May 3, 2025 Issue, Page 1 of 10

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SATURDAY, MAY 3, 2025 Weekend Edition Chamber Plans Community Family Night By Sheryl Ponce As a way to thank the community for their dedication and participation to all of the Elk City activities, the Elk City Chamber of Com- merce is once again planning a Family Fun Night at the park. It will take place Thursday, May 8th, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., in Ackley Park located on West 3rd. “We would love to invite our Chamber mem- bers and all community members to join us in appreciation to you all. Park activities will be open and free to those attending,” the chamber posted in the Facebook announcement. President of OMRF, Dr. Andrew Weyrich, talks about the research and history of the foundation. OMRF Stops in Elk City to Talk Aging MACKINLEY BREWER MAX MURRAY By Sheryl Ponce Miller is a professor and the ECHS Announces chair of aging and metabolism The Oklahoma Medical Re- search Foundation researchers research, and president of the American Aging Association. Top Students Dr. Courtney Griffin, vice pres- His research concerns aging in Elk City High School has named the top stu- ident of research; Dr. Benjamin a healthy way to increase the dents for the class of 2025. The valedictorian is Miller, aging and metabolism number of years to get the best MacKinley Brewer. MacKinley is the daughter researcher; and Dr. Scott Plafker, quality of life. He is focused on of Landry and Erin Brewer. After graduation aging and metabolism researcher how movement and exercise can Brewer plans to attend SWOSU where she were in Elk City on one of four contribute to the health span and will be a member of the President’s Leader- stops in Oklahoma to talk about how to prevent wasting of muscle ship Class. Her future plans are to complete the healthy aging. The OMRF pres- as a person ages. university’s Radiologic Technology program. ident Dr. Andrew Weyrich and Plafker is also a professor in the Throughout high school MacKinley has been Gail Muncrief, Board of Direc- aging and metabolism research an active part of numerous activities. Brewer tors, invited the public to attend program, whereas his research has been a four-year starter on the varsity tennis the luncheon held at the Elk City has been focused on healthy team, president of National Honor Society, Key Golf and Country Club Tuesday, aging in the context of how nu- Club senior representative, a Rotary Student of Courtesy photos April 22nd, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 trition and diet affect the aging Pictured is OMRF board member Gail Muncrief thanking Elk City residents for the Month and a member of student council. In p.m. lockdown. Some of his research is attending the luncheon. her spare time, she enjoys coaching tumbling at There were approximately 50 focused on the eye and how one Aerial Bound Athletics. attendees who learned about can maintain healthy eyesight as the process. Both researchers an- on finding individual treatments The ECHS salutatorian is Max Murray. He is what the researchers have found one ages. swered her questions based on for Alzheimer’s, cancer, diabetes the son of Darren and Latia Murray. After grad- out about the results of diet and While Griffin asked questions, their expertise in the area of nu- and heart disease, or we can si- uation Murray plans to attend Oklahoma State exercise on the delay of aging. Dr. the two researchers spoke about trition and exercise. multaneously delay the onset of University where he will major in Finance and Griffin moderated the panel dis- what they have discovered in “Aging is a risk factor for near- all those and more by slowing the Economics. Throughout high school he has cussion between Dr. Miller and their research. She asked about ly all diseases,” said Miller, who aging process.” been active in tennis, Key Club, FCA and NHS. Dr. Plafker as to what they have what increases the risk for chron- holds the G.T. Blankenship Chair Additionally, Romans 12:2 is a bible verse that discovered about healthy aging. ic disease and what could slow in Aging Research. “We can work See AGING page 2 has been meaningful to Murray. Teacher of the Year ECPS Hosts Mobile Smiles and Challenges Rotarians Screens Dental Issues to Think By Sheryl Ponce By Sheryl Ponce Mobile Smiles, funded by the Oklaho- The Elk City Rotarians met for their regu- ma Dental Foundation, brings their mobile lar meeting last Thursday, at noon, in the Elk trailer to a site to screen patients visually, as City Golf and Country Club. Rotarian of the well as with x-rays, then treat the person if day was Elk City Public School Superinten- it is needed. They do everything from simple dent Mike Sparks who introduced middle cleanings, apply sealants, fill cavities, or ex- Elk City Public Schools Superintendent Mike Sparks tract teeth while they are on site. For the first school principal Richard Moran, and District talks test scores to the Rotarians. Teacher of the Year Jason Xenos. time, Elk City Public School nurse, Lindsay Sparks began by saying, “Four years ago, new program, which they found in Xenos. Marks, RN, was able to schedule them to set when I was fortunate enough to get this job, Sparks then talked about the eighth-grade up in the Elk City School District. Mr. Richard Moran, our middle school prin- math scores. “For many years, Western Technology cipal, was one of the first people I sat down “Mr. Xenos is not only your Middle School Center (WTC) has been coming to our with, and we started talking about where we Teacher of the Year, but he is also the Elk schools with their dental assistant students wanted to go and what we wanted that to City Public Schools District Teacher of the and inviting local dentists to come do visu- look like. Mr. Moran has taken some of those Year,” Sparks explained. “I want to share just al examinations on many of our elementary ideas, and he started a math program.” two more things, in 2021, at Elk City Mid- students. This has been a great program as He went on to tell the group that Moran looked for a perfect person to institute the See THINK page X See DENTAL page X Weather Vol. Vol. 117,121, No.No. 54 18 Mail delivery Home delivery Viewonline View online tomorrow 99/70 75 / 52 75 75 cents, cents, 12 pgs. 580.225.3000 580.225.3000 elkcityoknews.com elkcityoknews.com