August 26, 2023 Issue, Page 3 of 8

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Ne August 26, 2023 The Elk City News -3 gave me.” discovered methamphetamine He didn’t know how to obtain step along the way,” he said. pit of hell feels like. I was great Grad By age ten, Robertson got along his journey. sobriety. Today, Roberston has been at hiding my addiction. I held in trouble with the law for the Robertson learned how to Eventually, Roberston went clean since March 11, 2015. down jobs, and I guess I did a Continued from page 1. first time. He and a group of shoot up, or bang, meth dur- to prison three different times. “And I know that Deanna, good job hiding it from almost other boys were smoking in ing his first year of college at ‘The details for each arrest are my wife, is my gift from God. everyone. You become a mas- her kids. She is a saint,” Rob- an abandoned house. He said Southwestern Oklahoma State lengthy, but all come down to My everything is her and our ter of being sneaky. My mom ertson grinned. the house caught fire, and they University. Despite his drug drugs. five kids. Don’t think you can’t says she always knew, though. But, by nine or ten years were caught. use, he always aspired for high- “Opiates and meth and my get back up if you slip. You Trust your mother,” Roberston old, he had found cigarettes From that, he got several er education and a better life. insecurities were there every have to. You know what that said. and alcohol while playing on hours of community service — the streets with neighborhood which is how he met former Elk kids. City City Manager and current “[ don't know what you Sayre City Manager Guy Hyl- would say my gateway drug ton. Roberston credits Hylton as a positive force throughout Oklahoma Water Resources Board Holds is—maybe pot. I started do- Public Meetings on Statewide Water Plan his life from that time forward. ing that at 11. You know how it goes. A couple of kids are hang- “The only downside to ing out there who are like, ‘Bet that is I worked around the you won't take a shot of this or DOC inmates working for smoke off this joint’ I was go- the City while doing the com- OKLAHOMA CITY - The provide local planners and law- project, for the first time ever, water professional sessions ing to do it. I wanted to fit in. munity service. I listened to Oklahoma Water Resources makers with data critical for the OWRB has developed a geared toward local officials, their stories of how they got in Board is hosting a series of in- ensuring safe and reliable wa- statewide flood plan. T'm not blaming it on them at prison, and I was a kid learn- water utility suppliers, regu- all. They were too young, too, person and virtual meetings ter. The planning team is cur- Focus group data and on- lated industry, commercial ag- and getting it from older peo- ing the ways of the streets. I with water industry profes- rently conducting detailed as- line surveys have provided ricultural producers, economic ple. But, I had found it,” Rob- don’t think they intended to ertson said. teach me more things about sionals and the public on the sessments of physical and legal planners with critical informa- development entities, and rep- development of the Oklahoma water availability to determine tion from stakeholders thus Then when he was about the streets, but that is what I resenting organizations will be 12, his older sister got a bro- learned. So, I came out of that Comprehensive Water Plan water supply and demand in far, but the OWRB is excited held from 2-4 p.m., and public ken bone, which required a knowing more than what I did (OCWP). ‘The Plan focuses on each of the state’s 82 planning to offer all Oklahomans the sessions for the general public prescription for Lortab from going into it. But, I also made securing and building water re- basins. To build on the find- chance to voice their concerns will be held from 5:30-7 p.m. the doctor. Lortab is a con- a lifelong friend in Guy, and I silience for all Oklahomans for ings of the last OCWP update and ideas in person or via one trolled opiate often given for will say he definitely has the the next 50 years. Links to virtual sessions (2012), the 2025 update is spe- of two virtual meetings. can be found on the OWRB cal- pain. Roberston found his way heart to make struggling kids The purpose of the meet- cifically focusing on water in- Several rounds of meetings do better,” Robertson empha- to her bottle. ings is to gather region-specific frastructure with an emphasis will take place in various loca- endar at “This is where my pattern of sized. information from stakehold- on the need for water invest- tions across the state includ- www.owrb.ok.gov. Click sneaking began,” he recounted. Roberston smoked his first ers to inform the team on pri- ment mechanisms. ing Ada (Aug. 16), Claremore here for more information “Mom kept the bottle and only “primo,” what he described as a gave my sister half of one. But, marijuana joint laced with co- oritizing technical and policy Planning strategies include (Aug. 17), Virtual (Aug. 18), about the session topics. caine when he was 12. needs for all the state’s water traditional and non-traditional Woodward (Aug, 29), Oklaho- For questions about the somehow, I found it and took one. I had been diagnosed “Tt was like a high with a use sectors. approaches to meeting water ma City (Aug, 30), and Virtual public meetings or more infor- with ADHD and had been big rush. I loved it,” Robertson State statutes direct the supply needs, such as expand- (Aug, 31). Additional locations mation on the OCWP, contact given Ritalin. All this did was stated. OWRB to forecast long term ing reclaimed water use, reser- and dates will be announced Owen Mills, OWRB Planning slow me down, but my brain In the ninth grade, he got water needs through decen- voir storage, and stormwater at a future date. The in-person Director, at (405) 530-8800 or was still active. So, that didn’t caught skipping school near nial updates to the OCWP to capture and use. In a related sessions will have two parts: [email protected]. make me that productive. The an old bridge and river with friends. The group had mari- Place Your Advertisemsent Today by emailing Lortab was the first time it re- ally clicked. I had been able to juana and alcohol with them. sneak one from that bottle. I “Someone saw us and called remember it so clearly. I had so the police on us,” Roberston much energy, but I could also remembered. “When the cops focus that energy for the first showed up, everyone else left. to [email protected] or give time. I cleaned and organized But, that was my third strike as a youthful offender, so I had to my room in the way that my mom had always wanted me to go into custody.” do, After that, Mom gave my He ended up going into a sister the halves, so I would boys’ home dedicated to youth- ful offenders, where he stayed us a call at 580-225-3000! sneak in and get the other half. Mom had really praised me for until he was “kicked out” his how clean my room was, and junior year. He returned to Elk I liked the feeling those pills City to graduate there with his class in 2002. He had also { j ° : \ —— ' FIBER-FAST INTERNET AVAILABLE NOW The internet Elk City deserves. Check your address at dobson.net | 855.5.DOBSON Dobson FIBER