PARTY IN THE PENTHOUSES
• Letters to Santa, Pages 11 & 12 • Christmas Coloring Contest winners, Page B2 • Holiday parties, Pages B1, B6 & B7 • Christmas Worship Services, Pages C2 & C3
INSIDE TODAY:
Elaine Levy and Linda Dunn join Allied Arts’ Progressive Penthouse Party. Page C1
OKC FRIDAY Vol. 53 No. 33 • Three Sections • 22 Pages • December 20, 2019
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 45 years
‘Christmas in Candyland’
Britton Road work nearing finish line By Ashley Haley Staff Writer Britton Road commuters and businesses are finally starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel as the yearlong road construction project nears the finish line. After the project was nearly delayed an additional three months after crews had a conflict with a water line, The Village city manager Bruce Stone said two-way traffic is restored for the full mile of Britton Road between Penn and May Avenue after the hole at Sunnymeade Place was filled. He said commercial driveway approaches still need to be paved for all the businesses from Johnnie’s Charcoal Broiler to May Avenue. “All of the lanes were completely paved and they expect to have all the driveways and approaches done by Thursday (Dec. 19),” he said. The timeline is also dependent on the city’s weather conditions as we are in the winter months, Stone added. The Village City Council is considering hosting a ribbon cutting ceremony for the completion of the Britton Road construction project, but plans have come to a halt with the completion date of the project still unknown. Stone said the final work to be done is the bridge extensions at Village Drive and Harrison Park, as well as the sidewalk. “I’m glad that we’re almost there. I think we all are,” Stone said. “It’s been terrible, but we survived it.”
- Photos by Ron Vavak
The Hickman Music School presented its annual musical extravaganza. “Christmas in Candyland” was an adorable way to bring in the Christmas season. Above: Sugar Plum, Taylor Ahrberg places candy canes on the tree. At right: Hershey Kiss, Sophia Lappano, looks very sparkly as she waits for the show to start.
Following traditions helps make the season merry and bright Compiled by Rose Lane Editor Be it attending candlelight worship services or baking gingerbread houses, most families have at least one holiday tradition they follow each and every year. Below are some of our readers’ most beloved traditions. ••• There is an old German tradition to hide a pickle ornament in the tree. Whoever finds the Old World Pickle first gets an
extra gift. We started when the children were young with a large pickle. As they grew older we made the hunt more difficult and would hide a tiny Gurken pickle. It is such fun. We celebrate Christmas Eve dinner with our favorite family members, the Mark Sullivans and the Cliff Branans— plus all the members of our extended families plus friends. It’s a big fun gathering. After the family festivities we head to Midnight
Mass and pray Santa comes. Merry, Merry. Suzy Bennett ••• At the end of the holiday season, as I’m packing up my Christmas décor in boxes to go up in the attic for the year, I write my future self a note with a Sharpie on artist paper and pack it away. It’s a numbered list of things to remember, to avoid, to do again, to watch for, lessons learned, etc. The list See Holiday, Page 8
FRIDAY’s
Dog of the Week Hello my name is Fizzy and I’m spending my first Christmas with my new roommate Cy Prigmore. He has a cute house with lots of tempting stuff to tear up but I’m being good and waiting for Santa! I’m a Westie mix and I’m a happy rescue dog! Email Dog of the Week, Baby of the Week and Cat of the Week submissions to rose@okcfriday.com.
Sponsored by Paulette and Leo Kingston of WePayFast.com
The Senner family’s tradition is to ring bells for the Salvation Army at the Sam’s Club on Memorial Road. From left: Scott, Deborah and Brevin. They were representing the Downtown Rotary Club.
Bids to be opened for animal shelter By Ashley Haley Staff Writer The Village animal shelter improvement project has been partially funded through donations and city manager Bruce Stone is expected to open bids the city’s portion of the project in January. The Village Animal League (VAL), a group of volunteers who help maintain the local animal shelter, first proposed the project earlier this year to improve the shelter with a new floor plan, roof, kennel floors, bathing stations, a system where the animals can go outside independently and more. At a prior city council meeting,
the council agreed to fund about 30 percent of the project or about $28,000 using funds saved from other projects. The project is estimated to cost $94,000. Over half of the estimated costs were covered through donations of services and labor, and Stone said about $35,000 more was donated. “We have raised enough money in donations for the shelter,” he said. “It’s more than enough to get started.” The Village staff also met with VAL representatives and the Oklahoma Humane Society (OHS) to discuss a contract for OHS to See VILLAGE, Page 2