Merry Christmas
THE OKC FRIDAY STAFF was rockin’ around the Christmas tree and wants to wish all of our readers and advertisers a Merry Christmas and the Happiest Holidays ever.
OKC FRIDAY Vol. 52 No. 34 • Three Sections • 24 pages December 21, 2018
www.okcfriday.com facebook.com/okcfriday Serving affluent far north Oklahoma City, Nichols Hills and The Village for 44 years
NHILLS BOND ISSUE
Molly’s rockin’ the Santa Suit
Lion’s share is infrastructure improvements By Mike W. Ray Staff Writer
By Rose Lane Editor
Almost 78 percent of the $28.45 million bond issue pending in Nichols Hills would be earmarked for infrastructure improvements. A little less than half of the proceeds, $13 million, would be devoted to streets; $1.6 million would be reserved for work on the sanitary sewer system; the municipal water system would receive $6,550,000; and $1 million would be spent on projects at the Public Works Complex. Thirteen streets would be targeted for approximately four miles of reconstruction or resurfacing in concrete or asphalt. “Our goal is to pave as much in concrete as we can,” Mayor E. Peter Hoffman Jr. said. Any of the street rehabilitation projects might include sidewalks, engineering, right-of-way acquisition, utility repair and relocation, traffic control improvements, equipment and intersection and drainage renovations. Nichols Hills has 29 miles of streets, according to the latest Comprehensive Annual Financial Report delivered to the City Council. Approximately 9,500 linear feet of sanitary sewer lines would be improved. Plans are to “replace, repair or upsize troubles lines” throughout the community, Public Works Director Randy Lawrence said.
One day 12-year-old Molly Love, a seventh grader at Belle Isle Enterprise Middle School, found a Santa suit in her grandma Linda Howell’s guest bedroom and slipped it on — and out the front door. Then she climbed up on a pillar and danced, spreading good cheer for those driving down the street in Belle Isle. “It was the perfect size for me,” Molly said. “I thought it would be fun to get people into the Christmas spirit.” Molly said she waited for her grandma, aka GG, to spot her. “I thought to myself, this is going to get two reactions out of GG,” Molly said. “She’s either going to say, ‘No, no honey, you have to take it off,’ or she was going to start laughing.” Instead, she encouraged her granddaughter to dance. Molly said she was up on the pillar for nearly two hours. Drivers honked and waved. “Normally, dancing is not me,” Molly said. “But, in that suit no one knows it is me.” Molly hasn’t planned any repeat performances, but drivers might want to
See BONDS, Page 3
Toddlers at Hickman’s Jack Vestring dances to the music at Hickman’s Music School’s Rock and Roll Christmas 2018. More Photos by Ron Vavak on Pages 9 & 10
Communications also on the list By Mike W. Ray Staff Writer Aged communications and emergency preparedness equipment would be replaced if Nichols Hills residents endorse a $28.45 million capital improvements bond issue on Feb. 12. Among the proposals on which the voters will pass judgment is a request for $1 million
for various technology improvements. Those would include $75,000 to acquire and install new communication antennas on city water towers. The antennas serve the Nichols Hills police and fire departments and the public works staff, along with the city’s water well telemetry system, Information Systems Manager Neil Gray
said. The antennas are positioned atop the city’s water towers and are more than 30 years old, Gray said. The plan is to replace the antennas when the water storage tanks are repainted, he said. The city also wants to buy and install another meter reading tower, at an estimated
Nichols Hills and NW OKC Magazine featuring the Bachelors Club Debutantes.
See NHILLS, Page 7
FRIDAY’s
Dog of the Week
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INSIDE
Meet Maggie! She is a 4 1/2-monthold Shitzu owned by Margaret (Sugar) Dozier. She is an affectionate lap dog and companion, but loves the excitement of chasing squirrels in her backyard. Send Dog of the Week, Cat of the Week and Baby of the Week nominations with complete descriptions to rose@okcfriday.com. Submissions are used in the order they are received.
Molly Love spreads holiday cheer in Belle Isle.
MOLLY LOVE
pay attention as they pass through Belle Isle. “I might (do it again),” Molly said. “I don’t know for a fact, it just kind of happens.”
Village bill for Britton up $54k By Mike W. Ray Staff Writer A $3,954,000 contract on the reconstruction of a mile-long section of Britton Road in The Village has been approved, and the city’s share of the tab increased to about $837,000. The state Transportation Commission awarded the project to Crossland Heavy Contractors, the lowest of three bidders for the job. The three-lane asphalt section
of Britton Road between May Avenue and Pennsylvania Avenue will be completely torn out and reconstructed in concrete. Federal funds will pay for 80 percent of the construction cost and The Village paid the other 20 percent. City officials initially thought their share would come to $782,576; however, The Village was charged an additional $54,400 for all of the engineering costs on the project and some of See BRITTON, Page 3