Monday was the time to renew the contract for Executive Director for Osage County Tourism, Kelly Bland. Claude Rosendale, who sits on the tourism board, told the Board of Osage County Commissioners that Bland is doing great things and recommended renewing her contract for a second year.
Rosendale says he can tell that Bland enjoys working in Osage County and it is a position that he would not want to replace. The tourism board offered Bland a pay raise, but she declined in light of the current economic situation. The commissioners opted to renew Bland's contract with a 3-0 vote. A Tulsa Fire Captain has been arrested and booked into the Osage County Jail for allegedly being connected to bank robberies in Skiatook and Sperry.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation confirmed on Monday evening that Jerry Brown had been arrested for the incident in question. The Tulsa Police Department detained Brown at a Tulsa Fire Facility before the Skiatook Police Department placed him into custody for the March 12th bank robbery in Skiatook. He is now being transferred to the Osage County Jail. Public Information Officer with the Tulsa Fire Department released the following statement: “Today, the Tulsa Fire Department learned that Jerry Brown was under investigation and subsequently arrested by the Skiatook Police Department at approximately 1700 hrs. Brown was arrested on charges of bank robbery, and knowingly concealing stolen property. The charges stem from allegations relating to two robberies. The first robbery being investigated took place at Oklahoma Capitol Bank in Skiatook, Oklahoma on March, 12 2020. The second robbery took place at the Exchange Bank in Sperry, Oklahoma.” Brown has been employed by the City of Tulsa since 2002. He is currently being placed on administrative leave. (Photo Courtesy of News on 6.) As Executive Director for Osage County Tourism, Kelly Bland says there is no question the tourism industry has taken a huge hit across the county during the COVID-19 crisis. Tour bus companies that were supposed to be driving through the area right now have moved their dates back to this fall. Bland says she can also tell there is an interest for people to visit Osage County once we pull through this unprecedented time.
Bland says she has taken this down time to make improvements to the Visit The Osage website, which has made it more visible. While downtown businesses continue to re-open, Bland said she was at the CrossTimbers marina in Skiatook over the weekend and she said there wasn't a parking spot to be had. Bland went on to say that the Tallgrass Music Festival in Skiatook is now taking place in August. The Bighill Furniture Store in Fairfax will officially be torn down and removed in the weeks and months to follow. After waiting a week to get more information on the four lowest bidders to do the project, the Board of Osage County Commissioners selected Jackson’s Wrecking and Demolition LLC to do the work. District Three Commissioner Darren McKinney liked the information he received from the lowest bidder on the project.
Terry Loftis had been tasked with helping the commissioners get information on these companies. At Monday’s meeting, he had nothing but good things to say about the firm the commissioners selected. This building has been in disrepair since October 2018. The Board of Osage County Commissioners received an update from the Regional Director of the Oklahoma State Department of Health, Kelli Rader at Monday morning’s meeting. Rader said there have been many new hires in the Osage County office over the last couple months and the new branch location in Skiatook should be open soon.
As of Monday morning, Rader was able to report that Osage County had 91 COVID-19 cases and eight deaths. Rader went on to say that if anyone feels like they need a test, don’t hesitate to get one, as they have an abundant supply of test kits available. In order to find out more information regarding testing procedures, contact the Osage County Health Department at 918-287-3740. Cars lined the streets of downtown Barnsdall Friday evening to watch the 38 seniors from the Barnsdall class of 2020 to receive their diplomas. Kyndal LeFlore, Jessica Green, Chance McGill and Jaydon Mackey all gave pre recorded Valedictorian speeches and it was Green who spoke on the importance of setting goals for yourself moving forward.
Barnsdall's class of 2020 was the 99th graduating class in school history. Cash Perrier was the School President, while Jessica Noel Green was the Vice-President and Emma Paige Galligher was the Student Council Representative. Click here to listen to the commencement in its entirety The Board of Osage County Commissioners held a special called meeting Thursday afternoon to discuss the best possible way to keep the public safe as they enter the Osage County Courthouse beginning on Monday. This included procedures on how to enter the building, limiting the amount of people in each office and questions people would be asked upon entering the building.
Such questions would include being asked if they have been on an airplane in the past month, traveled outside the U.S. in the last two weeks, been in contact with anyone who has possibly contracted COVID-19 or if they have tested positive for the virus. Face masks will also be strongly recommended, but not required. With all of these things going on, the commissioners are concerned there may not be enough security at the courthouse when things first open. District one commissioner Randall Jones assured everyone that they would have extra staff on hand if they needed it. Everyone agreed that the procedures will be modified in the weeks and months ahead. District three commissioner Darren McKinney and court clerk Sheila Bellamy say that is why it is important to stay patient. The commissioners will have the option to make any revisions to the policy they created at Monday's Board meeting. The Mayor’s for Monarchs project plant sale will take place on Saturday from 8:30 to 11:30 in the morning at the Eastland Shopping Center. This is collaboration between the City of Bartlesville and the Bartlesville Council of Garden Clubs.
The sale will feature several plants, including milkweed, which is necessary for monarchs that migrate through Oklahoma in the spring, and for those that stay in Oklahoma. Nectar flowers will also be for sale, something that is needed during the fall migration season. The Green Thumb Garden Club will be giving away 70 sapling trees to celebrate 70 years as a club in Bartlesville. The plant sale is a major fundraiser for the group and helps support these collaborative projects. For more information, call 918-213-5519 or visit the Bartlesville Green Thumb Garden Club Facebook Page. The Barnsdall Class of 2020 has ended their high school career in an unusual way. The Panthers will make the most out of their final hurrah with a celebratory graduation parade Friday night in downtown Barnsdall. Senior Chance McGill explains how things will work.
Even though this has been a trying year for Barnsdall seniors, McGill said he along with his other seniors, have tried to make the best of a difficult situation. Valedictorian and Salutatorian speeches will begin playing over the loudspeakers in downtown at 7:15 p.m. followed by the parade. You can hear the entire event on Sportstalk KPGM AM 1500 FM 99.1. There are many businesses going through financial hardships during the COVID-19 pandemic. Osage County Treasurer Sally Hulse was at Monday morning's Board of Osage County Commissioners meetinginforming the commissioners where the county stood regarding investments and interest rates.
The Osage County Resale Auction was set to take place in June, but Hulse was under the impression that the Oklahoma Senate was going to force each county to postpone their auctions. So that she wouldn't have to spend more unneeded advertising dollars, Hulse asked the commissioners to postpone the auction for up to a year. They granted her request. |
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