September 2, 2020 Issue, Page 1 of 8

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Nip Serving Western Oklahoma v4 - 1901 »An Hn Zl | September 2, 2020: Weekday Edition Elk City fire chief reassigned Corn Bible Academy By Don Munsch, Editor concept phase of improvements of the pool. secures financing to Elk City Fire Department Chief Billy Word was reas- signed last week. “We have no engineering plans or architectural plans, but we met with the CAPPs committee last week and we want finish building Word has been the fire chief since 2014 and was an assis- to move forward with that as quick as we can,” Ivester said tant for three years prior to becoming chief, according to the Monday, referring to the Community Action Project Plans Corn Bible Academy announced last week that it city’s website. He started as a volunteer in 1989. group, which is looking at various improvements in the city. has secured financing that will allow it to complete its Elk City interim City Manager Tom Ivester declined to “We'll be holding a series of meetings to try to finalize the 50,000 square foot school building in Clinton in 2021. say why Word was reassigned, but did say Word will work plan to get them over to an architect. It’s going to take three CBA, which is currently located in Corn, has been in the realm of emergency management and some safety is- in existence since 1902. School officials said “the to five months just to get plans drawn up.” sues. His office will not be at the fire department. time is right to complete the move to Clinton, where In the two concepts for the pool, the pool will look signifi- “T’m not sure where he’s going to be physically located,” it will be better positioned to serve families along the cantly different from now, Ivester said. Ivester said. “He might be doing some work from home.” 140 corridor,” the school stated in a news release. “We’ll be using kind of the bones of what's already there, Billy Sizemore, who is the assistant fire chief, will be the Corn Bible Academy’s relocation process unofficially but it will look significantly different,” he said. started in August 2007 with a few people meeting week- acting chief until a new chief is found. Most likely, the city As far as some Ackley Park improvements, those concept ly to pray about the school’s need to move to a central will wait until a full-time city manager is hired to determine plans should be done in conjunction with the pool improve- location. the new chief, Ivester said. “We will look to fill the fire chief position once we have ments and will include upgrading pavilions, a new restroom The school received its first donations for the project a full-time city manager,” Elk City Mayor Nick Archer said facility and just basic upgrades to what's already there, in 2011, the release stated. The “Grow CBA” fundrais- in an email. “We will look inside the department as well as Ivester said. ing campaign officially began in 2013. Groundbreaking accept external applications, At this time, I do not believe And looking at the city manager position, Archer said the took place in April 2015 and the school board has built there is any intention to hire an external firm for selection.” commission has about 17 applications, perhaps more be- using cash up to this point. The campaign has steadily In other city developments,dirt work continues at the site cause he had been out of the office last week. But the review grown over the years with over $5.9 million raised to of the new multipurpose building site at Ackley Park West. of those applications is slated for this coming month’s first date. Ivester said he does not know how long each phase will meeting, to be held Sept. 8. Oklahoma Bank and Trust of Clinton will be CBA’s take, but the construction time frame is 18 months — longest “Ideally by the mid month Wednesday meeting, we will financial partner and Sawatzky Construction of Weath- duration — although the city hopes to finish before then. be able to make a selection and offer the city manager posi- erford is the general contractor as they move forward to Regarding the city pool at Ackley Park, the city is in the tion,” he said. See Financing page 2. iv ex \/ SWOSU Foundation i) > to have charity hunt > a management, parks and recreation management, sport man- Host and co-host opportunities offering substantial spon- V agement, parks law enforcement and wildland fire manage- ment,” the release stated. sor benefits remain but will close soon, and only a few in- dividual hunter slots remain. Cocktail hour and dinner-only THE SWosu" Ryan Haggard, chair of the SWOSU PRM Department, registration are also available for non-hunters who want to CHARITABLE said the program offers exceptional, specialized coursework fellowship with SWOSU alumni and friends. and experiences to SWOSU students. For information on sponsorships, to register to hunt, and “Unique and expanding rapidly, SWOSU PRM is the only SHUNT= to see the entire event schedule, please visit www.HuntWith- program of its kind in the region,” the release stated. “The SWOSU.com and contact SWOSU Associate Director for proceeds from the hunt will make history at SWOSU as the Institutional Advancement Clarke Hale at Clarke.hale@ institution’s first endowment benefiting PRM and will help swosu.edu or 817-707-6795. SWOSU to produce the next generation of conservationists, The Southwestern Oklahoma State University Founda- The SWOSU Charitable Hunt isorganized by the SWOSU sportsmen and sportswomen, wildlife law enforcement of- tion Inc. will host its first-ever charitable hunt in September Foundation Inc., which was established in 1977 to promote ficials, park rangers and many others.” to help people who work in conservation management and This fundraising activity will be facilitated by BlackOak philanthropy and distribute funds to support the activities other fields. Farms, a full-service hunting operation that is integrated and programs of SWOSU. Located on the Weatherford The hunt will take place on Sept.18-19 in Devol, ac- with traditional agriculture practices of farming and ranch- campus in the historic Burton House, the Foundation cur- cording to a SWOSU news release. The event will provide ing, according to SWOSU. rently stewards over $26 million in assets for the benefit of philanthropic support to SWOSU’s Department of Parks The event will involve a late afternoon/early evening dove SWOSU, the release stated. & Recreation Management, which seeks to “facilitate the hunt on Sept. 18 followed by a cocktail hour, dinner and auc- For more information on the Foundation, please call 580- development of professionals in the fields of conservation tion with an early morning dove hunt to follow on Sept. 19. 774-3267 or visit www.SWOSUFoundation.com. Millions of dollars in revenue lost in canceled events By William Crum, The try. track to exceed $15 million crease of 18.1% over fiscal basketball. City. Oklahoman Will Rogers World Airport in total hotel-motel tax col- 2019. Hotel room sales rey- Estimates are the direct Kranenburg said passen- Every Oklahoma City began looking more like a lections. enue decreased 23.6%. spending from that lost busi- ger counts at security check- Thunder home basketball ghost town than a transpor- “The almost overnight “More than 15,000 hospi- ness would have totaled $50 points recently have aver- game at Chesapeake Energy tation hub that had been see- cessation of all forms of tality employees at all lev- million. Dollar figures for aged 2,800 to 3,000. Before Arena produces an estimated ing record annual passenger commercial travel and the els and in every segment of many other events are not the pandemic, 5,000 to 7,000 $1.4 million in direct spend- traffic. closing of tourism assets the industry lost their jobs,” calculated. was common. ing. “The Utah Jazz came to worldwide due to COV- Carrier said. Airports Director Mark Airport administrators When a Utah Jazz player’s town and the world changed ID-19 put a halt to that,” he CVB reports beginning Kranenburg said last week budgeted for public parking positive COVID-19 test led literally overnight,” Mike wrote. in March reflect the abrupt that Will Rogers World Air- revenue to fall $6.5 million to cancellation of the March Carrier, president of the The 5.5% hotel-motel tax interruption of events upon port traffic, down 94% in and concessions revenue to 11 game at the arena, all that Convention & Visitors Bu- is earmarked for conven- which the hospitality indus- April, remains down more be off $2.7 million. money had to find some- reau, says in his introduction tion and tourism promotion, try depends. than 60%. A $2.8 million decrease place else to land. to the CVB’s annual report, event sponsorships and fair- Dozens were canceled, As demand for air travel in passenger facility charges The resulting collapse in to be presented to the city grounds improvements. ranging from corporate and slumped, American, Delta, and a drop of $4.7 million in events, tourism and meet- council Tuesday. Carrier reports hotel-mo- government meetings to Southwest and United sus- other sources primarily due ings led to thousands of lay- ‘As March began, Carrier tel tax collections ended the trade shows to minor league pended direct flights to nine the pandemic-induced offs in the hospitality indus- says, Oklahoma City was on year at $12.9 million, a de- baseball and professional destinations from Oklahoma See Revenue page 2. OLE Weather tomorrow @ 90/64 Vol. 118, No. 70 75 cents, 8 pgs. Mail delivery 580.225.3000 View online elkcityoknews.com