March 26, 2019 Issue, Page 1 of 10

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kCituNews Tuesday, March 26, 2019 Serving Western Oklahoma Since 1901 MID-WEEK EDITION Elk City Athletic Facility Splash pad nearin¢ completion coming to Ackley ing/air crews, electricians and plumbers will be in the building this week, and then after they finish, insulation will be done. After that, sheet rock work will be conducted. Among the features in the building will be a training Park West room, which will have whirl- pool tub and training tables. By Don Munsch An overhead door can open Editor and allow a vehicle to load or unload water. Children who don’t want to go swimming will have an Also in the facility will alternative to stay cool this summer in Elk City. be a storage/ laundry room, Anew splash pad will be built in Ackley Park West. City mechanical room and Manager Lee Litterell said the city responded to public de- restrooms. Groundbreaking mand for the pad, which should be operational by summer. on the building was a few The City Commission on Wednesday approved engineering months ago. services services for $10,562.50 from Myers Engineering “We started the process for the pad. last summer, but there were “The nice thing is it will be right out there by the Thun- allot of legal hoops we had to der Court in that area, so it’s going to be a highly used area jump through because we're already,” said Jim Mason, director of economic and com- building this thing on school munity development for the city. The Thunder Courtis a property, but no one’s ever new basketball court at the park. Kirby McBroom stands in front of the new Elk City Athletic Facility that will house done something like this Bids will be open April 4 for the pad, Litterell said. the new weightroom near the football stadium. The entire facility will have 6,600 before,” said McBroom, who “And it will be a free splash pad, so there won’t be any square feet, with 4,900 ofthat figure devoted to the weightroom. Staff photo by Don also is amember of the Elk cost for people to use it,” Mason said. Munsch. City school board. The pad will be open for certain months and hours ofthe Project supporters had to day after it becomes operational. form a foundation, the Elk “And they're set up to be motion-activated, so if there’s By Don Munsch “The weightroom over rent weightroom, inside the nobody there, it’s not going to work.” Mason said. Editor in the [adjoining] building field house, which also has City Athletic Foundation, At the next commission meeting, set for April 1, commis- at the time, in 1982, it was lockerroom facilities. The in order to construct the sioners will consider a fence to be placed around the The new Elk City Athletic pretty good sized, but weight two buildings are located building, and then acquired Facility fulfills a need for the training and conditioning next to the football field, on a 501(c)(3) designation, a See Splash Pad page 2. high school, facility project have really evolved over the northwest side of the tax-exempt status. Anyone coordinator Kirby McBroom the last 37 years since that complex. who wants to donate to the said. was built,” McBroom said. The weightroom, with building, which is still need- And McBroom said the “There was just aneed for 4,900 square feet, will have ing funds, can donate to the weightroom will be one it” recycled AstroTurf covering of the largest in the state, Work began on the the floor. The entire facility facility and the contribution is tax-deductible. “The school basically on 35th Annual just smaller than those building in December and will be 6,600 square feet, at two of the state’s most renowned football programs ‘McBroom said he hopes Elk City High School students McBroom said. ‘McBroom gave a tour of paper turns everything over tous, and then we're going Southwest Farm in Jenks and Tulsa Union. But McBroom stressed the can use the facility, which will be the high school’s new the Elk City Athletic Facility, which sits empty now except to build it and give it back to the school,” McBroom said. & Home Expo ECHS weightroom is for all weightroom, beginning this for the wooden framing coming soon A few businesses - Caswell athletes, not just for those spring. The athletic facility setting off certain rooms students playing football. rests adjacent to the cur- inside the building. Heat- See Athletic page 2. The 35th Annual Southwest Farm & Home Expo will be April 6-7 at the Elk City Convention Center. Whether it’s the farm, home, lawn or garden, this Farm & Home Expo will give people the opportunity to see the newest and best products and services in these areas. Over 100 displays will showcase the latest in farm and livestock equipment and lawn, home and garden supplies. Several special events are scheduled for this year’s show including the FFA Ag Mechanics Show & Silent Auction, Antique Tractor Display and Tractor Pull along with the Lawn Mower Pull, the Children’s Pedal Tractor Pull, BBQ Cook-Off and the All-Breed Bull Sale. Kicking off Saturday's event is the annual Eggs and Issues Legislative Breakfast sponsored by the American Farmers & Ranchers Mutual Insurance at 7:30 a.m. Visi- tors may learn the latest on ag-related information from our local Legislators and Scott Blubaugh, AFR President. ‘The Elk City FFA Alumni will be preparing the free breakfast and will also have the concessions in the North Exhibit See Expo page 2. Kyle Williams, center, manager of the Walmart in Elk City, prepares to cut the ribbon signifying the beginning of the new Walmart app that allows people to order groceries and pick them up outside the store in a designated lot. Attending the ribbon-cutting last week were Teresa Kilhoffer, The Zoo radio station; Carrie Perry, Comforting Hands Hospice in Elk City; Rebecca Berry, Walmart co-manager; Chris Aguilar, Walmart assistant manager; Susie Cupp, Elk Cty Chamber of Commerce executive director; and Brian Beatty, who owns Intelliforce in Elk City. PED virus detected at Staff photo by Don Munsch. Elk City student attends youth expo Oklahoma Electric Cooperative Oklahoma Youth Expo officials said a diagnosis of the PED virus was found at the Oklahoma Youth Expo. Leadership Summit Several pigs became ill, officials said in a release Thurs- day, and they assume most pigs that were at the show or are there now have been exposed to the virus, according to Don Munsch Boyce-Smith and Mc- school students have been opportunities now and in the anews release. Editor Calip were selected as the recognized for their leader- future. The program also The disease causes a transient illness in feeder pigs and 2019 NFEC Youth Summit ship abilities by having the helped increase the students’ mature swine. In baby pigs it can cause up to 100 percent Elk City High School se- delegates because of their opportunity to attend one of understanding of how lead- mortality, the release stated. nior Isaac McCalip was one outstanding applications and the previous leadership sum- ers create change, overcome “It is very contagious and can be transmitted easily on of 30 students, representing recommendations, accord- mits, the release stated. obstacles and serve others fomites,” according to the release. “PEDv is NOT a human Oklahoma's Electric Cooper- ing to a Leadership Summit ‘The program featured through behavior and at- health risk and pork is safe to eat. All attendees at the 2019 atives, who attended the 2019 news release. The students Oklahoma natives Rhett titude. Night of Stars and the gilt and/or barrow shows specifi- Oklahoma's Electric Coop- each received a participant Laubach and Kelly Barnes, McCalip benefited from cally, and the Oklahoma Youth Expo in general, are urged eratives Leadership Summit spot in the 2019 Youth Lead- who collectively spent over the summit. to use the strictest biosecurity possible upon your return to on March 18 at the Oklahoma ership Summit program as 40 years sharing leader- “This event helped me to your farms.” State Fair Grounds. well as a $500 scholarship at ship messages with students communicate with strang- Attendees at the expo who are taking animals from OYE Among the other stu- the event. and adults in the educa- ers,” McCalip said in the home to their farm should isolate those animals until they dents at the event was Dixie This annual event is tion, agriculture, insur- release. “I learned a lot about can confirm they have not been exposed or are contagious. Boyce-Smith, a senior at designed to “excite and mo- ance, health, transportation leadership and met a lot of “This is a highly infectious disease where a very small Cheyenne High School. Both tivate high school students to and sales industries. The people.” amount ofvirus can cause an infection in pigs,” the release stated. local students were North- become leaders of theircom- _ students learned how to Boyce-Smith also was fork Electric Cooperative’s munities,” the release stated. _ focus on making the most he eenaed representatives. Nearly 500 Oklahoma high of the service and growth See Summit page 2. Page 2. uu Weather tomorrow 68/ Vol. 117, No. 25 75 cents, 10 pgs. Home delivery 580.225.3000 View online ecdailynewsonline.com