Find the shamrocks
Summer Camp Guide
Count the shamrocks hidden in the March 12 edition of OKC FRIDAY. Email the number you find to rose@okcfriday.com by 5 p.m. on Thursday, March 18. Those with the correct answer will be in a drawing for a $100 gift card.
Your kids will be happy campers if they can attend summer camp this year! Pages 12 & 13
OKC FRIDAY Vol. 54 No. 42 • One Section • 14 pages • March 5, 2021
www.okcfriday.com facebook.com/okcfriday OKC’s only locally-owned legal newspaper with all local news Serving Oklahoma City, Nichols Hills, The Village, Quail Creek, The Greens and Gaillardia for 47 years
THEY ARE THE CHAMPIONS!
Heritage Hall’s E.J. Beloncik was one of five Fridayland athletes to win a state championship last weekend. Beloncik claimed first in the 160-pound division in wrestling.
- Photos by Kimberly Richelle, kimberlyrichelle.myportfolio.com
Heritage Hall’s K.J. Evans earned a gold medal at 152 pounds in Class 4A.
Heritage Hall’s Owen Flynn won gold medals in the 100yard backstroke and 200 IM.
In The Village, it is sidewalks along Penn By Eric Oesch Staff Writer A new two-mile pedestrian sidewalk was unanimously approved by The Village City Council. The winning $155,750 bid was submitted by Oklahoma City-based Rudy Construction Company. “The sidewalk is five-feet wide and will fill in the gaps along the sidewalk on the east side of Pennsylvania Avenue from Westchester north to Vineyard Boulevard,” said Bruce Stone, city manager. “From Vineyard the sidewalk will extend west to Ridgeview.”
Stone expects construction to begin mid-April with a completion date of July 15. It is possible the project could start and end sooner. He expects the project to take 120 calendar days at most. “Construction of the sidewalk should not impact traffic,” he said, “but if it does it will be only briefly.” Stone said residents who have homes abutting Pennsylvania Avenue will be affected while the sidewalk is installed on the adjacent right of way, but “driveways should never be blocked.” See VILLAGE, Page 2
OKC extends mask ordinance Oklahoma City Council voted to extend the city’s mask ordinance in indoor public places until April 30. The emergency public safety ordinance was set to expire Friday (today). The Council has discretion to revisit the expira-
FRIDAY’s
tion date at future meetings. Public health officials say face coverings are key to slowing the spread of COVID-19. Cases are growing at a slower rate in cities in Oklahoma with See MASKS, Page 2
Dog of the Week
Ralph is a 14-week-old Golden Doodle who enjoyed the snow at Scissor Tail Park. His human is The Village City Councilman Adam Graham. Send Dog, Baby and Cat of the Week nominations with complete descriptions to rose@okcfriday.com. Submissions are used in the order they are received.
Sponsored by Paulette and Leo Kingston of WePayFast.com
McGuinness’ Macy Lewis earned state titles in the 100 backstroke and 100 butterfly.
McGuinness’ Victoria Whitbeck cruised to a state championship in the 200 freestyle. For stories, see Sports, Page 7
Nichols Hills is moving along with street construction on Penn By Eric Oesch Staff Writer As a $1.6 million road construction project continues on Pennsylvania Avenue, the City of Nichols Hills is preparing to let for bids on two construction projects totaling $285,272 in its next phase of a $13 million street bond project approved by voters in 2019. The Pennsylvania Avenue road project began Jan. 11 and currently has north bound drivers detoured through neighborhood streets as Public Works officials estimate the project will be completed mid-August. Rudy Construction is focusing its efforts on Pennsylvania Avenue between Wilshire Boulevard and Westminster Place, in addition to the 1600 block of Drury Lane. The intersection of Elmhurst and Pennsylvania Avenue was closed Feb. 26 and will remain closed until further notice. “This project includes the removal of the old pavement and installation of new concrete pavement on both streets,” said Aaron Buckman, deputy public works director. “Of course, the August completion date depends upon several factors – most importantly the weather.” Public Works Director Randy
- Photo by Vicki Gourley
Work continues on the reconstruction of Pennsylvania Avenue between Wilshire Boulevard and Westminster Place.
Lawrence said the city strives to complete street projects with “as little disruption to our residents as possible. We will always have at least one lane open to drivers, and our residents will always have access to their homes.” Lawrence said two projects totaling $1.56 million were just completed. The reconstruction of the 1800 Block of Devonshire Boulevard from Pennsylvania to Bedford Drive, and the reconstruction of the 1700 block of Kingsbury Lane from Pennsylvania to Bedford Drive included the removal of old and installation of new concrete, See NHILLS, Page 2
OKC Beautiful awards go virtual Partners in Progress is the theme of OKC Beautiful’s 36th Annual Distinguished Service Virtual Awards. The event is set to be streamed from the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum on Thursday, March 25. Honorees will arrive at 11:30 a.m. and the live stream will begin at 11:45. The Distinguished Service Award honorees are: • Mayor’s Award — Chisholm Creek. • President’s Award — Social
Greenery. • Aubrey McClendon Corporate Award — Bank of Oklahoma. • Pendleton Woods Lifetime Achievement Award — Governor Bill Anoatubby, the Chickasaw Nation. • Community Spirit Award — “Together Square” by OG&E, Energy FC, Energy Assist Foundation, Team Griffin Foundation, Fields & Futures and the Myriad Botanical See AWARDS, Page 2