TODAY HIGH:48° LOW: 30° RECORDS | A3 SPORTS | A8 Mostly cloudy RealFeel: 48° / 31° WEDNESDAY HIGH:55° LOW: 40° Mostly cloudy; breezy in the GROVE MIDDLE SCHOOL RIDGERUNNERS GO afternoon RealFeel: 49° / 38° THURSDAY HIGH:57° LOW: 33° FALL HONOR ROLLS 1-2 IN DISTRICT QUAD Mostly cloudy RealFeel: 58° / 32° VOL. 123, ISSUE 6 | $1.00 Your Community. Your News. Your Website. | www.grandlakenews.com Tuesday, January 19, 2021 THE GROVE SUN Barnes begins third term as county clerk to prepare documents. Recording, “I loved doing the re- preserving search and was fasci- CAROLYN ASHFORD BOOTHE nated by the history.” After 18 years in the BancFirst’s new location at the corner of South Main and 13th Street features three drive through windows as part of Delco history the 5,000 square-foot location. abstract business, she took a job as a mort- Carolyn Ashford Boothe gage officer in Grove. [email protected] As a mortgage of- ficer, she was still in- Nelson named president of BancFirst JAY — The founder volved with the history of Apple, Steve Jobs, of property. New location on South Main now open said, “The only way So, in 2012 when to do great work is to County Clerk Carol Carolyn Ashford Boothe schools. Syrina is a member of love what you do.” Fortner announced her [email protected] several local organizations includ- That certainly sums up retirement, she filed ing the Grove Rotary Club, the how Delaware County for the job. While she GROVE — The newest bank lo- Grove Area Chamber of Com- Clerk Barbara Barnes had never worked in cation in Grove is BancFirst on the merce, and the Boy Scout Council. views her job. the office, she knew it very visible corner of Main Street She has an uncanny connection Barnes was first was her dream job. at 13th Street in front of Harps. to the new location. elected in 2012 and “I knew land records, While the location is new, the She was actually born in the is just beginning her but the other aspects location is just one of 100 locations Grove hospital once located on the third term as one of the of the office I had to that BancFirst has in Oklahoma. site. And ironically it took exactly busiest officers for the learn,” she says. The bank operates in 53 communi- nine months to complete the con- county. But long before There are many ties and is the largest state-char- struction of the new location. 2012, her interest in aspects to the County tered bank in Oklahoma. The new 5,000 square foot fa- the history of Delaware Clerk’s office other A familiar face, Syrina Nelson, cility replaces their former 1,200 Nelson County made her want than the land records. was promoted in December as square foot location. It features to be the county clerk. The duties include president of the Grove Branch. three drive through lanes and an agement, and mortgage services.” Barbara is a lifelong doing payroll for all 151 Syrina is a Grove native and has 18 ATM lane. Nelson says the loca- Since opening the location in resident of Delaware county workers, being years of banking experience. tion is a “one-stop shop featuring November, the number of ac- County, in fact, she is in charge of health and Her children are graduates of individual and business banking, counts has grown rapidly. the fourth generation retirement benefits for Grove High School and her six along with lending, a trust depart- living here. Her great- the county, being the grandchildren all attend Grove ment, insurance, treasury man- SEE NELSON, A3 grandfather was a cap- recording secretary for tain in the Civil War all the boards as well and the family settled as the County Com- in Delaware County mission, filing of all before statehood. She land records, divorces, graduated from Jay marriages, etc. Residents oppose rezoning High School and spent In addition, the 18 years in the abstract county clerk’s office business. pays the bills for all As part of her job county offices. for vacation rental home she often visited the Carolyn Ashford Boothe county clerk’s office SEE BARNES, A3 [email protected] GROVE — A hearing before the Grove Plan- ning and Zoning Com- mission on Jan. 12 for a special use permit to al- low the owners of a resi- dence to use the property as a vacation rental home CAROLYN ASHFORD BOOTHE drew major opposition The owner of a house in the Whippoorwill Resort neighborhood is seeking to allow it to from neighbors. be used as a vacation rental home. However, the com- mission recommended is not a policymaker. to approve a special use hearing and eight neigh- approval of the zoning It will be up to the City permit for property locat- bors sent letters in op- change to the Grove City Council to evaluate the ed off of Har-Ber Road at position to the proposed Council. Commission opposition to the zoning 1401 Leisure Road as a va- Special Use Permit. Chairman Steve Ward request. The Council cation rental home. If the Manning pointed out noted that the commis- will decide the matter use permit is approved, that he has used the CAROLYN ASHFORD BOOTHE sion can only consider at their next meeting on the next step would be to home as a rental for the Delaware County Clerk Barbara Barnes begins her third term in office. The office is responsible for not whether the request is Tuesday, Jan. 19. change the zoning. last five years and he is just filing property documents, but payroll and for all legal under the city ordi- The hearing was re- The request drew more county employees and paying the bills for all county nances and that the body quested by Herb Manning than five neighbors to the SEE ZONING, A2 offices including 21 county fire districts. Delco resident complains about lack of response Carolyn Ashford Boothe said that the one time nel as well as restricting than a year. Commission Human Resources Di- for vaccinations can be [email protected] she did reach someone potential ambulance Chairman David Poin- rector Vicki Cossairt ex- made by going to the who promised to address access. dexter asked that Smith pressed concern that the government’s website or JAY — A resident of her road issues, but no She asked that the be contacted by phone number of COVID-19 dealing 211. County Commission one ever came to address schedule for roadwork after the meeting. cases continues to rise Commissioners ap- District 3, Darla Smith, the issues. in the district be made Most of the meeting to more than 400 cases. proved a request by raised concerns about She said that Martin public so that she and dealt with reappointing The cases in the county the treasurer’s office road grading during last Kirk has not responded others could find out board members to vari- are the highest since the to transfer $400,000 Tuesday’s Commission to numerous messages when work was set to be ous boards and commis- pandemic began. from the general fund meeting. over a several month done on their road. sions for the new year. However, the Dela- to the Resale Account Smith who lives on period about problems Smith also asked if Among those was ware County Health and $750,000 from the South County Road concerning her road. She there was any training the reappointment of Department is provid- general fund to the Use 695 near Colcord indicated that a neigh- provided to road grader Poindexter to the Circuit ing vaccinations for first Tax fund. The transfer complained during the bor, who is elderly, often drivers. Smith claims Engineering Board and responders and those was necessary because public comment sec- must plow his own road that Kirk’s phone voice Jake Callihan of District over 65 years of age. The of cash flow issues. tion of the meeting that because during heavy mail is full and she was 2 was approved to serve health department has The commission- she has tried numerous rainfall the road becomes unable to leave messages on the Delaware County held six days of vaccina- ers pointed out that the times during the past impassable. for him. Health Department, the tions at their office in county actually is col- 12 months to contact She expressed con- Kirk replied that he has WorkForce Oklahoma Jay along with vaccina- lecting more tax money District 3 and has yet to cern about his safety and attempted to hire a road Board and the Sentenc- tions at the Civic Center than budgeted at the receive a response. She those of postal person- crew manager for more ing Board. in Grove. Registration current time. ESTABLISHED 1898 MEMBER OF THE OKLAHOMA PRESS ASSOCIATION 8 PAGES • 1 SECTION A2 THE GROVE SUN | GRANDLAKENEWS.COM Tuesday, January 19, 2021 NEWS EAGLE EYE CHARACTER COUNTS The Grove Upper Elementary recently was able to hold a drawing for two Character Counts stockings. Each Christmas a cafeteria worker, Ms. Nancy, makes two huge GAR CROW / GROVE SUN stockings and the staff fills them with surprises. Teachers nominate students with Photographer Gary Crow saw this eagle perched on a tree in Miami’s Riverview Park, outstanding character and then through a drawing one boy and one girl are selected. checking out things along the Neosho River. This year’s winners are Kaylin Vang, a fourth-grader, and Hagen Sumter, a fifth-grader. ECHOS FROM THE PAST Remembering Vin Fiz arely do situ- licensed to fly.