Excursions
Fund in the Sun
Titled "Lobster Telephone" by Dali, at the Tate Modern in London. This was part of the art education for Joy Richardson’s granddaughters on their trip to Europe. Page B5
Oklahoma AIDS Care Fund Board members Phil Burke, Paula Love and Mark Beutler help raise funds for the organization. Page 9.
OKC FRIDAY Vol. 53 No. 15 • Two Sections • 16 Pages August 16, 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
Britton Road project changes lanes
GETTING READY FOR PC Schools offering its own SOME FOOTBALL! virtual classes
By Sara Schlecht Student Intern
By Rose Lane Editor Workers have changed lanes on the reconstruction of Britton Road, opening the westbound roadway and closing the eastbound side. Crossland Heavy Contractors started the $3,954,000 project in January. The entire three-lane, mile-long section of the dilapidated asphalt street between Pennsylvania and May is being torn down to the dirt and rebuilt in concrete. The Village City Manager Bruce Stone said the Oklahoma Department of Transportation is maintaining the entire project will be completed by midNovember which was the original target. While construction continues, Stone said motorists are urged to avoid detouring through residential neighborhoods and to observe other detour options. He said eastbound traffic from May should use Hefner Road or Wilshire Boulevard. The eastbound lane of Britton Road will remain open from Pennsylvania to the east. Access will remain open to businesses on See ROAD, Page 5
FRIDAY’s
- Photo by Ron Vavak
Casady’s Will Dumigan (10) tries to deflect a pass from Caden Reynolds during last Monday’s football practice. The Cyclones, along with other Fridayland schools, are in their second week of fall workouts. See more photos on Page 4.
Virtual education has become a popular alternative to traditional education in a school building. Instead of getting instruction in a classroom, many Oklahoma students now complete their schoolwork anywhere they have an internet connection. As online charter schools grow in popularity, local school districts such as Putnam City have begun offering their own virtual curriculum. Deer Creek has formed a committee to look into virtual options. “In coverage of timely issues, educating the public that there are existing virtual courses through their local public school is of paramount priority,” Sheradee Hurst, the district’s director of communications, said. “Putnam City Schools manages an established online virtual public school that has been successfully operating since 2011 under public school guidelines,” a press release from the district stated. Putnam City Schools offers this program through a partnership with OdysseyWare, a company that provides online curriculum. Students are enrolled in the school district but receive their education through the resources and staff of OdysseyWare. These virtual classes are free to students in the Putnam City district. According to Cory Boggs, executive director of information technology for Putnam City Schools, the district had 77 students enrolled See VIRTUAL, Page 3
Perry inducted into Emmy Circle of Honor
BILL PERRY
Bill Perry, vice president of content production of the Oklahoma Educational Television Authority (OETA), was inducted into the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS) Heartland Emmy Chapter’s Gold Circle Society of Honor. The Gold Circle is an elite group of professionals recognized by the Emmy
Dogs of the Week Shar Pei dogs of the week:Barrett, 14; Khaki, 2; and Duffy, 1. Cindy and Luke Curley's loves are smelling the bacon. Email Dog of the Week, Baby of the Week and Cat of the Week submissions to rose@okcfriday.com. Submissions are used in the order they are received.
Sponsored by Paulette and Leo Kingston of WePayFast.com
Heartland Chapter for making a significant contribution to television spanning a period of at least 50 years. Only two other Oklahomans are among the previous recipients of this honor. According to the NATAS, “the Gold Circle is not an award; it’s a society of honor for television professionals and pioneers in the Heartland Chapter who are
unique for their length of service to the industry, for their pursuit of excellence and for their passion, creativity and commitment to their profession.” Perry said that being inducted into the NATAS Heartland chapter’s Gold Circle is an extraordinary honor. See PERRY, Page 3
First Fidelity tops Forbes Best list First Fidelity Bank, a locallyowned, full-service community bank, was named the Best Bank in Oklahoma on Forbes’ America’s Best Banks in Each State 2019 list. RCB Bank was second, with BancFirst coming in third, Arvest Bank ranking fourth and MidFirst Bank in fifth. “Since 1920, FFB has taken pride in its legacy as a familyowned bank capable of the same sophisticated technology as competing ‘big banks,’” said Lee R. Symcox, president and CEO of First Fidelity Bank. “We are honored to be named Forbes’ Best
Bank in Oklahoma and want to thank our customers and employees.” Forbes partnered with Statista, a market research firm, to produce its annual Best Banks in Each State report. More than 25,000 customers in the U.S. were surveyed for their opinions on their current and former banking relationships. Financial institutions were scored on overall recommendations and satisfaction, as well as in five subdimensions, which included trust, terms and conditions, branch services, digital services and financial advice.