Love Letters, hate mail

Living Urban

Dear UTW:

I have enjoyed reading your paper. I feel it gives a very good view of this city. Just 4 months ago my husband and I were living in the suburbs of OKC. A large 4 bed/3 bath home with all that goes with that. Now we live in a condo near downtown Tulsa. We decided if we were going to make this move we were really going to change our life style. We looked at many places in Urban Tulsa before we decided on our move. Some places were very nice, but a bit pricey once the cost of paying for our parking was added in. Others just did not have enough storage space, and yes we did sell off 1/2 of our things we still kept a few things. Others were a bit snooty thinking we didn't look the part. So we decided on a new build condo in a neighborhood on the edge. We have adjusted well, but of course finding the perfect place to shop for grocery and even the perfect gym (again where I don't have to worry about parking at a meter) have been a challenge. I do hope Tulsa takes a clue!

MEL BROWN / SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

And realizes that their downtown is their heart. That folks want to live there, not everyone wants a yard to mow and not everyone that wants to live urban wants to pay through the nose. So as my husband and I stumble our way through this adventure, we do so with the hope that we get to watch Tulsa figure things out too. (PS we are mid-life empty nesters not so called "young urbans") So what does this have to do with your paper. Well it gives us a real view of the city that we moved to. I just wanted to say thanks.

--Shelly Landis Scovill

Back-Stabbing So-and-Sos

Dear UTW:

Snakes. Turncoats. Benedict Arnolds.

Little back-stabbers whose fortunes germinated from Democratic roots.

Back-stabber No. 1 Janna Little of Madill, named for Oklahoma's Democrat First Lady Janna Little Boren.

She cut her political teeth in the Democrat offices of her uncle, Senator David Boren and Madill Congressman Bill Brewster.

Then, she married the Republicans' hatchet man and vice presidential nominee Paul Ryan. Ryan wants to replace our Medicare guarantee with a voucher system. Ryan's plan would be my death notice. Medicare paid for two operations that are keeping me kicking.

Back-stabber No. 2. Democratic Senator David Boren, son of Congressman Lyle Boren.

David Boren gave our party a poison pill.

Daily, he called the ultra-conservative publisher of The Daily Oklahoman, Eddie Gaylord, for orders. Then, he signed a "peace treaty" with Republican Senator Don Nickles. The "treaty" kept each Senator from recruiting and supporting a re-election opponent for the other.

Back-stabber No. 3 Democrat Congressman Dan Boren, son of David Boren and Janna Little Boren.

With one-third of his eastern Oklahoma district without health insurance, Dan Boren voted against President Obama's health care law.

Back-stabber No. 4 Democratic Gov. Brad Henry, son of Democratic State Rep. Charles Henry and cousin of Democrat Attorney General Robert Henry.

Brad Henry refused to raise money for our party, fearing the wrath of Republicans who he treated with kid gloves. He helped defeat an amendment that would have given public schools the same support of surrounding states.

When choosing future leaders for our Democratic party, we should follow the advice that former Gov. Raymond Gary gave Henry Bellmon after Bellmon became our first Republican governor, "Get some good people around you. Choose loyalty over brilliance."

--Virginia "Blue Jeans" Jenner

Prayers for Salvation

(Re: "Jamming and the Sky Crane," Sept. 13-19, Vol. 22, No. 11)

Dear UTW:

Ray, old friend and you of excellent intellect, culture analysis and extraordinary writing skills, thank you so very much for stepping up to the forefront on this so important issue. I was a member of the Jazz Hall of Fame Board for about seven years beginning in the mid-'90s. I have always been involved in local jazz events including the Tulsa Jazz Society. Tulsa Annual Jazz keyboard concert beginning in 1992 was my brainchild which I/we nourished up until 20011/12. I feel like I have been a willing/dotting parent to this creative event. Now comes this frightful possibility that we may not be able to continue our forward creative march toward success in our mission to promote America's only truly original artform. The contribution of Chuck Cissel to this effort cannot be omitted, nor diminished from the history of this creative adventure. Chuck brought to the table his years of experience in the fields of Broadway Shows, pop and standard recordings and associations with icons of the music, jazz genres. He has been an integral part of the equation which has produced the Hall in its finest hour. I hope and pray that the Gods and Goddesses of Jazz, and Blues will answer our prayers and pleadings to preserve this bastion of culture and creativity for many years to come. Amen and Godspeed.

--H. Gayle Williamson