Tom and Bev's Blog

Kids and adults in Tulsa , Oklahoma love Halloween. It's one of the most fun holidays of the year for them. And everyone wants to have a safe and happy Halloween this year. So, using common sense and safety tips will help insure that you get to make the most of your Halloween.

This is the time of year that thousands of kids play outside in the dark. It's fun for them and for many adults, but many tragic things can happen. Many kids will get so excited they will forget all that you have taught them about safety. So, following some simple safety tips this Halloween season will help insure that you and your kids will have a fun, safe and happy Halloween.

Safety tips for kids:

~ Pumpkin carving - Every kid wants to help with the carving of the pumpkin, but you should never let small children handle sharp knives. There are several cheap pumpkin carving kits available that come with little saws. These work better than knives and are much safer for young children. You can also let them draw the face and clean the pumpkin out, but you carve it.

~ Costumes - Help your child choose a costume that will be safe for them to wear. Check to see if itʼs fire proof, make sure itʼs the right length, and the eye holes are big enough.

~ Props - If your child is carrying a prop such as a sword or knives, make sure it is rubber or plastic and the tips are smooth and flexible.

~ Jack-O-Lanterns - If you put pumpkins on your porch with candles in them, make sure they are well enough away from children so their clothes or costumes can't accidentally be set on fire.

~ Candy - Always check your child's candy before they eat it. A good way to hold them over from until you get a chance to check it is to treat them to a large spooky Halloween dinner.

~ Common sense safety - Teach your kids everyday safety, like never get into cars with strangers, don't talk to strangers, look both ways before crossing streets, use crossing lights when available, use flashlights when it's dark, etc.

Safety tips for Adults:

~ Escort - If you are unable to take your child trick-or-treating, make sure that another adult can go with them. Never let them go alone.

~ Route - Make sure you know the route your child will be taking so you can keep an eye on them in large crowds.

~ Events - Know what events or activities your kids will be attending, such as Halloween parties, or mall socials and who will be there.

~ Curfew - If you have older children, set a time for them to be home by. And make sure they know the importance of being there on time.

~ Know the difference - Teach your children the difference between tricks and vandalism. Rolling a house with toilet paper or throwing eggs at it seems like fun to some kids but it in fact is against the law.

~ Depending on the state, your child may have to clean it up, do community service, or do jail time. And in some cases the parent can be held liable for their childrenʼs actions.

~ Animals - Let your children know that animal cruelty will not be accepted on any level. Many kids already know this, but peer pressure can be bad. Let them know that it is morally wrong to harm animals in any way and they will serve jail time if caught.

Many of the safety tips are common sense, but over time we have to add to our list of safety tips. Just because weʼre not thinking of drugging candy, vandalizing property, or harming animals, doesnʼt mean otherʼs arenʼt.

We hope these safety tips will keep your kids safe during this Halloween season in Tulsa and other Oklahoma communities.

Mayor Kathy Taylor of Tulsa , Oklahoma is challenging local Tulsans to get up and get fit. She is starting a new fitness initiative to get Tulsans to walk, run, swim or bike one million miles.

For those with running groups, Mayor Taylor wants you to keep track of the miles you run so everyone can see how fit Tulsa is. Her goal is to get everyone living in Tulsa up and off the couch, and on the road to good health. Every time you get out and get moving, log every mile you walk, run, swim or bike.

Mayor Taylor also launched a new website: http://www.tulsamillionmiles.com/ .   With so many upcoming events,  you wont be alone when you're moving. This Saturday is the Tulsa Run.  This is a serious challenge to help beat childhood obesity and health problems such as diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure in the community.

Some are already volunteering to ride a bike to work everyday and log their miles. The Mayor herself is dedicated to good health, and runs on a regular basis. She has found a way to balance her life to fit work and good health into it.

Mayor Taylor believes that when people are aware that they can have a better quality of life long-term, they are more motivated to do it. She also wants a good looking city, and good looking and feeling residents to go along with it.

Most everyone is being touched with a bit of depression over our slumping economy around the nation. So many people in Tulsa are looking forward to Halloween this year. It's a time to dress up in your funnies, scariest, or silliest costume, and run around town having fun and letting go of all your worries for the night. Halloween is a day both children and adults can enjoy together.

This Friday and Saturday, come join the fun at the fifth annual Fall Fun Fest in Johnstone Park from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Local area businesses and groups will be providing candy and prizes for trick-or-treaters. This event gives kids a chance to get an early start on Halloween this year. They can visit decorated booths and receive goodies. Last year's event was very popular and went over well with over 1,000 children and parents attending the festival.

Kiddie Parks Spook-A-Rama nights will be held on Friday and Saturday nights from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. at the miniature amusement park. The Kiddie Park was established in 1947 for children up to 12 years of age. The park includes a train, a mini roller coaster and an old-fashioned carousel. This year's Spook-A-Rama will include a Halloween costume contest and a great pumpkin contest. Pumpkins can be carved, painted, or decorated. Prizes will be given for 1^st, 2^nd, and 3^rd place winners. The events prizes will be awarded for best, funniest and scariest costumes. Contests are for kids 12 and under.

Another event this Halloween comes from the Tulsa Parks and Recreation Department. They have teamed up with local organizations to give families a safe and fun alternative to traditional trick-or-treating.

On October 24^th, in the Will Rogers Park at 6:00 p.m., there will be a Student Government Association's Kiddie Carnival. The event will feature a costume contest, games, and face painting. The Big Brothers and Big Sisters agency will be hosting a pumpkin carving competition. Later that evening, there will be a movie with concessions provided by the local Boy Scouts. Hayrides will also be available. They will take you from Will Rogers Park to the RSU Nature Reserve for the "Trail of Terror," hosted by the Pi Kappa Alpha's.

We hope you will have fun at these great Tulsa , Oklahoma events this Halloween.

Tulsa residents have been very vocal over the years about fixing our streets. And, there is no question that many more agree that because of the decades of inadequate street funding, Tulsaʼs streets are at an extremely bad point.

Last fall, there was a citizens panel appointed to study the issue extensively and make recommendations on how the city can best fix these street problems. After the panel reported their findings to the Mayor, the City Council launched a series of town hall meetings and held weekly committee meetings throughout the city, so Tulsans could voice their opinion. And, that they did. The citizens of Tulsa were loud and clear: fix our streets now.

So, in the upcoming November 4 General Election, every citizen registered to vote, will have the opportunity to vote on this 5 year, $451 million street plan. The plan is to fund the streets and only the streets. The plan also lets the voters hold their city government accountable for any, and all progress. For more information about this plan you can visit the www.cityoftulsa.org or the Tulsa Council website at www.tulsacouncil.org . Both have complete details on the five-year plan.

Tulsa, Oklahoma is a great place to be in October. There will be several great activities and events in and around the community this month. Today, October 1, 2008, starts the events off with the Night Ranger, an event that started with five hard-rocking youths from the San Francisco Bay area. The Night Ranger has epitomized the style and sound of the 80's metal pop. The Night Ranger will play at the Tulsa State Fair's Oklahoma Stage at 8 p.m. Just pay to enter the fair and you have a seat.

Thursday, you can catch Rodney Atkins, who has a string of #1 hits and a platinum record. Rodney will perform in the Expo Square Pavilion, at the fair, after the rodeo at 7 p.m. Tickets will be $16 and $23.

Jeff Dunham, the ventriloquist comic, will be at the BOK Center on Friday at 8 p.m. Jeff and his gang, the "Suitcase Posse," will make a stop in Tulsa. Jose Jalapeno, Grumpy Walter, Peanut and more of Dunham's suitcase posse will take the stage for a great show. The event is for all ages, and tickets will range from $40-$45. Tickets are available at the BOK Center box office.

On Saturday, the Tulsa Opera will open its season with a production of one of the most popular opera's in the world - "La Boheme," a Puccini tale of love among Paris' starving artists. A wonderful melding of tragedy and romance. The show starts at 7:30 p.m. in the Chapman Music Hall of the Tulsa Performing Arts Center, on 3^rd Street and Cincinnati Ave. Other shows can be seen on October 10^th and 12^th. Tickets range from $20-$95.

We hope you will be able to enjoy at least one of these great events to get your October started off with great fun.