IndianThe Eufaula Journal OKLAHOMA’S OLDEST NEWSPAPER, EST. 1876 EUFAULAINDIANJOURNAL.COM VOL 142, ISSUE 6 (usPs 261-620) – TWo secTions, 14 Pages – feBruarY 11, 2021 $1.00 Information sought COVID-19 impact goes beyond the virus in homicide Stress affecting students, teachers JERRY FINK ment. jected about a disease that The investigation into ing. MANAGING EDITOR It was the day the re- had not yet been detected the murder of Gregory Singleterry’s body was March 12 will be the ality of COVID-19 pan- in McIntosh County. Singleterry, whose body found at his home by Eu- first anniversary of the demic hit Eufaula. However, the pandem- was found Feb. 2 at his faula Police officers who day the Lady Ironheads The tournament was ic was spreading rapidly Sherwood Forest Addi- responded to a call. boarded a bus and head- canceled over fears of the in other parts of the na- tion residence, is con- D.A. Agent Kevin ed to Oklahoma City to virus and the team had to tion and the world. tinuing. Branscum said that due compete in the 2020 State board its bus and return Community transmis- As of Tuesday, there to the circumstances sur- 3A Basketball Tourna- home, frustrated and de- sion of the virus was first were no new develop- rounding the death the detected in the U.S. in ments. Violent Crime Task Force Feb. 2020 and by mid- The District Attor- was asked to lead the in- March all 50 states had ney’s Violent Crime Task vestigation. reported COVID-19 cas- Force is asking the pub- Branscum said anyone es. lic to come forward with with information about Since then, there have any information they the death should contact been more than 27 mil- Elementary School Counselor may have about the slay- him at 918-894-7787. lion cases in the U.S. re- Shasti James sulted in almost 464,000 deaths; in Oklahoma gering, but don’t tell the there have been almost whole story as it relates to Black History Month 405,000 cases and more students who have been than 3,800 deaths; and in forced to make dramatic ALMA HARPER Frederick Douglass (Feb. McIntosh County, 1,821 changes in their lives to GARDENIA ART CLUB 14). Both men greatly in- cases and 32 deaths. Black History Month The numbers are stag- See IMPACT, page A2 fluenced the Black Amer- Anxiety is the annual celebration ican population. of achievements by Black Douglass was an es- Americans and a time for caped slave who became recognizing the central an abolitionist and civil role of African Ameri- rights leader and Presi- School staff to receive cans in U.S. History. dent Lincoln signed the Black History Month Emancipation Proclama- $500 stipend is successor of Negro tion, which abolished History Week which was slavery in America’s con- initiated on Feb. 12, 1926 federate states. JERRY FINK ation has been scheduled by Dr. Carter G. Wood- MANAGING EDITOR for 1 p.m., Thursday, Feb. In the 1960s, thanks in Eufaula School staff son, noted historian and part to the Civil Rights 11. founder of The Asso- will be happy to hear they In an administrator’s Movement and a growing will be receiving a one- ciation for the Study of awareness of black iden- report, High School Prin- Negro Life and History time district stipend $500 cipal Heather Combs ex- tity, Negro History week thanks to federal COVID (ASNLH). has evolved into Black pressed her frustration, Known as The Associa- funds. as well as the frustration History Month. “They’re calling it haz- tion for the Study of Af- President Gerald R. of teachers, over COVID. rican American Life and ardous duty pay,” Super- “You think it’s going Ford officially recognized intendent Jeanette Smith History (ASALH), this Black History Month in away, get excited and organization was dedi- said. then it comes back,” she 1976. The School Board vot- cated to researching and Each year the ASALH said. “Two teachers are in promoting achievements ed unanimously to ap- quarantine and as I was selects a new theme for prove the payment. by Black Americans and Black History Month. The sitting here I heard from other people of African The money is to com- another teacher who said 2021 theme is “The Black pensate staff for its hard descent. Family: Representation, she had been exposed.” Dr. Woodson was con- work and out-of-pocket Combs said the school Identity and Diversity”. money they have spent cerned that the contri- It focuses on relation- might begin the day with butions of Black Ameri- in keeping the schools three students in quaran- ships, the ties that bind open. cans were overlooked or people together by blood, tine and be excited about misrepresented and be- “We’re one of the few the low number, and by by race, by social affinity schools that have stayed gan lobbying for Negro and by religious convic- the end of the day 10 may CITY OF EUFAULA | COURTESY History Week as early as open at this time. It’s be in quarantine. Work crew replacing lift station at J.C. Watts Avenue and Lake- tion. a credit to everybody,” shore Drive. 1915. When Negro His- The history of the black Combs and Middle tory Week was first cele- Smith said. “It takes a School Principal Jeremy family is an integral part whole crew to make it brated in 1926 the second of our nation’s heritage. Gragg reported that the Lift station improvement underway week in February was happen.” number of parents at- Black family traditions, The school received chosen to coincide with arts, sports and music and tending a recent parent- Construction is under- The new lift station will the birthdays of Abraham more than $1 million to teachers conference was spend on COVID-related way for the new waste- be more reliable, sit fur- Lincoln (Feb. 12) and See BLACK HISTORY, page A3 down. water lift station at J.C. ther back from the lake to items, which will include “We only had about 50 text books, masks, hand Watts Avenue and Lake- avoid flooding and have parents,” Gragg said. shore Drive. This is re- a back-up generator for sanitizers and other sani- Combs said the num- tation expenditures. placing an old lift station emergencies, he said. ber at the high school was that often malfunctioned According to Foos “With 1,200 kids and similarly low. 150 staff, we go through a and occasionally caused the construction cost is She attributed the low sewer overflows in the $234,478. Of that amount lot of masks,” Smith said. number to the fact that A special meeting to area, according to City $63,000 is funding from discuss the COVID situ- See STIPEND, page A3Manager Jacob Foos. See LIFT STATION, page A3 Weather is brrrrr-fect, for polar bears Frederick Douglass Abraham Lincoln JERRY FINK McManus said it’s pos- There are no local road Seminole, Okfuskee and MANAGING EDITOR sible that the tempera- closings or power out- Hughes County. Schools in Eufaula and tures may not get back to ages. Reduction in services High School searching Checotah were closed above freezing until Feb. “Folks just need to were approved through- Tuesday due to inclement 20. slow down,” Whittle said. out much of the state, es- for veterans weather, with tempera- Locally, the weather U.S. 69 northbound pecially in the north and tures dipping into the low has not caused any major and southbound traffic west. The Eufaula High the veteran, the year they 20s with the chance of problems as of late Tues- between Savannah and McManus said the School EAST Program graduated and in which snow and icy roads. day morning. Kiowa was shut down state may be in store and the History Depart- war they participated. The temperatures McIntosh County/Eu- early Tuesday due to ice for some of the coldest ment are asking that any- The time period in- aren’t expected to get faula Emergency Man- on the road and multiple weather it has had since one who has a relative who cludes: above freezing for at least agement Director Suzie vehicles off the roadway. Feb. 10, 2011, when tem- graduated from Eufaula World War I, World the rest of the week and Whittle said the only ma- Due to the weather, peratures bottomed out High School and par- War II, The Korean War, could be about 30 degrees jor accident reported was the Commissioner of at -31 degrees in Nowata, ticipated in wars fought The Vietnam War, Opera- below normal for as many one near the dam involv- Public Safety at about 5 the lowest temperature during the 20th and 21st tion Desert Storm, Opera- as seven days, according ing four vehicles, includ- a.m. Tuesday announced ever recorded in the state. centuries to contact Alli- tion Enduring Freedom to Gary McManus, State ing a semi. a temporary reduction He said the weather son Aday at akaday@Eu- and Operation Iraq Free- Climatologist with Okla- “But there were no in- in non-essential services could rebound some on faula12 with the name of dom. homa Mesonet. juries,” she said. in Pittsburg, Wagoner, See WEATHER, page A3 PAGE A2 • THE INDIAN JOURNAL • February 11, 2021 IMPACT from page A1 The isolation factor af- this area. dents who didn’t want to fects different students in “I’ve seen an increase wear the masks,” Ranallo different ways – but most in stress levels due to said. “For the students crave socialization, which the challenges associated that are here at school we is difficult under the so- with distance learning at haven’t seen that much cial distancing require- times, student/teacher of an issue with it.