MOORE -- With less than 150 residents without power, Moore is "recovering well" from the county's ice storm, its city manager said this week.
Two weeks ago, more than 6,000 in Moore were without electricity.
"By and large, everyone is back up in the community," said Moore city manager Steve Eddy. "To the best of my knowledge we're pretty much back to normal."
And while Eddy described the storm as "the worst ice storm Moore has ever had" city officials, he said, were well prepared for the problems.
"We have the knowledge and we know what to expect," he said.
Eddy said Moore officials are accustomed to dealing with federal emergency management officials. "We speak FEMA," he said. "You have to learn to speak it and know what they are doing. We do."
With services restored, Eddy said city crews will begin hauling away tree debris Jan. 7.
"We wanted to give people a chance to get their debris out to the curb," he said. "We know there are a number of people who are going to need help."
Tree limbs placed for pickup should be placed within 12 feet of the curb or edge of roadway and must be cut in lengths of no longer than 10 feet.
Moore Mayor Glenn Lewis said the city has also set up a location where residents can haul their own tree limbs from the ice storm.
"There won't be any charge for the service," Lewis said.
Lewis said residents who wish to haul their own tree debris can take it to the Moore Animal Shelter at 4000 S. I-35 Service Road. To dump debris, a resident must show proof of residency, either a driver's license with the current address or a copy of a recent utility bill.
Proof of residency also may be obtained at City Hall.
"We are committed to getting the city cleaned up as soon as possible and getting back to normal," Lewis said. "I would like to thank the residents for their patience and their resilience in this time of recovery."
Lewis said the drop-off location will be open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. seven days a week (except Christmas Day and New Year's Day) until further notice. Only tree debris will be accepted.
Both Lewis and Eddy said the clean up process should go quickly.
"Once we get started our contractors will be working on it daily. It shouldn't take too long, less that a couple of months."
Residents seeking more information can check the city's Web site at www.cityofmoore.com. Information also will be made available via the city's CodeRed emergency notification system.
Residents who are not in the CodeRed database, should sign up on the City's Web site or call 793-5171 to make sure that they receive the CodeRed calls.
Thursday, December 20, 2007
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
COMMENTARY: So this is Christmas...
“So this is Christmas
And what have you done
Another year over
And a new one just begun
And so this is Christmas
I hope you have fun
The near and the dear one
The old and the young...”
— John Lennon
Driving down the Broadway Extension, being passed by the reindeer-decorated Hummer, it’s pretty obvious that Christmas is close.
Very close.
The stores are well decorated, and a least one radio station is playing wall-to-wall Christmas carols. BC Clark has dusted off the jingle and we’ve already had snow and ice and winter isn’t even officially here yet.
Yeah, call it Christmas in Oklahoma.
But, to borrow a line from the late John Lennon, “what have we done?”
I wish I knew the answer to that question.
All across the state people are making plans, shopping and generally celebrating the Yuletide. Children — from 1 to 92 — are trying their best to behave and the rest of us are finding it difficult to focus at work.
Christmas does that.
Still, what have we done?
For a brief time, we’ve let go of the normal and found refuge in the silly, the fun and the sacred. With one breath we pause to celebrate a 2,000-year-old miracle and, that same day, find ourselves singing “Grandma’ got ran over by a Reindeer.”
We wrap ourselves against the cold by opening our hearts to others.
For a short time, the poor have souls and those who suffer are remembered. We allow ourselves to care and, briefly, we reach out to others.
All because of Christmas.
Many find comfort in movies and Christmas specials. We smile as the Grinch and English brethren, Ebenezer Scrooge, both find redemption through Grace.
Charlie Brown may always be a blockhead, but he does know how to choose Christmas trees and, yes, Burl Ives will always be a first-class snowman.
But what have we done?
Sure, we see daily examples of anger, spite and meanness. We see bigotry disguised as policy and hear hatred spoken of as justice.
But we also see faith.
And hope.
And love.
Across this state you’ll find thousands who truly care about their fellow man. You’ll find gentle, decent people who want to help and who seek to share what they have with others.
You don’t have to look hard.
I’m always amazed by Oklahomans when we run a story in the paper about a family’s struggle. The ink is barely dry on the newsprint before the telephone is ringing with offers of help.
I still smile as I remember the attorney — whose pledge of secrecy I continue to honor — who offered to help a Norman woman “for as long as she needs or wants it.”
This same attorney is known by several other names — most of which are unprintable — by those who have locked horns with him in court.
So, this is Christmas and what have we done?
We’ve lived, my friends.
We’ve recognized that there is something out there greater than ourselves and, many of us, have opened our homes and our heart to those fellow passengers we share this world with.
We’ve also loved.
For some, Dec. 25 my be just another day.
But for many others, the Christmas holiday is that time to reaffirm our faith in humanity and in our Creator. A time, again, to say “I love you.”
Yes, this is Christmas.
And may yours be bright, warm and filled with hope.
And what have you done
Another year over
And a new one just begun
And so this is Christmas
I hope you have fun
The near and the dear one
The old and the young...”
— John Lennon
Driving down the Broadway Extension, being passed by the reindeer-decorated Hummer, it’s pretty obvious that Christmas is close.
Very close.
The stores are well decorated, and a least one radio station is playing wall-to-wall Christmas carols. BC Clark has dusted off the jingle and we’ve already had snow and ice and winter isn’t even officially here yet.
Yeah, call it Christmas in Oklahoma.
But, to borrow a line from the late John Lennon, “what have we done?”
I wish I knew the answer to that question.
All across the state people are making plans, shopping and generally celebrating the Yuletide. Children — from 1 to 92 — are trying their best to behave and the rest of us are finding it difficult to focus at work.
Christmas does that.
Still, what have we done?
For a brief time, we’ve let go of the normal and found refuge in the silly, the fun and the sacred. With one breath we pause to celebrate a 2,000-year-old miracle and, that same day, find ourselves singing “Grandma’ got ran over by a Reindeer.”
We wrap ourselves against the cold by opening our hearts to others.
For a short time, the poor have souls and those who suffer are remembered. We allow ourselves to care and, briefly, we reach out to others.
All because of Christmas.
Many find comfort in movies and Christmas specials. We smile as the Grinch and English brethren, Ebenezer Scrooge, both find redemption through Grace.
Charlie Brown may always be a blockhead, but he does know how to choose Christmas trees and, yes, Burl Ives will always be a first-class snowman.
But what have we done?
Sure, we see daily examples of anger, spite and meanness. We see bigotry disguised as policy and hear hatred spoken of as justice.
But we also see faith.
And hope.
And love.
Across this state you’ll find thousands who truly care about their fellow man. You’ll find gentle, decent people who want to help and who seek to share what they have with others.
You don’t have to look hard.
I’m always amazed by Oklahomans when we run a story in the paper about a family’s struggle. The ink is barely dry on the newsprint before the telephone is ringing with offers of help.
I still smile as I remember the attorney — whose pledge of secrecy I continue to honor — who offered to help a Norman woman “for as long as she needs or wants it.”
This same attorney is known by several other names — most of which are unprintable — by those who have locked horns with him in court.
So, this is Christmas and what have we done?
We’ve lived, my friends.
We’ve recognized that there is something out there greater than ourselves and, many of us, have opened our homes and our heart to those fellow passengers we share this world with.
We’ve also loved.
For some, Dec. 25 my be just another day.
But for many others, the Christmas holiday is that time to reaffirm our faith in humanity and in our Creator. A time, again, to say “I love you.”
Yes, this is Christmas.
And may yours be bright, warm and filled with hope.
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
New jail could cost $30 million
Cleveland County’s new jail could be a two-story, 85,000-square-foot facility designed to house more than 500 inmates in a series of “pods,” segregation units and holding areas, tentative plans for the structure show.
Those plans — while still far from complete — were reviewed Monday duirng a meeting of the Cleveland County Justice Authority. The county’s three commissioners, George Skinner, Rod Cleveland and Rusty Sullivan, are the authority’s trustees. The authority was created in October to build and operate the jail.
Documents reviewed Monday include designs of three jail “pods” for housing minimum, medium and maximum security inmates, a separate section for juvenile offenders, a medical facility, several padded cells, a unit for segregating inmates and a central booking area.
Cost for the facility could be “in the $30 million range.”
The jail is expected to occupy an eight-acre section of a 28-acre plot of land along Franklin Road and U.S. 177, near the Johnson Controls-York International plant. The county purchased the land earlier this year for $1.2 million.
And while county officials stress the jail’s design is not yet locked down, Sullivan said he believes that design is close to being complete.
“There’s still more to do, but we’re moving right along,” he said. “But I’d like to be putting a shovel in the ground sometime in the spring.”
Designed to house 528 inmates in an 85,330-square-foot area, the jail “makes terrific use” of space and includes state-of-the-art security and video features, Sullivan said. “Our goal is to be cost effective and construct a secure facility. I don’t want to get Buck Rogers and spend all the money in the world on this.”
Current design documents include plans for a 32-bed maximum security unit for male inmates, 112 beds for medium security male inmates and 192 beds for minimum security male inmates. For females, the plans include eight maximum security beds, 32 medium security beds and 48 minimum security beds.
A 27-unit area would allow for the segregation of inmates, while a medical facility would contain six beds. Another 20 beds are set aside for weekend prisoners, and additional 28 beds are earmarked for trustees — 20 for males, and eight females.
The jail’s intake area would house another 15 inmates.
“It’s a very effective use of space,” said Cushing jail consultant Donald Jones. “It also includes state-of-the-art security and video conferencing systems.”
The video system, Jones said, would allow inmates to remain in secure areas and communicate with their attorneys, bondmen or family members.
Sullivan said the video technology would allow law enforcement officials to better control inmates.
“If we’ve got them in control, if we control them in the pod … and an inmate loses his mind, if they are in the pod they are easier to control,” he said.
In addition to its video conferencing system, the jail would include a second-floor mezzanine level, which will allow county law enforcement officials to monitor the jail’s inmate population. Skylights in the building’s pyramid-style roof would provide lighting.
“It’s progressing very well,” said Norman architect Ben Graves. Graves, a partner with the firm Architects in Partnership, who is designing the jail. Earlier this year, Graves said he hoped to have the jail’s plans completed in mid-November.
And though commissioners didn’t make that late fall deadline, Sullivan said he expects the jail’s design to be settled soon. “We’re still working on the food service, administrative and laundry areas,” he said. “But I don’t think it will take that much longer. We’re working hard to get this done.”
Those plans — while still far from complete — were reviewed Monday duirng a meeting of the Cleveland County Justice Authority. The county’s three commissioners, George Skinner, Rod Cleveland and Rusty Sullivan, are the authority’s trustees. The authority was created in October to build and operate the jail.
Documents reviewed Monday include designs of three jail “pods” for housing minimum, medium and maximum security inmates, a separate section for juvenile offenders, a medical facility, several padded cells, a unit for segregating inmates and a central booking area.
Cost for the facility could be “in the $30 million range.”
The jail is expected to occupy an eight-acre section of a 28-acre plot of land along Franklin Road and U.S. 177, near the Johnson Controls-York International plant. The county purchased the land earlier this year for $1.2 million.
And while county officials stress the jail’s design is not yet locked down, Sullivan said he believes that design is close to being complete.
“There’s still more to do, but we’re moving right along,” he said. “But I’d like to be putting a shovel in the ground sometime in the spring.”
Designed to house 528 inmates in an 85,330-square-foot area, the jail “makes terrific use” of space and includes state-of-the-art security and video features, Sullivan said. “Our goal is to be cost effective and construct a secure facility. I don’t want to get Buck Rogers and spend all the money in the world on this.”
Current design documents include plans for a 32-bed maximum security unit for male inmates, 112 beds for medium security male inmates and 192 beds for minimum security male inmates. For females, the plans include eight maximum security beds, 32 medium security beds and 48 minimum security beds.
A 27-unit area would allow for the segregation of inmates, while a medical facility would contain six beds. Another 20 beds are set aside for weekend prisoners, and additional 28 beds are earmarked for trustees — 20 for males, and eight females.
The jail’s intake area would house another 15 inmates.
“It’s a very effective use of space,” said Cushing jail consultant Donald Jones. “It also includes state-of-the-art security and video conferencing systems.”
The video system, Jones said, would allow inmates to remain in secure areas and communicate with their attorneys, bondmen or family members.
Sullivan said the video technology would allow law enforcement officials to better control inmates.
“If we’ve got them in control, if we control them in the pod … and an inmate loses his mind, if they are in the pod they are easier to control,” he said.
In addition to its video conferencing system, the jail would include a second-floor mezzanine level, which will allow county law enforcement officials to monitor the jail’s inmate population. Skylights in the building’s pyramid-style roof would provide lighting.
“It’s progressing very well,” said Norman architect Ben Graves. Graves, a partner with the firm Architects in Partnership, who is designing the jail. Earlier this year, Graves said he hoped to have the jail’s plans completed in mid-November.
And though commissioners didn’t make that late fall deadline, Sullivan said he expects the jail’s design to be settled soon. “We’re still working on the food service, administrative and laundry areas,” he said. “But I don’t think it will take that much longer. We’re working hard to get this done.”
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