Local News
Edmond Baha’i to support imprisoned leaders
EDMOND — A special devotional gathering is slated for Sunday at 10 a.m. at the Edmond Baha’i Center, 321 East Campbell Drive, just west of the University of Central Oklahoma clock tower.
The program will be dedicated to seven Iranian Baha’i leaders who have been imprisoned in Tehran for nearly two years on false charges stemming from their membership in the Baha’i Faith, which was founded in Iran in 1844.
The devotional program is planned for Sunday to coincide with the next scheduled session of the trial. This marks a chain of prayer meetings in Edmond and the Oklahoma City metro area in the past two years for the seven Baha’i leaders. Devotional gatherings are planned by Baha’i communities around the globe on Sunday as well.
The prayer meeting will be followed by a break and another presentation at 11 a.m. Iranian Baha’is living in the Oklahoma City metro area will share some of their own stories of persecution while in Iran and the accounts of friends who are currently in prison.
“The faith-based communities have been a great source of support for the Baha’is of this area and we truly appreciate their sincere prayers on behalf of their fellow human brothers and sisters,” said Terri Angier, spokesperson for the Edmond Baha’i Community. “We invite any of them who can, to join us in prayers this Sunday.”
The prisoners are not allowed legal counsel in the Islamic Revolutionary courtroom and the proceedings are not open to their families or the public. The State Department, Senate Resolution 71 and House Resolution 175 have all called for the release of the innocent Baha’i leaders and other Baha’is detained with no or baseless charges. Additionally, their trial has triggered comprehensive international reaction, including strong statements of concern from the European Union, the United States, Brazil, India and Canada.
Earlier in January, another 10 Baha’is were arrested, many of whom are related to the seven Baha’i leaders. There is no information available about their whereabouts and their families are not allowed to see them. There is a growing concern that their arrest is another tactic in placing pressure on the seven Baha’i leaders as well as pressure on the newly-arrested Baha’is during the trial.
The Baha’i Faith is the largest non-Muslim religious minority in Iran and more than 200 Baha’is have been executed by Iranian authorities since the Islamic Revolution in 1979.
For more information on the Edmond Baha’i Center visit www.edmondbahai.org.
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Lorikeets return with Children’s Zoo opening
The Oklahoma City Zoo will officially open its new Children’s Zoo on Friday.
The Barnyard is the exhibit’s largest feature, sporting miniature donkeys, guinea hogs, Tunis sheep, three rare species of rabbits, white Wyandotte bantam chickens and 12 Nigerian dwarf goats named after Oklahoma towns (including Edmond). -
Advocate: Balance needed in autopsy bill
A bill amending Oklahoma’s open records law would reduce the chief medical examiner’s independence and give officials more control over autopsy reports, a state open records advocate said.
Under legislation passed Tuesday by the House, the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner would be able to withhold certain information on autopsy reports from the public if distributing that information could compromise an ongoing investigation. -
Corn plans for state wealth
Democrat Sen. Kenneth Corn said he’s running for lieutenant governor to create wealth in Oklahoma.
“I believe it’s an opportunity for us to build prosperity that everybody shares in, not just the people at the very top of the corporate ladder,” said Corn, D-Howe. “I think we should create wealth that goes all the way down and allows people to have a good job with good wages with benefits.” -
Geoport board hires new manager
The Guthrie-Edmond Regional Airport Board on Tuesday named Lee Ivie of Heber City, Utah, as the airport’s new manager. His start date is April 5.
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City replaces Smith with Smith
The City of Edmond has named Jim Smith as its new assistant city manager of operations, said Larry Stevens, city manager.
Smith has served as the director of Public Works for the City of Lancaster, Texas, since 2003. March 29 will mark his first day of work in Edmond.
“We went through a really long, thorough and exhaustive process interviewing four finalists that we thought were all very good,” Stevens said. “… I’m tickled to death to have him, tickled to death that he’s interested in Edmond.” -
Council grants variance to restaurant
The Edmond City Council approved a variance Monday evening to allow a sign on a canopy for a proposed Slim Chickens Restaurant at 555 S. Kelly.
City Planner Bob Schiermeyer said the remodel would modify less than 20 percent of the overall building. An extension of the roof would cover the existing patio for outside dining, he said. Plans call for flattening the roof extending to the rear of the structure, Schiermeyer said.
“This is probably good because you’ve got all these vents and things from the kitchen for the fire code,” he said. “It’s better on a flat roof.” -
3-10 Pets: rescued animals
This is a list of animals that have been impounded by Edmond Animal Welfare at the Edmond Animal Shelter, Interstate 35 and Covell in the Cross Timbers Municipal complex. Call the shelter at 216-7615.
The following animals will be available for adoption after March 11:
A Cocker Spaniel, black and tan, was found at Danforth and Boulevard.
A domestic short-haired cat, gray tabby, was found at Jackson.
A domestic long-haired cat, seal point, was found at Jackson. -
3-10 Police: crime news
House passes bill to protecting children from predators
Under legislation passed today by the state House of Representatives, registered sex offenders would no longer be able to submit a P.O. box or other address that cannot be mapped to the sex offender registry.
House Bill 2968, by state Rep. Mike Sanders, R-Kingfisher, would require sex offenders to submit a physical, mappable address. -
Ex-guard finds himself behind bars
An ex-guard is accused of accepting bribes and giving illegal items to an inmate, Oklahoma County Sheriff John Whetsel said.
Whetsel told reporters during a Tuesday afternoon press conference that he personally fired Okello Adenya, 25, who now finds himself behind bars after he was booked on three felony complaints of bringing and possessing contraband in a detention facility. -
Police arrest alleged drug dealers
Two Edmond men have been arrested on multiple drug-related complaints, including supplying illegal drugs, police said.
Jason Michael Stockdale, 22, of Edmond, and Bryan David Mateer, 22, of Edmond, were arrested after police found drug-related items including marijuana, mushrooms, Ecstasy, Adderall, baggies used to package drugs for sale and a digital scale, according to a report filed by Edmond Police Officer Ben Daves. - More Local News Headlines
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