OKC FRIDAY Vol. 57 No. 6 • One Section • 14 pages • June 16, 2023
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Patricia Browne Award
Honoring George
Ezekial J. Emanuel, Ph.D., M.D., MSc with his Patricia Price Browne Award in Biomedical Ethics. For more on the awards dinner, see Page 12
The Oklahoma Community Orchestra presented a special concert honoring Governor George Nigh’s legacy. Page 12
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Campaign raises $3.6 million for arts community At its campaign celebration, Allied Arts announced that the organization raised $3,617,292 in support of central Oklahoma’s arts community through its 2023 fundraising efforts. Allied Arts campaign funds are distributed to more than 40 local nonprofit cultural organizations annually, providing the resources they need to remain dynamic, reach underserved populations, and offer quality and affordable programming to the public. “The more than $3.6 million raised will help go a long way in helping arts and culture organizations,” said Hillary Farrell, 2023 campaign cochairman. “We are grateful that individuals, businesses and foundations came together to support access to the arts for Oklahomans across all 77 counties.”
2023 Allied Arts Co-Chairmen Peter and Hillary Farrell celebrate the $3.6 million total.
- Photo by Rose Lane
See CAMPAIGN, Page 3
Oklahoma City budget adds 119 positions By Rose Lane Editor The Oklahoma City Council has accepted a $904.3 million budget which provides funding for an additional 119 positions, 64 of which are for the fire and police departments. The 2024 budget includes funding for 5,108 full-time positions, which is an increase of 2.4% from FY2023. Many of the new positions are funded by resources outside of the general fund, such as the airports and utilities trust. The OKC Fire Department is adding the largest number of positions — 50. They include six firefighters, four logistics positions and
40 positions to supplement ambulance service provided by EMSA. Fourteen civilian positions are being added to the Police Department. The positions include one Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) coordinator, three civilian DNA forensic scientists, two civilian computer forensic investigative specialists, one senior buyer, one financial services manager, two civilian community relations coordinators, two civilian digital media positions and two administrative positions. In addition, the FY2024 police budget includes $1.1 million for the real-time information center. Other departments and their additional positions are: • Development Services, 5.
• Public Transportation and Parking, 21. • Public Transportation and Parking Department, 16. • Utilities, 17. • Airports, 6. • Information Technology, 8. • City Manager's Office, 5. • Task Force Recommendations, 3. • Finance, 1. • Municipal Counselors Office, 1 temporary. • Parks and Recreation, 1. • Planning, 2. • Public Works, 4. Oklahoma City’s largest single source of revenue is sales tax, which pays for day-to-day services. Every
awards celebrate the artists and theatre companies whose work make the nation’s Capitol a thriving, nationally recognized theatre community.
OKC Mayor David Holt was elected to serve as the 2025-2026 president of the United States Conference of Mayors. The vote was announced during the organization’s annual meeting in Columbus, Ohio. In the near term, Mayor Holt assumes office immediately as the organization’s second vice president. In 2024, Holt becomes the first vice president. At the Annual Meeting in the summer of 2025, Mayor Holt is set to be sworn in as the 83rd president of the U.S. Conference of Mayors. “I am incredibly grateful and excited for the honor of serving in these roles,” said Mayor Holt. “Mayors are the most visionary, effective and unifying leaders in our country right now, and the opportunity to represent them is an opportunity I am very grateful to have. I thank my fellow mayors for their belief in me. This
See BARON, Page 2
See HOLT, Page 13
See BUDGET, Page 7
Lyric’s Michael Baron brings home Helen Hayes Award Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma’s Producing Artistic Director Michael Baron has been named a recipient of a 2023 Helen Hayes Award for his work co-directing “The Music Man” last year at
the Olney Theatre Center in Maryland. The award was presented last month at a ceremony in Washington, D.C. The annual event recognizes outstanding achievement from more
than 60 professional theatres and hundreds of theatre-makers across the Washington, D.C., region each year. Named for Helen Hayes, the legendary first lady of the American theatre, the
FRIDAY’s
Dog of the Week Lucy Lou is a 2-year-old Cavalier King Charles who resides with her companions Eloise and Kermit Schafer. She stands watch daily at her tree to receive her treats and love from Mike, the best mailman in Fridayland. Email Dog, Cat, Pet and Baby of the Week nominations with complete descriptions to rose@okcfriday.com. Submissions are used in the order they are received.
Holt to rise to president of U.S. mayors’ organization
Our students earn National Merit awards By Rose Lane Editor Eleven graduates of Fridayland high schools have been named winners of college-sponsored National Merit Scholarships. They are among 3,000 winners across the nation who are receiving the awards financed by U.S. colleges and universities. Officials of each sponsor college selected their recipients from among the finalists in the 2023 National Merit Scholarship Program who plan to attend their institution. These awards provide $500-$2,000 annually for up to four years of undergraduate study at the institu-
tion financing the scholarship. Our National Merit Scholars are: Lindsey D. Fagan, Deer Creek High School, National Merit Oklahoma State University Scholarship. Probable career field: Veterinary medicine. Maureen E. Grimes, Bishop McGuinness Catholic High School, National Merit TCU Scholarship. Probable career field: Psychology. Jonathan A. Hedrick, Casady School, National Merit University of Tulsa Scholarship. Probable career field: Music composition. Lucas J. Lindsey, Crossings Christian School, National Merit See MERITS, Page 2