News Staff Writer

Despite the worries of the recession, October was a good month for many Ponca City businesses.

The Oklahoma Blood Institute Ponca City Center remodeled with an interior remodeling permit listed at $35,000.

Other remodeling permits listed were Game Play, inside Wal-Mart, at $18,000; Palmer Supply's accessory storage building at $13,000, and the AMBUC Pool listed a pool deck awning at $12,000.

A newly remodeled Kentucky Fried Chicken held a ribbon cutting and ReMax moved to Suite B inside the Ponca Plaza.

Home Town sales and lease relocated to 2209 North Fourteenth Street, next to Brace Books and More in the former Drug Warehouse building.

Mazzio's Pizza was renamed to Mazzio's Italian Eatery following a $500,000 remodel.

Hughes Lumber, which has an operation in Ponca City, announced the purchase of Fairland Lumber in Fairland. The company has been in operation for more than 100 years.

Napolis Italian Restaurant opened at 3209 North Fourteenth Street, across the street west of Comfort Inn and Suites. The building, which was previously Swick's Pizza, was redone from top to bottom for a different decor.

Walmart held a grand re-opening, the results of a three-month remodeling project. Among the improvements was a new layout, wider aisles, low-profile shelving, bright interior paint scheme, enhanced lighting and easy-to-read signage. The remodel also created an expanded electronics department with more hands-on experience with interactive displays for hi-definition Blu-ray, video gaming and portable electronics. A new department called Celebration Station was added which features party supplies, greeting cards, balloons and helium tanks, cake supplies and gift wrap. Site-to-Store pick-up location and photo lab were combined into a single area at the rear of the store.

Mark and Susan Sigler purchased Bodyworks, 2002 North Fourteenth, from Vicki Graves.

Groundbreaking for a new hospital was held in Arkansas City. The Arkansas City City Commission guaranteed the maximum price of $16,485,000 for the new 36-patient bed facility. The hospital is to include five birthing rooms, multiple surgery rooms, a cafeteria, laundry, administrative officers and pharmacy.

Last payment of $500,000 on the incentive agreement with the OSU-University Multispectral Lab was given formal approval. The agreement provided for a $2 million incentive to be used specifically to refurbish the former Research East on the ConocoPhillips campus. ConocoPhillips donated the facility to OSU for this purpose and matched the PCDA incentive. For the final payment, the UML is required to have at least 50 employees. That was accomplished on Oct. 1.

The Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department hosted Ponca City's Kygar Road Market, owned and operated by Dave Inselman, for a special tasting at the State Capitol Tourism Information Center.

The Oklahoma Minority Supplier Development Council, Inc. recognized D & P Tank Service, Inc. of Ponca City as the Outstanding Minority Business of the Year and ConocoPhillips as Outstanding Corporation of the Year.

The Standing Bear Museum's architectural firm, Kinslow, Keith & Todd, Inc., of Tulsa, received a Merit Award at the AIA Eastern Oklahoma Chapter of The American Institute of Architects Awards Celebration.

A request for a permit to rebuild Jay's Farm and Ranch Supply hit a snag when it was found that the proposed new building doesn't conform to Main Street design guidelines. The initial proposal was for a metal sided, gable roofed, post and frame building which was smaller than the previous building, which would allow a gap of 25 feet between Jay's building and the building next door. Main Street guidelines are for flat roofed buildings that abut each other, forming a solid facade, and an exterior treatment that compliments the other buildings, including compatible alignment and type of window. Metal buildings are discouraged.

It was pointed out that the businesses on the south side of the street, across from Jay's, were long gone, replaced by newer construction after a catastrophic fire in the 1990s. Those buildings did not mimic the character of the construction of historic buildings downtown.

It took some compromise, but J.R. Bales, owner of Jay's Farm and Ranch Supply, agreed to cover the entire front facade of the new building in brick and wrap the brick around the sides of the building. The Planning Commission allowed Bales to keep his pitched roof and to put in the windows he wanted.

The Oklahoma State University's Center for Veterinary Health Sciences dedicated its new Small Animal Critical Care Unit at the Boren Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital on the Stillwater campus.

A new city ordinance was passed which requires builders to obtain a builder's certificate and show proof of a minimum of $50,000 in general liability insurance, as well as worker's compensation insurance, before obtaining a building permit in Ponca City. The ordinance mirrored the provisions of state law which requires that anyone who builds, enlarges or remodels one- or two-family homes obtain a certificate.

Tonkawa Business Incubator, LLC learned it had been awarded $8,747 in grant funds through the Rural Energy for America Program. The investment was a part of the Obama Administration's commitment to help rural businesses become more energy efficient and help revitalize rural communities. The grant will be used to make energy efficiency improvements at the Tonkawa Business Incubator facility located at 109 South Main in Tonkawa.

More than 500 riders registered for the HOGs (Harley-Davidson Owners' Group) Rally held in October in Ponca City. According to Donna Hingtgen, rally coordinator, people attended from Oklahoma, Arkansas, Kansas, Texas, Kentucky, Missouri, Nebraska, Illinois, Georgia, Alabama, Michigan and Ohio.

Chamber of Commerce Executive Rich Cantillon said an event like this could bring in new money and tourism to Ponca City. Tourism studies have showed that the average person can spend $260 a day while visiting. Rally participants stay in hotels, eat in restaurants, and buy gas and shop while here. In 2007 the city of Ardmore reported that their community benefited from nearly $400,000 being pumped into the community while hosting the annual state rally.

Ponca City also hosted the National Dutch Oven Gathering (DOG) in October. One hundred and eight teams from 22 states came to Osage Cove on Kaw Lake. Heartland of the Prairie Dutch Oven Society hosted this year's event with three days of demonstrations, programs and competitions on Dutch oven cooking.

On Oct. 8 Kiwanis members joined with Ponca City High School Key Club members, teachers and volunteers at over 30 area sites to read Eric Carle's "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" for a huge success of reading to 2,069 children and adults.

Former Tonkawa Football Coach Jim Minor celebrated his 90th birthday and was honored at the Tonkawa-Drumright football game and then the next day in a special reception at the Tonkawa high school.

The Ponca Tribe of Oklahoma lost its eldest member and a direct connection to most of its earliest history in Oklahoma when Parrish Williams died at the age of 96 or 97 at the family homesite in the Bressie Community south of Ponca City.

Ponca City responded to the Swine Flu threat by vaccinating, establishing a Swine Flu Hotline, and being vigilant about keeping school students and staff safe from flu viruses, emphasizing cleaning and sanitizing surfaces and teaching students and staff to wash their hands regularly.

Kay County Prescription Drug Cards became available, designed to provide benefits to every citizen in Kay County, with no income requirements, no age requirements and unlimited use for the entire family. The program will cost the county $1,040 a year but citizens could save up to 22 percent on prescriptions. There are 11 pharmacies in Kay County and two in Arkansas City, Kan. participating in the plan, according to officials. Those pharmacies listed include Family Discount Pharmacy, Hutton Pharmacy, Kanza Pharmacy, O' Connor Pharmacy, Pyramid Pharmacy, Rhoads Brothers Pharmacy, Toni's Westside Rexall Drug, Walgreens, Wal-Mart in Blackwell and Ponca City and White Eagle Health Center. To use the card a cardholder simply presents it at a participating pharmacy. There is no enrollment form, no membership fee and no restrictions or limits on frequency of use.

October also saw a cut in Senior Nutrition Programs such as Wheatheart Nutrition Centers. This put daily meals for seniors in jeopardy. Programs statewide were at risk and many people, leaders and seniors were upset. Projects statewide were making drastic cuts including eliminating staff, closing locations, going to four days a week and serving frozen meals.

On the other hand, Attucks Community Alliance partnered with Rebuilding Together Oklahoma City and ConocoPhillips employee volunteers to provide needed repairs and provide more energy efficient windows and doors for several homes in Southside neighborhoods.

As a part of this year's Domestic Violence Awareness Month Campaign, the Oklahoma District Attorneys Council, the Office of the Attorney General, and the Oklahoma Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault announced the second annual Award for Excellence in Action Against Domestic Violence. Ponca City's own Lori Russell, case manager of Domestic Violence Program of North Central Oklahoma, was the recipient for victim advocate.

Ponca City was recognized as one of the top communities in the state in stormwater management. The Board of Commissioners approved the Ponca City Stormwater Master Plan for 2009 with amendments to the Master Drainage Plan portion.

A free street dance and movie took place in the 100 block of East Grand Avenue and the Poncan Theatre. It was a celebration of Main Street, its volunteers, the downtown merchants, and the new sidewalk and historic lighting project.

Oktoberfest was so popular this year that some vendors had to be turned away.