June 10, 2020 Issue, Page 2 of 8

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Page 2 The Elk City News, Elk City, Oklahoma Wednesday, June 10, 2020 VA ing through, and they are nity. Funds Families of5 or more would said. get two of those bags. We staying here. I never realized “We try to help, to be a Oklahoma Gov. Kevin also have grab bag items we had so many homeless helping hand to people out Stitt gave guard members that change, today it was po- people in Elk City. The win- there,” Patrick said. “There Continued from page 1. guidance, upon the recom- Continued from page 1. tatoes and onions, so another ter and summer can be some is a big need.” Depending on the size of mendation of the state health able to social distance,” 10 pounds of food avail- of the worst times because of Not only can they help the facility, the guard mem- department, to do the clean- Anthes said. “We prepare able.” the extreme weather, that’s bers spent about a half a ing of the more than 300 fa- that all in advance. We have with rent, but they can also The food pantry is open when they need shelter the day at the centers and used cilities in the state. alittle assembly system, and on Mondays and Wednes- most. We can provide them help get residents’ utilities biodegradable chemicals “And we've got plans it works very well. I antici- days from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., with a motel stay. Some- turned on. and wore personal protec- to go back if there are hot pate we will stay this way and families are eligible to times it’s a one night stay; “Tt can be hard for people tive equipment as they did spots,” Ivester said, explain- until the end of the year.” receive food once a month. sometimes, it’s up to a week to come up with utility de- deep cleaning of the facili- They are always open for ing if there are hot spots in The Western Oklahoma while a person is waiting for posits in uncertain times, ties to protect people from particular facilities, guard more donations, and while Family Care Center has funds to come in.” and many people have to the spread of the coronavi- food donations are welcome, members will go back to served families in need in Unemployment has _ hit move or downsize lately, so rus. Teams of eight went to people should consider do- those facilities to do the deep Beckham, Custer, Washita we help with deposits also,” the center, although some- cleaning, if needed. Ivester this area hard, with wide- nating money instead. and Roger Mills counties for spread layoffs in oilfield re- Patrick said. times the teams were larger, acted in a directing capacity “We love getting canned more than 10 years, and Pam lated jobs and other sectors If someone needs help Ivester said. goods and donations from in the project. Patrick has worked there for because of COVID-19. with rent or utilities, the “I’ve been serving with Ivester said this project food drives, but we can buy the last three years. “People need help with WOFCC is open Monday the governor’s solutions task a 10 pounds box of meat for demonstrates what people Although the WOFCC their rent, of course, because force for the last nine weeks now, so we were the ones join the guard for - to help through Thursday from 10 90 cents,” Anthes said. “If has other programs besides they have become unem- a.m. to noon. and then | p.m. you want to donate money, housing, the money they re- ployed because of the oil who helped plan this type fellow Oklahomans. to S p.m. “Being from Sayre and we can make it go a long ceived was for the housing and gas industry, and then of mission and then decided way,” programs. with the pandemic,” Patrick The American Red Cross how many people were go- Elk City, it was especially She added, “We weighed “This extra funding is go- said. “The local landlords office, Help Inc. Food Pan- ing to be needed to carry it touching for me, because a bag this week that would ing to help people with rent have been reasonable, but try and The Western Okla- out, what equipment was I've been in the military go to a family of 1-4 people, or for a place to stay,” Pat- they have mortgages too.” homa Family Care Center needed, the type of chemical a long time and this is the it’s our smaller bag of food, rick said. “‘A lot of times, we WOFCC tries its best to are all located at 609 W. E that would be used,” Ivester first time I've seen guard and it weighed 140 pounds. have homeless people com- help people in the commu- Ave in Elk City. said. “So we helped plan it, members working in our and then we called on sol- particular community,” said Manager Spieker said the sewer line City move forward. at-will employee. He could diers to go out and execute Ivester, who has been in the break and the situation at the “We want to be the flag- be terminated at any time it.” Army Guard since 2008 and lake could not be described ship town, if you will, of during the contract period by Not much cleaning is done has served in the military said, “In regards to mat- as the “root cause of the Western Oklahoma, and a majority vote of the com- in the rooms, as the common for 27 years. “We actually ters of employment, I would problem,” as Spieker said that’s the guy I’m looking mission. areas are places getting the needed the help. This is the have to simply say for the Litterell did “handle parts of for, the guy that will take us “If the employee is termi- primary attention, Ivester reason I joined.” good of the cause.” He did that situation very well and there,” he said. nated at any time for the rea- not respond by deadline to the best of his ability.” Jackson said the com- Protests son that Employee no longer think one way to solve the Monday to subsequent ques- Looking ahead, Spieker mission just needs to move issues we face is to invite a serves at the pleasure of the tions about Litterell, the fu- expected the commission to forward now that Litterell is family of another race into have a meeting in the middle gone. He said each commis- City Commission, then the Continued from page 1. ture of the city and the safety your home for a meal - even of the lake. Litterell said last part of this week to discuss sioner made his own deci- Employee shall be entitled days before the 99th an- if it’s a social distancing out- week there was no sewage the interim manager for the sion on what he thought was to receive full benefits and niversary of the Tulsa Race door picnic right now. in the lake and that the wa- city. Department supervi- best for the city. salary for one (1) year and Massacre. We’ve come a “If you have other ideas, ter had been tested and was sors are capable of operating “The mayor and my fel- the Parties shall thereupon long way in the 99 years share them - with my office, safe. their departments, he said. low commissioners decided be released from all obliga- since the 1921 Tulsa Race with your family, with lead- Spieker echoed Shelton “As long as they do their something different than I tions hereunder,” his con- Massacre, but we clearly ers in your communities, at is saying he voted to termi- job and take care of their did, and that’s OK — that’s tract stated. still have a ways to go. your churches. Be the ex- nate Litterell for the “good people, we will be fine,” he how the system works,” he The contract also stated “As we work to inten- ample for your children and of the service of the people said. said. “And now we just all the employee will be enti- tionally hear each of our the nation of how to treat of Elk City.” Other than Concerning a new city need to be together moving tled to compensation for any different perspectives and all people with dignity and that, Spieker said everything manager, Spieker, speaking the same direction and move learn from our diverse back- unused time off at the time respect. Oklahoma can lead revolved around personnel for himself and not the en- forward.” grounds, we should put of separation. The contract the nation in racial reconcili- matters that he did not want tire commission body, wants. The city provided a copy that knowledge to work in to comment on. He said he someone who has a vision of Litterell’s contract to The stated that the period of em- our families, communities, ation, if each family chooses loved Litterell as a person, for the future, not that a vi- News. His annual salary was ployment went from March churches, and workplaces. to get out of our comfort 4, 2019, to March 3, 2020, zone to listen and learn. but the commission thought sion didn’t exist already. He $114,744, according to his It would be much better if it did what had to do for the said he wants someone who. contract, which stated he and continued from year to 100 years from now we can “This week, I participated in an important discussion “good of the service of the relates to and works well worked at the pleasure ofthe year thereafter until resigna- look back on this difficult people.” with people and will see Elk commission and was thus an tion or termination. time and the often violent on Oklahoma City’s KFOR history that led us here and news station with OKC Mayor David Holt and Unit- Poll shows partisan split in Oklahoma be able to say, ‘That was when everything and every- ed Voice Oklahoma leaders, one changed for the better.” Rey. Clarence Hill, Jr., and on COVID-19 vaccine, masks “T challenge each of us to continue to work through Minister Cece Jones Davis. I was honored to participate the family and heart issues in this dialogue. Click here Less than half of Western Oklahoma respondents would get vaccine to end racism together, but at https://kfor.com/united- let’s take some wise coun- voice/united-voice-kfor- By Chris Casteel, The president’s rhetoric regard- of all voters said they would district said they always sel from Rep. John Lewis of present-virtual-town-hall- Oklahoman ing masks. Donald Trump get a vaccine. wear one compared to vot- Georgia, who walked with on-race-in-oklahoma/ to Less than half of likely has an 87% approval rating -- Statewide, 63% of black ers in the 3rd congressional Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., watch the conversation.” Republican voters in Okla- amongst Republican likely voters said they would get district. and be ‘constructive’ rather Editor's note: Lankford’s homa would get vaccinated voters and only a 22% ap- a vaccine, while 57% of Of those surveyed, 30% than ‘destructive’ in these statement came from a news- against COVID-19, while proval rating amongst Dem- whites, 27% of Hispanics said they or a member of conversations and in our ac- letter in which he shares his more than 70% of likely ocrats.” and 88% of Asians said they their household had lost in- tions. We can do many things opinions on a number of cur- Democratic voters would The poll was conducted would get a vaccine. come or a job because of the to help in this situation, but I rent issues. get the vaccine if it became June 3-4 by the Amber In- -- Voters aged 60 and over pandemic. That is far less available, according to a tegrated, of Oklahoma City. were the most likely to say than the U.S. Census Bureau new poll. The results include respons- they would get a vaccine, reported in May; that survey And though a majority of es from 500 likely voters, while middle-aged respon- showed nearly half of Okla- voters in both parties sur- with the pool weighted by dents were the least likely. Round Town homa households had lost To find out what will be on your ballot June 30th, go to veyed wear a mask at least party registration and de- Voters with four-year and income since mid-March be- some of the time when they mographics. The margin of graduate degrees were more cause of the pandemic. ok.gov/elections. click on Ok Voter Portal. go out in public, nearly three error is 4.4% at a 95% confi- likely than people with some Oklahoma Blood Institute will be at Elk City First Bap- In the Amber Integrated times as many Republicans dence level. or no college experience to tist Church Family Center, on June 16th from 12:00 - 6:00. as Democrats said they rare- According to the survey: say they would get a vac- poll conducted last week, They will be following all CDC regulations and will be the highest percentage of offering testing for COVID 19. ly or never wear one. -- 55% of likely voters cine. households —_ experiencing “Tt seems like the decision would get a vaccine against On the question of wear- lost income were in the con- for voters on whether or not COVID-19 if it became ing a mask, 89% of likely gressional districts that in- to wear a mask or get a vac- available. That includes Democratic voters said they clude Oklahoma and Tulsa cine is largely driven by par- Send 71% of Democrats, 54% of wear one at least some of the counties. The urban areas tisanship and geography,” independents and 45% of time, with 48% saying they said pollster Jackson Lisle, Republicans. wear one all the time when have more jobs in the ser- of the Amber Integrated. -- In the largely rural 3rd in public. vice sector than more rural “In Oklahoma’s urban congressional districts en- congressional district, which includes much of western Among Republican vot- ers, 69% said they wear one areas. Lisle, the pollster, said, obituaries to compassing Oklahoma City Oklahoma, including the at least some of the time, “Likely voters tend to be and Tulsa, voters are much area that experienced a ma- with 27% saying they wear older than the general popu- more likely to wear a mask jor outbreak at a meatpack- one all the time in public. lation, and therefore more in public. Across the state, ing plant, only 44% of all Two-thirds of independents likely to be retired. Nearly ads@ Democrats are nearly twice as likely as Republicans to wear a mask in public. voters said they would get a vaccine. -- In the 5th congressional wear a mask at least some half of our likely voter sam- of the time, with 26% saying ple size is above the age of they wear one all the time. 60. Almost half of voters ecdailynews.com “This partisan breakdown district, which includes most Nearly twice as many vot- ages 18-29 stated that they mav have to do with the of Oklahoma County. 66% ers in the Sth congressional have lost income.”