Local/Area News
Henryetta's sales tax return from the state took another positive jump this month. The town received $329,471.44 for an $18,363 increase form the year before. That is the fifth consecutive month the town showed an increase in sales taxes compared to a year ago.
The use tax also was better than last year with $55,223 this month, a $6,650 increase from Feb. 2023.
That money comes primarily from December business and is usually an indicator in Christmas sales by local businesses.
Okmulgee continues to have the largest sales tax check from the state. This month it amounted to $690,057 but was $55,858 less than a year ago.
The community of Beggs showed the second largest gain in the county with $50,527 that was a $10,192 gain from a year ago.
Dewar received a $17,039 check from the state this month for an increase of $3,219 over last February while Morris picked up $29,707 that was $4,188 more than last year.
Okemah was the only other area town showing a gain from the previous year. This February, the state sent a $130,308 check compared to $125,992 in 2023.
Weleetka had a $10,913 decline from the previous year, receiving $12,970 this year compared to $23,883 last year.
Statewide, $203,878,986 went back to cities and towns. That was a $752,959 increase from last year.
| Town | 2024 | 2023 | Gain/Loss |
| Henryetta | $329,471.44 | $311,107.90 | $18,363.54 |
| Dewar | $17,039.53 | $13,819.83 | $3,219.70 |
| Beggs | $50,527.59 | $40,335.58 | $10,192.01 |
| Checotah | $432,194.09 | $464,010.57 | -$31,816.48 |
| Eufaula | $22,8019.15 | $249,866.33 | -$21,846.98 |
| Morris | $29,707.94 | $25,519.15 | $4,188.79 |
| Okmulgee | $690,057.28 | $745,915.30 | -$55,858.02 |
| Okemah | $130,308.82 | $125,992.94 | $4,315.88 |
| Weleetka | $12,970.08 | $23,883.88 | -$10,913.80 |
The courner of Fourth and Cummings looks a little different after city crews cleare off several trees and bushes. The site will soon see installation of a pump system designed to push water up the hilll to the storage tank that will aaleviate some of the problems with water shortages to residents on the hill. No exact eate was given for construction to start.
County republicans will be holding their convention Feb. 16 at the American Legion building in Okmulgee.
To be eligible, participants must have been registered with the party as of Dec. 31, 2023 and listed on the voter rolls when they check in that day. Check in will start at 6 p.m.
During the evening, individual precinct meetings will be held to recommend County and State Rules and Platform changes. Additionally, participants will have the opportunity to sign up to be delegates to the County Convention, which will immediately follow the precinct meetings.
The keynote speaker for the convention will be Senator Roger Thompson.
To be eligible, participants must have been registered with the party as of Dec. 31, 2023 and listed on the voter rolls when they check in that day. Check in will start at 6 p.m.
During the evening, individual precinct meetings will be held to recommend County and State Rules and Platform changes. Additionally, participants will have the opportunity to sign up to be delegates to the County Convention, which will immediately follow the precinct meetings.
The keynote speaker for the convention will be Senator Roger Thompson.
As the legislative session gets underway, my focus, as always, will be on caring for people and supporting policies that help those without a voice. I’m especially concerned about finding ways to improve and support our nursing homes and the needs of elderly Oklahomans. As the saying goes, the true measure of any society can be found in how it treats its most vulnerable members, and we must do better in Oklahoma, especially in rural areas. Healthcare in rural Oklahoma is severely lacking, and we must work together to find solutions to ensure our elderly have not only better access to care regardless of where they live, but access to the highest quality care available.
I’ve visited facilities around our Senate district and throughout the state and there’s several issues that need to be addressed to improve care. Like many other industries, workforce is a major problem. However, the pay provided for health care workers tasked with the daily care and safety of elderly patients is not competitive with other industries, like fast food. The average nursing home employee is making between $13-$15, which is the same or similar pay as McDonalds and other chain restaurants. We can’t expect skilled workers to choose health care when they work for the same amount in fast food. We must find a way to boost pay for healthcare workers in long-term care facilities. At the same time, we also need to look at increasing employment standards, along with those regulating these facilities to better protect the safety and health of these vulnerable residents.
Another critical issue is that Oklahoma has lost over $47 million in federal COVID-19 Public Health Emergency funds for our state’s skilled nursing facilities and Intermediate Care Facilities for Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities (ICF/IIDs) that expired on July 1, 2023. Last session, we provided a $47.8 million increase in the FY’24 budget to replace these funds to protect our state’s long-term facilities.
Even with that financial support, though, the Oklahoma Health Care Authority (OHCA) estimated that the cost of providing care to the average Medicaid resident in a skilled nursing facility is $246 a day. The additional state funding reimbursed nursing facilities approximately $225 of that amount, leaving an additional $21 that facilities must cover. Our state’s population is aging and we’re about to see the largest influx of elderly citizens needing care in the next decade. If we want to avoid widespread closures of these facilities and ensure elderly Oklahomans have a safe place to spend their final years, we must find a long-term funding solution to this issue, which will include increasing provider reimbursement rates.
Another major issue in rural Oklahoma is our deteriorating infrastructure, especially our county roads. We have people who can’t safely get to and from their homes without getting stuck or sliding off the road. School bus routes are becoming more difficult to navigate. I’ll be pushing this session to increase or fully remove the cap on the County Roads Fund to infuse additional money into this critical infrastructure. This is not only a quality-of-life issue for residents, but an economic issue for local communities and businesses. When we invest in infrastructure, we invest in economic development and make communities more attractive to new industries and companies, which in turn provides more jobs and opportunities for local citizens.
If you have any questions or concerns on legislative matters, please contact me at the Capitol by writing to Senator Roger Thompson, State Capitol, 2300 N. Lincoln Blvd. Room 537, Oklahoma City, OK, 73105, emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or calling (405) 521-5588.
I’ve visited facilities around our Senate district and throughout the state and there’s several issues that need to be addressed to improve care. Like many other industries, workforce is a major problem. However, the pay provided for health care workers tasked with the daily care and safety of elderly patients is not competitive with other industries, like fast food. The average nursing home employee is making between $13-$15, which is the same or similar pay as McDonalds and other chain restaurants. We can’t expect skilled workers to choose health care when they work for the same amount in fast food. We must find a way to boost pay for healthcare workers in long-term care facilities. At the same time, we also need to look at increasing employment standards, along with those regulating these facilities to better protect the safety and health of these vulnerable residents.Another critical issue is that Oklahoma has lost over $47 million in federal COVID-19 Public Health Emergency funds for our state’s skilled nursing facilities and Intermediate Care Facilities for Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities (ICF/IIDs) that expired on July 1, 2023. Last session, we provided a $47.8 million increase in the FY’24 budget to replace these funds to protect our state’s long-term facilities.
Even with that financial support, though, the Oklahoma Health Care Authority (OHCA) estimated that the cost of providing care to the average Medicaid resident in a skilled nursing facility is $246 a day. The additional state funding reimbursed nursing facilities approximately $225 of that amount, leaving an additional $21 that facilities must cover. Our state’s population is aging and we’re about to see the largest influx of elderly citizens needing care in the next decade. If we want to avoid widespread closures of these facilities and ensure elderly Oklahomans have a safe place to spend their final years, we must find a long-term funding solution to this issue, which will include increasing provider reimbursement rates.
Another major issue in rural Oklahoma is our deteriorating infrastructure, especially our county roads. We have people who can’t safely get to and from their homes without getting stuck or sliding off the road. School bus routes are becoming more difficult to navigate. I’ll be pushing this session to increase or fully remove the cap on the County Roads Fund to infuse additional money into this critical infrastructure. This is not only a quality-of-life issue for residents, but an economic issue for local communities and businesses. When we invest in infrastructure, we invest in economic development and make communities more attractive to new industries and companies, which in turn provides more jobs and opportunities for local citizens.
If you have any questions or concerns on legislative matters, please contact me at the Capitol by writing to Senator Roger Thompson, State Capitol, 2300 N. Lincoln Blvd. Room 537, Oklahoma City, OK, 73105, emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or calling (405) 521-5588.
Early voting begins Thursday, Feb. 8, for voters in Okmulgee County. Voters who cannot make it to the polls on Election Day have the option of voting early at their County Election Board.
Okmulgee County Election Board Secretary Ashley Carnes said early voting is open to all voters. “You do not need to provide an excuse to vote early. Oklahoma allows early voting for all elections conducted by the County Election Board or State Election Board—from school board and municipal elections to state and federal elections. This is a great option for those who will be out of town on Election Day,” Carnes said.
Early voting is available Thursday, Feb. 8, and Friday, Feb. 9, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Okmulgee County Courthouse at 314 W. 7th Street, Okmulgee, in the County Election Board office on the first floor, Room 102. Carnes reminds voters that early voting is not available at polling locations.
The February election is a multi-entity election but is not a countywide election. Voters eligible to vote in the February election must be registered within the following districts to be eligible to vote in the February election: City of Okmulgee, Okmulgee Public School, Mounds Public School, and Weleetka Public Schools.
Some voters may need assistance to vote because they are blind or visually disabled, physically disabled, infirm, or illiterate. Such individuals may request to have an assistant or vote privately and independently using the ATI device attached to the voting device. Those who require assistance should talk to their precinct official or contact the County Election Board directly for instructions.
For questions, please contact the County Election Board at 918-756-2365 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. You can also find the Okmulgee County Election Board on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/OkmulgeeCountyElectionBoard/. To view the ballot you are eligible to vote or to find your Election Day polling place and location, visit the OK Voter Portal: https://okvoterportal.okelections.us/.
Okmulgee County Election Board Secretary Ashley Carnes said early voting is open to all voters. “You do not need to provide an excuse to vote early. Oklahoma allows early voting for all elections conducted by the County Election Board or State Election Board—from school board and municipal elections to state and federal elections. This is a great option for those who will be out of town on Election Day,” Carnes said.
Early voting is available Thursday, Feb. 8, and Friday, Feb. 9, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Okmulgee County Courthouse at 314 W. 7th Street, Okmulgee, in the County Election Board office on the first floor, Room 102. Carnes reminds voters that early voting is not available at polling locations.
The February election is a multi-entity election but is not a countywide election. Voters eligible to vote in the February election must be registered within the following districts to be eligible to vote in the February election: City of Okmulgee, Okmulgee Public School, Mounds Public School, and Weleetka Public Schools.
Some voters may need assistance to vote because they are blind or visually disabled, physically disabled, infirm, or illiterate. Such individuals may request to have an assistant or vote privately and independently using the ATI device attached to the voting device. Those who require assistance should talk to their precinct official or contact the County Election Board directly for instructions.
For questions, please contact the County Election Board at 918-756-2365 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. You can also find the Okmulgee County Election Board on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/OkmulgeeCountyElectionBoard/. To view the ballot you are eligible to vote or to find your Election Day polling place and location, visit the OK Voter Portal: https://okvoterportal.okelections.us/.