Threatening email
Prosecutors also charged the 54-year-old Gerhart with violating the Oklahoma Computer Crimes Act by sending a threatening email to Sen. Cliff Branan, R-Oklahma City, chairman of the Senate Energy Committee. Gerhart wrote in his March 26 email, “Branan, get that bill heard or I will make sure you regret not doing it. I will make…
Dog the lobbyist
The veteran bounty hunter and reality television star visited the state Capitol today in support of a measure tightening regulation of bail enforcement or recovery. Chapman was accompanied by his wife, Beth, and son Leland. The state Senate took the occasion to pass a resolution honoring the 27-year bounty hunter and former bail bondsman. Presumably,…
A fine idea
A measure introduced at today’s Oklahoma City Council meeting would allow for a progressive fine schedule. Currently, the fine is $167, but that could change in about two weeks when the council will consider final adoption of the proposal. The would-be penalties would require a $119 fine for a first-time offense, followed by fines of…
Beaming with blues
America’s musical roots are entrenched firmly in the blues. From the field hollers of slaves to the guttural Southern gospel of the late 19th century, early blues drew upon feelings and sounds that later paved the way for much of today’s popular music. It’s appropriate, then, that Luella and the Sun hail from Nashville, Tenn.,…
What’s your drink?
Megan Mullally credit: Gage Skidmore “My adult beverage of choice is a light beer — preferably Coors Light. While my last name is Williams (which is English), I am actually three-fourths German. Due to that lineage, I think I have a ‘bier’ gene in my genetic makeup.”—Roy Williams, president and CEO of the Greater Oklahoma…
Monster mash
The Phantom of the Opera7:30 p.m. Thursday Lon Chaney’s name is forever associated with 1925’s The Phantom of the Opera, and for good reason: It’s one of the great performances in silent films. I don’t care how old you are or how many times you’ve seen it: When Christine (Mary Philbin) unmasks the Phantom 38…
Cock-a-doodle new
Brittany Collison Credit: Shannon Cornman But, that’s what occurred about five weeks after Steve Clifton, owner of The Venerable & Historic Red Rooster Bar & Grill at 3100 N. Walker, died Jan. 18. Collison, having worked the past two years as a Red Rooster bartender, had become a trustworthy employee. Unbeknownst to her at the…
OG&E must move past coal
Oklahoma has been both a driver and a beneficiary of the growing clean energy economy. Our wind industry has soared as new wind farms continue to open. More than 15 percent of the state’s energy now comes from renewable sources, creating new jobs and sparking innovation. According to The American Wind Energy Association, as many…
OKG7 places to drink and dine
Cafe Nova4308 N. Westerncafenovaokc.com525-6682 If you haven’t tried them yet, get the gourmet tots — packed with cheddar, Parmesan and ham. They’re served alongside house-made ranch, and it’s only natural to grab a Sierra Nevada to wash it down. Full Moon Sushi and Bistro326 E. Main, Normanfullmoonsushi.com701-1800 One can’t go wrong with sushi, especially when…
Different is good
By: Shannon Cornman Just order something weird, OK? Look, I know it is scary going to new places and trying new things. And when you have finite resources, it seems even more important that you really enjoy the food on which you’re spending said resources. But if you never try anything new, you’re never going…
Over the Rainbow
Scott Booker, circa 1988 Photo: Scott Booker Today’s world is a virtual playground for music lovers. There’s no shortage of avenues to learn about breaking bands, download new songs or unearth a rare track. And there is little to no effort needed to find what you want or stumble upon the unexpected. All you need…
New faces
OKC city hall Credit: Mark Hancock With Marrs and Kelly no longer at the council chamber’s horseshoe, 14 combined years of council experience are being replaced by rookies James Greiner and John Pettis Jr., two men who now find themselves in the middle of critical decisions, including several MAPS 3 projects. The new council members…
Gunning for freedom
Credit: Brad Gregg Turns out, the thought of a sweet kindergarten teacher suddenly morphing into Kindergarten Cop isn’t such a realistic prospect after all. The decision comes at the recommendation of the Oklahoma Commission on School Safety, a group of law enforcement officers, mental health officials, teachers, parents and first responders. Their opposition, of course,…
Feminine ‘Follies’
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB” lang=”EN-GB”> After years working as a newspaper journalist, Theasa Tuohy knows the hallmarks of strong reporting: accuracy, clear voice, compelling quotes and, above all, a good story. The Oklahoma City native grew up in a family brimming with stories: Her grandfather participated in the Land Run of 1889; her mother was a…
CFN Quote of the Week
—Entertainment Weekly, March 29 issue
Trivial pursuits
Lost Ogle Trivia Credit: Mark Hancock Bar trivia has made a resurgence nationwide, and Oklahoma City is no exception. Arguably the most popular in the metro is The Lost Ogle’s 8 p.m. Tuesday-night trivia, an offshoot of the local blog of the same name. With two hosts, the weekly event is in its third year…
Not-so-modest proposal
Popping the question can be a daunting task for any would-be spouse, especially in the wake of unreasonably high expectations set by romantic comedies and those goofballs who propose on the Jumbotron at sporting events. But David Tester, a 28-year-old OKC videographer, was up to the challenge, and even went a tad further than your…
The windup
credit: RedHawks The Houston Astros are expected to be one of the weakest teams in Major League Baseball this season. But the Oklahoma City RedHawks, Houston’s Triple-A affiliate, could be one of the best. Opening their home season Friday against Memphis, the RedHawks feature an experienced pitching staff — and that very well may be…
CFN Quote of the Week
—Entertainment Weekly, March 29 issue
Let them eat cake, eventually
Credit: Brad Gregg Silver used current polling, trending data and a bunch of other math-type stuff to project when each state would approve same-sex union According to his figures, Oklahomans in same-sex partnerships still have plenty of time — roughly seven years — to plan their state-sanctioned nuptials. If you can believe Silver and the…
Lush life
Culinary Kitchen Credit: Mark Hancock If so, you’re not alone. And just to prove it, every year at Oklahoma Gazette, we serve a sampling of articles that celebrate the swigging of tasty, big-people drinks. This year, more than any, I’ve been drawn toward a certain level of sustainability, increasingly aware of the importance in reducing…
Full ‘Glass’
In Tennessee Williams’ The Glass Menagerie, Amanda Wingfield laments, “Things have a way of turning out so badly.” While that might be true for the Wingfields, things are turning out wonderfully for audiences at Lyric’s excellent production of this classic drama. Director Michael Baron stages with academic faithfulness to the script, and that’s meant as…
The Flaming Lips — The Terror
In it, he detailed — with a vague, yet purposeful candor — the internal struggles endured by both he and his bandmates, ruminating on a metaphysical desire for control over one’s life and, conversely, the self-inflicted, masochistic chaos that can often accompany it. These pleas for understanding, he ultimately concluded, were nothing but exercises in…
Mulling it over
Shawn Mullins Photo: Michael Wilson When a musician is widely known for one song and one song only, the relationship can be complicated. Folk rocker Shawn Mullins’ Grammy-nominated track “Lullaby” was inescapable as soon as it debuted in 1998, and he hasn’t had another song approach that level of success … but he loves the…
Triple play
We’re all for synergy, but the collaborative production of Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest by Oklahoma City Repertory Theatre, Oklahoma Shakespeare in the Park and Oklahoma City University’s TheatreOCU makes one wonder why all that theatrical brainpower couldn’t come up with a better product. Director Lance Marsh’s cast operates with energy, but the…
Mystery Science Theater 3000: Volume XXVI
Besides, fans of MST3K only need know that another collection exists, and they’re sold. The latest, Volume XXVI (aka 26, if you don’t like maths), may not have any classics among its four-ep offering, but any episode is worth owning. Among this batch, my favorite is the most recent: 1988’s Alien from L.A., a sci-fi…
Tweet heat
The March 15 tweet was part of an exchange between Shannon and Mickey Hepner, dean of the college of business administration at the University of Central Oklahoma. After Shannon remarked that Oklahoma would stand against the Affordable Care Act, Hepner tweeted that the Constitution prohibits the state from ignoring federal laws. Shannon replied with a…
Not-so-modest proposal
Tester’s unconventional question-poppin’ to now-fiancée K.K Filkins on March 16 wasn’t in public, per se — it was on the rooftop of the Bossa Nova Bar — but it sure went viral. Given Tester’s passion for video, he and some friends wrote their own post-proposal song to the tune of Macklemore’s “Thrift Shop”: “I’m gonna pop…
Hitting ‘send’
OK, so she didn’t release all of ’em. The governor’s counsel maintains that some 100 pages of missives are protected by “executive privilege,” a contention likely to be challenged in court. So, what have eagle-eyed reporters spied from the 51,000-plus pages of emails dumped by the gov’s office on Good Friday? What does the material…
Nash bridges
“It was organized in the ’50s because there was no one looking out for [songwriters] on the congressional level, and yet, how much we were paid was determined by Congress,” Stover said. “You see the need for the lobbying up there at the national level.” The NSAI is involved with songwriters at both the legal…
Dead in France
If more proof is needed — it’s not — the exploding heads, shoulder-stabbings and a good ol’ Wilhelm scream should do the trick later. Directed and co-written by Kris McManus, the UK film centers around Charles (Brian Levine, who co-wrote), a lonely hit man who’s not only a virgin, but never even kissed a woman.…
The Haunting in Connecticut 2: Ghosts of Georgia
Once again based on a supposedly true story (which the Blu-ray’s extra features delve into), this unconnected, theater-skipping sequel to 2009’s sleeper hit Haunting in Connecticut takes place in 1993, when the Wyrick family — nary a Virginia Madsen among them — moved from the city of Atlanta to the rural Pine Mountain. An overly…
Advocacy or extortion?
Jessica Brown, spokeswoman for the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, confirmed the agency is examining bribery allegations against Al Gerhart, who admitted at Tuesday news conference that he sent a threatening email message to state Sen. Cliff Branan, R-Oklahoma City. Gerhart sent the March 26 email warning the lawmaker that he would become the “laughing…
Quentin Tarantino’s Rolling Thunder Pictures Triple Feature
Less than 10 titles ever made it to store shelves, but they were manna to many, myself included. They’re tough to find nowadays — some are out-of-print — but Lionsgate comes to the rescue with a three-in-one Rolling Thunder Pictures Triple Feature, perhaps to capitalize on a whole new generation coming to know the cult-and-critic-adored filmmaker…
The Sweeney
The Sweeney was a cop drama that ran for four seasons in the 1970s in the UK. I’ve never seen it, so I can’t tell how faithful the 2012 Sweeney is. I can only judge it on its own, and it’s a fantastic crime thriller. As Jack Regan, Hugo’s Ray Winstone leads the Flying Squad,…
Marriage equality is up for grabs
The Supreme Court justices (in that very same Supreme Court building) are presently considering California’s Proposition 8 banning same-sex marriage. They are also considering the federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), which defines marriage as between one man and one woman. Interestingly, attorneys Ted Olson and David Boies jointly filed the federal lawsuit that brought…
Willful ignorance of science
Modern abiogenesis hypotheses are much more complex. Regardless, evolution itself has nothing to say on the subject of abiogenesis. It is, to put it simply, the gradual change of organisms over time, not the theory of how those organ isms came to being. Creationists like yourself would understand these important distinctions if their willful ignorance…
