Local/Area News

hef check

When the cast members of “The Music Man” steps onto the stage at Henryetta High School, they will be dressed in full costume paid for, in part by the Henryetta Education Foundation. The organization presented a $5,000 check Wednesday to Justin Been. It makes up about half of the cost of the costumes that are being rented for the May musical. Cast members surrounded HEF president James McCullough, HEF member Jill Francis and Been at the presentation. In the photo below, Been shows off the sound board that gives the musical performances a professional presentation. It was purchased two years ago also through a Henryetta Education Foundation donation.

sound board

 

tree trim

The City of Henryetta will begin trimming trees in the road easements mid April and this will continue off and on throughout the spring.
“Signage obstructed by tree branches or shrubs will also be targeted during this time,” said city manager David Bullard. Because a tractor with a side mounted brush cutter will be used to trim during this time, the city is urging landowners with trees growing into the easement that they trim these or have an arborist perform the job.
Anyone with questions questions in regards to if their trees will be trimmed or not should call city hall at 918-652-3348.

Two area all Black communities are part of what will become the Oklahoma Civil Rights Trail.
Clearview and Grayson are included in the trail that is designed to highlight the Black towns across the state.
Sen. Kevin Matthews, D-Tulsa, authored the bill that is providing $1.5 million for a revolving fund to develop the trail. Legislation creating the framework was approved in the 2023 session and signed into law by Gov. Kevin Stitt. Matthews said SB 1356 will enable the project to move forward.
“These communities and sites are part of Oklahoma’s identity, and the trail will shine a light on that history, the importance to the U.S. Civil Rights Movement, and inspire future generations,” said Matthews.
“This will help us educate our own citizens about that history and will also attract tourism dollars from across the country and around the world.”
Matthews said the Oklahoma Civil Rights Trail will begin at Standing Bear Park, Museum and Education Center in Ponca City, then proceed to the site of the 1920s “Osage Reign of Terror,” in Fairfax. The trail will continue through the state’s all Black communities, including Boley, Brooksville, Clearview, Grayson, Langston, Lima, Red Bird, Rentiesville, Summit, Taft, Tatums, Tullahassee, and Vernon. The trail then moves to Greenwood Rising and the Pathway to Hope, in Tulsa, before ending at the Clara Luper Center, to be built in Oklahoma City.
SB 1356 now moves to the House of Representatives, where Rep. Ken Luttrell, R-Ponca City, is the principal author, with co-author, Rep. Jason Lowe, D-Oklahoma City.

Nearly a year ago five Henryetta teens were murdered in a shocking event that stirred the hearts of all Oklahoma.
Those five, Rylee Allen, Tiffany Guess, Michael Mayo, Ivy Webster and Brittany Brewer, will be remembered May 5 with a special motorcycle memorial ride in Henryetta.
At the city council meeting Tuesday, Nathan Brewer requested the use of Nichols Park as a staging area for an expected 3,500 motorcycles. He said the ride will start at noon from the ball field parking lot. It will come to town then down Main Street to East Trudgeon then riders will go east on Holly Road. That will take them past the house and land where the murders took place.
He said riders will start checking in at 10 a.m. then the ride will begin at noon. “It’s a come and go event. We are expecting around 7,000 people.”
Brewer said food trucks, vendors and live music will be held at the park.
Council members approved the use of the park but expressed concern over the traffic congestion that many riders may cause at the intersection of Main and Lake Road. Police chief Steve Norman suggested using traffic cones to block off the outside traffic lane allowing the riders to turn onto Main unimpeded.
From Holly Road, riders will turn north on Arbeka Road to US 266 then back through Dewar to Frisco. They will go down Trudgeon to Ninth then out Main Street to Dewey Bartlett, turning onto US 62 and back to Main eventually going back to Nichols Park.
The city council also approved Josh Craig to hold a disc golf tournament the Day before, Saturday, May 4.
A suggested ordinance prohibiting hunting within the city limits will be reviewed and rewritten. The ordinance banned any hunting on city property as well but it was pointed out that Jim Hall Lake is used by duck hunters.
Another special event, the annual First Family Federal Credit Union car and bike show, was given permission to be held on Main Street. First Family CEO Dvid Dykes said the car show will be held Aug. 31 and is expected to have more vehicles on hand. He said the show was moved from Nichols Park after some auto enthusiasts said they did not like parking their vehicles on grassy surfaces. Last year some 120 participants entered the show and more are expected this year.
Dykes pointed out that the show on Saturday will benefit the town through people being able to shop in local stores.
In other council business, Grass Grabbers was awarded the contract to mow all city parks as well as overgrown lots cited by the city.
A request to place a mobile home on a lot near the intersection of Northeast first and John was approved. The city planing and zoning commission approved rezoning the area to allow manufactured homes to be placed there.
City manager David Bullard said the owner would place the mobile home on a permanent foundation.
Council members approved spending $343,735 for a new trash truck. The truck would be financed through First Family Federal for 72 months. The credit unit was the low bidder with a 5.30 percent interest rate.
Also gaining approval was the withdrawal of a lump sum pension payment for Ray Kissee. He has been with he city for 44 years.

tuesday house fire

A house west of Henryetta was turned into charred rubble early Tuesday morning. The fire damage was so complete that an exact cause of the inferno is not able to be determined. Fire crews from Henryetta and Dewar were on hand to make sure the blaze did not spread. No one was injured in the fire.