'The Silver Scream: A Hollywood Halloween'Stillwater's 20th Annual Downtown Halloween Festival

For the best and most up-to-date information, click www.downtownstw.com/halloween for the festival's officially spooky web site. (Fun music!)

Halloween is Oct. 31, but we're rolling out the red carpet for the Stillwater's 20th Annual Downtown Halloween Festival on Tuesday, Oct. 26 from 5 to 9 p.m. on Main Street.

"This year's theme is 'The Silver Scream: A Hollywood Halloween.' We've been told all year we couldn't top last year's 'Pirates on the Prairie,' but I think this one is a winner, too," said Downtown Stillwater Coordinator Angela McLaughlin.

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Stillwater Sister Cities Council invites everyone to the 'September Concert'; Enjoy a musical performance celebrating peace and harmony by the Stillwater Community Singers Thursday, Sept. 2

The public is invited to Stillwater Community Singers fall concert celebrating peace and harmony Thursday, Sept. 2 at 7:30 p.m. at the City of Stillwater Community Center, 315 W. 8th Ave.

This year the Stillwater Community Singers' fall performance is the "September Concert," an annual concert sponsored by Sister Cities International celebrating the birth of the organization and is intend to reaffirm hope, peace, and universal humanity. 

The concert is free and open to the public. For more information, visit stillwater.org or contact (405) 533-8435.

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Labor Day weekend to kick off with a boom! Boomer Blast fireworks show planned for Friday, Sept. 3.

(STILLWATER, OKLA. / Aug. 19, 2010) — Labor Day weekend will kick off with a boom! The City of Stillwater will shoot off its annual fireworks show Friday, Sept. 3 at dusk.

The show will take place at Boomer Lake Park at the Washington and Lakeview. City crews will be on hand to direct parking at no cost to guests.

The annual fireworks show was postponed July 4, due to rain and wind.

For more information, call (405) 742-8362 or visit the City of Stillwater web site at stillwater.org.

City to conduct sanitary sewer smoke testing Aug. 30 through Sept. 3

(STILLWATER, OKLA. / Aug. 13, 2010) — The City of Stillwater Water Utilities Wastewater Collection Division will be conducting a sanitary sewer evaluation to eliminate ground water and storm water from entering the sanitary sewer system between Aug. 30 and Sept. 3. Part of this program requires smoke testing the sanitary sewer mains and house lateral connections to find leaks.

The Wastewater Collection Crew will be in the area of Devon to McFarland, 6th to 12th Avenues.

* Phase 1 – Willis, 6th to 9th
* Phase 2 – Western to Ridge, 9th to 12th
* Phase 3 – Devon to Ridge, 6th to 9th
* Phase 4 – Ridge to McFarland, 9th to 12th

Smoke may be seen coming from roof vents, building foundations, or manhole covers. The smoke will not enter homes or businesses, if the home is properly plumbed, vented, and water traps contain water. The smoke used is a non-toxic, odorless substance that is clean and harmless to humans, pets, food, and material goods.

For more information contact Bishop at (405) 533-8045, Beverly Chappell at (405) 533-8048 or Jackson Dozier at (405) 880-7087.

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Notes from the City Manager: Signs, right-of-ways and state highways

Some of you may have noticed a few weeks ago that City Council opened a discussion about Stillwater's sign ordinances. I don’t believe the issue is as much about changing what you can and can’t do with signs as it is making the rules clearer and easier to understand.

We'll talk more about the city sign ordinances in the near future when the mayor and council have opportunity to continue the discussion. However, in the meantime there are some sign regulations we really don't have control over, and it's those regulations I want to talk about today.

Many of us may not give it much thought, but two of our major streets are also state and federal highways. Sixth Avenue, which runs east and west across town, is State Highway 51. U.S.177 is a north-south thoroughfare that starts on north Washington Street (with a short crossover on Richmond Road) and follows Perkins Road southward to the city limits. For those two thoroughfares, state laws come into play.

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City to clean up city block

(STILLWATER, OKLA. / Aug. 30, 2010) — The City of Stillwater began work to remove hazards, debris and old concrete on the city block at 8th Avenue and Duncan Street.

The lot was previously used as a staging area for construction for the Payne County Courthouse. "Now that the courthouse project is completed, we can address what we can all agree is an eyesore for the neighborhood," City Manager Dan Galloway said.

For more information, contact (405) 372-8362 or news@stillwater.org.

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Pet owners: Know Stillwater's leash laws

So you brought your pet from home to live with you while you are attending college. With the breaks between classes, you may spend more one-on-one time with your pet than you were able to at home.

To help you and your pet enjoy Stillwater, the Animal Welfare Division of Stillwater Police Department would like to share some information new residents may not be aware of.

Stillwater has a leash law for dogs. This requires dogs to be under restraint at all times—on or off their property, by a fence, a chain or a hand-held leash. The leash law is enforced in the parks as well.

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Dennison Captures SCPGA Player of the Year

Stillwater Middle schooler Samantha Dennison captured the 2010 South Central PGA Junior Girls Player of the Year Award for the third consecutive year.

Dennison, daughter of Steve and Paula Dennison, plays and practices at Lakeside Golf Course in Stillwater.

The South Central PGA Junior Tour holds competitions throughout the state of Oklahoma with participants representing the best junior golfers in the region.

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4th Annual Downtown Stillwater Car Show slated for Oct. 9

Car show enthusiasts are invited to show their classic, modified and new cars, trucks and motorcycles at the 4th Annual Downtown Stillwater Car Show Saturday, Oct. 9 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Main Street.

"This year we will also be hosting a CRUISE IN on Friday, Oct, 8 from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Boom-a-Bang," said Angela McLaughlin, Business Improvement District, coordinator, said.

The pre-registration fee is $15 if registered by 10 a.m. Oct. 7. Registration on the day of the car show, the fee is $20. Registration is between 8 and 10 a.m. The awards ceremony is schedulded for 1:30 p.m.

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Oil leak in Stillwater Creek under control

(STILLWATER, OKLA. / Aug. 26, 2010) — The City of Stillwater announced today that a broken oil pipeline causing an oil leak at Stillwater Creek, near 13th Avenue and Hester Street, has been shut off and the discharge has been stopped.

The leak, which caused a sheen and pools of oil, was reported to the Stillwater Fire Department after a resident noticed odor and oil deposits near her home late last night. The leak was identified by city staff and local oil company representatives.

To control the leak, a boom was placed downstream and a sand dike with an under-drain system was installed to collect oil and control the issue until clean-up can be completed by crews.

According to Cody Whittenburg, Stormwater Programs Manager, “The source of the leak has been found and stopped to prevent any additional volume of oil from being discharged into the creek. Clean-up and repairs are to follow.”

The owner of the pipeline is Heritage Petroleum, Inc.

City Manager Dan Galloway said all responsible parties are involved in correcting the problem.

Residents who notice poor air quality, oil in streams or odors in the vicinity of S. Duck St. between 12th and 19th should contact the City of Stillwater at (405) 742-8362 or news@stillwater.org.

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Sign up now for Parks and Recreation's fall sport seasons: Tennis, Youth Soccer, Adult Softball, Adult Volleyball, Youth Basketball

To register for City of Stillwater Parks & Recreation activities, visit 315 E. 9th Ave. or call (405) 747-8070.

The City of Stillwater is committed to an inclusive approach to recreation. Let staff members know if you have a need for reasonable accommodations."

Click here for details.

City of Stillwater and Stillwater Public Schools to consider 'land swap'

STILLWATER, OKLA. / Aug. 24, 2010) — Stillwater City Manager Dan Galloway and Stillwater Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Ann Caine today announced initial details of a proposed “land swap" between the City and School System. Under the proposal, the city will convey Will Rogers Park to the school in exchange for surrender of the 99-year Hamilton Field lease.

The school system intends to use portions of Will Rogers Park for construction of the new Will Rogers Elementary School. The remaining portions of the park property will continue to be used for a playground and open to the public when school is not in session.

The city plans to renovate Hamilton Field into a multi-purpose sports and recreational area.

The proposed transaction requires approval of both the Stillwater City Council and Stillwater Board of Education.

The Board of Education will consider the proposal at its Sept. 10 meeting. The City Council will take up the matter on Sept. 13.

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Stillwater Parks and Recreation Advisory Board: Land Report

Click to view presentation from the Aug. 16 City Council meeting. On left-hand side, click on 9. General Orders, part A.

Downtown's Chris Salmon Plaza beautified

Guests to Downtown Stillwater may have noticed the recent updates to Chris Salmon Plaza.

"We recently completed a major overhaul and believe the plaza now has a new, fresh appearance that everyone can appreciate," said City of Stillwater Park Planner Eve Morgan.

Work on the plaza, located at the corner of 9th and Main, began last January. 

"We first replaced the decayed cedar siding on the plaza's exterior wall with a concrete siding product. We chose to paint the siding a light green to contrast with the red brick and rock sections of the wall," Morgan explained.

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Watch Stillwater City Council (8-16-10 meeting) and Planning Commission (6-15-10 meeting)

Most meetings are broadcast live on the Stillwater government access channel (Suddenlink channel 23) and replayed throughout the week (City Council at 10 a.m. and 10 p.m. & Planning Commission at 8 a.m. and 8 p.m.).

You may also view replays of the meetings online on the City of Stillwater's Vimeo.com (in 1-hour segments) or YouTube.com channels (in 10-minute segments).

Residents in Woodland Trails, Deer Crossing, Boulder Creek and Hidden Oaks subdivisions are asked not to use water outside homes between 5 a.m. and noon

(STILLWATER, OKLA. / Aug. 10, 2010) — Due to a recent lack of water pressure, Stillwater residents in the Woodland Trails, Deer Crossing, Boulder Creek and Hidden Oaks subdivisions are being asked to not use water outside of their homes between 5 a.m. and noon. Furthermore, the residents in these neighborhoods are being requested to only use water outside of the home on odd or even days based on the last number in the resident's address.

The voluntary restriction applies to lawn and landscape irrigation and the use of hoses for any purpose. According to Dan Blankenship, Stillwater Utilities Authority director, "Eliminating the use of water outside of the home during the specified hours is expected to provide some additional pressure to those portions of the water system that have been suffering from significant pressure loss."

Currently, the City of Stillwater is seeking quotes on materials and equipment necessary to make temporary improvements to the water system that will boost the pressure in the affected areas. 

The Stillwater City Council and Utilities Authority will hold a joint special meeting at the Stillwater Municipal Building, 723 S. Lewis, on Thursday, Aug.12 at 3 p.m. to address the matter. The meeting will be televised live on Suddenlink channel 23.

It is anticipated that work on the temporary improvements will commence as soon as the city can acquire the necessary equipment.

Questions or concerns may be directed to the Water Utilities Department at (405) 533-8048 or (405) 742-8325. 

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Concrete poured for 19th Avenue Bridge; Road to open mid-September

Early Monday morning, the Wittwer Construction Company poured the concrete for the 19th Avenue bridge over Boomer Creek. The new slab-span bridge replaces the old pony-truss steel bridge, which should be open to traffic by mid-September.

View more photos from the project are available on the City of Stillwater's Flickr web site.

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Buzzworthy Bistro: Catch the 'Buzz' at Stillwater Public Library’s new book lovers’ program

Love books? Always on the lookout for the hottest new releases? Interested in learning what books other people love? The Stillwater Public Library’s “Buzzworthy Bistro” is a new monthly program that gives book lovers all the latest news on books and more. The first program will be Tuesday, Sept. 7 at 6 p.m.

On the first Tuesday of each month, librarian Scott Freeman will highlight notable books just released and spotlighting some titles that will soon be published. Freeman will focus on many of the authors that slip by most readers’ radars, but will also alert participants to upcoming perennial bestsellers like John Grisham, Charlaine Harris and Stephen King.

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Stillwater Global Affairs Forum: 'Genocide' at the Stillwater Public Library Sept. 9 at 7 p.m.

The Stillwater Global Affairs Forum will have its fall meeting at 7 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 9 at the Stillwater Public Library. The forum, a quarterly discussion group that focuses on global issues and how they affect the local community, will address the issue of genocide. The forums include a presentation by a local scholar on the quarterly topic followed by participants’ discussion on the issue. The genocide overview will be presented by Dr. Nikolas Emmanuel, political science professor at OSU. Dr. Emmanuel will discuss historic and modern instances of genocide, why some instances of mass killings are not considered genocide, and what the world does about it. He will also discuss the current United Nations proposals to deal with genocide.

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Tuesday, Sept. 14 at the Stillwater Public Library: League of Women Voters to explain the 11 state questions proposed for the Nov. 2 general election

Eyes glazing over in the voting booth? Confused whether to answer yes or no on the ballot? Get your questions answered Tuesday, Sept. 14, when the League of Women Voters visits the Stillwater Public Library to educate the public about the questions proposed for the Nov. 2 general election. 

The program begins at 6:30 p.m. and will give citizens a chance to learn the questions and what those questions mean.

“We often hear that it is the state questions that are the hardest for voters,” said League of Women Voters President Kirsten Tautfest. “It takes time to read, digest, and decide on these lengthy questions.We encourage people to become educated before they go into the booth, so they do not have to guess.”

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What can Stillwater do to keep kids fit? Question to be addressed at Stillwater Public Library Thursday, Sept. 23.

tillwater Speaks, along with its co-sponsor the Stillwater Wellness Committee, will hold a public forum on youth fitness and obesity Thursday, Sept. 23 at the Stillwater Public Library. “Weighing the Options: how can we encourage healthy weights among our youth” will begin at 7 p.m. A light meal will be served beforehand at 6 p.m.

“Nearly 30 percent of Oklahoma youths are overweight,” said Kimberly Williams, Stillwater Speaks member. “These kids are at a much higher risk for diabetes, heart conditions, asthma, and psychological stress. We are asking parents, teens, and the general public to be a part of this forum to see what Stillwater citizens think about the problem.”

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Friends' Fall Book Sale to be held at Stillwater Public Library Sept. 23-26

Book lovers, beware! The most tempting of the Friends of the Stillwater Public Library Fall Book Sale will take place Thursday, Sept. 23 through Sunday, Sept. 26.

“We’ve seen an amazing number of high-quality donated books coming through the doors this summer,” said Lynda Reynolds, library director. “Staff members have been taking at least one huge cart of books down to the sale room each day. We've have already sorted and boxed more than five thousand books. The selection has been amazing. Book donors have been very generous this summer.”

Thousands of used hardbacks, paperbacks, children’s books, audios, CDs and videos will be for sale. Hardbacks sell for $1, paperbacks for 50 cents and children’s books cost just a quarter. Audio-visual materials are individually marked.

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Lakeside Golf Course presents new Junior Golf Academy; lessons for ages 8 to 17

The City of Stillwater Lakeside Golf Course is now accepting students for a new Junior Golf Academy.

Supervised by PGA-instructed trainers, the academy will offer lessons for youth ages 8 to 17, which include swing development, short game, course management, and creating a positive competitive attitude, .

Lakeside Golf Course Manager Michael Henderson said, “We’re hoping to give more children the opportunity to learn the sport."

Beginning Aug.16, Lakeside's junior academy will offer up to six group lessons per week, and students will be able to select which lessons to attend.

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Enrollment begins for Multi Arts Center's fall classes; Scholarships available for ceramic classes

Sharpen your pencils! Grab the drop cloths! Enroll in art classes at the City of Stillwater Multi Arts Center!

The Multi Arts Center (MAC) offers art classes for children, teens and adults this fall. Classes are taught by experience artists and educators.

“We work with our talented instructors to design classes that meet the needs of busy individuals,” said Multi Arts Center Supervisor Jessica Novak. “Classes meet in the evenings and on weekends to accommodate work and school schedules, and students can choose to enroll in weekly classes or shorter workshops depending on what they can commit to.”

The MAC is offering classes on everything from art history to weaving, drawing to pyrography, and everything in between.

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Lake McMurtry's waterfowl blind drawing slated for Sept. 30; Applications due by Sept. 29

Waterfowl hunters are encouraged to mark their calendars for the upcoming Lake McMurtry blinds drawing slated for Thursday, Sept. 30.

Lake McMurtry, owned and operated by the City of Stillwater, will accept applications Sept. 16-20 for the 2010-11 season.

The fee is $75 per blind, and the lessee must posses an annual pass to the lake (resident of Stillwater is $45 and non-resident is $70). Applicants will be allowed to submit up to five blind-spot choices. 

Beginning Thursday, Sept. 16, applications will be available at Lake McMurtry's West Side Convenience Store and Bait Shop and the Parks and Recreation Administrative Offices at 315 E. 9th Ave. between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. The application is also available online at stillwater.org.

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Stillwater offers Downtown Stillwater Game-Day Park & Ride

Cowboy fans looking for game-day parking options are in luck! Free park-and-ride service in Downtown Stillwater.

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CodeRed Alert System & Storm Shelter Registration

Storm Shelter Registration: Many people in the community have storm shelters or safe rooms — outdoor/indoor or above ground/underground — that offer much needed protection. But what happens if a storm destroys buildings and covers your shelter or safe room with debris? If you have a shelter, we recommend that you participate in the Shelter Registration Program. It’s free; it’s voluntary; and it allows you to take proactive action to keep you and your family safe. By simply providing your name and address and the location of your shelter, we will record the information in a computer mapping program. If a storm or tornado strikes, we can access the map and send emergency personnel to check every registered storm shelter and make sure you are safe and are able to get out of your shelter.

CodeRed Alert System: CodeRed is a state-of-the-art voice messaging system that the City of Stillwater and its Payne County partners uses to alert residents and businesses about certain weather emergencies and other situations that require the dissemination of crucial information. Residential phone numbers (land lines) are already in the CodeRED system, however, if you would like to associate your cell phone number with your home address you will then be able to receive notices about situations that threaten your neighborhood.

How to register: You may call Emergency Management at (405) 372-7484 and the staff will complete the forms for you. Or, you may go online to stillwater.org/seccc. Both forms are on the left-hand side of the page. Registration for both programs is free of charge. This information is confidential and used only by Emergency Management personnel.