🌱 Lack Of Childcare Accessibility + ‘Twister’ Takes Over Downtown

Good morning, Oklahoma City! My name is Nicole Fallon-Peek, and I’ll be your new host of the Oklahoma City Patch newsletter. Keep reading to find out all the community information you need to know right now, in five minutes or less.

But first, your local weather:

• Thursday: Heavy afternoon thunderstorms. High: 81 Low: 69.
• Friday: Mostly cloudy and humid. High: 87 Low: 63.

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Here are the top three stories today in Oklahoma City:

1. The E.L. and Thelma Gaylord Foundation awarded Goodwill Industries of Central Oklahoma with a $15,000 grant to help expand its Reentry Employment Preparation Program (REPP). REPP provides previously incarcerated individuals in Oklahoma with the skills needed to secure jobs that will lead them to better opportunities and operates through Goodwill's Career Pathways Institute of Oklahoma City. This aims to reduce the time it takes for incarcerated individuals to secure employment once they are released. (The City Sentinel)
2. Oklahoma City's Greater Chamber say that more employers are seeing less and less parents in the workforce as childcare accessibility is lacking. Many parents and guardians claim that the overall cost and availability of childcare are two of the biggest reasons why they aren't working right now. This issue has become very prominent in the last year and is also a huge topic for companies interested in moving to Oklahoma City. (KOCO)
3. Filming for the blockbuster movie "Twister" is back in Oklahoma City almost 27 years after the original hit theaters. Parts of downtown were closed on Tuesday, May 9 while film crews flooded the streets shooting the sequel that's set to be released next July. According to officials, police officers are monitoring traffic in certain areas and urge residents to watch out for any road closures as filming continues. (News on 6)

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Today and tomorrow in Oklahoma City:

Thursday, May 11

• Women's Business & Self-Improvement Meetup at Blue Financial Alliances (5:30 PM)
• Dust Bowl Karaoke at Dust Bowl Lanes & Lounge (9:00 PM)

Friday, May 12

• Rock 100.5's KATTFEST at Oklahoma City Zoo Amphitheatre (7:00 PM)

From my notebook:

• Major Chris Hoffman from the Oklahoma City Fire Department is officially set to retire after 30 years of service. Hoffman will be retiring from the Fire Prevention team where he served as a Fire Investigator for many years. The team is sad to see him leave, but will always remember his excellent service within the community. (Oklahoma City Fire Department)
• The Oklahoma City Zoo recently celebrated the birthday of their two 7-year-old cheetah brothers yesterday. You can check out OKC Zoo's Predator Pass to see more of these two brothers, as well as another coalition of cheetahs. For more information on tickets and specialty passes, visit here. (Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Garden)
• Get ready, because there's another All-You-Can-Eat night coming to Chickasaw Bricktown for the Oklahoma City Dodgers game on Saturday, May 20. Each attendee can enjoy endless food, great views, and an opportunity to root for our home team for just $25 a person in a group of ten or more. For more information on how to get tickets, visit here! (Oklahoma City Dodgers)

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Alrighty, you're all caught up for today. See you all soon for another update!

— Nicole Fallon-Peek

About me: Nicole Fallon-Peek is a journalist and copywriter with a degree in Media, Culture and Communication from New York University. She has served as a freelance reporter, managing editor, copy editor, and editorial director for a variety of B2B news outlets. She currently co-owns and operates content creation agency Lightning Media Partners.