From The Pages Of The Ponca City News, Tuesday, March
17, 1998
LOCAL
The Wearin' and Eatin' O' The Green
Ag Students Earn Premiums
Nearly News
Few Know Real Tradition About St. Patrick's Day
Local Artist To Provide Critiques
Wordsmith Meeting Thursday at Library
Cotton Meeting Set Thursday
Legal Aid Schedules Local Council Meeting
DEATHS
Viva Lorraine Thomas
Jennie V. Hughes
Tisha Dawn Smith
Services Pending
Robert Scott
NEWS BRIEFS
BUSINESS
Pioneer Promotes McAbee
Floorcraft Returns After October Fire
George Ferguson Joins A.G. Edwards as Agent
BID Center Plans EDI Workshop
Glass Trucking Wins Safety Prize
Notes & Quotes
BancFirst Occupies Area NationsBanks
State Agencies Will Be One-Stop Career Centers
Rural Coalition Hears Report From Center
LIFESTYLES
Xi Beta Tau Chapter Sets Dinner, Meeting
Alpha Gamma Club Makes Lapel Pins
By Mairtin O'Cinneide
Irish Affairs Editor
Top of the morning to ya brawny lads and fine young colleens. It's St. Patrick's Day, that one magical day of uninhibited freedom to celebrate without the guillotine of political correctness hanging over our heads
We'd be pilloried if we celebrated Martin Luther King Day by dressing up in black face and stuffing ourselves with watermelon, or spent Chinese New Year pulling our eyes into slants and yelling "Me So Solly!" but St. Patrick's Day is a horse of a different color.
Go ahead! Paint a shamrock on your belly and quaff green beer until your drunk as a leprechaun. Impress the waitress with your wit by inserting an "O" into every sentence and calling the bartender Paddy.
The Irish love it when you get drunk and poke fun at their culture, as long as they sell you the beer. The Irish, on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean, have always had a dark sense of humor. St. Patrick (385-461), the most famous of three patron saints, hailed from present-day England. And what other group of emigrants celebrated the American Wake?
Historically, the Irish have had to laugh at their misfortune, because their was so much tragedy to cry about. The Irish Potato Famine decimated the country in the late 1840s, affecting people of all classes, but especially the poor Catholic tenant farmers. People who depended on potatoes to survive suddenly had no food, and if they ate the other crops they faced evictions and a life of destitution, an even worse fate. Many of the poorest simply died. This catastrophe was the Irish Holocaust.
This tragedy is particularly appalling because there was no true famine. The Irish died of hunger in the midst of abundance which their own hands created. There was plenty of grain, beef, butter and milk, but it was all destined for Great Britain, the most powerful and wealthy empire the world has ever known. For Great Britain, this was nothing more than an opportunity for ethnic cleansing.
By the late 19th century, emigration had been so persistent in Irish history that in one form or another, the experience was part of daily life. People talked about it, sang about it, and even celebrated it. Known as the American Wake, it was a custom which was unique to Ireland. Nothing comparable developed in England or Germany, two countries which also contributed heavily to American immigration in the latter half of the 19th century.
A peculiar mixture of sadness and gaiety described the American wake. Known as the live wake in County Wexford, the farewell supper in County Galway, and the feast of departure in County Mayo, the American wake was a specific ceremony used to mark the exit from family and community life that for all practical purposes was irrevocable. The choice of name was significant since Catholic countrymen equated going west with earthly dissolution. Such attitudes were rooted deep in Irish folklore.
During the 19th century, many Irish peasants made very little difference between going to America and going to the grave. Because of the high mortality rates, which affected Irish emigrants in large American cities, associating emigration and death was not illogical.
It is significant that the Irish language has no equivalent for the English word "emigrant," with its voluntary and emotionally neutral connotations. Rather, the Irish words primarily used to describe one who left Ireland have been deoraí, the literal meaning of which is "exile," dithreabhach or "homeless," and dibeartach or "banished people."
Over time, seven million Irish emigrated to America. In the 1990 census, 38,760,000 Americans claimed Irish ancestry - more than nine times the population of Ireland today.
The fact is, folks in Ireland are a bit mystified by the way their American cousins celebrate St. Patrick's Day. In Dublin, it's celebrated with parades, dance contests and lots of Guinness, but nary a green bagel will you see.
Why do so many Americans think Irish eat corned beef and cabbage?
Beef, corned or not, was far too expensive through most of Ireland's poor history for it to become a staple. Irish folk are more likely to eat champ or boxti, potato dishes so much a part of daily life that old rhymes warn the girl who can't cook them will never marry.
St. Patrick's Day, at least in America, has little to do with any appreciation for the life of the saint. Instead, the day is really a celebration of human tenacity, and the ability to rise above adversity with a sense of humor still intact.
Beannachtai na Feile Padraig oraibh!
By MARK GALVIN
News Staff Writer
ENID - Kay County area students fared well Monday evening at a Northwest District Junior Livestock Show here that earned near-record premium dollars for exhibitors from multiple counties.
Kay County had 12 exhibitors of the show's 75 participants in the auction, which produced a total of $55,675 in premiums from supporters.
A few local exhibitors - such as Braman's Seth Locke, who showed the show's Grand Champion steer - scratched their animals prior to the auction to continue in competition. Others included Travis Kahle of Blackwell, with his Reserve Champion crossbred, and Jace Locke of Braman, with his champion Hereford.
During the auction, Blackwell's Colby Glenny was the Kay County's big money-winner, earning a $1,500 premium from Northwest Veterinary Supply for his 1,390-pound crossbred market steer. Colby's steer and all the rest were sold to Fairview Livestock for $59.25 per hundredweight.
In other market steer transactions, Brandon Kahle of Blackwell earned a $650 premium from P&K Construction for his 1,232-pound reserve-champion Angus, and Randy Buellesfeld, also of Blackwell, earned a $550 premium from Security National Bank for his 1,266-pound first-place crossbred.
Tessa Barnthouse of Blackwell earned a $650 premium for her 1,158-pound first-place Angus steer, and Mindi Luce of Braman received a $400 premium for her 1,248-pound for her third-place Chianina steer.
Blackwell's Derek Meyer earned a $500 premium from Central National Bank for his 1,245-pound first-place crossbred steer, and Lexie Kahle of Blackwell received a $600 premium from Dr. Bruce Pendleton for her 1,178-pound third-place crossbred steer.
In the market swine auction, Newkirk's Alex Hartley received a $350 premium from the Northwest District Junior Livestock Boosters Club for his 253-pound first-place crossbred hog. All hogs on the floor, totaling 6,114 pounds, were purchased by Show Swine Genetics at $2.50 per pound.
Jaron Soulek of Blackwell also received a $425 premium from Central National Bank for his 216-pound first-place Chester hog, and Tyke Greer of Blackwell received a $700 premium from Home National Bank of Blackwell for his 232-pound third-place York.
In the market lamb auction, Courtney Hill of Ponca City received a $500 premium from OG&E for her 127-pound second-place Suffolk, and Newkirk's David Shores received a $600 premium from W.B. Johnston's Barge Terminal for his 126-pound fourth-place crossbred sheep.
The Leven & Shores Sheep Co. of Newkirk bought all the sheep on the floor for $64 per hundredweight.
There was a touching segment on ABC's "20-20" Monday evening. The program did a segment on flash fires during certain kinds of surgeries. One of those interviewed was former Ponca Citian Dennis Parker, one-time local vice president of Conoco and a former Chamber of Commerce chairman, among many other activities. Many will remember the tragic incident four years ago when the Parker's son, Doug, was undergoing removal of some benign growths in his throat. The laser being used ignited the oxygen, critically burning the 22-year-old. He fought for life for three months before finally passing away. Dennis, in an emotional interview, said the family felt it was important that they do everything in their power to keep this from happening to anyone else.
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The address for the MDA 1998 Lockup, to be held in Ponca City March 31, will be 3330 North Fourteenth, the location of Pemberton Chevrolet. Another Pemberton location was provided by the Muscular Dystrophy Association. Various volunteers will be "arrested" and forced to post bail during the lockup to raise money for the association.
By Patti Pfeiffer
News Staff Writer
From wearing green to eating corn beef and cabbage, St. Patrick's Day is a day that most everyone becomes a little bit Irish. Most know the traditions but few know how or why March 17 came to be celebrated.
The day is in commemoration of the death of Saint Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland. Saint Patrick was born Magonus Sucatus in 387 A.D. in Roman Britain. His grandfather was a Christian priest and his father a deacon and an official of the Roman Empire in Britain.
At the age of 16 Saint Patrick was kidnapped by pagan Irish raiders, taken from his home and sold into slavery in Ireland.
Upon his escape six years later, he fled to the west coast of Ireland and jumped ship upon a vessel that was Britain bound. He landed in Britain a few days later.
It was in Britain that he began his lengthy training for priesthood.
He became a bishop and commissioned by the Pope to work in Ireland.
Once in Ireland, it is said that his first order of business was to return to his old master and paid him the price for his freedom from slavery so many years before.
He was a very busy priest while in Ireland. During his priesthood he managed to convert many pagans to Christianity while also preaching, building churches, organizing parishes and performing miracles.
Although he and his companions were taken captive he managed to continue his missionary work.
He died on March 17, 493 and was buried in a shroud built for him.
The shamrock become symbolic of Saint Patrick because he supposedly used the three leaves as a teaching tool when describing the Holy Trinity - the three leaves representing the three persons of the Trinity, the stem symbolizing the godhead and the entire leaf being the unity of all three in one.
The first American celebrations outside the church began in Boston in 1737 with a St. Patrick's Day parade.
In 1762 New York City held it's first St. Patrick's Day Parade which has become the largest in the United States. Over 125,000 people participate in the parade which includes a stop at Saint Patrick's Cathedral on Fifth Avenue for a blessing of the archbishop of New York.
Many other cities and towns throughout the United States and abroad as well as several religions celebrate the day in various ways.
NORMAN - Maxine Warren, local artist, is on the steering committee from across the state who helped organize the first-ever statewide conference on Art in Oklahoma for March 27 and 28 at the Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art, 410 West Boyd at the University of Oklahoma.
The conference, made possible with the assistance of the Oklahoma Arts Council, will provide an environment in which art enthusiasts can address ways to encourage research, criticism and publications about art in Oklahoma.
Artists are encouraged to bring slides or artwork to the Fred Jones Art Center, Room 205, from 3 to 5 p.m. on March 27, for an Artist-to-Artist Exchange led by Warren. This time is set aside for informal slide presentations and discussions about what is currently being produced by the state's artists.
"I am really excited about artists having the opportunity to get together and exchange ideas. It will give us a chance to see what our colleagues across the state are doing, and view some fresh, new ideas," said Warren. Friday evening, everyone is invited to attend a reception in the Art Center's Lightwell Gallery from 7 to 9 p.m.
The conference will conclude March 28, with a session at the Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. An open forum will be used to discuss the importance of Oklahoma art and scholarly avenues to promote it.
Participation in the conference is by registration only. All events are free except the reception, which requires a $15 ticket for wine and hors d'oeuvres.
Wordsmith writers' group will meet Thursday downstairs at the Ponca City Library at 6:30 p.m. The meeting closes promptly at 8:30 p.m.
Purpose of the meeting is sharing information on conferences, contests, publishing, and writing publications, and ending the isolation of individual writers.
This regular meeting, on the third Thursday of each month consists of the sharing plus reading of manuscripts or excerpts for the purpose of critique if requested. Business meetings are held on other dates when needed.
All area writers are invited to attend and participate, or to get acquainted and observe.
A cotton production meeting featuring OSU agriculture experts will begin at 1:30 p.m. Thursday at the Ranch Drive Volunteer Fire Department.
Kay County OSU extension director Larry Fleck said the educational meeting is for those who have been growing cotton or who are interesting in its potential in North Central Oklahoma.
OSU cotton specialist Dr. J.C. Banks of Altus will speak on maximizing yield in short-season cotton and the value of earliness. OSU entomologist Dr. Miles Karner, also of Altus, will discuss insect management in cotton.
The Ranch Drive Volunteer Fire Department is on Oklahoma 156 north of the Co-op.
Legal Aid of Western Oklahoma's Advisory Council will meet Friday at 12:30 p.m. at the Wheatheart Nutrition Site, 319 West Grand Avenue.
The Advisory Council is a citizens group interested in identifying important legal issues and assisting Legal Aid in educational efforts. Meetings are held quarterly to discuss legal issues on a particular topic.
Judy Clay, Senior Citizen's Paralegal, will discuss the Oklahoma Claim for Credit or Refund of Sales Tax. Genie Turner will explain services offered through the AARP Tax Assistance Program. This will be an informative program and there will be time for questions.
The meeting, which is open to the public, will last about an hour. Anyone
wanting more information should call Judy Clay at Legal Aids' Stillwater
Law Center, 1-800-256-9601. Legal Aid of Western Oklahoma is a nonprofit
law firm that provides free civil legal services to low income individuals
and Senior Citizens.
DEATHS
Viva Lorraine "Bobbie" Thomas of Braman, 77, died March 14, 1998, in the Blackwell Regional Hospital.
Funeral service will be 2 p.m. March 18 at the Roberts Funeral Home Chapel in Blackwell with the Rev. Jerry Chastain of Oklahoma City officiating. Burial will be in the Braman cemetery under the direction of Roberts Funeral Home.
She was born on May 29, 1920 in Lebanon, Mo., to James Ellsworth and Josephine (Goans) Morehouse. She was reared in the Warsaw, Mo., area, moving with her family to Jenks where she graduated from school in 1937.
She married Joseph Fredrick Thomas on Aug. 22, 1938 in Pharoah and they settled in Bartlesville. Due to his employment with Phillips Petroleum the couple resided in Hobbs, N. M., Fairfax and Ponca City.
In 1953 they moved to Braman where Mrs. Thomas worked as a waitress at the Oklahoman Restaurant for 17 years, retiring in the 1980s. She was a member of the First Baptist Church in Braman and the Braman Saddle Club.
Survivors include her husband, Joseph Fredrick Thomas of Braman; a son, Joseph Fredrick Thomas Jr. of El Dorado, Kan.; a daughter, Sherry Thorpe of Blackwell; a step-daughter, Donna Dessenberger of Yucca Valley, Calif.; a step-brother, Robert Cardwell of Freemont, Iowa; nine grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her father, James Ellsworth Morehouse; a stepfather and mother, Benjamin and Josephine Cline; and two daughters, Phyllis Ann Thomas and Carolyn Sue Elliott.
Casket bearers will be Joe Thomas, Bobby Lorg, Lance Bergman, Gary Scott, Donald Elliott and Kevin Gann.
Memorials may be made to the American Heart Association, P.O. Box 53303, Oklahoma City, OK 73152.
Jennie V. Hughes, Ponca City resident, died Sunday evening, March 15, 1998, at the St. Joseph Regional Medical Center. She was 80.
The funeral service will be held at 2 p.m., Wednesday, in the Salvation Army Church. Capt. Mark Craddock of the Salvation Army will be officiating. Burial will follow in the Odd Fellows Cemetery under the direction of Grace Memorial Chapel. The family will be receiving friends at the funeral home from 7-9 p.m. this evening.
Jennie Hughes was born Jan. 5, 1918, in Rural Noble County, Okla., the daughter of John Henry and Martha Agnes (Coffelt) Dugan. She grew up in Noble County and received her education in the Bressie and Morrison schools.
On Jan. 15, 1934, she was united in marriage to Elzie O. Hughes in Morrison. The couple moved to Ponca City in 1939.
Mrs. Hughes was a homemaker and a member of the Salvation Army church for over 50 years. She was also a member of the Home League. She enjoyed quilting and reading her Bible.
Surviving are her husband, Elzie Hughes, of the home; one son, Bucky Hughes of Ponca City; four daughters, Naomi Hughes of Miami, Okla., Lila Hughes of Texas, Linda Hughes and Jane Hughes, both of Ponca City; three brothers, Charles Dugan and Roy Dugan, both of Ponca City, and Albert Hughes of Cushing; four grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents, one sister and one daughter, Louise Hughes.
The family will be at 608 South Twelfth Street on Wednesday.
Tisha Dawn Smith, Route 1, Box 68, died Thursday, March 12, 1998, at her home. She was 20.
The funeral service will be Wednesday, 10 a.m., in the chapel of the Trout Funeral Home. The Rev. Mark Fox, pastor of Lamont First Assembly of God will officiate. Burial will follow in Resthaven Memorial Park Cemetery.
Born Sept. 26, 1977, at Tulsa, Okla., she was the daughter of Randy Eugene and Marie Neal Davis. She attended schools in Tulsa. At the time of her death, she was employed as a clerk at Sav-a-Trip.
On Nov. 11, 1996, she and Michael Smith were married at Eureka Springs, Ark., and made their home in Tonkawa.
She is survived by her husband, Mike, of the home; three sons, Michael Smith, Jr., Marshal Wayne Muniz, and Jordan David Smith, all of the home; her mother, Marie Neal, of Lamont; and two sisters, Kristi and Faith Robinson, Lamont.
Memorials may be made to the Smith Children Memorial Fund, in care of Paula Coppock, Pioneer Bank and Trust, P.O. Box 111, Ponca City, OK 74602.
Robert A. Scott, Newkirk resident, died Monday, March 16, 1998, at St.
Joseph Regional Medical Center. He was 93. Survivors include his wife, Elizabeth
Scott, of the home. Arrangements are pending with Miller-Stahl Funeral Service
in Newkirk.
NEWS BRIEFS
Train Ride - The Hugo Heritage Railroad will be making its first trip of the season Saturday. The train will depart from the Frisco Depot Museum, 309 North "B" St., Hugo, Okla., at 10 a.m. and travel to Antlers. Kelly Miller Circus will perform in its season opening at 2 p.m. at the Choctaw County Fairgrounds. For reservations and information on either event call 1-888-773-3768.
Machine Burglary - At 8:40 a.m. Monday police were notified that a soda machine at the Texaco, 215 North Fourteenth Street, had been burglarized. An officer was assigned and a report was taken.
Window Broken - At 8:42 a.m. Monday it was reported that a window at the Diesel Plant, 1400 North Union Street, had been broken out. A report was taken.
Vandalism - Vandalism was reported at the City Water Department's lift station at Windmill Cove at 8:51 a.m. Monday. An officer was assigned and a report was taken.
Accident - Three people were taken by ambulance to St. Joseph Regional Medical Center after receiving injuries in an accident at North Fourteenth Street and Hubbard Road at 9:06 a.m. Monday.
Minor Accident - A minor accident in the 2100 block of North Fourteenth Street was reported at 10:39 a.m. Monday. A report was taken.
Dog Gone - A man in the 100 block of South Birch Street called police at 10:46 a.m. to report that his dog had been stolen. An officer was assigned and a report was made.
Theft - At 12:13 p.m. Monday a man in the 500 block of West Highland Avenue notified police of some stolen money. An officer was assigned and a report was taken.
Arrest - Police arrested a 25-year-old man at 12:39 p.m. Monday for attempting to utter a forged instrument and larceny of found property.
Talkative Babysitter - A woman in the 400 block of West Hartford Avenue called police at 1:33 p.m. Monday to report that her babysitter had run up a $500 phone bill.
Accident - At 1:48 p.m. Monday an accident in the 2500 block of North Fourteenth Street was reported. A report was taken.
Stolen Ornament - Police took a report at 3:35 p.m. Monday that a hood ornament had been stolen from a vehicle parked in the 500 block of East Grand Avenue.
Phone Theft - A woman in the 1000 block of West Hartford Avenue called police at 3:59 p.m. Monday to report the theft of a cellular phone. An officer was assigned and a report was taken.
Accident - At 5:05 p.m. Monday a two vehicle accident was reported in the 1100 block of East Prospect Avenue. A report was taken.
Arrest - Police arrested a 33-year-old man at 5:12 p.m. Monday from Hastings, 2101 North Fourteenth Street, for petit larceny.
Tires Slashed - At 10:22 p.m. Monday the tires of a truck in a parking lot in the 2800 block North Fourteenth Street was reported slashed.
Pellet Damage - At 12:59 a.m. Tuesday police were notified that both a door and a window at Liberty School had been shot with a pellet gun.
Door Bell Harassment - A woman in the 1600 block of Trio Lane called police at 4:46 a.m. Tuesday requesting extra patrol due to someone ringing her doorbell several times during the night.
Purse Found - A clerk at the Triple T, 201 West Hartford Avenue,
called police at 4:55 a.m. Tuesday to report that she had found a purse
in the dumpster behind the store. An officer was assigned.
BUSINESS
Connie McAbee was recently named Marketing and Business Development officer at Pioneer Bank and Trust.
Carl Renfro, chairman of the Board and CEO, at the annual shareholders meeting, said, "It is gratifying to see how our employees who have the desire, dedication and talent are able to progress within our bank.
"Connie is prime example of a dedicated employee who is determined to provide quality service to our customers and our community. We are very pleased to promote her to an officer position within our bank," stated Renfro.
McAbee has been employed at Pioneer Bank and Trust since April 1993, first in the Primetimer Program. In 1995 McAbee was promoted to director of Marketing and Business Development.
She is responsible for the coordination of advertising campaigns for the bank, marketing and business development projects, quality customer service promotion and community involvement and awareness programs. She oversees the maintenance and beautification of the bank's three facilities located in Ponca City and the Osage.
McAbee currently serves as a board member on the Ponca City Area Chamber of Commerce, Edwin Fair Mental Health Center, Domestic Violence Program of North Central Oklahoma, Salvation Army, Ponca City Native American Memorial (Standing Bear Project), Ponca City Noon Lions Club and Vietnam Veterans Assistance Foundation of Oklahoma.
She also serves as chairman of the Chamber of Commerce President's Club and on the Marland Estate Commission, Ponca City Fire Department Advisory Council, Ponca City Citizen's Police Academy Alumni Council, Ponca City Economic Development Advisory Board Communication Committee and Kay County Community Sentencing Planning Council. She is a member of the local chapter of Vietnam Veterans of America Inc. and serves on the national constitution committee.
In the past she has served on Sen. Don Nickles' Military Academy Selection Board, Mayor Marilyn Andrews' Blue Ribbon Committee and is a graduate of Leadership Ponca City. She was selected as 1996 Lions Woman of the Year. She is involved in the Po-Hi DECA Program, Northern Oklahoma College debate competition judging and United Way fund raising campaigns.
She is a native Ponca Citian, 1967 Ponca City High School graduate, served in the U.S. Navy for six years, is a Vietnam veteran and member of First Baptist Church. She has one son, Michael and is the daughter of John McAbee D'Etta McAbee.
By LOUISE ABERCROMBIE
News Business Editor
After being hit by the second electrical fire within less than three years and enduring the closure of Fifth Street for a long stretch, Floorcraft is back in the floor covering business.
Owned by Clyde and Kay Behrens, the store at Fifth and Hartford has undergone about $150,000 in revamping and redecoration since the October 1997 fire. The store officially reopened March 1.
The first fire was in December 1994. The state fire inspectors have attributed the cause of both fires to electricity. Numerous safety precautions have been taken with the new wiring including all the indoor electricity being shut off with a single switch.
A veteran of over four decades in the floor covering business, Behrens has been in the industry in Tulsa, Bartlesville, Los Angles and Ponca City.
The first ownership venture in Ponca City began at 719 East Hartford. In 1974 Behrens built the current building. Floorcraft became known in carpet circles in and out of the state in the mid-1980s when Behrens introduced Ted E. Bear as a classic give-away for customers buying $500 or more in carpet and paying for it upon installation.
The Floorcraft Bear became known far and wide through the carpet trade magazines. Now Ted. E. Bear has acquired a sibling - a little brother Bean E. Bear given to customers under the same conditions as his big brother.
All of the bears in stock were destroyed in the most recent fire and those are being restocked.
The building has a new roof, new heating, new air-conditioning, new wiring and a new carpet moving fork lift to replace the one ruined in the fire. Also the interior of the building has been redecorated. The structure has 5,750 square feet and the warehouse area is 20 feet tall.
A retaining wall and guard rails were installed at the edge of the parking lot by the City as part of the widening of Fifth Street.
Kay does the day-to-day operations and Clyde supervises the sales department. Behrens noted that all of the Floorcraft installers are certified and spend at least two weeks a year in schools learning products and effective installation.
The firm deals in carpet, vinyl, wood, ceramic and laminated floors. Newly added products will include wall coverings with in-stock borders. The company also does rental tools for ceramics and spot cleaners for carpet.
Long time employees included Chris Wehr, who oversees installation, carpet ordering and does selling; John Loy, in charge of ceramics, and Nelson Roughface, an all-around employee.
Talking about how the industry had changed over his 42 years in the business, Behrens noted that yarns and the dyeing process have changed as well as the latex backing. He noted that there has been a consolidation of mills.
Behrens said that the cost of carpet has not changed as drastically in the past 20 plus years as compared to refrigerators. He said that appliance cost about $300 in the 1970s and costs about $900 now. He noted that carpet costs about $15.95 a yard installed.
Another featured added recently is using the store marquee to recognize individuals in the community, who have made a difference. Those people will be recognized with the "Atta Boy" sign.
Felix Park Jr., vice president of A.G. Edwards & Sons Inc., has announced that George Ferguson will be responsible for a full service office serving Ponca City and the surrounding communities, scheduled to open March 23.
"We are ex-cited to have George join us, as he brings 24 years of financial experience with him," Park remarked. "We are fortunate to have associated with A.G. Edwards an individual with George's educational and professional background, combined with his high standing within the Ponca City Community."
Ferguson will be joining A. G. Edwards after 17 years with Smith International in Ponca City. He had been the local chief financial officer for the past 10 years and served additionally as human resources manager from 1992-96. Ferguson graduated with a business degree from Oklahoma State university in 1971, and obtained his master of business administration from the University of Oklahoma in 1973. Prior to joining Smith, he was a financial analyst for Ford Motor Company during 1973-80.
Ferguson currently serves on the board of director of Opportunity Center, Cherokee Strip Credit Union, and is a member of the Ponca City Economic Development Advisory Board. He is a past treasurer of Bridgeway. His wife, Cathryn, is director of Ponca City Tomorrow. Their daughter, Joey, is a freshman at Oklahoma Baptist University, while their son, Bryant, is a junior at Ponca City High School.
The local A.G. Edwards office will be in Suite 406 of the Commercial Federal Building. Assisting Ferguson will be Karen Banta. Current plans are to relocate into a new office building to be constructed near North Fourteenth and Prospect mid to late summer.
The BID assistance center at Pioneer Technology Center is presenting a free Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) workshop on March 25, from 2 to 5 p.m., in Room C102 of the main building.
The workshop will provide hands-on student participation and discussions on the basics of EDI and what they do, surfing the Internet for government procurement opportunities and searching bid opportunities with SIC and FSG/FSC codes.
Forrest Malone and James T. Fox from Palestine, Texas, will be presenters for the workshop. Both have more than five years experience EDI.
Due to limited seating, reservations need to be made by calling (580) 762-8336, extension 261 by March 23.
NEWKIRK - Glass Trucking of Newkirk won first place in its category at the Oklahoma Trucking Associations Annual Safety Awards Banquet in Oklahoma City. The award for 1997 recognized that the company had operated 3,061,996 miles in Oklahoma without a reportable accident. The awards were presented by Gov. Frank Keating.
Glass also had two area drivers honored. Alan Fletcher and George Spencer were honored for completing and being selected for the Million Mile Award.
In the past few years Glass has had 16 drivers win this award.
Insurance Workshop
A state approved insurance continuing education workshop for property and casualty agents is slated Thursday at Meridian Technology Center in Stillwater.
Presenting the workshop is Dennis Stone, who is known for his ability to combine the technical aspect of insurance with practical applications that agents can utilize. This course includes four hours of homeowners insurance, including ethics, and four hours of personal auto insurance. It begins at 8 a.m., and ends at 5 p.m., with lunch included in the registration For more information or to register call (405) 377-3333.
Trout Recognized
Edwina L. Trout, Oklahoma City, daughter of Jack and Louise Trout of Ponca City, was recognized recently on the business page of The Daily Oklahoman in the column on Business People.
The mini-bio, with photo, told that Ms. Trout was elected president of the board of directors of Community Counseling Centers Inc. of Oklahoma. She is also director of educational services for Oklahoma Municipal Assurance Group.
NationsBanks at Blackwell, Braman, Kaw City and Shidler, along with banks at Stillwater, Guthrie, Cushing, Perry and Bartlesville have been acquired by BancFirst.
BancFirst acquired about $135 million in deposits and approximately $30 million in loans.
BancFirst is Oklahoma's largest state-chartered bank with $1.4 billion in total assets and 68 banking locations in 35 communities.
By LOUISE ABERCROMBIE
News Business Editor
Ponca City will soon become a Workforce Oklahoma Center combining the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission (OESC) with five other agencies for "A one stop Career Center Partner." This is the first year for the Ponca City Center, but the second year of the program, funded by a federal grant.
The idea basically is to create locations where the public can easily access work force development programs. This center concept will bring together six agencies, including the employment commission, the Department of Human Services, and the JTPA. The agencies are to function as one agency under the "Workforce Ok" banner with the goal of employees connecting with employers.
Ponca City will be one of two central offices for an eight-county region. The process of matching employees and employers will continue, but on a more informed level. Physically, at least at first, not all of the agencies will be housed together, but all will have access to the same information through computer networks. This is expected to eliminate unnecessary duplication.
In addition to Kay County, other region counties are Grant, Noble, Major, Garfield, Noble, Blaine and Kingfisher. Enid was established as a central office last year and a satellite center is located in Watonga.
Richard McPherson, regional manager for OESC, told the Employers Advisory Meeting about the new organization Wednesday. He was introduced by Mike Daugherty of the OESC.
There are four keys in the program, according to the video shown by McPherson. These are universality, integration, customer choice and performance.
The stated goal is "to assist people back into the labor market and to be self sustained."
Funding involves federal, state and local participation.
McPherson said the reorganization is exciting and is designed to make government do things more efficiently. The federal Department of Labor awarded OESC a grant of $2.55 million for the second year of implementing the program.
The first Kay County integration will happen at the current OESC site on West Grand in Ponca City. Not all agencies will be located here as the program begins.
In 1997 the program asked communities to volunteer to help create this new service delivery system; provided staff development and training for staff in the centers, and provided hardware and software to provide staff workstations, upgrade local servers to create local area networks, use high speed phone lines to connect them to state agencies and each other and create resource areas for customer access.
As the statewide program continues toward meeting the federal grant commitment the state expects to receive another $2.55 million for calendar 1999 to complete the three year conversion plan.
Guest speaker for the Far North Central Rural Development Council Coalition was Charles Anderson of the Center for Local Government Technology.
Anderson presented a program on the number of training programs his center provides. Some of these include training for county assessor accreditation, county clerk certificates, county commissioners roads scholar and county treasurer certification.
An Oklahoma Rural Development Fundamentals Workshop will be held April 21 at Kay Electric Registration fee for the all day workshop is $35. For enrollment information call (405) 744-6049.
Other reports were given by Marilyn Harmon, chairman, on the effort to get the state welcome center moved to Interstate 35 and State Highway 11; Rich Cantillon on the Land Run Tours Committee; Tom Gray from the Oklahoma Department of Commerce Tom Myers of the planning and development for the Oklahoma Department of Tourism and Phil Watson, Oklahoma Rural Development Council director.
The next coalition meeting will be May 14.
LIFESTYLES
Xi Beta Tau chapter of Beta Sigma Phi sorority met at the home of Cindy Wardlow for baked potatoes and a regular meeting. June Miller conducted the opening ritual and Sammie coats gave the minutes. During the City Council report announcement was made that Xi Beta Tau chapter would provide the refreshments for the April 6 meeting.
Mrs. Coats volunteered for the VIP program and members were asked to volunteer for the upcoming "Traveling Vietnam Wall." Jan Ellison was the winner of the traveling basket and the mystery prize. The group will meet at Hero's for dinner preceding the next meeting at the home of June Miller.
Alpha Gamma Mother's Club met March 9 at the home of Mrs. Pat Koehler. Mrs. Karen Yost led the repetition of the Collect and Aims. There were nine members present. Chaplain Jean Hess read an excerpt from the book "God's Little Devotional Book for Moms."
Carol O'Rear gave the minutes and Mrs. Koehler gave the treasurer's report. The 1998-99 slate of officers was presented and accepted and reservations for the upcoming convention were made.
For the program members continued to work on lapel pins and luncheon
menus for the convention. Mrs. Hess won the friendship basket. The March
23 meeting will be at the home of Karen Yost.