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From the pages of The Ponca City News, Thursday, December 2, 1999 LOCAL DEATHS NEWS BRIEFS SPORTS GARDENING LOCALNearly News Nearly NewsSherri Tapp, chairman of the Millennium Christmas Gala, announced Wednesday that the event is sold out. The Gala, officially, kicking off the Christmas season in Ponca City is slated for 7 p.m., Saturday at the Marland Mansion. Tapp is requesting that if anyone has an extra ticket she would like for them to call her at 767-0306. Meet Santa After ParadeGrand Central Station, Fifth and Central streets, will be the setting for "Santa's Open House" following the Millennium Parade Friday evening. Festivities at GCS are sponsored by ProTeens under the direction of Vickie Ward who says this is a "safe" place for kids to "hang out." Traditional treats such as hot chocolate, hot cider, homebaked cookies, etc., will be served. Photographs with Santa at a cost of $2 per person are also on the agenda. For more information call Grand Central Station at 767-8336. School Concert Program Begins Tonight at HutchinsThe Ponca City Public School Orchestra program will present four concerts for the community over the next two weeks. Concerts begin tonight at 7 p.m. in the Hutchins Memorial Auditorium with the combined elementary orchestra strings. The fifth grade orchestra selections include “Jingle Bells,” “Dreidel” (Channukah Celebration), “Good King Wenceslas,” “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen,” and “Jolly Old St. Nicholas.” The sixth grade orchestra will present “Hark, the Herald Angels Sing,” “Here Comes Santa Claus,” “Away in the Manger,” and “Frosty the Snowman.” The 150-member elementary orchestras are under the direction of Keith Powers and Valerie Huffman. The High School Chamber String Orchestra program will begin at 8 p.m., immediately after the elementary orchestras finish. This end-of-the-semester program will be in the Howell Auditorium at Po-Hi. The group will perform five selections under the direction of Dan P. Larson. This 52-member organization will open the concert with “Allegro from Concerto Grosso” by the baroque composer George Frideric Handel (as arranged by Sandra Dackow). Moving to the classical period and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, the orchestra will perform “Overture to Lucio Silla,” arranged by Sandra Dackow. Two selections follow from the romantic period. Georges Bizet’s “Farandole from L’Arlesienne Suite No. 2,” arranged by Merie J. Issac is first, followed by the “Finale” from Antonin Dvorak’s “Symphony No. 8 in G Major,” arranged by Sandra Dackow. They will conclude the concert with “White Christmas” by Irving Berlin, as arranged by Bruce Chase. Watercolor Show Set At MansionThe Ponca City Arts and Humanities Council is hosting the 14th annual Watercolor Oklahoma traveling exhibition at the Artist Studio on the Marland Estate. The exhibit opens Saturday, Dec. 4 and continues through Friday, Dec. 31. Exhibit days are Wednesday through Sunday, 1-4 p.m. This year’s exhibit features 36 works selected from entries as part of Oklahoma Watercolor Association’s juried event. Most of the artists are native Oklahomans and many will be familiar names from past exhibitions. “The traveling show is a great way to share artists’ works with the entire state,” commented Beverly Fentress, exhibit coordinator. “A variety of styles, designs and colors is featured, so there is truly something for everyone in this exhibit,” she continued. All the works are for sale to the public. Anyone interested in purchasing works on display should contact Kathy Adams, Marland Estate Director, for further information. The Artist Studio is located on the grounds of the Marland Estate, 901 Monument Road. Watercolor Oklahoma XIV is a project of Ponca City Arts and Humanities Council and Oklahoma Museums Association, and is sponsored by the Oklahoma Watercolor Association. Wild West Author Michael Wallis Due Saturday at BooksigningBy SALLY HODGES News Staff News Michael Wallis, nationally acclaimed nonfiction writer, will be in Ponca City autographing and discussing his new book “The Real Wild West — The 101 Ranch and the Creation of the American West.” Brace Books and More will sponsor the event from 2 to 4 p.m. Saturday. “The Real Wild West” is Wallis’ 10th nonfiction book, and it made its first appearance in Ponca City in March of this year accompanied by a celebration at the 101 Ranch; an Indian blessing of the book to lift the alleged curse placed on the ranch by an Indian chief; and a presentation of the first autographed copy to Joe C. Miller Jr., great-grandson of Col. G.W. Miller, founder of the 101 Ranch. Research of and writing “The Real Wild West” spanned 10 years time but encompasses 100 years of American Western history. Wallis expressed it was the most comprehensive of his works and the most difficult to write. He writes a tribute to the Old West, centering the focus on the 101 Ranch and its importance to the shaping of our impressions of the nation’s frontier days. According to Wallis, the 101 Ranch was a “fabulous empire with tremendous influence, particularly in the world of entertainment.” Founded in 1893 by G.W. Miller, the 101 Ranch spanned 110,000 acres and was one of the most influential and memorable ranches of the American West. Performers in the Wild West Show — cowboys, cowgirls and Indians — performed continuously before packed audiences around the nation and the world. Many of the 101 ranchhands starred in some of the first silent western movies ever made. “The story of the Miller family and the men and women associated with them has been largely overlooked,” said Wallis. “I wanted to tell their story and let everyone know of their impact on American culture, especially the world of entertainment and motion pictures. At the 101 Ranch, the West of myth collided with the West of imagination.” Wallis, originally from Missouri, now resides in Tulsa with his wife, Suzanne. They have settle in Oklahoma and consider Oklahoma their home. A former magazine journalist and reporter, Wallis also maintains a “hideout” home in New Mexico. Since its debut in Ponca City, the book has been nominated for at least four prestigious awards and honors, and his agents are negotiating film and movie rights to the book with several parties. “The Real Wild West” is in its third printing and has received rave reviews from scores of prestigious magazines and newspapers as well as being the topic of several national radio and television shows. The British rights to the book recently sold to a major London-based publisher and will be published in Great Britain next year. Wallis will be on hand Saturday not only to sign copies of “The Real Wild West” but to sign copies of his other books which will be available. These books include “Oklahoma Crossroads,” “Route 66, The Mother Road,” “Way Down Yonder in the Indian Nation,” “Oilman: The Story of Frank Phillips and Birth of Phillips Petroleum” and several others. He is also the author of “Mankiller: A Chief and Her People.” For additional information, or to reserve an autographed copy, call Brace Books and More, 2205 North 14th, at 765-5173. Main Street Morning SetMornings on Main Street in Ponca City will be held from 9 to 11 a.m. Monday at McGee Jewelers, 219 East Grand. It is a come and go event. Co-hosts will be the Ponca Main Street Authority and McGee Jewelers. This will be an opportunity for interested persons to meet Michelle Jean, new director of Ponca City Main Street Authority. In addition, monthly calendars will be available. Business owners and individuals interested in downtown Ponca City are encouraged to stop by for coffee and donuts. Donuts will be provided by Picken’s Daylight Donuts. The purpose of Mornings on Main Street is to give local business owners, building owners and other concerned citizens the opportunity to network and learn more about how they can support the Main Street program. Ponca Candidate Forum on SaturdayWHITE EAGLE — The Ponca Tribal Election Board will be holding a “Candidate Forum” Saturday, Dec. 4, at noon. This is an opportunity for each candidate who filed for office to express their views and position to the tribal membership in regard to the upcoming tribal election to fill three positions on the Business Committee which will be held Dec. 18. The polling place for tribal members to cast their votes will be the Tribal Affairs Building. All tribal members are encouraged to attend the meeting to hear their choice of candidates express themselves as to why they want to solicit the vote of tribal members at large. There will be a question/answer session to allow tribal members to ask particular questions of the candidates who filed for office. Letter - Challenges Senators to Fight for Dr. BobBe informed that Dr. Bob Gibson does want his medical license reinstated. Do not keep lying to the people. At this time he is not appealing the decision but that does not say he is finished. If our senators do not have the backbone to stand up for the right causes, why do we need you? All of you, including the governor, are there by our choice and that can change anytime. Stick to the truth! It’s safer. Furthermore, Dr. Bob’s patients are not standing by doing nothing. We are all working diligently and we won’t give up. Verna Peterson Letter - Let's Make Veteran's Day a HolidayIt gives me great comfort in reading the many recent letters to the editor concerning Veteran’s Day. The common thread in all of these letters from citizens is that we all want to honor Veterans. What seems to be the riff is that there are scheduling conflicts that bring tough decisions as to participation (High School Band and others). I would like to offer that the problem in truly honoring veterans on Veterans Day is that we (all of us) aren’t holding veteran’s day, November 11, as a true holiday! What’s with that? For the great sacrifice our men and women have given to the freedom we enjoy in this country, why can’t we put aside a day for a true holiday to make it special? I think the entire community is overwhelmed at the exceptional work done this year to honor veterans. But why don’t we observe Veterans Day, on Nov. 11! Why must we wait until the Saturday following or preceding Nov. 11 to celebrate! Do you see something wrong here? Yes, on Nov. 11 of each year there is an American Flag flying at my house. If Veteran’s Day falls on a weekday, the flag is up, but I’m at work with most of the other citizens of the community. The government observes Nov. 11 as a holiday but very few in the private sector do. Oh yes, even our schools are in session on that day. Do you see the problem? If business owners and employers conduct their activities as normal on Nov. 11 of each year, do we really have a holiday? I see other holidays such as Labor Day and Memorial Day as some that many businesses observe. Why not Veterans Day? With that said, I would surely hope that merchants wouldn’t think of capitalizing on Veterans Day in the same way they do with all other holidays. Labor Dale Sales, Memorial Day Sales, and the like. I think we would all like to have Veterans Day as a holiday where all retail merchants close, businesses relieve their employees for a day, schools close, the government is off, and communities come together for parades and events that honor our brave veterans for their tremendous sacrifice for our freedom. Is this too much to ask? Is that something to demand? There probably isn’t a single true American Citizen who wouldn’t agree with our need to truly honor Veterans. However, the 80s and 90s have taught folks to go with the flow. Business is good here in the United States, and the government is reluctant to flex muscles to support the concept of a true holiday if it interferes with economic progress. That is, unless you, the American citizens make your wishes known in a vigorous way. If you believe that Veteran’s Day, Nov. 11, should be a true holiday then it is your responsibility as an American Citizen to make it that. Yes, it is your responsibility. You have the voice! As an American Citizen it is your duty to voice your concerns and wishes to your representatives in government. If you do and they don’t take action, fire them on Election Day. Okay, this is pretty good stuff to read in the editorials. I’ve read a lot of good stuff too, but the question I pose tonight is whether you, an American Citizen, will stand up and be counted. Or, shall we just ride out the 80s and 90s mentality of going with the flow? Can’t have it both ways. Paul C. Taylor Letter - Consequences of a Few Are Far-ReachingThe consequences of a few “self-righteous people who spent so much time and energy trying to destroy Dr. Bob, are far more than just getting a license revoked from a dedicated caring man — people lost jobs, patients lost their Doctor (the Dr. who treated their body and mind — the doctor who treated them regardless of money or status). As stated earlier in a letter, many doctors aren’t taking new patients — where do we go?? Out of town, most likely! What have we been hearing these years of trying to boost our town — “spend money locally!!” I have no doubt that Dr. Bob and Marion and their family will survive and be even stronger for this low blow and for sure and certain your lives have taken a drastic turn but it “ain’t over ‘till the fat lady sings.” And you know, at this “family-time-of-the year,” just think how fortunate you all are to have each other and so many friends and supporters! What goes around comes around, and frankly, I’d rather be in your shoes than the self-righteous, do-gooders who has allowed greed, hate and malice to cause this travesty. We all make mistakes in life, but having the courage to correct mistakes is another matter. The State Board of Medical Licensure has made a terrible mistake this time!! Why can’t we all just treat people the way we want to be treated??? Hang in there Dr. Bob and family and P.S., I agree with Bobby — you’re one of my “John Wayne’s” too!!! Louise Williams DEATHSArthur C. Scavezze Sr. Arthur C. Scavezze Sr.PITTSBURG, Kan. — Arthur C. Scavezze Sr., resident of Pittsburg, Kan., died Sunday, Nov. 28, 1999, at the Beverly Rehabilitation Center in Pittsburg. He was 90. Mass of Christian Burial was held at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church with the Rev. Thomas Stroot as celebrant. Burial followed in the Garden of Memories Cemetery under the direction of Friskel Funeral Home. Arthur C. Scavezze Sr. was born Nov. 22, 1909, in Chicopee, Kan., the son of Charles and Lucy George Scavezze. He was a graduate of Frontenac High School. He married Cora Christine Keller on June 4, 1934, in Pittsburg, Kan. She preceded him in death Aug. 19, 1995. He was employed as an engineer/fireman for the Kansas City Southern Railroad for 50 years. He was a member of Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church and the Golden Rails. Survivors include three sons, John Scavezze of Tulsa, Arthur Scavezze of Ponca City and William Scavezze of Salt Lake City, Utah; a daughter, Elizabeth Moore of Lawrence, Kan.; a brother, Elmo Scavezze of Albuquerque, N.M.; 10 grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren. In addition to his wife, he was preceded in death by three sisters. Johnnye Cheryl CooperNORMAN — Johnnye Cheryl Cooper, resident of Ponca City, died Monday, Nov. 29, 1999, in Ponca City. She was 59. The funeral will be 2 p.m. Friday, Dec. 3, 1999, at the Sunset Chapel in Norman with the Rev. Larry E. Nigh officiating. Burial will be in the Sunset Memorial Park in Norman under the direction of Primrose Funeral Service. Johnnye Cheryl Cooper was born Jan. 5, 1940, in Altus, the daughter of Benjamin and Della Q. (Muse) Wise. She attended El Camino Junior College. She moved to Norman in 1990 from Ardmore and had recently moved to Ponca City. She was a member of Berry Road Baptist Church of Norman. She is survived by three sons, Guy Cooper of Ponca City, Ty Cooper of Littleton, Colo., and Mitch Cooper of Oklahoma City; two brothers, J.B. Wise of Colorado and Keith Wise of El Segundo, Calif.; two sisters, Terry Wise and Dani Whitney, both of Carson City, Nev.; three grandchildren; and a variety of other relatives. She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Jimmy L. Cooper; and a sister, Jacquie. Honorary casket bearers will be Don Masters, Randy Gordon, Wayne Reed, Harry Henninger, Wayne Steely, Todd Fields, Kelly Rusk, Chuck Jones and Brad Phoenix. George Willard Mefford Sr.BLACKWELL — George Willard Mefford Sr., resident of Blackwell, died Wednesday morning, Dec. 1, 1999, at his home in rural Blackwell. He was 81. The funeral will be 2 p.m. Friday, Dec. 3, 1999, in the First Baptist Church with the Rev. Rick Longcrier, pastor, officiating. Burial will follow in the Newkirk Cemetery under the direction of Roberts and Son Funeral Home. A flag presentation will be conducted by the Blackwell VFW and American Legion. George Willard Mefford Sr. was born on March 3, 1918, in Coffeyville, Kan., the son of John Harvey and Emma (Massey) Mefford. At the age of six, he moved with his family to Newkirk where he attended school, graduating from Newkirk High School in 1936. While in school, he was a state champion wrestler. Following graduation, he began farming with his father. He married Inez Lavenia Auld on March 23, 1940, in Perry, and they settled on the farm near Newkirk. He then entered the United States Navy, serving during World War II. Following his discharge, they began the Mefford Drive-in Restaurant in Newkirk. He was also employed for the Blackwell Zinc Company and in auto body repair in Newkirk. In 1959, they moved to Blackwell where he continued employment at the smelter until its closure in 1973 and at the Fair Body Shop and Hamlin Body Shop. In 1973, he began Mefford Body Shop and continued in auto body repair until ill health forced his retirement. They spent winters in south Texas for 22 years. He was a member of the First Baptist Church and the Adult I Men’s Sunday School class, the Roamin’ Okies Camper Club and was a lifetime member of the VFW. He is survived by his wife of the home; one daughter, Linda Kay Dunaway of Kingsville, Texas; two sons, John Edward Mefford of Newkirk and George Mefford Jr. of Ponca City; a sister, Mary Anne Wilson of Newkirk; eight grandchildren; and 12 great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents; two brothers, William Lloyd and John Francis Mefford; five sisters, Iva Belle, Louie Opal, Thelma Ladean, Sylvia Leola and Martha Leone. Casket bearers will be Darin Dunaway, Skip Mefford, John Mefford Jr.; Jason Mathieu, John Strickland and Tracey Marion. Honorary casket bearers are Henry Fetters, Olen Riley, Bill Butler, J.D. Duncan and Newman Hicks. Memorial contributions may be made in his name to the First Baptist Church-Building Fund or to Hospice of Ponca City, c/o Roberts and Son Funeral Home, 120 West Padon, Blackwell, Okla. 74631. Raymond W. DixonRaymond W. “Ray” Dixon, Ponca City resident, died Wednesday. Dec. 1, 1999, at the St. Joseph Regional Medical Center. He was 57. The funeral will be held at 2 p.m. Friday, Dec. 3, 1999, in the New Life Pentecostal Church with the Rev. Joe Muniz officiating. Burial will follow in the Resthaven Memorial Park Cemetery under the direction of Grace Memorial Chapel. Raymond W. Dixon was born Dec. 22, 1941, in Bartlesville, the son of William and Lenora (Shiddox) Dixon. He grew in the Ponca City area and received his education here. He was a veteran of the U.S. Army. He married Rosey May Neidig on Dec. 31, 1981, in Gilman City, Mo. The couple made their home in Ponca City. Ray worked as a farm hand around Ponca City until forced to retire due to ill health. He enjoyed the outdoors, especially hunting and fishing. Surviving are his wife of the home; one brother, Charles Dixon of Ponca City; one sister, Berneice Dixon of Guthrie; and several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents; one sister, Judy; and a brother Bert. The family will be at the home 802 South 11th. ObituariesHerbert W. AllenHerbert W. Allen, a resident of Ponca City from 1946 to 1990, died on Dec. 1, 1999, in Knoxville, Tenn., at Holston Nursing and Health Center. He was born in Arkansas City, Kan., July 7, 1910, and was raised there. He was the son of the late Hollis H. Allen and Gertrude B. Allen. As a teenager, after the premature death of his father, he worked there for the Newman Dry Goods Company and later became a buyer in the drapery department for that company. He was a member of the First Baptist Church in Arkansas City. During World War II, he was employed by the Santa Fe Railroad at Arkansas City as a fireman and served in that capacity four years before moving to Ponca City. In Ponca City, he was employed as an interior designer for Glenn Paris and Sons Furniture from 1946 to 1990. After the death of his wife, Lola, he retired to be with his daughters in DeSoto, Texas. While in Ponca City, he was a member of the First Baptist Church where he served in various capacities as a Sunday School leader, song leader for a senior adult department, and choir member. After moving to DeSoto, Texas, he became a member of the Hampton Road Baptist Church where he was active in the Sunday School and senior adult choir. He is survived by three daughters and a son: Mrs. Raymond L. Hill of Newark, Texas; Mrs. Donna K. Abbott of Seymour, Tenn.; Mrs. Janice E. Walters of DeSoto, Texas; and Mr. Hollis H. Allen of Vicksburg, Miss. He is also survived by 10 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren and a sister, Mrs. Noel Stuart of Valley Falls, Kan. The funeral will be at 10 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 4, 1999, in the chapel of the First Baptist Church in Ponca City with the Rev. Hance Dilbeck, pastor, officiating. Burial will follow in Riverview Cemetery, Arkansas City, Kan., under direction of Trout Funeral Home, Ponca City. paid obituary NEWS BRIEFSClothing Available — Free clothing to anyone with a need — Monday, Dec. 6 from 6 to 8 p.m. at First Assembly of God, 1308 Bradley. Use the furthest northwest doors. We have lots of winter coats for those who need them. Ponca City Pictorial History Books have arrived! Pick up your copy today! Will make a great Christmas Gift! Ponca City News Business Office, 8:00-5:00, Monday thru Friday. adv. Walnut Valley Music Meeting — The Walnut Valley chapter of the Kansas Oldtime Fiddlers, Pickers and Singers, will meet Saturday at the Senior Citizens Center in downtown Arkansas City, Kan. Individual performances will begin at 4 p.m. A Christmas covered dish dinner will be served at 6 p.m. Those attending are asked to bring a vegetable, salad or dessert. The meat, bread and beverages will be provided by the Walnut Valley Chapter. An election of officers for 2000 will be held following the dinner. Dance bands will perform at 7 p.m. This is a clean environment as no smoking, alcoholic beverages or drugs are allowed. This is a special time for the chapter with music, good food, fellowship and dancing. Musicians, members and guests are cordially invited to attend. Any Of Dr. Bob Gibson’s patients who have not found a Doctor call 765-3542 or 762-8901. We would like to have a count. adv. Flight Breakfast — A flight breakfast, open to the public, is being sponsored by the Ponca City Aviation Booster Club Saturday from 7:30 to 9:30 a.m., at building No. 14 at Ponca City Municipal Airport. The cost of the buffet breakfast is $4. Dougan's Bar-B-Q Friday special from 4-8 p.m., all you can eat ribs with beans, potato salad and coleslaw, $7.49. 215 South 14th, 765-7979. adv. Ministerial Alliance to Meet — The Ponca City Ministerial Alliance will meet for luncheon and program on Thursday, Dec. 9, at noon at St. Joseph Regional Medical Center. Police Chief Raymond Ham is the scheduled speaker after lunch. Attention: Special meeting for all persons interested or affected by current proposed annexation Thursday, December 2nd, 6:00 pm. Busy Bee Arena, 4610 North Pecan Road. Call 765-9944 or 765-9125. adv. Vehicle Vandalized — A woman from the 200 block of South Osage Street reported to the Ponca City Police Department at 7:53 a.m. Wednesday that a rock had been thrown through the back window of her vehicle. An officer was assigned and a report was taken. Head Country all day Friday special All you can eat, smoked BBQ ribs, beans, potato salad, and coleslaw, only $7.49, all day. 1217 East Prospect. 767-8304. adv. Windows Broken — A motorist reported to the Ponca City Police Department at 9:38 a.m. Wednesday that some windows at Lake Ponca Cabin No. 3 had been broken out. An officer was assigned and a report was taken. Free Pregnancy test. Birth Choice cares. Confidential. Hours: Tuesday, 6-8 p.m., Wednesday, 1-3 p.m. and Thursday, 6-8 p.m. 700 West Broadway. 765-9689. adv. Non-Paying Customer — An employee at Davis-Moore Auto, 3501 North Fourteenth Street, reported to the Ponca City Police Department at 11:26 a.m. Wednesday that a customer left without paying for repair of his vehicle. An officer was assigned and a report was taken. Subject Held — Three officers of the Ponca City Police Department reported from the 500 block of South Pine Street at 3:37 p.m. Wednesday that a 26-year-old man was being held for possession of a controlled and dangerous substance. Fire — The Communications Center received a 911 call at 3:52 p.m. Wednesday that a cotton stripper 1.5 miles west of Oklahoma 156 on North Avenue was on fire. Ranch Drive Volunteer Fire Department handled the problem. Accident — The Communications Center received a report at 2:49 a.m. Thursday that a vehicle had rolled over five miles west of Waverly Street on West South Avenue extension, and that the vehicle was in a ditch. The Oklahoma Highway Patrol and Kay County Sheriff’s Office were notified to handle the situation. Suspicious Activity — A woman from the 400 block of Virginia Avenue reported to the Ponca City Police Department at 4:41 p.m. Wednesday that someone was writing checks on her account. An officer was assigned and a report was taken. Subjects Held — An employee at Buy For Less, 2405 North Fourteenth Street, reported to the Ponca City Police Department at 11:17 p.m. Wednesday that two juveniles were in custody as shoplifters. An officer was assigned and a 16-year-old boy and a 14-year-old boy were held for curfew violations and petit larceny. They were released on a promise to appear. Parking Lot Fight — The Communications Center received a call at 5:05 p.m. Wednesday that several subjects were fighting in a parking lot south of Paradise Apartments. Two officers were assigned and a 20-year-old man was held on a city warrant for failure to pay. Tag Stolen — A man from the 3200 block of Turner Street reported to the Ponca City Police Department at 5:43 p.m. Wednesday that a tag had been stolen off a vehicle. An officer was assigned and a report was taken. Open House — Fire Station No. 1, from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Friday. Visit the new Ponca City renovation project. Window Broken — A woman from the 2400 block of Copperfield Avenue reported to the Ponca City Police Department at 8:40 p.m. Wednesday that someone had broken a window of a van. An officer was assigned and a report was taken. Abandoned Items — An officer of the Ponca City Police Department reported finding three newsstands and a bicycle abandoned in an alley behind the 2000 block of Joe Street. Information was left to have Animal Control retrieve the items. Don’t Miss The Parade — The Ponca City Millenium Parade begins at 7 p.m. Friday along Grand Avenue. GARDENINGYuletide Gifts for Gardeners Yuletide Gifts for GardenersBy GEORGE BRIA Associated Press POUND RIDGE, N.Y. — Garden writers get snowed with gift catalogs as Yuletide nears. Innovative and expensive items catch the eye, but I also look for the tried and true. Want to be sure to please a gardener? Be basic. Gift-wrap a trowel. Year in and year out, no garden tool is more versatile than the trowel And the more trowels you have the better because they get lost and are missing just when you want them. Aware of this, the catalogs give trowels a prominent place singly or combined with other tools. If you like to go out and shop, hardware stores and nurseries stock them. A handsome, English-made stainless steel trowel is offered at $47.95 by Kinsman Company, River Road, P.O. Box 357, Point Pleasant, Pa. 18950, Telephone 800-733-4146; www.kinsmangarden.com. A nice combo of trowel and weeder at $34.95 is featured by Gardeners Supply Company, 128 Intervale Road, Burlington, Vt. 05401, telephone 800-863-1700; www.gardeners.com. They're forged in New England from high-carbon steel. For $24.95 a long-handled, step-on weeder that lets you do the job standing up is offered by Hound Dog Products, Inc., 6515 Cecilia Circle, Edina, Minn. 55439, telephone 800-694-6863; www.hound-dog.com. It features a unique mechanism that grasps the entire weed, root and all, and pulls it out. A sturdy plastic box containing 12 garden tools that doubles as a seat is offered at $100 by Brookstone Inc., 17 Nashua, N.H. 03062, telephone 800-926-7000; www.brookstone.com. The box with built-in grips includes hedge shears, hand rake, bulb planter, folding saw, grass shears, anvil pruner, by-pass pruner, dibble, weeder, transplanter, cultivator and, of course, a trowel. A trowel might be all your gift recipient needs to dig holes for planting bulbs. But the terrain might be hard and he or she low on strength or pressed for time. Especially in mass plantings, a cordless drill with bulb auger makes the job easier. Two augers drilling three-inch diameter holes are offered by Plow & Hearth, P.O. Box 5000, Madison, Va. 22727, telephone 800-627-1712; www.plowhearth.com. The short augur comes at $24.95. The 2-foot-tall augur, for less bending over while planting, comes at $39.95. They fit any three-eighth-inch or larger drill. An augur for smaller bulbs drilling one and one-half inch wide holes and made by Jisco, Protech Tool Supply, Inc., P.O. Box 582 Wildwood, Mo. 63040, retailed at my hardware store for $7.49. If you don’t have a cordless drill, an attractive holiday combination of 14.4 volt drill and flashlight is offered by Ryobi America Corp., 1424 Pearman Dairy Road, Anderson, S.C. 29625, telephone 800-525-2579; www.ryobi.com. The kit comes with two rechargeable battery packs and a one-hour charger. It’s available at The Home Depot outlets for $99. People who want telephones handy while gardening could use a strap-on pocket that holds both a cordless phone and a variety of tools. The strap is adjustable for waist or shoulder wear and the pocket has a hear-through mesh to let you hear the ring better. The gear is offered at $19.99 by Duluth Trading Co., 5200 Quincy Street, St. Paul, Minn. 55112, telephone 800-505-8888; www.duluthtrading.com. Watering cans are something a gardener needs to have around. For hard-to-reach places indoors and out a long-spout can is a must. Kinsman offers upscale English models with detachable 360-hole brass roses at the ends for $83.95 and $93.95. Less expensive long-reach models come at $15.95 and $17.95. Gardeners are often weather hobbyists, too. Interesting and pricey gifts for them are offered by Wind & Weather, 12 N. Main Street, Fort Bragg, Calif. 95437, telephone 800-922-9463; www.windandweather.com. A home weather station that monitors, tracks and forecasts the weather 12 to 24 hours in advance comes at $275. Among its features: indoor and outdoor temperatures and relative humidity, dew point and wind chill factor. The same company markets a dazzling variety of weathervanes starting at $178. Ornaments include the old-time rooster, of course, but there are also diving dolphins, quail, pelican, stag deer, moose, golden labrador, biplane, handsaw, pine trees, sail, pig, lighthouse. The costliest, $875, features three geese in flight. For one-volume, up-to-date gardening how-to, I’ve seen nothing to match America’s Garden Book revised in 1996 with the assistance of the Brooklyn Botanic Garden and published by Macmillan. It’s available from ww.amazon.com for $45.50 with shipping usually done within 24 hours. And for the many of us who feel after-effects of gardening in our backs and knees, Gardener’s Fitness, a $12.95 paperback by a Manhattan fitness guru, Barbara Pearlman, suggests how to weed out the aches and pains. Home-Grown Popcorn Fun And DeliciousBy Lee Reich (AP) — You may be surprised at the different colors of your ears, popcorn ears, that is. Home-grown popcorn might be all one color such as dark red, pink or, of course, yellow. Or it might be multicolored. These ears are nice to bring to a holiday dinner. Popcorn actually predates the first Thanksgiving in America by thousands of years. Kernels have been found in the remains of Central American settlements almost 7,000 years old. The Quichas of Peru and the Aztecs of Mexico grew red, yellow and white popcorns. Later, popcorn was eaten by settlers in the Northeast as a breakfast staple with milk and maple sugar or floated on soup (very good!). In this century, movie and television viewing caused a resurgence in popcorn consumption. Sure, its easier to just buy popcorn than to grow it. Popcorn is cheap. And gourmet popcorns make tender and large popped kernels. If you grow popcorn, you do have to plant it as far as possible from sweet corn or else cross-pollination will make popcorn less poppable and sweet corn less sweet. But what fun popcorn is to grow, and how easy. Few pleasures match that of going out to the garden and snapping each ear off its stalk as the low, autumn sun warms your shoulders. Find a comfortable seat in the garden, then pull back the dry husks to expose the ears and tie the ears together in bundles by their husks. Hang the bundles in the garage or the kitchen. To ready the corn for popping, snap off a few kernels to make some empty space on an ear. Then grasp the ear in both hands and twist off the kernels. Water 13 percent to 14.5 percent is the secret to getting popcorn to pop. Old-timers would let their ears dry in a loft for a season or two, but you needn’t really wait that long. Hanging in the garage or the kitchen for a couple of months or more should bring the moisture level close enough to optimum. Your popcorn might not pop as large as store bought, but this depends mostly on what variety you grow. Then again, you might find your home-grown variety of popcorn tastier. And the colorful ears do dress up kitchen rafters. Landscape Management Tipsby Dale Goodwin Kay County OSU Extension Educator Late November/early December is a time that many people are unsure what to do with, or how to treat, their yards. Here are a few tips you might find helpful for landscape management. This is a good time to take a soil sample. This should be done every 2 to 3 years. Our office can send your sample to our labs at Oklahoma State University for analysis. Cost is $10 per sample. You will need different samples for your lawn and garden areas. Turf CareContinue to control broadleaf weeds. Fertilize fescue with one pound of Nitrogen per 1,000 sq. ft. Reduce mowing height of fescue to two inches. Remove leaves from cool-season grasses or mow with a mulching lawn mower. Trees and ShrubsRemove diseased limbs and twigs on trees, shrubs and vines. The present to March 15 is the major pruning season. Apply a two inch layer of well-rotted manure under the dripline of pines and magnolias. The dripline is where the outer leaves end. Spray dormant oils for scale when temperature is above 40 degrees F. Do not use on evergreens. FlowersContinue planting spring flowering bulbs (tulips, hyacinths, and daffodils). Remove diseased plant material to reduce disease problems next year. Do not compost diseased plants. Mulch annual and perennial beds for weed control and moisture retention, and to prevent erosion problems. The frosts of fall are here, and each year after the first few, a number of us are alarmed by the strange leopard-like brown spots of our usually beautiful warm season lawns of bermudagrass or zoysiagrass. The symptoms are most common on very uniform areas of turf in open areas of the lawn located several feet from the warming effects of buildings or away from trees where frost formation was most severe. Don’t be alarmed by the frosting patterns. Remember that although the leaves of the warm-season grasses have been killed by the frost, the dormant rhizomes (underground runners), stolons (above ground runners) and sheltered crowns will lie dormant over the winter — ready to resume growth in the spring of the year. So, those of you with warm season lawns, sit back, winterize your lawn mower and enjoy the cold weather. Nature is at work. Diggin’ in the DirtBy Kathy Zehr This week’s column will contain the last of fall gardening tips and help for gardeners in the Ponca City area. As we head into this last December of the century, we have not had any significant rainfall for several weeks. It is critical to give all shrubs and trees a good drink of water now. According to OSU Horticulture Specialist Michael A. Schnelle, watering in late fall is one of the most important chores of a wise gardener and saves many good trees or bushes from serious damage. The water not only gives the plants much needed moisture to survive, but protects the surface roots from the upcoming freezing and thawing cycles. Schnelle recommends at least 1-inch of water per week until the ground freezes (a rain gauge or a small container may be used to measure 1-inch of water). He also advises that different soils allow water penetration at different levels and a simple test should be made to make certain the 1-inch of water is penetrating deep enough. Dig a small hole 4-6 inches down to see if the water is reaching the deeper roots. A slow soaker-hose application is ideal as it allows the water to sink in slowly and not run off to another location. Since we have finally had our first hard freeze, mulches may now be applied around trees and shrubs to hold in moisture and also protect surface roots from temperature changes. Healthy leaves or other materials may be used. Remember not to pile leaves or mulches around the trunks. Last Minute Chores Clean up the last of the dead foliage from plants killed by the recent freeze. Chop them up and add to the compost pile. Remember — no diseased tomato or other trash from unhealthy plants in the compost. Vegetable gardeners may want to prepare some beds for early spring crops such as lettuce, radish, green onions and spinach. Cover the area to be planted with 2 to 4-inches of mulch such as straw, leaves, or other organic material. In early spring you can simply pull the mulch back and sow the seeds directly into the ground. Cut yellowed asparagus ferns at ground level and mulch the bed. Also mulch strawberry beds with straw or hay. To prevent freezing and breakage, clean and empty all stone and clay fountains, pots and garden ornaments and store them away in an unheated building. Dig dahlias and cut stems back to 6-inches and leave outdoors to dry for a few hours. Knock off loose soil and hang the tubers upside down in the garage for two weeks. Then store the tubers in slightly moistened peat moss in crates in a 35-50 degree basement or other facility. Keep the moss slightly moistened all winter. Also dig gladiolus bulbs, cut off dying foliage and let bulbs dry indoors. Then knock off loose soil and discard the older bottom bulb, saving the younger top bulb for planting. Place the bulb in a 3-inch deep slotted container (milk crate) in slightly damp peat moss and store in 40-degree room. For Little Sprouts Boys and girls, if you have a good pumpkin or two left over from Halloween or Thanksgiving, try roasting the seeds for a healthy snack to share with your family. Remove the seeds, wash and dry them, then mix with one and one-half teaspoons of cooking oil and 1 teaspoon of salt. Spread the oiled seeds on a cookie sheet and ask an adult to place them in a 250 degree oven for about one hour or until the seeds are browned and crisp. Ask an adult to shake the hot pan frequently to make sure the seeds toast evenly. Remove from oven and let them cool before eating. Yum! SPORTSLineup Blended for Wildcat Wrestlers Lineup Blended for Wildcat WrestlersBy FRED HILTON News Sports Editor Tonight’s lineup for the Wildcat wrestlers as they open the season with a dual at Owasso will be blended. Head coach Todd Steidley has blended in six seniors, a junior, four sophomores and three freshmen. The “youth movement” is due to two factors: 1 — There are some early season injuries and some grapplers are having problems making weight. 2 — These sophomore and freshmen are good. Steidley admits that having three freshmen in the Wildcat lineup is a bit unusual. But he’s not unhappy about it. “I did it at Bixby, but at this level, it’s pretty unusual,” the coach said. “But these kids are good ones. They are giving us some extra depth and they are pushing the upperclassmen.” B#ut the core of the team will be the Cat seniors. They include Michael Osborn at 145 pounds, Matt Littleton at 157, Kyle Duren at 160, Blaine Empting at 171, Jeremy Leavitt at 189 and Jason Neurenberg at 215. “These seniors have paid their dues,” Steidley says. “They are battle tested and they should provide great leadership for this team.” But the coming of talented young wrestlers gives the coach hope that the program is starting to climb back to the elite level. “All 14 weights are starting to be competitive,” Steidley says, “and we have good depth at six or seven weights,” The coach points out that last year the Cats had one heavyweight in the wresting room. This year he has four. One of them is freshman Jason Arbertha, who will get a starting tonight. The other freshmen starters are Daniel Cottman at 119 pounds and Mimi Miller at 125. The sophomores include Phillip Brotherton at 112, Shawn Lee at 130, Steve Windler at 135 and Roman RedLeaf at 140. Junior Josh Short is at 103 pounds. Steidley is very pleased with the increased numbers in the wrestling room. “We had 20 last year,” the coach says. “This year we have 33, 10th through 12th graders. “The junior high, 7 through 9, has about 80. Just a couple of years ago they had 14. The elementary program, under Chris Humble, is doing a great job.” Owasso could be a test for the youthful Poncans. “Owasso has 12 or 13 starters back,” Steidley notes, “and they have a new coach. “Their best wrestler is at 119 pounds, and that is where we have one of our freshmen.” The coach points out that the Cats will have a full JV team this season and he plans to see to it they have plenty of work. The Wildcat JVs will attend two tournaments over the weekend, at Del City Friday and at Winfield, Kan., Saturday. The JVs and varsity will open their home season Tuesday against top-ranked Broken Arrow. Wildcats’ Lineup 103 — Josh Short 112 — Phillip Brotherton 119 — Daniel Cottman 125 — Mimi Miller 130 — Shawn Lee 135 — Steve Windler 140 — Roman RedLeaf 145 — Michael Osborn 152 — Matt Littleton 160 — Kyle Duren 171 — Blaine Empting 189 — Jeremy Leavitt 215 — Jason Neurenberg Hwt — James Arbertha Mavs Bury Bisons EarlyBy TED ATCHLEY NOC Sports Information The Northern Oklahoma College Mavericks came out strong and wound up with 66 points in the first half against the OBU Bison junior varsity squad in Tonkawa Wednesday night to post a 104-48 victory. Sophomore guard Larry Reid and post Sherman Rochell both came up with 20 points for the night. Rochell had 15 in the first half and Reid had 14. Reid was hot outside, going 4-of-4 from 3-point range. The action in Foster-Piper Fieldhouse Wednesday night was the first opportunity for the Mavericks to play at home since before Thanksgiving. “Even though we faced a junior varsity squad, the game was worth a lot to us after building up some road weariness,” coach Mick Weiberg said. “We came out strong and didn't take it easy on them at first. We made some good cuts and passes. We just played our game.” The game was a good opportunity to play everybody on the Northern team. “We came out relaxed and we shot better,” Weiberg said. “We played all our men, and any time you can do that it is a valuable game because we need as much experience as we can get. We depend on our bench and they need the time.” Other Mavericks who scored Wednesday night include Richie Myers with 10, Scott Prater 10, Chris Arledge 10, Felix Desjardins had 8, Jeff Newby 8, Steven Davison with 3, Tyler Barnard 2, Spencer Lazosky 4 and Akil Gay knocked in 6. Weiberg said his team must now concentrate on the homecoming game set for Saturday afternoon in Tonkawa against a tough Carl Albert team. “Carl Albert is really tough,” Weiberg said. “This will be a very tough basketball game for us.” Carl Albert will be gunning for the Mavericks. The teams have enjoyed an intense cross-region rivalry and neither team will give an inch. “We need to get mentally prepared,” Weiberg said. “We plan to go at them hard and we need all our fans to come over and help us out.” The “Maverick Millennium” Homecoming events on Saturday kickoff with a BBQ dinner hosted by the Lady Mavs Softball team beginning at 11 a.m. in the East Gym on the Tonkawa campus. The Lady Mavericks will face off on the court against Carl Albert at 2 p.m. and the Mavericks are scheduled to take the floor at 4 p.m. During halftime of the men’s game the 1999-2000 Homecoming Queen will be introduced. Cowboys Finish StrongSTILLWATER (AP) — Oklahoma State more than made up for a poor shooting performance with a dominating finish. The No. 21 Cowboys scored the final 15 points to beat Wichita State 68-56 on Wednesday night. Desmond Mason, held to two first-half points, had seven points in the 15-0 run. Joe Adkins made two free throws with 3:14 to go to give the Cowboys (5-0) a 57-56 lead. ‘‘I thought in the final four minutes our ballclub kept its poise. We hit our free throws, didn’t turn the ball over and played good defense,’’ Cowboys coach Eddie Sutton said. Oklahoma State shot 39 percent from the field, and was 0-for-7 from 3-point range. ‘‘Both teams played great defense,’’ Sutton said. ‘‘Sometimes when the defense is as intense as it was tonight, the shots don’t fall. I think that was the case tonight.’’ After taking a 56-53 lead, the Shockers (2-1) were 0-for-7 from the field and turned the ball over three times. ‘‘We didn’t come here for a moral victory and we didn’t want to just play close,’’ Shockers coach Randy Smithson said. ‘‘It’s the first time in four years that I’ve walked off after a loss and feel as proud as I feel of our basketball team. ‘‘We just wanted to come in here and give ourselves a chance to win against an outstanding team. I believe they are a top 10 team and I believe we’re going to have a great season.’’ Alex Webber led the Cowboys with 20 points. ‘‘I think they looked at the scouting report and with all the other guys we have they didn’t guard me,’’ the center said. ‘‘I got lucky and was in the right spot a few times.’’ Mason added 11 points for Oklahoma State, and Brian Montonati and Glendon Alexander each had 10 each. Oklahoma State was effective at the free-throw line, shooting 28-for-38. After missing six of its first eight attempts, the Cowboys were 26-for-30. Darrin Williams led Wichita State with 14 points and 17 rebounds. Jason Perez, who entered the game averaging 27 points, finished with 10 points. --- No. 21 OKLAHOMA ST. 68, WICHITA ST. 56 WICHITA ST. (2-1) Robinson 3-4 0-1 7, Perez 4-16 0-0 10, Williams 5-11 4-5 14, Lemons 1-3 0-0 3, Steven 2-5 1-2 7, Phillips 1-4 0-0 2, Lewis 0-0 0-0 0, Benton 2-6 3-4 8, Mack 2-3 0-0 4, Davis 0-0 1-2 1. Totals 20-52 9-14 56. OKLAHOMA ST. (5-0) Montonati 2-7 6-8 10, Mason 3-8 5-7 11, Webber 9-11 2-2 20, Adkins 3-12 3-4 9, Gottlieb 1-7 1-4 3, Alexander 2-4 6-7 10, Jonzen 0-1 5-6 5, Williams 0-1 0-0 0, Keep 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 20-51 28-38 68. Halftime—Wichita St. 29, Oklahoma St. 28. 3-point goals—Wichita St. 7-25 (Steven 2-3, Perez 2-8, Robinson 1-2, Lemons 1-2, Benton 1-5, Phillips 0-2, Williams 0-3), Oklahoma St. 0-7 (Mason 0-1, Alexander 0-1, Gottlieb 0-2, Adkins 0-3). Fouled out—Lemons, Steven, Jonzen. Rebounds—Wichita St. 35 (Williams 17), Oklahoma St. 33 (Mason, Adkins 8). Assists—Wichita St. 13 (Perez 5), Oklahoma St. 10 (Gottlieb 6). Total fouls—Wichita St. 28, Oklahoma St. 16. A—6,099. Eighth Grade BasketballPonca Red Boys 82, Enid Longfellow 30Ponca City’s eighth grade Red boys exploded for an 82-30 win over Enid Longfellow Tuesday at Enid. The Poncans blew in front 16-6 and were comfortably in front, 36-17 at halftime. Justin Waller poured through 27 points to lead the assault while Scott Hartman had 14 and Justin Berle had 10. A total of nine players scored as coach John Spore went to his bench early. Noah England had 8 points, Lee Coburn 7, Antiwon Moore 6, Doug Flett 6, H.C Noll 2 and T.C. Hankins 2. Harry Blueback had seven assists. The 3-1 Red Cougars are at home Tuesday against Woodward. Ponca Blue Boys 72, Enid Emerson 39Ponca City’s eighth grade Blue Cougars broke to a 26-8 first period lead and never looked back in burying Enid Emerson 72-39 Tuesday. Antoine English and Devin Anderson each had 14 points while Matt Drewer had 12 and Pat Collogan had 10. Ryan Ward finished with 8 points while Whitt Theobald had 6, Blaine King 5, Charles Alexander 4 and Todd Gringrich 2. Ponca City Blue Girls varsity 29, Enid Emerson 23.Ponca City’s eight grade Blue varsity girls held off a late Enid Emerson charge to record a 29-23 win Tuesday. Jana Green paced the Poncans with 10 points while Jennifer Jenkins had 9, Rudonna Borden 6, Jordan Lunsford 2 and Chelsie Cobb 2. Now 3-1 on the season, the Lady Blue Cougars play at Enid Longfellow Tuesday. Ponca City Blue Girls JVs 30, Enid Emerson 12Ponca City’s eighth grade Blue girls’ junior varsity cagers jumped to a 14-8 halftime lead on their way to a 30-12 win over Enid Emerson Tuesday. Tiffany Pollard had 8 points, Lindsey Thomas 6, Emily Thompson 4, Shelley Payne 4, Amanda Bachelor 4, Sarah Blueback 2 and Sarah Hart 2.
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