Edmond Life and Leisure - July 1, 2021

July 1, 2021

Vol. 22, No. 7

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.

Scenes from KiteFest 2021 See page 13

FRIDAY, July 2

Isolated Thunderstorms High 85° Low 66°

SATURDAY, July 3

Isolated Thunderstorms High 86° Low 66°

SUNDAY, July 4

Partly Cloudy High 87° Low 69°

Happy July Fourth this Sunday Enjoy the fireworks that night. But don’t forget, the parade will be held the morning of Saturday, July 3.

Part of the celebration has already started and this week’s issue contains photographs from the Concert in the Part, LibertyFest Rodeo and KiteFest.

Please have a safe holiday. Edmond Life & Leisure will be closed Monday, July 5 in observance of July Fourth.

Page 2 • July 1, 2021 • Edmond Life & Leisure

Edmond Life & Leisure • July 1, 2021 • Page 3

The drawing shows some of the improvements which will be made to KickingBird Golf Club over the next year.

$17 million in improvements due

KickingBird Golf Club closes for major renovations to course KickingBird Golf Club is now closed for major renovations after play on Wednesday. It is anticipated that the closure will last approximately 14 to 16 months for the upgrades.

“This project will have an Edmond Community focus and is the largest capital improvement project in the course’s history,” said Director of Golf Brian Soerensen. “We are celebrating our 50th Anniversary this year and we feel this project will position us for success for the next 50 years.”

The transformational renovation of Kickingbird will include the following: · Demolition of existing clubhouse and replacement with a new 13,384 square foot clubhouse · Construction of a new 6,670 square foot tournament/banquet hall · Addition of a 7,252 square foot underground cart barn

· Expansion of the driving range tee area · Addition of a short game practice facility · Rebuilding all 18 greens and seeding them with bent grass · Redesigning Hole #9 and Hole #4 to accommodate the tournament/banquet hall · Replacing the irrigation system throughout the course · Numerous small improvements made to tee boxes and bunkers It is estimated that Kickingbird will reopen to the public in Fall 2022 with events and tournaments available for booking on July 1, 2022. The overall budget for the renovation is approximately $17 million and will be funded through Capital Improvement funds.

City advises residents of water purchase from OKC Edmond’s water supply consists of two primary sources and a secondary source. The primary sources are surface water from Arcadia Lake, and well water from the Garber-Wellington aquifer. The secondary source is treated water purchased from The City of Oklahoma City and may be used continuously starting in July of 2021. Oklahoma City water, more than likely, will not be purchased any earlier than thirty days from the date of this notice and will likely be used continuously moving forward. Edmond city officials want to advise residents of the purchase because some home dialysis machines may need adjustment due to the different disinfection system used by Oklahoma City.

Although residents typically do not notice any change, kidney dialysis machines may require a different method of operation. Oklahoma City uses chloramines and Edmond uses chlorine, which is termed “Free” chlorine, for disinfection.

Both disinfecting processes meet all state standards and are accepted industry-wide.

When bringing in smaller amounts of Oklahoma City water, Edmond uses the connection that is located on the southwest side of town.

Water is delivered to a large ground tank and then pumped back out as it

is needed. The Oklahoma City water that is used from this location is diluted with Edmond “Well” water.

In the event Edmond needs to bring in large amounts of water, there is a connection and pump station that is in northwest Edmond.

This facility can accommodate up to fifteen million gallons of water per day. If it becomes necessary to utilize this facility then Edmond can, if needed, convert the chloramine disinfectant back to the “Free” chlorine state, or use it as it is.

Water Resources Department personnel are contacting hospitals and other medical facilities to advise them of the potential purchase of Oklahoma City water. The personnel are also calling residents that are known to use home kidney dialysis.

Residents are encouraged to advise the Water Resources Department if they have a medical condition that would warrant notification prior to a change. To report a medical condition, call 216-7775 between the hours of 7:30 am-5:30pm M-Th and 7:30am-11:30am on Friday.

Fish aquariums with filters may require a different method of operation due to the chloramine disinfection process. Fish owners are urged to contact their local pet store for instructions.

Page 4 • July 1, 2021 • Edmond Life & Leisure

From the Publisher

Happy Fourth of July Here in Edmond, the 4th of July has always been a big deal. The activities of our annual LibertyFest celebration make our 4th of July a weeklong celebration. By the way, get ready for a really bang of a 4th Ray Hibbard next year when LibertyFest turns 50! It will be one for the books and if you are interested in volunteering, let me know soon. The LibertyFest committee starts to work in August on the next year’s events.

We are feeling a whole new set of freedoms this year. After being stuck apart and in our homes for over a year, we can now get out and celebrate thanks to the miracle vaccine produced by some of the world’s top scientists. I believe in taking the vaccine and did so as soon as I was eligible. However, when our president gave us permission to gather in small groups and eat hot dogs, I knew it was time to end government overreach.

What seemed like a year of sacrifice was really just the blink of an eye compared to so many difficult times over the last 2,000 years. We were blessed to have such a quick way to protect ourselves. If you have not gotten the vaccine, I would encourage you to do so. We can wrap this thing up with more folks taking the leap of faith and getting the shot. I hope this 4th of July finds us kinder and more appreciative of what we have in this great country.

If you want to “take a knee” let it be to give thanks to God, this year.

But wait, there is more We still have the famous LibertyFest Parade, ParkFest and the fireworks display to go. My friend and fireworks chairman, Bob Meinders, tells me it is going to be the best yet. I believe him unless they all go off on the ground or something. I did see that once when I was in Taos, New Mexico for the 4th of July. A rocket went sideways, hit the box with all the other fireworks and what followed was the most spectacular ground display you could ever see.

The good news was that the Taos Fire Department was in charge, so they easily handled the grass fire that occurred. Not to worry, LibertyFest fireworks are put on by a professional team with sophisticated equipment that they did not have in Taos.

Erma Bombeck provided one of my favorite quotes about the 4th of July.

It reminds me of the many celebrations we had as kids especially when we would travel to Mangum, Okla. to visit and celebrate with my grandpar-

those who died in their defense.”

—President Barack Obama “The essence of America — that which really unites us — is not ethnicity, or nationality or religion — it is an idea — and what an idea it is: That you can come from humble circumstances and do great things. That it doesn’t matter where you came from but where you are going.”

—Condoleezza Rice “Patriotism is supporting your country all the time and your government when it deserves it.”

—Mark Twain "I'd like to be remembered as a person who wanted to be free and wanted other people to be also free."

—Rosa Parks “True patriotism hates injustice in its own land more than anywhere else.”

—Clarence Darrow ents.

“You have to love a nation that celebrates its independence every July 4th, not with a parade of guns, tanks, and soldiers who file by the White House in a show of strength and muscle, but with family picnics where kids throw Frisbees, the potato salad gets iffy, and the flies die from happiness. You may think you have overeaten, but it is patriotism.” – Erma Bombeck Here are some other quotes about the 4th of July and liberty from the past that I thought you might enjoy: “Independence Day: freedom has its life in the hearts, the actions, the spirit of men and so it must be daily earned and refreshed – else like a flower cut from its life-giving roots, it will wither and die.” – Dwight D. Eisenhower “Then join hand in hand, brave Americans all! By uniting we stand, by dividing we fall.” – John Dickinson “The United States is the only country with a known birthday.” – James G. Blaine “I like to see a man proud of the place in which he lives. I like to see a man live so that his place will be proud of him.” – Abraham Lincoln “So let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire. Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York. Let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania! Let freedom ring from the snowcapped Rockies of Colorado!

Let freedom ring from the curvaceous peaks of California! But not only that; let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia! Let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee! Let freedom ring from every hill and every molehill of Mississippi. From every mountainside, let freedom ring.” – Martin Luther King Jr. “The truth will set you free, but first it will piss you off.” -Gloria Steinem “When you are born, you get a ticket to the freak show. When you are born in America, you get a front row seat.” -George Carlin We must be free not because we claim freedom, but because we practice it."

—William Faulkner “Life without liberty is like a body without spirit.”

—Kahlil Gibran "America has never been united by blood or birth or soil. We are bound by ideals that move us beyond our backgrounds, lift us above our interests and teach us what it means to be citizens."

—President George W. Bush “We, the People, recognize that we have responsibilities as well as rights; that our destinies are bound together; that a freedom which only asks what's in it for me, a freedom without a commitment to others, a freedom without love or charity or duty or patriotism, is unworthy of our founding ideals, and

“The advancement and diffusion of knowledge is the only guardian of true liberty.”

—President James Madison It is a difficult time in our great country. Listening to the mainstream media would lead you to believe our country is full of hate and anger. There is a great deal of both but for most of us who go to work and take care of family types, there is not hate and anger. Those of us in the trenches living day to day and not residing in the seat of the nation, just want good things for our family and our neighbors.

I have been blessed to travel the world. Seeing the sights is always great wherever I go but the most I learn about a city or country is sitting down and having a cup of coffee with some of the locals. Guess what? They want the same things out of life that we all want. Wanting peace, health and a good life for their children is what we all share. They are always envious of the freedom we enjoy in America. It makes me swell with pride about our country.

Happy 4th of July from the Edmond Life & Leisure family to yours. We hope to see you along the parade route or at one of the other events for LibertyFest. Have a wonderful and a safe celebration of this great country we live in.

(Ray Hibbard, publisher of Edmond Life & Leisure may be reached by email at ray@edmondpaper.com)

Check out what’s inside!

---- Police arrest report ......................................................................Page 6.

---- Summer safety tips ......................................................................Page 7.

---- Elks Lodge gives back to the community ....................................Page 9.

---- Columnist looks at expanded football playoff ............................Page 10.

---- Scenes from LibertyFest rodeo ..................................................Page 11.

---- Elaine Warner sees a unique exhibit ..........................................Page 12.

---- George Gust reviews latest Fast & Furious film’..........................Page 14.

---- Business news ............................................................................Page 17.

---- Church directory ........................................................................Page 19.

This, and much more, in this week’s edition!

See if you can find ‘Four Seasons’ “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.

Publisher Ray Hibbard Jr. ray@edmondpaper.com Partner Christopher T. Hoke Editor Steve Gust news@edmondpaper.com Production Deanne York Advertising Director Alexx Harms alexx@edmondpaper.com Contributing Writers Mallery Nagle, Kacee Van Horn, Rose Drebes, and George Gust.

Photographer Melinda Infante

Cover Design Deanne York Legal Counsel Todd McKinnis Ruebenstein & Pitts, PLLC Copyright © 2021 by Edmond Media Publishing 107 S. Broadway Edmond, OK 73034 405.340.3311 (office) 405.340.3384 (fax) 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. edmondlifeandleisure.com facebook.com/edmondlifeandleisure twitter.com/edmondlifeandleisure instagram.com/edmondlifeandleisure

Edmond Life & Leisure • July 1, 2021 • Page 5

LibertyFest Band Concert at UCO After a one-year hiatus, the LibertyFest Band Concert at the University of Central Oklahoma returned.

The band above was composed of UCO faculty and students. They were conducted by Dr. Brian Lamb, director of the UCO School of Music.

ERIECH TAPIA Below, a mom teaches her daughter how to say the pledge of allegiance.

The Freshman Academy at North High School will be the new location for enrolling this summer in the Edmond Public Schools.

EPS announces its new summer enrollment center New Edmond residents who want to enroll their children in Edmond Public Schools before the start of the 2021-22 school year can do so at the district’s enrollment center from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday-Thursday.

The center will be open during the weeks of July 12-15 and July 19-22.

Typically held in the Welcome Center at Edmond Memorial High School, this year the center has moved to the Freshman Academy at Edmond North High School due to construction at Memorial.

Parents and guardians are encouraged to go to the district website www.edmondschools.net to upload and complete the necessary forms in advance. In the website menu, enrollment information is listed under ‘Parents & Students.’ Documentation needed at the time of enrollment includes the following: • Two verifiable proofs of resi-

dency • Legal birth certificate • Immunization records •Photo ID of the parent or guardian.

If new residents are unable to visit the enrollment center during the weeks it is open, they can enroll their child at their home school. Elementary schools will reopen in August and middle schools will reopen July 14 to serve parents. High Schools remain open during the summer from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday-Thursday but are closed from 11:45 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. for lunch.

The district announced earlier this month that schools will be open five days a week in 2021-2022 and masks will be recommended but not required.

For more information about the centralized enrollment center, call 726-7900 or 726-7901.

Page 6 • July 1, 2021 • Edmond Life & Leisure

(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.)

mond. Transporting open container of intoxicating beverage or beer and operate (DUI or APC) a motor vehicle with a blood alcohol content level of .08 or more.

June 14 Keith Michael Williams, 36 of Edmond. Charged with possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of CDS. Shaelynn Nicole Becker, 19 of Guthrie. Misdemeanor warrant.

Ivy Rachelle Fox-Lemus, 22 homeless. Obstruction of a police officer, contributing to the delinquency of minors, misdemeanor eluding police and (possession of a stolen vehicle) unauthorized use of a vehicle or implement of husbandry.

Thomas Reed Ruetlinger, 21 of Moore. Contributing to the delinquency of minors and possession of a firearm following the conviction of a felony.

Michael Angelo Smith, 32 homeless. Twp counts of failure to appear.

Nichole Lynne Lipps, 47 of Ed-

June 17 Ashton Lorisa Lascano, 24 of Oklahoma City. Operate (DUI or APC) a motor vehicle with a blood alcohol level of .08 or more.

Angela Dawn Ashley, 40 of Yale.

Unlawful use of license or identification card and false personation of another.

David Jesse Baxter, 35 of Yale, False personation of another.

John Darell Weisner, 40 of Edmond. Felony warrant.

Darrell Wayne Garrett, 54 of Edmond. Public intoxication.

Yan Mount Billy Darianssen, 47 of Edmond. Public intoxication.

June 15 Mason Micheal King, 21 of Del City. Public intoxication.

June 18 Sophie Taber Sadeghy, 21 of Edmond. Operating a motor vehicle with improper equipment.and driving

while license is suspended, canceled, denied or revoked.

Aaron Preston Schnautz, 30 of Edmond. Driving while privilege is canceled, suspended, denied or revoked.

Harold Don Hughes, 31 of Edmond. Assault and or battery with a deadly weapon.

Jacob Allen Rodriquez, 39 homeless. Failure to appear, non-assault resisting officer and public intoxication.

June 19 Christopher Darrel Jefferson, 42 of Edmond. Possession with intent to distribute CDS. Kevin David Brewer, 57 of Edmond. Possession of CDS. Chelsea Audrina Witcher, 30 of Edmond. Misdemeanor warrant.

Saghar Rose Hosseinigoshaghani, 20 of Oklahoma City. Extortion, conspiracy and robbery, attempted robbery with dangerous weapon.

Hunter Matthew Randall, 21 of Edmond. Conspiracy and robbery, attempted robbery with dangerous weapon.

Victor Wayne Cantrell, 50 homeless. Possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of CDS. Clete Dixon Jones, 47 of Okla-

homa City. Public intoxication.

Michael Angelo Smith, 32 homeless. Trespassing after being warned.

Thomas Wayne Hinton, 32 of Edmond. Six misdemeanor warrants and one felony warrant.

Teagen Dane LeBlanc, 19 of Edmond. Public intoxication and misdemeanor domestic abuse assault.

June 20 Maren Rae Whitehead, 38 of Oklahoma City. Public intoxication.

Dreyvon Tyriq Christon, 23 of Oklahoma City. Public intoxication.

Jarviear De'Jsaun Christon, 23, of Lawton. Public intoxication.

Tyler Wayne Glass, 34 of Edmond.

Public intoxication.

Francisco Javiar Avalos Hernandez, 27 homeless. Misdemeanor domestic abuse assault and domestic abuse assault (strangulation.)

Gage Marshall Langley, 25 of Edmond. Two counts of possession of marijuana, non-assault resisting arrest and misdemeanor warrant.

Payton Ford IV, 42 of Oklahoma City. Interuption, disruption interference with emergency phone call, and felony domestic abuse assault and battery.

Weekend Calendar of Events July 1-4 What’s Happening This Weekend July 1-4 ---- In the Gallery: Martha Turner ---- Gallery Opening: Martha Turner ---- What’s Cooking, Edmond?

---- VIRTUAL:: Edmond’s African American History ---- Concert in the Park: Kerry Wayne Rockstar & Souled Out ---- VIBES: Downtown Edmond’s Art Experience ---- LibertyFest 2021: Flying the Flag of Freedom ---- LibertyFest 2021: Flying the Flag of Freedom Parade ---- LibertyFest: ParkFest ---- LibertyFest Celebration at Pelican Bay ---- LibertyFest: Fireworks ---- Outdoor Edmond Farmer’s Market ---- Taproom Tones featuring Hosty ---- Kids Take Over the Cowboy – Fourth of Julyy ---- Signature Tour ---- Summer Canine Olympics ---- First Friday Gallery Walk ---- Red, White & Boom ---- Oklahoma Gun Show Extra Information In the Gallery: Martha Turner Location: Edmond Fine Arts Institute Extra Info: Free; featuring the art of Martha Turner; edmondfinearts.com Gallery Opening: Martha Turner Location: Edmond Fine Arts Institute Extra Info: Thu, July 1; 5 – 7; Free; edmondfinearts.com What’s Cooking, Edmond?

Location: Edmond Historical Society & Museum Extra Info: through Tue, Aug 31; Free; edmondhistory.org

VIRTUAL: Edmond’s African American History Location: Edmond Historical Society & Museum Extra Info: through Fri, Dec 31; edmondhistory.org Concert in the Park: Kerry Wayne Rockstar & Souled Out Location: Hafer Park & A.C. Caplinger Ball Fields Extra Info: Thu, July 1; Free; 6:15 – 9 p.m.; edmondok.com VIBES: Downtown Edmond’s Art Experience Location: Downtown Edmond Extra Info: Thu, July 1; 5 – 9 p.m.; Free; edmondvibes.org LibertyFest 2021: Flying the Flag of Freedom Location: multi-event celebration Extra Info: Thu, Jun 24 – Sun, July 4; libertyfest.org LibertyFest 2021: Flying the Flag of Freedom Parade Location: Downtown Edmond Extra Info: Sat, July 3; 9 a.m.; Free; libertyfest.org LibertyFest: ParkFest Location: Mitch Park Extra Info: Sat, July 3; 2 – 4:30 p.m.; Free; libertyfest.org LibertyFest Celebration at Pelican Bay Location: Pelican Bay Aquatic Center Extra Info: Sun, July 4; 7 – 10 p.m.; pelicanbayaquatics.com LibertyFest: Fireworks Location: Hafer Park & A.C. Caplinger Ball Fields Extra Info: Sun, July 4; 9:30 p.m.; Free; libertyfest.org Kids Take Over the Cowboy – Fourth of Julyy At National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum

Extra Info: Sat, July 3; 10 a.m. ---- 12 p.m.; nationalcowboymuseum.org Signature Tour At National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum Extra Info: Sat, July 3---- Sun, 4; 1 ---- 2 p.m.; nationalcowboymuseum.org First Friday Gallery Walk Location: Paseo Arts District Extra Info: Fri, July 2; 6 – 9 p.m.; thepaseo.org Red, White & Boom Location: Scissortail Park Extra Info: Sat, July 3; 8:30 – 10 p.m.; okcphil.org Outdoor Edmond Farmer’s Market Location: Festival Market Place Extra Info: Sat, July 3; 8 a.m. – 1 p.m.; edmondok.com Taproom Tones featuring Hosty Location: Frenzy Brewing Company Extra Info: Fri, July 2; 7:30 – 10:30 p.m.; Free; facebook.com Summer Canine Olympics Location: Oklahoma State Fair Park Extra Info: Wed, Jun 30 – Sun July 4; 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. daily; oksummercanineolympics.com Oklahoma Gun Show Location: Oklahoma State Fair Park Extra Info: Sat, July 3: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. – Sun July 4: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.; oklahomagunshows.com Oklahoma Railway Museum Train Rides Location: Oklahoma Railway Museum Extra Info: Sat, July 3; Train Times: 9:15 a.m., 11:15 a.m., 1:15 a.m., 3:15 a.m.; oklahomarailwaymuseum.org Have a Safe & Happy Fourth

FILE PHOTO.MELINDA INFANTE

Don’t forget, the LibertyFest parade gets under way at 9 a.m. in downtown Edmond. Arrive early for a good seat.

Edmond Life & Leisure • July 1, 2021 • Page 7

Part of a large crowd gathering for a previous festival.

Shawnee gets ready for FireLake Fireflight Balloon Festival The FireLake Fireflight Balloon Festival will once again take to the skies over Shawnee this August.

Presented by Citizen Potawatomi Nation (CPN), the FireLake Fireflight Balloon Fest is Oklahoma’s largest hot air balloon festival. It features 20 unique hot air balloons, live entertainment, family activities, a 5K fun run, fireworks and more.

The highly anticipated two-day event takes place at the Raymond Peltier Park, located at 1702 S Gordon Cooper Dr, Shawnee, Okla. on Friday,

Aug. 13 and Saturday, Aug. 14.

Entry to the festival is free. Balloon launches are set to begin at 7 a.m. both days of the festival.

Outdoor activities include food trucks, inflatables for kids, a splash pad, carnival, and petting zoo.

Artists, craftspeople, and retailers will offer a variety of merchandise at the vendor market, while the Outdoor Nation Expo – a hunting and fishing trade show—will take place at the FireLake Arena.

Summer safety advice The American Red Cross of Kansas wants everyone to have a safe summer and offers tips and resources for the entire family.

WATER SAFETY Before going in, on or around the water, every family member should become “water smart.” This starts with learning to be safe, making good choices, and learning to swim to at least achieve the skills of water competency. Everyone should be able to enter the water, get a breath, stay afloat, change position, swim a distance and then get out of the water safely. A variety of water safety courses and resources are available to help. To help keep your family safe, the Red Cross offers these tips: Prevent unsupervised access to water. Fence pools and spas with adequate barriers and keep a constant eye for any water dangers such as portable splash pools/slides, buckets and bathtubs.

Adults should actively supervise children and stay within arm’s reach of young children and new swimmers. Kids should follow the rules.

Designate a “water watcher” to keep a close eye and constant attention on children and weaker swimmers in and around the water until the next water watcher takes over.

Always wear a properly fitted U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket when on a boat and if in a situation beyond someone’s skill level.

Swim as a pair near a lifeguard’s chair — everyone, including experienced swimmers, should swim with a buddy even in areas supervised by lifeguards. Always maintain constant attention and actively supervise children even when lifeguards are present.

Download the Red Cross Swim app, sponsored by The ZAC Foundation, for safety tips, kid-friendly videos and activities, and take the free Water Safety for Parents and Caregivers online course.

GRILLING SAFETY

Grilling food is so popular that more than three-quarters of U.S. adults have used a grill — yet, grilling sparks more than 10,000 home fires on average each year. To avoid this, the Red Cross offers these grilling safety tips: Always supervise a barbecue grill when in use. Don’t add charcoal starter fluid when coals have already been ignited.

Never grill indoors — not in the house, camper, tent or any enclosed area.

Make sure everyone, including pets, stays away from the grill.

Keep the grill out in the open, away from the house, deck, tree branches or anything that could catch fire.

Use the long-handled tools especially made for cooking on the grill to help keep the chef safe.

Accidents and Emergencies Happen The Red Cross has several resources to help people learn how to treat bee stings, burns and heat emergencies including online and inperson training courses, a free First Aid app and a First Aid Skill for Amazon Alexa-enabled devices.

Help Save Lives this Summer Part of a safe community is a strong blood supply for hospital patients. Give blood, platelets or plasma this summer to help ensure patients get the medical treatments they need. Download the Red Cross Blood Donor app, visit redcrossblood.org or call 800-RED-CROSS for more information or to schedule your donation.

Follow COVID-19 Guidelines Remember to review the latest COVID-19 pandemic guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) with your family before you head out.

About the American Red Cross: The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation's blood and teaches skills that save lives.

In the evenings, guests can enjoy live music on the festival grounds from artists like Vince Van and the Outlaws and Craig Morgan. Guests will have a chance to ride in hot air balloons and enjoy the entertainment from a birds’ eye view. Following a spectacular balloon glow, fireworks will light up the sky Friday night.

For more information on the Firelake FireFlight Balloon Fest and a detailed schedule of events, visit firelakeballoonfest.com.

Page 8 • July 1, 2021 • Edmond Life & Leisure

The differences between Alzheimer’s & dementia For years, the terms “Alzheimer’s” and “dementia” have been used interchangeably. But the difference between them is important, say experts at the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, with no better time to learn than June: Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month.

“Dementia is an umbrella term that includes many diseases. Alzheimer’s is just one of them,” said OMRF scientist Mike Beckstead, Ph.D., who holds OMRF’s Hille Family Foundation Chair in Neurodegenerative Disease Research and is studying the role the naturally occurring brain chemical dopamine may play in Alzheimer’s disease. “Dementia is a set of symptoms.”

Those symptoms include a decline in memory, cognitive skills and communication abilities that interrupt daily life. Dementia most commonly strikes older adults and is caused by damage to or loss of nerve cells and their connections in the brain.

“Dementia affects people differently depending on the area of the brain impacted,” explained Holly Van Remmen, Ph.D., who leads the foundation’s Aging and Metabolism Research Program. “In the case of Alzheimer’s disease, that includes

Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation scientist Holly Van Remmen, Ph.D.

memory loss, disorientation, mood swings and other cognitive issues.”

Alzheimer’s is the most common form of dementia. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, it accounts for 60-80% of cases of dementia and affects more than 6 million Americans.

“That means the majority of people who have dementia also have Alzheimer’s,” said Van Remmen, who holds the G.T. Blankenship Chair in Aging Research at OMRF. “But in

most cases, there’s no way to tell for sure.”

That’s because there is currently not a definitive test for Alzheimer’s.

The only way to conclusively diagnose the disease is through analyzing brain tissue following a person’s death.

But assessing the disease underlying dementia is important, Van Remmen added. While there is no cure for Alzheimer’s and the condition has just one treatment — a drug that may

potentially delay decline from the disease, approved this month by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration — it may be possible to change the course of some other forms of dementia.

Triggers for dementia may include vitamin deficiencies, thyroid problems, brain tumors, depression, excessive alcohol use, medication side effects, infectious diseases and even fluid buildup on the brain. Each of these forms of dementia is potentially reversible with treatment.

In the case of Alzheimer’s, said Beckstead, early intervention likewise remains important. “By the time the disease has advanced from small things like losing keys to a severe tipping point like getting lost on the way home from the store, it’s often too late to disrupt the progression of symptoms,” he said.

If you or a loved one show signs of dementia, added Van Remmen, seek medical treatment as soon as possible.

“An early evaluation by a physician offers the best opportunity to understand what options are available,” Van Remmen said. “If treatment is possible, you can’t afford to delay.”

New OSU Center for Pet Therapy opening this fall Pete’s Pet Posse has a new home.

Oklahoma State University today announced the opening of the nation’s largest university-based pet therapy center on the Stillwater campus to care for the emotional well-being of students, staff, faculty and guests.

The OSU Center for Pet Therapy is the evolution of the extremely successful Pete’s Pet Posse pet therapy program established eight years ago as an experimental pilot program with eight dogs. Since that time, the nearly 60 Pete’s Pet Posse dog/owner/handler teams have touched more than 263,000 lives, participated in over 4,400 special event appearances and have reached thousands more via social media. The program expanded to the OSU Center for Health Sciences and OSU Tulsa in 2015. In 2021, the first pet therapy team began serving at the OSU College of Osteopathic Medicine Cherokee Nation in Tahlequah, the nation’s first tribally-affiliated medical school.

“These dogs and their owner/handlers have a proven track record of reaching places of the heart we humans can’t do alone,” said OSU First

Lady Ann Hargis and co-founder of Pete’s Pet Posse. “The incredible generosity of donors who believe in our program is making this new center a reality and keeping a very popular pet therapy program thriving at OSU. The OSU Center for Pet Therapy is posi-

tioned to take the work of these teams to a whole new level and my dog Scuff and I are thrilled to keep serving the OSU community in this way.”

Pet therapy is proven in its ability to stimulate an automatic relaxation response in people, improve cardiovascular health, lower blood pressure, reduce anxiety and increase the release of endorphins for a calming effect. OSU pet therapy team owner/handlers are not counselors but do support University Counseling as needed in times when the dogs can help diffuse a stressful and difficult situation.

"The dogs of Pete's Pet Posse amaze me every time I see them at work," noted Trevor Richardson, Director of Sport Psychology, OSU Athletics. "The unconditional love and non-judgmental temperament of the animals can reach and heal emotional places no human therapist can master.

We are thrilled this program is continuing to serve the OSU community."

The OSU Center for Pet Therapy will be based out of the OSU Student Union but actual pet therapy activity

will continue to go where needed across our various campus locations.

The new center will be the hub for Pete's Pet Posse administration, the student auxiliary called Ruff Riders, office space for other OSU campus teams, the pet therapy research and Pete's Pet Posse advisory board. Pete’s Pet Posse co-founder Kendria Cost will serve as director.

Pete’s Pet Posse is self-funded and relies on donations to operate. The Ann Hargis OSU Center for Pet Therapy Endowment has been created to sustain the program. A surprise gift from the Women for OSU Council, the endowment will secure the longterm future of the Center, once fully funded, and provide a solid financial base going forward. More information regarding the endowment and how to contribute can be found at osugiving.com The Pete's Pet Posse mission is to enhance the wellbeing of the Cowboy family through professionally trained and nationally certified pet therapy teams in collaboration with campus resources and generous supporters.

Genealogy group to meet

Orphan Trains due discussion Did you have an ancestor who came west on an Orphan Train? Have you ever heard of Orphan Trains? The Oklahoma Home and Community Genealogy group inBanse vites you to their meeting at the OSU Extension Center, 2500 NE 63rd, on Wednesday, July 21, at 10 a.m. to hear Jo Ann Day Banse explain how these trains started and why; where they came from and where they went

and who was on them.

Jo Ann worked 40 years for the Air Force as a federal employee, 36 of those years in active and reserve duty. She traveled to Europe, the Middle East, Asia and around the United States for duty. She is a member of the Colonial Dames Century and is Regent for her Daughters of the Revolution (DAR) chapter. She also donates her time to several genealogical societies in Oklahoma and her home state of Tennessee.

For more information visit our website: www.ohcegenealogy.com or on Facebook: ohcegenealogy.

Edmond Life & Leisure • July 1, 2021 • Page 9

Elks Lodge distributes funds to non-profits The Edmond Elks Lodge has disbursed $2,500 in Elks National Foundation (ENF) grants recently. Local non-profits receiving this year’s Gratitude Grants are as follows: Edmond Mobile Meals Project 66 Food and Resource Center Logan County Aging Services and Edmond Senior Center Luncheon Program In addition to the Gratitude Grant, the Edmond Lodge has also been awarded a $3,500 Beacon Grant.

These funds will be dispersed in the next few months.

These donations are made available from local Elk members who have contributed to the Elks National Foundation. The funds are invested back into the local communities via the Community Investments Program which will fund over $14.5 million nationally this year.

From left: Lashelle Ratcliff and Yvonne Johnson, staff members at the Logan County Aging Services, accept the donation from Greg Ruch, Elks Exalted Ruler and Michael Weller, Elks Grants Coordinator.

From left: Michael Weller, Elks Grants Coordinator looks on as Cristi Twenter, Mobile Meals Executive Director, accepts the donation from Greg Ruch, Elks Exalted Ruler.

Edmond Mobile Meals volunteer Liz Haralson delivers meal to client, Mrs. T.

PHOTO PROVIDED

Edmond Mobile Meals seeks volunteers to assist seniors One in six seniors in our country struggle with hunger and malnutrition. The mission of Edmond Mobile Meals is to provide nourishing meals and daily wellness checks to the homebound in Edmond. Kitchen volunteers help prepare and package the meals each weekday between 8am11am.

No cooking experience is required.

Volunteer drivers use their own vehicles to deliver meals between 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

A route of meal deliveries usually takes about an hour and a half to complete. Children are welcome to ride along and deliver meals with parents or other family members but must be 18 years old to deliver meals on their own.

Volunteering at Edmond Mobile Meals is easy and flexible. Volunteers can assist as often as their schedule allows. Most people pick one day a month to help at Edmond Mobile Meals, but some volunteer once a week, and some sign up to fill-in as additional help is needed.

Cristi Twenter, Executive Director at Edmond Mobile Meals said, “We’ve had so many of our loyal volunteers retire after the COVID-19 pandemic. They just are not able to get back out in the community to serve like they did before, or health, family, or career situations have changed. It is incredibly rewarding to volunteer with Edmond Mobile Meals. You get to help take care of Edmond’s sweet seniors and meet some wonderful people. Many of our volunteers say they feel like they get more benefit from helping us than the clients do! We deliver more than just a meal. We deliver moments of important human connection that have a direct impact on vulnerable individuals in our community. You will know your effort makes a big difference to one of your neighbors right away.”

For more information and to complete a volunteer application and background check, please visit https://edmondmobilemeals.org/volunteer/.

LeAnna Holman, Manager, Edmond Senior Center, accepts the Elks grant donation from Greg Ruch, Elks Exalted Ruler (left) and Michael Weller, Elks Grants Coordinator (right).

From left: Michael Weller, Elks Grants Coordinator looks on as Josie Hohn, Project 66 Executive Director accepts the donation from Greg Ruch, Elks Exalted Ruler.

Page 10 • July 1, 2021 • Edmond Life & Leisure

Commentary ... We’re on YOUR Side College football’s challenge Fight distracted Have you heard about the 12-team playoff for the college football championship?

I gather that will be in the future for the sport.

Amazing how the powers-that-be fought Steve Gust having a playoff for so long. Now it will expand from four to 12 teams.

I'm a bit lukewarm about it.

One aspect about it is how it might dilute, or threaten, the minor bowls. I know some of the games aren't all that prestigious, but they're important to some people.

With a 12-team playoff, the teams who don't make that might not want to participate in postseason at all.

We've seen that already.

Last year a few of the star Oklahoma State players didn't want to play in the Cheez-It Bowl against Miami in Orlando. The players were concerned about being injured in the game and seeing their value as an NFL prospect decline.

So much for the "love of the game."

Florida had some of their star players check out for the Cotton Bowl Classic, when OU hammered them 55-20.

But now with a 12-team playoff, more players may look at bowls like that as the NIT Basketball tournament, which is on life support now.

I don't understand how players get to decide to hold themselves out of ball games. You either agree to play for a school or you don't. The schools in question are investing a lot of money in scholarships for these guys to play there.

And I'm pretty sure the 12-team playoff will not solve all the postseason problems. Before long people will want it expanded again.

And how important will regular season games become?

Get ready now. It's about to become a brave new world for college football.

--Please have a safe and happy July Fourth.

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

By Linda Terrell Oklahoman.com In April, State Farm released the results of a survey examining behaviors related to distracted driving. It revealed that we are still texting, speeding, looking at social media, grooming, gaming and taking selfies while behind the wheel. Nine out of 10 drivers said they engaged in distracted driving behaviors while driving.

As the director of a nonprofit that discourages ALL drivers from driving while distracted, this study doesn’t really surprise me. In 2017, a grandmother and her two grandchildren were killed on one of our turnpikes when a driver failed to stop and crashed into the back of them. In 2015, Okla-

driving

homa Highway Patrol trooper Nicholas Dees was struck and killed by a vehicle east of Shawnee while investigating a traffic accident.

Trooper Keith Burch was also on the scene and seriously injured. In both cases, distracted driving was suspected.

Unfortunately, these victims are not the only Oklahomans who have been negatively impacted by distracted driving and definitely not the last. In fact, when you use your cellphone while driving, you are just as impaired, if not more than impaired, as someone who is legally drunk.

Smartphone ownership has increased steadily since 2011 (from 53% of drivers in 2011 to 95% in 2020). Along with this increase comes

more phone-related distracted driving, like accessing the internet, which has more than doubled between 2010 and 2020. Age also has greatly influenced the rate of distracted behaviors in 2020. Drivers under age 40 were significantly more likely to engage in distracted phone and navigation behaviors. And while 56% believed manually interacting with a phone while driving greatly increases the likelihood of a crash — consumers continue to put themselves and everyone on the road at risk.

The bottom line is that auto crashes are the No. 1 killer of teens. According to the State Farm survey, younger drivers were significantly more likely to exhibit other risky behaviors while driving, including speeding, driving drowsy, failing to use turn signals, and driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

A lot has changed in our lives this past year; however, our distracted driving behavior, per this study, has not. As we try to figure out what our "new normal" might be, let’s start by taking personal responsibility for the safety of ourselves and others by making positive choices behind the wheel. Imagine if we ALL pledged today to keep our eyes on the road, our hands on the wheel and our minds on the primary task of driving, how much safer our Oklahoma roadways would be from exposure to reckless and potentially deadly or life-altering injuries due to distracted driving.

Distracted driving and crashes are preventable.

Let’s make that message the new normal.

Linda Terrell is director of Oklahoma Challenge.

Lankford’s July Fourth address Senator James Lankford (R-OK) last week, ahead of the Fourth of July holiday, delivered a patriotic account of the brave Americans who founded our nation, set up our national values, and continued to reinforce the need for all Americans to work to keep us free. Lankford asked his fellow senators, Lankford Oklahomans, and Americans around the nation to contemplate how we can serve our nation and how we can pass on the freedom we enjoy — for which so many have given everything — to our children. As our nation continues to grapple with difficult issues, Lankford brought the focus in Washington, DC, back to what enables us to disagree and disagree strongly: our freedom as Americans.

Transcript I often come to this floor to be able to speak about issues of the day, agreements that we have, disagreements that we have, ways we can solve the problems of the nation. Today I come to tell a story.

1774, an Englishman met Benjamin Franklin, spent a lot of time together just in conversations.

And Franklin convinced this young sailor and writer and young friend to move to America, to move to his hometown, to Philadelphia. A few months later, 1774, he did. Franklin saw something in this young man that no one else saw; that Englishman who loved freedom and who saw the glaring injustice of the British crown. Two years later on January 10, 1776, wrote a short pamphlet that changed the course of history. The man's name was Thomas Paine and the short work that he wrote was called Common Sense. It was the first publication that declared we should call for independence for these 13

colonies. It didn't include his name because if it included his name, there would be a certain death warrant from the king. But it made the case for freedom, for each person, for an elected government rather than a monarchy in the case of religious liberty. In short, he made the case for the United States of America.

He wrote these words, ‘The cause of America is in great measure the cause of all mankind. Many circumstances have and will arise which are not local but universal, and through which the principles of all lovers of mankind are affected. In the event of which their affections are interesting.’ He wrote about the rule of law and how that would be different than living under a monarchy, and he challenged the young colonists to be able to pursue more. He wrote, ‘But where some say is the king of America? I tell you, friend, he reigns above and doth not make havoc of mankind like the royal brute of Great Britain, yet he may not appear to be defective even in earthly honors let a day be solemnly set apart. Proclaiming the charter, let it be brought forth placed into divine law the word of God. Let a crown be placed there upon which the world may know that so far we may approve a monarchy that in America the law is king. For as in absolute governments, the king is law, so in free countries the law ought to be king.’ And he wrote, ‘As to religion, I hold to it that this this indispensable duty of government to protect all conscious professors thereof, and I know of no other business which government hath to do therewith. Suspicion is the companion of mean souls, he wrote. And he said it affords us a larger field for our Christian kindness where we were all one way of thinking, our religious dispositions would want matter for probation and on this liberal principle, I look to the various denominations among us to be like children of the

same family, differing only in what is called their Christian names.’

He shared a lot of great ideals and common sense. He challenged the colonists to dream of an America that would set the example for the world.

Thomas Paine’s ideas weren't all great and we didn’t accept all of his ideas. In fact, he wrote a long section in Common Sense saying, that when we form our own constitution, we should take these 13 colonies and we should elect a president and alternate among each state so each state would in turn have a different president for the whole group. It's a fairly terrible idea that we never implemented. But this passion about the law being king, we did. This passion about religious liberty, we did. This passion about America would be the example to all mankind, we did.

150,000 copies of Common Sense were printed.

That is an enormous number, for that time period.

On that January day when the first printings of Common Sense started being passed around the colonies, it fanned the flame of that spark, of freedom in the hearts of the colonists. By June 11, 1766, Congress had appointed a committee of five, to draft the Declaration. John Adams of Massachusetts, Benjamin Franklin of Pennsylvania, Thomas Jefferson of Virginia, Robert Livingstone of New York, and Roger Sherman of—I think two redheads in that group. The Declaration ended with this simple paragraph, we're familiar with that Declaration.

It said, ‘We therefore the representatives of the United States of America, in general Congress assembled appealing to the supreme judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions do in the name and by the authority of the good people of these colonies solemnly publish and declare that

See Lankford, Page 11

Edmond Life & Leisure • July 1, 2021 • Page 11

LibertyFest Rodeo The 52nd edition of the LibertyFest Rodeo was held over the weekend at the Carl Benne Rodeo Grounds just off north Kelly. Among the events were calf roping, below and saddle bronc riding, above.

Lankford From Page 10 these united colonies are and of right ought to be free and independent states.’ And it ended with, ‘And for the support of this declaration with a firm reliance of the protection of the divine providence, we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor.’ And they gave that all.

John Hart, one of the signers of the Declaration from New Jersey, ended up hiding in the woods that December of 1776 just a few months later while the Hessian soldiers hunted him across the countryside. He died before the war's end. Richard Stockton also of New Jersey wasn't so lucky. He was dragged from his bed, thrown into prison, treated like a criminal. His home was looted, his fortune stripped away. Thomas Nelson of Virginia, he commanded the militia and served as a governor during the revolution. He had to instruct the artillerymen to fire at his own house when the British started using it as their headquarters.

Nelson had used his personal credit to raise money for the cause. The revolution left him in distress. He was unable to ever recover what he had lost.

Thomas Hayward, Arthur Middleton, Everett Rutledge, three South Carolina signers served in their states militia and were captured when the British seized Charleston. They spent the rest of the time in prison. They pledged their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor.

On that December, when all this was going on to all these signers of the Declaration, Thomas Paine wrote again. This time he wrote directly to the patriots serving with George Washington in the freezing winter. On Dec. 23, 1776, Thomas Paine wrote these words, ‘These are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier, the sunshine patriot will in this crisis shrink from the service of their country. But he that stands by it now deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not

easily conquered. Yet we have this consolation with us that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly. It is dearness only that gives every living thing its value.

Heaven knows how to put a proper price upon its goods, and it would be strange indeed if so celestial an article as freedom should not be highly rated.’

It is a good thing for us to be able to stop and reflect on these simple words, what we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly. Sometimes I am afraid that as we approach the Fourth of July each year we have forgotten the sacrifices of previous generations.

In our time period and in this wealthy moment in our nation's history, we seem to have esteemed too lightly what was obtained too cheaply and forget the great sacrifices of the past.

Generation after generation of American history has set an example of how that we have worked for a more perfect union, generation after generation has served each other and the children that come after them so that they could have a better future. It is our generation's turn. The generation that I speak of could have never dreamed of the Capitol that stands on this hill. The generation that I speak of could have never dreamed of 50 states that would cover this continent.

But they did dream this because it's in Thomas Paine's introduction, the cause of America is in great measure, the cause of all mankind. This Fourth of July we should recommit ourselves to the cause of freedom, the future of our nation, and the service to our children and the children not yet born.

We are still a great nation conceived in liberty, born to greatness, if we are willing to work and sacrifice and give for each other. No generation in the history of the world has inherited more than we have. No generation, should not receive it too cheaply or hold it too lightly.

Photos by Eriech Tapia

Page 12 • July 1, 2021 • Edmond Life & Leisure

Explanatory panels and exhibits give guests a lesson in Black travel during the Jim Crow era.

Little Rock exhibit recalls travel challenges for Blacks

By Elaine Warner Sitting down on a small stool in front of a video console, I stepped into another time and another person’s shoes. Looking through the windshield of my car, I saw a friendly, Black woman speaking to me.

“Hey, y’all, so you’re planning a Elaine trip down south…. You need to be careful on the road. Old Jim Crow won’t let people like us stop just anywhere.

So let’s make sure you got everything you need.”

This was the introduction to a marvelous Smithsonian-created Green Book exhibition at Little Rock’s Mosaic Templars Cultural Center. For those who haven’t seen the movie, the Negro Motorist Green Book was a directory of accommodations, restaurants and services which were safe stops for Black travelers.

The guide was prompted by a trip postal worker Victor Hugo Green took from his home in Harlem, New York City, to visit his wife’s family in Richmond, Va.. Recognizing the dangers and embarrassment encountered by Black travelers, he published his first edition in 1936.

While that year’s publication was only 15 pages long and limited to New York City, the next year the scope broadened to cover much more of the nation. Green used contacts through the National Association of Letter Carriers to add entries to the book, later also including recommendations from readers.

With the growth of the automobile industry, travel from coast to coast had become easier – for white people. Black travelers faced many challenges – a lack of places willing to serve them food, sell them gas, or provide accommodations.

These were not small difficulties but paled in comparison to the physical dangers they could be subjected to. The Green Book became, literally, a life saver.

In addition to the Green Book, folks were encouraged to carry extra gasoline, tire repair materials, fuses, light bulbs and tools (to avoid stopping at unfriendly service stations), water, bedding

The cash register from the Threatt Filling Station is on exhibit at the Mosaic Templars Cultural Center.

(which could also be used to screen makeshift roadside restrooms), and ice coolers with food for the road.

The video provided an interesting way to share the story. A trip was plotted on a panel beneath the video. As a little car moved along the route, at each stop there was a choice to make – choose a business listed in the Green Book or one that was not listed. Three of us played the game – at the first stop we chose a restaurant that was listed.

Same with the second stop – we were doing fine.

At the third stop we decided to go with the unlisted option. Now the video showed a motel desk clerk telling us there were no vacancies. But the vacancy sign had been on. “Oh,” he explained, I just haven’t had time to change it.” This was a mild example but we could imagine a tired family, at night, being turned away. Black truckers often slept beneath their trucks for lack of accepting accommodations.

Gas stations were also a problem. But here’s a bright spot – Esso Standard Oil not only served Black clientele but gave training, education and opportunities to Black employees. It is speculated that this attitude was inspired by CEO John D. Rockefeller’s in-laws who were not only staunch abolitionists but used their house as a stop on the Underground Railroad. The filling stations also carried the latest editions of the Green Book.

Other exhibits highlight conditions in different parts of the country. Although the South was considered the most hazardous destination, racist policies were rampant throughout the nation. Black drivers often carried a chauffeur’s hat with them so if they were stopped they could say they were going to pick up their employer; or, if they were traveling with their family, explain that they were driving the boss’s “help” home.

Businesses and entertainment venues which catered to Black people are illustrated in a number panels and cases. For example, Dooky Chase’s Restaurant in New Orleans has been serving diners since 1941. Guests have included artists from Duke Ellington to Beyoncé and Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama. During the fight for civil rights, leaders like Thurgood Marshall and Martin Luther King strategized over ample portions of Cajun and Creole dishes.

In one display, an antique cash register from the Threatt Filling Station in Luther represents one of the businesses on Route 66 which served Blacks. It is accompanied by a placard which reads, “Seventy-five miles west of Tulsa, Black motorists could fuel up at the Threatt Filling Station in Luther, Oklahoma, before passing through the sundown town of Edmond, Oklahoma.” On the Mother Road, which stretched from Chicago to Los Angeles, Black travelers had to pass through approximately 150 communities which posted signs prohibiting the presence of Blacks after sunset.

Things got better – and worse – following the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Between urban renewal projects and competition with larger, better-funded white businesses, many black businesses went out of business. As community activist Georgia Ayers put it, “We got what we wanted but we lost what we had.”

The Green Book exhibition will be in Little Rock until August 1. I’m sorry about such short notice, but I just got back from seeing it a week ago. Little Rock is an easy five-hour drive (about 340 miles)

The Lorraine Motel in Memphis catered to Black travelers including Aretha Franklin, Louis Armstrong and Sarah Vaughn. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., whose room was 106 when he was assassinated on the balcony on April 4, 1968.

on I-40 from Oklahoma City.

In addition to the offering at the Mosaic Templars Cultural Center, don’t miss a tour at the Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site.

Ranger Brian Schwieger led our press group stepby-step through the events leading to the integration of Arkansas’ largest high school.

Between these two sites, we learned a lot about the rocky road to equality – which we are still traveling. To understand the present, we must understand the past. While the National Historic Site is permanent, the Green Book exhibition will be gone soon. Now is an excellent time to learn more about America’s overlooked history.

The Savoy Ballroom was one of Harlem’s most popular hot spots and inspired the 1934 jazz standard, “Stompin’ at the Savoy

Edmond Life & Leisure • July 1, 2021 • Page 13

LibertyFest KiteFest 2021

Also having fun at the KiteFest was Edmond Mayor Darrell A. Davis, watching his kite soar.

Ole Glory went sailing during the 31st annual Edmond LibertyFest Kite Festival over the weekend. The event, once again, was held at Mitch Park. LibertyFest president Terry Officer was also chairman of the Kite Festival.

One again there were many beautiful kites.

Photographs by Melinda Infante & Eriech Tapia

Whitnei Williams and her son Jackson Williams (2 yrs old) fly a kite at KiteFest

Page 14 • July 1, 2021 • Edmond Life & Leisure

‘F9: The Fast Saga’ may have jumped the shark

By George Gust “F9: The Fast Saga” finds Dom Toretto (Vin Diesel) leading a quiet life off the grid with Letty (Michelle Rodriguez) and his son, but they know that danger always lurks just over their peaceful horizon. An old foe, Cipher, (Charlize Theron) enlists the help of Jakob (John Cena), Dom's younger brother, to take revenge on Dom and his team.

The common media term for what happens in “F9:The Fast Saga” is ‘Jumping the Shark.’ A phrase that many know from the classic sitcom “Happy Days” where The Fonz jumped a shark on water skis, but after that event the show was never as good as it was at the height of its popularity. For the past 4 or so entries into the Fast franchise, these movies have walked a delicate line between whacky over-the-top vehicular spectacle and engaging action franchise by being held together with broadly emotional threads from a diverse cast of characters. And up until this movie the filmmakers had managed to keep the audience invested without becoming a farcical parody of itself. In “F9” all bets, rules of logic and physics are

off, and for some this may be in line with the crazy events of the previous movies, but the blatant disregard for consistency leaves “F9” feeling like a cold action comedy, missing the magic formula that made the series a runaway success.

On the positive side, “F9: The Fast Saga” does deliver the high-flying car thrills that one would expect from the series. Director Justin Lin has a deft hand for crafting physics defying action sequences that can be satisfying if you come into the film with the attitude that this movie plays by its own rules. And in

that way “F9” is an exquisite pairing for a hot bucket of buttered popcorn and an ice-cold cherry slushy as we find ourselves back in a dark theater in front of massive movie screens again. It feels like the filmmakers had a keen eye for delivering what the fans wanted, and even going farther than the series has ever gone before in a move that most fans had been calling for as the series has gone from street races to globe-trotting espionage.

Overall, “F9: The Fast Saga” is a logical escalation point of an increasingly ridiculous franchise. Still feeling the loss of Paul Walker as a heartfelt through line of the series and excising the machismo and bravado of The Rock and Jason Statham, this movie feels like another offshoot from the main franchise as opposed to continuing the ‘Saga.’ In terms of action, this movie provides some turn-off-your-brain silly sequences, but the experience will leave you feeling cold and not as excited to see where the crew will go next.

“F9: The Fast Saga” is rated PG-13 for sequences of violence and action, and language.

2.4 out of 5 stars.

PHOTO PROVIDED

Vin Diesel and crew welcome audiences back to theaters in the over-the-top car extravaganza ‘F9: The Fast Saga.’

Answers on Page 19

Arcadia concerts scheduled Red Dirt Music is on tap for the Independence Day weekend at the Arcadia Round Barn.

The Joe Baxter-led house band, the Round Barn Ramblers, will perform from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, July 3.

Singer-songwriter Greg Jacobs will present an Elm Tree Concert from 1 to 3 p.m. July 3, and the Red Dirt Rangers will bring July 4 entertainment from 1 to 3 p.m.

All concerts will be outdoors beneath the shade of the giant elm tree on the north side of the barn, weather permitting. Visitors can bring a lawn chair or sit at the picnic tables. Cold bottled water will be available. All concerts are free but donations are accepted.

Jacobs was part of a group of musicians who migrated to Stillwater in the late 1970s and created what became known as the Red Dirt sound. Some call him the Red Dirt Crooner because of his easygoing style, and he writes songs that are both historic and personal.

Artists who have covered his songs include Jimmy LaFave, Tom Skinner, Bob Childers, Cody Canada and the Departed, Jason Boland and the Straggler and Monica Taylor.

The Red Dirt Rangers have been carrying the banner for the Red Dirt music scene since the late 1980s.

Crossword Puzzle STATEPOINT CROSSWORD THEME: Summer Olympics

ACROSS 1. Welsh dog breed 6. With juice, or au ____ 9. Pirate's yes, pl.

13. What a subordinate does 14. Cigarette residue 15. Chimney cleaner 16. Coffin holders 17. "Sheep be true! ___-ramewe!"

18. Poisonous Christmas berry 19. *First U.S. city to host Summer Olympics 21. *Swimmer with most Olympic medals 23. Part of a min.

24. *Field hockey's stick and ball, e.g.

25. Gayle King's network 28. Capital of Latvia 30. *Canoeing: slalom and ____ 35. Rhine tributary 37. Building annexes 39. A in AV 40. Three-ply cookie 41. *Madison cycling, e.g.

43. *Light ball tap, in volleyball or tennis 44. What hoarders do 46. Not happening (2 words) 47. Half-rotten 48. *Martial art debuting in Olympics in 2021 50. Make a plaintive cry 52. Short for although 53. Luau instruments 55. Street in Paris 57. *____ horse in gymnastics 60. *One of pentathlon events 64. Kentucky Derby drink 65. Rock in a glass 67. Small Asian ungulate 68. Spy's cover 69. Not a win nor a loss 70. Run off to marry 71. Pat dry 72. Eastern Standard Time

73. Between shampoo and repeat DOWN 1. Corn units 2. Final notice?

3. Rod attachment 4. Greek sandwiches 5. Federal Reserve in relation to U.S. currency 6. *Boxing moves 7. *All-time Olympic record holder in medal count 8. Popular fitness magazine 9. Military no-show 10. Crowd-sourced review platform 11. Mature elvers 12. I do this with my little eye 15. Tibetan mountaineer 20. Slipperier 22. ____-been 24. London's Tyburn Tree, e.g.

25. Kick the bucket 26. Thailand's neighbor 27. Give sheep a haircut 29. A valley in Scotland

31. "Ant-Man" leading actor 32. Dostoevsky's "The ____" 33. Beethoven's famous symphony 34. *2021 Olympic host 36. Civil Rights icon 38. Long adventure story 42. ____ welcome!

45. Tree cutters' leftovers 49. ____ out, as in victory 51. One suffering from tuberculosis 54. Chosen few 56. Food safety threat 57. *Threat to muscles 58. Mixture 59. Source of protein 60. Pedal pushers 61. Golf club 62. Midday slumbers 63. High school club 64. #6 Down, sing.

66. Post-Soviet Union union

Answers are found on Page19

Edmond Life & Leisure • July 1, 2021 • Page 15

Festival is Aug. 6 & 7

Happy Hippo will help mark new Route 66 historical exhibit Edmond Historical Society and Museum is celebrating the opening of its Edmond’s Route 66 exhibit in a big, blue HUMONGOUS way!

The Route 66 Blue Hippo Festival, is Aug. 6-7, from noon to 4 p.m. each day in Edmond. This two-day festival is themed around Edmond’s Route 66 icon, the Blue Hippo. Familyfriendly activities, performances, food, artists and all things blue, will take place at the Museum and in Stephenson Park. Presented by Banc7 and sponsored by the Oklahoma City

Zoo and Botanical Garden.

Details continue to evolve, including the performance schedule. Visit EdmondHistory.org for updates.

Museum Information: Edmond Historical Society & Museum hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.Tuesday – Friday and 1 to 4 p.m. most Saturdays. Admission is free.

More information can be found on the museum website at www.edmondhistory.org or by calling 405340-0078. Museum located at 431 S. Boulevard, Edmond.

LifeVest provides huge protection

Technology keeps runner from sudden cardiac arrest On paper, Oklahoma native Brent Miller, 50, is the epitome of health. A competitive runner, he has logged more than 1,000 miles over the past three years, including five marathons, two half-Iron Mans, One Iron Man, and 150 5Ks. But his biggest accomplishment was surviving sudden cardiac arrest.

Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) claims the lives of 350,000 Americans each year, but Brent survived because he was prescribed the ZOLL LifeVest wearable defibrillator.

As such an active runner, Brent knew something wasn’t right when he started to experience frequent severe crushing chest pain in early 2021. He went to the hospital and found he had a blockage that was stopping vital blood flow to his heart – he was having a heart attack. At Oklahoma Heart Hospital, cardiologists put in a total of four emergency stents to improve blood flow. Brent survived the heart attack, but it weakened his heart function, and put him at Brent Miller has done four marathons, 21 half marathons, two half Ironman, and risk for SCA. Unlike a heart attack, SCA hap- about 100 5k’s. Heart trouble recently nearly ended his running career and pens without warning. SCA octhreatened his life. curs when a failure of the heart’s night, only taking it off for a short electrical system triggers a dangershower. ously fast heartbeat – so fast that it After wearing LifeVest for about a causes the heart to quiver or shake week, Brent was at home when his instead of pumping blood to the heart spiked into a rapid, life-threatbody and brain. This can cause the individual to suddenly lose conscious- ening rhythm and he lost consciousness. LifeVest detected the SCA and ness. The most effective treatment delivered a treatment shock that for SCA is an electrical shock, called saved his life. Brent’s wife called 911, defibrillation. Without treatment, and emergency services took him sudden cardiac death can occur back to Oklahoma Heart Hospital. within minutes.

Brent ultimately received an imDr. Soni J. Zacharias prescribed plantable defibrillator (ICD) for perLifeVest, a wearable defibrillator, for manent SCA protection. protection during Brent’s cardiac re“I wouldn’t be here if it hadn’t covery. LifeVest is designed to continbeen for the ZOLL LifeVest,” Brent uously monitor a patient’s heart, said. “I’m grateful – it saved my life.” detect certain life-threatening rapid Today, Brent is working with Dr. heart rhythms, and automatically deZacharias as he slowly regains his liver a treatment shock to restore norstrength. He hopes to compete again. mal heart rhythm and save a “I want to run a half-marathon,” patient’s life. Brent was told to wear LifeVest under his clothes day and See Runner Page 16.

Page 16 • July 1, 2021 • Edmond Life & Leisure

A simple look at human behavior

By John Goetz Edmond Family Counseling At first glance, most would agree that people are complicated and that there are always exceptions when talkGoetz ing about individuals.

This has not stopped theorists in psychology from trying to simplify human behavior into models and theories which predict or explain human behavior. This is to a large degree modeled after other sciences like physics, looking for a universal theory to unite the incredibly small with the incomprehensibly vast; a unified theory that explains the entire universe.

Even though there is no unified theory of human behavior, there are basic facts or observable data that can help you understand others or yourself in a meaningful way. One example of this I have mentioned in a previous article is, “humans are rational beings, when a person’s behavior appears irrational it indicates that you are missing information” or as Paul Harvey would say, “The rest of the story”. When the rest of the story is provided, the previous irrational behavior appears rational and even reasonable. A second example is expressed in the serenity prayer. You Brent Miller, with the LifeVest technology, which is helping his heart reonly have control over your thoughts cover and has saved his life. and actions, you may have influence over others thoughts and actions but not control. Point of note, a healthy individual does not want control over From Page 15 others.

So how can I use this information?

Runner

Brent said. “It probably won’t be at the pace I used to run, but however long it takes me to get there, that’s my goal.”

About the LifeVest Wearable Defibrillator LifeVest is the first wearable defibrillator. Unlike an ICD, LifeVest is worn outside the body rather than implanted in the chest. It requires no bystander intervention. · LifeVest is designed to continuously monitor the patient’s heart and, if a life-threatening heart rhythm is detected, deliver a treatment shock to restore normal heart rhythm. · LifeVest is prescribed for a wide

range of patients, including those who recently suffered a heart attack or have a new diagnosis of heart failure.

For more information, visit www.zoll.com. · Recommended us of the wearable defibrillator is included in guidelines from the American Heart Association, American College of Cardiology, and Heart Rhythm Society for prevention of sudden cardiac death: https://www.zoll.com/newsreleases/2017/10/31/wcd-guidelinespublished · Fact Sheet: http://lifevest.zoll.com/news/factsheet

Intensity

Avoidance

Approach

The following is a simple graph plotting approach, avoidance, and intensity. It is a data driven method of looking at yourself and your behavior: To use this graph a person identifies their behavior as an approach towards something or someone or an avoidance of something or someone.

The graph also indicates the intensity of the behavior. An example would be, I am invited to a party where I only know the host. I decide to attend and I decide that I will start a conversation with one person I do

not know. This is an example of approach with moderate intensity. I not only decide to go to the party, but I decide to engage by starting a conversation with one new person, both actions are in the approach category with moderate intensity. I could also come up with an excuse not to attend the party, thus avoiding the situation using a moderate amount of intensity, in this case lying. Or perhaps, I decide to go to the party, but expect not to enjoy myself. I say hello to the host and then look for an opportunity to leave. This approach hides my avoidance.

It all begins with my thinking, setting an expectation and a course of action. The course of action results in movement in life. With a little clarity provided by perspective, one may use this diagram to evaluate his/her current direction in life. Am I moving towards or away from people, places, and things? Is the amount of energy I am putting into my approach or avoidance appropriate? For example, I want a summer job. I might simply start by waking up during business hours and dressing for the part. This would be a minimal approach in terms of actions, but more moderate in terms of expectations. Another example would be, I want to be debt free. I might use Dave Ramsey’s method of living on rice and beans, beans and rice, and working side hustles to reach my goal. This is a high intensity approach to a goal. At first glance, I might say this approach is generally the direction we want to be moving in life, but avoidance can be a useful tool. As the saying discretion is the better part of valor points out.

I might also venture to say that a moderate intensity also works well in most cases as opposed to high intensity. I do catch more flies with honey than vinegar. As I pointed out earlier, I can only control myself so I must determine for myself what is the best course of action and what is the proper level of intensity. Take a look at your own behavior and or ask for feedback from others to see where you fall on this graph.

(John Goetz M. Ed LPC-S, is the Clinical Director of Edmond Family Counseling and Staff Therapist).

Pollard reopens in August The Pollard Theatre Company announces plans to reopen in August, welcoming audiences back to the theatre for the first time since closing its doors in March 2020.

Under the creative vision of Artistic Director Jared Blount, Pollard's 34th Season: In Good Company will encompass a blend of contemporary and traditional works and longawaited productions. In addition, under the administrative leadership of Executive Director Kara LutherChapman, Pollard submits a restructured format of operations that will include a Mainstage Series featuring traditional live theatre performances and the Pollard Performance Series; supplementary programming featuring concerts, comedians, and musical revues.

"I couldn't be more excited returning to live theatre with this eclectic blend of shows, including a reinvigorated telling of Bram Stoker's Dracula and the long-awaited regional premiere of Puffs, or Seven Uneventful Years at a Certain School of Magic and Magic," says newly appointed Artistic Director, Jared Blount. "After a year and a half apart from our friends and family, it only seems necessary to comment on our need for connection. Every show in this season has an allusion to loneliness or isolation, in which the realization for

both the characters and the audience hopefully is, ‘We are not alone.’ That theme, partnered with our longstanding tradition of diverse and quality productions, is a promise for a meaningful year of theatre.” In total, Pollard will provide ten live performances for audiences in its year-round season.

"As part of an aggressive strategy to ensure long-term viability, Pollard is excited to welcome this new hybrid model of performances. While we experienced numerous challenges during the pandemic, it also provided a moment to evaluate our strategic plan and refresh our business model," says Executive Director, Kara LutherChapman. "We are thrilled to provide more live-performance events for our audiences and broaden our demographic. In addition, more performances mean more job opportunities for local artists and economic growth for Oklahoma."

The Pollard opens with The 39 Steps (August 6th-28th), a hilarious and fast-paced blend of Alfred Hitchcock's masterpiece of the same title, mixed with covert espionage and a dash of Monty Python in this classic whodunit. Audiences will recognize acclaimed Oklahoma actors Wil Rogers and David Fletcher-Hall, rounding out a cast of four performers playing over 150 various roles.

Edmond Life & Leisure • July 1, 2021 • Page 17

UCO, Mills partner to teach sales techniques Bob Mills Furniture and the University of Central Oklahoma College of Business are partnering to establish the Bob Mills Professional Sales Center.

Through the partnership, Central students within the professional sales program will have a dedicated space to practice selling strategies, prepare for competitions and interview with local executives and companies.

“I am thrilled to have the Bob Mills Professional Sales Center located within the College of Business at UCO,” said Jeremy Oller, J.D., Ph.D., dean of Central’s College of Business.

“Bob Mills is a recognized community and business leader in Oklahoma. His investment in our outstanding professional selling program is an ideal partnership that will enhance our students’ educational experience for years to come.”

The UCO professional sales program has been named one of the top universities for professional sales education by the Sales Education Foundation (SEF).

Graduates of the program have a 100% job placement rate and go on to pursue successful careers in sales.

“Bob Mills has provided outstanding support to professional selling students

for years. His stores provide internships and employment opportunities that give students valuable experience practicing techniques they learn in the classroom,” said Stacia Wert-Gray, Ph.D. professor and chairperson in Central’s Department of Marketing.

“The relationship will further benefit sales students through scholarships, improved facilities, sales team support and other activities.”

For more information, contact WertGray at 405-974-2437 or sgray@uco.edu.

For more information about the UCO College of Business, visit business.uco.edu.

Bob Mills

Joe Echelle named new deputy director of OTA Longtime transportation employee Joe Echelle has been named the deputy director of The Oklahoma Turnpike Authority (OTA). In this role, Echelle will oversee an agency reEchelle sponsible for maintaining 632 miles of turnpikes throughout Oklahoma and will be responsible for day-to-day operations of OTA overseeing nearly 600 employees.

“Joe has played an instrumental role in the development of transportation in Oklahoma for more than 20 years,” Oklahoma Secretary of Transportation Tim Gatz said. “His skills and experience in the management of critical transportation projects in Oklahoma are significant and I look forward to seeing what he will continue to accomplish as deputy director.”

Echelle began his career with the

Oklahoma Department of Transportation (ODOT) as an engineer in training in 2001. He became a draftsman for ODOT and then a construction surveyor for the department in 2003 and 2006, respectively. Echelle was promoted in 2008 to serve as ODOT’s resident engineer and subsequently advanced to be the construction engineer for ODOT’s Division 4, managing over $200 million in construction projects annually. The role he served there supported the construction of the Interstate 40 Crosstown project in Oklahoma City along with the deconstruction and bridge beam recycling project of the old crosstown expressway bridge.

In 2016, Echelle began work at the OTA as the director of construction to manage the authority’s annual capital improvement construction projects and the $1.2 billion Driving Forward Turnpike Improvement Program, and was promoted to assistant executive director in 2018.

Edmond resident elected to prestigious AMA Council Edmond resident Sherri Baker, M.D., Associate Dean for Admissions for the OU College of Medicine and a pediatric cardiologist at Oklahoma Children’s Hospital OU Health, has been elected to the American Medical Association (AMA) Council on Medical Education.

Baker joins an elite group of 12 people on the Council on Medical Education who study and evaluate all aspects of the medical education continuum and recommend policies to the AMA’s House of Delegates. Baker was elected by nearly 600 physicians representing every state and medical specialty. She was nominated by the Oklahoma State Medical Association and is only the second person in Oklahoma to have been elected to a national position with the AMA. She will serve a four-year term.

“I’m very excited to get started,” Baker said. “I believe the 14 years I’ve led our admissions process at the OU College of Medicine, in addition to teaching students and residents, will be helpful to the council.”

The Council on Medical Education assesses numerous aspects of medical education. Recent topics have included improving access for students and applicants with disabilities; the availability of child care for students and residents; and policies for accepting the training of international medical school graduates.

Other changes that will be addressed involve the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE), a multi-step examination for medical licensure in the United States. Recently, Step 1 of the USMLE was changed to pass/fail rather than a scored test. For years, residency program directors have used students’ scores on USMLE Step 1 to determine who is invited to interview for positions, an option that is eliminated with pass/fail.

“The challenge now is to establish

Dr. Sherri Baker

a process for determining which students to interview,” Baker said. “Residency program directors will need look at each applicant holistically, but that’s difficult when you receive 400 applicants for 10 spots.”

In addition, the USMLE Step 2 Clinical Skills (CS) exam is being eliminated. Previously, medical students would travel to one of five places in the country to perform a complete history and physical exam on a standardized patient. However, nearly everyone passes the exam and the process is extremely expensive, Baker said, adding that the assessment is better managed within each college.

The council also will address changes brought about by COVID-19.

The pandemic has been a time of challenges and sorrow, Baker said, but it also sparked innovation in medical education. Telehealth will likely remain a major part of clinical care, which means students will need to be taught skills for interacting with patients virtually. To teach hospitalbased care, physicians in some areas of the country wore cameras as they rounded on patients, allowing stu-

See AMA, Page 18

Turnpikes plan cashless conversion The Oklahoma Turnpike Authority (OTA) approved new toll rates for customers who will begin to receive PlatePay invoices for travel on the John Kilpatrick Turnpike beginning in late July. The rates were unanimously approved by the OTA at Tuesday’s monthly Authority meeting.

Beginning July 25, the OTA will begin converting the turnpike system to cashless tolling for travelers who normally pay with cash. The conversion away from cash begins on the John Kilpatrick Turnpike. The conversion on all remaining turnpikes to cashless tolling will take place throughout the next four years. Cashless tolling on the Oklahoma Turnpike system is known as PlatePay. “We recognize the fact that our customers want a safe, fast and efficient way to travel our system,” Oklahoma Secretary of Transportation and OTA

Executive Director Tim Gatz said. “Converting to cashless tolling will relieve motorists who struggle to find cash to put in the coin machines. In addition, this will cut down on the number of accidents at toll plazas.”

Now, tolls booths and coin machines will be a thing of the past. Motorists who do not have a Pikepass account will no longer have to stop to pay a toll. A picture of their license plate will be taken and an invoice will be sent to the registered owner of that vehicle.

This cashless tolling system is known as PlatePay. Currently, the OTA has been using PlatePay on one ramp in Jenks on the Creek Turnpike at the Peoria/Elm interchange. Motorists should be aware the PlatePay rate will be substantially more than the Pikepass rate. To open a new Pikepass account, please visit www.PIKEPASS.com,

Page 18 • July 1, 2021 • Edmond Life & Leisure

Mortgage Matters

How to go about buying a second home

By Kenneth Wohl If you visit the lake regularly or love the idea of having a home away from home, it may be worth it to invest in a second home.

With mortgage rates still near historic lows, now may be the time to buy property in your favorite vacation or travel destination.

Wohl Second Home Loan Requirements There are specific requirements for defining a second home. Fannie Mae’s second home requirements are: • It cannot be a full time rental or investment property. Second home loans tend to have lower rates than rental and investment properties.

• Restricted to single-unit dwellings.

• Must be suitable for year-round occupancy.

• Cannot be subject to any agreements that give a management firm control over the occupancy of the property.

• The borrower must have exclusive control over the property.

You may also need to need to meet minimum distance requirements from your primary resi-

dence. If it is located in a recreational area such as a lake or a ski resort, the minimum distance requirements may not be required.

Conventional Financing for a Second Home The loan process is similar to purchasing a primary residence with small differences in minimum down payment and reserve requirement. Second homes require at least 10% down. The lender will need to verify you have sufficient funds for closing and between 2-6 months’ worth of reserves to cover both your primary and second home loan payments. Since government loan programs (FHA, VA, USDA) are not available for second home financing, let’s look at other financing options.

Second Home Financing: Cash-Out Refinance A cash-out involves refinancing your primary residence mortgage and receiving cash for the remaining equity. You need sufficient equity in your home for this to be an option. For example, if you owe $100,000 on your home worth $500,000, you may be able to cash out up to 80% loan-to-value (LTV), which would be $400,000 minus the $100,000 you owe. This leaves you with $300,000 in cash to purchase your vacation property. You can choose term options from 5-30 years fixed or adjustable, plus you’ll have one monthly

payment, not two.

Second Home Financing: Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC) A Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC) adds your loan to your primary residence. Typically, this loan will not pay off your current mortgage, but be a second lien adding to your monthly expense on top of your current mortgage. Depending on the lender, this loan may go to a LTV higher than 80%, which helps if you need more funds than what 80% will allow. The drawback is this type of loan is typically adjustable and at a higher rate than today’s conforming loans.

I am here to help, even if you are not an RCB Bank customer. Feel free to call me at 405.608.5291 or email me at kwohl@bankrcb.net.

Opinions expressed above are the personal opinions of Kenneth Wohl and meant for generic illustration purposes only. For specific questions regarding your personal lending needs, please call RCB Bank at 855-BANK-RCB. With approved credit. Some restrictions apply. RCB Bank is an Equal Housing Lender and member FDIC. RCB Bank NMLS #798151. Kenneth Wohl NMLS #453934.

AMA From Page17

dents to watch the delivery of care remotely.

“There are some positives that came out of the pandemic from a medical education standpoint; we just need to figure out what these innovations are going to look like for the long term,” she said.

Similarly, the council will focus on how advances in artificial intelligence and machine learning will affect students’ future careers in medicine. In the not-too-distant future, physicians may no longer need to read an EKG or CT scan; instead, that will be done by artificial intelligence.

“I’d like to see medical education be more proactive – we know that today’s students are not going to be practicing medicine the way that we do today,” Baker said. “We have to be thinking about what they need to know when they’re practicing 10 years from now. Technology advancements are great, but we can’t lose the doctor-patient relationship. The Goodwill Industies of Central Oklahoma has a long history of helping fellow Oklahomans.

That’s something we need to teach – that technology should be used as a tool that gives you more time to spend with your patients.”

Goodwill to celebrate 85th anniversary

Goodwill Industries of Central Oklahoma (Goodwill) is hosting its inaugural “Work the Runway” fashion show from 6-9 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 20. The fashion show fundraising event will celebrate the 85th anniversary of Goodwill and years of transforming Oklahoma lives since the nonprofit was founded in 1936.

“Our mission is to help people overcome challenges to employment,” Goodwill CEO Jim Priest said. “The Work the Runway fashion show is just one way we are celebrating our 85th anniversary. We are proud of the work we’ve done and look forward to continuing our efforts to provide Oklahomans with the resources they need to get back on their feet.”

Goodwill employees and local social media influencers will come together to showcase and model different styles of outfits found at a local Goodwill store. The interactive fashion show will feature music by DJ’s Carte Blanche and an art display showcasing recycled items. There will also be a fashion boutique with high-end items found at Goodwill’s central Oklahoma stores. Items include an Epiphone electric guitar, vintage camera and Coach purse, to name a few. The event will benefit Goodwill employment serv-

ices, including the new mobile Job Connection Center.

Over the past 85 years, Goodwill has helped Oklahomans overcome challenges to employment by providing job training and skills to those in need. The Job Connection Center and Goodwill Career Pathways Institute give many community members free access to training in computer skills, money management, job applications and more. The new mobile unit will travel throughout central Oklahoma, enabling more people to receive these resources.

Oklahomans are invited to attend Work the Runway at the Oklahoma Contemporary located at 11 NW 11th St., Oklahoma City, OK 73103. Limited quantities of individual tickets can be purchased at https://worktherunway.com/. Additionally, there are multiple sponsorship opportunities available.

Presenting sponsors for this event are Whitten Burrage Law Firm and Mathis Brothers Furniture and additional sponsors include Jones PR, Complete Alarm Technology Systems, Enable Midstream Partners, Immediate Care OK and Insurica.

To learn about Goodwill and its mission, please visit www.okgoodwill.org.

Edmond Life & Leisure • July 1, 2021 • Page 19

Clinic brings focus on ongoing problem of PTSD Oklahoma City Indian Clinic a nonprofit clinic providing health and wellness services to American Indians in central Oklahoma, offers mental health resources every day, but especially during PTSD (Post-traumatic stress disorder) Awareness Month.

According to the National Center for PTSD, eight million adults have PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) during a given year, and 7-8% of the population will experience PTSD at some point in their life. PTSD Awareness Month is a great opportunity to seek out mental health resources.

“Some people don’t realize PTSD can affect anyone,” said Misty Gillespie, LMFT, OKCIC’s Director of Behavioral Health. “It can affect anyone who has experienced a traumatic event, even young children.”

The National Center for PTSD categorizes trauma as either war and combat, violence and abuse, or disaster and terrorism. All categories of trauma can lead to PTSD, no matter age or gender.

The National Center for PTSD also lists the four main symptoms of PTSD: reliving the event, avoiding things that remind you of the event, having more negative thoughts and feelings than before the event, and feeling on edge or nervous.

Trauma-focused therapies and antidepressants are both treatment methods recommended by the National Center for PTSD. OKCIC’s Behavioral Health department provides adult outpatient counseling, including Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy. EMDR has strong evidence proving its effectiveness in treating PTSD. Additionally, OKCIC has several talking circles and educational groups available. The Cognitive

Behavioral Therapy and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy educational groups are designed to teach coping mechanisms and skills to regulate harmful thought patterns. Talking circles are less formal and based on the sacred tradition of sharing circles.

These groups are designed to combine Native American culture, support and community bonding.

“Treatment is an individual process,” Gillespie said. “We’ll work together to find the option that works best for you.”

OKCIC’s Behavioral Health department also has an after-hours crisis line for mental health emergencies. This line will put you in touch with a licensed therapist who can help you with your

mental health crisis. Please call (405) 463-4966 to reach this line.

There are also several self-help options available to treat PTSD. The National Center for PTSD has a free mobile app called PTSD Coach to help you try out different coping techniques and see what works best for you.

If you need help finding a therapist, the American Psychological Association has an online psychologist locator. This tool allows you to filter by location, specialty, insurance accepted and gender of the provider. You can also ask your primary care provider, friends or family for a recommendation.

Living with PTSD isn’t easy. Seek treatment with a behavioral health professional.

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Please check with your house of worship for more information.

Page 20 • July 1, 2021 • Edmond Life & Leisure