LOCAL & REGION
GRANDFIELD: Threats sent to superintendent
WEDNESDAY,APRIL 15, 2009
CONTINUED FROM 1A
“These people all talk about
tolerance, but it seems they’re
not very tolerant.”
Whittington said his office
followed established emer-
gency protocol in dealing with
the powdery substance — con-
tacting the state health depart-
ment and the Oklahoma De-
partment of Homeland Securi-
ty.
Elgin Elementary and E-911
Youngsters learn how
to make emergency calls
BY SCOTT RAINS
STAFF WRITER
SRAINS@LAWTON-CONSTITUTION.COM
ELGIN — Kindergarten
students at Elgin Elementary
have been learning to be un-
afraid under fearful condi-
tions when calling 911 in an
emergency.
Elgin Police Officer Cindy
Tracy was joined by county
dispatchers Sarah Chapman
and Jessice Daoang Tuesday
afternoon to share informa-
tion with Janie Smith’s 17
kindergartners. The children
focused on Tracy’s every
word as she spoke about han-
dling emergency situations
and calling for help.
“What number do you dial
in an emergency?” Tracy
asked. “911!” was the excited
response of the children.
“And now I’m going to in-
troduce you to who you’ll be
calling,” Tracy said before
presenting Chapman and
Daoang.
Each student sat with a dis-
patcher and made a faux
emergency call to get a real
CITY:
Revocation
policy debated
CONTINUED FROM 1A
has a fourth option: Increasing
penalties for those who sell al-
cohol to minors. He suggested
a $10,000 fine, a proposal ve-
toed by Jensen because the
city’s penalties are set by state
law.
Disagreement
Not everyone agreed the
council should be removed
from the process. Ward 4
Councilman Jay Burk said re-
moving the council from the
appeal process removes
council powers, adding the
council should at least “look
over our own ordinances.”
One retail representative
also asked the council to re-
main part of the appeal
process, saying without the
council, there would be less
avenues for a retailer faced
with revocation or suspen-
sion of a license.
But, Shanklin said those who
lose their licenses always
have the option of appealing to
district court. Jensen, noting
his office has two similiar cas-
es pending, said he would pre-
fer the issues go through a
court of law.
Tattoo parlors
In other business during the
five-hour long meeting, coun-
cil members directed Jensen’s
staff to rewrite city code to re-
peal a provision that prohibits
tattoo parlors within 1,000 feet
of a school, church or play-
ground, and approved a con-
tract with Horn Sanitation,
which will set up two recy-
cling centers so the city will
have an active recycling pro-
gram.
The tattoo parlor action
came after the council re-
turned from executive ses-
sion, where they discussed a
lawsuit posed by Mike Evans,
who wants to open a tattoo par-
lor near North Sheridan Road
and Cache Road, but has been
refused permission because of
a nearby church. An Okla-
homa County district judge
has ruled illegal the state law
upon which Lawton’s law is
based.
Recycling centers
Horn Sanitation’s bid means
the firm will set up two recy-
cling centers within fenced
enclosures and maintain the
site, with its payment to be the
revenue it generates by sell-
ing recyclable materials.
It was the U.S. Postal In-
spection Service that ulti-
mately found the powder to be
non-threatening, Whittington
said.
“We immediately began
treating this incident as a bio-
hazard threat,” Whittington
said. “The majority of these
types of incidents are hoaxes
... but you have to treat every
incident as the real McCoy un-
til it is proven otherwise.”
understanding of what it
would be like and to help as-
suage fears.
“It is very rewarding to get
to practice with the kids,”
Chapman said. “We get kid
callers all the time.”
Tracy has offered the pro-
gram as part of National Pub-
lic Safety Telecommunica-
tions Week for the last five
years; the last three with sup-
port from county dispatch.
Another kindergarten class
will have a presentation on
Thursday.
“It puts a face with the
voice on the line,” Tracy said.
Each year, the second week
of April is dedicated to the
men and women who serve as
public safety telecommunica-
tors. The official name of the Elgin kindergartner Caleb Lanz receives a coloring book, pencil and zipper pull following a successful 911
week when originally intro- call with Comanche County dispatcher, Jessica Daoang.
duced in Congress in 1991
was National Public Safety and International Public Safe- Caleb Lanz. Under his intense a picture of a car wreck. “I
Telecommunicators Week. In ty Telecommunicator’s Week. gaze, Daoang talked him had one of these with my pa
the intervening years, it has
somehow become known by oring books, pencils and zip-
several other names, includ- per pulls following successful on the way,” Daoang said.
ing National Public-Safety calls with the dispatcher.
Telecommunications Week
ON THE AGENDA / Lawton City Council
The City Council considered the
following items at Tuesday’s
meeting:
CITY TRANSIT TRUST
Approved:
Q Resolution authorizing the fil-
ing of a grant for assistance with
Federal Transit Administration.
Q Establishing advertising fees
for 35-foot transit bus.
Q Text and graphics for pro-
posed rear bus wraps and one
street-side wrap submitted for
IBC Bank.
Q Text and graphics for pro-
posed bus wrap submitted for
Midas.
CONSENT AGENDA
Approved:
Q Damage claims forDaniel
Pinkney, $1,721.73; Carl and Rita
Eubanks, $263.76; Barbara
Stewart, $1,172.50; Harold Byrd,
$1,168.
Q Denial of damage claim for
Christopher Tanequodle, $109.45.
Q Application and acceptance
of the 2009 Department of
Justice Edward Byrne Assistance
Grant.
Q Application and acceptance
of the 2009 Community Oriented
Policing Grant.
Q A permanent and temporary
easements from Harvey and
Dorothy Jenkins, and Gary and
Ann Tubbs, for Numu Creek
bridge replacement project.
Q Permanent easement from
Guy and Betty Dodd, for addi-
tional right of way for Northwest
67th Street project.
Q A warranty deed from
Elderly man reports threats,
extortion by granddaughter
BY MALINDA RUST
STAFF WRITER
MRUST@LAWTON-CONSTITUTION.COM
For most of us, memories of
riding around with grandpa in-
volve trips to the ice cream
store or bait shop, but for one
Lawton woman, Tuesday’s ride
was filled with domestic vio-
lence and a borderline rob-
bery.
According to a police report,
officers were called just be-
fore 2 p.m. to respond to a sit-
uation at City National Bank,
located near Southwest 6th
Street and D Avenue. The 86-
year-old victim told the teller
he needed help because his
granddaughter, who was wait-
ing in the parked car outside,
demanded he withdraw mon-
Amanda McMurrey, public
information officer for the
Fort Worth division of the U.S.
Postal Inspection Service, said
her office is following up on
the investigation.
“We take this very serious-
ly,” McMurrey said. “People
who send this type of hoax
communication, especially
with a powder, can face up to
five years in jail.”
Turlington said the incident
The students received col- through his call.
“Very good, Caleb. Help is “We had to call 911 and po-
Korbin Adams showed his scared now if I have to call
“My dad got shot,” said coloring book. He pointed to for help,” he said.
Summit Village for right of way
on Southwest 52nd Street.
Q A temporary construction
permits for improvements at the
Fort Sill Apache Casino project.
Q Installation of traffic control
measures at Parkview Boulevard
at Cherry; Laird Boulevard; East
Gore Boulevard, Interstate 44 to
Flower Mound Road; Cherry at
Northwest 16th Street.
Q Denying requests for traffic
control measures on Kingsbriar
Drive at Fieldcrest Drive;
Northwest Bell Avenue at
Northwest 15th Street.
Q Installation/removal of street
lights.
Q A contract amendment with
Jacobs Consultancy for addition-
al planning services for Lawton’s
Sustainable Growth Study and
Plan.
Q Extending health and dental
third party administrator con-
tract with Blue Cross Blue Shield,
Oklahoma City.
Q Awarding non-exclusive recy-
cling center operation to Horn
Sanitation, Lawton.
Q Awarding GPS system to
Midwest A&E Supply.
Q Extending employee assis-
tance program contract with
Deer Oaks EAP Services, San
Antonio, Texas.
Q Awarding rear load refuse
collection body to J&R
Equipment, Oklahoma City.
Q Extending mowing and litter
contract with Teen Challenge of
Oklahoma, Cache.
Q Extending nuisance abate-
ment contract with Charlie’s
Backhoe & Demolition, Sterling.
ey for her or she was going to
“harm him.”
A police report said the two
went to collect $40 from the
suspect’s brother for an un-
known reason, but he didn’t
hand over the cash. Then, the
man’s granddaughter “began
to call (him) names and
slapped him in the chest,” the
report said. She told him to go
to the bank and get the $40—
needed for an unknown rea-
son.
That’s when he went to the
bank and asked for help. Po-
lice arrived and talked with
both parties, however, the
granddaughter was not arrest-
ed. Officials at the Depart-
ment of Human Services were
notified, though.
proved more of an annoyance
than anything.
“Who in the hell would try
and disrupt a whole program
over an opinion when they
don’t even know the whole cir-
cumstances?” he said.
He said he was also frustrat-
ed that emergency responders
could not get to Grandfield
and identify the substance
sooner.
“Why should a school have
last Friday,” Adams said.
lice officers. I’m not so
Q Appointments to boards and
commissions.
Q Payroll for March 23-April 5.
NEW BUSINESS
Approved:
Q Declaring 905 SW 12th and
1207 New York as condemned.
Q An ordinance closing 5 feet
of utility easement at 316 and
318 Boatsman Avenue.
Q Consider an ordinance
amending nuisance and health
codes, to incorporate state law
provisions that prohibit the use
of lighted tobacco in certain
public places; with an emergency
clause.
Q Consider an ordinance
amending code, allowing vehi-
cles to partially park on yards
abutting roadways under certain
conditions.
Q Consider an ordinance clarify-
ing restaurants and other busi-
nesses that derive more than 50
percent of their sales from
sources other than alcohol are
not mixed beverage establish-
ments.
29. Discuss and take action
about extending a contract with
Giuseppe’s Landscaping & Lawn
Care, to complete tree pruning in
Elmer Thomas Park. (No action)
30. Discuss the authority of the
mayor, City Council and city man-
ager, as established by City
Charter. (No action taken)
31. Receive an update on 2nd
Street Enhancement Project and
Tax Increment Financing District.
32. Discuss Fiscal Year 2009-
2010 budget; take appropriate
action. (No action taken)
33. Discuss billboard at 2010 W.
Sell unwanted items. Call Classified 357-9545.
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to wait three-and-a-half hours
to get a response,” he said.
“What if it had been anthrax in
the air or something?”
But Whittington said the in-
cident gave his department —
as well as state homeland se-
curity officials — an idea of
what does and doesn’t work
when responding to bio-haz-
ard incidents.
He said he will meet with
homeland security officials in
SCOTT RAINS/STAFF
Lee; take appropriate action. (No
action)
Q Consider a lease agreement
with Duit Construction Company
for city property along the
Northwest 67th Street reconstruc-
tion project and along Rogers
Lane, for use as temporary con-
crete batch/construction site.
Q Consider appointing a proxy
for final decision authority to
accept or reject bids from public
auction of a 1998 scrapper and a
1994 scraper.
Tabled:
Q Declaring 411 SE Larrance
and 911 SW C as condemed.
No Action:
Q Discuss and take appropriate
action concerning amending the
process for an appeal of a
municipal judge order to revoke
or suspend a retail dealer’s low
point beer license.
EXECUTIVE SESSION
36. Advised city attorney to
rescind code requirement ban-
ning tattoo parlors within 1,000
feet of a church, school or play-
ground.
37. Discuss the lawsuit Jamal
Lipford vs. City of Lawton; take
appropriate action in open ses-
sion. (No action)
38. Discuss negotiations for a
collective bargaining agree-
ment between the city and
police union; take appropriate
action in open session. (No
action taken)
— Kim McConnell/staff
(USPS 306-740)
102 S.W. 3rd St.
P.O. Box 2069
Lawton, OK 73502
580-353-0620
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3A
Frederick on Thursday to dis-
cuss how these types of emer-
gencies can be better handled
in rural areas of the state.
“There was a hole that got
identified because of this,”
Whittington said. “All the
planning and everything has
been geared toward the large
metropolitan areas, but that
has been identified thanks to
this incident, and things will
be handled.”
Frederick
store closing
BY ZEKE CAMPFIELD
STAFF WRITER
ZCAMPFIELD@LAWTON-CONSTITUTION.COM
FREDERICK — The rumor
is true: one of two grocery
stores in Tillman County will
close its doors before the week
is out.
Greg Clinkenbeard, owner
of the Delbert’s Supermarket
chain, said Thursday will be
the last day for employees and
customers of his Frederick
grocery store.
“It’s just a business deci-
sion,” Clinkenbeard said of the
closure.
The store opened in Freder-
ick in November 2004 and has
about 16 employees, Clinken-
beard said.
His other stores — in Co-
manche, Rush Springs, Ho-
bart and Waurika — will re-
main open, he said.
A spokesperson for Home-
land Stores — which owns the
remaining grocery store in
Frederick, United Supermar-
kets — confirmed on Tuesday
that it will purchase the closed
store with the intentions of re-
opening it.
Clinkenbeard said he could
not discuss details of the busi-
ness transaction.
Altus man
to succeed
Burns Hargis
BY ZEKE CAMPFIELD
STAFF WRITER
ZCAMPFIELD@LAWTON-CONSTITUTION.COM
ALTUS — Ken Fergeson,
chairman and CEO of the Na-
tional Bank of Commerce in
Altus, has been selected to
chair the board of directors at
Creative Oklahoma Inc.
Fergeson
will succeed
V. Burns Har-
gis, president
of Oklahoma
State Univer-
sity, as chair-
man of the
non-profit or-
ganization’s
FERGESON 4 4 - m e m b e r
board —
which is composed of busi-
ness, education and cultural
leaders from across Okla-
homa.
A former chairman of the
American Bankers Associa-
tion, Fergeson is active with
the Oklahoma Bankers Asso-
ciation, Oklahoma State
Chamber, the Oklahoma
School of Science and Mathe-
matics, Oklahoma Foundation
for Excellence, Oklahoma
Heritage Association and the
ONE Awards of the Oklahoma
Center for Non-profits.
Creative Oklahoma Inc. is a
nonprofit organization estab-
lished to launch the Oklahoma
Creativity Project, a statewide
initiative supporting, promot-
ing and enhancing creativity
and innovation in the areas of
commerce, education and cul-
ture. The organization led the
2008 effort to designate Okla-
homa as the first state to be
distinguished as a “creativity
district” by the World Creativ-
ity Forum.
6 months 1year
$39.00 $75.00 $144.00
$27.50 $52.50 $ 99.00
6 months 1 year
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$95.00 $180.00
$ 69.00