YEAR IN
REVIEW ’17
I
nside this 2017 Year in Review, you’ll find a glimpse of the local top stories for each month based on pages views on www.newsstar.com. The following are some of the News-Star’s overall top local stories of 2017.
#stgregorys St. Gregory’s University closes After failing to secure a $12.5 million loan, SGU shocked students, alumni and the community when it was announced in November that the college would close at the end of the semester, leaving hundreds of students making other plans for their education. SGU, with a long history in the area, held its final graduation in early December.
#officerterney Tecumseh police officer shot, killed In March, Tecumseh Police Officer Justin Terney was shot while chasing a passenger from a latenight traffic stop. Terney died the following morning. Byron Shepard, 36, is charged with first-degree murder in Terney’s death and prosecutors are seeking the death penalty in the case. The driver of the vehicle stopped that night, Brooklyn D. Williams, 23, is charged with second-degree murder in the case. Their cases are still progressing through Pottawatomie County District Court.
#wolvesnationalchamps National champions The Shawnee baseball team set history last season when they won their third straight Class 5A State
Championship at Yukon. The boys were not only the top team in the state, but were ranked No. 1 in a number of national polls, including USA Today which solidified their No. 1 ranking in the nation. The team was powered by three NCAA Division I recruits in Eli Davis (University of Kansas), Jake Taylor (Oklahoma State University) and Tanner Sparks (Oklahoma State University). Shawnee Athletic Director Todd Boyer coached the team before stepping down after the season, but not before being named USA Today Coach of the Year. Boyer traveled to Tucson, Arizona, on Dec. 1, where he represented the team as they were awarded the National High School Baseball Coaches Association national championship trophy.
businesses also have built new facilities or have expanded in 2017, including the new Joe Cooper Ford and Chevrolet dealerships, as well as a major expansion project at George Fischer Central Plastics.
#closures Unexpected business closures Residents were surprised to learn Shawnee’s Kmart was set for closure in October, and in an unexpected announcement in early December, The Delta Cafe, a longtime eatery, announced its closure Dec. 7.
#eatyourveggies Blue Zones launches in Shawnee: In August residents gathered at the Blue Zones Project Pottawatomie County Kickoff Celebration, which initiated the start of an active, concerted effort to improve the community’s — and county’s — overall wellbeing. Shawnee is the first in the state and 42nd in the world to embrace the Blue Zones initiative.
#bondissues School bonds and local construction Several area school districts passed school bond issues for expansion or additions of new schools, including Shawnee, McLoud, Dale, North Rock Creek and Tecumseh. Many schools, throughout 2017, also continued to rely on the county’s education sales tax to fund equipment or other needed items for their districts.
#economicdevelopment Business growth and construction The Shawnee area has seen a lot of business growth and new construction in 2017, from new restaurants built such as Schlotzsky’s and Freddy’s, to construction beginning on several major projects, such as the new $4.5 million Domino Plaza, Harbor Freight Tools, as well as the new Pottawatomie County Museum downtown. Longtime existing
#tennisanyone? Avedis Park open to students, public
Thanks to the Avedis Foundation, August brought many new outdoor resources to Shawnee Middle School students and the public, as well. SMS Avedis Park, on the school’s grounds at 4300 N. Union Ave., serves students and the neighborhood with brand new tennis courts and basketball courts just south of the school, as well as walking trails and an amphitheater on the west side. A $1.5 million Avedis grant helped the middle school with the many-faceted project .
We are Proud of Our Company, Our People and Our Community 62 Years of Tradition In Shawnee
Happy New Year