The Osage Nation Attorney General was arrested early Monday morning for driving under the influence and has since resigned her position.
According to the News on 6, Pawhuska Police say she was arrested after being pulled over for a traffic stop. Wells was driving in the dark without her lights on and slurring her speech while speaking to the officers.  
Pawhuska Police Chief Nick Silva was quoted as saying the following:
“He cautiously had to approach because the vehicle was literally driving in the dark with no lights,” Silva said. “We don’t know how she got from point A to point B during a certain part of the road because the road curves. This is a tough one but we are gonna do our jobs. We will hold all people to the same standard no matter who they are.”
Osage Nation Principal Chief Geoffrey Standing Bear said he accepted her resignation on Monday. Wells had served the Osage Nation with distinction for five years. 


(Photo Courtesy of Osage News)

Governor Kevin Stitt has announced the appointment of Judge M. John Kane, IV to the Supreme Court of Oklahoma.
Judge John Kane has served Osage County as District Judge for the 10th Judicial District since 2005. During his 14 years on the bench, he has presided as a judge in tens of thousands of cases, and he has served in a number of other capacities to include as president of the Oklahoma Judicial Conference from 2013-2014, as presiding judge-elect of the Northeastern Judicial Administrative District in 2019, and as presiding judge of the Oklahoma Court on the Judiciary in 2019. Kane began practicing as an attorney in 1987 at Kane, Kane & Kane Law Offices, P.C., a law firm founded by his father and grandfather in Pawhuska, Oklahoma. During this time, he also served as an administrative law judge for the Department of Human Services-Child Support Division from 1999-2005 and as an assistant district attorney from 1987 to 1989.
Kane received a B.S. in agricultural economics and accounting from Oklahoma State University in 1984 and a J.D. from the University of Oklahoma’s College of Law in 1987. Kane and his wife, Cynthia, have been married for 33 years and have four children.
Kane’s appointment fills the vacancy for District 1 created by the retirement of John F. Reif. Kane was one of three applicants provided by the Judicial Nominating Commission for the governor’s selection. Other applicants included Associate District Judge Russel Vaclaw for Washington County and Deborah Barnes, a judge on the Oklahoma Court of Civil Appeals.
This is Governor Stitt’s first appointment to the state Supreme Court.
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The U.S. Marshal’s Office Most Wanted suspect for Monday is connected to the August 27th shooting death of Lakenvian Jernigan.
Keshawn Evitt is wanted in Osage County for accessory to murder. Detectives believe Evitt may have taken the weapon used in the homicide. Jernigan was found dead in a field along highway 123 and county road 2300. Three other suspects have been charged in the case.   
Evitt is believed to be a part of the Blood Street Gang. He is from the Bartlesville area, but has family and friends in the Tulsa area. If you know where he may be, call the U.S. Marshal’s Office at 1-877-WANTED-2. 


(Photo Courtesy of the News on 6)

A traffic accident in Osage County killed a six year old from Barnsdall and severely injured another small child last week. In light of these events, the community is gathering around to show support for the family. Family friend Becky Fleming explains what event they will be holding to assist the family.
Fleming said there will also be a poker run starting in the Bartlesville area and ending in Barnsdall. She added that musicians have donated their time to play at the event. They are still working out the details as to when each event will take place, but Fleming expects the event to start around noon and run into the evening.
This story will be updated as the event draws near on Saturday October 19th.    

At Monday's Board of Osage County Commissioners meeting, there were continued talks regarding JL & Associates demolishing the Fairfax Furniture Store. Terry Loftis, who was there representing the firm, let the commissioners know he hopes to have a sample bid packet they can look at next week.


Loftis went on to let the commissioners know that he had also examined the roof of the treasurer's office. JL & Associates would be willing to make repairs and Loftis explained to the commissionerswhat options they had and asked for some direction.


District one commissioner Randall Jones stated what he thought the proper action in the short term should be.


No action was taken in regards to someone fixing the treasurer's office. Loftis plans on having a contract for the commissioners to look at next week.

A bond was passed last week allowing the Pawhuska school district to get up to $250,000 in money for transportation upgrades. Superintendent David Cash was glad to see the community come out in such overwhelming support for the project.


School board members will look at bids in the coming month before signing off on buses and receiving them sometime in November. 

The Board of Osage County Commissioners met Monday morning for a regularly scheduled meeting at the courthouse in Pawhuska. They decided to officially approve the contract with JL & Associates to demolish the Fairfax Furniture Store.
The firm is also interested in repairing the treasurer’s roof at the courthouse. Terry Loftis was at the meeting on Monday and said he will work on a contract and hopes to have that written up at next Monday’s meeting.  
There were two businesses there to get their license renewed for the Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority certificate of compliance. This will be an agenda item for each meeting until the commissioners are told otherwise so that businesses can continue to operate legally.
The Eastern Oklahoma State Auction takes place this Saturday. District one commissioners Randall Jones is interested in purchasing some equipment at the auction. They approved Jones to spend up to $90,000.
The next regularly scheduled meeting will be next Monday at 10 o’ clock in the morning.  
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The Board of Osage County Commissioners will meet Monday morning for a regularly scheduled meeting at the courthouse in Pawhuska.
The commissioners will look to finalize a contract with JL & Associates to demolish the Fairfax Furniture Store. There will also be discussion to approve a contract with the firm to repair the roof above the treasurer’s office in the courthouse.
There will also be continued discussion regarding OMMA certificates of compliance.
The Board of Osage County Commissioners meeting starts at 10 o’ clock in the morning for those interested in attending.    

A Bartlesville man was arrested Wednesday morning on charges of possession of stolen property, conspiracy, possession of forged evidence, forgery of checks, engaging in criminal activity and being in possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
An officer was called to Arvest Rd. Wednesday morning in reference to Joshua Pierce and three other individuals trying to pass a forged check. Upon arrival, the suspects had been detained for the attempted crime.
Tiffany Porter had attempted to pass the check. Porter stated that she was contacted by her friend, Julia Tallchief and that is where the check came from. Tallchief’s friend, Brandon Jacobson, said Pierce had given him the check. Jacobson stated that Pierce stole the checks from a mailbox near his home and had shown them to Jacobson. Jacobson said Pierce had around 20 stolen checks.
Jacobson said Pierce gave him one of the stolen checks. Jacobson then contacted Porter in hopes of cashing the check. Porter stated she was never told the check was forged. Porter said Tallchief and Jacobson offered her $500 to cash the check worth $2,885.50.
Jacobson went on to give officers directions to Pierce’s home. A search warrant was obtained and 13 stolen checks were found. Pierce admitted to stealing checks from mail boxes in the past, but nothing recent. He stated they belonged to other people in the home.
His bond was set at $25,000.   

It was a busy August for the Pawhuska Public Library, as Director Yvonne Rose explained to an audience at the Pawhuska City Council Meeting earlier this week.


Rose said the library also began using a new outreach program in August attempting to help those in the community.


The library is open Monday through Saturday and is located at 1801 Lynn Ave. in Pawhuska.