YOUR BUSINESS IS OUR BUSINESS VOL. 126 NO. 13 ■ JOURNALRECORD.COM Part of the network 2 SECTIONS ■ THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 2021 ■ $1.00 A bridge to the future Joe Biden is sworn in as the 46th president of the United States by Chief Justice John Roberts as Jill Biden holds the Bible on Wednesday during the 59th Presidential Inaugura- tion at the U.S. Capitol in Washington. AP PHOTO/ANDREW HARNIK, POOL Biden takes helm as president FROM STAFF, WIRE REPORTS WASHINGTON – Joe Biden was sworn in as the 46th president of the United States on Wednesday, summon- ing American resilience to confront a historic conflu- ence of crises and urging people to come together to end an “uncivil war” in a nation deeply divided after An image of the Choctaw Nation Emerging Aviation Technology Test Center. PHOTO PROVIDED four tumultuous years Declaring that “democracy has prevailed,” Biden took the oath at a U.S. Capitol that had been battered by an insurrectionist siege just two weeks earlier. Choctaw Nation test range sparks new On a chill Washington morning dotted with snow flurries, the quadrennial ceremony unfolded within industry in southeast Oklahoma a circle of security forces evocative of a war zone and devoid of crowds because of the coronavirus pandemic. Instead, Biden gazed out over 200,000 American flags BY CHIP MINTY Grimsley weaves a narrative of technological ad- planted on the National Mall to symbolize those who The Journal Record vancement that places electric-powered aircraft at the could not attend in person. foreground of aviation within the current decade. Pi- Those not in attendance included his predecessor, When James Grimsley began leading operations lots could be maneuvering electric-powered air taxis Donald Trump. at the Choctaw Nation’s massive flight-testing range over sprawling cities like Dallas or Los Angeles by His presidency over, Trump left Washington southeast of McAlester a few years ago, his focus was 2025, and by 2030, electric drones could be dropping Wednesday morning well before the inauguration. He on advancing drone technology into the future. packages on residential doorsteps across the country. hinted at a comeback despite a legacy of chaos, tumult Drones are still the focus, he The former vice president for research at the Uni- and bitter division in the country he led for four years. says, but they are not necessar- versity of Oklahoma has been working with drones for “Goodbye. We love you. We will be back in some ily the future. Rather, they are a years and he now finds himself leading southeastern form,” Trump told supporters at Joint Base Andrews in bridge to the future. Oklahoma’s version of Kitty Hawk. Maryland, where he received a 21-gun salute as part of a The executive director of the The Choctaw Nation Emerging Aviation Technol- military send-off before boarding Air Force One for his Choctaw Nation’s Advanced ogy Test Center is a 44,000-acre test range over what private Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida. Technology Initiatives believes has been tribal ranchland for 200 years. More than a U.S. stocks set records Wednesday on encouraging “distributed electric propulsion dozen commercial partners have signed on with the business earnings reports and continued optimism that See related stories technology” is at the cusp of a Choctaws to use the site for testing unmanned aerial new leadership in Washington will mean more support on tribal economic major transformation that could vehicles ranging from a few ounces to a few thousand for the struggling economy. The S&P 500 was 1.4% impact. » pages 8, make aviation more accessible pounds. higher at 3,851 in afternoon trading, topping its record 9, 15, 16 and affordable for a large segment close of 3,824.68 set earlier this month. The Dow was of society. Turn to CHOCTAW » p19 up 220 points, or 0.7%, at 31,151 just after 3 p.m., and the Nasdaq composite was 2.1% higher. “The will of the people has been heard, and the will New ECU program of the people has been heeded. We’ve learned again that leads students « 3 » democracy is precious and democracy is fragile,” Biden down ancient Stitt pushes for schools to reopen; teachers said. “At this hour, my friends, democracy has prevailed. wait for vaccine If Oklahoma was following its own pathways » p8 This is America’s day. This is democracy’s day. A day in school safety protocols crafted this summer, no schools Native American history and hope, of renewal and resolve.” would be in-person right now based on the latest data chamber from the state Health Department. enjoys surge in INSIDE membership » p16 Turn to INAUGURATION » p18 News in Brief . 4A CRUDE OIL NATURAL GAS GASOLINE Around Town . 6A Legal . 8A People on the Move . 18A 0.30 .007 .0058 Classifieds . 1B. Crossword . 1B. Public Notices . 2B. Feb $53.28 Feb $2.539 Feb $1.5439 2A « January 21, 2021 « THE JOURNAL RECORD « journalrecord.com YOU + TFCU here for you on your path TinkerFCU.org Federally insured by NCUA journalrecord.com » THE JOURNAL RECORD » January 21, 2021 » 3A Stitt pushes for schools to reopen; teachers wait for vaccine BY JENNIFER PALMER ignoring quarantine guidelines from Oklahoma Watch the CDC and other infectious disease experts. COVID is raging in Oklahoma. The same day Gov. Kevin Stitt In-person instruction is critical, and tweeted “kids are SAFE in schools” in so is mitigating the spread of the virus. a push to open classrooms statewide, They are not mutually exclusive.” Lawton teacher Janette Garton received The policy was criticized by educa- an email. tors, House Democrats, superintendents “It is with great in Tulsa and Oklahoma City, and the sadness and a heavy Oklahoma chapter of the American heart,” it began. Academy of Pediatrics, which said Stitt The announcement misconstrued an AAP study to make his said a teacher in her case for opening classrooms. building had died. The study found COVID-19 trans- The mission was rare in the schools studied teacher, Joseph and there were no instances of child-to- McKenzie, a U.S. adult transmission. However, the schools Army veteran were operating on a hybrid schedule with who taught students attending twice a week, and the math and coached soccer in Lawton rate of community transmissions was 1 Public Schools, died Jan. 6 due to to 2 per 1,000 residents. Oklahoma’s cur- complications of COVID-19 at age rent rate is 80 per 1,000 residents. 59. A family member said he was not “The data referenced by Governor exposed at school. Stitt is based on a single study conducted News of his death shook Garton, in North Carolina in specific districts who was already stressed from the risks that strictly adhered to multiple miti- of teaching in a pandemic that has gation strategies,” the Oklahoma AAP killed nearly 3,000 Oklahomans. Like chapter wrote in a statement. “This is not most teachers, she’s still not eligible to Most Oklahoma schools are already open. But the Stitt administration is pursuing an ag- consistent with the current COVID-19 receive a vaccine – though she likely gressive push to immediately open the ones that aren’t, despite the state’s ranking as one surge in Oklahoma.” will be in the next few weeks as the state of the worst for coronavirus spread based on test positivity rates and hospital admissions. House Republican lawmakers sup- progresses through its phased rollout. PHOTO BY NOTE THANUN ON UNSPLASH port the push, with more than 50 signing Her county is designated “red” under on to a joint statement that reads, in part, the state Education Department’s risk- that the governor’s decision is “the right, level map and, along with most of the according to Education Week. to retire or leave the profession this year, safe thing to do for our children, their state, has been since mid-November. Instead, he’s pushing his agenda according to the Oklahoma Education families and our state educators.” Schools in red counties, which have publicly on social media; since Jan. 6, Association. reported more than 50 positive cases Stitt has tweeted at least 18 times to say “I think it’s worse than before the The quest to be vaccinated per 100,000 residents, are recommended schools should be allowing students to walkout,” Cole said. “We were just angry to pivot to virtual instruction. But her attend in person right now. then. Now we are scared and angry.” A major issue, teachers say, is the vac- school is open. He criticized Tulsa Public Schools’ cine is still out of reach to most teachers. “Most of us, we just feel like a cog in recent decision to hold off on bringing The politics of reopening In mid-December, Stitt announced a machine,” Garton said. “It’s like: OK, students back until after spring break teachers and school staff would be one teacher died. Let’s just stick a sub in in March, tweeting on Jan. 15 that the Differing strategies on COVID-19 moved up on the vaccine priority plan, there. school board’s decision was “based on mitigation in schools has caused Stitt a move that was widely applauded. But “This is my 31st year teaching and politics instead of the data which clearly and his administration to clash with because of short supply, only a handful I’ve never felt like this.” shows schools can be reopened safely.” Superintendent of Public Instruction Joy of teachers have been able to receive a In his calls for schools to And despite his prior disparagement Hofmeister.