August 12, 2020 Issue, Page 1 of 8

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y Serving Western Oklahoma 74 | Since 1901 Saturday, August 12,2 Weekend Edition The band plays on Parents speak out on the coming despite pandemic school year By Manda Smith, Contributing writer Schools across the country are starting fall semesters, and just like in previous years, parents enter the school year with a mixture of emotions sending their kids off to school. In 2020, however, the dark cloud of COVID-19 hangs over the head of every parent. With what seems like a flood of new and confusing information to deal with ev- ery week, parents have had to make a lot of tough deci- sions to determine the best route to take for their child’s Elk City High School band members practice education and the well-being of their families. at the school’s parking lot Thursday evening, Ashley Kenner of Cheyenne resident has a daughter including color guard member Whitney Costello, going into the first grade and a son going into the second left, and Dean Asher and Zack Rich on alto sax and Aeries Wester on tenor sax. In the grade at Cheyenne Elementary. By Don Munsch, Editor background are Campbell Jacobsma on bass “[’m worried like I am every school year,” she said, Elk City High School's band will play as it usually does drum; Cy Barker on Quints; Jack Morgan and explaining that “cold and flu season is right around the this year, including at football games, but because of the Kaden Elledge on snare drums; and band corner. We experienced head lice for the first time last COVID-19 pandemic, it will be a different kind of year, a instructor Andrew Hatch, walking and wearing a mask while playing. Staff photos by Don Munsch. year. Impetigo made an appearance, too. I have a child year of making adjustments because of the virus. with asthma, so an inhaler and nebulizer are always at Tim DeWitt, band director at Elk City High School, said they want us to be reasonable and responsible,” DeWitt said. the school.” the Oklahoma Secondary School Activities Association has “So what the band is going to do, here in Elk City, when She tries not to let these worries spill over onto her not put any restrictions on what bands do, at least thus far. we’re inside, we're going to be in smaller groups. We’re children, however, saying, “I worry that my kids will “Our district has kind of followed the OSSAA’s lead and See Band page 8. See School page 2. Route 66 Festival Serena Jones of Elk City stands in front of her car, a 1966 Chevy Chevelle, which was entered into the “King & Queen of the Road” contest Friday at the Elk City Route 66 Festival Cruise Night. The festival was held Friday and Saturday in Elk City. Left, Janelle and Crew Hutchinson pose with Hope the pony during Block Party at the festival. Photos by Terri Chervenka. Commissioners don’t support Golf carts must follow rules of road in Elk City mandatory mask wearing By Don Munsch, Editor Motorists will sometimes see the vehicles exiting parking By Don Munsch, Editor for their views. Archer, in an emailed response to questions, lots and onto the main thoroughfares in Elk City. Most Elk City City Commissioners don’t favor mandatory said mask wearing should not be mandatory. Commissioners These vehicles are golf carts, and although they may not mask wearing by people in public, as some other Oklahoma Jeff Jackson, Cory Spieker and Rick Shelton agreed. Com- be traveling to the back nine of the golf course, the driver is cities have approved that practice. missioner Larry Muck did not respond to questions. trying to safely get from point A to point B. Mayor Nick Archer and four commissioners make up the “Tf masks make people feel comfortable, then I support Golf carts are legal to drive on streets in Elk City, with the city commission and would be the body that wold exam- their decision as individuals to do what they deem neces- city of Elk City enacting an ordinance in 2015 on golf carts. ine any mask-wearing ordinance. The Centers for Disease sary,” Archer said. In the ordinance, city commissioners determined it was Control and Prevention has recommended Americans wear He said he didn’t think mask mandates will be a direction necessary to regulate the usage of all terrain vehicles, mini- masks to slow and stop the spread of the coronavirus. the city follows. trucks, low speed electrical vehicles, utility vehicles, golf Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt does not support a statewide “While that is not solely my decision,I would not support carts, mini-bikes, trail bikes, go-carts, power lawn mowers mandate on masks, citing individual rights and enforcement a mask ordinance,” Archer said last week. “With 14 active and maintenance utility vehicles on the streets or highways issues. Elk City interim City Manager Tom Ivester said the cases in Beckham County, that is approximately .06% of the of Elk City. commissioners set the policy and the city manager executes county’s population.” “When this ordinance was first being considered, I was it. The latest data, as The News went to press Monday, asked to do a safety study including surrounding cities that “If they want us to do masks at the city level, we'll do showed Beckham had 59 infections overall since the pan- have similar ordinances,” Elk City police Chief Eddie Hol- them,” he said. “If they don’t, [they don’t]. Whatever direc- demic began and 19 active cases. There has been one death land said. tion they give me, I’ll follow.” in the county so far — an Elk City man, age 68. He said he spoke with another city and its representatives Each commissioner was contacted by The News and asked See Mask page 3. See Carts page 2. Weather Vol. 118, No. 67 Mail delivery View online wi a AN 3 tomorrow / 78 75 cents, 8 pgs. 580.225.3000 elkcityoknews.com