Author: Sarah Hogle Reviewed by Chloe Fuksa, Putnam Six Bookstore
Released in October of this year, Just Like Magic is the third novel from author Sarah Hogle but the first holiday-themed one. It would appear to be a typical Christmas romantic comedy – bring fake boyfriend home to family, end up falling in love – but Just Like Magic is so uniquely quirky and different. It has the cliché things, like ice skating and caroling and snowball fights. But also, socks that sing a Polar Express song with each step? A large live-in gingerbread house that appears in the blink of an eye?
The main character, Bettie, was once a prosperous influencer but is now secretly broke and dreading the upcoming Christmas gathering with her family. One night, after a few too many drinks, she accidently summons the Holiday Spirit, personified by a handsome young man named Hall. Bettie initially only uses his magic powers to benefit herself though – asking for wealthy items to keep up the appearance of her prior fame, enacting revenge on the people who have wronged her. But Hall’s enthusiasm and sincerity and warmth – think, Buddy the Elf energy – starts to rub off on her, as well as her family. Rather than bickering at every dinner or treating gift giving as a who’s-the-richest competition, they start showing their true selves and rediscovering the love they have for each other.
Just Like Magic isn’t a perfect book – the humor can be a tad bizarre at times and one scene in particular doesn’t make, frankly, an ounce of sense toward the plot. But if you look past that, it does have great characters – Hall in particular – and some good messages too. It’s a really fun, enjoyable read that will surely get you ready for Christmastime.
Visit us in Sunset Plaza or call 580-297-5089 to get your copy of Just Like Magic today!
Author: Alice Schertle & Jill McElmurry Reviewed by Chloe Fuksa, Putnam Six Bookstore
Author Alice Schertle may not have the name recognition like a Mo Willems or a Sandra Boynton, but the Little Blue Truck has quickly become one of the most popular series for children. There are board books for the littlest kiddos, picture books for the older kiddos, and holiday-themed ones for the whole range. Little Blue Truck: Makes a Friend is the newest addition to the series, having been published this September.
The story begins when the farm animals notice that someone new has moved in on the farm. They immediately start wondering if it is like any of them. Does it have hooves like Horse or wool like Sheep? Can it float like Duck or jump like Goat? When the animals discover it isn’t like any of them, they immediately get frightened and go hide away. But not Blue and Toad – they welcome Chuck and invite him into their friend group. Chuck is so relieved that they stopped by, and the other animals immediately come say hello once they see that Chuck isn’t scary at all. The book ends as the whole group, including Chuck, jumps in Blue for a ride around the farm together.
This book is wonderful for multiple reasons. The simple, snappy rhyming pattern on each page makes it a perfect pick for a storytime read-aloud, and kids can practice what sound each animal makes from the repetition throughout. Most importantly, it has a really good message on kindness and acceptance, as well as leadership. If you’re looking for a Christmas gift for a youngster aged 4-7, you certainly can’t go wrong with Little Blue Truck: Makes a Friend.
Visit us in Sunset Plaza or call 580-297-5089 to get your copy of Little Blue Truck: Makes a Friend today!
Once again, the holidays are over and now people are wondering, what is there to do here in Enid for entertainment? It’s too cold to go to the park unless it’s one of those uncommonly warm January days that can’t be counted on. One can only go out to eat so much. So, what else is there to do? Here’s the answer: Live music! There are several venues in Enid that feature live music on a regular basis, and they feature all genres. From rock to blues to country, you can find it all right here in Enid, Oklahoma.
The Venues
Enid has become quite the destination for live music, and a large number of bars, clubs and venues have live music regularly. You can always check out our event calendar in the print magazine and online at enidmonthly.com for the most up to date information. Here are a few of the more popular places to hear live music:
The Spot (417 N. Grand) usually has bands two nights a week, from September through June. They welcome all genres of music, especially bands from Enid and surrounding areas. “Enid has a thriving and growing live music scene, and with a little bit of cooperation between venues, it could really explode. Since we started bringing in live music about five years ago, it has really gotten better around town, and we really enjoy giving a choice for people to enjoy music,” says owner, Tim McGugin. The Spot lists all upcoming shows on its Facebook page. It is a hopping place on the weekends, and they would love to see new faces.
Shooters Lounge (1416 N. Grand) hosts one to two live events at their venue each month. They welcome diverse types of music and when they are packed you will be able to tell due to the large front parking area. According to owner Morgan Meyers, “We started doing live music again last year because I love the atmosphere and the people it brings in. We like to showcase local bands from here in Enid and surrounding areas. I want people to feel at home when they come in and I want them to have a great time and meet great people.”
You can also find a live band about once a week at The Alibi Bar (224 W. Broadway). It’s a mix of genres and another place for the discovery of new bands and live talent. Owner Jenny Beliele loves live music and wants everyone to be able to check out their favorite bands without worrying about cost. “We never charge a cover because we want people to enjoy live music, especially bands they might now see otherwise. We had The Damn Quails in, which as a small venue, we knew would lose money, but there is nothing like a great band and great fun for our customers. We book a wide range of genres, from 80’s, to blue grass, to red dirt to rock and roll and everything in between,” Jenny says. You can check out their schedule on “The Alibi” Facebook page.
Not to be forgotten are our local downtown breweries like Enid Brewing Co. and Settlers Brewing Co. who offer up some tunes with their locally brewed beer. The Elk’s Lodge, the Barn and CW Scooters (among others) are also places you can regularly catch a live show.
The Artists
Enid (and the surrounding small towns) is the birthplace of many local legends that have graced stages big and small, here and elsewhere. And while some have been on the road for decades, we are home to some great up-and-coming artists too.
Wyatt Wilson began performing when he was just 9 years old as the frontman and guitar player of the local classic rock band, High Voltage. Joining him the in the band were local youngsters Koy Thomas on bass guitar and Karak Thompson on drums. Although none had reached teenage years, they played all around town including their first gig at The Cue Spot, long known around town as a great place for live music (and pool). Although he first picked up a guitar with his grandad, David McCoy, who was also a well-known local band member, he credits a lot of lessons with Riley Jantzen and later Billy Beck for helping him progress, ultimately to what he loves, the pedal steel guitar. “I was listening to Jason Boland and the Stragglers and heard a sound I liked, and I figured out it was a steel guitar,” Wilson said, “so I really looked up to Roger Ray and wanted to learn how to play. I am a lot self-taught, but Billy really helped me learn some differences in 6 string and steel.” Those lessons, along with his own hard work, have led to a potential full-time gig as a steel guitar player for Josh Ward, who is taking off in the Texas Country scene. As of this interview, Wilson is flying to Las Vegas to join Josh Ward’s band for a tryout and show at the Westgate Casino. Even if things don’t go as planned, Wilson has a full-time gig with the Lane Haas Band, and still loves playing in Enid. “I really like playing around Enid because it’s a very welcoming music community. There’s not a lot of competition between bands, and we all help each other out. Everyone is so kind and supportive, and I don’t know many other places like it,” he says. As for his favorite places to play, Wilson said he loves the Spot because they always have a good sound guy, and CW Scooters when it is full and rowdy.
Photo by Carianne ManleyPhoto by Tyler Pace
Another local up-and-coming artist is Eric Layton. Eric also started performing as a pre-teen and remembers his first performance playing “Stairway to Heaven” on electric guitar at his 5th Grade graduation. At 12 years old, he joined his first band, Hidden Agenda, with the much older Rob Johnson, Daylon Caruthers and Chris Kaiser. “At first they asked me to fill in some for gigs when their guitar player couldn’t make it, but eventually I joined full-time,” Eric says, “I really look up to those guys and they gave me a chance to play with some really good musicians at a young age.” As with Wyatt, Eric remembers his first show with the band being at the Cue Spot. From Hidden Agenda, Eric has played with rock cover band Beautiful Disaster, easy listening band the ArtFarmers, and is currently with Jase Holtom (original red dirt country) and the Life Church Worship team.
Layton’s favorite local venue to play is CW Scooters. “Scooters is big and rowdy, and I feed off the crowd energy. It’s really fun,” he says, and the most people he has played in front of was last year’s tree lighting at “The One.” “The tree lighting was a huge crowd both this year and last. There were thousands of people there. It was a good time. I really like to play worship music, and really all types of music.”
Whether it be a worship service or a rowdy dive bar, Layton will be wailing out on his guitar. Ultimately, he dreams of “making it” which for him is being able to make a living as a studio or touring musician, and if we were betting, we’d have our money on it happening.
The Audience
Anywhere you go in town, you are likely to see some of the same faces that really love live music. One of those regulars, Tammy Wilson (Mother of Wyatt Wilson), has been going to see live music in Enid for more than 30 years. “My dad (David McCoy) played in local bands, like Stephanie and the Driving Daddies, so almost as long as I can remember, if I could get in, I’d go watch him perform. I have always had a love for live music and really enjoy the atmosphere when a live band is playing,” Tammy says. “I like the crowd engagement from the bands, and really appreciate smaller venues because of the different experience you can have. That’s not to say I don’t appreciate big arena concerts, but the intimacy a small venue has to offer is really cool. I also really like that in a town like Enid, you get to know the people and the local performers and see a lot of the same people all over town at different places. It’s like our own little community and you will see someone you know at almost any local live show.”
Photo by Tom Harris
Tammy has been pretty much everywhere and has an interesting take on the history of Enid live music; “Live music in Enid ebbs and flows. There will be periods of time where there is a lot of live music and then it seems to die down a bit. Then people start getting back into shows and there will be lots of performances again. Right now, we are in a good period, it seems. I really like watching shows at the Spot because Tim brings in a lot of really interesting bands from outside Enid, and it’s really diverse. And the sound is really good there. I’ve also been impressed with the Alibi, although it’s a small venue, Jenny does a good job having people play consistently. And Settlers (Brewing Co.) is great because its non- smoking.
The thing that Tammy likes most about the local scene is the support from not only the town, but the musicians. “The musicians here really help each other out. I just think it is really cool how much support they give to each other, whether it is helping them learn, coming to the shows or whatever, they really pay it forward. Some of the younger artists you are interviewing have been performing since they were pretty little. These older people really have helped them every step of the way.”
Anywhere there is live music, you are likely to see a trademark top hat and a big smile belonging to local live music aficionado Dallas Morris. Morris has been enjoying live music in Enid since 1964. His grandfather and mother were ragtime piano players, and he performed as a folksinger in the 60s. “Live music watching has been my full-time job since I retired from Halliburton in 1991,” Morris said, “I’ve seen hundreds or thousands of local shows. I really like the skill of the different musicians around here. I will watch almost anything, besides rap, and as long as they are good, it doesn’t matter what genre it is.”
Dallas Morris and a Young Wyatt Wilson
One of Morris’ favorite shows from the past was seeing Mel McDaniel (Baby’s Got Her Blue Jeans On) at the old Bamboo Club and he really misses the Cue Spot. “The Cue Spot leaving left a big hole. It was a great atmosphere, had someone playing almost every Tuesday night and the audience was knowledgeable and loved good music,” he remembers.
Morris echoes Wilson’s thoughts about the up-and-down nature of live music in the community, “There are times when its really good and times when it isn’t. Covid really hurt a lot of venues and musicians as they need crowds, but it seems like it has really come back pretty good right now. There are a lot of good places to see live music. I really enjoy the Alibi, the Spot and the Barn and Van Damage, Beautiful Disaster and the Lane Haas Band are some of my local favorites to go see,” he said.
There you go. Great food, friendly faces, great atmosphere, and a great time with friends and acquaintances, not to mention great drinks. Head out to one of these local venues this month and start your new year out with a bang and maybe a few new friends and great memories. Support your local businesses and artists!
Casseroles have become a staple in our home now that the cooler weather has begun to settle in. But I will be honest, there are just so many chicken casserole recipes a girl can handle before starting to go a little crazy…so I started looking to the internet for some new ideas. In my research, I found this recipe and thought it to be interesting. It is a little like a tetrazzini recipe, but with a spicy flare, using a can of Rotel, and no mushrooms. The tomatoes and green chiles really give this casserole a great flavor, while being extra creamy and cheesy with the 3 cheeses in the dish.
The recipe instructs you to use fresh chicken, but I had some chicken breasts already cooked, so I just cut those up into chunks and reheated the pieces in the olive oil with the Italian seasoning.
I also have begun to shred my own cheese. Did you know that pre-shredded cheeses have anti-caking additives mixed in to keep the cheese from clumping and mold inhibitors to keep the cheese from molding?? These additives also make it more difficult for the cheese to melt, plus…it’s additives. So, I found this rotating shredder on Amazon that makes shredding my own cheese super easy. (Amazon link is listed at the end of this article.)
Anyways, this casserole was a HUGE hit with the Hubs, and my extended family, as the recipe makes enough for a good, healthy 8 servings. I served it with a nice green salad and a slice of garlic bread. So, try out the recipe and let me know what you think. And Happy Cooking!!
Ingredients
2 small boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 teaspoons Italian Seasoning
Salt/Pepper
2 Tablespoons olive oil
4 Tablespoons butter
1 small yellow onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 Tablespoons flour
1 ½ cups chicken broth
¾ cup milk
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
10 oz. diced tomatoes & green chilies
8 oz. Thin Spaghetti
1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
red pepper flakes & chopped parsley, to garnish
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Slice the chicken in half lengthwise to create 2 thinner slices. Pat dry and season lightly with salt/pepper and Italian seasoning.
Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat and sear the chicken on each side for 5-6 minutes. Remove and set aside. Dice into bite-sized pieces once cool enough to handle.
Make the Sauce
Reduce heat to medium low. Melt the butter in the same pot and use a silicone spatula to clean the chicken bits from the bottom. This is called “fond” and it gives the sauce a nice flavor.
Add the onions and cook until softened, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
Sprinkle flour over the onions and toss to coat. Cook for 2 minutes, until you can no longer smell flour.
Add the chicken broth in splashes to maintain the thickness of the roux. Stir in between each splash. Add the milk next, a little bit at a time. Whisk until combined and smooth.
(Now is a good time to start boiling the water for the pasta. Cook it according to package instructions and drain once finished.)
Meanwhile, let the sauce simmer and reduce while the pasta water heats up. Add the softened cream cheese and stir continuously until melted and smooth. This is more difficult if the cream cheese is cold.
Reduce heat to low and let the base cool a bit. Sprinkle in the shredded cheddar and stir to combine.
If you’d like to thin the sauce out at all, add a little bit of the juice from the diced tomatoes, otherwise, drain the juice and add the tomatoes along with the chicken. Stir to combine.
Stir in the spaghetti. If you’re not using an oven-safe pot, transfer to a lightly greased 9×13 casserole dish.
Bake
Top with mozzarella cheese and bake uncovered for 15 minutes. If desired, broil it for a few minutes at 475 degrees at the end, watch it closely.
Remove from the oven. Garnish with red pepper flakes and fresh Parsley. Serve with a side of Garlic Bread with Cheese.
**recipe adapted from The Cozy Cook (thecozycook.com/chickenspaghetti) Link to Cheese Grater: https://tinyurl.com/48a73xyf
In an attempt to serve and give back to the community, OBA Headmaster, Andrew Wilkins, made the decision to install a new monthly rhythm in the lives of OBA students and faculty this year. On the first Friday of every month, OBA students split into individual classes and serve the community in various ways for the remainder of the afternoon. Students have served this year by reading books to children, picking up trash on the side of the road, playing bingo with the residents of The Commons, and so much more. The junior class has served at 4 R Kids the past two months, cleaning up the putt-putt area, prepping games for their annual carnival, organizing donations, helping and engaging in the paper-shredding barn, and completing other various tasks as needed. Brendon Tubbs said he, “enjoyed talking with the employees of 4 R Kids and getting to know them. It was great to see the behind-the-scenes of the familiar Putt-Putt course.”
Senior Kate Janzen says of the service learning days, “It has been so fulfilling seeing the joy we brought to the people of The Commons, I met a sweet lady and we had a great time talking about her life story and hobbies, and we still keep in contact to this day. I can’t wait to go back again next month and see her and the others again.” These service learning outings are twofold in design: to bless the community that has blessed us so much, and to instill a love of service in OBA students. Senior and Student Body President, Holden Caldwell, recounts, “It really made an impact on me to talk with people who had much more life experience than I have as they taught me invaluable life advice. The experience showed me a possible way to give back to my community in the future.”
As a Christian school, our expected outcomes are different than a government school. We desire for our graduates to be faithful servant leaders to local churches and the community. OBA is committed to educating the heart that looks to serve others because of Christ’s love for us. Our prayer is that our students choose a vocation to serve others well from within the strengths and passions God has given them and not just the level of compensation. Our hope is that these service projects help these outcomes develop in our students.
If you aren’t lucky enough to own property holding wildlife, seeking land to hunt or even lease can be a difficult, frustrating process. In addition to all the “no hunting” signs you see, some hunting/fishing groups from the cities are constantly paying high dollar to lease land all across Oklahoma for their club members to enjoy.
Growing up in Beaver County, I was privileged to be able to hunt about anywhere in the county. The farmers I worked for had a significant amount of acreage I could hunt, but the majority of landowners in that part of the state knew my family well enough they’d let us hunt their land. They knew we’d take care of it, and sometimes share our bounty.
After I graduated from Iowa State, I made the trip up to Turpin with some pals to see if we could find any pheasant or quail. I was shocked to see how many “Edmond Hunting Club” type signs were posted. I really couldn’t blame the landowners, as many were being paid to keep CRP fields in addition to leasing the lands to these clubs for some good money.
If this is you, don’t fret, there are still plenty of fields available for you to traverse. I’d suggest looking at the Oklahoma Wildlife Department’s website (www.wildlifedepartment.com). On it, you’ll find a link to public hunting areas including some here in Garfield County. The Drummond Flats contains over 5,000 acres with some timber, a couple of creeks and some timber.
When we aren’t in a drought, these wetlands hold ducks and geese. Pheasant and quail are both present (although like the rest of the state the numbers have continued to decrease). Turkey, rabbit, coyote and dove can also be found on the public grounds and are available to be harvested. Canton, Dewey County, Beaver County, Ellis County and the Salt Plains all have WMAs (Wildlife Management Areas) and are within driving distance and have some large tracts of land to hunt.
Please note in addition to the hunting regulations, there are “area specific” hunting regulations as well. The same webpage mentioned above will provide the information concerning each particular WMA. My last bit of advice is this: this is public ground available to all licensed hunters. As such, it’s possible you encounter strangers or even a large amount of other hunters. Be respectful and courteous but most of all safe. If you tip toe into some timber with a climbing stand looking to find a deer, don’t set up 25 yards from another hunter that’s set up a ground blind. If you come across other’s personal property, leave it be. If someone is already pheasant hunting a quarter you’d like to hunt, don’t start at the other end of the same quarter. That’s enough preaching from me, so get on out there and find ya some wildlife or if you are like me, just get out and sit and solve the world’s problems in your own head.
Until next time, Okies . . .maybe I’ll see ya around the bend.
Hey!! And welcome back to Teen Scene in Enid Monthly. I am very happy to say we made it through the year, so you know what that means……the 2022 TEEN SCENE AWARDS!!! Since it’s the end of the year I think its time to give out some awards hence the title. Let’s get to it!!
Best Singer/Songwriter
I think many of us could agree that Taylor Swift deserves this award. She recently came out with her new album “Midnights” which has had many songs hit the billboard in a day of their releasing. My favorite song from this album is Anti-Hero.
My favorite series this year would have to be the Summer I Turned Pretty!! I know MANY teens my age would agree with this winner because it was all that could be talked about!! From the AMAZING storyline to the very cute boys. This series written by Jenny Han is based off the trilogy book series by Jenny herself. I remember going to summer pride the next morning I watched it, and A LOT of the girls were talking about it. I didn’t hear about one person disliking it!! This series is my favorite this year, because it is full of many cliffhangers, adorable scenes, and awesome music. I would have to say this will be in my top 3 all time favs I’ve ever seen. (You can watch this for free on Amazon Prime Video).
Best Food Trend
In my opinion I would have to say the “Perfectly Round Cookie” trend had to be my favorite this year. As a baker I tend to try hard to perfect my baked goods and having round cookies is a must!! I know not a lot of teens would agree with me on this but when I saw it on TikTok it seemed very popular!! How you do it is when you take your cookies fresh out of the oven, get a round glass cup and put it over each cookie, one at a time. Shake the cookie around with the glass so that the edges become perfectly rounded.
Best TikTok Scandal
I think most of the teens reading this will probable know what I’m talking about based off 2 names, Monty Lopez, and Yung Gravy. As some of you may know the famous “TikTok star” Addison Rae, you might know that her dad cheated on her mom with a younger girl. After this incident the 26-year-old songwriter Yung Gravy decided to take his chances with Sheri Nicole or Addison’s mom. I think this scandal is not just funny but very entertaining!!
That’s it for this year’s Teen Choice Awards. I hope you all enjoyed!! If you have any questions, comments, or ideas on upcoming articles be sure to email me at tweensceneenid@gmail.com. I would love to hear about some of the winners you disagree with and what or who you think should’ve won!! So, email me for that as well. If you are reading this before Christmas, I want to wish you a Very Merry Christmas and a Happy December!! See you next year!! <3333
The Enid High School Girls Cross Country team beat out 30 other 6A programs in winning the Academic Title for best GPA of all Cross Country teams in their class. According to Coach Mark Johnson, every one of the 7 varsity starters boasted 4.0 unweighted GPA’s meaning they all had straight A’s last year. “We joked around and said that we might not be the fastest team in 6A, but we are definitely the smartest!” said Coach Johnson while being presented the awards by Enid School Board President Torry Turnbow. Afterwards, Coach Johnson said “I am super proud of these girls working hard not only on the trails, but in school! They are setting themselves up for a life of success in whatever they set their minds to.”
The members of the team receiving the award were Sarah Bonebrake, Camry Carmichael, Brionna Clayton, Sophia Faulk, Gabi Hinter, Abigail Poggenpohl and Loren Simpson (not pictured).
INTEGRIS Health is pleased to announce Keaton Francis as the new chief hospital executive (CHE) at INTEGRIS Bass Baptist Health Center.
Francis will replace Kurt DeVaney, who accepted the chief hospital executive position at INTEGRIS Health Southwest Medical Center.
“My family and I are elated about the opportunity to serve not only the community of Enid, but the people of northwest Oklahoma,” Francis said. “INTEGRIS Health has a proven track record of delivering safe, quality health care to the people of Oklahoma. I am pleased, excited, but most of all, grateful to be able to work with the board, medical staff and hospital staff at INTEGRIS Bass Baptist Health Center to further carry out our organization’s Mission of partnering with people to live healthier lives.”
Francis joins INTEGRIS Health from AllianceHealth Durant where he’s held the assistant chief executive officer role since 2019. Francis was responsible for physician recruitment, radiology, laboratory, pharmacy, respiratory therapy, physical therapy, plant operations, dietary, environmental services, business development, bio-med and security. In his time there, he successfully recruited eight physicians, improved the financial performance of the hospital and completed multiple facility projects.
Prior to that, Francis served as interim chief administrator officer at AllianceHealth Madill, assistant administrator at Comanche County Hospital Authority and multiple leadership roles at Southwestern Medical Center in Lawton.
He has a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in marketing from Cameron University and a master’s degree in health care administration from Trinity University. His first day at INTEGRIS Health will be Jan. 9, 2023.
