​Pawhuska wrestler, Price Perrier, has signed to continue his wrestling career at Oklahoma State University.
 
Perrier, a runner-up at this year’s class 3A state tournament, spent most of his junior year rehabbing from a football injury, but he was able to recover in time for the regional and state tournament. As a junior, he placed fourth at state while wrestling with a metal rod in his leg. Perrier was only able to wrestle on one knee as well.
 
Perrier finished with 110 wins and only 24 losses in his wrestling career. He was also an all-district defensive lineman for the football team this year.
 
We will have more on this story next week.    

The First Annual Roy Clark Memorial Rodeo is this weekend in Pawhuska and its purpose it to benefit the American Therapeutic Riding Center. Executive Director for the Riding Center, Denise Ward, could not be more excited for the event.
Roy Clark, along with his wife Barbara, have always had a passion for helping children. They also both enjoyed the city of Pawhuska.
Ward adds that there will be fun and activities for everyone to enjoy, including a petting zoo, silent auction and possible helicopter rides.
While you can get tickets at the Osage County fairgrounds, they can also be purchased at various locations in Pawhuska and other locations in Osage County. The event starts at 7:30 in the evening on Friday and Saturday.

A Bartlesville man has been charged with child abuse after allegedly spanking a five year old girl with excessive force.


This past Saturday, Robert Pierson had put the girl to bed when he heard crying. Pierson then entered the room to spank the child. The mother, who was in the other room, heard two loud swats and the child was crying louder for her mother.


Pierson swatted her again and yelled, “I'm not even going to hit you again because it would be like hitting a mentally retarded person. You're just being stupid.”


When the mother called the police on Monday, officers looked at the child and noticed heavy bruising on the right butt cheek. The bruise looked to be from an open hand. The injuries were approximately 43 hours after the spanking occurred.


When meeting with Pierson, he admitted to spanking the child, but did not admit to using excessive force. Bond for Pierson is set at $11,500 and his next court date is scheduled for Friday, May 3.

The Bartlesville School Board met for the final special called meeting Wednesday afternoon to discuss an upcoming bond issue they hope to let citizens vote on in August.


Superintendent Chuck McCauley said it is important to note that this will not include a tax increase and the millage rate will stay the same. The bond will cost 16 million dollars and broken up into several parts. Twenty-three percent of the money will go toward technology. Twenty-one percent will go to maintenance improvements. Nineteen percent of the money will go toward facility projects and seventeen percent will go to curriculum.


Executive Director of Technology and Communication, Granger Meador, says it is time for Bartlesville to make upgrades in the technology field.


The pressbox at Custer Stadium is 65 years old. McCauley says the estimated cost to replace the pressbox is 1.2 million dollars. He added that a third of that money would be funded by private entities and would be enjoyed by more than just high school football fans.


Transportation and security improvements around campus have also been incorporated into the bond issue.


The next regular scheduled board meeting will be on Monday, May 20 at 5:30 in the evening at the Education Service Center. For more information about the bond, you can go to bpspresents.org.

Fairfax Community Hospital employees haven’t received a paycheck in four months. The city of Fairfax had filed a petition in North Carolina Bankruptcy Court to get that pay.
On Tuesday, a trustee granted the petition to pay some of its employees for four weeks of back pay. There may be limitations on how much employees can be paid while the case is still in bankruptcy court. It is also not clear who will be paying the employees.
A few months back, it was reported that Osage County District Court granted the city of Fairfax ownership of the hospital. According to the News on 6, there will be a hearing in North Carolina on Thursday to appoint an independent company to run the hospital while the case is in bankruptcy court.
The city of Fairfax believes it will be an Oklahoma-based company, but this has not been decided yet. 
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Three defendants were back in the Osage County courthouse Tuesday morning for the murder of John Adkins.
Daniel Keene, Maurice Kent and Toby Bighorse all entered not guilty pleas. Five motions were filed from the Defense. One motions claims the defendants have Native American blood and because it happened on Native American land, the case should be turned over to the United States Attorney’s Office.   
The Defense has until May 10 to amend any motion. The State must then respond by May 31. A tentative trial date has been set for July 1 at 1 in the afternoon.
Attorneys for the defendants also asked for their bond to be reduced. A hearing for that will be next Monday.  
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A county road in Osage County could be closed for several days because a trailer that was carrying a generator for a wind turbine has collapsed.
According to the News on 6, the truck was on county road 4020, approximately four miles north of Highway 60, when the trailer collapsed. The generator weighs 500,000 pounds.     
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At Monday morning's meeting, the Board of Osage County Commissioners had the option to advertise bids regarding improvements to the Clarence Brantley Indoor Arena at the Osage County Fairgrounds. There have been quotes as low as $49,600 to make these improvements.


In talking to the auditor's office, Court Clerk Sheila Bellamy said any cost under $50,000 doesn't need to go out for bid. District One Commissioner Randall Jones is hoping to get these improvements done quickly, as the improvements involve remodeling bathrooms, shower stalls and updating the building to meet the Americans with Disabilities Act.


The Commissioners decided to table this agenda item so that they don't get in legal jeopardy. Defense Attorney Mike Fisher was in favor of this.


Legal counsel will take a look at the documents within the next week before the commissioners make a decision next week.

Scott Trotter was at Monday morning's Board of Osage County Commissioners meeting asking the board to allow helicopter tours this weekend for the Roy Clark Memorial Rodeo. Trotter added that if this were to go well, he would like to do it for other events at thefairgrounds in Pawhuska as well.


The Commissioners liked the idea, but Defense Attorney Mike Fisher said it would be best to make sure the company has proper paper work before giving the go-ahead.


The Commissioners approved the action provided they see the proper paper work. Trotter said he will get that information to the Commissioners this week.

The Board of Osage County Commissioners met for a meeting Monday morning at the courthouse in Pawhuska.
Scott Trotter came to the meeting asking if it would be possible to have helicopter tours this weekend at the fairgrounds in association with the Roy Clark Memorial Rodeo. The Commissioners will allow, pending the group can prove they have insurance.
The County Commissioners agreed to sign an inter-local agreement with the city of Hominy to help fund the Emergency Medical Services. They also tabled the possibility of advertising bids to make improvements to the Clarence Brantley Indoor Arena Facility at the fairgrounds because their legal council would like time to look at the amount of money they are spending.
The next regular scheduled Board of Osage County Commissioners meeting is scheduled for next Monday at 10 in the morning.  
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