August 13, 2019 Issue, Page 1 of 8

Page Text

~ Third-graders from Miranda Scott's class at Merritt Elementary School began the new year last + Thursday. Shown here, from left, are Abbigail Evans, Allie Smith, Cassidy Carter, Braylee Van- Canute fiirst-graders enjoy some timeson the swing sét onnthefitrst dey Buren, Laney Drake, Milee Porter, Brady Harrel, Bronx Johnson, Khloe Davis, Maloree Shinn, of the school year last Thursday. Shown here, from left, are Abigail Braycen Drake, Kayle Capps, Kasen Dixon, Eric Merwin, Kolt Goodman, John Miller, Jesus Parra Schneberger, Geoffrey Thomas, Austin Janning, Levi Jarnagin and Simental, Madeline Terry, Nevaeh Lara, Katherine Mejia, Nolan Waite and Noah Magee. Staff Abel Schneberger. Staff photo by Don Munsch. photo by Don Munsch. Middle School receives Jim Brown, _ playing _ Jan, right, uses a silent expression to commu- grant to study flight nicate to Tomara Arm- strong, playing Joan, _ in the Unititled Pop Up Elk City Middle School will receive a year. The funds will allow students to ex- Theatre rendition of grant worth $4,900 as part of an Oklahoma plore the fundamentals of flight through 4 "Small Mouth Sounds," Aeronautics Commission (OAC) project. hands-on activities and is designed to build § playing 23-24 in Elk Thirty-nine organizations were awarded necessary skills in science, technology, en- City. Staff photo by Don Aerospace and Aviation Education Pro- gineering and math and to ensure that stu- Munsch. gram grants or contracts totaling over dents are aware that those skills can lead to $299,235 from the OAC. The record high-demand careers in the field of avia- amount of funds will be used to bring tion. more school-aged children in Oklahoma to Elk City Middle School teachers want STEM careers, particularly those in aero- space and aviation, according to a OAC to expose children to the aviation/aero- space fields. The Flight and Space program Theater to bring ‘Sounds’ to Elk City news release. The OAC approved the fund- includes lessons on fundamental flight By Don Munsch, Editor The play is about six people from the city ing at its most recent meeting. principles and the piloting of drones. This Untitled Pop Up Theatre digs into a differ- who embark on a retreat in the woods. It will The Commission approved an education program also alerts children to all of the ent kind of approach to storytelling with its be performed at 8 p.m. each day at 600 E. grant for the Elk City Middle School pro- possible careers in the aviation indus next production, “Small Mouth Sounds,” to ‘7th St. in Elk City, and the play is performed gram to be held in the 2019-2020 school See School grant page 2. be performed Aug. 23-24. See ‘Sounds’ page 3. Bond issue in Canute includes event center By Don Munsch, Editor held at 6 p.m. Sept. 3 at the Heritage Center boxes of needs.” a lift, two activity buses and then one small A new event center, for sports and other in Canute. Through the bond, the district would pur- 14-passenger bus. Current route buses are at purposes, will be built in Canute if taxpayers In the event center, school officials would chase four route buses, a handicap bus with See Canute Bond page 2. approve a bond election next month. be able to hold banquets, proms and gradu- Beckham County shows Voters will go to the polls on Sept. 10 to ations. The new event center would be built decide on two propositions: One for an event in response to resident concerns. center and one for transportation needs. The “The community had spoken up about the foot and offer a performance stage and a auditorium for graduations and programs, positive economic stats new event center would be 33,750 square fact that we are unable to fit everyone in the 1,086-seat gymnasium, and that proposition and so when the community started com- also would include two school vehicles and ing forward with their concerns, we started By Don Munsch, Editor June, ahead of May’s 123. Jim Mason doesn’t like hearing the Chick- “This is what I get from the state each a remodeling of a restroom for ADA com- looking at what we could do,” Henderson en Little theories about the local economy. month,” Mason said, showing a data sheet pliance in the junior high/high school area, said. for a total amount of ajust a little over $13 The gym, built in 1984, does not have air “The sky is not falling,” said Mason, di- revealing employment figures each month. rector of economic and community develop- “T go over to our page and this tells me each million. The second proposition would be conditioning, Henderson said. transportation equipment, or buses, in the “It’s a fantastic structure and it serves its ment for Elk City. of the towns that I kind track to see what’s amount of $630,000. purpose very well,” she said. It was a line he used more than once in an happening.” The Canute school board called the bond She said district officials’ first instinct was interview last week. Beckham has a lower unemployment rate election in July at a special board meeting. to renovate the gym and its lobby to meet “Overall, I just hate to see people spread- that four other nearby counties, from the A bond committee was formed and got in- needs, but when officials looked at the total ing bad rumors to get people down — it’s not June data: Custer [2.7], Greer [4.0], Roger put from community members. The dis- picture, logistical problems came into play necessary,” he said. “We actually are doing Mills [2.7] and Washita [3.2]. trict hopes to build the event center across and then the cost of renovating the existing fine. I get it that if you're laid off it’s not “Obviously. we've had some layoffs, but the street from the current school building, structure was just a little less than building a fine, but for most of the community, it’s fine most of those people apparently have found but it would encroach on the current school brand-new building, Henderson said. and getting better.” work,” Mason said. “And then we’ve had property. “We don’t have a separate PE facility for Mason pointed to good sales tax figures additional people who have moved into “The city has begun the process of closing our elementary students who do not play in Elk City and job numbers, among the area, and I say moved in in terms of looking Fourth Street at this block, so we’re waiting basketball, and so we want to meet that promising signs. The job figures, the latest for work in Beckham County. They may not for information to see see whether or not it need as well,” Henderson said. “So by hav- available, showed Beckham County had live there.” is possible to do that,” Superintendent Jill ing a third facility, more or less, we could a 2.6 percent unemployment rate for June, Although there has been a slowdown in Henderson said. use one of our older gymnasiums for PE. So slightly higher than the number for May: 2.5 the energy sector, “we’ve absorbed some of A town hall meeting on the bond will be by building new, it really checked all of the percent. Otherwise, the numbers are encour- those jobs,” Mason said, explaining that oil aging, as 147 people got job placements in See Jobs page 2. Weather Vol. 117, No. 65 Mail delivery View online ‘ (OL OW » tomorrow 92 / 69 75 cents, 8 pgs. 580.225.3000 elkcityoknews.com