When President Dr. Faltyn arrived on the Oklahoma Panhandle State University campus in June, he promised to add programs to give people reasons to attend Panhandle State and the proposed Collegiate Shooting Sports Facility is set to do just that.
Faltyn said, “Sometimes fate meets with opportunity, in August, we applied for a grant to plan, do an environmental assessment and construct a Collegiate Shooting Sports Facility. I am told shooting sports are the most requested FFA and 4-H activity. After consulting with our students and community, we determined that such a program is a perfect fit for the culture and tradition of our region. That alone makes this a great opportunity to build a stronger future for the University.”
The facility is designed to house both educational and activity programs including wildlife and gun/archery related degree programs, a collegiate shotgun team, pistol team, rifle team, and an archery team. The site will play host to some of the University’s summer youth camps, community and law enforcement training, and hunter safety programs. In addition, the facility will be available to host a number of events such as 4-H, FFA, or corporate events as well as gun related clubs and association events among others.
An area suited for the shooting sports facility well within the standard for human and facility safety is located on University property. Facility plans include: trap, skeet, and five stand fields; 3-D archery range and sporting clay field; outdoor pistol ranges with covered shooting areas as well as outdoor rifle ranges including covered shooting areas; restrooms, parking, and a pavilion; and a wildlife education center.
While the facility will be home to several competitive teams, the ranges will be open to the public as well.
February 3 was a very important day for this project as Dr. Faltyn signed the Environmental Assessment Agreement, the first step in the construction process. Environmental assessment is predicted to take 12-18 months with construction to follow. Construction is scheduled to take six to eight months targeting fall of 2018 as the completion date.
The facility is being built with grants through the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife and Conservation, and other wildlife and gun related organizations as well as private and in-kind donations.
Faltyn commented, “We are extremely blessed by the overwhelmingly positive support from the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife and Conservation as well as our community. Projects like this ensure that a safe and responsible gun culture as well as our outdoor way of life will continue to grow and thrive in rural America.”

It's a race to the time of year to put on your running shoes and hit the pavement as the Guymon Community Enrichment Foundation makes the final preparations for the 2017 Livin' Green Race to head into its seventh year. Walk or run, young and old, the people of Guymon and Texas County are encouraged to participate in one of the biggest charity events of the year.

It's all about kindness, attitude and community, and it's never too late to make that move toward living a healthier lifestyle. There will be people all along the way to offer words to lift you up as you lift your feet for your health and to help others.

"It's an event that brings all types of people together for a common goal of health, fellowship and philanthropy," organizer Rick Roberts said.

Roberts gives credit to the Ultra Run'ers of Oklahoma for their assistance, noting they have been a huge help with the logistics of the race this year.

On March 11, people from all around will line up at the front line at Main Street Guymon at 116 NE 5th St. to participate in the annual 5k walk and run, 10k run and half marathon, with yet another new element to this year's race - and earlier start for those half marathon runners so everyone can celebrate a finish together.

The half marathon is gaining growing interest in the Texas and Kansas markets, as the hardcore runners pass word along of a race that not only gives them a chance to get their 13.1 mile run in.

According to organizers, registration for the half marathon will start at 6:30 a.m., with the run started at 7 a.m. The 5k and 10k races will begin at the usual 8:30 a.m. Breakfast and awards will begin at 9:45 a.m. as all walkers and runners return to the finish line.

The race needs more than just runners, so those who aren't able to run are welcome to make the call to volunteer their assistance for setup, tear down and encouraging runners throughout the running route. GCEF is always seeking partners to assist with the cost of awards, breakfast and items to ensure runners know where the route is.

This is the second year for the half marathon, which is generally an unseen part of the fun in the Oklahoma panhandle. The full event is locally managed and organized, improving for participants each year. While other marathons have come to the area, they are for-profit events managed by private companies. GCEF is a non-profit organization, and all proceeds raised by the Livin' Green run are put into community projects and scholarships.

Another new aspect this year is access right at runners' fingertips with the RunGuymon.com website, where runners and walkers can find race times, information, and route maps available for download. The Livin' Green Race can also be found on Facebook, and participants can also follow along on Twitter @RunGuymon. Each of the online pages will offer more information, or you can contact Rick Roberts at (580_461-7425 or RunGuymon@yahoo.com

Run happy, be healthy, and see you at the races!

Fiscal year collections nearly 3% below estimate

General Revenue Fund (GRF) collections in January missed the official monthly estimate by 3.4 percent and were 2.8 percent below the estimate for the first seven months of the fiscal year as sales tax receipts fell below projections and corporate income tax collections continued to show their volatility.

Although gross collections showed a slight improvement in January, as reported earlier this month by the State Treasurer, collections to the GRF still fell below the estimate after rebates, refunds and mandatory apportionments. Despite January historically being a good month for collections, GRF receipts nevertheless fell short this year.

“What these January numbers are showing us is that we are a ways from any significant recovery,” said Secretary of Finance, Administration and Information Technology Preston L. Doerflinger.

“There will be little recovery to state coffers without an infusion of recurring revenue,” Doerflinger said. “The Legislature has a comprehensive proposal from the governor that can help lift us out of this hole and significantly improve GRF collections as our economic recovery gains momentum. The time for action is now.”

As state government’s main operating fund, the GRF is the key indicator of state government’s fiscal status and the predominant funding source for the annual appropriated state budget. GRF collections are revenues that remain for the appropriated state budget after rebates, refunds and mandatory apportionments. Gross collections, reported by the State Treasurer, are all revenues collected by the state before rebates, refunds and mandatory apportionments.

GRF collections in January totaled $505.1 million, which is $17.9 million, or 3.4 percent, below the official estimate upon which the fiscal year 2017 appropriated state budget was based and $2.5 million, or 0.5 percent, below prior year collections. Total GRF collections through the first seven months of FY 2017 are $2.9 billion, which is $83.9 million, or 2.8 percent, below the estimate and $211.5 million, or 6.8 percent, below prior year collections.

January’s collections mark the fourth consecutive month that corporate income collections were consumed by refunds, underscoring the volatility of the GRF tax source. Beginning in FY 14, there have been 13 months when corporate income tax collections have failed to provide any revenue to the GRF.

“You can’t rely on corporate income tax collections to provide stability,” Doerflinger said. “Again, the governor has proposed eliminating this volatility in a common sense move to add stability to budgeting and stimulate economic development.”

Doerflinger is director of OMES, which issues the monthly GRF reports.

Major tax categories in January contributed the following amounts to the GRF:

Total income tax collections of $236.6 million were $2.4 million, or 1 percent, above the estimate and $2.9 million, or 1.3 percent, above the prior year.

Individual income tax collections of $236.6 million were $29.3 million, or 14.1 percent, above the estimate and $17.2 million, or 7.8 percent, above the prior year.

Corporate income tax collections were entirely consumed by refunds and contributed nothing to the General Revenue Fund. For the same month last year, $14.3 million was deposited into the GRF.
Sales tax collections of $161.3 million were $10.7 million, or 6.2 percent, below the estimate and $3.3 million, or 2 percent, below the prior year.
Gross production tax collections of $11.5 million were $1.2 million, or 9.4 percent, below the estimate and $4.3 million, or 59.3 percent, above the prior year.

Natural gas collections of $9.7 million were $2.4 million, or 19.9 percent, below the estimate and $2.9 million, or 43.7 percent, above the prior year.

Oil collections of $1.9 million were $1.2 million, or 184.8 percent, above the estimate and $1.4 million, or 265 percent, above the prior year.
Motor vehicle tax collections of $19.5 million were $705,000, or 3.8 percent, above the estimate and $1.2 million, or 6.6 percent, above the prior year.
Other revenue collections of $76.2 million were $9.1 million, or 10.6 percent, below the estimate and $7.5 million, or 9 percent, below the prior year.

Revenue tables can be viewed on the OMES website: https://www.ok.gov/OSF/News/January_2017_Financial_Report_Data_Tables.html.

With consideration of what has been described as extreme drought conditions and recent fire activity in Texas County and the region, fire chiefs and commissioners have discussed a possible burn ban to be set in place for the county.

In December, multiple departments from Texas County, Texas and Kansas responded to a wildland fire ahead of a rapidly moving cold front bringing in high winds and hazardous conditions. While several structures were saved and the fire did not reach major populated centers in the county, 4,700 acres of land were still burned, along with two structures destroyed. Four homesteads and three large hog barn sites were saved during the firefighting efforts. The fire was spotted near the Optima Refuge shooting range.

Last week, a fire on the Texas side of Texhoma burned 1,200 acres. Texas fire units responded, with assistance from Guymon and Goodwell fire responders. The blaze was put out quickly.

On Sunday, Guymon Fire responded to a fire call at 24th Street and Hurliman Road as well. An item placed in a roll-off dumpster caused a fire that spread from the dumpster to the grass surrounding. The fire was quickly contained and put out, limiting damage.

Gov. Mary Fallin issued a two-week burn band for a large portion of Oklahoma, declaring the ban for 53 of the state's 77 counties. Grass and wildfires sprang up throughout the state, stretching fire responders thin in efforts to extinguish the blazes. Commissioners in Oklahoma County extended the burn ban through March 8.

On Monday morning, Texas County commissioners will discuss and possibly approve a burn ban during the regular commissioners meeting. The meeting takes place at 10 a.m. in the commissioners meeting room on the second floor of the Texas County Courthouse, located at 319 N. Main St. in Guymon. The commissioners will receive advisement from the fire chiefs around the county.

The Guymon Daily Herald will follow the story and report on the decision made by the county commissioners at that time.

Legislation to bring Oklahoma licenses into compliance with federal law was approved today with a 78-18 vote by the Oklahoma House of Representatives.

House Bill 1845, by state Rep. Leslie Osborn, creates a REAL ID-compliant driver’s license or identification card for the state of Oklahoma. Individuals may also opt to retain their noncompliant licenses or identification cards.

“It was important to allow Oklahomans the option of keeping their current license,” said Osborn, R-Mustang, and chair of the House Appropriations and Budget Committee. “Many residents may not have a need for a REAL ID-compliant license or may be cautious about the over-sharing of information, and we wanted to make sure those individuals were not inconvenienced. This option garnered support by both Republicans and Democrats.”

Oklahoma currently has a U.S. Department of Homeland Security extension through June 6, 2017, to conform to the REAL ID Act of 2005. Military bases and federal facilities currently accept Oklahoma driver’s licenses. A REAL ID will be required by the TSA to board commercial aircraft beginning on January 22, 2018.

“I’m grateful Oklahoma is on track to meet its deadline for REAL ID compliance. The passage of this bill by the Oklahoma House of Representatives sends a clear message legislators are ready to move quickly and efficiently to ensure Oklahomans can travel freely,” Osborn said.

The legislation will now advance to the Oklahoma Senate for consideration.

A video interview with Rep. Osborn can be found at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bBLZNAS17hA&feature=youtu.be

State Rep. Casey Murdock today praised the passage of his Blue Lives Matter Bill in the Oklahoma House of Representatives Judiciary – Criminal Justice & Corrections Committee.

House Bill 1306 creates the Blue Lives Matter in Oklahoma Act of 2017. It provides that any person convicted of, or who pleads guilty or nolo contendere to murder in the first degree of a law enforcement officer, correctional officer or corrections employee while in the performance of their duties shall be punished by death or life in prison without parole.

“Every day that our law enforcement officers put on that uniform and go to work they are putting their lives on the line for us the citizens of this state,” said Murdock, R-Felt. “With this bill, I cannot make their job any safer, but I can give them and their loved ones the assurance that if they are murdered in the course of doing their jobs, their murderer will be brought to justice.”

Murdock said he was inspired to write this legislation after the tragic events that occurred in Dallas and around the country, where snipers were shooting at law enforcement.

“I decided to run a bill ensuring that anyone who murders law enforcement in Oklahoma will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. I believe, and think that most Oklahomans would agree, that we need to do our part to back the blue in Oklahoma. Too many times our law enforcement officers are taken for granted and I want to show all the support I can for them and show that I will always back them.”

Murdock worked with Committee Chair Rep. Scott Biggs, R-Chickasha, along with Rep. John Paul Jordan to make sure the bill was constitutional yet still firm when it comes to dealing with criminals.

“Representative Murdock is very passionate about showing support for law enforcement,” Said Jordan, R-Yukon. “After reviewing his bill, it was realized that we needed to have an option aside from capital punishment for criminals who murder law enforcement. This was done by amending the bill to include the option of life without parole with no possibility of deferred sentencing.”

This bill, however, makes it harder to just get life in prison, said Murdock. Punishment would be either death or life without parole. The bill also requires that an overwhelming amount of mitigating evidence be shown for those convicted to just be given a life sentence.

The bill passed committee with a 10-2 vote and is now eligible to be considered by the full House.

Superintendents are starting to join with state representatives to ask for passage of House Bill 1482, which would restore protections for children and the places where they gather, such as schools, daycares and parks.

“I was absolutely furious to find out that State Question 780 would do away with drug-free school zones,” said Mike Martin, superintendent of Pauls Valley Public Schools. “Not only was the language intentionally withheld from the public but upheld by a court that should be defending public safety. Regardless of what has been done, as educators, we must do all we can to restore protection for our children. House Bill 1482 does that.”

State Rep. Scott Biggs authored and State Rep. Tim Downing co-authored HB1482 by Rep. Scott Biggs, which passed the House Judiciary – Criminal Justice & Corrections Committee with a vote of 11-1 last week and is expected to be heard on the House floor this week.

The bill preserves the portion of state law that makes it a felony to possess drugs within 1,000 feet of a public or private school or public park or within the presence of a child under the age of 12. This crime could still be charged as a misdemeanor, by discretion, and the options of drug court and deferred or suspended sentences could still be utilized.

“The bill also leaves the totality of SQ780 fully intact in every single square inch of Oklahoma, outside the presence of children and locations where children are targeted,” said Downing.

SQ780 and the removal of drug-free school zones would become effective in July.

Downing explained that the U.S. and all 50 states have laws for drug-free school zones.

“These laws are critical to deter the presence of drugs on and around our schools and students, by increasing the penalty for those offenders,” he said. “Prior to State Question 780, drug-free school zones enhanced the penalty to a felony for possession of drugs on or within 1,000 feet of schools. The distance is approximately 2.5 small city blocks, a standard safety zone, and typical distance a student may walk or ride a bicycle to school. The drug-free zone law provided a strong deterrent to tell potential offenders if they come near our schools or children their punishment can be increased.”

Downing said superintendents were largely unaware that SQ780 repealed drug-free school zones. He said many also did not know that the language of children and schools was deliberately kept from the voters.

“Proponents of SQ780 fought a legal battle to strike from the original ballot language the very clear explanation that passage would remove the enhancement when ‘The person possessed the drug within 1,000 feet of a public or private school or public park,’” Downing said. “The argument to the court to remove this language was that listing the drug-free school zone would ‘appeal to public emotion and fear.’ Accordingly, all that voters read in the ballot box was that passage “changes the classification of certain drug possession crimes,” and there was no mention of schools or children.”

Martin said he finds this unconscionable and is asking other superintendents to examine the issue and support HB1482.

“In my 20th year as an educator and 11th as a school superintendent in Oklahoma, safety of our students is my top priority,” Martin said. “This year alone we have had to lockdown our Early Childhood Center due to drug bust in that neighborhood. Drug dealers know schools are off -limits and carry greater penalties. Without this provision, drug dealers could set up shop and openly recruit our most vulnerable, our children.

“We must protect the children entrusted to our care,” Martin said. “We must keep our schools drug free.”

A bill aimed at alleviating childhood hunger passed Tuesday out of the Oklahoma House of Representatives with a vote of 95 to 0.

House Bill 1875 by state Reps. Eric Proctor and Jason Dunnington permits school districts to donate unused or unopened food to an on-campus nonprofit organization through an authorized representative or designee who is directly affiliated with the school as a teacher, counselor or PTA member. The food may be received, stored and redistributed at the school at any time, and school employees may assist in preparing and distributing the food as volunteers for the nonprofit organization.

“One in four Oklahoma children struggle with food insecurity,” said Proctor, D-Tulsa. “House Bill 1875 is a compassionate measure that will help to achieve the goal of no child going to bed hungry in our state. Hunger is not a Democratic or Republican issue, and I was happy to see the vote pass unanimously.”

The legislation exempts from civil and criminal liability school districts and nonprofit organizations who receive a good-faith donation of food that is fit for human consumption at the time of the donation.

Proctor and Dunnington have partnered with the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma in Oklahoma City and the Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma in Tulsa to ensure as few students as possible go home hungry and without food.

“The Oklahoma Food Banks are pleased to see HB 1875 moving forward through the legislative process with bipartisan support,” said Effie Craven with the Regional Food Bank. “With one in four Oklahoma children living in households that struggle to put enough food on the table, and more than 421,000 children in the state receiving free and reduced price lunch, new approaches to limiting food waste in schools can help ensure that no child goes without enough to eat.”

“House Bill 1875 will allow schools to be stronger community partners by enabling them to use leftover food to feed hungry children, help stock a school pantry, or supplement the food in backpack programs,” said Dunnington, D-Oklahoma City. “At my children’s school, many students leave food on their trays for various reasons after breakfast or lunch. This bill is a common sense way to lessen food waste and hunger.”

The legislation now moves to the state Senate.

The weather radar used by the National Weather Service Forecast Office in Amarillo will be down for approximately four days beginning Monday, Feb. 27 for technicians to install an important technological upgrade. The work on the WSR-88D has been scheduled to minimize any potential impacts to office operations and will be delayed if hazardous weather is forecast.

During the outage, radar coverage is available from adjacent radar sites including: Cannon Air Force Base, Frederick, Dodge City, Pueblo and Lubbock.

A crew will install a new signal processor, which replaces obsolete technology, improves processing speed and data quality, provides added functionality, and supports IT security.

This is the first of four major upgrades, known as service life extension projects, planned in the next five years to replace and refurbish major components of the 20 year old WSR-88Ds and to keep the radars operational into the 2030s. The $150M investment is being made by the three organizations that use these radars, the NOAA National Weather Service, United States Air Force and Federal Aviation Administration. The other service life extension projects include refurbishing the transmitter, pedestal, and equipment shelters.

The tri-agency Radar Operations Center, which supports the radars, estimates it will take about 10 months to upgrade the signal processor on all 159 operational WSR-88Ds.

These radar upgrades will continue to support the mission of the National Weather Service which is to provide weather, water, and climate data, forecasts and warnings for the protection of life and property and enhancement of the national economy, as well as NOAA's broader mission to understand and predict changes in the Earth's environment, from the depths of the ocean to the surface of the sun, and to conserve and manage our coastal and marine resources.

Please join the National Weather Service in Amarillo on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube today.

An affidavit of probable cause was filed with the Texas County Courthouse for the arrest of a man alleged to have used cell phones to record a minor in the shower, with evidence showing he may have been engaging in the production of child pornography.

In the affidavit filed on Feb. 17, a detective with the Guymon Police Department listed information for the arrest of 46-year-old Eric Giovanny Aguirre. The affidavit states an officer was called out to a Guymon home on Dec. 27 after 11 p.m. on a report of unauthorized use of a vehicle and a child pornography case.

The individual reporting the missing vehicle informed the responding officer that Aguirre, her husband, had recorded her daughter in the bathroom with a cell phone. The woman picked Aguirre up at a convenience store. After returning home, the woman confronted Aguirre about the cell phone recording. Aguirre left in the woman's car after the confrontation.

The officer then interviewed the woman's daughter, who informed the officer that "she felt like someone was watching her" while bathing, according to the affidavit. The girl searched the bathroom, locating a cell phone hidden inside an air vent. The girl looked through the phone, where she discovered a video of herself taking a shower the day before. The affidavit goes on to note the girl received a call from Aguirre later that day, in which he asked for forgiveness for his actions. It states the girl refused and did not want to see him.

Attempts to locate Aguirre by both family members and law enforcement have been unsuccessful.

Aguirre used the Kimcy929 secret background video recorder, which recorded two videos on the first cell phone in question. After documenting evidence, an detective visited to the home to interview the victim, as well as document further evidence in the bathroom. The detective also took another cell phone, and iPad and some disks the victim believed belonged to Aguirre.

The victim recounted inappropriate comments made to her by Aguirre, and recalled inappropriate touching outside of her clothing. The detective examined the air vent where the first cell phone was found, and made note of damage to the vent that would indicate tampering to allow for the phone to be hidden to record video. The second cell phone contained more images of the victim.

No contact has been made with Aguirre as of Jan. 27. It is believed he remains in possession of the missing vehicle, which is registered under the victim's mother's name.

A warrant is issued with charges of possession of child pornography, manufacture of child pornography and computer crimes. Multiple names are listed on the affidavit under Eric Giovanny Aguirre, a.k.a. Erik Giovanny Aguirre, a.k.a. Giovanny Aguirre, a.k.a. Edward Cordova. One of the phones taken as evidence uses the name Roger Dale, and other court records listing Aguirre have his name listed as Erick Giovanni Aguirre.

A description of the vehicle and Aguirre are not available at this time.

It's the kind of story to tell and remember. From a man starting off with a hobby and a passion, to supporting students 17 years later, an annual event has turned from something to help out one year to selling out in an hour years on. It started with a working man who simply enjoyed creating.

On March 3, the 17th Annual Paul Farrell Memorial Art Auction will be back with dinner and live entertainment, giving members of the region surrounding Oklahoma Panhandle State University the opportunity to get out for a great evening and a chance to win and bring home original art pieces from local artists, OPSU alumni and up and coming artists.

The auction will take place starting at 6 p.m. at Pickle Creek Center, located at 822 NE 6th St. in Guymon, and promises to be another enchanting evening.

According to OPSU's head of the Fine Arts Department Bryon Test, tickets sold out in less than 24 hours.

"All art in is done by current students, alumni and faculty," Test noted.

Those who hope to attend don't have to despair - there is a waiting list to the theme of Casablanca, with entertainment provided by Chuck Alexander and The Martinis.

The art auction honoring the late Paul Farrell starts off with a story of humble roots. Farrell, a hard-working man who loved to create art on the side, found himself at one point with a cancer that resulted in the loss of one of his eyes. In order to continue on with his love of art, he began spending time at the university to learn how to continue creating under his newfound circumstances.

According to his widow Marjorie, Paul was close to his fellow classmates - a man in his 60s befriending traditional young college students. After his passing, many of the students were devastated by the loss. Afterward, Marjorie was asked if she would help one time with an auction in support of the art department and its students. She agreed.

She says people ask her what her husband would have thought if he knew about the work that has been done.

"Art to him, he enjoyed it so much. It was his hobby," Marjorie added. "No one ever imagined when we started out with this that we would do more than just one."

The auction has been very successful, with every student having graduated or remaining in school. The money stays local, and every bit of the proceeds go to assisting students. Community support covers everything needed to make the auction evening happen.

In once instance, a student who may have had no hope of continuing on at school received help through the proceeds of the auction. Coverage for tuition, housing and a meal plan was provided to the student in order to continue attending school.

Marjorie also notes students are creative, showing their artistic skill through multiple mediums - even shirts.

"They're so interesting, so creative, these kids, and the teachers over there work awfully hard. They want these kids to have a good life," Marjorie said.

OPSU alumnus Brenton Kirkhart will be one of the artists featured in the auction, with his oil pastel piece titled 'Spokane Scout'. The painting is set in an ebony oak frame with custom matting.

"The painting is a depiction of a Spokane tribal scout wearing a Pendleton wool blanket robe," Kirkhart wrote. "This exquisite piece has such meaning as the feathers in the man's hat. The feather with the red dot symbolizes 'killed an enemy'. The feather off to the side with the jagged cuts symbolizes 'struck four blows at his enemies."

Kirkhart says as a student at OPSU, the auction extended him the opportunity to network and gain socials skills as a working artist.

"Throughout these years, my participation became a chance to give back to future fine art students; paying forward similar opportunities I received as an Aggie," Kirkhart said. "As an OPSU Alumnus, I have witness wonderful things come from this gathering, as it has undoubtedly grown into something more and more special."

"It brings all walks of life together, expanding our great community. Bryon Test passed down to me many great stories about Mr. Paul Farrell. It would be a dream of mine to one day impact this community as greatly as he has."

Those interested in getting on the waiting list for a seat at the auction can contact the group on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/OPSUArtAuction/, email at brent@opsu.edu or call the college at (580)349-2611 for more information. The art being featured in the auction can be found on Facebook as well, giving attendees an opportunity to see what they're bidding for ahead of the event.

High-school “shop” and industrial arts classes have been “phased out” of most public schools in Oklahoma over the years, but elective courses in the construction trades would be encouraged under legislation that the House of Representatives passed Tuesday.

House Bill 1407 by Rep. Mickey Dollens, D-Oklahoma City, was approved, 92-4, and was transmitted to the Senate, where it is sponsored by Sen. Randy Bass, D-Lawton. It was the first bill by Dollens, a “freshman” legislator, to pass the House.

The intent behind House Bill 1407 is “to let kids get a head start on good-paying jobs in the construction industries,” Dollens told his colleagues. “We need career-based courses” in high school, he said recently, because not everyone wants or needs a college degree.

Research indicates that the average age of a construction worker in the United States today is 55. “We are bordering on a severe shortage of people trained in the construction trades,” he said.

The introductory classes proposed in HB 1407 would be offered in grades 9-12 and would be entirely voluntary, not an unfunded mandate on school districts, Dollens emphasized. He said supporters of his idea are developing partnerships with Habitat for Humanity and with some unions in the state, and are considering a federal grant as a potential source of funding.

“This is a great idea!” Jeremy Hendricks, a Seminole native who is assistant business manager for the Laborers Union Southwest District, wrote on Facebook recently.

As someone who works to place construction workers on the job every day, “I can attest that there is a huge shortage of workers in the construction industry,” Hendricks said. “We have unfortunately taken these sort of introductory classes out of the high schools and kids no longer know this is a viable family-supporting career… [W]e should be encouraging these sorts of programs… I know for one, my labor union would be happy to partner with high schools to provide curriculum and access to instructors to start a pilot program to get this off the ground. I'm sure there are other funding sources out there,” as well, he wrote, thanking Dollens for “getting the process started.”

When at least one House member indicated that HB 1407 would duplicate offerings of Oklahoma’s Career and Technology Education centers, Dollens said that “not every school is near a CareerTech,” and some students do not have the minimum 2.0 grade point average required to “get into” a CareerTech industrial trades program.

“I first got the idea while teaching English at U.S. Grant High School” in south Oklahoma City, Dollens related.

“One of my students was having a hard time focusing on a book report that I assigned. He told me he wasn't interested in the book because it wouldn’t benefit him in the career he wanted to pursue. I asked which career he aspired toward, and he said he was going to be a foreman for a construction company. I suggested he research the career path on becoming a foreman and write his book report on that. That’s all he needed to hear. The student submitted a great book report a few days later, and it was evident this was his passion.”

Students need some proof that “what they are doing in school will relate to their lives afterward,” Dollens said.

The construction industry entails more than just manual labor, he noted. For example, it involves geometry (angles of cuts and rooflines), basic math (lengths of boards and height of walls), English (reading plans and specs), and even science (how various compounds interact).

Further, he said, “Once students enroll in a construction class and see a direct correlation between what they’re doing and where they want to go, they tend to do better in their other classes, too.”

The training proposed in HB 1407 also could reduce dropout rates “and would be a tool to break the school-to-prison pipeline,” he predicted.

Dollens’ legislation would dovetail with an apprenticeship program sponsored by the Oklahoma Building & Construction Trades Council.

An apprentice is a worker who “learns a skilled trade through planned, supervised, on-the-job training and related classroom instruction,” said Jimmy Curry, president of the Oklahoma AFL-CIO. An apprentice earns wages while acquiring skills during a program that ranges from three to five years. After completing a program, an apprentice becomes “a journey-person, fully qualified to perform the work of the trade and earning full pay for their skill,” Curry said.

The Oklahoma Building & Construction Trades Council sponsors apprenticeships in trades such as boilermaker, bricklayer, plumber and pipefitter, sheet metal worker, sprinkler fitter, electrician, elevator mechanic, roofer, heat and frost insulator, ironworker, painter/decorator, pipeliner, and glazier (cutting, installing, replacing and removing residential, commercial, and artistic glass).

Recently, several fires have popped up around Texas County, mostly in open, grassy fields. With windy, dry conditions and plenty of fuel to feed a blaze thanks to record rainfall last year, the usual hazard is heightened, and county commissioners are asking everyone to be aware of their surroundings as they're out in the fields.

Commissioner Richard Bryan wants to warn those driving out in pastures in automobiles to be aware that their vehicles could spark fires thanks to those dry, fueled conditions.

See today's print issue of the Guymon Daily Herald to learn more about what commissioners believe is contributing to grass fires in the middle of fields.

Legislation that would require state agencies to verify the eligibility of all applicants for welfare benefits, and require every applicant to complete an identity authentication process, squeaked through a House panel Tuesday on a party-line vote.

House Bill 1270 by Rep. Elise Hall, R-Oklahoma City, received a do-pass recommendation from the Rules Committee on a 4-3 vote. All four “ayes” were cast by Republicans, and the “nays” were cast by the three Democrats on the panel.

HB 1270 would direct the Oklahoma Health Care Authority (OHCA) and the Department of Human Services (DHS) to verify the eligibility of every applicant for Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly known as food stamps)

Hall said her measure is “a work in progress” intended to ensure that “people who truly need” state welfare benefits “are receiving them.” The State of Oklahoma has “limited resources.”

“Has there been evidence of inappropriate receipt of benefits?” asked Rep. Meloyde Blancett, D-Tulsa.

Not in Oklahoma, but in other states, Hall said. Unofficial records indicate several lottery winners in Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan and New York improperly received public welfare benefits.

For example, a New York resident who began receiving $1,000 each week in 1998 after winning a scratch-off lottery game was charged with fraud in 2012 after collecting more than $4,000 in welfare benefits. And a Michigan woman received $5,475 in food and medical benefits after winning $1 million in the lottery.

Hall said she just wants to “make sure there’s no fraud and abuse in our benefit programs.” Her legislation would demonstrate that “we’re wisely using tax dollars,” she said.

HB 1270 would instruct the OHCA and the DHS to review, on a quarterly basis, information about program recipients that might affect their continued eligibility for public benefits. “Often times the state is checking these only once a year,” Hall claimed.

However, the DHS reports that it requires SNAP households to be recertified every six months. And the Oklahoma Lottery Commission says it routinely checks the names of lottery winners against DHS child support enforcement records; against Oklahoma Tax Commission rolls, to determine whether a winner has any tax payments in arrears; and with the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission, to determine whether a lottery winner is collecting unemployment benefits.

Hall said her measure is modeled on legislation from other states. Rep. David Perryman said HB 1270 is “cookie-cutter legislation” patterned after a proposal developed by the Foundation for Government Accountability, where former state Rep. Tom Newell, R-Seminole, is now a senior fellow.

Rep. Steve Kouplen, D-Beggs, asked what were the results in other states that implemented the provisions proposed in HB 1270, but Hall said she did not have that information at her fingertips.

Perryman asked whether a cost-benefit analysis has been performed on HB 1270. No, Hall said, but vowed that the bill’s title will be stricken by the time it reaches the House floor for consideration by the entire House of Representatives.

Perryman, D-Chickasha, debated against the bill, describing it as “a solution looking for a problem.”

The legislation would mandate redundant administrative burdens for the Oklahoma Health Care Authority (which administers SoonerCare, Oklahoma’s Medicaid program) and the Department of Human Services (administrator of the SNAP program), Perryman said. There is no evidence of widespread abuse or fraud in SNAP or SoonerCare, he said. SNAP error rates have fallen steadily for more than a decade, and Oklahoma’s rate of improper payments for Medicaid is low, he said after the meeting.

The DHS estimates that implementing HB 1270 would require the agency to hire 400 to 500 additional workers at an estimated cost of $9 million to $11 million, “and there’s no evidence” that the legislation would provide a return on investment of that magnitude, Perryman told the committee members.

The DHS, Perryman noted, shed 1,200 positions outside of child welfare over the past couple of years (approximately 100 jobs were eliminated just last August) because of budget cutbacks. Already the agency needs $40 million in additional appropriations just to finish out Fiscal Year 2017, which ends June 30.

HB 1270 would be “a new, expensive mandate” that would simply duplicate existing practices, Perryman asserted.

March came in like a lion, didn't it? That familiar spring wind is back again, and warmer temperatures are on the horizon. The birds are singing their spring songs, and everything will start turning green again very soon! Meanwhile, there is still a lot to do, and you won't want to miss it!

If you have an upcoming event you would like to see in the week in preview, stop by the Guymon Daily Herald office at 515 N. Ellison St. in Guymon, call (580)338-3355 or email gdhreporter@gmail.com with all the details. Make sure to check out page 2 in every issue to find out about other events around the Texas County community!

Among the week's events are an immigration informational meeting, Chamber of Commerce general membership, Guymon Toastmasters and New Generation Toastmasters on speaking and presentation, Convention and Tourism, the Livin' Green Race, a spaghetti fundraiser for the Guymon High School Golf team, Panhandle Lions annual pancake supper, Texas County Democrats precinct meetings and county convention, and much more!

For more information and to see what else is coming up in the next few days, make sure to grab a copy of Friday's Guymon Daily Herald. The Daily Herald can be found at several retail locations in Guymon, Goodwell and Hooker.

Two weeks after dozens of nurse practitioners visited the state Capitol to speak with lawmakers, the House of Representatives passed a measure aimed at improving access to health care services across Oklahoma.

House Bill 1013, by Rep. Josh Cockroft, R-Wanette, and Sen. AJ Griffin, R-Guthrie, would eliminate the outdated and unnecessary requirement that nurse practitioners sign a collaborative agreement with a physician. The measure passed the House on Wednesday by a 72-20 vote.

“This will increase access to health care services for those who live in our rural communities where we have physician shortages,” said Cockroft. “I’m happy to carry a bill that helps people get the quality of care they need in a timely manner and close to home.”

“This is a great step toward improving access to health care services for all Oklahomans,” said Toni Pratt-Reid, president of the Association of Oklahoma Nurse Practitioners (AONP). “Nurse practitioners, who have masters or doctorate degrees, have the education and training needed to do more to address the critical health care shortage in our state.”

According to the most recent Oklahoma Health Workforce Databook compiled by the Oklahoma State Department of Health, 64 of Oklahoma’s 77 counties are designated as primary care Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs). More than 58 percent of Oklahomans live in a primary care HPSA. The state ranks 49th in physician-patient ratio.

Wednesday’s vote in the House follows AONP’s Legislative Day at the Capitol, which was held Tuesday, Feb. 14. That event saw dozens of nurse practitioners and nursing students visit the Capitol to speak with lawmakers about the issue.

Cynthia Sanford, a nurse practitioner who owns a pediatric clinic in McAlester, attended the event.

“This bill would allow me to expand my clinic,” Sanford said. “It’s going to allow us to expand access to health care in rural areas by employing more nurse practitioners.”

In addition, some nurse practitioners must also pay thousands of dollars a month for so-called collaborative agreements with physicians, even though the physician may not see a nurse practitioner’s patients or review their charts.

Nurse practitioners working in 22 states and the District of Columbia, and in U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs facilities across the country, all have full practice authority.

“Studies have shown that patients who see a nurse practitioner have health outcomes as good as those who see a physician. Studies also show that NPs are more likely to work in rural areas,” Pratt-Reid said. “Many of the states that rank highest in health rankings give nurse practitioners full practice authority, so we are pleased that the legislature is giving this issue serious consideration this year.”

HB1013 now moves on to consideration by the Senate.

State agencies are more efficient and better protected when information technology is unified under one umbrella, state Chief Information Officer Bo Reese told legislators today.

“There really are no bounds to what we can do when we have unified agencies willing to collaborate,” Reese told the House Government Modernization Committee.

Unification, legislatively mandated by HB 1304 in 2011, partners agencies with the Office of Management and Enterprise Services to streamline and consolidate IT efforts. Reese also responded to questions regarding legislative efforts this year to exempt agencies from unification by saying such action would in the long run cost Oklahoma money and risk the security of citizens’ data.

Governor Mary Fallin said she agreed with Reese.

“Any legislation that unwinds or puts at risk our state’s vital information to cybersecurity attacks would set Oklahoma back,” she said.

During his presentation today, Reese pointed to several recent projects completed by OMES Information Services, the division he heads.

OMES has unified IT for 61 of the 78 legislatively mandated agencies, as well as 31 voluntary (nonappropriated) state agencies, at an estimated reduced spending and projected savings of about $129 million. Efforts to unify the remaining agencies should be finished by the end of the fiscal year, Reese said.

Specific projects he mentioned included consolidating and moving 55 critical data systems housed in the Department of Human Services. Previously, the systems took up 8,222 square feet at DHS. Through virtualization, the space was reduced to seven racks and the mainframe, occupying about 100 square feet at the OMES Information Services Data Center. Not only was it a white-space footprint reduction of nearly 99 percent, but also freed up valuable space for DHS.

Reese further highlighted efforts last year of OMES to partner with Oklahoma Park Rangers to install tablets in their patrol vehicles so important data on missing persons, warrants and criminal history backgrounds would be instantly available as opposed having to shuffle through paperwork at a station.

Reese suggested legislators could review his agency’s quarterly reports for more success stories at cio.ok.gov.

Among the many unification benefits Reese outlined is the increased ability to combat cyber threats that didn’t exist before unification.

“Myself, having been in state IT for 24 years, I know we were often separated in our silos, our separate environments,” he said. “State data, and therefore the data of Oklahomans, is better protected when agencies are unified.”

Nonunified agencies don’t have the number of resources or expertise of CyberCommand. Reese said that last year CyberCommand successfully responded to 32,000 cases of unique malware, knocked down 750 instances of malicious activity and thwarted 400 occasions of unauthorized access.

“Unification makes Oklahoma’s technology more efficient, more accessible and stronger,” said Secretary of Finance, Administration and Information Technology Preston L. Doerflinger, who is the director of OMES. “It’s important to all Oklahomans that unification efforts continue and Oklahoma moves forward.”

State Rep. Jason Dunnington held a press conference Wednesday advocating for Oklahoma’s low- and middle-income families.

Dunnington was joined by other Democratic representatives as part of a nationwide movement fighting for bills that would raise incomes, support creation of good jobs and level the playing field for working families.

“While some of our colleagues protect giveaways to our state’s largest corporations and wealthiest citizens, more roadblocks are being placed in the path of the most vulnerable,” said Dunnington, D-Oklahoma City. “When are we going to get serious about investing in Oklahoma’s middle class and working poor?”

Dunnington, along with Reps. Collin Walke, Forrest Bennett, Shane Stone and Claudia Griffith, highlighted bills they filed that would’ve allowed for paid sick time, tax exemptions for diapers and formula, and increased funding for community health care centers. None of the bills has received a floor hearing, but Dunnington and his colleagues said it was important to remind the public of the ongoing fight for families.

“We cannot wait another day to help the people living in Oklahoma’s shadows. We spend a lot of time in the Legislature seeking to better those who already have a smoothly paved road ahead of them, and it’s time to fight for people who may be on a bumpier path,” said Bennett, D-Oklahoma City.

The Democratic representatives intend to continue advocating for the working and middle class during the next legislative session when their bills can be heard again.

“At the end of the day, we should do everything in our power as state representatives to make sure our economy and government work for everyone, not just a wealthy few. A stronger middle class is the best and most efficient way to create a stronger Oklahoma,” said Walke, D-Oklahoma City.

The press conference was part of the multi-state #fightingforfamilies movement by State Innovation Exchange Action. The independent nonprofit is committed to achieving progressive change at the state level, while defending against efforts to move our country backward.

A bill that would shield digital pornography from the general public passed the House Judiciary – Criminal Justice & Corrections Committee today with a unanimous vote.

House Bill 1472 by state Rep. Travis Dunlap would require digital service providers to filter content to prevent the transmission of obscene material to consumers.

“This bill begins to address the public health and safety crisis caused by the ease of access to obscene material online, specifically pornography,” said Dunlap, R-Bartlesville. “A blatant double standard has developed in our marketplace: While state obscenity laws require blinder racks for obscene material in our brick and mortar establishments, there is no state law requiring digital blinder racks, or filters, to protect the public from obscene material in our online marketplace.

"Pornography is recognized as a public health crisis by legislative resolution in Utah, South Dakota, and Virginia. The National Platform for the GOP also declares pornography a public health crisis."

Dunlap thanked members of the House Judiciary – Criminal Justice & Corrections Committee for supporting the passage of the bill, which passed 11-0.

The bill can be read here: http://www.oklegislature.gov/BillInfo.aspx?Bill=HB1472&Session=1700

Recently, a local man has been hospitalized with critical injuries, leaving his family in need of assistance.

On Feb. 16, Dillon Sexton was in a motorcycle accident caused by a careless driver. It has left him, his wife Alyssa and their nine month old son in need. Sexton suffered broken bones and extensive brain injury from the accident.

The students and staff of Prairie Elementary are familiar with Alyssa, who is one of their teachers. They have stepped up to the plate to help raise funds for the young Sexton family, but Prairie students can only make a very small dent in the financial stress in the months to come.

The community at large is encouraged to pull together to assist the students' efforts in helping one of our own when it is needed the most.

For those willing to help, contributions can be made at Prairie Elementary school in care of Alyssa Sexton. Prairie Elementary is located at 1501 OK-3 in Guymon, and can be contacted by phone at (580)338-0420.