November 8, 2019 Issue, Page 1 of 18

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Serving Western Oklahoma Weekend Edition Salute to our Veterans With Veterans Day on Monday, we wanted to honor Our Veterans. Please look through our Veteran’s special ‘on pages 11 through 17. We would also like to thank our sponsors that made this special possible. DJ's Rentals, Cudd Energy, Farmer’s Union Coop., Northfork Electric, Endurance FCU, First National Bank, Ace Hardware, Yow Auto Supply, Pedro’s Mexican Grille, Great Plains Bank, Elk City Hear Gear, Beyond the Pallet, Elk. City Tag Agency, Western Technology Center, Troy Jones Equipment; Thru Tubing Solutions, Terry’s Furniture, Yes Finance, Pizza Hut, Interbank, ‘a fs i ei ‘ Si Hutton Inc., Pickup Toybox, Simon’s Catch, Washita =) The westbound exit from Interstate 40 that leads to Main Street and State Highway 6 has State Bank, S&S Quality Carpet, Midwest Farm Supply, © been closed because of a crash on Tuesday. The exit will reopen in mid-November. Staff Western Oklahoma Realty, Bazaar on 66, Rib Crib, PSO, photo by Don Munsch. Xpress Wellness Urgent Care, Smith Hydrovac Setvic- es, KTS Auto Glass, Elk City Chamber of Commerce, American National and Smith Hydrovac. Two people injured in Tuesday crash homa Highway Patrol. Peggy Blount, 72, of Attalla, Ala., Exit in Elk Restaurant changeover By Don Munsch, Editor City closed the driver of the vehicle, was taken to Great Plains Regional Medical Center where she was treated and released with Two people from out of state were injured after a crash on trunk internal injuries. sparked by food prices Interstate 40 in Elk City early Tuesday morning. The wreck occurred just before 6:10 a.m. at the 38 mile Because of the crash, an exit ramp was damaged and traf- marker westbound lane of Interstate 40 in Beckham County, fic will be rerouted. the OHP report said. The vehicle was westbound on I-40 Kathy Bookins, 67 of Dahlonega, Georgia, a passenger and departed the roadway and struck a crash attenuator on in a 2020 Volvo semi/trailer, was taken to Great Plains Re- the right shoulder. The vehicle then struck a concrete bar- gional Medical Center and transferred via Air Evac to St. rier causing the semi and trailer to jackknife, and then the Anthony Hospital in Oklahoma City in stable condition with vehicle came to a rest off the roadway. head and arm injuries, according to a report from the Okla- See Exit closed page 2. aie This vacant mobile home burned Monday at Greenview Mobile Home Park on South Van Buren Street in Elk City. There were no injuries and no other property dam- age occurred. The home is a total loss. Fred’s employee Donnita Gilbert shows off The cause of the some fresh rolls during a recent lunch at the blaze remains under Elk City restaurant. The restaurant that hous- investigation. Submit- es Fred’s used to be a Western Sizzlin. Staff ted photo. photo by Don Munsch. By Casey Lantz, Contributing Writer Fred’s Steakhouse & Saloon in Elk City opened for busi- ness on Oct. 15 in the building that used to be Western Siz- alin. Waitress Vera Stout has been at the restaurant since the inception of Western Sizzlin, in her 34th year at the location. after Turkey Day in Elk City “It was hard on me, but I’m adjusting and it’s getting bet- and on downtown trees. ter and better every day,” she said about the transition dur- “We'll start probably the first of next week putting the ing a lunch hour one day last week, explaining part of the Christmas lights on the poles,” he said Tuesday. City work- change was learning the computer. ers could be seen this week installing decorations on poles Daryl Kelly has owned and managed Western Sizzlin on Route 66. since 1999, and felt that it was time for a change. Christmas lights will be activated the day after Thanksgiv- “It’s going really well,” he said, noting there’s been a great ing, which is Nov. 29 this year. Christmas in the Park begins response from the public. Nov. 29. Kelly has been in the restaurant business for well over 20 Also Monday, commissioners were approached by a resi- years, owning and operating Boomtown Grill, and the for- dent, Brandon Hoskins, asking whether he could open a mer Western Sizzlin, now known as Fred’s Steakhouse & marijuana growing facility. See Fred’s page 2. “Our city ordinance prohibits that,” Littterell said Tues- day. SWOSU to hold Elk City street department employee Charles State voters passed medical marijuana last year, and short- ly after that passage, in January, the commission approved an ordinance regarding the sale, storage and commercial Smith puts up a Christmas decoration on health career day a light pole on the west end of Route 66 Wednesday morning. Staff photo by Don growth of marijuana within Elk City city limits. The ordi- nance prohibits the use of marijuana processing facilities in Munsch. the city, the News reported. An ordinance passed last year People interested in a healthcare-related job may attend prohibited retail establishments to be on or adjacent to Main By Don Munsch, Editor Health Careers Day at Southwestern Oklahoma State Uni- Street or Route 66. In addition, the ordinance prohibits com- versity in Weatherford on Noy. 22. Christmas might come early in November with Hallmark mercial marijuana growth facilities in city limits along with The free event is for any prospective health career student, Channel and Lifetime Yuletide movies, radio stations play- wholesale marijuana facilities and storage facilities other SWOSU said in a news release. Table browsing will be from ing Christmas songs or merchants playing up Christmas than in a retail outlet, the News reported. 9 a.m. to 12 noon at the Pioneer Cellular Event Center, 900 sales before Thanksgiving, but one aspect of Christmas oc- Hoskins wanted to gauge whether there was any sentiment N. Seventh St., on the SWOSU campus. People may register curs in Elk City when it’s supposed to — the day after Turkey to change the ordinance among commissioners, Litterell online at: http://www.swosu.edu/admissions/health-careers/ Day. said. registration.aspx or call 580.774.3782 or email admissions@ That tradition would be the activation of Christmas lights On the Monday agenda, the commission approved the pur- swosu.edu. [email protected] public is welcome on city property. chase of property located at 216 S. Washington from Me- to attend. Elk City City Manager Lee Litterell told the city commis- linda Prime See Health page 2. sion Monday that Christmas lights are going up in the park See Christmas lights page 2. Weathi Vol. 117, No. 90 Mail delivery View online il! TNL YOU Ill ; fomoraw 64 / 75 cents, 18 pgs. 580.225.3000 elkcityoknews.com