February 1, 2020 Issue, Page 1 of 10

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yA Serving S@, Western Oklahoma World of mime changed director’s life better actor. “I knew there was more to the theater,” she said. “I would see good actors, but T would still know it was them,I would see my friend Jeff, and think, he’s such a good actor, but he still walks like Jeff walks. He still sits like Jeff sits. It was 1970, Doobie Pott and mime was starting to become popular because of By Manda Smith, Con- Marcel Marceau. The uni- tributing writer versity hired Reid Gilbert, Doobie Potter studied and he did week-long work- Here are before and after photos of the lot where a former motel stood before city commis- mime to become a better sioners approved condemning the property late last year. The lot is still viable and could be shops with us. I knew how actor. much I didn’t know about used for a commercial purpose in the future. Staff photos by Don Munsch. Through mime, her life mime, and Reid was starting was changed - and not just amime school in Wisconsin, By Don Munsch, Editor cial use, possibly another hotel or maybe have it rezoned to on the stage. so I went there for the sum- The dilapidated building that formerly housed a motel on where it’s residential,” Litterell said. Potter, who lives in Okla- mer program.” Route 66 in Elk City is an empty lot now, as the building was The lot could remain empty or the owner could sell it. The homa City, was in Elk City This school was The Val- demolished and its contents hauled away in January. city has one other property in town —a residential structure — this past weekend for audi- ley Studio, near Madison, “Tt took them a week to get it torn down and hauled off,” that it is working on condemning, Litterell said. tions for the Untitled Pop Wisconsin. After Potter fin- Elk City City Manager Lee Litterell said. City commissioners approved removal of the abandoned Up Theatre’s production of ished the summer program, But the future of that lot is undetermined. motel in November. The commission in its motion declared “Love/Sick” by John Cari- Litterell said Shari Menon, who lives in Colleyville, Texas the former motel building at 2500 E. Route 66 to be a dilapi- Reid offered her a spot in ani, which she is guest di- the new apprentice program, — according to city documents last fall — owns the property dated structure detrimental to the public health, safety and recting. along with a job as the cook and can do whatever she wishes the vacant lot now. welfare. Originally from Flint, for the program, which al- The city put a lien on the property, and Litterell said he The motel closed in November 2015, and the building and Michigan, Potter was a the- lowed Potter, a single mom, does not know what the owner will do with the lot. A new its parking lot area became run down. A city document de- ater major at the University and her young son an oppor- motel could be built on the lot, as there still exist utilities scribed the building as being in a deteriorated, substandard of Michigan, where she first state. The building was once a Travelodge that eventually tunity to move to Wisconsin, there. studied mime to become a See Director page 2. “We'd just like to see the property restored for commer- became a Motor Lodge. candidates and their parents: Front row, man, Jennifer and parents are, girls, front left: Jill Meador, Jared Keyes; Vivek Norie Flowers [Lori freshman, Kassie Pranabdev, sopho- Cook], Baylee Miller and Brent Meador; more, Joycy and [Kelli and Joe Miller], Laja Martin, sopho- Chermbakad Pranab- Mikah Butler [Lisa more, Princess and dev; Tres Hill, junior, Butler] and Haleigh Dewatae Martin; Matti Lisa and Freddy Hill; Musick [Shannon Jones, junior, Tambra Gavin Chadwick; and Michael Musick]; and Joe Jones; Mikah Tate Trotter; Nate and boys, Nate Jarel Butler; Baylee Miller; Jarel; Caden Dunlap, [Jennifer Clother Norie Flowers; Ha- eighth-grader, Lynn and Jeff Jarel], Tate leigh Musick; Arleth Trotter [Robin and Luna, eighth-grader, and Dustin Dunlap; Barry Trotter] and Anavel and Douglas and Hooper Stover, Gavin Chadwick [Amy Garcia; and Abi- seventh-grader, Holly Elk City High School’s homecom- ceremonies at 6 p.m. followed and Jay Chadwick]. gail Brown, Melissa and Shiloah Stover. ing basketball game was to be by the girls and boys games at Homecoming court Brown. Top row, from Staff photo by Don played Friday evening, with the the appropriate times. Senior members and their left: Kye Keyes, fresh- Munsch. ODOT: Bridge completion set for summer Q By Don Munsch, Editor and changing signs began late Monday morning. An Oklahoma Department of Transportation official said “We got done a whole lot faster than what we anticipated, this week that the completion date for the Highway 6 bridge and that’s why we went ahead and switched it yesterday,” over Interstate 40 in Elk City should be mid to late summer. he said Tuesday, adding that ODOT wanted to do that work Reconstruction of northbound lanes — or what will eventu- before the cold weather and precipitation moved in Tuesday Above, vehicles travel on the newly paved ally be northbound lanes — finished earlier this week and the to give people a chance to know what to expect. Highway6 road going over Interstate 40 in Elk roadway was opened to traffic. Both northbound and south- Work on the southbound lanes of the bridge and nearby City Wednesday afternoon. bound traffic travels on the new road now, with temporary roadway started this week. Left, crews do a paving job on the curb from striping done before the lanes opened. Demolition of the bridge began Wednesday night and then the north side exit ramp as the road moves Stan Hinds, construction inspector specialist for ODOT, continued on Thursday night, Hinds said. toward Highway6 north. Staff photos by Don who is based in Clinton, said work on temporary striping See Completion page 2. Munsch. Vol. 118, No. 9 «MUA CT TET 68 / 44 75 cents, 10 pgs. Mail delivery 580.225.3000 View online elkcityoknews.com