Area auto sales fall 5.2 percent in May

Journal Record, The (Oklahoma City), Jun 21, 2002

Sales of new and used cars and trucks, both domestic and imported, continued to slide last month, according to trade group figures released Thursday.

There were 9,086 vehicles sold by area new-car dealers in May, down 5.2 percent from the 9,586 sold in May 2001. This figure, however, was up 6.2 percent from the 8,552 sold in April, according to figures released by the Metropolitan Auto Dealers Association.

The total number of vehicles sold last month is the lowest May figure in four years, the association's figures show.

This was the first time this year that a monthly figure for 2002 was lower than comparable month last year.

A water battle

A group of Oklahoma communities and officials is fighting a proposed pipeline that would pump water from an aquifer in the south- central part of the state.

The 88-mile pipeline would begin east of Wynnewood in Garvin County and end west of Newcastle in McClain County.

Up to 20 million gallons per day would be pumped out of the aquifer, bringing water to several central Oklahoma communities -- including El Reno, Mustang, Yukon, Piedmont, Union City, Okarche and Calumet.

Those opposed to the plan include county commissioners, city councils and water conservancy boards. They say the pipeline would have a negative environmental and economic impact on the region.

Representatives of the Central Oklahoma Water Resources Authority and PESA LLC proposed the pipeline to the Norman City Council earlier this week. Norman would have to pay $10 million to build a pipeline to connect to the main line near U.S. Highway 62 north of Blanchard.

Richard Riley, chairman of the water resources authority in Mustang, said central Oklahoma communities need a plan to get clean water.

"To Oklahoma, in the past, oil was the black gold," he said. "Water, in the future, ... is going to be the blue gold."

Riley said communities will struggle to meet federal regulations that reduce the level of arsenic allowed in drinking water by 2006. The aquifer -- with 9 million acre feet of water in storage, three times as much as Lake Texoma -- has enough water to supply central Oklahoma towns, he said.

But officials who live near the aquifer are against the pipeline. Arbuckle Master Conservancy District board members unanimously approved a resolution last week to protest the PESA's application to the Oklahoma Water Resources Board. The city councils of Sulphur, Wynnewood and Davis, the Ada Water Resources Board, Johnston County Commissioners and the Davis Chamber of Commerce have adopted similar resolutions.

Conservancy members want to block efforts to sell the water until a five-year, $2.7 million study is completed on the quality and quantity of the aquifer. The Arbuckle Master Conservancy District oversees the distribution of water from Arbuckle Lake to the cities of Ardmore, Davis, Sulphur, Wynnewood and to Wynnewood Refining Co.

Garcia's in Colorado

Amador Restaurants Inc. of Denver has agreed to develop Garcia's Mexican Restaurants in Denver and Colorado Springs.

Last week, Jovita Fleischman, owner of Amador Restaurants, purchased the Denver Garcia's from Edmond-based Eateries Inc. She plans to open two more Garcia's in the Denver and Colorado Springs area in the next two years, said Vincent F. Orza Jr., chairman and CEO of Eateries.

"After 17 years of working at Garcia's I am excited to have my own franchise and to continue to bring quality Mexican food and service to the area," said Fleischman.

Garcia's offers Arizona-style Mexican atmosphere and menu. The 46- year-old Garcia's concept was founded in Phoenix. Eateries Inc. acquired Garcia's in 1997 and now operates and franchises 17 Garcia's restaurants in six states, part of Eateries' 76 restaurants in 26 states. Eateries also operates Garfield's Restaurant and Pub and Pepperoni Grill.

CornNuts and Six Flags

CornNuts will be the official snack nut for Six Flags theme parks.

Kraft Foods, makers of the toasted corn snack, and Six Flags Inc., the Oklahoma City-based operator of 36 theme parks, announced the alliance on Thursday.

As part of the agreement, CornNuts and Six Flags will sponsor a nationwide contest offering people the opportunity to win a vacation trip for six people to any Six Flags amusement park in the United States. Point-of-sale materials will support the contest along with an Internet presence.

CornNuts will also receive premium advertising positioning in Six Flags park guides; in-park support and promotions through the Six Flags exclusive television network; and park sampling of CornNuts.

Additional promotional elements include ride sponsorship in 15 Six Flags parks in the United States with ride signage leveraging the CornNuts character and new packaging.

"The Six Flags partnership is a creative alliance that will provide an excellent promotional platform for the CornNuts brand," said Jill Manchester, category business director, snacks, Kraft Foods North America.

Excellence in marketing

Crossroads Mall, Phase 2 Development and the Oklahoma Department of Commerce were recognized by the Oklahoma City American Marketing Association with Excellence in Marketing Awards.