LOCAL

Candidates File for Race With Period Half Complete
Nearly News
Leslie Murphy Staff Assistant For Sen. Nickles

Candidates File for Race With Period Half Complete

By MARK GALVIN

News Staff Writer

NEWKIRK — By noon today, with the three-day election filing period about half over, only one actual race had emerged so far across the county.

Candidates for elected offices in five cities in Kay County — involving the mayoral posts in Blackwell, Braman, Kaw City and Tonkawa — began Monday morning at the election board in Newkirk.

For Ponca City, incumbent City Commissioner Richard E. Stone filed for reelection to Post No. 1 and incumbent City Commissioner Lyn Boyer filed for reelection to Post No. 3. Both terms are for three years, and neither post had yet attracted a challenger.

To be eligible to file for either Ponca City office, a candidate must be a registered voter residing inside the city limits. Kay County Election Board secretary Carol Stafford said declarations of candidacy for seats county-wide will continue to be accepted at the election board office in the courthouse basement until 5 p.m. Wednesday. Election day is April 6.

In the only pair of filings that have developed into a race, Kaw City’s incumbent City Clerk Carolyne M. Goodman filed for reelection and a challenger, Cheryl A. Vazquez, also filed. Both candidates officially declared their candidacy on Monday for the four-year term.

Another Kaw City filing this morning was that of incumbent Misty Trueblood for Ward III, Seat No. 1, a two-year unexpired term. Eight other seats for Kaw City have seen no action yet.

For Braman, the incumbent officers filed Monday for all three municipal positions scheduled for the ballot. On Monday morning, Rusty Partee Jr. filed for reelection to the Trustee No. 1 post and Braman Mayor Jerry Johnston filed for reelection to the Trustee No. 3 post. Incumbent city clerk Betty Evans filed Monday afternoon. All three terms are for four years and no challengers had yet filed.

For Tonkawa, where an incumbent and a challenger for separate posts were heard from so far, incumbent Paul L. Wood filed Monday morning for reelection to the Ward 3 post. A challenger, Ronnie Blubaugh, filed for the at-large post now occupied by Tonkawa Mayor Evelyn Coyle, who had not filed yet.

The other seat up for election in Tonkawa is the Ward 4 post now occupied by Terry White. All three Tonkawa seats are for four-year terms.

These remaining seats had attracted no filings as of noon today:

In Blackwell, the one post up for election is the Commissioner of Public Safety position now occupied by Mayor Louis Gose. The post is for a three-year term.

And in Kaw City, voters will decide for the mayor post now occupied by Jack Rosson. The position is a four-year term.

Other Kaw City elections will include those for Seat No. 1 posts in separate wards. The seats are now occupied by Arlyn Seidel in Ward I, Don Ford in Ward II and Debbie Taylor in Ward IV. All are to fill two-year unexpired terms.

And Kaw City voters also will decide four Seat No. 2 posts — all four-year terms — in four separate wards. The seats are now occupied by Thelma Robinson in Ward I, Cindy Traffas in Ward II, Larry Myers in Ward III and Walter Hare in Ward IV.

Nearly News

NN has some reminders for those planning to attend the Pepperette Winter Dance Feb. 20 — the promenade begins at 7:30 p.m. The doors will be locked at 7:25 p.m. and will not reopen until after the promenade. Pictures will be taken and will be available for $5 for two 4x6 and four wallet-size prints. Get set for a great time — and remember, the doors close at 7:25 p.m. for the promenade!

Leslie Murphy Staff Assistant For Sen. Nickles

WASHINGTON — Ponca City native Leslie Murphy recently joined Oklahoma Sen. Don Nickles’ Washington, D.C. staff as a staff assistant, where she will meet constituent requests and act as a receptionist.

Murphy, daughter of Larry and Nancy Murphy, graduated in December with honors from Oklahoma State University. She received a degree in family relations, specializing in individual, family, and community services. Murphy was a member of the President’s Leadership Council and Pi Beta Phi sorority. She interned in Nickles’ Washington office in 1997.

“We’re happy to have Leslie back, working in our Washington office,” Nickles said, “I’m sure the same hard work and determination she exhibited as an intern and in school will prove to be an asset for both the staff and the people of Oklahoma.”

Murphy, 21, is a 1995 graduate of Ponca City High School

DEATHS

Michael Logan
Zelma Lee Tipton
Isaac Lynn Clubb

Michael Logan

Michael “Micky” Logan, longtime Ponca City resident, died Monday morning, Feb. 1, 1999, at St. Joseph Regional Medical Center. He was 36.

The funeral will be held at 2 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 3, at Grace Memorial Chapel with the Rev. Danny Ringer officiating. Burial will follow in the Ponca City IOOF Cemetery.

Michael “Micky” Logan was born June 23, 1962, in Ponca City, where he grew up and attended school.

He was married to Darla Maudlin in Newkirk on Dec. 5, 1981, and the couple established their home in Ponca City. He enjoyed hunting, fishing, guns and T.V.

Surviving are his wife Darla of the home; one son Jason Logan of the home; two daughters, Patrica Logan and Lacy Logan, both of the home; his mother LaDonna Frank of Ponca City; one brother, Rick Logan of Ponca City; and numerous friends.

Casket bearers will be Jimmy Minor, Billy Minor, Monty Selvey, Chuck Dorsey, Steve Fields and Don Hopkins. Honorary bearers will be Del Maudlin, Calvin Maudlin, Monty Province, Marvin Gingerich, Darryl Osburn, and Rick Logan.

The family will be at the home.

Zelma Lee Tipton

SPOKANE, Wash. — Zelma Lee Tipton, relative of several Kay County residents, died Thursday, Jan. 28, 1999, in Spokane, Wash. She was 87.

The funeral was to be held today, Feb. 2, 1999, at Grace Lutheran Church in Spokane with the Rev. Ole Gunderson, pastor, officiating. Arrangements were under the direction of Heritage Funeral Home, Spokane.

Zelma Lee (Sauer) Tipton was born Dec. 8, 1911, in Leedy. She was married to Alvonzo Tipton Sr. on Dec. 22, 1934, in Tulsa. The couple had lived in the Spokane area for 50 years. Mrs. Tipton was an avid supporter of the Lewis and Clark Orchestra and a member of Grace Lutheran Church in Spokane.

Survivors include her husband, Alvonzo Tipton of Spokane; three sons, Alvonzo Jr. of Los Angeles, Calif., Philip of Easley, S.C., and Bruce of Marysville, Wash.; four grandchildren; one great-grandchild; and numerous nieces and nephews. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by one brother; Leonard Sauer; one grandson; and one great-grandson.

Services Pending

Isaac Lynn Clubb

Isaac “Ikie” Lynn Clubb, former Kay County resident, and resident of Long Beach, Calif. died Jan. 29, 1999, at Kaiser Hospital in Harbour City, Calif. He was 74. Local arrangements are pending with Grace Memorial Chapel.

NEWS BRIEFS

Accident — The Communications Center received a 911 call at 7:43 a.m. Monday that an accident had occurred at West Highland Avenue and North Sunset Street. An officer of the Ponca City Police Department was assigned and a report was taken.

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Vehicle Burglarized — A man from the 1400 block of West Highland Avenue reported to the Ponca City Police Department at 8:30 a.m. Monday that his vehicle had been burglarized. An officer was assigned and a report was taken.

Accident — An accident at the intersection of North Fifth Street and East Hartford Avenue was reported to the Ponca City Police Department at 5:03 p.m. Monday. Two officers were assigned and a report was taken.

Graffiti — A woman from the Village Green Apartments in the 2700 block of North Fifth Street reported to the Ponca City Police Department at 9:56 a.m. Monday that some graffiti had been put on the buildings. An officer was assigned and a report was taken.

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Subject Held — An officer of the Ponca City Police Department reported at 9:30 a.m. Monday that a 39-year-old man was being held on a Kay County warrant for sexual battery.

Wallet Stolen — A woman from 4300 Dove Lane was at the Ponca City Police Department at 12:38 p.m. Monday to report that her wallet had been stolen while in Ponca City. An officer was assigned and a report was taken on petty larceny.

Subject Held — An officer of the Ponca City Police Department reported from the intersection of West Otoe Avenue and South Perry Street at 11:02 a.m. Monday that a 36-year-old man was being held on a Kay County warrant.

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Attacked by Dog — The Communications Center received a 911 call at 11:16 a.m. Monday from a resident in the 700 block of North Seventh Street that a woman was being attacked by a dog. An officer of the Ponca City Police Department responded and Animal Control was notified. The dog was put up.

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Vehicle Burglarized — A man from the 1400 block of West Highland Avenue reported to the Ponca City Police Department at 11:48 a.m. Monday that his vehicle had been burglarized. An officer was assigned and a report was taken.

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Vehicle Vandalized — A man reported to the Ponca City Police Department at 1:11 p.m. Monday that while at the First Church of God, West Grand Avenue and North Peachtree Street, his vehicle had been vandalized. An officer was assigned and a report was taken.

Shoplifter — An employee of Wal-Mart reported to the Ponca City Police Department at 6:06 p.m. Monday that a shoplifter was in custody. An officer was assigned and a 17-year-old man was held for petit larceny.

Subject Held — The Communications Center received a request for assistance from an employee at Wal-Mart at 1:44 p.m. Monday that a shoplifter was in custody. An officer of the Ponca City Police Department responded and held an 18-year-old man was held for petit larceny.

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Bicycle Stolen — An officer of the Ponca City Police Department took a report at 1:30 p.m. Monday that a bicycle had been stolen from a resident in the 500 block of West Cleveland Avenue.

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Citation Issued — The Water and Light Department requested assistance from the Ponca City Police Department at 1:44 p.m. Monday in the 1400 block of North Sixth Street concerning a subject tampering with a meter stealing electricity. An officer was assigned and a citation was issued by Water and Light to the subject.

Accident — An accident at the intersection of North Fourteenth Street and East Prospect Avenue was reported to the Ponca City Police Department at 2:24 p.m. Monday. An officer was assigned and a report was taken.

Subject Held — An officer of the Ponca City Police Department reported at 2:33 p.m. Monday that a 30-year-old woman was being held for failure to pay.

Vehicle Theft — A woman from the 1000 block of South Seventh Street reported to the Ponca City Police Department at 4:43 p.m. Monday that a 4-wheeler had been stolen. An officer was assigned and a report was taken.

Harassment — A man from the 100 block of West Gary Avenue was at the Ponca City Police Department at 10:06 p.m. Monday to report some harassment and threats. Two officers were assigned and a report was taken.

Threatened — A woman from the 400 block of North Sunset Street requested assistance from the Ponca City Police Department at 3:55 p.m. An officer was assigned and a report was taken on threats being made to the woman.

Vehicle Leaking Gas — An employee at Wal-Mart reported to the Communications Center at 5:22 p.m. Monday that a vehicle was leaking gas in the parking lot. A unit from the Ponca City Fire Department responded and handled the situation.

Subject Held — An officer of the Ponca City Police Department reported from the 100 block of East Highland Avenue at 11:03 p.m. Monday that a 34-year-old woman was being held for driving under suspension.

Subject Held — The Communications Center received several 911 calls concerning suspicious activity at 11:51 p.m. Monday in the area of 900 East Prospect. Two officers were assigned and an 18-year-old man was held on four counts of destruction of private property and public intoxication.

Accident — The Communications Center received a 911 call from the 2000 block of North Fourteenth Street at 6:14 p.m. Monday that an accident had occurred in the parking lot. Two officers from the Ponca City Police Department responded as did two units from the Ponca City Fire Department. A report was taken.

Water District Meeting — The Rural Water District No. 1, Kay County, will have its annual meeting at Enterprise School Building on Feb. 9. The meeting begins at 8 p.m. with the monthly board meeting to follow. Two board members are to be elected. All Rural Water District No. 1 members are invited to attend, according to Jay Stafford, secretary.

LIFESTYLES

Xi Gamma Sigma Hears Talk About A-T Disease
Xi Zeta Lambda Holds Meeting

Xi Gamma Sigma Hears Talk About A-T Disease

Ataxia-talangiectasia was the subject of the talk given by Velma Case at the January meeting of Xi Gamma Sigma chapter of Beta Sigma Phi.

Ms. Case has three grandchildren born with the fatal disease. She showed pictures of them and related the family’s personal experiences. She expressed thanks to Beta Sigma Phi International for the $15,000 donation to the A-T Foundation for research. Ms. Case reported on progress made in the fight and detecting of the disease, activities of fund raising and education, and of the A-T Children’s Walk last year in Texas. She also handed out packets of information and encouraged the members to share the information.

The chapter held its meeting in the home of Barbara Feil on Jan. 26. Stew and sandwiches were prepared by the social committee, and the business meeting was conducted by Darlene VanDeburgh, president. The roll was called, the minutes approved, and communications from Wanda Pittaway, Delorus Patterson and Teena Robbins were read. Donna Ross, treasurer, collected for the Valentine’s Dance tickets. Bills were presented, approved and paid.

LaRannah Bartlett read from “The Book of Beta Sigma Phi” regarding the duties of the ways and means committee, and it was reported that Juni Parks will complete pledge training for Pam Sober. Ms. Parks, program chairman, distributed the revised standing rules. Happy Birthday was sung to Betty Rogers, whose birthday is Jan. 29. It was announced the scrapbook committee will meet Tuesday at the home of Donna Ross.

Carole Johnson thanked her secret sister for her remembrances, and Ms. VanDeburgh thanked all who sent sympathy cards. The members stood for the Closing Ritual and Mizpah.

Xi Zeta Lambda Holds Meeting

The January meeting of Xi Zeta Lambda was held in the home of Jackie Hall with 14 members standing for the Opening Ritual. Dottie Johnstone, president, called the meeting to order and the minutes were approved. The chapter had been asked to perform the Exemplar Ritual for Tuesday’s Eta Zeta chapter, and all members were invited.

It was announced that the scrapbook committee would meet Feb. 11 at the home of Lila Logan, and Francie James and Phyllis Pledger will attend the City Council meeting. Melva Keen won the friendship basket brought by Jill Sims. The next meeting will be at the home of Doretta Jackson, and Nida Austin will be in charge of the program. Following the Closing Ritual and Mizpah, Sue Robertson’s program was on backyard ponds.

BUSINESS

Klososky, Avant on Cutting Edge of Technology
State Small Business Conference Encouragement for Local Firms
Unemployment Insurance Laws Session Topic
Northern Therapy Moves Into New Location in Plaza
Locke Supply In New Facility On Fourteenth
Kaw Nation Successes Topic of Coalition Meeting

Klososky, Avant on Cutting Edge of Technology

By LOUISE ABERCROMBIE

News Business Editor

Scott Klososky, founder of Avant Digital, the largest interactive agency in Oklahoma, operates out of a virtual office here and is connected to 35 employees in Edmond, Washington, D.C., Phoenix and elsewhere.

Klososky calls Ponca City home, although much of his time is spent on planes hop-scotching around the globe working on projects or making speeches for Leading Authority, a Washington, D.C. firm.

On the cutting edge of technology or initiating the technology itself, Avant and Klososky always seem to be ahead of the curve.

“The United States economy is supercharged because of technology. One of the things that we can’t see here, but I see as I travel overseas, is that more and more people are speaking English because English is the language of the web and software.”

Explaining what the company does, Klososky explained that Avant is a specialist in three versions involving a web presence. There is a web site, and then an intranet, which is a communication ring that is private within one’s organization and no one from the outside can get in, but it uses the internet in order to communicate.

“There is also an extranet, which is where you have your own ring and invite other customers or people in your industry in on the ring. This is what we do, we build web sites and intranets and extranets.”

Traditionally an advertising agency dealt only with print, radio and television, but now there is a whole new set of tools out there, the internet, CD ROMS and kiosks. As an interactive agency, Avant specializes in using those type of tools to either do marketing or other kinds of communications.

Top State Company

The company was one of three finalists for Oklahoma’s Most Promising Company this year. Additionally Avant won a couple of Addy Awards last year for CD’s it has created.

An interesting project currently under way at Avant is creating a CD that AT&T has contracted for the state of Oklahoma. This CD is a tour of the state Capital, as well as an explanation of how a bill becomes law. To make it interesting for students, a game that teaches students about Oklahoma History has been incorporated into the CD.

Gov. Frank Keating will be announcing the new CD on March 2. Klososky said, “We’re excited about that.” Describing some of the features that makes it interesting for students is that they can choose between 10 different avatars (an avatar is a picture that represents something on the screen).

“Students can choose a cartoon character to be in that environment. On the web in a chat room users can pick a picture that represents themselves and there is a graphical around them and they can see the graphics on the screen.

“In the game we created 10 different avatars to help students tour the game. We are using some of the latest technology available. The CD will be curriculum for the kids to help teach history.”

Webcasting

Recently Avant was hired to do a webcast (broadcasting over the internet) for the Atlantic Coast Conference basketball tournament.

“The internet is starting to be a broadcast tool where people are actually sending video and audio over the internet. So from any computer screen that has an internet connection you can view it. We have a whole division that is webcast.com. We own that URL. One of the things that we are heavy into right now is writing a lot of webcast technology. Besides being hired to do sports events like ACC we get hired to broadcast speeches by presidents of big companies to all the employees.

“For example if Archie Dunham (president of Conoco) wants to talk to all the people at Conoco, instead of bringing them to a conference center, he could do it through webcasting. He would give the speech into a digital camera and we would take it right to the webs and all the employees could sit at their personal computers and participate in the town hall meeting,” Klososky explained.

Avant just contracted to do some work at the National Association of Broadcasters Convention in Las Vegas. “We typically get hired by people who are on the edge of technology to ether do marketing or broadcasting on the internet,” the Ponca Citian said.

The company does a lot of marketing CDs for Oklahoma, Houston and Washington, D.C. and also a lot of work for America on Line (AOL). “We run almost all of the banners you see on the network for AOL. Every month we create about five to eight new creations and new kinds of banners and then we have to make a whole new set of maybe 20 sizes off the creative idea that they buy from us. We warehouse all the banners for them and they tell us where they want them put out on the web and we place them,” Klososky said.

Talking about the company, Klososky explained that it really didn’t have a headquarters. “It is the virtual company concept. We never went out to be a virtual company it just so happens when you are good at the tools and good at building intranets and good at using the web, you end up not having a building where you house everybody.

“So what we’ve done is just hire good people wherever they are and if they are someplace where we have an office that’s fine. We hired a gentleman in Phoenix who is a well known programmer so we just built an office around him because that is where he wanted to live.

“We have three offices, but we have employees in Los Angeles, Phoenix, Tulsa, Ponca City, Edmond and other parts of the country. We are all connected by our intranet. We really don’t need to be all together, the company is incorporated in Oklahoma and the corporate address is Ponca City. I’m the only employee here and that is only because I started the company. Most employees are in Edmond.

“We just became that new model of the virtual company. We hired three new employees in Edmond and they said we’d just as soon not be here. We all have offices at home and we’re going to be out in front of customers, we don’t need offices so why don’t you just have one office, turn everything else into a conference room and we can be connected through an intranet.”

The Future

Telling what he sees for the future, Klososky said, “The internet is going to impact our lives a lot more than anybody realizes. It is really not very old and it is growing about three times faster than radio or television.”

He added, “The world will become a much smaller place because it is easy and cheap to communicate with people in other countries. With E-commerce you are going to be able to buy products anywhere in the world easily.

“E-commerce drastically changes how our economy works. There is a term called ‘disentermediation’ that is happening now.” Klososky gave as an example that travel agents are being cut out of the business because airlines are going directly to the end user. “In the future the same thing will happen in the automobile industry. The automobile companies are going to sell directly to us. We will order a car and two weeks later it is driven up. There are a number of industries that are going to be like that.

“We are working with a lot of universities doing on line learning. When you do on line learning you only need one professor to teach hundreds of students. So there will be a certain amount of professors that will get disentermediated.”

He continued, “The web will drastically reposition things as far as careers and jobs, but it won’t be a net negative because as fast as people are losing their jobs over here, people like Microsoft, Cisco and Dell are hiring.”

A good thing about the technology age is the ability to go learn and get information at a rate that we never were before and having information is not ever a bad thing, according to Klososky.

He added, “We have to get some things under control on the internet, but having that huge knowledge base is something that will have a huge impact on the world.”

State Small Business Conference Encouragement for Local Firms

By LOUISE ABERCROMBIE

News Business Editor

A good turnout was registered from across Kay County for the Small Business Conference Wednesday hosted by Lt. Gov. Mary Fallin, and locally by Ponca City Area Chamber of Commerce and Pioneer Technology Center.

City Commissioner Chris Hand, a member of the Small Business Council, opened the meeting. Larry Mocha, chairman of the Conference, also made opening remarks.

Those seated at the head table in addition to Fallin and Mocha, were Rep. Jim Newport, Mayor Tom Leonard, Ponca City Area Chamber of Commerce Chairman Craig Myers, and Steve Crank, chairman of the Chamber’s Legislative Committee.

Fallin made opening remarks which were followed by a question and answer session. She noted that Oklahoma’s economy is based on small business. Fallin said 98 all of the businesses in Oklahoma have 100 or fewer employees and 75 percent have 10 or fewer workers.

“This is why small business is so important to our state and why we, as civic leaders, business owners and public policy people, have the obligation to our state to do all we can to make sure that small business owners have the right tools to grow the purse to create the good paying jobs and to make sure that we don’t do things at the state capitol to hurt you and to make sure there is a good future for the children.”

Mocha encouraged the attendees to attend the upcoming Small Business Conference in Oklahoma City. He suggested the group attend the conference, stand together and say “we are a creditable voice and we will be heard.” He said communities all over Oklahoma will be chartering buses to go to the State Capitol on Feb. 24 and let the Legislature know the concerns of small business.

“It is our responsibility to let our legislators know we exist, what is good for small business and what is good for our business. If we don’t do it someone else will. Under Gov. Fallin’s leadership we are going to make a difference, we’re the Governor’s Conference on Small Business and we are going to change the world,” Mocha said.

Hot topics were workers comp, tax policies, business growth and incentives, product liability, right to work and work force development.

Pioneer Tech

The Business and Industry Services Division of Pioneer Technology Center has responded with a statement on discussion of the need for certain “soft” or character skills for much of the existing work force and potential employees.

Short courses for employees have been developed in these areas, punctuality and attendance, work ethic and attitude, responding to supervision and interacting with co-workers.

This information, according to Pioneer Technology Center, can be presented in four separate sessions or with some or all combined. These one-to-four hour session can be held at the Center or at the business. The material was written with the employees as the target audience and includes some exercises and pertinent questions for discussion.

Other sessions of interest are worker’s compensation ways to reduce claims drug and alcohol detection skills for supervisors, workplace violence and substance abuse in the work place.

Other services offered for small and mid-size businesses include organization needs to improve productivity and performance; customized training to fit the needs of the needs of the business; safety/compliance training and classes on a variety of topics.

Also offered in the area of consulting are computer assistance, marketing and individual needs.

Unemployment Insurance Laws Session Topic

Steve Crank, unemployment manager for Ponca City Workforce Oklahoma Office, will be the guest speaker for the next Local Business Advisory Council meeting.

The meeting is set for Feb. 10 at Pioneer Technology Center. Lunch will begin at 11:30 a.m., and the program will follow at noon. The group will meet for lunch in the cafeteria and adjourn to Room C101 for the meeting.

Crank will speak on “New Changes to the Unemployment Insurance Laws which will affect Your Business.”

Due to limited seating those planning to attend should RSVP to Mike Daugherty by Feb. 8 at (580) 765-3372.

The March 10 meeting will be at the same site. Guest speaker for that meeting will be Kevin Lyles from the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission’s research and analysis section. Lyles will make a presentation on “How OESC arrives at the published unemployment Rate.”

Northern Therapy Moves Into New Location in Plaza

After three years of providing Ponca City with outpatient physical therapy, Northern Therapy and Rehabilitation Inc. has moved to its new location next to Albertson’s Grocery Store in the Ponca Plaza.

Owners Todd McAreavey, RPT and Tracy McAreavey, RPT are excited about the move because the new facility is nearly double the space of their former clinic in Ponca, and they say their patients will see immediate benefits as a result of the relocation. Todd states, “The additional space allows us to add some terrific new pieces of equipment for our patients.” In particular, Northern Therapy will introduce Kay County’s only Aquatic Therapy Pool in March. This 8-by-12-foot pool is equipped with an underwater treadmill, jet currents to provide resistance during swimming and individualized work stations. It will even have an observation window so that the therapists can monitor the patient’s underwater activities from outside the pool.

Acquiring the pool was a major undertaking for the independently owned and operated company, but the McAreaveys felt its addition was necessary so they could continue to provide their patients the best in rehabilitation services. “We feel the people of Kay County deserve the same quality of care available to patients in larger cities,” Todd continues, pointing out that their pool will be only one of seven of its kind in the entire state.

It has been a busy four years for the McAreaveys since opening their first clinic in Blackwell in 1995. In 1996 the husband and wife team expanded with their clinic in Ponca City and added a third therapist to their staff, Jason Snyder, RPT. Todd’s father, Paul McAreavey, RPT began providing home health services throughout Kay County in 1997. This past year they opened their Stillwater location and hired their fourth physical therapist, Michelle Krause, RPT and Scott McNeice, RPTA.

During this time, they have seen their work force expand from two employees in 1995 to their current staff of 30. They also currently have two University of Oklahoma physical therapy students under contract to join their team after their graduation in May.

The McAreaveys are appreciative of the support Kay County has shown their company and look for ways to give back to their community. Recently they hired Kyle Turner, Certified Athletic Trainer, and are donating his services to Northern Oklahoma College’s Athletic Department. Turner attends all games and practices to provide immediate attention in the event of a sports related injury.

Northern Therapy and Rehabilitation Inc. has seen tremendous changes in the four years it has been doing business. Todd and Tracy believe that the future will be equally exciting. They feel that the move to their new facility will ensure that they are equipped to handle all of Kay County’s rehabilitation needs into the new millennium.

Locke Supply In New Facility On Fourteenth

By LOUISE ABERCROMBIE

News Business Editor

A new and improved Locke Supply has opened on North Fourteenth in the former location of Homeland (formerly Safeway) grocery in Pioneer Shopping Center. The building has undergone major renovation and will now feature three stores in one.

There will be the heating and air division, headed by Butch Bennett; electrical division, managed by Larry Hinkle, and plumbing, headed by John Orman. There are eight store employees.

The new store includes the consolidation of the two former Locke stores on North First Street and the other on North Union. The store contains about 33,000 square feet of floor space.

Store hours are 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday and 7:30 a.m. to noon Saturday.

Construction for Pioneer Shopping Center began in 1958 and was completed in 1959. The area includes the 400 and 500 blocks on the east side of North Fourteenth and was a part of Drake Park Addition developed by the late Lee Drake, realtor and developer.

Kaw Nation Successes Topic of Coalition Meeting

By LOUISE ABERCROMBIE

News Business Editor

BLACKWELL — Lisa Otipoby, Kaw Economic Development director, told the Far North Central Coalition Meeting at Kay Electric in Blackwell Friday about the Kaw Nation’s success in business ventures.

In attendance were representatives of the communities of Blackwell, Ponca City, Grainola, Tonkawa, Billings, Kaw City, Newkirk and Stillwater.

Otipoby told about the Kanza Travel Plaza located nine miles north of Blackwell on Interstate 35 at Exit 231. An expansion is planned at the site involving a cooperative effort by Conoco and the Kaw Nation. This will include a new convenience store, and other improvements to the tune of about $1.1 million. The Kaw Nation received Community Block Grant Funds for part of the expansion.

Another project the Kaw Nation expects to apply for under Indian Gaming III is off-track betting at the facility located near Newkirk. Last year $42 million was paid out in prize money through Kaw Bingo at Newkirk. The operation employs 52. Income from the bingo tax is used for housing, law enforcement and other needs of the tribe.

Otipoby told that there are 2,397 members of the tribe and the government of the organization is by democratic rule.

She mentioned the success of the Kanza Greenhouses, the Kaw Smoke Shop near Newkirk and Kaw Tribal Bingo. She also told about the development at White Plume near Newkirk, which includes the new Kanza Health Clinic, a Community Center and the Kanza Wellness Center. A future goal is to locate a child care facility there. The Kaw Nation also serves meals to federally recognized members of the tribe under the Title VI program.

Rich Cotillion, reporting for Land Run tours, said that BBC called from London and wants to film a documentary in the area next year. Marilyn Harmon, chairman of the rural development group, encouraged the group to write letters supporting moving the tourist information center to the SH 11 and I-35 intersection.

SPORTS

Respect, Redemption Motivation for Cagers
Wrestlers Honor Seniors
Lady Mavericks Still Perfect
Junior High Basketball

Respect, Redemption Motivation for Cagers

By MATTHEW KOENIG

News Sports Writer

Respect is nice. Wins are nicer, but the respect of other teams is always nice to have.

Though their record (5-11) is drooping down on the left side, the Keep-’em Close Cats have at least commanded some measure of respect this season. The promise of a tough game has undoubtedly made even the biggest conference bullies a little nervous.

The Lady Cats, meanwhile — as the last winless team in the conference — have likely been regarded as the fall-girls, the sure-thing, the milquetoasts of the Frontier Conference.

Last Friday, the cagers gave reason to revise their respective reputations. The Cats played possibly their most uninspired game to date and got hammered by Bartlesville, 56-36. On the other hand, the Lady Cats likely raised a few eyebrows with an impressive, 42-35 win over the Lady Bruins.

So, while the Lady Cats are out to prove that their lone, Frontier Conference win is no fluke, the Cats are looking for redemption. Both will get their chance tonight, as they travel to Owasso.

The Rams are 3-7 (7-9 overall), while the Lady Rams are 3-7 (5-11 overall). The boys will tip off at 6:15, while the Lady Cats will start at 7:45. WBBZ’s Phil and Craig will be on hand for the broadcasts.

PC Lady Cats (1-9, 4-12) at Owasso Lady Rams (3-7, 5-11)

Chalk up the Lady Cats’ win on Friday to three things.

1. They were patient on offense, moved the ball, and looked for the open shot. The Lady Cats shot 42 percent from the field — a significant departure from their 32 percent average.

2. They stuck to their defensive game plan; namely, deny the Lady Bruins’ bruising inside players the high-percentage shot. The Lady Bruins finished just 10-of-40 from the field.

3. They kept it loose. A jovial mood pervaded on the Lady Cats’ bench, and at times they seemed to be on the verge of hysterics.

“It was a fun night, Friday,” said coach Dana Pulley.

While there’s no doubt Pulley and her merry band can muster up something else to yuk about, overcoming Owasso will take a little more serious study.

As opposed to stately Bartlesville, the hard-pressing Lady Rams are shorter, but quicker. The Lady Cats, while not exactly plodders, aren’t riddled with speed, either, and that cost them in a 54-45 loss at home, Jan. 12.

“They got most of their points off breaking our press and getting layups,” says Pulley. “So we’re going to fall back. We’ll play a little man, but we’ll set up mostly in a zone. We’ll make them show us what they can do from the outside.”

Also, the Lady Rams went 22-of-24 from the free throw line.

“And we’re not going to foul them,” she adds.

Should that game plan fit, and the Lady Cats find themselves with the lead again, they’ll also have to find a more effective way to hold that lead. Friday, the Lady Bruins made a frightening, 7-2 run in the final minutes, scoring four of those points on three straight panic-induced turnovers by the Lady Cats.

“When we’re under pressure, we go crazy sometimes,” says Pulley. “We need to hold our cool, and get rid of the ball before they swarm on us.”

Finally, could the Lady Cats, in these twilight days of the season, at last be climbing the steep side of the learning curve? In their last four games, their scoring average is seven points above normal, while their shooting has improved dramatically — 40 percent in those four games, compared to just 31 percent in the 12 games before.

Pulley would like to think so.

“I’ve said this before, but I’ll be disappointed if we don’t win. If we just play like we did against Bartlesville — if we’re patient, and play good defense — we should win. We should.”

Cats (3-7, 5-11) at Owasso Rams (3-7, 7-9)

After whipping off three wins in December, the Cats have since gone 0-5 in conference play in the New Year. That skid started Jan. 12, as Owasso came to town and won by six, 74-68, starting what has since become a painful habit for the Poncans — the single digit loss.

As they say, there’s no better way to end a skid than against the team that started it.

If the Cats have something other than revenge going their way tonight it’s the desire to prove that they’re better — way better — than what they showed last Friday against Bartlesville. Though they were without two starters, the Cats gave up 19 turnovers in the first half alone, and shot a miserable 28 percent from the field.

“They can’t be proud of that, that’s for sure,” says coach Ron Arthur. “They better be ready to play tonight.”

Though the Cats jarred the Rams out of their slow-down style offense last time around, it came at a price — the Cats shot just 31 percent from the field, while the Rams shot 47 percent — including 11-of-20 from 3-point range. Rams’ scoring leader Richard Hardman (17.8 ppg) dumped in 30 points, while Wisdom Ledgerwood (13.6 ppg) had 22.

Arthur also recognizes the significance in this and the last four games of the regular season.

“The two games this week are so important,” he says. “They could mean the difference between playing on someone’s home court, or not. Our backs are up against the wall, and we have to play well.”

Wrestlers Honor Seniors

By FRED HILTON

News Sports Editor

The Wildcats will honor their senior wrestlers — all four of them — prior to tonight’s dual against Newkirk in Robson Fieldhouse.

Senior cheerleaders, Hi-Steppers and Mat Maids will also be introduced just before the dual, which is set to start at 7 p.m.

Po-Hi coach Todd Steidley said three of his seniors, 145-pounder Jonathan Schmauch, 171-pounder Toby RedLeaf and heavyweight Justin Burns will wrestle tonight.

The fourth senior, 125-pounder Josh Bailey will be on the sidelines with an injury.

He won’t be the only one.

With the season quickly headed toward the regional tournament, Steidley is trying to get a group of his grapplers well and healthy. Several are nursing injuries and several more are “borderline sick,” with the current flu bug, according to the coach.

Steidley knows those three seniors will be on the mat tonight. But after that he may not be sure who will wrestle until match time.

“We’ll see who shows up,” he said.

Following tonight’s home finale, the Wildcats have a dual at Sapulpa Saturday and enter the Bishop Kelly Tournament in Tulsa Friday and Saturday.

With two weeks between that tournament and the regional, Steidley will give his matmen a “break.”

“We have tickets to the OU-OSU match on Sunday,” Steidley said,” so we’ll go see that.”

Then its back to the wrestling room — twice a day.

“We’ll be working out in the mornings and then again after school,” the coach said as he tried to prepare the Cats for the regional and state tournaments.

Newkirk coach Gene Bennett is also aiming his No. 9 rated Class A wrestlers toward tournament action.

Newkirk finishes up its dual season tonight and then heads for the conference tournament in Pawhuska this weekend before preparing for regional and state action.

“We’ve been a pretty good tournament team this year,” Bennett said, noting his grapplers have placed no lower than sixth in all five tournaments they’ve entered this season.

“We have eight wresters who have placed in all of those tournaments,” Bennett said. “But having just those eight make it tough to win duals. Plus we have had trouble filling out a lineup for duals.”

Still, the Tigers will bring a 4-4 dual record into tonight’s bouts with the Wildcats.

Newkirk has beaten Barnsdall, Tonkawa, Chandler and Morrison while losing to Perry, Enid, Pawhuska and Pawnee.

The Tigers have an even younger lineup than the Wildcats.

“We have 22 wrestlers in the room and 11 are freshmen,” Bennett points out.

The top Newkirk wrestlers, who have placed in all of their tournaments, are defending state champion Brandon Parker at 125 pounds, state qualifier Russell Schieber at 145, Drew Lockwood at 119, Ben Vap at 130, freshman Ty Collyar at 135, Brandon Weant at 140, sophomore Jordan Ring at 152 and captain Leo Ring, the only senior of the group at 171.

Lady Mavericks Still Perfect

ALTUS — The Lady Mavericks of NOC remained perfect in conference play, Monday, blasting past the Lady Pioneers of Western Oklahoma in overtime, 55-48.

After playing to a 44-44 tie, Suzi Eisenhauer and Lyndsey Warrior had four points each and LaTonya Douglas added a 3-pointer as the Lady Mavs outscored their foes 11-4 in the extra period.

Eisenhauer led the Lady Mavs with 14 points.

“We played awfully well in overtime,” said coach Greg Krause. “We did everything right. And Eisenhauer had a heck of a game.”

After playing for the last shot with 40 seconds left in regulation, a miss by the Lady Mavs gave the ball back to Western, with 11 seconds left. The Lady Pioneers then failed to get the ball further than mid-court, and didn’t even get a shot off.

“Our defense played well the whole game,” said Krause. “We went with a big lineup, three posts, a forward and a guard, and jammed ‘em in tight. Then we tried to flush (the Pioneers) inside.”

The Lady Mavs are now 3-0 (9-13 overall), and tied with Seminole for first place in the Bi-State West.

“We’re playing with emotion, and we have a little momentum,” says Krause. “That’s important. We’re starting to gain some self-confidence.”

Douglas finished with 10 points, Jessica Garner and Warrior had 8 each, Jennifer Williams 7, Kacey Whitworth 6, and Ranada Collins 2.

The Lady Mavs will travel to Murray State on Thursday.

Junior High Basketball

8th boys Red 61, Blackwell 44

BLACKWELL — Nate Macy scored 18 points as the 8th grade boys Red team (5-8) flattened Blackwell on Monday, 61-44.

The Reds pulled out to a 14-13 lead after one quarter, stretched that lead to 31-19 at halftime, and held on for the easy win.

“It was a good win for us, everybody got to play and everybody scored,” said coach John Spore.

Brad Turvey had 13 points, Drew Lancaster and Jason Jones had 8 each, Lance Highfill 3, Kyle Karnish, Jeremy Beguin, Sean Lunsford, Jon Keppenich and Matt Miller had 2 each, while Adam Joostin had 1.

The Reds play Enid Longfellow, tonight, and finish their season at home against Emerson, Thursday.