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CONTENTS 33

6

36

32

LIFE

LIFE

ON THE COVER

NEWS

New York City is the city that never sleeps. Oklahoma City? Not so much.

But if you know where to look and you don’t mind exploring a bit, this is a city full of overnight bites just waiting to be devoured. Here’s the challenge: Stay fed in the metro from 10 p.m. to 10 a.m. While the rest of the world sleeps, I eats. P.20

4

City: Cory Baitz Q&A

20

Cover: nighttime eats

33

Performing Arts: Joe Long, mime

6

Education: Alpha Phi Alpha Boy’s Institute

22

What Mama Wants

34

Sudoku / Crossword

City: Capitol Hill

24

8

Food & Drink: food briefs, Hungry Frog Restaurant, OKG eat: spicy

36

Active: OCCC Aquatic Center

10

News briefs

Culture: Cinco de Mayo

37

28

12

Chicken-Fried News

30

Youth: Positive Tomorrows

Music: Queen of the Prairie Festival, event listings, Helen Kelter Skelter

14

Commentary

32

41

Film: Me and Ichikawa

14

Letters

Visual Arts: Oklahoma Artists Invitational

42

Astrology

42

Classifieds

— By Greg Elwell

32

LIFE 16

OKG picks

Books: It’s Not About Perfect: Competing for My Country and Fighting for My Life

MISSION STATEMENT Oklahoma Gazette’s mission is to stimulate, examine and inform the public on local quality of life issues and social needs, to recognize community accomplishments, and to provide a forum for inspiration, participation and interaction across all media.

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News city

Q&A M a rK HaN COC K

Cory Baitz reviews downtown design with Oklahoma Gazette.

By BeN Felder

Cory Baitz, a licensed architect at Miles Associates, was appointed to the Oklahoma City Downtown Design Review Committee (DDRC) by Mayor Mick Cornett in December.

A native of New York City and former resident of Chicago, Baitz brings a unique perspective to Oklahoma City’s downtown design process, which the DDRC plays a part in shaping.

Baitz recently sat down with Oklahoma Gazette to discuss the state of design and development downtown.

Oklahoma Gazette (OG): How would you characterize downtown right now from a design and building perspective?

Cory Baitz (CB): I think it’s at a really good point. The Devon Energy Tower has done so much for the city. I don’t know if everybody realizes it. The way it was designed, the quality of the design and architecture, it has really elevated the design standards in the city and raised the bar for what is built moving forward.

I think that influence is going to permeate for years to come because I think that bar is being raised. There is a lot of availability downtown to do new and good design, and as that development comes in, with that bar already raised, it’s going to further develop in a positive way.

OG: What advantages does downtown Oklahoma City have from a design and development perspective?

CB: Considering cities like New York and Chicago and their history and

4 | april 29, 2015 | OklahOma Gazette

density and the existing infrastructure, it’s really tough to maneuver through and change there. You have some infill projects here and there, but [those cities] are only adding a stitch or two to the fabric without any major changes taking place to the culture of design.

I think in Oklahoma City, right now, there’s a lot more room to influence that fabric, to put in whole swatches.

There’s a pretty strong and stark history with demolition here that has been tough, but at the same time, that history is providing an opportunity right now.

Those buildings are gone and they are lost, but right now, they are parking lots, and those are blank canvases for future infill projects.

Oklahoma City is more ripe, more able to take on something bigger and better because we are not as developed and we have the room.

— Cory Baitz From a [transportation] infrastructure standpoint, there is not much here other than driving your car. But is that maybe an opportunity for something else to come in? When people start talking about the future of personal rapid transit and the [self-

Cory Baitz poses with artist renderings of the G.E. Global Research Center, now under construction across the street from his office. driving] cars, Oklahoma City has the space and it doesn’t have any other modes of alternate transit standing in the way of implementing something more progressive.

To put a personal rapid transit system in a city like Chicago would be a huge undertaking and maybe not even feasible because of the other systems that already exist and would be in the way. But maybe Oklahoma City is more ripe, more able to take on something bigger and better because we are not as developed and we have the room.

OG: You recused yourself from a review of the 499 Sheridan project because of your business relationships, but what was your view of this project that seeks to demolish several downtown buildings and construct a high-rise office tower?

CB: My biggest concern was there seemed to be a very strong focus [from the developers] on proving the point that parking is needed. I completely understand how parking is needed. I completely agree that parking is needed.

But I think how the parking was addressed was a missed opportunity.

I think the way the block was planned could have opened itself up better to urban activity at the sidewalk level. The two parking garages [in that project] really landlocked the majority of that block, and there is plenty of precedence in other places of retail at the

bottom of a parking tower. It is more expensive to go that way, but at some point, that investment needs to be made downtown.

OG: Is traffic an issue in downtown?

CB: The word traffic is a relative term.

For me, I would say there is no traffic here. But if you are driving around downtown and you can’t get above 20 miles per hour, I actually think that’s a good thing. That makes it safe for pedestrians and cyclists, and it’s also good for local business.

I do see our concepts of transportation through downtown changing as we grow.

OG: Should the future streetcar system be considered in developer plans?

CB: It needs be part of the developer’s long-term plans. Whether it’s a streetcar, more cycling infrastructure or some other form of alternative transportation, the development that is occurring right now needs to account for it. You probably won’t see a huge impact from the streetcar [on development] until there are expansions, like going up Classen Boulevard.

When it becomes a method for getting large numbers of workers downtown, it will begin to have a real impact. But I do believe its time to start preparing for that.

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OklahOma Gazette | april 29, 2015 | 5 4/17/15 11:29 AM

p HOtOs by M a rK HaN COC K

News educatioN

Boy’s life A mentorship program looks to keep African-American boys plugged into school.

Marlon James works with youths during a group session at alpha Phi alpha Boy’s institute.

By BeN Felder

A sixth-grade boy mumbles an answer to a question about bullying, which gets him a stern request from Marlon James to stand up and speak confidently. The student quickly complies, and James gives him a fist bump, praising him for “speaking like a man.”

“When they speak to me, they have eye contact with me and speak to me with respect,” Terrell, a 13-year-old at F.D. Moon Academy, said about adults like James who lead the Alpha Phi Alpha Boy’s Institute, an after-school program teaching mostly AfricanAmerican boys various life skills. “I haven’t seen that before here.”

Alpha Boy’s teaches self-respect, aspiration and responsibility to mostly low-income and minority students, whom statistics show often grow up without a stable home life.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that 73 percent of African-American children are born without wedded parents, and the Annie E. Casey Foundation reports 70 percent of black children in Oklahoma live in a single-parent (mostly single mother) home, which is one of the highest rates in the nation.

The future

Those who offer cultural commentary often debate the impact this has on the African-American community, but many social scientists say there is at least some data to support the benefit of a two-parent home, at least when it comes to learning valuable life lessons.

“We are trying to get these boys to think about how their actions not only

6 | april 29, 2015 | OklahOma Gazette

impact others but what their actions mean for their future,” James said. “We know it’s a tough life for some of them, and it’s not always easy to get boys of this age to start thinking about respect for others and respect for themselves.”

James is one of several Alpha Boy’s mentors that come from the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity and the Beta Eta Lambda alumni chapter at the University of Central Oklahoma and the University of Oklahoma.

The program was launched at the beginning of the school year with the specific goal of reducing the dropout rate in high school by working with students from F.D. Moon Academy and Northeast Academy, two northwest middle schools that are viewed as low-performing by the state.

“A lot of these boys aren’t thinking about the future; they aren’t thinking about how important it is to their life,” said Ken Lawson, another Alpha Boy’s mentor.

Lawson said the weekly Alpha Boy’s meeting, which is held at Prospect Church in northeast Oklahoma City, brought in a large crowd at the beginning of the year but has leveled out at around 25 students. Each session begins with a meal, usually from a restaurant like Subway or Chick-fil-A, that will entice the students. The sessions also end with a group activity, like stomp training and remote control helicopter flying. Lawson said a goal is to have the boys perform a synchronized flying routine with the helicopters and an end-of-the-year retreat.

“Well, we still have some work to do

with that,” Lawson said with a laugh.

Career insight

Each session also includes a guest speaker who offers insight to a potential career and the path to get there.

“I want to play football,” said Turner, a Northeast Academy sixthgrader. “But I also want to be a lawyer.

I know that takes a lot of work, but I can do it.”

Mentors with Alpha Boy’s say the students already have the aspiration and dream of having a quality life beyond school. And while the schools can provide the academic training to succeed, several mentors said there are personal qualities that are also important.

“We discuss personal hygiene, citizenship, public speaking and the

[dangers] of gangs,” said James, who began a recent session with a talk about current events and why it is important to stay up-to-date on current affairs in the community and world.

Programs like Alpha Boy’s come at a time when the school district is not excelling in its education of black students, especially males.

A report that shows the OKC district leads the nation in suspensions of black male students and refers black students to special education at an alarming rate was released this past year.

“This is not an Oklahoma City issue; this is a national issue,” Superintendent Rob Neu said about disproportionate discipline rates among black males, along with other benchmarks that indicate educational challenges in minority groups. “There is a multitude of strategies that we have to implement ... We’ve got to engage kids in their learning and make it relevant to them as human beings.”

Neu said the district is making an effort to hire more minority teachers and administrators while also developing strategies for individual schools and classrooms, which he believes will lead to a drop in suspension rates and also increase academic performance for black students.

But the reality remains that many OKC schools are pulling minority students from impoverished communities where many of the benefits enjoyed by affluent students are not offered at the same rate.

Empowering young black males to rise past those challenges and have realistic hopes for their future is the goal of Alpha Boy’s, and the thoughts of some of its student members would indicate those lessons are taking root.

“I feel like [Alpha Boy’s] gives me the skills to respect people better,” said Turner, who was noticeably growing impatient with the reporter asking him questions and itching to get back inside with his classmates. “I love it here.” thomas Nolan and Ken lawson

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OklahOma Gazette | april 29, 2015 | 7 4/22/15 2:29 PM

News city

Ga rEtt Fi s bEC K

Growing together City leaders view a bridge of trust as key to the growth of the southside.

By BeN Felder

Editor’s note: This story is part of a monthlong series that explores the neighborhoods in urban Oklahoma City.

The heart of the Capitol Hill neighborhood in south Oklahoma City is only two miles from downtown — geographically speaking, that is.

Like Interstate 235 to the east, the Oklahoma River serves as a barrier between the heart of the city and a growing minority community, creating a distance between cultures, investment and education that can feel farther than a couple miles for some residents.

“It boils down to trust. There is no question about it,” said Councilman Pete White, representative of Ward 4 and a native of Capitol Hill.

The lack of trust, or at least apprehension from south OKC residents, was on display at an Oklahoma Watch forum last week called Talk With Us. The event allowed residents to ask questions for a panel of community and city leaders. The forum remained civil, and citizens and panelists were engaged.

But many of the questions asked highlighted the view that those living south of the river often feel like an afterthought, especially when they see dramatic growth in downtown supported by public dollars.

“Your downtown is your heartbeat,” said Meg Salyer, councilwoman of Ward 6, which includes both downtown and parts of south Oklahoma City. “The MAPS program was to get blood pumping to create a city that our kids would want to stay in.”

8 | april 29, 2015 | OklahOma Gazette

Salyer, who was one of the panelists, acknowledged the city had invested heavily in downtown over the past decade. But she added that the city’s focus was moving toward other communities, including the southside, which would be the location of one of the city’s new wellness centers through MAPS 3.

The approach to community policing on the southside has been productive.

— Michael Brooks-Jimenez

“The wellness center at Capitol Hill High School was originally designed to be a senior wellness center, but what we discovered is the Hispanic community is going to make it multigenerational whether we do or not,” said White, who attended the forum. “[The wellness center] is going to embrace the cultural aspect of south Oklahoma City.”

Community engagement

While the city begins to pay more attention to south OKC, neighborhoods are also looking for ways to increase organization and attention. Neighborhood Alliance of Central Oklahoma (NACOK)

from left David Fritze moderates an Oklahoma Watch forum with Michael BrooksJimenez, Gloria Torres and Meg Salyer at Capitol Hill United Methodist Church. has hired a community organizer dedicated to the southside, which was paid for with city funds.

“This position [was created to] specifically help bring in more citizen engagement and neighborhood organization to the southside,” said Georgie Rasco, director of NACOK. “We are holding more of our workshops in south Oklahoma City, just trying to bring more attention to the resources that are available to the citizens there.”

Open Streets OKC, which has hosted two successful events along NE 23rd Street, also plans to take its next street-closing festival to south Oklahoma City in an effort to invite north residents to the south.

The 25th Street corridor in Capitol Hill, once a prominent business center, experienced a period of blight before beginning to see new businesses, many Hispanic-owned, come in.

The district’s revival is not complete, but during last week’s forum, Salyer said she views it as an up-and-coming neighborhood.

“I think Capitol Hill is absolutely the next right place for that to happen,” Salyer said about the growth of commercial district revitalization in OKC. Other members of the panel were Gloria Torres, Oklahoma City Public Schools’ lone Hispanic board member, and Michael Brooks-Jimenez, a southside attorney.

“It’s important to know that our priority is our families,” said Torres about the growing Hispanic

community that is concentrated south of the river.

Brooks-Jimenez said the growth of the Hispanic community adds unique needs to southside development and growth, especially as it relates to the city’s involvement.

“At the Oklahoma City Police Department, one of the things they have been successful at is [letting Hispanic citizens] know they can feel free to call the police and not have to worry about their immigration status,” said Brooks-Jimenez about the population of undocumented citizens.

“The approach to community policing on the southside has been productive.”

The city hopes stronger ties between residents and police, continued capital investment and more neighborhood associations south of the river will help residents feel more pulled into the larger city.

White said forums like those hosted

by Oklahoma Watch, bringing together south OKC residents to openly discuss their concerns, will improve trust and communication, which he views as the most important factor.

“Where you start to find success is when you have trust, and that is very difficult,” White said. “[The city is] working to bring about that kind of trust by associating with one another, by coming to meetings like this. I can’t expect you to trust me if you don’t know me, and it goes both ways.”

OklahOma Gazette | april 29, 2015 | 9

News BrieFs

By BeN Felder

Superintendent Robert Neu (pictured at right) called the district’s high suspension rate — especially among minority students — an unacceptable culture of sorting students that he plans to stop.

During a press conference last week, Neu, who became superintendent of Oklahoma City Public Schools last year, discussed a recent internal discipline audit and ways he plans to decrease the number of suspended students.

“I think we are suspending kids for lengths of time that are extraordinary. And when you’re issuing discipline to students, they need to be viewed as opportunities for intervention,” Neu said. “Our job is to educate kids, not select and sort them out.”

Neu gave truancy as an example of an offense that should not warrant suspension. The district’s internal audit found the average length of a suspension across the district is 5.8 days. However, several high schools, such as John Marshall, U.S. Grant, Capitol Hill and Classen School of Advanced Studies, have much longer average suspension lengths.

Ongoing investigation

The district had been under investigation by the U.S. Education Department’s Office for Civil Rights due to its high minority suspension rate. This year, The Center for Civil Rights Remedies (CCRC) released a report showing 45 percent of OKC students and 75 percent of African-American students were suspended in 2012.

Neu addressed suspensions as a problem in his first 100 days report last year, but the CCRR report, along with the recently released internal audit, have drawn higher attention to the issue.

The district’s internal audit confirmed that high suspension rates remained a problem this school year and many schools lacked sufficient documentation.

“Public education was designed as a select-and-sort system 250 years ago, and we are still in that select-and-sort mentality,” Neu said. “When we send kids out of our schools, it had better be for the most severe circumstances.”

Neu said the district’s work with organizations like The Learner First and The Quaglia Institute for Student Aspirations will help change some of the culture leading to high suspension rates. Invited by Neu this past school year, these consulting groups promote individualized strategies to address academic achievement and develop deeper relationships with students.

“We have got to know [students] by name, by strengths and need, but also [understand] their culture and how we can connect to their lives to where it has meaning to them,” Neu said. “The idea is to engage students and their parents in the learning process.”

Policy changes aimed at reducing suspension rates include districtwide training, better organization of data and the development of an early warning indicator system to monitor students at risk of suspension. Neu also said each secondary school would have a new assessment counselor to focus on discipline issues, a reorganized code of conduct committee is being established and new standards and accountability measures for principals who discipline students would be implemented.

However, Neu said no principals or administrators would be removed or reassigned as a result of the audit.

“They are aware of our concerns, and they are aware of the inconsistencies,” Neu said about his principals, whom he met with last week. “We are all working on this together.”

10 | april 29, 2015 | OklahOma Gazette

b EN FEldEr

Suspension rates

Downtown was their forest, sidewalks — where they existed — their trail.

Seventy-five residents took part in the first Trailhead OKC urban hike on Sunday, April 19, completing a 6.2-mile journey through nearly every corner of downtown Oklahoma City.

“It’s kind of an adventurous thing to go walking through [Oklahoma City],” said Addison Ball, who organized the event. “Currently, the infrastructure here in Oklahoma City is not perfect for walking, and there is also a stigma that walking is not an option. But it’s actually a nice thing to do.”

Inspired by his travels to Europe and Asia, where walking long distances can be a normal part of life, Ball wanted to encourage the activity in his hometown.

Expecting just a few people to show up, he was overwhelmed by the interest shown when a large crowd of adults, children and a few dogs came to walk through the streets of downtown together.

“All the new shops and bars that have been popping up lately were exciting to see,” said Jeff Nivitanont after completing the walk.

While the route took hikers past abandoned buildings and vacant lots, there were also plenty of new construction sites and new businesses to see. The group hit every neighborhood in the urban core — Midtown, Film Row, Bricktown, etc. — and often stopped traffic when crossing the street due to the crowd’s large size.

Ball said he plans to host another urban hike soon and will put more information on his Trailhead OKC Facebook page.

Quotable “Although we are pleased OGS is finally acknowledging what others have been saying for more than a year, what we really need is for the State of Oklahoma to take decisive action to prevent more earthquakes,” said Johnson Bridgwater (pictured), director of Oklahoma Sierra Club. “We would also request they update their newly launched website, which contains documents denying the link between earthquakes and injection wells.”

Bridgwater’s comments were in response to Oklahoma Geological Survey (OGS), which said last week it believes the majority of Oklahoma’s rise in earthquake activity is a result of oil and gas wells. Following the OGS statement, Gov. Mary Fallin said the state would launch earthquakes.ok.gov, which would share research, regulations, updates and news items related to Oklahoma’s recent earthquakes.

“This website will help provide Oklahomans with up-to-date and timely information about our ongoing earthquake response,” Fallin said.

By the numbers Second. That’s where Oklahoma ranks on the list of states with the largest reduction in nutrient pollution to waterways, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.

“This is the sixth year in a row Oklahoma has ranked in the top five states for nonpoint source (NPS) pollution reductions,” the Oklahoma Conservation Commission stated last week. “Oklahoma ranks second for phosphorus reduction (358,469 pounds) and third for nitrogen reduction (856,906 pounds) to streams.

These nutrients are major contributors to algal bloom issues in the state’s reservoirs, which can challenge water treatment facilities, lead to fish kills and, in rare cases, pose a risk to human health.”

prOvidE d

Ga rEtt Fi s bEC K

Downtown hike

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OklahOma Gazette | april 29, 2015 | 11 4/24/15 5:30 PM

CHiCKEN CKEN

FRiED NEWS

Moving out

A wonky AC and window rot are doing what Oklahoma voters could not: forcing Mary Fallin to leave the Governor’s Mansion.

For six glorious months starting at the end of May, Gov. Fallin will vacate the mansion while repair work is done on the heating and cooling system, rebuilding rotting windows and waterproofing the leaky basement.

In the interim, our fair leader will move into another state-owned property.

Maybe she can use this as an opportunity to tour some of the state’s facilities in the direst need of repair. Maybe sharing a room with folks at the Charles E. “Bill” Johnson Correctional Center, 1856 E. Flynn St., in Alva or the John H. Lilley Correctional Center, 105150 N. 3670 Road, in Boley will help her free up a little money in the budget.

“We’re not changing a thing,” Capitol

12 | APRIL 29, 2015 | OKLAHOMA GAZETTE

architect Duane Mass told Tulsa World.

“We are just fixing broken things.”

So does that mean they’ll start working on Fallin’s office next?

Another round

Are some of the country’s largest religious groups going to be painted as bigots and buffoons, cast out from society? That’s the concern they’ve raised with the U.S. Supreme Court as they prepare to hear arguments on the legality of same-sex marriage.

The court was set to begin hearing oral arguments April 28 in cases challenging state bans on samesex marriage, and a decision is expected before July. But Southern Baptists, evangelicals, Mormons, Catholic bishops and others aren’t waiting for a decision before they freak out.

“A decision that traditional marriage laws are grounded in animus would demean us and our beliefs,” said the groups in a brief filed with the court. “It would stigmatize us as fools or bigots, akin to racists. In

time, it would impede full participation in democratic life, as our beliefs concerning marriage, family and sexuality are placed beyond the constitutional pale.”

Oof. Can you imagine being stigmatized, being told that something you feel so deeply is wrong, and possibly having your family ostracize you because they can’t accept your way of life?

If only gay people knew how hard it might hypothetically be someday to be the poor, put-upon religious people seeking to deny them equal rights.

Economic powerhouse

Did you know OKC Thunder games aren’t free? You did? Well, you probably also know it’s not free to eat at a Bricktown restaurant before the game or stay in a hotel if you are an out-of-town guest. So, it’s probably no surprise to you that OKC’s only top-tier professional sports team is an economic generator for the city.

“The Oklahoma City Thunder has been a hit financially again this season for themselves, as well as for Oklahoma City,” reported News 9 earlier this month. “The city said 41 home games translated into a direct economic impact each game of $1.5 million. Do the math.”

We will do the math: That’s $61.5 million — even more if the Thunder had made the playoffs, but we digress.

Then again, does this mean that if the Thunder had not come to OKC, we would all just be sitting on a pile of cash, refusing to spend it on other forms of entertainment?

“By many indicators, sport teams as individual firms play only minor roles within complex urban economies,” wrote Charles Santo and Gerard Mildner in their book Sport and Policy: Social, Political, and Economic Perspectives.

Their theory is that sports teams concentrate spending rather than create

it. Plus, there is the cost in tax dollars that cities like Oklahoma City spend to build stadiums and practice facilities.

But there is no denying the impact the Thunder has had on the city, especially downtown. The Thunder has also helped create employment through stadium workers, waiters and taxi drivers.

Then again, this might be a bad week to note that, as the team has spent more adding to the unemployment totals lately with the firing of coach Scott Brooks.

Pimp shelter

If she plays her cards right, an Oklahoma mother could land herself a show on MTV. Forget Pimp My Ride; the OKC metro has what should be called Pimp My Storm Shelter.

Norman resident Melissa Scaramucci didn’t feel comfortable about the state of her tornado shelter and decided to do something about it.

“We had one little scare a few weeks ago, and it seemed kind of counterintuitive for everything outside to be awful and scary and hail and rain and sirens going off and then I look at the girls and I say, ‘Okay. Now get into

the dark, scary hole,’” Scaramucci told KFOR.com.

Determined to make her hideyhole comfortable and fun, she headed to Target and bought throw pillows, a rug, wall chalkboards, snacks, bottles of water, a lantern, a weather radio and books — namely, The Wizard of Oz, because you can’t have a snazzy tornado shelter without some snarky, situationappropriate reading material.

Guard your flooded, dirty, spiderridden shelter that encourages the type of fear and gravity tornadoes demand, folks; Scaramucci is coming for you, and she has a paintbrush.

Duncan devil

The Satanic Church and Oklahoma Attorney General are schlepping their way into the news again after a Duncan schoolteacher distributed bibles to her elementary students.

Adam Daniels, the leader of the Church of Ahriman, a Satanist church in OKC, wrote a letter to the Duncan school saying he wanted to give students a copy of Ahrimani Enlightenment, a book he said was not nearly as graphic

as the Christian Bible, according to The Washington Post.

The American Humanist Association (AHA) threatened to sue the Duncan school, saying that equal access laws allow for the distribution of all religious literature, the article said.

The Duncan school attorney replied to the AHA, saying “all teachers and administrators in the district are being advised that they are not permitted to distribute Bibles or other religious materials to students in class or during class time,” and the AHA was happy with that response.

Meanwhile, Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt recently sent a letter to public school superintendents across the state “vowing to defend religious freedom amid ‘veiled legal threats’ over the distribution of Bibles on campus,” according to Tulsa World.

Surely he is speaking of Daniels’ Satanist church as well as the teacher who gave out the bibles, right?

Duncan schools have yet to respond to Daniels’ letter.

Face time

Everybody has time for this.

Remember Sweet Brown? We sure do.

Around these parts, she’s also known as Kimberly Wilkins, who shot to Internet fame in April 2012 after she commented to KFOR about escaping a local apartment fire.

With the flood of news lately about “smart” timepieces, fans of the Pebble Smartwatch reached out to tell us that users can download the “Ain’t Nobody Got Time Fo Dat” watch face for free.

The classic KOCO clip shows Wilkins saying, “I woke up to go get me a cold pop,” before smelling smoke and running for her life. “I didn’t grab no shoes or nothing … Ain’t nobody got time for dat!”

Soon, auto-tuned mashups saturated the Interwebs.

Local TV commercials followed as Brown used her recognition to build herself a better life.

eds a discerning Oklahoma Gazette neeclectic music tastes, A&E journalist with tertainment news a nose for arts and enediting eye. and an experienced who’s ready to help We’re hiring someone rforming arts, visual coordinate diverse ped film coverage for central arts, local music an independent arts Oklahoma’s fiercely thority. and entertainment au lism experience na ur jo s ar ye o tw t as At le perience a plus. preferred. InDesign ex

Please send a cover letter, resume, clips and references • jchancellor@okgazette.com.

OKLAHOMA GAZETTE | APRIL 29, 2015 | 13

COMMENTARY

p rOVi DE D

‘Fair chance’ justice reform

BY KEVIN MCCRAY

For those of us working on the front lines of the criminal justice system, it’s encouraging to hear that the governor’s Justice Reform Steering Committee is once again giving the Justice Reinvestment Initiative the attention it deserves.

Given our current budget woes, it remains vitally important for the fiscal health of our state that policies be implemented to give the initiative substance despite being problematic to fund. The committee and Legislature must be creative in developing the costeffective policies needed for the initiative to fulfill its purpose.

A centerpiece of our justice reform effort is to reduce the rate of recidivism, the number of people who return to prison either for reoffending or not complying with the terms and conditions of their release.

According to National Employment Law Project, the most important factor in reducing recidivism is employment.

Two years after release from prison, nearly twice as many employed people with criminal records avoided contact with law enforcement compared to their unemployed counterparts.

For the initiative to achieve recidivism reductions, the committee must focus on advancing policies that provide job placement to those people routinely excluded because of their criminal records and the use of criminal history screenings as a part of job applications.

Criminal history screenings not only result in excluding someone otherwise qualified from much-needed employment but discourage someone from filling out applications to begin with. As a consequence, the screenings become a

roadblock to reducing recidivism.

One cost-free solution, known as a “ban the box” or “fair chance” policy, is a program that removes the stigma of a criminal record from the application process and increases the pool of qualified applicants. Because arrest and incarceration rates for Hispanic and African-American men are two to three times higher than the general population, the use of criminal history screening disproportionately impacts groups protected under Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act. “Fair chance” policies are adapted from the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).

The EEOC recommends that employers eliminate policies that exclude applicants based solely on having a criminal record.

In addition, employers should limit

Opinions expressed on the commentary page, in letters to the editor and elsewhere in this newspaper are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of ownership or management.

criminal history inquiries to records for which the exclusion is job-related and consistent with a business necessity.

“Fair chance” policies protect employers from discrimination claims, increase public safety, are good for the local economy and don’t cost a dime.

Although having a job is no guarantee that someone won’t reoffend, a steady job helps to change one’s environment and provide financial support and instills a sense of self-worth, dignity and hope for the future.

Providing a large segment of the working-age population with criminal records the opportunity to compete for jobs based on their qualifications will kick-start justice reform in this state.

Giving someone a fair chance to work is an Oklahoma value on which we can all agree.

Kevin McCray is an attorney working in Oklahoma City.

LETTERS Oklahoma Gazette provides an open forum for the discussion of all points of view in its Letters to the Editor section.

The Gazette reserves the right to edit letters for length and clarity. Letters can be mailed, faxed, emailed to jchancellor@ okgazette.com or sent online at okgazette. com. Include a city of residence and contact number for verification.

School funding

Conservatives demand accountability when public tax money is distributed.

Yet, the Education Savings Account or “scholarship” bill (Senate Bill 609) gives away taxpayer money with no reporting on effectiveness.

All Oklahoma taxpayers should be concerned since SB 609 means more than parents getting back their own tax payments.

It appears to disburse to one household the education tax money collected from at least five households.

How will economic conservatives assure Oklahomans who don’t have school-age kids that their tax money is used wisely?

Conservatives uphold standards, but SB 609 defines-down “good education” as simply “parental satisfaction.” There’s no requirement for parents to show whether any educational attainment occurred with taxpayer money. Might

14 | april 29, 2015 | OklahOma Gazette

all the grading of and testing in public schools be eliminated if the same education money goes to other forms of schooling without evaluation?

Conservatives don’t hide controversial programs inside lengthy bills containing other matters. SB 609 is 10 pages on education yoked to 62 pages of dull, but necessary, financial language updates.

It’s a signal of special-interest group influence when legislators are forced to vote on novel, untested programs within a routine, must-pass bill.

Perhaps the SB 609 type of income redistribution would be a worthwhile three-year experiment if the legislation included rigorous standards, full evaluation and accountability to taxpayers.

— Steven Goldman The Village Editor’s note: SB 609 was held over by bill author Sen. Clark Jolley.

Thanks, Obama

Obama is an idiot. His idea of improving relations with rogue foreign nations is akin to acting like a puppy dog.

It is well known that he dislikes Winston Churchill. It is apparent to me that he admires Neville Chamberlain and wants to emulate him. History abundantly tells us Obama is not thinking clearly.

With regard to having been called traitors by The New York Times, most rational people would consider that to be an honor. Forty-seven senators would represent the opinions of close to half of the U.S. population. Does Wanda Jo Stapleton (Commentary, Letters, “Government problem,” April 8, Oklahoma Gazette) think that close to half of our population are traitors?

Many of us believe that people who are out to harm or destroy the United States are the traitors. Obama would certainly fit into this category, based on his track record to date.

— Mickey McVay Edmond Equal coverage

I was pleased to see the article “World Class” in the April 15 (Life, Youth, Louis

Fowler, Gazette) issue and am happy for both Ben Lanners and Kevie Yu. They have both obviously worked hard to achieve being selected to participate in Carnegie Hall’s Weill Music Institute to take part in the third annual National Youth Orchestra. You did a great job congratulating Ben and acknowledging his many years of dedicated practice to achieve such an honor.

But I was disappointed that your only acknowledgment of Kevie’s equally diligent practice and hard work were her picture and her name. This is another example of white male privilege. You clearly owe Kevie an apology. You even more clearly need to extol her efforts and those of other young women equally with their male counterparts.

— Linda Larason Oklahoma City

OklahOma Gazette | april 29, 2015 | 15

s U w o ll o F OKG picks are events

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BOOKS Powerful Prose Discussion Series, discuss No Places to Hide by Glenn Greenwald, 6:30 p.m., Apr. 30. Full Circle Bookstore, 1900 Northwest Expressway, 842-2900, fullcirclebooks.com. THU Poem Life, one-woman show; an interactive, multimedia show of a unique journey through life with and in poetry involving the audience, May 4. Ronald J. Norick Downtown Library, 300 Park Ave., 231-8650, metrolibrary.org. MON An Evening with Garrison Keillor, author, performance artist, comedian and host of Prairie Home Companion, 8 p.m., May 5. Brady Theater, 105 W. Brady St., Tulsa, (918) 582-7239, bradytheater.com. TUE Let’s Talk About Baseball, Oklahoma, book discussion over the book Bang the Drum Slowly by Mark Harris, 6 p.m., Apr. 14. Northwest Library, 5600 NW 122nd St., 606-3580, metrolibrary.org. WED

FILM The Hunting Ground, (US, 2015, dir. Kirby Dick) documentary about sexual assaults on college campuses and follows undergraduate rape survivors pursing and education and justice while exposing a system of institutional cover-ups, victim-blaming and denial; panel discussion following the film, 6:30 p.m., Apr. 29.

University of Central Oklahoma, 100 N. University Drive, Edmond, 974-2000, uco.edu. WED Me and Ichikawa, (US, 2015, dir. Mickey Reece) hilarious and heartwarming journey into the mind of a little boy with an overactive imagination, 8 p.m., May 2. Oklahoma Contemporary, 3000 General Pershing Blvd., OK, 9510000, oklahomacontemporary.org. SAT A Cat in Paris, (FR, 2010, dir. Alain Gagnol and JeanLoup Felicioli) in the day Dino lives with Zoe, a little mute girl, and by night works with a cat burglar and his two lives end up colliding when Zoe follows Dino on one of his adventures; free screening as part of OKCMOA’s Free Family Day, 2 p.m., May 3. Oklahoma City Museum of Art, 415 Couch Drive, 236-3100, okcmoa.com. SUN Clueless, (US, 1995, dir. Amy Heckerling) a satirical take on Jane Austen’s novel, Emma; a rich teenager in Beverly Hills takes a geeky new student under her wing and makes her over into a mini prodigy, 7 p.m., May 5. Harkins Theatre, 150 E. Reno Ave., 231-4747, harkinstheatres.com. TUE

Clouds of Sils Maria Kristen Stewart, Juliette Binoche and Chloë Grace Moretz star in this awardwinning film about a veteran actress forced to reexamine her life and herself as she prepares for a revival of a production that launched her career two decades earlier.

It’s directed by Olivier Assayas (Something in the Air, Summer Hours), who also wrote the screenplay. It opens Friday and runs through May 9 at Oklahoma City Museum of Art, 415 Couch Drive. The film is rated R, and tickets are $5-$9. For hours and more information, visit okcmoa.com or call 236-3100.

Friday-Sunday, ongoing Smile Saturday, free, outdoor family celebration with live music from the Sugar Free Allstars and Denver Duncan along with food by Kaiteki Ramen and Eskimo Sno, 11 a.m.-3 p.m., May 2. Dental 32, 16 NE 2nd St., 6052332, dental32okc.com. SAT

HAPPENINGS

Oklahoma Gazette

P ROVI DED

on

recommended by Oklahoma Gazette editorial staff members.

For full calendar listings, go to okgazette.com.

Brown Bag Lunch Speaker Series: Dig a Ten Dollar Hole, soil expert Sam Minick, of Minick Materials, will teach how to achieve and maintain healthy soil, noon-1 p.m., Apr. 30. Crystal Bridge Tropical Conservatory, 301 W. Reno Ave., 297-3995, myriadgardens.com. THU Biting the Apple 2015, premiere erotic art show celebrating sexuality; take part in culinary decadence, live entertainment and designer installations, 8 p.m., May 1-2. IAO Art Gallery, 706 W. Sheridan Ave., 2326060, iaogallery.org. FRI-SAT

Viva Sabor, food and wine tasting event with local restaurants and wineries showcasing their best picks, 6 p.m., May 1. NOAH’s Event Venue, 14017 Quail Springs Pkw, 568-2444, noahseventvenue.com. FRI

Cinco de Mayo en Calle Dos Cinco, the Old Opry will come alive with local artists, folkloric dance, games, crafts, hot food, cold beverages, and live music, 5-9 p.m., May 5. Capitol Hill’s Historic District, SW 25th and Harvey, 632-0133 historiccapitolhill.com. TUE

Broadway & Brew, taste beers from Oklahoma breweries and yummy treats from local restaurants with live music and proceeds benefiting the Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma, 7-11 p.m., May 1. Myriad Botanical Gardens, 301 W. Reno Ave., 445-7080, oklahomacitybotanicalgardens.com/events. FRI

FOOD

The Dinner Detective, interactive murder mystery dinner show, 6:15-9:30 p.m., May 2. Sheraton Hotel, 1 N Broadway Ave., 235-2780, sheratonokc.com. SAT

Going with the Grains, information about different whole grains and how to prepare them, 9:30 a.m., Apr. 30. Northeast Regional Health & Wellness Campus, 2600 NE 63rd St., occhd.org. THU

Paleo & Primal Recipes and Tips, learn to make easy salad dressings to dress your salad and tips for a healthier diet, noon-1 p.m., May 5. Natural Grocers, 7001 N. May Ave., 840-0300, naturalgrocers.com. TUE

BIGSTOCKPHOTOS.COM

Better Book Sale

16 | APRIL 29, 2015 | OKLAHOMA GAZETTE

Norman Public Library Central, 225 N. Webster Ave., in Norman hosts its annual sale Friday-Sunday. The event offers a curated collection selected with readers’ interests in mind, including coffee table books; Oklahoma, American, Native American and military history; classic American literature; and University of Oklahoma Press books. Most are priced $2-$5, and if you wait till Sunday, even those are half-price. It runs 6-9 p.m. Friday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday and 1-5 p.m. Sunday. Admission is free. Visit pioneerlibrarysystem.org.

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Shrek: The Musical This musical returns for its fifth production by Pollard Theatre Company, 120 W. Harrison Ave., in Guthrie and runs through May 23. The oddball fairytale comes to life as its ugly, gross and lovable protagonist rescues a scrappy princess. Add in a talking (er, singing) donkey and this family-friendly production is a classic. Performances are 8 p.m. Friday-Saturday and 2 p.m.

Sunday. Tickets are $27.25. Visit thepollard.org or call 282-2800.

Friday-Sunday, ongoing

YOUTH The Emperor’s New Clothes, a Caribbean musical adaptation of the classic fairy tale; the Emperor of Little Iguana has set the fashion standards his island but when the magic tailor swims ashore with his own ideas the island is in for a shock, 11 a.m., Apr. 29, May 1, 4 & 6; 2 p.m., May 2-3.

Oklahoma Children’s Theatre, 2501 N. Blackwelder Ave., 606-7003, oklahomachildrenstheatre.org.

WED/FRI-MON/WED May Day Celebration, learn about May traditions around the world, play games, create your own daisy crown and enjoy a dance performance around the Maypole performed by the Prairie Dance Theatre Youth Company, 10 a.m.-noon, May. 2. Myriad Botanical Gardens, 301 W. Reno Ave., 445-7080, oklahomacitybotanicalgardens. com/events. SAT Festival of the Child, one day event to celebrate children featuring over 50 areas of activities including kayaking, moonbouces, crafts, pony rides and more, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., May 2. Yukon Community Center, 2200 S. Holly Ave., Yukon, 354-8442, cityofyukonok.gov. SAT Drop-In Art: Spring Garden Painting, join guest artists as they interact with families to create extraordinary works of art inspired by the Museums collection, exhibitions and special occasions, 1-4 p.m., Apr. 25. Oklahoma City Museum of Art, 415 Couch Drive, 236-3100, okcmoa.com. SAT Art Adventures, young artists are invited to experience art through the book The Pot That Juan Built; by Nancy Andrews-Goebel, 10:30 a.m., May 5. Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art, 555 Elm Ave., Norman, 325-3272, ou.edu/fjjma. TUE CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE

OKLAHOMA GAZETTE | APRIL 29, 2015 | 17

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continued

Downtown Edmond Arts Festival This annual event features well over a dozen food vendors, more than 30 live performances and lots and lots of art from more than 100 artists. It runs 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday along Main Street in downtown Edmond. Visit downtownedmondok.com.

Friday-Sunday

PERFORMING ARTS Tim Gaither, stand-up comedy performance, 8 p.m., Apr. 29-30; 8 & 10:30 p.m., May 1-2. Loony Bin Comedy Club, 8503 N. Rockwell Ave., 239-4242, loonybincomedy.com. WED-SAT Summer and Smoke, Tennessee Williams’ drama that examines the frustrated love of a sheltered southern belle for a handsome, virile young physician, 8 p.m., Apr. 30-May 1; 3 p.m., May 2. Weitzenhoffer Theatre, 563 Elm Street, Norman, 325-7370, ou.edu/finearts. THU-SAT Come Blow Your Horn, a father and his wife are dealing with their 33-year-old playboy son and then their younger 21-year-old son moves in with him causing even more turmoil, 8 p.m., Apr. 30-May 2; 2:30 p.m., May 3. Jewel Box Theatre, 3700 N. Walker Ave., 521-1786, jewelboxtheatre.org. THU-SUN Queen of the Prairie Festival, two-day music festival featuring over 18 local and nationally touring bands and musicians with genres including premier Americana, Folk and Roots music artists; overnight camping, food trucks and other vendors, May 1-2.

Cottonwood Flats, 785 N. 5th St., Guthrie. FRI-SAT Million Dollar Quartet, Tony Award-winning Broadway musical inspired by the true story of the recording session that brought together rock-n-roll icons Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins, 7:30 p.m., May 5-6. Civic Center Music Hall, 201 N. Walker Ave., 297-2264, okcciviccenter.com. TUE-WED

ACTIVE Positive Steps for Healthy Joints, 5k and 1-mile walk, hosted by the McBride Foundation to help raise money to update sports and first aid equipment for underprivileged schools in Oklahoma, 7:30 a.m., May 2. Oklahoma City Zoo, 2000 Remington Pl. SAT

&

PieceWalk, 5K run or walk to support and draw awareness to those affected by autism in our state and support the autism programs in Oklahoma, 8:30 a.m., May 2. Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark, 2 S. Mickey Mantle Drive. SAT Tai Chi Me, a form of exercise that combines slow, controlled movement, mediation and breathing to enhance the flow of vital energy in the body, 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., May 2. PACER Fitness Center, 5520 N. Independence Ave., 949-3891. SAT

18 | APRIL 29, 2015 | OKLAHOMA GAZETTE

A Walk in the Park, 5K run and 1-mile fun run/walk to fight Parkinson’s disease, Wheeler Park, 1120 S. Western Ave. SUN McNellie’s Pub Run, 1-mile fun run or 4 mile running event with an optional Guinness Challenge in which participants have to finish three 12-ounce Guinness pints during the four mile run, 3 p.m., May 2. James E. McNellie’s Public House, 1100 Classen Drive, 601-7468, mcnelliesokc.com. SUN OKC Dodgers vs. New Orleans Zephyrs, professional baseball game, 7:05 p.m., May 4-5; 11:05 a.m., May 6. Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark, 2 S. Mickey Mantle Drive, 218-1000. MON-WED

VISUAL ARTS Amanda Shelton, new works by Oklahoma painter who creates 2-dimensional acrylic, oil, and mixed media paintings that feature strong women and their ties to the natural world, 5-9 p.m., May 3. Brass Bell Studios, 2500 NW 33rd St., 361-3481, facebook.com/ brassbellstudios. SUN Contemporary Totems, series of totems crafted from fine hardwoods, laminates and found objects created

by LeRoy Schultz. Kasum Contemporary Fine Arts, 1706 NW 16th St., 604-6602, kasumcontemporary.com.

FRINGE’s Annual Group Show, a collective of contemporary women artists in fine arts media. The Project Box, 3003 Paseo St., 609-3969, theprojectboxokc.com.

Homemade Music: Cigar Box Guitars, inspired by musicians who learned to play on homemade instruments; make a three-string, slide guitar from cigar boxes and other materials and learn to play your new instrument, 12:30-4:30 p.m., May 2. Oklahoma History Center, 800 Nazih Zuhdi Drive, 521-2491, okhistory.org/historycenter. SAT Intent to Deceive: Fakes and Forgeries, exhibit spotlighting more than 60 works by some of the world’s most notorious con artists. Oklahoma City Museum of Art, 415 Couch Drive, 236-3100, okcmoa.com.

May Daze Spring Show, exhibit featuring new works by multiple gallery artists. The Purple Loft Art Gallery, 514 NW 28th St., Suite 400, 412-7066.

BI GSTOC KP HOTOS .COM

Go to

okgazette.com/GWW to enter to win a pair of tickets:

AWOLNATION

Saturday, June 6 @ Diamond Ballroom

GAZETTE’S WEEKLY WINNER WILL BE ANNOUNCED EACH WEEK IN THE TABLE OF CONTENTS Printed winners have 7 days to claim tickets

Free Family Day Kids and families are invited to Free Family Day at Oklahoma City Museum of Art. Inspired by its special exhibition Intent to Deceive: Fakes and Forgeries in the Art World World, kids are welcome to explore galleries and play detective with hands-on activities. It runs noon-5 p.m. Sunday at 415 Couch Drive. Admission and activities are free. Visit okcmoa.com.

Sunday Native American Art Exhibit, collection of artwork by several talented Native American artists representing the Caddo, Cherokee, Chickasaw, Pawnee, Seminole and Shawnee tribes. Remington Park, 1 Remington Place, 424-9000.

Outta the Ball Park, exhibit featuring painter Nancy Park and her works full of emotions ranging from humor and passion to compassion and joy along with a mix of photography and digital art by Alan Ball.

Contemporary Art Gallery, 2928 Paseo St., 601-7474, contemporaryartgalleryokc.com.

Paseo Arts District’s First Friday Gallery Walk, an opportunity to explore the Paseo with open houses and artists receptions in the 20 galleries, live music, refreshments and food trucks, 6-10 p.m., May 1. Paseo Arts District, 3022 Paseo St., 525-2688, thepaseo.com. FRI

Serigraphy Demystified: Making Sophisticated Editions Using Your Original Drawings, explore the process of taking hand-drawn images and editing them digitally led by instructor Bjorn Bauer, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., May 1-2. Artspace at Untitled, 1 NE 3rd St., 8159995, artspaceatuntitled.org. FRI-SAT Two Day/One Woman Show, featuring artist Karam and her new impressionism art with never before seen pieces created using a palette knife on sandpaper which adds texture and mood, May 1-2. The Summer Wine Art Gallery, 2928-B Paseo St., 831-3279, summerwinegallery.com. FRI-SAT Two Views, photography exhibit featuring works by Carl Shortt Jr. and Don Risi. In Your Eye Studio & Gallery, 3005-A Paseo St., 525-2161, inyoureyegallery.com. FRI

PROVIDED

Political Cartoon Collection, collection consisting of 51 original newspaper cartoons from 1903 to 1950.

University of Central Oklahoma, 100 N. University Drive, Edmond, 974-2000, uco.edu.

Portraits of a Disappearing America, photography exhibit by Brazilian-born photographer Alex Leme documents the disappearance of rural towns in America. Oklahoma Contemporary, 3000 General Pershing Blvd., OK, 951-0000, oklahomacontemporary.org.

Shatterproof Challenge From 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Wednesday, April 29, watch the SandRidge Energy Building, 123 Robert S. Kerr Ave., and cheer on brave men and women as they rappel down the tower in support and in memory of people impacted by and in recovery from addiction. Shatterproof is a national organization that works to prevent youth drug and alcohol addiction and reduce the stigma and suffering of those impacted by the disease. Recommended for ages 3 and older. Visit shatterproof.org.

For OKG

Wednesday, April 29

music picks see page 39

OKLAHOMA GAZETTE | APRIL 29, 2015 | 19

life CoVer empire slice House

Chow’s Chinese

republic Gastropub

Chelio’s diner

banana island restaurant

Rallying call

T a

Hungry? Up late? Well, you’re in luck.

Oklahoma Gazette’s roundup includes everything from Chinese to rib eye steak and, of course, breakfast.

by GreG elwell PHoTos by MArK HANCoCK, GAreTT fisbeCK ANd GAZeTTe file

New York City is the city that never sleeps.

Oklahoma City might as well be called The Big Drowsy the way we shut down when it gets late. But if you know where to look and you don’t mind exploring a bit, this is a city full of overnight bites just waiting to be devoured.

Here’s the challenge: Stay fed in the metro from 10 p.m. to 10 a.m. While the rest of the world sleeps, I eats.

It begins

10 p.m.-midnight Those who want to eat at 8:30 or 9 p.m. might think they have it rough, but the real struggle begins at 10, when most of the city’s ever-expanding roster of restaurants flip the sign to closed and start hosing down the dining room.

Which is why there’s Chow’s

20 | april 29, 2015 | OklahOma Gazette

Chinese Restaurant, 3033 N. May Ave. Chow’s has long been a favorite of the city’s kitchen staffers because it keeps cooking (and cooking well) after others have closed. Since there’s plenty more on the menu for the evening, this is a good place for a snack. If you’re with friends, a plate of dumplings (12 for $6.95) will do. Or get a little crazy with some salt-and-pepper frog legs ($13.95).

If it didn’t close at 10:30 p.m., Chow’s would be a fine place to while away the night. This menu runs deep and gets weird; if you want to try pork intestine or beef tripe, at Chow’s, chefs know how to cook.

For Asian fare that lasts a little later, Banana Island Restaurant, 1117 NW 25th St., serves up a stunning and stuffing menu of Malaysian food until 11 p.m. A roti canai (Indian pancake) dipped in curry is just $3.25.

Depending on how you want the rest of your night to go, you’ve got a few choices for your next stop. Let’s choose our own adventure with a quartet of spots that close at midnight.

If you want to start Ubering everywhere because of alcohol, turn to Republic Gastropub, 5830 N. Classen Blvd., where there are great eats and great drinks, both of which will go down your feed hole. This is probably the best place to go if you want a good steak after 10 p.m. — like the woodfired rib eye for $24 — and a selection of beers so fine you’ll think it was made of an angel’s chest hair.

If you plan to keep driving yourself and you want a big gyro to help lull you into a coma, turn to Chelio’s Diner, 1621 S. Interstate 35 Service Road. It’s a diner, but not an all-night one, so hold your horses. This is a great choice if you like staying relatively sober and

enjoying satisfyingly fatty foods.

If you want a piece or several of pizza, then turn to one of the Plaza District’s favorite watering holes, Empire Slice House, 1734 NW 16th St. Be ready to suck in your belly and squeeze in, though, as this popular spot might stop serving pizza at midnight but it won’t stop being busy.

If you aren’t even a little bit ready to sleep yet, turn — as I did — to All About Cha, 7300 N. Western Ave. Not only does it have salads, sushi and such, but it has that essential elixir of latenight roustabouts: coffee.

A large espresso and a large coffee are $3, or you can actually enjoy your caffeination with the affogato ($4.50).

It’s a scoop of ice cream with a hot shot of espresso poured over the top. This is the dessert coffee frappuccinos wish they were.

yucatan Taco stand Tequila bar & Grill

fuzzy’s Taco shop bobo’s Chicken

Perry’s restaurant

r

The r&J lounge and supper Club

Mama lou’s

Get hungry

Midnight-3 a.m.

You’ve made it: It’s officially tomorrow.

So whatever you’re eating now goes on tomorrow’s ledger. It’s like starting with a completely clean slate. Let’s get it dirty immediately!

If your movie just got out or the baseball game just ended or, for some reason, you drove to Bricktown at midnight, you have a couple of options.

There’s Yucatan Taco Stand Tequila Bar & Grill, 100 E. California Ave., which is open until 1 a.m. and has a fine selection of foods folded inside tortillas from which to choose. My choice is the aged chorizo taco, which sounds spicier than it actually is. There are a surprising number of adults who are not sober in this location.

But to see real party people, head a few blocks over to Hot Dog OKC, 208 E. Sheridan Ave., where proprietor

Gale Van Campen grills up hot dogs and sausages, sells swag and broadcasts live on her wienercam. The line grows quickly as revelers stumble out of dance clubs and over to her cart.

Perhaps you’re in Norman, in which case you might like Fuzzy’s Taco Shop, 752 Asp Ave., which stays open until 3 a.m. Don’t assume all metro-area Fuzzy’s have the same policy.

They don’t.

Hey, were you the people who Ubered to Republic in the last section?

Then you might also be the ones who Ubered to one of the city’s swankiest late-night clubs, The R&J Lounge and Supper Club, 320 NW 10th St. While there are plenty of beverages available to continue your debaucherous fun, this establishment also serves up its full menu of favorites until closing time.

Cocktail wieners, a lobster roll and beef stroganoff? I don’t mind if I do.

If you’ve chosen Saturday nightSunday morning for this particular evening’s adventure, R&J starts serving the next day’s brunch menu after 11 p.m. You probably haven’t died yet, but this is pretty close to heaven.

Let’s be honest, though. If it’s this late and you’ve lived in Oklahoma City for more than a minute, you really want Bobo’s Chicken, 1812 NE 23rd St. Smoked for 24 hours before hitting the fryer, the wings at Bobo’s are delectable.

And when the man in the truck says, “You want honey?” you better say yes because he’s about to glug a bucket of syrup on top of your dinner.

(Make sure you get extra biscuits.

Trust me. You want extra biscuits.)

“I get down here about once a month,” said Edmond resident Derek Graham. “I’ve been here at 7 p.m. for dinnertime, and I’ve been here at 3 a.m., sobering up.”

Slim pickings 3-5 a.m.

Once 3 a.m. hits, the only places open are the ones that never close.

There’s Mama Lou’s, 1421 N Moore Ave., and Perry’s Restaurant, 7432 S. May Ave., which specialize in diner fare. If you’re looking for latenight meatloaf, spaghetti or a tuna melt, these are your destinations.

Maybe you didn’t get your fill of chicken at Bobo’s, in which case you ought to head to Beverly’s Pancake House, 3315 Northwest Expressway, for its famed Chicken in the Rough. Or, since the sunrise isn’t that far off, you could just have some breakfast already: corned beef hash and eggs or a giant waffle studded with pecans. Or both.

Beverly’s is a great place to establish an alibi, because even at this ungodly CoNTiNUed oN PAGe 23

OklahOma Gazette | april 29, 2015 | 21

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hour, it’s packed. The neon golfing chicken sign beckons to all.

For the truly ravenous, there’s Crest Foods, 4503 NW 23rd St., which will readily sell you food that you have to prepare yourself, like some kind of animal.

Sunrise extravaganza 5 a.m.-whenever

Congratulations! You are no longer a screwball for staying up so late!

There are farmers and grad students and weirdos who like to get up early that are awake now. And they like doughnuts, which is why so many doughnut shops are open at 5 a.m.

For jelly-stuffed doughnut holes, the perfect eye-opening sugar bomb, turn to Best Donuts, 2320 NW 23rd St. Or if you want someplace that was apparently named just for the early morning crowd, there’s AM Donut, 2900 N. Pennsylvania Ave. Either one will provide you with circles of fried dough dipped in sugar or glazed with maple. And coffee. You should definitely order some coffee.

By 6 a.m., most diners are open for business. For one of the best

omelets around, there’s the original Jimmy’s Egg at 1616 N. May Ave. Sit at the counter and watch those wizards flip and fold eggs over and around such diverse toppings as ham, bacon, cheese and more cheese.

What about a steak? Cattlemen’s Steakhouse, 1309 S. Agnew Ave., has a fine breakfast buffet, but it also cooks whole chunks of cow. There’s nothing quite so fancy as starting your day off with a filet and a couple of eggs. (Unless you brush your teeth with caviar, Mr. Trump.)

Once 7 a.m. hits, the world is your oyster. Jimmy’s RoundUp Cafe, 1301 SW 59th St., has enormous chicken-fried steaks and piles of fried potatoes to soak up the night’s revelries. And Evoke, 103 S. Broadway, in Edmond has enough coffee to keep you wide-awake until lunchtime.

Or if you’re full and you’re tired and you’re ready to submit to slumber’s sweet embrace, maybe it’s time to go to sleep. Just don’t go too long or you’ll wind up wideawake and hungry again tonight, too. Though now that you know the secrets of Oklahoma City’s latenight eats, that’s not such a bad thing, is it?

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food briefs

Big burger Lovers of onions and beef will converge on downtown El Reno on Saturday to celebrate the convergence of onions and beef at the 27th annual El Reno Fried Onion Burger Day Festival.

El Reno, home of the onion burger, hosts a day filled with burger-themed events starting with the Bun Run. A combination 1-mile fun run followed by a 5k, the Bun Run starts at 8:30 a.m. at Memorial Stadium, 2001 Sunset Drive.

At 10 a.m., festivalgoers can sign up for a chance to participate in a burgereating contest later in the day. But the main event is cooking an 850-pound onion burger. Preparation begins at 11 a.m., the giant burger gets cooking at noon and it will be served to the crowd at 1 p.m.

There will also be live music, magicians, a car show, crafts and, of course, food. Last year’s festival saw 3,200 hamburgers cooked in seven hours with 50 cents from each hamburger sold donated by El Reno Main Street to a community project. This year’s recipient is the Students Striving for Success mentoring program.

More information and a schedule of events can be found at elrenoburgerday.wordpress.com.

A server presents what helped make Pepe Gonzalez — and his eatery — a mainstay: enchiladas.

Longtime Oklahoma restaurateur Julian “Pepe” Jose Gonzalez died April 19.

Gonzalez was born in Chiclayo, Peru, and became head of his household at a very young age, which instilled in him an insatiable DIY ethic that emigrated to the U.S. in 1959. A brief stopover in Bethany on his way to Salt Lake City proved to be permanent.

Here, Gonzalez met El Charrito restaurant owner Luis Alvarado, who gave him a job at the downtown location even though he didn’t speak English. He also met his future wife, Taide Alvarado, his boss’ niece, and taught himself English.

He worked his way up from help staff into management and, later, into a successful local entrepreneur.

After 21 years with the El Charrito/El Chico Corporation, in 1981, Gonzalez opened his own place, Pepe’s Mexican Restaurant, 1701 S. Broadway, in Edmond with partner Manuel Tello.

It remains a mainstay of Edmond’s popular restaurant row.

Through hard work and self-education, Pepe lived the American dream. His employees were often treated like family, as were his loyal customers.

They opened a second location in 1987: Laredo’s Mexican Restaurant, which recently moved to 5111 N. Classen Blvd., and was renamed Casa De Los Milagros Mexican Restaurant and Cantina.

24 | april 29, 2015 | OklahOma Gazette

G aZETTE / FilE

Adios, Pepe

Ramen house For several years, Matthew and Wakana Sebacher have developed a menu and concept for their new restaurant. In May, they plan to open Tamashii Ramen House, 321 NW Eighth St. Japanese native Wakana came to Oklahoma for school a decade ago and met Matthew after he returned from a military deployment.

“The first time I experienced real ramen was when I met her family,” Sebacher said.

That authentic Japanese ramen experience convinced them to start their own ramen restaurant in OKC. Recently, they found the perfect spot for it in Midtown.

The restaurant offers three different styles of ramen — shoyu, tonkotsu and spicy — but might introduce more. They also might add Japanese street and bar foods, including gyoza, Japanese fried chicken, stir-fried yakisoba noodles and homemade garlic fried rice.

mark h ancock

Ga ZE TTE / Fi l E

by GreG elwell

Rolling chef Look for a new focus on food at Saints, 1715 NW 16th St., as Guy “moto chef” Romo (pictured at left) has been brought in to help revitalize the kitchen.

Romo is working as a consultant and said he’ll help the eatery transition to a new head chef in a few months.

“They have a great menu, but they need assistance,” he said. “They want to be back on the map.”

With a limited kitchen staff, he will condense the menu and add new items, elevating consistency and, in time, re-open for lunch.

Romo, who ran the Moto Chef food truck, is also looking down the road on concepts of his own. He hinted at a series of pop-up dinners similar to Jeff Chanchaleune and Rachel Cope’s Project Slurp, for which Romo assisted in the kitchen.

p hoToS BY m a rk ha n coc k

life food & driNK

hungry Frog Restaurant 1101 n. pennsylvania ave. | 524-0686 What WORkS: pancakes. and the pancakes. and, holy smokes, those pancakes.

What NeeDS WORk: chicken fingers were a bit tough and needed seasoning. tIP: closed on Sundays.

Jump in Even gluten haters will love these irresistible pancakes.

A stack of pancakes at Hungry frog restaurant.

by GreG elwell

“This is worth the rash.”

Gluten doesn’t agree with Tracey, nor she with it. They are in a near constant state of disagreement. But when the pancake came out, they achieved a brief détente.

“This is the best pancake I’ve ever had,” she said. “Like, the best ever.

How do they do this? Can you do this?

Why can’t I make pancakes like this?”

Perhaps it has something to do with the griddle, I surmised. Or a secret ingredient. Or the fact that the cook at Hungry Frog Restaurant, 1101 N. Pennsylvania Ave., has been working there nearly 30 years, according to our waitress.

He has almost certainly made more pancakes in his life than you or I will ever eat in ours.

There are many questions about Hungry Frog. When did it get these snazzy purple booths? How is anybody supposed to eat all this chicken-fried steak? And why is the word “diner” in quotes on the Hungry Frog sign? This is a diner. It serves diner food, and it does it well. It doesn’t need quotes. This is just what it is.

But the question I’m asking myself is, “Why did it take me so long to eat here?”

The pancake is maybe the best

$1.70 you’ll ever spend. It’s light and fluffy, but the edges are lacy and crisp.

There’s a hint of vanilla and some other seasoning I couldn’t place. But it didn’t need butter. It didn’t really need syrup.

It was just plain good. (If one is not enough — and it isn’t — you can get three for $3.95.)

For a heartier breakfast, it’s hard to do better than the chicken-fried steak and eggs ($9.95) with your choice of potato and bread. The steak itself is large enough that strangers will ask if you need help, and you might be

tempted to accept it. Hand-breaded, with meat pounded into delicious submission, it’s a favorite.

The biscuit that came with it was large and tall, like my favorite men’s store, and perfectly fluffy. When I asked for crispy home fries, I got them.

And the eggs — over medium, of course — had perfectly set whites and lovely, runny yolks.

All breakfast items are served all day, because breakfast should always be served. But if you’re one of those weirdos who like lunch foods at lunch, there are options.

The chicken fingers ($7.50 for three) were quite large, though a little tough. The fresh breading was a plus, but the chicken itself required a good deal of gravy to go down easily. If your kids refuse to eat anything but boneless fried chicken, this is what you want.

For my money, which is a currency accepted at Hungry Frog, the Indian taco ($6.49) is the way to go. The fry bread is thick enough to stand up to the prodigious pile of toppings, and the whole affair showed an overall lack of grease.

“Indian tacos are supposed to be greasy,” my dad once told me.

So you might not like it as much as I did, but I thought it was fresh, flavorful and filling.

The beans and ground beef were cooked and seasoned well, the lettuce was ... well, it was lettuce. When I doused the taco in a Pace-style salsa, it was like visiting the state fair without worrying about people taking pictures of me driving around in my Rascal.

The taco salad ($7) is remarkably similar to the Indian taco, but with tortilla chips instead of fry bread. Use this information as you will.

Hungry Frog has been there for 40 years, but the booths are quite a bit newer and have a kind of ’57 Cadillac feel to them. The decor is clean but old school, just like the clientele. Folks who sit at the counter are liable to chat with their fellow diners and waitresses. There are ceramic frogs everywhere.

Specials are written on a dry-erase board and taken down when they sell out, which is often.

There’s no pretense at Hungry Frog Restaurant, even with quote marks around the word “diner.” It serves up the classics for breakfast and lunch six days a week. Or possibly there’s a wizard in back who is enchanting pancakes. Who can say?

All I know is I’m going back.

indian taco

OklahOma Gazette | april 29, 2015 | 25

Painful pleasures “Prediction? Pain.”

— Clubber Lang, poet laureate

Generally, we think of eating as a pleasant experience, but there’s something to be said for discomfort, too — a bite of pepper that gets your nose running, a salsa that requires a glass of milk, hot wings that are ... hot. Sorry. The heat must be getting to us.

So why don’t you enjoy these spicy dishes while we cool off.

Misal of india

flatire burgers

580 ed Noble Parkway, Norman misalofindia.com | 579-5600

318 e Ayers st., edmond flatireburgers.com | 359-2006

Indian food has a reputation for bringing the heat, but there are few dishes quite so fiery as Misal of India’s spicy apricot lamb shank. Misal’s can keep it under control, but — with your permission — it’ll set the temperature of the vindaloo sauce to blazing and burn your mouth with delicious, fiery spice.

No, there’s no DONKEY! on the Hell’s Kitchen burger at Flatire, just loads of burning-hot toppings that would tempt the devil himself. It’s covered in sweet onions, jalapeños and a serrano salsa, with pepper jack and a killer chipotle mayo, and you’ll be damned (happy) if you do and damned (sad) if you don’t.

Chelino’s Mexican restaurant 6509 Northwest expressway chelinosmexicanrestaurant.com | 728-2770

Do you hate your mouth? C’mon.

It has never done anything for you.

So consider ordering Botana and the Special Salsa at Chelino’s if you’d like your revenge. Botana will throw grilled onions and fried jalapeños at your taste buds while the salsa stabs your tongue ... with flavor.

— by Greg Elwell, photos by Mark Hancock and Garett Fisbeck

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Knucks wheelhouse

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What’s the point of mild hot wings or tame fried pig skin? Tell your server to crank the Sriracha hot wings and ghost pepper pork rinds at Knucks Wheelhouse to 11. And if a cold beer doesn’t ease your pain, owner Drew Mains said they make their own ranch dressing to cool you down.

Most dogs aren’t hot. You’d have to be drunk to swipe right on most of them.

But the eponymous Spicy Dawg is like the greatest supermodels in history ground into a fine paste and forced into a casing. If the combo of hot links, pepperoni, jalapeños and mustard doesn’t do it for you, they have a wall of hot sauces you can buy to finish the job.

banana island restaurant

siam Noodles Thai Cuisine

1117 Nw 25th st. bananaisland-hub.com | 602-1188

7016 se 15th st. thaidelightoklahoma.com | 733-3552

Evil Jungle Chicken is a curry dish that doesn’t even mess around. It’s not “happy pasture fish” or “innocent forest turkey.” Banana Island’s EVIL. JUNGLE. CHICKEN. is a force of sheer delicious destruction served over rice. Order a side of Maalox or an ambulance.

Why doesn’t “spicy dish” at Siam Noodles have a clever name? Because you have to think to come up with a clever name. And after eating “spicy dish” (either with fish, beef, chicken or pork), you’ll understand why nobody had time to ponder a funny name. They were too busy aiming a firehose filled with milk at their melting faces.

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WWW.TBJE.COM • MON-SAT 10-6 OklahOma Gazette | april 29, 2015 | 27

LIFE CULTURE

P ROVI DE D

“MY SON ASKED ME TO QUIT SMOKING.” BRANDI, TULSA What’s your inspiration for quitting?

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Southside shindig Cinco de Mayo celebrations find a home in the historically Hispanic Capitol Hill area.

BY LOUIS FOWLER

Cinco de Mayo 5 p.m. Tuesday Old Oklahoma Opry 404 SW 25th St. historiccapitolhill.com 632-0133 Free

Contrary to popular belief, the annual celebration of Cinco de Mayo is not “Mexican Independence Day” (that is called Grito de Dolores and is held on Sept. 16) or a South of the border variation of St. Patrick’s Day. Cinco de Mayo instead celebrates the decisive moment in Mexican history when, at the Battle of Puebla, seemingly against impossible odds, the outnumbered ragtag Mexican army defeated an occupying French military of more than 8,000 strong.

And while the holiday isn’t really celebrated in Mexico outside of Puebla, in the 1940s, California Chicanos crafted a resurgence in the day as a point of personal pride.

Since then, it has been a celebration for Latinos all over the country, gaining more and more popularity every year.

For many years, Oklahoma City has held its Cinco de Mayo celebrations in the Bricktown area, but as the Southwest part of OKC — the metro’s historically Hispanic part of town — began to reclaim more of its cultural identity, there has been a shift in returning the holiday to its community roots, thanks to organizations like Calle Dos Cinco

28 | APRIL 29, 2015 | OKLAHOMA GAZETTE

Tropicalísimo Apache during last year’s Cinco de Mayo celebration at Plaza Mayor. and Plaza Mayor at the Crossroads.

Donna Cervantes, director of Calle Dos Cinco in Historic Capitol Hill, said that even though the area really didn’t have a tradition of coming together to celebrate, the time is perfect for the district to start a new one, bringing the community together to enjoy the festivities in a way that hasn’t been done there before.

“We are always looking for an opportunity to promote the area and bring community together, and this is just a great event that people just really want to celebrate,” Cervantes said. “We’re hosting the Cinco de Mayo event because people like a reason to get together and this is a fun time of the year to have a community celebration. We’re proud to be starting a new tradition.”

Starting at 5 p.m. and keeping to a relatively small scale, Calle Dos Cinco, which focuses on the Capitol Hill area, has teamed up with the new owners of the Old Oklahoma Opry, 404 SW 25th St., to confine the festivities to the parking lot behind the venue. There will be live music from bands such as La Onda, a DJ will spin tracks and food trucks will offer a local taste of Mexico and numerous beverages, including lowpoint margaritas from neighborhood brewers Huebert Brewing Company.

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PROVIDED

The Cinco de Mayo events at Plaza Mayor, the Hispanic community’s newest hub for cultural events, are anything but low-key.

Plaza Mayor’s first attempt at a Cinco de Mayo celebration last year was an off-the-chart success, bringing in more than 10,000 attendees.

Having officially joined forces with the organizers of the original Bricktown event, this year, Plaza Mayor organizers expect more than 15,000 people to come out and take part in the fun.

Plaza Mayor Marketing Manager Robert Ruiz has a goal to not only make the space the official OKC spot for celebrating Cinco de Mayo, but he wants to make it the festival destination in all of America, too.

This is made all the more possible by the fact that Puebla is Oklahoma City’s “sister city,” and Ruiz is currently working with representatives from Puebla, including the minister of culture and arts, to create a real sense of unity between the locales for the event.

“We’re trying to be, as much as possible, a very authentic representation of Hispanic culture here in Oklahoma,” Ruiz said.

“We’re basically trying to create more of a cultural and commercial exchange with Puebla, and this festival

becomes an extremely easy way for us to do that because it’s already something that’s huge in Puebla, and people can come to speak about the event about the battle. We’ll be having the consul general of Mexico coming, so the vision of what we’re trying to do here is really coming to fruition.”

In addition to the historical pomp and circumstance, Ruiz said there is also plenty of fun to be had and it is all free to the public.

There will be numerous international, award-winning recording artists performing, MidSouth Wrestling will throw down, about eight food trucks will be on hand to keep the masses fed and many vendors, both commercial and nonprofit, are having giveaways throughout the day. Kids also will be represented with plenty of activities and games and even a Little Miss Cinco de Mayo Pageant.

The event will actually take place a couple of days before the holiday, on Sunday, and will kick off with a traditional horse parade at noon.

As for the future, Ruiz said that “it’s kind of wide open right now,” adding that if this event meets and exceeds their hopes, Plaza Mayor wants to expand even bigger next year by adding a Taste of Puebla culinary event and possibly even a re-creation of the Battle of Puebla with student groups.

“There are events all over the city that really celebrate diversity, so it’s extremely important for people from other communities to come and experience this culture, because you start to get a representation of who your neighbors are, who your fellow Oklahomans are and what kind of things are important to them,” Ruiz said. “This is the sort of event where it’s important to step outside of your culture and experience other cultures, and really, that helps bring us all closer together.”

PROVID ED

There will also be games, arts and crafts for the kids and, inside the Opry, as a way to promote the Cine Latino Film Festival series, popular Hispanic films will be screened.

“I think the main thing is to recognize the diversity in Oklahoma City, and this is the time to celebrate the Hispanic cultures and the new flavors, sights, sounds,” Cervantes said. “I think people look for opportunities to experience more culture, more art, more music, so we’re trying to offer them that. We want them to come to the district and see something they may not have seen before and know this is a fun place to be and that they are welcomed.”

Horse dancing at last year’s Cinco de Mayo celebrations at Plaza Mayor.

OKLAHOMA GAZETTE | APRIL 29, 2015 | 29

P HOTOS BY M A RK HA N COC K

LIFE YOUTH

Bright Tomorrows

A school designed to serve homeless children offers top-notch education, a safe haven and positive steps forward.

BY ANGELA BOTZER

A local historic church had capital costs and overhead that became overwhelming for the owners. Some buildings are sold and torn down when this becomes the case. Other buildlings, like the church, are repurposed into something more innovative and better than their original design.

“Our organization began in 1989, when individuals and groups got together as a community collaborative,” said Susan Agel, president and principal of Positive Tomorrows. “We saw holes in the system, examining how people became homeless and how they were accessing services at that time. Our diverse groups got together, found some grant money, and that’s how we kicked the organization off.”

Positive Tomorrows is a school for homeless children in the metro area that now calls the historic church home. The school is accredited kindergarten through fifth grade and can currently accommodate 58 children at one time.

“The first semester, we turned away 50 kids. Last year, [we turned away] 105,” Agel said. “We have discovered there are not many places in the country that do what we do.

We are very proud of the school.”

Kids are referred to the school by various shelters in town. Ninety-one children passed through the halls last year. Each class is kept to no more than 16 children. All teachers are state-certified, and each class has a teacher and an assistant.

30 | APRIL 29, 2015 | OKLAHOMA GAZETTE

Susan Paz’s class of kindergarten and first-graders at Positive Tomorrows.

“It’s a wonderful teacherstudent ratio,” said Rachel Durham, development officer of Positive Tomorrows.

The classrooms have colorful art on the walls, laptops and natural light streaming through the windows, and children are engaged in their work.

“Each child has an iPad kept at school, giving them immediate access to technology,” said Durham.

And there are smiles, bubbly laughter in the hallways and animated greetings in a warm learning environment.

Without the school, those children would be subject to multiple school changes a year, which is terribly disruptive to any child’s education.

— Jason Dunnington

“I do know that the stability the school provides for at-risk children and their families is critical,” said Jason Dunnington, Representative

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Children do schoolwork during a recent session.

for House District 88. “Without the school, those children would be subject to multiple school changes a year, which is terribly disruptive to any child’s education.”

The Oklahoma City Public School District counted 2,450 homeless children last year. They are mostly considered ‘couch-homeless,’ families sleeping on couches, staying with other family temporarily, bouncing around from family member to family member, said Agel.

Currently, there is not enough family shelter housing in OKC, and homeless families with children don’t want to be visible on the streets for fear of losing their kids.

“One of the things we do for these children is provide a safe school where other kids are like them, because we see that homeless can be such a lonely experience,” Agel said.

In a regular school, it’s difficult for kids to attend events such as sleepovers or birthday parties because these kids have very little; they are often sleeping in garages or cars.

They often don’t play sports or have Halloween costumes.

The school also works toward breaking down barriers by providing

services to children and their families.

Durham said hygiene bags — which include toothbrushes and toothpaste, soap and shampoo, among other things — are given to each student.

When kids first arrive at Positive Tomorrows, the school staff helps parents get back on their feet from homeless shelters or transitional housing.

“Case support and case managers work together here,” Durham noted.

Positive Tomorrows addresses hunger by offering breakfast, lunch and snacks daily, as well as transportation for parents to attend parent-teacher conferences.

“We participate in the [Regional] Food Bank Backpack Program, offering a backpack filled with enough food to get through the weekend,” said Agel.

Positive Tomorrows strives to help the children in any way it can.

“We have Boy Scout and Girl Scout troops here. During school breaks and over the summer, we remain open as a summer day camp because it’s easier for the parents to keep working and gives kids the consistency they need,” Durham said.

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Susan Agel looks over pop art palm prints displayed in a hallway.

OKLAHOMA GAZETTE | APRIL 29, 2015 | 31

LIFE VISUAL ARTS

Healthy art

P ROVI DE D

Art and science come together to celebrate the artistic works of Oklahomans and raise awareness and funds to battle strokes.

BY ADAM HOLT

Oklahoma Artists Invitational 4-7 p.m. Friday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, noon-5 p.m. Sunday Mercy NeuroScience Institute 4120 W. Memorial Rd. Free

Two factors drive the artistic idea of the biannual Oklahoma Artists Invitational (OAI) event that premiered in 2010.

“We wanted to show what Oklahoma artists can do,” said Jan J. Smith, OAI president.

The benefit also allows art collectors of any budget to take home art.

“Once, I attended an art show, and I remember thinking that everything there was so expensive and I felt like I couldn’t buy things,” she said. “We want everyone

to be able to participate.”

The mediums include original oil and acrylics, prints, giclées on canvas and notecards.

The OAI benefit showcases work from 29 Oklahoma artists Friday-Sunday in the glass atrium of the NeuroScience Institute at Mercy Hospital, 4120 W. Memorial Road. The event features multiple art styles, as well as sculpture and jewelry available for purchase.

A percentage of the sales will benefit the Mercy Foundation Stroke Education & Treatment Program. Richard V. Smith, medical director of the NeuroScience Institute, will present lectures concerning new stroke treatments every day of the event. The benefit is free to the public.

The show is an invitational, meaning

Art at last year’s Oklahoma Artist Invitational at Mercy NeuroScience Institute. members of the organization reviewed all works for taste and quality.

Called An Afternoon of Art, the show is described as a pleasant afternoon with an atmosphere of soothing, ambient music.

The first day of the OAI benefit will host a wine-tasting event complete with a sommelier.

Jan and Richard said the Mercy Hospital glass atrium is modeled after the Louvre Museum in Paris. This allows the art show to be sunlit and surrounded by nature while the show takes place in a controlled-temperature atmosphere.

The OAI benefit has been a hit since the beginning.

“It’s a very enjoyable afternoon,” Jan

LIFE BOOKS

said. “I’ve been told by people that it’s the best art in the city. The artists also have a great time.”

Each day of the weekend event features a 2 p.m. lecture on the current state of stroke treatment by Richard.

“I talk about new treatments and what a stroke is, how to prevent a stroke and how to identify a stroke,” he said.

The American Heart Association reports that 750,000 Americans have a new or recurrent stroke each year, killing more than 137,000. On average, a person dies from a stroke every four minutes.

The art and science combination of the benefit is a success, with many art fans taking interest in the lectures.

Shannon Miller

RENE E PARE NTEAU / PROVID ED

Giving all A new book gives a glimpse of Shannon Miller’s Olympic journey and her fight against cancer.

BY ALISSA LINDSEY

Edmond native and Olympic gymnast Shannon Miller’s new memoir, It’s Not About Perfect: Competing for My Country and Fighting for My Life, tells the story of her gymnastics career and the lessons she learned that helped her battle ovarian cancer.

“It’s about going out and giving it your best every single day. It’s about lessons learned that anyone can use to overcome and break through any challenge they’re facing,” Miller said.

Because her memoir begins at such a young age, she interviewed her parents and other important people in her life during her childhood to fill in some of the particulars.

This adds an in-depth level of detail to her life story. She recounts specific gymnastics moves that she struggled with and overcame, which brings the 32 | APRIL 29, 2015 | OKLAHOMA GAZETTE

reader right into the moment with her.

She smoothly introduces and explains gymnastics terminology and concepts and keeps the story’s pace while moving toward her next goal as a gymnast.

Miller spent two years writing her memoir, and in the process, she remembered how devoted she was to becoming an all-around gymnast, someone who was adept at balance beam, vault, uneven bars and floor exercises.

“I think that was important for me just because it was so difficult ... I wasn’t the most flexible, I wasn’t the strongest … But I think what it goes to show is if you choose to work hard and believe in yourself, you really can do amazing things,” Miller said.

Gymnastics gave Miller the opportunity to travel to places like Puerto Rico, Italy, Canada, Germany, Japan,

France, Russia and Spain at a young age.

To prepare for the 1992 Summer Olympic Games in Barcelona, Spain, 15-year-old Miller trained seven hours a day six days a week. Her training paid off when she earned five medals, the most medals taken home by an American in any sport from that Olympics.

By the time she was 19, she would be the most decorated gymnast (male or female) in U.S. history and the winner of seven Olympic medals.

After retiring from gymnastics, Miller started her health and fitness company, based out of Jacksonville, Florida. Shannon Miller Lifestyle is devoted to helping women make their health a priority.

When Miller went to the doctor in December of 2010, they discovered a baseball-sized cyst on her left ovary. By

January, she was visiting an oncologist and had surgery to remove the tumor, her left Fallopian tube and left ovary.

Finally, she went through nine weeks of aggressive chemotherapy.

Fewer than 50 percent of women with ovarian cancer survive the disease, and Miller said it is amazing to be cancerfree now.

“It will always be in the back of my mind, and that’s unfortunate, and I try not to let it bog me down because I know … that I just have to live each day to its fullest,” Miller said. “I continue to do my best to help others focus on their health … and help raise funds for research and eventually finding a cure.”

Miller lives in Jacksonville with her husband, son and daughter.

Hardcover copies of It’s Not About Perfect are available on Amazon.

LIFE PERFORMING ARTS

Invisible presence One of the last Oklahoma mimes opens the door to a world unseen.

BY CHRISTIAN WILSON

Long live

The new persuasion, corporeal mime, arose from a paradigm shift in the 1900s that focalized the physicality of the actor, said Thomas Leabhart, professor of theater at Pomona College and pupil of the inventor of corporeal mime, Étienne Decroux.

Mime before the 20th century was all about the “what” — the narrative and story — Leabhart said. This new form was about the heightened awareness of

self and motion. A handful of influential shakers, including Jacques Copeau, a French dramatist, and Paul Bellugue, an anatomy professor at l’Ecole des Beaux Arts in Paris, began drawing insight from dance and sport, noting the musculature and tensions of the athletes’ bodies.

“The culture of the dancer and of the athlete rest on the same principles, simplifying, purifying and ordering gestures,” Leabhart quotes Bellugue in his book Modern and Post-Modern Mime.

I wanted to learn to do something physical … [work] toward the extinction of personality … become a portrait of a man.

— Joe Long

Concerning corporeal mime, Decroux is the name to know. The son of working-class parents, he dropped out of school and worked construction for 10 years. It was this early physical practice he would combine with insights from Bellegue, Copeau and his own research in the mid-1900s to create corporeal mime.

In his second year at college, Long stumbled into Leabhart in a 5 p.m. movement class.

“When I saw him perform the first time, just him walking onto the stage with the consciousness [of a corporeal mime], it blew my mind,” Long said.

“I’m in love with this art form. I’m in love with this teacher. It shook me to the core; I wanted to have that.”

Long finished school and shipped off to The Valley Studio, an artists’ haven in Spring Green, Wisconsin. He studied mime, found his life partner and began teaching with Leabhart.

After the studio closed in 1979, he left and moved to Norman. Over the next 27 years, he married, worked with Oklahoma Arts Council and taught until, Long said, “it just gradually ...

GA RETT FI S BEC K

Joe Long stood on the steps of his rental property, waiting, looking into the street from his front doorstep. His eyes smiled though his face remained relaxed. His physicality was purposeful, attuned, thoughtful. There was an attention in the motion, a communication between his arms and legs. He must have been an actor.

Long was showing one of the apartment properties he keeps up.

“I used to be a mime,” he said.

Later, at District House in the Plaza District, his conversation traced a recursive web of ideas — line, dynamic quality, profoundness, thoughtfulness — ebbing between past, present and uncertain future in looping spurts. Long stood to demonstrate the movements he described.

“Like so,” he said, his body extending, his hand accepting an invisible flower.

Joe Long was raised in Ardmore. He went to college in Fayetteville, Arkansas, for a psychology degree. What he left with was decidedly different.

“The goal of my life from the time I was 12 was to be free from selfconsciousness without having to put on a personality,” Long said. “Personality is the shell that surrounds us. I wanted to learn to do something physical … [work] toward the extinction of personality … become a portrait of a man.”

When most people think of mime, they see white-painted faces bemoaning invisible walls. They hear the name Marcel Marceau. In mime circles, this style is called illusionary pantomime and was popularized in pre-20th-century France. Though mostly unnoticed by the mainstream world, the death of pantomime has come and gone and has been replaced by a new technique. The king has died.

Joe Long demonstrates corporeal mime at District House. slipped away.”

He slowly fell out of contact with Leabhart as well, who, while teaching the past 40 years, watched corporeal mime soar at the same time Oklahoma mime was expending its best talent.

According to mime.info, 15 countries house mime theatre schools and private instructional institutions.

Two major mime festivals are held yearly: the London International Mime Festival and the Festival International des Arts du Mime et du Geste in Périgueux, France.

“The best performances in mime from all over the world are given at these two places,” Leabhart said, “and there hasn’t been a pantomime performer.

Some of the work might look like devised theater, collective creation or performance art, but these are all things that have grown out of Decroux’s research.”

Worldwide

Corporeal mime is taught in one form or another in Paris, France; Singapore; Denmark; South America; Barcelona, Spain; Ecuador; and at American universities such as Pomona College and the University of Tennessee.

Long is one of the last few Oklahoma mimes, but throughout his teaching and acting career, he has done his part to plant the seeds of corporeal mime for the next generation.

Long taught at elementary schools with his performance groups Zap! Zany

Arts Players and the Prime Time Mime Players and gave workshops as part of Oklahoma Arts Council’s artists in residence program.

In sessions, Long would engage students in a handful of games that taught the fundamentals of corporeal mime: line, dynamic quality and thought. He developed toys, such a long, self-enclosed, circular tubes with a ball inside. Up to 30 children would stand along the outside, holding it up, and would be directed to roll the ball around the tube by lifting or lowering the tube in synchronicity.

“From the beginning, you have yourself and the other,” Long said.

“Mime teaches us a simultaneous awareness of yourself and the other.

Even though your eyes are open, looking out, your consciousness is in. If you are overly enthusiastic in your own desires and ignore the response of the other, it won’t [work].”

With this awareness of self and other, corporeal technique has become an important quality of nearly any type of modern performance, ingrained into the muscles and minds of performers.

It’s in this way that the practice of corporeal mime thrives around us.

“Decroux used to say there was a secret society in medieval France and their motto was, ‘Always present but invisible,’” Leabhart said. “Actors in American theater ... you won’t know they studied corporeal because you don’t see it.”

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87 Changes the placement of in a tournament bracket 89 Neutral shade 90 Indian bread 91 Long-tailed monkey 94 That girl, in Genoa 95 Tell on 96 Graduation V.I.P. 97 Ewe two?

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121 Hard evidence a lawyer follows 123 Kind of pain 124 Prisoners’ wear 125 Hammed it up 126 Investigation 127 Whups 128 Something grown — or eaten — in rows 129 Powerhouse in African soccer DOWN 1 Give up 2 Secretary of state under Reagan 3 Peut-____ (perhaps: Fr.) 4 Stars, in a motto 5 One way to complete an online purchase 6 “Candle in the Wind” dedicatee 7 Place for a brace 8 Part of a platform 9 No. 2 of 43 10 Den ____ (home of the International Criminal Court) 11 “Let’s do this thing” 12 Later 13 Sharp pain 14 Old man?

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Oklahoma Gazette

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LIFE ACTIVE

MARK HA N COC K

SOS

The local swimming community searches for ways to keep the OCCC Aquatic Center open.

BY BRENDAN HOOVER

When news broke that the Oklahoma City Community College (OCCC) Aquatic Center will close after Labor Day weekend, Bruce Clifton’s phone immediately began ringing.

“People were asking, ‘What are we going to do now?’” said Clifton, head coach of Mustang High School’s swim team. “It’s kind of like a tornado went roaring through.”

Clifton has grown Mustang’s team from a handful of local club swimmers seven years ago to more than 70 athletes today. Mustang and eight other high school teams rent lane time at OCCC because their districts don’t have pools.

Once the center closes, Clifton said ripples will be felt throughout the swimming community.

“People don’t realize how huge swimming is. There are schools across the state that are begging for a place to go practice,” Clifton said. “There’s a solution out there. We just have to find it.”

Money problems

OCCC announced on April 15 that it would close the aquatic center. An online petition asking officials to keep the facility from closing has garnered more than 3,000 signatures as of press time.

“This decision was made following a careful review and with full understanding of the significant contribution the center has made to the

36 | APRIL 29, 2015 | OKLAHOMA GAZETTE

college and Oklahoma City since it was built in 1989,” OCCC President Paul Sechrist said in a news release. “However, the present-day functional, operational, financial and mission realities have resulted in the decision to close the aquatic center.”

A consulting firm advised the college that the center needs $6 million in repairs and upgrades. Even if repairs were made, the facility would still lag behind many other newer, more advanced national and international facilities, according to the news release. OCCC does not have a swim team.

Additionally, the center operates at a loss of about $280,000 per year. With potential state funding cuts looming, the decision to close was necessary, said Deirdre Steiner, OCCC’s assistant director of marketing and public relations.

The college does not yet have plans for the space, pending more examination.

However, Steiner said administration would consider viable solutions.

“We don’t want to get rid of it so we can build something else. It’s just a funding issue,” she said.

The center served as the outdoor venue for all aquatic competition during the 1989 U.S. Olympic Festival. OCCC enclosed the facility in 1991, and today, it’s one of only three Olympic-size pools in the state, including the Edmond

People don’t realize how huge swimming is.

— Bruce Clifton

YMCA Recreation & Aquatic Center, opened in 2014, and Jenks Trojan Aquatic Center, completed in 2011.

Making way

For the third year, Shawnee’s Oklahoma Baptist University (OBU) won both national titles at the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics Men’s and Women’s Swimming & Diving National Championships, held in March at OCCC. OBU had the state’s only collegiate swimming program until neighbor St. Gregory’s University founded its own team last year.

OBU uses OCCC’s diving well twice a week for practice because its own facility does not have a three-meter board. The aquatic center deserves to remain open, said Samuel Freas, OBU head swimming and diving coach.

“That’s given us a strategic advantage,” Freas said. “I feel obligated to the sport of swimming and diving to try to do everything I can in a humble way to try to remedy the situation.”

Colin Waldrop will be out of his lifeguard job when the OCCC Aquatic Center closes at the end of summer.

Freas has coached for the South African Olympic team and held college jobs at Hawaii, Arkansas and Louisiana State. He said teams can become economic generators by attracting student athletes to small colleges and venues like OCCC can be sustainable by attracting bigger and better competitions.

He’s hopeful a coalition of public and private entities can come together to keep the pool open.

King Marlin Swim Club (KMSC) also is working to find a solution.

Founded in 2014 by coaches John Brown, Kathy Mendez and Josh Everett following the dissolution of Chesapeake Swim Club, which lost its corporate funding, KMSC serves more than 250 swimmers and also utilizes the aquatic center. Through its affiliation with USA Swimming, the sport’s national governing body, KMSC is working with OCCC to find ways to keep the center open.

“We’re keeping a dialogue open with OCCC,” Mendez said. “It’s an extremely important venue.

The petition to keep the pool open can be found at thepetitionsite.com.

Quirky Queen

JOS HUA BL AC K W I L KI N S / P R OVI DE D

LIFE MUSIC

An ambitious festival launch in Guthrie brings together Americana-rock ’n’ roll hybrids for a two-day music and camping celebration.

BY JAMES BENJAMIN

Cottonwood Flats campgrounds 2 p.m. Thursday-2 p.m. Sunday primitive camping only queenoftheprairie.com $30 per tent (two-day pass)

Shirley Clifford will never forget the unnamed older woman in the Buddha shirt who danced and watched bands play at a recent block party.

Who could, really?

In many ways, that image — and that mystery woman — embodies the very aesthetic that this weekend’s Queen of the Prairie Festival and Guthrie itself represents: vintage America with a twist.

For quite some time, Shirley and her mom, Christie Clifford, organized Make Guthrie Weird block parties. With this festival, they took that theme and blew it up with sets from 21 music acts, two late-night sets with DJ outfit Electric Western and two nights of camping.

“Word got around and we got a really good reputation in Nashville so now it looks like we’re bringing Nashville to Guthrie,” said Shirley.

That sounds easy enough, right?

Fans should expect a mellow crowd and a lineup with “no filler.”

“We feel like we’ve got a killer lineup,” Shirley said.

Weird folk

The town solidified its quirky, folk- and Americana-infused reputation back in 2013 when Mumford & Sons landed there with its successful Gentlemen of the Road extravaganza. Tens of thousands of visitors flooded the area — many of them for the first time.

“We didn’t want to lose the momentum of Mumford & Sons,”

It’s just been snowballing … because we just get more and more connections.

— Shirley Clifford “Basically, all the people we got for Queen of the Prairie, they’re friends or they’ve played together,” Shirley said.

“It’s just been snowballing … because we just get more and more connections.”

The festival takes its name from a nickname it earned shortly after the Land Run of 1889 flooded the area with about 10,000 settlers and water, mass transit and even parking garages that sprung up almost overnight.

‘Boutique festival’

Shirley, who grew up in Piedmont and has lived in Guthrie for two and a half

RAC HEL BRI GGS / P ROVI DED

Los Colognes

Sammy Brue

PROVID ED

Gates open 11 a.m. Friday-Saturday and fest ends 1:30 a.m. Sunday Cottonwood Flats 601 W. Warner Ave., Guthrie queenoftheprairie.com $30-$225 Note: Youth under age 6 get in free.

Valerie June

Shirley said. “We could never really do anything as huge … but we wanted to keep it going.”

Soon, town leadership joined them to court and secure the event’s growing music lineup and its blend of new and established acts, including JD McPherson, Parker Millsap, Lera Lynn, Jonny Fritz, Whiskey Shivers and Escondido.

In fact, alt-country crossover act Escondido, which hails from Nashville, was the first band confirmed for the first Make Guthrie Weird block party, and Shirley said its members, Jessica Maros and Tyler James, facilitated key music industry connections with Queen of the Prairie organizers.

Another Tennessee musician, Memphis singer-songwriter Valerie June, isn’t shy about her love of Oklahoma’s idiosyncratic former state capitol.

P ROVI DED

Queen of the Prairie Festival

Justin Townes Earle

years, said she thinks the personality and history of her new hometown attracts artists and fans alike.

As the rookie festival organizers work with a relatively small crew, Shirley said they took inspiration from other music festivals, including Pickathon in Oregon and WinterWonderGrass in Colorado.

“We want to be the ones that are respected, kind of like Newport [Folk Festival] (a Rhode Island music festival),” Shirley said. “That’s iconic, but I think that would be a good model to shoot for.”

In its initial year, however, Queen of the Prairie will be more of a “boutique festival” that’s a bit more intimate in size.

The most important thing for this year, Shirley said, is making a good impression on guests and artists for future Queen of the Prairie festivals specifically and for the future of music in Guthrie in general.

“We hope people around here see it that way and are open to coming and visiting Guthrie and kind of checking out what we’ve got going on,” she said.

We recommend Friday JD McPherson Samantha Crain Sammy Brue The Cactus Blossoms Valerie June Saturday Parker Millsap Nicki Bluhm & the Gamblers Justin Townes Earle Los Colognes Sam Outlaw

Like the pioneering legacy of its host town, Queen of the Prairie boldly charges into unchartered territory with its first event.

“As long as the fans have a good time and the artists have a good time and there’s good music, I don’t see how it could go wrong,” Shirley said.

Visit queenoftheprairie.com.

OklahOma Gazette | APRIL 29 2015 | 37

38 | APRIL 29, 2015 | OklahOma Gazette

Drive, Mickey Mantle’s Steakhouse. COVER

Atom Ray Trio, Will Rogers Lobby Cafe & Bar. JAZZ

Jim the Elephant, Baker St. Pub & Grill. ROCK

Blue October/Legendary Skies/Ashleigh Stone, Diamond Ballroom. ROCK

John Randolph, Jazmo’z Bourbon St. Cafe. COUNTRY

Edgar Cruz/Jeff Nokes and Freinds, Avanti Bar & Grill.

ACOUSTIC

Lecrae, Cox Convention Center. HIP-HOP

P ROVI DE D

LIVE MUSIC WEDNESDAY, APR. 29

Gentry, Kendell’s Bar. VARIOUS Great American Jug Band, Grandad’s Bar. ROCK Jason Young Band/zero2sixty, Remington Park. ROCK

Karen Khoury, Legend’s Restaurant, Norman. PIANO

Eric Dunkin, Colcord Hotel. ACOUSTIC

Local H/Battleme, The Conservatory. ROCK

Grant Wells, Skirvin Hilton Hotel. PIANO

Lost Kozz, Fort Thunder Harley Davidson, Moore. ROCK

Iron & Wine/Gregory Alan Isakov, Cain’s Ballroom, Tulsa.

SINGER/SONGWRITER

Matt Blagg, Red Rock Canyon Grill. SINGER/SONGWRITER

Marilyn Manson, Brady Theater, Tulsa. ROCK

Morris McCann, Toby Keith’s I Love This Bar & Grill.

COUNTRY

Maurice Johnson, R&J Lounge and Supper Club. JAZZ

Mother Duck, Bourbon Street Bar. VARIOUS

Scott Lowber/Will Galbraith/Ed VanBuskirk, Friends Restaurant & Club. COVER

Randy Cassimus, Bricktown Brewery. ACOUSTIC

The Weathermen, Baker St. Pub & Grill. VARIOUS

THURSDAY, APR. 30 Birch Street, Wormy Dog Saloon. COUNTRY Brent Saulsbury/Will Galbraith/Wayne Duncan, Friends Restaurant & Club. ROCK

Roy Lee Scott & The Flying Cowboys, Sliders. COUNTRY Shortt Dogg, UCO Jazz Lab, Edmond. BLUES

SATURDAY, MAY 2

Derek Harris, Colcord Hotel. ACOUSTIC

Chris Trapper, The Blue Door. SINGER/SONGWRITER

Home Free, Rose State College. COUNTRY

Christian Pearson, Colcord Hotel. PIANO

Jimmy Wayne, Crossings Community Church. COUNTRY

Crossland, Baker St. Pub & Grill. COVER

John Fullbright/Samantha Crain/Paul Benjaman Band, Cain’s Ballroom, Tulsa. ROCK

Don and Melodee Johnson, Twelve Oaks, Edmond. JAZZ

Rick Jawnsun/Aaron Newman, JJ’s Alley. ACOUSTIC Rockwell Ryan, Red Rock Canyon Grill. VARIOUS

Drive, Mickey Mantle’s Steakhouse. COVER Dylan Hammett, Colcord Hotel. ACOUSTIC

Shelly Carroll/Stockton Helbing, UCO Jazz Lab, Edmond.

JAZZ

Karen Khoury, Legend’s Restaurant, Norman. PIANO

Stars, Baker St. Pub & Grill. COVER

FRIDAY, MAY 1 2AM, Belle Isle Restaurant & Brewery. ROCK Amarillo Junction, Grady’s 66 Pub, Yukon. COUNTRY

Aaron Lewis, Wormy Dog Saloon. COUNTRY

Waka Flocka Flame, Farmers Public Market. HIP-HOP

Mickey Gilley, Sugar Creek Casino, Hinton. COUNTRY

Edgar Cruz, Skirvin Hilton Hotel. ACOUSTIC

Miss Blue’s, Bourbon Street Bar. BLUES

Kam Brad, Colcord Hotel. VARIOUS

WEDNESDAY, MAY 6

Pearl, Belle Isle Restaurant & Brewery. ROCK

Karen Khoury, Legend’s Restaurant, Norman. PIANO

Avenue, Baker St. Pub & Grill. COVER

Replay, Russell’s, Tower Hotel. COVER

Mike Hosty ‘One Man Band’, The Deli, Norman. ROCK

Brass Beats, Will Rogers Lobby Cafe & Bar. VARIOUS

Rick Jawnsun, Red Rock Canyon Grill. ACOUSTIC

Scott Lowber/Will Galbraith/Rick Toops, Friends Restaurant & Club. COVER

Casey & Minna, Saints. VARIOUS

Roy Lee Scott & The Flying Cowboys, Sliders. COUNTRY

SNU Faculty Recital Series, Southern Nazarene University, Bethany. ACOUSTIC

Cody Jinks, Wormy Dog Saloon. COUNTRY

Yellowcard/Finch/The Downtown Fiction, Cain’s Ballroom, Tulsa. ROCK

Waka Flocka Flame/DJ Woo Kid/Ben G, Cain’s Ballroom, Tulsa. HIP-HOP

DJ R&R, Russell’s, Tower Hotel. VARIOUS

zero2sixty, Remington Park. ROCK

Primus, Chevy Bricktown Events Center, Tuesday

The Soft Moon, Opolis, Norman. ROCK

LUCKY, Tapwerks Ale House & Cafe. COVER

Smilin’ Vic, UCO Jazz Lab, Edmond. BLUES

Chad Todd Band, Sliders. COUNTRY

Primus and The Chocolate Factory with The Fungi Ensemble, Chevy Bricktown Events Center. ROCK

Bob Dylan, Civic Center Music Hall. SINGER/ SONGWRITER

PROVIDED

Ambiance, Riverwind Casino, Norman. VARIOUS

SUNDAY, MAY 3

Evan Michaels Band, Toby Keith’s I Love This Bar & Grill.

COUNTRY Helen Skelter Kelter/Gum/Brainwasher, Blue Note Lounge. ROCK

Sunday

The iconic and prolific music man returns to Oklahoma City (and the Civic Center) with his band for a concert 8 p.m. Sunday at Thelma Gaylord Performing Arts Theatre inside Civic Center Music Hall, 201 N. Walker Ave. His 36th album release, Shadows in the Night, dropped in February to critical praise from The New York Times, Paste and Rolling Stone. His career spans over 50 years and includes the hits “Mr. Tambourine Man,” “A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall,” “Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right,” “Lay Lady Lay,” “Tangled Up in Blue,” “Just Like a Woman” and “All Along the Watchtower.” Tickets are $49.50-$89.50, available at the venue box office, online at okcciviccenter.com and by calling 297-2264.

Drifters Calling, Sliders. COUNTRY

Samantha Crain, The Deli, Norman. FOLK

Bob Dylan

pick

Ambiance, Riverwind Casino, Norman. VARIOUS Beverly Hills, 51st Street Speakeasy. VARIOUS

Needtobreathe/Ben Rector/Drew Holcomb & The Neighbors, Chevy Bricktown Events Center. ROCK

music

AJ Gaither, Grandad’s Bar. SINGER/SONGWRITER

David Morris, Skirvin Hilton Hotel. PIANO

Mark Galloway, Myriad Botanical Gardens. ACOUSTIC

OKG

MONDAY, MAY 4

Edgar Cruz/Jeff Nokes and Freinds, Avanti Bar & Grill.

ACOUSTIC Mastodon/Clutch/Graveyard, Diamond Ballroom. ROCK Maurice Johnson, R&J Lounge and Supper Club. ROCK Scott Lowber/Will Galbraith/Ed VanBuskirk, Friends Restaurant & Club. COVER Southern Rift, Colcord Hotel. COUNTRY

Ali Harter Residency, Blue Note Lounge. SINGER/ SONGWRITER Mr Gnome/Kill the Reflection, The Conservatory. ROCK Rick Toops, Friends Restaurant & Club. ROCK Walk the Moon/The Griswolds, Cain’s Ballroom, Tulsa.

ROCK

TUESDAY, MAY 5 Groove Merchants/Superfreak, Mama Roja Mexican Kitchen. VARIOUS Mike Hosty/Zak Shaffer, JJ’s Alley. ACOUSTIC

Submissions must be received by Oklahoma Gazette no later than noon on Wednesday seven days before the desired publication date. Late submissions will not be included in the listings.

Submissions run as space allows, although we strive to make the listings as inclusive as possible.

Fax your listings to 528-4600 or e-mail them to listings@okgazette.com. Sorry, but phone submissions cannot be accepted.

OklahOma Gazette | APRIL 29 2015 | 39

DOUG S C HWA R Z P HOTOGR A P HY

LIFE MUSIC

Psychedelic moments

Helen Kelter Skelter

A local rock band offers up trippy textures and complexity with its new album.

BY GREG HORTON

Helen Kelter Skelter 10 p.m. Friday The Deli 309 White St., Norman thedeli.us 329-3534 $5

Album release show with Gum and Brainwasher 10 p.m. Saturday Blue Note Lounge 2408 N. Robinson Ave. thebluenotelounge.com 600-1166 $5

Touring Company. Photo by Jeremy Daniel.

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40 | APRIL 29, 2015 | OklahOma Gazette

There is a moment when a band transitions from a group of guys from high school talking about a band to actually becoming a band. Sometimes, the only result is annoyed neighbors, but occasionally, serendipity steps in or hard work pays off and that band becomes more than a group of friends; it becomes a single identity. The difficulty is in recognizing when or if the moment has arrived.

Oklahoma City-based Helen Kelter Skelter seems to be stepping across the demarcation point at which a group of friends making music for the sheer joy becomes a band that people talk about.

It will have two release parties — one in Norman and one in Oklahoma City — to launch its new self-titled album.

Tim Gregory and Eli Wimmer talked about starting a band when they were still in high school, but after graduation, Gregory headed for the University of Central Oklahoma to major in music and Wimmer went to the University of Oklahoma to major in art. Years later, the friends recruited other friends, and the result was Helen Kelter Skelter. The band has gained success quickly, and Gregory attributes some of that success to Tyson Meade, frontman for Chainsaw Kittens.

“Tyson has added us to his Shaking

Shanghai label, and he’s really been helping sort of lift us up and get noticed,” Gregory said.

That included helping the band get booked to open for The Polyphonic Spree in Tulsa. Helen Kelter Skelter only got a short set, but it paid homage to its patron by covering a couple Chainsaw Kittens tracks.

Categorizing its music is difficult, although many people insist on calling it psychedelic rock. Gregory is comfortable with the classification, especially for the new album.

“It definitely has a more psychedelic, trippy feel than our first album,” he said.

Three of the new songs were posted to the band’s website as an EP, and they will be part of the 10-track release.

In addition to the CD, the band has already released the project on vinyl in conjunction with Record Store Day. Gregory said they printed 250 vinyls, and Guestroom Records in Norman and Oklahoma City has the album already.

The EP is promising and showcases Helen Kelter Skelter’s eclectic musical tastes and inspirations, moving from wall-of-sound metal to trippy, atmospheric compositions. The songs have a family resemblance, but they clearly represent different inspirational geneses, and that makes sense given the members’ eclectic tastes.

“I grew up listening to all kinds of music,” Gregory said. “Jimi Hendrix was one of my first influences, but I also listened to Nick Drake and Philip Glass.”

That list tells a great deal about the band. A psychedelic rock icon and guitar legend, a moody singer-songwriter and one of America’s great modern composers — those three choices highlight the musical complexity, cinematic scope, rich textures and multiple layers of Helen Kelter Skelter’s sound.

LIFE FILM

Child’s play

P ROVI DE D

La Sapienza Thursday | 7:30 p.m.

Julien Cash Reece in Me and Ichikawa.

Filmmaker Mickey Reece is back with his most shocking movie yet: a kid flick.

BY LOUIS FOWLER AND JENNIFER CHANCELLOR

Me and Ichikawa 8 p.m. Saturday Oklahoma Contemporary Arts Center 3000 General Pershing Blvd. $5 Note: Film is rated PG-13.

In his lifetime, Mickey Reece has worked on dozens of films.

But if you ask him, he’ll say that he only counts about five of them as “true” movies, and that includes his latest, Me and Ichikawa.

Inspired by his young son, Julien Cash Reece, he wanted to tell a story that his son could relate to and make a film that he’d take his friends to see.

Reece also cast the youth as protagonist Elliot, whose fantasy world is constrained by his mom and her boyfriend. Both adults fall on hard times and send the boy to live with his dad.

“His mom has been trying to suppress his imagination so he [will] pay better attention in school,” Reece said. “And she even takes him to a child psychologist, but instead, his dad fosters his imagination, and from there, the film grows.”

While Reece gets a “written by” credit for this film, Julien gets a cowriter credit, along with actors Mason Giles, Jacob Snovel and Lisa Renee Woods.

Reece isn’t known for kid-friendly films and admitted that creating a PG-13 film was a challenge. But he declared that this isn’t a bid for mainstream acceptance. He still filled the work with the seven-minute takes and challenging characters he’s known for.

“All of our past movies have been raunchy, for the most part. I wanted

to make one that everyone could come see,” he said. “It’s a very clean, very fun movie for the whole family [and] something I’m extremely proud of.”

Even with its tween rating, Reece said children over 10 will be able to identify with the heartwarming tale.

The movie was made with production and distribution help from Oklahoma collective Fall Films Entertainment, which also handled many of Reece’s prior films, including his 2014 works T-Rex and Judges Creed and his 2013 film Queerbait.

He makes about three movies a year but said he isn’t afraid of overexposure. He was equally prolific when he was writing and performing music, including his stint as oneman band El Paso Hot Button. He compared filmmaking to being in a local band that “only plays three times a year” with a “new set list each time.” It keeps him and his colleagues working, inspired and, especially in the case of this new film, always experimenting with unexpected genres.

In fact, he’s already developing his next movie and said he’s ready to experiment more with “cheap plot devices.” He said it might be a heist or surfer film. Or it might not be.

“I want to try everything,” Reece said. “And that’s what Me and Ichikawa is about. For instance, if I said ‘Hey, I’m gonna make a movie kids could watch,’ they’ll be like, ‘There’s no fucking way.’

But I did it. … I’ll try anything.”

Me and Ichikawa premieres 8 p.m.

Saturday at Oklahoma Contemporary Arts Center, 3000 General Pershing Blvd. A $5 entry fee includes the screening and free Titswiggle Hand Crafted Beers.

Clouds of Sils Maria Friday | 5:30 & 8 p.m.

Saturday | 5:30 & 8 p.m.

For movie descriptions and ticket sales visit

OKCMOA.COM

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Are you not currently enrolled in college classes?

Do you have internet access?

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If the answer to all these questions is “Yes,” please consider going to the web address below to participate in a research study being conducted at the University of Central Oklahoma that examines how religiosity impacts different psychological factors Participants can earn $20 in iTunes or Barnes & Noble gift cards for approximately 1 hour of their time.

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OKL AHOMA GAZ ETTE | APRIL 29, 2015 | 41

FREE WILL ASTROLOGY Homework: Find out what you’ve been hiding from yourself -- but be kind about it. Testify at FreeWillAstrology.com.

ARIES (March 21-April 19) Chris Moneymaker was employed as an accountant in Tennessee. On a whim, he paid $39 to enter an online poker tournament. Although he knew a lot about the game, he had never competed professionally. Nevertheless, he won the tournament.

As his award, he received no money, but rather an invitation to participate in the annual World Series of Poker in Las Vegas. Can you guess the storybook ending? The rookie triumphed over 838 pros, taking home $2.5 million. I don’t foresee anything quite as spectacular for you, Aries, but there may be similar elements in your saga. For example, a modest investment on your part could make you eligible for a chance to earn much more. Here’s another possible pot twist: You could generate luck for yourself by ramping up a skill that has until now been a hobby.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) eBay is a multi-billion-dollar e-commerce business that has been around for almost 20 years. But it had an inauspicious beginning. The first item ever sold on the service was a broken laser pointer. Even though the laser pointer didn’t work, and the seller informed the buyer it didn’t work, it brought in $14.83. This story might be a useful metaphor for your imminent future, Taurus. While I have faith in the vigor of the long-term trends you are or will soon be setting in motion, your initial steps may be a bit iffy.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20) Poetically speaking, it’s time to purify your world of all insanities, profanities, and inanities. It’s a perfect moment for that once-in-a-blue-moon Scour-a-Thon, when you have a mandate to purge all clunkiness, junkiness, and gunkiness from your midst. And as you flush away the unease of your hypocrisies and discrepancies, as you dispense with any tendency you might have to make way too much sense, remember that evil is allergic to laughter. Humor is one of the most effective psychospiritual cleansers ever.

CANCER (June 21-July 22) I was in the checkout line at Whole Foods. The shopper ahead me had piled her groceries on the conveyor belt, and it was her turn to be rung up.

“How are you doing?” she said cheerfully to the cashier, a crabby-looking hipster whom I happened to know is a Cancerian poet and lead singer in a local rock band. “Oh, I am living my dream,” he replied.

I guessed he was being sarcastic, although I didn’t know for sure. In any case, I had a flash of intuition that his answer should be your mantra in the coming weeks. It’s time to redouble your commitment to living your dream! Say it 20 times in a row right now: “I am living my dream.”

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) As I awoke this morning, I remembered the dream I’d just had. In the dream, I had written a horoscope for you. Here’s what it said: “The Kentucky Derby is a famous horse race that takes place on the first Saturday of every May. It’s called ‘The Run for the Roses’ because one of the prizes that goes to the winning horse and jockey is a garland of 554 roses.

I suspect that your life may soon bring you an odd treasure like that, Leo. Will it be a good thing, or too much of a good thing? Will it be useful or just kind of weird? Beautiful or a bit ridiculous? The answers to those questions may depend in part on your willingness to adjust your expectations.”

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) Don’t calm down. Don’t retreat into your sanctuary and relax into protective comfort. If you have faith and remain committed to the messy experiment you have stirred up, the stress and agitation you’re dealing with will ripen into vitality and excitement.

I’m not exaggerating, my dear explorer. You’re on the verge of tapping into the catalytic beauty and rejuvenating truth that lurk beneath the frustration.

You’re close to unlocking the deeper ambitions that are trapped inside the surface-level wishes.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) American author Stephen Crane wrote his celebrated Civil War novel The Red Badge of Courage in ten days. Composer George Frideric Handel polished

off his famous oratorio Messiah in a mere 24 days, and Russian writer Fyodor Dostoyevsky produced his novel *The Gambler* in 16 days. On the other hand, Junot Díaz, who won a Pulitzer Prize for his novel The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, needed ten years to finish it. As for you, Libra, I think this is — and should be! — a phase more like Díaz’s than the other three creators’. Go slowly. Be super extra thorough. What you’re working on can’t be rushed.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) In her book A Natural History of the Senses, Diane Ackerman describes a medieval knight who asked his lady for a strand of her pubic hair: a symbol of her life force. The lady agreed. He placed the talisman in a locket that he wore around his neck, confident that it would protect him and consecrate him in the course of the rough adventures ahead. I recommend that you consider a similar tack in the coming weeks, Scorpio. As you head toward your turning point, arm yourself with a personal blessing from someone you love. Success is most likely if you tincture your fierce determination with magical tenderness.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) “An escalator can never break,” mused comedian Mitch Hedberg. “It can only become stairs. You should never see an ‘Escalator Temporarily Out Of Order’ sign, just ‘Escalator Is Temporarily Stairs.’” I think a similar principle applies to you, Sagittarius.

If we were to try to evaluate your current situation with conventional wisdom, we might say that part of your usual array of capacities is not functioning at its usual level. But if we adopted a perspective like Hedberg’s, we could rightly say that this part of you is simply serving its purpose in a different way.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) I’ve got a tough assignment for you. It won’t be easy, but I think you’re ready to do a good job. Here it is: Learn to be totally at home with your body. Figure out what you need to do to feel unconditional love for your physical form. To get started on this noble and sacred task, practice feeling compassion for your so-called imperfections. I also suggest you cast a love spell on yourself every night, using a red candle, a mirror, and

your favorite creamy beverage. It may also help to go down to the playground and swing on the swings, make loud animal sounds, or engage in unusually uninhibited sex. Do you have any other ideas?

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) When Aquarian media mogul Oprah Winfrey was born, “Oprah” was not what she was called. Her birth certificate says she is “Orpah,” a name her aunt borrowed from a character who appears in the biblical *Book of Ruth.* As Oprah grew up, her friends and relatives had trouble pronouncing “Orpah,” and often turned it into “Oprah.” The distorted form eventually stuck. But if I were her, I would consider revisiting that old twist sometime soon, maybe even restoring “Orpah.” For you Aquarians, it’s a favorable time to investigate original intentions or explore primal meanings or play around with the earliest archetypes.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20) What I propose is that you scan your memories and identify everyone who has ever tried to limit your options or dampen your enthusiasm or crush your freedom. Take a piece of paper and write down a list of the times someone insinuated that you will forever be stuck in a shrunken possibility, or made a prediction about what you will supposedly never be capable of, or said you had a problem that was permanently beyond your ability to solve. Once you’ve compiled all the constricting ideas about yourself that other people have tried to saddle you with, burn that piece of paper and declare yourself exempt from their curses. In the days after you do this ritual, all of life will conspire with you to expand your freedom.

Go to RealAstrology.com to check out Rob Brezsny’s expanded weekly audio horoscopes /daily text message horoscopes.

The audio horoscopes are also available by phone at 1-877-873-4888 or 1-900-950-7700.

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Jackie Cooper Imports, LLC . 14145 North Broadway Ext . Edmond, OK 73103-4120 . 866-597-5676

www.cooperbmw.com

*For model year 2015 or later vehicles sold or leased by an authorized BMW center on or after July 1, 2014, BMW Maintenance Program coverage is not transferable to subsequent purchasers, owners, or leasees. Please see bmwusa.com/UltimateService or ask your authorized BMW center for details. Š2014 BMW of North America, LLC. The BMW name, model names and logo are registered trademarks.

2015 320i Sedan

$

2015 328i xDrive Gran Turismo

319

*

Lease for 36 months.

$

429

*

2015 Z4 sDrive28i

Lease for 36 months.

$

429

*

Lease for 36 months.

*Lease financing available on 2015 BMW 320i Sedan vehicles, only at participating BMW centers on leases assigned to BMW Financial Services NA, LLC/Financial Services Vehicle Trust through April 30, 2015. Monthly Lease payments of $319.00 for 36 months based on MSRP of $35,300.00.

*Lease financing available on 2015 BMW 328i xDrive Gran Turismo vehicles, only at participating BMW centers on leases assigned to BMW Financial Services NA, LLC/Financial Services Vehicle Trust through April 30, 2015. Monthly Lease payments of $429.00 for 36 months based on MSRP of $46,300.00.

* Lease financing available on 2015 BMW Z4 sDrive28i vehicles, only at participating BMW centers on leases assigned to BMW Financial Services NA, LLC/Financial Services Vehicle Trust through April 30, 2015. Monthly Lease payments of $429.00 for 36 months based on MSRP of $52,200.00.

2015 528i Sedan

2015 640i Coupe

2015 740Li Sedan

$

519

*

Lease for 36 months.

$

839

*

Lease for 36 months.

$

869

*

Lease for 24 months.

*Lease financing available on 2015 BMW 528i Sedan vehicles, only at participating BMW centers on leases assigned to BMW Financial Services NA, LLC/ Financial Services Vehicle Trust through April 30, 2015. Monthly Lease payments of $519.00 for 24 months based on MSRP of $52,700.00.

*Lease financing available on 2015 BMW 640i Coupe vehicles, only at participating BMW centers on leases assigned to BMW Financial Services NA, LLC/Financial Services Vehicle Trust through April 30, 2015. Monthly Lease payments of $839.00 for 36 months based on MSRP of $81,850.00.

*Lease financing available on 2015 BMW 740Li Sedan vehicles, only at participating BMW centers on leases assigned to BMW Financial Services NA, LLC/Financial Services Vehicle Trust through April 30, 2015. Monthly Lease payments of $869.00 for 24 months based on MSRP of $82,950.00.

2015 X1 sDrive28i

2015 X3 xDrive28i

2015 X5 xDrive35i

$

299

*

Lease for 36 months.

*Lease financing available on 2015 BMW X1 sDrive 28i vehicles, only at participating BMW centers on leases assigned to BMW Financial Services NA, LLC/Financial Services Vehicle Trust through April 30, 2015. Monthly Lease payments of $299.00 for 36 months based on MSRP of $35,550.00.

* April Prices are subject to change

$

479

*

Lease for 36 months.

*Lease financing available on 2015 BMW X3 xDrive28i vehicles, only at participating BMW centers on leases assigned to BMW Financial Services NA, LLC/Financial Services Vehicle Trust through April 30, 2015. Monthly Lease payments of $479.00 for 36 months based on MSRP of $44,400.00.

$

659

*

Lease for 36 months.

*Lease financing available on 2015 BMW X5 xDrive35i vehicles, only at participating BMW centers on leases assigned to BMW Financial Services NA, LLC/Financial Services Vehicle Trust through April 30, 2015. Monthly Lease payments of $659.00 for 36 months based on MSRP of $62,150.00.