Bob Palmer Murals
If you happen to be traveling through Oklahoma City's Bricktown entertainment district and notice some large murals portraying scenes from Oklahoma's past, chances are they were created by Dr. Bob Palmer, a prolific painting and photography professor at the University of Central Oklahoma. "Yes, I painted nearly all of the murals in Bricktown," said the…
Read More >The Need for Speed
Sitting in his office at Utility Data Services (UDS) in Edmond, Tony Powell is watching a video on a drag-racing fan website. On the screen, a souped-up, white 2006 Mitsubishi Evolution, nicknamed an “Evo,” is at the starting line of a drag strip. Next to it is another small racing car, revving its powerful engine….
Read More >Volunteering to Fight Fires
Just across the Logan County line, heading north along Bryant Road, passers-by are first notified that a fire station is in the vicinity by the highway sign featuring the silhouette of a fire truck. A few yards beyond that, a building comes into view on the left. This is the headquarters of the Oak Cliff…
Read More >Remote Control Giants
When Jim Flannigan talks about flying remote-control aircraft, his eyes seem to light up. Standing in his garage, connected to his Edmond home, Flannigan takes off the cockpit portion of his “flying giant,” a gasoline powered, several-feet-long wooden RC airplane that he has flown at events both locally and nationally. In fact, on one of…
Read More >Autism Awareness Week
The statistic may be shocking, but it’s true. Today, one in 150 individuals are diagnosed with the debilitating disease known as autism, a complex neurobiological disorder that often lasts throughout a person’s lifetime. Autism is more common than pediatric cancer, diabetes and AIDS combined. Families facing autism often have staggering medical bills. With this in…
Read More >Preserving the Sooner State
Since he was a boy, Edmond native and resident, Andy McDaniels has been interested in the outdoors and protecting the Sooner State’s natural resources. Now, the 37-year old is the executive director of the Oklahoma Wildlife Federation, a position he’s held for five years. And it’s a role he’s very passionate about. “Increasingly, we’re seeing…
Read More >The Saw that Started it All
For over 100 years, the red-colored Round Barn in this Oklahoma County community has proven to be more than an unusual landmark; it’s become an important piece of history for residents and visitors alike. And for 97-year-old Luther native and Arcadia resident Vivian Keely, memories of the Round Barn in its heyday are still clear…
Read More >Sporting Clays Champion
For Randy Montgomery, describing his favorite sport is simple. “Sporting clays is like golf with a shotgun,” Montgomery said. And as it turns out, that’s a pretty accurate description. “And it’s a lot of fun,” he adds. According to online encyclopedia sources, sporting clays is a form of clay pigeon shooting that is considered to…
Read More >Hot Dogs for the Homeless
On a recent Sunday afternoon, Edmond resident, Rick Swyden, driving a black SUV, pulled up in a Goodwill parking lot in downtown Oklahoma City. Wearing a big smile, framed by a teddy-bear beard, Swyden, 47, walked to a homeless man and handed him a lunch sack containing a hot dog, chips, a cookie and a…
Read More >A Painter of Heritage
Although Native American artist, Thompson Williams, has since left Edmond to start a new life in Colorado, his roots in Oklahoma and the artistic inspiration he received while living in his home state still remain strong. Williams, a member of the Caddo nation and award-winning, nationally recognized Native American artist, was drawn to art at…
Read More >Hunt 4 Him
In far southwestern Oklahoma, in the rural and remote countryside near Hollis, two young men who share a love of hunting and a passion for God, have combined the two ideas, helping young people learn more about them both. Hunt4Him was started by current Edmond resident and physical therapist Jay Wheat and his longtime friend…
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