Local/Area News

Sen. Roger Thompson, R-Okemah, has been appointed to serve on the Joint Legislative Task Force on the Grand River Dam Authority (GRDA). Thompson was named to the panel by Senate President Pro Tempore Greg Treat, R-Oklahoma City.Thompson Roger 1
Created by the Legislature in 1935, the GRDA is Oklahoma’s largest public power utility and is funded through the sales of electricity and water. The agency’s mission is also to serve as a conservation and reclamation district for the waters of the Grand River. The task force was created to study the functions, activities, policies, procedures and expenditures performed by the district and any related issues the task force deems appropriate.
“While GRDA does not receive state appropriations, it is a state agency, and as such, we have a responsibility for oversight,” Thompson said. “I look forward to working with my fellow legislators on behalf of the people of Oklahoma who rely on the GRDA.”
The task force includes five members of the Senate and five from the House whose legislative districts include a portion of the GRDA district. Members are appointed by the leaders of their respective chambers.
Hillcrest Henryetta has vaccinated more than 1,000 individuals since opening a public vaccine clinic on Jan. 5. Starting Feb. 3, the clinic begins administering second doses. To ensure supply, clinic administration maintains a vaccine reserve, so that second dose vaccines will be available. If inventories run low, the hospital will suspend first doses on new patients and redirect vaccines to meet second dose requirements.
“Making sure we have meet the requirements for a second dose is a top priority for us,” said Dee Renshaw, Hillcrest Henryetta CEO.
“Overall, the clinic is going well and the vaccine side effects continue to be minimal,” Renshaw said. “We’re continuing to work with the state to ensure we can provide vaccines as long as our residents continue to request it.”
The vaccine clinic is located at 1924 W. Main. Individuals can schedule first dose appointments at 918-650-1314.
Three of the five Henryetta city council seats will be up for grabs this year.ward map
Candidate filing for wards 3 and 4 as well as council member at large starts Monday, Feb. 1 at 8 a.m. and will end at 5 p.m. Feb. 3. All three positions are four-year terms and are currently held by Janna Dugan in Ward 3, Jennifer Munholland in Ward 4 and Michael Dickey, council at large.
The city election will be held April 6.
All candidates wishing to file for those offices must be a resident of Henryetta and live in the ward they are seeking for at least six months prior to Feb. 1.
Declarations of Candidacy packets are available at the Okmulgee County Election Board office.
Henryetta is not the only town in the county with municipal elections.
Dewar will have openings in wards 2, 4 and 5. All are four-year terms.
Morris electors will be voting four council members for the two-year term for wards 1 and 3 and four-year terms in wards 2 and 4.
Beggs has the Ward 1, Ward 3 and Mayor’s positions up for election. They are four-year terms.
Anyone with questions about filing should contact the Okmulgee County election board at the court house in Okmulgee or call 918-756-2365.
A new aggravation is striking residents on rural mail routes south of Henryetta.
mail 2In recent days there have been reports of explosive devices placed in mailboxes resulting in some receiving minimal damage while others have been completely destroyed.
Postal authorities are warning the vandals that the thrills they are seeking can result in a hefty fine up to $250,000 for each incident as well as three years in federal prison.
Those mailboxes are protected by federal law and such acts is considered a federal offense.
In addition to the penalties from the United States Postal Service, any explosive device in a mailbox can also fall under the laws from the Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms division with even more penalties being added.
USPS officials said the damaged mailboxes have to be replaced at the cost to the owner and, until those mail boxes are replaced, mail cannot be delivered.
This spate of vandalism is the most recent problem facing residents in the southern part of Okmulgee County.mail 1
During the past month, several grass fires have been set along roadsides, mostly at night. They have been contained without much damage but, because grass and weeds are at their driest now, those fires can quickly spread and get out of control.
Local residents say they have seen vehicles believed to be driven by the responsible parties in each case and have given those descriptions to the sheriff's office. 
Mail box owners who have their boxes damaged or mail stolen are being urged to contact the USPS at 1-800-275-8777 or file a complaint online.

tax people

The arrival of tax season is drawing closer each day.
To help local residents with the annual process of filling out forms and submitting their payments to the IRS, help is being provided by AARP.
Tax help will be available starting Feb. 3 and continuing every Wednesday until April 7. Workers will be at the First Family Federal Credit Union Briefcase at 313 West Main.
AARP organizer Shirley McCowan said appointments are required by calling 918-268-8676.
“People need to bring their paperwork with them at the first appointment. A second appointment will be necessary to come pick up ytaxes and sign the return,” she said. Appointment times will be from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesdays.
Two extra times, Friday March 19, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday March 6 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., have also been set aside.
Volunteers helping this year are Amber Pippin, Heather Berry, Gail Jackson and Ashley Morris.