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Crumbling Down

By
Brian Patrick
-

Maps of Oklahoma City show Oklahoma’s State Capitol building sitting on North Lincoln Boulevard. It could also be said that the building sits at the intersection of time and action.

With Oklahoma’s defining building approaching triple digits in terms of age, the Capitol is facing a day of reckoning with regards to its physical condition. Nearly a century of gravity and manic Oklahoma weather have taken a toll on both the interior and exterior of the seemingly rock solid capitol, and the tangible evidence of that toll is making more than a few state officials take notice.

“I’m told its problems are not inconsistent with a building nearly 100 years old,” says state finance office director Preston Doerflinger. However, he says, “Our State Capitol is steadily deteriorating, and the damage will only accelerate if significant repairs are not made soon.”

Doerflinger cites the crumbling exterior among the Capitol’s most urgent needs. And it’s for more than just the obvious safety issues. “As Governor (Mary) Fallin has said, it’s embarrassing that visitors to the Capitol are greeted by yellow barricades and scaffolding erected to protect them from falling chunks of limestone.”

John Morrison, administrator of Capitol Asset Management, says invisible deficiencies and historic relics are the greatest ills plaguing the building’s interior. “The primary problems are the things you can’t see.” The building’s original plumbing system used cast iron pipes, some of which became encased in concrete over the course of nine decades of maintenance projects. Morrison explains that many of these entombed pipes rusted out, leaving a concrete tube where pipes once existed.

Doerflinger says the disintegrating sewer lines have allowed effluent to leach into the ground beneath the building. “At times a foul odor spreads through the building. It’s becoming a health hazard.”

An outdated electrical system is also proving a liability to the capitol building of 2013. “The entire electrical system needs to be removed and reinstalled to meet modern needs. We have this 1917 wiring powering modern computers,” Morrison says.

The question of comfort comes into play as well. “The building wasn’t equipped for air conditioning when it was originally built,” Morrison explains. Currently, over 500 individual cooling units are used to keep the building’s employees cool during the heat of a central Oklahoma summer. “We could take this opportunity to replace those units with a central system.”

With issues mounting and time continuing its punishing march, assistance to the ailing building has been proposed and, according to at least one legislator, does have tacit approval. The overriding question, however, is one of funding. No funding measures have made the transition from bill to law, although Gov. Fallin proposed a modest $10 million expenditure earlier this year.

“I haven’t found a member (of the legislature) that doesn’t want to repair the Capitol,” says House District 11 Representative and enthusiastic restoration supporter Earl Sears. “We’ve got to quit finding reasons not to do it, and find funds to do it.”

Preliminary estimates put the cost of restoring the Capitol at approximately $153 million. Sears has authored two Capitol-focused bills for consideration during the 2013 legislative session. One of Sears’ proposals calls for tapping $153 million from the state’s so-called Rainy Day fund, while the second proposes the establishment of a committee to develop a comprehensive plan. “You have the argument that it’s not an emergency,” he says. “My sources tell me that this is an emergency.”

Sears’ dual 2013 proposals come on the heels of a 2012 legislative session during which he unsuccessfully sponsored a $200 million bond proposal to address the needs of not only the Capitol itself, but other structures on the Capitol grounds as well.

While Doerflinger and Sears share a sense of urgency, they differ on funding approaches. “Nothing is off the table,” Doerflinger says, “although I’m not convinced using Rainy Day funds on a building program is the best use of those funds. Remember, the Rainy Day fund was depleted to make ends meet after the national recession.” With the Rainy Day fund back at what Doerflinger describes as near-record levels, he cautions against looking at the fund as a source for capital improvements. “We still face a degree of economic uncertainty nationally because of fiscal strife in Washington.”

Sears believes an aversion to acquiring state-level debt is a big reason the legislature has been unwilling to use bonds to finance Capitol restoration. “We have numerous members that do not want to be in the column of borrowing money. I think that’s an honest reason and a legitimate reason.” But, he adds, “By no means are we over-extended.”

Restoration supporters are taking a guardedly optimistic view of the Capitol’s near-term future. “We are approaching the legislative session with an open mind,” Doerflinger says. “We are spending so much on non-routine repairs that it is becoming fiscally irresponsible. Our efforts have been focused on keeping the building from literally falling apart. It would be a lot less expensive in the long run to fix all that is wrong with the building.”

Home Court

By
Paul Fairchild
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Basketball has always been at the center of Crystal Robinson’s universe. The Atoka, Okla. native is a pioneer in opening up the sport to women at the professional level, being drafted into the WNBA in the organization’s early years and later making the switch to coaching. Now, she’s returned to her Oklahoma roots and is currently head women’s basketball coach at Murray State College in Tishomingo.

Robinson says her obsession with basketball came early and naturally.

“Both of my parents were college All-Americans at Murray State, where I’m coaching right now,” she says. “I can remember being five years old when my mom bought me a Nerf basketball goal. I fell in love with it. I tore that that thing up!”

Robinson first grabbed headlines at Atoka High School where she was named MVP at the inaugural women’s High School All-American game. She was nationally recruited by a number of colleges, but she stayed close to home and attended Southeastern Oklahoma State University in Durant, Okla.

“The women’s team was one and 20 at the time. But it was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. Playing at Southeastern gave me a family. I can call on them at any time for guidance and support,” says Robinson.

Her skills helped turn the team around and earned her a spot in the NAIA Hall of Fame.

A surge in the popularity of women’s basketball following the 1996 Olympics afforded Robinson the chance to go pro with the formation of the American Basketball League (ABL). She was charter member of the league, playing for the Denver-based Colorado Xplosion. She was drafted in the eighth round, but Robinson says she had to prove herself in a league dominated by the top female players in the world.

“The coach knew I could play,” says Robinson. “But after drafting me, she pulled me to the side and said, ‘Crystal, I know you’re a great player, but your teammates are on a little bit different level and you might not get to play. I know you’ve been a star and I hope you can handle sitting on the bench well.’ I told her, ‘As long as they’re better than me, I’ll be their biggest cheerleader.’ I ended up being Rookie of the Year.”

The ABL abruptly went bankrupt in late 1998, and Robinson transitioned to the WNBA, going to the New York Liberty as the sixth overall draft selection. She played there for seven seasons before signing with the Washington Mystics in 2006. Robinson retired from play in 2007 and became an assistant coach for the Mystics. After two years of coaching at the pro level, Robinson knew she had found her niche for the next phase of her career, but she had no idea it would bring her back home to Oklahoma.

“What brought me back was my little cousin, Lashonda Green,” she says. “She plays for me now. When she was a sophomore at McAlester High, her coach quit suddenly. She was distraught, called me up and pushed me to take the job. I ended up doing it for her.”

After leading the Lady Buffaloes to a state championship, Robinson took the head coaching position at Murray State in 2009. Now firmly into her second act, Robinson feels she’s found a renewed purpose.

“The thing I like most about coaching has nothing to do with basketball,” she says. “At this level I have the opportunity to change a kid’s life and teach them that winning is not only what the score is at the end of the game. I teach them about winning in life by making the right decisions.”

Who’s Flying The Plane?

By
Regan Henson
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Ask any number of Oklahomans in a given year who has the better football team between the Sooners and Cowboys, and you’re going to get a number of strong opinions, but you’d be foolish to assume one’s allegiance without the aid of school-themed apparel. It’s the same with any sport. Oklahomans simply love their Sooners and Cowboys, and no one seems to be able to agree which school is superior. But when it comes to aerospace programs, OSU has no peer in Oklahoma. 

In fact, the OSU mechanical and aerospace engineering program is recognized as one of the best in the nation, and one that attracts applicants from across the globe. Students are drawn to the program by the promise of an education that includes learning to build and fly aircraft. OSU engineering students have long been fixtures at competitions across the nation where they compete with students from other schools in the design, construction and flight of unmanned aircraft. Most of the time the Cowboys come out ahead of the competition. 

That culture of success played a major role in the introduction of a new breed of graduate program at OSU. The school now offers something no one else does: a Master of Science in mechanical and aerospace engineering that focuses on unmanned aerial systems.

“As far as we know it’s the only one in the world,” says Dr. Jamey Jacob, professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering of the new degree program, now in its third semester. An unmanned aerial system (UAS) is exactly what it sounds like – an aircraft without a pilot. People will mostly associate this type of vehicle with drones used by the military.

“It’s an exciting time,” Jacob explains. “Right now we’re in that horseless carriage stage, where you classify (unmanned aircraft) by what it does not have instead of what it does. There is no pilot, but there are endless possibilities.”

“One goal we have is to create entrepreneurial opportunities for our graduates,” says Dr. Paul Tikalsky, dean of OSU’s College of Engineering, Architecture and Technology. “The bulk of our program deals with civilian-based applications. But we are in the very early stages in the commercialization of this technology. It may have applications in many different areas.”

The endless possibilities behind UAS technology have proven to be a big draw for the university. According to Tikalsky, there are more than 200 students working toward earning the new degree.

“It’s one of the fastest growing programs in the college,” he says.

As students discover the emerging field of unmanned aerial systems, OSU is working to meet the demand. New faculty members are being hired. There is excitement in the air. The possibilities, indeed, are endless.

“It’s a field that is experiencing a tremendous growth rate,” Jacob says. “When you start to consider the applications for the technology, you can think far out there.”

Easing The Strain

By
Brian Patrick
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Nationally, jury still out on private prisons

States all throughout the nation are becoming privy to the concept of privatizing prisons. Since the 1980s, a number of for-profit corporations have arisen to help in the correctional process, and over time the industry has steadily become lucrative. In 2011, the GEO Group,and Corrections Corporation of America, the two largest private detention companies in the nation, earned a combined $2.3 billion in revenue.

The positive and negative implications of private prisons have created a polarizing division among individuals in state governments.

Proponents of private prisons believe that allowing corporations into the correctional system will help state governments hurt by the recession. Supporters of this solution argue that outsourcing prisons will trim correctional costs and free up millions of dollars in state budgets. States officials in Florida and Michigan have praised the beneficial role private prisons have played in their local governments.

Many opponents to private prisons, however, argue that corporate involvement in the correctional process allows individuals to have an unnecessary interest in criminal punishment. This was revealed in the Pennsylvania “Kids for Cash” scandal, where state judges Mark Ciavarella and Michael Conahan admittedly profited from sending youth to prison.

Additionally, private prisons are often much less safe than those run by state governments. In Iowa, 132 inmate-on-inmate assaults were reported in private prisons between 2007 and 2008. Also, in New Mexico two years ago, the GEO Group was fined $1.1 million by the state for continually understaffing the three prisons it runs.

The jury is still out on this issue. Whatever the final verdict may be, it’s guaranteed to either save a lot of money or a lot of criminals. – Nathan Porter

With an infrastructure groaning under the pressure of ever-increasing prison populations and the constant need for facilities upgrades, state corrections officials across the nation are depending more on the private sector for cost-effective and efficient solutions.

Following a fluid national trend, Oklahoma is home to six privately owned and operated correctional facilities. “We’re probably fifth or sixth in the country with our population in private prisons,” says Oklahoma Department of Corrections (DOC) Director Justin Jones, adding that approximately 24 percent of Oklahoma’s prisoners are housed in privately owned facilities. “It’s been a growth industry for a few decades.” Over the last year, Jones says, Oklahoma’s prison population increased by more than 600 inmates, with approximately 240 transitioned to private facilities.  

Corrections Corporation of America (CCA) spokesman Steve Owen, whose company operates four Oklahoma facilities, says both state and local governments can realize the financial benefits of introducing the private element to a state’s correctional system. “Often, we’re the largest employer in a community,” Owen says. When a state reaches an agreement with a private administrator, the administrator purchases land, constructs and manages a facility using its own resources exclusively. “Because we own the facilities, one of the benefits is that the taxpayers don’t have to come up with the funds.”

As a for-profit company, the administrator is subject to local and state taxes, in addition to absorbing incarceration costs traditionally left to the state. A recent CCA purchase of a pre-existing Ohio facility resulted in what Owen estimates to be an immediate injection of $72 million into the state’s economy and an annual operational savings of $3 million.

However, Jones says peaks and valleys in the economy drive the degree to which state corrections functions are privatized. The difference is visible in the industry’s sales pitch. “They don’t necessarily promote themselves as being cheaper anymore,” says Owen.

The process for placing a private prison in a state is a two-way street. “What typically happens is that states issue requests for proposal,” Owen explains. The state will publicize its need, and the private administrator will respond with a proposal outlining how it can meet the state’s needs.

In addition to solving financial quandaries, Owen says exercising the private option often operates as a state correction system’s pressure release valve. Conversion of living spaces such as day areas and classrooms designed for rehabilitation purposes into sleeping areas is an all-too-common occurrence. “They’re under court order to lower their prisoner population to remain constitutional.”

Jones says Oklahoma has reached its limit where conversion opportunities are concerned. “We’re pretty much to the point that we don’t have anything to renovate,” he says. Similar conditions in California and Arizona have resulted in two of CCA’s Oklahoma facilities contracting to house inmates from those states. While housing inmates in facilities outside of the convicting state’s borders isn’t an ideal situation, Owen explains that such arrangements are intended as temporary solutions until local conditions allow inmate transferal back to facilities in the inmate’s convicting state.

Despite past and current privatization, an unpredictable economy and the fluctuating nature of criminal activity render predicting Oklahoma’s need for future privatization a roll of the dice.  Jones suggests the DOC will take a wait-and-see approach. “You take it as it comes,” he says. “We can’t go into debt.”

All Natural

By
Jami Mattox
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Most of us remember plopping colored tablets into bowlfuls of vinegar and waiting patiently for the tablet to dissolve, giving the vinegar a vibrant color and, thus, giving way to hours of Easter egg decorating. This year, instead of running to your local department store to pick up egg dyeing kits, reach into the pantry. Spices, juices and even some vegetables can help give Easter eggs vibrant color without the manufactured chemicals often found in those egg-dyeing kits. Follow these recipes courtesy Better Homes and Gardens to make a natural dye for your eggs.

For Blue: Mix one cup frozen blueberries with one cup of water, bring to room temperature, then remove the blueberries from the liquid. Also try adding one quart of boiling water to 1/4 head of red cabbage and two tablespoons of vinegar. Let the mixture cool to room temperature, then remove the cabbage with a slotted spoon.

For Green: Peel the skin of six red onions and simmer them in two cups of water for 15 minutes. Add three teaspoons of white vinegar. Also try peeling six yellow apples and simmering the peel for 20 minutes in two cups of water, then adding two teaspoons of vinegar and four ounces of fennel fronds. Strain out the peel and fennel.

For Yellow: Stir two tablespoons of turmeric into one cup of boiling water, then add two teaspoons of vinegar. Chamomille or green tea also works well. Just steep four bags of tea in one cup of boiling water and steep for five minutes; remove the teabags and use the liquid.

For Pink: Chunk up one beet and add to a quart of boiling water. Stir in two tablespoons of vinegar, then remove the beets. Red wine vinegar also makes a lovely pale pink.

Art Interrupted: Advancing American Art and the Politics of Cultural Diplomacy

By
Staff
-

Opening Saturday, March 2

Advancing American Art was a collection of paintings by American artists of the mid-20th century assembled to show the world the freedom artists enjoyed in this country and spotlight the U.S. as a cultural rival. Instead of being celebrated, the collection along with some of the artists whose work was included found themselves labeled “un-American” by President Truman and Congress. Art Interrupted: Advancing American Art and the Politics of Cultural Diplomacy back the modernist exhibit and looks at its history at the Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art, 555 Elm Ave., on the University of Oklahoma campus in Norman. The museum presents Art Interrupted March 2-June 9. Hours are 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday (open until 9 p.m. Friday) and 1-5 p.m. Sunday. Admission is always free. For more on the exhibit and to see related scheduled events, go to www.ou.edu/fjjma.

Of Mice and Men

By
Staff
-

Opens Friday, March 1

John Steinbeck’s novel of two migrant farm workers during the Great Depression comes to the Tulsa Performing Arts Center stage. Adapted for live theater, Of Mice and Men will be presented by American Theater Company. The play opens with an 8 p.m. show on Friday, March 1 in the PAC’s John H. Williams Theatre, 110 E. Second St. When critics talk about “classics,” this is what they mean. Characters George (Brian Rattlingourd) and Lennie (Nate Gavin) face prejudices and the overpowering sense of being alone in the world. Looking for a happy ending? You won’t get it here, but you will find the stirring emotional drama of humanity, compassion and sacrifice – and that’s always worth a look. Of Mice and Men runs through March 9, and tickets are $24-$30. Go to www.myticketoffice.com to purchase and for a show schedule.

Bob Wills Birthday Celebration

By
Staff
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6 p.m. Saturday, March 2

Tulsa’s Cain’s Ballroom might not be he bastion of live music it is today had it not been for Bob Wills. The king of Western swing would turn 108 years old on March 6 if not for the fact that he died in 1975, but Tulsa isn’t about to let a year go by without acknowledging his considerable contribution to Tulsa music now and forever. Bob Wills’ Birthday Celebration will be 6 p.m. Saturday, March 2, at Cain’s, 423 N. Main St. Wills’ Texas Playboys featuring Leon Rausch will be joined by Western swing legend Tommy Allsup as well as the Round Up Boys. Tickets are $21-$23, available at www.cainsballroom.com. Pay homage or just show up in your boots ready to dance.

Cathy Rigby is Peter Pan

By
Staff
-

Opens Tuesday, March 5

That ever-youthful Cathy Rigby is back in an all-new production of the Broadway musical Peter Pan, the boy who refused to grow up and the magical land far, far away. Celebrity Attractions presents Cathy Rigby is Peter Pan at the Tulsa Performing Arts Center’s Chapman Music Hall, 101 E. Third St. The Broadway musical opens an eight-show run with the 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 5, performance. Tickets are $15-$65 each. Yes, you know the ending, but the magic is in the storytelling and the stage effects that bring Never Never Land to life right before your eyes. Purchase tickets at www.myticketoffice.com.

Underground Monster Carnival 2

By
Staff
-

Saturday, March 2, at 2-10 p.m.

Last year, Oklahoma City State Park was overrun with zombies, vampires and corseted amazons. One can only hope a similar scenario presents itself when the Underground Monster Carnival returns to the fairgrounds, 3001 General Pershing Blvd. from 2-10 p.m. Saturday, March 2, the second annual fair for monsters, comic book heroes, sassy pin-ups, steampunkers, rockabilly riffers, anime adventurers and horror fans hold court in support of local and underground films. Look for all kinds of sci-fi, fantasty, horror and “low-brow” arts and crafts, and meet genre filmmakers as well as Count Gregore, godfather of OKC TV’s campy horror flick shows. Dress your best – whatever that means to you. Tickets are $7 for ages 4-10 and $11 for everyone else (except anyone three and under, and they’re free, which begs the question, “Who would bring a baby to a monster carnival?” Oh, well). More at www.undergroundmonstercarnival.com.

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