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PROGRESS 2016

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PROGRESS 2016

2C • Saturday, August 6, 2016

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110 Years

Progress continues at Mill

By Kent Bush and Vicky O. Misa kent.bush@news-star.com vicky.misa@news-star.com

O

ne of Oklahoma’s oldest manufacturers is growing again.

Shawnee Milling has been a part of the Shawnee community for more than 100 years. One reason for that success has always been a leadership team with an eye on future growth.

“We are always thinking 10-20 years down the road,” said Shawnee Milling Chairman Bill Ford. “This project is the culmination of moves we have made over the past two decades.”

Ford said the company has had the foresight to purchase dozens of strategically located parcels of land over the past 40 years. They also worked with the City of Shawnee to close Broadway where it intersected with the plant operations.

Those moves have made room for the addition of a new bin tower that will add another huge structure to the Shawnee skyline.

“There are other mills and manufacturers who didn’t have the opportunity to purchase land around them,” Shawnee Milling President Joe Ford said. “Because of that, they are having to expand to sites in areas away from their primary locations. We have been fortunate to be able to grow where we are.”

With the upcoming addition of a new bin tower, the Shawnee Milling footprint in downtown Shawnee will be growing again.

The company has already paid to relocate multiple utility services and is in the permitting process for the new construction.

“The expansion affects our largest department,” Joe Ford said. “But unlike other projects like this, we aren’t shutting anything down to do the expansion.

We can re-route processes around the plant to make it work.”

The new structure will connect to the existing buildings. It will look like a straight wall tower and it will go across the area where Broadway once ran.

The new tower probably won’t be the last expansion for Shawnee Milling at the downtown location. The company purchased the lot on the northeast corner of Beard and Farrall St. in order to have room to expand the warehouse when it is necessary.

Shawnee Milling Co. celebrated its 110th year of operation April 24.

To stay in business for 100 years, there have to be a lot of things working for a company. The Fords agree on what some of those things are at Shawnee Milling.

“I think our reputation is important,” Bill Ford said. “The people who came before us set a standard that we work hard to earn every day.”

Joe Ford said that reputation goes beyond quality products to how the plant runs every day.

“The standard of how we treat people is a legacy

Shawnee Milling continues its progress at the current mill located on South Broadway Street.

ED BLOCHOWIAK STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

that guides how we make decisions,” he said. “We value relationships.”

Those relationships include working within the plant with the 150 employees who make the company successful and also the relationship with suppliers and vendors across the country and beyond its borders.

Shawnee Milling manufactures a private label corn meal used across the Caribbean and a waffle cone mix that is used across Australia in addition to the many products that can be purchased in local grocery stores and those that are used in restaurants.

It all started in 1894 with Shawnee Roller Mills.

In 1903 — about the time Santa Fe Depot was being built — the average American worker labored 10 hours a day, six days a week for $12 per week, according to roundhouse.com.

Oklahoma was still Indian Territory, four years before statehood. Over 100 trains roared through the town of Shawnee each day as thousands of

In 1906, J. Lloyd Ford purchased this flour mill that became Shawnee Milling Company. At that time the town of Shawnee was only 11 years old.

FACEBOOK SHAWNEE MILLING COMPANY

railroad workers built toward America’s westward expansion, the website states.

Then a year before statehood — when Shawnee was just 11 years old — J. Lloyd Ford bought Shawnee Roller Mills in 1906. At that time it

was producing about 75 barrels of flour per day (a barrel could hold 200 pounds of flour).

Just around the corner on Main Street, 3-yearold Round House was manufacturing denim products.

Ford changed the busi-

nesses’ name to Shawnee Milling Co. and transported it north, across the North Canadian River, to the site where the company stands now.

“It originally was by Hardesty Grocery,” Bill SHAWNEE MILLING, Page 3C

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PROGRESS 2016

Saturday, August 6, 2016 • 3C

SHAWNEE MILLING

Continued from Page 1C

In 1908, the building, above, is where the magic happened along with a sample package.

J. Lloyd Ford, right, sits next to his first employee W.H. Henley Williams in March 1907.

Bottom left, the Shawnee’s Best packaging from 1912.

Bottom center, lab cook Berniece Cunningham, left, and chief chemist, Bill Carter ensure Shawnee Milling flour is top quality circa 1957.

Bottom right, Shawnee Milling continues community outreach through donations.

FACEBOOK SHAWNEE MILLING COMPANY

Some information from the article was gathered from “Shawnee Milling Company: An American Dream, 1906-2006, written by Virginia and Jim Bradshaw.

Ford, J. Lloyd’s grandson said. “They brought it over with ropes and mules.”

Things were going well by the 1930s. The mill had expanded — owning flour and feed mills in Okeene, Stillwater, Pauls Valley, Ada, Hobart and Hugo.

But, on Aug. 11, 1934, J. Lloyd — and the city — suffered a mighty setback when Shawnee’s mill burned to the ground; the loss was estimated to be around $300,000.

J. Lloyd may have been devastated, but he didn’t let it destroy his dream.

Without hesitation, he immediately gathered his employees and hired them to clear the site — and just nine months later Shawnee Milling rose from the ashes, celebrating with a three-day dedication in June of 1935.

That same year, a 26-foot tall, 14-foot wide Christmas star was anchored atop the 90-foot elevator — and has been there ever since.

Now, the facilities include a 7,000 cwt, or hundredweight — one twentieth of a ton, daily capacity flour mill, a 3,000 cwt daily capacity corn mill, and a dry mix plant that specializes in wheat and corn-based baking mixes for a diverse set of applications.

The Shawnee plant produces over one million pounds of food products daily, and the quality and consistency of these products are monitored on-site, in a 7,500-squarefoot quality control and product development lab, the website states.

“We are capable of packing a variety of products in sizes from a few ounces to 2,000 lb. bulk bags,” the site states.

The milling company produces a broad line of baking needs including wheat flours, corn meal and corn flours, and a variety of baking mixes.

Product offerings include products for home baking,

food service, and industrial uses, according to shawneemilling.com.

Shawnee Milling Company has nine country elevators in prime wheat-growing regions in Oklahoma that receive grain directly from local farmers. These areas consistently produce some of the highest quality wheat in the world, the site reads.

The Okeene Flour Mill is located among some of the most productive wheat fields in the state.

Okeene Milling specializes in bulk bakery flour, tortilla flour and whole wheat flour sold under the Okeene and Angel White brands. Okeene Milling provides flour to a number of national baking companies.

“We partner with the outstanding Oklahoma farming community to source wheat and corn that is grown in Oklahoma and that serves as the foundation of our line of outstanding Shawnee Mills and Shawnee’s Best products,” according to the site.

Many of the mill’s products ship to locations across the nation and overseas, and Shawnee Mills and Shawnee Best retail grocery products can be found in most grocery stores in Oklahoma and in many stores throughout Texas, Arkansas, Missouri, Tennessee, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, among other places, the website states.

Shawnee Food Service products are used across the United States, internationally, and can be found in a number of nationally known restaurant chains.

“We mill flour against the biggest in the world,” Bill said.

Shawnee Mills is a charter member of the Made In Oklahoma Coalition (MIO), a 44-member coalition that represents 25,000 Oklahoma employees and contributes $3.2 billion of its sales to the Oklahoma economy.

SHAWNEE MILLING COMPANY 1906-2016

The mill J. Lloyd Ford bought for $10,500, his life savings, on April 20, 1906. He immediately renamed it Shawnee Milling Company and opened its doors for business on Tuesday, April 24, 1906.

Growing with Shawnee... Over 110 Years Old and Still Growing

Good Millers Simce 1906

Several additions had been made to the original mill by 1908 two years after J. Lloyd Ford opened for business. Ford is shown in horse and buggy near building with “Shawnee Chief Flour” painted on its side. A wagon loaded with mill products is at far left.

4C â&#x20AC;¢ Saturday, August 6, 2016

PROGRESS 2016

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PROGRESS 2016 – COMMUNITY

2D • Saturday, August 6, 2016

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Foundation

avedis

‘Good News’ for County

T

he name Avedis means one who brings glad tidings; the bearer of good news.

After learning about what the Avedis Foundation does, even the toughest critic might have difficulty disagreeing with the name choice.

The foundation’s mission is to improve the health, wellness and quality of life for the people of Pottawatomie County and its surrounding communities.

To back up that claim, Michelle Briggs, Avedis president and CEO, can offer lots of examples of the group putting its money where its mouth is — to the tune of about $4 million a year.

“Some days I get to play Santa, but we’re not giving a hand out, we’re giving a hand up,” Briggs said. “We try to invest strategically throughout the county.

We’re very careful about how we allocate our funds.”

In short, the foundation has aided several area schools, city projects, nonprofits and social service organizations.

Briggs said Avedis awarded a $220,000 grant for the Shawnee Salvation Army program Bridges out of Poverty over a threeyear period.

Regarding the Salvation Army Boys and Girls Club grant, Briggs said the foundation helped fund a remodel and also set up a three-year Sponsor a Child program for those who could not afford to send their children to the facility.

To date, Avedis has awarded more than $1 million to area schools, as well as providing other grants that also affect the schools.

Karen Bays Winslow, county coordinator and branch manager of Shawnee Public Library, said, “We are grateful for a three-year project to install rotating book collections for some of our rural schools in Pottawatomie County. Maud, Asher, Wanette and Macomb schools needed newer materials they couldn’t afford, and the library couldn’t afford to do it either, but with the funding from Avedis, we were able to achieve it.”

“Before the grant, we went away from those schools feeling sad.”

Winslow said. “It bothered me. Because of a lack of funding, these schools were doing without things they needed. Every child should have an equal chance to develop and learn. It means a lot.”

Grants directly funded to the schools encompass several projects.

A $360,000 grant was awarded for renovation to Maud’s public pool, which is owned by the school system.

Pleasant Grove received $60,098 for a Get Fit! pilot project that may later be incorporated into other school systems.

Gordon Cooper Technology Center received $107,180 for teacher and student STEM (Science.

Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) training, which includes upper elementary and middle school teacher STEM training, as well as summer STEM camps for students.

Briggs said, “We have provided funding for ADA-compliant playgrounds and security systems for Asher, McLoud, Tecumseh and Bethel.

White Rock — just across the border into Lincoln County — also received money for a playground, as well as an outdoor classroom.”

She said grants were also

awarded for the staffing of key health and counseling positions to serve public schools in Asher, Maud, Wanette and Macomb.

Shawnee Public Schools received $89,500 in grant funding for security systems.

Susan Field, principal at Horace Mann, said, “We went from two cameras to 14. Before, we had a camera in the office and at the front door. Now we have them down every hall, entryway and on the playground.”

Field said another grant the school benefits from is the Horse Tales Literacy Project.

“Charla Bundy with the C-Bar Horsemanship program — who has also received an Avedis grant for $5,800 — does horse therapy with autistic kids,” Field said.

The first step in the Horse Tales program involves bringing a pony to the school — that day first-graders will receive their books.

Over a six-week period, students will learn how to read the book they are given.

As the children receive books, the first grade teachers receive a 200page curriculum.

Then, after the six weeks, the children return to C-Bar’s facility for a field day.

During this field day, the children will rotate to different stations and will read their books to the horses. Field said the program affects about 75 children at the school.

Avedis also helped the Shawnee Parents as Teachers (SPAT) program with a $21,000 grant.

Shawnee Middle School also received a grant to help install 25 cameras in that school.

Avedis grants have provided fitness trails in Shawnee (a $642,000 grant) and Bethel Acres (a $30,000 grant), which have provided safe, reliable walking areas for all ages, as well as made a positive impact on the aesthetics of the surrounding area.

“I truly feel that our city and the county have received a bountiful gift; it is difficult to put into words the immediate effect — and especially the long term effect — on our community that the Avedis Foundation has made, and for years to come,” Shawnee Mayor Wes Mainord said.

The staff at Avedis and its board have made some great decisions to support things that are for the better health and wellness of our city and the surrounding counties, he said.

“When you see things like the trail on Bryan Street, the pool (a $616,600 matching grant), the splash pad — and the fact that they are investing in things like Community Renewal and working closely with the Food Bank in its new pantry — what they are investing in is going to make this entire area a better place for everyone,” he added.

A $1.5 million grant for Shawnee Middle School projects is also in the works and will benefit the community as well.

How Avedis started At one time, Pottawatomie County had two hospitals — Mission Hill Memorial Hospital (which opened in 1964) and Shawnee Regional Hospital (which opened in 1967).

On Jan. 1, 2002, Mission Hill Memorial Hospital and Shawnee Regional Hospital merged to form Community Health Partners, Inc. (Unity Health Center).

Ten years later, Unity finalized an agreement with St. Anthony Network

June 30, 2012, to join one of the largest, faithbased healthcare systems in the United States (SSM Health), becoming St. Anthony Shawnee Hospital.

Proceeds from the sale created Avedis, one of Oklahoma’s largest foundations.

Avedis retained all the Unity board members and began their new role on July 1, 2012, by investing in Pottawatomie County with a pledge of $35 million to help fund an expansion and renovation to the new St. Anthony Shawnee Hospital.

Under the leadership of Briggs, Avedis is governed by a 13-member board of directors who also serve as the foundation’s grants committee.

“We’re extremely pleased that Avedis — in its new role as a foundation — is continuing support of the expansion that was started before the sale,” Chuck Skillings, president of St. Anthony Shawnee Hospital, said. “Because of the foundation’s cooperative relationship with the hospital, we will be able to advance health care to a whole new level,” Skillings said.

How long will it last?

Briggs said, “We are a transition foundation. We have been working our way from being public to becoming a private foundation,” she said. “In the next year, we will be fully private. At that point, the Internal Revenue Service will require us to give at least 5 percent per year — for us, that equates to around $5 million.”

She said, “If we can make $5M a year, and give it away, we could be here forever. The impact will be huge.”

Avedis is in the top 20 Oklahoma foundations, regarding amount of assets it has to work with, Briggs said.

“We have a $125 million asset base to work from,” Briggs said. “And others in the state are noticing what we’re doing — some are in other counties. We will work to develop those partnerships, as well,” Briggs said, but the foundation’s focus is stayed on two areas: social services and quality of life in Pottawatomie County.

Briggs said there are two types of foundations: reactive and proactive.

Reactive foundations take in applications from those asking for help. Proactive foundations look for ways to reach out and help.

“We do both. We’re in a position to see needs and bring groups together with similar needs and develop one project to address it,” she said.

Briggs said she is always on the lookout for collaborative efforts that help many groups at the same time.

For more information about Avedis, 3903 N. Harrison, call (405) 273-4055 or visit avedisfoundation. org.

People play in the water at Shawnee Splash at Woodland Veterans Park.

ED BLOCHOWIAK STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Avedis Grants Awarded Since 2013 Some of the recipients are: Schools: Asher, Maud, Wanette, Macomb, Shawnee, Pleasant Grove, McLoud, Tecumseh, White Rock City of Shawnee Gordon Cooper Technology Center Red Rock Behavioral Health Services Gateway for Prevention & Recovery Youth & Family Resource Center Volunteer Health Center Bethel Acres C-Bar Horsemanship Shawnee Salvation Army and its

Boys & Girls Club TJS Spirithorse Therapeutic Riding Center Parents as Teachers Pioneer Library System, Pottawatomie County Mabee-Gerrer Museum of Art South Central Industries Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA), Shawnee Mission Shawnee Family Promise Pottawatomie County Child Welfare collaboration Central Oklahoma Community Action Agency (COCAA) Project SAFE

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Healthcare

St. Anthony Shawnee Hospital expands St. Anthony Shawnee’s new 119,000 square foot, three-story expansion, at left, houses the new Women’s Center, intensive care unit and surgical services.

ED BLOCHOWIAK STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

At right, a night-time view of the new addition.

ADAM EWING STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

PROGRESS 2016 – COMMUNITY

• Moving day finally came –– St. Anthony Shawnee Hospital finished an extensive construction project that tripled the square footage of its campus without adding a single licensed bed to its facility.

• Mid-March, the hospital moved three departments into its brand new west tower.

• The new construction is a 119,000 square-foot, three-story addition –– a significant expansion of the facility –– that houses the new Women’s Center, intensive care unit, and surgical services.

• Each floor of the new tower serves as a particular department: Surgery, ground floor; Women’s Center, second floor; and ICU, third floor.

• Chuck Skillings, hospital president, said the project is a major milestone for healthcare in the community. The expansion is touted to be a bold effort to step firmly away from traditional

Saturday, August 6, 2016 • 3D

–– and outdated –– methods of operation. “We thought we were a pretty good hospital coming into this; we are a better hospital today,” Skillings said, “because we are here every day to strive for the exceptional in everything we do and, as a result, for those of you who don’t work in this building, you can benefit from those services.”

• Linda E. Brown, vice president of support services and administration liaison for the construction project, said, “We believe being able to accommodate our patients in this way will help make a difference. Their doctors are already here. Our hope is they will recognize we are fully capa-

ble of providing all their care here.”

• To offset the large addition, benches are strategically placed down some of the longer corridors, to better accommodate patients and visitors to the hospital.

• The hospital replaced traditionally large, central supply rooms with individual cabinets called patient servers. “It’ll be stocked from the outside of the room, from the hallway, and it’ll have in it the supplies that the staff need to take care of the patient,” Linda E. Brown, vice president of support services and ad-

ministration liaison for the construction project, said.

“Instead of one large nursing station,” Brown said, “we have designed smaller nursing stations, called hoteling stations, that put nurses closer to patients.”

• Four new elevators have been added–– two public elevators and two for patient transport, which are large enough for patient beds and equipment.

• Phase two, which was finished and reopened in July, acted as a facelift for the existing building.

The main entrance’s curb transformed into a zero-level entry, lending to easier accessibility.

Pottawatomie County

Museum Construction to Begin

By Adam Ewing ED BLOCHOWIAK STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

T

he Pottawatomie County Museum will be built on property to the north of the Santa Fe Depot along Minnesota Street between 9th and 10th Streets. Construction is already underway.

“We have the pads done and a temporary service pole installed,” Museum Director Ken Landry said. Now all we are waiting on is the building permit.”

Landry is excited about all the extra room the Paul and Ann Milburn Center will offer.

“The building will be 12,572

square feet. It will have a conference room that will seat about 100 people, a full kitchen and a small genealogy research library,” Landry said.

“We turn down so many things that people want to donate because we just don’t have the space to put them. It’s going to let us put out so many more artifacts and documents that we have,” he said.

Paul Milburn, an executive committee member, offered a $500,000 grant for the society to match. Due to a struggle by the

Building Community

tribe builds

wikiyapi

T

he Housing Authority of the Sac and Fox Nation celebrated a significant benchmark in recent history with a groundbreaking ceremony in September 2015 for its $2.5 million project — Wikiyapi Apartments, two buildings which today face each other on the 500 block of Kimberly Street in Shawnee.

The pair of buildings house 23 families in twoand three-bedroom units, as well as have a community center that serves as a community storm shelter.

“This was an important event because of the nature of the funding source,” Billy Komahcheet, executive director of the Housing Authority of the Sac and Fox Nation (HASFN), said. “The processes in the past have not been through our local HUD office, therefore the housing authority is setting the standards for future Title VI Loan application processes for the other tribes within our region.”

Komahcheet said, “What we have done here — in three years — is going to ease the burden for other tribes to do projects like this.”

Michelle Tinnin, U.S. Department of Housing

and Urban Development, Native American program specialist, said the Title VI Loan Guarantee Program is geared at helping tribal housing authorities by providing an additional source of financing for affordable tribal housing activities.

“Sac and Fox is only the third in our 5-state region (Oklahoma, Kansas, Texas, Louisiana and Arkansas) to take advantage of this type of loan. It has been more than 7 years since a tribe in our region has submitted an application.

Sac and Fox has been the first to go through a new process where the local Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Southern Plains office of Native American Programs has done a joint underwriting with the Washington D.C. staff.

Wayne Sims, administrator at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, said, “Sac and Fox Housing has done a wonderful job that is being emulated by others now. I am proud for what the group has accomplished.

Tinnin said, “Others from the area are already calling us. The department is seeing an increase in interest since Sac and Fox Housing has made this step. When you look

museum to match the funds, the deadline was extended. The goal was reached in December 2015.

More than 200 individuals and organizations have contributed to this project.

“The museum started a fundraiser to build a new museum in 2008,” Landry said. “When I started here, collecting pledges had sat dormant for a while. We resurrected it, and last year Paul Milburn issued a challenge to match donations. We were able to get the $500,000 raised so Paul would match.”

around, a lot of construction going on is through our state’s 37 Federally recognized tribes. The potential for meeting housing needs is huge.”

Casey Bell, senior vice president of BancFirst, said, “When I started working on this project, I immediately saw in these men, the passion, energy and a sense of urgency in getting this project done. BancFirst is excited to be a part of this.”

The Housing Authority of the Sac and Fox Nation signed a $1.5 million loan agreement with the bank to use — along with $1 million in funds the housing authority already had secured — for construction of the apartments.

Sac and Fox Nation Principal Chief George Thurman said the housing authority deserves recognition for all their hard work, but they give God the credit and glory for His provision.

“There are 96 families currently on the waiting list for housing in our area,” Thurman said. “This project will provide homes to 23 families on that list.”

Justin Erickson, Shawnee city manager, said, “The Sac and Fox Housing Authority does an excellent job of maintaining their properties in our community. Wikiyapi Apartments is a great addition. It’s a tremendous opportunity to meet the needs of both the Tribe and the community.”

The tribe celebrated the completion of the Wikiyapi project with a ribbon-cutting ceremony July 6.

adam.ewing@news-star.com

The added room will allow visitors to experience all the items currently unable to display.

“We are going to move everything that is household items, everything that relates to each town located in Pottawatomie County,” Landry said. “The museum has a lot of memorabilia for businesses that started long-term, like Sonic and Shawnee Milling. There are several businesses that started here over one hundred years ago.

We’d like to have an area for each of them.”

Pottawatomie County Museum

and Historical Society is currently seeking donations to furnish the new museum.

“We will be seeking donations to furnish display cases, benches and things like that,” Landry said. “We are excited about getting the project started; it’s a long way to go, but now we need to worry about fundraising to furnish the place, paying the bills and salaries.”

Once the project is complete the Santa Fe Depot will remain a railroad museum exclusively.

Transportation

Road improvements Continue Work is underway to resurface and add paved shoulders to SH 102 from Hardesty Road north to near Interstate 40.

Other projects: The widening of a onemile section of Gordon Cooper Drive between Shawnee and Tecumseh is finished.

The Kickapoo Street project, which began in 2013, is complete.

ED BLOCHOWIAK STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

THEN Left to Right: Pharmacist Jack Coffey, Pharmacist Bob Teas, Pharmacist Charley Sparks Circa 1968, at the Shawnee Medical Center Pharmacy.

NOW Working hard to improve your quality of life.

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PROGRESS 2016 – COMMUNITY

4D • Saturday, August 6, 2016

Group targets hunger

Community Market now open The new Community Market at 120 S. Center St. The grand opening was the end of June.

ED BLOCHOWIAK STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

• Months before its planned opening, the Community Market of Pottawatomie County Food & Resource Center, in affiliation with the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma, hosted a launch event the end of March with community action opportunities for area businesses and volunteer groups. Attendees learned how hunger impacts the lives of those in Pottawatomie County.

• Sean Voskuhl, state director AARP Oklahoma, said hunger is a tremendous problem and 82 percent of residents in this area said they want to help. “We want this to be a real community center,” he said. Data from the survey his firm conducted show 55 percent of the Pottawatomie County population is below the threshold of 130 percent poverty and that one in six is food insecure.

• The nonprofit named Daniel Matthews its new executive director. “As we come together as a community we have the opportunity to be a game changer for those in our county who battle hunger,” Matthews said. They are not just numbers, he said. “Each one has a name and a story,” Matthews said. “We have more than enough resources to care for these people,” Matthews said.

“People should not have to choose between food and medications.”

• AARP announced a dollar-for-dollar match contribution up to $5,000 assuring up to $10,000 in aid once the match is met through contributions.

• The 10,000-square-foot Community Market has expanded hours of operation to better serve hungry Oklahomans in a grocery store-like setting.

• Avedis Foundation President and CEO Michelle Briggs said the market will employ a point system. The amount of food is defined by

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W

e care.

It’s a simple concept that packs enough potential to wipe out a complex problem worldwide.

Community Renewal Shawnee held its kickoff banquet in April, showing many signs — both physical and spiritual — that residents do care.

Brandon Dyer, employed by Avedis, is the coordinator for the Pottawatomie County Community Renewal project — the local effort to bring caring back into the community.

Dyer, along with Jan Tipton and Travis Flood, rolled out the red signs and challenged the audience to make a purposeful effort to reach out to others.

By July, the nonprofit’s conference room is packed with people trying to learn more about its program.

Dyer, Community Renewal director, spent his noon mealtime sharing with locals the organization’s plan to help

Shawnee residents band together, strengthening relationships by reaching out to neighbors.

Officially in operation for a few months now, the program is steadily gaining momentum and establishing a solid framework to build on.

The project is a prototype in this area, but response has been positive.

So far, the local group has built up a list of 200 “We Care. Team” members and 50 block leaders committed to the program.

Dyer said the group wants 10 to 20 times that many.

“Ultimately, we want a leader on every block,” he said.

“We just ordered 1,000 more signs, and we want every one of them distributed,” Dyer said.

Team members put “We care.” signs out in their yards and commit to making a conscious effort to get to know their neighbors. Block leaders take it a step further by committing to take a

more active role in interacting with neighbors — by organizing a block party, for example — as well as demonstrating their approachability when someone is in need: block leaders are distinguished by the more permanent wooden “We care.” signs displayed in their yards.

Dyer contends the mission couldn’t be more simple— or more productive.

The idea often revolves around rebuilding trust.

“When I know who my neighbor is, I am far more likely to look out after him,” Dyer said.

Society has transitioned into a stigma of clinging to negative assumptions and fears of the unknown, but not everything that is unknown is necessarily a threat.

“Sure, you have to be careful in today’s society, especially regarding your children, but the people that live around you that you’re suspicious of, are likely decent people — just like you,” Dyer said.

Meetings and sharing

Pottawatomie/Lincoln Counties

One Safe Place Family Justice Center

W

hen Pottawatomie County voters passed a sales tax for schools in November 2015, a portion of that tax — .005 cents — was earmarked for the One Safe Place Family Justice Center. That amount of tax is expected to bring in $165,000 to $175,000 per year.

The Family Justice Center concept for this area has been a longtime vision of District Attorney Richard Smothermon.

The concept, Smothermon said, is to bring all types of services and agencies together under one roof — a “one-stop” shop where victims of abuse can receive the assistance they need in one safe and convenient place.

It all began as an initial forum more than two years ago when about 75 people gathered to talk about such a center, with a steering committee formed with the launch of an 18-month-long Family Justice Center Alliance study.

That evolved in a strategic planning event in 2015 and has now evolved into a temporary office location now in use at Shawnee’s First Christian Church.

During the initial forums, Smothermon explained

that a child who confides in her mother about being molested by a stepfather, for example, begins a journey.

Their trip begins at a local police department, then to the Unzner Center, a child advocacy center for a sexual assault exam and forensic interview, then to Shawnee’s hospital. After that, it’s off to Project Safe for an Emergency Order of Protection and then to the courthouse to file that paperwork and appear before a judge, then a trip to see a counselor, not to mention a stop at the Department of Human Services.

“Somewhere between stops one and seven, they lost hope,” Smothermon said, adding that every stop of the process labels the child a victim again. And when victims lose hope to complete all the steps, he said that leads to victims returning to the source of the abuse.

“We’re re victimizing them all over again…we fail,” Smothermon said.

A FJC would be a cheery, secure place aimed at making a difference in the lives of those impacted by such abuse, he said.

If there were a single center, the child and her mother could walk in and

in one afternoon be interviewed by law enforcement, consult with DHS, get a medical exam and even testify electronically before a judge, he said, as basically all resources, from law enforcement to a prosecutor and child welfare advocates are under the same roof.

Smothermon, who wants to see a FJC with a chapel and even a courtroom in it as well, said through video testimony, a victim would never have to be in the same room with his or her accuser.

While the cost of a FJC could be in the millions, Smothermon said it will take everyone working together to find a solution to make this happen.

“It’s got to be everybody’s problem…and everyone has to be part of the solution,” Smothermon said.

Smothermon said the key is making victim’s lives better.

“Anything short of that means we have failed them,” he said.

Work continues on fundraising efforts to either find — or build — a Family Justice Center for this area that can accommodate all those involved, but the concept is already being put into practice in a small scale in the temporary offices.

ideas will help participants work together to look after each other.

The group has set up meetings at 11:30 a.m. on the second Wednesday of each month — offering free lunch to anyone interested in finding out more. The next meeting will be Wednesday, Aug. 10, at the Community Renewal office, 1000 N. Kickapoo.

To learn more locally, visit Community Renewal Shawnee, OK on Facebook, send an email to brandon@wecareshawnee.org or call (405) 273-1035.

The official website, wecareshawnee.org, just launched last month.

family size and number of points they have. “For example, if a family has 100 points to spend at the market, bananas may be 1 point, or zero points, whereas a bag of potato chips may be 10 points,” she said. “We can help encourage more healthful options this way.”

Matthews said the problem most have at a typical grocery store is that healthful options seem to always be more expensive, so someone on a strict budget ends up eating less healthy because they can’t afford the best choices.

The client choice food pantry will allow clients to choose the foods they want so that they take only what they need –– making more efficient use of food resources.

The center will also stock a variety of food, including fresh fruits and vegetables, protein items and frozen foods and will assist clients with other social services in the community, such as healthy cooking classes.

The Community Market opened at 120 S. Center St. the end of June.

Current support for the Community Market comes from Avedis, which has invested $750,000 into the Community Market and has also played a vital role in the development of the center, as well as the Regional Food Bank.

Community partners include: AARP, Family of Faith Church, Gordon Cooper Technology Center, Mission Shawnee, Oklahoma State University Extension, Salvation Army and United Way. According to AARP’s Oklahoma Hunger Survey, nearly half (47 percent) of adults in Pottawatomie County has someone in their household who has struggled with hunger, and two thirds (66 percent) say someone close to them had inconsistent access to food. • Additionally, 57 percent of adults in Pottawatomie County believe the number of families struggling with hunger in their community has increased since 2012.

The Regional Food Bank is investing in programs, facilities and partnerships that offer opportunities to improve service and feed more hungry Oklahomans. Food & Resources Centers will allow the Regional Food Bank to distribute food to Oklahoma’s hungry in a more efficient and cost-effective manner while connecting those served to resources that provide relief and increase self-sufficiency.

To make a donation to Community Market, contact Matthews at Ourcommunitymarketpottco@gmail.com or visit ourcommunitymarket.org.

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PROGRESS 2016

news-star.com Shawnee News-Star

Saturday, August 6, 2016 • 1E

Education

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PROGRESS 2016 – EDUCATION

2E • Saturday, August 6, 2016

news-star.com Shawnee News-Star

Independent district

North Rock Creek

eyes high school expansion

North Rock Creek School, home of the Cougars –– and soon a new high school.

ED BLOCHOWIAK STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

• In March, North Rock Creek Superintendent Blake Moody sent an expansion request to State School Superintendent Joy Hofmeister. He was surprised to receive a call from her office just two days later to set a date for a visit.

• Moody said his district has decided –– in order to better serve its students –– to become an independent district by adding a high school to its school system.

• The Oklahoma Board of Education granted NRC the right to form an independent school district and also approved the addition of a high school.

• Officials said the K-8 district has grown from 380 students to 620 in less than 10 years.

• NRC will have to pass another bond issue to build the high school, which Moody said could appear on the ballot as soon as January or February.

Oklahoma Baptist University Improvements on

Bison Hill

Oklahoma Baptist University has seen many exciting projects started and completed over the last 12 months, with more to come in the future. With new buildings, upgrades and renovations, the University is transforming its beautiful campus on Bison Hill, restoring the beauty of its most beloved landmark facilities while building and renovating to meet the needs and demands of a growing student population. Pictured: Raley Chapel receives its new roof this summer. Below, the new School of Nursing facility.

ED BLOCHOWIAK STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

PROVIDED PHOTO

O

klahoma Baptist University has seen many exciting projects started and completed over the last 12 months, with more to come in the future. With new buildings, upgrades and renovations, the University is transforming its beautiful campus on Bison Hill, restoring the beauty of its most beloved landmark facilities while building and renovating to meet the needs and demands of a growing student population.

With OBU welcoming its second largest freshman class in school history last fall and seeing a record number of students enroll this spring, the University is poised to embrace its growth and continue its legacy of academic excellence.

As school began in fall 2015, the University opened its newest residential housing facility.

Construction began on “The Lodge,” the fourth building in the student residential village, in May 2014 and completed last August. The building sits on the north side of MacArthur, directly across from Agee Residence Center. The 41,810 square foot facility has the capacity for 162 students in suite-style dorm rooms. The construction is lodge style, featuring a large rock

fireplace with cedar trim in the common area. It also includes a tornado safe room.

In October, the University celebrated the 100-year anniversary of Shawnee Hall, the first permanent building on the OBU campus. The exterior of the building, including its iconic façade, underwent extensive cleaning and restoration during summer 2015. The ornamental structures around the top of the building’s exterior were cleaned and repainted, and the stonework was re-grouted. The ceiling on the porch was removed and raised to match its original construction, revealing some of the original gables that were covered by construction over the years. The University also installed new steps on the south entrance of the building facing the oval and renovated several classrooms within.

In early February, the University dedicated its state-of-the-art nursing education facility, Jane E. and Nick K. Stavros Hall.

Located at the southwest corner of Kickapoo and MacArthur, the facility includes five classrooms, a 109-seat lecture hall and a computer classroom, as well as spaces for students to study, meet and interact with faculty.

The facility features six high-fidelity

skills simulation labs, a medium skills lab, a health assessment skills lab, and a home health and bathing training room, totaling 24 beds.

The high-fidelity simulation labs are equipped with lifelike human patient simulators that can blink, accept fluids, and respond to a nurse’s care. Instructors control the simulators and create changing symptoms for the students to respond to, including fever, regurgitation, cardiac arrest, and more. The high-fidelity labs even include a birthing suite, with a simulator that “gives birth” to a simulated baby, passing through all stages of labor.

This summer, Raley Chapel is receiving a new roof. The original roof lasted since the chapel’s construction in 1961, a period of 55 years, but was in need of replacement. The University is using a special red tile that is colorfast throughout, meaning that as it weathers through the years, it will still retain the red color of the roof.

Many donors supported the endeavor to re-roof this iconic landmark through OBU’s Revive the Roof campaign.

OBU began work this spring to prepare for the placement of an art project on the southwest corner of Kickapoo and MacArthur. The project

required the relocation of the “OBU” hedge and will include a new sign, identifying the campus and welcoming visitors to OBU, along with the much anticipated installation of three life-sized Bison sculptures created by artist Bill Secunda.

The elimination of the curved turn onto southbound Kickapoo from eastbound MacArthur, resulting from the Kickapoo Street construction, created an ideal space for a project like this. It also left the current OBU signage off-center from the new corner.

The University removed the original OBU hedge in the spring and is creating a new OBU hedge at the intersection of University and Airport Drive. That intersection will include new OBU signage as well, with new signage also being placed at the intersection of MacArthur and Airport.

The University has also undertaken numerous other projects around campus this year, including placing new roofs on Agee Residence Center, Ford Music Hall, and the Noble Complex over the gymnasium. The gym inside Noble is receiving new seating throughout the arena, on both the floor level and the elevated seating sections. A new handicapped accessible ramp was built in front of Ford Music Hall, just west of Kickapoo on University.

As part of the University’s Vision for a New Century Campaign, Ford Music Hall is also set to undergo major renovations, in addition to its new roof. The facility is the primary practice facility for students in the Division of Music.

Renovations include a new heating and cooling system to alleviate humidity issues that impact the tuning and sound of instruments along with significant interior updates. The building has already received the roof and a new cupola atop the roof, and it will soon receive new windows as well.

Another project in the Vision for a New Century Campaign includes renovations to the W.P. Wood Science Building.

The University plans to expand the building to the south of the current structure and make significant updates to the current facility. This rebuild will add critically needed laboratories for organic and physical chemistry and biology along with the opportunity to reconfigure and enhance existing classrooms and faculty offices.

Also as part of the Vision campaign, OBU plans to construct a Student Services Center to the north of Raley Chapel, combining key student services in one modern and convenient location.

The 28,000 square foot facility will serve as the grand entrance to campus and an inviting welcome center for guests, prospective students and

their families. The building will house many of the offices currently located in Thurmond Hall, such as admissions, academic center, financial aid, bursar, administrative offices, and university marketing and communications.

Plans are in place to then convert Thurmond Hall into the home of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences.

OBU also recently experienced a major upgrade in the level of internet service provided on campus. The University pulled together a consortium of other non-profit and governmental entities around Shawnee, including St. Gregory’s University, Gordon Cooper Technology Center, St. Anthony Shawnee Hospital, Shawnee Public Schools, the city of Shawnee, and the Citizen Potawatomi Nation, to ask OneNet to provide direct connections to their network.

Several years ago, OneNet launched the Oklahoma Community Access Network (OCAN), expanding their fiber infrastructure around the state using highway right of way access. This project is bringing that fiber expansion into Shawnee. The project is well underway, with OBU, St. Gregory’s, St. Anthony, and Gordon Cooper going live with their new fiber connections in June and the others to follow. The result is higher bandwidths, faster internet, and lower prices, a win for all involved.

For more information on OBU, visit www.okbu. edu.

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PROGRESS 2016 – EDUCATION

Saturday, August 6, 2016 • 3E

Safety First

grove

school dome The Grove School dome, at MacArthur and Bryan Streets, is a new building for that school district.

The 9,400 square-foot building, which doubles as both a cafeteria and storm shelter, was recently completed and is part of a $3.85 million school bond issue.

ED BLOCHOWIAK STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Shawnee Public Schools Voters pass

$32M bond issue

By Vicky O. Misa Vicky.misa@news-star.com Twitter: @Vicky_NewsStar

O

n April 5, voters overwhelmingly approved a $32,225,000 school bond to update and upgrade a large chunk of the Shawnee Public School district’s needs.

In January, the community was invited to review the proposed bond issue projects and offer feedback to the school district during one of three community meetings.

The district needed a supermajority — at least 60 percent approval — for the bond to pass.

The proposition passed by 72.45 percent.

Out of the 1,216 total votes, 881 were in favor and 335 were against the proposal.

Reaction

Then-Superintendent Marc Moore said he was thrilled with the outcome.

“With this bond, I’m excited about what we can do for the children in our community,” he said. “This proposal was organized and supported by our community.”

Board of Education President Keith Sandlin said he felt like the bond issue would pass all along.

“We are excited,” he said. “I want to thank our citizens for the support and all those who helped.”

Larry Walker, seat 1 board member, said, “This is a gift from the citizens of Shawnee, that will positively affect the children of our city for years to come.”

He said enhancing the facilities will be a boost academically and athletically.

“A new elementary school and a refurbished high school parking lot will reap long-term benefits,” he said.

“The legacy of our past bond passages made me very confident that our citizenry would pass this one, and they came through again,” he said.

April Stobbe, seat 4, said, “As a board member, I am very thankful to be part of a community that supports education. We had many who worked hard to help this pass by making donations, putting up signs, spreading the word through social media and word of mouth.”

She said the community spirit and collective work was amazing and appreciated.

“The passage of this

bond issue will assure much needed added safety for our students and staff, support for neighborhood schools and elevate the quality of student programs,” she said. “It’s a win-win for the entire community.”

The cost

Jordan Smith, from Stephen L. Smith, Corp.

— financial consultant to the school district for the 2015-2016 fiscal year — said in order to get $27 million for use now, Shawnee had to vote for a $32,225,000 bond proposal — the rest of the money would be to cover interest and fees.

“Series bonds work the same way a car loan does,” he said. “We can get them over the next seven or eight years, and if we can hold the rates below a certain level the board has the option to spend the extra money toward the project or pay the bond off faster.”

Smith said on a bond this large the millage rate will go up a bit.

“For example, if someone (in the Shawnee School District) pays $100 on property taxes and the bond passes, their payment will rise by

about $3 — to $103.16,” he said. “For someone who typically pays about $1,000, their tax would end up being $1,031.61.”

What it covers The bond project includes four key focus areas for the district: almost $7 million for safety and security; $8.8 million for high school renovations; $13.5 million for new construction and upgrade; and about $3 million for athletic and activities improvements.

Among the security items on the list are making school sites safer by securing entries and lobbies. Other proposed improvements include adding safe rooms to three elementary schools and the high school, along with construction of a new elementary school in northwest Shawnee.

The recent decision to begin full-day pre-kindergarten spurred the need for the new school, Moore said.

“We will need about 15 more classrooms to have enough space for the allday classes, since current classrooms would no longer be able to be shared, as before,” he said.

Items on the list were determined through community input as well as internal staff and administration.

Safety and Security — $6,830,000 • Secure entries, classroom and safe rooms at Horace Mann Elementary • Secure entries, office, classrooms and safe rooms at Jefferson Elementary • Secure entries, lobby, classrooms at Sequoyah Elementary • Secure entries, lobby, classrooms and safe rooms at Will Rogers Elementary • Secure entries at Shawnee Middle School Shawnee High School Improvements — $8,825,000 • Secure entries • Parking lot expansion

and repaving • Cafeteria and library renovation • Interior finishes and upgrades • Science classroom renovations • Technology upgrades New Construction and Upgrades — $13,545,000 • New elementary school -– Northwest Shawnee Athletic / Activities Improvements — $3,025,000 • New band room • Construct athletic facility/safe room at Stucker Complex at Shawnee High School • Baseball concessions and restrooms at Shawnee High School • Softball dugouts and fencing at Shawnee High School • Tennis facility improvements at Shawnee High School • ADA seating upgrades - Jim Thorpe Stadium at Shawnee High School

half-cent

sales tax increase

C

By Vicky O. Misa Vicky.misa@news-star.com Twitter: @Vicky_NewsStar

onsumers may have noticed by now that a trip to the store today is slightly more than it was New sales tax rates: Previous sales tax rates: the end of June. The new • Asher: 9.995 percent • Asher: 9.5 percent 0.495-cent Pottawatomie • Bethel: 8.495 percent • Bethel: 8.0 percent County sales tax for schools • Dale: 5.995 percent • Dale: 5.5 percent is now in effect.

• Earlsboro: 8.995 percent • Earlsboro: 8.5 percent The tax will last for 10 • Macomb: 8.5 percent • Macomb: 8.995 percent years; it began July 1, 2016, • Maud: 9.5 percent • Maud: 9.995 percent and will end June 30, 2026.

• McLoud: 9.5 percent • McLoud: 9.995 percent In November, voters • Shawnee: 8.5 percent • Shawnee: 8.995 percent backed the tax increase that • Tecumseh: 8.5 percent • Tecumseh: 8.995 percent would achieve two things: • Wanette: 9.0 percent • Wanette: 9.495 percent a 0.49-cent portion — projected to raise $3.7 million in revenue — is being split By the numbers: between the county’s 14 school districts, and the other portion of the tax, .005 2014-15 enrollment by school district cents, will be utilized for the construcand estimated sales tax revenue a new tion, acquisition, maintenance and tax would bring in annually: operation of the One Safe Place Family • Asher: 274 — $76,000 Justice Center. That amount of tax is expected to bring in $165,000 to $175,000 • Bethel: 1,341 — $375,000 per year.

• Dale: 745 – $203,000 Due to recent state budget cuts, plans • Earlsboro: 239 — $65,000 for the funds have likely changed for • Grove: 461 — $121,000 most area superintendents.

“I’m sure most schools district leaders, • Macomb: 291 — $93,000 including myself, had great plans for • Maud: 325 — $94,000 the Sales Tax funds. Now, many schools • McLoud: 1,858 — $527,000 will probably have to rely on those funds • North Rock Creek: 582 — $164,000 just to get through the year. Instead of saving Sales Tax funds for erecting • Pleasant Grove: 282 —$76,000 buildings, buying technology, buses, etc.

• Shawnee: 4,047 — $1.1 million many schools may have to use a portion • South Rock Creek: 414 — $119,000 of those funds to pay electric and gas • Tecumseh: 2,264 — $648,000 bills. Fortunately, the sales tax will be in effect for the next 10 years, so hopefully • Wanette: 189 — $58,000 our school budgets will stabilize and we Estimated amount the .005 cent tax can put the sales tax money to use in would bring in annually for the One Safe improving education for our children,” Place Family Justice Center: Charlie Dickinson, Dale superintendent, • $165,000 to $175,000 said.

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PROGRESS 2016 — EDUCATION

4E • Saturday, August 6, 2016

D

r. Michael A. Scaperlanda was appointed the 16th president of St. Gregory’s University on May 16,

2016.

After a visit to campus and the Abbey almost 20 years ago, Scaperlanda fell in love with all that St. Gregory’s has to offer students through its mission of educating the whole person in mind, body and spirit.

“We offer a wonderful Catholic, liberal arts education here at St. Gregory’s,” he said. “I’m looking forward to articulating our vision and telling our story as we continue to strengthen and grow our student body.”

When asked what draws students to St. Gregory’s, Scaperlanda talked highly of the dynamic liberal arts core curriculum taught throughout the associate, bachelor’s and master’s degree programs offered on campus.

“We offer professional programs, such as: nursing, business, counseling and education, which help prepare our students for their career path immediately upon graduating.

However, that alone doesn’t make us special,” said Scaperlanda.

“There is an intrinsic unity of knowledge that our graduates get during their time at St. Gregory’s thanks our liberal arts core curricu-

lum. It is our goal to teach students the importance of building the framework needed to live joy-filled lives in service to others while earning a satisfactory living and becoming beacons of light in their own communities.”

St. Gregory’s was established in 1875 and put roots down in Shawnee upon the completion of Benedictine Hall in 1915. The University recently celebrated Benedictine Hall with its Centennial Homecoming celebration in November 2015. Scaperlanda is looking forward to further expanding those roots in the Shawnee community in the coming years.

“We want to offer more opportunities to interact with the Shawnee community, whether that be through encouraging our students, faculty and staff to shop local businesses or by offering more opportunities for members of the Shawnee community to come out to campus,” said Scaperlanda.

Scaperlanda served the University of Oklahoma in various academic and administrative capacities since leaving the practice of law in 1989.

Before being appointed President, he worked closely with St. Gregory’s as a member of the Board of Directors, Vice Chair of the Board and most recently assisted President Emeritus D. Gregory Main in creating St. Gregory’s bold strategic plan

news-star.com Shawnee News-Star

– Vision For Our Next Century.

Scaperlanda held the Gene and Elaine Edwards Family Chair in Law and was a Professor of Law at the University Of Oklahoma College Of Law. He brings a breadth and depth of knowledge and experience in higher education to his new position, having successfully undertaken numerous leadership roles at the University of Oklahoma and its College of Law. A nationally known scholar in Immigration Law and in Catholic Legal Theory, Scaperlanda’s books include Immigration Law: A Primer and Recovering Self-Evident Truths: Catholic Perspectives on American Law. He co-authored The Journey: A Guide for the Modern Pilgrim with his wife, the award winning author, María Ruiz Scaperlanda.

Founded in 1875, St. Gregory’s University is Oklahoma’s oldest institution of higher learning and only Catholic university. St. Gregory’s offers a liberal arts education rooted in the Benedictine tradition of cultivating the whole person – mind, body and spirit. With campuses in Shawnee and Tulsa, St. Gregory’s features both traditional and adult degree programs, including associate’s, bachelor’s and master’s degree programs. For more information about the University, visit www. stgregorys.edu.

St. Gregory’ s University

leadership

changes made

Dr. Michael A. Scaperlanda

Shawnee Middle School

AVedis grant project starts

By Vicky O. Misa Vicky.misa@news-star.com Twitter: @Vicky_NewsStar

On March 22, Shawnee Middle School and Avedis — because of a grant received in October — held a groundbreaking ceremony to begin the proposed nature play and learning place, amphitheater, walking trails and tennis courts.

ED BLOCHOWIAK STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

A

$1.5 million Avedis grant came one step closer to becoming a dream come true for Shawnee Middle School as school, city and Avedis officials broke ground in March. The many-faceted project, at 4300 N. Union Ave., will furnish the school system and community with a nature learning center, walking trails, multi-purpose/tennis courts and sidewalks.

Board of Education member April Stobbe, opening the event, told the crowd, “It is because of the Avedis Foundation that we are here — in their generosity in making this project happen. We greatly appreciate them.

This is a project that is going to benefit our whole community, so we have lots of things to be excited about.”

Shawnee Public Schools then-Superintendent Marc Moore lauded Avedis in its commitment to the venture.

“We appreciate the Avedis Foundation for believing in this project, believing in Shawnee Public Schools, and believing in us as individuals,” Moore said.

Once the project is complete, the community will be encouraged to use the facilities.

“One of the key things about the project was that

it’s not only for school use, but also for community use,” he said.

Other than Optimist Park, this will be the only area that can be a shared use and be open to the community, he said. “We think this city’s better when our agencies work together, and we sure appreciate what (the city) has done, as well,” he said.

Michelle Briggs, Avedis Foundation President and CEO, said the vision of Avedis is to improve the health, wellness and quality of life for the people of Pottawatomie County.

“What better way to do it than to build multi-purpose courts, trails — that are open not only to the public, but also to our children, and we feel one of our best strategic investments is education at any level,” she said.

“If we can plant some seeds early in life for healthy bodies and healthy minds, then we are all for it. We are excited for this project — not only will our children be able to walk safely to our school, but also our community and children will be able to play in outside classrooms, trails, and courts,” Briggs said.

Shawnee City Manager Justin Erickson expressed the city’s gratitude for the project and for Avedis, as well as school leadership

and staff.

“We authorized staff to solicit bids for the sidewalk portion of this project,” he said, “so, we will be able to have a contractor on-site to begin that portion of the project — which will extend the public sidewalk from its current terminus at the school all the way south to MacArthur Street.

That will be an incredible addition to allow a safe route to school and for community members.”

The City of Shawnee provided, at no charge, engineering, bidding, contracting, and construction management for the sidewalk portion of the project, an act that lowers the cost of the sidewalk installation by 11 percent.

The sidewalks will create an uninterrupted sidewalk along Union Street for 2.25 miles.

“The City of Shawnee gladly supports this collaborative project with Shawnee Schools and the Avedis Foundation; it is a win-win for everyone involved,” Erickson said.

He said the city looks forward to continued sidewalk improvements.

The grant Right before National Walk to School Day, on Oct. 6, at a Shawnee Board of Education meeting, Briggs announced that Shawnee Public Schools’ Middle School

Project was the recipient of a $1.5 million grant.

Briggs said, to date, it was the largest grant given by the foundation — double the amount of any single grant previously doled out by the group.

The funds will allow increased educational and wellness opportunities

for students and the community through the construction of the Shawnee Middle School multi-purpose/tennis courts, walking trails, sidewalk and nature play and learning place project.

“Supporting a project of this caliber validates the mission of the Avedis

Foundation,” Briggs said.

“We feel that the Shawnee Middle School Project will positively impact the lives of students and residents, with health benefits that extend well into the future.”

For more information, visit avedisfoundation. org.

WE’D LOVE TO BE YOUR BANK!

Details of the Middle School project include: • Purchasing acreage.

• Constructing multi-purpose/tennis courts, which will provide facilities for both school-based teams and physical education classes (approximately 180 days annually) and will be made available to the community when not used by the district.

• Forming a sidewalk from the MacArthur St. and Union St. intersection to the Middle School, which provides safe walking routes for children and adults.

• Building a 10-foot wide walking trail.

• Designing and developing a nature play and learning place west of the Middle School. The nature play and learning area will include a shallow pond, area for an amphitheater, Frisbee golf, and woodwork to support these activities, such as decks, benches, a stage, and dock. This outdoor learning space will support education-related activities for middle school and elementary school students.

SHAWNEE, OKLAHOMA 912 E. Independence St. | (405) 273-6100 4439 N. Kickapoo Ave. | (405) 878-3700

TECUMSEH, OKLAHOMA 301 N. Broadway St. | (405) 598-6521

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Saturday, August 6, 2016 • 1F

Agriculture & Industry

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AWARD WINNING NEWSPAPER! Our newspaper received recognition in the Oklahoma Press Association’s 2015 Better Newspaper Contest.

As a winner, our newspaper is entitled to display the 2015 awardwinning emblem, which signifies continued excellence and service to our community.

Awards Since 2015 ...

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BETTER NEWSPAPER CONTEST 215 N. Bell • Shawnee (405) 273-4200

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news-star.com Shawnee News-Star

Shawnee and Area Businesses

Making Shawnee...

Est. 1875

Est. 1894

Est. 1904

Est. 1906

Est. 1907

$%-#/

02).4).'

3(!7.%% 3 -/34 #/-0,%4% #/09 !.$ 02).4).' &!#),)49

1900 W MacArthur St. Shawnee, OK 74804 www.stgregorys.edu

215 N Bell Shawnee, OK 74801 www.news-star.com

Dr. Michael A. Scaperlanda

Publisher: Kent Bush

Est. 1911

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OKLAHOMA BAPTIST UNIVERSITY 500 W University Shawnee, OK 74804 www.okbu.edu

Hasbel Pest Control Same Name Same Location (405)273-7918

128 N. Broadway Ave. Shawnee, Ok 74801 www.stuartclover.com Jim Stuart, Mike Clover, Joe Vorndran

201 S Broadway Ave Shawnee, OK 74801

226 N Broadway Ave. Shawnee, Ok 74801

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Bill Ford, Bob Ford Joe Ford

Est. 1934

Est. 1944

HARDESTY’S

Patterson & Associates

GROCERY & MEAT MARKET 41200 Hardesty Rd. Shawnee, Ok 74801 (405)273-7295

Ron Henderson

Est. 1946

Construction, LLC 8925 Acme Rd. Shawnee, Ok 74804

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www.pattersonroof.com

http://www. houseofflowersok.com/

Dr. David W. Whitlock

Vernon Hasbel Keith Hasbel

Frank Oliver

Ivan Patterson Jill Anderson

Est. 1962

Est. 1965

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Est. 1967

DON’S COPIERS PLUS

Joy’s Hair Fashions

The West Law Firm

1502 S Beard St Shawnee, Ok 74801

2104 N Kickapoo St Shawnee, OK 74804

124 W Highland St. Shawnee, OK 74801

Hank and Marta Land

1305 N Kickapoo Ave. Shawnee, OK 74801

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(405)273-0568

Randy & Ruthi Loftis

Brent & Stan Bowlan

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Don & Steven Holland

Joy Marler

Terry West

Est. 1967

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Est. 1976

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Est. 1979

JONES

C

SALES • SERVICE RESIDENTIAL COMMERCIAL

BALL PIPE & SUPPLY, INC.

APPRAISAL SERVICE 401 W Highland Shawnee, OK 74801 Robert Jones Jerry Jones

Est. 1979

T

P

The Clinic Pharmacy

E and J’s

NAPA AutoCare Center, LLC.

Shawnee, Ok

701 Hardesty Rd. Shawnee, OK 74801

1026 E Highland St Shawnee, OK 74801

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shawneeregionalpharmacy.com

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(405)788-4528

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Tim Barrick

Eddie & Judy Waldron

Glen Long

Kenny Williams

3210 Kethley Blvd Shawnee, Ok 74804

Est. 1981

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Dickson Industries

Manufacturing Quality Equipment Since 1981 Tecumseh, Ok 74873 www.roadproonline.com 12037 N Highway 99 Seminole, OK www.enviro-ok.com

BUILDING QUALITY CUSTOM HOMES SINCE 1982 We Will Build on Your Land or Ours

14400 SW 29th Choctaw, OK 73020 www.swmbuilders.com Stan Malaske

PROGRESS 2016 - AG & INDUSTRY

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Saturday, August 6, 2016 • 3F

the Place To Be Est. 1984

Est. 1984

Est. 1985

HARRISON DISCOUNT PHARMACY

Gibson & Reynolds 100 W 9th St Shawnee, OK 74801 www.grbpc.com

Est. 1986

Shawnee – 130 E. MacArthur (405) 275-8830 FireLake – 1545 S. Gordon Cooper Dr. (405) 878-4877

John Gibson & James Reynolds

www.fnbokla.bank

Est. 1997

Est. 2001

For One to 141 Years Est. 1987

Financial Advisor 1-800-ED-JONES

www.potawatomi.org

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David W Spires Chris Jones Daniel P McMains, CFP® Jim Smith, CFP®, AAMS® Jacob Russell

John Rocky Barrett

David Nicklas D. Ph.

www.edwardjones.com

Est. 2003

Est. 2004

Est. 2004

1310 Gordon Cooper Dr

1442 N Harrison Ave. Shawnee, OK 74804

Choice Title Insurance Agency

AIR FORCE 1

430 E 10th St Shawnee, Ok 74801

118 N Broadway Shawnee, Ok 74801

Tecumseh/Shawnee, Oklahoma

www.directcolors.com

www.choicetitle.net William & Pamela Atyia, Chris & Carol Silvia

mcloudpharmacy.com

Airforce1heatandair.com

Jeff Mize

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Lauren Palmer

Tim & Terry Muirhead

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2205 N Kickapoo St Shawnee, Ok 74804

1146 N Harrison Shawnee, Ok 74801 www.ok.aaa.com/ RON BRANSCUM

Earlsboro Tag Agency 120 E Main Earlsboro, Ok 74840 (405) 997-5760

A/C & HTG., L.L.C.

COMMERCIAL & RESIDENTIAL WE ALSO DO REFRIGERATION SALES • SERVICE • INSTALLATION

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Debbie Simonson

www.shelterinsurance. com/CA/agent/aprice

Jacob & Natlie Leba

Amy Price

Ron Branscum

Est. 2010

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1125 N Kickapoo Ave, Shawnee, OK 74801

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Karen & Bob Vahlberg

Mike Woolverton

Est. 1964

1920 S I-35 Service Rd OKC, OK 73129

4637 N Kickapoo Ave Shawnee,OK 74804

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www.chick-fil-a.com

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Family owned and makin’ the best burgers for over 80 consecutive years! Not to mention full service with a smile!

Monday-Saturday • 11:00 a.m.-8:00 p.m.

All orders can be prepared to go!

322 E. Main - Downtown Shawnee • 878-0488

PROGRESS 2016 - AG & INDUSTRY

4F • Saturday, August 6, 2016

Shawnee Economic Development Foundation SEDF Report:

Ongoing projects in area Manufacturing:

Transportation:

• The construction of the Universal Forest Products Inc. distribution and manufacturing facility, just west of Eaton on Highway 18. This 40,000 sq. ft. facility will be a $3 to $4 million investment, and will employ somewhere between 40 to 60 individuals.

• Work continues on Interstate 40, with much more to be done over the next several years, including adding a lane each direction from the I-40/I-240 junction to I-40 to either the Pottawatomie County line or to the I-40--Highway 177 junction. This will allow six lanes between OKC and Shawnee.

news-star.com Shawnee News-Star

Housing: • There are more condos being constructed on MacArthur to the west of the Golden Acres Condos, which are located west of Leo and south of MacArthur, and another condo development being planned just east of the new condos on Acme, north of MacArthur.

• The City Commission has approved for a two-phase apartment project, to be located on Transportation Parkway, just north of I-40.

• The Wyndemere sub-division continues to add more homes in that development, as does Hyatt, West Centerville, Rick Austin’s new development on Hazel Del Road, Charleston Point East and West, Rock Creek Springs, Country Estates on County Road 1070, areas around Dale and Bethel, and other areas in the immediate area.

• The Timbers housing subdivisions is still expanding with the streets and utilities being installed, (weather permitting), and their home sites in the previously developed portion are almost sold out.

• Jim Smith is developing housing on Bradley, just west of Bryan.

• Clayton Eads and David Romberg have a new housing development underway at the SE corner of Acme and Westech Road.

A fence surrounds the site where Universal Forest Products Inc. is under construction.

ED BLOCHOWIAK STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

S

hawnee Economic Development Foundation (SEDF) broke and leveled ground for construction of an industrial building project at 8032 Industrial Drive, but the group was hit with a some delays.

First, Tim Burg, SEDF executive director, said that, due to spring rainfall, the northeast corner of the site’s groundwork had to be recompacted.

“We were struggling with some compaction issues,“ Burg said. “When we took the soil boring tests in November last year, the pond to the north did not have any water in it — it was all dry — since then, we received many inches of rain and that pond filled up.

The pond silted, so now the normal flow to the east is now taking place and it is reverting back to the north, he said.

“We knew we had a rock outcropping on that corner, Burg said. “So, now that the pond is going the opposite direction, back to the south — and overflowing — it’s overflowing back into our site, hitting the rock outcropping and the soils in that area were not meeting proper compaction levels,” he said.

The plasticity index was way, way off, he said, meaning the site had really spongy soil.

“We discussed this quite heavily with the soils engineer, the design company, the architect and the contractors,” Burg said, “and they came up with a recommendation.”

The issue wasn’t anyone’s fault, Burg said, it’s just mother nature.

“The resolution meant some expenditure of SEDF’s contingency funds.

And we had to do a little bit of trench work between the building and our north property line. We also had to excavate soils down about four feet in that corner and dry it out, then recompact the soils,” he said.

SEDF has specifically designed the project to be easily expanded up to a 150,000 square-foot building. A key marketing feature to drawing in manufacturing facilities is having the option to add on to the site, Burg said.

Burg said the SEDF Board of Directors have wanted to construct an industrial building to use as a marketing tool in attracting more wealth-producing industries to the community for well over a decade and a half.

“Over the past seven years the SEDF has been tracking the inquiries of prospects who have been seeking an available building in the Shawnee area, and those trends have continued to show the need for such properties,” he said.

“There are few buildings — if any — in the OKC metro area that meet the need of the companies seeking to locate their manufacturing operations here.”

He said due to some creative financing which has involved five area banks, the Oklahoma Industrial Finance Authority, Pottawatomie County and the SEDF, a loan package has been assembled that has allowed for the engineering, design and construction.

“Working with TAP Architecture, The Ross Design Group and the SEDF staff,” he said, “we have designed a building that will be located on 8.14 acres that the SEDF owns on Industrial Drive, north of Unit Liner.”

Burg said the building will be 50,000 square feet; have a minimum interior clearance height of 30 feet; with column spacing of 50 feet by 66 feet. The design allows for the building to be fully expandable, and one end is constructed at dock height for freight needs that

most industrial companies require.

The design of the property is such that it allows the end user to have flexibility in finishing the building out to meet their own specific needs, without having to redo any of the work, he said.

“Using our own design ideas, plus working with the architect, construction management team and industrial brokers, we believe we have a design that will be of great interest to a wide variety of manufacturing and industrial prospects who understand the economic strength of our area and how our geographic location offers a business advantage,” Burg said.

SEDF has already begun the process of raising awareness of the project by working with associates at the Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce Regional Partnership, industrial brokers and by employing other marketing methods.

“Our goal is to reach out to those engaged in advanced manufacturing to see if what we have will meet their needs and prove to them why Shawnee just makes good business sense,” he said.

By doing the pre-work to design and construct the

• There are between 15 to 18 housing subdivision in the immediate area, with ongoing work underway, either in the start-up, finish out stages, or somewhere in between.

SEDF Project in the works

By Vicky O. Misa Vicky.misa@news-star.com Twitter: @Vicky_NewsStar

Easily accessible • • • • • • •

2 minutes from State Highway 18 3 minutes from Interstate 40 30 minutes from Tinker Air Force Base 37 minutes from downtown Oklahoma City 45 minutes from Will Rogers World Airport 99 minutes from the Port of Catoosa Located adjacent to major Shawnee manufacturing facilities • Low tax rate: $91.86 per $1,000 assessed value • Population of more than 400,000 within 30 minutes of the site • Population of more than 1.5 million within the Greater Oklahoma City region

building, Burg said SEDF will have saved any end user well more than 120 days in the process of finding a suitable location.

“Coupled with the strong level of manufacturing in the area, our close proximity to Tinker, the access to world class education and skills training facilities in

Shawnee, we are excited to get this project completed and on the market,” he said.

Burg said board members are excited to finally move this idea from a vision to a reality.

“This will be a good thing for Shawnee and the OKC Region,” he said.

Shawnee Regional Airport

Airport Wraps Up Projects

By Vicky O. Misa Vicky.misa@news-star.com Twitter: @Vicky_NewsStar

I

n May, Shawnee city commissioners were given an update on the airport’s capital improvement projects.

Assistant Airport Manager Keenan English said the airport’s recent apron hard-stand project is complete and being used, and apron lights and the beacon project are done.

“The apron lights have drastically changed the look of the airport at night,” he said.

English said Delta Wings equipment, LLC’s hangar project — though it has changed designs — was set to begin construction soon. He said the company has been given an extension on their timeline to finish the project.

He also said a new weather station at the airport is now up and running.

English said he has recently been made aware of a needed upgrade and is looking into how much new equipment for the Instrument Landing System (ILS) will cost. He said the current sys-

tem in place is from the 1970s or ’80s.

He said this particular upgrade is a nationwide issue.

“It’s going on all over the country right now,” he said.

The new equipment should improve the ground-based instrument approach system that provides precision lateral and vertical guidance to aircraft trying to land on a runway during low visibility situations — like fog, blowing snow or rain.

“Pilots have more problems when there is bad weather which can cause many to have to rely more on their instruments to land,” he said.

The new equipment for the ILS may cost $55,000.

He told commissioners that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has a study going on right now — assessing whether to decommission a piece of equipment that is part of many airports’ Instrument Landing System (ILS) sys-

tems.

There are currently three components to the ILS, English said.

The glide slope tells pilots height information, the localizer guides them left or right, and the outer marker measures distance from the runway.

If the outer marker is decommissioned, Shawnee would lose its ILS approach and the FAA would render the airport out of service.

Commissioners discussed English’s recommendation that the upgrade be earmarked in the budget.

“That’s what we should probably pursue,” he said. “The FAA study will

close July 1. If we could hold off on big purchases and budget for it.”

Though unlikely, it is possible that the FAA will deem the outer marker to be essential and continue to maintain the equipment.

English also gave a short update on the Potential T-Hangar Project.

The projected total cost of the plan is $1,169,846.

The estimated cost would be split up four ways: the airport would pay $72,650; a loan for $350,000 would need to be secured; the city would pay $114,233; and the FAA’s part would be $625,313.

Agriculture Wheat Harvest ED BLOCHOWIAK STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

PROGRESS 2016

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Saturday, August 6, 2016 • 1G

n i s e ss u B

Markets Change.

Are You Prepared?

Stop by or contact your Edward Jones financial advisor to schedule a financial review.

Call or visit any of our five financial advisors in the Shawnee area. To Find an Edward Jones Office near you, call 1-800-ED-JONES. Shawnee David W Spires 1601-D N Harrison 405-878-0990 Shawnee Chris Jones 3183 N Harrison St. 405-214-4971 Shawnee Jacob Russell 318 W MacArthur St. 405-275-2030

Shawnee Daniel P McMains, CPF® 3183 N Harrison St. 405-214-4971

Shawnee Jim Smith, CPF®, AAMS® 3183 N Harrison St. 405-214-4971

PROGRESS 2016 — BUSINESS

2G • Saturday, August 6, 2016

news-star.com Shawnee News-Star

Now Open

The Garage

Burgers & Beer Opens • The Garage Burgers & Beer at 190 Mall Drive — just west of Panda Express near Shawnee Mall — opened its doors for business July 12.

• “I think it will be an excellent fit for the community,” Tim Burg, executive director of the Shawnee Economic Development Foundation, said. “We are fortunate that the Hal Smith Restaurant Group selected Shawnee for one of their newer concepts.”

• There are Garage Burgers & Beer restaurants in Oklahoma City, Edmond, Norman, Del City and Stillwater, as well as one in Arkansas.

• “They should do very well here and, of course, it lets Shawnee offer the consumers in this region just one more dining option,” Burg said.

The Garage Burgers & Beer, at 190 Mall Drive, opened for business July 12.

ED BLOCHOWIAK STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

The photos show the beginning, middle and end of Part 1 of Phase II of the downtown Streetscape project.

ED BLOCHOWIAK STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

• The $2.4 million Streetscape project is well underway in downtown Shawnee, with the west end nearly complete and work commencing on the east en.

• After months of review, in August 2015 the Oklahoma Department of Transportation stamped its OK on Shawnee’s second phase of Streetscape.

• The project brings with it many improvements, as well as an incentive for workers to get it done as quickly as possible — which could ease the minds of many downtown merchants and shoppers.

• Streetscape is an effort by the city to support the revitalization of its designated historic downtown district. Phase One was completed in 2005 when two blocks of Bell Street were revamped. Phase Two includes new streets, lights, sidewalks and waterlines down five blocks of Main

Street.

• The five-block Phase Two project isn’t happening all at once, which shrinks the active construction zone. At the end of the project the five intersections should mimic Bell and Main Street.

• There’s much more going on than just new sidewalks. There are new water lines installed as well as 8-inch concrete streets, curbs, gutters and drainage, decorative lighting, bicycle parking and landscaping.

• From Broadway to Oklahoma, each intersection is going back to four-way stop signs with decorative signage.

• Justin Erickson, city manager, said the city hopes that reviving Main Street will bring even more business into downtown.

Shawnee Streetscape

main street

fixes under construction

Shawnee Marketplace

retail hub fills space

By Vicky O. Misa Vicky.misa@news-star.com Twitter: @Vicky_NewsStar

The Aldi Food Market parking lot sits just to the southeast of Hobby Lobby. The stores are part of Shawnee’s new Marketplace, which has seen six store openings since 2015.

ED BLOCHOWIAK STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

W

ith the addition of Aldi Food Market in August 2015, half of phase one of the Shawnee Marketplace was up and running — and next in line was the addition of Jay’s Hallmark Cards and Gifts store, which moved from Shawnee Mall to its new location.

First to enter the scene was Hobby Lobby, with a March 2, 2015 grand opening.

A few months later, Petsmart and T.J. Maxx opened their doors. Ulta and Famous Footwear made their debuts in the summer, followed by Aldi Food Market’s mid-August arrival.

One thing is clear. There are fewer spaces left of phase one to fill.

The two storefronts between Petsmart and Famous Footwear were the last ones in the strip mall to be filled — one with Hallmark, and the other T-Mobile. There are currently four available lot pads along Kickapoo — one to the north of Aldi, and three to the south.

Tim Burg, executive director of the Shawnee Economic Development Authority, said, “Aldi took up two lot pads, so others could come in and take one or multiple pads for

their businesses.”

That means 2-4 businesses could be added before phase one reaches full capacity.

Marketplace parking lots appear to be buzzing and community members continue to anticipate the opening of additional stores.

Phase two of the Marketplace stretches south of Hobby Lobby to 45th Street, behind CVS. According to the plans on Hunt Properties’ website, huntprop.com, a block-long street was created — running east-towest on the north side of CVS — named 46th Street.

Eventually the access road will come out at 45th Street just behind CVS, for a total of five entrances and exits for the shopping center.

Now that several stores are in full-swing, Burg said the city can start gathering figures on how many actual jobs have been created so far through the Marketplace.

“The first round of jobs, when phase one is completed, has been projected to be around 300,” Burg said, adding that number is expected to increase to 360 during the second year and, by year 10, it could be up to 456.

No phase two stores have been announced yet.

Burg suspects potential phase two stores may be waiting to see how phase one stores perform.

“The trend is going in the right direction, but it’s too early for them to tell,” Burg said. “Hobby Lobby — the first one — got in there just more than a year ago, and the rest are even newer than that.

It just hasn’t been long enough for companies to see how well it’s going

yet.”

He said depending on the business, some may wait anywhere from six, to eight, or 10 months out or longer before they feel comfortable enough to consider a location.

Cindy Arnold, city finance officer, said, “We have had a slight increase when other communities have been down.”

She said the Marketplace stores have been a

beneficial endeavor for the community. “It’s been good to get stores we didn’t have,” she said.

A map of the project is available at huntprop.com.

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24-Hour Emergency Number 275-6169 Mon - Fri 8:00-7:00, Sat 8:00-6:00

PROGRESS 2016 – BUSINESS

news-star.com Shawnee News-Star

Saturday, August 6, 2016 • 3G

Shawnee Mall

Dunham’s Opens • Dunham’s Sports, a Michigan-based company, opened a store at Shawnee Mall this year. After running into some delays, the store opened March 31. Shawnee Mall Leasing Agent Fred Heichman said it’s a big store with more than 60,000 square-feet.

• Tim Burg, executive director of Shawnee Economic Development Foundation, said Dunham’s is a wonderful addition to retail for Shawnee.

• Dunham’s renovated the old Sear’s location — on the north side of the mall, west of the food court.

• This is the first Oklahoma store for Dunham’s, Heichman said.

Restaurants

new dining options

Some of the many new restaurants in the area include Panda Express, Hot Diggity Dog, and Yummy Donuts.

ED BLOCHOWIAK STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Downtown Block Party

Bash spurs business

By Vicky O. Misa Vicky.misa@news-star.com Twitter: @Vicky_NewsStar

Local band Shoulda Been Blonde, top photo, plays for a crowd at Coney Island during the evening hours of Downtown Block pARTy, a third-Friday-ofthe-month event to encourage business and the arts within the community. The Arts @ 317 is open during the evening hours to encourage business and the arts within the community. Main Street Photo Studio & Gallery’s owner Ed Bolt visits with customers during the Downtown Block pARTy, a third-Friday-of-the-month event.

VICKY O. MISA STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

S

ome might argue that a typical evening in downtown Shawnee consists of shuttered storefronts and the chirping of crickets — that the only pulse heard near Main Street belongs to the determined marching feet of bargain-shopping moviegoers at the Hornbeck & Penthouse Twin at 125 N. Bell St. But some nights downtown are becoming less typical.

In past third Fridays — boasting a festival vibe — passersby have heard an

all-chick rock band play for dozens of customers outside Coney Island on Bell Street. Around the corner on Main Street, they could see children dancing to guitar music at Shawnee Pioneer Library.

They could join a full house at The Olde Owl Shoppe and experience the sounds of a jazz orchestra. Down a couple blocks they could take in artwork at Main Street Photo Studio & Gallery.

In between, they could stop in for pie or dinner at Hamburger King.

It is called Downtown Block pARTy, and the experience is a family-friendly event that happens every third Friday night of the month.

The block party — also

nicknamed third Friday — is part of Shawnee’s Safe Events for Families organization (SEFF).

The block party is a free community event coordinated by the Shawnee Art-

ist’s Guild; it began with a single business and has expanded to include over a dozen locations. Merchants are open from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. and feature exhibits in art galleries,

live music, dining, shopping and entertainment, according to visitshawnee. com.

For more information, visit seffshawnee.org or call (405) 432-4131.

Furniture Factory Outlet

MacArthur North Storage is being constructed at Wol-verine Road and Harrison Street.

FFO to set up shop

Building

Ongoing Construction This building is currently under construction on Harrison Street between 45th and MacArthur. It’s still unknown what business will occupy the space.

W

almart could be getting a new neighbor just to the east if all goes according to plan.

In June, preliminary and final plats were approved for applicant Landrun Group, LLC, for the purpose of building a Furniture Factory Outlet (FFO) Home store on two acres just east of Walmart and directly north of Holiday Inn Express.

FFO Home President Larry Zigerelli said he is excited to be bringing his company to Shawnee.

“We’re not a big-city chain,” he said. “We look for cities, like Shawnee, where we can add something to the community. We feel like it’s a perfect fit for us.”

He said the Shawnee site is progressing at the same rate as a planned Stillwater location.

“As long as the weather cooperates, we intend to open both stores by the end of the year,” he said.

Kickapoo Spur

Domino coming On the southwest corner of Kickapoo Spur and Kickapoo Street, crews are constructing a Domino Food and Fuel station, where an awning has just been completed. A second station appears to be planned for the northeast side of the corner of Harrison and 45t St., according to a banner at the site.

ED BLOCHOWIAK STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

E and J’s

Joe Cooper

New dealership construction Construction is set to begin at the new Joe Cooper Ford/Chevrolet lot on Shawnee Mall Drive. There will be some time between Chevrolet and Ford moving their vehicles from current locations on Harrrison Street to the new lot. Chevrolet will have their vehicles at the new location sometime in 2017 and Ford will have their vehicles moved by January 2018.

ED BLOCHOWIAK STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

NAPA AutoCare Center, LLC. Let Our Family Repair Your Family’s Vehicles.

Our business takes quality and customer service seriously. As a NAPA AutoCare Center, we follow a strict Code of Ethics so customers will know up front what to expect.

1026 E. Highland • Shawnee, OK 74801

Tel. (405) 275-8016 Fax. (405) 275-8022

www.eandjautocarecenter.com

Locally Owned and Operated Since 2007

4G • Saturday, August 6, 2016

PROGRESS 2016 – BUSINESS

news-star.com Shawnee News-Star

Citizen Potawatomi Nation Tribe brings

economic growth

T

he local economic impact of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation surpassed $500 million for the fifth consecutive year for fiscal year 2015. The tribe also remains the largest employer in Pottawatomie County, employing more 2,300. With construction underway on several new enterprises and an industrial park, the tribal nation expects that impact to continue to grow.

In Shawnee, the only public golf course, FireLake Golf Course, is undergoing a full renovation. The back nine greens have been elevated and a new drainage system was installed. The golf course will also feature a new clubhouse with a restaurant, bar and pro shop.

The golf course is expecting to be fully operational by mid-2017.

FireLake Express Grocery McLoud recently opened and employs 20 full-time and 77 part-time staff. The store offers a full service bakery and a deli serving Charley Biggs Chicken, a smoke shop with a drive thru window, a beer cave as well as 10 automobile fueling stations offering 100-percent gasoline, 10-percent ethanol, super unleaded and diesel.

Iron Horse Industrial Park continues to move forward and construction is progressing on 5,500 linear feet of rail line. The industrial park, which has been designated a foreign-trade zone, will provide Shawnee with immediate connections to the Arkansas-Oklahoma and Union Pacific rail networks.

FireLake Wellness Center is adding 1,200 square feet of new space to meet the needs of the physical

to area

therapy department. The expansion will allow the already bustling program to see more patients. The physical therapy program is part of the overall health services offered by the tribe. In 2015 the Wellness Center saw more than 32,000 visits. CPN Health Services recorded more than 130,000 physician visits for that same time period.

The CPN Transportation Department will soon be relocating from their current location inside a trailer along Hardesty Road to a new, two-story 9,375 square foot building near the CPN administration building. This new facility will have an attached garage capable of housing their fleet of vehicles which serves nearby communities. CPN transportation services are available in the Shawnee-Tecumseh area, free of charge. The program provided more than 26,000 rides in 2015.

The CPN Employment and Training Department also is scheduled to move from their current headquarters in Tecumseh to offices near tribal headquarters at Hardesty Road and S. Gordon Cooper Drive. The new building will be two stories, including 7,500 square feet on the first floor and approximately 2,500 square feet on the second floor. The employment and training program assists local residents with emergency funding for utilities, job training and placement and education assistance.

A successful tribal-state-local partnership in 2015-16 also helped with the construction and widening of S. Gordon Cooper Drive between Bob Couch Drive and Benson Park Road. The

tribe donated $500,000 to the project, while the Pottawatomie County Commission donated $250,000. Federal highway funds covered 80 percent of the construction costs. Citizen Potawatomi Nation plays an integral role in Pottawatomie County’s road infrastructure.

Since 2005, the tribe has spent nearly $10 million in road infrastructure improvements and new construction.

Since a signing agreement between then-County 911 Trust Chairman J.R. Kidney and Chairman Barrett in June 2015, the tribe has taken over the expense of dispatching services for Pottawatomie County.

CPN spent $500,000 upgrading the technology and infrastructure of the building as well as hiring of ten former county 911 employees. Many county agencies have put those funds once paid for the 911 services back into capital improvements.

For the Pottawatomie County Sheriff’s Office, Sheriff Mike Booth notes that multiyear efforts to upgrade his agency’s auto fleet has been boosted by an estimated $82,000 saved now that CPN bears the costs of running the emergency dispatching response services.

In addition to economic development and job creation, Citizen Potawatomi Nation and its employees continued to make significant charitable contributions in the area. In 2015 alone, employees donated more than 2,200 pounds of food for full Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners to benefit 300 families in the CPN service area, which encompasses most of

ED BLOCHOWIAK STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Pottawatomie County and parts of Cleveland and Oklahoma counties. More than 60 percent of tribal employees contribute time or money to local civic organizations.

For the most recent fiscal year, Citizen Potawatomi Nation gifted more than $2.9 million to the local community. Donations from CPN tribal car tag sales to Oklahoma schools were more than $273,000 in this same period. Through the tribal rolls department, more than $5 million in scholarships were awarded.

www.enviro-ok.com

From top: FireLake Express Grocery, McLoud, opened recently and employs 20 full-time and 77 part-time staff. Employment and Traning Department, FireLake Golf Course and Iron Horse Industrial Park are additional projects on which the tribe moves forward.

PROVIDED PHOTOS