Medieval Fair: Millions Of Dollars Pass Through Norman

There is no official word on the amount of money brought into Norman via the 33rd annual Medieval Fair this weekend, but judging from traffic on what turned out to be a beautiful Saturday, I'd guess millions if not tens of millions of dollars.

Rarely have I seen Lloyd Noble Center's parking lot so full.

The weather was all over the place with moderate temps on Friday, downright warm highs on Saturday and blustery and cool on Sunday. The wind was so stiff at times on Sunday, it was laborious just to be outside.

My favorite events or booths at the fair centered on scantily clad women, animals and food. The belly dancing was intriguing as usual, and there was even a belly dancer who was like 8 or 9 months pregnant. Videos of several of the activities will be posted in the next few days.

Kids were able to get camel rides, and the camels are just huge.

Last but not least, there was a ton of food at the fair, and I'm proud to say I resisted the Indian tacos and funnel cakes and smoked turkey legs, opting instead for a plate of Indian food from a Taste of India here in Norman, whose fare is always wonderful.

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OUPD Crime Report April 2

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.

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Get Your Weather Radio Programmed From 9-3 Saturday At Wal-Mart

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.

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Frensley 5k This Weekend

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.

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Guide To 33rd Annual Medieval Fair Of Norman April 3-5

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:

How to get here:

MedievalFair.org directions

Google map

Yahoo! map

How about a map of the fair itself? The Norman Transcript put this one together. Pretty cool.

2009 Stage Schedule:

Friday's schedule

Saturday's schedule

Sunday's schedule

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:

- Watch the Rogues perform

- Video done for Norman Public Schools

- Juggling acrobats wielding FIRE!

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:

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Gusty Winds Force Evacuation Of Businesses Near Norman's Vista Building

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.

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East Norman House Fire Causes $13,000 In Damage; Nobody Hurt

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.

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OUPD Crime Report: April 1

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.

You can get view the OUPD police report each day at http://www.ou.edu/oupd/media.pdf.

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Report: Capel NOT Headed To Arizona

ESPN.com com is reporting Wednesday night that Tim Floyd will be the next head basketball coach at Arizona, not OU's Jeff Capel.

One of their radio affiliates reported that Floyd is working things out with UA officials tonight and that an announcement was expected on Thursday.

Capel is still loosely linked with an opening at the University of Georgia. However, the concern among OU fans had been the opening in Tucson, Ariz.

Led by all-everything Blake Griffin, the Sooners made the Elite 8 in the NCAA Tournament this season before falling to North Carolina 72-60.

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Norman's Flood Street Bridge Officially Closed (With Video)

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 ...

Traffic on March 31:

Traffic on April 1:

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