LOCAL

Temple Emanual Congregation Donates Eductional Materials About the Holocaust
School Menus
Fall Principal, Faculty Honor Rolls for PCMS
Athletic Trainer on the Sidelines
Great American Indian Dance Company To Present Concerts
School Calendar
Paying the Price
A Job Well Done
Donations Appreciated
Campaign Speech
Record Day for Eagle Watch
Road Over Kaw Dam To Be Closed Monday
Don Nuzum Will Seek School Board Position
City Employees May Pay for Rising Cost Of Health Insurance
Po-Hi Chorale To Give OMEA Concert
Financial Matters Top Commission Agenda
Ponca Playhouse Presents Hit Comedy
City Calendar
Alternative School Lists Honor Rolls
Book Review ‘Do Cats Have ESP?’ Charming
Super Bowl Party For Singles Group
BirthChoice Enjoys Eventful Year in ’98
Vietnam Vets Host Dance Saturday To Recall Event
AARP Tax-Aide Provides Free Tax Assistance
Special Meeting Of School Board Monday Night
Burbank VFD Auxiliary Sets Fund Raiser

Temple Emanual Congregation Donates Eductional Materials About the Holocaust

The congregation at Temple Emanuel got into the holiday spirit by donating books and educational materials about the Holocaust to each school library and Ponca City Library.

The words “never forget” are engraved on the walls of Holocaust memorials around the world. As time passes and those who can tell the story become fewer, the congregation feels it is more important than ever to have books, videos and reference material to teach future generations about a time in history they would rather forget. Members of Ponca City’s Jewish community want to help youth learn about the Holocaust, and what better gift to give the schools than the gift of books. “We’re thrilled to leave this legacy of books for the future,” says J.B. Smith, Temple president.

Ponca City’s Jewish community has always been small but has a long history of giving to the community. The Temple was built over 30 years ago and has been a place for Jews from throughout north central Oklahoma to gather, pray and have community. “We’re a family as well as a congregation,” says Smith. “Our numbers are small but we continue to teach our children and come together for services and holiday observances. The Temple is proud to donate these funds to keep alive the memory of the 6 million.”

School Menus

Elementary Breakfast

Monday — Cereal or honey bun, apple, assorted juices and milk.

Tuesday — Biscuits and gravy or cereal or honey bun, apple, assorted juices and milk.

Wednesday — Cereal or honey bun, apple, assorted juices and milk.

Thursday — Ham and egg biscuit or cereal or honey bun, apple, assorted juices and milk.

Friday — Cereal or honey bun, apple, assorted juices and milk.

Elementary Lunch

Monday — Fried chicken with hot roll or dino pretzel with cheese sauce, mashed potatoes, mixed fruit, saltine crackers, dill spears, bear grahams or assorted cold sandwiches, chef salad, diet plate, juice and milk.

Tuesday — Fiesta burrito or mozzarella cheese sticks with marinara sauce, fresh carrot rounds with ranch dressing, corn-on-cob, Jello, fruit, dill spears, saltine crackers or assorted cold sandwiches, salads or diet plate, juice and milk.

Wednesday — Soft beef and cheese tacos or mini corn dogs, cinnamon apples, mexican beans, fruit, saltine crackers, dill spears, brownies or assorted cold sandwiches, salads or diet plate, juice and milk.

Thursday — Chicken strips with hot roll or barchetta pizza, whipped potatoes and gravy, applesauce, saltine crackers, dill spears, Rocky Road pudding or assorted cold sandwiches, salads or diet plate, juice and milk.

Friday — Ravioli with garlic bread or breaded chicken sandwich, seasoned green beans, french fries, apricots, saltine crackers, dill spears, chocolate chip cookies or assorted cold sandwiches, salads or diet plate, juice and milk.

Middle School

Breakfast

Monday — Breakfast burrito or cereal, assorted juices and milk.

Tuesday — Biscuits and gravy or cereal, assorted juices and milk.

Wednesday — Ham, egg and cheese biscuit or cereal, assorted juices and milk.

Thursday — Sausage and egg biscuit or cereal, assorted juices and milk.

Friday — Biscuit and gravy or cereal, assorted juices and milk.

Mid-High

Breakfast

Monday — Breakfast burrito or cinnamon rolls or cereal, assorted juices and milk.

Tuesday — Biscuits and gravy or pancake with bacon or cereal, assorted juices and milk.

Wednesday — Ham, egg and cheese biscuit or cinnamon toast or cereal, assorted juices and milk.

Thursday — Egg and sausage biscuit or french toast or cereal, assorted juices and milk.

Friday — Biscuit and gravy or blueberry muffins or cereal, assorted juices and milk.

Middle School

Lunch

Available on Monday through Friday at the Middle School is Domino’s, Carl’s Jr., Taco Bell burritos.

Monday — Dino pretzel with cheese sauce, green beans, tatter tots, saltine crackers, dill spears, fruit or assorted cold sandwiches, salads, diet plate or pasta bar, juice and milk.

Tuesday — Cheese sticks with marinara sauce, fresh fruit, corn, salsa, jalapeno, saltine crackers, dill spears or assorted cold sandwiches, salads, diet plate or potato bar, juice and milk.

Wednesday — Soft beef tacos, mexican beans, mexican rice, green salad, fruit, saltine crackers, dill spears, brownies or assorted cold sandwiches, salads, diet plate, potato bar, juice and milk.

Thursday — Chicken strips with hot roll, mashed potatoes and gravy, applesauce, fruit, saltine crackers, dill spears or assorted cold sandwiches, salads, diet plate or potato bar, juice and milk.

Friday — Breaded chicken sandwich, french fries, fruit, saltine crackers, dill spears, chocolate chip cookies or assorted cold sandwiches, salads, diet plate, pasta bar, juice and milk.

Mid-High

Lunch

Available at the Mid-High Monday through Friday are Domino’s, Carl’s Jr., Taco Bell burritos.

Monday — Cheeseburger, lettuce and tomato, french fries, fruit, saltine crackers, dill spears or assorted cold sandwiches, salads, diet plate or pasta bar, juice and milk.

Tuesday — Fiesta burrito, refried beans, corn, Jello, fruit, saltine crackers, dill spears or assorted cold sandwiches, salads, diet plate or potato bar, juice and milk.

Wednesday — Mini corn dogs, broccoli with cheese, green salad, fruit, saltine crackers, dill spears or assorted cold sandwiches, salads, diet plate or pasta bar, juice and milk.

Thursday — Chicken strips with hot roll, whipped potatoes and gravy, fruit, green salad, saltine crackers, dill spears or assorted cold sandwiches, salads, diet plate or potato bar, juice and milk.

Friday — Ravioli with garlic bread, seasoned green beans, tossed salad, applesauce, saltine crackers, dill spears or assorted cold sandwiches, salads, diet plate or pasta bar, juice and milk.

High School Lunch

Available every day at Campus Mart, the Training Table Deli offers a pasta bar, baked potato bar, lean items and fresh fruit. The Ala Carte Wildcat line offers Domino’s.

Training Table

Monday- Friday — Pasta bar, potato bar, deli sandwiches and salads, seasonal fruit.

All-American Line

Monday — Cheeseburger, french fries, lettuce and tomato, pudding, seasonal fruit, juice and milk.

Tuesday — Burrito with chili and cheese, tossed salad, Jello, salsa, jalapenos, sour cream, seasonal fruit, juice and milk.

Wednesday — Beef ravioli with garlic bread, mixed vegetables, veggie dippers, Jello, seasonal fruit, juice and milk.

Thursday — Taco hat salads, salsa, pinto beans, jalapenos, Jello, sour cream, seasonal fruit, juice and milk.

Friday — Chicken strips with hot roll, mashed potatoes and gravy, peas, seasonal fruit, juice and milk.

McCord Elementary

Breakfast

Monday — Pancake and sausage, juice and milk.

Tuesday — Ham, egg and cheese bar, toast, juice and milk.

Wednesday — Cereal, toast, juice and milk.

Thursday — Cinnamon rolls, juice and milk.

Friday — No school for Parent/Teacher Conferences.

Lunch

Monday — Hamburgers, lettuce, pickles and onions, fries, green peas, banana pudding and milk.

Tuesday — Ham and beans, onion rings, cornbread, frozen fruit bar and milk.

Wednesday — Meat and cheese nachos, corn, peaches, cinnamon roll and milk.

Thursday — Chicken Ala King, crackers, peaches, ice cream and milk.

Friday — No school.

Pioneer Technology Center

Tuesday — Beef tips with rice, chicken tortellini alfredo or pork chop and dressing, salad bar, soup, assorted vegetables, breads and desserts.

Wednesday — Beef stir fry, barbecue chicken or pasta primavera, salad bar, soup, assorted vegetables, breads and desserts.

Thursday — Pot roast with vegetables, chicken stir fry or seafood enchilada, salad bar, soup, assorted vegetables, breads and desserts.

The cafeteria is open to the public from 11:15 a.m. to noon.

Fall Principal, Faculty Honor Rolls for PCMS

The fall Principal and Faculty Honor Rolls for Ponca City Mid-High have been released.

Eighth graders on the Principal’s Honor Roll include Tiffanie Bachar, Megan Baugh, Jeremy Beguin, Kathleen Blake, Kera Brown, Courtney Calvert, Lauren Cartlidge, Alicia Casey, Clifford Chao, Brittany Cook, Leslee Cooper, David Corn, Kyle Correll, Chelsy Delaney, Sarah Denny, Austin Drumm, Kaci Epperson, Maria Favela, Mackenzie Fender, Jenna Fisher, Allison Ford, Melissa Fore, Zachary Gales, Katelyn Galloway, Ryan Goodman, Cherokee Gossage, Jennifer Hambleton, Darci Hamrick, Garrett Hardy, Graden Hardy, Leah Harris, Brian Harrison, Lance Highfill, Kristina Huddleston, Allison Hufnagel, Janeann Huston, Gavan Jenkinson, Kyra Jones, Kyle Karnish, Danielle Keim, Jeffrey Kruck, Ann Kruckeberg, Linn Kruckeberg, Drew Lancaster, Erin Land, Jeffrey Lanham, Susannah Lee, Bethany Lewis, Justin Mathews, Hilary McKay, Morgan Meister, Stephanie Mester, Kayla Mills, and Janessa Mitchell.

Also Shannon Muchmore, Stacy Murray, Michael Naden, Lindsay Niemann, Lisa Norris, Kenda Payne, Eric Peeples, Ebony Phillips, Stephanie Powers, Brent Purkaple, Katherine Roland, Jennifer Rupert, Laura Sprehe, Lindsay Stafford, Mark Stahl, Amanda Stone, Colette Wade, Chad Walker, Ryan Waters, Kelli Wedd, Rachel Yeakley and Ann Ziegenhain.

Freshman on the Principal’s Honor Roll include Tiffany Almack, Stephanie Beier, Robert Bushaw, Elisabeth Case, Meena Chahar, KC Corn, Stephanie Council, James Cullin, Emily Day, Martin Doerksen, Ashley Ford, Amber Foy, Tory Hazen, Jaime Hereford, Mallory Hodge, Daniel Hunget, Derek Hunt, Aaron Jones, Elizabeth Ladd, Kathleen Larrison, Aaron Lewis, Benjamin Loney, Zachary Loney, Robin Maril, Jennifer Matlock, Jeffrey McCall, Meg McDaniel, Joseph (J.D.) McElhaney, Morgan Mongold, Elizabeth Newman, Michael Proctor, Andrew Romine, Kristen Sievert, Emily Smith, Kevin Stauffer, Creighton Weber and Jenna Wedd.

Faculty Honor Roll

Eighth graders on the Faculty Honor Roll are Amber Adams, Jarrod Adams, Mandi Adams, Sarah Adams, Joshua Alcantra, Matthew Allen, Eben Alley, Jae Anderson, Patricia Arbona, Michael Bales, Mark Barkley, Darren Barnard, Rebecca Barnard, Holley Barnett, Serenity Becker, Jacob Behara, Courtney Bickel, Matthew Bone, Angela Bonham, Garrett Bowers, Lauren Boyd, D’Vonne Brock, Cortney Burns, Rachel Campbell, Sean Carleton, Chelsey Clark, Ashley Cline, Christopher Cobb, Lyndsey Cobble, Chance Coldiron, Kassandra Coldiron, Cassidy Conley, Blake Cook, Trevor Copple, Courtney Coppock, Daniel Cottman, Jenny Cowan, Kansas Craft, Josh Culver, Adam Dailey, Joanna Dailey, Chace Dawes, Caroline Delodge, Alisha Dewberry, Bradley Dexter, Matthew Dexter, Brian Dick, Matthew Dickey, Gracin Dorsey, Mandrell Dumas, Gerrilynn Eddinger (Garza), Katrina Emmons, Jennifer Ernst, Aimee Escue, Sarah Farnsworth, Tyler Fezer, Chrystal Forman, Shannon Garrison, Justen Gerstenkorn, Felicia Gifford, Christopher Gilbert, Joshua Gilliland, Tonya Gillogly, John (Wes) Graham, Jordan Green, Jeremy Greenfield, Jennifer Gregg, Heather Hanson, Nicholas Harrison, Casey Hassell, Donald Hazlewood, Ashley Hendrickson, Ashton Herbert, Randall Heyer, Alecia Hightower, Chelsey Hill, Melissa Hoffman, Briann Holley, Ashley Holloway, Lisa Hover, Latisha Hudson, Chance Hunt, Chad Hunter, Katherine Jacobs, Ryan Johnson, Amanda Jones, Jason Jones, Adam Joosten, Timothy Kana, Jaime Kay, Andrew Kellert, Nicholas Kempenich, Natalie Kennedy, Rachel Knox, R.N. Lambert, Jessop Larue, Kristy Lau, Calinda Lee, Cory Levings, Stephanie Livingston, Leobardo Loera, Christopher Lowrey, Joey Luis, Benjamin Lundeen, Sean Lunsford, Nathanael Macy and Christopher Malaska.

Also M.B. Mallory, Victoria Mansfield, Halli Martin, Jacob Martin, Michael Martin, Cody Mather, Jared McCulley, Joshua McCullough, Adam McGaughey, Nickalos McKee, Kyle Megenity, Lindsey Mersman, Tommie Miner, Marlene Montenegro, Victor Morfin, Steven Morris, Luke Munyon, Sarah Myers, Kyle Nelson, Christin Nicks, James (Jay) Norris, Loren O’Connor, Pawel Olejniczak, Ariana Olivas, Cody Pappan, Sarah Parker, Shane Parker, David Pierce, Angela Pitts, Patrick Quinn, Jeffrey Rabel (Seymour), Kayla Ramsey, Rocio Reyes, Cari Roberts, Candice Robinson, Carrie Robinson, Neil Rosebeary, Angela Rutledge, Brandon Saylors, Corey Shafer, David Sikes, Angela Skaggs, Brandon Smith, Krystal Smith, Tiffany Smith, Christina Sneed, Pamela Snow, Jennifer Spielbusch, Melissa Stangeland, Emerilla Starnes, Rebecca Stephen, Keara Stevens, Keagan Stolhand, Jennifer Stone, Mark Strange, Tyler Street (Mayse), Ryan Sullivan, Heather Summers, Lyndsay Suttles, Adam Taylor, Heather Taylor, Laura Taylor, Angela Thomas, Emma Thomas, Candice Threestars, Sarah Todd, Molly Tomek, Kristan Trepton, Bradley Turvey, Aaron Upshaw, Ajay Vaidya, Cody VanHoesen, Sarah Viele, Cecil Villines, Kelle Waddell, Amanda Waldron, Chance Walker, Jaelynn Warren, Matthew Wells, Susan Wells, Kyle Wentroth, Roschun Whigham, Kenneth White, Brittany Wilson, Jamie Winslow, Sean York and Haley Zuvanich.

Ninth graders on the Faculty Honor Roll include Shastina Abernathy, Sharnice Alexander, Douglas Allison, Christina Anderson, Matt Biddinger, Anita Bilyeu, Courtney Birdsong, Belinda Birge, Chelsea Bland, Byron Blazek, Kyle Bogner, Janelle Bostic, Kristi Bradley, Kristen Brett, Jennifer Brown, Jessica Bullington, Kyle Cain, April Casey, Teri Chambray, Nicole Chance, Ray Chao, Lacy Cobble, Sean Cochran, Troy Cochran, Audry Conley, Traci Conley, Loren Copeland, Christy Cowan, Jennifer Cowan, Janine Cox, Andrew Cranford, Kenneth Crank, Stephen Curfman, Amanda Danek, Charley Daniel, Bethany Dester, Lauren Detten, Jamie Duckett, Stephanie Dyer, Matthew Ellis, Elizabeth England, Joseph Fleck, Beth Fleharty, Philip Francis, Desiree Franseen, Tia Froman, Sonia Fry, Susan Galvin, Paul Gammill, Margaret Garino, Amie Gehlert, Cameron Gifford, Jennifer Gray, Kelsey Griffith, Ben Grubb, Kara Hardy, Nicholas Hartman, Ryan Hensley, Brandy Herard, Breann Herard, Peter Hightower, Kacey Hogan, Bethany Honick, Richard Hoy, Dru Hudnall, Lucas Hudson, Larry Hutson, Amanda Ingram, Amber Irwin, Emily Jack, Brandy Jester, Micah Johnson, Jessica Jorgensen, Josh Kelle, Austin Keller, Philis Kellert, Shawna Kelley, Chase Kelly, Melissa Kelly, Katherine Kennedy, Emily Kent, Tyler Kimrey, Joseph Kitchens, Ty Larue, Jamie Leach, Aaron Leadingfox, Lisa Lechtenberg, Lindsey Lessert, Benjamin Lewis, Sara Lewis, Jeffery Lindley, Chad Longmore, Eric Martinez, Darcy McConnell, Mikki McMahan, Maria Mena, Larry Merz, Jeremy Moore, Matthew Moore, Trista Moore, Laura Murray, Jaimee Neal, Becka Orr, April Osborn and Joseph Oswalt.

Also Angela Owen, Tara Owens, Colby Payne, Lacey Pendergraft, Kendra Perryman, Beth Peterson, Jaime Pettigrew, Amanda Poole, Allison Powell, Roman Redleaf, Jamie Reiss, Analesa Reynolds, Masheli Robins, Errin Rutherford, Christina Rutledge, April Sage, Monica Sawyers, Brad Saylor, Daniel Schnack, Tera Schooley, Brian Scott, Amanda Sells, Andrew Shay, Drew Shelton, Stacy Sherman, Virginia Shewmake, James Sinton, Lonna Sisco, Nicole Sledge, Latoya Smith, Molly Smith, Misti Spears, Jason Staires, Anna Stalcup, Jessica Steates, Amanda Summers, Ashley Tharp, Emily Thompson, Douglas Tosh, Robert Trant, Robin Treat (Daniel), Dezri Truyen, Lauren Vaughn, Meredith Veal, Trevor Viljoen, Brian Warren, Niki Waters, Joshua Weber, Gilles Weingart, Amanda Wiles, Raeanna Wiles, Steven Windler, Phillip Wingender, Emily Wiswell, Matthew Wittmer and Sherina Wood.

Athletic Trainer on the Sidelines

Ponca City High School athletes will be in good hands with Becki Sober, LAT, ATC on the sidelines starting this season. Sober is an athletic trainer at St. Joseph Regional Medical Center and will provide assistance at Po-Hi practices, as well as home and away sporting events.

Po-Hi is familiar to Sober. She was a student trainer for wrestling there for three years and graduated from Po-Hi in 1993. Now, nearly six years later, she has returned as a Certified Athletic Trainer with extensive training to help Wildcat athletes again.

“Ponca City High School has been behind the competition of the other five and six Class A schools in the state,” Sober said. “Having an athletic trainer will be very beneficial to the health and safety of student athletes of Ponca City, as well as expanding the scope of care at St. Joseph’s Physical Therapy/Wellness Center in an ongoing effort to better serve the needs of our community.”

Garry England, SJRMC President and CEO, said the medical center initiated this service to reduce injuries and to provide better wellness and rehabilitation.

“This ties in nicely with our integrated wellness and rehabilitation efforts in the community,” England said. “When Becki is not working at the high school, she will provide services in our rehabilitation department.”

Sober received her training at the University of Tulsa and the University of Texas at San Antonio. In addition to being an athletic trainer in college, Sober has been an intern at a private boys school in Tennessee, a trainer for the Universal Cheer and Dance Association, and a graduate assistant trainer at the University of Texas at San Antonio. It was there she had one of her most interesting experiences as a Host Trainer for the 1998 NCAA Final Four Basketball Tournament in San Antonio.

She earned a bachelor of science degree in the Athletic Training Curriculum Program from University of Tulsa and has completed 12 hours toward a Masters of Education degree in Adult and Higher Education and Kinesiology and Health from the University of Texas at San Antonio. She plans to complete her graduate degree by attending classes in the summer.

SJRMC received help recruiting Sober from Po-Hi graduate Greg Sheehan, a former Wildcat wrestler, now an athletic trainer and athletic trainer recruiter. Once a trainer was found, SJRMC entered into an agreement with the Ponca City School District to provide the service.

Sober will also work with mid-high students or younger athletes in the training room if parents or coaches request treatment.

Athletic trainers are required to have a bachelor’s degree of specific course work including anatomy, physiology, modalities, evaluation, etc. to be eligible to take the National Athletic Trainer Association Board of Certification Exam. State licensure is also required by the Board of Medical Licensure and Supervision as athletic trainers are viewed by the state as “Qualified Health Care Providers.”

An athletic trainer is responsible for three main areas in dealing with physically active people — injury prevention, which includes taping, bracing and padding, management of athletic injuries and rehabilitation of injuries, and the integration of education about athletic injuries so physically active people can be empowered to lead healthier, injury-free lifestyles. Athletic trainers are specially trained for immediate injury management.

“By providing an athletic trainer to Ponca City High School, St. Joseph Regional Medical Center has solved the need for specialized services for our athletic youth,” she said. “Through the combined efforts of Dr. Chris Banwart, Dr. Terry Boring, the Wellness Center, and me, this program will have a positive influence on the athletes in Ponca City.”

Great American Indian Dance Company To Present Concerts

Students from the Ponca City Schools will discover the sights, sounds and beauty of America’s first nations through exciting performances by the Great American Indian Dance Company.

This professional dance company will be presenting their student concerts on Jan. 28 and 29. These unique presentations will start on Jan. 28 at the Mid-High from 8:10 to 9 a.m., Roosevelt from 10 to 11 a.m. and Lincoln from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. Performances on Jan. 29 will be at the Middle School from 9 to 10 a.m. and Hutchins Memorial from 1 to 2 p.m. The public is invited to attend the performance at Hutchins Auditorium.

Each Student Concert is an educational performance that is one hour in length. It involves Native American singing, dancing and storytelling that students can relate to. The program begins with a brief overview of characteristics to listen for in Native songs. This is followed by a brief introduction of various instruments that will be used throughout the performance. These two elements are combined when songs from three distinct geographical regions are performed live. They include one song from the desert southwest, one from the Rocky Mountains and one from the oceans of Alaska.

Each dance is preceded by a narration explaining the origin, tribe and significance. The young audiences will witness the enchanting “Pueblo Eagle Dance,” the powerful “Southern Plain’s Buffalo Dance,” the mesmerizing “Dakota Hoop Dance” and the exhilarating “Men’s War Dance.” The war dance regalia is explained in detail before the war dance begins. Immediately following the war dance, the students and teachers are invited to come up and participate in some of the dances.

Throughout the performance, four Native American concepts are emphasized through storytelling and visual storyboards. They are:

1. There are many diverse tribes in North America who have distinct cultures and languages.

2. Modern Indians have to learn to balance and live in both the Indian and non-Indian worlds at the same time. These two worlds have different values.

3. Respect for our culture, environment and elders is a very important value that they practice. Respect is portrayed in a functional example that is geared to their age level.

4. “Don’t believe everything you see on television and the movies about American Indians because, most of it is not true!” Learning to recognize stereotypes and their sources are positive tools in redefining and reeducating society about Native Americans.

“There are many stereotypes that surround the Native American people. These stereotypes are detrimental because they encourage society to view Native Americans as figures associated only with the historical past or even worse, as characters that Hollywood has created. This concert was created to dispel these stereotypes through humorous stories and scenarios that encourage young people to think about American Indians in a new and positive way,” said Dennis W. Zotigh, company director.

Elements of this concert have been presented in a workshop for the National Indian Education Association in Anchorage, Alaska. This concert has been performed in over 700 schools, libraries and educational venues nationwide and in London, England. It was inspired to reeducate non-Indians and instill pride in Native Americans.

The Title IX Indian Education Program of the Ponca City Schools is sponsoring these concerts. For further information contact Jo Lessert, 767-8000, ext. 128; Lucy Kent, 767-8050; Nellie Roughface, 767-8010; or Jeana Rush, 767-8060.

School Calendar

Po-Hi

Jan. 25

Representative from OU in the Conference Room at 9:30 a.m.

Enrollment orientation at 10:30 a.m.

Dug-Out Club meeting, room 101, 6 p.m.

Chorale concert in the Howell Auditorium at 7 p.m.

Jan. 26

Enrollment orientation continues at 10:30 a.m.

Junior varsity and varsity basketball against Jenks at 5 p.m.

Eighth and ninth grade parent meeting, Howell Auditorium, 5:30 p.m.

Play rehearsal in the Howell Auditorium at 7 p.m.

Ponca Area Chamber Orchestra, room F-103, 7 p.m.

Jan. 27

Enrollment orientation continues.

OMEA Convention for band, chorale and orchestra in Tulsa.

Jan. 28

Representative from Northwest Oklahoma State in the Conference Room at 9:30 a.m.

Enrollment orientation continues.

Student Council election meeting, room 203, 5 p.m.

Job Shadowing reception in the Assembly Center at 7 p.m.

PTSA meeting, Commons Area, 7 p.m.

OMEA Convention continues in Tulsa.

Jan. 29

Great American Indian Dancers at Hutchins Auditorium at 1 p.m.

Junior varsity and varsity basketball at Bartlesville at 5 p.m.

OMEA Convention continues.

Boys and girls track meeting at OBU.

Junior varsity wrestling at Chandler.

Jan. 30

Varsity wrestling, Sand Springs, 7 p.m.

Junior varsity wrestling tournament continues.

Letters

Paying the Price

After reading “Execution From a Witness Perspective,” Sunday, Jan. 10, I, too, believe in capital punishment. My people, the Choctaws, had a unique system in which the murderer had a year to get his affairs in order and return to where he was sentenced and the execution took place. If the murderer didn’t show up at the appointed time and place, then the victim’s family chose a member of the murderer’s family to take his place. As our history goes, no one ever missed his appointed time to be executed.

Dec. 9, 1983, our daughter and niece were murdered near Groom, Texas. Our case never had a finality as this recent one involving the execution on Jan. 7. We joined an organization “Parents of Murdered Children” based in Tulsa. After meeting many parents who lost their children to murder, many of those cases never reached an execution. Some never even a suspect. Tears, heart-ache and grief for life. Every time I read about a murder in the newspaper or see a murder scene on TV we know exactly what a family to going through — the knock on your door, a law officer asking you what your daughter’s name is or showing you a picture of a deceased loved one, a picture of them at a morgue. To have to identify a body, make funeral arrangements and to always have the question of who did it? And why? Endless phone calls to law officers about the status of the case. Our case involved two escaped convicts from Lexington, Okla., minimum security. It never went to court after one convict bragged about it to another one. Texas Rangers had evidence to bring him to court. The inmate was killed by other inmates before he could be brought to justice. The evidence was beyond a reasonable doubt.

In Patti Pfeiffer’s article she writes about the lengthy process that adds grief, anxiety and tension to the victim’s families. I agree. I disagree with the theory that the murderer isn’t the same man that committed the murder. Once a murder always a murder!

After 15 years the crime is always fresh on your mind. Someday I hope to witness an execution in Texas, the accomplice in our daughter’s and niece’s murder. Today that person is in prison, protected by people in the prison system. Protected from people like us as a former warden of the Oklahoma prison system once told us.

Mr. and Mrs. Geary L. Watson

Red Rock

A Job Well Done

I was one of the over 250 people who attended the Martin Luther King Celebration Saturday night. One of the highlights of the celebration was the skit performed by students from Garfield Academy, the fine-arts magnet public elementary school. Beyond being charming, this troupe of young people were inspiring and competent. Under the direction of Marta Maril and the musical direction of Belinda Stevenson, this mix of ages, sizes and ethic backgrounds, portrayed part of Dr. King’s life in a play entitled, “Big Words, Strong Words.”

Despite the necessity to recast the play last week due to a scheduling conflict with a crucial basketball game, the message of the play was quite clear. Even with only two rehearsals, all the performers exuded confidence and spoke with strong, articulate voices. Following their skit, the students received a standing ovations as they stood besides their chairs in the front row of the audience.

When the evening’s M.C., Catherine Ferguson, asked them to take the stage for a bow, they automatically formed two rows and self-choreographed their unison bow. They are troupers every one. Credit must be given to students’ parents and families, and to all their teachers at Garfield. Not only did they give insight into Dr. King’s life, but their unity gave life to his ideals.

Thank you, students. Encore! Encore!

Andrea Morriss

Donations Appreciated

White Eagle Head Start would like to thank the following businesses for their contributions donated during the Christmas Holidays and in the recent past:

Ponca Tribal Bingo

Wal-Mart

Kmart

Westside Alliance

These donations brought a smile to many young faces and with continued support we plan to keep them smiling.

Thank You

Jason Freeman

For the White Eagle Head Start Staff

Campaign Speech

The State of the Union address took five seconds. The campaign speech that followed lasted over an hour.

Truman Smith

Record Day for Eagle Watch

By PATTI PFEIFFER

News Staff Writer

With a record crowd and a record number of eagles Saturday the fifth annual Eagle Viewing at Kaw Lake is being hailed a huge success.

“The turnout has been fantastic! I’ve never seen this many people out here before” Ponca City Electric Manager Rusty Edwards said at the Kaw Dam Hydroelectric Plant. “We have been packed since we opened the doors this morning. It is an excellent crowd.”

The large turnout seemed to please all of those that sponsored the event.

“This is one of the largest crowds ever,” said Oklahoma Municipal Power Authority (OMPA) Spokesperson Drake Rice. “I quit counting at 225 and there were still more coming in. We are really pleased with the turnout this year.”

A reported 19 eagles were sighted around the dam area Saturday morning as the festivities got under way at Kaw Lake.

The day-long event, which began Saturday morning in Kaw City and ended in the afternoon at Kaw Dam, was a joint effort sponsored by the City of Ponca City, Kaw Lake Association, Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation, OMPA, Payne County Audubon Society, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Road Over Kaw Dam To Be Closed Monday

Beginning at 8 a.m. Monday the road crossing Kaw Dam will be closed 24 hours a day through 5 p.m. Friday.

There will be signs and warning flashers at U.S. 60 and at the Corps of Engineers office alerting drivers of the closure. This closing is taking place to install new equipment.

Don Nuzum Will Seek School Board Position

Don L. Nuzum has announced his intention to seek election to Seat 1 on the Ponca City Board of Education during the regular school elections on Feb. 9. He will face incumbent Andrea Morriss.

Nuzum believes that our children hold the future in their hands. “This is the primary reason for my decision to run for the school board position. Today’s youth must be held accountable and it is our responsibility to provide them with the best tools possible with which to shape their future. Goals must be attainable, but it is imperative that they be reached only through a tough work ethic.”

“I anticipate many new and exciting challenges in the new millennium. We must insure that the educators of tomorrow’s leaders use to their full advantage the educational and technological tools that are at their disposal. I want to be a part of making Ponca City one of the top schools in our state in all three A’s: Academics, Athletics and Arts.”

He went on to say, “I have always wanted to be involved in some aspect of education. I want to be a fair voice in the decision-making process in our schools, and feel like now should be the time since I have two students in the system.”

The candidate has been Ponca City Municipal Airport Manager since March of 1988. He is a 1992 graduate of Leadership Ponca City and currently serves as Tri-Chair. He is a six-year member of the Ponca City School Foundation and has served three terms as treasurer. He has been an active member and served on numerous committees of PTSA throughout his children’s school careers.

His memberships include the First United Methodist Church, Ponca City Swim Association, Ponca City BizTip Club, Oklahoma Airport Operators Association, Oklahoma Flying Farmers, Ponca City Tomorrow Transportation Committee, Ponca City Chamber of Commerce, Ponca City Aviation Boosters, Poncan Theatre Board, Ponca City Rotary Club, Ponca City Masonic Lodge and American Association of Airport Executives.

Nuzum graduated from Watonga High School and attended OSU-Okmulgee and American Flyers in Fort Worth, Texas. His wife, Lori, is Vice President of Operations at Home National Bank, and the couple has two children, D.J. and Andra.

City Employees May Pay for Rising Cost Of Health Insurance

By PATTI PFEIFFER

News Staff Writer

City employees may soon be paying the price for the increase in health cost as well as an increase in number of medical claims being filed.

According to City Director Marc LaBossiere the issue of the city’s health coverage is a major budgetary concern.

“It’s not clearly out of control but it is a critical issue that needs to be addressed,” LaBossiere says.

City employees currently do not pay for health insurance, a benefit which upset at least one city commissioner during last week’s budget work session.

“I think this is a bunch of horse crap,” City Commissioner Chris Hand told the other commissioners. “I think everyone should pay for insurance. I have zero insurance except catastrophic insurance.”

Last Monday the commission was briefed on the subject by LaBossiere. “There have been six months of escalating claims and they keep coming in, and it is becoming a real issue.” he said. “There is not an easy answer because no matter how you slice it, it is unpleasant.”

City Manager Gary Martin explained how the situation of “free” medical insurance came about.

“The cost to the taxpayers is tremendous but we started this several years ago when we didn’t have the funds for a pay raise. That is why the decision to pay for the insurance was made in the first place,” Martin said. “It is hard to take that away because employees would see it as a decrease in benefits.”

The history was a point that was also stressed by the finance director himself.

“You have to remember that this evolved over many years,” LaBossiere says. “It began at a time when health costs were low and so were city wages. So the city decided to pay for insurance to make up for the low salaries.”

Currently the city is self-insured which means that a certain amount of money is budgeted every year to cover the cost of medical claims. The problem now is that those costs may exceed the budgeted amount.

The situation has forced the city officers to examine their options which range from benefit manipulation to cost sharing.

“And there is any number of options in the middle,” LaBossiere says.

On the one hand, LaBossiere says city employees could face higher deductibles or higher co-payments for doctor visits and/or prescriptions.

The option of cost sharing would mean that employees would contribute to the cost of medical insurance through premium payments — an option which appealed to Commissioner Keni Ray.

“I always thought that Conoco’s medical plan was the best but every Conoco employee has to pay monthly,” he said. “I think we should go to our employees and say that this is the fact of life and realistic and they will have to contribute.”

Mayor Tom Leonard remained quiet on the matter and Commissioners Lyn Boyer and Dick Stone were not in attendance at the meeting.

Regardless of how unpleasant it is, the insurance dilemma is a subject that will be addressed, researched and debated many times between now and the beginning of the new fiscal year in July.

“We will be examining all of our alternatives to bringing costs down,” LaBossiere says. “We can’t change our benefit package on a whim because it is a very complicated deal and process.”

Po-Hi Chorale To Give OMEA Concert

The Ponca City High School Chorale will present an honor performance at the Oklahoma Music Educators Association Convention on Friday, Jan. 29 in Tulsa. The OMEA concert will begin at 8 p.m. at the Holy Family Cathedral, 8th and Boulder. The public is welcome to attend, concert admission is $8.

“This OMEA honor performance reconfirms Ponca City’s long tradition of outstanding high school choral groups. The Chorale will be singing 11 years to the day of their last OMEA honor choir selection. Only five Oklahoma high school choirs were selected by the OMEA to perform at this year’s convention. It is a very prestigious honor,” states Ms. Cynthia Gass, Po-Hi Vocal Music director.

Applications for OMEA honor choir selection are made by high school choir conductors and consist of taped school-year performances. A panel of college instructors rate the tapes submitted, and final selection is made by the OMEA executive board.

Three Po-Hi Chorale members were selected as outstanding vocal music students at All-State auditions which were held last fall. They are seniors Lucas Elmer, Carrie Cooley and Skye Howery. During the convention, the three will participate in the OMEA All-State Chorus with guest conductor Andre Thomas.

The Ponca City community can preview the Chorale’s honor performance at a pre-convention concert Monday at 7:30 p.m. in the Howell Auditorium.

Financial Matters Top Commission Agenda

By PATTI PFEIFFER

News Staff Writer

Money, money, money — money matters will be the majority of the city commission agenda Monday evening.

Activity on money matters open with a presentation of the 1997-98 accountants report and financial statement for the City of Ponca City, the Ponca City Utility Authority and the Ponca City Developmental Authority.

A budget status report for the second quarter ending Dec. 31 follows, and then there’s a resolution which, if approved, will authorize the finance director to invest monies in securities authorized by state statue.

A request to increase rezoning fees from $25 to $150 will also be considered. According to City Planner Todd Kennemer the fee was established in 1956 and has remained unchanged for 43 years.

“According to the Cost-of-Living index, $25 in 1956 has the same buying power as $150 in 1999,” Kennemer states in the agenda summary. “This will make the rezoning fees in Ponca City comparable to surrounding communities.”

After all the money matters are finished other city business will then be addressed. A lease agreement with Monumental Enterprises for the lease of the Marland Mansion Conference Center will be considered by the commissioners.

Also on the agenda is a proposed engineering service contract for upgrades to the $9.3 million “newly upgraded” Water Treatment Plant. The improvements, this time, will involve the lime sludge dewatering facility at the plant which were not addressed in the first phase of the project.

A request from the Ponca City Main Street Authority to block Grand Avenue from First Street to Thirteenth Street on the evening of June 4 for “Classic Cars” to cruise the main street will also be considered.

An update on the Westside Community Project will given during the meeting.

Included on the consent agenda are:

• Authorization for the purchase of a warning siren for the Emergency Management Department from American Signal Corporation in the amount of $10,934.

• Consider accepting an award for the Small Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program for Phase II of the improvements and repairs to Lake Ponca Dam.

• Authorize the purchase of a hydraulic slide gate operator for the City Garage division of the Public Works Department from Mid-America Fence Door Co. in the amount of $12,484.

• Consider authorization for the Mayor to sign the contract with Cardinal Pools of Oklahoma, Inc., in the amount of $50,721 for the filter tank replacement and pool heater at the Community Pool.

• Consideration of a contract to employ Pam Glennan as a part-time consultant to perform professional services in the identification of federal, state and nonprofit organizations grants-in-aid and to provide research consultation and advice for the City of Ponca City.

Ponca Playhouse Presents Hit Comedy

Ponca Playhouse will present Neil Simon’s hit comedy “The Sunshine Boys” opening Jan. 29 at the Poncan Theatre. This vaudeville-laced production is directed by Kenn Wessel, executive director of The Poncan Theatre.

The action of the play takes place in the 1970’s in an old hotel on upper Broadway, the home of Willie Clark (Dave May), an aging vaudevillian who has been retired for some years. Willie is watched over by his nephew, Ben (David Guinn), who is also his agent. Over time Willie has grown increasingly impatient with Ben, who has been unable to find acting gigs for his slightly senile uncle.

Finally, CBS schedules a big special, an hour and a half variety show, featuring the biggest names in the history of show business. Ben manages to wrangle a spot on the show for Willie and his old partner of many years, Al Lewis (Dave Hart).

Al and Willie have been at odds for years. First it was their clashing personalities in the act, and then Al’s retirement which forced Willie into unwilling retirement. Al, who now lives with his daughter’s family in New Jersey, and Willie haven’t spoken for years. Willie, always the curmudgeon, is determined that Lewis and Clark, the Sunshine Boys, will never work together again. Eventually, however, Ben gets the best of Willie and convinces them to work together — just once more.

Willie and Al are set to do their most famous routine, “The Doctor Sketch”. The other actors are set for their roles as the patient (Allan Madden) and Nursie (Kim Veltman), and the assistant (Katherine Lawrence) feels she is prepared for anything. The rehearsal turns into one great brouhaha, and Al walks out.

When we next see Willie he has suffered a heart attack, and is now making life miserable for his nurse (Vickie Hart). The nurse will take no nonsense from Willie, and gives back as good as she gets. During this time Al returns to visit Willie and the show ends in a lively truce.

Tickets for “The Sunshine Boys” go on sale to the public Jan. 25. The Playhouse box office number is 765-5360, and office hours are 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday, and 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. for the Sunday matinee. Performances are Jan. 29, 30, 31, and Feb. 25 and 6. All performances are at 8 p.m. except the 2 p.m. Sunday matinee.

“The Sunshine Boys” has been made possible through a grant by the State Arts Council. Conoco is corporate sponsor for this production.

City Calendar

Items for the City Calendar should be brought in or telephoned (765-3311) to Bob Patterson, at the Ponca City News, by Thursday noon.

Anytime

FOLOBS (Friends of Library Ongoing Book Sale), anytime the Ponca City Library is open, North of Multimedia Room (downstairs).

Today

ALANO Group Open Discussion meeting (smoking allowed), 8 p.m., 603 South First Street.

Monday

Po-Hi Steppers Mini-Stepper Clinic for 3 years-sixth graders, registration, 5-7 p.m., Robson Fieldhouse, cost $20.

Ponca City Board of Commissioners, Ponca City Utility Authority, Ponca City Development Authority, 5:30 p.m., Commissioners’ Room, Public Safety Center, 200 East Oklahoma Avenue.

Young-at-Heart Dance, 7-10 p.m., American Legion, 407 West South Avenue, music by Ken Wilson and Sunshine Playboys Band.

ALANO Group 12 X 12 meeting (smoking allowed), 8 p.m., 603 South First Street.

Tuesday

ALANO Group Beginner’s meeting (smoking allowed), 8 p.m., 603 South First Street.

Wednesday

Planning Commission Work Session, 7:45 a.m., Planning and Engineering Conference Room, 400 East Central, Suite 305.

Ponca City Main Street Authority Inc. Board Meeting, 1 p.m., Main Street Office, 117 North Third Street.

Bingo Bash, 1:30 p.m., Senior Center, 319 West Grand Avenue.

Animal Control Commission, 5 p.m., Public Safety Center, 200 East Oklahoma Avenue.

ALANO Group Big Book meeting (smoking allowed), 8 p.m., 603 South First Street.

Thursday

Alzheimer’s Support Group, 7 p.m., Conference Room A, St. Joseph Regional Medical Center.

Singing ChurchWomen of Oklahoma, a 350-voice choir, concert, 7 p.m., First Baptist Church, public invited, admission free.

ALANO Group Women’s meeting (smoking allowed), 8 p.m., 603 South First Street.

Friday

Crafts, sign up if interested, 1:30 p.m., Senior Center, 319 West Grand Avenue.

Child Development Center Chili Supper, 4:30-7:30 p.m., First Christian Church, North Fifth Street and East Cleveland Avenue, chili (or hot dog), home made bread, dessert and drink, adults $5, children $2.

Ponca Playhouse presents “Sunshine Boys,” 8 p.m., Poncan Theatre.

ALANO Group Speaker meeting (smoking allowed), 8 p.m., 603 South First Street.

Saturday

Ponca Playhouse presents “Sunshine Boys,” 8 p.m., Poncan Theatre.

ALANO Group Open Discussion (smoking allowed), 8 p.m., 603 South First Street.

January 31

Ponca Playhouse presents “Sunshine Boys,” 2 p.m., Poncan Theatre.

Singles Connection Super Bowl Party, 5 p.m., Village Green Apartments, 2700 North Fifth Street, more information Diane 765-4858 or Tammy 762-7527.

February 1

Church Women United Board Meeting, 9:30 a.m., St. John Baptist Church, 1009 South Eleventh Street.

ProTeen Fund Raiser night, 5-10 p.m., El Chico Restaurant, a percentage of proceeds to ProTeens at Grand Central Station Teen Center, public invited and encouraged to participate.

Pioneer Christian Crusaders Motorcycle Association, 6 p.m., Conestoga at I-35, U.S. 60 west of Tonkawa, more information 765-3164.

Young-at-Heart Dance, 7-10 p.m., American Legion, 407 West South Avenue, snack and hillbilly night first Monday of each month, music by Ken Wilson and Sunshine Playboys Band.

February 2

Planning Commission, 7 p.m., Public Safety Center, 200 East Central Avenue.

February 3

Energy Advisory Board, 7:30 a.m., Public Safety Center, 200 East Oklahoma Avenue.

February 4

Kay-9 Dog Training Club, 7 p.m., Ponca City Library, public welcome, more information 762-9053 or 762-7360.

February 5

Historic Preservation Board, noon, Planning and Engineering Conference Room, 400 East Central Avenue, Suite 305.

February 5-6

Ponca Playhouse presents “Sunshine Boys,” 8 p.m., Poncan Theatre.

February 6

Fourth Annual Ronnie Kay Sock Hop to benefit Kay County Council for the Opportunity Center, 8 p.m.-midnight, Elks Lodge, tickets from 765-6782.

February 8

Kay County Retired Educators Association, 11:30 a.m., First Methodist Church, 6th and Coolidge, Blackwell, program Luis Cantu, on AARP Social Security information.

Young-at-Heart Dance, 7-10 p.m., American Legion, 407 West South Avenue, music by Ken Wilson and Sunshine Playboys Band.

February 9

Economic Development Advisory Board, 7:30 a.m., Chamber of Commerce, 420 East Grand Avenue.

Ponca City Library Board, 11:30 a.m., Library Board Room, 515 East Grand Avenue.

AARP, 12:30 p.m., Wheatheart Nutrition Center.

Rural Water District No. 1 Annual Meeting, two board members to be elected, all RWD No. 1 members invited, 8 p.m., board meeting to follow, Enterprise School Building on Lake Road.

McCord Volunteer Fire Department, 7 p.m., McCord School Library.

Osage Cove Volunteer Fire Department, 7 p.m., Fire Station at Keeler Road and U.S. 60.

February 10

Cultural Affairs Advisory Commission, 11:30 a.m., Cultural Center Sunroom.

Rural Water, Sewer and Solid Waste Management District No. 3, 7 p.m., Braden Community Center.

February 11

Ponca City Housing Authority, 10 a.m., Broadway Plaza, 201 East Broadway Avenue.

Agrarian Club, 6 p.m., Southwest meeting room, Western Sizzlin’.

February 12

Byron Berline, Bluegrass Fiddler, 7:30 p.m., Poncan Theatre, sponsored by Ponca City Arts and Humanities Council and Conoco, free admission.

February 15

Multiple Sclerosis Support Group, 6:30 p.m., Albright United Methodist Church, 128 South Palm, call Beth Wright, 765-6738 for additional information.

United Ostomy Association, Stillwater-Ponca City Chapter, Speaker James Knight, Insurance and Medicare Issues for Ostomates, 7 p.m., Stillwater Medical Center Board Room.

Young-at-Heart Dance, 7-10 p.m., American Legion, 407 West South Avenue, music by Ken Wilson and Sunshine Playboys Band.

February 16

Standing Bear Educational Committee, 11 a.m., Pioneer Bank Drive-in, interested citizens encouraged to attend.

Kaw Lake Association Board of Directors, noon, Golden Corral, Ponca City.

Marland Estate Commission, 4:30 p.m., Marland Estate Conference Center.

February 17

Ponca City Tourism Authority, 2 p.m., Cultural Center Sunroom, 1000 East Grand Avenue.

February 18

Park and Recreation Advisory Board, 5:30 p.m., Municipal Courtroom, Public Safety Center, 200 East Oklahoma Avenue.

February 19

Historic Preservation Board Work Session, noon, Planning and Engineering Conference Room, 400 East Central Avenue, Suite 305.

Traffic Commission, 1:15 p.m., Public Safety Center, 200 East Oklahoma Avenue.

February 22

Young-at-Heart Dance, 7-10 p.m., American Legion, 407 West South Avenue, music by Ken Wilson and Sunshine Playboys Band.

Alternative School Lists Honor Rolls

The first semester academic honor rolls for the Alternative Education Programs in Ponca City have been released. Alternative programs include Teen Pep, Share, and the Alternative High School.

Superintendent’s Honor Roll

Seniors on the Superintendent’s Honor Roll include Sandra Aguilar, Krystal Bringman, Jonathan Leach, Jeana Rush, Gina Soucek and Sandra Vaillancourt. Juniors are Angela Morrow, Heather Rogers and Tianna Youngbear, and sophomores include Lyndsey Bales, Robin Cantrell, Crystal Daetwiler, Benjamin Duke and Isreal Flores.

Principal’s Honor Roll

Seniors on the Principal’s Honor Roll are Clarissa Barten, Holly Lewis, Charlene Adams, Jamie Williams, Cole Spitzer, Kimberly Bayha, Jason Page, Jerimiah Ramirez, Daniel Grimes, Courtney McChristian, Wanda Taylor, Melissa Psikal, Joy Sharp, Bradley Bowlan and Misty Robbins.

Juniors include Angela Adson, Yonde De Armond, Paula Golay, Heide Hurd, Leslie Johnson, Andrea Clipson and Marta Shoats. Sophomores on the honor roll are Misty Leonard, Tony Qualls, Donna Ellsworth, Brian Taylor, Arjuna Whitehead, Holly Fristoe, Alonzo Smith, William Hogan, Kendra Gauger and Antonio Bernabe. Also Lisa Clifton, freshman.

Book Review ‘Do Cats Have ESP?’ Charming

By Marge Decker

News Staff Writer

You probably never thought about it, but if you are a cat lover, and I am, you may want to give it some thought. Do cats have ESP? Jeane Dixon, who has written a book on the subject, thinks they do, in fact, she’s sure. In her book “Do Cats Have ESP?” she also includes Special Cat Horoscopes to charm the reader.

Dixon’s book, a labor of love, tells some fascinating stories of cats who have tracked their “people” across miles to get back home. She tells of cats who have accomplished miraculous feats, all documented, to save their “people” from danger.

The fact that cats really do have extrasensory perception has been documented by the Parapsychology Laboratory at Duke University.

“Do Cats Have ESP?” is a compilation of incredible stories of cats who have warned their families of danger and saved lives; stories of Dixon’s own cat, Mike the Magicat, who “talked” to children, predicted the future, and prowled the grounds of the White House to the delight of the occupants.

Dixon talks about the historic psychic cat in history and investigations into clairvoyant cats that stunned scientists at the Parapsychology Laboratory at Duke University.

Her “Catascopes” are priceless — information like the Aries cat is a party animal; the Taurus cat lovely to look at and lovely to be around; the Gemini cat is full of surprises; the Cancerian cat is loving and gentle; the Leo cat loves life and is self-confident; the Virgo cat is mysterious and secretive; the Libra cat has the most ESP; the Scorpio cat is intense and passionate; the Sagittarius cat is confident, loves a challenge and is dependable; the Capricorn cat is sweet, proud and intelligent; the Aquarius cat has extrasensory perception and will be a friend for life. Dixon points out that the Pisces cat seems to go two ways at once, both loving and roaming, but with extrasensory perception, making it a homing cat.

There you have it — a book about cats both engaging and heartfelt with secrets about communicating with your cat. Dixon has some great advice on getting better connected with the cats in your life.

The book is charmingly illustrated with original line drawings, a perfect book for cat lovers.

Jeane Dixon was one of America’s most famous and well-respected psychics whose prophecies were renowned for their accuracy. In visions which she insisted came from God, she foresaw the assassinations of the Kennedys and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. She predicted the recent scandal in the British royal family, the dismantling of the Berlin Wall, and warned us of a fatal epidemic just years before the AIDS virus was first discovered.

She wrote several other books, including “My Life and Prophecies,” “Reincarnation and Prayers to Live By” and “The Gift of Prayer.”

Check the local bookstores for this “little” book — just 108 pages, but full of fun and good advice.

Super Bowl Party For Singles Group

The Singles Connection will meet for a Super Bowl Party on Sunday, Jan. 31. The event will begin at 5 p.m. at the Village Green Apartments Clubhouse, 2700 N. 5th Street.

Singles Connection is a new area-wide fellowship for single adults who are 55 and younger. The purpose of this fellowship is to provide a safe Christian environment where singles — whether by choice, by divorce, or by the death of a spouse — can gather for fellowship and support.

If attending and your last name begins with A-F bring finger sandwiches; G-L bring chips; M-Q bring a two-liter bottle of soda; and R-Z some type of dessert. Plates, cups and napkins will be provided.

For more information please call Diane at 765-4858, or Tammy at 762-7527.

BirthChoice Enjoys Eventful Year in ’98

BirthChoice of Ponca City, a non-profit organization that assists men, women and children facing an unexpected pregnancy or who are overwhelmed by parenthood, has enjoyed an eventful year, according to organization officials.

BirthChoice is a non-profit, charitable 501c3 organization with new offices in the Lincoln Center, 700 West Broadway. The organization was previously housed at Hartford and Union. Local attorney Mike Trewitt serves as president of the board of directors.

Highlights of the year include the naming of Cindy Hendrickson as volunteer of the year. The organization is staffed completely by volunteer help. Hendrickson serves as a volunteer counselor as well as board member. She also keeps the statistics for the group.

BirthChoice moved into its new home in September. From that location they provide free pregnancy tests, abstinence education, STD awareness, pregnancy information, abortion information and alternatives, budgeting help, decision making skills, baby clothing (size 0-4T), maternity clothes, relationship information, support groups (Basics of Life for new parents and Tender Mercies for postabortion) and a listening ear for those who need to talk about their parenting problems.

BirthChoice provides a helping hand that points people in the direction they want and need to gain their future. It helps young people continue to pursue their goals and dreams.

The organization, which provided services to 1,693 clients in 1998, is staffed fully by volunteers and referrals are provided when needed for housing, education, career, medical or adoption expertise.

In February Christy Owens, BirthChoice director, and volunteer counselor Camille Denton attended the Focus on the Family biannual conference for pregnancy resource Centers in Colorado Springs, Colo.

In May the organization held its first Mother’s Banquet, as a benefit for the ministry. It was labeled a success with more than 125 attending. An even larger show of support is expected for 1999.

This month the organization observed Sanctity of Life Sunday with the hope that people “support BirthChoice, which gives young men, women and their children future and hope, such things are priceless.”

BirthChoice offices are open Tuesdays and Thursdays, 6-8 p.m., and Wednesdays, 1-3 p.m.

Vietnam Vets Host Dance Saturday To Recall Event

The Vietnam Veterans of America will host a dance Saturday, Jan. 30, to commemorate the 31st anniversary of Tet Offensive. In 1968, the American Armed Forces all but wiped out the Viet Cong and repelled a major offensive by the North Vietnamese Army. It was a tremendous victory for the American military in Vietnam.

Part of the proceeds of the dance will go to the Oklahoma Vietnam Veterans Memorial. Currently Oklahoma is one of the few states that does not have a memorial for the Vietnam Veterans. The site of the memorial is planned for Sand Springs.

The Memorial will consist of a black granite Honor Wall with the 1,111 names of those killed in action from Oklahoma. The wall will consist of twin sloping section similar to the Wall in Washington, D.C. A smaller granite wall with the names of 50 Oklahomans still unaccounted for will close in the other end of the hexagonal plaza. A plaza will contain inscribed bricks which are available for purchase.

The center kiosk will contain six heroic sized bronze statues created by Sandra VanZandt, an Oklahoma sculptor. They will depict the five branches of the Armed Forces to include the role of women. Another black granite POW/MIA Wall with etchings of the prisoner of war scenes will rest adjacent to the plaza opposite the Honor Wall. Two heroic size bronze statues of POW/MlAs will face the hexagonal Watchfire Hearth. There veterans will light watchfires in memory of their comrades who did not come home.

Those who visited in the Wall That Heals, when it came to Ponca City in April last year, witnessed the emotional healing and had the opportunity to make a connection with the past. A permanent memorial in Oklahoma is greatly needed so the healing can continue, say Vietnam veterans.

Doors will open at 7 p.m. at the American Legion to rock and roll music by “Poverty’s Children.” Tickets are available at $5 in advance or for $7 at the door. Food will be provided and a cash bar is available. For advance tickets call Lee Keyes, 765-4748. For more information about the memorial call Mike Isbell, 765-7345.

AARP Tax-Aide Provides Free Tax Assistance

AARP Tax-Aide provides free tax assistance to those in need of properly filing their income tax forms. The program is provided primarily to middle and low-income taxpayers age 60 and older, but will also assist others younger than 60 as time permits.

AARP Tax-Aide volunteers, trained in cooperation with the IRS are knowledgeable about federal (IRS) income taxes, as well as state income taxes. They can complete basic income tax forms and answer your tax questions.

Income tax forms can be complicated. AARP Tax-Aide can help. Tax assistance is available from Feb. 1 through April 15, 1999 every Monday through Thursday at the Ponca City Library between the hours of 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.

For assistance in preparing your income tax forms, please bring your current tax records and a copy of last year’s Federal and State income tax returns to the Ponca City Library with you.

Special Meeting Of School Board Monday Night

Members of the Ponca City Board of Education will hold a special meeting Monday night at the new Commons Addition at Po-Hi to discuss school improvement plans.

The meeting will start with dinner at 6 p.m. and each principal will give an update on the accomplishments of the site improvement plan, review Criterion Reference Test (CRT) remediation process and literacy goals.

Individual board members will then present a summary report of information received during the meeting around 7 p.m.

The school would like to remind citizens that the meeting is open to the public; however, they regret they cannot include the public in the dinner.

Burbank VFD Auxiliary Sets Fund Raiser

The Burbank Volunteer Fire Dept. Auxiliary will be sponsoring a Chili/Stew Dinner with Bingo following dinner on Feb. 13, beginning at 6 p.m. at the Burbank Town Hall.

The proceeds from the admission fee of $5 will go to help the Burbank Volunteer Fire Department expansion program. Dinner will be served at 6 p.m. with bingo beginning at 7 p.m. A concession stand will be available during bingo, it was announced.

Sponsors of the event invite everyone in the area to come and enjoy an evening of fun and good food, and also to help the Burbank Volunteer Fire Department expansion program.

DEATHS

Joe Bassett
Ida Mae Gould
Andrew Jackson Hager
Paige A. Williams
Philip Sterling White
Winnie D. Hurd
Donald Culp
Kirby M. Roberts

Joe Bassett

RED ROCK — Joe Bassett, longtime Red Rock resident, died Thursday morning, Jan. 21, 1999, at Blackwell Regional Hospital. He was 89.

A Native American Church Service will be held at 7 p.m. Sunday night, Jan. 24, 1999. The service will be conducted by Oliver Littlecook, Hominy, along with an evening Prayer Service afterwards at the Otoe-Missouria Tribal Complex, Red Rock. On Monday, Jan. 25, 1999, the Funeral Feast will be at 12 p.m. followed by burial and committal services at 2 p.m. in the Otoe-Missouria Cemetery, Red Rock, with Raymond Butler, Native American Church, Otoe-Missouria Chapter, presiding. Arrangements are under the direction of Grace Memorial Chapel.

Born Oct. 22, 1909, on the Otoe-Missouria reservation, which is now known as Red Rock, he was the son of Sam and Margaret (Washington-Faulk) Bassett. He grew up and attended school in the old Otoe Indian School.

On July 29, 1929, he married the former Genevieve Little Crow in Red Rock. He was retired from the construction business and most recently was employed with the Otoe-Missouria Senior Citizens Center. He was the eldest male of the Otoe-Missouria tribe and of the Owl Clan. He was a member of the Native American Church, Otoe-Missouria Chapter and The Kiowa Gourd Clan of Carnegie. He enjoyed watching football, rodeos, horse racing, Gourd Dancing, and family, especially his grandchildren.

He is survived by a special friend, Georgia Hoffman, four daughters, Martha Koshiway, Del City, Mary Howry, Margaret Haley and Linda Francis, all of Red Rock; two sons, Herman Bassett and Goodwin K. Bassett, both of Red Rock; 14 grandchildren; 31 great-grandchildren; seven great-great-grandchildren; several aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends. He was preceded in death on April 28, 1993, by his wife of 63 years, one daughter, Victoria Bassett-Kent; one son, Paul Bassett, three sisters, Dorcas Tohee, Martha Kent and Mary Bassett; and one brother, Grant Bassett.

Casket bearers will be Ron Haley, Frank Kent, Deswood Koshiway, George Koshiway, Jerome Koshiway and Jim Silbey. Honorary casket bearers are Dustin Barnett, Sammy Bassett, Jon Haley, Travis Nimsey and Brady Robison.

Ida Mae Gould

Ida Mae Gould, longtime Ponca City resident, died Friday, Jan. 22, 1999, at the Tender Heart Health Care Center. She was 86.

The graveside funeral service will be Monday, Jan. 25, 1999, at 1 p.m. at the Odd Fellows Cemetery with the Rev. Hance Dilbeck, pastor, First Baptist Church, officiating. Arrangements are under the direction of the Trout Funeral Home.

Born March 3, 1912, at Dierks, Ark., she was the daughter of John and Sarah Brandon Moore. She was married to John Hearon in 1929 at Tishomingo. She later married Samuel Thomas Taylor on May 27, 1933, in Holdenville. Mr. Taylor died May 14, 1949. On August 19, 1951, she married Earl Leslie Gould in Ponca City. Mr. Gould died February 13, 1981.

Mrs. Gould was a member of the First Baptist Church, the Gardenia Garden Club and Amaranth. She was a Past Worthy Matron of the Order of the Eastern Star, Fanchion Chapter 53 and Past High Priestess of the White Shrine.

She is survived by her daughter, Joyce Wynn, Ponca City; two sons, John Taylor, Oklahoma City, and Paul Taylor, Ponca City; nine grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. In addition to her husbands, she was preceded in death by her parents, one son, Bob J. Hearon; one grandson, one great-granddaughter, seven brothers, and three sisters.

Memorials may be made to First Baptist Church, 218 South Sixth, Ponca City, Okla. 74601.

Friends may call at the funeral home until noon Monday.

Andrew Jackson Hager

NEWKIRK — Andrew Jackson Hager, longtime Newkirk and Ponca City resident, died Thursday morning, Jan. 21, 1999, in St. Joseph Regional Medical Center. He was 77.

Funeral services will be held Jan. 25, 1999, at 2 p.m. in the Newkirk First Christian Church with the Rev. Blaine Herron and the Rev. Jerry Albright officiating. Burial will follow in the Newkirk Cemetery under the direction of Miller-Stahl Funeral Service of Newkirk. Friends may call at the funeral home Sunday from 9 a.m. until 9 p.m. and on Monday from 8 a.m. to noon.

The son of John M. and Delia May (Delay) Hager, he was born Dec. 9, 1921, at Elkhart, Kan. The family moved to Canton, Kan., and he began school there. Later they moved to Boise City and then to Newkirk. He graduated from Newkirk High School with the class of 1940.

On May 23, 1940, he and Doris Mae Baker were married in Newkirk. They established their first home in Newkirk, and he worked for the City of Newkirk. Two years later they moved to Colorado, and he mined uranium for his uncle’s company. Later they returned to Newkirk and he was employed with Conoco.

On Jan. 9, 1945, he was inducted into the U.S. Army and served with Company C 34th Infantry at Luzon. He received the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Ribbon with one Bronze Star, the Good Conduct Medal, and the Philippine Liberation Ribbon with one Bronze Star. He also received the Army of Occupation Ribbon, the Japan Victory Ribbon, and the two Overseas Service Bars. On Oct. 31, 1946, he was honorably discharged with the rank of Sergeant.

After receiving his discharge he returned to his home in Newkirk and his job with the No. One Crude Unit at the Conoco Refinery. He retired as night supervisor after 38 1/2 years with the company. Mrs. Hager died July 20, 1990.

On Aug. 11, 1991, he and Syble Rogers Stillwell were married in Newkirk. They have made their home in both Newkirk and Ponca City since their marriage.

He attended Four Square Church at the Lincoln Center in Ponca City and Newkirk First Christian Church, where he was a member. He was a member of VFW Post 1201, the Disabled American Veterans of Ponca City, and the 31 Camping Club. He enjoyed fishing, camping, music, and family get-togethers.

He is survived by his wife, Syble, of the home; one son, Larry Joe Hager of Ponca City; a step son, Michael E. Stillwell of Ponca City; one daughter, DeAnn McDaniel of Ponca City; a step daughter, Kimberly Ann McMahan of Pensacola, Fla.; one brother, Eldon Hager of Ponca City; two grandchildren; five step grandchildren; six step great-grandchildren; and many nephews and nieces. He was preceded in death by his first wife Doris, one daughter, Florene; his parents, three brothers, Tom, John, and Jim; and one sister, Anna Mae Cain.

Those serving as casket bearers will be Bob Coffee, Coy Christman, Phil Cly, Riley Hager, Rusty Hager, Dennis Lincoln, Glen Mayer and Ty Owens. Honorary bearers are Warren Adler, Paul Backhaus, Dick Combest, Bill Estes, Ross Fisher, Thurman Fisher, Jim Helton, Tom Hardin and Jim Owens.

Military representatives at the graveside will be provided by VFW Post 1201.

Memorial funds have been established with the Four Square Church at Lincoln Center, Ponca City, and Newkirk First Christian Church. Contributions may be made in Mr. Hager’s memory to either through Eastman National Bank, Box 468, Newkirk, Okla. 74647-0461.

The family will be at the home of Syble Hager, 2425 City View, and/or Joe Hager, 2206 Garden.

Paige A. Williams

MARLAND — Paige A. Williams, longtime Marland resident, died early Thursday morning, Jan. 21, 1999, at St. Joseph Regional Medical Center. He was 59.

The Funeral Feast will be at 12 p.m. followed by the funeral service at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 24, 1999. Services will all be conducted at the Ponca Indian Baptist Church with the Rev. Ted Freeman, pastor of the Ponca Indian Baptist Church; and Minister Toby A. Blackstar, Greater First Deliverance Temple, Oklahoma City, officiating. Burial will follow in Ponca Indian Cemetery under the direction of Grace Memorial Chapel.

Born Aug. 18, 1939, at the old Pawnee Indian Hospital, he was the son of Parrish and Eunice (Cries For Ribs) Williams. Mr. Williams grew up and attended schools in the Marland area, graduating in 1958. He then attended Northern Oklahoma Junior College in Tonkawa, graduating in 1960 with an Associate of Art Degree in printing. He went to work for the Dallas Times Herald newspaper as a printer in the press department and retired in 1989.

On June 4, 1960, he married Ardena Clark at the Pawnee Indian Baptist Church. At a young age he was baptized into the Methodist faith and was a member of the Native American Church, Ponca Chapter. He was also a member of the Ponca Tribe and enjoyed football, fishing, gardening and family, especially his grandkids.

He is survived by his wife Ardena of the home in Marland; four daughters, Patricia Williams, Lisa Williams, Adrienne Williams and Angela Williams, all of Marland; two sons, Patrick Williams, El Reno, Okla.; and Les Williams, Ponca City; his father, Parrish Williams, rural-Marland; three brothers, Curtis Williams, Grand Prairie, Texas, Jimmy Williams, Pawnee, and Zack Williams, Broken Arrow; five sisters, Arneva Bowhay, Maxine Thompson and Oresa McKnight, all of Ponca City, Beverly Picotte, Talihina, and Beaulah Sherron, Tahlequah; four grandchildren; one great-grandchild; several aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews and a host of friends. He was preceded in death by his maternal and paternal grandparents; his mother Eunice (Cries For Ribs) Williams; and two brothers, Alex Williams and Rudolph Williams.

Casket bearers will be James Parrish Bowhay, Rick Bowhay, Kim Grass, Richard LeClair, Joe Ray Thompson and Justin Thompson. Honorary bearers will be Keith Buffalohead, Eddie Clark, John Leroy, James Moore and James Poore.

Obituaries

Philip Sterling White

Philip Sterling White, longtime Ponca City resident, died Tuesday, Jan. 19, 1999, at St. Joseph Regional Medical Center. He was 55.

A memorial service will be held at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 27, 1999 at the First Baptist Church Chapel, with the Rev. Hance Dilbeck, pastor, officiating. Arrangements are made under the direction of Trout Funeral Home.

Phil was born on June 29, 1943, in, Dayton, Ohio, to John and Betty (Geisinger) White. He attended school in Evanston, Ill., and graduated in 1961. He then joined the U.S. Navy and served aboard the U.S.S. Nimitz as an air navigator from 1961 to 1965. He moved to Ponca City in 1972 and joined the Ponca City Police Department in 1976.

He married Barbara Bronston on July 11, 1979, in Ponca City. White retired from the police department in 1994 after eighteen years of service and became a self-employed computer consultant. He enjoyed drag racing, motorcycles, horses, fishing, sailing, working with computers and farming. White was a former member of the American Legion, former secretary-treasurer of Bass Masters of Ponca City, and former president of Salmon Unlimited in Chicago. He was also a member of the Fraternal Order of Police.

He is survived by his wife Barbara of the home; one son, Travis White of Ponca City; one daughter, Brenda Raines of Richmond, Va.; his mother Betty White of Sarasota, Fla.; three brothers, David White of Evanston, Ill., John White of Ill., and Peter White of Sarasota, Fla.; two grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his father and grandparents.

Memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society, Kay County Unit, c/o Winnie Barber, Home National Bank and Trust, P.O. Box 1151, Ponca City, OK 74602.

paid obituary

Winnie D. Hurd

Winnie D. Hurd, longtime Ponca City resident, died Friday, Jan. 22, 1999, at Ponca City Nursing Home. She was 97.

A graveside service will be held Monday, Jan. 25, 1999, at 10 a.m. at Resthaven Memorial Park Cemetery with the Rev. Dr. Kip Wright, pastor of Albright United Methodist Church, officiating. A memorial service will follow at 11 a.m. at Albright United Methodist Church. Burial will be under the direction of Trout Funeral Home. There will be no viewing at the service; however, friends may call at the funeral home until 9 a.m. Monday.

She was born the third eldest of 10 children to Andrew and Cora A. (Cooper) Whisenhunt on June 7, 1901, in Texanna, Indian Territory. On Dec. 23, 1919, she married Franklin Vernon Hurd in Claremore. They came to Ponca City in 1928. Mr. Hurd preceded her in death June 16, 1974.

Shortly after coming to Ponca City, Mrs. Hurd joined Albright United Methodist Church where she became involved in the Esther Grace Circle of United Methodist Women and the Dorcas Quilter’s Group. She was also a Gold Star Mother and a former volunteer of the Hospital Auxiliary. She enjoyed gardening, camping and fishing. She also enjoyed quilting, needle working and crocheting.

She is survived by two sons, Mark Hurd and his wife Jere, and Wendell Hurd and his wife Norma, both of Ponca City; brother, Bruce Whisenhunt of Sacramento, Calif.; three grandchildren, Leslie Hurd and his wife Lora of Buena Park, Calif., Danny Hurd and his wife Rhonda of Ponca City, and David Hurd and his wife Anita of Pampa, Texas; three great-grandchildren and one great, great-grandchild. In addition to her parents and husband, two sons, Malcolm and Vernal Lee, and eight brothers and sisters preceded her in death.

Honorary bearers will be the members of the Progressive Sunday School Class.

Memorial contributions may be made in her name to Albright United Methodist Church, 128 South Palm, Ponca City, Okla. 74601.

paid obituary

Services Pending

Donald Culp

Donald L. Culp, Ponca City resident, died Saturday, Jan. 23, 1999, at Edmond Medical Center, Edmond. He was 76. Arrangements are pending with Trout Funeral Home and will be announced later.

Kirby M. Roberts

Kirby M. Roberts died Friday, Jan. 22, 1999. Services are pending with Hunsaker-Wooten Funeral Home in Fairfax.

NEWS BRIEFS

Area Serviceman Reports for Duty — Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Brian R. McCulloch, son of Lonnie R. and Cheryl A. McCulloch, Blackwell residents, recently reported for duty at Naval Air Reserve, Naval Air Station North Island, San Diego. The 1994 graduate of Blackwell High School joined the Navy in July 1994.

Being Relocated, or in town for a short time? We have homes available by the month or longer. All homes are full furnished with appliances, furniture, linens, pots and pans. Inclusive of cable, local phone, and utilities. Please

call 580-762-7980 or 580-718-0681. adv.

Pioneer Woman Afghans — Pioneer Woman afghans make excellent gifts for any occasion. The afghans, sold exclusively by First United Methodist Church Women as a fund-raiser for missions are available in four colors, burgundy, hunter green, wedgwood blue and navy blue. Call 762-1429 or 765-0157 to order for delivery or for information.

Braden Packing has reopened and we still have the best steaks in town. adv.

Rock Club to Meet — The Rough and Tumbled Rock and Gem Club will meet Tuesday, at 7 p.m. at Albright United Methodist Church. Lee and Lynn Whitebay will present the program on “Fluorescent Minerals — Rock Rainbows”. Visitors are welcome to attend.

Repo And demo models: camcorders $299.99, big screens $895.99, washer/dryer $199.99 each. 109 W. Hartford. adv.

Bridal Showcase — Stillwater Bridal Showcase will be held Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Payne County Expo Center. Style show at 2 p.m.; free seminars with questions answered by professionals. Tickets at the door are $2, but complimentary tickets available from House of Flowers, Murphy’s Potpourri and IGA Hometown Proud in Stillwater.

Court Allen Construction. Concrete and flagstone walkways, patios and yard curbing. Call 765-2720. adv.

Mini-Stepper Clinic — The Po-Hi Steppers will sponsor a Mini-Stepper Clinic for three years through sixth graders. Registration will be Monday from 5 to 7 p.m. at Robson Fieldhouse. Cost is $20.

Forged Checks — At 8:07 a.m. Friday a business in the 2800 block of North Fourteenth Street reported forged checks. An officer was assigned and a report was taken.

Windshield Chips repaired professionally. Guaranteed and insurance approved. Ponca Glass, 762-6522, 762-7957. adv.

Break-In — A break-in at the Ponca City High School Cafeteria was reported to police at 8:26 a.m. Friday.

ProTeens Fund raiser for local teen center. Grand Central Station at El Chico. Monday, February 1, 5:00-10:00 p.m. adv.

Theft — A resident in the 400 block of South Lincoln Street contacted police at 8:55 a.m. Friday regarding the theft of some items from a vehicle.

Dry, Winter skin? Free sample of facial moisturizer to fit your skin type from Estee Lauder or Clinique at John’s Apparel, downtown Ponca City. 762-2763.

adv.

Auto Burglary — At 9:54 a.m. Friday an auto burglary in the 100 block of South Lake Street was reported to police.

Free Pregnancy test. Birth Choice cares. Confidential. Hours: Tuesday, 6-8 p.m., Wednesday, 1-3 p.m. and Thursday, 6-8 p.m. 700 West Broadway. adv.

Arrest — Police arrested a 44-year-old woman at 10:19 a.m. Friday from Lake Road and Pecan Road for driving under suspension, no insurance, expired tag and expired inspection.

Jueschke Carpet Cleaners. For professional carpet cleaning, call the professionals. Jueschke Carpet Cleaners. 765-3421. adv.

Egging — At 10:39 a.m. Friday police were advised that a house in the 1500 block of North Osage Street had been “egged.”

Extra Patrol — Extra police patrol was requested in the 2000 block of North Seventh Street at 5:28 p.m. Friday due to an attempted to slash vehicle tires.

Injury Accident — At 5:40 p.m. Friday one person was taken by ambulance to St. Joseph Regional Medical Center for injuries sustained in a two vehicle accident at North First Street and Broadway Avenue.

Accident — A two vehicle accident in the 2400 block of North Fourteenth Street was reported to police at 11:54 a.m. Friday.

Beginning Monday, 1-25-99 at 8:00 a.m., the road crossing Kaw Dam will be closed 24 hours per day through Friday, 1-29-99 at 5:00 p.m. There will be signs and

warning flashers at Highway 60 and at the Corp of Engineers office alerting drivers of the closure. This closing is taking place to install new equipment. Drive careful! adv.

Accident — At 12:35 p.m. Friday a two vehicle minor accident in the 200 block of North Fourteenth Street was reported.

Pauline's Every Monday night special. Fried chicken only - all white meat. All you can eat, $6.50. For reservations call 765-5460.

adv.

Juvenile Shoplifters — A 16-year-old boy and a 14-year-old boy were arrested at 12:38 p.m. Friday from Wal-Mart, 1101 East Prospect Avenue, for grand larceny.

Custom Mailboxes, brick or rock. All types of masonry repair. Delaney Masonry (580) 762-9991. adv.

Hit & Run — At 12:56 p.m. m. Friday a hit and run accident at Warwick Road and North Union Street was reported to police.

Clean Carpet. Top of line equipment. Best trained people. Quality service. Reasonable prices. Call Floorcraft. 762-8383.

adv.

Reckless Driving — A resident in the 1100 block of West Highland Avenue contacted police at 3:14 p.m. Friday after a vehicle reportedly ran over a curb and tried to hit their child. An officer was assigned and a report on reckless driving was taken.

Arrest — A 50-year-old man was arrested at 4:34 p.m. Friday from the 1600 block of East Woodland on a city warrant for a barking dog.

Assault — An assault in the 800 block of North Seventh Street was reported to police at 9:05 p.m. Friday.

Drugs Found — At 9:58 p.m. Friday a business in the 1100 block of East Prospect Avenue reported finding a “bag of illegal drugs.” An officer was assigned and the substance was taken to the police station and placed as evidence.

Juvenile Arrest — At 11:03 p.m. Friday a 17-year-old boy was arrested from West Grand Avenue and Oak Street for carrying an offensive weapon and public intoxication.

Arrest — Police arrested a 27-year-old man at 12:42 a.m. Saturday from North Fourteenth Street and East Hartford Avenue for driving under the influence.

Arrest — A 37-year-old man was arrested from Oak Street and West Grand Avenue at 12:48 am. Saturday on a city warrant for failure to pay.

Rollover Accident — At 1:17 a.m. Saturday a one vehicle rollover accident in the 2400 block of Bridge Avenue was reported. The Oklahoma Highway Patrol was contacted.

Arrest — A 40-year-old man was arrested at 2 a.m. Saturday from West Central Avenue and South Peachtree Street on a Grady County warrant.

Arrest — At 2:44 a.m. Saturday a 28-year-old man was arrested from West Hartford Avenue and Potomac Drive for driving under the influence and left of center.

Arrest — Police arrested a 21-year-old man at 3:50 a.m. Saturday from East Hartford Avenue and North Sixth Street on a city warrant for failure to appear

LIFESTYLES

Jeffries Enduring Spasmodic Dysphonia
Happy Hilltoppers to Send Valentines to Vets
American Legion Auxiliary Unit 14 Plan for Upcoming Events in 1999
New Art Classes Set at Art Center
Kerry E. Kliewer Is Bride Of Laurent M.J.G.H. Vellieux
Couple Celebrates 50th Anniversary
Xi Beta Tau Members Set Millennium Goals
Rayna Bowhay Becomes Bride of Robert Johnstone
Carrie Hankins to Wed
Ruth Knight Celebrated 95th Birthday
Wheatheart Nutrition
Mothers’ Club Entertained By ‘Love Letters’
Couple Observes 25 Years
Bits and Pieces
Little News
Ponca City Happenings

Jeffries Enduring Spasmodic Dysphonia

Editor’s Note: This story revisits Carole Jeffries who was featured in the Women of the Eighties series. At the time she was featured in May of 1981, Jeffries was a working mother with children in nursery school. She was a loan processor with the old Frontier Federal Savings and Loan then. Today she is senior vice president and mortgage loan officer at Pioneer Bank and Trust.

By LOUISE ABERCROMBIE

News Staff Writer

Flying to New York every three months for a four-day stay might seem like a real treat to most people, but to Carole Jeffries the trip is a treatment.

Carole, 44, suffers from a rare throat condition known as spasmodic dysphonia, a condition that causes her voice to break down without warning. The result is her voice may range from ordinary to a soft fading sound in the same sentence or from word to word.

Her flights to New York are to see Dr. Andrew Blitzer, an ear, nose and throat specialist pioneering in research of the spasmodic dysphonia syndrome.

Although she says the treatment isn’t too painful, it certainly sounds that way. The procedure involves a needle injection going from the lower front of the throat area to the back of the throat to the vocal cords.

This is necessary because the back of the larynx is affected and her condition is known as abductor, while the front of the larynx disorder is an adductor.

Her abductor problem that causes a non-fluent voice is caused by over-opening of the vocal cords, while the adductor patient is affected by over closing of the cords.

The injection process is not even the scary part. The injection contains botulinum toxin known as “Botox.” This toxin, six million times as toxic as rattlesnake venom, was developed by Dr. Ed Schantz, an 84-year-old emeritus professor and biochemist at the Food Research Institute of the University of Wisconsin.

Botulinum toxin is produced by the Clostridium botulinum bacteria. This is the bacteria that occurs in improperly canned foods and honey.

How Botox Works

Botox weakens the muscles by blocking the nerve impulse. Carole noted that, although doses are small, they nevertheless require a doctor with a certain expertise to administer the shot.

The vocal fading in and out sometimes gives customers or friends the idea that Carole is upset, because the voice altering comes without warning and sometimes sounds like she is about to cry.

Always a leader in civic affairs, Carole had found herself drawing back into the “worker bee” position because she found it embarrassing to talk publicly to groups.

Although the nervous condition is fairly rare, Carole’s abductor disorder is even rarer. In the beginning, before finding an effective treatment, she went through a variety of tests and was treated for a variety of ailments. Prescription drugs included medication for allergies and tranquilizers — with no satisfaction.

Carole first heard the name of spasmodic dysphonia from Dr. Gary Hill. Dr. Hill made the right diagnosis and sent her to a doctor in Oklahoma City who suggested the botulinum toxin injections. This treatment was done, but with little success.

She became aware of the specialized work being conducted in New York when a friend told her of another Ponca Citian whose daughter had the disorder. Carole called and visited with the mother and found out that she had done a lot of research and was going to New York to find treatment for her daughter.

Carole got the information and made an appointment in New York, where three doctors were doing pioneer research on spasmodic dysphonia.

Once there, the Ponca Citian went through a variety of tests including some with a speech therapist, Dr. Celia Stewart. Carole learned that dysphonia can affect any part of your body. For instance, eye tics are caused by dysphonia. Dysphonia is described as involuntary muscle reaction.

Next step was to see neurologist Dr. Mitchell F. Brin. After spending several hours with him and from the tests, it was determined that she had dysphonia on the right side of her body. This was revealed by the way she walked and swung her hands, and even how she writes.

Finally came the injection treatment by Dr. Blitzer. The injection procedure only takes about five minutes, and the area is not numbed. When Carole had the same procedure in Oklahoma City, the treatment area was deadened and it hurt more, she said.

The worst part, according to Carole, is each time before she is treated a tube is threaded through her nostrils and down her throat. The tube is attached to a camera and the medical technicians have her make various sounds so the doctor can see which side to inject.

At the same time, she is hooked up to a monitor with electrode patches on her face so that when the doctor gets the needle all the way through the cartilage, he can manipulate the vocal cords and insert the needle in the right spot.

Not Life Threatening

“I feel fortunate that it is not life threatening — it is just real irritating,” Carole said. Early on, before she went to the doctors to find out about her problem, she had the fear that she might have cancer. She noticed she was really “breathy” after climbing the stairs to her office area. She would learn later that is a symptom of the vocal condition.

The bank officer finds the disorder embarrassing on her job, and her voice seems to break up more when she is on the telephone. However, Carole noted that she can pretty well sing in a normal voice, and it does not occur during sleep.

Since she has to make the trip anyway, Carole has made the best out of visiting New York. She finds the hotel expensive, and often a friend will go along and share the lodging costs.

Flying in on Saturday and spending a few days before the Tuesday ordeal works well, and the cost is about the same as airfare back the same day.

“My body wouldn’t take flying in and returning the same day,” she explains. However, she can fly home the same day as the treatment as the after-effects appear to be minor and her voice becomes more consistent.

While in the Big Apple, Carole and her family and friends have taken the opportunity to see the sights and often take in a Broadway show. Every now and then she runs into someone from Ponca City. Recently she saw former residents Bill and Linda Rodgers in a restaurant. Occasionally she flies with celebrities on the plane — one such celebrity was football coach, Mike Ditka.

Much has changed in Carole’s life since that working mother story nearly 18 years ago. She heads a department; Jennifer, her oldest daughter, is a senior at Northeastern State at Tahlequah; Jill, her youngest daughter, is attending NOC and living at home; and her husband, Nick, is secretary/treasurer of 101 Beverage.

Carole’s mother is Jeanne Fanning of Ponca City, and Nick’s parents are Bill and Jerri Jeffries, also of Ponca City.

She enjoys her family and work and is hopeful a simpler cure can be found in the future for the rare nervous disorder that has changed her life.

Happy Hilltoppers to Send Valentines to Vets

The Happy Hilltop Homemakers Club made plans to send Valentine cards to members ofVeteran’s Hospital in Wichita, Kan.

Doris Fields hosted the Jan. 13 meeting at the Western Sizzler. Nancy Challis, president, called the meeting to order, and the group saluted the flag. Loma Smith read the creed, and Doris Fields the“Ode to a Pill” and “Dear God” for the devotional.

Irene Harden called the roll ans 12 regular members and one new member, Vivian Scott, answered “what we are most thankful for.” Minutes were approved. Frances VanHoesen gave the treasurer’s report.

Evelyn Wright and Doris Fields thanked the club for cards and prayers during their illnesses. Na Dean Thomas provided the club with the New Happy Hilltop Homemakers book for 1999 and reminded members of changes and new addresses. During the business meeting, many projects were discussed. The next meeting will be Feb. 10 with Francis Busham, 713 North Birch, as hostess.š

American Legion Auxiliary Unit 14 Plan for Upcoming Events in 1999

American Legion Auxiliary Unit 14, met Jan. 14, at The American Legion Clubhouse and heard reports about the club’s involvement and plans for numerous community and state-wide projects. The meeting was led by president Betty Brown.

Dora Adkins, community service chairman announced that the Auxiliary plans to continue their project to collect paper goods for the local Domestic Violence and Peachtree Landing facilities. She said inactive members are encouraged to leave contributions of paper goods in the A.L. Auxiliary room on the second Thursday of each month before 1:30 p.m.

Adkins also told the group that other items needed by Peachtree Landing included bedding, kitchen dishes, utensils, silverware and cutlery and those items could be taken directly to the homeless shelter at 105 Hazel Avenue. She also reported on her visit to the American Legion Children’s Home during Christmas vacation.

Lisa McGee, Americanism committee chairman explained the details of entry in the 1999 Americanism essay contests for local students grades 3 to 12. She detailed the five levels of participation, including Class I (grades 3-4) and Class II: (grades 5-6) who are required to write a 250-300 word essay titled “Voting — Why It’s Important.” Class III (grades 7-8), Class IV (grades 9-10) and Class V (grades 11-12) are to write a 450-500 word essay titled “Voting — A Privilege and Responsibility.”

McGee explained, participants will be eligible for local awards in each class, and winners will then compete at district level. District winners will receive $25 and a citation. Winners at district level will then compete at national level for a $250 cash prize and a plaque. Local entries may be sent to The American Legion Auxiliary, 407 West South Avenue, Ponca City, OK 74601 by April 1, 1999.

Helen Landis, poppy committee chairman, reported that poppy sales are down and urged all members to sell and use more poppies to help fund programs for children and youth, veteran’s affairs and VA rehabilitation. She also gave a brief report for the canteen chairman.

Evelynn McCutcheon reported on her attendance at the department President’s Homecoming in Oklahoma City on Jan. 9, where she presented president Myrna Ladwig with a gift from the local auxiliary. McCutcheon also reported on a number of veterans who reside in the three local nursing homes, and one veteran who puts up and takes the flag down each day at his facility.

Chaplain Marietta Nelson opened and closed the meeting with prayer and during her report led the group to make a donation to the American Legion Children’s home in memory of past president Jean Albee. A memorial wreath was also donated in memory of deceased member Naomi Bacher.

In addition to presenting the secretary’s report, Cecelia Easky, Girls State committee chairman announced dates for the event to be May 22-29, 1999.

Brown told the group that the handbook “Need A Lift,” summarizing sources of almost all available scholarship and career information would be placed in the Po-Hi Counselor’s Office, Po-Hi Library, and at the Mid-High and Middle School offices and libraries.

“Brown said, This publication summarizes sources of almost all available scholarship and career information. The Legion and Auxiliary support the expansion of legislation or development of legislation which would establish new scholarship sources for the increasing number of students reaching college age. We also hope these handbooks will encourage more students to seek scholarships that are already available.”

Brown also talked about 1999 security programs, including emergency management and support for military personnel. She commended local members for donating blood especially during recent disasters such as area storms and flooding; support given to military personnel at the November Veteran’s Day Parade; and encouraged all to write letters of support during the upcoming February Operation Mail Call.

She made a plea to the group to collect playable Nintendo, Super Nintendo, Sega Genesis, Sega Saturn, Sony Play Station, all Nintendo 64 games, and outdated consoles needed for the ministry of the Children’s Miracle Network. Contributions of available tapes may be made to Dora Adkins at 762-6766.

Other items of business on the agenda included recognition of new member Martha Steidley who transferred from Claremore; treasurer’s report by Dora McGee; appointment of Dora Adkins to replace Clara McCullum who withdrew as Children and Youth committee chairman; cutting of material for ditty bags for wheel chair bound veterans to be constructed by members at home; and reading of thank you notes from Sulphur Veterans Center and the Glenn Bacher family.

The next meeting is set for 1:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 11, at the American Legion.

New Art Classes Set at Art Center

Several new art classes will begin in February at the Ponca City Art Center. Beginning oil painting, both daytime and evening adult watercolor classes, a calligraphy class and a glassmaking class, are all set to begin soon. Class sizes are limited so early enrollment is advised.

One class in clay for children is already in progress but continuing classes may be scheduled later in February. An ongoing adult clay work group welcomes new students at any time.

Most class time schedules for painting classes have been set by the artists and classes will be held at the Ponca City Art Center. The glass blowing-bead making class will meet at various times in the studio of the instructor.

The Adult Watercolor Class, taught by Elaine Armstrong will begin Tuesday, Feb. 2 and meet weekly from 9 to 11:30 a.m. through March 8 with Spring break week off. Cost of the class is $40. Call 765-9609 for more information or to enroll.

A Calligraphy Class begins Feb. 4, at 9 a.m. taught by Debbie Gauger. The class will meet weekly on Thursdays from 9 to 10:30 a.m. and run for six weeks through March 11. Call 762-9410 for more information or to enroll.

Ray Cantwell will teach a Beginning Oil Painting class from 9 to 11:30 a.m. each Tuesday beginning Feb. 9. Fee for the seven weeks class will be $70. Call 762-4675 for more information or to enroll.

The only evening class this season will be a six-weeks watercolor class taught by Ruth Loucks each Thursday from 7 to 9 p.m., beginning Feb. 11. Fee for the class is $40. One make-up class will also be included. Call 762-5477 for more information or to enroll.

The new glass blowing-bead making class must be held in the studio of instructor Lucy Rhamy. She will teach three different classes on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday for five weeks. Cost for the glass-blowing class is $100. Call 765-5143 for more information or to enroll.

The ongoing clay work group for adults meets weekly throughout the year with Cindy Rasche. A monthly usage fee is charged for the workroom, where potter’s wheels, work tables and some other equipment is available. Art association members who just want to work on projects or also want and need some additional instruction are invited to join the group each Friday from 1 to 3 p.m. Call 765-5332 for more information.

The Children’s Clay Class, now in progress, meets each Wednesday from 3:30 to 5 p.m. The fee of $35 per child includes supplies. Following classes will be scheduled later. Call instructor Anna Adams for more information. 765-5086.

All students or users must be member of the Ponca City Art Association and an annual membership may be purchased at the Ponca City Art Center for $10 per family. Interested students may visit the Ponca City Art Center at 819 East Central, to enroll in classes and receive a list of supplies needed for each class, if other arrangements have not been made with individual instructors.

The Ponca City Art Center is open from 1 to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday.

Kerry E. Kliewer Is Bride Of Laurent M.J.G.H. Vellieux

Kerry Ellen Kliewer and Laurent Marie Jean Gabriel Henri Vellieux were joined in marriage at Northeast Baptist Church in a 5 p.m. candlelight ceremony on Dec. 19, 1998. Dr. Larry Nigh officiated the double ring ceremony.

The bride is the daughter of Dottie Kliewer of Ponca City and the late Eldon Kliewer, and the granddaughter of Lorene Griffin of Ponca City. The groom is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Jean-Etienne Vellieux of Angers, France. In memory of the bride’s father, a special floral arrangement of yellow roses along with a photo of her father and a framed sign which read: “In Loving Memory of Eldon Wayne Kliewer. I love you, Daddy. I wish you could be here ... ‘Those who live in the Lord never say goodbye for the last time.’” was placed at the registration table, which was attended by Brandy Westerman of Stillwater, cousin of the bride.

“Il mio rifugio” (”My Hiding Place”) was played for the seating of the parents and the grandmother and “Ave Maria” for the processional. After the giving away of the bride, “Let It Be Me” was played. “The Gift” was played during the lighting of the unity candle and soon after Guy and Donita Cooper beautifully sang “The Bond of Love” and “Our God Has Made Us One” while Donita played the piano. “Celebration”, a Celtic instrumental, and “Joy to the World” were played for the recessional.

The bride, escorted by her uncle, Orlando Kliewer, wore a designer gown of white silk satin. The tapered bodice was embellished with embroidered cut-out lace, pearls and sequins and featured a scalloped sweetheart neckline, silk satin buttons on the back and Victorian-style puffed sleeves which tapered at the wrist and formed a “V” at the top of the hand. Scalloped lace bordered the hem and cathedral-length train. The train was also embellished with embroidered cut-out lace and pearls. She wore a fingertip veil of tulle and a tiara-style pearl headpiece and carried a cascading bouquet of Stargazer and white lilies, Laguna and Timeless roses, German Statice and ivy.

The bride also followed the tradition of something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue. Something old was her great-great-grandmother’s wedding ring. Something new was a pearl necklace (a gift from her mother). Her something borrowed: her great-grandmother’s lace handkerchief, and something blue: a blue Topaz ring (a gift from her grandmother). She also kept a sixpence in her shoe. The groom’s mother was escorted by the groom to her seat and the bride’s mother was escorted by the groom’s father to her seat, as is the tradition in France.

Special out-of-town guests were the groom’s parents of Angers, France; Fred and Natalia Vellieux of Saint-Egreve, France, brother and sister-in-law of the groom; Magdeleine Flach of Chatou, France, cousin of the groom; Francis, Bluette and Etienne Besson of Zurich, Switzerland; Orlando and Martha Kliewer of Hollister, Calif., uncle and aunt of the bride; Lori Boyd of Gentry, Ark.; Katherine Ratzlaff of Cushing; Charles and Rose Fry of Corn, uncle and aunt of the bride, and Rachelle Epp of Corn, cousin of the bride.

The rehearsal dinner was hosted by the groom’s parents at Western Sizzlin’, and a bridal shower was hosted by Jami Kliewer on Nov. 21.

Following a honeymoon in Vermont, the couple has established a home in Plano, Texas. The groom has upcoming opportunities in telecommunications engineering, his field of expertise.

Couple Celebrates 50th Anniversary

Donald and Carol Wilson celebrated their fiftieth wedding anniversary on Dec. 12. A dinner reception in their honor was hosted by their children at the Masonic lodge in Cleveland with many friends and family in attendance.

Carol Jean Pruett and Donald Wayne Wilson, both born and raised in Ponca City, were married in Newkirk on Dec. 13, 1948. In 1959 they moved to California where they resided until 1980. They then moved to Cleveland where they opened Don’s Muffler Shop; they still operated it with the help of their son.

The Wilsons have two children, Donald Gene Wilson and Sherry McGee; eight grandchildren; and 10 great-grandchildren — all residing in Cleveland.

Mr. Wilson is the son of Lennie and Gladys Wilson, and Mrs. Wilson is the daughter of Al and Mildred Pruett.

Xi Beta Tau Members Set Millennium Goals

Member of the Xi Beta Tau chapter of Beta Sigma Phi will participate in an exercise program inspired by television personality, Rosie O’Donnell, and will call themselves Millennium Madames.

The group met Jan. 11 in the home of June Miller with Sammie Coats, president, calling the meeting to order, and members standing for the opening ritual. The roll was called and minutes read by June Miller. Cindy Wardlow gave the treasurer’s report and collected January dues.

City Council minutes were read by Ms. Coates, council representative, and she announced the Valentine Dance tickets will be $2.50 per person, $5 per couple. Founder’s Day tickets will be $11.75, and the function will be held April 20 at the Ponca City Country Club.

Service committee reported on donations to the S.A.N.E. program. Social committee is planned a Super Bowl Sunday with members bringing hot dogs, chili, and other foods; the time will be determined at the next meeting.

Prior to Lois Coates pledge ritual, members will be dining at Enrique’s at 6:30 p.m. and reviewing the Beta Sigma Phi handbook.

The traveling basket was given to Ms. Miller and the mystery prize was won by Ms. Wardlow. The meeting was adjourned after the closing rituals, and the members enjoyed a reading by Jan Ellison from the book “Cosmic Christmas” by Max Lucado. The next meeting will be Jan 25.

Rayna Bowhay Becomes Bride of Robert Johnstone

In a wedding ceremony based on I Corinthians 13, Rayna L. Bowhay and Robert W. Johnstone III, both of Ponca City, exchanged marriage vows Saturday, Jan. 2, 1999 at 2 p.m. in Eureka Springs, Ark. The Rev. William B. Lowe officiated the exchange of vows following a program of traditional romantic wedding music.

The bride is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Rick Bowhay of Ponca City and the granddaughter of Mr. and Mrs. George Bowhay of Ponca City and Mrs. Ted Tautfest of Marland. The groom is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Robert W. Johnstone Jr. of Wichita, and the grandson of the late Mr. and Mrs. Robert Boring of Wichita, the late Mr. and Mrs. Robert Johnstone of Newkirk, and the late Ted Tautfest.

Traditional, romantic wedding music was played during the wedding ceremony, and the couple lighted a Unity Candle together following their vows. A twelve branch brass candelabra provided soft light during the ceremony.

The bride chose an ankle length designer gown of black velour and velvet, styled with deep red roses on a black background bodice. She wore garnet jewelry belonging to her mother, and the traditional something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue, with a sixpence in her shoe.

Her bouquet was of deep red roses, in full bloom, with babies breath, ivy and greenery, tied with long, ivory colored satin ribbon.

Immediately following the ceremony, a reception was hosted in the Garden of Dreams reception parlor.

Following their honeymoon in Eureka Springs, Ark. and surrounding area, the couple is at home in Ponca City.

The bride, a graduate of Ponca City High School in 1995, is now employed by Dr. Christopher Banwart of Central States Orthopaedic Specialists. The groom, a graduate of Rose Hill High School in 1990, served as QM3SS in the United States Navy for four years, and is currently employed with Transformer Disposal Specialists.

Special guests for the wedding were Mr. and Mrs. Rick Bowhay and Mr. and Mrs. Robert W. Johnstone Jr.

Carrie Hankins to Wed

Janis Johnston of Ponca City and Richard Hankins of Cherryvale, Kan., announce the engagement and upcoming marriage of their daughter, Carrie Dawn Hankins, to John Bruce Mefferd, son of J.R. Mefferd of Crescent and Evelyn Mefferd of Oklahoma City.

The wedding will be 3 p.m. Feb. 27, 1999, at the First Southern Baptist Church in Guthrie, and an open invitation is extended to all friends and relatives.

The bride-elect is a former resident of Ponca City and attended Ponca City High School, graduating from Guthrie High School in 1992. She attended the University of Central Oklahoma and is employed as a licensed executive assistant at Keller Williams Realty in Edmond.

The prospective bridegroom graduated from Crescent High School in 1989 and is a heavy equipment operator at Kenny’s Welding Service, Inc., at Cashion.

Ruth Knight Celebrated 95th Birthday

Friends and relatives celebrated the 95th birthday of Ruth (Murray) Knight at Pauline’s Supper Club on Saturday, Jan. 23.

Ruth Knight was born on her father’s farm near Valley Springs, Ark., a village east of Harrison, Ark., on Sunday, Jan. 24. 1904. She is the seventh child in a family of ten children. One older brother, Lewis, and two younger siblings, Walker and Biffle, were not able to attend. She married Clifford E. Knight, a sergeant in the United States Army, in Joliet, Ill. Clifford was an ROTC instructor at Joliet High School. They moved to Ponca City in 1927. She has been a resident of Ponca City since then. During World War II, she worked as a seamstress for Mid-American on South First. She also worked at Irene Interiors for fifteen years.

She has been a member of the First Baptist Church since the mid-1940s and was a member of the Bonoth Sunday School class. She enjoyed four years as a member of the Silvertones choral group. She was also a member of the Bittersweet Garden Club, where she served as president. Her hobbies included ceramics and china painting as well as her lifelong interest in gardening.

Relatives attending were sons and their wives Robert and Helen (Finney) Knight of Guilderland, N.Y., and Don M. and Lucerne (Mitchell) Knight of Albuquerque, N.M.; grandchildren attending were Brian L. Knight and Suzanne and their son, Griffin Knight, of Champaign, Ill., Alyssa Knight, daughter of Don and Lucerne; nephew John Murray and wife, Patricia, and their daughter, Heather Simmons, and granddaughter, Alexandra, of St Joe, Ark.; nephew Carl Hudson, his daughter, Sheryl, and her husband, Richard Chaney, of Harrison, Ark.

The Ponca City friends attending were Ethel Webster, Mary Clark, Georgia Ball, Katie Hunter, Roy and Carolyn Tidwell, Bob and Ann Wilson, Jim and Johnnie Murphy, and Tom and Lois Skaggs.

Wheatheart Nutrition

Volunteers are needed to deliver meals to the home bound participating in the Wheatheart Nutrition Project. For more information call 767-1620. Wheatheart Nutrition Menus for this week are as follows:

Monday, Jan. 25: Hamburger steak with beef gravy; tossed salad; mashed potatoes; biscuit with margarine; mixed fruit.

Tuesday, Jan. 26: Swedish meatballs; tomato juice; rice; seasoned green beans; whole wheat roll with margarine; peach crisp.

Wednesday, Jan. 27: Chicken patty; buttered broccoli; pineapple and bananas; muffin with margarine; iced raisin peanut butter spice bar.

Thursday, Jan. 28: Beef cabbage casserole; 3-bean salad; buttered carrots; whole wheat roll with margarine; molded lime applesauce.

Friday, Jan.29: Ham; beans; tomato relish; cornbread with margarine; fruit cocktail cake.

Mothers’ Club Entertained By ‘Love Letters’

“Love Letters,” a two-character play by A. R. Gurney, was presented to members of Ponca City Mothers’ Club Unit III at their January meeting.

Joanne Muchmore, guest speaker, assumed both character parts as she presented the poignant, often times humorous, sometimes tragic entertainment.

The “lunch out” event was held Friday, Jan. 15, at Personalities Restaurant on the campus of the Pioneer Technology Center.

Hostesses for the event were Tibby Coatney, Norma Lee Kinzie, and Wauneita Burger.

Copies of the recipes collected at the unit’s Christmas Taste and Tell luncheon were distributed by Gloria Harris, to be added to the member’s Mothers’ Club cookbooks.

Janet Smith, chairlady, called the business meeting to order and reports were given by Ann Kennedy, Vivian Mertz, Marcene Young and Mary Joan McCann.

The next meeting of Unit III will be on Friday, Feb. 19, at the home of Maureen Danielson. Co-hostesses will be Joanne Morgan and Gloria Harris. Kay Whitlock of Just Yesterday will present the program.

Couple Observes 25 Years

Mr. and Mrs. Carl Bottoms will celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary at a family dinner to be held Feb. 2. Hosts for the celebration will be their daughter, Alysa K. Pressnall, and son-in-law, Darren.

Carl Bottoms and Carol Bails were married in the First Christian Church in Aline on Feb. 2, 1974. They made their first home in Charleston, S.C., later moving to Ponca City where they have lived for the last 23 years. Mr. Bottoms has been employed with Conoco for the last 20 years, and Mrs. Bottoms is a fourth-grade teacher at Lincoln Elementary School. They are members of St. Paul’s United Methodist Church.

They have two children, Alysa K. Pressnall and Bryan Bottoms, and one grandchild, Bradyn Pressnall.

Bits and Pieces

The Four-O’Clock Garden Club will be holding their next meeting on Wednesday at 9:30 a.m. in the Cann Garden Center. Hostesses will be Grace Collins, Phyllis Kennedy and Claudia Hamilton. Carolyn Goldsberry will present the program on Hostas — The Perfect Perennial.

The Democratic Women’s Club will met at 7 p.m. Thursday at the OCAW, 1202 West Ponca Avenue. John Young, president of the Ponca City School Board, will give a presentation on issues in the upcoming election. All interested persons are invited; refreshments will be served. For more information, contact Donna Swope, 767-8354.

Little News

Luke Christian John was the name selected by Dean and Lee Maniatis of Ponca City for their son born Dec. 31, 1998, at 11:42 a.m., at Stillwater Medical Center. He weighed 7 pounds, 2 ounces, and measured 20 1/2 inches long. He has a brother, Matthew, and a sister, Jamie.

Grandparents are Ann Strickland of Ponca City and the late John Strickland, and Pete and Tula Maniatis of Denver, Colo. Great-grandparents are Gracie McGaughey of Pooler, Ga., and the late James McGaughey.

Kevin and Shannon Newlin of Ponca City announce the birth of their daughter, Alyssa Ashlynn Newlin, at 6:54 p.m. Jan. 11, 1999, at St. Joseph Regional Medical Center. She weighed 8 pounds and measured 20 1/2 inches.

Grandparents are David and Donna Newlin of Ponca City, Debby Stokes of Ponca City, and Ron and Sandy Stokes of Stillwater. Great-grandparents are J.D. and June Stokes of Fort Towsen, and great-great-grandparents are Francis and Mildred Hatten of Ponca City.

Ponca City Happenings

SUNDAY

Marland Estate Mansion, 901 Monument Road, open daily, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sunday, 1-5 p.m. Guided tours Monday-Friday, 1:30 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 1:30 and 3 p.m. Special tour information, 767-0420.

Pioneer Woman Museum, open Tuesday-Friday 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sunday, 1-5 p.m. The museum is closed on Mondays and holidays.

Ponca City Art Center, 819 East Central. Wednesday through Sunday, 1-5 p.m.

Ponca City Cultural Center and Museum, 10th and Grand. Home of Ponca City Indian Museum, Bryant Baker Studio, 101 Ranch Museum and DAR Museum. Available for receptions, teas, bridge parties, etc. Open daily 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sunday 1-5 p.m. 767-0427.

Ponca City Tourism Office, 10th and Grand. Information about all tourist attractions and events in Ponca City and the surrounding area. Open daily 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sunday, 1-5 p.m. 763-8067.

11th Step AA meeting — open, 11 a.m.; AA Discussion meeting, 8 p.m. Harmony House, 212 South Third.

MONDAY

Al-Anon meeting, 8-9 p.m. Monday, upstairs in the Harmony House, 212 South Third.

Domestic Violence Group, 6:30-7:30 p.m. Mondays. Programs for women and children of family violence. Babysitter provided. For information call 76A-BUSE.

Fibromyalgia Support Group meets on the third Monday of each month at 7 p.m. in the parlor of the First Baptist Church. More information may be obtained by calling Raelene Brown, 765-5756; Mary Beth Guy, 765-9894; Martha Long, 762-5572.

Multiple Sclerosis Support Group meets the third Monday of each month at 6:30 p.m. at Albright United Methodist Church, 128 South Palm. Call Beth Wright, 765-6738, for additional information.

New Hope Group of Alcoholics Anonymous, 8 p.m., Monday. Salvation Army Community Support Center, 711 South Third.

Ponca City Rotary Club, noon Monday, Marland Mansion Chapel.

Simple Steps AA — closed, noon; AA Step Study — closed, 8 p.m.; Harmony House, 212 South Third.

TOPS OK 308 members are reminded that the new weigh-in time is 6 to 6:45 p.m. with meetings starting at 6:45 p.m. on Mondays. For more information call Betty Flower, 765-5448.

Principles Before Personalities, Narcotics Anonymous, 8 p.m. Monday, Harmony House basement (use south entrance by parking lot).

Church Women United board meeting 9:30 a.m., Feb. 1, at St. John Baptist Church, 1009 South 11 Street.

TUESDAY

The American Family Support Group will meet 7-9 p.m. Tuesday at 1105 West Highland. The topic will be Child Welfare Services and child abuse.

Kay County Wheatheart Sweet Adelines, 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Performing Arts Building (south entrance) Northern Oklahoma College, Tonkawa. All women welcome. For information call 765-6829, 363-1643 or 762-2885.

Kiwanis Club, noon Tuesday, Marland Mansion Conference Center.

New-Found Freedom Co-dependents Anonymous, 8 p.m., Tuesday, Harmony House (upstairs library).

AA Discussion meeting at noon; AA Big Book Study — closed, 8 p.m. Harmony House, 212 South Third.

Parent Support Group, 6-7:30 p.m. Tuesday at Northern Oklahoma Youth Services Center. Focus on parental concerns and frustrations, as well as ways to increase understanding and communications between parent and child. Support, education, coping techniques, and introduction to non-punitive parenting styles.

Pioneer Water Garden Society meets the third Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m. at the Cann Gardens. Anyone interested in water gardens, fish, plants or starting your own pond is welcome to attend. For more information contact Mike Welch, 765-3271, or Ray Moreland, 762-7806.

Preschool storytime for 4-, 5- and 6-year-olds, 10 and 11:30 a.m. Tuesdays at the Ponca City Library.

Weight Watchers meeting, 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, St. Paul’s United Methodist Church. Weigh-in begins at 6 p.m.

Fanchon Chapter 53, Order of the Eastern Star, meets the first and third Tuesday of each month at 7:30 p.m. at the Masonic Temple, 1200 West Grand.

Free pregnancy test is kept confidential at Birth Choice, 700 West Broadway. Hours are 6-8 p.m. Tuesday; 1-3 p.m. Wednesday; 6-8 p.m. Thursday.

Alpha Chi Omega and Kappa Alpha Theta joint meeting Jan. 26 at 7 p.m. Alpha Chi Omega will host the meeting at the home of Pauletta Beaty, 1317 Cookson Drive. Cohosting will be Marijane Boone and Jan Sewll. Program will be book review by Jean Brace. All area alumni invited.

WEDNESDAY

Deadline for Happenings and items for Sunday’s edition of Lifestyles is 5 p.m. Wednesday. For Happenings include name of club, time and day of meeting, place and hostess.

New Hope Group of Alcoholics Anonymous, 8 p.m. Wednesday, Salvation Army Support Center, 711 South Third.

Pioneer Toastmasters Club, 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Wednesday, East Auditorium, Conoco Complex, 1000 South Pine. Guests welcome.

Ponca City Bahai Community Discussion Group, 7:15 p.m. Wednesday. For location call 765-5695 or 762-5529.

Simple Steps AA meeting; Step Study — closed, noon. AA Discussion meeting, 8 p.m. Harmony House, 212 South Third.

Storytime for 2 and 3-year-olds, Ponca City Library, 515 East Grand, 10 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. Short stories, songs, use of flannel board. Lasts about 15 minutes.

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) support group aids veterans of the Vietnam and Gulf Wars. The group is confidential and meets at the DAV, 401 South Lincoln, Wednesdays, 7-8:30 p.m. If you are a veteran suffering with PTSD or know someone who could use help, contact 762-3851 or Steve Mallory, 762-7561.

Principles Before Personalities, Narcotics Anonymous, 8 p.m. Wednesday, Harmony House basement (use south entrance by parking lot).

The International Club of Ponca City will meet Jan. 27 at 7 p.m. at the home of Barbara Brown. Lois Rence will present the program on Swedish Secrets Newly Revealed. All International residents and interested persons invited. Contact Aracelly Killbane, 762-3731 for more information.

The Ponca City Council of Garden Clubs will meet February 3 at the Cann Garden Center. Program “OSU Master Gardener” at 9:30 a.m. by Larry Klumpp, of the OSU Extension Office.

Telephone Retired mMember Club will meet at the Golden Corral 11 a.m. Call 765-5610 for additional information.

THURSDAY

Al-Anon at Conoco, TBTV 50 on Mezzanine between North and South Towers, 11:30 p.m. Thursday. Call Linda, 765-7045, 767-5328.

AA Discussion meeting, noon; AA discussion meeting, 8 p.m., Harmony House, 212 South Third.

Freedom Group of AA; closed Bi