Newkirk: The CD
Now Available At
A Main Street Office Near You
By Wayne White
Newkirk Main Street has done it again! Another "first"
has been accomplished, and ... they just finished your shopping
list for out of town friends and relatives.
Announced last week was the completion of a new compact disk
which features Newkirk and Newkirk Main Street in photos, video,
and sound. Utilizing multi-media software, the CD tells viewers
practically all there is to know about Newkirk. Made to plug
into a computer, the disk will allow the city to be shared with
anyone with a PC.
The project has been in the works since last year the
original idea was to produce a CD-ROM featuring photos to be
used as a screen saver. Newkirk Main Street Program Director
Karen Dye, during a conference in California, saw another city's
CD-ROM which was a screen saver showing photos of that city.
After conferring with someone involved with the production of
that CD, a sample was sent to Dye.  Although
impressed, Dye thought Newkirk could produce a similar disk,
only better, featuring historical photos of the town.
"We (Newkirk Community Historical Society) have such
a fantastic collection of historic photographs of Newkirk,"
Dye said. "All I wanted to do was make a screen saver. But
then I had to find someone to do it."
JUST IN TIME for Christmas, the Newkirk
Main Street CD is now available.
With the sample in hand, Dye approached Northern Oklahoma
College at Tonkawa where she talked with Marian Tucker, vice
president of information services.
"I had heard that Tonkawa had a terrific computer lab,"
Dye said.
Tucker, in turn, introduced Dye to Piyush Patel, NOC's director
of multi-media digital communications.
"He is a wonderful, creative young man," Dye said
of Patel.
Patel was enthusiastic about the idea, and shared with Dye
another CD that had been produced for a Texas city. Instead of
being just a screen saver, the disk was a complete tour of the
Texas town.
"He said, 'we can do that, easily, and for the same price
as a screen saver,'" Dye said.
With a presentation of the CD to Newkirk Main Street's Economic
Restructuring Committee, Newkirk's CD was underway.
"It seemed like such a wonderful idea," said Dye.
The economic restructuring committee jumped on the idea and
sponsorships were sold to help finance the production. Sponsors
paid from $50 to $150 to be included on the CD. Those who chose
the higher sponsorship amount were allowed to record a short
video which appears on the compact disk. The other sponsors are
represented on the disk in photographs. All sponsors are listed
on the disk with their telephone numbers, addresses, and hours
of operation.
When the CD is first opened and installed on a computer, the
main menu opens with a photograph of "Land of Hope"
statue, by Bernadette Carman that sits in front of the Kay County
Courthouse.
The main menu allows the viewer to "click" on different
topics that include community profile, quality of life, vital
statistics, county government, churches, schools, history, Newkirk
fire of 1901, local organizations, and Native Americans. Also
included is a link which, when clicked, will take the viewer
to pages on the World Wide Web that list all local businesses
and a schedule of events.
Also under the Sponsors heading, the CD tells about the City
of Newkirk, including all services provided by the city. Fire
Chief Jerry Evans is shown in a video telling about the fire
department; Police Chief John Hobbs and Asst. Chief Cal Denison
are both seen in a short video telling about Newkirk's small-town
police department.
The headings on the main menu lead to a myriad of information.
Under the Native American link, all area tribes are named
with short descriptions of each.
Clicking on Community Profile leads to a new list of topics
including transportation, business profile, labor statistics,
utilities, housing, shipping, tax structure, farms and ranches,
and leadership organizations.
Under Quality of Life, cultural opportunities, entertainment,
recreation, and health care are the topics. Clicking on Recreation,
one sees a listing of all the public areas at Kaw Reservoir,
including camping facilities and even the species of fish a person
might expect to catch.
Some of the headings, when clicked, will produce a narrator
in video form. Two local (now) celebrities, Crystal Layton and
Charley Blair, serve as the narrators.
When Quality of Life is selected, Layton appears on the screen,
saying, "Once you've seen the strengths of Newkirk that
only a rural community can provide, you'll be glad you chose
Newkirk as your hometown. If you do not live here, be ready to
move here and plant your roots in the fertile prairie soil of
Newkirk."
Blair appears under the heading of the Fire of 1901. Dressed
in clothing of the era, portraying Clyde W. Wooten, he tells
how the fire was started and how the town reacted when half of
the downtown burned down. Layton appears in another part of the
CD portraying Nellie Maude Decou, first high school principal
in the town.
Newkirk Main Street is well-represented on the compact disk
also. In the section describing Jr. Main Street, the voice of
Trevor Austin is heard as he tells about the group. Another section
describes the Main Street program and its structure.
Main Street is a program that is "revitalizing the core
of the city," the CD says.
According to Dye, Newkirk is the first Main Street organization
in the state to have their own CD. Also, Newkirk is one of the
few cities in Oklahoma to have a CD. Dye said that cities such
as Oklahoma City and Tulsa have their own compact disks, but
"we're the only town of our size to have one."
Children are not forgotten on the CD. One screen in the presentation
tells about the Main Street coloring book previously published.
Included on the compact disk are several pages from the coloring
book - line drawings of some of the downtown buildings. The pages
can be printed from the computer and then colored by children
(or adults.)
The CD is not only fun and informative, but will also be used
to promote the city to potential residents and businesses.
Out of the 1,000 CD's produced, the City of Newkirk was given
30 to use for promotion of the city.
"This is quite a marketing tool for Newkirk," said
Newkirk City Manager Harold Harris. "My benefit will be
the ability to provide information to people and businesses who
might want to relocate to Newkirk. It is a very unique way to
present the material."
Harris said in the past when he wanted to send information
in response to inquiries, he usually put together a packet of
information. Now he can just send a CD.
"It's a small package, not cumbersome," he said.
Another use for the CD will be to promote tourism, Harris
said. "We have a lot of attractions here that we don't usually
promote."
Distribution of the CD has begun, with the first copy going
to First Lady Cathy Keating when she was in town last week. Dye
spoke at a conference in Illinois last week, where she sold copies
of the CD to eager conference participants.
Since Northern Oklahoma College provided the production of
the CD at no cost, with Main Street's only monetary investment
being the manufacture of the CD's, the project will also serve
as a fruitful fund raising device for Newkirk Main Street.
Sale of the CD's is expected to go fast, so if someone on
your Christmas list is a candidate for a copy of Newkirk Main
Street, Experience Newkirk, Land of Hope (the title of the CD),
it can be purchased from the Newkirk Main Street office. The
price per copy is $11.00, or if it is to be mailed, add one dollar
extra.
For more information about the new compact disk or to place
orders, contact Newkirk Main Street at 580-362-2377.
Nine Candidates For
Newkirk's Snow Princess
Sponsors of this year's Snow Princess Contest have selected
their candidates for the Dec. 2 event. The nine candidates will
participate in the Kiddie Parade to be held that Saturday afternoon.
After the parade, the candidates will march to the Kay County
Courthouse steps where the 2000 Snow Princess will be selected
in a random drawing. The candidates will then be honored in the
evening parade, with each receiving a gift from the Chamber of
Commerce.
Candidates are chosen by area organizations and schools.
The following have been chosen as candidates:
Bailey Ringer is a fifth grader who attends the First Baptist
Church. She is sponsored by the American Legion Auxiliary. Bailey
enjoys all animals, politics, her friends, Science Club and Jr.
Main Street. Her parents are Danny and Penny Ringer.
Bethany Midgley is a first grader at Ponca City Christian
Academy. Her parents are Cass and Mindi Midgley. She enjoys arts
and crafts, rollerblading, swimming, and tumbling. The PEO is
Bethany's sponsor.
Jessica Glover is the daughter of Bruce and Marsha Glover.
She is sponsored by Kildare School and is a fifth grader. Jessica
enjoys the outdoors, including hunting, fishing, and camping.
She also likes animals of all kinds, and enjoys crafts and art.
Jessica Hensley is a third grader, sponsored by Peckham School.
She likes cheerleading, singing, horses, church and listening
to music. Her parents are Patrick and Paula Hensley.
Lydia Midgley is sponsored by the Newkirk Rotary Club. Her
parents are Cass and Mindi Midgley. Lydia is a second grader,
and she likes to read, play games, music, rollerblading, and
riding her bike.
Amy Billings is the daughter of Teresa Davis and is sponsored
by Newkirk Elementary School. She is in the fifth grade and she
enjoys sports, physical education, and band.
Amber Harris is in the second grade. Sponsored by the Newkirk
Lions Club, she enjoys Barbie's, riding her bike, playing soccer,
computers, and reading. Her parents are Chris and T.J. Harris.
Torie Calfy is the daughter of Allen and Sharon Calfy. Torie
is sponsored by the Newkirk Business Club. She enjoys her family,
horses, softball, drawing, and going to church. Torie is in the
first grade.
Angela Sawyer, a fourth grader, is the daughter of Jim and
Susie Sawyer. She is sponsored by the VFW Auxiliary #4979. Angela
enjoys basketball, softball, and riding bikes.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Tax Bills In The Mail
The 2000 ad valorem tax statements were mailed out Monday,
according to Kay County Treasurer Pat Schieber. These tax bills
include a breakdown to provide the taxpayer an account of where
the money is being allocated and also instructions for paying
by mail or at the office.
According to Schieber, property owners whose monthly mortgage
payments include their taxes will not receive a statement. Their
statement goes to the company holding their mortgage. Schieber
also said a taxpayer may not receive a statement if the property
had a recent ownership change or address change after the tax
rolls and statements had been prepared. If a taxpayer does not
receive a tax statement, and feel they should have, they are
asked to contact the treasurer's office.
"Taxpayers should bring all of the tax statements with
them if they wish to pay when coming to the office. At least
half of the taxes must be paid before January 1st to avoid being
delinquent," Schieber said, "and the second half must
be paid before April 1st."
Taxpayers will still receive a personal tax bill for businesses,
mobile homes on leased land, and farm machinery, but none for
household personal.
Schieber said taxpayers should feel free to contact her or
a member of her staff at 580-362-2523.
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