Top: MHS senior Brent Eggar shows his enthusiasm while picking up his class schedule for the last time. Bottom: Second grade teacher Bettilou Stover puts together some artwork for her class at Mustang Elementary. Classes for Mustang Schools begin Friday. (Photos by Caleb Soptelean and Carol Brimm)

Mustang heading back to school

Stacy Barnes

There’s no denying the look: turned down lips, downcast eyes and sullen faces. Yep it’s back to school for Mustang students this week. And while the majority of students are soaking up the last days of their summer vacation, teachers are already hard at work preparing their classrooms for the pupils that will fill them on Friday.

Many students will see new faces at their school as the district’s administrators shuffled around over the summer. Four of the five elementary schools have a new principal or assistant principal. Angela Hunt is the new principal at Mustang North Middle School and Mustang Middle School and the mid high will see some administrative changes as well.

Advances in technology continue to improve parents’ ability to keep in touch with how their child is doing in school. The ParentConnect program, which began last year, allows parents to check grades and attendance for their children from the convenience of their home computer without having to talk to the teacher. Something new for this year is a calling system that can call every household in the district with an automated message in less than 30 minutes.

Another big change is the time for middle schoolers to begin their day. This year both Mustang Middle School and Mustang North Middle School will begin and end five minutes later than before at 8:20 a.m. and 3:10 p.m. respectively.

While five minutes may not sound like much, to those who drop off elementary students at other schools across town, it is significant and may serve to cut down on tardies or at least ease some tension in the car. All other school starting times remain the same with elementary schools at 8 a.m. and the high school and mid high at 8:35 a.m. .

The more things change, the more they stay the same and that becomes apparent by speaking to some of the students who are on their way back to school. When asked if he was excited about returning to class one MHS sophomore said, “No. It’s school. What’s exciting about that?” Another student said she was “kinda” excited to see friends again but qualified her statement.

“I’m not looking forward to learning and math,” she said, “but mostly math.”

But like it or not kids school is officially back in session on Friday. Enjoy the final days of summer while you can.

Administrators to get $3,000 increase
Recent legislation that increases salaries applies to more than just teachers, school board says.

Caleb Soptelean

Some 32 administrators in the Mustang Public School District will be getting a $3,000 salary increase this year.

The Mustang School Board approved the increase on Monday, which also includes a $500 “step” increase.

Superintendent Karl Springer explained that recent legislation used the word “certified employee" although the legislation was widely trumpeted in the state to be for teachers’ salaries.

The Mustang School Board also approved a $3,000 increase for teachers and a “step” increase on the salary schedule.

Springer said he believes the Legislature will pony up more money to pay for health insurance and retirement costs associated with the new $3,000 raises.

Springer said the board’s action does not apply to him. He received a $3,000 increase in January, which brought his annual salary to $107,000.

Springer’s contract runs from July 1, 2006 to July 1, 2009.

Support employees will get 50 cents more per hour and a $500 step increase, which comes to about a 70 to 80 cent per hour wage increase.

No more Pepsi or chocolate, decision will cost thousands

Caleb Soptelean

The decision to replace all carbonated sugar drinks in Mustang schools is estimated to cost the district $18,000 this year.

A Pepsi spokesman made the announcement to the school board Monday.

The board approved a proposal from Pepsi that will give the district a percentage of all beverage sales. Currently the district receives a flat $76,000 stipend, but is estimated to receive only $58,000 this year.

District schools will still have diet carbonated drinks available along with Gatorade, water and fruit drinks.

Also of note, the district will no longer have chocolate in its vending machines.

Superintendent Karl Springer said students will still be able to buy “lots of healthy kinds of snacks. We’ve pretty much knocked the candy out of the vending machines,” he said. Even vending machines in faculty lounges will not offer chocolate.

No estimate was given on the financial effect of pulling chocolate from the machines. Regular chips, Cheetos, Doritos and Lays will be removed, along with cookies and salty snacks.

The following drinks and beverages will be sold: water, flavored water, sugar-free lemonade, diet green tea, Diet Pepsi, Diet Mountain Dew, Diet Mountain Dew Code Red, Diet Cherry Pepsi, Diet Sierra Mist, Baked Lays, Baked Cheetos, Baked Doritos, pretzels, Sun chips, Wheatables, Ritz Bits crackers, Elfin Low Fat cookies, low fat animal crackers, trail mix, Nabisco 100-calorie cookies, fruit snacks, fig newtons, Nature Valley Granola, meat sticks, sugar-free wafers, salted peanuts, Snack Wells, Special K bars, Small Trail Mix and beef jerky.

Mustang Creek's torch passes to Wilson

Carol Brimm

Meggan Wilson, former Assistant Principal at Mustang Valley, has taken over the reigns of leadership at Mustang Creek Elementary, replacing Principal Anita White who retired in June. Wilson says she was blessed to have the opportunity to correspond and meet with White before her retirement from Mustang Creek.

“I hope to continue with the legacy principals before me have set,” Wilson said. “My number one goal is to make a difference with the kids. To help them learn by presenting a variety of strategies to reach every kid. I also want parents to know I’m here to serve them and I have an open door policy. I encourage parents to come and talk with me.”

Wilson says she is proud to be an employee of Mustang Public Schools because the district is on the cutting edge with well-defined curriculum and high academic standards.

Her academic record includes a degree in Elementary Education from Southern Nazarene University and a Masters in School Administration from the University of Central Oklahoma. She taught fourth grade at Buchanan Elementary before moving to Texas for a year where she and her husband, Brandon, both held teaching positions. The couple moved back to Oklahoma when Brandon was accepted to the University of Oklahoma Law School.

Wilson taught first grade and then third grade at Western Oaks Elementary in Putnam City before coming to Mustang Elementary as a first grade teacher. After just one year at the Elementary, she became the Assistant Principal at Mustang Valley, a position she held for two years.

“What an amazing ride to go from assistant principal to principal in two years,” Wilson said. “I have had incredible opportunities here and I am grateful for them. I’m just one member of a very large team and I’m excited about this new opportunity. I think we will have a great year.”

2nd Internet safety class scheduled

Shannon Rigsby

The public is invited to a second Internet Safety Seminar at Mustang Town Center. The seminar, scheduled for 7 p.m., Aug. 29, will give parents additional information for keeping their children safe on the Internet.

Mustang Public Schools technology personnel will team up with Police Chief Monte James and Assistant Chief Willard James to answer the audience’s questions about Internet safety. Following the general session, attendees can get one-on-one help in breakout sessions with Mustang Public Schools Technology Director Geromy Schrick and Technology Instructor Dedra Stafford. Laptops will be available for the hands-on exercises.

Belinda Rogers, assistant superintendent for Mustang Public Schools, said the program’s sponsors made a commitment that it would not be a “one shot program.”

“After our first meeting, our patrons overwhelmingly requested additional training with hands-on, how-to activities,” Rogers said. “We hope to help our patrons become more comfortable with accessing the internet and educate them about its possibilities for misuse by Internet predators.”

More than 60 people turned out for the Internet Safety Seminar in June. Dee Cordry, an agent with the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation opened the program, detailing how quickly an Internet predator can locate a minor’s address, phone number and more. Mustang Police Chief Monte James, Mustang Public Schools Technology Director Geromy Shrick and Mayor Jeff Landrith then answered questions from the audience.

“We were extremely pleased with the turnout for the first training and we are encouraged by the feedback we received,” Rogers said. “As parents, we can get a false sense of security when our children are safe at home in their rooms logged onto their computers. We want to continue to bring this issue to the forefront by revisiting it throughout the school year and by providing educational opportunities to our students and patrons.”

The Aug. 29 seminar is sponsored by Mustang Town Center, the Mustang Police Department, Mustang Public Schools, Mustang PTA Council and the Mustang Public Library. Call 376-7919 for more information, or e-mail mpswm@mustangps.org to submit a question for the Aug. 29 training. Please put August Internet Safety Meeting in the e-mail subject line.

Mustang sales tax revenue up in July

Caleb Soptelean

Mustang’s July sales tax revenue increased by more than $71,000 from 2005 to 2006.

Figures from the Oklahoma Tax Commission show the city’s sales tax revenue receipts from May business increased from $478,816 to $550,036.

Other area cities’ revenue also went up.

Oklahoma City increased from $24.7 million to $28.2 million.

Yukon went from $1 million to $1.1 million.

El Reno increased from $441,124 to $527,022.

Canadian County’s .35 percent sales tax showed an increase in revenue from $291,222 to $303,573.

Foodservice earns outstanding record

Shannon Rigsby

Even though foodservice staff may prepare more than 4,500 servings of the menu’s main dish every day, inspectors from the Oklahoma State Department of Health have declared Mustang’s cafeterias to have an outstanding record. Comments from reports by the Oklahoma State Department of Health inspector’s reports include “Outstanding,” and “Very clean establishment.”

Clay Ohlmstead, inspector for OSDH, said Mustang’s school cafeterias may be the best in Canadian County.

“I’ve been inspecting those kitchens since 1997 and have not had any problems or items that would raise a question,” he said. “School kitchens are by far your cleanest places to eat. Mustang’s do extremely well.”

Ohlmstead complimented the district on keeping up with maintenance and equipment needs. He also said the staff was receptive to suggestions and regularly asks, even after a perfect report, what they can do to improve.

“They have a great staff that seems to be dedicated to what they do. They take pride in their work,” he said.

Child Nutrition Manager Tammy Bales agrees.

“Their kitchens are so clean,” she said. “Honestly, you could eat off the floor. They fix their foods and immediately start cleaning. They have a great routine.”

Menus and Nutrition

Menus are carefully analyzed to ensure that meals served provide all the necessary vitamins, calcium, iron and protein to meet state guidelines.

“We also work diligently to ensure our meals provide adequate calories and are low in fat and saturated fat,” Bales said.

This year, Mustang’s cafeterias are working with the Oklahoma Farm to School program to bring fresh fruit from Oklahoma farmers into the cafeterias.

In addition, parents of diabetic students may request a menu analysis that will include carbohydrate counts. Call the Child Nutrition Office at 376-2461 or e-mail balest@mustangps.org. Bales also asked that parents of children with food allergies have their child’s doctor fax a note to the Child Nutrition Office at 376-9324 listing the allergy and what the food substitution should be.

Training and Certification

More than 50 of Mustang’s Food Service employees are nationally certified through the School Nutrition Association. To earn their certification, these employees completed 30 hours of training in sanitation, food safety and “healthy edge,” a course on healthy cooking and promoting healthy eating.

“We may have the highest number of certified employees in the state,” Bales said.

Bales also makes sure training is priority with the district’s 79 food service employees. The department purchased a used CPR mannequin from the Red Cross. Every employee, including substitutes, is trained on the Heimlich maneuver and CPR. Bales is a certified instructor.

“With any substitute or new hire, I have them watch the video before they ever go to a school,” she said.

“Normally, a substitute will work as a cafeteria hostess, handing out straws and helping students open ketchup packets. They will be the first employee to notice if a child is having a problem. I want them to know what to do in an emergency before one happens.”

Happenings @ Town Center
Senior Center to host 'Bad Poetry Day'

Desiree Webber, Justin Battles and Gloria Shotwell

Come by today and pick up an aerobic schedule at the Mustang Parks and Recreation Center. The Center offers Yoga, Kickboxing and other exercise classes in the morning and in the evening. Try one class or sign up for one month of classes.

The Recreation Center’s After School Program at Mustang Elementary is now taking applications for this fall. Children will be provided with snacks, homework and enrichment time plus other fun activities. The After School Program is open to Mustang Elementary students and Mustang Valley students who live within the city limits. Enrollment is limited so call Dee Cope today for more information at 376-3411.

The Aquatic Center will be open weekends only starting this Saturday, August 12th. Weekend hours will be 1:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. through Labor Day weekend. For more information call the pool directly at 376-9049 or the Recreation Center at 376-3411.

Local writer Ed Koonce has his first novel in publication. Above the Storm is a Christian fiction novel about Joshua Matthews, who returns home from Vietnam and meets a wonderful young woman who changes his life.

Together Joshua Matthews, Becky O’Donnell and two friends have personal experiences that change their lives and draw them nearer to God.

Above the Storm is a story that keeps you reading as the group of friends deal with life’s tragedies plus true danger in the form of a false prophet who is leading people to their deaths.

Janet Evanovich has re-released her 1990 romance story entitled Smitten. Lizbeth Kane has been divorced for less than a year and she needs a job—preferably one that allows her to be home when her two boys return from school. What Lizbeth finds is a job on a construction site. The boss feels sorry for her and does not know what else to do with her, except perhaps marry her. Smitten is a romantic comedy complete with a crazy aunt and snobby ex-husband.

Preschool story times are on Mondays at 11:00 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. and Tuesday evenings at 7:00 p.m. Story times are for children ages 3 to 7. Books, flannel board tales, songs, action rhymes and crafts are shared. No pre-registration is required. For more information regarding library services and programs, please call 376-2226.

If a friend or family member is visually impaired, you may want to contact the Oklahoma Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped. OLBPH has a collection of over 48,000 books and 100 magazines available on tape and in Braille.

Materials and services are provided to Oklahomans of any age who are blind/visually impaired, have a reading disability such as Dyslexia or who are unable to hold or turn the pages of a standard print book due to a physical disability.

OLBPH uses postage-free mail throughout the state and materials and playback equipment are free. Information about the Oklahoma Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped are available at the website www.library.state.ok.us or by calling 521-3514.

The Mustang Senior Center is planning a trip to the Harrah Casino in Topeka, Kansas. The excursion will take place Thursday and Friday, October 5th and 6th.

The cost is $55 double/$75 single and includes motorcoach transportation, motel room for one night, lunch and breakfast plus $10 from the casino. Registration deadline is September 15th.

Bad Poetry Day will take place at the Senior Center on Friday, August 18th. Participants must submit their bad poems by Thursday, August 17th, to be entered in the contest.

On Wednesday, August 23, a representative from Edward Jones will give a presentation entitled “Tax-Free Investments.” Get ready for the end of the summer with a Hawaiian Luau on Friday, August 25, at 10:30 a.m. Wear your tropical clothing and come to have a great time. There will be hula dancers and games.

For more information about programs and services, please call the Senior Center at 376-1297.

The Mustang Senior Supporter’s are having their Annual Arts and Craft sale on October 14, 2006, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Interested vendors may contact the Center at 376-1297.

Rental space is $35.00. Proceeds from the craft sale help to purchase needed items for the Senior Center and provide supplies for activities.

To view the Community Calendar for a listing of programs and events, check the website at www.cityofmustang.org or tune into channel 20.

New assistant principal excited about school year

Caleb Soptelean

Jill Mitchell is the new assistant principal at Mustang Elementary.

Mitchell, 29, graduated from Mustang High School and taught in the district for six years.

She says she is excited about her new job.

“I believe I can reach more students in this position,” she said.

Mitchell’s mother, Tena Coates, encouraged her to become a teacher, and a college professor “planted a seed” that has now come to fruition. That seed encouraged Mitchell to be a school administrator.

“My goal is to foster collaboration among our staff and teachers,” Mitchell said. “For the first time ever at this school teachers will have a common planning time so they can more easily work as a team.”

As an example, all first-grade teachers will have planning time between 12 noon and 12:50 p.m. each weekday.

Mustang Elementary will have at least 700 students this year, which is an increase over last year. The average class size will be 21 students. Mitchell noted the school will utilize teacher assistants to help the school’s 35 teachers with their workload.

Mitchell will help Principal Neil Womack manage a total staff of more than 60 persons.

Both have been at the school for six years. Womack was also Mitchell’s boss for one year when both worked at Western Oaks Elementary in the Putnam City School District.

Another interesting point about Mitchell’s teaching career is revealed in the fact that her mother taught Ginger Pebworth when she was in school. (Pebworth was the assistant principal at Mustang Elementary last year and moved to Mustang Valley Elementary.)

Pebworth taught Mitchell when she was in third grade, and Mitchell taught Pebworth’s daughter Callie when she was in first grade.

So far, Mitchell has taught first, second, third and fifth grades.

She earned a bachelor’s degree in elementary education at Oklahoma Baptist University and a master’s degree in school administration from the University of Central Oklahoma.

She is married to Ray Mitchell. The couple has two girls, Madeline, four, and Lydia, one.

Eventually, she said, she would like to be a principal in the Mustang School District.

Where are they now?
To protect and serve

Carol Brimm

Many people go through life searching for the place they truly belong, that place that fills the soul with peace and gives them a sense of fulfillment, purpose and pride. For those who are lucky enough to find their “niche” in the world, life is very full. Ken Jordan, a 1989 MHS graduate, is one of those lucky few.

Jordan found the land that he loves in northwestern Oklahoma when he attended Northwestern University in Alva, after graduating from Mustang High School in 1989. He played football at Mustang as a receiver and back-up quarterback and many of his high school buddies were attending Northwestern so Jordan tried out his freshman year. He made the team as a walk-on receiver and the school offered him a scholarship the next year. He was a receiver for Northwestern throughout his eligibility, graduating with a degree in Science Education in 1996.

Jordan married his college sweetheart, Anita Tucker, in 1993. They have a nine-year-old son, Hunter and a baby daughter, Hope, born July 26, 2006. Anita is a science teacher at Cherokee Schools. She grew up in Jet, Okla. and Jordan and his father-in-law own two farms totaling just less than 2,500 acres there. They have a cattle herd and raise wheat, rye and milo.

“I was just 5 hours away from a Biology major and Chemistry minor when I decided I wanted to stay in this area. I began to look for a way to stay here and be able to farm and ranch and so I became a teacher,” Jordan said.

He taught middle school science in Enid for two years after college and then became a high school science teacher at Timberlake, a consolidated school system serving Jet, Nash, Helena and Goltry. After four years at Timberlake, Jordan says he decided to join the Oklahoma Highway Patrol.

“I didn’t hate teaching, but I felt like being a trooper was a better fit. It just seemed like it was the thing for me,” Jordan said. “Being a state trooper is not like work to me. I get tired, but I never get tired of my job. It’s something different everyday.”

Jordan is proud to be a member of J Troop, covering Alfalfa, Woods and Major counties. He says the money doesn’t matter he would do the job for free if he could afford it.

Part of his duties as a Highway Patrolman includes enforcing traffic laws. Although most stops are routine, Jordan says some people will lie when the truth sounds better in an attempt to get out of a ticket. Some of the more common excuses for speeding are an urgent need for restroom facilities or the imminent death of a relative in the hospital. Some people cry. Jordan says you have to be compassionate, but also professional and consistent.

“People don’t take it to heart if they get out of a ticket,” Jordan said. “I’ve worked enough crashes that I know by enforcing traffic laws I’m working to avoid crashes where innocent people end up getting hurt.”

Jordan says he knows the location of every restroom in the county and when a motorist uses that excuse; he simply follows them to the nearest facilities so they can take care of their business while he takes care of his. He says when he offers to escort people to the hospital they usually admit that their story was untrue.

Occasionally a routine traffic stop turns into something more dangerous. On one occasion, Jordan stopped an automobile containing two men and little girl. Both men were high on meth and an altercation ensued when Jordan attempted to make an arrest.

“It started out as a normal traffic stop and all of a sudden one of the guys snapped. I had to put him on the ground with my gun and the whole time I was scared for the little girl. I was doing everything in my power to make sure she didn’t become a victim,” Jordan said.

In addition to traffic enforcement, Jordan also serves, as the Firearm Instructor for J Troop, is a trained first responder, works crashes, helps stranded motorists, speaks at school and civic organizations and does safety programs.

Jordan says being a trooper also gives him the opportunity to spend time with his kids, work on the ranch, coach little league, be a member of the Timberlake School Board, and participate in his favorite sport, bow hunting. He is busy, but says he can’t blame anyone other than himself because these are all things he enjoys.

“People get so caught up on having stuff, they miss out on the quality of life,” Jordan says.

He says his biggest satisfaction is his family and children. Coaching his son’s little league baseball team this summer was a blast, he said, and hunting gives him time to spend with his father.

“I am an avid hunter,” Jordan said. “It’s good rest and relaxation and even though I am not ‘in the heat of the moment’ all the time as a trooper it is a high stress job. Hunting is about getting away from it all and living out here its right at my fingertips. I really enjoy hunting with my dad.”

Jordan’s parents, Paul and Pat Jordan, are Mustang residents. He says he and his brothers, Greg and J.P., grew up attending the First Baptist Church in Mustang with their parents.

“I am a member of the Methodist Church here and I have a strong faith in God. I couldn’t do my job without it,” Jordan said.

Jordan says the lord blessed him with a good upbringing, good parents, and teachers like Charlotte Blevins. Ms. Blevins was his science teacher and Jordan says she probably has no idea how much she influenced him by keeping him in line.

“I’m not the richest guy in the world,” Jordan said, “but it doesn’t matter because I’m happy with my life and I’m happy with what I do.”

Westbury Child Development Center looks to inspire the imagination

Carol Brimm

Westbury Child Development Center is undergoing a complete face lift from the inside out. Rooms are being redecorated with bright colors, whimsical designs, and interesting nooks and crannies like a special indoor treehouse and a transition room that resembles a European cafe.

The outside of the facility has also been transformed to represent a magical castle.

Co-Owner, Linda Anglin says these creative touches are the work of her daughter,
Brandi Willingham.

The center offers parents an extra sense of security by providing cameras in each room which parents can access via the internet to see their child throughout the day. Michelle Owens, Executive Director of the Center says one child's dad is in Iraq and he is able to see his children through the center's website.

The Westbury Child Development Center has been in operation in Mustang since 1985. Tom and Linda Anglin of Norman purchased the center in April 2005. The Anglins own another daycare in Oklahoma City.

Michelle Owens, Executive Director of the center says they have the capacity to care for 180 children and current enrollment stands at 120, so there are openings available as school starts soon.

The center drops off and picks up children from all elementary schools in Western Heights, Mustang, and Yukon.

The center employs 10 credentialed staff members. Half are Certified Child Care Professionals and the remainder are Child Development Associates.

Each child is assessed at the beginning of the school year and a plan is developed to meet each child's individual needs.

Business hours are Monday - Friday 6:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. The center accepts children form birth to age 12 and there is no enrollment fee during their "Back to School Special, a $50 savings. Daycare fees range from $63 for before and after school care up to $140 for infants. A multi-child discount is also available.

The Westbury Child Development Center is located at 1308 S. Morgan Rd, just north of SW 15th and Morgan Rd.

Call 495-3031 or drop in for a visit on this magical kingdom.

Family traditions hold true at area dealership

Rebecca Barnes

Now entering its third generation of family ownership and management, Cable Motors has more reasons than ever for area auto shoppers to visit their dealership at 5600 NW 39th Expressway. The dealership features new and used Kia, Mitsubishi and Volkswagen autos. The team of professionals led by owner Greg Cable is still holding fast to the family tradition begun by Gale and Peggy Cable in 1965.

“There are very few family-owned dealerships left in the United States,” Cable said. His son John Cable manages the Kia and Mitsubishi finance department. “We’ve got a very personal stake in it, because it’s our name on the front of the building. So doing the right thing is very important to us.” He said the high standards of honest customer service established by his father still keep customers coming back to Cable and recommending them to friends and family. Loyalty to the dealership frequently surpasses even brand loyalty to a certain type of car, Cable said.

“As we’ve changed from some lines, people change with us in order to do business here,” he said. And it isn’t just the Cable family customers get used to seeing – the faces of sales staff and mechanics are also familiar to many returning customers.

“Most of our employees have a lot of tenure. The average is about 10 or 11 years, and our parts manager has been with us over 20 years.” That’s an important part of the dealership’s continued good reputation, he said.

“Buying a car is one day out of your life, but that’s just the start of your relationship with the dealer,” Cable said, pointing out that extended warranties on many new cars mean customers will be coming back for maintenance for up to 10 years. “We want you to come in and know we’re going to take care of you.”

He said the opportunity to research cars online has resulted in a better-informed customer – a development he sees as positive.

“The car-buying experience has changed quite a bit in the last several years since people have become more internet- and information-savvy,” he said. “That’s changed the car-buying cycle in a way that has helped us, because we have a better-educated consumer. Selection is easier because customers know what they’re looking for, and we can focus even more on our goal of taking care of that customer.” He said selling a car to a customer is just a small part of the dealership’s goal.

“We want you to come back,” Cable said. “Your next car is more important to me than the one you’re driving today, because I plan on still being here.”

Alliance Mortgage’s owner loves to serve

Caleb Soptelean

Binu Moses got in the mortgage business because she enjoys helping people.

“I was in the banking business for 10 years,” she said.

“Then in 1996, I started processing loans through a mortgage company. I became a loan officer in 1998. I loved helping people, especially people with less than perfect credit.”

With this love of helping people driving her, Moses opened Alliance Mortgage in February 2003.

The business -- located at 4200 Perimeter Center Drive in northwest Oklahoma City -- employs seven people and has seen steady growth since its opened, said Moses, a 41-year-old married mother of two boys.

She estimates the business will have 150 customers this year. Through July they’ve had 100.

Approximately half of Alliance Mortgage’s clients purchases a home, the other half refinances. Moses would like to see the percentage of home-buying clients increase to 75 percent.

Moses was born in India and moved to the U.S. in 1980 with her parents. She graduated from Western Heights High School and completed an Associate’s Degree in Accounting from Oklahoma City Community College.

Alliance Mortgage can be reached at 604-9191.

Sports
Broncos begin practice on new turf

Caleb Soptelean

The Mustang High football team began practicing on their new artificial turf Monday.

“The kids love it,” said first-year head coach Ty Prestidge.

Monday’s practice was in the morning, but the rest of the week will consist of afternoon practices. Opinions of the new field could change a bit due to warmer temperatures, however. In the afternoon, the field will be 10 to 15 degrees hotter than on a natural grass field, Prestidge said.

The Broncos will head to Jenks on Friday, where they will scrimmage Jenks and Owasso. Both schools are 6A. The junior varsity scrimmage begins at 6 p.m. with the varsity to follow at approximately 7 p.m.

Jenks has won at least six state championships over the past 10 years, Prestidge said. “It’s as tough an opening scrimmage as anyone’s playing in the state.”

The Broncos have 68 players on the varsity this year, which is a smaller number than Prestidge expected. The number is largely due to a small senior class, he said, noting the team only has 15 seniors.

The players look to be in good shape, Prestidge said, who noted the team’s annual Red-White scrimmage on Saturday was injury-free.

“We took 60 snaps. It got ‘em used to running around in pads,” he said. It was the second day the players wore pads.

The scrimmage was filmed and will enable coaches to use it as a teaching tool.

Starters for the regular season’s Sept. 1 game at Yukon won’t be decided until the last week of August, Prestidge said.

The remainder of the Broncos' schedule is as follows:

Friday, Sept. 8
Putnam City

Friday, Sept. 15
at Choctaw

Friday, Sept. 22
at Putnam City North

Friday, Sept. 29
Lawton Homecoming

Friday, Oct. 6
at Moore

Thurs., Oct. 12
Norman North

Thurs., Oct. 19
at Putnam City West

Friday, Oct. 27
U.S. Grant

Friday, Nov. 3
Edmond Santa Fe

Sports
Solid nucleus returns for MHS softball

Caleb Soptelean

Seven returning starters provide the Mustang softball team with hope for success this year.

The returning starters helped the Broncos to a 28-16 record last year. The team lost in the regional finals to Midwest City, which finished second at state.

Jerry Long takes over the helm from Tim Wade, a two-year head coach who gave up the post in part for personal reasons based upon his family. Wade remains an assistant coach. "It wasn't a major deal," he said.

Long said MHS has plenty of depth, but needs to get the most out of its ability.

Returning starters include: senior catcher Julie Laughlin, junior second baseman Heather McKinney, sophomore shortstop Tori Joyner, senior third baseman Jessica Noblett, senior outfielder Kelsey Newby, senior rightfielder Christina Wilson, and junior center fielder/pitcher Autumn Foley.

The Broncos have only to fill the first base position, and that spot likely will be taken by junior Rochelle Chrismon.

Three girls will see significant time on the pitching mound this year, including senior Jordan Noblett and freshmen Julie Brunk and Ashley Paxton.

Others on the team include: junior left fielder Jamie Thorpe, sophomore infielder/outfielder Whitney Baker, freshman catcher/outfielder Kylee Rounsaville, freshman pitcher/infielder/outfielder Aimee Creger, junior first baseman Samantha Rice and junior third baseman/first baseman Annie Cocherell.

Long said the conference is “pretty well rounded."

The Broncos played Edmond North Monday and Edmond Santa Fe Tuesday. They will play at Broken Arrow on Friday and Saturday, at Putnam City on Monday, and will host Putnam City North on Tuesday.

Sports
Bronco volleyballers return three starters

Caleb Soptelean

Ivy Riggs returns for her fifth year as head coach of the Mustang volleyball team.

Returning starters Courtney Bridges, Chelsea Scott and Karena Van Horn will be counted on to provide team leadership.

Bridges is a middle blocker, while Scott and Van Horn are left-side hitters.

“It should be a learning year,” Riggs said, noting last year’s team had a record above .500 and lost to state runnerup Norman North in the regional tourney.

“With as many seniors we graduated last year (eight), I’m anxious to see how we’ll do. I’m pretty happy with what we’ve seen in (two) scrimmages.”

Others starters include junior setter Courtney Ketch and junior middle blocker Caitlin Bernhardt.

Juniors Abby Elizardo and Taylor Bowdish will split time at right-side hitter.

Senior Brittney Benivamontez and junior Rebekah Fream will see significant time in the back row.

Other varsity team member include seniors Tessa Stewart, Kim Laplant and Samantha Chavez. Stewart and Laplant are back row specialists, and Chavez is a right-side hitter.

Will Allen will coach the junior varsity, while Karen Bridges will mentor the frosh.

The Broncos’ first game is Tuesday, Aug. 22 at home against Del City.

They will play in a tournament at Norman on Aug. 23 before coming hosting Mount St. Mary’s on Aug. 24.