January 27, 2021 Issue, Page 1 of 18

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{ y Serving | Sy, Western Oklahoma “4 4 | Since 1901 Wednesday, January 27, 2021 Weekday Edition Lou Ansley turns 100 Meet the City: Longtime Elk City furniture retailer and widow of award- winning Elk City Daily News ad man celebrates centennial Thornton and wife. Courtesy photo.. The Elk City News series on the employees who make the City of Elk City work By Shonda Little Every fall, Elk City Ackley Park begins transforming into a winter wonderland complete with a functioning carousel, putt- Lou Ansley celebrates her 100th putt and train rides encircling the park's ponds. Even Santa Carter, his two children and members of the Oklahoma City Police Claus and his wife set up shop to greet families driving through. Department. Courtesy photos. A double decker bus ferries cheerful visitors throughout the thousands of lights and displays that adorn the annual festivi- ties. By Shonda Little Oklahoma Hall of Fame. But, just like the North Pole has its elves, the City of Elk City “(m doing really well for an old woman,” Lou laughed as she dis- has their own magic makers headed up by Billy Thorton, the Late last week, two statewide television stations, KOCO 5 and cussed her birthday and incoming 101th year of life. KWTV 9, featured the 100th birthday celebration of Lou Ansley. “I was born on January 20, 1921 in a farm home between Elk city’s parks and recreations supervisor. Adhering to social distancing protocols for safety related to Cov- City and Canute near the county line,” she said. Thorton is joined in his crafty handiwork by the fellow city id-19, Oklahoma City Police Department officers drove a parade by Her daughter Sharon, the couple’s only child, said that Lou's par- employees who he supervises — Thomas Hoaley, Mike Ross, Jo- the home Lou shares with her daughter and son-in-law to wish the ents were Louisa (Nichols) and William Lafayette Blair. nah Rickett and Connor Addington. centenarian a happy birthday. “Her father rode a horse to Oklahoma by himself when he was However, Thorton and his band of merry men are far from Her only grandson Carter. Wallace, a technology specialist with 39-years-old,” Sharon stated. “Then her father took a job with her limited to the Christmas seasonor just Ackley Park. the Yukon Police Department, says that Lou's deep reverence for mother’s father, my granddad Nichols, working on his farm. Her “We take care of nine parks in total,’ Thorton advised. “That police officers made the appreciated gesture a fitting honor for his father’s mother immigrated from France.” includes Ackley Park, Ackley Park West, Rotary Park, Lions grandmother's heralded milestone. Just as her father rode to Oklahoma alone on a horse, her moth- Park, Herring Park, Jaycees Park, which is now sponsored by the But long before Lou was showcased on the two television sta~ er’s family had come in a covered wagon. Western Oklahoma Downed Bikers Association, Lincoln Park, tions, she was a star in Elk City. “Her mother was in her 20s when they met and her father was Kiwanis Park and the Elk City Lake.” For decades, she co-owned and operated the Ansley Thornton this bachelor in his 30s. He was 39 and she was 26 when they start- ‘The parks are sprinkled throughout the City of Elk City and Furniture on the corner of Elk City’s Third Street and Main Street. ed out. They had eight children and my grandmother gave birth to each offers a unique benefit to the community, Thorton says. “At that time, we called it Old 66,” Lou recounted. maybe the first six in a dugout between Carter and Elk City. Mother With the largest, Ackley Park and its sister park of Ackley Ansley’s husband of 64 years was equally famous in their small was the second to the youngest,” Sharon added. ‘West, the community is served with everything from the min- western Oklahoma town as the advertising manager of the Elk City In fact, Lou and Sharon both laughed that, on the snowy win- iature golf, playgrounds, the municipal swimming pool, tennis Daily News under the employment of both Paul R. Wade and his ter night when Lou was born, the local doctor drove a horse-drawn courts, fishing ponds and softball and baseball five-plex fields. son Larry. Bill was honored by the Oklahoma Press Association's buggy to deliver her. ‘Thortonis a certified pool operator to ensure that safety stan- prestigious Milt Phillips Award for his service to Oklahoma news- “My grandparent's first child did not survive, so they raised three dards are maintained. papers and both the Ansleys have been inducted in the Western See 100 page 2. ‘Though Christmas in the Parkis the biggest annual undertak- ing, it is far from alone, ‘Thorton and his crew oversee everything from the yearly flea Elk City man charged with 1st degree See Thorton page 2. murder through child abuse SWOSU Jazz Festival Suspect Jones held in the Beckham County Coming Up Detention Center with no bond It might be virtually but the 51st annual SWOSU Jazz Festival will still take place this year on February 11 and 12. ‘The Southwestern Oklahoma State University event in Weather- NN) By Shonda Little limited details at that time. ford will not feature any visiting artists or bands due to COVID-19 Shortly before the Beckham County Court Clerk’s Office was but the festival will still be swingin’ online with free concerts. Late last Thursday evening, a so- closed on Friday, the ECPD detective taking the lead investigative Headliner for this year’s event is Texas drummer Stockton cial media post on Facebook went position on the case filed a probable cause affidavit for the charges Helbing and his bandmates pianist Josh Hanlon and bassist James locally viral that alleged a 24-year- of first degree murder involving child abuse against Troy Justice Driscoll. old Elk City man was wanted in Jones. ‘The trio will present a livestream concert at 7 p.m. on Thursday, connection to a case of fatal child At approximately 7:23 pm, Chief Holland confirmed to this Beck- February 11. abuse. The post was reportedly ham County Record and Elk City News reporter that Jones had On Friday, February 12, the day will start with Helbing provid- made by a family member of the turned himself in to the Beckham County Detention Center with- ing free masterclasses. In addition to his drum set masterclasses, child and was asking the public out incident. there will be three members of the New York City-based DIVA Jazz for help finding the man’s where- A phone call was made to the Beckham County Sheriff's Office, Orchestra on hand to give jazz directing, saxophone and trombone abouts. who operates the BCDC. A deputy confirmed that Jones was in cus- classes. Drummer Sherrie Maricle is the leader of the band, and her By early Friday afternoon, the tody and was being denied bail. colleagues Alexa Tarantino and Jennifer Krupa are excited to be a Elk City Police Department had ‘The information packet comprised by the Beckham County Dis- part of the SWOSU jazz tradition. made their first public statement trict Attorney's Office states that Jones faces this state’s strictest ‘The festival concludes with a concert by Jazz Ensembles ‘A’ and Troy Jones regarding the case, also through punishments if found guilty of the felony charge — the death sen- ‘B’ at 8 p.m. on Friday evening. Jazz'‘A’, led by Dr. Richard Tirk, will Facebook. tence, life imprisonment or life imprisonment without the possibil- present music written and arranged by Helbing while Jazz‘B’, co-led In the press release, Elk City Police Department Chief Eddie Hol- ity of parole. by graduate students Megan Levendosky and Pamela Welborn, will land noted the approximate time that the ECPD was called in rela- ‘According to the probable cause affidavit, the ECPD responded to be playing several great standards. tion to a child being transported for severe injuries to Great Plains GPRMC, located on the 100 block of West Third Street, in response All events are free and open to the public. Links to the concerts Regional Medical Center as approximately 10 pm on January 20. toa white two-year-old male child presenting to the hospital as un- will be provided later on the SWOSU website. ‘The press release was brief, but did give the first official public noti- responsive. ‘The 51st Annual SWOSU Jazz Festival is generously supported fication that the victim, a 2-year-old male child, had been declared ‘The juvenile was accompanied by his mother, identified in the re- by the SWOSU Foundation, Oklahoma Arts Council, National En- deceased by the Oklahoma State Medical Examiner’s Office. port as 23-year-old Paige L. Taylor and Jones, who was identified in dowment for the Arts, and several individual patrons. For more in- Chief Holland wrote that the ECPD was still in the initial phase of the report as the mother’s boyfriend. formation, please visit www.swosujazz.com or contact the SWOSU the investigation, which was considered ongoing, and was releasing See Murder page 3. Music Department at 580.774.3708. Vol. 119, No. 8 AMEN A Weather tomorrow 7 135 75 cents, 10 pgs. Mail delivery 580.225.3000 View online elkcityoknews.com