Best Façade Rehabilitation Under $10,000
Collinsville Downtown - Roderick Building - Main Street Office

Premier Special Event
Collinsville Downtown - 8th Annual Hogs N Hot Rods

The complete list of contenders are in the following press release:

For immediate release

Main Street Award Finalists Announced

The Oklahoma Main Street Center has announced the top three finalists in 21 awards categories. The first place winner will be announced and honored at the annual Main Street Awards banquet March 30, 2010.

The over 200 nominations we received this year represent the best of Oklahoma Main Streets and all are winning nominations. The Top Three represent the best of the best," said Linda Barnett, Director of the Oklahoma Main Street Center , Oklahoma Department of Commerce.

The categories reflect the elements of the Main Street Four Point Approach - Organization, Promotion, Design, and Economic Restructuring - which work together to build a sustainable and complete community revitalization effort.

The Top Three include:

Point: Organization

Premier Partner
Durant Main Street - Cardinal Glass
Hobart Main Street - Hobart Public Schools
Newkirk Main Street - Kaw Nation

Best Community Education/Public Awareness Program
Cherokee Main Street - Cherokee Main Street Phone Book
Main Street Pauls Valley - New Moon Social Media Promotion
Ponca City Main Street - Adventures in History & Heritage

Best Volunteer Development Program
Main Street Altus - Join Our Main Street Family
Hobart Main Street - Celebration of Freedom Committee
Newkirk Main Street - Charlie Adams Day

Main Street Hero
Main Street Enid - Lynn Smith
Hobart Main Street - Mayor Tom Talley
Newkirk Main Street - Sandra Cline

Best Creative Fundraising Effort
Main Street Enid - Stakeholders Fundraiser
Hobart Main Street - Coins Around the Courthouse
Poteau Main Street - Main Street Banquet

Best Main Street Youth Involvement
Durant Main Street -High School Service Learning Project
Hobart Main Street - Hobart Junior Main Street
Sayre Main Street - Sayre Junior Main Street

Point: Promotion

Premier Special Event
Collinsville Downtown - 8th Annual Hogs N Hot Rods
Hobart Main Street - Pumpkin Palooza/Punkin' Chunkin'
Newkirk Main Street - Journey Stories

Best Retail Event
Altus - Candy Cane "Sweet"Stakes
Enid - Mornings on Main Street
Plaza District - LIVE on the Plaza

Outstanding Image Promotion
Main Street Enid - Shop, Dine, Be Entertained
Newkirk Main Street - Journey Stories Walking Tour Brochure
Plaza District - Best of OKC Campaign

Creative New Event
Durant Main Street - Skating on the Square
Hobart Main Street - Celebration of Freedom
Poteau Main Street - Kiamichi Outdoor Sportman's Festival

Outstanding Web Presence
Durant Main Street - Durant Main Street Online!
Main Street Enid - www.mainstreetenid.org
Sayre Main Street - www.sayremainstreet.com

Point: Design

Best Public Improvement Project
El Reno Main Street - Downtown Sidewalk Improvement Project
Ponca City Main Street - Historic Murals and Signs
Tahlequah Main Street - Floyd Norris Park

Best Interior Design Projects
Durant Main Street - 2nd Street Bakery
Main Street Enid - Body Solid
Main Street Pauls Valley - Royal Twin Theater

Best Façade Rehabilitation Under $10,000
Collinsville Downtown - Roderick Building - Main Street Office
Hobart Main Street - Jake Hunn Building
Talihina Main Street - Treats and Treasures

Best Façade Rehabilitation Over $10,000
Cherokee Main Street - Cherokee City & County Library
Durant Main Street - RanSherSu Building
Talihina Main Street - Pollocks Building

Best Window Display
Main Street Altus - Lady Austin 's
Mangum Main Street - Flowers Unlimited
Poteau Main Street - The Purple Plume

Best Building / Business Signage
Newkirk Main Street - Eastman National Bank
Pauls Valley - Yeatts Home Furnishings
Main Street of Perry - Wear the Shoe Fits

Point: Economic Restructuring

Best Adaptive Reuse Project
Main Street Enid - Park Avenue Thrift
Hobart Main Street - Sesaco Sesame Seed Company
Plaza District - Velvet Monkey Salon

Best Business Practices
Durant Main Street - Marie's
Main Street of Perry - Kemnitz Sinclair Station and Oil Company
Plaza District - Café Evoke Catering

Best New Business Downtown
Main Street Altus - The Fowler House Bed and Breakfast
Durant Main Street - Take 2 Boutique
Poteau Main Street - Sassy Cat Antiques and Tearoom

Downtown Business of the Year
Main Street Altus - The Enchanted Door
Mangum Main Street - Allen's Home Center
Ponca City Main Street - Angel Central

The first-place winner in each category will be announced at the annual awards Main Street Awards Banquet to be held March 30, 2010 at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum.

The Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department will also be recognized at the banquet as the 2010 Friend of Main Street for their outstanding contributions to the state and local programs.

"They have been a superb partner at the State Fair, our August training, and of course, in recruiting the National Main Streets Conference to Oklahoma City ," said Barnett.

This year's banquet will feature two new awards.

The Community of the Year Award will recognize the Main Street Community who led other towns by earning the most quality assurance points during the 2009 calendar year. The top ten communities (in alphabetical order) include: Durant Main Street, Hobart Main Street, Newkirk Main Street, Okmulgee Main Street, Main Street Pauls Valley, Main Street of Perry, RedFork Main Street, Stockyards City Main Street, Talihina Main Street, Wilburton Main Street. The top points earner will be revealed at the banquet.

"In our 25th year of Main Street in Oklahoma we are also honoring our founding fathers and mothers, the individuals whose insight and hard work brought this program to Oklahoma ," said Barnett.

Founders Awards will be presented to the 15 leaders who are responsible for establishing the Oklahoma Main Street Program in 1986.

Tickets can be purchased from your local Main Street program for $36 if purchased before March 16, 2010. After that date, tickets will be $46.

Lindsey_Galloway@odoc.state.ok.us
Lindsey Galloway -- Outreach and Training Specialist
(405) 815-5133
900 North Stiles Ave., Oklahoma City, OK 73104-3234

Brad Francis, Design Chair
Collinsville Downtown, Inc.
Collinsville, OK
(918) 371-5530

Sample Previous Coverage:

2009

2007

2006

2004

The Rogers State softball team topped off a successful weekend with a two-game sweep of Grand View University (Des Moines, Iowa) Sunday at the Hillcat Complex in Claremore.

The Hillcats posted a 4-0 record in its 2010 home debut with wins against Grand View and Evangel University Saturday and two-more against the Vikings Sunday. RSU came from five runs down in the opener with an eight-run rally in the bottom of the sixth inning. Freshman Linsey Curtis swatted a grand-slam homer to propel the Cats to an 11-9 victory. RSU picked up right where it left off in the nightcap with six runs in the first inning. The Hillcats cruised to a 7-3 win to complete a three-game sweep over Grand View.

GAME ONE

A big fifth inning put the Vikings in position to win the opener before the Hillcats stormed back with some major firepower.

Grand View roughed up RSU starter Tye Coats for eight runs over four-plus innings of work. A three-run homer by Courtney Yacinich capped a four-run fifth for the Vikings.

The Hillcats trailed 8-3 entering the sixth inning. Curtis and Jodi Patterson started the at-bat with singles and Shelby Brogdon delivered a pinch-hit homer to cut into the lead. Taryn Hernandez ripped an RBI single up the middle and Sarah Harvey walked to load the bases for Curtis’s second plate appearance of the inning. The Collinsville High School product jumped on a 0-2 pitch and hammered it over the left field wall for the eventual game winner.

Ten of RSU’s 11 runs came via the long ball. Hernandez put the Cats on the scoreboard with a three-run blast to center in the bottom of the third. The Moreno Valley, Calif., native pitched the final 2.2 innings to record the victory. Kylee Jones suffered the loss in relief for the Vikings.

GAME TWO

RSU scored six runs in the first inning of the nightcap and Hernandez quieted the GVU bats with another solid relief effort.

Ashley Fauchier, Hernandez and Harvey cranked three straight singles to start the Hillcat first. Marie Gaudet slapped an RBI double to left and Brittany White added a two-run single to right. Two errors by the Vikings extended the inning as RSU jumped in front, 6-1.

Whitney Link, Megan Anderson and Emily Gilbert each tallied a solo home run in the losing effort for GVU. Gaudet tacked on an insurance run for RSU with a solo homer over the boards in right to lead off the sixth inning.

Hernandez (4-0) spelled Coats with two outs in the top of the first inning and went the distance for her second pitching victory of the day. Jones was tagged with the loss for the Vikings.

Rogers State (7-3) will open Sooner Athletic Conference play at home Tuesday against Oklahoma Baptist. The doubleheader is set for 4 p.m. at the Hillcat Complex.

The Rogers State softball team picked up a pair of victories in its 2010 home debut Saturday afternoon at the Hillcat Complex in Claremore.

The Hillcats started the day with a 5-3 win over Grand View University (Des Moines, Iowa) and topped it off with a 10-1 run-rule victory against Evangel University (Springfield, Mo.). RSU banged out 18 hits in the twin bill, including back-to-back home runs by Tye Coates and Linsey Curtis.

GAME ONE (vs. Grand View)

A two-run fifth inning keyed the Cats 5-3 victory over Grand View.

GAME TWO (vs. Evangel)

The Hillcats exploded for 10 runs on 11 hits to record a short-game win against Evangel in the nightcap.

RSU batted around with six hits in the bottom of the third inning. Curtis laced a two-run homer down the left field line and Coats belted a bomb over the boards in right-center on the very next pitch.

Lady Crusaders’ pitcher Kaitlyn Hasty was chased from the game in the fourth as the Hillcats piled on with four more runs. Harvey ripped a two-run double to center and Curtis followed with a double to right. Harvey and Curtis combined to go 4 for 6 with six RBI in the contest.

Coats (4-3) allowed just one unearned run in the victory. She struck out five with no walks and yielded one hit. Hasty took the loss for Evangel.

Rogers State (6-3) will close out the weekend with a doubleheader Sunday afternoon against Grand View. First pitch is scheduled for noon at the Hillcat Complex.

For more information on Hillcat Softball visit www.rsuhillcats.com.