From the Editor
ESCAPING
Summer
Deadlines . They don ’ t stop .
This one was tricky , because if something goes wrong , we ’ ve got spooky Halloweeny stuff in this magazine but it ’ s already discount candy time at the supermarket . Is that even still a thing , discounted candy after the holiday ? It used to be .
But , I digress . Summer stuck around far , far too long . We ’ ve been desperate for fall . Pumpkin spice doesn ’ t hit the same when it ’ s 102 degrees in September .
Our longing for the fall almost give us spring vibes , as in a sense of newness . Instead of the spirit of rebirth we have school back in session and the re-energization that new students bring , football and general coolness . We were craving change . We got it . A lot of us remember what it ’ s like to be a freshman on a college campus , but it ’ s nice to have a fresh perspective . We ’ ve got that thanks to the Ramsay twins .
Fall around here also means the return of a lot of events that go on summer hiatus . That brought us to a profile on Monica Taylor . Fewer people have deeper roots in the Red Dirt than Taylor .
And , it seems the development never stops in Stillwater . We take a look at one of the most ambitious projects in recent memory with developers who are making the most out of the old Boomer power station .
It ’ s true the adage that the only constant thing is change , but we were ready for it , weren ’ t we ?
Post Script : There wasn ’ t a time to turn around another difference-maker spotlight and we haven ’ t had many submissions on possible guests for our profile . A differencemaker doesn ’ t mean locally famous or powerful or popular , it can be almost anyone . Please send your nominations on
SwOk who we might profile to bsimmons @ stwnewspress . com .
STORY BY Beau Simmons Editor Stillwater Oklahoma Magazine
Spotlight :
PAGE 8 MONICA TAYLOR
The history of a songbird
PAGE 12
CAUSLEY TAKES AIM AT HISTORICAL FICTION
Local author Fred Causley ’ s first foray into fiction is grounded in one of the state ’ s most iconic historical events – the Dust Bowl .
PAGE 15 WHAT ’ S UP : STILLWATER EVENTS
VISIT STILLWATER list of attractions and events updated
. PAGE 18
GAME CHANGERS
Two of Stillwater ’ s long-anticipated projects move forward
PAGE 26 CAMPUS
A big world not far from home for Stillwater brother and sister , Henry and Anna Ramsay
PAGE 34 HAUNTED OKLAHOMA
A trip through Oklahoma ’ s haunted history
PAGE 40 PUMPKIN PATCH ENTERS 7th YEAR
A charitable endeavor
PAGE 46 A MADE IN OKLAHOMA THANKSGIVING
November brings with it a chill in the air and the urge to stir up something in the kitchen
STILLWATER OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE / 6