Local/Area News
Attention all Henryetta Fighting Hens and Henryetta Knight alumni:
This is addressed to “Thehenryettan” editor and alumni of Henryetta Schools and more so the alumni of the Henryetta high school band. The Knight Brigade has a long history of participating in large parade events. The Tournaments of Roses Parade, John F. Kennedy inauguration parade, Cherry Blossom Parade, Pro Football Hall of Fame Parade for Troy Aikman, 2013 and 2019 National Memorial Day Parade in Washington D.C., just to name a few.
Our current adventure is a return trip to the 2025 National Memorial Day Parade. We first attended this prestigious event in May 2013 and presented the Pride of Henryetta to over 300,000 spectators. Those trips were funded through private donations and this is no exception. It is a large amount of money and we need your help and support. Without your previous accomplishments, we would not have the tradition we now enjoy. I am asking all of the Henryetta Hens and the Henryetta Knights alumni, whether you were a band student or not, “We’re all Knights or Hens”, to help us continue that tradition of showcasing the Pride of Henryetta.
Please donate what you can to help us. The standard of excellence and “Quest for the Best” is a high standard that we are trying to maintain. With your financial help we will be able to keep this tradition of participating in large national events alive.
No matter what activity you were a member of in Henryetta, we’re all Knights and Hens. Help spread the word to all alumni you can and thank you.
Any amount you can give is appreciated. We are in the process of building our band and it is events like this that makes the Henryetta Knight Brigade a positive aspect of Henryetta high school. All donors will receive recognition at our spring concert a couple of weeks before we make the journey to Washington. Remember, your donations are tax-deductible.
Checks can be made out to the Henryetta Band Boosters (DC Trip donation memo) and sent to Henryetta Public School, 1800 Troy Aikman Dr., Henryetta Ok., 74437
Alan Montgomery
Henryetta Knight Brigade
Band Director
RELATED:
Bingo games kick off band fundraising efforts
Candidates for state offices file with the Secretary of the State Election Board. Candidates for county offices file with the Secretary of the County Election Board.
Okmulgee County Election Board Secretary Ashley Carnes said the following offices are expected to be filled this year: County Commissioner District 2, County Clerk, County Court Clerk, and County Sheriff. Incumbents for those offices include: County Commissioner District 2 David Walker, County Clerk Tonya Day, County Court Clerk Charly Criner and County Sheriff Eddy Rice.
Filing forms and information for county offices may be obtained by contacting the Okmulgee County Election Board at 918-756-235 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. The Okmulgee County Election Board is located at 314 W. 7th Street, Room 102 and is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.
Filing packets for all offices are also available for download on the State Election Board’s website at oklahoma.gov/elections.
The filing period closes at 5 p.m. Friday, April 5, 2024. To see who has filed for office, visit the Oklahoma State Election Board website at https://oklahoma.gov/elections.html
The Okmulgee County Election Board is on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/OkmulgeeCountyElectionBoard
A morning of fun, games and food was capped off Saturday with an Easter egg hunt held by members of the New Life Assembly of God. Several hundred families turned out for the holiday "eggsitement" with the children doing their best to collect eggs that could contain some special prizes.
A tradition that goes back nearly 70 years continued Saturday morning at Nichols Park. The Henryetta Lions Club Easter Egg Hunt started just after World War II and has been a favorite holiday pasttime for parents ever since. Youngsters wearing ther Easter finest or just comfortable in play clothes scoured the baseball fields searching for the prize eggs. Several of the plastic containers held a slip of paper good for a new bicycle while others enabled the finder to receive a gold dollar coin.
Henryetta voters will be going to the polls in June to decide if they want to extend a once-cent sales tax.
The tax has been in existence for the past 20 years and was extended last in a 2014 vote. Funds from the penny are split with a half of it going to the general fund and the rest divided to Henryetta Economic Development Authority and the restricted city fund used to make note payments.
That call for a vote was made at a special city council meeting Friday at noon.
Nathan Ellis, a member of the Oklahoma Public Finance Law group, said the June vote is necessary to keep the flow of revenue consistent. “If we waited until August, the tax would fall off for three months he said.
“We need it,” said council member Jennifer Munholland.
After the meeting, city manager David Bullard said the money is necessary to keep city services operating as they are now.
Also during the meeting, council members heard of a plan to build a new water tower just off Warren Road west of town. It would replace a defunct tower that has serviced residents on the hill but is now inoperative.
To fund the project the city would borrow $4,750,000 from the Oklahoma Water Resources board. That money would be added to an existing loan from the state. It is expected to be paid off in four years.
Bill Myers, the head of the engineering firm that would be in charge of the project urged the council to start the project now. “The cost of goods is going up,” He said. “We need to lock it in now rather than wait.”
Councillor Munholland pointed out the rebuilt water tower east of town cost $1 per gallon when it was constructed. Current estimates are four times that amount. The current plans call for a 750,000 gallon tower but city officials are going to be looking at the bids with an eye for a one million-gallon storage tower.
The project would not be without an additional cost to local residents.
Ellis told the council there would be an increase in existing note payments. He said that increase would be covered by an additional $3.76 per month charge on each water bill for the next four years. “The payment would fall off in 2028,” he said.
When finished, the new tower would provide better service to residents both on the hill as well as better water pressure to the west side of town.
“If there is a new housing addition on the hill, there would be water for them,” mayor Michael Dickey said.
Myers said he would want to start construction before the end of the 2024 calendar year and would take about 12 months to complete.