OKC FRIDAY Vol. 56 No. 28 • One Section • 14 pages • December 9, 2022
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www.okcfriday.com facebook.com/okcfriday OKC’s only locally-owned legal newspaper with all local news Serving Oklahoma City, Nichols Hills, The Village, Quail Creek, The Greens and Gaillardia for 48 years
Chargers outlast Metro Christian
STATE CHAMPIONS!
The Heritage Hall football team prevailed in a wild 72-56 win last Thursday night over Metro Christian to claim the Class 3A state championship at UCO. Story, Page 6
Go to ‘Van Gogh’ in OKC
The people of Christmas
Holiday parties highlight the arts Christopher Lloyd, left, and Erik Salazar, right, with Santa and the carolers from Lyric Theatre’s “A Christmas Carol.” Each year, Christopher and Erik throw a themed Christmas party featuring a local arts organization.
school to efficiently dispatch students to their parents' cars, which had serious negative effects. Their app improves overall efficiency, speeding up the process of sending students
The “Immersive Van Gogh” Exhibit Oklahoma City opens Wednesday at the Oklahoma City Convention Center. Those who go will be immersed in 25,000 square feet of Van Gogh’s works – from his sunny landscapes and night scenes to his portraits and still life paintings. The installation includes the “Mangeurs de pommes de terre (The Potato Eaters, 1885),” the “Nuit étoilée (Starry Night, 1889),” “Les Tournesols (Sunflowers, 1888),” and “La Chambre à coucher (The Bedroom, 1889),” and so much more. The creator of the “Immersive Van Gogh” exhibition is Italian installation artist Massimiliano Siccardi, whose work has been seen by over 2 million visitors in Paris and was featured on Netflix’s “Emily in Paris.” “Lose yourself in the ultimate immersive art experience – surrounded by over 500,000 cubic feet of monumental projections animating Vincent van Gogh’s oeuvre,” organizers said. “Wander through entrancing,
See APP, Page 11
See GOGH, Page 14
- Photo by AJ Stegall
By Rose Lane Editor The theme has been selected and Christopher Lloyd and Erik Salazar are into their annual 364 days of Christmas party planning. Last Sunday, the day after their Winter Wonderland soiree, the two sat down and determined what next year’s event would look like. “The 2023 theme has been selected but will be a surprise when people get their Save the Dates,” Christopher said. With 150 guests at their home, he said
this was the fifth “holiday extravaganza.” “Our first one was in 2018 and it has evolved over the years to include different themes and arts organization highlights,” Christopher said. “Erik and I both have the joy of serving on different boards throughout the city so we love to share the magic of these amazing groups over the years.” Guests at Winter Wonderland were greeted by a live reindeer, who flew down from Kansas, and Santa Claus, who was taking photos with all the good little girls and boys — and everyone else.
Special holiday cocktails were served under a large tent by a tiny tap truck. Once inside their home, attendees enjoyed seasonal harp music and luscious appetizers. A Winter Wonderland tree was designed just for the occasion. Although there was no “new fallen snow’’ in Edmond, the white stuff was coming down outside on the patio before a large illuminated SNOW sign. Then what to wondering eyes would appear but carolers from Lyric Theatre’s See PARTY, Page 2
Smart Carpool app wins first in Congressional Challenge Casady School Upper Division student Krish Patel and Krish Mody, a former Casady student, were awarded first place in the Congressional App Challenge for the 5th District of Oklahoma for their app Smart Carpool.
The Congressional App Challenge is the most prestigious prize in student computer science, with winning apps selected by a state’s sitting congressmen. Winners have an opportunity to attend a reception in Washington, D.C. and demonstrate their
FRIDAY’s Cat
app for elected officials. Smart Carpool was designed to streamline after school dismissal using mobile technology. Patel and Mody were inspired to create their app after witnessing the struggles faced by teachers and parents at their former
of the Week Carlea Prickett's cat, Tabbouleh, is waiting for Santa under what was Carlea's greatgreat grandmother vintage silver Christmas tree. Send Pet and Baby of the Week nominations with complete descriptions to rose@okcfriday.com. Submissions are used in the order they are received.
Cummings announces plans to run for clerk after less than year in office By Eric Oesch Staff Writer After eight months in office, Village Ward 4 Councilman Sean Cummings has announced his intentions to run for Oklahoma County clerk. His announcement came in a series of emails and Facebook posts this past weekend. This special election fills the position left open by former County Clerk David Hooten who resigned last June following harassment allegations for which he denies. A primary date is scheduled for Feb. 14, 2023 with the general election set for April 4, 2023. In his Facebook post Cummings told his followers, “A great opportunity came up, so I’m going for it. No need to worry I will still be your coun-
cilman until the day I take office. I just didn’t want you to hear this from anybody else.” Cummings won a two-year term representing Ward 4 last April with 67 percent of the vote over his opponent Donna Rice Johnson. The position was previously held by Cummings’ spouse, Cathy Cummings, who represented Ward 4 from May 2017 until she announced her candidacy for Oklahoma County commissioner in December 2021. Cummings retains his Ward 4 seat during his campaign for County Clerk and must resign the position before taking office. “That would leave about a year See CUMMINGS, Page 2