Hubbard Road will close to both directions of through traffic just west of Waverly Street beginning Tuesday, Jan. 9, for approximately six months during a bridge construction project. The Oklahoma Department of Transportation has contracted with Bridgeco Construction of Wellston to replace two structurally deficient bridges spanning Bois D’Arc and Kildare Creeks on Hubbard Road, 3/10 of a mile west of Waverly. The $1.5 million project will raise the elevation of the bridges and roadway approaches about three feet to reduce the likelihood of roadway flooding. During construction, Hubbard Road traffic will be detoured around the work site using S Street, Highland Avenue, and Waverly Street.
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Ranch Drive VFD Sponsoring Chili Cook-Off on Saturday
February 09, 2018
Ranch Drive firefighters will be serving a variety of chili at the fifth annual Chili Cook-off event scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 10 beginning at 6 p.m. at the Ranch Drive Fire Department, 3454 South Ranch Drive.
Cost is $5 for adults and $3 for children. There will be cheesy potato soup for those who would like an alternative. Everyone will have a chance to vote for their favorite chili. The proceeds will go toward our firefighter efforts in protecting our community.
The Ranch Drive firefighters that have won trophies in previous years were Jim Rugeley, 2014; Billy Steichen, 2015; Jason Hicks, 2016; and Marty Steichen, 2017.
There will also be a donation jar set out for firefighter Jason Johnson’s family to help with travel expenses for his wife’s cancer treatments.
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Patent Attorney Will Present Information To IENetwork Group
The next meeting of the IENetwork is Tuesday, February 13th at City Central, 5th floor meeting room – 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. in Ponca City. William Hall, Patent Attorney with McAfee & Taft from Oklahoma City will be presenting information on protecting personal and company intellectual property and how to avoid costly mistakes which can lead to even costlier litigation.
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Campaign Suspended
February 08, 2018
Nancy Rathbun, who announced her intent in The Ponca City News last year to file as representative for House District 37, said Wednesday that she was suspending her campaign.
In an email sent to her supporters, Rathbun said, “After many hours of personal reflection, I have made the decision to suspend my campaign to serve as representative for House District 37. It has become clear to me that at this time, seeking political office is not in the best interest of my children or myself. I know that you, my supporters, will be understanding and respect my decision to prioritize my family over political ambitions.”
“Thank you to my family, friends, and community who have shown support during this process through your endless love and prayers. I look forward to spending the next few years continuing to focus my time on my children. Someday, I hope to have the possibility of revisiting my dream of serving our great state at the capitol,” she said.
Official candidate filings for the seat will be held April 11-13 in Oklahoma City.
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Narcan Will Be Donated
February 07, 2018
NEWKIRK — Kay County Sheriff Steve Kelley said today it is a good deal that the Oklahoma Sheriff’s Association is donating Narcan to all sherriff departments in Oklahoma.
OSA annouced Tuesday at the Capitol that they are supplying every Oklahoma sheriff and their deputies with a dosage of NARCAN® (naloxone HCI) Nasal Spray 4mg, the drug that can reverse the effects of an opioid overdose.
The donation makes Oklahoma one of the only states to outfit county law enforcement with the opioid counteractive agent.
“Nearly 1,000 Oklahomans are killed by prescription drug overdoses every year,” OSA President and Pawnee County Sheriff Mike Waters said. “There are over 1,800 deputies in the state of Oklahoma. It is our hope that this donation from the OSA will permit our sheriffs and deputies to save lives in the event of an overdose by administering the drug in those emergencies.”
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City Reviews Cellular Development
February 07, 2018
By STEVE DYE
News Staff Writer
Ponca City’s Board of Commissioners met at length in work session at City Hall on Monday, discussing challenges created by ever-changing technologies.
As detailed in a presentation by City Attorney Mike Vanderburg, that list includes state legislators challenging the rights of local municipalities on behalf of giant nationwide telecom companies.
Cellular giants AT&T, Verizon, and others are engaged in a race to provide customers 5G cell service — and racing to procure legislation through lobbyists that would require a substantial and largely uncompensated involvement of local municipalities.
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Street To Be Reconfigured
February 07, 2018
By STEVE DYE
News Staff Writer
Ponca City’s Planning Commission unanimously approved a recommendation that South Avenue be reconfigured from four lanes to three between 1st Street and 13th Street on Monday night at City Hall.
Traffic Engineering Manager Mike Lane presented the proposal as a capstone to already budgeted street improvements for Fiscal Year 2017-18 before outlining a list of street improvement projects planned for FY 2018-19.
The 12-block section of South Avenue had already been slated for reconstruction, with the current dilapidated surface to be milled and overlayed with fresh pavement.
Though noting the initial reaction might be a negative one, Lane explained that research shows traffic flow will be improved by the change – and that effectively increasing the width of traffic lanes will be an immediately noticeable improvement for drivers.
Most traffic lanes are 12 feet wide. South Avenue’s four lanes are each just under 10 feet wide, often making for a tight mirror-to-mirror fit for motorists traveling the corridor.
With the street reconfigured into single lanes traveling east and west divided by a central left turn lane, the width of each lane would increase to 13 feet.
Due to current traffic patterns, Lane said, traffic light stop times would remain unchanged for drivers and delays created by motorists waiting on other vehicles to make left turns would be reduced.
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Challenges in Changing Technologies Discussed
February 06, 2018
By STEVE DYE
News Staff Writer
Ponca City’s Board of Commissioners met at length in work session at City Hall on Monday to consider challenges created by ever-changing technologies.
The first order of business, a presentation on the issues involved in incorporating “Distributed Generation” into the City’s electrical distribution system grid was covered in an extensive presentation by General Manager of Electric Utilities Philip Johnston.
City Attorney Mike Vanderburg’s efforts in forestalling state encroachment onto the City’s utility services infrastructure on behalf of nationwide telecom companies will be detailed in tomorrow’s edition of the News.
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