Another business has opened its doors on Henryetta Main Street. Quite a crowd was on hand this past week to cut the ribbon for Coldwell Banker Select at 620 West Main. Helping people find their perfect home or expanse of land are Shelly Ribera and Saylor Smithers. The office has undergone a complete remodel that transformed the former Red Thompson real estate building.

May is traditionally known as “Buddy Poppy Month,” across the nation.
In Henryetta, the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post 539 marked that observance with a proclamation signed Thursday by mayor Michael Dickey. With him were VFW members.
Post members will be distributing red buddy poppies at Walmart and Homeland.
The local event is part of the annual event dating back to 1922 and is held along with the Memorial Day observance. The Buddy Poppy was designed to honor all of the soldiers in all of the wars, and it is the National flower of the National Memorial Day. All donations made to the VFW thru red buddy poppy drive helps veterans in so many ways.
Henryetta’s VFW helps veterans get their VA benefits, distributes food at the Feed the Vets program every 90 days, maintains all of the flags on Main Street, and we also sponsor the annual District 7 VFW Loyalty Days Family Freedom Festival to promote the American Spirit and community service.
In addition to those projects, the VFW places bronze military tombstone foot markers on the graves of soldiers, place flags on all military veterans graves at several cemeteries in Henryetta as well as the surrounding area cemeteries.

Two area students at The University of Central Oklahoma were recently honored at the annual Campus Leadership Awards ceremony, April 11.
James Brison, a business management major from Dewar, was named Outstanding Junior.
Mabrey Been, a professional media major from Henryetta, was named Outstanding Freshman.
“We are proud of our students and student organizations for their leadership efforts across our campus,” said Aubrey Frazier, director of student engagement at UCO.

Nichols Park is going to benefit from a couple of decisions by the Henryetta Economic Development Authority {HEDA} Monday.
Authority members agreed to fund up to $32,000 for electrical hookups and $27,500 toward roof repairs at the bath house.
City manager David Bullard said the electric hookups would help draw more people to camp at the lake and, in turn, bring more revenue to the town. Those hookups would initially be placed just to the east of the caretaker’s building. It would be the start of a long-range project that could eventually see camping sites spread throughout the park offering both tent and camping trailer spaces. He pointed out that a large metal tank could be placed at the park to be used as a camper waste dump site.
He presented a bid from Coy Construction in Okemah for $27,500 to remove the rusting and worn-out corrugated tin roofing at the bathhouse and replace it with new shingles. That work would include new decking on the roof, ice and rain guards, as well as replacing plank decking. A five year warranty is included in the package.
“Every week I have several calls asking about camping sites at Nichols,” said HEDA secretary Genny Moody. “I have to tell them it is primitive camping only with no electric or water.”
Bullard also discussed the plans for construction of a new water tower on the hill next to Warren Road overlooking the high school complex.
He said that water storage facility would replace an old water tank on the hill that has been unused for the past three years. It would increase water pressure for the hospital as well as residents in that area and help eliminate water supply disruptions for homes on the hill. Currently they are being served by the 50,000 gallon elevated water tower on North Third.
Bullard said work is underway getting the final easements for the sewer line that will serve the Casey’s store to be built west of town.
Authority members are reviewing a contract that would form a partnership between HEDA and the Okmulgee Area Development Corporation (OADC). No agreement was reached with authority members to bring back their ideas at the May meeting.