Among the items of interest in the March 31 edition of the University of Oklahoma police report:
It appears that three people were arrested because of a fight at O'Connell's Irish Pub early Thursday. At least that's my guess as to what three entries in the OU police report for the same incident would indicate.
The fight happened after 1:30 a.m. Thursday. There is no word as to the cause of the fight or any injuries sustained.
A hit-and-run collision was reported along the Parrington Oval sometime between 10:15 and 10:30 a.m. Thursday.
No word on what was hit or who was running.
You can see the University of Oklahoma police department report on their Web site each day right here. That link will work for you every day.
Severe weather season is upon us, and it can be a life-or-death issue, particularly when it comes to the potential for nighttime tornadoes.
That's why every meteorologist recommends you have a weather radio.
But not just any weather radio -- one that is programmed with information for your locale. The problem is that it's not the easiest thing in the world to program these suckers.
That's why the city of Norman Office of Emergency Management has partnered with local Wal-Mart stores not only to offer weather radios at a discounted price but also to help you get them programmed.
The event is from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, April 4, at both Wal-Mart locations in Norman.
If you don't have a weather radio, you owe it to yourself to spend the money to get one. We're talking just a few dollars. This is a heck of an opportunity to get some help programming it while you're at the store.
Volunteer groups represented include: South Canadian Amateur Radio Society (SCARS), the Norman Emergency Response Volunteers, the University of Oklahoma’s Student Chapter of the American Meteorological Society (OU SCAMS), and the Cleveland County Medical Reserve CORPS.
A few weeks ago I was running down Boyd Street, set to turn onto Classen. The railroad bars started to come down and I thought, "Hey, I can make that."
Then I remembered Blake Frensley, who apparently thought the same thing once. Except he didn't beat the train, and he lost his life.
In his honor, the Beta Theta Pi fraternity presents the 4th annual 5k run in his honor Saturday. It starts at 9 a.m. in front of their house at 800 Chautauqua. $23 day-of registration, and it looks like you get a shirt.
Unfortunately,their site doesn't have much information, including a course map. But you can make a pretty attractive and flat course up around fraternity row.
If you've done this race, let us know in the comments what you think of the organization and the course.
The largest weekend event in the state of Oklahoma is being prepped for the 33rd time in Norman as the Medieval Fair kicks off Friday.
Dedicated to recreating the Middle Ages with a wide variety of expos and entertainment, the Norman fair is listed by the Events Media Network as one of the top 100 events in the nation.
Admission is free, and the fair's hours are from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
If you happen to go and would like us to post your photos or videos, we'd be glad to. Just e-mail us at thenormanfiles@gmail.com.
If you're curious about the weather for the weekend, initial forecasts have Friday's high at 68, Saturday's at almost 80 and Sunday back down in the 50s. Definitely some varied weather.
In the interim, here is some information and media about this year's fair:
I've been to the Medieval Fair several times and have always stuffed my face with lots of calorie-rich goodness. However, if you'd like to come into Norman for some dinner or to hang out somewhere or, heck, even spend the night, the Norman Convention and Visitor's Center has put together a heck of an online resource with links.
As popular as the Medieval Fair is, you know tons of people have already documented it over the years with video. Here's a link to some of the videos we found:
However, this video by a couple of guys from back in 2006 was by a mile the best out there. Not only does it capture the spirit of the fair, the activities and food available, but it also captured the joie de vivre of the event and the friendliness of Norman:
Anytime spring Oklahoma winds gust beyond 50 mph, the question gets asked around Norman: Is today the day the Vista building comes crumbling down?
Norman fire officials evacuated four businesses for more than four hours on Thursday because of high wind gusts, weeks after an engineering firm's warning that the Vista building in downtown Norman was not only leaning but also structurally deficient.
The businesses evacuated included Bison Witches sandwich shop, Broce Construction Company, Rawhide and Winans Fine Chocolates and Coffees. A clear zone was established in and around a several-block radius of 111 N. Peters Ave.
On the home page of the Vista Bar & Grill's Web site, general manager Skay McCall said there is no timeline for the building's reopening. The Vista is one of Norman's best pubs, and it sits atop the downtown financial building, providing patrons with the best view in Norman.
City officials have not indicated whether the building can be repaired or would have to be torn down. There has also been no word how the upcoming Norman Music Festival, which takes place downtown later this month, could be affected if winds were particularly gusty.
Firefighters put out a blaze on Wednesday in the back rooms of a home in east Norman, according to city officials.
Crews were called to 115 W. Hughbert St. at 12:38 p.m. and found smoke coming from the residence. They were able to extinguish the flames coming from the back rooms.
Nobody was hurt in the fire, but investigators said it caused about $12,000 to the structure and $1,000 to its contents.
The fire is under investigation by the Norman Fire Marshal's office.
Photo courtesy of the Cleveland County Assessor's Office Web site.
Among the items of interest in the April 1 edition of the University of Oklahoma police report:
OUPD officers were called to help with traffic at a Norman intersection on Wednesday after box car was separated from a freight train.
Norman Deputy Fire Chief Jim Bailey told the Norman Transcript that the derailment happened at 8:55 a.m. Wednesday when the car came loose just south of Lindsey Street.
Nobody was hurt in the incident, and according to the OUPD daily report, campus officers worked traffic at Constitution Street and Oak Tree Avenue.
***
A report was taken by OU police at 1:23 p.m. on an obscene or threatening communication at Walker Tower, on the 2nd floor's west side.
No report was taken on the same type of incident at Bizzell Memorial Library at about 12:15 p.m. Wednesday.
There is no word as to what constituted obscene or threatening.
***
Campus police officers were called to the Barry Switzer Center on Wednesday night after reports of motion-sensitive intrusion alarms going off. The April 1 OUPD report notes that it was a false alarm, and it was unknown as to what tripped it.
The Flood Street Bridge into Norman (Hwy. 77, business) closed on April 1 for construction and isn't expected to reopen until August 1.
Traffic the night before had been horrendous at about 7:15 p.m., but that was primarily because construction crews had cut off two lanes.
However, by the time crews got the bridge closed off, only one lane needed to be closed. Traffic flowed like butter.
A pair of YouTube videos are posted, the first documenting the traffic on Tuesday night and the second on Wednesday night. Our YouTube channel is http://www.youtube.com/thenormanfiles. We'll post videos from time to time to supplement coverage on 'The Norman Files' -- and, yes, the quality of these videos will improve, particularly if not shot from the car while driving ...
Oklahoma's oldest farmer's market opens Saturday for yet another season of delicious homegrown goodies.
The Norman Farm Market is open from 8 a.m. until noon every Saturday and Wednesday from April 4 until Oct. 31. Among the items to be featured during the first few weeks of the market are:
asparagus
hothouse tomatoes
greens
lettuce
radishes
spinach
herb
vegetable
flower bedding plants
Things like honey, herbs, cut flowers, trees, shrubs, perennial and annual plants and hanging baskets will be available all season.
For those of you who suffer from seasonal allergies, buying honey cultivated as close to home as possible can help build immunity against local allergens. Locally grown honey is a miracle drug, and it knocks out a sweet tooth to boot!
For more information, visit the market's Web page by clicking here.
YouTube user "envirohist" posted this video last October from a day at the market. Look at those bell peppers. Yum.
One of the public services The Norman Files will provide is information about lost pets. If yours is lost and you think it's in Norman, Okla., (that's our criteria in a nutshell), e-mail us information and a photo to thenormanfiles@gmail.com.
Three lost-dog notices are posted as of Wednesday night at the Homeland grocery store on Main Street:
>> There is a $150 reward for the return of this small, tan chihuahua, belonging to somebody on 12th Street SE. Phone number is 625-9276 if you happen to know where this dog is.
>> A 5 1/2-week old rottweiler puppy was lost on Feb. 20 at about 8:15 p.m. on West Apache Street. This dog was a present for a toddler. No questions asked for his return.
Please call 366-6293 if you know the whereabouts of this pup. The flyer indicated a reward, but TNF has not confirmed that. There was no photo provided.
>> A reward has also been offered for the return of Lucky, a tan and white male pit bull mix. He weighs 70 pounds and is not neutered.
There was no indication on the flyer where it was last seen.
Among the items of interest in the March 31 edition of the University of Oklahoma police report:
OUPD officers were dispatched to the Sarkeys Energy Center because of "obscene/threatening communication." No word as to the nature of the communication.
At 11:49 p.m., a theft was reported at Evans House (Honors housing), located at 1300 Asp Avenue. The report indicates the theft happened between 2:45 and 10 p.m. No word on what was taken.
University and state officials will be testing experimental pavement material along a Norman road starting on April 23.
Norman city officials said Timberdell Road between Asp and Jenkins avenues will be closed to traffic starting at 7 a.m. on April 23 and should reopen by 7 p.m. on April 24.
The University of Oklahoma and the Oklahoma Department of Transportation will be testing the pavement material along a 500-foot-long segment of roadway.
Sanitary sewer line installation will force the closure of part of Rock Creek Road starting on Thursday weather permitting, officials said.
Urban Construction will be installing it along Rock Creek Road between 12th Avenue NW and Stubbeman Avenue as part of the Industrial Interceptor Project.
Norman city officials said it will require about 300 feet of the eastbound south lane of Rock Creek Road to be closed during normal work hours.
The lane will be reopened at night and on weekends, officials said.
City officials expect the project to be completed by 5 p.m. on April 10.
For those of you who commute to Norman from north of town, perhaps you're used to taking 77 back into town via the Flood Street Bridge.
That option is no longer available starting Wednesday. Construction is expected to last through August 1.
Traffic Tuesday night was already tighter than usual with the closure of an extra lane at about Indian Hills Road. The delay was an extra 12-15 minutes at 7:30 p.m.
Feel free to post a comment letting us know how much the closure of the bridge is adding to your commute.
Norman’s “Best” Easter Egg Hunt for children 8 and under will take place on Friday, April 3rd at Andrews Park.
Activities, including moon bounces and free pictures with the Easter Bunny (bring your own camera!), will begin at 5:30 p.m. and the Hunt will take place at 6:30 p.m. Ms. Bunny will also be roaming around the park to meet and greet the kids. This event is presented by the Norman Parks & Recreation Department and is sponsored by Ferguson Pontiac, Buick, GMC.
For more information you can call us at 366-5472 or go to www.normanfun.com.
The City of Norman Parks and Recreation Department will be performing routine maintenance on the Blake Baldwin Skate Park located in Andrews Park on Friday and Saturday, April 3rd & 4th. The Skate Park will re-open on Sunday, April 5th.
It's just about midnight in Norman, Okla. Do you know where your children are?
Kidding. However, as promised, a new generation of digital journalism for our wonderful city is born in 'The Norman Files,' an idea I birthed last fall and have recreated this spring.
The publishing format is as a blog, no doubt. However, make no mistake: This is a news site. And, the goal with this site is to provide information, coverage, items of interest to Normanites that might not get as much coverage in mainstream press.
My hope is that 'The Norman Files' is at once quirky, grass-roots and useful.
I'm a journalist by trade, but in this effort, I'll be using the most basic of tools. My vision is that you the fair reader will share what's on your mind, not to mention your photographs and videos, press releases, events, etc.
If there's new construction on your street, I'd like to know about it.
If you've lost a pet, send me a photo and a name, and we'll post it.
If you're trying to raise some money for a good cause, by all means, let us know.
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