February 28, 2026 Issue, Page 10 of 14

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NEWS 10• SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2026 The Elk City News Sagebrush Penguin Project Announces Registration Elk City, OK – In our 8th children with special needs year, the Sagebrush Penguin can participate in and ex- Project provides children cel at community activities with special needs an op- when given the opportunity portunity to develop creative and support. We have seen skills, partner and network young people who had no with others, and participate friends, would hide when in a fully realized musi- they met people, and feared cal production of “Bye, Bye interaction with others blos- Birdie: Youth Edition”. Seek- som into engaged and confi- ing artists and mentors ages dent individuals who proudly 8 - 25. Registration / Infor- show their talents,” said An- mational meeting (Parent/ drew Morgan, M.D., founder Guardian required to attend) of The Penguin Project. “To will be on Thursday, March see this program grow as it Students, Faculty Begin Preparations for SWOSU Annual Plant Sale 12 at 7 pm. Located at the First Presbyterian Church, has and benefit young artists with special needs and their Students and faculty in the De- additional details to be announced son Carneiro, who oversee the sale provides the community with 217 N Washington, Elk City, families across the country is partment of Biological and Bio- closer to the event. project and work closely with stu- access to locally grown plants pro- OK. immensely gratifying.” medical Sciences at Southwestern Students are planting the first dents throughout the process. duced through the department’s The Sagebrush Penguin “The Sagebrush Penguin Oklahoma State University (SWO- seeds of the season, growing a mix The annual plant sale is part of teaching efforts. Project gives children, teens, Project is such a great pro- SU) have begun preparations for of native plants and common gar- hands-on experience in plant prop- For more information about and young adults with spe- gram and amazing transfor- the department’s annual plant sale, den favorites, including tomatoes, agation and care, giving students SWOSU Department of Biologi- cial needs an opportunity to mation to watch.” said Tipha- with early planting already under- peppers, and other vegetables. The experience that spans from seed cal and Biomedical Sciences, vis- star in a community theatre ni Henderson, Director of the way as spring approaches. The sale work is led by faculty members Dr. planting to maintaining healthy it www.swosu.edu/biological-sci- production. It is open to any Sagebrush Penguin Project. is scheduled for April 18 in front Rickey Cothran, Dr. Mark Garcia, seedlings as they grow. In addi- ences/index.php. individual age 8 to 25 with a “It is such a fantastic jour- of the Old Science Building, with Dr. Marcella Santos, and Dr. Lied- tion to its role in instruction, the disability. This includes chil- ney to watch the artists and dren with cognitive, learning, mentors grow while learning motor, hearing and visual im- a musical.” MERRITT pairments, genetic disorders, and neurological disorders. The young artists have a wide spectrum of special needs The Sagebrush Penguin project is also seeking peer mentors. The project utilizes a “peer mentor” system, link- including Down syndrome, ing each young artist with Autism Spectrum Disor- an age level peer who does ders, intellectual disabilities, not have a disability. The cerebral palsy and ADHD. peer-mentors work side-by- Participation in the pro- side with their partners, as- gram enhances social skills, sisting them throughout the communication skills, and entire rehearsal process and self-esteem. on stage. Using “Youth” versions We need your help to rep- of Broadway musicals that licate this project in our are professionally modified community through local for young performers, The partnerships. Participation Penguin Project artists are for Artists is absolutely free matched with Peer Mentors thanks to the funding pro- who guide and assist them vided by local sponsors. First through rehearsals and join Presbyterian Church will be them on stage for the pro- partnering with us to use duction. their facility. Started in Peoria, Illinois The performance will be in 2004, The Penguin Project July 10 & 11, 2026, in Elk has become a national pro- City. gram with 56 replication sites The Sagebrush Penguin in over 15 states throughout Project is seeking financial the country, including (Elk and volunteer sponsors. For City, OK). Since its founding, more information contact us hundreds of children have at sagebrush.penguin@gmail. participated in and benefit- com , 580-225-1941 or find ted from a wide range of pro- us on Facebook at Sagebrush ductions. Penguin Project. For regis- Congratulations Marlie Mong on your All State Fastpitch Jacket. Congratulations Aubrey Honeywell on your All Stars Cross Country Jacket. “The Penguin Project was tration go to https://form.jot- founded on the principle that form.com/260477294161157. SENATE NOTES FROM SEN. BRENT HOWARD FEBRUARY 20, 2026 The State Board of Equal- picture means the state bud- ization recently met to cer- get will likely be relatively flat tify revenue projections for this year. That’s even though the upcoming fiscal year. The state agencies have now re- Senate and House Appropri- quested roughly $1.8 billion ations Committees will use in new appropriations, which these updated figures to build is even more than just a few a state budget for fiscal year months ago. Some of those 2027. Since the board’s De- budget requests are more ur- cember meeting, growth in gent than others. For exam- sales and income tax collec- ple, leaders at the Oklahoma tions improved the overall Health Care Authority, which budget outlook, with reve- oversees the state’s Medicaid nues up an estimated $123 program, have recently said million. the agency could run out of Even with this increase, money if it doesn’t receive the Legislature will have less $495 million in additional money to spend than what appropriations next year to we allocated in the current address growing Medicaid budget year. The Board of costs. Equalization certified an ex- The state is also adjusting penditure authority of $12.17 to federal changes to the Sup- billion, about 4.5% less than plemental Nutrition Assis- the current year’s spending. tance Program that increase That leaves us with roughly its share of administrative $571 million less to appropri- costs. In future budget years, ate when the new fiscal year the state could also face fi- starts on July 1. nancial penalties if the De- The state still has more partment of Human Services than $3.6 billion in reserve cannot significantly decrease accounts, but cash savings its SNAP error rate. are down by about $1 billion In the coming weeks, Sen- from last year because of sev- ate Appropriations subcom- eral costly one-time expendi- mittees will make agency tures. funding recommendations Contributing to the pro- to the full Appropriations jected revenue decrease are Committee. Then, we will lower oil prices. Gross pro- work with our counterparts duction tax collections on oil in the House to reach a final Yes Finance have decreased by 27% since agreement on a state spend- We proudly support the June. Individual income tax ing plan. Passing a balanced collections are still up, but budget is the Legislature’s one students, staff and administration they are slowing, likely due constitutional duty each year. to last year’s 0.25% income To contact me at the Cap- at Merritt Schools tax cut that brought the state’s itol, please write to Senator 1414 W. 3rd St., Elk City, OK top tax rate down to 4.5%. On Brent Howard, State Capitol, ~ Great Plains Bank the other hand, sales tax col- 2300 N. Lincoln Blvd. Room 580.225.1525 ~ First National Bank lections are up by about 11%, providing a boost to state rev- 427, Oklahoma City, OK, 73105, email me at Brent. LocalLoanGroup.com enues. [email protected], or The state’s overall revenue call (405) 521-5612.