Each year, we take a look back at news and events that shaped life in Central Oklahoma the past 12 months.
We’ll break 2021 into three parts, the first of which was in last week’s edition.
Here is Part 2 from late spring:
- Area schools went back to in-person education after the Spring Break and for different situations than in the Spring of 2020 due to COVID-19.
- Lincoln County commissioners tabled taking any action on funding for subsidizing ambulance services or forming a 522 Ambulance District.
They put off taking any action until an April 19 meeting, or their May 3 meeting. They indicated they probably will call for an election to be held on July 13 and the May meeting would be as late as they could do that to have voters go to the polls on that July date.
Once again, lawyers and financial experts attended a meeting that week. Commissioners completely pulled away from asking county residents to vote a sales tax to fund a countywide ambulance service.
Instead, they preferred to form a 522 Ambulance District. That will take a vote of county citizens and would be funded by ad valorem taxes assessed to all real property.
The financial advisors told commissioners funding for the ambulance service would require three mills added to property taxes that would generate about $1.5 million annually. They also said that estimate was with no growth.
- Voters in some area communities in Pottawatomie and Lincoln counties decided school board and municipal contests in See Page 2C elections.
In one school district, Meeker voters approved an $850,000 bond election and in Prague voters approved a one cent sales tax for five years.
In the first week of April, Meeker school patrons approved an $850,000 bond issue. Proposition 1 won with more than 76 percent voting in favor and Proposition 2 garnered more than 74 percent of the vote.
Meeker School Supt. Jeff Pruitt explained the first proposition was for improvements district wide and for vehicles for district use.
The second proposition is to acquire vehicles for pupil transportation, he said.
- The Stroud girls won the 66 Conference Softball Championship and the McLoud boys claimed the Conference Baseball Championship.
- Lincoln County Commissioners on April 19 adopted a resolution calling a special election hoping voters would approve the formation of an Emergency Medical Services District.
The special election was scheduled for July 13 this year.
They also indicated during their next meeting they may add a separate proposition to the ballot for funding a new jail at the same election.
After briefly discussing it again, District 1 Commissioner Carl Munson made the motion to approve the resolution and District 2 Commissioner Marlon Miller seconded it.
Joining them in approving it was District 3 Commissioner and Commission Chairman Lee Doolen.
-Stroud Regional Medical Center put out a call for volunteers. It’s Spring and everything is turning green, growing again, and renewing itself for a fresh Summer.
For Stroud Regional Medical Center, this Spring will be a time of renewal for a former program.
“We have not had a volunteer program in quite some time,” Stroud Regional’s Health Educator/ Auxiliary Director Angie Guest VanDenbark said. “I can’t find anyone who remembers exactly when it started, but it’s been like before Covid, even, we have not had one. So, we want to start one back up.”
The volunteers will help Stroud Regional and their staff and patients and support the hospital’s mission in a variety of ways, Van-Denbark said.
- Two young female athletes from Lincoln County high schools who have competed against each other for several years were named to the Oklahoma Native All State Girls Cross Country team.
Callie Sellers from Meeker and Madison Ham of Stroud joined together at the Oklahoma Native All State Association in June at Okmulgee.
Sellers is the daughter of Michael and Ashley Sellers.
Ham is the daughter of Travis and Melody Ham.
Sellers is a multi-sports athlete. In addition to Cross Country, she participates in track and also softball and basketball.
Ham competes in several events on the Stroud track team besides the Cross Country team. Both young women have signed with state universities to continue competing in Cross Country and track.
Ham signed to attend East Central University in Ada and Sellers is attending Rogers State University in Claremore.
Sellers explained her selection to the Oklahoma Native All State Girls Cross Country team came after her athletic director at Meeker High School Brad Seaborn submitted her resume and her Native American ID card.
- Meeker’s totally renovated Glenn Crest Park was opened to the public in April and was dedicated the last week of April with a ribbon cutting, raising of the American flag and some refreshments.
The renovated park includes new playground equipment installed to fit various ages. Swing sets for all ages, rock climbs, slides and tubes are among the items that people can enjoy.
There are new basketball backboards and goals with a newly paved court, volleyball nets, a large concrete parking lot, plants and flowers, picnic tables and park benches.
Town Administrator at the time Dickie Walton initially estimated cost of the renovation would be around $100,000.
He later estimated the total investment of the park is more than $200,000. “The only cost to us was our city labor and that was off and on and in between our weekly duties,” he said.
That’s due to all the donations from businesses, individuals and organizations, including those inkind.
- An Ada woman faced a first degree manslaughter charge in connection with a fatal traffic collision that claimed the life of a Prague man in October of 2020,
Formal charges were filed in Lincoln County District Court on Apr. 21 against Haley Jordan Price, 30, and she also was charged with feloniously driving while under the influence of alcohol.
A $30,000 bench warrant was filed for her arrest the same day the charges were filed, court records show.
Supplemental information filed by prosecutors shows that on March 8, 2013, Price was convicted in Ponotoc County of DUI.
- A Meeker High School softball player was selected for the Oklahoma Native All State Girls Softball Team.
Kaycee Babek, a senior, played at the Oklahoma Native All State Association game in June at Okmulgee.
Babek, 18, is the daughter of Jeff and Jennifer Babek and had attended Meeker Schools since she was in Pre-K, she said.
She also played basketball in addition to softball.
She is a member of the Choctaw Tribe.
Asked her reaction when she learned about her selection to the Oklahoma Native All State team, she said, “I was really so happy because I’ve been working so hard for stuff like this.
- During the first week of May, Lincoln County Commissioners adopted a resolution calling for a special election asking voters to approve general obligation tax bonds to construct a new county jail.
The special election would be held July 13, 2021.
Two weeks prior, they had adopted a resolution calling a special election hoping voters would approve the formation of an Emergency Medical Services District.
- In early May, the Meeker Board of Education adopted a resolution to name the athletic facilities in honor of Virgil Fowler who retired this year.
The board voted to name the athletic facilities “The Virgil Fowler Athletic Complex.”
Fowler had announced in March he was retiring and said he’s completing 40 years at Meeker. He said he attended Meeker schools as he was growing up.
Fowler was serving as the Dean of Students of the Middle School and had for a number of years.
- The Dale Board of Education voted to hire a new Elementary School Principal, Courtney Howser. She had been with the Gordon Cooper Technology Center in Shawnee.
Howser took over the position for the 2021-2022 school year. She replaced longtime Elementary Principal Bruce Throckmorton who retired at the end of the school term in
May.
- Dale and North Rock High School softball teams qualified for the slow pitch softball state tournament and Dale won its fifth straight slow pitch state championship.
Stroud sophomore Kileigh Mixon won the State Class 2A high jump championship and Stroud 4x400 relay team of Kaylyn Baker, Brynlee Wages, Macey Morris and Madison Ham were runnersup. The Stroud Lady Tigers were No. 2 in total team points.
A 25-year-old Chandler resident was arrested in May by the Federal Bureau of Investigation for allegedly participating in the incident on Jan. 6 of this year where hundreds of people stormed the U.S. Capitol.
Federal court records showed the FBI executed a warrant for the arrest of Tanner Bryce Sells.
A source said the arrest by the FBI occurred in Chandler after Sells was reportedly stopped by an Oklahoma Highway Patrol Trooper.
Public records show the warrant was executed and returned.
High school graduations across Lincoln County and Pottawatomie County were held throughout the latter part of May.
The Dale Pirates’ bid for a Class 2A spring baseball championship fell short as they dropped their semifinal contest to Christian Heritage.
After winning 4-2 against Hartshorne in their opening game of the state tourney, the Pirates saw their season come to an end with a 5-4 setback to Christian Heritage.
Dale Coach Eddie Jeffcoat said this week, “We just didn’t play our best in either game. We played average on Thursday and got by and on Friday it caught up to us.”
The coach pointed out though, “We still had a really good year. We were 27-4, went all the way to the state semi-finals and we lost only four games all season.”
In late May, the Meeker Public Works Authority received notice of approval of a $1,635,000 loan to help improve its wastewater infrastructure.
The $1.6 million loan is from the Oklahoma Water Resources Board and is for construction of upgrades and improvements in the town’s wastewater system.
OWRB officials said the loan would be financed by the Oklahoma Clean Water State Revolving Fund and that $200,000 of the loan would be forgiven.
Meeker’s Town Administrator at the time Dickie Walton explained the project is to replace more than 17,000 lineal feet of sewer line and to repair or replace sewer manholes. Walton estimated there are about 100 manholes that need to be repaired or replaced throughout the town.
The project is estimated to cost around $1.7 million.
- Meeker School Supt. Jeff Pruitt announced the third party gas vendor that sent the exorbitant bill to the district in March had discounted it by 30 percent.
The bill that was originally sent by Symmetry Energy Solutions totaled $51,702.78. Pruitt said that amount has been reduced to $36,191.
Pruitt further explained, “I’m working through that issue and making sure the district is going through the parameters of our legal obligation in regards to the bill.”
- Construction on 15th Street in Chandler continued even though it appeared the recent heavy rainfall had slowed it down some. The project was funded by the Sac and Fox Nation.
-In early June, heavy rainfall in Lincoln County varied from 3 to 3 ½ inches to 5 inches, then County Emergency Management Director Wendi Marcy said.
She said there were a number of road closures including 990 and 3340 just south of Wellston where a bridge was out.
On 3580 between Roads 1000 and 990 east of Prague and other roads were rough for a while until roads crews could get to them to grade but were passable.
SH 18 north of U.S. 62 Meeker north of Meeker was closed for a while due to water from Quapaw Creek over the roadway.
-A judge scheduled a preliminary hearing for a Harrah man charged in February with the murder of a 21-year-old Stroud resident.
Cole Berginer Guy, 19, was formally charged Feb. 22 in Lincoln County District Court, accused of shooting and killing Gabriel Chumley with deliberate intent on Feb. 10 of this year in Lincoln County.
Special Judge Emily Mueller, during a pre-preliminary hearing on May 6, continued that hearing for 1:30 p.m. on Thursday, June 3.
- A pair of Chandler men hosted the first ever Chandler Sweeps, an effort to clean up the town. Ton Wilson and Shane Massie, both born and reared in Chandler, said they wanted to help beautify Chandler.
- The Chandler Roundup hosted a Playday in Chandler.
- Chandler High School golfer Evan Gwin was selected for the All-State Golf team.
- Chandler’s Caden Eyestone, a seventh grader, won an Archery World Championship competing in Myrtle Beach, .S.C. He was one of four Chandler archers competing. He had a Bullseye score of 297 and 3D score of 291.
He won the top scholarship award of $5,000.
- In mid-June, the Meeker Board of Education voted to authorize School Supt. Jeff Pruitt to choose a new third party vendor for the transportation of natural gas and enter into a contract.
The board’s action came after the school district earlier this year received what Pruitt has called an “exorbitant” gas bill from Symmetry Energy Solutions totaling $51,702.78.
Pruitt received the bill in March for February’s gas.
He advised board members during the their June meeting that he’s experienced difficulty in Symmetry responding to his communications. “I’ve reached out recently to them and haven’t heard anything back,” he said.
The superintendent said he has written Symmetry Energy Solutions within the last two weeks “notifying them we do not desire to renew the contract for the 2021-2022 year. I have called their office and cell phone numbers and haven’t received any return calls.
“I sent a cancellation notice to them,” he reiterated.
- During the middle of June, law enforcement have seized a major marijuana growing operation in northern Lincoln County for reportedly operating illegally and the owner was arrested and is now facing two felony charges.
Pottawatomie and Lincoln County District Attorney Allan Grubb said his Special Operations team along with his District 23 Task Force conducted the investigation.
He mentioned, too, the Sac and Fox, Citizen Potawatomi and Kickapoo Tribal police assisted.
Grubb identified the owner of the property and operation as Sai Ying Linn. She was taken into custody and booked into the Lincoln County Jail in Chandler, he said. Her bond was set at $30,000.
The DA said she was arrested on charges of maintaining a dwelling where narcotics are used or sold and for illegal cultivation of illegal drugs.
“There were 81 grow houses, about 320 plants in each of them. I’m told the marijuana is worth $1,200 a pound, there are around three plants to a pound and we seized approximately 40,000 plants,” he said.
Grubb estimated the total value of the plants at between $12 and $17 million. He noted the operation spanned over 10 acres.
- A Lincoln County jury convicted the father of a youth he was accused of nearly starving to death almost three years ago.
Jimmy Lee Jones, Sr., 37, of Meeker, was convicted of a single count of child neglect.
The jury deliberated four hours before returning to the courtroom and announcing the guilty verdict.
The jury recommended that Jones serve six years in state prison.
District Judge Cindy Ashwood, who presided over the trial, scheduled sentencing for Aug. 3. She remanded Jones to the custody of the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office.
Both the state and defense waived a pre-sentence investigation.
- There wasn’t a Chronic Palooza event this year at Meeker Lake.
After listening to several people voice concerns about the event and complain about what they believed it would turn out to be, the Meeker Town Board of Trustees voted unanimously not to approve the lease agreement for Chronic Palooza.
Then Trustee Rick Hill made the motion to deny the lease and Trustee Billy Walker seconded it before the 5-0 vote.
The Trustees, even though it was a formality by that time, also voted not to waive the prohibition against the consumption of intoxicating liquor in public for the event that had been planned for July 9, 10 and 11 at Meeker Lake.
Although the Trustees took official action not to allow the event, it came several minutes after then Town Administrator Dickie Walton announced, “The woman in charge has asked that the council take no action. It’s not going to happen July 9-11,” he stressed. “She’s pulling the plug on the event,” he added.
Walton explained the woman had called earlier that day and told him two major sponsors, one for $45,000 and the other for $25,000 had pulled out. “It’s not going to happen in 2021,” he said.
Then-Mayor Jeff Wilbourn noted that several vendors “were pulling out.”
- In late June and early July, heavy thunderstorms and torrential rainfall caused widespread damage to roadways and ruined hay crops in the two counties.
Lincoln County Emergency Manager at the time Wendi Marcy said a number of roads were closed in the county, including some highways.
Marcy said there was one water rescue on a Sunday morning at 750 and 3500 Roads.
“The rainfall averaged six inches with some northern parts of the county receiving up to six inches,” she said.
In Pottawatomie County, District 1 Commissioner Melissa Dennis had reported, “No roads are closed. We have nine roads with major damage, but no bridges are out,” she added.
Dennis attributed much of the problem to the freezing weather on roads in February with the major snowstorm that are now starting to show their damage with the recent heavy rains.
“We had 4 ¼ inches of rainfall in my district,” she related.
Marcy had said as of 5 a.m. on a Sunday morning, “We had closures on every highway in Lincoln County except SH 99. Once water had receded, the Oklahoma Department of Transportation had significant amounts of debris that crews had to clean up.”
Resurfacing of SH 18 between Meeker and Chandler began shortly after the July 4 holiday, Meeker’s Town Administrator confirmed.
At the time Town Administrator Dickie Walton stated he was told by an Oklahoma Department of Transportation official the project would begin Tuesday, July 6.
According to information from the
Oklahoma Department of Transportation website, the resurfacing project is to run from the U.S. 62 junction in Meeker and extend north. The information states the length of the SH 18 project is 13.26 miles northward towards Chandler.
The project was awarded to Haskell Lemon Construction from Oklahoma City at a cost of $2,998,726.10. ODOT awarded the project in April, the agency’s records show.
- The owner of a major marijuana growing operation that was seized by law enforcement officers has been formally charged with two felonies, but has failed to make her initial appearance in court.
Sai Ying Lin, 48, of Tryon, was formally charged in Lincoln County District Court. She faces felony counts of cultivation of a controlled substance and maintaining a place for keeping, selling a controlled substance.
Special Judge Emily Mueller set a $30,000 for her and she was to make an initial appearance on June 24.
Court records showed she failed to appear on June 24. Judge Mueller ordered a bench warrant taken under advisement until 1:30 p.m. July 29.
Count 1 against Lin accuses her of growing marijuana without the proper permits on June 15, 2021, in Lincoln County.
That crime is punishable by a fine not to exceed $50,000 and imprisonment in the custody of the Department of Corrections for not more than 10 years.
Count 2 against Lin charges her with maintaining residential quarters and grow houses for the cultivation of marijuana on June 15 of this year. That crime carries a fine of not more than $10,000 and imprisonment for not more than five years.
- The Meeker Senior Center decided to reopen in July 6. It had been closed due to COVID-19. The Center serves one meal daily Monday through Friday at noon. Community-driven events resumed, along with dominoes, game and puzzles.
- An argument over property reportedly led to the shooting death of a 21-year-old Lincoln County man in early July.
Lincoln County Sheriff’s Capt. Chuck Brewer, an investigator, identified the shooting victim as Lucas Goss, 331824 Oak Meadow, located about a ¼ mile west of SH 102. Brewer said Goss suffered two gunshot wounds and died while en route to a hospital.
A suspect was arrested and was in the Lincoln County Jail in Chandler, Brewer reported. He said Freddie Seamster, 38, was arrested and booked on a second degree murder charge and is being held without bond.
Seamster appeared before a judge Tuesday afternoon, Brewer stated.
The sheriff’s captain said that Goss suffered two shots from a .40 caliber pistol. One went into and through the stomach and the other shot struck and went through his arm into his stomach.
Brewer said the shooting “apparently was about an ongoing dispute over some property that began last Friday, July 2, and spilled over to Monday, July 5.”
Seamster was later charged with first degree murder in the case and was released on a $75,000 bond.
- Chandler, Prague, North Rock Creek and White Rock Public Schools received a total of $418,800 in grant money from the Oklahoma State Department of Education to pay for a school counselor. Each school was given a sum of money to be used over the next three years. After each year, each school will submit a claim to be reimbursed with the grant money.
- Chandler Public School received $189,000 to use to pay for a counselor and social worker. At the end of each year, Chandler will file a claim and a third of the money will be used to pay for counselor and social worker. The school currently has two counselors. The current counselors split the school in half with one working with Pre-K through eighth grade and the other working with Freshman through Seniors in the high school. The new counselors responsibilities will be to counsel students and various tasks that are outlined in the contract for school counselors.
“The social worker will help the families with outside sources like the Department of Human Resources. If there are outside resources that schools can help with, like outside counseling for families. They can set up better resources than we have. The social worker will work with dealing with families and the general impact will be for mental health,” Superintendent Melody Toma said. The board has not hired anyone to fill either positions. Prague and North Rock
Creek received $96,000 each. Prague currently has two counselors and will use the grant money to pay for an elementary school counselor which it just hired.
- Lincoln County commissioners in early July declared the county a disaster area due to the recent flooding from heavy rainfall. Some areas reportedly received up to 15-16 inches.
They took the action during an emergency meeting on June 30. During their regular meeting on they held off signing the Disaster Emergency Proclamation for Flooding.
Lincoln County Emergency Management Director Wendi Marcy at the time was unable to attend the meeting and that was the reason they cited for holding off signing it.
District 3 County Commissioner Lee Doolen, who chairs the commission, explained, though, “Everything has been submitted to the state. They’ve come down and taken a look at the worst roads.
“Maybe we can get FEMA involved,” Doolen noted, stressing, “there has been no determination from the state at this point. It depends on what the governor wants to do,” he believes.
Doolen had no preliminary estimate of damage at that time. But he did hope residents would be patient as he and the other two county commissioners, Marlon Miller and Carl Munson and their crews, made repairs.
- Lincoln County locals Olivia Alls, Reed Richison and Kenzie Cowden among others competed in the International Finals Youth Rodeo [IFYR] which ran from July 11- 16. The competition was at the Heart of Oklahoma Exposition Center in Shawnee, Oklahoma.
- In mid-July, Lincoln County voters decisively rejected two ballot propositions during a special election.
Proposition 1 was for establishing an Emergency Medical Service District, and commonly referred to as a countywide ambulance service district.
Proposition 2 was for construction of a new $13.5 million county jail.
Vote total on the jail issue showed 521 votes in favor with 1,881 voting against it.
The total vote on the ambulance issue was 873 for it, and 1,533 opposing it.
County Commission Chairman Lee Doolen said following the election, “Looks like the people have spoken. That’s why I love county government. We can ask people and they can tell us yes or no.”
County Sheriff Charlie Dougherty also commented on the results, saying, “It is what is. The numbers speak for themselves. I’m pleased the voters came out and voiced their opinion,” Dougherty said.
“I’m disappointed. There was a lot of work put into this. We’ll go back to the drawing board,” he added.
He emphasized, “We still have to operate like we have been, we can’t shut the doors. It’s not a matter of if, it’s a matter of when. We still have to try and come up with something,” he said, adding, “We’ll see what’s possible.”
Doolen also pointed out, “we’ll look for another way to do it. This shows county government works,” he believes.
- Law enforcement officers from several agencies seized another illegal marijuana growing operation in Lincoln County, it’s second in the county in a month.
The seizure was the fourth for the Special Operations Team that was just created recently. The other two seizures were in Pottawatomie County.
A spokesman and source with District Attorney Allan Grubb’s staff said the seizure took place at 103502 S. 3360 Road, McLoud. The location was one-half mile west and one-half mile north of the U.S. 177 and U.S. 62 intersection.