Union speech is becoming more and more of a bad memory.

It just amazes me how partisan those can be.

Steve Gust

And just about every time a Democrat president gives the speech, we hear that gosh-awful term “pay their fair share.” This alleged wisdom implies that wealthy people aren’t paying their share of taxes. Although it might interest Joe Biden, and others, to know that the upper 10 percent of earners in this nation account for most of the income tax collected. Seems like that’s their “fair share” as far as I’m concerned.

I’d like to see the wealthy pay less taxes. That way they’d have an incentive to create more jobs. Someone who hires a few hundred, or a few thousand people, will help feed the U.S. treasury better than bleeding the rich.

Yet for some reason we want to tax, and punish, the folks who succeed in this country. Reminds me of

the Beatles, getting 90 percent of their income taken by the British government in the 1960s. Taking 90 percent of your income is probably close to what liberals see as paying “your fair share.”

Just to touch on one other subject in the speech. Is everyone excited about the proposed new Peace Corps-like organization the president mentioned? Instead of helping people abroad this would be a 20,000 member group dedicated to climate change alarmism. Oh goodie.

—One last note. The North High School basketball teams have been impressive the last few years. Prior to this year, the boys and girls teams won two state 6A crowns in a row. This year they came up just short of a three-peat.

But still they’ve had a very successful run, which undoubtedly will continue. Congratulations to the Huskies.

Truly remarkable.

And hats off to the Memorial Bulldogs, who had boys and girls teams play deep in the playoffs.

(Steve Gust may be reached at news@edmondpaper.com)

Lawmaker wants to expand Second Amendment rights

Rep. Kevin West, R-Moore, last week secured passage of a resolution in the House that would expand Second Amendment protections for Oklahoma citizens if approved by voters.

House Joint Resolution 1034 would send to a statewide vote a proposed amendment to the Oklahoma Constitution. The amendment would specify that Oklahoma citizens' rights to possess handguns, rifles, shotguns, knives, nonlethal defensive weapons, and other arms in common use, as well as ammunition and the components of arms and ammunition, shall not be infringed upon. It does not differentiate between items used for self-defense, lawful hunting or recreation.

The resolution, which is authored by House Speaker Charles McCall, RAtoka, was presented in the House by Rep. Kevin West.

“The Second Amendment is the pillar upon which all the other amendments rest,” McCall said. “It is built into the bedrock of our nation and state, and House Joint Resolu-

tion 1034 further strengthens the already firm commitment that Oklahoma has to protecting and defending our God-given Second Amendment rights.”

West said the purpose of the resolution "is to direct the courts to interpret the Second Amendment based on the original language included in the Bill of Rights attached to the U.S. Constitution. We've had several court rulings that restrict or uphold restrictions of carrying a firearm even for citizens on their own property. This would correct that."

The proposed amendment to the Oklahoma Constitution would allow the Legislature to enforce or adopt narrowly tailored time, place, and manner regulations, or authorize political subdivisions to adopt and enforce such regulations, to serve a compelling state interest. These could include restrictions of carrying firearms in government buildings or other sensitive areas, West said. There are already state and federal laws prohibiting certain convicted felons from possessing firearms.

The amendment would prohibit any law from imposing registration or special taxation upon the keeping of arms including the acquisition, ownership, possession, or transfer of arms, ammunition, or the components of arms or ammunition.

The resolution passed the House on a partisan vote of 81-19. It now moves to the Senate where it is authored by Sen. David Bullard, R-Durant.

—Rep. Toni Hasenbeck, R-Elgin, on Thursday secured passage of legislation that includes artificial intelligence images of a child engaged in sexually explicit conduct in the definition of "child pornography."

House Bill 3642 would include any visual depiction that appears to be a child engaged in sexually explicit content, regardless of whether the image is a depiction of an actual child.

"The capabilities of AI today are terrifying," Hasenbeck said. "Somebody could screenshot an image of a toddler online and create a very realistic image or video of that child. While that image or video might technically be fake, the intent behind it is not, which is why we need to expand the definition of child pornography to include AI content."

Some of Lankford’s thoughts on speech

I'm Senator James Lankford. It is late tonight after the State of the Union address. I was sitting in the State of the Union Address which is really more of a campaign speech tonight than it was the State of the Union address.

I've sat in quite a few State of the Union addresses now, and I've watched a lot from home as well.

I've never seen one that was a pure campaign speech the whole time start to finish where President Biden continued to compare himself to “my predecessor.” I guess he wouldn't say the name Trump the whole time and so it was just continual “my predecessor, my predecessor.” He never did compare some basic stats with quote unquote his “predecessor” like how many people illegally crossed the border during “his predecessor” and how many people are illegally crossing the border now, or what the strength of the economy was five years ago versus what it is now. He didn't do those side by sides, but he found other ways to be able to drive it and while he talked a little bit about trying to unify the country, the speech was absolutely the most divisive speech I've ever heard

during a State of the Union address. From the very beginning it was division and continued to be able to drive it that we're a divided nation.

Right now there's no question about that, but there's no reason to try to use a State of the Union address to divide even more to drive literally drive a wedge in America even deeper. This is the kind of moment that you want somebody to be able to actually try to bring people together say hey we disagree on things, but let's find ways that we can actually get to common ground and to be able to resolve things rather than continue to just drive this anger and wedge. He was angry from the very beginning and it kind of drove that anger the entire time.

Several things really stuck out to me. One is his drive towards a socialist agenda, and when I say socialist I mean real socialism on it. He continued to be able talk about how can we raise taxes on wealthy people. How can we raise taxes on companies and take that money and hand out things for free to other people. And even go so much into government control that he was talking about how can the government control the number of chips in a bag of chips and how big a Snickers bar is. So it's not just that I use the word flippantly on

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socialism. Socialism means the government—the entity — the larger government controls everything in business and controls all of how you handle revenue. And they decide who gets money and who doesn't get money. That was the absolute description that President Biden had all evening long.

He also kept talking about reproductive freedom. It's an interesting euphemism for taking the life of a child and over and over again. He was he was saying “I'm going to go stand up for reproductive freedom” and people would stand and cheer at that and I think [do] they actually understand what they're cheering is actually ending the life of a child? I'm not cheering for a child dying at the hands of someone else's convenience. I don't think that's something that we should cheer but it was being cheered in the House of Representatives tonight during the State of the Union address.

The President also talked about in vitro fertilization — which by the way there is no controversy— there's wide support for IVF across the entire Congress both Republican and Democrat on this. On this one issue that happened in Alabama the President conveniently left out that that one issue was resolved within two weeks and they're trying to again drive this wedge as if Republicans don't value the life of children which actually Republicans are the ones that do value the life of children. Not only that child that's in vitro fertilization, but that child that's just in normal pregnancy that's out there that we celebrate that child as well. So literally back-to-back sentences, he can talk about celebrating the taking of life of one child and then talk about celebrating the life of a child from in vitro fertilization. Listen, I celebrate every one of those children. I don't pick and choose which child is valuable and which child is disposable. They're all valuable and so we were shocked at the way that he talked about the issue of throwing away children and calling some disposable and some valuable.

Lankford

First time UCO has taken such action

UCO awards astronaut honorary doctoral degree

John Herrington, Ph.D., the first Native American in space, was awarded the University of Central Oklahoma’s first-ever honorary doctoral degree, March 8.

UCO President Todd G. Lamb presented Herrington with the award at Oklahoma Research Day as part of the opening ceremony for his extraordinary contributions to space exploration and his efforts to engage Native American interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).

“Commander Herrington is a pivotal and inspiring figure, not only for the state of Oklahoma, but also for our nation,” Lamb said.

“He delivered a motivating and encouraging message that our bright, innovative students can reflect on as they blaze their own path. It was a privilege to host him on campus for the 25th anniversary of Oklahoma Research Day and to award him UCO’s inaugural honorary doctor-

ate—making him an official member of the Broncho community.”

Oklahoma Research Day highlighted innovative research from more than 1,000 college students from across the state, including hundreds of students from UCO. In addition to the honorary degree, Herrington delivered a keynote to the students and faculty in attendance.

“UCO was honored to have Commander Herrington deliver the keynote for Oklahoma Research Day. With UCO having its first doctoral program approved just last year, we are thrilled to confer our very first doctoral degree, Doctor of Science honoris causa. This was truly a historic day in institutional history,” said Charlotte Simmons, Ph.D., provost and vice president for Academic Affairs.

Herrington, a former NASA astronaut and U.S. Navy officer, was born in Wetumka, Oklahoma, and is a citizen of the Chickasaw Nation of Okla-

homa. He served as a naval aviator and test pilot, and in 2002, he was the first Native American astronaut to accomplish space travel and a spacewalk, flying aboard space shuttle Endeavour—logging more than 330 hours in space.

Herrington's numerous notable awards include induction into the Chickasaw Hall of Fame (2002), the Oklahoma Aviation and Space Hall of Fame (2007), the International Aviation Hall of Fame, the San Diego Air and Space Museum (2017), the National Native American Hall of Fame (2018) and the Oklahoma Hall of Fame (2019).

In 2016, Herrington authored a children's book called “Mission to Space,” where he shares his passion for space travel and provides a glimpse into his astronaut training and mission to the International Space Station and includes an English to Chickasaw vocabulary list with space-related terms.

For more information about Central, visit www.uco.edu.

he University of Central Oklahoma conferred its first-ever honorary doctoral degree to John Herrington, Ph.D., at the opening ceremony of the 25th anniversary of Oklahoma Research Day, held on UCO’s campus. Pictured, from left to right, William Radke, Ph.D., interim dean of the UCO Jackson College of Graduate Studies, Herrington, UCO President Todd G. Lamb, and Charlotte Simmons, Ph.D., provost and vice president for Academic Affairs at UCO.

Dangers of drowsy driving

Driving while battling the urge to fall asleep is a familiar feeling for many. However, soon-to-be-published research from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety reveals the shocking lethality of drowsy driving.

And with Daylight Saving Time, the darker mornings and lost hour of sleep will lead to more drowsy drivers. Previous Foundation research points directly to sleep loss as a key culprit in drowsy driving crashes.

According to the new Foundation study:

18% of all traffic fatalities between 2017 and 2021 were estimated to involve a drowsy driver, accounting for nearly 30,000 deaths nationwide.

6,275 estimated lives were claimed by drowsy drivers in 2021 alone.

These figures are far higher than official government statistics, highlighting the underreported nature of drowsy driving crashes. According to NHTSA, there is agreement across the traffic safety, sleep science, and public health communities that the impact of drowsy driving is underestimated.

The AAA Foundation's study, based on in-depth crash investigations and national fatal crash data, estimates that drowsy driving is a fac-

tor in roughly ten times as many traffic fatalities as traditional crash data indicates.

In its most recent Traffic Safety Culture Index, the AAA Foundation noted drivers predominately perceive drowsy driving to be dangerous (95%), however 18% of drivers admit to having engaged in the behavior in the past 30 days.

“When the time changes, sleep cycles are interrupted and drivers can be more tired than they realize,” says Rylie Fletcher, AAA Oklahoma spokesperson. “Losing one hour of sleep takes an adjustment, and drivers need to prepare by getting more rest, especially on Sunday.”

Drowsiness impairs drivers in several ways:

Reduced alertness: Makes it harder to react quickly to hazards. Just one hour less than the expert-recommended minimum of 7 hours of sleep increases a driver’s risk of crashing.

Impaired judgment: Increases the risk of making poor decisions on the road. Sleep deprivation increases a driver’s risk of making many ordinary mistakes, leading to crashes. Those deprived of sleep by 4+ hours have an impairment similar to those over the legal blood alcohol content limit.

Special event April 13 for EFC

Edmond Family Counseling is set to host its third annual Community Chat fundraiser on Saturday, April 13. Celebrating 50 years of service, the local nonprofit has been a pillar in the community of Edmond since it began as the Looking Glass in 1974. Edmond Family Counseling will be honoring its history and the previous executive directors who shaped it, including Dr. Paul Tobin, Joey Shaw and Jackie Shaw, at this year’s event.

The annual Community Chat luncheon was created to allow individuals to expand their knowledge and learn tools to assist those who struggle with mental health issues. This year’s keynote speaker is Mr. Boe Parrish, founder and CEO of Corporate Care, Inc., best-selling author of “Blueprint of a Kingdom Business,” poet and public speaker. Mr. Parrish has a passion for serving others and making meaningful connections with everyone he meets.

The event will take place at 11 a.m. on Saturday, April 13, at First Christian Church of Edmond. Tickets

are $50 and will include lunch. They are purchasable by visiting Edmond Family Counseling or calling 405-3413554. All proceeds from Community Chat will be used to support current and future programs and services.

Community impacting services such as GirlStrong groups and schoolbased prevention services for third and fifth grade students will continue to thrive with support from ticket sales. Proceeds from the event will also be used to provide supplies for Boulevard Academy groups and supplement current and future clients utilizing Edmond Family Counseling’s sliding fee scale.

Please join Edmond Family Counseling as we celebrate our past and look forward to our future in building better mental health through community connections, education, and counseling.

Review of ‘Kung Fu Panda 4’

Animated film series may be losing steam

By George Gust

When it comes to blockbuster franchise movie making there’s a kind of magic to the number three.

Three movies seem to be the right amount to tell an overarching story of epic proportions, and it’s also when filmmakers have exhausted all of their ideas for the franchise (see “Toy Story 4”). And when it comes to epic filmmaking, “Kung Fu Panda” series fits the bill, and now with the fourth entry, “Kung Fu Panda 4” we’re starting to see the diminishing returns after the incredible surprising achievements of the first three movies.

After Po (voice of Jack Black) is tapped to become the Spiritual Leader of the Valley of Peace, he needs to find and train a new Dragon Warrior (voice of Awkawfina), while a wicked sorceress (voice of Viola Davis) plans to re-summon all the master villains whom Po has vanquished to the spirit realm.

For years, the “Kung Fu Panda” series of children’s films have been quietly some of the stronger Dreamworks animation movies that have stood the

Answers on Page 19

test of time and hold up better than most remember. There was a fun energy to those movies, and they took more chances to tell a kids story with a visual flair and mixture of animation styles to stand out from the other multitude of kids animated offerings. “Kung Fu Panda 4” feels like the filmmakers didn’t want to take the same kinds of risks and played it safe.

The animation is brilliant and showcases the ad-

vancement in technology since the last entry, but it feels like the edges have been rounded off and the result is an effective 90 minutes of children’s entertainment but doesn’t rise much more above the average.

Overall, “Kung Fu Panda 4” is a serviceable entry into a kids’ franchise that doesn’t quite live up to the heights of the earlier movies in the franchise. The action is still top notch and inventive, but the safe animation style and color pallet hold it back from being a memorable animated feature. The addition of Awkwafina to the movie makes for a great compliment to Black’s brilliant voice performance, but the fast pacing takes away from the emotional beats that the story wants to sell.

“Kung Fu Panda 4” is rated PG for martial arts action/mild violence, scary images and some mild rude humor.

3 out of 5 stars

(Contact George Gust for comment at gust.george@gmail.com)

Riversport seeking volunteers

Top canoe/kayak athletes will travel to Oklahoma City in April to earn the opportunity to compete at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games and RIVERSPORT is seeking volunteers to help host the event.

“It’s a tremendous opportunity to be involved in a Team USA event right here in OKC,” said RIVERSPORT volunteer manager Noah Ramos. “We have approximately 115 volunteer shifts to fill over the two days of the event.”

The event is being held April 26-27, 2024, at RIVERSPORT on the city’s MAPS 3 whitewater rapids course. Approximately 100 of the top athletes from across the country will compete in canoe/kayak slalom and kayak cross events. Canoe/kayak slalom is similar to slalom skiing with competitors navigating a series of gates as they race down the whitewater channels. Kayak cross is one of the newest Olympic events. Volunteer opportunities are available in race operations, athlete hospitality and event set up. For a full list of opportunities, visit GivePulse or contact Noah Ramos at nramos@riversportokc.org.

Crossword Puzzle

Jack Black returns to voice the warrior Po, in Dreamworks Animation sequel “Kung Fu Panda 4” this time joined by a new apprentice voiced by Awkawafina.

Luncheon again a success for Girl Scouts

The 20th annual Juliette Low Leadership Society (JLLS) luncheon raised more than $418,000 on Feb. 21 at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum. Proceeds from the event help raise awareness and funds for the next generation of trailblazers.

The annual luncheon—named for Girl Scouts national founder Juliette Gordon Low—has raised more than $6 million since 2004. This year’s milestone anniversary event attracted a record crowd with more than 500 attendees, including several founders of the inaugural luncheon.

“For 20 years, JLLS supporters have bolstered the dreams of the next generation of female leaders,” said Janienne Bella, CEO of Girl Scouts Western Oklahoma. “Hundreds of passionate Girl Scouts advocates and community leaders continue to show up year after year, and it’s that commitment and generosity that allows us to provide leadership and life skills for thousands of Oklahoma girls.”

Patty Gasso, head softball coach for the University of Oklahoma (OU), served as keynote speaker at this year’s luncheon. Under her leadership, OU has won seven national championships and is one of just three programs in NCAA history to win

more than two titles.

Coach Gasso spoke about inspiring young girls through sports, finding synergy with the Girl Scouts mission to build girls of courage, confidence and character who make the world a better place.

Jean McLaughlin, chair of the McLaughlin Family Foundation and steadfast JLLS supporter since its first year, was recognized as this year’s honorary chair. Co-chairs for the luncheon were McLaughlin’s daughter and daughter-in-law, Amy McLaughlin Gray and Chrissy Bode McLaughlin.

The luncheon’s sponsors included: Chesapeake Energy, Devon Energy, The Gray and McLaughlin Families in Honor of Jean McLaughlin, Annie Bohanon, The Chickasaw Nation, Funk Family, Inasmuch Foundation, Arledge & Associates PC, Angela Bachman, Corner Energy LLC, Irma B. Elliott, Christy and Jim Everest, Kirkpatrick Bank, Joan S. Maguire, Jean McLaughlin, Jeaneen Naifeh, Polly and Larry Nichols, OG&E, Catherine and Andrew Oster, Presbyterian Health Foundation, Regier Cox & Associates, Robinson Park, Lil Ross, The Rudnicki Firm, SONIC Foundation, SSM Health and St. Anthony Hospital and the Vose Family Foundation.

Car title bill may help some buyers

Rep. Rick West, R-Heavener, last week won unanimous passage in the House of Representatives of a bill that would extend tax-free vehicle title transfers from grandparents to their grandchildren.

Currently an excise tax is levied upon the transfer of legal ownership of any vehicle registered in Oklahoma. Exceptions include people who possess an agricultural exemption, and for title transfers between husband and wife and parent and child.

House Bill 2973 would extend the exemption to grandparents transferring a title to a grandchild, including through family trusts.

"This is a constituent request bill that would allow a grandparent to gift a car to a grandchild without the motor vehicle excise tax being due," West said.. We already do this for parents and children. It's common sense to extend this to grandparents."

House members agreed with a vote of 83-0.

HB2973 now moves to the Senate where it is authored by Sen. Warren Hamilton, R-McCurtain.

If signed into law, the act would become effective Nov. 1.

Corvin — now $1 million richer

Man wins $1 million in Oklahoma Lottery

A $1,000,000 winning ticket was claimed last week at the Oklahoma Lottery Winner Center. The Platinum Jackpot Scratcher was purchased by Corvin, a Cordell resident, at the Right Here C Store located at 420 N. Glenn English in Cordell. Corvin went into the store to redeem some winnings on other Scratchers and decided to buy more tickets with his winnings.

The first ticket he scratched was the big winner but he had a hard time believing it was real! He says that he plans to put all the winnings into his savings.

This winning ticket was the second top prize to be awarded from this game, Platinum Jackpot, and there is one top prize still remaining in the game. With this win, Corvin becomes the Oklahoma Lottery’s 82nd millionaire.

About the Oklahoma Lottery

Last fiscal year, the Oklahoma Lottery paid out more than $208 million in prizes to players, helping to drive both the local and state economy and bolster retail revenue throughout Oklahoma.

Since its launch, the Lottery has generated more than $1.26 billion in funds that have been given to the Oklahoma Education Lottery Trust Fund. As sales continue to grow, the Oklahoma Lottery is able to increase the contributions that benefit students and teachers across the State of Oklahoma.

University of Oklahoma Head Softball Coach Patty Gasso gives the keynote speech at the 20th annual Juliette Low Leadership Society Luncheon on Feb. 21 at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City.

Massive airport work planned

The Oklahoma Department of Aerospace and Aeronautics (ODAA) convened its latest meeting on Wednesday, March 6, 2024, at the Oklahoma Department of Transportation. The meeting marked the announcement of the FY2025-2029 Airport Construction Plan (ACP) which will now move into the public comment phase.

The FY2025-2029 ACP includes 44 pro-growth development projects at airports across the state that are a part of the total 125 projects listed in the ACP. This ACP invests $316 million with $71.9M coming from ODAA, $196M from the FAA, and $47M of local matching funds. Among the airports to see work is the Guthrie-Edmond Regional airport, which is due runway work.

To see the entire list of projects included in the

current 5-year ACP, visit https://oklahoma.gov/aerospace/airports/airport_construction_program.html.

The Department’s Airport Construction Program (ACP) programs federal and state funds regarding airport development across the state that is consistent with the goals of the Oklahoma Airport System Plan (OASP). The ACP allows the Department, FAA, and airport sponsors to anticipate infrastructure funding needs and accommodate changes in project scope, cost, and schedule based on multi-year planning.

“We are excited to invest in our airports across the state through our Airport Construction Program,” said Nick Young, ODAA Airports Division Manager.

Ford Day 2024 at Francis Tuttle Tech Center

Ford dealers from across the region recently brought their experts, hiring managers and latest vehicle models to Francis Tuttle Technology Center for Ford Day 2024. Francis Tuttle automotive students received unique one-on-one opportunities with the professionals they could one day be working with in this in-demand field. Students learned what Ford technicians do every day and directly see how their training is preparing them for a real-world career. Ford Day allows dealerships to gain access to the students and programs that help get mechanics into the shops efficiently, while Francis Tuttle students receive direct contact with potential employers and job opportunities.

State looking to create Okla. Enterprise Task Force

Rep. Brian Hill, R-Mustang, passed legislation encouraging economic growth through infrastructure development off the Oklahoma House of Representatives floor.

House Bill 3622, authored by Hill, creates the Oklahoma Enterprise Task Force, which would make recommendations on best practice methods to support infrastructure development throughout the state.

"The success of Oklahoma is dependent on ensuring we're investing in all regions of Oklahoma, especially rural," Hill said. "There are plenty of economic opportunities for people in the metro areas but fewer options exist as you move further out. To keep Oklahoma strong, we must continue to invest in our people and our infrastructure, and this task force is a way to do that with no cost to taxpayers."

In his ongoing work to expand employment opportunities for Okla-

homa’s youth and families, Hill also authored the legislation which created the Oklahoma Workforce Commission in 2023, bills helping hardworking Oklahomans by modernizing the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission, and multiple bills since 2020 to address Restorative Workforce in response to the needs of employers across Oklahoma for skilled workers.

“By working together for real longterm solutions, we can build a stronger future for our families and communities across every region of this great state and move Oklahoma forward,” Hill said.

The task force, which would comprise of 25 members, will submit a final report detailing recommendations to the Governor, Speaker of the House and Senate Pro Tempore by Dec. 1, 2025.

HB3622 passed the House 80-6 and now moves to the Senate.

Okla. Children’s Hospital expands treatment areas

Oklahoma Children’s Hospital OU Health added 10 additional beds and nearly 7,500 square feet to Oklahoma City’s only 24/7 pediatric emergency room, increasing space and specialized services to meet the needs of children and families seeking emergency care.

The Oklahoma Children’s Hospital ER sees over 40,000 children every year. These numbers peak in respiratory season —from November to March — when as much as 30% more patients come for treatment than months outside of respiratory season. The extra beds will help alleviate the increased demand in seasonal needs as well as the increase in pediatric behavioral health cases seen in the ER.

The seasonal increase in pediatric behavioral health cases partially overlaps with respiratory season, causing an influx of patients requiring emergency care. The added beds will allow for increased capacity for patients and families and will also help bridge the gap in behavioral health services until the new Oklahoma Children’s Hospital OU Health Behavioral Health Center opens in 2026.

The construction was the first project approved by Oklahoma elected officials to utilize federal ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) dollars, with a dedicated $7.5 million to fund the project.

“The new Emergency Room expansion at Oklahoma Children’s Hospital OU Health will have a profound impact on our patients and staff,” said OU Health Chief Administrative Officer of Children’s Services, Kendal Pinkston, MHA. “This new space will allow us to care for more patients in an environment that has been made safe and accommodating for all patient care types. We are incredibly grateful for the support of our Oklahoma elected officials in awarding the funding for this project and recognize the significance in them choosing this project for our state’s most vulnerable children.”

Honor under consideration for Okla. National Guard

Rep. Mark McBride, R-Moore, on Wednesday passed a bill in the Oklahoma House of Representatives that would fund the building of an arch at the Oklahoma Capitol to serve as an honorary symbol of the services performed by the Oklahoma National Guard.

McBride said the arch was part of early drawings of architect Solomon Layton before the Capitol was built in 1917. It was originally designed to stretch across Lincoln Boulevard much like the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. It was one of the structures, like the dome, however, that was laid aside because of lack of funding at the time.

"I believe this arch is something that will add tremendously to the aesthetics of the Capitol complex," McBride said. "But I also wanted to make sure that it paid tribute to something significant to our state, and I think the legacy of the Okla-

homa National Guard and their service and protection of our citizens is deserving of this honor."

The 30-foot tall and 60-foot long scale model arch would be constructed south of the visitor's parking lot on the south of the Capitol. It would have a small amphitheater that could seat about 100 people, and the grassy area that now exists would be named Veterans Park.

McBride said the project has been in the works since about 2014 before restoration of the Capitol began. He said he wanted to get the $250 million restoration project off the books on time and under budget before he ran this bill asking for funding for the arch. The estimated cost of the arch is $4.3 million, which would come from the Legacy Capital Financing Fund to the Oklahoma Capitol Improvement Authority.

HB4012 passed the House on a vote of 88-6.

Hi and Lois

Shoe

Zits

Family Circus

Beetle Baily

Blondie

Hägar the Horrible

New vaping ads based on real teen stories

The Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust’s (TSET) Healthy Youth Initiative is launching two new campaigns aimed at teenage tobacco prevention and cessation: "What Finally Worked,” a message from My Life, My Quit and “The Difference Shows,” a rural tobacco prevention message from Down and Dirty.

“The messages behind these two campaigns are based on real Oklahoma teens who are dealing with the vaping epidemic,” said TSET Executive Director Julie Bisbee. “We strive to meet teens where they are, sharing relatable stories and inspiring them to live healthier, tobacco-free lives.”

“What Finally Worked” launches March 11 and is based on real-life testimonials of individuals enrolled in My Life, My Quit, a free program connecting teens 13-17 who vape or use tobacco to personalized live texting and web chat cessation support. The video shows a teen sharing the challenges of quitting vaping, expressing disappointment and embarrassment after previous unsuccessful attempts. The teen shares how My Life, My Quit offers a judgment-free program with one-on-one support and individually-tailored plans, which helped her finally quit.

“The Difference Shows” launches March 12 and shows how the physical consequences of vaping can prevent people from doing the things they love. In the spot, a young female musician complains about shortness of breath and anxiety, with her friend linking the symptoms to vaping. When tested with Oklahoma teens last spring, focus group participants said this messaging was believable and motivating, and some teens even

noted they experienced similar symptoms, which now make them feel uneasy about vaping.

Both “What Finally Worked” and “The Difference Shows” will run across Oklahoma on multiple social media platforms including Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook and YouTube as well as television and cable networks.

To view “What Finally Worked” and “The Difference Shows” as well as other youth tobacco prevention messages, visit the TSET Healthy Youth Initiative website at TSETHealthyYouth.com. Additionally, TSET has free healthy youth resources for educators and health care providers available for order at TSETHealthyYouth.com/order.

Oklahoma teens struggling with tobacco use can connect to free quit services through My Life, My Quit at MyLifeMyQuit.com or by texting “Start My Quit” to 36072.

——

The TSET Healthy Youth Initiative empowers Oklahoma youth to improve health outcomes for themselves and future generations.

The initiative includes statewide public health education messaging, a youth-led advocacy program and character-building to reduce tobacco use and obesity. The initiative also gives parents resources to support their children in maintaining or developing healthy habits for a lifetime. Visit TSETHealthyYouth.com to learn more.