December 30, 2020 Issue, Page 1 of 10

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GoWest Look inside for the Winter edtion of GoWest. ¢ e . il iy Serving ] >. _ Western Oklahoma 74 | Since 1901 Weekday Edition ‘The Life Community Foundation’s second and final Com- munity Christmas Dinner was amazing, We served approxi- mately 200 people again this year and about half of those were to-go orders. Elk City never ceases to amaze me, stat- ed Liberty McArthur, with how kind, giving and how much you love your community, she continued. We had many vol- unteers that helped serve and made this all possible along with those who donated desserts, like The Cookie Fix, Zn’R Snack Bar & Poppy’s Pit & Grill for the delicious cookies, Jones family. Submitted photos. pecan pies, and complete dinner Even leftovers were able to be put to good use by taking By Shonda Little ‘Their names were Dakota and Dorean. them to the Elk City Police Department and Elk City Fire Little did she know their placement would take her from being a Department. Santa and Mrs. Claus along with Nancy El- Seventy-two-old Norma Jones was a mainstay in Beckham Coun- mother of three to a mother of seven. wood, Hope and The Magnolia Trailer provided so much joy ty’s foster system for nearly 15 years. Through her time in service, “They were little when I got them. Then I got their sister Madison to our guests she is estimated to have cared for over 100 children. when she was just two days old. Then I got their youngest brother Although this was LCF’s last event, we will carry on tradi- Some of those children were only with her briefly. Others stayed Dalton when he was just about one,” Jones recounted. tion through Western Oklahoma Family Care Center, Inc. weeks that turned into months. In the meantime, she continued to foster other children. Most Courtesy photo. For four of her foster children, that turned into a lifetime. days were easy. Some days were hard. “[ was looking in the newspaper and saw they needed foster par- “With every child I got, I was honest with them. People don’t al- ents. I talked about it with my daughter Charlene and told her that I was interested in doing it. By that time, she and her two older ways know what to say to these kids who are in the system and you Felony charges don’t want to make it worse. I always thought I would make it worse by not being honest. With every child who came through my doors, re-filed against Carr brothers Greg and Jeff were out of the home. I had been taking care of my father Jack and he had died. I had always been a caretaker and I would sit them down and tell them the rules. ‘The first rule is be- it was like all my seniors and my kids were gone at the same time. I ing kind to each other. I'd say, ‘I know because you are here that you ‘was just going to work and coming home to an empty house. I had have been through a lot, but that doesn’t come with you. This is a church and the same thing. I knew I had more love to give,” Jones home full of love and as long as you act in that way, that is what you By Shonda Little remembered. will get. It’s okay to be mad, but we gotta talk that out together. This So, in 2000, she filled out the foster care application. Before she is my home, so you will treat me with respect, but this is your home, A33-year-old Elk City man is facing a felony charge of embezzle- knew it, her home was consumed with baby laughter and teenage too, so I will do the same,” Jones said. ment that was filed in the Beckham County District Court on De- angers — really whatever need the Oklahoma Department of Hu- Jones hadn't really given much thought to actually adopting any cember 21, man Services had for foster children. of her foster kids at first. But for the set of four siblings she had, the Derek Blaine Carr had been charged in 2018 on this same com- ‘Then, in December of 2002, she received a placement of two small ‘system was eventually going to separate them if they didn’t finda plaint, but the charge was dismissed with the capability for the twin brothers. See Jones page 2. Beckham County District Attorney's office to re-file. ‘That happened last week. ‘The charge goes back to allegations nearly five years. Elk City girl wins top buckle through According to the probable cause affidavit, between September 8, 2015, and March 20, 2016, Carr was an employee of Holland Ser- vices and was entrusted with creating and submitting invoices for Hennessy Horseman Club payment. During that time, it is alleged that Carr committed the offense of embezzlement. “Carr committed the offense of embezzlement by creating fic- tion is an understatement. Fenli had little experience as a hadn't done that much since her titious invoices in the amount of approximately $526,061. Carr Last week, Fenli joined her rodeo cowgirl. college rodeo days — what with turned those fictitious invoices in to Holland Services out of Brick, family's long history after win- ‘The match seemed meant to college, raising kids and build- Beckham County, Oklahoma, who submitted those invoices for ning a prize buckle for most be. ing a career. payment to LeNorman Operating. LeNorman paid $301,090 before accumulative points for barrel “She is having to learn on a “T fell back in love with it as catching and disputing the charges,” the affidavit stated. racing through the Hennessy horse her mom is training,” Jes- she was falling in love with it,” ‘According to the probable cause affidavit, Holland Services han- Horseman Club. sica laughed. “If she ever gets Jessica added. dled most oilfield contract work to include building oilfield site and Fenli had spent most of her a good finished horse, she will Fenli started out during the other roustabout work. life not actively involved in the think it is a cake walk.” summer doing barrel races in “If Holland Services didn’t have the equipment needed for the sport. She had watched her ‘As Fenli learned the sport, Clinton, but they soon found job, they would subcontract with another company to do the work mother and grandfather inter- Jessica decided to plunge back the Hennessy club. for them. Derek Carr was employed as their company salesman and act with horses, but had never into competitive riding. She See Buckle page 2. See Carr page 2. competed herself. Her mother had already planned to start her soon, but the Covid-19 pan- Elk City family bids farewell to Korean exchange student demic presented a rare oppor- tunity when other events had By Shonda Little been cancelled. Fenli Simmons “We were basically stuck at Just after midnight, Brian LeGrand was up waiting for his Italian By Shonda Little the house. Most her sporting exchange student Michele to come from “the drag.” stuff had been cancelled and she In Michele’s home city of Milan, car ownership is a rarity. So is Eleven-year-old Fenli Sim- was enjoying coming out with being able to ride around the streets once heralded as the Mother Road seems especially foreign. mons hails from a long line of me and working with our hors- es,” said her mother. “Yes, Brian took me out yesterday to let me drive a car,” Michele horseman. Her mother Jessica laughed. “I could not do that at home.” Fenli started out mounting sat atop a quarter horse in her Jack, a old horse her mother Within just a few hours of ensuring Michele, nicknamed “Mike” youth, Her grandfather L.N. said was a good starter. was tucked safely in bed, LeGrand and his wife Courtney had to Simmons has been involved in Both she and Fenli were awake to take their other exchange student to board a plan headed horse racing for most of his life, heartbroken when he died. for Kore: just like his father and his father But then Jessica rescued Seongjae is a 17-year-old native of South Korea. He was the Le- before him. 12-year-old Picasso. He had no Grand’s first exchange student. To say that it is a family tradi- experience as a rodeo horse, like See Student page 2. Weather Vol. 118, No. 105 Mail delivery View online a Te 75 cents, 10 pgs. 580.225.3000 elkcityoknews.com tomorrow