OK Press - Oklahoma Press Association

Transcription

The Oklahoma Publisher
Official Publication of the Oklahoma Press Association
Vol. 85, No. 9
16 Pages • September 2014
www.OkPress.com
www.Facebook.com/okpress
GENERAL
ELECTION
NOV. 4, 2014
NEWSPAPERS
ARE READY
TO TALK TO
YOU ABOUT
ADVERTISING.
Call your local newspaper or
Oklahoma Press Service at
(405) 499-0020 for help
with your ad placement.
Enid series funded by APMEFRIDAY
grant
The Enid News & Eagle is
presenting a multi-part series
about the city’s ongoing issues
with fire safety and water
distribution.
Titled “Under Pressure,” the
series was made possible by
a grant from Associated Press
Managing Editors. APME
is an organization of North
American media professionals
that awards one Community
Public Service Grant each year
to “address a long-standing
community issue.”
“APME and its foundation
want to provide smaller news
organizations with vital assistance to spur public service initiatives in their communities,”
said APME President Debra
Adams Simmons. “The Enid
newspaper’s project was a perfect example of the great work
that these community newspapers are doing.”
The series, which started
Aug. 24, uses data from fire
hydrant tests and other sourc-
es to show areas of Enid with
insufficient fire protection
based on water flow.
Reporter Dale Denwalt’s
first installment introduced the
issues and described an Enid
neighborhood with one of the
biggest clusters of poorly fed
fire hydrants.
The project includes useof-data visualization maps and
video to help readers understand the complex issue, said
Rob Collins, News & Eagle
executive editor.
“Our digital journalism
allows Enid readers to drill
down to see the fire flow of
their hydrant down the street,”
Collins said. “Some of the more
important work a journalist can
do is the stories that directly
impact people, to dig deeper
into the numbers and data to
the issues that affect quality of
life.”
Much of the grant was used
to translate each story into Spanish and Marshallese because
the topics impact Enid’s minority populations. Marco Mora
Huízar, who previously spent
time in Enid as a missionary
and now lives in Salt Lake City,
translated the stories for the
News & Eagle.
Denwalt will present the
series at APME’s conference in
Chicago this month.
Celebrate National Newspaper Week
National Newspaper Week
will be celebrated October
5-11, 2014.
This marks the 74th year of
the week, which observes the
importance of newspapers to
communities large and small.
The theme this year is
“Newspapers: The Foundation
of Vibrant Communities.”
Minnesota
Newspaper
Association is coordinating
this year’s kit, which includes
a logo, web ads, cartoons, columns and editorials.
New materials will be posted at nationalnewspaperweek.
com/nnw/ the week of September 15-19.
In addition to using material on the website, newspapers are encouraged to editorialize locally about how their
newspaper is important and
relevant to their community.
This can be about the newspaper’s government watchdog
role, investigative journalism,
providing timely public notices, etc.
Since 1940, Newspaper
Association Managers (NAM)
has sponsored and supported
National Newspaper Week.
NAM is a professional organization of executives of state,
regional, national and international newspaper associations
headquartered in the United
States and Canada.
NAM fosters communication and the sharing of
ideas and information among
its members for the benefit
of the newspaper associations managed by
NAM members.
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The Oklahoma Publisher // September 2014
NEWS
analysis
by OPA President JEFF FUNK, Publisher of the Enid News & Eagle
Newspapers showing
community leadership
It’s one of those statements that
shouldn’t make sense, yet it is true: If
you want something done and done
right, ask a busy person to do it.
In many Oklahoma communities,
those git-’er-done people can be found at
the local newspaper.
That was pointed out to me once
again last month as Oklahoma Press
Association exec Mark Thomas and I
visited newspapers – this time in southwest Oklahoma. In communities large
and small, newspapers and newspaper
people are taking the front-line leadership roles.
A great example was in Sayre. Brad
and Dayva Spitzer, owners of The Sayre
Record & Beckham County Democrat,
were pleased to show off some of the
improvements in that city as we strolled
a few blocks of downtown Sayre and
went out for lunch. At each stop, people
politely entertained the “visitors,” but
everywhere we went somebody also
wanted to speak briefly with either
Dayva or Brad about some ongoing
activity – the search for a new CEO
for the hospital, a community park and
splash pad, downtown redevelopment,
a possible new business, and changes
made at City Hall. Clearly Dayva and
Brad were involved in making things
happen.
That was in Sayre, population 4,400.
In Lawton, population nearly 100,000, we
saw some of the same leadership traits
visiting the newspaper in Oklahoma’s
third-largest metropolitan area.
In Lawton, “lunch” was a luncheon
for community leaders hosted by The
Lawton Constitution, organized by newspaper General Manager Mike Owensby
and led by Constitution Publisher Bill
Burgess, Jr. In Lawton, where Fort Sill
dominates the local and regional economy, strong relations with Oklahoma’s
congressional delegation are critical.
That left a problem for the folks in Lawton, who expect to be calling on James
Lankford as their next U.S. senator. In
Comanche County, voters overwhelmingly supported Lankford’s primary
Dayva and Brad Spitzer, owners of The Sayre Record & Beckham County Democrat, pose
with OPA President Jeff Funk in front of the newspaper building.
election opponent, T.W. Shannon, a popular and charismatic local leader.
What Mark and I witnessed at the
newspaper-sponsored luncheon was a
palpable release of that local tension as
Shannon warmly introduced and praised
his former opponent, and Lankford candidly answered some very pointed questions about support for the Army base,
which he also toured that day.
Elsewhere in Lawton, the influence
of The Constitution and its past and present leadership was evident, too.
People speak of the “power of the
press,” but in my experience newspaper
people are not driven by a yearning for
power but are motivated by a genuine
desire to improve our communities, our
region, our state. We want “home” to
be a better place. That means better
schools, a better economy, safer living,
easier travel. It’s more recreation and
cultural opportunities. It means nurturing a caring community.
No, newspapers don’t have power,
but they do have influence. News organizations are great at communicating with
lots of people, quickly and efficiently.
We offer excellent forums for announcing what exists today and pointing out
opportunities for change.
Newspapers help set the agenda
for a community or region by offering
ideas, celebrating successes and pointing out problems that need to be fixed.
Sometimes that’s dramatic – recovery
from tornado or wildfire devastation.
Sometimes it’s more personal.
When authorities busted a puppy mill
near Shawnee a few years ago, 100-plus
dogs became immediately homeless.
An advertising sales rep put together
an adoption event hosted at The Shawnee News-Star. The newspaper collected
dog food and got volunteers to provide
reduced-cost shots and exams. A groomer came and gave them haircuts in the
newspaper’s warehouse.
Each year the Oklahoma Press Association recognizes community leadership in its annual Better Newspaper Contest. The award “recognizes the efforts
of Oklahoma newspapers that address
a broad range of issues and problems in
the community and that promotes their
commitment to civic responsibility.” The
winners did some impressive work.
Often that leadership is less dramatic, supplying manpower or direction
for community activities. And it’s not just
editors and publishers having an impact,
either. Last year in Enid, we asked all
employees of the News & Eagle to list
their volunteer activities and roles in the
community. It was an impressive list,
and publishing it gave our readers the
knowledge that we ARE involved in our
community. We can walk the walk.
Whether it’s news stories or marketing muscle, whether it’s the publication
or the people, newspapers help make
Oklahoma communities better – week
by week, day by day and word by word.
OPA CALENDAR
OF EVENTS
FRI., SEPT. 26
WEBINAR: 2-3 PM, $35
Register at OnlineMediaCampus.com
PREMIUM EDITIONS:
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Looking for a proven innovative new
revenue stream that increases active
advertisers, encourages interesting
content and boosts circulation revenue
all at once? If so, this dynamic webinar
will share some turnkey ideas that have
been successful in several markets, large
or small, weekly or daily.
OCT. 2-5, 2014
SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS
NATIONAL NEWSPAPER
ASSOCIATION
128TH ANNUAL
CONVENTION &
TRADE SHOW
Held at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in San
Antonio, Texas, the convention will address
pressing business objectives of community
newspaper owners, publishers and senior
staff with educational sessions and peer
sharing activities.
For more information or to register, visit
www.nnaweb.org.
OPEN MEETING AND
RECORDS SEMINARS
THURSDAYS, 1-4 PM
SEPT. 25 - ARDMORE
OCT. 2 - WOODWARD
OCT. 16 - TULSA/OWASSO
NOV. 20 - McALESTER
DEC. 4 - ALTUS
DEC. 11 - OKC
All workshops are FREE to attend and
no registration is required. Attorney
General Scott Pruitt, the Oklahoma Press
Association and Oklahoma Newspaper
Foundation invite you to attend any of
these free sessions designed to deal
directly with your questions and concerns
about Oklahoma’s Open Meeting and
Records acts.
For more information on upcoming
events, visit the OPA website at
www.OkPress.com or contact
Member Services Director Lisa Potts at
(405) 499-0026, 1-888-815-2672
or email [email protected].
State journalist receives Humanitarian Award
An Oklahoma journalist is one of five
who will receive a Humanitarian Award
from the Oklahoma Center for Community and Justice.
Carla Hinton, the religion editor at
The Oklahoman, earned her award for
her “efforts to write stories that capture
the rich diversity of faith traditions in
Oklahoma and the vital work of non-
profits,” said the press release from the
organization.
Throughout her 28 years in journalism, Hinton has received many writing
awards and covered a broad range of
topics including transportation, social
services and minority affairs.
Other recipients of the Humanitarian
Awards are Imad Enchassi, the senior
imam for the Islamic Society of Greater
Oklahoma City; Joan and Michael Korenblit, co-founders of the Respect Diversity Foundation, and Jan Perry, chief
executive officer of YWCA Oklahoma
City.
The awards were presented Sept. 9
at the Oklahoma City University’s Bass
Music Center.
School names journalism wing after Wayne Lane
For nearly three decades, Wayne
Lane taught hundreds of students at
Northwestern Oklahoma State University and guided the award-winning student
newspaper, the Northwestern News.
In memory of his service as adviser
of the publication, and his dual role as
director of public relations, the offices of
the Northwestern News in Jesse Dunn
Annex will be named The Wayne L. Lane
Northwestern Newsroom.
The public dedication will take place
on Oct. 18.
“We are honored to recognize the
legacy of Wayne Lane and his contributions to Northwestern,” said Dr. Janet
New owner
at Geary Star
The Geary Star is under new ownership.
Brett Wesner, a native of Cordell,
recently purchased the weekly newspaper from Fred and Elesha Bingham.
Wesner has been in the newspaper
business for 25 years. His company,
Wesner Publications, publishes eight
newspapers and two magazines in Oklahoma and Texas.
“We are very excited about becoming
more involved in the Geary community,”
Wesner said. “We have been publishing
the community newspapers in Watonga
and Hinton for more than three years, so
Geary is a great fit for our work.”
Wesner has named Carla Schultz as
general manager and Darrel James as
editor of The Star.
“Both of these individuals are talented newspaper professionals with whom
I have worked for some time in Watonga
and Hinton,” Wesner said.
Elesha Bingham will continue working at The Star covering events and taking photographs.
“A few changes are in the works with
the takeover of the new owners,” said
Bingham. “One is that they plan to publish on Thursday.”
The Geary Star had been in the Bingham family since 1969 when Glynn and
Millie Bingham purchased it from U.H.
Warner. Fred and Elesha Bingham purchased the paper in 1992.
Cunningham, university president. “For
most of his life, he dedicated himself to
this institution and this community, but
most of all, to his students.”
Lane, a native of Eldorado, earned
undergraduate and graduate degrees at
the University of Oklahoma, where he
served as editor of the student newspaper.
After serving in the Army Air Corps,
he worked at the Wichita Daily Times
in Texas until 1959, when he accepted a
position at Northwestern.
During his career, Lane taught journalism classes, supervised publication
of the Northwestern News and The
Ranger yearbook, and served as director
of public relations.
He was honored with many awards
during his teaching career, including
the John Sheffield Teacher of the Year
Award in 1987. Upon his retirement in
1988, Lane was given the lifetime title of
Professor Emeritus.
Lane passed away on Oct. 20, 2013,
four days after his 89th birthday.
Northwestern is issuing a special
invitation to all of Lane’s former students
and staff members of the Northwestern
News and The Ranger to attend the
dedication.
CNHI relaunches websites
Community Newspaper Holdings,
Inc. (CNHI) is re-launching more
than 120 community newspaper web
and mobile sites on TownNews.com’s
BLOX CMS.
“We conducted an extremely thorough analysis of the best content management and hosting systems available, and the BLOX CMS exceeded
our expectations for functionality and
integration regardless of platform,”
said Matthew Ipsan, Chief Digital Officer of CNHI. “Combine an outstanding CMS with a team of people that
are as focused on your goals and
objectives as they are their own, and
TownNews.com made a difficult decision easy.”
BLOX CMS is an all-in-one cloudbased publishing solution with integrated modules. Content can be published simultaneously to web, mobile,
print and social media.
“We are extremely proud to partner
with CNHI, one of the most respected
media companies in the country,” said
TownNews.com CEO Marc Wilson.
“CNHI conducted a thorough vetting
of content management systems, and
we are happy they chose BLOX CMS
from TownNews.com.”
Rollout of the web and mobile sites
began in late summer and will be completed by the end of the third quarter
in 2014.
We should be your first call.
W. B. GRIMES & COMPANY
has sold over 1,400 newspapers over the
years and appraised thousands of others.
LEWIS FLOYD handles the Southwest and Southern States.
Lewis Floyd – (850) 532-9466; [email protected]
What’s Your Paper Worth? Find Out Today.
A Free Confidential Appraisal awaits via our web site.
www.MediaMergers.com
The
Oklahoma
Publisher
ISSN 1526-811X
Official Publication of the
Oklahoma Press Association
PUBLISHER
Mark Thomas
[email protected]
EDITOR
Jennifer Gilliland
[email protected]
OPA OFFICERS
Jeff Funk, President
Enid News & Eagle
Robby Trammell, Vice President
The Oklahoman
Gloria Trotter, Treasurer
The Countywide & Sun
Mark Thomas,
Executive Vice President,
Oklahoma City
OPA DIRECTORS
Jeff Mayo, Past President
Sequoyah County Times
Dayva Spitzer, Sayre Record &
Beckham County Democrat
Brian Blansett,
Shawnee News-Star
Ted Streuli, The Journal Record
Ray Dyer, El Reno Tribune
Mike Strain, Tulsa World
John Denny Montgomery,
The Purcell Register
3601 N. Lincoln Blvd.
Oklahoma City, OK 73105-5499
(405) 499-0020
Toll-Free in Oklahoma:
(888) 815-2672
www.OkPress.com
[email protected]
www.Facebook.com/OKPress
SUBSCRIBE TO
THE OKLAHOMA PUBLISHER
$12 PER YEAR
THE OKLAHOMA PUBLISHER (USPS 406920) is published monthly for $12 per year
by the Oklahoma Press Association, 3601 N.
Lincoln Blvd., Oklahoma City, OK 73105-5499.
Periodicals postage paid at Oklahoma City,
OK.
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to
THE OKLAHOMA PUBLISHER, 3601 N.
Lincoln Blvd., Oklahoma City, OK 73105-5499.
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2014
OPEN MEETING and RECORDS SEMINARS
Attorney General Scott Pruitt, the
Oklahoma Press Association and
Oklahoma Newspaper Foundation
invite you to attend any of the free
sessions designed to deal directly with
your questions and concerns about Oklahoma’s Open Meeting and Records Acts.
In 2010, more than 600 people attended
the seminars.
Anyone who deals directly with open
meetings and records will benefit from
this opportunity to discuss those issues
with First Assistant Attorney General
Tom Bates.
“Oklahoma’s open meeting and open
records laws provide the framework for
public access to government,” Attorney
General Scott Pruitt said. “The seminars
are an excellent opportunity for community residents and public officers to
learn more about transparency in government.”
Local organizations are invited,
including city council representatives, county offices and school
board representatives. Requirements
on access to public records and the conduct of public meetings will be explored
in depth, and your questions will be welcomed. Attorneys who attend can receive
continuing legal education credit hours.
Presented by
First Assistant
Attorney General
TOM BATES
NO REGISTRATION
REQUIRED.
Attorney General
First Assistant Attorney General
SCOTT PRUITT
TOM BATES
School board members and superintendents can get three continuing education
credit hours from the Oklahoma State
Department of Education, and technology center board members can earn
three continuing education credit hours
from the State Department of Career and
Technology Education. For more information, call (888) 815-2672 or go online
to www.okpress.com/seminars.
ALL
SEMINARS
ARE FREE.
MEETING DATES & LOCATIONS
All Sessions from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m.
SEPT. 25 – ARDMORE
OCT. 16 – TULSA
Southern Oklahoma Technology Center
Seminar Room A
2610 Sam Noble Parkway
Ardmore, OK 73401
OCT. 2 – WOODWARD
High Plains Technology Center
Seminar Center
3921 34th Street
Woodward, OK 73801
Tulsa Technology Center - Owasso
Room 1780
10800 N 140th E Avenue
Owasso, OK 74055
NOV. 20 – MCALESTER
Eastern Oklahoma State College
Conference Center Auditorium
1802 E College Avenue
McAlester, OK 74501
DEC. 4 – ALTUS
Southwest Technology Center
Seminar Center
711 W Tamarack Road
Altus, OK 73521
DEC. 11 – OKLAHOMA CITY
Metro Tech Conference Center
Auditorium
1900 Springlake Drive
Oklahoma City, OK 73111
These seminars are brought to you with the cooperation of
OKLAHOMA PRESS ASSOCIATION and OKLAHOMA NEWSPAPER FOUNDATION
If you have questions, please contact the Oklahoma Press Association at (405) 499-0026 or visit www.OkPress.com/seminars
Norman Police criticized for
not releasing video of Mixon
Norman police drew criticism after
deciding to show a surveillance video,
but not release it to the public, that
led to misdemeanor charges against
suspended Sooners running back Joe
Mixon.
On Sept. 4, police showed the video
to reporters who requested it under
the Open Records Act, but do not
plan to release it until Nov. 1, when
a change in the law goes into effect.
The Oklahoman and Tulsa World
had requested the video.
The video was not released on
the advice of a municipal attorney
who said the law requires police only
to allow public inspection of arrest
records.
Starting Nov. 1, the change in the
law specifically requires law enforcement agencies to provide copies of
arrest records.
State Sen. David Holt, R-Bethany,
who authored the 2014 bill amending
the Open Records Act, said the “copy-
ing” language only codified the existing state of the law as established by
attorney general opinions.
“We’re not really changing the
function of the law,” Holt said in an
article in The Oklahoman. “We’re just
changing what the statute says to conform to reality. It’s unfortunate that
it would be sort of misused to take
away a right that arguably the media
already has, at least for two months.”
Mixon was charged in August with
acts resulting in gross injury after
prosecutors watched sur veillance
video of his altercation with a woman.
“Under the Open Records Act,
we seek access to public documents
on a routine basis,” said Kelly Dyer
Fry, editor of The Oklahoman. “We
have no special privilege to do so; all
citizens have the same right to access
open records. Allowing limited access
to this footage is discriminatory and
violates open records law.”
BRTA takes no action on lawsuit
The Bartlesville Redevelopment
Trust Authority took no action on a
pending civil lawsuit that alleges the
trustees violated the Oklahoma Open
Meeting Act.
The lawsuit, filed in October 2010,
stems from an incident in August 2010
in which Osage County residents Joel
Rabin and Sharon Hurst allege that the
violation occurred when an executive
session was improperly entered into.
The Bartlesville Examiner-Enterprise
reported that during the public comment section of the Aug. 28 meeting,
Rabin told the BRTA that he and Hurst
plan to “aggressively pursue” the case to
its conclusion.
The BRTA filed a motion to dismiss in
November 2011, which was granted by
Associate District Judge Russell Vaclaw.
Vaclaw’s decision was unanimously
reversed by the Oklahoma Court of Civil
Appeals on June 27, 2013, and remanded
back to the lower court.
The Oklahoma Court of Criminal
Appeals remanded the case back to
district court.
The BRTA filed a motion for a summary judgment on July 20 and Vaclaw
ordered a hearing for Aug 14.
The Examiner-Enterprise reported
that court minutes of the hearing show
that Rabin and Hurst’s attorney asked
for an additional 9 days to complete
discovery on the BRTA’s request for a
summary decision. Vaclaw granted the
request.
HIPAA updates patient info guidelines
The American Hospital Association recently provided updated HIPAA
(Health Insurance Portability & Accountability Act) guidelines for releasing
information on the condition of patients.
Conditions are as follows:
• Undetermined – Patient is awaiting
physician and/or assessment.
• Good – Vital signs are stable and
within normal limits. Patient is conscious and comfortable. Indicators are
excellent.
• Fair – Vital signs are stable and
within normal limits. Patient is conscious, but may be uncomfortable. Indicators are favorable.
• Serious – Vital signs may be unstable and not within normal limits. Patient
is acutely ill. Indicators are questionable.
• Critical – Vital signs are unstable
and not within normal limits. Patient
may be unconscious. Indicators are
unfavorable
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THANK ONF grants awarded for internships
YOU
to the following individuals and
organizations for their recent
donations to the Oklahoma
Newspaper Foundation:
In memory of
Helen Ferguson and
Matthew ‘Kuyk’ Logan
Maribeth & Jim
Pate Family
A donation to the Oklahoma
Newspaper Foundation will support
its efforts to improve the state’s
newspaper industry and quality of
journalism.
ONF’s programs include training
and education for professional
journalists, scholarship and internship
programs for journalism students, and
Newspaper in Education efforts.
ONF relies on donations and
memorial contributions to fund these
programs.
If you would like to make a donation,
please send a check to:
OKLAHOMA
NEWSPAPER
FOUNDATION
3601 N. Lincoln Blvd.
Oklahoma City, OK 73105
In Memory of Our
Friends & Colleagues
Robert ‘Bob’ Ramon Salmon
August 27, 2013
David Harold Crain
Sept. 3, 2013
Alesha Henley
Sept. 17, 2013
Joseph ‘Joe’ Ronnie Gallegos
Sept. 26, 2013
The Ethics and Excellence in Journalism Foundation recently announced the
distribution of $1.8 million in grants to
20 journalism organizations nationwide.
The grant included $50,430 to the
Oklahoma Newspaper Foundation for
salaries of college journalism students
working summer internships at Oklahoma newspapers.
The foundation’s mission is to invest
in the future of journalism by building the ethics, skills and opportunities
needed to advance principled, probing
news and information.
“The nonprofit investigative journalism sector continues to mature, increasing both in size as well as impact,” said
Bob Ross, president and chief executive
officer of the foundation. “Our grantees are learning how to best engage
their audiences so they can better serve
their local constituents, and provide the
highest-quality investigative reporting
possible.”
Following are the grants awarded to
organizations.
INVESTIGATIVE REPORTING
• $100,000 to the Arizona Center for
Investigative Reporting to develop its
data analysis service and to work with
other news organizations to identify
and develop data projects focused on
important public policy issues.
• $100,000 to the Center for Investigative Reporting to continue development of innovative public engagement campaigns and impact measurement strategies for investigative
journalism.
• $100,000
to
Investigative
Newsource to develop new channels
of revenue by expanding its base of
large donors, establishing direct mail
and email campaigns, and constructing a network of community news
organizations.
• $100,000 to the Midwest Center for
Investigative Reporting to educate
journalists, students and the public
about agribusiness through news stories and training.
• $75,000
to
100Repor ters
to
support domestic reporting, and to
hire staff to target story distribution,
engage audiences, build membership
base and diversify revenue.
• $75,000 to Boston University for the
New England Center for Investigative
Reporting to develop and implement
a prototype audience-engagement/
donor-conversion program to be
shared with other nonprofit centers.
• $75,000 to Connecticut Health I-Team
to hire a computer data reporter, add
databases on physician quality and
hospital pricing and grow sustainability through training programs and
events.
• $75,000 to the Florida Center for
Investigative Reporting for general
support of government accountability reporting and expansion of data
analysis services.
• $75,000 to NJSpotlight.com to expand
and innovate earned-income strategies, including live and online events,
new research and customized projects.
• $75,000 to Voice of OC to further
develop innovative “paid social” program to broaden audience and impact
of important public policy articles.
• $75,000 to WyoFile to expand staff to
include a natural resources reporter,
an energy reporter, and an underwriting associate; and to remodel its website and develop a marketing plan.
• $70,000 to the Maine Center for Public Interest Reporting for a marketing
campaign, research on voting records
and financial interests of legislative
candidates and to train the next generation of investigative reporters.
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
• $85,000 to the Carole Kneeland Project for interactive educational conferences that allow newsroom-leading
journalists to improve their leadership, ethics and journalism.
• $60,000 to the Institute for Justice and
Journalism for operating expenses
and for an immigration data “hackathon” where journalists and citizens
form teams with programmers to analyze data and produce visual results.
SPECIAL OPPORTUNITIES
• $200,000 to the Oklahoma Educational Television Authority Foundation to help fund the relocation of
the OETA/KETA broadcast signal
from the aging KWTV tower to the
newer American Tower and transmitter facility.
• $134,000 to the National Press Club
Journalism Institute for The Kalb
Report to produce four forums that
help define American journalism in
the 21st century, exploring critical
issues from both historic and contemporary perspectives.
• $120,000 to the Oklahoma State University Foundation to further increase
the community impact of the KOSU
Film Row studio through the addition
of audio and video capabilities in the
Hart Beat Performance Studio.
• $85,000 to the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press for
a one-year legal fellowship focused
on assisting working journalists with
issues involving libel, privacy and
confidential sources.
• $85,000 to the Student Press Law
Center for the Attorney Advocate program, providing free legal “hotline”
assistance to journalism students and
teachers nationwide.
DEATHS
CECILE D. RICHARDS, a former reporter
for the Tulsa Tribune, died Aug. 22,
2014, in Tulsa. She was 90.
Richards was born on April 28, 1924,
in Tulsa.
At the age of 10, she knew she wanted to become a newspaper reporter
and had published work in the sixth
MATT LANE,
former McAlester NewsCapital editor, died Aug. 22, 2014, in
Oklahoma City. He was 51.
Lane was born in Sutter, Calif., but his
strong family ties to Oklahoma led him
to move to McAlester in 1994. Lane had
grandparents and many cousins in Oklahoma and the family vacationed there
nearly every summer.
grade. She graduated from Central High
School in 1940 and earned her degree in
journalism from the University of Oklahoma, where she was issue editor for
The Oklahoma Daily.
During World War II, she was a
reporter for the Atlanta Journal Constitution and the Tulsa Tribune.
She is survived by her four children,
Barbara Richards, Julia Neal Richards
Thompson, Ann Richards Ketcham and
husband Bruce V., and Phil R. Richards
and wife Patricia; seven grandchildren,
and one great-grandchild.
He was self-taught in the media world,
working long hours at the local television public access station and also starting a small weekly paper with a friend in
his hometown.
When an editor position opened at
the News-Capital, Lane decided to apply
and thought of it as his dream job. He
came to work every day committed
to covering McAlester and surrounding areas. However, he also knew how
to have fun and cultivate friendships
whether through playing music, attending concerts or having get-togethers.
He is survived by his two sisters,
Carla Bagley and Carly Lane.
PROMOTIONS, NEW HIRES
Changes at Broken Arrow Ledger
Several changes to the Broken
Arrow Ledger staff were recently
announced.
Jo-Ann Jennings and Laura Crutcher transferred from the South County
Leader, which recently closed operation, to the Ledger.
Jennings was named the paper’s
religion and education staff writer. She
has a Bachelor of Arts from CulverStockton and a Master of Divinity from
Phillips Theological Seminary.
Crutcher will be writing feature and
business stories. She has a bachelor’s
degree in journalism/news editorial
and a master’s in English/technical
writing.
Lesa Jones, who has been a staff
writer at the Ledger for almost 2 ½
years, joined the Tulsa Business &
Legal News as an editor. Jones graduated from Eastern Oregon University.
New staff members at Trail Miller Co.
Apryl Mock and Leslie Michaelson recently joined Trail Miller Co.
The company owns and publishes
The Hennessey Clipper, The Okeene
Record, The Canton Times and The
Dewey County Record.
Mock is serving as the content and
design editor for the newspapers and
as managing editor for The Canton
Times. She is a native of Boswell,
Okla., and graduated from Southeast-
ern State University with a degree in
communications.
Michaelson joined the staff as a
reporter for The Canton Times. From
August 2010 to 2011, she worked as
a typesetter and reporter for The
Okeene Record. She is a 20-year resident of Okeene and is looking forward
to strengthening her ties within the
community.
Journal Record names Capitol reporter
Marie Price has been named as
The Journal Record’s senior Capitol
reporter, covering the state’s legislative, executive and judicial branches.
Price takes the position previously
held by M. Scott Carter, who now
works for Oklahoma Watch.
“I’m delighted that Marie was interested in moving from our legislative
reporting service back to The Journal Record newsroom,” said Journal
Record Editor Ted Streuli. “She has
worked in the position before and
there’s no one who knows the Capitol
beat better.”
Price began her journalism career
in 1980 covering the Capitol for the
Oklahoma Legislative Reporter. In
1995 she joined The Journal Record’s
Legislative Report and then the Tulsa
World’s Capitol bureau in 2002. Price
returned to The Journal Record’s Capitol bureau in 2005, staying until 2009.
After leaving the paper for two years,
she returned to The Journal Record
Legislative Report staff in 2011 as an
editor and blogger.
Price was inducted into the Oklahoma Journalism Hall of Fame in
1998.
New editor at McAlester News-Capital
The McAlester News-Capital got
its own piece of the Big Apple when
New York native Glenn Puit joined the
paper as editor.
Puit’s previous role was news
and business editor at the Traverse
City Record-Eagle in Traverse City,
Mich. He has an extensive journalism
background, working for newspapers
around the U.S. including papers in
New York, South Carolina and Nevada.
After graduating high school, Puit
obtained a degree in journalism from
Indiana State University.
Although he has only been in McAlester a few weeks, Puit says it already
feels like home.
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7
Mike McCormick to
retire after 47 years
After 47 years at the Shawnee NewsStar, Executive Editor Mike McCormick
has announced he will retire on Nov. 7.
“I’ve been able to fulfill my dream as
a journalist,” said McCormick.
The decision to retire came with
McCormick’s desire to focus more time
on his hobbies and his family, who he
said sacrificed a lot of family time over
the years.
McCormick began his career at the
News-Star in October of 1967 as a reporter at the age of 19. While working as a
reporter, he did a little bit of everything,
from covering police and the courthouse
to learning how to design pages. After
10 years, he became city editor in 1977.
In 1991, he was named top editor of the
paper, a position he’s held for the past
23 years.
During his time at the News-Star,
McCormick has seen six different publishers come and go. Current Publisher
Brian Blansett, who became publisher
seven years ago, said he has appreciated
the dedication and commitment McCormick has shown to the paper.
“His retirement is well-deserved – I
hope he enjoys it to the fullest,” said
Blansett.
Throughout the course of his career,
McCormick has been involved in many
committees and boards within the
Shawnee community. He spent the last
23 years on the Board of Directors of
the Associated Press/Oklahoma News
Executives. In 2010, he served as Chairman to the Greater Shawnee Area Chamber of Commerce, served three years on
the Salvation Army Board and spent 15
months as Rotary Club president. Once
retired, he will remain involved with the
Rotary Club and Salvation Army board.
McCormick plans to do some parttime work at Seminole State College as
well as enjoy his hobbies including hunting, fishing and golf.
“It’s been a fulfilling career,” he said.
“I’ve always looked forward to getting
up and coming to work.”
OPA receives membership application
William B. ‘Bill’ Walter has applied for
an associate membership in the Oklahoma Press Association.
Walter, who lives in Hennessey, Okla.,
is the former owner of The Hennessey
Clipper.
He seeks the membership to keep up
with friends in the business.
Any current member wishing to
object to the application of Bill Walter
must do so in writing to the OPA at 3601
N. Lincoln Blvd., Oklahoma City, OK
73105-5499, by October 3, 2014.
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THE OG&E PHOTO CONTEST
Visible through the flame is Clinton firefighter Calvin Baggett at the fiery accident involving a
semi-truck east of Clinton on Interstate 40. The accident tied up traffic for two hours.
Photo by ROBERT S. BRYAN, Clinton Daily News, July 26, 2014
Electrical linemen Toby Townsend and Lucas Swank hang from a ladder
connected to an electrical pole crossarm while helicopter pilot Lance Raber
lowers a pulley to them out of the helicopter. The work is part of the ongoing
OG&E High Voltage Transmission being constructed near Mooreland.
JULY 2014 DAILY WINNER:
Photo by TRAVIS BARNARD,The Mooreland Leader, July 31, 2014
ROBERT S. BRYAN
The July 2014 contest was judged by a member of the
Oklahoma Journalism Hall of Fame.
Clinton Daily News
View all winning photos at www.OkPress.com/OGE-Photo-Contest
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9
Reach every household with sample copying
Discoveries
from the road
by Steve Booher, OPA Staff
[email protected]
After a few months of answering
phone calls and paying visits to dozens
of Oklahoma newspapers, the results
are in: sample copying appears to be the
most popular topic of conversation.
Without going into mind-numbing
details, Oklahoma’s paid circulation
periodicals may mail up to 10 percent
of their annual circulation at in-county
rates. If they exceed the 10 percent limit,
they may still mail, but at out-of-county
rates.
This is old news among most of the
state’s daily newspapers, as well as a
lot of weekly publications, but there are
a number of smaller weeklies missing
out on this opportunity to affordably
saturate their cities and counties with
promotions that could attract a lot of
advertising revenue.
I used to do a lot of sample copying
during the Christmas season, without
imposing a rate hike for the extra circulation. Just the incentive of reaching more
readers – with ads packaged around
news and photos – enticed advertisers to
increase the size of their ads. And there
were always the hold-outs, who doubted
the attractiveness of newspaper advertising, that would take advantage of reaching every household in a target area.
Some publishers even hike their ad
rates when they sample copy; obviously
to help cover the extra postage involved.
But sample copying isn’t restricted to
the holidays. It can be used any time of
the year to increase readership during
special promotions like sidewalk sales,
rodeos... or even to get the word out
about unique Oklahoma events – from
watermelon festivals to one of my favorites, Alfalfa County’s Selenite Crystal
Festival.
Sample copying is the perfect time
for newspapers to promote themselves.
Subscription rates can be reduced, or
not, depending on the mood of the publisher. I have, in the past, sample copied
targeted zip codes to hike readership in
areas that might need a boost.
Sure, sample copying is old news to
many newspapers, but there are always
a few who need a bit of push to take
advantage of a good thing offered by the
Postal Service.
Today’s mailing software makes it
especially enticing to newspapers. Most
postal software being used by papers
can supply you with the address lists
you’ll need for about any zip code. Just
make sure every paper has an address
label attached to meet USPS standards.
Give me a call and I’ll help you get
started sample copying. Like anything
new, the first time can be an adventure,
but the more often you do it the easier
it gets.
ADVENTURES FROM THE ROAD
Early in September, I took a road
trip east on I-40 with the intention of
visiting as many newspapers as possible
over a two-day period. I made stops at
Seminole, Holdenville, Sallisaw, Stigler,
Eufaula, Checotah, Henryetta and Okemah.
It’s an area of the state I hadn’t toured
in years.
For a guy who’s spent the past
40-some years in northwest Oklahoma,
the hills and lakes east of I-35 offer a
nice change of scenery.
IT’S NOT JUST dogs on patrol at newspapers. “Addie” the cat got her name after being found
wandering an Atwood’s parking lot by McIntosh County Democrat office manager Marilyn
Leader (right). Leader and advertising salesperson Denise Gorden hold Addie for a photo.
(LEFT) NEWSPAPER PETS are common throughout Oklahoma and it’s no different at the
Sequoyah County Times. Publisher Jeff Mayo says “Nemo” makes the newspaper his home away
from home when allowed. Nemo barks at the mailman, which has restricted his newspaper
visits. (RIGHT) HOLDENVILLE TRIBUNE Publishers Bill and Dayna Robinson stop newspaper
production long enough to have their photo taken.
All of the papers I walked into were
interesting to me. After all, my only
hobby (the wife says I need a new one)
is newspapers.
Eufaula remains my favorite if we’re
talking scenery only. How can you beat
a newspaper that sits only a few blocks
from the shore of one of Oklahoma’s
largest and most beautiful bodies of
water.
Not only that, but I made a point of
driving down Selmon Road and J.C.
Watts Avenue. For those living in a
closet, the Selmon brothers and former
Congressman Watts were OU football
All-Americans and Eufaula High grads.
I’ll probably get a phone call telling
me it already exists, but Stillwater would
do well to name a street in honor of their
former Heisman Trophy-winning running back Barry Sanders
I don’t think I’ve ever been as astonished by a visit to a newspaper as I
was when Stigler News-Sentinel Publisher
Linus Williams Sr. guided me through
one building after another, showing off
the paper’s offset and digital presses.
It was remarkable to me that the
firm’s graphic arts department had four
people designing everything from newspapers to magazines to posters and billboards. You would expect that in much
larger cities, but the town of Stigler?
The awkward moment of my visit
to the Holdenville Tribune came when
Publisher Bill Robinson pulled out an
old yearbook to look up the senior photo
of my first wife. Yep, that was her, 54
years ago. By the way, Sonya is my
second wife and is a native of Byron,
which doesn’t have a newspaper with a
yearbook containing her senior photo.
My final stop on the tour was at the
Okemah News Leader, where I met Publisher Roger Thompson. There are two
or three businesses under the same roof
at the Leader, and all of them looked
busy.
Roger made time for me in between
phone calls dealing with his candidacy
for the Oklahoma State Senate. He let
me know that if he wins he will become
the first Republican senator from that
district – at least in the last four decades.
He’s running against Eufaula’s mayor.
If only I’d known. Maybe I could have
talked the mayor into running an ad in
the Okemah News Leader.
(NOTE: My journey from newspaper to newspaper in Oklahoma continues and I hope to
visit your publication soon. I’m available to
help with public notice or postal problems, as
well as general questions about the newspaper
industry. In addition, I’d love to hear about the
things that make your newspaper unique to the
industry. Call me at (580) 603-1965, or notify me
at [email protected]).
10
Newspapers join ice bucket bandwagon
Herald
H
Antlers Bearcats @ Coalgate - Thursday, Aug. 28th @ 6:30 p.m. - Scrimmage
Clark’s Critique
Pg. 3 Family Heartbroken over horse thefts
[email protected]
Pg.-5 County Free Fairs begin this weekend
114th YEAR — 4TH ISSUE
Pg. 8 Meeker man charged with...
A LOCALLY-OWNED COUNTRY NEWSPAPER SERVING THE GREATEST FOLKS ON EARTH
Thursday, August 28, 2014
Pushmataha County Happenings: Page 5A
18th Gotebo Get
Down Saturday
Church Page: 6B
THURSDAY
Serving Meeker, McLoud, Harrah and Newalla areas
Obituaries: Page 4A
AA Entertainment: Page 7B
Choctaw Electric under
fire for transparency issues
Guilty? “Yes sir.”
Festival celebrates
the role of women
Choctaw Nation dedicates Labor Day
Festival to honor the “Giver of Life.”
By Stephanie Ochoa,
Choctaw Nation of
Oklahoma
This year the
Choctaw Nation dedicated
the annual Labor Day
Festival to the strong
Choctaw women who are
the heart of Choctaw culture. Throughout history
and from the beginning,
Choctaw mothers and
grandmothers gave life,
love, and learning to the
tribe’s children and formed
the core for the tribal matrilineal society. Women have
harvested the crops, tended
to the homes, were incredible artists, and were valued
members of a tribe and thus
were referred to as
“beloved”. “Honoring the
Giver of Life” is meant to
signify the special bond and
guidance given to the
Choctaw people by the
modern Choctaw woman
and to show appreciation for
continual leadership in faith,
family, and culture.
See “FESTIVAL”
Page 10A
Letter from the
Antlers City Mayor
Greetings Antlers!
In this letter I want to give
everyone an update on what
is going on with the City of
Antlers. Last week, Joel
Taylor - City Manager,
Robin Byrum - Secretary
and I drove to Oklahoma
City to refinance the debt on
our new water treatment
facility. We acquired the
new funds from the
Oklahoma Water Resource
Board to pay off our loan
with Rural Development.
The refinancing of the debt
will do two important things
for the City. First, it will
save the city roughly
$1,800,000 of gross interest
by reducing the interest rate
on the loan. Secondly, it
will reduce the overall term
of the note by nearly 15
years from the original term.
The reduced term of the
loan will put Antlers in
much better position for
future needs when they arise
and put the next generation
in a far better place when it
is their turn to manage our
city.
As you know we
financed the wastewater
facility in May of last year
with the Oklahoma Water
Resource Board. The two
new refinances will save
the city in excess of
$2,800,000 in gross interest
savings! This is fantastic
and a testament of t he
good work that management in city hall, as well as
our
councilmen
and
women, are doing for you.
See “MAYOR”
Page 5A
By Tracy Steffenson
Publisher
As many of you
have probably already
heard, Choctaw Electric
customers have taken to
facebook, and the streets,
to voice their concerns and
disapproval of Choctaw
Electric’s
transparency,
prices and management
policies. Members have
expressed their disgust
with the cost of their electric services, some are
upset because of the business’s lack of transparency,
while others state that they
do not have a problem with
the company or how it is
ran at all.
According
to
Michael Costin, one of the
organizers of the facebook
group ‘Choctaw Electric
Customers
For
Fair
Pricing,’ the issues with the
co-op started about a year
and a half ago. Doug
Felker, an original organizer as well, had been trying
to get the co-op to answer
some of his questions in
regards to starting a solar
power company. Felker
had went as far as getting
on the agenda for a
Choctaw Electric Board
Members meeting. He did
indeed get to speak, but no
questions were answered.
After
several
months with no answers,
this grassroots group was
formed. Although Felker
and Costin organized the
group, according to Costin
it was at the request of
other concerned co-op
members
(Choctaw
Electric customers), who
had also failed to receive
replies from correspondences to the Choctaw
Electric Co-op.
According to the
group, the entire reason for
the petition is the company's lack of transparency.
Many members started out
wondering why their electric bills were unbelievably
high, ranging from $350$600 a month, and wondering where the numbers
used to calculate the costs
came from.
After no
responses, other than documented statements by
board members stating that
‘they wouldn’t understand
it anyway’ the group decided they wanted the petition,
the board removed and
answers.
By Tracy Steffenson
Publisher
The results of the
2014 Run-Off Election are
in. These results will
become official until 5:00
p.m. on Friday, August 29,
2014.
The winner of the
race for the Pushmataha
County Commissioner of
District No. 3 is Rickie
Briggs.
Briggs (D)
received 54.7% of the
votes, 305 from election
day, 0 from early voting
and 13 from absentee mail.
His competitor, Larry Bell
(D), received 45.3% of the
votes with 258 coming in
on election day, 1 from
early voting and 4 from
absentee.
For United States
Senator (unexpired term) Jim Rogers (D) won it
with 67.5% of the votes.
Connie
Johnson
(D)
brought in 32.5%.
F
o
r
Superintendent of Public
Instruction - John Cox (D)
votes, while his competitor
votes.
Oklahoma “Purge” has
some residents worried
By Tracy Steffenson
Publisher
It’s an Internet threat
making its way around the
country, and now it’s hitting in
Oklahoma.
The threats come from
an Internet flyer calling for the
“Oklahoma purge.” It is in reference to the 2013 movie, by
the same name, where all
crime, including murder, is
legal for one night and no emergency personnel (law enforcement or medical) will be available .
According to the flyer,
the Oklahoma purge will take
place on Aug. 30 from 7 p.m. to
7 a.m. Aug. 31.
Law Enforcement officers in the state are aware of the
flyer and are monitoring the situation.
Although nothing is
expected to come out of this
threat, law enforcement officers
statewide have indicated that
they will be taking this seriously and have their departments
on high alert that night to keep
residents of the state safe, stating that it is always better to be
safe than sorry.
Forecast at a Glance • Pushmataha County, Oklahoma
Thursday
Thursday Night
Friday
Friday Night
Saturday
Saturday Night
Sunday
Sunny
Hi 97˚
Mostly Clear
Lo 74˚
Sunny
Hi 98˚
Mostly Clear
Lo 72˚
Sunny
Hi 99˚
Mostly Clear
Lo 73˚
Sunny
Hi 98˚
“Forecast at a
Glance” is
Sponsored by:
101 S. High St. • Antlers 1112 E. Jackson • Hugo 300 Lawson • Clayton
580-317-8092
918-415-4001
580-298-2100
See “PURGE”
Page 5B
Weather Outlook
Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 97.
South wind 5 to 10 mph.
Thursday Night: Mostly clear, with a low of 74.
South wind around 10 mph.
Friday: Sunny, with a high near 98.
Friday Night: Mostly clear, with a low of 72.
Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 99.
Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low of 73.
Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 98.
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Office Hours:
Monday - Friday
9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Wednesday*
7:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
*Office will be closed briefly
to deliver local papers.
110 East Main Street
Antlers, OK 74523
580-298-3314
Runoff
Election
Results
Multi-state investigation
launched in Meeker horse thefts
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torialized powerfully on the need
for a lawsuit in the botched execution case. Read it on their web pages:
www.oudaily.com/opinion/.
Good writing jumped off some pages.
“The Surrey with the Fringe on Top
has been collecting dust for three years
and it looks like it is now parked for
good.” Kirk McCracken at the Sand
Springs Leader on Discoveryland closing.
Rex Hogan at the Tri-County Herald, “Former Mabel Basset Correctional
Center officer Jamie Baker, 46, will find
out what it’s like to be in prison just as
the MBCC female inmates were when
he raped them.”
Jeff Shultz, at The Garvin County NewsStar, under “Fantasy Football Frenzy,” a
story many could localize. His lead:
LEGAL ADVICE
is just one of the benefits of being a member of the Oklahoma Press
Association’s Legal Services Plan. Remove the worry of needing
professional advice by enrolling today. For more information contact:
OKLAHOMA PRESS ASSOCIATION’S
LEGAL SERVICES PLAN
1-888-815-2672 or 405-499-0020
7EATHER
3KRWR&RXUWHV\1HW3RVVHFRP
From Hobart Regional Airport
2014
Hi Lo
Prec
August 19 ...................... Not available
August 20 ................100
74
0.00
August 21 ................102
75
0.00
August 22 ................103
73
0.00
August 23 ................102
68
0.00
August 24 ................104
74
0.00
August 25 ................102
78
0.00
July Hi-Lo Total ......104
60
0.01
2013
August 19 ..................86
70
0.00
August 20 ..................97
69
0.00
August 21 ..................96
67
0.00
August 22 ..................97
69
0.00
August 23 ..................99
70
0.00
August 24 ..................99
72
0.00
August 25 ..................98
71
0.00
July Hi-Lo Total ......105
64
1.66
"RIEmY
!7!.!+ICKOFF
!UG3TARTS3EPT
A kickoff celebration will be held
from 6 to 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday,
August 27 at First Baptist Church in
Hobart. The first night of AWANA
will be at 5:30 p.m. on Sept. 3.
@&ILLTHE"OOT
4HIS&RIDAY3ATURDAY
Hobart Fire Department’s annual
fundraiser for the Muscular Dystrophy Association, Fill the Boot, will
be this Friday and Saturday. Firemen will be at Broadway & Iris and
Broadway & 11th from 8 a.m. to 5
p.m. on Friday and Saturday.
&IFTH3UNDAY3ING
4HIS3UNDAY!UG
A Fifth Sunday Sing will be held
at 6 p.m. this Sunday, August 31 at
Washington Street Baptist Church.
#OOPERTON0OTLUCK
3UPPER3EPT
The Cooperton Community Potluck dinner will be held at 6:30 p.m.
on Friday, September 5 at the Cooperton Community Building. Bring a
dish. All are welcome.
3HORTGRASS$INNER
4HEATER3EPT
Shortgrass Playhouse will host
its Dinner Theater at 6 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 6 and 12:30 p.m. on
Sunday, Sept. 7 at the Western Tech
Center. The production is a “who
done it” called “Cafe’ Murder.” The
menu includes chicken, green beans,
salad, potatoes, rolls, desert and tea.
You can buy tickets at Krieger Ins.
Agency 212 S. Main, or call Kathy
530-1801. Tickets are $20.
74#/FFERS
&REE'%$#LASSES
Western Technology Center is
hosting free GED classes from 4-7
p.m. every Monday and Wednesday
starting the last week of August.
Call 726-8400 for more info.
(ORTON"ENElT
&UND/PENED
An account has been established
at BancFirst to help with medical expenses for Margie Horton of
Lone Wolf, who is at Oklahoma
Heart Hospital in intensive care. A
fundraiser is planned for Sept.
—Photo by Jenny Mahoney
Hanging Around
Burning energy during the afternoon recess at Hobart Elementary School on Tuesday were Lena
Stubbs, Bailey Williams and Ashlyn Welch.
Costly repairs needed to city warehouse
before Sesaco expansion can go forward
Hobart’s city councilmen tabled
a decision on repairs to the large red
warehouse in the 500 block of south
Jefferson when costs came in higher
than expected during a special meeting Monday.
The building was formerly occupied by IESI and has extensive
damage to the exterior metal panels
and the roof.
Sesaco hopes to lease the building as part of its current expansion,
but it must meet specifications to be
able to store food products without
an infestation of rodents and it must
be sealed to the weather as well.
“Bids were a lot more than I anticipated,” Mayor Rick Hopson said.
“We need to fix it as good as we can
as cheap as we can.”
He later conceded that it would
be beneficial to spend money for
repairs even if it wasn’t recouped in
rent because of the jobs that Sesaco’s
expansion will create.
Facility Manager Gena Foulk said
Sesaco’s expansion will add 6-10
jobs to the 25 already employed in
Hobart.
Two contractors provided bids
that were quite different in scope.
One came from SJ Fitzjarrell Construction of Hobart and another was
by Terry Heller Construction of
Gotebo.
Fitzjarrell’s total bid was for
$25,780, which was mainly to repair
the roof and make repairs to sheet
metal where needed.
Heller’s bid consisted of many
more components that councilmen
could pick and choose from, such as
removing the taller section of roof
where the seed cleaner is located and
bringing it in line with the rest of the
roof.
All that would cost a total of
$28,000.
Heller, the only one of the two
bidders at the special meeting, also
See Sesaco • Back Page
The 18th annual Gotebo Get-Down
will be Saturday, Aug. 30 at Penn
Park in Gotebo.
The day begins with the Lawn
Mower Poker Run at 9 a.m.
City Hall will have details. The
Parade will begin at 11 a.m. and is
followed with food, fun, games and
contests.
Jackpot Horseshoe Tournament
beginning at noon and sponsored by
Gotebo Fire Department.
Bring your little ones to the “Lil’
Mr. and Miss Goat Roper Contest.
Competitors needed for the basketball shoot out, hula hoop and three
legged race contests.
The winners of the Gotebo’s Got
Talent and the Academic contest will
each receive $100 prize money.
Concession stands open all day
and the Gotebo Fire Department will
be serving the evening meal beginning at 5:30 p.m.
There will be some new events
this year.
Entertainment will be provided by
Richie Rodriguez.
The Auction will begin at 6:30
p.m. a Dance by Richie Rodriguez
will follow at 9 p.m.
All vendors and flea market
booths are welcome with no booth
fees. Bring your lawn chairs and get
ready for a good time!
Following is a schedule.
• Lawnmower poker run 9 a.m.
• Parade 11 a.m.
• Games, T-shirts, Concessions 12
p.m.
• Lil Miss & Mr. Gotebo Goat
Roper 12:30 p.m.
• Gotebo’s Got Talent (14 & under
and 15 & up) 1 p.m.
• Basketball Shoot Out (12 &
under and 13 & up) 2:15 p.m.
• Hula Hoop contest (12 & under
and 13 & up) 2:30 p.m.
• 3 Legged race (12 & under and
13 & up) 2:45 p.m.
• Academic Bowl 3 p.m.
• Gotebo Fire Dept serves evening
meal 5:30 p.m.
• Auction 6:30 p.m.
• Dance by Richie Rodriguez 9
p.m.
Tax lien sale Oct. 6
for unpaid taxes
on real estate
Individuals who have real estate
on which taxes are delinquent and
remains due and unpaid will be sold
Oct. 6 at a lien sale to the county.
The sale, which has been advertised according to law and is in this
week’s Democrat-Chief, is conditional and subject to a two-year
right of redemption by the record
owner as provided in Section 3101
of Title 68.
County Treasurer Deanna Miller
shall charge and collect—in addition to the taxes—interest, penalty
and publication fees.
If the record owner has not redeemed the property taxes for two
years and eight months, the property
will be sold at a public auction pursuant to the provisions of 68 O.S.
3105.
A county deed will be issued.
For 2013-14, Kiowa County collected $11,796,185.18 consisting of
current taxes, back taxes, mowing
taxes, individual redemptions, miscellaneous receipts, mortgage tax
fees, mortgage tax, all officers and
paid under protest taxes.
Current Tax ..............$5,235,722.74
Back Tax .....................$145,668.43
Mowing Tax ................................$0
Misc. Receipts ..........$4,519,980.61
Mortgage Tax ................$46,095.25
Mortgage Tax Fee ...........$1,965.00
Officers.....................$1,027,114.15
Windmill Exempt ........$819,639.00
Total .......................$11,796,185.18
—Courtesy Photo
Rotary Club Youth Leadership
The Hobart Rotary Club sent Hobart students, from left, Jacy Duff, Chrysa Martin, Maddie Kruska and
Colton Sims, to RYLA (Rotary Youth Leadership Awards) camp this summer. RYLA is a camp where
young men and women spend a week of challenging program discussions, inspirational addresses,
leadership training and social activities designed to enhance personal development, leadership skills
and good citizenship. The students gave a program to the Rotary Club meeting on August 21.
Commissioners recognize Childhood Cancer Awareness Month
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Featured on this page are The Antlers
American, Tri-County Herald, The Hobart
Democrat-Chief, Owasso Reporter and
Enid News & Eagle. On next page,
Midwest City Beacon, Sequoyah County
Times, Tahlequah Daily Press, El Reno
Tribune, Wagoner Tribune and Altus Times
showcase ice bucket challenge photos.
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Page 3B
Briggs claims commissioner
position by 55 votes
One Nation
Under God
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‘Choctaw Electric Customers For Fair Pricing’ coordinate
signing of petition for removal of Board of Trustees
Choctaw Labor Day Festival emblem
“Honoring the Giver of Life.”
www.tricountyherald.com
Classified/Legal: Pages 8B and 9B
August 28, 2014
Court Report: Page 3A
75¢
1 SECTION • 16 PAGES
Vol. 119 No. 35
www.theantlersamerican.com
Fishing Report: Page 5B
Football Pictures: Page 1B
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Ram Alley slated
this season
8-9
Chamber holds
Casino Night
Obituaries .......................... 7
Business.......................8-10
Sports .........................18-25
Owasso, Oklahoma
Vol. 50, No. 6
OWASSO REPORTER
Neighbor News
1
$ .00
Entire contents © 2014
Community Publishers, Inc.
OwassoReporter.com
Established in 1964 — Serving Owasso, Catoosa and the surrounding community. Winner of Oklahoma Press Association awards for excellence, including two Sequoyah Awards.
For Valerie
IN THIS ISSUE
Beating the blues
Delays continue
Pooches get lonely when kids go
back to school, too.
Construction on the downtown Enid Hilton Garden Inn
may have to wait a few more weeks to get started.
A6
3 Sections 28 Pages 75¢
3
Football
From one side of the state to another
two stories dominated newspaper pages
the last few days of August – the ice
bucket challenge, and state schools losing federal funds because of the legislature repealing the “common core.”
Jennifer Gilliland ran a search on the
ALS challenge and picked up 331 hits – a
major “news” story. I saw good coverage,
photos and stories almost everywhere.
The biggest “splash” was probably in
Sallisaw where two front-end loaders
doused city officials, photographed by
Leslie Carberry at the Sequoyah County
Times.
Jason Angus at The Altus Times
covered the event well, and suburban
papers around Tulsa shone, including
Travis Sloat at the Wagoner Tribune.
The education crisis provoked a lot
of good local coverage, including from
Glenn Puit at the McAlester News-Capital
and Rachel Van Horn at the Woodward
News.
Water news of a different sort, the
controversy over the southern Oklahoma aquifer and Farm Bureau was
extensively covered by John A. Small of
the Johnston County Capital-Democrat
and Mike West of the Sulphur TimesDemocrat. Small coined the term “water
warriors” for those citizens trying to
preserve water rights.
I saw three newspapers doing what
newspapers are supposed to be doing
– standing up for citizens’ rights. The
Enid News & Eagle, under “Pipe Dreams,
Water and a tale of two churches” investigated treatment of a rich white church
and a poor black church trying to get
water to new buildings. Written by Dale
Denwalt, with photos by Bonnie Vculek
and translation by Marco Mora Huizar,
the story is part of a series funded by an
AP public initiative grant.
At The Antlers American, Tracy Steffenson reported on citizens using
social media to protest and call for
transparency at an electric co-op. OU
students at the Oklahoma Daily edi-
Pg. 2 Obituaries
2014
Varsity
by Terry Clark
Journalism Professor,
University of Central Oklahoma,
[email protected]
Inside this week’s edition
50¢
On Sunday’s Life Front
Enid, Oklahoma
enidnews.com
August 29, 2014
FRIDAY
Pipe dreams
Water and a tale of two churches
By Dale Denwalt
Staff Writer
Translation by Marco Mora Huízar
Editor’s note: This is the third installment of the
“Under Pressure” series funded by a grant from the
Associated Press Media Editors’ Community
Journalism Public Service Initiative. Visit www.enid
news.com to read Spanish and Marshallese translations of this story.
Football Frenzy
The Rev. Barry Robinson recently led his modest
congregation to a new location on the inner east side
of Enid.
Progressive Missionary Baptist Church wanted to
save its elderly members from climbing stairs to worship, and they also had plans to erect a new sanctuary
for the four-decade-old ministry.
Across town, World Harvest is constructing a
20,000-square-foot modern church with children’s
ministry, ball fields and a skate park.
The city told both to install their own water line or
have their building permits rejected.
Find out all about
the upcoming Rams
season
Inside
They could have it, but only if they drained their
building fund to boost the street’s water line.
“If we move, can we take it with us?” he recalled
asking the city. “Obviously, the answer to that was
no. I didn’t understand why we had to buy the city a
fire hydrant. That should be the city’s responsibility.”
After several others in the same situation lodged
protests last year, the city looked for water line valves
that were broken or mistakenly closed. New fire flow
tests showed better fire coverage in some areas and
absolved the church of that requirement.
Church members still are raising money for a
sanctuary.
Racial divide
A 1997 historical resources study commissioned
by the city found an explosion of development in the
1920s as working-class black families moved to
southeast Enid. They found no evidence of official
housing segregation, but race riots had just hit Tulsa
and locally, the Ku Klux Klan “rode the streets of
See UNDER PRESSURE, Page A3
Two churches
Collinsville
News
Get the latest news
from Collinsville here
9B-16B
PHOTOS BY JOSH BURTON/OWASSO REPORTER, PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY JOSEPH FASANO
Valerie Wright was able to see an Ice Bucket Challenge giver by her caretakers in her honor. Those wishing to donate to her cause may do so by contacting Rejoice Church.
ALS patient witnesses Ice Bucket Challenge
8
95401 00119
6
By Josh Burton
Managing Editor
[email protected]
Wednesday began like any other
day for Owasso resident Valerie
Wright.
Her husband got her out of bed
and helped her into her wheelchair. Her caregivers got her
dressed and helped her eat.
But Aug. 20 was also special.
“I’m so blessed to have so many
take care of me,” Valerie said. “I
want to thank all of them for coming and supporting me in bringing
awareness to ALS. I’m hopeful and
praying this will help in finding a
cure very soon for all of us who
suffer from this terrible disease.”
The latest trend is sweeping the
nation by storm, where groups
will take video of an Ice Bucket
Challenge and ask for donations
to help find a cure for ALS.
Valerie’s caregivers, as well as
just that Wednesday.
“Well, you can see I’m all wet,”
said Lead Pastor Leonard Pirtle.
“The reason for this is, we have a
friend, Valerie, who has ALS, also
known at Lou Gehrig’s disease.
You know, it’s something you
hear about, until someone you
know has it.”
Pirtle was speaking after participating in the challenge.
“I challenged our church, Rejoice Church, her friends, her
to join me,” he said. “It was decided we were going to have an
ice challenge, but Valerie wanted
to see it herself.”
In the interview afterward with
Valerie, her emotions were prevalent.
Both for the joy she felt seeing
all the ice buckets being dumped,
but also because of what she goes
through every day.
“I need help with everything.
The loss of independence is a
hard adjustment. With the help of
my friends and God, I live one day
VALERIE
“They are owners and managers of such
football teams as the ‘Double Ds,’ the
‘Ankle Tappers,’ the ‘Ankle Breakers’
and ‘Who farted?’
“They don’t spend millions of dollars
on players. In fact, the only cost to one in
this football league is $105 each.”
Virginia Bradshaw in The Countywide
& Sun, under “You Expect Her Dolls to
Smile and Cry”:
“Just hold one of Marita Winters’ soft,
lovable baby dolls in your arms for one
minute, look down at its tiny face and
fists, and you’ll be expect it to open its
eyes, look into yours and break into a
big smile.”
Rachel Van Horn at Woodward News,
on the grass research station: “Grass
has always been legal in Oklahoma.
Native grass that is.”
Ideas: The Hugo News features the
n orange-capped fire hydrant (above) is located across the street from Progressive Missionary Baptist
hurch at 12th and Ash, led by the Rev. Barry Robinson (right). (Staff Photos by BONNIE VCULEK)
World Harvest Church bought 100 acres of open
field on the city’s far western edge. Because it’s undeveloped land, they have to run about 1,000 feet of
water line to the nearest main and install three fire
hydrants.
While it might cost them another $70,000, it’s still
a fraction of the $2.5 million multi-phase project.
Pastor Brad Mendenhall said he asked early on
about infrastructure and was surprised to learn water
is the church’s responsibility.
“It’s definitely one of those things we’d like the
city to provide,” he said. “We’re fortunate to have the
sewer running through our property, but the water
line extension is going to be the main cost involved
in bringing the utilities on site.”
Construction begins this month.
In the older part of town, Progressive Missionary
Baptist Church made less than $60,000 from the sale
of its old property, according to county land records.
The previous owner of the new 12th and Ash location only asked for $1, Robinson said.
“She came to us and told us God told her to give
us the church,” he said. “Now she’s disappeared; we
can’t find her. It’s almost like she was an angel.”
Robinson said the city’s rules on fire protection
“shot us down” when it came time to replace the
existing 64-year-old structure with a new sanctuary.
Three arrested after woman
meets agent at Enid motel
Feds rebuke Oklahoma for
ditching school standards
result of a posting on backpage.com related to prostitution, according to an affidavit in Peters’ case.
When contacted by an OBN agent posing as a
A Wichita, Kan., woman was arraigned 23-year-old male who works with computers,
Thursday on a charge of solicit- Peters agreed to travel to the
Enid motel to engage in prostiing prostitution in Enid.
Michelle Denise Peters, 26, tution for “400 roses” — a term
has pleaded not guilty, and a an OBN agent said is used for
cash bond of $2,500 has been dollars in prostitution, according
posted for her release from jail. to the affidavit.
The affidavit states Peters
She was arrested — along
arrived at the motel at
with two other people
approximately 5 p.m.
— Aug. 21, after she
in a vehicle driven by
allegedly met an Oklaan Aubry Cornelius Rose Marie Harris
homa State Bureau of
ichelle D. Peters
Johnson, who is
Narcotics Human Traf“thought to be her pimp.” Rose Marie
icking agent at the Baymont Inn and
Harris, who is believed to be an associate,
uites in Enid.
also was in the vehicle.
The case began when OBN Human
After Peters knocked on the motel
Trafficking agents came to Enid to set up a
rostitution investigation with Enid Police
See THREE ARRESTED, Page A3
Department. The investigation was the Aubry C. Johnson
The federal government on Thursday stripped Oklahoma of authority to
decide how to spend $29 million in
U.S. education funding because the
state abandoned national academic
standards known as Common Core, in
a rebuke that a union official said
could lead to teacher layoffs.
The U.S. Department of Education
said it was hitting Oklahoma with the
sanction under the No Child Left
Behind Act because the state could no
longer demonstrate that its school
standards were preparing students for
college and careers.
President Barack Obama’s administration took the action after Oklahoma’s
Republican-dominated Legislature voted this year to ditch Common Core, a
national benchmark for what students
y Jessica Miller
taff Writer
Enid News & Eagle
should learn in such subjects as math
and English that has been adopted in
more than 40 states. GOP Gov. Mary
Fallin signed the measure into law and
Oklahoma will revert to weaker standards in place in 2010.
“A loss of the waiver likely will
result in less flexibility for school districts to meet the needs of students,”
said Amber Fitzgerald, director of
human resources and community relations for Enid Public Schools. “While
we hope this will not be a final decision, our focus continues to be on our
students. We are working to implement the four C’s in every classroom:
creativity, critical thinking, communication and collaboration.
“Today’s events do not change our
efforts to ensure all students have the
See OKLAHOMA REBUKED, Page A6
Scan
here to
visit us
staff of the high school newspaper “Hoof
Prints” on page one. This is the sixth
year students fill a page of the paper
with their news. E.I. Hillin at the Muskogee Phoenix reports on the Salvation
Army food pantry depleted because of
high summer temperatures. The Tonkawa News carries a regular feature on
Vietnam vets, “Honoring Those Who
Served.” The Perry Daily Journal reported on students using cell phones in
schools, and one teacher’s assignments
involving them.
Football “tab” Wow factor: The Purcell
online
Continued on Page 11
Clark’s Critique Continued from Page 10
Register produced a 64-page slick paper
masterpiece stapled magazine with full
color on every 8 1/2 by 11 page. John
Denny Montgomery said the team
effort is in its third year, growing in
pages and advertising every year, with
work beginning in late July.
“It’s a fun project, off the beaten
path, allowing a lot of creativity, “ he
said. Reception has been very positive
and it becomes a keepsake for the students at the four schools covered.
HEAD ‘EM UP AWARDS. First place,
Broken Arrow Ledger, on John Ferguson’s ice bucket story:
Are you on this ... ‘Bucket’ List?
Second place, The Norman Transcript, on an AP story about state
schools losing federal funds:
Called to the Principal’s Office
Third place, tie, The Express-Star in
Chickasha, on Jessica Lane’s coverage
of a national swine show coming to
town:
Fine Swine
and Tri-County Herald, on Rex Hogan’s
story:
Guilty? “Yes Sir”
Honorable mentions: Coweta American, on Christy Wheeler’s ice-bucket
story, “Cold water giving hope to ALS
family”; Midwest City Beacon, on Jeff
Harrison’s, “A Cool Cause”; Owasso
Reporter, on Josh Burton’s, “For Valerie… ALS patient sees ice bucket
challenge”; Wagoner Tribune, on Travis
Sloat’s, “Challenge Accepted”; The Pur-
cell Register, on John D. Montgomery’s
story about load limits on the repaired
bridge, “Limits a load for truckers”;
The Hobart Democrat-Chief, on Jenny
Mahoney’s back-to-school photo of
kids, “Hanging around”; The Ardmoreite, on Laura Eastes’ story on the new
Dixon greenhouse, “Growing in the
right direction”; OKC Friday, on Rose
Lane’s story, “Superintendent has a
Neu plan for OKC schools”; McIntosh
County Democrat, on Leilani Roberts
Ott’s story of the band color guard flag
team, “Guard puts spin on band.”
12
Tall Tails hosts
foster workshop
14
Board of Commissioners
meeting takes all day
Neighbors .................. 5-6
Pets of the Week .......... 7
Calendar ..................... 16
Wagoner, Oklahoma
Vol. 122, No. 24
Neighbor News
1
$ .00
Entire contents © 2014
Community Publishers, Inc.
IN THIS ISSUE
WagonerTribune.com
CHALLENGE
ACCEPTED
City officials take ice
water bath for education
By Travis Sloat
Tribune Staff Writer
Fall Sports
Preview
[email protected]
See how your favorite
Bulldog teams prepare
for their seasons
Inside
WWW.MIDWESTCITYBEACON.COM
AUGUST 29, 2014
14 PAGES
Inside the Beacon
VOL. 108, ISSUE 51
Shopping center continues to grow
LOCAL
Inhofe
speaks
City says new restaurant, mattress store looking to build in Town Center Plaza
By Jeff Harrison
Managing Editor
-Photo by Vicki Middleton
Sen. James Inhofe was a guest
speaker last week during Tinker and the Primes at the Reed
Center.” See page 6A
A couple new businesses may soon spring up in
Town Center Plaza.
City officials say a developer plans to construct
a commercial building
on the southeast portion
of the shopping center.
The building will have
space for two businesses.
Billy Harless, Community Development Director, said he did not want
to identify the businesses until an agreement
is reached. But said the
businesses will likely be
a restaurant and mattress
store.
“I think it’s something
Midwest City will be
very excited about,” Harless said.
The project is being
developed by Sooner Investments. The company
is in the process of buying the 1.4 acre property
from Target Corporation.
The parcel is located between Chick-fil-A and
Old Chicago and currently serves as a parking
lot for the businesses.
The 8,700-square-foot
building will be split into
two units. The building
will face the south and
include brick exterior to
match other businesses
in the shopping center.
The City Council approved a zoning change
for the property Tuesday
night during a regular
meeting. The property
was changed from the
existing Planned Unit
Development governed
by the C-3 Community
Commercial District to a
Simplified Planned Unit
Development governed
by the C-3 District. Harless said the zoning al-
Wagoner
athlete has
busy summer
Soccer player tours
several countries with
international team
33
See CITY, page 3A
Johnson,
Russell
win big
in runoff
LOCAL
County
Fair time
8
By Jeff Harrison
Managing Editor
-Staff photo by Jeff Harrison
Sylvia Bayless shows off
some the clothes on display
Saturday during the 100th
annual Oklahoma County
Fair. See page 7A
SPORTS
Rivalry
victory
Chris Groce takes the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge Friday afternoon at Carl Albert Middle School.
Groce, a computer technician, was one of 18 faculty members that participated in the event.
A cool cause
The Midwest City softball
team beat Del City last week
for their first win of the season. See page 1B
Carl Albert Middle School teachers take the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge
Join Us On
By Jeff Harrison
Managing Editor
The first week of school
ended with a splash at Carl
Albert Middle School.
Students watched and
Local Weather
Fri
87/70
8/29
Thunderstorms. Highs in the upper
80s and lows in the low 70s.
Sat
Residents enjoy free throw contest, pickup games
Slight chance of a thunderstorm.
Sun
95/77
8/31
See ELECTION, page 6A
Midwest City opens new
outdoor basketball courts
90/73
8/30
cheered Friday afternoon their head.
The ALS Ice Buckas their teachers took part
in the popular ALS Ice et Challenge helps raise
Bucket Challenge. Eigh- money and awareness of
teen faculty accepted the amytrophic lateral sclerochallenge and had a bucket
See ICE, page 2A
of ice water dumped on
The campaign continues for two local
lawmakers.
State Sen. Connie
Johnson and former
State Sen. Steve Russell
survived primary runoff elections Tuesday
night.
Johnson, of Forest
Park, won the Democratic primary runoff
election for an open
U.S. Senate seat, and
will face Republican
Congressman James
Lankford and independent Mark Beard
-File photos
in the Nov. 4 general Steve Russell
(Top) and Connie
election.
Russell, a Del City Johnson (Above)
native, won the Repub- both won their
lican primary runoff respective primaelection in Oklahoma’s ry runoff election
Tuesday.
Fifth Congressional
District. He will face Democratic State Sen.
Al McAffrey in the general election. Buddy
Ray, Tom Boggs and Robert Murphy have
also filed as independents for the office
currently held by Lankford.
Johnson won by a comfortable margin
over perennial candidate Jim Rogers, of
Midwest City. She finished with 58 percent of the more than 94,000 votes cast
statewide.
Russell enjoyed an even larger landslide
victory. He garnered nearly 60 percent of
the vote against Oklahoma Corporation
Commissioner Patrice Douglas. Russell
finished with 19,371 votes, more than
Abundant sunshine. Highs in the
mid 90s and lows in the upper 70s.
Football season is almost here, but
the name of the game Tuesday night in
Midwest City was basketball.
About 100 people braved the scorching heat and attended the city’s grand
opening celebration for the new Regional
Park Basketball Facility.
The two new outdoor courts, named
Thunder and Rumble, are located at 301
S. Douglas, next to the Reno Swim &
Slide. The courts feature a Green Star
high efficiency lighting system, special
finishes for the concrete floors, a 10 foot
tall vinyl coated chain link fence and
covered spectator benches.
In addition, each court has the Oklahoma City Thunder logo in the center,
along with the Midwest City – Spirit
Flies High logo along the perimeter of
each court. One court floor is finished
See BASKETBALL, page 8A
S HOP U S
People take play a pickup basketball game Tuesday evening
at the new outdoor courts at Joe B. Barnes Regional Park.
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Sports 1B
Lady Tigers trounce Catoosa
S U N D AY, A U G U S T 3 1 , 2 0 1 4
50¢ • Wednesday, August 20, 2014
“Your award-winning premier information source since 1864.”
3 Sections 16 pages • Vol. XLVIII No. 164
X Top vote-getter in
November election to
serve four-year term
Man with history
of ‘hookers and
drugs’ arrested for
failing to register
By JOSH NEWTON
TDP Staff Writer
C
herokee County
authorities say a
convicted
sex
offender with a selfdescribed history of
“hookers and drugs” in
Oregon failed to notify
authorities when he
moved to the Tahlequah
area well over a year ago.
Sheriff’s Investigator
J a m e s
Brown
was alerted recently to the
presence
of
64y e a r- o l d
GUINN
Delbert
Edwin Guinn, of Hulbert.
Guinn moved in spring
2013 to the area of Sunset
Valley Road and State
Highway 51 West.
See MAN, page 2A
CENTS
Myers, Robinson
file for Council’s
Ward 3 position
CRIME
[email protected]
JoshNewtonTDP
z E R T R I B U N E . C O M z 5 0
By RAY DYER
[email protected]
El Reno voters in Ward 3
will choose between Kent
Myers and Tim Robinson
when they face off in the
November general election.
The top vote-getter will
serve a four-year term
as the City Council
representative for the ward.
Myers, 51, has served on
the council since 2011, when
COMMUNITY
Residents take up chilly
challenge for ALS research
Anderson questions amount being
spent to operate Sheriff Edward’s office
Photographer/Daniel Lapham
Hospice ice challenge
By DANIEL LAPHAM
[email protected]
Staff from Russell-Murray Hospice
answered the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge
Thursday in front of their downtown
offices. In the back from left, Meara
Ingram, Kathy Gilmore, Sarah LaFoe and
Shawn Tipken dumped water on fellow
staff members Christina Ketter, Taryn
Wedman, Kim Pack, Tammy Robbins,
Kyra Mauldin, Heather Ferguson,
Brittaney Husted, Vera Ann Wellner,
Ericka Nail and Jean Ann Widdifield.
Canadian County
budget talks turned
heated Monday afternoon
when District 2
Commissioner David
Anderson questioned how
much is being spent to
operate the sheriff ’s office.
Sheriff Randall Edwards
took exception to the argument made by Anderson.
The verbal scuffle
between the sheriff and
the commissioner came
after an across-the-board
3 percent pay hike for all
county employees was
approved.
Commissioners met
with department heads to
discuss adjustments to the
2015 fiscal year budget.
A
movement to raise awareness about charity. Most challengers have tweaked
a debilitating and fatal disease is the rule, so even those who do accept and
sweeping the country, and Chero- follow through must still donate $10 or
kee County residents aren’t being left out $25, depending on the exact challenge.
“Nearly $23 million is nothing to sniff
in the cold.
The ALS ice bucket challenge fundrais- at,” said Tony Duckworth, athletic director
er has spread like wildfire through all at Northeastern State University. “It’s
forms of social media. Money will be used amazing, the amount of information relatfor research to find a cure for Amyotroph- ed to this challenge.”
Duckworth took part early this week
ic Lateral Sclerosis, known as Lou Gehrig’s
after being challenged by NSU assistant
disease.
men’s basketball coach
Over the past two weeks,
Jabarr Adams, who also
the challenge has come to
By SIDNEY VAN WYK
challenged Jason Tinsley, the
Tahlequah.
TDP Staff Writer
ALS is a progressive neu- [email protected] team’s head coach.
Tinsley completed his
rodegenerative disease that
SidneyVanWykTDP
ordeal Tuesday morning.
affects nerve cells in the
Duckworth posted a
brain and the spinal cord.
The progressive degeneration of motor video of himself completing the feat on his
neurons from the brain to the spinal cord Facebook page, which was also shared on
the NSU RiverHawks’ official athletics
eventually results in death.
The ALS Association indicated in an website.
“Hopefully, in some small part, my
Aug. 19 press release that it has received
$22.9 million in donations since July 29. video helps the effort to raise awareness in
During the same time period last year, the some small way,” said Duckworth.
He also challenged Dr. John Yeutter, an
organization had received only $1.9 milassociated professor of accounting at
lion.
The official rules state each person NSU.
According to Duckworth, the movechallenged must dump a bucket of ice
water over his or her head within 24 hours
See ALS, page 2A
of being dared, or donate $100 to an ALS
COURTS
The adjustments also
resulted in a $1,200 raise
for the fair board secretary
as well as a payment to the
Central Oklahoma Water
Resources Authority,
known as COWRA.
County Clerk Shelley
Dickerson presented the
adjustments, that moved
the budget from the red
into the black.
“If you remember last
month we were down
$599,000 in our general
fund and now we are up
$214,482,” Dickerson said.
“I want to show you what
changed to make the
difference. As you know,
there are two ways to
adjust a budget, revenue
and expenditures. There
Continued to BUDGET, Page 14A
Hader wins runoff
Surrey Hills resident to
face ER Democrat for
District 1 commissioner
By RAY DYER
[email protected]
Marc Hader will be the
Republican candidate in the
November general election
for District 1 Canadian
County commissioner.
Hader, 50, of Surrey Hills
defeated El Reno Republican
Wes Higgins in the Tuesday
runoff election, capturing a
Continued to HADER, Page 12A
El Reno, Oklahoma
Sunday’s Weather
97 75
John Yeutter, an associate accounting professor at NSU, asked members of the
women’s soccer team to help him participate in the ALS ice bucket challenge Tuesday.
Photo by Sidney Van Wyk/Daily Press
Continued to COUNCIL, Page 12A
County budget
talks turn heated
Photo by Josh Newton/Daily Press
Tahlequah Fire Capt. Aaron Garrett used a saw to carve out a hole atop the Tahlequah
Pizza Hut early Tuesday morning. Firefighters responded to the restaurant at about 2:40
a.m. and found a plume of smoke billowing from the structure. Fire Chief Ray Hammons
said a blaze in the attic of the restaurant caused “substantial” damage to the structure. It
is believed the fire began in the kitchen area. The interior of the building suffered smoke
and water damage. Firefighters were on scene for several hours working, to extinguish hot
spots in the roof.
he was the only one to file
for the office. He said zoning
is the number one issue for
El Reno and especially the
area of town he represents.
The area includes Shepard,
state Highway 66 and
Jensen Road, all of which
has seen increased activity
or new developments related to the energy industry
in the last several years.
Myers said El Reno
is moving in the right
direction, but zoning is
“an ongoing process.
high
USPS No. 170-780
3 Sections
Sunny, breezy and very warm
www.ertribune.com
See the full forecast on Page 2A
low
Marc Hader
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95401 00122
6
The popularity of the
ice bucket challenge has
taken social media by
storm, and the Wagoner
Education Foundation is
taking full advantage.
Mayor James Jennings,
Police Chief Bob Haley
and Special District Judge
Doug Kirkley were joined
by Jeremy Holmes, the
middle school principal
on Aug. 21 as they all
sat astride a bulldog and
were doused with ice water in the name of education.
Jennings said education is important to Wagoner, and the Foundation
knows that.
“They do so much for the
students at our schools,”
Jennings said. “And we
have a great school system, despite the negative
you’ve heard lately. It’s a
very positive place. This
is just a great way to kick
off the school year.”
The gist of the challenge is much the same
as others, the challenged
donate to the Education
Foundation, call out oth-
neck.
In a surprise move,
Holmes challenged the
entire Wagoner Public
Schools administration
and coaching staff to take
the proverbial plunge
on Odom Field before
the kickoff of the opening football game against
Coweta on Sept. 5.
A shivering Holmes
said after the challenge it
was a bit chillier than he
thought it would be.
The Education Foundation even found teachers
they’d helped to dole out
the frigid water. Kallie
Barnes, a fourth grade
teacher at WPS, tossed
a bucket full on Kirkley
with a smile on her face.
“The Foundation is too
important for words,”
Barnes said. “Thanks to
their help, I was able to order 90 books for my class
this year. Now, instead of
using just textbooks, we
can use chapter books as
well. Those grants are a
great thing to be able to
apply for.”
A crowd of approximately 25 people gathered at Semore Park for
the dousings, cheering
loudly each time a bucket
11
12
Back to S
Newspa
chool
per Cov
Get the pencils, books and backpacks ready
because Oklahoma students are going back
to school! Newspapers around the state are
celebrating the occasion by featuring
students and teachers in their community.
erage
From kindergartners to high school seniors, the anticipation of
the first day of school is bittersweet. Children are leaving behind
summer days free of homework and returning to an education,
friends and team sports. Here’s a look at how some Oklahoma
newspapers featured the annual event with pages from
Coalgate Record Register, The Okeene Record, The Oklahoman,
The Bethany Tribune, The Bigheart Times, Hughes County
Times, Weatherford Daily News, McIntosh County Democrat,
Stillwater News Press, The Daily Progress, Alva Review-Courier,
The Shawnee News-Star, Tri-County Herald and Sapulpa Daily
Herald.
Back to School Continued from Page 12
WATCH OUT FOR CHILDREN! Newspapers promote safety tips
Several newspapers offer advice and tips on how to keep children safe in school driving zones.
13
14
Apple lets you pay and play with new products
Computer Notes
from the road
by Wilma Melot
[email protected]
Apple is about to release its new
iPhone 6, which will feature a new iOS.
Also announced was the release of the
new Apple Watch coming in 2015.
This new phone is a tracker deluxe
and paired with the new watch can track
your heartbeats. The iPhone 6 sports
a barometer that senses air pressure
to determine your every move and the
accelerometer with the GPS can track
your elevation and running stride.
A new gyroscope is always tracking
your moves, regardless if you are moving or not.
All of the above leaves me wondering if my heartbeat is something I
want Apple/NSA to know on a daily
basis. Apple assures us that with
its new fingerprint technology,
not even they can get my info.
That better be true
because now they are setting up auto pay from
the phone that has all
my credit card information always at hand.
Its called Apple Pay, with
Passbook app. It works
with most major credit
cards and a handful of
stores so far, including
Target and Starbucks.
Apple does not save your
transaction information with
Apple Pay. Only your private Passbook keeps the transactions. This is
supposedly more secure than swiping
your credit card at the store or giving
out your card number to a website. All
the info is encrypted and stored in the
Secure Element in a dedicated chip in
the iPhone, not on Apple’s servers. Your
actual credit or debit card numbers are
never shared with merchants or transmitted with the payment.
It’s cool and most likely the future
way to pay for anything. If you lose
your phone just use Find My iPhone to
quickly put your device in Lost Mode so
nothing is accessible, or you can wipe
your iPhone completely clean.
The other thing the security better be
good at is its new near field communications (NFC) system that will work with
Yosemite when it’s released this fall.
Now talking between your Macintosh
computer and your watch will work without cables.
Your phone can also be a Wi-Fi hot
spot. With new support for 802.11ac,
you’ll experience up to 3x faster Wi-Fi
than with 802.11n.
Yes, the phones are more beautiful,
have retina display, are lighter and thin-
ner. However, the back camera does not
have more mega pixels. It just works
in new ways with all the other technology that’s been added. The front facing
camera got many of the features that the
back camera already had: Time-lapse,
60-fps 1080p HD, Continuous Autofocus,
240-fps Slo-mo, Cinematic Video Stabilization, Face Detection, Exposure Control, Auto Stabilization, Optical Image
Stabilization, Photos App, Panorama and
8MP iSight camera.
Now let’s talk about that Apple
Watch. It’s not only elegant looking, but
a lot of new engineering and technology
advancement went into it. Although it’s
not for sale yet, we should see it on the
market after the first of the year.
The coolest thing about
the watch is the
input device. The
little dial on the side is
basically the mouse/pointer for the computer on your
wrist. It has four sensors on the back
that detect your pulse. You can send
your heart rate directly to the doctor.
This might be a good selling point for
our older population.
Apple seems to be working on many
fronts at once. This time we will see
if the technology is accepted and perceived as safe in the market place.
IMPROVE YOUR
COMPUTER’S PERFORMANCE
One way to make an older computer
run faster when it has many applications
open is to upgrade the RAM memory on
the machine.
To find out if your computer can
be updated go to http://www.crucial.com,
download the Crucial System Scanner
and scan your computer to see if it can
be upgraded. If so, there are several
places you can compare prices and look
for the best deal on the RAM you want.
Crucial.com sells RAM; so does Other
World Computing at http://www.macsales.
com (they also sell used computers).
Another site is http://www.macmemory.
com. This should give you some options
as well as more confidence that the right
RAM is being ordered.
If downloading a program onto your
computer goes against your grain, you
can look on your computer for the type
of RAM to verify what it needs.
On a Mac, go under the Apple > About
This Mac. Then click the More Info button.
This brings up the System Profiler application. Look under Memory for a basic
description of the RAM on your computer. This will also tell you the number
of slots on your computer and whether
they are full. Sometimes it’s necessary
to remove small chips and replace them
with bigger ones to improve your situation. It is best to have RAM running
on your computer at the same speed as
the number listed with a MHz after it.
Memory is relatively cheap and can be
easily obtained.
On a PC, upgrade info is found based
on your computer. Sometimes it is easier to open the box and see how many
slots there are. Without opening the
box, look for information under Start
> right click on Computer and go down
to Properties. The box that comes up
should tell how much RAM is installed
on the computer. (On Windows 8 right
click the icon where start should be and
go up to system.) Armed with this information and using the Crucial System
Scanner, the right type of RAM memory
should be suggested. To double check,
go to http://www.kingston.com/us/memory/
upgrades. If you know the model number
for your computer, the short quiz of four
questions should bring up the correct
RAM memory suggestions. If both sites
agree, just compare prices and get the
best deal.
QUARK 10.2
I haven’t talked about Quark in awhile
but they are hanging in there as the
underdog against Adobe’s InDesign.
Quark is at version 10.2. In comparison to InDesign Creative Cloud many
things are lacking at first glance. But
under the hood Quark is a sound program.
The most attractive thing about the
program is its no subscription-based
services. You can download a free 30-day
trial from Quark’s website. If you like it,
full price is listed at $849.00. Be aware
that on Sept. 30 you will no longer be
able to update for the $349.00 price.
Although the basic Quark program is
embellished, it has not really changed a
lot from version 9.
However, it has all the basic features
needed to build a newspaper.
It highlights missing fonts upon opening the page. It has good style sheets
with the ability to set up Conditional
Styles for tough projects like the Classified section. Image editing is just a
right click away and will bring up your
computer’s default image editor. Quark
can easily join, extend, close and open
Béziér paths for drawing fancy boxes
around photos. The program is also
PDFX-4 compliant. Now all PDFs can
be displayed in high quality resolution
on screen.
Quark creates a good quality PDF
that can be made in composite CMYK.
They’ve worked hard to improve their
PDF workflow.
The palettes (the boxes at the side of
the screen) are not nearly as elegant as
InDesign’s, causing lots of closing and
re-opening to get screen real estate. The
options bar has improved over the years
and has most of the basic formatting
tools you’ll be looking for.
Just like InDesign, Quark has text
wrap and drop shadows but does not
have the ability to wrap text around
objects or photos. Also missing is the
dynamic spell checking we have grown
accustomed to in InDesign and Word.
Quark does have simple spell checking,
though. Quark has always worked well
in tandem with a good word processer
and many newsrooms use a word processer in front of the layout package for
their workflow.
If you’re looking at ways to put out
your paper without Adobe’s Creative
Suite, you’re probably going to need
Gimp or Adobe Photoshop Elements.
Many newsrooms are already using
them. It’s an alternative to the expensive
full version of Photoshop.
The other missing link in setting up a
newsroom with less expensive software
is Open Office. Quark needs a rich text
format, available from Open Office, to
see the files.
Many newsrooms across the state
that use Quark Express say it has been
slower to improve its core set of features. But maybe that’s not a bad thing.
It’s easy to navigate once you’re up and
running, and layout is quick without
many distractions.
InDesign has added so many features
that are moving away from print. It’s still
the clear winner but maybe more than
some newspapers can afford per work
station.
A small newspaper that is looking for
a layout package should choose Quark
over Microsoft Publisher, if possible.
A conversion from an older version of
InDesign or PageMaker will still mean
a rebuild of the paper, but it would be
worth the effort to be able to move to
computers that allow the newsroom to
work with newer browsers.
OPA Computer Consultant Wilma Melot’s column is brought to you by the Oklahoma Advertising Network
(OAN). For more information on the OAN program, contact Oklahoma Press Service at (405) 499-0020.
15
OKLAHOMA PRESS ASSOCIATION
Who’s a chicken? And do we let the fox decide? STAFF
DIRECTORY
That InterWeb
Thing
by Keith Burgin
[email protected]
I have questions. They’re important
and interesting questions and they raise
passions and blood pressure on every
side of the issue. Naturally I have related
opinions I’ll share with you, but my opinions are peripheral.
Mostly what I have are questions.
For instance, what is a journalist in
today’s world?
Is journalism school required – or
some sort of journalism-related degree?
I’ve heard that said.
There are many talented folks writing
and reporting at newspapers all over the
country, though, who’ve not attended
j-school.
I’ve also heard that a journalist is
someone who works for a “legitimate”
print or broadcast news media. Saying
that, there’s been some disagreement
over what is and what is not legitimate
news the past few years.
Is a blogger a journalist? Are all bloggers journalists?
If Dave, the journalist, leaves a newspaper and starts his own website, is he
still a journalist? If not, does the newspaper just keep that in a little box on
the editor’s desk and bestow it upon his
replacement like a nametag?
What about protections? Congress is
working on a Federal shield law for journalists but it’s had a hard time determining just who’s protected and who’s not.
I’m one of those guy who doesn’t
believe the Federal government will do
anything that’s not in the Federal government’s interest.
In my mind, smart phones, digital
cameras and video, the ease and accessibility of publishing tools and social
media have made government on every
level not only more vulnerable to leaks
but more aggressive in efforts to choke
information.
Talk often turns to James Rosen of
Fox News, called a “criminal co-conspirator” for doing what reporters do – so
the Justice Dept. could gain access to
his records.
Associate Press phone records anyone?
The track record is a bit shaky here.
Will a Federal shield law define for
everyone exactly just who and what a
journalist is?
Is that necessarily a good thing? Federal law preempts state law in most matters of conflict.
When bloggers and folks who work
for traditional media discuss these
things, it often becomes a battle of selfinterests. That’s a shame, in my opinion.
When you consider that the Federal
government is only stepping into this
issue to police itself, having already
trampled all over freedom of the press, it
makes one uneasy about the result.
Isn’t this something we should settle
amongst ourselves?
I told you I had questions.
Henninger’s rules for top-of-page advertising
THANKS TO Tia Rae Stone for suggesting this column.
She recently wrote:
“I attended a seminar one time where
you told us your rules for top-of-the-page
advertising. When you can, would you
share them with us on your blog?”
I asked Tia if it was OK to handle her
question in a hint or column instead. She
agreed…and here we are.
For ads that appear at the top of a section front or anywhere on page 1, I have
four simple rules:
Sorry, we’re not
going to accept an ad designed by
the advertiser’s daughter’s boyfriend,
who took a quick course in Illustrator at the community college. These
ads are at the top of the page and will
draw considerable reader attention—
we need to be sure they speak to the
reader of the kind of quality work
we can do. An over-designed ad will
cheapen the look of your newspaper,
and you don’t want that. Top-of-page
ads should get the best work from
your best designer. We design it.
2. TWENTY-FIVE WORDS OR FEWER:
We’re not going to clutter the ad with
excess verbiage. How do I define
“excess verbiage”? When it comes to
top-of-page ads, I define it as anything
more than 25 words. It’s that simple.
Within that limit, you can do a good
job of creating a memorable message
MARK THOMAS
Executive Vice President
[email protected] • (405) 499-0033
JEANNIE FREEMAN
Accounting Manager
SCOTT WILKERSON
Front Office/Building Mgr.
MEMBER SERVICES
LISA POTTS
Member Services Director
ADVERTISING
CINDY SHEA
Advertising Manager
LANDON COBB
Account Executive
CREATIVE SERVICES
JENNIFER GILLILAND
Creative Services Director
By ED HENNINGER, Design Consultant
1. WE DESIGN IT:
ADMINISTRATION
ASHLEY NOVACHICH
Editorial/Creative Assistant
COMPUTER ADVICE
WILMA MELOT
Computer Consultant
POSTAL ADVICE
STEVE BOOHER
Two top-of-page ads. One works. The other? Trash it!
for your advertiser. The briefer. the
better. Twenty-five words or fewer.
3. ONE IMAGE:
Take a look at the ads
in the illustration accompanying this
column. The ad on the left is clean
and does the job of illustrating the
message: work boots 30% off. No
need to show more boots, as in the ad
on the right. Readers will assume that
Big Bend Outfitters carries more than
only one type or brand of work boots,
don’tcha think? The single image
allows for some negative breathing
space in the ad and gives it focus. No
need for more. One image. One.
4. CHARGE A HEFTY PREMIUM:
Stop
giving away some of your best space.
Charge a good premium for the ad.
Some publishers will double the price
of an ad at the top of the page. Make
it clear to the advertiser that this
is space you’re not just willing to
sell to anyone, that his ad will get
more looks and generate more traffic.
Charge a hefty premium.
So there ya have it: Ed’s arbitrary and
capricious four rules for page 1 and topof-page ads.
I’m convinced they work. Try them…
I think you’ll be convinced, too!
ED HENNINGER, an independent newspaper
consultant and director of Henninger Consulting, offers comprehensive newspaper design
services including redesigns, workshops, design
training and design evaluations. Contact Henninger at www.henningerconsulting.com, email
[email protected] or phone (803)
327-3322.
Postal/Public Notice Consultant
DIGITAL CLIPPING
KEITH BURGIN
Clipping Manager
KYLE GRANT
Digital Clipping Dept.
[email protected]
JENNIFER BEATLEY-CATES
MALLORY HOGAN
GENERAL INQUIRIES
(405) 499-0020
Fax: (405) 499-0048
Toll-free in OK: 1-888-815-2672
16
ONG / OPA CONTEST WINNERS
CONGRATULATIONS TO THE JULY 2014 WINNERS
July Column: AARON
McDONALD, The Countywide & Sun
July Editorial: DOUG VICE, Drumright Gusher
JULY 2014 EDITORIAL WINNER
DOUG VICE, Drumright Gusher
Open arms from open minds
We find ourselves with a humanitarian crisis on our hands.
Nearly 60,000 illegal immigrant children have unlawfully entered
the country since October of last year, and Federal officials
expect at least 150,000 more next year.
These children are primarily fleeing non-Mexican countries such
as Honduras or El Salvador, countries that have seen enormous
rises in gang and car tel-related violence and corruption largely
as the result of a well-intentioned decades-long war on drugs.
We as a nation have seen problems with illegal immigration for
a long time, but this presents a new and unique challenge in the
form of a never-before-seen surge of unaccompanied minors.
Countless acts of murder, torture, extortion, political coercion,
human trafficking, and other violent crimes have come at the
hands of businesses that remain enormously profitable due to
continued demand for their services, for good or ill.
We have a small handful of options, or combination of options,
all of which are simple in thought if complex in repercussion.
We may open our arms and welcome these children into the
country, finding homes for them if able but otherwise paying to
take care of them until they’re of an appropriate age to self-care
and become productive citizens. We may tighten security and
return them from whence they came, recognizing that they’re not
our responsibility and any amnesty-like acceptance could lead to
greater problems down the road.
These options or any other similar options address this problem
as if it itself is the problem.
What if it isn’t? What if it’s a symptom of the real problem?
It’s the opinion of your humble columnist that we must pursue the
former option. We are to care for these children as if they were
any other American abandoned child to be cared for by the state.
And it’s not an opinion borne of a sense of “Think of the children!
Don’t be heartless!” or any such sentiment.
It’s because it is our fault they are here to begin with. They are
our responsibility.
In 1973, President Nixon began what we now know as the War
on Drugs, a modernday prohibition on all recreational use of
controlled substances as determined by the Drug Enforcement
Administration founded the same year. This caused an entire set
of industries with imports valued today at $64 billion annually to
now be regarded as outside of the law.
And when your industry continues to operate after it is deemed
outside of the law, your business practices grow progressively
more cut-throat. Literally.
These children’s families did not opt to send their children here
for no reason.
Enter and Win
a $100 Check
from ONG!
The July OPA/ONG
Column and Editorial Contest
was judged by a member of the
Oklahoma Journalism Hall of Fame.
In 2005, for every $1,000 worth of enforcement costs on the part
of the DEA, $3,456 worth of illegal drugs were removed from or
prevented from appearing on American streets.
1. Each month, send a tear sheet or
photocopy of your best column and/or
editorial to ONG Contest, c/o OPA, 3601
N. Lincoln Blvd., Oklahoma City, OK
73105-5499.
Not bad – if you ignore that they failed to stop the next $463,781
worth of drugs from appearing in the U.S. That’s a 345.6%
efficiency rate in production/cost, but a less than 1% actual effect
on the drug trade.
2. Include the author’s name, name of
publication, date of publication and
category entered (column or editorial).
There can be no doubt. This war has caused far more harm than
good.
Add in decades of overwhelming poverty in these nations, and
you have a recipe for desperation. Desperation will cause you
to perform acts you never thought you would in order to survive.
For instance, fleeing your home into a safer nation where you
are not allowed to emigrate.
We find ourselves in a scenario where, while looking at the
dozens of thousands of displaced children and wondering what
to do about them, we must also look in the mirror and wonder
what we can do to prevent this again.
When you have a bad roof that leaks when it rains, your longterm solution isn’t to keep emptying buckets for as long as you
live there.
You fix the roof.
If you want to solve long-term immigration problems from
countries burdened by crime and poverty, then do what you can
to relieve crime and poverty.
Let’s start by ending the War on Drugs. For more reasons than
this, but it’s a good start.
3. Only ONE editorial and/or ONE column
per writer per month will be accepted.
4. All entries for the previous month must
be at the OPA office by the 15th of the
current month.
5. Winning entries will be reproduced on
the OPA website at www.OkPress.com.
Entries must have been previously
published. Contest open to
all OPA member newspapers.
Although Oklahoma Natural Gas Company
selects representative contest winners’
work for use in this monthly ad, the views
expressed in winning columns and editorials
are those of the writers and don’t necessarily
reflect the Company’s opinions.
Thank you for continued
support of “Share The Warmth”
Read the Winning Columns & Editorials on the OPA website:
www.OkPress.com (Under Contests)

OK Press - Oklahoma Press Association

Transcription

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