OKC FRIDAY Vol. 58 No. 46 • One Section • 14 pages • April 18, 2025
$1 per copy
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Terror in America’s heartland: 30 years ago
A look back, look forward By Charles H. Van Rysselberge, CCE, IOM Special to OKC FRIDAY
ing and woke up after hearing a noise to find an unknown male standing in his bedroom,” the police report said. “He yelled at the person to leave and fortunately he complied and left the residence.” The report says the suspect kicked the front door several times before he was able to defeat the locks. Officers received a description of the suspect, and began to canvass the area looking for the suspect, witnesses, and surveillance cameras.
April 19, 2025, the 30th anniversary of a terrorist's bomb that killed 168 people in America's Heartland. However, the bombing did not kill the spirit of the citizens of Oklahoma City who impressed the world with their courage and resiliency — and the Oklahoma Standard was born! The fourth floor of the Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce building is where I was, when the explosion went off with such force, that I thought it was an earthquake. It wasn’t an earthquake, as all the world would soon know, but it was a terrorist bomb that destroyed half of OKC’s Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building, four blocks away, where 550 people worked and 20 small children attended day care. As head of the Oklahoma City Chamber, at that particular time, one of my first thoughts was to get to the site of the explosion. But police stopped me less than a block from the federal building and when I returned to my office, I was told we would have to evacuate because of possible gas leaks downtown. None of us knew how high the death toll would ultimately climb. But judging from the severity of the explosion, the news was sure to be bad. To make matters worse, scores of businesses were crippled and journalists from all over the world were about to descend on Oklahoma City, making it clear that at a time when we were hurting, with our infrastructure at its worst, we somehow needed to be at our best. What is amazing, judging from what I saw and heard, at that time, is that I think we were definitely at our best! In fact, the term, the Oklahoma Standard, was coined as a result of that period! The bomb went off at 9:02 a.m. on the morning of April 19, 1995, and within 24 hours our Chamber of Commerce had set up a news
See NHILLS, Page 7
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BUBBLES & BLOOMS - Photo by Rose Lane
Amy and Roy Bankhead are greeted by a car trunk of flowers as they arrive at the Oklahoma City Museum of Art’s Bubbles & Blooms cocktail party supporting the museum’s Art in Bloom exhibit. OKCMOA’s sixth annual Art in Bloom featured floral sculpture interpretations of works from our permanent collection, all crafted by designers from across the state.
Police nab burglary suspects in minutes By Eric Oesch Staff Writer Police in Nichols Hills nabbed two separate burglars who broke into homes within two days of each other while the homeowners slept in their beds. Nichols Hills police were on the scene within minutes on both calls. “It’s unusual for us to have two first degree burglaries just days apart,” said Nichols Hills Police Chief Steven Cox. “These calls were not related in any nature other than the type of crime.”
In both instances the police apprehended the suspect quickly. The first incident happened at 1:30 p.m. on March 24 when officers received a report of someone breaking into a residence in the 1700 block of NW 63. The homeowner was home at the time of the break-in, but was confined to bed. The second break-in occurred at 4:41 a.m. on March 26 when an intruder entered a home in the 6900 block of Avondale through an unlocked door. “The victim of the March 24 incident reported he was sleep-
Anoatubby to receive Hope Award Chickasaw Nation Governor Bill Anoatubby has been named Upward Transitions’ 2025 centennial Inspiring Hope Award recipient. The award presentation takes place May 9, during the organization’s annual fundraising event, American Tourist: A Centennial Celebration, from 6:30 to 11 p.m. at the Skirvin Hilton Hotel in Oklahoma City. Bill Anoatubby’s leadership as governor of the Chickasaw Nation has been a beacon of compassion, particularly in his commitment to serving the less fortunate. Under his tenure, the Chickasaw Nation
has focused on providing essential services to those in need, including expanding healthcare, offering educational scholarships, and creating economic opportunities for marginalized communities. His administration placed a strong emphasis on uplifting individuals and families facing hardships, fostering an environment where hope and support are readily accessible. The Chickasaw Nation’s generosity has been especially transformative for organizations like Upward Transitions, which works to preserve housing for families See AWARD, Page 7
FRIDAY’s Dog of the Week This is Jasmine. She just turned 11years-old but still acts like she is three. She spends most of her days snoozing and cuddling with her humans (Sara, Brad and sisters Abby, Hannah and Lydia Cage) when she can. With the warmer weather, she has been taking lots of walks with one of her human sisters and playing ball everyday after school. Email Pet of the Week submissions with complete descriptions to: rose@okcfriday.com.