Three weeks ago, the Board of Osage County Commissioners wanted time to review Tourism Director Kelly Bland's contract for the 2021-2022 fiscal year. At Monday morning's Board meeting, Secretary of Osage County Tourism, Claude Rosendale presented the contract again with a few alterations to the original contract, one of which being a pay raise as opposed to the bonus that had been in the original contract.
All three commissioners approved of the new contract and voted to renew her contract for the 2021-2022 fiscal year. The Pawhuska Class of 2021 gathered at Ormond-Beach Memorial Stadium one final time on Friday evening for graduation ceremonies. Superintendent David Cash served as the keynote speaker and said the class of 2021 had the highest cumulative GPA he has seen while being a Superintendent. He added that this group of 45 seniors amassed nearly $500,000 in scholarship money. Cash went on to give some advice to the senior class on how to best move through life.
Five graduates will be advancing to play athletics at the collegiate level and valedictorian Amadeus Reeves will be joining the military. As planning and pre-production for the much-anticipated film, “Killers of the Flower Moon,” continues, additional road closures continue to affect downtown Pawhuska.
Kihekah Ave. between sixth and eighth streets had been narrowed down to one lane, but it is now closed to thru traffic in both directions and you will now have to make a detour. The northbound lane will re-open to one-way traffic only between the hours of 6 p.m. and 6 a.m. and on Sunday’s. Public parking isn’t available along Kihekah Ave. between sixth and ninth streets at this time and once dirt is put on the street in the next couple of weeks, it is expected that Kihekah Ave. will be completely closed. The Osage Nation Health Center is now administering COVID-19 vaccines at the Wah-Zha-Zhe Health Center Campus at 715 Grandview Ave. in Pawhuska. They had been doing this at the Osage Nation Civic Center.
Anyone over the age of 18 is eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. If getting your second dose, you will be required to bring a vaccination card showing that you received your first shot. They are offering this each Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 7:45 a.m. to 4 p.m. If the daily supply doesn’t align with the demand, they may stop administering vaccines early to avoid wasting the vaccines. The Board of Osage County Commissioners will have a regularly scheduled meeting at the fairgrounds on Monday morning and the Board will once again consider renewing Osage County Tourism Director Kelly Bland’s contract for the 2021-2022 fiscal year.
This comes after some hesitancy at a recent meeting due to some wording in the contract and the commissioners wanted to get clarification on some of that language. Stacey Brace will give a review and update regarding health insurance benefits and the commissioners will consider making amendments for the public entering the Osage County Courthouse or other county-owned properties. These buildings have been open with no restrictions for two weeks now. The commissioners will also consider signing a resolution to establish a portion of Osage County as part of a service area of foreign trade zone. This will allow for economic development across the county. The meeting begins at 10 o’ clock in the morning for those interested in attending. The Barnsdall Class of 2021 took part in the 100th commencement ceremony on Thursday evening from the Bartlesville Community Center. There were 32 seniors in this year’s class and Phallen Clark, Nichole Marullo, Lexi Patrick and Haley Tarwater all served as Valedictorians.
During Clark’s speech, she gave words of encouragement to her fellow graduates moving forward in life. Barnsdall’s Class Song was Life’s a Dance by John Michael Montgomery and the Class Colors are lavender and white. Tri County Tech held an on-campus retirement reception for Superintendent and CEO Lindel Fields on Thursday afternoon. Fields was first hired at Tri County Tech in 1999 and became Superintendent in 2009.
Under Fields' leadership, Tri County Tech has won the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award for excellence, launched the Skills To Rebuild initiative and help plant Tri County Tech as one of the best places to work according to Fortunes Best Workplaces in 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2020. Dr. Tammie Strobel, who will be replacing Fields at the end of June, thanked Fields for setting such a great example as Superintendent and CEO. Fields was appreciative of everyone who showed up on his day of recognition. Upon retirement at the end of June, Fields says he is looking forward to spending time with his wife and children. The Oklahoma Union Class of 2021 is set to take center stage one final time on Friday evening, as they are set to receive their diplomas inside the gymnasium beginning at 7 p.m. That broadcast can be heard on Real Country KRIG 104.9 FM.
Seating will be limited in the gym, as the school will be abiding by CDC guidelines for social distancing, so you are encouraged to get there early. Thank you to Regent Bank of Nowata, Muller Construction, Welch State Bank, Nowata City Drug, Maple Street Market and Farmers Insurance Agent Jennifer Philpott for making the program possible. Pawhuska’s graduation is set to take place on Friday evening and can be heard on Sportstalk KPGM FM 99.1 beginning at 6:45 p.m. The broadcast will also be live-streamed on KPGMTV.com. Thank you to Pawhuska Hospital, Prairie Cottage, The City of Pawhuska and Blue Stem Aerial Sprayers for making the broadcast possible.
Congratulations to Amadeaus Reeves on being this year’s Valedictorian and Jozelyn Brace for being the Class of 2021 Salutatorian and all of the Pawhuska graduates. Amendments to some of the ordinances currently in place at Lake Pawhuska were discussed at Tuesday evening's city council meeting. One such amendment included putting a gate up on the north side of the cove, as long as all owners were in agreement, the only stipulation being that the City have access to that area. Police Chief Lorrie Hennesy wanted that to be a key coded gate, though.
This is something the council added to the new ordinance so that emergency personnel can respond to whatever problems may arise as quickly as possible. As discussion continued, an owner of a lake lot who lives on the north side of the cove, Sheila Bellamy spoke out and asked about camping. Bellamy is fine with others camping near their property, but wandered how it would be policed moving forward. When asked, council members said there was no plan to open more lake lots or increase lot leases at this time. |
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