December 26, 2020 Issue, Page 1 of 8

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and the Gulf Coast suffered a vaccine, both one of the early a first receiver of the sparse vac- ceive the Pfizer vaccine was Dr. within any hospital who serves historic number of hurricanes. recipients and one of the early cine. Instead, she was selected Kerri Smith, DO, a GPRMC hos- many purpose with one unified Yet none of that touches the administrators spoke with the to be an administer to those at pitalist. goal — efficiency. major news story of the year, Elk City News about a day they GPRMC on the very front lines. A hospitalist is a physician See Vaccine page 2. which is shockingly not the will forever remember. “Tm not afraid to get the vac- presidential election. Felicia McClure, RN, serves as cine,” McClure said. “When it Ina year that boasted an end- GPMRC’s Infection Prevention is the right time for me to get less parade of shocking head- Nurse and spent Tuesday giving it, when the volume is high lines, Covid-19 has reigned su- the first round of shots to her enough, I certainly will, Right preme. first tier coworkers. now, we are doing this in a very For healthcare professionals Within her job, she oversees precise manner because we at Great Plains Medical Center, multiple facets within the hos- have plans to get more, but we the goal has been to provide the pital that laymen overlook, such are also treating each shipment best healthcare available with- as insuring that medical equip- as precious because nothing is out sensationalizing the pan- ment is properly sanitized and certain. In other words, we are demic they were facing. That that infections such as MRSA or making sure that the doctors hasn't always been easy, but meningitis do not spread from and nurses who spend their Mason Smith they have remained committed patient to patient or floor to days closest with Covid patients to staying the course and offer- floor. get it first.” x ing all the big city has to offer in To say Covid-19 has caused a GPRMC’s first round was with By Shonda Little their small western Oklahoma fear of overlap within depart- the Pfizer vaccine. Though the town. ments is an understatement. upcoming Moderna vaccine can The jokes about the hor- rific year that has been 2020 “on Tuesday, they adminis- Yet McClure has been willing. be held at higher temperatures, tered their first round of vac- “Oh, it’s been a headache — the Pfizer dose must remain seem endless between political cines to medical providers who a nightmare really,” McClure stored at lowered temperatures memes and toilet paper mys- fall within the first tier outlined explained. “But what are you and is thus more vulnerable. teriously vanishing from local by the state. gonna do? Quit? No. The reality “Every drop of this vaccine is shelves. We've lost celebrities To be clear, many of their doc- is right now there is a shortage so precious, so lifesaving, that most already thought dead, like tors, nurses, technicians and in every part of healthcare, so if we are making sure that it is Sean Connery and Kirk Douglas staff have been exposed on a you decide this is all too much, handled properly. GPRMC staff and stars who felt almost invin- near daily basis, but like most you are leaving your coworkers has already faced new challenges Neva Pyatt, Board Chair at WOFCC, left, is with Endurance cible in their prime like Kobe the country, the hospital was and your patients with one less during the pandemic, but they Federal Credit Union of Elk City’s supervisor Greg Britton. Bryant and Chadwick Boseman. forced to ration the first round caregiver.” are still rising to the occasion in ‘That doesn’t even touch Eddie of the vaccine to those most Though McClure certainly is making sure we give the vaccine By Neva Pyatt Van Halen. closely battling Covid-19. exposed to a host of infectious properly to our staff.” McClure Jupiter and Saturn aligned In an effort to answer the diseases and bacterias on a daily praised. Each year Endurance Federal Credit Union makes a donation. loser than they will in 800 years public's questions about the basis, she did not qualify to be Among the very first to re- to the Western Oklahoma Family Care Center in Elk City spe- cifically for a family that is in need of a little Christmas cheer. Neva Pyatt, Board Chair at WOFCC is receiving that check in Good Samaritan rewarded for honesty the amount of $800 from Greg Britton, Branch Supervisor of Endurance FCU at their Elk City location. This will definitely bring some smiles to a family who, just this week lost a loved By Shonda Little by her selflessness, ‘one to Covid." “I handed her my small gift of thanks and told her that some- ‘The mission of the Western Oklahoma Family Care Center, “This is 2020. I think we all need a feel good story,” said Elk City times there is a reward for honesty,” David remembered. Inc, is to help struggling individuals and families in Western man Jeff Davis. For Swint, the gift could not have come at a better time. Oklahoma overcome barriers in their lives to enable them to Davis's voice slightly cracked as he retold the unexpected and ‘The single mother had been secretly worried how she would buy become productive, self-supporting citizens. WOFCC is com- heart-warming experience he had at Elk City’s Atwood’s approxi- the perfect gift for her 17-year-old son. mitted to showing God's love in practical ways by addressing mately a week ago. Swint was born in western Oklahoma, but moved to Talhequah as the physical and emotional needs of the lower socio-economic “Iwas at the checkout counter andI was kinda fumbling through a child. Most recently she and her son had been living in Wisconsin population regardless of race, creed, or religious preference. things in my pocket,” Davis recounted. “The clerk was already prob- before returning to Elk City. WOECC serves four counties including Custer, Washita, Roger ably being patient because I was being slow. I got out my farm tax See Honesty page 2. Mills and Beckham. WOFCC is open Monday-Thursday from. card and showed it to her and then got my things and left.” 10:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. and is located at 609 W Ave E, Elk City. ‘As Davis walked to his vehicle in the expansive Atwood’s park- ing lot located on South Main Street, at first he didn’t realize that someone was yelling for him. Then he heard the commotion, but Inmate being held for alleged murder conspiracy still didn’t think much of it. “Next thing you know this little girl, and I know she isn’t a little girl, but just tiny in size, was yelling for me. She had to have been charged with assault on a police officer running through that big parking lot to catch up with me,” David ‘Then on September 28, he cell where he began to swing on reportedly posted videos of the explained. received a new felony charge of the officers, the report states. alleged victim to his Facebook. ‘The wispy blond clerk did finally catch his attention. When she witness intimidation. He allegedly assaulted two of the Officers were able to success- did, Davis was shocked that she had put so much effort into catch- ‘On December 16, new felony officers before being restrained fully track the suspects and ing him. charges of two counts of assault and placed into a restraint chair. the alleged victim to a Elk City “She was waving her arms and doing everything she could to and battery on a police officer He was then reportedly moni- hotel where the alleged victim make sure I saw her. So, I was like, ‘What's wrong, miss?” were filed with the Beckham tored for several hours. was allegedly assaulted and held Much to Davis's dismay, the clerk was not chasing him to tell him County District Court. “After he calmed down, he against his will. something was wrong. ‘Those charges carry up to was released back to his cell,” the In that probable cause af- “She said, ‘Sir, this $20 bill was on the ground and it is yours. I five years imprisonment. officer wrote. fidavit, the reporting detective didn’t want you to leave here without it,” Davis added. According to the probable ‘The two officers who were stated that he uncovered evi- Davis said he looked at the clerk, later identified as Christine cause affidavit, a Beckham allegedly attacked were said to dence that Scott and his alleged Swint, both awestruck and inspired by her effort of good faith. County Sheriff's Office deputy have been struck by Scott. One co-conspirators were planning to learned on Nov. 24 that Scott of the officers were reportedly murder the alleged victim. “ think we all need our faith restored in humanity right now. I had allegedly attacked two de- struck in the forehead twice. ‘The detective also alleged know a lot of people could use $20 right now and here she is run- tention officers. ‘Three officers were required that Scott and other suspects ning so fast she could trip herself to give that money back to him,” One of the officers had made to restrain Scott, the report charged in the case belong to the Davis said. ajail incident report that day indicates. The fourth officer was Universal Aryan Brotherhood, Stunned, he sat fora moment in his vehicle to absorb what he had By Shonda Little indicating that he and other a new hire and was observing the also known as the UAB, a white just experienced. officers had an incident that Process, supremacist prison gang. During “{ don’t think I have ever dropped money before, but I sure have 30-year-old Clinton man involved the use of force on an ‘The officers did not need the videos posted to Facebook of never had someone work so hard to bring me $20,” he added. has continued to rack up new inmate. medical treatment. the alleged attack, the detective After the shock wore off, Davis headed north to Hutch’s. He de- felony charges since he was ar- In that officer's report, he Statements from the officers stated that the suspects made cided that Swint was deserving of a reward for her effort. rested last June for conspiracy to detailed that he and three other also reported giving Scott orders references to the UAB while also He bought her a Hutch’s gift card. As he drove back to Atwood’s, commit murder, kidnapping and officers went into the Beckham to comply throughout the al- allegedly calling other known he decided that wasn’t a worthy reward. assault and battery. County Detention Center's leged attack. UAB members to bring a tarp On August 27, while incar- _ C-Pod to do inspections and ‘The officers stated that they and threatening to cut off the He added $100 cash. cerated at the Beckham County cleanliness checks. wished to press charges on Scott. alleged victim's fingers and toes Swint’s manager was completely unaware that this remarkable Detention Center, Seth Lee Scott While at the cell housing Of the numerous charges with dog clippers. act of kindness had just transpired in the Atwood’s parking lot. was charged with unlawful use Scott, the officers allegedly Scott is currently facing, the On Scott's personal Face- ‘Swint herself had gotten so busy emerging herself back in work that of communication facility, which found contraband and ordered a most serious is his June case of book, he had posted that he she was caught off guard when Davis returned. allegedly occurred prior tohis “shakedown.” conspiracy to commit murder, is “100% wood,” which the “My boss called me over and honestly I thought I was in trouble,” June arrest. On that charge, Scott was ordered to stand kidnapping and assault and Anti-Defamation League states Swint laughed. “I mean, I didn’t even think about what I did. I didn’t Scott was accused of partici- outside the cell butallegedly battery. is terminology known to be asso- think of it as doing a good thing. It was just the right thing to do.” pating in the sell of metham- became aggressive and went into Local law enforcement had ciated with the UAB. Standing before her manager, Davis detailed how inspired he was phetamine through the use of a fighting stance. become aware of the possible Scott has a previous Facebook Messenger. Scott was escorted into his crimes after one of the suspects See Scott page2. Vol. 118, No. 104 «OLA Ut Weather tomorrow /28 75 cents, 8 pgs. Mail delivery 580.225.3000 View online elkcityoknews.com