The Oklahoma City Boathouse District deserves access by public transit, rants Bennett Brinkman for his 2024 birthday. (NonDoc)
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Believe it or not, journalists have opinions. While politicians and national news media might have you believe journalists’ opinions are all about politics, ideologies and (I’m looking at you, Mr. State Superintendent) ways to indoctrinate the public, my experience as a young journalist has been that most of our opinions tend to stay closer to home.
We express opinions on the quality of food served at the Oklahoma State Capitol (it’s pretty good — I recommend the burger), wager on the length of time a given board might stay in executive session (I always take the over), and complain about construction on our commutes. (I am SO ready for the Scooters at Northeast 36th Street and Lincoln Boulevard to be completed.)
Recently, a conversation with my editor about such mild frustrations sparked an idea for a new NonDoc commentary series: The Birthday Rant!
I turned 25 this weekend, and I have the honor of kicking off a tradition that will (hopefully) allow NonDoc journalists to blow off some steam in a lighthearted way that helps readers learn a bit more about us.
Without further ado, welcome to my Birthday Rant about a place near and dear to my heart: OKC’s Boathouse District.
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A golden transit opportunity for OKC’s Boathouse District
A raft guide takes a group down the Oklahoma City Riversport rapids Thursday, July 11, 2024. (Bennett Brinkman)
I have worked in some capacity at the Boathouse District since 2016. It was my first real job, and I returned almost every summer throughout high school and college to work varying positions in guest services and as a raft guide. I still work there on weekends when I’m free — it is a great way to get paid to get tan.
Over the years, I have seen the district grow and change. I have seen it make itself a national player in the world of whitewater and flat-water sports, as evidenced by the recent news that Oklahoma City’s whitewater facility will host the slalom canoe portion of the 2028 Olympics.
I have also seen the district attempt to knit itself into the fabric of Oklahoma City’s downtown area. One of the district’s major draws is the views of our city’s skyline. At few other places in the country can you raft on Class III (or higher) rapids with an urban cityscape so nearby.
But seeing OKC’s skyline from the Boathouse District also serves as a reminder of just how far this major resource sits from everything else the downtown area has to offer. The district is a half mile from Bricktown and a mile from downtown, but the area is almost completely cut off, in practical terms, from the middle of Oklahoma City.
Eight lanes of Interstate 40 run between the Boathouse District and downtown. The district also sits at the point where Reno Avenue completes its transition from Bricktown fairway to industrial road.
Anyone wishing to walk from the district to another OKC venue must go up and over one of two steep bridges to reach the other side of the highway. One of those bridges, the beginning of Oklahoma City Boulevard, lacks sidewalks and is clearly not meant for pedestrians. The other bridge — Lincoln Boulevard — climbs steeply to cross over I-40 and then drops down onto Reno. From there, any pedestrian must cross train tracks and walk nearly half a mile to get to the heart of Bricktown, including the nearest streetcar stop.
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The streetcar does not connect the Boathouse District to Bricktown or downtown, and the district has no nearby bus routes.
The obvious solution to this apparent isolation involves simply driving your vehicle to and from the district. In a vehicle, the distance between the locations is minuscule and easy to navigate.
But this solution — which requires you to have a vehicle, of course — poses its own problems. On peak summer days and during special events, parking almost always fills up. The Whitewater Center also has a bar, so anyone pursuing a day of drinking and seeing Oklahoma City must figure out designated drivers or be prepared to call an Uber or Lyft.
These problems are not insurmountable. We live in a car-heavy culture, and navigating such challenges remains fairly typical for people living in a city such as ours.
But on a deeper level, I wonder what message it sends to have the Boathouse District cut off from all methods of transportation except cars. It truly is a world-class facility, and it deserves to be shown off to as many people as possible.
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I love introducing people from out of town. Indeed, many patrons of the district hail from someplace other than Oklahoma City. The kicker is that most of them have driven into the city with their own vehicles. I have to imagine that many visitors to our city who arrive via Will Rogers World Airport might have some difficulty making the trek to visit the Boathouse District unless they have rented a car.
I don’t know the best solution to this issue, but I would like to see city officials consider expanding the streetcar route to include the Boathouse District, although I know that would be an expensive project, and the OKC streetcar has its own issues. Perhaps some effort should be made to build a pedestrian bridge and walkway to connect the district to the downtown and Bricktown areas? Or perhaps a simple bus route or shuttle service would make some sense.
All I know is that with the Olympics coming to Oklahoma City and drawing people from all over the world, we should make it as easy as possible for everyone to explore OKC in the method that works for them — whether by walking, taking public transit, driving or otherwise.
An Oklahoma judge on Thursday allowed former death row prisoner Richard Glossip to be released on bond while awaiting retrial over a 1997 killing that put him on the brink of execution three separate times.
The decision clears the way for Glossip, 63, to leave a lockup for the first time since his arrest nearly 30 years ago. Last year, the U.S. Supreme Court threw out his conviction, and his longstanding claims of innocence have drawn support from Kim Kardashian and other prominent figures.
READ MORE: Supreme Court throws out Oklahoma man Richard Glossip’s murder conviction and death sentence
Judge Natalie Mai issued an order setting bond at $500,000. Glossip must wear an electronic monitoring device and will not be allowed to travel outside Oklahoma. He also must not contact any witnesses in the case, or consume any drugs or alcohol.
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It was unclear Thursday when Glossip would be released. He will have to post only 10%, or $50,000, and the process could take two or three days, said his attorney Donald Knight.
Knight also suggested Glossip is counting on contributions to raise the money.
“Mr. Glossip has many supporters and we are hopeful those supporters can afford the bail,” Knight said.
Protestors and family members embrace after hearing the news of Governor Mary Fallin issuing a stay for death row inmate Richard Glossip outside the Oklahoma State Penitentiary in McAlester, Oklahoma, September 30, 2015. Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin on Wednesday granted inmate Richard Glossip a 37-day stay of execution to give the state time to address whether its execution protocols comply with procedures approved by the federal court. Glossip, 52, was found guilty of arranging the 1997 murder of Barry Van Treese, the owner of an Oklahoma City motel that Glossip was managing. Photo by Nick Oxford/Reuters.
Glossip had been sentenced to death over the 1997 killing in Oklahoma City of his former boss, motel owner Barry Van Treese, in what prosecutors have alleged was a murder-for-hire scheme.
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The Supreme Court ruled last year that prosecutors’ decision to allow a key witness to give testimony they knew to be false violated Glossip’s constitutional right to a fair trial.
Glossip has remained behind bars after Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond announced the state would seek to retry him on a murder charge but not pursue the death penalty again.
“The court fully expects that the state will rigorously prosecute its case going forward and the defense will provide robust representation for Glossip,” the judge wrote in the order. “The court hopes that a new trial, free of error, will provided all interested parties and the citizens of Oklahoma, the closure they deserve.”
During his time on death row, courts in Oklahoma set nine different execution dates for Glossip, and he came so close to being put to death that he ate three separate last meals. In 2015, he was even held in a cell next to Oklahoma’s execution chamber, waiting to be strapped to a gurney and die by lethal injection.
But the scheduled time for his execution came and went. Behind the walls of the Oklahoma State Penitentiary, prison officials were scrambling after learning one of the lethal drugs they received to carry out the procedure didn’t match the execution protocols. The drug mix-up ultimately led to a nearly seven-year moratorium on executions in Oklahoma.
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“Mr. Glossip now has the chance to taste freedom while his defense team continues to pursue justice on his behalf against a system that the United States Supreme Court has found to be guilty of serious misconduct by state prosecutors,” Knight said.
Glossip’s case attracted international attention after actress Susan Sarandon — who won an Academy Award for her portrayal of death penalty opponent Sister Helen Prejean’s fight to save a man on Louisiana’s death row in the 1995 movie “Dead Man Walking” — took up his cause in real life. Glossip’s case also was featured in the 2017 documentary film titled “Killing Richard Glossip.”
“Both Richard and I are grateful for the court’s decision,” Glossip’s wife, Lea, said in a text to The Associated Press. “We have been praying for this day.”
A free press is a cornerstone of a healthy democracy.
Teaching is easily one of the most challenging and rewarding professions anywhere. And while most deserve to be recognized, when we heard about Deanne Strothers, we had to come meet her.
The Harding Charter Prep teacher has been teaching life through math for 30 years.
“My goal is to make them understand that they can get through tough stuff,” said Strothers.
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But seven years ago, there was some tough stuff put on her plate that was really tough to swallow.
“I had kids that would come in, and they didn’t have any. They didn’t have a lunch card, so they couldn’t eat,” said Strothers.
She recalls one student in particular, at a previous school.
“She came in, and she’s like, I’m hungry,” said Strothers.
After giving the student the peanut butter and jelly sandwich she had brought for lunch, Strothers made a decision: as long as she was teaching, no child would go hungry.
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“And so, I’m like, I’ve got to get something that is universal, and we landed on peanut butter and jelly,” said Strothers.
So, for the past seven years, each night she and her husband have prepared peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, totaling over 30,000 sandwiches.
It’s always grape jelly, you don’t have to be in any of her classes and the sandwiches are typically gone before 9 a.m.
“I would rather have a well-fed child than a child sitting here, not having the capability to really pay attention because they are hungry,” said Strothers.
As word spread of her personal feeding program, it prompted a visit from Oklahoma’s Secretary of Education, Dan Hamlin, who didn’t come empty-handed.
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“Well, we wanted to give you a check for supplies,” said Hamlin.
“I think it’s incredibly important that we recognize the great work that our teachers are doing across the state,” said Hamlin.
“I’ll keep doing this as long as I am teaching,” said Strothers.
As expected, Mrs. Strothers says she will use the check for more peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. The $250.00 donation will paY for about one semester of sandwiches.
Today on the Spotlight, our crew explored why Winter Park Resort is so much more than a snowy winter destination. Nestled in Colorado’s breathtaking Fraser Valley along the Continental Divide, this mountain escape transforms into an outdoor paradise once the snow melts—offering cool temperatures, endless sunshine, and adventures for every kind of traveler.
Just 70 minutes from Denver and one of the closest major mountain resorts to Denver International Airport, Winter Park makes it easy to trade city life for alpine views. Surrounded by towering 13,000 and 14,000-foot peaks, the resort delivers postcard-worthy scenery with summer temperatures that rarely climb above 80 degrees. Add in more than 300 days of sunshine each year, and it’s easy to see why so many visitors are discovering Winter Park as a perfect warm-weather getaway.
The resort village itself offers plenty of charm, with lodging, dining, shopping, and activities all conveniently located in one walkable area. Whether you’re looking for high-energy thrills or a laid-back mountain retreat, there’s no shortage of ways to enjoy the outdoors.
One of the most popular summer attractions is the scenic gondola ride, which carries guests up to 10,700 feet for unforgettable panoramic views of the Continental Divide, colorful wildflowers, and towering aspen groves. Adventure seekers can race down Colorado’s longest alpine slide or hit the trails to explore more than 3,000 acres of scenic hiking terrain. For those wanting to relax, Sunspot Mountain Lodge offers mountaintop dining with incredible views.
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As the sun begins to set, the mountain comes alive with happy hour gatherings and live music on Friday and Saturday evenings, creating the perfect atmosphere to unwind after a day of adventure.
Winter Park is also home to the legendary Trestle Bike Park, one of the top downhill mountain biking destinations in the country. Opening Memorial Weekend, the park features more than 40 miles of gravity-fed downhill trails designed for riders of all skill levels. Advanced bikers can tackle technical terrain, while beginners can ease into the sport with mellow trails, rental gear, and lessons available onsite. Visitors who prefer a more relaxed ride can explore the area with e-bike rentals and guided mountain tours.
Beyond the resort, Winter Park serves as an ideal base camp for exploring some of Colorado’s most iconic outdoor destinations. The quieter west entrance of Rocky Mountain National Park is only about 35 minutes away, offering fewer crowds and incredible opportunities to spot wildlife like moose and elk.
And for travelers wanting to spend time on the water, Grand Lake, Lake Granby, and Shadow Mountain Lake are all within about an hour of the resort, offering boating, fishing, paddling, and even more mountain recreation opportunities.
From scenic gondola rides and alpine slides to mountain biking, hiking, lakeside escapes, and national park adventures, Winter Park truly lives up to its reputation as Colorado’s gateway to summer fun. Visitors looking to plan their next mountain getaway can find lodging deals, trailside stays, and a full calendar of summer events at Winter Park Resort.