Sen. Newberry, ODOT officials tour and discuss Highway 51 conditions in Sand Springs

/

SAND SPRINGS – Oklahoma State Senator Dan Newberry hosted key officials from the Oklahoma Department of Transportation in Senate District 37 on Friday to discuss transportation and infrastructure conditions in Senate District 37, which includes portions of Jenks, Sand Springs and Glenpool.

Senator Newberry welcomed ODOT Director Mike Patterson and members of his staff.  They viewed conditions along Highway 51 near Sand Springs, where residents have expressed concerns about sections of the highway eroding.

“First and foremost, it’s important the state build and maintain safe roads and bridges. Oklahomans depend on the fact they are safe each day as they drive to work and take their children to school,” Senator Newberry said. “A good transportation system is also critical to economic development in Oklahoma. Our businesses need good roads and bridges to quickly and efficiently get their goods and services to their customers.”

Newberry serves on the Senate Transportation Committee and the Senate Appropriations Committee.

“Since I’ve served in the Senate, we’ve made transportation a priority and have provided funding to improve Oklahoma’s roads and bridges. ODOT has done a great job, but it’s important we keep pressing forward and not lose any progress in building up our transportation infrastructure. I appreciate Director Patterson visiting Senate District 37 and hearing about the concerns of local residents. I look forward to working with him and ODOT to address some of the issues along Highway 51.”

The pictured section of Highway 51 is located between Sand Springs and Mannford and has been in various states of closure since last July. Repair work is expected to begin as early as October.

Free movies and concerts this week in the Tulsa area

/

Coming to theaters this week:

Lights Out (PG-13)
Star Trek Beyond (PG-13)
Ice Age: Collision Course (PG)
Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie (R)

Guthrie Green will be showing Disney's Cars Thursday at 8:30 p.m.

Harper’s Hut Shaved Ice & Java will not be doing their weekly Movie and a Sno Cone due to extreme heat. 

Sapulpa’s Kelly Lane Park will be screening The Parent Trap (PG) Saturday night at dark.

Wednesday 7/27. My Rock Duo at Los Cabos in Jenks. This concert is outdoor, all ages, and free of charge. It starts at 6:00 p.m.

Thursday 7/28. Sand Springs's own Jacob Dement will perform at Los Cabos in Jenks. This concert is outdoor, all ages, and free of charge. It starts at 6:00 p.m.

Thursday 7/28. Swunky Face Big Band at Utica Square. This event is all ages, outdoor, and free of charge. It is from 7:00-9:00 p.m.

Friday 7/29. Aviators at Los Cabos in Jenks. This concert is outdoor, all ages, and free of charge. It starts at 7:00 p.m.

Friday 7/29 and Saturday 7/30. Halo Jordan at 5 West Outpost in Sand Springs. This event is free for all ages. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., show begins at 7:30 p.m.

Saturday 7/30. The Detonators at Los Cabos in Jenks. This concert is outdoors, all ages, and free of charge. It starts at 7:00 p.m.

Saturday 7/30. Starr Fisher at the Riverwalk in Jenks. This concert is outdoor, all ages, and free of charge. It is from 7:00-9:00 p.m.

Have an upcoming event you'd like us to advertise? Free public events are free to list! Low-price advertising options are available for for-profit events. Contact Sanditepridenews@gmail.com for more information.

This week in Sand Springs

/

Joint City Council-Municipal Authority Meeting Monday

The Sand Springs City Council will hold a regular meeting Monday at 7:00 p.m. at the Sand Springs Municipal Building, immediately followed by the regular Municipal Authority meeting.

Police Chief Michael Carter will provide a presentation regarding the Policing Plan for 2016.

The Council will consider approval of a renewal of the agreement between the City of Sand Springs and Reasor’s for the Fiscal Year 2017.

The Council will consider appointments to the Board of Adjustment, Development Authority, Parks Advisory Board, Planning Commission, Personnel Board, and Airport Advisory Board.

The Council will consider renewal of an agreement with the Metropolitan Environmental Trust (M.E.T.) to continue providing current recycling services through the next year.

August 23rd election voter registration deadline approaches

Friday, July 29th is the final day to register to vote in time for the August 23rd special election.

Tulsa County Republicans will vote in a runoff between Donald Newberry and Ron Phillips for County Court Clerk. Independents are not eligible to vote in Republican primaries.

Newberry is a US Air Force veteran with an Associate’s in Business, Bachelor’s in Psychology, and Masters in Business Administration.

Phillips is currently the Special Projects Director for the County Clerk’s Office and holds a business administration degree.

The winner of the runoff will take on Democratic nominee John R. Andrew in November.

Newberry won the June Republican primary with 35% to 33%.

Highway 97 Rivalry Alumni game moved to Sand Springs

Sand Springs Memorial Stadium will host the third annual Highway 97 Alumni football game for the second year in a row due to ongoing construction at the Chieftains’ stadium.

Registration is Monday the 25th at 5:30 p.m. with the first practice to follow at 6:30 the same day. The game will be held Saturday July 30th at 7:30 p.m.

The series is tied 1-1 with Sand Springs winning last year’s game 35-0.

This week in Sand Springs

/

Photo by Morgan Miller

Board of Adjustment

The City of Sand Springs Board of Adjustment will be meeting Monday, July 18th at 6:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers Room at the City Municipal Building.

The Board will elect a new Chairman, Vice-Chairman, and Secretary.

The Board will also discuss and consider the possible approval of a variance to the Sand Springs Zoning Code relating to the construction of a single-family residence on the Prattville side of town.

Planning Commission

The City of Sand Springs Planning Commission will not be holding their regular monthly meeting Monday due to a lack of agenda items.

The next meeting is scheduled for Monday, August 15th.

Museum Trust Authority

The Sand Springs Cultural and Historical Museum Trust Authority will be meeting Tuesday July 19th at 6:00 p.m. in the Sand Springs Museum building at 9 E Broadway.

The Board will review the Fiscal Year 2016 financials with no action to be taken.

The Trustees will consider proceeding with interior repairs and improvement of the museum.

The Trustees will consider appointments to various museum committees and the committee chairs will present the monthly reports.

 Development Authority Meeting

The Sand Springs Development Authority will hold their regular monthly meeting in the City Municipal Building Wednesday July 20th at 4:00 p.m.

The Trustees will elect a new Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson, receive an update on Sand Springs’ development opportunities, and will consider entering an executive session to confer on matters pertaining to economic development.

SSPS Enrollment begins Monday

Students of Sand Springs Public Schools may begin enrolling as early as July 18th for the upcoming school year.

The enrollment center is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. every business day but Wednesday. On Wednesdays the hours are the same, except it is closed from noon to 1:00 p.m.

For information on medical records, identifications, and other materials necessary for enrollment, contact the center at 918.246.1448.

OSU Big Three Field Days

The longest-lasting relationships from high school are typically those built through extra-curricular activities. Sand Springs students are able to do just that through Future Farmers of America. FFA is about much more than showing livestock and farming, it is also a great vessel to teaching students about things such as leadership and public speaking. There are approximately 230 members in Sand Springs FFA, and some of them will be attending the OSU Big Three Field Days from Tuesday, July 19th to Thursday, July 21st. This event is held at the OSU Animal Science Arena and hosts about 1,300 to 1,400 students each year. The first day of this event is the Sheep field day, the second is the Beef field day, and the final day is the Swine field day. For a complete list of events you can go to http://sandsprings.theaet.com.

Chandler Park is “Just For Tots” on July 23rd

Trying to find something fun for the little ones to do this summer? Just for Tots Day at Chandler Park is a day just for the small children! It will be Saturday, July 23rd from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. There will be plenty of entertainment for the little ones, including toys to play with, games, crafts, goodie bags, and door prizes. Lunch will also be included! There will be a $5 entry fee at the door for each child, but parents will be admitted for free. For more information contact Tracy Hardy-Wade at918.591.6053 or thardy-wade@tulsacounty.org.

SSPS staff changes for upcoming school year

As of July 1st, Sherry Durkee has officially inherited the Superintendent position from Lloyd Snow, and Rod Sitton inherited the Athletic Director position from Ed Garrett.

Both Snow and Garrett have been long-time staples in the SSPS community for decades, but their replacements are far from outsiders. Durkee and Sitton have been with the community for years and are expected to be great fits in continuing the Sandite tradition of excellence.

Sand Springs shows love of PD after Dallas shooting

The tragic attack on Dallas Police officers on July 7th had a profound emotional impact on police officers and their friends and family across the country.

Hillspring Church presented the SSPD with a large banner this past week stating “Hillspring Church loves and supports you!”

The Sand Springs Jeepin’ group also presented the SSPD with gift cards to Sweetie Pies to show their appreciation.

Sand Springs Board of Ed overcomes financial challenges, increases school security and hires new staff

/

By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

The Sand Springs Board of Education handed out three Coins of Excellence at the regular monthly meetings Tuesday night. Jamie Guthrie received a coin for her appointment to the Executive Committee for Oklahoma Directors of Special Services. Clyde Boyd Middle School teacher Janet Johnson was recognized as an Outstanding Middle Level Science Teacher. Board member Bo Naugle was recognized for his services on the board and formerly as Board President.  

Superintendent Sherry Durkee had the reigns for the first time since officially moving into her new position as of July 1st.

Durkee walked the meeting through the new mandates concerning student evaluation since the passage of House Bill 3218 which eliminated the controversial End of Instruction exams. Incoming classes will still have evaluation exams, but the tests won't impede graduation for students who have satisfied curricular requirements. 

The Garfield Elementary renovations will be done by the end of July according to Durkee, and the district is actually ahead on budget, allowing them to green-light several additional items.  

The 2016-2017 school year will feature a new security feature across the district, called "Lobby Guard." Lobby Guard will allow school visitors to scan their drivers license or state-issued ID upon entering the school. The program will run visitors' ID through a database of sex offenders and other potentially dangerous individuals. Visitors cleared for entry will then receive a photo ID sticker allowing for easy identification by teachers. On a lighter note, the program will also allow for easier tracking of volunteer hours.

The district is looking at a general fund of about $3.8 million dollars compared to $4.3 million the prior year, but is still above worst case scenario predictions. According to Treasurer Greg Morris, the district was at one point looking at a general fund of $2.9 million before the repercussions of the latest legislative session balanced out.  

The board approved the hiring of eleven new employees for the new school year. The new employees will be filling positions vacated since the previous school year and are not newly created positions. Despite the new hires, the district will still be down 51 personnel since the last school year.  

CBMS will gain three new employees in Tiffany Golightly, Sarah Thayer, and Baine Wise. Golightly will teach sixth grade English, Thayer will teach sixth grade English as well as coach the eighth and ninth grade Cheer teams, and Scott Patton will be the middle school Head Football Coach and In-School Intervention Supervisor. 

Pratt Elementary gained Special Education teacher Haleigh Mattingly. Angus Valley Elementary gained Speech Language Pathologist Kama Wilson. Limestone Elementary gained kindergarten teacher Megan Kernell and second grade teacher Kristina Medina. 

Charles Page High School will add Amanda Lair, Jason Thomsen, and Blaine Wise. Lair will teach History, Thomsen will teach Special Ed, and Wise will teach History as well as coach Football and Golf. 

Mayor Burdge proclaims "Summer of Reading" in Sand Springs

/

By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

In a regular Monday night meeting of the Sand Springs City Council, Mayor Mike Burdge issued a proclamation to a representative from myON declaring a “Summer of Reading” in Sand Springs.

“The community, family and school, play (a) critical role in their children’s school success from birth through career and college readiness…the educational success of Sand Springs’s children is essential for the future of the city.”

According to the proclamation, “students who read four to six books a month during the summer months are significantly less likely to experience academic loss than students who don’t read…Access to books is crucial to a child’s success. Sand Springs Public School in partnership with Muscogee Creek Nation provides students with access to myON, providing them with twenty-four hour access to more than 8,000 digitally enhanced books.”

myON is an imprint of Capstone Publishers, a Minnesota-based company that seeks to help “children develop a love of reading and learning, no matter their ability level…” The Muscogee Creek Nation Literacy Program has partnered with myON since 2013 to “help with challenges that our students might face in regards to being proficient in reading, comprehension and vocabulary.”

To read the full proclamation, click here.

 SEE RELATED: Tulsa County Library Summer Reading Program encourages reading at all ages

Tuesday is Election Day, here's your guide to the candidates

/

By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

On Tuesday, June 28th, Oklahomans will travel to the polls for the statewide primary elections. Both the Democratic and Libertarian Parties have opened their primaries to Independent voters this year, but only registered Republicans can vote in the Republican primary.

More than 400 candidates have filed for office in Oklahoma this filing period, more than in any presidential year in recent history, according to Oklahoma State Election Board Secretary Paul Ziriax. The following is a brief summary of each candidates' qualifications. For their policy views, click on their names to be redirected to their campaign web sites.

Incumbent United States Senator James Lankford has the Republican nomination secured with no challengers, as does Democratic nominee Mike Workman. Libertarian voters will choose between Robert T Murphy and Dax Ewbank for their candidate. There are also two independent candidates: Sean Braddy and Mark Beard.

  • Murphy has ran for election to US House of Representatives five times and has never garnered more than 25% of the vote.
  • Ewbank previously ran in the gubernatorial Republican primary in 2014 and came in third with 9% of the vote.

Current Congressional District 1 Representative Jim Bridenstine is up for reelection and is challenged by Tom Atkinson and Evelyn L. Rogers for the Republican nomination. No Democrats filed for the race. The winner of the Republican nomination will square off against Independent David Matthew Hullum. 

  • Bridenstine acquired a BS at Rice University before serving nine years as a US Navy Pilot. He worked as a Defense consultant at Wyle Laboratories while attending Cornell University and working towards an MBA. He was the Director of the Tulsa Air and Space Museum from 2008 to 2010 and was first elected to Congress in 2012. He ran unopposed in both the primary and general elections of 2014.
  • Atkinson has never ran for public office prior to this election. He served in the US Air Force, was a federal prosecutor in the Department of Justice, and later a bankruptcy judge for the Northern District of Oklahoma. He founded Okie Crude Company in 1985 and holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from Southern Methodist University and a law degree from Oklahoma City University.
  • This marks Rogers's eleventh campaign for various State and Federal offices, she has yet to secure more than 16% of the vote. She holds a BS in healthcare management from the University of LaVerne, and an MA in practical theology from Oral Roberts University.

Sand Springs City Councilman Brian Jackson is challenging incumbent State Senator Dan Newberry for the District 37 Republican nomination, as is Paula L. Patterson. 

  • Newberry was first elected in 2008 and won reelection in 2012 with 67% of the vote. He holds a diploma of Charismatic Ministry from ORU as well as a Liberal Arts BS with focus on Leadership and Organizational Management. He works as the Vice President of Real Estate Operations at TTCU: The Credit Union.
  • Jackson was the youngest ever representative elected to Sand Springs City Council and is currently serving his third term. He is the Development Manager for Junior Achievement of Oklahoma and has previously served as the Sand Springs Vice-Mayor. He is a Marketing graduate from Oklahoma State University.
  • This is Patterson’s first election campaign. She is an OSU graduate with an International Business Degree with Finance and Marketing Minors.

There are also three contenders for the District 37 Democratic nomination in outgoing Sand Springs Superintendent Lloyd Snow, Andrew Nutter, and Cory Gage.

  • Snow has served as a Superintendent for 36 years, including 16 at Sand Springs. He is a graduate of the University of Oklahoma, a recipient of the Oklahoma Foundation Medal of Excellence in School Administration. He was inducted into the Oklahoma Educators Hall of Fame in 2013, was the Oklahoma Superintendent of the Year in 1995 and has twice served as the President of the Oklahoma Association of School Administrators. This is his first time running for political office.
  • Nutter and Gage are also first time political candidates and neither maintains a website and have limited information available on Facebook or other platforms.

District 66 State Representative Jadine Nollan has one challenger in Emily G. DeLozier for the Republican nomination. Dianna Phillips, wife of former City Councilman Michael Phillips, has the democratic nomination locked up.

  • Nollan was first elected in 2010 and won reelection in 2012 with 66% of the vote. She was unopposed in 2014. She holds a BS from OSU, is married to Sand Springs City Councilman Phil Nollan, and previously spent eleven years on the Sand Springs School Board. She was the Executive Director for Sand Springs Community Services from 2007-2010 and was the Pastor at C3 Ministries for Word of Life Fellowship from 2006-2010.
  • Delozier holds a BS in International Business from the University of Tulsa.

Donald Newberry, Ron Phillips, and Mary Atkinson are running for County Court Clerk as Republicans.

  • Newberry is a US Air Force veteran who served as an Explosive Ordinance Disposal Specialist. He holds an Associates in Business Administration from TCC, a Bachelors in Psychology from Liberty University, and a Masters of Jurisprudence in Indian Law from TU. He is currently the Title Research Manager in the Tulsa County Assessor’s office.
  • Phillips is the Special Projects Director for the Tulsa County Clerks Office and holds a degree in Business Administration.
  • Atkinson holds a BA from Drake University and is on the Board of Directors of Tulsa Camerata.

Rex Berry and Arthur Jackson are vying for the Democratic nomination for County Sheriff. 

  • Berry served in the Tulsa Police Department from 1973 till 1999 and retired as a Corporal. He served as a Security Management instructor in Afghanistan, was a civilian police office in Kosovo, and an Inspector of Training Facilities in Iraq. He is a US Air Force veteran and also served in the US Army Active Reserves with the Criminal Investigations Division. He holds an Associates in Police Science.
  • Jackson is a US Army veteran who has served in a supervisory position at the David L Moss Criminal Justice Center since 2001.

Vic Regalado, the incumbent from Sand Springs, is being challenged by Russell Crow and Luke Sherman for the Republican nomination for County Sheriff.

  • Regalado was just elected to the position of Tulsa County Sheriff in a special election earlier this year. He previously was the lead homicide detective for the Tulsa Police in 81 cases. He supervised a Special Investigations Gang Unit and served on the Tulsa Police SWAT team for nearly a decade. He received the Medal of Valor in 2004. It’s worth mentioning that he is currently being sued by Tulsa newspaper The Frontier for failure to comply with the Oklahoma Open Records Act in regards to not releasing County jail footage. He maintains the footage does not fall under Open Records requirements.
  • Sherman is a 23 year veteran of the TPD and has served as a tactical operator and assistant team commander on the Tulsa SWAT team. He is currently a sergeant leading the department’s Fugitive Warrant’s Unit and is on the U.S. Marshal’s Violent Crimes Task Force.
  • Crow is an eighteen year veteran of the Tulsa Sheriff’s Office and Tulsa Police Department. He also owns a private investigation firm in Tulsa.

Michael Willis and Nancy Rothman are running for the County Clerk nomination from the Republican party.

  • Willis holds a BA in Public Affairs and Administration from OU and is working towards a Masters of Public Administration. He currently serves as the Chief Deputy County Commissioner and Public Information Office and is a member of the TPD Reserve.
  • Rothman serves as the Chief Deputy in the County Clerk’s Office, the President of the Board of Directors for “Neighbor for Neighbor” in Tulsa, and is a Board Member of the Tulsa County Juvenile Justice Trust Authority.

Deanna Vincent is challenging Karen Keith for the Democratic nomination for County Commissioner District No. 2.

  • Keith has been the County Commissioner since 2008 and serves on various local boards and organizations. She was the President of the Rotary Club of Tulsa and serves on the Oklahoma Historical Society board of directors. She is a graduate of OSU, served as a KJRH anchor and executive producer of Oklahoma Living.
  • Vincent does not appear to maintain a website, facebook page, or presence on any web forum that we could find.

Jonathan Grable and Sand Springs’s Josh R. Turley are running for the Republican nomination.

  • Grable is the CEO of a local real estate management company and previously worked for Arrow Trucking Company as the Truck Assignment Coordinator. He’s served in the Oklahoma State Senate for the past six years and is an Eagle Scout.
  • Turley is a 24-year veteran of the Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office and is the founder of the Risk Management program for the TCSO.

This article was originally published in the June 26, 2016 Sandite Pride News Weekly Digital Magainze. Sandite Pride News does not endorse political candidates and strives to provide non-partisan unbiased reporting of elections. Any perceived slant towards an individual is entirely unintentional.

Hibbett Sports opens its doors in Sand Springs

/

By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

In a town that has seen the State Championship finals in three sports in the last year and has multiple national-level athletes, one would think it would be fairly easy to find a premium sporting store. Not so, until today.

For years, the only option for sporting goods in Sand Springs was Wal Mart, or a road trip to Sapulpa or Tulsa Hills. Friday morning, however, Hibbett Sports opened its doors for the first time in the Springs Village Shopping Center on the Prattville side of town. 

Hibbett already boasts over 1,000 stores in the United States, and Sand Springs will likely be a worthwhile addition to their fleet. The town is home to the large and growing wrestling club Team Big, as well as the highly successful West Side Alliance soccer league and the Tulsa Roller Derby league. The town has nationally ranked wrestlers, runners, little league baseball teams, soccer teams, and more. The High School Softball team, Football team, and Wrestling teams all came in runner-up at the State Championships this past year.

The store typically employs a staff of about eight full-time and part-time positions, and is currently hiring. Hibbett carries a large selection of athletic footwear, apparel, and team athletic equipment. 

38th Oklahoma Freewheel bicycle tour stops in Sand Springs

/

By: Morgan Miller and Virgil Noah

This year marks the 38th consecutive year of the Oklahoma Freewheel, and for the first time in its history it made a stop in Sand Springs. Freewheel is a week-long bicycle tour that stretches from the Red River to just across the Kansas state line. With each town they go through, the bicyclists are greeted with hospitality unique to the town that they are visiting. For Sand Springs, that included giving the cyclists full use of the Case Community Center, free bar-b-cue from the Holy Smokers, and Harper’s Hut Shaved Ice and Java.

The Church That Matters Holy Smokers, Brent Higgins and Thomas Mercado, were set up alongside the cyclists’ campsite. The pair compete in competitions, and have won the people’s choice award at Chillin’ and Grillin’ competition for the past 5 years.  Brent Higgins and Thomas Mercado brought enough food to this event to feed 300 people and were giving it away completely free to the participants of the bike tour. Harper’s Hut Shaved Ice and Java was set up adjacent to the Holy Smokers and had to shut down momentarily to replenish their supplies after completely selling out of product.

A group of massage therapists travels with the cyclists on the tour. Each night the group set up their tents to offer some relief for the cyclists’ sore muscles. One of those therapists is Dwight Divelbiss who says that, “It’s just fun to travel and visit the small towns and see Oklahoma.” He has been practicing massage therapy part-time for 20 years, and of those 20 years has traveled with 15 Freewheels. Dwight doesn’t live in Sand Springs but his parents reside in town. Mary Lou Divelbiss, Dwight’s mother, was the branch manager of the Charles Page Public Library before retiring.

Jerri Hines from Jay, Oklahoma is on her 12th Freewheel tour. She got started bicycling as a kid with her parents, and was exposed to the Oklahoma Freewheel when it would go through her town. She had gone through Sand Springs but had never stopped to take it all in. When asked what her favorite thing about the town was, she said that she loved seeing the old buildings and the Holy Smokers bar-b-cue.

The cyclists arrived in Sand Springs intermittently throughout Wednesday evening and departed early Thursday morning at 5:00 am. They will spend Thursday night in Claremore.

From The Editor: Sunday June 19, 2016

/

From the Editor’s Desk:

Greetings Sandites!

Thank you for reading the fourth edition of our new Sandite Pride News Weekly digital edition. We hope to be bringing this to you in a print format very soon!

If you’re new to our platform, I’d like to share our mission statement with you.

“Our mission is to improve our city by establishing relationships and building a family that works and stands together and celebrates each others' accomplishments.
We seek to be professional and factual, while maintaining compassion and honesty. We will report relevant stories in a timely manner from a positive perspective.
We will perform community outreach and look for opportunities to improve the quality of our environment. We will partner with local businesses, churches, youth groups, and other organizations, and support their visions for this community.”

What does all that mean? It means we’re here for you!

We want to help see your dreams through to fruition. We’re all Sandites, we’re all in this together, and it’ll take all of us working together to achieve the dream that Charles Page had for this great community! We strive to “think right” at Sandite Pride News, and that means helping the city any way we can.

Whether you’re a church, nonprofit organization, or even a for-profit business trying to do something special for the community, let us help you. Any free community event, such as church youth group events, vacation bible school programs, free movie nights, etc. are completely free to advertise with Sandite Pride!

We don’t look to profit off people trying to make a difference. Fundraisers where the host organization stands to profit are eligible for discounted rates on advertising as well. If 50% of the proceeds of your event go to charity, then your advertising is 50% off! And as always, we love our regular sponsors and advertisers who want to help support our vision. We offer full page, half page, banner ads, and more! Help us bring a light to this community and celebrate those who are achieving their dreams and putting this great city on the map.

We are always grateful for tips and information on any potential stories. Feel free to reach out today and make sure we know about your special events coming up! 

Scott Emigh
Editor-in-Chief
918.899.0823
www.SanditePride.com

This article was originally published in the Sandite Pride News Weekly Sunday edition.

From The Editor: Sunday June 12, 2016

/

From the Editor’s Desk:

Greetings Sandites!

Thank you for reading the third edition of our new Sandite Pride News Weekly digital edition. We hope to be bringing this to you in a print format very soon!

This week’s edition is dedicated to a man very near to my heart, my late uncle, David Wayne Emigh.

David was the founding pastor of Word of Life Church in Sand Springs, and led our congregation for thirty years. In that time he touched countless lives, not just in our little community, but across the world.

From being a published author of three books and hundreds of magazines, to traveling the world in missions and founding hundreds of churches, David’s words have reached the hearts of many.

David means a lot to me, despite never getting to know him that well in life. I was only fifteen years old when he passed, and I wish that I had been closer to him. Overseeing a church of some seven-hundred people required a lot of David, but he still found time to check in on me when he could, taking me bowling, laser-tagging, and having me over for movies. We weren’t nearly as close as some uncles and nephews are, but I looked up to him then, and even more so now.

My parents split up in 2009, and despite his best efforts, my father wasn’t around as much as a son needs. I’m sure many of my readers can relate. When you’re a kid, you need role models, and you look for them wherever you can. Often times we turn to celebrities or athletes for inspiration. I was fortunate enough to have a great man to look up to, who left behind a smorgasbord of writings, videos, and recordings to learn from.

The five year anniversary of David’s untimely death is this Wednesday, June 15th. Our community lost an incredible human being, and many of us are still feeling the pain of loss.

Scott Emigh
Editor-in-Chief
www.SanditePride.com

This story was originally published in the Sandite Pride News Weekly Sunday edition.

From The Editor: Sunday June 5, 2016

/

From the Editor’s Desk:

Greetings Sandites!

Thank you for reading the second edition of our new Sandite Pride News Weekly digital edition. We hope to be bringing this to you in a print format very soon!

In last week’s edition I talked about the history of Sandite Pride and how it all came together. To summarize it, we are not associated with the Sand Springs Leader, or the high school newspaper, The Sandtonian. We are a locally owned and operated company founded out of a love of Sand Springs and her people.

As a staff we believe there is no better community in the nation, and it is our goal to bring recognition to this great city and the incredible people who work day-in and day-out to make it that way. We believe that each and every citizen has a story, and we want to help them tell it.

Sandite Pride News, LLC consists of myself, Morgan Miller, Teri Emigh, and Virgil Noah. Morgan is our Executive Director. She helps oversee the flow of operations and makes sure that nothing is overlooked in the day-to-day operations. Teri is our Chief Financial Officer and handles our financial and legal obligations. Virgil is our Marketing Director. He works to establish the relationships with local businesses and organizations that are the lifeblood of our organization. As the Editor-in-Chief I am the voice of the company, and I decide the overall tone of our magazine as well as plan our long-term goals and purpose.

The fifth and most vital member of our team is you; the people we work for and represent, and care so much about. The whole reason this magazine/website exists is to bring the community together, to educate its people on current affairs affecting the city, to celebrate our successes and improve the overall sense of Sandite pride.

We hope you will work with us in this venture and we welcome your contribution. We are always looking for friends and partners in this journey and want to work together to make this town the best it can be.

Feel free to contact us any time for any reason. I can be reached at 918.899.0823. Morgan’s number is 918.508.9564 and Virgil’s number is 918.282.1243. Don’t hesitate to call us for any reason, or send us an email at SanditePrideNews@gmail.com. We are constantly looking for advertising partners, stories, news tips, and more. If you are hosting an event that you would like to be included in our magazine, let us know!

Sandite Pride News can be found on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Youtube. We also have an account with SmugMug where you can purchase prints or downloads of all our photography, including sporting events, graduation, and most recently the Word of Life Free Community Carnival.

Scott Emigh
Editor-in-Chief
www.SanditePride.com 

This story was originally published in the Sandite Pride News Weekly Sunday edition.