January 24, 2024 Issue, Page 1 of 12

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Serving Western Oklahoma Since 1901 Wednesday, January 24, 2024 Weekday Edition PGA Pro Retires from Elk City Golf and Country Club He brought continuity and professionalism to the club with his education and experience. Country Club President, Aaron Kauk, credited Alvarez with keeping the membership positive and get- ting through the devastating tornado and club house rebuild. ‘The mutual relationship and respect between the pro and the club members made the journey between the blown away club house to the temporary trailer house and ending up with the completed new facility, a smooth period. Alvarez keeps a positive outlook on the future of the golf course and club membership. His retirement is a completed circle ofa beginning and an ending that lasted 47 years as a club professional and 40 years as a PGA Professional, “Prom the start, then president Joe Wynn, followed by presi- dents Rusty Wilson, Brad Gilbert, and Aaron Kauk, gave me sup- port. Elk City has the best course in Western Oklahoma, and one of the best anywhere for small layouts, and the membership is ‘golf-crazy; so sharing golf with them becomes a natural relation- ship. And now that we get additional help from the city, it should continue be great and get even better. I am really proud of what they have here and having been part of the growth,” Alvarez said. He continued to say, “Golfers come from all over Oklahoma to play in Elk City because of the quality of the course and the ser- Jake Hodnett vice we are able to provide. This is because the community cares Mona and Alex Alvarez. Local Photographer about it, and they have been dedicated to making it the best in Western Oklahoma.” By Sheryl Ponce ‘This led him to say that he and his wife, Mona, will not be leaving Elk City. They have made it their home and love the com- On March of2011, Elk City Golf and Country Club hired their first PGA golf professional. He and wife Mona came as a team for munity. “{ cannot begin to tell you how much the city has meant to Awarded PRCA Card the job, and ended with great relationships that changed their us. Everywhere I go in Elk City, they have a big smile. You go By Sheryl Ponce lives, He had been working in Gallup, New Mexico, as a golf pro into Walgreens, they say, ‘Welcome to Walgreens. You go to a for the city. He began to look for another position, without any little store, and they immediately go see what you want with a Elk City High School’s 2018 graduate, Jake Hodnett, has luck until the Elk City position came open and he was hired. smile. [have always tried to do business locally everywhere I have been following his father, Jim Hodnett’s love for photogra- Alvarez's official retirement started Jan. 1st, and he was lived, and here it has been much easier and enjoyable,” Alvarez phy since high school. He has been taking pictures at local honored at the annual stockholder’s meeting of the association. See PGA page 2. events, such as Merritt High School sports and Elk City Ro- deo of Champions, but that was not enough. He wanted to get his own business started. Quilting Friends “He (Jim Hodnett) pretty much told me what I needed to start out with. I went to a camera store, bought my first camera and a couple lenses, and I went from there. I then de- of Elk City Present cided to move to Kansas just to have a fresh start,” Hodnett explained. In Kansas, he began to photograph some amateur rodeos Quilt of Valor to and upgraded his equipment. His name got out with some other photographers and he got his foot in the door in the industry. He returned home and started shooting more bas- ketball games with his father. Charlie Greene “L wanted to. I wanted to learn more aboutit, so learned the basics from my dad. I wanted to learn more of how to do By Sheryl Ponce it. My dad taught me the basics of everything, the settings of the camera and how to work it. I wanted to learn how to be creative with rodeo photography, not just shoot the basic Retired Naval serviceman, Charlie Greene, was presented a Quilt of Valor by the Quilting Friends of Elk City. This included pictures,” he continued. Hodnett took a photography course in Fort Worth with Janeta Harrell, along with Phillis Smith, Melba Dickey, Janet a professional rodeo photographer, Click Thompson. He be- Digmon, Merideth Little, Claudine Anspaugh, Eddie Harrell, came Hodnett’s mentor, and he saw something in him that and Charlie’s wife, Colette Greene. They met in Janeta’s home proved his talent. Sat. morning, Jan. 20th. Greene served as a personnel man “He is a big reason for where I am today in the rodeo busi- from 1967 to 1969 on the USS Constellation (CV-64) Aircraft ness. I would say the two that also helped me out a bunch Carrier, off the coast of Vietnam. He was responsible for pre- were Click and Dale Hirshman out of Weatherford,” Hodnett paring the separation, discharge, and fleet reserves paperwork said. to return home. ‘They helped him get his PRCA permit, which he had to Quilter Melba Dickey and Charlie Greene. do before getting his official card. Along the process Hodnett See Quilt page 2. had to have two photographers sign a letter for him; he had to shoot a portfolio of 20 pictures and send it to PRCA witha non-refundable deposit. Then if the photographer is accept- The Elk City News announces ed, he/she has to shoot five rodeos on the permit and have an arena evaluation with a card holding PRCA photographer. Once the pictures from the rodeos were reviewed, he was change in frequency awarded the official PRCA card. Hodnett was able to attend the National Finals Rodeo in December, which has been the highlight of his career so far. He plans on traveling more in the future, making his name as a PRCA photographer. Health of community newspaper top priority Hodnett is the son of Jim and Julie Hodnett. He has one sister, J'Lynn Hodnett. His photography can be seen at www. As the news industry has changed over the years, small town come a more robust product with all of the local news and fea- community papers all across the country have had to adapt, and tures readers have come to expect each week, all in one package. changes must sometimes be made to ensure that the newspaper “The new schedule will give our news team more time each can continue to serve its community. week to visit with the community. With fewer deadlines to meet, In order to maintain a healthy and valuable product, it has each edition will bring more content to the reader,” Theodoran been decided that beginning with the February 3, 2024 edition, explained. the Elk City News will become a once-weekly publication, arriv- ‘The final Wednesday edition of the Elk City News will be Jan- ing in subscribers’ mailboxes every Saturday. uary 31, 2024. Along with a lower yearly subscription rate, cur- “This change will ensure the longevity of the newspaper, and rent subscribers will receive complimentary extensions based on will make each issue more valuable to the reader,” said Nick The- the time remaining on their subscriptions. odoran, Director of Operations. For more information, please contact the Elk City News at ‘The Elk City News, with one publication per week, will be- 580-225-3000. | Weather 32/15 Vol. 120, No.5 Mail delivery View online tomorrow 75 cents, 8 pgs. 580.225.3000 elkcityoknews.com 8 IM 13151 9