December 23, 2020 Issue, Page 2 of 26

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December 23, 2020 News fruit, peanut butter, powdered ways, including any documents give us their hotdogs and other Donations the Oklahoma Regional Food Round Bank,” Anthes explained. milk, nuts and canned foods. that shows disability, state as- products in the past,” Previously, Help Inc’s clients “They cannot choose now like sistance or paycheck stubs. In addition to the bags of were able to come in and peruse before, so we tell people if they “We also never turn anyone Continued from page 1. the pantry like a store. With the get something they don’t like away the first time,” Anthes food, fresh produce is set out on Town inon Saturday” she said. Covid-19 pandemic, the staff just to give it to someone else in stated, tables for the families to decide had to adjust. need,” she said. Each day of service they hand for themselves. ‘Though the staff is comprised ‘out approximately 100 bags. December 25 of volunteers, they carry a full “Now we pre-make the gro- Families are allowed to visit While Help Inc. operates like a cery bags. We have two options once a month. The organization Through the new method of schedule. operations during the pandem- Christmas Day “The serving days are on — one that we call sack A. It does check incomes, but Anthes well-oiled machine, Anthes said ic, cients remain parked in the they are always in need of new Mondays and Wednesday from is for families with one to four explained that they generously parking lot. Anthes, Wood and volunteers. The group also re- 10am-3pm,” she advised. “Tues- people. Then group B gets a sup- cover those within 200% of the other volunteers pull their files, mains in near constant need of Community Christmas days are our big turnaround day plemental bag, which is large,” poverty line. give them numbers and hand as we have to restock all the she said. Adults are required to have a out the pantry bags accordingly. grocery bags. Dinner sponsored by shelves to serve again. Thurs- ‘The first bag is no small haul, valid ID and also show proof that “We encourage anyone who “We need them especially on days are kind of our one relaxed weighing 150 pounds and com- the children they are claiming is able-bodied to help load their day where we take care of need- prising of basics of frozen meat live with them, such as school Tuesdays and Fridays when we Life Community Foun- sacks, but we are also more than ed housekeeping. Then on Fri- packages, dairy, milk, butter, enrollment or SoonerCare cards. happy to load them for our peo- are so busy,” she said. “We could dation - Elk City Con- days we unload our truck from cheese, vegetables, pasta, dry Incomes can be verified multiple ple who are disabled or elderly always use people who can lift. and cannot.” We also can use people willing vention Center. Anthes said local financial to drive our big truck out to Commission hardships between the oilfield slowdown and the pandemic have shown an increase in client Walmart, Homeland and Unit- ed. We take plastic and paper December 18 Agenda item #4 was a bud- On agenda item #7, commis- numbers. sacks from anywhere. We even Continued from page 1. “At the end of November, Iran have a place at our back door Participating _retail geted item also related to the sioners heard from the city’s au- our numbers for the year. We where people can leave them af- He explained this was related Elk City Municipal Airport. ditors that all city departments have serviced 548 new families, businesses open late un- to the title of the property. Through a FAA grant, the city though many of them just came ter hours. We are always in need City Attorney Steven Hol- commissioners approved spend- had operated in the green the ‘one time before they moved to of that.” prior month with the excep- til7 pm. loway further explained that, ing $6,200 to install new weath- new communities. Many were in the process of due diligence, er observation equipment and tion of the airport, which spent Help Inc. shares their space going where the oilfield took within the armory with the the new owner had learned the lighting. $33,000 on a fuel purchase. The them and needed this just for abstract had not been properly It was also noted that this had auditor described November as one month until they got by. Western Oklahoma Family Care December 31 brought up to date and tempo- been recommended by Lochner. a “strong month.” But, our monthly average is still Center, the dental and medical rarily closing this road would ‘The commissioners voted to City Treasurer Jennifer Rain- up. This time last year we saw an allow for it to be properly com- approve that item. clinic, Action Associates and the New Years Eve ey reported that sales tax came average of 350 families a month Red Cross. Fortunately, those pleted, In what was said to be the fi- and now we are seeing 550 fami- On agenda item #3, former nal payment on the CAPP proj- in at $934,003.44, down 13% lies. So the need is large,” she groups were not victimized in Elk City Treasurer Elesia Church ect at Elk City Ackley Park and from the year prior. stated, the burglary. January 1 addressed the commission and the baseball and softball 5-plex, Use tax, however, skyrocket ‘The primary provider of their “We don’t wish any harm on noted the item to approve the the commissioners approved food is thorough the Regional by 48% to $168,682.22. New Years Day multi-year airport planning and a $274,950 payment to Hellas the person or people who broke engineering services would be Construction. Cigarette tax was also up 25% Food Bank. However, they also get supplies from local stores. in here,” she said, “We figure God renewing the current contract ‘This was also a budgeted item to $10,864.54. “We pick up from Walmart on can take care of that because with Lochner. Church also ex- and will be paid upon satisfac- ‘The meeting was overall brief Monday, Wednesday and Fri- Southwest Oklahoma plained that Lochner had been tory completion of the final two with the commissioners meet- day,” Anthes said. “We get fruit, the community took care of us the only firm to submit a bid. tenfold. And we know times are items. ing for less than 30 minutes. bakery items and meat and any- Show Pig Series Hog thing that their vendors allow to hard for many right now and we be given. Homeland has joined are just believing that this was Show, Convention Cen- Drinking alcohol and the holidays and we go there and pickup on someone who was in desperate ter South building. Mondays and United on Fri- Christmas is here and it is substance abuse among com- abuse and is funded through the days. On Monday, Wednesday need.” important to remember that munities, specifically underage Oklahoma Department of Men- and Friday, we pick up leftover Surveillance cameras had alcohol can be a part of the cel- drinking and the non-medical tal Health and Substance Abuse food that Little Caesars has fro- been installed and now arrests ebration for many Americans use of prescription drugs. They Services. The Red Rock RPC zen for us. The families like hav- January2 and over consumption of alco- identify factors in a community have been made. hol combined with driving can that cause the risk of substance wishes everyone safe and Happy ing that option. Chicken Xpress For more information, call Southwest Oklahoma be disastrous. During this time abuse and work to promote pro- Holidays this year! If you have has frozen food for us, too. We of the year, people tend to drink tective factors that serve to min- questions for the RPC, please don’t know what is going to hap- (880)243-0770 or visit www. Show Pig Series Hog more alcohol; there are increas- imize the risk of substance use/ call us at 405-401-2390. pen with Bar-S, but they would helpincec.org, es of drivers on the road, drivers late at night and in bad weather. Show, Convention Cen- In 2019, there were 688 alcohol ter South building. related car crashes in Oklahoma and unfortunately, 74 fatalities due to these crashes1. There are many prevention tips designed Her eyes were hazel, her hair was long: to keep you. and your loved ones safe and here are some ways you A best friend shares his grief in losing Elk City classmate January 12 can take part2: Abstain. You do not have to upon the world. Chamber of Com- have alcohol to be the life of the Elk City High School band dur- as a precaution, so that was tak- party. ing her time was accomplished en off the table. But she never“She may not have lived long, merce Banquet RSVP Pace yourself, Avoid binge- within their own right. cried for herself. She just poured but she loved bigger than any- drinking. Spread out the con- “T gave her a ride home that that love to the people she al- one. Her mom is bringing her sumption of your drinks, con- ready loved and, my God, she required, First Baptist sider one drink an hour. night and we were instant back to Elk City to bury. She Avoid drinks with unknown friends,” Bell recalled. “She had celebrated every day doing what died at her mom's house in Mus- Church Activity Center. alcohol content or mixing al- dateda guy who had been not so she loved. We even went to see tang. And now I'm just thinking cohol with energy drinks. Caf- good to her, so I kinda became Lady GaGa, who we both loved, how to live in a world without feine in energy drinks or sodas her safe haven and our friend- and had been so excited to see. her. She loved the movie Elf and can mask the effects of alcohol, We stayed there right up un- loved the line about, ‘Buddy, causing people to drink more ship just grew from there.” Due to the COVID-19 alcohol that than intended/are Through the last 20 years, til GaGa was about to come on what's your favorite color?’ I aware. the two were often inseparable. and Tisha got sick because she pandemic, many events Substitute alcoholic drinks ‘They went to musicals and plays had just had a treatment. We could always make her laugh if for non-alcoholic drinks. Con- together. They had movie nights walked back to the hotel room, I answered the phone that way with the best rom-coms and but it became a great memory and she would say purple be- sider drinking water between have been cancelled, each alcoholic beverage to slow your pace and dilute the alcohol stale popcorn. They supported even though we missed out on cause purple was her color. It post-poned or modi- in your bloodstream. Bush each other through every hur- the show.” didn’t matter if it was light or Secure a designated driver. By Shonda Little dle. Bell has faced personal strug- dark purple. She loved it. She Sied. Please check with Keep in mind that a designated “A few years ago we went to gles in 2020 unlike any he says loved Mama Mia. And I know driver stays 100 percent sober -— not the person who drank Casey Bell, a 41-year-old Chickasha to look at the lights he has ever faced. The list of his for a fact that she saw at least the event coordinator the least. graduate of Elk City High because early on in our friend- losses were too lengthy to detail ‘one Marilyn Manson concert, Lastly, do not break Okla- School, spent most of Sunday ship she said she loved Christ- and Bell didn’t want to do that, which you wouldn’t expect from to make sure of any homa’s Social Host Law by pro- at the bedside of his greatest mas lights and we had just never anyway. He wanted to highlight the biggest George Strait fan. viding a location for minors to friend as hospice prepared him got to it. For my birthday, we his friend and how she support- changes. drink alcohol. Red Rock RPC takes a pro- and those around him that she always went to Poblano’s every ed him. She was eclectic like that. Noth- ing she wouldn't sing with her active approach in reducing would die soon. year because I love their Mexi- “Tve been down and out with At 1:45 am on Monday, his can food, but for hers we went my hip being broken. She called eyes closed,” Bell laughed, As Bell talked about the heart- sweet friend LaTisha Bush drew to the Waffle House. LaTisha me every single day to check on “ElkCituNews me every day. My mother was in ache he will carry for Bush's loss her last breath. was hilarious in that — all the “Tve never met a kinder per- fine dining in the world, and the hospital for 30 days with Co- of life, he said that the walls of son or a better friend. She wasshe did like a good restaurant — vid. LaTisha called every day to grief are closing in on him. But, always the reason that heaven but Waffle House was all things check on me,” he said. through tears, he remembered existed,” Bell said. good to her for a simple birth- And this, he said, was in spite the joy of their friendship. (USPS # 173-020) “Tll forever see her in my 580-225-3 100 Within the class of Elk City day,” Bell laughed. of Bush learning in October that High School's graduating class After time went on, Cattle- she was battling breast cancer mind’s memory as that long- Is published twice weekly by Beckham County Media, LLC of 1999, Bush was an unsung men’s became their fancy spot. once again. haired red head with those ha- hero. Among a class known for But, early in adulthood, Bush “It had spread this time,” Bell zel eyes back there in the fall of 109 W. Broadway, Elk City, OK 73644-4736 its athletic accomplishments, would be confronted with can- sighed. “Tish was a warrior, so Periodicals Postage Paid at Elk City, OK 73644 cer. 1996. I didn’t know it then be- she was throwing everything at cause you can't when you are a she was in the stands playing in the band. The football team ‘The first time was within the it and wouldn't let anyone help POSTMASTER: Send address changes to 109 W. Broadway, Elk City, OK 73644 teenager, but that meeting was won the state championship thyroid. her. She was always worried the best luck that I ever had. and scored their earned share of “She worked so hard to beat about everyone but herself. She SUBSCRIPTIONS Josh Umholtz ‘The world was her oyster. She Deliverd by mail: Publisher headlines, but she was among that, but then she got the sec- had the very best of everything never had a single feeling of bit- the fans and faithful following ond cancer. This time it was — the best heart, the sharpest $75/yearly Amy Loynd who showed up to cheer them brain. ‘The only thing she didn’t terness toward anyone, at least $50/six months Business Manager breast cancer,” Bell said. He watched powerlessly as have was good genes. Nothing none I knew of. Watching her on without fanfare. No refunds on subscriptions. Neva Pyatt ‘Two seasons before the state that cancer interrupted her about this she deserved. She al- die, oh my God, how blessed I Advertising Director championship, during their dreams, but also saw her thrive ways took care of herself.” was to have her. She was a gem editor @ecdailynews.com D’Ann Brasuell sophomore year, on a brisk au- in spite of that. Bell expressed the tremen- and dreamed her dreams in a sports @ecdailynews.com Production Manager tumn night, she met Bell, her “The only thing she ever want- dous grief he feels at her loss, way that she shared with all of [email protected] Maressa Margerum classmate who would become ed to be was a wife and a mother. but wants people to know what us. She didn’t ask for much in classifieds @ecdailynews.com Customer Service Rep her lifelong best friend. The ‘They had her do a hysterectomy a tremendous impact she made return from anybody.”