Published: January 14, 2010 10:02 am      

A year of ups and downs

2009: The year in review

• Part one of three



2009 was an eventful year for the citizens of Tuttle.

It involved such events as fires and floods, championships and heartbreaks, sad good-byes and happy reunions, wins and losses

The city of Tuttle kicked off January, 2009 with a bond issue vote and a warning from the Department of Environmental Quality.

Voters rejected a $2.7 million bond issue to construct a building at Schrock Park which was to be used as a community center and perhaps a library in the future.

There was much debate about the proposed location of the building, with former mayor Lonnie Paxton arguing that it should be closer to the population of the town rather than on the westernmost edge of town.

Schrock Park was also a concern of the DEQ after it became a dumping ground for trash, resulting in a violation notice and a Jan. 1 deadline to clean it up.

Two major ice storms in the area caused severe damage to trees and the park was used as an emergency dump for broken limbs and branches. However, some began to use the park as a dumping ground for far more than broken tree limbs, depositing such items as wooden pallets, old carpeting and carpet padding, plastic sheeting, household trash and even furniture.

City Manager Tim Young, who said the dump had “taken on a life of its own,” dealt with the problem and the DEQ, suggesting raising fines for illegal dumping from $200 to $750 and to post more visible signs. In addition, information was placed on the city’s website to discourage illegal dumping and notices were sent out with residents water bills.

Results were immediate and the unsightly trash was soon cleared away from the park.

January also brought tears as Tuttle mourned the loss of 15-year-old Kaitlyn Mounce, a freshman cheerleader at Tuttle High School. Mounce was killed in an early morning car crash when the vehicle in which she was riding ran off the road, struck a utility pole and rolled over. Three other teens were injured in the crash. While some of the teens had been drinking, Mounce’s blood alcohol level was zero.

Later, Tuttle residents rallied together to raise more than $3,000 to help the Mounce family with expenses.

Grady County District Attorney Bret Burns filed second degree manslaughter charges against John and Cheryl Kyle, the Tuttle couple who provided the alcohol to the teens.

“We will send a loud message to other parents in the future that a young person’s life is more important than being the cool parent,” Burns said.

In December, the Kyles were sentenced to nine years in prison and must serve no fewer than seven years of their sentences.

The driver of the vehicle, Lance Davis, 16, admitted guilt for the accident and was convicted of first-degree manslaughter.

Tuttle also suffered the loss of long-time resident Lewis Brooklyn “Brooks” Cox, who left this earth “as peacefully as the...life he lived.” Cox was diagnosed with esophageal cancer in January, 2008.

Starting as pitcher for the Newcastle High School baseball team, Cox struck fear in the hearts of batters.

“I dreaded every time he got the ball because it was like a bullet hitting my glove,” recalled Cox’s cousin Laverne Stanley.

The months of January and February saw burn bans throughout Grady County. With rainfall levels four to six inches below normal, 40 mile-per-hour winds and no significant rainfall expected, the Grady County Commissioners issued burn bans, extending them several times before the threat of fire abated.

Because the threat of wildfire was so great, Tuttle firefighters held a full day of hands-on training in Amber for about 45 firefighters and volunteers, preparing them for an actual fire.

“Every time you do it (training), you learn something new. It prepares you for the real thing,” Bridge Creek

volunteer Branson Byrd said.

February also brought the annual Tuttle High School basketball homecoming, with Taylor Bonnewell crowned as the 2009 Homecoming Queen and Chris Williams crowned as Homecoming King.

Tragedy struck again in February when Malachi Redden, 22, of Norman, fell to his death while welding on the city’s new water tower. Police said Redden was hurrying to finish his work before a severe thunderstorm hit. The city later placed a plaque at the completed water tower in Redden’s memory.

Construction on the new ion exchange water system remained on schedule and under budget despite having to replace crew members who were badly shaken after their co-worker fell from the 105-foot tower.

The month of March blew in with a 4A title for Tuttle High School wrestlers, who won their first state title since 2003.

The Tigers came from behind to defeat Catoosa, two-time defending 4A champs. Although Catoosa advanced six wrestlers to the finals to Tuttle’s five, the Tigers had three in the consolation rounds and Catoosa had none.

“Coach told us...that going into...competition we may be behind in points,” said senior Bobby Williams who capped off his career by winning his third state title and who was later named as one of the top 13 senior wrestlers in the state. “But if we could get bonus points in the consolation rounds then place everyone, we could win it.”

And win they did, racking up 133 team points to secure the 2009 state title.

Another illegal dump landed four people in jail in March.

A report to the Grady County Sheriff’s Office about an illegal dump resulted in the arrest of Raymond Roddy, Ashley Roddy, Michael Erickson and Justin Roddy on charges of possession of a controlled substance, unlawful possession of paraphernalia and possession of a controlled dangerous substance within 1,000 feet of a school or park. Deputies searched the house after a follow-up visit to the home uncovered drug paraphernalia, cash, pills and 15 baggies of marijuana.

The 2009 Grady County Junior Livestock Show brought blue and red ribbons to two Tuttle brothers in March. Tristan Gambill, a fifth-grader at Tuttle Intermediate School placed first with “Roscoe,” a one-year-old Hamp and big brother Steven Gambill, a senior at Tuttle High School, placed second with “Bluie.” The brothers are the sons of Barbara and Kirt Gambill of Tuttle.

“We’ve raised pigs probably since I was born,” Tristan said. “My dad has raised a lot of pigs.”

March also brought the demolition of a long-time Tuttle landmark. The city council voted to demolish the M & M building on Main Street rather than pursue a FEMA grant to revamp the aging structure.

The Tuttle Lady Tigers basketball team came up short in their bid for their first state championship in 26 years. The Lady Tigers won six straight games coming through the losers bracket only to be defeated by the number five ranked Newcastle Lady Pacers. The Lady Tigers reached the finals for the first time in 26 years by defeating Bethel 34-32.

“I thought the girls played great,” said Coach Johnny Vick. “I am very proud.”

The month of also March brought three Tuttle High School alums back to Grady County for a little rock ‘n roll.

Tracy Ross, Shawn Rose and Tony McMillan, known as the Rock Bottom Ramblers, rocked the new Oddfellows Music Hall in Chickasha with their mixture of “Louisiana swamp music, Appalachian Mountain jams, American roots and good old classic rock.”

The group sings about the town where they grew up.

“Yea, the good times and the hard times,” Ross said.

The RBR are becoming more and more well known, and even performed at the first-ever Rock Island Arts Festival in Chickasha in October.

April brought change to Tuttle, with a new mayor and a $12.5 million school bond election.

Bobby Williams, running against incumbent Tom Wilson, became Tuttle’s first elected mayor by a margin of less than 100 votes, defeating Wilson 300-267.

“Those are some pretty good numbers,” Williams said. “I’m tickled to death that that many people were interested enough in the city to come out and vote.”

All other Tuttle mayors have been appointed for one-year terms. As the city’s first elected mayor, Williams will serve a four-year term.

“There’s a lot of work ahead, but we’ll take it one step at a time and with the help of the community, the work starts now,” Williams said.

The same election brought good news to Tuttle Schools. With the passage of the $12.5 million school bond issue, numerous improvements will be made to the schools, including new buildings, more classrooms, a state-of-the-art elementary library, a new principal’s office, and much more.

“It’s fantastic. I’m very pleased,” said Tuttle School Superintendent Lee Coker. “I felt like this was something we needed to do and the community knew we needed to do it. It will be good for the kids.”

Some of the “kids” in question were also busy raising funds for another worthy cause.

Tuttle High School students raised $6,314 to go to “Jerry’s Kids” Muscular Dystrophy Association. Donations were up a whopping $2,000 over last year and winners were treated to a pizza party for their fundraising efforts.



• NEXT: May-August