Ed Shadid Credit: Mark Hancock The city is also seeking a state Attorney General opinion on whether it can ban tobacco use in public parks. State law currently preempts municipalities from establishing smoking restrictions that go beyond what has been enacted by state lawmakers. City Manager Jim Couch said he will bring whatever design city […]
Ed Shadid
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Street heat
Two features of the street creating discussion are a western portion that will be above grade at the level of the old I-40 and a section that will go under the north-south railway. A third issue, however, has received little public attention: the undecided route to Bricktown from the future major thoroughfare. Although current maps […]
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Redundant or relevant?
The study, presented by ADG, the city’s lead consultant for MAPS 3, was to determine whether Core to Shore is still relevant now that the area has been significantly altered by other projects. Those developments include the Devon tower, renovations of Project 180, Interstate 40 realignment and MAPS 3 projects such as the new convention […]
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We’re honored
It was among several awards SPJ bestowed to the news weekly during the organization’s April 21 banquet in Oklahoma City. Gazette staff members won four first-place awards. Managing editor Rod Lott won first place in Entertainment Feature for “The wizard of gore,” which detailed the Sooner state’s connection to B-movie schlockmeister Herschell Gordon Lewis. Lott […]
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Takeover trouble
State fairgrounds Shannon Cornman The council on April 3 received the reports on the MAPS 3 fairgrounds improvements and senior wellness centers from Mike Mize of Architectural Design Group, the lead consultant on MAPS 3. Around $58.7 million in MAPS 3 money is set aside for fairgrounds improvements, such as parking and a new exposition […]
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Open books
Last year the city saw unprecedented spending on City Council elections on behalf of independent expenditure groups that attempted to shield their financial backers, a situation made possible by the 2010 U.S. Supreme Court case, Federal Election Commission v. Citizens United. The proposal, passed on to council from that body’s legislative committee, supported a state […]
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Walk this way
That’s where the Neighborhood Alliance of Central Oklahoma comes in. The organization has an online survey inviting people to help prioritize how the MAPS 3 Trails and Sidewalks Subcommittee should allocate $10 million for the construction of sidewalks along major streets. Neighborhood Alliance Executive Director Georgie Rasco said sidewalks are important for beautification, safety and […]
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A healthy start
The fair begins at 5:30 p.m. and will include physical and mental health screenings, as well as offer information about:• counseling services, • nutrition, • diabetes, • substance abuse, • smoking cessation, • aging, • trauma, • suicide prevention and • cancer detection and prevention. Participants will include:• The Oklahoma City County Health Department, • […]
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Voters need to know
The Citizens United earthquake caused a tsunami which took three months to hit Oklahoma City. The Greater Oklahoma City Chamber and International Association of Fire Fighters Local 157 did everything they could legally do to influence the City Council election. Many shocked and angry voters and politicians bemoaned the court’s decision, holding the U.S. Supreme […]
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The next step
Meanwhile, at least two Oklahoma City Council members have suggested that the city look into forming its own election reporting requirements and oversight body prior to the 2013 council and mayoral elections. During the council’s Jan. 17 meeting, Ward 2 Councilman Ed Shadid and Ward 4 Councilman Pete White expressed disappointment that the Ethics Commission […]