We respect Chief Jordan’s efforts to clarify matters. The story is sad and insulting to him and the other professional men and women of the Tulsa Police Department who protect us daily at constant personal risk. Their uniform should be a symbol of pride to every citizen of this community. But this story involves, among other things, the debasement of that uniform by two officers engaging in various sexual activities. That is one reason why this story is so important.

Here’s the background: Keena Roberts, with whom Capt. Shawn King cohabitated, approached the TPD Internal Affairs team with alleged evidence of inappropriate sexual conduct by Capt. King both on and off duty. She claimed they were photos of King and a female officer on a laptop. TPD declined to investigate that evidence and returned the laptop to her, unopened. The materials were presented to This Land Press and we reported it online last Thursday.

The statement released by Chief Jordan explains the TPD basis for deciding not to investigate. It reports that the sexually explicit photographs in question “were stored on a privately owned computer and were password protected.” It also explains that when that laptop was presented the City Legal Department advised that TPD was “unable to legally access that information.”

The legal theory is not spelled out but it appears that ownership and the password were the key barriers. We assume there is more to the decision than the statement tells us, but it is all we know at this point.

This all seems very weak: It’s 2012. We can’t imagine that TPD simply walks away from otherwise legally-obtainable, potential evidence just because a password is in the way, especially when it is brought to investigators. According to Ms. Roberts, when she handed the evidence to Internal Affairs, she wrote the password on a Post-It note and stuck it to the laptop. The password was still there when the laptop was returned.

The ownership question seems to be a possible reason to delay an investigation of evidence, but not to decline it. Ms. Roberts believed she owned the laptop, viewing it as a family computer. If the lawyers had questions about ownership, why didn’t they try to answer them? Why just stop? Moreover, if they had such questions, why would they return property to Ms. Roberts that might not belong to her?

The obvious question here is the level of zeal with which the lawyers and Internal Affairs pursued the investigation. The internal affairs process is essential to protecting the integrity and safety of every officer. And our safety too. It should be aggressive and uncompromising.

TPD has now asked This Land Press for the laptop photos. Originally, we declined to produce them but after some deliberation and consultation with counsel, we will pass them onto the police. If they were stolen, then they should be given to authorities; if the photos contain evidence of wrongdoing, the police should also have them. We don’t know exactly what Roberts told Internal Affairs when she handed over the laptop and that conversation, of course, should remain between those parties. Attorneys R. Thomas Seymour and Scott Graham are now representing Roberts and will speak for her publicly, hopefully clarifying some of these details.

The other reason this story is important is coincidental but heartbreaking.

Capt. King was disciplined, even without the evidence on the laptop, for engaging in sexual acts with Ms. Roberts in the parking lot of Mohawk Park while on duty. Punishment for that conduct was ultimately handed down against the backdrop of the Good Friday shootings. Capt. King had an important leadership role in North Tulsa as a first-shift captain over the Gilcrease Division where the shootings occurred. On April 3rd, Chief Jordan wrote Capt. King a letter notifying him of his suspension, which would begin on April 8th. Between those two dates, on April 6th, the shootings occurred.

Tulsa is a city with a long history of difficult racial relations. The men and women responsible for law enforcement play an essential role in moving our community forward. At a time when we needed a leader the most, Capt. King was facing suspension for conduct unbecoming an officer.

Adding to the urgency of the matter, a court in Osage County Friday issued an emergency protective order against Capt. King. Sadly, it includes allegations of sexual acts by Capt. King involving a minor.

Again, This Land Press has the deepest respect for the many members of the Tulsa Police Department who keep Tulsans safe. They acted with tremendous bravery and skill in apprehending the suspects in the Good Friday shootings so quickly. That is why we care so much about this story. We know the TPD cares about it too and were heartened by the request for the photos. We look forward to further action.

We all want the best for Tulsa and the men and women who keep our city safe every day. We owe it to them.

EXCLUSIVE: Must credit This Land Press.

Late one night in February 1995, Tim McVeigh was walking across the Colorado River bridge from Nevada to Bullhead City, Arizona, when a man in a Ford Mustang slowed down and asked if he wanted a ride. McVeigh had no better idea how to get back to Kingman, which was thirty miles away, and offered him $5. The man, whose name was Richard Rogers, laughed off the offer; he was looking not for payment but for casual sex. He had spent the evening at a casino in Laughlin and, as he later told the FBI, was feeling “a little horny.”…

An hour later, the two of them were in Rogers’s trailer ten miles north of Kingman, sizing each other up and half-wondering if this was really a good idea. McVeigh talked about Waco, nobody’s idea of good foreplay, and peppered Rogers with questions about an airstrip in the desert hills. At 3:00 a.m., McVeigh grabbed his crotch again and said it was time for bed.

They took their clothes off and went at it. McVeigh’s tongue and throat action, Rogers later told the FBI, was “incredible”: “He was good at what he did.” McVeigh expressed an interest in anal sex, but Rogers turned him down, because he didn’t have a condom. According to Rogers, they were both too tired to reach orgasm. In the morning, Rogers made McVeigh eggs and bacon, and drove him into Kingman. Apart from brief sightings in the grocery store, they never saw each other again.

Copyright @ 2012 by William Morrow, and reprinted here with permission.

He recently contributed to This Land by lending his torso to the cover is the February 1 issue (Vol. 3, Issue 3). The resultant “This Machine Lives Hard” cover is a masterpiece from Art Director Jeremy Luther and would be a extremely impressive declaration of company loyalty, if only the tattoos in question were real.

Dustin has several years of experience as an ad rep, most recently withThe Dallas Morning News and The Dallas Observer. He has, however, seen the error of his ways and come home to Tulsa. We’re glad to have him on our team.

Check out Dustin’s answers to our MEET & GREET questionnaire:

1. What influences you?

I love being around people who are doing what they are passionate about. It doesn’t matter if they are chefs, architects, athletes, artists, musicians, beer and winemakers…whatever. To be able to perfect their craft, these people have spent so much time practicing, learning and pushing themselves. The dedication it takes is amazing but if they love what they do those grinding hours of practice aren’t painful, they are pleasure. I think a good example of this is Joel Bukiewicz of Cut Brooklyn. He gets up everyday and makes hand-made knives. He loves it.

2. What inspires you?

I’m not a creative person. However, I work with some very talented and creative people. I want them to be able to continue to do what they love. For our crew to be able to do what they love, I have to generate revenue. That’s my talent. Our team is making something special. I know it and I believe in them. I can’t imagine a day where we would be forced to close our doors and all them having to split up and go elsewhere. Forget that. The fear of letting all those people down makes getting out of bed and going to work easy.

3. Favorite piece for This Land?

I really enjoyed working with Jeremy on the discontinued Sports Illustration. It was interesting to see his process. I would pitch a sports related idea to him and he would come back the next day with a beautiful illustration. That boy is good.

4. What do you love about Oklahoma/Tulsa?

I love that Tulsans are taking it upon themselves to make Tulsa a cool, fun city. They have stopped whining and are actively creating a city to be proud of, with their own hands. That spirit is intoxicating. Stop bitching about our midwestern plight. Oklahoma is as awesome as we make it.

5. What is your favorite drink (alcoholic or non)?

I like it all from… High Life to St. Bernadus to Franziskaner. I have been known to guzzle margaritas in the summer and a Makers Manhattan in the fall.

~~

For more info on Dustin, check out his bio; if you are in the the restaurant/bar industry and would like to get in touch, you can reach him via Dustin@thislandpress.com

Although Harjo has some serious artistic cred under his belt, with films such as Barking Water earning Sundance attention, and a Tillman Award to his name, at This Land he’s able to showcase a broad range of skills.

What influences you? (alternately, what are your “Must Read/Listen/Watch” items? Print or online).  

I have too many “must watch” movies to list… at the moment I’m in love with this documentary called Heartworn Highways, about “Outlaw” country music in Texas in ’76.  A friend sent me a link to it but you can only watch 70 minutes before you have to pay for it.  I decided to just order it on Amazon.  Can’t wait to watch the rest of it.

Who or What inspires you to do the work that you do?   

I’m really inspired by people and their stories.  The work that I’ve been doing for This Land has been great because there’s a lot of pride in telling stories about your community and showing the amazing people and stories we have here in our back yard.  I’m also really into the fact that people can rediscover some of the stories many years after we are gone.

What is your favorite piece you’ve done for The Land Press?  

I would say a three way tie between We Are Still Here, Indian Elvis, and Anton Von Ostendorf.  I think they represent the possibilities of what we can achieve with the short doc format.

With Anton it’s a cool blend of visuals, interview, and a beautiful score by Costa Stasinopoulos.  ”We Are Still Here” is a good example of how we make people aware of something going on right in their back yard.  I don’t know how many times people told me that they didn’t even know Yuchi people lived here until they watched the video.  It makes people aware of the diversity of our community and also the importance of language revitalization in native communities in Oklahoma.  It’s sad and hopeful at the same time.  ”Indian Elvis” seems like a good blend of all that but with humor as well.  I have too many favorites… Public Secrets as a series is a lot of fun to make.

What do you love about Tulsa and/or Oklahoma?  

I love all the stories in Oklahoma.  It’s overflowing with unique history.  I love dirt roads and the countryside.  Tulsa is perfect because it’s not too big and it’s not too small.  You can get a good cup of coffee,  but you can also get to the country pretty fast if you need to.

What is your drink of choice? Alcoholic or otherwise?

My drink of choice would be coffee.  All day long.

For more information about Sterlin Harjo, check out his bio and browse the “Watch” section of This Land.com.

Stay tuned for an exciting announcement about the future of This Land films from Sterlin and Matt in the coming weeks!

Holly Wall, most recently of Tulsa Business Journal, is This Land Press’s news editor. A working mother of two, Holly writes daily content for “The Roundup,” which, on any given day, will feature discussions of other local media, local events, national events concerning Oklahoma, and other assorted items that pertain to This Land’s audience. Holly has also developed a weekly interview segment called “This Land Live,” which streams at 10 a.m. on Thursdays. She also writes for the print edition.

She unflinchingly faces down the 24-hour news cycle and digs out the good stuff, parsing and presenting the choicest tidbits for you. We’re pleased to have Holly capably handling the breaking side of This Land’s journalistic endevours and eager for another helping of The Roundup, This Land Live and more.

What influences you?

In college, I read this book—Random Family: Love, Drugs, Trouble, and Coming of Age in the Bronx by Adrian Nicole LeBlanc. For 11 years, LeBlanc engrossed herself in the ugly, dangerous, drug-addled world that is inner-city life in the Bronx, New York. What resulted from that, though, is anything but ugly; it’s a beautiful, striking, engrossing book. It’s brilliantly written, but more than that, it just about perfectly tells the story of life in one of the most deprived places in the U.S.—and the surprising amount of hope there. It’s sensitive without being sentimental, and it’s exhaustively researched and reported.

After I read it, I thought, “This—this is what I want to write.” I haven’t written it yet, but it’s what I aspire to. That book is as fresh in my mind now as it was in 2003, and it continues to influence my writing every day.

What are your “must read” items? Print or online.

I always read The New York Times, The Huffington Post, The Atlantic and The Daily Beast. I also keep an eye on Poynter to stay in touch with what’s happening in the industry. Though I don’t visit them regularly, I stumble upon a lot of other great news sites and blogs in my daily search for Okie-related news for The Roundup. I just read everything. I get paid to read every day. It’s a great gig.

Personally, I love to read memoirs, essays, and other prose. I like true stories. I like to read work that will make me a better writer.

Who or What inspires you to do the work that you do? 

Other journalists—like LeBlanc (above)—whose work I admire inspire me to work harder, write better. Conversely, bad journalism inspires me, too—there’s so much of it out there; I want to make sure I’m doing it right.

And, of course, my kids. I want them to have a mom who’s passionate, inspired, informed, and well read. I want to be a good example for them.

What is your favorite piece you’ve done for The Land Press?  

I’m still fairly new to the job (I was just hired last September, and I’d only been freelancing for a couple of months before that), so I don’t feel like I’ve got a huge cache to choose from. However, my first assignment for This Land, “Lost Olinka,” about Prague, Oklahoma, artist Olinka Hrdy, definitely stands out as a favorite. I loved visiting Prague and experiencing the Kolache Festival, as well as delving into the mystery of her lost Riverside Studio murals.

I liked the piece I wrote about Joe Brainard, too, but I think that was mostly because I liked Joe so much. He was a really likeable guy, even though the only way I was able to get to know him was through family and friends and his art/writing. I wish I had had the opportunity to know him in person—or to interview him, at least.

What do you love about Tulsa and/or Oklahoma?   

My family is here; there’s great art here; there’s a ton of stuff to do; it has fascinating history; it’s a great place for kids. I love to travel and experience other places, but Tulsa is definitely home.

What is your drink of choice? Alcoholic or otherwise?

Diet Pepsi. I know it’s rotting my insides, but I love it so much. It’s kind of a problem, actually.

~~~~

For more on Holly, check out her bio and follow her on Twitter @hwall.

Stuart Hetherington is a committed Distribution Manager. He proudly rattles off numbers about his 58 distribution spots and growing mail subscription list. He also brainstorms regularly with the merchandising, sales, and editorial staff, contributing his “man about town” knowledge to the overall workings of This Land. But, when asked why he’s so good at his job, he will cheerfully admit he likes crunching the sales numbers and plotting distribution expansion (OKC in 2012?).

He’s not just the muscle of This Land distribution, he’s the brains too.

Here’s what Stuart had to say in answer to the 5Qs:

What influences you; i.e. what are your ‘must-read items? (print or online); must listen to, etc.?

Well, I definitely have some must-reads online, most notably OnThisDeity.com, which is a day-by-day underground history blog for social and political events and personalities.

I’m also into DangerousMinds on facebook, which kind of deconstructs all of the cultural happenings and current events, although it does have a decidedly socio-liberal tone to it.

I also listen to a lot of radio when I’m out of the office, I find myself switching back and forth between NPR and KRMG, I love listening to crazy right-wing propagandists just to keep a vector on the whole political structure. I also keep up with the cycling world through prollyisnotprobably.com, which is my total hipster guilty pleasure.

What inspires you in your work?

Working at TLP is just so collaborative. Although I’m the Distribution Manager, I still feel like I can chime in on an Editorial or Sales issues, and I will be heard and my opinion will be considered valid and welcome. That sense of mutual respect for each others’ roles is inspiring.

Also, I believe in This Land, in its role in Tulsa. I think an important part of that role is its ability to display a new perspective in the city and give “ex-pats” a way to connect with what is going on in Oklahoma on a cultural level, not just a political one.

What’s your favorite thing you’ve worked on for This Land?

Well, I certainly get attached to every issue, but the Tate Brady issue has probably been my favorite. Everything just blew up so quickly, It was the right topic at the right time for us.

I remember putting together a mailing list and cover letter for some comp issues that we were sending out to all of the most notable people in our state political system, as well as the nations top civil rights and reparations people. It was cool to be taking such direct action with those figures.

What do you love about Tulsa?

I like how Tulsa is so accessible. In Tulsa, if you want to make something happen you can just do it. I work with Tulsa Hub Bike Co-op too. We’ve been building it up for over 2 years, and it just keeps getting bigger. We have a great support network here. We have two programs right now, one geared at adults who are car-free, and one for school-aged children, more of a safety thing.

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that in my opinion, Oklahoma has some of the best food in the US. Specifically, I like the meat scene here: BBQ, Mexican, soul food, all that. My favorite spots to eat are Burn Co., Stutts House of Bar-B-Q, the Knotty Pine (RIP); SMOKE on Cherry Street… If I’m after Okie gourmet food, Sweet Lisa’s for soul food and of course, El Rio Verde for Mexican.

What is your favorite drink?

Well if you ask the bartenders at Soundpony, they would probably say HighLife with lemons, but that is a matter of price and not adoration. I would drink Bulleit Bourbon and water if I could afford it. Also, Blue Raspberry Lemonade Kool-Aid is pretty bangin’ too.

For more on Stuart, check out his bio here; and be sure to say hi if you see him out on distribution day- 1st and 15th y’all!

Well, if we’re talking about pieces I’ve written, it’s got to be my one and only — the Letter From Siberia. That was a fun one, and a nice way to ease into my writing debut. It was equal parts funny and humiliating to recall myself at age 13.

For copy-editing, I think my favorite was John Waldron’s “The Making of Miss Hornet” — he was my high school history teacher, so it was a little bit of payback to get to mark up his paper! Plus, it was a well-written and relevant article, which always helps.

What do you love about Tulsa and/or Oklahoma?  

I love how many different things there are to do around here.  I get a lot of the experience of living in a big city, without actually needing to move to one — we can go to the opera, the ballet, a variety of kinds of theater. I get to see some of the Broadway stuff before my friends in the northeast.  We have two good museums, some cool art galleries, a great library system, and a really vast variety of bars.  There’s always something to go do, or see, or experience (go check out Do What if you don’t believe me!).  If I could change anything, though, I really wish we had a better public transportation system. And more (independent) book stores.

I drink a lot of beer.  Mostly wheat, although I’m really enjoying Caldera Amber right now.  I love white wine, especially Sauvignon Blanc. Those are my big two, although my guilty pleasure is ordering girly, fruity cocktails at bars and restaurants.  If we’re talking non-alcoholic, I drink a lot of water and Coke year round, lemonade in the summer, and apple cider in fall and winter.

~~~~~~~~

Celicia Cecilia is a Tulsa native but left fled her homeland to attend school at Washington & Lee; but returned home after graduation, with new-found enthusiasm for O-K-L-A. She joined our stellar staff this summer and we’re glad to have her wielding that red corrections pen for us, even if it does cause physcologicalpsychological damage to our tender psyche.

Read the rest of Cecilia’s bio, here.

Editor’s note: Whitehurst, it should be noted, was not responsible for the multiple errors in this post.

In this  feature, our social media editor Vicki May Thorne meets and greets the staff and contributors of This Land Press.

Carlos Knight is the Art Director for This Land Press, a title which only vaguely hints at all of the myriad responsibilities and influences that he has on the look and feel of This Land Press.

Carlos is responsible for not only the gorgeous large-format print layout for which This Land first gained notoriety, but also the striking design of This Land Press’ website and the forthcoming This Land iPad app. And indeed, it is not terribly cliche to note that he himself is as colorful a character as his work would indicate.

What inspires you? And what are your must reads/watch/listen; print or online?

I’m influenced by clean, modern design–whether it’s in gorgeous type or contemporary art. I follow resources like adage.com, ffffound.com, and CMYK Magazine.

What inspires you?

C: I take my inspiration from an eclectic mix of personalities: Robin Williams, Betty White, and RuPaul to name a few. But I also get inspired by travel and gaming, especially when my friends and family are involved.

What is your favorite piece you’ve done for This Land Press?    

C: All the 1sts- the first print layout I did for This Land was for “Something Good is Going to Happen to You“, the [Randy Roberts Potts, the gay grandson of] Oral Roberts story; and the new iPad app has been really fun; also, reworking the website when I came on board was really fun and then carrying that design over to our social media presence- Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, etc., has been very gratifying.

What do you love about Tulsa and/or Oklahoma?   

C:  I love everything about Tulsa- it’s beautiful and scenic, relaxed, affordable, etc. I’ve lived in and traveled to big cities on either coast- New York, San Francisco [where he attended the Art Institute of San Francisco], etc. But I love Tulsa, Tulsa is home. Plus, there is room for people in design here; that is the main reason I came back to Tulsa, to infuse my city with great design.

What is your drink of choice? Alcoholic or otherwise?

C:  I’m a gin drinker. My drink is gin and soda, 2 limes. As far as non-alcoholic drinks go, I love a big blue coconut slushie from Sonic. I’ve been drinking that stuff since High School!

~~~~~~~~~

Carlos is in charge of all visuals at This Land; his visual concepts are colorful, bold and vibrant, just like the man himself. For the more official word on Carlos, visit his masthead profile here.

Although her bio is in itself impressive, what makes the greatest impression when you meet Abby Wendle, audio producer, is her thoughtfulness and tendency to listen deeply before she hazards an answer to any question asked of her.

1) How did you end up at This Land Press?

My friend Denver Nicks, who I went to school with at Columbia University, told me about This Land and a potential job opening as an audio producer. I looked you guys up and promptly packed my bags and headed out for Oklahoma.

2) What are your “Must Reads” for education and inspiration: Well, for me, it’s more of a ‘Must Listen To.’ I’m fond of NPR’s State of the Re:Union- which is hosted by Al Letson and focuses on specific communities. Really well done.

I also like “Selected Shorts“, which features short stories read aloud. I feel like it really gets at the heart of storytelling and the power of reading words out loud.

Also, I like Transom.org. they are a good resource for people who just love podcasting and maybe want some information on getting started.

3) What is your favorite piece that you’ve done for This Land Press?

Tulsa’s Slow Integration

Why? because it went MUCH better than I initially thought. I feel like in it, the African-American community is well-represented.

4) What do you love about Tulsa and/Oklahoma?

Well, I’ve only been here since March, so I’m still working off of initial impressions. What’s SURPRISED me so far have been a couple of things: there’s still quite a bit of crime here–I had one of my apartments broken into and I think I had a peeping tom at another one.

Also, I’ve been surprised by the “open-ness” of folks here- you get the impression that they aren’t bullshitting you at all, just talking straight at you. Also, how important history is to people, so much so that they will educate themselves rather than just shrugging off gaps in their knowledge. That’s unusual.

Also how BEAUTIFUL this state is, particularly in the southeast part of the state, the pine forests down there are amazing.

5) And finally, just for fun, what is your favorite beverage? Alcoholic or non?

I’d have to go with red wine, usually cheap red wine. A Malbec is my favorite, but they are kind of expensive. Usually a Pinot Noir will suffice.

~~~~~

Abby is responsible for the majority of the “Listen” pieces at This Land Press. She is hatching plans to take over the airwaves of Oklahoma and we couldn’t be more pleased.

Francis Ford Coppola’s 1983 film Rumble Fish, based on the novel by SE Hinton, was filmed in downtown Tulsa.

On Friday evening, 9/2, THIS LAND will host a special screening of RUMBLE FISH at Circle Cinema. Tickets are $8.50 and screening includes a talk from Lee Roy Chapman about the many “Public Secrets” involving the filming.

Prior to the event, we also invite you to attend:

“MOTORCYCLE BOY’S NEVER COMING BACK”
an autonomous installation presented by GitWit Creative
13 East Brady, Tulsa, OK
8pm-10:30pm

The characters in RUMBLE FISH all hang out at Benny’s Billards, a poolhall owned by Tom Wait’s character, Benny.

An installation at 13 East Brady, the same location as Benny’s Billiards, will show the connection of Coppola’s cinematic vision as it pertains to the work of two Tulsa photographers, Larry Clark and Gaylord Herron. Herron’s behind-the-scene photos will be shown to the public for the first time. Video installation and artwork provided by Gitwit Creative, Peter Bedgood, Zach Matthews, James Galleger and Gaylord Herron. The show is curated by Lee Roy Chapman.

–

AN EVENING WITH HANG ARTIST MATT VENUTI

Sunday, September 11th, 8pm
Backyard Party
This Land Press
1208 S. Peoria

This Land presents an evening with internationally acclaimed Hang Artist, Matt Venuti. Free Admission, Family Friendly. for more info on the artist visit www.mattvenuti.com.

Note about parking: If the lot is full at This Land, you can park at Elm Creek Animal Hospital across the street.

–

REVISITING BRADY: The Man, The City, The Riot: A Public Discussion

Tuesday, September 13, 7pm-10pm
Greenwood Cultural Center
322 North Greenwood Avenue

He was a founding father of Tulsa. But he was also a violent man who helped bring the Klan to Oklahoma.

HOW DO WE DEAL WITH THE LEGACY OF TATE BRADY? Now that Tulsa knows the truth about one of its controversial founding fathers, entire areas of town are put into question. We invite you to listen and ask questions about how we should respond as a community.

Historian Paul Vickery opens this provocative public forum with a brief monologue in character as Tulsa founder Tate Brady–the subject of This Land’s controversial new report.

Folllowing the performance, we’ll hear from a panel of distinguished guests who will offer their opinions on how Tulsa should move forward in light of all the findings regarding the exposed facts of Brady’s life.

Guest panelists include:
OK State Senator Judy Eason McIntyre
OK State Rep Seneca Scott
Adam Nemec of New Medio
Oklahoma Eagle editor James Goodwin
and Bill O’Conner of the Oklahoma Center for Community & Justice

This event will also be livestreamed on Facebook and at thislandpress.com

Seating is limited so please arrive early.

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JACOB FRED JAZZ ODYSSEY performs the Race Riot Suite

Wednesday, September 14th
All Souls Unitarian Church
2952 South Peoria

Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey (JFJO) will be performing their just-released Race Riot Suite at All Souls on Wednesday, September 14, 2011 at 7:00 p.m.

The concert is free and open to the public, however, sponsorships are available.

Child care is available by reservation only for infants and pre-school children, and must be reserved by Sunday, September 11, 2011. Call 918-743-2805 ext. 308.

If you would like to purchase a sponsorship with reserved seating, visit the concert page at the All Souls website.

Adjágas opened the Glastonbury Festival in back in 2007 and performed at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver at the request of the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Canada. Adjágas’ music is based around the concept of the joik, a traditional musical form which describes something not with its words but its sounds. A joik is like liquid in a bottle you can shake it up, but the contents remain the same. A joik can be about a person, place or thing. It is also possible to be the subject of more than one joik: how it sounds depends on the perspective of the person who is delivering it. More importantly a joik is not written, it comes to you. Each member of the band brings their own personal generational and cultural memory to the songs and collectively the band takes listeners on a journey into the heart of their legacy.

Check out a sample of their music here.

I’m pleased to announce the addition of several more talents to our team. Local blogger Natasha Ball, who burst onto the social scene in Tulsa with her blog, Tasha Does Tulsa, is our new associate editor. In addition to contributing regular reports, Natasha is project-managing our upcoming culture calendar, which will launch this summer.

Abby Wendle joins us as our new audio producer. An alumni of the Columbia Graduate School of Journalism, Abby boasts an eclectic array of audio journalism experience, from organizations like RadioLab, the BBC, Huffington Post and WNYC’s The Takeway. She’s reported from places as varied as Baku, Azerbaijan, St. Augus- tine, New York City, Asheville and Jersey City.

Local freelance writer Joshua Kline, who has been a frequent contributing editor to This Land, ups his involvement with us. He’s now a staff writer, and he’ll be covering a broad array of topics in addition to tak- ing up some web editing duties. And finally, Anthony Florig, a graduate of the Fisher College of Business at Ohio State University, joins us as distribution manager—his natural talent for sales and customer service has already broadened our circulation base signifi- cantly, so expect to see a much stronger local presence of This Land in Tulsa stores and restaurants.

And don’t forget: This Land is made by you and me. If you’re interested in becoming a part of This Land Press, we encourage you to start connecting with us by submitting your work to us. We’re looking for articles—but we’re also about to launch our video and audio projects too, so you can send all of your original work to us to consider. Check out our submissions page online for details. As we continue to expand throughout the year, we hope you’ll encourage the people you know to subscribe to This Land—it’s this particular type of support that acts as an investment in Oklahoma’s creative community—one that we hope is already paying off for you in the pages ahead.

With this special issue, This Land Press unveils its first investigate report based in Tulsa. Reporter Joshua Kline offers an unflinching look at the Tulsa Police Department and its penchant for excessive force. It’s the kind of tale that’s long overdue.

For you non-believers, the Norse God THOR may not hold much sway–that is until he builds a house in your backyard. James Vance reminds us of the time Thor built a home in Western Oklahoma.

ALSO: Carol Johnson is afraid of poets and with good reason. Scott Aycock has a poem that buzzes and wails, and Jonathan Taylor reminds us that it’s worth taking a look back at the BOK tower now that Bin Laden’s gone.

This Land afficionados may also wish to note that our June 2011 issue represents the first time we’re publishing in a new dimension. We’ve choppped off two inches from the width of our paper, but haven’t sacrificed an ounce of flesh. This Land is still the largest-format publication out being printed in Oklahoma. And hey, thanks to strong showings at both the Society of Professional Journalism awards and the Great Plains awards, we’re now an award-winning home to great Oklahoma literature.

Poetry and walking are closely related and always have been. It’s probably a matter of both having so much to do with rhythm, perception and solitary experience. And there’s that whole mind-wandering aspect (always a plus). John Keats, Frank O’Hara, Wallace Stevens, William Wordsworth, Gary Snyder, Charles Baudelaire–just about any great poet you can name, if you read enough of that poet’s work, you’ll find a devoted walker. This truth is obvious to anyone who enjoys poetry, and it’s also the thesis (more or less) of a nice essay by the contemporary American poet Edward Hirsch, which ran in The Washington Post in 2008.

All to the good, then, that Tulsa will soon witness its first-ever Poetry Walk, which happens on Saturday, April 30th. It’s being presented by Nimrod International Journal and the Oklahoma Centennial Botanical Garden. It’s offered as a celebration of National Poetry Month, and it’s taking place at the Botanical Garden from 2pm till 4:30pm. Also, it’s free to the public.

The 1.5-mile walk will cover forest terrain, prairie grounds and persimmon groves. Poems will be performed, recited, written and shared by all who wish to participate. The event will conclude with music, food and drink, as well as a reception for Nimrod’s new issue (for Spring 2011): “Growing Season.”

For directions, visit www.ocbg.org/MapDirection.html. For more information, email nimrod@utulsa.edu.

Here’s your sneak preview:

The businessman on the May issue cover has a name: Stuxnet. Sure, you can google his name, but you’re going to have to read “PWNED: HBGary vs. Anonymous” to find out the Oklahoma connection. This true-life techno-thriller also happens to be investigative journalism in the form of a graphic illustration by Dennis Leech, with reporting from Denver Nicks.

On the back cover resides Wess Young, age 94, whose eyes witnessed the 1921 Tulsa Race Riot.

Inside the issue, you’ll find an Oklahoma cast in a different light. In addition to our regular popular columns like Together in Tulsa, Goodbye Tulsa, and Letters from Oklahoma Expats, we have plenty illuminations to offer. Take for example writer Steve Gerkin, who solves the mystery of “The Man in the Box,” wherein he reveals the identity behind a famous Tulsa photo.

And speaking of photos: see new work from Shane Brown and Pulitzer-prize nominee J. Don Cook. Along with edgy writing on racial issues from Hannibal B. Johnson and Adrian Margaret Brune, the May issue promises to bring you sights and sentences that you simply can’t find elsewhere.

Please take the brief survey below to help us better understand the issues surrounding education and the 1921 Tulsa Race Riot.

Race Riot Survey

Thanks for you help and input; please be sure to share this link with your friends.

Behold what lies in store for you:

–The story of Ike’s Chili has been simmering for nearly a century. Mark Brown serves you an amazingly-crafted article about Tulsa’s chili legacy.

–An original story by our generation’s successor to Vonnegut and Heller: Sam Lipsyte, who offers you an unforgettable affirmation than you can carry with you. (And Lipsyte is visiting soon as part of a Book Smart Tulsa event; make sure you bring a copy of your issue for him to sign).

–Beau Adams has a story for you about an Oklahoma State Representative seeking to disband Union Public Schools, and we agree he’s got a point.

–This American Life and Slate contributor Russell Cobb returns to This Land to answer your most nagging dinnertime conversation question: Where is Oklahoma?

–Wall Street Journal photographer Shane Brown makes you look twice Oklahoma with his series of shots from around the state.

–And Arlo Murphy reports on the question you don’t want to ask: what happens when you flush a toilet in Tulsa?

Plus: All the good things you’ve come to know and love, like Together in Tulsa, goodbye stories, letters from Oklahoman Expats, poetry by great poets, and a walk down Cedar Street.

What else could you ask for? Subscribe to This Land today to make sure you get your copy.

“Founded in the spring of 2010 by journalist and native Oklahoman Michael Mason, [This Land] has quickly established itself as a rare example of literary journalism on the community level… In many ways, This Land is reminiscent of fellow place-based publication the Oxford American, and Mason shares a number of traits with that publication’s fantastic editor, Marc Smirnoff. Both men manage to bundle risky editorial decisions into a highly refined finished product (call it the New Yorker with balls), and both have a talent for mixing anachronistically beautiful print[/caption] content with web features that are equal to (rather than derivative of) their print counterparts. But while the OA is a literary journal that takes the entire American South as its purview, This Land’s narrower scope and more journalistic bent allow it to provide a unique blend of civic boosterism and edgy social commentary. “

As of March of 2011, we now have some of Tulsa’s most daring and innovative minds united toward a single purpose: to chronicle life in Oklahoma through courageous, compelling stories. It’s a serious mission, so it’s only fair to introduce you to the people who are going to make This Land Press an important part of your community.

Mark Brown, a former editor at Tulsa World, is now This Land’s new managing editor. Award-winning filmmaker Sterlin Harjo and indie filmmaker Matt Leach will helm our videography projects, which will launch this summer. Columbia grad Denver Nicks, who recently signed a book deal based on his article “Private Manning and the Making of Wikileaks,” is now on board as our first staff writer and will continue to write and blog on Manning in addition to other topics. Book Smart Tulsa kingpin Jeff Martin remains our fiction editor, while radio producer Scott Gregory continues as our poetry editor. Our contributing editors include Lee Roy Chapman, Rebekah Greiman, Joshua Kline, Shawna Lewis, and Lindsey Neal. And you’ll continue to see great photography from the likes of Wall Street Journal contributor Shane Brown, Pulitzer prize-winning photographer Joe Marquette, and iconic portraits from Michael Cooper.

Our art director Carlos Knight makes This Land look the way it does; editorial assistant Claire Edwards sharpens every sentence; and office manager Courtney Campbell keeps our subscribers and distributors happy. Melissa Moss, our new sales manager, will introduce businesses to a new innovation in Oklahoma media—a place where you can buy a single ad and show up in print, video, audio and web. I’ll remain in place as editor-in-chief, and will play a personal role in developing special reports. Dean Williams, whose vision has helped guide This Land from its infancy, remains on board as an inspiring partner. Finally, I’m extremely proud to announce that Vincent LoVoi is our new publisher. His passion and support of great journalism promises to change the entire dynamic of Oklahoma media.

In the near future, we’ll be adding more recognizable names to our masthead, and we’ll make introductions when appropriate, but I thought it was high time you should know us from the inside. After all, it’s your story we’re telling.

Have a peek:

John Lennon claimed he was more popular than Jesus. But he might’ve been a willing follower. Writer Lindsey Neal goes in search of the lost letter that Lennon purportedly wrote to Oral Roberts, and her journey sheds new intrigue on the life of the famous Beatle.

Ever been to Woodland Hills Mall? Ever walk into Tulsa’s Incredible Pizza? Then you might’ve bumped into Bradley Manning, the suspect at the center of the Wikileaks story. Reporter Denver Nicks returns to This Land with a gripping new story about Manning, in which we learn about the forces–economic and philosophical–that shaped the world’s most famous would-be whistleblower.

A new Public Secret from Lee Roy Chapman: Harvard psychological experiment victim turned Unabomber Ted Kaczynski shares recollections of the man he came to know in prison, Timothy McVeigh.

Rivka Galchen is back, and she’s contemplating the future of paper. It isn’t what you’d expect.

You’ll be introduced to Tulsa’s Pulitzer-prize winning photographer, Joe Marquette.

And although Ronnie Roberts died decades ago, his nephew Randy Potts has a letter he’d like to send his way.

PLUS: New fiction from Maya Sloan, your favorite columns return, and poet Dennis McGilvray shares his Nearly Empty House with you, and other tantalizing offerings await you.

Click here to have a look at our slideshow featuring great images taken during and after the snowfall.

Special thanks to contributors: Jamie Alasbrook, F. del Castillo, Angela Hager, Sterlin Harjo, Shane Hood, Crystal Kline, Matt Leach, Alan Little, Sally LoVoi, Nicole McMahan, Andrea Mihalo, Amber Snead, Evan Taylor, May Yang, Jonathan Eckstein, Jerrod Phillips, Rachel Hoefling, and many others who sent in their pics.

Reader, you are in for a delight of the eyes and the mind. This Land Issue Number 6 (a.k.a. Vol 2, #2) not only delivers a whopping amount of awesomeness, but it also introduces you to people, places and ideas that make you even more excited about life in Oklahoma.

A tantalizing preview from our Table of Contents:

You have heard rumors about JJ’s Gourmet Burger. But writer Steve Gerkin has the story, and it involves hippies romping in the buff, the invention of Tulsa Tops (a special sort of paper), and a burger despot.

Yes, Martin Luther King Jr. came to Tulsa. And Justice Marshall changed the tide here too. You’ll get the inside scoop from Joshua Kline and Hannibal B. Johnson.

Any of you remember Thomas Conner? He remembers you in his letter from Chicago.

Do not piss off rollerderbyist Clara Nipper. She will Go Fast, Turn Left, and leave you hurting for more.

If there’s anyone who can bite you using only a story, it’s Gordon Grice. This time he writes about bats.

Also, our ads are particularly handsome this issue, and several are funny.

There’s plenty of other great stuff to read and gaze at, so please support what we’re doing and subscribe soon. What, you subscribed already? Great, because that means if you live nearby, we’re giving you a couple free passes to Philbrook’s newest exhibit, a $15 value. It’s just one of the many ways we’ll be expressing our thanks to you.

Moore is holding a copy of Issue 2, now world-known for Denver Nicks’ unparalleled report on Private Bradley Manning, the Oklahoman at the center of the largest intelligence breach in military history.

This month’s stories include:

“Return to Kornfield Kounty: Why Hee Haw Still Matters” by Jeff Martin
“Before There Was Color” by Teresa Miller
“The Making of Mazeppa Pompazoidi” by Lindsey Neal
Goodbyes to Barb Bartholic and John Chick
Photographic Evidence of Dewey and a Cold One
Mike Ransom’s early days of TulsaTVMemories.com
Two poems by Ken Hada
“Exhaustion” by Lydia Moore
“Filth of Any Kind” by Jack Blair

Plus: jaw-displacing photography, crimes against logic, your regular dose of romance, and much more!

Subscribe today to get This Land delivered to your mailbox.

Give them a gift subscription to THIS LAND, a feast for the eyes and mind. Dazzling photos, attention-grabbing articles, and other creative works involving all things Oklahoma. Although we’ve only been around a few months, we’ve managed to grab the attention of national and international media outlets. We’re showing the world that Oklahoma matters like never before.

This “holiday” season (wink, wink Sen. Inhofe), we invite you to help support independent journalism in Oklahoma. We’ve got some incredible projects lined up for 2011: investigative reports, incredible features, and tons of exciting events planned, so please sign up for a subscription today–and be generous by including your friends and loved ones as well. We’re eager to include you and your circle in our community of people passionate about life in Oklahoma.

Happy Holidays from all of us at This Land!

–”Store No. 27 and the Making of QuikTrip,” a colorful romp through convenience store history with Van Eden.
–”Westward Whoa!” in which gay cowpokes saddle up at the rodeo, with Sheilah Bright
–”Asylum,” a crushing expose on the Oklahoma mental health system, reported by Jennie Lloyd
–”Tinsel,” an excerpt from Washington Post & Okie writer Hank Stuever
–”Handwritten Letter from 1934,” a found poem by Scott Gregory
–”Father of the Yield,” by Kristi Eaton

And many more surprises to delight, confound and inspire. Oh yeah, the amazing cover was designed by Carlos Knight and includes hand-drawn illustrations inside, plus many great photos by Michael Cooper.

Since its first issue, This Land has been garnering national interest. We brought you Randy Pott’s story about growing up gay in the Oral Roberts family–which was noticed by the Washington Post and elsewhere. Our second issue featured the first feature article on Bradley Manning, earning us the attention of The Daily Beast, Harper’s, The Today Show, Studio Tulsa, and WNYC, among many other media outlets. Our third issue shed light on Tulsa’s prestigious literary heritage with the White Dove Review, and has garnered the attention of numerous literary outlets like longreads.com and the Allen Ginsberg Project.

The new issue is due out this weekend, so subscribe today to find out why America is paying attention to Oklahoma.

If you’d like your business featured in the next issue of This Land, please check out our Ad rates–and if you’re a small business owner, try bidding on an ad!

Special thanks to Jonne Daniels for her help in putting all the finishing touches in place at our offices–we’re thrilled with our new look and eager to get to work!

THE WHITE DOVE REVIEW: How a Group of Tulsa Teeenagers Created a Literary Legend, by Joshua Kline

RUMBLE FISH: The original short story by S.E. Hinton

DREAMS OF A BLACK OKLAHOMA: On the Trail of the Okie Pioneers of Alberta

DRIVEWAY: An original poem by Ron Padgett

INTERVIEW WITH ALLEN GINSBERG: Discovered in the archives of Tulsa University

And many more exciting readings! Subscribers to This Land get dibs on the new issue, so be sure to subscribe soon!

(Special thanks to Carlos Knight for the spectacular cover design!)

In an explosive feature for This Land, reporter Denver Nicks goes deep into the life of enigmatic whistleblower Private First Class Bradley Manning. By gaining access to life-long friends as well as Manning’s Facebook account, Nicks illumines the extraordinary makings of the man who put Wikileaks on the international stage. Most importantly, Nicks debunks the commonly-touted media myth: Manning, it turns out, wasn’t the frail, emotional wreck as commonly portrayed. In “Private Manning and the Making of Wikileaks,” Nicks reveals that Manning was a politically-motivated genius who had a history of addressing the injustices he saw.

Also included in this issue:

“A Famous Indian Artist,” by Eddie Chuculate
“The Highs and Lows of Brady Heights,” by Michael Berglund
“Letter from Phoenix” by Darren Ingram
Killing Teenagers with Jonathan Safran Foer, by Josh Kline
“Sinc G-D Was a Boy” graphic novel by Peter Bedgood
“Rodeo Daze” by Barry Friedman

Plus a lot of other surprises and delights for the mind and eye. The first 100 subscribers to This Land will receive two free tickets (a $30 value!) to our upcoming variety show to be held in November. Details to follow, so make sure you subscribe soon!

You’ll also be able to purchase copies of This Land through our local distributors, including popular spots like Dwelling Spaces, Doubleshots Coffee, and Cafe Cubana. If you’re a small business owner and you’d like to distribute This Land at your place of business, please contact us.

As we begin to prepare for publication, we’re also structuring our business model to make it easy and affordable for you to get the word out about your business, organization, or event. While we feature traditional advertising, we’re also setting aside a block of ads that can be purchased by auction. That means small, local businesses and event planners can draw the same kind of attention typically reserved for large businesses.

We have a lot of other exciting announcements to offer in the upcoming weeks, so check book soon for details–an be sure to friend or follow us today.

Just a few weeks ago, on May 15th, we introduced our first print edition to Tulsa by dropping off stacks of This Land at various distribution points throughout Tulsa. We asked local business owners to sell the copies we gave them, and to keep the profits as our gift to them. We were surprised when most places began to sell out of our issues within a few days. It cost just under $6,000 to print four thousand copies, and many people contributed to This Land for nothing in return. Since starting up, we’ve already burned through 2,000 copies, and the demand only seems to be increasing.

We’re seeing the same hunger for our online content as well. In just a short amount of time, the site accumulated nearly 700 Facebook fans and has generated almost 30,000 page views. Our feature article, by Randy Roberts Potts, has received thousands of reads and dozens of comments, some of them from overseas, while many others are moving accounts of similar experiences. Another one of our contributors, Rivka Galchen, was just selected as one of the New Yorker’s “20 Under 40″ writers to watch–one of the most prestigious literary accolades a young writer can claim today. It’s heartening to see that the rest of the world is interested in the stories Oklahoma has to offer.

All that to say: Thank you. We got the message loud and clear, and we’ll try our best to keep doing our job. But we’d also like your help. If you enjoy This Land and want to see it thrive, there are a number of ways you can support our efforts. You or your boss can buy a banner ad–they’re inexpensive and we can help make them for you if you want. Another thing you can do is buy an issue or two and send them to people you like. You can order online, or you can visit one of the local shops that carry This Land. If you’re the artistic type, you can contact me directly about the articles you’d like to write, or the other creative things you do that might help us. We’d also like our readers to tell us about the stories they’d like to know more about–or simply help us broaden our readership by suggesting our fan page to your friends. Our hope is to blossom into a full-blown regular print publication, while fostering a health online community, and to do that, we need your continued support and input.

Thanks for reading and enjoying This Land.

Michael Mason
Editor
mmason@thislandpress.com

(and photo by Michael Cooper, of course)

We invite you to drive over, walk in, pull up a chair, and enjoy some free coffee with a purchase of This Land. The Blue Jackalope is located at 306 S. Phoenix Ave in Tulsa.

Dwelling Spaces – Blue Jackalope – Cafe Cubana- Cherry St. Coffee House – Cafe Topeca – Circle Cinema – The Bead Merchant – Starship Records – Peace of Mind

and many other fine establishments.

If you’re a local writer, artist, editor, photographer, blogger, designer, or otherwise creative and entrepreneurial, contact us today to find out how you can be a part of This Land Press.

Photo: Michael Cooper

If you’ve spotted someone reading This Land, send a pic and a caption to us at mail@thislandpress.com.