LOCAL

Nichols Wants State Charges Dismissed
Raise for Downey, Contract Talks for Cox Placed on Hold
Conoco Takes Blame For Blanket of Ash
District Court
Ponca Playhouse Next Production, A Few Good Men, to Open Soon
Fire in Hay Bales at Country General
Absentee Ballot Application Due Prior to March 8
Horsefeathers, Applesauce Auditions Set
Letter - Former PTC Employee Has No Complaints
Letter - Thanks to Fred Haub for Years of Service

Nichols Wants State Charges Dismissed

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Oklahoma prosecutors say they have the right to try Terry Nichols on state murder charges although the Oklahoma City bombing conspirator has already been convicted on federal charges.

The prosecutors urged a judge Wednesday to reject a request to dismiss the charges against Nichols, 44, who faces 160 counts of first-degree murder for the April 19, 1995, bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building.

In a motion filed last week, Nichols claimed it is unconstitutional to try him in Oklahoma because it would violate his double jeopardy guarantee against being tried twice for the same crime.

Nichols also argued that the double jeopardy clause bars Oklahoma County District Attorney Bob Macy from seeking the death penalty. A co-conspirator in the bombing, Timothy McVeigh, was convicted of murder at a federal trial and sentenced to death.

Attorney Brian Hermanson of Ponca City represents Nichols.

Assistant District Attorney Sandra Howell-Elliott argued in her response that federal constitutional and statutory law does not bar the state from prosecuting Nichols.

‘‘The United States Supreme Court has adopted the independent sovereigns doctrine and finds no jeopardy attaches for prosecutions of a defendant in state and federal courts for the same offense,’’ Howell-Elliott’s four-page response says.

In addition, a federal appellate court has ruled that ‘‘an act denounced as a crime by both national and state sovereignties is an offense against the peace and dignity of both and may be punished by each,’’ according to the response.

Nichols was found guilty in a federal trial in Denver of eight counts of involuntary manslaughter for the deaths of eight federal law enforcement officers in the bombing and one count of conspiracy to use a weapon of mass destruction. He was sentenced to life in prison.

In Oklahoma, Nichols is accused of the deaths of bombing victims who were not part of his federal trial. The bombing killed 168 people and injured hundreds more.

Raise for Downey, Contract Talks for Cox Placed on Hold

Buck Named New President

By KRISTI HAYES

News Education Editor

It was a busy night Wednesday for the Pioneer Technology Center Board of Education, but its most subsequent move may have been taking no action at all.

The board appointed Larry Buck as its new president, swore in new member Robert Howard and — in its most controversial move — took no action on renewing the contract of assistant superintendent Dr. Janet Cox or the salary increase for superintendent Dr. Sally Downey.

Buck, who replaced Mary Rigdon as the board president, did not share information about the board’s non-decisions.

“The board chose to take no action on the two issues and [they] will be dealt with in the next few weeks. I can’t share anything further than that,” he said.

Cox was upset with the board’s decision and said it placed her in a difficult position.

“One of my main responsibilities is to hold our staff and school accountable to the taxpayers. I feel the majority of the staff supports me, and I hope the board will get an explanation from me and not listen to accusations,” Cox said.

The assistant superintendent was referring to an anonymous letter drafted by PTC employees that expressed no confidence in either her or Downey. The letter’s existence was reported by The Ponca City News on Jan. 11, 2000.

Despite the lack of action on her contract, Cox said she would not cut back on her responsibilities.. “I won’t slack off. I’ll keep working and moving organizations forward,” she said.

At its next meeting following its receiving the letter, the board reaffirmed confidence in Downey and offered her a three-year contract extension. In previous years, salary increases were also discussed at the same time.

Downey felt the board was upset with her. Board member Larry Cannon wanted her salary discussed at the meeting.

“I have a three-year contract. The board usually discusses my salary in January, but with all that was going on with the school — they decided not to,” she said.

Downey was also upset with the board’s decision not to renew Cox’ contract at the present time. “Janet has done so much for this school,” she said.

Both Cox and Downey were hired for their current positions in 1996 after then superintendent Velta Reed-Johnston accepted a position with another vo-tech center.

The anonymous letter prompted board members to implement new policies dealing with staff concerns and high exit numbers at its regular board meting two weeks ago.

The newly adopted board policies were sent to the Oklahoma State School Boards Association for approval. PTC board attorney Gary Bracken said last night the corrected policies were received and would be effective immediately.

With over 30 administrators and instructors attending the special meeting, new board member Howard quickly showed his intolerance with the existing conditions at PTC.

Occasionally raising his voice, Howard said he didn’t like what the board approved for the Exit Interview Committee.

The Exit Interview Committee can be utilized to meet with salaried employees who leave the school. The Committee will consist of two board members and one administrative team member.

“I don’t think a member of the administrative team should be involved. I propose a policy that an employee can object if someone from the administrative team attends the interview,” Howard said.

After further discussion, some board members agreed with Howard. His proposed policy will be voted on at the March 14 board meeting.

Named to the other committees were Rigdon and Cannon, Complaint Policy Committee; and Howard and Buck, Exit Interview Committee.

The members will serve one-year terms on the committees.

In other action, board members discussed utilizing clinical therapist Jan Mattheson for team building, assertiveness training and communication skills workshops. She would serve as a facilitator between the administrators and instructors.

Mattheson was unable to attend the meeting. Board members opted to take no action on the agenda item until details could be discussed with her.

Conoco Takes Blame For Blanket of Ash

Conoco accepted the blame for a blanket of black ash that covered portions of Ponca City Thursday morning.

The Conoco refinery had an “upset” in the early morning hours of the No. 5 Cat Cracker in the South Plant, according to plant officials.

Refinery manager Nick Spencer said, “The unit lost the air blower which supplies combustion air to the catalyst regenerator and, as a result, created a larger than normal safety flare and some smoke and some ash around the South Plant.”

In an early morning news release, the company stated workers at the refinery expected conditions to be back to normal by noon today.

Spencer said that “any of our neighbors, who have concerns or have been impacted by this event, are asked to call Conoco security at 767-5866.”

District Court

Newkirk

Marriage Licenses

Michael Ernest Bushman, 41, and Diana Lynn Gardner, 30, both of Wichita.

Tzinzio Fidel Reyes-Ramirez, 22, and Lisa Dawn Powell, 20, both of Wichita.

Ponca City

Divorces Sought

Larry D. Spry vs. Linda D. Spry.

Tania Sueann LeValley vs. Frankie Judd LeValley.

Michelle Lynn Daugherty vs. Brian Keith Daugherty.

Carl Dwayne Brock vs. Barbara Louise Brock.

Susan Dianne Ingram vs. James Bernard Ingram.

Robert Timothy Staggs vs. Teresa Ann Staggs.

Faren Kay Veach vs. Garvin Ray Veach.

Ponca Playhouse Next Production, A Few Good Men, to Open Soon

The Ponca Playhouse production of A Few Good Men, by Aaron Sorkin opens March 3 at the Poncan Theatre. Directed by JoAnn Muchmore, this story of murder, intrigue, government cover-up, court martial, and honor could very well be pulled from the headlines of today.

The story concerns two teenage Marines, Lance Cpl. Dawson (Brandon Heppler) and Pfc. Downey (Chase Kelly), assigned to Guantanamo Naval Base, Cuba in 1986. They stand accused of murdering Pfc. Santiago (Adam Lake), a fellow Marine who is considered a blight on his unit.

At first it seems there will be a cut and dried court martial. The young men are represented by Lt. J.G. Kaffee (Louis Kindler), a bored attorney biding his time until his release from the service. He is assisted by Lt. J.G. Weinberg (Shane Green). The situation changes when Capt. Whitaker (Brandon Gurley) is confronted by Lt. Cmdr. Galloway (Gina Laramy) a go-getter attorney who feels justice is not being served.

As the story progresses we see the cover-up unfold on many levels from Capt. Markinson (Ivery Allen) to Lt. Kendrick (Chris Williams). Even the doctor Cmdr. Stone (Ron Hernandez) is not as he seems.

The trial begins and we meet the Sergeant at Arms (Jeremy Jones); the Judge Capt. Randolph (John Raley); MP’s Cpl. Dunn (Michael Deken), Cpl. Thomas (Brock Campbell) and Cpt. Hammaker (Jose Cervantes). Counsel for the prosecution is Lt. Ross (Michael Harrison) who begins by questioning Cpl. Howard (Tim Varner) who is unprepared for Kaffee’s quick response to his seeming protection of Pfc. Santiago.

The conspiracy grows and the question arises as to what Lt. Col. Jessep (Pete Shields) actually knows about the murder, and who really holds the final responsibility for the young man’s death.

Production staff for A Few Good Men includes producers Cheryl Mauk and Carol Harris; stage manger Don Bishop; assistant stage manager Larri Ann Halbrook; light design Dave Guinn; lightboard operator and light design trainee Stephanie Williams; sound technician Stan Hinshaw; sound design David Dillinger Jefferis; and soundboard operator Ryan Green.

Other production staff members include; set designers Tom Cowley and Pete Shields; set construction crew Christina Rich-Splawn assisted by Dave Hart, Jimmy Mauk, Zachary Mauk, Rafael Mendoza, Jim Kelly, Mike Mott, Jim Halbrook and George Dickinson; set dressers Ruslyn Hermanson and Suzanne Zanardi; properties Diane Malone and Loretta Wilson; costumes Cheryl Mauk and Nancy Hicks-Taylor; backstage assistant Michelle Roberts; publicity Linda Cowley; program/photographer Marsha Shields and photographers Nadine and Gary Owen; Curtain Call newsletter Cheryl Mauk; video memory Sonny Sage; and t-shirt coordinator Annette Hunt.

Corporate sponsors for A Few God Men are Pemberton’s Chevrolet, J.H. Kelly’s Construction/Fabrication and the Oklahoma Arts Council.

Performance dates are March 3, 4, 5, 10, and 11. All performances begin at 8 p.m. except the Sunday matinee which begins at 2 p.m. Tickets are available at the Playhouse box office located at 105 East Grand. Office hours are Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and one hour prior to show time at the Poncan Theatre box office (765-5360). The box office opens to Playhouse members on Feb. 21 and to the public on Feb. 28.

Fire in Hay Bales at Country General

Firefighters removed burning hay bales from a shelter area at Country General Wednesday afternoon. The fire started outside the store and was contained to the parking area. No damage was reported inside the store but the galvanized structure the hay was stored in was damaged. No one was injured in the fire. The fire that destroyed 17 bales of straw was termed suspicious.

Absentee Ballot Application Due Prior to March 8

NEWKIRK — Voters in Kay County who want to have absentee ballots mailed to them for the Presidential Preferential and Ponca City Municipal for Commissioner No. 2, should apply now, County Election Board Secretary Carol Stafford said today.

Applications for absentee ballots must be in the hands of the County Election Board no later than 5 p.m. on Wednesday, March 8, 2000, in order to be processed.

Any registered voter eligible to vote in the election may vote by absentee ballot without stating a reason, Stafford said. Absentee voters may apply in person at the County Election Board office as well as by mail, and fax. Kay County Election Board Fax number is 580-362-1100.

Voters also may apply for absentee ballots for the following reasons:

•Registered voters who are physically incapacitated and voters who care for physically incapacitated persons who cannot be left unattended may apply for absentee ballots only by mail or by telegraphs.

•Registered voters who are confined to nursing homes in the county may apply only by mail or by telegraph.

•Military personnel, residents of Kay County living overseas and their spouses and dependents of each group are entitled to vote without being registered. They may apply only by mail.

For more information on absentee voting, contact the County Election Board at the Courthouse in Newkirk. The telephone number is 580-362-2130.

Horsefeathers, Applesauce Auditions Set

WINFIELD, Kan. — Home auditions for the 2000 Southwestern College Horsefeathers and Applesauce Summer Dinner Theatre company will take place Saturday and Sunday, March 4 and 5, in Southwestern’s Darbeth Fine Arts Center. Audition time slots are available both days from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Horsefeathers’ season 2000 slate of shows includes All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten June 2, 3 and 8, 9 and 10; Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, June 15 through 18 and 22 through 25; The Man Who Came to Dinner, June 29 through July 2 and July 6 through 9; and Sweeney Todd, July 13 through 16 and 20 through 23.

Individuals selected as company members will audition for specific roles at a later date.

Actors interested in auditioning for the company should bring either two monologues and 16 bars of a song or one monologue and one song, a resume, and a head shot or other photo.

Interviews for the 2000 Horsefeathers and Applesauce technical crew will also take place during this time. Interviewees should bring a portfolio, resume, and photo.

To reserve a time slot for an audition or crew interview, call the box office at (316) 221-7720, or Southwestern’s performing arts office at (316) 221-8272.

Letter - Former PTC Employee Has No Complaints

Over the past two months there has been a barrage of negative publicity regarding Pioneer Technology Center. As a project coordinator and employee of this institution I feel it is important and past due, for an unbiased and neutral opinion surrounding the current administration. I am not and have not been involved in the controversy at Pioneer Technology Center and my purpose in writing this letter is merely to present a different point of view on the issue.

During my two and a half years of employment at PTC I have had no complaints. I feel that this administration’s sole motivation has been the enhancement of education. One should not think that PTC is the only workplace where problems exist for in reality problems do exist in almost all workplaces. We shouldn’t lose sight of the positive changes that have been made here at Pioneer Technology Center.

Regardless of the outcome, I feel the longer this controversy lingers the more damage it will cause. It is time that this issue be resolved and the parties unite for the common goal of providing quality education at a quality institution — the way it is, the way it has been, and the way it should be!

Ann Kinsinger

Letter - Thanks to Fred Haub for Years of Service

If future policies of the Pioneer Technical Center are to be determined in response to anonymous letters, we must gird our loins for perpetual conflict.

Opponents of Fred Haub have criticized him for being unresponsive to unsigned complaints from nameless persons. No prudent leader of any organization should automatically pursue anonymous reports, no matter how sincere or meaningful.

As an example, why does the Ponca City News and other publications summarily reject all unsigned letters? Without this policy our entire system of intellectual decision-making would be rendered worthless. (We surely could have fun though, couldn’t we?)

Regarding Fred Haub, anyone who knows him or has worked with him is convinced of his integrity. He would never fail to respond to any valid problem, within his authority, concerning the Pioneer Technical Center.

Considering Fred’s innate common sense, compassion, professional expertise, and enthusiastic contributions to the growth and excellence of PTC, any deliberate lack of concern by him is inconceivable.

Hopefully, no other PTC board member will ever be criticized for relying on known informants rather than anonymous letters.

To Fred Haub, thank you from all of us for nine years of exceptional community contributions.

Bill Thomas

DEATHS

Francis Kysar Good
Verna Marjorie Watson
John M. Crawford

Francis Kysar Good

WAYNOKA — Francis Kysar Good, resident of Waynoka and mother of Flo O’Connor, died Tuesday, Feb. 22, 2000, in Eufaula. She was 93.

A graveside service will be held 2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 26, 2000 at the Waynoka Cemetery with the Revs. John Brint and David Shaw officiating. Burial will be in the Waynoka Cemetery under the direction of the Marshall Funeral Home in Waynoka.

Francis Kysar Good was born Sept. 24, 1906, in Palmyra, Mo., the daughter of Floyd and May Tibs Kysar. She married Douglas Marion Good on May 27, 1928, in the First Christian Church in Quinlan. They lived on a farm that he homesteaded two miles north of Belva, Okla. She was a lifelong member of the First Christian Church.

Survivors include two daughters, Flo O’Connor of Ponca City and Mabel Clothier of Eufaula; two sons, Floyd Good and Darrell Good, both of Shawnee Mission, Kan.; eight grandchildren; 13 great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandchild.

She was preceded in death by her husband; her parents; four brothers, Lloyd Kysar, Derr Kysar, Sam Kysar and Charles Kysar; and one sister, Martha Mattison.

Memorial contributions may be made in her name to the Alzheimer’s Research, 6465 South Yale, Suite 318, Tulsa, Okla. 74136.

Obituaries

Verna Marjorie Watson

Verna Marjorie Watson, Newkirk resident, died Tuesday, Feb. 22, 2000, at Blackwell Regional Hospital in Blackwell, Okla. She was 76.

The funeral will be held at 10:30 a.m. Friday, Feb. 25, 2000, at the First Baptist Church in Newkirk with the Rev. Jerry Graber, pastor of First Baptist Church in Kildare, officiating. Burial will follow in the Hope Cemetery in Arkansas City under the direction of the Trout Funeral Home.

Verna was born May 24, 1923, in Mervine, Okla., to James David and Margaret M. (Hudson) VanPool. She attended schools at Stoney Point, Newkirk, and graduated from Crocket High School in Crocket, Texas. She served her country during World War II in the United States Navy.

On Dec. 21, 1945, she married Bill Lee Watson at Olathe, Kan. Mrs. Watson was a retired nurse and homemaker. She was a member of the First Baptist Church of Newkirk, past member of the American Legion, VFW Auxiliary, and Order of the Eastern Star of Bossier City, La. She loved music and enjoyed oil painting.

Survivors include her husband, Bill of Newkirk; three daughters, Beena Kaye Preddy and husband, Mark, of Shreveport, La., Victoria Marie Colvin and husband, Roy, of Benton La., Sharron Leigh Christ and husband, Bobby, of Haughton, La.; one son, Michael James Watson and his wife, Misty, of Lakeland, Fla.; ten grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents, six brothers, and two sisters.

Casket bearers will include Carl Bain, Don Andrews, Bobby Christ, Mark Preddy, Bryan Colvin, Mark Preddy Jr., Roy Colvin and Derrick Schafer.

paid obituary

Services Pending

John M. Crawford

John M. Crawford, 121 Whitworth Ave., died Thursday, Feb. 24, 2000, at Westminster Village. He was 89. Survivors will include his wife, Latane, of the home. Services are pending with the Trout Funeral Home.

NEWS BRIEFS

Card Shower — Virginia Eitzmann of Newkirk will observe her 80th birthday Feb. 29. A card shower is being held in her honor, and correspondence may be mailed to her at 3751 East Gate road, Newkirk, OK 74647.

Two Minute tan. Fake bake self tanning formula. We demo! Carla’s Hallmark, 4th and Grand,

downtown. adv.

Baked Potatoes and Fixings — McCord 4-H Baked Potato Fund Raiser will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday at McCord School. A baked potato and all the fixings will be offered for only $3.

Dougan's Bar-B-Q Friday special from 4-8 p.m., all you can eat ribs with beans, potato salad and coleslaw, $7.49. 215 South 14th, 765-7979. adv.

Main Street Open House — Ponca City Main Street Authority will have an open house/reception Tuesday at 10 a.m. The event will be held at the new office location, 307 1/2 East Grand Avenue. For more information, contact Michele Jean at 763-8082.

Head Country all day Friday special­ All you can eat, smoked BBQ ribs, beans, potato salad,

and coleslaw, only $7.49, all day. 1217 East Prospect. 767-8304. adv.

Braman Livestock Show — Braman will hold its local 4-H and FFA livestock show Friday and Saturday. The livestock judging contest for youth will be Friday afternoon and the livestock show will begin Saturday morning at 10 a.m. The Braman Livestock Boosters will be serving concessions. Polish sausages, hot dogs, nachos and drinks will be available. A breakfast special Saturday morning will feature sausage biscuits and donuts. Please attend and support our 4-H and FFA youth.

Pauline Steak and shrimp dinner $11.95 Friday the 25th. For reservations call 765-5460. adv.

Trailer Stolen — A man from the 3200 block of North Fourteenth Street reported to the Ponca City Police Department at 10:48 a.m. Wednesday that a utility trailer had been stolen. An officer was assigned and a grand larceny report was taken, however the trailer was located later and returned to the owner.

Assault — A woman from the 100 block of Parkview reported to the Ponca City Police Department at 10:56 a.m. Wednesday that an assault had occurred at the Lincoln Alternative Center. An officer was assigned and information was logged.

25% Off Sale on all discontinued angels! Garden Candle fragrances. Come see our gift ideas

at www.TheKloset.com or call 765-5660. Free delivery in Ponca City area. adv.

Gas Line Damaged — A man at Braden School east of Ponca City reported to the Communications Center at 12:18 p.m. Wednesday that an Osage County mower had hit a gas meter and gas was leaking. Oklahoma Natural Gas and the McCord Volunteer Fire Department responded to the scene, but noted the line was not one of ONG. It was logged that there would be a flare at U.S. 60 and Indian Hills Road for awhile.

If The girl who helped me find my dogs by the Cornerstone Restaurant February 12th will call

me at 1-580-628-2767. I will give you a reward. adv.

Hay on Fire — An employee at a business firm in the 3000 block of North Fourteenth Street reported to the Communications Center at 4:36 p.m. Wednesday that some hay was on fire west of the building. Units from two Ponca City Fire Department stations responded and handled the situation.

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.

Accident — A two-vehicle accident in the 2100 block of North Fourteenth Street was reported to the Ponca City Police Department at 4:47 p.m. Wednesday. An officer was assigned and a report was taken.

Juvenile Injured — A woman reported to the Ponca City Police Department from the intersection of East Albany Avenue and North Second Street at 5:05 p.m. Wednesday that a juvenile on a bicycle had been hit by a vehicle. Two officers were assigned and a rescue unit and ambulance from the Ponca City Fire Department responded. The juvenile was taken to the emergency room for treatment and a report was taken.

Threats — A man from the 700 block of North Fifth Street reported to the Ponca City Police department at 5:33 p.m. Wednesday that subjects had harassed his wife. An officer was assigned and a report was taken.

Call Doug at Wright Masonry Service for all of your brick repair needs. 765-1901. adv.

Subject Held — An officer of the Ponca City Police Department reported at 5:56 p.m. Wednesday that a 24-year-old man was being held on a city warrant for failure to pay.

Shop With us until 7 p.m. on Thursdays! Mrs. Brown Attic. Ponca Plaza. adv.

Reckless Driver — A woman from the 300 block of South Oak Street reported to the Ponca City Police Department at 6:06 p.m. Wednesday that someone in a blue van was driving recklessly and hit her dog, killing it. An officer was assigned and information was logged.

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

Subjects Held — Three officers of the Ponca City Police Department reported from the 900 block of South Fourth Street at 6:11 p.m. Wednesday that a 23-year-old woman was being held on a Kay County warrant and a Cleveland County warrant, and a 28-year-old man was being held for driving under suspension, possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, transporting an open container and defective equipment.

Subject Held — An officer of the Ponca City Police Department reported from the intersection of North Ash Street and West Broadway Avenue at 6:51 p.m. Wednesday that a 36-year-old man was being held for DUI, driving under revocation, no insurance and driving left of center. A vehicle was towed from the scene.

Subjects Held — An officer of the Ponca City Police department reported at 8:28 p.m. Wednesday that a 46-year-old woman was being held on two city warrants and a 29-year-old woman was being held on two city warrants.

Subject Held — An officer of the Ponca City Police Department reported from the intersection of Elmwood Avenue and East Highland Avenue at 10:37 p.m. Wednesday that a 19-year-old man was being held for having no driver’s license.

Requests Assistance — An officer of the Ponca City Police Department requested assistance at a residence in the 2000 block of Cedar Street at 10:38 p.m. Wednesday concerning a subject inside the residence. The officer took into custody, a 30-year-old man for contempt of court.

Suspicious Activity — A man from the 1200 block of South Fifth Street reported to the Ponca City Police Department at 11:57 p.m. Wednesday that an intoxicated man with two trash bags woke the family and threatened to burn the house down, wanting money. An officer was assigned and an extra patrol was requested.

Subjects Held — An officer of the Ponca City Police Department reported from the intersection of North Fifth Street and Roosevelt Avenue at 12:26 a.m. Thursday that a 39-year-old man was being held for DUI, speeding and driving under suspension. A 38-year-old man was held for public intoxication.

Burglary — A man from the 300 block of South Eighth Street reported to the Ponca City Police Department at 1:48 a.m. Thursday that someone had taken medications from his vehicle. An officer was assigned and a grand larceny report was taken.

Suspicious Activity — An officer from the Ponca City Police Department reported from the 1400 block of West Grand Avenue at 2:05 a.m. Thursday that the gates to the softball field had been left open, a storage shed had been left unlocked, and a window of the ticket booth had been vandalized with a rock thrown through it. The information was logged that no entry could be gained to the ticket booth.

GARDENING

Master Gardeners Organize, Meet With City Officials
Veggies With a Novel Spin
Diggin’ in the Dirt

Master Gardeners Organize, Meet With City Officials

By KATHY ZEHR

News Staff Writer

Area citizens who recently completed the Master Gardener’s training program presented by Kay and Noble County OSU Extension offices met Feb. 15 to establish a Master Gardener organization for the area. F.G. Williams and Kenneth Cookson, who had completed the state’s first Master Gardner program presented in Garfield County in 1991, also joined the group.

Widner is Chairman

Helen Widner, Ponca City, was elected chairman, and Connie Brashears, Blackwell, vice chairman for the new group. Judy Burch and Kathy Zehr will co-serve as recording secretaries. Special guests attending the meeting were Stan Kistler; Jim Eck, with Ponca City Parks and Recreation department; and Ben Chaney, representing the Waste Disposal department.

Kistler encouraged the group to promote further Master Gardener classes to enroll new members in the program and to present various education programs. He said, “I am excited about the Master Gardener Program. It fills a great gap in Ponca City, bringing together the knowledge of the Master Gardeners and the citizens who seek answers to horticulture problems and techniques.” He discussed the problem of trees and shrubs, not compatible to this climate, being sold at local retail stores each spring. “A lot of money and time is wasted by Ponca City growers when they select the incompatibles shipped in from other areas,” said Kistler. He concluded, “The best way to handle the situation is to educate the public through information presented by knowledgeable growers like the Master Gardeners.”

Tree Board

Eck told the group that Ponca City, as well as the rest of the world, is losing trees at an alarming rate, and federal and state governments are encouraging cities to establish a “tree board.” Eck continued, “We have pulled up to 300 trees per year out of our parks due to vandalism and disease and are replacing those trees with more compatible and disease resistant species.” The city is also involved in constructing a series of walking trails and will need trees in many of those areas. He suggested the city could use citizens in the Master Gardener program to help manage the tree resources.

Eck commended Ponca City citizens for their love of trees and said the city would not have the environment it enjoys today if citizens had not planted beautiful and useful trees around their homes during the last hundred years. He also talked about the new OSU Proven program which annually lists proven species compatible with north central Oklahoma. Chaney said he would like to work with Master Gardeners to help educate citizens about waste and recycling projects and suggested they plan an Earth Day project. He also reminded the group that free leaf mulch is available at the city’s water processing plant on east Central Street.

Projects

Guests and members discussed numerous other projects for the group to serve area communities as a part of the Master Gardener program, including landscaping at the Marland Estate; assisting with work in gardens at Cann Garden Center; Arbor Day tree planting; educating the public about conservation and safety measures with herbicides and pesticides; assisting the Ponca City garden clubs with the upcoming visitation from the Kabbage group from Kansas; Newkirk and Blackwell horticulture projects and others.

Prior to the meeting, Williams demonstrated some unique gardening equipment available to aid the home vegetable grower. He also provided information for hard-to-find seeds and discussed inexpensive drip irrigation and combining orders for seeds.

Veggies With a Novel Spin

By GEORGE BRIA

POUND RIDGE, N.Y. (AP) — Every now and then breeders create vegetables with a novel spin that tickles the palate and adds imaginative vistas to our gardening of the future. Right now, broccolini, a cross between broccoli and a Chinese kale, is having a run in the supermarket.

A few years ago, a maroon carrot made its debut in Texas. And biotechnology is doing plant wonders, like a just-announced lettuce with greatly enhanced Vitamin C, thanks to a rat’s gene. To current inventiveness, add very old, but relatively unknown edible roots and tubers that have won international scientific attention in remote places like native villages high in the Andes.

At least a few of these unusual vegetables will someday see our home gardens. How many make it depends on climate adaptability, seed availability and other factors. The Vitamin C lettuce, for example, needs much regulatory screening before it can even be tasted. But with gene experimentation, controversial as it may be, the promise is out there for startling creations that would revolutionize farms and gardens.

Biotechnology allows breeders to swap genes between unrelated species, a huge step beyond conventional cross-breeding that limits hybridization to plants from the same families. But opponents of genetically engineered plants worry about possible side effects. Broccolini is not a genetically engineered plant, but a cross between two members of the same family, broccoli and kale. The resulting plants resemble broccoli florets, but with long stems like asparagus. At the supermarket in my village, broccolini sells out quickly. I bought some and steamed them. The taste was close to broccoli, but the texture was smoother, more delicate.

Broccolini, which means baby broccoli, was developed by Sakata Seed America Inc., a California breeder, which took eight years to finalize the cross. A company spokesman said seeds will not be available for home gardens before 2001 at the earliest because they’re in short supply. They go to a couple of commercial growers who market the vegetable nationwide.

Three slightly maroon carrots appearing unexpectedly in his experimental pots in 1989 prompted a Texas horticulturist to enhance the red color. Leonard Pike, director of Texas A&M’s Vegetable Improvement Center, at first did it as an entertaining novelty because the schools colors are maroon and white.

In time he found the new carrot was sweeter and boasted unusually high content of nutritious beta carotene. It went on to Texas produce shelves with the name BetaSweet in 1998, but seeds are not yet available for gardeners.

Genetically engineered, the Vitamin C lettuce is the creation of two other Texas A&M scientists, Craig Nessler and Ashok Jaim. Their work is reported in the February 2000 issue of the journal Molecular Breeding. I got a view of the esoteric Andean root crops in a phone talk with Hector E. Flores, a Penn State biology professor on leave with the National Science Foundation in Washington. For five years Flores has been participating in a project funded by the McKnight Foundation of Minneapolis to raise the economic level of natives who have been growing these vegetables for thousands of years as subsistence crops high in the mountains of Peru and Bolivia. The idea is to market them and also to process some of them, say as chips.

A tuber called oca, which looks like an elongated sweet potato, has already made it to New Zealand, where it is sold as New Zealand yam, Flores said. It is high in Vitamins A and C and in starch and comes in many colors. Another, a radish called maca, grows at 14,000 feet, the highest altitude crop in the world, Flores said. Spicy like a radish, it dries naturally and people can keep it for food a long time. Some of these crops may be grown at lower altitudes.

Diggin’ in the Dirt

By Kathy Zehr

If you haven’t pruned your trees and bushes yet, we have some tips today to help take some guesswork out of it and put you up with the professionals — well maybe not! We have recently heard several heated comments from experienced growers who are upset by area “professional pruners” who are leaving the results of some u—u—ugly pruning fiasco’s in area trees.

Several purposes are accomplished with the pruning process. It rids a plant of dead wood or broken branches and reduces excessive growth, which usually causes the plant to be too big for its space. Thinning also renews the plant’s vigor and can keep a plant shapely and attractive in its surroundings. If pruning is accomplished each year beginning from the time it is planted, the annual process is a lot less labor intensive and keeps plants looking beautiful, and flowering and fruiting at their best.

A Word of Caution

A word of caution here, however — if your tree or bush has not been pruned regularly, it is best to remove some wood each year, rather than make occasional vigorous cuts. Extreme pruning often causes excessive and sometimes ugly growth of wood (like we have seen in many trees around Ponca City lately). That excess growth then requires more work at the next pruning. Usually, February and early March is a great time to prune most trees, shrubs, berry bushes and woody vines.

Don’t prune spring blooming shrubs until right after they bloom. Basic pruning guide books (with illustrations) are available at the Ponca City library and free detailed brochures for growers who want more information are available through the Kay County Extension office at 580—362—3194.

Good Tools Important

To begin pruning, it is necessary to have good heavy-duty tools to do the job right. Cheap bargain tools fall apart on the job and, for a few dollars more, you get tools that stand up to the job and last year after year. Basic needs include hand-held pruners (be sure to get a pair that fits your hand), a long-handled pair of loppers and a curved pruning saw. High branches require a pole pruner. Some nurseries may have these to rent. To begin, prune out all dead wood, broken branches and branches that cross each other or rub against others.

Make the Correct Cuts

Large limbs to be removed from the main trunk should be cut correctly by locating a ridge of bark at the base of the branch called a “collar.” The cut should be made just above this collar, usually at a slight angle. Leaving the collar undamaged promotes healing of the pruning wound. Tree dressings or pruning paint are not necessary. When cutting smaller branches, always cut them back to another branch or the trunk. Never leave a stub. Suckers and odd growths at the base should also be removed.

If you have new trees, most brochures advise starting real pruning and shaping when the tree is about two-years-old. To keep the tree strong, close attention should be paid to the angle where the branches join the main trunk to prevent stress in high winds. Some trees have a central trunk (apple and pear) and others are pruned to grow in a scaffolding manner. Call the extension office for free detailed brochures about shaping and pruning different types of trees and bushes to their best advantage.

Bushes and Vines

Small fruit bushes and vines primarily require pruning to keep the fruit accessible and to increase production. Upright blackberries should be pruned by first removing all dead canes which may harbor insects and diseases. Thin the weaker canes to leave a spacing of 5 to 6 canes per foot or less at ground level. Before growth starts in the spring, trim the side branches back to about 14 inches and get the sugar and cream ready for an abundant crop. If you have the trailing blackberry growing in your yard, the meandering canes should be controlled by tying them to wires running along the row about 3—5 feet above ground. Prune away any lateral shoots or weak canes.

Raspberries

Red Raspberries are treated differently and should not be cut back, but trained along wires running along the row about 3-5 feet above ground. A few varieties may produce more fruit if a small portion of the cane is removed during the winter months, but only in special varieties. If you do not know what you have, leave them uncut. Detailed information for growing and pruning small fruits may be acquired through the extension office. After berries are harvested, prune off all old canes that have completed fruiting and allow only new growth to grow along the row at ground level. Canes only bear fruit once, and the new growth will provide fruit for the next season. More on pruning ornamental shrubs, grapes and other bushes next week.

SPORTS

Hot Finish Not Helpful To Lady Cats
Sooners Win Easily — Finally
JV Girls End On High Note

Hot Finish Not Helpful To Lady Cats

By FRED HILTON

News Sports Editor

What a difference two weeks makes for the Lady Wildcat basketball team.

What a difference it would make if the Oklahoma Secondary Schools Activities Association was seeding regional teams this past week instead of two weeks ago.

“We wouldn’t be playing Jenks in the first round,” asserted Lady Wildcat coach Dana Pulley.

But the Po-Hi girls will be playing the No. 4 ranked, 20-2 Lady Trojans tonight at 8 in the “win-or-stay-at-home” first round of the Class 6A regional tournament at Jenks. That’s the second game of the regional doubleheader. The 6:30 game pits Broken Arrow against Sand Springs.

The winners play Saturday with the losers packing in their equipment.

When the records were sent into the OSSAA two weeks ago for seedings, the Lady Wildcats had four wins. They now have seven (with 15 losses). The Ponca Citians have won three straight and five of the past seven games.

That record would have greatly improved their seeding in the regional, according to Pulley.

“We would probably be playing the sixth or seventh seed, with a good chance of winning the way we’re playing now,” the coach said.

Instead the Lady Cats will be playing second-seeded Jenks for the fourth time this season. In addition to the home-and-home Frontier Conference games, the Lady Cats and Lady Trojans also clashed in the first round of the Jenks Tournament. Jenks has won all three games by an average of over 40 points.

But Pulley isn’t counting her team out despite the fact the game is being played on the Jenks home court.

“This will be the fifth time we’ve played on that floor,” Pulley notes. “We played three games there in the tournament and once during the regular season. The last time we played there was against Bixby (in the Jenks Tournament) and we played petty well. We scored 62 points. It’s almost like a home court for us.”

But Pulley admits it will take almost a perfect game by the Lady Cats to win tonight.

“We’ll have to shoot real well and cut way down on or turnovers. — and hope Jenks has an off night.”

It is entirely possible for the Lady Cats to do the first two things.

In the past four games, the Lady Cats have turned the ball over an average of eight times a game, according to statistics compiled by WBBZ statistician Craig Vannest. Prior to that, the Poncans were averaging 21.3 turnovers per outing.

Their shooting percentage has gone up sharply in that same time period. After shooting in the teens and low 20s for much of the season, the Lady Cats are hitting 32 percent of their shots now.

The starters’ average has gone from 34 percent to 43 percent.

And the Ladies can do it from all over the floor. Guard Jena Birdsong is currently downing 35 percent of her 3-point shots.

Sooners Win Easily — Finally

By OWEN CANFIELD

AP Sports Writer

NORMAN (AP) — Oklahoma pushed the ball up the floor, shot it well and won easily — finally.

The 20th-ranked Sooners have struggled in recent weeks, shooting below 40 percent in three of their past four games while having to try to grind out victories. They had lost two of three, both by three points.

That changed Wednesday night in a 93-65 victory over Texas Tech. Freshman Hollis Price scored a career-high 20, Eduardo Najera had 19 and the Sooners shot 56 percent.

‘‘I think the most important thing is that we had fun tonight,’’ said Najera, who got some needed rest by playing just 23 minutes. ‘‘Our game plan was to get ahead in the first half by running the floor and being aggressive, and that’s what we did.’’

Oklahoma (21-5, 9-4 Big 12) led by 20 at halftime and the Red Raiders got no closer than 18 the rest of the way. Tech (11-13, 2-11) was coming off its first conference road victory of the year, but got knocked out early.

‘‘This was a good recipe for us, not having a stressful game,’’ coach Kelvin Sampson said. ‘‘Our only two losses recently have been by one basket, three points. Sometimes young kids don’t take losing well, and I like that. I like the fact we didn’t like losing.

‘‘I also like fact we came out and played a team that had won two of their last three and won by almost 30. That’s a confidence builder.’’

Najera had scored 8 and 10 points on 6-of-26 shooting in the past two games, but was 8-of-12 from the field Wednesday. He made five of his six shots in the second half when he scored 13.

Sampson said Najera benefited from the contributions of Price and Nolan Johnson, who continued his solid play of late with 14 points and 10 rebounds. All of Johnson’s points came in the first half when the Sooners took control.

‘‘With these guys scoring and attacking, we don’t have to throw the ball to him (Najera) and allow teams to go double him and triple him and make the game difficult for him,’’ Sampson said. ‘‘Them being aggressive makes our team better.’’

The Red Raiders lost their fifth straight to Oklahoma. They were held to 38 percent shooting and has just eight assists.

‘‘They whipped us bad,’’ coach James Dickey said. ‘‘I thought they were sharper, quicker. They got the loose balls a lot better than we did.

‘‘I thought we were flat, lethargic, not ready to play. They were just the opposite.’’

Tech led twice in the early going, the final time 8-6 after a Rayford Young 3-pointer. Oklahoma went on a 13-2 run in the next six minutes, when Tech made only one of six shots and committed five turnovers.

Another Sooner run, this one 13-1 during a four-minute stretch, widened the lead to 34-16. Oklahoma held the Red Raiders without a field goal in the final three minutes.

Mario Layne scored 25 and James Ware had 13 for Tech, which was just 8-of-26 in the first half and finished 20-of-52.

No. 20 OKLAHOMA 93, TEXAS TECH 65

TEXAS TECH (11-13) 

Layne 9-14 7-10 25, Kennard 3-5 2-2 8, Young 3-13 4-4 12, Ware 4-7 2-2 13, Hobbs 0-7 1-2 1, Malone 1-3 1-2 4, Cassidy 0-0 0-0 0, Phillips 0-1 0-0 0, Faltesek 0-2 2-2 2. Totals 20-52 19-24 65.

OKLAHOMA (21-5) 

Najera 8-12 2-4 19, Stone 3-7 0-0 6, Johnson 7-9 0-0 14, Price 7-10 3-3 20, Raymond 2-7 0-0 4, Cano 0-1 0-0 0, Heskett 1-4 0-0 3, Newton 1-5 2-2 4, Restsov 0-2 1-2 1, Osborne 0-0 0-0 0, Avila 5-6 2-2 13, Heywood 4-5 1-1 9. Totals 38-68 11-14 93.

Halftime—Oklahoma 46, Texas Tech 26. 3-Point goals—Texas Tech 6-16 (Ware 3-5, Young 2-5, Malone 1-2, Layne 0-1, Hobbs 0-3), Oklahoma 6-16 (Price 3-4, Najera 1-1, Avila 1-1, Heskett 1-4, Cano 0-1, Raymond 0-2, Newton 0-3). Fouled out—None. Rebounds—Texas Tech 27 (Layne, Kennard, Young 5), Oklahoma 37 (Johnson 10). Assists—Texas Tech 8 (Layne, Young 3), Oklahoma 20 (Raymond 6). Total fouls—Texas Tech 15, Oklahoma 17. Technical—Phillips. A—10,503.

JV Girls End On High Note

Ponca City’s Lady Wildcat JV girls finished the season on a winning note with a 39-29 win over Stillwater.

“The girls played well the last half of the season” said coach Brad Larimer.

The Lady Cats jumped in front quickly and held a 28-20 halftime advantage against Stillwater.

Lyndsi Frederick led then Ponca City scoring with 11 points.

Ponca City 39, Stillwater 29

Ponca City 12 16 4 7 —  39

Stillwater 5 15 2 7 — 29

Ponca City — Lyndsi Frederick 11, Tara Cries For Ribs 6, Amanda Summers 5, Mallory Hodge 5, Jenni Nimmo 4, Aubrey Kelly 4, Jenna Wedd 4, Monica Sawyers 1, Amanda Ingram 1