December 27, 2025 Issue, Page 1 of 10

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SATURDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2025 Weekend Edition Commissioners Approve Final Payment on Major Projects and Receive $4 Million from Emergency Management for ECFD By Sheryl Ponce The Elk City Commissioners met for their bi-monthly meeting Wed., Dec. 17th, at 2 p.m., in the Commis- sion Chambers at City Hall. Prior to the meeting, Assistant Elk City Police Chief John Cook presented District 2 Attor- ney Investigator Mike Murley with an award for his outstanding support to the Elk City Police Department. Then they held a public hearing con- cerning two properties located at 1322 W. Broadway and 611 N. Washington. Cody Whittington stood in for the two city inspectors to talk about both va- cated homes which were on the list to be declared dilapidated. Mayor Micah Ribbon Cutting Elk CIty Municipal Airport Kilhoffer then opened the meeting to address the rest of the agenda, in the District 2 Attorney Investigator Mike absence of Commissioner Rocky An- Murley accepting an award of appreci- Elk City and State Dignitaries Celebrate the dresen. The commissioners approved the ation from Assistant ECPD Chief John Cook. minutes of the Dec. 1st meeting, then New Airport, New Hangar, New Infrastructure, went on to approve the Audit Report for FY 24-25 given by Jana Walker, CPA. meeting. The house has a pending contract to be sold. They approved the structure located at 611 N. Washington and New Taxiway with Oklahoma There were no findings, except the rec- ommendation to file the report on time. to be dilapidated. The owner agreed that there was no saving the house. “Your internal controls are within my By Sheryl Ponce auditing standards. We didn’t identify The next item on the agenda was the anything that we felt rose to the lev- approval of payment to Topcoat for 880 Last April, 18 months ago, the Elk City el of significant deficiency or material bags of alternative cover for the trash Municipal Airport Terminal groundbreak- weakness. We needed to include in here at the Elk City Landfill in the amount ing was a historical achievement for the that they like to have the audit by No- of $21,700.80, a budgeted item. They City of Elk City and the Oklahoma Depart- vember 30 each year, even though the also approved the Pay App #16 – final ment of Aerospace and Aeronautics. The state doesn’t require you to have it until payment to WP Construction, LLC, project included a new hangar, the new ter- December 31, but they like to write it in for the terminal construction in the of minal, additional utilities, the taxiway de- their agreement,” Walker explained. $118,532,90, a budgeted item. Once this sign, and the taxiway construction through They tabled the structure located at a 60 percent grant funding with 40 percent 1322 W. Broadway until the Feb. 2nd See PAYMENT page 2 match from the City of Elk City through the Oklahoma Department of Aerospace and Aeronautics and the Federal Aviation Ad- ministration. The FAA match was ten percent, ODAA match was five percent, with half of the FAA match paid by ODAA. The total cost Never too Late for a See AIRPORT page 6 Visiting jet lands just after the ribbon cutting. ‘Hometown Christmas’ By Sheryl Ponce OKC Philharmonic Presents Songs of Christmas to Elk City Whether Christmas Day has passed, By Sheryl Ponce my Memory from Home Alone.” the holiday season lives on in the music The Elk City Middle School Choir of Purcy D. Walker and his “Hometown The Elk City Arts Council’s Christmas and the Elk City Intermediate Honor Christmas” album. presentation of the Oklahoma City Phil- Choir were included in the program. The local celebrity has brought the harmonic’s “Merry and Bright, Songs of The members of the Middle School sounds of Christmas in his recent con- Christmas” was held Wed., Dec. 17th, in Choir were Echo Alvarez, Aisha Baires, cert, but there is more to hear on the first the Kelli O’Hara Center for Performing Aria Baldwin, Lily Boone, Emerson ever record or CD. Arts Center. The community came out Cloud, Maleiya Grayson, Richard In- The album was produced and record- in full force to celebrate the holiday sea- caid, Rylee James, Caylor McLemore, ed in the Morning Star Sound Ranch, lo- son. Under the music director, Alexan- Sophia Moore, Brylee Murphy, Ivovo- cated north of Elk City by Charley Wiles der Mickelthwate, the program included hossih Orange-Beaver, Emorie Pettis, and Jordan Cain. It was mixed and mas- the Windsong Chamber Choir and the Marcus Reinschmidt, Izabella Sandoval, tered by Charley Wiles, with Walker’s chased in his BTB Records located on vocals of Audrey Logan. Aerionna Stanfield, Fritzi Stanley, Bailey vocals along with Beverly Baker on the Broadway in Elk City. One can also buy The evening was opened with a Stepp, Jorja Weir, Dylan Williamson, piano and her vocals. Additionally, Jon either the CD or record at the Country welcome from Justin Ediger and Art’s Wenhao Xie, and Mason Yow. Knudson was on the sax, fiddle, organ, Dove or by calling Walker at 580-821- Council president, Basil Weatherly. The The members of the Intermediate and mandolin; Kaimi Biscaino was on 0303. program included “Many Moods of Honor Choir included Jezni Aranda, trombone; Wiles played the guitar and Walker has been entertaining lo- Christmas, Suite No. 1,” “Santa Claus ? Jayde Azzam, Brylee Ball, Wyatt Berlin, bass; and Cain was on the drums. The cal nursing homes and performing Show Yourself form Frozen 2,” “All I Scarlet Blumer, Sophie Brewer, Paxton photos were by Lorrie Baker Photogra- throughout his life. This is one oppor- Want for Christmas Is My Two Front Brittain, Clair Broadbent, Bren Brooks, phy and the vinyl design was by Ethan tunity to bring his rich, heartfelt voice Teeth,” “The Night Before Christmas,” Franklin. into the home for the holidays. It will be “The Polar Express,” and “Somewhere In Special thanks were given to Brady something that can be enjoyed for not See SONGS page 2 Basil Weatherly, Elk City Arts Council Butcher, where the record can be pur- only this year, but for years to come. ODOT Engineer Updates Rotarians on Projects By Sheryl Ponce of the Oklahoma Department of that fit into that budget. With that tial completion.’ That means that there will be a traditional diamond Transportation, was introduced to explained, Snipes jumped into Elk everything is completed, but we will interchange with significant road- The Elk City Rotary Club gath- the group, and then he began to talk City’s Downtown project. have a final inspection on that. Then work completed. Snipes also said ered for their regular weekly meet- about the current and future projects “We haven’t hit some of the obsta- we will have a punch list that the that it should be minimally impact- ing last Thursday at noon in the in the area. He covers 11 counties in cles that I thought we were going to contractor will have to fix,” Snipes ing traffic along I-40 because the Elk City Golf and Country Club. the Southwest area of Oklahoma. hit. The contractor has progressed explained. disruption will be only a mile and a President Rob Stephens opened They forecast out eight years to really well on that. We’re looking He went on to another project half, not the usual five miles. the meeting by telling the group get a project to be ready for imple- at about six weeks. We’re going to that will start on Jan. 6th, which is a The next project Snipes talked that they will be posting the guest mentation. This includes the initial probably be there in the next week $76 million job. It will impact travel about was the Elk City exits at 7th speakers on their Facebook page so survey, preliminary designs, archeo- or two, then jump to the southwest along I-40 at Gary Blvd, in Clinton, and Walmart. There was extensive the community can enjoy and learn logical issues, and how endangered side of the Seventh Street junction. and will last about three and one- design work that has already gone more about Rotary. and threatened species could be We will complete that, and that will half years. They held public meet- into the project, with the input of the The guest speaker, Will Snipes, impacted. They also have to proj- probably be in about six weeks. That ings in Clinton prior to deciding Will Snipes District Engineer for District Five ect the financial budget and jobs will get us to what we call ‘substan- on the plan, but it was decided that See ROTARY page 2 Weather Vol. Vol. 117,121, No.No. 54 52 Mail delivery Home delivery Viewonline View online tomorrow 99/70 48 / 29 75 75 cents cents, 12 pgs. 580.225.3000 580.225.3000 elkcityoknews.com elkcityoknews.com