From The Pages Of The Ponca City News, Thursday,
April 24, 1997
LOCAL
'Tasteless' Weather Won't Halt Big Event
New Ambulance for PCFD Would Replace '91 Vehicle
Chamber News
How Movie Industry Transforms Towns
Attitude Plays Important Role for Success in Life
Balanced Budget Proposal Ready After Four Months
Praise Band Performs Friday
Conoco Street Request On Traffic Agenda
Free Health Fair at NOC
DAV Has New Slate of Officers After Election
Tree Trimmer Sites Disclosed
Osage County Sheriff Has Toll-Free Phone
Election Board Office Hours To Be Shorter
Editor's Work Gives History Of Ponca City
DEATHS
Robert Paul Bowman
Jack Burkholder
James LaVern Allen
NEWS BRIEFS
SPORTS
Lady Wildcat Golfers Move To Regionals
Mid-High Tennis
"Taste and Tasteless," the annual fund-raiser for the Poncan Theatre, will proceed as planned according to Poncan director Kenn Wessel. Well, almost
"We're faced with tasteless weather on Friday," Wessel said, "so against all expectations, we will respond with dignity," Wessel said.
"We have contingency plans for weather problems," he explained. The "Taste and Tasteless" organizers will wait until Friday to decide which plan serves best.
One plan calls for the food event, "Taste," to move inside the First National Bank next door. "We've got a huge tent out behind the theater that will be fine for light showers," says Wessel. "But if forecasters call for a real deluge, then we'll take advantage of the generosity of our good friends at First National."
He pointed out that "our patrons will be much more comfortable in case of a heavy rain."
"Taste and Tasteless," now in its fifth year, has become an extremely popular event in the Ponca City calendar. Or, as Wessel points out, "maybe 'notorious' is a better description."
Ticket sales have been brisk, according to tickets head Don Bishop. "Some of the banks have nearly run out of tickets," he says.
"The food is excellent," Bishop adds. "And entertainment is loads of fun for folks who know the local Poncan scene."
Wessel notes that tasteless weather may be appropriate for this event. "Maybe the weather forecasters are good theater critics," he laughed "but there won't be enough to stop us."
By LAURA TREADWAY
News Staff Writer
The fire department reviewed capital expenditure requests for the 1997-98 fiscal year budget with city commissioners during at a work session Wednesday.
First, the department is asking to replace the oldest ambulance in the fleet, a 1991 van-style vehicle, which has more than 100,000 miles on it. The unit has had a number of mechanical malfunctions, according to Fire Chief Larry Mullikin.
During it's service life, the chief explained that the ambulance has had several hydraulic leaks, a rebuilt transmission and transmission seals have been replaced. Finally, the alternator diodes have been totally replaced five times due to electrical problems.
The last ambulance purchased was authorized in the final quarter of the 1995-96 budget. No ambulances are scheduled to be purchased during this year, the chief confirmed.
Of the five units in service, two front line units are fully manned. Additionally, three ambulances are available for out-of-town transfers to other medical centers and are reserved for backup when the front line units are working other calls.
In order to maintain a reliable fleet for emergencies and transfers, Mullikin says the fire department must replace one ambulance per year.
"As it stands now, five ambulances are the minimum the department needs to operate with," he said.
In addition, the department requested six self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA). Currently, the department has 26 units. Seventeen are used on the front line and nine units are in reserve. The department wants to replace six units purchased during the early 1980s.
Mullikin confirmed the last two SCBAs purchased were during the 1994-95 budget.
"The Fire department needs to keep the breathing apparatus in a reliable status and continually introduce newer models with improved safety devices," he said. "Our breathing apparatus should serve a front line service life of five years and a reserve service life of three years. Based on usage, maintenance costs, product improvements and safety, it is the recommendation of the fire chief and administration that units should be scheduled for disposal after eight years," he informed commissioners.
However, to have an eight-year replacement program, the department needs to purchase at least four units per year. The request for six makes up for the two not purchased during the 1994-95 budget.
Breakfast of Champions
"The Satisfied Customer: An Endangered Species?" is the topic for the upcoming Breakfast of Champions, sponsored by the Ponca City Area Chamber of Commerce.
Scheduled for May 2, at 7:15 a.m. at the Marland Conference Center, Edwina Trout, Ph.D., the Oklahoma Municipal Assurance Group, will discuss the featured topic during her guest speaking appearance.
Trout is a graduate of Po-Hi, and is the daughter of Ponca City residents Jack and Louise Trout. She attended Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, where she earned a bachelor's degree before attending the University of Oklahoma in Norman in 1978. There she obtained a master's degree and also a doctoral degree in Instructional Psychology in 1994.
Currently, Trout is employed as the director of Educational Services for the Oklahoma Municipal Assurance Group where she manages a training staff and also designs and delivers specialized training programs for municipalities in Oklahoma. Her past experience also includes working for Oklahoma City Community College as director of Student Support Services. She also served as training manager and interim personnel director for the City of Oklahoma City.
Trout is a member of the board of directors for the Oklahoma City Community Counseling Centers. She also serves as a member of the board for the Guy Fraser Harrison Academy for the Performing Arts.
The Breakfast of Champions event is an opportunity for local employers to improve the quality of services offered in their business through their front-end employees to local customers. Employers are encouraged to send those employees who spend the majority of their time in the workplace interacting with customers.
The cost for the breakfast meeting is $5 and reservations are required. Call 765-4400 for more information or to make reservations to attend.
EDMOND (AP) - Coming to Oklahoma may be a cost-cutting measure for Hollywood production companies, but most residents see the movie industry as a blank check for economic gain.
Just ask Tom Wade of Wakita or Missy Morland of Ponca City - two city leaders who witnessed firsthand the physical and economic overhaul that the movie ''Twister'' had on their local residences and businesses. Most of the filming took place in or around these two communities.
In Wakita, ''Twister'' money could be seen all over town in the form of newly repainted homes, false storefronts, brick facades with hand-painted mortar and pickup beds brimming with fresh flowers ready for planting.
In Ponca City, the money took on a less visible presence in the form of packed hotels, busy caterers and plenty of temporary job opportunities.
Still, money is money, and residents were more than willing to make room for it - literally, in some cases.
''They picked Holiday Inn and Days Inn because they were close to lots of our restaurants, but we assisted them in finding private homes for top people like the producer, director and the stars,'' said Ms. Morland, Ponca City's tourism coordinator.
Ms. Morland said her cousin moved to Blackwell for three months while star Helen Hunt lived in the cousin's Ponca City home. That way, Hunt could bring her black Labrador to the ''Twister'' shoot and then return to a quiet house, rather than a noisy hotel room.
Hotel managers, however, didn't seem to mind the noise. ''Twister'' invested more than $1 million in 15,990 hotel-room days spent at Ponca City, Guthrie and Norman, according to the Local Community Expenditure Report released by Warner Bros. Studio and Production Affairs.
In addition to hotel costs, the production team spent $368,669 for catering and bakery services, $212,275 for gasoline and $16,500 for dry cleaning.
''We spent a fair amount of money there, especially in the communities where we could get large equipment and bigger facilities,'' said Michael Walbrecht, who compiled the report for Warner Bros.
Although Ms. Morland couldn't list an actual figure, she said the economic benefit of Ponca City's first experience with Hollywood was ''unreal.''
Besides the boost to hotels and restaurants, she said area businesses were usually on hand to fulfill the frequent buying needs of the ''Twister'' crew.
''Sometimes they would demand something like a windshield from a 1955 Dodge and said they'd pay $500 for it and install it themselves, but they wanted it within the hour,'' she said. ''Well, the business would just drop everything and do it because that windshield wasn't worth half that amount.''
An hour away in Wakita, business at Rapp Hardware increased 100 percent because of ''Twister,'' said Tom Wade, who is the town mayor.
''The movie really gave our hardware store an extra push and helped make up for some bad years when the agricultural community wasn't buying,'' he said.
Sales of ''I Survived 'Twister'' T-shirts, buttons, bricks and other movie souvenirs also buoyed financially burdened wheat farmers in Wakita for a time.
Town leaders originally hoped to see long-term economic growth in the months following the departure of ''Twister,'' but Wade said no new businesses have come to Wakita recently. Sales receipts at the hardware store slipped back to their former level two months after film crews left, and plenty of souvenir T-shirts still hang in the ''Twister'' museum.
''The movie attracts people to town as day or weekend visitors, and that's about it as far as economic benefit,'' he said. ''People put the name Wakita and 'Twister' together these days, but the benefit was really spread across the state.''
Although Wakita saw no lasting financial growth because of the film, townspeople are content with the popularity of the Wakita ''Twister'' Museum, which saw 2,500 visitors from 49 states and 14 countries last year, said Wade's wife, Linda, the museum manager.
''It's a learning process for both the individual towns and the movie makers,'' he said, ''and I hope Oklahoma gets more movie business.''
Communities like Ponca City and Wakita may have just received their first tastes of movie madness, but not Guthrie. This historic city has been learning about the rules and rewards of the film industry ever since ''Moonbeam Rider'' starring David Carradine rode into town 20 years ago.
Marilyn Branch, executive director of Logan County Economic Development, talked about her city's relationship with Hollywood with the air of a seasoned professional.
''You get a few complaints about having roads closed, but overall, it's a money-getting situation,'' Ms. Branch said. ''We're learning more how to make it easier for movies to come here.''
After ''Rider,'' the city didn't see another film crew until Barry Levinson's ''Rainman'' came looking for a rustic, mid-America town in 1988, she said. Scenes of a hospital, farmhouse and downtown Guthrie were filmed for the Academy Award-winning movie.
While residents fell in love with stars Tom Cruise and Dustin Hoffman, Hollywood found a treasure in Guthrie's Victorian-era architecture.
Guthrie boasts the longest contiguous historic district on the U.S. National Register, a fact which also drew Mark L. Lester's low-budget film, ''Bloody Barkers,'' to film in downtown two years ago, she said.
She said the city was accustomed to having one or two streets closed for movie crews, so it was no big inconvenience that ''Twister'' was filming the drive-in scenes on the other side of town at the same time.
And business shows no signs of slowing.
This past weekend, Ms. Branch welcomed director Mike Denney to town. The Hollywood director flew in from Los Angeles Saturday afternoon to check out several locations he will use to film ''Child Again,'' a low-budget family drama about a woman dealing with Alzheimer's disease.
Scenes will be filmed at the Driskell House, a nursing home in Guthrie and a farm house northwest of Edmond. Filming is set to begin in mid-May. Pre-production is under way.
Ms. Branch also said she is still waiting for confirmation on several other movie projects slated to film in the Guthrie area.
The secret to Guthrie's success as a popular movie location?
''Word of mouth is better for you than lots of advertising,'' she said.
Lt. Gov. Mary Fallin agrees. She said that when television movie mogul Aaron Spelling heard ''Rainman'' and ''Twister'' chose Guthrie, he immediately told her he wanted to film there as well.
By LAURA TREADWAY
News Staff Writer
City employees learned that success in life is 87 percent attitude and 13 percent skill. The Oklahoma Municipal Utility Authority hosted the annual "All-Employee Training" Tuesday at the Hutchins Memorial.
Donna Hartley, a former Miss Hawaii with more than 100 appearances on TV and who has her own syndicated television series, "Get What You Want," made the presentation. She is the founder and owner of Hartley International, located in Tahoe City, Calif.
This year's topic was entitled "Is Your Attitude Showing?" According to Hartley, once a skill or craft has been learned, any triumph will depend on attitude.
"Your attitude is always showing. Make sure it's positive," she said.
In addition, employees were reminded that the public will never let them have an "off" day. Therefore, employees were encouraged to use every opportunity to improve the city's image.
Fifty-five percent of a customer's first impression comes through body language, according to Hartley. Smiles and direct eye contact are important. Moreover, smiles are also recognizable on the phone, so smile before picking up the phone, she recommended.
Additionally, employees should know information about the company, department, division, product or service available. Providing vital information gives an employee confidence and builds the company's image.
"In today's society, you can't go through life alone," said Hartley. "You need supportive people around you, both personally and professionally. Building a team, will get you the results you want easier and quicker."
"Learn to be a good listener, whether a complaint is justified or not. Stay positive and concerned, ask questions to gain information and expedite the solving process," the speaker said.
Successful people, project a sense of humor, reliability, supportiveness, understanding, organization, consideration, punctuality and friendliness. Hartley pointed out to the group that though employees invest in their appearance, their cars and their clothes, they don't invest much in their attitude.
"If you don't like your city, your job, yourself, it's you that's got to change," she stated. "Stop asking someone else to fix it."
After four months of presentations, discussions and reductions, the city finally has a balanced budget proposal. The proposed budget is part of a three year budget plan.
According to City Manager Gary Martin, the budget process is just about complete. Information will be compiled in anticipation of public hearings, which will be scheduled within the next three weeks. After public hearings, a budget proposal will be submitted for the city commission's approval.
"We naturally had more requests than we had funds," Martin confirmed. "Because of continuous reductions in revenue and continuing cuts in the budget, we're not adequately funding building maintenance, which is a great concern of mine. Any future cuts must be in personnel," the city manager said. "At this time, the city has very limited reoccurring revenue."
"We know that next year's budget will be less that this year's," said Martin. "We'll be reducing our budget down through attrition."
The ETB (Everything That Breathes) Praise Band will be performing at Hutchins Memorial Auditorium Friday, at 7:30 p.m. The ETB Praise Band is comprised of members from several of the local churches and directed by Jeremiah Henshaw, Worship Leader at Believer's Fellowship in Ponca City.
Henshaw has extensive experience in the field of worship music, stretching from South California to Oklahoma. Prior to his accepting his current appointment three years ago at Believer's Fellowship, he managed his own Contemporary Christian Band in Southern California, called "The Bridge."
In addition to playing lead guitar and singing on most vocals, he composed a good portion of the band's music. Henshaw said, "This time of Praise and Worship here in Ponca will be one of the greatest events of church unity our city has seen in the past few years."
This time of praise and worship is being sponsored by KLVV 88.7 Christian Radio, in cooperation with several local churches, including Foursquare Gospel, Grace Tabernacle of Praise, Believer's Fellowship, Brookfield Avenue Wesleyan Methodist and others. When asked about this night of praise, Tim Burnsworth, pastor at Grace Tabernacle said, "This night of praise will be at a time of individual and corporate strengthening for the Church here in Ponca, as we gather together to praise and glorify God in one accord."
This concert is only the first of several planned by KLVV and local churches. Churches interested in co-sponsoring one of the upcoming events should contact KLVV at 767-1400 or Believer's Fellowship at 767-0320.
This event is free of charge and the door opens at 7 p.m. Everyone is welcome.
A request from Conoco to vacate certain streets in the Conoco "Greenbelt" area will be reviewed at the Ponca City Traffic Commission meeting Friday at 1:15 p.m. at the Public Safety Center, 200 East Oklahoma Avenue.
The request to close Coolidge Avenue, Mercer Street and Brunswick Avenue was tabled during the March meeting, for more information. Steve Sprehe made the original presentation to the board and explained that Conoco hoped to create walking trails in the area.
In other old business, members will discuss the 1996 Annual Traffic Accident Report. Furthermore, consideration will be given for the following requests for right-of-way control:
- Hillside Avenue, Overbrook Avenue, Virginia Avenue and Whitworth Avenue.
- Broadway Avenue and Sunset Street.
- Clarke Street and Donahoe Drive.
- Oak Street, from South Avenue to Grand Avenue.
In other new business, the traffic engineer will present an accident study on Prospect Avenue, from the railroad tracks to Fourteenth Street. In addition, the board will receive an update on correspondence between the city and the railroad on crossing repairs.
Moreover, the board will discuss installation, reconstruction, and/or repair of sidewalks across the railroad crossings as needed to conform to safety and Americans with Disabilities Act regulations.
Before adjourning, nominations for a new chairman and vice-chairman as well as the school safety representative for 1997 will be made.
TONKAWA - A Grade Check on Health is available for all area community residents at the 1997 Northern Oklahoma College Free Health Fair May 1, according to Nevona Kegans, Health Fair committee chair.
Free vision check, blood pressure check, spinal screening, stress test, body fat test and grip strength tests are all available at the event, scheduled from 2:30-9 p.m. in the east gym of Foster-Piper Fieldhouse.
Sponsored by the Northern Health, Physical Education and Recreation Department, the Health Fair is intended to provide information concerning health care facilities and products available from area health care providers and manufacturers.
Among the guest participants are Bristow Chiropractic, Potter Chiropractic, Blackwell Regional Hospital, St. Joseph's Regional Medical Center, Ponca City YMCA, Tonkawa Fire Department, Birth Choice of Ponca City, Edwin Fair Community Mental Health Center, Central Plains Blood Region, American Red Cross Cherokee Strip and Health World Natural Foods.
The Northern nursing division will be represented, and booths for Northern vision test, drugs and alcohol, and therapy may be visited. Tours of college health and fitness facilities are available to the public and will be part of the fair activities.
The Disabled American Veterans of Chapter 4 recently held an election of officers, and a new slate of officers was elected.
Bingo will be Monday from 6-10 p.m. and 1-3 p.m. on Tuesday. All money is used to transport veterans to and from Oklahoma City Veterans Hospital.
The local DAV has a service officer, J. C. Pommitt, who is open on Tuesday from 9-10 p.m. every week, to help veterans file claims and help families of Disabled Veterans and dependents.
The Bingo games are being revamped, and the DAV encourages all former customers to return.
Anyone with needs concerning veterans problems, should call 405-762-3851 or 405-233-8440, which is the service office home in Enid.
The Ponca City Electric Department continues preventative maintenance to keep trees pruned, in order to provide safe and reliable electric service. Therefore, Asplundh, the professional tree trimming company contracted by the city, will be working at the following areas this week:
- Broadway Avenue to Grand Avenue.
- Osage Street to Union Street.
- Highland Avenue, west of Waverly Street.
Tree limbs that make contact with power lines can cause outages.
PAWHUSKA - In keeping one of his campaign promises to the people of Osage County, Sheriff Russell Cottle announced that county residents now can call the sheriff's office toll-free by dialing 1-888-287-3150.
"I hope that by having a toll-free number, more citizens will call in when they have a problem or need to report an incident to the sheriff's office," Cottle said this week.
NEWKIRK - Summer office hours for the Kay County Election Board will take effect May 1, election board secretary Carol Stafford said.
Beginning May 1, the election board will be open from 8 a.m. until 3
p.m. Monday through Friday, Stafford said.
Editor's Note: This column was written by Gareth Muchmore, now deceased, who was Editor of the News. Written April 17, 1983 it gives a history of Ponca City newcomers might not know.
Oklahoma Heritage:
Beautiful Spring
The thermometer isn't sure, but flowering bushes and trees and bulbs say it is spring.
Thanks to our pioneers, spring in Ponca City is a bit better than spring almost anywhere else. Sure and that's a bit of blarney, but it's a claim we can defend.
Look around, at the spirea, forsythia, japonica and flowering pear, peach and plum. Look at the beauty in the yards of those who believe real fruit trees can be beautiful as well as useful. And the crocus, tulips, narcissus, and the green promise of iris to come.
We owe a great deal to E.W. Marland and his companions, to his love of beauty and his honoring of his own heritage, English gardens.
We owe more, probably, to those who established Ponca City, and those who were almost pioneers in association with early Marland non-oil activities.
The first pioneers-among them Ben Long, a Cherokee Strip claimant-went down to the river and brought young American Elms to create the Ruby Park (it's had a variety of names) between Highland and Park just east of Fifth. That was a community effort. Each of those early citizens created his own beauty homes. O.F. Keck, an early-day builder (he built the News building at Third and Cleveland) had what probably was the city's first magnolia tree in his back yard on North Fourth.
Pete Bellinghausen, trained as a nursery apprentice in Europe, brought his skills to Ponca City. Garfield Park, and the now-drought-ruined Pecan Park where the new Bogan Pool will be built, are his legacy.
Henry Hatashita, among gardeners, has been a name to speak with awe. He created the formal gardens that once stretched from the Marland home (Cultural Center) to Fourteenth. There were accompanying vegetable gardens.
Hatashita's expertise grew in the Marland golf course (between Tenth and Fourteenth, Grand to Highland) with every American tree that could survive Oklahoma climate. The espalliard oak behind the Pioneer Woman Museum was trained by his hand. Formal Japanese gardens surrounded the Marland Mansion.
The fabulous mile of rambler roses that once graced the east side of Fourteenth from Highland to Hartford was Hatashita work. It brought Marland the services of the late Harold Osborn, refinery and plant executive. Osborn was an engineer-trained lieutenant just discharged from War I. Looking for work, he came here by train. Disgusted by the dust, heat and small size of Ponca City he asked when he could get a train out. It was a matter of several hours. With time to kill he rented a buggy and drove around Ponca City. He told the story on himself. "When I saw that mile of beauty, and learned Marland was responsible, I had second thoughts. I interviewed after all, and took the job."
Marland's example, the willingness of experts like Hatashita and Bellinghausen to help others, spread the beauty. Among Hatashita creations is the hedge that delineates many yards here and thrives despite drouth, old-timers say. English boxwood couldn't stand our weather; Henry's hybrid did.
Another Hatashita heritage is the catalpa-bunggi, the ball-shaped bush that grows atop a catalpa trunk. Quite a few along North Seventh. Right now most are cropped back to the graft and look sick. They're tough. Catalpas even grew at Chilocco from fence posts deliberately stuck in the ground upside-down to discourage them.
The heritage of beauty has been equally hard to discourage, in Ponca City and in Oklahoma. Which brings up a reminder: If you don't have a redbud tree at your home, plant one; it's the state tree. Part of your Oklahoma heritage.
-GM-
Robert Paul Bowman, longtime Ponca City resident, died Tuesday evening, April 22, 1997, at the St. Joseph Regional Medical Center. He was 92.
A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Friday at the First Christian Church with the Rev. Kent Dorsey, pastor, and the Rev. Charles M. Heyer, associate pastor, officiating. A private family committal will be held at the IOOF Cemetery prior to the memorial service. Arrangements are under the direction of Trout Funeral Home. The family will receive friends at the funeral home from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday.
Robert Paul Bowman was born July 27, 1904, on a farm near Elgin, in Indian Territory. He was the son of Lee and Ella (Whitwell) Bowman. He attended rural schools in Comanche County and attended Cameron State School of Agriculture. Bowman also graduated from the University of Oklahoma with a BS Degree in accounting and finance. After graduation, he was employed with Continental Oil and moved to Ponca City on March 1, 1930.
He was married to Florene Richards in Sept. 1930, in Norman and she preceded him in death in January 1951.
On June 28, 1953, he was married to Bonita L. Pence in Ponca City and became a father to her three children, raising them as his own. Bowman held various positions in the controller's department at Conoco and at the time of his retirement in 1969, was assistant director in the financial accounting division.
Bowman became a member of the First Christian Church in 1930, and over the years had served as deacon, elder, trustee, and chairman of the board. He spent his personal vacation time to attend the general assemblies of the Christian Church. He enjoyed helping those in need.
Survivors include his wife, Bonita L. Bowman, of the home; one daughter, Paula Grove of Norman; one son Richard Bowman of Las Vegas, Nev.; one step-son, Jerry Pence of Tucson, Ariz.; two step-daughters, Janet Ward of Ponca City and Marilyn Plymire of Anchorage, Alaska; one brother Col. J.W. Bowman USA (Ret.) of Troup, Texas; one sister, Madge McDaniel of Oklahoma City; eight grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren. In addition to his first wife and his parents, he was preceded in death by a sister, Olive Cline.
Memorial contributions may be made in Mr. Bowman's name to the First Christian Church, P.O. Box 270, Ponca City, OK 74602.
Jack Burkholder, Ponca City resident, died Monday, April 21, 1997, at his home. He was 74.
The funeral will be held graveside at 11 a.m. Friday, April 25, 1997, at Floral Haven Cemetery in Broken Arrow, with the Rev. Denny Hook, pastor, Ponca City First United Methodist Church, officiating. Arrangements are under the direction of Trout Funeral Home.
Jack Burkholder was born Sept. 11, 1922, in Memphis, Tenn., the son of James Elmo and Mattie (High) Burkholder. He attended Humes High School.
On May 2, 1941, he was married to Penny Dorris in Forest City, Ark. On Oct. 22, 1942, he enlisted in the U.S. Marines in Memphis, Tenn., and served until Jan. 1, 1946. He served with the 2nd Marine Division in Saipan and Okinawa during World War II.
Burkholder was an entrepreneur and, at the time of his death, he and his son, Steve, owned Best Way Fittings. The family had made their home in Tulsa and Tucson, Ariz., before moving to Ponca City
Survivors include his wife, Penny, of the home; three sons, Doug of Fort Worth, Texas, Steve of Ponca City and Ron of Tucson, Ariz.; one brother, James Elmo Jr.; one sister, Sally, of Mexico; nine grandchildren; and one great-grandchild. He was preceded in death by his parents and one sister, Virginia Wollard.
Memorial contributions may be made in Mr. Burkholder's name to the American Lung Association, P.O. Box 53303, Oklahoma City, OK 73112.
DAVID CITY, Neb. - James LaVern Allen, father of Frank Allen of Ponca City, died Tuesday, April 22, 1997 at David Place, in David City, Neb. He was 63.
The funeral will be held at 10:30 a.m. Friday at St. Luke's United Methodist Church in David City with the Rev. Michael Conner officiating.
James LaVern Allen was born Feb. 2, 1934, in David City Neb. the son of Frank and Marguerite Alma Allen. He attended David City schools and lived all his life in the David City area.
He was married to Donna Rae Scribner on June 14, 1953, in David City. Allen was a farmer and had driven a David City public school bus from 1969-95. He was a member of the Methodist Church, Past Master of Fidelity Lodge No 51 AF&AM; past Associate Guardian of the Order of Eastern Star, Alma Chapter No. 20; Jobs Daughters, Bethen 51; the fair board, and the Olive Township Board.
Survivors include his wife, Donna, of the home; six sons, Jerry of Cairo,
Neb., Wayne of David City, Neb., Kenneth of McCook, Neb., Daniel of Columbus,
Neb., Frank of Ponca City, and Darrell of Seward, Neb.; two daughters, Janet
Trofholz of Bellwood, Neb. and Sharon Allen of Omaha, Neb.; one brother,
Harold, of Lincoln, Neb.; one sister, Dorothy Duckworth of Lincoln, Neb.;
and 11 grandchildren.
NEWS BRIEFS
Free Internet Access - Pick up your application at the Ponca City Library. Pioneer Free-Net.
Larceny - A resident in the 300 block of North Peachtree Street reported that property was missing from the house. An officer took a report.
City Warrant - A Ponca City police officer arrested a man in the 1700 block of North Fourth Street at 10:28 a.m. Wednesday on a city warrant for failure to pay.
Burglary - A resident in the 200 block of North Birch Street flagged down a Ponca City police officer at 11:51 a.m. Wednesday to say the house had been broken into. A report was taken.
Stolen - A Ponca City police officer took an advised report at 2:55 p.m. Wednesday of an air conditioner stolen from a vacant rental house in the 800 block of West Ponca Avenue.
Under Suspension - A 31-year-old man was arrested by a Ponca City police officer at Union Street and Warwick Road at 5:23 p.m. Wednesday for driving under suspension and speeding.
Warrant Served - A Ponca City police officer took a 27-year-old woman into custody at North Ash Street and West Hartford Avenue at 7:01 p.m. Wednesday on a city warrant for failure to pay.
Accident - A Ponca City Fire Department ambulance assisted an Oklahoma Highway Patrol trooper with a minor-injury accident at U.S. 77 and Hubbard Road at 8:40 p.m. Wednesday. The ambulance took a victim to St. Joseph Regional Medical Center, where the subject was treated and released.
Collision - No injuries were reported at an accident one mile south of U.S. 60 on Oklahoma 156 at 9:33 p.m. Wednesday. A Ponca City ambulance and a Fire Department rescue unit assisted an Oklahoma Highway Patrol trooper with the investigation.
Arrested - A Ponca City police officer arrested a 26-year-old man at North Fourteenth Street and East Highland Avenue at 11:19 p.m. Wednesday for driving under suspension.
Under Suspension - A 45-year-old woman was arrested by a Ponca City police officer Waverly Street on West South Avenue at 11:20 p.m. Wednesday for driving under suspension.
Neighborly Information - When a peddler knocks on the door, ask
for licenses. Peddlers are required to have licenses in residential areas.
Furthermore, always ask to see state and city licenses, insurance verification
and bonds prior to receiving remodeling services. For more information,
contact the Code Enforcement Department.
SPORTS
SAPULPA - Playing one of their better rounds of the season, the Lady Wildcats easily qualified for the regional tournament at Jenks next week by finishing third at the regional qualifier here Wednesday.
The Po-Hi girls found their second tour of the Sapulpa course more to their liking, posting a 368 total. That was 24 strokes better that their Frontier Conference Tournament score here just over a week ago.
The Poncans finished behind Broken Arrow (336) and Enid (337), but in front of Shawnee (386) to become one of four teams to qualify for the regional tournament in Jenks next Wednesday. Those four teams will be joined by four teams from the Claremore regional - Jenks (341), Muskogee (367), Tulsa Memorial (391) and Tulsa Union (397).
The top six teams in the regional tournament move on to the state tournament at Broken Arrow in two weeks.
Lady Wildcat coach Jerry Orr feels his team has a good chance of reaching the state tournament after their performance Wednesday.
"If the girls play as well as they did today and improve just a little bit they can make state. These girls are capable of scoring in the 350s," he said. "We've met all these teams before and it's been back and fourth. Sometimes we beat them in tournaments, sometimes they beat us. It (the regional) should be close."
Orr had anticipated a closer call in Wednesday's qualifier.
"I figured Broken Arrow and Enid would be one and two. But I thought the battle #for third and fourth would be closer between us, Shawnee, Stillwater and Sand Springs."
Stillwater finished fifth at 401 while McAlester had 409, Sand Springs 415 and Sapulpa 417.
"The girls played pretty good considering they had played this course only once before," Orr said. "The freshmen responded well. They had never been in this kind of pressure situation before, having to qualify.
"But the girl played real well on the front nine. They slipped a little on the back, but overall played well. Sapulpa has a tough course. The pin placement is a challenge."
Senior Tiffany Tapp got off to a great start with a 39 on the front and finished with an 86. Heather Roth was right behind with an 88, Ashley Mott fired a 95, Caylin Howe a 99 and Heather Staires had a 112.
Jennifer Young of Sapulpa was the tournament medalist with an 82, one stroke in front of Amanda Harris of Sand Springs and Shandra Woods of McAlester.
"This gives us something to look forward to," Orr said. "If these freshmen keep improving and we get some good players coming up, we can be tough for the next few years."
Ponca City Mid-High
Boys' Tennis Results
Ponca City Blue 10, Enid 7
Singles
No. 1 Agha lost to Garrison, 8-2; No. 2 Lee lost to Lopez, 8-1; No. 3 Fox lost to Davis, 8-1; No. 4 Hwang lost to Campbell, 8-7; No. 5 Pitts def. Rao, 8-6; No. 6 Kirby lost to Quarles, 8-4; No. 7 Parsons def. Turner, 8-5; No. 8 Samples def. Jared, 8-1; No. 9 Smith def. Miller, 8-6; No. 10 Lawrence def. Hockmeyer, 8-2; No. 11 Goddard def. Buthman, 8-6; No. 12 Stuemky def. Buthman, 8-6.
Doubles
No. 1 Agha-Lee lost to Lopez-Garrison, 8-1; No. 2 Hwang-Pitts def. Davis-Campbell,
8-3; No. 3 Foy-Kirby def. Rao-Quarles, 8-4; No. 4 Parsons-Samples lost to
Turner-Jared, 8-5; No. 5 Goddard-Lawrence def. Miller-Hockmeyer, 8-2.