​A Hominy woman was injured Tuesday morning in an accident 3-tenths of a mile west of Timberwood Road, 2 miles west of Skiatook.   The Oklahoma Highway Patrol reports 81 year-old Wanda Eileen Stark was westbound on State Highway 20.  Her Ranger suffered a tire blowout.  She over-corrected, went off the roadway, rolled one time, and came to rest on its wheels.  The ambulance took Stark to St. John Medical Center in Tulsa where she was admitted in stable condition with arm and leg injuries

The Commissioners announced the official termination of contract notice from Samaritan  Ambulance Service this week at the meeting of the Osage County Board of County Commissioners. District #2  commissioner Darren McKinney expressed concern regarding the announced effective time of Samaritans contract termination, Samaritan will terminate operations at 8 a.m. on June 30th of 2018. The Commissioners were also concerned because the new EMS contract is not effective until July 1, 2018. If Samaritan fails to maintain their contract or leaves at 8 a.m. on June 30th, 2018, the Barnsdall and Avant area will be without service for nearly 24 hours. The county has submitted bids for a new ambulance service for the Barnsdall and Avant area, and will hold a Special Meeting on Friday June 1st at 2 p.m. to open an award the bid contracts.

Additionally the Commissioners approved and awarded bids for paper and cleaning products,  along with tires to all low beds, opened and accepted bids for election ballots and road sign blanks. They also approved and signed a lease purchase agreement for a 2018 John Deere 323 E Compact Track skid steer for the Osage County Fairgrounds.

The Osage County Board of County Commissioners will meet again this Friday for a special meeting at 2 p.m.




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The Osage County Board of County Commissioners is seeking proposals for ambulance service for the Barnsdall and Avant areas to being on or as near July 1, 2018 for the 2018/2019 fiscal year. Proposal must indicate if services are Advanced Life Support or Basic Life Support. Please submit proposals before 2:00 P.M., Friday, June 1, 2018 directed to the Chairman of the Board through the Osage County Clerk, Osage County Courthouse, Room #201, Pawhuska, Oklahoma 74056. Mailing address: P.O. Box 87, Pawhuska, OK 74056. (918) 287-2615.

​A new weekly musical event kicks off Saturday in Pawhuska. According to Kelly Bland of Osage County Tourism, the concert events are sponsored by Preserving Arts in the Osage. There will be weekly concerts every Saturday through the summer at 'Annie's Alley,' located on the south side of Main Street next to the Duncan Hotel. This is a new outdoor venue on Main Street in Pawhuska. 
 
The events feature two concerts every Saturday afternoon at 3 o'clock and at 7.  Each concert will feature the local band 'Prairie Moon' and local guest talent performing country and rock classics. 
 
Organizer, Bruce Carter of Tallgrass Gallery in Pawhuska says there will be a dance floor, and the series promises to be a very fun weekly event.
 
Pre-sales of tickets will be at Ole #1 Firehouse on the Friday before the event or the morning of the concert. Ticket are priced at 10 dollars each. You can buy at the door for $10. The events will be canceled in the event of inclement weather.
 
For more information, contact Carter at brucetallgrassgallery.net.

​Defective tires caused a Tuesday afternoon accident on U. S. 60 at County Road 3060, about eleven miles west of Bartlesville in Osage County.  
 
According to an Oklahoma Highway Patrol report, 56 year-old Keith Schonherr of Nowata was eastbound on 60 and blew the front passenger side tire.  His Kenworth went off the roadway to the right, travelled about 460 feet down an embankment, and hit a concrete spillway.
 
Schonherr was partly thrown onto the hood of the semi.  LifeFlight took him to St. John Hospital in Tulsa where he was admitted in stable condition with head, trunk, leg, and internal injuries.

Monday at the meeting of the Osage County Board of County Commissioners, Kelly Bland is executive director for the Osage County Tourism Oversight Committee brought forward a renewal contract for their social media campaign with Green Country Marketing Association. Osage County has used Green Country marketing Association as their social media manager, creating a expertly maintain campaign with tens of thousands of impressions each month, and nearly 17,000 followers on Facebook alone.  The annual contract is for $9,600 however, the Commissioners approved $10,800 including the hundred dollars per month for boost.

Following the approval of the social media contract, the Commissioners reviewed and renewed the contract with executive director Kelly Bland. The contract increased her monthly stipend for travel as well as her annual salary and included more hours so she may use that time to travel with major tour and bus agencies, along with tourism shows.

Lastly, as a continuation from last week's meeting the Commissioners also approved a motion to advertise for bid proposals from local EMS agencies to cover the Barnsdall and Avant area. It was announced last week that the current provider Samaritan EMS will not be renewing their contract at the end of June.

The next meeting of the Osage County Board of County Commissioners will be held next Tuesday, as Monday is an observed holiday. ​

District #2 Commissioner Kevin Paslay made an announcement regarding Samaritan EMS and EMS coverage for the Barnsdall Avant Area at the Monday Morning meeting of the Osage County Board of County Commissioners.


In addition to announcing they would not be renewing their contract they had also asked to be relieved of their contract at the end on the month rather than finishing at the end of June. However, District #3 Commissioner Darren McKinney along with the other Commissioners agreed that they should fulfill their contract.


Along with the announcement Commissioner Paslay introduced Matt Miller owner of Miller EMS who currently operates out of Fairfax and has 12 ambulances operating throughout the State. Miller stated he and his company would be willing to take over the contract for the Barnsdall/Avant area, additionally he would give preference to Samaritan Employees who wished to stay at the Barnsdall location, however the employees would still need to undergo the application process.


While the Commissioners were relieved to hear that Miller EMS was prepared to take over the coverage, they will still need to advertise for bids for the EMS contract. The new service would also need to meet with the Barnsdall City Council to receive the membership paid by Barnsdall and Avant residents.

An Osage County Man has been taken into custody following an incident on Wednesday.
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According to the Osage County Sheriff's Website, Dakoda Aaron McCauley was booked on Wednesday for one charge of Second Degree Murder. McCauley, who resides in Barnsdall, is said to have been involved in a stabbing incident at his residence in Barnsdall. Our partners at News On 6 report that Frankie Cotto is the victim of the stabbing.


According to the Osage County Courthouse, no formal charges have been filed at this time, so no affidavits are available right now. We will have more information as it becomes available

Friday, June 1, 2018, will be the last day to apply for voter registration in order to be eligible to vote in the June 26, 2018, Osage County Primary Elections. In order to register the voter must be a United States citizens, residents of Oklahoma, and at least 18 years-old .


Persons who have never been registered to vote before or who are not currently registered in the county of their residence and persons who are registered but who need to change their registration information may apply by filling out and mailing an Oklahoma Voter Registration Application form in time for it to be postmarked no later than midnight Friday, June 1, 2018.


Applications postmarked after that time will still be accepted and processed; however, the applications will not be approved until after June 26, 2018.


The County Election Board responds in writing to every person who submits an application for voter registration. The response is either a voter identification card listing the new voter's precinct number and polling place location or a letter that explains the reason or reasons the application for voter registration was not approved.


Any person who has submitted a voter registration application and who has not received a response within 30 days should contact the County Election Board office at (918) 287-3036 or email OsageCounty@elections.ok.gov.


Oklahoma Voter Registration Application forms are available at the County Election Board office located at 630 Kihekah Ave, Pawhuska, and at most post offices, tag agencies, and public libraries in the county. Applications are also available online at www.osage.okcounties.org or the state website www.elections.ok.gov, and voters can check their registration status at www.ok.gov/elections/Voter_Info/Online_Voter_Tool/

​The Commissioners opened and accepted bids on Asphalt Chips this week at the meeting of the Osage County Board of County Commissioners.
 
The County received four bids for the upcoming 8.5 mile resurfacing job on County Roads 2409 and 2230. Bids from Bison Materials, LLC listed ½ inch and ¾ inch Asphalt Chips at $11 a ton for each size, APAC-Central Inc submitted a bid for $12 for ½ and ¾, Candy Creek Quarry offered ½ and ¾ at $10.75 a ton, and Anchor Stone bid two types ½ BT at $18.56 per ton and $17.68 TT, the same prices for ¾ inch.
 
Commissioner Darren McKinney made a motion to accept the low bid from Candy Creek Quarry at $10.75 a ton.
 
During Citizens Input Commissioner Jerry Howerton announced that the District #1 made $6,681 in Scrap Metal from the successful Free Dumb Day last month, a return which more than offsets the $374.24 spend on taking trash to the dump.
 
The Osage County Board of County Commissioners will meet again next Monday at the Osage County Courthouse in Pawhuska.

​A part of AEP-PSO's Wind Catcher Project may not be built. The Tulsa World reports the Osage Nation Mineral Council voted down a PSO proposal to cross Osage County.
 
PSO spokesman Stan Whiteford indicates a proposed alternate route through Creek and southern Tulsa County has not been laid out.