Longtime Shawnee motion picture exhibitor Jones Theatres, Inc., said the company has signed a lease to operate a movie theatre at Shawnee Mall, owned by the Lightstone Group.

The George Kaiser Family Foundation presented Family Promise of Shawnee with a $15,000 donation this week to help support Family Promise’s transportation services for homeless families in the Shawnee community.

A Honor Roll
Ninth Grade: Clayton Baquera, Ashley Carr, Angelle Frankovich, Lyric Grimes, Daniel Hausam, Kelsey Hays, Ruby Limas, Madison Martin, Stephen Melot, Macy Muirhead, Caylie Patton, Connor Patton, Nathan Poole, Kolton Shipley, Dalton Tucker, JB Vaught and Jalyn Williams.

The Mabee-Gerrer Museum of Art is teaming up with the Salvation Army and regional artists in the fight against hunger.

“If a child cannot see he cannot read, and if he cannot read he cannot learn, and if he cannot learn he cannot succeed,” said Becky Cunningham, Director of Programs.
Prevent Blindness Oklahoma is a nonprofit agency dedicated exclusively to eye health and safety. 

Shawnee’s sales tax revenues continue to decrease as Oklahoma begins to feel the economic pressure experienced months ago on the East and West coasts, city officials said.
But so far, those decreases - just under 3 percent so far for the budget year - have not affected services to citizens of Shawnee.

A Shawnee man, who allegedly led authorities on a high-speed pursuit through Pottawatomie and Oklahoma counties Oct. 26, has been formally charged with two felonies and eight misdemeanor counts.

On Thursday evening, Oct. 22, Shawnee police officers conducted alcohol sale compliance checks at local convenience stores, grocery stores and liquor stores.

As a Shawnee family prepares for an awareness walk for a condition from which one of its younger members suffers, the family also prepares for that member’s surgery a few days afterward.

There are still some openings left for the adult workshop on creating Batik watercolor paintings.
Artist Susan Beth Wilhelm will teach Watercolor Wax Batiks Wall Hangings on Saturday, Nov. 14.
The class begins at 10 a.m., will break an hour for lunch, and will end at 4 p.m.

The early arrival of the H1N1 virus has many people a bit concerned, especially when they or their loved ones have underlying health conditions, are experiencing flu-like symptoms and are unsure when they should seek medical attention.
And with the added strain on hospital emergency rooms and President Barack Obama’s recent declaration of a heath emergency because of the swine flu pandemic, the need to know when it is time to call a physician is even more pressing. Knowing when to seek medical attention and when to care for flu-like symptoms at home can help alleviate some of the overcrowding of doctor’s offices, urgent care facilities and emergency rooms across the region and the U.S. as a whole.

Shawnee resident Makaila Rolette, 10, was among those who received seasonal flu vaccination last week at Pottawatomie County Health Department. Makaila’s 2-year-old sister, who previously had brain surgery, was also receiving her vaccination Wednesday, while their mother, who is pregnant, received hers earlier in the week.
Q: What do you think about getting the shot today?
A: Is it going to hurt? — Makaila

Norma Hatfield drove from Newalla to receive her seasonal flu vaccination.
Q: Why did you drive from Newalla today for the vaccine?
A: My doctor can’t get the vaccine. They said it would be December before he would have it. That’s too long for me to wait.

A Shawnee man faces charges of concealing stolen property after being arrested by a police detective when allegedly trying to sell an item that had been stolen from a local plumbing business.
Charles Henry Tarver, 47, Tecumseh, is charged in Pottawatomie County District Court with a felony count of knowingly concealing stolen property on Oct. 20. He is accused of concealing a camera pushrod and other items that had allegedly been stolen from M&M Plumbing on Oct. 14.

Why Lisa Sydnor chose Shawnee
“I’ve been in non-profit 37 years. I had officially retired. I hated it. It’s just boring.”

Why she chose non-profits and Central Oklahoma Community Action Agency
“I love the challenge that comes day to day working in the non-profit world. I was impressed with COCAA. It was an organization I could feel passionate about. I really wanted to be involved and to know every night that I did something good.”

A Shawnee police corporal made an arrest and was aided by two citizens as he chased down a suspect who allegedly took sunglasses, an energy drink and a can of deodorant from Walgreen’s.
A police report shows Cpl. Bricen Mohr became involved in a foot pursuit of a suspected shoplifter from the Walgreen’s, 1427 N. Harrison, about 8:56 a.m. Tuesday morning.

Fundraising efforts are continuing by the Shawnee Police Foundation to buy tactical bulletproof vests for the police department, and now local residents can help the cause when they get the oil changed in their cars.
The Shawnee Pittstop, 1502 N. Airport Drive, will donate $1 of each oil change made between Nov. 8 and Nov. 15 to the foundation for that cause.
The foundation has been conducting a drive to raise funds for the bulletproof vests and miniature video cameras for police officers.
Tom Keller, chairman of the foundation, said the clip-on video cameras for officer’s shirts can record what an officer does in their work, no matter where they are, which can be used as evidence or training.

A Shawnee girl with a love and concern for animals has worked hard this past month to raise money to purchase 12 sets of pet oxygen masks made for dogs, cats and other animals for donation to Shawnee area fire departments.
“I feel better our pets are going to be safe. If there’s a fire, they have a better chance of living,” said Alyssa Johnson, 12, a sixth-grader at Shawnee Middle School.
She and her grandmother, Nancy Spears, owner of Lake Road Pet Boarding, have been raising money for a cause that is close to both their hearts.
They saw a program on the Animal Planet network about pets involved in house fires and how the typical human oxygen masks don’t really work well to help them.

The Shawnee Convention and Visitors Bureau and Heart of Oklahoma Exposition Center took home one of the 29 Redbud Awards presented by Lt. Gov. Jari Askins and Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department Executive Director Hardy Watkins Oct. 19 during the Governor’s Conference on Tourism in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

State Rep. Kris Steele announced Tuesday that the fourth biennial Red Dirt Book Festival will be held in Shawnee Nov. 6 and 7, at the Heart of Oklahoma Expo Center and on the campuses of Oklahoma Baptist University and St. Gregory’s University.

Most students of Shawnee High School are not yet eligible to vote in the upcoming Nov. 10 bond election that, if passed, would give them a new roof over their heads and allow them to focus on learning.