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Waurika Class of 1978 Reunion This Saturday

By
Curtis Plant
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 The Waurika High School Class of 1978 will be celebrating 40 years since graduation this weekend. This class graduated 47 members on May 18, 1978, which made the class one of the largest in the history of the school.

The 40-Year Reunion will take place at Doc’s Place in Waurika on Saturday, October 13 at 5:00pm, which is the day after this year’s Homecoming festivities. The restaurant is owned by one of the class members, Mark Lehew and his wife, Susan. It will be a casual time of getting together and reuniting with old friends.

Fifteen class members are living in the Waurika area now, supporting their hometown and helping keep it alive. Eight have passed away.

Spouses and friends from other classes are welcome to come! 

Classmates from 1978 included Alfred Webb, Aliza Roe, Angela Way, Anita Randolph Goza-Solomon, Bill Collins, Billy Michel, C.L. McClarty, Charles O’neal, Connie Helms Hawkins, Deana Christian Mendenall, Debbie Latta Brandon, Don Bledsoe, Dowd Waid, Jana Estep DeNunzio, Jim Porterfield, Jimmie Sanders Busby, John Dyer, Johnny Berry, Johnny Griffin, Julie Hutcheson Keith, Leonard Iglesias, Mark Lehew, Mark Stuart, Marsha Newsom Morgan, Monte Bates, Paul Cartledge, Paul Mendenall, Rebecca Largent Goodman, Ricky McDonald, Robin McDaniel Cartledge, Ron Bush, Ronald Hall, Ronnie Bohot, Sandra Richardson Watkins, Sheila Lott, Shelby Barnes, Sherry Morris Kettner, Shirley Wilkerson, Sonny Richardson, Steve Smith, Steven Bowen, Teresa Goss Biffle, Theresa Wallace, Tim Boren, Torin Renner, Vernon Dean and Wendall Doyal.

Carter Waid Re-Appointed to Cameron Advisory Board

By
Curtis Plant
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 Carter Waid of Waurika was recently re-appointed to the Cameron University Advisory Board.

Waid commended Susan Camp for being instrumental inputting the board into operation. 

This will be his second time to serve in this capacity. 

His role is to offer advice to the Cameron President and the Board of Regents on ways the school and the student experiences can be improved. 

Cameron, he says, is adding to their science lab as well as other departments. 

He would like to remind everyone that Cameron classes can be attended in Duncan. 

Women’s Haven Event to Help Raise Awareness of Teen Dating Violence

By
Curtis Plant
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February is Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month.  Dating violence is a pattern of behavior involving the use or attempted use of physical, sexual, verbal, emotional, economic, technological or other abusive behavior to harm, harass, intimidate, manipulate, control, isolate, restrain or  monitor another person with whom they have had a social relationship involving a physical, emotional, or sexual component in any form.  One in three teens, ages 12 to 18, in the U.S. today has experienced some form of dating violence, and studies have shown this behavior to carry through into adult relationships. The ultimate goal of prevention and intervention is to stop dating violence before it begins.

Studies investigating the effectiveness of programs to prevent dating violence are beginning to show positive results. Most programs focus on changing knowledge, attitudes and behaviors linked with dating violence while focusing on the skills needed to build healthy relationships. Women’s Haven offers presentations and a program to educate teens in these areas.  If you have any questions or would like more information about the educational and preventive services that we offer, please contact Women’s Haven 580-252-4357 (HELP) or toll free -1-877-970-4357.

Women’s Haven, a United Way agency, will be presenting an event to help raise awareness of teen dating violence in our community.  The event will be held on Wednesday, February 28th at 7:00pm at Connections Church (1302 US Hwy 81, Duncan).  Everyone is invited to attend the event to learn about the impact of teen dating violence in our community, how to recognize the warning signs and what we can do to help and support our youth.

During the preteen and teen years, young people are learning the skills they need to form positive, healthy relationships with others. This is an ideal time to promote healthy relationships and prevent patterns of relationship violence that can last into adulthood.

Dating violence does not come out of love, it arises from jealousy and insecurity and a need for control. We need to stop it now. By acknowledging and speaking out against teen dating violence, by teaching comprehensively about domestic violence, sexual violence and healthy youth relationships, by providing a safe space for help and for discussion, you could make the difference in the lives of young people.

The Oklahoma Academy to Hold SW Region Gubernatorial Candidate Forum in Duncan

By
Curtis Plant
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Oklahoma gubernatorial candidates will discuss issues facing the state during a public forum April 19th in Duncan at the Simmons Center, 800 Chisholm Trail Pkwy, Duncan.  This will be the third such forum of seven sponsored by The Oklahoma Academy for State Goals. The forum is free and open to the public.

The SW Region forum will take place from 5:30 to 7:30p.m. with the following candidates attending: Former Mayor of Oklahoma City Mick Cornett, Lieutenant Governor Todd Lamb, Senator Connie Johnson, former Attorney General and gubernatorial candidate Drew Edmondson, former US District Attorney and former gubernatorial candidate Gary Richardson, State Auditor Gary Jones, Broken Arrow businessman Rex Lawhorn, Wynnewood businessman Joe Maldonado, and Bethany businessman and former Chairman of the Libertarian Party Chris Powell. Candidates Norman Jay Brown, Dan Fisher, and Kevin Stitt were also invited but are not able to attend.

David Stewart, Chairman of The Oklahoma Academy and Chief Administrative Officer & Trustee of Oklahoma Ordnance Works Authority & MidAmerica Industrial Park in Pryor said “The forums are geared to provide opportunity for citizens to hear the candidates express their views and ideas on issues that are critical to Oklahoma’s future.  The Academy has provided questions to the candidates prior to the forum so they can do some homework and come prepared.  The Academy has historically provided these forums during gubernatorial election years to ensure that citizens have more than just sound-bite information from candidates on important issues.”  

Chris Deal, President of the Duncan Chamber of Commerce and Lyle Roggow, President of the Duncan Area Economic Development Foundation will open the forum and welcome everyone.  “We are very pleased to partner with The Oklahoma Academy to hold the SW Region Gubernatorial Forum.  Having the candidates here in Duncan is important to not only our community, but to the SW Region as well,” said Chris Deal, Duncan Chamber President.  Lyle Roggow, Duncan Area Economic Development Foundation President stated “This is an excellent opportunity for citizens in the SW Region to gain an informative insight into the views and plans of the candidates who aspire to be the next leader of our state.” 

The forum will be moderated by John Budd, Chair-Elect of the Oklahoma Academy and Chief Development and Strategy Officer for Sonic Corp.

Candidates will share their thoughts and plans on policy issues covering the state budget, economic growth outlook, education, and more.  

The Oklahoma Academy is a statewide nonprofit, nonpartisan, membership organization founded by Governor Henry Bellmon in 1967 to bring public attention to policy issues, provide objective, thorough research, develop consensus public policy recommendations, and act as a catalyst for positive change.

The forum is free and open to the public. For more information on this forum call the Academy office at 405.307.0986 or email Jamie@okacademy.org.  For information on The Oklahoma Academy visit their website at www.okacademy.org. 

Caitlyn Ramsey Selected as Princess

By
Curtis Plant
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Caitlyn Ramsey (left) was named the 2018 National Miniature Hereford Breeders

Association princess. Caitlyn Ramsey’s parents are Casey and Ruslyn Ramsey.

Caitlyn Ramsey, a 5th grader from Waurika was named the 2018 National Miniature Hereford Breeders Association princess. To compete, Caitlyn had to submit an application along with her resume, answer an essay question and send a head and shoulder picture of herself. She, along with 6 other girls were then judged on their submissions by 2 non Mini Hereford breeders and 1 Mini Hereford breeder. To be a princess you must be between the ages of 10 and 14 and have Miniature Hereford cattle in your name as well as attend/show at the National Western Stock Show in Denver, CO. and Miniature Hereford Junior Nationals which will be held this year in Kearney, NE. The Miniature Hereford Breeders Association has always had a queen, but this year the queen coordinator added the princess title. “There are many young kids showing this breed and it’s time they were represented along with the older kids. By having a princess, it shows the younger girls that they too are leaders and someone to look up too.” Caitlyn along with queen Sarah Potter of Silverton, OR were crowned Jan. 20th in Denver at the annual MHBA banquet. Congratulations Caitlyn!

Celebrate “Downtown Again!” this weekend. Lots of activities for the whole family!

By
Jessica Cornelison
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Waurika’s brick Main Street will be bustling this weekend, thanks to the Waurika Chamber of Commerce’s annual Downtown Again celebration. It’s no secret that our Main Street has seen some amazing renovations over the last year or so.  This weekend is all about highlighting the positive changes that have happened and are continuing to happen along our brick streets.

Downtown Again is a celebration created by Waurikans, for Waurikans.  It focuses on our beautiful Main Street and all that downtown Waurika could be.  While the purpose of the weekend is to get residents downtown to play and shop by offering free and inexpensive family fun, it is also a great chance for those who may be considering opening a new business in the area to see what kind of spaces are available downtown. You can expect to find some great local food and drink, lots of fun activities for every age, and plenty of opportunities to relax and enjoy our downtown!

Lindsey Forst says she was surprised last year by all the fun going on. “We had so much fun at last year’s Downtown Again event. We planned to only run down there for a short time and ended up running into so many friends. We called more family members to come join us and ended up spending most of the day visiting, eating and letting the kids do activities. So nice to see the community come together for a great event!”

This year’s event kicks off Friday evening with a free outdoor movie.  Star Wars: The Last Jedi will begin at 9pm, on site of The Empress Theater. Doc’s Place will open their first ever pop up shop that evening for snacks and adult libations on Main Street!

Registration for the Downtown Dash 5K and 1 Mile Walk will begin at 8am on Saturday.  This year, an optional obstacle course has been added to the route, making it more fun and more challenging for participants. Some obstacle examples include a mud pit, slip & slide, and climbing wall just to name a few. The race will start at 9am and this year takes participants through beautiful Harmon Park. The cost for individuals to participate is $30, groups of 5 or more will be $20 per person, and student registration will be $10. This is truly a family event.

Another great addition to this annual event is the debut of the Waurika Farmers Market, which will be kicking off at 10am on Saturday.  There will be a crowd judged salsa-making contest, complete with free samples, as well as backyard gardeners selling produce and other homemade or home-produced edibles like local honey.  There will also be plenty of plants for sale to get your own garden going! The winners of the salsa-making contest will be announced at 2pm.

A Youth 3v3 basketball tournament will begin at noon and is free to participants.  You must register in order to play and can do so on-site.  There will be a 3v3 basketball tournament for ages 13 and up and will start at 3pm.  Cost is $10 per player.

Kids will have the chance to participate in a paint party from 1pm to 2:30pm with artist Jana Oakman.  Adults can also stop in and paint at any time between the hours of 1pm and 5pm.  Kids will be painting “Crazy Birds” and adults will have several options to choose from.   Costs for the paint classes vary depending on age.

Doc’s Place will again open noon til ..?, serving sidewalk eats and drinks.  The Food Pantry will be hosting a benefit BBQ meal from 11am to 1pm at the Senior Citizen’s Center.  (Donations accepted, no price per plate). The Scholastic Book Fair will debut in the lobby of the newspaper office.  A bounce house will be at Small Town Creations, as well as numerous lawn games on The Lawn on Main.  Circle D’s will be open Saturday evening, serving Mexican food in honor of Cinco de Mayo.

Saturday night will wrap up with a free showing of Pixar’s Coco at 9pm at The Empress.  A dance will be held in the Farmer’s Market, which will also begin at 9pm.

Full Lineup of Events:  

Friday 9pm:  Bring your blankets and lawn chairs!  Free outdoor movie at the Empress Theater site on Main. Snacks and drinks available for purchase from Doc’s Place Pop Up across the street.

Saturday: 

8am – Downtown Dash 5K/1 Mile Walk registration, Main & Broadway

9am – Downtown Dash 5K/1 Mile Walk begins

10am – Farmers Market and other activities open, all along Main

11am – 1pm – BBQ Benefit Lunch for Food Pantry, Sr. Citizen’s Center on Main

Noon – Youth 3v3 Basketball Tournament, Main & Broadway

1pm -2:30pm – Kids paint class, Small Town Creations

1pm – 5pm – Adult painting sessions, Small Town Creations.  Stop in at any time to paint a masterpiece!

2pm – Salsa Contest winners announced

3pm – Adult 3v3 Basketball Tournament, Main & Broadway

9pm – Free outdoor movie at the Empress.

9pm – Dance, Farmers Market

All Day:  bounce house, Doc’s Place Pop Up, Scholastic Book Fair, yard games

Evening:  Circle D’s serving Mexican food for Cinco de Mayo

Come enjoy Waurika’s beautiful Main Street like it was meant to be. Meet up with friends, sit a spell along the sidewalks, shop, and enjoy the atmosphere of a vibrant Downtown Again!

Waurika Cemetery Board Meeting

By
Curtis Plant
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0

The Waurika Cemetery Board had their meeting recently at Waurika City Hall. 

Jim Gibson presided over the meeting. 

America Dudley read the minutes from the previous meeting. 

Jim began the meeting by announcing that there were two new members added to the board. 

The new members are Mary Abernathy and Loretta Richardson. 

Next, Jim said that they had recieved two bids for mowing the Waurika Cemetery but that it still needs to run one more week in the newspaper. 

America said the Treasurer report was the same as it was at the previous meeting. 

Mary Abernathy said she wants the cemetery to continuously look good. She said that was very important to her. 

The possibility of donations was discussed. 

Another question asked was how much it cost to operate the cemetery on a yearly basis.

Someone asked if an itemized statement of income and expenses could be presented at least once year to those who attend the yearly meeting. 

The board voted to do this in the future. 

The estimated yearly expense discussed was somewhere around $26,000.00. 

The question arose again about transparency and that led to what was spent in 2017. The board responded that the only real major expense that year was the building of the fence. Someone else asked it if would ever be finished and painted. 

The board said they would like to have gates at the cemetery where it can be locked. 

Another question asked was how to assist those who come in from out of town looking for the graves of their loved ones, especially on holidays. 

The Board said that at the moment, the Insurance Commissioner had all those records. 

It was also noted that maps of the cemetery were located at the Dudley Funeral Home in Waurika. However, it was also stated that it was not very readable. 

Someone suggested that volunteers could get together to map the cemetery and produce a new map that could be available to visitors to the cemetery. 

There being  no further business, the meeting was adjourned. 

Round Ryan April 25 2019

By
Dennis Underwood
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0
Ryan Main Street

 The Ryan School Athletic Department is having a fundraising meal on May 5th from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm, you can eat in or take home.  The menu consists of pulled pork and smoked sausage with the normal side dishes.  Join us and get some good groceries.

 The Ryan School music department and the cheerleaders are hosting a school wide variety show on May 14th at 6:30 pm.  Concessions will be available and you can purchase raffle tickets for a Texas Ranger game from any of the cheerleaders.

 Summer baseball and softball are starting up with practice going on as I write.  I will try to keep you apprised of the game schedules as they become available.

 Gardening season seems to be going strong.  Friends and family are posting photos on social media daily.  I picked strawberries this week and man they were good.  I am really looking forward to the fresh plums, apricots and peaches to get ripe.

 I just finished another book.  This one was written by Elmer Kelton.  The title is “Texas Standoff”.  If you have never read any of Mr. Keltons books, I would recommend any of his books.  The first one for me was “The Good Old Boys”.  This is a western set in the time when horses and buggies were being replaced with cars and tractors.  The main characters are stuck in between the old and the new and trying to figure out if and where they belong.  This would not make my top ten list but it is well worth your time.

Two books that should make that list are, “The Age of Eisenhower” by William I. Hitchcock.  Mr. Eisenhower is not one of the presidents that I learned much about in high school history which is a shame really.  He was a bit lukewarm on the subject of school desegregation but given his track record on race I think it may have been more about not rocking the boat.  President Eisenhower was an effective leader in many other ways.  The other book is a novel called “Ishmael” by Daniel Quinn.  It begins with a three line ad in the personals section, Teacher Seeking Pupil, must have an earnest desire to save the world.  Every time I have read this book, I see something new but for the life of me I’m not sure I could sit down and do it justice in a book report.  I think I need to read it again.

 Until nest week. 

Jim Thorpe Award February 8, 2018

By
Curtis Plant
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0

(l-r) Jon Waid, Minkah Fitzpatrick (this year’s Jim Thorpe award winner), and Richard Thorpe – son of legendary athlete Jim Thorpe.

Jon Waid and Richard Thorpe attend this year’s Jim Thorpe award ceremony in Oklahoma City Tuesday evening.

Photo by Curtis L. Plant

 Oklahoma City – Richard Thorpe, Jon Waid, Curtis and Kimberly Plant traveled to Oklahoma City to take part of the annual Paycom Jim Thorpe Award Ceremony.

Before the ceremony began, Jon Waid had a chance to visit with this year’s winner Minkah Fitzpatrick, defensive back for the Univeristy of Alabama.

During their visit Fitzpatrick expressed that he was glad he didn’t have to face Oklahoma University’s potent offense in the title game.

During the ceremony, Oklahoma’s All State team was recognized by the Daily Oklahoman.

(l-r) Bill Thorpe, Gov. George Nigh, Richard Thorpe

Former Governor George Nigh recognized Richard Thorpe, of Waurika and his brother and thanked them for keeping the memory of their father alive.

 

Abe Lemons, a respected coach who was born in Ryan, Oklahoma was mentioned during the ceremony.

The Jim Thorpe Award has been given to outstanding defensive backs since 1986.

Karlee Berthaiume is Waurika’s 2018 Salutatorian

By
Curtis Plant
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0

 She has become a familiar face on the sidelines at the Waurika football games where she took award winning sports photos of the Eagles in action.  

As a matter of fact, that’s one of the fondest memories she holds dear of her time at Waurika high school and what she will miss the most. 

She loves photography – it’s her favorite hobby.

When she is not taking pictures she is reading. Her favorite genre is interesting fiction, preferably romance. 

Karlee has attended Waurika public schools all her life. 

Besides being a member in the Oklahoma Honor Society, she is also a member of Gifted and Talented as well as the Beta Club and the National Honor Society.

She is grateful for the teachers who have taken time out of their lives to help her become who she is. 

She loves the color purple and just about any kind of music. 

She has already taken six hours of college and would encourage others to take concurrent classes to prepare for their future collegiate careers. 

During high school she was involved in scholastic meets, the high school newspaper, the yearbook, fast-pitch softball, and Skills USA.

She recently passed her cosmetology boards after completing 1000 hours of instruction.

Karlee has served her peers as a leader in many different organizations.

She has served as a treasurer for Beta Club, reporter for the National Honor Society, vice-president of her senior class, and editor of the yearbook. 

Karlee has also volunteered her time at VBS and Sunday School, assisting younger children.

Karlee has received many awards during her high school years. 

Some of these awards include a distinguished merit for online news reporting, excellent sports photo, superior online news photo, academic award for English II and English III, Skills USA local second place hair and second place make-up. 

Karlee also has a strong work ethic. 

She has worked during the summers at the reading program offered by the Waurika Library and is employed by the Duncan AMC Movie theater.

Working at the theater is very enjoyable for her. She loves being able to see the latest movies for free. 

She will continue working at the theater while taking summer courses as well as her fall semester at Cameron University. By the spring semester she will already be classified as a sophomore. 

Her goal is to finish her degree in three years. She says she is on a fast track and will take classes year around to accomplish her goal.

She plans on majoring in Elementary Education. 

She was inspired by her grandmother Bertha Bersherse, who was a long-time Elementary teacher at Waurika. 

She likes the idea of helping to shape and mold the minds of future generations. 

Education is something she talks about with a gleam in her eye. 

It’s something she feels called to do. 

Karlee will do well as an educator. She is great with kids. One day she will help inspire young people to be the best they can possibly be. 

We wish her well! 

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