Daily Oklahoman (Oklahoma City, OK) articles from July 2007

Daily Oklahoman (Oklahoma City, OK) archives from July 2007

Part of Arcadia Lake to reopen.
July 26, 2007... Byline: Greg Elwell Jul. 26--EDMOND -- Parts of Arcadia Lake will reopen Friday after flooding covered roads and recreational areas for nearly a month. The lake closed June 29 after weeks of rain pushed water levels as much as 12...

Experts stalk climate clues, and come up with corn.
July 26, 2007... Byline: Michael Kimball Jul. 26--When a person sweats, only the humidity of that person's shirt is likely to be affected. But when a crop's worth of corn sweats, the spike in humidity could make a nasty thunderstorm a little bit nastier....

Seat belt company's expansion to larger site proves a snap.
July 26, 2007... Byline: Ja'Rena Lunsford Jul. 26--Beam's Industries prides itself on having a close-knit community atmosphere. If the seat belt manufacturer didn't move into a larger facility soon, company President Mike Bosley joked that employees...

Arvest buys three Tulsa branches of Ohio bank, boosts state presence.
July 26, 2007... Byline: Don Mecoy Jul. 26--Arvest Bank's purchase of three Tulsa branches from Wisconsin's largest bank will keep the Arkansas-based bank moving up the list of Oklahoma's largest deposit-holders. Arvest has agreed to buy the branches...

Nanotube plant expansion starts.
July 26, 2007... Byline: Jim Stafford Jul. 26--NORMAN -- SouthWest Nanotechnologies will break ground today on a $3.9 million manufacturing plant here that officials say will exponentially increase both the number of carbon nanotubes it can produce and...

Old items find new purpose.
July 26, 2007... Byline: Chris Jones Jul. 26--Can you think of a creative use for a vintage ironing board? How about a rusty old rake without a handle? These once-useful items can be saved from the trash. Jack Sikes, manager of The Old Wishing Well...

EDITORIAL: Tinker tailors: Chamber sewing up base's future.(Editorial)
July 26, 2007... Jul. 26--TWO challenges face civic officials concerning the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center and the U.S. Air Force base that contains it. One is to keep Tinker AFB not only intact but growing. The other is to find a way to employ or keep...

16 Bricktown cafes to validate lunch parking.
July 26, 2007... Byline: Steve Lackmeyer Jul. 26--For years, veteran Bricktown parking operator Jim Brewer has said he's willing to work with merchants to provide validated free parking to customers. Wednesday, Brewer and fellow veteran Bricktown...

Schwab starts major expansion.
July 26, 2007... Byline: Sara Ganus Jul. 26--After almost 90 years in downtown Oklahoma City, Schwab and Co. -- Oklahoma's oldest meat company -- will begin construction Friday on the first phase of a $2 million expansion and renovation to its...

Landmark ADA legislation makes certain that everyone benefits.
July 26, 2007... Byline: Jim Killackey Jul. 26--Born in 1950 with muscular dystrophy and wheelchair-bound, a hungry Bill Austin frequently utilized a quirky tactic for getting into his favorite Oklahoma City restaurant for a meal. He'd go to the back...

Task force wants homeless to follow services.
July 26, 2007... Byline: John Estus Jul. 26--Mayor Mick Cornett's recent order to address Oklahoma City's homeless problems brought plenty of ideas to the table, but questions remain. One thing is for sure: A group formed in January has a plan to...

Weevils' wipeout at hand.
July 26, 2007... Byline: Josh Rabe Jul. 26--In a once-abandoned school house on Hobart's main drag sits the headquarters for one of the state's least-known organizations, the Boll Weevil Eradication Organization. The agency receives no state funding...

Manhunt ends after three days.
July 26, 2007... Byline: Ron Jackson Jul. 26--LAWTON -- A three-day manhunt for a suspected killer ended Wednesday afternoon when a shirtless Joshua Elijah Muller emerged from a dense patch of woods east of Lawton and surrendered without incident. ...

Do you recall Eizember case? Lawmen do.
July 26, 2007... Byline: Julie Bisbee Jul. 26--The search for a Tulsa homicide suspect ended about 4 p.m. Wednesday, but many are reminded of the 2003 manhunt for Scott Eizember in Creek County. Joshua Muller, charged with killing a 16-year-old and a...

Suspect hunt began with missing wallet.
July 26, 2007... Byline: Chad Previch Jul. 26--TULSA -- Joshua Muller's surrender to authorities east of Lawton culminated a nearly four-day search that began when several rounds from an assault rifle were sprayed into the back seat of a sports utility...

Three die in separate accidents.
July 26, 2007... Byline: Micah Gamino Jul. 26--Three people died in separate accidents on Oklahoma roads Wednesday, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol said. Dead are: -- Timothy E. Cummings, 58, Marland. -- Chester L. Jeffries, 68, Van Buren, Ark....

EDITORIAL: Opening up: More light coming to day care reports.(Editorial)
July 26, 2007... Jul. 26--WE'RE confused as to what exactly is unfair about calling out operators of dangerous day care facilities and letting parents know about confirmed allegations of abuse or neglect. Child safety should win out over whatever...

EDITORIAL: New families: Oklahomans break adoption record.(Editorial)
July 26, 2007... Jul. 26--WITH six children between them, Steven and Maylene Sorrels made the courageous decision to take on four more. The Sorrels, from Moore, formally adopted Maylene's nieces during a meeting of the Oklahoma Commission of Human Services...

Muskogee doctors set to build hospital.
July 26, 2007... Byline: Jim Stafford Jul. 26--MUSKOGEE -- A group of Muskogee physicians began discussing ways to improve health care in this eastern Oklahoma city of nearly 40,000 about four years ago and reached a conclusion that they would have to do...

The Daily Oklahoman Berry Tramel column: Schedule will make it tough for Cowboys.(Column)
July 26, 2007... Byline: Berry Tramel Jul. 26--SAN ANTONIO -- Oklahoma State football dreams big. Adarius Bowman's hands, Bobby Reid's arm, Dantrell Savage's legs, Boone Pickens' money. Plenty of reasons for optimism. Unless you look at the...

Gundy defends giving Collins a scholarship.
July 26, 2007... Byline: Mike Baldwin Jul. 26--SAN ANTONIO -- Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy and Texas coach Mack Brown both weighed in on the Chris Collins saga Wednesday at Big 12 Media Days. Collins, a sophomore linebacker at OSU, and three other...

Cowboys' Van Zant speaks to media through interpreter.
July 26, 2007... Byline: Mike Baldwin Jul. 26--SAN ANTONIO -- Lightning cracked. Television reporters on the third floor at the Wyndham Hotel jumped. But not Martel Van Zant. The Big 12 media got a view of how Van Zant communicates Wednesday...

Crescent's Musil answers the All-State call.
July 26, 2007... Byline: Matt Patterson Jul. 26--NORMAN -- Pecos Musil was driving a tractor Monday afternoon when he received a phone call he had long since given up on. On the other end of the line was Crescent football coach Shawn Booth, asking...

UT's McCoy comes of age.
July 26, 2007... Byline: Jenni Carlson Jul. 26--Colt McCoy leaned over the balcony railing, his arm flailing. He didn't wait to be recognized by the press conference moderator. The Texas quarterback had a question for his coach during Big 12 Media...

Texas coach Brown sees a balanced Big 12.
July 26, 2007... Byline: John Helsley Jul. 26--SAN ANTONIO -- Mack Brown, his Texas team fresh off a three-loss season, on Wednesday hailed the arrival of parity to the Big 12 Conference. Doing his part for league PR, the Texas coach touted the...

Two home runs lift RedHawks.
July 26, 2007... Byline: Bob Hersom Jul. 26--Flaming Lips Alley, which runs behind the left field fence at AT&T Bricktown Ballpark, is becoming a hot power alley, too. The RedHawks hit two more home runs into that alley Wednesday night, in a 3-1 win...

Panama in position for repeat.
July 26, 2007... Byline: Justin Harper Jul. 26--Panama definitely has the skill positions covered for repeat success. And if the youngsters on the offensive and defensive lines can gel, a deep run into the playoffs and second straight District A-8...

Sun sets on Lawton manhunt.
July 25, 2007... Byline: Josh Rabe and Chad Previch Jul. 25--A man suspected of killing two Tulsa teens appeared to elude authorities for a third straight day Tuesday as search efforts east of Lawton wound down about dusk. Joshua Muller was last seen...

League clears up policy on conflicts of interest.
July 25, 2007... Byline: Scott Wright Jul. 25--SAN ANTONIO -- When it comes to officiating, conflict of interest doesn't necessarily have to be real -- only perceived -- for it to be a problem. At least that's the approach Big 12 Conference coordinator...

Fund sought to lure new employers.
July 25, 2007... Byline: Steve Lackmeyer Jul. 25--Oklahoma City voters may be asked this winter to support creation of a $75 million economic development fund as a replacement for depleted federal grants used to lure new employers. The General...

American Airlines pulls 2 regional jets from Lawton.
July 25, 2007... Byline: Ja'Rena Lunsford Jul. 25--Sometimes an airline giveth and sometimes it taketh away. But Lawton-Fort Sill Regional Airport didn't expect American Airlines to do the latter so soon. Nearly six weeks after the Dallas-based...

Pond Creek-Hunter favored.
July 25, 2007... Byline: Brandon Chatmon Jul. 25--Pond Creek-Hunter remains the favorite in District B-1 despite losing quarterback Mark Freiouf, who threw for 1,989 yards and 31 touchdowns a year ago. Senior Austin Peterson and junior Blake Schultz...

Day cares face stricter regulations.
July 25, 2007... Byline: Nolan Clay Jul. 25--Day cares must post problems by their front doors and dangerous day cares will be closed more swiftly under reforms approved Tuesday. Policymakers at the Oklahoma Department of Human Services made many of...

Report focuses on care.
July 25, 2007... Byline: Beth Gollob Jul. 25--Oklahoma is among states where foster care improvements could give thousands of children a happier, healthier life, according to a report released today. Oklahoma ranked 42nd overall in the 2007 Kids...

New police training dorms to be livable again.
July 25, 2007... Byline: Tony Thornton Jul. 25--ADA -- Faulty humidity sensors apparently were the main cause for a mold outbreak that caused the closing of the new dormitory for law enforcement cadets, two studies show. The company that provided fan...

It's students' game day.
July 25, 2007... Byline: Carla Hinton Jul. 25--NICOMA PARK -- Who doesn't love a good game of baseball, football or basketball? First Baptist Church of Nicoma Park recently presented the sports-themed "Game Day Central" vacation Bible school,...

EDITORIAL: Turkey's vote: Ruling party must keep balance.(Editorial)
July 25, 2007... Jul. 25--TURKISH voters delivered a strong message to the country's military in Sunday's parliamentary elections, which increased the power of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's ruling party less than three months after the army hinted it...

Four file suit over warm gasoline.
July 25, 2007... Byline: Adam Wilmoth Jul. 25--Three individual gasoline consumers and an Oklahoma City business have filed a lawsuit against oil companies and station owners, claiming the retailers are overcharging customers for hot fuel. Gasoline...

Did you pay taxes on that online buy?
July 25, 2007... Byline: Don Mecoy Jul. 25--No doubt a lot of Oklahomans recently bought "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" from Amazon.com, which doesn't collect sales tax on the purchase. Few buyers likely will self-report this omission,...

The Daily Oklahoman Berry Tramel column: Franchione's Aggies are no joke anymore.
July 25, 2007... Byline: Berry Tramel Jul. 25--SAN ANTONIO -- When Texas A&M fans approach Dennis Franchione with pounding heart and moist eyes, recalling the glorious victory over Texas last November, they don't say congratulations. They say thank...

Shooting hurts 1.
July 25, 2007... Jul. 25--A young woman was shot in the neck on the city's east side Tuesday afternoon, according to police. The shooting happened about 5:20 p.m. near NE 14 and Martin Luther King Avenue. "We had a juvenile female shot in the neck,...

Line break causes malls to lose power.
July 25, 2007... Byline: Trisha Evans Jul. 25--Power went out Tuesday at Penn Square Mall and 50 Penn Place and surrounding areas after a tree fell and damaged a line. But despite about 30 minutes without power, stores and offices nearby said it was...

Cotton execs lobby for BCS slot.
July 25, 2007... Byline: Mike Baldwin Jul. 25--SAN ANTONIO -- Republicans and Democrats aren't the only ones on the campaign trail. Bolstered by a new contract to play in the Dallas Cowboys' $1 billion stadium, Cotton Bowl officials are attending...

The Daily Oklahoman Trade Talk column: Life, liberty and pursuit of broadband access.(Column)
July 25, 2007... Byline: Jim Stafford Jul. 25--"Living in a rural area of Oklahoma, I've had to 'suffer' with dial-up since I moved here last summer. The irony is that the rural part of the state I live in is... Oklahoma City. You see, I live in the...

DHS director investigated over son's injuries.
July 25, 2007... Byline: Randy Ellis Jul. 25--The director of Oklahoma's child welfare agency is under investigation because of burns his son suffered while on a family trip. Howard Hendrick, director of the Department of Human Services, confirmed...

City council approves vote on bond issue.
July 25, 2007... Byline: Bryan Dean Jul. 25--Street resurfacing and widening, new and improved parks and a new or renovated police headquarters are on a list of about $760 million in projects council members agreed Tuesday should be put before Oklahoma...

Crowding spurs move.
July 25, 2007... Byline: Jay F. Marks Jul. 25--An Oklahoma County judge's decision to move 13 youthful offenders into the county jail is being challenged even though officials acknowledge the judge faces a "no-win situation." District Judge Richard...

Agency's growth to help youths work out troubles.
July 25, 2007... Byline: Brian Sargent Jul. 25--Myron and Tausha Mayberry started a nonprofit in 2002 with a mission of providing pre-eminent educational, counseling and employment services for youths and adults in the Oklahoma City area. Five years...

EDITORIAL: Hike type: Higher wage might be jobs killer.(Editorial)
July 25, 2007... Jul. 25--THE new $5.85-an-hour federal minimum wage took effect Tuesday, the first increase in a decade. A year from now, it'll be interesting to see how many minimum-wage jobs are lost, casualties of the higher cost of doing business. ...

EDITORIAL: Game over: OSU wins one in overtime.(Editorial)
July 25, 2007... Jul. 25--IT might be easier to feel a tug at the heartstrings if two property owners who held Oklahoma State University at bay had deep roots in the area, if they had really invested themselves in the home and the land the school wanted to...

Continental plans nonstop flights to Cleveland from Will Rogers.
July 25, 2007... Byline: Ja'Rena Lunsford Jul. 25--Just five weeks after Will Rogers World Airport officials pitched nonstop service between Oklahoma City and Cleveland, Continental Airlines is obliging. Continental announced Tuesday it would begin...

The Daily Oklahoman Sharon Dowell column: Summer's best picks.(Column)
July 25, 2007... Byline: Sharon Dowell Jul. 25--In case you've been in a produce-free zone lately, now is the time to scoop up all those great fruits and vegetables in season. Local farmers markets have good supplies of tomatoes, sweet corn, squash,...

The Daily Oklahoman Jenni Carlson column: Leach speaks his mind.(Column)
July 25, 2007... Byline: Jenni Carlson Jul. 25--Christmas comes in July for Mike Leach. Big 12 media days are his own personal holiday. The notebooks open, the cameras roll, and the Texas Tech coach acts like a kid on the big morning. Where most...

Darnell set coaching standard.
July 25, 2007... Byline: Ryan Aber Jul. 25--When remembering longtime Midwest City football coach Jim Darnell this week, golf was a recurring theme among his peers. Former Putnam City coach Jerry Potter and former Star Spencer coach Carl Twidwell...

Experienced QBs like OSU's Reid are a rare commodity.
July 25, 2007... Byline: John Helsley Jul. 25--SAN ANTONIO -- The Big 12's roll call of decorated quarterbacks returns impressive responses. Heisman Trophy winners: Eric Crouch... here. Jason White... here. Heisman runners-up: Michael Bishop,...

Beebe wants interim tag removed.
July 25, 2007... Byline: Mike Baldwin Jul. 25--SAN ANTONIO -- Interim Big 12 commissioner Dan Beebe said he would like to have the interim tag removed and replace Kevin Weiberg, who resigned last month. "There's no question I'm interested in the...

Game helps Payne and suffering.
July 25, 2007... Byline: Brandon Chatmon Jul. 25--BayShon Payne will never forget the emotions he felt the night his Douglass Trojans lost to Bishop McGuinness in the Class 4A state championship game in 2005. "I don't think I'll ever get over it,"...

BRIEF: Hit and run victim identified.
July 25, 2007... Byline: Augie Frost Jul. 25--Police identified this morning a man that was struck and killed by a car in southwest Oklahoma City over the weekend. They are also asking for help in locating the driver, who left the scene after hitting...

BRIEF: Sunny skies, summer heat.
July 25, 2007... Jul. 25--Clear skies and hot temperatures are expected today throughout Oklahoma. The National Weather Service said highs should range from the mid-80s to mid-90s. It should be partly cloudy tonight, with lows from the mid-60s to...

Searchers find signs of fugitive.
July 25, 2007... Byline: Julie Bisbee Jul. 25--LAWTON -- A cough was heard by an Oklahoma Highway Patrol trooper overnight in the area of a manhunt, leading searchers to believe a suspected killer is still there. Search dogs also found a wood pile...

BRIEF: Bricktown to offer some free parking.
July 25, 2007... Byline: Steve Lackmeyer Jul. 25--Free lunch hour and Tuesday night parking will return to Bricktown on Aug. 1 as part of a promotion announced Wednesday by parking lot operators Don Karchmer and Jim Brewer. Karchmer, who operates 750...

BRIEF: Smith, Harris up for Thorpe Award.
July 25, 2007... Jul. 25--Two members of the Oklahoma secondary are on the preseason watch list for the Jim Thorpe Award. OU cornerback Reggie Smith and safety Nic Harris are on the watch list for the award, given each year by Oklahoma City's Jim Thorpe...

Lawton manhunt continues.
July 25, 2007... Byline: Josh Rabe and Chad Previch Jul. 25--A man suspected of killing two Tulsa teens appeared to elude authorities for a third straight day as search efforts continue this morning. Joshua Muller was last seen about 8:30 a.m....

EDITORIAL: Survey says: Better skills a must for Oklahoma.(Editorial)
July 23, 2007... Jul. 23--A report generated after surveying more than 2,800 Oklahoma companies could not have been clearer in its assessment of what the future holds for our state. "By acting now to fill the shortage of workers and shortage of skills,...

Officers investigating fatal shooting.
July 23, 2007... Jul. 23--Oklahoma County authorities and Oklahoma City police are investigating a triple shooting on the city's northeast side that left one man dead and two other people wounded. The incident occurred around 11:30 p.m. Sunday near a...

Are health claims of new beverages hard to swallow?
July 23, 2007... Byline: Penny Cockerell and Heather Warlick Jul. 23--These days, a stroll down the beverage aisle at the grocery store can be as fascinating and confusing as trying to follow all the studies and claims behind this beverage bonanza. ...

EDITORIAL: Sonic boom: Team's move to city appears closer.(Editorial)
July 23, 2007... Jul. 23--THE other shoe, it would appear, has dropped regarding Oklahoma City's future as an NBA city. Clay Bennett, chairman of the Seattle SuperSonics, made it clear last week that if by Oct. 31 there is no real movement toward getting...

Former Sooner QB arrested.
July 23, 2007... Jul. 23--EUFAULA -- Former OU quarterback Jamelle Holieway was arrested Saturday morning on a possession of marijuana complaint, a McInstosh County Sheriff's deputy said. He was free on a $500 bail shortly after being booked into the...

Forgotten story line: the end: Finding starter upfront is crucial for defense.
July 23, 2007... Byline: Scott Wright Jul. 23--So who is going to be the Sooners' starter? Will it be the well-traveled veteran? Or the redshirt freshman who's a little on the skinny side? Or the heralded hot shot just out of high school? Just...

The Daily Oklahoman Berry Tramel column: Sonics future looks bright: Wheelings and dealings has teamed primed for playoff run just in time for Oklahoma City.(Column)
July 23, 2007... Byline: Berry Tramel Jul. 23--Clay Bennett and his Petroleum Club buddies who bought the Seattle SuperSonics got lucky with the lottery that put Kevin Durant on their roster. Then they made their own luck with the hiring of general...

Murder charges filed in Enid slayings.
July 23, 2007... Byline: Julie Bisbee Jul. 23--ENID -- Two first-degree murder charges have been filed against a man accused of killing two women, whose bodies were found in front of the duplex they shared in a quiet Enid neighborhood. Rudarty...

One dead after argument outside rodeo.
July 23, 2007... Byline: Augie Frost Jul. 23--A gang-related shooting after an argument outside a rodeo left one person dead and two others injured Sunday night in northeast Oklahoma City, a police spokesman said today. Officers went to NE 36 and...

Shooting kills 2, suspect sought.
July 23, 2007... Byline: Chad Crow Jul. 23--TULSA -- Authorities are looking for a man accused of shooting two girls and one youth early Sunday, killing two of the three. About 3 a.m., police were called to 1900 N Lewis Ave. Police Sgt. Laurel...

Storms move through Oklahoma City.
July 23, 2007... Byline: Bryan Dean Jul. 23--Storms moved across the Oklahoma City area this morning, dumping heavy rain in areas saturated by flooding earlier this summer. Oklahoma City officials said they hadn't received any flood reports but would...

More hot weather ahead.
July 23, 2007... Jul. 23--A small line of thunderstorms is moving southward this morning through Oklahoma but is not expected to cause problems for most of the state. The line includes a pocket of storms that around 7:30 this morning was near Ponca City...

OSU wins eminent domain case.
July 23, 2007... Byline: Chad Previch Jul. 23--STILLWATER -- A district judge ruled today that Oklahoma State University has the right of eminent domain and now owns the final house it needs to complete an athletic village. The house, owned by Kevin...

Arch madness: Oklahoma family stuck high above St. Louis.
July 23, 2007... Byline: Sheila Stogsdill Jul. 23--CLAREMORE -- The Lawson family of Claremore is happy to be home after spending a harrowing Saturday night atop the Gateway Arch in St. Louis. They were among about 200 people on the observation deck...

Woman in Piedmont fireworks explosion dies.
July 23, 2007... Byline: Carrie Coppernoll Jul. 23--A woman burned in a fireworks accident earlier this month died Sunday morning, a family spokesman said today. Shannon Wilson was 27. Wilson and her brother, Travis Dillard, were severely burned...

Youths gunned down for stealing wallet, police say.
July 23, 2007... Byline: Josh Rabe Jul. 23--TULSA -- Police suspect a man shot three the youths over the weekend in retaliation for stealing his wife's wallet. "He basically hunted them down and executed them," said Tulsa officer Jason Willingham....

Market saturated; water you drinking?
July 23, 2007... Byline: Penny Cockerell Jul. 23--Quick, what's something everyone does daily to various degrees that can either hurt or help them? We all drink liquids, of course. But gone are the days when choices were limited to tea or coffee,...

The Daily Oklahoman Don Gammill column: There's a time and place for talking on cell phones.(Column)
July 23, 2007... Byline: Don Gammill Jul. 23--When I saw Jennifer Mock's report July 13 in The Oklahoman under the headline "Will Oklahoma outlaw driving while talking?" I cringed. It wasn't because I anticipated Jennifer's story to draw a barrage...

Oklahoma National Guard soldiers learn to avoid life-or-death mistakes.
July 23, 2007... Byline: Bryan Dean Jul. 23--CAMP GRUBER -- Oklahoma National Guard Sgt. Todd Tallant has entered a lot of rooms, but never like this. Hold the M-4 rifle tight to your shoulder and aim it at the ground as you round the corner. Raise...

EDITORIAL: Overdose: 'Registry' idea pointless, punitive.(Editorial)
July 23, 2007... Jul. 23--SOME members of Congress can't seem to stay out of affairs and others can't seem to attend to the affairs of state. Louisiana Sen. David Vitter is an example of the former and Sens. Herb Kohl and Claire McCaskill are examples of the...

Tulsa's Graham taps talent from high school level.
July 23, 2007... Byline: Ryan Aber Jul. 23--Todd Graham's desire was to be a high school coach. After a short stint as a college football assistant, though, those plans changed. "I always thought I wanted to be a college coach by the time I was...