April 2023 Ponca City Monthly

Ponca City Monthly is a Member of the Society of Professional Journalists. We believe that public enlightenment is the forerunner of justice and the foundation of democracy. We strive to ensure a free exchange of information that is accurate, fair and thorough. We pledge to: Seek the Truth, and Report It; Minimize Harm; Act Independently; and to Be Accountable and Transparent. To read our full pledge, visit: spj.org/ethicscode.asp

Letter from the Editor

The way humans interact and communicate has vastly changed over the last one hundred years. I’ve heard people say, “no one talks anymore.” And to some extent, that is true. But does that mean we don’t communicate?

In today’s world, people communicate more through messaging than phone calls. Texting and instant messaging have been around for a long time. The first SMS text was sent in 1992 and thus began a slow evolution of how humans communicate. Messaging, which was in the early years only possible between big bulky machines, is now technology that is held in our hands. Short, brief messages on the go are predominately what we use cell phones for. Messaging has, for the most part, displaced in-person conversations. One particular aspect of how human communication has changed these last ten years that fascinates me more than anything else, is the evolution of the Group Chat.

Group chats are an organic, spontaneous coupling of humans together on one communication thread. Some Group Chats last only briefly and may give information like soccer sign-up times or classroom party food information. But some Group Chats become something more significant and lastingthey transform into something else entirely and become a place where the human experience can be shared with everyone in the chat on an ongoing daily basis.

What fascinates me is how these relationships evolve into a Group Chat that thrives. If you’ve ever been on a Group Chat that you don’t like, you know

that you can either block, mute or leave the Group Chat conversation. Being an active participant in a Group Chat is a choice we all make.

How many group chats are you an active part of? You may be in one, two, three, or even more group chats. Your commonality in the active group chat could be that you are all family, or maybe you are all old college friends. Many Group Chats develop fun names like “The Real Housewives Club” or “Memers and Schemers.” Names are usually random and fun and reflect the personality of the group itself and, in many ways, why they choose to be a part of that group in the first place. Perhaps you serve on an active non-profit board that communities throughout the week, or maybe you and your board -game friends have come together to form a dynamic group chat that shares life experiences and a love for board games.

Whatever the reason, whatever the commonality that binds you with these seemingly random people, Group Chats remind us all of one thing - that we all crave human connection. Humans still communicate; in fact, we communicate more now than ever before in history. Take a long hard look at who takes the time to communicate with you daily or weekly. Take notice of the people who make the effort to share things in your Group Chats. Remember this - the people in these groups are your people, and all your groups of people make up your tribe. We are not nearly as alone as we think we are, and that is something to be grateful for.

editor@poncacitymonthly.com

All The World’s A Stage

Fostering a Great Community with Christopher Radaker-James

Story by Chelsea McConnell/Staff Writer

All humans are shaped by their story. We are formed by the experiences we’ve had while on this earth, both good and bad. The moments make impressions on us and some of those last a lifetime. Sometimes, this shaping guides the direction of our lives. While visiting with Christopher Radaker-James, one can see how his experiences have turned into trail markers along his path of life, directing him to be the kind of person he wants to be.

Christopher is a deep well of a human. There’s nothing surface level or superficial about him. There’s a level of real you get with Christopher right off the bat that’s such a gift in a friend. Upon learning more of his story, it’s clear that like all good things, this gift was hard won.

Christopher was born in Little Rock, Arkansas, and as he puts it, “grew up in a lot of places.” His childhood took him all over the Little Rock

area, up to Pennsylvania, over to Nebraska and eventually to Morrison, Oklahoma. Each of these moves was like its own culture shock. The icing on the cake was the final move to a farm in Morrison, Oklahoma, after only living in suburban locations.

Frequent moves meant Christopher was unable to make a lot of deep, lasting friendships. He puts it into perspective like this, “As someone who moved around from place to place to place for most of their childhood and then had a career that moved from place to place to place, there’s just something so special that I don’t think hometown buddies know they have. If you know somebody that you went to kindergarten with, that’s an incredible blessing.”

Christopher was born with a love for performing. “There are so many pictures of me as a kid with open arms and jazz hands and I wasn’t doing show business. I didn’t really know what musical theater was until I went to

Each month Ponca City Monthly will be highlighting an area community member in our Good Citizen Spotlight. The goal of each spotlight is to honor a citizen who is making our community a better place every day through the goodness, kindness and strength of his/her character.

Photo by Ashley Ballinger

college.” He started college at Northern Oklahoma College and finished at Belmont University. From college he went to Bush Gardens in Virginia, performing in shows there for a season before moving to Branson for work.

While Christopher loved the performing part of his job, the personal side of the job left a lot to be desired. With each show only lasting a short period of time, friendships during this part of his life remained superficial and surface level. Things began to change for Christopher after getting hired by Sight & Sound Theatre Company. “That was a really big turning point in my life of getting into a Christian theater and being surrounded by people that love Jesus and wanted to dig into each other’s lives, be a part of each other’s lives in a good way and be good influences. That was new and exciting and fun. I fell in love with the company.”

Christopher’s time at Sight & Sound changed the trajectory of his life in some significant ways. It taught him the importance of deep relationships. When asked about his legacy he says,

It was also at Sight & Sound that Christopher learned about the foster care system. “I became familiar with the foster system through a friend of mine at Sight and Sound and I saw how incredible of a father he was and I realized I wanted to do that for somebody. I wanted to give somebody that stability, the structure they need in order to thrive and to reset their life.” Christopher also met his future wife Kyla at Sight & Sound. As it turns out, Kyla had experience with the foster care system and was passionate about eventually becoming a foster parent as well.

As of today, Christopher and Kyla have fostered 11 children. By Christopher’s account, every experience they’ve

“My legacy is the relationships I have with the people around me.”

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had as foster parents has been vastly different. Different children with different backgrounds stay for lengths of time in their home. The commonality is that each situation gives Christopher and Kyla the opportunity to make a difference in the life of a child.

Christopher is also very passionate about our community. He’s excited about all our community has to offer and the potential our community has to grow. His experience as Director of the Poncan Theatre has helped solidify the importance of teamwork and surrounding yourself with good people. “I think you have to have the right team. You have to create, develop and keep a certain level of trust with your team.” Christopher and his team at the Poncan have managed to do some incredible things in the last few years. Major feats include raising over a quarter of a million dollars for the theatre, putting in new seats and providing a new roof for the facility.

Christopher believes in the power of relationships and community. “There’s so much comfort in knowing you have a place to land and that you have people to land with. Community is probably the biggest lesson for my life; how important community and relationships are. I’m a task-oriented person and a mission-oriented person. I can focus on those things all day long. The moments in my life that mean the

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most to me is when someone pulls me away from my tasks and makes me come face-to-face with a person, to focus on those relationships and how truly meaningful they really are. It’s so easy to take our relationships for granted.”

Christopher goes on to share a lesson he’s working on learning in this season of life that may be relevant to others. When things are so fast-paced everywhere we look he muses,

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There’s something beautiful about the phrase “few enough things.” When we’re intentional about focusing on the right things, maybe few enough things are just right.

Between his personal mission as a foster parent and his work bringing the Poncan Theatre back to life, we are certainly blessed that Christopher is committed to our community.

Editor’s Note: Since this article was written, Christopher has accepted a job as the Executive Direct or the New Emergency Resource Agency, and will continue working to make this community a better place.

“Perhaps we busy ourselves so much that we aren’t choosing to focus on few enough things.”

Christopher Radaker-James and his wife, Kyla Radaker-James.

The Friess, Leigh, Liston & Wilcox Families

Alan & Kathleen Otto

Author’s note: As a senior at Po-Hi, it was super interesting to do some digging to find out why we have these traditions. It is easier to appreciate our school when you discover when, why and how we do the things we do. Thank you to the many teachers, students, principals and parents who did that research with me!

As April begins, so does Prom season here in Ponca City! Girls have spent months shopping and altering their dresses, and it is finally time to show them off! The day of Prom, students spend hours getting dressed, applying makeup, getting their nails done and styling their hair, while the staff spend their hours assembling balloon arches and arranging tables and food. Prom is a special tradition here in Ponca that goes as far back into the past as the 1920s.

by Kendra Stolhand/Staff Intern

Story

The first class that graduated from Po-Hi was the Class of 1895; however, the school building seen today opened in 1928. It can be assumed that the first prom held for Po-Hi would be the year the current school was built, making this year the 95th annual Prom. Prom used to be held in what is now well-known as the “Old Boys’ Gym”, then it moved to the Hutchins Memorial building and in 1975, made its final move to the Marland Mansion, where it is still held today. The Mansion is not only the venue for Prom, but also hosts the “Grand March”, which happens directly before Prom.

For years, the Grand March has been called the “Promenade”. It is not in fact a promenade. That name was started from the 8th-9th grade Pepperette Dance. In the past, the Grand March started at 8 p.m., with Prom lasting until midnight. Since then, the event has been moved up from 7-10 p.m. to make time for “After Prom.” “After Prom” is an event immediately following

prom. After Prom has been hosted many places through the years, but now resides at the RecPlex. The RecPlex offers a safe environment, where students can continue the fun. After Prom has more dancing, food and drink, as well as games. In these games, you earn tickets which are then put into a raffle at the end of the night. The community is always so gracious when it comes to donating to this event, that the prizes in the raffle really turn students’ heads! It was also wellknown that Seniors and their dates used to be invited to the bowling alley, hosted by the senior class parents after “After Prom”. This was known as the “After Prom Party”. That would mean the Grand March started at 8 p.m., then Prom ended at 12 a.m., After Prom would run until 2 a.m., then the After Prom Party would last until 5 a.m.!

When asked what traditions she’s seen change first-hand, Kristin Smith says that the Prince and Princess Po-Hi used to be couples. Only students that had been dating for a long period of time would be nominated. She also says that Po-Hi’s Prom royalty has always been called Prince and Princess Po-Hi. “Ponca City is steeped in Native American tradition, and our Prom shows that. The Prom is actually named ‘Ton-Ga-Wa-Tsi,’ which means ‘The Big Dance.’ Another big tradition that has changed is

the music at the dance itself. As it is well-known, the high school uses both floors of the Mansion to cater to two different music genres, pop and country. Before the school hired country DJs to work the second floor, it used to be a live band that consisted of high school students.

What is your favorite tradition?

Smith: “The Grand March. The fact that the entire community comes out to watch the kids

The Egg Hunt Continues!

march is so cool. I know other schools have a march too, but there is just something so regal and majestic about having the Grand March on the Marland Mansion grounds. No other school can top what we have.”

Leanne Parr: “I love the Grand March! I love seeing everyone all dressed up. I think it’s great that the community comes out to watch!”

What traditions do you think we’ll keep/start in the future?

Parr: “I hope they keep the traditions of Prince and Princess Po-Hi and the Grand March. I hate to see traditions fade away because people don’t know about them.”

Mrs. Lawrence: “I think having the Prom at the Marland Mansion is now a tradition, and I think it will continue to be held there.”

Smith: “I hope that you all keep every tradition that we have. A rich history of tradition is the mark of a successful school and community.”

The 2023 Po-Hi Prom is Saturday, April 15 at the Marland Mansion. The theme is Hollywood, consisting of red, gold and black. Po-Hi Juniors and Seniors are invited to attend, and can bring another Junior or Senior from Po-Hi

or another high school, or a 2022 graduate with prior approval. The Grand March begins promptly at 6 p.m., with Prom itself beginning at 7 p.m. and ending at 10 p.m. The After Prom doors open at 10:30 p.m., and prizes will be drawn at 1:15 a.m. Tickets for Prom and After Prom will be sold during the school lunchtimes March 27-April 7. For Prom, singles are $15 and $25 for a couple. After Prom tickets are $10 in advance or $12 at the door.

The Wildcats have a deep history of traditions that are followed to this day. It is important to know and understand these traditions so as to not lose them.

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The Old Dog’s Cruise-In Celebrates Six Years

For the past six years, car enthusiasts have gathered at the parking lot outside Burger King, displaying a variety of classic autos, from vintage and muscle cars to motorcycles and trucks. Annually held the last Friday night of the month from April through October, “The Old Dog’s Cruise-In” is an opportunity to celebrate all things automotive, drawing many participants from across Kay County and the larger region. Each event sees bigger crowds of car fans, and the event is once again returning this month in what is hoped to be the biggest season of the popular event to date.

The 2023 season kicks off April 28.

Bill and Cathie Sanders are the organizers of the Cruise-In, themselves lovers of classic cars. Everything kicks off at 5 p.m. each night, with car enthusiasts arriving in their favorite vehicles.

“We’ve had hotrods, street rods, pickups, classic cars and motorcycles,” Bill said. “Sometimes, we’ll have a fancy dune buggy; they’ll bring it in on a trailer and show it off.”

Much of the evening is spent in the camaraderie of car lovers, and can last well into the night, ending by 9 p.m.

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“They park their cars and meander around, chatting,” Cathie said. “It is a nice social event with car-related people.”

Much more goes on behind the scenes. Food is not immediately available but local facilities do provide food opportunities for those in attendance.

“We do not provide food; they go to Burger King for dinner, and Burger King gives out a drink card,” she said. “They also go to Starbucks.”

Burger King and Starbucks are not alone in supporting the Old Dogs Cruise-In … that includes donations of barbecue sauce from Danny Head at Danny’s BBQ, along with more RCB Bank promotional merchandise from the North 14th and South 14th Street locations. Jeremy and Martha at O’Reilly’s Auto Parts, on North 14th Street, provide

auto cleaning products.

“A few years ago, Heather Cannon Honda asked to be our top sponsor,” Cathie said. “She gives us sponsorship money every year; and with that, we are able to purchase Old Dogs T-shirts and more raffle prizes.”

Plenty of raffle prizes are donated by participants as well, some for men and others for women.

“We have ladies’ gifts, which can be lotion, kitchen items,” Cathie said. “For men, we have items like tools.”

Safety is tantamount to the event, especially as it is in an open parking lot. “We do enforce no burnouts, and no stupid driving in general,” Cathie said.

It is all in an effort to bring the car community together, along with the larger area, in a love of cars, a celebration held the way they felt it should be presented.

“We are in a car club, but we didn’t want it to be a ‘car club cruise-in;’ we wanted to do it the way we wanted to do it,” Bill said.

That love of all things automotive and car shows began many decades ago, before they even met, growing up in families of their own that greatly appreciated vintage cars. That love would also foster a romance in its own right, bringing a young couple together in a shared interest.

Clothing, shoes, jewelry,

Bill is somewhat of a local, but Cathie was raised in San Diego, California. Through the Vietnam War, they crossed paths.

“He’s from Arkansas City and has always been into cars. In the Navy, he was also in San Diego, and that is where I am from, and I was also into cars,” Cathie said. “In 1981, there was a car show in the mountains and I was invited, and that is where I met Bill. We just celebrated our 41st anniversary.”

While in San Diego, the Sanders were part of the Over the Hill Gang, a local car club for car lovers like themselves. It is the largest car enthusiast club in the country, she said. They relocated to Colorado, where they opened a sister chapter, but eventually returned home to Oklahoma and Kansas.

“When we moved to Colorado, we started another chapter of the Over the Hill Gang,” she said. “The car show season was too short in Colorado, and we were going to move to Arkansas City, but Ponca City had more to offer,” she said, at least in terms of car show opportunities.

They quickly became involved in the Ponca City Schooners, sharing their love of autos with fellow enthusiasts. The Schooners themselves have programs, but the Sanders wanted their own cruisein, a grassroots event held the way they felt it should be held.

The first step was finding a proper place to hold the car show that can easily accommodate the event.

“We didn’t want to take away from any business in their parking lot. We are friends of the owner of the shopping center (14th and Prospect), and he told us

if we had any problems, to let him know.” Bill said. “We went to Burger King and gave them an idea of what we wanted to do, and they were really good about it, so we held it in the parking lot.”

The first show was held in April 2016 and it soon grew in size and scope.

trucks, motorcycles, anything that moves down the highway.

As for the oldest, some of those vehicles may be approaching the century mark.

“The early 1920s, Model T’s, Model A’s,” Bill said. “There is a wide range of years and types of cars.”

The turnout encompasses all generations, those who are veterans in restoring an auto, to those who may only have an inkling of the hobby.

“We’ve had people in their 80s driving cars they’ve restored, and we’ve had kids with their dads falling in love with it, so hopefully they’ll keep it as a hobby,” Bill said.

Slowly it increased in popularity, and the Ponca City business community showed their support, especially with a raffle for prizes, in addition to donations from Burger King, Starbucks, Heather Cannon Honda, RCB Bank, O’Reilly’s Auto Parts and Danny’s BBQ.

“We have a display board that thanks those businesses,” Cathie said.

The couple themselves find their own items for the raffle prizes, something a car enthusiast can win for simply participating, each for men and women who love cars.

“We’ll go to stores and find items on sale. We’ll go to garage sales; we’ll go to estate sales,” Cathie said. “We never know what we’re going to get.”

As far as what types of cars arrive for the big event, it ranges from classics to muscle cars,

The Sanders see car enthusiasts from across the region, including Arkansas City, Bartlesville, Stillwater, all seeking the same joy of loving an old car restored to its former glory.

As for the Sanders themselves, they routinely appear at other area shows, exhibiting their own vintage vehicles, which includes Arkansas City and Dewey, Oklahoma.

“We go to a lot of shows and swap meets,” Bill said. The first cruise-in of the season is April 28, and the community is invited to come out to celebrate all things vintage and classic autos.

“We get a variety of people hearing about it, we have a big banner on 14th Street so they’ll see it, and we have it on Facebook,” Cathie said. “It is just a nice Friday night involving cars.”

“We told friends and the car club. It started out small, and we just kept getting bigger,” Cathie said.

“We put the word out, and it has gotten bigger and bigger.”

C R E D I T t r a n s a c t i o n m u s t p o s t t o t h i s a c c o u n t d u r i n g t h e s t a t e m e n t c y c l e * A P Y A n n u a l P e r c e n t a g e Y i e l d R a t e s c u r r e n t a s o f M a r c h 3 2 0 2 3 R a t e s s u b j e c t t o

City of Ponca City Building and Neighborhood Services

Story by Chelsea McConnell/Staff Writer

Within the Development Services Department at the City of Ponca City, there are two sub-departments called Neighborhood Services and Building Services. These are the employees that deal with code enforcement and building inspections. It’s enlightening to sit down with Building Official Ken Bradley to learn more about what this group of City employees does on a day-to-day basis and why their work is so important to the vitality of our community.

Ken explains that the ICC, or International Codes Council, writes the building and property codes that are adopted all over the world. Once these codes are adopted by the State of Oklahoma, our City adopts them as well. Each state tweaks the codes to fit their particular needs. For example, Oklahoma has codes that pertain to tornadoes where other states might not. Other states might have hurricane provisions, where we do not. The City’s website explains codes like this, “The City of Ponca City codes are intended to benefit everyone while making our community a better place to live, work and play. Compliance with these codes can reduce vandalism, deter crime, maintain property values and prevent deterioration of your neighborhood.” Ken stresses that the

codes are put in place to keep our city vibrant and beautiful. They are not meant to punish local citizens. A big part of Ken’s job involves knowing the codes and continuing his education so he can stay up to date on changes and amendments to the codes.

The City’s website explains Neighborhood Services and Building Services as follows, “The mission of the Neighborhood Services division is to administer and enforce minimum building and property maintenance standards, in order to safeguard the health, safety and general welfare of the occupants of buildings and the surrounding premises. The Building Services division of Neighborhood Services is responsible for permitting and inspecting new

construction projects to determine compliance with the 2015 ICC building codes and the 2014 NEC code, as adopted by the Oklahoma Uniform Building Code Commission.”

On the commercial property and building side of things, City staff Ken Bradley and Korey Pruitt are inspecting locations to make sure work has been done safely and to code. Ken explains, “We have the building side of things where we do commercial, residential and anything with the building from the time you want to start working on it, whether it’s a new construction, a remodel or an add-on, any of those things. We look at anything that your contractor does to make sure it’s safe and make sure it’s right for

Ken Bradley, Building Official/ Development Services

This Planned Unit Development on Turner Street consists of 26 new housing units to be built by Freedom Homes. This Freedom Homes Development has yet to break ground, but is one of several planned new housing developments in Ponca City.

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the homeowner or the business owner, but also for the electrical, mechanical and plumbing contractors. It gives them some peace of mind that things were done right. And it gives the owner that peace of mind as well.”

On the neighborhood side of things, Ken and his staff are trying to help keep our neighborhoods safe and beautiful. Ken expands on his team’s goal, “We’re just trying to help neighborhoods be beautiful. We want people to have pride and enjoy their neighborhood. We want it to be a nice, clean environment for kids to be able to run up and down the street and play.” They do this through enforcing various kinds of exterior home maintenance like mowing your lawn, disposing of trash and hauling off limbs. By state law, once they give a property owner a notice of a public nuisance, the City must wait a minimum of 10 days before they can take any action. Neighborhood Services also deals with homes that are vacant for various reasons. Vacant homes can attract vandals and squatters, negatively affect property values and create opportunities for people to get hurt inside said properties. Vacant homes can be deemed a public nuisance. The City uses all the tools at their disposal to try and find the owners of a property before taking any action. The ideal goal is always to work with property owners for

the best possible outcome. If an owner cannot be found, the City takes matters into their own hands. If a vacant home is in decent condition, it can be boarded up and secured in hopes that it can be saved at a later date. If it is beyond repair, it may have to be demolished.

Like all lines of business, Neighborhood Services was affected negatively by COVID-19 as well. The pandemic caused job losses, which led to people being unable to take care of their homes. This left even more homes neglected and vacant. Neighborhood Services has had to double down their efforts in trying to track down and work with owners who don’t have the means available to adequately take care of their homes. COVID-19 also brought about heartwarming stories. Ken shares, “I got calls from neighbors during that first summer of COVID-19 when everything closed saying, ‘Hey, my neighbor hasn’t mowed their yard. Don’t send them a letter. I’m going to go take care of it. I know they lost their job. I know they don’t have the money to buy gas for their mower. I’m going to go mow it for them because I still have my job.’ You got neighborhoods coming together to support neighbors. It was very, very heartwarming to know that there’s still the good out there … people wanting to do for each other.”

The Four Arches Stone Barn located at 2101 Lake Road is a recent development by local business owners Russ and Tracy Didlake with Keller Williams Select. In 2013, the Didlakes purchased the property, and renovations were completed in 2022. Russ and Traci, along with family and their Keller Williams Select Team, cut the ribbon for their beautiful new building on November 22, 2022.

Ken began working for the City of Ponca City in October 2021. He was attracted to our community by the beautiful amenities available to our citizens, like nearby lakes, and has a particular fondness for our downtown. After years of being a contractor by trade, Ken decided to try his hand at working on the government side of things, eventually leading him to Ponca City. Ken has lovely things to say about what it’s like to be new to our town. “People here are not cold. They welcome you. It’s, ‘You’re someone new here, let me show you this.’ Or ‘Hey, did you know that this goes on over here?’ They’re very inviting.

They’re very welcoming.” He says this is very different than his experience of being new in other communities. Ken says it makes it feel like home.

When asked if there’s one thing he’d like to convey to the community about his job, Ken shares this, “The big thing would be people understanding that we’re not there to punish. We just want to create safe and vibrant neighborhoods again. Even if it may not be my neighborhood, it’s still a Ponca City neighborhood that we care about. Every neighborhood is our neighborhood. Whether we live there or not, we still care.”

“The City of Ponca City codes are intended to benefit everyone while making our community a better place to live, work and play. Compliance with these codes can reduce vandalism, deter crime, maintain property values and prevent deterioration of your neighborhood.”

Construction on the new Ponca City Public Safety Center is still underway, and has been since 2021. Construction delays have caused the timeline to be pushed back, but should be completed by fall of 2023. The new safety center cost approximately $20 million and the updated building is designed to operate for 40 to 50 years.

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With Ponca City’s Lifesaving Air Evac Lifeteam

Just eight to 10 minutes.

That is the average length of time between the call from dispatch to the moment the helicopter lifts away.

In those short minutes, the medical crew has completed a final inspection of medical equipment and supplies while the pilot inspects the aircraft and completes the mission risk assessment. After evaluating every aspect of safety and risk, seen and unseen, the threeperson flight crew nods in agreement: This mission is a go and will be completed.

Air Evac Lifeteam, Ponca City’s air ambulance service, is preparing to lift away from the helipad at AllianceHealth Ponca City. Nearby drivers crane necks to track the action. Chopper blades slice the air, gaining speed. The sound and concussive air waves are, at once, thrilling and concerning. Help is on the way for someone who is likely having a very bad day.

Travis Morin is Air Evac Lifeteam’s Program Director. He explains, “When we get information from dispatch, it comes across the radio as a tone. Adrenaline starts as soon as you hear it.”

Bolting into action, each crew member knows exactly what to do. For the pilot, assessing the risk to crew and craft is first order of business.

“The pilot completes a risk assessment form based upon the mission. They look at several factors: Is the weather good? Is everybody rested and ready to go? Is this a known location? Is weather predicted? Is it daytime or nighttime? All those things go into the calculation of a risk score and our pilots then send it to our Operational Control Center, or OCC, and the OCC gives the final go-ahead.”

Story by Carey Head/Staff Writer | Photos by Andy Hicks

Why Join?

Reasons relevant for everyone:

• We are the Information Center for Ponca City.

• Our Chamber Directory, with the City Resource Guide, is published new every year.

• Our Member-to-Member Discount Card is supplied to our members at no cost and is a great benefit.

• We provide networking opportunities, including our monthly Business After Hours.

• We offer leadership training through our Leadership Program. We are in our 36th year of Leadership Ponca City.

• We promote the Tourism Industry in Ponca City. This industry brings jobs and sales tax dollars to Ponca City for everyone’s benefit.

• Chamber staff provide job recruitment services for Ponca City. For example, helping recruit a pastor, doctor, engineer, etc., to relocate to Ponca City.

• The Chamber’s members can affect governmental outcomes on a local, regional, state and even national level by uniting as one voice.

Reasons relevant for retail businesses:

• We promote “Shop Ponca First,” which includes campaigns like our Santa Buck Giveaway, Crazy Days and Cash Mob. The Santa Buck Giveaway retail promotion is the largest retail event in Oklahoma.

• We market Shop Ponca First and why it is important. This campaign educates people that shopping Ponca first provides jobs for our family and friends. Plus we educate that when you Shop Ponca First you provide needed sales tax dollars to our City and also help our local business community support all of the charitable needs in Ponca City.

• The Chamber offers free customer service training, called Customer Service Training.

• Our Chamber Buck program – In 2022 $200,000 was spent through this program keeping money in Ponca City with our Chamber members.

• Our Member-to-Member Discount Card is supplied to our members at no cost and encourages Chamber members to shop with each other.

• Our Chamber Directory is our version of the Yellow Pages! Chamber members look there first when looking for a new service provider or retail business. Every resident and business in Ponca City will receive a copy of this directory. It is also used to promote relocating to Ponca City.

• We host Ribbon Cutting Ceremonies for all new businesses, major remodels, business relocation and new owners.

• The Chamber provides at least six educational lunch and learns benefiting business.

• The Chamber’s Tourism Bureau promotes Ponca City through advertising and attending tourism trade shows. This brings people to our community and has a direct impact on our retail industry.

Reasons relevant for an industry:

• We provide business training at the high school to show what quality work ethic is and why it is important.

• We help give industry a voice at the State Capitol, in Washington D.C. and at City Hall through our Ponca Politics Committee and Forums.

• We communicate the needs of industry with our City and with Ponca City Development Authority.

• We discuss, on a monthly basis, the infrastructure issues in Ponca City.

• The combined efforts of all the Chamber committees lend support to the quality of life afforded in Ponca City that attracts people to locate here.

• We partner with Ponca City Development Authority when needed.

Reasons relevant for an individual:

• Our “Stuff the Bus” program helps all children of Ponca City by providing supplies for any student that needs them so that all students are on a level playing field when it comes to receiving an education.

• We give individual members the opportunity to have a voice and to understand the political issues facing our community through Ponca Politics Forums and committee participation.

• Individuals can have a voice in the infrastructure needs of Ponca City through our Community Development Committee.

It’s rare the OCC declines permission for a mission.

He continues, “Our pilots are going to err on the side of caution. And we have what’s called ‘the 51 percent rule.’ Any one person of our three-person crew can overrule the other two and say, ‘I’m not comfortable with this.’ So, when a flight is turned down, it’s usually at the base level. Not because the OCC stepped in and said ‘nope.’”

Ponca City’s Air Evac Lifeteam’s fixed base of operation is located just west of the hospital in the former housing for the order of nuns providing support to then St. Joseph Regional Medical Center. The staff of 13, four pilots, four registered nurses and four paramedics plus Morin, have a secure, comfortable place to complete the 24 hours on/24 hours off shifts. Each mission is crewed by three: a pilot, paramedic and registered nurse.

Morin explains the system works very well because the medical specialists provide backup for each other while bringing experience to each mission.

“Paramedics tend to have more experience with ‘scene’ flights like car or motorcycle wrecks where we may land directly at the scene. Registered Nurses have that in-hospital experience. We do a lot of inter-facility transfers

where we take patients from a smaller hospital to a larger hospital with specialty services.”

There are several reasons why an air ambulance is dispatched beyond the need for speed. The distance of transport, from say a rural or remote area, justifies a medical professional’s dispatch of an air ambulance. “My family is in western

Kansas and my Dad has been flown three times in recent years due to heart issues and injury,” Morin explains.

The lack of local resources or lack of specialty care is another important reason to fly for needed care. Many area patients suffering cardiac events are quickly transferred to a

Each helicopter is stocked with a wide range of equipment typically found in a ground ambulance or Emergency Department. A partial list of equipment includes a cardiac monitor, ventilator, IV pumps, oxygen delivery equipment, medications, and a variety of pediatric and trauma equipment.

Ponca City’s base of operation is staffed by, first row, from left, Paige Frank, RN and Base Clinical Lead; Jennifer Casey, RN; Aaron Nathan, Paramedic; and Jared Gorman, Paramedic. Second row, Travis Morin, RN/Paramedic and Program Director; Drew Lancaster, RN; Chris Cangelose, Paramedic; Jason Clemmons, Paramedic; Kylie Stewart, RN; Aaron Thiele, Mechanic; and Chris Sieman, Membership Sales Manager. In addition to the specialized medical certifications, each medical professional also has flight certification for their particular specialty. (Not Pictured: Brittany Palmer, RN)

larger hospital in Oklahoma City, Tulsa or Wichita, Kansas.

The lack of local transportation resources is another reason to utilize the Air Evac Lifeteam air ambulance. Morin says, “For example for Ponca City Fire and EMS to send a (ground ambulance) crew to Wichita, they are going to be down a full crew for two to three hours. Sometimes it’s just not possible without overwhelming local resources. So, a lot of times we get called for that reason.”

Prior to coming to Ponca City, Morin served as a trauma nurse at Wichita’s Wesley Medical Center. He is dual certified as a paramedic and RN. He has 20 years’ experience in Emergency Medical Service (EMS) and 17 years’ flight experience.

Membership Relieves Anxiety From the Unexpected

Story by Carey Head/Staff Writer

Writer’s note: This report is sourced from an interview with Travis Morin, Air Med Life Team Program Supervisor, Ponca City FBO, as well as personal experience with this service.

The AirMedCare Network brochure begins its appeal with “When the unimaginable happens …” For my husband, Danny, and me, the unimaginable happened the early morning of Oct. 26, 2022.

As soon as Danny began describing his symptoms, we headed to AllianceHealth Ponca City’s Emergency Department. There, lab work indicated the presence of cardiac enzymes, or biomarkers, the telltale signs of a heart event. Danny will be flown to Oklahoma City’s Oklahoma Heart Hospital South where a cardiologist was waiting to receive him.

Having already interviewed Air Med Lifeteam’s Program Supervisor, Travis Morin, prior to this date, the decision to deploy an air ambulance was both significant yet completely comforting. My conversations with Morin had already convinced me that my husband of 32 years would be in the most expert and capable hands while he was onboard the Air Med Lifeteam helicopter.

I called my close friend, Jodi Cline, to ask if she could stay with Danny in the ED while I drove home to pack a few things. Barely 45 minutes later, I texted Jodi to say I was close to the hospital, was Danny loaded yet? She explained the situation had evolved to where there

He explains all medical flight crew members have additional flight certification. The nurses have Critical Flight Registered Nurse (CFRN) certification. Paramedics have Flight Paramedic Certification (FPC). Crew members have additional certifications in specialty areas including neonatal, pediatric, cardiac and trauma care.

The extra training takes on advanced procedures including flight physiology. Morin says, “When we are at altitude, there are different things that can affect certain patients, so we have to be conscious of flight physiology as well.”

The Ponca City base covers a 70-mile radius including Kay, Osage and Noble counties as well as the Kansas counties of Cowley, Sumner and Chautauqua. Dispatch is based upon who can be

were THREE air ambulances needed for patient care that morning. Danny was being taken by the helicopter stationed on the grass at Ponca Plaza.

Stunned, I turned into the parking lot by Plaza Spirits and got out to meet Jodi at the edge of the grass. Blades were spinning and the chopper was preparing to lift off. I waved, hoping Danny might see, and received a smile, wave and thumbs up from the flight paramedic seated behind Danny at his head. (The patient area is the left side of the helicopter, feet tucked by the windshield and patient laying on a stretcher with head toward the tail.)

Ponca City first responders were out in force to assist the three air ambulances with safety zones and traffic control. Their presence was like a security blanket I folded around me as I returned to my car to drive to Oklahoma City.

Whether deployment of an air ambulance is to speed trauma patients to definitive medical treatment, transfer a patient to a larger hospital for specialty care (in our case, to a thoracic surgeon for open heart surgery) or to assist local first responders when ground transport resources are stretched, being “medivac’d out” isn’t scary and doesn’t have to be expensive.

For three patients and their families, the “unimaginable” happened simultaneously. Fortunately, Ponca City has a base operation that is part of America’s largest network of air ambulances. With 350 bases across 38 states, even patients in the most rural parts of the U.S. have fast access to medical care.

The parent company, called AirMedCare Network, AirMedCareNetwork.com, is supported by membership. And it’s a deal, I have to say. For less than $100 a year, you — and everyone living with you — are

the quickest to respond — not necessarily from the base of operation. Maximum range of the Bell 206 helicopter before refueling is 350 miles. Maximum speed is 110 kts (126.5 mph).

“Say we are in Tulsa completing a mission and have a scene flight. Dispatch will ask us if we can take it,” Morin says. “As long as we aren’t out of service for decontamination or medication resupply or things like that, then we go.”

Most trauma patients are time-sensitive. Flight crews are trained to respond within the “Golden Hour.” This is the hour-long window from time of incident to definitive care. “We want to get the patient in definitive care within an hour,” he adds.

Every patient, whether a trauma or non-trauma transfer, is also treated with comfort in mind. “It’s very tight quarters in the Bell. There’s a lot of vibration and it can get very loud,” Morin

covered with AirMedCare Network picking up any expenses not covered by health insurance.

Morin shares his personal experience, “Membership is a fantastic opportunity that I recommend for everybody. For between $65 and $85 you can get an annual membership for an entire household. So, anything that is not covered by insurance then the membership covers it. My family is in western Kansas, pretty rural, and I do it for my parents every year.”

Chris Sieman is our local membership representative. To learn more about this membership service, call Chris at (918) 285-6247 or amcnrep.com/chris-sieman. Ponca City Area Chamber of Commerce members are eligible for a discount. Call Chris or the Chamber (580) 7654400 for the discount code.

Membership dues pay for medical equipment, new aircraft and upgrades and other overhead expenses. “Membership is phenomenal,” Morin adds. “I recommend it for everybody and I’m not a salesperson.”

explains. “We do what we can to help mitigate that. We provide headsets for our patients to protect their hearing and for communication.”

Medications for pain, anxiety and nausea are also available. “Considering these patients are already uncomfortable, are already in pain and very anxious because this is a very bad day for them, we take all of these things in consideration and provide medications as needed for comfort,” he added.

For one patient well-known to this reporter, this conscientious care was evident from the first introduction inside AllianceHealth Ponca City’s Emergency Department. “The crew introduced themselves, offered reassurance and got me loaded right away. My head was close to the

pilot’s feet, so I was able to watch his control of the aircraft while also watching the view go by. It was pretty cool to fly over the wind farms,” describes Danny Head, a cardiacevent patient being transferred to Oklahoma Heart Hospital South for what would soon become lifesaving quintuple bypass surgery.

He sums up his air ambulance experience in a way any first responder would be pleased to hear, “They are medical experts while being very kind. It was perfect.”

Flight Paramedics Jason Clemmons and Aaron Nathan check the air ambulance’s medical equipment before going on duty.

Story by Everett Brazil, III/Staff Writer

Kate Shepherd has been playing with slime since she was a child, stretching the gooey substance in her hands with delight. It is a form of a childhood pastime, something she loves so much that she has created her own product, a special brand of slime that doesn’t leave a mess on fabrics, and the young entrepreneur is now selling it to the public, to the delight of all children.

The Tonkawa High School junior started the business in 2018, originally as Dainty Slime Co.

“The first week of January, I got my LLC, Dainty & Co. LLC,” she said.

Quite a feat, considering how it came out, from nothing more than wanting to play with slime when other family members seemed to discourage her.

It started at home when she was playing with the substance when she was younger, and her mother complained about the mess it would make from the stickiness, especially on her clothes. The gears in her head began turning, and she was soon looking for a formulation that would not stick to fabric. She soon found one that was still sticky, just not on clothes.

“I Googled different recipes, and still have the same recipe today,” she said. “What’s different about mine is that it doesn’t stick to your clothing or carpet. As long as it stays room temperature, it will not stick.”

It was a quick hit, as friends and other family

online through Facebook and Instagram. Her slime products come in many varieties and colors, geared toward both girls and boys, including Dino Slime, Mermaid Slime, Fruit Loop Milk, Cake Batter Slime and Unicorn Slime. All can be mixed to form vibrant designs and unique colors.

The cost of the slime products ranges from $6-$10, and some funds are returned to the community through children’s healthcare.

“A percentage of all my profits I donate to lots of hospitals,” she said, including the Northern Oklahoma Regional Pediatric Clinic in Ponca City. “In Blackwell, I donated Teddy Bears so the kids have something (in the ER).”

She also donates to Oklahoma Children’s Hospital and OK Kids Corral.

“I donate slime to Children’s Hospital, and I work with OK Kids Corral, which was built by the Toby Keith Foundation,” she said. “They have a wish list on their Web site and are a place for kids with long-term cancer patients and their families.”

It was only a few weeks ago that she received her LLC designation, making her Dainty & Co. LLC. It has been a lot of work and learning to get to that point.

“Getting an LLC has been a big learning experience, as far as taxes and paperwork,” she said.

She plans to continue taking more business administration courses

in college to continue her business. As for her planned career, she is taking a different path, that of pediatric health, while continuing to maintain her slime business.

“I want to be a pediatric physical therapist, but I do want to keep doing slime,” she said. “I want to minor in some type of business degree; I definitely want to keep it going.”

As for why she wants to juggle both businesses, health and kids’ toys, it’s all about kids in the first place, and of giving back to them.

“I love kids, seeing them enjoy it and need to keep giving back to the community,” she said.

Young Entrepreneurs Spotlight

Brewing SuccessOneCupAtATimeBrewing Success

Tate Burdick has a love for all things coffee, from the variety of beverages to mixing them for patrons. At only 19, he has now made a career out of it, turning a classic camper into Nova Coffee Truck, taking to the streets early each morning to help Ponca City wake up to a new day.

Burdick is open Tuesdays-Sundays, typically in the parking lot of Equity Bank at Fifth and Prospect, except Wednesdays, where he is selling at Ponca City High School.

“It is very labor intensive, (but) I love it. I’m out here every day,” he said. “It’s been awesome.”

In a way, that joy for coffee happened by accident when he took a part-time job at a

coffee shop after school.

“I started at The Perk when I was 16 and that taught me a lot,” he said.

That lasted about a year; he soon found his knowledge put to use as he helped train baristas at Provisions Coffeehouse & Eatery in downtown Ponca City.

“They hired me for in-store training, how to brew espresso, setting up machines,” he said.

Story by Everett Brazil, III/Staff Writer

He saw a career opportunity while still in high school and soon started creating a plan to get there, a career he knew he would love.

Hobby Lobby, until his truck was ready to move.

on their morning commute, they can also receive breakfast with toast, muffins and bagels.

He added that he continued working on his marketing plan until he opened his truck last year. His passion followed him to Oklahoma State University, where he also worked at Aspen Coffee, continuing to hone his craft. Although he returned to Ponca City only a year later, he came back with his plan ready to be implemented. All he needed at the time was the truck, which itself was a classic camper truck from the 1950s.

“I came back and started to build my truck, and I worked for a year,” he said. “My plan was to work as many coffee places as I could to gain experience and learn the different styles of coffee and different styles of management.”

When he returned, he worked temporarily for Starbucks, recently opened in the shopping center on North 14th Street, near Verizon Wireless and

“It took me almost three months, MayJune (2022), to finish building and renovating it. It is a 1950s camper that I renovated, and it’s been open five months,” he said. “I quit my job and I put my full force into it, and it’s been pretty booming.”

July 2 was his first day, and he hit the ground running, soon finding success.

Like many shops such as The Perk and Starbucks, he offers a variety of beverages on his menu, which is available on his Facebook page. Menu items include espresso, which also includes Americano, latte, Mocha and macchiato items. For those who don’t like coffee, there are noncoffee beverages as well, including juice, hot chocolate and tea. There is also a variety of fruity flavors that can be added for one’s particular taste. For those

While most mornings he can be found at Equity Bank, he has also gone on the road, taking his flavors to a large audience, which includes Farmhouse Kid’s anniversary celebration, the Cherokee Strip golf tournament and Marland’s Children’s Home.

“We only change locations if there are activities,” he said.

The hours are currently 7 a.m.-12 p.m. TuesdaySaturday, but that may change soon, he said, with expanded hours into the afternoon.

It has been less than a year since he has been serving the public, and through it all, it comes from a love of all things coffee.

“I made my business plan in high school in our marketing group, DECA. I’ve just been building and planning it since,” he said.

FOOD CRUSH FOOD CRUSH

Story By Amy DeWitt Geurin/Contributing Writer

There is a meme that reads, “If you want to impress me with your car, it better be a taco truck.” I don’t know that I’ve read a meme I can relate to more. There is a food truck craze in this country, and it makes total sense. Who doesn’t want affordable, delicious, authentic, easily accessible food?

Nena Tacos location and hours vary. Check out their Facebook page at @NenaTacosLLC to stay up to date on taco paradise.

In a bright, red taco truck that can be found all over town, Nena Tacos is pushing out tasty tacos, and more, to the citizens of Kay County and beyond. Owner Abran Farias opened Nena Tacos in March 2022 to share family recipes passed down from his mother. Originally from Michoacán, Mexico, Abran and his family joined the Ponca City community almost 20 years ago. He learned from his mother not only how to prepare family recipes, but how to flavor and produce all-around great food. Abran is giving guests a taste into the style of cooking passed down for generations, with a few surprise slants to make the menu unique.

Nena’s Al Pastor Taco is a creative twist on one of the

IF YOU FIND YOURSELF IN …

Los Angeles and you’re looking for street tacos, find Kogi Taqueria Truck. Order the short rib tacos. Order two. Maybe order three. Order the calamari taco. Order the spicy pork taco with extra gochujang. These tacos are small. There is no shame in ordering and eating five of them. This is a super popular truck, so get there early and don’t let the line discourage you. You’ll thank yourself with that first bite of short rib taco nirvana.

most well-known recipes around. Typically, this taco is filled with thinly sliced pork that has been seasoned with pineapple and chili peppers. Nena intensifies the flavor by adding chorizo and bacon to their variation. The pork paired with the sweet pineapple, salty chorizo and smoky bacon all steeped in red sauce make this the best taco in town.

Quesabirria has become the hottest taco trend in America over the past year. It is everywhere and it is wildly popular. Think about crossing a taco with a quesadilla, stuffing it full of cheese and meat that has been braised in chiles and spices, and serving it with a side of deep, fiercely flavored consommé. This is Nena Tacos’ bestselling item for a reason. It is messy; it is magnificent; and it is fun to eat. Finish off any meal with a fruit cup holding seasonal fruit, lime, chamoy and tamarindo candy.

Family recipes are important not only to those familiar with them, but to provide everyone with a cultural connection to the past. To prepare and serve bites of your family’s history is special, and Nena Tacos is doing just that. Taking the foundation of tried-and-true dishes and building off those to create something entirely new is a gift. A gift we should all thank Nena Tacos for bringing to us. Happy Eating!!

TOP THREE FOR ME

In a time crunch? Preorder via Facebook Messenger!

Inventive, limited-time items are on the featured menu regularly and are always delicious.

Need a vegetarian option? Nena will make rice/bean burritos upon request.

For more delicious food fun, check out @foodcrushok on IG and Facebook and www.foodcrushok.com

@KogiBBQTacos

Photo courtesy of Reeds & Rods Paddlefish Guide

Wildcat ProgramInternship

Securing Brighter Futures for our Young People

Story by Chelsea McConnell / Staff Writer

The Wildcat Internship Program is a joint effort between Ponca City Public Schools and Ponca City Development Authority that began in 2016. In the years since its inception, it has grown and evolved into the dynamic program it is today. Internship Coordinator Jordan JacksonGross gives a quick run-down of the program. “The internship program is an opportunity at the high school for juniors and seniors to get work-based learning experience in a field or fields they’re interested in. They can do different things each semester. They get graded for this work. I work with PCDA and Liz Leaming to build relationships in the community, make people comfortable working with students and the school, while also managing the intersection of school needs, student needs and business needs.”

The Internship Program started in 2016 when (then) Assistant Principal Chuck Bayha reached out to PCDA with the idea to create a segue between work and education in our community. In the first semester of the program, six students had internships. The program has grown and adapted since then.

The responsibility of managing the program always fell on the shoulders of a PCPS employee already working in a full-time position. During the past few years the program has become even more popular. In 2021, 40 students had internships in a single semester. At this level, PCPS and PCDA realized for continued success the program needed a dedicated coordinator to manage students and work with businesses. The two worked together to fund the salary for a fulltime coordinator beginning in the fall of 2022.

Liz Leaming explains one of the reasons for the program’s growth, “It was also growing because our last state superintendent, Joy Hoffmeister, created the ICAP program and made it mandatory for schools. That’s an Individual Career Academic Plan.” According to ok.gov, “The term ICAP refers to both a process that helps students engage in academic and career development activities and a product that is created and maintained for students’ academic, career and personal advancement.

ICAP is a student-driven, ongoing process that actively engages students, enabling them to: understand their own interests, strengths, values

and learning styles; create a vision of their future; develop individual goals; and prepare a personal plan for achieving their vision and goals.”

In order to participate, students must be a junior or senior with a GPA of 2.5 or higher, maintain a good absence and behavior record, and be on track to graduate. Students are required to fill out an application to participate in the program to help Jordan match them with an internship in a field that interests them. Students get four elective credits during their high school career, one for each semester junior and senior year. This means all qualifying juniors and seniors could potentially try four different career paths or be in the same business for four semesters if they fell in love with the work they were doing at a particular location. Some of the internships are paid and work hours are scheduled during students’ normal school hours. PCDA also has measures in place to remove barriers for students when needed. They might help with transportation or purchasing a uniform if a student is unable to provide these things on their own.

Jordan expands on the other benefits of the program. “It helps students see a way to connect the dots between what they’re doing academically in school and what they can do with their career in the future and connects

All photos courtesy of the Wildcat Internship Program.

them to people that are good resources for that.” The internships also give students a chance to learn critical thinking, problem solving and professional growth skills. As a part of their grade, they turn in time sheets and write weekly reflections based on prompts Jordan comes up with to further enhance their experience. Jordan is proud of the students she gets to work with through the program saying, “We have really sharp, excited students who are trying to take advantage of really good opportunities they’re getting at a young age. Most of them are clearly aware of what it is that they’re getting to do and they behave as such.”

Each participating employer fills out an Employer Profile with all the necessary info regarding what students need to know to work for their company. Jordan then uses this document to train students before they begin their internship. This helps get students and employers on the same page from the very beginning. Jordan gets to see the effect the program has on businesses as well. “We have a lot of those businesspeople who are excited to share what they know with someone who’s interested to learn. I think it’s restoring the faith in the next generation for a lot of people.”

Some of the businesses the internship program currently works with or have worked with in the past are: Cookshack, Alliance Health, Boomer Tire, Sooner Hot Oil, Building Blocks, The Opportunity Center, Home Sweet Home Realty, BDIW Law Firm, My Media Matters, Ponca City Police Department, North Oklahoma Humane Society, Kinkaid Veterinary Clinic, Harbor Wealth, Heather Cannon Honda, The House Radio Station, AIM Dance Studio, and Ponca City Public Schools.

The program has been very successful so far for both PCDA and PCPS. Liz shares, “Boomerang Recruitment is a strategy of recruiting people who have left and come back. For example, a student makes a business connection here, goes out and finds their degree or certification, and then we can recruit them back easier because of that connection with the business. We have already had eight people in the last year be hired by their internship placement.”

The program has a student who’s interning with a flight instructor who will get her pilot’s license soon; students who have interned at real estate agencies who will graduate high school already having gotten their real estate license; and one student who was recently offered a part time job by the company he interns with. This program is truly a win-win. It’s helping direct our youth to potential career paths while teaching them the skills to be good employees and supplying our community with the workforce it so desperately needs.

For more information about the internship program contact Jordan Jackson-Gross. at Ponca City Public Schools, jacksjo@pcps.us or (580) 718-4878

SOULFUL BEING: Shouldn’t We Always Help Others?

Story by Marlys Cervantes/Contributing Writer

“Love is not patronizing and charity isn’t about pity, it is about love. Charity and love are the same — with charity you give love, so don’t just give money but reach out your hand instead.”

- Mother Teresa

With numerous formal opportunities around for volunteering, as well as many ways to benefit others who are in need, there shouldn’t be anyone who fails to find chances to fulfill their desire to help. Ponca City and its surrounding communities have a large variety of places to volunteer.

Nonprofit organizations are perfect places to assist with needs in the community. People can help with areas such as animals at the Northern Oklahoma Humane Society or at the local animal shelter, or they can help people at various

programs like the Survivor Resource Network, food pantries, Habitat for Humanity and many more. People in this area of the country care about others.

According to an article in Psychology Today by Mark Travers, Ph.D., a team of psychologists at the University of Missouri-Columbia suggests “that our own happiness is, in part, influenced by the kindness and generosity we show others.” In their research, they paralleled acts directed at their own happiness and those aimed at the happiness of others. Participants helping others felt a greater boost in their own happiness even when they didn’t know who they were helping.

Besides helping people directly, there are many other ways to help. For those interested in the arts, there are numerous places available. Ponca Playhouse, the Poncan Theatre, City Arts, Marland Mansion and numerous gorgeous

museums with which to volunteer in a variety of ways that meet all interests are actually just a few of the beautiful places Ponca City has to offer its community.

National Volunteer Week falls in April, so this is a wonderful time to branch out and explore a new opportunity, if you’ve been thinking about doing so. The third week in April is the week this will be celebrated — the week of April 17. It would seem if you’ve been thinking about a place in the community where you would like to explore the chance to help out, now is the time. Why not reach out to see what assistance is needed?

Albert Einstein said, “Only a life lived for others is a life worthwhile.” Is it a desire within that pulls us to others? That makes us want to reach out in compassion? Besides the organizations in our communities, sometimes there are simply people we run across in our daily lives who are in need, and it seems to me that some people “find” those in need more regularly than others.

My sweetheart Jose is one of those people. He doesn’t talk about it in daily conversation, yet it feels like so often that it will come up in the course of one discussion or another we are having with friends that he was behind someone in line who just didn’t have enough to pay, or he was at a gas station when someone was counting out coins to try to pay for enough gas to get home or another similar story. There have been too many to count.

I’ve come to decide that I simply must not be nearly aware enough of those around me because I cannot have missed this ever happening, while he has it occur so often. Either that or the powers in the Universe know where a true helpful spirit resides. I don’t know. I do know, he is always one to help and to do so without fanfare (he won’t want this here, for instance, but we won’t tell him). Let’s just say, I’ve often felt safe on the road and when I travel alone because I feel like karma is on my side with the number of times he has stopped to help those with either car troubles or in need of other assistance.

Does he feel better helping others? He does seem to be happier and not judgmental about other people and the problems they may be experiencing. Sometimes there just isn’t time to worry about that if you are going to take time to care. I believe Mother Teresa had a quote about that as well: “If you judge people, you have no time to love them.”

What do you say we all try it out? Whether it’s during the week of April 17, or not even in April at all, let’s see where we can help. Whether you reach out through an organization that serves people or animals, nature or the arts, why don’t we see how we can serve our communities? The last few years have had some tough times for many. Maybe they’ve been tough for you. Possibly helping others will help you feel better yourself. It’s worth a try.

In the words of the brilliant Maya Angelou, “People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

National Volunteer Week falls in April, so this is a wonderful time to branch out and explore a new opportunity, if you’ve been thinking about doing so. The third week in April is the week this will be celebrated — the week of April 17.

Yes, it’s time to talk about it. A majority of Americans are reporting far too large a percentage of increased or overwhelming anxiety and stress levels. I cannot stress enough (no pun intended) how important it is to put safeguards up. Good stress is absolutely a thing – think of the adrenaline rush on a roller-coaster ride, for example. However, when our primary stress hormone, called cortisol, rises too much, it becomes a problem. It is officially Stress Awareness Month, and I had to leave four tips with you for de-stressing. If these bring any peace to you at all, then you better believe that I am one satisfied and smiling lady!

1. Balance is critical. I have advised many people who are constantly expending energy for others to find schedule space for “me time.” An empty cup has nothing to pour, so it is okay to allow ourselves time to rejuvenate. However, if I am advising someone who always feels isolated or alone, my advice would be the opposite. Let’s take another example. An overbearingly rigid person may benefit from incorporating more flexibility into their lives, while one who lives impulsively or disorderly may thrive with more

structure. A basic human need is to feel secure. If we are constantly bouncing from one end of a spectrum to the other, then we can easily begin to feel a complete lack of control or unsettled. Where there is imbalance, there is a great indicator of where stress could be originating from. We’ve got to take the necessary steps to foster balance, although it may be difficult.

2. Accept hard truths. Speaking of difficult steps, this may be the most critical tip. So many of us are beating ourselves up due

to a false notion that we should be living up to unmatchable standards. We will not live a 95%, or even 85%, mistake-free life. Because we are human, multiple mistakes will happen, even in one day. Additionally, hardships will come; some of which we will not know how to handle in the moment. Everything in life will not go the way we prefer. Just these truths alone have caused high stress. Well, here is your green light to take a deep breath and slowly release it. The true wins in life are not how many bad things don’t come your way or how perfect you are. The true wins are the growing, learning, experiencing restoration and the intimacy that overcoming hard moments with someone can bring. In the midst of hard truths, there is much greater beauty we get to experience and cherish. Focus on the good memories, special relationships and positive perspectives that life holds.

3. Laugh more!

Search out what makes you feel joy! One of my favorite things to do is watch stand-up comedy or engage in an outdoor activity. I don’t care how stupid you feel or look, if your favorite song comes on, then dance. Go to a theme park, pray, befriend someone funny. Simply listening to the words of a child even gives a good laugh … we all know they say the funniest things! The worse that could happen by laughing more is releasing your feel-good endorphins, burning calories,

strengthening your immune system and enhancing your heart health and blood circulation!

4. Set good habits in place. Feeling sluggish or moody is stressful. Thankfully, we can combat this by making a few changes. Take, for instance, the relationship between sleep and stress. Both affect each other in an undeniable way. If you feel stuck in this cycle, choose one to work on first. If sleep is your choice, then add a workout during your day to expend more energy before bedtime. You can also incorporate a good sleep routine that you can stick to for a body-clock reset. You may be staring at walls for the first couple of days, but eventually you may find sleep to come more quickly. Another good habit is cleaning up your diet. A flexible one of at least 80% whole and nutrient-dense foods will make you feel so good internally! Your energy levels, body functioning and mood will be enhanced in a very noticeable way. These are great habits to start with if you haven’t become consistent in them already!

It is tempting to avoid thinking about stress. I’ve found that many of us do not regularly examine where our stress levels may be or pinpoint the cause. Taking moments to sit, reflect and evaluate the stressors in our lives and our internal health can bring awareness and solutions we wouldn’t have imagined. My hope for you is a beautiful life filled with much peace, joy and love. Happy April!

Backyard Gardener

Welcome to April

Welcome to April. My birthday month. Celebrate with me as I answer some questions which have come my way about gardening, gardens and growing stuff in general. Topics may be a little schizophrenic; but hey, we live in Oklahoma where the weather is amazing one day and darn near tries to kill you the next. Don’t be fooled. Wait until after April 15 to plant your outside plants. How about those tomatoes?

Question: When do I plant my tomatoes outside?

Answer: It depends. (Insert evil laugh) Not really evil, but definitely laughing. Tomatoes are not the easiest plants to grow; but they are THE most coveted. If your tomatoes have sprouted and are six to eight inches tall in your house/greenhouse, here is how you get them into the ground and when.

First: Harden them off. The term “hardening” means to make the tomatoes “hardy” to outdoor conditions.

Don’t know if you have

noticed, but it is kind of windy here in Ponca City. To guarantee stronger stemmed tomatoes that don’t break in the wind, here is a how-to on tomato hardiness before planting.

Temperature: Put them in the garage or a sheltered outside location for a couple of hours a day, for four to five days. If the temperature dips below 50, keep them in the house or give them a heater in the garage.

Wind: After they are acclimated to the 50 plus degree days (or garage), start taking them outside for a couple of hours a day, for at least a week, in the shade. Again, if the temp dips below 50, keep them inside, warmed garage or wherever you started the seeds.

Sun: Oklahoma sun is harsh. Anyone who has managed to get sunburned in March knows this to be true. The last part of making the toms hardy is giving them some early morning or late afternoon sunshine. This is the last phase and can usually be accomplished in April before they go in the ground. Same caveat as above, watch out for below 50-degree dips.

Once you get those little tomato plants acclimated to Oklahoma temp, wind and sun;

into the ground they go. There is a great article by Barbara Pleasant on the Mother Earth News Website on growing tomatoes. Find it here: http://bit.ly/3kP5LUJ

Question: I hate mosquitoes. What plants really work to keep mosquitoes away from my house.

Answer: Herbs are your friend. Some great herbs to plant to keep mosquitoes away are lavender, lemongrass, lemon balm, marigolds and basil. And don’t be stingy. Plant a lot of them. You can put these herbs anywhere –around the garden, in your flower beds, in pots or around your porch area. Keep in mind lavender and basil are taller plants; lemongrass is tall and bushy; and lemon balm is very bushy and will spread like mint.

A plant that has scientifically shown itself to repel mosquitoes is lantana, which was new information for me. Lantana also holds up very well to Oklahoma summers, lending itself to

Story and Photos by Kat Long / Contributing Writer

English Lavender - bushy and grows lower to the ground

Mosquito repellent plantings: basil, mint, thyme, and lemon balm mixed with chives and a butterfly plant by the porch.

being planted on those south-facing patios and porches. Another fun fact: Mosquito plants do not actually repel mosquitoes. Though there are traces of citronella in the plant and odor, it is not enough to repel mosquitoes. Instead, go with pots of mint or catnip to repel mosquitoes and keep these wandering

Which is better: raised beds

planting area and don’t know the soil/ ground composition, then raised beds

You can control your soil mixture. And at the same time, make the

Your raised beds will give you control over your planting space.

You can inter-plant and build climbing structures easily using

A great method for new and raised bed gardeners is Square Foot Gardening by Mel Bartholomew. The library has two of his books available for checkout and you can find all the information on building raised beds, making your own soil mixture and planting schematics on his website www.squarefootgardening. org. Love Mel. Great resource for firsttime or small-yard gardeners.

In the ground

For those wanting to plant in the ground, there are many resources to get started. The OSU Extension Office in Newkirk has soil testers to borrow, and soil testing is $10 per sample. The library has some great gardening books like “Oklahoma Gardeners Guide” by Steve Dobbs or “Grow More Food” by Colin McCrate. If you just want to wing it because you are a lazy gardener, that works as well.

No judgment here. Get some bags of outdoor soil, grab some plants from Lowe’s, Brandt’s, Atwoods or Tractor Supply and get started after May 1. Why May 1? I don’t remember having a frost after May 1 here in Ponca. If you are a novice gardener, it is just one less thing to worry about.

I hope you managed to make it to the Seed Swap in March. If not, you will get another chance on Saturday, April 22 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. In addition to seed swapping. April 22 is Earth Day, the Citywide Garage Sale and the first day of the Ponca City-wide Clean-Up Week, April 22-29. Whew, so much spring stuff going on.

And while you are out at the garage sales, swing by City Central to check out the seeds. There are sure to be some plant starts as well. Anyone is welcome to come by, whether you have seeds to swap or not. You know us gardeners: we love to share. Donations of extra seedlings, plants or seeds are always welcome. Just give Kat a call at 580.761.3028 or email bookrat68@hotmail.com to arrange a drop-off or get more information.

And as always, Happy Gardening.

Upcoming Events:

Seed Swap

City Central 400 E. Central Ave, West Doors

Saturday, April 22 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Herb Festival LA Cann Gardens

to

EASTERCREATURES

by Patrick Jordan

I hate to be a gossip; just kidding, I love it … do you guys wanna know something about a girl I went to middle school with? Let’s call her … Jessica … because that’s her name. I want to preface this by saying Jessica, the only reason I’m talking about this publicly is because I know you were the one who stole my favorite Beanie Baby from my backpack in 6th grade, and I know it was you because I’m not an idiot. I know your mom didn’t buy you that EXACT same Beanie Baby the EXACT day mine went missing. Also, I know you took it because Whitney told me. So, consider this payback. So anyway, apparently Jessica’s kid, who is 5, called his teacher a VERY bad name, to her face. It rhymes with … father trucker. Which I typically wouldn’t judge anyone for this, because my children have been known to rattle off a few unsavory words themselves. But Jessica, have you ever considered that maybe your kid’s potty-mouth is just karma for your sticky fingers? Think of our teachers, Jessica; they are

severely underpaid and under appreciated. They do not deserve to be called names like that! And again, under normal circumstances upon hearing this information I would have possibly reached out to you for a play date so our kids could exchange all the bad words they know with one another, but you know the saying “elephants never forget”??? Well slap a trunk on my nose, because this girl will never forget being BURGLED by you 23 years ago. I know what you guys are thinking, probably that quote “great minds discuss ideas, average minds discuss events, small minds discuss people” … I’ve never claimed to have a big mind. Sometimes I think I can hear rattling up there, like a rock in a tin can. Sometimes I get in my car to go somewhere and I’ll just sit in the car for upward of three minutes because I forgot what I was doing or where I was going. I don’t have a lot going on upstairs, so if I want to discuss how Jessica is raising HEATHENS with pottymouths then I absolutely will. But mostly because I am also raising heathens with potty-mouths.

ACROSS

1. "Surely you ___!"

("That's gotta be a joke!")

5. Bring together

10. X, in the Greek alphabet

13. Soprano's solo

14. Tennis champ Rafael

15. A goatee grows on it

16. Offers for eBay items

17. Film that appeals to women (2 wds.)

19. Takes care of (2 wds.)

21. Like an icy street

22. Merits through effort

25. Pop star Tori

26. How March may go, in an old saying (4 wds.)

31. They're not amateurs

32. Once more than once

33. Create a hole

36. "It happened a long time ___"

37. Baby beagle or bulldog

39. Homer's sanctimonious neighbor

40. Significant time period

41. Allow

42. Angry

44. Map out a strategy

45. Fairy tale bird who becomes a swan (2 wds.)

48. Overtake on the highway

50. Shopping blitz

51. "Sweet Love" singer Baker

53. Tooth's surface

57. Beginning skier's hill (2 wds.)

61. Keep money in the bank

62. Fashion legend Cassini

63. Author of many fables

64. Garden in Genesis

65. "That ___ a close call!"

66. Shows a sulking face

67. Bumper blemish

DOWN

1. Quick boxing blows

2. Great Lake that's 75% vowels

3. Sunny-___ up (egg order)

4. They dangle from graduation caps

5. Open a champagne bottle

6. Slangy word of refusal

7. Dictator Amin

8. Tic-___-toe

9. Fraternal order with lodges

10. Marx brother with an Italian accent

11. Country bumpkins

12. Pen fluid

15. Ascend, as a mountain

18. Insulted in a Twitter post, say

20. Mai ___ (cocktail choice)

23. Salary after taxes (2 wds.)

24. Lumber-cutting tool

26. October birthstone

27. Suggest strongly

28. Whistle's sound

29. Form a row (2 wds.)

30. Highest poker card

33.

37.

38.

44. Satisfied

Supermarket section

34. It borders Iraq and Turkey

35. Outlaw group

Hog farm feature

Web address letters

43. Six-pt. football scores (abbr.)

45. Putting to a purpose 46. Inches along

47. Barbie's suitor

48. Former "American Idol" judge Abdul

49. Hollywood's Heche and Hathaway

52. Immediately, for short

54. Crafted

55. "Don't get mad, get ___"

56. Season that ends at Easter

57. Gift topper

58. Shortest-named zodiac sign

59. Stillwater campus, briefly 60. Soup-heating vessel

STREAM IT

STREAM IT

Story by Hayley Harrison / Staff Writer

The Sunday that I spent writing this column, it was absolutely beautiful outside! The sun was shining, the birds were chirping and the wind was perfect. A fivestar weather day, to be sure! I only know this though because that’s what I read on Facebook. You see, I spent most of that glorious Sunday, parked on my couch with my eyes glued to the TV screen. I had just discovered a new show that had captivated every bit of my attention, and that show was Daisy Jones & the Six.

Daisy Jones & the Six was originally a novel written by Taylor Jenkins Reid, who you may recognize as the author of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo. It was adapted for TV by Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber, and it follows the story of a Pittsburghbased rock ‘n’ roll band in the 1970s, whose dreams,

chooses to break up at the pinnacle of their fame, success and appeal.

Reid claimed that Fleetwood Mac gave her inspiration for the storyline, and this is what she had to say about the connection: “When I decided I wanted to write a book about rock ‘n’ roll, I kept coming back to that moment when Lindsey watched Stevie sing ‘Landslide.’ How it looked so much like two people in love. And yet, we’ll never truly know what lived between them. I wanted to write a story about that, about how the lines between real life and performance can get blurred, about how singing about old wounds might keep them fresh.” She managed to capture that feeling perfectly, and it translates on-screen effortlessly between main characters Billy Dunne (Sam Claflin) and Daisy Jones (Riley Keough).

Daisy Jones & the Six, has an unbelievably talented and beautiful cast, including Sam Claflin (one of my favorites), Riley Keough (fun fact, Riley is the granddaughter of the King, Elvis Presley), Camila Morrone, Suki Waterhouse, Will Harrison, Nabiyah Be, Sebastian Chacon, Timothy Olyphant, Josh Whitehouse and Tom Wright.

It is currently streaming on Amazon Prime Video, and you can sign-up for a free 30-day trial if you are not already a “Prime” customer.

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Hello, friends! If you have not read the announcement yet, I am honored and excited to introduce myself as the new Superintendent of Ponca City Public Schools. I am thrilled to have the opportunity to serve this community and work together to improve the education system for our students. I appreciate the Board of Education’s vote of confidence as we continue this transition.

As I work through the coming days and months and we continue addressing the day-to-day needs of our district, I need to step back and look at the bigger picture. As I begin my tenure in June as the next superintendent, I am turning my attention and focus toward addressing one of our most critical issues, the teacher shortage. It is a pressing issue that has been affecting schools across the country, and Oklahoma and Ponca City are no exception. We need to ensure that we have enough qualified and experienced teachers to provide high-quality education to our students. That’s the goal. Period.

Over the past few years, the state of Oklahoma has been grappling with a significant teacher shortage, which has resulted in a higher student-to-teacher ratio, overcrowded classrooms and a decline in academic performance. While the pandemic did public education no favors, it is imperative that we address this issue with a sense of urgency.

One of my primary goals as the superintendent is to attract and retain quality teachers in our district. I believe that by providing our teachers with the support and resources they need to succeed, we can create a culture that fosters excellence in teaching and learning.

In my first year in this role, I plan to build on the successful foundation of Shelley Arrott to create a comprehensive teacher recruitment and retention plan. This plan will involve partnering with colleges and universities to recruit prospective teachers, encouraging our board to consider offering competitive compensation and benefits packages and creating professional development programs to support teachers in their growth and development.

Additionally, I plan to establish strong pathways of communication among our community and our staff. I believe that by working collaboratively with teachers and administrators, we can create a community environment that encourages creativity, innovation and excellence in education. Let’s not also forget about having fun while we’re doing it.

Finally, I plan to build strong relationships with community stakeholders, including parents, business leaders and civic organizations. By working together, we can create a shared vision for our schools and ensure that we are providing our students with the education they need to succeed in life.

I want to reiterate my excitement about this new role and the opportunities it presents to be your next school superintendent. Together, we can build a world-class education system that prepares our students for success in the 21st century. I look forward to working with all of you in the months and years ahead! Thank you!

Story by Adam Leaming, Ponca City Public Schools, Superintendent / Contributing Writer

Mixed by Jill Rowe/Staff Writer

OF THE

Last summer, I took a trip to the Florida Keys for a bachelorette party. A girlfriend and I planned to fly into Miami, spend a day there and then drive into the Keys in a convertible Mustang we rented. With scarves tied around our heads, we were like Thelma and Louise. In search of freedom, two wild women fled the monotony of our routine lives.

Once we made it to our tropical destination, we drank a sufficient quantity of Rum Runners to feel successfully irresponsible. These drinks go down easy and catch up to you quickly. The Rum Runner cocktail hails from the Florida Keys and has a backstory almost as long as the ingredient list itself. Unfortunately, the history begins during a particularly terrible period: Prohibition.

In 1920 Prohibition took effect, and the sale, production and transportation of alcohol were officially banned (that’s rough). The plan was to improve health and hygiene in America, reduce crime and corruption, address social issues, reduce the financial strain imposed by jails and poorhouses and tackle social problems. Did it work? No. In fact, it was a complete and utter failure. During this period, a group of brave patriots risked everything in the waters off the coast of this country to assist the great people in continuing to indulge in that spiritual water we all know and love. I’m talking about the Rum Runners.

Rum-running (or bootlegging) is the illegal transportation of alcoholic beverages. Inspired by the rum-running business of earlier pirates, selling rum to the colonies, the captains of the rum-running ships would get their cheap rum from the Caribbean and sell it to speakeasies in Florida. The Caribbean was, and still is, recognized for its rum production,

MONTH

particularly Cuba, which is extremely close to the Keys.

Rum-running was perilous. There were Coast Guard patrol and people who would go after you called Revenue Cutters. As a result, there were many shootings and deaths. Several rum runners did not survive this era. Organized crime made a lot of money from speakeasies and the selling of alcohol, so it was only natural that they had problems with the smalltime rum runners in the Keys, especially since the mafia was so well-established in Miami. The mob eventually became the main source of contention for the rum smugglers rather than the police or Coast Guard.

Eventually, Prohibition ended (thank goodness). Fast forward 20 years to the Holiday Isle Tiki Bar in Islamorada, Florida. Legend has it that the owner was trying to use up surplus liquor inventory, so he threw a bunch of rums and liqueurs together to create this classic tiki favorite. He named the drink after the real rum runners that inhabited the Florida Keys just decades earlier.

The Rum Runner is a drink I invite you to create on your own, however, there are a few essential ingredients that capture the essence of the original cocktail and should not be substituted. The banana and blackberry liqueur are a must, and of course, it wouldn’t be a true Rum Runner without the rum.

Don’t be surprised if you find me partaking in some rum just as the good people of Key West did after the dark years nearly a century ago. In my mind, I’m still on vacation.

The Rum Runner

1 ounce Light Rum

1 ounce Dark Rum

1 ounce Banana Liqueur

1 ounce Blackberry Liqueur

1 ounce Pineapple Juice

1 ounce Lime Juice

½ ounce Grenadine

Fill your blender with ice, dump all the ingredients in, blend until smooth, pour into a Hurricane glass and garnish with an orange slice. Don’t want it blended?

Try your Rum Runner on the rocks! Combine all your ingredients into a shaker with ice, shake and strain into a Hurricane glass filled with ice and garnish.

BOOK REVIEW

Review By: Lorrie Layton

The Thirteenth Fairy (Never After, book 1)

BY MELISSA DE LA CRUZ

This was such a fun book!

Filomena Jefferson-Cho is the adopted daughter of two writers who adore her – even if they are excessively overprotective. They would never imagine she is bullied at school – where the administrators insist there is no bullying. Filomena and her parents are, not surprisingly, avid readers.

Her favorite books of all time are the books of the Never After series. This series tells the fairy tales as they actually occurred (in the world of Never After), instead of the twisted and confused versions that we’ve grown up with.

Filomena is such a fangirl that she has lots of the Never After merchandise, including a backpack with the Never After logo.

We meet Filomena on her worst day, ever. After discovering her only friend has just decided to hang out with her tormentors and being bullied worse than usual at school,

she makes her way to her favorite bookshop. The newest book in the Never After series is being released today! Only, when she arrives at the bookstore, she discovers that there is no new book – and there will never be another Never After book. Terribly disappointed, Filomena begins trudging home. She notices that someone seems to be following her – and he looks just like Jack the Giant Slayer from the Never After books! OK, that’s just weird. Even weirder, he suddenly shoves her to the ground – just in time to prevent her from being struck by lightning! On a clear, cloudless, sunshiny day! Then another thunderbolt strikes the sidewalk and evil, cackling laughter echoes through the air. To top it off, the Jack-lookalike offers her his hand, saying, “Come with me if you want to live!”

Would you believe he really is Jack the Giant Slayer and he needs Filomena’s help?

PROVIDED BY BRACE BOOKS & MORE

BOOK REVIEW In a New York Minute

BY KATE SPENCER

Franny Doyle is in the midst of the worst day of her life. She’s just been laid off from her job. Toting all her office possessions in a bulky box, she makes it onto the crammed-full subway just in time for the doors to close on the back of her favorite silk dress, ripping it open top-tobottom so that now all of NYC has a great view of her one and only thong.

Fortunately, a devastatingly handsome gentleman (Franny nicknames him “Hot Suit”) graciously gives her the coat off his back. (It’s Gucci.)

Unfortunately, just as the subway lurches, throwing Franny into Hot Suit’s chest, someone snaps a photo of them. A few hours later, the photo has gone viral. Franny’s most embarrassing moment, ever, is out there for everyone to see. The worst possible meet-cute has suddenly become the world’s favorite rom-com.

Fortunately, NYC’s very own morning show, NYN, invites Franny and Hayes (aka Hot Suit) to appear on their show.

Review By: Lorrie Layton

PROVIDED BY BRACE BOOKS & MORE

Franny reluctantly agrees so she can return the suit jacket, thank Hayes properly and set the story straight. It turns out that Hayes isn’t just some gorgeous guy who wears designer suits. He’s a successful financial advisor who owns his own business.

Unfortunately, Franny feels inadequate next to Hayes – just laid off, remember? – and tells NYN and all of New York City that she has begun her own interior design business and she’s been inundated with inquiries. (That would be a big, fat lie.)

Even more unfortunately, Hayes has the audacity to tell all of New York City that Franny is “not his type!” Not publicly embarrassing at all!

So, here’s the question: Do two truly wonderful people who met in truly awful circumstances have a chance of building a wonderful relationship?

P.S. I loved this book!

Kids Say the Darnedest Things The $27 Tooth

Story by Hayley Harrison / Staff Writer

Ifeel I should preface this story by first stating, THANK GOD for grandparents! I truly wouldn’t be able to function on a day-to-day basis without them! To this day, as an almost 30-year-old woman, I still call my mother weekly in various degrees of panic because I forgot to send something to school with my oldest daughter, or because I’m running late and my kiddos need to be picked up from the sitter, or a million other little things have happened that I need her help with. And just like Batman to the bat-signal, she comes to my rescue! I am truly so lucky to have a mother like her, and I need her to remember that for what I’m about to say next. (Insert nervous sigh here) It is quite possible and plausible that she is also the reason my kids act a bit bad sometimes (insert grimace here).

She has spoiled them past the point of no return! Thanks to Nana, they now believe that every trip to every store should include a snack, new toy(s) and enough arts and crafts supplies to paint, glue and sticker each and every square foot of our house (which they happily do). If they are staying with her and decide that they’d rather eat out than eat what she has already bought and prepared for them, she will happily strap them into their car seats and drive them the 45 minutes it takes to get them whatever their precious little hearts desire. She loves them without limit (spending limit, that is) and they love her right back.

They vacation at her house almost every weekend, and on one of those weekends my oldest daughter lost her very first tooth! We were all so excited that the long-awaited Tooth Fairy was finally going to pay her a visit and leave her a fair sum for that inaugural lost tooth! Well, to spare you the suspense, the Tooth Fairy did indeed pay her a visit at her Nana’s house, and she must’ve been extremely impressed with the tooth, because she left her TWENTY-SEVEN dollars for it. Yes, you read that right!

My daughter was understandably over-themoon excited about the loot she had discovered under her pillow, and she immediately FaceTimed me so that I could join-in on the merriment! I kept telling her how excited I was for her and that all that brushing/ flossing she had been doing really paid off! After we finished marveling over her dental hygiene habits, I asked her if I could speak with her Nana for a moment. She promptly handed the phone over to Nana, who then quickly told me that they would have to hang up because they had Tooth Fairy money to go spend and no time to talk. Convenient.

Fast forward a month or so to my daughter losing her second tooth ¬ this time at home.

The excitement was palpable, and we were eagerly awaiting another visit from the Tooth Fairy! Well, apparently inflation really does hurt everyone, because the next morning my daughter solemnly walked into the living room and with a dejected look upon her face, slowly placed the two dollars she had received from the Tooth Fairy on the ottoman. She could not understand why the Tooth Fairy would leave her such a measly sum, for such exquisite enamel! She quickly informed us that you cannot even buy ONE L.O.L. Surprise (a type of doll, for those reading this without young children) for two dollars. “What in the world was she supposed to do with two dollars?” she

Her dad and I looked at each other, both unsure of how to respond to the Tooth Fairy’s obvious shortcoming. All we could do was point out that two dollars was a pretty fair sum, considering that she still had 18 more teeth to lose. She was not at all impressed by our defense of the Tooth Fairy, and though she’s still not sure why said Tooth Fairy had such light pockets on her last visit, she does know one thing for sure; she will only be losing teeth at her Nana’s house from here-on-out!