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Associated Press
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CHICKASHA, OKLAHOMA, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 3, 1991
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Hostage Crisis Near One Hurt In Ninnekah Wreck
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An End; Only One
American Remains
Alert Clerk
Foils Bad
Check Plan
Bits And Pieces Give Glimpse
Aboard The Doomed Oklahoma
American Alann
Steen was freed by
Muslim extremists
today after five years
of captivity in
Lebanon.
There was growing
speculation that the
last American
captive, journalist
Terry Anderson, will
soon be free.
V
wife, Steen said: “I love her, I miss
her.” The couple was married just six
months before the Beirut University
College journalism teacher was
kidnapped.
Virginia Steen spoke to her hus-
band by telephone today from her
home in Clark Lake, Mich. “It was
incredible to finally hear his voice
and to think this is really, finally over,"
she said. “He sounds great. His sense
of humor’s still there.”
Steen is theeighth Western hostage
released since August, when the
United Nations began intensive
negotiations to arrange a swap of
Western hostages for about 300 Arab
prisoners held by Israel and its proxy
militia in Lebanon. Israel seeks an
accounting of four missing servicemen
in Lebanon.
The more he wrote, it seemed that
the subjects he wrote about turned to
the events that happened on his
family’s cattle ranch southwest of
Chickasha.
“Most of my poetry is based on
actual events, and if they ain't true,
they ought to be,” said Akins.
Akins wrote the poetry while he
was recovering from his accident.
Afterward, he got busy on his family’s
ranch working cattle and training
horses at Remington Park. One recent
winner he has trained is Yante Ho, a
horse owned by Steve Lacefield.
Debbie urged him to publish the
poetry. “Ever since I first started this,
she has encouraged me,” said Akins.
Akins published the book last
week, under the name Barken Spider
Publications. The name of his
company comes from a poem in the
book called “What Was That?” Back
in Oklahoma is available at The
Stephen Castleberry,
son of Gary and
Michele Castleberry
of Chickasha, says
Only 22
Days Until
Christmas!
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — A
monstrous anchor leans semi-upright
against a monument in downtown
Oklahoma City, and a giant ship’s
wheel stands lonely guard on a stair
landing - in the state Museum of
History.
These, plus the bell and another
ship’s wheel at the Kirkpatrick Cen-
ter Museum, are among the largest
items salvaged and saved from the
USS Oklahoma after the battleship
capsized and sank during the Japanese
attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, Dec.
7,1941.
But it is some of the smaller items
that paint the better picture of that
grey lady, in her time one of the most
formidable war wagons afloat.
The Oklahoma was like a mighty
city, a portable city that could cruise
the waterways of the world while
taking with it many of the amenities
of home.
Cases at the state museum display
some of the smaller memorabilia, from
the 5-centchit used to buy itemsat the
the ship’s newspaper.
But things really weren’t all that
plush aboard the Oklahoma.
“She was an old ship,” recalls
George DeLong of Lancaster, Pa.,
who was aboard her that morning in
Hawaii. “It had a barber shop, an ice
cream parlor-type of place, but really
not too much in the way of amenities
as we think of them on the outside.”
There was an occasional movie,
“on the fantail, when we were in port,”
DeLong said.
Here, too, at the museum are menus
for some special occasions, such as
Thanksgiving. The exotic dishes tell,
more than words ever could, of the
broadening tastes of Oklahoma farm
boys and small-town youths, many of
whom had never been out of their
home counties before joining the
Navy.
Aboard the Oklahoma, they saw
Europe, Australia, South America,
New Zealand and the Caribbean.
“The bunks were a new addition,”
DeLong remembers. “They used to
have hammocks for the crew to sleep
in.
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By LES WYATT
Express Staff Reporter
A caution issued by the Grady County
Sheriff’s Office last week on watching
for bogus checks, has apparently paid
off for one local business whose
employees noticed a suspicious
incident and prevented the loss of a
large quantity of merchandise.
Wal-Mart employees told Chickasha
Police Officer H.L. McKenzie that a
white male entered the store and
numerous items and attempted to pay
with a check on an Anadarko bank.
When asked for identification, he
replied that he had left it in his vehicle
but would get it.
The employee said she became
suspicious and telephoned the resi-
dence of the person with the checking
account. She said she was told that
several checks had been stolen a few
days ago and reported to Anadarko
police.
Officer McKenzie said the man never
returned to the store and the
merchandise was returned to the
shelves.
The suspect is described as a 25 to 30-
year-old white male 5’ 5” tall and
weighing about 170 pounds with
blonde hair and a blonde beard. The
check he attempted to use at Wal-
Mart was on the Anadarko Bank and
Trust account of Robert and Cindy
Burks of Anadarko.
Anyone encountering these checks or
a person matching the description
given is urged to notify the Chickasha
Police Department immediately.
photos By Les Wyatt
ONE HOSPITALIZED - Ninnekah Officer Ray Anderson investigated
this two-vehicle crash at the intersection of Dell Road and Chisholm Trail
Road Saturday afternoon.
By JIM WARD
Express Reporter
Chickasha is home to a new author.
C. Wayne Akins is a cowboy poet
who has recently published his first
book of poetry entitled Back in
Oklahoma.
Akins was a jockey for about 10
years. He raced at tracks across the
country from Miami, Fla. to Ruidoso,
N.M. A horse flipped in a starting-
gate accidenton Oct 28,1988 injuring
his pelvis and legs, leaving him unable
to walk for six months and ending his
racing career.
Knowing that he would never race
again weighed heavily on his mind.
He became depressed. He began to
write poetry in an attempt to lift his
spirits.
“It was like a therapy for him. The
accident broke his spirit. Writing the
poetry has been a healing process for
him,” said his wife, Debbie Akins.
Also on display are wooden and
metal works, mementoes fashioned
from parts of the Oklahoma after she
was raised from the bottom of Pearl
Harbor.
And there, too, is the blouse one
sailor wore while swimming through
the oily waters to safety. That blouse,
instead of being crisp and white, is
stained almost a milk-chocolate
brown.
But the most impressive display is
the silver service paid for with a $7,500
appropriation from the Fourth
Oklahoma Legislature. The set,
designed by Walter Dean of Oklahoma
City and fashioned by Gorham
Silversmiths of Rhode Island, was
used by the officers.
Officials at the state museum say
the silver service was removed from
the Oklahoma before her last
assignment to the Pacific Fleet. It
eventually was returned to the state.
The punch bowl, which has been at
the Governor’s Mansion since Gov.
David Walters took office, was
decorated with the state seal and a
See Oklahoma, page 2
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Darren Thomas
Darren Thomas of Chickasha, a
senior at the Oklahoma School of
Science and Mathematics, recently
placed seventh in a high school math
contestat Oklahoma State University.
There were 114 students from 44 high
schools participating.
Thomas earned a $500 scholarship
and a one-year subscription to
Quantum, a student magazine of
science and mathematics.
Other Grady County students also
See Test, page 2
C. Wayne Akins
Bookstore, Brandts, Hicks, Boot &
Belt Store, and other places in
Chickasha.
“The poetry is intended for people
to enjoy. I enjoyed writing it and
sharing a part of our heritage,” said
See Poet, page 2
Thomas 7th
in OSU Test
Grady County's Only Daily Newspaper...
..Serving Readers' Interests Since 1892
DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) —
American Alann Steen, smiling and
weeping for joy, was freed by Shiite
Muslim extremists today after five
years of captivity in Lebanon and
said: “It’s great to be out."
The 52-year-old teacher was the
second hostage released in two days,
and his freedom augurs a speedy
. resolution to the hostage drama. There
was growing speculation that the last
American captive, journalist Terry
Anderson, will soon be free.
Asked about Anderson, Steen said
one of his captors told him the chief
Middle East correspondent of The
Associated Press would be out “in
about a week.” Separate Lebanese
groups kidnapped Anderson and
Steen.
Steen, a native of Boston, looked
thin and pale ata brief news conference
at the Syrian Foreign Ministry, and
appeared to seek guidance from United
Nations and U.S. officials as he spoke
to reporters.
He wept as he was handed over to
U.S. Ambassador Christopher Ross.
“I don’t think I can find the words
right now to express how I feel, except
that it’s wonderful,” he said, his voice
choking with emotion and his hands
shaking. “Five years is no fun.”
Steen said he exercised for two
hours every day while in captivity but
had had lots of colds. His face and
neck bore scars, which he kept
scratching, and he said he caused them
himself when he was first allowed to
shave by his captors three years ago.
Asked if he had a message for his
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By LES WYATT
Express Staff Reporter
ANinnekah man has been hospitalized
with injuries he suffered in a two-
vehicle crash east of Ninnekah
Saturday afternoon.
Officer Ray Anderson said Lairy
Kirshner, 43, of Ninnekah, was
driving a 1977 Ford Maverick south
on Chisholm Trail Road and failed to
stop at a stop sign. Officer Anderson
said the Kirshner pulled into the path
of a westbound Chevrolet Camaro
driven by Paula Bennett, 18, also of
Ninnekah.
Ninnekah first responders removed
both drivers from their vehicles and
Chickasha EMS technicians
transported Ms. Bennett to Grady
Memorial Hospital’s Emergency
Room where she was released after
being x-rayed and treated for cuts and
abrasions.
Officer Anderson said Mr. Kirshner
received injuries in the crash but re-
fused to go to the hospital by am-
bulance. He was arrested at the scene
and complained of the injuries while
Officer Anderson was transporting
him to Grady County Jail.
Officer said he took Mr. Kirshner to
the hospital where he was admitted
with internal injuries, a ruptured
spleen, colon injuries and a possible
broken back. He was issued citations
for failure to stop ata stop sign,driving
under the influence and driving under
suspension.
Officer Anderson said the Camaro
left 72 feet of skid marks before impact
and that both vehicles traveled another
35 feet and came to rest on an
embankment with the Ford wedged
against a tree. Damage to the Ford
was estimated at $4,000 and about
$3,500 to the Camaro.
Christmas Parade
The annual Chickasha Heritage Association Christmas parade will be
held at 7 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 5 in downtown Chickasha. KFOR-TV
Channel 4 Sports Director Bob Barry Sr. is the grand marshal. Bands
from Chickasha and Rush Springs, Chickasha Antique Auto Club cars
and over a dozen floats are entered. The parade will begin at 7th and
Chickasha and run east on Chickasha Avenue.
Band Homecoming
Crystal River Band will hold its third annual homecoming with a
concert at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 6, at First Assembly of God Church,
3340 S. 16th. Door prizes will be awarded. For ticket information call
222-0680, 222-0208 or 224-0637.
Emergency Planning
The quarterly meeting of the Grady County Local Emergency Planning
Committee will be held at 7 p.m. Monday, Dec. 9 in the basement of Fire
Station No. 2,16th and Country Club in Chickasha.
Advent Concert Wednesday
The Noon Advent Concert Series at Epworth United Methodist
Church begins Wednesday, Dec. 4, with Woody Hawkins, minister of
music, presenting “My Favorite Music of Christmas.” He will be
accompanied by Sylvia Holman.
The concert is at 12:05 p.m. with a soup and salad lunch served at
12:30 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall. The concert is free, donations are
' accepted for the meal, and a nursery is available for small children.
We Saw
Danny Wright, having a birthday Monday...Keith Springstead,
losing his phone...Steve Crider, finally turning 21 today.. .Keith Heck,
visiting in the court cleric’s office and relating his advertures in the
hospital recently...Zillah Thompson, havingarecentbirthday...NinBekah
Police Officer Tim Cole and Nancy Calhoun, discussing Ninnekah
Elementary School’s new parking organization plan, or lack of such,
complete with a paper memento of the occasion.
Dickey Powell, delivering a news item...Mary Ellen Addy, getting
ready for Saturday’s Delta Kappa Gamma meeting...Yuvannah James,
in atelephone conversation.. Johnnie Ragsdale, talkingaboutthe Advent
Concert Series beginning at 12:05 p.m. Wednesday in Epworth United
Methodist Church...Mavis Miller, saying copies are available from the
Grady County Historical Society of “Shacktown, I.T., to Chickasha,
OK”.. .Carolyn Spradlin, talking about tonight’s Extension Homemakers
Awards Meeting.
District Weather
Tonight: Fair and cold with a low of 24. Light southwest wind.
Wednesday: Sunny and warmer with a high of 52. Southwest wind 10 to
20 mph.
For current time, temperature and weather call 222-2233, courtesy
Public Service C o.
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VOL 100-NO. 227  35 cents Weekday*—75 cents Sunday
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