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Dancers try to strike healthy balance

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Many young adults struggle with healthy body images due to today’s society. These young adults focus more on the exterior, agonizing over what to eat and which photo will make a good profile picture without realizing that all can come at the expense of what is really important: health. This struggle is all the more real for college students who study dance and performance arts. Their bodies are presented constantly on stage and are spotlighted throughout shows. They view their bodies daily in the mirror while rehearsing, and the intensity leads some dancers to go to exaggerated lengths to achieve…

Oklahoma budget cuts undermine mental health care

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Due to state budget cuts, Oklahomans with mental health problems face a shortage of bed space and health care. According to a study by the Department of Corrections in 2006, 11,739 out of 24,000 offenders have a mental health problem, and about 67-percent of these people will be re-incarcerated within six months of release if not treated properly. “What happens is that many of the people that aren’t getting treatment in our state have done something in the community that’s a danger to themselves or others and their only means of getting treatment is through the back of a police…

The business of vaping

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The tobacco-based drug, known as cigarettes, has been around before the 1870s. During this time many long-term effects of its use have been discovered, such as cancer, asthma, and heart disease. Despite extensive research focusing on the negative sides of smoking, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has reported that the leading cause of preventable death is smoking. Over the course of many years, cessation tools have been developed to help consumers kick their tobacco addictions. Nicotine patches, inhalers and gum have all been used, however, the first real breakthrough was made when e-cigarettes, commonly known as ‘vapes’,…

H&8 Festival celebrates local food and music

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The quaint corners of the Midtown district in Oklahoma City are mostly quiet during the day. But one night a month, from the spring to the fall, the H&8th Night Market brings the downtown area alive with vibrant food trucks and live music. The nickname H&8th stands for the intersection where the event takes place, between Hudson and northwest 8th street. “The point of all this is to create an Oklahoma City night on the town,” said Brian Bergman, event coordinator for H&8th. “In the four-plus years we’ve been an event, Hudson Street was empty businesses, now they are full.”…

Cell phone use may lead to unexpected injuries

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Alan Espinosa, 15, is a Del City High School sophomore who plays soccer and clarinet in band. Like many teens, he has a cellphone and considers himself “obsessed” with it. Espinosa said he checks his iPhone constantly, up using it for about 10 hours a day. He said the extended use has led to “headaches and a tingling sensation in my hand while I’m on it for long period of time.” He is not alone; in fact, there’s even a name for his affliction. Among physical therapists, “there is a new term: ‘game-keeper’s thumb’,” said Matt Miller, a physical therapist…

Former ‘Oklahoman’ editor becomes Gaylord College dean

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  Ed Kelley knew his calling at a young age. From working at a small-town newspaper to taking over as the new dean of his alma mater at Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Oklahoma, he constantly yearns to meet new people. Although Kelley first started writing about sports, he also has an interest in politics and history. By age 8, Kelley knew the presidents in order, and his family constantly encouraged him to read about politics. “I really liked history, studying politics; I liked sports too. My parents obviously encouraged me to read and…

Roses rugby: Blood, broken bones and family

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Chelden Love and Rachel Fisher walked through their clubhouse, smiling as they reminisced and cited awards accumulated over the years. These, they said, were earned through pain, sweat and blood — lots of blood. So goes rugby. In her first game with the University of Oklahoma (OU) women’s club rugby team, dubbed the Roses, Fisher recalled colliding with an opponent and flattening the player’s nose. Blood flowed “as though you had turned on a faucet,” Love said. “It all came rushing out.” Fisher, 20, played the next three games with an egg-sized knot on her head and, she later learned,…

First-time voters look ahead to 2016

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For many teens, turning 18 means joining the military, moving out of their parents’ house or maybe going to a casino. It also means finally having the right to vote. Joe Buettner is among those teens who registered the same day he became legal to do so. “On my 18th birthday, my mom took me to the tag agency and registered me to vote,” he said. Buettner, who first voted in the 2012 election, said taking an American government class during the election got him involved and helped him be more informed. Other high school students also said they wanted…

Shelters give homeless a chance to escape the heat

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When someone walks into Food and Shelter Inc., they are likely to discover its small-town aura. Everybody seems to know everybody else. People eat and talk at the same time. They joke, play games such as dominos, watch TV or use the two computers. Upon entering the dining area, to the right is a wall covered with posters advertising local events and outreach programs. Under the posters are boxes of fresh fruit. Atop and under a table to the left are computers, games, puzzles and books. Straight ahead is the kitchen, which prepares breakfast at 8:30 a.m. and lunch at…

Murals show Norman’s true colors

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Recently, the City of Norman has come to life with bright and vivid detail. Some hard to miss new contributions are murals, which adorn the skylines and walls of businesses and office buildings. One such mural is the newly finished project embodying the mission of the ReStore, 1100 W. Main St., in the former Homeland building, which the mural adorns. The currently untitled mural intertwines visions of Peter Max’s style and late ’60s graphics. Artist Skip Hill is responsible for this piece of artwork, but he hardly considers it his own because of the community’s heavy influence and involvement. “I…

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