Graduations
These are some of our favorite photos from the Barnsdall kindergarten and high school and Hominy high school graduations! By Rachel Anne Seymour
Preordained for the priesthood
When he was just a toddler, Todd Nance stood apart from the other young parishioners at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Hominy. While the other kids climbed over pews, fidgeted and ran around the nave, he was rapt, fascinated by the rites and ceremony administered by Father Jerry Ryan. “Todd would stand there enthralled,” his [...]
Coming up roses: Flower shop gets a new owner
After a decade of smelling the roses, Karen Overacker is hanging up her shears at the Barnsdall Flower Shop and tossing the bouquet to another Barnsdall local, Susan Love Kilpatrick. Karen has been telling Susan the time for her to retire from the floral business is coming. This year was the year. “This Valentine’s Day [...]
Everyone loves Sayra
Unofficially, Barnsdall Junior and High School Principal Russell McCauley Jr. will be retiring at the end of the year, and his unofficial successor will be Sayra Bryant, a Barnsdall graduate and current high school teacher. “Usually there’s a line of students out my door to see me,” she said after school Tuesday. The school board [...]
Maria Tallchief: An Osage ballerina, legend
Maria Tallchief, one of a pair of Osage sisters from Fairfax who became the most famous ballerinas of their day, died Thursday in Chicago at the age of 88, unleashing a flood of graceful memories worldwide. “She was a woman of such stunning beauty, grace and elegance that to me she seemed an immortal,” Tallchief’s [...]
A Ray(mond) of sunshine
Duane Easley wakes up at 5 a.m., then heads out the door to check his oil leases at 5:30 a.m. He works long days, often going up into Kansas. For years, he did this alone. That was until the morning he arrived at the Raymond lease north of Sedan. “I go into this lease and [...]
Like a steer – only smaller
Snoopy and Henry are not what you typically picture when 4-H showmanship comes to mind. Together, the two rabbits owned by 4-H member Emily Clark, weigh less than five pounds. Snoopy, a full grown solid brown mini Rex buck, comes in at about 3.25 pounds, while the young 12-week-old black and white Polish named Henry [...]
Turning a blind eye to barrel racing
Nearly two weeks ago Alexis Howell rode up to the starting line of the Oklahoma Cowgirls Association Jackpot barrel race in Sperry with her 13-year-old gelding. She had made similar runs hundreds of times and hundreds of competitions, but was the first time she had done so since her horse, Woodrow, went blind in his [...]
Rangers to the rescue
Without no animal shelters in Osage County, a few small private rescues face a heavy strain that can almost break them, like 7th Hope Animal Rescue in rural Barnsdall. But one rescue is trying a different approach from the typical kenneling and single site rescue. Oklahoma Rescue Rangers, just over the county line in Cleveland, [...]
Unexpected $476K facelift
The Oklahoma Department of Transportation has approved a $476,000 grant for Pawhuska that will implement the first phase of a downtown beautification and transportation improvement plan, called Streetscape. With the same vote, the commission approved a $520,000 grant to Skiatook to extend the Osage Trail two miles north toward Avant. The Transportation Commission approved the [...]
A first time for 4-H
For every kid at the Osage County Junior 4-H Livestock Show, there was a first time, replete with stage fright and all those jitters. “It could be your first year and you could win champion,” said Courttni Gullett, 12, who was showing for the first time ever with Pawhuska’s Blue & Gold 4-H Club on [...]
Harsh winter weather makes for great photos
Snow fell over Osage County twice this past week, but the promised blizzard on Monday fizzled out into welcome rain and a smattering of sleet. On Wednesday last week, the snow was more picturesque. Steve and Sheila Tolson’s horse Precious, above, always enjoys the snow on Pawhuska’s Dial Hill, but their unnamed cow, in the [...]
Shipwrecked
The first couple of days of Tracey Farmer’s cruise aboard Carnival’s Triumph was fabulous. But when she woke up at 5 a.m. Sun., Feb. 10, the dream trip took on a darker hue. “Alpha. Alpha. Hurry” was blaring through the intercom, waking Farmer and her co-worker friends. Then the lights went out. “Why did you [...]
Love Birds for Life
Almost 68 years ago, June Bartgis stood in a navy blue dress next to Dick Johnston in his Navy blues at a small Christian church in Ponca City as they exchanged vows. It was a modest ceremony with only their mothers and Dick’s sister as witnesses. “I just had a navy blue dress,” June said. [...]
‘Lil D’ becomes honorary law enforcement member for a day
Some might have noticed the parade of Osage County Sheriff and Pawhuska Police cars rolling with lights and sirens Friday. When three sheriff’s cars arrived at the local Pawhuska Police Department, Chief Scott Laird knew it could cause a lot of speculation in a small town. “It’s an alien landing,” one officer joked. “President Obama [...]
Marching all-stars
The Skiatook marching band has been building quite a reputation for itself. Since the team earned its way into the National Memorial Day Parade last May and brought home a slew of awards of awards in the fall, it’s no surprise that its musicians are earning their own individual honors. Bulldog sophomore Alex Chevalier marched [...]
Racing for CHD awareness
Jo Ellen Sholl is a living book of statistics on congenital heart defects. Since her son Dale was born with several heart defects two years ago, she has been absorbing all the information she can. “It’s amazing what we didn’t know before,” she says. “Twenty-five percent of all kids born with CHD will need surgery.” [...]
A soldier for the cross, country
Ray Swanson was soldier for the cross and a decorated WWII soldier for the U.S. Army. While everyone knows of Swanson’s faith and service, many of the details went with him when he died at the age of 93 on Jan. 14. Everyone knows he stormed the beaches of Normandy on D Day and serviced [...]
A portrait of determiniation
Janet Holcombe, a woman with big dreams for her hometown of Pawhuska who saw them become reality because she refused to take ‘no’ for an answer, died last week after a long illness. She was 77 years old, and leaves a huge legacy for all of Pawhuska: The renovated Constantine Theater, a largely preserved historic [...]
A big ol’ teddy bear
Standing at 6 foot, 5 and a half inches with dark facial hair and tattoos, Keith Ashlock knows he can be a bit intimidating at first glance. While working in small town nursing homes – and now for the Barnsdall City street department – he has become keenly aware of how facial piercings and tattoos [...]
Abstract Ashley
Pawhuskan Ashley Richards is hiding out among the Christmas decor. Can you find her? Click on the photos to enlarge them.
A heart for art
Just weeks ago, Ashley Ghazal’s mother found a scenic mountain drawing her daughter had made in the fifth grade. It wasn’t quite what you’d expect from the Skiatook student who’s now winning contest after contest with her art. “It was terrible,” her mother Jacqueline Ghazal laughed. While Ashley had always enjoyed art, she didn’t start [...]
A play of a different color
At the Avant House of Prayer’s Christmas play, which includes not only a slideshow but puppets, there will be an unusual sight if you look close: Joseph is played by Alexis Fridenber, a girl. It’s more about the story and the reason for the season for this youth group and church. There will be plenty [...]
