OKC FRIDAY Vol. 58 No. 23 • One Section • 16 pages • October 11, 2024 $1 per copy
www.okcfriday.com facebook.com/okcfriday OKC’s only locally-owned legal newspaper with all local news Serving affluent far north Oklahoma City, Nichols Hills and The Village for 50 years
Irish are No. 1! BMCHS state champion cheerleaders: Seniors Lily Cunningham, Rylan Turner, Jaida Gatimu, Kyla Reid, Addie Pitman and Pyeatt Rivera. The squad also includes: Grace Abel, Kendall Brown, Kinsley Brown, Kennedy Brown, Bellah Foster, Grace McDaniel, Avery McIntire, Emma Meiseman, Haven O'Neil, Brooklyn Sarkey, Mia Scholze, Berlin Tietsort, London Tietsort and Jozie Weaver. Alternates (non-competing, but on the team): Hannah Kate Johnson, senior Danica Allen, Ava Buchanan, Ellen Covington, Olivia Dunham, Maddy Martinez, Lola Pever and Charlotte Shortt. Mandy Gerszewski is the head coach and Karly Dunbar, Amber
Freeman and Jenson McPherson are the assistant coaches. The Class 5A OSSA Cheerleading State Champions are the Fighting Irish of Bishop McGuinness! This team worked on its competition routine nearly
every day for months and it showed with the winning total score of 278.8 at the state championship held in Tulsa. The two-minute routine featured advanced-level
tumbling, cheer stunts and the familiar rally chant, “We are Irish!” The team was led by seven seniors, four who were also state champions as
freshmen. This makes five state champion competitive titles for head coach Mandy Gerszewski. Assistant coaches are Karly Dunbar and
Our ladies assume new professional roles Horn at PS Foundation
Barnes at Kirkpatrick
The Oklahoma City Public Schools Foundation announced the selection of former congresswoman Kendra S. Horn as its new president and CEO. Horn’s diverse experience in leadership, coalition building and public service will drive the foundation’s mission to support Oklahoma City KENDRA HORN
See HORN, Page 7
Oklahoma City native Kelley Barnes has been named the fourth executive director of the Kirkpatrick Foundation, Max Weitzenhoffer, president, and the foundation’s board announced. She leads efforts to support the foundation’s range of endeavors primarily impacting the arts, animal wellbeing, culture, KELLEY BARNES
World’s leading cheetah expert is coming to the OKC Zoo By Rose Lane Editor The Oklahoma City Zoo is to host a Meet and Greet with the world’s leading expert on cheetahs — Dr. Laurie Marker, the founder and executive director of the Cheetah Conservation Foundation. The event is set for 5-8 p.m., Oct. 15, at the zoo. The cost is $25 per person and
kids are welcome. “Join us for the latest of the field of cheetah conservation,” organizers said. “Learn all about the cheetah and the work being done to study the species in the wild and help us save them from extinction.” For details, scan the QR code above and email info@cheetah.org.
See BARNES, Page 7
FRIDAY’s Dog of the Week Steely arrived as a surprise for Allen Clark’s 70th birthday from his kids and grandkids. She is a mini Australian Shepherd and 17 weeks old. Her favorite thing to do is chase the many squirrels in her back yard. Email Pet of the Week submissions to rose@okcfriday.com.
Amber Freeman. New to the coaching team as an assistant coach is Jenson McPherson, a senior at OU See CHEER, Page 7
City officials get soaked to fight ALS By Eric Oesch Staff Writer Members of the Nichols Hills Fire Department are to take part in the ALS CEO Soak, drenching their city and risk managers, next Friday, Oct. 18. The soakings benefit the ALS Association of Oklahoma as it raises money to fight a disease that affects up to 31,000 people in the U.S. There is no known cure for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), or Lou Gehrig’s Disease. Soakings take place at 10:30 a.m., at the See SOAK, Page 16