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, with one installment each in the next three editions. Here is January through April.
In early January, Oklahoma State Department of Health officials announced they were beginning to transition to Phase 2 of the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccines and individuals 65 and older were among those scheduled to receive it.
Tonya Reid, CHES/ Health Educator and a spokesperson for the Lincoln County Health Department, said Oklahomans who are 65 and older would be able to receive the vaccine at Points of Dispensing Sites (PODS) locations in the coming weeks.
People 65 and older throughout Pottawatomie and Lincoln Counties were among those throughout the state asking when they can expect to receive the vaccine and how to go about getting vaccinated.
- The number of deaths attributed to COVID-19 in early the part of the month continued to climb with five in Pottawatomie County and by one in Lincoln County the Oklahoma State Department of Health reported.
- A Prague woman will spend the remainder of her life in prison after a Lincoln County District Judge handed down 10 life sentences following her conviction on numerous child sex crimes.
Cyrstal Lynn Bales, 35, was convicted by a jury on three counts of child sexual abuse, five counts of enabling child sexual abuse, child abuse by injury and child neglect.
The jury recommended a life sentence on every single count and a $5,000 fine on each of them as well.
- Meeker High School Student Katy Buxton was named to State School Supt. Joy Hofmeister’s 2021 Student Academic Council along with 96 other Oklahoma teens,. She said she saw it as a good opportunity for students to give their two cents. Her father Brad Buxton is Meeker High School Principal.
- Stroud senior basketball player Jadyn Young scored her 1,000th career point in Stroud’s contest with Depew.
- Chandler High School held its basketball and wrestling homecomings in late January.
- The Department of Education in late January handed out mid-term adjustments to funding allocations and between Pottawatomie and Lincoln Counties only one district received an increase.
Chandler took the largest hit of the nine public school districts in Lincoln County. Meeker suffered the second biggest loss in midterm adjustments in the county.
North Rock Creek School in Pottawatomie County is the only district of 14 in the county that received an increase.
- Dale and North Rock Creek High School basketball teams claimed tournament championships. Dale captured the Cashion tournament and NRC won the Tri-County Invitational.
- The number of deaths attributed to COVID-19 climbed to 50 in Pottawatomie County during the last week of January, the Oklahoma State Department of Health reported.
A pair from Harrah were charged in late January with multiple child sexual abuse crimes. Jeremy C. Barnes, Sr., 36 and Amanda D. Bond-Langston, 32, each faced six counts of child sexual abuse and one count each of child neglect.
Both Barnes and Bond-Langston pleaded guilty to several of the charges and they are currently serving prison sentences.
- A worm farm south of Meeker, Green to Gold Recycling LLC received its Department of Environmental Quality Solid Waste permit.
- In early February a Stroud company that is nearly 40 years old announced an expansion that is bringing additional jobs to this Lincoln County city.
Danny Hickman is T-53 customer service manager and in charge of all government contracts for Mint Turbines. Hickman said in July the company marked and celebrated its 40th anniversary in Stroud.
He explained Mint Turbines performs maintenance and repair of helicopter and aircraft engines and accessories.
Hickman noted the company currently employs about 46 people. With the expansion, it’s estimated there will be around 20 to 30 new jobs added. “It depends on how fast the program takes off and is successful it takes more people,” he added.
- In February, too, Covid-19 forced the cancellation of more than half the area basketball games that were scheduled.
- When Rowdy Freeman and his family in February were invited up to the House of Representatives in Oklahoma City, they figured it was maybe to honor him as their Veteran of the Week.
Freeman spent 11 years in the Marines and suffered a serious injury while serving in Afghanistan.
Little did they know lawmakers had something much bigger than just Veteran of the Week honors.
Much to their surprise, Rowdy and his family were informed they are getting a new house.
“We didn’t know anything the house presentation until it happened,” Rowdy exclaimed. “We knew about the Veteran of the Week program the House does each week. But they didn’t let on about the house at all.
“I was Veteran of the Week and we are getting a house on top of that,” he said.
- In mid-February, a major winter snowstorm swept across Oklahoma blanketing some areas with heavy snow, and bringing record-breaking temperatures and wind chills to the state, including Lincoln and Pottawatomie County.
The below zero temperatures and wind chills that approached -20 degrees, brought a directive from Southwest Power Pool to initiate temporary, controlled interruptions of service.
- That included those served by OG&E and a spokesman said, “These will be short-term, controlled interruptions and may continue through mid-week.”
Wendi Marcy, Lincoln County Emergency Management Director at the time, said. “We haven’t had any major issues. There haven’t been any major accidents and no major power outages.”
She estimated the county received about five to six inches of snow.
District 1 Pottawatomie County Commissioner Melissa Dennis said she thinks the county received about six to seven inches of snow. “We started early this morning,” she commented, referring to her crews plowing and grading roads.
The temperatures fell below zero several days during the winter storm.
- A Stroud man was fatally shot in late February and a Harrah man was taken into custody in connection with the shooting.
Captain Chuck Brewer, with the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, identified the victim as Gabriel Chumley, who had just turned 21 in late January.
Authorities arrested Cole Beringer Guy, 19, of the Harrah area.
Guy was formally charged in Lincoln County District Court, accused of shooting and killing Chumley with deliberate intent in Lincoln County.
Special Judge Emily Mueller ordered Guy be held in jail without bond. Guy is scheduled for jury trial in February of 2022.
- Lincoln County commissioners also began discussing funding for a proposed new jail.
Commissioners and others discussed funding possibilities and most of the discussion centered around a dedicated sales tax rather than an ad valorem tax issue.
A Chandler attorney knowledgeable with these types of issues and two others from Norman, noted people in general are more likely to support a sales tax for a jail rather than an ad valorem bond issue.
The discussion also turned to including a countywide ambulance issue as part of the same proposition, with a portion of the dedicated sales tax going to fund it.
County Commission Chairman Lee Doolen suggested putting the jail and countywide ambulance issue on the same ballot.
- Also in late February the McLoud Public Works Authority adopted a resolution authorizing a loan up to more than $6.4 million loan from the Oklahoma Water Resources Board.
The McLoud City Council, whose members are the same as the PWA, adopted a resolution approving the action taken by the Authority.
City Manager Buck Day described the loan as a “wrap around deal.” The loan, which allows McLoud to borrow up to $6,475,000, is to fund a sewer line running from south of I-40 to the wastewater treatment plant in McLoud.
“It will also run along the service road that has been approved parallel to I-40,” Day has noted
- The major one-two punch of snowstorms throughout the area and across the state wreaked havoc with some local schools.
Gymnasiums in at least three area high school sustained damage from pipes bursting and a well froze up at another school.
At North Rock Creek School, Supt. Blake Moody said, “We’ve been closed all week due to weather.”
Elsewhere, Meeker School Supt. Jeff Pruitt said, “Pipes burst in the gymnasium and covered the entire lobby. Pruitt said, “Still have not been able to get a plumber out to look at it. Water had to be shut off to the gym.
“Had another problem at the Elementary School cafeteria.”
Ky Wilkins, Dale Acting School Superintendent, said the new gymnasium and the new high school sustained water damage.
An emergency meeting of the Dale School Board was called to allow Wilkins to handle the repairs.
Chandler School Supt. Melody Toma said, “We had a pipe burst in our basement at East Side Elementary and a water line in our high school parking lot.”
Alicia Ebers, White Rock superintendent reported,“Our water froze and we’re having to do quite a bit of work at the well. When we have water again, we’ll find out about the inside plumbing. Hoping for the best, but definitely concerned.”
On the lighter side, five from Chandler High School’s wrestling program qualified for the state tournament.
McLoud captured its first district basketball championship in 17 years with a 61-58 OT win over Dickson.
- During the first week of March, Lincoln County commissioners continued their discussion on funding of a new jail/ and or a countywide ambulance service, eyeing a June election date.
Commissioners, during a three-hour meeting, spent considerable time discussing a possible sales tax or possible ad valorem tax election to fund a new jail estimated to cost around $12 million along with a new countywide ambulance service.
The discussion focused on a sales tax. County officials, lawyers and financial experts involved in the discussion leaned heavily toward using a sales tax rather than an ad valorem tax.
- Dale Acting School Supt. Ky Wilkins updated the Board of Education on the damage sustained in the recent snowstorm.
“We had a moisture test done everywhere,” Wilkins informed board members, referring to the new high school and new gymnasium. “We’re dry,” he noted, saying those who had inspected the buildings had assured him of that.
During an emergency meeting of the board the previous week, Wilkins emphasized to them, “We are under a Fire Suppression Watch. There is no fire suppression in the new high school nor in the new gym.”
- Jared Stone, Chandler, and Breanna Cothan, Davenport, were selected Academic All-Staters by the Oklahoma Foundation for Excellence. They were among 100 chosen from 379 nominated.
- Catalytic converters on vehicles became a hot item for thieves and Chandler Police and the Lincoln County Sheriff’s office were among area officers investigating the thefts.
Since late February, Chandler police had responded to several calls about the converters stolen off of various vehicles.
Lincoln County Sheriff’s Capt. Chuck Brewer said this week the thefts are occurring throughout the county and all over the state.
- As the town of Wellston attempts to grow, its Planning Commission and Town Board began dealing with two proposed annexations.
Municipal Administrator John Cobb at the time explained, “We’re trying to grow a little. One of the annexations is to the east of town and is to incorporate the new Franchise Ford dealership and Lehman Funeral Home into the town limits.”
The other annexation request by the Wellston Planning Commission consisted of around 3,600 acres and was contested, Cobb acknowledged.
- Meeker residents and business owners saw another increase in what they pay for sewer, water and trash.
The Town Board meeting as the Public Works Authority voted to raise monthly rates for sewer by $8.50, $1.50 more for water and $1 more for trash.
These new rates will became effective for the billing cycle on or after May 1, 2021.
The Authority adopted a resolution that pledged those revenues and a portion of an existing city sales tax as security to pay for a $1.7 million loan from the Oklahoma Water Resources Board to fund improvements to the Town’s sewer system. - Both of Dale High
- Both of Dale High School’s basketball teams headed for the state tournament in mid-March.
- A Chandler High School graduate captured a national championship at the NCAA Division II Wrestling Tournament in St. Louis, Mo.
With his parents Tony and Janice looking on, Heath Gray won the individual national wrestling title at 184 pounds, completing an undefeated season that was shortened by COVID-19.
Gray was wrestling as a member of the University of Central Oklahoma Broncos and helped them finish sixth in the national team competition.
“It was a great feeling,” Gray commented, in describing how he felt after winning the final match.
- Lincoln County Commissioners decided to hold off on calling for a special election asking voters to approve a new sales tax for countywide ambulance service and building a new jail.
After discussing the issue for nearly two hours among themselves and others in attendance, they voted to call a special meeting for March 29.
The commissioners have been discussing for a few months the issue of constructing a new jail and a new countywide ambulance service.
Chandler power lifter Kalee Peery won two medals and set four national records in the NASA High School Powerlifting Nationals.
- North Rock High School students and teachers gathered to bury a time capsule memorializing the early years of North Rock Creek High school. NRC’s first high school graduation class will graduate in May of 2022.
- When Meeker School Supt. Jeff Pruitt returned from Spring Break, he discovered February’s gas bill for the district had arrived.
To his amazement, the bill was for more than $51,000.
Pruitt said even though Oklahoma Natural Gas is the district’s gas supplier, the bill had come from a third party vendor, Symmetry Energy Solutions.
Pruitt said he began calling Symmetry shortly after he returned to his office from called several times, and finally was able to leave a message.
“I’ve tried to contact Symmetry. I contacted the Corporation Commission and they said call the company. Didn’t receive a lot of assistance from the Commission,” he remarked.
The $51,702.78 gas bill was for February.
- Lincoln County commissioners during the first week of April backed away from calling a special election to be held on June 8 to ask voters to approve a new ¾ cent sales tax for county public safety purposes.
During a special meeting, commissioners took no action to form an Ambulance Board or Emergency Service Board or to adopt a resolution for the election for the new tax to fund an ambulance service and construction of a new county jail.
They spent more than an hour and half discussing the issues with officials from several cities and towns and others, among them lawyers who have been advising them about the election.
City managers and administrators from at least Chandler, Prague, Wellston and Stroud aired concerns about the issues during the meeting.
- Stroud’s Madison Ham won the 400 meter run and Meeker’s Callie Sellers won the 800 and 1600 meter runs at a track meet in Prague.