 Thursday, Osage News reported that an effort to add more questions to the Osage Nation’s March 2017 special election ballot failed to pass the Fifth Osage Nation Congress.
The four questions sponsored and filed by Congresswoman Alice Buffalohead would ask if the constitution should be amended to make it easier for Osages to petition for initiatives or referendums, to do recall petitions, to petition for Constitutional amendments and to lower the number of Congressional votes to propose constitutional amendments. Congresswoman Shannon Edwards noted that several of the proposed questions had already appeared on a ballot and failed to pass. Edwards also added she was not in favor of adding the questions, noting that the Constitution is “a framework from which we are supposed to pass our laws … If we want to wholesale start changing our Constitution, then we need to have a constitutional convention.” The Osage Nation is holding a special election on March 20, 2017 and currently only has two questions on the ballot : To question the if definition of marriage in Osage law should include same-sex couples A proposed constitutional amendment regarding the legislature (Congress) and its duties of the annual budget. See the complete Osage News story by following the link  Wednesday evening friends, family, and elected officials joined together to say goodbye to two long serving Osage County Officials. Sheriff Ty Koch and Osage County District #2 Commissioner Scott Hilton are retiring after more than 25 years of service for the residents of Osage County. Sheriff Koch has spent 27 years in law enforcement and 11 years as Osage County Sheriff. Koch sat down with KPGM's Bill Lynch to discuss what he will miss most.
District #2 Commissioner Scott Hilton has served Osage County for 26 and has served on the Osage County Board of County Commissioners for 20 years, and much like Koch it is the people he will miss most. You can listen to the interviews with Sheriff Ty Koch and Commissioner Scott Hilton by following the links Ty Koch Scot Hilton or tune in for Talk of the Town at 7:30 Thursday and Saturday on KPGM AM 1500, 99.1FM.  The Osage County Board of County Commissioners met Tuesday, as the County observed Monday for the Christmas Holiday Break. Tuesday's meeting was the last for long serving District #2 Commissioners Scott Hilton. During the meeting the Commissioners auctioned off 22 county tax properties, the majority of which were purchased by Thomas Thiele.
The Commissioners also received their monthly update from Brett Selvidge of Samaritan EMS. Selvidge reported that during the month of November, Samaritan responded to 23 calls the majority of which took place in Barnsdall and were trauma related. Selvidge did express concern that the majority of the EMS calls are trauma related rather than medical, which he said was unusual. Before entering into executive session District #2 Commissioner Darren McKinney wanted to thank Commissioner Scott Hilton for his 26 years serving Osage County and 20 years as District #2 Commissioner. Hilton responded that it has been his absolute pleasure to serve the residents of Osage County, and that serving as Commissioner has been one of the greatest experiences of his life. The commissioners then went into executive session where they reviewed and hired a new part-time employee for E911, Sharlene Peace. The Osage County Board of County Commissioners will meet again next Tuesday to swear in new Officers for the County, District #2 Commissioner Kevin Paslay and Osage County Sheriff Eddie Verden.  The Osage County Tourism Committee and the Osage County Industrial Authority have announce that they will host a second Tourism Forum. The Forum “Dimensions of Osage Tourism” will be held Friday, January 27, 2017 from10am to 2:30pm at the Gilcrease Museum in Tulsa.
This event will be a follow-up to the inaugural forum, held in August, and will provide education, resources, and networking training; along with opportunities for tourism and related stakeholders. The Tourism Committee would like to encouraged Osage County attractions, lodging, retail establishments, and any other interested parties to attend this free event. While the event is free an RSVP is requested. To RSVP for the forum, contact the Pawhuska Chamber of Commerce at (918) 287-1208 or pawhuskachamber2@sbcglobal.net. For any additional information regarding the forum, contact Eddy Redeagle at eredeag@peoplepc.com or (918) 637-1464. Lunch will be provided by the Osage Casinos.  Osage Principal Chief Standing Bear has sent a request to the Osage Minerals Council, Osage Nation Energy Services, LLC, and the Osage Congress to jointly meet to work together to increase profitable oil and gas production and Osage headright income.
Chief Standing Bear says he did not invite the Bureau of Indian Affairs or Oil & Gas producers because the Osage government and its enterprise for energy development should meet and find ways to work together for the benefit of our Osage headright owners. The meeting will be a public meeting and is scheduled for 10:00 a.m. on January 12, 2017 at the Pawhuska Business Development Center. At the recent Oil & Gas Summit sponsored by the Osage Minerals Council a presentation was made by Osage Elder George Shannon about the benefits of all parts of a tribe working together to increase minerals production while greatly increasing individual tribal income from the mineral estate. An example presented is the Southern Ute Indian Tribe Growth Fund which has grown into a multi- billion dollar tribal enterprise.  At the meeting of the Osage County Board of County Commissioners Monday morning, the commissioners discussed hiring a part-time employee for Osage County E911,which was tabled; then awarded bids for Road Oil, Asphalt, Oil, Lube and Antifreeze. The commissioners also approved a proclamation to recognize January 22-28 as School Choice Week in Osage County.
School Choice Week is nationally recognized event where Parents and Students have the opportunity to visit and tour area schools, giving families an opportunity to see what education choices are in their area. The County Commissioners also approved and signed contracts for Grater Blades and Tires. The Osage County Board of County Commissioners will meet again next Tuesday, due to observation of the Christmas Holiday.  Curator at the Osage Nation Museum, Hallie Winter, announced Thursday the the museum had received the largest gift of photographic material in the museum’s 78-year history. Gifted to the Museum was approximately 1,000 photographs and documents related to Osage history. The donation was made possible by Osage Nation’s Assistant Principal Chief, Raymond W. Red Corn, who said “I want to dedicate this collection to the memory of my parents, Raymond Red Corn Jr. and Waltina.” Included in the collection were photos of famed Osage Ho-ta-moie, along with rare 1895 stereoviews of Pawhuska all of which were given to Red Corn by his father. The gift also includes historic photographs and real photo post cards which pertain to Osage history and culture. Many prominent Osage individuals from the turn of the century are depicted, as well as images from the early days of Pawhuska and Fairfax. You can see the collection at the Osage Nation Museum located at 819 Grandview Ave in Pawhuska.     Monday at the meeting of the Osage County Board of County, the Courthouse Advisory Committee was on the agenda to offer their final recommendation regarding which courthouse plan should move forward.
The Courthouse Advisory Committee was established after the County received mixed reviews, primarily negative, when the County went to the residence of Osage County about building a new Courthouse. The Committee was established and has discussed several possible options, and believes they have come to a decision; however Co-Chair Mike Tolson told the Commissioners they were not quite ready. Once the Committee has held open meetings to receive input from the public they will present their findings and recommendations to the County Commissioners. Times and locations of meetings will be announced in the near future.  The Pioneer Woman Ree Drummond is a Blog sensation, host of a Food Network cooking program, a Pawhuska Business owner, and will soon have her very own magazine, the first of which will be released in June of 2017.
Hearst Magazines announced this week that the Pioneer Woman will soon have her very own magazine titled The Pioneer Woman which “will feature a strong emphasis on food, showcasing Drummond’s accessible style for cooking, meal planning and casual entertaining. Additional stories will cover fashion, lifestyle, family and culture/fun, along with personal anecdotes and photographs of her life on the ranch” according to the press released from the publishing company. Drummond started her wildly successful Blog in 2006, her Food Network Cooking Program in 2011, and opened her first restaurant, bakery, and general store The Mercantile in downtown Pawhuska in October of this year. The new magazine will be a joint venture between Hearst Magazines and Scripps Networks Interactive. You can read more about the upcoming magazine by following the link. Photo Courtesy The Pioneer Woman Blog The filing period in Osage County closed Wednesday for several open offices. Election Board Secretary Andrea Conner released the names and offices which will hold a contested race on February 14, 2017.
Contested Races for Members of Board of Education for Osage County school districts Bowring C-7:Office #1 - 3 yr. Term: Whitney Virden & Donna L. Johnson Pawhuska I-2:Office #2 - 5 yr. Term: Jeff W. Bute & Thomas J. Boone Jr Shidler I-ll:Office #2 – 5 yr. Term: Willy Hargraves & Nicholas L. Smith Contested race for City of Pawhuska Councilman at Large, 3 yr term: Rodger Milleson & Cindy Tillman Contested race for Osage County County Commission District No. 1: Randall Jones – Republican Will Cubbage – Republican Jerry Howerton – Democrat The Non-Partisan election will be held for Board of Education and the City of Pawhuska on February 14, 2017. Republican Candidates Randall Jones and Will Cubbage will participate in a Republican Primary Election on February 14, 2017, the winner will face Democratic Candidate Jerry Howerton on April 4, 2017 in a General Election. For additional election related information, call the Osage County Election Board at (918) 287-3036 or email at oceb@sbcglobal.net. |
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