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OKLAHOMA CITY — This years marks the 22nd Anniversary of the Oklahoma City bombing and many are expected to make the trip to Oklahoma to mark the anniversary with a visit to the Oklahoma City National Memorial and Museum.
STROUD, OK. — If you are traveling on historic Route 66 in Oklahoma anytime soon, you might want to consider making a wine stop in Stroud at StableRidge Vineyards.
RED ROCK, Okla. — Paraidise Casino, located in Red Rock, Oklahoma south of Ponca City, will celebrate the grand opening of their new casino addition on Sept. 28-29.
The new and enlarged addition replaces a portion of the facility that was severely damaged in a winter storm last January.
“We have worked diligently the past eight months to design and construct a new entertainment facility unlike any other in northcentral Oklahoma,” said Dallas Teerlink, general manager.
“What makes us unique is the range of exciting, fun options we can now offer our customers. We have added an elevated live music stage above our full liquor bar, complete with room for dancing. We will also be opening a full line buffet in the very near future. From the gaming standpoint, we have doubled the number of slots and created a state-of-the-art poker room and our newly designed blackjack tables are set in a tropical “paradise,” complete with a thatched roof.”
“Entertainment and players rewards are just two new items that will be spotlighted during the grand opening,” said David Gordon, marketing director.
“Our new 7-Clans Players Club us one of the most exciting things we are introducing with numerous benefits available to those who join.
Festivities will include live music by G Note, selected as one of the Who’s Who of Oklahoma entertainment in 2005.
NEWKIRK — A recent trip to Native Lights Casino in Newkirk, Oklahoma, led me to a new slot machine based on the classic sitcom of the 1960s, Green Acres.
Gambling has become a past time for myself and others around me. It seems every week there is a new story to share at the office abut someone's latest trip to the casino.
My latest tale is from Sept. 8, 2007.
My gambling friend from Kansas came down and we visited Kaw Southward Casino in Newkirk, Okla. I couldn't wait to visit my Shockwave slot machine that had been so nice to me for two weeks in a row.
During that time span I won over $300, a record for me. So off we went. Wellon this day, lady luck was not with me. After about an hour I was down $80 and the machine was not giving me the $150 mountain bonus screen I had grown accustomed to.
Instead my friend got the bonus and was up nearly $200. Not bad for starting the venture with only $35. After risking the milk money and only winning $5 of it back, I decided it was time to fold. My friend agreed. As we headed to our vehicles, she decided to back in and take 100 spins on a Money Bags machine. After a brief moment of discussing the possible outcomes of such a venture, we were back inside.
I agreed to be the spin counter. So the money was inserted and the spinning began. The machine was feeling good, and produced cherrys and bars. We had already spun n20 times and still had over $90 on the machine. Then we hit a red zone, and the amount grew. After a few more red zones, the cash amount was over $200.
We were in shock. This kind of thing rarely happens to us, as we are usually the small people thrilled to win $40 or more.
We took the ticket and headed to another room where we would play a collect of Money Bags machines. She would insert the ticket and I would start the spin counter. One spin, two spins, three spins, I would count. Amazingly the machines kept hitting and going red. The cash total kept hovering between $180-$200 or better.
We traveled to every room in the casino playing machines. Feeling a moment of bravery, we decided to take a ride on a $5 machine, of course after suggesting such a risk, I was quick to remind the friend that it was her money and not to risk if she didn't want to. Being the good friend I was, I explained the flip Hideto the risk and how much she could win.
She was in disbelief as she slowly inserted the ticket worth over $200 in the slot machine and hit the button. Ring ring went the machine, as it handed out another $30 on the first spin. That went well and she spun it again, as I counted. The next $5 spin was a bust and it was time to find another machine.
We played a machine and according to our counting game, we were going to bet the $3 maximum on the 100th spin. Well we let fear take over and only bet $1. To our shock that was the spin that the machine hit big on and we would have had over $300 on one spin.
Still playing the good friend role, I decided to remind her jokingly, every 15 minutes that she should have bet $3 and she would have accomplished her goal of over $300. But instead we were still there suffering from second hand smoke.
The journey continued and the machines kept spinning. I kept counting and she kept betting. The cash amount seemed stuck between $250 and $280. She wanted $300 bad. Finally we ventured to a 50 cent machine and bet $1. The machine went red and the Moneybags symbols appeared and the total flew to $360.
We looked at each other and said should have bet more. Then the debate was on, shoot for $400 or not, Before we knew it she was spinning and I was counting as we attempted to reach $400.
After $300 more spins, and some minor winnings, common sense took over and the cash out button was hit. She tipped me $50 for counting and tipped the little guy cleaning machines $20 because he shined one of the many winning slot machines.
As we walked out the door I looked at my friend and said, "You should have bet more." She replied, " I know it!" But we walked away a winner.
The war in Iraq is taking a toll on communities.
As a journalist I have covered two funerals for fallen soldiers in the past two years, a rather low number compared to some areas but still two to many.
The first was for Spc. Jared Douglas, “Jed” Hartley of Newkirk, Okla.
Hartley was killed on July 15, 2005 by roadside bomb, while serving as a turret funner aboard a Humvee in Baghdad.
Not only did family, friends and the community show up to honorHartley, but a group of protestors from Topeka, Kan. showed up as well.
This was my second experience seeing the protestors and much like the first, it was unbelievable. I will never understand how anyone can be pleased about the death of an young man who was fighting to protect the freedom that everyone, including the protestors enjoy everyday.
One resident asked police to move the protestors off of her property. She then proudly displayed eight American Flags on her lawn.
She called the actions of the protestors, “A disregard for human sacrifice.”
Despite the group of nuisances which included young children, Hartley was honored with dignity. The funeral procession detoured pass the Newkirk High School. At the cemetery military honor rites were performed and his parents, Doug and Kathie were presented the American flag. The experience was one I will never forget witnessing and it brought the reality of war home to a small community.
Today, many display a logo in memory of Hartley on their vehicles and Kay County aded a section to the county war memorial to honor Hartley and others killed in Iraq.
A stretch of highway i also named after Hartley.
Nearly two years to the day, I found myself at another military funeral.
This one honored U.S. Marine Cpl. Jeremy D. Allbaugh.
Allbuagh, the nephew of Joe Allbaugh, former director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, was killed on July 5, 2007 in the Al Anbar province of Iraq by a roadside bomb.
He is buried in Blackwell, Oklahoma near his grandfather.
This time the Kansas protestors did not show up but The Patriot Guard Riders did.
At least 40 of these non-confrontational riders from five states showed up to honor Allbaugh.
Soon a bagpiper was playing Taps and it was time to once again witness tears caused by war.
Allbaugh’s brother, Lt. Jason Allbaugh, paid tribute to his brother and shared stories from their childhood. He told the crowd that Jeremy asked him to remember him if something should happen. At the end of the tribute the Patriot Guard Riders escorted the funeral procession to the cemetery where once again another family was presented a flag while choking back tears.
AS of Sept. 5, 2007, 4,144 members of the U.S. armed forces have been killed in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom conflicts. That translates into over 8,000 parents that have said goodbye to their children.
