Wednesday, 12 March 2008
The River Country Chapter of Ducks Unlimited will host its 9th Annual Greenwing Day at the Creek County Fairgrounds on March 29th, 2008 at 8:30am.

"We are looking forward to a great crowd at this year’s Greenwing Day," said committee chairman John Wilson of Sapulpa. "All kids 3-17 are welcome at this event, which will feature a Wildlife Biologist, Retriever Demonstrations, STEP (Shotgun Training Education Program – shooting clay targets with Oklahoma Game Wardens), Wood Duck Box construction, BB Gun Range, Archery, Turkey Hunting Instruction, Craft projects for the little ones and much more!  

Proceeds from the event will go to support DU’s wetlands and waterfowl habitat conservation efforts in Oklahoma, the U.S., Canada, and Mexico."

Ducks Unlimited was formed to provide for the life cycle needs of North America’s migratory waterfowl by protecting, restoring, enhancing, and managing important wetlands and associated uplands. DU is the world’s largest private sector waterfowl, wetlands, and wildlife conservation organization, with one million supporters and members in the U.S. Since its inception in 1937, DU has raised nearly $2 billion and conserved nearly 11 million acres of habitat throughout North America.

For more information, contact John Wilson at (918)224-2019.

Last Updated ( Wednesday, 12 March 2008 )

Monday, 10 March 2008
Sam Mitchell was one of five Conference USA basketball student-athletes named to the 2008 C-USA Men’s Basketball All-Academic Team. These student-athletes must have maintained a 3.2 cumulative grade point average or better and are a starter or key reserve.

Two repeat selections, seniors Paulius Packevicius of Rice and Jon Killen of SMU, were named to the all-academic team. Another senior Taylor Gagnon of East Carolina along with UAB junior Reggie Huffman joined Mitchell on the academic team.

Mitchell has played in all 28 games for the Golden Hurricane this season. He is a three-time member of the C-USA Commissioner’s Honor Roll and Tulsa’s Athletics Director’s Honor Roll. Mitchell, a finance major from Bartlesville, Okla., maintains a 3.4 GPA and is averaging 1.9 points and 1.9 rebounds in more than 11 minutes per game.

The 6-9 forward has played in 85 career games and has started 32 of those contests. He had a season-best nine points in 11 minutes last Saturday against Marshall, while adding a season-high seven rebounds against Presbyterian earlier this year.

All five student-athletes will lead their respective teams into the 2008 Conference USA Men’s Basketball Championship, March 12-15 at FedExForum in Memphis, Tenn.

University Profile:  Sam Mitchell

CAREER AT TULSA – A two-year letterwinner . . . has career averages of 3.6 points (214) and 2.6 rebounds (155) in 59 games . . . has 30 career starts.

2006-07 – Played in all 31 . . . started 11 contests . . . averaged 4.5 points and 3.1 rebounds in 16.5 minutes of playing time . . . led Tulsa in rebounding in four games . . . saw his first start this year against Eastern Michigan . . . had three double-digit scoring games . . . had seven points and two rebounds in 11 minutes vs. UCF (2-24-07) . . . had five points and six rebounds vs. Houston . . . had eight points and a career-best nine rebounds vs. Marshall . . . had a career-best 15 points and added three rebounds and three steals vs. UTEP . . . converted 11-of-12 free throws vs. UTEP, both career-highs, which increased his season free throw percentage from .645 to .721 . . . had seven rebounds, two points, two assists and two blocks vs. Texas-Pan American . . . scored 11 points twice, against Cal State Northridge and Southern Arkansas . . . the 11 points vs. CSUN was his first career double-figure scoring game . . . had seven points and four rebounds at North Texas . . . tallied six points and tied a career-best with eight rebounds vs. UALR . . . had five points and five rebounds in 16 minutes in the season opener.

2005-06 – Played in all 28 games and started 19 contests . . . averaged 15.0 minutes of playing time . . . averaged 15.8 minutes of playing time in the final 26 games, after playing a total of 10 minutes in the first two games . . . started 18 straight games before coming off of the bench in the home finale against Tulane . . . averaged 2.7 points and 2.1 rebounds . . . tallied five points, three rebounds and a season-high two blocks vs. Houston . . . had seven points vs. Rice . . . tied his season-best with eight points vs. Memphis . . . tallied season-bests of eight points and eight rebounds in 20 minutes vs. East Carolina . . . had five points and four rebounds in 14 minutes vs. Marshall . . . was 2-of-2 for four points in 17 minutes at UAB . . . received his first career start against Southern, and had twp points and five rebounds . . . had six points and four rebounds vs. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi . . . played 6 minutes and had two rebounds and blocked one shot in the season opener . . . named to the Conference USA Commissioner’s Honor Roll.

HIGH SCHOOL – Was a two-year letterwinner at Bartlesville High School . . . was a starter his senior season . . . helped lead his team to a 25-3 record and the Class 6A state runner-up finish . . . averaged 11.1 points and 6.2 rebounds while shooting 59-percent from the field as a senior . . . ranked seventh among all Oklahoma Class 6A players in field goal percentage . . . was second on the team in assists with a 2.1 average . . . had season-highs of 30 points and 12 rebounds, both coming against Wewoka, as a senior . . . was an honorable mention all-state selection as a senior . . . has been selected to play in the Faith Seven Game, featuring Oklahoma vs. Texas senior all-stars . . . was a third-team all-Frontier Conference selection his senior season . . . was named to the Class 6A state all-tournament second-team . . . high school coach was Tim Bart.

PERSONAL – Favorite NBA team is the Phoenix Suns . . . his favorite NBA player is Amare Stoudemire . . . among his favorite movies are Matrix and Gladiators . . . his favorite TV shows are "Psych" and "House" . . . the most memorable place he has visited is the Great Wall of China . . . pizza is his favorite food . . . his favorite childhood game was monopoly . . . his father played collegiate lacrosse at Colgate for three years . . . majoring in accounting . . . parents are Raymond and Susanna Mitchell.

Last Updated ( Monday, 10 March 2008 )

Monday, 03 March 2008
If you’re looking for a fun St. Patrick’s Day event with your dog (and who isn’t?), you needn’t look any further than “Irish Paws 2008.” A morning of outdoor games and activities focused around ‘man’s best friend’ at beautiful Hicks Park at 10:30am on Saturday, March 15th.  Admission is free.

“This annual event has become a favorite for everyone who attends – dogs included,” describes Marci Joha, Park Manager for Hicks Recreation Center, 3443 S. Mingo Road. “In the past, some dogs came in costume, some just enjoyed the time outside in the park – but everyone has a lot of fun," Joha said.

There will be activities for dogs and owners to participate in, or just enjoy the outdoors.   All dogs attending will need to be on a leash.  Patrons are also encouraged to bring a canned pet food item to benefit Tulsa charities.  Activities are free and open to the public.  For more information, call the Hicks Park staff at 669-6355.

Last Updated ( Monday, 03 March 2008 )

Thursday, 28 February 2008
According to a new report released today by the Pew Center on the States’ Public Safety Performance Project, for the first time in history more than one in every 100 adults in America are in jail or prison—a fact that significantly impacts state budgets without delivering a clear return on public safety.

At the start of 2008, 2,319,258 adults were held in American prisons or jails, or one in every 99.1 men and women, according to the study.  During 2007, the prison population rose by more than 25,000 inmates.  In addition to detailing state and regional prison growth rates, Pew’s report identifies how corrections’ spending compares to other state investments, why it has increased, and what some states are doing to limit growth in both prison populations and costs while maintaining public safety.

Oklahoma appears against the national trend showing a decrease of 1.2 percent from a population of 26,243 in 2006 to 25,918 in 2008.  Oklahoma incarcerates 919 adults per 100,000 residents.  Oklahoma spends 7.8 percent of the state general fund on corrections which is exceeded only by Texas (8.6 percent) in the 16 southern states listed.  For every dollar Oklahoma spent on higher education in 2007, it spent 51 cents on corrections.

As prison populations expand, costs to states are on the rise.  Last year alone, states spent more than $49 billion on corrections, up from $11 billion 20 years before.  However, the national recidivism rate remains virtually unchanged, with about half of released inmates returning to jail or prison within three years.  And while violent criminals and other serious offenders account for some of the growth, many inmates are low-level offenders or people who have violated the terms of their probation or parole.

“For all the money spent on corrections today, there hasn’t been a clear and convincing return for public safety,” said Adam Gelb, director of the Public Safety Performance Project.  “More and more states are beginning to rethink their reliance on prisons for lower-level offenders and finding strategies that are tough on crime without being so tough on taxpayers.”

According to the report, 36 states and the Federal Bureau of Prisons saw their prison populations increase in 2007.  Among the seven states with the largest number of prisoners—those with more than 50,000 inmates—three grew (Ohio, Florida and Georgia), while four (New York, Michigan, Texas and California) saw their populations dip.  Texas surpassed California as the nation’s prison leader following a decline in both states’ inmate populations—Texas decreased by 326 inmates and California by 4,068. Ten states, meanwhile, experienced a jump in inmate population growth of 5 percent or greater, a list topped by Kentucky with a surge of 12 percent.

A close examination of the most recent U.S. Department of Justice data (2006) found that while one in 30 men between the ages of 20 and 34 is behind bars, the figure is one in nine for black males in that age group.  Men are still roughly 13 times more likely to be incarcerated, but the female population is expanding at a far brisker pace.  For black women in their mid- to late-30s, the incarceration rate also has hit the one-in-100 mark. In addition, one in every 53 adults in their 20s is behind bars; the rate for those over 55 is one in 837.

The report points out the necessity of locking up violent and repeat offenders, but notes that prison growth and higher incarceration rates do not reflect a parallel increase in crime, or a corresponding surge in the nation’s population at large.  Instead, more people are behind bars principally because of a wave of policy choices that are sending more lawbreakers to prison and, through popular “three-strikes” measures and other sentencing laws, imposing longer prison stays on inmates.

As a result, states’ corrections costs have risen substantially.  Twenty years ago, the states collectively spent $10.6 billion of their general funds—their primary discretionary dollars—on corrections.  Last year, they spent more than $44 billion in general funds, a 315 percent jump, and more than $49 billion in total funds from all sources. Coupled with tightening state budgets, the greater prison expenditures may force states to make tough choices about where to spend their money.  For example, Pew found that over the same 20-year period, inflation-adjusted general fund spending on corrections rose 127 percent while higher education expenditures rose just 21 percent.

“States are paying a high cost for corrections—one that may not be buying them as much in public safety as it should.  And spending on prisons may be crowding out investments in other valuable programs that could enhance a state’s economic competitiveness,” said Susan K. Urahn, managing director of the Pew Center on the States.  “There are other choices.  Some state policy makers are experimenting with a range of community punishments that are as effective as incarceration in protecting public safety and allow states to put the brakes on prison growth.”

According to Pew, some states are attempting to protect public safety and reap corrections savings primarily by holding lower-risk offenders accountable in less-costly settings and using intermediate sanctions for parolees and probationers who violate conditions of their release.  These include a mix of community-based programs such as day reporting centers, treatment facilities, electronic monitoring systems and community service—tactics recently adopted in Kansas and Texas.  Another common intervention, used in Kansas and Nevada, is making small reductions in prison terms for inmates who complete substance abuse treatment and other programs designed to cut their risk of recidivism.

Pew was assisted in collecting state prison counts by the Association of State Correctional Administrators and the JFA Institute.  The report also relies on data published by the U.S. Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Statistics, the National Association of State Budget Officers, and the U.S. Census Bureau.

To view the entire report, including state-by-state data and methodology, click here.
Last Updated ( Thursday, 28 February 2008 )

Tuesday, 26 February 2008
For the first time in modern history the Tulsa County Republican Party Platform Committee last Saturday forwarded to the general convention a Minority Report supported by over 20 percent of voting members as an alternative to the traditional platform.  The Report was described by proponents as “removing minutia that divides us to focus on foundations that unite us.”
 
Debate was killed by parliamentary procedure rather than the typical discussion and vote on the merits.  According to opponent Craig Davidson, the Minority Report was “in opposition to the adopted platform since details are specific points for which the Republican Party stands – points for which the Minority Report does not stand.”
 
Supporters believed that every significant point within last year’s platform was covered by the new abbreviated verbiage.   “We were outmaneuvered,” proponents admitted.  Calls from the floor throughout the room at the time charged, “This is not democracy,” and “This is not Republican.”

The Minority Report included broad principles of government that proponents asserted would be more effective in communicating with unregistered voters why they should become Republicans.  It was one page of text compared to the more traditional eight pages of detailed positions many felt were beyond the proper scope of the Tulsa County Party and less than helpful to Republican elected officials.
 
The text of that report follows:
 
We believe in equal rights, justice and opportunity for all human life regardless of race, creed, age, sex or disability.  We believe the strength of our constitutional republic lies with the individual and that each person’s dignity, freedom, ability, liberty and responsibility must be honored.
 
We welcome legal immigration and recognize the tremendous benefits new immigrants have contributed to America.  We oppose illegal immigration.  We believe the federal government has an immediate duty to hold secure our national borders.
 
We believe the proper role of government is to provide for the people only those critical functions that cannot be performed by individuals or private organizations and that the best government is that which governs least.
 
We believe the most effective, responsible and responsive government is government closest to the people.  State and local governments should be encouraged to address challenges with creativity and without undue federal influence, regulation or restriction.
 
We recognize that America is now under attack by a worldwide network of highly educated, well-financed, and dedicated fanatics.  These enemies work daily to destroy the economic, political, and religious liberty enjoyed by modern societies.  Government’s first priority is to keep the country safe from and to pursue active enemies until they are defeated.  Such self-declared active enemies must not be allowed any safe base of operations from which to launch attacks against America – ever again.
 
We reject the European Union model of abdicating national sovereignty to gain economic success.  We recognize that the United Nations is failing and in specific cases has degenerated into harmful ineffective bureaucracy that must immediately be reformed or rejected as an agent for world peace.  We believe America should continue efforts to extend peace, freedom, individual liberty and human rights throughout the world.
 
We believe individual initiative in free enterprise provides opportunity, economic growth and prosperity.  We oppose socialism in general and specific entitlement programs lacking incentives to grow personal productivity.  We believe government must practice fiscal responsibility by reducing spending and the total tax burden on all citizens.
 
We believe the Republican Party is the best vehicle for translating these ideals into positive and successful principles of government.
 

Proponents of the Minority Report met after the vote and pledged to continue efforts to bring such a “foundational platform” in some form forward at next year’s convention.  They note instructions from the chairman of the convention restricted the wording allowed in the introduction to only describing how it came forward.  In so doing, the “reason” and “need” for the change never got a hearing at the convention.
 
Members of the 2008 Platform Committee continue to share differing opinions by e-mail both on the Minority Report and the procedure by which debate was killed.  Some suggest that the “letter of the law killed the spirit of the convention.”
 
Requesting anonymity, one proponent was brutally straightforward: “No elected official of either party has ever served in office constrained by county party platform planks, so why include planks that serve as nothing more than springboards for extremists to dive into deep dispute and division?  A platform should be something that could be distributed, for example, at the Tulsa State Fair so that undecided voters could quickly and clearly see the foundations on which the Republican Party stands.”
 
A cynic not involved in the debate suggested that the platform serves primarily to allow fanatics to get their pet foolishness on a record no one else cares to read.  Supporters answer, yes, but those who can stay awake long enough to read it are less inclined to become, support, or fund republican candidates so is it truly worth allowing pet planks a permanent home?
 
The Tulsa County Republican Platform is available by clicking here.

Last Updated ( Tuesday, 26 February 2008 )