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From the pages of The Ponca City News, Wednesday, November 4, 1998 LOCAL DEATHS NEWS BRIEFS LIFESTYLES SPORTS LOCALMuegge Pulls Out Victory Over Myers in Close Race Muegge Pulls Out Victory Over Myers in Close RaceBy LOUISE ABERCROMBIE News Staff Writer Senate District 20 race came down to the wire with incumbent Democrat Paul Muegge, Tonkawa, and Republican challenger David Myers, Ponca City, ending in a near photo finish with Muegge nosing out Myers by slim 87 votes. The total count was Muegge, 9,778 for 50.22 percent and Myers totaled 9,691 for 49.78 percent. District 20 covers parts of five counties, including, Kay, Woods, Alfalfa, Grant and Major. In Kay County, Myers totaled 6,113 votes to Muegge’s, 5,215. Voters in Ponca City Precinct 534 cast the most votes locally in the Senate race with a total of 940. A total of 636 votes was cast for Myers and 304 for Muegge. Myers narrowly carried Woods County with 729 votes to Muegge’s 722. In Alfalfa County, Muegge won handily with 1,217 to Myers, 882. Muegge also carried Grant County drawing 1,405 votes to Myers’ 716. Myers won Major County with 1,251 to Muegge’s 1,219. Muegge said, “Of course the race was very, very close, but we won. I appreciate all of the great support we had and now it is time to get back to the real world. We kept the focus of our campaign positive. We had a lot of negative thrown at us — but we kept positive and people are calling me and thanking me for that.” On the real world note, Muegge said he was trying to get out of the house to deliver some hay to stranded livestock in the area due to the flooding. He said the National Guard is going to help deliver hay by helicopter today. Muegge said there are several people in Kay and Grant counties who have been identified with stranded cattle that need feed. Myers released a statement saying, “Based on the election results, it was certainly a close and hard fought race. I was disappointed because we were so close to winning, in fact we carried three of the five counties in District 20. With the results of the election being less than 100 votes and giving consideration to all the people whom have invested in me, we have not yet ruled out a recount.” He added, “I appreciate all the hard work from those individuals who sacrificed their time for this effort, and when you consider we were out spent — almost two to one — I think it was a commendable effort.” Incumbent District 38 State Representative Jim Reese, R-Nardin, won by a large margin drawing 74.94 percent of the votes over Democrat Sylvia Pratt, Newkirk, who drew 25.06 percent. Reese drew a total of 7,209 votes and Pratt 2,411. District 38 covers parts of Kay, Grant and Alfalfa Counties. Reese carried all three counties. In Kay County he received 3,806 votes compared to 1,606 for Pratt. Reese won Grant County with 1,729 votes to Pratt’s, 387, and Alfalfa with 1,674 votes and compared to Pratt’s, 418. As was expected Republican Sen Don Nickles won the state easily garnering 66.38 percent of the vote. Don E. Carroll, Democrat pulled 31.28 percent, while Independents Mike Morris, drew 1.80 percent and Argus W. Yandell Jr., .54 percent. In Kay County Nickles received 10,092 votes for 71.40 percent, while Carroll got 3,683 votes for 26.06, and independents Morris and Yandell received 286 votes for 2.02 percent, got 74 votes for .52 percent, respectively. In U.S. House District Five, Republican incumbent Ernest Istook pulled 68.18 percent of the vote to Democrat M.C. Smothermon’s 31.82 percent. In Kay County Istook received 9,282 for 65.9 percent compared to Democrat M.C. Smothermon received 34.10 percent with 4,604 votes. Corps Relieving Lake Pressure As Flood Waters Pour Into KawBy PATTI PFEIFFER News Staff Writer It is coming from the local areas, it is coming from the north, it’s coming from out of state, and it’s all converging into Kaw Lake which is currently experiencing record amounts of water inflow. And with the flooding in Kansas authorities do not expect that to change anytime soon. Normal water inflows during summer months can be as low as 1,000 cubic feet per second says Corp of Engineers Lake Manager Bill Powers. Currently inflows are coming in at a record rate of 180,000 cubic feet per second. Measures are under way to manage the massive amounts of water streaming into the lake without causing any additional flooding downstream. “We began releasing water from all eight of our floodgates Tuesday afternoon that were well within the banks of the river,” Powers said. “Based on conditions today, we’re not expecting any releases that will flood down stream.” According to Powers, the normal elevation of the lake is 1,010 feet. Currently that amount has risen to flood levels of 1,042 feet and is expected to increase even further as rivers, creeks and streams in Kansas continue to rise. The amounts of water being dumped into the lake and the water elevation are being compared to the great floods of 1986, 1993 and 1995, where rainfalls and record floods sent the waters of Kaw Lake to the top of the flood pools. The record elevation, set in 1993, is 1,047 feet. Powers says predictions now are that the lake will rise just short of that record to 1,044.5 feet some (See WATER, Page 7B) Two Candidates Retain Posts In Heavy Local Voter TurnoutBy MARK GALVIN News Staff Writer Incumbent District Judge D.W. Boyd won his first election bid Tuesday, outpolling Ponca City attorney Tom Evans with more than 71 percent of the votes. Boyd, who sought to retain his spot on the bench he’s occupied since his appointment in 1995, collected 11,617 votes to Evans’ 4,595 across the Eighth Judicial District, which comprises Kay and Noble counties. In Kay County, voters cast 9,189 votes for Boyd and 2,428 votes for Evans. Noble County voters provided 3,817 votes for Boyd and 778 for Evans. The total percentage was 71.66 to 28.34. Kay County’s other incumbent, District One County Commissioner Dee Schieber of Newkirk, won his second term in a race against Democratic challenger Jim Powelson of Ponca City. Voters cast 3,843 ballots for Schieber and 2,068 for Powelson. “I’m glad it’s over,” Schieber remarked today. He said, “My wife’s probably more glad than I was. My opponent ran a hard campaign.” Kay County Election Board Secretary Carol Stafford was pleased with the healthy turnout of voters. “We haven’t had an election with that many voters during an off-presidential year. Voter turnout this time was probably as high or higher than our presidential ones,” Stafford said. In Noble County, election board secretary Helen Webb said this election kept everyone busy because registration changes caused by the county’s new 911 addressing “liked to run the precinct officials ragged.” She said the office, which normally handles approximately 50 registration changes per month, this season handled more than 400. (See VOTE, Page 7B) Nearly NewsNN realizes bad things happen, and Tony Weir reports something like that recently happened to him and his family. The roof at his home needed repair, and the workmen hit the furnace pipes that go onto the roof, causing damage that was not reported to Tony. The damage allowed carbon monoxide to back up into the house. Fortunately the Weirs have a detector which possibly saved their lives. Weir points out to NN that it’s a good thing to have a detector. NN agrees wholeheartedly. Obviously, if you read yesterday’s Nearly News and the flood story on the same page, you’ve figured out that we’re still road-map challenged. U.S. 77 does not run through Blackwell to Tonkawa. That would be U.S. 177. If the water stays up throughout the area, though, highway designations may become useless and we’ll be looking for buoys and lighthouses to guide us. Veterans Day Parade Here Saturday To Include FlyoverVeterans and citizens from Kay, Noble and Osage Counties will be converging on Ponca City for Saturday’s 10:30 a.m. Veterans Day Parade — north central Oklahoma’s largest! That evening, the Poncan Theatre, under the direction of Kenn Wessel, will host a moving and patriotic song fest starting at 7:30 p.m. The two-hour presentation will be the highlight of the day. Funds received will help offset the expenses of the Veterans Day parade. The Veterans Day parade marshals will be the Gold Star Mothers from Ponca City and the surrounding area. Special tribute will also be given to the recent veterans — those who have served their country since the Vietnam War. Veterans who served since May 8, 1975, to the present are asked to walk as a group in the parade so they can be recognized for a “job well done.” Transportation is available for those who would rather ride than walk in the parade and all veterans are encourage to participate. To date, over 150 entries are entered in the parade and will be lead by 18 breathtaking color guards. Parents are asked to remind and teach their children proper respect for the American Flag by removing their hats and standing at attention as the color guards pass. Highlights during parade will include a flyover of World War II “War Birds,” F-16 Fighters and a B-1 bomber. VIPs include Brig. Gen. Jim Morford, deputy STARC commander; Norman Lamb, secretary of Veterans Affairs; Brig. Gen. Lawrence Roy, Ret., War Veterans Commission; officials from the Veterans Administration; senators, representatives, state commanders; and other officials who serve veterans on a daily basis. The Oklahoma Army National Guard and Army Reserve will once again be one of the highlights of the parade. They will parade their equipment and establish a static display after the parade east of the American Legion Post 14, 405 W. South Avenue. Everyone is invited to look over the latest in military technology. Classic and antique cars, motorcycles and other “wheels” will also be on display there. Numerous floats, classic and antique cars, motorcycles, bikes, horses and wagons, civic clubs and school organizations will all be part of this year’s parade. Four bands providing the “Spirit” for the parade include the 95th Division Band, the 145th Army Band, the Woodlands Cougars Marching Band and the Shidler Tiger’s Marching Band. Coffee and donuts from 8 until 9:45 a.m., and lunch after the parade, will be served to all veterans at the American Legion Post. On Veterans Day, Nov. 11, Blackwell will be hosting a Veterans Day parade and all veterans, citizens and parade participates are invited to join in Blackwell’s celebration. New School Safety Hot LinePonca City Public Schools are participating in a new school safety hot line initiated by State Superintendent Sandy Garrett to keep Oklahoma school students safe. The hot line, the first of its kind in the nation, was established to help school administrators maintain a safe atmosphere and to notify local school officials of potential acts of violence, theft, drug or alcohol abuse, or weapons on campus before they occur. The confidential toll-free school safety hot line, 1-877-SAFE-CAL(L) extension OK1, can be used by anyone — students, parents, teachers, or other interested citizens to report any situation which the caller feels put students in jeopardy at school. It is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. “Keeping our students safe is a top priority, and we see this anonymous hot line as another tool to help us keep Ponca City Schools safe,” stated Dr. Bill White, superintendent. “We will be putting posters up in each classroom and other areas of the schools and will be sending informational brochures home for each child and their parents to review.” “In the wake of the several school tragedies across the nation last year, there was one recurring theme,” State Superintendent Sandy Garrett said earlier this month. “Students reported after the fact that they feared something was going to happen but they were afraid to report their concerns because they thought the perpetrators would seek retribution on them. We know that there are many safe reasons why a student or parents may hesitate in providing information. SAFE-CALL breaks down this barrier of fear by allowing callers to report their concerns or suggestions confidentially and anonymously.” A fully-bonded firm, Security Voice, Inc., operates the hot line. This is a truly confidential service. Security Voice does not trace calls and has no ability to identify a caller through Caller ID, Starr 69 or anything of that nature. Once a call is received, it is immediately transcribed and sent to the local school involved and to the State Department of Education (SDE). Per the SDE’s contractual agreement, the transcription must be received by the school within 30 minutes of the call. If, however, the call is of an emergency nature (bomb threat, weapons threat, bodily injury threat) school officials are immediately informed (within 5 minutes) by phone. School districts have named four contracts to receive such calls after school hours. If SAFE-CALL staff is unable to make contact with an after-hours contact, they will notify local law enforcement of any emergency threat. The Department of Public Safety has supplied SDE and Security Voice with law enforcement contacts for every Oklahoma community. Each caller will receive a confidential case number, called an identifier number, when he or she makes a call. This allows the caller to call back three days after making a complaint to learn what has happened as a result of his/her call. In addition to a transcription of the call, the local school authorities are also faxed a response form to complete. This form must be completed and faxed to Security Voice so hot line staff will know what type of message to leave for a follow-up call. The district has a SAFE-CALL 10 minute implementation video that can be shared with students, staff, parents, PTA’s, or any community organization to ensure that everyone involved in the community knows the intent in making SAFE-CALL available to all citizens. If you would like more information contact Bret Smith, Director of Maintenance and Risk Management, at 767-8000, ext. 214, or Mary Ladd at 767-8000, ext. 215. Watercolor Class Set for P.C. Art CenterRuth Loucks, local artist, will teach a six-week watercolor class at the Ponca City Art Center, beginning Thursday from 7 to 9 p.m. The class can accommodate no more than eight students and will not be held if there are not at least four students signed. This will be a class for beginners and those who have some experience with water colors. In this class students may work on their own subjects with instructor help. There will be short demonstrations at each class on various essential subjects, such as trees, rocks, sky, etc. Basic instruction about color, value, brush strokes, composition will be discussed. Seven basic transparent watercolors needed for this class are ultramarine blue, ceruleam blue, alizarin crimson, cad red light, cad yellow pate or light, cad orange, and a green such as sap green or veridian green. Any additional colors are useful. You need a water container. Brushes must be sable, squirrel or synthetic sable, but not bristle brushes. Some should be small, but you should also have larger brushes up to one inch width flat. Even larger brushes are useful for larger paintings. Both flat brushes and round brushes are useful. Use only the best paper as you will not be happy with your work if you paint on cheap flat paper. Use 300 pounds cold press or rough sheets, for best results for beginners — 300 pounds hot press is somewhat more difficult to paint on and not recommended for beginners, though results can be very nice on this paper. You need a pallet of some kind, or a pan for mixing your colors, a pencil and an art eraser and a roll of soft paper towels. For additional information, contact the Art Center at 765-9746. The Marching Wildcats, A Disciplined Music MachineBy S.L. DICKEY News Staff Writer Out of the corner of my left eye I saw the Po-Hi Marching Band advance on the field during half-time at Sullins Stadium on October 23. My animated conversation with a friend dropped in mid-sentence and all my attention was focused on this disciplined machine taking the field. For a minute I thought it was Halloween and I was in Stillwater at Lewis Field experiencing the thrill of the Texas A & M Band performing — but this was even better — this was Ponca City and the Marching Wildcats. For the next ten minutes the crowd witnessed a stunning, mesmerizing performance by 120 members of the Marching Wildcats. Movement, flash, color and resonance were all interlaced in a deeply moving spectacle of sight and sound. It is hard to describe the feel of the sound — it started deep within the chest, vibrating, pulsing outward and upward, hanging throughout and over every individual in the crowd like the purr of a giant cat — content and dangerous at the same time. I did not want the magic to end, but with their final note, the Po-Hi Marching Wildcats had sealed the standard for themselves and the future of Po-Hi band — nothing less than excellence. Square One After a year under his belt at Po-Hi and a feel for the students and their abilities, director Allan Goodwin began plotting his 1998 contest routine. Goodwin began with the music. Goodwin wrote an original composition for the Marching Wildcats titled “American Variations,” using as inspiration and direction the works of Morton Gould, Charles Ives and Leonard Bernstein. Former assistant director, Carter Robertson, wrote all the percussion scores. With the basic music composition like he wanted it, the next step was designing the drill to fit the music. One of Goodwin’s friends in Tulsa, Alan Meuggenborg, designed the drill movements. In addition to being a personal friend, Meuggenborg is the foremost drill designer for bands in this part of the country and works full-time in that profession. As a colleague and professional writing partner of Meuggenborg, Mikel Burress, also of Tulsa, designed the color guard movements to coordinate with the band drill design and music. Every student in the Po-Hi band has a number and a unique set of movements composed by Meuggenborg. To create the effect on the field, the actual contest drill, all 120 marching members had to learn their individual 45 sets of movement. The movements at Po-Hi are based on an 8 to 5 marching stride — meaning the most basic way of moving for the Marching Wildcats involves taking 8 steps to 5 yards on a football field. But that is only the beginning. The intricate drill routine requires lots of variation on that basic 8 to 5 marching stride. Goodwin and staff taught the students jazz steps and adjusted steps (huge strides, baby steps and combinations of both) to meet the demands of their individual drill movements on the field. Leading these 120 marching members are two very talented students — Melissa Whitney and Katie Salmons. It is the responsibility of these two drum majors of the Marching Wildcats to lead the band during their performance on the field. Goodwin and staff teach the drill and music but Whitney and Salmons are responsible for the band’s execution during performance — a heavy responsibility but one laid in excellent hands. Practice, Practice, Practice As practice with the entire band began on August 4, Goodwin’s trained eyes watched the drill sets unfold. In the early stages during the middle of practice, Goodwin could tell when a segment of the drill just wasn’t going to work. He’d get on the phone and call Meuggenborg, stating the problem with a particular set — they’d discuss options and Meuggenborg would redraw and redesign. “My phone bill was $300 one month this summer,” laughed Goodwin “with phone calls to Tulsa revising our drill. But we wanted it right.” The drill itself is a totally custom-designed entity. It takes into account each individual of the 120 Marching Wildcats and their unique abilities. The movement alone is difficult enough. Add to that the responsibility of playing an instrument with the music memorized, combined with assorted showmanship maneuvers — the actual physical turning of certain instruments in synchronized movement; kneelings, leanings and groupings of individuals; and the dynamics of the sound, i.e., loudness, softness, pausing, tempo of the music — and it is an amazing group achievement. The task seems an impossible one, but the Marching Wildcats pulled it off with the sum total of two words — practice, commitment. Every morning beginning at 7 a.m. the students rehearse two hours before school. Lots of mornings there are sectional rehearsals (meaning certain groups of instruments) beginning at 6:30 a.m. Additionally, several Thursday evening and Saturday morning rehearsals were called. The members of the Po-Hi band have committed many, many hours of their time and their skills to create the Marching Wildcats — a band the community, but most importantly, themselves, can be proud of. The students are the fuel and talent but without proper leadership their efforts would not have materialized into a disciplined performance band. Director Allan Goodwin along with assistants Danny Burnes, Lonnie Foster and Carter Robertson, with color guard direction by April Rodriguez are the management team behind the Marching Wildcats. Burnes, Foster and Rodriguez swarm the field during early morning rehearsals providing direction and instruction. Robertson, now a graduate student at OSU, drives over from Stillwater two days a week to rehearse with the percussion students. During outdoor rehearsals, Goodwin’s voice punctuates the practice sessions with a variety of comments — “Baritones, ick,” “Count 40 is not setting up,” “Drums, that’s the best I’ve ever heard you play that set,” — always delivered in a smooth voice. It is not uncommon for Goodwin to stop practice in mid-note, have the students lay down their instruments and converge together for a conversation. During these conversations Goodwin relays what’s on his mind — what’s right, what’s wrong and how they fix it. Contest Entries Goodwin entered the band in three marching contests this fall. “We go test ourselves and see where we wind up — winning is not the only goal,” stated Goodwin. New goals based on their competition experiences provide one direction for the band — then Goodwin and staff must foster the heart and pride and skills in the students to get there. The band participated in The Renegade Review on Oct. 10 at Union High School in Tulsa. The band placed fifth out of 28 bands entered from Oklahoma, Missouri and Kansas. Although fifth is excellent, it was somewhat bittersweet for Goodwin and company as they were only 2.5 points out of third place. On Wednesday, October 28, the band traveled to compete in the OSSAA (Oklahoma Secondary School Activities Association) Region Marching Contest at the University of Tulsa. In that contest all three judges awarded the band a superior rating. The final and most difficult competition for the Marching Wildcats this year was the OBA (Oklahoma Band Masters Association) State Marching Band Championship with 31 bands, all 5A and 6A schools in Oklahoma, striving for top ranking. Nine judges comprised the panel of evaluators. Only twelve bands out of the 31 would make the finals. Po-Hi was at a disadvantage by having to perform second in the initial round. It is very difficult for judges to award high scores to the early bands they see, because they must leave room for a wide variety of talent to come. Po-Hi crossed that hurdle and placed 10th out of the 12 finalists and prepared for the Finals competition in the huge University of Tulsa Skelly Stadium later that evening. When the music stopped and the final scores were in for the night, Po-Hi had edged up one more slot and placed 9th overall in their first OBA State Marching Championship. While excited with their 9th place finish, the real thrill of the night for the Po-Hi band was that only two bands out of the twelve finalists received a standing ovation from the crowd — one was Broken Arrow and the other was Po-Hi. Future Direction One of Goodwin’s goals with the Po-Hi band is to stretch and enhance their abilities as musicians. He has been criticized for bucking tradition but states that “High school band is tradition — that’s what it’s all about. I want to stretch and enhance the students knowledge about music and their ability to play difficult pieces. That involves learning new pieces and playing new things. We are building on our past tradition.” One ritual the band has settled on is their signature song “You’ll Never Walk Alone.” It summarizes in music and lyrics what Goodwin and staff want the students to remember. And in this his second year at Po-Hi, Goodwin looks forward to next year and actually having some “veterans” in the band that “know the deal and how it works,” and will provide excellent leadership for the new members. Goodwin came to Po-Hi from directing the collegiate band program at the University of Tulsa. Coming from such a program to the high school level presented its own unique set of challenges. “I like the fact that the students at the high school level are really intense about performing their best. At the college level, all the musicians are professionals and that desire to be good and really succeed is just not the same.” Goodwin’s background includes jazz, wind band and drum and bugle corps. Burnes and Foster also have extensive background in wind band and drum and bugle corps. Goodwin and Burnes have master’s degrees from the University of Tulsa and Foster from Wichita State. In addition to challenging his students, Goodwin also wants to challenge the audience — expose them to a variety of music and entertainment. He realizes he can’t please everybody but with the goal of making the best musicians he possibly can out of the members of the Po-Hi band, Goodwin and his staff are on target. The Marching Wildcats will perform their award winning 1998 contest routine “American Variations” during half-time at this Friday night’s home football game. Attendees will see intricate drill maneuvers spliced with color and flash, fused with rich, vibrant sound, as the final note to an awesome season for the Marching Wildcats. Emergency Management Teams, Red Cross Begin Clean UpBy KATHY ZEHR News Staff Writer BLACKWELL — Blackwell residents began mucking out the debris and mud from homes and some businesses Tuesday, as state, county, city and American Red Cross officials began the massive job of assessing the damage and helping more than 300 families in Kay County get back to normal. The Chikaskia River which crested at a record breaking 34.34 feet Sunday, was still out of its banks Tuesday, but had dropped to 32 feet in Blackwell by 11:30 p.m. Officials planned a windshield (from the car) assessment of damage Tuesday afternoon as the river continued to fall and roads opened to limited traffic. Blackwell residents, shoveling mud and washing out their homes with hoses, while keeping wary eyes on more heavy, threatening clouds said they hoped “for a long dry spell.” In the northern area of town, residents piled soggy, mud stained carpets, water soaked bedding, piles of clothing, ruined furniture and personal belongings on front porches. At the Kay County Emergency Operation Center in Blackwell, still a bee-hive of activity, numerous state and county officials prepared to make a temporary assessment of damage around Kay County during the day. An extensive house to house survey will be conducted during the coming weeks. Some officials made assessments by plane as well. Kathy Hawkins at the Blackwell American Red Cross office, which housed up to 55 persons during the height of the flooding, said they were now preparing to help a large number of Kay County residents. She was distributing clean up kits, and food. And was taking donations for clothing, bedding and other necessary basic needs. “There is still a great need for donations of rubber boots, bottled water, and shovels,” she said. Hawkins said all the assistance given at this point, including food for up to 200 emergency management workers and local volunteers during the rescue efforts would not have been possible without help from generous area volunteer. Donations of food and assistance from churches, businesses and private citizens was critical to its success. “We appreciate all the help we get from our headquarters, but in an emergency as big as this, the needs are so numerous we do not have funds to take care of it all. We do need a lot of help from area citizens and others,” says Hawkins. She reported some of the current needs to be mattresses, clothes, food and , of course, cash, in addition to the shovels, boots and water. During the interview at Red Cross offices, a private citizen George Morgan, stopped to say dozens of boxes, containing food and other personal items, each valued at $90, was en route to Blackwell from a Church of Christ relief fund organization in Tennessee. “We need a lot of this kind of help,” says Hawkins. Donations of money are always welcome and can be used for almost any need, she added. Garrett Thornton, Oklahoma Department of Civil Emergency Management and Pat Zehr, Kay County Emergency Management Director, have been on the scene to help Blackwell and nearby community emergency officials coordinate since the river began it rise Friday. Like a well-oiled machine, the men, with extensive training in emergency control efforts, worked along with Blackwell and other emergency management personnel from throughout the flood area and in Kay County to coordinate all rescue efforts and warnings. Inside the headquarters office, numerous 3 by 4 foot sheets of paper with handwritten update reports, decorate every available wall space. Walking down the busy halls, one can view the hand-written data on the sheets, and tell the story of the flood and emergency management progress and action from beginning to present. The first sheet reflects beginning water rise levels, to hourly reports of the water’s increasing depth, first attempts to evacuate, availability of donated equipment, boats, volunteers, phone numbers and all other data was printed in large black print, continuing from sheet to sheet. Also on the walls were pages of names and addresses of persons evacuated, as well as those who refused to leave and their homes. Every worker, every volunteer, such as young Corey Inmon who was there to help on Tuesday, could look at the update sheets and receive accurate information of every activity, report and progress. Terry Bonewell, Acting Emergency Management Director for Blackwell, said the work sheets helped him deal with such emergencies as false rumors (such as tainted drinking water) and other erroneous information. “The facts were all right there, testing by officials, and other documentation for all to see and use,” he said. Public Information Officer, Travis Harris reported that more than 300 people had volunteered in some way throughout Kay County. Harris also commended Blackwell Fire Department Chief Tom Beliel, only in office since Oct. 1, who headed up the local rescue of 166 residents from the 30 square block of flooded area. “Beliel and his 20-man crew rescued 51 people Saturday night and kept tabs on the 15 families that chose to remain in their homes.” said Harris. Beliel visited with reporters a few minutes, and said everyone was rescued safely, but some exciting moments happened when one of the gamma goats (all terrain vehicle) accompanying a rescue boat, struck an object in the dark, tipped, filled with water, and sunk. Luckily all those being rescued were in the boat and safely taken to dry land. The ATV operator was rescued and the vehicle recovered without incident, later. Beliel also said the attitude of the people “was great.” “At one home, it was hard to make the rescue because we could only use one hand to drive the boat,” he Beliel. He went on to explain with a grin, “The lady of the house had just baked a big pan of homemade cinnamon rolls for us and we all had a hot delicious roll in our hands as we made the evacuation.” According to Zehr, accurate damage assessments of loss and damage will be a time-consuming process by trained state, county, insurance, and Red Cross officials, but most of the agencies involved were already starting the preliminary assessments Tuesday. Country Singer of ‘Thinkin’ Problem’ David Ball To Appear at The Hide OutBest known as the county singer of “Thinkin’ Problem,” David Ball will appear at The Hide Out, formerly Norm’s, Nov. 14. The Hide Out is located one mile south of Newkirk. A limited number of tickets are still available at McVay’s Western Outfitters, Jimmy’s Western Wear, Jay’s Farm and Ranch Supply, and The Hide Out for $10. David Ball’s 1994 Warner Bros. debut, “Thinkin’ Problem,” quickly soared to No. 2 on the country charts and was ranked by SoundScan as one of the biggest selling country singles of 1994, giving him prominence in the neo-honky-tonk scene. “Thinkin’ Problem” went Platinum and garnered Grammy, Country Music Association and Academy of Country Music nominations for Ball, earning him coveted spots on national tours with Brooks & Dunn and Alan Jackson. USA Today’s David Zimmerman cited the album as one the top ten country albums of the year and the single “Thinkin’ Problem” as “the debut of the year....” Now Ball is back with serious fiddle/steel/electric guitar music on “Starlite Lounge,” his second album. “Circle of Friends,” the first single (which he cowrote, along with seven of the other nine cuts on “Starlite Lounge”), exemplifies the raw vitality, emotional exuberance, timeless themes and revved-up pickin’ that echoes throughout the new album. Yet on “Starlite Lounge,” Ball has done more than merely resurrect the long-gone vintage era of Webb Pierce, Ernest Tubb and early George Jones. He brings the genre to life and puts his own imprint on it through his songwriting, vocals and arrangements. The songs on his new album include up-tempo songs such as “Circle Of Friends,” “What Kind Of Hold” and “Hangin’ In And Hangin’ On,” as well as more mellow romantic tunes like “Bad Day For The Blues,” “If You’d Like Some Lovin’,” and “I’ve Got My Baby On My Mind.” In addition, he serves up a platter of ballads like “I’ll Never Make It Through This Fall” and “The Bottle That Pours The Wine.” The latter song, for instance, is a tribute to anyone who has ever found personal meaning in a country song. Then there is “No More Lonely,” where Ball’s tongue-in-cheek imagery depicts romantic liberation, and “I Never Did Know,” with its sad vocals and compelling beat. “What I’ve always tried to do is kind of moosh the 50s and the 90s together,” says Ball, a South Carolina native who came of age musically in the Central Texas dance halls. “But on ‘Starlite Lounge’ I think I’ve expanded my boundaries a little bit more. The first album just had the same ‘git-after-it’ feeling throughout. But this time around, the ballads are a little stronger, yet on the real hard-hittin’ stuff like ‘What Kind Of Hold,’ we stretched a little on that end, too. We’ve even got a song like ‘Hangin’ In And Hangin’ On,’ which is very different, a very new kind of country song.” Produced by Ed Seay and Steve Buckingham, “Starlite Lounge” features musicians Reggie Young, Brent Mason, Brent Rowan, Michael Rhodes, Eddie Bayers and John Hobbs, serving up studio band performances. “That feelin’ is just what I do,” Ball insists. “For me, the first test of a song is whether it will work in a dance hall. The musicians know I’m a band guy. I write songs for a band. They know I like lots of pickin’ when we get in the studio. They know that’s what gets it for me. “I learn something about myself every time I write a song,” Ball explains. “For instance, that little scenario that’s painted in ‘The Bottle That Pours The Wine’ has happened to me many, many times. The song is kind of my reflection on what’s happened to me since the success of ‘Thinkin’ Problem.’ It’s also about what the music means to me, and the huge influence it’s had on me through the years. In a way, it’s a salute to all the artists who’ve come along before and kept the music alive, which is what I’m trying to do.” Marland Model City Designed in 1919By LOUISE ABERCROMBIE News Staff Writer Among the Marland Model City houses designed in 1919 was the one at 407 Marland Drive. Currently the two-story home is being restored by owners Kirk and Darla Hamlin. The elegant old home, built in 1920 had a number of amenities suitable for a Marland Oil/Continental Oil Company executive. The house was one of the first started in the Model City and the building permit was issued for a five-room structure at a cost of $5,993, according to a Jan. 1, 1920 issue of the News. It is believed that the top floor was added later. Checking with Bret Carter chairman of the Ponca City Historic Preservation Panel, he noted that it was not always possible to find out who owned the house in the beginning, if it was financed by Marland Refining Company or Kay County Gas Company Oil it would not show up on the tax rolls, but on rolls of those businesses. The Aug. 13, 1919 issue of The Ponca City News, shows the “ground plan” for the Marland Model City. Expectations for the subdivision were high. The story carried a subhead that read “Homes for 1,000 will be built at once, Parks and swimming pool to be features.” According to the story, “As was announced sometime ago in the News the Marland Refining Company and the Kay County Gas Company are planning a model city for all employees. The work on the city has actually started. “The companies will spend $1,000,000 at the present time improving the grounds and putting up homes to house 1,000 people. The companies own sufficient ground to build a city of 5,000. Additional homes will be built just as fast as there is a demand for them.” A number of homes were built in the area on the curving streets of Marland and McFadden Drives. However the overall scheme fell short of the grandiose plan of the architect and probably due to the waning fortune of E.W. Marland, whose company “merged” with Continental Oil in 1927. However, many of the homes that were built during that oil boom era remain in the district today. The Ponca City Historical Preservation Panel has applied to have the area declared the Marland Model City Historical District. 407 Marland Drive The house at 407 Marland Drive was once owned by Josephine McFadden Gray and McDowell Gray. Gray was head of the lube department at Continental Oil (which later became Conoco). Mrs. Gray’s parents were A.D. and Anna McFadden. McFadden is a well established name in the annuals of the history of Kay County. In addition to Josephine, other children of the McFaddens were Retta McFadden Bidwell, Tonkawa; Effie McFadden Irvin, St. Cloud, Minn., Joe McFadden, who was a former Chief of Police of Ponca City, Russell McFadden, of Kansas, and Charles McFadden, whose whereabouts were unknown. The Grays had two children, a son Richard (Dick) and a daughter Jane, and their names, “Dick and Jane” were inscribed during their childhood in the concrete on the back porch of the home. The names are still visible, a reminder of the past occupants. Among the interesting features of the house are three fireplaces. Two of these add elegance to the downstairs. The unique corner fireplace in the living room is stone covered, while the den fireplace is accented with a paneled mantle piece. At one time the den was the sun room, which was popular in the era the home was built. As was the custom in the 1920s, the sun room was on the south. The beautiful woodwork throughout the house is thought to be Oak. The master bedroom on the second level is highlighted with another fireplace. The master bedroom runs the width of the house and has a number of windows on the north and southwest. This room had built-in chests of drawers and window seats as well. At one time all four of the upstairs bedroom adjoined. But later a hall was placed in the center to cordon off the bedrooms, which were rented to working girls after the death of McDowell Gray. Mrs. Gray needed the income to maintain the home and raise her two children. Each of these bedrooms had French doors with shades or curtains. Jane’s bedroom had a private dressing area along with a large closet. The home had both an upstairs and a downstairs bathroom. The kitchen cabinets are believed to have originally had glass in the cupboard doors. A laundry room is located off the kitchen area. In the past, according to the Hamlins, the living room and den had arched entrances. The floors of the historical old home at one time featured hardwood floors that were later replaced. Located on about an acre, the exterior of house is enhanced with sidewalks around the house. The Hamlins have been in the process of refurbishing the home for about five years. To enhance the house a lot of antiques are displayed. The Hamlins believe that at earlier times the house was a one-story building and the top floor was added later. Editor’s Note: The following notes were written to the reporter from Jan Touchet of New Iberia, La., who recalls visiting the home as a child. The home belonged to her grandparents, Josephine and McDowell Gray. Her mother Jane Gray grew up in the house. Jane died in 1975. I have very fond memories of my grandmother’s house. Nearly every summer we would make the two-day trip from Louisiana to Ponca City. We knew we were close when we would see the tank farm. The house was only a block away from the Continental offices. We always arrived at the front entrance. Grandma would be waiting by the front door. How joyful we all felt to be there. The house was so grand! My sister Jo and I would stay downstairs in Grandma’s room. The room was once a living room but had been turned into a bedroom for my Grandma who was crippled with arthritis and could not climb the stairs anymore. Mom and Dad would have the front room upstairs. The other rooms were rented out to working girls from the Continental (Oil) office. My favorite place in the house was under the stairwell. There was a collection of old toys there from when my mother was a girl. There was a Shirley Temple doll, a green straw baby buggy and wonderful dresses for the doll. I was told that my mother had a lot of dresses like Shirley Temple’s. We could play in the stairwell for hours. The house was filled with dark mahogany furniture. The rooms were decorated with crystal vases and pottery from all over the world. The front living room was very comfortable, and at one time this was the piano room. The grand piano was long gone. So much had changed from the time my mother grew up there. Her father McDowell Gray, had died when she was a senior in high school. Through necessity Grandma had to make changes to keep the house. Grandfather “Mac” had worked at Continental Oil Company, and Marland Oil prior to that. He also co-owned a jewelry store, Gray and Dunlap, in town. I never met my Grandfather, but I heard a lot of stories about him. He loved flower gardens and had tulips’ and Irises planted all over the yard. He loved to spoil my mother. When the Royal Air Force boys were in town, he would go to the base and bring them home for dinner (members of the Royal Air Force trained here at Darr Flight School during World War II). Grandfather Mac was a member of the Lion’s Club also. He worked for Continental and was head of the Lube Department. This is how he met my Grandmother. She was a secretary there. We don’t know much about his family other than he was from Pennsylvania and the large family of brothers were in different fields of oil related businesses. My mother has no recollection of ever meeting any member of his family. I was told he was a very proper gentleman. There were certain rules for the house, the table and the children. Although, I think his rules for my mom were very flexible. As for my Uncle Richard I do not know how he was treated. I have only seen my uncle twice that I can remember I must have been about six years old and then 49 years old before I saw him again. He lives in Lancaster, Ohio. Richard joined the Navy and met his wife Polly while in the service. They lived in Grand Rapids for many years then moved to Lancaster. They raised five children, whom I’ve never met. Storm Cellar Getting back to the house. There is a wonderful store cellar outside behind the house. I remember there were wash tubs, a shower and a work bench down there. My sister and I would swim in the wash tubs. (Currently the cellar houses the air-conditioner and hot water heater units.) We would pretend they were swimming pools. The work bench was full of radio and electronic items. Uncle Richard loved to put radios together. Also there was a lot of boxes. I never knew what was in these boxes. As a child, I was sure they were full of treasures unknown. The back room to the house was also filled with treasures. The cabinets held childhood treasures such as an archery set, ice skates, and homemade preserves. I can remember tomato butter, piccalilli and other concoctions that are not familiar to a girl raised in the South. The Kitchen The kitchen had a little gray drop leaf table that we would eat our breakfast on. It was a clean neat kitchen. I remember Grandma popping corn with an old pot that had a handle to turn so the popcorn would not burn. I also, remember asking her to make taffy. She showed us the old way to stretch and pull taffy. How wonderful and loving she was to do this with her crippled limbs. Dining Room The dining room was elegant. The table would be set with the finest china Grandma had. Cloth napkins were something we were not used to using. Crystal salt and pepper shakers were also in their place — so elegant. As children our manners had to be perfect. Conversation was always pleasant, and nobody hurried to eat. These habits are gone today — families seldom sit down together and enjoy a meal. Also, this was the coolest room in the house. The large cooler was in the window across from the table. In other rooms there were oscillating fans. These were the days before air conditioning. Living Room The living room was a comfortable room with overstuffed sofa and chairs. Over the fireplace mantle was an elegant painting of a Victorian lady and a grand piano. There were crystal vases and dishes on the mantle and the tables. There was a curio cabinet filled with a collection of salt and pepper shakers from places that Grandma and Grandfather had traveled. I was allowed to play with this collection. I think I had named all of them, I still own some of these treasures. The Foyer The foyer was small. There was a small desk with the only telephone in the house. I think the phone was located there for the use of the working girls that rented the rooms. (See MARLAND, Page 4C) DEATHSMillicent Rebecca Kay Millicent Rebecca KayEUFAULA — Millicent Rebecca “Millie” Kay died Tuesday, Nov. 3, 1998, at the Eufaula Manor in Eufaula. She was 91. Services are set for 11 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 5, 1998, at the First Baptist Church in Eufaula with the Rev. Jack Perkins officiating. Burial will be in Greenwood Cemetery under the direction of Gregg Funeral Home of Eufaula. Millicent Rebecca Kay was born in Fine Spring, Ark., in Crawford County on July 18, 1907, the daughter of William Jesse James and Caroline Patton James. She lived in Dyer, Ark., until 1926 when she married Fred L. Kay in Dyer, Ark.; they then moved to Eufaula. Kay lived in the same home for 66 years before going to Eufaula Manor in 1991. She was a member of the First Baptist Church of Eufaula where she sang in the choir, taught Sunday school, vacation bible school, was active in W.M.U., serving as president and holding other offices, as well as the Pittsburg Baptist Association of W.M.U. For many years she was the bereavement chairman for her church. Kay was active in the American Legion Auxiliary, Order of the Eastern Star, Rebecca Lodge, P.T.A., and Degree of Honor. She worked on the election board, was a volunteer at the Eufaula Senior Citizens, and made sure each veterans grave was marked with a flag on Memorial Day. Kay helped those in need by providing food, clothing and other needs. She was a professional seamstress for many years. She was employed by Silverman’s Department Store and then by Sellers Drug and Ben Franklin store, retiring at age 74. She is survived by two daughters, Katherine Price of Ponca City, and Billie Kay Adams of Amarillo, Texas; two sisters, Martina Marie Tucker and Rosemary Carson, both of Mr. Vernon, Mo.; four grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband in 1970; her parents; two brothers, Walter J. James and Carl P. James; and a grandson. Rozelle E. SmithArkansas City — Rozelle E. Smith, resident of Arkansas City, Kan., died Monday, Nov. 2, 1998, at the Presbyterian Manor Health Care Center in Arkansas City. She was 87. The funeral will be held at 2:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 5, 1998, at the Hawks Funeral Home in Arkansas City with the Rev. Harry H. Cunningham officiating. Burial will be in Mt. Hope Cemetery near Geuda Springs, Kan. Rozelle E. Smith was born Dec. 28, 1910, near Geuda Springs, Kan., the daughter of John William and Mary Ruth Coggins Kimes. She lived in Geuda Springs until she was 17 when she moved to Arkansas City to attend high school. In the early 1930s, she worked in the Sweet Shop of the Osage Hotel. She married Lloyd Alden Smith on Sept. 11, 1931, in Pawhuska and lived in Arkansas City. Her husband died on Oct. 31, 1995. She was a member of the First Presbyterian Church and the Sunshine Club. Survivors include one son, Tom Smith of Chapman, Kan.; one daughter, Patsy Brookey, Wichita; one sister, June Keene of Arkansas City; four grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren. She is preceded in death by her husband; her parents; two infant brothers, Donald and Dale Kimes; and one sister, Lorene Casson. A memorial has been established with the Good Samaritan Fund of the Presbyterian Manor, c/o Hawks Funeral Home, 906 West Kansas Avenue, P.O. Box 1, Arkansas City, Kan. 67005. Patsy J. LesherLAWRENCE, Kan. — Patsy J. Lesher, resident of Lawrence, Kan., died Sunday morning, Nov. 1, 1998, at her home. She was 71. A graveside service will be held at 1 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 5, 1998, at the Longwood Cemetery with the Rev. Charles Heyer, associate pastor of the First Christian Church, officiating. Arrangements are under the direction of Grace Memorial Chapel. Patsy J. Lesher was born Oct. 11, 1927, in Oxford, Kan., the daughter of Thomas and Doris (Cain) Harp. She is survived by a daughter, Terri Souza of Calif.; a son, Steven Lesher of Calif.; a sister, Alma Smith of Lawrence, Kan.; an aunt, Esther Skinner of Lawrence, Kan.; and other relatives in the Ponca City area. Virgil Franklin MullennaxSTROUD — Virgil Franklin Mullennax, former Ponca City resident, died Nov. 3, 1998, in Claremore. He was 72. A graveside service will be held at the Stroud Cemetery at 2 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 6, 1998, with the Rev. Ronald Allton officiating, under the direction of Parks Brothers Funeral Home in Stroud. Virgil Franklin Mullennax was born Jan. 8, 1926, in Maramec, the son of James A. and Ethel May (Carlisle) Mullennax. He moved from Ponca City to Stroud ten years ago and was a retired sheet metal mechanic. He married Ortha Norton in Bartlesville on Aug. 12, 1949. He served in the United States Army Air Corps in the 82nd Airborne Division during World War II. Mullennax was a member of the American Legion, VFW of Stroud, the Oklahoma Airborne Association, the Virgil Mullennax Oklahoma Chapter of Airborne Association, a past president of the Ponca City Handicap Club, and was affiliated with the First Christian Church in Stroud. He is survived by his wife of the home; two sons, Scott Mullennax of Broken Arrow and David Mullennax of Moore; and two grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, two brothers, and one sister. ObituariesRicky Lee BarrRicky Lee Barr, 1625 Donahoe Drive, died Monday, Nov. 2, 1998, at his home. He was 48. At his request, there will be no funeral service. Trout Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. Born Feb. 19, 1950, at Geary, he was the son of James and Grace Cook Barr. He graduated from Southeast High School, Oklahoma City in 1968. He was a member of the Local 7 UFCW and worked as a meatcutter. He enjoyed hunting, fishing, and being with his grandchildren. Barr is survived by his two sons, Gene and his wife Amber, and Steve Barr and his wife Kim, all of Ponca City; a sister, Janette Botts, Broken Arrow; four grandchildren, Amanda, Kelsea, Kevin, and Jacob, all of Ponca City; and a loving companion, Mary Barr Cook, Loveland, Colo. He was preceded in death by his parents. Memorials may be made to Hospice of Ponca City, 1904 N. Union, Ponca City, OK 74601. paid obituary Services PendingFred E. SmithTONKAWA — Fred E. Smith, resident of Tonkawa, died Tuesday, Nov. 3, 1998, at St. Joseph Regional Medical Center in Ponca City. He was 59. A memorial service will be held 2 p.m. Friday, Nov. 6, 1998, at the McCafferty-Bolick Funeral Home Chapel in Tonkawa with the Rev. Jerald Claus, pastor of the Antelope Valley Church of the Brethren in Billings, Mont., officiating. Mildred P. PuddyMildred P. Puddy, resident of Ponca City, died Tuesday, Nov. 3. 1998, at St. Joseph Regional Medical Center. She was 87. Graveside service will be held 10:30 a.m. Friday at Resthaven Memorial Park; a memorial service will follow at 11 a.m. at the First Christian Church Chapel. Arrangements are pending with Trout Funeral Home. NEWS BRIEFSWorld Community Day — Church Women United will sponsor World Community Day “The World Within Our Neighborhood” on Friday, beginning at 9:30 a.m. in the First Christian Church Fellowship Hall. Nursery provided by calling 762-1666, 210 North Fifth. Southwest Connection. 313 E. Grand. New Selection of silver jewelry, pottery and other gift items. 15% off until Thanksgiving. Authentic Navajo rugs just in. adv. Kaw City Bean Day — Kaw City will be having its Bean Day Saturday honoring Veterans Day. Serving for the luncheon will be from noon until 2 p.m. at the Community Building, and the public is welcome to attend. Jim Bowen Construction Custom homes, room additions and remodeling. Call 762-3077. adv.Kildare Meeting and Beans — Kildare Fire Department will be holding its annual meeting and bean supper Saturday at the Kildare School Cafeteria. The supper will begin at 6 p.m. and the meeting at 7 p.m. Bingo will round out the evening. For additional information, call (580) 362-2817 or (580) 762-6705. Carpet Cleaning most modern method of cleaning. Recommended by major carpet manufacturers, most completely trained personal and finest service. Reason- able prices, references. Call Floorcraft 762-8381. adv. Spaghetti Dinner — The Ponca City Area Literacy Council and the Masonic Lodge are holding a spaghetti dinner to raise funds for the Literacy Council from 4 to 7 p.m. Friday at the Masonic Lodge, 1200 West Grand. Cost is $4.50 for adult; $3.50 for children under 12. Book House going out of business sale. Huge discounts on all books, fixtures, and shelving. All used paper backs .50, Thursday, Saturday, 9-4, 114 North 3rd Street. adv. Completes Basic — Marine Pfc. Brian J. Stansell, son of Patrick H. Stansell of Ponca City, recently completed basic training at Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego. He successfully completed 12 weeks of training designed to challenge new Marine recruits both physically and mentally. He and fellow recruits began their training at 5 a.m., by running three miles and performing calisthenics. In addition to physical conditioning, Stansell spent numerous hours in classroom and field assignments, which culminated with an emotional ceremony in which the recruits were presented the Marine Corps Emblem. Stansell is a 1994 graduate of James E. Taylor High School in Katy, Texas, and joined the Marine Corps in May 1998. Windshield Chips repaired professionally. Guaranteed and insurance approved. Ponca Glass, 762-6522, 762-7957. adv. Marques Owners — All marques owners are asked by the American Legion to display on their marques the following — Veterans Day Parade, 10:30 a.m. Saturday, downtown; Patriotic Song Fest, 7:30 p.m. Saturday at the Poncan Theatre. Juan Shoe shine 2 bucks, 117 North 3rd, Barney’s. adv. Plant Pulling — At 8 a.m. Tuesday a woman in the 500 block of South Seventh Street called police reporting that someone had pulled up some of her shrubs. Extra patrol was assigned. 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. adv. Burglary — A man in the 1000 block of North Oak Street advised police at 8:19 a.m. Tuesday that his pickup truck had been burglarized. An officer was assigned. Gas Drive-Off — At 10:54 a.m. Tuesday a $7.80 gas drive-off was reported at the Sav-A-Trip, 501 West Highland Avenue. Call Don Sawyer, your full time chimney sweep since 1975. Efficient and no mess. Call 1-800-974-8698, in Ponca 762-8883. adv. Stolen Phone — A woman advised police at 12:01 p.m. Tuesday that a phone had been stolen from her vehicle while it was parked in the 1100 block of East Prospect Avenue. An officer was assigned and a report was taken. Camera Repairs. Graham Photo, 201 North First, downtown. 765-4348. adv. Garage Vandalism — At 12:38 p.m. Tuesday police were notified that a garage in the 1300 block of Bradbary Lane had been vandalized. A report was taken. Head Country, one half bar-b-q chicken with choice of vegetables, $3.95, Thursday, 4-? p.m. 1217 East Prospect. 767-8304. adv. Altercation — Police were called to the 2000 block of North Fourteenth Street at 12:36 p.m. Tuesday for a reported fight. An officer was assigned and a report was taken. Pioneer Woman afghans, profit to local missions, four colors. United Methodist Church, 762-1429 or 765-0157. adv. Window Broken — A man in the 500 block of North Osage Street contacted police at 12:48 p.m. Tuesday regarding a window that had been broken out of his residence. 1999 101 Ranch Old Timers calenders $10. Linda Rennie, Pioneer Bank, 762-5651. adv. Hooking Curb — At 12:58 p.m. Tuesday police received a call from a woman in the 100 block of North Fourth Street reporting that she had “hooked” her vehicle on a curb and couldn’t get it off. Rummage And bake sale, St. Paul’s United Methodist Church, corner of Hartford and Pecan, Friday, 7:30 -2 adv. Accident — A minor accident in the 500 block of East Grand Avenue was reported to police at 2:14 p.m. Tuesday. Court Allen Construction. Concrete and flagstone walkways, patios and yard curbing. Call 765-2720. adv. Stolen Purse — A woman called police at 3:45 p.m. Tuesday reporting that her purse had been stolen from the 1100 block of East Prospect Avenue. An officer was assigned. Butter Braids: Seven flavors, rise and bake, home made flavor, great gifts. Grand Central Station,114 South Fifth, 767-8336. adv. Knife Theft — Police were notified at 3:58 p.m. Tuesday that some knives had been stolen from the Grand Olde Mercantile, 209 East Grand Avenue. An officer was assigned and a report was taken. Stolen Wallet — At 4:10 p.m. Tuesday a woman in the 900 block of North Elm Street called police to report a wallet stolen from her vehicle. A report was taken. Cow Accident — One person was taken by ambulance to St. Joseph Regional Medical Center after sustaining injuries in a one-vehicle, two-cow accident at 4:27 a.m. Wednesday on Hubbard Road west of the Chikaskia River. Window Broken — A woman in the 300 block of South Lake Street contacted police at 4:18 p.m. Tuesday to report that a window had been broken out of her garage. A report was taken. Threat — At 10:55 p.m. Tuesday police received a call from a man in the 2300 block of North Fourteenth Street reporting that he had been threatened. An officer was assigned. Attempted Burglary — At 5:16 a.m. Wednesday police received a report of an attempted burglary and break-in at the 101 Beverage Company, 800 North First Street. An officer was assigned and a report was taken. LIFESTYLESProfessional Award To Be Presented To Nicki Carlsten Professional Award To Be Presented To Nicki CarlstenNicki Carlsten, Director, NODA Area Agency on Aging, is the recipient of the outstanding Professional Award 1998 given by the Southwest Society on Aging. Ms. Carlsten will receive the award on Nov. 9 at the awards luncheon in San Antonio, Texas. The Conference whose theme is “Mission Possible: Meeting the Challenges of Independence” is the 20th Annual Training conference of SWSA. Ms. Carlsten has been Director of the NODA Area Agency on Aging since April 1995. She has been on the staff of the Area Agency on Aging since October 1986. Currently, she serves as the Vice Chair of the Oklahoma Association of Area Agencies on Aging, CoChair of the State Conference on Aging 1999, Hospice Circle of Love secretary of the Board of Directors and is a member of the Enid Senior Center Advisory Board and the Oklahoma State Council on Aging. The Southwest Society on Aging is a membership organization for professionals in the aging field from Arkansas, New Mexico, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Texas. The organization headquarters are located in Stillwater at Oklahoma State University. Ann Marie Cowden Becomes the Bride Of Matt McSpaddenMr. and Mrs. Matthew Bryant McSpadden are residing in Tulsa following their summer wedding at Christ the King Catholic Church in Tulsa. The bride is a law student at the University of Tulsa and the bridegroom is a Civil Engineer with Dewberry Design Inc. The bride is the former Ann Marie Cowden, daughter of Robert and Martha (Hoffman) Cowden of Sulphur, La., former residents of Ponca City. The bride is the granddaughter of the late Cecil and Hilda Hoffman, and the late Henry and Emma Cowden. McSpadden is the son of Mark and Carole McSpadden of Ketchum. The bride’s designer gown of white bridal satin was complemented by a Venise lace jacket edged with satin binding at the jewel neckline. The hemline of the bolero jacket and edge of the short sleeves were detailed by scalloped lace. The box pleated skirt was accented by a chapel length train. Her elbow length tulle veiling was edged with lace and she carried a nosegay of mixed shades of pink and lavender flowers and white roses. Her sapphire and pearl earrings were a gift from her uncle and aunt, Dennis and Judy Hoffman of Plano, Texas. Mark Watkins was organist and the officiating minister was the Rev. Edward Brunnert, M.S., of St. Louis, Mo. Shelly McIntyre of Stillwater kept the guest book. Kelsey Owen of Baton Rouge, La. was the flower girl and ringbearers were Robert and James Cowden of Sherman, Texas, nephews of the bride, and Devin Cook of Edmond. Attending the bride were Callie Owen of Baton Rouge, La.; Amanda Fontenot of Sherman, Texas, niece of the bride; Julie Cuesta and Leah Bishop, both of Tulsa. Michael Durham of Norman was Best Man and groomsmen were Reg McIntyre of Stillwater; Brian Hoffman of Stillwater, cousin of the bride; Brian Houston of Tulsa. Ushers were Ron McCall of Austin, Texas; Glenn Cowden of Sherman, Texas, brother of the bride; Nevin McSpadden of Seattle, Wash., David McSpadden of Jacksonville, Fla., and Wesley McSpadden of Twin Cities, Minn., brothers of the bridegroom. Little NewsChris and April Henning announce the birth of their first child, a son, Justin Tyler Henning. Justin was born at 4:25 a.m. Oct. 31, 1998 at St. Joseph Regional Medical Center. He weighed 6-pounds, 7-ounces and measured 20 1/2-inches long. Paternal grandparents are Jim and Ruth Henning of Ponca City and paternal great-grandparents are Vickie Groves of Gerber, Calif. and the late Lester Groves. Maternal grandparents are Meredyth Galusha of Enid and Randy Smith of Oklahoma City. Maternal great-grandparents are Dorothy Smith of Midwest City, Jack and Norma McCollough of Enid, and the late Pete Smith. Maternal great-great-grandmothers are Mrs. Viola Zimmerman of Eureka, Kan. and Mrs. Edith Yates of Oklahoma City. SPORTSOU’s Moore Blasts Media OU’s Moore Blasts MediaBy OWEN CANFIELD AP Sports Writer NORMAN (AP) — Eric Moore has seen it all before — media speculation about whether the current Oklahoma football coach should be back next year, criticism of players, fan discontent. On Tuesday, his frustration bubbled over as Moore blasted the media for what he considers unfair treatment of coach John Blake and the program. ‘‘I just wanted people to think about what kids go through,’’ he said later to a writer whom he had sought out to apologize to for the emotional, sometimes heated exchange, with reporters. Moore came to Oklahoma in the final year of Gary Gibbs’ six-year term, then started every game as a redshirt freshman during Howard Schnellenberger’s only season, 1995. He shared the job with Justin Fuente for the next two years under Blake, and by the end of last season both were taking a back seat to Brandon Daniels because Blake had decided to go to an option attack. The Sooners are 10-21 under Blake, and it has been widely speculated that he won’t be around for the final two years of his contract. ‘‘As a team, we’re tired of the media trying to get on coach Blake and trying to tell him that he’s not a good coach and that they need to fire him,’’ Moore said. ‘‘A lot of times, coach Blake does so much for us. He stands up for us so much at times, it’s time for us to start standing up for him and taking a stand and saying coach is a good coach.’’ Moore occasionally pounded the table where he sat with about 10 other players who had shown up to support Blake. The gathering apparently was done without Blake’s knowledge — he had concluded his weekly news conference and had left the room before Moore was interviewed. Moore said he understood how the media could be critical of Blake, especially since the Sooners have had no clear direction on offense, particularly this year. But he also said Oklahoma (3-5, 2-4 Big 12) has hurt itself with mistakes that are no fault of the coaches. ‘‘We’ve been killing ourselves. We’ve been shooting ourselves in the foot,’’ he said. ‘‘You can’t put the blame on coach Blake or the coaches on the staff because he’s not out there playing.’’ In answering a question about the offensive instability, Moore said the media have no idea what goes on inside a football program, and he grew more animated. ‘‘I know that y’all are trying to do what y’all got to do, but you don’t know how much of y’all writing y’all’s stories can tear up a team’s focus, can tear up a team’s attitude,’’ he said, his voice rising. ‘‘When you look up and see in the paper about ‘Coach Blake this and coach Blake that,’ and this is our head coach, for me, this is my third head coach. These freshmen, they came here because of coach Blake. And I can remember how I felt when I was looking in the paper and y’all was talking about coach Gibbs like that, and y’all fired coach Gibbs. ‘‘And then we’ve got to go through coach Schnellenberger. And you go from coach (Watson) Brown to coach (Gary) Nord, two whole totally different personalities, different philosophies, it takes the excitement out of players.’’ Slamming the table, Moore added: ‘‘Y’all just do not know what kind of damage y’all are doing to this university and this organization.’’ He said the players are affected by what is written and said, and so are the fans. Moore has been booed more than once during his career. ‘‘We’re humans, too. We’ve got emotions, too. We’ve got feelings, too, and it seems like y’all really don’t even care about that,’’ he said. ‘‘It seems like that. I understand that y’all want to move up on the ladder or whatever and be bigtime or whatever, but man. Y’all just ridicule people.’’ At one point, Moore nearly shouted his answers at a beat writer who tried to explain why Blake has been criticized. ‘‘I’m just asking you, what gives you the right to take shots at us or our coach? Because what you say, these players read and it affects them.’’ Athletic director Joe Castiglione, after hearing a tape of the interview, said Moore was giving ‘‘heartfelt answers’’ to questions. ‘‘I like people with emotion, for God’s sake,’’ he said. ‘‘I like that it’s a close team, they play hard. That’s what you like to see, people that have character and care about what they do and their teammates. This team has displayed that, despite their struggles.’’ New Attitude Hits NOC Lady MavsBy MATTHEW KOENIG News Sports Writer TONKAWA — Northern Oklahoma Lady Mavericks’ coach Greg Krause has just finished reading his latest tome: Larry Bird’s “Drive.” It’s good entertainment, mostly. Then again, when it comes to getting a few coaching tips, you could do worse than the Indiana Pacers’ Hall of Famer and Coach of the Year. What makes Bird so good? “He’s definitely a players’ coach,” says Krause. “I think one of the dangers in coaching is to overcoach. He lets his players develop on the court — he treats them as individuals.” To a certain degree, it’s a philosophy that Krause subscribes to. And so far its worked. Since 1982, the Northern coach has steered the Lady Mavs to six Bi-State West conference championships, including three in the last five years. He has a cumulative record of 290-202, and was named conference Coach of the Year six times in the past 15 years. The problem with the Mr. Nice Guy, player-oriented philosophy is that no amount of freedom on the court is going to help a player that doesn’t want to be there in the first place. No amount of freedom will help a player with a lack of direction. So “players’ coach” may be a bit simplistic. “You can give them a certain amount of freedom,” Krause says, “but you also have to instill a certain amount of discipline, because the team is the most important thing. You have to teach them. It’s a critical balance.” Thus, if there’s one thing Krause wants, and one thing he looks for in a player, it’s a good work ethic — a willingness to learn. “That gives them the ability to succeed or fail on their own,” he said. Last year a sort of heartless ambivalence set in with the Lady Mavs. Though it definitely wasn’t endemic on the team, residing mostly within a minority faction of the Lady Mavs’ most highly-touted freshmen recruits, its presence affected the whole team. The Lady Mavs fell to 12-20 — the second worst record of Krause’s tenure. Though they limped into the Regional Tournament as the 8th and final team, they made a quick exit after a bloodbath against nationally ranked Connors State. Krause wasted little time taking action in the off-season. When the smoke cleared, five freshmen had packed their bags — “an amicable parting of the ways,” he says. Happily, aggressive recruiting has led to a team that falls back into line with what Krause likes best: hard work. “We’re back to the style we like; this group likes to work,” he says. “We look aggressive and we can make things happen.” That group — which starts its season Thursday in the Lady Texas Tour in Lubbock, Texas — includes four who weathered the dark days of last season and remained unscathed through Krause’s off-season house-cleaning: 6-0 Jessica Garner (5.8 ppg, 4.1 reb.), 5-9 Ritha Moro (3.4 ppg, 2.4 reb.), 6-1 Jennifer Williams (4.9 ppg, 3.2 reb.), and 6-3 former Ponca City standout Lyndsey Warrior (4.9 ppg, 3.3 reb.). While Warrior and Williams will likely serve in starting post positions right away, Krause is counting on three freshmen to round out the Lady Mavs’ new lineup. Heading the list is 6-0 forward Suzi Eisenhauer, a highly recruited, multi-talented Newkirk High School graduate. Other than averaging 12.4 ppg and 5.8 rebounds for the Lady Tigers, Eisenhauer was the Class 2A long jump state champion, and received All-state honors in academics, basketball, track and softball. She was also valedictorian of her senior class. The guard positions will also see new faces. Exacerbating the Lady Mavs’ troubles last year was the loss of two highly vocal team leaders, sophomore guards Brandi McClellen and Michelle Brown, to knee injuries. That left some big holes in the Lady Mavs’ front court — holes that Krause found hard to fill. “I didn’t want that to happen again,” says Krause. “This year we wanted quickness, we wanted athletes, and I think we got them.” Starting at guard for the Lady Mavs will be another Newkirk native, 5-7 sophomore Kacey Whitworth, who transferred to NOC after a redshirt season at Northwestern. Like Eisenhauer, Whitworth was an All-state standout for the Lady Tigers, averaging 22 ppg her senior year. “She’s a good floor leader and she’ll create a lot of scoring opportunities,” says Krause. “She’s also good from 3-point range.” Completing the preseason starting lineup is Chenise Robinson, a 5-4 guard and All-City Conference and All-West Regional player from Oklahoma City’s Millwood High School. Robinson averaged 8 ppg and 5 rebounds for the Lady Falcons. “We’ve got better balance this year, inside and outside,” Krause concludes, “and everyone will be able to contribute. I won’t have to worry about putting someone in.” The balance of the Lady Mavericks’ talented roster is as follows. Stacie Scott is a 5-7 guard from Drummond. Scott averaged 19 ppg, 8 rebounds and 5 assists, and shot a stellar 39 percent from 3-point range. She was also a Northwest Oklahoma All-star, a Phillips All-star and was the Skeltur Conference MVP two years in a row. Guards LaTonya Douglas (5-5) and 5-7 Lorraine Rice, from Boonville High School in Missouri, bring a valuable winning tradition to the Lady Mavs. Both contributed to a 71-13 record during their high school careers. Douglas was a All-stater, averaging 16.7 ppg and 3.1 steals and was conference MVP her senior year. Rice was All-conference for three years, and averaged 10.6 ppg, 4.8 steals and 5.8 assists. Ranada Collins (6-1), a 2-time All-City Conference player from Southeast High School in Oklahoma City, averaged 6 ppg, 8.5 rebounds. Shaneta Lewis is a 5-8 guard from Star Spencer High School in Midwest City, where she averaged 7 ppg, 4 rebounds and 2.7 steals. Erica Metcalf is a 5-10 Big All-City guard from Douglass High School in Oklahoma City, where she averaged 8 ppg and 6 rebounds. She also qualified for the U.S. Junior National team her senior year. NOC Basketball Schedule (Home Dates in All Capitals) November 2 — S. Nazarene JV, M, 7 5-7 — NM Juco Classic, M 5-7 — Lady TX Tour, W 10 — OBU JV, M, 8 10 — LaBETTE, KS, W, 6 14 — Westark, M-W, 4-6 17 — CONNORS, M-W, 6-8 21 — NEO, W-M, 2-4* 23 — BACONE, W-M, 6-8 24 — LaBette, KS W, 6 26-28 — Neosho, KS, M, TBA December 3 — OKLA. CHRISTIAN JV, M, 7 5 — CARL ALBERT, W-M, 2-4 7 — Bacone, M-W, 6-8 11-12 — Pepsi Classic, KS, W, 6 January 7 — WESTARK, M-W, 6-8 9 — NORTHARK, M-W, 2-4 11 — Connors, M-W, 6-8 16 — Carl Albert, M-W, 2-4 18 — Northeastern, M-W, 6-8 25 — Rose State, M-W, 6-8 28 — EASTERN, M-W, 6-8 30 — CROWDER, W, 5 February 1 — Western, M-W, 6-8 4 — Murray State, 6-8 8 — SEMINOLE, M-W, 6-8 11 — ROSE STATE, M-W, 6-8 13 — Crowder, W, 5 15 — Eastern, M-W, 5 18 — WESTERN, M-W, 6-8 21 — MURRAY STATE, M-W, 2-4 24 — Seminole, M-W, 6-8 *homecoming Sooners’ Point Looks to PassBy OWEN CANFIELD AP Sports Writer NORMAN (AP) — When he recruited Michael Johnson from junior college two years ago, Oklahoma basketball coach Kelvin Sampson told him he could lead the Big 12 in assists. Johnson appears bent on proving his coach right this season. At media day Tuesday, Johnson said he intends to play point guard the way it’s designed — by getting the ball to his teammates first and worrying about himself later. ‘‘I’m not looking forward to shooting, but if I have to, I will shoot,’’ he said. ‘‘I pass first, pass second, and then maybe shoot. ‘‘I’d rather get my assists and no points. Assists add up to points.’’ Last year, Johnson started 29 of 33 games and averaged 7.1 points and 4.3 assists per game. Many of those assists went to Corey Brewer, the team’s leading scorer who now is on the roster of the NBA’s Miami Heat. Sampson potentially had a solid scorer in guard Kelley Newton, but Newton suffered a season-ending knee injury last week. Sampson expects Johnson and forwards Eduardo Najera and Ryan Humphrey to develop into possible go-to players. ‘‘The good news is we have candidates,’’ he said. Johnson, who led the team by making 42 percent of his 3-point shots last year, said the lack of a proven scorer shouldn’t be a concern because opponents will have to worry about not just one player, but several. Forward Renzi Stone said the same thing. ‘‘The thing this year is we have five guys who can get better shots. Don’t think teams can see us as predictably,’’ he said. ‘‘Even though last year teams knew Corey was going to get the ball and we still scored, I think this year we’ll be able to go inside more and work a lot more team basketball on offense.’’ Sampson, who has had Ryan Minor, Nate Erdmann and Brewer to turn to during his first four years, doesn’t seem fazed not having someone of that caliber now. ‘‘At Washington State, I always had balanced scoring, somewhere between 7 to 8 and 15 to 16, and think this team will be similar,’’ he said. The Sooners (22-11 last year) have an exhibition game Saturday night and open the regular season Nov. 14 against Northwestern State, La. The loss of Newton will allow Tim Heskett and Alex Spaulding to move into that spot. The frontcourt will include Humphrey, Najera, Stone, Eric Martin, Oleg Reztsov and Victor Avila. ‘‘We’ll be eight or nine deep,’’ Sampson said. ‘‘I’d like to be a little bit deeper than that, but that’s where we are.’’ Union Has Chance At Perfect SeasonBy FRED HILTON News Sports Editor TULSA — Tulsa Union’s Redskins are bearing down on a perfect regular season record and, yes, coach Bill Blankenship has mentioned that to his players as he prepared his team for its visit to Ponca City Friday, “We just want to finish this thing off,” Blankenship said of Union’s first unbeaten season under his tutorship. “We also want to use this game as a springboard into the playoffs.” Union nailed down the District 6A-3 title officially last week with a 40-14 win over Sand Springs. But the Redskins have been heavily favored to win the district and probably a state title ever since they battered arch rival Jenks 55-45 in the third game of the season. Union has outscored its opposition 418-131 so far and most of those points-against came in the late stages of its games when Blankenship was emptying his bench. The Redskins have been heavily favored in nearly ever game this year, but Blankenship has said he’s has experienced no problem with his players getting ready for each game. “I have been very pleased with the focus these players have had,” the coach said. “This is a very mature team that has no trouble getting ready. We have a lot of seniors on this team and we have been able to take advantage of that. They’ve done a good job of taking this thing week to week.” Union is very veteran ball club with 38 seniors on this year’s team. Blankenship reports the Redskins start two juniors and a sophomore on offense and also three underclassmen on defense. But with most of their games being blowouts, the Redskin reserves have seen lots of playing time. In fact, in recent games, the reserves have seen more playing time than the starters. “Last week we started taking the starters out in the second quarter,” Blankenship says. The coach notes that putting in the reserves early in a game is a two-edged sword. “Some people think its a problem,” he says. “But it’s a good problem.” Asked if playing his younger players so much helps build toward the future, Blankenship says, “Absolutely. The more playing time the young guys get the better. They get use to the nervousness and pressure of varsity games.” While quarterback Josh Blankenship comes as close to star quality as the Redskins have produced this season, Union’s success has truly been a team effort this year. The list of impressive statistics goes on and on. Blankenship has completed 106 of 170 attempts for 1,837 yards and 23 touchdowns this season. He has not thrown a single interception. The Redskins use a one-back offense with Danny Morris getting most of the work. He has carried 180 times for 1,485 yards and 25 touchdowns. He is also valuable receiver, with 11 catches for 160 yards and two more TDs. Josh Blankenship has spread his passes all over the field. Michael Johnson is the leading receiver with 37 catches for 612 yards and 8 touchdowns. Aris Comeaux has 21 catches for 335 yards and 6 TDs, Clayton Gaddis 15 catches for 187 yards and one score while Jerome Janet has 13 receptions for 281 yards and 3 TDs. Brian Hobbs has six catches for 106 yards and three touchdowns. In addition, Hobbs has retuned punts for 419 yards and two touchdowns. While the Union offense has grabbed most of the headline, the defense has been rugged. Outside linebacker Same Cone (6-3, 205) leads the team in tackles with 71 and has accounted for 44 yards in losses by opposing backs. Inside linebacker Matt Henderson (5-11, 220) has 68 tackles and 46 yards in loses. The Redskins have thrown opposing backs for losses total 431 yards on the season.
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