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P
N
O
Piedmont
celebrates
Founders Day
Page 11A
Morris home
run lifts
Wildcats
Page 1B
Gazette
Gazette
THURSDAY September 11, 2014 Vol. 39, No. 22 3 Sections, 36 Pages
Your Hometown Newspaper For More Than 38 Years!
USPS 334-710
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City receives smaller Aug. sales tax check
By Matt Montgomery
editor@piedmontnewsonline.com
The City of Piedmont
received a smaller August
sales tax check, compared
to one year ago.
According to the Okla-
homa Tax Commission,
Piedmonts August 2014
sales tax check totalled
$131,045.83.
The citys August 2013
sales tax check was for
$135,864.99, which is a 3.5
percent decrease from the
previous year.
The statewide distribu-
tion of sales tax to cities
and towns represents tax
collected from retail sales
during J une business. Com-
panies that remit more than
$2,500 monthly in sales tax
receipts are required to le
electronically, according to
the Oklahoma Tax Com-
mission.
The monies they re-
ported this period represent
retail sales from J une 16
to J une 30, and estimated
sales from J uly 1 to J uly 15.
Piedmonts nearest
neighbor, Oklahoma City,
received a slightly larger
August sales tax check,
compared to one year ago.
Oklahoma Citys August
2014 sales tax check totalled
$35,500,003.82. In August
2013, the citys check was
See Tax Page 5A
Treece family cuts ribbon on historical barn
$0.00
$5,000,000.00
$10,000,000.00
$15,000,000.00
$20,000,000.00
$25,000,000.00
$30,000,000.00
$35,000,000.00
$40,000,000.00
Aug-14
Aug-13
Matt Montgomery/Gazette
Maree Treece cuts the ribbon Sunday on the grand opening of her familys historic barn southwest of
the Piedmont Road and Northwest Expressway Intersection. (From left to right) Jason Tinsley, Joan
Yowell, Aimee Treece, Robert Treece, Ashlynn Prigmore, Maree Treece and Steve Lunsford.
Intermediate receives $65K
By Matt Montgomery
editor@piedmontnewsonline.com
Piedmont Intermediate
recently received a hefty
grant worth $65,000, which
the school plans to use to-
ward technology and teach-
er development.
The Oklahoma Educa-
tional Technology Trust
(OETT) awarded Piedmont
Intermediate with the grant.
The school will receive
$40,000 to purchase new
technology equipment in
addition to professional
teacher development train-
ing valued at $25,000.
Thanks to the OETT
grant, 148 new Chrome-
books will be distributed to
every language arts class-
room at Piedmont Interme-
diate. This technology will
provide the students with
the opportunity to create
multi-media presentations,
blogs, narrative slide-
shows, animated videos
and podcasts.
Piedmont Intermediate
Principal Shawn Blanken-
ship said the school is very
thankful for the grant.
This grant will have a
signicant impact on all
students and teachers at
Piedmont Intermediate,
Blankenship said. Every
fth and sixth grade student
will experience a one-to-
one environment in writing
and social studies classes.
Teachers will receive qual-
ity professional develop-
ment in the 10 practices
of high achieving schools.
An emphasis will be in the
area of authentic teaching
and teacher collaboration.
See Grant Page 5A
By Matt Montgomery
editor@piedmontnewsonline.com
The culmination of two
years of hard work and 125
years of history was felt
last Sunday as the Treece
family of Piedmont cut the
ribbon to the new barn on
their property southwest
of the intersection of Pied-
mont Road and the North-
west Expressway.
The family invited dis-
tinguished guests, which
totalled around 100 peo-
ple, to watch as they cut
the ribbon to the new barn
on their property. The new
barn is located in the same
spot the original barn was
and on the same piece of
land. The original barn
collapsed many years ago.
History means a lot to
the Treece family and ce-
menting the legacy of this
now piece of Oklahoma
history was important for
the family.
The barn was added
to the list of the National
Registry of Historic Plac-
es in Oklahoma and the
Treece family were given a
citation which was signed
by Gov. Mary Fallin. The
barn is registered under the
Chisholm Trail, which is
where the barn lies.
Maree Treece, who has
been a major part of over-
seeing of this project since
2012, said its rare to nd
land which has been undis-
turbed since it was founded
more than 100 years ago.
The construction of the
barn has been ongoing
for more than two years.
During the building of
the barn, Robert Treece,
Marees father, was the
lead contractor on the job.
While working on a piece
of the barn about two sto-
ries off the ground, Rob-
ert accidentally fell to the
ground. He was badly hurt
and suffered a major brain
injury. He has in the hospi-
tal for more than six weeks.
During that period,
the family shut down
the construction of the
barn. But, Robert began
to heal slowly from his
See Barn Page 5A