City Council to Bypass P&Z Board

For the first time in at least a decade, the Grove Planning & Zoning Board will be bypassed by Grove City Council, when it discusses amendments to the city's height zoning restrictions Sept. 18.

The P&Z Board currently has two vacancies and will not hold a September meeting.

Normal Halterman resigned Aug. 16 and Bettie Kardos-Bishop, who has served on the board since 1997, did not wish to be re-appointed and her term ends in October.
Members of the P&Z board are upset that normal procedures are not being followed, to first post a notice of the proposed changes, then hold a public P&Z hearing on the matter.

In her resignation letter to Council, Mrs. Halterman said "it is extremely disheartening when, as in the past three to four months, any kind of positive growth in Grove seems to have reached a stalemate, in fact, we seem to be going backward rather than forward...it simply does not serve the public good when there exists an agenda to go backward to 'the good ole days' or 'the way things used to be' or continually casting aspersions toward persons who formerly occupied specific positions as well as saving positions of employment for a favorite 'bubba' when there is a vacancy....Keeping tensions at a high level is tremendously destructive to the kind of growth we need and would like to see in Grove."

There is no law requiring such matters to be first considered at a P&Z meeting before being taken up by City Council.

Sources told The Observer that the reason for the Sept. 18 discussion is that there are several developers waiting for approvals to build up to six-story high rise condominiums in Grove, one in particular at Barker's Marina on Wolf Creek.

The city's fire department does not have equipment for structures taller than three stories and a new truck would cost $1 million, sources said.
In addition, the new Grove Integris Hospital is thought to be the equivalent of five stories tall; the new Seneca Cayuga Casino on Highway 59 will have a five story hotel. At least two other condo developers have visited City Hall.
"We question the principle of holding a Council meeting on such changes without first having hearings by the Planning & Zoning Board," one member said. "Will the public have an opportunity to voice their opinions? Do we have the infrastructure, water and sewer, to support all of these buildings? Will we turn into another Lake of the Ozarks?"

Phone calls to City Manager Bruce Johnson for comment were not returned.

An Editorial...The First 60 Days

City Manager Bruce Johnson has completed his first 60 days as Grove City Manager, at a salary of $105,000, or $20,000 more than the previous city manager who had 30 years experience.

So how's the young fella doing?
In just 60 days:

--He has managed to get rid of the police chief.
--He has managed to get rid of the city attorney.
--He has poor manners, offending female visitors to his office by putting his feet up on his desk, and refusing to return phone calls.
--He does not communicate well with his own employees.
--He has never returned a single phone call to The Observer, in an attempt to censor the news.
--He has been described as arrogant and a "mini-Ball."
--He has ignored 10 months of work by the Blue Ribbon Committee, saying he wants to put together a new five year plan for city projects.
--He is planning to bypass the Planning & Zoning Board, setting discussion of changing the height zoning agreements at the Sept. 18 City Council meeting.
--He watches good citizens abandon their positions on the various trust authority boards, and approves appointments of people who will be "yes men" to the new council.
--He ignores the fact that his salary is paid by all the taxpayers in Grove, not just the ones that voted for the new council in April.
--He has doubled his salary in one year, from the City of Dewey, Ok, and with a 9-month severance check if he gets fired before his one-year contract is up. Only 305 days to go.

With any luck, he can make a half million cool ones by 2011 when the next big Council election is held. By then, many of the senior citizens hauled out of nursing homes to vote will have passed away, unaware of Sherman's March Across Georgia.

Apparently Johnson's orders were stapled to his office door upon arrival July 1 and he is following them to the letter. It would have served him better if he had come here giving signs of wanting to work for ALL of Grove's citizens rather than just one faction, in this city clearly carved in half. Look for more good people to be fired just because they were hired or were endorsed by the previous city manager.

Grove Beginnings...Part 13, The Grove Sun

The Grove Sun, the True Story

By Rose Stauber
The just past owners of the "The Grove Sun'" produced a flawed version
of the history of the newspaper. The newspaper is the best source for the
history of Grove and the people who lived in the town and the
surrounding area. I think it important that the correct story be told about the
newspaper. So here goes.

Some scraps of evidence of early newspapers include a copy of the
front page of "The Grove Cimeter", Vol. I, No. 1, dated November 25, 1898.
It was reproduced in the "The Grove Sun" of April 12, 1952. The page
contained no local news. W.N. Moore was publisher. Of him I know nothing else.

Another fragment of a newspaper was "The Messenger." The reproduction
I have of part of this front page was in the June 30, 2006, "The Grove
Sun." It is given as Vol. I with no issue number visible and dated Jan. 12,
1900. Another reproduction of the top half of a front page of "The Grove
Messenger" is dated June 7, 1900. It is Vol. I, but the number has
been cut off.

Then we have Lula Dale Duckworth Jones reporting that John Gibson and
Gus Ivy have started a newspaper. Nothing more is known of Gus Ivy. Her
report gives no date. The first surviving copy of "The Grove Sun" is the issue
of October 7, 1904, and is Vol. V, No. 32. The issue of March 3, 1905, is
Vol. VI, No. 1. When I do the math, it means that "The Grove Sun" was
founded in March 1899. These early copies carry a masthead with "J.H. Gibson
Editor and Publisher." The newspaper is printed every Friday at Grove, I.T.,
and a subscription is $1 a year.

Last year "The Grove Sun" began a new volume, Vol. 109, No. 1, on Nov.
27, 2006. The Sun claims it began publication in 1898 with an
anniversary in November. This would appear to be based on claiming "The Cimeter" as
the ancestor. I have no evidence to support that assumption.

In the biography of Gibson in the history, "Oklahoma – State and
People," we find this: …
"in 1889 (sic), he founded the Grove "Messenger," and was its editor
until the fall of 1904, when he leased the paper, and later, in 1906, sold
it."
The founding date is obviously wrong, and the dates of lease and sale
are not quite right.

These early copies of the "The Grove Sun" are found on Oklahoma
Historical Society microfilm. OHS has the responsibility for preserving Oklahoma
newspapers, and has microfilmed everything it could find. The Grove
Public Library has microfilm of all existing newspapers published in Delaware
County, and has a standing order for the "The Grove Sun" and "Delaware
County Journal."

Statements have been made that O.E. Butler (Orlando E.) founded "The
Grove Sun". That statement is refuted by O.E. himself who wrote in his
Indian-Pioneer statement that he was born in Siloam Springs, Ark, in
1880. The family, the father Henry M. Butler, moved with their nine children
to Pryor Creek, Indian Territory, in 1897. This was a family of printers.
They were almost interchangeable parts. At one time the names of three
Butlers are on "The Grove Sun" masthead.

O.E. says that he had some newspaper experience in Afton and then in
Southwest City, Mo. The 1900 census of Prairie Township, McDonald
County, was taken by Matthew C. Falkenbury, publisher of the Southwest City
newspaper. In his household as a boarder was Orlando E. Butler, age
19, occupation compositor. He came to Grove in 1905. The issue of March
3, 1905, stated that S.L. Tucker had severed relations with the "The Grove
Sun" and that O.E. Butler from the Pryor Creek "Clipper" was now the
business manager. He was listed on the masthead with J.H. Gibson, editor and
proprietor.

Gibson's name remained on the masthead until May 26, 2005, when O.E.
Butler was listed as editor and manager. Gibson's name seems not to have
appeared on the masthead after that date. The next change is more than a year
later when O.E. is editor and manager and S.J. Butler is listed as publisher
on the Aug. 30, 1907, issue. S.J. is O.E.'s brother Joe.

If the paper was sold, nothing is found in surviving issues about the
sale of the name or assets until the issue of Jan. 1, 1909. An item in the
usual column of local doings reads:

"Wednesday, O.E. Butler purchased J.H. Gibson's interest in the
printing materials of this plant. Consideration $650. We now own a plant
valued at $1500."

Dorothy D. Welsh is author of a hard-to-find book "The Butlers: A
Newspaper Family."
She writes: "Apparently, O.E. took over as editor or had a working
interest in the Sun before the actual purchase." Welsh states as fact but with
no proof that "Sometime in 1900, the "Grove Messenger was started by John
H. Gibson and J.T. Whiteside. Gibson purchased the interest of Whiteside
before 1901 and changed the name of the paper to "The Grove Sun" in
July 1901."
I find that John H. Gibson was, as both he and O.E. Butler stated, the
founder of "The Grove Sun."

In the July 12, 1934, issue, the Butlers marked the 34th year of the
Sun. It was Vol. 34, No. 1. Just when was the paper founded? The founder
made it 1899, the Butlers called it 1900, and the just past owners called it
1898.

O.E. Butler did spend most of the rest of his life with "The Grove
Sun", but he moved at one time to Tahlequah and at another time to Pryor.
His son, Owen L. Butler, became his assistant with the newspaper. Butler
died Aug. 5, 1948. After services in Grove, he was buried at Pryor.

Copyright © 2007 Rose Stauber

Observations...

We hear that the execs from Integris Hospital Corp. in OKC will be in town Sept. 13 to present the site plan for a new hospital in Grove costing $58 million, of which local residents, taxpayers and hospital employees are being asked to donate $5 million. No word on whether this will be a private meeting with the City Manager or in a public session of the Grove hospital trust authority and we'll be the last to know, since the local hospital PR department does not read The Observer or furnish it with news releases. But they want $1 million of your tax money…Just in case there is an attorney licensed to practice Law in Oklahoma lurking inside city government, a Notice was sent to all employees this week advising them of the position being open of City Attorney. Just normal city policy, says City Hall, and they also placed a Help Wanted ad in the local paper, not in the legal notices..…GMSA sent out a Notice to the media this week advising that Coliform Bacteria appeared in the Grove water supply test samples on July 5, 2007 due to cross contamination of test samples in the carrying case. Steps have been taken to insure the mistake does not occur again, says GMSA. But what took them so long, six weeks, to reveal it…Look for postcards at your mailbox, if legal requirements are followed…"Politicians are like diapers, they should be changed regularly, and for the same reasons."..from the movie "Man of the Year."..The Atlanta Falcons have adopted a new stadium song…"Who Let the Dogs Out."…

Open House for Marcia Austin is Friday

An Open House will be held at the Grove Public Library on
Friday, Aug. 31, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. to say thanks to Library
Manager Marcia Austin for her 25 years of service to the library. Friends of the Grove Public Library are sponsoring the event to thank the person who led the drive to get a new building for the library.

Hool-N-Cookoff Set for Sept. 22

The aroma of competition cooking will fill the air around Grand Lake O’the Cherokees on Saturday, September 22, as the 14th Annual-6th National Hook-N-Cookoff gets under way at Pelican Landing Resort, located 4-1/2 miles East of Ketchum. The event will be open from 9:30 a.m. - 3 p.m. and Tasting Kits go on sale at 11:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
The event features cooks and their teams vying to be recognized as the “Best Cooks” in different categories. Winners will be chosen from those competing as Cooking Teams in the categories of: Best Catfish, Best Hushpuppies, Best Coleslaw, Best Team Spirit, Best Presentation and the coveted People’s Choice Award.
The competition is open to teams consisting of 4 or more people and each team is required to fry a minimum of 45 pounds

of catfish, plus they may also choose to fry the best hushpuppies and create a coleslaw dish that won’t be forgotten. A panel of judges will decide the winners in most of the categories; however team members will also compete for additional points toward the People’s Choice Award by pre-selling Tasting Kit tickets.
Tasting Kit tickets are now on sale for $5 per adult/$3 per child, children under 6 eat for free. Tickets at the door will increase to $6 per adult/$4 per child. Where else can you buy a wonderful meal of catfish, hushpuppies and coleslaw for $5? Only at the 14th Annual Hook-N-Cookoff!
Live entertainment by Lickety Split, Oklahoma All-Star Cheer Team, Kids Zone and an Art & Craft Show will also be part of the day’s activities. It is definitely a day of fun for the whole family! Bring your lawn chair, children, grandchildren, friends and neighbors for a great day of fun and food---Grand Lake Style!
Tasting Kit tickets are now on sale at the Grand Lake Area Chamber of Commerce office, 959 N. 3rd, Ste. A, Langley, Oklahoma, or from one of the Cookoff Team members. For more information about competing as a Cookoff Team in the 14th Annual Hook-N-Cookoff or purchasing advance Tasting Kit tickets, contact the Grand Lake Area Chamber of Commerce via phone, 918-782-3214 or email at info@grandlakechamber.org.

YMCA to Hold Youth Weightlifting Classes

Beginning Sept. 5, the Grand Lake YMCA will hold monthly youth weightlifting classes for kids 10 to 14 years old.
“These classes will focus on proper weightlifting technique, safety and strength training,” said Butch Christy, executive director of the YMCA. “It’s a great way to improve a young person’s self image.”
According to Christy, sport specific workouts can be designed for participants. Maximum lifts will not be performed and only weights that youths can lift for eight to 12 repetitions will be used.
The class will be taught by Christy who is a Youth Fitness Instructor and Certified Personal Trainer with a B.S. in Physical Education.
Class will be held on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 4:00 to 5:00 pm. Sessions will be held monthly (except December) throughout the school year beginning Sept. 5.
Cost for the Youth Weightlifting class is $20 per month for YMCA members and $35 per month for non-members and must be paid by the first of each month of participation.
For more information contact the YMCA at (918) 786-5774 or drop by the facility at 206 Elk in Grove right behind Pizza Hut.

Library Offers Photographic Exhibit

Just in time for the Grove All-School Reunion, photographs of the school have taken over the exhibit space in the Grove Public Library. The exhibit is presented by Joyce Gibson of the Gibson family studio.
The photographs concentrate on the decades from the 1940s to 2002 and
range from graduating classes to sports and all types of activities. The photographs all come from the Gibson family collection.
Everyone is welcome to come by the library and enjoy this journey back
in history.

A Matter of Faith...

By Carol Round

Get Out of the Box
"Ah, Sovereign LORD, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you.” Jeremiah 32:17 (NIV)

“Out of the box” has become a popular catch phrase, including “thinking outside of the box.”

The term derives from a famous puzzle created by early 20th century British mathematician Henry Ernest Dudeney. The puzzle, consisting of nine dots in a three-by-three grid, challenges those who try to interconnect the dots by using four straight lines without the pencil leaving the paper. In order to be successful, the puzzle solver has to realize that the boundaries of the dot array are psychological. The only way to solve the puzzle is to extend the lines beyond the artificial boundary created by the nine dots.

After my relocation several months ago, I asked a friend to help me decorate my house. I like her taste in décor because it is similar to mine and because she has artfully arranged her own possessions. Melissa has a talent for rearranging, reorganizing and redecorating using the items on hand. A nationally syndicated television program calls it “Design-on-a-Dime.” I call it saving money.

As Melissa went from room to room in my home, she studied what I had available in my collection of photos, artwork, knick-knacks and other décor. After placing various items on the floor, she arranged them in different ways to get the most appealing results. I had given her carte blanche to do as she pleased with my things.

When we finally finished—six hours later—I was amazed at the transformation she had made with my collections and keepsakes. I was also surprised by the everyday ordinary items she used as substitutes to achieve the desired results. Simply amazing.

God’s like that too. He can take everyday ordinary people and use them to achieve His desired results. However, we have to be willing to allow Him to transform us so that He can use us for His purposes. That means we have to get out of our boxes.

When asked to speak at a women’s retreat this fall, I agreed to do a small group session. The request came from a woman who belongs to a different denomination than mine. She said, “Carol, you will be a first for our church.”

When I asked her what she meant, she replied, “You will be the first one outside of our denomination to speak at our retreat.”

Without thinking whether I was stepping on toes, I replied, “God doesn’t care whether you are a Methodist or a Baptist. He just wants to have a relationship with us.”

She replied, “You’re right, Carol. We need to get outside of our box.”

We need to realize that we can’t put people in a box anymore than we can put God in a box. He can do anything. So can we—with His help.

Another definition for “out of the box” comes from the Australian slang for remarkable or exceptional. When we get out of our boxes, God can do remarkable things through us. Are you stepping outside your box?

Check out A MATTER OF FAITH website at www.carolaround.com.

Absentee Ballots Ready

Voters in Delaware County who want to have absentee ballots mailed to them for the County Commissioner District #2 Special General Election and the Turkey Ford School Special Election on September 11, 2007 should apply now, County Election Board Secretary Dixie Smith said today. Although the County Election Board can accept applications for absentee ballots until 5 p.m. on Wednesday, September 5, 2007 Smith urged voters who want to vote by absentee ballot to apply early. Absentee ballot application forms are available at the County Election Board office located at 225 South 5th Street in Jay.

“At least two mail transactions must be made,” Smith said. “The County Election Board must mail the ballots to the voter and the voter must return the voted ballots by mail.” Ballots must be in the hands of the County Election Board by 7 p.m. on election day in order to be counted.

Smith said any registered voter may vote by absentee ballot in any election in which he or she is eligible to vote. A voter must be registered and reside at an address within the geographical boundaries of County Commissioner District #2 to be eligible to vote in the Special General Election. Voters who are registered within the Turkey Ford School District may also apply for an absentee ballot. It is not necessary to give a reason ---or excuse---for voting absentee. “While anyone can vote absentee without giving a reason, the law still provides several excuses and it is to the advantage of some voters to use one of them,” Smith said. By stating one of the following reasons on their applications, these voters can activate some special conditions that make it easier for them to use absentee ballots.

The reasons are:
--Voters who are physically incapacitated and voters who care for physically incapacitated persons who cannot be left unattended may vote absentee. They may apply only by mail or by fax.

--Voters who are confined to nursing homes in the county may vote absentee. An Absentee Voting board actually goes to the nursing home a few days before the election, sets up a small polling place and allows these persons to vote under circumstances similar to those at a regular precinct polling place. They may apply only by mail or by fax.

--Military personnel and residents of the county living overseas and the spouses and dependents of each group are eligible to vote absentee without being registered. These voters may apply only by mail or by fax. Military personnel should contact the Voting Service Officers in their units for application forms and additional information. Residents of Oklahoma living overseas can obtain the same materials from any United States military installation and from United States Embassies and Consulates.