1.qxp
7/23/2013
5:12 PM
Opinions from just ONE MAN by J.LELAND GOURLEY lgourley@okcfriday.com
An editorial is not an order from on high. It is just one man’s opinion..JLG, 1976.
Setting straight: immigration bill ITHOUT point ing any finger of blame at anybody, just a few words to clarify the situation about the U.S. Senate bill on immigration reform, now stuck in the House. “Amnesty” is a word that sends chills up and down the back of a lot of people. The bipartisan bill the Senate has passed doesn’t offer amnesty. It labels illegal immigrants as law breakers by requiring them to admit guilt, by paying a fine.
W
[Continued on Page 8]
Out & About by E ri n Fitzgerald
Molly is new center director. NTEGRIS HEALTH’S R. Murali Krishna, MD, his wife Sam, and Bruce and Donna Lawrence hosted a welcome reception for Molly Ross, recently named executive director of the INTEGRIS James L. Hall, Jr. Center for Mind, Body and Spirit. The event was held in the Krishna’s home where guests enjoyed catered Indian food and live entertainment. Molly shared with the group her ideas around
I
Page 1
Block party
INSIDE TODAY:
Reds, Whites & Boots
The Village City Councilman Jerry Broughton, City Manager Bruce Stone and his wife Tim at the event. Page 7.
•Saturday Magazine, with summer brides. •Speicals on your favorite Procter and Gamble products.
Lisa Synar, Megan Hann, Verej Jazirvar and Cindy Utecht toast the event benefitting the Catholic Charities’ Womens Sanctuary Page B-1.
okcFRIDAY
The Newspaper for Oklahoma’s Trendsetters
okcfriday.com
JOY RICHARDSON joyr10@yahoo.c
And yet another beautiful wedding. E CAN’T IMAGINE how weddings can ever be more beautiful, but each one I attend is prettier than the last. Well, you take a gorgeous bride - in this case Kelsey Quillian – and a handsome groom – Blake Renegar – and add flowers, luscious food, and a show-stopping band – and it is stunning. Kelsey is the daughter of the late and much-loved Jay
W
[Continued on Page 5]
July 26, 2013
facebook.com/okcfriday
Serving affluent far north Oklahoma City, Nichols Hills and The Village for 39 years
Perking up public spaces, parks The Village researching updates to TIF District By ROSE LANE OKC FRIDAY With $115k when the sale of property to Crossings Community Church for its community center is closed, The Village City Council is hoping to make improvements to its Tax Increment Financing District. City Councilmen met with representatives of Butzer Gardner Architects to determine priorities for the area which includes the property around City Hall. One suggestion from architect Hans Butzer is that The Village work to create a “city green.” The city, in fact owns a square of property east of City Hall, which he said might be an ideal place for staging events and festivals. “Events are a great way to remind people of their shared identity and to create memories,” Butzer said. “When they start to take place in the same place, it further shapes the community.” Councilmen said they would like to see streetscape improvements along Vineyard Boulevard, including better lighting, trees and other amenities. Likewise, city leaders said they felt streetscape improvements would be welcomed along Village Drive. They would like to explore options for beautifying the existing concrete storm water channel, possibly with the addition of gabion baskets or even some sort of covering. With the completion of the Bert Cooper Trails at Lake Hefner, council members said they would like to connect existing pedestrian walkways with the trails system. Butzer was asked to come up with some sketches detailing some of these possibilities. The City Council will meet with the architects again and will be looking for input from the public as the planning process progresses.
THE 60-ACRE GRAND Boulevard Park meanders down the sides of Grand Boulevard. A new committee is working on a plan for its revitalization. Rose Lane|okcfriday
Grand Boulevard Park is focus of new committee By ROSE LANE OKC FRIDAY The Nichols Hills City Council has appointed a committee to investigate the redevelopment of Grand Boulevard Park using bond money and private funds. City Councilman Peter Hoffman and Pete Everest are the co-chairmen of the group, which also includes all eight members of the
Nichols HIlls Parks Commission, Nichols Hills Environmental, Health and Sustainability Committee President Nancy Herzol and Nichols Hills Parks Inc. President Susan Marshall. Everest is also the chairman of the Parks Commission. The project is very near and dear to Hoffman’s heart as he first approached the Nichols Hills City Council in [Continued on Page 2]
Neese to receive Sister Cities’ Global Vision Award
[Continued on 10]
Excursions by
Vol. 47 No. 14 • Two Sections 18 Pages
TERRY NEESE
Sister Cities Oklahoma City revealed the 2013 recipient of its Global Vision Award today at a joint meeting with Sister City Kigali, Rwanda, and Afghan delegates to the PEACE THROUGH BUSINESS conference in Oklahoma City. Dr. Terry Neese, founder and CEO of the Institute for Economic Empowerment of Women (IEEW) and PEACE THROUGH BUSINESS, will be presented with the Global Vision Award at a luncheon in October. “Terry Neese, one of our
board members, epitomizes Sister Cities International’s mandate to build global cooperation at the municipal level, promote cultural understanding and stimulate economic development,” said Vicki Clark Gourley, President of Sister Cities Oklahoma City. Neese leads the IEEW organization to accomplish its mission via two programs, both domestic and international training for women business owners in the area of public policy and entrepreneurial education “The seeds of change and
opportunity for greater world peace are being sown now in Oklahoma City, Dallas and across the nation through PEACE THROUGH BUSINESS,” Neese said. “Oklahoma City is playing an instrumental part in developing women business leaders from Rwanda and Afghanistan who will transform their nations’ cultural climate through lessons they have learned from weeks of mentorship and study here in America.” The PEACE THROUGH [Continued on Page 3]
For 100 years, the PC Schools have Late starts delayed Seven Putnam City district-wide late start thrived on community involvement Wednesdays – days on which classes start 90 minBy ROSE LANE OKC FRIDAY As the Putnam City School District approaches its centennial, new Superintendent Dr. Fred Rhodes says he knows the system has been a success because of its high level of parental and community Dr. FRED RHODES involvement. Assuming the role of superintendent has been like coming home for Rhodes. He began his educational career in 1976 at Wiley Post Elementary School, where in a fouryear span, he taught both fifth and
sixth grades. In 1980, he became assistant principal of Wiley Post and in 1982, served in the same position at James L. Dennis Elementary. In 1983, he was appointed principal of what was than a brand new Will Rogers Elementary School. He comes to Putnam City from the Yukon Public School, where he served as assistant superintendent for eight years. Rhodes holds a Doctorate in Educational Administration from Oklahoma State University, a Masters Degree in Counseling Psychology from the University of Central Oklahoma and a Bachelors Degree in Elementary Education from Oklahoma Christian University. Next year, Rhodes said, Putnam [Continued on Page 3]
utes later than normal for all students – will not take place in the 2013-2014 school year as had been previously planned, Superintendent Dr. Fred Rhodes announced to school board members. “At this time, we will delay the implementation of district-wide late start Wednesdays and strive to find additional ways to provide professional development time for teachers,” Rhodes said. Putnam City officials first proposed the concept of late start Wednesdays in early April at a school board meeting. In late May, information was shared with district parents. The program was conceived as a response to significant state-mandated shifts in education. Teachers would have reported at their regular times on seven Wednesdays but then spent the first 90 minutes of the day in intensive professional training. The program would have provided extra time for teachers to deepen their understanding of new rigorous Common Core State Standards and a required new teacher evaluation system that gives [Continued on Page 2]