October 25, 2019 Issue, Page 1 of 12

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a y Serving Western Oklahoma Since 1901 Weekend Edition Elementary children learn about science B _ Cason Embery, Karly Wilson, and Jackson McDowell work on their Lego project at Elk ECHS band co ntinues its superior streak City Elementary School. Staff photo by Don Elk City pep band member Angel LeGrand played at the Elk City-Clinton football game last Munsch. week in Clinton. ECHS sends a smaller contingent of band members, called the pep band, to road games. Photo by Terri Chervenka. By Don Munsch, Editor By Don Munsch, Editor will have a mass band performance Nov. 8 at the Elk City Most children who play with Legos learn about organiza- Elk City High School’s band keeps adding to its record. football game at Big Elk Stadium. The concert season and tion and creativity skills. The band received a superior rating at the regional band basketball season will start after that. Those skills come into play with gifted and talented sec- contest in Lawton last week, and continued a streak that now “T told the kids that the 1 [rating] at regionals wasn’t the ond- and third-graders at Elk City Elementary School, who dates back to 1982 that the band has received 1’s at the re- destination — that’s a milestone,.” DeWitt said, “We want are using Legos to construct a building and learn science gional contest. The band will now advance to the Lawton to be the best and we want to have our best, and hopefully skills along the way. Superior Marching Contest at Cameron Stadium in Lawton at Lawton, we kind of peak at the right time and it will be “They are trying to make a building that is accessible, that on Wednesday. enough to win the outstanding band of the day. That’s what is environmental friendly and is durable; it will hold up to “And basically what Lawton Superior is, they have an we want to do. But again, what we will do isn’t for trophies. like an earthquake or something like that,” said Bridget Car- open division and superior division,” ECHS band director What we do is about the pursuit of perfection, to give it our penter, librarian and STEM teacher at the school. “And then Tim DeWitt said. “The open division is for any band that best effort.” with each one, they have to build a crane or an elevator and wants to come to contest. They didn’t have to make a supe- After this competition, the band students will pick the then they have to have something motorized.” rior at regionals, but then the superior division is for the band music they want to do and perform it on Nov. 14 for the Students worked in three groups — each featuring four or that made a | at regionals and they get to go have a ranking elementary school and high school campuses. After that will five children — and have an hour once week to work on their competition.” be the Christmas concert, which will be Dec. 15 at the Pio- project. One group is building a nursing home, while one is The ECHS band will try to win its classification and also neer Center. building a cafe and the other is creating a hotel. In order to will vie for the Charlie Millender Award, which goes to the DeWitt said the band appreciates the support of the com- be environmentally friendly, for example, the building could outstanding band of the day. The Lawton Superior is the fi- munity, district administration and band staff. contain a garden, The buildings have to be ADA-compliant. nale of the marching season for ECHS, although the band See Band page 2. “We used Google maps and looked at buildings around town,” Carpenter said. “And then we watched some videos about engineering, and then they decided from there what See Lego science page 2. City earns distinctions for water, plant Members of the Elk City water department and water production teams attended the recent Oklahoma Water and Pollution Control Confer- ence at Rose State College in Midwest City and won wards for Elk City's water's taste and the water plant. Shown here are, from left, Mike McFall, public utilities superintendent; Colter Sand- ers, water production opera- tor; Steve Hardeman, water ) reclamation, city of Norman; and Johnny Brown, water production superintendent. Submitted photo. Luanne Eisler shows off the Friendship Star By Don Munsch, Editor several bigger communities,” McFall said about the taste quilt that is being raffled by the Friends of Elk City recently earned some awards for its water taste test. “And we won hands down. As a matter of fact, I’ve the Library at Elk City Carnegie Library. Peo- and water plant. been the judge of the taste test before, and it’s not an easy ple interested in the quilt may buy a ticket at Mike McFall, public utilities superintendent for the city of task. You hardly ever have a unanimous decision. There’s Elk City, said at the Oklahoma Water and Pollution Control always one person or two people that want somebody else. the library. The winner will be announced on Conference at Rose State College in early October in Mid- Ours was one of the few exceptions: We had four judges, Nov. 15. Tickets are $10 apiece. Staff photo west City, Elk City received the Most Improved Water Plant and unanimously, we won first place. So that’s pretty neat.” by Don Munsch. of the Year award and Taste Test Award. On the taste test, judges look for such as details such as “We competed against Midwest, Oklahoma City, Ada — See Distinctions page 3 Church decries destruction of food left in blessing box By Don Munsch, Editor But there didn’t seem to be anything honorable about Rash hopes to reopen the box, though, and the police were Christina Rash just wants to help people in need, and the someone recently taking canned food from the box and contacted about the damage and cameras mounted on the blessing box located behind her church’s parking lot sought smashing the cans open and strewing them in the grassy church building can monitor people coming and going at the to help people 24/7. field nearby. Rash, the associate pastor at the church, was box all times of the day. People could leave or take food from the box operated by forced to discontinue the box because of the mischief. “We believe it’s a local kid, a very local kid,” she said, the First Church of the Nazarene in Elk City, and everything “This is unfortunate because this is for the community,” describing the guilty party involved in destroying the food. was conducted on the honor system and people could ac- said Rash, pastor of youth and children at the church, “It’s a The damage began about a month to a month and a half ago. quire food anonymously. way that we were trying to help hungry people.” See Vandalism page 2. Vol. 117, No. 86 NT Weather tomorrow 64 / 39 75 cents, 12 pgs. Mail delivery 580.225.3000 View online elkcityoknews.com