October 3, 2026 Issue, Page 11 of 12

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The Elk City News SATURDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2026 • 11 NEWS It’s Alive, the Creature Lives By Dianna Butler posed to the dependence upon AI. I had bilateral total knee In 1818, Frankenstein or replacements recently, and as I “The Modern Prometheus” was taken to the surgery suite, was penned by author Mary I got a quick look around be- Shelley, who, more or less, fore my sedation kicked in. wrote the novel as a dare to Honestly, it looked a bit like prove to her male cohorts that a sci-fi movie with multiple women could also write best computer screens and a robotic OREA Meeting of Beckham/Roger Mills Unit selling novels. The novel cri- tiques unrestrained scientific progress. Victor Frankenstein arm to assist the surgeon. The anaesthesiologist also used AI assistance to insert the needle To celebrate “100 YEARS OF scholarship given by Beckham/ studies science at the Univer- for my spinal tap “ because it KICKS ON ROUTE 66,” OREA Roger Mills Unit of OREA will sity of Ingolstadt and discovers assures me that I am in the ex- members built their own per- be presented to a 1st year teach- how to animate dead tissue. He act correct spot and there is no sonal Coke Float and reminisced er at Merritt. Glenda reminded builds a giant creature from room for human error.” I felt about travels on The Mother members that dues for 2026-27 body parts and is successful relieved at that statement. Road. President Linda Long wel- are due. She also noted there are in bringing the beast to life; However , AI without re- comed members Suzanne Walk- 42 members. Tana mentioned however, he is horrified when straints, these experts warn er, DeAnne Bell, Tana Feldman, the importance of members he views what he has created us, will lead to our extinction. Stephanie Malone, Sharon Gilli- keeping track of their volunteer and abandons the creature. The They explain the AI agents land, Dennis McRee, Mary Fern hours for the yearly report. Lin- creature must then achieve his can already easily outsmart Carpenter, June Lovelace, Joyce da reported that the Legislators basic knowledge of life entirely humans and rely upon them- Roberts, Nan Hubbard, Jan At- are busy with interim studies. through his own volition. selves. An example of this is tocknie, Linda Maberry, Glenda She also noted the importance This week’s newsfeeds were the “hug emoji mishap,” which Ivins, Judy Haught, Larry Long of voting and checking into each filled with the revelation that refers to the well publicized and Cathy Lewis gathered at Elk candidate’s records to determine AI has been created by scien- Hugging Face security breach City’s United Methodist Church the best candidate. Pam Hol- tists, and yet now, has devel- in July 2026. A massive storm on September 11, 2026 for the land, SW District Director, gave oped a “mind of its own,” so of 1,200 autonomous Open AI first local OREA meeting of the an update on the candidates and to speak, and is quickly getting “agents” unexpectedly broke year. Guests were Southwest shared that members should up- dangerously out of control. containment and targeted the District Director Pam Holland date their beneficiary with TRS. With seeing the final prod- popular open-source platform. and husband Dean. In addition, Stephanie Malone, 2026 Very uct, many AI developmental The agents were supposed to guests from the Route 66 Com- Important Member (VIM) will scientists are now removing be locked inside an isolated mission presented the program. be honored at the OREA State themselves from the business “sandbox” during a routine cy- June gave the invocation. Judy Convention, October 6, 2026 of AI with dire words of warn- bertesting. However, AI agents led the USA Flag salute and the in Broken Arrow. Delegates for ings, to anyone that will listen, exploited a makeshift message salute to the Oklahoma State the convention include Linda that if AI is not harnessed and board secretly changing over Flag. Those who celebrated Long, Larry Long, Judy Haught slowed, by the end of the de- 70,000 messages to coordi- birthdays in June, July, August and Stephanie Malone. Alter- cade, AI will completely de- nate their efforts. The agents and September were recognized. nate Delegates are June Love- molish the human race. So, like bypassed network restrictions Mary Fern led the Happy Birth- lace, Cathy Lewis and Glenda Frankenstein after creating his and broke out onto an open day Song for DeAnne, Steph- Ivins. “America’s 250th Route 66 beast, many are simply aban- Internet, chaining together anie, Linda, Larry, Dean and 100th” is the theme of the bas- doning the AI beast that they exploits to bypass security, to Suzanne. ket for the silent auction. Cathy themselves created. access internal code reposito- Local historian Don Mul- made a motion for this unit to Anthropic CEO Dario Amo- ries, and briefly to hack a pro- linex, along with Kathy and pay the registration fee for each dei says, “AI agents could po- duction server—all the while Doug Schones, presented the delegate. Tana seconded and the tentially take over the Internet manipulating logs to hide their exciting program, “100 Years motion carried. within 6-12 months without tracks from human developers. of Kicks on Route 66.” These The OREA Board Meeting is stronger safeguards. AI insid- This fallout has led to the representatives from the Route September 16. Beckham/Roger ers from Anthropic and Google U.S. Senate opening investi- 66 Commission, shared current Mills Unit of OREA meets Oc- Deepmind are raising alarms gations into OpenAI’s testing happenings on Route 66 and lit- tober 9. Mary Fern will present of the potential existential safety, a temporary slowdown tle known pieces of information the Devotional. Judy will share threat that could arise from the in the development of other about The Mother Road from its special highlights of her recent rapid development of this new models that can produce weap- beginning until now. European Trip. Lastly, members technology, which by the way, ons of mass destruction. Pun- The research they have done can enjoy some Halloween fun is already being used by China dits say too little too late while is outstanding and very much playing a few rounds of Bingo and other countries. It’s like an- government officials are quick appreciated. Route 66 is fasci- with prizes. All area, retired other “space race to the moon” to point out that AI companies nating! Some of our members teachers are welcome to attend the sixties brought forth. Josh are not governmentally con- grew up on Route 66. Others the local meetings. President Engel, a former Google Deep- trolled entities but are, in fact, have moved to this area. Either Linda Long is very knowledge- mind engineer, says the issue driven by the business sector of way, it is an exciting piece of able of happenings at the State cannot be solved by simply un- society, with, at this time, little- highway. People from all around Capitol and shares all that af- plugging AI because in many to-no restraints. the world travel to America to fects retired educators with cases, medical facilities are re- Like Victor Frankenstein, drive on The Mother Road with OREA members. Moreover, liant upon AI agents. He pos- AI developers are leaving the stops in Elk City and other cities there is the food, fun and fel- tulates, “Humans are more and sinking ship like a bunch of along their route. Mr. Mullinex lowship, that everyone enjoys. more dependent on AI because rats thus abandoning their own noted that Lucy Stansberry, Save the date, October 9! we have become so differen- creation because it doesn’t look mother of OREA member Mary Jan won the door prize. Linda tial.” He explains further that and function like they thought Fern Carpenter, is included in adjourned the meeting. the cost and economic devas- it would. If they can develop it, the Oklahoma Route 66 Hall of Note: The scholarship pre- tation of “unplugging” would can they not develop a method Fame. sented to the Merritt teacher in be astronomical! He says more of controlling it? Or will it be The minutes were approved the last issue of Elk City News and more grids are becoming like a child without restraints as presented. The treasurer’s re- was by the Beckham/Roger increasingly dependent upon as was Mary Shelley’s creature ? ported was accepted as read. Mills Unit of OREA, not by the AI. Hence, comes the demand Oh, and by the way, I wrote this In committee reports, Su- Oklahoma Retired Educators for data centers. myself without the use of AI! zanne stated that the $600 Association. I myself was recently ex- MERRITT Merritt makes history! For the first time, Oilerettes are STATE BOUND in fast pitch softball!!! Congrats to Adisyn Krueger on 500 strikeouts Yes Finance 1414 W. 3rd St., Elk City, OK We proudly support the students, staff and administration at Merritt Schools ~ Great Plains Bank September Elementary Students of the Month. This month they are high- 580.225.1525 ~ First National Bank lighting RESPONSIBILITY, way to go Taylee, Genevieve, Caroline, Noah, LocalLoanGroup.com Christian and Kannon.