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

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

The Oklahoman Berry Tramel column.
October 31, 2007... Byline: Berry Tramel Oct. 31--Mike Holder sat down in front of his TV a couple of weeks back, and on came the Fowler Toyota commercial that spoofs Mike Gundy's tirade. Holder, one of the more stoic people God ever made, says he...

Mansion represents 'story of leadership'.
October 31, 2007... Byline: Wendy K. Kleinman Oct. 31--From the street, the Overholser Mansion appears to fit right into the grandeur of the Heritage Hills neighborhood. But from up close, it's clear the house is crumbling. Chunks of paint have...

Stipe's abstract firms to be sold.
October 31, 2007... Byline: Tony Thornton Oct. 31--MCALESTER -- Two of former state Sen. Gene Stipe's abstract companies will be sold to settle a lawsuit with former business partner Steve Phipps, a Pittsburg County judge ordered Tuesday. Latimer County...

Fates of two towns, two companies hinge on immigration.
October 31, 2007... Byline: Devona Walker Oct. 31--GUYMON -- On a recent weekday, at least five of this agricultural community's hotels were booked. Room rates ranged from $54 -- for motor lodge-like accommodations -- to $80 at the Comfort Inn. A block...

'A lot of people are nervous' about new law.
October 31, 2007... Byline: Devona Walker Oct. 31--GUYMON -- On the south side of town, a subdivision made up of modest mobile homes is where many of the community's Hispanic workers live. There are single males supporting families back home. There are also...

Women face inquiry in crafts confiscation.
October 31, 2007... Byline: Sara Ganus Oct. 31--At least 15 vendors from this past weekend's An Affair of the Heart have filed individual larceny of merchandise complaints against two university representatives, Oklahoma City police Capt. Steve McCool said...

DA to decide on bomb-making charges for 81-year-old.
October 31, 2007... Byline: Robert Medley Oct. 31--YUKON -- A retirement home resident told police he didn't intend to harm anyone with pipe bomb materials found in his apartment, but the 81-year-old man could have hurt himself or others, a Yukon detective...

A setback for saving daylight.
October 31, 2007... Byline: Ken Raymond Oct. 31--A glitch in time caused some electronic devices to "fall back" an hour a week too soon, leaving Oklahomans frustrated and late for church. The culprit? Blame it on President Bush, who signed the Energy...

EDITORIAL: Policy preview: Clinton world approach looks familiar.(Editorial)
October 31, 2007... Oct. 31--In the November/December issue of Foreign Affairs magazine, Sen. Hillary Clinton offers a detailed look at what U.S. foreign policy would look like if she's elected president next fall. What it reveals is someone more centrist...

BRIEF: Judge's decision could pull plug on state's water-sale ban.
October 31, 2007... Byline: Tony Thornton Oct. 31--Oklahoma's ban on out-of-state water sales could be in jeopardy after a federal judge this week kept alive a lawsuit filed by a Texas group seeking to obtain 150 billon gallons a year from Oklahoma streams....

BRIEF: Prison ahead for ringleader.
October 31, 2007... Byline: Ron Jackson Oct. 31--MUSKOGEE -- A ringleaders of a major Pittsburg County drug ring pleaded guilty Tuesday in federal court to money-laundering conspiracy and could face up to 20 years in prison. Brian Fry, 25, of McAlester...

EDITORIAL: On the books: Like it or not, new laws take effect.(Editorial)
October 31, 2007... Oct. 31--Scores of new Oklahoma laws go into effect Thursday, including some of the "feel good" variety -- those that give lawmakers something to trumpet to their constituents, but leave a little to be desired in terms of practicality. ...

Cornett says OKC has no role in determining Sonics' future location.
October 31, 2007... Byline: Darnell Mayberry Oct. 31--On the eve of the day in which owners of the Seattle Sonics could take the first step in relocating to Oklahoma City, Mayor Mick Cornett said the city doesn't have any role in determining the future...

BRIEF: Two shot, 1 dead in Tulsa.
October 31, 2007... Byline: Micah Gamino Oct. 31--TULSA -- Police found two men shot, one fatally, at an apartment complex about 10 p.m. Tuesday, a spokesman said. A black man in his late teens or early 20s was found shot to death by police at the...

Two detained after robbery.
October 31, 2007... Byline: Micah Gamino Oct. 31--Oklahoma City police have detained two people after a bank robbery in northwest Oklahoma City today, an FBI spokesman said. The names of the two being detained were not released tonight; more...

BRIEF: Tipster now accused in frozen-body case.
October 31, 2007... Byline: Jay F. Marks Oct. 31--The man who led police to the frozen body of an Oklahoma City soccer coach is now accused of being an accessory in the death. Billy Clyde Standridge Jr. told authorities he had seen a body in the freezer...

OCU drive could help foster student dreams.
October 31, 2007... Byline: Jesse Olivarez Oct. 31--Oklahoma City University will undertake a five-year, $50 million fundraising campaign to help grow the school's endowment, university President Tom McDaniel said Tuesday. In addition to increasing...

The Oklahoman Carrie Coppernoll column: Trick-or-treaters are becoming rare sight to see.(Column)
October 31, 2007... Byline: Carrie Coppernoll Oct. 31--If I don't get any trick-or-treaters this year, I'm giving up on humanity. I'm pretty sure I have some Halloween curse, which would be cutely appropriate for the holiday, but when it comes to...

Goalie Wolfe's mission is to take Blazers to new heights.
October 31, 2007... Byline: Bob Hersom Oct. 31--For a long time now, the Blazers' Jason Wolfe has been used to his role as "the tallest goaltender in (fill in the blank) history." Growing up in College Park, Md., a mile from the University of Maryland...

The Oklahoman Trade Talk column: Credit card convenience comes at a price.(Column)
October 31, 2007... Byline: Don Mecoy Oct. 31--A gathering of financial counselors discussing curriculum during a seminar I attended last week veered off-topic to vent about a particular company's credit card advertisements. The televised spots show...

Roberts back on sideline.
October 31, 2007... Byline: Zach West Oct. 31--In 1999, while he was the head coach at Waurika, Luther assistant coach Tony Roberts suffered a heart attack during the weekend of a rivalry game against Ringling. After resigning from Waurika in 2002, Roberts...

Sooners focus on finished product, not No. 19 rating.
October 31, 2007... Byline: Matt Patterson Oct. 31--NORMAN -- Last season wasn't kind to the University of Oklahoma wrestling team. The Sooners finished out of the top four at the NCAA championships for the first time in eight seasons. OU's best...

Church offers look at real 'Nightmare'.
October 31, 2007... Byline: Johnny Johnson Oct. 31--TULSA -- The doors open and the small group is hurried through the corridor into the next room. There is a blinding flash and a thunderous boom of an explosion. Through the smoky darkness, one can see a...

Foster parents seeking support.
October 31, 2007... Byline: Randy Ellis Oct. 31--Oklahoma foster care parents are stressed out and struggling because of low reimbursement rates and poor support and communication from state Department of Human Services workers, members of the state House...

Enough is enough, opponent of bill says.
October 31, 2007... Byline: Devona Walker Oct. 31--About 1,100 pledges of resistance from parish members at Sacred Heart Catholic Church were delivered to the governor's office Tuesday in protest of HB 1804, proclaiming it an "immoral law." HB 1804,...

Former town clerk faces 9-month term.
October 31, 2007... Byline: Jay F. Marks Oct. 31--A former town clerk from Garfield County was sentenced Tuesday to nine months in prison for failing to report embezzlement income on her taxes. Janice K. Lichtenberg likely would have earned a stiffer...

How care providers deal with shortfalls.
October 31, 2007... Byline: Susan Simpson Oct. 31--Health care providers must do more to retain older workers and mentor younger employees to combat a critical work-force shortage, speakers said Tuesday. Work-force needs are hindered by retirements and...

Bronchos eye another D-II championship.
October 31, 2007... Byline: Matt Patterson Oct. 31--EDMOND -- Central Oklahoma wrestling coach David James is used to the one question he hears more often that not from folks around town -- can the Bronchos repeat at Division II champions? From the...

Stroud has no downside in its game against Luther.
October 31, 2007... Byline: Justin Harper Oct. 31--STROUD -- Since Stroud could win a district championship Friday, Tiger players have been hearing that the playoffs are starting early for them. Actually, Stroud's in a lot better position than that. In...

Rascal Flatts nominated for video award.
October 31, 2007... Oct. 31--Country music group Rascal Flatts, featuring Joe Don Rooney of Picher, is among the nominees for the inaugural Gospel Music Channel Video Awards. Gospel Music Channel founder and president Charles Humbard announced Tuesday that...

City man bakes three pies for Food Network show's cook-off.
October 31, 2007... Byline: Sharon Dowell Oct. 31--An Oklahoma City resident will compete for a $10,000 winner-take-all prize in the Food Network's "Great American Pie Cook-Off," to be broadcast at 7 p.m. Sunday. The contest was taped earlier this year in...

Microwave popcorn makers removing threatening chemical.
October 31, 2007... Byline: Sharon Dowell Oct. 31--What's in your microwave popcorn these days? Many consumers are giving their favorite brand of microwave popcorn a closer look to see whether the boxes specify that the contents are now free of...

The Oklahoman Sharon Dowell column: New bakery a cookie-cutter operation with a twist.(Column)
October 31, 2007... Byline: Sharon Dowell Oct. 31--Cindy Hoehner is one smart cookie for bringing an entirely new type of bakery to town. Iced cutout cookies -- soft, really thick cutout cookies topped with a rich, almond-flavored icing -- are the...

Scott spurred by defeat.
October 31, 2007... Byline: Matt Patterson Oct. 31--STILLWATER -- Coleman Scott's mind never drifts far from a March night in Auburn Hills, Michigan. The 133-pound Scott thinks about it when he puts his shoes on, when he's walking to class and...

BRIEF: L'Oreal gives HUGS founder a $25,000 hug.
October 31, 2007... Byline: Tricia Pemberton Oct. 31--Edmond resident Karen Stark was named the national L'Oreal Paris Women of Worth winner Tuesday for her support for U.S. troops. Stark, 58, won the $25,000 grand prize as founder of The HUGS Project,...

Church honors Charles Wesley's beloved hymns.
October 31, 2007... Byline: Carla Hinton Oct. 31--Each Christmas, churchgoers and holiday pageant performers belt out joyous renditions of the hymn "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing." The seasonal favorite is among the most popular hymns composed by...

The Oklahoman John Rohde column: Chicago might have to give up too much for Lakers star.(Column)
October 31, 2007... Byline: John Rohde Oct. 31--The potential trade of Kobe Bryant from the Los Angeles Lakers to Chicago will have a direct effect on the Bulls winning the Eastern Conference. If Bryant stays with the Lakers, the Bulls will win the...

'Mr. Clutch' keeps Stoops on schedule, Sooners in stitches.
October 31, 2007... Byline: Jake Trotter Oct. 31--NORMAN -- Matt McMillen's official title is administrative coordinator of the Oklahoma football program. To OU coach Bob Stoops, he's "Mr. Clutch," always making sure everything is accounted for and on...

Can UT stop the OSU run game?
October 31, 2007... Byline: Mike Baldwin Oct. 31--STILLWATER -- Something has to give. Texas has been solid stopping the run. And, in recent weeks, Oklahoma State has compiled big rushing totals. The most pivotal matchup Saturday afternoon at Boone...

Little is making his Mark.
October 31, 2007... Byline: Ryan Aber Oct. 31--Emerging from the shadow of Mike Little used to be his younger brother's driving force. "I used to have some selfish feelings," said Mark Little, now the coach at Putnam City. "I grew up so appalled at the...

Clark just happy to be playing.
October 31, 2007... Byline: Scott Wright Oct. 31--NORMAN -- On Tuesday afternoon, Keith Clark was all alone in the Oklahoma men's basketball practice gym. It was more than an hour before the Sooners' practice was scheduled to start, but Clark was already...

BRIEF: Oklahoma soldier killed in Iraq.
October 31, 2007... Byline: Johnny Johnson Oct. 31--HASKELL -- The parents of an Oklahoma soldier received a call this morning that their 19 year-old son had been killed in Iraq. Pvt. Cody Carver was killed during a conflict that may have included the...

BRIEF: Shooting death may be gang related.
October 31, 2007... Byline: Johnny Johnson Oct. 31--TULSA -- One man was killed and another injured Tuesday night when a man in a skeleton costume opened fire outside an apartment complex, Tulsa police said Wednesday. The shootings may have been gang...

Police release color sketch of suspect.
October 31, 2007... Byline: Johnny Johnson Oct. 31--BROKEN ARROW -- Aided by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, police have now released a colorized sketch of a man suspected of kidnapping and raping a 5-year-old girl in September. ...

BRIEF: Strong winds expected.
October 31, 2007... Oct. 31--Strong northerly winds are expected to follow a cold front today as it moves through Oklahoma. A wind advisory is in effect for parts of western Oklahoma, where gusts of 35 mph to 45 mph are expected, the National Weather Service...

BRIEF: Crash reported on north side.
October 31, 2007... Oct. 31--EDMOND -- Emergency personnel are working an accident with injury at Santa Fe and Memorial Road. Motorists going south on Santa Fe out of Edmond should be prepared to slow down or take alternate routes. To see more of The...

OGE sails for wind-energy solution.
October 31, 2007... Byline: Jim Stafford Oct. 31--Thwarted in its quest to build a coal-powered generation plant near Red Rock, OGE Energy, the parent company of Oklahoma Gas and Electric, announced a "green power" initiative Tuesday to quadruple its use of...

BRIEF: Police seek attacker of 72-year-old woman.
October 31, 2007... Byline: Diana Baldwin Oct. 31--EDMOND -- A 72-year-old woman was attacked today while she was jogging in J.L. Mitch Park, 1501 W Covell Road, police said. The Edmond woman's name was not released. She was struck on the head multiple...

Oklahoman recalls Goulet encounter.
October 31, 2007... Byline: Julie Bisbee Oct. 31--STILLWATER -- When singer Robert Goulet walked into a hospitality room for Oklahoma State football fans for a game at Wyoming, Sandra Swank didn't need to be told who he was. Swank, who has been an...

FBI asks judge to reconsider ruling on Nichols interview.
October 31, 2007... Byline: Nolan Clay Oct. 31--The FBI asked a federal judge on Wednesday to reconsider his decision to let an attorney videotape an interview with Terry Nichols and another inmate about the Oklahoma City bombing. The federal Bureau of...

BRIEF: I-40/Choctaw Road accident investigated.
October 31, 2007... Oct. 31--Police are working a traffic accident on Interstate 40 at Choctaw Road. No additional details were available immediately. To see more of The Oklahoman, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.newsok.com. ...

City expands efforts to manage feral cats.
October 31, 2007... Byline: Bryan Dean Oct. 31--A partnership between Oklahoma City and the Oklahoma Humane Society will allow the expansion of a program to spay and neuter feral cats. The Oklahoma City Council voted Tuesday to partner with the society...

After rain, underground surprises, developers set city sights even higher.
October 31, 2007... Byline: Steve Lackmeyer Oct. 31--Ron Bradshaw, Anthony McDermid, Grant Humphreys and Bill Canfield have all faced a worst-case scenario of record rain, underground surprises and general bad luck while trying to complete their respective...

Dobson, AT&T deal is moving forward.
October 31, 2007... Byline: Jim Stafford Oct. 31--AT&T Inc.'s $2.8 billion acquisition of Oklahoma City-based Dobson Communications Corp. took a giant step toward completion Tuesday when the Justice Department gave conditional approval. The Justice...

Plans for meatpacking plant delayed.
October 31, 2007... Byline: Paul Monies Oct. 31--A year ago, company and state officials lauded the landing of a 3,000-job meatpacking plant near the small Panhandle town of Hooker. A year later, those plans by Smithfield Beef Group Inc. and ContiGroup...

BRIEF: Chesapeake begins work on 11 wells in DFW deal.
October 31, 2007... Oct. 31--Chesapeake Energy Corp. has begun producing natural gas from the first 11 wells operating on its 18,000-acre lease at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, the Oklahoma City company said Tuesday. The natural gas company last...

BRIEF: Truck turns over on I-35.
October 31, 2007... Oct. 31--Emergency crews are on the scene of a traffic accident at northbound Interstate 35 and Britton Road involving a tractor-trailer. Authorities said the truck turned over at the site. There was a report of fluid leaking from the...

EDITORIAL: Head start: High schoolers not waiting on college.(Editorial)
October 30, 2007... Oct. 30--In the not-so-distant past, only the most ambitious of students had the privilege of racking up college credit while still in high school. Oh, how times have changed. Thousands of Oklahoma high school students now are enrolled in...

EDITORIAL: Drawing a bead: U.S. sanctions target Iran's behavior.(Editorial)
October 30, 2007... Oct. 30--FINANCIAL sanctions announced by the Bush administration against key components of Iran's military may finally get Tehran's attention -- slowing or halting the stream of weapons to terrorists and perhaps getting the Iranians to...

Accordion jam' spreads its type of music tonight at UCO Jazz Lab.
October 30, 2007... Byline: Ann DeFrange Oct. 30--Accordion players are surely multi-taskers. All at once, they must push and pull to open and close the bellows. They punch buttons for sound; with the other hand, they press keys for melody. They carry...

Grammy Award winning flutist, composer to perform at OU.
October 30, 2007... Byline: Tami Althoff Oct. 30--NORMAN -- Tunes from as far away as West Africa and as close as Taos, N.M., will fill Catlett Music Center when Grammy Award-winning American Indian flutist and composer Robert Mirabal takes the stage...

Ballet Oklahoma's 'Frankenstein' mixed bag of treats.
October 30, 2007... Byline: Kathleen Redwine Oct. 30--Ballet Oklahoma opened its 2007-08 season with artistic director Bryan Pitts' choreographic take on Mary Shelley's 1818 novel, "Frankenstein." While a visually interesting production with scenery and...

City software educator no longer 'best-kept secret'.
October 30, 2007... Byline: Jim Stafford Oct. 30--Piyush Patel refers to PL Studios Inc. as "Oklahoma City's best-kept secret" for its fast-growing business of creating digital animation education software. The city's "secret" was unveiled in a pair of...

Tulsa police shoot, kill suspect.
October 30, 2007... Byline: Micah Gamino Oct. 30--TULSA -- A standoff Monday evening at an apartment complex in east Tulsa ended with officers shooting a man to death after he reportedly pointed a rifle at them, authorities say. Officers originally were...

Ex-claims director faces appeal.
October 30, 2007... Byline: Randy Ellis Oct. 30--An Oklahoma County district judge has thrown out a fraud indictment against the former claims director of a state agency that provides workers' compensation insurance coverage. Judge Kenneth C. Watson...

Sonics case must remain in U.S. court.
October 30, 2007... Byline: Darnell Mayberry Oct. 30--Shaquille O'Neal apparently has a better chance at hitting two straight foul shots than the Sonics had at having their arena dispute resolved through arbitration. A federal judge in Washington state...

BRIEF: OCU sets day of celebration.
October 30, 2007... Byline: Jesse Olivarez Oct. 30--Oklahoma City University officials have scheduled several dedication ceremonies today as part of the school's Day of Celebration. The schedule -- Festivities begin at 2:30 p.m. when school...

Body shop closures strand customers.
October 30, 2007... Byline: Paul Monies Oct. 30--A network of auto body shops with locations in Oklahoma City and Tulsa closed over the weekend, stranding customers and putting scores of employees out of work. The owner of Fox Collision Centers Inc....

Churches: Worshippers in hiding.
October 30, 2007... Byline: Carla Hinton Oct. 30--When the Rev. Leonel Blanco looks out into the pews of his south Oklahoma City church on Sundays, he sees only half the number of his predominantly Hispanic congregation. Attendance at Blanco's Santa...

$3-a-gallon fuel hits metro.
October 30, 2007... Byline: Ja'Rena Lunsford and Don Mecoy Oct. 30--* What's happened? Oil prices are surging, and Oklahoma motorists soon will see it reflected at gasoline pumps, a longtime industry observer said Monday. "If we don't have...

Last-minute battle targets restrictions.
October 30, 2007... Byline: Devona Walker Oct. 30--In the final hours of October, the fight to block House Bill 1804 rages on. On Wednesday, the National Coalition of Latino Clergy and Christian Leaders will meet with U.S. District Judge James Payne to...

Quapaw's 'lights' remain a mystery.
October 30, 2007... Byline: David Zizzo Oct. 30--QUAPAW -- One night, Bill Blalock and some friends were sitting in the dark on a country road in a car with the engine off. People do that a lot around here, especially around Halloween. "We were just...

Art pony falls prey to horsing around.
October 30, 2007... Byline: Ann Kelley Oct. 30--SHAWNEE -- A theft from a Sonic restaurant has some in this town asking that public hangings be reinstated for horse thieves, Shawnee's mayor said. A fiberglass horse -- known as Super Sonic Coney Pony --...

BRIEF: Judge to issue venue decision.
October 30, 2007... Byline: Nolan Clay Oct. 30--STILLWATER -- An accident victim wants her lawsuit against Eddie Sutton moved out of Payne County, arguing he is too popular there for her to get a fair trial. Teresa Barnard is suing Oklahoma State...

Start warming up to La Nina this winter.
October 30, 2007... Byline: Josh Rabe Oct. 30--Don't get your hopes up for a white Christmas this year. According to long-range forecasts, Oklahoma is in for a milder, drier winter than normal in a year that continues to be a polar opposite of its...

Officers plan torch run for charity.
October 30, 2007... Byline: Augie Frost Oct. 30--Oklahoma will celebrate its centennial this week by hosting the world's largest grass-roots fundraiser for Special Olympics, officials said. The annual International Law Enforcement Torch Run Conference...

BRIEF: Sonics lose first court battle with Seattle.
October 30, 2007... Byline: Darnell Mayberry Oct. 30--The Sonics lost their first court battle with the city of Seattle, as a Washington U.S. District Court Judge on Monday announced his decision to keep the case in federal court. The Sonics attempted...

City district plans ways to stop false fire alarms.
October 30, 2007... Byline: Wendy K. Kleinman Oct. 30--A string of false fire alarms at U.S. Grant High School in Oklahoma City left students standing outside more than they wanted to last week. "I asked the first period class, 'What's the chance we'll...

ER doctor sees panic attack symptoms almost daily.
October 30, 2007... Byline: Chris Jones Oct. 30--Sudden chest pain, tingling and a sense of impending doom are symptoms that send people to emergency rooms daily. Is it a heart attack or a stroke? Or could it be panic? Mark Lipe, emergency room...

EDITORIAL: Return engagement: Work comp on lawmaker's radar.(Editorial)
October 30, 2007... Oct. 30--THERE hasn't been a whole lot of talk at the Capitol about workers' compensation since a major reform bill was passed by lawmakers two years ago. That's liable to change during the 2008 session. Rep. Mark McCullough, R-Sapulpa,...

BRIEF: Recruiting.
October 30, 2007... Byline: Blake Jackson Oct. 30--Lynn Katoa Linebacker, Salt Lake City -- Height: 6-foot-2 -- Weight: 220 pounds -- 40-yard dash: 4.6 seconds -- Status: Considering Colorado, Florida, LSU, OU and Miami -- Upside:...

Taco Bell hopes to draw customers into its stores.
October 30, 2007... Byline: Sara Ganus Oct. 30--Baseball fans can put away their bags of peanuts and boxes of Cracker Jacks -- and instead reach for a taco. That's what Taco Bell is hoping for anyway. Months before the 2007 Major League Baseball...

Questions and Answers with Ann Garrett.
October 30, 2007... Byline: Paula Burkes Erickson Oct. 30--Q: The federal Department of Labor in October published its final rulings on default investments in 401(k)s that take effect Jan. 1. How will this affect the retirement plan of employees whose...

Made in Oklahoma: The Worx Co.
October 30, 2007... Byline: Jim Stafford Oct. 30---- Address: 5940 NW 120 Court. -- Web address: www.worxco.com. -- Employees: The Worx and its parent company, Meridian Data Systems, have 12 empoyees. -- Key personnel: Co-owners are Kurt...