Daily Oklahoman (Oklahoma City, OK) articles from December 2002

Daily Oklahoman (Oklahoma City, OK) archives from December 2002

Buildings in Oklahoma City Sold to New Mexico Firm for $17 Million.
December 31, 2002... Byline: Richard Mize Dec. 31--New Mexico-based BGK Equities LLC, a major player in Oklahoma City office realty, paid nearly $17 million for the Central Park I and Central Park II office buildings near Interstate 44 and Lincoln Boulevard....

Executive Resigns from Bankrupt Oklahoma City-Based CD Warehouse.
December 31, 2002... Byline: Paul Monies Dec. 31--The chief executive of bankrupt Oklahoma City-based CD Warehouse Inc. has resigned to make a second bid on the assets of the troubled music reseller. Christopher Salyer, who took over as chairman and...

Last Original Shop Leaving Oldest Mall in Oklahoma City.
December 31, 2002... Byline: Adam Wilmoth Dec. 31--It's the end of the line for the last of the original stores in Oklahoma City's oldest mall. Kabet's specialty shop in Penn Square Mall will close in January after 48 years in business. "It was a...

Oklahoma City-Based Kerr-McGee Reassesses Reserves, Reduces Value of Assets.
December 31, 2002... Byline: Chip Minty Dec. 31--Kerr-McGee Corp. will reduce the asset value on its books by $385 million in the fourth quarter after reassessing the value of some of its offshore reserves, the company announced after markets closed Monday....

SEC Accuses Three Tulsa, Okla., Executives of False Claims on Syringe.
December 31, 2002... Byline: Don Mecoy Dec. 31--TULSA, Okla.--Federal regulators Monday accused three corporate officers of a health care company of inflating stock prices through false claims about their only product, a syringe with a retractable needle....

Platting in Oklahoma County, Okla., Goes Digital.
December 30, 2002... Byline: Richard Mize Dec. 30--Long gone are the days when all draftsmen hunkered over drawing boards to put pencil and paper to plat land developers' dreams. Civil engineers went digital a decade or so ago. Not so long gone are the...

Oklahoma Issues $20,000 Fine against Ponca City Insurance Agent.
December 30, 2002... Byline: Don Mecoy Dec. 30--A Ponca City insurance agent whose license was suspended last week amid claims that he misappropriated clients' premiums will pay a $20,000 fine -- the largest fine ever issued against an agent by the state...

The Daily Oklahoman Richard Mize Column.
December 30, 2002... Byline: Richard Mize Dec. 30--On the floor under my desk are eight new books about home building, design and marketing. Authors' agents sent them for me to consider reviewing. They're fine books. Fine, nice, boring books. Gag me...

Oklahoma City Developer's Success Combines Business, Family.
December 29, 2002... Byline: Elizabeth Camacho Wiley Dec. 29--He raises honey bees, takes motorcycle trips and frequents a vacation home near Cancun, Mexico. It's the perfect combination of fun and relaxation for Barry Tapp, 55, a longtime business...

Oklahoma's Jobless Rate Edges Lower in 2002.
December 29, 2002... Byline: Paul Monies Dec. 29--High-profile job cuts by some of the state's largest companies have rocked Tulsa, and the news hasn't been much better for many workers in Oklahoma City and smaller cities. The state actually has seen a...

Mortgage Refinances Can Sometimes Have Unforeseen Repercussions for Taxpayers.
December 29, 2002... Byline: Laura Callahan Dec. 29--Homeowners refinancing mortgage loans to take advantage of the lowest interest rates in 40 years should be ready for possible effects on their federal and state income tax, experts say. "At tax time,...

Oklahoma Technology Program Gets Praise.
December 29, 2002... Byline: Elizabeth Camacho Wiley Dec. 29--The Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science and Technology (OCAST) recently released a report that shows its performance ranks favorably with a successful program in California. The...

Edmond, Okla.-Based Restaurant Chain Sells Nine Stores, Rights to Name.
December 28, 2002... Byline: Paul Monies Dec. 28--EDMOND, Okla.--Eateries Inc. has sold nine Garcia's restaurants, the Garcia's name and future franchising rights to an Oklahoma City-based company. Eateries Chief Executive Vince Orza said Friday that...

Oklahoma City Retailers See Crowds for Day-After Sales.
December 27, 2002... Byline: Paul Monies Dec. 27--Shoppers went to stores and malls Thursday hunting for bargains and returning gifts, while retailers hoped the after-Christmas surge would rescue what could end up being the worst retail season in 30 years....

High Gas Prices May Help Oklahoma.
December 26, 2002... Byline: Adam Wilmoth Dec. 26--Cold temperatures and slumping natural gas production in recent years could lead to at least some easing of the state budget crisis as gas prices -- and the tax paid to the state -- increase in 2003. ...

Eleventh-Hour Shoppers in Oklahoma Brave Slush for Sales.
December 26, 2002... Byline: Paul Monies Dec. 26--Last-minute Christmas shoppers braved slush and snow Tuesday to pick up everything from stocking stuffers to presents for the whole family. Among the shoppers was Gary Smith of Edmond, who was just...

Tulsa, Okla.-Based Great Plains Airlines Loses Request for Loan Guarantee.
December 24, 2002... Byline: Don Mecoy Dec. 24--A federal board has rejected loan guarantees for Great Plains Airlines, a move that will slow the startup company's growth, Great Plains President Jack Knight said Monday. "It's a disappointment, but I...

Oklahoma Regulators Place Unlicensed Insurer into Receivership.
December 24, 2002... Byline: Don Mecoy Dec. 24--The state Insurance Department has obtained a temporary restraining order placing a former Oklahoma insurance company into receivership while state officials try to uncover any assets that can be paid to former...

Last-Minute Shopping May Not Help Oklahoma Retailers.
December 24, 2002... Byline: Paul Monies Dec. 24--After a busy final weekend before Christmas, Oklahoma retailers expected a flurry of last-minute shoppers Monday -- but maybe not a real flurry. Monday morning's heavy snowfall had turned to slush by...

Oklahoma City Man Describes Family's Career in Advertising As 'Creative'.
December 22, 2002... Byline: Paula Burkes Erickson Dec. 22--Maybe it's just the time of year, but this favorite business story of Jim Rice, a long-time Oklahoma City advertising man, evokes some of the same uplifting and heartwarming feelings of the...

Eufaula, Okla., Bank Note Survives Titanic Trip.
December 22, 2002... Byline: Don Mecoy Dec. 22--After nearly a century, a piece of Oklahoma history has returned to the state -- if only briefly. A water-stained, but still legible $5 National Bank Note issued by the First National Bank of Eufaula was...

Personal Filing of Bankruptcy Breaks Record in Oklahoma, Nation.
December 22, 2002... Byline: Don Mecoy Dec. 22--A sour economy and the continuing threat of tightened restrictions on bankruptcy filings have led to record-breaking numbers of bankruptcies in Oklahoma and across the nation. Although corporate filings...

One in Five Companies Offer Workers Holiday Gifts.
December 22, 2002... Byline: Paula Burkes Erickson Dec. 22--Industrious employees such as Bob Cratchit may have turned in another stellar year, but they shouldn't expect a holiday bonus, or even a turkey, from their bosses. Only about one in five employers...

Absentee Landlords Offered Help in Oklahoma.
December 22, 2002... Byline: Gale Goodner Dec. 22--It's not easy for people to manage farmland when they live a hundred or so miles away, but that's what a whole lot of Oklahomans are trying to do these days. In most rural counties in the state, almost...

National Building Museum in Washington, D.C., Worth Visit.
December 21, 2002... Byline: Richard Mize Dec. 21--WASHINGTON--Amid the forest of splendid architecture in the nation's capital, the National Building Museum stands out as a veritable oak of ingenuity and workmanship. Walk in at 401 F St. NW for the...

Oklahoma City Tortilla Factory Prepares to Expand.
December 20, 2002... Byline: Elizabeth Camacho Wiley Dec. 20--Inside Serapio's Tortilla Factory there are two elaborate machines that mash, stamp and spit out more than one million flour and corn tortillas per day. Each machine, Glenn said, costs about $1...

Tulsa, Okla.-Based Williams Cos. to Extend Natural-Gas Pipelines.
December 20, 2002... Byline: Adam Wilmoth Dec. 20--TULSA, Okla.--Williams Cos. has received federal permission to begin a $33 million project to build two natural gas pipeline extensions in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. The Tulsa-based energy company has...

Workplace Injuries in Oklahoma Decline 3 Percent in 2001.
December 20, 2002... Byline: Elizabeth Camacho Wiley Dec. 20--Almost 2,000 fewer Oklahomans suffered workplace injuries in 2001 as a result of more employers pushing safety programs, the state Labor Department said Thursday. About 65,200 incidents...

Altus, Okla.-Based Luscombe Aircraft Finally Gets Approval to Build Planes.
December 19, 2002... Byline: Adam Wilmoth Dec. 19--ALTUS, Okla.--An eight-year certification process came to an end this week for Luscombe Aircraft Corp. of Altus, and the company is finally able to focus on manufacturing its Model 11E planes -- and hiring...

Apartment Renovation Project Breaks Ground in Oklahoma City.
December 19, 2002... Byline: Richard Mize Dec. 19--An apartment renovation project in the works for nearly a decade took off with a flourish Wednesday when housing officials ceremonially broke ground at Highfill Court Apartments, 727 E Culbertson. The...

Oklahoma City-Area Auto Dealers Say November Sales Are Lackluster.
December 19, 2002... Byline: Don Mecoy Dec. 19--Sales at Oklahoma City area auto dealers remained lackluster in November as consumers stepped out of the market after taking advantage of hot summer deals. "Summer months are the strongest months to buy a...

Electricity Bills to Increase for American Electric Power's Oklahoma Customers.
December 19, 2002... Byline: Adam Wilmoth Dec. 19--The nearly 500,000 Oklahomans who buy their electricity from American Electric Power-Public Service Co. of Oklahoma will see their bills increase by an average of $4.30 a month because of higher natural gas...

New Tulsa, Okla., Energy Company Set for Drilling.
December 18, 2002... Byline: Adam Wilmoth Dec. 18--TULSA, Okla.--Latigo Petroleum, a new Tulsa oil and gas company, announced Tuesday it has secured $300 million in financing and expects to begin drilling in 2003. The company, which was incorporated in...

Six Companies Earn State Nod for Incentives in Oklahoma.
December 18, 2002... Byline: Don Mecoy Dec. 18--Six companies that plan to hire about 1,100 Oklahomans have been approved for incentives under the state's Quality Jobs Program, the state Commerce Department announced Tuesday. The companies are eligible...

Supermarket Operator Closes Store, Selling Two Others in Oklahoma.
December 18, 2002... Byline: Paul Monies Dec. 18--Local supermarket operator Snyder's IGA Superthrift is closing one store in Edmond and selling two others in Yukon and Bethany. Snyder's IGA Superthrift at 800 W Danforth will close with the loss of...

Tulsa, Okla.-Based Oil Exploration Firm Nears Settlement Deal in California.
December 17, 2002... Byline: Adam Wilmoth Dec. 17--TULSA, Okla--Williams Cos. Inc. announced Monday that it is one step closer to closing an agreement with California after the state attorney general signed off on a settlement late last week. The...

Oklahoma City-Based Kerr-McGee to Shutter Four Forest Product Plants.
December 17, 2002... Byline: Adam Wilmoth Dec. 17--Kerr-McGee Corp. on Monday announced it will exit the forest products business and close at least four plants in an effort to reduce debt and focus on its core assets. The move is estimated to cost...

Tulsa, Okla.-Based Vintage Reports Sale of Ecuadorean Assets.
December 17, 2002... Byline: Adam Wilmoth Dec. 17--TULSA, Okla.--Vintage Petroleum Inc. announced Monday that it has signed an agreement to sell its interests in Ecuador for nearly $142 million, completing its promise to reduce debt by $200 million in 2002....

Oklahoma Airports Expect to Meet Deadline for Bag Screening.
December 15, 2002... Byline: Adam Wilmoth Dec. 15--Oklahoma's two commercial airports appear on pace to meet the Dec. 31 deadline for new baggage screening measures despite ongoing construction projects, airport and government officials said. ...

Tax Benefit Deadline for Charitable Giving Is Approaching.
December 15, 2002... Byline: Paula Burkes Erickson Dec. 15--There are nine more shopping days until Christmas. Most people don't need that reminder. But many every year forget the Dec. 31 deadline to reap the tax benefits on charitable giving. As the end...

The Daily Oklahoman Executive Interview Column.
December 15, 2002... Byline: Adam Wilmoth Dec. 15--Growing up on a farm in El Reno, Alan Niemann learned at an early age the value of hard work and how to manage money. But it apparently didn't teach him about the best time to graduate. "My degree is in...

Oklahoma City-Based Chesapeake Energy's Shares Rise on ONEOK Deal Developments.
December 14, 2002... Byline: Paul Monies Dec. 14--Shares of Chesapeake Energy Corp. rose 14 cents Friday as the company issued an additional 20 million shares and secured $150 million in debt financing for its acquisition of gas reserves from ONEOK Inc. ...

Houston-Based CenterPoint Energy Gets Approval in Oklahoma to Raise Gas Rates.
December 14, 2002... Byline: Paul Monies Dec. 14--More than 100,000 natural gas customers of CenterPoint Energy Arkla will see higher bills from a rate increase approved Friday by the Oklahoma Corporation Commission. The $7.3 million settlement will...

Worldwide Tensions Drive Up Gold Prices.
December 14, 2002... Byline: Elizabeth Camacho Wiley Dec. 14--A weaker dollar, a decline in the stock markets and a rise in global tensions regarding Iraq and North Korea drove gold prices to a three-year high Friday. Gold closed Friday on the New York...

U.S. District Court Judge Upholds Oklahoma's State Casket Law.
December 13, 2002... Byline: Adam Wilmoth Dec. 13--A U.S. District Court judge in Oklahoma City on Thursday upheld a 97-year-old state law requiring that only licensed funeral directors who work at licensed funeral establishments can sell caskets in...

Oklahoma City Chamber Holds Annual Banquet.
December 13, 2002... Byline: Don Mecoy Dec. 13--Members of the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce welcomed their incoming chairman, Burns Hargis, vice chairman of Bank of Oklahoma in Oklahoma City, and celebrated the organization's 113-year history by...

Oklahoma City Builder's Book Explores Home Buying among Generation X'ers.
December 13, 2002... Byline: Richard Mize Dec. 13--Ashley Christofferson-Cunningham is known far and wide for her sheer energy and for knowing what "Generation X" wants in a full house -- and now the Oklahoma City home builder is making her mark in...

AOL Layoffs Affect 'Handful' at Oklahoma City Site.
December 12, 2002... Byline: Paul Monies Dec. 12--The announcement of 300 layoffs at AOL Time Warner Inc. on Wednesday will affect just a "handful" of more than 1,300 employees at AOL's call center in Oklahoma City, company representatives said. Sources...

$1.5 Million Renovation Set for Oklahoma City Banking Hall.
December 12, 2002... Byline: Steve Lackmeyer Dec. 12--Construction is expected to begin by August on a $1.5 million renovation of the First National Tower's Great Banking Hall. Architects toured the building Tuesday and will be submitting proposals for...

Cayman Islands-Based Computer Disk Drives Maker Sees Shares Slide Upon Debut.
December 12, 2002... Byline: Don Mecoy Dec. 12--Seagate Technology, the largest maker of computer disk drives and employer of 600 people in Oklahoma City, had a lackluster return to Wall Street on Wednesday after raising $870 million in an initial public...

Court Scraps Penalty in Suit against Oklahoma Magazine Telemarketing Firms.
December 12, 2002... Byline: Robert E. Boczkiewicz Dec. 12--DENVER--An appeals court Wednesday set aside a $39 million penalty against Oklahoma City magazine telemarketing companies and said the amount has to be redetermined. The penalty had been imposed...

Oklahoma's Governor-Elect Seeks Business Group's Backing.
December 11, 2002... Byline: Carmel Perez Snyder Dec. 11--During his speech at The State Chamber's 2002 Public Affairs Forum, Gov.-elect Brad Henry asked for acceptance from the business community, minutes after outgoing Chairman Larry Mocha touted the...

Building Permits Are on Rise in Oklahoma City Area.
December 11, 2002... Byline: Richard Mize Dec. 11--Home builders in Oklahoma City and its biggest suburbs bought more single-family building permits by the end of November than they did in all of last year, a survey shows. Builders in Oklahoma City,...

Oklahoma State Chamber Supports Tax Reform with Legislative Agenda.
December 11, 2002... Byline: John Greiner Dec. 11--The State Chamber unveiled a legislative agenda Tuesday that supports tax reform and submitting fuel tax increases to a vote of the people. The agenda, which also calls for education improvement and...

Asian Grocery Opens to Serve Oklahoma City's South Side.
December 11, 2002... Byline: Paul Monies Dec. 11--For Yukon resident Nathalie Tran, driving to the Asian district in northwest Oklahoma City to get a few items is just too much trouble, especially when she's in a hurry. "I know a lot of people around...

Southwestern Bell to Adopt SBC Communications' Corporate Name.
December 11, 2002... Byline: Elizabeth Camacho Wiley Dec. 11--In a move to appear more unified, San Antonio-based SBC Communications Inc. said Tuesday that its regional brands will adopt the corporate name. That means Southwestern Bell, which covers...

United Airlines Bankruptcy Prompts Little Worry in Oklahoma.
December 10, 2002... Byline: Don Mecoy Dec. 10--Monday's bankruptcy filing by United Airlines caused little immediate concern in Oklahoma, where the airline's flights out of Oklahoma City and Tulsa continued without problems. However, industry experts...

Credit Card Fraud Leads Identity Crimes.
December 8, 2002... Byline: Paula Burkes Dec. 8--When Jeannie Schoeb uses a credit card to make purchases, she gives store clerks who don't ask for identification a semi-hard time. "How do you know that's me?" Schoeb will ask cashiers who skip over the...

Holiday Shopping Season Brings Increased Theft Risk.
December 8, 2002... Byline: Paula Burkes Dec. 8--It's the most wonderful time of the year... for credit card use. According to the American Financial Services Association Education Foundation, prevalence increases during the holiday season. ...

Oklahomans Still Cruising despite Illnesses Aboard Ship.
December 8, 2002... Byline: Elizabeth Camacho Wiley Dec. 8--About 1,000 travelers aboard four cruise ships in the past two months have complained of abdominal cramping, vomiting and diarrhea. But those ailments apparently aren't deterring some Oklahomans...

The Daily Oklahoman Executive Interview Column.
December 8, 2002... Byline: Don Mecoy Dec. 8--While seeking his secondary education degree at Texas Tech University, Virgil Coffee learned something unexpected about his intended career as an athletic coach. He found out how much the job was going to...

The Daily Oklahoman Gale Goodner Column.
December 8, 2002... Byline: Gale Goodner Dec. 8--The hardest thing about establishing a Christmas tree farm in Oklahoma is getting the trees to grow, said Bill Ross, Oklahoma State University Extension Forestry specialist. "It's just hard to grow...

The Daily Oklahoman Real Estate Column.
December 8, 2002... Byline: Richard Mize Dec. 8--The simplicity of Sam Gresham's Oklahoma City apartment belies the complex circumstances that make it more than just a two-bedroom flat. It's an actual, old-fashioned walk-up -- in the inner city. Not a...

Casket Ruling May Affect Oklahoma Law.
December 7, 2002... Byline: Adam Wilmoth Dec. 7--A federal appeals court declared a Tennessee law unconstitutional Friday in a move that could affect the ability of casket retailers to sell in Oklahoma. The 6th Circuit Court of Appeals in Cincinnati...

Insurance Group to Hire 450, Expand Oklahoma City Claims Center.
December 7, 2002... Byline: Don Mecoy Dec. 7--Farmers Insurance Group will hire 450 employees early next year after expanding its Claims Center in Shepherd Mall, the company announced Friday. Starting annual pay for the jobs will average $26,000 to...

Shares Stable at Oklahoma's Chesapeake Energy after Report of Natural Gas Buy.
December 6, 2002... Byline: Adam Wilmoth Dec. 6--Chesapeake Energy Corp. shares held steady Thursday as Wall Street digested a proposed public offering of 20 million common shares to finance its purchase of natural gas reserves from ONEOK Inc. In...

Unit of Oklahoma's Dobson Communications Due Refund from FCC.
December 6, 2002... Byline: Don Mecoy Dec. 6--A subsidiary of Dobson Communications Corp. will receive a $16.1 million refund from the Federal Communications Commission related to an auction of wireless licenses that has become mired in a legal battle. ...

Oklahoma Farm Bureau Finds High Demand in Cuba for U.S. Goods.
December 5, 2002... Byline: Sonya Colberg Dec. 5--Dinner with the dictator featured lobster, buffalo milk and a whopping request for American agriculture products. Beggs wheat farmer Steve Kouplen recently returned from a weeklong trade mission to Cuba,...

Oklahoma Economist Predicts Slow Economic Growth.
December 5, 2002... Byline: Adam Wilmoth Dec. 5--Mixed growth is expected as the country "muddles though" the next year, but a strong recovery could be further delayed as inflation rises, the stock market continues to fall and manufacturing jobs leave the...

Oklahoma Firms Received $300 Million in 2002 Federal Contracts via Program.
December 5, 2002... Byline: Elizabeth Camacho Wiley Dec. 5--About 500 Oklahoma companies received a combined $300 million in federal contracts in 2002 with the help of a state-run program, the Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education said...

Oklahoma Accuses Atlanta Insurer of Unauthorized Workers Compensation Policies.
December 5, 2002... Byline: Don Mecoy Dec. 5--State officials are trying to determine how many Oklahoma employers have been left without required workers' compensation insurance after an Atlanta company issued unauthorized policies, the state Insurance...

Chesapeake Energy Buys Natural-Gas Reserves from Tulsa, Okla.-Based ONEOK.
December 5, 2002... Byline: Chip Minty Dec. 5--In anticipation of a booming natural-gas market through 2004, Chesapeake Energy Corp. has agreed to acquire $300 million in proved reserves from Tulsa-based ONEOK Corp. In a statement released Wednesday,...

Agencies Give BOK Financial Fund Highest Rating.
December 4, 2002... Byline: Adam Wilmoth Dec. 4--TULSA, Okla.--Moody's and Standard & Poor's have given their highest ratings to a new money market fund offered by a subsidiary of BOK Financial Corp., the banking company announced Tuesday. Investment...

Record Sales Propel Shares of Tulsa, Okla., Bookseller.
December 4, 2002... Byline: Don Mecoy Dec. 4--TULSA, Okla.--Shares of Educational Development Corp. rocketed to a new five-year high after the bookseller reported Tuesday that it posted record quarterly and monthly sales for the period ending Nov. 30. ...

Tulsa, Okla., Car-Rental Company to Combine Units, Cut Jobs.
December 4, 2002... Byline: Paul Monies Dec. 4--TULSA, Okla.--Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group Inc. announced Tuesday it will combine its separate units, with the loss of about 100 jobs throughout the country. The Tulsa-based car-rental company said it...

Retail Sales Post Gains During Holiday Weekend.
December 3, 2002... Byline: Paul Monies Dec. 3--Pushed by heavy traffic and deep discounts, retailers posted big gains over last year during the Thanksgiving holiday shopping weekend. Overall retail sales for the Thanksgiving weekend were up 12.4...

Oklahoma Residents Sign Up to Ban Unwanted Calls.
December 3, 2002... Byline: Jack Money Dec. 3--Nearly a half-million Oklahomans don't want to be bothered by telemarketers. The deadline to register for Oklahoma's Do Not Call list was Sunday, and Oklahomans put 436,065 phone numbers on that list,...

The Daily Oklahoman Executive Interview Column.
December 1, 2002... Byline: Elizabeth Camacho Dec. 1--ARCHITECT PUTS HEART, SOUL INTO PROJECTS: Every day that architect Allen Brown goes to and from work, he gets to catch a glimpse of his "dream project" -- the Oklahoma City Museum of Art. Brown's...

Networking Key to Success in Job Hunt, Oklahoma City Expert Says.
December 1, 2002... Byline: Paula Burkes Dec. 1--Once a big national bank bought a smaller bank in Oklahoma and dismissed its president. Self-conscious, the banker told only those close to him that he lost his job. He looked hard in his industry for a new...

Oklahoma City Pain Reliever Maker Hopes Success Mirrors Sam Walton's.
December 1, 2002... Byline: Elizabeth Camacho Dec. 1--Some may say he's trying to build a profitable empire in the name of God. Others say his topical pain relievers, Blue Stuff and Super Blue Stuff, are a miracle from God. But Oklahoma City...