MID-WEEK EDITION Have a great day! Thanks for supporting MHS TRIO COMPETE AT 4A your local paper! STATE TRACK Page 10 Tuesday, May 11, 2021 | Vol. 118 No.38 | 50¢ Pinnell big cheerleader for Oklahoma tourism Jim Ellis the history of Oklahoma,” one of the roles I really [email protected] Pinnell said Saturday wanted when I became at the Miami Travel lieutenant governor and o say that Information Center as part secretary of tourism — Oklahoma Lt. of TravelOK Days. I just saw a lot of space T Gov. Matt Pinnell “One of our greatest there that we could is gung-ho on tourism strengths is the tourism fill when it came to in the state is a major industry and we’ve got to promoting Oklahoma, understatement. talk about it and we’ve promoting shopping “I don’t think there got to talk about it more,” local, promoting is another state that can Pinnell said. “As secretary doing one or two more match the heritage and of tourism — that was vacations in Oklahoma Oklahoma Lt. Gov. Matt Pinnell visits with Shanda Schertz, manager of the vs. going to Arkansas or Miami Travel Information Center during a local TravelOK Days celebration Kansas or some of these other states. further help small business million of what the state spent their dollars: helping “It means thousands owners. The vision we had received was pumped into small business owners that of more dollars that we for it has happened.” the update of the centers. were adversely affected. are keeping local in our According to a 2018 That included installing We did that. But we also communities.” report, the travel and touchless entrances, wanted to make sure we The local celebration tourism industry in the touchless restrooms and invested money in helping was part of National state generated $9.6 counter barriers while an industry recover in Travel and Tourism Week, billion in direct spending freshening up the look Oklahoma.” an event that promotes the by some 21.5 million of each and adding some Pinnell said Oklahoma economic power of travel visitors. other perks. is one of the most sales in the United States. The renovation of the “The tourism industry tax-dependent states in the Tourism is the third Miami center which was was the hardest hit country. largest industry in completed late last year, industry during COVID. “A lot of Oklahomans Oklahoma. as well as 12 others across What we were trying to don’t realize how tax- It was hosted by the the state, was paid for by do is invest some COVID dependent we are,” he City of Miami and Visit Coronavirus Aid, Relief relief dollars to help that said. “To pay for police According to a 2018 report, the travel and Miami OK. and Economic Security industry to recover,” and fire and all the things tourism industry in the state generated $9.6 “These welcome (CARES) Act money. Pinnell said. “Most billion in direct spending by some 21.5 million centers across the state of An estimated $18.1 states that’s where they •Please see Tourism, visitors. Oklahoma are now hubs to Page 3 A body is recovered from Tar Creek City tweaks list of utility payment he Grand River Dam Authority Police Department has identified the male body recovered from creek waters near Miami locations TSaturday, May 8 as Casey Hampton, 24, Miami. Carla Nielsen Hampton’s body was discovered by a citizen who then [email protected] contacted the GRDA Police. Recovery was made in Tar Creek, just north of the tility customers of the City of Miami will have confluence with the Neosho River, near Miami. new payment options beginning July 1. The body was taken by the medical examiner’s office. U At the regular meeting of the Miami City No other details are available at this time. Council Monday, May 3, contracts were approved for three The investigation is ongoing. Grand River Dam Authority Police are shown local banks to accept Public Utilities Department payments investigating the discovery of a body in Tar from customers for the city. Creek near the Neosho River Saturday morning. “This year (Fiscal Year 2021-2022) is the sixth year for these utility payment contracts. For the past five years we have had Welch State Bank, First National and Security Bank take payments for us,” said Administrative Services Director Jill Fitzgibbon. “They all do it for free and we so Fairland holds groundbreaking for new project appreciate what they do for us. Then we were notified by Security this year that they would not renew their contract, roundbreaking so we reached out to three other banks: City National inside for a construction Walmart, IBC Bank, and Arvest. City National did respond project for the and said they would love to take payments for us.” G First National and Welch State will continue taking Fairland Public Schools was held Thursday, May 6. payments as they have been with no interruptions, but The $3.1 million project starting July 1, City National will be added to the list. will include three new Payments will not be accepted at City National until then classrooms, a storm shelter and Security Bank will continue to take payments through June 30. and high school roof refit, according to superintendent “Welch State Bank and First National will continue taking Jerry Johnson. payments Monday through Friday as usual,” Fitzgibbon The bond also calls for said. You do not have to be a customer of any of the banks to a floor resurface in the old gymnasium and buses make utility payments there, and you can go through the which have already been drive-thru — unless you are using a credit or debit card to purchased. make a payment. In that case, you will need to go inside the The bond issue passed in facility. August 2020. Customers must provide a credit or debit card, an ID, “We are really excited,” Students from the elementary, middle school and high school and the utility bill they wish to pay. All payments will be Johnson said. “We had participated in a ground breaking for new rooms and a storm shelter accepted daily until 5 p.m. and payments made on Saturdays tried it two times before that is part of a $3.1 million bond issue passed by voters at Fairland. will be processed on the following business day (usually and the third time was what Monday). The banks cannot accept any payments without the the community was most couple week and weather and high school participated from Tulsa for all they have customer’s utility bill/invoice; they will not charge a fee, excited about.” permitting, the completion in the ceremony. done, including coordinating and there is no minimum payment amount. The new building will be timetable is 270 days. “We would also like the groundbreaking Customers still can drop off payments at the customer located on the south side He’s hopeful that at to recognize and thank ceremony. service center at 129 5th Ave. NW, pay through the of the campus between the least the storm shelter will our General Contractor, “It is truly an exciting mail, use an automatic bank draft, pay online at www. old gym and the current operational by the next Construction Services time at our school and officialpayments.com (ACI Payments Inc.) or over the cafeteria. storm season. Group Marion Company we wish to thank the Johnson said construction Students from the from Neosho, Missouri, community for their •Please see Utility, will begin in the next elementary, middle school and BWA Architecture Firm support,” Johnson said. Page 4 WWW.REIDNEWSPAPERS.COM Insert inside: 50¢ PAGE 2 - MIAMI NEWS-RECORD, TUESDAY, MAY 11, 2021 Afton man arrested on 2 felony counts he Oklahoma State Bureau of TInvestigation (OSBI) Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Unit agents arrested a 38-year-old Afton man on charges related to child sex abuse. Glenn David Nickols was arrested on May 4, 2021 in Ottawa County for one count of Aggravated Possession of Child Pornography and one count of Distribution of Child Pornography; both are felony Glenn David Nickols charges. The investigation originated on March 24, 2021 when an Internet service provider flagged an account that was disseminating images consistent with child sexual exploitation. The Internet service provider reported the account to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) cybertip line. Based on the IP address being located in Oklahoma, NCMEC then forwarded the investigation to the OSBI. A search warrant for the email account used by Nickols Yakov Smirnoff revealed more than 100 images and two videos containing child pornography. ICAC agents observed the images of a pre- pubescent female child in a series of sexually explicit photos and found them to be consistent with child exploitation material. Based on the evidence collected, an arrest warrant was issued Comedy legend is back on for Nickols. Nickols was arrested without incident and transported to the Delaware County jail for arraignment. As the investigation continued, agents located and identified the pre-pubescent female child that was seen in the images. With at the Coleman the identification of the child, Nickols faces additional charges of Sexual Abuse of a Child Under the Age of 12 and Production of Child Pornography. He is being held without bond on the new charges until a court Carla Nielsen combines a mockery of life Ukrainian American tour. appearance is held. [email protected] under communism and of comedian, actor, and writer Smirnoff earned The OSBI ICAC Unit would like to thank the Delaware consumerism in the US, as of Jewish origin who began a master’s degree in County Sheriff’s Office, the Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office he Coleman well as word play caused his career as a stand-up psychology from the and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Tulsa for their Theatre will by his misunderstanding comedian in the Ukraine University of Pennsylvania assistance with this investigation.