The Enid News & Eagle continues the countdown of the Top stories of 2009. Today’s summary covers stories 5-2.
5. City of Enid
livestock
controversy
In an attempt to tighten up an existing ordinance governing the keeping of livestock in the city limits, Enid city commissioners adopted a stricter ordinance on Nov. 10.
During the meeting, several opponents of the ordinance spoke, led by former city attorney Carol Lahman.
The tighter ordinance did away with a grandfather clause that allowed keeping of animals on property and also initiated some additional restrictions and permit requirements.
Following the Nov. 10 meeting, Lahman filed an initiative petition to bring the ordinance before a vote of the people. Some legal wrangling ensued regarding the filing of the petition, but Lahman garnered enough signatures to call the election.
City commissioners held a special meeting Dec. 21 and repealed the stricter ordinance, taking the regulations back to the way they were before.
Lahman said she hopes to be able to work with the city commission to establish a community panel that could help the city enforce current ordinances and help property owners maintain their property correctly.
4. Runaway circus
elephant runs
into SUV
One of the most amazing events that made national and international news occurred in Enid on Nov. 4. when a circus elephant escaped from its handlers and ran down U.S. 81, striking an SUV driven by an Enid couple.
“The Case of the Panicked Pachyderm” became instant national news as details of the event started to come out.
It also turned out the owner of the escaped circus elephant was facing 10 alleged violations outlined in a complaint filed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
It all started as an Enid couple was driving home from church along U.S. 81 about 8:50 p.m. at night.
“All of a sudden I saw something running out in front of me,” said Bill Carpenter. “I thought, ‘What is that?’ I know it wasn’t a deer or a cow.”
What it was a 4,500-pound female African elephant that had fled from the Family Fun Circus set up on the south side of Garfield County Fairgrounds.
The animal side-swiped the car and tossed it up on two wheels, the couple reported. After the accident, the couple tried to warn other traffic of the elephant’s presence. They also called 911 and reported they’d hit an elephant.
The elephant suffered a broken tusk and leg wound. Local veterinarian Dwight Olson was called the sedate the animal.
In the wake of the accident, News & Eagle reporters learned elephants had previously escaped the same circus handlers in Kansas. Also, the owner of the elephant, Douglas Keith Terranova, of Kaufman, Texas, faced more than 10 alleged violations, including violations of the Animal Welfare Act from 2005 through 2008, including failure “to handle animals as carefully as possible in a manner that does not cause behavioral stress, physical harm or unnecessary discomfort.”
3. Murder-suicide
at a home and
Evans Drug
A 38-year-old man shot and killed himself in front of Evans Drug employees and customers Feb. 6 after killing his 35-year-old wife less than 20 minutes before.
Enid Police Department officers responded about 2:41 p.m. to a 911 call reporting a woman with severe injuries inside a home in the 5200 block of North Washington. There they found Sherry Susan Lovely dead of stab wounds.
About 20 minutes later, officers responded to a 911 call from Evans reporting a man had shot himself while inside the store.
Shortly after murdering his wife, Donald Lovely walked into the store, asked the clerk to look at a shotgun, then loaded the weapon with shells from the store display and shot himself in the head.
The event traumatized store personnel and customers.
Online court record showed Sherry Lovely had filed a protective order against her husband, but had dismissed it three weeks earlier. She had previously filed for divorce from her husband of four years.
2. Tornado hits Expo
Center in April,
does damage
around the area
As many as four tornadoes raked across Garfield County late Saturday evening, April 29.
The largest destruction took place at Chisholm Trail Expo Center, which was hosting a large weekend home show.
The building was vacant when the tornado tore the roof and doors off the facility late in he evening; however, many vendors lost their merchandise and experienced a lot of damage due to the storm.
Dramatic video from one of the vendors inside the Coliseum documented the storm striking and the damage that ensued.
Two of the tornadoes that struck the county were EF-2s, including the storm that hit the Expo Center. The other EF-2 storm hit southeast of Kremlin, and a third tornado, which struck northwest of Kremlin and near Hillsdale, was rated EF-1.
In addition to the Expo Center, there was damage to several businesses and homes in North Enid. The tornadoes near Kremlin also caused damage to at least one home in the area and blew the press box off the Kremlin-Hillsdale High School football stadium.
The damage to the Expo Center created some scheduling concerns, including the relocation of the 2009 Enid High School commencement ceremonies.
The damage to the Expo Center roof was extensive, and repairs still are continuing; however, the building is being used for several events and concerts.
See Tuesday’s News & Eagle for a recap of the top story of 2009.
