COMPILED BY AMIE CATO-REMER, EDITOR AND LYNN ADAMS, SPECIAL TO THE REGISTER
January Lawsuit claiming watershed pollution enters 23rd year
The Illinois River and Lake Tenkiller — described by The Oklahoman in 1974 as “the most beautiful waterways in the state” — may not be that way much longer. But while lawsuits for the past two decades remain unresolved, poultry companies continue practices that have resulted in increased levels of nitrogen, phosphorus and even E. Coli in waterways within the 25,000-square-mile watershed.
Gore votes to vacate Ward 5 trustee
Gore’s Board of Trustees voted to vacate the town’s Ward 5 trustee after discovering Ward 5 Trustee Gideon Miller’s residence was not in town limits. A packed room heard attorney Matthew Price make the town’s case for why Miller was no longer legally able to serve as a trustee. Although several spectators who supported Miller shouted down the trustees and Miller refused to give up his seat, the board is looking for a replacement.
February ‘Sweetheart’ of a bust
Sequoyah County Sheriff Larry Lane and other authorities sent their own Valentine’s Day message this year to an alleged local drug trafficker, but the Sheriff said they weren’t met with flowers and candy.
Just after daylight on Feb. 14, Lane said deputies and investigators, Sallisaw Police investigators, ATF agents and District 27 DTF agents served a narcotics search warrant at a residence in the Gum Springs community, north of Gore.
Lane said officers recovered fentanyl, more than a pound of methamphetamine, a large sum of marijuana, loaded firearms and more than $4,000 in U.S. currency. Lane reported Tracy Radick, 38, of Gore was arrested and charged.
Recent legislation would shield poultry producers from liability A nod appears to be as good as a wink for state legislators who have all but given carte blanche to poultry producers when it comes to protecting — or not — the state’s clean water, scenic rivers and Lake Tenkiller from poultry waste. The Oklahoma House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed House Bill 4118, which shields poultry producers from liability — past, present and future — when they engage in good-faith efforts to avoid water pollution. Rep. Jim Olsen, R-Roland, was among those legislators who approved the bill.
The bill, which now heads to the Senate, obfuscates the absolute prohibition against polluting state waters, placing the onus on producers to engage in best-practices efforts, and minimizes the consequences for failure to do so.
March Carey wins state title
Webbers Falls powerlifter Gunner Carey wins the state title at 123 pounds at the Class B State Powerlifting Meet in McLoud. Carey’s teammates Maddux Shelby and Zane Nolan also placed as they were second at 181 pounds and fourth at 168 pounds, respectively.
Rural fire department given $10,000 grant
Sequoyah County Rural Fire Protection District #1 (RFPD1) was recently notified that of the 150 applicants for the CHEMTREC HELP Award, RFPD1 was one of five recipients, and the first fire department in Oklahoma to receive the $10,000 grant from the Na- tional Volunteer Fire Council. RFPD1 was presented the grant at an event at Marval Resort.
“I can’t say enough about how proud we are of every member of RFPD#1. This crew puts in the time and dedication to make things happen, and it shows,” said Heath Orabanec, fire chief for RFPD1. “This is the first time a department in Oklahoma has been selected for this grant, and we are very humbled to be that department.”
April Solar eclipse takes i ts toll
By 10 p.m. Monday, Vian’s roads and state highways looked like they always did. But just a few hours earlier, traffic was backed up as far as the eye could see, and beyond.
Sequoyah County Emergency Management reported traffic on I-40 was very heavy and slow. Traffic was also backed up on U.S. 59, south of Sallisaw. The heaviest traffic occurred after 3 p.m. when people started leaving where they were viewing the eclipse, causing even more traffic congestion and backing up traffic for about seven miles on I-40 between Sallisaw and Vian.
Gore also reported a heavy influx of traffic on U.S. 64 between Vian and Gore. The next total eclipse in Oklahoma is scheduled for 2045.
School board, ICTC seats decided by voters Voters decided who would serve on both the Vian and Gore Public Boards of Education, and on a seat for the Indian Capital Technology Center following the general election on April 2.
VyingfortheVianboard seat was Ken Pack (incumbent) and Bill Sanford. Sanford took the election with 70.60 percent of the vote, receiving 401 votes total, while Pack received 29.40 percent of the vote with 167 votes.
In the Gore School Board election, Cody A. Sloan (incumbent) was once again declared the winner, receiving 60.98 percent with a total of 211 votes, while his opponent, Aaron Cearley received 39.02 percent with 135 votes.
Sequoyah County residents also cast ballots in favor of Monte Madewell to continue serving on the ICTC board once again, with Madewell receiving 53.32 percent of the vote with 3,076 votes.
May Smith seeking state representative seat E.O. “Jr.” Smith, 73, of Vian (Republican), has announced his candidacy for state representative of District 2.
Smith’s family story is one of perseverance and hard work, which led him to be a successful business owner for nearly three decades.
A dedicated community leader, Smith serves on the Vian Board of Trustees and has served for nearly seven years as a Cherokee Nation Tribal Councilor. He is a big supporter of education, schools and little league sports.
Casey wins essay contest Harley Casey of Vian was presented a check from Sallisaw Farmers Market president Max Smith for a $1,000 college scholarship. Casey plans to attend Connors State College. This is the second annual scholarship from the farmers market, with Benjamin Bell of Sallisaw receiving the 2023 award.
Recipients are determined through an essay contest about “Why agriculture is important to me.”
June Ward pleads guilty
Robert C. Ward, 68, of Vian, pled guilty to federal drug charges after a narcotics search warrant was served at his residence on Jan. 2. Ward was charged with trafficking in illegal drugs (nearly two pounds of methamphetamine), use of a firearm while committing a felony, acquire proceeds from drug activity, receive, possess or conceal stolen property, use of surveillance equipment in commission of a felony, and possession of marijuana with intent to distribute. Morethan40firearmswere also seized by authorities during the warrant seizure.
Olsen, Haywood re-elected, Edgmon wins as challenger Incumbents Jim Olsen for District 2 State Representative and Julie Haywood for Sequoyah County Clerk won handily in Tuesday’s Republican primary election. Meanwhile, challenger Melanie Edgmon claimed the Sequoyah County Court Clerk election by an equally large margin. Haywood recorded the widest victory margin among local elections, defeating Rosa Scott Looper, 2,121 (65%) to 1,152 (35%). Edgmon defeated incumbent Gina Cox, 1,901 (60%) to 1,261 (40%). Olsen bested E.O. “Junior”Smith,1,936(58%) to 1,388 (42%).
July Authorities continue search for Blackmer
Vian Police and other authorities were looking for a Vian man, Christopher Blacker, who was reported as a missing/endangered adult by family members. Blackmerhadbeenmissing for more than a week when he was reported as having no contact with family members. Police searched frequent places Blackmer visited, but were unable to locate him. Blacmer was later found safe and returned home to family, after missing for 43 days.
Drowning reported on Tenkiller Lake An Edmond man was pronounced deceased on Sunday afternoon after jumping off a bluff at the Burnt Cabin cliffs on Tenkiller Lake. Oklahoma Highway Patrol Trooper Stanley Roedenbeck #842 of Troop W reported that Donald B. Holloway, 41, of Edmond, drown after resurfacing briefly.
August Gore seeks to pass bond Gore Public Schools encouraged voters to pass a $11.9 million no-tax-increase bond initiative at the polls on Aug. 27, that came without any additional tax liability. The bond was a replacement bond, to take place of the current bond when it expired. The bond passed and will fund the constructionofanewlower elementary school, as well as the renovation of other school buildings.
Schools take steps to ensure distraction-free learning environment For the 2024-25 school year, Sequoyah County schools have implemented policies that restrict cellphone use during the school day. Almost without exception, cellphones are not to be used during classroom instruction time.
Not for calls, texts, social media, reading, taking pictures, streaming videos, as a calculator, checking the time, listening to music, checking grades or any other purpose. When it comes to punishment for violating the cellphone policies, consequences vary from a verbal warning to long-term in-school suspension of up to 45 days, depending on the school.
September Deputies capture fugitive near Vian
Lester Hampton, 62, of Vian, who walked away from an inmate halfway house in Ponca City was captured by Sequoyah County Sheriff’s deputies after being on the run for 10 days. Hampton was reportedly serving a 10-year sentence for second-degree burglary.
Hampton had traveled about 175 miles before he was discovered missing during an inmate head count. Sequoyah County Sheriff Larry Lane said an off-duty 911 dispatcher spotted Hampton in the Blackgum area on their way home from work. Hampton was later found in a wooded area with the use of a drone.
Lease runner-up in mullet competition
Logan Lease, 14, who lives in Gore and attends Vian Public Schools, was named runner-up in the teen division of the USA MulletChampionship.This was the third time Lease had entered the contest.
Lease said he hopes to win the competition in 2025.
October Deputy seriously injured in acident
A Sequoyah County Sheriff’s deputy was critically injured while directing traffic at the scene of a fatal accident on I-40, just a few miles west of Vian.
Deputy Duwaine Chase was assisting Oklahoma Highway Patrol and first responders who were extricating two passengers who were pinned for about an hour from an earlier crash when he was struck by a vehicle, which then collided with his patrol unit.
Chase sustained broken vertebrae in his neck and back, a broken leg in two places, shattered ankle, nine broken ribs, separated sternum, bruised small intestine, liverdamageandother internal bruising. He also has two small brain bleeds.
SCWAannounces water rate increase
The Sequoyah County Water Association (SCWA) votedtoincreasewaterrates for its customers after the board of directors reviewed several proposals. The association serves 6,700 retails customers throughout Sequoyah County, and provides wholesale water to the towns of Vian and Muldrow, and Sequoyah County Rural Water District No. 5. SCWA’s last rate increase was reported in April 2019.
November Lodging tax proposal If Sequoyah County voters didn’t like the idea of a countywide lodging tax when it was first proposed in October 2022, chances are the past two years may not have changed their mind.
But District 3 County Commissioner Jim Rogers is hoping that, given enough assurances that a 4% lodging tax will not be assessed to county residents, that such a lodging tax is only collected from those who stay at airbnbs or motels in the county where no municipality already assesses a lodging tax, that county residents will approve the “only pay if you stay” tax this time around.
Humanremains believed to be Fagan
Authorities on Nov. 8 began conducting a thorough search of a densely wooded area north of Vian after a deer hunter discovered human remains near Lake Tenkiller.
Sequoyah County Sheriff LarryLanesaidhisdeputies and investigators, along with Cherokee Nation Marshals, the Oklahoma Medical Examiner’s office and District 27 District Attorney’s office traveled to an area of Grey Squirrel Ridge near Buzzard Roost Trail in the Cato Creek area where “several human bones were located.”
Speculation is that the remains belong to Matthew Fagan of Webbers Falls, who disappeared on June 21, 2016, in the same area while reportedly hiking with a group of friends. Neither Fagan nor his body have been found.
December Wolverines lose
The Vian Wolverines lost 28-18 to the Davis Wolves in the first-ever Class 2A, Division II state football title game. The Wolverines were trying to win their first state football title in 53 years since winning the gold ball in 1971. Four turnovers, with three of those being turned into 21 Davis points.
If voters approve lodging tax
If Sequoyah County voters view the county’s proposed 4% lodging tax — which is paid only by those who rent overnight accommodations within the county — the same way District 3 Commissioner JimRogersdoes,thenwhen ballots are tabulated on Feb. 11, 2025, the county, in general, and the county fairgrounds, in particular, will reap the benefits of a progressive and forwardthinking electorate.
• 60% for the operation and maintenance of the county fairgrounds
• 30% for marketing and promotion of countywide tourism
• 10% for roadside beautification initiatives, trash and litter removal.
