Flaming Lips Put on Free Halloween Concert

Oct. 26 was the last concert that Innervisions and Facilities Management Group will ever host at the Zoo Amphitheatre. They went out with a bang with a free concert featuring the Flaming Lips.

Billed as “The largest Halloween party in the Midwest” Freak Night did not disappoint. Even though the temperature dropped below 40 degrees the crowd remained standing in eager anticipation of the next song. The zoo was filled to capacity with around 10,000 guests attending the concert.

Before The Flaming Lips came on the president of Innervisions, Henry Pollack, came out and thanked the audience for coming out.

“This was and is the people’s place, and we thank you all for all your years.” Pollack said.

Pollack then introduced many of the workers who help his company put on these shows.

The new company that will be in charge of putting on shows at the Zoo Ampitheatre is the newly formed 3Horse Productions. No events have been scheduled, so it is unclear what type of events the venue will now hold.

Wayne Coyne, lead singer of the Flaming Lips, at one point claimed that he had spoken with Governor Mary Fallin and she assured him that the use of marijuana would be legal in Oklahoma by the end of 2013.

“But she wanted me to tell you a little bit of a warning, ok?” Coyne told the crowd, “Scientists and smart people have concluded that smoking marijuana…. Can lead to more dangerous substances… smoking marijuana can lead to smoking cigarettes.”

The concert played out in a fashion that was befitting of the style and grandeur of one of Oklahoma’s most famous rock groups. They played some of their biggest hits including “The Yeah Yeah Yeah Song”, “Waitin’ for a Superman”, and “Do You Realize??”

Coyne at one point in the night drank a cup of what he claimed was his own blood from a Starbuck’s cup. He also said that at participating Starbucks they would have a little bit of Coyne’s blood to give out on Halloween.

Even though Innervisions and Facilities Management will not be putting on any shows at the Zoo Ampitheatre, the company is not going away.

In an interview with NewsOK Pollack said, “We do probably in excess of about five, six hundred shows a year at the casinos.”

Taco Truck Capitalizes on Growing Trend

Jonathan Grupe doesn’t have an average day job. Grupe works at Big Truck Tacos. Big Truck Tacos is a traveling taco stand that drives all over central Oklahoma.

While living in Chicago Grupe managed a pizza restaurant. When Grupe moved back to Oklahoma, where he was born, he wanted to open his own food truck but had insufficient funds.

Grupe was surprised to find that Oklahoma already had a food truck in the form of Big Truck Tacos. Grupe joined Big Truck Tacos and worked his way up from a cook all the way to truck manager.

“I’ve been there for about a year and a half, and it has just kept growing and growing.” Grupe said.

Big Truck Tacos has been on the scene of Oklahoma City eateries since 2009. Like the taquerias it is modeled after, it moves to different locations to maximize the availability.

“Essentially it’s like a RV, but instead of beds there’s a kitchen.” Said Grupe.

In another separation from taquerias, Big Truck Tacos uses social media in communicating to their customers where they will be on a day to day basis.

Customer Justin Westmoreland said, “I follow them on Twitter, so, I’m a fan.”

Big Truck Tacos also has a permanent restaurant in Oklahoma City. Grupe explained that it wasn’t originally intended to be a restaurant, but was only supposed to supply the trucks with food and other materials before they went out. When Big Truck Tacos decided to also sell food there the owners had to buy the building next door to expand to make it a full restaurant.

Since opening their first truck in 2009 Big Truck Tacos has been successful, and it doesn’t show much sign of slowing down.

Grupe said, “The name is just spreading more, and we are getting more and more business.”

Scholarships for Native Americans

Following the relocation of many Native American tribes to Oklahoma, it is now the state that has more Native Americans of diverse tribes than any other state.

Among the many Native American tribes that were relocated to Oklahoma were the Muscogee Creek tribe. Tusa Beaver is a member of the Creek Tribe. Beaver is also a a junior at the University of Oklahoma who studies special education.

The American Indian Student Association puts on some activities for Native Americans throughout the year. Beaver believes the school and clubs like this are doing a good job helping Native Americans in their studies there, and letting them show some of their culture on campus.

“Last year in April we were able to go in the south oval and they were able to do some powwow songs there and we were able to dance a little bit there and I think OU is doing a good job.”

Beaver grew up in Eufaula, OK which is part of the Creek Nation territory in Oklahoma.

“I like to joke and say 'if you pass by an Indian, they are probably related to me.'”

Beaver doesn’t think that there are many differences between Caucasians and Native Americans living in Oklahoma.

According to the 2010 Census, the Creek Nation has approximately 88,000 members currently living in the United States. It is the 9 largest Tribe in the U.S.

Beaver receives some scholarship money from both the Creek Nation and other associations. Beaver has received around $5000 from her tribe for school, she said other tribes are not as giving.

“I think a lot of tribes aren’t helping as much as they could. My tribe might pay more than many other tribes. I don’t think the Cherokee Nation helps as much.”

Beaver’s fiancé, Lawrence Scraper Jr., is from the Cherokee Nation. He met Beaver after a high school professor told him about her.  At the time she was a Muscogee Creek Nation Princess, a pageant that awards scholarship money to the winner.

Scraper also believes OU is doing a good job representing the Native American Tribes of the state.

“They have different languages that they offer to everybody, I guess." Scraper said, "Not like you have to be of the tribe to learn them.”

The American Indian Student Association puts on several events throughout the year to celebrate the heritage of the Native Americans who go to OU. The annual powwow will be held in spring 2013.                                                                                    

Smoking Ban Changing Air We Breathe

The smoking ban on all Oklahoma schools is in full force now. Students may now only use tobacco products off of school grounds. Since last spring the University of Oklahoma has offered smoking cessation classes for students who want to quit. Since that time 11 people have used the service. According to Nicole Pritchard from the OU Health Services 100% of people who started the school’s smoking cessation continued through it to the end. As evidenced by relatively low numbers of attendees at the classes. The classes are for those who want to change their habits. If students don’t want to quit smoking then they won’t go use a system to change.

OU senior Carson Gober hasn’t changed his smoking habits, and doesn’t plan to. “No not really.” Gober said, “Maybe for only the saving money part of it” According to the Bruce Chan of the OU Police Department there have only been 24 warnings issued. One was a written warning, and in some of the 24 warnings there were more than one person; so more than 24 people have been warned. Gober has noticed that the students have been respectful of the ban. “No, I have only seen like one person smoking since the ban.” OU Junior Brittany Weaver is not sad about the ban. She has strong opinions about smoking, but she does concede that she would be fine with designated areas for smokers. The original plan was for there to be designated smoking areas, but Governor Mary Fallin signed an executive order that prohibited smoking anywhere on state owned property. Some smokers who go to school here smoke just off of campus at the corner nicknamed “Cancer Corner.” Whether the ban on smoking will encourage students to quit is questionable. Gober is doubtful that the laws really affect smokers who don’t plan on quitting. “It doesn’t stop people it just forces them to find ways around the rules.” According to the American Nonsmokers’ Rights Foundation there are 774 smoke free campuses in the U.S. with Oklahoma, Iowa and Arkansas having laws that prohibit tobacco use on school property. More and more campuses are moving toward 100% tobacco free campuses each year. With this in mind it seems as if the question is not as much if a school will ban tobacco, and more when it will ban tobacco.