• FRIDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2019 • JENKSTRIBUNE.COM •
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BEST IN OKLAHOMA uJenks cheer squad wins 6A state title
Hayden Tucker htucker@ jenkstribune.com
For Jenks cheer, the time was now to win a state championship. It had been nine years since the last time the cheer squad won a state title. The past few years didn’t see them come very close. But this year was different. “I feel like this team, this year, we really wanted it,” senior Grace Hutton said. “Last year there were some that (felt they had
FINDING A HOME IN JENKS Lil Red Designs Boutique is thriving in its new Jenks Main Street location. Read the story on Page 7A.
The 2019-2020 Jenks High School cheer squad captured the 2019 6A State Chmapionship Saturday at the State Cheer Competition at Oral Roberts University. Photo/Courtesy
RUNNING DOMINATION The Jenks girls cross country team won the pre-state cross country meet last weekend. Read the story on Page 1B.
HOMETOWN HUDDLE SUCCESS The annual Hometown Huddle, put on by the Jenks Public Schools Foundation, was a big hit in 2019. See on Page 7B.
Continued to STATE, Page 2B
Jenks Class of 1969 to connect By HAYDEN TUCKER htucker@jenkstribune.com
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Postal Customer Jenks, OK 74037
The Jenks high school class of 1969 will reconvene half a century after graduating. On Nov. 9, the group will meet for a tour of the original high school and to reconnect with classmates. Events begin at 4 p.m. with an optional tour of the original high school. The reception will then be held from 6-10 p.m. at Jenks City Hall. Food and drinks will be served while music from 1969 will play. Those interested are encouraged to call Larry Williamson (918) 258-2400 or Gail Lowe (918) 9719192. They ask those interested contact either Williamson or Lowe to gage how much food is needed.
Jenks and other Tulsa area communities were greatly impacted by the Arkansas River flood this past spring and summer. Photo/Kyle Salomon
Flood is the focus of Sims’ study SUBMITTED
Oklahoma State Legislature
State Rep. Lonnie Sims (R-Jenks) hosted an interim study at the State Capitol on Tuesday to conduct a state level review of the actions taken leading up and in response to the historic Arkansas River Flood of 2019. “Four months ago, Oklahomans endured the second most significant flood the Arkansas River has experienced since 1986,” Sims said. “No community was spared, nor the many cities and towns inundated by overflows of lesser-known creeks and streams that fed into it.” Sims said the purpose of the interim study was to facilitate an after-action examination with key federal, state and local governmental agencies as well as public and pri-
vate stakeholders that were negatively impacted up and down the river. “We have no higher duty as public officials than to protect the people we serve,” Sims said. “The grit and determination of those who suffered during this event along with the outpouring of support from the community should inspire us all to gain every lesson, good or bad, to better respond and, if at all possible, prevent the next one.” The first day of the study was highlighted by an emotional opening presentation by Justin Patterson, whose family experienced the event first-hand in the Sand Springs neighborhood of Town and Country. Tulsa County Commissioner Karen Keith spoke on the flooding throughout the state and the critical
need for investment in the aging Tulsa County District 12 Levee system that was pushed to the brink. This was further accentuated by Tulsa Area Emergency Management Agency (TAEMA) Director, Joe Kralicek, who, when asked how the City of Tulsa would have been affected if the levees had failed, responded that it would have been the “single most catastrophic” natural disaster in Oklahoma’s history. “We would have had at least 24 dead according to the Army Corp of Engineers, hundreds injured and over one billion dollars in damages,” Kralicek said. Other speakers Tuesday included Executive Director Julie Cunningham and other leaders from the Oklahoma Water Resources Board;
Director Mark Gower of the Oklahoma Dept. of Emergency Management; State Engineer Brian Taylor of Oklahoma Dept. of Transportation; President Rob Hill of the Oklahoma Emergency Management Association; Director Trey Lam of the Oklahoma Conservation Commission; Muskogee County Commissioner Stephen Wright; retired Oklahoma Highway Patrolman Gary Isbell of Braggs; and Philip Manes of the Cherokee Nation Emergency Response Team. “I am truly humbled by the interest of our federal, state, local and tribal stakeholders to participate,” Sims said. “We had an exceptional group of presenters today.”
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