From The Pages Of The Ponca City News, Thursday,
February 26, 1998
LOCAL
Letters
Chamber News
Lincoln School-Wide Goal Includes 'Desire'
A Review: 'Whose Life Is It Anyway?' Richly Rewarding at NOC Arts Center
DEATHS
Katharyn C. Long
Florence Correll
Curtis Edward Linz
NEWS BRIEFS
GARDENING
Hybridizer Will Attend Daylily Society Meeting
SPORTS
County Shines On State Mats
Mavs' Regular Season Ends Tonight
Lady Cats Go Hunting For Big Game
Feeling Safer
My husband and I have lived on North Oak Street since 1965.
In the last five months we have felt safer and more secure since we moved here and the thanks go to the Ponca City Police Department and their allies.
Officer Fultz has been assigned to the area where we live and has done a great job for us. Much of the racing traffic, kids walking down the midddle of the street, loud music, etc., has stopped (all of the above were late-night occurrances).
We also have more and brighter street lights in our area thanks to Officer Fultz's efforts.
He walks our area and stops to get acquainted and find out about our concerns.
Thanks to Officer Fultz.
Sue Ramey
Veteran Health Care
At a meeting at the American Legion it was brought to our attention some of the senators are trying to pass a bill that will make medical help available to all veterans whether service-connected or not.
This was the promise made to all the soldiers when they served.
Please write to Sen. Don Nickles.
Milton Friesenhahn
PTC Action Questioned
If one needs a reason to oppose School to Work, it's the punitive behavior of those who would deny Ponca City school dropouts the opportunity to attend the new Pioneer Technology Center Dropout Recovery Program (Ponca City News, Feb. 8, Page 3A).
PTC is supported financially by Ponca City taxpayers. Now our local PTC decision-makers intend to deny Ponca City dropouts access because our school board wisely voted against participating in a big federal program. How dare they!
Shirley Jones
NOC Intern Joins Staff
A cooperative venture between the Chamber and Northern Oklahoma College has resulted in some much needed help around the Chamber office. Jeff Halliburton, a business student, will be spending time this semester working for the Chamber part time. His responsibilities will involve doing extensive work on updating statistical and demographic information on the Ponca City area. This kind of information is used very frequently in working with new residents and with prospective new businesses and industries.
Also included in Halliburton's work will be development of a detailed "answer sheet" on frequently asked questions about our community. Special thanks are certainly due to Dr. Joe Kinzer, President of NOC and Sue Ann Rodgers, Internship Program Coordinator for the supportive way Northern Oklahoma College has worked with the Chamber. Their "can do" spirit of cooperation and support of Ponca City and the area has been simply tremendous. What a great asset we have only a stone's throw away.
A last minute reminder....
The Chamber's "Breakfast of Champions" will be held Friday, beginning at 7:30 a.m. in the Marland Estate Mansion Chapel. Mike Engster of Centerline Inc., recipient of the Chamber's Small Industry of the Year Award for 1997, will be the featured speaker. The topic will center on "How to Improve Customer Service."
Admission is $5 per person, which includes breakfast. For the early birds, food service will begin at 7:15 a.m. The meeting will be an opportunity to improve your business you won't want to miss.
State Chamber Officials Brief Local Business
This past Friday, Ponca City played host to the top officials of the Oklahoma State Chamber of Commerce at a special Legislative Forum held at Pioneer Technology Center. The State Chamber has a very active and aggressive program of staying on top of the ever changing legislative scene during the Legislative Session which is now under way.
The audience received a solid update on key issues which will be dealt with during this session and their possible impact on the business community. Time was also reserved for local people to provide their thoughts and comments on particular issues which are key to our area. The State Chamber will add these issues to their agenda for tracking.
And speaking of tracking ... The State Chamber is now in the process of unveiling a brand new state of the art computer program which will allow the business community to monitor all votes, not only on the floor, but during committee meetings, of all members of the legislature. This will be very helpful in following how our local representatives voted on key issues to the business community and our area. Thanks to the State Chamber for the great job they do!
Upcoming Events
Friday - "Breakfast of Champions," 7:30 a.m., Marland Estate Chapel.
Tuesday - Education Committee, 11 a.m., Chamber Conference Room.
Wednesday - "Give Ponca The Business," 8 a.m., Chamber Conference Room.
Editor's Note: This is the third in a series of articles on the Ponca City Schools' Site Improvement Plans. This article is on Lincoln Elementary.
By KRISTI HAYES
News Education Editor
Lincoln Elementary is growing closer to achieving their school-wide goal to empower all individuals with a positive self-image and a life-long desire to learn and succeed as independent, creative thinkers.
At the end of the 1996-97 school year, all students were tested in grades 3,4 and 5 on the Iowa Test of Basic Skills (JCAT-ITBS) in the school computer lab. The results, by grade, were 30 percent in the third grade, 53 percent in the fourth grade, and 49 percent in the fifth grade.
Lincoln's average percentile in grades 3 and 5 on reading comprehension at the end of the 1996-97 was 70 percent in third grade and 75 percent in fifth grade.
The school goal for the 1997-98 school year is that all students score at the 80th percentile or above on reading comprehension at the appropriate grade level.
Other goals set at Lincoln were maintaining and/or improving grades from the previous nine weeks and adding school-wide enrichment. Research shows that school-wide enrichment is the opportunity to expand learning experiences beyond the regular classroom experiences. Research also shows that the experiences should be developed at higher levels of thinking. Lincoln is planning a School-wide Enrichment Day in April 1998.
Second and fifth graders will be pre and post-tested on the JCAT-ITBS test. Additionally, Lincoln will use the third grade ITBS scores and Criterion Reference Tests (CRT) for fifth grade. The STAR program will also be used to help Lincoln reach their goal.
Lincoln plans to expand their Parent School Partnership. Lincoln plans to promote parenting skills by conducting surveys, training parent mentors, providing accelerated reader nights, and promoting the Family Resource Center.
Building Level Team members for the 1997-98 school year are Deanna Varner, David Shelton, Stephan Sargent, John Lee, Donna Clark, Diann Benson, Amy Heslip, Randa Bloomfield and Sharon Clark.
Editors note: The following is a review by Mac Bradley for the production "Whose Life Is It Anyway?" now being performed by the Northern Oklahoma College theater production classes. The play will continue through Feb. 26-28.
You may not be exactly "dying to see" a play about "a wish to die," but if you attend the Northern Oklahoma College theatre production of "Whose Life Is It Anyway?" you will be richly rewarded.
The two-weekend performance continues at 8 p.m. Feb. 26, 27 and 28 in the Performing Arts Center on Northern's campus.
Rewards for the audience come in a big package: foremost are the brilliant and energetic performances of the talented ensemble, performing a very ambitious and somewhat controversial drama highlighting a person's right to die.
Northern's young thespians, directed by John Michael Warburton in his second year teaching the technical theatre class, performed impressively maturely with dramatic material involving both human and legal ethics and the even deeper "question of dignity" in man's choice for living or dying.
Particularly excellent are performances by Blackwell's Luke Hadsall as Ken Harrison, the quadriplegic whose "life it is" that centers on the play's action, and the hospital chief Dr. Michael Emerson, played by Brad Wills of Enid. Both parts are strong and convincing.
Director Warburton's intention in presenting this ambitious drama is to offer the theatre students a serious classical play with an impact for "thought" on subjects such as "quality of life" (the quadriplegic's thought is "real life is self-supporting"); thoughts about the "effects of drugs" (the paralyzed Harrison says, "I get the tablet, you get the tranquility"); "preservation of life" and "medical technology."
Dialogue, mostly directed to the cast of nurses and doctors who are dedicated to preserving life, is laced with Hadsall's intelligent, rational, yet cynical lines, perfectly executed from a hospital bed.
Trish Challis, Ponca City, plays Dr. Clare Scott, rendering tender emotional nuances as she sides with the patient in his life's decision.
Nurses Sister Anderson (Sarah Fiscus of Blackwell) and Kay Sadler (Dru Heffington of Tulsa) act very professional in their roles in an authentic hospital setting by stage manager Keri Kitchen of Tulsa.
Cory Melvin, Enid, stand-in for Andrew Smith, adds humor to the patient's life as "the only one free of guilt" around the protagonist's altered condition.
The cast includes an ensemble of lawyers and psychiatrists effectively speaking legal and psychology jargon. Acting in these standout parts are Shea Kinslow, Dover; David Kindred, Blackwell; Molly Hall, Edmond; Shane Ellis, Enid; Jera Dunn, Perry; and John Freise, Fairfax.
Tim Muniz, Ponca City, plays Mr. Justice Millhouse, representing the "intervention of law" in the medical profession.
The drama was written by Brian Clark and appeared first on Broadway in 1978. Tom Conti won an Emmy for his portrayal of Ken Harrison. A popular movie followed the stage play.
Arrangements for Northern's presentation were made through the Dramatic Publishing Company of Woodstock, Ill.
This junior college drama is truly something special that casts a lingering spell on the audience.
Play time is less than two hours in the comfortable new NPAC. Tickets
may be purchased at the box office.
DEATHS
Katharyn C. Long, lifelong Ponca City resident, died Wednesday, Feb. 25, 1998, at St. Joseph Regional Medical Center. She was 77.
The funeral will be held at 2 p.m. Friday, Feb. 27, at the First Baptist Church chapel with the Rev. Larry Heslip and the Rev. Virgil Swift, officiating. Burial will follow in Resthaven Memorial Park Cemetery under the direction of Grace Memorial Chapel. Friends may visit at the funeral home until 11:30 a.m. Friday.
Katharyn (Weaver) Long was born Oct. 20, 1920, in Ponca City, the daughter of L.O. and Bertha (Schmidt) Weaver. She grew up and attended schools in Ponca City, graduating from Ponca City High School. She attended Oklahoma Baptist University for one year.
On Nov. 11, 1945, she was married to David Long at the Albright United Methodist Church in Ponca City. The couple established their home in Ponca City, where Mrs. Long was employed as an operator for Southwestern Bell Telephone for several years. She later worked at J.C. Penney and as a caregiver for children in her home and for First Baptist Church children's ministries. Mrs. Long was a member of First Baptist Church, Her hobbies included crafts, crocheting and working in her flower garden. She enjoyed caring for others.
Surviving are two sons, Doug and Dennis, both of Ponca City; two brothers, Wally Weaver of Ponca City and Robert N. Weaver of Carrollton, Texas; and four grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents; one sister, Ann; and two brothers, Ernie and Wayne Weaver.
Casket bearers will be Randy Powell, Lance Nunallee, Brad Loney, Stephen Heslip, Bob Ferguson and Wayne Bell.
Memorial contributions may be made in Mrs. Long's name to Crestview Baptist Church, U.S. Highway 60 and Indian Hill Road, Ponca City, OK 74604.
ARKANSAS CITY, Kan. - Florence Correll, former Chilocco teacher and postmistress, died Wednesday, Feb. 25, 1998, at Presbyterian Manor Health Center in Arkansas City, Kan. She was 102.
A graveside service is set for 10:30 a.m. Friday, Feb. 27, at Fairlawn Cemetery in Stillwater, with the Rev. Tom Clymer officiating. Friends may call at the Rindt-Erdman Funeral Home in Arkansas City, until 8 p.m. today.
Florence (DeBord) Correll was born March 17, 1895, in Freeport, Kan., to Robert and Emma DeBord. She was married to Lawrence E. Correll on March 16, 1918, in Pawnee, and they made their first home in Stillwater. They moved to Chilocco in 1919, where Mrs. Correll taught and served as postmaster. She later entered the Presbyterian Manor Health Center. Mrs. Correll was a member of the Arkansas City First Presbyterian Church.
Survivors include three nephews, B. Don Johnson and Larry M. Johnson, both of Carnegie, and Robert M. Johnson of Tulsa. She was preceded in death by her husband on Nov. 10, 1973; one daughter, Marjorie Correll; and her parents.
Memorial contributions may be made in Mrs. Correll's name to the First Presbyterian Church, c/o Rindt-Erdman Funeral Home, P.O. Box 756, Arkansas City, KS 67005.
Curtis Edward Linz, 1116 East Central Avenue, died Monday, Feb. 23, 1998, at St. Joseph Regional Medical Center. He was 46.
The funeral will be Friday, 7 p.m. in the Trout Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Blaine Herron, pastor, Foursquare Gospel Church, officiating.
Curtis Edward Linz was born July 18, 1951 at San Francisco, Calif., the son of Archie Edward and Worthina Charlene (Williams) Linz. He attended schools at Riverton, Wyo., graduating from Riverton High School in 1969.
Linz began working in the timber country near Dubois, Wyo. He later worked in Vail and Avon, Colo., as a carpenter during the summer and at the ski slopes during the winter. At the time of his death, he was employed by Evans and Associates in Ponca City. He enjoyed wood working, snow skiing, and was an avid Denver Broncos fan.
Surviving are his sister, Debbie S. Stingley, of the home; a nephew,
great nephew, and an aunt and uncle. He was preceded in death by his parents.
NEWS BRIEFS
Memorial Dinner Planned - A Memorial Dinner for Harvey Atkins Sr. and William G. Simpson Jr. is planned at the Ponca Indian Baptist Church for Saturday at noon.
Senior Citizens Dance Set - A Senior Citizens Dance will be held from 7 to 10 p.m. Friday at the Senior Citizens Building, 320 South A in Arkansas City. The Pete Coli Band will be playing for dancing. All seniors are invited to come and bring a favorite snack to share.
Legion Meeting - There will be a regular meeting of the American Legion this evening at 7:30 p.m., Huff-Minor American Legion Post 14, 407 West South Avenue.
Arrest - A 20-year-old man was arrested at 8:32 a.m. Wednesday at North Fourteenth Street and Bradley Avenue on a city warrant, on six Muskogee warrants and for giving false information to an officer and resisting arrest.
Arrest - Police arrested a 24-year-old man at 10:37 a.m. Wednesday from the 200 block of North Birch Street on a city warrant for failure to pay.
Juvenile Apprehended - A 14-year-old boy was taken into custody at Wal-Mart, 1101 East Prospect Avenue, for shoplifting.
Grass Fire - A grass fire in the 2200 block of Jane Street was reported at 2:14 p.m. Wednesday and was extinguished.
Fenced Damaged - At 2:23 p.m. Wednesday police were advised that a fence was damaged in the 300 block of North Osage Street after a "small child" backed a vehicle into it. An officer was assigned and a report was taken.
Forged Checks - At 3:07 p.m. Wednesday a forged check was reported in the 2400 block of North Fourteenth Street. An officer was assigned and a report was taken.
Grass Fire - A grass fire south of U.S. 60 on U.S. 177 was reported at 4:03 p.m. Wednesday. The fire was extinguished.
Break-In - A resident in the 300 block of West Broadway Avenue called police at 4:06 p.m. Wednesday to report that his home had been broken into. An officer was assigned and a report was taken.
Windshield Broken - At 4:20 p.m. Wednesday a woman in the 100 block of East Hartford Avenue reported that her windshield had been broken. An officer was assigned.
Bike Stolen - A woman in the 1000 block of South Eighth Street called police at 4:55 p.m. Wednesday to report a stolen bike. A report was taken.
Jumping Cow - At 5:03 p.m. Wednesday it was reported that a brown and white cow which had been loose on Pecan Road south of Hubbard Road had jumped the fence back into his pasture.
Oven Fire - At 6:21 p.m. Wednesday fire units responded to an oven fire in the 700 block of South Tenth Street. The fire was extinguished.
Arrest - Police arrested an 18-year-old man at 6:42 p.m. Wednesday from the 2100 block of North Fourteenth Street for embezzlement.
Beer Theft - At 9:06 p.m. Wednesday the theft of two 30-packs of beer was reported at the E-Z Mart, 2225 North Fourteenth Street. An officer was assigned and a report was taken.
Gas Drive-Off - A clerk from the Triple T, 720 South Waverly Street, reported a $14 gas drive-off at 10:21 p.m. Wednesday.
Arrest - Police arrested a 24-year-old woman at 10:30 p.m. Wednesday from North First Street and Hazel Avenue for driving under the influence and left of center.
False Alarm - At 4:23 a.m. Thursday police responded to an alarm
at the Lake Ponca cabins. However, it was a false alarm possibly caused
by the wind.
GARDENING
Clarence and Beth Crochet, hybridizers from Prairieville, La. will be special guests at the meeting of the Northern Oklahoma Daylily Society March 2. The meeting will begin at 7:30 p.m. at the Conoco Fourth Street Clubhouse, 1500 South Fourth.
Anyone interested in growing daylilies is invited to attend. For information about the organization contact Bill Goldsberry, 765-2390, or Lillian Williams, 762-3796.
Clarence Crochet has served as president of the American Hemerocallis Society and in several offices in regional and local clubs in Louisiana.
He was the recipient of the 1992 Helen Field Fischer Gold Medal given
in recognition of outstanding service to the Society. Crochet has introduced
several daylilies which have received the HM and the Award of Merit.
SPORTS
By FRED HILTON
News Sports Editor
Once again Kay County will well represented in the State Wrestling Tournament at the Lloyd Noble Center in Norman Friday and Saturday.
In addition to the four Wildcat entries in the Class 5A state tournament, Blackwell will send nine wrestlers into the 3A division fray.
In Class 2A, Newkirk has eight qualifiers and Tonkawa seven.
Tonkawa and Newkirk engaged in one of the closest regional title races ever at Berryhill last weekend before the Buccaneers nosed out the Tigers by half a point, 184.5 to 184.
In addition to battling each other, Newkirk and Tonkawa will have to fight off strong bid by west region teams. Tuttle won the regional crown at Geary and will send nine to the state tournament as will Perry.
Blackwell finished second to Marlow in the 3A regional at Marlow, but matched the regional champs in qualifiers. Both send nine grapplers to state while Locust Grove has eight and Bristow and Deer Creek each have seven.
Ponca City's Mark and Matt Dodgens go looking for their second state titles each. Mark was a state champion as a sophomore and finished second last year, Matt, who missed the 1996 state tournament, grabbed his crown last year.
Both finished second in the regional tournament at Jenks last weekend and 125 and 130 pounds, respectively.
They will be joined by 103-pound third placer Phillip Gelino and 215-pound fourth placer Nick Steichen.
"We'll take one more (wrestler) to state than we did last year," Po-Hi coach Pat Young said after the regional tournament. "But they'll have a tough time matching what the three wrestlers we took last year did. Those three won eight of 10 matches at the state tournament.
In addition to the Dodgen's trip to the finals, Stockton Graves finished third.
Broken Arrow is favored to win the 5A team crown. The Tigers will have 11 wrestlers in the state tournament. Del City has nine while Choctaw and Mustang each sends seven and Muskogee six.
While Blackwell is one of the leaders in qualifiers in 3A, over half of the Maroons face uphill battles early. Four of the nine Blackwell qualifiers were championship finalists. John Koehler took first at 103 pounds while Jared Spray was second at 135 pounds, Shawn Leatherman second at 140 and Jeff Alvers second at heavyweight.
Wally Schatz and Hunter Parker were third placers at 125 and 130. Placing fourth were Brandon Bray at 112, Tyler McNamara at 179 and Justin Campbell at 171.
Tonkawa will have three regional champions looking for state titles - Chris Kohn at 140, Jeff Styron at 145 and Shane Randall at 189, Styron and Randall are both 31-0 on the season.
Regional runners-up for the Buccaneers were Joshua Brining at 112 pounds, Scott Klufa at 152 and Keith Ward at 275. Kolby Simpson placed third at 130.
Newkirk has two regional champions, Brandon Parker at 103 pounds and Jeff Schieber at 152, Runners-up were Cody Jones at 140, Leo Ring at 160 and Dustin Mills at 171.
Travis Odell was third at 112 while Jake Leven (125) and Russell Schieber (152) finished fourth.
The state tournament begins at 10:30 a.m. Friday. The second session starts at 5:30 with the first round of consolations and the championship semifinals.
Action resumes at 10:30 Saturday morning with the consolation semifinals followed by the consolation finals. The championship finals will start after the 5 p.m. ceremonies Saturday evening.
TONKAWA - The NOC Mavericks and Lady Mavericks wrap up regular season play tonight at home, taking on the Seminole Trojans. Tip off for the Lady Mavs is at 6 p.m., while the mens' game is scheduled for 8 p.m.
The Mavericks, who experienced a rare loss on Monday to Eastern State, will vie for the Bi-State West division championship with the Trojans, also 6-3 in conference play. The Mavs, at 23-6, are also gunning for a school record for the most wins in a season this year (25), which, with a successful post-season, should be a reality.
The Lady Mavericks, meanwhile, at 4-5 in conference play, could clinch a playoff berth with a win over the 8-1 Lady Trojans. While the odds are definitely not in their favor, the only other favorable scenario for the Lady Mavs would be for 0-9 Rose State to pull out an upset of 3-6 Western.
Region II playoffs are Mar. 5-8 in Shawnee.
Bi-State Conference
Men
East Division
Team Conf. Overall
Connors 7-2 22-6
Bacone 6-3 19-9
N.Eastern A&M 5-4 17-11
Westark 5-4 17-9
Carl Albert 4-6 16-12
Northark 1-9 7-21
West Division
Northern 6-3 23-6
Seminole 6-3 14-15
Western 5-4 13-16
Rose 5-4 14-14
Eastern 4-6 11-19
Murray 2-8 3-28
Women
East Division
Connors 9-0 29-0
Westark 7-2 23-3
Northark 7-3 23-6
N.Eastern A&M 5-4 15-14
Bacone 2-7 5-21
Carl Albert 0-19 5-23
West Division
Eastern 9-1 23-7
Seminole 8-1 22-7
Northern 4-5 10-18
Murray 4-6 12-14
Western 3-6 7-22
Rose 0-9 7-23
By MATTHEW KOENIG
News Sports Writer
The Ponca City Lady Wildcats (7-15, 3-13) travel to Broken Arrow (17-5, 12-4) tonight, looking to extend their season in the single elimination regional playoffs. Tip off is scheduled for 8 p.m., with WBBZ providing the live broadcast.
If there's something positive that can be said about taking on the No. 4 state-ranked Lady Tigers, it's the fact that they're familiar adversaries. Twice the Lady Cats have taken on Broken Arrow, and twice they've come out on the small end of the score.
Still, this time could be different.
"They say it's hard to beat a team three times," says Lady Cat head coach Dana Pulley. "Of all the powerhouses we've played, this is a team we can compete with. I think we have our best shot against Broken Arrow."
And to stop the Lady Tigers, who won by an average of 14 points over two games, the Lady Cats will have to contain 6-0, racing-stripe coiffed center Christie Baugess, who's dominated the boards and unloaded for a total of 32 points against the Poncans.
But it was never really Baugess - who averages 10.2 points per game - the Lady Cats were worried about. It was 5-7 uber-girl Kristen Brady, who leads the Frontier Conference in scoring at 21.1 points per game.
In both games against Broken Arrow, the Lady Cats constructed a "box-and-one," Anti-Brady defense, and it worked well enough to hold the blond bomber to a 15 point, two game average (not bad, respectively speaking).
Now, Pulley says, instead of just one, they'll have to take two of the Lady Tigers out of their game.
"We'll run a triangle and two, some of the time," she says. "But we're also going to mix it up on them. We're going to try a 1-1-2 and we're going to try to put a lot of pressure on their guards."
Also, Pulley knows her team will have to get an all-out blitz on the offensive end. After watching film of their last lost, January 31 - a loss in which they shot seven air-balls and scored just six points through two quarters - the necessity becomes apparent.
"It doesn't matter how well we play defense, it doesn't mean a thing
if we can't score," Pulley says. "We've been shooting a lot in
practice, and we're due for a big game."