The names of eleven law enforcement officers and one canine partner who died in the line of duty in Oklahoma were recently engraved on the Oklahoma Law Enforcement Memorial in Oklahoma City. Their names will be dedicated during the 53rd Annual Oklahoma Law Enforcement Memorial Service, which is scheduled for the morning of Friday, May 7, 2021 at 10 a.m.
The Oklahoma Law Enforcement Memorial is the oldest state memorial honoring its fallen officers in the United States and was dedicated May 15, 1969. The non-profit memorial organization is totally funded by donations. Over forty percent of all the Deputy U.S. Marshals who have died in the line of duty in the United States died in what is now the state of Oklahoma and are honored on the state’s law enforcement memorial.
Five of the officers, who died in past years, had not been added previously as the memorial was still researching their circumstances to confirm their death as line of duty.
The memorial is located on the west grounds of the Oklahoma Department of Public Safety Headquarters, 3600 M. L. King Avenue in Oklahoma City.
The eleven fallen officers and one canine partner being added are:
Jesse Whitfield Morris, Deputy Sheriff, Washita County, died February 3, 1910;
John Sanders, Deputy Sheriff, Adair County, died September 14, 1915;
W. H. Corder, Deputy Sheriff, Ottawa County, died October 23, 1917;
Raymond Thomas “Buck” Boston, Sheriff, Montgomery County, Illinois, died July 23, 1947;
Dale Maloy Harbolt, Special Agent, ATF, U.S. Treasury Department, died June 7, 1976;
John Chukwydiut Okafor, Corporal, Detention Officer, Tulsa County, died April 15, 2020;
Craig Vincent Johnson, Sergeant, Tulsa Police Department, died June 30, 2020;
Jeffery Wade Sewell, Captain, Oklahoma Highway Patrol, died September 26, 2020;
Jerad Matthew Lindsey, Officer, Tulsa Police Department, died October 28, 2020;
Billy Dewayne Allen, Sr., US Dept of Defense – Ft Sill Police Department, died December 6, 2020;
Lindal “Dewayne” Hall, Chief Deputy, McIntosh County, died December 14, 2020;
Canine Oli, Muskogee Police Department, died July 1, 2020.
For more information on these officers or the other over eight hundred officers who have died in the line of duty in Oklahoma go to the Oklahoma Law Enforcement Memorial web site:
www.oklemem.com

Story by Darl Devault, Feature Writer

When Kara Sanders, 72, heard about a local program from her daughter Michele offering to weatherize their home for free in South Oklahoma City she wondered how much they would do to her home since 1968.
When the Community Action Agency of Oklahoma City and Oklahoma/Canadian Counties’ Weatherization Program was through she was impressed. She now offers the best testimonial by saying she is strongly recommending to her sister, Janelle Jones, 82, to apply for the free service for her home only a few blocks away.
Sanders is delighted with the completeness of the weatherization every time she turns on her hot water. “Before the workers put an insulating blanket around my hot water tank, I needed to run the hot water a while before it became hot,” Sanders said. “Now my daughter and I are making the adjustment in the last few days to that wonderful feeling of instant hot water.”
After the recent frigid cold snap in Oklahoma City where residents saw 17 and 14 degree below zero mornings, seniors have many reasons to consider applying for free help to weatherize their homes.
“Every program our organization offers strives to create permanent solutions for those in our community,” said Jessie Thompson, executive director of Community Action Agency. “Weatherization is no different. These changes create lasting effects for our clients, including lower utility bills, eliminating health, safety and sanitary hazards to offer peace of mind to homeowners and renters alike.”
Thompson was named executive director of the nonprofit, Community Action Agency (CAA) of Oklahoma City and Oklahoma/Canadian Counties, Inc., in January 2020, after a 14-year tenure with the organization.
Mark Hall headed up the five-worker crew spending three days making sure the Sanders’ home complies with national standards as the agency’s weatherization coordinator. The work is evident, even on the outside, where the workers replaced a big part of the rotting south exterior wall cladding to help close air leaks.
Hall emphasized they use computerized blower doors to detect all air leakage in the home. Then they decided which were the most cost-effective repairs.
For the Sanders home they added extra insulation in the attic. The licensed workers drilled and filled the walls with insulation. To seal a major air leak they also rebuilt the water heater closet to national standards and provided more insulation.
The workers installed new features in the home. They put in a bathroom ceiling vent and a kitchen ducted range hood that vents outside the home. Workers added tubing and a vent to allow the dryer to vent to the outside. To address health and safety concerns they also installed carbon monoxide sensors and smoke detectors.
The agency uses the national standard National Energy Audit Tool (NEAT) energy audit to guide how much work to perform on each home. This audit and compliance with standards are supported by two agency assessors visiting the home before the work and two inspectors visiting the home upon the work’s completion. They coordinate to make sure the home is repaired to comply with national standards.
“I feel blessed, now my daughter and I don’t have to worry about our home not being healthy and safe because we know it is sealed from any gas leaks.” Sanders said. “The workmen were professional in showing respect for my daughters’ privacy while they worked, since she is on oxygen with COPD while almost homebound here.”
Now, multi-family homes, quads and duplexes are eligible to receive services, something CAA was not able to do in the past. CAA offers this program for homes and residents with disabilities and households with children under the age of 12. There is an income requirement to apply. This program has proven to be extremely beneficial for senior residents in need in Oklahoma, Canadian, or Cleveland counties.
In the big picture weatherization can lead to fewer hospitalizations and trips to the emergency room, especially for those with asthma. By sealing, caulking, and adding door and window installation insulation, Hall says the home is often twice as energy efficient. These efforts offer residents permanent solutions to help save money by increasing energy efficiency. On average, residents save $40 per month on utility bills after CAA’s Weatherization program.
For information about the program see Community Action Agency of Oklahoma City & OK/CN Counties, Inc. (caaofokc.org)
If you are interested in receiving Weatherization Assistance, please complete this brief application. For more information or if you have questions, please call (405) 232.0199 to ask for Home Weatherization, or email [email protected].

Enjoy summer sunsets, cool cocktails and wondrous wildlife at the Zoo’s annual 21 and up event series

Join the Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Garden every Thursday evening beginning May 6 through June 24, from 6 to 10 p.m., for the second-annual Sip and Stroll presented by COOP Ale Works, 1800 Tequila and Kraken Rum. Guests 21-and-older are invited to explore an outdoor path that spans the majority of the OKC Zoo to discover amazing animals from around world and delicious drinks along the way. The Zoo will host a special PRIDE Sip and Stroll event on Thursday, June 24, with exclusive drinks and activities.
During this summer event series, guests can stop and enjoy one of six watering holes with two brand new locations. Each watering hole features custom cocktails inspired by the world’s wildlife and wild places including Zimbabwe, Guatemala and Belize. Guests will also have an opportunity to learn what the Zoo is doing to protect and preserve the natural world through global conservation partnerships with the Wildlife Trafficking Alliance, Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International and Turtle Survival Alliance. Guests can also enjoy the full menu of tasty favorites available for purchase at the Lotus Pavilion and Best of Oklahoma.
“We are really excited to host Sip and Stroll again this year after last year’s success,” said Jenna Dodson, OKC Zoo’s events manager. “This series gives the 21-and-up crowd a unique way to connect with friends, while exploring the Zoo and learning about wildlife and conservation.”
While the majority of the Zoo will be open for exploration, the giraffe loop and Oklahoma Trails will be closed for guest safety. As part of the event, guests will be able to purchase tickets to enjoy access to Flamingo Mingle, Stingray Bay and the Endangered Species Carousel.
Early bird tickets are available now for ZOOfriends members through Sunday, April 18. Tickets go on sale to the public starting Monday, April 19. Limited VIP admission is $40 per person and includes early entry to the event, a special sea lion presentation, Stingray Bay and Explorikeet Adventure plus, access to DINO SAFARI, an immersive experience featuring life-sized dinosaurs. General Sip and Stroll admission is $25 per person. Purchase admission early and receive $2 off per person through Sunday, April 26, with the code SIPANDSAVE. Learn more about the event and purchase tickets at okczoo.org/sipandstroll. Event entry times are spaced every 15 minutes to allow for maximum social distancing. Attendance is limited to 1,200 guests per night. Once checked in, guests are free to stay throughout the duration of the event.
Attendees can also pre-purchase a Drink Passport, good for one 5-oz featured drink sample at all six water holes for an additional $30 per person. Additional beverages will be available for purchase, including domestic beer, wine, mixed drinks, soda and water. Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased at okczoo.org/sipandstroll. Sip and Stroll tickets are non-refundable and non-transferable, and the event will be held rain or shine.
Safari-fy your summer with Sip and Stroll! Located at the crossroads of I-44 and I-35, the OKC Zoo is a proud member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, the American Alliance of Museums, Oklahoma City’s Adventure District and an Adventure Road partner. Regular admission is $12 for adults and $9 for children ages 3-11 and seniors ages 65 and over. Children two and under are admitted free. Stay up-to-date with the Zoo on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, and by visiting Our Stories. Zoo fans can support the OKC Zoo by becoming Oklahoma Zoological Society members at ZOOfriends.org. To learn more about these and other happenings, call (405) 424-3344 or visit okczoo.org.

Photography and Text by Terry “Travels with Terry” Zinn [email protected]

Anytime you hear the word Santa Fe , it has to conjure up images. And if you have visited there it must illicit emotions and memories as well. With travel plans still up in the air a safe bet is a car trip, which at times can be cheaper and more reliable. My first visit to Santa Fe was in the late 1970s, when I was breaking in a new car and exploring the great American West.
Of course, I traveled a long day’s drive on I-40 West out of Oklahoma City , then took the highway 284 cut off at Clines Corners and entered Santa Fe on the Old Pecos Trail. That road soon turned into the Old Santa Fe Trail, where I drove along the narrow road with the old San Miguel Mission adobe church on my right and the famed Pink Adobe Restaurant on my left. The Old Santa Fe Trail offered a perfect first impression, as it was lined with atmospheric time worn structures, and not the modern franchise eateries and gas stations that hug the more traditional entry up north from Albuquerque, on Cerrillos Road.
I soon came into the parking lot of the relatively new, Inn at Loretto, replete in iconic Santa Fe adobe architecture. I was treated the next morning with a light dusting of snow and a hint of pinion in the air, as I pulled away from a town I’d hardly seen but ~ silently, subconsciously ~ vowed to see again. I have returned to Santa Fe many times since then and each time explored new venues with a salute to favorite places, which have become a traditional pilgrimage when visiting.
I can’t recall why I chose a one night stay at this particular hotel ~ must have been its appealing architecture and perhaps at that time availability. This time I found myself walking past the Spa and the aroma of relaxation made me regret my time on this visit was too short. My stay at the Inn at Loretto in the l970s, and in subsequent years has always been a pleasant tradition. This time was no exception.
Old traditional haunts include: the La Cantina Bar at La Sena Casa where waiters turn into opera and musical theatre singers about every ten minutes; the Pink Adobe Restaurant with its fine and sometimes spicy gourmet productions; Jackalope on Cerrillos road with its affordable southwestern flared garden and household offerings ~ along with the best and freshest string of red chili ristras in season; and the old haunts along the Plaza with its Indian jewelry market and a variety of upscale fashion shops.
New traditional offerings include the Balconies at the Plaza restaurant, which until a few years ago was the traditional Ore House Restaurant with the best and meatiest tasting salsa anywhere ~ needless to say I miss it; the Carol Kucera art gallery filled with expressive movement in colorful paintings from the personable artist; and an always must see at the top of Canyon Road the special 822 Gallery of bronzes by Joshua Tobey. These two galleries a have now moved out of Santa Fe, with others occupying their places.
Upon this recent trip I discovered the Santa Fe pickup, a free bus that circles the old town area, and is certainly a boon and must for those wanting to wander down Canyon Road as it will drop you off at the top. While my most recent autumn visit was blessed with perfect weather, I have climbed the road in scorching heat and can testify that the art is much more appealing starting at the top and meandering down.
Other must visits is the New Mexico Museum of Art and the New Mexico History Museum/Palace of the Governors – both on the Plaza; and up on Museum Hill the Museum of Indian Arts and Culture and the Museum of International Folk Art . Of course a road trip out to Tesuque with its sculpture garden and the near by glass blowing gallery can be broken up with a respite at Bishops Lodge for libations and food with a dose of historical luxury. A Santa Fe visit is not complete without a stop at the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum and a tasting at is elegant restaurant.
I’m not sure if it’s the upscale art and fashion shopping, the authentic New Mexican cuisine, the fresh atmosphere and the nearly unspoiled vistas, or the essence of its history that permeates the soul, which beckons a perpetual return. Probably it’s all, and yet some indescribable something else that all visitors try to describe when remembering, Santa Fe.
For more information contact:
The Inn at Loretto – https://www.hotelloretto.com/ Joshua Tobey Bronzes: https://www.joshuatobeystudios.com/ and, https://www.santafe.org

Mr. Terry Zinn – Travel Editor
Past President: International Food Wine and Travel Writers Association
3110 N.W. 15 Street – Oklahoma City, OK 73107
https://realtraveladventures.com/?s=terry+zinn
https://realtraveladventures.com/?s=zinn
http://new.okveterannews.com/?s=TERRY+ZINN
www.martinitravels.com

All 19 Metropolitan Library System libraries welcome customers to come in and sit and stay beginning Saturday, May 1.
Sit and Stay service includes computer use by reservation, study room use, browsing and limited seating to accommodate reading and Wi-Fi usage and copy/fax/scan use. Seating will be spaced to one chair per table. Computers are limited to two (2) sessions of one-hour each per day. Masks are required for all customers.
“We invite guests to continue to come in and use the library with more services available in this stage,” Larry White, MLS Executive Director said. “With school out for most of the summer, we are glad to have more reading areas available for both students and non-students to use.”
Online programs and events via social media continue to be very popular. Other online services available are LearningExpress and HelpNow for students, “Book-A-Librarian” for general library help, genealogy help one-on-one, Hoopla and Kanopy streaming movies and tv, JobNow for job and career help and more.
Hours to the public are Mondays-Thursdays 9:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m., Fridays 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m., Saturdays 9:00 a.m – 4:00 p.m. and Sundays 1:00 – 5:00 p.m. Curbside pickup hours are Mondays through Fridays 1:00 – 6:00 p.m., Saturdays 1:00 – 5:00 p.m and from 1:00 -6:00 p.m. on Sundays. For more information, contact (405) 231-8650 or at [email protected].

* As of this advisory, there are 447,393 (115 new today) cases of COVID-19 in Oklahoma.
* 238 is today’s 7-day rolling average for the number of new cases reported.
* Today’s Provisional Death Count (CDC/NCHS): 8,230
* Additional hospitalization data can be found in the Hospital Tiers report, published evenings Monday through Friday.
* Register online to receive a notification when you’re eligible to schedule a COVID-19 vaccine appointment at vaccinate.oklahoma.gov, or locate other vaccine opportunities at vaccinefinder.org.
* For more information, visit https://oklahoma.gov/covid19.html.

*The total includes laboratory information provided to OSDH at the time of the report. As a result, counts are subject to change. Total counts may not reflect unique individuals.
***The purpose of publishing aggregated statistical COVID-19 data through the OSDH Dashboard, the Executive Order Report, and the Weekly Epidemiology and Surveillance Report is to support the needs of the general public in receiving important and necessary information regarding the state of the health and safety of the citizens of Oklahoma. These resources may be used only for statistical purposes and may not be used in any way that would determine the identity of any reported cases.
Data Source: Acute Disease Service, Oklahoma State Department of Health. *As of 2021-04-27 at 7:00 a.m.

During my music therapy internship at a state facility for teens and adults with mental illnesses, I learned that many of the adults we served within the facility, who were there largely because they had been charged with crimes, shared the foster care experience of my teens.
Most of my teens had been through about 14 different placements by the time they got to our facility and had developed negative coping mechanisms due to their life experiences. No one had taught them how to process their emotions or trauma, which would come out in explosive tantrums. Like my adult patients, they also had no one in their lives who was there just for them, but only staff who went home at the end of each shift. Can you imagine what being raised in an institution instead of a family and not having even one consistent parent could do to a person’s psyche? It turns out, it gives you no way to learn about love and respect for others.
I decided I wanted to make a difference and break this cycle. I saw that trying to understand the “why” behind their coping mechanisms, connecting and showing unconditional love (especially after behaviors meant to drive you away) brought about significant changes, even healing. As soon as I learned about Therapeutic Foster Care (TFC), I knew I wanted to be involved.
TFC serves children in loving home settings instead of institutions, equipping foster parents to help children work through the trauma they’ve experienced. TFC homes receive more intensive services – weekly family and individual therapy for the child, an on-call team of therapists to help in times of crisis, monthly respite to give tired foster parents time to rejuvenate, and trauma-based trainings to help parents understand why children have developed these negative coping mechanisms and help reframe them in a more positive way.
As a TFC parent, I have seen my house walls torn apart because something I did unknowingly triggered memories of past abuse. As anger shifted to tears, I’ve had children melt into my arms and let me hug them as they deescalated from their meltdowns. I’ve seen them work hard to pay me back for damages after I didn’t kick them out like so many had done before, and start to develop personal responsibility and a mutual respect for others.
As a TFC parent, I’ve seen kids and teens learn to identify the feelings underlying all of their anger. This has often been fear and sadness, which, when allowed to fester, become depression and anxiety. I’ve gotten to know my kids for who they really were and found them to be sweet, incredibly loving children who were just hidden underneath the walls they’d built to protect themselves. I got to truly connect to them in a way no one else had, and watch them learn to trust others.
Being raised in a home instead of a hospital or group home taught them what being a part of a family is like. They learned how to care about others and how their actions can hurt someone. They learned self-worth because someone was willing to love them instead of just focusing on their behaviors. I saw them excel in school, work and activities and start to make healthy relationships. These are things that don’t readily happen in institutions.
If we want to make our society a safer place, we need to teach kids how to love. As a TFC parent, you can teach by example and be a part of truly changing the world, one child at a time.
It takes all kinds of people to serve children and help them become healthy and whole again. Why not you?
Amanda Martindale is a Therapeutic Foster Parent with Choices for Life Counseling and Foster Care in Oklahoma. To learn more about Therapeutic Foster Care or apply to become a certified TFC foster family, visit beaneighbor.ok.gov, or call 1-800-376-9729.

By Nick Thomas

While some entertainers are renowned for their personal and professional demands while working, Ruta Lee never aspired to be a diva. Acting nonstop in film, TV, and theater since the early 1950s, she tackled projects with professionalism.
“There was no time to throw fits because you had to work quickly as you rapidly went from job to job,” recalled Lee from Los Angeles.
Off-screen tasks were also approached with her trademark zeal. In 1964, she called the office of the Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev to secure the release of her 90-year-old Lithuanian grandmother held since World War II in a Siberian internment camp.
A decade earlier, Lee approached her first film role as one of the brides in “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers” with similar resolve. “During the dance audition, the producers and director asked me to show them something folksy. Because of my Lithuanian descent, I danced up a storm with a polka and got the role.”
She was paired with gifted dance partner Matt Mattox in the beloved MGM musical and remembers one rehearsal.
“He lifted me high off a bench and I sprained my ankle when I landed. So I learned most of the choreography from a sitting position, but still managed to do most of the dancing in the big barn-raising number.”
Many stories from the actress’s career and life can be found in her April 5 autobiography “Consider Your Ass Kissed,” the edgy-sounding title merely reflecting the genuine gratitude she feels for the people she worked with. She also celebrates a birthday this month, turning 86 on May 30.
A quick study, Lee learned an early valuable lesson in on-set protocol when she boogied her way into one of her first TV roles – a 1953 episode of “The Adventures of Superman.”
“It was a short dance scene in a café and I decided to rehearse during lunch hour,” she explained. “But when I plugged in the record player, someone grabbed me and said, ‘you can’t do that, you don’t belong to the electrician’s union!’”
Lee went on to make hundreds of appearances in TV series as well as games shows such as “Hollywood Squares” and “High Rollers” (as Alex Trebek’s dice roller), but westerns were a favorite (see www.rutalee.com). And while many cowboys chased her, only one came close to catching her off-screen.
“Most of the dating I did was for publicity purposes and never had any real romances with actors except Eric Fleming from ‘Rawhide.’ What a darling man, but the most he got was a goodnight kiss!”
Her serious relationships were always with businessmen, she says, not show business men. In the midst of her rising career, Lee met Texas restaurant executive Webster B. Lowe, Jr., and the couple soon married. They were together for 46 years until his death last year.
Lee has also been a tireless voice for charitable organizations such as the Thalians raising millions of dollars through her leadership role to support people with mental health problems, including returning veterans (see www.thalians.org).
And then there was that phone call to Khrushchev’s office to rescue her Siberia-bound grandmother.
“Within 48 hours we were flying over to bring her back to America. So I’ve had an interesting life and I’m always involved with something. It’s been a long, wonderful, and fruitful career.”
Nick Thomas teaches at Auburn University at Montgomery, Ala., and has written features, columns, and interviews for over 850 magazines and newspapers and is the author of “Raised by the Stars: Interviews with 29 Children of Hollywood Actors.” See www.getnickt.org.

Nick Thomas teaches at Auburn University at Montgomery, Ala., and has written features, columns, and interviews for over 850 newspapers and magazines. See www.getnickt.org.

The City of Del City and the Del City Chamber of Commerce are proud to announce the annual Armed Forces Day and Shriners Parade is returning on May 15. This long-standing tradition of nearly three decades is one of the largest of its kind in Oklahoma.
Dozens of parade entries have already signed up for what organizers are preparing as a record-breaking turnout. The parade will feature military vehicles, India Shriners, veteran groups, community organizations and more.
The parade will start at 10 a.m. at SE 15th and Sunnylane. It will travel south on Sunnylane to SE 29th, where it will turn east and proceed to Vickie Drive.
Oklahomans of all ages are invited to line the streets in honor and celebration of the men and women serving in our armed forces.
Anyone who would like to take part in the parade is encouraged to fill out the application online at cityofdelcity.com/armed-forces-day-parade.
If you would like to participate in this year’s parade or additional information, please contact Monica Cardin via 405-671-2815 or email [email protected].

Our Life enrichment coordinator, Laura Leehan is an avid collector of thrift shop art and her office has literally been transformed into a small art gallery. Two years ago she purchased an original painting of wild pink roses at the Salvation Army for $17. Several weeks ago Laura took notice of a painting in a residents apartment that bore a striking resemblance to her pink roses.
Upon closer inspection she realized that the signature in the lower right corner of the painting, “Julie 79” was identical to the signature on her painting. She rushed to her office, grabbed the painting off the wall and could not wait to show Julie! Julie was thrilled to see her long lost art work and told us that in 1979 she began painting flowers. It was a brief but prolific season for her as an artist and most of her work was sold or given away. I would not be surprised if there are more pieces out there that may just catch your eye at the neighborhood second hand store or garage sale! It was such a joy to see Julie reunited with her beautiful painting and when Laura offered to return it to her, she declined and insisted that Laura keep it.