 During the month of February, Barnsdall residents were under a mandatory boil water order. The National Guard brought in a water tank by and members of the Central Baptist Church in Owasso delivered 17,000 bottles of water to the citizens of Barnsdall.
Brock Moore said the town's water situation has been his first priority since becoming mayor and a new filtration unit is now being installed at the water treatment plant. Moore has been working to secure funding for months now, in the hope that this project will address the high contaminants still present in the drinking water.  Photo: Myron Red Eagle files his candidacy for the Fifth Osage Nation Congress on March 15. Courtesy of Tara Madden/Osage News. OsageNews.org The Filing period for the Osage Nation Congressional elections has begun. Candidates wishing to fill one of the six available seats have until March 31 to file. As of Tuesday morning only one candidate, Myron Red Eagle, has officially declared to run. The six seats in the Osage Nation Congress will be decided in a tribal election on June 6. Voters may also be asked to consider Constitutional amendments.
Candidates in the Osage Congressional election must be enrolled members of the Osage Nation and at least 25 years of age. Candidates cannot have a felony conviction and must pay the $300 filing fee to the Election Office. Additionally, Congress members may not hold any other office or position of profit under the Osage Nation during their election term. Osage News will be hosting Candidate Debates which will be catered by the Osage Casinos and streamed live by the Osage Nation Communications Department on the Osage Nation's website: www.osagenation-nsn.gov. For more information visit OsageNews.org and osagenation-nsn.gov or visit the Osage Nation Election Board Office at 901 Grandview Ave.  At the meeting of the Osage County Board of County Commissioners this week, the Commissioners received reports from Kay Kelly from E911 and Jerry Roberts from Emergency Management. The Commissioners opened bids for oil, lubricants, asphalt, sand, and concrete. The Commissioners also approved several hundred items from the Osage County Sheriff's Office to be junked or transferred to other agencies.
Kay Kelly from E911 discussed several shifts and changes with Volunteer Fire Departments throughout Osage County including the closing of Drum Creek Fire Department, and Nelogoney Volunteer Fire Department pulling back its coverage area. Kelly also discussed some on the changes with the E911 system after an AT&T system update. Jerry Roberts with the Osage County Emergency Management discussed many topics with the Commissioners, including the boil order in Barnsdall. For 8 days in February Barnsdall was under a mandatory boil order, during which time the National Guard brought out water for citizens as did volunteers from Owasso, bringing more than 18,000 bottles of water. Contractors are currently working on the water lines in Barnsdall remedy the issues which caused the boil order, and are expected to be done within the next two to three months. Roberts also mentioned that they would like to start looking for a part time employee. The Commissioners also approved several hundred items to either be junked or transferred from the Sheriff's Office, the complete list can be seen in the attached document. The Osage County Board of County Commissioners will meet again next Monday at 10am at the Osage County Courthouse in Pawhuska.  The Final Suspect in connection with a grass fire at Hughes Ranch in early February was booked into Osage County Jail last week. 24 year-old James Tonsing surrendered to authorities Thursday morning, Tonsing along with three other suspects were wanted by the Osage County Sheriff's Office in connection with a fire that took place on February 9.
The other suspects in connection with the February fire are 20 year-old Levi Dean Farris of Ochelata, turned himself in on Wednesday, 26 year-old Stephen Land and 30 year-old Heather Land surrendered on March 4. Warrants were issued for the four suspects on March 2. An investigation began when firefighters, responding to the fire, reported seeing a pickup driving on a county road near HWY 123 and a man getting out to spread a fire in a ditch. A court affidavit states that the firefighter caught up with the pickup and confronted one of the men before the group left the scene. Stephan Land, Heather Land, and Levi Farris have been released on a $2,500 bond each, and James Tonsing was released Thursday on a $10,000 bond.  This week the Barnsdall Chamber of Commerce met for the first March meeting, the chamber welcomed the Barnsdall Students of the Month, from the Senior High, Katie Murphy and from the Junior High, Ashley Roberts and Chance McGill.
Chamber President Claude Rosendale discussed the “Shop Barnsdall” promotion and working with Affordable Foods in Barnsdall to display on their TV carousel. Rosendale had brought up the topic before the Chamber previously, which garnered support, and the Chamber had agreed to pay the advertising fee, however Affordable Foods agreed to provide the service at no cost. Later this month the Barnsdall Easter Egg Hunt is scheduled at the First Assembly of God Church, and American Heritage Bank will cosponsor the event with the Chamber of Commerce. A total of 1,500 eggs have been purchased for the event and Barnsdall High School's National Honor Society will be filling the eggs with candy and prize money on March 23 at 12:30 pm. The next Big Heart Day Planning Meeting is on March 22, at 5:30. Currently planned events include: a golf outing, basketball/softball games, kids games, the parade, talent contest, alumni meeting, and live music. The Chamber has not been able to find anyone coordinate the car show and are considering canceling it for this year. Lastly the Chamber agreed to remove the gazebo behind the recognition wall due to damage caused by vandals. The Barnsdall Chamber of Commerce will meet again on March 22 at 12pm.  An Ochelata couple has been arrested in connection with a fire started on Hughes Ranch on Hwy 123 South West of Bartlesville. The couple Stephen and Heather Land were arrested on March 4, after they had surrendered themselves to Osage County authorities, in connection with a fire started in early February, after a Warrant was issued on March 2. The couple made allegations that they were trying to put out the fire, but were intoxicated and ran from Osage County Deputies when questioned.
Authorities are still looking for two additional suspects in connection with the fire, Levi Farris and James Tonsing. Stephen and Heather Land were booked into Osage County Jail and each posted a $2,500 bond and have been released  This week at the meeting of the Osage County Board of County Commissioners, Christi McNeil Executive Director of the Osage County Housing Authority presented the Commissioners with the most recent Public Housing Assessment System (PHAS) Score Report.
McNeil informed the Commissioners of the current standards of the PHAS which includes 98 percent occupancy, and explained that it has been very difficult for the Osage County Housing Authority to maintain occupancy, however the Authority has been working to increase the rating for the past few years. For March 2016 McNeil announced they have successfully achieved 95 percent occupancy, identifying the authority as a High Performer. The Commissioners also received a presentation from Steve Guy from the Osage County Tourism Oversight Committee. The Committee asked for funding to support local events including Barnsdall's Big Heart Day, the Tallgrass Music Festival in Skiatook, and Cavalcade. The Commissioners also spoke with Candy Thomas, contract consultant from the Osage County Industrial Authority, and addresses some rumors and concerns regarding her contract obligations. Thomas clarified that she is currently on a working consultant contract and is currently performing some administrative functions along with filing grant work, however her contract is month to month and she is only compensated when her services are required. The Osage County Board of County Commissioners will meet again next Monday at 10 am at the Osage County Courthouse in Pawhuska.  The 81st Osage County Junior Livestock Show is this week, and show kicked-off Wednesday morning with The Gilt, Barrow and Swine Showmanship. As of Wednesday there were 117 exhibitors and 212 animals registered for the Osage County Junior Livestock Show. Many Osage County 4-Hs have representation at the event including: Woodland 4-H, Barnsdall 4-H, Bluestem, and Blue and Gold 4-H out of Pawhuska, Hominy, Bowring, Braden, and FFA from Pawhuska and Woodland.
Sheep and Goats will show Thursday morning followed by the Heifer and Steer show Thursday afternoon. The shows this week which will culminate with the annual BBQ and auction Friday night. Tickets for the BBQ are just $10, thanks in part to donations from the Osage Nation and Osage Casino. There will also be a raffle to win a side of beef. Come out and support these young contestants, the 4-H, and the FFA, at the 2016 Osage County Junior Livestock Show.  This week at the meeting of the Osage County Board of County Commissioners, representative Kim Reeve of BLK Inc, an architecture firm out of Tulsa, discussing plans for a new office and shower at the Osage County Fairgrounds in Pawhuska. The Commissioners approved the plans for the office and showers but did not make a decision on choosing a project manager or construction manager.
Jessica Jantzen with the 4-H Youth Development and OSU Extension Office in Pawhuska spoke to the audience and the board about the upcoming Osage County Junior Livestock show and extended invitations to the Commissioners for the event which will feature more than 150 contestants and more than 300 animals. The Osage County Junior Livestock Show begins Wednesday morning at 10:30 at the Osage County Fairgrounds. The Commissioners also made comments about the Osage County Industrial Authority, specifically a desire for more visibility. The Osage County Industrial Authority does not provide monthly reports to the commissioners, unlike many of the other county offices. However, the commissioners did approve two items on the agenda for the Industrial Authority. The Osage County Commissioners will meet again, next Monday at 10am at the Osage County Courthouse in Pawhuska.  The Presidential Primary Election is today and Osage County Election Board Secretary Andrea Conner has some important information for voters.
Polling locations throughout Osage County will be open from 7am through 7pm on Tuesday. Voters are urged to bring either their Voter ID card or a Government issued ID card, or both, to speed up the verification process at your identified polling location. Additionally, ballots will only be counted if they are filled out with blue or black ink. If the voter makes an error they are to take the ballot to precinct officials, who will destroy it and issue a new ballot. Voters without ID, or whose names are not found in the Precinct Registry, or voters who disagree with the information shown in the Registry, may always cast a provisional ballot. The provisional ballot is sealed in a special envelope and counted after election day if the voter’s information can be verified by the County Election Board. Below are a list of Voting/Polling locations throughout Osage County Presidential Preferential Primary: Precinct 101 – Bowring School, 87 CR 3304, Bowring Precinct 102 – Strikeaxe Non-Profit Water Office, 811 CR 2425, Okesa Precinct 103 – Shidler Community Building, 269 S Cosden, Shidler Precinct 105 – McCord Senior Citizens, 115 Mary Road, Ponca City Precinct 106 – Burbank Town Hall, 105 S First St, Burbank Precinct 107 – Presbyterian Church, 101 E 12th St, Pawhuska Precinct 108 – Calvary Baptist Church, 620 E 15th St, Pawhuska Precinct 109 – Osage Hills School, 225 CR 2706, Bartlesville Precinct 110 – Barnsdall City Hall/PSO Building, 409 W Main, Barnsdall Precinct 111 – Assembly of God, 413 Highland Ave, Wynona Precinct 112 – Avant Community Center, 306 S Havens, Avant Precinct 113 – Shidler Community Buidling, 269 S Cosden, Shidler Precinct 201 – Church of Christ Annex, 1900 W Rogers Blvd, Skiatook Precinct 202 – Transformation Church-Greenwood, 1519 W Pine, Tulsa Precinct 203 – First Baptist Church, 825 W Rogers Blvd, Skiatook Precinct 204 – Osage Oaks Church of God, 2100 W 93rd N St, Sperry Precinct 205 – Black Dog Fire Station, 495 N 52nd W Ave, Tulsa Precinct 301 – First Osage Baptist Church, 236 S Main, Fairfax Precinct 302 – New Hope Christian Fellowship, 161 N 5th St, Fairfax Precinct 303 – Braden Community Center, 1022 Braden School Rd, Ponca City Precinct 305 – Prue City Hall, 202 S Main, Prue Precinct 306 – First Assembly of God, 313 S She She, Hominy Precinct 307 – First Baptist Church, 202 S Price, Hominy Precinct 308 – Keystone Hills Baptist Church, 161 New Prue Rd, Sand Springs Precinct 309 – Rock Fire Dept. Station #1, 7716 Zink Rd, Skiatook Precinct 310 – Gilcrease Hills Club House, 1919 W Seminole St, Tulsa Precinct 311 – Gilcrease Hills Club House, 1919 W Seminole St, Tulsa Precinct 312 – Community Assembly Church, 2247 N State Hwy 97, Sand Springs Don't Forget to Vote. For more election-related information, call the Osage County Election Board at (918) 287-3036 or visitwww.elections.ok.gov. |
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