Coal for Christmas?
No, it won’t come from the jolly big guy with the white beard, red suit and a plethora of reindeer. Instead, it’ll be the Oklahoma County Sheriff’s Office delivering the COAL. Actually, the COAL isn’t charcoal-isn’t charcoal-colored briquettes stuck into stockings, either. COAL is an acronym for Christmas Operation with Additional Law Enforcement. Sheriff John…
Welcome to OKC
The center will be located on a site at 10th Street and Walnut Avenue, near downtown OKC, and will focus on “accelerating mid- to later-stage oil and gas technologies developed in GE’s Global Research labs, including production systems, well construction, water use optimization, CO2 solutions, and energy systems,” the company announced. Said Gov. Mary Fallin…
Wish Lists
Jesse Jane Moore, adult film actress Q. If you were Santa, what would you give Oklahoma for Christmas? A. If I were Santa, I would give the families who’ve lost everything from the tornados their homes back, and I would rebuild Oklahoma to be a better place. Q. What was the greatest accomplishment for Oklahoma…
LETTERS
This article (Food and Drink, “Kiss my political buns,” Dec. 4, Gazette) was one of those times. I don’t think it is a secret that Oklahoma Gazette is a liberalleaning (or perhaps you would prefer the term politically correct) publication, so for this publication to criticize companies for taking a political and personal stance on…
Time out
Bob Dani, moderator of the High Noon Club in OKC, filed the petition with City Clerk Frances Kersey on Dec. 4. Term limit supporters must obtain 6,000 signatures in the next three months to put the measure before OKC’s voters sometime next year. “We need 6,000, but we’re going after 10,000. We want to show…
Drug deal
Law enforcement agencies in Oklahoma continue to fight the War on Drugs, but it’s not solely for noble purposes. For certain, illegal drugs are seized and bad guys are put in prison. Still, agencies like the Oklahoma City Police Department, the Oklahoma County District Attorney’s Office and the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drug…
NEWS OF THE WEIRD
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; line-height:normal;mso-outline-level:1″><span style=" Times New Roman”,”serif”;mso-fareast-Times New Roman”; mso-font-kerning:18.0pt;mso-fareast-language:ES-BO”> Nuclear tractor pull —Redneck geek: Edward Teller, the famous theoretical physicist known as the “father of the hydrogen bomb” for his work on the World War II-era Manhattan Project, died in 2003, but his daughter Rene told The Free Press of Kinston, N.C., in…
Underpaid, now with proof!
A state-commissioned study conducted by consulting firms Kenning Consulting and Hay Group — which cost $200,000 and was overseen by a bevy of Oklahoma officials — has found that Oklahomans working for the state are underpaid compared to workers in other states and their peers working for private companies. Yes, it cost them $200,000 to…
What’s wrong with Christmas?
Devout and inflexible in their interpretation of scripture, these children of the Mayflower viewed celebration of Christmas as pagan and idolatrous. Throughout its colonial days, much of New England could not “make merry” without incurring the ire of magistrates and a hefty fine. Even after the Colonies gave way to the United States of America,…
Gleeful
Chenoweth plays former choir member — and notorious recovering alcoholic — April Rhodes, who hangs out in a skating rink called Rinky Dinks, is on a never-ending mission to put on an all-white production of The Wiz and is basically just a really bad influence on the choir kids. Have we mentioned New Directions teacher…
Hello, sailor. Oh, nevermind.
Former Norman resident and University of Oklahoma student Brock Mason, 24, has been sent back to Oklahoma from his deployment in Japan to face 11 felony charges stemming from a sexual abuse allegation. “The NCIS, the naval intelligence, got a tip from a cyber line that some child porn had been downloaded onto his computer,”…
It’s getting better all the time
Lower natural gas prices led to a reduction of about 5,400 jobs at the end of the third quarter compared to the same time period a year ago. In addition, government spending cuts combined with the October government shutdown hit Oklahoma’s military bases and their communities especially hard. According to government data, the 16-day shutdown…
Shelter vote stalled
Legal wrangling between the group Take Shelter Oklahoma and Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt has focused on the wording of a ballot title that explains what the issue is about to voters. Take Shelter Oklahoma had until Dec. 16 to collect 160,000 signatures so the measure could be decided by voters. However, that plan has…
New ear’s day
Ask Broken Arrow’s J.D. McPherson if he has made any New Year’s resolutions and a list of abandoned promises from years prior comes out. He has “halfway mastered longbow archery” and is just about finished reading The Grapes of Wrath. “As stalwart an Okie as I claim to be, I’d never read it,” McPherson said.…
Velvet underground
“It has its own set of rules, but painting on velvet produces a unique result that, much like the material itself, envelopes viewers in a rich, smooth, luxurious pocket of gooey satisfaction,” he said. Before working on velvet, Lawson spent a decade creating work for his Pareidolia series featuring surreal, organic forms designed to be…
Hot house
Operations Manager Jason Mann, who has past experience in the construction field, developed the idea as a way to bring some excitement around the holidays. He never imagined it would turn out this well. “We make mini gingerbread houses in the bakery already, so I thought, ‘How cool to do a humongous one,’” Mann said.…
Happenings the week of Dec. 23, 2013
FOOD Paint N Cheers, creative social art classes, 6:30 p.m., Dec. 26-28; 2 p.m., Dec. 29; 6:30 p.m., Jan. 1. Paint N Cheers, 1614 N. Gatewood, Oklahoma City. 524-4155, paintncheers.com. THU–SAT, SUN, WED Pinot’s Palette, sip on your favorite beverage while painting your favorite masterpiece, 7-9 p.m., Dec. 26-28. Pinot’s Palette, 115 E. California. 602-3850,…
Acting out
The best play of the year was Lyric Theatre’s The Glass Menagerie. Smartly directed by Michael Baron, the production kept a faithfulness to the script that gave theatergoers an idea of how the play must have looked and sounded in 1945. Dawn Drake’s set design and John Fowler’s lighting balanced the real and surreal in…
OKG7 It’s a miracle on 23rd Street
Basil Mediterranean Cafe 211 NW 23rd St. basilmediterraneanrestaurant.com 602-3030 Heading west on NW 23rd Street, its not hard to miss the green building that looks ever so much like an old KFC and Long John Silver’s. Try Mediterranean favorites like hummus or dolmas, or dig into a gyro platter. Perhaps you might want to treat…
LIFE FOOD & DRINK
LIFE FOOD & DRINK For a night of delectable cuisine and scenery just as alluring, head to Myriad Botanical Gardens’ Bubbles & Bites New Year’s Eve celebration. Enjoy cocktails, a dessert bar, a live DJ and more in the Terrace Room on the lower level of the Crystal Bridge, and as the clock ticks closer…
Golden god
Sorry if that seems like a cheap shot. I’m making fun of Golden Phoenix. If anything, I’m impressed by the range of dishes available. But a large menu also means it might be harder to find what you’re looking for. If you’re going to get crazy, you might as well start with the appetizer menu,…
Steak and ale
COOP Ale Works’ co-founder J.D. Merryweather says all four quarters represent a change in the beer industry and drinkers will definitely see heavier and more robust offerings this time of year. “COOP’s Octoberfest has seen great success,” said Merryweather, whose company is in the midst of a sizable expansion, going from a brewhouse of seven…
Full of hope
According to the Violence Policy Center’s (VPC) 2013 report, Oklahoma ranked third in the nation for the number of women killed by men, a startling jump from the previous year’s ranking. In 2012, VPC ranked Oklahoma at No. 17 in the nation. “Nine women each week are [killed] by their husband or intimate partner,” said…
LIFE
For its second original musical theater production, Herbert W. Armstrong College presents David — The Endless Throne Begins, the captivating story of King David written by Ryan Malone. The production combines contemporary choreography with elaborate costumes and sets to bring one of the history’s largest biographies to life. See David 7:30 p.m. Thursday and Saturday…
Always help
That’s why the Salvation Army’s Central Oklahoma Area Command is open for everyone. Jeanean South, director of development, said emergency shelters are open 24/7 and will provide a place to sleep, hot drinks, meals, coats, gloves and other winter weather necessities. “There’s no requirement to receive help at the shelters,” South said. “If there is…
THE BEST LOCAL ALBUMS OF 2013
10. Johnny Polygon The Nothing 2013 belonged to the introspective rappers — the ones who found their strength in going soft and whose heads, hearts and souls lay open for listeners to poke around in. Tulsa emcee Johnny Polygon tips open his brain like a cap on The Nothing, baring weed-soaked nuggets of self-truths that…
The Kennedy Center picks Billy Joel over Jerry Lee Lewis
BY DEAN ROBBINS This year’s Kennedy Center Honors (8 p.m. Sunday, CBS) celebrates jazz innovator Herbie Hancock, guitarist Carlos Santana, movie star Shirley MacLaine, opera singer Martina Arroyo and pianist Billy Joel for their contributions to American culture. I was going to maintain a discreet silence about the choice of honorees, having tired of making…
Search and destroy
Life on the road isn’t glamorous, but it’s what Todd Jackson and Levi Watson — the two heads behind Oklahoma City hard rock outfit Brother Gruesome — crave and work for. The duo has made a point to steadily tour outside state borders since forming in 2009, ditching creature comforts in favor of the humblest…
Honey, I’m home
Heavy, the debut album of Oklahoma folk-rockers Honeylark, will premier to much fanfare with its Saturday release show, featuring a rare performance from Oklahoma music legend and the Queen of Rockabilly herself, Wanda Jackson. Other collaborations include local favorites Fiawna Forte, The Wurly Birds, Em and the MotherSuperiors, Feathered Rabbit and a three-piece horn section.…
Jerome-coming
Gregory Jerome is quick to clarify that he’s not a typical rapper — instead a positive, thought-provoking hip-hop artist. He also feels that may be why, since returning to Oklahoma City five years ago after a stint in Nashville, his music has been ignored by the mainstream. “It’s not trendy music,” Jerome said. “It’s just like…
The pros of cons
American Hustle proves there’s still a lot of criminal fun to be had from the time of polyester and disco. BY PHIL BACHARACH Starting a major motion picture with a bald guy working on a comb-over isn’t the most obvious of choices. But American Hustle begins with Christian Bale, paunchy and fleshy and in decidedly…
Bank on it
Making Disney’s Mary Poppins was anything but merry, as the winning Saving Mr. Banks shows. BY ROD LOTT If there’s one thing Hollywood loves more than itself, it’s stories about itself. From The Artist to Argo, these films have translated into Tinseltown’s ultimate display of self-affection: Oscar gold. This holiday season, Hollywood’s gift to itself…
Apocalyptic — Wisdom Mixtape Vol. 1
In 2012, Robbie “Apocalyptic” Carpenter, former member of the legendary OKC rap collective Exodus, released the 20-track underground masterpiece Literary, a collection of sanctified hip-hop that was as rapid-fire with the rhymes as much as he is on fire for his Lord and Savior. It turns out it’s Carpenter’s mission to have the listener believe…
The Best Local Albums of 2013
10. Johnny Polygon — The Nothing 2013 belonged to the introspective rappers — the ones who found their strength in going soft and whose heads, hearts and souls lay open for listeners to poke around in. Tulsa emcee Johnny Polygon tips open his brain like a cap on The Nothing, baring weed-soaked nuggets of self-truths that are…
American Hustle
Masking baldness is a small ruse, to be sure, but it’s par for the course in David O. Russell’s (Three Kings, Silver Linings Playbook) loping, loopy and very funny caper set in the late 1970s and early ’80s. The story is loosely based on Abscam, a 1980 FBI sting operation that netted bribery convictions of…
Saving Mr. Banks
This holiday season, Hollywood’s gift to itself — oh, you shouldn’t have! — is also Walt Disney Pictures’ Christmas offering to moviegoers: Saving Mr. Banks, a depiction of the trying times that went into the making of Disney’s 1964 classic Mary Poppins. Unwrapping it, you may be surprised to learn that so much material is…
UPDATE: Court unseals Ed Shadid’s divorce records
An Oklahoma County judge unsealed the divorce records of Ward 2 Councilman and mayoral candidate Ed Shadid during a brief hearing Friday morning. Special Judge Lisa K. Hammond opened the entire file, which includes information that Shadid used marijuana and cocaine, watched pornography and engaged in violent outbursts toward his wife several years ago. None…
Sanitarium
Coming in before the New Year’s bell is Sanitarium, in which three unknown directors contribute tales exploring mental illness, each centered on a patient at a padded-wall institution run by Dr. Stenson (Malcolm McDowell, Silent Night), our host. First up, in “Figuratively Speaking,” an artist played by Scrooge’s John Glover (sporting dreadlocks that make him…
Unhung Hero
That poor schmo left kneeling awkwardly is Patrick Moote, a Los Angeles actor/comedian who later found out that his girlfriend wouldn’t accept his marriage proposal for one teeny-tiny reason: his penis. As in, it’s too small. Until her admission, Moote wasn’t aware of his deficiency, so he instantly joined one of the 2 billion men…
Magna Carta Holy Sh*t
The former is, of course, met with deafening applause, wild cheering and a palpable sense of excitement, as is the latter. But the icon is greeted with something more, this sort of split-second pause, wherein that uncontainable anticipation is temporarily supplanted with an awestruck, almost audible gasp of, “Oh my god. He is real.” That’s how…
