Edmond Life and Leisure - December 17, 2020

December 17, 2020 Vol. 21, No. 31

In This Issue FOUR SEASONS

Keeping safe during Christmas pandemic

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.

Cowboy artist to teach FAI classes See Page 11

FRIDAY, December 18 Partly Cloudy High 53° Low 30°

SATURDAY, December 19 Sunny High 44° Low 30°

SUNDAY, December 20 Sunny High 54° Low 35°

By Ryan Stewart For the holidays during a pandemic, you can’t beat home, sweet home.

But if opening gifts over Zoom doesn’t sound sufficient, experts at the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation have recommendations to ensure cheer is all you spread this holiday season.

Timely testing “This is not the year to dismiss something as a common cold or allergies. The only way to rule out coronavirus is with a test. Even if you feel well, a test will show whether you’re asymptomatic,” said OMRF President Stephen Prescott, M.D. But don’t proceed without other precautions if a test is negative, Prescott added. “Viruses build over days, and a test only tells us what viral load was at the moment a swab was inserted into your nose.”

Quaran-team effort End-of-year holidays traditionally include longer stays, close quarters and indoor activities.

That’s a family recipe for virus transmission, said OMRF immunologist Eliza Chakravarty, M.D., but those gathering can make it safer for one another with advance planning.

“If you’re attending extended in-person holiday events with people who don’t live with you, strictly avoiding contact with people outside of your home for two weeks before the event is the safest way to do so,” said Chakravarty.

Wheels over wings “Studies have shown airplanes themselves are relatively safe because of air filtration,” said Prescott. “But a busy airport presents a significant risk with the potential for long lines and crowds.”

Driving is the best option for

virus-free travel. If you must fly, Prescott suggests minimizing contact with others: Check in for your flight at home, bring your own food and stick to a carry-on bag.

Wearing is caring “We’d get coal in our stockings if we didn’t remind everyone — one more time — to wear a mask,” said Chakravarty. “Any time you’re with people who live outside of your household, everyone should mask up.”

Stay ho-ho-home With virus numbers surging across the country, the safest bet is to enjoy the holidays at home. And, says Prescott, remember that this is temporary.

“Santa’s cookies might need to go on the front porch in 2020, but life will return to normal.

Vaccines are on the horizon.

Sacrificing traditions this year may ensure your whole family can gather next year.”

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Edmond Life & Leisure • December 17, 2020 • Page 3

Amy Stephens and her certificate for ‘dependability.

Honored for dependability Since 2001 the traditional Champion of Character presentations were held before the Edmond City Council during their monthly meetings.

COVID-19 changed that. Character Council President, Jim Hulsey said, “In order to both protect and honor each new Champ, the Character Council began what we term, “Driveby Presentations.” It limits the physical exposure, without limiting the honor itself.”

In the Character Council’s first “Drive-by Presentation,” Amy Stephens received the award for her exemplary character of dependability on Friday, Dec. 11, at the Edmond Historical Museum. Amy is the Executive Director of the Edmond Historical Society and Museum.

Edmond’s Character Council President, Jim Hulsey and board member Gloria Baumann presented Stephens with her certificate of recognition. Attendees were, Downtown Edmond Business Association Executive Director, Stephanie Carel, Georgia Fiering, board member, Anna Studstill, and Allison Snider, staff and Norma Newton, volunteer.

In her nomination of Stephens for Champion of Character for Dependability, Carel said, “Her family, friends and business associates know how dependable she is … Amy is always the person you can call if you need guidance or assistance on projects.

Recently, she took on the task of writing grants for another organization because their chairperson had never written one before.”

Stephens said, “It’s been an easy partnership to help the Edmond Historic Preservation Trust in sharing history through research and stories, writing grants, and improving emer-

Champions of Character gency procedures—all areas that I care about and have experience doing. What it boils down to is that I care about educating people on the value of history, both past and present.”

It’s isn’t always easy to juggle priorities. After writing a book about Oklahoma City Zoo’s early history, Arcadia Press proposed in 2013 that Stephens write a sequel. Since Stephens had some leave time, she took a month off to write the book.

Stephens said, “It was ambitious, but I knew the history well. A month sounds like plenty of time, but then my husband, had a major surgery, my grandmother went into hospice and passed away, and my computer died and I lost part of my work. I had envisioned longs days of writing—but what happened is that I had to start over and squeeze in the writing in the wee hours of the morning.”

Her passion for the project enabled her to not only meet the deadline, but she also won an award for her book, Oklahoma City Zoo: 19602013. Stephens said, “I was raised in a religious family, and there was always an expectation to: ‘Do The Right Thing. Even When No One Else Is Looking, God Is Watching!’”

“Doing the right thing” has become a motto that she uses in every area of her life. It enables her to press forward even when she encounters adversity.

To nominate a citizen as a “Champion of Character,” one who exemplifies these character traits, visit www.edmondcharacter.org or write: Champions of Character, PO Box 392, Edmond OK 73083-0392.

Deb Kukuk, left, and Jacque Edwards.

‘Women of Prominence’ series Above, Deb Kukuk listens as Jacque Edwards presents an educational on Jayne Jayroe for Gamma Zeta chapter of Epsilon Sigma Alpha’s “Women of Prominence” series.

Jayne Anne Jayroe-Gamble is a wellknown broadcaster, author and public official and former American beauty queen from Laverne, Okla., who was Miss Oklahoma in 1966 and Miss America in 1967. Jayroe worked as an anchor in Tv news in Oklahoma City and Dallas-Fort Worth broadcast media markers for 16 years. .

Jane Jayroe Gamble was the first

Miss America to visit a combat zone and started the Miss America tradition of providing entertainment to our military every year. A famous quote of hers is, “This incredible state called Oklahoma, this homeland of many hearts, has always sung a special song to me.” She was appointed to state leadership roles under four governors. She was the first woman to chair the Oklahoma Academy. Jayroe-Gamble has written several books, is a sought-after speaker, and has created audio devotionals.

See more talks, Page 8.

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

Payment is due upon submission by noon Thursday.

Page 4 • December 17, 2020 • Edmond Life & Leisure

From the Publisher

Host of locals file for office Raise your hand if you are not a candidate for one of the many Edmond city, state, and school board seats in 2021.

Anybody?

All joking aside, it has been some time since we have seen so many candidates file for office for not only Edmond city council but also the Edmond Ray Hibbard Public School board. There is also a special election for Oklahoma Senate seat 22 which was vacated by Stephanie Bice when she because our Oklahoma U.S. representative for District 5. It makes for a total of 21 folks that have thrown their hat in the ring for the primary election coming Feb. 9.

Many of my friends called up to congratulate me on having such a field for selling advertising.

True, if they can raise the money. When there are so many folks running for several offices, it can be difficult to raise campaign funds. There are only so many people that will donate to local campaigns. It is a shame because these are the elections where you vote counts most of all compared to national or state elections. We do not consider how much a candidate spends when it comes to giving our endorsement. I know that is old fashion of us and we do not follow the social media business plan. Those darn journalistic ethics get in the way.

We would never take a bribe but a candidate making the decision to purchase advertising in Edmond Life & Leisure is considered a sign of intelligence as my mentor in the business, Leland Gourley, taught me. He also used to tell candidates he liked for an office, “I will endorse you or not, which ever one you think would help you the most.” We have adopted both of those political positions here at Edmond’s only local newspaper.

For City Council, Ward 3, and Ward 4 both have three or more candidates filing. Here is how that works under Edmond city charter. There will be a primary in each ward Feb. 9 where only the folks in those wards will be able to vote. The top two vote getters that come out of those wards will then move on to the general election in April. In the general election, qualified voters from all Edmond wards get to vote even though the elected candidates will be representing wards once in office.

I know it can be confusing but this system has served Edmond well over the years. It is different then Oklahoma City and many other metropolitan areas where only those in their particular ward vote and it is not open to the entire city at some point. The Edmond system makes elected officials beholding to their ward in order to get out to the general when there are more than two candidates, but it also keeps the kind of turf battles you can see in other cities by letting the final say be from a city-wide vote. Council members are urged to do what is good for the entire city as well as their ward.

There are three candidates that have filed for City of Edmond mayor. However, Will Gattenby has already dropped out. Casey Moore, of the City of Edmond said state law allowed a candidate to withdraw 48 hours after the close of fil-

City of Edmond ward boundaries ing. Therefore Darrel Davis and Nathan Walters will be seeking the mayor’s job in April’s election.

The incumbent, Dan O’Neil, did seek re-election.

For Edmond Public School board, there are four challengers to incumbent Lee Ann Kuhlman in the Office 1 seat. One of the candidates is a retired EPS principal and has previously served on the school board. I’m not sure what would make someone want to serve on a school board. Former Edmond Mayor, Bob Rudkin told me once it was the hardest elected office he ever held. People get the most upset about anything affecting their kids and many times school board members must face them. I can plead guilty as charged having raised five kids in Edmond. Anyone running for school board is doing so out of service.

It is a thankless job folks.

The above offices are all non-partisan. The candidates do not run by party but only as candidates. It makes the process a little more confusing, but I think it is a good thing. This is not the case for the now open senate seat. There are four Republicans that have filed for the Oklahoma Senate seat 22 and two Democrats. The four Republicans will face each other in the primary but the Democrats will move on to the general.

You just must wonder what has turned out all these candidates to file. I think it is a great thing that such a diversity and number of folks have decided to put themselves out to run. It is not an easy thing and we respect all the folks that have decided to run. It sure is not for the money which is next to nothing for all he elected positions.

The year 2020 had caused many changes and reason for folks to evaluate their lives. I just do not know if this is because people are unsatisfied with current elected officials. Most of these are open seats so it makes sense more folks would rather not run against an incumbent. I must wonder if the way our city council performed dealing with the mask ordinance has brought out more candidates thinking they could do better no mat-

ter what side of the issue they were on.

Some of these folks might drop out once they sober up and realize what they have done. It is a big undertaking and requires commitment and much work. This is a good thing. We look forward to meeting the candidates that are serious enough to come by and talk with us at Edmond Life & Leisure. We will also keep you informed of the ones that care enough to realize that your local newspaper is a great source of communication with Edmond residents.

Gov. Stitt has lost touch We were shocked to see yet another blunder

by Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt in The Oklahoman. The article, originally from The Frontier, reported about our governor complaining to multiple hospital leaders about their employees giving interviews with media outlets. Really? Has the Oklahoma Governor not heard of the First Amendment?

To be fair the investigative piece did use anonymous sources, but it was a multitude of them. According to the story, Stitt called Mercy Hospital president, Jim Gebhart, and threating him that if they did not stop fearmongering about capacity issues, he would impose a ban on elective surgeries. Stitt knows this would be a financial hardship on medical facilities right now and he understands the damage that came from the elective surgery shutdown at the onset of the pandemic. Stitt has defaulted to being a bully folks. This is conduct unbecoming of the office.

Stitt also made the comment last week that he likes the direction Oklahoma is going with COVID-19. He must be kidding. Every measurement is growing and not in a good way. Governor, please stop playing politics and do a reality check. Such behavior is not going to get you reelected. It will, in fact, be the reason Oklahoma’s turn you out of the governor’s mansion.

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

Check out what’s inside!

---- Another look at new Francis Tuttle Edmond campus ..................Page 6.

---- Police arrest report ......................................................................Page 8.

---- Obituary notices ..........................................................................Page 8.

---- D.C. Swamp alive and well ........................................................Page 10.

---- A candidate for State Senate seat ..............................................Page 11.

---- Elaine Warner’s travel column ....................................................Page 14.

---- George Gust reviews ‘The Prom’ movie......................................Page 14.

---- Crossword puzzle ......................................................................Page 14.

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 • December 17, 2020 • Page 5

Page 6 • December 17, 2020 • Edmond Life & Leisure

OCCC president to retire The Oklahoma City Community College (OCCC) Board of Regents & Trustees met in a special session on Monday to review a request from OCCC President Dr. Jerry Steward to review and vote on an expedited retirement plan. President Steward earlier this year announced his retirement effective July 2, 2021, but has revised his plans with a retirement date of January 1, 2021. The Board of Regents approved President Steward’s request.

“It has been the honor of my life to serve as President of Oklahoma City Community College,” said President Steward in his retirement announcement on Aug. 17.

Everyone in the community can find inspiration in the Francis Tuttle Danforth Campus Design Thinking School. It is designed to promote the free flow of ideas and creativity and has space for collaboration on new ideas or ongoing projects.

Tackling the skills gap is being built into Francis Tuttle Danforth Campus The jobs of tomorrow will require skills that must be acquired today. Bridging this skills gap is part of Francis Tuttle Technology Center’s mission and a key component of the Danforth Campus.

Technology and a changing economy are creating a situation where employers can’t find the skilled workers they need for specific tasks. The Danforth Campus is equipped to tackle the skills gap by encouraging students to embrace the skills they will need for a successful career and excel in them.

“The whole creation of this campus is centered around fostering the creativity that each student has to fulfill their dreams,” Superintendent Dr. Michelle Keylon said. “The second part of it is the very tangible skills needed to go to work. So, even if you don’t want to end up owning your own business, and you want to go some place and work for someone else, you’re going to be prepared to do that.”

Students on the Danforth Campus — as is the case on all Francis Tuttle campuses — will have access to the latest tools and innovative methods used by professionals today. Classrooms will provide real-world experiences, guided by instructors who have professional experience and training.

In addition, the Danforth Campus spaces will motivate students to look beyond what they can currently do as a professional. Entrepreneurship, creativity, innovation and collaboration that are encouraged in every program will provide students with the skills they need to succeed in the jobs of the new economy.

“One of the focuses is really engaging students, both cognitively and hands-on,” Keylon said. “We have several creative spaces that are not typically

at a school.”

Design Thinking, a methodology of problem solving and sparking creativity, went into the design of the Danforth Campus, and a few spaces in particular will encourage students to imagine their own future careers. Spaces on campus are all designed to bring students together with each other, with mentors and professionals, and with their own ideas to facilitate the free flow of information and spark creativity.

At the Design Thinking School, students and members of the community can come together to discuss new ideas and test them out in an informal setting. This is where business and education will come together to develop and communicate new concepts that will lead companies forward and provide students first-hand knowledge of the skills they need.

Design Thinking Studios are spaces where students and teams can brainstorm and begin the innovation process. Collaboration is encouraged, improving communication and teamwork skills that are vital for future jobs.

And in the Product Realization Lab, community members have the latest tools at their fingertips to create prototypes and products. Ideas come to life thanks to 3-D printers, laser cutters, and the newest in fabrication technology. For those seeking a more virtual format, coding stations will give users the tools and knowledge they need for an increasingly digital world.

Whether with their brains or their hands, students and budding entrepreneurs at the Danforth Campus will find the time and resources they need to hone skills for a successful career in the economy of the future.

Helping low-income women, youth through Catholic Charities program Molina Heathcare is providing financial support for Catholic Charities' Sanctuary Women’s Development Center. Sanctuary offers homeless and low-income women and children resources, providing support and advocacy to alleviate the effects of poverty within the community and providing tools to overcome homelessness.

“Catholic Charities is pleased to partner with Molina Healthcare in ensuring the most vulnerable in our community have access to the help they need,” said Patrick Raglow, Executive Director of Catholic Charities. “This gift to Sanctuary Women’s Development Centers is just one way Molina seeks to partner with local service agencies to strengthen our community by working together. We look forward to working with Molina Healthcare to help our clients achieve the success they seek.”

Sanctuary provides social services to homeless and at-risk women and their children including resource referral and assistance accessing services such as daycare and Early Head

Start, vocational and employment development, solution-focused advocacy, and a self-efficacy group.

Staffan entered Sanctuary in 2018 after being homeless for one year and ten months. She had been living in her car in a Wal-Mart parking lot.

“I felt hopeless, despair, sometimes I didn’t feel at all; Sanctuary gave me hope,” she said. Staffan entered Case Management at Sanctuary in order to establish goals and get her life back on track. “I met women from all walks of life and it gave me strength,” she said.

Through Sanctuary, she was able to find employment and housing and is now living on her own.

Catholic Charities assists people of all cultures and to rise out of poverty and overcome barriers to self-sufficiency. The agency offers a broad range of programs such as adoption and pregnancy services, counseling, disaster support, family supportive services, homeless support, housing assistance, refugee services, and immigration legal services.

Edmond Life & Leisure • December 17, 2020 • Page 7

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Obituary notices Leah Rae Hayes Kessler Leah Rae Hayes Kessler passed away on December 5, 2020. Leah was born on April 3, 1935 in Oklahoma City, to Melvin and Monta Hayes.

She graduated Classen High School in 1953 and went on to achieve many things in her life.

She married Carl Kessler on June 5, 1953 and they had three wonderful children.

She was a member of Chapel Hill United Methodist Church and stayed very busy in her community. She loved to play golf in her spare time.

Leah was the co-owner of C&G Home Services in Edmond for 40 years, the director of Downtown Edmond Merchants Association, former president of Edmond’s Liberty Fest, and organizer of A Taste of Edmond.

Leah was a member of many organizations including Edmond Historical Society, Edmond Chamber of Commerce. She was active in the Edmond community for many years, being a part of such events as Edmond’s Liberty Fest, Edmonds Festival of Lights and Taste of Edmond. She was very involved in the promotion of Lyric Theatre in Oklahoma City and as a youth sponsor at the Chapel Hill Methodist Church of OKC. Leah’s proudest moment was when an Edmond newspaper deemed her “Edmond’s Event Planning Queen.”

Her parents and a sister Retha Jeane preceded her in death. Leah is survived by her husband Carl Kessler and her children Holly and husband Lonnie Heim of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Tracey Custer of Dallas, Texas, Tod and wife Christy Kessler of Prosper, Texas; grandchildren Natalie Barnes and husband Beau, Nicholas Heim and wife Amie, Christopher Heim and wife Kaylee, Cameron Custer, Brandon Kessler and wife Jessica, Austin Kessler; great grandchildren Owen, Eleanor, Lorelei and Isla as well as many loved ones and friends.

Gary Cutter Gary Cutter, a life-long resident of Edmond, OK, died on Thursday, December 10, 2020 at the age of 66.

Gary is survived by his son, Cody Cutter of Edmond, OK, father, Richard Cutter (Sharon) of Edmond and sister Debbie Holloway (Rex) of Texas. He is predeceased by his mother, Shirlene Cutter, and his wife, Janie Cutter.

Gary graduated from Central State University (now UCO) and quickly jumped into real estate sales and investments. He was co-owner of Realty World Cutter-Stamps in Edmond before investing his full time in the rental business. Gary loved the real estate business; it was a game to him... and yet, he lived a simple life. He was completely happy wearing his traditional, white t-shirt with jeans and following his submarine sandwich routines.

Gary was always quick with a joke to brighten the day, and his humor usually resulted in finding funny nicknames for his loved ones. He will be deeply missed by his family, friends, and all who knew him.

The family requests in lieu of flowers, contributions be made to, “Breakfast on Boulevard,” or Building Fund, payable to First Christian Church, PO Box 3548, Edmond, OK 73083.

Sigma Alpha membership hears presentation on artist O’Keefe Artist Shirley Moore presented her Gamma Zeta chapter of Epsilon Sigma Alpha biographical information on Georgia Totto O’Keefe.

Gamma Zeta members learned about the Mother of American modernism from member Shirley Moore during the educational series “The Prominent Women of the United States.” O’Keeffe wanted to be an artist since she was a ten-year-old child. She loved to draw nature from the backseat of a Model-A Ford which allowed her to stay out of the unrelenting New Mexico sun. More than 200 of her 2,000 paintings were of flowers.

Financial troubles, nervous breakdowns, and crippling eyesight caused O’Keefe to quit painting three times.

At the end, O’Keeffe’s life attests to one core value: never give up what you love. She was 98 years old when

Shirley Moore she passed away. Her contributions sparked a cultural shift in 20th century American art and changed America’s feminist perspective with her unique artistic style.

Edmond Police report (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.)

Nov. 30 Muhammad Saleem Blake, 19, of Edmond. Felony warrant.

Jeshua John Chilson, 41, of Edmond. Misdemeanor receiving stolen property and misdemeanor possession of another’s debit card.

Bradley Walter Thayer, 44, of Edmond. Two counts of failure to appear.

Merylyn Loren Proffitt, Jr., 59 of Edmond. Public intoxication.

Julian Michael Perry, 18 of Edmond. Arrested for disorderly conduct.

Tester Test esquire,34, of Tunkey, Texas. Felony warrant, no proof of insurance and driving while privilege is canceled, suspended, denied or revoked.

Lana Jean Blasingame, 41 of Edmond. Non-assault resisting officer.

Dec. 1 Shawnell Unique Roney, 31, of Oklahoma City. Pattern of criminal activity, trespassing after being forbidden and misdemeanor first and second offense, of larceny from a retailer.

Lloyd Sheldon Aragon, 42, of Shawnee. Transporting open container of intoxicating beverage or beer and operating (DUI or APC) a motor vehicle with a blood alcohol content of .15 or more.

Dec. 2 Jason Emergy Overturff, 33 of Edmond. Shoplifting and failure to appear.

Dmarcus Rashaad Bell, 23 of Oklahoma City. Shoplifting.

Dec. 3 Stephanie Gayle Nunez, 42 of Moore. Possession of drug paraphernalia, possession CDS and public intoxication.

Austin Cole Yanez, 20, homeless.

Trespassing after being warned.

True Alexander Claunch, 21 of Oklahoma City. Misdemeaor warrant, felony warrant and failure to appear.

Torri Daniel Worthy, 28 of Enid.

Possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of CDS. Kenneth Aaron Lee, 39 of Oklahoma City. Failure to appear.

Dec. 4 Luke Christopher Hunter, 19 of Edmond. Misdemeanor purchase/possess/ identification card -- illegal acts.

Transport open container of intoxication beverage or beer, possession of drug pharaphernalia, possession of CDS. Dec. 5 Casey Lee McClellan, 29 of Edmond. Misdemeanor warrant and petit larceny.

Brittany Leeann Combs, 26 of Edmond. Possession of CDS and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Joseph Allen Alonzo, 38 of Oklahoma City. Public intoxication.

Kevin Michael Berggren Jr., 20 of Edmond. Public intoxication.

Dec. 6 Robert Victor Damico, 28, of Livepan, Texas. Felony warrant and public intoxication.

Sarra Jeannette Pope, 38 of Logan County, Failure to appear.

Shiloh Wayne Haddox, 23 homeless. Possession of drug paraphernalia and false representation to an officer.

Chase Clinton McGimsey, 24 of Elizabethtown, Kent. Possession of CDS, possession of drug paraphernalia and operation (DUI or APC) vehicle under the influence of alcohol.

Remembering women’s rights leader Epsilon Sigma Alpha’s Gamma Zeta member Ada Blankenship presents an educational on Elizabeth Cady Stanton.

Elizabeth Cady Stanton was an American leader in the women’s rights movement. In 1848 at the Seneca Falls Convention, she drafted the first organized demand for women’s suffrage in the United States. Stanton changed the laws that women had in America because she possessed selflessness, courage, and determination that made her worthy of the title hero. She persevered to change the rights of women in the world. Her unwavering dedication to women’s suffrage resulted in the 19th amendment to the Constitution, which granted women the right to

Ada Blankenship vote. She formed the Women’s Christian Temperance Union and the International Ladies’ Garment Workers’ Union. Stanton was an orator, a writer, an organizer and tactician.

This educational was so informative

Second woman in Congress recalled Linda Coniglio, Epsilon Sigma Alpha International Service Organization, introduces her Gamma Zeta chapter to Alice Mary Robertson.

Robertson 1854–1931 was an American educator, social worker, government official, and politician who became the second woman to serve in the United States Congress and the first from the state of Oklahoma. Robertson was the first woman to defeat an incumbent congressman. She was known for her strong personality, commitment to Native American issues, and anti-feminist stance. Theodore Roosevelt appointed her as the United States postmaster of Muskogee, Oklahoma, serving from 1905-1913. During WWI, she started the Muskogee chapter of the American Red Cross.

Her parents translated many works into the Creek language, including

Linda Coniglio the Bible. Robertson taught at a Presbyterian boarding school for girls which eventually became the University of Tulsa. Until the election of Mary Fallin in 2006, Robertson was the only woman elected from Oklahoma to Congress.

Edmond Life & Leisure • December 17, 2020 • Page 9

Toys for Tots Campaign

PHOTO PROVIDED

DAR Cordelia Steen Chapter of Edmond partnered with the Sons of the American Revolution Oklahoma City Chapter in the Toys for Tots campaign for children in need. Pictured is Andrea Aven, Regent, Cordelia Steen Chapter, NSDAR, and Craig Crow, Registrar, Oklahoma City Chapter, NSSAR, with Cordelia Steen Chapter's donations.

Page 10 • December 17, 2020 • Edmond Life & Leisure

Commentary ... We’re on YOUR Side

The Swamp lives on Sen. Tim Scott’s sensible every presidential election. And At one time I may have then maybe U.S. Senate and U.S. been skeptical about the House races. mysterious Washington But there should still be a D.C. Swamp discussed so court somewhere that can look much. at election fraud allegations.

Now I’m more convinced This is an issue that impacts of its existence. It seems like millions of people. This isn’t so many of the office holdsome water dispute between ers and power brokers in Washington spend most of Steve Gust Maryland and Delaware.

I think a judge, or a panel of their time rubbing elbows judges, should have at least listened to with each other and living in an echo the evidence and then ruled. chamber.

Seems like most of the judges lisTrump came along and put a dent tened to the mainstream press and asin that ongoing party.

Now the Swamp seems to have got- certained there was no evidence. I don’t know. ten together and taken care of him.

I do know that if the Trump apSomething that puzzles me a bit is pointees to the high court think this why most of the courts, including the will make them popular among the libSupreme Court, were not willing to erals and the D.C. inside crowd, look at possible election fraud. they’re sadly mistaken.

I am by no means an attorney and The left would still love to impeach don’t understand everything about the each of them on non-existent charges, law.

The lawsuit, seeking Supreme Court which really have NO evidence. Ininvolvement, may not have had proper stead liberals will probably settle for packing the court or forcing the juslegal standing. I’m not sure.

Generally the high court doesn’t like tices to retire at age 70.

The Swamp lives on. to get so directly involved in politics.

And if they did, there’s a good (Steve Gust may be reached at chance they might have to rule after news@edmondpaper.com)

approach to police reform

By The Oklahoman Editorial Board U.S. Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina led the work this summer on a Republican police reform bill that got sidelined by politics. Scott holds out hope for progress, and his reasonable approach to the issue is worth a mention.

The lone Black Republican in the Senate, Scott has witnessed the good and the bad of law enforcement — by his count, police have stopped him 18 times since 1999. However, they also were “caring, were on the spot” following an auto accident and after his home was burglarized.

Those experiences have “really informed and educated me on the importance of police re-

form,” Scott said in a recent interview with James R. Copland, senior fellow and director of legal policy at the Manhattan Institute. “And frankly, my positive experience has helped me understand without any question that the vast majority of law enforcement officers see their jobs as a mission — to do good, go home and take care of their families.”

George Floyd’s death in Minneapolis in May produced calls for sweeping police reform.

It also led to demands in some locales to “defund police,” something Scott believes is a big mistake, and he cites increases in violent crime in several U.S. cities as proof.

“The more we demonize law enforcement,

the more we discourage them from patrolling certain areas, the more likely you are to see spikes in crime,” he said.

There is some overlap in the Republican and Democratic versions of the Senate's reform legislation. One sticking point involves “qualified immunity” for police officers, which shields them from civil liability — Scott supports it. Another involves nationalizing policy in some areas. Scott rejects that idea.

“The best way for us to understand and appreciate nuances through the 18,000 police jurisdictions is to have data, data, data,” he said.

“The clearer the data, the clearer the direction, the more you should resource those solutions. …

“We do not believe one size fits all. Leaving the unique and specific decisions to the jurisdiction is really important if we are to improve the outcomes.”

Scott also believes it is vital that attention be paid to life in minority communities, particularly on ways to improve education and economic mobility.

“If we looked at those two pillars … as part and parcel to the conversation about social justice and police reform, we would have a clearer picture with more progress, fewer deaths, fewer violations and certainly more collaboration,” he argues.

A frustration for Scott was that he gave Democrats the chance to make up to 20 amendments to the JUSTICE Act, and still the bill went nowhere. His hope is that political gamesmanship and a focus on “blue vs. Black” can be jettisoned in the months ahead.

From www.Oklahoman.com

Curbing initiative petitions not a good idea

By The Oklahoman Editorial Board An Oklahoma lawmaker’s proposal to require supermajority approval of initiative and referendum petitions is in line with previous efforts to make it tougher to even get such questions to the ballot.

Members tend to blame voters for outcomes they dislike.

A bill considered during the 2020 session would have required initiative petitions to include signatures from each of Oklahoma’s five congressional districts. And, the number of signatures needed would have been higher than is required today because it would have been based on a percentage of the number of legal voters, instead of a percentage of the number of votes cast in the previous gubernatorial election.

Now Sen. John Haste, R-Broken Arrow, has a bill

that would require that state questions win 60% approval from voters, instead of a simple majority.

Oklahoma voters have approved significant changes in recent years, including a constitutional amendment expanding Medicaid coverage — it passed by less than 1 percentage point — and legalization of medical marijuana in 2018, which won 57% approval.

Both questions stemmed from petition drives after the Republican-controlled Legislature failed to pass legislation to address the issues. As a result, Oklahoma now has the most liberal medical marijuana law in the country, and Medicaid expansion is carved into the state’s constitution. Changing the latter would require another vote of the people.

Haste says Oklahomans are accustomed to the 60% threshold because school bond issues require

Letters to the Editor policy We love mail, especially mail from Edmond Life & Leisure readers with complaints, compliments or comments about what they read here. The rules, even for e-mail letters: 1) You must tell us your full name; 2) You must give us your complete address and phone numbers (but we will identify you only by name); and 3) We reserve the right to edit letters for length, clarity and taste (our taste).

Send mail to Letter to the Editor, Edmond Life & Leisure, 107 S. Broadway, Edmond, OK 73034, or fax to 340-3384 or e-mail to news@edmondpaper.com.

the same. If that threshold is adequate for school bonds, he argues, then it should be so for changing the constitution.

“If we’re going to put something in the constitution, we need to be very serious about it and have strong consideration, not by just a simple majority,” Haste told The Oklahoman’s Carmen Forman.

It’s a reasonable point. However, Haste’s bill makes no distinction between initiative petitions that seek to amend the constitution and those that do not.

Haste says constituents have told him they’re concerned about Oklahoma’s expanding constitution. This has been a longtime concern — the beefy document deals with everything from federal regulations to the duties of the state Ethics Commission. Want to know the procedure to remove a town as a county seat? The state constitution tells you how, in a crisp 809 words.

But it also requires that voters be asked at least every 20 years whether to convene a constitutional convention, where perhaps some trimming could be accomplished. Lawmakers have shown little interest in that — the last time it happened was 1970.

GOP leaders in the Senate and House say they're open to changing the initiative petition process, which already is one of the most challenging in the country — fewer than one-fourth of petition drives begun in the past 30 years reached the ballot. But any changes would require approval of the people. Our guess is that if presented with the choice, voters would say “no thanks,” perhaps even by a margin of 60% or more.

Edmond Life & Leisure • December 17, 2020 • Page 11

Keri Shipley, her husband Kurt, and their daughters Laci and Lindsi.

Shipley seeks State Senate seat

Steve Boaldin

‘Art of a Cowboy’ Steve Boaldin’s classes at FAI Steve Boaldin is a well-known commercial artist in the ranching community. He was raised on a farm and ranch in southwest Kansas where he grew up working cattle, rodeoing and breaking horses. Steve always enjoying drawing things, and his subject matter often featured the subject matter around him, cowboys, horses and ranch life. He moved to Oklahoma City in 1986 to pursue his passion for art more seriously and has worked in the area as a commercial artist ever since.

The Art of a Cowboy show is produced and featured by PBS. It shows Steve Boaldin capturing the image of today’s ranchers and cowboys with his paintings. Steve visits ranches throughout the country on the show and uses his abilities to paint the present-day life on the working ranches.

Throughout his career Steve nurtured a love for teaching other budding artists his techniques and creative methods. Edmond Fine Arts

Institute is excited that he will be offering two classes beginning in January 2021. On Wednesday evenings from 4 to 6 p.m. Steve invites students of all levels to join him for a Beginning Art Class that will introduce them to various mediums and techniques. Also beginning in January on Saturday afternoons Steve will be teaching a Western Art Oil Painting class where students will focus on western imagery and the style that Steve uses in his show “Art of a Cowboy”. Both classes are offered in six week sessions and are listed with more detail and registration on edmondfinearts.com.

The Fine Arts Institute is Edmond’s non-profit arts organization offering educational enrichment for adults and children in the visual and performing arts. Classes are taught yearround for all ages at 27 East Edwards in Edmond. For more information on FAI classes, programming or the auction, visit www.edmondfinearts.com

Edmond resident Republican Keri Shipley has announced her candidacy for the Oklahoma State Senate District 22 seat. The office opened after former state Senator Stephanie Bice was elected to Congress in November.

“I’m running to be a voice and advocate for the people of Senate District 22,” Keri said. “Our community needs a strong, conservative leader to stand up for our interests – not special interests. I’m asking everyone to support my campaign so I can work for you.”

Keri lives in west Edmond with her husband, Kurt and they have two daughters, Laci and Lindsi. Kurt is the Chief Operating Officer of Novo Oil and Gas in Oklahoma City. Laci is a Registered Nurse and Lindsi is a student at the University of Arkansas, both girls graduated from Deer Creek High School.

Keri is a third generation Oklahoman. Both her father, a Navy Veteran, and grandfather, an Air Force Veteran, were from Altus, OK. Keri studied Marketing at New Mexico State University and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree.

A highly successful leader of several local education initiatives, Keri has a proven track record of service

to our community. She is a former Deer Creek Executive PTO President, Creek Classic Race Chair, and Registrar for the Edmond Soccer Club. As President and Vice President of the Deer Creek Soccer Booster Club, Keri and Kurt lead fundraising initiatives that increased the soccer budget by two hundred percent, allowing them to greatly expand the program.

Leaders across our area have already endorsed Keri’s candidacy.

Republican State Representative Garry Mize, who represents the northern portion of Senate District 22, said: “Keri is a talented leader who will be an outstanding Senator. I have seen Keri’s strong work ethic, her grasp of issues and her passion to see our schools, businesses and communities thrive.

----For the last year, Keri has worked as a staffer for two current Republican members of the Oklahoma House of Representatives. She’s not only closely followed the policy debates, she’s also learned the in’s and out’s of the Capitol, ensuring that she’ll hit the ground running on Day One!” Former Deer Creek teacher Meredith J. Mustain-Mayernik said:

Page 12 • December 17, 2020 • Edmond Life & Leisure

Centuries-old townhouses line many of Amsterdam’s canals

No electricity? Relive sights of Amsterdam

By Elaine Warner What did you do when the electricity went out? We discovered only one of our five flashlights had good batteries but it was enough light to round up every candle we could find. There we sat – in front of the blank TV. So we talked. And reminisced Elaine about all the family vacations we’ve taken over more than halfa-century of marriage. It was like an old-fashioned slide show – with no pictures. One of our favorites has to be our first trip to Europe.

It was 1969 when our family – Jack, our sevenyear old, Jay, and I embarked on our own “If It’s Tuesday It Must Be Belgium” driving tour through seven countries in three weeks. We’ve learned a lot since then.

No, I’m not going to review our three-week itinerary. Instead, I’d like to compare the Amsterdam of 1969 with the Amsterdam we visited last year.

And I’ll share some of the travel tricks we’ve learned over the years.

Many things were the same – Amsterdam is still a charming city with unique architecture, great history, great art, great food, and wonderful sights. In 1969, the Dam, the main square, was a major hangout for hippies who came to Amsterdam because of the easy access to marijuana. They draped themselves over anything that looked like a place to sit or lie down – not a particularly attractive sight. We noticed very little of this last year.

There is definitely a drug culture, but legal drugs and strict regulation has minimized drug dealers, gangs and territorial disputes. This seems to have ruined the “use as rebellion” prevalent years ago.

There’s even a museum giving the products and use a scholarly look.

In 1969 I was astonished at the number of women who didn’t wear hose. Today nobody does – but you can’t really see a lot of legs because the sidewalks are so crowded. Street crossings are more of an adventure now -- dodging bicycles,

trams, and general traffic. Little else in the historic area seemed different.

Pre-planning is important to me. I’m a big fan of Rick Steves and always buy his guide books before we go. We make a list of our must-sees but leave lots of time for wandering and unexpected opportunities. A suggestion -- don’t always pick the most popular attractions just because everybody does.

Often you’ll spend lots of time and money when there are many other, less-crowded, interesting things to see.

After I check out Rick’s suggestions for the best attractions, I cut out the pages I need and put them in an envelope. Carrying a whole guidebook takes up too much room and adds weight.

Since we schlep our bags a lot, I’ve learned to pack extremely light. This may be TMI, but Jack and I believe in holey underwear. We pack our oldest and throw it away as we go. Rolling clothes saves space and leaves fewer wrinkles.

Over the years, we’ve developed the practice of slowing down – and spending more time in each destination. We love Hop-on-Hop-off bus tours.

We buy a two-day pass. The first day, we ride the entire route -- getting our bearings and noting places where we’ll want to spend time. The cool thing about these tours in Amsterdam is that they are a combination of bus and canal boat segments.

We also bought tram passes for more flexibility.

This latest trip we skipped Amsterdam’s most visited venues – the Rijksmuseum (we wandered through the gardens), the Van Gogh Museum and the Anne Frank House. Check in advance for tickets and consider a City Pass. Instead we visited small galleries, sampled cheese in cheese shops.

There are a dozen Henri Willig Cheeseshops in Amsterdam and their cheese truffle dip and a box of crackers makes a great on-the-go snack. We also toured small museums and the zoo. Plus we had plenty of time to just stroll through the streets and along the canals.

Here are some of the highlights of our latest visit: • Walking, walking, walking – exploring a street

Fuzzy, a traveling teddy, blogs to elementary children (during normal school years), showing them other parts of the world through his travels.

In a cheese shop, he meets a Dutch girl in a traditional costume.

market and the flower market, seeing Rembrandt’s house and a sculptural interpretation of his Night Watch, people watching. There’s so much to see here.

• Eating – The Central Library rooftop cafeteria proved perfect for our first meal – lunch – in Amsterdam. Not only was the food tasty, the deck provides one of the best views in town. Tiny Van Kerkwijk was so good we ate there twice – menu: what the chef is in the mood to fix. Because Indonesia was once part of the Dutch empire, Indonesian rijsttafel is a treat to be savored here.

Literally “rice table,” it consists of a bowl of rice surrounded with numerous bowls of meat, vegetables and other accompaniments.

• The Museum of Dutch Resistance covers the period from 1940 to 1945 when the Netherlands was occupied by the Nazis. This can’t be considered a fun stop but it is an important one.

• The Museum of Bags and Purses, housed in an elegant 17th century canal house, takes visitors from before pockets were invented to contemporary times. Sadly, this museum recently closed permanently – a victim of the pandemic. Hopefully, the stunning collection will find a new home.

• A home for religious women since the 14th century, the Begijnhof is one of the most beautiful and quiet spots in the busy city.

• Sleeping – ah, this was an experience. Because accommodations in the historic area are expensive, we tried some less expensive alternatives.

We stayed on a canal boat – sometimes disasters make the best stories. Check out: www.405magazine.com/an-amsterdam-surprise. (I’d do this again, just in a regular cabin.) And we stayed in a hostel – we had a private room with bath, very minimal but clean – with lots of young people from all over the world.

St. Augustine said, “The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.” The best tip I can give you is – money spent on travel is an excellent investment, the memories last forever. And trips are great to relive when the electricity goes out!

Sunset and Amsterdam’s canals provide great photo opportunities.

Edmond Life & Leisure • December 17, 2020 • Page 13

Edmond’s Slavonic tours N. Africa for Navy WASHINGTON – Secretary Gregory J. Slavonic, of Edmond, who is performing the duties of Under Secretary of the Navy, made his first visit to North Africa while serving in this capacity, visiting the region recently.

During his visit to the region, the Under Secretary traveled to Egypt and Tunisia to advance defense objectives pertaining to maritime domain awareness, maritime security and global power competition with two key partners in the region.

Slavonic’s first stop was in Egypt where he met with top U.S. and Egyptian officials, including the U.S. Ambassador to Egypt Jonathan Cohen and the Commander of the Egyptian Navy Vice Admiral Ahmed Khaled Hassan Said Ahmed “We value our strategic partnership with Egypt, which is based on shared security interests and a desire to strengthen stability in the region. This administration places a high priority on the U.S. — Egypt relationship,” said Slavonic.

While speaking with Khaled at the Ras el Tin Navy Base, Slavonic highlighted how the two countries continue to work together and the appreciation he has for Egypt’s continued participation in exercises such as Bright Star, Eagle Salute and Eagle Response, which aim to enhance interoperability and war-fighting readiness, fortify militaryto-military relationships, and advance operational capabilities of all participating units.

“The Egyptian Navy is a valued partner in the region. It is critical that we continue to work together to maintain freedom of navigation as one of our top priorities,” said Slavonic.

During his time in Egypt, the secretary also met with senior military officials from the Ministry of Defense and made a visit to the Suez Canal Authority, viewing the new marine port and transit building.

In Tunisia, Slavonic participated in a Veteran’s Day Wreath-Laying Ceremony, alongside U.S. Ambassador to Tunisia, Donald Blome at the North Africa American Cemetery.

American Ambassador Don Blome (left) and Under Secretary of the Navy Greg Slavonic (right) are discussing with Dan Hicks (center), Superintendent of the North African American Cemetery the burial marker of Army Private Nicholas Minue, the only Medal of Honor recipient buried at the cemetery who was killed April 1943 during the fighting in the North African campaign. Slavonic was invited to the cemetery in Tunis, Tunisia to participate in the annual Veterans Day ceremony. There are 2,413 soldiers buried at the cemetery and 90 are from Oklahoma

Dedicated in 1960, the 27-acre cemetery is the resting place for 2,841 U.S. military personnel. The cemetery also includes a Wall of the Missing, upon which are inscribed the names of 3,724 individuals who are missing in action. Most of those buried at the North Africa American Cemetery or those memorialized on the Wall of the Missing lost their lives while conducting military activities ranging from North Africa to the Persian Gulf during World War II. ““It was an honor to be in Tunisia on Veteran’s Day, to lay a wreath at the North Africa American Cemetery, the final resting place of thousands of young Americans whose sacrifices helped open the door for the allied victory in World War II,” said Slavonic. “It is vital that we recognize the brave men and women who have served and are continuing to service their country, leading with character, courage, competence, conviction and commitment.”

In addition to participating in the Veteran’s Day

ceremony, Slavonic and Blome also discussed U.S.Tunisian bilateral efforts.

While in Tunisia, Slavonic also traveled to La Pecherie Naval Base where he met with Tunisian Navy Chief of Staff, Rear Adm. Adel Jehane and other senior Navy leaders to discuss increased engagement opportunities with the Tunisian Naval Forces. Other meetings included a visit to the Presidential Palace, meeting with Tunisian National Security Advisor Abderraouf Atallah and senior members of the Tunisian Air Force.

To conclude the visit, Slavonic spoke at the Tunisian Senior War College to share his perspective on maritime security in the Mediterranean.

“One of the foundational pillars of our National Defense Strategy is to cultivate a robust constellation of allies and partners,” said Slavonic. “We’re looking to work alongside our partner nations forces, leveraging our different experiences and capabilities to uphold the rules-based international order that benefits us all.”

Page 14 • December 17, 2020 • Edmond Life & Leisure

Still mostly positive review of ‘The Prom’

Musical overkill takes away from acting

By George Gust “The Prom” is a Netflix/Theater release adaptation of the 2016 Broadway musical of the same name and follows a troupe of over-the-top self-obsessed theater stars (Meryl Streep, James Cordon, Nicole Kidman and Andrew Rannells) who swarm into a small conventional Indiana town in support of a high school girl (Jo Ellen Pellman) who wants to take her girlfriend to the prom.

“The Prom” is a boldly colorful musical adaptation of the Broadway musical show, directed by Ryan Murphy (“Glee”, “American Horror Story”, ”Eat Pray Love”), and featuring a cavalcade of stars. Immediately you can’t deny the raw movie star presence of stars and personalities like Streep, Kidman, and Cordon, but “The Prom” doesn’t feel like they pulled any of its big Broadway punches to accommodate the musical shortcomings of movie stars.

So if you were thinking this film adaptation would be a watered down cinematic version of a the stage show, you would be wrong as the musical numbers are broad and the colors are brighter than the sun.

“The Prom” has a lot of social issues on its mind and wants to use its over 2 hour running time to touch on each one, to mixed results. Most musical

numbers are big and bombastic with enough jazz hands to entertain anyone in the mood for that certain Broadway flair that has been missing in a post COVID theater world, but there are plenty of songs that probably could have wound up on the cutting room floor. The problem with “The Prom” is that there will be points you’ll be in the middle of a number and feel like the emotional stakes weren’t properly set up giving the feeling that each character has a quota of spotlight moments that needed to be hit by the end of the show and the filmmakers were more than happy to playout the string.

With a large star-studded cast, “The Prom” is a movie that does the leg work to get each charac-

ter their moment, with some being better than others. For instance, an accomplished actress like Kidman is a secondary character, but her song and dance routine was one of the more entertaining of the film albeit brief.

On the other hand, you get a lot of Cordon’s over-the-top antics throughout the film that work well at some points, but the misses (like a questionable American accent) miss the mark by a lot.

Overall, “The Prom” bring a lot of fire, passion, glitz, glamour and pizazz to an message of inclusion, but the non-stop musical beat after musical beat can take away from the momentum of the mostly brilliant Broadway-esque performances.

“The Prom” has a lot of color and fun that fans of Broadway musicals will love, but the bloated runtime and non-stop pace keep this movie from being a true crossover mainstream hit.

“The Prom” is rated PG-13 (Thematic Elements, Suggestive/Sexual References, Language. Now available to stream on Netflix.

2.9 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

James Cordon, Nicole Kidman and Meryl Streep headline a star-studded adaptation of big and bold Broadway show ‘The Prom.’

Disinfectant breakthrough?

Answers appearing on Page 19

Southwestern Oklahoma State University in Weatherford is now home to a machine that makes hypochlorous acid that is used to help disinfectant rooms and buildings during the current COVID-19 pandemic.

SWOSU was made aware of the machine by the Custer County Emergency Management Office, and the equipment was supplied by the Federal Emergency Management Agency through the Oklahoma Emergency Management Office.

SWOSU is serving as a manufacturing site.

When salt water is electrolyzed, it produces an anolyte solution that consists of water, chloride salt and Hypochlorous Acid (HOCI).

SWOSU Administration and Finance Vice President Brenda Burgess said HOCI is a powerful oxidant that is effective against invading bacteria, fungi and viruses and can be used in healthcare, food safety, water treatment and general sanitation.

HOCI, unlike chlorine bleach, is 100% safe and non-irritant. If it gets on a person’s skin or eyes, it will not burn; yet it is 70-80 times more efficient at killing microbial pathogens than chlorine bleach.

For material safety sheets or additional information, email Custer County Emergency Director Mike Galloway at custerem@gmail.com or call 580.331.9536.

Crossword Puzzle STATEPOINT CROSSWORD THEME: YEAR IN REVIEW

ACROSS 1. *New wardrobe accessory 5. *RIP, ____ 8. Flock's echo 12. Reply from a tunnel?

13. Feline noise 14. Edward Teller's "baby" 15. Beat 16. Competently 17. Savory jelly 18. *Blue vs. red competition 20. One third of a threepiece suit 21. Mailed greetings 22. Long time 23. ____ biloba 26. Anointing oil 30. Nurses' org.

31. Leafy vegetable 34. "Cogito, ____ sum" 35. Mooring spots 37. Bring into play 38. Old Brazilian coins 39. Prefix with 'graph' 40. *Joe's running mate 42. PGA peg 43. What bees did 45. Fixes firmly 47. Summer mo.

48. R in NPR 50. Widespread 52. *WHO's March announcement 55. Cliffside dwelling 56. Drop-off spot 57. Sonic sound 59. Sports figures, e.g.

60. Persian backgammon 61. Water carrier 62. *Late basketball legend 63. *____ lightning, cause of California wildfires 64. X-ray units

DOWN 1. Copy cats 2. Flu symptom 3. Synagogue 4. 1/100th of a ruble 5. Bid again 6. Western neckwear, pl.

7. Gwyneth, to friends 8. *Like a vote during lockdown 9. What Joy Mangano does on TV 10. Do like exhaust pipe 11. *"Transplant" network 13. ____ of honor 14. It's often wreaked 19. Zoo enclosures 22. Compass dir.

23. Labored breaths 24. *Jared Kushner to Donald Trump 25. Nigerian money 26. Part of an eye 27. About to explode 28. Looked at, amorously 29. Smelling organs 32. Two of the same 33. Philosopher's study

36. *Best Picture Oscarwinner 38. China grass 40. Party barrel 41. Having a cover 44. *What Zoom host does to guests, sometimes 46. Type of jacket 48. "M*A*S*H" character 49. Ticked off 50. *President Trump used this power in 2020 51. United ____ Emirates 52. Be undecided 53. *Caucus state 54. Like most universities 55. Pose a question 58. Robinson or Doubtfire

See Answers on Page 19

Edmond Life & Leisure • December 17, 2020 • Page 15

DHS has good news for Medicaid Waiver providers Oklahoma Human Services (OKDHS) is excited to announce a retroactive rate adjustment for Medicaid Waiver providers serving Oklahomans with developmental disabilities and low-income seniors.

This one-time payment will aid providers with increased costs related to personal protective equipment (PPE) and unprecedented overtime directly related to serving during COVID-19.

“We value the sincere dedication of these provider communities,” said Justin Brown, OKDHS Director and Secretary of Human Services and Early Childhood Initiatives. “There is no greater measure of character and compassion than caring for people when they can’t care for themselves,

including when the people being served are sick or recovering from COVID-19.”

“COVID-19 has reinforced the commitment of providers who serve people with developmental disabilities to be the 24/7 community system ensuring health and safety needs are met,” said Pat Ownbey, Executive Director of Oklahoma Community-Based Providers. “We are abundantly appreciative to the leadership of OKDHS for valuing services for our people, and providing relief and support so we may continue to stand and serve as this pandemic intensifies.”

Payments will be a one-time 20% retroactive rate adjustment for services rendered April 1, 2020 through Sep. 30, 2020, and will be issued in

Website helpful for seniors in battle against COVID-19 Many people have questions about COVID-19 and how to access data.

This following website is to the Oklahoma State Department of Health for COVID-19: https://coronavirus.health.ok.gov/ .

This resource also provides you with information about what you should know including who is at a higher risk. This shows that some people are at higher risk of getting very sick from this illness. This includes: Older adults, people who have serious chronic medical conditions like: Heart disease, Diabetes, and Lung disease.

This site also contains information about how COVID-19 spreads, what to do if you were potentially exposed to someone with confirmed coronavirus disease, what is coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), how do you know if you were exposed, what should you do if you were in close contact with someone with COVID19 while they were ill but you are not sick, what should you do if you were in close contact with someone with COVID-19 and get sick.

It also discusses Prevention & Treatment, such as, washing your hands often and avoiding close contact. It also helps locate COVID-19 testing sites that are open in multiple cities.

The website that follows contains this information: https://coronavirus.health.ok.gov/tes ting-sites.

The Oklahoma State Department of Health releases Media Updates that are updated several times a week. It is titled Situation Update: COVID-19.

The following is the link website: https://coronavirus.health.ok.gov/news. This lists positive confirmed cases in Oklahoma as of that current date. It also lists the number of confirmed deaths between specific dates. If you click on the news tab, you can also click on the Executive Order Report. This shows you PPE and Bed Data. If you click on the executive order report and continue to scroll down, it will show you COVID-19 LTC or Nursing Home Associated Cases by County. It also contains COVID-19 LTC or Nursing Home Associated Cases by Facility.

Feb. 2021 after all of the approval processes and public comment periods have been satisfied.

“We want to make this commitment today to our providers who serve as the community side of the long-term care industry, because they need assurance of our support as they prepare for the coming months,” said Samantha Galloway, OKDHS Chief of Staff and Operations.

Providers will not need to do anything to receive this payment other than have all of their billing complete

and up-to-date for the applicable timeframe by Jan. 1, 2021. OKDHS’ partner agency, the Oklahoma Health Care Authority, will recycle claims and will make the lump sum payment on the agency’s behalf by the end of Feb. 2021.

“These are challenging times and knowing we have a true partnership in serving Oklahoma’s vulnerable seniors alongside OKDHS has been unprecedented,” said Lola Edwards, Home and Community-Based Services Council President.

Page 16 • December 17, 2020 • Edmond Life & Leisure

Coping through the winter blues

By Amber Walter Edmond Family Counseling Isn’t it interesting how different people are? Different likes, dislikes, opinions, wants, needs, tastes, personalities…the list goes on.

Something as natural and predictable as the seasons changing Walter can trigger different reactions in people. With winter comes colder weather, shorter days, time off from school and sometimes work, and, of course, the holidays.

Some people find joy in the characteristics of winter – the sun rising earlier, snuggling up by the fireplace with some hot cocoa, Christmas lights, gift giving, time with family. For others, some of these same aspects that come along with the holiday season can increase feelings of sadness, loneliness, and stress. Having empathy and being understanding with ourselves and others is especially important around the holidays.

In the counseling world, we know that “winter blues” isn’t just a made up expression. We know it as Seasonal Affective Disorder. Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD, is a disorder with symptoms similar to depression – lack of motivation, decreased energy, feeling sad, changes in appetite and/or sleep patterns. These symptoms typically occur around the fall and winter months due to decreased sunlight and shorter daylight hours, which can affect the biological internal clock and lead people to fall out of line with their daily schedule.

This doesn’t necessarily mean every person who dislikes the fact that the sun goes down earlier in the winter should be diagnosed with SAD, but it does prove that the winter shift can affect us more than we think.

In addition to having less daylight to soak up in the evening hours, winter brings with it some of the most celebrated holidays in the country. Of course, the holly jolly of it all sounds great in the-

ory, but increased time with extended family members, budgeting and shopping for gifts, having little ones home from school, work deadlines, and falling out of your normal routine can sometimes increase feelings of stress and anxiety. For those who are away from or have lost loved ones, the holidays can bring up feelings of loneliness and sadness. So, how can people cope with negative emotions when the world around us is showing off its pretty lights and decorations with words like “joy” and “peace” even though those may be the last things people feel? A good place to start is to acknowledge your emotions and consider what may be triggering you. If you have noticed a shorter fuse lately, or a lack of motivation, or a constant tightness in your chest, you may be stressed out, anxious, overwhelmed, or just plain sad. Recognize your emotions and try to get to the bottom of what might be causing these emotions.

Once people have a better understanding of what triggers their emotions, they can begin to work on healthy coping skills in order to help regulate negative emotions that are related to the trigger. For example, if you are feeling stressed out by work or family members, practice some breathing exercises, go for a walk, listen to music, read a book, just take a break for a few minutes to get your mind off of whatever it is that’s triggering you. Additionally, trying to incorporate and stick to healthy habits is especially important around the holiday season.

It can be easy to go overboard on sugary treats

and alcohol around the holidays, but your mind and body will function and feel better with healthy food, movement, plenty of water, and a good amount of sleep. Being honest and vulnerable with yourself and others is another positive way to deal with overwhelming emotions. Talk to someone you trust about how you are feeling, write it down, cry it out, or all of the above.

When expressing emotions, people typically find that just getting it off their chests can help them feel better, and often times find that they aren’t the only ones feeling that way. Another difficult but sometimes necessary strategy that can be helpful in times of increased stress and anxiety is setting boundaries. Know your limits, say no when you need to, don’t stretch yourself too thin, and remember that you cannot please everyone.

Perhaps most importantly, try to remember what it is that you can control. You can’t control the amount of daylight, or the weather, or what your crazy family might do or say, but you can control your reaction to these things. Accept what you can’t change, and decide how you can successfully handle it. Consider which coping skills work for you, and incorporate more of those strategies.

Be kind to yourself and others. We know that everyone experiences the seasons and holidays differently. We also know that they will keep coming, and we can be a little better prepared when they do.

(Edmond Family Counseling is a non-profit organization. We may be reached at 405-341-3554 to schedule an appointment with one of our licensed professional counselors. Donations may be made to Edmond Family Counseling, 1251 N. Broadway, Edmond, OK 73034 or online @www.edmondfamily.org by clicking the yellow DONATE button.)

(Amber Walter, MS, is a Staff Therapist and LPC Candidate at Edmond Family Counseling.)

Edmond resident deployed by Navy Ensign Megan Jack, from Edmond, monitors the horizon for surface and air contacts in the pilot house of the guided-missile destroyer USS Sterett (DDG 104) in the North Arabian Sea, Dec. 4. Sterett is part of the Nimitz Carrier Strike Group and is deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations to ensure maritime stability and security in the Central Region, connecting the Mediterranean and Pacific through the Western Indian Ocean and three critical chokepoints to the free flow of global commerce.

U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Drace Wilson

Edmond Life & Leisure • December 17, 2020 • Page 17

Brexit opportunity State economy may get a boost When Brexit goes into effect Jan. 1, it could spell opportunity for Oklahoma’s economy, according to a new report from Oklahoma State University researchers.

The United Kingdom's trade activity, both imports and exports, consistently puts it in the top 10 worldwide. In 2019, the U.K. was Oklahoma's eighth largest export destination, and Brexit may provide avenues to expand this relationship.

“Oklahoma policymakers and businesses need to be ready to take advantage of this shift,” said Andrew Ranson, director of the School of Global Studies and Partnerships’ Wes Watkins Center for International Trade Development (CITD). “Oklahoma can make strong gains in trade if we are

ready to capitalize on this opportunity.”

The CITD research team report, Brexit and Oklahoma, examines two paths (new and existing) to expanding the trade relationship. The report provides information Oklahoma firms and producers can use to evaluate the potential U.K. market for their goods.

A small number of manufactured goods categories make up the bulk of Oklahoma's exports to the U.K. In addition to expanding existing trade flows in areas such as aerospace, measurement instruments and medical equipment, there may be opportunities to take advantage of Dean Randy Kluver speaks at an event in 2019 celebrating the 20th changing trade patterns in other areas, anniversary of the OSU School of Global Studies. Kluver believes

See Economy, Page 18 Brexit provides a unique opportunity for Oklahoma companies.

Energy sector is hit hard in November Diminished oil field activity is having a significant impact on the Oklahoma economy, State Treasurer Randy McDaniel announced as he released the Gross Receipts to the Treasury report for November.

Collections from all sources in November total $970.5 million, below receipts from a year ago by more than $19 million, or almost two percent.

Combined receipts from the past 12 months of $13.2 billion are down from collections from the trailing 12 months by almost $500 million, or 3.6 percent.

Meanwhile, November gross production tax collections on oil and natural gas are off by more than 50 percent from the prior year. Gross production receipts have been lower than those of the

same month of the prior year for 15 consecutive months, but have trended lower since late 2018.

Underlying the shrinking energy tax collections are decreased commodity prices, production and energy sector employment. Since November 2018, oil prices are down 30 percent and natural gas prices are off more than 35 percent. During the same time, the number of active rigs has plunged by more than 90 percent, from 148 to only 13.

Oklahoma oil fields have shed more than 20,000 jobs and employment levels are down by almost 40 percent in the past two years. Current employment levels in the sector are lower than those reached in the trough that followed the Great Recession in late 2009.

“Oklahoma’s economic slowdown started with

Mize named ‘Rising Star’

by Oklahoma Chamber State Rep. Garry Mize, R-Edmond, received the Rising Star Award from the State Chamber of Oklahoma in a virtual forum on Wednesday, Dec. 9.

“Oklahoma’s businesses are the lifeblood of our state and our economy,” Mize said. “I am glad to support Oklahoma’s businesses, especially in a tough year like this one, and I am appreciative of the recognition by the State Chamber for my work to support these businesses.”

The State Chamber of Oklahoma is the leading statewide membership organization whose purpose is to be the unified voice of business and the most effective advocacy organization at the State Capitol.

“In Oklahoma, we are fortunate to have so many lawmakers who understand the importance of commerce, and these award winners stand out as passionate proponents of business,” State Chamber President and CEO Chad Warmington said. “We are grateful they will be back at the Capitol this year, and we look for-

Rep. Garry Mize

ward to working with them to support businesses of all sizes from every part of the state.”

Mize represents House District 31, which includes a portion of north Oklahoma County and much of Logan County. He was elected in 2018 and is currently serving his second term.

Strong 2021 home market seen Forecasting "more of the same" of anything from 2020 in 2021 could strike fear in the heart — but not in the housing market, which is ending the year on fire, with scarcely more than a single month of local inventory.

November ended with just 2,079 houses listed for sale in the Oklahoma City area, according to the Metro Association of Realtors — a 1.1-month supply. That includes only offerings involving a Realtor, not houses for sale by owner or new homes offered directly by builders. The low supply is far from the six-month inventory thought to represent a balance of supply and demand.

The median sales price in November was $215,750, up 13.2% from November 2019, the Realtors said.

Historically low borrowing costs get most of the credit for the high de-

mand and low supply, although the reluctance of would-be sellers to put their houses on the market, potentially exposing them to the coronavirus, is thought to be helping keep the supply down even as homebuilders work to meet the demand.

Mortgage interest rates averaged 2.71% this week, not counting fees and "points" paid at closing to buy down a loan rate, according to Freddie Mac. That means it cost 27.4% less to borrow now than a year ago, when the average loan rate was 3.73%.

Metro-area builders have already built more homes this year than in all of 2019. by 3.9%. They started 5,526 houses through November, 12% more than the same period last year, according to Norman-based Dharma Inc.'s Builder Report.

From Oklahoman.com

reduced oil field activity several months prior to the virus outbreak,” Treasurer McDaniel said. “The pandemic continues to be a major challenge for both the health and financial wellbeing of Oklahomans. However, we remain encouraged by the overall strength of the state’s economy during these difficult times.”

Other economic indicators The unemployment rate in Oklahoma rose to 6.1 percent in September, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The state’s jobless rate is up from 5.4 percent in September. The seasonally adjusted number of Oklahomans listed as jobless was reported as 114,400. The U.S. unemployment

See Energy, Page 18

Page 18 • December 17, 2020 • Edmond Life & Leisure

Economy From Page 17 such as agriculture. Currently, the U.K. imports roughly half of its agricultural products. Agriculture constitutes only a small fraction of Oklahoma’s exports to the U.K., largely due to highly protective nontariff barriers for agriculture within the European Union.

Many of these protections are likely to remain after Brexit, but it is possible that small changes in regulatory arrangements and/or adaptations by Oklahoma farmers could change current trade patterns in this category.

“Brexit provides a unique opportunity for Oklahoma companies, as it

represents a realignment of existing ties and trade relationships that happens relatively rarely. The CITD report was prepared to help Oklahoma businesses understand this opportunity to support and further broaden the state’s economic base.” said Randy Kluver, dean of OSU’s School of Global Studies and Partnerships.

Founded in 1990, the CITD strives to bring the knowledge, network and resources of Oklahoma State University to make Oklahoma more globally competitive, increase trade and create jobs to keep Oklahoma companies and students in the state to build their futures.

Energy From Page 17 rate was listed at 6.9 percent in October.

The Oklahoma Business Conditions Index in November feel below growth neutral after indicating growth for five consecutive months. The November index was set at 49.4, down from 61.1 in October. Numbers below 50 suggest economic contraction is expected during the next three to six months.

November collections Compared to gross receipts from November 2019, collections in November 2020 showed: Total November 2020 gross collections are $970.5 million, down $19.1 million, or 1.9 percent.

Gross income tax collections, a combination of individual and corporate income taxes, generated $287.3 million, up by $21.8 million, or 8.2 percent.

Individual income tax collections are $270.7 million, an increase of $12.6 million, or 4.9 percent.

Corporate collections are $16.6 million, up by $9.2 million, or 124.5 percent. Wide monthly variances are not uncommon.

Combined sales and use tax collections, including remittances on behalf of cities and counties, total $457.4 million – down by $6.5, or 1.4 percent.

Sales tax collections total $385.8 million, a decrease of $16.7 million, or 4.1 percent.

Use tax receipts, collected on outof-state purchases including internet sales, generated $71.6 million, an increase of $10.2 million, or 16.6 percent.

Gross production taxes on oil and natural gas total $41 million, a decrease of $41.3 million, or 50.2 percent.

Motor vehicle taxes produced $57 million, up by $2.9 million, or 5.3 percent.

Other collections composed of some 60 different sources including taxes on fuel, tobacco, medical marijuana, and alcoholic beverages, produced $127.8 million – up by $3.9 million, or 3.1 percent.

The medical marijuana tax produced $4.8 million, up by $2 million, or 73.6 percent from the prior November.

Twelve-month collections Combined gross receipts for the past 12 months (December 2019 through November 2020) compared to the prior 12 months showed: Gross revenue totals $13.2 billion.

That is $496.3 million, or 3.6 percent, below collections from the previous 12-month period.

Gross income taxes generated $4.77 billion, reflecting an increase of $95.4 million, or 2 percent.

Individual income tax collections total $4.09 billion, down by $66.6 million, or 1.6 percent.

Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation Vice President of Research Rodger McEver, M.D.

Researcher is honored The American Association for the Advancement of Science has named the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation’s Rodger McEver as a Fellow. McEver joined OMRF in 1987 and serves as the foundation’s vice president of research.

McEver was elected as an AAAS Fellow for his research in cardiovascular biology and hematology. His discoveries most recently led to the development of Adakveo, a drug that in 2019 became the first new treatment for sickle cell disease approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 25 years.

The AAAS is the largest general scientific society in the world, with a mission to advance science, engineering and innovation throughout the world for the benefit of all people.

Gillian Air, Ph.D., associate dean in the Graduate College at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center and a professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, nominated McEver for the honor.

“Dr. McEver deserves to be recognized for a combination of his incredible science, contributions to the knowledge base of the field and his administrative skills,” said Air, noting that his work was a factor that drew her to Oklahoma City more than two decades ago.

“I am honored to have been selected to this distinguished group,” said McEver. “This is not something I was expecting, but it is especially humbling to know that you can only gain entry from being nominated by your peers.”

City offering 2021 calendars The 2021 City of Edmond calendars are now available for Edmond residents. The calendars are free and available on a first-come, first-served basis until they are gone. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, calendars are limited to pick up at the following locations: – Edmond Public Library, 10 South Boulevard – City of Edmond Utility Customer Service Entrance, 7 North Broadway – City of Edmond “City First” Entrance, 24 E. First – Edmond Chamber of Commerce

Lobby, 825 E. Second – Edmond Parks & Recreation MAC Entrance, 2733 Marilyn Williams Drive As always, the calendars have many user-friendly features for our residents such as trash collection dates, holiday office hours, council and planning commission meeting dates, city budget information, a community directory and much more.

For additional information about the 2021 City of Edmond calendar, please contact the Marketing & Public Relations office at 359-4531.

OU Health Sciences Center gets $5 million COVID testing grant The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center has been awarded a $5 million federal grant supplement to deploy COVID-19 testing sites in underserved and rural areas of the state, and to work with primary care clinics across Oklahoma to test more patients as the pandemic enters the winter months.

The supplement to the Oklahoma Shared Clinical and Translational Resources grant is from the National Institutes of Health and will leverage the OU Health Sciences Center’s extensive network of relationships and partners throughout Oklahoma.

As cases of COVID-19 surge in Oklahoma, quick and accessible testing is more important than ever, said family physician Steven Crawford, M.D., Senior Associate Dean at the OU College of Medicine.

“This grant, and the outreach it will allow us to do, is especially important in Oklahoma right now as more and more people are being infected by COVID-19, and as we enter the traditional season of flu and other respiratory illnesses,” Crawford said. “Increased testing will play a critical role in

slowing the spread of this coronavirus, and it is important that we differentiate COVID-19 infections from the flu and other respiratory infections.”

For one component of the project, the OU Health Sciences Center is partnering with the Oklahoma State Department of Health and Public Health Institute of Oklahoma to hold approximately 250 mobile testing events across Oklahoma, in areas where testing has not been widely available. Other partners in the effort include the Latino Community Development Agency, the Southern Plains Tribal Health Board, the Chickasaw Nation, County Health Improvement Organizations, and the Oklahoma Primary Healthcare Improvement Cooperative.

Another component of the grant is to work with up to 50 primary care clinics across Oklahoma so that they can immediately test for COVID-19 in their practices. The grant will provide testing materials and personal protective equipment, along with any assistance needed for clinic personnel to integrate the process into the ongoing demands of

their daily work.

“By increasing rapid testing opportunities across the state, we hope that more people are able to be tested,” said Timothy VanWagoner, Ph.D., administrative director of the Oklahoma Clinical and Translational Science Institute, the OU Health Sciences Center program directing the grant. “Along with testing efforts, we are conducting surveys – of healthcare providers and people who get tested -to gain insight into the testing barriers that may exist for various populations of people. For example, we know many people cannot afford to take off work for days while they wait for results of the test.

“We are part of the national Rapid Acceleration of Diagnostics – Underserved Populations (RADxUP) consortium trying to better understand what affects a person’s acceptance of testing, which will also be important when vaccines are available,” VanWagoner added. “Furthermore, that data will also help us respond more quickly and efficiently in the future if another pandemic occurs.”

Edmond Life & Leisure • December 17, 2020 • Page 19

Love’s Store assists a county nonprofit Upward Transitions is honored to receive $20,000 from Love’s Travel Stops and Country Stores. These funds will support the mission of Upward Transitions as it strives to end generational poverty in Oklahoma County.

Upward Transitions serves families and individuals who are homeless, at risk of becoming homeless, or stranded by providing case management and stabilizing resources to help meet basic social needs. Our ultimate goal is to assist families and individuals during times of financial devastation, so they remain – or can return to being – productive contributors to their community.

Periann Pulliam, Chief Executive Officer of Upward Transitions shared, “Upward Transitions is grateful to Judy Love and Love’s Travel Stops and Country Stores for their generous support of our services. Our programs to end generational poverty have never been more relevant, and we appreciate that Love’s recognizes our work.”

In the past year, Upward Transitions has seen exponential growth in requests for assistance. In 2019-2020 Upward Transitions assisted more than 3,330 people in 2,034 households with their basic needs. Upward Transitions is well on track to exceed these numbers for 2020-2021.

With the support of organizations, like Love’s Travel Stops and Country Stores, Upward Transitions can support families and individuals who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless.

Through Upward Transitions’ Community Outreach Program, emergency relief, case management, and direct services are provided to clients to address the issues of homelessness and generational poverty.

Homeless population said to top 560,000 On any given night during the cold month of January, over 568,000 people experience the fear and discomfort of homelessness.

While homelessness rates fell between 2007 and 2019, the problem has started to increase again.

According to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, in 2017, the U.S. began seeing a rise in homelessness year over year for the first time since the most devastating part of the housing crisis in 2010.

Homelessness also has a disproportionate effect across the nation. California, for example, saw a substantial 16% increase in 2019 over 2018. Cities also seem to struggle the most with a lack of housing for the most vulnerable. More than half of all homeless people (53%) are in the 50 largest U.S. cities.

While these numbers are alarming, they likely understate the true size of the problem. The very nature of stigma around homelessness makes people less likely to report how insecure their housing is.

The past year has been challenging for low-income workers as a result of COVID-19. Those who were already at risk for homelessness find themselves in a difficult position. The alarming rise in joblessness, combined with soaring housing and rental prices, means that many people are suddenly unable to pay for their living situations. As a result, 2020 could see the biggest rise yet as lower-income individuals and families grapple with joblessness in the face of the pandemic.

The potential dramatic rise in homelessness during 2020 could make already complicated housing policies even worse.

In light of COVID 19 for the time being, some worship services may be suspended or online.

Please check with your house of worship for more information.

Page 20 • December 17, 2020 • Edmond Life & Leisure