January 2, 2021 Issue, Page 1 of 8

Page Text

‘al 4 a y Serving Foal i QP’ ha & Since 1901 ; Western Oklahoma m2 ~~ Saturday, January 2, 2021 Weekend Edition GPRMC nursing program more essential Rotary Raffle winner donates beef to Help Inc. than ever, says WOCS instructor By Shonda Little clinicals at GPRMC gives them a head start. They are able to have a lot of orientation and training to the facility that most of them Polly Barker-Walker is a western Oklahoma girl in every sense. ultimately will work for. Elk City is lucky to have a facility that can She loves old country music, comfort foods and knowing people for provide emergency medicine and surgery services. This benefits the their whole lives. Small towns have that unique intimacy of fami- entire region. It is important that we can staff that hospital with lies knowing each other generationally. She grew up in the red dirt quality nurses,” Barker-Walker explained prairies of Reydon until she was in the sixth grade before her family Barker-Walker was also clear that nursing offers a diversity of op- relocated to Sayre. portunity for potential students. Western Oklahoma isn’t just her home — it’s her people. Her “This isa field that you will always be able to find ajob in. There are dedication to that and healthcare inspires her daily as the Western so many fields you can go into. Seeing students start as students and Oklahoma State College sophomore coordinator for the registered grow into expert nurses is very rewarding. Having these facilities al- nursing program taught at the Great Plains Regional Medical Cen- lows for our families to receive optimal care without having to travel ter. hours to a larger city. My father was cared for at the ICU here in Elk WOSC and GRPMC partner to allow select students in the regis- City. The majority of the nurses who cared for him were my students tered nursing program to complete their education in Elk City rath- at one time. That is comforting,” she gushed. er than commuting to WOSC’s main campus in Altus. Barker-Walker understands why some might be intimidated to go Barker-Walker believes this program is a recipe for success both to college as “non-traditional” students, defined as any student not in providing jobs locally, but equally importantly, guaranteeing the fresh from high school. best quality of care for her fellow citizens. She understands the plight. After all, she was among them. Bark- “Having a RN program here at home is so important. We are hav- er-Walker spent her elementary years on the wide open red plains of ing a national shortage of nurses and that has only worsened over Reydon until she moved to the massive metropolitan of Sayre in the the years. With Covid, it is even more important. We have an amaz- sixth grade. Though Sayre natives might think it small, it felt big to ing hospital here with amazing nursing staff and a lot of those nurs- ayoung girl coming from a town the size of Reydon. She never could Members of the Elk City Rotary who were present when the es coming directly from WOSC program. Allowing them to complete See Nursing page 2. beef was delivered: Pictured left to right: Rocky Andresen (Jared’s father/former Rotarian), Jeff Waters (Past President Rotary), Kirby McBroom (Rotary Co- Popular Elk City stylist and makeup Raffle Chair), Joanna Davis-Wood (HELP Operations Mgr), and Larry Anthis (HELP Board Member). Courtesy photo. For the first time in several years the Elk City Rotary Club artist returns in time for prom opted to not have its annual Mustang raffle. During this pan- demic year, it was decidedto offera need vs a want for the Elk City community. This year the Rotary Club raffleda side of beef After a few years hiatus, Marshall has returned to Main Attrac- anda freezer for the grand prize, and a quarter beef for two sec- tion. Within the famed Elk City hair salon, she was trained upon ond prize winners. The night before the drawing, HELP, Inc was delivering beauty to women and men ofall ages. broken into and the freezer section was cleaned out. When the “Tam excited to get back to it and see my people,” she gushed. Grand Prize winner, Jared Andresen heard of the break-in, his “Tm also excited to meet with new clients and explore the fashions immediate reaction was to donate it to HELP. Although he was that we are just seeing explode on the internet. This work really feeds excited to have won the raffle, he stated, “there are people that my creativity. I don’t think you can do well by your clients if you are need it worse thanI do”. Jared is a native of Elk City. not happy in this work. That's in part why I took a break. Leaving the ‘This act showed the values of a good upbringing in a small salon, you want your clients to feel like they are having the very best town. day. That makes me have my very best day.” 1998 graduate of Merritt High School, Marshall tried her hand at college. She even says she enjoyed her classes. “Twas a health science major and then a music major,” Marshall Stolen Property allegedly recounted. “Anyone who knows me will say how much I enjoy music. It feeds the soul. I wanted that to be my career, but something was missing with it.” found in ECPD stop Unbeknownst to Marshall, her own hair challenges would pave the way to her eventual career. By Shonda Little “[have this natural curly, kinky hair, You just can't let anyone cut that or color that. You can end up with a hot mess. So I was An arrest warrant has been issued for a 24-year-old Rocky man related to a stop by the Elk City Police Department that allegedly Marshall family. Courtesy photo. very protective of my hair. I spent hours as a teenager and young uncovered multiple stolen tools. adult learning how to just do my own andI realized how good I felt ‘At approximately 4 pm on November 30, an ECPD officer was By Shonda Little when I got it right. Eventually I realized that is where my heart was,” patrolling near West Avenue E and North Watkins when he observers Marshall added. a 2012 Ford Fusion leave the backyard of a house on the 500 block of To reduce 40-year-old Marlana Marshall's fashion talent just to Marshall enrolled in cosmetology school through Western Patton Circle. prom or Mardi Gras would be a reduction in her advanced skill. Technology Center at Sayre. However, she soon decided she wanted a ‘The car then headed west on West Avenue E to the intersection of Still, her return to Elk City’s hair and makeup industry is a coup more hands on education through a local hair legend. North Boone and West Avenue E. for women of all ages as the prime dress up season is upon them. See Stylist page 2. “I recognized the vehicle to belong to Cody Maddox and that Beckham County Sheriff's Office had been looking for that vehicle in connection to several burglaries in the county. It is known to me through several law enforcement encounters and encounters of other Elk City rapper bringing new music to Jaw enforcement officers that Maddox is known for possession stolen property and illegal narcotics,” the officer wrote. As the officer followed the vehicle, he said that he observed the passenger brake light to be broken, causing the brake light to shine western Oklahoma white when the brakes were applied and not be illuminated properly. ‘The officer then activated his emergency lights to initiate a traffic stop for the violation. ‘The officer met with the driver, identified as Maddox, as well as a By Shonda Little passenger. ‘The officer explained the reason for the stop and asked Maddox to Robbie Filyaw is an Elk Citian by way of Tennessee and Texas. step out of the vehicle and have a seat in his patrol vehicle. His early years were full of poverty and turmoil. With light eyes and ‘Maddox complied. dimples that feel like he invented them, Filyaw has a natural charisma He then learned Maddox had an active warrant through Beckham. that makes all curious about his next words. County. He also says, with the hardships, his youth was equally joy ‘Those charges were filed earlier this year and were for second- and laughter. Before he ever enrolled in Elk City High School as a degree burglary and possession of a firearm in the commission of a sophomore, he had attended a dozen or more schools in at least three felony. states. Before the officer placed Maddox in hand restraints, Maddox released his keys to the passenger and emptied his pockets. “Twas born in Cleveland, Tennessee,” the hazel eyed artist said. ‘While Maddox was emptying his pockets, he requested the pas- “We moved from there to Levelland, Texas outside of Lubbock. We senger to “pop the trunk,” the officer wrote. were basically moving every time the rent came due.” A second officer was nearby and said when the trunk opened, it His father had gotten involved in the oilfield, which eventually allowed him to partly observe inside the trunk storage area. brought him to Elk City. ‘The officer immediately noticed several power tools, power acces- Ever affable, he graduated from Elk City Schools in 2004. sories and hand tools, according to the affidavit. But his path would not be one that slid straight to the goal. By “People who use tools such as these for their livelihood do not 2009, he had moved back to Tennessee. usually have these tools carelessly co-mingled with miscellaneous Filyaw had spent his formative years in public housing and trailer clothes and trash in the trunk,” the officer wrote. parks —some places nicer than others — but being poor was the Also Maddox and the vehicles being driven by him had both been common denominator wherever he landed. identified as being involved in or strongly suspected of multiple prop- “Tt was the projects or rundown houses,” he recalled. “We were too erty thefts, the officer alleged. “In more than one instance, witnesses have specifically named poor to have anything but music and singing. It became our life.” Maddox as being at the scene or placed at the scene of the theft,” the With family ties to bluegrass and country music prominent in the officer added. Vanilla Ice, left with Robbie Filyaw. Courtesy photo. area, he was reared on the finest honytonk Americana had to offer. See Stolen page 2. Vol. 119, No. 1 «UU Weather tomorrow /29 75 cents, 8 pgs. Mail delivery 580.225.3000 View online elkcityoknews.com