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Pizza: It’s all in the family
A: Main, News
January 30, 2025
Pizza: It’s all in the family
By JERRY FINK MANAGING EDITOR

Mama Tig’s Pizza in Eufaula has been voted Best Pizza in the State by readers of Oklahoma Living, a publication of the Oklahoma Association of Electric Cooperatives (OAEC).

OAEC has widespread readership, and the article in the magazine’s January issue has boosted the number of customers at Mama Tig’s restaurants in Eufaula, Carlton Landing and Muskogee.

“It has picked up quite a bit,” said owner Janette Davis. “People have been driving long distances to try the pizza after reading the article.” They come from all over Oklahoma, as well as Arkansas and Texas.

Janette and her husband Bob Davis own the Eufaula and Carlton landing businesses. The one in Muskogee at 2156 Gullick, is a franchise owned by Jonnie and Reo Rea.

OAEC is a statewide association made up of 30 member systems, 27 distribution electric and three generation and transmission electric cooperatives, bringing power to more 523,000 Oklahomans and 125,000 customers in Arkansas, Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico and Texas.

All of whom have access to Oklahoma Living magazine, so it isn’t surprising that such widespread publicity naming Mama Tig’s the number one pizza restaurant in the state would generate interest.

Readers of the magazine voted in the publication’s competition.

“We owe it all to our customers,” Bob Davis said.

Janette agreed, but added the hard-working and friendly employees to the reasons for the vote.

And, of course, the wood-fired pizza cooked in a brick over.

“We cut our fresh vegetables every day – the bell peppers, red onions. We slice our fresh mushrooms. We strive for good quality and fresh ingredients,” said Janette.

Some pizzas are named after family members: She knows a thing or two about pizza making.

Her grandfather came from Italy in 1903, eventually opened a bar in Mount Pleasant, Michigan in the ‘50s and served pizza.

Her parents opened a pizzeria in Lake George, Michigan the ‘70s, called Mama Tig’s.

Her mother’s last name was Tignanelli.

“Family and friends called her Mama Tig. That’s where the restaurant’s name came from,” she said.

Her brother, Frank Tignanelli, owns a successful pizza business in Millersburg, Michigan called Detroit Frankie’s Wood Fired Brick Oven.

Janette and Bob’s eldest daughter, Erin Bridges, is general manager of their local restaurants.

Their younger daughter, Ashley Davis Caldwell, works at Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas, but has aspirations to be in the pizza business.

It took time for Janette and Bob to arrive in Eufaula.

After they married they moved to Texas, where their daughter Erin was born and raised in Frisco.

Erin won a softball scholarship from Northeastern State University, Tahlequah, where she met fellow-student and future husband Brendon Bridges, now an associate district judge in Eufaula.

Meanwhile, her parents had moved to Kansas City.

After Erin and Brendon married and settled in Eufaula, where Brendon began his law practice and Erin became an elementary education teacher and softball coach, the Davises moved here to be closer to their grandchildren.

Bob Davis wanted to get into the pizza business here, but Janette wasn’t all that enthusiastic about it.

“I worked at the Eufaula Pharmacy as a pharmacy tech for awhile,” Janette said.

However, in 2016 Bob won out and the couple started Mama Tig’s Pizza food truck, which eventually led to a bricks and mortar store in Carlton’s Landing and then the Eufaula store at 123 Selmon Road. The Mama Tig’s in Muskogee is the result of a Stigler teenager working for the Davises on their food truck when it was in her town. After she grew up and married she decided she wanted to get into the restaurant business so the Davises entered into a franchise agreement with her and her husband Reo.

The Davises are now looking at retirement, and to that end they named Erin general manager of the growing restaurant chain.

“When I resigned from coaching (at Checotah), they’re the reason I kind of resigned. They wanted me to be more active in the business because they wanted to retire,” Erin said. “Even when I was coaching I would help them out.”

Janette said when they decided to get into the pizza business here they weren’t sure what they were going to do.

“We just knew the flavors we liked and we were trying to bring those flavors here. We couldn’t find pizza anywhere else like it. So we put the family recipes together and came up with what pizza would work.”

Judging by the voting of Oklahoma Living readers, they came up with the right formula.

Janette is looking forward to retirement.

“I don’t want to open any more restaurants,” she said. “Since Erin has come on board, it has freed us up. We were working all the time.”

But they would discuss franchising.

“We’d be happy to talk to anybody who is interested to make sure it’s a right fit,” she said.

Local church supports those with disabilities
A: Main, News...
Local church supports those with disabilities
By LADONNA RHODES STAFF WRITER 
July 17, 2025
Last week His Ability Ministries with Checotah First Assembly of God offered training for disability friendly churches with Lonnie and Janet Nance from Unlimited Ministries of Springfield, Missouri. L...
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Checotah says goodbye to cowboy legend Bill Duvall
A: Main, News...
Checotah says goodbye to cowboy legend Bill Duvall
By LADONNA RHODES STAFF WRITER 
July 17, 2025
Memorial Service for Bill Duvall Friday, July 18 at 11 a.m. First Baptist Church, Checotah When Bill Duvall was called to meet His Maker in the Great Round Up in the sky this past Sunday, Checotah los...
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Whole Hawg Days on the horizon
A: Main, News...
Whole Hawg Days on the horizon
July 17, 2025
Get ready for another funfilled weekend as the 41st Annual Whole Hawg Arts & Crafts Festival prepares to get underway, Friday and Saturday, July 25-26. The festival will consist of Arts & Crafts, a ro...
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A: Main, News...
Annual Memorial Service planned at Honey Springs Battlefield
July 17, 2025
Honey Springs Battlefield will hold its annual memorial service on Saturday, July 19, at 10:30 a.m. to honor the 162nd anniversary of the Battle of Honey Springs near Checotah. The service will be hel...
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A: Main, News...
Man facing obscenity charges
July 17, 2025
Ryan Troy Dick, a 52-yearold Sallisaw resident, is being held in the McIntosh County Jail pending his preliminary hearing on charges related to indecent photographs and videos sent to a former girlfri...
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A: Main, News...
Carey trial set on rape charge
July 17, 2025
Arnold Willard Carey Jr., 28, waived his right to a preliminary hearing on July 9 and his rape case was placed on the Sept. 29 sounding docket for the next trial. The McIntosh County resident has been...
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Editor Picks
A: Main, News...
Juvenile dies following accident near Longtown
July 17, 2025
The Oklahoma Highway Patrol reports that a juvenile, whose name and age are being withheld, was fatally injured in a single-vehicle accident that took place at about 10:30 p.m. on July 4. The deceased...
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Checotah bandies recognized at TMALA
News
Checotah bandies recognized at TMALA
July 17, 2025
Class of Checotah band students were recently recognized at Texoma Marching Arts and Leadership Academy (TMALA). TMALA Band Leadership was led by Ryan Edgmon, Director of Bands for Mustang Public Scho...
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Supporters walk to raise awareness against sexual assault
News
Supporters walk to raise awareness against sexual assault
By SHAUNA BELYEU GENERAL MANAGER 
July 17, 2025
The Muscogee (Creek) Nation held its Sexual Assault Awareness Walk (SAAM) last Friday, July 12, at 12 p.m. in Posey Park. The event was originally scheduled for April but was rained out. Community sup...
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News
Oktaha Trinity Baptist Church Vacation Bible School
July 17, 2025
The Great Jungle Journey An Epic Cruise from Genesis to Revelation July 21- 25 5:30 p.m. – 8 p.m. Ages: 4-12 years Dinner will be provided.
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Preliminary hearing set for man charged with murder
News
Preliminary hearing set for man charged with murder
July 17, 2025
Following a competency hearing on July 9, Wilburton resident Glen Edward Calvin, 54, was ordered to appear for a preliminary hearing in McIntosh County District Court at 2 p.m. Aug. 20. On a charge of...
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