September 2024

Everything published in September 2024.

College Confidential·September 30, 2024

September Future Ed: Thoughts on Higher Ed

•Engineering degrees offer nearly $950k lifetime ROI versus high school only.
•College adds just 4 years beyond 13 years of K-12 for lifetime earnings impact.
•Computer science, nursing, and economics degrees also show strong financial returns.

Community·September 19, 2024

•Local cancer survivor shares nine-year journey battling Stage 3 breast cancer diagnosed at age 31
•Rural patients face greater challenges accessing medical care and resources compared to urban counterparts
•Survivor's diagnosis came without warning despite lacking family history, requiring intensive treatment within 33 days

Community·September 16, 2024

•Standing Bear Powwow celebrates its 31st anniversary September 27-28 in Ponca City.
•Event has grown from under 100 attendees in 1994 to over 3,000 annually.
•Six Native American tribes—Kaw, Osage, Otoe-Missouria, Pawnee, Ponca, Tonkawa—unite for celebration.

Community·September 12, 2024

•Ponca Playhouse opens its 66th season with "Misery," a thriller based on Stephen King's novel.
•Director Ryan Brown leads a three-person cast including Sam Stuart as complex villain Annie Wilkes.
•The psychological drama follows a novelist held captive by his obsessed fan with dark twists.

Community·September 11, 2024

•Healthy aging awareness starts at age 45 and involves manageable lifestyle changes.
•Small daily habits like adding vegetables and short walks are more sustainable than major overhauls.
•Chronic diseases like high blood pressure and diabetes increase with age but can be prevented.

•Next 1 Up, founded by Broome, Simmons, and Rader, promotes mental health and self-esteem in Kay County schools.
•The organization provides hygiene products, free haircuts, and self-esteem programs to elementary school students.
•Inspired by "look good, feel good, play good," Next 1 Up takes a proactive approach to youth mental health.

The Sunny Side·September 5, 2024

•September is National Preparedness Month, encouraging awareness of disaster readiness for all.
•Grocery stores stock only three days of food, making home food production crucial.
•COVID-19 exposed food insecurity, prompting many Americans to start gardens for security.

Business Spotlight·September 5, 2024

•Iconic "Got Chrome?" billboard near Tonkawa features upended truck grounded vertically in 11 feet of cement.
•Cliff Wilkins founded his trucking business in 1965, expanding to truck supply and chrome parts by 1987.
•Wilkins Truck Chrome grew from custom parts demand into global supplier serving truck owners worldwide.

Chamber Connection·September 4, 2024

•Leadership Ponca City launches 38th class with diverse cohort committed to community growth
•Mandatory overnight retreat at Camp Horizon builds trust and team skills among participants
•History Day in September helps leaders understand Ponca City's rich heritage and founders

Community·September 2, 2024

•Ponca City Arts Festival celebrates its 50th anniversary Sept. 27-28 at Cann Gardens.
•The festival is Oklahoma's longest-running fine arts event with deep community roots.
•At least 50 artists from across the country will exhibit work in 12 different categories.