LOCAL

Legislature Passes Teacher Pay Raise
No Place to Hide: Drug Abuse in the Heartland
Trimester Scheduling Will Begin This Fall
School Menu
School Calendar
Salvation Army Sets Installation Service For Commanders
Nearly News
School Board Will Elect New Officers for New Term
Pioneer Transit Board Session Set for Tuesday
Plains Indians in Transition Program Set for Enid’s Brown Bag Luncheon
Multiple Sclerosis Support Group Meets Monday At Westminster Village Chapel
Volunteer for ‘Reach to Recovery’ Will Present Cancer Program Here
Letter - Po-Hi Book Fair a Big Success
Letter - Po-Hi Science Club Needs Our Help
Organ Donor Information Shared at Rotary Session
City Calendar
NOC Hosts Shakespeare Company
Work Session Agenda Primarily Will Deal With Budget Activities
Two New Board of Education Members Take Offices Monday
Only One Left
Ponca City Senior Appointed By Sen. Nickles to AF Academy
North Central Crop Production Conference Set for Blackwell
A Few Good Men To Open March 3 As Ponca Playhouse Production
Amtrak Possibilities Hot Top for Area Legislators
Special Evening Program Monday Night at Library Features Lou Dean
Police Offer Blood Challenge to PCFD; Who Will Win Week-Long Donor Effort?
Taylor 2 Dancers To Entertain Community Concert Members
Veterans Awareness Day Feb. 22 at Capitol Building

Legislature Passes Teacher Pay Raise

By MIKE W. RAY

Media Division Director

OKLAHOMA CITY — The state Legislature approved a teacher pay raise Wednesday, as anticipated, and laid the groundwork for appropriations to finance public health care for the poor.

Also, the Legislature recently endorsed a measure intended to ensure that several thousand injured workers who have been owed millions of dollars for up to five years or longer finally get the compensation they are due.

In addition, the House of Representatives passed a sex-crimes bill recently.

Teacher Pay Raise

Under the watchful eye of several thousand teachers who descended on the State Capitol in an orderly assembly, the House of Representatives and the Senate both voted Wednesday in favor of House Bill 2653, which authorizes a $3,000 teacher pay raise.

The House embraced the proposal 98-1; two members whose wives are teachers abstained from voting. Afterward the Senate endorsed it 47-0. The Governor said previously he would sign the measure.

The bill provides a $3,000 annual pay hike to almost 47,000 public school classroom teachers, nearly 2,000 teachers in the state vo-tech system, and 85 teachers at the state schools for the blind and the deaf; principals will get the pay hike but superintendents will not.

HB 2653 also raises the minimum salary schedule for public school teachers by $3,000. The base salary for a first-year teacher with a bachelor’s degree rises to $27,060.

House Speaker Loyd Benson, principal author of the bill, said the raise will appear on paychecks issued to teachers in September.

Including benefits, the proposal will cost $164.8 million each year, since it includes the employer’s FICA and retirement contributions.

Teachers from across Oklahoma flooded the Capitol hallways, filled the Capitol parking lots, and marched in a solid ring around the outside perimeter of the building. The statewide teacher rally Wednesday was the first at the Capitol in a decade, since 1990 when the Legislature was considering House Bill 1017, the landmark education reform and revenue measure.

Three amendments the House attached to the original version of HB 2653 on Feb. 9 subsequently were removed by a House/Senate conference committee.

One amendment would have singled out science and math teachers for raises of $5,000 instead of $3,000.

Another amendment proposed a $2,500 pay raise for approximately 35,000 full- and part-time state employees, excluding employees of the State System of Higher Education. Fiscal analysts calculated that proposal would cost about $80 million annually.

Gary Jones, executive director of the 10,000-member Oklahoma Public Employees Association, asserted that Oklahoma’s state employees are the lowest paid in the nation.

Turnover in state government is so bad that the Department of Human Services and the Department of Corrections have made pay a priority, “to stop the revolving door,” Jones said. Of 845 child welfare workers, only 183 have three years or more experience, he said. “These are the individuals responsible for helping keep our children safe,” Jones said.

The issue of a potential state employee pay raise will be addressed in separate legislation, House Bill 2021.

The third amendment would have required the state Health Care Authority to provide three free prescription medications each month to 9,800 impoverished elderly Oklahomans. A legislative appropriation of $3.5 million in state funds would attract $8.4 million in federal funds, which would provide nearly $12 million to finance the prescriptions, ledgers reflect.

Although the prescription amendment was stripped from the teacher pay raise bill, the issue is addressed in separate legislation, House Bill 1113.

Buddy, Can Ya Spare $10.5 Million?

The Legislature was asked to approve $10.5 million in supplemental appropriations, and the emergency funding was incorporated into a compromise version of Senate Bill 142. The Senate endorsed the substitute measure 47-0 and delivered it to the House.

The state Health Care Authority asked for more money to resolve a cash-flow problem that caused the agency to delay payments this month to many of its 20,000 Medicaid providers.

The HCA, which provides health care to the impoverished at no cost to the patient, requested another $9.3 million in state funds to get through the fiscal year that ends June 30. The Medicaid budget for Oklahoma this fiscal year is nearly $1.7 billion in state and federal tax dollars; for every $1 the State of Oklahoma contributes, the federal government matches it with $2.40.

Ironically, the principal reason the Health Care Authority needs more money is because it is a victim of its own success. More than half of the emergency appropriation, $5.1 million, is earmarked for increased Medicaid coverage for children; the HCA has enrolled 70,000 more youngsters over the past year in an ambitious program intended to locate poor children in need of health care.

The agency asked for $1.3 million to help underwrite a medically needy program which benefits Oklahomans who normally would not qualify for Medicaid but suffer a catastrophic illness and consequently need public assistance.

The Health Care Authority also requested $1 million to cope with unexpected pharmaceutical costs incurred in a Medicaid program that benefits the aged, blind and disabled, ledgers reflect. And the HCA sought $500,000 “to restore service levels for outpatient behavioral health services.”

In exchange for the emergency appropriation, the Legislature declares in SB 142 that it expects the Health Care Authority to trim its administrative expenses by $400,000.

Besides the appropriations to the Health Care Authority, the State Auditor and Inspector’s Office would receive $1.2 million to replace an obsolete computer system. The agency is using antiquated, hand-me-down computers from the Legislature, has only one printer in the State Capitol, has no network to enable the computers in its three offices to communicate, and has no access to the global Internet.

Crime and Punishment

Without dissent the House endorsed a measure intended to deter guards employed in public and private prisons and jails from having sexual relations with convicts. Representatives voted 100-0 for House Bill 2121 and sent it to the Senate.

HB 2121 would expand the legal circumstances which constitute forcible sodomy or sexual battery. Those would include instances when committed by an employee of the state or one of its subdivisions such as a county or municipality, or by an employee of a contractor of the state or one of its subdivisions, “upon a person who is under the legal custody, supervision or authority” of a state agency, a county, a municipality or a political subdivision.

Focus on Families

Strengthening marriages and reducing divorces was the focus of the third annual Pro Family Day rally held at the State Capitol on Valentine’s Day.

In Oklahoma County, as just one example, the court clerk issued 592 marriage licenses and logged 778 divorce petitions between the opening of business Jan. 3 and mid-morning Feb. 15. During the same period the Tulsa County Court Clerk issued 342 marriage licenses and filed 592 divorce petitions.

Promoters of the Feb. 14 Capitol event said it’s harder to get a driver’s license or a hunting license than to get a marriage license. Perhaps that’s one reason why Oklahoma’s divorce rate ranks second or third in the nation, depending upon the year cited, according to the National Center for Health Statistics, a division of the Centers for Disease Control.

The Sooner State divorce rate ranked third nationally in 1994, and neighboring Arkansas was second, but Oklahoma tied with New Mexico and Wyoming for second place in 1995. Nevada, where divorce is an industry, paced the nation in both 1994 and 1995.

According to the National Center for Health Statistics, Oklahoma recorded an average of 27,631 marriages and 20,073 divorces each year during the three-year period 1995-97.

To reverse this trend, the Oklahoma Legislature is considering measures such as covenant marriages and requiring courses on “life-management skills, including marriage and relationship skill-based education,” to be taught in public schools.

It’s About Time!

Legislation has been adopted that would give the State Insurance Fund an extra month to cut benefit checks owed to several thousand injured workers — some of whom have been waiting more than five years for compensation.

Senate Concurrent Resolution 64, which clarifies Senate Bill 680 enacted last year, passed both the House and the Senate recently and was filed with the Secretary of State.

SB 680 directed the State Insurance Fund to pay its policyholders a dividend from its surplus revenues, and use the state’s share to pay off workers owed money from the Special Indemnity Fund. The State Insurance Fund is a quasi-public workers’ compensation provider and administers the Special Indemnity Fund, which SB 680 renamed the Multiple Injury Trust Fund to more accurately reflect its purpose.

The Special Indemnity Fund pays for increases in benefits that exceed the typical compensation awarded to insured workers who suffer multiple injuries that result in permanent partial disability or permanent total disabilities.

The fund is underwritten with contributions from employers and employees involved in workers’ compensation cases. Unfortunately, the House and Senate authors of SCR 64 lamented, the Special Indemnity Fund is broke.

Officials with the Workers’ Compensation Court and with the Special Indemnity Fund said permanent total disability claims have priority and are paid immediately.

However, ledgers indicate the Indemnity Fund owes approximately $34 million in compensation, plus simple interest on the debt, for more than 5,000 claims filed by workers who sustained permanent partial disabilities from a combination of job-related injuries. The fund is five and one-half years behind in paying those workers’ compensation claims, records reflect.

Senate Bill 680 directed the State Insurance Fund to pay a dividend to its policyholders if, on Feb. 12, 2000, the ratio of direct written premiums to surplus exceeded 1-to-1.75. The dividend must be sufficient to lower the ratio to a range of not less than 1:1.50 nor more than 1:1.75; the Board of Managers of the State Insurance Fund will establish the specific amount of the refund.

A 10-member House/Senate committee created by SB 680 retained an independent actuary and reviewed the financial condition of the State Insurance Fund. As a result of that examination and additional information from the State Insurance Fund, Senate Concurrent Resolution 64 clarifies that:

•the total of direct written premiums for the most recent year was $85.24 million;

•the total surplus in the Special Indemnity/Multiple Injury fund is $294.15 million;

•the total dividend that is to be paid to policyholders ranges from $144.98 million to $166.29 million — which still would leave about half of the surplus intact, lawmakers noted;

•the dividend payments are to be established in accordance with “statutory accounting principles” rather than “generally accepted accounting principles.” In calculating the assets and liabilities they report to the State Insurance Commissioner, all private insurers in Oklahoma use statutory accounting principles, not generally accepted accounting principles, state lawmakers noted.

SCR 64 mandates that the State Insurance Fund dividend is to be paid “in cash ... and not in the form of a premium credit or premium reduction,” and the checks are to be issued no later than March 15.

Private business owners will reap approximately $120 million in rebates from the dividend, legislators said, while the State of Oklahoma will receive approximately 22 percent of the refund since state agencies account for about one-fifth of the policies written by the Insurance Fund. SB 680 earmarked the entire proceeds from the state-government dividend to pay off the delinquent permanent partial disability claims.

Expressing concern about their ability to meet their fiduciary obligations, the State Insurance Fund’s board of managers has opposed the dividend. As an alternative, the board voted Jan. 25 to issue a $37 million loan to retire the delinquent benefit claims. The question of whether to pay off the claims with the proceeds from a dividend or from a loan is under discussion, officials indicated.

SB 680 eliminated permanent partial disability claims after Nov. 1, 1999. The Multiple Injury Trust Fund will continue to pay claims for permanent total disabilities.

No Place to Hide: Drug Abuse in the Heartland

By Gary W. Smith, CCDC,

Executive Director

Narconon Chilocco New Life Center

(Part I — No place to hide: drug abuse in the Heartland)

The Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) at Columbia University has recently released the results of a study on drug abuse in rural American communities. This study was funded by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. The results are shocking and are rattling the rafters of Mid West America. Per this study, 8th graders living in rural American communities are 34 percent more likely than their urban counterparts to smoke marijuana; 83 percent more likely to use crack cocaine, and 104 percent more likely to have used amphetamines within the last month.

The study also reports that drugs are as readily available in rural areas as in large urban cities. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) seizures of meth labs jumped from 263 in 1994 to 1,627 in 1998 — a sixfold increase, concentrated in rural areas of the Heartland.

Besides scaring the hell out of middle America and painting a pretty black picture of the fate of our youth as far as drug abuse is concerned, what is the message we should be receiving from this study? To answer that let’s backtrack into history 45 years.

It is the mid 1950’s. The illegal drug problem is not yet on society’s radar screen. In the 1950s all anyone knew about illicit drugs like marijuana was that Jazz Drummer/bandleader Gene Kruppa and actor Robert Mitchum smoked it, got caught and the media damned them for it. Cocaine? That word was in a line from the popular Cole Porter hit “I Get A Kick Out Of You.” As for heroin, that is a drug of horror used only by the most degenerate and despairing individuals. Frank Sinatra’s character in the movie “Man With A Golden Arm” teaches us that. Most Americans tend to view drug addiction as an affliction of the urban poor or an evil obsession of a handful of musicians and actors who are too far left of center to worry about. In short, Americans are completely naive to what drug addiction is. And we are most certainly clueless about the role illicit drugs will play in the course of our precious country’s future.

Moving forward 10 years, it is now 1965. The country is in the post mourning years of JFK’s assassination. The first onslaught of the English rock ‘n roll music invasion with the Beatles and Rolling Stones hits our shores and takes American youth by storm while President Lyndon Baines Johnson is grappling with the escalating Viet Nam War. LSD is finding its way from the experimentation laboratories of the Hoffman LeRouche Drug Company to the streets of San Francisco.

It is also at this time the first indications of increased heroin abuse in urban ghettos catches the attention of President Johnson’s White House staff. The increased use of heroin, considered small by today’s numbers, is of enough concern for Johnson to convince Congress to enact the Drug Rehabilitation Act and ask for an annual appropriation of $15 million. At the time no one in government at the Federal, State or Local level has any idea that in just over 20 years time heroin abuse in the U.S. will escalate to a point where it will cost taxpayers over $50 million annually to treat the problem. Society’s radar screen is beeping. Unfortunately not enough of us notice.

View on Drugs Changed

In the mid 60’s adult Americans still tended to view drug addiction as a problem inherent to the underprivileged. By the end of the decade, however, America’s view on drugs began changing. Drugs, in particular marijuana, hashish, LSD, cocaine and other hallucinogens, became socially acceptable on a large scale during the Flower Power era. And while this was alarming to many parents of this period, most of us thought of mid-size cities and rural America as drug-free oases that would insulate our kids from these pro-drug influences. The truth was that drugs did not respect geographic boundaries: they broke out of the big city limits and began to swarm into the heartland of mid-sized cities, rural towns and farm communities. Hindsight is 20/20, and in looking back it is easy to see our nation’s failure to fully recognize and act effectively to stop the drug problem then. However, if we look closer we will see that this failure was driven in no small measure by the assumption of the masses that it was someone else’s problem, not our problem. And it is this assumption that allowed drugs the time they needed to seep into every neighborhood in every city and class across America without prejudice.

As we begin the 21st Century in America the message is loud and clear: There is no place to hide from the problem of substance abuse and addiction.

Trimester Scheduling Will Begin This Fall

By KRISTI HAYES

News Education Editor

Students attending Ponca City High School will have to get used to a new schedule — the trimester — this fall.

Informational meetings on scheduling for the 2000-2001 school year will be held this week for students and their parents.

Since the state legislature has changed the graduation requirements for the various graduating classes, meetings will be held for each class.

On Monday, Feb. 21 at 7 p.m., a meeting will be held for parents of current eighth grade students (freshmen in 2000-2001).

The next night, Feb. 22 at 7 p.m., a meeting will be held for current ninth grade students (sophomores next year).

Since graduation requirements are the same for juniors and seniors in 2000-20001, their joint parental meeting will be held on Thursday, Feb. 24 at 7 p.m.

All meetings will be held in the Howell Auditorium and should last one hour.

The agenda for the meetings is as follows: introduction, trimester fact sheet, specific subject information (which includes athletics, advanced placement, music and concurrent enrollment for seniors), and enrollment procedures.

The staff, faculty and BLT of Ponca City High School invite all parents to come and take part in their children’s education by learning about the trimester and enrollment procedures.

The History

The Ponca City Board of Education voted 5 to 1 at their regular December board meeting to incorporate the new schedule.

Students will attend five classes this fall every day for 75 minutes. The trimester will fit into the existing 180 school days.

The trimester will encompass three 12-week sessions. The first one will meet from August to November, the second from November to February and the final trimester from February to May. No breaks will occur at the end of the trimester. Students ending the trimester on Friday will start the next trimester on Monday.

The trimester will allow 15 classes a year, not the existing 12. The trimester will consist of two six-week grading periods culminating a final grade.

School Menu

Elementary Breakfast

Monday — No school.

Tuesday — Biscuits and gravy or cereal or pop tart, assorted juices and milk.

Wednesday — Pop tart or cereal, assorted juices and milk.

Thursday — French toast sticks with syrup or pop tart or cereal, assorted juices and milk.

Friday — Pop tart or cereal, assorted juices and milk.

Elementary Lunch

Monday — No school.

Tuesday — Chicken ringers with hot roll or hot pocket, mashed potatoes and gravy, seasoned green beans, fruit, saltine crackers, dill spears, raisins or assorted cold sandwiches, chef salad, cottage cheese salad or yogurt salad, juice and milk.

Wednesday — Soft beef and cheese tacos or mini corn dogs, refried beans, fruit, cheesy rice, Oreos, saltine crackers, dill pickle or raisins or assorted cold sandwiches, chef salad, cottage cheese salad or yogurt salad, juice and milk.

Thursday — Taco Bell burrito with chili and cheese or spaghetti with meat balls and garlic bread, tossed salad with ranch dressing, fruit, Jello, ears, broccoli with cheese sauce, saltine crackers, dill spears, raisins or assorted cold sandwiches, chef salad, cottage cheese salad or yogurt salad, juice and milk.

Friday — Hamburger with a bun or queso with chips, french fries, pears, into beans, chocolate chip cookies, saltine crackers, dill pickles, raisins or assorted cold sandwiches, chef salad, cottage cheese salad or yogurt salad, juice and milk.

West Middle School

Breakfast

Monday — No school.

Tuesday — Biscuits with sausage gravy or cereal or pop tart, assorted juices and milk.

Wednesday — Breakfast burrito or pop tart or cereal, assorted juices and milk.

Thursday — French toast stix with syrup or cereal or pop tart, assorted juices and milk.

Friday — Biscuits and gravy or cereal or pop tart, assorted juices and milk.

East Middle School

Breakfast

Monday — No school.

Tuesday — Pop tart or cereal, assorted juices and milk.

Wednesday — Biscuits with sausage gravy or pop tart or cereal, assorted juices and milk.

Thursday — Pop tart or cereal, assorted juices and milk.

Friday — French toast stix with syrup or cereal or pop tart, assorted juices and milk.

West Middle School

Lunch

Available on Tuesday and Thursday at West Middle School is Subway.

Monday — No school.

Tuesday — Chicken ringers with hot roll, mashed potatoes and gravy, seasoned green beans, fruit, saltine crackers, dill spears or baked potato with fixings, assorted cold sandwiches, chef salad, cottage cheese salad or yogurt salad, juice and milk.

Wednesday — Soft beef and cheese tacos, refried beans, cheesy rice, fruit, tossed salad with ranch dressing, saltine crackers, dill spears or potato with fixings, assorted cold sandwiches, chef salad, cottage cheese salad or yogurt salad, juice and milk.

Thursday — Taco Bell chili and cheese burrito, tossed salad with ranch dressing, french fries, Jello, fruit, saltine crackers, dill spears or potato with fixings, assorted cold sandwiches, chef salad, cottage cheese salad or yogurt salad, juice and milk.

Friday — Queso nachos, fruit, mexican beans, french fries, lettuce and tomato salad, chocolate chip cookies, saltine crackers, dill spears or pasta with fixings, assorted cold sandwiches, chef salad, cottage cheese salad or yogurt salad, juice and milk.

East Middle School

Lunch

Available at the Mid-High Monday through Friday are Domino’s and Subway.

Monday — No school.

Tuesday — Chicken ringers with hot roll, mashed potatoes and gravy, seasoned green beans, fruit, tossed salad, dill pickle, raisins or baked potatoes, assorted cold sandwiches, chef salad, cottage cheese salad or yogurt salad, juice and milk.

Wednesday — Soft beef and cheese tacos, refried beans, fruit, cheesy rice, tossed salad, Jello, dill pickle, raisins or potato with fixings, assorted cold sandwiches, chef salad, cottage cheese salad or yogurt salad, juice and milk.

Thursday — Hamburgers on a bun, tossed salad with ranch dressing, french fries, vegetarian beans, fruit, pudding, dill pickle or baked potatoes, assorted cold sandwiches, chef salad, cottage cheese salad or yogurt salad, juice and milk.

Friday — Burrito with chili and cheese, fruit, tossed salad, mexi beans, chocolate chip cookies, dill pickles or potato with fixings, assorted cold sandwiches, chef salad, cottage cheese salad or yogurt salad, juice and milk.

High School Lunch

Available every day at Campus Mart, the Training Table Deli offers a pasta bar, baked potato bar, lean items and fresh fruit. The Ala Carte Wildcat line offers Pizza Inn and Subway. The Retro Mart features a Mexican food, bakery/deli and Italian food courts.

Po-Hi Campus Mart

Monday — No school.

Tuesday — Foot long corn dog, tossed salad, Jello, tator tots with cheese, seasonal fruit, juice and milk.

Wednesday — Chicken ringers with hot roll, mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans, seasonal fruit, juice and milk.

Thursday — Chicken patty sandwich or cheeseburger, french fries, lettuce and tomato, baked beans, seasonal fruit, juice and milk.

Friday — Sliced turkey with hot roll, mashed potatoes and gravy, dressing, green beans, seasonal fruit, juice and milk.

McCord Elementary

Breakfast

Monday — No school.

Tuesday — Pancake with sausage, juice and milk.

Wednesday — Ham, egg and cheese bar, toast, juice and milk.

Thursday — Oatmeal, toast, juice and milk.

Friday — Cereal, toast, juice and milk.

Lunch

Monday — No school.

Tuesday — Pigs in a blanket, scalloped potatoes, blackeye peas, pineapple and milk.

Wednesday — Fried chicken, potatoes and gravy, green beans, cherry crisp, hot roll and milk.

Thursday — Frito chili pie, corn, peaches and milk.

Friday — Ham and cheese sandwich, lettuce leaf, carrot sticks, fries, oranges, brownie and milk.

Pioneer Technology Center

Tuesday — Beef stew, fajita grilled chicken with white bean salsa or chicken fried steak with soup, assorted salads, vegetables, breads and desserts.

Wednesday — Savory swiss steak, pork stir fry or shrimp and crayfish creole with soup, assorted salads, vegetables, breads and desserts.

Thursday — Beef Diane, chicken cordon bleu or grilled ribeye steak with soup, assorted salads, vegetables, breads and desserts.

The cafeteria will be open to the public Tuesday through Thursday from 11:15 a.m. to noon.

School Calendar

Po-Hi

Feb. 21

No school for Professional Day.

Freshmen parent meeting at Howell Auditorium, 7 p.m.

Feb. 22

Sophomore enrollment during English classes at 8 a.m.

Foreign Language Club meeting in the lower Commons Area, 7 p.m.

Sophomore parent meeting in the Howell Auditorium, 7 p.m.

Feb. 23

Junior enrollment during English classes at 8 a.m.

Orchestra State Contest at OSU.

Feb. 24

Faculty meeting at Assembly Center, 7 a.m.

PTSA meeting at Commons, 6:30 p.m.

Junior parent meeting at 7 p.m. at the Howell Auditorium.

Feb. 25

Student Council elections in the Assembly Center, 7:30 a.m.

Swim/dive meet in Oklahoma City.

Varsity wrestling at state in Norman.

Feb. 26

Swim/dive meet in Oklahoma City.

Varsity wrestling at Norman.

Salvation Army Sets Installation Service For Commanders

OKLAHOMA CITY — New divisional commanders for the Salvation Army’s Arkansas-Oklahoma Division, Majors Steve and Judy Hedgren, will be installed today. Southern Territorial Commanders for The Salvation Army, Commissioners Raymond and Merlyn Cooper, will conduct the installation, Capt. Mark Craddock of the Ponca City Salvation Army, advised.

The Hedgrens replace former Divisional Commanders, Lt. Colonels Al and Mary Ward, who have been appointed to positions at the Territorial Headquarters in Atlanta, Ga.

Major Steve Hedgren will oversee the Salvation Army’s 41 Corps and 64 Service Units located in Oklahoma and Arkansas.

The ceremony, hosted by Oklahoma City Area Commanders, Majors Les and Linda Wheeler, will take place at the Oklahoma City Citadel Corps located at 2808 SE 44th Street, Oklahoma City, at 4 p.m. There will be a reception following the installation.

Major Steve Hedgren, the new divisional commander, and Major Judy Hedgren, the new Director of Women’s Organizations, came to the Arkansas-Oklahoma Division in June 1999 to take up the positions of General Secretary and Women’s Ministries Secretary.

Major Steve, a third generation Salvationist, was born and raised in Chicago and received his Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration in 1971, from Northern Illinois University. He served on the staff of Campus Crusade for Christ at Arizona State University and from 1972 to 1976, served as the assistant public relations director for The Salvation Army Metropolitan Division in Chicago.

Major Judy was born in Richmond, Va. to Salvation Army officer parents. She attended Asbury College, Louisiana State University and graduated from Massey Business College in Houston. After graduation she served as a flight attendant with Delta Airlines, based in Chicago.

The Hedgrens were married in 1975 and have two children, Heather, 20 and Matthew, 17. Their service with the Salvation Army includes serving as cadet-lieutenants in command of the Rockford Citadel Corps in Illinois. Other corps appointments include Champaign, Ill. and Port Huron, Mich. They served for four years as divisional youth secretaries for the Midland Division in St. Louis, where Major Hedgren also served as the chaplain for the St. Louis Cardinals baseball team.

The Hedgrens came to the Southern Territory in February 1991, serving in Florida where Major Hedgren coordinated the Army’s month long disaster relief at the Value Jet plane crash in the Everglades. From Florida, the Hedgrens moved to the Atlanta Temple Corps where they served as Corps Officers.

Nearly News

The eastbound lanes of the South Avenue underpass will be blocked Tuesday from 8:30-11:30 a.m., weather permitting, according to the Traffic Engineering Department.

Crews will be repairing the scaffolding on the railroad bridge, according to Mike Lane, traffic engineer.

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City crews will be interrupting water service Monday, from approximately 9 a.m. until work is completed, in the Selvey Addition from Waverly Street west to make line repairs.

Anyone with questions concerning the project should contact Ken Parr, Director of Public Works.

School Board Will Elect New Officers for New Term

By KRISTI HAYES

News Education Editor

The Ponca City Board of Education will elect a new president, vice president for the 2000-2001 school term at a regular board meeting Monday night, 6:30 p.m.

John Young serves the board as the current president with Mike Kruck as the vice president.

Other elections Monday include appointing a clerk and deputy clerk. Mary Ladd has been serving as clerk and Betty Johnston as deputy clerk. Superintendent Dr. Bill White will recommend their continuation.

The newly elected officers will serve for a term of one year.

Renewal contracts for administrators will be decided after executive session.

The contracts include Jeff Denton, chief financial officer; Dr. John Scroggins, deputy superintendent; and Dr. Joe Surber, assistant superintendent of operations.

Letter Requirements

The Academic Council at Po-Hi and the Curriculum Committee are recommending changes to the academic letter requirements (weighted grades) policy.

Courses receiving added weight are: Pre-AP English 9, Pre-AP English 10, Pre-AP English 11, Pre-AP Algebra II, Pre-AP Geometry, Calculus I and II, Trigonometry, Pre-Calculus, Pre-AP Calculus, Zoology, Pre-AP Chemistry, Pre-AP Biology, Physiology, Spanish IV, Pre-AP Government and all other AP courses.

Under the weighted grade procedure, approved honors courses will receive an Honors Course Adjustment of five points for an A, four points for a B, and three points for a C for those honors courses successfully completed, beginning with the 2000-2001 school year.

Read Across America

Board members will be asked to sign a resolution declaring March 2 as “Read Across America Day.”

The Ponca City Association of Classroom Teachers (ACT) is asking the board to honor Dr. Seuss’s birthday on March 2. The day will promote reading and adult involvement in the education of our students.

Other Agenda Items

Board members will decide on a resolution fixing the amount of bonds to mature, setting the date and time the bonds will be sold, authorizing the clerk to give notice of said sale and fixing other details.

This is part two of the 1999 bond issue. The district will sell $2,750,000 in bonds for the renovation of West Middle School. The recommended date for the sale of bonds will be March 13.

The selection of a paying agent/registrar for the proposed and existing bond issues will be made.

Bank of Oklahoma currently serves as the paying agent. They charge a $200 acceptance fee and $300 annual fee for their services.

The 2000-2001 school calendar will be decided. This calendar increases the number of instructional days to 174 plus two parent/teacher conference dates.

Comments and Discussion

Native American students, teachers and members of the local Indian tribes are invited to present their views on education during public comment.

Other citizens of the community can then address board members regarding questions and concerns of the local schools.

Discussion topics for the night include reports from the Property Committee, Curriculum Committee and Board Finance Committee.

Awards

Kyle Keffer will be honored at the meeting for his years of service as a board member in Ward 7.

A reception will be held prior to the meeting at 6 p.m. honoring Keffer and new board members, Vicki Graves and Norris Frederick.

The February Employee of the Month and Friend of Education Awards will be presented to Judy Jones, Certified Employee of the Month; Marian Johnson, Support Employee of the Month; and Garfield PTO Board, Friend of Education.

Pioneer Transit Board Session Set for Tuesday

The Pioneer Transit board of directors will consider applying for a grant to purchase rolling stock at 11 a.m. Tuesday during a meeting in room B133 at Pioneer Technology Center. The resolution would permit Pioneer Transit to file an application with the Oklahoma Department of Transportation and the U.S. Department of Transportation to expand the door-to-door transportation program serving Ponca City and residents within a five-mile radius of the city limits.

A minivan would cost about $34,500, with a local matching requirement of $5,865.

In other business, the board will consider and vote on the addition of a three-quarter-time supervisor position. Staff recommends the position to handle early dispatching needs, training of new drivers, scheduling and tracking of vehicle maintenance, filling in as dispatcher, driver when needed, ordering office and vehicle supplies, and scheduling drivers to cover shifts and special contract rides.

After regular business, the board will hold a planning session to pursue ideas related to fund raising, marketing, extending service area, future meetings, and expanding services.

The Pioneer Transit board of directors include Art Mires, president; Karen Furman, vice president; George Ferguson; Earl Ball; Marie Trenary; Lori May; Jon Kennedy; Lana Jones; Tom Morris; Marilyn Andrews; Michelle Carter, treasurer; and Capt. Mark Craddock.

Pioneer Transit is a not for profit corporation that provides door-to-door, demand-response transportation service in Ponca City and within a five-mile radius of the city limits at a minimal cost to the public. For more information about Pioneer Transit, call Laura Corff at 718-0456. The meeting is open to the public.

Plains Indians in Transition Program Set for Enid’s Brown Bag Luncheon

ENID — Dr. Alvin Turner, professor of history and dean of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences at East Center University in Ada, will present the second of the Year 2000 Brown Bag Luncheon lectures at noon Wednesday at the Museum of the Cherokee Strip in Enid.

Turner formerly headed the Social Studies Division at Northwestern State University in Alva. He has been a frequent lecturer at the Museum of the Cherokee Strip.

Turner’s address will be entitled “Plains Indians in Transition.” He will describe the impact of efforts toward assimilation by Native Americans during the late 19th Century and early 20th Century in Oklahoma.

The public is invited to all of the lectures without charge in the Learning Center. The lecture is part of the Oklahoma Humanities Council’s Territory Speakers Program and is made possible in part by a grant from the National Endowment of the Humanities and the Oklahoma Humanities Council.

Other presentations will include Gary Gray of Enid with a first person impression of President James A. Garfield on March 1, and Prof. Warren Rieger of the Enid branch of Northwestern State University on “Oklahoma’s Celluloid Cowboys” on March 9.

The museum is operated by the Oklahoma Historical Society at 507 S. 4th Street in Enid. It is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday through Friday, and from 2 to 5 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. For further information, contact the museum at (580) 237-1907 or via email at mcs1@onenet.net.

Multiple Sclerosis Support Group Meets Monday At Westminster Village Chapel

Westminster Village is the new meeting place for the Multiple Sclerosis Support Group meeting. The Support Group plans to meet in the Chapel area every third Monday of the month.

The support group is designed as a place where people with multiple sclerosis can come to find a listening ear and an understanding of the daily challenges of MS. Special speaker for this meeting will be Jan Matheson, LPC.

Feb. 21, 2000 will be the first meeting in the Chapel area of Westminster Village. Anyone with MS — family members, friends, caregivers, and professional — are all invited to attend. This is a confidential meeting. For additional information, you may call Lori White at 762-4964.

Volunteer for ‘Reach to Recovery’ Will Present Cancer Program Here

Fran Mathews will present information about “Reach to Recovery” Thursday at St. Joseph Regional Medical Center in Conference Room “C” from 11 to 11:45 a.m. and from 12 to 12:45 p.m.

Mathews is a volunteer for “Reach to Recovery”, an American Cancer Society program that provides information and support for women who have been diagnosed with breast cancer.

She became involved with the program in 1981 following her first mastectomy. She said because a “Reach for Recovery” visitor had made a difference in her life, she wanted to provide that same help to other women.

The program is open to anyone with an interest in “Reach to Recovery.”

Letters to the Editor

Letter - Po-Hi Book Fair a Big Success

I would like to say thank you to all the wonderful Po-Hi parents, teachers and students who came out to Brace Books to support our book fair on Wednesday, Feb. 9. It was a big success; we earned approximately $300 to purchase more books for the library. Parents and teachers purchased approximately $225 worth of books to be dedicated, and Betsy Easley and the student council purchased $300 worth of books that I had selected. I am always amazed by the generous spirit of people in this community. It is what keeps us soaring.

Margie Newman, Po-Hi PTSA library coordinator, should be credited for setting this up and doing all the work to make it happen. When Margie approached me last fall, I was not very encouraging, but, because she was persistent, she made it happen. Thank you so much for forging ahead, Margie! Thank you to all the parents who came out to help. Thank you to Jean and Jerry Brace for helping the PTSA to sponsor this event

Our library’s collection is old, but we are working very hard to update it. We want our students to have the best resources available today. Mr. Winkle and the academic council have provided extra funds for our library from the school’s instructional account this year. We appreciate this very much. Every book purchased on Wednesday evening will help to improve our collection.

Books are very costly, especially reference materials. When I came to the Po-Hi Library last year, my first realization was that the per pupil allocation for libraries is given only for the first 500 students here at the high school, with half of that amount given for the next 500 students, and less than half for all students over 1000. The enrollment at Po-Hi is approximately 1834 students. Our library has been falling behind for the last several years. Now that we have a wonderful new facility, we must improve our collection. We have taken measures to do just that this year. Thank you very much to all who have helped us to work toward that goal.

Betty Pronneke

Head Librarian

Ponca City High School

Letter - Po-Hi Science Club Needs Our Help

Help: I didn't know the Po-Hi Science Club needed help until Forrest Mertz brought it to my attention, pointing out the need for anyone interested in the quality of Ponca City to help "our students".

The Po-Hi Science Club has received a grant to compete at NASA's Regional Robotics Competition in Houston, Texas, in March. The National Competition is in Orlando, Florida, the following month. However, the grant does not cover the National competition.

There are only two teams from Oklahoma, against 380 international robotic teams sponsored by corporate giants like GM, Johnson & Johnson, Delphi, Motorola and Xerox. So the Po-Hi team needs help to cover expenses for meals, lodging, transportation, robotic parts, Po-Hi teamT-shirts and the fee required for competition.

The National Competition started eight years ago to revitalize American youth's interest in science and technology by working with professionals and gaining hands-on experience in engineering, science and technology.

You can surely help in some way (if you want to) by calling Tonya Scott at 767-9500, Ext. 289.

Truman Smith

Organ Donor Information Shared at Rotary Session

By LOUISE ABERCROMBIE

News Staff Writer

Organ transplants and tissue from one person is enough to help 100 persons, according to Phil Van Stavern, director of the Oklahoma Organ Sharing Network. Stavern was guest speaker at the Monday Ponca City Rotary meeting at the American Legion. He was introduced by Dick Bird.

Van Stavern gave a personal testimony about having a kidney transplant from his brother. He said this was why he wanted to help others through the Organ Sharing program.

Also giving a personal testimony was Cheryl Howard, who told about her daughter-in-law, who had two liver transplants and eventually lost the battle for life.

Stavern told that there are more than 60,000 Americans awaiting life-saving organs while there are hundreds of thousands more who could benefit from tissue transplants.

The program centered on getting Rotarians and family members to think about donating organs. Stavern suggested that if a person thinks they want to donate organs they need to talk to the families about it, and to sign a Share Life Uniform Donor Card for The Oklahoma Organ Sharing Network. It was emphasized that the family should know so they can give consent.

The brochure lists some interesting information. The donation of organs neither disfigures the body nor changes the way it looks. There are no costs to the family for the donation. All major religions approve of organ and tissue donation and consider it as gift, an act of charity.

After the organs and tissues are donated a national system ensures the fair distribution of them in the United States. The patients who will receive tech organs and tissues and they will be identified based upon many factors, such as blood type, length of time on waiting list, severity of illness and other medical criteria.

Factors such as race, gender, age , income or celebrity status are not considered when determining who receives an organ. Buying organs is against the law.

Needed organs include the heart, kidneys, pancreas, lungs, liver and intestines. Tissues that can be donated to help others include the eyes, skin, bone, heart valves and tendons.

Another question is will my decision to become an organ and tissue donor affect the quality of my medical care? Answer is no. Organ and tissue recovery takes place only after all effort to save a life have been exhausted and death has been legally declared. The doctors working to save a life are entirely separate from the medical team involved in recovering organs and tissue.

For more information contact The Oklahoma Organ Sharing Network. For more information call 1-888-580-5680.

City Calendar

Items for the City Calendar should be brought in or telephoned (765-3311) to Bob Patterson, at the Ponca City News, by Thursday noon.

Anytime

FOLOBS (Friends of Library Ongoing Book Sale), anytime the Ponca City Library is open, North of Multimedia Room (downstairs).

Alcoholics Anonymous, Alano Group, Ponca City’s first established AA Group, meets at Noon and 8 p.m., seven days a week. All noon meetings open, all 8 p.m. meetings closed except Fridays, 603 South First Street.

Sunday through Feb. 27

Ponca City Art Association Annual Membership Show, Art Center, 819 East Central, judge will be Judith A. Dwornik, Oklahoma City.

Today

Black History Month Program, 3:30 p.m., St. John Baptist Church, 1009 South Eleventh Street, presented by Ponca City Network Group and Essence Club.

Monday

Ponca City Board of Commissioners Work Session, 2 p.m., Public Safety Center, Commissioners’ Room, 200 East Oklahoma Avenue.

Multiple Sclerosis Support Group, 6:30 p.m., Albright United Methodist Church, 128 South Palm Street, call Lori White, 767-1668 for more information.

United Ostomy Association, Stillwater-Ponca City Chapter, 7 p.m., June Parsons, LPN, retired ostomy nurse, Baptist Hospital, Stillwater Medical Center Board Room.

Tuesday

Library Preschool Programs, Snip, Snip Snow, 10 a.m. and 11:30 a.m., storytimes for ages 4-7, Ponca City Library.

Ponca City Rough and Tumbled Rock and Gem Club regular meeting, 7 p.m., Albright Methodist Church, program on faceting by B.J. Bowman, visitors welcome.

Wednesday

Library Preschool Programs, Snip, Snip Snow, 10 a.m. and 10:30 a.m., storytimes for ages 2-3, Ponca City Library.

Ponca City Public School Foundation, 12 noon at the Ponca City Library.

Thursday

Ponca City Noon Ambucs, noon-1 p.m., Ponca City Country Club, interested in joining, come by.

Congressman Ernest J. Istook Jr., Town Hall Meeting, 4:30 p.m., Ponca City Chamber of Commerce, Fifth Street and East Grand Avenue.

Alzheimer’s Support Group, 7 p.m., Conference Room A (in cafeteria), St. Joseph Regional Medical Center.

American Legion Huff-Minor Post 14, 7:30 p.m., Post Home, 407 West South Avenue, Ponca City.

Saturday

The Oak Ridge Boys Concert, 7:30 p.m., Poncan Theatre, contact Kenn Wessel, 580-765-0943.

February 28

Ponca City Board of Commissioners, 5:30 p.m., Public Safety Center, Commissioners’ Room, 200 East Oklahoma Avenue, Ponca City Utility Authority and Ponca City Development Authority follow.

March 2

Ponca City Noon Ambucs, noon-1 p.m., Ponca City Country Club, interested in joining, come by.

Kay-9 Dog Training Club, 7 p.m., Ponca City Library, public welcome, information 762-9053 or 762-7360.

March 3

Pancake/Sausage Supper, 5-7 p.m., Albright United Methodist Church, 128 South Palm Street, adults $4, children $2.

March 4

American Legion pancake and sausage feed (all the pancakes you can eat), from 6:30 to 10 a.m., Post Home, 407 West South Avenue, Ponca City. Adults $3.50. Children under 12: $2. Children under 6: free. Proceeds will go to children and youth activities.

Christian Motorcycle Association, 8 a.m., Western Sizzlin’.

Bring Your Own Bible Learning Sessions, 8:30 a.m.-3 p.m., St. John Baptist Church, 1009 South Eleventh Street, Session A, Spiritual Gifts, Rev. Wayne Wyatt; Session B, Stewardship and Giving, Bishop Gregory Davis, Session C, Leadership, Rev. John Reed. $10 non-refundable registration fee includes continental breakfast, all sessions, and lunch, donations accepted.

Humane Society Sock Hop, Dave May and Sound Machine providing music, 7:30-11:30 p.m., Unity Gym, refreshments available, $12 per person.

March 8

Sage, Rosemary and Thyme Garden Club, 9:30 a.m., more information call 762-9866 or 718-0314.

Rural Water, Sewer and Solid Waste Management District No. 3 Board Meeting, 7 p.m., District Pump House, Perch Lane, Sandy Park Estates.

March 9

Agrarian Club, 6 p.m., southwest meeting room, Western Sizzlin’.

American Legion Huff-Minor Post 14, 7:30 p.m., Post Home, 407 West South Avenue, Ponca City.

March 14

State Primary Election, includes City Commission Election.

AARP, 12:30 p.m., Wheatheart Nutrition Center.

Kaw Lake Association 2000 Board Meeting, 6:30 p.m., Kay Electric, Blackwell.

McCord Volunteer Fire Department, 7 p.m., McCord School Library.

Rural Water District No. 1 Directors Meeting, 7:30 p.m., Enterprise School Building, Lake Road and Enterprise Road.

March 15

Ponca City Public School Foundation, 12 noon at the Ponca City Library.

Ponca City Tourism Authority, 2 p.m., Cultural Center Sunroom, 1000 East Grand Avenue.

March 16

KLVV 88.7 FM presents FFH and special guest Aaron Benward in concert at Enid’s Mark Price Arena at 7 p.m. Tickets go on sale Feb. 9. Call 767-1400 for more information.

March 17

Mark Hummel and The Blues Survivors, 7:30 p.m., Poncan Theatre, 104 East Grand, for tickets call the Poncan Monday through Friday between 1 and 5 p.m., 580-765-0943.

March 20

United Ostomy Association, Stillwater-Ponca City Chapter, 7 p.m., Jane Johnson, RN, CETN — ET Nurse from Enid, will present program, Conference Room B, St. Joseph Regional Medical Center, Ponca City.

March 21

Osage Cove Volunteer Fire Department, 7 p.m., Fire Station, corner U.S. 60E and Keeler Road, new volunteers always welcome.

DAV, 7 p.m., 401 South Lincoln Street.

March 23

Alzheimer’s Support Group, 7 p.m., Conference Room A (in cafeteria), St. Joseph Regional Medical Center.

NOC Hosts Shakespeare Company

Northern Oklahoma College Language Arts and Fine Arts Divisions will host The National Shakespeare Company of New York City for a performance of A Midsummer Night’s Dream Feb. 29 on the Tonkawa campus.

Curtain time for the timeless comedy is 8 p.m. in the Northern Performing Arts Center. General admission tickets are $10 at the door.

According to director Ron Bashford, “The play is about the basic confusion that results from falling in love for the first time. You also don’t need a background in the history or politics of the time to understand the story.”

Shakespeare’s play brings together the worlds of mortals, presided over by Duke Theseus and his bride-to-be Hippolyta, and the fairies, ruled by King Oberon and Queen Titania. As Theseus and Hippolyta’s wedding day approaches, other romances are not as happy. Egeus demands that his daughter Hermia marry Demetrius, although she is in love with Lysander. Helena, Hermia’s friend, is madly in love with Demetrius, who has no interest in her.

The turmoil of these human couples is echoed in the marriage of Oberon and Titania, at odds over the possession of a challenging boy. Oberon enlists the mischievous Puck to play a trick on Titania. The fairies use their magic powers, resulting in comic disaster for the young lovers. Under a spell, Titania falls in love with Bottom, a mortal whom Puck has crowned with the head of an ass.

Ultimately, the fairies bring peace to the hearts and minds of the couples. Duke Theseus announces a triple wedding, and Puck ends the show by reminding the audience that everything seen may yet be a dream.

Written 400 years ago, A Midsummer Night’s Dream is nothing if not contemporary. The fact that human passions and desires haven’t changed much since Shakespeare’s time accounts for much of the continuing popularity of the play, according to Bashford.

“A Midsummer Night’s Dream has everything for an audience to enjoy,” he adds. “First, we can all relate to falling in love for the first time; and second, the world of the fairies and magic is greatly entertaining, as is the play within a play which is performed by a group of bumbling amateurs.”

The National Shakespeare Company tours the country each year, delighting audiences from the college towns of Massachusetts to the heart of Texas. The eight actors in the cast are carefully chosen following a demanding audition process. NSC is driven by the challenge to make its productions accessible for a modern audience.

The company will present a 90-minute version of “Romeo and Juliet” the next evening, March 1, on the Enid campus. Curtain time is 8 p.m. in Briggs Auditorium, and general admission tickets are $10 at the door.

Work Session Agenda Primarily Will Deal With Budget Activities

Budget work will take up much of the time for the Ponca City Board of Commissioners as they meet Monday at 2 p.m. in the Public Safety Center for a regular work session.

The agenda calls for the commissioners to receive requests from outside agencies to provide “contractual services” for the budget year 2000-2001.

The second item on the agenda, also amounting to budget efforts, will be requests from departments proposing “new programs” with budgetary impacts.

The commission is also expected to discuss the proposed 2000-2001 golf professional contract.

Time will also be taken for the city manager to give a report, and commissioners and the mayor will also bring up communications.

Two New Board of Education Members Take Offices Monday

By KRISTI HAYES

News Education Editor

Two new Ponca City Board of Education members — Norris Frederick and Vicki Graves — will take the oath of office Monday night during a regular board meeting.

Norris Frederick was unanimously appointed by a vote of 5-0 in early February to replace Steve Stalcup for Office 6.

Stalcup resigned his post after moving out of his ward boundary last November. He had been a board member since 1994.

Frederick has been employed at Conoco for the past 23 years, mainly at the Refinery. At Conoco, he is presently responsible for the routine maintenance, project installation, contractor services and inspection activities. In previous years at Conoco, he has been a Field Coordinator and Mechanical Inspector.

He graduated from Ponca City High School in 1974 and received a degree by attending night school from Northern Oklahoma College in May, 1998.

He is president of the Ponca City High School Alumni Association, past president and treasurer for Union Elementary School and a member of the Oklahoma Officials Association.

He is actively involved in leading the effort to transform the old Attucks School into a viable working community center. He serves as a board member for the Southside Alliance and Ponca City Traffic Commission.

Vicki Graves

Vicki Graves defeated challenger Michael Joosten for Ward 7 during the regular school elections on Feb. 8 by a vote of 1,508 to 1,039.

Graves will replace Kyle Keffer, who did not seek re-election, for the new board post.

A reception honoring Keffer will be held prior to the meeting from 6 to 6:30 p.m. at the Administration Offices.

Graves is a former Miss Ponca City and a 1979 Ponca City Senior High School graduate. She attended Northern Oklahoma College and Oklahoma State University, majoring in accounting.

She is a financial advisor for Morgan Stanley Dean Witter, and holds licenses in the fields of general investments and securities, insurance and financial planning. Graves has been in the investments and securities industry for 16 years.

Graves and her husband, Howard, are co-owners and operators of Kids Kastle.

Vicki serves on the board of the Ponca City Main Street Authority and is its vice-chairman. She is also a member of the Ponca City Chamber of Commerce and serves on the Education Committee, Mentoring Program Advisory Committee and Ponca City Alliance for Youth-Drop Out Task Force.

She and her family are Wildcat Booster members and season ticket holders for all of the local sports programs. She is active in the Parent Teachers Association and is currently serving on the Ponca City East Middle School PTSA board.

Only One Left

One of Two Miss Ponca City B-17 Survivors Dies Jan. 17

By LOUISE ABERCROMBIE

News Staff Writer

INGLESIDE, Texas — One of two surviving members of the B-17 christened Miss Ponca City during World War II, has died. The News was informed of the death of Curtis Barber on Jan. 17.

The information about Barber was brought to the attention of The News by the remaining survivor Jim “Buck” Hughes, 7805 Abbey Ct., Tyler, Texas, 75703. Barber was the co-pilot of the plane.

The plane Miss Ponca City was purchased in 1944 by the citizens of Ponca City through the purchase of war bonds. The plane saw action over Germany out of the 306th Heavy Bomb Group of the first division of the Eighth Air Force, according to Hughes.

Ponca Citians purchased $988,000 in E, F, and G war bonds to purchase the $250,000 B-17. The plane was shot down at 11:35 a.m., German time, on Sept. 12, 1944. The plane crashed near Berlin. Six of the nine member crew died including Ponca City native Merlin D. Summers.

Barber, Hughes, a waist gunner and Robert Appell, tail gunner, were taken prisoners of war after the plane was gunned down. They were liberated in 1945.

Over the past 55 years Barber of Aransas Pass, Texas, and Hughes of, Texas, had kept in touch. Appell, who was from Illinois, is also deceased.

In 1996, Hughes had presented Barber with a model replica of the Miss Ponca City plane as a birthday gift.

The original Miss Ponca City plane was presented to the crew at Hunter Field, Savannah, Ga., From there they flew to Gernier Field, N.H. From there they flew to Grander Lake, Newfoundland.The next stop was Nuts Corner, Ireland.

The ATGC [air transport command] took the plane to fly ‘somewhere in England.’ for thorough inspection for combat duty. Meantime the crew boarded a boat in Belfast for Liverpool, England. From Liverpool they went to Bobington, England for the first preparation for combat training. They were then reunited with their Eighth Air Force division five miles north of Beford, England.

Prior to becoming part of the crew the members had to have at least five missions to their credit. The first mission was to Frankfurt, Germany. On Sept. 5 they flew to Ludwigshaven, Germany and on to Meinheim, Germany on Sept. 5. Each flight carried 5,000 pounds of bombs. On Sept. 10 they flew to Stuttgart, Germany with only 4,000 pounds of bombs and maximum gasoline.

According to a newspaper account by Barber, “On Sept. 12, we were briefed for Ruhland, Germany. The route we were to take was over the North Sea, across the Baltic Sea, north of Berlin, then bomb Ruhland, and then fly southeast to the channel, which was a maximum flight, even for a B-17.

The Air Force lost the greatest number of planes ever reported in a single day and Miss Ponca City was one of them. Barber’s newspaper account gave this in formation, Miss Ponca City was attacked by fighters about five miles north of Staaken, Germany, north of Berlin. The plane went down in pieces. The bail-out procedure, through the nose, was engineer, myself and pilot and through the was door, radio operator and waist gunner. The tail gunner was blown out, however he lived.”

Those giving their lives for their country were Staff Sgt. Summers, crew chief; Staff Sgt. Levens, radio operator; Sgt. Holmes, ball turret gunner; Lt. Freeman; Lt. Stansberry, navigator and Flight Officer Smith, bombardier.

With the passing of Barber, Hughes is the only crew member of Ponca City left. The letter from Hughes informing The News of Barber’s death tells that he died on Jan. 17 and is buried at Rolstown, Texas.

In his correspondence Hughes said, “I still have a spot in my heart for Ponca City, Okla. and its citizens.”

Ponca City Senior Appointed By Sen. Nickles to AF Academy

Sen. Don Nickles announces that Rory Peterson, son of Marvin and Iris Peterson of Ponca City, has been appointed to the United States Air Force Academy at Colorado Springs. Nickles nominated Peterson in December and the academy made the final selection on the appointment.

The names of the academy nominees were submitted to Nickles by his academy selection board, which chooses the students through a strictly competitive process based on grade point average, ACT/SAT scores, extracurricular activities, honors, leadership ability and motivation to serve in the military.

A Ponca City High School senior Peterson has a 4.24 grade point average. He has been listed on the Superintendent’s and Principal’s honor rolls, and is on the Oklahoma Junior High School Honor Society and National Honor Society.

He has received the Daughters of the American Revolution Citizenship award and competed in the Northern Oklahoma Interscholastic competition in 1997 and 1999 at Northern Oklahoma College.

Peterson lettered in varsity swimming 9th through 12th grades. He was conference champion in 200 free in 1997; 500 free, 100 fly in 1999; 500 free, 100 fly in 2000.

He made All conference 9th through 12th; All state - 200 free junior year; Team Captain in 12th grade, named to USA Swimming’s Scholastic All-American Team 1999.

Peterson is a 12 year member of the Ponca Sailfish Swim Team, member of the Dallas Mustangs summers 1998 and 1999. He was the Oklahoma Junior Olympic champion, 1997 winter, 1650 free, 100 fly; 1997 summer, 100 free, 200 free, 400 free, 800 free, 200 fly, 400 IM; 1998 spring, 200 free, 500 free, 1000 free, 1650 free, 200 IM and 200 fly; 1999 spring, 50 free.

He was the central zone Open Water champion in 1997, high point winner spring 1997, Summer, 1997 and Spring 1998 Oklahoma Junior Olympics Individual national Junior championship qualifier in 1999 in the 200, 500 and 1000 free; eight place relay finish at National Junior championships Southeast, Aug. 1998; athlete representative for Ponca City at Oklahoma Swimming Meeting.

Peterson traveled to Australia with the World Sports Exchange and competed in Sydney Metropolitan Championships in summer 1998.

School activities include Youth Traffic Court, prosecuting attorney 11th grade; youth traffic court judge, 12th grade; youth and government treasurer, 11th grade; youth and government president, 12th grade.

He was named to the Best Committee Leadership Team at State Conference Oklahoma YMCA Youth and government; Leo Club vice president 11th and 12th grades; home room president, 11th and 12th grades; Oklahoma boosting Engineering Science and Technology Captain, 11th grade, and Dare role Model 11th and 12th grades.

Other activities include Boys State 1999 and Presbyterian Youth Group.

North Central Crop Production Conference Set for Blackwell

BLACKWELL — It’s primed and ready! The 2000 North Central Crop Production Conference will be held at the Kay Electric Cooperative Community Building in Blackwell on Wednesday, Feb. 23.

The conference, featuring ag authorities statewide, is sponsored by the Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service in Newkirk. Registration will begin at 8:30 a.m. with the program beginning at 9 a.m. and ending approximately 3:30 p.m.

Extension educator Dale Goodwin of the Newkirk office said the program will assist producers in planning for their summer crops. J.C. Hobbs, OCES Agriculture Economics Specialist, will set the stage for the planning process.

Hobbs will look at the current situation in the county, mainly planted wheat and stocker cattle outlook. Given that outlook, he will address the outlook for corn, cotton, and soybeans. He will center in on what the current stocks and planted acres are looking like and how those figures will play into the price outlook.

“As we have seen over the past four years, rainfall is a key player in the outcome of the summer crops,” Goodwin said.

“We have invited Brady Brus, KWTV News 9 weatherman to help producers better understand weather cycles and provide producers with a weather outlook for the spring planting season, summer rainfall and harvest weather this fall,” he said.

While weather can be an impact on production, insects can play a yield-limiting role for summer crops.

“While cotton, corn and soybeans are relatively new to this area, destructive insects that follow these crops can build up and cause damage,” Goodwin said.

Dr. Tom Royer, OCES Entomologist, will review insect pressures that will impact corn and soybeans. Following Royer will be Dr. Miles Karner, OCES Cotton Entomologist, who will review cotton insect pressures and especially the boll weevil that has limited cotton production in Oklahoma in the past.

After a short lunch break, trade show participants will review their products and how they can help producers. The presentation includes seed trade representatives, crop protection products and marketing outlets, along with a question-and-answer period.

Following the trade show representatives, producers will get deeper into the production of the crops. Dr. Gordon Johnson, OCES Soil Fertility Specialist, will help make sure producers are aware of crop nutritional needs and limiting soil fertility as a factor in reduced yields. Rick Kochenower, OCES Area Agronomist, will review corn production and hybrids that have shown good yield potential. While corn may not be a major crop for the north central region of the state, a few producers are having success. Technological advances in corn production have made this crop to be competitive for the area. Corn should work well into most crop-rotations proven in this area.

North Central Oklahoma’s newest crop, cotton, continues to be competitive with most cropping systems. Acres continue to expand and with local gins in place, acres should continue to increase. Dr. J.C. Banks, OCES Cotton Specialist, is slated to begin his cotton talks at 2:30 p.m. Banks will review last year’s success and failures and adjustment for the coming year.

The final speaker at 3 p.m. will be Dr. Ron Sholar, OCES Soybean Specialist. Sholar will review herbicide programs in soybean production and some variety information, which plays into the production systems that producers will be implementing.

Producers attending will have the opportunity to peruse the exhibits offered by commercial agriculture services and product suppliers. These booths will be conveniently located in the presentation room. There will be no admission fee for the conference and trade show and the trade show participants will sponsor the luncheon.

Anyone with questions about the conference can call the Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Office in Newkirk at 580-362-3194.

A Few Good Men To Open March 3 As Ponca Playhouse Production

The Ponca Playhouse box office opens on Wednesday to members wanting to reserve seats for the next Playhouse production, Aaron Sorkin’s A Few Good Men. The general public may begin reserving seats the following Monday, Feb. 28.

“If you have a Playhouse magnet on your refrigerator, you will notice that this is a change,” producer Cheryl Mauk announced today. “There’s a misprint on the magnets indicating that the show opens much later in March. Actual opening night is Friday, March 3.”

Director Jo Ann Muchmore has named a cast for the court martial drama which includes eleven actors brand new to the Playhouse.

Louis Kindler plays defense attorney Daniel Kaffee, and Gina Laramy is Commander Jo Ann Galloway. These are the roles which were played in the movie by Tom Cruise and Demi Moore. In the Jack Nicholson role of Colonel Nathan Jessup, Ponca City audiences will see Pete Shields.

Brandon Heppler and Chase Kelly play the two Marines accused of killing their fellow platoon member William T. Santiago, portrayed by Adam Lake. John Raley will be seen as the court martial judge, with Shane Green as a member of the defense team and Michael Harrison as the prosecutor. Ivery Allen takes the role of Capt. Matthew Markinson, with Chris Williams as Lt. Jon Kendrick, and Ron Hernandez as the medical examiner Dr. Walter Stone.

Other Marines are Jose Cervantes, Tom Varner, Brock Campbell, Michael Deken, Jeremy Jones and Brandon Gurley. These men appear as platoon leaders in Guantanamo Bay, as orderlies, as sentries, as additional officers and as military policemen.

A Few Good Men was written by the man who created “West Wing” and “Sports Night,” currently on television.

“The movie was rated R,” producer Mauk said, “but our production does not use that same language nor innuendo. We can safely recommend it for all ages, and it delivers a strong patriotic message.”

Sponsors of the play are the J.H. Kelly Company and Pemberton Chevrolet. Additional assistance is provided by the Oklahoma Arts Council.

Amtrak Possibilities Hot Top for Area Legislators

By RALPH SEWELL

News State Capitol Bureau

OKLAHOMA CITY — If you want Amtrak rail passenger trains to run north and south through Ponca City, you may want to attend a meeting called by Sen. Paul Muegge, D-Tonkawa, at 6:30 p.m. this coming Thursday. The session will be in Northern Oklahoma College’s Walcher Center.

Amtrak and Oklahoma Department of Transportation representatives will be present to gauge the interest in extending the new Oklahoma City to Fort Worth route to Newton, Kan, and meet rail connections to the north, east and west.

Rep. Jim Newport, R-Ponca City, and other legislators whose districts include the Burlington Northern-Santa Fe mainline have been invited to attend.

The tracks also cross the House districts of Reps. Jim Reese, R-Nardin, and Reps. Larry Ferguson, R-Cleveland.

State Sen. Dave Herbert, D-Midwest City, is the Senate sparkplug pushing the return of rail passenger service to Oklahoma. He says Amtrak is happy with the number of passengers using the Oklahoma City-Fort Worth service.

Oklahoma Has Best Service

Herbert adds the Oklahoma train leads the country in on-time service. He also is trying to get passenger service to Tulsa restored. That will take state money to win federal funds now being used on a 90-10 match by other states.

He adds Oklahoma gets only 5 to 10 percent of the money it contributes to support the national passenger train system. He’d like to change that.

But Oklahoma probably will have to add a small tax on transportation to finance a subsidy — to get $9 back for each $1 Oklahoma contributes. Muegge says Wichita folks are likely to attend Thursday’s meeting.

Computers Taking Over

It won’t be a surprise to either Muegge or Fairfax Sen. J. Berry Harrison that nerds may doubt they’re computer-literate.

But if you’re one of the bits and bites generation, it may please you to know that legislators — who once used pen and ink wells — now can be reached by E-mail. Through their secretaries, that is.

Old-fashioned guys like me may reach Muegge at Room 513B, State Capitol, Oklahoma City 73105. Or Harrison at Room 513A, the same. Or by phone — 521-5628 for Muegge, and 521-5612 for Harrison, Using Area code 405, of course.

More of you sophisticated folks can E-mail Muegge at craft@lsb.state.ok.us. His secretary’s first name, by the way, is Larenda. To send Harrison, E-mail: baker@lsb.state.ok.us. Harrison’s secretary’s first name is Earline.

House Chamber Looks Nice

Leaders of the House of Representatives spent a lot of money adding an older generation look to their chamber. It looks nice. But phones and Email to Ponca-area representatives are up-to-date.

For Newport, phone is 557-7355; E-mail newportji@lsb.state.ok.us. For Reese, phone is 557-7332; E-mail: reeseji@lsb.state.ok.us. Ferguson by phone is 557-7344; E-mail: fergusonla@sb.state.ok.us. For Rep. Joe Sweeden, D-Pawhuska, telephone is 557-7322, E-mail: sweedenjo@lsb.state.ok.us. Newport’s office is Room 307; Reese’s 546, Ferguson’s 325 and Sweeden 400.

So there, you have all your need to lobby or lecture them, as thousands of teachers did last Wednesday when they came en masse to the Capitol during a “snow” holiday marked by partly cloudy sky and the temperature in the low 50s.

The invasion worked. The House and Senate gave final approval to HB 2653. The House vote was 97-1 and the Senate’s 47-0.

As it went to the governor, it would raise state teachers annual pay $3,000 a year. The governor said he’d sign the bill. All Ponca-area legislators voted for it.

Senator Misses Vote

Sen. Penny Williams, who chairs the Senate Education committee, missed the Senate vote. She’s home recovering from injuries suffered when she escaped flames by jumping from the second floor of her burning Tulsa home.

The only House vote against was cast by Bill Graves, an Oklahoma City Republican. Two declined to vote, begging off on constitutional grounds — that’s conflict of interest.

This coming Friday is the last day for House or Senate committees to send bills to the floor of the house of origin for debate. Since this is the second year of the biennial session, those left in committee will die.

How They Voted

Here’s how Muegge, Harrison, Newport, Reese, Ferguson and Sweeden cast their votes on other bills:

—B 2720 would amend the Environmental Quality laws to forbid location of solid waste dumps over or near groundwater supplies covered by limestone formations. While it would have statewide application, it’s an immediate problem to Adair County, says Rep. Larry Adair, D-Stillwell. An unrelated amendment to give some medicare patients free prescriptions was added, but probably will not remain in the bill. Ponca-area representatives voted yes.

—HB 2676 won 89-6 House approval and went to the Senate. The bill revises the state’s banking code and there was no debate. An unrelated amendment on medicare prescriptions was added for the Senate to remove. Newport, Reese, Ferguson and Sweeden voted in favor.

—HB 2675, a related banking bill, won 94-3 House approval after the same unrelated amendment was added. Ponca-area representatives voted yes.

—HB 2121, passed unanimously by the House, would add to the definition of sodomy. The new language, requested by the Department of Corrections, would enlarge it to cover sodomy committed by public employees on a person in their custody. It also would cover private prisons. HB 2121 went to the Senate with Ponca-area representatives voting in favor.

—HB 1984, approved 99-0 by the House, would give elected city or county officials power to veto orders of metropolitan planning commissions. It was drawn to take care of a Comanche County situation, but would apply statewide. Ponca-area representatives voted yes.

Special Evening Program Monday Night at Library Features Lou Dean

A special evening program at the Ponca City Library will be held Monday, Feb. 21 at 6:30 p.m., when Lou Dean, author of Osage County Kids will be presenting the program.

The program is intended for all ages and Dean will discuss her positive experience with animals and the creative forces behind her writing. Dean is the author of two previous books, Paw Prints and Angels in Disguise. A 1999 nominee for the Colorado Blue Spruce Award for Young Adults, Angels in Disguise is an autobiography of Lou Dean’s early years and her belief that pets truly can be angels. Her latest book, Osage County Kids, is a current nominee for the Oklahoma Book Award.

Those interested in Ms. Dean’s experiences should join us in the Programming Room on the lower level of the Library. Her tales express a warm sense of love and trust in animal nature. For more information, call Judy Johnson, at the Ponca City Library, 767-0345.

Police Offer Blood Challenge to PCFD; Who Will Win Week-Long Donor Effort?

The Ponca City Police Department has challenged the Ponca City Fire Department to see who can donate the most blood products. This special event will take place at the Oklahoma Blood Institute from Monday, Feb. 21, through Saturday, Feb. 26. All city employees, family members and friends are invited to roll up their sleeves and join in the effort to make sure that there is an adequate blood supply for local medical facilities.

“Each and every day, there is a critical need for blood products across the United States. Most people do not realize that there is such a big shortage of blood in our country,” explained Pixie Rowland, Manager of the Oklahoma Blood Institute Ponca City Center. “Less than five percent of the national population are blood donors and these donors cannot meet the high demand for blood. Every 2-3 seconds someone needs blood somewhere. In many parts of the country, pre-scheduled surgeries have been postponed because there is not enough available blood. This time of the year there is an even bigger shortage than usual because so many donors have been sick with the flu and cannot donate. This is an important blood drive and I hope that a lot of people will support the efforts of these two groups.”

“Donating blood is such an easy way to help someone in need,” said Ponca City Police Chief Raymond Ham. “Many of our officers and support staff have become very dedicated donors, and we are honored to partner up with the Oklahoma Blood Institute in such a critical way. It is important for all of us to play an active role in our community and this is one more way that we can make a difference in helping others.”

Ponca City Fire Department Chief Gary Denny said, “We are excited to accept the challenge from the police department. In our jobs, we see first-hand a lot of patients who are going to require blood transfusions and, therefore, understand the importance of being a blood donor.”

In order to be a blood donor you must be at least 17 years old, weigh 105 pounds and be in relatively good health. All donors receive checks on their blood pressure, temperature, pulse, iron and cholesterol as well s 14-16 hours of testing on their blood. All firefighters, EMT’s and police officers also receive free anti-HBS (titer) testing to make sure that their Hepatitis B antibodies are still intact. OBI also offers prostate-specific antigen testing for men at a fee of $15 for donors and $20 for those unable to donate. All donors will also receive the new “2000 — Millennium” T-shirt!

The Oklahoma Blood Institute is an independent, regional, not-for-profit blood collection center and is the exclusive supplier of all blood products for St. Joseph Regional Medical Center, St. Joseph Cancer Center and the Outpatient Surgery Center in Ponca City. The OBI Ponca City Center is open Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Thursday from noon to 7 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Anyone having questions or wanting to schedule an appointment may call the center at 762-9488.

Taylor 2 Dancers To Entertain Community Concert Members

By KATHY ZEHR

News Staff Writer

Ponca City Community Concert members will be entertained at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at Hutchins Memorial Auditorium by six talented young dancers, who form Taylor 2. This exceptionally talented group, an extension of the Paul Taylor Dance Company, has been declared the best new dance company in New York City and won undiluted praises from its audiences and critics alike.

A dominant force in dance for four decades, Taylor, formed his internationally-renown Paul Taylor Dance Company in the late 1950s, then because of high demand, formed the new Taylor 2 touring and teaching dance group in 1993, under the direction of Mary Cochran.

Taylor 2 dancers are selected from artists who have a particular gift for the Paul Taylor style and are then polished to perfection at the Taylor studios. However, the six dancers in Taylor 2 do not usually perform with the parent company.

“We are referred to as the pizza element in the Taylor organization,” said Camille Hardy, an earlier spokesperson for the group, “We deliver and we’ll go anywhere.” She also explained, engagements are completely flexible and are customized to an individual community. They also teach or perform at numerous dance studios and schools during their tours.

The ensemble performs from a repertoire of eight dances, Auerole, 3 Epitaphs, Profiles, Arden Court, Duet, Airs, Junction, and a special version of their most popular number, Company B, danced to the popular World War II number sung by the Andrews Sisters.

Often called “the world’s greatest living choreographer,” Taylor, who was born in Pennsylvania, first studied painting at Syracuse University before traveling to New York City to begin his dance career. From 1955-62 he was a soloist with the Martha Graham Dance Company while also presenting his own work in concerts around the world, including the New York City Ballet.

Numerous awards were presented to Taylor for his outstanding creativeness in ballet, include a knighthood from the French government, 40 fine arts awards including three Guggenheim Fellowships and six honorary Doctor of Fine Arts degrees, the prestigious MacArthur Fellowship (often called the “genius award”) and the Samuel H. Scripps ADF Award. Other awards include the New York Governor’s Arts Award, New York City Mayor’s Award of Honor for Art and Culture and the National Medal of Arts by President Clinton. In 1995, the Library of Congress named him as one of 50 prominent Americans honored in recognition of their outstanding achievement. He also received an Emmy Award in 1992 for his work in the movie “Speaking in Tongues.”

Numerous works, created by Taylor have been licensed for performance by more than 75 companies worldwide including the American Ballet Theatre, English National Ballet, Joffrey Ballet, New York City Ballet, Guangdon Modern Dance Company of China, Paris Opera Ballet and other world famous dance companies.

Reviewer Nicole Peradotto with The Buffalo News wrote “this new group, formed as trailblazers and guardians of some of Taylor’s most beloved choreography are no novices. Their technical skills are impressive, with an inexhaustible drive. They don’t play second fiddle to anyone — Taylor 2 is very much its own entity and an engaging one at that!”

Ponca City Community Concert members will need their season tickets for entry at the door.

Veterans Awareness Day Feb. 22 at Capitol Building

OKLAHOMA CITY — Veterans Awareness Day will be Feb. 22, 2000 in Oklahoma City at the Capitol Building. The formal opening and program, under the direction of the Disabled American Veterans, will begin at 9 a.m. on the floor of the House of Representatives.

Among the special guests will be Phillip Boatner, Director, Oklahoma Department of Veterans Affairs; Harold D. Pinney, Chairman, War Veterans Commission; Major General Stephen P. Cortright, Adjutant General, Oklahoma Natural Guard; Steve Gentling, Director of Oklahoma City VAMC and Allen Colston, Director Muskogee, VAMC.

The keynote speaker will be Norman Lamb, Secretary for Oklahoma Veterans Affairs. Also speaking will be Loyd L. Benson, Speaker of the House; Stratton Taylor, President Pro Tempore; Senator Sam Helton, Chairman, Senate Veterans and Military Affairs, and Ron Kirby, Chairman, House Veterans and Military Affairs.

All veterans are urged to participate in this day and talk to your Senator and Representative about bills affecting Veterans and their benefits. Marvin Rider, Post No. 14 Commander, invites Legion members and other veterans to join gathering in Oklahoma City. If you need a ride, meet in the American Legion parking lot by 6:45 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 22, 2000.

DEATHS

James Leo Underside
Adeline Smith
Jim N. Padgett
Naomi M. Swiger-Spiller
Ray L. Cantwell
James Engstrom

James Leo Underside

TINLEY PARK, Ill. — James Leo “Jim” Underside, former resident of Ponca City, died Tuesday, Feb. 8, 2000, in the St. Francis Hospital in Blue Island, Ill. He was 57.

A wake was held Friday, Feb. 11, 2000, and a funeral was held Saturday, Feb. 12, at the Hirsch Funeral Home in Tinley Park, Ill., with the Rev. Tim Harlow of the Tinley Park Christian Church officiating. Burial was in the Skyline Memorial Garden Park in Monee, Ill., with military honors by American Legion Post 615 and F Troop from Aroma Park Post. The Rev. Ryan officiated at graveside services.

James Leo Underside was born Nov. 8, 1942, in Ponca City, the son of Floyd and Betty Underside. He grew up in Ponca City, attending St. Mary’s school and Ponca City High School. He served in the National Guard. He moved to Tinley Park, Ill., in 1964, where he was employed with Wille Brothers Redi-Mix Company in Oak Forest, Ill., retiring September of 1999 with 31 years of service. He was a member of the Tinley Park American Legion Post 615.

Survivors include his wife, Joyce Curry Underside of the home; a daughter, Shannon Denise Underside of the home; two stepsons, Bradley Bailey of Dolton, Ill., and Sean Bailey of Ashland, Ill.; his parents of Ponca City; a brother, Dennis Underside of Mateno, Ill.; and two grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by an infant son, Daron Underside.

Obituaries

Adeline Smith

Adeline Smith, resident of Oklahoma City and member of the Ponca Tribe, went to meet her heavenly creator Friday morning, Feb. 18, 2000, at St. Anthony’s Hospital in Oklahoma City. She was 58.

The traditional tribal feast will be held at noon Monday, Feb. 21, 2000, followed by the memorial service at 2 p.m. at the Ponca Indian Methodist Church at White Eagle with the Rev. Abraham Jackson officiating. Burial will follow in the Ponca Indian Cemetery. Arrangements are under the direction of Grace Memorial Chapel.

Adeline Smith was born Aug. 27, 1941 in Ponca City, the daughter of Leona (Smith) Buffalowhead. She was raised in Ponca City and attended Pawnee Indian School and Chilocco Indian schools. Her enjoyments included playing bingo and making Indian arts and crafts.

She will be missed by all who loved her. Her survivors include one son, Edward “Luke” Smith and his wife Cheryl of Tahlequah; one daughter, Crystal Lee Warrior and her husband Rene of Oklahoma City; two sisters, Amelia Warrior and her husband Eli of Oklahoma City, and Brenda Smith of Ponca City; one brother, Antione Smith of Oklahoma City; her aunts, Thelma Perez and Elsie Green; nieces, Allison Serrato, Julia Cardenas and Melissa Long; her nephew, Leon Warrior; her grandchildren, Breanna, Santos, Julian, and Adrian. Adeline shared a very special bond with her grandson, Lorenzo.

Casket bearers will be Luis Herrera, Rudy Brown, B.J. Roughface, Danny Page, Arnulfo Serrato and Nelson Roughface.

paid obituary

Jim N. Padgett

On Thursday, Feb. 17, 2000, the Lord called home loving husband, father, and friend.

Jim N. Padgett, 48, suffered a fatal heart attack on Thursday morning and died at the St. Joseph Regional Medical Center.

The funeral service will be Tuesday, 2 p.m. at the Community Christian Church with the Rev. Wayne Majors officiating. Fellow employees and friends will deliver the eulogy.

Jim was a very special person, loving husband and best friend to his wife, Jane, as well as a loving father to three children, one granddaughter, one grandson, and another granddaughter on the way.

He was born Oct. 15, 1951, at Fort Worth, Texas, the son of Bob Norvin and Winnie Howard Padgett. He attended grade schools in Texas and New Mexico and moved with his family to Guthrie where he graduated from high school in 1970.

Jim began his career with Oklahoma Gas and Electric on July 20, 1972, at the Belle Isle Power Plant in Oklahoma City. He transferred to Sooner Station in May of 1980. At the time of his death, he was a shift supervisor with OG&E.

He was an avid third-generation Dallas Cowboy football fan. He enjoyed working in the yard, spending time with his family, traveling with Jane and playing dominoes.

Jim is survived by his wife, Jane, of the home; three children, Mark Wilson and his fiance, Robin Fargo of Stillwater, Sharla McKellar and her husband, Brennen of Edmond, and Justin Padgett and his wife, Christina of Edmond; two grandchildren, Whitney Wilson of Biddeford, Maine, and Branson McKellar of Edmond; his mother, Winnie Padgett-Cranfill of Athens, Texas; brothers and sisters, Dennis and Laura Padgett of Virginia Beach, Va., Patti and Ido Saltarelli of Utica, Mich., Karen Padgett of Athens, Texas, Marianne Adams of Winona, Texas, George Padgett of Athens, Texas, Melvin and Robin Padgett of Texarkana, Texas, Jill Thomas of Athens, Texas, and Boyd Padgett of Brownsboro, Texas; and numerous nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his father and a brother, John Padgett.

Memorials may be made to the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, for heart research, 825 N.E. 13th, Oklahoma City, Okla. 73104.

The family will be at the home, 4212 Dove Lane.

paid obituary

Naomi M. Swiger-Spiller

Naomi M. Swiger-Spiller, longtime Ponca City resident, died Friday morning, Feb. 18, 2000, at the Oak Hollow Alzheimer Facility in Bedford, Texas. She was 89.

The funeral service will be held at 10 a.m. Monday, Feb. 21, 2000. at Grace Memorial Chapel with the Rev. Charles Heyer, associate pastor of the First Christian Church officiating. Burial will follow at the Odd Fellows Cemetery under the direction of Grace Memorial Chapel

Born Feb. 19, 1910, in Burbank, Okla., she was the daughter of James and Maymie (Lower) Edmiston. The family moved to Morrison at an early age. She graduated from Morrison High School in 1928.

Her first marriage was to Gleason Coffman of Morrison in 1931, ending with his early death in 1935. No children were born in this marriage. In 1938, she married Forest M. Swiger in Oklahoma City. They had two sons, Stephen F. and Phillip C. Swiger. That marriage ended in divorce in 1948. She and her two sons moved to Ponca City, where she operated a beauty salon in her home for 18 years.

In 1966 she married Clarence W. Spiller in the First Christian Church in Ponca City. They made their home at 914 E. Broadway until his death on March 8th, 1994, his 92nd birthday.

She was a member of the First Christian Church where she served as usher and deacon. She was also a member of the Progressive Class and actively participated in the CWF and Naomi Group for many years.

She moved to Bedford, Texas, in September 1998 and was residing at the Oak Hollow Alzheimer facility until her death.

Surviving are two sons, Stephen F. Swiger of Phoenix, Ariz., and Phillip C. Swiger of Bedford, Texas; one sister, Edna Bryant of Oklahoma City; one stepdaughter, Norma DeJong of Houston, Texas; two stepsons, Jim Spiller of San Antonio, Texas, and Todd Spiller of Katy, Texas; ten grandchildren and fourteen great-grandchildren.

She was also preceded in death by her mother, Maymie Edmiston and father, James Edmiston of Morrison; two sisters, Bessie Lane of Ponca City, Marie Doles of Perry; and one brother, Woodrow Edmiston of Enid.

Casket bearers will be Max Berry, Dick Stone, Fenton Morrison, Paul Bunch, Dale Butler and Stan Brown.

Memorial contributions may be made to the First Christian Church, 210 N. Fifth, Ponca City, Okla. 74601.

paid obituary

Services Pending

Ray L. Cantwell

Ray L. Cantwell, resident of Ponca City, died Saturday morning, Feb. 19, 2000 at the Broken Arrow Regional Medical Center. He was 61. Survivors include his wife, Dorothy, of the home and sister, Bobbie Steele of Ponca City. Arrangements are pending with Grace Memorial Chapel.

James Engstrom

James Engstrom, resident of Ponca City, died Friday afternoon, Feb. 18, 2000, at St. Anthony’s Hospital in Oklahoma City. He was 53 years of age. Survivors include his mother, Thelma Groves of Ponca City. Arrangements are pending with Grace Memorial Chapel.

NEWS BRIEFS

Tip Off Club — The Po-Hi Tip Off Club invites you to Ladycat/Wildcat Night at El Chico’s on Monday, Feb. 21 from 5 to 10 p.m. A portion of the proceeds from that night will benefit the basketball program.

Stormescape Shelters, perfect for garage, under vehicle, installation. $1,695. 765-2633. adv.

Attention World War II Veterans — For those who trained at Camp Fannin, Texas, there will be a reunion in Tyler, Texas, March 22 through 25 at the Sheraton Hotel, (903) 561-5800. For further information, contact Camp Fannin Association, P.O. Box 132024, Tyler, Texas 75713.

Kids Review now accepting spring/summer childrens consignments. adv.

PTSA Meeting — There will be a PTSA meeting Thursday, Feb. 24 at 6:30 p.m. in the Commons Area of the high school. Guest speaker will be LaDonna McCune, counselor at Northern Oklahoma College. Topic of her presentation will be “High-Level Test Anxiety.” All parents and students are encouraged to attend.

R&G Style Shoppee- Newkirk Monday President’s Day. Spring Specials, 70% off all sale merchandise. adv.

Health Meeting — A meeting for Poncas for Better Health will be held 7-8:45 p.m. Feb. 21 in the board room of the Ponca City Library. For more information call 765-2007.

Have Pet? Can travel! In-home pet sitting service. We love them when you have to leave them! 762-4205. adv.

Vehicle in the Ditch — The Communications Center received a 911 call at 7:42 a.m. Friday that a vehicle was in the ditch seven miles south of Ponca City on U.S. 177. The Oklahoma Highway Patrol was notified.

Traffic Interruption — The east bound lanes of the South Avenue underpass will be blocked beginning at 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 22, weather permitting, according to the Traffic Engineering Department. Crews will be repairing the scaffolding on the railroad bridge that is used to service the lighted clearance sign and flashing beacons, according to Mike Lane, traffic engineer.

Productive Hair salon for sale. Amazin’ Hair People, 108 North Fifth,

Call 762-6813. adv.

Library Program Monday — The Ponca City Library invites anyone to join them for a visit with Lou Dean at the Ponca City Library, Monday, Feb. 21 at 6:30 p.m. The author of Osage County Kids will share many tales about her life with dogs. The program will be interesting for all ages.

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.

Billings Cemetery Meeting — The Billings Union Cemetery Association will hold its annual business meeting at 2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 27, at the home of president Robert Matthiesen. Among the business to be discussed will be the hiring of a new grounds keeper, additional construction to pavilion, and other miscellaneous items. Any interested individuals are encouraged to attend.

Just Arrived-Year 2000 glass art designs. Collectors pieces. The Jewelry Connection, 211 E. Grand. adv.

Spaghetti Dinner — The SEFI class will hold its annual spaghetti dinner featuring homemade bread 5-7 p.m. Friday. The event will be held at St. Paul’s United methodist Church located at Pecan and Hartford. Tickets for adults are $5 each and are $2 per child.

Vandalism — A woman from the 2200 block of North Fourteenth Street reported to the Ponca City Police Department at 7:50 a.m. Friday that her vehicle had been vandalized. An officer was assigned and a destruction of private property report was taken.

Looking For you? Need sharp and ambitious people to learn my business. Can earn $2000 and new computer your first month. 1-800-871-2832. adv.

Indecent Exposure — A woman from the 1100 block of East Prospect Avenue reported to the Ponca City Police Department at 9:20 a.m. Friday that a subject in a small white car followed her from Wal-Mart onto Fourteenth Street and exposed himself. The information was logged.

Windshield Chips repaired professionally. Guaranteed and insurance approved. Ponca Glass, 300 W. Highland and Pine. 762-6522. adv.

Abandoned Bicycle — An officer of the Ponca City Police Department reported at 9:34 a.m. Friday that a bicycle had been abandoned at the post office.

Elk Lodge members enjoy our new lodge at 3612 Lake Road. Open 4-10, Tuesday through Saturday. adv.

Vehicle Hits House — A woman from the 500 block of North Ninth Street reported to the Ponca City Police Department at 11:37 a.m. Friday that a vehicle had hit a house. A wrecker was called to remove the vehicle and information was logged that all subjects in the vehicle were at St. Joseph Regional Medical Center being checked for injuries.

Jueschke Carpet Cleaners. For professional carpet cleaning, call the professionals. Jueschke Carpet Cleaners. 765-3421. adv.

Accident — A two-vehicle accident in the 3000 block of North Fourteenth Street was reported to the Ponca City Police Department at 11:50 a.m. Friday. An officer was assigned and a report was taken.

Tanzanite Jewelry-Unique Designs. The Jewelry Connection,

211 E. Grand. adv.

Theft — A person in the 2200 block of Jane Street reported to the Ponca City Police Department at 12:07 p.m. Friday that someone had taken gas from the vehicle and was letting air out of tires. A request was made for an extra patrol.

Look Younger in one hour. Hair stylist JoAnn Watkins is working on Fridays. Call for appointment. 765-5055. adv.

Stolen Vehicle — An employee at American Legion Children’s Home, 1300 Summers Place, reported to the Ponca City Police Department at 2:42 p.m. Friday that the ALCH van had been take by a juvenile without permission. Information was logged.

Court Allen Construction. Brick, flagstone, concrete, walkway’s, patios and planters. Call 765-2720. adv.

Vehicle Fire — The Communications Center received a call at 4:09 p.m. Friday that a vehicle was on fire at the intersection of North Oak Street and West Summit Avenue. The Ponca City Fire Department responded to handle the situation.

New Yummy Carmen’s candles now at Carla’s Hallmark, 4th and Grand, Downtown. 765-3094. adv.

Theft — An employee at Spray’s Jewelry, 210 East Grand Avenue, reported to the Ponca City Police Department at 4:17 p.m. Friday that someone had stolen a ring. An officer was assigned and a report was taken on the theft.

Subject Held — An officer of the Ponca City Police Department reported from the 1300 block of South Seventh Street at 6:16 p.m. Friday that a 20-year-old man was being held on a Kay County warrant for grand larceny, failure to appear, and uttering a forged instrument.

Park Damaged — A man reported to the Ponca City Police Department at 4:19 p.m. Friday that someone on a four-wheel drive ATV was in the park tearing it up. An officer was assigned and the information was logged.

Carlson Wagonlit Travel invites you-Where? Grand Central Station 114 S. 5th, What? Carnival Cruise Party, When? Tuesday, Feb. 22, 6:00 p.m. adv.

Subject Held — An officer of the Ponca City Police Department requested assistance from another officer in a search of a vehicle at the intersection of North Fifth Street and East Highland Avenue at 7:57 p.m. Friday. Another officer was assigned and a 17-year-old man was held for possession of drug paraphernalia and driving under suspension. The subject was released to his grandmother.

Vandalism — A man from the 200 block of East Grand Avenue reported to the Ponca City Police Department at 10:36 p.m. Friday that several subjects were writing stuff on his vehicle windows. An officer was assigned and information was logged.

Robbery — A woman from the 400 block of North Elm Street reported to the Ponca City Police Department at 10:49 p.m. Friday that a purse had been stolen from her and the subject was east bound on Broadway Avenue. Two officers were assigned and a first degree burglary/robbery report was taken.

Subject Held — An officer of the Ponca City Police Department reported from the intersection of West Chestnut Avenue and North Elm Street at 1:11 a.m. Saturday that a 51-year-old woman was being held for DWI.

Subject Held — An officer of the Ponca City Police Department reported from the intersection of West Chestnut Avenue and North Oak Street at 1:17 a.m. Saturday that a 27-year-old man was being held for DUI, driving under suspension, having no insurance and driving left of center. A vehicle was towed from the scene.

Threats — A woman from the 2400 block of Windsor Road reported telephone harassment at 2:07 a.m. Saturday. An officer was assigned and a report was taken.

Beer Stolen — A clerk at Citgo, 400 East South Avenue reported to the Ponca City Police Department at 3:01 a.m. Saturday that two men had taken two 30-packs of beer without paying. An officer was assigned and a report was taken.

Fight — A woman from the 1400 block of West Highland Avenue requested assistance from the Ponca City Police Department at 3:09 a.m. Saturday as a result of a fight. Two officers were assigned and an 18-year-old man was held for domestic assault and battery.

Item Stolen — A man from the 900 block of North Palm Street reported to the Ponca City Police Department at 6:41 a.m. Saturday that a cellular phone had been stolen from a vehicle. An officer was assigned and a report was taken.

Theft — A person from the 900 block of North Palm Street reported to the Ponca City Police Department at 6:50 a.m. Saturday that a theft had occurred. An officer was assigned and a report of petit larceny was taken.

LIFESTYLES

Former First Lady Boosts Business in Billings
TOPS Chapter Members Meet, Announce Plans
Red Rose Club Program About Water Gardens
Historical Aromatherapy Current Trend Locally
Carrie Witteman Engaged
Lookin’ With Lou
Engagement Is Announced
Alpha Chi Omega
Garden Club Meets
Singles Network
Tuesday Book Review
Republican Meeting
Kathy Cripps Will Perform At Concert
Ponca City Medical Minutes
Quilt Designer Guest Speaker For March 6 PAQG Program
Wheatheart Nutrition Menu Announced
Lifestyle Page Deadlines Announced
Little News
Herbal Bath Program Given for Garden Club Members
Ponca City Happenings

Former First Lady Boosts Business in Billings

By LOUISE ABERCROMBIE

News Staff Writer

BILLINGS — Whether it’s homemade chicken and noodles or chicken fried steak, the owner of the First Lady Cafe can be found cooking the speciality of the day. Twice First Lady of Oklahoma Shirley Bellmon is “slinging hash” at her own cafe on Billings main street — and she is having a ball.

“The town needed it,” Shirley said in regard to the cafe that was about to be closed. So she added it to her string of buildings in downtown Billings and set about feeding the town and rural community. A neat feature of the cafe is that patrons can charge their meals and pay-up at the end of two weeks.

Shirley said that often farmers aren’t carrying any money, but they’re still hungry, so they charge the meal and pay in 14 days. Kind of a Billings Diners Card if you will, and there is no interest or problem collecting.

Whenever there is anything going on in this Noble County town, you can bet that Shirley will be deep in the heart of the project. “Billings is a going little town,” she says. And part of what makes it go is her willingness to be involved.

Shirley and one of her restaurant workers, Irlyn Carter, waitress, were very involved in the Billings Centennial celebration. Carter was the chairman, and they opened the cafe during the event. Other employees are Bertie Moore, who cooks, and Steve Prince, who is a jack-of-all-trades.

The cafe is open seven days a week and when Bellmon took over they served meals “under traffic” in a side dining room while the front dining room was gutted and remodeled. There was no time lost in serving the public.

They have another crew that comes in on Saturday and Sunday, and those are Shirley’s days off unless, of course, she is needed. Sunday workers are Jim Smeter, Samantha Tah and Jamie Brock. Clientele varies from oil field workers to hunters and farmers. “I’m amazed at the folks who come off of I-35 (about five miles away) just looking for some place, not knowing what they are going to get,” Shirley said.

Diners have their choice of “speciality of the day” or ordering from the menu. Shirley says she can go two weeks without serving the same choice of the day. And she makes the menus up 14 days in advance.

On this day, the menu featured chicken fried steak, salad, potatoes, corn and hot rolls. The cafe ran out of the speciality at 25 orders and folks still coming in for lunch ordering hamburgers and other food from the menu.

Some of the features of the day range from barbecued ribs to enchiladas, chicken fried steak and hamburger steak. Potatoes are almost always served, and she orders them “100 pounds a lick” from Mid-America Wholesale out of Enid.

In keeping with helping the town, Mrs. Bellmon buys her meat, milk and eggs from the town’s grocery store, McKeown’s Market. “Sharon cuts all my meat. She gets the meat in bulk, then she cuts it. She gets real good ham. We have ham with scalloped potatoes on certain days,” Shirley said.

The cafe opens at 7 a.m., serving breakfast and lunch, closing at 2 p.m. She did confide that the early shift breakfast diners get homemade hash browns. The potatoes are peeled, shredded and fresh fried. No frozen stuff here.

Everything is basically made from scratch. One of the favorites of the dining clientele is Shirley’s pan-fried chicken. She fries the poultry in Crisco but uses a lot of olive oil in other cooking. Shirley does some of the pies, pecan for one, for dessert, but the bulk of the baking is done by Carter and others.

The former first lady says she has a secret seasoning that she uses on a lot of the food. Shirley’s secret seasoning will remain a secret as she said “I’m not going to tell you what it is.”

Serves Rotary

And just like the larger towns, the Billings Rotary meets once a week on Tuesdays in the side dining room. The club guarantees the cafe 10 patrons for lunch, and they dine on the speciality of the day. The last Tuesday they ate barbecue ribs, green salad, homemade potato salad and baked beans. There are usually a couple of Rotarian guests, making the luncheon count about a dozen. Future plans for the side dining room is to feature pictures of first ladies.

The restaurant served the First Christian Church’s Sweetheart dinner for 48 on Feb. 12. The menu featured chicken fried steak, by request, baked potatoes, corn, and a chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream.

Shirley finds cooking for a crowd enjoyable and says “It’s hard to cook for two people.” She was referring to herself and her husband Henry. Now and then, if Henry is out running errands, he drops in for a meal at the cafe. “I don’t take much food home because we usually run out,” she says.

The former U.S. Senator and twice governor continues to be active with Oklahoma State University and also farms and runs cattle.

Doll Factory Next Door

On the gift and antique shop next door, which also doubles as the First Ladies Doll Factory, is a sign that reads “See Shirley next door.” Besides the cafe, Mrs. Bellmon has a factory that produces dolls. The dolls are rather seasonal, and the factory is about to gear up to produce St. Patrick themed dolls. The holiday season was good with Christmas and Valentine dolls as best sellers.

In the works are communion dolls, which Shirley says are popular “back East.” The dolls are sold by catalog, and she is in the process of assembling a new catalog.

Besides special orders, the factory does trunk showings in Nichols Hills in Oklahoma City. Naturally, the enterprises help the economy by employing workers at the cafe and the doll factory.

About things happening in Billings, three tour buses are coming through next week. Naturally, they’ll tour the restored historical Renfrow House, the doll factory, and Gov. Henry Bellmon’s proposed library site, and also go to the Rush Metal Factory. So this means the First Lady Cafe will dish up the meal for the tour entourage.

Henry Bellmon Library

Another attraction to be finished in the future is the library of her twice governor husband and former U.S. Senator Henry Bellmon. The stone building where Dr. Thomas Renfrow practiced early-day medicine is in the process of being refurbished under the auspices of the Bellmon Library Board. Shirley is not a member of the board, but owns the building and was able to show the progress.

After the building is completed, it will house the papers and artifacts from Henry’s government service. Some of the furnishings that are to be displayed include his two desks and chairs for the two terms he served as governor of Oklahoma. Another piece is the chair he used as a U.S. Senator in Washington, D.C.

The work on the museum is being done as the money becomes available. Donations and fundraisers are being used to refurbish the structure. When the library is opened, it will be cause for another celebration in Billings.

TOPS Chapter Members Meet, Announce Plans

TOPS OK 308 chapter met Monday evening with Ann McCool opening the meeting and giving the devotional “Now or Never.” Ruth Ann Lenz led the TOPS pledge and Betty Flower led the KOPS Kreed.

Natalie McCoy called the roll, and Betty Flower gave the weight report. Kathleen Andrews, Ann McCool and Wanda Headrick ties for best loser status. Jewel McFarlin won the Ha Ha pot. Forbidden food for the week is Mexican food.

Jenny Bechtold led the group in a take off game of “Who Wants To Be To Be a Millionaire?” Marietta Nelson won the gift drawing. A skit titled “Valentine Chocolates” was presented by Wanda Headrick, Ruth Ann Lenz, and Robert and Robinelle Oldham.

Members were encouraged to make plans to attend state recognition day in Tulsa and the Fun Day Workshop in Enid.

Take Off Pounds Sensibly is a non-profit organization whose members desire to lose or maintain weight. Members are encouraged to develop individual exercise programs, and contests are used to encourage weight loss. Weigh-in time is 6-6:45 p.m. Monday. For more information contact Betty Flower, 765-5448.

Red Rose Club Program About Water Gardens

The Red Rose Garden Club met at the Cann Garden Center for the Feb. 14 meeting. Co-hosting the event were Suzanne Robinson and Kay Whitlock. The table decorations included a large bowl of white tulips complemented by white candles.

The program for the day was about “Water Gardens” presented by Marsh Pronneke who showed slides of various water gardens around town. He stated there were two kinds of fish in the water gardens: Koi ( a type of carp from Japan) and goldfish.

Following the program the club president led the group in the Gardener’s Creed, and the treasurer’s report was given by Suzanne Robinson. It was announced that district dues had been increased by one dollar. March 3 is the pilgrimage to the Wichita Garden show and Linda Sparks is in charge of traveling plans. On March 22 Jayne Jayroe will be the speaker at the Four O’Clock Garden Club and Red Rose members are invited to attend the event.

May 6 is the Plants for Pleasure Sale and May 19- 20 are the Wild Flower show dates. The next meeting of the Red Rose Club will be 1 p.m. March 13 at the home of Allison Graham, 2112 Kyme. Co-hostess will be Mary Looney.

Historical Aromatherapy Current Trend Locally

Shampoo, bath salts, hand lotion, room spray, candles — almost every personal and home product has the word “aromatherapy” on the label. For many, this brings up a number of questions such as “what is aromatherapy?” “What is it supposed to do?” “Is it safe and effective?”

Answering these questions, Gael Hancock will offer an introductory aromatherapy course on Thursday, Feb. 24, at 7 p.m. at Just Yesterday, 324 South 14th Street. The class will include answers to aromatherapy, historical uses, and the creation of bath salts for participants to take home.

“When people leave my class, I want them to feel confident that they can start immediately using aromatherapy in their daily lives,” said Hancock. “From relieving stress to helping soothe a sore throat, aromatherapy is a powerful tool for emotional and physical well-being that can be used by everyone,” according to Hancock.

“We have always had a good response to our introductory aromatherapy classes,” said Kay Whitlock, owner of Just Yesterday. “this is certainly a popular subject right now and our large assortment of aromatherapy supplies are some of our most popular items.”

Aromatherapy is the targeted use of the essential oils found in herbs, flowers, nuts, trees and shrubs. For example, a blend of eucalyptus and peppermint oils mixed in an unscented hand lotion might be used on the temples to help relieve a stress headache. Rose oil on a handkerchief could prove helpful in times of grief. Lavender oil in a tiny bowl of hot water can fill a room with a soothing fragrance, perhaps even helping to calm a group of noisy youngsters.

The use of essential oils dates back thousands of years. Earthenware vessels have been found in Egypt with fragrances still recognizable. Homes dating back to the Renaissance period had “still rooms” where oils were removed from the source plants through the distillation process. Today the use of essential oils is being studied around the world in relation to manufacturing safety and productivity, general well-being in offices, and medicinal possibilities.

Hancock has studied aromatherapy for more than 17 years and is also interested in the medicinal uses of herbs. There is a $5 charge for the class, and participants will receive a handout with exhaustive bibliography, measuring formulas and safety procedures. Registration for the class can be made by calling Just Yesterday, 762-2124.

Carrie Witteman Engaged

An April 1 wedding in the worship center at First Baptist Church is being planned by Carrie Lynn Witteman and Jonathan Aric Prough. The announcement of their engagement has been made by her parents, Glen and Sue Witteman, 220 South Tenth. Prough is the son of Harold A. (Hap) and Jan Prough, 2205 Mary.

The bride-to-be has attended Northern Oklahoma College and Oklahoma State University, and is currently attending Oklahoma City University. She is employed in the office of Academic Affairs at OCU. The prospective bridegroom has attended the University of Oklahoma and is a planner at the Federal Aviation Administration in Oklahoma City.

Lookin’ With Lou

By Louise Abercrombie

Winning One for The ‘Griper’

Today’s column could well be known as “Win One For The Griper,” not to be confused with President Ronald Reagan’s “Win one for the Gipper.”

Doesn’t it gripe you — when folks leave their shopping basket in the middle of a parking place close to the store just to fool you into thinking a parking space is available? And, likewise, if a healthy looking individual, with no handicap sticker on his car, gets out of the auto parked in a handicap reserve parking spot?

Doesn’t it gripe you — when a person, who is gassing up his van, leaves it sitting at the pump afterwards and goes in the station to pay while you and others wait in line for that pump? Not only that, but he stops and chats about “whatever” with the attendant.

The courtesy thing to do is to pull the car out of the way, park and go in and pay rather than blocking everyone else out.

Doesn’t it gripe you — when folk are signaling for a right turn and turn left instead or don’t use their signal lights at all and turn in front of oncoming traffic? Or they sit at a green light until it turns yellow and then step on the gas and shoot across the intersection, leaving a line of honking cars in their wake.

Doesn’t it gripe you — for invited guests to RSVP for an event and not show up? Or they don’t RSVP at all and show up anyway.

Doesn’t it gripe you — when folks gripe about the way government is operating, but don’t vote?

Doesn’t it gripe you — when people boo the referees at a school basketball, baseball or football game, sending a bad message to youth? Or for fans to sit behind the basketball goal and wave their hands or paper and yell during the opponent’s free throw attempt. Where has good sportsmanship gone? Has it been replaced by the win at all costs syndrome?

Doesn’t it gripe you — when your opponent steps on your putting line when you are playing golf? You won’t find true pros doing this on TV.

Doesn’t it gripe you — when parents drink alcohol, smoke cigarettes and curse in front of their children, but tell them not to? Youth learn first at home, and by example, and not by parents saying “do as I say do, not as I do.”

Doesn’t it gripe you — when the teller at the drive-in bank doesn’t know your first name, but inquires as to the whereabouts of your dog Fido?

Doesn’t it gripe you — when you know what you are going to wear tomorrow, but haven’t a clue as to how you are going to dress today?

Doesn’t it gripe you — when you need to eat your Wheaties to have enough strength so you can open the wax paper container inside the cereal box?

Doesn’t it gripe you — when you are trying to play Solitaire and somebody looks over your shoulder and kibitzes about how you should play? For gosh sakes — the game is named Solitaire for a reason.

Doesn’t it gripe you — when someone messes up the crossword puzzle so no one else can work it and then complains your answers aren’t right? Reminds me of a famous baseball coach who was going to show his third baseman how to play the base. After the coach missed the ball, he chewed out the player saying “you’ve got third base so messed up nobody can play it.”

Engagement Is Announced

Mr. and Mrs. Julius Wright of Ponca City announce the approaching marriage of their daughter, Mindy Dawn Olivia Wright, to Scott Joseph Moorad of Houston, Texas. He is the son of Mrs. Janine Moorad of Tulsa, and Dr. and Mrs. Nick Moorad of Tulsa. The couple plans a March 25 wedding at 6 p.m. at the First Presbyterian Church. An open invitation is extended to friends to attend the ceremony.

The bride-to-be is a 1993 graduate of Ponca City High School and received a bachelor of science degree in industrial engineering and management from Oklahoma State University in 1998. She is currently employed as a systems engineer for Compaq Computer Corporation in Houston, Texas.

The future bridegroom is a 1993 graduate of Jenks High School and received a bachelor of science degree in civil and environmental engineering in 1998 from OSU. He is presently employed as a business development manager for Haliburton.

Bits and Pieces

Alpha Chi Omega

Alpha Chi Omega Alumnae will gather for a dessert meeting at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 22, at the home of Fran Mathews, 2711