Author: Kate Morton Reviewed by Chloe Fuksa, Putnam Six Bookstore
If you’re a soccer fan like this reviewer, you’ll certainly be tuning in this August to the Women’s World Cup in Australia. If you want a book to read during warm-ups and halftime, author Kate Morton’s latest release, Homecoming, would be a great pick. Set in southern Australia, this historical mystery alternates between Jess Turner-Bridges in 2018, the Turner family in 1959, and excerpts from a true crime book. Coming in at almost 550 pages, you may wonder if it will take you until the next World Cup to finish, but fear not, Homecoming is a marvelous book that you won’t want to put down.
In 1959, late on Christmas Eve, Isabel Turner and her children are discovered dead alongside a creek on their property. Not only is there the question of how they died, but also, when the police arrive, the infant baby is not in her carrier and is nowhere to be found. Fast forward almost sixty years, Jess returns Down Under when her beloved grandmother, Nora, takes a fall and ends up in intensive care. Nora’s cryptic last words to Jess don’t make any sense – until the latter finds a book at the house written shortly after the mysterious deaths of the Turner family. What transpires over the course of Homecoming then is a combination of what the small town was like in 1959 and after, what Jess discovers more present-day while talking to people who knew Nora, and the case that the author of the true crime book laid out.
To some readers, all of the jumps in time might be too much. For me though, the author wrote so masterfully that it was never confusing or unclear. It is as if Morton is a tour guide, going alongside readers and ushering them the whole way through. Surprisingly, this was my first ever Kate Morton book to read – and it most certainly will not be my last. The scale of Homecoming is impressive, the beautiful, smooth writing is impressive, the way it can utterly absorb readers into a fictional decades-long mystery is impressive. You might just find yourself forgetting that soccer is even on!
Visit us in Sunset Plaza or call 580-297-5089 to get your copy of Homecoming today!
Even though Brad Nulph was born in Wichita, Kansas, he is Enid through and through. Brad attended Waller Jr. High and was the starting center on several Enid High football teams. He attended Oklahoma State University, and while there met Cathy Cuthriell, who was to become the love of his life. After graduation, Brad returned to Enid and was the staff manager for National Life Insurance, winning many awards for his work there. The Nulph’s moved to Virginia for a few years, to be closer to Cathy’s family, but made their way back to Enid as they missed the close community of Enid. Upon return, Brads went to work for the Enid News & Enid where he has had several different roles, culminating in circulation manager, the position he has today.
While always great at his job, Brad’s spirit of volunteerism is what makes him a “Local Legend.” As a longtime member of the Enid Noon Ambucs, he is on a short list of the hardest-working members, and biggest volunteers. He is often asked to be a member of the Board of Directors for Ambucs, has served as the President, and has headed up several large fundraising events, including the Red Dirt BBQ lunch. Because of his service to Ambucs, Brad has won project manager of the year, and the “Big Earl” Award twice. “Brad is a great friend whose positive attitude will make any situation better. I love having him on any committee because he can always be counted on to be dedicated to make the project a success,” said Anna Blubaugh, a past National Ambucs President.
Brad also was a founding member of the “Greybeards,” a group of ex Enid High Football Players who started a pre-game tailgate before each home game to feed the coaches and student-athletes at no cost, and to raise money for the team.
Brad loves sports, and partnered with Chad McKee to call football games on the radio for several years. He has coached little league football and baseball bother her and in Virginia, for his two boys, Brock and Nick, and was happy to haul his daughter Holly to dance practice and recitals growing up.
Brad and Cathy have been married for 45 years (“he should get an award for that alone,” says Cathy) and they now have 8 grandkids to whom he is a doting grandfather.
If you know Brad, you know what a kind and humble person he is. He’s a great cook, family man, worker, and friend. He is truly a Local Legend.
LOCAL LEGENDS IS PROUDLY PRESENTED BY HUMPRHEY AND GUARANTEE ABSTRACT CO.!
August is a month full of special occasions that highlight sweet treats. From National Raspberry Cream Pie Day to National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day, National Smores Day and National Lemon Meringue Pie Day, there are plenty of opportunities to sink your teeth into something tasty and plenty of places around Enid to find such delicacies. Four shops in particular offer not only sweet treats but a look behind the counter at the beginnings and missions behind the baking.
FARMHOUSE FRESH
It’s rare to find delicious food that’s good for you and even more rare to find delicious food from farm-fresh ingredients, but both are the staples of the menu at Farmhouse Fresh Coffee Shop and Deli.
Since 2018, Farmhouse Fresh has been serving specials on its daily-changing menu made from scratch with ingredients raised on the 500-acre family farm or bought from farmers to put into handed-down recipes that have stood the test of time. As one might imagine, this is no small endeavor but for the Rink family a way of life that has grown to serve its customers their very best.
“We were on the forefront of buy fresh, buy local,” Paulette Rink, owner of Farmhouse Fresh, says. “We’ve been doing this for about 30 years before it was even popular, trying to direct products from our farm to people who would be interested in buying it to give them something quality, something good and something they wouldn’t find many other places.”
The Rink family began selling their farm-fresh goods in larger cities across the state before hitting the road in a bus fashioned with freezers, dehydrators and refrigerators to process their fresh produce and bring them to more locations anywhere they stopped. Rink says the bus and eventual storefront that came to Enid in 2018 helped alleviate the problem of ways to grow the family business and make it more sustainable, which was compounded when they began putting their produce into meals and marketing that side of the business into what would become the Farmhouse Fresh Coffee Shop and Deli.
Of course, it takes more than ingredients to create a quality meal that leaves customers coming back and wanting more, which again was a family effort. Rink says she grew up learning to cook, preserve and save with her grandma, who also ran a restaurant and passed down many recipes Rink uses today along with some of her own modifications to provide full vegan and gluten-free menus that give customers healthy options.
“I’ve spent a lot of time developing recipes with healthier ingredients that still taste good or even better than the original,” Rink says. “Frito chili pie, taco salad and even cinnamon rolls sound ordinary until you’ve tried ours and can tell there’s something different in them that makes them taste great, and we’re glad to say it’s healthier for them.”
Farmhouse Fresh Coffee Shop and Deli offers organic teas and coffees, healthy lunch specials, homespun sweets like their signature cinnamon rolls, and even more a peace of mind that what you eat doesn’t just taste wholesome, but is, from the ingredients to the hands that prepare it.
It’s not the draft of fresh coffee or the sweet scent of cinnamon rolls or caramelitas made with love by baker Mary Jantz, but it’s a look around at the doctors and judges, homeless and broken enjoying their visit and being served by people who genuinely care.
The Five80 Coffeehouse opened its doors in 2011 as a high-end coffee shop and hub of Forgotten Ministries with the business model for its customers to pay as they could, accepting pay-it-forward donations to cover others’ meals while offering free water, tea, coffee and even lunches to those who couldn’t afford it. Over the years, the Five80 Coffeehouse has seen minor changes in its model and menu but lives on its same mission from day one: to drive back the darkness with the light of Jesus.
Jeremiah Herrian, owner of Five80 Coffeehouse and Forgotten Ministries with his wife Sarah, says the inspiration for the shop and ministry came after experiencing Jesus for himself and wanting to share that hope with others. The former California surfer and pro beach volleyball player did ministry on Skid Row in Los Angeles which propelled him to want to reach others with the hope that saved him back at his roots in Northwest Oklahoma to prevent Skid Row from happening there, especially to the ones who might already feel like they’re at Skid Row.
“I’ve knocked on enough doors to find that all towns have elements of Skid Row just hidden and behind closed doors rather than open in the streets like L.A.,” Herrian says. “The only way to prevent it is to get the church outside of its four walls and to take the Gospel of Jesus to where the broken, lost and hurting are at to give them a chance at something different. It’s what changed my life and can change anyone’s life.”
Ricky Chance, manager of Five80 Coffeehouse, says the logo behind Forgotten Ministries is “the church has left the building” which is the mission behind each of the ministry’s outlets such as the coffeehouse for its servers to be ambassadors for Christ in hands-on settings and equip churches to go out and be the same.
“Our goal at Forgotten Ministries is to mobilize the local church to get them out of their building and into their streets working as the Acts 2 church did with each other and in the community,” Chance says. “The idea is that we want to get out here to people and meet them where they’re at instead of expecting them to come to where we’re at. Nowadays people don’t come to churches, so we want to meet them where they are and that’s what we do at Forgotten.”
Putting their goal into practice, the Five80 Coffeehouse keeps its doors open when others close during holidays or harsh weather to provide a place for those who need one and serve them as they are, whether upper class or homeless.
“That’s what we’re all about,” Herrian says. “The heart of Five80 Coffeehouse is not about coffee, but is for the broken, for the lost and for those without Jesus.”
KATY’S PANTRY
Katy’s Pantry isn’t just another shop – it’s a signature to Enid in more ways than one.
The 2023 “Best Bakery” winner has employed and served generations in the Enid community since it opened in 1978 for the purpose of being a place friends and family could gather and enjoy a piece of pie. Since that first day, Katy’s Pantry has moved and expanded to serve much more than pie, but it hasn’t changed a bit from being a place friends and family come to share memories and flavorful experiences.
Jenger Baker, owner of Katy’s Pantry, says the shop was opened after her parents and their friends realized after gatherings that there wasn’t a place to enjoy a good piece of pie, so they told her mom, Katy, that she should open one. From that first suggestion and ever since, Baker says, the business has been a family endeavor, equipping generations of family and friends who came together to build the building, make pies and create the cozy environment found at Katy’s Pantry.
The shop opened with just 8 tables and a simple menu, Baker says, but it quickly became a favorite in the Enid community with the signature flavors and personal love put into every meal.
“My mom put in hours every day at the shop baking, serving customers and working hard to make Katy’s Pantry special for everyone who came in and worked there,” Baker says. “To this day, we have employees that feel like family and customers that come in with their kids and grandkids now who grew up with us, and it makes it a very personal and special place to us.”
In addition to warm hospitality, Katy’s Pantry is also known in Enid for delicious delicacies. Everything off the menu comes from recipes that are also a family endeavor, Baker says, tweaked over the years to create an original taste.
“We enjoy trying every bakery and café we can find because we’re always baking,” Baker says. “We enjoy trying flavors of different places and creating ideas from there of things we could add that our customers would enjoy back home. We’ve learned we have a different flavor palette but enjoy looking for that real powerful taste.”
While many families have grown up with warm memories and delicious treats at Katy’s Pantry, the doors are always open and welcome the newcomer to have a place to make sweet memories, try a homemade delicacy or just gather with friends to enjoy a piece of pie.
DONNA JEANS’S BAKERY
What’s in a name?
Behind Donna Jean’s Bakery is more than sweets, but a woman, story of forgiveness, and mission to treat others with love and kindness.
Donna Jean’s Bakery, runner-up for 2023 best bakery in Enid, opened February 15, 2023 to serve its first set of customers: the wife, son and parents of the man who killed the owner’s mother in a drunk driving accident in 2018, and offer them as much as all following customers more than a meal, but Christ’s love and forgiveness.
Effie Babcock, owner of Donna Jean’s Bakery, says she always dreamed of owning a bakery, but her dream and reality became far different. After her mother passed away, Babcock says she faced challenges to open the bakery at every turn from renovating their building to having a car crash into it and personal health issues that made the dream challenging.
Despite the hardship and challenges, Babcock says she is thankful to have had friends and family come alongside her to not only open Donna Jean’s Bakery, but fill it with mouthwatering specialties, a family feel and contagious love they want to pass on to their customers.
“We have really great staff, and I’m thankful and humbled by everyone who is here,” Babcock says. “I don’t think we’ll ever get rich from this business, but if I can be a light for Christ and offer people hope and treat people the way I’d want to be treated and our staff treat people the way they’d want to be treated, then I’d say we’re making a step in the right direction.”
In light of the 2018 tragedy, Babcock decided to name and embody the environment of the bakery in memory of her mother, the woman who raised Babcock to love the Lord, served others as a nurse for 40 years and led by example a life of compassion and forgiveness.
“My mother’s faith was very important to her and having raised me, my faith in Christ is very important to me,” Babcock says. “My hope is to be a light for Christ and my dream is that I can have a place to bake my goods where people can come and not just have another meal, but sense a kind of hope and love and good environment that they can sit in and just enjoy being in here. Being a light for Christ is very important to me, so I think if I can bless people and fill their tummy at the same time that’s good and what I want to do.”
Donna Jean’s Bakery is a place not just to find something sweet to eat, but a sweet environment marked with love and a light that shines in the brightest days and darkest ones.
Sometimes the best part of a shop really is behind the counter.
Whether that be in finding wholesome ingredients, reaching the lost and broken, building relationships or being a light, every shop offers something special beyond its menu. For these shops in particular, their sweetest specialty just may not be on a plate, but in how they serve Enid and make it a better community, one customer at a time.
Author: Melissa L. Sevigny Reviewed by: Chloe Fuksa, Putnam Six Bookstore
Melissa L. Sevigny is a journalist at Arizona Public Radio and the author of three books, the latest being Brave the Wild River. Published in May 2023, it is the true story of Elzada Clover and Lois Jotter as they ran the Colorado River in the summer of 1938 to become the first botanists to study it. Excluding the sources and index at the end, the book is only about 260 pages long, so it’s certainly not intimidating or filled with fluff. It’s very well researched too, with numerous quotes throughout pulled directly from the women’s letters and diaries.
Clover and Jotter, along with four men, began in Green River, Utah, before going through Cataract Canyon, Glen Canyon, and lastly, the Grand Canyon. The journey took them about a month and a half, and the author does a wonderful job describing just how big of an undertaking it was. The Colorado River was so wild and dangerous, with unpredictable flash floods, frequent rapids, and massive boulders, not to mention the rattlesnakes on land when the group walked or camped. Plus, being women, Clover and Jotter had to deal with all the doubters and naysayers who thought their place was back in the home. Through it all though, they catalogued over four hundred different plants, discovered brand new species, and sent specimens back that would later end up in the Smithsonian.
Perhaps this reviewer was just not paying close enough attention, but my one complaint is that it was awfully difficult to remember who was who, especially in the first half of the book. A name would pop up again after dozens of pages, but there weren’t any reminders or context clues for who they were or what their role was. A list at the beginning of the book with all the important players would have been a helpful addition. But overall, Brave the Wild River is a really wonderful read. It’s got so many aspects all balanced together: biography, history, botany, ecology, hydrology, geography, sociology. Readers are in for a fast-paced, riveting trip down the Colorado River with these two history-making women.
Visit us in Sunset Plaza or call 580-297-5089 to get your copy of Brave the Wild River today!
Author: Morgan Matson Reviewed by Chloe Fuksa, Putnam Six Bookstore
Ask any kiddo to describe their ideal summer vacation and the result would probably be pretty close to The Firefly Summer. Hanging out with cousins, swimming at the lake, eating s’mores for dessert, enjoying Fourth of July fireworks – this middle-grade debut from author Morgan Matson has it all.
Ryanna has her summer all planned out when she receives an unexpected letter – she’s invited to visit her grandparents’ summer camp on the opposite side of the country. Ryanna doesn’t have any memories of that part of her family, but she decides it would be a good opportunity to learn more about the mother she lost at a really young age. Ryanna meets cousins and aunts and uncles she never knew existed, and they tell her stories about her mom, show her pictures, and pass down her mom’s old possessions. The best part is that amongst the items is a treasure map that Ryanna’s mom left for her. The kids dig underground, they climb trees, they dive beneath a dock, all trying to find the next clue. The map is a fun adventure in and of itself, but could the reward at the end actually be incredibly important and valuable? When the kids learn that a local developer is going to tear down their camp to build condos instead, they realize they have to find the treasure as quickly as possible.
The Firefly Summer can sometimes feel like it is trying to tackle too many issues – it is nearly 400 pages after all – but the author does manage to connect them all together by the end. And while the book just came out in May 2023, it definitely seems like a sequel could happen in the future. The Firefly Summer is a really fun, highly entertaining read that is an utterly perfect ode to summer vacations.
Visit us in Sunset Plaza or call 580-297-5089 to get your copy of The Firefly Summer today!
Independence Day! 4th of July! Summer colors lean to red, white, and blue. A basic staple in red and white for the American summer garden is the sun-loving geranium. Because of their pretty blooms in many colors, lovely fragrances, and culinary uses, scented geraniums are a wonderful addition to herb gardens, borders, window boxes, and hanging baskets. Some can even be used as ground cover. Geraniums are known for their aromatic, green foliage, the fragrance of which varies from plant to plant.
The true geranium is a perennial geranium plant, which is a cold climate plant. What we call a geranium originated in South Africa and was brought to Europe in the 18th century by Dutch traders. These annual flowers actually belong to the Pelargonium family and are not true geraniums, but resemble the geranium.
While there are several types of Pelargoniums, the two most popular are the Zonal Geranium and the Ivy Geranium. The Zonal geranium (Pelargonium x hortorum) has several distinctive features. The name is derived from the circular zone of red, bluish or purple colored striping through the middle of the round, almost kidney shaped leaves. The flowers on zonal geraniums resemble spheres that stand atop sturdy stems. The many colors of today’s modern hybrids bloom in nearly all the colors of the rainbow, especially pink, lavender, yellow, peach, orange, rose, white, and of course the classic red. If you want a geranium hanging basket, look for an Ivy Geranium (Pelargonium peltatum). This geranium naturally grows in a cascading form which is perfect for a hanging basket or window box. It is named for its glossy green, ivy-shaped leaves.
When you cross a zonal geranium with an ivy geranium, the result is an interspecific hybrid geranium. It is the best of both worlds in one plant with big, nonstop flowers on a plant with a mounding or slightly trailing growth pattern. These crosses have a great heat tolerance and fill planting beds and containers with lots of color all season long. Look for the Calliope or Calliente varieties.
Whether you’re growing annual zonal geraniums, ivy geraniums, interspecific hybrid, or old-fashioned scented geraniums, many aspects of geranium care remain the same. Geraniums crave sunshine. Six to eight hours of full sun each day works well, but in the hottest part of the summer, a little shade during the afternoon will keep your plant blooming. Geraniums have a tendency to stop flowering during especially hot weather. A full day is great but plants will thrive best with shade during the hottest part of the day. Ivy geraniums need light shade in all regions, especially as summer temperatures soar.
Geraniums are great drought-tolerant plants, so be careful not to overwater them. Wait until the top one inch of soil is dry. If the geranium is in a pot, be sure to have plenty of drainage holes in the bottom. Geraniums are heavy feeders, so be sure to plant them in soil with a slow releasing fertilizer. Add a water soluble fertilizer after about four weeks and then about every twenty days. Geraniums bloom best if they are kept somewhat root—bound. Repot your geraniums into larger containers only when necessary and then use a container that is just one size larger. To keep those blooms coming, deadhead the wilted and faded flowers. This will encourage new blooms to shoot up. Snap the stems as close to the main plant as possible.
With a little food and water, lots of sun, and some occasional attention, your colorful geraniums will thrive all summer long.
When You Require Surgery, St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center Should Be Your Hospital of Choice
If you or someone in your family needs an inpatient or outpatient surgical procedure, the Surgery Department at St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center can help. The department is equipped with advanced technology and is committed to using techniques that help lower infection rates and encourage faster healing.
David W. Shepherd, MD, and Craig M. Bozeman, MD, general surgeons with St. Mary’s Physician Associates, talk about surgical options at the medical center.
What is general surgery?
General surgery involves all parts of the body, including the neck, abdomen, esophagus, liver and more. General surgeons are trained in a broad range of surgical procedures including emergency surgery, pediatric surgery, surgical oncology and more.
What is minimally invasive surgery?
Minimally invasive surgery involves a variety of techniques to operate with less damage to the body than with open surgery. In general, minimally invasive surgery is associated with less pain, a shorter hospital stay and fewer complications. Other advantages of minimally invasive surgery can include greater surgical precision, less trauma, less blood loss and reduced risk of infection.
What is a laparoscopic procedure?
Laparoscopy is surgery done through one or more small incisions, using small tubes and tiny cameras and surgical instruments and was one of the first types of minimally invasive surgery. It is a common type of surgery that is used to check for problems in the abdomen or a woman’s reproductive system.
What is robotic surgery?
Another type of minimally invasive surgery is robotic surgery, also called robot-assisted surgery. It provides a magnified, 3D view of the surgical site and allows surgeons to perform complex procedures with more precision, flexibility and control than is possible with conventional techniques. Robotic surgery is usually associated with minimally invasive surgery — procedures performed through tiny incisions.
What are some of the common surgical procedures you perform at St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center?
Appendectomy: The appendix is removed when it becomes swollen or infected, which is called appendicitis. An infected appendix can burst and leak bacteria into the abdomen. Common symptoms include abdominal pain, fever, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.
Colon and rectal surgery: Common conditions treated include hemorrhoids, fissures, abscesses and infections. Patients can also be treated for many inflammatory bowel conditions, such as ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, diverticulitis and cancer.
Gallbladder removal: A thin tube called a laparoscope and other instruments are used to see inside the abdomen and remove the gallbladder. You may need to have your gallbladder removed if you have gallstones or other forms of gallbladder disease.
Gynecologic surgery: These include hysterectomy, or the removal of a woman’s uterus, and tubal ligation, a procedure in which a woman’s fallopian tubes are surgically closed to prevent conception and pregnancy.
Hernia repair: A hernia occurs when internal organ or tissue bulges through a weak area in the belly wall or groin. A combination of muscle weakness and straining, such as heavy lifting, may cause hernias. Surgeons at St. Mary’s can use the da Vinci® Surgical System to correct hernias.
What happens before surgery?
At St. Mary’s, you will be scheduled to speak with or see the pre-operative nurse before the scheduled surgery date. The pre-op nurse will review your medical information including medications. It is essential that the surgeon and anesthesiologist know the medications you are taking, including over-the-counter supplements. Please bring a list of your medications or your medication bottles to your pre-op appointment. After reviewing your medical information, the pre-op nurse will provide important information regarding your surgery.
What happens the day of surgery?
You will be asked to arrive two to three hours before your scheduled surgery time. During this time period, an IV will be started and the necessary preparation for surgery will be completed. The anesthesiologist and surgeon will also visit with you. Once surgery begins, family members will be able to track the surgery’s progress in the waiting room. The nurse will also provide updates. When the surgery has been completed, the surgeon will speak to your family in one of our consultation rooms. After the surgeon has talked to the family, they may meet the patient in the assigned post-op room.
To make an appointment with Dr. Shepherd or Dr. Bozeman at St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center, call 580-249-3898.
Individual results may vary. There are risks associated with any surgical procedure. Talk with your doctor about these risks to find out if minimally invasive or robotic surgery is right for you.
Physicians are on the medical staff of St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center, but, with limited exceptions, are independent practitioners who are not employees or agents of St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center. The hospital shall not be liable for actions or treatments provided by physicians. For language assistance, disability accommodations and the nondiscrimination notice, visit our website.
It is officially summer, and one of my FAVORITE summertime dish is my chicken salad!! It is easy to make and a wonderful mix of summertime flavors that are great all year round! I like to eat it straight from a bowl, but it is perfect on a soft, buttery croissant, in a sandwich wrap, with crackers or on a bed of lettuce. I hope you will try it! Happy cooking!!
RECIPE
1/4 cup real mayo
1/2 tsp prepared brown mustard
1/4 tsp seasoned salt
1/4 tsp paprika
Black pepper to taste
1 (12.5oz) can chicken, drained well *
1 stalk celery, sliced
1/8 cup chopped pecans
1/4 cup halved seedless red grapes
**I use canned white chicken, but you can use the mixed white and dark
Drain chicken well!!
Mix mayo, mustard and seasonings together in a bowl. Add remaining ingredients to mayo mixture and mix well, breaking up chunks of chicken to desired size.
We know as of recently, there’s been quite a bit of buzz surrounding the parent choice tax credit regarding school choice. Governor Stitt simply says that “we’re funding students, not systems.” The faith based schools in Enid already charge significantly less than their OKC and Tulsa peer schools, so the $5000-$7500 per child credit will lower the out of pocket cost for families significantly! The Parent Choice Tax Credit will help families access an education that reinforces the Christian values being lived out in their home. More parents can now realize their desire for their child’s school to be teaching the same beliefs, priorities, and values as their home and church. Mr. Wilkins excitedly states, “The financial barriers have all but been removed for parents who want their child educated in a biblical perspective and Christian foundation for a successful life.” OBA is one of several faith based schools in Garfield county that are excited for additional families to consider their educational options.
We wanted to break down some of this information a little more for families who may have some questions.
What is the tax credit?
The Oklahoma Parental Choice Tax Credit Act allows families a specific amount of up to $7,500 to send their children to private or charter schools outside of their school district based on their zip code. The tax credit begins for the Spring of 2024 semester.
What are the details?
The measure establishes a tiered system of tax credits for parents or guardians who send their children to accredited private schools. The tax credit tiers are based on a household’s total adjusted gross income during the second preceding tax year. The credits are distributed per-student, per-year. If the tuition and fees are less than the maximum tax credit amount, the credit shall be limited to the cost of tuition and fees. There is also a tax credit for those that choose to homeschool of $1,000 per child.
Here is a breakdown of the tax credit brackets:
Household income less than $75,000, a parent may receive up to a $7,500 credit.
Household income $75,000 – $150,000, a parent may receive up to $7,000 credit.
Household income $150,000 – $225,000, a parent may receive up to $6,500 credit.
Household income $225,000-$250,000, a parent may receive up to $6,000 credit.
For a household income exceeding $250,000, a parent may receive up to a $5,000 credit.
OBA and the Tax Credit
-YES, financial barriers are significantly reduced for accessing OBA education.
-YES, current OBA families and any new OBA families are eligible.
-YES, the tax credit is fully refundable regardless of Oklahoma tax obligation.
-YES, the Oklahoma Parental Choice Tax Credit, Opportunity Scholarship Fund, Lindsey Nicole Henry as well as OBA Discounts and OBA Tuition Assistance are stackable.
-YES, the current OBA mission, personnel, curriculum or admissions processes stay the same.
-YES, Academic Support Services are eligible expenses for the tax credit.
If you are or know a family that has been wanting to choose OBA but hasn’t been financially able to, there is a solution with this tax credit. Schedule a tour by reaching out to admissions@oklahomabible.com or calling the front office at (580)242-4104. There is limited space available, so we encourage you to tour or apply sooner rather than later! We hope to meet you soon!
How can I apply for the tax credit? As of when this article was written, we have no specific details on how families can apply for the tax credit. We do know that this will go into effect in January 2024. More details on how to apply and more will come from the Oklahoma Tax Commission soon.
Happy Summer NW Okies! Hope y’all have been out enjoying some spawning fish and preparing those deer stands for the upcoming season. If you haven’t, it’s about time to get those game cameras in place and see what you’ve got roaming around.
Speaking of Summer, the end of May kicks off the Walleye Rodeo in good ole Canton, Oklahoma. The “rodeo” is Oklahoma’s oldest and largest fishing tournament. Thousands of visitors flood the lake and small town to enjoy the fishing tourney, a carnival, vendor booths and an art show. Additionally, typically on the Saturday of the tournament, there is a 5K race, a fun run, poker run, barbecue cookoff and car show. To top it off there is a parade. Fun for all!
After the parade and food trucks, there is a street dance. It’s a great way to burn off those calories from the onion burgers and Indian tacos you’d previously consumed. On Sunday, there is a kid’s fishing derby for those 12 years of age and younger. The kids have the ability to win a lifetime fishing license, which would save you parents a few hundred bucks. An awards ceremony is held with ice cream and hamburgers and simply good fellowship with the locals and fellow fishermen.
Prizes are given out for several different categories, including 10 different species of fish. Walleye, stripers, drum, buffalo, carp, sunfish, flathead, white bass, channel cat, crappie, black bass and hybrids are all worth prizes if you catch the biggest. Several fish are tagged, and a tagged fish can be worth anywhere from $20 to $500!
The 2024 Canton Lake Walleye Rodeo will be May 16, 17, 18 and 19th. I’d suggest reserving a camping spot early as the place is guaranteed to be packed. Remember, be courteous and hurry at the boat dock and loading ramps, pick up your trash and your campsite, don’t blare late night music, etc. Simply do what we do, which is be sportsmen(women). Until then, catch ya around the bend!
