• FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2019 • JENKSTRIBUNE.COM •
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STATE CHAMPS
Girls cross country brings home state title The Jenks High School girls cross country team won the state championship Saturday at Edmond Santa Fe High School at the 6A Girls Cross Country State Championship Meet. Read the story on Page 1B. Photo/Hayden Tucker
FROM FOOTBALL TO BUSINESS Former Jenks football stars Jason and Brandon Lohr find success in the business world. Read the story on Page 7A.
VETERANS DAY FEATURE
Allan Trimble, coffee table book, “Golden Years”, will be released in early 2020. Photo/Courtesy
BITTEN BY THE WOLVES Jenks football suffered its fourth loss of the season and second in district play last Friday to Edmond Santa Fe. Read the story on Page 1B.
CANDY HUNTING The City of Jenks and Jenks Chamber of Commerce hosted Trick-orTreat on Main on Halloween. See the photos on Page 5B.
Trimble to release book on his time coaching Jenks football
SHADE OF A VETERAN
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Coach Allan Trimble forever changed Jenks football and Jenks football forever changed him. For over two decades coach Trimble impacted the lives of young men in the high school football program all while breaking records and winning 13 state championships. Now retired, Coach Trimble is looking back at his time as Coach in his new coffee table book, “Golden Years”, spanning from 1996-2017. The book will include pictures throughout the years, stats on the players and inspirational messages for other coaches and athletes. Coach Trimble continues to inspire those around him off the field as he battles ALSamyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Coach Trimble was diagnosed with ALS in 2016. Though ALS forced him to retire from the sport that he loved, he doesn’t let that stop him, “I am greatly humbled and excited to share a very unique and personal view of my football coaching journey at Jenks High School. This book takes you through my 22 seasons and is chock-full of statistics, great photography, and detailed history of each season guaranteed to bring excitement and fond memories. But what excites me the most is all the life lessons and experiences we have included that will give readers insight and perspective of life inside our championship football program.” Yorkshire Publishing President Roger Chasteen is excited to produce this book and support the Trimble family as well as the community of Jenks, “We want to honor the legacy of Coach Trimble as well as share the stories of the Jenks football program and the incredible athletes that got their start here in Oklahoma.” “Golden Years” is available for preorder at www.allantrimblelegacy.com and will be published by Yorkshire Publishing in early 2020.
Current Jenks resident and U.S. Army and World War II Veteran David Shade was drafted April 1944 and ihs life forever changed. Photo/Courtesy
U.S. Army Veteran David Shade reflects on service in World War II By KYLE SALOMON
ksalomon@jenkstribune.com
April 18, 1944 is a day that Jenks resident David Shade will never forget. May 5, 1949 is also a day Shade will never forget. The first date was the day he was drafted into the United States Army and the second date was the day he was discharged. At the time he was drafted, Shade was living in Portland with his family and working at the Oregon shipyards following high school. Shade was sent to Camp Abbott in Bend Oregon for basic training.
“We were there for about 8-10 weeks,” Shade said. “It was a rough experience at boot camp. It toughened us up.” Following basic training, Shade was sent to Washington, where he attended clerk school for eight weeks. He then was sent to Oakland, California and shipped out to sea as he sailed under the Golden Gate Bridge to go and defend the freedoms of the United States of America in World War II. “We sailed the seas for 20 days,” Continued to SHADE, Page 6A
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Jenks Public Schools Foundation director named to Oklahoma Foundation for Excellence board SUBMITTED The Oklahoma Foundation for Excellence, a statewide charitable organization that recognizes and encourages academic excellence in Oklahoma’s public schools, has announced the addition of 11 new members to its Board of Trustees. Appointed to serve three year terms are Charlie Chockley, president and owner of Chockley Pumping Inc., BEAVER; Dr. Kayse M. Shrum, president of the Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences, COWETA; Gregory Anderson, secretary of education for the Muscogee (Creek) Nation, EUFAULA; Dr. Jennifer Dennis, dean of the School of
Elizabeth Inbody, Jenks Public Schools Foundation Graduate & Professional Studies at Cameron University, LAWTON; Kyle Wray, vice president for enrollment and brand management at Oklahoma State University, MORRISON; Jerrod Geiger, attorney at Pierce Couch Hendrickson Baysinger & Green, NORMAN; Mariano Acuña, attorney at Acuña Law
Firm, OKLAHOMA CITY; David Postic, attorney at Postic & Bates, OKLAHOMA CITY; Lana Reynolds, president of Seminole State College, SEMINOLE; Michelle Nabors, attorney at Harrison & Mecklenburg, STILLWATER; and Elizabeth Inbody, executive director of Jenks Public Schools Foundation, TULSA. Three of the new trustees – Geiger, Nabors and Postic – received the Oklahoma Foundation for Excellence’s prestigious Academic AllState Award when they were high school seniors and have remained supportive of the foundation’s mission through the years. “It is our honor to welcome such exempla-
ry community leaders to our Board of Trustees,” said foundation founder and chairman David L. Boren. “Our foundation and our commitment to quality public education in Oklahoma will be strengthened by their talents and contributions, and we look forward to their partnership with us.” One of the keys to the foundation’s success is the leadership of its 180 trustees. They are leaders in business, education and public service, who represent every region of the state and help promote the foundation’s mission and its programs. The Oklahoma Foundation for Excellence was founded in 1985 to strengthen support for public education in Oklahoma.
Through its flagship Academic Awards Program, the foundation has presented more than $4.8 million in cash awards to honor outstanding public school students and educators. Through its Oklahoma School Foundations Network, the foundation provides training and networking opportunities to more than 200 public education foundations across the state. Among its other initiatives, the Foundation for Excellence coordinates a summer fellowship program to send Oklahoma fifth- and eighth-grade teachers to the Colonial Williamsburg Teacher Institute. Through its David and Molly Boren Mentoring Initiative, the foundation promotes quality youth
mentoring as a positive step toward academic success. The foundation partners with the national Fund for Teachers and the Tulsa Community Foundation to provide grants for self-designed summer professional development opportunities for teachers in locations around the world. This fall, it is launching the Teachers of English Learners Pilot Project to support classroom teachers in elementary schools with high enrollment of English Learners. Since 1987, the Oklahoma Foundation for Excellence and its partners have invested more than $12.1 million in teacher grants, scholarships and awards directly benefiting Oklahoma public school teachers and students.
Council questions five candidates for Ward 4 position By HAYDEN TUCKER
htucker@jenkstribune.com
Five candidates for the Ward 4 position have thrown their hats into the ring. At the city council meeting Monday night, it was announced that Craig Bowman, Grant Butler, Dawn Dyke, Matthew McDonald and Christopher Woods would be in consideration to replace the vacant seat left by former vice mayor Joshua Wedman. Each candidate attended the meeting and were subject to a question and answer forum from the council. Four of the five candidates spoke. When called upon, Christopher Woods was inexplicably absent. Craig Bowman currently operates a Farmers insurance agency. Bowman graduated from Missouri Valley College in 1999 with a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration. Bowman was a member of the Bond Oversight Committee from 2015 to 2018. He currently sits on the Planning Commission. He has been a football and wrestling programs volunteer since
2006. Grant M. Butler graduated from the University of Oklahoma in 2005 with a bachelor’s degree in economics. Currently, Butler is the Volume Management Representative Senior at Williams Companies as well as the Chief Financial Office and Owner of Beair Medical Group. Butler was a counselor for Camp Lo-Be-Gon day camp for children with type one diabetes. He served as an assistant coach for the Jenks Girls Softball Federation over the last year. Matt McDonald graduated from the University of Oklahoma College of Law in 2008. McDonald is currently employed at MGM Legal Services as Managing Attorney. He is currently involved in the Brookwood Homeowners’ Association as Vice President. Dawn Dyke graduated from Oral Roberts University in 1993 with a Bachelor of Science degree in marketing. She later went on to get her Master of Science in education psycholo-
gy from Oklahoma State University in 2015. Dyke currently serves as the Special Education Compliance Coordinator of Epic Charter Schools. She was a LifeKids volunteer at Life.Church from 2005 to 2019. She was a coach for the Green Country Special Olympics from 2009 to 2018. Christopher Woods
graduated from the University of Oklahoma College of Business with a Bachelor of Business Admindistration in 1996. Woods currently co-owns the law firm King Woods. Previously,
he was employed at Crowe & Dunlevy from 2000 to 2018. Woods was formerly a board member of the Crohns and Colitis Foundation of Eastern Oklahoma, the Arthritis Foundation
of Eastern Oklahoma, and United Way Campaign Chair. The city council will vote to decide who fills the vacant seat at the next city council meeting Nov. 18.
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Jenks Tribune Founded, owned, operated and published by Hyperlocal LLC 329 S. Elm Street Suite #201 Jenks, Oklahoma 74037 Phone: 918-528-7272 Fax: 918-528-5605 www.jenkstribune.com
Jenks Tribune Mission Statement “We are the Jenks community’s hometown source for hyperlocal news, sports and information that the people of our community need to know.”
Friday, November 8, 2019
HEARING FROM THE OWNER’S BOX Hello Jenks, America! I hope you have had a great week in our wonderful community. November is here and the leaves are starting to change colors on the trees making this one of prettiest times of the year, so be sure to get out and enjoy the beauty Jenks has on display. There are a few things I would like to talk about this week, but they all fall under one umbrella … the needs of the City of Jenks. Recently, there has been a lot of talk about a new senior center in the City of Jenks. While I agree, upgrades to the senior center are one of the needs of our city, is it truly what is needed most in our city? I believe there are other needs more immediate. There are infrastructure concerns that need to take center stage for this community and if they do not get done in a timely fashion, we will have an outlet mall and city-wide upgrades
Jenks Tribune is mailed weekly through the Jenks Postal Office and United States Postal Service to all U.S. Postal customers in the 74037 zip code.
Jenks Tribune Staff Kyle Salomon
Owner: Hyperlocal LLC Publisher: Jenks Tribune Office Phone: 918-528-7272 Mobile Phone: 918-231-0787 Email: ksalomon@ jenkstribune.com
Hayden Tucker Director of Media/ Sports Editor: Jenks Tribune
Office Phone: 918-528-7272 Mobile Phone: 405-651-8451 Email: htucker@ jenkstribune.com
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Creative Director/ Advertising Executive: Jenks Tribune Office Phone: 918-528-7272 Mobile Phone: 918-813-0654 Email: jwiesman@ jenkstribune.com
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taking place with a road system that is not ready for that type of impact. South Elm Street and south Elwood Avenue between 111th and 131st are some of the most congested areas in the greater Tulsa market. Those who are pushing for a new senior center and saying it is at the forefront of our city’s needs, I strongly encourage you to try driving on south Elm and south Elwood during the rush hour parts of the day and maybe you will see what truly is the immediate need in our city. The other immediate need is improvements to our waste-water treatment facility. As
we continue to add houses and neighborhoods to our city, the increasing load the waste-water treatment plant is taking will create issues in the near future if the situation is not addressed. Again, I am not saying a senior center upgrade is not needed, but there are other needs that need to be addressed before a senior center is looked at for improvements or complete overhaul. That brings me to my next point. Once our infrastructure and waste-water treatment plant are addressed, the next project our city should look at is building a community center that includes a new senior center. This would allow our citizens a place to go and have community together. A community center that contains a fitness center, indoor track, indoor and outdoor basketball courts, tennis courts and other fun amenities would give our citizens something to do in our community other than eat and shop.
Previously, I worked in towns in the Oklahoma City area similar to Jenks, Mustang and Yukon, that both had community centers and they were always full of people in those communities enjoying a workout together or a game of tennis together or just walking on the indoor track and having a conversation. A good community center is exactly what this community needs and that includes a senior center as well. There are many exciting things happening in our community right now, but we need to make sure we address the immediate needs of our city that effect everyone before we ask for other issues, that are not as immediate, to be addressed. I hope you all have a great weekend and make sure to stay safe and have fun. Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy the Jenks Tribune. Sincerely, Kyle Salomon ksalomon@jenkstribune.com
GUEST COLUMNS
MAIN STREET MATTERS WITH SARAH CLAVIN I read this book once, and it changed my entire outlook on a subject I loathed my entire life, running. When I say it changed my perspective, I mean I read the book three times, gave copies of it to friends, and felt inspiration bubbling up in my belly each time I read the familiar passages about the Tarahumara, a hidden tribe, super athletes, and the greatest race the world has ever seen. Prior to this pivotal moment in my running “career,” I had run mainly for conditioning during sports practices, or after the occasional paper that got caught in the wind. But after reading about athletes like Scott Jurek and Micah True, running felt like a whole new world. Let me clear the air here, I am a recreational runner, jogger, at best really. My pace, which has slowed significantly post children, is nothing-record breaking or award winning. But my need for the sport has increased significantly with the years. In the beginning, I ran because I was inspired to run. Then, I ran to improve my health and fitness. And
now, I run for sanity. I run to clear my head, or to face my thoughts head on. I run to feel powerful, and strong, and in control of each step I take moving forward. I would categorize myself as a distance runner. Every step of the first three miles I want to quit, but something happens around mile 2.75 and I fall into sync with my pace and each step feels more effortless than the last. “Sometimes you need to run, to grab your trainers and your vest, to leave emails, the text, what’s been before, what’s happening next. Sometimes you need the pavement, the park, the drizzle, the rain, the sweat, the mud, the wind and the pain. Sometimes you need to run, not for a purpose or a goal, but
for the sound of your steps, recharging your soul.” - anonymous, Etsy. While the book I read many years ago was primarily centered on male runners, this Fall has been a reawakening of that same motivation but in female form. Let me give you the “Skimm” version of the headlines in women’s running for 2019. “Brigid Kosgei Runs 2:14:04, Shatters Women’s Marathon World Record at 2019 Chicago Marathon” – New York Times “Two women are setting the pace for an amazing marathon feat” – GMA “These three women are young. They’re powerful. And they just made history” CNN Speaking of females running the world, this weekend is the 40th anniversary of the Jenks Half Marathon race, which was in fact, directed by a female. Martha O’Rourke, a former Jenks Cross Country coach, was one of the first, if not the first race director for the Jenks Half Marathon. She ran and continues to run the Boston Marathon regularly. Martha was
inducted into the Jenks Coaches Hall of Fame this year as well. Her daughters are equally competitive runners and triathletes. They both ran the Boston Marathon this spring on the 35th anniversary of their mother, Martha’s, Boston race. One of her daughters, Melissa even announced her pregnancy with her tank top that read, “ I’m usually much faster when I’m not freaking pregnant,” a comical ode to baby #5 for her sweet family and to the irony that her very own mother ran the same race pregnant with her, those 35 years ago. Talk about inspiration… “Who runs the world… girls!” Now, I don’t know if running has ever been your thing, but it has taught me a little about how it parallels daily life, in so many ways that every little thing is broken down into one step at a time. That’s as easy and as hard as every task is. If you look ahead at how far the run is, maybe you’ll never begin. If you just start running there’s a great chance you’ll finish. So don’t over think things, don’t think about the last mile, just put on your shoes and run.
Preparing your lawn and landscape for winter How to prepare lawns for freezing conditions •If a moderate amount of leaves exists, use a recycler-type lawnmower to finely shred leaves back into the turf. If lots of leaves exist, pick up leaves and put into a compost pile, vegetable garden, or use as mulch in flower beds. Lots of leaves left on turf too long can damage or kill it. •Mow grass to a 2-3” height and leave as-is through the winter. In the spring, the turf can be cut lower to start the new growing season. •For cool-season grasses (rye, fescue, Kentucky bluegrass), fertilize once in November with a fertilizer balanced in nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. For
Allen Robinson, Tulsa Master Gardner warm-season grasses (zoysia, Bermuda), do not fertilize again until next April. •Apply a pre-emergent now to control winter weeds. What to do through the winter •The most common item forgotten in winter is watering. If the air temps are above freezing, the ground is
not frozen, and it has been dry, provide the lawn and flower beds with about 1/2” of water per week. •If new trees have been recently planted, they will need supplemental water over and above what the lawns and flower beds need. Ensure new / young trees receive about 1” of water per week throughout the winter, either by rain or personal watering methods. •Do not fertilize or prune until Spring. •Put a protective covering (plastic or otherwise) around the lower trunk of new / young trees to protect from sun scald / southwest injury. Remove covering in early spring. How to prepare flowerbeds, trees and bushes for winter
•Mulch trees out to a 4-6-foot diameter with 2-4” of mulch. Mulch flower beds at a depth of 2-3”. Organic-type mulches (pine bark, pecan hulls, pine needles, straw/hay) is preferred over inorganic-type mulches (rock, stone, rubber, etc.) •Continue light watering if not freezing and if dry conditions exist. •Do not fertilize or prune until Spring. Spring-flowering bushes (e.g. azaleas) should not be pruned until after flowering. Other Tips •Clean, sharpen and oil garden tools before putting up for the winter •Plant spring-flowering bulbs now.
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First Oklahoma Bank celebrates 10 years By LAURIE WINSLOW First Oklahoma Bank
Hundreds of guests gathered Monday night to celebrate First Oklahoma Bank’s 10th anniversary during a party held at Southern Hills Country Club. As rooms filled to overflowing, shareholders, clients and bank employees dined, mingled, and enjoyed viewing the bank’s 10-year history as depicted through digital media and memorabilia that included photos, awards and newspaper articles displayed throughout the club. “Building a better bank takes a lot of different people all working hard together. It takes employees. It takes shareholders. It takes customers, and it takes our regulators. All of us have worked together for 10 years to build this dream. It’s the fastest-growing new bank in Oklahoma history,” said President and Co-CEO Tom Bennett III. Monday night’s party was held in appreciation and honor of all those who have helped build and support First Oklahoma Bank, including more than 300 shareholders who have invested $56.9 million in the bank.
The party also commemorated the achievement of a dream that began more than 10 years ago when Tom Bennett III and his brother Jim sat down at a kitchen table and shared their idea of building a new bank with their parents Tom Jr. and Sue Bennett. The discussion soon expanded to a group of veteran bankers. After
much prayer and planning, the dream came to life. First Oklahoma Bank was established on Nov. 4, 2009, when First Oklahoma Holdings Inc., the bank’s parent company, acquired Glencoe State Bank and became a $9.6 million asset bank in the process. Since then, the bank has exceeded yearly
benchmarks. As of Sept. 30, 2019, First Oklahoma Bank had become the fourth-largest bank headquartered in Tulsa County and the 16th-largest bank headquartered in Oklahoma with assets of $740 million. “As I look back on the last 10 years of the First Oklahoma Bank journey, I just have an overwhelming feeling
of thankfulness,” said Chairman and Co-CEO Tom Bennett Jr. “First of all, I’m thankful to God for blessing us, for providing us with resources, with relationships and with opportunities, for guiding us forward into areas of service, and helping to build the community … I love this workplace. I think it’s exciting what we get to do.” The bank started with a handful of shareholders who bought into the dream, and it’s been amazing to watch how the bank has grown, increasing from around 300 depositors when it started to more than 10,000 depositors and 2,500 loan customers today, said Bennett III. “I’m super excited about where we are going. That is not possible with just a couple of people. That is possible with all of us working together,” said Bennett III. He noted that one of his favorite parts of the job is watching clients accomplish their dreams of starting or expanding a business and seeing them grow and become successful
employers. He also enjoys seeing the impact the bank has made in the Jenks community through its support of the school system and the development of Jenks CarePoint – a clothing and resource center that serves disadvantaged families and immigrants in the Jenks school district and south Tulsa area. First Oklahoma Bank also has been an avid supporter and participant in the annual Tulsa Area United Way fundraising campaign, raising over $175,000 this year. For nine years in a row, the bank’s United Way campaign has been recognized as a Best of the Best campaign. “As we pause to celebrate the first 10 years of our journey, let us commit to begin tomorrow to do more, to do better, to make this a place that our children and our grandchildren will want to live and will flourish. On behalf of the whole First Oklahoma Bank family, thank you for your friendship, encouragement, and support,” said Bennett Jr.
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Titan Sports Complex makes impact in multiple ways By HAYDEN TUCKER
aspects don’t seem to coincide with one another, Titan makes sure its customers get the full scope. “Anybody who is specialized in one sport, I find that to be a problem because sports are seasonal,” General Manager of sports performance and health Jeff Pace said. “What happens is, they try to find a way to do something year-round.” It’s not just keeping athletes engaged yearround, Pace pushes his athletes to be well versed in many aspects
of their training. Pace has been in the fitness business since 1998 and in those 21 years he has built standing relationships with athletes from a young age to those who are now professional athletes. Before Titan, Pace operated Ultimate Sports Complex, a facility he grew from 10,000 square feet to 20,000 square feet due to demand. He partnered up with another sports group to create Titan Sports Complex. “I had this model in
mind, there was another group in town with the model in mind,” Pace said. “Nobody had really put the whole thing together. I presented an idea on how this thing would work, how to put it all together. Me and Stan Leidel collaborated on getting this thing reformatted and presented to our investment group.” Following a time-steaking process, Titan Sports Complex was completed in 2017. Since, it’s been everything Pace had in mind. He’s continued the
model adopted at his Ultimate Sports Complex and it’s still thriving. Pace regularly meets with professional athletes in their offseason looking to stay fit, many of whom have worked with Pace from a young age. “We have a long term, linear development model that takes the young kids and gives them the proper training for their age that leads to the next stage of development; we just keep ramping it up and layering elements as they develop
all the way up to the professional level,” Pace said. “At every single stage they’re prepared for what’s next in their sport.” Titan Sports Complex is located at 101 E 81st St in Tulsa. For more information visit titansportscomplex.com or call 8958000. At Titan, their mission is to keep athletes one step ahead of the competition. “Most people just follow the bouncing ball and they spend a lot of time doing ball work, they’re on the courts, they’re on the field,” Pace said. “And you do have to do that to learn a sport. We try to marry the two things. In this competitive market, you find yourself competing the sport itself. We’re in a situation where, in the collegiate level, they are thrust into an environment they’re not ready for when they get there as freshman. Now they may be doing strength and conditioning for the first time ever.”
that was attached to the 32nd Infantry Division also known as the Red Arrow Infantry Division in the Philippines. Shade talked about some of the more intense moments of his experience in the war. “One evening, a Japanese bomber dropped a bomb a block away on a medical supply tent and blew it up,” Shade said. “That was only a block away from us. We also had Japanese fighter planes
fly by all the time and shoot at anything they could, so we had to quickly jump into our fox holes to dodge fire. We all just prayed that we wouldn’t get hit. It was pretty scary.” Shade talked about how excited they were when they heard the war had ended. “When Hiroshima happened in August of 1945, we all thought the war would end then, but the Japanese did not surrender,” Shade said. “Then, another bomb hit Nagasaki and they surrendered, and the war was finally
over.” Following the end of the war, Shade became a part of the Japanese Occupation Army for six months before returning home. Shade was born in Salem, Oregon in 1925. He grew up in Salem and delivered the Liberty Magazine as a child and had 100 customers. His final two years in Salem in his early high school years, he had a newspaper route for the Capital Journal in the afternoons following school. He then moved to Portland with his family for his final two years in high school because his father, who was in the Air Force, was transferred during the earlier years of WWII. Shade said during the war, everyone back home in the entire country was working to help the war effort. “Everything was rationed,” Shade said. “It was rationed to help with the war effort. Young kids today do not understand what this nation went through during that time.” After he returned to the United States following his service in the Army, Shade attended the University of Oregon with his G.I. Bill. He graduated from Oregon in 1950 and met and married his wife of 58 years, Blanche, before moving to Blanche’s home state of Oklahoma to teach at a private school in Oklahoma City. After two years in Oklahoma City, the Shades moved back to the west coast, this
time to Washington, where they started a family. After their daughter Linda was struggling with earaches because of the cold weather, the Shades decided to move to southern California, where Shade got his master’s degree from the University of California Los Angeles. He then went on to teach at Fontana High School in southern California for 35 years and also during that 35 years, taught at a local community college. Following his retirement from teaching, the Shades decided it was time to make another move, this time back to Oklahoma, but to the Tulsa area to be closer to their daughter Sandy. The Shades lived in a senior living center for several years, before purchasing a house in Jenks. Blanche passed away in November of 2010 after battling dementia for nearly a decade. Shade’s daughter, Linda, who was still living and teaching in California at the time, decided to move to the Tulsa area and move in with her father to help take care of him. Shade said even at the age of 94, he is still very active and enjoys getting out and doing things and has several hobbies. “I have a collection of stamps and coins and I love watching Oregon Ducks football,” Shade said. He has taken several trips back to the west coast where he visits his younger brother in
California and then makes his way north to go back to Oregon and see his favorite college football team in action. “I just thank God for leading and directing my life,” Shade said. “I have had a good life.” Before returning to the United States following the conclusion of the war, Shade said they had the chance to visit Hiroshima. “Before returning to the States, a few of my buddies and I went to Hiroshima,” Shade said. “We put an Army personnel carrier on the train and then were able to drive around the city to see the results of the atom bomb. It was total devastation. When I rotated home, I departed from Yokohama for a 10-day trip by boat. The morning we arrived in Seattle, it was like a little bit of Heaven, green grass, painted houses and a big city, especially after seeing brown huts for the previous 18 months. The treated us to all we wanted to eat. After being discharged from Camp Beale in California, I traveled home to Los Angeles. It was a great day.” Publisher’s Note: This is a feature article on a U.S. Army World War II Veteran and current Jenks resident David Shade in honor of Veteran’s Day Saturday. Thank you to all of the United States Military Veterans for your service and sacrifice protecting our nation’s freedoms.
htucker@jenkstribune.com
Titan Sports Complex has taken the term “multi-purpose facility” to another level. The nearly 200,000 square foot facility has many uses for a variety of sports, however, their mission remains the same: develop young athletes to be ahead of the curve. On one end of Titan Sports Complex sits hardwood floors which are used for basketball, futsal and volleyball. On the other end are turf soccer fields used for soccer, lacrosse as well as some football and baseball practices. In between the two is the Jenks Martial Arts Academy, a membership only health club, group fitness classes and the sports armory. Titan also has childcare services, a sports bar, and Tulsa Bone and Joint operates out of Titan as well. The sports complex offers several party packages for birthdays and special events. While all these
Shade
Titan Sports Complex is a 20,000 square foot performance training facility in the Jenks area. Photo/Drew Bethell
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Shade said. “A lot of guys were seasick, but not me.” They made a fueling stop in New Guinea before hitting the sea again for the Philippines. “When we arrived, all the palm trees were all shot up along the shoreline,” said the now 94-year-old U.S. Army Veteran. After a month waiting to be assigned, Shade was assigned to the 107th Medical Battalion Company D
ROBERT LAUB REALTOR
7506 E 91ST ST #200TULSA, OK 74133 Cell: 918-576-9030 Office: 918-254-0600 Rlaub@remax.net
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FOOTBALL FIELD TO THE BUSINESS FIELD
Former Jenks football stars find success in business world By KYLE SALOMON
ksalomon@jenkstribune.com
Leslie Osborn
November Chamber luncheon to feature Oklahoma Labor Commissioner Leslie Osborn By LANE CASTLEBERRY
Jenks Chamber of Commerce
The Jenks Chamber of Commerce November Monthly Luncheon will feature Oklahoma Labor Commissioner Leslie Osborn, Nov. 20. FlyingTee will sponsor and host the luncheon on the third floor of their building, located at 600 Riverwalk Terrace in Jenks. The program begins at noon. Registration will be limited to 75 people. Luncheons are $15 for members and $20 for nonmembers. Elected as Labor Commissioner in 2018, Osborn previously served 10 years in the state House of Representatives and is the first Republican female chair of the House Appropriations and Budget Committee. She currently also serves as the Chair of the Oklahoma occupational licensing review board and the Department of Commerce’s automotive steering committee, which is actively working on recruitment of diversified manufacturing businesses to the state of Oklahoma. Osborn received a Bachelor of Science in business administration from Oklahoma State University and resides in Mustang, Oklahoma. Osborn owned and operated her own business for 22 years selling heavy duty truck parts, Osborn Pick-Up Accessories, and is the mother of two children. Osborn serves on the advisory board of OK Small Business Development Centers and the Oklahoma Academy. She also serves on the foundation board for the Canadian Valley Technology Center. She is a member of Oklahoma First Ladies and a lifetime member of the OSU Alumni association. She was in Leadership Oklahoma Class 27 and served as the state director of the national group Women in Government. The Jenks Chamber’s Monthly Luncheons feature networking opportunities and a speaker targeting business development, legislative policy, career coaching and other important topics. For more information about the Jenks Chamber or to RSVP for the November Monthly Luncheon, visit jenkschamber.com or call 299-5005.
Jenks football has seen many standout players throughout its multi-decades of success, but the name “Lohr” might be one of the more popular amongst Trojan stars. Jason Lohr played football for Jenks and was a part of the start of the Trojan football dynasty. Jason was a starter for the 1996 state championship Jenks football team as a junior and then again as a senior in 1997. Jason’s younger brother, Brandon, was a four-time state champion, as he was a key member on the Jenks football team in 1997 through 2000. Jason went on to play collegiately at Nebraska University and Brandon at the University of Tulsa. Now, they have hung up the cleats and have traded the football field for the business field, where they are having success with Push Pedal Pull. Jason is the manager of the only Tulsa area location, while Brandon is the assistant manager. The store is located at 9934 Riverside Pkwy in Tulsa just across the Jenks bridge. “We started doing deliveries here (Push Pedal Pull) when we were in high school when our stepdad ran the store, so we have been a part of this for more than 20 years,” Jason said. “We used to be located on 71st (street) between Riverside and Lewis, but we moved to our new location in 2006 and business has increased quite a bit since the move.” Push Pedal Pull sells high-end fitness equipment, but Brandon said they give a personal touch that other stores do not. “We try to customize a plan for each product
Former Jenks football players Brandon (left) and Jason Lohr run a successful business in the Jenks community called, “Push Pedal Pull”, that sells high-end fitness equipment. Photo/Kyle Salomon we sell for each of our customers,” Brandon said. “We believe that is what sets us apart. One thing we have been able to do is change and adapt with the times. You have to be able to adapt to what people are looking for at the time.” Most of the sales for Push Pedal Pull come from walk-ins or people calling if they saw something they liked on the website. People can and will also make appointments to come in and try out a piece of equipment to see if it is the right fit for them.
With their current location, they get a lot of customers from the Jenks and south Tulsa area, but they also attract customers from the entire greater Tulsa market. Jason said it is good to be back home after he spent some time in the Edmond area working at one of the Oklahoma City area locations. “It is cool to be back with us both being Jenks grads,” Jason said. “It is nice to be back home in Jenks and south Tulsa. This area has exploded
since we were in high school.” Brandon said being in this area makes it a little easier to talk to customers. “It is a lot easier to talk with customers, even if they don’t know us personally, because a lot of them have heard about us from our days of playing football locally at Jenks and for me also at Tulsa,” Brandon said. “I think it would be a little different if we tried to do this in a different state.”
Smitty’s Garage looks to make impact in community Smitty’s Garage Burgers & Beer, located in Tulsa just across the Jenks bridge, is eager to make an impact in the community. Smitty’s Garage is
looking for non-profits in the area, who are interested in participating in a benefit night hosted by the restaurant. It provides a way for
members of the non-profit to get together and raise money, while enjoying food and the family-oriented atmosphere the Garage employs.
Benefit nights take place Monday through Thursday during the three-hour dinner time slot and 10% of the food and beverage sales gets donated to that
particular non-profit. The benefit night will be advertised on the Garage’s social media accounts and in house. If interested in hav-
ing a benefit night at the Garage, call 918-2967239 or email garageriverside@halsmith.com and ask for Luther or Whitney.
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• FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2019 • JENKSTRIBUNE.COM •
Trojans fall to Wolves By HAYDEN TUCKER
htucker@jenkstribune.com
Jenks girls cross country stand on the podium with their state championship plaque and banner. Owasso, left, and Deer Creek, right, placed second and third. Photo/Hayden Tucker
SWEET REDEMPTION By HAYDEN TUCKER
htucker@jenkstribune.com
One year ago, a fourth-place finish at the state meet left a sour taste in the mouths of Jenks girls cross country. Last weekend, they avenged that result, winning the state meet. But it wasn’t just this race that sparked a fire within the team. Throughout the year, Jenks was lighting up nearly every course it stepped on. “Last year we were a very young team,” coach Rachael Graddy said. “We had a disappointing end of the season with the fourth-place finish, just barely off the podium. I think we took that into this year, and we remembered that feeling.”
Since that fourth-place finish, the Lady Trojans have been near perfect. The team took first place in every race with the exception of the 15th place finish at the Chile Pepper Festival, a meet which featured 81 teams. The Lady Trojans were on a tear this season with the bitter taste of defeat still eminent. Not once did their focus waver from what they were trying to accomplish. “We’re so encouraging, we’re always reminding each other our goal is to win state,” sophomore Deborah Mazzei said. “All throughout the year we were reminding each other, ‘we are capable, we can do this.’” Jenks scored 53 points en route to the first-place finish. Owasso took sec-
ond with 91 points, Deer Creek was third with 137. Avery Mazzei finished second at 18:30.69, her sister, Deborah, took fifth place at 19:18.76. Shelby Kihega placed 13th with a time of 19:39.96. Ryann Barber’s 19:50.21 time gave her 16th. Tarryn Lowry finished in 20:14.42 for 27th. Paige Twiehaus finished 44th at 20:46.57, Gabrille Vargus wasn’t far behind at 50th place. “I’ve been nervous all week,” Graddy said after the race. “Just making sure we stay healthy, know our game plan and stick to it. They executed beautifully. That was the best they ran all season and it was the perfect Continued to SWEET, Page 4B
Laffita places ninth By HAYDEN TUCKER
htucker@jenkstribune.com
For the first time this season Andrew Laffita raced alone, yet it didn’t stop him from placing top 10 in the cross country state meet. Laffita qualified for the state meet as an individual and he made sure Jenks didn’t go unrecognized. He finished the race in 16.25.79 for ninth place. The finish was just what he set out to do. “I had a pretty good expectation,” Laffita said. “My coach told me to be around top 10 and that’s what I wanted.” Despite racing alone on a difficult course, Laffita said he was focused on the task at hand. “I felt pretty comfortable,” he said. “I was just trying to
Jenks football took its first loss at the hands of a west side team for the first time since 2002 with a narrow 33-30 defeat from Edmond Santa Fe. Offense struggled for the Trojans throughout the contest. The Wolves capitalized on defensive mistakes for a big night throwing the ball. Santa Fe struck first with a one-yard quarterback run at the 6:29 mark. Jenks responded with a Will Cox five-yard run with 3:12 to go in the first quarter. The connection between Santa Fe quarterback Jorgen Olsen and receiver Talyn Shettron sliced the Trojan defense all night. Olsen hit Shettron for the first of three scores at the 9:05 mark in the second quarter with a 14-yard pass. Quarterback Stephen Kittleman hit tight end Justin Murphy for a 12-yard Continued to TROJANS, Page 2B
Jenks tallied 293 total yards of offense against Edmond Santa Fe. Photo/Hayden Tucker
Boys, girls swim teams start season with wins By HAYDEN TUCKER
not think about last week and focus on the race and it ended up going well.” Deer Creek, Wesmoore and Edmond Memorial rounded out the top three team finishes. Mustang’s Gabe Simonsen was the first place individual finisher at 15:39.89. Bartlesville’s Spencer Hales and Deer Creek’s Aj Antonelli took second and third, respectively. The conclusion of cross country season marks the end of Laffita’s career. A senior, Laffita can walk away from the course on a high note. Though he embraced the emotions, he’s ready to take on a new task. “I’m kind of overwhelmed,” Laffita said after the race. “It’s time to get ready for track season.”
htucker@jenkstribune.com
Andrew Laffita (middle) stands with the top 10 finishers in the state meet. Laffita finished the race in 16:25.79 for ninth place. Photo/Hayden Tucker
Jenks swim dove into the season last Saturday with both boys and girls teams finishing first place in the All-State Preview meet. The top eight teams from last year’s state meet came together at Jenks Aquatic Center to get the first action of the 2019-20 season. In usual fashion, Jenks came out on top. The girls took first place scoring 365 points, edging out Bixby and Edmond North. The boys took first over Norman North and Bartlesville with 367 points. Several individuals for both the boys and girls teams had a first or second Continued to SWIM, Page 3B
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Two Trojans team up to tackle the Edmond Santa Fe ball handler. Photos/Hayden Tucker
Stephen Kittleman throws one of his 20 passes. He completed 13 for 168 yards and two touchdowns.
Will Cox reaches out to create running space. Cox finished the game with 110 rushing yards on 17 carries.
Quinn Hill reaches for the Santa Fe ball carrier’s legs for the tackle.
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touchdown pass to tie the game with 4:19 left in the first half. The Wolves ensured they would be ahead going into the halftime break with a 14-yard pass from Olsen to Shettron with 30 seconds left. The point after touchdown was no good. A 40-yard field goal from Kobe Tucker as time expired narrowed the halftime deficit to 20-17. Jenks captured its first lead of the game early in the third quarter. Cox scored his second touchdown of the game on a 14-yard run. A failed PAT gave the Trojans a 23-20 lead.
Santa Fe tied the contest again at 23 on a 20-yard field goal from Caleb Bielamowicz at the 11:12 mark in the fourth quarter. Bielamowicz claimed the lead for the Wolves six minutes later with a 30-yard completion. Jenks reclaimed the lead shortly thereafter when Kittleman connected with Murphy again, this time for 52-yards. Jenks led 30-26 with 5:03 left in the game. At the 4:46 mark the Olsen-Shettron combo showed up big for the eventual game-winning touchdown, an 89-yard pass. Santa Fe collected 442 total yards of offense to Jenks’
293. The Wolves secured 24 first downs to the Trojans’ 14. “We certainly had some situations where we had opportunities to make plays and we didn’t, offensively and defensively,” coach Keith Riggs said. “We gave up too many first downs on third down and had a chance to continue drives a couple times because of mistakes. Certainly, you want to give Santa Fe credit for how well they played but there are some things that we could have done better.” Kittleman ended the night going 13-for-20 with 168 yards
and two touchdowns. Cox led the way in rushing yards, having 110 of Jenks’ 125 total yards. The Trojans typically have a balanced attack between the run and pass game. Against the Wolves, Jenks ran the ball 21 times and attempted 20 passes. “I think there were certain times in the game where, their defense, the way they were lined up, was telling us we needed to throw the ball,” Riggs said. “They did some things defensively in their secondary that we like, some quick passing game situa-
tions that we tried to take advantage of. Overall, we were still relatively balanced.” Jenks will host Westmoore Friday on senior night. The Trojans and Jaguars have yet to secure a playoff spot. The only way Jenks can lose and make the playoffs is if Edmond Santa Fe defeats Norman. Westmoore must win in order to make the playoffs. Kick off between the Trojans and Jaguars will be at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Allan Tirmble Stadium.
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Jenks girls cross country won the state championship Saturday at Edmond Santa Fe. Three Lady Trojans placed in the top 15. Photos/Hayden Tucker
Andrew Laffita represented Jenks boys cross country as an individual at the state meet. Laffita finished ninth.
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place finish. For the girls, Laney Fenton took first place in the 500 freestyle, Ali Richardson placed second. Fenton also came in first in the 100-yard breaststroke with Kaya Smith finishing third. “She (Fenton) will never give up,” coach Diego Henao said. “She’s always training really hard. She knows what she wants. She wants to do her best and she doesn’t like losing. Second place is horrible for her. Hopefully she can keep that momentum.” Janci Pangburn and Josie Jones were first and second, respectively, in the 200 freestyle. The two were first and second in the 100-yard free-
style as well. Jasmine Rau and Natalie Eaton were second and third in the 50-yard freestyle. The relay team of Jenna Vann, Kaya Smith, Jasmine Rau and Fenton took first place in the 200-yard medley. The 400-yard freestyle team of Jones, Sophia Chatzigiannidis, Jasmine Moss and Janci Pangburn took first as well. The girls showed out in the first meet of the year, but there’s still plenty of work to do to meet their goals. “We are trying to compete against the entire state,” Henao said. “We have a lot of competitions. (We’re not focused on) one team, but
this entire state and that’s what I’m trying to do. I’m trying to compete against the entire state.” The boys also put up impressive results. Jazz Widney took first place in the 200-yard freestyle. He also took first in the 100-yard freestyle. Andrew Truong was second in both the 50-yard freestyle and the 100-yard backstroke. Austin Bick was second in the 200-yard independent medley and second in the 100-yard freestyle. The 200-yard freestyle relay team of Truong, Marcos Mendoza, Austin Sung and Widney took first place. The Trojans took second place in the 200-yard
medley and the 400 yard freestyle relays. Henao was pleased with what he saw from his relay teams which will only make the coming weeks more difficult, he says. “I don’t know who is going to be the final lineup for the relays,” Henao said. “We have so much depth and they all want to be part of that. That’s a very good spot to be in. It’s complicated for me to decide who’s going to be in it because they all want that spot. At the same time, it’s fun for them because they all are just trying to accomplish in getting to that team.”
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Shelby Kihega finishes the first lap of the state race. Kihega placed 13th.
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Avery Mazzei trails just behind Broken Arrow’s Payton Hinkle in the first round of the race.
Deborah Mazzei rounds a corner in the first lap of the race. Mazzei took 5th place.
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Top 15 finishers from Jenks Avery Mazzei (first row, second from left) Deborah Mazzei (first row, third from right) and Shelby Kihega (back row, third from right) were recognized and given a medal for the finish. Photos/Hayden Tucker
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time to run their best race. Very proud, excited, and happy I can breathe.” What makes Jenks’ accomplishment even more impressive is its youth. The Lady Trojans will not graduate anyone this year and will only have two seniors on the roster next season. A group of four sophomores, two juniors and one freshman proved that experience isn’t everything. The young group kept its focus all season, even when times were tough. “It’s a long season and mentally it can be exhausting,” Graddy said. “They’re strong, they’re great runners. Just trying to not stress ourselves out and do what we’ve been doing all season. They have the talent but sometimes you can get in your head, especially with distance running.” The team’s core has many years left to race, however, they won’t get their hopes up. “I don’t like to get ahead of myself. It’s exciting for us coaches, looking ahead at what we can potentially do.” For now, it’s all about soaking in the accomplishment. After the race, Deborah had just one thought. “All the work paid off,” she said.
CONGRATULATIONS JENKS GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY ON WINNING THE 6A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP!
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TRICK-OR-TREAT ON MAIN
Hunting for the candy Jenks area children and their families braved the cold temperatures on Halloween at Trick-or-Treat on Main in Jenks. Local businesses set up booths in downtown Jenks to help spread the holiday joy. Photos/Elise Siebert
FBC Jenks to host monthly community-wide event By KYLE SALOMON
ksalomon@jenkstribune.com
First Baptist Jenks is set to host Jolly Citizens, its monthly event that invites any resident 55 or older to have a free meal and enjoy free entertainment. Jolly Citizens is a ministry of First Baptist Church of Jenks to the senior citizens in Jenks and the surrounding communities. The event has been on-going for approximately more than 30 years. Since the church has moved to the 11701 Elm location in 2010, the
event has steadily grown from the 60 to 80 people, while downtown, to roughly 300 this past year. It takes a volunteer base from the church of 50 or more each month to make this event a success. The event is 100% supported by the tithes and offerings of the church. “This event is about reaching out to the community,” FBC Jenks Associate Pastor of Adults 55+, Dan Taylor. “It gives people in the community a chance to come and get a free meal with some free entertainment and it gives our members who serve a chance to
serve. We want to be welcoming to everyone.” FBC member Chickie Coplen is the coordinator of the event and has been serving in this capacity for the past nine years. Volunteers help in different ways, such as table-top decorators, cooks, servers, greeters, table hosts and clean-up. The meeting begins at 11:30 a.m. The meal is served by the volunteers following a prayer. Following the meal, they move across the hallway into the church’s worship center, where the long-time emcee and host, Charles Mason, enter-
tains the guests with jokes and stories. The program concludes by 1 p.m. “A lot of churches do this for their church members, but not community wide,” Taylor said. “This is not us trying to get people to join our church. Our goal is to minister to as many people as possible.” The event runs on the first Monday of every month. Each senior guest is asked to bring non-perishable foods to be donated to the Jenks Community Food Bank.
First Baptist Church in Jenks will host Jolly Citizens the first Monday of each month. The program began Monday. Photo/Courtesy
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Fall Festival The Riverwalk in Jenks hosted the Fall Festival Oct. 26. Photos/Jordan McCown, Jenks Public Schools
FBC Jenks hosts annual fall festival First Baptist Church in Jenks hosted its annual fall festival Oct. 27. Photos/ Kyle Salomon
Friday, November 8, 2019
HALLOWMARINE 2019
The Oklahoma Aquarium hosted its 15th annual Hallowmarine from Oct. 25 through Oct. 31. Photos/Drew Bethell
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Art Guild concludes at the Hive An art guild concluded its display at the Hive in Jenks. Numerous artistic items were shown throughout the month of October for anyone to come look at and potentially purchase. Photos/Kyle Salomon
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Jenks students participate in Trojan Leadership Conference More than 150 student leaders from Jenks High School, Jenks Freshman Academy, and Jenks Middle School participated in the 19th annual Trojan Leadership Conference Oct. 24. Students from a variety of clubs and organizations practiced leadership skills in the morning and completed service projects in the afternoon at places like the Jenks Community Food Bank. Photos/Rob Loeber with Jenks Public Schools