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From the pages of The Ponca City News, Tuesday, December 5, 2000 LOCAL DEATHS NEWS BRIEFS LIFESTYLES SPORTS BUSINESS LOCALEstate Demolition Report Presented Estate Demolition Report PresentedBy JEFF POLITTE News Staff Writer Ponca Citys board of commissioners heard several updates during a regular work session Monday afternoon. Among these updates were presentations on the completion of the Wastewater Treatment Plant project, presented by Ken Parr, director of Public Works, and the demolition of the Marland Mansions Conference Center, restaurant, chapel and breezeways, presented by Randy Lauritsen, city engineer. According to Parr, there are around five items left to be completed at the Waste Water Treatment Plant. Parr indicated these items were minor and listed them as a final clarifier, some remaining software glitches in the plants automated SCADA system and a few other miscellaneous items. These should be completed by the end of the month, he added. The $15 million Phase II portion of the $23 million facility was slated to be completed in January, but delays have pushed the final closing date to December. The plant has been operational since January. We got a very good product, Parr told commissioners. The construction company did a very good job for us. Parr also said what his department is proposing is to send the final closeout of Phase II to next Mondays city commission meeting. Part of the closeout will include discussions over final change orders by the contractor and the final payment for the project, he continued. Lauritsen told commissioners February would see a milestone on the Marland Mansion structure demolition project. Feb. 3 is the tentative date for doing the auction, he said. This is a very big milestone for the project. He indicated that preceding the auction will be cleanup at the site. After we get that done we will get everything ready for the auction, he said. Following the auction will come the asbestos abatement, he continued. Lauritsen noted the Marland Estate Commission had been approaching this issue with the attitude of completing the demolition project in the most cost efficient and expedient manner possible. This is one of the reasons for the auction. More File for Board RacesBy KRISTI HAYES News Education Editor Five additional candidates have filed for school board positions in Kay, Noble and Osage Counties. The annual school elections are scheduled for Feb. 13, 2001. Locally, J.D. Soulek filed for Office 2 of the Pioneer Technology Center. The other candidate filing in Newkirk was Kurte Peters for Office 3 of Kildare School. In Osage County, Shari Conely filed for candidacy of Office 2 of Burbank School, Mary Mashburn for Office 2 of Shidler School and Randy Corley of Office 5 for Woodland School. Noble County reported no filings. Candidates who have filed for board positions through today are: Norris J. Frederick for Office 6 of the Ponca City Board of Education; Craig Myers for Office 3 of the Ponca City Board of Education; Micki Adams for Blackwell School, Office 1, a five-year term; Polly Redford for Peckham School, Office 1, a three-year term; Jim Corbin, incumbent, for Tonkawa School, Office 1, a five-year term; Steve Kienholv for Office 1 at Frontier School; Ronnie Gibson, Office 4, at Woodland School; and James Coldren, Office 3, Shidler School. Other Kay, Noble and Osage County seats with no filings were: Pioneer Technology Center, Office 4; Braman School, Office 1, a five-year term, and Office 4, an unexpired term; Kaw City School, Office 3, a three-year term; Newkirk School, Office 1, a five-year term; Burbank School, Office 3, a one-year unexpired term; McCord School, Office 2, a three-year term; Shidler School, Office 1, a five-year term; and Morrison School, Office 1, a five-year term. The filing period will close at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 6. Holiday Programs for Next Two WeeksThe Ponca City Public School Orchestra program will present three concerts for the community over the next two weeks. The holiday concerts begin tonight at 7 p.m. in the Hutchins Memorial Auditorium with the combined Elementary Orchestra Strings. The fifth grade orchestra selections include Up On the Housetop, Joy to the World, Jolly Old St. Nicholas, Good King Wenceslas, and Jingle Bells. The sixth grade orchestra will present Oh Come, All Ye Faithful, The First Noel, God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen, and Angels We Have Heard on High. The 140-member elementary orchestras are under the direction of Keith Powers and Valarie Huffman. Powers will be conducting the concert. On Monday night, Dec. 11, the award winning Ponca City Senior High Symphony Orchestra will present its Holiday Concert. The program will begin at 7:30 p.m. in the Hutchins Memorial Auditorium. The Symphony, conducted by Dan P. Larson, will open the program with the holiday favorite Its the Most Wonderful Time of the Year. This holiday orchestra has been found with both high school strings classes consisting of 87 string players, and 27 wind and percussionists. Carmen Suite No. 1 by Georges Bizet is next on the program and will be conducted by Valarie Huffman, assistant coordinator. They will be performing five of the six movements of this work. These include Prelude, Argonaise, Seguedille, Les dragons dAlcala and Les Toreadors. This suite comes out of Bizets opera Carmen. Parts of this suite will be recognized through their use in movie soundtracks. Holiday favorites will finish out the concert beginning with Tintinabulations by J.S. Pierpont, as arranged by Katherine W. Punwar. This selection is based on the Jingle Bells melody of Pierpont. The first part adopts the style of Rossini, then it seques to the waltz music of Strauss, followed by 20th century jazz, and finishes with a country-western style. With bells in the background throughout most of this piece, the definition of tintinabulations comes to mind; the ringing of bells. Concluding the orchestra program will be two favorites by Leroy Anderson. They are Sleigh Ride and A Christmas Festival. Bringing the December orchestra concerts to a close will be the East and West Middle School Orchestras under the direction of Valerie Huffman. This concert will be held on Dec. 14 in the East Middle School Ralph Lester Auditorium at 7:30 p.m. The West Middle School 20-member seventh grade orchestra will open with three selections. These include Skating (from the television special Charlie Brown Christmas), Silver Bells, and Holiday Sounds for Strings. The 25-member eighth grade orchestra of East Middle School will then present The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire), Christmas Time Is Here (from the television special Charlie Brown Christmas), and Santa at the Symphony. The community is invited to attend. There is no admission charge for any of the concerts. Amahl and the Night Visitors Event For Entire Family at First MethodistThe music ministry of First United Methodist Church in Ponca City will present Amahl and the Night Visitors, an event for the entire family, on Dec. 8, 9 and 10 at 7 p.m. There is no admission charge and the entire community is invited to attend. The musical will take place at First United Methodist Church at 200 South Sixth Street. Amahl and the Night Visitors is a one-act musical originally written for presentation on NBC television Christmas Eve of 1951 by Gian Carlo Menotti. The story is that of a crippled shepherd boy who lives in utter poverty with his widowed mother as they are visited by three kings en route to see the Christ child. The production includes the churchs Chancel Choir as the shepherds. The musical consists of singing, dancing and drama all staffed by members of First United Methodist Church and uses a Middle Eastern hut as the setting. Amahl will be presented at the First United Methodist Church of Ponca City, as a gift to the community and its neighbors. No tickets are necessary and admission is free. For more information, contact Donna Butler, director of music ministries, at 762-1681. Flu Clinic Coming To PCThe Kay County Health Department is canceling its regularly scheduled immunization clinic on Thursday, Dec. 7, 2000. A flu clinic will be held in place of the childhood immunization clinic. This flu clinic is for high-risk individuals only. A person is considered high-risk if they are over 65 years of age or if they have a chronic illness. The flu clinic will be held at the Kay County Health Department on 1201 East Hartford Avenue from 8-11 a.m. and 1-4 p.m. Please understand that the health department only has a limited supply of vaccine. Once the vaccine is gone the clinic will be over. Patients will be seen on first come, first serve basis. Plea se wear appropriate clothing (short sleeves) so your arm is easily accessible to the nurse administering the immunization and if you have a Medicare card please bring it with you. If you have any questions, feel free to contact the Kay County Health Department at (580) 762-1641. BUSINESSConoco Gets Record-Setting Results Conoco Gets Record-Setting ResultsHOUSTON Conoco today said higher natural gas and crude oil prices, coupled with strong margins for refined products and record refinery throughputs, produced record-setting results for the third consecutive quarter. Net income before special items totaled $523 million, or $.83 per diluted share, double that of third quarter 1999 and 14 percent above the second quarter 2000. The quarter was an extraordinary success, said Chairman and CEO Archie W. Dunham. Earnings were at record levels for the third consecutive quarter, and major discoveries were made in Vietnam and the deep-water Gulf of Mexico. In the North Sea, we completed the Norsk Hydro producing properties acquisition and brought onstream the Vixen natural gas field. We also announced a groundbreaking 20-year supply contract to deliver Indonesian natural gas to Malaysia, he said. Exploration Leads the Way Great strides are being achieved in exploration. We are extremely encouraged by the Magnolia appraisal well currently being drilled in the Gulf of Mexico. In addition, we unveiled the industrys most powerful exploration supercomputer that allows more cost-effective seismic data analysis. In a related step, we began a massive geophysical survey over 2,000 deep-water blocks in the Gulf of Mexico, using gravity gradiometry technology once used exclusively by the military, he said. Gratifyingly, Conoco was named the best exploration and production company in the world by Prudential Securities for the second consecutive year. These recent strides will help us maintain this outstanding performance and continue to increase shareholder value, he added. Temporary Interruption Cuts Hike Downtime in the North Sea caused a temporary interruption in our quarterly production increases. Nevertheless, we remain confident about continued, profitable production growth over the long term, he said. Im also very pleased with the performance of our refining and marketing operations. Record worldwide refinery operating levels reflect the significant improvements in plant reliability achieved over a number of years and allow Conoco to help satisfy rising global energy needs, he said. Modifications Enhance Capacity Modifications are nearly complete at our Lake Charles, La., refinery to allow the processing of Venezuelan syncrude from Conocos Petrozuata joint venture. We expect to commence commercial processing early in 2001. These modifications will increase the refinerys capacity and enhance Conocos ability to competitively supply the domestic market with additional refined products. The refinery will be down for a major turnaround in the fourth quarter as this upgrade is completed, Dunham concluded. For the first nine months of the year, net income before special items totaled $1.37 billion, or $2.17 per diluted share, compared to $458 million or $.72 per diluted share in 1999. Revenues rose to a new quarterly high of $10.7 billion, up $3.2 billion or 43 percent over 1999. Revenues for the first nine months totaled $28.9 billion. For more details go to www.conoco.com on the Internet. Former PC Woman Named To New BOK PositionsOKLAHOMA CITY Former Ponca Citian Leslie B. Paris has been named vice president and manager of corporate community relations for BOK Financial Corp., the parent company of Bank of Oklahoma, N.A. Paris has been with the bank since 1983, and has managed community relations, marketing and public relations in Oklahoma City for 14 years. Additionally, Paris has overseen the statewide marketing and community relations activities for BOKs business banking division that includes the Oklahoma communities BOK serves outside of Oklahoma City and Tulsa. In her new position, Paris will manage and oversee the companys community relations activities and charitable contributions on a statewide basis. She also will work with the companys out-of-state bank affiliates on local community relations and charitable contribution projects. Paris will relocate to the companys corporate office in Tulsa, but will remain active in Oklahoma City. Paris is a 1977 graduate of Ponca City High School and graduated from Oklahoma State University with a Bachelor Degree in Business Administration and minor in marketing. She is the daughter of former Ponca City residents, Jim and Beth Paris and the niece of Ponca City residents Sam and Dorothy Leonard. Conocos Senior Management Team Takes Tour of Ponca CityBy LOUISE ABERCROMBIE News Business Editor Members of Conocos senior management team, led by Archie Dunham, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Office, were in Ponca City Wednesday and Thursday regarding the carbon fibers project and natural gas-to-liquids technology. On Thursday they met with Paul Grimmer, Manager, Diversified Business; Steve Harris, Manager, Petroleum Coke Technology; Doug Jack, Manager, Natural Gas Refining Technology Development; Jim Rockwell, Manager, Gas to Liquids; Jim Taylor, General Manager, Carbon Fibers Business Unit. Among those attending a breakfast meeting with community leaders hosted by the companys Mid-Continent Business Unit General Manager Mike Fretwell gave an update of the philanthropic projects in Ponca City that Conoco is involved with in one concept or another. In addition to Archie Dunham, others attending were: Gary Edwards, Senior Executive Vice President, Corporate Strategy and Development; Phil Frederickson, Vice President, Business Development; Bob Goldman, Senior Vice President, Finance, and Chief Financial Officer; Rick Hamm, President, Refining and Marketing Europe; Rick Harrington, Vice President and General Counsel. Also, Tom Henkel, Vice President, Investor Relations; Bob Holtsmith, Manager, Business Development Downstream; Craig Johnston, Manager, Downstream Strategy and Portfolio Management; Jim McColgin, President, Exploration and Production Africa, Asia Pacific and Middle East; Rob McKee, Executive Vice President, Exploration and Production; Jim Nokes, Executive Vice President, Refining, Marketing, Supply and Transportation. And, George Paczkowski, President, Refining and Marketing Asia Pacific; Dennis Parker, Vice President, Safety, Health and Environmental Affairs; Richard Severance, President, Refining and Marketing - North America; Mike Stinson, Senior Vice President, Government Affairs, Corporate Strategy and Communications; Liz Williamson, Executive Assistant to the President; Duane Wilson, Vice President, Refining, Marketing, Supply and Transportation Technology. Landers Window and Exterior Cleaning Keeps Getting BetterThis month marks the successful first ten years for the Ponca City-based business, Landers Window and Exterior Cleaning Company. Owner Amos Landers started his business with just himself before hiring his first employee in 1992. The business has now grown to five employees and has reached many milestones along the way. Its almost unbelievable, said Landers. My very first customers were in Newkirk. Over the past ten years, we have expanded to Blackwell, Arkansas City, Ponca City, Enid, Stillwater, Tonkawa, Perry, Alva, Tulsa, Wichita, Oklahoma City, and South Kansas. Landers business often services more than 400 customers a day. He also continues to offer a variety of window and cleaning services for thermal pane, storm windows, and French windows. Landers also specializes in glass restoration and additional cleaning services that include gutter, masonry, cement, brick, fence, deck, and awning and power washing. Over the years, Landers has primarily focused on residential and route work, but now he has decided to focus more on commercial contracts. With the recent hiring of his first manager, Audra Thompson, he is able to dedicate more of his time to expanding the business. Our goal has been from day one to be the biggest window cleaning company in the state of Oklahoma, stated Landers. Our immediate goal is to establish an office in Tulsa within the next six months, and then moving on to the Oklahoma City area thereafter. He further explained that the long range plans will be to focus more on high rise work, but also keeping the routes and having a residential crew in each office to meet the customers needs. Landers is a long time member of the International Window Cleaning Association (IWCA) where he has worked to promote membership within the association. Since 1994, Landers has worked closely with IWCA and even worked to coordinate and start the IWCA annual convention. Landers Window and Exterior has five different rigs used for high- rise work using three employees at a time to complete a project. The tallest buildings that they currently work with are 15 stories high. I attribute the success of my business to God first, the support of my family, the support of the people in the Business and Industry Services at Pioneer Technology Center, and my IWCA friends, said Landers. I know if it wasnt for all of them, I wouldnt be here today! I would like to personally thank each and everyone of them for their help and guidance. Landers Window and Exterior Cleaning is located in the Commercial Federal Building, 400 East Central, Ponca City. Conoco Retirees Dinner Set SaturdayThe annual Conoco Retirees Association Christmas dinner is slated for 7 p.m., Saturday at the Conoco Atrium Cafeteria. The social hour begins at 6 p.m. Tickets for the event are $15 per person and should be purchased early as the dinner has been sold out every year. Tickets may be purchased by contacting Kaye Motz, 765-8601; Phil Dotson, 762-3019; Joyce Johnson, 762-5086; Garry Grayson, 765-8485; Andy Longoria, 765-6330; Joe McGlone, 765-6197, Ponca City. In Tonkawa contact Norman Buffalow at (580) 628-3606; in Newkirk contact Imogene Leavitt, (580) 362-2185 and Irene Congram in Blackwell at (580) 363-2217. Notes/QuotesAppointed to Board Gov. Frank Keating announced the appointment of Bennett Arketa, 37, of Ponca City to the Indian Affairs Commission to serve a term ending in 2003. Arketa succeeds Kendall Scott. Senate confirmation is required. Others appointed to the board are Bill Follis of Miami and Tim Tallchief of Jones were reappointed to the board. Directory Released OKLAHOMA CITY The Oklahoma Department of Commerce has announced the release of the 2001 Oklahoma Directory of Manufacturers and Processors. The latest edition of the directory details as over 5,900 manufacturers and related businesses in the state and is a source of information for buyers and sellers of products and services. For more information contact Debra Lea at (405) 815-5183. Small Business Development On Dec. 13, a representative of the Oklahoma Small Business Development Center (OSBDC) will be in the Kay County Area. The OSBDC provides free one-on-one counseling to individuals interested in starting a new business or to existing business owners needing assistance. Clients will be seen by appointment only from 9 a.m. to noon at the offices of Kay Electric in Blackwell and from 1 to 4 p.m., in the south conference room of the Administration Building on the NOC campus in Tonkawa. To schedule an appointment or receive additional information, call (580) 327-8608 from 8 a.m., to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. Christmas & Kwanzaa Festival OKLAHOMA CITY Oklahoma black Merchants Association is sponsoring the Eighth Annual African Expo Weekend of family activities Friday, Saturday and Sunday at the Myriad Convention Center. The African Expo will feature 150 art, community , cultural, and business exhibitors. The event includes activities for every member of the family. New activities include Classic Soul Holiday Concert, BET Comedy Showcase and the Black Greek Step Show Challenge. Deer Creek Winner Francie Tolle, Deer Creek, of Grant County received a new Dodge Dakota for winning the 2000 Oklahoma Farm Bureau Young Farmers and Ranchers Discussion Meet during the 59th Oklahoma Farm Bureau Annual Meeting. The YF&R Discussion Meet is designed to simulate a committee meeting where discussion and active participation are expected from each participant. The competition involves members in analyzing their agricultural. problems and deciding on solutions which-best meets their needs. Tolle survived three preliminary rounds and the finals to win the competition. For her efforts, she received a year's use of the Dodge truck, a one-year subscription to Farm Bureau ACRES and a trip to the American Farm Bureau Federation Annual Meeting in Orlando, Fla., to compete in the national YF&R Discussion Meet. Supporting Tolle at the state convention were her husband, Chuck, and Grant County Farm Bureau leaders Rebecca Ferda, Beverly Rapp, Leon Rapp, Ralph Meade, Kevin Kilian and Kenny Ferda. Governor Appointment Catherine Haynes of Ponca City has been appointed by Gov. Frank Keating to the Commission on the Status of Women. Haynes succeeds Sharon Geis. She will serve until 2005. Also appointed was Sydney Hill of Ardmore. Thanks From Bosnia Head Country, which sent 16 gallons of its Bar-B-Q sauce to Bosnia last Tuesday, has learned it has already been consumed by Oklahoma soldiers. This e-mail was received on Saturday from Captain Barry Guidry Commander of the Oklahoma Army National Guard says, It is always great to have a taste of home for the soldiers. We have given most of the sauce to the cooks to use on our BBQ ribs tonight, I am sure it will be a great hit for all soldiers here at Camp Dobol. Catering Service AvailableSaintly Temptations, St. Joseph Regional Medical Centers new catering service managed by the Nutrition Services Department, is now two months old and ready for its first holiday season. The service was started to provide additional revenue for the hospital and to serve Ponca Citys catering needs, said a hospital spokesperson. Adonna Glover, Nutrition Services director, said business has been steady, but her department is ready for holiday orders. Orders for Christmas will be taken up to Dec. 20, she said. Glover got the idea for the new service while studying food nutrition at Oklahoma State University. Future offerings may include such options as home meal replacement, she said. Food can be ordered for 12 to 200, if the order is made at least 48 hours in advance. The menu includes fruit, vegetable and deli trays, dips, hors doeuvres, and an extensive list of dessert items. Desserts include holiday cookies and cupcakes, eight cake varieties, cheesecake, and pumpkin or jelly rolls. Saintly Temptations also offers personalized photo cakes. To request a menu or place an order call 765-0571. Nominations Needed Soon For Two Chamber AwardsNominations for Outstanding Citizens and Community Service Award are now being accepted by the Outstanding Citizens group. The award is to be presented at the annual Chamber banquet set for Jan. 25. All nominations should be mailed or delivered to the attention of Jerry Evans, Chairman, in care of the Ponca City Area Chamber of Commerce, P.O. Box 1109, Ponca City, OK 74602. Deadline to submit nominations is 5 p.m., January 2, 2001. The nominations for this award require the following criteria: The person must be a member of the Ponca City Area Chamber of Commerce and currently residing in the Ponca City area; the recipient should have achieved significant and general recognition as an outstanding community leader, not limited to the year in which the award is made. Also, the person should be recognized as having made significant contributions to the community in more than one endeavor. The current chairman and staff of the Chamber of Commerce, elected public officials including City, County, State or Federal will not be considered for selection. Nomination forms can be picked up at the Chamber office. For any further information, call the Chamber office at 765-4400. Community Service Award The Community Service Award will also be given at this years Chamber banquet. This award is designed to honor an individual who has made significant recent contributions to the community and is designed to acknowledge the hard work of individuals or those who have made distinguished accomplishments over a short period of time. Nominations for the Community Service Award are now be accepted. Nominations forms for this award are also available at the Chamber with the deadline for submission being 5 p.m., Jan. 2, 2001. All nominations should be mailed or delivered to the Ponca City Area Chamber of Commerce. New Director Takes Over At Pioneer Woman MuseumPONCA CITY Valerie Haynes, who has built a strong education program at the Guthrie Museum Complex over the last eight years, has been named new director of the Pioneer Woman Museum in Ponca City. Haynes replaces Jan Prough, who has retired after 23 years, said Museums Director Kathy Dickson of the Oklahoma Historical Society. She said Haynes is expected to build on her education program experience at the Pioneer Woman Museum. Jan Prough did a wonderful job in guiding the Pioneer Woman Museum through its expansion and the redevelopment of exhibits, said Dickson. Her leadership and cooperation with the Ponca City community were invaluable in helping the Oklahoma Historical Society make that expansion happen. Now, it is time to take the Pioneer Woman Museum through a major new step in education and event programming. Valerie Haynes has the right experience for that challenge at the Oklahoma Territorial Museum and State Capital Publishing Museum in Guthrie. Since 1992, she has led the Guthrie Museum Complex in developing and improving the annual Statehood Day ceremony an annual History Camp for students and a printing program at the State Capital Publishing Museum. She has also been involved in numerous other projects, including exhibits, special events, living history programs, volunteer training and management. She directed community relations operations and was involved in seminars as well as exhibit research, design and installation. Haynes joined the Guthrie Complex staff in 1991 as an intern and advanced to historic site attendant at the State Capital Publishing Museum in 1991 before becoming education director in 1992. Prough joined the staff of the Pioneer Woman Museum on Oct. 18, 1977. For more information, contact Dickson by phone at (405) 522-5231 or via email at kdickson@okhistory.mus.ok.us, or Haynes at (580) 762-2498 or via email at vhaynes@okhistory.mus.ok.us. DEATHSJanet Faye Boone Janet Faye BooneFAIRFAX Janet Faye Boone, resident of Fairfax, died Sunday evening, Dec. 3, 2000, at St. Joseph Regional Medical Center. She was 56. The funeral will be held at 2 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 6, 2000, at the First Christian Church in Fairfax with the Rev. George Weston presiding assisted by the Rev. Lewis Bernard. Burial will follow at the Fairfax Cemetery under the direction of Hunsaker-Wooten Funeral Home. Janet Faye Fincher Boone was born Feb. 25, 1944, in South Haven, Mich., the daughter of O.C. Bill Fincher and Myrtle Niebaum Fincher. Her family resided in the Caldwell, Kan., area before moving to Fairfax. She graduated from Fairfax High School in 1961. She married Dyke Boone on Aug. 19, 1961, in Fairfax. The couple also resided for a time in Bristow, and Fort Smith, Ark. She was employed for 19 years with Haliburton where she was office clerk. Her enjoyments included her family, reading, gospel music, quilting and cooking. She is survived by her husband of the home; three sons, Patrick Lee Boone of Beggs, Roger Wayne Boone of Burns Flat, and David Charles Boone of Depew; one sister, Patsy Maddox of Jemez Springs, N.M. one brother, Michael Charles Fincher of Wellington, Kan.; 11 grandchildren; and a number of nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents. Casket bearers will be Gary Haworth, Jim Dillard, Wayne Rhodes, Don Sloan, Timmy Davis and John Doss. Honorary casket bearers will be present and former Haliburton employees. Memorial contributions may be made to the St. Joseph Cancer Center of Northern Oklahoma, 609 Virginia, Ponca City, Okla. 74601. Daniel J. TrilloARKANSAS CITY, Kan. Daniel J. Trillo, resident of Arkansas City, Kan., died Monday, Dec. 4, 2000, at the St. Joseph Regional Medical Center. He was 80. The rosary will be said at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 6, at the Rindt-Erdman Funeral Home in Arkansas City. Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10:30 a.m. Thursday at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Arkansas City with the Rev. Ser Khu Wilson officiating. Burial will follow in the Riverview Cemetery in Arkansas City. Daniel J. Trillo was born Jan. 3, 1920, in Amarillo, Texas, the son of Jose and Panfila Ordunez Trillo. He was educated in Arkansas City area schools. On June 21, 1941, he married Nora Terronez in Perry. He served in the U.S. Army and was a veteran of World War II. After the war, the couple moved to Arkansas City. He was employed in the tooling plant at Boeing Aircraft in Wichita, Kan., from 1954 until his retirement in 1980. He was a member of the Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Arkansas City, American Legion Shelton Beaty Post 18, Spencer Ralston Post 1254 VFW, and the International Machinist Union. Survivors include his son, Danny Trillo of Arkansas city; a daughter, Becky Todd of Wichita, Kan.; six grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife, two brothers, and seven sisters. Memorial contributions may be made in his name to the American Heart Association, c/o Rindt-Erdman Funeral Home, 100 East Kansas Avenue, Arkansas City, Kan. 67005. Belle Lorene JohnsBLACKWELL Belle Lorene Johns, resident of Blackwell, died Sunday afternoon, Dec. 3, 2000, at her home. She was 76. The funeral will be held at 2 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 6, in the chapel of Roberts Funeral Home in Blackwell with the Rev. Dan Kennedy officiating. Burial will follow in the Blackwell Cemetery. Belle Lorene Johns was born May 22, 1924, in Pueblo, Colo., the daughter of James William and Hazel Caroline Wheeler Simmons. She moved with her family to Blackwell, where she grew up. She married Louie Eugene Boots Johns on May 21, 1942, in Newkirk, and they settled in Blackwell. She was a housewife for many years before her employment at Rush Metals in Billings, where she retired in 1996. Her husband preceded her in death on July 20, 1986. Survivors include a daughter, Antoinette Tonie Kennedy of Oklahoma City; two sisters, Betty Jo Denney of Los Angeles, Calif., and Linda Lou Games of Blackwell; two brothers, Marvin Simmons of Blackwell and Bill Simmons of Arkansas City, Kan.; and two grandchildren. She was also preceded in death by her parents; four sisters, Virginia Simmons, Eva Mead, Lollie Judd and Mary Alice Stone; and six brothers, George, Delbert, Jack, Chancey, Chester and James Simmons. Casket bearers will be Leon Woodward, Justin Simmons, Al Berrian, Melvin Johns, Bob Johns and Raymond Johns. The family will gather at noon on Wednesday at the Tabernacle Activity Center, 932 North Ninth Street. ObituariesClara LunaCarrie Luna, cherished mother, dedicated and tireless homemaker, died of natural causes early Sunday morning, Dec. 3, 2000, several hours after admission to the Fairfax Memorial Hospital. She was 89. The funeral will be Thursday, Dec. 7, 2000, at 2 p.m. in the First Baptist Church of Burbank with the Rev. Chris Cooper, pastor, officiating. Burial will be in the Sunset Memorial Park in Ponca City under the direction of Hunsaker-Wooten Funeral Home. Carrie, the second eldest of three brothers, Henry, Charlie, and Clarence, and one younger sister, Pearl, was born April 29, 1911, in Maysville, Okla., to May (Gillian) and Samuel Bert Beth. The family moved by covered wagon to De Noya (aka Whiz Bang), Okla., in the early 1920s. Carrie often recalled the fun and the chores she and her brothers had in helping their father keep the wagons and livestock moving forward. Shortly after the De Noya move, she met her beloved husband, Mateo Luna, a Sante Fe Railroad employee. They were married Dec. 23, 1926, in Pawhuska. Carrie and Mateo moved to Apperson, Okla., in early 1928, where son Alfred was born July 1928, and daughter Katherine was born in January 1930. The familys last move was to Burbank in 1932. During the 1930s, Carrie and Mateo became charter members of Burbanks First Baptist Church and completely rebuilt their home, which had been destroyed by the 1936 Burbank tornado. Three sons were also added to the family, Jack in April 1934, Bob in August 1936, and Jerry in September 1940. Because the early death of her mother and the need to help her father raise the family forced Carrie to drop out of school after only three years of formal education, she was relentless in her effort to ensure her children had the means and opportunity to complete their education. Old timers of Burbank and surrounding areas may remember how, in the I940s and early 50s, she collected pecans during the fall months and conducted a strawberry sales service during the summer. All the Luna children graduated from Burbank High School. Carrie became a resident of Fairfax Manor Nursing Home in 1999 when she was unable to move about without the aid of a wheelchair. Although she maintained her Burbank home and intended to return there, she was unable to do so. Carrie was preceded in death by Mateo, Alfred, and Katherine. She is survived by Jack of Santa Maria, Calif., Bob of Mustang, and Jerry of Scottsdale, Ariz.; 15 grandchildren; 23 great-grandchildren.; and two great-great-grandchildren. In lieu of flowers, the family request donations or gifts to Fairfax Manor Nursing Home to aid Manor caregivers in maintaining a pleasant and cheerful home for all Manor residents. paid obituary Pauline HarmonPauline Harmon, longtime Ponca City resident, died Saturday, Dec. 2, 2000, at the Shawn Manor Nursing Home. She was 80. The funeral will be held at 2 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 6, 2000, at Grace Memorial Chapel with the Rev. Leon Grider, pastor of Osage Heights Baptist Church, officiating. Burial will be held in the Sunset Memorial Park Cemetery under the direction of Grace Memorial Chapel. Born May 30, 1920, in Ashland, Okla., she was the daughter of Eltie B. and Alpha May (Martin) Artman. She grew up in the Ponca City area and received her education in the McCord and Burbank schools. On Jan. 18, 1942, she was united in marriage to Cecil Harmon in Ponca City. The couple made their home here in Ponca City. Mrs. Harmon was a homemaker and enjoyed reading, sewing, and craftwork. Surviving are her daughter, Connie OQuain of Ponca City; one brother, John Artman of Newkirk; one sister, Joyce Knight of Ponca City; two grandchildren, Deano OQuain and Michelle OQuain, both of Ponca City; two great-grandchildren, Nikki OQuain of Houston, Texas, and Ashley OQuain of Ponca City. She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; two sisters, Lois Gause and Ann Johnson; and two brothers, Edward Artman and Wayne Artman. Casket bearers will be Earl Kreig, Deano OQuain, Dennis Long, Leo OQuian, Don Davis and John Artman. Honorary casket bearers will be Lloyd Womack, Jack Forbes, Mike Harmon, Max Knight, Kenneth Harmon and Melvy Harmon. Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of Ponca City, Inc., 1904 N. Union, Suite 103, Ponca City, Okla. 74601. The family will be at 3582 Tapp Road. paid obituary FuneralsWednesday Vernon Conrad MerrifieldVernon Conrad Merrifield Memorial service at 1 p.m. in the worship center of the First Baptist Church under the direction of Trout Funeral Home. NEWS BRIEFSPrince of Peace Advent The Prince of Peace Lutheran midweek Advent services begin Wednesday at 6 p.m. with a soup supper followed by the children's Christmas program entitled The Living Wreath at 7 p.m. Stormescape Shelters, perfect for garage, under vehicle. Installed, $2,395. 765-2633. adv. Fire Run A woman in the 1200 block of Shirlee Street reported her garage was on fire to the Communications Center at 11:25 a.m. Monday. Engines one, two, three, an ambulance and two command vehicles with the Ponca City Fire Department responded to the scene. Firefighters advised it was a vehicle in the garage that was actually on fire. The fire was out at 11:46 a.m. and smoke was removed from the residence. Every Wednesday ð price clothes and shoes, except priced items. Check our daily specials. Caboose Thrift Shoppe, First and Central. adv. Suspicious Person An agent with a local real estate agency reported to Ponca City police at 11:39 a.m. Monday finding two juveniles asleep inside a vacant residence in the 100 block of North Birch Street. The realtor advised the juveniles left east on Cleveland Avenue. Three officers responded to the scene. A 15-year-old girl and a 15-year-old boy were taken into custody for unlawful entry and destruction of private property. Both were later released to their parents with a promise to appear. Holiday Parties looking for a place to have yours? Call Ponca Bowl, 762-3333. adv. Narcotics Violation A Ponca City police officer reported finding a bag of drugs near the intersection of North First Street and Highland Avenue at 11:55 a.m. Monday. The drugs were brought to the police department and a report was taken. Santa For hire. 762-7825 adv. Theft A woman in the 2900 block of North Union Street reported a stolen tag to Ponca City police at 2:20 p.m. Monday. An officer was assigned and a report was taken. Subject Held An officer at the intersection of North Fifth Street and Overbrook Avenue reported a 35-year-old man was taken into custody for public intoxication at 12:35 a.m. Tuesday. Subject Held A booking officer with the Ponca City Police Department reported a 24-year-old woman was being transferred in from the Kay County Sheriffs Department on a city warrant for failure to pay at 3:02 p.m. Monday. Free Pregnancy test. Birth Choice cares. Confidential. Hours: Monday 1-3 p.m., Tuesday, 6-8 p.m., Wednesday, 1-3 p.m. and Thursday, 6-8 p.m. 700 West Broadway. 765-9689. adv. Gas Drive-Off A clerk at Triple T No. 3, 720 South Waverly Street, reported a $5 gas drive-off to Ponca City police at 3:09 p.m. Monday. An officer was assigned and a report was taken. Cut And live Christmas trees, wreaths, roping, poinsettias. Keathly Nursery. adv. Burglary A woman in the 1000 block o West Oklahoma Avenue reported her purse was stolen from her vehicle overnight to Ponca City police at 3:13 p.m. Monday. An officer was assigned and a report was taken. Accident A two-vehicle accident in the 900 block of North Fifth Street was reported to Ponca City police at 3:19 p.m. Monday. An officer was assigned and a report was taken. Gas Drive-Off A clerk at Conoco Convenience Mart, 1613 West South Avenue, reported a $24.01 gas drive-off to Ponca City police at 5:06 p.m. Monday. A description was given of the suspect and vehicle. An officer was assigned and a report was taken. Fall Bulbs-Tulips, daffodils, etc. 25% off at Keathly Nursery. adv. Gas Drive-Off A clerk at Jack Griffith Gas-Up, 2501 North Fourteenth Street, reported a $5 gas drive-off to Ponca City police at 4:04 p.m. Monday. A description was given of the suspect and vehicle. An officer was assigned and a report was taken. Mels Clothing & Shoes now has 25% off entire store. 2008 North 14th. adv. Theft A man in the 400 block of North Peachtree Street reported a stolen bicycle to Ponca City police at 4:32 p.m. Monday. An officer was assigned and a report was taken. Burglary A church in the 500 block of South Fifth Street reported a break in to Ponca City police at 5:49 p.m. Monday. The caller reported the churchs back door had been pried open. An officer was assigned and a report was taken. LIFESTYLESThe Neighborhood Chef The Neighborhood Chefby Sherry Muchmore Holiday Candy Making Most people dont realize that candy making can be fun and once youve done it, youll find that its a lot easier than you probably thought it would be. It is something two can do better than one and its fun. Ive found a candy thermometer is indispensable and whether the candy is a fluffy cloud of sweetness such as divinity, has the crisp crackle of a brittle, or the smooth creaminess of a praline, candy making should be avoided on days of high humidity. Ive also found that most candy recipes shouldnt be more than doubled when preparing batches. Pralines are southern delicacies. Sweet patties of creamy nutty goodness. Ruth Wetzel has a great recipe for these delicious candies. She said this is a good recipe to make with a friend and she also stresses that we use a deep pan so when the syrup reaches that roiling boil, it wont boil over. Pecan Pralines Ruth Wetzel, PC, OK 3 cups sugar 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/8 teaspoon salt 1 cup buttermilk 3/4 cup light corn syrup 2 tablespoons butter or margarine 2 cups pecan halves Using a large, deep pot, combine the sugar, baking soda and salt. Stir in buttermilk and syrup. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Cook and stir until soft-boil stage, 234 degrees. Remove from heat and add butter. Stir in pecans. Beat with a spoon (preferably wooden) for approximately 5 to 6 minutes until the mixture is thick enough to drop from a spoon. Quickly drop from a tablespoon onto waxed paper. If candy becomes too stiff, stir in 1 teaspoon of hot water. Makes 45 pralines. After many years with The News, Marge Decker retired this year. Everyone told me I had to get her Divinity candy recipe before she moved to Texas with her family. So even though Marge isnt with us this season, here is her gift to all of us. Divinity Marge Decker, Montgomery,TX 1 cup sugar 1/2 cup water 1/8 teaspoon Cream of Tartar 3 egg whites 2 cups sugar 2/3 cup white corn syrup 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 cup water 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 cup pecans Into a large deep pot, combine and stir to blend Mixture One: 1 cup sugar, cup water and cream of tartar. Rapidly bring to a boil, without stirring, to 240 degrees on your candy thermometer, or until the syrup spins a thread 6-inches long when dropped from a metal spoon. Immediately remove from heat. Meanwhile in a mixing bowl, beat egg whites until stiff. Set aside In another deep saucepan, combine Mixture Two: 2 cups sugar, corn syrup, salt and 1/4 cup water. When Mixture One is done, place Mixture Two over the heat and boil with occasional stirring until syrup reaches 280 degrees (medium crack stage). Meanwhile, pour Mixture One while still hot over the beaten egg whites, adding slowly and beating continuously until stiff and smooth. Set aside until Mixture Two is done. Cool Mixture Two a minute or two, then pour slowly over Mixture One, continuing to beat until smooth and so stiff that it is hard to handle. Add flavoring and pecans. Turn into a buttered pan and press out smooth. When set, cut into squares. Or, drop by spoonfuls. Be sure to work fast. Makes about 2 pounds of candy. My favorite Christmas candy is Peanut Brittle. Mom used this recipe and weve continued the tradition. Tom pours and it sometimes looks like were having a taffy pull. Candy making around our house is shared by all of us. Peanut Brittle 2 cups granulated sugar 1 cup light Karo 1/2 cup water 2 cups raw peanuts 2-1/2 teaspoons baking soda 2 tablespoons butter Combine in a large deep stockpot sugar, Karo and water. Bring to a roiling boil over medium high heat to the soft ball stage. Add peanuts and continue cooking to hard crack stage, stirring to keep from burning. Remove from heat and stir in butter and baking soda. While still foamy, immediately pour onto a hard surface that has been liberally greased with butter. Scatter your pouring into thin streams so its easier to pull as the candy cools. The trick to good brittle is in the pulling since you want a thin crisp texture. Butter hands well and as candy begins to cool, start pulling. Its messy but it is so good. As the candy cools, the pieces that have been pulled can be broken and stored in an air-tight container for family or gift-giving. I usually double this recipe but dont try any more than double, it really doesnt work with this recipe. Note: DO NOT pour onto Formica. I learned the hard way when the whole surface bubbled. If you like Heath bars, youll love this recipe for butter toffee. It really is good with just the right amount of crunchiness and that old-fashioned buttery flavor. Butter Toffee 1 pound butter (4 sticks) 3 tablespoons water 2 cups sugar 1 cup slivered or chopped almonds 1 teaspoon vanilla 6 ounces chocolate chips Crushed or shaved almonds In a deep saucepan, melt butter; add water and sugar. Bring to a boil and cook until thermometer reaches 250 degrees, stirring at all times. Add almonds, continue cooking to 280 to 290 degrees, keep stirring. Remove from heat, add vanilla. Pour onto a greased baking sheet with sides such as a jelly roll pan. Let the candy set up for about 5 minutes and sprinkle chocolate over hot candy. Spread chocolate evenly over toffee as it melts. Sprinkle with crushed almonds. Cool completely. Break apart with knife into irregular pieces. Store in an air-tight container. Send your recipes to: The Neighborhood Chef, c/o The Ponca City News, P.O. Box 191, Ponca City, OK 74602, or e-mail me at: chef@poncacitynews.com (All recipes become property of The Ponca City News.) Fruit in Yogurt Not EnoughQ: Does the fruit in yogurt count toward the Five a Day goal? A: Most commercial fruit yogurts contain about 2 tablespoons of fruit preserves, not nearly enough fruit to count as a serving. A serving of fresh, canned or frozen fruit is a half-cup. A quarter-cup of dried fruit (such as raisins) is also considered a serving. For a more nutritious fruit yogurt that would count as a serving of fruit, spoon some plain yogurt into a bowl and add a half-cup of various fruits. You can flavor this with a little vanilla and a teaspoon of sugar, too, if you like. The result will be lower in calories and sugar, higher in fiber and vitamins, fresher tasting, and less expensive! The American Institute for Cancer Research calls the goal of boosting fruit and vegetable consumption one of the most important steps to lower cancer risk, so it's worth coming up with some new ways to work them into our eating habits. Meat Not Necessary For a Satisfying Vegetable StewThis is the time of year my grandmother would made her Gvetch (guh-VETCH), a vegetable stew that seemed to include every flavor in the garden. Eventually, I discovered that this dish, which she made for my Romanian grandfather, was that country's national dish, made her particular way. Romanian cooking melds influences from bordering Hungary and 500 years of Turkish occupation. Gvetch gets its name from a Turkish clay pot, or guvec, typically used for making this baked stew. In Romania, it usually contains veal or other meat, but our family's recipe is meatless. This version also happens to be fat-free. Romanian Gvetch 1/2 Spanish onion, diced 1 large garlic clove, chopped 1 medium white-skinned boiling potato, peeled and diced 1 medium sweet potato, peeled, halved and cut in 1-inch pieces 1/4 medium head green cabbage, diced 3 oz. white mushrooms, halved or quartered if 2 inches or larger 1 bay leaf 2 medium carrot, cut in I -inch pieces 1 medium celery rib, cut in I -inch slices 1 medium green bell pepper, diced 1/2 medium cauliflower, in 12-13 large florets 1/2 small, unpeeled eggplant, diced 1 1/4 cups shelled fresh lima beans, or frozen limas (not baby limas) 1/4 cup coarsely chopped flat leaf parsley 4 ounces whole green beans, trimmed 2 medium tomatoes, seeded and coarsely chopped 1 cup tomato juice Salt and freshly ground pepper In a large Dutch oven, layer vegetables and seasonings in the following order: onion, garlic, white potatoes, sweet potatoes, cabbage, mushrooms, bay leaf, carrots, celery, green pepper, cauliflower, eggplant, lima beans, parsley and string beans. Arrange tomatoes on top. Pour in tomato juice. Cover pot and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat and simmer until vegetables are tender but still hold their shape, about 30 minutes. Uncover and season to taste with salt and pepper. Cool at least 20 minutes before serving. Or, cool completely and refrigerate. Reheat the Gevetch s before serving. This dish improves with sitting. Makes 12 servings, each containing 83 calories and less than 1 gram of fat. SPORTSLady Mavs Top Eastern For Second League Win Lady Mavs Top Eastern For Second League WinWILURTON The Lady Mavericks of Northern Oklahoma College hand delivered the first conference loss to Eastern Oklahoma Saturday. The Northern ladies took advantage of a 33-24 first half lead to overcome a 2-point second half deficit to win the game 60-53. This was a huge conference win on the road, NOC coach Greg Krause said. The Lady Mavs depth again played an important role in the ball game. Krause said Tia Andrew was called for fouling twice within the first five minutes of the game. I thought they were real tough calls, Krause said. Tia [Andrew] only played 16 minutes. Through 11 games, Andrew has averaged 6.5 blocked shots during an average of 23 minutes a game. Andrew has a total of 72 blocked shots and 101 rebounds. She still managed four blocked shots and five rebounds. Freshman Angela King played well off the bench by contributing nine points and seven rebounds in 23 minutes. Angela was a big key in covering for Tia, Krause said. Our depth is a very important part of our team this year. The ladies held Easterns 3-point specialist, Amanda Burris to 10 points for the game. Eastern made six three-pointers, but Burris was not allowed a point beyond the arc in the second half. The win extends NOCs record to 10-1 overal and 2-0 in conference. Eastern is 7-3, and 3-1. Erin Goss led the Lady Mavs in scoring with 13 points and 8 rebounds. LaQueisha Dickerson, 9 points, 11 rebounds; B. J. Homer, 9 points; Angela King 9; Lindsey Sheiever, 8; Ashley Hewitt, 7; Denise Jake, 3; Tia Andrew, 2. The Lady Mavericks are home Saturday at 2 p.m. against Carl Albert.
Seeking to continue their winning ways, the Ponca City JV girls basketball team will take on Owasso prior to the varsity game at Robson Field House tonight. The Lady wildcats broke to an 11-2 first quarter lead en route to a 46-28 win over Stillwater Friday. Ann Ziegenhain popped through 11 points to lead the Ponca City scoring. Chistina Huddleston and Gerry Eddinger each had 8 points. We got a lot of points on layups due to our full court pressure defense, said coach Dana Bright. Ann Ziegenhain did a good job on the inside and our guards did a good job of getting her the ball. The Poncans were 9-of-17 from the free throw line. Earlier, the Poncans defeated the cold shooting Tulsa Union JVs, 39-14 after leading 15-4 at halftime. Ziegenhain had 8 points in that game while Melisa Fore and Eddinger each had 6. Ponca City 46, Stillwaer 28 Ponca City 11 8 11 16 46 Stillwater 2 4 11 9 28 Ponca City Ann Ziegenhain 11, Christina Huddleston 8, Gerry Eddinger 8, A. Summers 6, Jamie Prado 4, A. Hendrickson 4, Janna Green 2, Kelli Wedd 2, Monica Sawyer 2. Stillwater Rogers 8, Sulusser 8, Ende 5, Ward 4, Klatt 2, Fosyth 1 Ponca City 39, Tulsa Union 14 Ponca City 8 7 16 8 39 T. Union 2 2 6 4 14 Ponca City Ziegenhain 8, Melissa fore 6, Eddinger 6, K. Wedd 3, Lauren Cartidge 3, Huddleston 2, Green 2, Mallory Hodge 2, Prado 2, J. Wedd 2, Sawyer 1 Union Corso 5, Becker 5, Tatum 2, Quillman 2 Frontier Wins In Shoot OutRED ROCK The Frontier Mustangs beat Covington-Douglas 83-49, Monday, in the first round of the Frontier Shoot-Out. Tonight, in the girls second round, Newkirk plays Covington-Douglas at 4:30 p.m.. Oilton takes on Davenport at 7:30. On the boys side, Pawnee plays Davenport at 6, and Newkirk takes on Harvest in the late game at 9 p.m.. Frontier led Covington-Douglas 22-11 in the first quarter and 43-19 after the first half. Covington-Douglas won the third quarter 14-13, to make the score 56-33. Freshman Wahskon Camp led the scoring with 16 points. Albert Plumley followed with 14 and Chris Plumley had 11. The three scoring leaders also had 3 rebounds each. Reggie Weckstein narrowly missed double figures with 9 points and 2 boards. Tom Butler scored 8 points and hauled in 5 rebounds. Also contributing to the win were Matt Clouse with 8 points, 1 rebound; Jeff Ingmire, 6 points, 3 rebounds; Miles Bender, 6 points, 2 rebounds and Jared Padgett with 4 points and 1 rebound. The Mustangs play Oilton at 6 p.m., Friday. Covington-Douglas plays Garber at 6 p.m., Thursday in the consolation bracket. The Lady Mustangs sent Pawnee to the consolation bracket Monday with a 41-36 defensive struggle. Our defense won the game for us, Lady Mustangs coach Greg Jackson said. We finally played with intensity for four quarters and made some plays to win. The Lady Mustangs face Garber on Friday at 6 p.m. Garber handily defeated Frontier 45-23 last week. Eighth Grade Girls Fall to UnionSAND SPRINGS The eighth grade varsity girls lost a 20-17 squeaker to Tulsa Union on Monday. Coach Russ Shafer said the girls took good shots, but took too few, especially in the third quarter. Ponca City took only four shots compared to 11 taken by Tulsa Union. The team played well on defense. The score after the first quarter was 8-6, Tulsa Union, then 12-10 and 13-14 after three periods Laci Starnes led Ponca City in scoring with 9 points. Erin Pickering scored 4 points, while Cheyenne Cartlidge and Nicole Overman score two, apiece. The girls play again Thursday in the Sand Springs tournament. Miles Quits Dallas To Become OSU Football CoachSTILLWATER (AP) Les Miles has resigned his assistant coaching position with the Dallas Cowboys and has accepted the head football coaching position at Oklahoma State, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has confirmed. An announcement on Miles, who was OSUs offensive coordinator in 1997, when the Cowboys went 8-4 and reached the Alamo Bowl, could be made on Wednesday, various print and Oklahoma City-area broadcast outlets have reported. Jones told The Daily Oklahoman for Tuesdays editions that Miles had everything and will be a successful coach. Were sorry to lose him, but he made a top contribution while he was here, Jones said. Hes extremely well-qualified to be a college head coach, and I know he had a very serious (passion) for Oklahoma State. Oklahoma City TV station KFOR reported that Miles told Jones of his intention to resign and accept the OSU job. KWTV and radio station WWLS, also reported on Monday that Miles was the choice, but a news conference announcing his selection has not been set. In a teleconference with reporters who cover OSU football on Monday, Athletic Director Terry Don Phillips would not confirm the move. Asked if a decision was imminent, Phillips said, close. Last week, Boise State coach Dirk Koetter accepted the OSU job but rescinded his acceptance a day later and took an offer from Arizona State. Phillips said he doesnt think the coachs reversal will reflect negatively on OSU. Dirk Koetter is an outstanding coach and hes got an impeccable record regarding his honesty and integrity, Phillips said. Our research confirmed he is an outstanding man and hes going to do an outstanding job at Arizona State University. Phillips said Koetter was always up-front about his fondness for Pacific 10 Conference schools. In meetings with OSU officials, Koetter cited Oregon and Arizona State as schools that were very attractive to him. OSU made an offer before Koetter visited Arizona State. But last week, he did tell us that he was coming, Phillips said in the Tulsa World. It was my understanding that there were no conditions on coming. It was just an issue of working out the contract with his attorney. Koetter got a five-year, $3.5 million deal to coach the Sun Devils. His selection was announced on Saturday. Efforts to reach Miles for confirmation were unsuccessful on Monday. Miles would replace Bob Simmons, who was fired in November after six seasons. The 47-year-old would be a popular choice among some players. Last week, five Cowboys met with Phillips to describe the kind of coach they hoped hed hire and used Miles as a model. Senior quarterback Tony Lindsay, one of five players who met with Phillips, lit up when told Miles was the apparent choice. Thatll work, said Lindsay, whose best year at OSU was the 97 season spent under Miles tutelage. Coach Miles can bring a lot to the team. He has served on staffs under prominent head coaches, including Bill McCartney at Colorado and Bo Schembechler at Michigan. Miles also played for Schembechler at Michigan from 1972-75. OSUs offenses went from 311 yards and 20.7 points a game in Miles first season there (1995), to 391 yards in 1996, producing two games of 500-plus yards. Then in 1997, the Cowboys averaged 376 yards and 30.2 points and finished 8-4 still the programs only winning season since 1988 and went to the Alamo Bowl. Speculation on OSUs new football coach has centered on Miles and former Oklahoma State quarterback Mike Gundy, who were granted second interviews last week. Gundy was a serious candidate despite being 33-year-old and being relatively inexperienced, said Phillips. Phillips said Gundy was informed that an offer was on the table for another individual and OSU was waiting for that individuals decision. During the day after I met with Mike, Dirk accepted the position, said Phillips. The next morning, I met with Mike again and told him the position had been accepted. Heupel Finalist For HeismanNEW YORK (AP) Three quarterbacks Drew Brees of Purdue, Josh Heupel of Oklahoma and Chris Weinke of Florida State and running back LaDainian Tomlinson of Texas Christian were announced Monday as finalists for the Heisman Trophy. The award to the nations best college football player, will be presented by the Downtown Athletic Club on Saturday night. Brees, a finalist last year, is the Big Tens career passing leader with 11,517 yards and led Purdue to the Rose Bowl for the first time since 1966. He threw for 3,393 yards this season with 24 touchdowns and 12 interceptions, and he also ran for 516 yards and five more TDs. Heupel led Oklahoma to the No. 1 ranking in the country, completing 280 of 433 passes for 3,392 yards with 20 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. He has at least one TD pass in all 24 of his career games at Oklahoma and has passed for more than 300 yards in 14 of them. Weinke led the nation with 4,167 passing yards with 33 TD passes and 11 interceptions. He 32-2 as a starters at Florida State with a streak of 25 consecutive victories. Stoops Named Coach of YearOKLAHOMA CITY (AP) Oklahoma head football coach Bob Stoops was honored as the Football News 2000 Coach of the Year Tuesday. Stoops, who led Oklahoma to a 12-0 record this season in his second year at the school, was chosen over Bob Davie of Notre Dame and South Carolinas Lou Holtz. The Sooners are set to play in the Orange Bowl against Florida State on Jan. 3 for a chance to win Oklahomas first national title since 1985.
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