Good morning, good morning, good morning, and welcome, welcome, Welcome to our special twenty twenty four Year in Review program.
I'm Tom Davis and I'm Nathan Thompson. You know, Tom, twenty twenty four was a very busy year in our listening area, and when I was compiling this list of our top stories, I found our staff wrote more than thirty five hundred stories so far in twenty twenty four.
That's an incredible number, with an average of more than sixty two stories each week.
Well, thankfully for our listeners and our voices, Tom, I whittled the list down just a bit for our Year in Review. Now, of course, we need to start with our top story of twenty twenty four. I don't think there's anywhere else I can start except for the devastating tornadoes that impacted Barnstall and Bartlesville in twenty twenty four.
Barnstall was first hit by a small tornado on April first, which damaged a couple of structures. But then the May sixth tornado occurred and we were I have on the air during both tornadoes, providing advanced warning and the reports of the damage.
We need to talk about this storm that is just moving to the east of Harmony right now. That is a tornado warnstorm, confirmed tornado. That storm is moving to the northeast northeast now at forty miles per hour. Again, this is confirmed by a spotterer on the ground. If you are in Barnstall, a Vent, Talent, Wolco, you need
to be in your tornado shelters now, all right. So for our chasers who are listening right now, I need somebody to head toward Oceleda Ramona area and if somebody can get ahead of that Barnstall storm, that would be good as well. Confirmed tornado is on the ground though we have a very dangerous situation right now. Just a few minutes ago. Here are some of the times that you need to be aware. Barnstay all about nine thirty seven, Talent nine thirty eight, Woolcoe ninety nlogny nine, the Woolarock
area at nine forty six and Ocealeda Oceleda. You're not in the tornado warning at this point that you need to be watching this because that tornado warnstorm is knocking on your doorstep right now.
Yeah.
I'm actually here in the using ranch where the towers are moving buller Rock and Bartlesville looking to the southwest. I can confirm with Chase kind of said, the winds that picked up a little bit, a lot of rain, and I think this thing's probably gonna come in rain round.
Okay, So so just just be mindful if I tell you to move.
Move if you can, if you feel like something's coming. That's what it does. A lot of lightning right here, a lot of lightning.
The storm we've been watching to the southeast of Barnstall kevinis is heading kind of in that direction, so may need to head heads south as well. If you run the city of Bartolsville. This is a confirmed tornado warning. A confirmed tornado to the south of the Barnstall area, and maybe in you your tornado safe spots right now. Tornado simons are now sounding. Tornado simons are now sounding in Barlowsville. That's your signal. You need to be in
your tornado safe spots right now. We will stay here with you online as long as we can. Here the Gap Road area is where we're seeing the circulation. Caleb Potter was just reporting from that area. But we do need to be taking shelter now in the city of Barlowsville, as well as in Dewey and then Evan far back. We're getting all set up downstairs. Okay, let's go ahead and head downstairs. And we are heading downstairs here at
KWN in downtown Barlosville. This is a situation that we all need to take seriously, as this tornado warning had confirmed tornado on the ground near the Barnstall area. And again, if you are in city of Bartlesville, Judy, you need to be taking your tornado precautions right now. I'm on a portable microphone. Okay. Again, we are now in our tornado shelters here at the radio station as the storm continues to move on through.
We did evacuate our studios and we headed to our shelter, but thanks to our technology, we were able to stay on the air throughout and provide updates even those first reports of damages.
One of our show trackers is heading to is actually going to be heading back to his house because he does have damage pretty good side his house in East Bartlesville. So Chase, we're thinking much about it. Damage at Toxedo and Queenstown, and we've got people out looking for damage right now, so we'll be getting that over the next thing. I know we have an additional damage in Tuxedo and Avondale area as well. We're getting another I know we have multiple reports of damage.
In our area.
I know Evan Farbach has been following that for us. So Evan, tell me an update some of the storm damager hearing.
The Yeah, a few of the things to mention again, you've mentioned a few of them.
Toxedo and Avondale was a place we had confirmed damage. Had a confirmed tree down over Old Highway seventy five in between Oceanleda and Bartlesville, just north of Oceleda across Silver Lake there had a tree down all right, Hanton In reporting in Bartlesville, my goodness, taking a direct hit from this tornado. Now we're also getting multiple reports of structural damage now in Barnstall, multiple reports of structural damage
in Bartlesville and now confirmed tornado damage. With those early reports coming from Barnstall, we had no idea at the time how terrible and deadly this twister was. It was rated an EF four and was the strongest tornado in Oklahoma since twenty thirteen. Millions of dollars in damage was done. Two people were killed and many people lost their homes.
For the most part, Bartlesville has been able to rebuild, but there are a handful of businesses that are still closed near the intersection of Frank Phillips Boulevard and Washington Boulevard. Our friends in Barnstall, well, they've had it a bit more difficult.
The wax plant was significantly damaged in the tornado, and what's the town's largest employer. After an initial promise to rebuild, the parent company backed out. Now in December, Mayor Johnny Kelly says, the town is just barely hanging on there.
It is Christmas and there used to be Christmas lines all over here and callers everywhere, and you know, people preparing to have family get togethers in Christmas. And now all you have is empty loss that can't be rebuilt due to EhP, which is environmental historical preservation. We've been going through the process of getting people to bid the job of digging the test holes along the creek bank to check for artifacts.
It's weird looking at nothing but flat landscape, but it'd be all right.
Another story that has dominated our newscast this year is the trouble at Bartlesville's iconic Price Tower, the Frank Lloyd Wright design skyscraper, was purchased by a private firm in twenty twenty three with promises to revitalize the property, but those promises never materialized.
In fact, Tom they've gotten markedly worse. Alarm bells first came to fruition after the building's owner, Cynthia Blanchard, was caught selling artifacts in the Price Tower in late April and early May. She told us at the time quote, she's tried to protect the tower. Well here she is in her own words.
Stef we're protecting the tower because the other thing with these people that are feeding this reporter false information is behind the scenes, they're reaching out to me to try to buy the tower.
I believe.
Yes, you've had yes as offer.
To as in this morning there was another one through a third party acquaintance that they're trying to say, Hey, we've got a buyer, but it's Craig. He's been calling me. On Monday, this third party acquaintance said, hey, you got a message from him. He wants to buy the tower. Let's all be friends again. So what is you tell me? What's going on?
That contract to sell the Price Tower reportedly fell through. Multiple lawsuits have been filed claiming Blanchard signed the contract but then failed to deliver on the property, and additional lawsuits have been filed against Blanchard for selling the Frank Lloyd Wright artifacts.
In August, Blanchard told us that she's not closing the Price Tower, which was another falsehood.
We have had to sail back tremendously because we don't have the business. In August, we don't out. I didn't know that the employees were saying we were closing the doors. We have had to let some at least temporarily, let staff go. We've had to cancel reservres because we don't have the staff. We can't afford to keep the staff on. So, yeah, are we closing the doors. Not yet, but we don't know what the future holds because we have been attacked.
Twelve days after that statement from Cynthia Blanchard, longtime tenants received eviction notices and began moving out of the Price Tower, including Bartlesville Monthly Magazine, which had office there for seven years. Keith and Christy mcphaiel told me they were concerned over the rhetoric that Blanchard was using and it had a negative impact not only on them, but also on the Price Tower itself.
Hopefully everybody can keep informed with the facts and not all that you know, crazy yeah.
And that's really what we want, is just everyone to get all the facts and let this play out like a shit good because at the very end of the day, we have to do what's best for the Price Tower and what's best for the city, and that's what we care about.
Following the lawsuits, the Price Tower has literally gone dark and has been abandoned for months. The electricity and the water service to the skyscraper have been turned off. At least one of the lawsuits, the one for breach of contract between Blanchard and the McFarlane group, might be close to resolution. The next coordinata on that matter is just a week away on January seventh.
On the education front, many great things occurred during twenty twenty four. The Bortleshell Agricultural Education Center opened in September. Voters approved a bond issue in twenty twenty one for the new center, which includes classrooms, greenhouses, a show arena, and animal barns for the school district's nationally recognized FFA program. Superintendent Chuck McCauley says he's pleased with the community's support of AG education and has plans to continue growing the program.
Exciting day for the community of Bartlesville. I'm so pleased that we now have this opportunity within our school system. I'm so thankful for the strong community support now that we have, you know, three ACT teachers, two hundred and forty students enrolled in the program in eight through twelve, and we're also already making plans to continue to expand
the program. So thankful for our voter support for the bond issue so that we can have this, and also thankful for the Lion Foundation for helping us fund the great houses. It's a great day for Marblesville.
Wait Side Elementary School expanded and another expansion is under construction at Ranch Heights Elementary, showing the growth in Bartlesville public schools. We also were able to celebrate the outstanding students from across the entire listing area with the Patriot Auto Knight of Scholars and Champions.
That's right. Tom Nowata High School senior Zach Long was named the twenty twenty four Patriot Auto Group Student of the Year during the eighth annual Night of scholars and champions at Oklahoma Wesleyan University, presented by Truity Credit Union in Bartlesville. Radio Long won a brand new twenty twenty four hun day venue from Patriot Atto, payment of the tag tax and title on the vehicle, a one thousand dollars scholarship, and a five hundred dollars gas card from Phillips sixty six.
Oh, it's a major bussing. I'm very big blessing. I'm so excited for this opportunity. I'm just you know, I'm glad that I can be a good leader for my community and for all the communities around here. And I just thank God for everything that He's done for me. And this is a big blessing.
It was certainly a great night and congratulations Zach. Bartlesville High School cross country star Gentry Turner was named the Female Athlete of the Year and Candy Valley High School multi sport female I'm Cooper Fogel was named the Male athlete of the Year. Both received one thousand dollars scholarships from Patriot Auto Group, Bartlesville Radio and Ascension Saint John Jane Phillips.
On the political front, it was an election year, and we all know how the national election worked out, but it was particularly competitive in local races, especially for Bartlesville City Council. Three of the five incumbents lost their reelection bid, including Mayor Dale Copeland, Councilor Louren Roselle, and Quinn Shipper. All three incumbents lost two challengers, Tim Sherrick, Larry East, and Aaron Kirkpatrick.
In the candidate forum hosted by k one just before the November election, it was apparent there was severe disagreements over the handling of the city's comprehensive plan, flock traffic cameras, and the city's homeless population, but by far a reaction to drag shows in public during the Bartlesville Pride Festival was the one that grew at least two candidates over the finish line. Here's Tim Sherrick.
We just saw a lot of situations that we felt like needed to be addressed. We wanted to make sure that we properly represented the voice of the people and served them well, that we were in a position to protect the family values that have always been at the heart of Bartlesville and to make sure that the needs of the people are paramounts in front of.
The city council and Larry East.
I'd like to see adult entertainment to fush behind closed doors. That was really one of the biggest things that encouraged me to step up and try to get in here to make some change there and the homelessness situation that needs address.
The issue over whether or not public drag shows will continue in Bartlesville is certainly not a settled matter. There will be additional debate on whether or not drag performances are considered adult entertainment or protected expression under the first Amendments.
We also lost several community icons during twenty twenty four, including former Bartlesville City council Member Billy Rohan. She passed away suddenly in April after a brief illness. Former Bartlesville Assistant City Manager Tracy Rowles remembered.
Ron her and her late husband Tom were true public servants who really cared about making things better, not just for a select few, but for everyone, and so we will really miss Billy and her contributions not only to the city but as friends of so many that she did it the right way, and then once she got to that position, she continued to do things the right way, always kept a community first approach, really cared about the community and wanted this wanted the city of Bartlesville to
be the very best, So she'll truly be missed.
One of Billy Rome's lasting contributions was the creation of the new Veterans Memorial at Veterans Park. The memorial opened to the public in November. Here's former city Councilor Quinnshipper on Rohan's contribution and where we.
Stand today was a vision of Billy Roan, who loved this community, she loved her country, and if she had to have baked sales every Saturday to raise the money for this, whatever it was going to take, she was determined to have this Veterans Memorial in place in this spot.
We also lost former Sheriff Pat Ballard, Va Zoo With Service and Technology Corporation, former West Side Community Center Director Morris mccorby, and Commissioner Mike Bouvier. But perhaps no one was more loved by the community than the man known as Bartlesville's Santa Ron Adams. He passed away on November thirteenth, but just before he died, the community came into say goodbye.
He's been known as Bartlesville's very own Santa for more than three decades, and on Saturday night, dozens of community members showered Ron Adams with the blessings of love and Christmas carols as he faces the final moments of his life. Earlier this year, Adams was diagnosed with stage four liver cancer. His health has rapidly deteriorated, and he is in hospice
care at the Journey Home between Bartlesviille and Dewey. Debbie Nie, a friend of the family, says she received a phone call from Adam's daughter Lindsay Saturday morning with a very special request.
Well, Lindsay called me this morning and she said, I have a big ask, a really big ask. And I said, Hey, whatever you need, I'm here for you. And she said, well, if you can want to say no, you can say no. I said no, I want to say no. I'll make it happen. And she said, I'd really love to have carellrs here at six o'clock to night. I said done.
Adams was born in Bartlesville in nineteen forty seven. He attended grade school and graduated from Call High in nineteen sixty five. He attended Oklahoma State University and graduated with a business degree. Professionally, he worked in banking for more than forty years before he retired, but it was his
career in banking that helped Adams become Bartlesville Santa. He also became involved in the Shriners organization and performed as a clown bringing joy to children's lives, a tradition that continued as Santa.
My mom always said I wasn't shy.
Adams is certainly not shy and certainly not lacking any compassion children. In addition to his Santa duties, Adams was the longtime president of the Bartlesville Playground Association, the nonprofit group that operates the Kittie Park. He retired from that in twenty nineteen, and following a stroke, he almost hung up the Santa hadn cloak, but persevered, doming he still
had love and joy to spread. He has given countless hours as a volunteer at the Dewey Hotel and continued his portrayal of Santa for thousands of children at events across the region. Following his cancer diagnosis in early twenty twenty three, Adams received several immunotherapy treatments, but his family says they knew what the outcome would be. In the past few weeks, his daughter says, the cancer took over and they made the tough decision to place him at
the Journey Home. Saturday's love from the community gathering and singing more than twenty minutes of Christmas Carol's had a profound impact on Ron, his wife, Debbie, and his daughter Lindsay. Lindsay came outside and in tears thanked the gathered crowd. Nie says she knows the impromptu carol singing was a miracle for the family. She says she was not surprised by the community support.
This is Bartlesville. Visit Bartlesville does this, this is our hometown.
A small blessing of Christmas music, a large outpouring of love from the community, but not as large as Ron Adam's heart and his devotion to bringing joy as Bartlesville Santa at the Journey Home in Bartlesville.
Thank you for joining us for a year in Review special from all of us at Bartlesville Radio. We wish you a most prosperous new year. I'm Tom Davis.
And I'm Nathan Thompson. Our commitment to you, our listeners will remain in twenty twenty five as we bring you the stories that are important to you. Thank you for allowing us to be k One, the one you trust