March 19, 2019 Issue, Page 1 of 10

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Serving Western Oklahoma MID-WEEK Since 1901 EDITION Tuesday, March 19, 2019 ODOT engineers Custer give look at new health officials Brent Almquist, division ODOT employees and probing active TB engineer with ODOT, and Snipes did the design on the Will Snipes, assistant divi- DDI. sion engineer with Division 5 “The basic reason we're Construction of ODOT based here doing this job is these in Clinton, delivered a slide bridges: They're structur- presentation and answered questions from Rotarians about the DDI, the first in the state. DDI designs are becoming popular because, ally deficient,” Snipes said, as the slide presentation showed the condition of the bridges. Snipes said city officials case in according to an ODOT video, they can create safer, less- congested intersections. Besides a new road linking came to ODOT in 2014 with their concerns about the bridge, especially because of the number of auto crashes Canute the north and south parts of and near-crashes. By Don Munsch the road over I-40, the proj- “Anybody who's driven Editor ect will include a sidewalk this [road] very much knows for pedestrians and some it gets quite a bit of traf- A Canute High School student is being treated for tu- aesthetic features, such as oil fic and anytime somebody berculosis after he was identified by Custer County health derrick models on the north trying to make a left-hand officials last week as having a case of active tuberculosis. and south ends that will il- turn, especially a truck, it’s a luminate. really, really hard maneuver ‘Bis an infectious disease caused by a bacteria that is Will Snipes, an engineer with the Oklahoma The project will cost $16 to do,” Snipes said. Those spread through the air from one person to another. The Department of Transportation, discusses the new million and is part ofa $28 vehicles can block the whole bacteria can be put into the air by an infected person after Diverging Diamond Interchange in Elk City at the Elk million contract approved roadway when they try to he or she speaks, coughs or sings, according to the Centers City Rotary club meeting on Thursday. Rotarians got by ODOT. The Oklahoma make a left turn and can for Disease Control and Prevention website. aglimpse of the interchange’s features during the ‘Transportation Commission back up ramps all the way to No identifying information, such as gender or grade, approved the Elk City project the interstate. can be released on the CHS student, said Canute Public meeting. Photo submitted. along with a bridge project Atthe city’s request, Schools Superintendent Jill Henderson. She could not By Don Munsch Diverging Diamond Inter- on I-40 Business in Sayre. ODOT did a traffic analysis add much information other than what was shared by a Editor change arrives in Elk City ‘The total contract time is on the road and found it news release, but parents have been kept in the loop about in mid to late 2020, officials 400 days for the Highway 6 did warrant signals at both developments in the case. Travel over the Interstate with the Oklahoma Depart- project, and bridge work will interchange terminals. The “Our families have been well-informed,” she said. 40 bridge on State Highway ment of Transportation told start in September. Fall 2020 bridges were not structurally She said the district did a good job in educating par- 6-both vehicle and foot traf- members of the Elk City is tabbed as completion date, sound, and the northbound ents and “putting their minds at ease.” She also lauded fic - will improve after the Rotary Club on March 14. Snipes said. See DDI Images page 2. the health department for its response in the matter. She referred questions about the student’s medical treatment to the county health department. Brandie Combs, director of the Custer County Health Department, said the health department could not release any identifying information about the student. Any information about the student's New indoor facility medical treatment would have to come from the student's family, she said. The health department is taking all proper steps. “We have investigating protocols and we're following those protocols,” she said. expected soon Parents of students who “may have had significant expo- sure” were notified Friday by Canute school officials about the positive case, according to a release from the Custer County Health Department. Those students are recom- mended to be tested for TB infection, and this directive includes people who had frequent and or prolonged indoor By Don Munsch tion center and expo center. less than $15 million, but the facility is going to touch contact with the student, which includes but is not limited Editor Acommittee of eight exact cost will depend on the every generation, from the to classrooms. people recommended that design and specs. little bitty kids with the Custer County Health Department officials along with Elk City residents will the Sports/Wellness Activity Mason and City Manager indoor playground to the kids state health department officials are investigating the case, soon have an indoor facil- Center be the first CAPPs Lee Litterell explained how who want to play sports to including providing TB testing of household contacts and ity to play sports and have project to be done. The build- CAPPs projects are priori- the adults who want to have a other people close to the student, Custer County Health meetings, and the Elk City ing is proposed to be in Ack- tized. place to walk and exercise to Department stated in the release. City Commission will look at ley Park West, located south “The committee will actu- aplace where senior citizens County health officials were at Canute schools Friday to approving the architect and of the elementary school, ally make the decision which can play dominoes and have place a skin test on people identified as contacts, and the engineers to start the design said Jim Mason, director of ones we do first,” Mason functions of their own. So it’s same test will be conducted three months later. If any tests phase for the facility when it economic and community said. really going to be acommu- are found to be positive, a medical evaluation and chest meets at its regular meeting development for Elk City. “They will take the deci- nity center-type approach.” X-ray will be done by public health officials. Preventative at 2 p.m. Wednesday at City Officials hope plans can be sions to the commis- The CAPPs committee will medication may be prescribed to people who had posi- Hall. finished and start construc- sion,” City Manager Lee remain a presence through- tive skin tests to reduce their risk of developing active TB The Sports/Wellness tion at the beginning of 2020. Litterell said. out the projects’ fruition, disease, the release stated. Activity Center forms part of Design plans can take up to “The commissioners will as they will be a sounding People who were not contacted by the county health de- the Community Action Proj- nine months. make the actual vote to do board. In addition, the city partment do not need to be tested, the release stated. Any- ect Plans passed by Elk City Total cost of the building which projects fin order],” accepts and values the com- one with concerns about TB or wants to know whether a voters in February. The facil- won't be known until design Mason said. “We deliber- munity’s input. Elk City con- significant exposure occurred may call the Custer County ity is just one component of plans are finished and a not- ately did not put one above tracted with ETC Institute in Health Department at 580-323-2100. the CAPPs, as several other to-exceed price is estab- the other because we felt Olathe, Kan., to doa survey More information about TB can be found at the CDC projects are included in the lished, Mason said. Officials like that needed community of the community in 2013 to website at www.cde.gov/tb/ or the Oklahoma State De- plan, such as a new conven- have ball-parked the cost at input. We think this indoor See Facility page 2. partment of Health website at www.ok.gov/health. District board approves administrative moves By Don Munsch Education trustees approved _ high school activities direc- _rison said. said, noting that teachers to break even and hopefully Editor these and other leadership tor, Superintendent Rick “He's done a really good here got about an average protect the carryover [gen- team moves at the board Garrison said. job, andwehatetoseehim of a$6,000raise. “Ireally _eral fund money] that we've One campus administrator meeting on March 11. Randy Brooks, high go,” Garrison said. feel pretty positive about built up and still maybe be and the high school baseball Quint Nichols will move school band director, has Inother matters, Garrison —_ budget going into our fiscal able to make some needed coach will move into new from Elk City High School announced his retirement, _said the district’s general year, which ends at the end repairs.” positions nextyear, while baseball coach to become the _ effective at the end of the fund is in “really, really good of June. Considering all of He spent some time Friday alongtime Elk City High new middle school activities academic year. His depar- shape,” during an interview _ that - the raises -it was a morning on the high school School teacher will moveon _ director and dean of stu- ture was not on the list of late last week. pretty significant uptick for _ roof, and the district would from his post. dents. Brian Hunt had that personnel moves the board “We gave about $1.2mil- —_us. So we feel like rightnow _like to get it repaired. The Elk City Board of job, and he will now bethe considered last week, Gar-___—lioninraiseslastyear,”he | _ataminimum, we're going See Board page 2. il Ill Ill HUN Weather ik 59 / - Vol. 117, No. 23 Home delivery View online « ere (tas ont » tomorrow 75 cents, 10 pgs. 580.225.3000 ecdailynewsonline.com