Owasso City Magazine March/April Issue

VETERANS

TRIBUTE

PROFILE

EAGLE OPS BENEFIT

DONNIE RAY

SAM YESTREBSKY

MARCH/APRIL 2019

THIS MONTH: END OF TRAIL ★ CITY NEWS - PUBLIC SAFETY ★ MARCH/APRIL EVENTS CALENDAR

I don’t just see a customer.

I see you.

While other insurance companies just see a customer, I see a neighbor in my community. I’m here to get to know who you really are so I can help life go right.

LET’S TALK TODAY.

Kaci Miller, Agent 9500 N 129th East Avenue Suite 213 Owasso, OK 74055 Bus: 918-272-8888 kaci@kacimiller.com www.kacimiller.com

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State Farm Bloomington, IL

UPFRONT

upfront What you are holding in your hands is history, and that’s said with no hyperbole. Not only is this magazine filled with Owasso history, but this, the first issue of Owasso Magazine, is making history. It is the first step in what we are confident will be a long and happy relationship.

Owasso is a great city, and our feature story explores its rich history. Dating way back to 1881 in Indian Territory and incorporated prior to Oklahoma statehood, Owasso was known throughout the country as the depot for the Kansas, Oklahoma Central & Southwestern Railway Company.

Later the railway became the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway Company and the community adopted the Osage Indian word “Owasso,” meaning “the end of the trail” or “the turn around.”

conversation turned to her home town. Good stuff for sure.

I’m also really excited about the Owasso Community Theater Company’s upcoming season of shows. It’s always good to see our friends and family pull together for something that the whole community can enjoy.

I’d be remiss not to mention Wheels and Thrills Family Entertainment Center. I absolutely can’t wait for the next skating session, and Wheels and Thrills is doing it right. I’ll for sure hit the laser tag and arcade the next time I’m there.

12324 E 86th St N, PMB Box 434 Owasso, OK 74055

Publisher/Owner

Brian Engel brian@owassomagazine.net Art Direction

Copper Cup Images design@coppercupimages.com Senior Editor

Tim Hudson thudson@owassomagazine.net Account Executives

Kay Clopp kclopp@owassomagazine.net Marya Gray mgray@owassomagazine.net Melissa Lambert mlambert@owassomagazine.net Andrea Whitchurch awhitchurch@owassomagazine.net Project Manager

Plus, you should get excited about the new Fire Station, the Donnie Ray Crawford Memorial Race, and Eagle Ops, too. But don’t take my word for it, just turn the page….

Just a few pages from here, writer Kelsey Walker delves into the history of the depot and the name Owasso, by way of Marilyn Hinckle at the Owasso Historical Museum. The museum is a jewel in the city’s crown, and if you haven’t stopped by lately, you owe it to yourself — it’s well worth the short trip.

Another hot spot in this issue is Samantha Yestrebsky. Without question, Sam’s star is on the rise and her’s will be a name to remember. I spoke with Sam while she was exploring the streets of Manhattan, and the

Volume I Issue I

LaTrisha Dowell trisha@owassomagazine.net Calendar/Social Media

calendar@owassomagazine.net Contributing Writers

Scott Goodpaster Tim Hudson Tim Landes Ray Owens Kelcey Nobles Kelsey Walker Contributing Photographers

Owasso Historical Musuem Kelcey Nobles

All Rights Reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, copied or otherwise, without prior permission of Owasso Magazine.

ABOUT THE COVER Photos compliments of Owasso Historical Musuem Creative Concept by Tim Hudson Design by Copper Cup Images

Tim Hudson, senior editor Owasso Monthly Magazine MARCH/APRIL 2019 | Owasso City Magazine

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WHAT’S INSIDE

what’s inside...

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Upfront

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City News: Complex to be a Game Changer

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School Success: Tumbling to the Top Rams Cheerleaders Bring Home National Title

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Leadership: Oklahoma Education Owasso Sen. J.J. Dossett Looking for More State Support

Arts & Entertainment: Putting the Art in Heart Owasso Community Theatre Company Makes Art Accessible

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Feature: End of the Trail Owasso’s Growth from a Turnaround Town to a Hot Spot

Tribute: Memorial Race Honors Slain Driver Donnie Ray Crawford’s Memory Lives on Through Annual Event

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Veterans: Want to Run with a Hero?

Eagle Ops Looking to Benefit Veterans & At-Risk Youth

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Family Fun: Wheels and Thrills Roller Skating Just one of the Many Fun Options at Center

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Profile: To Manhattan and Beyond Sam Yestrebsky Making it Big with Acting Career

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Events Calendar

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Business Spotlight: Get Your Caffeine Fix at Drip New Business Helps Power Up Redbud District MARCH/APRIL 2019

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Owasso City Magazine | MARCH/APRIL 2019

SCHOOL SUCCESS

Tumbling to the Top Rams Cheerleaders Bring Home National Championship

by Kelcey Nobles After a disappointing beginning to the 2018-2019 competitive season, the boys and girls of the Owasso Varsity Cheer Squad are back on top.

The Owasso Rams cheerleaders were dealt a difficult situation in September of 2018, after a technicality in their routine disqualified the squad from taking home the title of Large Coed State Cheer champs at the Oklahoma Secondary School Activities Association State High School Cheerleading Competition. This hit the squad hard, especially after having received the highest score in the event.

Things started looking up in November. The Rams headed to Moore, where they competed in the OSSAA Game Day Class 6A State Competition. This was the first year the squad participated in the event, and only the second year OSSAA had held the competition. The competition consisted of three preliminary routines, including Band Dance, Fight Song, and Crowd Leading. Owasso excelled in each. Unlike other competitions, this one focused on ability to lead a crowd instead of difficulty of skill. The Rams, along with five other cheer squads, advanced to the finals where Owasso cheerleaders combined all three preliminary routines to perform a final three-minute routine. The team’s determination and high spirits paid off, and Owasso Varsity Cheer beat out 14 squads from around the state to take home the gold.

January brought even more excitement, when the squad traveled to Dallas, Texas, for the National Cheerleading Association Senior and Junior High School National Championships. The competition saw more than

Owasso’s cheerleaders were honored at the state capitol.

OWASSO RAMS NATIONAL CHAMPION CHEERLEADERS

a dozen high school varsity squads from around the county competing for the championship title. In an exhilarating turn of events, the Rams were named NCA Grand National Champions, Game Day National Champions, and brought home three prestigious awards, including NCA Large Coed Advanced National Champions, Superior Showmanship, and Best Use of Stunts. The team received an overall average score of 98.1185 points, surpassing the John Horn High School cheer team from Mesquite, Texas, whose score fell just short at 98.022 points. “[We are] extremely proud of our cheerleading team on an excellent showing!!!” Owasso Athletics tweeted on January 27.

The Owasso Varsity Cheer squad consists of both male and female athletes and is led by varsity head coach Leslie Van Meter. Van Meter, a former competitive cheerleader herself, coached four years at Norman North High School before coming to work with Owasso Public Schools. She graduated from the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center College of Allied Health, where she studied occupational therapy. In addition, Van Meter was a member of the OU Spirit cheerleading squad, as well as other competitive cheer teams throughout her performing career.

Becoming a national champion is on every cheerleader’s bucket list. The Rams went to nationals and outscored everybody; these kids are clutch. They performed all their stunts and routines flawlessly, and they didn’t crumble under pressure, said Van Meter.

MARCH/APRIL 2019 | Owasso City Magazine

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And the rest is

HISTORY FREE Admis sion

Owasso Historical Museum OPEN Tuesday – Friday | Noon – 4:00 p.m.

Saturday | 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

Other Times by Appointment Closed Sunday, Monday, and Holidays

26 South Main, Owasso • (918) 272-4966 www.cityofowasso.com/283/Historical-Museum Digital Digital Scanning Scanning

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Owasso City Magazine | MARCH/APRIL 2019

LEADERSHIP

Oklahoma Education Owasso Sen. J.J. Dossett Looking for More State Support

by Tim Hudson Senator J.J. Dossett is a lifelong resident of Oklahoma State Senate District 34. He is a 2002 graduate of Owasso High School and a 2006 graduate of Oklahoma State University, where he majored in History Education. Sen. Dossett was a high school teacher and coach at Owasso High School from 2006-2016, prior to being elected to the Oklahoma State Senate. He currently serves as a Master Sergeant in the Oklahoma Air National Guard and has completed two active duty deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan.

work in school buildings, so my goal is to kinda base the agenda on people in school buildings and what they know work.

What does not work needs to change or be eliminated.

What do you see on the horizon for 2019?

A: It’s wide open right now, but I’m hoping for an investment in our school funding formula, which would be operations. That would allow us to hire more teachers, lower class sizes, and hire more support personnel. We also need textbook upgrades, to where we are not running behind like we have been. We are Sen. Dossett resides in Owasso with his educating somewhere around 40,000 new wife Ashley, also a teacher, and their three kids, and doing so with significantly fewer sons. Owasso Magazine recently had a teachers than we did 10 years ago. We used chance to sit down and speak with Sen. Dosto have more teachers and fewer students, sett about this year at the Senate. and that’s where the biggest problems lie.

What’s new at the State Capital this Smaller class sizes produce better outcomes year? for our kids. It makes them more work-ready or post-high-school-ready, whatever that A: Well, committee work just started in Februlooks like, whether it be their trade, training ary. We’ll see where we go from here, as this for their trade, or higher education. We need SEN. J.J. DOSSETT is where the rubber meets the road. Before this, to invest in our high schools so we will have it’s been like this honeymoon better outcomes for our where everyone is going to work Occupation: Oklahoma Air National Guard; Retired teacher & coach kids. together, and everything is Education: B.A. in History Education, Oklahoma State University going to be great. But that’s just Are you seeing supLegislative Experience: Jan. 2016-Present not possible, really, in politics, port for that in Oklahoma Hometown: Owasso but we’ll see. There are already City?

Party: Democrat some hot topics that are going A: I don’t know, you know. to show up in committee early in In the governor’s state of the state, he didn’t issue anything to the session. do with that. He wanted to give teachers another moderate pay School issues are very important to you, right? bump, which I’m okay with, because I think if we address the competitive wage problem that we have yearly, then we don’t A: Yeah, that’s the area where I consider myself an expert, and have to go on strike every now and then to the big gap that we where I can add value to the discussion: My profession as a haven’t addressed for the last 10 years or so. I think that’s good, teacher, a lot of the things we address, especially within the a cost of living adjustment for all the people that work for the education committee. The point of view of a teacher, I think, is state of Oklahoma, including school teachers. But we need an necessary. investment in our operational money, which would be through our school formula. Then schools would have the ability to go Are you introducing some school-based legislation hire more teachers or support personnel and really do a better this year? job of attending to kids’ personal needs. They are little human A: Sure, I got some through last month. One dealt with vaping. beings, we can’t treat them like machines. They need qualified It’s really an epidemic now, the percentage of our youth that are educators every step of the way while we are teaching them the doing this activity. At the state government level, we don’t treat things we desire them to learn. these like they are cigarettes, but to the kids they are the new And you are going to keep fighting for that? cigarettes. There’s a lot of silly things we make our things do, or that are statute that they are supposed to be doing, and they’re A: Definitely. During the teachers’ walkout, none of it was about just not getting the outcome that whoever put them in place salaries. It was all about more funding for their jobs, so they wanted. I’m a school teacher and all my friends and family still could do a better job, and that’s what I’ll keep asking about.

MARCH/APRIL 2019 | Owasso City Magazine

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FEATURE

End of the Trail Owasso’s Growth from a Turnaround Town to a Hot Spot

by Kelsey Walker Across Oklahoma, the impact of Native American tribes can be found in the names of cities that pay tribute to the rich history of the state. Cities such as Pawhuska, Ochelata, Muskogee, Choctaw, Talala, and many more — including Owasso — are believed to have derived their monikers from Native American influence.

66th Street North and North 129th East Ave. The first settler was H.T. Richardson, who built his home on land near Bird Creek with the help of outlaws Bill Doolin and the Cherokee Kid. He became the first resident of a community that sprang up on Elm Creek, a tributary of Bird Creek. The settlement became known as the Elm Creek Settlement.

cattle from the train station for several years, and employed lots of ranch hands from the community.

William Halsell was owner of the Mashed-O Ranch.”

By 1893, Elm Creek comprised several residences, a blacksmith shop, and Preston Ballard’s general store. Ballard received a postal designation for Elm Creek on Feb. 10, 1898, with himself as postmaster.

The Joseph T. Barnes family moved to the settlement in 1897, and Joseph and Luther Barnes bought the blacksmith shop in 1898.

Located in Tulsa County on U.S. Highway 169 just a few short miles “The Halsell Ranch and Cattle north of Tulsa’s city limits, Owasso Business was a large part of the began as a settlement in 1881. ranching business in the Owasso According to Marilyn Hinkle of the area before it became a community,” Owasso Historical Museum, the setsaid Hinkle. “They shipped lots of In June of 1893, plans were made tlement was for a rail line to be located in the “We don’t know who selected the name Owasso. It was probably the extended south Cooweescoowee railroad and/or the U.S. government. We know it is not a Cherokee from Bartlesville to District of the word and suspect it is Osage — close to a word for turn around or the cattle ranches Cherokee Nation, the end because the railroad came south from Kansas and turned in the vicinity of Indian Territory, around at the Owasso site and headed back to Kansas.”

Bird Creek. In 1897, near what is now — Marilyn Hinkle, Owasso Historical Museum 6

Owasso City Magazine | MARCH/APRIL 2019

FEATURE the Kansas, Oklahoma Central and Southwestern Railway Company acquired right of way approximately three miles northwest of the Elm Creek Settlement. The company dammed a natural spring to form a lake as a water supply for the rail line (now on 86th St. North, west of Owasso), and built a depot about a mile south of the lake, which was torn down in 1942. The railroad opted not build a bridge over Bird Creek, so the rail line ended at the settlement with a turnaround near where the Owasso Public Works Administration building is now located. The steam locomotives used the lake for their water supply, and were turned around near the depot and headed back north. The rail line was not extended into Tulsa until 1905.

As was customary at the time, when the railroad came through a settlement, people would gravitate to it and a new town would grow. So it was in late 1898 when Joseph and Luther Barnes moved their blacksmith shop closer to the depot, used the back part as their residence, and became the first official residents.

During 1898, many other residents and businesses moved from the Elm Creek Settlement to the new community. Ballard moved his post office and general store during that time, and the new community

Owasso in 1906

became know as Elm Creek, since the post office retained its name.

The railroad completed its line in 1899, and its parent company, the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway Company, took over the line and property. The first train chugged into Elm Creek on Nov. 1, 1899 — but the settlement’s name would soon change.

“We don’t know who selected the name Owasso,” said Hinkle. “It was probably the railroad and/or the U.S. government. We know it is not a

Cherokee word and suspect it is Osage — close to a word for turn around or the end because the railroad came south from Kansas and turned around at the Owasso site and headed back to Kansas.”

The name of the Elm Creek post office was officially changed to Owasso on January 24, 1900.

That same year, Homer Smith, a pharmacist, opened the first drugstore on the southeast corner of Main and Broadway. Owasso State Bank opened across the street north of the drugstore in a frame building in 1903. In 1906, a brick building replaced the drugstore location as First National Bank.

On March 26, 1904, a plat for the original town site of Owasso, Cherokee Nation, I.T., was signed by the Secretary of the Interior and the town was incorporated. At the time the plat was signed, three streets ran north and south: Oklahoma, Kansas and Missouri. Of the eight streets which ran east and west, the northern four (north of what is now Broadway) were named for Union generals (Sheridan, Thomas, SherMARCH/APRIL 2019 | Owasso City Magazine

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FEATURE man, and Grant), and the southern four (Lee, Johnson, Jackson, and Longstreet) were named for Confederate generals. Those original street names were changed to their present names around 1960.

By the time Oklahoma became a state in 1907, Owasso had a population of 379 inside town limits, but had three times that many people living outside its borders. The first newspaper was The Owasso Ledger, which was first published on August 7, 1903 by U. P. Wardrip. The subscription price was $1 per year, paid in advance. By 1904, three or four hotels had been built to house train passengers traveling to Tulsa, including the JT Barnes Hotel, located closest to the depot.

The town also had two grain elevators, a bank, drug stores, general stores, millinery (hat-making) stores, hardware stores, livery stables, grain and feed companies, cotton gins, lumber companies, blacksmith shops, restaurants, grocery stores, coal companies, barber shops, construction companies, livestock auctioneers, stockyards, meat & produce markets, dry goods stores, a real estate company, a development company, an attorney, doctors, and dentists. The first school in Owasso

was by subscription. Native Americans attended free of charge, and white children paid. The first church

services were held in a Baptist church at what is now 76th and Birch.

Owasso’s business district and the community continued to grow.

The Pioneer Telephone and Telegraph Company was granted a franchise on February 6, 1905, for the town’s first telephone exchange.

Until the first water tower was erected in 1924, with Spavinaw as the water source, water was brought into town in barrels from the Owasso Lake and sold for 50 cents a barrel.

According to the Oklahoma Historical Society, at about the same time, oil was discovered in the area, and the community experienced an oil and natural gas boom. Prosperity continued until about 1929, the beginning of the Great Depression.

As roads were built and the railway improved, people began going to Tulsa, just 12 miles away, for their

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FEATURE business needs. The town’s population decreased, and business establishments were abandoned, torn down, or burned and were not replaced. In the 1940s, only a dozen enterprises operated, and by 1950 the population stood at 431.

Then in 1952, rapid growth began as transportation access allowed industry to develop in the nearby area and residents to commute to jobs. Following the end of World War II, and the growth of the airline industry, workers settled in Owasso to be close to Spartan’s Douglas, Rockwell, and American Airlines, Hinkle said.

According to the Oklahoma Historical Society, Raywood, the first new tract addition of 68 homes, was established in 1952. Owasso quickly became a “bedroom” community for Tulsa, which was rapidly growing northward. By 1955, the number of retail outlets doubled. The downtown buildings were connected to a new sewer line on July 1, 1953. The Port

of Catoosa, the nation’s most inland water port, was completed southeast of town in 1971. The Tulsa International Airport grew larger as well, adding to the available amenities and employment opportunities.

The 1960 census registered 2,032 residents.

“The area was a cattle ranching and dairy farming community for many years,” Hinkle said. “The price of land and the growth of

Owasso Historical Society & Museum History The Historical Society was founded in 1979. Before Owasso had a Historical Society, photographs and items of Owasso’s history were taken to the Owasso Library to be placed on display or for safekeeping. A group of citizens interested in preserving the history of Owasso began meeting on February 8, 1979, with the goal of organizing a historical society.

After the Historical Society purchased the building, volunteer labor refurbished it to be used as a museum, which was officially opened on November 3, 1991. The vacant lot to the south of the museum building was purchased from the City of Owasso in 1996, and in 2001 a 1200-square-foot addition was completed on the west side (back) of the building.

The Owasso Historical Museum is housed in a brick structure on Main Street known as the Komma Building.

John Komma built it in 1928 to house the Mapes and Komma Grocery and Market, a business owned by W.T. Mapes and Rose Komma. In 1934, after the death of Mr. Mapes, the name was changed to Komma’s Grocery.

The museum is now owned, maintained and operated by the City of Owasso. The Owasso Historical Society is still involved with the museum, and members serve as volunteers and assist with displays.

When Rose Komma retired after 39 years in business, she sold the building to a New York firm. That firm later sold it to Pandora Ellis Parsons, granddaughter of Dr. Jacob B. Ellis, a medical doctor who practiced in Owasso in the early 1900s. From that time until the Owasso Historical Society purchased the building from Mrs. Parsons on August 31, 1987, it was utilized by several businesses, including a flower shop, an insurance office, and a pump supply store.

Some of the unique items featured in the museum include a working player piano and many piano rolls, a working Edison Fireside Model A Phonograph manufactured only from 1909-1911, a phonograph horn with approximately two dozen cylinder records, a 1920s chicken incubator, a wooden ice box, and artifacts from some of the early Owasso businesses.

Source: www.cityofowasso.com

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FEATURE Oklahoma encouraged the sale of the land to developers for housing.

In the 1950s, when the area really began to grow, C.B. Sherrill, J. Ray Smith, and Kenneth Woods were developers and builders in the area.

Harold Charney was an attorney who established his practice in Owasso and D.M Sokolosky, a pharmacist, moved to the area.

Each was instrumental in the growth and development of the city.”

Due in part to its proximity to Tulsa, and to its small-town atmosphere, Owasso sustained a pattern of steady growth, according to the Oklahoma Historical Society. In June of 1973 the city annexed 555 acres, doubling its size. The 1970 population of 3,491 expanded to 6,487 in 1980 and 11,151 in 1990.

Industrial development proceeded through the 1980s and 1990s, and factories included American Airlines, with 9,000 employees, Nordam Group, with 1,700, and

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Owasso City Magazine | MARCH/APRIL 2019

Whirlpool, with 1,200. Telecommunications provider MCI WorldCom employed 2,200. The Owasso School District operated 13 schools and was also a major employer.

“We changed from a town to a city form of government on Sept 28, 1972, which provided the benefits that allowed our community to continue to grow,” Hinkle said.

FEATURE Armistice Day 1919 Owasso Celebration

In 2000, the population stood at 18,502; by the time the 2010 census was released, Owasso had swelled to 28,915 residents.

Ranching, dairy farming, and railroad industries influenced the early development of Owasso. Today, the city’s key industries include the public school system, Cherokee Industrial Park, steak and poultry, and the Port of Catoosa, Hinkle noted.

Now, Owasso is no longer a “turnaround” city. It offers convenient access to a major airport, three major highways, excellent school systems and a short commute to employment opportunities in Tulsa, Broken Arrow, Claremore, and Bartlesville.

“It is a family-oriented community with excellent housing opportunities and community activities,” Hinkle said.

For more about the history of Owasso, visit the Owasso Historical Museum at 26 S. Main Street, or call 918-272-4966. The museum is open from noon to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday.

Sources: Marilyn Hinkle, Owasso Historical Society; City of Owasso; and The Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture.

MARCH/APRIL 2019 | Owasso City Magazine

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PROFILE

To Manhattan and Beyond Sam Yestrebsky Making it Big with Acting Career

by Tim Hudson Sam Yestrebsky is in Manhattan as this article is being written. In Oklahoma, the weather changes quickly. In New York it tends to hover. On that particular day, with much of the northeast caught in the recent arctic blast, temperatures were hovering around single digits.

to critical acclaim, and went on to win three Golden Globe Awards and five Primetime Emmy Awards thus far.

“I got to see some of my favorite actors working right alongside me. That was amazing,” she said. “To see something of that scale working….the writing, the cinematography, the costumes, just the work that they put into that show, was incredible.”

“It is freezing,” Sam said into the phone that morning, apologizing for the street noise. “It’s pure insanity, it’s so cold it hurts While the Mrs. Maisel gig looks your face.”

“A lot of people ask me if it was hard to move from good on the resume and is a great Owasso to New York and was it a culture shock. It But the cold is tolerable. After jumping off point, Sam is certainly didn’t feel like it to me. This was where I needed all, she’s there to make a movie keeping busy while in the big city. to be, the next step in my life, so it wasn’t a super after landing some pretty high-pro“I just had a rehearsal for an big transition for me.” file acting gigs that have her poised independent film I’m working on to be the next big thing. Of course sometime in March,” she said, the biggest one so far is a turn on the Amazon Prime hit “The adding that in the film her character is a girl who is best friends Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” a show that’s cool by most anyone’s with the main character who finds that she had a doppleganger standards and has a bevy of A-list names involved. of herself.

"It’s so good. It was the most amazing experience I have “The show, called “The Rabbit,” is about how that plays out, ever had in my entire life,” she said excitedly. “That set is miland a lot of tangled relationships.” lions and millions of dollars, and everything ran so smoothly.”

“The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” tells the tale of Miriam Maisel, a housewife in 1958 New York City. The show premiered in 2017

Just a short time after finishing with “The Rabbit,” she’ll be working on a short film in the middle of March and yet another at the end of March through early April.

Sam said the move to New York wasn’t really that difficult.

“A lot of people ask me if it was hard to move from Owasso to New York and was it a culture shock. It didn’t feel like it to me.

This was where I needed to be, the next step in my life, so it wasn’t a super big transition for me,” she said. “I had this idea in my head of what I wanted to do and I did it, and now I’m having a great time.”

She said this whole journey started in sixth grade.

“I was in drama class from sixth grade to my senior year in high school. But it was maybe my freshman or junior year I decided that I wanted to take acting seriously. I felt I’m good at this, I like doing this, so why not?” she said.

“I got started doing a couple of plays with the Owasso Community Theater Company. I was privileged to have seen a lot of theater plays and musicals as a kid, whether through movies or live events, so I think that steered me in that direction.”

Sam working on a shoot on the set of “Mosaic.”

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Fans can follow Sam at www.samanthayestrebsky.com

MARCH/APRIL EVENTS CALENDAR Know of an upcoming event you would like to see on our calendar? Submit the info to calendar@owassomagazine.net for a free listing!

Fri, Mar 1

Wed, Mar 6

Fri, Mar 15

Sun, Mar 24

8 PM

7 PM

11 AM-1 PM

12:30 PM

The Play that Goes Wrong

Auditions for Barbecuing Hamlet

Skate on National Cheesesteak Day

Tulsa Performing Arts Center

Owasso Community Theatre Company

Claremore Main Street Inc. Bangers & Mash Lunch

Welcome to the opening night of “The Murder at Haversham Manor” where things are quickly going from bad to utterly disastrous.

Sat, Mar 2

Wheels and Thrills

Claremore Daily Progress parking lot 8:30 PM

Thu, Mar 28

Mardi Gras Adult Night

6 PM

Wheels and Thrills

Pizza Night

12-2 PM

Wheels and Thrills

Homeschool Skate Wheels and Thrills

Thu, Mar 7 Sun, Mar 17

11 AM

8-9 AM

Fundraiser for Reedy & Dowling Families

Business Over Breakfast

12:30 PM

3 Doors Down Concert

Collinsville Chamber of Commerce

St. Patrick’s Day Skate

The Joint at the Hard Rock Casino

Rib Crib

8 PM

Wheels and Thrills

Owasso High School girls that were in a car accident 2 PM

Auditions for Barbecuing Hamlet,

7 PM

Mon, Mar 18

Mary Glass Performing Arts Center

11 AM

Super Hero Skate Wheels and Thrills

Tulsa Performing Arts Center

Bruce Bruce Concert

6 PM

The Joint at the Hard Rock Casino

Hoverboard Night

World premiere of a full-length ballet about the life of the famous composer. Showing through March 31.

7PM nightly through March 9

The Play that Goes Wrong

8 PM

Tulsa Performing Arts Center

Sun, Mar 3

7:30 PM

“Tchaikovsky: The Man Behind the Music”

Owasso Community Theatre Company

See March 1 event for info. Also showing at 8 PM.

Fri, Mar 29

Freaky Friday: The Musical presented by OHS Drama

Wheels and Thrills

Mon, Apr 1

Sat, Mar 9

Wed, Mar 20

12-2 PM

Homeschool Skate Wheels and Thrills

9 AM

1 & 6:30 PM

Elite Cheer Fundraiser Breakfast

11 AM

The Play that Goes Wrong

Baja Jacks

Family Fun Day Wheels and Thrills

Tulsa Performing Arts Center See March 1 event for info.

Mon, Mar 4 12-2 PM

Thu, Apr 4

Tue, Mar 12 5 PM

11:45 AM-1 PM

Thu, Mar 21

Hodson Elem. McTeachers Night

Collinsville Chamber of Commerce Membership Luncheon

10 AM

GLDN NUGTS

Veterans Community Building

Big Top Carnival

Homeschool Skate Wheels and Thrills

Thu, Mar 14

Wheels and Thrills

5-8 PM

5:30 PM

1 PM

Board Game Night

Kids 80s Night

Opoid Awareness & Education

Owasso Community Center

Zaxby’s

OCC Rams Room

Tue, Mar 5

Kids 12-under dressed up like the 80s receive a free kids meal.

Sat, Mar 23

4:30 PM

8 PM

11 AM

Mardi Gras Thrifty Night Skate

Carrot Top Performs

National Puppy Day

Wheels and Thrills

The Joint at the Hard Rock Casino

Wheels and Thrills

6 PM

Kickoff of the popular event has been delayed until May 2. The Gathering on Main will run the first Thursday of each month through October.

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MARCH/APRIL 2019 | Owasso City Magazine

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Fri, Apr 5

Sat, Apr 13

8 PM

8 PM

Beach Boys Concert

Gladys Knight Concert

The Joint at the Hard Rock Casino

The Joint - Hard Rock Hotel & Casino

Thu, Apr 11

Tue, Apr 16

12-2 PM

8 PM

7:30 PM

Homeschool Skate

Gladys Knight Concert

Waitress

The Joint - Hard Rock Hotel & Casino

Tulsa Performing Arts Center

Thu, Apr 25

The Story of Jenna, a waitress and expert pie-maker. Jenna dreams of a way out of her small town and loveless marriage.

8 PM

Melissa Etheridge Concert The Joint at the Hard Rock Casino

Thu, Apr 18

Sat, Apr 27 6 PM

Wheels and Thrills

Taste of Claremore presented by Claremore Main Street Inc. Downtown Claremore

MARCH/APRIL RECURRING EVENTS MONDAY

1:30 PM

11:45 AM

Owasso Golden Agers Card Bingo

11:30 AM

Owasso Golden Agers Learn to Line Dance

Owasso Chamber of Commerce Monthly Luncheon

OCC Timmy & Cindy Room, (3rd Thursday monthly)

OCC Rams Room

Tulsa Tech’s Owasso Conference Center (1st Wednesday monthly)

Leadership Owasso Program

Owasso Golden Agers Scrabble OCC Eagles Room

Various Locations

2 PM 1 PM

Owasso Golden Agers Bunco

2:30 PM

1 PM

OCC Lobby Area (3rd Tuesday monthly)

YMCA OCC Rams Room

Owasso Golden Agers Line Dancing for Fun

Owasso Golden Agers Parkinson’s Support Group

6 PM

OCC Rams Room

OCC Timmy & Cindy Room

Owasso Golden Agers Pinochle

Owasso City Council/PWAPGA

OCC Recreation Room

Old Central (First 3 Tuesdays monthly)

Line Dances

Owasso Board of Adjustment

6 PM

Owasso Planning Commission Old Central (2nd Monday each month)

Community Room (4th Tuesday) 7 PM

English as Second Language Class

TUESDAY

OCC Recreation Room

8 AM

Owasso Chamber of Commerce Business Over Breakfast Various Locations (2nd Tuesday monthly) 9:30 AM

WEDNESDAY

Owasso Golden Agers Writer’s Club

THURSDAY

OCC Rams Room (1st Thursday monthly)

9:30 AM

Owasso Golden Agers Bingo

1:30 PM

OCC Timmy & Cindy Room

Owasso Golden Agers Learn to Line Dance

10 AM

OCC Rams Room

Owasso Economic Development Authority

8 AM

Community Room (2nd Thursday monthly)

Veterans Donuts & Coffee

Tiny Tots Skate

OCC Timmy & Cindy Room (2nd

Wheels and Thrills

FRIDAY 11 AM

Owasso Golden Agers Community Pot Luck Lunch OCC Rams Room (3rd Friday monthly)

Owasso Golden Agers Bingo OCC Timmy & Cindy Room

12 PM

11:30 AM

Owasso Golden Agers Mexican Train Dominoes

11:30 AM

OCC Timmy & Cindy Room (2nd Wednesday monthly)

Seenagers Acoustic Jam OCC Timmy & Cindy Room

2:30 PM

Owasso Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors Meeting

Owasso Golden Agers Line Dancing for Fun

Various Locations (3rd Thursday monthly)

OCC Rams Room

OHS EVENTS March 1: Owasso Track & Field (B/G) 4PM; Tulsa State Fair FFA Scholarship Applications Due 9AM; Tulsa County FFA Hog Show 910AM 4: Baseball vs. Stillwater 5PM 11: Baseball vs. Bartlesville Time TBA 12: Soccer vs. Bartlesville; 6PM(G), 8PM(B) 13-22: Oklahoma Youth Expo Livestock Show at Oklahoma State Fairgrounds, OKC

ATTIC@20 918-553-1155 14700 E 116TH ST N

14: Socer vs. Bixby; 6PM(G), 8PM(B) 14-16: Owasso Ram Baseball Invitational Time TBA 25: Tennis vs. Claremore 3PM 26: Soccer vs. Shawnee; 6PM(G), 8PM(B) 27: Will Rogers Classic Livestock Judging Contest, 2-3PM Claremore 29: Owasso Ram Relays 4PM OPS Spring Break March 18-22

April 1: Baseball vs. Shawnee Time TBA

OUR CUSTOMERS OUR CUSTOMERS OUR P OUR PRIORITY RIORITY

CLIMATE CONTROL

2: Soccer vs. Norman; 6PM(G), 8PM(B) 4: Baseball vs. Jenks 7PM 5: Soccer vs. Capitol Hill; 5:30PM(G), 7:30PM(B) 6: Owasso Invitational Golf (B) Bailey Ranch Golf Club 8: Owasso Invitational (G) Owasso Golf & Athletic Club; Tennis vs. Jenks (B/G) 3PM 12: Soccer vs. Edmond Santa Fe; 5:30PM(G), 7:30PM(B) 15: NE District Parli Pro FFA Contest, 3:304:30PM; Baseball vs. Sapulpa 7PM

16: Soccer vs. Sand Springs; 6PM(G), 8PM(B) 20: Baseball vs. Life Prep Academy (Kansas) 6PM 22: Baseball vs. Tulsa Union 7PM 26: Baseball vs. Blue Valley (Kansas) 4PM, vs. Bishop Kelley 7PM 29: Baseball vs. Collinsville (Military Night) 7PM; Regional Golf Tournament (B) Bailey Ranch Golf Club 30: State FFA Convention

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Owasso City Magazine | MARCH/APRIL 2019

BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT

Get Your Caffeine Fix at Drip New Business Helps Power Up Redbud District

by Tim Landes It’s 3 p.m on the first Friday of February and Drip: The Beverage Lab is three quarters full. There’s more than 30 people getting some sort of mid-afternoon caffeine boost inside the new business, located at 201 S. Main St in the middle of the new SEVEN6MAIN building in the new Redbud District.

A woman and two young girls play a game of Owasso-Opoly at a central table. One of the young girls moves her silver playing piece past Go and collects $200 as she sucks down a frappé. A small piece of whipped cream slides down the side of the domed plastic lid.

The second girl rolls the dice and considers buying some property.

One table over from the battle for Owasso real estate is a trio of men enjoying various espressos as they talk to owner Al Soto. He’s wearing a backpack and looks as if he was leaving when he stopped to talk to the customers.

They’re discussing his methods for brewing espressos. Soto is excited and animated as he talks about the finer points of using Ethiopian versus Kenyan beans. He looks at the time on his phone and says he has to run. Soto asks their names and thanks them for their patronage & their interest in his work. He tells them he hopes to see them again and leaves to meet with the property owner about parking issues. Every time I visit

Patrons enjoy an afternoon boost at Drip: The Beverage Lab, in the Redbud District.

the shop, the parking lot is at capacity, and that’s during what are typically offpeak hours.

quah. In 2012, it became Drip: The Beverage Lab, which created the blueprint for this Owasso shop.

Drip faces north and is lined with windows along that side and the west. Its central location in the red brick building means the west side looks out to a covered patio.

Left to run the business in Soto’s absence is his teenage daughter, Sheariel Soto, along with two other young baristas.

The interior features white walls, soft lighting, and natural stained wood tables with white metal chairs. There’s a row of bar seating along the north window.

Soto started in the coffee business a decade ago with Espresso911 in Tahle-

Sheariel is about to become a junior in online schooling. She’s thrilled her dad opened the coffee shop and subsequently hired her to serve Topeca Coffee or Counter Culture Coffee, depending on the day. She says other popular items include espresso + milk, the coffee frappés, and the Riverhawk fruit smoothie.

Drip also boasts a food menu that features crepes, bagels, sandwiches, soups, muffins, and more.

She has a massive smile on her face as she shares how happy she is to be in Owasso, and even more excited to be getting her start in the family business.

“I’m excited to have the opportunity to work and get a head start in the coffee business,” says Sheariel. “It’s all about the coffee. I love it. That, and I enjoy the people.”

MARCH/APRIL 2019 | Owasso Magazine

15

CITY NEWS

Complex to be a Game Changer

by Tim Hudson The new state-of-the-art Owasso Public Safety Complex will be a game changer according to Owasso Fire Department Deputy Chief Jon Wintle.

“This will be second to none in the state,” Wintle told Owasso Magazine.

Ground was broken for the complex on Sept 29, 2017, on a 10-acre site located at 116th Street North, just east of Garnett. The facility will house the new Owasso Fire Department facility, a three-station bay, and quarters for eight people — in addition to having space for a satellite police department and public works area.

“It will also house a burn structure, which can be used for Police Department simulations that involving simunition,” he says, referencing the non-lethal projectiles police often use for trainings. “It looks like a neighborhood and will primarily be used for burn training. It’s completely state of the art.”

He says that the City of Tulsa built a training facility five or six years ago that at the time was considered state of the art, but has changed over the years.

“This one has a few of the same attributes as theirs; we will be using ours for several things,” he said. “We hope in the future to utilize them together.”

Funding for the facility was approved as a capital improvement, and the total cost of the $17.6 million was achieved via a half-penny sales tax.

Wintle says that building the center also enabled the department to hire much needed firefighters.

He says that the number of calls to the Owasso Fire Department have somewhat stabilized, but they have been trending upward.

“We have demands from the call volume, and we run outside of city limits in the unincorporated areas, especially to “We have already hired 13 new the west,” he said. people and put them through “This will be second to none in the state.

“We are trying to get ahead of their academy. We are heavily This is definitely going to help our coverage, that as creatively as possible. A staffed right now. We wanted to as we will have to call less for mutual aid. benefit to this is that over the get them trained beforehand, so This is just a very positive development.” years we have been trying to up when the center is open we can — OFD Deputy Chief Jon Wintle our staffing to meet the demand. put them in the field and they are We have capital improvement money that has supported ready to roll,” he said. that and it’s been great. There’s upkeep and all that stuff to “This is definitely going to help our coverage, as we will consider, but the staffing level has been pretty important to have to call less for mutual aid.” the future.”

The combination of the Public Safety Complex and the new firefighters will also be good news for residents in the north end of the community.

“This will definitely help our coverage in the northern corridor, on the very north end of Owasso,” he said. “This is just a very positive development.”

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Owasso City Magazine | MARCH/APRIL 2019

ARTS &E NTERTAINMENT

Putting the Art in Heart Owasso Community Theatre Company makes Arts Accessible

by Scott Goodpaster Owasso Community Theatre Company has a mission: Make the performing arts accessible to everyone. The most recent and successful example of this was the run of “Vintage Hitchcock: A Live Radio Play” at the Bailey Education Foundation. A triple feature in the style of a 1940s radio broadcast complete with vintage commercials, a train chase, and a serial killer, it brought the master of suspense’s trademark style to the stage. Six adults, six teenagers, an eleven-year-old, and a nine-year-old made up the cast.

In past seasons, OCTC produced shows tailored to a particular age group.

One show per season featured elementary-age children, another cast teens, and another cast only adults. OCTC has added one show per season with a multigenerational cast.

Here is where the heart comes in.

The board of OCTC provides an environment where adults mentor teens, teens mentor youngsters, and great relationships are formed by members of the community. Everyone is at their best when trying to be a role model to others.

Because of this, more multi-generational shows are on the horizon for next season, and with them more opportunities to build friendships throughout the community. For many, especially children, OCTC

Board members Stephanie Cook, Jami Shine, Cindy Nagley, and Kay Neldon at Vintage Hitchcock.

Actors Kessiah Neff, Gordon Heard, Chris Larson, Marie Sanders, Kira Brown, Alyssa Combs, and Allie Holler in Vintage Hitchcock.

provides an introduction to theater arts.

For high school students already participating in the school drama department, OCTC provides yet another opportunity to be involved with theater — both while in school and after graduation.

Performances are usually staged at Owasso High School or the 7th Grade Center, and at various local elementary schools. The most recent production was the first ever held at Bailey Education Foundation, and OCTC looks forward to partnering with them again.

OCTC is excited about a new outdoor pavilion planned for the Redbud Festival Park.

In addition to OCTC, Owasso is home to The Owasso Community Choir, The Owasso Youth Symphony, The Owasso Gospel Opry, and numerous dance, music, gymnastic, and cheer studios. All have relationships with different schools, churches, or supporters. Unfortunately, the primary mission of those venues often prevents scheduling and

reserving space far enough in advance.

With so many vibrant arts organizations, they are hopeful the city and/or a benefactor with heart will provide a venue dedicated to the performing arts. A new building or a renovated older building would be an excellent addition to the revitalized downtown area.

OCTC’s next performance, “Barbecuing Hamlet,” will cast 18-older actors in a hysterical farce. The play is about a less-thanprofessional theatre company’s attempt to stage Shakespeare’s “Hamlet.” Performing in a renovated funeral home that happens to serve barbecue, set in the old west, and with only four characters to play all parts in this five-act tragedy, what could possibly go wrong?

Auditions are tentatively set for March 2 & 4, and the performance is tentatively set for May 2-4 at the 7th Grade Center.

Find out more about OCTC at: www.facebook.com/OwassoCommunityTheaterCompany MARCH/APRIL 2019 | Owasso City Magazine

17

TRIBUTE

Memorial Race Honors Slain Driver Donnie Ray Crawford’s Memory Lives On Through Annual Event

by Ray Owens Set for March 29-30 at the Port City Raceway, the 8th Annual Donnie Ray Crawford Memorial Race offers a thrilling and entertaining time for area race fans.

Family, friends, and fellow racers hold the annual event to raise money for the Donnie Ray Crawford Legacy Foundation, a 501c3 established to help provide financial assistance to young adults who are pursuing a higher education.

“We are really excited about the race,” said Crawford’s mother, Jodie Crawford. “We really hope everyone comes out and has a good time.”

Crawford was tragically killed at the age of 24, on January 14, 2012. At the time of his death, Crawford was about to go to the popular Chili Bowl race, also held at Port City. He was scheduled to start college to study petroleum engineering the following Monday.

According to Megan Eubanks with Port City Raceway, the foundation was “set up to provide scholarships for students who wanted to further their career or better themselves, as far as a college education could give them.”

“We also supplement money for mission trips and driver relief funds for drivers that have been injured or have lost their life,” Eubanks said.

In 2008, Donnie Ray was touted a hero after he saved the life of 12-year-old Harli White by pulling her out of a burning race car. Dramatic viral video of the rescue was featured on the Oprah Winfrey Network and ESPN, along with a host of local and sports stations.

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Owasso City Magazine | MARCH/APRIL 2019

Jodie says her son was only two days old when he attended his first sprint car race. His father, multi-champion Donnie Crawford, was racing. She says that when her son later fell in love with the sport, he experienced first hand the special bonds that are created in the racing environment with family, friends, and fans.

Donnie began his racing career at age 10, participating in a variety of sprint car, midget, and mini-sprint competitions and winning numerous titles along the way. These titles included the Chili Bowl Rookie of the Year in 2007, which he clinched by finishing in 5th place overall.

According to Jodie, Donnie Ray was a born again Christian and “always did his best to live a life that would make God proud of him.”

“He proudly ran a symbol of a fish with a seven in the middle of it on the side of all his race cars,” she said. “This symbol stood for living a Christian life seven days a week.”

According to Eubanks, the amount of scholarships given out through the past seven years of races has exceeded $80,000.

“We believe in what we do because we see it work, and it’s very rewarding for these kids to receive these scholarships,” she said. “They carry on Donnie Ray’s legacy and what he believed in.”

More information on the benefit race, as well as applications for scholarships, can be found by visiting www.donnieraycrawford.com.

VETERANS

Want to Run with a Hero?

Eagle Ops Looking to Benefit Veterans & At-Risk Youth

by Ben Tramer Owasso-based non-profit Eagle Ops is gearing up for its first big fundraiser, after several very successful years working with the Disabled American Veterans.

“This year is going to be our first go at putting on a 5k event,” Eagle Ops co-founder Johnathan Shepherd said of the inaugural Run with a Hero race.

“We built the largest team in the Disabled American Veterans’ largest fundraiser. In 2017 we were the largest team in the nation, and that was out of events in six cities. We had about 440 people, it was a huge turnout.

Eagles Ops staff found a lot of success hosting the “Honor Bridge” at the tail end of the race. Volunteers put up “honoree signs” for about 200 fallen soldiers for the Boulder Bridge portion, essentially the last half mile, of the race.

“That became our real focus,” he said. “We stopped counting after about 200, and after that, we decided to go on with our own run.”

The Eagle Ops first annual Run with A Hero 5K will take place at Mohawk Park on June 29, followed by a Military/Veteran & First Responder Family Day. Shepherd says that Eagle Ops believe in being difference makers.

“Many veterans often experience a lost sense of purpose after their journey home, and our at-risk youth often battle to discover a healthy sense of purpose,” Shepherd said. “As a part of our Reach One More Operation, we’ve created the Eagle Ops Run with a Hero 5K.” The overall aim of the event is to provide an opportunity for at-risk youth to connect with community heroes while they run or walk the event.

“All military, veterans, first responders, and patriots are invited to join us in this community-building event,” he says. “We hope this mission will build a bridge for our at-risk youth by providing them with a positive role model and encouragement through our community heroes, while at the same time helping our veterans rediscover purpose through service.”

In addition to the runs and the Honor Bridge, the group does several other veteran-related activities.

“Obviously we have the big events, but we are always adding new things,” he said. “We do freedom shoots, which are sponsored by Rise, out of Broken Arrow; we do a corn hole night, as well as fire pit nights.”

Eagle Ops will host its first Run with a Hero 5K this summer.

He said that the biggest reason the organization continues to grow is that they “are totally boots on the ground.”

“We are always looking for events to put up a booth and put out our information.”

“We really want the collaboration and support of the many veteran service organizations to ensure opportunities to connect veterans with the relationships and resources available to them.

We really want to see veterans, veteran families, and patriots form meaningful bonds with each other through social events and activities. These connections build meaningful relationships that combat loneliness and isolation.”

Additional information about Eagle Ops can be found at www.eagleops.org

MARCH/APRIL 2019 | Owasso City Magazine

19

FAMILY FUN

Wheels and Thrills Roller Skating Just One of the Many Fun Options at Center

by Tim Hudson Roller skating is back again at Wheels and Thrills Family Entertainment Center, and this time around there’s more than roller skating — a lot more. According to Wheels and Thrills co-owner Tammy Johnson, roller skating is just one of the many things they have to offer.

“We have lazer tag, a play zone, and an arcade, among other things,” she said.

“A lot of kids come in for skating, and our unlimited wristband allows them to do everything.”

Located at 10637 N. Garnett Rd. in Owasso, Wheels and Thrills is a 26,000square-foot family entetainment center that features a 150’x75’ hardwood maple floor, with state-of-the-art lighting, sound, and special effects.

“We can play your favorite music videos on our gigantic, big screen,” Tammy said. “You just have to ask.”

Tammy co-owns the rink with her husband, Robert, and says they have been going strong since opening in August 2017. The couple’s relationship with roller skating goes back a little longer than that.

“I used to work at Rick’s Rollerena, where Johnstone Carpet is now, and I was really into roller skating,” she said. “I met my husband there, and when it closed down we always wanted to open another one.”

Tammy said Wheels and Thrills offers five different kinds of skates for rental.

“We offer both the classic brownies, which are the tan skates that everyone knows, and speed skates for rental. We also have “trainers”, which are skates that have both little wheels and big wheels for toddlers. They are very hard to fall down with. We have “zippies” for little kids and in-line skates. We offer SkateMate rentals to assist those just learning or those who need a little assis20

Owasso City Magazine | MARCH/APRIL 2019

Wheels and Thrills offers skate rentals for skaters of every skill level.

tance balancing on wheels,” she said.

“They are all the same price.”

In addition to roller skating, Wheels and Thrills offers multi-level, themed laser tag, complete with special effects.

Kids can also explore the center’s 20foot-tall soft-play indoor playground with more than 16 different activities.

For smaller kids, Wheels and Thrills features a play zone, which Tammy says is a climbing structure that has a “super fast slide.”

“The kids really enjoy it,” she said.

For eating, the Wheels and Thrills Food Factory Cafe serves up pizzas, corndogs, burgers, and many other tasty treats.

“The Food Factory is really more like a restaurant; we make our own cheese-on-a-stick and have really good food. It’s the best place in town to have birthday parties. We have character parties and glow parties, too,” she said. “Our party specialist will assist you in creating the perfect group party or corporate event for groups of any size.

The party room has really cool backlighting and has ‘it’s your party’ painted in blacklight paint on one of the walls. The kids love it.”