Suit up
Walton felt a connection with the women; she had been a single mom in the banking industry who knew the importance, and the cost, of the right attire. “I thought we needed [a similar service] in Oklahoma,” said Walton. “Here, we unfortunately have a very high divorce rate, but we also have very good vocational…
What liberals really want
I don’t know of any liberals who wanted the Affordable Care Act. I know a number of liberals who, like me, wanted health care reform legislation that would provide medical care for those who lack the funds to purchase health insurance or pay for their own medical care. The Obama administration was unable to pass…
A real sports animal
Photo: Mark Hancock • he’s thin-skinned;• he’s a big tipper; • he’s hard to work with; • he’s morally sound; • he’s loyal; • he is not a misogynist (“just ridiculous,” he said of that accusation); • he doesn’t care if people like him, only if he’s doing a good job;• he’s emotional and passionate;…
The reverend returns
To celebrate the 60th anniversary of that historic achievement, Greason will throw out the ceremonial first pitch before Thursday’s Oklahoma City RedHawks game against the Albuquerque Isotopes at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark. It will mark a different kind of delivery for the pastor and ex-pitcher, who for more than 40 years has delivered the Sunday sermon…
Democrats step up
For some time now, one narrative has been that the Democrats here have been splintered by differences and lacked a central message that resonated with voters. No one can deny that after the Republican statewide sweep in 2010, things looked particularly bleak for progressives. But that was before the 2012 legislative session, when progressives rallied…
In orbit
Photo: Chris Phelps In the winter of 2010, things were looking pretty good for Austin, Texas’ The Rocketboys. Then half the altrock sextet walked out, worn out and abused from the exhausting tour schedule that got them to that point. The Rocketboys looked doomed to crash and burn. “There was a lot of not knowing…
Pop pattern
By: Mark Hancock As summer’s dog days wane, the new theater season begins with the much-produced musical Forever Plaid. Stuart Ross’ tribute to guy groups of the early 1960s is such a sweet-natured little show, it would be churlish to knock it, but devotees of edgy, provocative theater should look elsewhere. Forever Plaid is about…
Burger bistro
By: Mark Hancock Please, have a sit. Kaiser’s American Bistro is dropping its green chili cheeseburger. I know, I know. Just let the tears flow. Originally called the Hasta Infierno burger, the green chili cheeseburger ($8) is a magical mix of beef, chorizo sausage and jalapeños, topped with green chilies and cheese. It has a…
American DREAM
Judith Huerta and Fredy Valenzia Photo: Mark Hancock The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program offers a two-year deferment of deportation proceedings to undocumented immigrants. Qualified applicants must have entered the country as children, stayed out of major legal trouble and received at least a GED or be currently enrolled as students, among other requirements.…
Patriot acts
Before the end of that nine-day standoff, Weaver’s wife and son would be killed along with a deputy U.S. marshal. And the repercussions of the siege at Ruby Ridge, Idaho, would help fuel the anti-government militia movement of the 1990s. Now, the nation and Oklahoma are seeing a resurgence of the so-called patriot movement beyond…
Lucky 7
Located in the First National Center at 120 N. Robinson, the new eatery is a partnership of Kelly Gray, Chris Kana, Jay Mays, Stephanie Morrical and Paul Sorrentino. Mays said the group has no plans for a third restaurant yet. “We’re just trying to get this new one up and running,” Mays said. “We are…
Top of the city
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US” lang=”EN-US”> Diners who hope to reserve a table early can call 702-7262 or visit vastokc.com. The reservation phone line is open from 9:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday. The tower at 333 W. Sheridan is 50 stories high. Vast, located on the 49th floor, will offer lunch and dinner Monday…
Digging deep
About 20 Armstrong students and faculty members were sent to Jerusalem to work with Hebrew University’s Eilat Mazar, an Israeli archaeologist best known for her claim of having discovered the palace of King David. She has been unearthing a wall near Jerusalem’s Temple Mount that she dates to the time of King Solomon. Often criticized…
Apocalypse soon?
But an Oklahoma Poll cited by the Tulsa World last week indicates that constituent group perhaps isn’t as large as we had thought. Two-thirds of respondents indicated they believe human activity might be partly responsible for climate change. A third of those surveyed have had their opinions changed by the record heat over the last…
Cosmostanza — Rad Vibes
Other music is just a hell of a lot of fun. Oklahoma City garage-rock duo Cosmostanza falls into the latter category with its debut EP, Rad Vibes, which is as gnarly as the title would suggest. The record is charmingly lo-fi and jam-packed with just as much promise as young, nervy energy. Rad Vibes finds…
15 book titles from Mustang-based Christian publisher Tate Publishing that sound pornographic
1. The Story and Poems of the Boy from Dingle Hole Road by Al Luckette 2. Inside My Special Box by Helena R. Chung 3. Joy Comes in the Mourning by Korika L. Johnson 4. Adventures of the Wee People by Woody Miller 5. Mom from Down Under by Margaret Brittingham 6. Aidan & His…
The toll of Islamophobia
Michele Bachmann and others declare that the U.S. government has been infiltrated and compromised by Muslim terrorists. Illinois Rep. Joe Walsh contends that radical Islam is “trying to kill Americans every week” and that “it is a threat that is much more at home now than it was after 9/11.” In our own state, then-Rep.…
Mayhem fest
Oklahoma City outfit Chronicles of Mayhem isn’t like most metal bands. The four-piece is just about as concerned with shaking your hips as melting your face. “I like music that is accessible. There’s great music that is so highly technical and impressive because of that musicianship, but it can get lost in the crowd,” guitarist…
Slender sipping
Marco Chavez, co-owner of 1492 By: Shannon Cornman Even if we have a few left, there are some refreshing cocktails to toast summer’s end while going light on calories. The Melting Pot, 4 E. Sheridan, features a limited-edition “Skinny Sipping” menu through this month. The menu comprises six low-calorie cocktails made with Voli light vodkas…
Payday heyday
According to a Pew Charitable Trusts study, the state has the highest percentage of residents who have used payday loans in the past five years. Kay Richey of the Tulsa-based Oklahoma Policy Institute notes that there are more payday loan storefronts than the number of “Walmarts, McDonalds, and QuikTrips combined.” CFN stands firmly against usury…
Bill W.
Bill Wilson didn’t seem like the hero type. The product of a broken home in a time when that was rare, he was a businessman of middling success and a drunkard of considerable excess. But as the co-founder of Alcoholics Anonymous, Wilson has saved innumerable lives with a 12-step program that has since been emulated…
Sooner voter
In an interview with ESPN.com’s SoonerNation blog, Meinke admitted that the revelation of his pick prompted a deluge of reaction, not all of it from happy campers. “Judging from Twitter, I think I’ve made a bunch of new friends from Stillwater,” joked Meinke, a first-time voter in the AP poll. “But unless you’re an extreme…
Celeste & Jesse Forever
The daughter of musician Quincy Jones and actress Peggy Lipton has proven herself a fine comic actress in film (I Love You, Man) and television (Parks and Recreation), and now a surprisingly sharp screenwriter in Celeste & Jesse Forever — not only the smartest and funniest romantic comedy you’re likely to see between now and…
Thumbing it
More than 870 people turned out at Wantland Stadium to form a continuous chain, breaking the previous record of 846 that had been set by the University of Missouri at Rolla. The chain remained intact for five minutes while the event was videotaped and photographed to send to Guinness World Records, which is expected to…
OKG7 places to watch the game
Louie’s Grill & Bar 301 W. Boyd, Norman 366-6291 Hal Smith Restaurant Group has a little something for everyone. In this case, it’s big screens and Golden Tee, a popular golfing arcade game, as well as delicious pub food with a gourmet twist — all at prices that won’t break your pocketbook. Enjoy a brew…
Get outta town!
<span style=" Times New Roman” ,”serif”;mso-fareast-times=”” new=”” roman”;=”” mso-font-kerning:18.0pt;mso-fareast-language:es”=””><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US” lang=”EN-US”> Isobel Zweifel and Traver Hulse at Travel Agents Incorporated By: Shannon Cornman Wouldn’t it be nice if someone else could take care of all the details for your big getaway and you could actually enjoy that lunch break instead of using it to…
Closing time
Photo: Mark Hancock The garden center has been hit hard by two years of extreme temperatures, drought, hail and — more recently — a July 15 fire in its warehouse that claimed about 80 percent of the company’s stock, along with all of its Christmas inventory. David and Beverly Shumake, Horn Seed’s fourth-generation owners, said…
Constant gardener
He lost both his legs eight years ago after a jack slipped and a car fell on him. Now living at Grace Living Center on 3233 N.W. 10th, he gets around in a motorized wheelchair and has access to an outdoor garden. “It started off full of big weeds,” Hernandez said. “I cleared all of…
Apartment 143 [Emergo]
The hauntings occur in the apartment occupied by Alan White (Kai Lennox, Beginners), a widower whose wife recently died in a car crash, leaving him with their curious young boy (newcomer Damian Roman) and resentful teenage girl (22-year-old Gia Mantegna, daughter of Joe). Tired of the unexplained occurrences, Mr. White has hired a two-man/one-woman team…
The Lucky One
His books sell millions of copies, and Hollywood’s adaptations of them sell millions of tickets more: The Notebook, Message in a Bottle, Dear John, The Last Song, A Walk to Remember, Nights in Rodanthe. Love means never having to say anything of value. Now there’s The Lucky One, a big-boy vehicle for High School Musical…
Piranha 3DD
It is there in the prologue where two former Okies (Gary Busey and Clu Gulager) and a farting dead cow get the party started, sending hatched baby piranha to Merkin County, Ariz. — a joke that should calibrate you with the movie’s wavelength … as if the bra-size title didn’t do that already. (I’d like…
Full Metal Jacket: 25th Anniversary Blu-ray Book
Time has a way of restoring balance, however. Platoon’s reputation has decreased along with that of its irascible director, and when’s the last time you heard anyone talk about The Last Emperor? If ever? Meanwhile, love for Full Metal Jacket continues to pile up, and the war epic currently stands tall at No. 81 on…
Thunderstruck
I am a huge Oklahoma City Thunder fan. Kevin Durant is my favorite athlete. I went to his basketball summer camp a couple of years ago and got to meet him. He was chilled — a real nice guy. When I heard he was going to star in his own movie, Thunderstruck, I was interested. After…
Area 407
As far as I know, Area 407 is the first one to merge the medium with Jurassic Park. It begins on a suspiciously near-empty New Year’s Eve flight from New York to L.A., and told from the perspective of two sisters who look nothing alike (newcomer Abigail Schrader and unknown Samantha Lester). They take turns…
Shark Week
Patriot Games’ Patrick Bergin is Tiberon (get it?), a madman who clutches a pearl necklace, has Kick-Ass’ Yancy Butler draped on his arm, and channels John de Lancie. He’s collected these poor souls for reasons unbeknownst until the final five minutes; you can gather it’s for personal revenge. He forces them into his baby shark-infested…
The Heineken Kidnapping
Portraying Heineken, who passed away in 2002, is Rutger Hauer. As good as he was as the Hobo with a Shotgun, that flick is a throwaway goof, whereas this carries heft and gives him a better vehicle for the dramatic might he rarely gets to show — at least in American productions; this is a…
Dexter: The Sixth Season
As season six opens, he worries whether his dark traits will take root in his toddler, but the arc of these dozen hours is tracking down the so-called “Doomsday Killer” — actually, killers plural: two end-times zealots (Edward James Olmos and a clench-jawed Colin Hanks) who believe God wants them to bring about the end…
Mileage may vary
During the MAPS 3 Trails and Sidewalks subcommittee meeting yesterday morning, MAPS staff told subcommittee members that out of 131 alignments for city sidewalks, the program would be able to build an estimated 31 of those, spread out over two phases and at a cost of $6.8 million in MAPS 3 funds. The entire project…
