August 24, 2005

Tom Lee

Tom O. Lee (1963-2005)
Cancer claims sports editor

This week Mustang sports lost a dear friend, when longtime sports editor Tom Lee lost his battle with cancer. He died last Saturday at the age of 42. Tom had covered Mustang sports for many years working both at The Mustang News and then later at The Mustang Times.

Over the years, he made friends both on the field and off, which is evident in the comments of former co-workers, coaches and friends.

“He was a really friendly, nice guy and he loved his daughter, he talked about her a lot,” said sports photographer Shelly Hollingsworth. “He enjoyed his job and we talked a bunch. I still can’t believe it happened.”

Having been involved with sports in the area so long, Tom had developed a good rapport with Mustang’s coaches.

“I thought Tom was very professional and I thought he did a good job,” said Alan Green, head boys basketball coach at Mustang High School.

“I always felt very comfortable talking to him because I knew he would accurately portray what I said. He was good at getting us publicity. If I called him in the summer and talked to him about something he would always get it in. He was a super-nice guy. That’s a tragic loss.

“I knew he was battling some kind of cancer, and was impressed that he had so much energy because he was at numerous sporting events. He’ll be missed.”

Both Green and MHS Athletic Director Todd Dilbeck commented on Tom’s indomitable spirit.

“I didn’t want to ask him directly (about his illness), so I would ask him how he was doing and I think he knew what I meant,” Green said. “And, he would always say, ‘I’m doing very well.’ He never would go on and on. He certainly didn’t wallow in it.”

Dilbeck agreed, “During this whole process of his illness I’d ask him how he was doing and he’d always say ‘wonderful.’ That’s the spirit he had, that he’s going through this and nothing is wrong. That’s the inspiration he gave me.”

The fact that he always showed up for work, even when he wasn’t feeling well is what Mustang Times co-publisher Steve Kizzair said impressed him about Tom.

“He was very dedicated to Mustang sports,” said Kizzair. “He never missed a week here even when the cancer was very bad.”

Times’ co-publisher Steve Coulter worked with Tom for several years, and said he was saddened by the passing of his co-worker.

“Tom was so passionate about covering Mustang sports and totally dedicated right up to the last day,” Coulter said. “Even on Tom’s toughest weeks during chemo treatments, he insisted and made it a point to complete his sports section. He never let his horrible disease get the best of him.

“I had the privilege of working with Tom for many years at the Mustang News and when we started the Mustang Times he was on board from Day 1. Today, I’m saddened with his passing, but I celebrate his life and reflect on all the great memories. We will always be grateful for Tom Lee.”

Funeral services for Tom were held Aug. 23 at Spiritual Fellowship Church in Oklahoma City.

He is survived by his mother, Virginia, daughter, Julia, and sisters Debi Bannon and Patricia Wood.
Local officials adjust budgets as prices rise

Jason Jewell

With gas prices at record levels and predictions of even higher costs, Mustang school and city officials are making adjustments to their budgets to reflect the increased costs.

In Mustang, gas prices average about $2.50 per gallon, with some speculating that prices could approach $2.60 per gallon in the coming weeks. Prices are nearly 25 cents higher than they were a month ago, and nearly a dollar more than this time last year.

School district officials predict to spend between $40,000 and $90,000 more in the 2005-06 academic year, which begins Aug. 24.

“We always operate with a conservative fiscal posture,” said district spokesperson Shannon Rigsby. “The carryover (more than 9 percent or $3.2 million last year) not only allows us to operate during the summer, but also makes it possible to handle issues like a spike in gas prices.”

The Mustang school district has allocated $200,000 for gasoline and diesel, she said.

“We wouldn’t be surprised to see gas and diesel cost the district $210,000,” Rigsby said.

In 2004-05, Mustang spent about $159,000 on fuel for buses, vans and other vehicles, which included a sharp price increase in the latter half of the school year, Rigsby said. The district spent just about $110,000 on fuel in the 2003-04 school year, she said.

“Everything that is transported is impacted by the rising cost of gas prices,” Rigsby said.

With higher gas prices, school officials also expect an increase in electricity and natural gas bills in the 2005-06 year.

As ad valorem tax receipts have increased, the district has been able to add about $150,000 to the building fund, Rigsby said.

“This is allowing us to shift some of the electric and natural gas bills to the building fund,” she said. “This allows more flexibility in the operations account.”

Since the city’s fiscal year began nearly two months ago, City Manager David Cockrell said his office already figured higher gas prices in the budget.

“We had already anticipated higher gas prices” for this year’s budget cycle, Cockrell said.

If gas prices continue to rise, city officials could be forced to amend this year’s budget to allocate more money for fuel expenses. But for now, Cockrell said, the city is taking a “wait and see” approach in dealing with the price increases.

“We’ve really just started our year, so we have time to see where prices are going to go,” Cockrell said. “Our department heads have done a good job in taking an initiative to reduce expenses in some areas to help compensate (for fuel increases).”

The city’s fiscal year runs from July 1 to June 30, 2006.
Councilors try to leash ‘vicious’ animal owners

Stacy Barnes

Mustang City Council attempted to put a leash on owners of "vicious animals" at Tuesday's meeting with the passage of two new ordinances.

One of the new laws deals with defining exactly what constitutes a vicious animal. Some members of Council had expressed concern in earlier meetings over who would make the determination as to the temperament of the animal in question.

Police Chief Monte James drafted the ordinance which allows for the municipal judge to decide whether or not an animal is vicious, to order a vicious animal destroyed or taken outside the city never to return, or to allow the animal to remain in the city under certain conditions.

Mustang currently defines a vicious animal as one that is "of such a vicious and fierce disposition that it will attack human beings without provocation." Additionally it says that if a dog has bitten a person two or more times without provocation, that is sufficient evidence that it is vicious.

New requirements of owners of vicious animals were also approved and are as follows:

Owners of vicious animals must muzzle and leash the animals when they are outside their pen or kennel.

Must confine said animal inside or in a locked pen that has at least 150 square feet of space per animal over six months of age.

The structure must have secure sides and a secure, locked top. It must also have a secure bottom or floor attached to the sides of the pen or have sides that are embedded into the ground at least two feet.

The structure must also provide adequate light, ventilation and be kept clean and sanitary.

Owners must post several warning signs on their premises, including one using the words "Beware of Vicious Animal", and another one on the animal's kennel or pen, plus a sign with a warning symbol to inform children of the presence of a dangerous animal.

Obtain liability insurance in a single incident amount of $50,000 for bodily injury to or death of any person or persons or for damage to property.

Pay a $10 annual fee to register the animal with the city.

Violators of the new law will pay stiffer fines according to James, who told Council there are some repeat offenders in the area with noisy and "at large" animals and also with residents keeping a vicious animal.

James said he removed harboring a vicious animal from the minimum fine schedule because he thought charging a mere $90 for the offense was not enough in some cases to get owner's attention.

With the changes in place, now every citation of that offense will go before the judge and the fine can be as high as $750.

Chief James also introduced a new tiered fine schedule for animals running at large and animal trespass.

First-time offenders having animals at large will pay a $70 fine, second time offenders, $120, and on the third offense, violators will be required to go before the judge.

A similar tier will be used for noisy animals, with slightly lower fines of $50 for the first offense and $100 for the second, he said.
School-zone safety urged

Jason Jewell

Mustang-area schools begin classes this week, and police officials are reminding citizens to be cautious.

School-zone safety plans a key role in protecting children as they do to and from school.

“It’s a good idea for drivers to make note of where our schools are located,” said Mustang Police Capt. Willard James. “They need to obey the flashing school zone signs, and be mindful of where children are.”

James said Mustang police have adopted a strict policy, when dealing with motorists who speed through a school zone.

“We’ll be enforcing the law,” James said. “We’ll be watching for people who speed through school zones and don’t observe the signs.”

The Mustang city ordinance allows for a $144 fine if a driver is ticketed for speeding in a school zone, James said.

Some tips for motorists include:

When a school bus or children are present slow down and proceed with caution, obeying all traffic laws and speed limits.

Always stop for a school bus that has stopped to load or unload passengers. Red flashing lights and an extended stop arm show that a school bus is stopped to load or unload.

For Mustang drivers, the above rule includes Highway 152, James said. The only exception for the regulation is if a bus is stopped on a divided highway with a center median, James said.

If on a two-lane or four-lane undivided highway, stop if a school bus is loading or unloading.

Be alert and ready to stop. Watch for children in the street, those playing at a bus stop or ones darting out into a street.

School-zone signs and speed limit signs are in place around all area schools. Police urge citizens to heed these signs in an attempt to further protect the children.

Parents also need to help their children learn and practice safety rules for walking, bicycling or riding in a vehicle or bus to school.
Founding Citizens
Brindley sisters recall early days

Stacy Barnes

The five Brindley sisters have a long and rich heritage, much of which is centered in Mustang.

Four of the five ladies, who range in age from 83 years old to 95, Naomi Brindley Woody, Esther Brindley, Frances M. Brindley Thompson, and Warrenetta Brindley Hodgson live in the Oklahoma City area and one sister, Rachel J. White resides in Florida.

Both sides of the Brindley's family settled in the tiny community of Mustang before the turn of the last century. Two of the sisters recently sat down to talk about their family history and memories of early day Mustang.

Their maternal grandparents, Francis and Eliza Hubbard, made the trip to Oklahoma from Hale, Missouri in 1898. They came in three covered wagons and followed the Chisholm Trail. Many of their friends had made the move from Missouri earlier, including Dr. Jonas Spitler, who had been the family doctor before he moved to Mustang.

"Dr. Spitler was all packed and ready to come to Oklahoma, but he couldn’t leave until Uncle Chester was born," said Naomi. "And as soon as he was born, the next day he took off for Oklahoma."

Several years later the Hubbards followed, settling on a farm at SW 59th and Highway 92. Frances said she had been told one of the reasons for the move was that her grandpa Hubbard was sick and Dr. Spitler had been taking care of him and wanted the doctor to continue caring for him. Naomi said her grandmother always told her they came to escape the harsher Missouri winters.

Whatever the reason, the Hubbard's had quite a few friends that had moved to the area from Hale and on Christmas Day, soon after they arrived in Mustang, a large group of their old friends showed up in a caravan unannounced, tied their horses to the hitching post outside and stayed for dinner.

Their mother had just turned nine the day before and the sister's said she always enjoyed telling that story.

Their father's family came from Seneca, Kansas in 1893 and bought a farm on Czech Hall Road between SW 59th and Highway 152. His parents were James and Emma Brindley.

The Brindley's parents Edward Warren Brindley (E.W.) and Ethel Mae Hubbard Brindley met at the little country school they attended near the corner of Czech Hall Road and Highway 152. They were married April 15, 1909. E.W. attended Draughn's Business College where he majored in accounting and then began working at Mustang's only bank, Mustang State Bank, which was run by Fred Dennis at that time.

When Dennis wanted to leave and go to a bank in Oklahoma City, E.W. and Ethel borrowed some money from an aunt in Kansas and purchased Dennis' interest in the bank. Even though Naomi was still very young, she recalls certain things about this time in her life.

"I remember going upstairs," Naomi said. "At the back of the stairs there were rooms for an appointment. And then upstairs it was built like it might have been used for a school because it had a long hall all on the north side and then there were rooms on the south side and the Dennis's lived upstairs.

"And when I was a little girl I went up there and got on her table and got her cut glass salt and pepper shakers and filled them with dirt. I was always going up to Mrs. Dennis'."

After the Brindley's purchased the bank, they moved their family into the living quarters above it until it was almost time for their third daughter to be born. Feeling the need for more space, the family moved and Frances was born in the Stiver's house, which they rented just down the street from the bank.

Naomi remembers how sparse the businesses were in the early days and what made up downtown Mustang.

"Mustang Road was just a street clear through the country. The bank was on the northeast corner of the intersection at Main Street, which was Mustang Road; it faced toward Mustang Road. Across the street from that to the south was Gene Shupe's hardware store and then there was a vacant block and then there was a drug store down further and Conn Bouleware's garage was there all on the east side of Main Street," she said.

"On the west side of Main Street there was an ice cream parlor that had tables and chairs with wire legs and had a beautiful mirror and fancy stuff around it. It was a fancy ice cream parlor.

"Next to that going south was Henry Steffenson's grocery store, then vacant space, and then a one-room telephone office and living quarters for Ella Gill, who was the telephone operator at that time. Then there was another vacant space, and later my aunt and uncle, Mary and Chester Hubbard, had a restaurant there.

Naomi went on to explain that many of the buildings were two story and it was common for the owners to live upstairs, as was the case with her aunt and uncle's restaurant.

Continuing on down the street, Naomi said there was a vacant space, then the two-story building owned by Mrs. Loomis who had a store and the post office. The Masonic Lodge and the Eastern Star met upstairs over her store.

On the end of the street was the furniture store where the Brindley's bought their furniture.

Over the year some of the stores would change hands, as happened with the ice cream parlor.

"The ice cream parlor went out of business and a fellow named McCarty moved in there and he had two daughters, Flossie and Glenn, and a son. They opened a grocery store in that building and the two girls were school teachers and Miss Flossie was my teacher," said Naomi.

"She was my teacher too," added Frances.

At the back of the hardware store facing east was a hotel had that had 10-12 rooms.

"That made up Main Street except on down farther there was an elevator and what we called the peach factory - it really wasn't a factory - on the east side toward the railroad tracks," said Naomi.

This "factory" was where they culled the peaches, the ladies said.

"People would bring peaches in by the wagonload one right after the other and, in fact, the farmers would put straw down from 152 into the depot. They'd put straw down because so many of them coming in made the sand so deep," said Naomi.

"The peaches were culled and packed and if they had any blemish at all then they discarded it and put it in a basket and they sold them for 50 cents a basket."

Naomi said once a year her mother would buy the peaches for 50 cents a bushel and then they would can five bushels of peaches in one day and with about 20 quarts of canned peaches to a bushel, that made 100 quarts a day.

"My job was to wash the fruit jars on a little bench out beside the cellar. Then they'd sterilize them in the house over a cook stove that burned coal."

The reason they needed so many jars of canned peaches was that their mother often fed extra people at the dinner table unexpectedly.

"For a long time there was no restaurant in Mustang and so anytime anybody would come to town on business they would come to the bank and if they were there at noon time papa would bring them home with him for dinner," said Naomi.

Ethel Brindley had a lot to do to keep up with her family that kept growing as more daughters were born, so her husband wanted to her have help, which Frances and Naomi said she didn't always welcome.

"Mama had four girls at that time and was pregnant a lot of the time so we always had help in the home," Naomi said. "Mama would get tired of it and she would sometimes send them home and papa would go get them again because she just couldn't do all that. And we either sent the laundry out to a lady that washed for us or we had a couple that would come to the house and wash in the smokehouse."

The ladies said their father was a wise investor and was part owner in both the peach cannery and the elevator in town. He also was pretty savvy when it came to local hyjinks.

"Every Halloween the boys would turn our toilet over, so papa got smart and he got so he would pay Frank Krivanek a dollar to sit in our toilet so the boys wouldn't turn it over," Naomi said.

The sisters have many wonderful memories of their father and their life in Mustang, but they also share a tragic memory of the day in 1921 when their father died.

"Our father was assassinated," said Frances. "Mama and papa had been to Oklahoma City on the 29th day of December and papa was in the house and someone came to the door and knocked so mother went out to the door outside and it was a young man, a family friend."

"He was a friend of my father's and the same age as papa (35) and he (papa) owed the bank," continued Naomi. "There was a note that the man had never paid and it was past due and would have been outlawed, so he had told papa that he would renew the note and that his own papa was going to sign with him. And they were to have met with the lawyer that day in Oklahoma City to make up a new note and mama came in with him.

"And he (the killer) had already been out to Mustang and asked about papa at the drug store and they said they hadn't come back yet. When they did come home it was after 9 o'clock (p.m.) and mama and papa stopped at the bank, then came home. And papa had gone out to milk the cow and they had just come in and hadn't even eaten, and in just a little while the man came up and knocked on the door."

Frances said, "When she saw who it was, mama and invited him in, but he said he would wait outside. He just needed to talk to papa a minute."

"Papa said, 'Just a minute wait until I get my hat' - he never went outside without his hat - and he went out and he wasn't out there a minute before he shot him right through the heart," said Naomi.

"Uncle Grover was going out with Ella Gill and they had been out to see where the church was drilling an oil well. They came by our house then he took Ella on home and had just started back when he shot papa, so Uncle Grover ran back into the house and called Ella and then they got out a posse to look for him.

"About that time the train went through and they thought he might have caught the freight train, so they got out a posse in Tuttle and my Uncle Charlie Hubbard was one of the men who got to search the freight train, but the man had gone the other way up toward Bridgeport and he got away. They never caught him."

There were several awards for the man's capture, one from the state banking department and one from the Modern Woodsmen of America and there were full-page ads in the Oklahoma City and St. Louis newspapers, but the man was never found. In later years, the girls heard rumors as to his whereabouts.

"My first husband was an executive with YMCA," said Frances. "And he got to talking to nephew of the man who had shot papa and he said the man had gone to Alaska and that he wound up somewhere in Texas. He had remarried and when he died in Texas, he had left a note confessing to killing papa."

Of course there was never any doubt as to the killer's identity as far as the family was concerned. Next week in part two the Brindley story, learn how their mother managed to care for her young girls and about the bank robbery in town.
Education
Mustang’s Biscone earns award in speech, drama

A Mustang resident earned an honor from the United States Achievement Academy. James Biscone, who attends Rosary School in Oklahoma City, was named a United States National Award winner in speech and drama.

Rosary School teacher Cathy Goett recommended Biscone for the award.

A U.S. National Award is a prestigious honor very few students hope to attain. The U.S. Achievement Academy recognizes fewer than 10 percent of all American high school students. Biscone’s name will be published in the Academy’s official yearbook, which is published annually.

Biscone is the son of Joe and Kathy Biscone of Mustang. His grandparents are Mary Ryder of Pierce City, Mo., and Nancy Biscone of Ravena, N.Y.

“Recognizing and supporting our youth is more important that ever before in America’s history,” said Dr. George Stevens, executive director of the U.S. Achievement Academy. “Certainly, United States Achievement Academy winners should be congratulated and appreciated for their dedication to excellence and achievement.”

The Academy selects USAA winners upon the exclusive recommendation of teachers, coaches, counselors and other qualified sponsors, and upon the Standard of Selection set forth by the Academy.

Selection criteria includes the student’s academic performance, interest and aptitude, leadership qualities, responsibility, enthusiasm, motivation to learn and improve, citizenship, attitude and cooperative spirit, dependability, and recommendation from a teacher or director.
Happenings @ Town Center
Coed basketball signups set for Aug. 29

Desiree Webber, Steve Hewitt and Gloria Shotwell

Five and six-year-old co-ed basketball will begin on Sept 10th. Cost is $30 per child, which includes a t-shirt. The season is six weeks long with one game each Saturday morning. Come by the Mustang Recreation Center by Aug. 29, to register.

Individuals interested in an Adult Basketball League also need to register by Aug. 29, for the fall season. The season will run from Sept. 6 to Nov. 15 with one game each Tuesday evening.

Space is still available in the Recreation Department's After School Program. The program, which meets at Mustang Elementary, is open to Mustang Elementary and Mustang Valley students who live within city limits.

Participants will receive snacks and homework assistance, as well as enjoy games and activities. Call Dee at 376-3411 for details.

A new activity at the Recreation Center this fall will be "Tournament Thursdays." Come join us for a different tournament each week on Thursday afternoons from 4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Watch for more information in future columns.

Check out our complete list of aerobic classes, fall schedule is now on line at www.cityofmustang.org. Join us on Friday afternoons, beginning Sept. 9 to try a free class. For details call 376-3411.

The Friends of the Library are sponsoring a fundraiser for the library. For a ten-dollar contribution, you will receive a 10-by-13 sepia tone portrait of your child or children from Antiquities Photography.

Antiquities has all the old-fashioned clothing and props for a beautiful and memorable photograph. The photographs will be taken during Western Days in the Library's Story Time Room on Sept. 9-10.

Antiquities will photograph children from infant to 16 years of age. Coupons for the 10-by-13 photograph are available at the library or by calling Noreta Voyles-Grady at 745-3677.

Hurry before they are gone!

Large, creepy insects have invaded the library. Bill Howell, owner of Howell’s Pest Control, has a variety of bugs on display at the library such as a Spiney Devil, Giant Green Spiney Stick, tarantula, Malaysian Stick plus a variety of beetles, spiders, butterflies and moths. The display will be at the library through Aug. 31.

Beginning and intermediate Microsoft Word classes will be offered at no charge during September in the Mustang Public Library Computer Training Lab.

All classes will be held 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Pre-registration is required and enrollment space is limited. The Friends of the Mustang Library are sponsoring this series of Word classes.

Kendall Burrell will teach beginning Word on Sept. 13 and Sept. 20. In these beginning classes he will cover resume templates and basic functions such as copy and paste.

The intermediate Word class will be held Sept. 27, and will cover tables, graphics plus customizing the environment. Attendees of the intermediate class must have a basic knowledge of Word.

Children are traveling to India next week during Preschool Story Time on Sept. 29-30. Books, flannel board stories, finger plays, action rhymes and crafts will entertain children ages three to seven. Story times on Mondays are 11:00 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. and Tuesdays at 7:00 p.m. No pre-registration is required and library programs are always offered at no charge. For more information, please call 376-2226.

Dennis Williams with the Dept. of Human Services, Vision Dept. will be at the Mustang Senior Center on Sept. 1 at 11:00 a.m. to share on magnifying aides. If you are having problems reading materials, you may want to attend this informative meeting.

Ladies with the Mustang Senior Center meet each Thursday to sew “Hugs,” evaporative cooling ties, for our service men and women. Please send the name of your loved one serving in the Middle East and the “Hugs” ladies will send cooling collars to the entire unit. For more information, contact the Senior Center at 376-1297.

Plan now to participate in the second annual Mustang Senior Center Fall Bazaar Oct. 15 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Booth space will be 10-foot-by-10-foot and rent for $35. During the bazaar there will be door prizes and a silent auction. For more information call Dale Smith at 376-3746, Ilene Fesler at 376-2026 or Theresa Allee at 376-2543.

To view a calendar of events for the library, recreation and senior center, check the website at www.cityofmustang.org.
Business
Somers Park set to host open house Aug. 27-28

This weekend, Somers Park at Somers Pointe is scheduled to host a community open house from noon to 5 p.m. on Aug. 27-28.

Homes by Academy, Bill Jester Jr. Construction Company, Bradbury, Hutchinson, Rausch Coleman, and Semco will be available for tour, and builder representatives will be on site to answer any questions.

People in attendance can enjoy lots of great food and be registered to win fantastic door prizes at each home.

Somers Park is an ERC community located at the SW corner of Hwy 92 (Garth Brooks Blvd.) and Reno Ave, in Oklahoma City between Yukon and Mustang. Homes range from $180,000-$220,000.

The entire community will enjoy over 10 acres of common area with large park containing playground equipment, a walking trail, benches and lush landscaping. Each lot will be constructed with sidewalks winding throughout the community.

Restrictive covenants and a mandatory property owners association will protect property values for years to come.

For more information on Somers Park contact Jason Klontz, Development Specialist for ERC Land Development at 848-1820 or visit www.ercok.com.

For nearly 50 years, ERC has continued to expand their business by offering families innovative communities from affordable apartment living to exquisite executive homes. To date, ERC has developed 22 single family and 90 multi-family, unique communities in Oklahoma alone.
Business
Aduddell Roofing proudly stands behind repair work

Jennifer Manley

Aduddell Roofing has been in business since 1979. They have been restoring and repairing roofs in the metro area for years. And in that time they have repaired thousands of roofs and are proud to say they have many satisfied customers.

Business manager Adam Dani said that is their best testimony for their work. “We do a good job,” he said. But it’s the fact that they have so many satisfied customers that proves it.

Not only do they do good work, but they also stand behind it. We offer substantial warranties on all jobs, said Dani. The independent business prides itself too on their longevity. You will feel confident knowing that the warranty will be honored always.

“We’ve been around for a long time and we will be around for a long time to come,” Dani said.

So, whatever you need, they can do it. They repair roofs due to store damage, leaks, wear and tear, or for remodeling purposes. They offer a variety of choices for the homeowners as well. Everything from tile, slate, shingles and more can be found. They work with all residential homes and even small commercial businesses.

Aduddell Roofing offers competitive pricing and the convenience of quality and speedy service. Dani said that the roof on a typical house can be replaced in one day. And their hours are convenient for the customer as well. “We work whatever day we are needed.”

Same day response is guaranteed as well.

If you are having issues with your roof or are remodeling your home, don’t hesitate to call Aduddell Roofing. They will come out to meet you and access the damage. And they will be there when you need them and promise to do the job right. Call at 495-9055 for more information.
Business
Urgent MedCare opens Tuttle clinic

Providing quality health care for Oklahoma families was the motivation that prompted three Oklahoma clinicians to open a new practice in Tuttle. Urgent MedCare Clinic started seeing patients in late June, and the clinic has already expanded its hours to accommodate demand.

Urgent MedCare has scheduled an open house from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday. The clinic is located just west of the 5-mile line at 4805 E Highway 37 in Tuttle.

Anyone in the area who needs a primary care physician is invited to stop by and become acquainted with Urgent MedCare’s staff, including Debbie Holder, PA, Dr. Jay Gregston and Dr. Rhonda Sparks. Tours will be given of the facility, including revolutionary x-ray technology that is located on-site.

“Having access to quality health care is becoming increasingly important to people – and there’s no other group of people that I would like to provide that care to,” Holder said. “Urgent MedCare was founded on the belief that excellent health care should be available to all Oklahomans – whether you live in Oklahoma City or a growing area like Tuttle or Mustang.”

Urgent MedCare provides its patients with comprehensive primary health care for all ages, and is also available for urgent care needs.

One of the clinicians is already well known in the Tri-City area. Debbie Holder, PA worked for four years at another area clinic before approaching her two partners about starting Urgent MedCare.

“That’s another important service that we are providing is access to digital x-ray technology,” Holder said. “No one else in this area offers that service – it literally allows us to take an x-ray and e-mail it via the Internet to a specialist to be read. Instead of having to wait days to find out the results, we can let you know in a matter of minutes. That’s just one example of how committed we are to providing quality health care in the Tri-City area,” Holder said.

For more information about Urgent MedCare, call 405-381-9979.