LOCAL

Y2K Scare No High Dollar Gasoline in City
A New Year Eve to Remember
Emergency Officials Ready for Big Night

Y2K Scare No High Dollar Gasoline in City

By LOUISE ABERCROMBIE

News Staff Writer

Too bad the Y2K bug didn’t zap the computer nerds who passed on E-mail Thursday reporting gasoline was going to leap to $2 or more per gallon in Ponca City.

Rumors and E-mail apparently brought on a scare resulting in long waiting lines at local service stations. The panic wasn’t caused by fear of disaster, but in hopes of saving a buck or two.

This morning’s eyeball tour of price marquees on Fourteenth Street and Highland Avenue showed the price of regular unleaded ranged from $1.15.9 to $1.17.9 per gallon. In other words, there was no price change.

The rumor mill also reported gas had taken a $1 jump in Blackwell and Tonkawa and a whopping $3 a gallon was heard from Arkansas City and Oklahoma City. None of the rumors were confirmed.

As early as Thursday morning, Conoco had been mentioned as the main supplier ready to boost prices. At mid-morning yesterday, The Ponca City News checked with the Conoco station at Waverly and South Avenue. The attendant there said he was unaware of any planned price hike, but he had heard some wild rumors.

Fourteenth and Hartford station personnel said they did not give prices over the phone, but conceded that gasoline was the same price it had been on Wednesday, which was $1.16.9 a gallon.

The coffee shop gossip alleged gas was already over $2 a gallon in Blackwell and Tonkawa. A reliable source at Kay Electric in Blackwell said there were no vehicle lines this morning and she had filled up Thursday for $1.19.9. She noted that the price signs had not changed this morning, but she speculated the price could have been on the pump.

Charles Conaghan of the Tonkawa Fire Department said the prices there were $1.17.9 and $1.19.9. He said the rumors had been circulating that fuel was jumping to over $2 a gallon in Ponca City. Conagyhan noted gas prices had not raised at stations on I-35.

Gary Martin, Ponca City, manger, had his personnel checking with local stations and with surrounding towns, and learned there was no truth to the rumor.

A New Year Eve to Remember

By LOUISE ABERCROMBIE

News Staff Writer

Miserably cold, tired and hungry, Dr. E. C. (Curt) Yeary and his medical team made their way across Germany on foot as prisoners of war on New Year’s Eve, 1944.

Yeary, then 23, was part of a medical unit that glided silently across the English Channel into Normandy on D-Day, June 6, 1944, as part of the 101st Airborne Division assault force.

The mission of the medical crew is detailed in television anchor Tom Brokaw’s book The Greatest Generation. For the first time in World War II, medics were to set up facilities in the middle of a battle site to care for the wounded and minister to the dying.

Yeary, a native of Elmore City and a resident of Ponca City, was in medical school at the University of Oklahoma when the world-wide conflict erupted. He enlisted as a reserve in the Army in 1941, moving into a division with a medical company. At the time of the Normandy invasion, he was second in command of his unit.

Recalling that glider flight into Normandy, Yeary said, “We hit a tree hit head on and that stopped us. The Germans had put up poles eight feet tall and about 10 inches in diameter.” The poles were deisgned specifically to prevent gliders from landing, Yeary explained.

“We went in on a moonlight night over the top of tall poplar trees. The pilot could see far enough ahead that he set the glider down between two rows of those poles. The glider had both wings sheered off, ricocheted and finally hit a ditch and stopped by hitting a tree head on,” he recalled.

The glider was large enough to transport a pilot, a jeep, a jeep driver and Yeary. The remainder of his unit arrived on other gliders. The lightweight planes had plywood floors and the skeleton was aluminum covered with canvas.

C-47 aircraft had ferried the gliders to a point where they sailed on their own to enter Normandy silently, Yeary explained.

There were several gilders that landed in the soundless invasion. There were three members of the surgical team, two of whom were mentioned in Brokaw’s book. He wrote of Dr. VanGorder and Dr. Rodda, but did not mention the third surgeon, Dr. Al Crandell.

Yeary worked side-by-side the surgeons for a time. However, he was forced to take the place of his commander and it fell upon his shoulders to run the outfit.

“We had a big villa that had operating rooms on the second floor. I was just about through operating on a guy when we were bombed. We could hear that damn thing coming in and we lost several men in that fiasco. I crawled under the operating table and [the bomb] hit part of the building and left a hell of a big hole,” Yeary said.

About being captured by the Germans, Yeary said, “Several months later, when [the Germans] raided Bastogne, we were captured. I knew we were going to get captured and I sent a man to headquarters to ask if we could move and the answer was ‘No.’ So we stayed there.

“We knew we were going to be surrounded by Germans and it happened about 10:30 at night on Dec. 19th. This was during the Battle of the Bulge.”

Yeary was in charge. Speaking a bit of German, he suggested that the Germans leave them alone and promised the Americans would also treat the German wounded, too. The answer from the German commander was “For you the war is over.”

“They took the whole unit and in the beginning they took our trucks and hauled us out of there for a distance and unloaded us and we walked for 125 miles,” Yeary recalled. “It was cold. A guy had given me his jacket to keep because he was going to the front and didn’t think he would need it. I still have it.

“Food was very, very scarce and we would sleep in barns or we would find hay and cover up.”

He remembered one instance, with tears in his eyes, when a woman in one of the small towns took his canteen and filled it with warm soup. In another village, a horse had been killed and it was being dragged through town. The German townspeople were running along side and cutting away pieces of the meat.

Later, the prisoners were put in box cars and transported. That “scared the hell out of us, because the American pilots were spraying the boxcars with fire,” Yeary said. At one stop, they managed to get out and run up on a small hill and form a human sign that said USA POWs. The American planes tipped their wings and flew off.

On Jan.1, 1945, the prisnors were still marching toward their destination, the city of Leipzig. There they set up a hospital in a former chocolate factory.

The now-retired Ponca City physician said the American forces came to the outskirts of town, but did not advance further. They did keep shelling the area. Yeary got permission from the Germans to take a vehicle and cross into the American lines to ask them to stop the shelling.

“I secured a jeep and a German driver and an American driver and went through enemy lines, no man’s land, and told the Americans to quit shelling or raise their sights a little bit. The American driver drove on the American side and the German driver on the German side, “ Yeary said.

The hospital was treating both wounded Germans and Americans, but the German flag was flying over the facility. The American prisoners asked if they could fly their flag, and the answer was “You don’t have a flag.”

When Yeary returned from enemy lines, his unit had made a flag using gauze bandage strips for white and dying the red stripes with Mercurochrome. The stars were made by cutting them from a blue chambray shirt and using a white background that showed through. So, the American flag was also flown.

The prisoners were liberated in June, 1945. Decades later, one of Yeary’s men sent the homemade American flag to him. Later the German swastika flag that flew over the makeshift hospital was sent to him as the commander.

For years, Yeary met his fellow soldiers for a reunion. He doesn’t go anymore, but one of his former soldiers, who was 18 then and is now in his seventies, calls him every Christmas Eve because they were together as prisoners on that day in 1944.

Yeary entered the service as a captain. After the invasion of Normandy, he was promoted to major. He retired from practicing medicine in 1995 after nearly 50 years.

Asked about his medals, Yeary said they were just routine — a Purple Heart and a Silver Star. He speculated that he had operated on a number of guys who received Purple Hearts.

For Yeary and those of The Greatest Generation, there will never be a New Year’s Eve like that one 55 years ago. And, because of that generation’s durability, the rest of us enjoy freedom on this New Year’s Eve.

Emergency Officials Ready for Big Night

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Emergency officials are hoping to issue a speedy report that all is well in Oklahoma soon after the clock strikes midnight on New Year’s Eve.

‘‘We’re hoping for the largest non-event that we’ve ever seen,’’ Albert Ashwood, director of the Department of Civil Emergency Management, said Wednesday.

Gov. Frank Keating will be on hand to receive the report at the agency’s headquarters, located in a tunnel between the Sequoyah and Will Rogers Office Buildings in the state Capitol complex.

The agency has been working for more than a year on coordinating responses to Y2K problems and getting a report to the public on the situation that unfolds on New Year’s Day.

It has been the scene of busy rescue activity many times in the past, given the state’s history of natural disasters, including tornadoes.

From its bunker location, the old Civil Defense agency swung into action coordinating rescue efforts after the Oklahoma City bombing in 1995, impressing Keating, then a new chief executive.

On New Year’s Eve, representatives of several state and federal agencies will be manning banks of computers, getting reports from officers and others in the field.

Others will be in the mapping room, where trouble spots are pinpointed.

Among those on hand will be officials of the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, the FBI, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, the Department of Environmental Quality, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the state Corporation Commission, the Red Cross, the Oklahoma Department of Transportation and even ABLE, the state agency that regulates state liquor laws.

‘‘After all, it’s New Year’s Eve,’’ says Ben Frizzell, public information officer for the coordinating agency, which will have officials at each OHP troop headquarters to respond about any problems.

The agency has been receiving 100 to 200 calls a day from citizens concerned primarily that they will have problems with utilities as the millennium arrives.

Keating, Ashwood and others have issued statements of assurance that no interruptions in services are expected.

DEATHS

Donald Ray Bailey
Laci Dawn Hill
Merle Lesemann
Madalynne Peel
Donald Clark
Floyd Nathan West

Donald Ray Bailey

FAIRFAX — Donald Ray Bailey, resident of Fairfax, died Wednesday evening, Dec. 29, 1999, at the St. Joseph Regional Medical Center in Ponca City. He was 56.

A graveside service will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 1, 2000, at the Fairfax Cemetery with the Rev. George Weston officiating. Services are under the direction of Hunsaker-Wooten Funeral Home.

Donald Ray Bailey was born March 26, 1943, in Ponca City, the son of Owen Bailey and Pearl (Hall) Bailey. He attended grade school in Fairfax and graduated from Fairfax High School. He served in the United States Navy for two years.

He married Imogene Irons on May 18, 1983, in Memphis, Tenn., and they made their home in Hot Springs, Ark. In 1987 they moved to Tulsa where he was employed by the city in the park and recreation department until 1993, when he was forced to retire due to health reasons. In 1997, the couple moved to Fairfax. He was a commander of the VFW and a member of the First Osage Baptist Church, and he enjoyed fishing.

Survivors include his wife of the home; one son, Shane Bailey of West Plains, Mo.; four stepdaughters; three stepsons; one brother, Jim Bailey of Jenks; one sister, Annell Hugonin of Midwest City; 13 grandchildren; one great-grandchild; and numerous nieces, nephews and other relatives. He was preceded in death by his parents and one infant sister.

Casket bearers will be Dave Bennett, Bill Bennett, Dwight Ringgold, Jon Komonce, Butch Fish and Paul Fixco.

Services Pending

Laci Dawn Hill

Services are pending with the Trout Funeral Home for Laci Dawn Hill.

Merle Lesemann

NEWKIRK — Merle Lesemann, longtime Newkirk resident, died Thursday evening, Dec. 30, 1999, in Shawn Manor in Ponca City. He was 80. Arrangements are pending with Miller-Stahl Funeral Services.

Madalynne Peel

Madalynne Peel died Thursday, Dec. 30,1999, at Westminster Village. She was 94. Services are pending with the Trout Funeral Home.

Donald Clark

Donald Clark, 9 Forest Road, died Thursday, Dec. 30, 1999, at Keystone Park. He was 61. Survivors include his wife, Donna, of the home. Arrangements are pending with the Trout Funeral Home.

Funerals

Monday

Floyd Nathan West

Funeral 1 p.m. at the New Life Baptist Church under the direction of Grace Memorial Chapel.

NEWS BRIEFS

New Garden Club — Persons interested in participating in a new garden club that meets in the evenings should attend a 7 p.m. Jan. 6 meeting at the Cann Garden Center. For more information call Rosalie Majors, 762-3555.

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

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

No Work Session — A scheduled work session of the Ponca City Board of Commissioners for Monday, Jan. 3, has been canceled as a result of city administration offices being closed that day as an official city holiday.

RSVP Program — Volunteer two hours in the community and qualify to purchase a share of food for $16.60. For additional one hour volunteer service you can also purchase the Heartland special, a Super Bowl Box of goodies for $15.12. Orders accepted on Thursdays and Fridays only at 113 North Fourth. For additional information call 762-9412.

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.

Volunteer Congratulated — (RSVP) Retired Senior Volunteer Program congratulates volunteer of the month Joe Hoyle. Joe spends many hours for the Habitat For Humanities and the Boy Scouts as well as countless hours assisting in the community.

Enrique’s Closed Saturday Jan. 1 morning only. We will open at 4:30 New Years Day. Saturday Jan. 1 only! $1 Off Enchilad Dinners. adv.

Subject Held — An officer of the Ponca City Police Department reported from the 800 block of North Elm Street at 8:25 a.m. Thursday that a 43-year-old man was being held on a city warrant for failure to pay.

Grass Fire — The Communications Center received several 911 calls at 10:44 a.m. Thursday that a grass fire was burning east of the Standing Bear statue. Two units from the Ponca City Fire Department responded to the scene and handled the situation.

Underpass Blocked — The Communications Center received several 911 calls at 9:29 a.m. Thursday that an 18-wheeler was stuck in the underpass of the 100 block of West South Avenue. Two officers of the Ponca City Police Department responded and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol was notified.

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

Subject Held — An officer of the Ponca City Police Department reported from the 1800 block of Hudson Drive at 10:17 a.m. Thursday that a 30-year-old man was being held on a city warrant for failure to pay.

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

Fence Damaged — An employee of the water plant, 2000 East Central Avenue, reported to the Ponca City Police Department at 12:01 p.m. Thursday that a vehicle had gone through the fence just east of the water plant, and headed east on dog pound road. Three officers were 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.

Accident — A man from the 700 block of Dalewood reported to the Ponca City Police department that someone had backed into his vehicle and left the scene. An officer was assigned and a report was taken.

Head Country Saturday night special. All you can eat beef brisket with beans, potato salad and coleslaw, $7.49. All day. 1217 East Prospect. adv.

Subject Held — An officer of the Ponca City Police Department reported from the intersection of North Ash Street and West Hartford Avenue at 1:18 p.m. Thursday that a 35-year-old man was being held on two county warrants, and two other warrants for failure to appear and failure to pay.

For Sale 1984 4x4 GMC Sierra. Call 1-580-362-2180 after 5 p.m. adv.

Accident — An accident at the intersection of North Fourteenth Street and East Hartford Avenue was reported to the Ponca City Police Department at 2:19 p.m. Thursday. An officer was assigned and a report was taken.

Shoplifter — An employee at Wal-Mart requested assistance from the Ponca City Police Department at 2:23 p.m. Thursday with a juvenile shoplifter in custody. An officer was assigned and a citation was issued. The boy was released on a promise to appear.

Fraud — A person from Tonkawa was at the Ponca City Police Department at 2:49 p.m. Thursday to report that someone was using the reporting party’s credit card. An officer was assigned and a report was taken.

Vandalism — A man from the 2100 block of North Union Street reported to the Ponca City Police Department at 3:56 p.m. Thursday that someone had put sugar in his gas tank. An officer was assigned and a report was taken.

Vehicle Hit — A person was at the Ponca City Police Department at 4:48 p.m. Thursday to report that a vehicle had been hit while parked in a restaurant parking lot. An officer was assigned and a report was taken.

Requests Assistance — A clerk at Citgo, 400 East South Avenue, requested an officer of the Ponca City Police Department at 5:54 p.m. Thursday when several gas drive-offs had occurred as a result of lines at the gas pump. An officer was assigned and another clerk was to help with the situation.

Accident — A woman from the 600 block of West Otoe Avenue reported to the Ponca City Police Department at 6:04 p.m. Thursday that she had hit some construction equipment at the intersection of North Ash Street and West Hartford Avenue damaging her vehicle. An officer was assigned and a report was taken.

Item Missing — A man was at the Ponca City Police Department at 12:01 a.m. Friday to report that a jacket had been stolen from a vehicle while it was parked at Wal-Mart. An officer was assigned and a report was taken.

Subject Held — An officer of the Ponca City Police Department requested assistance in the 600 block of West Highland Avenue at 12:20 a.m. Friday as a result of two females possibly getting ready to fight. Another officer responded and a 21-year-old woman was held on a Kay County warrant for failure to pay and a city warrant for failure to pay.

Citations Issued — The Ponca City Police Department received a complaint from a resident at 12:53 a.m. Friday that a dog was barking again in the 700 block of Marland Drive. An officer was assigned and citations were issued.

Subject Held — An officer of the Ponca City Police Department reported from the 1100 block of North Birch Street at 1:38 a.m. Friday that a 48-year-old woman was being held for DUI, not wearing a seat belt and having no insurance.

Subjects Held — An officer of the Ponca City Police Department requested assistance at 3:59 a.m. Friday in the 300 block of North Eighth Street with a subject down in the street. Another officer responded and took into custody an 18-year-old woman for public intoxication and a 16-year-old girl for public intoxication. A parent was contacted in Kansas concerning the juvenile and a judge gave permission to hold the juvenile. A vehicle was towed from the scene.

EDUCATION

PTC Hosts Two Events Before Christmas Break
Foundation Allows 14 Grants This Month
Winter Break Offers Better Use of Time
Area Educators To Participate In Conference
News Sets Policy Regarding Pictures
Schools Get Funding Adjustment Notices
Students Honored
OU Fall Graduates
Engineering Scholarship
Oklahoma State Regents Establish Nigh Scholarship

PTC Hosts Two Events Before Christmas Break

Four Kaw City sixth graders recently got a taste of the "real world" with the help of area businesses and Pioneer Technology Center. Pioneer Tech leaders, Linda Thompson and Vicki Mallory, coordinated the days events that began with the student's visiting their program of choice.

Programs selected by the students included Cosmetology, Food Services, Business Technology, and Health Science Technology. During their visit, the sixth graders had a chance to explore their programs through observation and a few hands-on activities that were planned for them.

The sixth graders then traveled to area businesses for an hour and half of job shadowing where they learned a little bit about what the real world of work is like.

Businesses participating in the career and job shadowing day included, Design Hair Studio, Apple Cart Catering, Pioneer Technology Center, and Dr. Ronald Nida, Veterinarian.

Sixth grade participants include, Elisa Miller, Sara Swain, Jessie Bussey, and Brandy Pearson.

DECA Reception

DECA students from Pioneer Technology Center's Marketing program recently honored Kay County businesses by hosting their annual DECA Employer /Employee Appreciation Banquet. The banquet, which hosted 36 guests, recognized the businesses for their efforts in providing the marketing students with experience and training that could help them in their class work as well as in a future career. In addition to the training, students also learn responsibility and self-reliance.

Employers being recognized for their contributions to the DECA program include-- El Chico; Hastings, news carriers through The Journal Tribune; Lunch-n-Munch; Medford Nursing Home; Mickael's Bakery; Miller Market; Ponca Bowl; Pratt and Sons Service Center; PTC Outfitters; Sonics in Blackwell, Ponca, and Newkirk; Subway; Sykes and Wal-Mart, Blackwell.

Foundation Allows 14 Grants This Month

The Ponca City Public School Foundation (PCPSF) gave a total of 14 grants to Ponca City teachers totaling $8,498.56 in December.

The PCPSF was established in 1986 to financially support new and innovative projects requested by Ponca City teachers. The foundation has presented 197 grants totaling $142,790 to teachers in every school within the Ponca City School System.

Grant winners for this round include:

1. Jean Hoffmeyer, challenge teacher at all elementary schools, for “Illuminated Microscopes with Batteries.” These will supply 30 microscopes to help provide curriculum resources for the new gifted/talented program. These will be used by the three challenge teachers and travel between eight elementary schools. They will be used as an introduction to scientific microscopes that the students will be using at the Middle School.

2. Ellen Pruitt, Washington Elementary, for “Virtual Voice-Activated Writing.” This grant will enrich the language arts curriculum by allowing students to develop and create written products through a verbal to print modality.

3. East Middle School teacher Dorothy Buck for “Cougar Quick Reads.” The grant will supply a book collection that features books that are both high-interest and low reading level for reluctant readers.

4. “Medieval Literature Unit” for Kendra Hodges, East Middle School. This will incorporate a medieval literature into the eighth grade accelerated English classes. Thirty books will provide students with an awareness of medieval history and the age of chivalry.

5. Jo Ann Hintergardt, Po-Hi, for “Keyboarding Masks.” The grant will provide 100 precision molded opaque polyurethane typing masks. Students will learn to memorize the keyboard by touch, not by sight.

6. “Make a World Language Building Program” with Christie Brown and Beth Grover at Liberty Elementary. This grant will provide a manipulative spelling activity kit to help students understand how letters and words work together to form the sounds of our language.

7. Irene Myers, Garfield Academy, for “Teaching Tolerance of Others and Drug Education.” This grant will enrich the current Skills for Growing curriculum. Activities will stress cooperative learning, teach respect and empathy, build self-confidence, develop problem solving skills and stress drug free education.

8. “Cloze Competition” by Kay Sprehe and Teena Lines, East Middle School. The program will provide a technique for improving literal comprehension.

9. Marilyn Nash, challenge teacher, for all elementary schools for “Quick Pro Lockout Buzzer System.” This grant will provide the resources to enhance the elementary students of the Ponca City Public Schools to be quick thinkers.

10. Program by Ginger Henley, challenge teacher, for all elementary schools to provide enriching, challenging curriculum for identified gifted and talented students. These will include books, games and student hands-on materials to help develop higher order thinking skills.

11. “Accelerated Reader Star Program” with Janet Silkey at Po-Hi. This grant will enable a quick, economical, comprehensive method for reading level assessment.

12. Sharon Cooper and Donya Gartside at Woodlands Elementary for “Take the Theater Challenge.” This will provide the GeoSafari Theater, which would reinforce geography, map, science and math skills using a highly interactive and entertaining educational tool.

13. “C.H.A.M.P.S. — Calculators for Homework” with Kym White at Po-Hi to provide 270 calculators for use of students enrolled in Algebra I and II. They will provide students with the tool to enable them to prepare homework and the motivation to do well in class.

14. “Science Technology Advancement” with Tonya Scott, Po-Hi. This grant will enable students to study many new branches of science not currently being provided. Topics include DNA, biotechnology, genetics and electrophoresis.

Winter Break Offers Better Use of Time

During the holiday break, high school students planning to attend college next fall can use the Internet to begin the application process. ACT’s website at www.act.org, provides valuable information and links to help students search for colleges, take virtual campus tours and apply to hundreds of colleges online.

The application deadlines for some colleges and universities fall in early January. Getting information and filling out forms can be a time consuming task for students and their families. Electronic application can speed up the process.

ACT’s website also contains a Financial Aid Need Estimator, which uses the federal financial aid formula to estimate what the student’s family may be expected to contribute for costs at specific colleges. January is a good time to file the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) form for the fall semester.

Students can also find useful information regarding the ACT college entrance exam on the website, including online registration, practice questions and the opportunity to order test preparation materials. The next ACT test will be given nationwide on Feb. 12, 2000.

Area Educators To Participate In Conference

More than 2,500 vocational educators from across Oklahoma are expected to attend the Oklahoma Department of Vocational-Technical Education’s annual Mid-Winter conference, Friday and Saturday, Jan. 7-8.

The conference is one of two major professional development activities for vocational educators annually, said Dr. Ann Benson, state vo-tech director. The other major conference for vocational educators is held in August.

Conference sessions will be conducted, by occupational area, in Oklahoma City and Stillwater.

Agricultural education instructors will meet at Oklahoma State University, Stillwater; business education instructors will meet at the Best Western Saddleback Inn, Oklahoma City; family and consumer science instructors will meet at Metro Tech Springlake Campus; health occupations and skills centers instructors will meet at the Westin, Oklahoma City; marketing education instructors will meet at Francis Tuttle; trade and industrial education instructors will meet at the Clarion Meridian, Oklahoma City; and technology education instructors will meet at the Clarion Meridian, Oklahoma City; and technology education instructors will meet at the Airport Holiday Inn, Oklahoma City on Friday and Western Heights Middle School on Saturday.

In addition, telecommunications technology staff will meet at OneNet on Friday and at Francis Tuttle on Saturday. Career Services staff will meet at the Marriott on Northwest Expressway, Oklahoma City.

News Sets Policy Regarding Pictures

The News will no longer accept scholarship pictures. We would be happy to run the information only on the Education Page, but due to a limited amount of space in our newspaper, we do not have room to run pictures of the hundreds of students that receive scholarship money each year.

We will also not publish pictures of students that receive a bachelor’s degree. We would be happy to run the information. However, we will allow photos of students that receive a master’s or doctorate degree.

Schools Get Funding Adjustment Notices

On 1999-2000 School Year

The 1999-2000 State Aid funding adjusted allocation notices were mailed Monday to all Oklahoma public school districts from the State Department of Education. The notices indicate the total amount of state aid, or “formula” funding, schools will receive this school year, adjusted for mid-year data collections.

The state aid allocation for the entire school year are:

— Peckham, $396,002

— Kildare, $422,258

— Kaw City, $274,906

— Braman, $756,529

— Newkirk, $3,943,857

— Blackwell, $9,274,370

— Tonkawa, $3,923,301

— Ponca City will receive $23,108,383

Under the state law passed in 1996, the deadline for the notice is Jan. 15, 2000. Funding allocation notices are provided twice a year: in July and January. The first notice projects what a school will receive on data from the school year just ended; the second notice informs local school administrators of the total allocation adjusted for the school year to reflect current-year data.

Funding is distributed to schools in 11 monthly deposits and is calculated — by law — through what is called the “state aid formula.” Based on how much money is allocated by the Legislature and approved by the governor, there are many factors which impact how much each district receives including the average number of students enrolled in class each day, local economic growth or decline, and property tax protests and settlements.

“Most districts will receive about the same amount indicated in July but some districts had significant changes in enrollment, local ad valorem contributions and tax protest settlements which clearly impacted the amount of state funding they will receive,” State Superintendent Sandy Garrett said.

Funding for schools is allocated by law according to their “weighted average daily membership” which includes grade level weights, student category weights for special education, gifted, bilingual and economically disadvantaged, and factors for school district teacher (education and experience) index and small school/isolation weights. The weighted average daily membership used for the calculation is the highest of either 1997-98, 1998-99 or the first nine weeks of 1999-2000. In addition, the total 1998-99 actual “chargeable” collections of county four-mill funds, school land payments, gross production tax, motor vehicle tax and rural electric association cooperative tax have been applied, as well as local 1999-2000 ad valorem tax assessments.

Students Honored

Three Southwestern Oklahoma State University students at Weatherford have been selected to “Who’s Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges for 2000.” They are Amber Clark, Ponca City; and Ryan Aldrich and Laura Weigle Deibert, Blackwell.

OU Fall Graduates

Several local students attending The University of Oklahoma recently received degrees. They are Matthew Brown, Keri Ferguson, Paul Huston, Latoya Liggins, Daniel Mulligan, Sarah Schiltz and Tricia Weber.

Engineering Scholarship

Jennifer Maxson, daughter of Phillip and Ann Maxson of Houston, has received the Guy James Scholarship, a department award from the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering at OSU. She is a 1996 Po-Hi graduate.

Oklahoma State Regents Establish Nigh Scholarship

Outstanding college students who are preparing for careers in public service are now eligible to win a $1,000 scholarship and an opportunity to hone their leadership skills, the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education announced recently.

The scholarships will be awarded through the George and Donna Nigh Scholarship Fund and administered by the George and Donna Nigh Public Service Institute. The scholarship program, which was established by the Regents as authorized by the Oklahoma Legislature, will provide not only scholarships, but also a chance for recipients to attend a two-part leadership academy with members of the Oklahoma House of Representatives and Senate. The first scholarships will be awarded in spring 2000.

“George and Donna Nigh have been an instrumental force in Oklahoma education,” said Chancellor Hans Brisch. “Through political, charitable and personal dedication, they have boosted education at all levels by supporting vocational-technical and higher education programs and helping establish the first school for science and mathematics in Oklahoma.

“As leaders at the University of Central Oklahoma, they forged onward, building key infrastructure and adding programs and energy to the Edmond university,” Brisch added. “George and Donna Nigh have meant a lot to Oklahoma education and through this scholarship, Oklahoma higher education can honor their achievements by supporting tomorrow’s great achievers.”

Students receiving the scholarship must be residents of Oklahoma and enrolled full-time in an undergraduate program at a state college, university or technical branch or at Bacone College, Bartlesville Wesleyan College, Oklahoma Baptist University, Oklahoma Christian University of Science and Arts, Oklahoma City University, Oral Roberts University, Southern Nazarene University, St. Gregory’s University or The University of Tulsa.

Students must also be enrolled in a degree program leading to a career in public service, as determined by the High Institute, and have demonstrated exceptional academic achievement.

Participating institutions will submit a nominee for consideration of award prior to the beginning of the spring 2000 semester.

“Because of the vision and commitment of the leadership of the Oklahoma Legislature and Gov. Frank Keating, 37 of Oklahoma’s best and brightest college students will benefit from this extraordinary award,” said Carl Reherman, spokesperson for the George and Donna Nigh Public Service Institute.

RELIGION

1st Lutherans Set New Year's Eve Services
Grace Tabernacle Says ‘Thanks’
Hispanic Church Building ‘Going Up’
Dr. Parsons to Bring Message at Woodlands Sunday
‘Helping Hands House’ Opening Soon
‘Come Let Us Reason Together’
KLVV Plans Assistance for Problems
Presbyterians To Hear Dr. Dykes
St. Paul Methodists Ready Time Capsule
Pastor’s Notes

1st Lutherans Set New Year's Eve Services

Two New Year’s Eve services will be held at First Lutheran Church this evening. The service at 7 p.m. will celebrate twenty centuries of grace after the birth of Christ. The scripture readings and other parts of the service will be interspersed with many New Year and general hymns that speak about God’s care. Holy Communion will be celebrated.

The 11:45 p.m. service will be an informal service to welcome the new millennium. That will be done at midnight with the congregation joining to sing “The Hallelujah Chorus.” Pastor Tom Ramsey commented, “I cannot think of a better thing to be doing than to be in church singing ‘The Hallelujah Chorus’ when the new year and the new millennium begin. What a great beginning to a new year certain to be filled with more of God’s blessings!”

The services on Jan. 2 will focus on our responsibilities following our being witnesses to the great Christmas event. Pastor Ramsey’s sermon will speak about the prophetess Anna and her witness to the new born Savior. Holy Communion will be celebrated at both services.

Once again the members of First Lutheran offer a warm welcome to anyone who would care to worship with them. Begin the new year with a resolution to be a faithful follower of Christ.

Church Briefs

Grace Tabernacle Says ‘Thanks’

Grace Tabernacle of Praise is happy about their Christmas time effort, collecting contributions from Ponca Citians to be used to assist those less fortunate in the community.

Pastor Tim Burnsworth, pastor, and the congregation wish to say “thanks” to folks in the community for their willingness to give so those less fortunate in the area could receive the help they needed at Christmastime.

Hispanic Church Building ‘Going Up’

Reports from the First Baptist Church here indicate progress on the building expansion at the future home of the Primera Iglesia Bautista Hispana is going well.

It is reported all exterior work has been completed and volunteer crews are currently working on the interior of the structure. Current expectations are that all work will be completed by the end of December — and then preparations will be made for the ribbon cutting ceremony.

Dr. Parsons to Bring Message at Woodlands Sunday

Dr. Don Parsons will fill the pulpit on Sunday, Jan. 2 at the morning worship service. His sermon title is “Walking Worthy Into The Millennium”. His text will be Ephesians 4:1-8, 1-16.

The special anthem will be “Heirlooms”, sung by Marilyn Merle

No Youth Group meetings and no Dayspring practice are scheduled for Sunday, Jan. 2.

The Open Arms Class will begin their new study on I and II Thessalonians: ‘Standing Firm in These Last Days” on Sunday morning - a new year, a new millennium, and a new study!

‘Helping Hands House’ Opening Soon

First Assembly of God will soon be opening their new “Helping Hands House” for the distribution of their giveaway clothing, it was announced this week.

The church’s current giveaway clothing program for the month of January has been cancelled, it was announced — so watch for the opening of the program at the new location.

‘Come Let Us Reason Together’

The Hartford Avenue Church of Christ invites the public to share God’s word with them every week. Sunday Bible classes at 9:30 a.m., worship at 10:30 a.m., Sunday evening service at 6 p.m. and Wednesday service at 7 p.m. There are classes for all age levels nursery through adult. Watch the Search program Sunday at 8 a.m. on TV Channel 5 and 8.

Tomorrow starts a new year, a new millennium. What a better way to start than to resolve to read the Bible, God’s word, through. You can achieve by reading three chapters a day, six days a week and five chapters on Sunday.

The Bible helps us to gain knowledge. Colossians 2:3 reads, “In whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” We can receive a blessing from reading God’s word. Revelation 1:3 reads, “Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of the prophecy, and heed the things which are written in it.”

First Baptists Plan New Year’s Eve Service

Folks are invited to join members of First Baptist Church for their New Year’s Eve Prayer Service on Friday, Dec. 31 at 10:30 p.m.

It was noted they plan to be finished in time to join the downtown celebration at 12 midnight.

KLVV Plans Assistance for Problems

KLVV 88.7 FM is offering to help get word out to citizens just in case of any problems on Jan. 1. KLVV has a backup power generator to stay on the air due to storms or possible Y2K interruptions. City governments have been invited to use 88.7 FM to keep their population up to date on emergency announcements. Always keep a battery radio ready.

KLVV’s rebroadcast stations in Enid (98.2FM) and Stillwater (106.7 FM) are on battery backup but would not last through an extended outage. 88.7 FM can be picked up by car radios in Enid and Stillwater.

Presbyterians To Hear Dr. Dykes

Dr. Ray Dykes of Oklahoma City will preach at the First Presbyterian Church on Sunday morning at 10 o’clock. He is the originator and first Personal Pastor of Personal Pastor Program, providing pastoral services to unchurched households, according to the announcement made.

Dr. Dykes was Senior Pastor of Central Presbyterian Church of Oklahoma City from Jan. 1, 1983 to July 1, 1994. He is a Board Member of the Central Oklahoma Habitat for Humanity and has been Moderator of the Indian Nations Presbytery. He has also served on General Assembly Boards, and has pastored the First Presbyterian Church of Lebanon, Tenn. and Sparta, Tenn.

He earned his Bachelor of Arts from Mississippi College in Clinton, Miss. and his Master of Divinity from Vanderbilt Divinity School. His wife, Donna, is Full Professor, Chair of Hebrew at Wimberly School of Religion, Oklahoma City University.

His son is a graphic artist in Oklahoma City. His father was a Southern Baptist pastor, then Presbyterian pastor, now retired in Richmond, Va.

St. Paul Methodists Ready Time Capsule

St. Paul’s United Methodist Church is doing a time capsule to commemorate the Millennium. Parishioners are bringing items they wish in the capsule and at 11 a.m. Dec. 31 (before the downtown celebration begins) a small worship/dedication service will be held to deposit the items in the time capsule, and welcome in the New Year.

Pastor’s Notes

Have you prepared your Y2K survival kit? I noticed a list of items in the newspaper the other day. Some of the things that one might need included bottled water, canned food, extra batteries, and a flashlight. I have even read that people are purchasing portable generators in case of a power failure.

If the Y2K problem cuts off my food and water supply, it will find me unprepared; for I do not plan to purchase a survival kit. I guess the energy crisis of the 1970s made me a little skeptical of all the doomsayers. They told us that the world’s oil supply would be depleted by the year 2000 and that the internal combustion engine would be a thing of the past. Things are not as gloomy as they predicted.

The article I read made me think about items needed for a spiritual survival kit. Let me suggest ten things that will help us cope with the dawning of a new age:

Y2K Spiritual Survival Kit

Holy Bible

The Upper Room

Hymnal

The Lord’s Prayer

The Serenity Prayer

The Apostles’ Creed

Bread and wine for communion

A loving church fellowship

Regular attendance at worship

Involvement in Christian

service projects

I guarantee this spiritual survival kit will prepare you for life in the new millennium. It will not only prepare you for times of crises; it will help you find joy each day that you live. Let us not be afraid to move into the future, for the God who is with us today will guide us in all our tomorrows. We don’t have to fear Y2K!

The Rev. Dr. J.D. Ward, Senior Minister

The First United Methodist Church

LIFESTYLES

As Influenza Sweeps Country Cases Are Increasing Locally
Xi Beta Tau Chapter Members Help With Shelter Presents
Managers Meet for Regional Event

As Influenza Sweeps Country Cases Are Increasing Locally

According to Sandy Gearhart, public relations for St. Joseph Regional Medical Center, flu cases in Ponca City are increasing.

Information about the flu, its symptoms, and who is at risk was provided to The News by Ben Bradley, R.N. and health supervisor at Integris Blackwell Regional Hospital. He also reports an increase of patients with the flu.

Influenza viruses usually are spread by droplets produced by an infected person who is coughing or sneezing. Avoiding or limiting contact with infected persons and frequent handwashing may reduce the risk of infection but will not eliminate the risk. Anyone who is coughing or sneezing should cover their nose and mouth with a handkerchief to limit spread of the virus.

When the supply of influenza vaccine is adequate, vaccine is the primary method used for preventing influenza infection and its complications, It is 70%-90% effective in preventing influenza among healthy adults — if it is administered at least 2 weeks before exposure and if there is a good match between the vaccine and the influenza strain causing illness. Vaccine effectiveness is lower for elderly persons, but can significantly reduce their chances of serious illness or death from influenza.

Prescription antiviral medications play an important role in the prevention and treatment of influenza A. If taken within the first 48 hours after illness onset, these medications can shorten the duration of influenza illness. Persons 65 years of age and others at risk should consult their physicians.

Who is at greatest risk of severe illness from influenza?

The elderly and those with chronic medical conditions, particularly heart or lung disease, are at increased risk of complications from influenza infections, including pneumonia, hospitalization, and death. This is why CDC recommends that these groups get an influenza vaccine each year. These groups include:

Persons 65 years

Residents of nursing homes and any other chronic-care facilities that house persons of any age who have chronic medical conditions

Adults and children who have chronic disorders of the pulmonary or cardiovascular systems, including asthma

Adults and children who have the following medical conditions:

Chronic metabolic diseases (e.g., diabetes mellitus)

Renal dysfunction

Hemoglobinopathies

Immunosuppression (including immunosuppression caused by medications)

Children and teenagers (aged 6 months to 18 years) receiving long-term aspirin therapy

Women who will be in their second or third trimester of pregnancy during the influenza season

In addition, to decrease transmission of influenza viruses to those at risk for infection, vaccine is recommended for persons who are in close or frequent contact with at risk persons. They include:

Influenza, or flu, is an acute respiratory infection caused by a variety of influenza viruses. The most familiar aspect of flu is the way it can “knock you off your feet” as it sweeps through, usually during the winter. Flu differs in several ways from the common cold, a respiratory infection also caused by viruses.

Schools are an excellent place for transmission of flu viruses, so that families with schoolage children have a higher rate of infection than other families.

Besides the rapid onset of the outbreaks and the large numbers of people affected, flu is important because of the seriousness of the complications that can develop. Most people who contract the disease recover within a week (although they may tire easily for awhile). However, for elderly people, newborn babies, and people with certain chronic illnesses, flu and its complications can be life threatening

Transmission is spread primarily from person to person, especially by coughing and sneezing. Flu viruses can enter the body through the mucous membranes of the eyes, nose or mouth. After a person has been infected with the virus, symptoms usually appear within 2-4 days. The infection is considered contagious for another 3-4 days after symptoms appear.

Health providers recommend bed rest and plenty of fluids if you have the flu. Children should not take aspirin or products containing aspirin. Antibiotics are not effective against flu. Medication such as acetaminophen may help relieve fever and aches. Prescription drugs may help some patients. Healthcare officials caution patients with flu to beware of complications, and to contact their doctor if they have trouble breathing or symptoms worsen as pneumonia and other complications may follow a case of the flu.

Xi Beta Tau Chapter Members Help With Shelter Presents

Members of Xi Beta Tau chapter of Beta Sigma Phi sorority met in the home of JoAnn Ferguson in Fairfax on Dec. 15. Sammie Coats, president, called the meeting to order, and members recited the Opening Ritual.

June Miller, recording secretary, called roll with six members present. Cindy Wardlow gave the treasurer’s report, and members discussed Valentine Dance tickets. Lois Coats, city council representative, reported on the minutes of the council’s Dec. 6 meeting.

Members met at the Domestic Violence Shelter on Dec. 16 to help stuff Christmas sacks for adults. On Dec. 20 chapter members met at the shelter to wrap gifts for the children. The social committee announced plans for a couples Mexican dinner on Dec. 26, with each member contributing food for the event.

The Valentine Queen’s backdrop was discussed. The traveling basket was presented to June Miller from Lois Coats. Sammie Coats won the mystery prize, and Lois Coats gave each member a coffee mug.

The cultural program was the chapter’s Christmas party and gift exchange. JoAnn Ferguson treated members to some of her favorite holiday treats and shared the recipe. Secret Sister gifts were exchanged, and a discussion held on the merits of tissue paper. Members then went outside to sing Christmas carols to the neighbors.

Managers Meet for Regional Event

Main Street program managers from Perkins, Perry, Enid and Ponca City met Dec. 17 for their fourth-quarter regional meeting at Stagecoach Barbecue in Newkirk. The round-table discussion was held regarding successful projects in each community and up-coming events.

Michele Jean, new Ponca City program manager, stated that it was moving its office to Grand Avenue in an upper-story space. Vicki Spaulding, Perry program manager, related that Perry’s first Children’s Christmas Shopping event was a success. Main Street provided free, hot roasted peanuts and hayrides downtown that same evening. David Holbrook, Perkins manager, stated that Perkins has a new restaurant. Enid program manager, Anita Andrew, also gave a report.

Managers exchanged Christmas gifts from their community. Each visiting manager received a gift bag from Newkirk Main Street which included a loaf of Mickael’s bread, ornaments from Rhoads Brothers, and a cup with hot chocolate mix from Newkirk Junior Main Street.

The group also reviewed Oklahoma Main Street’s new policy for trainings. Each community must now earn 100 points in continuing education. If board and committee members attend trainings, those points will accumulate for the community. Program managers are still required to attend three trainings per year.

Before leaving Newkirk, all mangers took a driving tour of downtown Newkirk. The next regional meeting will be held March 10 in Perkins.

SPORTS

Pets May Need Extra Precaution
Sooners’ Bowl Notebook
Rebels Had Expected Better
Najera is Star for Sooners
TU Spreads Points Around to Win Big
Tigers Unbeaten, Cowboys Aren’t

Pets May Need Extra Precaution

Months of training is required to acclimatize hunting dogs to extremely loud noises, according to G.J. Sagi, editor of the Mule Deer Chronicle, the monthly publication for members of the Mule Deer Foundation.

Since most pets never receive such training, owners need to take precautions Friday night to ensure their safety and prevent them from running off.

• Sagi said if you’re leaving your dog home make sure you leave a radio on at the regular volume level to help drown out midnight’s melee.

• Make sure it cannot escape. Frightened dogs often knock down insecure fencing — hardly the way you want to start 2000.

• Check your dog’s tags are legible, and have your phone number and address to ensure prompt retrieval should it get out.

• Consider leaving your pet with a trusted friend who’s not going out, or a qualified pet sitter.

Sooners’ Bowl Notebook

By OWEN CANFIELD

AP Sports Writer

SHREVEPORT, La. (AP) — One gets the impression that Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops could do without all the events that are part of a bowl trip.

Someone asked him on Thursday what had been the best part of the week for him.

‘‘Tomorrow,’’ he said. ‘‘My favorite part, by far and away, is the games, getting out there on the field and getting in the middle of it. Nothing touches that.’’

What about the highlight of the week so far?

‘‘Up to today? I guess practice,’’ Stoops said. Then he quickly made sure to add a postscript.

‘‘I don’t mean to offend anyone, because everything — and I mean it — everything’s been fantastic,’’ he said. ‘‘All the people who have been hosting us have been tremendous. The functions for the players have been outstanding. But I just enjoy football.’’

LASTING EFFECTS: Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops said that regardless of the outcome of Friday’s game, the Independence Bowl experience will benefit his team.

‘‘I think this entire experience leading up to the game is going to impact our program in a positive way,’’ he said.

‘‘I don’t believe whether you win or lose the game is going to affect the following year. I think it could affect the way the players remember the experience.

‘‘The best part of this bowl function and the bowl opportunity is playing in the game. That’s what you remember. The rest will all drift away, but you remember that. You remember winning or losing.’’

NO DROPOFF EXPECTED: Oklahoma lost its offensive coordinator when Mike Leach took the head coaching job at Texas Tech after the regular season. Oklahoma’s coaches say they don’t expect any problems making the adjustment, and Mississippi coach David Cutcliffe agrees.

‘‘After you’ve played 11 games, I don’t think it’s that big an issue,’’ Cutcliffe said. ‘‘The other coaches are in the same staff meetings, doing the same game planning. The players certainly know what they’re doing at that stage.’’

Rebels Had Expected Better

By OWEN CANFIELD

AP Sports Writer

SHREVEPORT, La. (AP) — When bowl bids were extended in early December, Mississippi coach David Cutcliffe immediately talked to his team about not being disappointed.

With two games to play in the regular season, the Rebels had been 7-2 with their sights on a big bowl game. When the season ended, they were 7-4 after consecutive three-point losses, and were headed back to the Independence Bowl for the second straight year.

‘‘None of us were in a real good mood, to be honest with you,’’ Cutcliffe said.

That disappointment has since faded, he said, and he expects a good showing tonight when the Rebels face Oklahoma.

Both teams are 7-4, although Oklahoma may be the hungrier of the two because the Sooners haven’t been to a bowl since 1994. But Cutcliffe said his team will match Oklahoma’s emotion.

‘‘I think both teams are really happy to be here,’’ he said. ‘‘If you’re a competitor, when the whistle’s going to blow and ball’s teed up, you better come to play.’’

Oklahoma has had a difficult time winning on the road. All four losses came away from home, where the Sooners went 5-0 and outscored opponents 222-23.

When he took over as Oklahoma’s coach, Bob Stoops was miffed that the Sooners had only five home games. Tonight’s may seem like a sixth, given that Oklahoma fans have bought in the neighborhood of 25,000 to 30,000 tickets.

‘‘We’ve played well on the road,’’ Cutcliffe said. ‘‘If it comes across as a road game, we’ll handle that.’’

The bigger challenge may be getting a handle on Oklahoma’s offense. The Sooners use a pass-now, run-later approach that resulted in them scoring 36.8 points per game.

Quarterback Josh Heupel set 13 single-season school records, including pass attempts (500), completions (310), passing yards (3,460) and touchdowns (30).

‘‘The scheme is never as big a difference as everybody makes it out to be,’’ said Cutcliffe, a former offensive coordinator. ‘‘It’s players, and putting your players in a position to make plays.

‘‘The key is a coach being able to recognize the weapons he has and being able to put those weapons to use. I think Oklahoma has done a great job of doing that in one year.’’

Unlike Oklahoma, the Rebels try to establish their running game first, then mix in the pass. Running back Joe Gunn ran for 951 yards and Deuce McAllister had 809, and each averaged more than 5 yards per carry.

They are complemented by quarterback Romaro Miller, who completed 54 percent of his passes and threw 14 touchdowns.

Ole Miss also is unlike Oklahoma when it comes to bowl experience. Only one member of the Sooner team — sixth-year senior Jay Smith — has made a bowl trip. This is Mississippi’s third straight postseason game and its second consecutive visit to the Independence Bowl.

Both coaches said their players should be excited about playing in the final bowl game of the millennium. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. CDT and likely won’t end much before the new year arrives.

‘‘It’ll be one of those trivia questions 50 years from now, who played in the last game,’’ Stoops said. ‘‘And most importantly everyone will ask who won the last game. Certainly, we’re part of history so it is special.’’

The game is sponsored by Sanford Manufacturing.

Najera is Star for Sooners

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Oklahoma coach Kelvin Sampson has a different kind of problem with Eduardo Najera.

He doesn’t believe in featuring star players on his teams. But the way Najera dominates the game makes Sampson concede that he has a star, and his star must get the ball.

Najera had a career-high 29 points and 14 rebounds Thursday night to lead the 22nd-ranked Sooners to a 64-51 victory over Arkansas State in the championship game of the All-College Tournament.

The 6-foot-8 senior forward had 16 points in the first half, when Oklahoma (11-1) was building a 33-20 lead. The tournament MVP then scored eight of the Sooners’ first 10 points of the second half, finishing 11-of-21 from the field.

‘‘Pound it inside,’’ Sampson said of the Sooners’ strategy. ‘‘Eduardo went 11-of-21 and it easily could have been 14- or 15-of-21. But he was good.’’

Najera dominated inside, scoring on a variety of short jumpers, follow shots and dunks. Six of his rebounds came on the offensive end, most on putbacks.

Sampson said Najera perhaps should get the ball even more than he does.

‘‘I don’t know if that’s all bad, with how good Eduardo is,’’ Sampson said. ‘‘He is so unselfish. He comes by the bench and asks ‘Am I shooting too much?’

‘‘When you have an unselfish scorer, that’s OK. He has a conscience.’’

In fact, Sampson actually had to nudge Najera to be more assertive.

‘‘I thought I hadn’t done a good job the last three or four games with my leadership,’’ Najera said. ‘‘Coach and I talked about that and he said I needed to be more aggressive. So that’s what I did.

‘‘I let the game come to me and my teammates found me. I was wide open.’’

And the Sooners needed all Najera had to give.

Arkansas State (3-7), led by Jamie Rosser’s 20 points, cut into the Oklahoma lead early in the second half and pulled as close as 52-45 with 4:40 to play on DeShawn Denson’s 3-pointer.

But J.R. Raymond answered with a 3-pointer at the other end and the Sooners regained control.

Arkansas State got as close as nine only briefly the rest of the way, when Rosser was fouled shooting a 3-pointer and made all three foul shots. But Najera boosted the lead to 59-48 with 2:52 remaining on a turnaround jumper and the Indians managed just three more points.

Raymond and Victor Avila each added 10 points and seven rebounds for Oklahoma.

Denson had 10 points for Arkansas State, all in the second half.

Oklahoma, the host of the All-College Tournament, won it for the second straight year and 14th time in 17 years.

In the consolation game, Lubos Barton scored 15 points and grabbed nine rebounds Thursday night to lead Valparaiso past Mount St. Mary’s 68-48.

The Crusaders (5-7), who built a 27-12 halftime lead, trailed only once at 2-0.

One night after absorbing its most one-sided loss in 31 years, St. Mary’s (1-7) made just 5 of 24 shots from the field in the first half and finished at 28.6 percent for the game. The Mountaineers were beaten by No. 22 Oklahoma 94-41 in Wednesday’s tournament opener.

Jared Nuness added 10 points for Valparaiso, which had eight players finish with at least six points.

Gregory Harris led the Mountaineers with a game-high 21 points.

No. 22 OKLAHOMA 64, ARKANSAS ST. 51

ARKANSAS ST. (3-7) 

Pepper 1-3 1-2 3, G. Williams 1-4 0-0 2, O. Williams 0-4 0-0 0, Fletcher 3-9 1-2 7, Rosser 7-15 3-3 20, Beck 0-1 0-0 0, Denson 4-8 0-0 10, Weaver 1-3 2-2 4, Rivas 2-2 1-1 5. Totals 19-49 8-10 51.

OKLAHOMA (11-1)

Johnson 3-5 2-2 8, Najera 11-21 7-10 29, Stone 2-4 0-0 4, Raymond 4-14 1-2 10, Heskett 1-5 0-0 3, Price 0-3 0-0 0, Newton 0-2 0-0 0, Avila 5-8 0-0 10. Totals 26-62 10-14 64.

Halftime—Oklahoma 33, Arkansas St. 20. 3-point goals—Arkansas St. 5-19 (Rosser 3-10, Denson 2-3, Weaver 0-1, Fletcher 0-2, O.Williams 0-3), Oklahoma 2-11 (Raymond 1-3, Heskett 1-5, Najera 0-1, Price 0-1, Newton 0-1). Fouled out—None. Rebounds—Arkansas St. 28 (G.Williams 9), Oklahoma 42 (Najera 14). Assists—Arkansas St. 6 (Fletcher 6), Oklahoma 13 (Raymond 6). Total fouls—Arkansas St. 14, Oklahoma 12. A—8,712.

TU Spreads Points Around to Win Big

DENTON, Texas (AP) — No. 25 Tulsa continues to spread out the scoring and keeps winning.

David Shelton scored 19 points to lead six Tulsa players in double figures as the Golden Hurricane (13-1) stretched their winning streak to six games with a 113-77 victory over North Texas on Thursday night.

‘‘I think we are getting better. We have a chance to do something special,’’ said Tulsa coach Bill Self, whose team cracked the Top 25 just this week. ‘‘We made the extra passes which got people open and everybody got some minutes.’’

North Texas (2-7) kept it close for the first few minutes, but was unable to keep up after the opening flurry. Tulsa took the lead for good when a tip-in by Brandon Kurtz made it 13-12 just four minutes into the game.

The Golden Hurricane later scored 19 straight points, including a rebound putback and a 3-pointer by Shelton, on the way to building a 56-29 halftime lead.

‘‘If we are in the Top 25, we can’t have any letdowns,’’ Shelton said. ‘‘It’s not about the points. When you win, everyone shares in the glory.’’

Tulsa is one of the eight teams left in the Western Athletic Conference after half the former league broke off to form the Mountain West Conference. The WAC champion isn’t guaranteed a spot in this year’s NCAA field of 64.

Greg Harrington added 18 points, Kurtz had 16, Eric Coley 15, Charlie Davis 14 and Marcus Hill 11 for the Golden Hurricane. It was the 11th game this season in which Tulsa had at least four players score in double figures.

‘‘These guys shoot the ball well, run the floor well, rebound and play defense,’’ North Texas coach Vic Trilli said. ‘‘We didn’t know whether to stop them inside or outside. They are a tremendously sound basketball team.’’

Tulsa scored 50 of its points inside the paint, and also made 10 3-pointers while posting the largest winning margin by a visitor at The Super Pit in the building’s 27 years. The Golden Hurricane had a 50-29 rebounding margin.

North Texas got no closer than 25 points after halftime, that coming after Brandon Gilbert hit a 10-footer for the first basket of the second half. Tulsa went on to build as much as a 45-point lead.

‘‘Coach stressed that when you have a team down, you have to put them away,’’ Shelton said. ‘‘We came out hard in the second half and did that.’’

The Eagles were still in striking distance after Chris Davis hit two free throws to pull them within 34-23 with 6:42 left in the first half. Then came Tulsa’s game-deciding run.

Davis led North Texas with 23 points while Deginald Erskin had 15 and Kenneth Mangrum 10.

In what resembled a crossing pattern, Harrington came across the baseline from the right side and passed off to Coley coming across from the left for a layup to start the streak at 6:15. Shelton’s 3-pointer four minutes later pushed the score to 53-23.

The Golden Hurricane have won both their games easily since breaking into the poll this week. They beat Missouri-Kansas City 81-60 on Tuesday, a day after getting ranked for the first time in almost three years.

During its current winning streak, Tulsa has outscored every opponent by at least 14 points, including victories over Boston College, North Carolina Charlotte and No. 16 Tennessee last week to win the Puerto Rico Holiday Classic.

Tigers Unbeaten, Cowboys Aren’t

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — LSU is off to its best start in 14 years and still in the thinning ranks of undefeated teams after a 63-53 victory over No. 11 Oklahoma State in the Sugar Bowl Classic.

After six straight losing seasons, the Tigers (12-0) haven’t done better since the 1985-86 season when they won 14 straight on the way to the Final Four.

‘‘It’s another step in trying to put this program back to where it once was,’’ LSU coach John Brady said.

Although no longer among the unbeaten teams, it’s the second time in the last three seasons that Oklahoma State (10-1) had opened the season with 10 straight wins.

Lamont Roland looked more than comfortable making the step from junior college to Division I with a career-high 22 points, including nine of LSU’s final 12 in the game.

‘‘Coach just told me to keep shooting the ball and I kept shooting it,’’ Roland said. ‘‘We were actually working on playing good defense. That’s why it was such a low-scoring game. But it was fun to hit some baskets too.’’

Roland, who was 5-of-7 from 3-point range, had 17 points in the second half, matching the total of his teammates over the final 20 minutes.

Jabari Smith’s basket with 15:32 to play gave LSU a 39-29 lead. The Tigers were up 44-33 with 14:03 left when Oklahoma State went on a 10-0 run over the next four minutes. It was capped when Brian Montonati went 1-for-2 from the foul line, Oklahoma State’s only free throws of the game.

‘‘One for two free throws, I think that must be some kind of school record,’’ said Oklahoma State coach Eddie Sutton.

Over the final 6:16, Oklahoma State scored twice on goaltending calls, but did not make a field goal until Glendon Alexander’s 3-pointer with 1:10 left cut LSU’s lead to 60-53. Roland and Stromile Swift then made free throws for LSU to close out the scoring.

Swift had 14 points, 11 rebounds and three blocked shots for LSU, while Smith had 11 rebounds as the Tigers outrebounded Oklahoma State 45-29.

Joe Adkins led the Cowboys with 14 points and Montonati had 13.

Adkins’ third straight 3-pointer tied the game 20-20, but the Cowboys scored only two more points over the final 7:25 of the half as LSU led 29-22 at halftime.

LSU 63, No. 11 OKLAHOMA ST. 53

OKLAHOMA ST. (10-1) 

Montonati 6-11 1-1 13, Mason 3-10 0-0 7, Webber 0-1 0-0 0, Adkins 5-18 0-0 14, Gottlieb 1-5 0-0 2, Alexander 3-10 0-0 9, Jonzen 4-5 0-1 8, Keep 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 22-60 1-2 53.

LSU (12-0) 

Beshara 3-11 1-2 8, Swift 5-10 4-7 14, Smith 1-5 1-3 3, Bright 2-7 0-0 5, Roland 8-11 1-3 22, Dupree 2-5 2-3 6, Temple 1-4 2-2 5. Totals 22-53 11-20 63.

Halftime—LSU 29, Oklahoma St. 22. 3-Point goals—Oklahoma St. 8-27 (Adkins 4-12, Alexander 3-8, Mason 1-6, Gottlieb 0-1), LSU 8-27 (Roland 5-7, Temple 1-4, Bright 1-6, Beshara 1-8, Smith 0-1, Dupree 0-1). Fouled out—Montonati. Rebounds—Oklahoma St. 29 (Mason 8), LSU 45 (Swift, Smith 11).