The Gilcrease North Expressway, a 2.2-mile section between Lewis Avenue and the Tisdale Parkway, was opened to traffic on Monday, Dec. 22, after the bitter cold forced a planned ribbon-cutting ceremony to be canceled.. The expressway intersects with the Tisdale Parkway around the 3200 Block North.

“This transportation improvement creates strategic opportunities for development in north Tulsa,” said Mayor Kathy Taylor. Councilor David Patrick, whose district includes part of the new segment, said he hopes it will stimulate investment. “There’s a lot of vacant tracts of land along the expressway’s corridor that would be ideal for industrial and commercial uses,” he said.
Councilor Jack Henderson, whose district also includes a portion of the expressway segment, said that it will be a “vital connection” between north Tulsa and the rest of the city.

The following two construction contracts have reached completion in recent weeks for this segment of the expressway:

1. $14.8 million contract with Sherwood Construction Co. for grading, bridge construction and a trail from Dirty Butter Creek to the Tisdale Parkway – began in 2006, and
2. $9 million contract with Duit Construction Co. for paving, which began in March of this year.

The next portion of the expressway – from the Tisdale Parkway to Edison Street – will be advertised for construction in summer 2009. The first phase will consist of a two-lane parkway between the Tisdale Parkway and 41st West Avenue. Right-of-way will be purchased, however, to allow for future widening of the parkway to four lanes according to increased traffic demand.

Something to look forward to: the $451 million streets package that voters passed in November contains $3 million for Tulsa to use as matching funds to continue expansion of the Gilcrease Expressway. Eventually the expressway will extend south from Edison Street, cross the Arkansas River and connect with Interstate 44 in southwest Tulsa.

The Gilcrease North Expressway was proposed about 50 years ago as part of Tulsa’s original highway system, but due to development toward the south, the project was on the back burner for decades.

Last Friday, a ceremonial ground breaking was held for the new Downtown Tulsa Stadium. Representatives from the City of Tulsa, Tulsa Stadium Trust, Tulsa Drillers, Colorado Rockies, Texas League, Greenwood Chamber of Commerce, Tulsa Community Foundation and Downtown Property Owners were all on hand to participate.

The Tulsa Downtown Stadium will be a multi-purpose facility with the prime tenant being the Tulsa Drillers, Double A Minor League team. The stadium will be approximately located on an eight-acre property positioned between Highway I-244 on the North, Archer on the South, Elgin on the West and Greenwood Chamber facility on the East. The stadium will have the capacity to seat approximately 6,500 attendees, including 30 suite boxes and berm seating in the outfield.

Earlier this month, the Tulsa Stadium Trust accepted a construction bid from the Tulsa Stadium Construction Company LLC, consisting of the Tulsa Community Foundation and Manhattan Construction. With financing complete and a construction firm identified, the 6,200-seat stadium is set to open for the 2010 Tulsa Drillers season.

The stadium is being designed to Triple-A specifications, even though the Tulsa Drillers are a Double-A baseball team. “It is being designed in such a way that if at some time a Triple-A team comes, it would be easy to upgrade the stadium,” he said.

The trust has signed a 30-year lease with the Drillers.

Lybarger also said that because of the way the project unfolded, a lot of preliminary work has been done with the HOK Sport architect firm in Kansas, which incorporates energy-efficient construction methods in its projects. He said the hard design is not yet complete.

The stadium will be a multipurpose venue with baseball as the primary use, but during the offseason it will be host to a variety of venues, Lybarger said. SMG, which manages the BOK Center, will help book events for the stadium such as open-air concerts, he said.

Mayor Kathy Taylor hosted the official dedication of Tulsa’s new 911 Center on Tuesday, Dec. 16. The dedication included a tour led by Division Manager John Hampton. The new facility is located at 801 E. Oklahoma St. in the Lansing Business Park II.

“Thank you all for what you do every day to make our city and county safe. Our first responders are the best in the state,” Mayor Taylor said to those gathered for the dedication.

The Tulsa 911 Center serves the citizens and emergency responders from the City of Tulsa, City of Catoosa, and City of Sperry police departments, as well as the Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office. Additionally, Tulsa 911 Center services extend to the City of Tulsa, City of Catoosa, City of Sperry, Berryhill and Oak Grove fire departments. EMSA dispatches ambulances through the Tulsa 911 Center.

“Lives are saved because of what happens in this place,” said John Hampton, Division Manager.

In six to eight months, the new E-911 phone system will be able to locate cell phone callers. The 911 Center also has improved security features: two security checks are required for entrance into the building, and grassy mounds have been placed strategically around the building to prevent a vehicle from ramming into it. The operations center that houses the call takers, computers, telephones and radio equipment is fortified to withstand an EF4 tornado.

Construction of the building was completed in October, and 911 Public Safety Communications personnel have worked in their new facility for just over a month. The $9.3 million construction cost was funded through a 911 fee on phone bills – $8,848,000 – and a Homeland Security grant – $457,000. Aesthetic features include a courtyard with a colorful fountain and framed photographs by the Rev. Sidney Flack.

CHANUKA SERVICES

B’Nai Emunah Congregation

1719 S Owasso Ave,

Tulsa, Oklahoma 74120

918-583-7121

Sunday, December 28th at 6:00 p.m. Candlelighting ceremony with a 1000 candles. Followed by a traditional feast of potato latkes(pancakes), roast chicken, and pleasing seasonal accompaniments.  Dinner is $12 for adults and $6 for children under 13. Please call the Synagogue for dinner (reservations required).  Following dinner at 7:00 p.m., participants will screen a participatory version of the great 1971 classic “Fiddler on the Roof.” With song lyrics at hand and the dialogue at the bottom of the screen, the audience will be invited to sing along with the score, punctuate the dialogue with witty asides, and customize the script.

Temple Israel

2004 E 22nd Pl,

Tulsa, Oklahoma 74114

918-747-1309

CHRISTMAS SERVICES

Diversity Christian Fellowship International

Seeing lives changed through the power of Christ

211 South Garnett

Tulsa, Oklahoma

918-437-3434

Sunday, December 28th, Holiday services 11:00 a.m & 5:00 p.m.

Trans-Siberian Orchestra

Dec 29, 2008 at BOK Center [ get tickets ]

Trans-Siberian Orchestra
December 29th, 2008

Tickets On Sale Now
Ticket Prices: $56.50, $46.50, $36.50

Trans-Siberian Orchestra is a rock orchestra founded in 1996. The band’s musical style is often described as incorporating progressive rock, symphonic metal, and heavy metal, with influences from classical music. The group frequently tours worldwide, bringing their music to sometimes obscure areas.

TSO is well known for its renditions of traditional Christmas songs. Their most well-known works include such songs as Christmas Eve/Sarajevo 12/24 (a rendition of Carol of the Bells), and Wizards in Winter, both of which are popular selections during the Christmas season.

With Trans-Siberian Orchestra, first the music is created with no artificial limitations, and then we seek out within the classical, rock, Broadway and R & B worlds, the very best singers and musicians to bring each song to life. This also in many ways forces us to operate on a higher level. This environment has the additional benefit of causing a cross pollenization of musical ideas, creating hybrid forms of music that normally never would have occurred, such as an R&B singer doing a classical style melody and bringing gospel touches to it that causes it to glitter in ways that even the creators could not have predicted. Another very important aspect in the creation of the band, is that there could be no limits on the members; we mix all races and ages. The young get to mine the experience of the old musicians, while they can’t help to be inspired by the enthusiasm of people just entering the business.

Christmas may be the best known December holiday, but it is not alone. Here are just a few more celebrations of the season:

• Saint Nicholas Day (Christian) — December 6 - Where St. Nicholas is prominent, his day, not Christmas, is the primary gift giving day. Parties may be held on the eve, December 5th, and shoes or stockings left for St. Nicholas to fill during the night. Children will find treats of small gifts, fruit or nuts, and special Nicholas candies and cookies. St. Nicholas gifts are meant to be shared, not hoarded for oneself.
• Eid’ul-Adha (Muslim) — December 8 - Commemoration of Ibrahim’s (Abraham’s) willingness to sacrifice his son for Allah. Marks the end of the Pilgrimage or Hajj for the millions of Muslims who make the trip to Mecca each year. Eid-Ul-Adha is a four-day holiday and celebration. It starts with a special holiday prayer, performed in congregation in the Masjid (Mosque) or other suitable place. It is a time of celebration, of visiting family and friends and of thanking ALLAH, Subhanahu wa ta’ala, for all the blessings bestowed upon us. Fasting is prohibited during these days.
• Fiesta of Our Lady of Guadalupe (Mexican) — December 12 - On this date, thousands of the faithful from around the country make the most important pilgrimage of all those undertaken during the year to the Basílica of Guadalupe, in Mexico City, where the miraculous image of la Virgen Morena is kept.
• St. Lucia Day (Swedish) — December 13 - This Swedish festival of lights helps to brighten up the long winter nights in December. It celebrates the life of a real saint, Lucia, who was known for her kindness and love.
• Hanukkah (Jewish) — Begins at sundown on December 21 (ends December 29) - With blessings, games, and festive foods, Hanukkah celebrates the triumphs–both religious and military–of ancient Jewish heroes. Hanukkah is a relatively minor holiday in the Jewish year. In the United States, however, its closeness to Christmas has brought greater attention to Hanukkah and its gift-giving tradition. Amid the ever-growing flood of Christmas advertising, it may seem especially fitting that the Hanukkah story tells of Jewish culture surviving in a non-Jewish world.
• Christmas Day(Christian) — December 25 - is an annual holiday celebrated on December 25 that marks and honors the birth of Jesus of Nazareth. The birth of Jesus, which is the basis for the anno Domini system of dating, is thought to have occurred between 7 and 2 B.C.. December 25 is not thought to be Jesus’ actual date of birth, and the date may have been chosen to correspond with either a Roman festival, or with the winter solstice.
• Boxing Day (Australian, Canadian, English, Irish) — December 26 - a public holiday in the United Kingdom, Canada, New Zealand and Australia, as well as many other members of the Commonwealth of Nations and Greece. It is based on the tradition of giving gifts to the less fortunate members of society.
• Kwanzaa (African American) — December 26 to January 1 - Kwanzaa is a non-religious African American holiday which celebrates family, community, and culture. It is celebrated for seven days: December 26 - January 1. The name Kwanzaa is derived from the phrase “matunda ya kwanza” which means “first fruits” in Swahili.  The kinara is the center of the Kwanzaa setting and represents the original stalk from which we came: our ancestry.
• Omisoka (Japanese) — December 31 - The Japanese spend days of preparation for Omisoka. The spring cleaning, Osouji, begins in the beginning of December. Keeping with tradition, the Japanese clean their houses, schools and businesses from top to bottom. They settle all debts, obligations and problems in relationships.

Not only are there other holidays to celebrate besides Christmas, there are other ways to celebrate Christmas. In Australia, it’s summertime, so forget the snow and sledding, Aussies are more likely to be grilling and sunbathing for the holidays. Here are just a few of the many places and ways to celebrate the season:

• Australia - where the holidays really heat up!
• Brazil - where the New Year is white…
• Denmark - Santa’s helpers abound!
• France - a crèche explained.
• Hungary - two Christmases in one!
• India - another festival of lights.
• Italy - a mouth-watering memory!
• Japan - make your New Year’s resolutions now…
• Mexico - pull on a blindfold and swing!
• New Zealand - down on the farmlet…
• Scotland - there’s a coin in my cootie!

So, wherever you are and however you celebrate this month…

There’s no need to spend your hard-earned money on gift wrap and bows, especially in challenging economic times. Everything you need – for gift wrap, package decorations and even gift tags, may be found right inside your home!

For boxes use:

Boxes from your check order company
Shoe boxes
Any container or carton, from cereal boxes to oatmeal cylinders and food keepers

For gift wrap, try any number of paper products you may find in your house, including:

Newspapers-This is the easiest, and least creative, way to go green. Use newspaper that is printed on recycled paper. Of course, you may not get any bonus points here for your wrapping sense of style, and if Stacy London of the new TLC show “Fashionably Late” ever got hold of your wrapping paper, you would definitely have to face the wrath! Perhaps you could try to add some flair and use some environmentally friendly crayons to color in the newspaper.
Sales inserts (shiny paper!)
Comic section (colorful)
Magazine pages-Pick out magazine articles that have hints about the gift on the pictures, and play a game with the person receiving the gift. Let them know that they can guess the gift if they use the clues from the wrapping paper! This can be kind of fun!
The “blank” side of unwanted faxes or printed pages-You can actually create your own gift wrap with paper you already have and paint you have left over from painting your house, etc. Just come up with a creative design and go with it!
Paper bags

You probably also have many products made with plastic or wax which may be suitable for wrapping. How about:

Plastic bags
Foil
Cellophane wrap (like Saran)
Shelf paper
Waxed paper
Parchment paper

Decorate plain paper packages with colorful markers or craft paints.
Make bows by cutting papers and bags into strips and tying into bows.
Cut small clusters of berries and tips of fir tree branches to use for package decorations.
Use small toys or items from your junk drawer as eye-catching fun decorations.
Cut designs and figures from shiny silver duct tape and place on packages.
Finally, use the front cover of old holiday cards for gift tags.

Final cost: your time and ingenuity! You’ll create conversations and make memories your family will cherish for years to come!

BOK Center Celebrates Winterfest 2008

Visit Downtown Tulsa this winter season for the inaugural BOK Center Winterfest celebration! Experience the thrill of outdoor ice skating beneath the sparkling skyline, enjoy a hot beverage and live entertainment on the plaza, or take a magical carriage ride with your family through the streets of the city.

Now through Dec. 31 there’s plenty of holiday cheer for the entire family on the corner of Third & Frisco in downtown Tulsa. Be a part of Tulsa’s newest winter tradition and enjoy the month-long community celebration filled with the following:

• Outdoor skating at the ARVEST Ice Rink – $8/person (includes skate rentals), $5/person (with your own skates), $5/children under age 3. Group rates and private parties are available. Call 894-4254.
• Magically lit 35-foot holiday tree – Oklahoma’s tallest!
• Delicious concessions
• Horse and carriage rides
• Live outdoor entertainment
• “Skate with Oilers” Night

Visit www.bokcenter.com to view the full Winterfest calendar and daily hours of operation.

BOK Center Wins National Award

Tulsans have one more reason to be proud of its $180 million, state-of-the-art arena that opened in September of 2008. The BOK Center is the winner of the 2008 Prime Site award from Facilities Magazine, the No. 1 source for professional planners of conventions, meetings, entertainment and special events. The BOK Center will be listed as a winner in the 2009 Facilities SuperBook.

For fifteen years, FacilitiesMagazine has bestowed these awards to facilities. 2008 Prime Site Awards are based on the opinions of those in the industry directly involved with site selection, booking agents, promoters, talent buyers and special event planners. An awards ballot ran in a recent issue and online at www.facilitiesonline.com. Any facility that received more than a set number of votes qualified as a Prime Site winner. The criteria included:

• Location
• Functionality
• Technical Capabilities
• Quality of Staff
• Food & Beverage
• Lighting, Sound and Staging
• Other Amenities
• Access/Egress

BOK Center Information
The BOK Center is owned by the City of Tulsa and managed by SMG.  It is best known for the “icon wall” stretching 600 feet in length and reaching 103 feet from the ground to its peak. With 1,200 glass panes, all a unique size, the wall weighs 912,000 pounds and features 66 metal halide lamps that can display 1,000 different colors.

More notable features of the BOK Center are its exterior walls and flooring. The exterior skin of the BOK Center is made up of 31,000 stainless steel panels. The flooring on the main concourse grand staircase features terrazzo flooring, consisting of 70 percent mother of pearl.

Last week Mayor Kathy Taylor joined local justice officials and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to launch Veterans Treatment Court in Tulsa County.

Veterans Treatment Court will be a specialized docket within the Tulsa County Drug Court, targeting veterans charged with non-violent felony offenses. The initial docket launched December 8.

The mayor’s office, the courts and the Veterans Health Administration and Veterans Benefits Administration are collaborating in this effort to address the needs of military veterans who are struggling with alcohol or drugs to deal with the aftermath of combat.

According to the Vietnam Veterans of America and the Veterans of Modern Warfare, nearly 20 percent of military personnel returning from Iraq and Afghanistan are likely to suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), major depression, or other combat-related issues and turn to alcohol or drugs to cope. All too often they wind up in the criminal justice system.

“With 158 veterans arrested in Tulsa County during the month of October, there is clearly a need for this new therapeutic court,” said Tulsa County Special Judge Sarah Smith. “The Veterans Treatment Court offers a unique partnership between the Veterans Administration, the court system and other veterans’ organizations to provide treatment, compassion and hope to the men and women who served our country and are struggling in the criminal justice system.”

“Veterans Court came together because of a great partnership,” said Mayor Taylor. “VA Medical Center Director Adam Walmus, Judge Sarah Smith, the Tulsa County Drug Court Team, and our office represented by the Mayor’s Liaison for Veterans Affairs Matt Stiner all united to make it a reality. Also, the Veterans Advisory Council worked over the past few months with service officers and veterans’ organizations to bring all of these groups together. Everyone involved deserves our thanks in developing a court that will serve those who served our country,” the mayor added.

The Veterans Court partnership is the latest of many veterans’ initiatives created by the mayor’s office under Taylor, including:

• A Veterans Advisory Council to help improve services to Tulsa-area veterans and active-duty military personnel.
• A Military and Veterans Resource Lounge at Tulsa International Airport.
• Help on the Home Front program.
• Collaboration with Tulsa Community College (TCC) to create the TCC Military and Veterans Resource Center and Lounge at the Metro Campus.
• Veterans Work Force Investment Program to provide classes and workshops, on the job training, and assistance with job placement.
• Launching Operation Patriot Watch in which the Tulsa Police Department and 9-1-1 dispatch keep watch on the homes of active military personnel who request it.

Information on these programs can be found online.

Autumn Jazz Concert Series for 2008

12/21/08 @ 05:00 PM

The Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame presents the exciting Autumn Jazz Concert Series for 2008. Concerts are always on Sunday afternoons at 5pm. New “Table Seating” for everyone. Reserved Table seating is $20 per person (You can reserve individual seating or reserve a table) - Call the Hall in advance of a concert to make your reservation. Speak with Bettie Downing 918.596.1001 New Catering by Upper Crust Catering Complimentary parking on premises

Location: 111 E. First Street - Upper Level (1st & Cincinnati)

Info: OK Jazz Hall of Fame / 918.596.1001 / okjazz.org

2nd Annual Christmas Art Show & Sale

Friday, December 19, 2008 - Saturday, December 20, 2008 (10:00 AM - 5:00 PM)

The Cherokee Artists Association Art Gallery hosts the 2nd Annual Christmas Art Show & Sale December 19-20 from 10am-5pm at 202 E. 5th Street (the blue building behind Taco Bell), in Tahlequah. We feature Native American art, both traditional and contemporary styles, with original paintings, ceramic art, pottery, sculpture, textiles, hand woven baskets, gourd art and cultural items, plus much more. For or more information, contact Bill Glass or Sharon Irla at (918) 458-0008 or (918) 479-8884, Cherokee Artists Association Art Gallery.

CUMC Singles Club Pizza & Movie Night

Friday, December 19, 2008 (6:30 PM)

The Singles Fellowship of Christ United Methodist Church is hosting a “Pizza & Movie Night” on Friday, December 19 at the church, 3515 S. Harvard. The $2.00 pizza meal begins at 6:30p.m. with the movie immediately following. All singles welcome. For more information, call Jim Stilwell at 747-8601.

All-You-Can-Eat-Breakfast

Saturday, December 20, 2008 (8:00 AM)

VFW Post 577 host an All-You-Can-Eat-Breakfast December 20 from 8-10am at the post, 1109 E. 6th Street, in Tulsa. The menu includes scrambled eggs, sausage, biscuits, gravy, potatoes, and pancakes. The cost is $5 and proceeds benefit veteran activities. For more information, contact Shirley Bruce at 812-7646.

Christmas Party for the Poor

Saturday, December 20, 2008 (9:00 AM - 5:00 PM)

Christian’s Faith Unity Foundation hosts a Christmas Party for the Poor December 20 from 9am-5pm at the Green Country Event Center,12000E. 31st Street in Tulsa. Donations are welcome. For more information, call 794-8136 or 856-2106.

Garden of Lights

Time: Dusk - 10pm

Admission: FREE, donations accepted

Honor Heights Park - North 40th Street

Garden of Lights Festival runs Thanksgiving Night through New Year’s Day and is a winter celebration that includes a drive-through display of over one million shimmering lights in Honor Heights Park.

The lights are strung carefully to enhance the natural beauty of the park, gardens, trees, gazebo, waterfalls and ponds. Displays also include a giant entrance tunnel of lights and a wide variety of animated wildlife depicting the creatures that make their home in the park

Woolaroc’s Wonderland of Lights

Time: 5pm - 9pm
Admission: Call for Details

Woolaroc - 12 miles SW on State Hwy 123

Date of Event:  Nov 28,29,30
Dec 5,6,7,
Dec 12,13,14
Dec 19,20,21

Ride the wagon or stroll the grounds to enjoy the spectacular display of more than 500,000 glistening lights decorating the Woolaroc grounds and facilities, creating an illuminating atmosphere of mystical, magical holiday wonder.

Bring the family and enjoy live entertainment, snack on holiday refreshments, and visit Santa Claus in the Museum.

2nd Annual Chandler Park Lights on the Hill

Time: 6pm - 10pm

Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays

Admission: We accept donations at the gate

This is a drive through with Holiday displays from many Tulsa area businesses.

Carriage rides available at $25 per couple

Chandler Park is located in Tulsa at 6500 W 21st , 5 miles from downtown Tulsa. 7 miles from I-44, 6 miles from I-244 and 4 miles from highway 75.

Tulsans have done it again! They’ve added 25,000 miles for a total of 50,000 miles logged since the Tulsa Run – the equivalent of circling the globe TWICE at the equator!

Tulsa Million Miles, an initiative of Mayor Kathy Taylor’s Fitness Challenge, offers Tulsans an interactive Web site where they can log their exercise miles by running, walking, biking, swimming, or doing a multitude of other exercises. The Web site helps keep track of individuals and groups’ progress and also keeps a running total of the total number of miles Tulsans have logged.

“It’s especially important during the holiday season to remember to eat healthy and exercise regularly,” Taylor said.  “There are so many activities Tulsans can do to stay fit and have fun doing it. The BOK Center’s Winterfest ice rink is a great example, so we’ve added ice skating to the Tulsa Million Miles list of activities to track for the month of December.”

From now until New Year’s Eve, Tulsans can participate in Winterfest and skate at the outdoor Arvest Ice Rink. Hours are from 4 to 10 p.m., Monday through Thursday, and noon to 10 p.m. Friday through Sunday.  About 18 laps around the 300-foot rink is equivalent to one mile. Tulsans can record their skating miles on TulsaMillionMiles.com and help Tulsa achieve a million miles or more.

Other features of the Web site include an “Accountability Partners” tool and an iPhone application, as well as exercise resources, maps of local trails, and local fitness events covering fun runs, charity walks, bike rides, and races.

All of Tulsa can take part in helping our city become a healthy and fit community. By the time Tulsans log the millionth mile, they will have walked, run, biked, swam or skated enough miles to circle the globe more than 40 times.

This fall and all year long, be a “woodwise” consumer. There are several ways you can reduce your use of paper, and thus reduce the number of trees cut down each year to provide it. Remember, trees pull carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere and put oxygen back in! Our forests, particularly the rain forests of Central and South America, are crucial to life on Planet Earth.

Here are several key ways to Save trees:

• Buy recycled paper. When you shop for paper products such as greeting cards, computer paper, or sticky notes, make sure you buy tree-free or 100 percent post-consumer recycled paper.
• Look for the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification when you or your contractors buy lumber. The FSC certifies that lumber bearing its symbol originated in a responsibly managed forest.
• Check whether the magazines you read are printed on recycled paper. If not, contact the publisher and tell them you’d like them to switch to post-consumer recycled paper.
• Read magazines online or share a subscription with a friend. You’ll save money as well as paper.
• Remove yourself from junk mail lists, cancel unnecessary catalogs, and ask businesses and other organizations not to share your name.
• Save paper in your financial transactions. Utilize direct deposit, automatic bill paying, online banking, and online portfolio management to save paper in your financial transactions.
• Carry cloth bags with you to the store to avoid wasting paper (or plastic).
• Reuse old envelopes by placing new labels over old addresses.
• Set your computer printer to print on both sides of the page.

(This week’s tip is taken from the Coop America green pages.)

If You Are Traveling Away From Home:

* Have a neighbor or a friend check on your house every one or two days.
* Install an automatic timer for your lights.
* Stop your mail and newspaper delivery for the days you are gone.

If You Are Away For the Evening:

* Keep the lights or the TV on so that it looks like someone is home.
* Don’t set gifts near windows where they can be seen from outside.

If You Are Shopping:

* Park in a well-lighted space. Shop before dark if possible.
* Hide the shopping bags and presents in the trunk.
* Avoid carrying large amounts of cash.
* If possible, put your wallet in an inside pocket of your coat or pants.
* Have your keys ready when you return to the car.
* Shopping with kids? Teach them to go to a sales clerk or the customer service desk if you get separated.

If You Are In Your House:

* Keep your house doors and car doors locked at all times.
* Burglars sometimes pose as couriers delivering gifts or as collectors of money for a charity.
* Remember: if you do not know the person or he/she looks suspicious, do not open the door. A real courier will likely wear a uniform with the logo of his company, or it will be prominently displayed on the vehicle.
* Create or update your house property inventory. Take photos or video of such valuables as jewelry, electronics (TVs, DVD players, and computers), home office equipment, furniture, and house appliances.
* After Christmas, don’t put the boxes from your new electronics or other gifts next to your trash can where anyone can see them. Break the boxes down and fold them inside out.

Holiday decorating & lighting

• Use caution with holiday decorations and whenever possible, choose those made with flame-resistant, flame-retardant or non-combustible materials.

• Keep candles away from decorations and other combustible materials, and do not use candles to decorate Christmas trees.

• Carefully inspect new and previously used light strings and replace damaged items before plugging lights in. Do not overload extension cords.

• Don’t mount lights in any way that can damage the cord’s wire insulation (i.e., using clips, not nails).

• Keep children and pets away from light strings and electrical decorations.

• Turn off all light strings and decorations before leaving the house or going to bed.

Holiday entertaining

• Unattended cooking is the leading cause of home fires in the U.S. When cooking for holiday visitors, remember to keep an eye on the range.

• Provide plenty of large, deep ashtrays and check them frequently. Cigarette butts can smolder in the trash and cause a fire, so completely douse cigarette butts with water before discarding.

• Keep matches and lighters up high, out of sight and reach of children (preferably in a locked cabinet).

• Test your smoke alarms, and let guests know what your fire escape plan is.

Trees

• When purchasing an artificial tree, look for the label “Fire Resistant.”

• When purchasing a live tree, check for freshness. A fresh tree is green, needles are hard to pull from branches and when bent between your fingers, needles do not break.

• When setting up a tree at home, place it away from fireplaces, radiators or portable heaters. Place the tree out of the way of traffic and do not block doorways.

• Cut a few inches off the trunk of your tree to expose the fresh wood. This allows for better water absorption and will help to keep your tree from drying out and becoming a fire hazard.

• Be sure to keep the stand filled with water, because heated rooms can dry live trees out rapidly.

• Make sure the base is steady so the tree won’t tip over easily.

Lights

• Never use electric lights on a metallic tree. The tree can become charged with electricity from faulty lights, and a person touching a branch could be electrocuted.

• Before using lights outdoors, check labels to be sure they have been certified for outdoor use.

• To hold lights in place, string them through hooks or insulated staples, not nails or tacks. Never pull or tug lights to remove them.

• Make sure all the bulbs work and that there are no frayed wires, broken sockets or loose connections.

• Plug all outdoor electric decorations into circuits with ground fault circuit interrupters to avoid potential shocks.

• Turn off all lights when you go to bed or leave the house. The lights could short out and start a fire.

Decorations

• Use only non-combustible or flame-resistant materials to trim a tree. Choose tinsel or artificial icicles of plastic or nonleaded metals.

• Never use lighted candles on a tree or near other evergreens. Always use non-flammable holders, and place candles where they will not be knocked down.

• In homes with small children, take special care to avoid decorations that are sharp or breakable, keep trimmings with small removable parts out of the reach of children.

• Avoid trimmings that resemble candy or food that may tempt a young child to eat them.

Fireplaces

• Before lighting any fire, remove all greens, boughs, papers, and other decorations from fireplace area. Check to see that the flue is open.

• Use care with “fire salts,” which produce colored flames when thrown on wood fires. They contain heavy metals that can cause intense gastrointestinal irritation and vomiting if eaten.

• Do not burn wrapping papers in the fireplace. A flash fire may result as wrappings ignite suddenly and burn intensely.

Toys and Ornaments

• Purchase appropriate toys for the appropriate age. Some toys designed for older children might be dangerous for younger children.

• Electric toys should be UL/FM approved.

• Toys with sharp points, sharp edges, strings, cords, or parts small enough to be swallowed should not be given to small children.

• Place older ornaments and decorations that might be painted with lead paint out of the reach of small children and pets.

Children and Pets

• Poinsettias are known to be poisonous to humans and animals, so keep them well out-of-reach, or avoid having them.

• Keep decorations at least 6 inches above the child’s reach.

• Avoid using tinsel. It can fall on the floor and a curious child or pet may eat it. This can cause anything from mild distress to death.

• Keep any ribbons on gifts and tree ornaments shorter than 7 inches. A child could wrap a longer strand of ribbon around their neck and choke.

• Avoid mittens with strings for children. The string can get tangled around the child’s neck and cause them to choke. It is easier to replace a mitten than a child.

• Watch children and pets around space heaters or the fireplace. Do not leave a child or pet unattended.

• Store scissors and any sharp objects that you use to wrap presents out of your child’s reach.

• Inspect wrapped gifts for small decorations, such as candy canes, gingerbread men, or mistletoe berries, all of which are choking hazards.

• Though it’s so tempting, don’t give your pet large quanitities of cooked turkey and ham during the holidays. Again, human food is too rich; overfeeding of human food can cause additional health problems and feeding human food will often lead to unsatisfactory eating habits when given pet food at their regular mealtimes. Consumption of human food can also result in pitiful begging, an aggravating habit hard to break, when the family sits down for meals.

• BONES ARE DANGEROUS! Please, please don’t feed your pets bones, especially poultry bones. Poultry bones splinter easily - each year thousands of pets are treated for consumption of splintered bones, causing pain and sometimes death.

• Increased activity and visitors during the winter holiday season can upset your pet’s routine. Try to keep your pet on his regular schedule for feeding and exercise and be sure the pet gets plenty of love.

• If you are planning to take your pet with you when visiting friends and relatives during the holidays, be sure to contact them in advance to find out if your pet is welcome. Because of the excitement during the holidays, it might be best for you and your pet to board your pet or hire a reputable pet sitter.

• The lovely bubbling holiday lights are moderate to lethal toxicity, depending on the amount of fluid (methylene chloride) inhaled or ingested.

• Please do not use angelhair (spun glass) - low toxicity; can cause irritation of the eyes, skin and gastrointestinal tract. Artifical snow and snow flock also has low toxicity - dry particles are inert; however, toxicity from inhalation can occur if spayed directly in the mouth.

• Hang your treasured ornaments higher on the Christmas tree. Use wooden, medal, resin-cast or the like on the lower branches in case curious little paws want to play with bright and colorful ornaments. Tinsel isn’t toxic, but if ingested, intestinal obstruction and choking are potential problems…please don’t use.

• The beauty of the fireplace colors (fire salts) is breath-taking on a cold winter’s evening - moderate toxicity; symptoms are gastrointestinal irritation with vomiting and a variety of other manifestations, including convulsions.

• Resist the temptation to tie ribbons around pets necks for the holidays. The pets can tighten ribbons resulting in choking or hang themselves if the ribbon is caught on an object.

• Keep gift ribbons and bows out of sight to prevent chewing and swallowing.

• Replace metal ornament hooks with tightly knotted fabric 1/4 inch ribbons, light-weight twine or yarn to slip easily over the branches of the tree.

• Keep all pets securely indoors during firework displays. The frightening noise and the danger of exploding fireworks are hazardous to your pet.

• A number of Christmas season plants are poisonous to pets if nibbled or eaten: ivy - moderate to very toxic, all parts; holly - moderate to very toxic, especially the berries and leaves; mistletoe - very toxic, all parts, especially the berries; Christmas greens such as balsam, juniper, cedar, pine and fir - all parts have a low level of toxicity; hibiscus - may cause vomiting or bloody diarrhea if ingested; and poinsettias - leaves and stems low in toxicity. This is not a conclusive listing…there are many more toxic plants. An additional listing of both non and toxic plants can be located here. It’s wise to keep plants out of your pets’ and children’s reach.

• Please do not give any animal or any pet of any age as Easter and Christmas gifts. Remember the first weeks of a new life or a sudden change in an adult pet is extremely traumatic for them. Instead, give gifts of pet supplies, food, and accessories. Then after the hustle and bustle of the holidays, the loved one can make a selection of the selected pet of their choice to bring home to peace and quiet for the pet. This will also provide the happy new pet owner time to spend with his/her new life-time commitment.

Have a safe and happy holiday!

Reverend Horton Heat (Music)

December 12, 2008 @ 8:00 PM

Reverend Horton Heat Opener(s) :: Nashville Pussy and Backyard Tire Fire On Sale Now! This show was moved from Dec 13 to Dec 12… Tickets will be honored at the new date… ALL AGES!!! Dec 12 2008 Adv :: $25 // Day of :: $26 Doors :: 7pm Show :: 8:00pm In Person at the following: Cain’s Box Office Starship - 13th & Lewis Reasor’s Customer Service Buy For Le$$ in OKC Ida Red - 33rd & Peoria  Order by phone at 866.443.8849

Address: Cain’s Ballroom 423 North Main Street

Website: http://www.cainsballroom.com/index.htm

Phone: 918.584.2306

Email: info@cainsballroom.com

OKIE GROWN and Black Mesa Studio Holiday Celebration    (Other Events)

December 13, 2008 @ 6:00 PM

OKIE GROWN and Black Mesa Studio Holiday Celebration Saturday, December 13, 2008 OKIE GROWN and Black Mesa Studio Holiday Celebration. Music by Little Chairs: Jesse Aycock, Jeff Martinson and Dustin Pittsley. 6-8pm at Dwelling Spaces.

Address: Dwelling Spaces 119 S. Detroit Ave

Website: http://www.dwellingspaces.net/site/dwelling_spaces/section/44

Phone: 918-582-1033

PSO Christmas Parade of Lights    (Parade)

December 13, 2008 @ 6:00 PM | Downtown Tulsa Unlimited

Address: Downtown Tulsa
Website: http://www.tulsadowntown.org

Save the date…the 2008 PSO Christmas Parade of Lights is every year on the second Saturday night in December, Downtown is the stage for one of Tulsa’s best Christmas traditions. The Public Service Company of Oklahoma Christmas Parade of Lights is a magical celebration. Several companies, organizations, and churches participate each year. The parade includes a variety of entertainment including spectacular floats, marching bands, dance teams, specialty groups, and even giant helium filled balloons like the ones seen in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. It is truly a celebration for all ages, and a wonderful way for Tulsa to join together and celebrate during the Holiday season.

Phone: 918.583.2617
Email: info@tulsadowntown.org

3th Annual Red Dirt Christmas featuring Cross Canadian Ragweed,    (Music)

December 13, 2008 @ 8:00 PM

Address: Cain’s Ballroom 423 North Main Street
Website: http://www.cainsballroom.com/index.html

13th Annual Red Dirt Christmas featuring Cross Canadian Ragweed, Red Dirt Rangers and Stoney LaRue On Sale Now! ALL AGES!!! Dec 13 2008 Adv :: $37 // Day of :: $42 Doors :: 7pm Show :: 8:00pm In Person at the following: Cain’s Box Office Starship - 13th & Lewis Reasor’s Customer Service Buy For Le$$ in OKC Ida Red - 33rd & Peoria  Order by phone at 866.443.8849

Phone: 918.584.2306

Senior Sunday with The Round Up Boys     (Other Events)

December 14, 2008 @ 1:30 PM

Address: Cain’s Ballroom 423 North Main Street
Website: http://www.cainsballroom.com/index.html

Senior Sunday with The Round Up Boys Concert and Dance On Sale at the Door! ALL AGES!!! Dec 14 2008 Tickets :: $7 Doors :: 1:30pm Music :: 2pm-5pm On Sale at the Door!

Phone: 918.584.2306

Autumn Jazz Concert Series for 2008    (Music)

December 14, 2008 @ 5:00 PM | OK Jazz Hall of Fame

Address: 111 E. First Street - Upper Level (1st & Cincinnati)
Website: http://okjazz.org

The Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame presents the exciting Autumn Jazz Concert Series for 2008. Leon Rollerson’s Band will perform holiday tunes and collaborate with area jazz musicians and vocalists coming together to celebrate the Christmas holiday in an evening of straight-ahead jammin’. Concerts are always on Sunday afternoons at 5pm. New “Table Seating” for everyone. Reserved Table seating is $20 per person (You can reserve individual seating or reserve a table) - Call the Hall in advance of a concert to make your reservation. Speak with Bettie Downing 918.596.1001 New Catering by Upper Crust Catering Complimentary parking on premises

Phone: 918.596.1001