Come listen as Enid attorney Stephen Jones talks about growing up in Houston, law school at OU, working for Richard Nixon, a little bit about the McVeigh trial and more. Only in the Enid Monthly.
Children’s Non-Fiction Review
Title: All the Way to the Top
Author: Annette Bay Pimentel
Illustrator: Nabi H. Ali
Reviewed by: Michaelene M.
Jennifer Keelan uses a wheelchair. As she rolls her way to school on the first day, she realizes that it’s hard to navigate in a world that’s not accessible or user friendly, from the curbs on the sidewalks to the stairs leading up to her new school. When she and her family find out about a group of adult activists nearby, Jennifer joins in the fight advocating for the rights of people with disabilities.
This picture book offers readers a look into Jennifer’s personal journey into activism as well as the events of the Capitol Crawl on March 12, 1990. Though others discouraged Jennifer’s participation, she joined the protest at the age of eight-years-old, crawling up the steps of the Capitol Building in Washington D.C.
An additional glossary and timeline at the back gives more background into activism, the disability rights movement, and the passing of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
An inspiring and intimate biography, this picture book offers a great place for young readers and their parents to begin conversations about accessibility. Jennifer’s story shows us all that there is no age limit on making a difference.
All the Way to the Top is available as a physical book in the library. Call us at 580-234-6313 to reserve.
Mental Health Awareness: What’s the Problem
On May 31st, another “Mental Health Awareness” month will come to a close. Being in the field of substance use disorder, I think it’s important that we raise the level of awareness to the problematic societal effects of the mental health crisis. It is important that we have an understanding of the negative impact mental health disorders, including Substance Use Disorder, continue to have on individuals, families and society.
COVID has increased mental health disorders. In an article in Psychology Today, it indicated that there was an eighteen percent, (18%) increase in illicit drug overdose deaths through June 2020 compared to the first six months of 2019. COVID was listed as the general cause but the specific reasons given for this increase are the exact reasons many mental health disorders have always been problematic.
Every credible source indicated mental health disorders increased due to anxiety, fear of economic insecurity, being isolated, getting sick, losing life, fear of losing loved ones’, and idle time. Most articles specified anxiety and depression as the two key problems due to COVID. We could identify with the cause, but the reality is that a large percent of our population have lived with many of these disorders long before COVID. Hopefully, this will help us understand that Substance Use Disorder has always had underlying issues. When all of society is going through difficult times resulting in emotional upset, we relate to a common denominator. COVID was identified as our Albatross.
We all went through grief. We lost a lifestyle and more. We were anxious, somewhat isolated, fearful, and depressed. But the Albatross carried by so many prior to COVID is invisible to us. They’ve had similar symptoms as we without COVID. Can this help us be more understanding of their pain regardless of cause?
Mental Health Awareness is important. But how many years do we ‘address’ problematic behaviors by talking about the size of the problem. Until we focus on solutions, problems only grow. Lip service solves nothing without positive action.
We need conscientious efforts to provide more services. Prisons have become our largest treatment center and statistically have failed miserably in that role. In fact, it often perpetuates the problem. Beyond a political change in priorities and ideology, what can we do?
If we know anxiety and depression for any reason is problematic, lift someone up. Be a helping hand in their times of struggle. Reassure them that there is always hope. If isolation is problematic be more inclusive. Be tolerant of differences. Reach out to those who feel alone. To gather the strength within our own struggles, be a positive influence on others, listen to music, enjoy a nature walk, star gaze, laugh, engage with people from whom we can listen and learn, have compassion and be a voice and example of calm rather than divisiveness.
Most importantly, never forget that we are all connected by one great universe that is so powerful that we remain open to the energy available outside of ourselves. I can’t sit around a camp fire on a riverbank with people I care about, look at the star-filled sky without the feeling of being a small part of this indescribable universe. I feel connected to something bigger than I. Universally, we feel small and humble. But to the people we come into contact with and those we love and care about, we are huge; as they are to us; Hence, a part of our purpose here.
Earth’s Evil Twin
The Goddess of Love. The Morning and Evening Star. The star of Wimbledon. Wait, wrong Venus. This mysterious planet has captivated the human race for millennia. The first known mention of the wandering star is from a Babylonian tablet dating to 1600BC. From China to Greece, Venus was an important symbol in the ancient night sky. Most impressive, however, were the Mayan astronomers and their incredible ability to observe, understand, and calculate the synodic period — roughly 584 days — of Venus. Their detailed studies are inscribed in the Dresden Codex which happens to be one of the oldest written texts from the American continents. In the modern era, however, Venus is understood to be an absolute hellscape. An Earth gone awry. With scorching temperatures and skull-crushing air pressure, it’s not the goddess of love. The goddess of despair, perhaps? But while Venus is the little planet that couldn’t, it has presented astronomers with important clues that will guide us on our next two trips aboard The Cosmic Mariner.
First and foremost; Venus is the Coors Light of planets. This makes Earth a nice cold Coors on a warm Oklahoma day. Why? Because Earth and Venus are near sister planets that couldn’t be more different in palatability. On December 15, 1970, the Soviet Union landed a spacecraft on the Venusian surface, albeit at a high rate of speed, for the first time in history. It survived for an astounding 23 minutes. During that time, it was discovered that the surface of Venus is a brisk 880 degrees Fahrenheit and has an atmospheric pressure of over ninety times that of Earth’s. This would be similar to a quick jog at a depth of over 3,000ft below the ocean’s surface and at a temperature beyond the melting point of lead. Spoiler alert; it’s not pleasant. To top all of this off, the devilish planet has no water, numerous volcanoes, sulfuric acid rain, it rotates backward (clockwise), it has little-to-no magnetic field, it has a 96% CO2 atmosphere, and takes 243 Earth days to complete one full day. That’s longer than a Venusian year. So how did Venus end up being the bastard child of our solar system despite being near the fabled “Goldilocks Zone” in which liquid water can exist? Well, coincidentally, the answer to this question not only assists astronomers in searching for habitable exoplanets beyond our cosmic shores but also helps them understand why and how Earth is the magnificent miracle it is.
The first major conundrum facing Venus is the planet’s unfortunate runaway greenhouse gas effect. Despite being the most reflective planet in the solar system due to its thick CO2 cloud cover, the measly 20% of the sunlight that does manage to reach the surface is unable to escape as infrared radiation. This causes the atmosphere to warm in a never-ending cycle that continues to cook the planet. In fact, because of this ludicrously dense atmosphere, Venus is the reigning champion of the “hottest” planet award. After all, it is the “love” goddess. Interestingly, the same heating process exists on Earth as well. Lucky for us, Earth has carbonate rocks, oceans, phytoplankton, and trees that keep the system in check. Without these systems in place, Earth would have a similar atmospheric CO2 content. This is why climatologists are worried about rising ocean temperatures throughout the globe.
The second and most important problem facing this inhospitable world is that it lacks a magnetosphere. Magnetic fields are essentially shields that protect the surfaces of planets and moons from the abundant and extremely deadly cosmic radiation that bombards our planet daily. The most probable reason for this is the incredibly slow rotational speed of Venus combined with the lack of convection, or tectonic movement, within the interior. Without a magnetosphere, like we have on Earth, Venus has no defense against the powerful solar winds that strip the atmosphere of important molecules such as water and oxygen. At one time, when Venus was young and likely had a magnetosphere, it may have been habitable. But as the core cooled and the planet lost its magnetic field, solar winds likely decimated any oceans, lakes, and rivers that existed on this now-defunct world. Earth is lucky enough to have a fast rotational speed and active tectonics that produce a protective magnetic field that encircles the planet. In fact, you can see the radiation that would turn our blue marble into the hellscape of Venus in the arctic and antarctic circles as the stunning aurora. This beautiful light show demonstrates one of the fundamental necessities that allow life to flourish. This brings us to the conclusion of part one of this two-part story.
Venus has taught us two things. One, the presence of a magnetic field is a mere necessity for the existence of a habitable exoplanet to exist with alien potential. And two, that the Earth is a miraculous miracle, or perhaps a simple fluke, in the expanse of the cosmos and that, had our planet cooled too quickly or rotated too slowly, we could have been another hellscape like our sister world, Venus. So next time you look at Venus in the crisp morning air, just remember that the world you’re looking at holds keys to uncovering potential alien homes. Next month, we’ll look at how these keys are being used to open new doorways into the cosmos.
Paddlefish
Howdy fellow fisher(wo)men! Spring has sprung and the water is right to start catching a few gilled creatures. While being raised a bass/crappie fisherman, I was recently lucky enough to take my dad and son on a trip for a prehistoric creature, the good ole’ paddlefish. Known by the masses as “Spoonbill” this species has been in existence since before the dinosaurs. Fishing for these monsters is not as easy as lobbing out a bobber and a minor on an old Zebco 33, however.
Paddlefish are like sharks, meaning their entire body is full of cartilage instead of bones. Their long snout (hence, “paddle”) guides the fish smoothly through the water, feeding with a wide-open mouth straining plankton throughout its gills. The average paddlefish weighs about 40 lbs, although Oklahoma set the world record (TWICE!) last year at Keystone Lake here in Oklahoma at 151 lb 14 oz giant! The prehistoric beast had a band that determined the fish to be over twenty-five years old.
While plentiful in Oklahoma, the species is not the easiest to catch. Considering they do not eat meat, there are not any baits to use to try to catch one. Instead, a snagging technique is utilized, where an individual has a sturdy rod/reel with a 12 oz treble hook and significant weight. Depending on whether river/dam fishing or lake fishing determines the best method to hook into one of these giants. For some, “trolling” (dragging multiple rods with multiple treble hooks) behind a boat at a slow rate of speed works best; others cast out these same types of rods/reels/hooks across a river during the spawning season to snag their fish during the spawning season. Lastly, a technique utilizing a “live scope” is efficient, in which an underwater camera locates the fish and then the angler attempts to hook the fish using the same equipment mentioned above.
As opposed to many thoughts and opinions paddlefish are delicious. Unlike normal fish, their texture is similar to a pork chop. While fried cubes will treat you right, my favorite so far is seasoned and left in an air fryer for approximately 20 minutes. Their eggs are considered “poor man’s caviar” and are highly regulated in many states, and equally as delicious.
As with any hunted/fished species, the state Department of Wildlife heavily regulates limits to ensure the species remain in existence. Be sure to check your local regulations and comply to ensure these primitive creatures can be sought for years to come.
Enid Outlaws v. Little Rock Lightning Game Preview (and Shreveport Recap)
The Enid Outlaws (11-2) scored a major victory last night over the Shreveport Mavericks (10-3) to take sole possession of 2nd place in the Central Conference. It was a close affair all game long, with the Outlaws pulling away at the end 117-112. Team leader Chance Comanche scored 32 points and had 16 rebounds, followed by five other Outlaws in double figures including Charlie Marquardt with 20. Of great concern to the Outlaws and their fans was an injury to Lindy Waters III in the 2nd quarter where he fell to the ground after a hard foul clutching his ankle. There has been no report on his availability for Sunday, but it would be surprising if he makes it back so soon and might need some time to rest.
Big fans of the Outlaws may have noticed a new face, Devin Harris, playing Saturday. Harris had 16 points and looked solid as a mid season signee, and was instrumental in taking some of the minutes needed after Waters’ injury.
The Outlaws have have a quick turn around and play at home again this afternoon against the Little Rock Lightning. The Lightning is 4-9 on the year, however one of their wins has come against the good Shreveport team the Outlaws faced last night, so the Outlaws cannot take the night off. The Outlaws have won both games they have played against Little Rock this year, 97-71 and 100-80.
The Lighting is led by big man Percell Washington (#22) who is averaging a stout 23.6 points and 11 rebounds per game. At 6 foot 11, this will be a good matchup with Chance Comanche. Deonta Terrell (#3) is their second leading scorer at 23.5 points per game and shoots 38.8% from 3.
As always, tickets start at $8 and are available at the Stride Bank Center Box Office or at www.stridebankcenter.com. Tipoff is at 4:00 p.m.
Enid Outlaws v. Shreveport Mavericks Game Preview
Your hometown Enid Outlaws (10-2) are hosting the Shreveport Mavericks (10-2) at 6:00 p.m. Saturday evening. This contest matches up two excellent teams in a battle for 2nd place in the Central Conference. After starting out red-hot, the Outlaws have dropped 2 out of their last 3 and really need to get a win over a quality opponent tonight.
The Outlaws are led by big man Chance Comanche, the league leader in points (27.9 PPG) and 2nd in rebounds (12.6 RPG) and Watonga native, Wayne Runnels who is going off for 21.9 PPG and pulls down 5.8 rebounds. Charlie Marquardt has been lighting it up over the last several games and has raised his average to 20.4 PPG and shooting an unreal 51.4% from 3 on a high volume of shots.
Shreveport is on a 4 game winning streak and heavily relies on point Guard AJ Mosby (#2) who is good for 26.3 points, 6.2 assists and 5.8 rebounds per game. SG Jordan Lyons (#20) is another really good player for the Mavericks (20.9 PPG, 45.1% from 3). Lyons is the co-owner of the NCAA D-1 record for 3’s in a game (15) while playing for Furman in 2018, so you know he can get hot.
The game will be held at the Stride Bank Center in downtown Enid and tickets start at $8 and are available at the box office or at www.stridebankcenter.com
Spring into Healthy Aging
Spring is finally here! Sunny blue skies, birds singing, warm weather, and now is your chance to get out and enjoy this most beautiful time in Northwestern Oklahoma. It is a wonderful feeling to be able to take a walk, enjoy times with family and friends or maybe even head out to the yard for a little spring cleaning or gardening. Now that spring has sprung, it is a great time to starting thinking about making some small changes to your everyday routine to live a healthier lifestyle.
Small changes add up! By making small changes to your everyday routine, they will add up over time to a huge change in your overall health. This is called action planning and it works.
You can start action planning today, just by making one small change in your life that you can accomplish in 7 days. Ask yourself these questions:
What do I WANT to change?
This is the most important question you can ask yourself. Because guess what, if you don’t WANT to make the change it won’t change. Make sure you choose something that you want to change, if you are willing to make the change it’s more likely to happen.
How can I incorporate this small change into my daily life?
Now that you have decided what you want to change. Now it is time to consider how you will implement the change. For example, let’s say you want to start moving more. You don’t have to join a gym or carve out an hour of your day to start. Start with 10 minutes. Ask yourself, can I find 10 minutes a few times in the week to incorporate more activity? What time of day would be best? And then schedule that 10 minutes into your daily routine. Start small, you can always increase the time you spend as you get more comfortable.
How confident am I that I can accomplish this change?
You must have confidence that you can accomplish your small goal. If your plan is too big it will become difficult to accomplish. It is important to make sure that your goal is doable. Remember you can only climb a mountain one step at a time. What you want to do is plan those small changes or steps.
Here are some examples of small goals that can get you started on the path to a healthier lifestyle:
- Drink more water
- Take a 10-minute stroll around your neighborhood
- Take a trip to the Farmer’s Market for fruits and vegetables
- Take 10 minutes to call a friend
- Research different activity programs in your community
There are so many more ideas, but these few goals are a great start to get you thinking, get you moving and point you on the path toward success. The most important thing to remember is small changes make BIG impacts in your overall health. It just takes one small goal to get you started. So, ask yourself, what goal and I going to make for myself today?
If you have questions or want to learn more about action planning, you can always reach out to OHAI Northwest Center of Healthy Aging at (580) 297-5137 or you can email devon-murray@ouhsc.edu.
Downtown Enid is a Place for Food, Entertainment, and Economic Growth
Take a trip to Downtown Enid and you will be impressed with what is happening. Over the years, Downtown Enid has worked to make the area a focal point where the community can shop, dine, and be entertained. In any community, it is vital to have a thriving downtown to support overall economic growth. Downtown business owners, the City of Enid, and Main Street Enid have invested numerous resources to make our downtown one of the best in the state.
In 1994, Main Street Enid was formed to revitalize downtown and increase economic growth. Over the past 27 years, numerous investments have occurred that provided the needed facelift and job creation. Over $1.3 million has been spent on 69 façade renovations and $37 million has been spent on other rehabilitation projects and new construction. In 2020 alone, nine façade renovations were complete and four other building rehabilitation projects and new construction totaling $547,500 in investment. Since 1994, there has been a total of 229 businesses opening, relocating, or expanding downtown with 16 occurring during 2020.
To complement the investments in renovation and new businesses, Main Street Enid and business owners have provided numerous events for the community to enjoy. Enid Lights Up the Plains, Octoberfest, First Fridays, and the Junior College World Series are just a few of the annual events that take place along with others throughout the year.
Enid’s heart is our downtown. When our downtown is thriving, the benefits are reaped across the community. Downtown Enid is an economic development driver and has made an impact over the past 27 years. We encourage you to make a trip downtown soon and often to support all the wonderful things taking place.
5 Ways to Boost Your Curb Appeal
Curb appeal is all about highlighting the character of your home and creating an inviting property. Whether you’re doing a quick refresh or getting ready to sell, updating your exterior is an essential part of maintaining your home and increasing its value. From lights to landscaping, many factors play a role in elevating your home’s look. See these five essentials for sprucing up your home’s exterior below.
1. Elevate your front entry Swapping out old fixtures on your front entry goes a long way toward improving your home’s first impression. Enlist versatile accents like plants and a new doormat to create an inviting feel. Small details can help emphasize certain features of your home. Consider the architecture of your front door and interior entryway before deciding on the right updates to make. For a historic property, choosing period-authentic exterior lighting and hardware is essential for maintaining your home’s character.
2. Update your front door The right front door accents sets the tone for your entire house. Consider revitalizing your current door with new hardware or replacing the entire door with a brand new one for a completely different look. If you’re looking to update your exterior door hardware, it’s often an ideal time to look at sanding and repainting your door as well. Adding color to your door will add interest and make your home stand out.
3. Add accent lighting There’s more to outdoor lighting than just your porch. Try accentuating your home’s architecture with carefully placed lights. Outdoor lighting is designed to withstand the elements. Choose between damp or wet-rated, depending on the light’s location. Damp-rated lights are ideal for covered porches, while wet rated can be directly exposed to moisture.
4. Update your house numbers & mailbox Since it’s often the first thing people see when approaching your home, your house address should be easy to read from the curb. Upgrade with modern, oversized numbers with a durable finish. Select a finish that will stand out against your paint color. Next, don’t forget about your mailbox! A modern mailbox adds a nice finishing touch to complete your entry or your driveway.
5. Spruce up your landscaping As one of the biggest investments you can make to your property, landscaping can complete your home’s architecture and add significant value. Whether you’re embarking on a big project or simply adding a few plants here and there, the right greenery will transform your home’s curb appeal. It is also important to create a balance between privacy and visibility with your plant choices. Low shrubs provide a bit of privacy and create clear borders around the front yard while keeping the exterior of the home easily visible to guests and neighbors. Adding pops of color will present a cheerful feel.
Designers from Rejuvenation recommend that both stately colonial homes and minimalist retreats will benefit from these simple changes. They will improve curb appeal and make your home more desirable.
