The Red River Valley Venue & Opry House hosted a country music event on Saturday, May 12th, in Byers, Texas at the newly restored (former) Byers Methodist Church.
Niles City, a Country/Rock/Blues/Funk music group from Ft. Worth, entertained for two hours; delighting the audience with a variety of genres ranging from classic country to gospel music.These EFI recording artists are talented singers, songwriters and musicians who are no strangers to the music industry. Most of them have over 20 years in the music industry; offering an amazing and professional entertaining experience. They recently opened for headliners at Billy Bob’s Texas in Ft. Worth, including country artist, Steve Wariner,as well as opening for Kiefer Sutherland and his band the same weekend.Read more about Niles City and these amazing musicians on their website www.nilescityband.com and on their Niles City official FB page.
Based on the numerous positive comments and feedback from those in attendance, they have been invited to return.That date and time is yet to be determined, but we anticipate it to be within the next couple of months.The Red River Valley Venue & Opry House official FB page will post dates for this and all upcoming music/entertaining events,as they are confirmed. For more information regarding the venue, dates and rental pricing, please contact, Jerry McMahan @ 281-785-1990.
Chris Largent visiting with Niles City after the concert at the Red River Valley Venue & Opry House
We need groups to volunteer their time cleaning up residential areas including limb and debris removal tree trimming, mowing, etc. Any equipment such as trailers, mowers, weed eaters, etc would be a tremendous help. We will supply work gloves, trash bags, bottled water and work vests.
Earth Day is a perfect chance to get out and put a little love into your town!
During this time residents will be able to dump limbs behind the street barn and tires in front of the street barn located in the 800 block of Meridian.
The Cameron University/Lawton Civic Chorus will join the Lawton Schubert Music Club and Fort Sill’s New Post Chapel for the 77th annual presentation of Handel’s “Messiah.” The annual Lawton tradition will take place on Saturday, December 8, at 7:30 p.m. at the McMahon Auditorium, located at 801 Northwest Ferris Avenue in Elmer Thomas Park. Admission is free; donations will be accepted.
The Lawton Schubert Music Club initiated the first performance of “Messiah” in December 1941. The event has become a performance tradition during the Christmas season in the Lawton/Fort Sill area. The performance will be approximately one hour in length and will feature soloists and a professional orchestra which accompanies the volunteer chorus. For the 32nd consecutive year, the chorus and orchestra will be conducted by Doris Lambert, director of choral music at Fort Sill’s New Post Chapel and adjunct music instructor at Cameron.
Select choruses from “Messiah” will be performed and will include selections from each of the three portions of the Biblical text lyricized by Charles Jennen and which represent the prophecy, the life, death, resurrection, and the promised return of Jesus Christ.
For more information, contact the Cameron University Department of Art, Music and Theatre Arts at 581-2346.
When taking my seat for supper monday night I was once again reminded about how age can give very different points of reference. I heard a gentleman say that he was a big fan of Pistol Pete. To which a rather young Ryan alum started explaining how Pistol Pete was once the mascot for her high school. The first speaker thought this odd that a small school in Oklahoma would choose a former collage and professional basketball player that had no discernable connection to Ryan or Oklahoma as it’s mascot. Now Abe Lemons would be a different story, he at least was born in Ryan. The confusion was sorted out and all parties concerned can be forgiven in as much as the two gentlemen are not from around here and the young lady was not born by the time Pete Maravich passed away
On the drive home I was able to enjoy all the wildflowers that are currently blooming. There are spots where the Indian Paintbrush make an almost solid blanket of color broken only by the odd buttercup and the yellow of the bush sunflower.
I received a letter today from Jon Harris. It was nice to hear from Jon and feedback is always welcome. I’m sometimes concerned that I am using up too much space on personal stories and book reports. Those concerns take second place to my worry that I misspelled a kids name, angry grandparents can be mean.
I’m not going to write about the book I am currently reading, between this book and reruns of “Criminal Minds” on television, I’m lucky not to have nightmares. I am going to give another installment of my list of favorite books. Number one is a non-fiction book called “The River of Doubt” by Candice Miller. The book is about Theodore Roosevelt and his post presidential trip down the Amazon River tributary. Given Teddy’s propensity for adventure that may have had more to do with the trip than the science, although there was some of that as well. During the exploration of the largely uncharted river that was later renamed the Roosevelt River, the United States almost lost one of its most beloved Presidents. Between the river, wildlife and disease, the lives of a large portion of the party was almost lost. Number two is “The Walking Drum” by Louis L’Amour. If you have only ever read Mr. L’Amours westerns then you are really missing out. This story is about a trading caravan in 12th century Europe and the mid-east. Louis L’Amour was a student of history and an outstanding story teller and this is one of his better books.
My proof reader told me that there was not much of “Around Ryan” in this column. Au contraire, the discussion about the mascot was about Ryan. The wildflowers are around Ryan. Mr. Harris is from Ryan. And I read the books while living in Ryan, so there (I would blow her a raspberry but I don’t know how the spell it).
Voters will go to the polls this coming Tuesday, June 26, 2018 to decide who will serve District 3 as the County Commissioner and who will serve on the Waurika City Commission.
We sat down with all the candidates to give them a chance to let the voters know a little bit more about them.
Last week, we featured the interview with the current District 3 Commissioner Ricky Martin.
Ricky Martin
First, we begin this article with the other two candidates for the District 3 seat, Macy Lovett and Kenny Wilkerson.
Macy Lovett – District 3 Commissioner Candidate
Macy Lovett
Macy Lovett was raised in Waurika and lived in Jefferson County his whole life.
Although he went door to door when he was a child campaigning for his dad when he was running for State Representative, this is his first time to run for any political office.
He is throwing his hat in the ring for the District 3 Commissioner position because he feels he can contribute to the success of Jefferson County.
One of his goals if elected is to improve the budget by “going after federal funds.”
He believes there are grants and funding available at the federal level.
He also wants to improve the roads within the district.
Lovett has worked hard his whole life starting when he began working for his dad at the Culligan Water Treatment Company here in Waurika while attending school.
After seven years, his dad retired and sold the business, Lovett then went to work in Wichita Falls for a subsidiary of ALCOA for the next seven years.
Next, he worked for the Goodyear tire plant in Lawton. He stayed with them for ten years.
He then moved out to the family farm east of Ryan and has worked for England Farm and Fuel for the past six years.
If elected he plans to serve the citizens of the district by being attentive and treating everyone with respect, listening to their concerns.
He says he will always be up front and honest with his constituents. He also commits to working hard for the community and the success of the county.
Kenneth Wilkerson – District 3 Commissioner Candidate
Kenneth Wilkerson
Kenneth Wilkerson has also lived in Jefferson County all of his life.
He was raised in Grady, Oklahoma and attended school in Ryan.
He moved to Terral in 1978.
He was a part of the last graduating class of Terral High School.
Wilkerson enjoys helping in any way he can in the community.
He has helped with the Fire Department and the Sheriff’s Department.
Wilkerson has worked for District 3 in the past.
Much of his work experience includes driving a truck for twenty-nine years.
During that time he got to see much of the United States but prefers life in Jefferson County.
He also wants to improve the county budget and improve the county roads.
Making the county the best it can be by giving back for how good it has been to him is a driving motivation in his life.
Rickey Porterfield – Waurika City Commissioner Candidate
Rickey Porterfield
Rickey Porterfield is a lifelong citizen of Jefferson County. He was born at the old hospital on Elm Street on Friday the 13th.
He is running for a seat on the Waurika City Commission.
Porterfield’s family has served the county in various capacities.
His father was a police officer back in the days when officers had to supply their own cars.
Like many, he is concerned about the increase in the water bill.
He is going into this race with his eyes open and says he will not make any promises that he can not keep.
Porterfield worked for the Waurika Fire Department for 27 years.
During that time he made lots of friends and impacted lots of people in a positive way.
He has also helped with the Ambulance service.
Porterfield worked for the Elliott Manufactured Homes in Waurika for a while and now works for local rancher John Ross.
He is running in order to help the community in any way he can.
James Terry – Waurika City Commissioner Candidate
James Terry
James Terry is a familiar face in Waurika.
He is seeking a seat on the city commission to make improvements.
Lowing the water bills and improving the streets are his main two goals.
Terry was raised in Ryan and in Oklahoma City.
Terry moved back to Waurika 10 years ago.
He is famous for his watermelons.
His other occupation is mowing yards during the summertime.
Jacob Eck – Seeking Re-Election to the Waurika City Commission
Jacob Eck
Jacob Eck was elected to fill an unexpired term and is now seeking re-election.
Eck is quick to point out that the success of the city commission has been a group effort of all the commissioners. He says the commissioners are working well together.
He is grateful that the city is no longer in debt and is looking forward to continued growth.
Recently he said the city was able to save the citizens around $300,000 by refinancing and consolidating loans.
He is excited about the future of Waurika.
If re-lected he wants to see the city to continue to improve financially.
Eck’s reason for seeking another term is for the sake of continuity. He doesn’t want to see the city revert back to the way it was a few years ago.
He now understands how the city works, especially the city budget, and wants to maintain the growth and stability the city is currently enjoying.
Eck says that the inner workings of city government are more complex than many realize.
One of the things he has enjoyed is learning how city government works.
For instance there are limits on what the members of the council can and can’t do. That knowledge helps improve the relationship with other entities in the community like the chamber of commerce. It allows them to work together more efficiently.
Eck is proud of the hard work of the city employees in making Waurika a better place.
He said one of the things the citizens should be proud of is that one of Carole Eakin’s goals of seeing the water towers repaired and cleaned is coming to fruition.
It’s his goal that the city grow and be able to hire more employees in order to better serve the community.
Another goal of his is to see the golf course operating and successful again.
Eck says he is accessible to citizens and values their input. If their suggestion is not feasible or possible he always tries to explain why.
He understands the concerns citizens have about the increased water rate.
Eck explains that the rate increases have been necessary to ensure the balanced budget and keeping the city in the black.
Henry Lara – Seeking Re-Election to the Waurika City Commission
Henry Lara
Henry Lara has been on the commission for three years. He said the first two years “you have to sit back watch and learn. During the third year, you have to remember that you are only one vote out of five. For instance, I voted against the 7.5 percent rate increase on the water bill. I want to see the town grow. I want to see more jobs come to Waurika.”
Lara is grateful for the improvements over the past three years. He even bragged on the efforts of Jacob Eck with the Downtown Again program and he was grateful for the new Farmer’s Market.
In the future Lara wants to upgrade the city vehicles. They are old he says and even lack air conditioning.
He believes the city is on the right track.
If elected, Lara states that his next term will be better than his first term. “I’m more knowledgeable, I can look more deeply into the subject matter and am a little wiser today.”
“There’s a good harmony among the commissioners,” he says. He believes they all want what is best for Waurika.
There were two big stories to come out of the May City Commissioner meeting for the city of Waurika.
The first was the hiring of former Jefferson County Sheriff Michael Bryant. He will bring administrative and law enforcement experience to the position which will be a plus as one of his duties will be city code enforcement.
Bryant is the longest serving sheriff in Jefferson County’s history. When he first took office as sheriff the department had just enough money to last 30 days and yet there were 90 days left in the fiscal year. When he left the department there was over $500,000.00 in the accounts.
He will begin his duties as city clerk on June 1st.
The other story of interest from Monday’s meeting was the recognition by the Oklahoma Water Resource Board for the city’s loan consolidation.
Charles de Coune, Leading Manager of the Financial Assistance Division of OWRB, presented the City Commissioners with a commemorative check symbolizing the $975,000.00 loan consolidation.
The loan will save the city 10 years of payments and over $240,000.00.
Other business included the hiring of Jeffrey Overton in the city’s Water Department. Scott spoke highly of him and said he is a willing and dedicated worker who will be an asset to the department. He is also willing to work in other departments when needed.
The city also began the process of closing an alley next to the Waurika Fire Department.
Purchase orders and claims for the City of Waurika was paid in the amount of $21,726.81.
The city will begin advising property owners near Lot 1 Block 26 of the Sycamore Addition in Waurika that Bobby Taylor is wanting to move a mobile home on the the premises.
The procedure will also be followed to notify property owners near 407 E. Iowa, Lots 15-18 of the Harper Addition in Waurika that Mary Harvey and Tyler Bowen want to move a manufactured home on the premises of 407 E. Iowa.
After the business for the city of Waurika was completed the commissioners entered the Waurika Public Works Authority meeting.
The council opened the 1 bid for the Waurika Golf Course from Michael Delaney. The commissioners voted to keep the bidding open for another 30 days. Delaney understood and said he just wants to keep the golf course open.
The commissioners approved the purchase of 12 new membranes for the Water Treatment Facility in the amount of $10,800.00. That’s around $300 less per membrane than they spent on a previous purchase.
Last but not least, the commissioners approved $39,456.54 in purchase orders and claims.
This past weekend, the Dunn family gathered in Ft. Worth, Texas to participate in a special ceremony inducting Rex Dunn, “Mr. Smooth” into the Bull Riding Hall of fame.
Rex was a world famous rodeo clown and bull fighter from Hastings, Oklahoma.
He has been inducted into the Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame, Western Heritage Hall of Fame, Wrangler Bull fight Hall of fame and now the Bull Riding Hall of Fame in Ft. Worth, Texas.
We are so blessed around here.We’ve had several pretty good rains this past week.We’ve been so fortunate not to have any really bad weather around here.You drive north on Hwy 81 up to Duncan, and look at the trees and branches that have been either uprooted or broken off of trees.I don’t know when they had winds that did all of that damage in the park across the street from Homeland Grocery store.There was a big tree laying across a creek there in that park.If we had winds here in Ryan, I must have slept through them.
I missed the hamburger/hot dog feed they had at our county barn this past Saturday afternoon.Ricky Martin was hosting this event to display the barn that they built.They worked hard on it to get it done, but they did a good job. I’m sure Ricky had his hands in on it, too.Ricky, along with his county employees, are all very hard workers.
Kim invited me to attend a church service with her Sunday over at Corum Assembly of God Church.She and I joined Lynn and Joyce Plant, Calvin Hampton, and Stacy Dalton, in Waurika to ride the rest of the way to Corum in their van.When we got to the church, Kay and Jim Shults were there.They have been members of this church since October.Jim played his electric guitar, and later in the service, they sang a song together.It was a blessing to get to listen to their talent, as well as some young girls that sang. Calvin played the piano for the service and he is blessed with a terrific musical talent, too.The main reason I wanted to go though, was that Kim told me that she was going to give her testimony during this service.She got up and did such a great job.Her dad, Rash, was there to witness her during this special occasion.Kim has given her life to Christ, and what an inspiration she is.I wish there had been more young people present for this service to hear her talk about the life she left behind, to find a new life that has been filled with the Holy Spirit. Kay told me that she has retired from teaching now, and looks forward to getting to spend more time with Jim.Kay has been a special education teacher for the Ryan Public School for many years. I hope that they find someone that is as dedicated to their profession and most importantly, that loves and cares about the students as much as what Kay has.It certainly takes a special person to teach students that have special needs. Prayers to Kay as she begins her retirement.
This past week, Ryan teachers had a retirement get-together to honor Frank Holland.He has been a janitor for Ryan Public School for many years.Prayers for Frank as he begins his life of retirement.
This next Monday is Memorial Day and our banks, post office, Ryan Drug Store, Ryan Medical Clinic, Ryan Family Care clinics, and Ryan City Hall will all be closed that day.
On Friday, June 1, our local merchants will be having a sidewalk sale.How long has it been since Ryan had a sidewalk sale?A long time.
This Saturday afternoon, Brionna and I will be going to attend the wedding of Morgan Good and Jim Roberts in Henrietta, TX.Congratulations and God’s blessings on their marriage.
If you missed the Royal wedding this past Saturday morning, it was fantastic.What a wedding!They said that there were more people watching this wedding than did Prince William and Princess Kate’s, or Princess Dianna and Prince Charles’s weddings.Megan was a beautiful bride.It’ll be interesting watching their lives together unfolding over time.She is 36 and Prince Harry is 33.They are very excited about starting a family together.
Kim’s news for this week:
I am blessed to be able to have coffee at the Cowboy College Table.
Taking care of a horse or a cow, sitting there, one can learn how.
Thanks Mollye for riding with me Sunday to Corum to give my testimony. I was also glad to see my dad.
Everyone have a blessed week. Pray for rain and for each other.
