Wednesday, June 21, 2006

March sales tax was city's 12th increase in row - Gerald Green @ 1:06 pm CST
Clinton completed a full year of sales tax gains in March with an increase of 6.5 percent over the corresponding month one year earlier.

The city began calendar year 2005 with three straight declines but now has had 12 consecutive pluses. Over those 12 months, the cumulative gain was $365,738.56, an average of $30,478 a month.

At $20,675, the March increase was about two-thirds of the average for the past 12 months.

This year¡¦s total for March was just under $341,000 compared to just over $320,000 for March of 2005, which was the last time the city showed a negative.

Elsewhere, Elk City continued its amazing run with yet another showing above $800,000 „o its fourth in history, and third in four months „o but Weatherford would have been on the minus side had its rate not increased from 3 cents per dollar of sales to 4 cents in April of 2005. The Weatherford total was just over $446,000, a gross gain of 24.5 percent but a decline of 6.6 percent on a per-penny basis „o its first decrease since last July.

Elk City collected $819,824 in March, almost $168,000 above the corresponding month one year earlier. The gain equated to 25.7 percent.

March also marked the end of Custer County¡¦s half-cent sales tax. Beginning April 1, the county began collecting a full penny on each of dollar of sales with the extra money going toward the construction of a new jail.

The county¡¦s March receipts totaled $142,294, up 10.8 percent from one year earlier.

Town or County Mar. ¡¦06 Mar. ¡¦05 Rate Pct.

Arapaho $ 10,391.98 $ 10,723.00 .03 ¡V 3.1

Bessie 296.29 703.75 .02 ¡V 57.9

Burns Flat 15,154.83 12,863.22 .04 + 17.8

Butler 3,411.37 3,951.19 .03 ¡V 13.7

Canton 12,193.66 10,763.44 .03 + 13.3

Canute 10,098.45 6,744.47 .03 + 49.7

Carnegie 32,573.47 32,287.21 .04 + 0.9

Cheyenne 43,277.97 39,882.09 .03 + 8.5

Clinton 340,975.54 320,300.67 .04 + 6.5

Colony 698.50 389.75 .02 + 79.2

Cordell 45,141.37 54,155.39 .03 ¡V 16.6

Corn 1,289.60 2,170.99 .02 ¡V 40.6

Custer City 2,105.73 3,235.49 .03 ¡V 34.9

Dill City* 2,049.21 1,043.39 .03 + 96.4

Eakly 3,192.88 2,944.67 .03 + 8.4

Elk City 819,823.58 652,233.17 .04 + 25.7

Foss 1,051.68 1,744.81 .04 ¡V 39.7

Hammon 4,267.31 14,298.06 .03 ¡V 70.2

Hobart 82,656.33 88,738.85 .04 ¡V 6.9

Hydro 9,491.96 7,965.88 .03 + 19.2

Leedey 6,909.15 6,932.74 .03 ¡V 0.3

Rocky 1,431.19 1,617.59 .03 ¡V 11.5

Sayre 71,384.62 63,028.15 .03 + 13.3

Seiling** 25,167.04 20,835.83 .04 + 20.8

Sentinel 11,730.17 9,388.00 .03 + 24.9

Taloga 5,685.54 5,122.72 .03 + 11.0

Thomas 15,463.29 16,534.41 .04 ¡V 6.5

Watonga 87,977.15 106,274.10 .04 ¡V 17.2

Weatherford*** 446,102.91 358,274.53 .04 + 24.5

Totals**** $2,111,992.77 $1,855,147.56 + 13.8

Beckham County 124,714.33 114,331.80 .003 + 9.1

Caddo County 119,213.14 99,784.22 .005 + 19.5

Custer County 142,294.11 128,398.06 .005 + 10.8

Dewey County 20,348.17 25,060.29 .005 ¡V 18.8

Kiowa County 24,364.14 25,464.85 .005 ¡V 4.3

Roger Mills County 435,088.03 336,979.48 .015 + 29.1

Washita County 121,460.35 124,946.26 .01125 ¡V 2.8

*Dill City¡¦s tax rate increased from 2 cents to 3 cents in April of 2005. Without the increase, its collections would have been $1,366.14, an increase of 30.9 percent.

**Seiling¡¦s tax rate increased from 3 cents to 4 cents in April of 2005. Without the increase, its collections would have been $18,875.28, a decrease of 9.4 percent.

***Weatherford¡¦s tax rate increased from 3 cents to 4 cents in April of 2005. Without the increase, its collections would have been $334,577.18, a decrease of 6.6 percent.

****Without the higher rates at Dill City, Seiling and Weatherford, total collections for the towns and cities would have been $1,993,492.21, an increase of 7.5 percent.

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Area counties will be busy for elections - Steve Belcher @ 1:17 pm CST
Political filing reports have been received from Washita and Dewey Counties in this area for the 2006 election season.

At Washita County those candidates who have filed for county office in Cordell not previously mentioned in the Daily News include:

Assessor— Incumbent Janie Bellah.

Treasurer— Incumbent Byron Gore.

County Commissioner District 1— James Woodrow Gee.

County Commissioner District 3— Incumbent Steve Finnell and Raydell Schneberger of Dill City.

Finnell and Schneberger will run in the regular primary on Tuesday, July 25.

At Dewey County a race for Associate District Judge has developed between Roger W. Foster of Taloga and Rick Bozarth of Seiling in filings at the state level. They will face each other in the General Election on Nov. 7.

Those filing for county offices at Taloga include:

Treasurer— Incumbent Cindy Farris of Taloga.

Assessor— Incumbent Lennet Pisacka of Taloga.

County Commissioner District 1— Democrats Everett Carman and Larry L. Ford, both of Leedey, Stacy King of Putnam and Chuckie Hurt of Taloga; and Republican Russell Lady of Leedey.

County Commissioner District 3— Incumbent Darrell Balfour and M.W. Salisbury, Jr., both of Vici.

Democrats Carman, Ford, King and Hurt in District 1 and Balfour and Salisbury in District 3 will be on the Primary ballot July 25 at Dewey County.

Should no one get the majority in the four-way race, the two with the most votes in the District 1 race would need to square off in a runoff on Aug. 22.

The ultimate District 1 Democratic victor will then face Russell Lady Nov. 7 in the General Election.

Associate District Judges also have been named following filings at the state level for Beckham and Roger Mills Counties. In Beckham, Doug Haught of Elk City drew no opposition. At Roger Mills, emerging without opposition was Gale F. Smith of Cheyenne.

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Thomas man, Texas teen die in wrecks - Gerald Green @ 8:18 pm CST
A siege of very serious automobile and motorcycle accidents  some on area roadways and some on roads outside the immediate area but involving area residents  continued over the weekend with a Thomas man killed in Ellis County, a Texas teenager killed and two Texas adults critically injured in Roger Mills County, and a Weatherford man hurt in Washita County.

Kenneth Lee Ballard, 59, of Thomas, was killed Sunday afternoon when his pickup collided with a freight train on an Ellis County road southwest of Shattuck.

Then just before midnight Sunday, 19-year-old Garrett Franklin Pickens of Wheeler, Texas, was killed when a car he was riding in overturned on U.S. Highway 283 six miles south of Cheyenne.

Critically injured in that same accident were Cheryl Lynn Ramby, 50, and Robert Wayne Newsom, 52, both of Wheeler. Another 19-year-old who was driving, Jandie Taylor of Wheeler, suffered a broken arm.

No one was wearing a seatbelt, and all four occupants were thrown from the vehicle. A report by Trooper B.J. Payne listed drunk driving as the cause of the accident.

The injured Weatherford man is Anthony Justin Butler, 26. Trooper Kendall Johnson reported that he suffered head injuries Saturday afternoon when a pickup he was passing at a rural intersection on State Highway 152 turned left into his motorcycle.

Butler was listed later in stable condition at the University of Oklahoma Medical Center in Oklahoma City.

Services for Ballard are pending with Lockstone Funeral Home of Thomas.

He was killed at 3:35 p.m. Sunday when his 2006 Chevrolet pickup was hit by a Burlington Northern-Santa Fe train at a rural crossing 5 miles south and 3½ west of Shattuck. Neither the train conductor, R.M. Albin, 54, of Wellington, Kan., nor the engineer, Edward Penn, 52, of McPherson, Kan., was injured.

A report by Trooper Pat Fike said Ballard was eastbound on an Ellis County road and the train was northbound. The report said the pickup failed to yield and collided with the train in the center of the crossing.

Ballard died of massive injuries at the scene.

The accident involving the Texas people occurred at 11:50 p.m. Sunday. They were in a 1997 Chevrolet that was southbound on U.S. 283 when Taylor failed to negotiate a curve and the car ran off the highway to the right and rolled 1¼ times.

Pickens was pronounced dead of head and internal injuries at the scene. Newsom and Ms. Ramby were taken by Air Evac helicopter to Presbyterian Hospital in Oklahoma City, both with multiple injuries.

Taylor was taken to Great Plains Regional Medical Center in Elk City where he was listed later in stable condition.

Payne was assisted at the scene by Trooper Chris Hunter and the Roger Mills County Sheriff’s Department.

Butler was hurt at 3:52 p.m. Saturday on S.H. 152 a mile east of Dill City. He was westbound on a 2000 Harley Davidson motorcycle and was attempting to pass a 2001 Dodge pickup when the driver of the pickup turned left, hitting the bike.

Trooper Johnson listed the cause of the accident as the motorcycle being left of center and passing at an intersection. He indicated Butler smelled of alcohol.

The pickup was driven by David Leon Johnson, 61, of Cordell. His condition prior to the accident was listed as apparently normal.

Neither Johnson nor a 15-year-old passenger in the pickup, Marshall Ferron of Dill City, was injured.

Butler was taken initially to the Elk City hospital, then transferred via helicopter to the OU Medical Center.

Lt. Rick Weedon of OHP assisted at the scene, along with the Washita County Sheriff’s Department and Burns Flat police.

OHP reported yet another injury accident in the region over the weekend, but there was only one victim and he was listed later in good condition. He was identified as William Bryant, 35, of Cheyenne.

Bryant was taken by private vehicle to Sayre Memorial Hospital where he was admitted with facial injuries.

That accident happened at 10:30 p.m. Saturday when the Cheyenne man swerved to miss cattle on the roadway in a remote section of Roger Mills County. The accident site was on Grimes Road three miles north of Sweetwater and 1½ east of State Highway 30.

Bryant was driving a 1997 GMC pickup which overturned onto its side. His condition prior to the accident was reported by Trooper Hunter as apparently normal.

The two weekend fatalities raised the death toll on area roadways to five since the beginning of June.

On Thursday, June 1, 19-year-old Darren Hill of Cordell died of injuries sustained when another vehicle whose driver apparently didn’t see him coming because of a combine hit his pickup four blocks south of the red light in Cordell; then last Monday a 50-year-old truck driver from White Lake, S.D., Terry Lynn Leibrich, perished when his truck ran off U.S. Highway 283 north of Cheyenne, struck several trees and burned; and early Thursday morning Marcus Huffmaster, 25, of Burns Flat, died when a car in which he was a passenger overturned southwest of Canute.

Besides the five deaths, three persons were critically injured. In addition to the two Texans hurt Sunday night, 20-year-old Joshua Herndon was critically injured Friday evening in a Canadian County crash.

Drinking was involved in two of the fatality accidents and in all of those in which people were critically injured.

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'Cars' creators did research in Clinton - Steve Belcher @ 1:28 pm CST
Disney Pixar’s popular new movie “Cars” owes part of its background research about automotive nostalgia to none other than the Oklahoma Route 66 Museum in Clinton.

An article about the movie from Disney’s Pixar Animation Studios notes that Oscar-winning movie director John Lasseter, who was a force behind such blockbusters as “Toy Story” and “Finding Nemo,” toured parts of historic Route 66 with historian and author Michael Wallis of Tulsa in 2001.

The 49-year-old Lasseter is a car buff and NASCAR racing fan. It was during a two-month, cross-country family road trip vacation in the summer of 2000 that the director’s idea for a story line developed.

Lasseter summed up the movie theme: “The journey in life is the reward.”

Riding in four white Cadillacs (actually, Lasseter mostly avoids distinctive car styles in his movie) Pixar writers and artists took nine days for their 66 research trip.

And while in Clinton they took 66 Museum staff members out to lunch.

The researchers viewed several special places on the historic “Mother Road,” taking in landscape detail and even the color and texture of the dirt.

While most of the cars are not recognizable as a specific automotive line, Lasseter did copy a 1949 Mercury police cruiser as the town sheriff. Ironically enough, supplying the voice for that character is author Michael Wallis.

In their research for “Cars,” the artists wanted to visualize how the landscape would look to cars, not humans, and capture that perspective in the film.

So far, the movie has received rave reviews. Leonard Maltin, veteran movie critic who appears on TV’s “Entertainment Tonight,” said of the Pixar product, “I can’t think of a better PR ambassador for the auto industry. This whole movie is about a time when people loved their cars. They loved motoring. This movie is a hymn to that time and maybe will inspire young people.”

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Area students land spots on OU honor roll - Steve Belcher @ 1:24 pm CST
Students from 254 Oklahoma communities are listed on the University of Oklahoma Norman campus honor roll for the spring 2006 semester.

In most colleges, students must earn a minimum 3.5 grade point average on a 4.0 scale to be included on the honor roll. Students in the College of Architecture are recognized with a 3.3 or better, and students in the College of Engineering are recognized with a 3.0 or better.

Honor roll students must be enrolled full time in at least 12 credit hours.

Students who earned a 4.0 (A) grade point average are in-cluded on the President’s Honor Roll and are designated by an asterisk.

Clinton — Christopher Cale Challis, Conner C. Cruson, Elizabeth Ann Dowdell*, Shane Dillion Driver, Steven Alan Hough, Heather Cathleen May, Jordan Nicole Shephard, Sarah Michael Smith, Rachel Elizabeth Wright*.

Canute — Willie Seth Pierce, Ann Faith Raia*.

Cheyenne — Allison Lee Thurmond*, Helen Latane Tracy*.

Hobart — Jessica Renae Braun, Jantz James Wald, Clint Wayne Williams*.

Hydro — Colton Tillman House.

Seiling — Lunden Bryce England*.

Sentinel — Grant Denver Sheperd.

Thomas — Whitney Christine Bright*, Wade Matthew Crall, Andrew Maben Stone, Maggie Leona Yoder.

Weatherford — Michael Scott Berrong, Brett Allen Chap-man, Katie Marie Giebler, Kelli Lea Hildreth*, John Michael McGurk*, Brittney Erin Reed, Alex P. Ronan*, Rachel Eliza-beth Uraneck.

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SW honor rolls announced - Steve Belcher @ 1:46 pm CST
A total of 1,089 students has been named to honor rolls at Southwestern Oklahoma State University for academic work during the 2006 spring semester on the Weatherford campus.

There were 455 students named to the President’s Honor Roll. An undergraduate student who earns all A’s in 12 or more hours during a semester qualifies for the President’s Honor Roll.

There were 634 students on the Dean’s Honor Roll. An undergraduate student who completes 12 semester hours with a grade point average of 3.5 or higher with no grade lower than “C” qualifies for the Dean’s Honor Roll.

Area students named to the 2006 spring semester lists were:

President’s List

Arapaho— Megan Justine Coit, Whit Ray Pyron, Lindsey Nicole Shepherd.

Burns Flat-Dill City— Kristina Lynn Boswell, Deadra Ann Jarnagin, Kristy

Lynn Wilson.

Butler— Jesus Pena Galvan; Kelli Harrelson.

Canute— Linda Alice Giacometti, Nathan Lee Merz, Keisha Carol Sandusky.

Carnegie— Holly Amber Bradford, Jamie B. Hollingsworth, Jana Brook Rogers, Kishia Marie Sharp.

Cheyenne— Tyier Wayne Swartwood.

Clinton— Michyla Leigh Adams, Rennie Rashell Belknap, Michelle L. Brown,

Shasta Tomeka Davis, Kelly Dayle Pauling, Allison Renea Ruyle, Anita Louise Smith, Jacey Belinda Spiers, Jacquehne K. Thunderbull, Mary Lauren Wright.

Cordell— Kristi Lynn Banks, Sarah L. Ivy; Ashley Marie Kehl, Jarod Kyle Lundy, Michael David Moore, Rhonda Renae Resendez, Marisol Rodriguez, Joseph

Steven Sandberg, Chasidy Louise Williams, Holly Faye Wiyninger.

Corn— Debra Sue Colston, Caleb Elisha Paul Creed, Elizabeth Marie Dyck, Shyla Janee Fast, Keith Jonathan Peters, Sarah Gail Thiessen.

Dill City— Erin Elysia Quackenbush.

Elk City— Julie Kay Fite, Keeley Brooke Gholston, Elizabeth Ann Goodman, Tyier Penn Harrison, Roy Don Herndon, Figianna Marie Horn, Melissa Darlen Jackson, Michael Shane Johnson, Allison Nicole Litterell, Terri Ann Ogles, Kyleigh Brett Risinger, James C. Thomas, Joshua Paul Thomas, Christina Sue Thompson, Steven Kyle Toelle, Kimberly Jane Woodlee.

Gracemont— Donita Kaye Birch, Ashley Markee Slemp.

Granite— Nathan Ellis Montgomery, Kyle Jayce Nunneley, Garrett David Scott, Brenna Ann Teel.

Greenfield— Audrey Carol Davidson.

Hammon— Emily Lynn Henry.

Hinton— Marshall Evans Dougherty, Sarah Ann Harp.

Hobart— Lindsey Jill Dugan, Lauren Beth Gimlin, Jennifer Marie Maldonado, Chelsea Nicole Quintero, Janet Marie Thompson, Leslee Jill Yount.

Hydro— Brooke Erin Bright, Lauren Reneé Brooks, Denise Danielle Chastain, Elvis Wayne Owens, Robyn Jean Pieper, Jana Mae Schantz, Cindy Renae Severn.

Leedey— Kristin Ann Basler; Ryan Cliff Ommen.

Lone Wolf— Amy J. Green.

Merritt— Dondi Rakel Ross.

Mountain View-Gotebo— Ryan K. Adams, Terry Dwayne Christian, Timothy Lee Hawkins.

Piedmont— Kristen M. Scott-Stamey.

Sayre— Ying Kun Lau, Melissa Kathleen Parker, Steven Douglas Smith, Kody Lee Tucker, Gabriel Crispin Winn.

Seiling— Tisha Airlene Clark, Derrick Alan Daugherty.

Sentinel— Julie Kay Barnett, Toni DruAnn Humphrey, Katey Ranae Robison.

Taloga— McKenna Ann Cox, Destiny Suzanne Farris.

Thomas— Tyrel Leon Crall, Kelli Breanne Herbel, Chelsea D. Jackson, Cody Lee Parker, Amanda Diane Powers, Shawn Allen Simpson, Amber Elise Williams, Bonita Jo Wingard, Paul Dean Wingard, Diane Kail Yoder.

Vici— Cynthia Arlene Carman.

Washita Heights— Brooke DaRae Fleming, Riley Tyier Gossen, Tess Whitney Hamons, Ashley Brooke Kliewer, Danielle Renae Shaw, Jerod J. Shaw, Julie Joy Weichel.

Watonga— Kelsey Dawn Alexander, Kylie Renee Alexander, Lauren Roxanne Coleman, Crystie L. Quisenberry, Caleb Matli Scoville, Karolyn Michelle Taylor.

Weatherford— Michael Wayne Altland, Sarah Elizabeth Bergman, Mallory Renae Bolar, Adrienne Amber Brewster, Rodney Lee Brumbelow, James Ross Camden, Jennifer Kay Cropp, Samuel Taylor Cropp, Chad O’Neil Gray, Ellen June Hamburger, Shannon Marie Harbison, Allen Curtis Harrison, Laura Michelle Hawkins, LaShelle Ann Humphreys, Miles Donovan Johnson, Kelanie Kathryn Jones, Teri Lynn Kimble,

Jessica Marie Lang, Nolan Arran Lawless, Dallas Lee Matz, Melissa Dawn McCulley, Kem Marie Mendizabal, Samantha Rae Mitchell, Paula Sue New, Jacinda Lee Padgett, Crista Kay Pollard, Richard Earl Roach, Frank Tembei Sama, Krystal Rose Sawatzky, Savannah Marie Schones, Darcie Rebecca Scoon, Nikki Dee Settles, Sheffield W. Southall, Shantell Easter Trobaugh, Jessica Janae Wilson.

Dean’s List

Arapaho— Joshua James Classen, James Allen Maloy, Amanda Celeste McDaniel, Matthew Dale Ousley.

Burns Flat-Dill City— Felisha Louise Alien, Minnie Raylee Bookout, Timothy Joe

Chauncey, Heather Renee Edler, Dennis Lewis Ferron, Jessica Opal Fite, Sarah Ann

Goeringer, Teresa A. Gorshing, Desireé N. Graves, Lacey Claudette Johnson, Sarah Nicole Kennemer, Heidi Jo McManaman, Kiley Jo Wilson.

Butler— Lisa Angel Grossenbacher, Julie JoAn Maddox, Mark William Mapel, Amanda Dawn Ousley.

Canute— Hannah Louise Kos, Nicki Jo Little, Marsha Delane Schones.

Carnegie— Keisha Cree Ash, Donald Cole Cooper.

Clinton— Christopher Lynn Baker, Halee Del Beasley, Kasey Ann Buchanan, David

Brock Coy, Julie Michelle Daniels, Natalya Ernst, Amy Renee Fields, Colby Le

Geswender, Christopher David Goree, Jennifer Nicole Hart, Kyla Renee Hodges, Dustyn John Hoffman, Ryan Patrick Kelley, Jeffery Todd King, Jessica Linnea Lee,

Adam Lee Lewellen, Tasha Rene Marshall, Nicholas H. McDonough, Kasey Nicole

Nickel, Catherine C. Ringo, Juan Manuel Resales, Sean Michael Staggs, Christine

Biythe Swanson, Doris Deleas Thunderbull, Phillip Brent Tucker, Robin Danielle

Tucker.

Cordell— Tamara Lee Christian, Cricket Laine Cook, Leslie Ann Igo, Kristine Elaine Johnson, Nicholas Robert Lindley, Maghin Lynn Merrill, Brandi Jima Nabors, Robert M. Schollenbarger, Ashley Renee Smith, Alan James Stegall, Sheldon Darrell Webb.

Corn— Maria Elena King, Emilee Katherine Bailey, Craig Alien Dyck, Farren Brooke Evetts, Steven Daniel Jeffrey, Kasey Dwayne Kliewer, Kimberly Ann Stobbe, Nathan David Thiessen.

Custer City— Letitia Nicole Arney.

Eakly— Landon Wayne Scales.

Elk City— Rebecca Lynn Booth, Connie Marie Carpenter, Sonya Kay Carlson, Colby Lynn Dirickson, Devon Shane Dupree, Ranson Ty Gearreald, Bridgette A. Gibson, Jennifer Ann Jones, Randi Elizabeth Landreth, Alison Rae Low, Kimberly Daniell McClure, David Mark Miller, Malorie Marie Mullens, Dana Leigh Nightingale, Tiffanye Leigh Ross, Vanna N’'Cole Simmons, Jessica Lea Spencer, Crystal Lee

Stewart, Jonathon William Thompson, Amber Dawn Weldon, Adam Anthony Yow, Amanda Ann Yow-Shepherd.

Granite— Richard Benjamin Gelnar, Rodney Alien Hawkins.

Hammon— Jaye Tarrell Brewster, Loralee Sue Carter, Kerri Michelle Elliott, Angela Dawn Farmer, Rae Lynn Lovelace.

Hinton— Tyrel James McCain, John Thomas Smith, Joann M. Worthley.

Hobart— Brent Alan Morgan, Cassandra Tané Padilla, Cassie Nicole Straub.

Hydro-Eakly— Marti R-Ann Branham, Carrie Anne Carney, Micah Ranea Cole, Kerri Gene Dumond, Kayla Jonette Horn, Jana Deann Johnson, Brittani Nicole Lierle, LaNae Liane Meacham, Melissa Nicole Settles, Kerri Noel Slagell, Angela Brooke Stegall, Ashley Nicole Walker, Dennis Austin Ward.

Leedey— Matthew Ryan Baker, Nathaniel “Caleb” Briggs, Beau Brent Emmons, Dusty Wayne Gracia, Leslie Anne Robinson.

Lone Wolf— Lisa Kay Helwer, Sin Hang Kan.

Lookeba-Sickles— Torri Jean Bute, Kaitlyn Elise Hutcherson, Jamie Lynn Jeffrey.

Merritt— Shauna Rae Moran, Anh Bich Tong, Jennie Diane Yow.

Mountain View-Gotebo— Amanda F. James, Amy Lee Pack, Ashley Ann Shipp, Erin Rachelle Worley, Lindsey Jo Zimmerman.

Rocky— Jeannia Kay Jackson.

Sayre— Courtney Nicole Allison, Brandi Nicole Brown, Victoria Sue Dean, Tami Jo Hodge, Khanh Van Nguyen, Gunnar Don Poff, Bryan Lee Region.

Seiling— Savanna Nicole Snyder.

Sentinel— Angela Dawn Erickson, Laura Lee Finnell, Clinton Brock Gillham, Autumn Nicole Tittle, Chad Weston Tittle.

Sweetwater— Kimberly Nicole Gracey.

Taloga— Brandi Beth Morris, Allyn Davis Powell, Kristopher Lee Seal, Stephanie Dawn Wile.

Thomas-Fay-Custer City— Amber Nicole Coston, Mary Ann Dobrinski, Roy Gene

Foust, Jay Anthony Frymire, Austin Robert Graves, Calli Terrah Hamar, Lacey

Leanne Haskett, Lacie Jo Hightower, Robert Dean Holmes, Sheila Joann Kimble, Rebecca Elizabeth Kluckner, Mason Cole McNeill, Wayne Eugene Ridenour, Kathleen Joan Roach, Jamie Ann Roper;Elizabeth Jane Saladin, Asa Joseph Zoschke.

Vici— Matthew D. Cole, Leslie Ann Melton.

Washita Heights— Ryan Glen Fields, Dalton Toy Kelley.

Watonga— James Robert Coleman, Zachary Ryan Dumas, Cyndi Kay Ice, Jayci Allison Justice.

Weatherford— Abdul-Rahman R. Al-Jarrah, Katie Avery, Kyle Jason Bartel, Christopher Lee Bell, Heather Ann Burr, Adrina Lynn Carter, Barry Ray Carder, David Catron, Joni Lynn Chester, Ryan Thomas Coward, Joshua Lee Garren, Rondalyn Lynette Green, Kelly Dale Groves, Garren Keith Harms, Cameron Carlso Henderson, Autumn Michelle Hoskins, Coy Collin Jacks, Alison Nicole Jones, Kinley Michelle Jones, Trenton Case Keasler, Josiah Lawrence Keeton, Angela Marie King, Bobbi Jo Koehn, Michael D. Kubilis, Tiffaney Brook Lightfoot, Colby Chris Lindamood, Julianne Elizabeth Long, Hector Lopez, Jade Lyn Mahan, Carissa Cae Marquis, Kendall Ray Masquelier, Thomas Michael Massey, Peggy Irene Mennel, Cory Blake Miller, Tyier Thomas Miller, Amber Rene Minton, John G. Morrow, Kara Grace

Oldenburg, Dana Rachelle Oliver, Robert Lee Penner

II, Joshua Jameson Pray, Nicholas Joel Pugh, Derek Edward Ralph, Bonnie G. Ridley, Kristy Kay Schmidt,

Lamar Ehren Schmidt, Maria Ruth Settles, Kevin Dale Shavor, Jennifer J. Shumpert, Morgan Nicole Sides, Brandon Shawn Stutzman, Holly LaRae Stutzman, Michael Wayne Sweet, Cheri Lea Thomason, Amy Denise Thornburg, Jenae Nichole Tindell, Rusty Scott Voight, Betty Jean Watson, Brent Norton Webb, Alexander William Wilson, Joe C. Wilson, Larry Martin Underwood.

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CMS promotion Thursday - Steve Belcher @ 1:12 pm CST
Clinton Middle School’s Promotion Exercises for the 2006 eighth grade class will be held at 7 p.m. Thursday in the Tornado Dome, according to Principal Peggy Constien.

The 12 honor students at CMS for 2006 were announced in Sunday’s Daily News.

Honor students taking part in the event will include co-valedictorians Chelsea Ankney, Kaylyn Baker, Tucker Davis, Stacy Geswender, Jessica Heard, John Lair, Gabby McDowell, Taylor Neidy, Jarrett Richert, Caitlin Rother and Alyssa Wilson.

The class salutatorian is Preslee Stephens.

In addition, awards that will be announced during the evening will include ESA, Masonic, All-Around, Leadership and Excellence.

Presenting the class will be Constien and Superintendent of Schools Perry Adams.

Class recognition will be made by Clinton Board of Education members, including Wade Anders, Dr. Floyd Simon, Jr., rod Kinney, Ken Nunemaker and Richard Phillips.

Greeters for the exercises will include Bailey Anders, Lane Kinney, McKinley Lockhart, Austin McCullough and Shyanne Pullum.

An eighth grade vocal ensemble also will perform.

Members of the eighth grade class include:

Artura Altamirano, Raul Andablo, Aaron Anglin, Chelsea Ankney, Taylor Arriaga.

Tayler Baca, Kaylyn Baker, Shanique Baldwin, Jazmine Barrientos, John Barron, Shanna Barron, Cheyenne Beaver, BreAnna Bedford, John Beltran, Brittany Benavidez, Raven Bird, Winston Blakemore, Hannah Boas, A’shante Brooks, Ethan Burton, Landon Byrley.

Joy Camps, Hallie Campbell, Melissa Cano, Frank Casas, Briana Castro, Casey Chenoweth, Keanu Copeland, Michelle Corley, Jennifer Cox, Danielle Cruz.

Tucker Davis, April Douglas.

Nicholas Ellis, Alberto Escobedo.

Christian Faulkner, Diego Fernandez, Marleta Fletcher, Jason Franco, Phillip French, Kody Fuller.

Logan Gauger, Stacy Geswender, Landon Golden, Garrett Goucher, Brandon Gregory, Delans Griffin, Gabrielle Gubitz, Jacob Gulemuth, Biana Gutierrez, Lizbeth Gutierrez.

Quinton Harrelson, Inez Harrison, Delaney Hart, Jessica Heard, Aimee Hernandez, Felicia Hernandez, Gabriela Hernandez, Moriah Hester, Myranda Hester, Shane Hileman, Kaleb Holman, Rachel Holman, Demetra Howlingwolf, Celeste Hultron.

Jacob Jantz, Cristal Jaquez, Brittany Jefferson, Kendra Jennings, Jonathon Johnson, Kimberly Jones, Tara Jones.

Stacey Kehoe.

Ivan Labastida, Drew Lacy, John Lair, Maria Lamas, Kenneth Lehman, Marco Lopez, Alisha Lund.

Terrance Malone, Angelica Marin, Joel Martinez, Gabby McDowell, Erica Miles, Ramon Montano, Adela Morales.

Janet Navarrete, Taylor Neidy.

Cameron Perkins, Kayli Perkins, Ethan Pool.

Armando Ramos, Thomas Reeves, Jarrett Richert, Adrienne Rodriquez, Steve Rodriguez, Zavre Rodriquez, Justin Roper, Caitlin Rother, Luis Ruiz.

Armando Salcido, Victor Sambrano, Agnes Sevenstar, Blake Shaddon, Joshua Shaw, Elizabeth Sikes, Marchella Simmons, Aaron Snider, Adelina Solis, Juan Soto, Anna Spottedwolf, Preslee Stephens, Dillon Stoner, Ryan Stringer, Roy Stucker.

Marissa Tartsah, Ashlyn Taylor, Samantha Taylor, Ernest Thompson, Daniel Torres, Brandon Turney.

Bianca Valdez, Efrain Vargas, Marilu Vasquez, Alfredo Venegas, Allison Vincent.

Jerron Warden, Gary Westrick, Summer Whiteskunk, Dillon Whitten, Christopher Williams, Daniel Williams, Jakeb Willoughby, Angel Willson, Alyssa Wilson, London Worcester, Courtney Worthington.

Danielle Zuniga.

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Weatherford team to build WPLS facility - Gerald Green @ 1:56 pm CST
A proposal from Eddie Ber-rong and Craig Smith of Weatherford was accepted unanimously this morning by the board of the Western Plains Library System for the system¡¦s new headquar-ters building, to be located on land donated by the City of Clinton at S. 28th Street and W. Modelle Avenue.

Jane Janzen, director of WPLS, recommended the Weatherford team¡¦s proposal, and the board concurred. Sawatzky Construction, also of Weatherford, will be the builder.

Berrong and Smith will own the building and lease it to the library system with the understanding that WPLS may purchase it outright for $700,000 anytime within the first seven years.

The Smith-Berrong proposal was the most expensive of three that were received April 14, calling for lease payments of $7,713 per month. However, Mrs. Jan-zen inferred that it contained features „o including more office space „o that the other proposals did not, and that would make the WPLS staff more productive, thereby im-proving service to the public.

On her suggestion, the lease contract will be referred to the Oklahoma City law firm of Wallace and Bertman for review before it is signed. Mrs. Janzen indicated the company has been helpful in the nearly year-and-a-half process of selecting a build-ing site and builder, and said it has experience in handling construction contracts for governmental entities.

On a motion by Cheryl Lowry, the City of Clinton¡¦s new representative on the board who was attending her first meeting, the motion to accept the Berrong-Smith proposal was amended to make it clear that the build-ing would be bought outright as quickly as possible. The winning bidders agreed that would be no problem, and Smith said it might even be possible to do a partial lease, whereby WPLS would pay part of the purchase price up front in order to reduce the monthly lease payment.

During discussion prior to the vote, Mrs. Lowry said, ¡§I feel like no matter what we decide, we need to take own-ership of it quickly. If we pay a lease over seven years or ten years, we¡¦ve paid for the building. Then we¡¦re going to pay for it again.¡¨

She said she understands holding back money for regu-lar library needs if it¡¦s neces-sary, but she doesn¡¦t under-stand paying for the building twice if the money is avail-able. She contended that the library system could borrow money against certificates of deposit it holds and combine that money with E-rate funds and property tax monies and possibly pay the building off in short order.

She said the E-rate is good now and the ad valorem tax is good and concluded, ¡§The timing is good.¡¨

Mrs. Lowry took the lead role during the discussions, indi-cating she agreed with Mrs. Janzen¡¦s recommendation to accept the Weatherford team¡¦s proposal.

¡§When I first got the infor-mation and looked at the dol-lars, this was not my first choice,¡¨ she said. ¡§Then I looked at what was in the building. The cost of building for office space has to be higher than for warehousing. Even though we¡¦re voting for a more costly building, it¡¦s got more costly things in it. This has got a lot of quality office conveniences.¡¨

Smith had pointed out the same thing at an April 24 special meeting when the board met individually with each of the three would-be sets of owners.

Sheila Eddy, WPLS executive secretary and manager for the building project, had met privately with the three sets of applicants and gone over a list of questions. Smith noted that one of them was whether the building design met WPLS main office re-quirements.

¡§I feel like we met that,¡¨ he said. ¡§Does everybody?¡¨

Mrs. Eddy said they all met the requirement for ¡§work flow,¡¨ but Smith said he un-derstood there was a size re-quirement. Again, Mrs. Eddy indicated all were very close.

However, board chair Wanda Purcell of Cheyenne picked
up on Smith¡¦s insinuation.

¡§Do you think one didn¡¦t?¡¨ she asked, adding that if
there were problems, ¡§we need to get it on the table.¡¨

Smith then said outright that he felt his and

Berrong¡¦s pro-posal contained a lot more office space. He said the amount of space devoted to offices could mean a differ-ence of $600 to $700 a month in the lease price.

Mrs. Eddy said the Smith-Berrong proposal contained 9,465 square feet of office space and warehouse.

Smith said he wasn¡¦t refer-ring to warehouse space. He said his and Berrong¡¦s pro-posal was for 4,030 square feet of office space and he understood one of the other applicants had submitted a plan with only 2,400 square feet of office space, and he said that could amount to a difference of $75,000 to $80,000 in total building costs.

¡§We can put 2,400 square feet in and come way down on the price,¡¨ he said.

¡§I think we¡¦ll be considering that,¡¨ said Mrs. Janzen.

At today¡¦s meeting, she said, ¡§We do not intend to build a Cadillac building, but if it¡¦s serviceable, attractive and pleasant, people will feel good about coming to work.¡¨ She said employees wouldn¡¦t be embarrassed to bring their families into it or to have vendors selling books come in.

¡§We didn¡¦t just look at the bottom-line dollars; we looked at what would be best for Western Plains,¡¨ she said, adding that the more produc-tive the staff is, the better the service would be to the public.

Mrs. Lowry wanted one more thing clarified prior to the vote „o what the building exterior would look like. She said she had heard a lot of concerns about what the exterior would look like and whether it would fit in with the neighborhood.

Smith assured her that it not only would be attractive but also long-lasting.

He said it would be a concrete building with a textured Flexcoat finish. The Flexcoat comes in various colors, and he said the WPLS board could select whatever color it wants.

As for endurance, he said the State Fair Arena in Oklahoma City has a Flexcoat finish that was put on 30 years ago and it¡¦s never been redone.

Smith said he recently completed a new Honda building at Elk City that has a Flexcoat exterior.

Mrs. Janzen and board members thanked all three of the teams that submitted proposals „o the others were Ed and Gayla Janning, and Bryan Baca and Kevin Wolters, all of Clinton.

¡§I¡¦d like to thank all the builders,¡¨ said Nancy Koehn, board member reprsesenting the Town of Cordell. ¡§They were just so close.¡¨

One member of the board had summed up the difficult task she and her cohorts were facing when she remarked at the end of the April 24 meeting: ¡§Now this is gonna¡¦ be something.¡¨

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Burns Flat officer's son dies in second area pickup wreck - Gerald Green @ 3:00 pm CST
Four children riding in a pickup that overturned Saturday morning on U.S. Highway 183 South were treated and released  one of them after being air-evacuated to St. Francis Hospital in Tulsa  but a 17-year-old from Dill City who wrecked his pickup Sunday morning was not as fortunate. That young man, Orval Segler IV, was killed when he was ejected and pinned under the right front tire.

Trooper Jeff Parker of the Oklahoma Highway Patrol reported that Segler was driving a 1992 Ford pickup north on State Highway 44 when he apparently fell asleep 4½ miles north of Sentinel. The vehicle ran off the right side of the roadway, traveled 189 feet and struck a guardrail. It then rolled one time and traveled another 122 feet to the north where the driver was ejected, the pickup landing on top of him.

Segler was not wearing a seatbelt and was pronounced dead of massive injuries at the scene.

The accident happened at 7 a.m. Sunday.

Segler was the son of Sonny and Karen Segler of Dill City. His father is a Burns flat policeman.

Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. Wednesday in the Burns Flat-Dill City school gymnasium at Burns Flat. McClure Funeral Home of Cordell is in charge of arrangements.

No seatbelts were being used in the Saturday
accident, either, according to a report by Trooper Jarrett Iliff. However, the driver  29-year-old Christopher Landers of Clinton  was not injured, and three of his four children were treated at Integris Clinton Regional Hospital and released.

The fourth, 8-year-old Christian Rayan Landers, was taken first to the Clinton hospital and then transferred via helicopter to St. Francis Hospital in Tulsa where she too was released following treatment for head injuries.

The other children were Stormy Rose Landers, 10; Allison Jade Landers, 6; and Christopher Michael Landers, 5.

Iliff’s report said the father and children were northbound in a 2001 Nissan Frontier pickup when it ran off U.S. 183 to the right and Landers overcorrected to the left, then to the right. The pickup rolled one time; however, none of the five occupants was pinned or ejected.

Landers told Iliff that a dog ran in front of him.

That accident happened at 8:27 a.m. Saturday a short distance south of Walton Road near the south edge of Clinton.

Iliff was assisted by Clinton police and Trooper Micah Whittington. Clinton firefighters also responded to the scene and helped Sinor Emergency Medical Service personnel remove the children.

At the scene of the Sunday fatality, Parker was assisted by Iliff and Trooper Chris Laufer, along with Washita County sheriff’s officers. Sentinel ambulance personnel also responded, as did Sentinel and Burns Flat firemen.

There were no passengers in the pickup.

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