The Immaculate Nathan B.

Nathan Buchanan is a 21-year-old student at the Academy of Contemporary Music (ACM) at the University of Central Oklahoma. Music has been an important theme in his life and has become his dream for the future.

For Buchanan, performing and expressing himself lyrically through hip-hop has become an important part of his life. As a musician in Oklahoma, Buchanan hopes to change the face of music in this state and more so to change the face of hip-hop. Buchanan's passion and drive to change the music industry makes him a critical player for change within the state of Oklahoma.

Oklahoma's hip-hop scene remains largely underground, although key artists have collaborated with mainstream artists. Rappers such as Johnny Polygon, Big8, Jabee and Josh Sallee have been collaborated with more widely known musicians.

Recording studios in Oklahoma do not have much of a presence in the United States but they are there and growing. Buchanan hopes to own his own studio in the future and produce music for other bands while creating and performing his own.

Skirvin Hilton Hotel

The Skirvin Hilton Hotel reopened in January 2006 and is considered haunted by many. It was formerly named the Skirvin Hotel and closed in 1988. The history and the haunting of the property are salacious and intriguing.

A wealthy oilman named W.B. Skirvin first built the Skirvin Hotel in 1910. During the prohibition era, the hotel became a popular speakeasy and a center for underground activity. Allegedly the founder of the hotel had an affair with a maid that worked for the hotel. When the maid became pregnant with Skirvin’s child, he locked her in one of the hotel room on the top floor to avoid scandal. Flooded with depression, the maid threw herself and her infant child out of the window.

According to former guests of the hotel, there have been multiple sightings of the maid, who they call “Effie” as well as figures of a naked woman. Some have reported disturbed sleep due to sounds of a child crying. Male guests report being propositioned for sex by a female voice when alone in their room as well as a naked woman showering with them. One man was allegedly sexually assaulted by an invisible entity.

Psychology sophomore Meghan Frizzell recently stayed in the Skirvin Hotel with her family this past summer when visiting family in Oklahoma City.

“I woke up one night when I heard a baby crying,” Frizzell said. “I thought it was my daughter so I went to check her crib and found her sleeping quietly. The crying stopped abruptly short after. The front desk said no children were on the eighth floor. I was freaked out.”

While the Hilton Skirvin Hotel may be haunted, they still perform business like a normal hotel and attract guests due to the alleged haunting. For more information, visit http://www.legendsofamerica.com/ok-skirvinhotel.html

Cry Baby Bridge

On Wednesday Dec. 8^th political science senior Joseph Duvall and Norman native Tabitha Randall visited Cry Baby Bridge in Moore to investigate the supernatural occurrences there. During their investigation they heard sounds of an infant crying and immediately left.

Duvall first visited Cry Baby Bridge when he was in high school with some classmates. He reported that he saw a car and a baby seat in the ditch below the bridge and that around midnight he heard a baby crying and saw what appeared to be a woman looking frantic. The figure of the woman suddenly disappeared and Duvall and his friends quickly left the bridge area.

“A lot of people go to Cry Baby Bridge with doubt in their minds,” Duvall said. “It’s not until you go that you realize how real and scary it can be.”

While Cry Baby Bridge is a local legend that has many believing, there is some evidence that the story is a lie. According to strangeusa.com, the car that is seen in the ditch was put there by “a group of kids” who stole it and pushed it into the pond. The story supposedly developed from a similar story of a couple fishing on a pond near the bridge with their infant on a boat that capsized and the baby drowned. That pond is called Cry Baby Lake.

Paranormal investigator Christie Clark spoke about the legend calling it “sensational.”

“There might be spirits there,” Clarke said. “But it seems like people hype the story too much and there is little truth of what actually happened left.”

The bridge still stands as a dilapidated wooden structure. The city of Moore plans to tear down the bridge in the future for safety reasons.

To learn more about Cry Baby Bridge visit http://theshadowlands.net/places/oklahoma.htm.

Hauntings and Hamptons

On Tuesday Nov. 9th Tabitha Randall spoke about her supernatural experiences at the Hampton Inn Norman. She claims that when she works alone she see apparitions and hears noises coming from room 115.

Randall admitted to working late in the evening around 10:30 in August when she had her first supernatural encounter. She claims to have been working in the back office when she heard a gurgling noise coming from the housekeeping section of the Inn. She went to investigate when she saw an orb of light "flash" and then disappear.

"I didn't really think anything of it," Randall said. "I went back to work, but then something really strange happened."The phone rang and the guests of room 117 called complaining of a loud television noise coming from room 115. When Randall checked to see who was in room 115, the "slot was empty." Randall went to check in room 115 and opened the door to find it empty.
"All I remember was feeling really cold and looking at the thermostat to see that it read 60 degrees. I thought that was really bizarre."In late May of this year a man of about 60 years visited the Hampton Inn and committed suicide in room 115. According to General Manager Jennifer Crook the man entered the side door on the west side wheeling a helium tank and a small bag. Early the next morning Assistant General Manager Heather Hicks discovered the body with a plastic bag over the head connected to the helium tank.The Norman Police Department would not release the name of the man, but did say that "it only requires five minutes of helium inhalation to asphyxiate and die."
When asked about the future plans for room 115, the Hampton Inn employees said that they try to assign room 115 as little as possible, but they have no plans of closing the room.

PHOTO CREDIT: ERIN WILSON

PICTURED ABOVE: Room 115 at the Hampton Inn Norman

Ray Bribiesca: Fearless Journalism

Ray Bribiesca speaks in the Hall of Fame Room at Gaylord Hall

"60 Minutes" veteran camera man Ray Bribiesca spoke in the Hall of Fame room in Gaylord Hall on Nov. 1st about his life as a journalist. He identified that he filmed footage of every war since his time spent as a U.S. marine in the Vietnam War. Bribiesca claimed that he will end his career with CBS as a camera man for "60 Minutes" after his final asssignment in Yemen.

Ray Bribiesca speaks with students about his career in photojournalism

PHOTO CREDIT: ZACK HEDRICK

Bribiesca followed the 106 combat outpost with Captain Hints to fully understand the violence in Zurac. He fearlessly posted himself on the front lines to obtain what he calls "crazy shots" with his back to gunfire and his camera focused on the faces of the soldiers. The story of the troops was his main objective and he wanted to translate his war information back to the United States to inform the public.
While he leads a fearless career and life, Bribiesca's time with CBS will be coming to an end after his final assignment in Yemen. Bribiesca is proud of his career and comments saying "It's been a great, great ride."
Bribiesca visted the "most dangerous frontier in the world" with reporter Lara Logan to cover war U.S. war efforts along the Pakistani border in Afghanistan. "Bullets cracked and whistled over our heads," said Logan recounting the time that their vehicle was stuck on boulders when the enemy attacked. Although they were in a life threatening situation, "Ray was just standing there...calmly filming everything." reports Logan. "He wasn't reckless, he wasn't stupid, he just wasn't afraid."
Although Bribiesca will be ending his career with CBS, he asserts, "I'll still be out there." He claims that he will be working for National Geographic as a photographer pursuing his passion for wildlife photography.

Jane Anne Jayroe: Beauty Queen and Media Mogul

Jane Anne Jayroe Photo Credit:http://studentorg.richmond.edu/axo/famous_alpha_chi_alumnae.htm

Her eyes are icy blue like frozen crystals in the Arctic, but they radiate warmth and friendliness contrasting the cold color when she laughs. When she grins, she exposes her nearly perfect pearly-white smile- the same smile that captured the hearts of America in 1967 and helped to win her the illustrious broadcast personality title in Oklahoma and Texas. Jan Anne Jayroe is legend in Sooner Country and in the United States alike for a respectable reason.
Jayroe was born in Clinton, Oklahoma but spent many of her childhood years growing up in Laverne, Oklahoma. She attended Oklahoma City University where she entered the Miss Oklahoma pageant with the help of her sorority. Not only did Jayroe win the Miss Oklahoma title in 1966, she also went on in pursuit of the Miss America title in 1967. After winning the Miss America Pageant, Jayroe married and began to have children. At the age of thirty she had fallen on hard financial times and accepted a job with the state board of education hosting a small “throw-away” show.
Jayroe’s career skyrocketed when the producers of the small government show she worked on sent in a tape to the ABC affiliate in Oklahoma City. When the producers of the ABC station saw her tape, they quickly offered her a job, which she readily accepted. A few years later, the NBC affiliates in Dallas saw tapes of Jayroe and also offered a position as a news anchor on their primetime news program. While in Dallas, Jayroe won the award for “Outstanding News Personality” and received much acclaim for it. After working for four years in Dallas Jayroe returned to Oklahoma City where she lives today with her husband hosting a small program promoting Oklahoma travel.
While Jayroe has an impressive past career, she still has much to say and advise about the current news industry.
“It is very hard to be a mother and a news anchor,” Jayroe said. “Many people think the industry is so glamorous, but in reality it is a lot of hard work and it is very time consuming. If women want to be mothers and work in this business, they have to realize this.”
While being a mother and a media professional is hard, there are other influences to the news industry that could hinder one’s career. According to stateofthemedia.org, evening news viewership was at about 50 million in 1980 and was about 20 million in 2008. This steady decline of viewers makes accessing a job for a journalist difficult.
Jane Jayroe’s career is inspirational to many who aspire to be media professionals. Her wise insight into news industry workings is still applicable to modern journalism. Without Jayroe, the Oklahoma news industry would not shine as bright.

Spirit in the Sorority House

Sophomore English major Stacy Goswick experienced paranormal activity at the Alpha Omicron Pi (AOII) house on Wed. Oct. 6th when visiting a friend. Goswick claims that she heard voices and the clanging of pots when she walked into the kitchen to retrieve a snack from the cabinet. The spirit did not harm Goswick but she is apprehensive to return to the sorority house.
Goswick visited the house last week for a social visit. When she went to the kitchen late at night for a bag of chips when she experienced the spirit. She recalls a drop in temperature and a faint voice that was almost inaudible saying “I like the cold.” Soon after Goswick heard the voice she remembers the hanging pots and pans banging together “almost as if someone was running their hand across them.” Goswick left the kitchen/dining area as soon as the pots and pans began to clamor and hastily made her way back to her friend’s room on the second floor.
However, Goswick is not the first person to experience the spirit. Many of the girls who live in the house report similar experiences to Goswick’s. Junior anthropology major Laura Moon comments that the attic door used to sporadically shake in her room last semester and her thermostat would inexplicably be turned down. Moon calls the spirit “Bob” and says that she has never felt threatened by his presence.
President of the Oklahoma AOII chapter Clarke Erikson spoke about the history of “Bob the Ghost” and the many speculations of his death. According to Erickson, the sorority house was the former home of the Alpha Tau Omega fraternity. When smoking illegally in the attic about 20 years ago, a fraternity member was trapped when a fire erupted in the house and he died when he could not escape the flames, Erikson speculates. Many believe that the man who died in the fire is the same spirit that haunts the house today.
Erikson commented that having a spirit in the house makes AOII unique and establishes an unconventional tradition in the house. “We hope that Bob stays with us for as long as possible,” Erikson said. “We want future pledge classes to have the same experiences with Bob that we did.”
To hear Stacy speak on her paranormal encounter, listen to the audio clip below.

Audio Test

Here is the audio test.

The Mythical and the Movies: The Ritz Theater

On Tues. Sept. 28th paranormal investigator and self-proclaimed psychic Christy Clarke recounted her investigation of the Ritz Theater in Shawnee that took place in 2008. Clarke spoke of her findings at the theater and the supernatural events that took place there.
According to Clarke, a former projectionist of the theater named Leo Montgomery haunts the building. Many have seen Leo wandering the halls of the theater and have heard him speaking, including one of Clarke’s investigators named Sara. During a “sit down” in the auditorium area Sara saw an older man wearing a vest and high-waisted pants complaining about his baldness. The man stopped to glare at Sara and “suddenly disappeared.” The man was identified as Leo Montgomery when Sara was shown a picture by one of the theater’s employees; however, these ghostly appearances have not hindered visitations to the theater
“The Ritz Theater has been a staple in the social scene of Shawnee for many years,” says a visitor of Shawnee named Kate Thompson. The theater has been a part of the town since 1911 when it was originally named the “Cozy Theater” and its name was later changed in 1926 to “The Ritz.” Many people like Thompson visit the Ritz today to engage in its unique supernatural history.
Clarke emerged herself in the paranormal activity of the theater by herself in the projection room during one day of her investigation. “The theater part was actually very peaceful, but I did feel like we were being watched,” Clarke said. She claims that she did also see Leo and hold a conversation with him while in this room. “I feel as if Leo stays there to watch over The Ritz to make sure it is being taken care of. I don’t think that his job there is done yet.”
Clarke believes that Leo will continue to reside in The Ritz as well as the other spirits that might be there still. For more information on The Ritz theater, visit http://www.okpri.com/RitzTheater.htm.

Dorm Room Haunting

Business major sophomore Annie Dowling claims that she was visited by the supernatural during the 2010 spring semester in Adams Muldrow Tower. Early in February, Dowling says that she encountered a spirit while sleeping in her dorm bed late at night while her roommate was absent. Dowling does not think the spirit was malicious, but she still wants people to be aware of her experience.

Dowling remembers sleeping when her suitemate came into her room through the bathroom door and asked to get in bed with Dowling claiming that she was scared and cold. When her suitemate got into the bed, Dowling recounts “an intense cold and a feeling of pressure on [her] stomach, like someone was wrapping their arm around it.” Dowling turned to face her suitemate when a bright flash of light erupted next to her and she found no one in her bed. The next day, Dowling asked her suitemate if she had come into her room the previous night and her suitemate said no. Dowling said that she was surprised to learn that her suitemate had a similar experience of Dowling asking to get in her bed.

Dowling does not know if the spirit has visited the new residents of her former dorm during this semester, but she does think that “there is a definite possibility that the spirit is still in Muldrow.” According to resident advisor Lauren Young, no one else has reported a similar occurrence to Dowling’s that she is aware of.

Paranormal expert, leader of Oklahoma Paranormal Research Institute, and self-proclaimed psychic Christy Clarke confirmed that the spirit was not malicious. According to Clarke, when a spirit intends to harm someone bruises or scratches can be found on a person’s body. Dowling did not report and physical abrasions.

Dowling hopes that people with consider her experience seriously and not be afraid to investigate paranormal activity. She has no plans to join a club that researches the supernatural, but she does support them.

For more information, visit www.okpri.com to learn more about the paranormal.

Blogging for Social Change

Award winning New York commentator and columnist Mona Elthaway spoke at the seminar “Blogging for Social Change” on Wednesday September fifteenth in the Board of Regents room at the Oklahoma Memorial Union. She emphasizes the importance of blogs and social media to countries in the Middle East struggling for human rights. Elthaway asserts that blogs and social network sites are integral for highlighting injustices in the Middle East when the government violates civil liberties.
Without blogging and social network sites, Elthaway claims, many who live in the Middle East that are usually silenced by the government would not have an outlet for their concerns about their rights and their nation. To spotlight this point, Elthaway gave an example of a young man named Ali in Bahrain who was beaten to death by police after he was discovered videotaping them sharing the benefits of a drug bust. A picture of Ali’s mutilated corpse surfaced in the media and began to cycle through various media channels, like blogs and facebook, enraging many who opposed the lack of government reprimand for the police involved in Ali’s death. When the anger of the citizens reached a maximum level, protests began in the streets of Bahrain for the violation of Ali’s rights. In response to the demonstrations, the government gave the officers involved a harsher punishment for their crime; however, the officers are still employed by the country as police. Elthaway attributes the more severe chastisement of the officers to the fact that blogs and social networks were used to spread the information of Ali’s untimely death.
Many news outlets today are wrought with stories and videos of police brutality in the Middle East. Citizens of these countries post videos or information about injustices on social networks like facebook, or twitter to expose the world to the dangerous plights people living in these countries face, while most in America use the social networks for an alternative purpose. If this trend of citizen journalists continues in the Middle East, perhaps the governments located there will reform their human rights laws and the people will be able to live in peace and protection.
Elthaway recounted many times when a Middle Easterner would contact her through social networks to expose a social injustice that occurred. “I would do everything I could to help those that reached out to me,” Elthaway said. She admits to using those who contact her through social networks as sources and leads for her stories. “Without some of these people who write on my facebook wall, or tweet me, I wouldn’t have such in depth and personal stories,” Elthaway says.
Elthaway teaches a course at the university titled “Women and Media in New East.” She will continue teaching this course at the university through September and remain a supporter of human rights. Elthaway plans to continue her blogging and social networking to improve her work as a journalist.