April 26, 2025 Issue, Page 1 of 10

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SpringHOME INSIDE 26, 2025 SATURDAY, APRIL your home to The Elk City News How to upgrade dern living accomm odate mo Small Remodeling projec low homeowners ts al- to put renovations stamps on their personal addition a property. In and a color that make a to choos ing that fits a design scheme tic, home- particular aesthe to outfit owners may want various big impact their homes with make features that them more can accommo- older structures. an asset for couple tely. n living. than Smart home tech- choosSleep Foundation says e to sleep separa s who Homeowners may think they have dating to moder use these • e home is Th duals choose to sleep or build room to tear down walls rm their Homeowners can nology : A smart indivi for a va- springboard appliances extensions to transfo projects. But ideas as a equipped with in different rooms tion for remod eling projects and other devices that can riety of reasons, notably re- homes with renova modernize ely, typ- interruptions small projects can yield impres- designed to be controlled remot or com- duced sleep quality. that’s something their homes. Open ically from a phone improved sleep sive results, and the in- and om can g with limited • Open floor plans: covet- puter connected to notes Plus, an extra bedro homeowners workin mind. when one budgets can keep in floor plans remainof mod- ternet. Investopedia come in handy the event s technolo- in look and feel of a home. ed characteristic cture. An that smart home person is ill or that can change the home archite off ers homeo wners con- partne r snores. Rather projects ent. ern gy savings. a e of small There’s no shortag kings can be achieved with a modest investm s occu- in the re- underta open layout enablethey are venience and cost logy than one person the “less- of these the stair- like techno hip getting Many door home. tion: Coordinate pants to feel together Smart home a wide lations ment: A new front • Staircase renova home with a decorative enjoying spaces to be on is available across ranging er” space, certainplans for home- • Front door replace appeal and can make a in the es curb case to the style attractive and without having r. Since range of budge ts, builders now off er instantly improv and energy-efficient. Paint- secure runner is of dollars so both carpet runner. A stairs. Tight- top of one anotheobstruct- from thousands dual owner’s suites es they home more secure door is an even smaller slipping down the home auto- front ing the existing ers appeal. can help reduce them while upgrad sightlines are not for a complete people get the featur railings or replace floor plans, ly $100 for om. project that still off er a homeo wn- en shaky treads. ed in open enjoy a mation to rough a smart desire in a bedro room: n: Wheth the stair • Lighting additio or adds skylights, natural ing Interior paint: Change the color paint. All of walls, homeowners can across a small change like • Three-season aspire style w er enlarges a windoincredible results. Investing • or even furniture with cohesive design thermostat. Many homeownersbetween doors, cabinets, is a paint color that inspires home. features: A bridge the gap e light can produc feel like expanding a space each level of the features: • Accessibility with its to indoors and outside. can homeowners need of time. • Eco-friendly es mod- home that can grow in new lighting walls. and a little bit covers iendly featur is advan tageous. the ason rooms help g out s them e outlet Eco-fr nts ree-se without pushin fixture upgrades: Faucet covers: Upgrad • Replace outlet s. Screwless plates for out- and may reside choosing renova- Th the yard • Kitchen and bath every day. Swapping ex- ernize homes wners When transition from a home, screwless option look more even earn homeo like slip-re- r of and door pulls are used more mod- withand light switches can make walls tions, features , stylish to the interio something a little the govern- of nature isting fixtures for and provide subtle changes lets rebates from flooring and offer a touch or un- positioning sistantbars and low-thresh- t the bugs ern can unify spacespopular spaces. sleek. zer installation: Banish clutter ment. From advan tage grab showe rs withou • Entry organi g it at the door. An en- rooms to take to using old or barrier-free nt elements. that enhance these tion: Scuffing and scratch- the home by catchin for shoes, coats, back- ht wners to pleasanumber of home im- • Wood floor restora the pristine look of a nat- from spaces of natural sunlig responsi- can enable homeo rt- A try organizer with be eye-catching environmentally in place more comfo can bring es can adversely affect can polish a floor packs and shopping bags can provements throughout age standards d fl or Homeowners ill ble materials bly homes up to the SATURDAY, APRIL 26, 2025 Weekend Edition Commissioners Hear Audit Report and Approve Bid for Snips Building By Sheryl Ponce Jana Walker, CPA, gave the com- leave was paid to the employees. It is additions, changes, deletions, or ed- the auditors looked into was the city missioners an overview of the audi- under the city manager’s approval. ited entries. Nothing was contained owned cattle inventory. While she The Elk City Commissioners held tor’s review. She said that there were The second item that Walker said to just one department, and when noted that this is unconventional, it is their regular bi-monthly meeting no findings, but they looked into they looked into was the timesheets there are so many employees, adjust- Western Oklahoma and there is a lot Wednesday, April 16th, at 2 p.m., in three different areas. The first area for employees. It came to her atten- ments need to be made. They did not of agriculture to upkeep on the land. City Hall. All commissioners were that they looked at concerned mili- tion that there were some concerns find that there was anything out of The commissioners are aware of the present along with the newly induct- tary leave paid to the employees. She about the timesheets, and if they the ordinary, but managers should cattle and know the situation, plus ed Mayor Micah Kilhoffer, conduct- said they discussed it with manage- were being altered or anything else in make employees aware that there is it is a cost saving measure. It is not ing the meeting. The meeting began ment, and as they went through the the system, which is electronic. The a request form that should be used, in direct violation because the com- with approving the minutes from the policy handbook, which was vague to auditors randomly selected a period so when they get their pay stubs they missioners voted on it, and they can April 7th meeting, followed by the interpret, they did not find anything to review. They looked at over 799- can check to see if it is correct. Audit Report for FY23-24. in direct violation of how the military time entries and found there were Walker said that the third area See REPORT page 2 SW Ag and Home Expo Announce Winners By Sheryl Ponce The 41st Southwest Agriculture and Home Expo committee and the Elk City Chamber of Commerce released the winners of the events last week. Those included the scholarship win- ners, as well as the other contests that took place over the weekend. The $600 scholarship recipients were Cooper Bartlett, Canute; Wyatt McConnell, Elk City; Josie McGlothlin, Hammon; Kylee Miller, Er- ick; Mylee Moran, Elk City; and Luke Peffer, Merritt. The FFA Ag Mechanics Contest in which the winners received Chamber Dollars that in- Hunters from the Lt. Gov. Pinnell’s Turkey Hunt and their guides, with the bounty from the morning shoot. cluded $20 for first place; $15 for second place; and $10 for third place. Those winners are as follows. Lt. Gov. Pinnell Recognizes the Impact of Infusing The Recreation, Cookers, Grills and Smokers winners included Junior, eighth through tenth grade division – first place, Graf Caskey, Duke New Business into Oklahoma at Turkey Hunt for Guitar Firepit; Senior, 11th through 12th See AG page 8 By Sheryl Ponce Taylor Shaw, KE Andrews; Jere- Shidler, Brandy McIntyre, and The first to speak was District miah Johnson, Kratos - Produc- Christie Myers. 55 Representative and guide, The Lieutenant Governor Matt tion Program Manager; Aiden The guides included Johnny Nick Archer. He said that Elk City Pinnell’s Annual Turkey Hunt Johnson, Kratos; Chuck Madsen, Brown, Heath Frazier, John Pick- became a host city in 2017, in took place last Wednesday and Blue Sage Services-Business De- ens, Nick Archer, Bobby Arm- which he has helped guide every Thursday in and around Elk City. velopment; Carter Madsen, Blue strong, Rick Nolan, Todd Craig- year since the beginning. After a morning of hunting, the Sage Services; Benton Blaine, head, Quentin Snodgrass, Caleb “People are coming from all hunters and their guides returned Cushman and Wakefield; Jake Paine, Daylen Berry, and Mike over the country to Elk City, to the Arrowhead Center for a Hitchings, Peregrine Energy Morris. Oklahoma, and it’s because of lunch provided by Blue Mountain Solutions; Van Power, NAI Rob- Jameson Taylor Shaw, KE An- the quality of life. It’s because the Smoke where Pinnell joined them ert Lynn; Colt Powers, Davidson drews was the winner of the “Big- people of this town believe in it. on his path around the state. & Bogel Real Estate; Brandon gest Turkey” and won the Cavalry We voted to build facilities like Those participating in the hunt Nicholson, Freese & Nichols Over-Under 20-gauge shotgun. this (Arrowhead Center), and so Construction Manager; Cynthia Not everyone was as successful, it’s that spirit and that drive that is were Dallas Branch, Perkins Eastman-Site Consultant; Paul Stricker, KE Andrews; and Mike but as the hunters gathered at keeping western Oklahoma alive RCCT Opens Registration for Wilmarth, Perkins Eastman-Site Stricker, KE Andrews. noon, they seemed ready to eat and thriving,” Archer said. Consultant; Macy Smith, KE An- The Department of Commerce bar-b-que and talk about their Summer Youth Production drews-Site Consultant; Jameson representatives were hunter Jay sightings for the morning. See HUNT page 2 By Sheryl Ponce Elk City’s Red Carpet Community Theatre Lt. Governor’s Turkey Hunt Starts with Dinner at Smith Farms announced that their summer youth camp will be “The Addams Family, Young @ Part,” book by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice, and mu- By Sheryl Ponce that Elk City has made over the last seven sic and lyrics by Andrew Lippa. The director for or eight years. With the added sales tax, the camp will be Bailey Carpenter. Last Wednesday the Lieutenant Governor the town has been working on four to five Auditions will take place June 30th and July Pinnell’s Annual Turkey Hunt kicked off projects. The capital infusion of $29 million 1st. The camp dates will be July 7th through with a dinner hosted by Smith Farms, north made a difference in the Ackley Park and 11th; July 14th through 18th; and July 21st of town, and catered by Poppy’s Pit and youth sports. The second part of the im- through 24th. The show dates will be July 25th, Grill. The hunters and their guides gath- provements has been $32.5 million capital 26th, and 27th. Early bird registration will end ered to meet each other and plan their early improvement with the new airport terminal on June 15th, with the final registration dead- morning attack on area toms. and hangar, a new downtown street project, line being June 25th. Prior to lining up for the meal, Elk City’s police renovation, and fire station, includ- The camp is open to children ages six through City Manager, Tom Ivester talked about the ing the new public miniature golf course. 14 years old. The registration will be $200 per town and projects that have brought pros- The next track could reach the $100 million student and $175 for each additional students perity to the area. He started by welcoming pumped into Elk City, with a population of in the same family. Students ages 15 years old the guests. 12,000. through 18 years old, will be considered lead- “We’re really good about getting you in Ivester introduced Jimmy Smith, of Smith ers. The cost is $175 per student and $150 for front of a bird. If you don’t get one, you can Farms, who introduced his family, Cathy his each additional student from the same family. stick around for an afternoon or another wife, Callie his daughter, Spencer his son, Ask about scholarships that are available. evening, or even if you want to stay another and wife Sydney. Smith explained his oper- The show is a comical portrayal of a wacky morning, because we know where the lo- ation to the crowd. They are fourth gener- family, featuring the story of Wednesday Add- cal birds are. We’ve got a lot of good local ation cotton farmers, and they have been a ams, a princess that falls in love with a young guides that will help you find some turkeys,” no till farm for several years. He welcomed man from a respectable family. Her parents have Ivester began. Jimmy Smith, Smith Farms, welcoming the hunters, He went on to talk about the progress See TURKEY page 8 See RCCT page 2 guides and community members to the dinner. Weather Vol. Vol. 117,121, No.No. 54 17 Mail delivery Home delivery Viewonline View online tomorrow 99/70 79/ 64 75 75 cents, cents, 12 pgs. 580.225.3000 580.225.3000 elkcityoknews.com elkcityoknews.com