If you weren’t hanging out around Grand Lake over the past weekend, you missed a lot of great parties – Cruise Night in Grove, the awesome Grand Lake Fest & Car Show at Wolf Creek Expo (it was fun to see Darryl Starbird hanging out at the car show), the big 40th anniversary celebration at Mooney’s Sunset Bar & Grill, the World’s Largest Calf Fry in Vinita, and Shangri-La members showing up at the dunk tank to nail resort executives at the Staff Appreciation Pool Party to raise money for “Coats for Kids.” The upcoming weekend is equally busy with a couple of fundraising golf tournaments, a music festival, and the always-fun Barkaritaville party & fundraiser for Second Chance Pet Rescue – and we’ll analyze the State of the Region next Tuesday while we honor the incredible service to the Grand Lake tourism industry by Oklahoma Lieutenant Governor Matt Pinnell. The first day of Fall may not be until next week, but we’re already cranking out a busy autumn schedule of Grand Lake fun!
Under pressure from the FCC, the ABC network urged Jimmy Kimmel not to broadcast his interview with Texas U.S. Senate candidate James Talarico. So…Kimmel broadcast the interview on his YouTube channel instead. In a few hours, the interview had more than five million views (more than twice the average viewership of his regular TV show). Simultaneously, the YouTube streaming of the GOP midterm “convention” had 17,000 viewers.
Speaking of viewership, you may not want to battle the NFL. President Trump bragged that viewership of his “Trumpapalooza” on Fox News beat the ratings of the NFL on NBC. He made that comment before the ratings were even tabulated – but the numbers are in now. He had not quite one-tenth of the viewers who watched the season-opening NFL game. As a side note, there’s hardly ever ANYTHING that beats NFL football broadcasts in the ratings game.
After voters turned down an increase in Oklahoma’s $7.25 per hour minimum wage, it has become even more obvious this is a good time to be a member of a Native American tribe. Virtually all the Oklahoma tribes have a $15 per hour minimum wage, but the Muscogee Creek Nation has gone a step further. They’ll start raising their $15 per hour minimum wage this year, targeting $20 per hour by 2028.
I don’t know if a court of law would consider it “bribery” or “vote-buying,” but President Trump has issued another “check-to-taxpayers” promise. At his “Trumpapalooza convention” last week, he said, if the U.S. House and Senate are both retained by Republicans, he’ll issue a $5,000 check to every adult American. Aside from the fact that it would cost over a trillion dollars to do that (of our own money, of course), I guess I’ll just file that promise with the IOU for my $5,000 DOGE check and my $2,000 tariff refund check. Not to be outdone by the President, California Representative Ted Lieu raised the stakes. He said, if the House and Senate flip to Democrats, every adult American will get a $10,000 check…and a pony…and free ice cream for life! (He added that yogurt could be substituted for ice cream “because we’re Democrats.”)
Who had OU losing to Michigan and OSU beating Oregon on their Bingo card?
Grand Lake Bum Shout-Outs
Happy birthday wishes go out this week to Grand Lakers Trent Richey, Diane Bruenger, Terry Jennings, Rich Lillard, Hanna Heffley, Angie Drake, Jaclyn Hardison, Marcie Hill, Nick Bentley, Scott Blosser, Rami Masri, Barry Willingham, Renee Diver, Joyce Duke, Melissa Patrick, Joe Don Eaves, Josh West, Josey DeSouza, Therri Wadel, Susan Schupp, Larry Bolton, DeAnne McAbee, Rick Cooper, Bryan Timberlake, Juli Miller, Theresea McDougall, Julie Pace, and Byan Waldenville.
Best Grand Lake Events This Week
Wednesday is Grand Lake’s second Meet & Greet with gubernatorial candidate Cyndi Munson at the Grove Community Center (4:00–5:30 p.m.). Thursday is the Northeast Board of Realtors Charity Golf Tournament at The Coves (9:00 a.m. shotgun) and a Grove Chamber “Business After Hours” at Grand River Abstract in Grove (5:00–6:30 p.m.). The Born & Raised Music Festival at Rockin’ Red Dirt Ranch in Pryor runs Thursday–Saturday. Saturday morning is “Farmers’ Market” on Grove’s downtown square (8:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m.). There’s a Gun & Knife Show at Wolf Creek Expo in Grove Saturday & Sunday (9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. Saturday, 9:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. Sunday). Saturday is a Touch-A-Truck fun truck examination for kids benefiting Toys for Tots at First Christian Church in Grove (9:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m.). Saturday evening is the Barkaritaville dinner & auction at Patricia Island Country Club benefiting Second Chance Pet Rescue. Saturday & Sunday mark Opening Weekend for tours of McCorkle Family Farms (10:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m.). Sunday is a Grand Lake World Peace Gathering at the Lendonwood Gardens’ Pavilion in Grove (4:00–5:30 p.m.). Monday is the South Grand Lake Foundation’s Darrel Hicks Memorial “Fore the Kids” Golf Tournament at The Coves, benefiting the Ketchum Warriors Backpack Program (8:00 a.m.); and next Tuesday is a “State of the Region” luncheon honoring Lt. Governor Matt Pinnell at Wolf Creek Expo (12:00 p.m.).
Randy Krehbiel's Random Factoid of the Week
Suspected witches were not burned in the American colonies. They were hung, and occasionally crushed, but not burned.
Fun Fact of the Week
Who’s #1? Most people can’t pronounce her name correctly, and many people can’t even pronounce the country she is from…but the new #1 Women’s Tennis Player in the world is Elena Rybakina, The Pride of Kazakhstan.
Odd Fact of the Week
45% of young men ages 18–25 have NEVER approached a woman for a date or social meetup. Any socializing with the opposite sex has been online or AI.
Best Facebook Post of the Week
FIVE TIPS FOR A WOMAN: 1) It is important that a man helps you around the house and has a job. 2) It is important that a man makes you laugh. 3) It is important to find a man you can count on and doesn’t lie to you. 4) It is important that a man loves you and spoils you. 5) It is important that these four men don’t know each other.
Word Fun This Week
My friend Tony told us not to say his name backwards. I wondered, “YNOT?”
Best Sign Seen This Week
In wine there is wisdom. In beer there is strength. In water there is bacteria. You decide.
Best Bluesky Post of the Week
Nothing embarrasses psychics more than successfully throwing them a surprise party!
Pun of the Week
A buddy of mine fell for a new girl. She’s only a humble whisky maker, but he loves her still.
Unanswered Question of the Week
Why do people run over a string a dozen times with their vacuum cleaner, then reach down, pick it up, examine it, and then put it down to give the vacuum one more chance?
Observation of the Week
Imagine having 11 Grammy Awards, 3 Emmys, 100 million records sold worldwide, 25 Number 1 Billboard singles; and after you’re gone, nobody is talking about that – just how genuine and kind you were and the impact you made on the world.
Quote of the Week
“One of the most important reasons for studying history is that virtually every stupid idea that is in vogue today has been tried before and proved disastrous before, time and again. Do we need to keep repeating the same mistakes forever?”
– Thomas SowellFeel-Old Moments of the Week
U.S. Senator and former Presidential candidate Bernie Sanders turned 85 last week. Multiple award-winning actor and director Tommy Lee Jones turns 80 years old this week – and even folks who seem young aren’t all that young any more. Late night host Jimmy Fallon turns 52 this week. And how about this one? Star Trek, the TV series, made its debut 60 years ago.
Best Weekend Live Entertainment
On Monkey Island, the weekend starts Thursday night with Tim Robinson hosting karaoke at Doc’s Bar & Grill. Magen Faulconer and Jackson Glasby take the stage at Doc’s Friday night. There’s karaoke with Sundown Entertainment Friday night at The Monkey Bar followed by live music with William Tedford Saturday night. Erin Fitzgibbon is busy this week all over Monkey Island. He will entertain Thursday night at Whitecap, Friday night at South 125 Bar & Grill (with special guest COBE), Friday at Forge at Rose Rock, and Sunday back at Whitecap.
On South Grand Lake, Nancy Raper kicks off weekend fun Wednesday night at Mooney’s Sunset Bar & Grill in Disney. The Vanessa Oxford Duo takes over Thursday night at Mooney’s, followed by Travis Kidd Friday and The Bison Band Saturday.
In Grove, The Bakbeatz will be on stage both Friday and Saturday nights at Grand Lake Casino. The Downbeat will perform Friday night at Cherokee Casino; and Encore takes over Saturday night. Dillon Leggett will entertain at the Barkaritaville event at Mulligans at Patricia Island Country Club Saturday night; and Laid-Back Larry hosts karaoke Saturday night at the Alpha Bar.
Michele Warren starts the weekend music Thursday night at Indigo Sky Casino followed by Oreo Blue Friday and Brent Giddens Saturday. The Chain Project will be on stage at Downstream Casino’s Legends Sports Bar Friday night followed by Western Justice Saturday night. Dewayne Bowman & The Swingin’ West Band is the featured entertainment Saturday night at Riverbend Casino’s Club 60 West.
Dining & Drinking Update
It’s that time of year. There are lots of schedule and operation changes this week. The Farmhouse north of Langley (formerly The Artichoke) is now open Tuesday–Saturday 5:00–9:00 p.m. Drift at The Regatta in Grove has adopted fall hours, closing one hour earlier – 8:00 p.m. Sunday–Thursday and 9:00 p.m. Friday & Saturday. Whitecap at The Landings has reduced hours – 4:00–9:00 p.m. Thursday, 4:00–10:00 p.m. Friday, 9:00 a.m.–10:00 p.m. Saturday, and 9:00 a.m.–8:00 p.m. Sunday. Blind Swine Duck Creek is now only open three days a week – Friday 4:00–10:00 p.m., Saturday 11:00 a.m.–10:00 p.m., Sunday 11:00 a.m.–8:00 p.m. Cregan’s Confections in Ketchum has new hours – 11:00 a.m.–8:00 p.m. daily. Quarterdeck at Tera Miranda is now closed Monday–Thursday – open Friday & Saturday 11:00 a.m.–8:00 p.m. and Sunday 11:00 a.m.–7:00 p.m. Ugly’s Grill & Bar also has new fall hours – Noon–8:00 p.m. Saturday and Noon–4:00 p.m. Sunday. Eddy’s and Sharky’s are both closed for the season.
Bum Must-See TV
The Traitors: New Blood debuts Thursday night at 7:00 on NBC. Sylvester Stallone will be the featured guest on Sunday Today with Willie Geist Sunday morning at 7:00 on NBC. A new drama/comedy called Best Medicine premieres Sunday night at 7:00 on Fox. The Voice returns for a new season next Monday night at 7:00 on NBC.
Bum Must-See Movies
A Big Bold Beautiful Journey, Him, and Xeno all open in theaters this week.
Save the Date
- Thursday, September 24 – Grove Area Chamber Fall Golf Tournament at Patricia Island Country Club (1:30 p.m. shotgun)
- Saturday, September 26 – A Taste of Grand on the Integris Grove Hospital grounds (6:00 p.m.)
- Thursday–Sunday, October 1–4 – Pelican Festival at Wolf Creek Park
- Thursday, October 1 – “Pollution Prevention for Dummies” – the “3X3” Challenge, hosted by the Lake O’ The Cherokees Subwatershed Association at NE Tech BIS in Grove – free plants! (4:00–6:00 p.m.)
- Friday, October 2 – South Grand Lake Chamber Golf Tournament at The Coves Golf Club (12:00 p.m. shotgun)
- Saturday, October 3 – Final “Farmers’ Market” of the year at Grove’s Downtown Square (8:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m.)
- Saturday, October 3 – Long Distance Classic Sailboat Race from Grand Lake Sailing Club
- Saturday, October 3 – 33rd Annual Mahogany & Chrome Classic Boat Show at Cherokee Yacht Club (10:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m.)
- Saturday, October 3 – Shangri-La Member Appreciation Party (6:00–9:00 p.m.)
- Friday–Sunday, October 9–11 – Rocktoberfest off-road event at the off-road area below the Pensacola Dam in Disney
- Saturday, October 10 – OU–Texas Watch Party at The Anchor at Shangri-La (2:00–6:00 p.m.)
In the sports world, college football is king again this week. OU and OSU both play Saturday night games this week – both at home. OSU hosts Murray State at 6:00 and OU hosts New Mexico at 6:30. Other Saturday games of interest include Georgia at Arkansas (11:00), Tulane at Kansas State (11:00), Arizona State at Kansas (11:00), Florida State at Alabama (2:30), LSU at Ole Miss (6:30), and Michigan State at Notre Dame (6:30).
The NFL Regular Season is underway. The Bills host the Lions Thursday night. Sunday games include Philadelphia at Tennessee (12:00), Cleveland at Tampa Bay (12:00), Washington at Dallas (3:30), and Indianapolis at Kansas City (7:20). Monday Night Football features the Rams hosting the Giants (7:15).
WNBA players are back at work following their break for the FIBA World Cup competition. Los Angeles is at Dallas Thursday night. Las Vegas is at Seattle and Portland is at Golden State Friday. Phoenix travels to Dallas for a noon game Saturday. Washington is at Indiana, Portland is at Los Angeles, and Seattle is at Las Vegas – all on Sunday.
NASCAR drivers are at Bristol this week for Saturday night action. Coverage of the Bass Pro Shops Night Race starts at 6:30 Saturday night on USA.
PGA golfers are back at it this week. They’re in Asheville, North Carolina, for the Biltmore Championship. Coverage is exclusively on the Golf Channel beginning at 2:00 Thursday & Friday and noon Saturday & Sunday.
If you’ve been looking for a break in the temperatures, it’s coming this weekend! We’ll have a high temperature of around 90 Friday, but highs drop into the low-to-mid 80s Saturday & Sunday with evening temperatures downright chilly – around 60 degrees. There’s a lot happening around the lake this weekend and we’ll have perfect weather for all of it – so get out there and have fun!! Remember, though, wherever you party, be sure to buy a drink for the guy next to you. It could be me!
GRAND LAKE BUM
