January 20, 2021 Issue, Page 1 of 10

Page Text

Serving Western Oklahoma Since 1901. Wednesday, January 20, 20217 Weekday Edition The Show Must Go On: Meet the City: Red Carpet Theater looks to a new year The Elk City News series on the employees who make the City of Elk City work eT 1 Be Sree ) Brian Pierce with wife, Danielle and their Left, the Red Carpet Community Theatre Board members check the three children. Courtesy photo.. roof of the building. Right, is the cast of the last Red Carpet Commu- nity Theatre play of 2019. Courtesy photos. By Shonda Little By Shonda Little bills through utilities and paying for rights to productions they had When Elk City Fire Department Assistant Medical Officer and planned to produce. Public Information Officer Brian Pierce graduated from Elk City ‘As the final curtains fell upon the Red Carpet Community The- “We get the bulk of our funding through grants for the Oklahoma atre’s final production of 2019, Junie B. Jones: The Best/Worst Arts Council,” Ponce said. “Through them, we are able to apply for High School in 2008, he didn’t need to leave Elk City to know Christmas Pageant Ever, the local theater's board was eagerly look- two grants each year.” that the grass here was, in fact, greener. ing ahead to a full slate of 2020 productions. In 2020, the Red Carpet Community Theatre first received the “T like seeing the world. I love going to the mountains and I But, alas, as much as young aspiring actors and talented directors Harris Grant through the Oklahoma Arts Council for the total of love learning new things,” Pierce smiled, “but I always knew Elk wish each other good luck with the famed, “Don't break a leg,” no $1,500. City was going to be my home. I feel pretty lucky to have started ‘one could have predicted the unforeseen derailment that Covid-19 ‘This has been used to pay many of the general bills they naturally off life in the best place I have found to live.” would unleash upon the unsuspecting troupe. accumulated. Pierce was a natural for the ECFD. After all, he hails from a However, theatre is no stranger to setbacks, as RCCT board mem- “Then in December, we got another $5,000 grant to clean our air long lineage of ECEC royalty, though he jokes that such a thing ber Sheryl Ponce explained. ducts, buy cleaning supplies and get general hand sanitizers. We got doesn't exist. ‘The group was saddened to cancel audition after audition, show that at the first of the month and had to spend it by the 20th of De- His grandfather, Julius, was Elk City's very first fire chief— a after show, but their eyes have remained set upon the future. cember. We got Pat Spillers out to do a professional cleaning on the position that he served in for over two decades. Pierce's father “The Red Carpet Community Theatre has been a big part of the ducts. We were able to implement things that can help us be safer Barry also had a lengthy career at the firehouse, passing the pas- fabric of local arts for a long time, for decades,” Ponce said. “We when we are able to reopen, whenever that may be,” Ponce added. sion down to his son. In both, Pierce says he was given an ex- hated to see a year come and go without having a production, but ‘The Red Carpet Community Theater is hopeful to present God- ample of service to his community. we were holding in course with what needed to be done to keep our spell, a 1971 off-Broadway musical by Stephen Schwartz, by sum- “I actually began as a volunteer fireman in 2007 during my actors, directors and patrons safe. Still, we are also working to make mertime. ‘The acclaimed play is structured as a series of parables, senior year of high school,” Pierce recounted. sure that the theatre is in good shape when we are finally able to put primarily based on the Gospel of Matthew. Following his high school graduation, Pierce went full-time at the virus behind us and get back to doing what we love.” If the pandemic recedes, the group also hopes to perform a pro- the firehouse. The move felt natural, given that it was almost a Ponce explained that the RCCT is a 501(3)c organization, a non- duction of Through the Woods later this year. second home during his youth. profit that allows donors to write contributions off their taxes. Both had been scheduled for the 2020 season. “Iwas there until 2013. In 2014, I had some college classes at Even with no 2020 productions, the organization still amassed See Theatre page 2. Southwestern Oklahoma State University at Weatherford that required a lab,” he said. At that time, Pierce transitioned his career to AirEvac. Two separate cases of aggravated assault ‘Through that, he says gained invaluable experience. “I goto spend several years in the emergency room and sever- al years in the air,” Pierce recounted. “AirEvac is a company that with great bodily injury upon the aged or is all about education. If you want to learn, they are the company for you. They sent us all over. We went to St. Louis several times, See Pierce page 2. decrepit filed against Elk City residents By Shonda Little ber 6 or December 7. SWOSU Upward Bound ‘Two separate cases were filed this last week against two Elk City ‘The officer went back to the ECPD and made contact with the reporting party who informed the officer that she was the alleged Program Accepting apps residents in the Beckham County District Court. The cases are victim's sister-in-law. completely unrelated to each other, but both have allegations of as- She said another sister-in-law had found the alleged victim beat- Southwestern Oklahoma State University in Weatherford con- saults against the aged, decrepit or incapacitated persons. en. tinues to offer an educational opportunity to eligible high school ‘The first case was filed in the Beckham County District Court ‘The officer made contact with that woman via telephone. That students with no costs to families. against 28-year-old Kyley Shae Hock. woman said she had previously been the man’s caretaker and that Upward Bound is a federally funded college prep program funded According to that probable cause affidavit, an Elk City Police De- she and her sister-in-law had been trying to get the alleged victim through the U.S. Department of Education that offers services to partment officer was dispatched at 2:40 p.m. on December 8 to the into a nursing home because he was unable to care for himself. qualified high school students based on family income and/or being 500 block of East Third Street. ‘The woman stated that the alleged victim could not stand on his a first-generation college student. ‘This call was in reference to a report of assault and battery and own or care for himself. The SWOSU program, directed by Jamie Novey, supports high was made by a third party. ‘The officer opined that the alleged victim's living conditions were school students from the following seven schools: Anadarko, Burns In that, the alleged victim was observed to have blood all over his not suitable for living. Flat, Canute, Carnegie, Clinton, Fort Cobb and Watonga. face, as well as a big purple bruise on his left eye and a cut on his ‘The woman stated that the alleged victim had two caregivers, one Students may enter the program in the 9th, 10th or 11th grades. forehead. of whom was Hock. Participants in the program are offered year-round academic coun- ‘The ECPD officer also reported that the alleged victim’s nose ap- ‘The woman alleged that the only reason Hock or the other care- seling, cultural and educational field trips, social activities, tutoring peared to be crooked. giver, who was reported to be his son, went by there was to “eat his and career exploration. ‘The officer asked the alleged victim what happened and the man food and have him withdraw money from his bank account.” During a six-week summer residential program, students also re- allegedly mumbled “crazy women.” ‘The woman said she also noticed that the alleged victim's refrig- ceive instruction in literature, composition, foreign language, math, ‘The officer noted that it was hard to communicate with the al- erator and television were missing. science, financial literacy and fine arts. During the academic year leged victim as he was reportedly unable to speak very loud or very ‘The officer contacted Adult Protective Services and made a report ‘on some Saturdays, students receive ACT test prep, study skills and dlearly. with them, college planning. ‘The officer asked if Hock had done that to him and the man alleg- The woman said she was concerned with the alleged victim's Novey said graduating seniors bridge into the university by at- edly confirmed that she had. health and that she would like to have him checked out by the EMS. tending the summer bridge program and earn six college credits ‘The officer asked multiple times what had happened and said that ‘The man was transported to the Great Plains Regional Medical upon completion and receive a scholarship to SWOSU. Students he was able to discern that Hock had reportedly become very angry Center to be further examined. also earn a monthly stipend while participating. with the alleged victim because he asked her to leave the residence. ‘The alleged victim signed off for the officer to see his medical For more information or to request an application, contact the ‘The alleged victim stated that the incident happened on Decem- See Assault page 3. Upward Bound Program on the SWOSU campus at 580.774.7029. Vol. 119, No. 6 AMEN A Weather tomorrow 57/ 75 cents, 10 pgs. Mail delivery 580.225.3000 View online elkcityoknews.com