Seneca Scott

Rep. Scott with Page Michale Watson.

This year, I was fortunate to have several Pages from HD72 visit and work directly with me at the Capitol.  In the Oklahoma Legislature Page Program, students from the legislator’s respective districts spend a week at the Capitol and learn about the importance of government, our legislative processes, and have the opportunity to work closely with State officials and make great friends from across the state.  It’s also a great, hands-on opportunity to see the inner workings at the State Capitol.

I am always looking for future Pages – if you or someone you know is interested, please contact me and let me know.

Healthy corner stores will soon be popping up across Oklahoma!

My bill providing incentives to small business owners who open healthy corner stores was signed by Governor Henry April 20th, and will become law on November 1st.  Thank you to all of you who supported this bill, ensuring its passage in both legislative chambers – I couldn’t have done it without you.

Read the full press release here for further information.

Channel 6 did a great piece on the Blue Jackalope, a healthy corner stores owned and operated by Scott Smith.  HB3015, my bill to provide low-interest loans to these community stores, was signed recently by the Governor.  I hope this will mean many more Blue Jackalopes throughout our community, providing a social space for their neighborhoods.

Great work, Scott!

Rep. Seneca Scott’s bill encouraging neighborhood healthy corner stores passed the Oklahoma House Wednesday with a 95-0 vote in favor.

“It is a way for both rural and urban communities to gain needed grocery stores that will provide healthy food” Scott said. “This will also benefit Oklahoma’s farmer and ranchers by providing another outlet to sell fresh produce and products. Many Oklahoma communities are without local grocery stores and this will give them those outlets while also providing healthy homegrown food.”

The bill now advances to the State Senate for hearing.

Read the full story on the Tulsa World.

Rep. Scott’s “First Friday” meeting will be held on March 5th, 5:30 PM, at Tulsa Community College – Northeast Campus.

With the session in full swing, Representative Scott will have an update on the success of his bills and the current budget negotiations and ultimate agreement.  He’ll also have an update on the Kendall-Whittier Main Street application, work at McLain High School, and other great developments throughout HD72.  Be sure to attend!

Date: Friday, March 5th

Time: 5:30 PM

Location: Tulsa Community College – Northeast Campus Auditorium – Room 1603 (located near the Fitness Center area, behind the round building)

Representative Seneca Scott was one of only two state legislators awarded a score of “100 percent” by OKWatchDog, a nonprofit advocacy organization dedicated to informing the public and encouraging grassroots efforts to improve consumer and patient safety.

“I’m proud to have the support of OKWatchDog, and will continue to do everything in my power to ensure the rights and interests of Oklahoma’s consumers and patients are protected,” said Representative Scott.

On February 1st, 2010, Rep. Seneca Scott will join his colleagues in the Oklahoma House and Senate as they begin their 2010 legislative session.  Read Seneca’s pre-session letter here, highlighting the incredible work and creative innovation begun in HD72 over the past six months – despite economic challenges.

North Tulsa’s new grocery store to open in January [link]:

The opening of the Gateway Market represents a major step forward for those working to bring an end to the proliferation of “food deserts”–areas in which residents have no access to a nearby grocery store–throughout north and west Tulsa. But it doesn’t solve the problem, they say.

“Not at all,” said State Rep. Seneca Scott, D-Tulsa, who is conducting an interim legislative study on the best ways to offer incentives to healthy corner grocery stores and encourage them to move into underserved areas. “While we were looking to solve this issue, we came across the deeper roots of the problem. This store gets to the top part of the issue, and it presents employment opportunities. But secondarily, there is a larger market that still needs to be fed.”

Read the full article for a discussion on Seneca’s efforts to create community stores, bringing about a more permanent solution to north Tulsa’s food deserts.

Dear friends:

There will be no First Friday District 72 meeting at TCC NE this month. Instead, please consider supporting the following events in our community, volunteering for a good holiday cause, or doing a cleanup like the one we had with Believers Church in the Springdale Neighborhood.

Happy Holidays to all.

Best,

Seneca Scott

918-576-9111

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Join Mayor Taylor, the North Tulsa Economic Development Initiative
(nTEDI) members, city and community leaders as we break ground on the
new 27,000 square foot retail development center to be located in north
Tulsa at 1731 N. Peoria Avenue.

WHO: Mayor Taylor & North Tulsa Economic Development Initiative Members
WHAT: The Shoppes on Peoria Groundbreaking
WHERE: 1731 N. Peoria Avenue
WHEN: Friday, December 4 from 1-2 p.m.

Speakers include: Mayor Kathy Taylor, Reuben Gant, Rose Washington
Rentie, Jack Henderson and Ester Ogans.

For more information, please contact Risha Grant at 918.830.2365 or via
email at risha@xposureinc.com or call Michelle Allen at the City of
Tulsa at 918.596.9875 or via email at mallen@cityoftulsa.org.

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As co-founder of The Mothers Group & creator of the Santa Community Project.  I welcome your supporters and friends to:
What: 20th Anniversary Celebration of the Santa Project
When: Fri., Dec., 4, 2009 – 6pm: Reception and Refreshments &  6:30pm: Special Program
Where: OU-Tulsa, Learning Center: 43rd & Yale St., the building is across from McDonald’s
Sponsored by: The Mothers Group Inc.

The event is FREE of charge

We are celebrating ALL members of the community for their STRONG & ONGOING SUPPORT OF OUR EFFORTS TO HELP GIFT CHILDREN w NEW BOOKS!
With best regards,

Brenda Lloyd-Jones, Ph.D.
Associate Chair &
Associate Professor
Department of Human Relations
University of Oklahoma

4502 East 41st Street
Tulsa, OK 74135-2553
Phone:    918-660-3483

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Saturday, December 5, 2009

5 :30 – 7:00 pm

Lights On at Whittier Square

You are invited to celebrate the Christmas season with the Kendall-Whittier neighborhood as we turn on the lights in Whittier Square (Admiral and Lewis). Food, Santa Claus, Children’s Activities, K-W World Music Drums, Will Rogers HS “Ropers” Marching Band, K-W Tiger Choir, Wilson 8^th grade band, Mariachi and Lots of FUN!

Free Movie at the Circle Cinema

Christmas Cartoons (English) 1:00 pm

Christmas Cartoons (Spanish) 2:00 pm

sábado, 5 de diciembre del 2009

5:30 – 7:00 pm

Enciende las luces de la Cuadra de Whittier

Está invitado a celebrar la Navidad con el vecindario de Kendall-Whittier cuando encendamos las luces en la cuadra de Whittier (Admiral y Lewis). ¡Comida, Santa Claus, Actividades para los niños, KW Tambores de la Música del Mundo,  La Banda Marchadora “Ropers” del Rogers HS, Coro de Tigres de K-W, La Banda del 8^vo grado de Wilson MS, Mariachi y mucha más diversión!

Una Película Gratis en la Cine del Circulo:

Caricaturas de Navidad (ingles) 1:00 pm

Caricaturas de Navidad (español) 2:00 pm

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Dear Committee Members and Supporters:

Saturday, December 12 from 12:00-5:00pm, Generation of Destiny Community Center, Increasing Faith Foundation, and A Pocket Full of Hope will bring Project Give to the communities in and around 46th Street North and Peoria, the heart of some of the poorest neighborhoods in Tulsa.  This event will provide toys for the kids and food baskets for families and will also provide a variety of health services, free popcorn and cotton candy, jupiter jumps, live entertainment, and a battle of the high school bands.  We expect to have over 500 in attendance.

With less than two weeks before the Project Give event, we need your help.  The budget for the event is approximately $3,000 and we have only received $500.  PLEASE help with a donation of $20 or more which can be made online athttp://www.projectgive.info/project_give_006.htm.  If you would like to write a check or donate cash, please call Michelle at 269-0727 or Julie at 698-6161 and we will be happy to come pick it up.  A Pocket Full of Hope is the primary sponsor and a 501(c)3 organization so donations are tax-deductible.

We also need items for the giveaway.  The most pressing items at this time are turkeys.   We would like to give away 25-50 turkeys.  If you are willing to donate a turkey, please let us know.  We also hope to give away 300-500 food baskets.  While we have 289 cans of green beans, we are lacking in most other categories.  To get just the first 50 baskets completed, we need beans (not green), sweet potatoes, corn and fruit.  We also need toys for older children and boys.  Toys and canned goods can be dropped off at any Big Daddy’s bbq location or call for pick-up.

What we really need is a miracle and only YOU can make it happen.  Please do what you can personally, but also ask those you know who have a heart for giving back.  Use your e-mail lists and your business contacts, encourage your City Councilors, Mayor and other prominent members of the community to step up to help north Tulsa families.  Thank you and God bless you for your support!

–

Jason V. Trent II

Generation of Destiny Community Center

918-521-7050

A meeting with the State House of Representatives’ Agriculture and Rural Development Committee has been set for Tuesday, October 27th, 2009, to discuss Rep. Seneca Scott and Rep. Jabar Shumate’s Healthy Corner Store Initiative interim study. Members of the community – including Stephen Eberle, the Community Food and Gardening Coordinator for the Indian Health Care Resource Center; and Scott Smith, owner of the Blue Jackalope community grocery store – will also be in attendance to present on Tulsa’s needs and innovative, proven solutions.

Seneca has worked hard to pull together a strong coalition of Tulsa organizations and individuals, including: Katie Plohocky and all members of the North Tulsa Economic Development Initiative (nTEDI)’s Economic Development Initiative’s Retail Committee and Health Corner Store Initiative group; Steve Eberle and Russell Burkhart from the Food for Life Program; Rita Scott of the Buy Fresh Buy Local campaign; County Commissioner John Smaligo; and INCOG Director Rich Brierre.

To view the need for healthy food options in the north Tulsa community, download the Food Deserts Map – 2009.  The map identifies grocery stores available in Tulsa, and under-served communities where the nearest store is over 1 mile away.