May 6, 2020 Issue, Page 1 of 8

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Serving Western Oklahoma Since 1901 Wednesday, May 6, 2020- Weekday Edition Elk City salutatorian wants to pursue career that her father couldn’t band and was the soccer manager in her senior year. Also during high school, she participated in the Multicultural Club, Recycling Club, student council and Spanish Club. She said it “feels unreal” to finish as the second-ranked student in the class. “Tt was just really hard to get here and took a lot of hard Randi Burkart, center right, was recognized work, and I truly wasn’t expecting it because I was in third recently for helping a traveler who needed for my first three years,” she said. “But then, my senior year, help as he came through Elk City. Also shown I took some AP classes, and I was able to catch up to the here are, from left, Brian Hutchinson, direc- person who had beaten me the past three years and surpassed tor of marketing for Hutch’s; Erin Williamson, that person.” director of training for Hutch’s; Liz Hernan- She said her academic success took a lot of commitment. dez, manager of Hutch’s 103 (Westside); and Anahi Garcia In addition, she had something that inspired her. David Hutchinson, co-owner of Hutch’s. Sub- “For me, it was my parents,” she said, “I wanted to make Editor’s note: This is the first in a series of stories on area mitted photo. them proud and so I just tried really hard in school.” high schools’ valedictorians and salutatorians. By Don Munsch, Editor Garcia is the daughter of Hilda Medina and Jorge Garcia. Hutch’s Elk City High School senior Anahi Garcia will finish as grade. salutatorian of the Class of 2020. She will attend Southwestern Oklahoma State University Anahi grew up in Elk City and has been here since the first The last several weeks of school have been a real chal- employee lenge. in the fall and wants to eventually be in the medical field. “T’m leaning toward dentistry at the moment,” she said. blessings with all our supportive community, with the whole She said she’s always wanted to be a dentist, and a family “Even with all this craziness, we’ve still gotten many receives parade coming the way [soon] and just them putting in so member inspired her along the way. much effort to give us our senior year,” she said. “My father wanted to be one at point, and he wasn’t able She said it was “scary” to contemplate leaving school and to due to personal reasons, and I thought it would be cool if accolade from Garcia was a busy student in her four years of high school. I could do it for him,” she said. facing the world. “T feel a lot of pressure, but you just gotta keep going,” She was in National Honor Society, Key Club, Interact and she said. company Trump signs order to avoid meat By Don Munsch, Editor shortages, keep processing plants open Randi Burkart doesn’t like to see anyone go hungry. Especially anyone on a long bus trip. By Susan Selasky, Detroit Free Press supply,” but that supply chains had hit what he called a “road To top it off, the individual Burkart wanted to help was President Donald Trump signed an executive order last block. It’s sort of a legal roadblock more than anything else,” in the Army and passed through Elk City on his way to his week aimed at keeping beef, chicken and pork processing he said. post in Texas. plants open to avert shortages of those products on grocery Estimates by the United Food and Commercial Union Burkart works as an assistant manager at the Westside store shelves. (UFCW), which represents 250,000 meatpacking and food Hutch’s in Elk City. A few months ago, a man traveling by The executive order falls under the Defense Production processing members, show that 22 meatpacking union and ‘bus stopped at the Hutch’s and had no money for a meal. Act and classifies meat processing as critical infrastructure non-union plants have closed in the last two months. Those Burkart stepped in to help. and requires the processors continue to operate with the closures impacted more than 35,000 workers and resulting For his goodwill gesture, Burkart was awarded with a guidance issued by federal agencies. in a 25 percent reduction in pork slaughter and a 10% in beef Hutch’s Above and Beyond Pin. Burkart said he just want- The order comes after industry leaders warned that con- slaughter capacity. ed to help the man who was in need. Plus, the traveler is a sumers could see meat shortages in a matter of days after The National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) is estimat- service member, and “they don’t get a lot of money any- workers at major facilities tested positive for the virus. A se- ing that farmers are facing a $5 billion loss and call the situ- way,” Burkart said. nior White House official told the Associated Press that the ation “perilous for U.S hog farmers.” Burkart said he has helped other people on the bus when administration was working to prevent a situation in which a “Suspension of pork packing plant operations and rising they have been out of money before. majority of processing plants shut down for a period of time, absenteeism due to COVID-19 have exacerbated an existing “T’ye gone hungry too many times, and I don’t like to see which could lead to an 80% drop in the availability of meat harvest facility capacity challenge due to a labor shortage in people hungry,” said Burkart, who has worked at Hutch’s in supermarkets. The official spoke on condition of anonym- rural America,” Rachel Gantz, of the NPPC, said in an email for six years. ity to discuss the order before its release. to the Detroit Free Press. The man’s credit/debit card wasn’t working for some Trump on Tuesday told reporters that “there’s plenty of See Shortages page 2. reason and he didn’t have any cash, and the store couldn’t take his mother’s credit card over the phone. She called ahead of time to talk to the store employees, Burkart said. “She wanted to know if we had a Western Union here, Cattlemen scrape by while processors reap the profit and we don’t,” he said. He told her he would take of him when he arrived at the store. The young man was grateful for the assistance. Burkart said he appreciates the company recognizing Editor’s note: Some packers and processors across the “That [fire] caused a lot of price drops on the live ani- him for his service. country, it should be noted, have been hit by coronavirus mal side,” said Cody Beach, owner of Beach Family Farms. “T just did what I felt was right,” he said. infections of workers in recent weeks and have had to close. “With the whole economy slowing down and COVID-19 The service man’s mother and father sent a card, thank- By Brooklyn Wayland , Gaylord News showing up, it’s just sent it even lower than it was before.” you note and picture of their son and a gift card to Hutch’s Oklahoma cattle ranchers had been hoping this would be Ranchers and farmers are now being forced to sell at an home office. [The News was unable to contact the mother a banner year. even lower rate than they would have in the fall. and father.] COVID-19 took care of that. Beach recalls the price of a cow fed out in a feed yard just “Randi took extra effort and reached out and helped Now many of the ranchers and farmers across Oklahoma a year ago at around $1.30 per pound. In August, the fire someone who was in need,” Hutch’s co-owner David and the Midwest are praying they can just hang on until the caused that to drop to $1.10 or $1.15. Today, it has dropped Hutchinson said in an email. “Randi did not do this for the economy rebounds. to approximately 90 cents per pound for a 1300-1500 pound recognition but did it because it was the right thing to do. While cattlemen may sow the seeds and harvest the crop, calf. We wanted to show our appreciation and recognize Randi packers and processors are the only ones now reaping the Cattlemen are losing as much as $300 to $400 per head, for what he did with a Hutch’s Above & Beyond Pin. A profits. Beach said. lot of our associates understand like Randi the impact they Raising cattle has always been difficult. But prices plunged Rep. Frank Lucas (R-OK, 3rd District) and his wife Linda can have on people’s lives every day, and that is the type of last August following a fire that shuttered one of the nation’s have long been in the cattle business themselves. people we want taking care of our customers.” largest packing plants in Holcomb, Kansas, and prices were “T assure [Oklahoma cattlemen] — as I do at home when just starting to rebound when the pandemic came calling. See Cattlemen page 2. Weather Vol. 118, No. 34 Mail delivery View online AEA tomorrow 80 / 52 75 cents, 8 pgs. 580.225.3000 elkcityoknews.com