Now a discussion is under way to decide how to handle state assistance for shelter space. Like many Oklahomans, I knew many who were trapped in at least one of the major tornadoes that struck Oklahoma last month. One of my cousins is a student at Briarwood Elementary in Moore, where his mother, a schoolteacher, […]
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Thanks from Moore
The outpouring of support both physically, emotionally and monetarily has been so heartwarming and gratifying. We are unpretentious folk down here and take pleasure in the simpler things. And one of those will be in a few weeks, where happiness will be watching TV news reporters headed home with an out-of-state roofing contractor under each […]
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Too red for government aid?
Sens. James Inhofe and Tom Coburn of Oklahoma both voted against the Hurricane Sandy Aid bill, Inhofe saying that the money requested amounted to a “slush fund.” Hurricane Sandy affected a total of 24 states, and the costs have amounted to $50 billion. Now comes the question: What will their vote be concerning these recent […]
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Still the ‘Oklahoma Standard’
I’ve lived in Oklahoma City for just three years, so this is my first “let’s all pull together” Okie moment. Nicole Hill (“To be an Oklahoman”) summed it up wonderfully. This place gets in your blood really quickly. And now that the degree of separation is no more than two for everyone in OKC regarding […]
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Hardcore Doppler
Credit: Brad Gregg Long before the likes of Pirates and Posh Kitten made Jane a household name — provided your household is crammed with French ticklers and Ben Wa balls, natch — the Moore native turned down a full ride (ahem) to the meteorology program at the University of Oklahoma. We’ll never be able to […]
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A time to heal
As America learned of Moore’s utter devastation by the May 20 tornado, the news hit the two members of New Orleans-based Generationals especially hard. “Everybody is aware and thinking about what has happened in Oklahoma,” said Grant Widmer, lead singer and guitarist. “Tragedies like these are particularly resonant for us because of what happened to […]
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God and tornadoes
Those messages are coming from everywhere. After speaking in Vermont at the annual meeting of United Church of Christ churches in my denomination, this small and cash-strapped body of small New England parishes handed me a check for $5,000 to help with tornado relief. So many people have prayed for us and supported us through […]
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Skirting the law?
Credit: Brad Gregg The allegations arose when Zeke Campfield, state Capitol reporter for the Oklahoma City daily, turned up at the Moore High School graduation at the Cox Convention Center. Several witnesses said they saw Campfield repeatedly bumping into girls between the ages of 13 and 21 — despite the area not being crowded — […]
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Stormy weather
Credit: Brad Gregg And it’s also not news that unity borne from tragedy eventually becomes political. Still, the suggestion that climate change could have been a factor in the May 20 disaster certainly came as news to Inhofe. And bad news at that. “The liberal media is trying to exploit a tragedy to advance and […]
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Atheists, assemble!
Credit: Brad Gregg Stand-up comic Doug Stanhope started an Indiegogo campaign called Atheists Unite for Vitsmun and hoped to raise $50,000 in rebuilding funds over a 60-day period. The campaign goal was met in less than 24 hours. A week later, $107,566 had been raised. “Let’s show the world that you don’t need to believe […]