Lojka spent 29 years at the Midwest City Fire Department and served in several roles, including firefighter, inspector, investigator, public education officer, public information officer and fire marshal.
His favorite job was that of department spokesman as he answered questions from the press, and conveyed important fire prevention tips to the public.
Midwest City School graduate Lester Claravall will receive the prestigious Lewis Hines Award for Service to Children and Youth during a ceremony in New York City on Monday.
The award will be presented by the National Child Labor Committee, which serves as the sponsor for the Lewis Hines awards...
Bahreini expanded his ownership interests and now owns the largest portions of the former mall space. The mall and its out-parcels had been diced up and have been held by different owners. The Sears store is owned by Sears Roebuck & Co. and the former Dillard’s is owned by Life Covenant Church Inc.
Bahreini purchased the shuttered mall for $1.3 million as ABAB Inc. County records show he purchased the former Montgomery Ward store on the north side of the mall in 2004 for $880,000.
Bob Sullivan, with NAI Sullivan Group, represented the seller, ROC ASAP LLC. Phillip Mazaheri, and Price Edwards & Co., represented Bahreini.
Mazaheri said the buyer plans to begin renovations — including the roof and damage from a fire earlier this year — and then look at bringing retail back to the mall, or consider other viable uses for the property. The sale included about 210,000 square feet and a Whataburger restaurant along East Reno Avenue.
The mall opened in 1978.
Including the anchor space, the mall has about 650,000 square feet.