Andy Rieger

5 days ago | normantranscript.com | Andy Rieger

This past week’s column featured several early Norman denominations. Today, we feature a few more. Within a few years of the 1889 land run, there were seven churches in downtown Norman. Norman’s First Christian Church was one of the strongest early denominations in the frontier town. By the turn of the century, the church had more than 200 members. kAm%96 62C=J u:CDE r9C:DE:2? 4@?8C682E:@? 7:CDE >6E :? E96 9@>6 @7 |C] 2?5 |CD] uC2?< tDD6I :? `gh_[ 244@C5:?8 E@ 62C=J ?6HD C6A@CED] %96 9@>6 H2D :?

3 weeks ago | normantranscript.com | Andy Rieger

Former OU President David L. Boren was remembered as a passionate visionary who cared deeply about public education, racial and social justice and the inherent value of public service. Boren, who died Feb 20 at age 83, was an elected or appointed leader serving Oklahoma for more than 50 years. He was interred in Maple Grove Cemetery in Seminole at a family graveside service on Feb. 24. kAm$6G6C2= 9F?5C65 42>6 E@ 9@?@C q@C6? 2E $2EFC52J’D AF3=:4 >6>@C:2= D6CG:46 2E $E] {F<6’D |6E9@5:DE r9FC49 :?

3 weeks ago | normantranscript.com | Andy Rieger

There was a brief period in Norman’s history that there was no hospital here to serve the community. An American Legion Hospital opened in 1925 and closed during the war years. A hundred years ago this year that hospital’s board asked Norman City Commissioners to help them meet bond indebtedness. They asked the commissioners to pay off a bond, cover some other debts and repay $12,850 to Norman citizens who had bought stock in the $50,000 hospital. It was completed in April of 1925.

1 month ago | normantranscript.com | Andy Rieger

It’s official: Skateland not coming backFor months now, many of us held out hope that the remodeling project at the large building on west Lindsey Street was the rebirth of Skateland. The iconic Norman roller rink first opened in 1963 and closed in 2021. But the new sign went up this past week. It’s appropriate that the cavernous building will become an automobile body shop. How many bumps, bruises and dings did kids suffer in roller skate crashes? kAm$<2E6=2?5 H2D @?6 @7 E9@D6 :4@?:4 }@C>2?

1 month ago | normantranscript.com | Andy Rieger

Some OU fraternities used to have a rite of passage when a member got engaged. It involved kidnapping the member and tossing him into OU’s Brandt Park Duck Pond. Cooler heads have prevailed in modern times as the water appears toxic, even before the most recent spill of diesel fuel into the pond. The dirty ducks rescued and being cleaned and tested at Wildcare are the lucky ones.