LOCAL

Longtime Newswoman Kathryn Smith Dies
Former Conoco Chairman Nicandros Dies
Oldest Ponca Tribe Female Feeling Her Age
‘Small Mercies’ Big in Emotion
Underage Drinking Prevention Here Gets Some Federal Help
District Court

Longtime Newswoman Kathryn Smith Dies

Kathryn Smith longtime Ponca City newspaper woman, died early this morning at St. Joseph Regional Hospital. Kathryn, who claimed to have printer’s ink in her veins, began her career at the Ponca City News in July 1927 and was honored at her retirement in October 1992, for a record breaking 65 years in the business.

Even before she started as a part-time worker at The News she was familiar with the smell of ink and the sound of printing presses. Her father Al Smith published the Ponca City Democrat only five days after the Cherokee Strip Land Run. In her early years Kathryn lived for a time in an apartment above her father’s newspaper and remembers stealing down the stairs to see what was going on at the paper.

She attended primary school at an old stone building at Sixth and Grand, grade school in the old Garfield bungalows. She returned to the old stone school to complete her high school education, where she served as associate editor of the high school newspaper “The Poncan.” After the death of her father in 1926, she applied for work at the Ponca City News and was hired by Clyde Muchmore for part-time work.

One of her first assignments was typing the country correspondence from area towns and since writers were paid by the inch, she measured the copy, kept a record and mailed the check. Newspapers sold for 15 cents each. She then worked in the circulation department, where Gareth and Allan Muchmore were young newsboys. In 1950 the boys joined their father in the business and eventually became owners of The News. Later, Clyde’s grandson, Tom Muchmore, became business manager and Kathryn worked for the third generation for several years.

Before becoming bookkeeper and office manager in 1943, Kathryn worked for several years in classified ads, where she remembered sending the Muchmore boys out on their bicycles to collect for ads.

Kathryn saw many changes in her long career. From 110-degree days without air-conditioning, hand-set type, and hand crank presses, and non-electric typewriters to the present day state- of-the art equipment.

Outside her newspaper world, Kathryn was an active member of the First United Methodist Church, avid collector of classical music, world traveler and active in several local organizations. She moved to Westminster Village in June 1991.

Former Conoco Chairman Nicandros Dies

HOUSTON - Services for former Conoco chairman Constantine ‘‘Dino’’ Nicandros, 66, were held this morning in Houston. Nicandros, a prominent patron of the arts in Houston, died of cancer Monday.

While Chairman of Conoco Nicandros visited Ponca City on occasion and was a personable executive. Conoco Chairman Archie Dunham in an e-mail message to employees here expressed his regret at the death of Nicandros.

Leaving Conoco in 1995, Nicandros ran CSN and Co., a private investment firm.

Nicandros served on the boards of the Houston Grand Opera, the Houston Symphony, Houston Ballet Foundation and the Museum of Fine Arts. He was a former chairman of the symphony and the opera.

He also served on the boards of Baylor College of Medicine, Rice University, the Texas Center for Superconductivity at the University of Houston and the Greater Houston Partnership.

He joined Conoco in 1957 in Houston as a planning researcher and rose to executive vice president for worldwide supply and distribution. Conoco merged with DuPont in 1981.

Nicandros was president and chief executive officer of Conoco from 1987 through 1995 and was chairman of the board until 1996.

Oldest Ponca Tribe Female Feeling Her Age

By MARK GALVIN

News Staff Writer

WHITE EAGLE — In this age when many people would love to be bilingual, Aline Roy finds herself in an awkward spot.

“I speak fluent Ponca but I don’t have anyone to talk to,” she says.

At 90, the Ponca Tribe’s oldest female member is describing a familiar lament for many American Indians who one day look up to discover their culture has all but disappeared.

“I lived with my grandparents and they would tell stories, but I didn’t pay any attention. I never thought they would die — I thought they would live forever,” she said.

“I heard them, but I didn’t pay attention. People come to me now for information about the old ways, and sometimes I have to say I don’t know.”

Aline Little Standing Buffalo was born on the Ponca Indian Reservation on April 5, 1909, and she was already nine years old before she started school.

When she started school, she spoke only the Ponca language, but she quickly learned English and ultimately became an English teacher, working for several years teaching the language to Ponca preschoolers at the Pleasant View School in Ponca City.

She also was married for several years to Harrison Roy, who died in 1978.

Known now as “Aunt Aline” or “Grandma,” Roy finds the traditional Ponca way of life, with its ancient values, its complex system of clans and extended families, and its elaborate ceremonies, has been gradually giving way to modern ways.

Even though the traditional closeness remains within her family and her relatives take good care of her, she says changes are evident even at the powwows, where the old ways are best celebrated.

For example, she says, “Poncas didn’t wear buckskin, but today anything goes.” Ponca dancers of old also decorated their costumes with beadwork instead of fancy feathers, but the evolution of powwows from ceremonial activities into dance competitions and powwow contests attracted brighter fashions for show business.

Roy says, “You used to be able to distinguish a Ponca from an Otoe, for example, but today you can’t tell. It’s all mixed up now.”

Roy acts and looks younger than she is, but she says she definitely feels her age. She stopped dancing at powwows several years ago and she hasn’t even attended one in the past four years.

But she has plenty of memories.

When she was a child, she said, kids were required to sit still during the powwows and there were no such things as folding chairs.

“The only light we had at the powwow was a big old fire in the center of the camp,” she said.

As she thinks back, she says simply, “I’ve lived through a lot of changes.”

The 123rd annual Ponca Powwow begins Thursday at the White Eagle community south of Ponca City and the action will continue through Sunday. See page 2-C in today’s Midweek section for powwow details along with some old Ponca portraits from the photograph collection of Aline Little Standing Buffalo Roy.

‘Small Mercies’ Big in Emotion

By Marjorie C. Decker

News Staff Writer

“Small Mercies” by Barbara McCauley, a small book in size, but a large volume in reader satisfaction, is about the death of a sister, and about life growing up with her and about the family in which the growing up took place. It is one of the most absorbing and touching books I have read in the past few years.

A small book in size, it is enormous in emotion ... dealing with memories of events in a family and reflections on the death of a sister.

There are six in the family: mother, father, Ellie, Lisa, Tommy and the author, Barbara. Lisa was next to the oldest and the one who was lost by suicide. To quote the author: “Suicide is not just death. It is an act that insists; it becomes the unanswered questions, the missed opportunities. It doesn’t matter what stories I tell myself I still believe I should have saved her.”

These are the words of the author letting the reader know the anguish she has felt through the years following her sister’s untimely death.

Much of the book is filled with stories of the writer and her siblings and their growing up times. The writer says, “Lisa was the story-teller; my brother, Tommy, and I were her audience. Where my father would sit down with an Aesop’s fable or a tale from “The Thousand and One Nights,” Lisa would simply look off into the distance and begin ... “Once upon a time.”

The time their father brought home a pair of pigeons — Pete and Maggie, and Barbara spent the day sitting in the cage with them — much preferred over playing paper dolls. Later, when eggs appeared, it turned out Pete was the mother and Maggie, the father.

The death of her father was an emotional upheaval, coming after her marriage, which was not a successful time in her life. In denying her feelings during this time, the author found that denial of feelings was a sign of strength. It is not, she discovered. If suffering is the result of the truth, she writes, then so it is. It is the result in any case, but with truth, suffering passes through like the season it is. With denial, the winds just keep blowing, the winter goes “on and on.” It took her 25 years to reach the ending of her “personal winter.”

There was the time she fell in love with a Jewish young man during her college years, and she was an ardent Catholic. Not being the kind to settle for love with no future, she ended that relationship.

But later that year, Lisa insisted she join her in a trip to Finland for nine months, and a couple more traveling in Europe ... Cinderella time for Barbara. It was a wonderful time for both of them — a time of deliverance, actually.

There is a chapter toward the end of the book about suicide and what it does ... the author writes, “I cracked like an egg.” The book closes with a time, not quite a year before Lisa died, that the family met for reunion and spent some hectic and happy days together. Lisa had been working in Panama and loved living among the Panamanians. Returning to the “cold North” as she put it, she felt lost and unhappy, and talked about suicide.

On one of the anniversaries of Lisa’s death, Barbara wrote a poem, truly a cruel poem, but one that captured her feelings at the time. She was trapped in grief for many years. Hopefully, she plans that next spring, she may visit Lisa’s grave, at last to place flowers of love.

The book, as the author notes, is organized in alternating sections of longer memories of events and shorter reflections on the facts of her sister’s death.

Published by Sherman Asher Publishing, P.O. Box 2853, Santa Fe, New Mexico 87504, the book is highly recommended by this reviewer.

Underage Drinking Prevention Here Gets Some Federal Help

By LAURA CORFF

News Staff Writer

Ponca City is one of six Oklahoma communities receiving a block grant to assist in addressing the problem of underage drinking. The funds come from the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP), who is helping all 50 states and the District of Columbia develop comprehensive and coordinated initiatives to enforce state laws that prohibit the sale of alcoholic beverages to minors and to prevent the purchase or consumption of alcoholic beverages by minors. Minors are defined as individuals under 21 years of age.

As a result, Ponca City detectives are preparing to beef up enforcement of underage drinking laws. The department received funding which will provide about 400 hours of overtime specifically targeted to this initiative.

On Monday the Detective Division of the Ponca City Police Department took the first step. Detectives attended a training session, conducted by officials of the Alcoholic Beverage Laws Enforcement Commission, with assistance from Rebekah Howard, program director of the Oklahoma Association of Chiefs of Police.

“The detectives are getting refreshers on Oklahoma state laws that will apply under this grant, in addition to recommended techniques of enforcement,” said Capt. Dwaine Vincent.

Other Oklahoma communities receiving a grant include: Ardmore, Chickasha, Durant, Enid and Stillwater. Although there are additional communities with higher numbers of underage drinkers, Howard confirmed that grants were only considered for communities who were willing to take action.

The next phase involves a motivational session with high school students. The session titled, “Take the Lead,” is intended to leave teens with the message that it is illegal to purchase alcohol, there are consequences and enforcement is coming, according to Howard.

Training will also be held with restaurant and convenience store employees. The Oklahoma Restaurant Association will hold workshops to help employees more readily distinguish fake identification.

OJJDP awarded the federal funds to the Oklahoma Highway State Office, who assigned the Oklahoma Association of Chiefs of Police to reimburses eligible expenses to the six communities.

Originally, Congress appropriated $25 million to OJJDP in 1998. The FY 1999 appropriations Act for the Departments of Commerce, Justice and state, allocated an additional $25 million to continue the program this year.

Each state received a block grant of $360,000 to develop programs to improve the enforcement of underage drinking laws, such as enforcement, public education activities and innovative programs.

District Court

Newkirk

Marriage Licenses

Anthony Steven Berry, 26, and Frances Marie Newman, 19, both of Ponca City.

Buddy Mike Hall, 44, and Pauline Elizabeth Leon, 34, both of Ponca City.

Stephen Wayne Struble, 46, and Kristi Ann Suttles, 38, both of Ponca City.

Preston Jacob Greenwell, 23, and Melissa Jane Psikal, 19, both of Ponca City.

Brian Douglas Sroufe, 35, and Jennifer Mae Smith, 29, both of Ponca City.

Carey Dean Cox, 26, and Misti Danae Jones, 19, both of Ponca City.

Divorces Sought

Karey J. Riddle vs. Scott J. Riddle.

Divorces Granted

Victoria Lynn Dennison vs. Leonard F. Dennison; plaintiff restored to former name Victoria Lynn McClure.

Blackwell

Divorces Sought

Tammy Lynn Harman vs. Richard A. Balli.

Jay L. Crow vs. Charlotte Sue Crow.

April Lynn Proctor vs. Brooks Dale Proctor.

Trevor L. Ratzlaff vs. Angel Ratzlaff.

Divorces Granted

Susan Tuburcia Stock vs. Keith Alan Stock; plaintiff restored to former name Susan Tuburcia Ramirez.

Civil Petitions

Alice L. Lawson and Bruce S. Lawson vs. Brad L. Rhodes and Frank J. Richards; plaintiffs seeking judgment in excess of $10,000.

Marc L. Gravel vs. Paul G. Hagood, M.D.; plaintiff seeking judgment in excess of $10,000.

Central National Bank vs. Rick Murr and Melanie Murr; plaintiff seeking judgment for $10,041.12.

Lloyd Eugene Black Sr. and Patricia G. Black vs. Lester Wilson Brierley, et al.; plaintiff seeking judgment in excess of $10,000.

Credit Bureau Services Association vs. Sue E. Lopez; plaintiff seeking judgment for $8,990.92.

Ponca City

Divorces Sought

Mistie Marie Freeze vs. Randy Don Freeze.

Andra L. Vogt vs. Henry E. Vogt.

Jennifer L. Gonzalez vs. Daniel B. Gonzalez.

Divorces Granted

Connie Storm vs. Russell Storm.

Civil Petitions

Marlena Burton, et al., vs. East Terrace Associates and Key Management Company; plaintiffs seeking judgment in excess of $10,000.

Edwina Bridgman, et al., vs. J.Q. Anderson and Betty Anderson/Capshaw; plaintiffs seeking judgment in excess of $10,000.

Rural Housing Trust vs. Kevin C. Miller, et al.; plaintiff seeking judgment for $17,097.89.

Commercial Federal Mortgage Corporation vs. Steven E. Eubank and Rebecca A. Eubank; plaintiff seeking judgment for $39,680.33.

Patricia Ann Kinsinger, et al., vs. David P. Howard and Amanda J. Howard; plaintiffs seeking judgment for $5,000.

Neal Strauss and Carolyn Strauss vs. Surgical Center of Ponca City, et al.; plaintiffs seeking judgment in excess of $10,000.

DEATHS

Kenneth Lawrence Henning

Kenneth Lawrence Henning

FAIRFAX — Kenneth Lawrence Henning, Fairfax resident, died Monday night, Aug. 23, 1999 at the Tulsa Regional Medical Center. He was 90.

The funeral will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday, at the First Osage Baptist Church in Fairfax with the Rev. Robert Glasgow, pastor, officiating. Burial will be in the Fairfax Cemetery under the direction of Hunsaker-Wooten Funeral Home, Fairfax.

Kenneth Lawrence Henning was born June 29, 1909, in Deering, Mo., the son of Felix Lawrence and Mattie Jane (Murphey) Henning. He grew up in Thayer, Mo., and attended area schools there.

He was married to Susana Elizabeth Low on Aug. 15, 1931, in Thayer, Mo. Mr. Henning was a retired clerk for the Frisco Railroad, and the couple lived in several locations in Missouri with his job. During World War II he was superintendent of the largest railroad loading dock in Missouri. In 1992, the couple moved from Doniphan, Mo., to Fairfax. Mr. Henning was a member of the First Osage Baptist Church. He enjoyed woodworking and spending time with his grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Survivors include his wife of 68 years, Susana E. Henning of the home; daughter, Dorothy Stewart of Carrollton, Texas; two sons, Dr. Guy Eugene Henning of Fairfax and George Lawrence Henning of Doniphan, Mo.; eight grandchildren; and 17 great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents and a brother, Barney Murphey.

Casket bearers will be Clyde Moore, Barney Moore, Tommy Smith, Jeffrey Henning, Steve Henning and Chris Rush. Honorary bearers will be Stewart Williams, J.T. Williams, Jeremy Storey, Chris Storey and Don Wilson.

Memorial contributions may be made in Mr. Henning’s name to Gideons International, P.O. Box 140800, Nashville TN 37214-0800.

The family will be at the Guy Henning home to receive friends and family.

NEWS BRIEFS

Legion Plans Meeting — American Legion Post No. 14 will hold a meeting on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. at the Legion Hut on South Avenue. Members urged to be present.

Looking for Tupperware? Call your hometown consultant at (580) 762-9271. adv.

In Hospital — Mary Clark, who broke her hip recently, is recovering at Health South Rehab Hospital, 700 NW Seventh Street, Oklahoma City, OK 73102. Telephone number is 405-236-3131. Cards and visits would be appreciated.

Continuing The tradition this Fall...Country Harvest Antique and Craft Show, Sept. 10th and

11th at Hutchins. adv.

Gargiulo Decorated — Army Spec. James A. Gargiulo has been decorated with the Army Commendation Medal. The medal is awarded to those individuals who demonstrate outstanding achievement or meritorious service in the performance of their duties on behalf of the Army. Gargiulo is a customer service clerk with the 176th Finance Battalion at Yongsan Garrison, Seoul, South Korea. He is the son of Sal Gargiulo of 2507 Bluestem Road, Ponca City.

Want to start your own business? Pioneer Tech’s Self-Employment Training program can

show you how to start for less cash. This program can also help you determine the feasibility and legal requirements of starting your own business. Evening classes begin September 2. Call 762-8335, Ext. 262 to reserve your seat! adv.

Fraud — A Ponca City police officer took a report of fraud at Lowe’s, 3500 North Fourteenth Street at 1:40 p.m. Tuesday.

Vandalism — At 2:18 p.m. Tuesday, a Ponca City police officer took a report of vandalism in Willow Springs Park.

VVA Fund Raiser — The Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 750 will conduct a fund raiser in cooperation with El Chico Mexican restaurant. For each meal purchased Aug. 31, 5-10 p.m., the restaurant the chapter will receive a portion of the proceeds. A chapter member will be present to receive signatures from those wishing to participate in the fund raiser.

Jim Bowen Construction­ Custom homes, room additions and remodeling. Call 762-3077. adv.

Singles Group to Meet — Singles Connection will hold Game Night at the Fourth Street Clubhouse on Saturday at 7 p.m. If your last name starts with A-M, bring a snack; N-Z, bring a 2 liter pop. For more information, call Larry at 765-9562 or Mary Lou at 762-0578.

Have Pet? Can travel! In-home pet sitting service. We love them when you have to leave them! 762-4205. adv.

Korean War Veterans Meeting — The next meeting of the Korean War Veterans Association will be held Aug. 28 at 1 p.m. at the 45th Infantry Division Museum, 2145 NE 36th in Oklahoma City. This meeting is open to all Korean War era veterans, from 1945 to present, of any branch of service, and their spouses and/or friends. For additional information, contact Harold Mulhausen, president of the Oklahoma chapter of KWVA at (405) 632-7351 or Gerald Wampler, Duncan, (580) 255-0028 or check out its website at www.angelfire.com/ok/KWVA/index.html.

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.

Forgery — At 9:12 a.m. Tuesday, Ponca City police officer took reports of forgery for two Triple T locations.

Arrested — At 6:26 a.m. Tuesday, a Ponca City police officer arrested a woman from a traffic stop at North Ash Street and West Hartford Avenue for a city warrant. An 18-year-old man was also arrested for driving under suspension and no insurance.

Court Allen Construction. Concrete and flagstone walkways, patios and yard curbing. Call 765-2720. adv.

Abandoned — A resident in the 800 block of North Palm Street advised the Ponca City Police Department at 8:04 a.m. Tuesday that a bike was found in the bushes at a vacant house.

Windshield Chips repaired professionally. Guaranteed and insurance approved. Ponca Glass,

762-6522, 762-7957. adv.

Larceny — A Ponca City police officer responded to the 2200 block of North Fourteenth Street at 8:14 a.m. Tuesday to take a report of tools stolen from a truck.

Head Country, One half bar-b-que chicken with choice of vegetables, $4.25, Thursday, 11 am until gone. 1217 East Prospect. 767-8304. adv.

Three Extreme — A meeting for interested skateboarders, BMXers and bladers will be held Thursday, at Carpet Specialties, at 7:30 p.m.

Lots Of new merchandise! Gifts for the fireman, pewter look and wood picture frames, for

family, sister, mom and friends. Mrs. Brown's Attic, downtown Ponca City. adv.

Fraud — At 1:40 a.m. Wednesday a Ponca City police officer took a report of fraud from Lowe’s, 3500 North Fourteenth Street.

Helpline — Contributing one quarter a day for a year to the United Way of Ponca City will provide school brochures for the latchkey program. Or for an annual donation of $2 per week, Helpline can provide a listening ear 24 hours each day.

Need Assistance with your existing business? Pioneer Tech’ Small Business Management program is available to assist you with classroom instruction and individual assistance at your convenience. Evening classes start September 7. Cost is $150 for entire year. Call 762-8336, Ext. 275. adv.

Juvenile Crime — The Ponca City Alliance for Youth Juvenile Crime/Violence and Gangs and Substance Abuse Taskforces will meet Thursday at the Ponca City Library at 2 p.m. For more information, contact Michele Jean at 765-2476.

Attention Steak & Shrimp lovers: Golden Corral, Wednesday Night, All you can eat steak and shrimp & shrimp buffet. 4 to close. $7.99. adv.

Warrant Served — A Ponca City police officer arrested a 51-year-old man in the 100 block of North Seventh Street at 10:47 a.m. Tuesday on a Kay County warrant.

Burglary — A Ponca City police officer took a report of burglary to a vehicle in the 500 block of West Central Avenue at 9:13 p.m. Tuesday.

Arrest — At 3:02 p.m. Tuesday, a Ponca City police officer arrested a 61-year-old man at West Highland Avenue and North Peachtree Street for driving while impaired and making an unsafe lane change.

Become Part of the Ponca City Public School Substitute Teaching Team. Required Training, August 24, 1999, 9:00 a.m. at 111 W. Grand. High School Diploma required. Bring Drivers license and Social Security Card, (Park in Back) For more information call 767-8000. adv.

Warrant Served — At 10:35 p.m. Tuesday, a Ponca City police officer arrested a 29-year-old man for a Kay County warrant.

Board certified in Hearing Instrument Sciences, Charles Smith, dispensing practitioner,

Heartland Hearing Aid Center. Why put your hearing health care in the hands of anyone else? 1302 North 7th. 767-1961. adv.

Stuck — A Ponca City Fire Department rescue unit and command vehicle responded at 6 p.m. Tuesday to the report of a jeep stuck in the river at the New River Bridge. The units stood by until an Oklahoma Highway Patrol trooper arrived. Firefighters reported that the driver was out walking around upon their arrival.

Vandalism — A resident in the 500 block of South Franklin Avenue advised the Ponca City Police Department at 7:21 p.m. Tuesday that the residence had been vandalized. An officer responded and took a report.

Arrests — A 44-year-old man was arrested by a Ponca City police officer at 10:52 p.m. Tuesday from a traffic stop in the 2200 block of North Fourteenth Street for driving while impaired. A 49-year-old man was also taken into custody for public intoxication.

LIFESTYLES

Lisa Schierlman Engaged
Wine Is French Equivalent of Ketchup?

Lisa Schierlman Engaged

Announcement is being made of the engagement and approaching marriage of Lisa Diane Schierlman and Steven Paul Turner. The couple will wed Aug. 27 at the Marland Mansion.

The bride-elect is the daughter of David and JoAnna Ware, 2002 Willow, and the prospective bridegroom is the son of David and Debra Turner, 724 Edgewood.

The bride-to-be is a 1996 graduate of Ponca City High School, and is employed at Sykes. Turner, a 1994 graduate of PCHS, is serving with the United States Army in South Korea with an Air Defense Artillery unit.

Wine Is French Equivalent of Ketchup?

(AP) — When you eat for a living, to say a food is “favorite” is an outstanding culinary endorsement. For television chef and cookbook author David Rosengarten, eating French food in France is one of life’s greatest treats.

He says he discovered Oeufs en Meurette (Poached Eggs in Red Wine Sauce) in a cozy Parisian bistro in 1970, when he also learned that the French “like to put wine on everything.” In his book “Taste” (Random House), Rosengarten compares the use of wine in France to the use of ketchup in the United States.

With this recipe almost everything may be prepared an hour or so in advance, so it’s ideal for entertaining. The dish is pulled together just before serving. It also uses a cooking technique that avoids the last-minute anxiety of poaching eggs.

Oeufs en Meurette

For the vegetable garnish:

6 small shallots

2 medium white mushrooms,

quartered

8 pieces of bacon

About 1/2 cup very young

Beaujolais red wine (Nouveau,

if possible)

For the croutes:

4 slices of French bread,

crusts removed, cut

1/3-inch thick, about 2 inches

in diameter

1 garlic clove, smashed

1 tablespoon butter

For the poaching liquid:

1 tablespoon butter

2 tablespoons chopped bacon

6 tablespoons chopped shallots

1 teaspoon chopped garlic

2 cups very young Beaujolais

red wine (Nouveau, if possible)

1 bay leaf

1/2 cup chicken stock

For the beurre manie:

1 tablespoon softened butter

1 1/4 tablespoons flour

For setting the eggs:

4 large, very fresh eggs

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

Final assembly:

1 tablespoon very young

Beaujolais red wine (Nouveau,

if possible)

1 tablespoon very finely

chopped parsley

Preheat the oven to 400 F. Prepare the vegetable garnish: Peel the shallots, put them in a buttered roasting pan and place it in the preheated oven. Roast until they are well browned on the outside, soft on the inside (about 45 minutes). While they’re roasting, baste occasionally with wine to prevent them from burning. Remove from oven and reserve.

Put the mushroom quarters in the roasting pan, and place the pan under a hot broiler until the mushrooms are nicely browned (about 5 minutes). Add the bacon pieces to the mushrooms for 2 minutes, then remove from heat. Reserve the shallots, mushrooms and bacon pieces together.

Prepare the croutes: Place the slices of bread on a roasting pan. Rub well with the smashed garlic clove. Place the butter in a small, heavy saucepan along with the garlic clove. Melt the butter over low heat, stirring.

After the butter melts, stir it over a low flame for 1 minute. Then drizzle the butter through a sieve onto the bread slices, distributing evenly. Place the slices under a broiler until they become golden brown on one side, 3 to 4 minutes. Turn them over, and broil them until the other side becomes golden brown. Divide between 2 dinner plates and reserve.

Prepare the poaching liquid: Place the butter in a heavy saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the chopped bacon, shallots and garlic, and saute until the shallots just start to turn brown (about 5 minutes). Turn the heat to high, and add the wine and bay leaf. Boil until the wine is reduced to 1 cup (about 10 minutes). Add the chicken stock, bring the mixture back to the boil for 2 minutes, then remove from heat and reserve.

Prepare the beurre manie: Mix the butter and flour until they are well blended. Reserve.

Set the eggs: Bring 1 quart of salted water to a simmer in a 10-inch pan or Dutch oven. Add the vinegar. Slip the eggs into 4 teacups, and, with the water at a gentle simmer, slip the eggs into the water, holding the teacups close to the water. The idea is to keep the whites as close to the yolks as possible. As soon as the eggs hit the water, push the whites toward the center of each egg with a wooden spoon (this takes just a few seconds). Simmer for about 2 minutes (the eggs will be just set).

Remove the eggs to a wide shallow pan, then fill the pan with cold water. The eggs will keep nicely in the water for at least an hour.

When you are ready to serve, bring the wine poaching liquid to a rapid simmer. Add the eggs to the simmering liquid, and poach them for 2 minutes, or until the whites are firm and the yolks still runny. While the eggs are poaching, baste the tops with some of the poaching liquid.

Remove the cooked eggs with a slotted spoon, letting all the liquid run off, place them on the croutes, and keep them warm for a moment under aluminum foil.

Meanwhile, bring the poaching liquid to a rapid boil, and begin beating in the beurre manie with a whisk. The sauce should be medium thick within a moment or two. Season with salt and pepper. Add the whole shallots, mushroom quarters and bacon pieces. Add the tablespoon of wine and stir. Pour the thickened sauce over and around the eggs, dividing the vegetable garnish evenly. Top with parsley. Makes 2 servings.

SPORTS

Lady Cats Can Scare Best
Rodeo Watch
Hunter Education Home Course Set

Lady Cats Can Scare Best

By MATTHEW KOENIG

News Sports Writer

For an unranked team, taking on the best team in the state is a mixed blessing. While losing is never fun, the pressure is definitely off.

And, as the Lady Wildcat softballers proved, if you can’t beat ‘em, scare ‘em.

Aside from just one, disastrous inning, the easy-going Lady Cats made No. 1 ranked Union work for a win, Tuesday. After taking the Lady Redskins 3-and-out for the first four innings, a 6-run fifth effectively ended the threat, and the Lady Cats succumbed, 6-1.

In the second, non-conference match up, the Poncans came even closer, 2-0.

Union is now a perfect 12-0 on the season. The Lady Cats fall to 1-6.

While coach Tracy Scott had a few complaints, she’s confident in her team’s ability to join the state’s elite.

“I told the girls I don’t want to be good enough to hang with the best, I want to be good enough to beat the best. We just broke down in that one inning. All year I’ve been saying we have to play a full seven innings to win.

“But what’s really exciting is we’re getting better every game.”

Pitcher Ashley Engle looked unstoppable in the early going, giving up no hits and no walks through the first four innings, while striking out two. The Lady Redskins figured something out in the fifth, however, getting three straight hits to load the bases. From there, the Lady Redskins stacked up the runs quickly with an RBI walk, consecutive RBI singles, and plated two more on wild pitches.

Engle settled down in the final two innings, striking out three more while giving up just one hit.

“Ashley pitched a good game,” Scott said. “Conditioning is a problem, but we’re working on that. It’s something we can fix.”

The Lady Cats managed just two hits off the Union duo of Nicole Alger and Melissa Garner. Alger, the Lady Redskins’ No. 1 pitcher, went five innings, giving up just one hit and one walk, while striking out three.

The Lady Cats did score the small victory of getting the first hit in the game, a line drive up the third baseline from Gena Osborn, in the fourth. Cara Cusick had the distinction of being the first base runner, drawing a walk in the third.

Alana Smith tried to spark a rally in the seventh, slap-bunting up the third baseline and beating out the throw for a base hit. Smith then went to second on a passed ball and stole third, and Osborn drove her in with a sacrifice fly.

The Lady Cats continue their season on Thursday, hosting Owasso in another doubleheader.

Game Notes — Left fielder Teya Roughface had the catch of the game, nabbing a long fly ball in the tip of her glove, at the fence...fearless catcher Emily Helm stood her ground at home plate to put the tag on a sliding base runner, in the fifth...Smith smashed a ball right at the second baseman to be robbed of a single, in the fourth...senior Harmony Murrie, sidelined with a severe ankle sprain in last Friday’s game with Blackwell, should be out for 4-6 weeks.

Union 6, Ponca City 1

Union 000 060 0 — 6 7 0

Ponca City 000 000 1 — 1 2 1

Alger (w), Garner (6) and Egnor; Engle (l) and Helm.

Rodeo Watch

CALF ROPING

1, Fred Whitfield, Hockley, Texas, $111,802. 2, Blair Burk, Durant, Okla., $100,607. 3, Cody Ohl, Orchard, Texas, $77,195. 4, Ty Hays, Weatherford, Okla., $65,837. 5, Jerome Schneeberger, Ponca City, Okla., $63,014. 6, Ricky Hyde, Conway, Ark., $59,515. 7, Justin Maass, Giddings, Texas, $54,138. 8, Stran Smith, Tell, Texas, $51,400. 9, Jeff Coelho, Long Creek, Ore., $51,364. 10, Clay Cerny, Eagle Lake, Texas, $46,855.

11, Herbert Theriot, Poplarville, Miss., $46,634. 12, Brad Goodrich, Hermiston, Ore., $46,280. 13, Jeff Chapman, Athens, Texas, $45,537. 14, Jim Bob Mayes, Elgin, Texas, $44,543. 15, Jeff Yates, Corsicana, Texas, $44,021. 16, Johnny Emmons, Grandview, Texas, $42,549. 17, Tony Reina, Brazoria, Texas, $42,123. 18, Roy Cooper, Childress, Texas, $41,810. 19, Brent Lewis, Pinon, Ariz., $41,808. 20, Neal Felton, Mountain Home, Texas, $41,440.

STEER ROPING

1, Guy Allen, Lovington, N.M., $62,870. 2, Rocky Patterson, Pratt, Kan., $37,601. 3, Jim Davis, Abilene, Texas, $32,707. 4, Trevor Brazile, Childress, Texas, $32,419. 5, Marty Jones, Hobbs, N.M., $29,183. 6, De Lynn Jones, Hobbs, N.M., $29,106. 7, Arnold Felts, Sonora, Texas, $24,989. 8, J Paul Williams, Ponca City, Okla., $24,539. 9, Roy Cooper, Childress, Texas, $22,609. 10, Colby Goodwin, Channing, Texas, $22,542.

11, J.B. Whatley, Gardendale, Texas, $22,250. 12, Buster Record Jr, Buffalo, Okla., $21,166. 13, Tee Woolman, Llano, Texas, $20,469. 14, Bucky Hefner, Chelsea, Okla., $17,913. 15, Cody Ohl, Orchard, Texas, $17,565. 16. Leo Campbell, Amarillo, Texas, $14,561. 17, David Felton, Weatherford, Texas, $13,324. 0,953.

Hunter Education Home Course Set

The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife will be teaching a home study Hunter Education Course Sept. 5 and 12 from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Ponca City V.F.W. located on East Prospect. Students must attend both days in order to receive certification.

Students will receive instruction in hunter ethics, firearms responsibility, ammunition, laws and regulations, archery. muzzleloading, survival, game care and wildlife identification. All students will be required to complete a home study booklet which will take approximately 8 to 10 hours of the students own time and pass a written test upon completion of the course with a test score of 70 percent or better.

All hunters born on or after Jan. 1, 1972 are required to complete hunter education certification before a hunting license or deer license can be purchased in Oklahoma. Other states which require hunter education, such as Kansas and Colorado, recognize students that complete Oklahoma's program.

The class is free of charge, however students do need to pre-register by calling Game Warden Tracy Daniel (765-1921). It is strongly recommended that students be at least 10 yrs of age and possess strong reading skills before attending this type of course.

The Wildlife Department will also be conducting a conventional 10-hour course Sept. 20-22 from 6:30 to 10 p.m. at the Kay Electric Building, 300 West Doolin in Blackwell.