Local/Area News
State Senator Roger Thompson, is taking exception to Gov. Kevin Stitt’s support to consolidate some of the state’s two year colleges.
“Two-year colleges are the engines for workforce development across Oklahoma,” Thompson said. “These institutions are crucial to training the next generation of skilled workers, and they also drive economic growth in many of the state’s rural communities. Additionally, many students who obtain a bachelor’s degree got their start in higher education at two-year colleges.”
In his February State of the State speech, Gov. Kevin Stitt called for consolidating colleges and universities that aren’t meeting state workforce needs.
The Okemah senator pointed out Oklahoma’s two-year colleges account for about one-third of all undergraduate enrollment and undergraduate degrees granted in the state.
Those two-year colleges are Carl Albert State College, Connors State College, Eastern Oklahoma State College, Murray State College, Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College, Northern Oklahoma College, Oklahoma City Community College, Oklahoma State University-Institute of Technology, OSU-OKC, Redlands Community College, Rose State College, Seminole State College, Tulsa Community College and Western Oklahoma State College
A handful of the state’s four-year colleges also offer associate degree programs.
“Two-year colleges are the engines for workforce development across Oklahoma,” Thompson said. “These institutions are crucial to training the next generation of skilled workers, and they also drive economic growth in many of the state’s rural communities. Additionally, many students who obtain a bachelor’s degree got their start in higher education at two-year colleges.”
In his February State of the State speech, Gov. Kevin Stitt called for consolidating colleges and universities that aren’t meeting state workforce needs.
The Okemah senator pointed out Oklahoma’s two-year colleges account for about one-third of all undergraduate enrollment and undergraduate degrees granted in the state.
Those two-year colleges are Carl Albert State College, Connors State College, Eastern Oklahoma State College, Murray State College, Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College, Northern Oklahoma College, Oklahoma City Community College, Oklahoma State University-Institute of Technology, OSU-OKC, Redlands Community College, Rose State College, Seminole State College, Tulsa Community College and Western Oklahoma State College
A handful of the state’s four-year colleges also offer associate degree programs.
January was a good month for business in Henryetta.
For the sixth consecutive month the sales tax check returned to Henryetta was larger than the year before. That money is based on January business reported to the state in February.
This month the town received $264,501.89, an increase of $11,908.64 from a year ago.
The city’s share of use tax money was also more than a year ago. This month the city received $31,715.57 compared to $24,658.90 in March, 2023. Henryetta has shown a gain in use tax money in six of the past nine months.
Henryetta was one of four area communities that reported a gain in sales revenue in March. The other towns included Checotah, Okmulgee and Okemah in the plus columns. Receiving less than a year ago were Beggs, Dewar, Eufaula, Morris and Weleetka.
For the first time in several months the state distribution was also less than a year ago. This month $176,408,601 was returned to cities and towns around the state. That reflected a decrease of $2,815,290 from the $179,233,891 returned last year.
| Town | 2024 | 2023 | Gain/Loss |
| Henryetta | $264,501.89 | $252,593.25 | $11,908.64 |
| Dewar | $14,775.31 | $16,582.57 | -$1,807.26 |
| Beggs | $37,547.15 | $48,465.49 | -$10,918.34 |
| Checotah | $369,947.61 | $359,999.56 | $9,948.05 |
| Eufaula | $191,267.08 | $192,395.76 | -$1,128.68 |
| Morris | $24,898.03 | $26,691.57 | -$1,793.54 |
| Okmulgee | $623,261.18 | $601,371.67 | $21,889.51 |
| Okemah | $134,130.03 | $112,489.69 | $21,640.34 |
| Weleetka | $17,464.78 | $19,112.60 | -$1,647.82 |
American Exchange Bank in Henryetta has added Stacey Blanchett to the board of directors.
A native of Sand Springs, she started working at the bank ten years ago in the loan department and as a teller.
She was named asa vice-president in 2019 and is currently a senior vice president.
The announcement was made at the AEB stockholders meeting last week.
“Since she has joined the AEB family Stacey has devoted herself to the customers and the community,” said bank president Keith Hare. “Her commitment to developing strong partnerships in the community and cultivation of relationships are essential to banking today. We are proud to have her serving on the board.”
Being a part of the community is nothing new to Blanchett. She is a member of the Henryetta Rotary club where she is currently serving as treasurer. She has been a board member and past president of the Henryetta Chamber of Commerce and is active in chamber events throughout the year.
She serves not he Oklahoma Community Bankers Association PAC and Legislative Committee and has been a member of both the Oklahoma Bankers Association Fraud and Security Council and Women in Banking committee.
She and her husband Jerrod, moved to Henryetta in 2011 to put youngest daughter Saylor in the center of rodeo action. Saylor has been a barrel racer since she was a youngster and has competed in the junior National Finals barrel racing at Las Vegas twice.
Blanchett also has daughters Mycah and Niki and is grandmother to four grandsons and three granddaughters.
AEB has been part of the Henryetta financial scene since 1933. In 2020 the bank opened a branch in Okemah.
Other board members include Kent Pharaoh, David Warden, Keith Hare, Ron Dombek Reginald Palmer, Donnie Smith, Terri Thompson, Julie Stovall, Travis Thompson and Taylor Thompson.
A native of Sand Springs, she started working at the bank ten years ago in the loan department and as a teller.
She was named asa vice-president in 2019 and is currently a senior vice president.
The announcement was made at the AEB stockholders meeting last week.
“Since she has joined the AEB family Stacey has devoted herself to the customers and the community,” said bank president Keith Hare. “Her commitment to developing strong partnerships in the community and cultivation of relationships are essential to banking today. We are proud to have her serving on the board.”
Being a part of the community is nothing new to Blanchett. She is a member of the Henryetta Rotary club where she is currently serving as treasurer. She has been a board member and past president of the Henryetta Chamber of Commerce and is active in chamber events throughout the year.
She serves not he Oklahoma Community Bankers Association PAC and Legislative Committee and has been a member of both the Oklahoma Bankers Association Fraud and Security Council and Women in Banking committee.
She and her husband Jerrod, moved to Henryetta in 2011 to put youngest daughter Saylor in the center of rodeo action. Saylor has been a barrel racer since she was a youngster and has competed in the junior National Finals barrel racing at Las Vegas twice.
Blanchett also has daughters Mycah and Niki and is grandmother to four grandsons and three granddaughters.
AEB has been part of the Henryetta financial scene since 1933. In 2020 the bank opened a branch in Okemah.
Other board members include Kent Pharaoh, David Warden, Keith Hare, Ron Dombek Reginald Palmer, Donnie Smith, Terri Thompson, Julie Stovall, Travis Thompson and Taylor Thompson.
Okmulgee County joined the rest of the state in giving Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Joe Biden as their top choices.
The Republican presidential primary balloting resulted with Trump receiving 2,496 or 89.05 percent of the votes in Okmulgee County. Second place in the balloting went to Nikki Haley with 263 or 9.36 percent of the votes. Statewide, Trump received 254,688 votes while Haley received 49,373.
Even though six other candidates have dropped out of the race, their names remained on the ballot.
Candidates and their Okmulgee County results included: Așa Hutchinson, 3 votes; Vivek Ramaswamy, 6; Ron DeSantis, 23; Ryan Binkley, 2; David Stuckenberg, 3; Chris Christie 7.
On the Democratic side, President Joe Biden picked up 695 votes for a 69.57 percent lead.
His closest challenger was Stephen Lyons with 91 votes.
In third place were Marianne Williamson and Dean Phillips, each with 89 votes.
Other votes went to Armando Mando Perez-Serrato, 21 and Cenk Uyghur 14.
On the Libertarian ballot, Chase Oliver had two votes and Jacob Hornberger had one.
The Republican presidential primary balloting resulted with Trump receiving 2,496 or 89.05 percent of the votes in Okmulgee County. Second place in the balloting went to Nikki Haley with 263 or 9.36 percent of the votes. Statewide, Trump received 254,688 votes while Haley received 49,373.
Even though six other candidates have dropped out of the race, their names remained on the ballot.
Candidates and their Okmulgee County results included: Așa Hutchinson, 3 votes; Vivek Ramaswamy, 6; Ron DeSantis, 23; Ryan Binkley, 2; David Stuckenberg, 3; Chris Christie 7.
On the Democratic side, President Joe Biden picked up 695 votes for a 69.57 percent lead.
His closest challenger was Stephen Lyons with 91 votes.
In third place were Marianne Williamson and Dean Phillips, each with 89 votes.
Other votes went to Armando Mando Perez-Serrato, 21 and Cenk Uyghur 14.
On the Libertarian ballot, Chase Oliver had two votes and Jacob Hornberger had one.
The ability to pay water bills online has been a sought-after goal by local residents and city employees for some time.
“We are getting close but still cannot accept online payments now due to some software issues,” said city manager David Bullard Tuesday.
He went on to say that there have been instances were people have actually found a link and tried to pay their bills via computer but those payments are not getting to city hall.
“We don’t want people to have their money tied up by being lost in cyberspace,” Bulllard said.
The city can accept credit and bankcard payments at the window now but no timeframe has been set for the online payments to start.
“We are trying to work with the people who made online payments somehow to get their money back and are working with their financial institutions,” the city manager said.
“As soon as online payments can be made, we will make an announcement.”
“We are getting close but still cannot accept online payments now due to some software issues,” said city manager David Bullard Tuesday.
He went on to say that there have been instances were people have actually found a link and tried to pay their bills via computer but those payments are not getting to city hall.
“We don’t want people to have their money tied up by being lost in cyberspace,” Bulllard said.
The city can accept credit and bankcard payments at the window now but no timeframe has been set for the online payments to start.
“We are trying to work with the people who made online payments somehow to get their money back and are working with their financial institutions,” the city manager said.
“As soon as online payments can be made, we will make an announcement.”