Observations...

According to news reports, Integris Health could soon begin construction on a new hospital on I-35 south of Edmond costing $40-$60 million with 30-60 beds, if members of Henderson Hills Baptist Church vote to sell 24 acres of church-owned land to Integris. No mention of contributions from Edmond taxpayers or local donors as a requirement for construction…Troy Helms, son of Beverly and Dave Helms, was honored with a National Boy Scout Heroism Award last week as a result of preventing two young girls from a possible drowning at a Springfield, Mo. Days Inn swimming pool in May. The two girls had drifted into water over their heads and were in trouble and Troy dragged them to shallower waters…GPS Units in Grove Police Department vehicles will be removed and disconnected by Nov. 1 as being "ineffective and unnecessary" said City Manager Bruce Johnson. This will save the city $282 a month. The system tracked each patrol car and automatically sent an email to the Police Chief anytime units were stationary for more than 30 minutes with the motor running, or exceeded 70 mph, among other things. The system was designed as a high tech way of keeping track of police vehicles when in service…"Several" resumes have been received at City Hall from attorneys applying for the job of City Attorney, a 40-hour per week full time job, says Johnson…City Council will hold a special meeting next Tuesday regarding the city's garbage collection contract…

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."…

Observations...

Grove City Council rejected 4-1 a request by Randall Fidler to rezone property at 9th and Grand from R-1 single family to R-3 multi-family, to build eight apartment units. Action came Tuesday night during the regular council meeting. The Grove Planning and Zoning Board had rejected the request 5-0 at last week's meeting, and in 2004, with a mostly different board. Mayor Gary Bishop said he was swayed by the citizen opposition to the project that appeared at the P&Z meeting...Council also appointed Tom Melton to the Airport Trust Authority Board to fill the seat vacated by Harry Halterman...GMSA selected OneOK as the natural gas supplier for the coming year, over two other suppliers, and turned down a request to mediate a $2400 gas bill last winter for Tim Langley, stating the full bill is due...There are 2364 students this year in Grove schools, and no city swimming pool...

Observations...

One of our readers in Oklahoma City, Mac McDonald, sent us the following item:
Luke AFB is west of Phoenix and is rapidly being surrounded by civilization that complains about the noise from the base and its planes, forgetting
that it was there long before they were. A certain lieutenant colonel at
Luke AFB deserves a big pat on the back. Apparently, an individual who
lives somewhere near Luke AFB wrote the local paper complaining about
a group of F-16s that disturbed his/her day at the mall.

The complaint:

"Question of the day for Luke Air Force Base: Whom do we thank for
the morning air show? Last Wednesday, at precisely 9:11 a.m., a tight
formation of four F-16 jets made a low pass over Arrowhead Mall,
continuing west over Bell Road at approximately 500 feet. Imagine our
good fortune! Do the Tom Cruise-wannabes feel we need this wake-up
call, or were they trying to impress the cashiers at Mervyns early bird
special? Any response would be appreciated."

The response:

Regarding "A wake-up call from Luke's jets" (Letters, Thursday): On
June 15, at precisely 9:12 a.m., a perfectly timed four-ship flyby of
F-16s from the 63rd Fighter Squadron at Luke Air Force Base flew over
the grave of Capt. Jeremy Fresques. Capt. Fresques was an Air Force
officer who was previously stationed at Luke Air Force Base and was
killed in Iraq on May 30, Memorial Day. At 9 a.m. on June 15, his family
and friends gathered at Sunland Memorial Park in Sun City to mourn
the loss of a husband, son and friend. Based on the letter writer's
recount of the flyby, and because of the jet noise, I'm sure you didn't
hear the 21-gun salute, the playing of taps, or my words to the widow
and parents of Capt. Fresques as I gave them their son's flag on behalf
of the President of the United States and all those veterans and
servicemen and women who understand the sacrifices they have
endured. A four-ship flyby is a display of respect the Air Force pays to
those who give their lives in defense of freedom. We are professional
aviators and take our jobs seriously, and on June 15 what the letter
writer witnessed was four officers lining up to pay their ultimate respects.
The letter writer asks, "Whom do we thank for the morning air show?"
The 56th Fighter Wing will call for you, and forward your thanks to the
widow and parents of Capt. Fresques, and thank them for you, for it
was in their honor that my pilots flew the most honorable formation of
their lives. Lt. Col. Scott Pleus, CO 63rd Fighter Squadron, Luke AFB...
There are still tickets available through the Grand Travelers for Saturday afternoon's performance of Spamalot at the Tulsa PAC. This is the funniest, most clever show we've seen in a long time and we highly recommend it. Call the Grand Travelers at 786-2203 if interested and hurry, the show itself is sold out…It will take another week for Grand Lake to reach its normal elevation, at the present water release rate, and barring any rain in Kansas…...Recent visitors to the office of new Grove City Manager Bruce Johnson include D.A. Eddie Wyant and former Senator Rick Littlefield, with Councilman Mike Davenport, and former Grove police chief Mark Wall, with Councilman Larry Parham...

Observations...

We'll be the first to say it. Take the $1.325 million Shundi Road widening project budgeted for the upcoming year and shove it down the road a couple of years. Instead, use the money on an intensive asphalt overlay program, starting with 13th Street from Main to Shundi, Cherokee from Main to the Park, and Har-Ber Road out to Quail Run. We don't mind the two lane Shundi Road but we do mind the constant bone rattling and tire wear on Grove's main streets, many of which are falling apart...Bill Listen, one of the finest people you will ever meet, passed away Tuesday night in a Bartlesville hospital. Funeral services are at 10 a.m. Friday at the First United Methodist Church in Grove...Don't forget about Grove's big fireworks and entertainment show, which begins Tuesday July 3 at 6:30 p.m. with some really fine entertainment and free watermelon. Location is on 13th street at the city's recreation park...Mark July 17 on your calendars; the Blue Ribbon Committee will outline their plan for a new aquatic center and civic center at the regular City Council meeting at 6 p.m...