Local/Area News
The state of Oklahoma battle against COVID19 came to Henryetta Saturday morning. A half-dozen members of the Oklahoma National Guard's 63rd Mobile Support team were at Fountain View Manor disinfecting all surfaces.
Team leader Major Franklin Alexander said National Guard units have been working with longterm care facilities across the state for several weeks now. He said his team is booked up with other facilities for the next several weeks.
Fountain View CEO Jennifer Munholland said she appreciates the work by the guard. "They will spend several hours going over all surfaces in the building and even doing the remote controls in the individual rooms." To date, no cases of COVID19 have been found at Fountain View and munholland said staff members have been undergoing extensive helath checks to make sure they don't bring the infecton into the facility.
State senator Roger Thompson was on hand to watch the battle against he virus that has devastated the state budget. He said business reopening, however limited, is still a good thing for Oklahoma. "We need to get the economy going again. We are down $1.3 billion in our budget this year." Thompson pointed out the state does have ample supplies of personal protection equipment. "I have been working witht he Health Department to make sure they have what they need."
Because of the social distancing issue, residents at Henryetta Skilled Rehab have not been able to interact or even see family and friends since March. That was eliminated for a short time Friday afternoon as family members streamed by in a nearly 30-minute long parade. Residents were treated to a real party complete with music by Marcus Whitworth and the appearance of the biggest truck in the Henryetta fire department arsenal. "It's ben a long road," said social services director Reda Dunzy.
“The census is simply a population count, but anyone who thinks it doesn’t matter if they respond should think again. It has a direct impact on every man, woman and child in the country,” Thompson said. “Literally hundreds of billions of federal dollars are distributed to communities, counties and states on the basis of population, so when people don’t respond, it means they don’t get counted and we lose out on those much-needed funds.”
Thompson, who chairs the Senate Appropriations Committee, said those federal funds are used in a variety of programs and services, providing resources for local hospitals, mental health services, roads, public schools, nutrition programs, water and sewage systems and much more. After less than 76% of Oklahomans responded to the 2010 census, he and others throughout the state are trying to help raise awareness of how important getting a full count is to Oklahoma’s future.
“Every person not counted in the census costs the state approximately $1,675 per year in lost federal funding for ten years,” Thompson said. “That’s money we cannot afford to leave on the table, particularly as we deal with the quick and dramatic impact COVID-19 has had on our local and state economies.”
As of April 28, the national average response rate for the census was 54.3%, compared to Oklahoma’s overall response rate of 48.8%. The response rate for McIntosh County was 20.5%; in Muskogee County, it was 44%; in Okfuskee County, the response was 28%; and in Okmulgee County, it was 43.5%.
Looking at some of the local communities within the district, Checotah had the highest response rate as of April 28, at 47.9%. Okmulgee had a 45.7% response; Henryetta was 42.3%; Okemah was 40.5%; and in Eufaula, 34%.
“It literally just takes a few minutes to respond, but the financial impact on our hometowns, our counties and the entire state will last for a decade, so please, step up and be counted,” Thompson said.
Thompson said Oklahomans can mail in their completed census, complete it over the phone by calling 1-844-330-2020, or online at 2020census.gov.
For more information, contact Sen. Roger Thompson at 405-521-5588 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
East Main has been choked down to one lane in front of Taco Bell as city workers start installing a new 42-inch storm drain line. The line will replace a decades-old galvanized pipe that has rusted and collapsed backing up during heavy rains. The line will go east along Main then turn south of South E Street and empty into Coal Creek. It is estimated that some five weeks will be required before the project is completed.
As a salute and thanks to all healthcare workers, first responders and other essential personnel working the front lines to fight COVID-19, the 138th Fighter Wing, Oklahoma Air National Guard, included Henryetta in a flyover Thursday afternoon. The four jet fighters zoomed past Hillcrest Henryetta hospital as a number of hospital workers cheered them on. In addition, nearly 1,000 people were on hand packing the cemetery and hospital parking lots to witness the flyover.