Some neighbors are also pushing back on two new restaurants planned for 23rd Street that they say could cause traffic issues on the residential streets close to the growing commercial district north of downtown. “We are all for responsible development, but we cannot live somewhere that [has] constant late-night noise and can’t take the loss […]
Ben Felder
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Oklahoma City hires new parks and planning heads
Aubrey Hammontree Photo Provided Doug Kupper will become the city’s new parks and recreation director. Aubrey Hammontree, who is currently interim planning director, will assume that position permanently. Kupper is currently the parks and recreation director in Wichita, Kan., where he has served for 14 years. “Probably one of the best projects I managed to […]
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Circuit Court hears case for Oklahoma’s same-sex marriage ban
Voters in 2004 overwhelmingly approved a ban on same-sex marriage, but a state judge ruled in January that the ban was unconstitutional. The issue was in front of the Court of Appeal, marking just the second time a state same-sex marriage case has been heard by a federal court. James Campbell, an attorney representing the […]
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Sidewalks are some of earliest MAPS 3 projects to be complete
“Along with the trail system, [sidewalks] probably touch more neighborhoods and more parts of the city than any other MAPS 3 project,” Cornett said at a ribbon-cutting ceremony Thursday to mark the completion of phase 1 of the sidewalk project. “If you look at these sidewalks, I think they exceed expectations, which is continuing the […]
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Five things to know about Thursday’s same-sex marriage hearing
U.S. District Judge Terence Kern ruled earlier this year that Oklahoma’s voter-approved ban on same-sex marriage was unconstitutional. Kern’s ruling was immediately stayed, and an appeal was filed with the federal appeals court in Denver. It could take months for the circuit court to issue a ruling on Oklahoma’s case, and many believe the issue […]
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Biker life
Cassi hops on her bike, while her roommate is in a car. “A lot of times, I beat her or we get there at the same time,” Poor said. “I might beat her because she is having to look for parking and I don’t.” Poor has become a regular cyclist over the past year, since […]
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Murder on the rise
On April 7, the city had its 12th homicide of the year as a 30-year-old female was found dead in a home on SW 60th Street. Few details were known in the following days. Was this a drug-related homicide? A domestic dispute? Or maybe a murder related to the city’s increase in gang activity? All […]
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Take a ride
Streetcar ridership hit a peak in 1920, when 25.5 million trips were taken on the city’s three lines. That worked out to nearly 280 rides a year for every resident in the city. The streetcar lines vanished in 1947, but a half a century later, the city is looking to slowly rebuild a rail-based transit […]
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City’s bus system ready to Embark on new chapter
Starting April 28, METRO Transit, the department that oversees the city’s bus system, parking and ferry service, will change its name to Embark. The name change is part of a new marketing strategy, along with changes to enhance local bus service.“The changes we are making to the public transportation system in Oklahoma City are really […]
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Eminent development?
After failing to negotiate a purchase price with the owners of several lots west of Chesapeake Energy Arena, the Oklahoma City Council authorized city staff to file an eminent domain claim with a vote on March 18.The timing of the vote is one that Ward 2 Councilman Ed Shadid finds ironic. “The city, in my […]