April 5, 2019 Issue, Page 1 of 14

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Serving Western Oklahoma WEEKEND Since 1901 EDITION Friday, April 5, 2019 Elk City High School announces DeWitt as new band director tor Randy Brooks retires at with that had a vision for the the end of the academic year. program to move it forward,” DeWitt began at ECHS in Garrison said. “It was just 1997 and hasbeen assistant _a very good situation for us. the duration of his time at the We have a guy that’s already school. He said district and on staff and understands and killed in fire school officials posted the knows the expectations and assistant director job open- knows what our band is about. ing and hope to find anew Wejust feel like he’s going to assistant band director by the __ step in there and just make a end of April. seamless transition.” Afire at this home killed three people on Wednesday, Elk City Public Schools Brooks said DeWitt was the includinga young boy. The fire’s cause has not been Superintendent Rick Garri- “logical person” to step in as determined. Staff photo by Don Munsch. son said he considers DeWitt the new head director. to be kind a “Lincoln Riley “With 22 years working By Don Munsch Editor hire” in that DeWitt follows _ together there’s acontinuity, someone who was success- so the transition will be seam- Ayoung child was one of three people who died in a house ful in the job and established the program. (Riley,the head Jess,” Brooks said in an email. “He has the relationship with fire Wednesday in Elk City. The boy, around 2-years-old, along with an adult male and football coach at Oklahoma, the kids to keep the tradition was named head coach after _ alive and growing.” female died in the fire in a trailer home located in the 1900 block of West Seventh Street, Elk City Fire Department of- Tim DeWitt, longtime assistant band director at ElkCity _ Bob Stoops retired two years Anative of Lawrenceville, ficials said. Elk City Fire Department crews were called to High School, will take over as the school’s band director ago. Riley had been the Soon- _III., DeWitt moved to Black- the fire around 2:45 pm. next year. He replaces Randy Brooks, whois retiring. ers’ offensive coordinator well and attended school The three people who died were asleep at the time of the after being at the school since 1993. Staff photo by Don before moving to head coach.) _ there from second grade to fire and by the time they awoke, it was too intense and they Munsch. Garrison and principals felt high school, graduating from were unable to evacuate in time, fire officials said. They all comfortable about DeWitt Blackwell High School in died at the scene, and their bodies were sent to Oklahoma By Don Munsch director at Elk City High stepping into the job after 1989. He attended Southwest- City for autopsies. One man who lived in the home did Editor School. talkingne i andShowa em Ofiaboraa stale Tales escape, but his condition and whether he was treated were i a ois e wasthe right person for _sity, and after finishing there, unknown at press time, Names were not available at press | Tim DeWitt, assistant band 6 job, ha heegot his first teaching job in time. Elk City school district director at ECHS, has been ““WWe were just very fortu- Hobart, where he spent three Fire officials said it doesn’t appear there were any working administration did not have to named to fill the position that pate to have a very talented smoke detectors in the home. look far to find thenew band —_will become open when direc- _person that [Brooks] worked See New director page 2. The fire’s cause is undetermined, but fire officials suspect electrical issues. The state fire marshal will conduct the i investigation. Walkout fallout: Elk City Educators look back Commissioners public education. Legislation has been filed to award a cost of living adjustment- the first approve fence in more than a decade - for retired teachers and other By Don Munsch retired state employees. Editor “T think the climate in Okla- homais starting to change,” The Elk City City Commission on Monday approved a pur- Ediger said. “I think it’s chase from an Elk City fence company for a fence to be put probably back in the public around the Thunder Court at Ackley Park West. school favor. I don’t think a The Thunder Court is a basketball court that was dedicated walkout now is appropriate in late January by the Oklahoma City Thunder Cares Foun- and not going to be supported dation and Enable Midstream Partners. No fence was erected by the public or alot of the for the court, and basketballs that miss or clank off the rim teachers.” can easily roll away, including into a nearby road and park- Hooper, though, said she ing lot. City officials wanted to rectify that situation, but they would support another walk- also wanted to build a fence for security purposes. out if schools don’t receive Commissioners approved $12,540 for the 10-foot fence more funding. She said would from Jerry Brown Fence Company in Elk City. The money rather see more money for will pay for labor, equipment and materials for the black- school needs than a proposed coated chain link fence. City Manager Lee Litterell said the Justin Ediger sees a fresh start for Oklahoma public education as new legislative teacher raise of $1,200. fence will be installed ata time that fits in the company’s leaders begin work in Oklahoma City. Ediger teaches at the high school and was part of “T would rather have it in schedule. adelegation that went to OKC last year during the walkout. Staff photo by Don Munsch. my classroom than have it in Litterell told the commission the city received a bid for my pocket -it’s getting that $9,900 for a galvanized metal fence, but he recommended the desperate,” she said. black-coated chain metal because ofits appearance. By Don Munsch walked out for three days last wanted more money. We had “Aesthetically, it looks better,” Litterell said. Editor year, according toastoryin _ already gotten a raise- that ‘The Walkout He said a local company would like to donate some light the Elk City News. Delegates _ wasn’t the issue. The issue Delegation sizes here from poles for the basketball court sometime in the future. Elk City Intermediate from Elk City went toOKC. —_ was funding for our class- Elk City last year ranged ‘Also Monday, the commission tabled an agreement be- School teacher Cathy Hooper State lawmakers eventu- rooms, and that’ssomething —_from 35 people on the small- | tween the Elk City Industrial Authority and Studio Architec- tires of having to buy her own ally approved teacher raises, we did not get and stillhave _est day and 55 to 60 people on _| ture PC for services related to Elk City Activity Center, to be supplies for her fifth grade support staffraisesandsome _ not gotten. That struggle is the largest day, Ediger said. built at Ackley Park West. Commissioners wondered about language arts classroom. additional school funding. real.” “Ultimately, we were there | costs for different services to be done for the center’s con- But Elk City High School “[ think that it really But another walkout? for nine days; I went over struction; the agreement they were to consider was $681,350. vocal music instructor Justin brought awareness tonotonly _“Ithinkhere in our district, there for nine days,” Ediger They had enough questions about the agreement that they Ediger doesn’t foresee a legislators but also the public Iwouldsay most everybody said. thought the best course to take was to table the matter. They repeat of last year. about how low our pay really _in our district would not Teachers here were mostly | also tabled the item at their last meeting, held on March 20. Arepeat meaning ateacher _ was, and I think the Legis- support another work stop-_supportive of the work stop- Commissioners meet again April 17. walkout staged in Oklahoma —_lature was made aware that _page like they did last year,” —_page, according to internal City attorney Steven Holloway sympathized with commis- schools and protests in Okla- we were serious about this,” __Ediger said. “We all want polling atthe school campus- | sioners if they wanted to take a deliberate approach. homa City regarding funding Hooper said. “We weren’tjust more funding, weneed more _es, he said. “Twouldn’t blame y’all a bit of you ask for additional detail issues. Ediger, high school asking for money, we were _funding, and support is not “Here at the high school, with this,” Holloway said before the vote. “Two weeks is not Oklahoma Education Asso- demanding money, and we —_where it needs to be.” it was 95 percent of our staff _|_a big deal in the grand scheme of things. Neither has the last ciation representative, and _weren’tjust asking for raises, Yet Ediger has hope inthat _ here at the high school who two weeks been, [or] this month. Because ofthe scale of the Hooper discussed whathas _ either. I think that’s been the new governor is receptive were forit,” he said. “Itwasa | project and stuff- I don’t blame you. It’s not a legal issue, happened in education since a public misconception. I to concerns and the current —_ majority in all the other it’s a comfort issue and a knowledge issue, and you've goto the nine-day walkout one think people thought we were _ legislature now has a lot of respond to taxpayers and media and stuff, so I don’t blame year ago. Teachers in Elk City just walking out because we new members who are pro See Post walkout page 2. | you abit.” il Ill Ill UI Weather 69 15 5 Vol. 117, No. 28 Home delivery View online « sore las 4 34 » tomorrow del 75 cents, 18 pgs. 580.225.3000 ecdailynewsonline.com