February 6, 2021 Issue, Page 1 of 8

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Weekend Edition Elk City High School Freshman commits Elk City Meeting to play OSU Cowboys baseball devotes most of State University. After all, both his parents ECHS head baseball coach Monty May- field and wife Jeni (Keyes) Mayfield are Stillwater alumni. 1.5 hours to “Kash had several D1 coaches talking to him about coming to play for their programs,” Jeni stated. “But, like Kash said, he just felt like putting on the OSU jersey might meana little more. Itis in his home Chamber question state, Oklahoma, and he knows what an important place Stillwater has been for his father and me. He knows that he will take real pride Burger King Progress, in being a Cowboy.” For the 15-year-old star pitcher, who will turn 16 later this month, Chamber of Commerce and baseball is almost as second nature as breathing air. He doesn’t have any memories of his life when America’s pastime wasn’t almost his entire central focus. City Rejoin and Covid Pods “He's been playing since he was just two-years-old,” his mother re- counted. “Monty started playing catch with him as soon as he could By Shonda Little get a ball in his tiny hand.” Father Monty joked, “Now, when Jeni says playing since he was ‘The Elk City Commissioners held their regularly scheduled 2, that was t-ball. That is when they were just hitting the ball off the meeting on February 1 at 7 p.m. in the Elk City Hall’s Commission tee and running to base.” Chambers. With Kash already garnering national acclaim as a mere fresh- Mayor Nick Archer began the meeting with a prayer and Com- men, both his parents are motivated to keep young Kash focused missioner Jeff Jackson lead the flag salute. and humbled. Commissioners first approved the minutes from the previous Still, the young knuckleballer’s standout talent is impossible to January20 meeting before addressing the posted agenda. overlook. One Elk City educator referred to him as “a once-in-a-gen- February's first meeting was unique for a few reasons. First of Kash Mayfield and his father Monty smile with eration athlete.” all, the meeting was the first in several months that had all five his MVP Pitcher Award. The freshmen hurler As the son of a baseball coach, Kash was provided a unique op- ‘commissioners, the mayor and City Manager Tom Ivester present. throws 85 mph. Courtesy photo. portunity to learn the sport at an early age. Both his parents recog- Due to work obligations, Covid-19 quarantines and Ivester, who nized that Kash was picking up the game easily and seemed to enjoy serves as a colonel with the Oklahoma National Guard, being tem- practicing endlessly without ever getting bored or restless, but as his porarily activated to service, the meetings have been missing at By Shonda Little parents, they weren't sure if they were able to be objective. least one for the past several sessions. Elk City Attorney Steven “I'm his dad, so I knowI can be a little biased,” Monty admitted. Holloway and Elk City Treasurer Jennifer Rainey were also unable Per the Oklahoma State Secondary Schools Association (OSSA) “That's how it is for all parents, especially when our kids are still re- to attend. rules, Oklahoma students cannot actually sign their scholarship ally little. I had thought to myself or to Jeni that he seemed like he Secondly, the meeting was also unique in that it lasted longer papers to commit to a college or university until their last year in was going to be pretty good, but as a coach, I know many parents than nearly an hour and a half with almost an hour of that de- school. voted to just one item — the debate on rejoining the City of Elk have that thought. It isn’t always good for a player to have parents However, in the world of baseball's upcoming elite, Elk City High City and the Elk City Chamber of Commerce, determined that their child is the very best and I didn’t want to ever School ninth grader Coleman “Kash” Mayfield is anything but typi- hinder him in that way. It wasn’t until I was coaching in Yukon and In regards to that, or agenda item #10, emotions ran deep and al. ‘one of the assistant coaches said that he had been watching Kash multiple speakers addressed the commissioners and mayor. The Recently, Kash orally committed to play baseball for Oklahoma See Mayfield page 2. majority of the speakers seemed to support the reunification, though two did not. Circle of Care Breaking Ground ‘The first agenda item was to approve or disapprove ordinance no. 1234, which would annex an .9288 acres tract of property near the Walmart business area near I-40 and dlassify the rezoning. ‘This has been addressed at a previous meeting and is being done for Foster Care Sibling Home to allow that area to be developed into a Burger King. ‘The commissioners learned that the incoming restaurant's ad- dress would be located at 2100 E. 7th Street. ‘The commissioners and mayor all voted to approve the annexa- together, but it is slim and not seen often. That chance fora group tion and rezoning. of six or more is even slimmer. In Oklahoma, a sibling group of ‘The second agenda item was also related to the incoming Elk three has a 65 percent chance of being placed together in foster City Burger King. care. That number drops significantly the more siblings that live Init, commissioners approved the plat 1. together. On the third agenda item, the commissioners considered Reso- Circle of Care is currently building eight homes statewide. The lution 2021-1 to help provide labor to maintain the traffic light at N project is supported by a capital campaign with a goal of raising Highway 6 and Merritt Road. five million dollars to build and endow the eight homes. The Elk ‘The commissioners voted to approve this item. CIRCLE OF CARE City home is the seventh location to provide the space and support for a foster family to say yes to a larger sibling group. ‘The commissioners then considered an agreement for profes- sional services between Southwestern Oklahoma Development Elk City United Methodist Church is a strategic partner in the Authority, or SWODA, and the City of Elk City for grant writing Elk City, Okla, ~ Oklahoma non-profit and human services building of the home. The church donated the land and raised and administrations of the grants for the City of Elk City in the agency Circle of Care is building a new foster care home with sib- $200,000 toward the project. Long-term, the church plans to pro- amount of $18,000 for a six month term between January 1, 2021 ling groups in mind. The home will be built in Elk City off of West vide ongoing support to the family living in the home. until June 30, 2021. Country Club Boulevard. Circle of Care looks at this building as a community project ‘This is a budgeted item and was approved. Placing sibling sets together is a unique challenge within the On agenda item #5, commissioners considered whether to foster care system. Many foster homes are already supporting anda home they hope will directly benefit children from the local approve or disapprove changing the scope of the Emergency Ef- multiple children and have a full home. Circle of Care's message community. The agency currently has foster care staff in Ardmore, ficiency Lighting Retrofit Project through the Oklahoma State for sibling groups is that they will strive to place them all together Enid, Oklahoma City, Tahlequah, Tulsa, and Woodward serving ap- Department of Commerce, but only to the Elk City Civic Center. while in care. Circle of Care CEO and President, Keith Howard said proximately 170 families and 235 youth in care. ‘This would be for a $12,204 bid from Culver Electric. “We're adding another trauma into their lives when we can't keep A ground-breaking ceremony for the building will be held on ‘The item was approved. them together.” February 12. If you would like to learn more about the capital cam- ‘Next, the city commissioners approved a bid received from Sibling groups of five or more do have a chance to be placed paign, visit legacy.circleofcare.org. See Commission page 2. Federal trial for longtime Sayre physician postponed to July 2021 By Shonda Little Citing the case of United States v. Tombs, the Court found that that United States Attorney Matthew P. Anderson has now been “an additional five-month delay is necessary and reasonable to approved to represent the government. ‘The federal criminal trial for longtime Sayre physician Dr. Melvin address the circumstances created by the Covid-19 pandemic, the A third Assistant US Attorney David P. Petermann has been Lee Robison has once again been postponed. During his decades complexity of the case, the replacement of the lead prosecutor and allowed to withdraw from the case because he moved out of the of practicing medicine, Dr. Robison treated innumerable Elk City, additional law enforcement investigation and to provide both par- Western District of Oklahoma, Sayre, Erick, Sweetwater and outer Beckham County residents ties with a reasonable opportunity to prepare for trial and compel ‘The case originates from 2018 when a grand jury returned and is currently facing multiple felony charges through the United the attendance of witnesses.” charges against Dr. Robison anda then-alleged co-conspirator Dr. States Federal Court’s Western Oklahoma District based in Okla- ‘The judge added that he believed failing to grant the requested Moheb Hallaba. homa City. continuance would likely result in a miscarriage of justice. Since then, court documents show that charges against Dr. Hal- Dr. Robison’s trial has been postponed multiple times for various By this newest order, attorneys for both the United States gov- laba have been dropped as he was ruled unfit to stand trial. reasons, but was most recently was scheduled to be next Tuesday, ernment and Dr. Robison’s defense to file motions related to the ‘The case has been previously determined to be “complex.” February 9 at 9 a.m. before United States Federal Judge Timothy D. case has been extended to 90 days before the new jury trial date. A press released from the Department of Justice issued on June DeGuisti. Robinson has been being prosecuted to this point by Assistant 28, 2018, shows that Robison’s case resulted from a “new western However, the Honorable Judge DeGuisti ruled on December 3, United States Attorneys Matthew Dillon and Matthew Stone. Oklahoma opioid enforcement team.” 2020, that the trial would be continued to the July 2021 jury trial While court records do not indicate whether Stone or Dillon have In that statement, Robison and Hallaba, who were 64 and 89 at docket. been replaced, a court filing made on December 18, 2020 showed See Robison page 2. Weather Vol. 119, No. 11 Mail delivery View online ‘ IMM tomorrow 50 / 30 75 cents, 8 pgs. 580.225.3000 elkcityoknews.com