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From the pages of The Ponca City News, Thursday, March 23, 2000 LOCAL DEATHS NEWS BRIEFS SPORTS LOCALEx DA Pleads Guilty to Embezzlement Ex DA Pleads Guilty to EmbezzlementBy MARK GALVIN News Staff Writer OKLAHOMA CITY — Former district attorney John G. Maddox has 30 days to pay back more than $17,400 in embezzled state funds. That agreement followed his guilty plea Wednesday to a felony charge in Oklahoma County District Court. Maddox, who resigned in September as district attorney for Kay and Noble counties, received a two-year deferred sentence as part of a plea agreement. Sentencing date for the embezzlement conviction was deferred until March 21, 2002. The charge carries a punishment from one to 20 years in prison and a $500 fine. The charge and punsihment will be dropped if Maddox pays the restitutions and avoids further arrests. The agreement was reached after an OSBI auditor’s report indicated a series of instances in which Maddox appropriated state funds for his personal use during his 4 1/2 years in office. Maddox, who also was barred from seeking public office again as part of his punishment, would not comment following Wednesday’s court proceeding. In the written plea agreement, Maddox wrote, “I acknowledge that while driving a vehicle owned by the State of Oklahoma, I filed claims for mileage and received monies from the state for the mileage on the vehicle … ” According to an investigator’s affidavit, Maddox’ practice of charging gasoline for his personal vehicle and charging it to the district’s attorney’s office began within a few weeks of his taking the oath in January, 1995, and continued until July 8, 1999. The attorney general’s office requested an investigation into allegations against him in August. The investigation also indicated several checks written from the office’s bogus check restitution fund were appropriated for Maddox’ personal use. For the entire series of instances, Maddox, 54, was charged with a single count of Embezzlement by a Public Official earlier this month by a multi-county grand jury in Oklahoma Supreme Court. The indictment said the incidents ran from approximately Jan. 12, 1995, until last July. An OSBI auditor’s investigation indicated Maddox purchased at least 3,209 gallons of gasoline for his personal vehicle during the period, but charged it to the district attorney’s office. The purchases were paid from regularly budgeted state funds. Maddox then would file travel claims requesting reimbursement for official business travel in the same personal vehicle and the reimbursements would be made to him by state issued warrants. The total amount of funds Maddox appropriated to his own use was $3,534, according to the affidavit. Maddox further was accused of submitting travel claims for reimbursement of mileage and travel expenses for use of his personal vehicle on the same official travel, although he was actually driving state-provided vehicles from April, 1997, to July, 1999. State-issued warrants provided to reimburse Maddox for travel claims he submitted while driving either a state-provided 1989 Ford Bronco or a 1994 Chevrolet Astro van totalled another $11,627.35. Maddox was also accused of diverting a total of $2,242.66 from the office’s bogus check restititution fund for his personal use for expenses including payment of his Ponca City Chamber of Commerce annual dues, window tinting for his personal automobile, annual dues to the National College of District Attorneys Alumni Association and food and refreshment items at Sam’s Club. As part of the plea agreement with District Judge Susan W. Bragg and Maddox’ attorney Irven Box of Oklahoma City, Maddox was ordered to pay back the total of $17,404.01 in restitutions to the state in 30 days. Maddox resigned from office on Sept. 10, nine months into his second term. He had been unopposed for reelection. Unitherm City Move Closer To Agreement on Rent DisputeBy LOUISE ABERCROMBIE News Business Editor Settlement of a rental fee contract dispute between the city and Unitherm Food Systems, Inc., manufacturer of commerical stainless steel cooking equipment, moved a step closer today. The Economic Development Advisory Board (EDAB) determined that is was better to retain the company here and adjust the rental fee since the firm has a reported $900,000 annual payroll. Another consideration is the announced plan of Unitherm to add a $250,000 test kitchen for marketing purposes, according to Tim Burg, member of the task force. After discussion, the EDAB voted to recommend to the City Commission a modification of the original agreement. The dispute involves rent of the city-owned building Unitherm occupies on Hartford Avenue. The original agreement called for Unitherm to have three years of rent-free occupancy. After three years, the free rent would continue to be honored if Unitherm provided 70 full-time jobs. Currently, the company has 30 employees, but wants to include contractual employees as part of the total. Under the original employee head count method, Unitherm’s rent would be in the $25,000 a year range. The overall task force discussion was based on a figure of $15,000 annually. The three free years ended a year ago. The motion by Burg was to rescind a past recommendation to stick to the original contract and to honor the new modification, which was worked out with Unitherm and city officials. Official action will come from the City Commission since EDAB is only an advisory body. City commissioners — Mayor Tom Leonard, Dick Stone, Lyn Boyer and Chris Hand — were in attendance. The city commission took no action on the first recommendation by EDAB, returning it for further study. Seven members of EDAB were present at this morning’s meeting. The vote was 6-0 in favor of the motion. Voting in favor were EDAB chairman Carl Renfro, Bob Cain, Ricky Flak, George Ferguson and Nick Spencer. Larry Buck and Brian Harpster were out of the room when the vote was taken. Those two members had indicated in discussion they would abstain because they did business with Unitherm. An abstention vote would have counted as a “no” vote. Jan Jarrett, economic development director, advised the members on this matter. Mayor Leonard objected, saying they should vote as a matter of public policy. The EDAB recommendation is to accept the proposed amendment to the lease. It was proposed by the company to change the rent formula from a head count method to the gross payroll/$10 per hour method during the initial term of the lease agreement if Unitherm commits to an investment of at least $250,000 in the test kitchen and completes it within a short time frame. Paul Bowker, speaking for the company, said the company’s time frame would be within six months. Volunteers Requested For OlympicsVolunteers are needed to help with the county’s annual Special Olympics program at Ponca City High School’s Sullins Stadium. The Special Olympics local meet will be held Saturday, April 1, with opening ceremonies starting at 10 a.m. In case of rain or inclement weather, the meet will be moved to the girls’ gym at the high school, with all times the same. The local program of events to salute Special Olympians is sponsored annually by the Ponca City AMBUCS. Ponca City Noon AMBUCS spokesman Dan Sims said the program can always use volunteers to set up and stage the events, as well as cheerleaders to support the athletes. All volunteers should arrive between 9 and 9:30 a.m. before the opening ceremonies, he said. Food and drinks will be available in the concession stand at the stadium. West Middle School Chorus Receives Superior RatingGROVE (AP) — Jerry Kropff said he always wanted a bridge, but never had one. With the destruction of the old Sailboat Bridge, Jerry has realized his dream. Kropff, a retired resident of Grove who lives on Grand Lake with his wife, Madeline, is now the proud owner of the old Sailboat Bridge. Kropff said he bought his bridge for an undisclosed amount from the Traylor Brothers of Evansville, Ind., the company who tore down the old and built the new Sailboat Bridge. He said he bought his bridge by way of sealed bid and doesn’t know if anyone else even bid on it. The transaction was finalized just a short time before the bridge deconstruction began, he said. ‘‘Well, I don’t know,’’ he said for his plans of the bridge. ‘‘I just never had a bridge before and I always wanted one. I don’t know what I’m going to do with it. I don’t have any plans.’’ He said there is a lot of good steel in the bridge, but he doesn’t think he can use it all, but someone will. That someone probably won’t be his wife. Kropff said she wasn’t exactly happy when she found out he bought the bridge. ‘‘She wasn’t excited as I was,’’ he said. ‘‘She’s less excited now that I have it all stacked on the ground here. Yeah, when you got half a mile of bridge sitting in your yard, it takes up quite a bit.’’ But despite his wife’s reaction, he said the bridge crew would have brought the old bridge to his property anyway, to unload and then take it somewhere else. ‘‘Even if someone else had gotten it, it still would have been sitting here for a period of time,’’ he said. ‘‘But instead of somebody else having to worry about it, now I guess I can.’’ Kropff said he doesn’t have any long-term plans for the bridge, but does plan on making a fence to go around his yard with the bridge’s ‘‘beautiful’’ hand rails. He plans on building the fence himself, and has started taking off the hand rails. Kropff said it shouldn’t take much to complete his fence. He said he just has to dig the holes and set some steel poles from his bridge in them. ‘‘It’s got big nice posts on every one of them,’’ he said. ‘‘And they are made to hold a car and not a cow, so they ought to be strong enough.’’ His bridge’s strength more than likely comes from its size. Kropff said he measured it at 17 feet tall and 24 feet wide. ‘‘It’s a little bigger than I thought it was,’’ he said. ‘‘I didn’t have any idea it was that tall.’’ He has 2,300 feet of steel bridge frames sitting in his yard in 120-foot sections. The crew has been putting the old bridge in his yard for a couple of months now, but the last sections of the bridge were delivered last week. ‘‘They took it down in a hurry,’’ he said. ‘‘It didn’t take them long. I think this is it. I think they got it pretty well here.’’ Each section weighs about 50 tons, with a total weight of around 750 to 1,000 tons sitting in his yard. The bridge crews brought the steel sections across the lake on barges and unloaded them with a straddle crane, Kropff said. ‘‘They just drove over and set it down like it was a toy,’’ he said of the crane moving the 120-foot sections into his yard. ‘‘They have done a good job, and the bridge boys have been nice to us.’’ ‘‘They are massive structures. It’s unbelievable, the size of those things and the way they handle them. I just can’t comprehend it. It’s been fun and interesting watching them,’’ he said. Oklahoma Libraries Offer Help in CensusOklahoma’s public libraries have been recruited to assist the U.S. Census Bureau with the national count coming up this spring. Virtually all of the state’s 200 plus public library sites have signed up for the “Be Counted” program. These libraries can provide census forms to citizens who have lost their form or did not receive one in the mail. “This partnership between the U.S. Census Bureau and America’s public library community is an attempt to make sure the national count is as accurate as possible,” according, to Steve Beleu, U.S. Government information librarian at the Oklahoma Department of Libraries. Census population totals are used to reapportion among the states the seats in the U.S. House of Representatives and, within states, to redraw the boundaries of state legislative districts and even some local voting districts. Census counts also help determine the disbursement of federal funds to state and local governments. “According to the Oklahoma State Data Center, Oklahoma has lost at least $13.8 million in federal funds since 1991 because our state was under counted,” Beleu said. The center estimates 57,000 Oklahomans were not counted in 1990. “In some instances, citizens may have misplaced or lost their 1990 form, or they may have recently moved and the Census form didn’t follow them to their new address,” Beleu said. “For Census 2000, citizens who lose or don’t receive a form can pick one up at their local public libraries.” Census forms were due to arrive in mailboxes no later than March 15. Persons needing forms can check with their local library between April 1 and April 11. Both short and long versions of the census forms are being provided to the public libraries. “If the Census Bureau originally sent you a long form, keep in mind you can’t switch it out for a short form,” Beleu said. A directory of Oklahoma’s public libraries can be found on the Oklahoma Department of Libraries’ website at www.odl.state.ok.us/go/pl.asp High Fuel Costs Dictate Higher Transport RatesNew rates for the local transportation service have been approved and will become effective April 1. Pioneer Transit board of directors approved the new fare increases at a meeting held March 14 at Pioneer Technology Center. Continuing funding issues and higher fuel prices prompted the move. Initially, members agreed to create two separate service areas. The service areas, or zones, are divided by the city limits. Zone one includes trips that originate and end within the city limits of Ponca City. New fares for zone one are — public, $2; seniors/youth/disabled, $1.50; wheelchair transport, $2.50. Larger increases were approved for rides that begin or conclude within five miles of the city limits. Examples of destinations in zone two include White Eagle, McCord, Marland and Kildare. Rides in zone two are as follows — public, $3; senior/disabled/youth, $2.50; wheelchair transport, $3.50. Information flyers will be available through drivers or by calling Pioneer Transit. Tickets can be purchased at Miller Market, Fourth Street and South Avenue, or through a Pioneer Transit driver. Cash is accepted for those passengers who choose to pay per ride; however, drivers do not carry change. In other business, the board approved a budget of $468,659 for fiscal year 2001. The budget approval is the first step to reapply for a federal grant under Section 5311 of the Federal Transit Act of 1991, for rural public transportation services. Also as part of the application, Pioneer Transit will host a public hearing in April to receive input from citizens on the local transportation program. Additionally, staff will be contacting current supporters to renew letters of commitment needed to meet the 50 percent matching requirement. An item relating to a capital grant through the Aging Services Division of the Department of Human Services was added to the March agenda. Subsequently, the board authorized a project requesting a six-passenger mini van. The vehicle would replace an older model vehicle. In the area of fund raising, Lori May presented a report of the Fund Raising Committee. May, who chairs the committee, recommended the board sponsor a gasoline give-away during a grand opening celebration set May 6 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Members agreed to the idea. During the director’s report, Laura Corff informed members that Pioneer Transit finalized a contract with the Developmental Disabilities Service Division of Department of Human Services to provide transportation services to access programs necessary to enhance community/living skills and integration for mentally retarded clients. In other discussions, the board agreed to pursue an alternative American fuel, compressed natural gas (CNG). Art Mires, president, told the board about a meeting with representatives of Oklahoma Natural Gas. John Kiska, of ONG, prepared and submitted a CNG Fleet Study for the board’s review. Based on current fueling figures, the cost equivalent of CNG at a retail pump is $71. Converting three vehicles targeted for this study, estimated annual savings could be as much as $6,700, according to Kiska. A program through ONG would assist with costs of conversion. Advantages to converting vehicles to CNG: • stable and economical fuel costs • reduced ozone forming emissions by as much as 85 percent • reduce dependence on foreign imports • CNG is produced in Oklahoma • safety • reduced engine wear through cleaner burning fuel • reduced maintenance costs Staff will obtain an estimate of conversion costs, review information regarding CNG and bring a recommendation back to the board in April. Furthermore, the Pioneer Transit office will relocate to Five Darr Industrial Park on April 1. The facility, which is owned by the city of Ponca City, provides an office space and a garage to house the fleet. Pioneer Transit operates a public, door-to-door transportation service responsive to the citizens of Ponca City. Several vehicles are ADA accessible. When scheduling a ride, be sure to indicate if one of these vehicles is required. To find out more or set a reservation, call 718-0444. Agency Urged To Look at Buying Lincoln Park Plaza Office SpaceOKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — A controversial effort is still under way to have the state acquire the Lincoln Park Plaza Office Park in Oklahoma City. The Senate General Government Committee voted 6-2 on Wednesday to require the Department of Central Services to renew negotiations on leasing the complex, despite a 2-year-old study showing it needs $10 million in upgrades. The vote came over opposition of Sen. Dave Herbert, D-Midwest City, committee chairman, who said he did not understand why the issue had surfaced again with the help of a paid lobbyist. ‘‘It’s a bad deal,’’ Herbert said, pointing to a 1998 study by an independent company, which was hired by the central services agency to assess the condition of the building and what it would take to get it up to state standards. ‘‘That building is shot. It’s old,’’ Herbert said, adding that possible asbestos removal costs had not been figured into the estimated renovation cost. Rep. Jerry Hefner, D-Wagoner, and Sen. Kevin Easley, D-Tulsa, are sponsors of the joint resolution calling for more negotiations. Easley said the measure did not mandate anything but discussion of a possible lease. The resolution noted that Lincoln Plaza had proposed that the state modify and consolidate its existing leases with the complex into one 20-year lease. The proposal called for the lease to have an option whereby the state would purchase the complex, which comprises 28,000 square feet, for a $1 payment. The state presently has several agencies leasing space at the office building, including the attorney general. Some senators said they are concerned the proposed acquisition of the building is being opposed by the administration of Gov. Frank Keating because the governor wants to build an expensive state office complex in the proposed Lincoln Renaissance Project. ‘‘I’m really concerned about a $20 million, or $30 million or $50 million Taj Mahal down the street at taxpayer expense,’’ said Sen. Keith Leftwich, D-Oklahoma City. Easley complained that he was the victim of a lobbying effort by the Department of Central Services. Pam Warren, director of the agency and Keating cabinet secretary, denied any lobbying. But she said based on the independent study, she had a responsibility to make a recommendation that acquisition of the building was not ‘‘in the best interest of the state.’’ The 1998 analysis showed the building is deficient in many areas, including security, safety and functionality. Oklahomans Survive Terror in RiverOAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — After jumping off the burning sailboat that had provided him and four young friends a brief spring-break idyll, 18-year-old John Blackfox was struggling to stay afloat in chilly Sacramento River Delta waters. The wind was churning the waters and Blackfox lost his sense of direction. It seemed to him that he had spent 45 minutes in the water when he shouted, ‘‘No!’’ then took a breath and let himself sink, resigned to drowning. But after he went under, he saw a light and made one final attempt to save himself. ‘‘I knew I was going to die. I gave up. But then I saw a light. So I gave everything I had to get to the surface one more time. I heard somebody say, ‘Grab this,’ and I stuck my hand out of the water. I felt a pipe and grabbed it,’’ he told the Contra Costa Times on Wednesday, a day after his ordeal. Blackfox was lucky, as were three of his friends and the father of one of them. They survived their time in the water, after their 37-foot fishing boat caught fire about 2 a.m. Tuesday off the Concord waterfront. Three others were not so lucky. Wilburn and Barbara Thompson of Turlock, both in their 50s, and Keith Washington, 16, of Colcord, Okla., remained missing Wednesday evening. Blackfox and two of his friends, James Mitchell and Cecil Sixkiller, both 16, spoke at Oakland International Airport, where they caught a plane to fly home to rural Oklahoma. Their fishing trip started well Monday. But the fast-moving fire that broke out while they were sleeping, apparently killed their friend Keith, a football player and joker whose name was tattooed across his belly. ‘‘I’ve never lost one of my best friends,’’ said Blackfox, who hadn’t slept for more than a day and was vomiting sea water about every 30 minutes. The other two survivors remained in California. James Payton, 17, was with his father, Elmer Payton, 57, both of Colcord, in a Sacramento hospital where the elder Payton was recovering from burns. Sixkiller said the fire blocked the boaters’ path to a pair of extinguishers near the stern. Some of the boys tried in vain to smother the blaze with sleeping bags, but they simply added fuel to the fire. Everyone jumped from the boat, including those now missing, the boys said. They used a fender as a makeshift life preserver, trying to kick toward shore. The fire was spotted by Dan Kiernan, 48, who was doing some late-night fishing with his girlfriend, Debbie Goesch, 38. They sped almost a mile to the fire, and began plucking people from the water. The victims were so cold and tired that they couldn’t help pull themselves aboard. Goesch said she saw Washington go under the water. Once they got the five people on the boat, Kiernan turned off his boat and the couple yelled for any other survivors. ‘‘We hollered for a long time,’’ Goesch said. Dispite Rain Water Woes Plague State FarmersOKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Rain fell on most of the state Wednesday and more was expected today, but a few Oklahoma counties are still parched. Southwestern Oklahoma counties still need a lot of rain, said Paul Jackson, a member of the Oklahoma Wheat Commission. Jackson has traveled the state and has seen what kind of conditions Oklahoma farmers are facing this spring. Other areas of the state are in need of a good soaking, according to the Oklahoma Water Resources Board. In its latest report, the board says east-central, southeastern and south-central Oklahoma are below normal rainfall levels for the year. At least five regions in Oklahoma reported a drop in rainfall for the 2000 calendar year. Brian Vance, board hydrologist, said the levels for those regions are 72, 73 and 74 percent of normal, respectively. The entire state of Oklahoma is not in a severe drought, he said, but some counties are just drier than others. Tillman County is one of those counties, said Fred Wyatt, a rancher from Hollister. He hasn’t seen a decent rainfall since last fall, he said. ‘‘If you’ve received the recent rainfall, you’re doing good,’’ Wyatt said. Although he has installed 21 miles of water lines on his land, he is still seeing dry spots in his wheat fields. Wyatt estimated that some of his wheat fields will yield 25 to 50 percent less than previous years’ crops. Other farmers are more fortunate and won’t be affected as much, if at all, by the dry weather, said Jack Carson, spokesman for the state Agriculture Department. The recent rain came just in time for these farmers, he said. ‘‘It’s just a real Godsend for our farmers and ranchers,’’ Carson said. ‘‘These early rains are extremely important for agricultural development. There’s really not an aspect of agriculture it didn’t affect.’’ It is still too early to predict if the crop yields will be affected by the dry weather, said Agriculture Department deputy state statistician Glenda Shepler. ‘‘This rain is really helping the wheat,’’ she said. ‘‘It doesn’t take a whole lot for it to take off.’’ The National Weather Service issued river flood warnings today for the North Canadian River near Seiling and Watonga and the Canadian River near Bridgeport as well as the Washita River at Clinton. Crop and pasture lands as well as oil and gas wells and rural roads were expected to be covered by water as the North Canadian rose. The river was expected to crest 2 feet above the flood stage of 11 feet by noon Friday near Seiling and 2 feet above the 15 feet flood stage at Watonga tonight. The Canadian River near Bridgeport was expected to crest around 14 feet about noon Friday, 1 1/2 feet above flood stage. The weather service said the Washita River at Clinton should crest slightly above its 18 feet flood stage tonight with about 1,000 acres of rural lands under a foot of water. Dry weather also is causing a problem for the state Forestry Department, Carson said. Firefighters are taking a break during this wet weather to catch up on equipment maintenance, he said. The U.S. Forestry Department is predicting one of the most active spring fire seasons on record for the southern part of the nation. The Oklahoma Forestry Department reported a 10-year average of 1,934 wildfires burning 57,359 acres. In 1999, there were 2,170 wildfires that burned 51,573 acres. The dry winter weather can be traced to La Nina, the winter version of El Nino. La Nina has meant less rain for Oklahoma this winter, Vance said. Many forecasters are predicting La Nina to last well into the summer months, meaning more dry weather for Oklahoma, he said. District CourtNewkirk Marriage Licenses Harold Laurence Davis, 26, and Stacy Lynn Sturtz, 25, both of Chicago. Jerry Lee Grayson, 42, and Sheila Lee Martin, 32, both of Ponca City. Howard Lee Wayman, 33, and Kristina Marie Pannell, 42, both of Blackwell. David Wayne Westerman, 42, and Suzette Marie Venturino, 32, both of Ponca City. Jason Robert Bell, 22, and Mindy Rene’ Herren, 20, both of Blackwell. Tommy Lee Wofford, 55, and Martha Jean Mankins, 44, both of Ponca City. Jacob Lee Feathers, 19, and Michele Lea Chambers, 21, both of Ponca City. Preston Payne Hufstedler, 33, and Michele Lowe Tauscher, 32, both of New Smyrna, Fla. Mark Alan Zielinski, 31, and Josie Elizabeth McGee, 17, both of Ponca City. Christopher James Walls, 28, and Sherry Ann Lowe, 26, both of Ponca City. Thomas Ray Ramsey, 39, and Elizabeth Anne Fleming, 39, both of Ponca City. Chad Allen Widner, 20, Ponca City, and Kimberly Rae Baker, 18, Cordell. Damon Joel Bouchard, 23, and Joanna Carolyn Coonrod, 18, both of Ponca City. Jeremy Alan Wilson, 19, and Shawna Marie Colburn, 19, both of Blackwell. Jeremie Lee Rancier, 16, and Michal Kay Swopes, 16, both of Blackwell. Jason Wayne Burdett, 18, and Tammy Jo Dwyer, 18, both of Newkirk. Roger Ernest Hoddy, 35, and Jody Dawn Lake, 34, both of Ponca City. Charles William Stewart, 22, and Deseray Shalene Roberts, 19, both of Ponca City. Ponca City Divorces Sought Ruth Ann Patterson vs. Paul Eugene Patterson Jr. Juan Pena II vs. Yuri Sanchez. Sandra Orcutt vs. Jeff Orcutt. Jimmy D. Cowan Jr. vs. Diana Cowan. Linda Ruth Armstrong vs. Sidney Craig Armstrong. Brenda Parks vs. Claudie Ray Parks. Elisa Anne Shed vs. Scott Lee Shed. Everett L. Skinner vs. Stacey L. Skinner. Tamara Diana Landsdowne vs. Travis Lynn Landsdowne. Lindsay N. Bruno vs. Johnnie L. Bruno. Sherry Jane Delaney vs. Stephen Robert Delaney. Lisa Ruth McClelland vs. Jeffrey Paul McClelland. Patricia Marie Greenfield vs. James Louis Greenfield. Danny Ray Denton vs. Brenda Sue Denton. Veronica Isabell De La Garza-Saucedo vs. Isidro Saucedo. John Dudley Stafford vs. Charlotte Suann Stafford. Divorces Granted Kelli D. Nealy vs. Gordon D. Nealy. Cliff Eugene Carter vs. Ladonna Renae Carter. Cheryl Lynn Gallagher vs. David Isaac Gallagher. Barbara Lynn Foster vs. Ivan Ray Foster. Wanza Lynn Bailey vs. James M. Bailey. Pamella D. Denton vs. Cary D. Denton. Marci Dannette Hall vs. William Chad Hall. DEATHSArthur Olin Jones No DeathsObituariesArthur Olin JonesArthur (Art) Olin Jones, 812 Edgewood, Ponca City, died Tuesday, March 21, 2000, doing something he enjoyed, riding his bicycle. He was 58. The funeral will be held at 2 p.m. Friday, March 24, in the Worship Center of the First Baptist Church with the Rev. Hance Dilbeck presiding, assisted by Minister of Education Doyle Lowry. Burial will be at Resthaven Cemetery under the direction of Grace Memorial Chapel. Art was born March 13, 1942, in Hutchinson, Kan., the son of Arthur 0. Jones and Dona Sawyer Jones. He attended schools in Midwest City and Ardmore, graduating from Ardmore High as class valedictorian in 1960. He graduated from East Central State College in Ada with a bachelor of science degree in math in 1964. Following college graduation, Art entered the U.S. Navy’s Officer Candidate School and served as a commissioned officer from 1964 to 1969. His tenure involved tours of duty as an instructor at Great Lakes Naval Training Center and supply corps officer aboard the USS Fort Marion, making two tours to southeast Asia. Art and Shirley Milford met at East Central and were married on Feb. 7, 1965, and made their first home in the Great Lakes area. Art was employed by Conoco in the computer, stockholder services and payroll departments from Aug. 1, 1969, taking early retirement on April 1, 1996. He was a faithful member of First Baptist Church, Ponca City, where he served in the adult choir, on various committees, as a deacon and as a children’s and preschool teacher. He particularly enjoyed teaching three and four year olds in Sunday school. Art became an enthusiastic member of the Cherokee Wheelman bicycle club in 1990 and made taking one or more cross-state trips his annual goal. He was treasurer of the Cherokee Strip Credit Union at the time of his death. He was a member and song leader of the Noon Lions Club. Art treasured the friends he made over the years. He is survived by wife Shirley of the home; daughters Keela Mostek of Oklahoma City and Paige Redwine of Plano, Texas; sons-in-law Chris Mostek and Jason Redwine; grand-daughter Chloe Mostek; brother Gary and wife Jan of Lawrenceville, Ga. He was preceded in death by his parents. Casket bearers will be Tom Smith, Lyndon Boyer, Jack Rawlins, Dick Wilson, Art Mires and Mike Dove. Honorary bearers will be Louie Gibson, Park Nelson, Jimmy Don Reeves, Lanny Officer, Earl Ball and David Rhodes. Memorial contributions may be made to KLVV, Box 14, Ponca City, Okla. 74602. The family will be at 812 Edgewood. paid obituary John Mike YatesDr. John Mike Yates, Ponca City resident, died Tuesday, March 21, 2000, at his residence. John Yates was born Sept. 27, 1941, in Altus to Elmer Ira and Yada (Schrimsher) Yates. He served his country in the United States Army. He completed his internship at Brooke Army Medical Center at San Antonio, Texas, and his residency in psychiatry at Letterman Army Medical Center, Presidio, San Francisco, Calif., and was a psychiatrist at the United States Military Academy, West Point, N.Y. Dr. Yates was board certified in psychiatry by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, Inc. He authored the “Complete Book of Self Hypnosis.” He was a resident of Ponca City from 1979 to 1990, returning on March 16, 2000. He enjoyed hunting, reading, and all outdoor activities. The funeral will be held 11 a.m. Friday, March 24, 2000, in the Trout Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Dr. J. D. Ward, pastor, First United Methodist Church, officiating. A graveside will be held 2 p.m. Monday, March 27, 2000, in the City of Altus Cemetery in Altus with arrangements by the Trout Funeral Home. Survivors include two daughters, Grace Katharine Yates of Ponca City and Anne Elizabeth Yates of Ponca City; and two brothers, Ted E. Yates and Tom W. Yates, both of Altus. He was preceded in death by his parents. Memorials may be made in Dr. Yates’ name to the Edwin Fair Community Mental Health Center, 1500 North Sixth, Ponca City, Okla. 74601. The family will greet friends at the Trout Funeral Home 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday, March 23, 2000. paid obituary Marcella Sue PassarelliMarcella Sue “DeRoin” Passarelli, longtime Ponca City resident, died Monday evening, March 21, 2000, at St. Joseph’s Regional Medical Center. She was 55. A viewing and visitation will be held Thursday evening for family and close friends from 6 to 8 p.m. at Grace Memorial Chapel. Graveside services are scheduled for 10 a.m. Friday, March 24, 2000 at the Newkirk Cemetery with Father John Michalicka, pastor of St. Mary’s Catholic Church, officiating. Marcy was born Sept. 28, 1944, in Oklahoma City, the daughter of Mike Passarelli and Dovie Iona Yandell. She grew up in Oklahoma City where she attended grade school and high school. She married Cecil Maxwell DeRoin in 1961 in Oklahoma City where they made their first home. Marcy moved to Ponca City in the early 70s and began working for Huffy. She continued working there when it became Skaggs Distribution Center as a wholesale warehouser and for a short while after it became Albertsons Distribution Center as an accounting clerk. She went to work for PIA in the purchasing and sales department. She was later employed by Sykes Enterprises Inc. where she was a computer CSC until declining health forced her to take a leave of absence. Marcy spent her life basically having a good time, and she enjoyed being involved with whatever her children were doing. One personal accomplishment that she took a lot of pride in was she went from “not being able to boil water” when she got married to becoming a gourmet cook. Marcy also had a real passion for animals. She loved her horses, dogs, birds and squirrels. Even in her last days, she wanted family members to spread seed around the yard so she could watch the birds and squirrels. Survivors include her mother, Dovie Iona (Yandell) Kinsey; one son, Cecil Lynn DeRoin and his wife Tina of Red Rock; one daughter, Lesa Gaye DeRoin of Montana; one brother, Mike Passarelli of Oklahoma City; six grandchildren, Lindsey, Robert, Justin, Cory, Dani and Darci DeRoin, Dustin Higgins; one great-grandchild on the way that Marcy was very excited about; numerous aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews; and two very special friends, Ann Leathers and Carol Fusselman. She was preceded in death by her father and one infant brother. Memorial contributions can be made to Hospice of Ponca City, 1904 North Union, Suite 103, Ponca City, Okla. 74601. paid obituary NEWS BRIEFSFund Raiser — Ranch Drive Volunteer Fire Department fund raiser will be held Saturday starting at 6 p.m. and will include chili and soup furnished. Those attending should bring salad or dessert to complete the dinner. Adults $3 and children $1.50. Come and enjoy the fellowship. 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. Robotic Car Wash — The Robotics Club of Po-Hi will be holding a car wash from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. the next two Saturdays at the Wal-Mart Auto Center. Cost is $5 for all sizes. 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. Dancing Scheduled — The Pete Coli Country Band will be playing for dancing Friday at the Senior Center in Arkansas City, Kan. from 7 to 10 p.m. Guests are asked to bring finger food to share. 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. Army Sgt. Terry Re-Enlists — Army Sgt. Scott A. Terry has re-enlisted in the U.S. Army after five years of military service. Terry is a satellite communications operator-maintainer assigned to the 362nd Signal Company at Yongsan, Seoul, South Korea. He is the son of Susan and stepson of Stan Young of Rural Route 1, Shidler. His father, Clyde D. Terry, resides at 703 Cooper Square Circle in Arlington, Texas. The sergeant’s wife, Zatoshua, is the daughter of Bob and Patricia Gallagher of Jacksonville Beach, Fla. Terry is a 1992 graduate of Shidler High School. Elk’s Members. Enjoy burgers and basketball, Friday. Tulsa vs. Miami then OSU vs. Seton Hall.6:00-? Elks Lodge, 3612 Lake Road. adv. Reckless Driver — A woman reported to the Ponca City Police Department at East Highland Avenue and North Seventh Street at 9:21 a.m. Wednesday that a juvenile boy in a vehicle was driving very reckless and kept her from passing several times, and made obscene gestures. An officer was assigned and information was logged that the juvenile was contacted about his driving. 25 Cents a gallon drinking water. Pure Water Wagon 1717 N. 5th. adv. Counterfeit Bill — An employee at a business at the intersection of North Fourteenth Street and East Prospect Avenue reported to the Ponca City Police Department at 9:38 a.m. Wednesday that a counterfeit $50 bill had been received. An officer was assigned and a report was taken. Meet Kristie Gerding, our new custom framer. Carla’s Hallmark, 4th & Grand, Downtown. adv Items Missing — A woman from the 100 block of West Albany Avenue reported to the Ponca City Police Department 10:29 p.m. Wednesday that some items had been taken from the residence. An officer was assigned and a grand larceny report was taken. Pauline Steak and shrimp dinner $11.95 Friday the 24th. For reservations call 765-5460. adv. Vandalism — A man from the 200 block of South Oak Street reported to the Ponca City Police Department at 11:15 a.m. Wednesday that his vehicle had been vandalized. An officer was assigned and a report was taken. Patio, French and terrace doors. We sell and install. Ponca Glass, 300 West Highland and Pine, 762-6522. adv. Citations Issued — An officer of the Ponca City Police Department reported from the 800 block of West Ponca Avenue at 12:27 a.m. Thursday that several citations were issued to a motorist. Information was logged that a juvenile girl was being held and later released to a parent with a promise to appear. Business Burglarized — A woman from the 1000 block of North Waverly Street reported to the Ponca City Police Department at 12:54 p.m. Wednesday that the business had been broken into. An officer was assigned and a report was taken. Intricate Designs of Ponca City, experienced professional wall papering by Leramy Kizziar,free estimates. 762-2089. adv. Requests Extra Patrol — An officer of the Ponca City Police Department reported at 1:04 p.m. Wednesday that officials at Hastings, 2900 North Fourteenth Street, had requested extra patrol of the area as a result of the windows being egged. Final Sale, warehouse clearance and fire sale merchandise. At Randy’s Harris furniture and carpet and Melinda’s Gift Gallery. Saturday March the 25th. 10a.m. to 4 p.m. 105 North Main Tonkawa. Great bargains and low prices. adv. Bicycle Abandoned — The Communications Center was informed at 1:50 p.m. Wednesday that an abandoned bicycle would be inside a front door of a business in the 200 block of South First Street. The information was logged. Stormescape Shelters, perfect for garage, under vehicle, instal- lation. $1,695. 765-2633. adv. Threats — A man from the 3200 block of North Fourteenth Street reported to the Ponca City Police Department at 5:15 p.m. Wednesday that another subject had entered the restaurant and made threats. An officer was assigned and a report was taken. Threatened at Work — A man reported to the Ponca City Police Department at 6:04 p.m. Wednesday that he had been threatened while at work at Thorn Apple Valley. An officer was assigned and a report was taken. Narcotics Violation — A man from the 500 block of South Third Street reported to the Ponca City Police Department at 8:05 p.m. Wednesday that he had found a marijuana pipe in a vehicle that had been repossessed. An officer was assigned and took the pipe to be destroyed. Suspicious Vehicle — The Communications Center received a call at 10:42 a.m. Wednesday that a vehicle parked in the 200 block of North Third Street was a van with someone keeping dogs inside it. Animal Control was notified and found that the van was full of stuffed animals. However, a check of the license plate at 11:18 a.m. determined that the van had been stolen from Oklahoma City. Three officers of the Ponca City Police Department responded to the scene and the vehicle was towed away. A 20-year-old man was held for possession of stolen property. Accident — A two-vehicle minor accident in the 900 block of South Ninth Street was reported to the Ponca City Police Department at 11:21 p.m. Wednesday. An officer was assigned and a report was taken. Vase Moved — A woman from the 1200 block of El Camino Street reported to the Ponca City Police Department at 6:31 a.m. Thursday that a large concrete vase was in the front yard, which apparently belonged next door. An officer was assigned and the vase was returned to the rightful -owner. ODOT Regional Meeting — An invitation to the public has been extended by the Oklahoma Department of Transportation to an open house, trade-show type exhibit from 4-6:30 p.m. today at the South Fourth Street Clubhouse, 1500 South Fourth Street, Ponca City. GARDENINGMoon Flowers Club Learns About Indoor Seed Propagation Moon Flowers Club Learns About Indoor Seed PropagationThe Moon Flowers Garden Club met March 14 at the Cann Gardens. Mitch Yancey, retired owner of The Farm Greenhouse, was the guest speaker. He instructed the group in starting seeds indoors for early spring plants. The group also discussed the garden council’s trip to the Wichita Lawn and Garden Show. Those attending went to the garden show, had lunch in Old Town, and visited a winery. Upcoming events for the group include participating in the annual Ponca City Council of Garden Clubs’ Plants for Pleasure Sale held in conjunction with the Ponca City Iris Festival in May. The Kansas Association of Arboreta and Botanical Gardens will hold their annual convention in Ponca City on Friday, May 12. The group includes members from Kansas State University, Kansas Extension Services, Wichita Botanical Gardens, and Kansas Park and Forestry Department. They will be touring the Cann Gardens, the Marland Mansion grounds, Standing Bear Park, and the Conoco office complex grounds. They will also tour the Bivin Garden in Shidler. A luncheon, hosted by the Ponca City Council of Garden Clubs, will be held at the First Presbyterian Church. The association will hold their business meeting following the luncheon. The Moon Flowers Garden Club’s next meeting will be held April 10 at the Cann Gardens. Speaking to the club will be Kay Whitlock. She will present a program on the herb of the year, rosemary. Anyone interested in becoming a garden club member is encouraged to attend. For more information, call Jeanie Waller, 765-8500. Arbor Day Tree Planting EventSaturday at 10 A.M. Ponca Citians will gather at the southeast corner of Pioneer Park to plant trees. Jim Eck,, Ponca City Parks Superintendent invites everyone interested in helping plant a tree for the millennium to be there. Mr. Eck promises the holes will be dug and mulch will be available with the trees. Several groups will be there with their gloves and shovels. Mayor Tom Leonard will read the Arbor Day Proclamation. Ponca City Leadership,. along with the City Manager and commissioners will be there. Kay County Master Gardeners will plant a tree commemorating the first group of master gardeners in Kay County. Ponca City Council of Garden Clubs will plant a tree in recognition of their 70th anniversary and Sage Rosemary & Thyme Garden Club will plant a tree in recognition of the seventh herb festival coming Jun 3 and their clubs 6th birthday in April. Cub Scout Den 2 Pack 14 and Den 7 Pack 53 will plant trees to earn their World Conservation Award in conjunction with the cities celebration. Cold Frame Extends SeasonBy LEE REICH (AP) — A cold frame is a clear plastic or glass-top box set directly on the ground to act like a miniature greenhouse. The traditional form for a cold frame is a box with a sloping roof. The roof is highest along the north edge and slopes down an inch or two for every foot from back to front, with the lowest point no less than a foot high. The larger the cold frame the more even temperatures remain inside. But a cold frame must be small enough so you can reach plants and soil from the outside after all, this is a cold frame, not a greenhouse. The glass or plastic covering the cold frame is mounted in a wooden frame that can be lifted open. Advantages of glass coverings are their clarity and permanence. Glass also is readily available because people always seem to be discarding old window sashes. But glass does break. Whether the covering is glass or plastic, you'll have to prop it open to vent heat on sunny days that are not too cold. You can get year-round use from a cold frame. In winter, it can provide harvests of spinach or be home to plants just barely cold-hardy. Use a cold frame in fall to temporarily hold pots of bulbs for forcing. In spring, get a jump on the season with early plantings of hardy vegetables and flowers followed by later plantings of tender ones. Remove the cover in summer and grow anything you want there. The ideal site for a cold frame is well-drained soil with a slope facing east or southeast. At the very least the site must receive full sun in winter. A cold frame will keep even warmer in winter if it is snuggled near a fence, wall or dense, evergreen shrub on its north side. Another way to hold extra warmth in a cold frame is by covering the sidewalls with rigid foam insulation and caulking all cracks. A double layer of plastic or glass reduces heat loss through the top. A cold frame also stays extra warm if dug into the ground or if its sides are buttressed with soil. Many homemade cold frames tend to leak air because the covers do not fit tightly and cold air blows in through cracks at the joints. This leakage is not all bad, though. Although some heat is lost, you don't have to worry as much about the cold frame overheating if you forget to vent it or if you're not home when a cloudy day turns sunny. Diggin’ in the Dirt By Kathy ZehrYeah ... Yeah... Yeah...I know ... Some of you are thinking edging, staking and labeling are a waste of time when there is so much to do right now, but those little chores actually save quite a lot of time in the end. Edging keeps you from having to dig out grass and other encroachments later. Staking is easier when plants are small and you can see what you are doing, and labeling helps you know what and where you’ve planted something. Edging the Beds Edging looks time consuming, but it’s really not. Once the first edge is cut, it just takes a few minutes to keep it up and keep the bed grass free. As you edge the beds, be sure to throw the soil back into the middle of the bed after removing any grasses or weeds. Repeating this process helps build up the bed and deepens the edge which improves surface drainage. The alternative to digging an edge is building structural edgings, but you still have to keep the grass from growing over the top of them and into the beds. A good layer of mulch under all your plants, especially along the front of the bed, also discourages grass from reaching the soil and rooting there. An edge also protects plants from too-close encounters with mowers and trimmers. Labeling the Bloomers All the young folks today like labels on their clothes — it’s so fashionable! Us older folks just like to be practical — even if it means following the youngsters’ example and labeling our bloomers! Almost every plant we purchase has a label in or on the container, but labels are fragile and blow away with the first wind and most soon become unreadable. As a result of losing the “guess and hope for the best game,” I invested in some sturdier label stakes a few years ago. I keep them and a waterproof marker on the same shelf with the trowel. Seed beds especially need to be labeled. Before I get on my knees to plant, I make the labels for each variety, then place the proper label stakes as I go. Labeling saves a lot of plants from extinction because when the plants start to come up six weeks after planting, we think it must be a weed. Labeling keeps us from thinking that a spot is empty and plant something on top of those first seeds. It also saves a lot of guesswork (let’s see now, is this one of those plants that I’m supposed to fertilize now or do I wait until fall?). Keeping the labels in place on established perennials (bulbs, peonies, etc.), that die back during winter saves you from digging into them before they come up in the spring. Labels also keep you from planting something too big or too close to an established plant — then something has to be moved later. Knowing the proper name of a plant instead of “it’s a red-leafed bush ... about this high” helps your nurseryman find a quick solution to a problem with insects or disease. If you’re lucky you will also need its name when an admiring neighbor wants to buy one just like it because it’s so pretty. Staking Spring is the best time to place stakes in the garden for plants that will get tall and leggy later. Examples include delphiniums and true lilies. It’s so much easier to place the stakes while you can still see what you are doing and have room to move around in the flower bed. For plants which will develop heavy flower heads, staking each stem is good. Trying to keep the stakes as inconspicuous as possible may take some innovative thinking. For Little Sprouts Almost all little sprouts like to go out after a spring rain and splash in the puddles. A “Save the Worms” project for the budding child gardener is a fun and perfect rainy day project and teaches some ecology. Put boots on the children, give them a plastic bowl or a coffee can, and send them out to pick up all the helpless little worms in puddles along the driveways and in other areas where they appear after a rain. Have the children place the worms in the compost pile or a problem garden area to help aerate it. If more than one child is involved — have prizes for the one with the most living worms saved or the biggest worm found. Dried Flowers Make Lovely Centerpieces for Your HomeBy GEORGE BRIA POUND RIDGE, N.Y. (AP) — A bouquet on my dining room table is living a charmed life. Living and life may seem like the wrong words since all the flowers are now dead. But it’s a fact that they’re as attractive today as when the bouquet arrived more than a month ago in its fresh-cut glory. With no work on my part, I’ve seen a day-by-day transformation of one kind of beauty into another that is lasting longer. A vase once evocative of a midsummer garden now is hosting a dried flower arrangement looking like a museum piece. Mimosa, still golden, cascades over the sides. There are roses of various colors, hydrangea blossoms, some kind of pittosporum and asparagus ferns, all pleasing the eye in their preservation. Nothing, so far, looks deteriorated. This has happened, as I’ve said, without any measures of mine. The water that was put in the vase with the flowers has slowly evaporated and as it diminished the flowers gradually dried. I mention this fortuitous event because dried flower arrangements can involve much expertise and effort. On the other hand, if you're pressed for time or don’t fancy the work, you can buy them already dried and handsomely packaged in the supermarket. In my long ago youth, dried flowers were something romantic that you chanced upon in an old book that hadn’t been opened in years. The leaf or blossom may have been put there just as a bookmark, but you also wondered whether there was a story to it and if it was happy or sad. They were called pressed flowers and indeed pressing is still one of the methods used for preserving flowers. But the results are flatly two-dimensional, even though color is retained, and you may want more body. Depending on the plants, this can be achieved in various ways, such as air drying, oven drying, microwaving, and freeze drying, or with desiccants and glycerin. All of these involve work, some of it quite painstaking, but the bonus is that dried flower arrangements provide lovely decorations that may last for years with little, if any, further care. Anyone wanting to explore the craft will find a good guide in Alex MacCormick’s The Dried Flower Arranger (Firefly Books, paperback, 1994, $17.95.) The 144-page book, first published in Britain, contains excellent full page photographs in color and it provides lists of plants suitable for the various drying methods and ways of displaying them. Assuming you're drying flowers that you grow or pick yourself, MacCormick lays down four basic rules: Stalks must be cut cleanly and at an angle; don’t cut when flowers are wet or in midday sun; cut flowers before they come into full bloom; and avoid imperfect or damaged material. Crape Myrtles Are Prone To MildewQ: My crape myrtle’s new growth is puckered and has a whitish stuff on it. On other parts of the plant, the leaves have black stuff on them. What do I need to do? K.R., Birmingham, AL A: Old crape myrtle varieties are prone to powdery mildew- the “white stuff” on the leaves. When this disease infects young leaves, it causes distortion or puckering. To control powdery mildew on crape myrtle, apply a fungicide such as Funginex or Halt systemic, to the plant. Follow instructions on the product label for use and other restrictions. To control the powdery mildew, you’ll likely have to treat the plant two or three times. Most new crape myrtle varieties are resistant to powdery mildew. The black stuff is sooty mold, an indicator that aphids are or have been on the plant. Inspect the plant’s new growth. If aphids are present, use an insecticidal soap or similar product to control the aphids. The black sooty mold will eventually weather off the leaves. Joe Freeman is chief horticulturist for Cypress Gardens, tropical showplace located near Winter Haven, Fla. The question and answer format submitted by him is the source of information for this story. SPORTSRole Players Vital for Success of OSU and TU Role Players Vital for Success of OSU and TUOKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Oklahoma State’s Fredrik Jonzen has found his place on the basketball court — under the offensive board where he can put back shots, draw fouls and go to the free throw line for easy points. ‘‘I’m just trying to go out and rebound,’’ Jonzen said Thursday from Syracuse, N.Y., where the Cowboys are preparing for Friday’s East Regional semifinal against Seton Hall. In the process of focusing on the offensive boards, Jonzen has had a good run in the Big 12 tournament and through the first two rounds of the NCAA tournament. He scored a career-high 21 points in a 75-67 victory over Pepperdine on Sunday. The previous weekend, he pulled down a career-high 17 rebounds against Iowa State in the Big 12 tournament. ‘‘Coach has been telling me to be more aggressive,’’ Jonzen said. ‘‘When you go consistently to the board every time, rebounding becomes easier.’’ ‘‘I’m not a great scorer,’’ Jonzen said. But with his play under the boards, he says he is getting more put-back shots, drawing more fouls and getting to the free throw line where he is a 75 percent shooter. ‘‘The ball has just been coming to me,’’ he said. Jonzen (pronounced yon-ZEE-in) said he and Brian Montonati have benefited on the inside from teams focusing on the perimeter play of Desmond Mason, Joe Adkins and Glendon Alexander. ‘‘We just have to take advantage of that and I think we have been doing that so far,’’ he said. Jonzen, a sophomore center from Uppsala, Sweden, had 11 rebounds and 13 points in the Cowboys’ 86-66 victory over Hofstra in the first round of the NCAA tournament. He had scored 13 against Kansas and 17 against Iowa State in the conference tournament. Jonzen said he had five or six games before the tournaments when he didn’t play as well because he was ‘‘tired and worn out.’’ The postseason is different. His self-confidence is improving and the impetus is there to play well because he knows every game could be the last. He says there is no reason to be tired now. Jonzen said it feels good to be in the round of 16 for the seniors. ‘‘This is their last chance. This is their last year. It might be my greatest opportunity to go to the finals,’’ he said. Seton Hall pulled out a last-second victory over Oregon in the first round, then upset second-seeded Temple despite losing point guard Shaheen Holloway with an injured ankle. Jonzen expects a tough game. ‘‘If we just play defense like we have been and take our time on offense, there’s not going to be a lot of problems in playing them.’’ Heard Has a Big Challenge for HurricaneTULSA (AP) — Tulsa senior point guard Tony Heard has a big job facing him in Friday’s NCAA regional semifinal — one that is 4 inches taller and about 30 pounds heavier. Coach Bill Self will be looking to Heard to neutralize Miami’s Vernon Jennings, the player he considers key to whether the Golden Hurricane (31-4) will win. ‘‘You’ve got a power point guard going against a small point guard and it will be interesting to see neutralizes who,’’ Self said. Heard, like Jennings, keeps a low profile on a team that struggles for recognition itself. But it’s a role the transfer from Seward County (Kan.) Community College said he doesn’t mind taking. ‘‘I do all the little things. I do the dirty work,’’ Heard said with a wily grin before the Golden Hurricane’s departure to Austin, Texas. ‘‘And, as long as we’re winning, everybody’s getting the reward.’’ On a team where forward Eric Coley provides the emotional spark, Heard considers it his job to provide the calm. The grin often brings him and the ball down the court. ‘‘I’ve got to tell everybody we’re fine. We’ve just got to do this. Calm down,’’ he said. ‘‘We have a lot of leaders on this team, but I take the responsibility to do stuff like that.’’ Heard is not among the five Tulsa players who average in the double digits on scoring. He scores an average 9.7 points and is second on the team in assists, steals and 3-point shooting percentage. But he had 14 points, a team-high six assists and four rebounds in the first round of the NCAA tournament against UNLV, and 10 points and four assists against Cincinnati in the second round. Coley said Heard’s leadership on the court is like that of a brother — constant and encouraging. ‘‘He’s been crucial throughout the whole year,’’ Coley said. ‘‘Without him, I don’t think we could have come this far.’’ While the focus often falls on Miami’s Johnny Hemsley, who has averaged 22 points in two tournament games, Self said Jennings is his prime concern. The point guard is averaging 6.8 assists. ‘‘If he’s not on his game, then Hemsley’s probably not going to have as good a game either,’’ Self said. ‘‘A lot of people say stop Johnny first. I’m a firm believer that we’ve got to slow him ... but we’ve got to stop Jennings.’’ Heard said he doesn’t worry about the size difference. Tulsa has been playing bigger teams all season. ‘‘If you’ve got a big heart, you’ve got determination to win, you can overcome a lot of things,’’ he said.
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