Community responds to tornado disaster
She couldn’t get a hold of her sister, who lives with her husband and sons in Moore, after the tornado. Terri Buffalohead, the director of Head Start in Skiatook, posted on Facebook after the storm: “Asking for prayers for my sister Pam and her family. They live in Moore, Ok and they got hit bad. [...]
Never a dull moment in race weekend
Look at those wagons go! This was the common refrain at this weekend’s wagon racing event in Skiatook as wagons and teams of mules careened around the track for first place. Some may think wagon racing is a crazy sport, and they may be right. Tales of flipped wagons, running over outriders, tripped horses and [...]
Designer talks inspirations, lifestyle
He’s an Oklahoma native with big dreams and bigger ambition. Devon Gaines, the energetic 21-year-old entrepreneur who runs Townmaker Square, and interior designer to boot, is making plans to leave Oklahoma, but hopefully not forever. Gaines said he plans to open an interior design business in Dallas or New Orleans. “It’s still very up in [...]
Company moves ahead with pipeline project
The Osage County Commissioners’ decision to approve and sign road and bridge agreements and permits with Enbridge Pipelines is helping the pipeline process move along at an appropriate pace, said Kevin O’Connor, Enbridge’s spokesperson for the Flanagan South pipeline project in Osage County. The pipeline is planned to stretch from Flanagan, Ill., to Cushing, and [...]
Board cuts vice principal position, hears from mother about lost child
The Pawhuska School Board of Education voted, after much discussion, against rehiring Vice Principal Joel Witcher for the 2013-14 school year. Superintendent Landon Berry said they decided to cut the vice principal position for financial reasons. “Our [weighted] enrollment is down almost 78 kids,” Berry said. “And with the sequester, our federal funding is down [...]
Osage County Treasurer to retire
The Osage County Treasurer’s office is in for some changes. Treasurer Joyce Hathcoat announced her retirement, effective June 30, at Monday’s County Commissioners’ meeting. “My husband is fixing to retire, and I’ve been here for 30 years and I feel like it’s time for me to move on,” she said. Hathcoat was elected to County [...]
Meet the Intern: Sally Asher
My name is Sally, and I promise I work for the Bigheart Times. I am the summer intern here at the paper, so you get to see my face around town for the next couple of months. Some of you have already seen me and have probably wondered who I am and why I’m saying [...]
New press yields new look
Whoa! What happened to The Bigheart Times this week? Well, after decades of printing at the Sapulpa Daily Herald, this week we decided to move on and use the press at Muskogee, that’s what. The new press has prompted some major changes, as you can see. We have a TON more color: 12 pages instead [...]
The master: Bit by bit
As the temperature begins to rise into the 90s outside his 10 by 20 workshop, John Israel takes his torch to a rod of black iron, shaping it into a curve that will become the mouthpiece of one of his handmade bridle bits. It’s 9 a.m., and he has already been working for several hours [...]
Highway closing slows responders
The closing of State Highway 11 on Saturday is a pain in the neck for the roughly 2,500-3,000 cars that travel on the highway daily, and it may also cause troubles for emergency response vehicles in the Pawhuska and Barnsdall area. The highway will be closed for the next 60 days to repair a 90-year-old [...]
Vandalism strikes in Osage County
The Pawhuska Police have a suspect in the Fourth of July break-ins of three businesses but are waiting on blood tests to make an arrest. Three storefronts on or near Main Street had their windows smashed on July 4 around 11 p.m., but nothing was taken from the businesses. Pawhuska Police Chief Scott Laird said [...]
Friendly competition yields a free show for all
As the sun begins to set on Bluestem Lake, the Fourth of July celebration is well under way. Dozens of children run up and down the boat ramps and weave in and out of campers on the east side of the lake. Their parents watch with smiles on their face as they pick at the [...]
Many noodlers, few fish
Hulah Lake held its first noodling tournament on Saturday and had an unexpectedly large turnout. However, there were far more people in attendance than there were fish. Experienced noodlers Adam Chin and Brett Kyler, of Bowring. set out early Saturday morning hoping to snag the big catches but were sorely disappointed, as were many teams. [...]
For 4 days, Occupy Osage County
What’s a cause close to your heart? Doug Boone is walking for it. Boone’s journey began at the ocean in San Diego ago and crossed through Pawhuska on Saturday. He and seven compadres from the Occupy movement set out to walk across the United States to Washington, D.C., to protest the direction in which the [...]
Skiatook Trustees talk form of government, grants and town coordinator
Grant The Skiatook Board of Trustees accepted a grant that will allow the town to complete the move of the senior center. The Community Development Block Grant, totaling $69,097, will go toward air conditioning units, kitchen equipment and other amenities, said Trustee Debbie Cook. The total cost of moving the senior center was to be [...]
Election night was a nailbiter for some candidates
Tuesday’s primary elections resulted in some cliffhangers for incumbent State Rep. Sean Roberts and Osage County District 2 Commissioner Scott Hilton, who held on to their parties’ nominations but will still face challengers in November. The primaries were also given some added zip by some vote counting issues that led to recounts, which turned Hilton’s [...]
Fishing for memories of a lost noodler
Noodlin’ ain’t easy. But compared to losing a brother, it doesn’t seem that hard. That’s what was on 11-year old Jared Nickel’s mind as he and his cousin Josh Hutchison ventured out on to the Salt Fork River on Friday to catch some catfish for the Shidler Volunteer Fire Department’s Noodling Tournament. Jared’s brother, Jacob, [...]
Lett named as interim town coordinator
The Skiatook Board of Trustees accepted Town Coordinator Martin Tucker’s resignation and outlined a plan for finding his replacement on Friday. The board plans to advertise the vacant position in the coming weeks and will accept applications until Sept. 25. Once they collect all the applications, which will be sent to Town Clerk Shirley Lett, [...]
Noodling nostalgia
Josh Hutchison and Jared Nickel took second place wearing bracelets in memory of Jared’s nineteen-year-old brother who died in a car wreck last week. Josh taught Jared and his brother how to noodle. Read the full story. Noodling Results: 1st: Mike Epperly and Moses Hawk, 110.8 lbs total 2nd: Josh Hutchison and Jared Nickel, 110.3 lbs total [...]
Skiatook Town Coordinator Martin Tucker resigns
Skiatook Town Coordinator Martin Tucker will leave his position effective June 30. The Skiatook Board of Trustees voted not to renew Tucker’s contract in April, which began in August 2010 and ends June 30. In the contract, it states that if the board decides not to renew, Tucker can declare that as a termination, which he [...]
A new park for Pawhuska
Arts and Preservation in the Osage held its third annual Art Walk on Thursday and unveiled plans for a garden park in downtown Pawhuska. Citizen’s Bank of Pawhuska donated the lot on Kihekah Avenue to the organization, which plans to renovate it using money raised from the Art Walk and through the sale of pavers. [...]
Skiatook audit turns up some issues but nothing major
The Skiatook Board of Trustees heard the results from a municipal audit and a special audit at their regular meeting on June 12, revealing some deficiencies in funding. Marjie Brenner, a senior audit manager from the accounting firm Stanfield and O’Dell, said her firm found a $66,235 deficit in the town’s Cemetery Maintenance Fund, which [...]
A fostering father to many
Jesse Valentine says he and his wife, Anne, do it for the kids, but it’s easy to see they get some enjoyment from it, too. Of course, fostering 121 kids in their early sixties would be difficult if they didn’t. His grin stretches from ear to ear as he recalls all the children who have [...]
Thunder rumbles in Pawhuska
As the Oklahoma City Thunder readied for tipoff Thursday night, the fans in Chesapeake arena were not the only ones standing and waiting for the first basket of the game. More than 120 people gathered on Kihekah Avenue outside Hometown TV and Appliance to watch the game in Pawhuska’s own Thunder Alley. Fans brought lawn [...]
