Jail renovated, but new one still needed
County officials unveiled a $1 million revamp of the Oklahoma County Jail this afternoon, but reiterated a new facility is still needed. The renovation comes two years after a U.S. Department of Justice report critical of the facility and the way it was managed. The department warned if new improvements were not made, the jail…
Kill Theory / Dread
“Kill Theory” offers nothing new to the horror genre, but does what it does effectively. How many of these movies have you seen open with a group of attractive young people driving toward their vacation destination? Well, here’s another. At a gorgeous lakeside house, various college-age couples facing the prospects of the real world seek…
Legalizing backyard chickens in OKC limits
The City Council of Oklahoma City would like public input regarding the legalization of backyard chickens. Backyard chickens are allowed in many cities around the country, including Tulsa, Wichita, Austin, El Paso, San Antonio, Fort Worth, Houston and even Boston, Chicago and New York City. Many other cities are updating their municipal codes to allow…
Faith, family and flag
When she first campaigned for Oklahoma’s 5th Congressional District back in 2006, Mary Fallin wrapped herself in the American flag and proclaimed the motto “Faith, Family and Freedom.” Now, as a two-term Congresswoman, Fallin has wrapped herself with the Tea Party and tells Democrats, “Don’t tread on me.” On the day the U.S. House of…
Young Talent in Oklahoma’ celebrates 50 years of pairing alumni art with works by high school students
ose young people who are considering going on into the field, and this provides a little extra help,” Jeffrey said. In addition to the winning portfolios, merit awards, honorable mentions and juror’s choice recognitions for the ninth- to 12th-grade general entries are given. This year’s jurors are Fran Bolte, a high school art teacher from…
Robert Mulcahy puts cases from his FBI past onto the page.
Write what you know, they say, so Robert Mulcahy wrote about the FBI. A former FBI agent, the Oklahoma City man has penned five books about the crime-busting bureau ” two of them nonfiction ” including his latest novel, “The Grave.” “This is the fifth, and the last,” Mulcahy said. “I’m 81 years old. The…
In Your Eye Studio & Gallery hosts exhibition of 11 area artists’ work
Opening Reception In Your Eye Studio & Gallery3005-A Paseo6-10 p.m. Friday, through April 30free Take a stroll through the Paseo on Friday, and you’ll get more than just an eyeful of art. The In Your Eye Studio & Gallery, 3005-A Paseo, hosts an opening reception 6-10 p.m. Friday, highlighting Oklahoma art and wine during the…
A new card from the City Rescue Mission aims to give panhandlers help, not cash
Thanks to an Oklahoma City nonprofit organization, metro residents now have a way to help panhandlers without having to dip into the money pockets of their wallets or purses. This new method of providing aid is called the Compassion Card, and it was introduced last month by City Rescue Mission, an OKC nonprofit ministry that…
The devil went down to Photoshop
If you’ve been watching “Lost” and trying to figure out if Jacob really is the devil, the March issue of Nuestra Comunidad offers another clue suggesting the true identity of Beelzebub. The local Hispanic newspaper did a Photoshop job to make el diablo appear to be none other than state Rep. Randy Terrill, R-Moore, with…
ARIES (March 21-April 19)
I’m worried about your ability to sneak and fake and dissemble. These skills seem to have atrophied in you. To quote Homer Simpson, “You couldn’t fool your own mother on the foolingest day of your life with an electrified fooling machine!” Please, Aries, jump back into the game-playing, BS-dispensing routine the rest of us are…
Point: Feds to the rescue
All this opt-out legislation at the state Capitol this year ignores the fact that Oklahoma’s history shows the state is heavily dependent on the federal government for its viability. Oklahoma has been rescued by federal money and policies since statehood. Without the federal government’s continued support, Oklahoma would resemble a small, impoverished Third World country.…
Government can’t do anything right
Recently, I was awakened by my alarm clock powered by electricity generated by the public power monopoly regulated by the U.S. Department of Energy. I then took a shower in the clean water provided by the municipal water utility. After that, I turned on the TV to one of the Federal Communications Commission-regulated channels to…
OKC Improv starts second run with Oklahoma groups, including all-female improv troupe The MiDolls
OKC ImprovGhostlight Theatre Club3110 N. Walker 8 and 10 p.m. Saturday, ongoingReservations encouraged: okcimprov@gmail.com or 343-1570 $10 OKC Improv, Oklahoma’s first ongoing showcase for regional improvisational comedy and sketch theater, begins its second five-week run at Ghostlight Theatre Club, 3110 N. Walker, with 8 and 10 p.m. shows on Saturday. The series continues at various…
University of Oklahoma’s School of Dance assembles diverse semester showcase that moves from ‘Sleeping Beauty’ to ‘Les Biches’
s Archive at the University of Oklahoma. “?Eric Webb
Relatives of OKC resident documented in Depression-era slave narrative share more family history
What’s it like to be raised by an ex-slave? Ask Frank Luster. The Oklahoma City resident was born 89 years ago as the grandson of emancipated slave Bert Luster. After the death of Frank’s birth father ” who was the former slave’s biological son ” Bert took in the boy to take the hardship off…
A local woman becomes the first Oklahoman awarded Rotary International’s Peace Fellowship
At just 15, Bryn Cain moved from her Edgemere Park home to Australia for a year. She’s been traveling, studying and working abroad ever since. Now 25, Bryn is back in Australia to work on a master’s degree as a Rotary International Peace Fellow. Wanderlust, said Bryn’s mom, Nancy Cain, is in her blood. “She…
SoonerPoll.com conducts statewide poll to gauge mood on topics from trial lawyers to tea parties
Oklahoma is getting ready to enter what may be one of the most volatile election years in state history. With open races for several statewide offices, including the governor, and a populous unhappy with economic conditions and the federal government, voters may see more fist pumping than a Metallica concert. A caring stateLow-point alcoholMood ringParty…
GEMINI (May 21-June 20)
On the Ghost Hunters TV program, paranormal researchers investigate places that are thought to be haunted by supernatural entities. One commercial for the show urges us, the viewers, to “Get fluent in fear!” That exhortation happens to be perfect advice for you, Gemini. APRIL FOOL! I lied. This is not at all a good time…
PR BS
Lots of press releases related to the Sooner State cross our desk. This week, these titles least screamed “Stop the presses!” “”Enterra Energy Trust Notice of 2009 Year End Results and Conference Call Details” “”Pre-Paid Legal Services Hosts 2010 International Convention, April 8-10” “”RELM Successfully Completes Testing of P25 Trunking Interoperability on Motorola Infrastructure” “”PEI…
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18)
Would it be a wise idea for you to stage your own kidnapping and demand ransom money for your release? Should you appear on a reality TV show that will expose your intimate secrets to millions of viewers? Could you get your spiritual evolution back on track by joining a religious cult? APRIL FOOL! The…
Alternative comics artist to visit Norman
Alternative comics artist John Porcellino will celebrate the release of his most recent collection, “Map of My Heart,” at 7 p.m., April 6, in Norman. The event, hosted by Atomik Pop!, is part of a national tour and will be filmed as part of a documentary on the artist’s life and work. Porcellino has been writing,…
Solid acting supports credible take on ‘All My Sons,’ Arthur Miller’s tale of wartime guilt and greed
All My Sons 8 p.m. Friday-SaturdayThrough April 17 Carpenter Square Theatre Arena Theatre, Stage Center400 W. Sheridanwww.carpentersquare.com 232-6500 $18, $15 seniors, students and military Arthur Miller’s 1947 drama “All My Sons” concerns greed, war profiteering and the perversion of truth in a fictional, but fact-inspired case during World War II. Isn’t it nice that we…
Dear Sally
We haven’t heard from good ol’ Rep. Sally Kern in a while, have we? Well, apparently neither has her opponent in the race for House District 84, Brittany Novotny. Novotny, a national committeewoman for Young Democrats of Oklahoma, is a transgendered attorney who has appeared in these illustrious pages before. Now, she appears as a…
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21)
I sincerely hope that 2010 will be the year you stop worshiping Satan for good. Luckily, the coming weeks will be an excellent time to get that worthy project in gear. Despite the odd pleasures your twisted devotion to the Evil One seems to bring you, it actually undermines your ability to get what you…
Head still spinning from booze article
After reading Greg Horton’s article “Booze budget boost?” (News, March 10, 2010, Gazette), I couldn’t stop my head from spinning from the inane logic of certain liquor retailers. They say they are unsure if they will support Sen. Andrew Rice’s legislation to allow liquor stores to open on Sundays because 1) they don’t believe such…
Two joint resolutions to opt out of newly passed health care reform passed the Oklahoma Legislature
Two health care opt-out bills have passed both the Oklahoma House of Representatives and Oklahoma Senate. Both Senate Joint Resolution 59, authored by Sen. Dan Newberry, R-Tulsa, and Rep. Mike Thompson, R-Oklahoma City, and House Joint Resolution 1054, co-authored by Rep. Mike Ritze, R-Broken Arrow, and Sen. Randy Brogdon, R-Owasso, passed. After the U.S. House…
Dallas rockers The Paper Chase survey natural damage on ‘Someday This Could All Be Yours’
The Paper Chase with The Purple Church and Luna Moth9 p.m. MondayThe Conservatory8911 N. Westernwww .conservatoryokc.com879-9778$7 There aren’t many bands like The Paper Chase. If most acts swerve away from the danger and terror of life, at best dealing it a glancing blow, the Dallas quartet engages in more of a whiteknuckle game of chicken,…
Somerset West – The Golden Land
Oklahoma’s Somerset West recently released its full-length debut, “The Golden Land,” which has miles more character than the quartet’s 2009 “Lucerne” EP. There’s a lot to like about “The Golden Land,” but the most appealing parts of the nine-song debut are also the most distracting. “The Great Mistake” is a song about reconnecting. Singer Kyle…
Former Sooner finding success as PGA Tour rookie
Every collegiate athlete’s dream is to become a professional and to make a living doing what he or she does best. But according to the NCAA, only 1 percent of those dreams ever become reality. That is a sobering statistic. Martin Flores has been bucking the odds going on six years now, especially considering the…
Our Family Wedding
rtant;” border=”0″ height=”1″ width=”1″ />”) from a screenplay by Famuyiwa, Wayne Conley and Malcolm Spellman with so little care you can still see the dots that had to be connected. There are a few easy laughs, but odds are, you will have forgotten what you saw before you get to the car. I remembered about…
Wine spectator
I read with interest the letter by Mr. JP Richard (“Wine in grocery stores,” March 10, 2010, Gazette) wherein he explained the reasons why the defeat of Senate Bill 2205 was a good thing for the people of Oklahoma. The main thrust of his argument seems to be that allowing grocery stores to sell wine…
Nicodemus Annie character to teach kids about black history in the Old West
Nicodemus AnnieNational Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum1700 N.E. 63rd10 a.m., Saturday478-2250, www.nationalcowboymuseum.orgfree On Saturday, kids will be transported to the old Western town of Nicodemus, Kan., with Nicodemus Annie as their guide. Starting at 10 a.m., Annie’s history trunk will be brought to life at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, 1700 N.E. 63rd,…
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20)
It’s an excellent time to demonstrate how strong and brave and indomitable you are. I suggest you carry out some heroic feat, like lying on a bed of nails while someone puts heavy concrete blocks all over your body, then uses a sledgehammer to smash those blocks. APRIL FOOL! What I just said is only…
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22)
As I studied your astrological data, a curious vision popped into my mind’s eye. I saw a scene of a perky possum in a superhero costume giving you a tray of red jello covered with marshmallows, gumdrops, and chocolate kisses. And I knew immediately that it was a prime metaphor for your destiny right now.…
Oklahoma Historical Society releases ‘Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture’
Everything about Oklahoma from A to Z can be found under the covers of a new, two-volume reference book detailing the state’s history. The Oklahoma Historical Society released “The Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture” this year with hopes to preserve the history of the Sooner State while furthering the understanding of its place in…
Side by Side’ is a family friendly overview of Stephen Sondheim’s early career with great vocal performances
Side by Side by Sondheim8 p.m. Thursday-SaturdaySooner Theatre101 E. Main, Normanwww.soonertheatre.org321-9600$25-$35 To celebrate the 80th birthday of the prolific American composer and lyricist, Sooner Theatre stages the 1976 musical revue “Side by Side by Sondheim,” featuring songs from the first two decades of Stephen Sondheim’s career. Some of the standout performances include “Getting Married,” “Another…
Counterpoint: Unfunded mandate unfair
Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum is leading the legal battle being waged to prevent the implementation of the newly minted national health care bill. Arguing against the constitutionality of the legislation, McCollum has been joined by 12 other attorneys general in joining the fight to halt the mandate on states across the country. The issue…
Hot Tub Time Machine
his equally down-in-the-dumps friends Adam (John Cusack, “2012”) and Nick (Craig Robinson, TV’s “The Office”) think it best to nurse their collective wounds by reliving past glories at a snowy resort in Kodiak Valley. Tagging along is Adam’s slacker nephew, Jacob (Clark Duke, “Sex Drive”). Time hasn’t been kind to the site of yesteryear’s party…
OKC Improv starts second run with Oklahoma groups, including all-female improv troupe The MiDolls
0Arts%20review%20thumbnails/improv.jpg” alt=”improv.jpg” align=”right” border=”0″ height=”136″ hspace=”10″ vspace=”10″ width=”200″ />OKC ImprovGhostlight Theatre Club3110 N. Walker 8 and 10 p.m. Saturday, ongoingReservations encouraged: okcimprov@gmail.com or 343-1570 $10 OKC Improv, Oklahoma’s first ongoing showcase for regional improvisational comedy and sketch theater, begins its second five-week run at Ghostlight Theatre Club, 3110 N. Walker, with 8 and 10 p.m.…
Batman and Robin: Batman Reborn
Making the dynamic duo seem exciting, fresh and relevant is an uphill battle after a certain movie of 1997, so DC’s handing the reins to a rabble-rousing writer like Grant Morrison seems smart. And it is, judging from “Batman and Robin: Batman Reborn “? The Deluxe Edition.” If it’s been a while “? decades, even…
The Great Contemporary Art Bubble’ deftly explores the forces that manage the modern art market
Make no mistake: Art is an industry like any other, one that’s cleverly marketed and shrewdly manipulated. Some of the gritty financials of one specific segment are exposed in “The Great Contemporary Art Bubble,” a surprising documentary that explores the forces that guide and shape the market as well as the players and their tactics…
How to Train Your Dragon
Here’s 2010’s likely first Oscar nominee for best animated film, the tale of Viking lad Hiccup (Jay Baruchel, “She’s Out of My League”), who wants to become his village’s top dragon slayer … until he meets a real dragon and discovers that everything his people know about the beasts is wrong. Yes, the message of…
Teaching Bible in Oklahoma schools
If you need a good reason to oppose teaching the Bible in Oklahoma schools, here it is: “People have had their children or their family members move through the educational process, only to find that there are ambiguities in the way this information is presented,” Rep. Todd Russ, R-Cordell, said. “This bill allows schools to…
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21)
According to Uncyclopedia.com, Riding the Snake is a book co-authored by Oscar Wilde and Jesus Christ in 1429 B.C. If you can find a copy, I strongly suggest you read it. You could really use some help in taming the unruly kundalini that has been whipping you around. APRIL FOOL! I lied. There is no…
Young Talent in Oklahoma’ celebrates 50 years of pairing alumni art with high school students’ work
Young Talent in OklahomaOn display through April 10 Troy and Dollie Smith Cancer Center Art Gallery, Building DIntegris Baptist Medical Center3300 Northwest Expresswaywww.oaea-ok.orgphoto/Amy Erickson’s “Byzzar” Whether it was their first big show or an opportunity to prove they took their art seriously, many Oklahomans remember “Young Talent in Oklahoma” as the catalyst for ditching more…
Dallas five-piece Eleven Hundred Springs keeps seeking new ways to make it through ‘This Crazy Life’
Eleven Hundred Springs8 p.m. SaturdayWormy Dog Saloon311 E. Sheridanwww.wormydog.com601-6276$8 One of the best things about music is the way a three-minute song can connect us with our own humanity and to each other in a way simple words would struggle to do. Indeed, unvarnished perspective on everyday life is one of country music’s best virtues.…
CFN Quote of the Week
“Are we going to have to purchase fried chicken tomorrow for dinner?” “state Sen. Randy Brogdon, R-Owasso, quoted March 23 debating a measure allowing Oklahomans to opt out of President Obama’s federally mandated health care overhaul. Brogdon is a gubernatorial candidate.
Infant Crisis Services provides a lifeline for struggling families with new babies
In 2009, Infant Crisis Services provided 403,812 diapers and 144,826 bottles to babies in need. With a record number of more than 11,900 babies assisted last year, the organization expects that 2010 will bring an increase of families in crisis. The organization reports that families arrive with babies draped in blankets instead of diapers, and…
TAURUS (April 20-May 20)
You’ll probably dream of falling off a cliff, or plunging out of a hot-air balloon, or skydiving without a parachute. I’m very disappointed in your unconscious mind’s decision to expose yourself to such unpleasant experiences, even if they are pretend. APRIL FOOL! I told you a half-truth. While it is likely that you will dream…
Amtrak study proposes four different alternatives for rail service from Kansas City to Fort Worth
With a recently released study by Amtrak and actions from the Kansas and Oklahoma Legislatures, a state-sponsored interstate passenger rail service is chugging closer to reality. On March 11, four passenger rail service alternatives to link Kansas City, Oklahoma City and Fort Worth, Texas, were unveiled by Amtrak and the Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT).…
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19)
Supermodel Selita Ebanks is your role model. In accordance with the astrological omens, I recommend that you arrange for the kind of special treatment she enjoys as she’s preparing for a runway show. That means getting five stylists to work for hours every day perfecting every aspect of your physical appearance. Please make sure they…
Austin singer/songwriter Sara Hickman is biting and bitter on upcoming ‘Absence of Blame’
Sara Hickman8 p.m. ThursdayThe Blue Door2805 N. McKinleywww .bluedoorokc.com524-0738$20 Sara Hickman needs her own armed forces ad, because she does more in one month than many artists do all year. The 47-year-old mother of two was recently named Texas Musician of the Year, following in the big shoes of last year’s winner, Willie Nelson. She’s…
Faith, family and flag
When she first campaigned for Oklahoma’s 5th Congressional District back in 2006, Mary Fallin wrapped herself in the American flag and proclaimed the motto “Faith, Family and Freedom.” Now, as a two-term Congresswoman, Fallin has wrapped herself with the Tea Party and tells Democrats, “Don’t tread on me.” On the day the U.S. House of…
A good day to Die
Every Time I Die with Four Year Strong, Polar Bear Club and Trapped Under Ice7 p.m. SaturdayDiamond Ballroom8001 S. Easternwww.diamondballroom.net866-966-1777$15 advance, $18 door In 1998, Every Time I Die dug a deep metalcore trench in Buffalo, N.Y., with “The Burial Plot Bidding War” EP. The hole got deeper and darker as the band laid waste…
Party Down: Season One
king in on his grandparents making love: “It was like watching a mummy battle.” The show boasts cameos for the likes of Kristen Bell, Ken Jeong, Rob Corddry and Ed Begley Jr. (none playing themselves, it should be noted), but the chemistry of the Party Down crew is what causes the show to explode with…
I Sell the Dead
<iframe src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=oklahgazet-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=B0030Y128M&fc1=000000&IS2=1 Although it’s clearly inspired by the likes of EC Comics, “I Sell the Dead” doesn’t feel nearly as fun as past efforts that mined that source, such as “Creepshow” and “Tales from the Crypt.” For a modestly budgeted horror-comedy, writer/director Glenn McQuaid has succeeded in making things look slick; if only he’d given…
