ARKANSAS COMPANY TO BRING 250 NEW JOBS
TULSA - An Arkansas company will build a plastics waste mining and reclamation facility near Watts, Okla. and bring in about 250 new jobs. The company, Advanced Environment Recycling Technologies, Inc. is working with the Cherokee Nation and the state of Oklahoma to build the plant. Initial funding for the $13.5 million plant was by Allstate Investments in conjunction with an Adair County revenue bond which reaches maturity in 15 years, according to a press release.

SAPULPA ENTREPRENEUR BUYS TULSA PARTS MANUFACTURER
TULSA - Craig Sutton of Sapulpa has purchased valve systems manufacturer Roto Hammer Industries of Tulsa for an undisclosed price. Founded in 1959, the west Tulsa company supplies specialty valve operating systems and accessories to the pipe, valve and fitting industry. Its products include chain wheels, extension systems, gear operators and floor stands - which Roto Hammer says may help users save time and improve safety factors - and other products.

DESPITE FDA BLESSING, CLONED MEAT NOT SET FOR SHELVES YET
OKLAHOMA CITY - The Food and Drug Administration's recent finding that food from cloned cattle, swine and goats is safe for consumption is likely to have minimal short-term effect on producers and consumers, Oklahoma industry experts said. "Initially, the consumer's not going to see an impact from cloned animals for some time," Oklahoma Pork Council Executive Director Roy Lee Lindsey Jr. said Tuesday. "You're not going to see this in your meat case any time soon.

PROPERTY TAX LAW RULED UNCONSTITUTIONAL
OKLAHOMA CITY - The state Supreme Court struck down a law allowing county assessors to base their property tax assessments on the total purchase price for the land divided by the number of lots platted. The law, found at Title 68 Section 2817(I) of the Oklahoma statutes, allows the assessment to remain fixed until the buildings constructed on the land are sold or leased. The Supreme Court agreed with Liddell, finding the law conflicts with Article X section 8(A)(2) of the Oklahoma Constitution, which requires property tax assessments to be based on the "fair cash value for the highest and best use for which such property was actually used, or was previously classified for use." P1

HAND-ME-DOWNS MAKING MILLIONS
TULSA - Shannon Wilburn and her business partner Daven Tackett own Just Between Friends, a consignment business focusing on selling maternity and children items. "We thought it was something we could do twice a year and we'd get to shop for our kids first," she said. "It was also for a supplement income - to recoup our money for whatever we needed to buy our kids." Unlike a garage sale where items are sold for mere pocket change, Just Between Friends allows families to clean out their closets while being able to shop for new items. P3

BANJO MUSEUM PICKS BRICKTOWN HOME
OKLAHOMA CITY - The American Banjo Museum, founded and based in Guthrie since 1998, has purchased a building in Bricktown and plans to move to Oklahoma City early next year. The building, at 9 E. Sheridan Ave., was purchased for $1.3 million and the group plans to spend $2 million on renovations. The museum is the only one of its type in the world and has the single largest collection of banjos on display. The museum was initially opened as the National Four-String Banjo Hall of Fame Museum by Brady Hunt, an attorney from Midwest City, and Jack Canine, an industrialist from Indianapolis. Canine provided both funding for the initial project and provided his own collection of 60 banjos. Canine again stepped up to provide funding to the museum's endowment for the Bricktown project. P5

FORMER SPEAKER CARGILL UNVEILS 100 IDEAS BOOK
OKLAHOMA CITY - The day after Rep. Lance Cargill resigned as Speaker of the state House of Representatives, he released the book he hopes will be regarded as his legacy. Cargill concluded the sparsely attended press conference to announce the release of 100 Ideas: Innovation For The Second Century with a quote by former President John F. Kennedy. "A man may die, nations may rise and fall, but an idea lives on," Cargill read from the introduction he wrote for the book. "Ideas have endurance without death."

FILINGS SHOW KEY ISSUES FOR FRANCIS STIPE TRIAL
OKLAHOMA CITY - Court filings from prosecutors and defense attorneys on Tuesday outlined issues to be addressed in the upcoming federal trial of Francis Stipe, 76. Unless the court orders a delay as requested by the defense, the brother of former state Sen. Gene Stipe goes on trial next week for mail fraud, witness tampering, conspiracy and engaging in illegal monetary transactions.