Obituaries
Courthouse closure still on the calendar
At least one local attorney objects to tentative plans to close the Garvin County Courthouse building a for four days during Christmas week.
County officials say the courthouse could be closed Tuesday, Dec. 22 and Wednesday, Dec. 23 to complete some major upgrades to the building’s electrical system. The courthouse was already planned for closure on Thursday and Friday, Dec. 24 and 25 because of Christmas.
It the courthouse closes on Tuesday and Wednesday, too, Pauls Valley attorney Daniel Sprouse points out the offices are closed for a six-day stretch — because of the normal weekend closure. He says that’s too long for the courthouse to be closed at one stretch.
“It might be futile, but I wanted to voice my opinion that the courthouse should stay open those two days,” Sprouse told the three county commissioners during a meeting Monday. “We ought to have a skeleton crew there to conduct county business. We ought to try to keep it open if we can.”
“There’s a lot of people who depend on the courthouse. It seems like six days is an awfully long time to be closed,” Sprouse said.
Sprouse said he believes the local court system wasn’t given enough advance notice of the planned closure. “You need to give the courts more notice if you’re going to disrupt the proceedings,” Sprouse said.
Last week it was revealed the courthouse could close the extra two days because the building’s power must be shut down in order for workers to complete electrical upgrades.
County officials pointed out the Tuesday and Wednesday closure may not happen, because clear, dry weather is required to do the electrical work. If the weather forecast includes precipitation, the work won’t happen next week and the courthouse will remain open Dec. 22 and 23.
“There is no alternate date. It will be a spur of the moment kind of deal,” District 3 Commissioner Johnny Mann said about next week’s decision to close or stay open.
Fellow commissioners Shon Richardson, District 2, and Kenneth Holden of District 1 agreed the work should go on if the weather allows.
“It’s an inconvenience for everyone, but it’s something we’ve got to work through,” Richardson said.
“Sooner or later we’re going to have to do this,” Holden said, referring to the electrical renovations.
Mann told the group a similar renovation in a neighboring county actually closed its courthouse facility for far longer. “Pontotoc County shut down for a whole week when they did their courthouse renovations,” he said.
Mann said offers have been extended, but not accepted, to set up temporary accommodations for county offices and the courts while the electrical work occurs.
County Clerk Gina Mann said the idea is not a good one for only one or two days.
“It’s not feasible to set up a temporary office at the county fairgrounds or any other location,” she said.
The clerk said the issue could be moot since the extended weather forecast calls for rain next week.
“The forecast is showing rain. We probably won’t be closing anyway,” she said.
- Obituaries
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Joseph Floyd Bell
Joseph Floyd Bell, 90, of Lindsay passed away Wednesday, Sept. 1, 2010 at Norman Veteran's Center in Norman.
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Bill Burgess
Bill Burgess, 66, of Pauls Valley was born Jan. 30, 1944 in Tuckerman, Ark., to John T. and Virginia (Hamilton) Burgess and passed away Tuesday, Aug. 31, 2010.
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Janice Karen Fisher
Janice Karen Fisher, 59, was born Oct. 2, 1950 in Tecumseh, Okla., and entered into eternal life on Aug. 29, 2010.
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Sondra Shumate Copeland
Sondra Shumate Copeland of Pauls Valley, Oklahoma was born to Carl A. and Juel (Harkreader) Shumate, Jr. on February 11, 1934 in Pauls Valley, Oklahoma and passed from this life on August 28, 2010 in Pauls Valley at the age of 76 years.
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Tommie Wayne Estes Sr.
Tommie Wayne Estes Sr., a resident of Wynnewood, was born January 15, 1938 in Lula, Oklahoma to Hazel Lucille (Treas) and Joel Estes. He passed away August 28, 2010 at Pauls Valley, Oklahoma at the age of 72 years, 7 months and 13 days.
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Craig Jeffery
E.A. Craig Jeffery of Pauls Valley was born January 13, 1924 in Ohio to Edward Archer and Geneva B. (Bush) Jeffery. He passed away August 26, 2010 in Pauls Valley, Oklahoma at the age of 86 years.
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Bernice Patterson
Ardmore resident Bernice Patterson, 77, died Friday, Aug. 27, 2010. She was born Jan. 15, 1933 in Earlsboro, Okla., to Boone Brooks and Faye Jarie Patterson.
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Robert Emerson Gray
Robert Emerson Gray, 76, of Minco, Okla., passed away Sunday, Aug. 29, 2010 at Southwest Medical Center in Oklahoma City.
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Roger Mays
Roger Mays, 65, of Maysville
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Tommy “Tompy” Eugene White
Tommy “Tompy” Eugene White, 51, of Lindsay
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Joseph Floyd Bell
