Hall of Fame basketball coach Eddie Sutton passed away on Saturday at the age of 84. Sutton played at Oklahoma A&M under Coach Henry Iba and as a coach, Sutton led four teams to the NCAA Tournament. Most notably, Sutton resurrected the Oklahoma State basketball program in 1990 by taking them to13 NCAA tournaments in 17 years and two final four trips.
Our very own Joe Riddle was the chief radio engineer for the Oklahoma State basketball program and knew Sutton when he first took the job in 1990. Riddle says Sutton treated him like family from day one. Sutton’s most difficult day as head coach came on January 27th, 2001 when 10 members of the Oklahoma State family died in a plane crash on the way back from a game against Colorado. Here is an excerpt from Sutton’s speech at the public memorial days following the crash. Riddle said Sutton will certainly be remembered for being a great x’s and o’s coach, but Riddle says being able to connect with his players separated him from the rest. Sutton finished his career with 806 college wins as head coach. For those of you looking for something to do on Saturday, the Clarence Brantley Indoor Arena in Pawhuska will be holding a team roping event and it is open to the public to watch. The event begins at noon and concession stands will be open.
For those interested in competing, simply register when you arrive. Prizes will be handed out for the different division winners. Social distancing guidelines will be in effect throughout the day. A personal injury collision occurred Friday morning on State Highway 97 just west of Tulsa on the Osage County line.
A 2005 Toyota Tacoma driven by Johnathan McClure was traveling south on Highway 97 and negotiated a turn going too fast. He than departed the road to the left, over-corrected and crossed both lanes of traffic. McClure then departed the roadway to the right at which time he struck a light pole. He then rolled one time and went through two fences. McClure was ejected 30 feet from his vehicle. McClure was transported to the St. John’s Hospital in Tulsa in good condition with leg and trunk internal injuries. Seatbelts were equipped, but not in use at the time of the crash. The forecast for Memorial Day weekend calls for a chance of rain and storms. Osage County Emergency Manager Jerry Roberts warns people who might be spending time outdoors to be weather aware should storms start to develop.
Roberts also urges people to pay attention and listen for the storm sirens if there is severe weather in the area. Roberts has looked at the updated forecast for this weekend and says that the rain chances seem to be trending down slightly. Should storms develop this weekend, keep it tuned to your favorite Bartlesville Radio Station and we will keep you advised. While there has yet to be a vaccine created to treat the coronavirus, Osage County Emergency Manager Jerry Roberts is buying simple garden foggers and mixing formula in the machine to kill the virus once it lands on surfaces. Roberts explains how he was able to acquire these fog machines.
The product inside the fog machines is more than 99 percent water. The fogger can hold up to a quart of material and can spray 20,000 square feet. Roberts bought 11 of the fog machines. All county-owned buildings have one to disinfect surfaces. Roberts added that the product has the ability to kill other surfaces on contact. Roberts says it is best to spray each room a couple of times a day. It takes about three minutes to disinfect the surface after it has been sprayed. An Osage County Deputy who was involved in a police chase earlier this month was ran over and will be out of work for at least three months.
Deputy Casey Witt was ran over by Cameron Enox and Enox would have done so again, but a Pawhuska Police Officer shot Enox. Witt also works part-time for the Pawhuska Police Department and raises cattle. Witt says these are difficult times for him and his wife. If you would like to help Witt and his family during these difficult times,you may visit his GoFundMe Page. Their goal is to raise $5,000. In years past, the Osage County Nutrition Program has relied heavily upon Mary Martha's Outreach to feed those in need. With the COVID-19 pandemic currently going on, Mary Martha's Outreach has had to lend a helping hand to more people than usual. As a result, Nutrition Director for Osage County, Kyme Vincent said she has not been able to get much help from the program.
After Vincent reached out to the new person at Mary Martha's Outreach, she was assured that the Osage County Nutrition Program was going to begin getting the help it needed. Vincent said the State Department of Nutrition recently released a study giving major accolades to Osage County. The commissioners approved a grant for the nutrition program worth nearly $250,000. The COVID-19 pandemic has forced the court system to push court cases back several weeks, if not months. This includes the postponement of the sentencing hearing for a man who has been convicted of murdering Pawhuska oilman Rick Holt.
On April 29th, Northern District Judge with the State of Oklahoma, John Dowdell issued a minute order, which postponed the sentencing hearing for Jeremy Reece, which was scheduled for Wednesday, May 6th. The Osage News says the delay is due to a general order issued in March by the Northern District of Oklahoma judge’s. The order is aimed at minimizing the risk of spreading the coronavirus during criminal trials and hearings. In early February, Jeremy Reece entered a guilty plea in connection with Holt’s murder, which occurred in September 2015. According to court documents, Reece admitted to Judge Dowdell that he took Holt from his home, shot him three times on restricted Osage land, dug a shallow grave for the body and set the body on fire. Jeremy Reece and his brother Tyler have been in custody for over four years in relation to Holt’s death. The Reece brothers are citizens of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation. Because Holt’s body was found on Osage land, jurisdictional issues arose as to whom should try the case. Jeremy Reece remains in U.S. Marshal Service custody as they attempt to reschedule the sentencing date. Tyler Reece remains in state custody and will appear in Osage County District Court on Friday, June 19th. The Osage Nation will be holding a state of the art virtual program aimed at showing students healthy alternatives to the use of drugs and show them that drugs aren’t part of American Indian Indigenous cultures.
Native American students in grades 6-9 who live in Osage County are welcome to participate. The event takes place on Tuesday, May 26thand Tuesday, June 2nd beginning at 3 p.m. Speakers will talk about resiliency, culture, connection and learn about the side effects of opioid misuse. To register, go to Osage.pfs@gmail.com. Those who register and participate in the webinar will receive a $25 Amazon electronic gift card. Each child should be registered individually. Registration is open to 30 students. The County Assessor Ed Quinton Jr. was at Monday's Osage County Board of Commissioners meeting to discuss a new software that will begin on July, 1st 2020. Here's Quinton discussing what the new software program will look like.
Quinton said that the new software originally cost $6,750 but he was able to get the software for just over $3,000. Quinton said a new website was created and it is easier for the tax payers to get information on their properties. |
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