LOCAL

Arrest Ends Hunt For Thacker
Naming Wildcat Coach On Board Agenda

Arrest Ends Hunt For Thacker

UNION CITY, Tenn. (AP) — A man suspected of three killings who was the subject of a six-day manhunt in Oklahoma, Missouri and Tennessee was captured Sunday.

Steven Ray Thacker was arrested at about 6 p.m. by Union City police at the Super 8 Motel, north of the town where he is suspected of killing a tow-truck driver.

Officers noticed a car in the motel parking lot that matched the description of one stolen from a Missouri homicide victim. A police spokesman said Thacker was registered under another name and had dyed his hair.

He was arrested on a complaint of being a fugitive from justice and theft of an automobile. He is being held in the Dyer County jail and was scheduled to be arraigned in Dyersburg, Tenn., today.

Authorities believe the abduction and death of Laci Dawn (Griffin) Hill, 25, on Dec. 23 was the first killing allegedly committed by Thacker. Thacker is the prime suspect in the death of a 24-year-old Forrest Boyd of Aldrich, Mo., who was found in his home Saturday by a relative. His car was also stolen and later found in front of the motel.

Hill, who was buried today, was a native of Ponca City. Funeral services were conducted here at First Baptist Church.

Thacker is also a suspect in the Sunday stabbing death of a 49-year-old male tow-truck driver in Dyersburg, said Dyersburg police Capt. Don Newell. The body of the driver was found at his business. Police believe Thacker asked the man, whose name wasn’t released, for tow-truck services and then killed him about 10:45 a.m.

Thacker allegedly stole the man’s red 1987 Ford F-350 tow truck, which had ‘‘Patterson Bros. Wrecker’’ on its sides. He used the tow truck to pull a car stolen from Missouri, Newell said.

The tow truck was recovered Sunday afternoon about 10 miles from the scene of the homicide, Newell said.

The families of the victims and Thacker expressed relief that he was apprehended.

‘‘We just feel very sorry for the other families that have had to go through this while he went on a killing spree,’’ Hill’s brother, Larry Griffin, told the Tulsa World.

Thacker’s wife of four months has expressed anger toward acts allegedly committed by her husband. Trena Thacker identified him from the video surveillance tape using Hill’s debit card.

‘‘He can rot in prison now,’’ Ms. Thacker told the Springfield (Mo.) News-Leader.

A Bixby police officer and an Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation agent will travel to Tennessee on Monday to try to interview Thacker, said District Attorney Gene Haynes, whose jurisdiction includes Mayes County, where Hill’s body was found.

Officials in three states will likely want to prosecute Thacker for his alleged crimes.

Naming Wildcat Coach On Board Agenda

Naming a new head football coach for Ponca City tops the agenda for a special board meeting of the Ponca City Board of Education tonight at 6:30 p.m.

The announcement of the possible hiring of Frank Piccirillo, head coach at Watonga, was made before Christmas. Board members must accept the hiring before an official announcement can be made.

Piccirillo, 49, has been the coach at Watonga for the past 10 years, leading the Class 2A Eagles to two state championships in four trips to the state finals. Watonga won back-to-back titles in 1993-94 and were runners-up in 1992 and 1997.

Piccirillo was offered the position after Po-Hi athletic director Rusty Benson and the selection committee went through 41 applications from Oklahoma and 10 other states, some as far away as South Dakota and North Carolina.

The list included coaches of 14 state championship teams.

A native of Shelton, Conn., Piccirillo played college football at Oklahoma’s Panhandle State, starting for two years as a linebacker.

He has coached in Oklahoma since 1981. He was head football coach at Texhoma from 1984 to 1990. He moved from there to Watonga as athletic director and head football coach.

If approved, Piccirillo will not only be the head football coach but will also be the assistant coach for high school track.

His salary will be based on the teacher’s scale with an $8,500 salary as the football coach and $2,500 for track coach. Piccirillo will also receive a $5,000 recruiting stipend.

The one other item on the agenda for the meeting includes public comment.

DEATHS

Walter L. Elbe
Madalynne L. Peel
Jim W. Hibbets
Artus Cranford

Obituaries

Walter L. Elbe

Walter L. Elbe, longtime Ponca City resident, died Friday, Dec. 31, 1999 at St. Joseph Regional Medical Center. He was 85.

The funeral service will be held at 2 p.m., Tuesday, Jan. 4, 2000 at Central Baptist Church with the Rev. John Waterloo, Pastor, and the Rev. Mike Haley, officiating. Burial will follow at Odd Fellows Cemetery in Tonkawa under the direction of Trout Funeral Home.

Walter was born on June 15, 1914, in Manchester to Frank and Rosella (Waters) Elbe. He was raised in the Manchester area and attended Manchester Schools. He married Edna Martin on July 22, 1939 in Ponca City, and they established their first home in Manchester. They resided in Sedgwick and Wichita for a time before moving to Ponca City in 1945 where he was employed by Continental Oil Company in the refinery. He retired in 1976. He was a longtime member of Central Baptist Church, where he served many years as Treasurer. He loved to travel.

He is survived by his wife, Edna Elbe of Ponca City; three daughters, Georgene Morris of Ponca City, Lorene Waters and her husband, Bazil of Statesboro, Ga., and Diane Haley and her husband, Mike of Fort Worth; one son, Lawrence Elbe and his wife, Barbara of Redding, Calif.; nine grandchildren, Troy Morris of McEuen, Tenn., Lori Poole of Statesboro, Ga., Theron Elbe of Redding, Calif., Shonda O’Neal of The Colony, Texas, Mark Vaughn Waters of Statesboro, Ga., Mrs. Melissa Litke of Westcliff, Colo., Jonathan Haley of Fort Worth, Texas, Michael Haley of Pueblo, Colo. Amy Haley of Fort Worth; and 13 great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents, one sister, Ethel Stephens, two grandchildren, Noel Elbe and Diane Waters.

Memorial contributions may be made to Central Baptist Church, Building Fund, 618 East Hartford, Ponca City, OK 74601.

paid obituary

Madalynne L. Peel

Madalynne L. Peel, longtime Ponca City resident, died Thursday, Dec. 30, 1999, at Westminster Village in Ponca City. She was 94.

A graveside service will be held Wednesday, 10 a.m. at the Newkirk Cemetery. A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. in the First United Methodist Church of Ponca City with the Rev. Dr. J.D. Ward, pastor, officiating. Arrangements are under the direction of the Trout Funeral Home.

Madalynne Lourayne (Fell) Peel was a native of Ohio, born in a small village of New Alexandria, Jefferson County, near the Ohio River on March 29, 1905, to Charles Albert Fell and Laura Bell Hooper Fell.

She attended rural Pine Hill grade school until her family moved to Smithfield, Ohio, where she attended high school. Her father was in the oil well drilling business. When she was a teenager, he moved his family to St. Marys, Kan., where a “wild cat” well was drilled on the St. Marys College property. She graduated from high school there, when the family moved to Arkansas City, Kan., where her family continued in the oil well drilling business in the Three Sands, Braman, Burbank, Kaw City and other surrounding areas. She attended Betts School of Business in Arkansas City, graduating in 1927.

In 1930, during the great depression, she and Glenn W. Peel of Newkirk were married in Oklahoma City. He preceded her in death on May 16, 1977.

Mr. Peel was hired as office manager and field clerk by William T. Payne of Helmerich & Payne, Inc., and the couple’s first home was a two-room board and batting row house in the yard where the oil drilling tools were stacked. Close by, the wild Mary Sudik had blown a gusher. It required nine days to cap the well.

As the depression eased, Glenn went into the production department of Helmerich & Payne, and Madalynne became the stenographer and office manager for William T. Payne. After five years, Helmerich & Payne partnership dissolved, and Glenn was hired by Herman Crow of Haynes Brothers Drilling Company, Shreveport, La., as drilling superintendent. The couple moved to Hoisington, Kan., where an office was established with Mrs. Peel as office manager. In 1940, Herman Crow and Glenn formed the Crow Drilling Company with four rigs in Kansas. In 1945, the Crow Drilling Company partnership was dissolved, and the couple formed the Glenn W. Peel Drilling Company. They continued drilling operations in Kansas and embarked on a ranching career with ten head of registered polled Hereford heifers. They also raised thoroughbred and quarter horses which were stabled and trained on a ranch near Simpson, Kan.

In 1950, on their 20th wedding anniversary, the couple came back to Oklahoma and purchased the Lew Wentz Lake Supreme Ranch, eight miles west of Newkirk. Here they established the Lake Supreme Hereford Ranch and built large metal barns to house the prized cattle. Annual cattle sales were held in February. The property contained an 18-acre lake on which Mr. Wentz had a floating houseboat where he entertained business associates and guests. The houseboat sank during a rain storm but was later pulled ashore. The Peels began an extensive plan of restoration by moving the houseboat onto a permanent foundation. They continued drilling operations in Kansas but moved from Hoisington and lived in the houseboat for eight years before building a new home in Ponca City.

In the mid 1960s, they began purchasing land around Ponca City, the first being property owned by the late Lew Wentz northeast of the city. Later they acquired land east of Newkirk and in the Kaw City area. The polled Hereford cattle headquarters were then moved to this location.

A dispersal sale of the cattle and horses was held after the death of Mr. Peel in 1977, but Mrs. Peel was still interested and semi-active in the oil and gas producing properties. She was a trustee of the Glenn W. Peel Foundation and the Madalynne L. Peel Foundation.

Since moving to Ponca City, Mrs. Peel had been active in social, civic and cultural affairs. She was a lifetime member of the First United Methodist Church of Ponca City, where she served as a trustee, president of the Ladies Sunday School Class, president of the progressive Club and a member of the Ten Hundred Club, the United Methodist Women and the Una Mann Guild. She served on the music and memorials committees.

Active in initiating and organizing the Cher-OK-Kan Gateway Association in 1970, she served as vice president and chairman of numerous committees. The association erected six granite historical markers in a four-county area: Cowley and Sumner Counties in Kansas and Kay and Grant Counties in Oklahoma.

She was a past regent of the Ponca City Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution and served the state society as chaplain and program chairman. It was during her tenure of office as regent the chapter established the DAR Memorial Museum on the third floor of the Ponca City Cultural Center. It was dedicated and opened to the public on Feb. 20, 1972.

She was a member and held office in numerous genealogical societies, including Colonial Dames of the XVII Century; Daughters of the American Colonists; Society of the Descendants of the Colonial Clergy; National Society, Sons & Daughters of the Pilgrims (Oklahoma Branch) and Magna Carta Dames. She was a 50-year member of the Fanchon Chapter No. 53, Order of Eastern Star, had served two three-year terms as trustee of the Westminster Village, Inc. Retirement Community, was a charter member of the Ponca City Women’s Support Group of Bluestem Girl Scout Council, a member of the Ponca City Chamber of Commerce, the Ponca City Art Association and Ponca City Country Club and the Newkirk Community Historical Society. She was a supporter of the Ponca City Humane Society.

She was a member of the USA Bicentennial Commission and a charter member of the Marland Mansion and Estate Commission where she served on the restoration committee as chairman of furnishings.

On her birthday, March 29, 1988, a proclamation was signed by Mayor Carl Balcer recognizing her for her many years of unselfish and distinguished service to the citizens of Ponca City and the surrounding area and declaring that day as “Madalynne Peel Appreciation Day.”

The recipient for the 1990 Pioneer Woman award at the Renaissance Ball at the Marland Mansion on May 19th, she was honored for a lifetime of service to the oil, gas and ranching industry.

She was chosen by the Pioneer Woman Advisory Board to be honorary chairperson of the fund raising campaign for the Pioneer Woman Museum expansion project in April/May 1995. The completed project was dedicated Sept. 26, 1998.

Madalynne resided in the home built for the Peels in 1958 on Sugar Maple Street in Ponca City.

She is survived by one sister, Ruth Trenary of Ponca City; two nieces, Donna M. Miles of Marysville, Wash., and Ruth Ann Gatto of Greenbank, Wash.; two nephews, Benton Eugene Trenary of Seabeck, Wash., and Charles A. Trenary of Ontario, Calif.; and many great nieces and great nephews.

Her parents; her husband; and one sister, Bula B. Kantzer, formerly of Lynnwood, Wash., preceded her in death.

Memorials may be made to the First United Methodist Church, 200 S. 6th, Ponca City, Okla. 74601 or to the Ponca Humane Society, P.O. Box 2311, Ponca City, Okla. 74601.

The family will receive friends Tuesday evening, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Trout Funeral Home.

paid obituary

Jim W. Hibbets

Jim W. Hibbets, longtime Ponca City resident, died Saturday, Jan. 1, 2000, at the Vencor Hospital in Oklahoma City. He was 79.

The funeral will be held at 2 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 4, 2000, at the Northeast Baptist Church with the Rev. Dr. Larry Nigh, pastor, officiating. Burial will follow in the Resthaven Memorial Park Cemetery under the direction of Grace Memorial Chapel.

Born June 4, 1920, near Red Rock, he was the son of James and Edna (Nash) Hibbets. He received his education in the Red Rock schools, graduating from Red Rock High School. On May 5, 1943, he married Doris Price at the First Baptist Church in Ponca City. The couple has made their home here since that time.

Mr. Hibbets was employed with the Conoco refinery. He retired after 28 years of service as a refinery operator. In addition to his work at Conoco, he also farmed for several years. In recent years, he devoted much of his time to genealogy research.

He was a member of the Northeast Baptist Church and enjoyed fishing, hunting, carpentry work, and farming.

Surviving are his wife, Doris, of the home; two sons, Gary Hibbets and his wife Terry and Phil Hibbets, both of Ponca City; two grandsons, Kyle Hibbets and Kurt Hibbets and his wife Susan. He was preceded in death by his parents.

Casket bearers will be Martin Trenary, Tom Humphry, Tim Scully, Jim Caudle, Charles Blew, and David Mallory. Honorary casket bearers will be Ralph Spiva, Bayless DeMoss, Kenneth Reynolds, and Francis Cummings.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Northeast Baptist Church, 2200 Pecan Road, Ponca City, Okla. 74604.

The family will greet friends at the funeral home from 6 to 8 p.m. Monday evening.

The casket will not be opened following the service; however, friends may call at the funeral home until noon on Tuesday.

paid obituary

Artus Cranford

Artus Cranford, longtime Ponca City resident, died early Sunday, Jan. 2, 2000, at his home. He was 86.

The funeral will be held at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 4, 2000, at Grace Memorial Chapel with Mr. Don Huddleston and Mr. Carl Maples officiating. Burial will follow in the Resthaven Memorial Park Cemetery under the direction of Grace Memorial Chapel.

Born July 27, 1913, in Talihina, he was the son of Andrew Jackson and Etta (Odum) Cranford. He received his education in the Talihina schools. He came to Ponca City in the early 1940s.

During World War II, he served in the U.S. Army in Sicily, Normandy, France and Central Europe before receiving his honorable discharge in October 1945.

On Nov. 12, 1948, he was married to Lois Williams in Ponca City, and the couple made their home here.

Mr. Cranford was employed with the city of Ponca City water and light division for 29 years. He retired from the city in 1975. He was a member of the American Legion Huff-Minor Post 14. He enjoyed gardening, raising cattle and spending time with his grandson.

Surviving are his wife, Lois, of the home; one son, Randy Cranford and his wife, Karan; one grandson, Andy Cranford; two sisters, Mrs. Don (Earlene) Waters and Etta Phillips, both of Ponca City; two brothers, Arley Cranford and Leonard Cranford, both of Ponca City; two sisters-in-law, Mrs. Olin (Ruby) Cranford and Mrs. Vartis (Betty) Cranford. He was preceded in death by his parents; one daughter, Janice; four brothers; and five sisters.

Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of Ponca City, Inc., 1904 N. Union, Suite 103, Ponca City, Okla. 74601.

The family will be at the home, 1608 Queens.

paid obituary

NEWS BRIEFS

Clothing Giveaway — The clothing giveaway at the First Assembly of God Church for January has been canceled. Watch for the opening of their new facility in the near future.

Will the wonderful people who placed a Christmas ham behind a screen door in the block of Monument Road, Tuesday afternoon, please call the recipient so that

he may thank them personally? Thank You, LDW. adv.

Burglary — The Communications Center received a 911 call at 5:53 a.m. Saturday from a man in the 500 block of South Lincoln Street that his residence had been ransacked and a subject had ran through the back door. Two officers of the Ponca City Police Department were assigned and a report was taken.

Free Pregnancy test. Birth Choice cares. Confidential. Hours: Tuesday, 6-8 p.m., Wednesday, 1-3 p.m. and Thursday, 6-8 p.m. 700 West Broadway. 765-9689. adv.

Subjects Held — Three officers of the Ponca City Police Department responded to a complaint at 11:47 a.m. Saturday that subjects had been asked to leave a residence in the 500 block of South Tenth Street and were refusing to leave. Officers took into custody, a 37-year-old man on a Kay County warrant, a 20-year-old man on a warrant for failure to pay and possession of marijuana, and a 27-year-old woman on public intoxication.

Metabolife-Start right! The Natural Weight loss supplement. 765-8523. adv.

Subject Held — An officer of the Ponca City Police Department reported from the 2800 block of North Fourteenth Street at 12:32 p.m. Saturday that a 36-year-old woman was being held for having no driver’s license and failure to yield.

Grass Fire — The Communications Center received a 911 call at 2:01 p.m. Saturday from a resident in the 1400 block of West Grand Avenue that a grass fire was burning in the back yard. Two units from the Ponca City Fire Department responded and an officer from the Ponca City Fire Department was assigned. The fire was out upon arrival.

Leaves on Fire — An officer of the Ponca City Police Department reported at 3:01 p.m. Saturday that leaves were on fire in the southwest corner of East Central Avenue and South Ninth Street. A unit from the Ponca City Fire Department responded and handled. The officer spoke with the resident about burning regulations inside city limits.

Subject Held — An officer of the Ponca City Police Department reported at 4:36 p.m. Saturday that a 20-year-old woman was being held on a city warrant for failure to pay.

Grass Fire — The Communications Center received a report at 6:01 p.m. Saturday that a small grass fire was burning near a sign at North Fourteenth Street and East Highland Avenue. A unit from the Ponca City Fire Department responded to the scene and handled the situation.

Windshield Damaged — A woman from the 400 block of South Franklin Street reported to the Ponca City Police Department at 7:37 p.m. Saturday that the windshield of her vehicle had damaged by BBs. An officer was assigned and a report was taken.

Subject Held — An officer of the Ponca City Police Department reported at 7:57 p.m. Saturday that a 20-year-old woman was being held on a city warrant for failure to appear.

Fire — The Communications Center received a report at 9:17 p.m. Saturday that a fire was burning behind Marland School. The Marland Volunteer Fire Department handled the problem.

Pasture Fire — The Communications Center received a report at 9:26 p.m. Saturday that a pasture fire was burning in Apperson. The Shidler and Burbank Fire Departments responded to the scene and handled the situation.

Vehicle Stolen — The Communications Center received a 911 call at 2:11 a.m. Sunday from a person in the 400 block of South Perry Street that a vehicle had been stolen. An officer of the Ponca City Police Department was assigned and a report was taken. Another officer located the vehicle in the 400 block of South Lincoln Street and the vehicle was towed back to the owner’s residence since no key could be located.

Requests Assistance — The Communications Center received a request for assistance with subjects in the 300 block of West Grand Avenue at 2:27 a.m. Sunday. Two officers of the Ponca City Police Department responded and took into custody a 33-year-old man on a Kay County warrant for bogus checks, a 22-year-old woman on a city warrant, a 24-year-old man for public intoxication and a 16-year-old boy for public intoxication. The 16-year-old was released to a parent on a promise to appear.

Buffalo Post Meeting — The American Legion Buffalo Post No. 38 of White Eagle will be holding the first meeting of 2000 on Tuesday at 4:30 p.m. at the Jules Valdez, postal services building, in White Eagle. The commander urges attendance at the meeting with projects for the legion to be discussed. Refreshments will be served.

Item Missing — A woman from the 1500 block of East Bradley Avenue reported to the Ponca City Police Department at 3:10 a.m. Sunday that a suspicious person was going through a vehicle in the parking lot. An officer was assigned and a report was taken that a jacket was missing.

Subject Held — Two officers of the Ponca City Police Department reported from the 1400 block of West Highland Avenue at 10:02 a.m. Sunday that a 19-year-old man was being held on a city warrant for failure to obey.

Subject Held — An officer of the Ponca City Police Department reported from the intersection of North Fourteenth Street and East Prospect Avenue at 11:15 a.m. Sunday that a 35-year-old man was being held for driving under suspension.

Subject Held — An officer of the Ponca City Police Department reported from the intersection of North Elm Street and West Highland Avenue at 12:31 p.m. Sunday that a 49-year-old man was being held for driving under revocation, not wearing a seat belt, having no insurance and a city warrant for failure to pay.

Grass Fire — A volunteer at Ranch Drive Volunteer Fire Department reported to the Communications Center at 12:51 p.m. Sunday that a grass fire one-quarter of a mile east of Oklahoma 156 on U.S. 60 was being handled by the department.

Fire — Ranch Drive Volunteer Fire Department handled a fire three miles west of Oklahoma 156 and old U.S. 60 at 1:35 p.m. Sunday.

Statue Stolen — A man from the 2500 block of Woodthrush reported to the Ponca City Police Department at 1:49 p.m. Sunday that a statue had been stolen from his yard. An officer was assigned and a report was taken.

Subject Held — An officer of the Ponca City Police Department reported at 2:14 p.m. Sunday that a 17-year-old girl was being held for unauthorized use of a credit card.

Money Missing — A woman from the 1300 block of South Seventh Street reported to the Ponca City Police Department at 2:17 p.m. Sunday that some money was missing from her wallet. An officer was assigned and a report was taken.

Gas Drive-Off — A clerk at Lake Road Express reported to the Ponca City Police Department at 3:28 p.m. Sunday that a vehicle had left west bound without paying for $20.16 worth of gas. An officer was assigned and a report was taken.

Subject Held — An officer of the Ponca City Police Department reported from the intersection of North Fourteenth Street and Hubbard Road at 3:30 p.m. Sunday that a 34-year-old man was being held on a city warrant for failure to pay.

Subject Held — An officer of the Ponca City Police Department reported at 3:45 p.m. Sunday that a 29-year-old man was being held on a city warrant for failure to pay.

Garage Fire — The Communications Center received a 911 call at 4:48 p.m. Sunday from the 3100 block of Turner Street that a garage was on fire. Units from Ponca City Fire Department stations No. 2, 3 and 4 responded and the fire was extinguished by 4:55 p.m.

Fireworks Found — A woman reported to the Ponca City Fire Department from the 700 block of North Palm Street at 5:19 p.m. Sunday that some fireworks had been going off. Two officers were assigned, located a bag of fireworks on the porch that no one would claim, and the items were brought to the police department.

Bicyclist Injured — A woman from the 100 block of South Ash Street reported to the Ponca City Police Department at 5:56 p.m. Sunday that subjects had forced her daughter to crash on her bicycle. An officer was assigned and a report was taken. The 14-year-old girl was treated at the emergency room at 12:03 a.m. Monday for injuries received from the accident.

Wallet Missing — A man from the 1000 block of Riviera Drive reported to the Ponca City Police Department at 6:22 p.m. Sunday that a wallet had been stolen from the residence. An officer was assigned and a report was taken.

Street Closing — The 900 block of Rosedale between Bellflower Avenue and Goldenrod Avenue will be closed to through traffic for road repairs by the Street Division of the City of Ponca City from Tuesday, Jan. 4 through Thursday, Jan. 6. Anyone with questions about the project should call Rob Dick at 767-0412.

LIFESTYLES

Nutritious Meal Just Right for Cold Weather
Travel Opportunities for Women Over 40

Nutritious Meal Just Right for Cold Weather

Need a nutritious meal you can pull together in a hurry? Here’s a fast-to-fix feast that will get you out of the kitchen in about 30 minutes. The menu is shared by the editors of “Taste of Home” magazine and is courtesy of three great cooks.

Cheeseburger loaf is a satisfying quick main dish that Brenda Rohlman of Kingman, Kan. remembers her mom making years ago. Marsha Benda of Round Rock, Texas, suggests her Zesty Potato soup on the side. Topping off the meal is Butterscotch Pecan cookies contributed by Betty Janway of Ruston, La.

Cheeseburger Loaf

1 pound ground beef

1/4 cup chopped onion

1 can (10-3/4 ounces) condensed

tomato soup, undiluted

1/2 teaspoon garlic salt

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 loaf (1 pound) French bread

1 tablespoon butter, softened

8 ounces process American or Mexican-flavored cheese, sliced

In a saucepan over medium heat, cook beef and onion until meat is no longer pink; drain. Add soup, garlic salt, salt and pepper; simmer for 5-10 minutes. Meanwhile, slice the top third off the bread. Hollow out bottom half of loaf, leaving a 3/4-in. shell (discard removed bread or save for another use). Spread butter on cut side of bread. Place loaf on a baking sheet and broil until lightly browned. Spoon beef mixture into shell; arrange cheese slices on top. Broil until cheese is melted, about 2-3 minutes. Replace bread top. Yield: 6-8 servings.

Zesty Potato Soup

4 large potatoes, peeled and cubed

2 cups water

1 teaspoon dried minced onion

1 garlic clove, minced

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 cup milk

4 ounces process American cheese,cubed

1/3 cup chopped green chilies

2 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon chicken bouillon granules

2 teaspoons minced fresh

parsley

In a large saucepan, combine the potatoes, water, onion, garlic, salt and pepper; bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until potatoes are tender. (Do not drain.) Mash potatoes in liquid until almost smooth. Add remaining ingredients; cook and stir until cheese is melted. Yield: 6 servings.

Butterscotch Pecan Cookies

1 package (18-1/4 ounces) butter recipe cake mix*

1 package (3.4 ounces) instant butterscotch pudding mix

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

3/4 cup vegetable oil

1 egg

1 cup chopped pecans

In a mixing bowl, combine the first five ingredients; mix well. Stir in pecans (the dough will be crumbly). Roll tablespoonfuls into balls; place 2 inches apart on greased baking sheets. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.

Cool or 2 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks.Yield: 4 dozen.

*Note: This recipe was tested with Pillsbury brand butter recipe cake mix.

Visit the Taste of Home website at www.reimanpub.com

Travel Opportunities for Women Over 40

A recent article in Newsweek focused on the increasing number of women choosing adventure travel. According to the Adventure Travel Society, which monitors travel trends, the average adventure traveler is a 47-year-old woman.

“This is not news to us,” says , Debbie Jacobs, president of Explorations in Travel. “I’ve been working with women’s groups for close to 20 years,” she explains. “Women have enjoyed a good adventure for centuries, it’s just that some men are starting to notice.”

A good number of the men starting to take notice are the husbands of women who, after raising a family, decide it’s time to do what they’d like, and what they’d like often includes leaving home armed with a passport and a good pair of walking shoes. And while exciting travel opportunities for women are not new, it’s never been easier for women to connect with other women or travel on their own. Many established tour operators are adding women-only travel packages to their offerings and informational groups for solo travelers are forming across the country.

Women prefer to travel with women for a variety of reasons.

“We find that women are more comfortable trying something new and challenging if they are in a group exclusively of women. The groups tend to be incredibly supportive and we laugh a lot,” comments Jacobs.

From whitewater rafting to trekking with llamas, there are a host of travel opportunities available to women over 40. It’s as easy as a click of the mouse to get information about upcoming adventures that span the globe. Breaking the news to husbands may be the hardest part of the whole process.

For more information, contact Explorations in Travel, Inc.

SPORTS

Monday Evening Quarterback

Monday Evening Quarterback

If you think you have a diet problem after all that holiday fare, consider the plight of Wildcat wrestling coach Todd Steidley.

He not only has to monitor the weight of about two dozen wrestlers, he also has to figure in where those weights will be at the end of the month.

Cutting weight is never easy for a wrestler — at any age level. It is especially hard for a high schooler to eat just the right things while all around him are pouring down junk foods.

A wrestler must have the discipline to lose weight the correct way while maintaining his health, strength and — yes — guessing at what weight opposing wrestlers will be.

A coach must be a psychologist as well as a nutritionist. With the new weight rules, he also needs to be a bit of a psychic.

High school wrestlers must have wrestled 50 percent of their matches at the weight they will be at for the post season tournaments. During this second half of the season, that grappler may go up one weight for some matches. Any more than that and he has to be recertified.

Thus a coach must not only juggle all the possibilities for his regulars, he also has to keep tabs on the back-up wrestlers.

What happens if near the end of the season, a starter at 135 pounds, is injured and his backup has been wrestling mostly at 140.

The weight dropping has already begun for the Wildcats. For or five Cat grapplers will be down a weight — or two, or three — when the Poncans resume the season Tuesday in a dual match against Enid.

Fortunately, the Poncans will be heavily favored over the Plainsmen so Steidley will have the opportunity to have several “either-or” wrestlers in the line up.

But that will not be the case when the Wildcats travel to the tough Jenks Tournament Thursday through Saturday.

“The kids will have to weight in three times for this tournament,” Steidley says. “That can be tough, so I’m giving them a bit of a break for the Enid dual.”

Among the 22 teams in the Jenks Invitational are such powers as Muskogee, Sand Springs, Perry, Yukon, Tulsa Union, Edmond North and Bixby — to name just a few.

And the schedule doesn’t get any easier. Next Tuesday, the Cats host Tulsa East Central in a crucial district dual.

The Cardinals were preseason favorites to win the four-team district, but have lost to Jenks and Stillwater in district duals before Christmas.

But those loses came with three state qualifiers ineligible for the first part of the season, according to Steidley, who notes those three should be back in the line up for the dual with Ponca City.

East Central could get back in the chase with a win over the Poncans, who had to rally to be Jenks just before the holidays.

So the Cats must be wary of a letdown as they ease back into the season Tuesday.