JFK Awards Peter and Sandy Pembroke, Leah and Auston Graves and Kelly and Jared Heaton support the winners of the JFK Awards. Page B1
OKC FRIDAY Vol. 53 No. 22 • Two Sections • 18 Pages • October 4, 2019
www.okcfriday.com facebook.com/okcfriday OKC’s only locally-owned legal newspaper with all local news Serving Oklahoma City, Nichols Hills, The Village, Quail Creek, The Greens and Gaillardia for 45 years
Scissortail Park opens Left, Councilman Mark and Debbie Stonecipher, and OKC Philharmonic Conductor Alexander Mickelthwate and the orchestra wowed the crowd of more than 5,000. Below left, Sponsors gathering before the concert Kari and Hardy Watkins, back row, Jerry and Jane Gamble and Terry Cooper. Below right, Dick Sias presentor of the OKC Philharmonic Concert with Carol and Gary Sander. More photos by Vicki Clark and OKC FRIDAY friends on Page 3.
Darla Zuhdi will perform with Wayne Newton in Las Vegas this fall.
Attorneys general, phone companies work to hold the line on robocalls By Rose Lane Editor
the Rap/Sung category for the Grammys. What many critics said they consider to be the greatest reggae song written since “Don’t Worry Be Happy,” Darla Z’s “You Take Me Up” will “capture your heart and keep your toes dancing.” “Funky Junky Christmas,” a
The frequent calls come from unknown numbers and they can concern everything from extended automobile warranties to time-share offers and credit cards. Most cell phone users have experienced an onslaught of robocalls. When they answer, they get a recorded message. “Yes, I get a lot of robocalls and not just from the U.S.,” Fridayland resident Annie Bohanon said. “As soon as I don’t recognize area code, I don't answer. Most of mine are regarding overdue credit cards and I don’t even have those cards. The final message today was to advertise a nursing home for seniors.” “They just leave messages,” she confirmed. “Sometimes they say that if I am hearing impaired they also sell hearing aides.” While Leslie Spears said she feels like there is nothing she can do about it, she does sometimes hang on the line. “Seemed like when I let the call go through I could pick option 2 to get a quote on health insurance or option 9 to opt out of calls,” she said. “Nine never worked or stopped the calls. When I got a person I would start telling them to stop calling me and they would hang up on me.”
See DARLA, Page 3
See CALLS, Page 3
Darla’s up for Grammy Awards Fridayland singer and songwriter Darla Zuhdi (Darla Z) is up for several Grammy Awards this year for two songs and one album. Darla teamed with Ronnie Wilson, founder of the legendary Gap Band, to cowrite two songs which have been entered and accepted by the Recording Academy for consideration under
WRONG NUMBER
Three in a row: Irish cheer team is state champion again The Bishop McGuinness Catholic High School state cheer team made history again at the OSSAA state cheerleading competition. The team won regionals the week before and after a flawless performance at state, the team was once again crowned OSSAA Class 5A state champions. This is the 3rd consecutive straight championship for the squad. Team coaches are Mandy Thomson Gerszewski and Amber Freeman.
From left: First row, seniors Sunni Foster, Holly Danner and Olivia Koenig; second row, Liv Messina, Julianne Bentley, Hadley Ferguson, Grace Thielke, Aubrey Ruffin, Elyse Cronic, Cate Carter, Ali Anderson and Peyton McCuan; and third row, Head Coach Mandy Gerszewski, Morgan McLarty, Elizabeth Sullivan, Grace Roberts, Maureen Grimes, Natalie Waddell, Chloe Abel, Nora Schwartz, Kylie Wood, Isabella Scherm, Jenson McPherson, Molly Kelley, Meg German, Lecy Starr, Grady Morton, Principal David Morton and Assistant Coach Amber Freeman.
FRIDAY’s
Cat of the Week Mr. Turley is a farm cat from western Oklahoma who now resides with his human, Phyllis Prickett in northwest Oklahoma City. In his cowboy attire he prefers the name Teddy Turley Roosevelt. Email Dog of the Week, Baby of the Week and Cat of the Week submissions to rose@okcfriday. com. Submissions are used in the order they are received.
Sponsored by Paulette and Leo Kingston of WePayFast.com
Habitat completes 500th repair Central Oklahoma Habitat for Humanity completed its 500th Critical Home Repair for homeowner Evelyn Buck. COHFH’s Critical Home Repair program helps low-income homeowners who are struggling to maintain their dwelling due to limitations related to income, age, disability or other circumstances. “We complete 50 Critical Home Repair
projects a year thanks to private donations and proceeds from Central Oklahoma Habitat ReStores,” said Chris Hearn, Critical Home Repair volunteer coordinator. “Completing our 500th house is a huge milestone that we could have had accomplished without countless volunteers, donors and longtime Critical Home Repair sponsors.” Buck, a former drug
addict who has been sober for many years, purchased the home with her late husband in 1993. The couple slept in the living room for seven years after a fire destroyed ceilings and walls in several rooms of the home. Following her husband’s death in November 2018, she applied for COHFH’s Critical Home Repair program. See HOME, Page 3