For Tuesday’s Okmulgee City Council election results, visit www.yourokmulgee.com and the Okmulgee Times Facebook page. Complete results will be published in Friday’s edition. Contest of candidacy hearing is Thursday Beggs resident withdraws PATRICK FORD NEWS EDITOR PATRICK FORD | NEWS EDITOR A hearing is set for Thursday morning at the Ok- The week of Feb. 15-19 was proclaimed Farm Bureau Week in Okmulgee Walker, County Clerk Cathi Murphy and Chair Ron Ballard for the signing mulgee Courthouse after a contest was filed with the County. District 9 Director Jim Week (back left) and Okmulgee County of the proclamation. Okmulgee County Election Board. Farm Bureau Board member Richard Raby joined Commissioner David Janna Sue Duggan, a candidate for the Henryetta Office of Councilmember at Large, filed the petition Friday against Steve Sanford. She alleges Sanford is not qualified to run for the post stating he is not a resident in the city limits. Farm Bureau Week is Feb. 15-19 “He owns a business in city limits, but his primary residence is outside city limits,” Duggan stated in the Chris Borjon elected to County Fair Board post petition. In his filing, Sanford lists his address as 9724 West PATRICK FORD of the agency. Okmul- to the benefit pancake this Thursday also at the SEE CANDIDACY, PAGE A3 NEWS EDITOR gee County Farm Bu- breakfast this Saturday fairgrounds. A proclamation declar- reau has served farmers at the fairgrounds. Commissioner Ron ing the week of Feb. 15- and ranchers since 1944. The event will be from Ballard also announced 19 as Oklahoma Farm There are 1,584 member 7:30-10 a.m., and pan- the new County Fair Bureau Week was signed families in the county. cakes, sausage, bacon, Board member. Monday by the Okmul- Also in attendance was milk and juice will be The election for the Extreme cold gee County Board of Leslie Lewis, OSU Ex- served for a $5 donation. District 3 seat was held Commissioners. tension Educator and Proceeds will be used Saturday in Dewar. Chris Oklahoma Farm Bu- member of the Okmul- to support the FFA/4-H Borjon won the election reau District 9 Direc- gee County Farm Bureau youth and provide schol- over Marc Kutz, 53-29. returns to area tor Jim Meek expressed Young Ranchers and arships. • Blanket Purchase his appreciation to the Farmers. She invited the The County SpringOrders - S&H Autocare, Icy conditions, snow board for their support county representatives Livestock Show begins SEE BUREAU, PAGE A8 possible for county PATRICK FORD NEWS EDITOR A strong weather system is bring- Okmulgee School board approves ing extremely frigid temperatures to the state and the county. The National Weather Service re- ported earlier this week, the surge amended calendar of arctic air will drop temperatures in the teens with wind chill values Superintendent gives district report near, at or below zero degrees. Areas of light freezing drizzle PATRICK FORD The district will use four of those “We have plenty of teachers and were predicted beginning last NEWS EDITOR as snow days beginning this Fri- support staff that have signed night until today. An amended calendar was ap- day and continue through the first up,” Dove said. “This is for Pre-K Okmulgee County Emergen- proved Monday evening by the week of March. The other four through 12 and students will be cy Management posted areas of Okmulgee School board during days will be kept in reserve. required to have face-to-face in- freezing rain will be possible by their regular session. Dove also announced Summer struction.” Wednesday night into Thursday, Superintendent Renee Dove told School will be held the first three The sessions will not be con- with significant icing possible board members there were eight weeks of June and the last three ducted virtually. across parts of southeast Okla- extra days built into the calendar. weeks of July. SEE SCHOOL, PAGE A3 SEE COLD, PAGE A4 MCN Department of Health launches Driver killed in robots to assist in COVID-19 battle As healthcare facilities look for new and innova- rollover crash tive ways to battle viruses and bacteria that can pose a risk to employee and patient safety, the Muscogee PATRICK FORD fied as Brett Ferguson, 34, (Creek) Nation Department of Health (MCNDH) is NEWS EDITOR of Tulsa. The subject was turning to new technology to enhance cleaning pro- The Oklahoma High- pronounced dead at the tocols. way Patrol is investigat- scene by an investigator In January, MCNDH deployed two new Xenex ing a fatality crash from with the Medical Exam- LightStrike robots. These robots will be utilized at Saturday evening west of iner’s Office. the Okmulgee Medical Center and the Creek Na- Okmulgee. According to the OHP tion Community Hospital in Okemah. The robots The collision happened report, seat belts were in use pulsed xenon to create intense bursts of broad at 5:19 p.m. on State use by the driver. Weath- spectrum ultraviolet (UV) light that quickly destroys Highway 56 southbound er at the time was cloudy bacteria and viruses on surfaces without damaging approximately 40 feet and the roadway was wet. materials in the room. The robot works quickly and west of 120 Road, about The investigation is be- does not require warm-up or cool-down time, en- 11 miles west of the city ing handled by Trooper abling MCNDH to disinfect multiple rooms per day. limits. Levi Foreman of the Ok- “This new technology equips our Environmen- A Ford F-150 was trav- mulgee County Detach- tal Services (EVS) team with enhanced disinfecting eling eastbound on the ment of Troop B, with technologies. The robots, which will be operated highway, when it failed assistance by Trooper Jon by our EVS crew, are an added layer of protection to negotiate the curve. Cotner, and Lieutenant and disinfection,” Timothy Hicks, Chief Operating COURTESY PHOTO The truck left the road- Mark Stow of the Tulsa Officer, Hospital Services, said. “During this pan- An employee of the MCN Department of Health uses the new Xenex way on the right side and County Detachment of LightStrike robots. The tools are being used to help disinfect rooms at demic, we are doing everything we can to protect the Okmulgee Medical Center and the Creek Nation Community Hospital overturned an unknown Troop B. our patients and staff. The LightStrike robot is prov- in Okemah. number of times, com- Responding to the en to deactivate SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes ing to rest on its top and scene were members of COVID-19, on surfaces within two minutes.” a healthcare facility, including isolation rooms, op- caught fire. The driver the Okmulgee County More than forty peer-reviewed studies have been erating rooms, general patient care rooms, contact was pinned for about two Sheriff’s Office, Nuyaka published validating the efficacy of this technology, precaution areas, emergency rooms, restrooms and hours. Fire Department and Ok- Hicks stated. The robot can be used anywhere within public spaces. The driver was identi- mulgee County EMS. A2 • Okmulgee Times OBITUARIES Wednesday, February 10, 2021 Jim M. Carter Brenda Dawson Ellen Colbert November 18, 1931 - January 27, 2021 November 21, 1952 - February 4, 2021 November 21, 1941 - February 3, 2021 Jim Carter, of Okmulgee, Brenda Gail Daw- Ellen Greenleaf Colbert was born November 21, passed away peacefully in son was born on 1941, in Pierce, to Pauline Greenleaf and Ragle “Blue the early morning hours November 21, 1952, Boy” Warrior. January 27, 2021, at St. in Tulsa, to Jay Graveside services will be conducted Wednesday, Francis Hospital in Tulsa Leonard Beck and February 10, 2021, 1 p.m., in Oktaha Cemetery, with after a lengthy, debilitat- Barbara Ruth Beck Rev. Donald Brown, eulogizing. Public visitation was ing illness. He was born in (Miller). She passed held Tuesday, February 9, 2021, in the Precious Mem- Beggs November 18, 1931, from this life on ories Chapel/House of Winn Funeral Home-Musk- to Hub and Donna Carter Thursday, February ogee, during the hours of 11 a.m. until 5 p.m. and was the youngest of 4, 2021, at her home The family has been cared for by House of Winn Fu- five siblings. in Henryetta. neral Home-Muskogee. He graduated from She married Rob- Webster High in Tulsa and ert P. Dawson Jr. in received electrical certification from OSUIT. He proud- Beggs, on April 10, 1973. Jason Wayne Hill ly served in the U.S. Army for two years as well. As a devoted wife and mother, she always made September 20, 1978 - February 2, 2021 He married the love of his life, Gina Carter, March sure family came first. Brenda was an excellent 21, 2001, after being together 12 years. They spent 31 cook and enjoyed preparing meals for her fam- Funeral services for Jason Wayne Hill of Beggs were wonderful years together before his passing. He loved ily. She enjoyed gardening and canning. Brenda held Tuesday, February 9, 2021, at Greenleaf Indi- to make people laugh, being a pilot and flying, dancing, was quite versed at sewing and making clothes. an Baptist Church of Okemah. Interment was in the fishing and boating, playing saxophone and most im- She loved flowers and enjoyed taking pictures Greenleaf Church Cemetery. portantly, his family. of them. She cherished having everything orga- Jason was born September 20, 1978, in Claremore, Jim is preceded in death by his parents; and siblings nized and took pride in cleaning. Most of all, she to Maurice Cameron Hill and Nora Jane Harley. He Edith, Herb, Harold, and Maxine. He is survived by his loved her family very much.