August 1, 2020 Issue, Page 1 of 8

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Serving Western Oklahoma Since 1901 Weekend Edition Annual golf tourney set for mid-August ECHS announces The Elk City Chamber of Commerce Oil and Gas Industry “We still have openings and if anyone would like to reg- Appreciation Golf Tournament celebrates its 50th anniver- ister a team, [he or she can] contact the Elk City Chamber,” sary this year with the tournament scheduled for Aug. 14-15 Smoot said. “This will be the first time that we have gone enrollment dates at the Elk City Golf and Country Club. through the waiting list, seeking teams to fill the vacancies. Elk City High School begins enrollment Tuesday for se- The tournament serves as an appreciation to the oil and This year, teams will be able to be added to the tournament niors and new students for the 2020-21 school year. Enroll- gas industry for being an integral part of the community, the or put on the waiting list. ‘ment will wrap up Friday with enrollment for freshmen and chamber said in a news release. “Traditionally there have been teams waiting for five to six new students. New students will have four days to enroll. Committee Chair Debbie Smoot said the event began in years to just get their names moved up on that list to actually Dates and times for students: 1971 and has had a reputation of being a premier tourna- get a spot in the tournament,” she said. “Now, everyone who SENIORS: 9 a.m.-noon and 1-3 p.m. Tuesday ment, not only in Elk City but one that stretches across the was on the list has had an opportunity to enter the tourna- JUNIORS: 9 a.m.-noon and 1-3 p.m. Wednesday state. ment and we are starting a new waiting list. Once a team SOPHOMORES: 9 a.m.-noon and 1-3 p.m. Thursday “This year is unique because as we started making plans to drops out, they have to go back on the waiting list.” FRESHMEN; 9 a.m.-noon and 1-3 p.m. Friday have the traditional dinner and festivities, COVID-19 hit,” She added that now is a perfect time for new teams to get NEW STUDENTS: 9 a.m.-noon and 1-3 p.m. Tuesday Smoot said in the release. “We had planned on having a ca- the chance to play in this invitation-only, golf tournament. through Friday. tered dinner followed by a band/dance but had to change There are also sponsorship opportunities available to busi- It is mandatory for all students — freshmen through se- those plans so that all the events were held outdoors. To nesses that would like to help celebrate this long-standing niors — to come to the high school on their specified day to make up for the loss of these events we will have more door event, she said. finish their enrollment for the 2020-21 school year, a news prizes and increased prize money in all four flights. Plus, “There is a field of 72 teams invited with two sessions each release stated. Students need to complete online enrollment there will be more giveaways throughout the day.” day,” Smoot said. “This is the longest running golf tourna- forms before their scheduled date. Classes begin Aug. 13. Tournament registration has always been full, with a load- ment in this part of the state. I grew up, around it because See ECHS page 2. ed roster as well as an overflowing waiting list. Because so my both my parents, Jim and Alice Martindale, were on the many oilfield companies have left the area, the committee has gone through the waiting list, inviting teams to play in tournament committee for several years. I began working with the tournament doing the scorekeeping in the early 90s WOCS to begin the annual event, the release stated. See Tourney page 2. school Aug. 12 Fishing and ducks Western Oklahoma Christian School officials plan to be- gin classes Aug. 12 with face-to-face instruction at the Clin- ton, Weatherford and Elk City campuses. “However, if a quarantine situation arises, a system is in place to continue with education via distance learning pro- eae 2S vided by the teachers,” Administrator Dora Miller said in a news release. WOCS has added several safety protocols, the release stated. Students will use water bottle stations instead of the tradi- tional water fountains. Hand sanitizer stations will be pres- ent, and all desks, doorknobs and surfaces in high-traffic areas will be cleaned daily. EPA-approved disinfectants will Bobby Sharp and daughter Emma Sharp, 2’, of Elk City spent Wednesday morning fishing at the pond at Ackley be sprayed twice weekly in the buildings. Also, teachers Park. They even fed some ducks that waddled over. will space desks to maximize social distancing. Emma had just caught a 15-pound fish, her dad said. Staff “T encourage parents to call if they have any questions or photos by Don Munsch. concerns,” Miller said. Former Elk City chamber president discusses Economic output the importance of civic involvement Editor’s note: Leading up to the Elk City Chamber of takes huge plunge, tended to be a series of stops he had been making with the Commerce's 50th Oil and Gas Appreciation Tournament, retail company when he arrived in 1964. The El Reno native Bob Maine reflects on the importance of iconic events and sets record had bounced around during his six years with the retailer. working together. Two years later, the opportunity to buy the Ford dealership presented itself. By Don Lee, Los Angeles Times By Shonda Little, Contributing writer “Tt would not have been possible without Tom Johnson,” WASHINGTON- U.S. economic output fell at a stun- Former Elk City mayor Bob Maine says that he was too Maine said. “He is better known now as Tom Mike John- ning 32.9% annual rate in the second quarter - a level not young to realize how much he would come to love the rural son’s father, but he was my partner. He was a great man. We seen since the Great Depression, according to data released town when Montgomery Ward first brought him here when sold Ford, Lincoln and Mercury products. The first pickup Thursday. he was a brisk 30-year-old. we sold was for $1,995. A lot has changed.” The history-making contraction in the nation’s gross do- He was young and ambitious, and Elk City was just in- See Civic page 2. mestic product, which followed a 5% drop in the first quar- ter, was widely expected after the coronavirus outbreak shut down large swaths of the economy and led to massive job Oklahoma’s unemployment system remains losses in the spring. riddled with pitfalls By comparison, during the worst of the Great Recession, GDP, the total of all goods and services produced in the “WHRTTEN CONNEOTION CEN’ By Breanna Mitchell, Gaylord News country, shrank at an 8.4% pace in the final quarter of 2008. Even as employment rates begin to recover in Oklahoma, The single largest quarterly decline since the Commerce thousands of residents with unemployment claims remain Department’s records began in 1947 was 10% in early 1958. What makes Thursday’s GDP report all the more unset- trapped on a roller coaster of claim issues that can take tling is that it includes data from May and June when many weeks or months to resolve. businesses across the country moved to reopen, encouraged The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics set Oklahoma’s pre- by President Donald Trump and several Republican gover- liminary unemployment rate for June at 6.6 percent, mak- nors. ing the state’s unemployment rate tied for fifth lowest in the While that initially spurred hiring and sales, the rapid re- country and down 6 percentage points from May. bound proved to be short-lived as the pandemic soared to unemployment claims outside the OKC But the improving unemployment rates reflect optimism new heights and forced many businesses to retreat and local Eastside Oklahoma Works Center in Oklahoma not felt by many Oklahomans waiting on hundreds or governments to impose new restrictions. Conditions today City. Submitted photo from Gaylord News. See System page 2. See Plunge page 3. Weather Vol. 118, No. 61 Mail delivery View online ON. somnorrow 94/72 75 cents, 8 pgs. 580.225.3000 elkcityoknews.com