After some debate on the future of West OK Journal, we've decided to go ahead and just move the whole thing over to Ning. This will be a benefit in the long run.

The reason? WOJ was designed to be a community, and Ning fits this goal.

The primary blog will be at Ning from now on, but we'll be leaving this version of blog up. Many of the articles and pages published here will be linked to over at the Ning blogs. This way no information will be lost. Since there are limitations with what you can post at Ning (embeds and such) we may still use this blog as a supplement to what's posted at Ning.

We'll be putting the final touches on upgrades to Ning's design this week, and we'll be redirecting our feedburner feeds to Ning when finished.

So after today whenever you visit www.westokjournal.com you'll be forwarded to westokjournal.ning.com.

Follow us on Twitter for any more updates @westokjournal

2009 NCAA Men's Basketball Championship Bracket

(South bracket) Oklahoma vs Morgan St., March 19th 8:40pm (cdt)


(East bracket) Oklahoma St. vs Tennessee, March 20th 11:25pm (cdt)

Daylight Saving Time Begins - Time springs forward at 2 a.m. Sunday, March 8th.

This year's Great Backyard Bird Count has come and gone. Using my dry erase marker at the backdoor trick, I counted 10 sparrows on Sunday, Feb. 15th.

February 13th - 16th, 2009 - The Great Backyard Bird Count is an annual four-day event that engages bird watchers of all ages in counting birds to create a real-time snapshot of where the birds are across the continent. Anyone can participate, from beginning bird watchers to experts. It takes as little as 15 minutes on one day, or you can count for as long as you like each day of the event. It’s free, fun, and easy—and it helps the birds.

Visit www.birdsource.org/gbbc for more information.

The City of Elk City, OK is seeking resumes for a City Manager.

The City of Elk City, OK (approximately 13,000 pop.) is seeking resumes for a City Manager. Elk City is a full service city providing police, fire/ambulance, parks, streets, utilities and emergency management. The City of Elk City is located on Interstate 40 and Historic Route 66 in Western Oklahoma, approximately 120 miles west of Oklahoma City.

City of Elk City

I found the RSS feeds for U.S. Representative Frank Lucas via his website at www.house.gov/lucas:

• Press Releases
• Frankly Speaking (blog)
• In the News
• Floor Speeches and Committee Statements

Reported by News9.com:

City Commissioners in Elk City have accepted the resignation of convicted City Manager Guy Hylton.

The commission accepted the resignation, effective Feb. 16, Monday night.

Hylton was convicted with city supervisor Chuck Little of misdemeanor negligent endangerment for using state inmates to work on a railroad depot that was filled with asbestos.

Hylton was sentenced to six months in prison and Little to eight.

The 10th Circuit Court of Appeals recently upheld both convictions and sentences.

Elk City Treasurer Anita Archer will serve as interim city manager following Hylton's resignation until a permanent successor is chosen.

NewsOK.com reports:

A Major County jury found former Custer County Sheriff Mike Burgess guilty of 13 felony charges Saturday afternoon, recommending a punishment of 94 years and $15,000 in fines.

I started a news round up on the Burgess Trial in our forum: Burgess Trial Round Up