2006 — The Commercial Federal
building became Bank of the West.
The Foundation
was laid for the POW-MIA Monument in War Memorial Park,
located near the northeast corner of Highland and Grand
Ave.
On January 6, Wildcat wrestlers defeated
the Sand Springs team at Robson Fieldhouse.
Stan
Paynter and Wayne Foxworthy filed as candidates for
seats No. 4 and No. 2 respectively on the Ponca City
Board of Commissioners. No other candidates filed by the
deadline, so both men were automatically elected.
Billionaire Boone Pickens donated $165 million to help
OSU towards its goal of creating an athletic village
north of the football stadium.
Perkins Family
Restaurant celebrated the opening of their new building
on January 10. The original restaurant was destroyed by
fire on Mother’s Day 2005.
Carl Renfro and his
wife, Carolyn, donated $300,000 to be used for student
scholarships at University Center at Ponca City. The
center had changed their name from University Learning
Center.
Tim Burg, assistant director of Ponca
City Development Authority, was named emcee for the
112th Chamber of Commerce Banquet.
Brian
Hermanson, local attorney, was sworn in as a member of
the Oklahoma Bar Association Board of Governors.
Carl and Carolyn Renfro donated $500,000 to the Marland
Estate Foundation.
Tom Quillin was named
Outstanding Citizen at the Chamber Banquet. Other
honorees were Don Nuzum, Community Service Award;
Garroutte Manufacturing, industry of the Year; Debbie
Covey, Ambassador of the Year; and Sandy Pendergraft,
Larry Hughes Leadership Award. The new chairman for 2006
was Kelly Johnson, and Brad Parker was outgoing
chairman.
Contractors began construction of the
new Garfield School.
Union Elementary was
recognized as a National Title I Distinguished School.
In February, ConocoPhillips announced that they
would donate the Research East Lab building to Oklahoma
State University, plus a $2 million endowment to
establish a University Multispectral Laboratory (UML) in
Ponca City. Mayor Stone pledged the city’s support to
match up to $2 million towards the sensor research lab.
The funds would come from the Ponca City Development
Authority. AMTI, a government contractor headquartered
in Huntington Beach, Va. will manage the UML. The PCDA
estimated the economic impact of the facility would be
over $120 million over the next ten years.
First
Lutheran Church began construction of three new school
buildings, adding more classrooms to the current school.
The Osage Nation built a physical therapy
center, the New Wave Clinic at 3202 N. 14th.
The state of Oklahoma began construction of a $6 million
travel information center near Blackwell along I-35.
A new cable channel, Channel 22, was set up as a
Ponca City government communication channel, featuring
information about city government. The city commission
meetings are also televised on the channel.
Stan
Paynter and Wayne Foxworthy were sworn in for three-year
terms on the City Commission.
The Po-Hi
wrestling team won its fourth consecutive state Class 5A
wrestling tournament championship in February. Trey
Branscum was the lone Wildcat individual champion. The
local wrestlers failed to win the dual state tournament,
however, finishing second behind Midwest City.
Po-Hi swimmer Kyle Millemon finished first in the
50-meter freestyle competition to claim the individual
state title.
The Poncan Theatre Board of
Directors hired Dave May as the new executive director.
Don Garrison, director of jail inspections for the
Oklahoma State Department of Protective Health Services,
gave Kay County leaders 60 days to come up with a plan
and a timetable for solutions to county jail problems or
face fines and/or jail closure. Garrison toured the
facility and found many concerns, including
overcrowding, spray painted lights, broken windows and
general lack of maintenance.
Effective March
1st, all Oklahoma restaurants were to be entirely smoke
free, or have a specially equipped smoking room to
protect nonsmokers from exposure to secondhand tobacco
smoke.
Ponca City Main Street members and guests
had a great time at the 2006 Annual Awards Banquet at
the Ponca Townsite Company. The banquet theme was “Ponca
City Main Street Spurs Success in the Wild, Wild West.”
Union Elementary received a check for $32,462 as
part of a national Title I awards program that the state
coordinates. The check was one of 22 awards given to
high-poverty schools.
March 5 marked the
historic groundbreaking for the new $5 million Conoco
History Museum on South Avenue and Osage St.
Ponca City Council of Garden Clubs used a $1900 grant to
install landscaping at the Prisoner of War/Missing in
Action Monument in War Memorial Park at 5th and
Highland.
Rashawn Parker of Ponca City was named
to the all-Frontier Conference second team in a vote of
conference basketball coaches. Parker was the only
player from Ponca City to be included.
Matthew
Reeder, 8th grader at First Lutheran School, was one of
the finalists eligible to compete in the 2006 Oklahoma
Geographic Bee.
Kevin Hammell was hired as the
head tennis professional at Ponca City Country Club,
replacing Brad Louderback.
In mid-March,
Blackwell residents Josh and Julie Free awoke to camera
crews and a check for $100,000. The couple was one of
three families nationwide selected out of 54 million
entries in the HGTV 10th Anniversary Dream Home
Giveaway. They flew to Asheville, North Carolina and
drew from the three keys, one of which would open the
door of the 5200 square foot, fully furnished luxury
mountain home, overlooking Lake Lure in North Carolina.
Their key did not open the door, but they had the time
of their lives…and $100,000!
A monument to the
past and a beacon to the future, the Standing Bear
Museum was set to become a reality, with the aid of
grants and a $1 million trust to be used for operational
funds. The trust was made possible by a personal
contribution from Ponca City banker Carl Renfro and his
wife, Carolyn.
Cheryl Snyder, first grade
teacher at Woodlands Elementary, was named the Ponca
City District Teacher of the Year. Other finalists were
Vicki Wasson, special education teacher at Union
Elementary, and Joan Wright, music instructor at West
Middle School.
John Tyson, Chairman and CEO of
Tyson Foods Inc., flew into Ponca City with a team from
corporate headquarters in Springdale, Ark. They were on
a field mission, visiting company owned plants. Tyson
Foods officials proclaimed that the products at the
Ponca City plant are some of the most profitable items
for the company. Tyson and the Ponca City Development
Authority hosted a luncheon for civic leaders at the
plant, featuring the products that are produced here.
Jeremy Stillwell, a Ponca City native and keyboard
player for the group, “Banana Seat,” returned to his
hometown April 8 to perform at the Ponca Townsite
Company. They played for the “Chef to Chef” event, a
fundraiser for Friends of Education.
First
National Bank of Oklahoma announced they would build a
new bank on Prospect, east of N. 14th Street. The new
$1.5 million building will be 6,000 square feet, with up
to five drive-ins.
The Ponca City High School
Robotics Team 476 returned victorious after competing at
the Houston Lone Star Regional. Competing against 54
teams, they made it to the quarterfinals of the
elimination round and brought home the Industrial Safety
Award and the coveted Engineering Inspiration Award. The
Safety Award recognizes the team that progresses beyond
the safety fundamentals by using innovative ways to
eliminate or protect against hazards.
Kay
County’s unemployment rate for February was 5.5%,
according to the Oklahoma Employment Security
Commission. Their figures showed a workforce of 20,470
in Kay County with 1,120 unemployed.
Ron
Armstrong, ConocoPhillips refinery manager, reported
“2005 was the best year ever at the refinery, and 2006
is probably the busiest year in the history of them all.
With all of the clean fuels investment for clean
gasoline and clean diesel, we’ve spent about $310
million,” he commented. “Those projects have positioned
the refinery to be a stable long term contributor to
ConocoPhilips portfolio. The key things we look at when
measuring our performance are safety, environment and
the reliability of our operations,” Armstrong continued.
In early May, the Ponca City Medical Center was
officially handed over to the new owners, Community
Health Systems, with Dennis Barts as CEO.
Susan
Powell was named the new district secondary curriculum
and assessment coordinator for the Board of Education.
Chad Wilson was named the new assistant principal
at East Middle School for the 2006-07 school year.
Wilson had taught social studies at the high school for
three years and also was head basketball coach.
Roger and Anita Smith were recognized as American Red
Cross Everyday Heroes for their volunteer work at Camp
Gruber, a shelter camp for Hurricane Katrina survivors
in 2005.
City Commissioner Stan Paynter, a
Republican, announced his candidacy for the State House
of Representatives.
According to Jim Gallogly,
executive vice president of refining, marketing and
transportation for ConocoPhillips, visited the Ponca
City complex in early May. He commented that the company
had moved up on the Fortune 500 list, passing General
Electric in sales, and is now ranked No. 6.
The
56-year-old Tonkawa Foundry received a $600,000
low-interest loan through the office of State Treasurer
Scott Meacham. The Linked Deposit Program kept the
family owned company from closing their doors.
The local Salvation Army announced the opening of a new
Boys & Girls Club. With a theme of “Kids Under
Construction,” the club will be the sixth one in
Oklahoma. They received start-up funding for $40,000
from the U.S. Department of Justices’ Office of Juvenile
Justice and Delinquency Prevention.
The Ponca
City public schools participated in the Summer Food
Service Program with free meals available for all
children ages 18 and under.
Ponca City was busy
with lots of tourism activities in June. The first
weekend kicked off with 120 old car enthusiasts
attending the Early Model Ford V8 Club event. At the
same time, there was the Herb Festival at the Cann
Memorial Botanical Gardens, Draggin’ Grand, and the 30th
Anniversary of the city’s ownership of the Marland
Mansion.
The University of Oklahoma escorted
representatives from eight countries, affiliated with
the Foreign Press Center in New York, on a trip to Ponca
City to “Explore American Diversity: A Visit to
America’s Heartland.”
The Bank of Oklahoma
collected thousands of books for underprivileged
children throughout Kay County during the third annual
Caring for Kids Book by Book literacy campaign.
Brent Giddens was named the new Wildcat head basketball
coach.
Po-Hi graduate Major Chase Freeman was
awarded the bronze star for exceptional valor under fire
while serving in Afghanistan. Freeman was honored for
his heroics during an October 2005 operation in the
vicinity of Bagh-Khosal Village.
The North
Central Job Fair at Pioneer Technology Center in
mid-June helped employers connect with potential
employees in the Kay and Osage County Area.
Ponca City Medical Center launched Health Connection, a
new eight-page quarterly community magazine.
The
Ponca City Noon Lions held its annual awards banquet at
the Ponca City County Club. A power point show of the
year’s events emphasized the scope of the Lion’s
community service activities. Brice Chism was awarded
the Melvin E. Jones Fellowship Award, named for the
founder of Lions International. Ted Matson, president,
presented the award to Chism for his outstanding service
to the local club.
On June 15, Paul LittleVoice,
the oldest veteran in the Ponca Tribe, was honored with
a traditional dance and meal in celebration of his 90th
birthday.
State Sen. David Myers did not draw an
opponent for his District 20 Senator seat, so he was
automatically re-elected to a second four-year term in
the Oklahoma State Legislature.
The City
Commission approved the city’s $77 million budget for
Fiscal Year 2006-2007.
Ponca City Development
Authority voted to join the City of Ponca City in
matching a $20,000 Community Development Block Grant
(CDBG), for a homebuyer program.
Po-Hi varsity
cheerleaders attended an ACA Camp in Denton, Texas. The
squad received a trophy for their Fun Jam performance
and choreography. They also received a bid to the ACA
national competition at Ft. Worth in January. The
cheerleaders also received a five-star evaluation, which
is only given to a perfectly executed performance.
Ethel Dorothea Franklin Orr, 92, was the recipient of
the 2006 Pioneer Woman of the Year award, given at a
ceremony at the Pioneer Woman Museum. Selection for the
award was based on three criteria points: service and
activities which benefit the people of the state of
Oklahoma; personal character qualities which exemplify
an outstanding woman; and a letter of recommendation
which highlights specific examples of service and
qualities of the candidate.
In mid June, Aldi’s,
a new grocery store, was being constructed on East
Prospect, between Long John Silvers and El Chico. The
Aldi’s retail chain, privately held by a German company,
has more than 800 stores in the United States.
June was a busy month at the Marland Estate. The
Oklahoma Mayor’s Annual meeting held some of their
events at the Mansion. There were 2,112 people attending
events during
June, 1095 tourists visited the
mansion for tours, along with 145 Ponca City residents.
The visitors’ tours also included six tour buses, nine
school tours and one ConocoPhillips tour. In addition,
there were eight weddings and receptions.
The
Oklahoma Department of Wildlife and the Ponca City Park
and Recreation Department held a free youth catch and
release fishing clinic at the Marland Mansion pond.
Wildlife Department personnel provided instruction on
fish identification, casting safety, and knot tying.
The popular local quartet, Forgiven, presented
their 25th Anniversary Concert at the Poncan Theatre.
Austin Wentroth of the Ponca City Cardinals
baseball team was named to the Al Ice Memorial Woodbat
Classic all-tournament team. Wentroth batted .400 for
the tournament while extending his current hitting
streak to nine games.
In late June, the Great
Racers headed out of Missouri on their way to an
overnight stop in Wichita, after making a brief foray
into Oklahoma. They were in third place in the Grand
Championship Division through the first six stages.
On July 2, the Oklahoma State Department of Health
issued an Administrative Compliance Order to Kay County
Commissioners and the sheriff, stating that the jail did
not meet state standards. The order gave the county 15
days to fix the problems or be fined. Later, the county
was fined $95,000 for violations that included
insufficient bunking space, missing drain covers, faulty
showers, and overcrowding.
On July 4, county
commissioners considered the idea of putting televisions
in the jail in an effort to occupy inmates and keep them
from tearing up the jail. “They are like a herd of
cattle,” said Commissioner Wayne Leven. “You have to
keep them docile.” The television idea was soon dropped.
The following week, several jail consultants
traveled to Kay County to tour the jail. They shared
several conclusions with the public including: The jail
is poorly designed; inmate supervision is impossible;
the jail suffers from construction deficiencies; it is
poorly maintained and understaffed; and the Kay County
system is in need of a vision and a clear mission for
corrections.
Road crews began work on the Union
Street bridge overpass over Highland. The work was
scheduled to be completed in August.
Mayor Dick
Stone announced that it was time for citizens to comply
with city codes. Residents were asked to clean their
yards of debris and mow, or risk receiving a citation.
The Great Race continued into July with the three local
racers heading to Colorado toward their final
destination of San Rafael, California.
Ponca
City educators reviewed preliminary test results for the
2005-2006 school year. Officials said the scores showed
a decline in reading and special education scores.
Quizno’s, the sub shop, opened in Ponca Plaza. Rick and
Wendy Hubler are the franchise owners.
The OG&E
Sooner generating plant south of Ponca City announced
plans of an expansion project that is predicted to have
a $20 million impact in ad valorem taxes to north
central Oklahoma.
A relatively young Ponca City
business, Custom Mechanical Equipment, was breaking all
sorts of production records.
The problems at the
Kay County Jail continued to surface, including faulty
locks on the doors and dirty showers.
On August
1, a special cleaning crew removed mercury contamination
from a Ponca City residence. They first sealed
everything in plastic, and then took extra precautions
as they removed all contents of the house.
On
August 3, Stephanie Kline went to Hollywood for a week
to study at the Millennium Dance Center for a perpetual
motion production.
The code enforcement
department prepared for a crackdown of businesses and
residential areas that had exceedingly tall grass and
brush, what Development Director Chris Henderson called
“a haven for rodents and snakes.” The tall grasses also
pose a fire danger.
About 100 athletes checked
out equipment for the first practices at Po-Hi for
football season.
A number of Vietnam Veterans
and others worked at War Memorial Park to erect a
flagpole at the new POW/MIA Memorial at 5th Street and
Highland.
Chris Walker was named the new Ponca
City High School wresting coach.
Po-Hi Lady Cat
volleyball coach Steve McKay announced his retirement
for the second and “last time, forever.” McKay had
served a total of 27 years as the Po-Hi coach during
1977-2002 and 2005-2006.
The Big Chief RV Park
completed basic construction. Located on West North Ave.
in the Bois D’Arc area, the park has 40 recreational
vehicle spaces, with plans to add more.
Corral
West Ranchwear on North 14th Street doubled the size of
their store with a $185,000 addition.
AMC Urgent
Care Plus opened its doors for business in Ponca Plaza,
offering a minor emergency and occupational medicine
center.
On October 13, the Otoe-Missouria Tribe
held a “soft opening” of the new 7 Clans Travel Mart
Plaza located north of Newkirk on U.S. 77. The travel
plaza features a deli along with 93 gaming machines.
Car Mart opened its lot and doors for business at
3314 N. 14th St.
Veteran’s Day brought the
annual Veteran’s Day Parade, and citizens focused their
attention more than ever on the war in Iraq and the
sacrifices that our veterans have made.
Kay
County War Memorial additions were dedicated November
11, during a ceremony on the Kay county Courthouse lawn
that included a flyover by fighter jets. Norma Lamb,
Kathie Hartley, mother of fallen soldier Jed Hartley,
and Garry Bilger unveiled the additions. Hartley was
also honored by the state as a stretch of U.S. 77 north
of Newkirk was named after him.
The long
awaited reconstruction of the Ponca City High School War
Memorial began.
In the governor’s election,
Democrat Brad Henry’s victory over Republican Rep.
Ernest Istook was the biggest landslide in an Oklahoma
governor’s race in almost 50 years. Henry garnered 66.5%
of the vote.
Democrat Ken Luttrell won the
Oklahoma District 37 House of Representatives seat with
55% of the vote over Republican Stan Paynter.
The democratic process heated up in Ponca City with
several discussions and forums on the controversial
sales tax ballot slated to finance a new Performing Arts
Center, Sports Complex, and Streetscape projects. There
were numerous meetings where citizens debated and
examined the issue.
The Centennial House Project
moved into high gear as volunteers gathered to build a
new house on Highland Avenue at Ash Street for a working
single mom with two children at home. To commemorate the
pioneer spirit of the Oklahoma Centennial, United Way,
Americorps, Habitat for Humanity, Chamber of Commerce,
Community Volunteer Center and the city of Ponca City
partnered with citizens to complete the home in time for
Thanksgiving.
Groundbreaking ceremonies were
held at Standing Bear Park on November 13 for the new
Standing Bear Museum.
The Board of Education
made the decision to close Washington Elementary
following the end of the school year, and establish new
attendance boundaries. Garfield Elementary was scheduled
to open in September 2007.
Former Po-Hi graduate
John Munger was named the new assistant principal at
Po-Hi, taking over for Scott Taylor, who had served as
assistant principal since 2005.
On December 3,
singer Tony Bennett landed his plane at Greenwood
Aviation at the Ponca City Airport to refuel. He visited
with Chuck Greenwood about “our fine town.”
On
December 4, the Ponca City Development Authority Board
of Trustees unanimously approved the agreement with OSU
to provide $2 million in economic incentives to develop
the nation’s first sensor testing center in Ponca City.
Now known as the University Multispectral Lab or UML,
there will be 80 full-time permanent employees. The
center will test sensors and research from universities
and private companies from all over the world. According
to an economic impact model prepared by PCDA, the UML
will create $140 million in economic benefits to Ponca
City over the next ten years.
Don Nuzum and
Debra Herron filed for the two vacancies on the school
board. Since they were uncontested, there was no
election in February. Larry Buck was unopposed for
Pioneer Technology Center’s Office 5, so he will have
another five years on that board.
Sykes
Enterprises was named a recipient of the 2006 Governor’s
Disability Employment Awards of Excellence, presented in
Oklahoma City.
On December 12, County
Commissioner Dee Schieber reported that a portion of
Lake Road would be closed between Longwood and Rock
Cliff for at least 60 days. Crews were constructing a
new bridge over Coon Creek.
By a 57-43 percent
margin, Ponca City voters rejected a proposed one
percent sales tax for three city projects. The projects
included a YMCA Recreation Center, a Performing Arts
Center, and a newly designed streetscape for downtown.
Michael Anderson of Ponca City proved that it is
always smart to check your Lottery tickets. Anderson
checked a Powerball ticket sitting on his dresser and
discovered that it was a $200,000 winner from the Nov. 1
drawing.
At the annual North Central Board of
Realtors banquet, Faye and Bob Askew received 25-year
service awards. Bev Cunningham was named the Most
Cooperative Realtor, Steve Hermann was the Realtor
Associate of the Year and Glenn Bacher was awarded
Realtor of the Year.
Homer Nicholson announced
his candidacy for mayor of Ponca City in the upcoming
election set for Feb. 13, 2007. Nicholson is retired
from ConocoPhillips with 38 years of service and retired
from the U.S. Army Reserve as a Command Sergeant Major
with 35 years of service. He has resided in Ponca City
for 44 years, and owns a local Real Estate and Auction
business.
Middle school students auditioned and
earned a spot in the North Central Honor Orchestra.
Named were Gabrielle Gregg, Garrett Vogele, Meagan
Green, Dylan Labon, Jaryd Hintch, Kristen Stangeland,
Brittney Barham, and Amber Evans.
Susan Powell,
secondary curriculum and assessment coordinator,
reported to the Ponca City School Board that there has
been a steady increase in API scores. Lincoln Elementary
had the highest API gain in 2006. Woodlands Elementary
had the highest API score in the district, followed by
Trout and Union.