As designs continue for the remodel of the Osage County Courthouse and the creation of an annex, Matt Littleton with Cardinal Building Solutions was at Monday's County Commissioners meeting talking about overseeing the project. Littleton said he is an advocate for owners on commercial construction projects and explains to the Board what services his firm offers.


Littleton says a few of the areas they would provide assistance in include the bidding process, reviewing designs and meeting with the design team.


Littleton said once the work starts, they would do daily site visits with daily reports making sure everything is going well. There was no action taken on hiring the firm, as it was only up for discussion at Monday's meeting.
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​The Osage County Nutrition Department will be serving upwards of 560 people throughout the county to start the 2022-2023 fiscal year. At Monday's commissioner's meeting, the Board was presented with a grant application in which Title III funding totaled just over $525,000 and funding from the Nutrition Services Incentives Program was nearly $30,000. Nutrition Director Kyme Vincent explains how this money will be used.


Funding from the incentive program is federal money, as it is a USDA loan. Vincent hopes that money will increase, as the federal government has a different fiscal year than the State of Oklahoma.

​In an effort to combat the fight against human trafficking, Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt signed a bill creating the Human Trafficking Response Unit. The Attorney General’s Office would oversee this new venture.
Republican Representative Jeff Boatman authored the bill in hopes there will be better communication better communication between agencies across Oklahoma. The new unit would help create a database so law enforcement agencies and support groups could share information and they would also create training programs for law enforcement agencies and victims alike. Boatman had this to say on the bill:
“I hope that we can get back together and talk about how trafficking used to be a problem in Oklahoma. How we rose up and committed efforts to it, and this is part of the country where traffickers are afraid to play in.”
This law takes effect immediately and two other bills would help fund the bill. Those are currently being sent to the governor’s desk.  

​The Tallgrass Prairie Preserve in Pawhuska made the list as the most beautiful place to visit in Oklahoma, this according to travelandleisure.com.
They say in part that the preserve has native grasslands and the ecosystem is possibly the most powerfully entwined in our national identity, noting that it is the largest tallgrass prairie in the world.
The preserve, located 17 miles to the west of Pawhuska, is open every day from dawn to dusk and guests are admitted free of charge.  

​The Family Health Care Clinic will provide a free presentation on the dangers of opioids at the Bartlesville Public Library on Tuesday, June 7th. Nurse Practitioner of the Clinic, Jennifer Conant will lead the presentation and talk about how those drugs can affect the body, as she had this to say:
“The opioid epidemic is a public health crisis. Patients and caregivers must have the necessary education to make informed decisions and know when to seek help.”
A study from the Oklahoma Department of Health Oklahoma Overdose Prevention has found that the prescription rate of opioids for adults in Washington County is 11 percent higher than the state average. On average, 32 Oklahomans die each month from opioid overdose.
Everyone is invited to attend the free presentation.   

​Districts one and two in Osage County have been working on starting an overlay project on Javine Rd. stretching from Highway 20 to Highway 11, which would cover nearly 11 miles of roadway. Pending legal counsel's approval, the Board signed an MOU with the Osage Nation at Monday's meeting and District One Commissioner Randall Jones explains where crews will be working.


It is going to take several days to deliver all of the needed asphalt to complete this project. This is why the Board opted to use no more than $350,000 out of the commissioner's project account to let an outside company do this.


Jones is optimistic they can begin work on the project in early July.

​The Board of Osage County Commissioners signed the financial report that Nutrition Director Kyme Vincent presented to the Board on Monday morning. Vincent said they are right on target for budget projections during this fiscal year and explains how things have changed since COVID-19 cases have began to decline.


Vincent hopes that the drive-thru service will continue and says they recently hired a new person who conducts in-home assessments.

​The Osage County Fairgrounds will play host to the first annual, Bucking for Bryar Bulls and Ranch Broncs Rodeo this Saturday. All proceeds raised will help a family whose child was born early, as event organizer Kaitlyn Flanary explains to the Board of Osage County Commissioners.
T-shirts are available, admission is $5 and concessions will be available. If interested in entering, call 580-665-0493.

​The Bartlesville Class of 2022 received their diplomas on a beautiful Friday night at Custer Stadium. The High School Orchestra gave a rendition of the Star-Spangled Banner and Suchi Jane gave the Pledge of Allegiance. Class President Liam Wisner and Student Body President Irene Johnson addressed the audience and it was Johnson who gave these words of wisdom to her classmates and others in attendance. 
The class of 2022 has earned more than 3.5 million dollars in scholarships. Matt Fries and Morgan King were academic all-state, while Charles Olsen, Tarun Vinodkumar and King were national merit finalists.  

​The White Rose Cemetery in Bartlesville will honor America's military members on Memorial Day Monday at 9 a.m.


Boy Scout Troop 6 will present our nation's colors and John B. Kane will lead audience members in prayer. Bill Teel with the local Legion Post will give a speech and local Blue Star Mothers will be on hand to present a wreath to those who gave their lives for our country. Cemetery Relations Coordinator Kim Inman had this to say on the event:


“Memorial Day has traditionally been one of America's most solemn and patriotic days. Communities gather on this day of remembrance to honor America's patriots who gave what Lincoln called the, “last full measure of devotion.”


Everyone is invited to attend the patriotic event at 11th and Virginia Ave.