A‘Wl
Vol. 130, No. 14
STILLWATER — It’s that
time of year again when
there may be a chill in the air
,but there is a warm giving
spirit in the community. It
has become tradition that the
members of the Stillwater
Board of REALTORS donate
toys and gifts to support
Stillwater Junior Service
League’s mission of Oper-
ation Christmas Store. ’J'SL
partners with Central Okla-
homa Community Action
Agency to provide gifts to
income eligible families of
Payne County. This year,
r there are 97 families with a
total of 256 children, ages
newborn to 18 yrs old, that
will benefit from these dona-
tions from SBOR and other
businesses, organizations
and residents of Stillwater
to provide these families
with a memorable Christmas
.mdnfing- 1
“OperationChristmas holds
Stillwater Board of REALTORS mes annual Christmas donation
Payne County’s Oldest Ne
((9.
For th week of Thursday, December 26. 2019
a special place in my heart,”
said Diana Holrn,2019 Chair
for Operation Christmas. “I
believe every child deserves
to have something on Christ-
mas morning that says they
are loved. This is a belief
that Junior Service League
holds true with this mission
by helping families in Payne
COunty have a Merry Christ-
mas.” .
Stillwater Board of REAL-
TORS serves Stillwater and
surrounding communities
in a variety of ways through
their donations throughout
the year. Members volun-
teer for United Way’s Day
of Caring, they coordinate
and participate in a, Bowling
Fundraiser to benefit Habitat
for Humanity, and you will
see them ringing the bells
for the Salvation Army. It is
tradition that each November,
REALTOR members and
affiliates denate'a ’Vél’iCWOf ";
items, for a fundraising auc—
tion held during their monthly
luncheon. These items are
presented by the entertaining
auctioneer, Gregg Pickens,
and the luncheon turns into a
lively event of bidding. The
funds raised at this auction
are then presented at the
December luncheon.
This year, it was decided
to divide the money raised
between schools in the area
to assist their students in
need. The donations will
help in providing their stu-
dents with provisions they
need to optimize their learn-
ing and comfort at school or
even at home. The school
representatives gave exam-
ples of how this donation
helps their students including
shoes, socks, snack packs,
health and hygiene products,
outfits for job interviews, and
basically anything someone
might need to._ dressed
Renew yOurRural Fire Contract
STILLWATER — With
the new year coming soon,
the Stillwater Fire Department
(SFD) encourages residents
who live outside corporate
city limits to renew or apply
fortlre 2020 Rural Fire Service
Contract.
The contract ensures the
response fee per fire incident
on a contracted property is
capped at $2,000. Properties
that are not contracted with
the fire department have no
limit on a maximum charge
for emergency response. .
“It is conceivable that
ertiesathat are not a member
of tilt? contract program could
see bills that exceed $4,000 to
$5,000 for fire service,” Fire
Chief Tom Bradley said.
TheContractfee for renewals
and new applicants is $100
and covers the calendar year.
There is a one-time notari-
zation of applications for
new applicants. All residents
renewing their applications
must file a new-application for
2020, also.
The rates for the contract and
fire service have not changed
since they were implemented
seven years ago.
Participating in the program
is notrequired and is a decision
thatisstrictlyuptotheprop—
city-owner. Chief Bradley said
‘ tage‘of this opportunity '
because it ensures contract
holders a set range for fire
service fees should a fire take
place.
He also said that all contract
fees are used to help provide
services for residents.
“Any money collected is car-
marked and used to purchase
equipment like tools for rescue
and other fire equipment,”
Chief Bradley explained.
Chief Bradley said
the SFD does not bill for good
intent alarms and detemrines
when to require fees based on
whether firefighters provide
services.
The contract begins on Jan.
1,2020,andruns throughDec.
tract to'vproper’ty {owners who
live outside city limits and are
within the SFD response area.
. FIRE, Page A3
Woman accused of drunk driving
By Patti Weaver
Journal Correspondent
PERKINS A Perkins
woman accused of aggravated
drunk driving in Perkins at E.
Knipe and Sadler Road has
been ordered to appear in
Payne County District Court
on Jan. 6 when she can seek
a preliminary hearing on
felony charge. V
Christine Virginia Thomas,
41, who previously lived in
Yale, was originally charged
in the Payne County case
with a misdemeanor that was
dismissed priortobeing refiled
as a felony that carries a max-
imum penalty of a five-year
prisonterm and a $5,000 fine
on COHViCtiOr .,
Thomas remains free on
$1,000 bond on the three-
count case in which she was
also accused of transporting
an opened container of beer
and failing to carry a security
verification form.
Thomas was arrestedat9:26
pm. on Sept. 30 by Perkins
Police Officer Daryn Zan—
fardino,who sawavehicle that
“appearedtohave wrecked out
in the fence on the south side
of the road at the intersection
ofSadler andE.Knipe”where
a white truck was parked diag—
onally fiom the vehicle in the
fence, an affidavit said.
“Christine was very slow
and deliberate while talking
and was slurn'ng her speech,”
theofficer allegedinhisaffida—
vit. “Christine advised that she
P-T‘Bands Winter Concert Held -
had three beers,” the affidavit
alleged.
After Thomas and a juvenile
were asked if they called 911
and they said they had not,
“I told them that they had
damaged property,” the officer
alleged in his affidavit.
Thomas and a juvenile said
that a fiiend -‘ ‘was the one that
had wrecked the vehicle and
that they had come and picked
her up and ' she was already
home,” the affidavit alleged.
While the officer was speak-
ing to Thomas, he could hear
the juvenile say “just tell him,”
the affidavit alleged. “Chris-
tine then looked at me and
stated, ‘itwas me',’”the officer
alleged in his affidavit.
LEEANN, Page A3
t6 Pages
Pictured (I to r): Kelly Hackler, SBOR President; Robin Johnson,
Stillwater-Public Schools;
Dale Bledsoe, Yale School; Amy Hall, Perry School; Brent Haken, Morrison
School; Renee
Roe, Agra School; Amy Peterman, 4Klds Community (Perkins School); Chad
Speer,
Glencoe School; Melissa Amon, Cushing School. Photo provided '
and ready for the day. These
schools include Perkins, Still- '
water, Ripley, Morrison,
Glencoe, Cushing, Perry,
Yale, and Agra. Each dis-
trict being presented $1,195
from the StillwaterABoard. of
REALTORS.
Kelly Hackler, President
of the Stillwater Board of
REALTORS, presented the
By Captain Cruise
Special to The Joumal
STILLWATER — Animals
hold a special place in the
worid. Domesticated or wild,
we have vviggled our way into
hearts and homes around the
globe. Rarely a celebration
or holiday .goes by without ' 1‘ ‘
the help or honorary mention
of either a 4—legged or feath—
ered friend. Fair to say that '
people like K2.
in all their happy occasions and
Christmas is no exception. .
Come to think of it, Jesus’
s birthday has more animal
input and involvement than
' any other holiday. He was born
right smack dab in the middle
of an house’ called a
stable. Cows, sheep, donkeys
and chickens all scootched
over to make one more little
nesting spot. Then those three
guys showed up with gifts but
they certainly didn’t walk there.
Their gifts for the newborn
King were fartooheavytobe
school districts their checks.
“It was an absolute honor
and privilege to make a
difference for our children
that would otherwise not
haVe needed items for day
to day living,” Hackler said.
"Thank you to our members,
my Board of Directors and
affiliate members for your
generosity in making this
possible.” ,
She added, “The Stillwater
Board of REALTORS was
honored to have members
of- the Junior Service League
and the receiving school
districts attend our December
luncheon to be introduced,
presented With their gifts and
donations, and celebrate the
spirit of the season.”
Christmas has gone tolthe dogs
Captain Cruise shipping his Secret Santa package With
the help of Holly and Kathy at the Stillwater Post Office.
Photo provided ‘ ‘
hand-carried across the land so
they optedtocatcharideon
camels. Proof that they were
truly wise men. Heck, even
the newbom’s Dad’s name
spelled backwards is Dog. Flt-
ting he turned outtobe man’s
best fiiend.
As time passed more and
more people heard about the
birth of little Jesus and wanted
to join in his birthday celebra-
tion! Aguyby tlrenarrreofSt.
Nick got wind of the ‘giving
and forgiving’ holiday. Years
of delivering all those special
requested gifts for good girls
and boys eventually took its
toll. He needed a new and
cnursE, Page A3
City of Stillwater details funding for
transportationfprojects and programs
STILLWATER Ask just
about any resident what would
you do to improve Stillwater,
and the answer will be “fix the
What would surprise most is
that from July 1,2016,to June
30, 2020, the Stillwater City
The Perkins-Tryon Bands hosted‘a Winter Concert last Monday featuring the
sixth grade beginner, middle school and high
school bands. Selections included familiar Christmas tunes and medlies and
pieCes by famed composers Leroy Anderson and
John Philip Sousa. Directors KG. Robinson and Avery Nichols introduced
attendees to this year’s record number of students
earning positions in area honor bands, including two All State honorees
and. a National FFA Band member. Earning All State
Band honors this year are french horn player Josh Cowan and trumpeter Layne
Johnson. Earning a position in this year’s National
FFA band was Raphael Wall. For more inforrnation on Perkins-Tryon Bands or
to donate to the program, visit perkinstryonbands.
weeblycom or the band’s official Facebook page by searching Perkins-Tryon
Bands. Journal photo by,Aaron Box
Ciassifieds >86 1 Comics sea E steamy was i Cbituaries >A2 1 Opinions
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trivia, and horoscopes.
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Councilhasappropriated$259
million for capital projects to
do just that.
Capital transportation projects
are major street reconstruc-
tion projects, ranging from
sidewalks, bridges, storrnwa—
terdrainage,milling andrepav—
ing,tofirllreconstructionofthe
roadbed. They are essential to
keeptheCity’sinfiasmrctmein
a state of good repair.
The City of Stillwater plans,
funds and oversees construc-
tion of capital projects; how-
ever,xsome of projects are in:
conjunction with partners like
Oklahoma Department of
Transportation, Payne County ,
and Oklahoma State Univer-
sity. ‘
The $25.9 million for
transportation projects and
programs is broken down
as follows: $11,562,373 for
Pavement Management Pro—
gram; $4,001,823 for Bridges;
$1,847,999 for Street Projects
including Multi-Use/Active
Transportation; $6,104,6leor
. gov
Joint Projects with Oklahoma
Department of Transportati-
tion; $1,150,000 Reserved foi-
Transportation; $1,000,000
for Storrnwater Master Plan;
$124,001 for Modeling; and
$144,166 for Traffic Conlml.
$11.6 Million for Pavement
Management Program
After investing in repav—
ing and repairing streets, the
City also takes steps .to keep
that pavement in good shape
as long as possible. To do
that, the Pavement Manage—
ment (PMP) iden- '
tifies, prioritizes and recom-
mends maintenance strategies
(preventative; maintenance,
rehabilitation, reconstruction,
defenedmaintenance) foreach
Street based on their condition
anduse;F1mdswereallottedin
FY17,FY18,FY19andFY20
'foratotalof'$11.6million;
“This allOWS us to extend the
life of streets,’.’; City Engineer
Monty Kamssaid. “A
'> CITY, Page A3
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