KXOJ Afternoon Show

GROCERY TIPS:  I don’t get to do our family’s grocery shopping (just unloading). But, I came across a list of ways to save on our groceries.  Some are obvious, like using coupons, buying “store brands,” rather than “name brands,” but, they have some other, INSIDER tips for shopping.  Did you know what area of the store you pick up items from makes a difference?  READ MORE

SPELLING:  Did you watch any of the TV coverage this morning from the National Spelling Bee?  288 spellers are there including two from Oklahoma - a 14 year old boy from Cache…and, a 14 year old GIRL from Perkins.  Tonight’s the championship from 7-9 on KTUL Newschannel 8.  READ MORE

ROBINSON CRUSOE:  There’s a “modern day” Crusoe who is getting set to embark on a 10-month isolated adventure, alone on a deserted, tropical island in the South Pacific.  Over the next 300 days, Xavier Rosset will have no human contact as he films a documentary.  All he’s taking with him are a Swiss army knife, machete, video camera, and a solar panel for charging the camera.  READ MORE

SPELLING: The National Spelling Bee got underway this morning in New York City. 288 spellers are there - and, the first word was MAGENTA. I can spell that one! Other early words were MANHATTANESE, AMBUSCADE and ESPOUSAL - to which the speller asked to have it SUNG in a song! There are two spellers there from Oklahoma - a 14 year old boy from Cache…and, a 14 year old girl from Perkins. You can watch the semi-finals tomorrow 10a-1p on ESPN and the championship tomorrow night from 7-9 on KTUL Newschannel 8.  FOLLOW ALONG

THE LONESOME TURTLE: If you have children and you ever come across either of these book titled, buy them. They’re authored by a former school teacher who has finally lived out her life-long dream of writing children’s books. They’re titled, PADDY, THE LONESOME TURTLE (about a turtle trying to find a friend) and WHY THE GIRAFFE HAS A LONG NECK (about why the giraffe…). Marion Jacobson says she’s not sure if she’ll publish a third book. Afterall…she’s 95 years old!  READ MORE 

***Today’s WORLD VISION ”Last Chance” Child of the Day is Javier from Mexico.  He turns 14 September 18th.  To sponsor Javier (it’s about $1 a day), call KXOJ at 492-2660.  Or, send a message when you CLICK HERE

100 MILES PER GALLON:  My Yukon gets 14 miles to the gallon in the city.  So, when I saw that engineering students at TU are working to convert an SUV that’s sticker says it gets 19 miles per gallon to get TWICE that…I was all ears!  They’re working with a hybrid electric, bio-diesel fuel.  Their ultimate goal…100 mpg!  READ MORE

BROKEN TROPHY:  When the Spokane Chiefs won the Junior Hockey Championship they did what they’ve seen on TV when a sports team wins.  They rushed to the ice, picked up the trophy and started skating around with it…celebrating.  Until the 89 year old trophy broke into two pieces!  Somehow, the 1919 Memorial Trophy had made it through all these years - so why did they have to be the one to break it?  It wasn’t until much later that everyone learned that the “original” trophy was in the Hockey Hall of Fame.  They had only broken the celebration replica.  WATCH VIDEO

SPRINKLER SYSTEMS:  I got a chuckle on my drive in to the radio station yesterday and this morning.  Despite 4″-6″ of rain over the past few days, I passed no fewer than 3 sprinkler systems watering neighboring lawns.  These folks must want REALLY green lawns this summer!

BA MARINES DEPLOYED: 25 Marines with the 4th Marine Division from Broken Arrow flew out of Tulsa International this morning on their way to Iraq.  They have some training in southern California before heading to the middle east.  As you read this, stop and offer up a prayer for these soldiers and those already there. Newschannel 8 has a story on these brave Marines tonight at 4, 5 & 6.  READ MORE

 WEIGHT LOSS: I just heard from a friend who won a TV competition to loose the most weight during the first 4 months of 2008.  He lost 71 pounds.  WOW!  That got me thinking about needing to avoid some of those REALLY yummy, refreshing summer drinks.  CLICK HERE for the worst “healthy drinks.”

MORE RAIN: Based upon where you live - you’ve gotten anywhere from 4-6″ of rain since Monday morning….and, there’s more coming. In fact, a Flash Flood Watch is in effect through the evening for most of Green Country.  The good news is…it’s not 98 degrees out there!  READ MORE

BAR-B-Q:  If you’re planning on a family Bar-B-Q over the weekend, just like everything else, the cost has skyrocketed.  Ground Beef is up 1% from last year.  Hot Dogs are up 6%.  Tomatos are 8% more and Lettuce has increased by 9%.  But, the BIGGEST price jump from last year…the Buns!  They’re up 16% from Memorial Day 2007.  In all, a Bar-B-Q for a family of 6 this weekend, including soft drinks, has topped $40.  And, I didn’t even add in the cost of the drive to the grocery store to get the stuff!!!

CLICK IT:  Make sure you remember to click in your seat belt this weekend (you should do it all the time). State troopers are enforcing the “Click It or Ticket” campaign over Memorial Day weekend. It’s part of “All American Buckle Up Week” going on right now!

DELAYS:  Highway 169 southbound will have a lane closed on Saturday & Sunday, during the daylight hours, between 36th Street North and 56th Street North. And, if you’re heading West for the weekend, your speed will be reduced on the Turner Turnpike for shoulder work from Oklahoma City to Wellston. And, if you East Bound, on the Will Rogers, there’ll be a lane closed in each direction for about 10 miles near Big Cabin and again near Miami. So…be ready to be delayed over the weekend!

Steven Curtis and Mary Beth Chapman’s youngest daughter Maria, was accidentally struck by a car Wednesday afternoon in Franklin, TN and later passed away at Vanderbilt Hospital. She was 5 years old.  Maria is one of the close knit family’s six children and one of their three adopted daughters.

Last night we had set up a prayer chain for people to share their support with the Chapman family through this website. After just 2 hours our server crashed with over 1,000 comments posted by KXOJ listeners. Your outpouring of support is truly remarkable. The official Steven Curtis Chapman website is now set up to take these comments directly, as well as supplies an address for mailing cards and a link to make donations in Maria’s name to Shaohannah’s Hope. We recovered all of the messages from the crash and will deliver those personally to the family, but from this point forward please utilize Steven’s website. Thank you. 
CLICK HERE to send a message

PARROT:  Have you seen this story on the news about a Parrot that escaped his cage a few weeks back in Tokyo - and, when he was caught, he was able to say his entire home address! Just like he’d been taught! Glad it wasn’t me who found him. I don’t speak Parrot OR Japanese!  READ MORE

CHRISTIAN SONGWRITER:  Tonight’s the Big Finale of this season’s American Idol. And, I found it interesting that for the 2nd straight year, a Christian music Songwriter has won American Idol’s songwriting competition. Last year, Christian recording artist and songwriter Scott Krippayne won… This year, it’s Regie Hamm! His song that won is called “The Time of My Life.” It’ll be performed live during the season finale tonight by the newly crowned winner of “AMERICAN IDOL.” The song will also then be released as a single.  READ MORE

GAS DOWN?:  On my way to the station today, I drove past a Gas Station that actually has dropped it price from Regular Unleaded. While just about everyone else is at 3.59 - the Kum & Go at 101st & Mingo is down to…3.55. OK - it’s not much, but 4 cents is 4 cents! The bad news is Oil just jumped up to $132 per gallon.  SEE LOCAL GAS PRICES

CIRCUS:  They just keep adding more and more events to the “not-yet-open” BOK Center downtown. I drove past it last week and it’s coming right along. The latest event to be scheduled is the Ringling Brothers & Barnum & Bailey Circus. Tickets for the “Greatest Show on Earth” in October go on sale Saturday, May 31st through Ticketmaster.  READ MORE

BABIES:  Our neighbor’s had a new grandson last week, named Zayne.  The most popular name in the U.S. for boys last year was Jacob - for girls, it was Emily. But, what about Oklahoma babies?  Social Security officials say the most popular names for newborns in OK in ‘07 were Emma for girls and Ethan for boys.  SEE TOP OK NAMES 

TWINS:  A lot of area High School Seniors are graduating this week, just like Michelle and Erica Wheeler. They are twins - and, as with most twins, they share a lot of the same likes and dislikes, good times and tough going. The Wheelers also have something else in common, graduating as CO-Valedictorians from their school of 850 in Othello, Washington. They are the only two students, to graduate this year, with perfect grade point averages.  READ MORE

TULSA #5:  Relocate America has come up with a new listing of the best Metropolitan cities in the U.S. to live in…and, Tulsa came in 5th! They based it on education, environmental greenworthiness, economic opportunity, parks & recreation choices and real estate & home ownership.  #1 was Charlotte, NC, followed by San Antonio, Chattanooga, Greenville, SC and Tulsa!!! Oklahoma City also made the Top 100, but didn’t qualify for the Top #10.  SEE THE LIST

ART CAR WEEKEND:  Don’t be surprised if you see a Red Phone driving down the road today.  You see, last weekend was Art Car Week in Tulsa.  There were several different locations that displayed cars that had been made into pieces of Art.  READ MORE

OREO:  I wonder how many Oreo cookies it takes to equal 14 ton? That’s how many covered the interstate in Chicago this morning when an Oreo Truck overturned and dumped its load…right out of the boxes and onto the highway. 14 tons! Word has it the OTHER drivers were watching for a Milk Truck to come along behind!  READ MORE

MYANMAR:  The military and relief organizations can’t get into Myanmar after the Cyclone.  But, 13 family practice doctors from Tulsa are going.  In fact, they flew out of Tulsa International Airport this morning.  You’ve probably heard - the government in control there seems more concerned about their own power and control than their people.  But these doctors, with the medical ministry “In His Image,” have been provided a way in to help. 
READ MORE
NARNIA:  It’s opening day for the movie The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian.  Several friends even went to the midnight showing this morning.  In fact, to celebrate, I’ll have several opportunities for you to call in and win a packet of Chronicles prizes this afternoon between 3p-6p.  Make sure to listen all afternoon!

I-244 CLOSED: If you plan to drive west on I-244 this weekend…you’re gonna be re-routed. Starting tonight at 7 until 6 o’clock Monday morning, the westbound lanes of I-244 at L.L. Tisdale Parkway junction will be closed to fix the bridge. Also, ODOT’s closing the westbound I-244 on-ramp from the Detroit/Cincinnati exit and the eastbound I-244 off-ramp to the L.L. Tisdale Parkway.  READ DETAILS