LOCAL

Local Program Seeks Drunk Driving Victims
Search Under Way For Murderer
Conoco Up and Y2K Ready
Nearly News
Millennium Ball Will Be Dropped
District Court
Conoco Staff Ready To Meet Emergency
Free Shuttle Service Ready for Downtown
The End of the First Millennium
Oklahoma Gas and Electric Employees Will Be Available For Y2K Problems
Number of Staff Positions Available During OSAI
Dance Saturday at White Eagle for New Year

Local Program Seeks Drunk Driving Victims

By MARK GALVIN

News Staff Writer

One speaker is paralyzed for life because her boyfriend had a few beers. Climbing behind the wheel, he overcorrected on the highway and it changed her life permanently.

Another speaker describes a young man, once handsome, but now permanently disfigured from an automobile wreck caused when he was driving drunk.

With New Year’s Eve, the busiest drinking-and-driving night of the year, on tomorrow’s horizon, the monthly meetings of the Kay County Victims’ Impact Panel take on added signfigance.

The panel is again looking for drunk-driving victims or their survivors or their relatives — anyone with a loved one killed or injured in an alcohol-related crash.

The volunteers would speak on the panel, which addresses approximately 30 convicted drunk-driving offenders each month and puts them face-to-face with families, rescue professionals and other drunk drivers who recount their own experiences with drinking and driving.

Many offenders report they are profoundly affected by what they hear at the panel, which is based on the belief that drunk drivers need to hear what happens to the victims.

“The program not only enables offenders to understand the pain and suffering drunk driving causes to other people, but it also helps victims and victims’ families to cope with their devastating circumstances,” said Faith Davis, Kay County coordinator for the Victims’ Impact Panel.

“A lot of people have the feeling they can drink a couple of beers and it’s no big deal, but the speakers let the offenders see a different viewpoint from their drinking and driving,” said Davis.

“Holidays and birthdays are toughest,” said one victim’s mother. “I feel like I’ve been cheated. The hardest question I have to answer is … how many children do you have? Do I tell people about my dead son … ?”

Many panelists report that while it is emotionally draining for them to relive their stories, they are strengthened each time they do it. Some have said that participating on a panel helped them deal with depression about the past and take charge of their lives once again.

“It’s tough to speak of your loss in front of a crowd because it brings back all the pain. The speakers have to relive it every time they have to speak of the loss of a loved one,” Davis said. “They can find it too difficult, too painful to speak about.

“But it helps them work through their loss, their pain, and they can tell it benefits the people who are sentenced to be there,” she said.

“The saddest part about listening to these tragic stories of injury and death caused by drunk drivers is knowing that those stories are reoccurring every day, nearly 5,000 times a year on Oklahoma’s streets and highways,” Davis said. According to statistics, every 48 hours in Oklahoma someone is killed by a drunk driver.

The Victims’ Impact Panel, pioneered in Oregon, is now being used in several counties and municipalities in Oklahoma.

Anyone who has had their life affected in any way by drinking and driving is invited to contact Davis at 580-362-2268 if they would be interested in speaking on the panel or want more information about the program.

Drink, But Stay Safe

Anyone deserves to celebrate, but there are simple steps that can help ensure celebrating doesn’t turn to tragedy. To avoid a drunk-driving situation...

• Make a plan beforehand

• Give your keys to someone else

• Have a designated driver

• Plan on taking a taxi or staying where you are

Drinking and then driving is particularly troublesome “because then it is no accident — it’s preventable,” said Faith Davis of the county’s Victims Impact Panel program.

Davis added, “We just want [people] to see the madness of getting behind the wheel when you have been drinking. The consequences, along with the potential danger to yourself and to other people, are it costs you money and it costs you your freedom,” she said.

“The vehicle becomes a weapon and you’re putting other people at risk. You have to take into consideration other people who are on the road — and their families.”

Search Under Way For Murderer

CHOUTEAU, Okla. (AP) — Authorities scoured southern Missouri today in search of a man wanted in the death of Laci Dawn (Griffin) Hill and the carjacking of an elderly woman and a toddler in Springfield, Mo.

Dozens of troopers and sheriff’s deputies combed an area near Missouri Highway 32 and Cedar County A Wednesday for Steven Ray Thacker, who was reportedly identified from video surveillance tapes at a Wal-Mart store in Pryor using the debit cards of Hill, 25.

Ms. Hill, a former Ponca City resident, who had been missing since Dec. 23, was found partially clad under debris inside an outbuilding in Chouteau where search dogs discovered her purse earlier in the day.

Her parents and brother still live in the Ponca City area. They were unavailable for comment.

In Springfield, police found Thacker’s car abandoned at a pharmacy parking lot, where he took another vehicle by force, authorities said.

The carjacking ordeal for 79-year-old Hazel Lynch and the 2-year-old daughter of Ms. Lynch’s friend began at about 3 p.m. Wednesday when Ms. Lynch and the friend met Thacker at a Springfield drug store to show him a Grand Am for sale. The young mother had advertised the car for sale and had a for-sale sign with her number on the car.

After the four drove around the parking lot with Thacker in the passenger seat, Thacker allegedly went for a gun, said Springfield police spokesman Mike Green. The mother and Thacker struggled with the suspect grabbing her around the neck and punching her in the face several times.

Green said Thacker pushed the mother out of the car and took off with the older woman and the toddler for around an hour before he released them west of Ash Grove, Mo.

The incident was similar to the one that apparently led to the disappearance of Ms. Hill with the Bixby woman staying home to show a potential buyer the family pool table that had been advertised for sale.

Thacker is described by the FBI as a white male born on Nov. 21, 1970, 6 feet 3 inches tall, weighing 210 pounds with blue or hazel eyes and brown hair. The plumber’s apprentice who was laid off a week before Christmas had served time in a Florida prison on convictions for bogus checks, records show.

Keith Roberson told the Tulsa World that because of the layoff, Thacker didn’t have much money to spend on his family. But recently, Roberson said Thacker seemed to have a lot of money, which he said had been wired t him from his mother.

‘‘We just can’t believe how he sat here at Christmas with us and carried on like nothing happened,’’ Roberson said of his son-in-law.

Roberson’s daughter, Trena Thacker, could not be reached for comment. She was seen in the videotape with Thacker, but left before he paid for the merchandise. Her father said Mrs. Thacker went to the police when she saw Thacker on the tapes on television and when she found out he had used Ms. Hill’s debit cards.

FBI spokesman Dan Vogel said a state medical examiner would have to determine Ms. Hill’s cause of death.

An arrest warrant was issued Tuesday for Thacker on complaints of unlawful possession and use of a stolen debit card. Prosecutors said Wednesday that a first-degree murder charge would be filed by the Mayes County District Attorney.

Dozens of Ms. Hill’s friends and relatives had put up posters of the missing woman and waited by the phone for some word about her welfare. A $20,000 reward was offered for her safe return.

‘‘I know she accepted the Lord as her savior,’’ Michael Hill, Ms. Hill’s brother-in-law, said. ‘‘I know she’s with the Lord right now. You don’t understand this. Why would somebody do this? You can’t figure out the evil that goes in the world.’’

Conoco Up and Y2K Ready

By LOUISE ABERCROMBIE

News Business Editor

With the clock ticking toward the ominous midnight hour of Dec. 31 — when computer glitches might occur — Conoco facilities here and around the world are geared for any Y2K complications.

Conoco officials report that refineries and other facilities worldwide will be monitored from corporate headquarters in Houston as the bewitching hour approaches in various time zones. These locations include operations in Malaysia and the Humber refinery in London.

Keith Coppock, Mid Continent Business Unit Y2K Refinery coordinator, explained that London is six hours ahead so any problems encountered could serve as a forewarning as what to expect here.

In addition to the Ponca City refinery, Conoco stateside refineries include Lake Charles, La.; Denver, Colo.; and Billings, Mont.

As far as the Ponca City refinery Y2K readiness, Coppock, said, “We feel comfortable — we are expecting the best — but we are prepared for the worst.

“We’ve been working pretty hard on Y2K since early 1998 and planning began in 1997. We began testing the control systems in December, 1998. We formed a team and started working on plans to try to identify areas that we are weak in and upgraded those and also tested all the online systems to make sure that they were compliant.

“We are constantly reviewing vender sheets on compliancy to make sure they match what we’ve got and if not we looked to upgrade.”

Coppock added, “The refinery will not shut down for Dec. 31, simply because it’s much safer to remain up and running. There are more risks associated with shutting down a refinery than there are with keeping it running.”

The refinery is reducing operational rates.” We are basically lowering them to Y2K levels. A lot of them match normal seasonal lows because typically at the end of the year we try to get the inventories down going into the new year.”

The refinery operations personnel have already begun to reduce rates (lowering flow). “By starting early, operators will have time to stabilize their units before the calendar rollover,” Coppock said.

He said two units, coker and alkalization, are scheduled to go into a “holding pattern” until the millennium turnover is finished.

Coppock explained that the holding pattern will completely eliminate the risk of any equipment damage or chemical release in those units due to some unexpected Y2K occurrence.

“We’ve had a basic drill where we had a fire scenario and also what happens if we lose our electricity and then from a community action standpoint that we are all on the same page,” he said.

The Y2K team held sessions with the Ponca City Utility Authority, Oklahoma Natural Gas and Oklahoma Gas and Electric. “We can handle most anything that comes our way. We have had power outages before,” Coppock explained.

Nearly News

Tonight is the final night for the 1999 Festival of Angels displays.

Originally, it had been scheduled through Friday night, but with all the other activities planned locally, it is closing down a night earlier.

“If your kids want to see the penguins splash off the iceberg one more time or watch the frog eat the snowflakes again, take them to Lake Ponca Park tonight. The park is open from 6-10 p.m.,” said Kathy Adams, president of the Festival of Angels organization.

Millennium Ball Will Be Dropped

At the stroke of midnight on Dec. 31, 1999, a lighted ball will drop from the flagpole atop the Bank of America building located at Third and Grand in downtown Ponca City. The Millennium Ball, designed by James York, was constructed by Cookshack Inc. The ball is three foot in diameter and is constructed of stainless steel. The two-piece construction has over 600 lights on it.

Special recognition goes to the Cookshack Inc. team who constructed the Millennium Ball. They include Stuart Powell, Jerry VanWinkle, Dan Ruth, Bob Miller, Jason Golay, Dale Emery, Keenan Pappan, Marty Smith, and Eyvind Logan.

The dropping of the ball at midnight, along with the unfurling of the 2000 flag, and a magnificent fireworks show will culminate the two-day Ponca City Millennium Celebration.

Millennium Buttons

There is still time to purchase your Millennium Button which will give you entrance to over 11 venues in downtown Ponca City. The $5 buttons will be available on Dec. 31 at the Millennium Sales and Information Center located at Fifth and Grand (former United Way location). The special Millennium Buttons are numbered. Every hour on the hour, beginning at 1 p.m., a button number will be drawn at the Millennium Sales and Information Center. You do not have to be present to win. The number drawn will receive a special Millennium gift.

Anyone who desires to participate in the drawing for the special Millennium gifts without the purchase of a button, may pick up a free participation ticket at the Millennium Information and Sales Center between 7 a.m. and 8 a.m. on Friday, Dec. 31, 1999.

Winning numbers will be announced throughout the day and will be posted at the Millennium Information and Sales Center. The last winning number will be drawn at 11 p.m. and will be the grand prize of $2,000 Chamber bucks. Other gifts will include a computer system, gift certificates and special Millennium gift packages.

District Court

Newkirk

Marriage Licenses

Beau Bradley Nickles, 19, and Michelle Dawn Boyer, 18, both of Ponca City.

Douglas Ellsworth Evans, 28, and Janice Louise Vanthomme, 38, both of Ponca City.

Gailen Dale Musgrave, 51, and Charlene Marie Jennings, 52, both of Arkansas City.

William Marion Apperson, 52, and Debra Ann Hogan, 44, both of Ponca City.

Greg Ryan Posey, 44, and Sara Lynn Bullington, 41, both of Ponca City.

Charles Vernon Kirk III, 31, and Kelli Dawn Waggerman, 34, both of Ponca City.

Michael Lynn Wade, 29, and Milynda DeAnn White, 30, both of Ponca City.

Divorces Granted

Ty Darrell Hendren vs. Julie Elizabeth Hendren; defendant restored to former name Fisher.

Civil Petitions

Primus Automotive Financial vs. Deanna S. Peterson; plaintiff seeking judgment for $2,810.45.

Blackwell

Divorces Sought

Robert Lee Brandt vs. Melissa Lynn Taylor Brandt.

Harold D. Stone vs. Audry Stone.

Mindi L. McKeown vs. Beni D. McKeown.

Divorces Granted

Trevor L. Ratzlaff vs. Angel Ratzlaff.

Tammy Lynn Harman vs. Richard A. Balli.

Margaret R. Lattimer vs. Cecil C. Lattimer.

Robert Lee Brandt vs. Melissa Lynn Taylor Brandt; defendant restored to former name Melissa Lynn Taylor.

Civil Petitions

Creditors Recovery Corporation vs. Carlos Pando and Cruz Pando; plaintiff seeking judgment for $3,976.16.

Tonkawa Shipping Inc. vs. Cletus Blubaugh; plaintiff seeking judgment for $3,317.44.

Ponca City

Divorces Sought

Nora M. Baugus vs. Doran W. Baugus.

Leslie Ann Lockwood vs. David Allen Lockwood Jr.

Larry M. Thompson vs. Lisa Renee Thompson.

Rhonda Lynn Kelly vs. Michael Ray Kelly.

Ryan Davis Posey vs. Betty Cho Posey.

Lynda S. Chism vs. Roy Douglas Chism.

Divorces Granted

Tina Lyn Cramer vs. Robert Cramer.

Jodi Lynn Lemming vs. Alex Joseph Lemming; plaintiff restored to former name Jodi Lynn Hudson.

Ernest L. Burkhart vs. Marilyn K. Burkhart; defendant restored to former name Marilyn K. Dorsey.

Malinda Leatherman vs. Danny Leatherman; plaintiff restored to former name Scott.

Roy Wayne Sensintaffar vs. Carol Ann Sensintaffar; plaintiff restored to former name Carol Ann Whiting.

Civil Petitions

Nicholas C. Currier and Rebecca J. Currier vs. T.D. Williamson, Inc., and Joe Gritts; plaintiffs seeking judgment in excess of $10,000.

Alton R. Horne, et al., vs. Leisha M. Arbona and Skip McEntire; plaintiffs seeking judgment in excess of $10,000.

Greenwood Trust Company vs. John N. Thiry; plaintiff seeking judgment for $3,649.59.

First National Bank of Oklahoma vs. Jackie L. Wilkinson; plaintiff seeking judgment for $5,050.

Jessica A. Cobbs, et al., vs. Stanley O. Claybaker; plaintiffs seeking judgment for $12,000.

Conoco Staff Ready To Meet Emergency

While others are celebrating New Year’s Eve, a crack team of professionals and experts — including members of the Emergency Response Team (ERT) — will be on site at the Ponca City Conoco refinery and complex.

Although no emergencies are expected, Conoco is taking no chances and is prepared just in case a problem of any kind should arise because of a Y2K glitch.

Keith Coppock, refinery coordinator for Y2K efforts, says that about 30 employees will be filling support roles during the calendar rollover.

Refinery manager Nick Spencer is expected to be on site as are other area managers. Additionally, about 15 facility personnel will be on hand, including electricians, servicemen and mechanics.

Mid Continent Business Unit and Technology management personnel will also be on site.

Computer Sciences Corporation, which has a data center in the Park Building which supports businesses around the globe, is staffed 24 hours a day. Personnel will do Y2K rollover preparations and post-rollover verification testing for data and voice network services. Computer help desk staff also will be on the complex.

Security has been beefed up and access to the site will be limited to those on shift in the refinery and those whose names have been previously submitted by department heads.

Normal passes which allow employees access to the site will not be accepted on New Year’s Eve. No one will be admitted whose name does not appear on the security guard’s list, according to Bill Lundeen, Ponca City Facilities Management and Y2K coordinator for the office complex.

Should there be an emergency, members of the ERT participating in the Millennium downtown New Year’s events, can report to the Ponca City Fifth Street fire station, where an ERT shuttle bus and a safety vehicle with emergency lights will be on standby.

Free Shuttle Service Ready for Downtown

People ready for Ponca City’s Millennium bash won’t have to try to find a parking place downtown.

Pioneer Transit, Ponca City’s new transportation system, will be shuttling passengers downtown for the Millennium Celebration from a Ponca City High School parking lot, as well as from Grace Episcopal Church and Conoco’s north parking lot.

Pioneer Transit director Laura Corff said the transit, which normally is a $1.50 door-to-door service, is volunteering its drivers to shuttle passengers back and forth from the two parking areas for free.

Motorists can park in the two lots of Grace Episcopal Church at Thirteenth Street and East Grand Avenue, in the Po-Hi parking lot outside Sullins Stadium on North Seventh Street, or in Conoco’s north parking lot at South Pine Street and West South Avenue.

The shuttle service will run from 1 p.m. Friday to 1 a.m. Saturday between the two parking areas and key points near both the Ponca City Library and the Poncan Theatre downtown, and near the First Baptist Church at Fifth Street and Central Avenue.

Corff said the shuttle service will have at least four vehicles with radio communication, including passenger vans donated by Smith International and the Salvation Army, and a 20-passenger bus from the City of Ponca City. The vehicles are scheduled to drop off and pick up every 30 minutes.

Beginning at 5 a.m. Friday, Grand Avenue will be blocked off between East Second Street and East Sixth Street.

Anyone with questions can call Pioneer Transit at 718-0444 or 0456.

The End of the First Millennium

By KENNIS WESSEL, Ph.D.

Special to The News

Editor’s Note: The Ponca City Millennium Committee has commissioned a series of articles on the subject of “Life in the Year 999.” The articles are researched and written by Dr. Kennis Wessel, Executive Director of the Poncan Theatre. They have appeared during the year 1999, anticipating the Second Millennium. This article is the twelfth and last of the series.

One thousand years ago, on New Year’s Eve in 999, St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome was overfilled with a crush of people hoping for salvation. It was a frightening moment. 999 was an age of extraordinary faith. In a few key centers of the Christian world, the faithful expected the end of the world. In St. Peter’s, some were prostrate on the floor. Some, it is said, actually died of fear. As the moment approached, Pope Sylvester II followed centuries of ritual tradition, praying for the salvation of his flock.

Elsewhere in Europe, others gathered on high ground, hoping to be as close to heaven as possible. Some had been told that the millennium of the birth of Jesus would bring the return of Christ on earth. Some thought it was the moment that Satan would be unleashed. Either way, it was important to be ready.

In the last years before 1,000 AD, portents seemed to appear. In 969, an eclipse darkened the sky. It terrified and routed the armies of the Holy Roman Emperor, who was about to enter battle. In 993, Mount Vesuvius belched more fire and brimstone than in anyone’s memory, spewing rock three miles away. In 998, two meteorites crashed to earth in Europe. Some people felt that an unusual number of great men died just before the first millennium.

Even in the human realm, the end of being seemed near. The Papacy itself had become hideously corrupt, with papal graft, murder, and even dismemberment. A French scribe wrote that “iniquity abounds among mankind,” and “religion hath failed among the pontiffs.” He predicted that “the whole human race” was “sliding into the gulf of primeval chaos.”

Most significantly, in 989, an incredible celestial event took place, described by a French monk named Ralph Glaber as “a phenomenon in the sky” such as “never appears to men without being the sure sign of some mysterious and terrible event.” He wondered whether it was “a new star” or whether God had decided to “increase the brightness of another star.” Seven hundred years later, the same “star” would be named Halley’s Comet. At the first millennium, it was an omen of great consequence.

But in 999, not everyone was informed. True, Catholicism was growing fast, and in the last decade it had reached as far as Iceland. But there was ineffective communication across the Catholic world. There were monasteries across Europe, but monasteries were far between. In 999, with ninety percent of the population in small, rural villages, most people didn’t even have a church. The truth is that in 999, most Europeans weren’t concerned about the end of being. In fact, most people in Europe didn’t even know what year it was.

And Catholic cathedrals had not yet become the massive structures that would soon lift their towers toward heaven. St. Peter’s Basilica, the center of the Papacy and the place where Pope Sylvester was celebrating holy communion, was hardly the building we know today. A basilica was simply a Roman public building. In 999, it was made of wood. There was no dome. There were no magnificent stained glass windows. The spectacular building of today, the fabulous cathedral of the Vatican, was still six hundred years in the future.

In 999, education was limited. The university movement had not yet begun. The only truly educated group in Europe were really the monks and nuns, and the wealthy people who owned a monastery. So the Catholic world probably knew about the first millennium, but most of Europe did not.

The year 999 was a time of fear, a time of horrible human struggles, a time of unimaginable inhumanity. But the human beings of 999 were not much different from us. We are better nourished. We are more blessed with security and stable lives. But in 999, a person of talent and opportunity could still become exceptional.

A Man for the New Millennium

In the tenth century, a young peasant boy named Gerbert was accepted into the great abbey of Aurillac in France. He was a passionate learner. He was such a wonderful student that he was often shown off to visitors as the bright hope of Latin education. One such visitor, a Spanish count, invited the boy to a Spanish monastery. In France, Gerbert had only been able to study “the trivium” (grammar, dialectic, and rhetoric). In Spain, he could also study “the quadrivium” (arithmetic, geometry, music, and astronomy). It was an amazing opportunity, because it gave Gerbert the very best education of Latin Catholicism.

Even better than that, it also showed Gerbert the influence of the Arabic world. In Spain, the Moors had the largest library in the world. They had the most advanced mathematics in the world. Just imagine: even in tenth century Spain, Gerbert learned that the earth was probably round. He learned how to make an astrolabe, to accurately measure astronomical positions. With it, he could predict eclipses and other astronomical phenomena. He learned to use the abacus for complex, fast mathematical calculation. Gerbert was only one of a handful of men in the world who understood so much of the universe.

The young man seemed to be fascinated by everything. He built the most advanced pipe organs of his day, powered by steam. He constructed one of the first pendulum clocks in history. He learned to tell time by watching the night-time sky. He was one of the great book collectors of the time, requesting copies of great classics, trading and swapping for every book he could find.

Gerbert came to be a wise and respected man. He was a gifted teacher and scholar. He advanced to the position of teacher of the Holy Roman Emperors. He was advisor to the Emperor Otto I and teacher to both Otto II and Otto III.

He worked as a diplomat on dangerous missions. He craftily saved the infant Otto III after the death of his father, preserving the line of the Holy Roman Emperors. Later, he successfully led a massive army to the defeat of the Frankish King Lothair. Then, working undercover at great personal risk, Gerbert masterminded a set of negotiations that brought Hugh Capet to power in France. By so doing, Gerbert helped establish the royal monarchy of France, a bloodline that ruled for the next eight hundred years.

But Gerbert came under attack by Catholics who feared that the astrolabe and the abacus were tools of sorcery. In a world of holy wars, Gerbert’s exposure to the wisdom of the Arabs was thought by many Catholics to be unholy.

The scholar was brutally attacked. He was vilified as a wizard of Satan who dabbled in the Arabic occult. He was slandered, and personal stories were fabricated to make him seem a lustful, corrupt man. Even his classical training was attacked. He loved the works of Plato, Aristotle, and Cicero. But to the tenth century Catholic, those writers were ungodly.

Still, Gerbert’s brilliance was the stuff of a parallel legend. He was a dexterous debater, a vigorous and passionate speaker, a vital force on behalf of learning. And he had made good friends in many high places. He had been a king maker and an emperor maker. Gerbert’s allegiance to the Emperor was pivotal, and at age 58, over the objections of many, Gerbert became the Holy Roman Pontiff. He became the Pope.

Gerbert’s story is truly amazing. It is the story of humble origins, exceptional talent, and a thirst for learning. It is a story of sophisticated thinking and a talent for diplomacy in an age noted for crudeness. It is the story of a poor peasant boy with great native talent, the story of solid liberal education. Together, talent and education placed him on the throne of St. Peter, possibly the most important job in all of Europe.

And it was Gerbert who stood in St. Peter’s Basilica on New Year’s Eve in 999 as Pope Sylvester II, bringing holy communion to his flock. Possibly no man in Christendom was better equipped than Gerbert to bring calm to the turbulent moment of the First Millennium.

Gerbert was unusual in 999. He was a man of faith and a man of science. He was a man of intellect and a man of action. He was a diplomat and a soldier. He was a man of legend and a man of real merit. During his reign as Pope, he devoted his time to cleaning up the corruption of the Church. He had the vision to see national identity in France, even before France was a nation.

Gerbert of Aurillac was recently voted by an American periodical as “Man of the Year in 999.” Several hundred years before the Renaissance, Gerbert may have been the first genuine Renaissance Man. He was the perfect man to usher in the Second Millennium.

Copyright 1999 by Kennis Wessel

Oklahoma Gas and Electric Employees Will Be Available For Y2K Problems

OKLAHOMA CITY — OG&E employees will be available on Dec. 31 to answer any last-minute Y2K questions that customers may have. The number to call is (405) 553-3600. The toll-free number for callers outside the Oklahoma City metropolitan area is 1-877-337-3418.

In addition, OG&E employees will be on duty Dec. 31 and Jan 1, ready to respond to any problems that may occur in the power system, Y2K related or not.

“We have been very thorough in our planning and preparation for this event, and our people are ready,” said OG&E spokesman Paul Renfrow. “Due to this preparation and heightened state of alert, we are very confident that if there are any problems at all, they will be alleviated very quickly.

More information about OG&E and Y2K is available at www.oge.com.

Number of Staff Positions Available During OSAI

OKLAHOMA CITY — The Oklahoma Summer Arts Institute is a two-week residential institute providing Oklahoma students with the opportunity to engage in intensive study in their chosen area of the visual, literary or performing arts. Under the instruction of world-renowned artists, Oklahoma’s young people are trained to become the next generation of arts leadership.

The Oklahoma Arts Institute is now accepting applications for the following Oklahoma Summer Arts Institute staff positions — counselor liaisons, stage manager, stage/lighting crewmember; site foreperson; site crewmember; and two bus drivers. Counselor liaisons are responsible for supervising students and are given assignments in a wide variety of areas, from public relations to gallery management to ensure that all aspects of the institute run smoothly. Bus drivers must hold a valid chauffeur’s license. All staff members must be at least 21 years old.

The dates of the Oklahoma Summer Arts Institute are Saturday, June 10, through Sunday, June 25. Exact dates of employment will vary, depending upon the position. Applications for staff positions will be accepted until March 15, To receive an application, interested parties must contact the Oklahoma Arts Institute offices at (405) 319-9019 or okarts@telepath.com, or connect to the Oklahoma Arts Institute website at www.okartsinst.org.

The year 2000 is truly a landmark year for the Oklahoma Summer Arts Institute, the Oklahoma Arts Institute will return to its permanent home at Quartz Mountain. The new Quartz Mountain Arts and Conference Center features 120 new lodge rooms, expanded dining and conference facilities, hiking and biking trails, and the new 700-seat Quartz Mountain Performance Hall.

Dance Saturday at White Eagle for New Year

WHITE EAGLE — The annual New Years Day dance sponsored by the Ladies Auxiliary of American Legion Post 38 is scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 1, 2000. The dance will be held in White Eagle in the tribal cultural building and will be co-hosted by the Ponca Osage Clan.

The Ponca war dance will begin at 2 p.m. and a supper will be served at 5:30 p.m. The evening program will consist of ladies dances and gourd dancing. Individual and family songs will be sung upon request.

Wilkie Eagle will be the headsinger for the day and other principles include Jericho Hardman, current Auxiliary princess, and Eva Thomas, who will be installed as the new princess for the year 2000. Ponca tribal princess Beulah Rose Ingram will also be in attendance.

Leaders of the Osage Clan war dancers are Jim Roughface, Whipman; Damon Roughface, Edward Hara and Leslie Hara are the Tail dancers. Alan Blueback will be in charge of the evening meal. All singers are welcome, but are reminded that for the afternoon war dance, the drum will be closed when the program begins.

The Ladies Auxiliary extends an invitation to Ponca tribal members, friends and relatives of the neighboring tribal communities to come and celebrate a new year and welcome a new millennium. Everyone is reminded to bring chairs and bring dinnerware for the supper.

DEATHS

Dorothy M. McKeown
Albert James Summers
Lawrence Leroy Stevenson
Ernest James Kirchenbauer
George H. Green

Dorothy M. McKeown

MIDWEST CITY — Dorothy M. McKeown, former resident of Ponca City, died Saturday, Dec. 25, 1999, in Midwest City. She was 74.

The funeral was held 10 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 28, 1999, at Paylor Funeral Chapel in Midwest City with Jim Young, deacon, officiating. Burial was in Arlington Memorial Gardens.

Dorothy M. McKeown was born Sept. 1, 1925, in Ponca City, the daughter of Casimir E. “Casey” Balcer and Dora M. Bowman Balcer. She attended schools in Ponca City, graduating from St. Mary’s Catholic School.

Survivors include her husband, William H. “Jack” McKeown of the home in Midwest City; four sons, Jack, Dennis, Jerry and Terry McKeown, all of Oklahoma City; one daughter, Diane Hoefflin of Edmond; three brothers, Benny, Gary and John Balcer; 19 grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. Her parents and one brother preceded her in death.

Casket bearers were Jack McKeown, Jerry McKeown, Dennis McKeown, Terry McKeown, Donnie McKeown and Bryan McKeown. Honorary bearers will be Roy Ikeda and Jesse Auwen.

Albert James Summers

BLACKWELL — Albert James Summers, longtime Blackwell resident, died Tuesday night, Dec. 28, 1999, at Blackwell Regional Hospital. He was 84.

The funeral will be 11 a.m. Friday, Dec. 31, 1999, at the First Baptist Church of Blackwell with the Rev. Rick Longcrier officiating. Burial will be in the Blackwell Cemetery under the direction of Hackler Funeral Home.

Albert James Summers was born on Aug. 1, 1915, in McAllen, Texas, the son of Albert John and Mamie (Woodruff) Summers. At the age of 15, he moved to Newkirk where he graduated from high school in 1934. He attended University Preparatory College, now NOC, in Tonkawa, graduating in 1937. Following his schooling, he worked in various places in Texas, building roads and army bases.

He was a World War II veteran, being inducted into the United States Army Feb. 4, 1942, at Fort Sill. He was in the 38th Ordinance Maintenance Co. and spent 2 1/2 years in Naples, Italy, and North Africa. He was discharged at Camp Chaffee, Ark., on Oct. 13, 1945. After the war, he worked in Texas for a construction company for 2 1/2 years. In 1948, he moved back to the farm southwest of Newkirk where he started farming and was employed with Texaco Co. for 35 years, retiring in 1984. He married Erma (Rowe) McCulloch in Cherokee on July 31, 1953.

He was a member of the First Baptist Church of Blackwell and VFW Post 2855. He entered Hillcrest Nursing Home in 1998.

He is survived by his wife of the home; two stepsons, Lonnie McCulloch of Blackwell and Gary McCulloch of Braman; two brothers, H. Carroll Summers of Weatherford, Texas, and Jon Woodruff Summers of Enid; and six grandsons.

He was preceded in death by his parents; one brother, Frank Summers; and two sisters, Evelyn Plummer and Geraldine Hodges.

Memorials contributions may be made to the First Baptist Church Victory Fund, First and Bridge, Blackwell, Okla. 74631.

Obituaries

Lawrence Leroy Stevenson

Lawrence Leroy “Steve” Stevenson, longtime resident of Ponca City, died Tuesday, Dec. 28, 1999, at Westminster Village. He was 88.

Mr. Stevenson requested that his body be donated to the whole body research department at Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation in Oklahoma City. There will be no service.

Lawrence Leroy “Steve” Stevenson was born Feb. 13, 1911, in Ponca City, the son of John William Stevenson and Cora Cornett Cole Stevenson. He attended Ponca City schools, graduating from Ponca City High School in 1932. In his younger years, he was employed as a lifeguard at both the Bogan Pool and Wentz Camp Pool. He was also employed with Safeway and Paris Furniture and with a Venetian blind company in California. He was employed with Conoco as an instrument man first class, retiring in 1973 after 33 years of service.

He married Elizabeth Magnolia Hutson in 1934 in Ponca City, and they had three children. He later married Reba Isobel Biggerstaff in 1960 in Blackwell. He was a member of the First Christian Church and served as a volunteer with Meals on Wheels.

He is survived by his wife Reba of the home; one son, Larry Allen Stevenson of Sumner, Wash.; one daughter, Linda S. Stevenson Coleman of Kennewick, Wash.; one stepdaughter, Phyllis Turner of Ponca City; a sister, Thelma Richardson of Ponca City; a brother, Raymond Stevenson of Ponca City; 13 grandchildren; and 22 great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents; one son, John William Stevenson; and two sisters, Eva Street and Jewell Ratliff.

Memorial contributions may be made in his name to Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, 825 NE 13th Street, Oklahoma City, Okla. 73104. Cards may be sent to Thelma Richardson at 201 East Broadway, Apartment 301, Ponca City, Okla. 74601.

The family will be at First Christian Church Saturday 2-4 p.m.

paid obituary

Ernest James Kirchenbauer

Ernest James Kirchenbauer, Ponca City resident, died Tuesday, Dec. 28, 1999, at St. Joseph Regional Medical Center. He was 82.

The funeral will be held 10 a.m. Friday, Dec. 31, 1999, at Hartford Avenue Church of Christ with Mr. Don Huddleston officiating. Burial will follow in Resthaven Memorial Park Cemetery under the direction of Trout Funeral Home.

Ernest was born Jan. 26, 1917, in Kansas City, Mo. He was the son of James and Lucinda (Day) Kirchenbauer. Ernest attended Ponca City schools. On Jan. 2, 1937, he married Kathryn Hurst in Winfield, Kan. He was employed for over 20 years at Leche Laundry and retired from Evans and Associates Construction Co. as a foreman. He enjoyed fishing, gardening, rock hounding, and panning for gold.

Survivors include his wife, Kathryn of the home; and five sons, Art Kirchenbauer and his wife, Billie, of Ponca City, John Kirchenbauer and his wife, Mary Jane, of Holtville, Calif., Clint Kirchenbauer and his wife, Patty, Gary Kirchenbauer and his wife, Mary, and Steven Kirchenbauer and his wife, Estelleta, all of Ponca City. Additional survivors include 13 grandchildren, Kim Parker, Lisa Noles, Kerry Kirchenbauer, Karen Kirchenbauer, Amy Travis, Kelly Stewart, Darin Kirchenbauer, Brad Kirchenbauer, Janet Kirchenbauer, Yvonne Pyron, Kayla Kirchenbauer, Rebecca Kirchenbauer, and Christin Kirchenbauer; and 12 great-grandchildren. He is also survived by one sister, Alice McNew of Ponca City; one brother, Bob Kirchenbauer of San Antonio, Texas; and many nieces and nephews.

His parents, one granddaughter, two brothers, and one sister preceded him in death.

paid obituary

Services Pending

George H. Green

George H. Green, Ponca City resident, died Wednesday, Dec. 29, 1999, at his home. He was 80. Arrangements are pending with Trout Funeral Home.

NEWS BRIEFS

Cancellation — Free clothing at the First Assembly of God Church for January has been canceled. Watch for the opening of the new Helping Hands House.

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.

Take Note: Breast Self Exam Reminder: Have You Called Your Buddy?

Rusty Barrell will be open New Years Eve 5:00 till 8:00. First come, first serve. Any in Rusty Barrel by 8:00 will be served. adv.

Road Repairs — The 900 block of Rosedale between Bellflower Avenue and Goldenrod Avenue will be closed from Jan. 4 through Jan. 6 to through traffic for road repairs by the Ponca City Street Division. Anyone with questions should call Rob Dick at 767-0412.

Kaw City, Old Town Cafe, Open New Years Eve/Day. Baby Back Ribs for weedend. Sunday Dinner, Pot Roast. adv.

Burglary — A woman from the 3500 block of B Street reported to the Ponca City Police Department at 9:13 a.m. Wednesday that her house had been burglarized. 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.

Flag Stolen — An employee of Lew Wentz Golf Course reported to the Ponca City Police Department at 9:31 a.m. Wednesday that one of the golf greens flags had been stolen. An officer was assigned and a report was taken.

For Rent: Beautiful condo overlooking the bay, in Ixtapa, Mexico. 1 week or 2 weeks. Jan. 25th to Feb. 5th and/or Feb. 5th to 12th.Very reasonable. For information call 580-762-5319. adv.

Subject Held — An officer of the Ponca City Police Department reported at 9:42 a.m. Wednesday that a 26-year-old man was being held on a city warrant for failure to pay.

Knights of Pythias bingo. New Years Eve. 6 pm till midnight. Everyone welcome. 2512 West highland. adv.

Vehicle Vandalized — A man reported to the Ponca City Police Department at 11:09 a.m. Wednesday that his vehicle had been vandalized while at the YMCA. An officer was assigned and a report was taken.

Assault — An employee of American Legion Children’s Home reported to the Ponca City Police Department at 11:33 a.m. Wednesday that a student had assaulted another student. An officer was assigned and a report was taken.

Credit Card Fraud — An employee at J.C. Penney reported to the Ponca City Police Department at 12:27 p.m. Wednesday that the firm had been the victim of a credit card fraud. An officer was assigned and a report was taken.

Items Found — A man from the 1100 block of South Fourth Street reported to the Ponca City Police Department at 12:57 p.m. Wednesday that several wireframe outdoor Christmas decorations had been found. Animal Control was notified to pick up the items.

Assault — A man was at the Ponca City Police Department at 1:18 p.m. Wednesday to report that he had been assaulted while at Sykes two days ago. An officer was assigned and a report was taken.

Grass Fire — The White Eagle Police Department requested assistance at 2:03 p.m. Wednesday with a grass fire just north of their building. Two units from the Ponca City Fire Department responded to handle the situation.

Shoplifter — An employee at Wal-Mart reported to the Ponca City Police Department at 2:17 p.m. Wednesday that a juvenile boy shoplifter was in custody. An officer was assigned and the boy was released on a promise to appear.

Accident — An officer of the Ponca City Police Department reported at 10:18 p.m. Wednesday that an accident had occurred at the intersection of West Grand Avenue and Pine Street. Two other officers assisted, and two units from the Ponca City Fire Department responded. A report was taken.

Subject Held — An officer of the Ponca City Police Department reported from the intersection of South Third Street and East Central Avenue at 1:51 a.m. Thursday that a 21-year-old man was being held for possession of drug paraphernalia and a Kay County warrant for failure to pay.

Vehicle Hit — A man reported to the Ponca City Police Department at 3:51 p.m. Wednesday that he had hit a car at the intersection of Second Street and East Grand Avenue. An officer was assigned and a report was taken.

Fight — The Communications Center received a 911 call at 10:08 p.m. Wednesday from a person at Citgo, 320 West Grand Avenue that a fight was occurring in the parking lot. Four officers were assigned and a 19-year-old man was held for possession of 3.2 beer by a person under 21 and transporting a loaded firearm. A report was taken on assault and battery.

Accident — An employee of Bank of America reported to the Ponca City Police Department at 3:55 p.m. Wednesday that an accident had occurred on their lot in the 3100 block of North Fourteenth Street. Two officers were assigned and a report was taken.

Citation Issued — A motorist reported to the Ponca City Police Department at 6:11 p.m. Wednesday that several juvenile boys had talked an adult into buying them beer. An officer was assigned, the juveniles were contacted, and citation issued.

Subject Held — An officer of the Ponca City Police Department reported from the intersection of West Hartford Avenue and Riggs Drive at 7:31 p.m. Wednesday that a 43-year-old man was being held for driving under suspension.

City Offices Closed — Offices of the City of Ponca City administration will be closed on Monday, Jan. 3, 2000 as a holiday to celebrate the New Year.

GARDENING

Diggin’ in the Dirt
Book About Poinsettias Will Be a Favorite for Readers
Planning Important for Water Gardens
Poison Ivy A Scourge for All Seasons

Diggin’ in the Dirt

By KATHY ZEHR

Just two more days of Y2K countdown, then an exciting new century begins with unlimited possibilities for gardeners in northern Oklahoma. Many new species are being introduced each season, and we can now find hundreds of hardy exotic plants and new varieties our grandmothers could only wish for a few short years ago. The gardening fever has been at high pitch in my house this week. Totally flawless flower and vegetable pictures bait me from the pages of colorful seed catalogs arriving daily! So many plants — so little space! It takes planning to make a garden look somewhat like those beautiful photos, and we have the time right now to plan it!

Plan It On Paper First

In an earlier column I recommended making a gardening diary or log with a graph drawing of your yard and gardening beds showing accurate footage of each bed. The yard map helps prevent buying too many or too few plants and ending up disappointed with gardening results and wasting money and time. For years, I ordered too many seeds and plants, then ended up trying to find a place for the leftovers, which eventually died from neglect or poor location, and I threw away enough seeds to plant the north forty.

As you study the colorful catalogs and plan spring plantings, take into consideration the needs of each plant (soil pH, sun or shade, water, and other special needs). Try not to plant the same annuals in the same bed as last year. Rotate plants to avoid attracting certain pests and diseases.

When you finally make purchases, record the common as well as the official name of each plant in your gardening log so if one does not do well, or you find you really like a certain species, its name will be in your records for ordering or avoiding next year. You can also call the seed company, nursery, or the Kay County OSU Extension office and tell them the exact name of your plant when asking for recommendations for care or a cure.

Select for the Season

Remember, some plants do best in spring, some love the heat of summer, and others really thrive best in the fall, so plan vegetable and flower gardens accordingly and plan replacements through the seasons to take the place of the ones which fade. (Simple example; tulips in the spring, marigolds in the summer, and mums in the fall, would keep the same bed full of blooms most of the growing season).

Vegetable seeds which can take mild frosts and should be ordered now for planting in February and March include bolt-resistant spinach, lettuce and other greens, radishes, onions, parsnips, garlic, leeks, cabbage, broccoli, kohlrabi and other cole crops, carrots, beets, peas, Irish potatoes and other vegetables listed as “hardy.” Many can be ordered on the web from seed companies. If waiting for local suppliers to have fresh garden seed, the local growers may have to wait until it’s time to plant to find it in stock in this area.

Extend Poinsettias

Inside right now, poinsettias may be kept beautiful for many weeks by moving them from temporary Christmas display areas to a draft or heat-vent free area, and where the temperature stays about 58-68 degrees. They thrive in at least four hours of direct sunlight and need lots of moisture. We don’t want to drown them, but let the soil dry only a day or two between waterings. Watch for spider mites and do not fertilize in winter months.

Gardeners who are interested in the easy propagation or continuation of growth and bloom for next year may call the Kay County OSU Extension Office at 580-362-3194 or check out books at Ponca City Library for detailed information. Happy gardening in Y2K!

Book About Poinsettias Will Be a Favorite for Readers

By PATTI CARMACK

News Lifestyles Editor

Every year more than 150 million potted poinsettias are purchased in 50 or more countries. The plant is so identified with the Christmas season that many may have forgotten it was once considered an obscure weed!

The myth and legend of the popular flower is a history and botanical fact book, “Poinsettias, The December Flower,” co-authored by Christine Anderson and Terry Tischer and published by Waters Edge Press.

The book is beautifully illustrated, and is a treasure trove of information about the poinsettia, which is a member of the extensive Euphorbiaceae family. The genus was first recognized in 1707 by a Swedish botanist. Poinsettias were highly prized by the ancient Aztecs in the Valley of Mexico from the 14th through the 16th century. They were used for medicinal purposes, cloth dye color, and for religious ceremonies.

Although plant names often reflect the color, form, leaf structure or the geographical region where a plant grows or is discovered, names sometimes honor a person. Such was the case with poinsettias. When the plant began to be a Christmas novelty, William H. Prescott, a respected historian and gardener, was asked to rename it as Euphorbia pulcherrima just didn’t have the right ring say the authors of the book. As chance would have it, Prescott had recently published “Conquest of Mexico,” which included Joel Poinsett’s discovery of the plant.

For historical and factual information, the book tells more than you may have wanted to know; yet, the reading is interesting. The pictures are wonderful, and I highly recommend the addition of this book to your home library. For those already planning next year’s Christmas gift list, this should be at the top.

Planning Important for Water Gardens

(AP) — Now is the time to start planning for the water garden you’ve always wanted, but didn’t know how to get started. A garden pool makes a very appealing addition to your landscaping. Planted with colorful flowers and stocked with fish, it takes on a vitality of its own. Waterfalls and fountains add to the visual interest and introduce a pleasing sound.

The first step in water gardening is to select the type, shape and size of the pool you want. A simple tub pool requires no construction and is the easiest water garden to tend. Other options are a pool lined with flexible PVC sheet plastic that can have any freeform shape that appeals to you; a rigid fiberglass pool that can fit easily into a shallow, hand-dug excavation; or a masonry pool, whether made of concrete or concrete topped with brick, that gives the look of permanence as well as elegance to your yard.

When planning a pool, first select a sunny site where water flowers can thrive. Keep the pool away from shrubs and trees that will shed their leaves into the water and require constant cleanup. If you want fish or water plants, the minimum depth you need is 1 1/2 to 2 feet. A reflecting pool or one for strictly shallow-water plants requires less depth. No matter what type you choose, remember that local building ordinances might require that pools of a certain depth be fenced. Also, pumps or lighting in the pool will require electric power and grounding. Use 3-prong grounded circuits and plan the source before building the pool.

Tub gardens, whether made from half a wine barrel, an old claw-foot bathtub or a simple plastic pan can be your introduction to water gardening. The same techniques you’ll learn to keep the water clear or chemically balanced in them will work with larger pools as well. Even if you are starting small, use a container that holds at least 4 gallons and make certain it’s completely sealed so it won’t leak. Oxygenating grasses replenish evaporating oxygen and absorb carbon dioxide, making life difficult for algae. This keeps your water clear. Water lilies partly cover the water surface to help minimize oxygen loss and keep the water cooler. Snails eat algae and consume the decaying matter on which algae feed. Fish eat algae and other pests.

Water garden suppliers can suggest appropriate plants and fish for your tub garden or larger pool. A good formula to follow for each square yard of your pool’s surface area is: two bunches of oxygenating grasses, one medium to large water lily, 12 water snails, and two 4-to-5-inch fish.

PVC plastic lined pools can be larger and any shape. PVC liners can also repair leaky pools of any type. Determine liner size by adding twice the depth of the pool to total width and twice the depth to total length.

For a freeform shape, make an outline on the ground using a garden hose or rope before starting to dig. If you plan edging, remove the turf to make room for it. Leaving 9-inch-wide planting shelves 9 inches below the planned water level accommodates shallow-water plants.

Poison Ivy A Scourge for All Seasons

POUND RIDGE, N.Y. (AP) — Deep into fall, the trees bare and frost on windshields, a friend burst out with a horrible case of poison ivy.

As we gathered around him pitying his blisters, some of us wondered how it could have happened. Isn’t ivy a summer affliction? The answer, alas, is no. It’s a scourge for all seasons.

That log you’re splitting for firewood may have bark on which poison ivy grew. The poison is still there and it may get you if you touch it. In fact, handling firewood is a common source of poison ivy cases.

Smoke from burning ivy vines can get you, too.

Anything that comes in contact with the ivy passes it on — your clothing, shoes, tools and even the fur on your cats and dogs. It has ironies. Touch some ivy unwittingly and then hold your sweetheart’s hand and she or he might get it because they’re highly allergic while you don’t because you’re low risk.

My friend said he got his when he was clearing out a pile of dead-looking vines and garden debris. It infected many parts of his body, including his face. It was so bad he went to a doctor, who put him on prescription cortisone.

I usually get a touch every year. Isolated blisters show up on my legs or arms. The worst case I had was on my hands, acquired while I was digging holes to plant daffodil bulbs in the fall. I did the job bare-handed and came in contact with poison ivy roots underground.

Incidentally, you don’t get it from someone else’s blisters.

The damage is caused by an oil called urushiol that pervades the plant, roots and all, and is released by just touching it. Normally it stays toxic up to five years. The name comes from “urushi,” Japanese for lacquer made from a tree containing that substance.

It’s so potent that scientists say only one-billionth of a gram is enough to cause a rash and a pinhead’s worth would be enough to infect 500 people.

Botanically, poison ivy has names of “Rhus radicans,” “Rhus toxicodendron” and “Toxicodendron radicans.” It’s closely related to poison oak and poison sumac. A native of eastern North America, it is said to have been first called “poison ivy” by Captain John Smith, the famed Virginia colonist.

If you live or spend time in the country, you soon learn to recognize poison ivy in spring and summer by its three shiny, deep-green leaves. You mark them well in your consciousness, particularly if they’ve gotten you.

The plant appears as a climbing vine, a ground cover or even a shrub. In the fall, the leaves turn showy red, orange and yellow, but you must remember that they’re still toxic and so is the vine when completely bare. The roots, which also carry the poison, can become as thick as ropes and they spread out for yards in every direction.

Poison ivy vines in the spring blossom with greenish little flowers followed by whitish berries that look like tiny grapes. One good thing that may be said about ivy is that many varieties of birds feed on the berries. But the seeds that pass through the birds are spread far and wide and that means the birth of many more plants.

Getting rid of ivy plants manually is achievable, but dangerous. You can cut vines down from trees or uproot them from the ground, but you’re always running the risk of contact with the toxic oil. Also, the vines you cut down or uproot are still poisonous.

You should wear gloves and dress carefully with socks, trousers and long-sleeved shirts. Afterwards make sure you clean the clothing and tools because the poison stays on them. Don’t handle the clothes barehanded; drop them in the washer and let it remove any poison.

In attacking the plants, you’re safer using an herbicide like Roundup. You apply it to the leaves and it kills the root. But being nonselective, it will kill most plants it hits, so you must carefully direct the jet at your target.

There are also specific herbicides for poison ivy. But whatever herbicide you use, don’t count on permanent removal. Keep looking for rebirth and spray again.

If you think you’ve touched ivy, wash the contact area of your body within a half hour with lukewarm water and mild soap. If you get infected anyway, old-fashioned calamine lotion helps alleviate the itching. If your blisters swell and get worse, see a doctor.

SPORTS

Special Teams May Key Independence Bowl
Oklahoma, Arkansas State To Meet in Tourney Finals

Special Teams May Key Independence Bowl

SHREVEPORT, La. (AP) — Special teams could play a big role in the Independence Bowl for both Ole Miss and Oklahoma.

Rebels coach David Cutcliffe this year watched Deuce McAllister set the tone for a 38-16 win over Arkansas by returning the opening kickoff 100 yards. He saw Les Binkley make a 45-yard field goal at Auburn that sent the Rebels into overtime and a 24-17 victory. He saw Binkley produce the only points in a 3-0 season-opening win against Memphis.

‘‘That’s an area where often there are big plays, momentum-swinging plays,’’ Cutcliffe said. ‘‘I think that will be critical.’’

He won’t get any argument from Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops, who has one of the Big 12 Conference’s best special teams units.

‘‘It really makes a difference in field position and points,’’ Stoops said.

The Sooners have been able to gain a field position advantage both with their punts and their punt returns.

Besides averaging 42.4 yards per punt, Jeff Ferguson has also kicked 19 of 54 punts inside the opposition’s 20-yard line. And he had a long punt of 73 yards, one that certainly changed the field position.

Jarrail Jackson has been able to give the Sooners both points and field position as a punt returner. He had a 70-yard touchdown punt return against Missouri and he averaged 10.2 yards per punt return.

‘‘I feel like I can take one back at any time,’’ Jackson said. ‘‘It’s just timing and great blocking.’’

If Jackson has given the Sooners good field position on punt returns, then Brandon Daniels has given the offense a short field as a kickoff returner.

Daniels, a senior wide receiver, led the nation in kickoff returns with a 31.75 average. He was a semifinalist for the Mosi Tatupu Special Teams Award.

Against Notre Dame, Daniels had returns of 89, 43 and 68 yards. He had 16 returns for 508 yards.

‘‘Our special teams made a lot of positive plays for us and I believe it contributed to a lot of big wins for us,’’ Stoops said.

‘‘I think we’re about first or second in every special teams category. We spend a great deal of time trying to improve them during the year. And they’ve come up really big in many games.’’

The Sooners are first in kickoff returns with a 24.8 average. They are second in punt returns with a 12.7 average. They are second in punting with a 39.9 average.

The Rebels, meanwhile, aren’t exactly slouches when it comes to special teams.

Binkley was a second-team All SEC selection this year. He made 14 of 16 field goal attempts with his only misses coming from 31 and 47 yards. And he was perfect on all 36 of his extra-point attempts.

‘’I felt like I had a pretty good year, but there are always some things you’d like to do better,’’ Binkley said. ‘‘On the whole, I felt pretty good. But I’m still hungry.’’

With two teams with identical 7-4 records, a kicker could decide a close game.

‘‘Every time I go into the game, I always think it’s going to come down to a kick. That’s how I always prepare,’’ Binkley said.

McAllister, meanwhile, gives the Rebels a big-play threat returning kickoffs. He averaged 26.1 yards per kickoff return. Besides the 100-yard return against Arkansas, he also had a 48-yard return against Alabama.

‘‘I did it in high school and I ended up doing pretty good once I got used to it again,’’ McAllister said. ‘‘I really enjoyed doing it. I just had to get used to catching punts again. I did all of that stuff in high school. It’s just an added dimension. It’s just another way to go out there and touch the ball.’’

McAllister returned only three punts during the regular season. He averaged 10 yards per return.

Cory Peterson handled most of the punt returns for the Rebels. He averaged 8.5 yards per return and had a long return of 30 yards.

Peterson has big play capabilities himself. He had a 92-yard punt return for a score last year against SMU.

‘‘I’m still trying to spring one,’’ Peterson said.

Perhaps one of the biggest keys will be punter Reagan King. He averaged 38.3 yards per punt, but had 16 of his 56 punts go inside the opponents’ 20-yard line. His punting could be crucial in determining Oklahoma’s field position.

Oklahoma, Arkansas State To Meet in Tourney Finals

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — No. 22 Oklahoma overwhelmed overmatched Mount St. Mary’s 94-41, and Arkansas State defeated Valparaiso 64-56 to land their squads in the All-College Tournament championship game tonight.

Oklahoma got 18 points from Kelley Newton, and Eduardo Najera added 16 points and 11 rebounds as the Sooners routed Mount St. Mary’s in the first round of the All-College Tournament.

‘‘Making shots is like insulin,’’ Oklahoma coach Kelvin Sampson said. ‘‘You make shots and it just boosts you.’’

The Sooners (10-1), playing for the first since a 72-57 loss to Cincinnati on Dec. 22, scored the game’s first 11 points, and had a 10-0 run en route to a 42-17 lead at the half.

‘‘St. Mary’s was playing us at the wrong time,’’ Sampson said. ‘‘Sometimes after a loss, your antennas go up a little higher. That game allowed us to get their attention.

‘‘For 40 minutes tonight, our kids’ effort, possession to possession, was outstanding. That was our focus. For our guys to do that, coming off a game like Cincinnati, that’s a credit to them.’’

Gregory Harris had 12 points for the Mountaineers (1-6), who shot just 27 percent from the field and finished with their lowest point total since 1952. The total also was the lowest in Jim Phelan’s 46 years as head coach and the second-worst defeat in school history, behind a 131-76 loss to Old Dominion in 1968.

Arkansas State’s Chico Fletcher and C.J. Pepper combined for 22 second-half points to help Arkansas State hold on for a 64-56 win over Valparaiso in the first game of the All-College Tournament.

The Indians (3-6) survived a second-half shooting slump, holding on after leading by as many as 19 points. Fletcher and Pepper scored all but seven of Arkansas State’s 29 points after intermission, when the team made just 10 of 22 shots and committed 10 turnovers.

Valparaiso (4-7) had its two-game winning streak stopped, never really recovering from an early 19-4 deficit.

Ivan Vujic finished with a game-high 19 points for the Crusaders, who did cut into the big lead. They pulled to within four points in the final minute, when Jared Nuness hit an off-balance 3-pointer to make it 60-56 with 27 seconds left.

But Fletcher sank two free throws, then turned a steal into a layup to close out Valparaiso.

Fletcher scored 12 of his 17 points in the second half and Pepper scored 10 of his 12 after intermission.