August 20, 2019 Issue, Page 1 of 8

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i Serving Western Oklahoma Since 1901 Tuesday, August 20, 2019 Weekday Editi Hospital administrator supports Medicaid expansion service regardless of the ability of the person health insurance. Great Plains Regional or individual receiving that service to pay.” “So think about that for a second: Zero Medical Center CEO He said GPRMC sees about 15,000 unique ability to pay,” he said. “That means about Corey Lively makes a emergency room visits a year, and one about $8 million a year for our local hospital in point about hospital one-third of those people walk in without See Medicaid expansion page 2. costs during his talk at the Elk City Rotary Club Thursday. Staff photo by Don Munsch. Firefighters, police to square off on the court Elk City Fire Department battalion chief Darren Murray and ¥ Elk City po- lice Detective By Don Munsch, Editor hospitals open and allow others to improve Vanessa Cole Great Plains Regional Medical Center their care, will represent Chief Executive Officer Corey Lively sup- He began his discussion by asking Rotar- their depart- ports expansion of Medicaid. ians if they had eaten out with their family ments at the “We as a hospital, we want straight Medic- recently, and one Rotarian mentioned the Guns vs. aid expansion — that is better for us,” Lively restaurant and the bill. Hoses bas- said at the Elk City Rotary Club Thursday, “What would happen if she laid a $10 bill # ketball game giving an update on activities at the hospital and walked out?” Lively said, noting what on Sept. 7. and the ongoing issues of health care costs. would happen if other businesses allowed Staff photo by Rotarians received a handout that included people to pay for only part of the bill and Don Munsch information about Medicaid expansion, with leave. “Think about our business for a sec- Lively telling people that Medicaid expan- ond, think about health care delivery. Not By Don Munsch, Editor Olson, KOOL 94 radio personality Chad sion puts a $1 billion a year back into the just about hospitals, but physicians, dentists, Firefighters and police officers from Elk Roper and Elk City Mayor Nick Archer. economy in Oklahoma through health care optometrists — anyone in the health care busi- City will try to channel their inner LeB- All four people will be tased, each at some delivery. The handout stated in one of its ness. ... Hospitals, specifically emergency ron James when they battle each other in point during the game. The event also will bullet points that accepting federal funds to rooms, are the only business in the United the first Guns vs. Hoses basketball game include a silent auction. Raffle tickets are cover the uninsured in Oklahoma will keep States that is federally mandated to provide scheduled for Sept. 7 at Elk City Elemen- $5 apiece or eight for $25. tary School’s east gym. A concession stand will be set up at the Tipoff is at 7 p.m. There is no admission school, and the Department of Human Ser- New high school to the game, as donations will be accepted to raise money to benefit the Children’s Ad- vices representatives will operate the stand. Raffle tickets are available at The Brick vocacy Center for Beckham County/Roger in Sayre and The Attic Door and Western administrator returns home Mills. A meet and greet time with uniformed Pawn in Elk City. One of the firefighters explained how the police and firefighters and their equipment game got off the ground. a6 O| Debra Webb, who feta will be at 6 p.m. in front of the school. At “Actually, [ECPD Detective] Sammy CY went to school in halftime, the Elk City High School cheer- Weygand approached me about it earlier Sayre and most re- leaders will entertain and a raffle draw- this year and wanted to know if we'd be on cently worked at ing will be held to tase ECFD firefighter board,” ECFD battalion chief Darren Mur Altus High School, is Jeremy Justus, ECPD police officer Josh See Guns vs. hoses page 2. a new assistant prin- gone to the hospital to Elk City to be with views the students at school as her kids. cipal at Elk City High her daughter when her granddaughter was Webb spent the last 18 years at Altus High School. Staff photo by born and she was able to be back in Altus School — this is her 26th year in education Don Munsch. to attend the Homecoming parade at 2 p.m. — and was a teacher, counselor and was in that day. administration in some capacity and worked “And then we had our Homecoming game in alternative education. She said she pur- that night and all that good stuff, so it’s just sued a job here in Elk City because West- kind of a funny story,” Webb said. “Some- ern Oklahoma is home for her. She is a 1988 —_] ‘one said, ‘Oh, you’re one of those diehard graduate of Sayre High School and holds people.’ Yeah, I left school, took care of three degrees from Southwestern Oklahoma what I needed to do and went back and did State University: a Bachelor of Science in By Don Munsch, Editor Elk City High School, talked about how she what we needed to do. It’s sometimes hard education, a Master’s of Education in school Being a school campus administrator can performed a certain juggling act two years to balance family life, and as an administra- counseling and a Master’s of Education in mean wearing a lot of hats and trying to ago when she worked at Altus High School. tor, as you’ ve got these extra responsibilities administration. meet both the demands at home and work. Her granddaughter was born during the that you have, So it’s a challenge.” “My dad was a [cotton] gin manager Debra Webb, a new assistant principal at week of Homecoming in Altus. Webb had She added that, as an administrator, she See Administrator page 2. Elk City police arrest wanted man By Don Munsch, Editor office stated on its Facebook page. “We had our deputies Late Sunday, Manning Facility, the Facebook post immediately began search- Elk City police arrested an page. The man was sought setting up in the area, as did said on the SO Facebook stated. ing for the passenger, who Elk City man early Monday after he ran from a scene of Elk City PD, in case he tried page that a felony stop was “Before the vehicle even is believed to be the person after an alert was distributed a criminal investigation Sun- to run again, but the suspect initiated on a vehicle at the stopped, the passenger who actually threw the con- Sunday by Beckham County day. gave up, so that turned out 32 mile marker on Interstate bailed out and ran south of traband packages over the Sheriff's Office. “We appreciate the work not to be necessary. This is 40 late Sunday afternoon. the interstate and into a field prison fence.” The driver eventually gave The suspect, Jeremy Cu- of Elk City PD, who made the sort of good law enforce- The vehicle matched the and wooded area,” Manning information to the depu- carro, 39, was taken into the arrest following a tip ment work and partnership description of a suspect ve- said. “The driver was arrest- ties, leading to the suspect’s custody without incident by early this morning,” Sheriff between agencies that helps hicle that had just been spot- ed and the vehicle secured, identity, Manning said. Elk City police at about 4:30 Derek Manning said Mon- keeps | our communities ted delivering contraband to and deputies and troopers Cucarro recently was in a.m. Monday, the sheriff's day on the SO's Facebook safe.” the Northfork Correctional arrived on the scene and See Wanted page 2. ALCAN Weather tomorrow 173 Vol. 117, No. 67 75 cents, 8 pgs. 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