Pawhuska Journal-Capital (Pawhuska, Okla.), Vol. 89, No. 51, Ed. 1 Saturday, June 26, 1999 Page: 1 of 50
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PRESS ASSOC
98
AWARD
WINNING
NEWSPAPER
R OF OKLAHOMA
OKI A 1
AT TN:
2100 I
Vol. 89, No. 51
Hl F,
Pawhuska
02/02/00 **
TORICAL SOC
7 105
ICAp
Pawhuska, Oklahoma 74056
Cooling off!
I These young swimmers, Tesa Goad and Hunter Taylor, both age 3, were cooling off Wednesday afternoon after the sun came out and
the skies cleared in their home swimming pool. Mother Nature has not offered very many days for swimming as she seems to think we
were in the process of a drought. Skies continued to dump more rain on the area on Thursday afternoon. (J-C Photo by Terry Collins).
Sheriffs outraged by late night
‘Truth-in-Sentencing” legislation
As the Legislature recessed the special ses- one would have the time to uncover and yet passing many of the same provisions in HB
sion last week, another massive truth in sen- were expected to support HB 1008X pro- 1008X which effectively cripple local com-
tencing' bill was introduced on the final day vides for two new sentencing options -- nev- munities. This is not a democracy, it is a dic-
and this has raised concern about the final er before discussed - in over two years of tatorship, ruled by a handful of powerful
outcome on this issue. "When will the this debate. One such provision would allow Senators who want to deny the input of
legislature learn that criminal justice policy inmates to be sentenced to a "restrictive Sheriffs and others concerned with the safety
cannot be set in the eleventh hour by voting housing facility similar to the one which has of Oklahoma's citizens," stated John Walsh
on a 400-plus page bill which no one has had currently come under public criticism in "It is time for this kind of practice to come to
the opportunity to read?" asks John Walsh, Cleveland County. The bill also provides for a stop. We applaud those members of the
executive director of the Oklahoma Sheriffs' "pilot programs” in community sentencing Senate who blocked the vote on thc emer-
Association, "voting on a massive bill with- with an over -5 million dollar appropria- gency clause without proper time to review
out the proper input from the law enforce- tion Since there is no provision in the bill the legislation when the Legislature
-----------.......- - ======.......1.........:
( nthe final day of the special session, two lators. pven the supposed "truth in sentenc- The Legislature will once again be consid-
new bills magically appeared on the desks of ing" provisions of the bill only apply to a few ering this legislation on lune 30. "This bill
legislators I he first bill, HB 1009X, was an crimes; important offenders - drive-by shoot- must be fixed. There have been over two
alleged repeal bill over 400 pages in ers, drug traffickers, people convicted of years and two special sessions to address this
length I Through the bill may actually repeal elder abuse and other violent offenders will issue and it is not over yet!” John Walsh
the damaging provisions of HB 1213, there is not be required to serve any more time. An states. "The Legislature has one day to
really no way to determine its true impact early release mechanism -- the cap law -- is resolve this issue. We do not know if they
with less than 24 hours to review its contents, reinstated. are willing to resolve it in a way that protects
Many of the provisions have so called edi- "This js yet another example of the under- the safety and scrutiny of the citizens of this
t< ria ° ranges an time is need ed to deter handed "dark of night” tactics promulgated state. Therefore, we advise all citizens to be
mine t le impact on t u system by the Senate leadership What these bills prepared for HB 1213 to take effect and for
HB 1008X was even more evil. This bill would do is allow the legislature to say they thousands of offenders to be placed into
includes many offensive provisions that no had repealed HB 1213 while at the same time inadequately funded local communities."
Legislature to reconvene =..................
BRAES
By Jim Campbell taking effect July 1 as scheduled, hit bump after
OPA Capitol News Bureau bump. Finally, both Houses adjourned until June
In a special session marked by frequent party 30, giving lawmakers one more shot at it.
caucuses and formal sessions often lasting little Of the Nichols money rejection, Gov. Frank
longer than the prayer, lawmakers quickly trashed Keating said, "I'm disappointed." He had includ-
500
Saturday, June 26, 1999
City wants
Hwy 99 speed
limit lowered
By Louis Gray the Osage County Courthouse
J-C Staff Writer on the former Mathews home,
Mayor Jack Shoemate has writ- recently purchased by Jim Ham-
ten the Department of Transpor- ilton. I he city approved an ordi-
tation, Governor of Oklahoma nance which would vacate an
and our local state legislators to alley which has never been
have the speed limit changed on developed or used
HW 99 (within the city limits). The city approved a lake lot
The city would also like a study transfer of Victor L Cauthorn to
to be performed on the road to Leon or Linda Folk
assist in their evaluation. The in- The City planned on acting on
tersection at HW 99 and Nelag- a resolution to approve uniform
oney Road has been the scene of rental for city employees. City
several fatal wrecks over the past Manager Lucile Smith said the
couple of years. council was unable to approve
Since the road belongs to the the rental agreements since they
state, the city has no jurisdiction all asked for three year leases,
over setting the speed limit The council can only lease items
Some have suggested there at on one (1) year agreements,
least be a warning light at the Smith will go back to the compa-
intersection which among other nies and see if they will rent the
things is poorly lit at night uniforms for one year She said
The council passed a resolution she felt confident the compa-
to adopt the budget with some nies would agree to the shorter
modifications. The changes terms.”
were necessary since the city The city did not sign off on the
adopted some rate changes for lease arrangement with the con-
water and lake fees during the tractor to purchase the new fire
last couple of weeks. Accord- truck City Attorney Bob Wilson
ingly, the amount estimated will said he wanted to talk to the out-
be slightly greater than previ- of-state firm about some changes
ously calculated by city plan- he thought w ere in the best inter-
ners. est of the city. Pending the firm's
The city approved a request by agreement to the changes the
Gene Sell to vacate a part of the contract should be approved at
May Second Addition Sell is the July 6, meeting which will
looking at buying the land to use take place on a Tuesday since
for non-residential purposes and Monday is a holiday
it is presently zoned and platted The city approved the forma-
for building homes. The action tion of a Telecommunications
clears the way for a zoning committee to study possible
change which will come later to action on entering into the grow-
allow for new usage. ing market Several companies
The council approved the ordi- have approached the city about
nance change on the property getting in the business in the
between the Osage Agency and past couple of months.
Osage Tribal Council
swears-in
By Louis Gray
J-C Staff Writer
Harry Red Eagle, Jr. was
sworn-in as the new Assistant
Chief of the Osage Tribe replac-
ing his uncle Ed Red Eagle, Sr
who passed away on May 2,
1999 at his family home in
Barnsdall, OK
Red Eagle was sworn-in at a
Red Eagle
special council meeting on June
23, 1999, at the council chambers.
Red Eagle was there along with
friends and family. A reception
followed the ceremony.
Red Eagle served on the coun-
cil for years and during the last
election ran for chief against cur-
rent Chief Charles O Tillman
one reason for being there and appeared to dump ed an appropriation for Nichols' defense in his call
another, for the special session beginning June 14. The
With a staunchly conservative Republican lead- House vote against it was 76-13.
ing the charge, lawmakers quickly flattened a bill "The main beneficiary of this trial is going to be a
funding the defense of convicted bombing conspir- defense lawyer," said Rep. Bill Graves, R-
ator Terry Nichols in a state trial. Oklahoma City, in urging the House to "defeat this
The house also snuffed a tobacco tax increase that right here."
might have funded a higher education bond issue, Graves, pointing to his credentials as a death
18-68, and both houses rejected a quid pro quo penalty advocate, nevertheless said state efforts to
with Southwestern Bell that also might have pro- execute Nichols might be an expensive and ulti-
vided up to $300 million for bond retirement 1 he mately futile exercise.
vote in the Senate was 23-16 and 49-40 in the Chances are the trial would not be conducted in
House. Oklahoma County, he said, and Nichols might be
Even so, the deal which would extend the mora- acquitted. Even if he were sentenced to death the
torium on rate review for Bell apparently was not federal government might not turn him over to the
dead. Supporters worked to reverse the failing state. Better to wait until Nichols' federal appeals
votes. are settled, Graves said.
Meanwhile, the governor, legislative leaders, Jim Bednar, head of the state's Indigent Defense
attorney general and Corporation Commission System, has estimated the cost of an adequate
chairman created a task force to consider alterna- defense at $3 million at the least and a total cost of
tive regulation for all telecommunications compa- the trial over several years at $20 million or more,
nies. Brian Henderson of Ponca City has been appoint-
Another possible bond funding source, using a ed by the Indigent Defense System to defend
share of Oklahoma's tobacco settlement, was Nichols. n c
expected to be under pressure throughout the Rep. Bill Settle, D-Muskogee, said a conviction Ben Johnson Steer Hoping Champion
would likely be returned for retrial if the defense Lee West, chairman of the 1999 Ben Johnson Memorial Steer Roping committee, presents Jim Davis,
The main reason for the special session, prevent- was not considered adequate. He estimated cost of of Abilene, Texas, with the trophy saddle following his winning the championship title on Sunday,
ing the 1977 Truth-in-Sentencing measure from (See Legislature, Page 2) June M' a‘ Osage Downs a’ the Osage County Fairgrounds. (Photo courtesy of Steve Hughes).
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Gann, Sherry. Pawhuska Journal-Capital (Pawhuska, Okla.), Vol. 89, No. 51, Ed. 1 Saturday, June 26, 1999, newspaper, June 26, 1999; Pawhuska, Oklahoma. (https://gateway.okhistory.org/ark:/67531/metadc2288382/m1/1/?q=j+w+gardner&rotate=180: accessed July 9, 2024), The Gateway to Oklahoma History, https://gateway.okhistory.org; crediting Oklahoma Historical Society.