Names in the News
Arrested in Tahoe City, Calif., in March and charged with stabbing his roommate: Timothy Stilletto, 45. Arrested in Austin, Texas, in April after a SWAT standoff in which police tried to serve warrants for parole violation and other charges: Don Truevillain, 24. Arrested in Jefferson County, Wis., in March and charged with a vicious murder:…
Least Competent Criminals
Should’ve chosen another career: Joshua Crowley, 22, was charged with robbing a Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant in Camas, Wash., in March after being chased down, wrestled with, and subdued by passerby Mary Chamberlain, 66. In April in Bartlesville, Okla., Robert Horsley, 46, allegedly tried to come through a window in the house of a 95-year-old…
Least Competent Criminals
Should’ve chosen another career: Joshua Crowley, 22, was charged with robbing a Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant in Camas, Wash., in March after being chased down, wrestled with, and subdued by passerby Mary Chamberlain, 66. In April in Bartlesville, Okla., Robert Horsley, 46, allegedly tried to come through a window in the house of a 95-year-old…
Recurring Themes
Navigation System On, Brain Off: Brad Adams, 52, crashed his charter bus (carrying two dozen high school softball players, who had to be sent to a hospital) into a pedestrian bridge in Seattle’s Washington Park Arboretum in April (bus: 11 feet, 8 inches high; bridge, 9 feet, 0 inches). Adams said he missed warning signs…
Ruling OKs photographing under women’s skirts
Despite’s the Legislature’s recently passed amendment to the Peeping Tom law, the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals has reversed the verdict and sentence of an Oklahoma City man convicted for taking photographs underneath a woman’s skirt. Kevin Wayne Durant was convicted in 2007 by a district judge of “taking clandestine photographs” of the woman and sentenced to…
People Different From Us
In April, police in East Hampton, Conn., investigating the accidental shooting of ex-Marine Joseph Simonelli, 60, by his 9-year-old son, seized “dozens of unsecured guns and mounds of loose ammunition” from the home, according to the Hartford Courant, which contained a “wide-open, chock-full gun cabinet in the boy’s bedroom (with) numerous rifles and knives strewn…
Young@Heart
Reviewer’s grade: A- Young@Heart is the name of a New England chorus in which the median age is 80, but don’t expect to hear “Sweet Adeline.” These oldsters are renowned for performances of rock, punk and soul. While the idea of octogenarians crooning Ramones tunes has serious kitsch potential, “Young@Heart” is hardly gimmicky. …
Questionable Judgments
London’s Daily Mail reported in April that the Mab Lane Primary school in Liverpool was boldly dealing with the problem of unruly students by scheduling 20-minute massage sessions twice a week in a room with aromatic oils and soothing music. Children of all ages at the school are taught “simple shoulder and back massages on…
Family Values
Joseph Manzanares, 19, pleaded guilty in April to disorderly conduct in Commerce City, Colo., after police were called to a domestic disturbance, as he and his ex-girlfriend, who are the parents of a toddler, fought over which local street gang’s colors (hers or his) the kid would wear.
Legislature approves nursing-home bill, sends to governor
With overwhelming approval, the Oklahoma Legislature today sent to the governor a measure which would create a separate facility for sex offenders in need of long-term care. House Bill 2704, by Rep. Kris Steele, R-Shawnee, and Sen. Tom Adelson, D-Tulsa, directs the Department of Health to request bids for the operation of a stand-alone, long-term…
Appeals court upholds $18 million verdict in infant-hospital case
The Oklahoma Court of Civil Appeals upheld an $18 million verdict against the OU Medical Center, Children’s Hospital and the parent owner of the hospitals, HCA Health Services of Oklahoma Inc., for injuries an infant received while staying at Children’s Hospital. The three-judge opinion not only agreed with the trial court as to the hospital’s…
Watermelon Slim and the Workers return for bluesy benefit
Oklahoma natives Watermelon Slim and the Workers will perform at the Will Rogers Theatre 6 p.m. Saturday along with The Reverb Brothers, The Rexall Rangers and several other performers who will take the stage to benefit The Referral Center, a local nonprofit that helps drug addicts detox and find recovery. William “Watermelon Slim” Homans was…
OKC, surrounding area feature summertime children’s activities
Oklahoma City and the surrounding area plan summertime children’s events to keep kids engaged, educated and entertained. CHESS CAMPSeveral schools across the state are invigorating young minds with the game of kings: chess. Although chess often is seen as a slow, quiet and intense battle of wits, Albert Rine, president of Owasso’s Chess Adventure Camp,…
Oklahoma teen uses kudzu to make biofuel
Forget corn or switchgrass. A Grove High School senior might have the answer to cutting prices at the pump: kudzu! Lindsay Marie Stewart, 18, posited using the plant invasive throughout the Southeast as a biofuel source at the 2008 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair this month in Atlanta. “It would give (landowners) a way…
Government in Action!
In April, Army medic Monica Brown was awarded the Silver Star for bravery for selflessly subjecting herself to enemy fire in order to treat fallen comrades in battle in Afghanistan. However, two days after her heroics, she had been ordered home, against her will, because generals were nervous that a female appeared to be “in…
Oklahoma legislators bring new meaning to phone tag
It seems like every year, the Okie legislators spur a fight. The recent one’s a hootenanny. In this corner, weighing in with a considerable amount of public backing from House Bill 1804, is Rep. Randy Terrill, R-Moore, apparently miffed at his “official English” bill getting the kibosh by the state Senate. In the other corner,…
The new Oklahoma City
Things are good in Oklahoma City. Forbes ranks us the most recession-proof city in the country. Executive Traveler magazine has a story about what a great city we live in. The New York Times had a front-page story about the Oklahoma River. This is a new Oklahoma City. Certainly some of the success can be…
Downtown library hosts film events
In honor of movie adaptations of comic books and with a nod to May 3’s highly successful Free Comic Book Day, the Ronald J. Norick Downtown Library will show “Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer” at 6 p.m. Wednesday and “The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen” at the same time on May 28 “Rise,” released…
House of Mystery #1
Vertigo Leave it to two writers from the world of “Fables” to shepherd one of DC Comics’ venerable horror titles back from the dead, as Matthew Sturges and Bill Willingham birth “House of Mystery.” As with the original title, which ran from the Fifties to the Eighties, this new “House” is built in…
Tulsa photographer’s work will go on display at the state capitol’s North Gallery.
Everyone knows that a picture is worth a thousand words, but after taking a look at a few pieces of Paul McEntire’s work, one could easily come up with a few thousand more. From a simple close-up of a cactus to a sun setting on a beach somewhere in South America, McEntire’s nature-centric muses are…
Fine Points of the Law
Gary Weaver, 41, arrested on a disorderly conduct charge in Cincinnati, was discovered to have an outstanding theft warrant from 1990 involving $21.64. The temporary bond on Weaver in 1990, based on his prior record, had been $1 million, and the 2008 judge refused to change that. (Extra fact: The $21.64 theft was based on…
Tinker hosts U.S. Air Force Thunderbird at weekend show
Get ready for a display of white-knuckle maneuvering and daring midair choreography ” featuring the world-famous U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds ” at Saturday’s 11th annual Star Spangled Salute air show at Tinker Air Force Base in Midwest City. It’s for the entire family, not just jet nuts. With free admission, parking at the General Motors…
The great eight: Oklahoma hosts summer musical events
Want to get on the fast fest track to the best outdoor summer music events throughout Oklahoma? From indie rock to jazz, make your plans now with our guide to music events close by and worth the drive. KJ103 Summer ShowdownCountry Fever 2008Bricktown Blues FestivalOK MOZART Festival11th Annual Woody Guthrie Folk FestivalTrue Colors TourRocklahoma 2008Dfest Music…
Oklahoma boasts summer festival bonanza
Summer festival season is packed to the brim with happenings all across the Sooner State. Some festivals focus on food, some on art, while others key in on niche cultures and pastimes. deadCENTER Film FestivalJune 11-15Downtown Oklahoma CitySite Oklahoma’s biggest film festival turns eight this year, with more than 100 films hitting big screens across…
Lake Hefner trails ready for reopening
Cyclists, joggers and walkers haven’t had the full go-round of Lake Hefner’s trails so far this year, but that’s about to change. For almost anyone serious about cycling, the 9.1-mile track around the lake has been pure bicycle joy: little traffic to worry about; scenic views of open water, sailboats and sun-drenched greenery; and a…
Binger hopes Johnny Bench museum will aid town’s economy
Former major league baseball catcher and Hall of Fame member Johnny Bench’s Binger hometown hopes to build a museum in his honor. Simply put, Binger is a modest little town. Neither the city nor its citizens had the means needed to celebrate and remember their favorite son like he deserved. “Over the past 30 to…
Metro theaters feature smokin’ stage productions for summer
href=”#foot”>Footloose Beehive: The ’60s MusicalI Am My Own Wife Much Ado About Nothing Debbie Does Dallas The Sound of Music Seussical The Shape of Things Annie Get Your Gun Everybody cuts “Footloose” (June 5-14) over at Summerstock Productions in Edmond with the hit musical, to be followed by another, “The Will Rogers Follies” (July 10-19).…
New York’s most wanted
Freddie Johnson, 49, was arrested in New York City in April, for the 53rd time after he allegedly once again rubbed up against women on crowded trains. He is such a menace (a 57-page rap sheet) that a special NYPD detail follows him around, certain that he will re-offend. Shortly after the arrest, the New…
Ghosts of Monkshood plan CD release party
Muchos Backflip will join Ghost of Monkshood for a 10 p.m. Friday CD release show at VZD’s, 4200 N. Western. Meandering, disconnected imagery from Michel Gondry movies drift through the mind while listening to Ghost of Monkshood’s dreamy new album, “Lift.” The 12 tracks of ethereal melodies, subtly complex harmonies and waves of haunting soundscapes…
Oklahoma offers several getaways at fuel-efficient distances
Oklahoma residents can make summer travel plans while keeping an eye on gasoline efficiency. Record oil prices are going to make the summer’s vacation season costly, as the American Automobile Association estimates a passenger vehicle costs 54.1 cents per mile to drive in 2008, up 1.9 cents from last year. HIKERS But what if drivers…
The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian
Reviewer’s grade: B This sequel to 2005’s “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe” sees Lucy (Georgie Henley), Edmund (Skandar Keynes), Susan (Anna Popplewell) and Peter (William Moseley) back in the land of fauns, Centaurs and son-of-God-inspired lions for another round against the forces of evil. This time they’re out to help Prince Caspian (Ben…
Snakes on the Plains
While recently working at my computer, I heard a faint rustling sound, so I turned to see what the puppy was chewing. Lizbit was asleep at my feet. Moving my desk chair woke her, and she suddenly jumped up and lunged past me. From beneath a TV stand not far from my bare feet, I…
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
e movie. “Crystal Skull” starts with a frenzy as Indiana (Harrison Ford) finds himself in the clutches of a band of Russian villains, led by the lithe, sword-swinging Irina Spalko (Cate Blanchett, “I’m Not There,” “Notes on a Scandal”), a power-mad dominatrix type obsessed with the idea of supernatural war toys. Indy escapes the Russians…
Paseo Arts District presents three-day display
Scheduled for Saturday through Monday, this year’s Paseo Arts Festival will include about 75 artists, with more than half representing the current art scene in Oklahoma. The entire Paseo district of shops, restaurants and galleries will be open for visitors to spend Memorial Day weekend exploring one of the city’s oldest artistic communities. Many artists…
Neva Dinova brings the best of Omaha to Oklahoma
Indie country rockers Neva Dinova will perform at The Conservatory in Oklahoma City Thursday in support of its latest release, “You May Already Be Dreaming,” a layered mix of slow picking guitars, imaginative lyrics (“I’m walking through traffic like I’m a prophet / There’s no one to stop it”), echoing piano and traditional country sounds…
Mad Money
2008 “Mad Money” tries to be a hybrid heist movie, both serious and fun. Surprisingly, it works better than one might expect, although probably not as well as the movie’s producers (or the audience) might have hoped. The movie centers around Bridget (Diane Keaton), an upper-middle class Kansas City housewife who leads a carefree…
Muskogee elects Oklahoma teen as mayor
Either things have been running so smoothly that Muskogee’s residents didn’t care, or things couldn’t get any worse and they decided “what the hell.” History was made during last week’s election in Muskogee as a 19-year-old University of Oklahoma freshman became mayor of the town. John Tyler Hammons will spend his time combing through city…
Oklahoma boasts 11 different ‘ecoregions’
Oklahoma boasts 11 different “ecoregions” ” more per square mile than any other state. Make it your mission this summer to explore what Oklahoma has to offer. Three to visit include Tahlequah, Bartlesville and Quartz Mountain. TAHLEQUAHIf you do one thing in Tahlequah, visit the Cherokee Heritage Center. At the entrance to the museum and…
Jury awards six Oklahomans $66 million
A jury decided to award six Oklahomans $66 million based on a decades-old lawsuit brought against Shell Oil Co. WINK AND A NOD INFORMANTCOURT BRIEFS A plot of 20 acres in Stephens County, about 80 miles southwest of Oklahoma City, is connected to global Shell Oil Co. A jury has ordered the company to pay…
Colorado becomes 35th state to allow Sunday liquor sales
Rainy days and Sundays always bring CFN down. That’s because liquor stores are closed all day long. In Colorado, Gov. Bill Ritter signed a bill last month allowing that state’s liquor stores to stay open on the Sabbath. Now drinkers in the neighboring state are on a Rocky Mountain high. “It was a tremendous benefit…
Paranoid Park
Reviewer’s grade: A- Some people will hate “Paranoid Park.” Its fractured narrative, nonlinear progression and mix of stylistic flourishes are likely to piss off moviegoers who like their drama free of pretension and ambiguity. Those folks have a right to their opinion, of course, but more adventurous cinephiles might just wind up spellbound. Writer-director Gus…
Animal activist makes Oklahoma City stop to sign book
Author Dan Mathews makes Oklahoma City stop to promote his book detailing his animal-activist adventures. Getting pelted with lunch meat while costumed as a root vegetable in Iowa might sounds like an odd dream ” or a trip ” but for animal-rights activist Dan Mathews, it’s all in a day’s work. “I dressed as a…
Semi-Pro
2008 Don’t expect depth. Don’t expect subtlety. Don’t expect meaning. Expect bear wrestling, and your frame of mind will be perfectly in line. Will Ferrell’s latest vehicle, “Semi-Pro” “? now raunchier (and funnier) on this unrated DVD “? is cut from the same cheesecloth as his other sports-underdog comedies, like “Blades of Glory,” “Talladega Nights:…
Oklahoma City’s urban gardeners can grow their own food for next to nothing
rowing your own is that you can grow four specific flavors and textures. The fact that it’s fresh means that it’s usually sweeter, not gritty like the ones at the supermarket. The taste is massively different. “Our goal this summer is to have all our vegetables come from our garden or the farmers’ market.” STATE…
The Visitor
Reviewer’s grade: A- Character actor Richard Jenkins has the spotlight all to himself in this realistic portrait of a man with nowhere to go and all the time in the world to get there. He plays a college professor who, on a trip to New York, discovers that a pair of illegal immigrants”?Tarek (Haaz Sleiman,…
