Reporter

Okie Rock. Kings of Leon was presented with the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame's 2011 Rising Star Award prior to their Friday night concert at the BOK Center.

Kings of Leon GAVIN ELLIOTT

The nationally acclaimed band has catapulted into popularity with a multi-platinum-selling album, which debuted in the Top 5 on the Billboard Top 200 chart, hit No. 1 in five countries, sold more than 6.5 million copies worldwide and earned Kings of Leon four Grammy Awards. Band members Nathan and Matthew Followill were born in Oklahoma.

Helping Hand. To aid the relief effort in the wake of the natural catastrophe in Japan, the Northeastern State University Department of Music and Japan NSU will stage a benefit concert Sunday, April 17 from 2-5pm in the NSU Jazz Lab, 315 N. Muskogee Ave., Tahlequah.

Admission is a $5 donation. All proceeds go to the Japanese Red Cross Society. Leading the concert endeavor are JNSU students Michiko Saiki and Arisa Sato. More than 70 Japanese students attend NSU. Those wishing to donate to the Japan earthquake and tsunami relief effort may visit any of the donation and bake sale tables set up around the NSU campus by JNSU students and other volunteers.

Hopeful Words. Oklahoma author, Bill Hanks, is signing books Saturday, April 16 at Agora Coffeehouse, 4959 S. 79th E. Ave. Hanks will lead another book signing on April 30 at The Coffee House, 1502 E. 15th St.

The author of Serenity: It's a God Deal, Hanks is a recovering drug addict and tells his story about finding sobriety, sanity and serenity after 22 years of abuse.

This book is Hanks' effort to reach out and, through lessons learned from his own experiences, help those in need find their way. Through his teaching and stories, the author hopes to touch every emotion. Visit billhanks-serenity.com for more information.

Friendly Smoke. The Cigar Box, 500 Riverwalk Terrace, will be hosting a fundraiser on Saturday, April 16 from 11am-6pm. The Cigar Box will donate 20 percent of all cigar sales to help Ed Lenihan, longtime friend and loyal customer.

Lenihan is a 49-year-old single father of two teenage boys who has been diagnosed with Glioblastoma Multiforme, a very aggressive form of brain cancer.

For those wishing to donate to the cause but do not smoke, unwanted cigars will be sent overseas to American troops in Lenihan's honor. The Cigar Box will be accepting purchases and donations at the Jenks location or call 918-299-7110.

Paddling Through. This year, the Tulsa Rowing Club is welcoming participants from its sister city in Celle, Germany, during the 20th annual Route 66 Tulsa Regatta on Saturday, April 16.

More than 300 rowers and 20 rowing teams from Oklahoma, Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Texas and Germany will compete in 1,000-meter sprint races which will take place on the Arkansas River, beginning south of the 21st Street Bridge and finishing near the River West Festival Park.

Spectators can watch the races from 8am-4pm at the Tulsa Rowing Club boathouse, 2100 S. Jackson Ave. Spectators also have the opportunity to sign up for a rowing. Visit route66regatta.com for more information.

Cultural Treasure. The Cherokee Heritage Center, 21192 S. Keeler Drive, in Park Hill, presents the 40th Annual Trail of Tears Art Show and Sale featuring authentic Native American art through May 8.

Native American citizens from federally recognized tribes are set to showcase their art and compete for $10,000 in several divisions and categories including painting, sculpture and more.

The Trail of Tears Art Show at the Cherokee Heritage Center is symbolic on two fronts. First in stature, as the show is the first exhibition held at the facility. It's also historically symbolic, as the National Park Service has designated the center as the interpretive site for the end of the Trail Of Tears. Tens of thousands of Cherokees and other tribes were forcibly removed to Indian Territory, now Oklahoma, during the 1800s. Visit cherokeeheritage.org. for more information.

Future Funding. The Juvenile Diabetes Research foundation's (JDRF) Tulsa Green Country Chapter will host its 11th annual Promise Ball on Saturday, April 16 at the Tulsa Convention Center, 100 Civic Center.

This year's theme, The Greatest Treasure, will honor David Jelley and the Harold Hamm Oklahoma Diabetes Center for their support of JDRF.

The Promise Ball is the Tulsa Green Country's Chapter's largest and most important annual event in support of the organization's mission to find a cure for type one diabetes and its complications through the support of research. Visit jdrf.org for more information.

Community Spirit. On March 11, Japan was struck by a 9.0 magnitude earthquake and subsequent tsunami. To date, the total of dead and missing stands near 30,000. Several villages and cities were entirely swept away by the destructive force of the tsunami in which many families lost everything they own.

Tulsans are coming together on Saturday, April 16 at Empire Bar, 1516 S. Peoria Ave., to support the Japanese victims of this disaster. Pray for Japan: Tulsa will begin at 9pm and urges Tulsans to come out and enjoy music by DJ Demko, Shannon Chambers and others.

The event, sponsored by several local businesses, will feature a raffle drawing, which will be presented by M.C. Speedbump. A voluntary door donation of $5 is requested. All proceeds will be presented to the Japanese Red Cross Society via the Tulsa chapter of the Red Cross.

Call David Killingsworth at 918-899-6888 for more information.

Political Pondering. Tulsa County Assessor Ken Yazel has made public his opposition to House Bill 1992, which allows cities to transfer the property tax surplus in their sinking funds to their general revenue fund, where it can be spent however the city wants.

The property tax surplus in the City of Tulsa sinking fund for fiscal year 2011 is $11,820,230. If House Bill 1992 was already law, property taxes this year in the city would increase by $3.82 million, or $59.20 on a $150,000 home.

Yazel is urging legislators to take another look at this legislation. Republicans ran on the basic ideal that the citizens of this state are taxed enough already. If they were aware that they were about to raise taxes without the voters knowledge, it is possible they wouldn't vote for this legislation.

Come One and All. In just two years, the Philbrook Museum of Art has gone from zero to over 20,000 Facebook fans. The Museum has decided to rally this group to make a difference. Philbrook is challenging its fan base to raise $12,000 in April. These funds will be used to waive museum admission for the entire month of May, erasing any real or perceived barriers between the community and the institution.

Donations to the "Don't Pay in May" campaign can be made through the museum's Facebook page and philbrook.org, as well as by phone and in person.

Future Aspirations. Exploring entrepreneurship is the focus of E-Week where outstanding high school students from around the state will be chosen to learn how to manage ideas and grow a business. E-Week, an innovative, fun camp geared to expand thinking about possibilities, is scheduled for June 6-10 on the University of Oklahoma Norman Campus.

Each day will feature prominent Oklahoma entrepreneurs as well as other nationally known individuals with ties to Oklahoma to discuss their experiences and what opportunities they see as being available in the future.

Applications are available at price.ou.edu/eweek and are being accepted until Friday, April 15. For more information, please contact Sherry Moore at 405-325-2651 or sherry@ou.edu.