CAPITOL HILL BEACON, OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA, FEBRUARY 23, 2012 PAGE 3

OSU Extension Center

Greeting from the Garden by Ray Riddlen
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ARE Y0U IN I!!
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Favorites
in South West PIaza
S.W. 59th and Western
Sunday Open 7 A.M. to 4P.M.
Monday- Saturday
7 A.M. to 8 P.M.
Discount
Senior Citizen 55 & Older
631-8300
405-631-8553 8125 S. |-35 0kLA. 0|TY, 0k 73149
TOLL FREE 1-800-654-4970
Name
Address
City
State Zip
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Th|s Week
A Popular Myth for Oklahoma
Gardeners
Gardeners in Oklahoma all
have probably had experience
trying to deal with the clayey
soils that prevail in many parts
of the state. Probably many
have even heard the common
myth among homeowners that
if gypsum is added to clay-like
soil, it can improve its physical
condition. But in reality, there
is no scientifc basis or research
that supports the claim that gyp-
sum softens hard, clayey soils.
Gypsum is the common name
for calcium sulfate, a very wa-
ter-soluble form of calcium.
This makes it a good source
of plant-available calcium and
sulfur. In most soils, calcium
is primarily responsible for
helping to hold clay particles
together into clumps, clods, or
peds, thus ultimately improving
soil structure. But just because
gypsum contains both calcium
and sulfur, doesn`t mean that it
can improve soils. Gypsum can
be used in the landscape as an
amendment for correcting so-
dic of alkali soils, but as of yet,
there is no indication that it cor-
rects clayey soils.
We`re not sure how the gyp-
MYTH: Adding Gypsum to CIay-Like SoiI
sum myth ever got started.
Perhaps a gardener heard that
gypsum was a good source of
sulfur and since the amendment
is fairly inexpensive, decided
to spread the off-white colored
material throughout the garden.
After spreading, the gardener
would then have had to roto-till
it several times before the col-
or was back to normal and the
gypsum was mixed thoroughly.
Maybe even neighbors had no-
ticed all the off-white substance
spread over the garden and,
when the gardener had an above
average harvest, these same
neighbors might have noticed
and asked the gardener what he
or she had done differently this
year. But, in truth, it was more
likely that the garden produced
so much because of the deep
tillage that broke up hard pans
of compacted layers of soil that
form after several years produc-
tion. All the gypsum probably
did was allow the gardener to
know when the soil had been
completely worked and when
complete and thorough tillage
had been completed.
Soils can become clayey be-
cause, over time, excess sodium
causes clay in the soil to become
dispersed. When clay disperses,
the individual clay particles are
no longer held together, thus re-
leasing them to move through
the soil and concentrate in a
single dense layer. Frequently,
this layer of dispersed clay is
so dense that the movement of
water and oxygen is severely
limited.
All soils, especially clayey
ones, can beneft from tillage be-
fore planting. Sometimes, too,
soil tests may show that a soil
has too much nitrogen or other
substances for optimum grow-
ing. Studies have shown that
what can really help improve
soil over the years are high lev-
els of organic matter. But as
of yet, no case for gypsum as a
regular amendment for clay-like
soils has been found.

The following workshops will
be held at the OSU Extension
Center, 930 North Portland,
OKC unless otherwise speci-
fed. They are free and open to
the public. Questions - call 713-
1125.
March 15 - Vegetable Gar-
dening
Thursday 1:30 - 3:00
By Janet Barresi, State Super-
intendent of Public Instruction
When my sons were in school,
both they and I celebrated when
they came home with A`s on
their report card. If they came
home with C`s, they knew we`d
have to talk. But we both knew
what these grades meant. Their
teachers didn`t send home a
complicated formula for me to
decipher before I could deter-
mine whether or not my sons
were reaching their full aca-
demic potential.
Now, parents and community
members throughout our state
will have the same criteria when
it comes to examining school
performance.
Draft rules and a rule in-
tent statement for our new A-F
School Grading System will be
posted on the State Department
of Education`s website, http://
A-F Grading Grading System WiII
RepIace the Current Academic
Performance Index,
ok. gov/ sde/ educat i on-l aw-
book, on Monday. The rules
open for a 30-day public com-
ment period the same day. The
State Board of Education will
vote on the rules at its regular
monthly meeting March 29.
These rules were one of sever-
al important reforms passed by
the Legislature and signed into
law by Gov. Mary Fallin last
year. An A-F grade is important
in that it will provide greater
transparency for our schools
and will draw more parental and
community involvement. It is
evident that schools that have
higher levels of parent and com-
munity involvement have bet-
ter-performing educators and
better-prepared students.
Schools will still be exam-
ined for helping their children
meet grade-level performance
standards, but the grading sys-
tem also adds the dimension
of allowing a school to show
academic growth. A school`s
grade also will include factors
such as graduation and dropout
rates and the number ofstudents
taking Advanced Placement
courses for high schools, and
attendancerates for elementary
schools.
The A-F grading system will
replace the current Academic
Performance Index, which gave
schools a numeric score that
topped out at 1,500. The prob-
lem was people were constantly
unsure of what constituted a
good enough score for them to
feel comfortable knowing their
child was getting an optimal
education. The A-F system sim-
plifes that.
Whenever we can simplify
the formula and stimulate more
involvement in a school, the
student will be the winner, and
that`s a worthy goal.
Welfare recipients would be
required to submit to routine
drug testing as a condition of
eligibility under legislation ap-
proved by a House committee
today.
'This is a big victory for the
law-abiding citizens of Oklaho-
ma, said state Rep. John Ben-
nett, R-Sallisaw. 'Under current
law, welfare benefts can indi-
rectly subsidize an individual`s
drug habit, so we must make
sure there are penalties for peo-
ple who take advantage of the
system. If this bill is signed into
law it will stop recipients from
abusing our taxpayer money to
fund their drug habits, and it
will ensure that needy children
still get the food and other sup-
port they need and deserve.
House Bill 2388 would re-
quire applicants for the Tempo-
rary Assistance for Needy Fami-
lies (TANF) program to submit
to, and pay for, a drug test.
Individuals who test positive
Committee Approves Drug Testing for
WeIfare Recipients
for drugs would be ineligible
benefts for one year unless they
successfully complete a sub-
stance abuse program within six
months.
The legislation is authored by
state Reps. Guy Liebmann (R-
Oklahoma City), Bennett, Lisa
Billy (R-Purcell), Sean Roberts
(R-Hominy), and Steve Vaughan
(R-Ponca City).
Should a parent test positive
for illegal drugs it would not af-
fect a dependent child`s eligibil-
ity for the program.
An estimated 40,634 potential
TANF recipients would be im-
pacted by the legislation.
'When a private employee
tests positive for drugs, the
employer can fre that person,
Bennett said. 'Those receiving
state services are being paid by
the taxpayers of Oklahoma and
we should have the right to fre
them if they abuse drugs.
A similar program in Florida
saved taxpayers nearly $1 mil-
lion in the frst month of imple-
mentation. According to a re-
port issued by the Foundation
for Government Accountability,
the drug-testing requirement for
Florida residents seeking state
aid resulted in denial of tax-
payer-funded assistance to 9.6
percent of applicants, saving
$923,000 in the frst month of
the law`s implementation.
'In Florida, they were seeing
$5.71 in savings generated for
every $1 spent to administer the
drug-testing program, Bennett
said. 'I know that my constitu-
ents strongly support this com-
mon-sense measure, and I am
pleased to see it receive com-
mittee support this year.
House Bill 2388 passed out of
the House Appropriations Sub-
committee on Human Services.
It will next be heard in the full
House Appropriations and Bud-
get Committee.
To help the Latino Community
Development Agency (LCDA)
enhance their 4-H Mentoring
program, AT&T announced to-
day a $15,000 contribution in
support of their efforts.
'It is very important to us
to invest in organizations that
work everyday to improve and
enhance the quality of life in
our community, said AT&T
Oklahoma President Bryan
Gonterman. 'Whether focusing
on education, mentoring, or any
of the other crucial services they
provide, the Latino Community
Development Agency does just
that, and we are pleased to be
able to contribute to their ef-
ATT Supports Latino Community
DeveIopment Agency With $15,000
Contribution
forts.
The $15,000 AT&T Founda-
tion contribution will support
the efforts of LCDA to enhance
their 4-H Mentoring Program
by adding a parent involvement
component (Juntos Program),
school-based groups, and a
scholarships community event.
'At the Latino Community
Development Agency our mis-
sion is to enhance the quality
of life of the Latino community
through education, leadership,
services and advocacy, said
Patricia Fennell, President and
CEO of the LCDA. 'We are
very appreciative of AT&T`s
commitment to our program and
to our mission.
'The work the LCDA does
to instill core values like pa-
rental involvement in education
have lasting effects on the lives
of children and families across
Oklahoma, so I want to thank
and commend AT&T for mak-
ing this investment in our com-
munity, said state Representa-
tive Richard Morrissette.
AT&T products and services
are provided or offered by sub-
sidiaries and affliates of AT&T
Inc. under the AT&T brand and
not by AT&T Inc.
United States Senate
Iooking for Summer
Interns
Are you looking for a great
place to gain work experience
and to take a look behind the
scenes of the U.S. Senate?
The Offce of the Sergeant at
Arms may be the place for you!
The offce of Sergeant at Arms
provides operational;, security
and protocol support and ser-
vices to the US Senate.
Past intern placements have
included assignments in the
Photo Studio, Senate TV, Fi-
nance, Media Gallerties, Infor-
mation Technology and Post
Offce to name a few.
We are currently accepting
resumes and applications from
college students seeking full
time 2012 summer internships.
interns must have completed
at least one year of college and
must be enrolled for the next
school year.
Intern assignments will start
in late May and can last until
August 31st.
Internships require a mini-
mum 10 week work commit-
ment.
Compensation is $11.50 per
hour.
Deadline: Friday, March 30,
2012.
Please send cover letter/re-
sumes to <resumes@saa.senate.
gov> and fll out application at
<www.senate.gov/saaemploy-
ment>
Emerson High School serves
non-traditional students who are
living adult lives. The Exhibit is
come and go! Refreshments will
be served. We look forward to
seeing you support community
art and Emerson students. Free
admission.
Emerson
Students' Art
Work DispIayed
During Paseo
First Friday
Oklahoma City, OK - While
most people in Oklahoma City
were focused on Valentines, a
strong group of around 150 sup-
porters gathered at the Oklaho-
ma Theatre Supply to celebrate
the resounding victory of Laura
Massenat in the race for the
Oklahoma City School Board in
District 4.

'The amount of support that
showed up for Election night
party was indicative of the un-
LocaI SmaII Business Owner and Dedicated
VoIunteer Wins SchooI Board District #4
wavering support we received
throughout the race from local
parents and citizens from across
Distict 4, Massenat stated
while watching the returns roll
in. 'I am so grateful for the sup-
port that we have received and
could not give a bigger thank
you to the voters and citizens of
District 4.

Massenat avoided a runoff by
winning over ffty percent of
the vote in the Tuesday election
against lobbyist, Patrick Gaines,
and homeschool parent and vet-
eran, Crystal Hodges. Hodges
came in a close third though
widely regarded as the under-
dog in the race, with Gaines just
narrowly edging out Hodges for
second place.

'I want to thank my opponents
for taking an interest in the chil-
dren of Oklahoma City and for a
lively discussion of the issues,
said Massenat. 'I`m glad that
with this race behind us, we can
all unite to focus on the future of
our public schools and the best
ways to improve educational
opportunities for our children.

Laura Massenat is the co-
owner of Elemental Coffee and
the founder of EatWise OKC,
a group dedicated to advocat-
ing for healthy lifestyles for our
children. Massenat is a politi-
cal newcomer and has not held
elected offce or run for elected
offce in the past.