April 25, 2020 Issue, Page 2 of 10

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Page 2 The Elk City News, Elk City, Oklahoma Saturday, April 25, 2020 Cut Reopen leave as a result of certain of worship will have to ad- ID-19 patients. “We're far from that COVID-19 related events. here to additional restric- “Let me be clear, we will point,” he said. The city stated it will take tions, including not being do this safely, responsibly Oklahoma is in the bot- Continued from page 1. the same position as the gov- Continued from page 1. able to serve food or drinks and based on the data in our tom four states for testing ernor and include emergen- deaths in the past week and keeping in-house nurs- state,” Stitt said. for COVID-19, according Comments are limited to 3 eries closed, Stitt said. Every cy responders in the benefits alone,” he said. The number of COVID-19 to an email sent this week Oklahoma City Mayor other pew must be left open minutes. “We've really had good of the EPSLA and “careful cases spiked this week. The by the White House coro- and social distancing guide- Oklahoma State Department success with it,” Litterell consideration has been giv- David Holt said such busi- navirus task force. The en to this decision, including nesses will have to remain ing services. lines must be followed dur- of Health reported on Tues- state’s testing capacity has said about Zoom. “It’s been day that there were 127 new ramped up dramatically in very good. We're very staffing levels and the ability closed there at least through Those who are over 65 confirmed cases of COV- to pay considering the pre- April 30, which marks the or have underlying medical recent weeks, and members pleased with the results.” ID-19, That was the largest of Stitt’s administration say Zoom-based meetings dicted decline in sales tax end of the city’s shelter-in- conditions are advised to one-day increase since April increased testing and con- will continue until the city is revenue.” place order. Norman also remain at home as much as 9, when cases rose by 160. cleared by Gov. Kevin Stitt + A quote of $31,500 from will not ease existing busi- possible through the end of Although —_hospitaliza- tact tracing will be key to or social distancing rules Martinez Metal Buildings ness restrictions before May May, which includes Phases tions appear to have passed keeping the virus in check as of Elk City for a new roof A: 1 and 2 of the governor's the peak, the numbers have businesses start to reopen. change so that the city can plan. The proposal stipulates hold regular meetings again and vinyl back insulation for Holt said he has been in plateaued in recent weeks. With more than 80 testing that cases of COVID-19 and Drug Task Force building. at the city hall meeting room. constant — communication In his press conference, the sites and the ability for the At the April 15 meeting, * A proposal from Myers with Stitt as a statewide plan hospitalizations from the governor highlighted sev- state and its partners to test Engineering of Oklahoma to reopen businesses has virus most remain “man- eral graphics, including one tens of thousands of people the commission approved: been developed. ageable” for 14 days before * The Families First Coro- City for a regional storm moving onto the next phase. that showed COVID-19 daily, Kayse Shrum, Okla- water facility near Weath- The mayor’s public health hospitalizations peaking in homa Secretary of Science navirus Response Act, Phase | asks all Oklaho- which contains the Emer- ers and Western Drive for advisory panel, led by Okla- mans to continue to practice Oklahoma in late March and and Innovation, said the ad- $19,900. A letter from My- homa City-County Health trending downward since. gency Paid Sick Leave Act ers stated the company will social distancing and mini- Department Executive Di- mize “nonessential” travel. As of Wednesday, 298 ministration is feeling confi- and the Emergency Family perform a hydrologic and Oklahomans were hospital- dant in Oklahoma's testing and Medical Leave Expan- rector Dr. Patrick McGough, Employers are asked to hydraulic analysis of the likes “the White House cri- formulate a plan for their ized due to complications of abilities. sion Act. An executive or- existing surface water im- teria” on unwinding restric- employees to return to work. the virus. “If you look at where we der issued by the governor poundment near Weathers tive orders and will evaluate Work common areas, like Monks, head of the State started out in mid-March, extends the benefit to emer- and Western Drive for the the governor's proposals. Medical Association, said we were testing in the hun- breakrooms, should remain gency responders employed purpose of converting the From the beginning, Holt closed, the plan advises. Stitt’s drive to reopen busi- dreds,” she said. “Today, by the state of Oklahoma reservoir to regional storm- said, as mayor he has had nesses goes against White and can be adopted by mu- water retention pond. authority to take necessary Schools will remain closed House guidance that states we've tested over 45,000, so and visits to nursing homes shouldn’t start the proc we're expanding that very nicipalities. * Postponing making pay- steps “to save the lives of A city memo said the ex- ments to Elk City Golf & our people.” That said, Holt will remain prohibited. until they’ve seen a two- quickly.” Stitt said the Governor's week downward trajectory Staff writer William Crum ecutive order explained the Country Club payments sees “no reason to believe Solution Task Force and the of COVID-19 cases. contributed to this report. we will not be in alignment EPSLA and FMLA require from April through Septem- with the governor.” State Department of Health UPUT an employer to provide to ber. The payments help pay Churches and additional will continue monitoring and people may choose each employee up to 80 for the upkeep of the course. businesses will be allowed COVID-19 data and will be to relate a funny story or hours of paid sick time — or The payments vary from to open on May | so long willing to “pull back” on something that has hap- equivalent for part time — to month to month because it’s as they adhere to social dis- businesses openings should Continued from page 1. pened to them. Submis- the extent that the employee only a select percentage of tancing and sanitation stan- trends reverse. Asked for they'll have two char- sions can be written by one is unable to work or tele- what the club collects from dards, according to the plan details about how the Stitt acters (actors) speaking. work because of the need for its green fees, Litterell said. Stitt presented. administration will make Submissions must be 1,000 person or someone can col- Restaurants will be al- laborate with another writer. that decision, Secretary of words or fewer, and that rule State revenue shortfall lowed to open their din- ing rooms. Movie theaters, Health Jerome Loughridge is for both a monologue and “We just want to them to duologue, including any di- document what’s going on said they will continue to declared; $1.3 billion gyms, tattoo parlors and venues for sporting events monitor state coronavirus rections. Entries may be a in the world, and we thought will be able to open, data and weigh that against lot shorter the 1,000-word this we would be a fun and shortfall forecast next year also with some stipulations. the state’s hospital supplies maximum. interesting way to do it,” By Carmen Forman, The cal year 2021 budget. The Churches and other places and capacity to treat COV- UPUT wants creativity, Currell said. Oklahoman numbers presented Monday OIL OKLAHOMA CITY - likely will serve as a new point for barrels. 1982. At around 11 a.m., negative prices for all of the Bowing to pressure from starting point for budget dis- In the past three weeks, it passed the low of $10.35 crude it buys. Another giant, state lawmakers, the Board cussions. crude has been flowing into set in the oil bust of 1998. Plains All American Pipe- of Equalization, led by Gov. The certification of a rev- Cushing at a breakneck About an hour later, it took line LP, told producers the Kevin Stitt, on Monday for- enue shortfall allows legisla- Continued from page 1. speed, averaging 745,000 out $10 a barrel. same. tion lawmakers passed ear- pipelines and supertank- barrels a day and taking in mally certified a revenue “Not a Single Bid” Bob MeNally, a consul- lier in April to take effect. ers. Ultimately, traders were shortfall of $416 million for more oil than a medium- When CME Group Inc., tant and oil historian, said Senate Bill 199, which be- the current fiscal year. left desperate to avoid hav- sized European nation like which runs the exchange the energy market was get- came law without Stitt’s sig- State officials also re- nature, allows legislators to ing to take delivery of actual Belgium consumes. At that where WTI futures trade, ting “reacquainted with how ceived a presentation on oil because nobody needs it Oklahoma’s bleak financial move $302 million from the rate, the tanks there will be said prices would be allowed the price mechanism for oil and there are fewer and few- full before the end of May, to go negative, the selling state’s Rainy Day Fund to works” _ and why “for most picture for the fiscal year that begins July 1, 2020, from the the General Revenue Fund er places to put it. something that has never accelerated. By 1:50 p.m. of oil history, the industry head of the Oklahoma Tax to offset the shortfall. Global Accord happened before. the contract was below $1 a and governments strive to Two bills Stitt signed into Despite the OPEC+ deal ETF Fever barrel. Less than 20 minutes Commission. stabilize prices through sup- Jay Doyle, the tax com- law earlier move money to cut 10% of global produc- The days before expiry later, prices went below zero ply control, be it a tolerated mission’s executive director, from the Rainy Day Fund tion, lauded by U.S. Presi- are often volatile as traders for the first time and just cartel, government regula- to the Revenue Stabilization dent Donald Trump little make the shift from a paper kept falling. predicted the state will have tion, or both.” a 20% decrease in appro- Fund and allow the Office ofmore than a week ago, the to a physical market. Un- “No bids. Mental!” said Management and Enterprise oil market’s crisis is wors- The OPEC+ coalition of priated revenue next year, til a few days ago, the May one trader at a top merchant oil producing countries has Services to distribute some ening. The rout will send a that money so state agen- deflationary wave through contract had been supported in a vain attempt to explain which will amount to $1.3 billion less than the $8.2 bil- of failed to stop the rout. Sau- by huge financial flows by the collapse as prices went lion the Board of Equaliza- cies can avoid cuts. the global economy, compli- retail and institutional in- negative. “No bids; not a di Arabia, Russia and other tion certified in February. After Stitt and legislators cating the task facing central producers announced a week The revised revenue pro- sparred over the adminis- banks trying to keep econo- vestors pouring money into single bid,” said another one ago an historic deal to cut oil through exchange-traded in London. “Ridiculous,” jections show the state will tration’s Digital Transfor- mies afloat as the pandemic global production by nearly have about $7.6 billion in mation Revolving Fund, continues to paralyze busi- funds. said a third senior trader in atenth, or 9.7 million barrels revenue this year and $6.9 legislative leaders asked the ness and travel worldwide. The largest crude ETF, Geneva. a day, from May. The U.S., billion to spend in fiscal year Oklahoma Supreme Court to The price collapse could known as the U.S. Oil Fund, The contract settled at mi- Canada, Brazil and others 2021. The current year’s compel the Board of Equal- redraw the global map of received billions of dollars in nus $37.63, a drop of $55.90. have said their own produc- state budget was built on a ization to certify a revenue power as petrostates like fresh funds in recent weeks, And there’s still another day tion is also falling as compa- revenue projection of $8.3 failure. Monday’s board accumulating a fifth of all of trading to come before it billion. Russia and Saudi Arabia, finally expires. nies stop drilling new wells. meeting resolved the law- which enjoyed a resurgence the outstanding contracts in “Our budget is getting hit suit. the May futures contract. “The May crude oil con- For Trump, who personal- over the last 20 years thanks ly brokered the OPEC+ deal, on two different fronts right The three bills address But last week, it rolled its tract is going out not with to an oil windfall, see their negative prices means more now,” Stitt said, referencing only the current year’s rev- influence diminished. Exxon position into the June con- a whimper, but a_ primal the COVID-19 pandemic trouble in the U.S. oil patch. enue failure and don’t begin Mobil Corp., Royal Dutch tract, and evaporated from scream,” said Daniel Yergin, and historically low oil pric- Pressure is building within es. The price of oil dropped to address the state budget Shell Plc and other oil gi- May. Without the fund, the a Pulitzer Prize-winning oil below $1 per barrel just be- struggles on the horizon. the Republican party to use ants are ripping up business contract was abandoned to historian and vice chairman trade barriers to save the fore Monday’s Board of Stitt urged lawmakers to plans, desperate to preserve the forces of physical supply of the research and informa- Equalization meeting. consider cutting the current and demand. tion company IHS Markit shale industry, including If there are no budget cuts state budget by about $100 As the market opened ear- Ltd. placing tariffs on foreign oil. WTI is the world’s most in the current fiscal year, the million to lessen the sever- ly in Asia’s Monday morn- Even discounting the odd- But the market - negative traded financial oil contract, state likely will have to cut ity of budget cuts down the a benchmark followed from ing, the May contract traded ity of the May contract's prices and all - isn’t waiting the budget by 7.5% in the line. That would help save Zurich to New York to To- at $17.85. As New York plunge into negative prices, for OPEC to cut production, next fiscal year, after the some state reserves for later traders were firing up work- kyo. But when each month the world of physical oil or for tariffs to slow imports. remaining state reserves of use, he said. Republican and a futures contract nears ex- stations in their makeshift suggests widespread pain. Rather than being an isolat- $534 million are exhausted Democratic legislative lead- piry and traders roll their home offices, it was below Many refineries and pipe- ed event, Monday’s unprec- to address the revenue short- line companies told produc- edented oil market plunge ers have said they oppose positions into further-out $15. fall, Stitt said. Budget cuts in fiscal year 2022 also are cutting state agencies during contracts, the real, physical Then prices really started ers on Monday that they serves as a warning of more likely, he said. the COVID-19 crisis. world of WTI becomes very to slide, making history all would only take their oil if pain to come. Lawmakers have already “The question becomes do small - centered on Cush- the way down. By 8 am. they were paid. The daily “Tf global storage worsens appropriated funds to off- we want steep cuts or do we ing, an oil town in Oklaho- New York time, the decline price bulletin from Enter- more quickly,” veteran Citi- set the revenue shortfall for want to try to smooth them ma where a massive hub of had reached 37%, the big- prise Products Partners LP, group oil analyst Ed Morse this year. They have not yet out over the next several pipelines and storage tanks gest intraday drop since the one of America’s largest said, “Brent could chase completed work on the fis- vears?” Stitt said, serves as the actual delivery futures started trading in viveline companies. showed WTI down to the bottom.”