July 24, 2021 Issue, Page 1 of 8

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Saturday, July 24, 2021 Weekend Edition Beckham County Sheriff’s Office is investigating of a Iconic WOSC nursing instructor and metastatic breast cancer advocate Polly the 2019-20 fiscal year. (Barker) Walker succumbs to long illness $17.2 million figure is with in Erick five months ago and that the child’s information was put into the National Missing and Unidentified Persons “WOSC and Great Plains Regional Medical Center have part- nered up to create an invaluable resource for the citizens and stu- dents of western Oklahoma,” Walker said in a previous feature were not released by our office - regarding a NAMUS entry upon nursing during the pandemic. “Not only does it bring an educational opportunity and career options to our people who mightThefind traveling district to Altus could or Weatherford to be a hardship, but not find it is helping to address our nursing shortage. That shortage isn’t unique to Elk City. It is nationwide; however, rural areas have tra- ditionally had a harder time filling that void. I feel very thankful to be a part of that solution.” Walker has had a soft spot for “non-traditional” students, the fiscal year ended. He Department of Human Services officials are working with having been one herself. That did not mean that she went easy on them, though. Walker was raised in the Reydon Hunt, payroll/insurance and Sayre areas. She later to the current fiscal year, but 48 years, with 40 of laughed that when she moved from Reydon Public Schools to Sayre Public Schools that she felt like she was in a bustling met- continues, and a final ropolitan. In 1993, Walker was forced to get a GED when she became a young mother to the first of her three beloved children. After a Cheyenne man brief stint as a stay-at-home mother and ten years working in re- tail at a Houston-area Famous Footwear, she returned to western Oklahoma. With three small children in tow, she was inspired by her old- thankful for Later on Tuesday on the sheriff’s office FB page, Manning said sheriff’s officials had found documents that confirmed By Shonda Little er sister’s career in nursing. So Walker enrolled in Southwestern Oklahoma State University and became a registered nurse. Later, she would earn a master’s degree inflawless, of Oklahoma. nursing and fromthat thedoesn’t University Elk City First Determined. Outspoken. Overachieving. Advocate. Fearless. Those are among the seemingly countless adjectives that has been attached to the memory of 46-year-old Polly (Barker) Walk- However, as she persevered through nursing school and being a single parent, she was diagnosed with breast cancer for the first time in 2005. Determined to both survive and begin her brilliant Responders: satisfied that the circumstances through which he came to er since she died following a years’ long battle with metastatic nursing career, Walker pushed through ton – 1978, 1982 chemo treatments and 1984 – and oneand state midterms. breast cancer. For several years, Walker has been a go-to source for The Elk In the meantime, shebeen worked at several a coach married her husband Randy in 2008. for 48area hospitals. years – a headWalker football “They saved my life.” City News and The Beckham County Record when documenting coach for 40 years – and has an overall re the two subjects that she was most passionate about — the nurs- “Polly started going to OU Medical Center when she had can- cord of 307-147 and a playoff record of 44- By Burgundy Lee Hanrahan ing field and breast cancer. Walker was always eager to advocate cer the first time,” her twin sister Molly (Barker) Lindenfelser re- 24. He played football at Oklahoma State. “Our strength is going to increase dramati for both, even until her final days. counted. “When she was able to get on employee insurance, she was able to move her medical care to Mercy to Dr. Armor. They cally,” Thehe said. Hometown “The Heroes [players’] confidence Meet & in held Friday July 16 Greet During the pandemic, she was even recognized by Oklaho- garnered hundreds of attendees. However one man had a par- ma City’s KFOR for her devotion to nursing. For over ten years, really became good friends through her many years of treatment. ticularly important reason to attend. Joe Pyatt of Cheyenne Walker served as the instructor and sophomore coordinator for Our mother is also a breast cancer survivor, so Polly made sure was mowing a lawn in Elk City in late June when he was at- the Western Oklahoma State College’s nursing program in Elk that she got the best treatment with him. Polly was also such an tacked by what medical staff at Great Plains Regional Medical City. See Walker page 2. Center say were thousands of bees. With his condition much during an interview in the athletic office at Officials improved, in felt Pyatt Beckham drawn toCounty have so the event cuthat nearly he $1 could million give a from specialtheir estimated thank you to thebudget men andthis year, womenwithwhomthehefinal credits withapproval of the saving his life.2019-20 fiscal year budget coming in the Elk City Commission learns that the city Pyatt explained, “The First Responders from Elk City saved my life. When they got there, the paramedic rushed up to me and got within ten feet and saw I was covered up with bees 2019-20 isbudget at their weeklycoordi meeting Monday. The fina ended 2021 fiscal year on solid note the so hesearch hoses. The life, Cain getting on toone-ton accident called They the pulled the to tried find Occurred over to the state by the first of October. repair bees out offensive an brush the off of me just after 6 truck hoses, something with hosed so theunder p.m. thein a me paramedics water down, haytank his 1986 field 3 saved Fordget could and my F350 to By Shonda Little for the annexation request by Commissioner Corey Spiek- Elk City Police Chief Eddie me to load me in the ambulance and take me to the hospital. Todd Horn. er agreed, saying, “This won’t Holland explained that this is excise board Awesome group of gives guysthe finalto take willing approval and for chances signs myofflifeonand it Nearly eleven minutes of The commissioners had affect her whatsoever.” His starting date is the first Monday after your life. They’re just a great bunch of guys – fearless. So by the Elk City Commission’s also discussed this at the previ- The woman then asked why See Fiscal page 2. Hartman, Beckham County Clerk. Beckham County Sheriff’s Office, Carter Fire, Elk page See Thankful City Fire, 2. regularly scheduled final July ous July meeting. she was given a notice to ap- our first phase of the CAPS County officials said in April that changes in the budget meeting was spent explaining The address in question pear if it wouldn’t impact her to one citizen that her proper- is on the 2300 block of South property. tion scheme for the Elk offense. On the de ty would not be affected by the Randall. possible re-zoning of a neigh- The commissioners ex- Horn was requesting the plained that anytime a proper- Arrest warrant issued for man bor’s property. re-zoning to build a house. ty is annexed or re-zoned that The county cut $998,696 from its budget, Hartman said However, the most impor- After Horn explained his all the area’s nearby property tant news came from the city’s intentions and the commis- owners are notified in case they wanted for child sex abuse charge independent auditor. sioners asked any remain- had questions or concerns. department or every official gives their estimate of what “The end of fiscal year was ing questions, the floor was The public hearing was charged with one they’re count needing forofthe child year,” During Hartmanthe said.forensic inter- “The excise the last day of June,” said Mer- opened for any public partici- then closed. sexual abuse. view, the child was report- edith Meacham Wilson. pation in the matter. The first agenda item was could stay on the floor the The Elk City News is omit- edly “very descriptive” in the She concluded that the city A female citizen, who iden- the introduction of Ordinance ting several allegations docu- discourse of Dekle’s alleged had no compliance issues and tified herself as Horn’s neigh- 1235, which was addressing mented in the probable cause crimes, such as what he had al- that the general fund was in bor, a.m. gotwith up toHot Hash voice and concerns. the annexation of the property affidavit due to their graphic legedly made the child do. nature.“We don’t know those figures The yet,”detective she said. “We’re kind noted that good standing as the 2021- This portion of the meeting in question, a 2.089 acre tract 2022 fiscal year began on July took up approximately one- of property. The probable cause affida- Dekle had been arrested on 1. third of the event. Most of the The commissioners voted vit does not indicate when the June of 2020 for child neglect. year before and current year figures and help the county Mayor Nick Archer and City conversation seemed to center 3-0 for the introduction. The affiant, an Elk City Police De- The detective reported that the Manager Tom Ivester were around confusion and her con- vote to actually approve the or- partment detective, “But we’ve made began 20 his percentchild neglect cuts; some was due to nar- offices both absent from the thirty cern that Horn’s annexation dinance will be held at a later investigation. cotics. minute meeting. could possibly annex her into date. The detective noted that The detective also spoke AAfter fire that burned the Commissioner CoryTeam Chiplimits the city Tae as Kwonwell. The second agenda item the get those alleged finalisfigures victim under the them,the from with kind of it’schild’s wait and mother who in- Do lead Spieker building Tuesday the flag afternoon salute, Elk inCity the 1400 Attorney Steve was the consideration of a pro- Dean Dekle age of ten. The Elk City News formed the detective that the a definite date set for the Commissioners has also omitted the exact gaveagetheir child final had approval fordisclosed recently the figures the Commissioner Rick Shelton, Holloway pulled up the city’s fessional services agreement the longest serving commis- map on a tablet, focusing on with Committee of Concern, of the alleged victim in an ef- things that Dekle had allegedly By Shonda Little fire chief sioner, stood for thelead in to Elk the City the Firearea in Department. question.No Holloway Inc., which is a subsidiary of first weekend in November. fort to protect the child’s pri- done to the child of a sexual na- injuries meeting occurred. in Mayor Two Archer’s ab-people assuredin the the woman build that this Multi-County Youth Services, vacy.there, at least one account inture through a phone conversa- there,” Hartman said. An arrest warrant was filed ing escaped unharmed. The main part of the sence. wouldn’t affect her. for the use of their services. The child had reportedly tion. on July 21 through Beckham fire occurred Before in the the normal hot waterHolloway agenda heater then area.showed the This has been a long-standing County District Court for disclosed Hartman that Dean could not Lucas provide an The detectiveThe exact figure. appeared public to 75 children this year. That figure was up from 40 last year. $12,130. Dekle had committed child wasThe insurance company also is investigating. started, the commission- commissioners the area and agreement between the City of a 41-year-old Elk City man ers first held a public hearing answered their questions. Elk City and MCYS. sexual abuse against the child. See Abuse page 3. Weather Vol. Vol. 117,119, No.No. 54 59 Mail delivery Home delivery Viewonline View online tomorrow 95 / 72 99/70 75 cents, 8 pgs. 75 cents, 12 pgs. 580.225.3000 580.225.3000 elkcityoknews.com elkcityoknews.com