March 10, 2021 Issue, Page 2 of 10

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March 10, 2021 News Superintendent cies involved for the way they Alert for sure. We hate to see him Round go but are wishing him well on his retirement. We believe Mr. handled the situation, and we're extremely happy with the out- Sparks will transition into the come,” Manning stated. Continued from page 1 Continued from page 1 Town We are also excited that he is uled Monday night meeting, position nicely. We wanted to Sparks will receive the official get him hired before the end of Manning also indicated that Center. The child was taken to any further reports would likely willing to commit long-term to vote. Storm praised Mr. Garri- the school year because we will Great Plains Regional Medical be filed through the originating April 1 Center to be checked out, then agency. the school. He is willing to give son for his service to the school. only have Mr. Garrison for a few released to the custody of DHS. ‘Nichols has been charged Shop Hop, participat- at least ten years and maybe fif- “Bach person has their own months. Rick has made clear he We appreciate all the agen- with child endangerment. ing businesses open late teen,” Storm stated. special talents, and we benefit- will do all he can to help Mike utnil 7 p.m. During the regularly sched- ted from Mr. Garrison's talents transition as seamlessly as pos- April 3, Chamber of Com- Commission meree Annual Easter Egg Hunt. North Fork of Red River Continued from page 1 employees, had driven out to Conservation District these improvements came the area to review it for safety. April 10 through a federal FAA grant. ‘The city manager then shifted Annual —_ Southwest ‘The commissioners approved to the subject receiving the Farm & Home Expo and making the payment of $1,700. Bull Sale, Convention Center. announces cost-share Ivester then discussed the purchase orders for March 1. most local buzz — the possible incoming Starbucks. Because the report is extensive, assistance available ‘The developer has started April 11 the commissioners are provided with alist of each purchase doing the groundwork for the Annual —_ Southwest retail space near Wendy's. Farm & Home Expo and ‘The North Fork of Red Riv- tance include: irrigation wa- maximum payment of $2,500. order, Ivester drew the com- er Conservation District an- ter management, water wells, ‘The district will be accepting missioners’ attention to larger "They immediately broke a Bull Sale, Convention payments over $10,000. nounced that funds are avail- forage and biomass planting, applications from March 10th, gas line," Ivester said. Ivester Center. able for cost share assistance and range planting. Irrigation 2021 until April 2nd, 2021. ‘These included payments to noted that the line was marked. on select conservation prac- Water Management is new Applications can be filled out Hutchinson Oil for the city's Due to the COVID-19 use of diesel and unleaded gas, In further discussion, Ivester tices. The State of Oklahoma this year featuring plant sen- at the office or sent via email. said that the developer initially pandemic, many events has provided limited funds to sors used on cotton that mea- Please contact the North Fork Oklahoma Municipal Insurance, have been cancelled, ‘Myers Engineering for liner im- applied for a three-space build- our conservation district to sure the growth of the plant of Red River Conservation post-poned or modi- provement at the city landfill, ing without specifying which help landowners implement throughout the season. The District at (580)928-3113 ext. and a monthly loan payment to fied. Please check with measures that address their re- sensors are used to increase 3019 to obtain an application. the Bank of Western Oklahoma businesses would be going in. the event coordinator sources concerns. efficiency of irrigation water. District staff are available by Since then, they have stated for the water plant. to make sure of any Conservation practices ‘The cost-share rate is 50% for phone from 8:00am to 4:30pm, Next, Ivester gave his city that Starbucks is one of the in- changes. available for cost-share assis- qualifying practices up to a Monday through Friday. manager's report. tended businesses. Verizon has He started by explaining that also been considered for one of the water department had been GRPMC’s Women’s Center Director hectic due to the recent storms. the other spots. “We helped twelve individual Lastly, Ivester said that businesses who had water sup- employment at Bar-S has honors the bravery of women on pression systems burst in their ceilings and countless residents who had water pipes burst. remained steady per the agreement between the city International Women’s Day We have slowly been fixing the and the company. Twenty-five city's water pipes and have had years ago, city residents voted to prioritize," he said. to approve a bond issue that Ivester observed that last would incentivize Bar-S to nurses and other staff who are week the police department essential and were equally dedi- fielded 515 calls from residents locate in Elk City. This bond cated. But, the majority of my for various reasons. He stated included specific agreements staff are female. Some of them that he is constantly amazed by between the company and the have even been pregnant or rais- how many calls the dispatchers ing small children themselves city for their mutual coopera- receive each week and the wide throughout this. We went into tion. ‘The building funds would variety of reasons people call. this without even the global Ivester said that soccer be provided through the bond. experts knowing exactly how started last week at the high If Bar-S held up their end of Covid-19 functioned or passed. school and tennis would soon. the agreement for 25 years, Time and again, these nurses to start. they could eventually have the and other staff would put them- He also advised that the city selves directly in the line of fire would soon be asking for a chance to take over ownership to help and save others. Because small deposit for those using of the building. Employment this was so contagious, some of the city’s 5-plex baseball and had to remain at a minimum our staff would catch it despite softball fields to encourage number to achieve this. taking every precaution avail- groups to clean up after their As standard with the first able and then some. When that events. Ivester then explained that meeting of the month, City happened, that staff member would, of course, be unable to Elk City's street department Treasurer Jennifer Rainey work. So, the rest of our staff had installed the first experi- stated that she would not have would double down and pick mental speed bump near Lake received the most recent rev- up whatever was needed. Nurs- Elk City. Signs are posted on enue numbers. ing is a physical job, and that each side to warn drivers of the Mayor Nick Archer then has been doubly true during the speed bump. By Shonda Little laboring patients faced strict when we know it is safe. Covid pandemic when we had patients Ivester added that the street opened up the floor for public guidelines. had so many unknowns. Visita- who sometimes couldn't walk department superintendent comments. No citizens stepped On Monday, women world- “Tve done this for many tion to patients, not just in the themselves to the bathroom for Tim Bagby could shave down forward to address the commis- wide were honored for Inter- years, and, in most of our cas- Women’s Center but throughout the speed bump if they found it national Women's Day for the es, we will have generations of the hospital, has been forced to lack of oxygen. Some of these unnecessarily high. sion. unique challenges they face. both sides of the family lining be restricted to one visitor in nurses are small women, but I City employees, specifically ‘The commissioners then Great Plains Regional Medi- our halls to be there for the most cases. Many new mothers swear, they have the strength of the police and fire departments’ voted to adjourn the meeting. cal Center registered nurse Mi- new momma and baby,” Cum- want their spouse or partner to Superman,” Cummings said. randa Cummings, director of mings explained. “Some women be with them as the childis born ‘The nursing director is thank- the facility’s Women Center, is choose to have more than one but also want their own mother ful for the strong female role all too familiar with making her person in the room as they give or sister with them. Well, this models that she herself was Thank You! female counterparts and pa- birth for support. As long as it put them in a terrible position given. Her mother, Mary Hamil- tients rise to any occasion. is safe, we want to give each la- to have to make that choice, and ton, was among the first female However, the past year has boring woman all she needs to it’s a hard one.” demonstrated that persever- be calm and at ease during this Although the circumstances business owners in technology ance more than most. Due to process. And being there to wel- were not ideal, Cummings said in Elk City. conditions beyond anyone’s come a new life into the world is that she repeatedly witnessed “My mother made sure that I The Family of Delbert Cordum wants to ex- control from Covid 19's seem- one of the greatest miracles that woman after woman take on the not only knew how to be a pro- ingly all-encompassing stran- any person could experience. challenge and defeat it. fessional, but that I would be press our deep appreciation and thanks to all glehold upon modern life, But, as I said, that is allowed “Giving birth, especially for some first-time mommas, is not able to change my own tire, too. of our many friends for your kindness during Being a girl was never going to only exciting but also terrifying. the illness and death of our loved one. rElkCituNews You are bringing this new fragile be an excuse for me not to be life into the world. So, support able to do something, I have two Thank you for the flowers, cards, and food. during this is essential. Even brothers, but I was trained that though these mothers were of- Thad to know how to take care Aspecial thanks to Traditions Health Hospice ten missing important people of my stuff just like they did. (USPS # 173-020) in their lives, they got tough for As a kid, sometimes I didn't ap- and our Eastside Baptist family. 580-225-3000 their babies. That’s what moth- preciate that. Now I couldn't be ers do. It's what women do.” The Cordum Family. Likewise, most of Cummings’ more grateful. It has made all Is published twice weekly by Beckham County Media, LLC the difference. Now I have two 109 W. Broadway, Elk City, OK 73644-4736 staff are women. She also serves as the department director for daughters, and I hope that 1am Periodicals Postage Paid at Elk City, OK 73644 med-surge. giving them that same mindset,” “We do have several male she said. 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