August 13, 2020 Vol. 21, No. 13
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.
Back to School Section See Page 15
FRIDAY, August 14 Sunny High 99° Low 76°
SATURDAY, August 15 Partly Cloudy High 96° Low 74°
SUNDAY, August 16 Partly Cloudy High 93 Low 70°
UCO classroom also adjusting to virus As students return for in-person classes at the University of Central Oklahoma this fall, they will be joined by students sitting in virtual seats as a part of the university’s new extended classroom option. The new option is part of the university’s overall fall reopening plan in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. The extended classroom helps students who are looking for a completely online schedule for the semester, but could not find all the classes they wanted in the university’s 100% online format. The new option also helps the university facilitate physical distancing recommendations in classrooms by reducing the number of in-person seats. Students in the extended classroom have a virtual seat in the class. More than 1,400 in-person classes have the new extended classroom option. Students in extended classroom courses will join the in-person class remotely, via livestream, at their regularly scheduled class time.
Students will have the same professor and opportunities for interaction during class. There is no additional fee for those who enroll for a seat in the extended classroom. “Every student has different needs, there is a demand for online and in-person courses,” said Adam Johnson, associate vice president for Enrollment and Student Success. “We want to offer as many options as possible to accommodate our students’ preferences, learning styles, and comfort level with being on campus.” To prepare for the fall semester, Central made significant upgrades to technology infrastructure and equipment to support the expansion of the online class experience. The university has equipped 268 classrooms with new tracking cameras and microphones. A limited number of laptops, webcams, Wi-Fi hotspots and headsets will be available for students to check out. Orientation sessions will be offered to prepare students for
the extended classroom experience. The university has also expanded WiFi coverage on the campus to include more outdoor areas and parking lots. The university also offers 100% online courses, which are asynchronous, meaning the student does not have to join the class at a set time each week. Many campus services will continue to be offered virtually or in person. When on campus, face masks are required when around others, as well as observing social distancing guidelines when interacting with others. There’s still time to enroll in classes at Central this fall. Classes begin Aug. 17 and enrollment in classes closes Aug. 21. Current students can enroll through UCONNECT and new students can get started at www.uco. edu/admissions-aid. Learn more about the university’s fall 2020 reopening plan, Bringing Back the Bronchos, at www.uco.edu/ coronavirus.
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Edmond Life & Leisure • August 13, 2020 • Page 3
DEANNE YORK
Downtown Edmond is seeing even more art lately. Below an artistic view adorns a utility pole in Edmond. Above, and right, the new postcard art station is near the main post office. The structure contains postcards, which are already pre-stamped. You can lift the spirits of a loved one by sending a personalized message to anyone and simply drop it off in a nearby mail box.
Art in Downtown
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From the Publisher
Davis to run for mayor While I was tucked away in an isolated cabin in the Rockies last week, we received a letter from current Edmond City Council member Nick Massey. Massey has service as City of Edmond Ward 4 City Ray Hibbard Councilman since March 2012 and as Mayor Pro Tem since May 2019. We have printed his letter to citizens on page 10 of today’s newspaper. He has decided not to seek re-election to the council once this term has expired in April of 2021. Some had speculated that he would run for Edmond Mayor. He put an end to that speculation as well as you can read in his letter. Massey says he wants to spend more time with his own business, family and hobby that has turned into another career, singing, and playing guitar at local venues. Massey says of his decision, “I decided to make this announcement now so that anyone who might be considering running for either of those council positions will have time to decide what they might like to do and can prepare for their campaign. The filling period for next year’s election is the first week of December 2020”. I was saddened by the news but totally understand why he wants to stop the madness and go back to a private life. It is difficult to serve on any city council or even worse, school board. Folks can be rude and wrongly suspicious of people in public service. Massey has served with distinction. Current Edmond Mayor, Dan O’Neil, has already told me he has no plans to run for re-election. We did receive some good news upon our return to reality this week. Edmond City Councilman Darrell A. Davis has announced his candidacy for Edmond mayor for 2021. Davis is the council representative for Ward 3, and we are excited that he has decided to run for this important office. “I thought it important to tell the citizens of Edmond my plans even though I have been involved with Edmond growth for several years, people still may not know who I am”, Davis said. “I want to give everyone the opportunity to understand what I have been a part of and where I would like to see Edmond continue to go,” he added. Darrell has served as the City of Edmond Ward 3 City Councilmember since November 2011. Prior to that date he was a member of the Edmond Park & Recreation Advisory Board
Darrell Davis where he was extremely instrumental with the Development of the MAC Senior Center, the City of Edmond/YMCA/Edmond Public Schools partnership, the Mitch Park Development, the Trails of Edmond, Skate Park, Bickham-Rudkin Park and the Edmond Dog Park. As the Ward 3 City Councilman Davis has been successful in working with the development of the Edmond Tennis Center in partnership with Edmond Public Schools, Splash Pad, Spring Creek Trail, Edmond Public Safety Center, Show Biz Entertainment, the I-35 corridor development and the Edmond Downtown Business District. He has been appointed to various committees including Edmond Historic Preservation Trust, Edmond Public Works Committee, Diversity and Inclusion Board with Edmond Chamber, UCO Black Male Summit, and UCO Master of Public Administration Advisory Board. Davis has also been involved over the past 25 years in Tomorrow’s Edmond-1996, Leadership Edmond Graduate-Class 14, 1999, Edmond Park Advisory Board Chairperson-15 years, Leadership Edmond Distinguished Alumni of the Year 2020. Davis knows Edmond and will make a good candidate and mayor if elected. He has quietly gone about the business of being involved and helping
Edmond organizations. We look forward to the campaign and any other candidates that might enter the race. It will be a good chance to get ideas and plans out to the public. It will be interesting to see who else might enter the race for Edmond Mayor prior to the filing deadline. There will be some open slots on the council, and we are hopeful there will be good folks that are willing to come forward to serve. City politics for 2021 should be an interesting time. The heart of small business As I mentioned at the top of this column, we took a week trip to the mountains. While we isolated in a cabin near Monarch Ski Resort, we did have the opportunity to drive through several small towns on the way. It is about a 10-hour drive and the route we took let us see how creative small business are having to be these days. The trout in the gold medal stream in front of the cabin did the best of job of social distancing I have seen yet. We already knew the extra ordinary efforts that small businesses in Edmond are going through in order to survive. Just here in downtown Edmond you have seen the number of outside eating available at the Mule and other restaurants increase. Othello’s here in downtown has partnered with our friends at Frenzy Brewing
Company to let folks pick up a pizza and take it down to Frenzy to enjoy hand crafter pizza and beer. The sign in front of Around the Corner reads “Grand Opening, again”. Small businesses are creative folks and will not give in no matter what the challenge. Our small businesses across America are feeling a giant financial crunch from the bite of COVID-19. The restrictions of having to stay home, social distancing and more have taken a giant hit on their businesses. Small businesses already fight a small margin so when customers are being encouraged to avoid unnecessary shopping trips it just kills small businesses. A recent Goldman Sachs survey of more than 1,500 small business owners found that more than 50% of them said they did not think they could continue operating their businesses for more than three months amid the current conditions caused by the coronavirus outbreak. To see how hard these businesses owners are working across the country to save what they created is incredible. It makes me so proud to work with our local merchants as a small, locally owned business as well. We ran across a small coffee shop in Westcliffe, Colorado on our trip. It is called Tumbleweed Coffee House and sits right on the corner as you pass through town. We passed by it with no plans to stop but just had to turn around. They had the place really fixed up and had created such a wonderful place outside where folks could sit. The orders were only taken through a walk-up window. We put on our masks and ordered. The gal behind the counter was the owner and was working her tail off folks. I pray she will make it through all of this but is going to have a difficult run of it having only been open only two years. I know the talking heads on television send out the message to buy local but your locally owned and operated newspaper is asking for your help as well. Please, shop for what you can at your small businesses. Buy meals from businesses. Do you Christmas shopping now. Purchase gift cards from small businesses that you can give as gifts all next year. I noticed 100 giant corporations sent a letter to congress and the president asking for them to do more to support small businesses. They know like we do that small businesses support over half of the work force in our economy and we need them to make it through our current challenge.
(Ray Hibbard may be reached by email at ray@edmondpaper.com)
Check out what’s inside! ---- Rodeo this weekend ....................................................................Page 6. ---- Top Francis Tuttle instructor honored ..........................................Page 7. ---- Business news ............................................................................Page 9. ---- Councilman Massey announces political plans ..........................Page 10. ---- Elks Lodge installs new officers ..................................................Page 11. ---- George Gust reviews new Seth Rogan film ................................Page 14. ---- Crossword puzzle ......................................................................Page 14. ---- Back to School section ........................................................Pages 15-18. ---- GOP Women schedule meeting ................................................Page 19. This and so 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 © 2020 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 • August 13, 2020 • Page 5
That State Fair taste to be offered soon Oklahomans can get their fill of delicious Fair food at the upcoming Fair Food To-Go event, which will take place at the OKC Fairgrounds, Aug. 20 to Aug. 23. This event will feature nearly a dozen food vendors that regularly attend the annual Oklahoma State Fair, where they provide some of the most iconic food staples of the yearly event. Guests can expect classics such as corndogs, funnel cakes, roasted corn, turkey legs and cinnamon rolls. Dates & Times Thursday, August 20 – 3 to 8 p.m. Friday, August 21 – Noon to 8 p.m. Saturday, August 22 – Noon to 8 p.m. Sunday, August 23 – Noon to 6 p.m. Vendors will be set up in front of the Bennett Event Center. Guests are asked to enter the grounds at the main entrance, at May Avenue and Gordon Cooper Boulevard, across from Forest Lumber. No tables or benches will be provided, all food will be packaged in to-go containers. At-
tendees of this event are asked to maintain social distance of at least six feet from others. “Hosting this event gives us the opportunity to invite the public to enjoy one of the largest and most popular aspects of the Fair – the amazing food,” stated Timothy J. O’Toole, President & CEO of Oklahoma State Fair, Inc. “It’s also a way for our food vendors to generate some business in a safe and responsible setting, which we are happy to be able to help with.”
SCHOOL OPENS AUG. 20 --- Stacie Vincent, Edmond Public Schools secondary instructional technology consultant, assists Sante Fe High School teacher Angela Henisa with setting up student assignments in the Canvas Learning Management System. Canvas is a web-based learning management system that allows teachers to communicate direct instruction to students as well as send and receive assignments. All EPS teachers PK-12 will use Canvas for instruction in 2020-2021 and the district is providing educators several days of training on the system.
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Round 1 WInner Stetson Lawrence on Rising Sun.
Events this weekend
Professional Bull Riders are back at the Lazy E After Lazy E Arena and Logan County, Oklahoma welcomed the PBR (Professional Bull Riders) in late April, hosting the league’s triumphant return after the live sports and entertainment industry had shut down due to COVID-19 (coronavirus), the Professional Bull Riders’ elite tour will return to the iconic venue, uniting with WCRA (World Champions Rodeo Alliance) to bring the Sooner State the Stampede at The E, a blockbuster, fan-attended western sports weekend on Aug. 14-15. The landmark event will begin on Friday, August 14 with Round 1 of the PBR Unleash The Beast’s revival of the iconic Bullnanza. The event, which traces its history back to 1989 when Clint Branger emerged victorious, prior to the inception of the PBR, will conclude with Round 2 and the championship round on Saturday, Aug. 15. Following PBR’s premier series
event, the action-packed weekend will conclude on Saturday evening with the WCRA’s one-day, $300,000 Major Rodeo, the Stampede at the E, part of the Triple Crown of Rodeo. Among the star-studded line-up of athletes anticipated to compete include countless Oklahoman’s such as – Colten Jesse (Bull Rider - Konawa), Ryan Dirteater (Bull Rider - Hulbert), Brennon Eldred (Bull Rider - Sulphur), Michelle Darling (Barrel Racer - Medford), Kelsie Chace (Breakaway Roping - Cherokee) and Bridger Anderson (Steer Wrestling – Alva). Edmond’s own Hollie Etbauer (Barrel Racer), Jacie Etbauer (Barrel Racer) and Parker Glenn (Saddle Bronc) also set to compete in home state. Specific to Dirteater, on the heels of his retirement announced in January, the PBR Unleash The Beast’s Bullnanza may be the last time he competes on the league’s elite tour in his home state.
Stetson Lawrence
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PHOTO PROVIDED
Francis Tuttle Technology Center instructor, Sherri Greaves, receives $10,000 check as the OkACTE 2020 Teacher of the Year.
Francis Tuttle Tech instructor Greaves named top teacher Francis Tuttle Technology Center instructor, Sherri Gleaves, has been named Teacher of the Year by the Oklahoma Association for Career and Technical Education (OkACTE) at the 53rd Annual Oklahoma Summit Conference this week. The broadcast and video production instructor received a $10,000 cash prize sponsored by Express Employment Professionals along with the award, and will move on to compete at the ACTE Region IV conference in 2021. OkACTE awards this honor to educators who demonstrate innovation in the classroom, commitment to their students and dedication to career and technical education in their community. “We congratulate Sherri on this honor. She deserves this recognition for the outstanding work she does in the classroom every day,” said Michelle Keylon, Francis Tuttle superintendent/CEO. “She shares a passion for learning with her students that will benefit them long after they leave the classroom.” Gleaves is a National Board Certified Teacher with a bachelor’s and master’s degree in secondary education from The University of Central Oklahoma. “My goal is to help students develop a love for
Concert set in Arcadia Edmond singer-songwriter Fred Hill will present Morning Music on Saturday, Aug. 15, and Whiskey Union will perform during an Elm Tree Concert on Sunday, Aug. 16, at the Arcadia Round Barn. Hill said his music runs from folk to Americana to country and even the blues. He accompanies himself with guitar and harmonica. He has appeared at Java 39, The Patriarch and Ellis Island in Edmond; the Bluebonnet and Michelangelo’s in Norman; and the Board Room in Guthrie. He has also played at the Taos inn and Black Mesa Winery in Taos, N. M., and at the Norman Music Festival, Music on the Canal in Bricktown, the Paseo Arts Festival and the Made in Oklahoma Festival. Morning Music is from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. every Saturday. Whiskey Union’s lead singer, Melissa Hembree, has been recording and touring the United States since the age of 9. Fellow Oklahoma musician Nellie Clay, who has also appeared at the Round Barn, said Hembree was “born for the stage and embodies feminine strength with a lowtoned gutsy presentation of smoke- and whiskeydrenched, heartfelt Okie songs.”
their craft,” said Gleaves. “I believe in developing skills like leadership, teamwork and communication that will carry them into their future education, career choices and life.“ Francis Tuttle Technology Center serves high school students and adults in the Oklahoma City metropolitan area with career-specific training, in support of developing and maintaining a quality workforce for the region. Francis Tuttle also offers complete business and industry training and consulting services, and short-term training for career development or personal enrichment. With four locations in Oklahoma City and Edmond, Francis Tuttle offers central Oklahoma diverse training programs in fulfillment of the school’s mission to prepare customers for success in the workplace. More information is available at francistuttle.edu or by calling (405) 717-7799. Since 1929, the Oklahoma ACTE (formerly the Oklahoma Vocational Association) has provided members with the resources they need to enhance their skills. With over 3,900 members, Oklahoma ACTE is recognized as a dynamic educational leadership organization. More information is available at okacte.org.
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Woman helps save five lives
LifeShare’s vital mission continues despite virus Oklahomans are known to be some of the most generous people, and through the pandemic, it has proved no different with LifeShare on a record pace for both the number of organ donors and organs recovered in 2020. LifeShare saw more than 120 become donors since the beginning of the year, which provided 303 organs for transplant. Prior to 2020, our highest activity level for January through July in any given Madison - a lifesaver year was in 2019 with 102 donors and 285 organs Madison became a donor this transplanted. spring, and saved the lives of five Bobbie Renfrow’s daughter, Madiothers through organ donation, and son, was one of those life-saving heenhanced up to 75 through tissue doroes amidst the pandemic. nation. Madison was 18 years old and full “Despite the effects of the panof life. She was a mother to her onedemic, LifeShare has stayed commityear-old son and had all kinds of ted to fulfilling our donor’s wishes plans for their future together. Madiand supporting our donor families,” son was crazy, silly and outspoken. explained Jeff Orlowski, President Most of all, she was true to herself. and Chief Executive Officer, of LifeBobbie had always told her daugh- Share of Oklahoma. “This is a trying ter how important being an organ time for healthcare organizations, indonor was. And a year ago when cluding organ procurement organizaMadison received her license, she ran tions like LifeShare, but it is also a to her mom showing her the ID card time when the commitment and dedand saying, “look what I just did!”. ication of our team shines bright and Madison knew she made an imporallows us to continue our critical, lifetant, life-saving decision. saving work.” After a tragic event, Madison was There are approximately 110,000 in the hospital fighting for her life. people currently waiting in the United When all lifesaving measures had States for a lifesaving organ. Twenty been exhausted, LifeShare staff got people die every day in the U.S. beto know Bobbie and there was an au- cause an organ was not available. In tomatic connection between them. Oklahoma, approximately 600 people Bobbie remembers being comare waiting for the gift of life. forted by the LifeShare staff. LifeShare encourages all Okla“I don’t know what kind of stars homans to make the important deciwere aligned,” Renfro said. “The case sion to register as an organ donor, worker was exactly what I needed at and to share the decision with their that time. She has the most beautiful family. For more information about soul, and I don’t think I could have organ and tissue donation or to regiswalked this journey without her.” ter, visit LifeShareok.org.
Dolese is singled out for Safety Excellence Awards The National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association (NSSGA) has awarded multiple Dolese Bros. Co. locations with Safety Excellence Awards, including Coleman Quarry, Hartshorne Quarry, Ponca City’s 7 Mile Mine, Mustang Sand and OKC East Sand. NSSGA will present the awards at its virtual 2020 Legislative & Policy Forum in September. “These Safety Excellence awards are a direct result of Dolese employees making safety a personal value on the job each day,” Dolese President and CEO Mark Helm said. "The fact that numerous locations were recognized is something to be celebrated. It is also a challenge for us to continue delivering on our commitment to safety.” The NSSGA Safety Excellence Awards originated in 1987 and are presented to aggregates operations that maintain a safe workplace, evidenced by their safety performance over a consecutive period of time
without a Mine Safety Health Administration (MSHA) reportable injury. MSHA uses the metric of Total Reportable Injury Rate (TRIR) to monitor reportable injuries. Dolese has seen a consistent decrease in its TRIR as its safety practices have continued to improve during the previous several years. The NSSGA Safety Excellence Awards recognize operations based upon TRIR performance compared to the rest of the aggregates industry. NSSGA’s safety awards recognize individual operations as well as companies. “Dolese is focused on improving our safety culture even more by making safety a personal value of all our team members,” Dolese Health, Safety and Environmental Department Director David Finley said. “It’s an honor to receive these awards from the NSSGA because it is an indication of our success compared to our peers in the country.”
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Virus relief tops $250M Gov Kevin Stitt announced the State will be allocating approximately $250 million in CARES Act Coronavirus Relief Funds (CRF) to Oklahoma cities and counties based on their population. This change allows for city and county governments to access CRF dollars more quickly and with maximum efficiency. “For the past two months, the State has closely followed guidance from the federal government in how to distribute critical Coronavirus Relief Funds to state agencies, cities and counties. After working with and observing the fiscal impact of COVID-19 on local governments, I di-
rected our team to streamline its reimbursement process and to deliver more flexibility for getting these critical funds out the door,” said Gov. Stitt. “The new CRF allocation model will ensure city and county governments have equitable access and more foresight as they plan for the remainder 2020.” The State’s new CRF allocation model designates a portion of the $250 million to each city and county based on a formula of $77 per capita. The model calculates city and county populations using the latest 2019 Census estimates, and county populations solely reflect unincorporated areas.
Ashlyn Johnson joins Full Sail Capital ing the firm.” Full Sail Capital has added Johnson is a University of client services specialist AshCentral Oklahoma graduate, lyn Johnson to its growing who is pursuing a master’s deteam of financial professiongree in counseling psychology als. from MidAmerica Christian “We are thrilled to have University. Pryor to joining Ashlyn on board,” said David Full Sail, Johnson spent four Stanley, chief executive offiyears with LifeSquire, providcer of Oklahoma City-based Johnson ing personal and executive asFull Sail Capital. “Her energy sistant services to a diverse and passion for serving othrange of clients. ers make her a perfect fit for our orShe also served as the company’s ganization.” volunteerism coordinator, organizing Johnson is joining a team dediwork projects benefiting nonprofit orcated to administrative and other ganizations such as the Regional client-support services. Food Bank of Oklahoma, Homeless “Meeting people and developing Alliance and Focus on Home. meaningful connections with others Johnson grew up in Edmond and comes naturally for me,” Johnson lives in Midwest City, where she ensaid. “Full Sail puts people first, and joys running, hiking and gardening. that’s why I’m so excited about join-
PHOTO PROVIDED
Some of the merchandise offered at the new Expressions Gift Boutique at 1712 S. Kelly Ave.
Expressions Gift Boutique
New retail shop open According to the Edmond Economic Development Authority, Expressions Gift Boutique, a new locally-owned and operated gift boutique, recently opened in Edmond at 1712 S. Kelly Ave. The store offers a variety of items including lingerie, makeup and fashion jewelry as well as gift bags and greeting cards. Products from boutique publisher Studio Oh! are available, including notebooks and other paper products. Customers can also
shop for que brand collapsible water bottles in a variety of colors. Visitors to the store can enter to win the monthly gift basket drawing. Expressions is open Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. The store is closed Sunday and Monday. Expressions is offering curbside product pickup as well as in-store shopping. Sanitizer, masks and gloves are available for customers shopping in the store.
PHOTO PROVIDED
State Rep. Avery Frix, R-Muskogee, (second from right) attends a ceremonial bill signing for House Bill 3350, which grants cost-of-living adjustments to state retirees, at the state Capitol.
Affects former state workers
Bill signed granting hikes in retirees’ pension plans State Rep. Avery Frix, R-Muskogee, last week attended the ceremonial bill signing for House Bill 3350, which granted cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) for retirees in Oklahoma pension plans, including teachers, firefighters, police, public employees and justices and judges. The bill was formally signed into law in May and took effect July 1. Ceremonial bill signings allow lawmakers and some of their constituents most affected by legislation to attend. HB 3350 bases COLAs on the number of years individuals have received retirement benefits from the state. Those retired for five years or more as of July 1 received a 4% increase in monthly pension payments. Those retired at least two years but not five got a 2% increase.
Frix, the principal author of the bill said he’s fought for COLA legislation since being elected in 2016. “After talking to so many state retirees who have waited so long for an increase in their benefit,” Frix said, “it was gratifying today to see pen put to paper to symbolize the relief this legislation brings for these dedicated public servants.” Frix pointed out that it has been 12 years since these former state employees received a COLA, even as they’ve seen the cost of health insurance premiums and other living expenses rise. The measure passed unanimously in the House with vote of 99-0 and in the Senate by a vote of 41-5. Frix said the COLA represents a fiscally responsible agreement that keeps the state’s pension plans on healthy financial footing.
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Commentary ... We’re on YOUR Side
The bridge to Congress A few weeks ago I pointed out Congresswoman Kendra Horn’s ubiquitous nature on television. I had hoped at the time she would have a new commercial and she does. It involves a bridge in the town of Jones. Apparently the mayor there is pleased that Congresswoman Horn Steve Gust helped him get a bridge in his town, which leads to a school. As he points out, he’s a Republican and Kendra is a Democrat and nobody took him “serious,” until Kendra got involved. I’m glad Jones got its bridge. And I commend Horn for helping Jones get the structure. Yet I’m not really sure how that plays into electing a representative for Congress. Do we want to give House Speaker Nancy Pelosi one more reliable Democrat vote just because the town of Jones got a bridge? I’d rather see someone there who will not vote to have Nancy as Speaker. And if Nancy is Speaker, I’d prefer someone who wouldn’t vote for frivolous measures such as partisan impeachment effort against the president. One other note. Money isn’t going to be a problem for Congresswoman Horn this election cycle. Her campaign is well funded. It tough to find a television channel without her ad appearing once or twice an hour.
Joe Biden a devout Catholic? I wonder what kind of value people put or don’t put on truth anymore. Seems to me, truth has been replaced by “spin.” People love to spin the news their way. A case in point is the coverage last week given Joe Biden. President Trump attacked his rival saying that Biden was “anti-God.” I’m not sure I’d go quite that far, but Trump’s remarks set off alarm bells in network newsrooms everywhere. The journalists quickly rallied around their chosen candidate Biden and claimed (with a straight face) that Biden was a “devout Catholic.” I’m sorry but that just isn’t the case. If the stakes weren’t so serious, that allegation would be simply laughable. I’m not sure what Catholic teachings Biden actually agrees with, if any. For years, Facebook has been waging an ongoing debate on whether Biden should be excommunicated. Yet all of a sudden, anchors coast to coast were proclaiming Biden a devout Catholic. I think I’d reserve that term for people like the late-Father Stanley Rother, who was martyred, in 1981 for tending to the people of his parish in Guatemala. One thing is clear to me. The nation appears to be really divided. That’s most likely not going to improve much after the election. (Steve Gust may be reached at news@edmondpaper.com)
Inhofe sees Trump win By The Oklahoman Editorial Board Look at the polls and you see the prospects of President Trump’s re-election appear bleak. Trump is losing badly in battleground states he won narrowly in 2016. Joe Biden has a 7-point lead over Trump in the RealClearPolitics national average of polls; FiveThirtyEight.com has the margin closer to 8 points. However, talk to U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe, R-Tulsa, and you get a different forecast. Inhofe’s prognostications generally take a glass-half-full approach regarding the GOP. Ahead of the 2012 elections, for example, he said he expected President Barack Obama to lose his re-election bid and for Republicans to gain control of the Senate. Inhofe went 0-for-2. But he believes Trump will again prove the poll-
sters wrong Nov. 3. “Start off with the fact that the media hates the president. They’re going to do everything in the worst light as possible,” Inhofe said Wednesday. “The one thing that is not shown in the polls is depth. The individuals who are strong supporters of the president will walk through fire for the president.” However, one knock on Trump is that he has not widened his base of support. If anything, the base has shrunk in the past four years. Inhofe agreed that the base alone isn’t enough to carry Trump, or any candidate, but that Biden as the presumptive Democratic nominee presents an opening for the president. “I think the Democratic nominee is going to be exposed for his lack of knowledge and persuasiveness,” Inhofe said. “If the Democrats had a different candidate other than Biden, I would say that that would be a real serious problem. I think Biden has a lot of self-destruct in him. I look at the two of them and I think it’s going to change by (November).” Inhofe also acknowledged there is a bit of “wishful thinking” in his forecast, because of his concerns about what a Biden presidency would mean for issues dear to Inhofe, such as military spending. But, “that isn’t governing what I think is going to happen,” he said. “I think he’s going to pull it off, I really do.” Inhofe, seeking his fifth full term in November, is similarly optimistic regarding Republicans’ prospects of retaining the Senate, where the GOP has a 53-47 advantage. Flipping three seats would give Democrats control if they win the White House, because the vice president holds the tie-breaking vote.
Councilman won’t seek office again (Editor’s Note: Edmond City Councilman, Nick Massey, is using the letter below to explain to the public his reasons for not wanting to seek public office again in 2021, either as councilman or Mayor.) To the Citizens of Edmond As many of you know, I have had the honor of serving as the City of Edmond Ward 4 City Councilman since March 2012 and as Mayor Pro Tem since May 2019. I wanted to share some news with you about a decision I made earlier this year. Many have known that I was not going to run for re-election for my council seat, and that I was considering running for Mayor in 2021. After giving it considerable thought, and talking it over with my wife, Dr. Karen Mahlmeister, I decided in January of this year that I would not run for either position and will leave office when my term expires at the end of April 2021. I will have had nine years in office at that point and it is time for me to move on and someone else take it from here. I decided to make this announcement now so that anyone who might be considering running for either of those council positions will have time to decide what they might like to do and can prepare for their campaign. The filling period for next year’s election is the first week of December, 2020. My primary reason for running for city council eight and a half years ago was to be an advocated for business, promote a pro-business environment, and to help drive economic development in our great city. I am proud to say that I think I have accomplished a lot of that and hope I have had a positive impact on our community over these years. As an elected official, one of the things you always try to do is leave things better than when
Nick Massey you started. Among the things I had a major or minor part in include: Creating the first Edmond Incentive plan for both primary and secondary business to bring in additional sales tax revenue and cause additional private development to occur. Participated through the whole development process, construction and opening of the Hilton Garden Inn and Edmond conference center. Instrumental in the incentive and development process that brought ShowBiz to Edmond. Instrumental in developing the financing structure for the Public Safety Center. Other city projects include Route 66 Softball Park, the MAC, new water towers, a major waste water treatment plant upgrade, and the railroad crossing quiet zones. 2018 saw the most commer-
cial activity in Edmond’s history. One area that I am particularly proud of is growth and development downtown, including The Patriarch, Campbell Corner, The Zu (now The Mule), Sunnyside Diner, Park 17, the Railyard, and Venue 102. Still in the works is the Ice House district, the Towns at Stephenson Park, and Stephenson Park redevelopment. A major goal of mine was to transform downtown Edmond into an entertainment destination for live music, dining and the arts and we are at the early stages of that happening. I made this decision because it is time for me to spend more time with my family and more time running my business and taking care of my clients at Massey Financial Services. I am not one who is likely to fully retire and have no plans to do so anytime soon. However, focusing on a few less things at my age of almost 73 seems like the right thing to do. Besides, with a little more free time, maybe I’ll be able to play my music and perform a little more often. That side hobby of mine has turned into an unexpected success and I thoroughly enjoy playing my music for my many friends and fans. While I will miss my involvement with the city council and the many friends I have made, it is time for me to move on. I have complete confidence that whoever is in that role after me will help take our city to even greater accomplishments. Serving our community and our citizens has been one of the great honors and privileges of my life and is a time I will always remember with pride and fondness. I’m not going anywhere though, so I look forward to seeing everyone around town as we continue to watch Edmond grow. NICK MASSEY
Edmond Life & Leisure • August 13, 2020 • Page 11
PHOTO PROVIDED
City of Edmond & UCO officials celebrate the EV charging station opening at Campbell Street & University Drive.
City of Edmond & UCO invite users to new charging stations The City of Edmond and the University of Central Oklahoma (UCO) recently celebrated the opening of six new Electric Vehicle (EV) charging stations in the community. The Level 2 charging stations are free to use by the public and were funded through just over $50,000 in grants received from the Association of Central Oklahoma Governments and the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality. The public locations each include two chargers and include: Mitch Park (behind the large pavilion), the Service-Blake Soccer Complex, the City First Administration Building in downtown, and at two UCO Visitor Parking Lots. The station at the soccer complex is only available during soccer events, and a schedule can be viewed at http://edmondsoccer.com. All Edmond locations can be found using the station locator tool at https://na.chargepoint.com/charge_p oint.
“Electric Vehicles reduce emissions and save you money. The grant partnership was made possible because of a common interest in providing these amenities to Edmond residents and students. These sites are also powered by 100% domestic wind energy through Edmond Electric and the OMPA. The current plan is to have the last station at the new Tennis Center installed in August 2020, but the other stations are open and ready.” said Phil Jones, City of Edmond Sustainability Planner. “UCO has long been committed to infrastructure upgrades that encourage sustainability. We’re happy to partner with the City to implement EV infrastructure for students, faculty, staff, and visitors who drive electric, and continue our tradition of promoting sustainable initiatives on campus and in our students’ lives,” said Eric Hemphill, Manager of Sustainability and Alternative Transportation at UCO.
Local news? Do you have a local news item or a local photograph? Share the good news with your neighbors and the community through Edmond Life & Leisure newspaper. Simply e-mail the items to news@edmondpaper.com There is no charge.
Page 12 • August 13, 2020 • Edmond Life & Leisure
PHOTO PROVIDED
New Elks Lodge officers, include, front row from left, Robert Prest, Greg Ruch, Joann Moorehead, Mark Wheaton and Bill Milam. On the back row are Shari Scott, D.J. Boyce, Jerry Crytzer, Ed Burt, Gerald Hulsey, John Yater and Twila Bourlon.
Edmond Elks Lodge installs new slate of officers The Edmond Elks Lodge #2578 celebrating their 42nd anniversary, installed their 2020-21 officers and presented annual awards at the Lodge earlier this month. Outgoing Exalted Ruler, Scott McDaneld presented the following awards: Officer of the Quarter awards went to Shari Scott, Mark Scott, Mark Wheaton and Twila Bourlon. Officer of the year was Ed Burt and Elk of the
year was Jerry Crytzer. Mark Wheaton, Chairman of the Board and Les Cummings, Past Exalted Ruler, presented the prestigious Outstanding Achievement Award to Past Exalted Ruler, L.D. Maxwell. This award is given to recognize an Elk for their long-term dedication to the Lodge and the Elk principles of Charity, Justice, Brotherly Love and Fidelity.
The Officers for the year are: Joann Moorehead, Exalted Ruler, Greg Ruch, Leading Knight, Mark Wheaton, Loyal Knight, Mark Scott, Lecturing Knight, Ed Burt, Esquire, John Yater, Chaplain, Shari Scott, Secretary, Twila Bourlon, Treasurer, Bill Milam, Inner Guard and Robert Prest, Tiler. New trustees this year are Gerald Hulsey, Past Exalted Ruler and Jerry Crytzer.
Stan Wagnon named UCO Athletic Director The University of Central Oklahoma announced last week a special homecoming in the works as Stan Wagnon – following in the footsteps of his father – will be named Athletic DirecWagnon tor effective Aug. 24. "I am happy to announce that Stan Wagnon will be joining us as our new Athletic Director," UCO President Patti Neuhold-Ravikumar said. "Stan is a long-time Broncho and has a love for UCO that runs deep. His leadership and energy are going to inject our athletic department with excitement and pride." Wagnon, an Edmond native, earned his bachelor’s degree from Central in 1995. His father (Skip) served as director of athletics from 1986-2003 following a 15-year stint as head athletic trainer. "As I think about UCO athletics and my story it really was my first love growing up," Wagnon said. "I didn't want anything else than to see the Bronchos play. To be able to go to school there and start working there as a student and then to go off in my career and learn everything that I did and now, to be able to come back and apply all that. This means so much to me and my family. To me, to my wife, to all of my family. This is very special and I'm looking forward to it. "To have had the opportunity to work in the athletic department as a student in the sports information office," Wagnon said. "That opportunity really set the stage for me professionally. I learned how to tell the story of the student-athlete. And that has been a big part of my career. I look forward to working with the student-athletes at UCO and I hope to give them every opportunity I had to be a part of something special and to be a part of something that gives
them a head start in life." An press conference to introduce Wagnon will be planned for later this month. An introductory press conference will be planned for later this month. Wagnon returns to UCO after a 25plus year career in athletics. After working in the UCO sports information office as a student, Wagnon had stints in the same role at Midwestern State, where he received his master’s degree, and Tarleton State. Wagnon moved from Tarleton to the NCAA Division II’s Lone Star Conference office and eventually served as commissioner. He spent 11 years in that role before moving to the same post at the NAIA’s Sooner Athletic Conference, where he has served since July 2016. Wagnon is active in the NAIA governance as a member of the Conference Commissioners Association (CCA). Currently he is serving as Vice Chair of the Council for Student-Athletes, as well as a member of the National Coordinating Committee and NAIA Student-Athlete Experience Task Force. At the SAC, Wagnon has grown the league’s membership, offered new conference championships, and developed a corporate partnership program. At the Lone Star Conference, Wagnon’s most noteworthy accomplishment was creation of the Lone Star Football Festival, held annually at Arlington’s AT&T Stadium, home of the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys. The event generated nearly a half-million dollars back to the conference office. Throughout his career, Wagnon has emerged as a national leader in intercollegiate athletics. He has served as Chair of the NCAA Division II Nominating Committee and the NCAA Men’s Basketball Regional Advisory Committee. He also served on committees for the D2 CCA and College Sports Information Directors of Association (CoSIDA).
Edmond Life & Leisure • August 13, 2020 • Page 13
Mackenzie Goings and family
J.J. Ruff and family
Character Council awards seniors scholarships Since its inception in 2015, the Character Council of Edmond has sought high school seniors who exemplify good character in their daily lives. In the application process, the Council asks seniors to choose one character trait and to write a 500-550 word essay on how they demonstrate this trait. The Council uses the 36 character core words recognized by Strata Leadership for both their Champion of Character word of the month and the scholarship program. The Council recently recognized their 2020 scholarship recipients, Siva Aravindan (Santa Fe); Mackenzie Goings (Memorial); and JJ Ruff (Memorial) with a drive by visit complete with yard signs and photos. Siva Aravindan selected the character trait of discipline, choosing behaviors to help me reach my goals for his essay. He wrote; “Changing yourself in any manner or to any degree requires discipline. My life revolves around this premise. I’ve seen firsthand what the lack of discipline does to a person and this has given me a certain respect for the trait.” While attending Memorial High School, Siva has been recognized as a National Merit Scholar, as well as, a member of the Varsity Soccer team. Siva also volunteers at National Honor Society events, at the Hindu Temple in both Oklahoma and India, and shares his love of physics and math with younger students. Siva concludes his essay by saying, “I learned from myself and now strive to continuously better myself in hopes of
Siva Aravindan and his family
a better future.” Siva will be attending University of Oklahoma, majoring in both math and engineering physics, two subjects that were his favorites in high school. In her essay, Mackenzie Goings wrote about the character trait endurance, the inner strength to withstand stress and do my best. After a long bout with a chronic illness, Mackenzie writes; “Whenever I am exhausted and feel I cannot continue, I remember to utilize endurance and keep going to make a difference.” Volunteering is one of Mackenzie’s greatest passions. She serves as an ambassador in Edmond Women’s Club, Oklahoma Hall of Fame Teen Board member, and Edmond Public Schools Foundation Ambassador. While at Memorial, Mackenzie has been active as class president, National Honor Society
member, yearbook designer and DECA. Mackenzie ends her essay, “I am always reminding myself to stay strong and to continue in whatever is overwhelming me. Endurance gives me the encouragement to keep going even when times are tough.” She wrote these words in early March, words that would benefit us all today! Mackenzie will be attending the University of Central Oklahoma majoring in Community and Public Health with a minor in Leadership. Our third recipient, JJ Ruff picked the character word, determination, overcoming obstacles in order to reach my goal. In his essay, JJ writes; “What I love about being so determined, is that it bleeds into other core character traits. Because of my determination to be successful, I have become very disciplined
in my actions and eating habits. Similarly, my determination to be positive influence in my community has allowed me to become a very dependable, loyal teammate and friend.” JJ has excelled in the classroom and on the football field at Memorial High School. He is a National Honor Society member, Student Council senior class representative, and on the leadership council of the Fellowship of Christians Athletes. JJ was a team captain both his junior and senior year on the varsity football team, as well as, a member of the varsity track team. After overcoming injuries in his junior year, JJ writes, “This determination to come back stronger than before has enabled me to fulfill a lifelong dream of becoming a collegiate athlete as I enter college.” JJ will be attending Wheaton College on a football scholarship majoring in Applied Health Science with plans to pursue a career in the medical field. Let’s celebrate all Edmond high school seniors who have made many adjustments this year but continue to make a positive difference in our community. Please consider making a tax deductible donation to the Character Council of Edmond. Your generous support will be used to help fund the character scholarship program for Edmond high school seniors. Please contact the Council for more information by visiting their website at www.edmondcharacter.org or by mailing your contribution to the Character Council of Edmond P.O. Box 392 Edmond, OK 73083-0392.
Page 14 • August 13, 2020 • Edmond Life & Leisure
Review of movie ‘An American Pickle’
Seth Rogen’s light drama features silliness By George Gust “An American Pickle” is HBO Max’s latest comedy starring Seth Rogen as an immigrant worker, Herschel Greenbaum, at a pickle factory who is accidentally preserved for 100 years and wakes up in modern day Brooklyn. But when Herschel seeks out his family, he is troubled to learn that his only surviving relative is his great grandson, Ben Greenbaum (also played by Rogen), a mildmannered computer coder whom Herschel can't even begin to understand. When you first hear this wild premise and you’re familiar with Rogen’s previous stoner humor persona, you would think “An American Pickle” is a zany comedy with a laugh a minute, but in actuality it is more of a low-key light drama with silly comedy added in throughout. Rogen explores the idea of meeting your distant relative with a strangely sweet charm. As Rogen plays both parts he’s added clear distinctions between the 100 year old character from the old country and the millennial programmer that show an impressive amount of range. However this double role for Rogen leaves little room for any
other performance to stand out, ending up with a ‘one man show’ feeling, which gets stale as the film’s plot meanders and zigzags between ideas and social messages. “An American Pickle” is based on a short story titled “Sell Out” and experiencing the unfocused narrative, it seems as though this premise might have been better off as short film. The first 30 minutes or so is a fun fish-out-of-water story showcasing Rogen’s surprisingly sincere performances, but what follows is a series of escalading silliness. During this act, “An American Pickle”
throws out a bunch of ideas related to social media, millennial hipster culture and the current state of political discourse. Yet the quick changes from poking fun at hipster culture to vilifying 100 year old political ideals, to celebrating old world grit and hustle will leave you with whiplash and takes you out of the engaging story that had been set up. Overall, “An American Pickle” isn’t the whacky fish-out-of-water comedy you’d think it would be, featuring a heartfelt dual performance from Rogen, but the absurd swings in the repetitive plot effectively remove the momentum built up over a strong first act. This is a fine piece of quarantine cinema to burn an hour and a half on, but is ultimately disappointing given the interesting premise and talent in front of the screen. “An American Pickle” is rated PG-13 for some language and rude humor. Now streaming on HBO Max. 2.5 out of 5 stars To comment on this film review, or any other movie review, please e-mail George at gust.george@gmail.comt
‘PHOTO PROVIDED
Seth Rogen pulls double duty in the new comedy ‘An American Pickle’ as a millenial app programmer and his 100 year old ancestor preserved by a mysterious pickle brine.
Crossword Puzzle STATEPOINT CROSSWORD THEME: LABOR DAY
Answers appearing on Page 19
ACROSS 1. Delivery org. 5. *U.N. workers' grp. 8. Pressure unit 11. Prune, previously 12. Congregation's echo 13. Lusitania's destroyer 15. Samoan money 16. Enthusiastic review 17. Police informers 18. *More than 40 hours 20. First Nation nation 21. Not these 22. Paper or plastic? 23. Lads' girlfriends 26. Meal 29. Morsel 30. *Labor Day, always 33. International Civil Aviation Org. 35. She turned to stone, Greek mythology 37. Quaker grain 38. Same as gnarls 39. Toothy wheel 40. Capital of Canada 42. Homer Simpson exclamation 43. Russia's plain 45. Zoroastrian archives 47. Simon & Garfunkel member 48. Sheik's bevy 50. Goes with sushi 52. *Part of labor force 56. Jewish folklore creature 57. European sea eagle 58. Millimeter of mercury 59. Impolite dinner sound 60. "Dark" movie 61. Armor chest plate 62. Cupid's action 63. Type of evidence 64. "By ____ of" or "by means of" DOWN 1. "____ ____ no good" 2. Bohemian, e.g.
3. Whimper 4. "That ____!" and hurts 5. Mosque officials 6. Don McLean: "Drove my chevy to the ____" 7. Comes before first Mississippi 8. Minute opening 9. "For Pete's ____!" 10. Belonging to it 12. Not aria nor recitative 13. Open a beer bottle 14. *Union responsibility 19. *Labor Day is this puzzle's ____ 22. BeyoncÈ, a.k.a. Queen ____ 23. *Like Labor Day weekend 24. Ovine sign of the zodiac 25. Type of weasel 26. "Pro" follower 27. Oodles 28. Fortune-teller's card 31. Sol, or la, or ti 32. Digital audiotape, acr. 34. *Health and safety
org. 36. *Strike____ 38. Courtroom silencer 40. Choose 41. One who bends out of shape 44. Groom one's feathers 46. Used an emoji, technically 48. Long-necked wader 49. Embryo sacs 50. One-pilot flight, pl. 51. Reunion attendee 53. Jellystone Park denizen 54. Joanie of "Happy Days" 55. At a previous time, archaic 56. Geological Society of America 57. *Unofficial ____ of summer
Answers on Page 19
Museum marks a milestone When the Oklahoma Route 66 Museum in Clinton officially opened on September 23, 1995, it was the first facility in the nation dedicated to the history and culture of Route 66, the most famous historic highway in the world. It is the largest museum from Chicago, Illinois, to Santa Monica, California, dedicated to the history and culture of Route 66. With over 930,000 visitors in 25 years, the Oklahoma Route 66 Museum has captivated the attention of people from around the world. Since the grand opening celebration held on Sept. 23, 1995, the museum has proven to be a must-see for travelers — both Route 66ers and everyday vacationers. Although the COVID19 pandemic has caused the cancelation of this year’s festivities, please help the Oklahoma Route 66 Museum celebrate this milestone anniversary by visiting sometime during the year. The Oklahoma Route 66 Museum is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday, and is closed Sunday and Monday. The museum is located at 2229 W. Gary Blvd. in Clinton. Regular admission is $7 for adults, $5 for seniors, $4 for children and ages 5 and under are free. For further information, please contact Pat Smith at 580-323-7866 or patsm@okhistory.org.
Edmond Life & Leisure • August 13, 2020 • Page 15
In light of COVID 19 school plans are subject to change. Please check your school’s website for updates.
How parents can best support their children during this challenging time Kristin Holland The end of the school year last May came and went without any of the typical pomp and circumstance. Instead, students and parents limped across the finish line after schools were forced to transition to distance learning thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic. Families were more than just exhausted; their mental health was suffering. In a Gallup poll released in June, nearly 30 percent of parents reported that their children were suffering emotional and mental harm due to school closures and social distancing. As Edmond Public Schools gets ready to implement a hybrid back-to-school plan that combines both in-person and virtual learning, it is more important than ever for families to double down on prioritizing mental health. Rebecca Cox is the Clinical Director at Bright Eyes Family Services, LLC, an outpatient mental health facility focusing on teens, young adults and their families. When asked how parents can best support their children during this time, Cox said, “It’s important that parents try to lead by example, particularly when it comes to self-care strategies for managing stress and anxiety. Our kids, no matter their age, will be taking their cues from the adults in their lives on how to get through this ever-evolving crisis.” Whenever possible, parents should try to model appropriate communication regarding stress and anxiety for their children and avoid ignoring or internalizing those feelings. Many parents may not know where to start when it comes to their child’s mental health. To help families navigate this topic, Cox shared several tips and practices parents can implement this fall. 1. Check-in. Parents should maintain an open, ongoing dialogue about their child’s mental health by conducting one-on-one, regular check-ins. If parents find their child resistant to questions like, “How are you feeling?” they can try asking their child to name one good thing and one bad thing about their day. Often, the child’s responses will reveal how he or she is feeling or spark further discussion. 2. Look for the good. To avoid getting swept up in anxious thoughts and fearfulness, families should consciously look for the good in their lives. Parents can encourage their child to utilize a gratitude journal or implement a dinner table tradition of having each family member name a few things they are thankful for each day. 3. Lead with empathy. Adolescence is difficult enough without the added experience of a global pandemic. If a child becomes short, irritable or sad, parents should try to respond with empathy, patience and compassion. It’s important for parents to remember that adolescent brains are not fully developed, and when their child appears hypersensitive or overly emotional, they are not being dramatic or seeking attention. These behaviors are often the result of an underdeveloped prefrontal cortex. 4. Focus on structure. Parents should help their child establish a routine and organize a designated work space that includes a flat, hard writing surface and an upright chair. A successful routine should also include intentional breaks from news and social media. 5. Seek help. Parents should speak openly about mental health and offer their child access to treatment options, like therapy. This is another area where parents can lead by example. When a child sees his or her parents going to therapy, it reduces the stigma of seeking mental healthcare. Most importantly, Cox wants families to remember that we are collectively experiencing the unprecedented, and when the future is this uncertain, it’s normal to feel emotional distress, depression, anxiety or anger. By following her tips, families can lessen the emotional distress and maybe even create stronger, more resilient families in the long run. To find out more about mental health care services and treatment options available at Bright Eyes Family Services, LLC, visit www. brighteyesfamilyservices.com. Additional mental health resources related to COVID-19 can be found at www.mhaok.org/covid19-resources/.
PHOTO PROVIDED
When the future is this uncertain, it’s normal to feel emotional distress, depression, anxiety or anger. -Rebecca Cox is the Clinical Director at Bright Eyes Family Services, LLC
Page 16 • August 13, 2020 • Edmond Life & Leisure
We’re wild about books!
bestofbooksok.com
For over 30 years, Best of Books has been Edmond’s go-to, family operated book store. From current best sellers to thrillers and romance, Best of Books carries it all. They are also known for their section of children’s books, which they have in abundance. Here are some picks from the staff at Best of Books that are great reads for middle school aged children. New Kid by Jerry Craft Winner of the Newbery Medal, Coretta Scott King Author Award, and Kirkus Prize for Young Readers’ Literature! Perfect for fans of Raina Telgemeier and Gene Luen Yang, New Kid is a timely, honest graphic novel about starting over at a new school where diversity is low and the struggle to fit in is real. Seventh grader Jordan Banks loves nothing more than drawing cartoons about his life. But instead of sending him to the art school of his dreams, his parents enroll him in a prestigious private school known for its academics, where Jordan is one of the few kids of color in his entire grade. As he makes the daily trip from his Washington Heights apartment to the upscale Riverdale Academy Day School, Jordan soon finds himself torn between two worlds—and not really fitting into either one. Can Jordan learn to navigate his new school culture while keeping his neighborhood friends and staying true to himself? A Kirkus Reviews Best Book of 2019 A New York Public Library Best Book of 2019 Focused by Alyson Gerber “A story full of charm, compassion, and empathy.” -- TODAY Clea can’t control her thoughts. She knows she has to do her homework . . . but she gets distracted. She knows she can’t just say whatever thought comes into her head . . . but sometimes she can’t help herself. She know she needs to focus . . . but how can she do that when the people around her are always chewing gum loudly or making other annoying noises? It’s starting to be a problem--not just in school, but when Clea’s playing chess or just hanging out with her best friend. Other kids are starting to notice. When Clea fails one too many tests, her parents take her to be tested, and
she finds out that she has ADHD, which means her attention is all over the place instead of where it needs to be. Clea knows life can’t continue the way it’s been going. She’s just not sure how you can fix a problem that’s all in your head. But that’s what she’s going to have to do, to find a way to focus. In a starred review, Booklist called Alyson Gerber’s first novel, Braced, “a masterfully constructed and highly empathetic debut about a different kind of acceptance.” With Focused, she explores even further how, when life gives you a challenge, the best way to face it is with an open mind, an open heart, and the open support of the people around you.
A Good Kind of Trouble by Lisa Moore Ramee Side characters can be heroes too in this charming and fast-paced adventure that is The Land of Stories meets The Phantom Tollbooth! Indira has been a character-in-waiting her entire life.
Edmond Life & Leisure • August 13, 2020 • Page 17
So she can’t believe her luck when she’s finally chosen to travel to Fable and study at the renowned Protagonist Preparatory, a school known for producing the best heroes. But Indira’s dreams of achieving hero status don’t exactly go as planned. A failed audition lands her in the school’s side-character track, and her best efforts to prove advisors--famous characters like Alice from Wonderland and Professor Darcy--wrong are constantly sabotaged. Indira is starting to feel like an evil antagonist might be to blame. As the danger spreads, Indira discovers all of Fable is under siege. With her friends Maxi and Phoenix by her side, she pieces together clues that will reveal who is behind the dark magic threatening them all. But the more Indira uncovers, the more doubt she feels about her place in this world of stories. After all, can a side character really save the day? Orange for the Sunsets by Tina Athaide * A Chicago Public Library’s Best of the Best Books of 2019 Selection * A Canadian Children’s Book Center Best Books for Kids & Teens Pick * From debut author Tina Athaide comes a soaring tale of empathy, hope, and resilience, as two best friends living under Ugandan President Amin’s divisive rule must examine where—and who—they call home. Perfect for fans of Half from the East and Inside Out and Back Again. Asha and her best friend, Yesofu, never cared about the differences between them: Indian. African. Girl. Boy. Short. Tall. But when Idi Amin announces that Indians have ninety days to leave the country, suddenly those differences are the only things that people in Entebbe can see—not the shared after-school samosas or Asha cheering for Yesofu at every cricket game. Determined for her life to stay the same, Asha clings to her world tighter than ever before. But Yesofu is torn, pulled between his friends, his family, and a promise of a better future. Now as neighbors leave and soldiers line the streets, the two friends find that nothing seems sure—not even their friendship. Tensions between Indians and Africans intensify and the deadline to leave is fast approaching. Could the bravest thing of all be to let each other go? Reaching for the Moon by Katherine Johnson A Kirkus Reviews Best Middle Grade Book of 2019 “This rich volume is a national treasure.” —Kirkus Reviews (starred review) “Captivating, informative, and inspiring…Easy to follow and hard to put down.” —School Library Journal The inspiring autobiography of NASA mathematician Katherine Johnson, who helped launch Apollo 11. As a young girl, Katherine Johnson showed an
exceptional aptitude for math. In school she quickly skipped ahead several grades and was soon studying complex equations with the support of a professor who saw great promise in her. But ability and opportunity did not always go hand in hand. As an African American and a girl growing up in an era of brutal racism and sexism, Katherine faced daily challenges. Still, she lived her life with her father’s words in mind: “You are no better than anyone else, and nobody else is better than you.” In the early 1950s, Katherine was thrilled to join the organization that would become NASA. She worked on many of NASA’s biggest projects including the Apollo 11 mission that landed the first men on the moon. Katherine Johnson’s story was made famous in the bestselling book and Oscar-nominated film Hidden Figures. Now in Reaching for the Moon she tells her own story for the first time, in a lively autobiography that will inspire young readers everywhere. Stepsister by Jennifer Donnelly An instant New York Times bestseller! A Seventeen Best of the Year Longlisted for the Carnegie Medal A YALSA pick Isabelle should be blissfully happy-she’s about to win the handsome prince. Except Isabelle isn’t the beautiful girl who lost the glass slipper and captured the prince’s heart. She’s the ugly stepsister who cut off her toes to fit into Cinderella’s shoe . . . which is now filling with blood. Isabelle tried to fit in. She cut away pieces of herself in order to become pretty. Sweet. More like Cinderella. But that only made her mean, jealous, and hollow. Now she has a chance to alter her destiny and prove what ugly stepsisters have always known: it takes more than heartache to break a girl. Evoking the darker, original version of the Cinderella story, Stepsister shows us that ugly is in the eye of the beholder, and uses Jennifer Donnelly’s trademark wit and wisdom to send an overlooked character on a journey toward empowerment, redemption . . . and a new definition of beauty.
Back to School
Edmond Public Schools Start August 20th & 21st! Deer Creek Public Schools Start August 19th!
Page 18 • August 13, 2020 • Edmond Life & Leisure
Edmond Life & Leisure • August 13, 2020 • Page 19
Edmond Genealogical Society to look at suffrage movement In our voting world today, every female citizen in the United States takes for granted the right to vote. However, it took decades of struggle and protest by suffragists across the country fighting for approval of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution, which was ratified on Aug. 18, 1920, giving women the right to vote. To learn more about the movement and the amazing amount of work that went into the amendment, you’re invited to attend the Aug. 17 meeting of the Edmond Genealogical Society. Our program entitled “Well Done, Sister Suffragist! ... The History of Women’s Right to Vote in America� will be presented by our president Jan Beattie. Professionally, Jan is a member of the American Society of Clinical Pathologists and the Southwestern Society of Clinical Microbiologists and spent her career at the Veterans' Administration Medical Center in Oklahoma City. She was also an adjunct professor at the OU College of Medicine and Health Sciences Center for more than 16 years. Now retired from the medical field, Jan has time for her genealogy hobby of which she is most passionate. She is involved in several genealogy and lineage-based societies and loves to share her knowledge with others. She has made numerous presentations, seminars and workshops across the state on topics relating to genealogy and family history. Meetings are free and open to the public. Programs start at 6:30 p.m. Edmond Genealogical Society meetings are held the third Monday of the
Meeting is Aug. 17 month at the Edmond Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints at 1315 E. 33rd Street, Edmond, OK. Enter through the doors at the rear (north side) of the building. The church offers plenty of parking and is fully handicap accessible, with social distance seating at the meeting. Masks are required for all attendees. For more information on EGS, go to: www.rootsweb.com/~okegs, or visit us on Facebook at Edmond Genealogical Society. The September 21, 2020 program will be “Making Sense of the Census� presented by Nancy Calhoun.
GOP women’s club to meet The next meeting of the Edmond Republican Womens Club will Monday, Aug. 17, at 10 a.m. at the large pavilion in Mitch Park on Covell in Edmond. The pavilion is on the north side of the YMCA. Please fell free to bring coffee, juice, or whatever you might like. Also feel free to bring a friend and you are welcome to wear a mask if you feel more comfortable doing so. Our guest speaker for this meeting will be Charlie Meadows who is co-founder of the Oklahoma Conservative Political Action Committee (OCPAC) , now in it's 28th year. Charlie operated a window cleaning business for 44 years until his retirement in June of 2018. After returning from a three month trip to Western Canada and Alaska, our speaker started a personal services business DBA/Charlie Meadows Enterprises.Hhe will share a few thoughts about the condition of Oklahoma's Republican Party.
&KDQQLQJ 8QLWDULDQ 8QLYHUVDOLVW &KXUFK For the safety of our members and friends, all services and events at Channing UUC have been cancelled through April 12th, 2020 in light of the COVID 19 Pandemic. tÄž ĆľĆŒĹ?Äž Ä‚ĹŻĹŻ Ä?Ĺ?Ć&#x;ÇŒÄžĹśĆ? ƚŽ Ä¨Ĺ˝ĹŻĹŻĹ˝Ç ĆšĹšÄž Ĺ?ĆľĹ?ĚĞůĹ?ŜĞĆ? Ĺ?Ĺ?ǀĞŜ Ä?LJ ƚŚĞ Ĺ˝ĆŒ ĹŻĹ˝Ä?Ä‚ĹŻ Ä‚ĆľĆšĹšĹ˝ĆŒĹ?Ć&#x;ÄžĆ?͘ Please be safe. : WK 6WUHHWÂł(GPRQG 2. See us on Facebook at: Ç Ç Ç Í˜Ä¨Ä‚Ä?ÄžÄ?Ĺ˝Ĺ˝ĹŹÍ˜Ä?Žž͏ ŚĂŜŜĹ?ĹśĹ?hh ĹšĆľĆŒÄ?Ĺš
In light of COVID 19 for the time being, some worship services may be suspended. Please check with your house of worship for more information.
Page 20 • August 13, 2020 • Edmond Life & Leisure
