City of Sand Springs passes new ordinance on public toplessness

The City of Sand Springs passed an ordinance Wednesday afternoon designed to provide clarity on the subject of public toplessness for both men and women. In effect, it is still legal for both men and women to go shirtless in public, so long as it is not done “for the purpose of causing alarm or disturbance.”

Although Sand Springs Police will continue to respect the 10th Circuit ruling on female toplessness, the Tulsa County Sheriff’s Department, who also has jurisdiction in Sand Springs, has said they will continue to enforce State laws on the subject.

Ordinance No. 1344 amends the City Code of Ordinances on Outraging Public Decency to read the following:

“Every person who willfully and wrongfully commits any act which grossly injures the person or property of another, or which grossly disturbs the public peace or health, or which openly outrages public decency, including but not limited to urination in a public place, and is injurious to public morals, is guilty of a misdemeanor. Injurious to public morals shall be defined as:

• Knowingly engage or participate in any obscene performance made available to the public; or

• Any person to publicly expose to public view:

  • Their genitals, pubic hair, buttocks, perineum, anal region or public hair region.

  • Any device, costume, or covering, which gives the appearance of or simulates the genitals, pubic hair, buttocks, perineum, anal region or pubic hair region.

  • Display in view of the public, for the purpose of causing alarm or disturbance, of any portion of a person’s breast/chest at or below the areola thereof;

    • For persons 10 years of age and under.

    • For the act of breastfeeding a child

    • For the purpose of a medical emergency.”

The department had previously announced that they would be allowing women to go topless in public in order to offset potential lawsuits like the one filed in Fort Collins, Colorado.

In 2015 the City of Fort Collins, Colorado enacted an ordinance restricting public female toplessness, leading Brittiany Hoagland and Samantha Six to sue the City on behalf of the “Free the Nipple” movement. A district court sided with the plaintiffs in 2017, and the City appealed the decision. On February 15th, 2019, the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the district court’s decision in a 2-1 vote.

In Free the Nipple v. City of Fort Collins, Circuit Judge Gregory A. Phillips states “we recognize that ours is a minority viewpoint. Most other courts, including a recent (split) Seventh Circuit panel, have rejected equal-protection challenges to female-only toplessness bans…None of these decisions binds us, though; nor does their sheer volume sway our analysis.” Judge Mary Beck Briscoe sided with Phillips.

Circuit Judge Harris L. Hartz wrote a dissenting opinion, saying the Fort Collins ordinance “does not discriminate against women on the basis of any overbroad generalization about their perceived ‘talents, capacities, or preferences.’ To the extent it distinguishes between the sexes, it is based on inherent biological morphological differences between them.”

Though the court’s opinion was rendered in February, it didn’t go viral till September when Fort Collins decided not to appeal the decision to the Supreme Court. The City had already spent more than $300,000 defending the ordinance, and did not want to spend additional public funds on a case they weren’t sure they would win.

“Free the Nipple” advocates have claimed that the ruling, and Fort Collins’s subsequent decision not to appeal it, in effect legalized public female toplessness in Oklahoma, Kansas, New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming, and Utah, as well as portions of Yellowstone National Park extending into Montana and Idaho.

In reality, it’s not that cut and dry. Individual ordinances will still need to be challenged at the state and municipal levels, and local governments have the ability to continue enforcing those ordinances until they are ordered by the courts to stop.

The Oklahoma City Police Department issued a statement saying that they “will continue to enforce the law as outlined by City Ordinance and State Law as this preliminary injunction issued by the 10th Circuit Court is in reference to an appeal specific to the City of Ft. Collins in Colorado. Therefore, someone in OKC who is in violation of the law could be city and/or jailed as this is a misdemeanor crime.”

On the other hand, the Tulsa Police Department initially stated that the court decision did apply, and they would not be arresting or ticketing women who went topless in public areas. The Tulsa County Sheriffs Department also stated they would abide by the court’s ruling, even allowing toplessness at the Tulsa State Fair, since it is a public event. Both agencies reversed course following a statement from Oklahoma Attorney General Mike Hunter saying that “the ruling does not automatically invalidate local and state laws in Oklahoma.”

"The Tenth Circuit’s preliminary decision in the Fort Collins case – a case that has now ended without a full adjudication – does not change local and state laws in Oklahoma on the subject,” Attorney General Hunter said. “The majority of courts around the country that have examined this issue have upheld traditional public decency and public nudity laws. These courts have recognized that states and political subdivisions have a legitimate interest in prohibiting public nudity as traditionally defined."

Hunter cited a May ruling by the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals that upheld a similar ordinance in Springfield, Missouri, and a 2017 ruling by the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals that upheld a similar ordinance in Chicago, Illinois.

“The 10th Circuit’s ruling made preliminary conclusions about the Fort Collins ordinance, but did not decide the law’s ultimate constitutionality. Because the Fort Collins ordinance was repealed, the 10th Circuit’s ruling likely cannot be appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court. In conclusion, the 10th Circuit’s ruling is not binding on Oklahoma state courts.”

There is currently a lawsuit pending before the United States Supreme Court, challenging a ban on topless women in New Hampshire. The Court has yet to announce if it will hear the case.

Sand Springs Police to uphold Appellate Court decision legalizing female toplessness in public places

Public female toplessness has recently taken social media by storm following a 10th Circuit Court of Appeals ruling that initially appeared to legalize it in the six states under the Court’s jurisdiction. Now the waters have been muddied regarding where exactly the laws have changed.

In 2015 the City of Fort Collins, Colorado enacted an ordinance restricting public female toplessness, leading Brittiany Hoagland and Samantha Six to sue the City on behalf of the “Free the Nipple” movement. A district court sided with the plaintiffs in 2017, and the City appealed the decision. On February 15th, 2019, the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the district court’s decision in a 2-1 vote.

In Free the Nipple v. City of Fort Collins, Circuit Judge Gregory A. Phillips states “we recognize that ours is a minority viewpoint. Most other courts, including a recent (split) Seventh Circuit panel, have rejected equal-protection challenges to female-only toplessness bans…None of these decisions binds us, though; nor does their sheer volume sway our analysis.” Judge Mary Beck Briscoe sided with Phillips.

Circuit Judge Harris L. Hartz wrote a dissenting opinion, saying the Fort Collins ordinance “does not discriminate against women on the basis of any overbroad generalization about their perceived ‘talents, capacities, or preferences.’ To the extent it distinguishes between the sexes, it is based on inherent biological morphological differences between them.”

Though the court’s opinion was rendered in February, it didn’t go viral till September when Fort Collins decided not to appeal the decision to the Supreme Court. The City had already spent more than $300,000 defending the ordinance, and did not want to spend additional public funds on a case they weren’t sure they would win.

“Free the Nipple” advocates have claimed that the ruling, and Fort Collins’s subsequent decision not to appeal it, in effect legalized public female toplessness in Oklahoma, Kansas, New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming, and Utah, as well as portions of Yellowstone National Park extending into Montana and Idaho.

In reality, it’s not that cut and dry. Individual ordinances will still need to be challenged at the state and municipal levels, and local governments have the ability to continue enforcing those ordinances until they are ordered by the courts to stop.

The Oklahoma City Police Department issued a statement saying that they “will continue to enforce the law as outlined by City Ordinance and State Law as this preliminary injunction issued by the 10th Circuit Court is in reference to an appeal specific to the City of Ft. Collins in Colorado. Therefore, someone in OKC who is in violation of the law could be city and/or jailed as this is a misdemeanor crime.”

On the other hand, the Tulsa Police Department initially stated that the court decision did apply, and they would not be arresting or ticketing women who went topless in public areas. The Tulsa County Sheriffs Department also stated they would abide by the court’s ruling, even allowing toplessness at the Tulsa State Fair, since it is a public event.

On Monday, Oklahoma Attorney General Mike Hunter released a statement saying that “the ruling does not automatically invalidate local and state laws in Oklahoma.”

"The Tenth Circuit’s preliminary decision in the Fort Collins case – a case that has now ended without a full adjudication – does not change local and state laws in Oklahoma on the subject,” Attorney General Hunter said. “The majority of courts around the country that have examined this issue have upheld traditional public decency and public nudity laws. These courts have recognized that states and political subdivisions have a legitimate interest in prohibiting public nudity as traditionally defined."

Hunter cited a May ruling by the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals that upheld a similar ordinance in Springfield, Missouri, and a 2017 ruling by the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals that upheld a similar ordinance in Chicago, Illinois.

“The 10th Circuit’s ruling made preliminary conclusions about the Fort Collins ordinance, but did not decide the law’s ultimate constitutionality. Because the Fort Collins ordinance was repealed, the 10th Circuit’s ruling likely cannot be appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court. In conclusion, the 10th Circuit’s ruling is not binding on Oklahoma state courts.”

Following Hunter’s statement, the Tulsa Police Department changed course, but not before dozens of women skated topless down the Riverside trail system Sunday evening. The department said, following AG Hunter’s guidance, they will continue to ticket or arrest women who go topless in public.

The Sand Springs Police Department, however, will continue to abide by the Appellate Court’s decision, according to Police Chief Mike Carter. Carter provided Sandite Pride News with the following statement Monday evening at 7:30 p.m.

“We respect the authority and jurisdiction of the 10th Circuit which covers the State of Oklahoma. If we encounter situations where the conduct crosses the line to be in a lewd and lascivious manner, we will still enforce the state statues or city ordinance. If the conduct is not done with the intent of being obscene or sexual in nature, we will not as the Court has ruled that women have an equal protection under the law. We hope that this is a passing issue as we would like to concentrate our time and effort on crimes that are worthy of our attention.”

For now, women seeking to go topless in public should reach out to their local police department to find out if local or state ordinances will be enforced. Additionally, displaying the breasts in a non-sexual manner may be protected in some areas, especially in regards to breastfeeding, but sexual activities will likely violate public lewdness laws in most jurisdictions.

There is currently a lawsuit pending before the United States Supreme Court, challenging a ban on topless women in New Hampshire. The Court has yet to announce if it will hear the case.

ODOC Adult Basic Education receives CareerTech's 2019 Outstanding Overall Achievement Award

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Jeana Ely, Oklahoma Department of Corrections correctional school superintendent, poses for a photo with, at left, Clint Castleberry, acting director of Populations, Programs and Strategic Planning, and Nate Brown, at right, ODOC Programs Director, on Thursday, Sept. 19, 2019, at the Oklahoma Adult Basic Education State Conference at the Embassy Suites Hotel in Norman.

Oklahoma Department of Corrections’ Adult Basic Education program has received CareerTech’s Outstanding Overall Achievement award.

The agency received the award Thursday during the annual Oklahoma ABE State Conference at the Embassy Suites Hotel in Norman. ODOC received the award out of the 119 ABE sites in Oklahoma.

Accepting the award for ODOC was Jeana Ely, correctional school superintendent.

The ODOC Education Program serves inmates at 24 facilities in the state, and helped 5,736 student inmates in 2019.

Over 58 percent of students improved overall skills after assistance from the program as shown in reports to the US. Department of Education. That is well above the state’s target of 42 percent for measurable skill gains.

Additionally, 949 inmates received their high-school equivalency in 2019.

Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Educations funding helps support the ABE program at ODOC and other sites through federal ABE grant and state funding.

Through the program, inmates can earn an education while they’re incarcerated to ease their transition to life on the outside once they release, helping them avoid returning to prison.

Photo Gallery of new Billie A. Hall Public Safety Center in Sand Springs

The City of Sand Springs recently moved into the new Billie A. Hall Public Safety Center, a $10.7 million facility in the Sheffield Crossing shopping center. The building houses the City’s police, municipal jail, 911 operations, north-side fire station, and court rooms.

Sandite Pride News was recently given a tour and photo-op by Police Chief Mike Carter.

The facility is named for Sand Springs native Billie Allen Hall, who was killed in action during the Vietnam War in 1966. A special forces medic, Hall was stationed at Camp A Shau when it was attacked by North Vietnamese regiments. After losing both legs to a mortar strike, Hall refused treatment and instead worked to treat other soldiers and coordinate medical efforts until he succumbed to his injuries. He was 26 years old at the time.

The police station features memorial plaques for SSGT Hall, as well as for Assistant Chief of Police Jesse C. Huskey, the only Sand Springs police officer to ever die in the line of duty. There is also a commemorative plaque outside of the building dedicated to Sheffield Steel, which was located on those grounds for most of Sand Springs’s history. The flag pole in front of the building was relocated from the Steel Mill facilities.

All of the center’s operations were previously housed at the City Municipal Building in downtown, which is a century old. The crowded building is currently being remodeled in order to unify the various City operations that have been scattered to remote sites across town. The old downtown fire station is slated for demolition.

The new building features brand new forensic equipment, conference rooms, recreation spaces, state of the art evidence lockers, backup generators, and hardened rooms capable of protecting everyone in the facility from severe weather. The entire building is purpose-built to remove the inconveniences that officers and City workers dealt with at their previous quarters.

In addition to individual holding cells, there are two general population jail cells with restrooms, showers, televisions, and free phone stations. While many police departments charge hefty fees for phone calls, Chief Carter says he wants people to be able to make as many calls as necessary to arrange for their release so that they aren’t costing taxpayers more money by being incarcerated. Every inch of the cells are specially designed not to allow individuals to harm or hang themselves.

The City is planning on having an open house in October to allow citizens to tour certain areas of the building. The exact date and time have yet to be announced.

Sand Springs Police Department releases bodycam footage of deadly shooting incident

The Sand Springs Police Department held a press conference Monday morning at the Billie A. Hall Public Safety Center to address a recent use of deadly force incident. On Sunday, September 1st at approximately 8:20 p.m., following a high speed pursuit, Lieutenant Kevin O’Keefe was the victim of a vehicular assault and fired his weapon at Robert W. Desjarlais Jr., killing the suspect.

Desjarlais was 49 years old and his only criminal record was a pair of speeding tickets in the 1990s. The department has yet to receive results from toxicology, and at present time it is unclear what his motivations were for fleeing or assaulting the officer. Police Chief Mike Carter declined to comment on whether Desjarlais was in possession of any illegal contraband.

At 8:12 p.m. Lt. O’Keefe was stopped at the intersection of West 41st Street and South 129th West Avenue when he encountered a white two-door sedan traveling east on 41st. He witnesses the suspect’s vehicle swerve and nearly hit the curb, causing the officer to attempt a routine traffic stop.

Desjarlais attempts to evade the officer and leads O’Keefe on a six-minute chase through several Prattville neighborhoods, reaching speeds in excess of 50 m.p.h. in residential areas. O’Keefe briefly loses sight of the vehicle on multiple occasions, but locates Desjarlais traveling southbound on 145th West Avenue, between the intersections of West 56th Street and West 61st Street.

O’Keefe blocks the southbound lane of 145th and partially exits his patrol car, using the driver’s side door for cover. He orders Desjarlais to stop the vehicle four times before the suspect rams the officer’s vehicle, pinning him between the door and the body of the car. Unable to move or breath, O’Keefe discharges his firearm four times into the suspect vehicle, causing the driver to break off and swerve into a drainage ditch.

O’Keefe maintained radio contact throughout the chase and immediately informs the officers en route that shots have been fired. Following the shoot, Desjarlais’s vehicle entered a drainage ditch and stops moving. The first reinforcements arrive approximately 30 seconds after the shoot, but officers don’t approach the vehicle till additional units arrive.

Full video has been provided to the media, but out of respect for his family, Sandite Pride News has elected not to post any footage of the deceased, or of officers breaching the vehicle.

Clearly shaken up, O’Keefe can be heard on camera reminding himself to breathe more than two minutes after the shoot. Officers are slow to approach the vehicle due to deployed airbags obstructing their view of the suspect. O’Keefe orders Desjarlais to turn off the vehicle and exit the vehicle, but he is non-responsive.

O’Keefe holsters his sidearm and transitions to a taser prior to approaching the vehicle. Officers approach the vehicle from the rear driver’s side and remove the deceased approximately eight minutes following the shoot. Officers are unable to find a pulse and immediately separate O’Keefe from the scene and remove his camera.

Per the department’s 2019 Policing Plan, the investigation has been turned over to the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, who will present their findings to the Tulsa County District Attorney. The D.A. will then determine whether there are any appropriate charges against the officer. SSPD has partnered with OSBI since 2016 for investigations into use of deadly force. This is the first time that partnership has been needed.

Following the OSBI’s report, an internal review will be conducted by the SSPD in tandem with the department’s Use of Force Review Board, which includes civilian representation.

This is the first fatal shooting involving a Sand Springs Police Officer since 2015. On average, the department only uses deadly force half a dozen times a year. Prior to 2015, the department hadn’t had a fatal shooting in over a decade.

Attorney General Hunter Announces Collaboration with Phone Companies to Fight Illegal Robocalls

OKLAHOMA CITY – Attorney General Mike Hunter recently announced the result of an 18-month investigation by a bipartisan, multistate, working group of attorneys general and phone companies that have partnered to find meaningful solutions to illegal and unwanted robocalls.

The ongoing working group consists of attorneys general from all 50 states, Washington, D.C. and 12 different service providers. Working collaboratively, the companies agreed to adopt a set of eight principles to fight illegal robocalls, which will protect customers and make it easier for attorneys general to investigate and prosecute the criminals orchestrating the schemes.

Attorney General Hunter said the agreement marks another positive step in combating illegal robocalls.

“The agreed-upon principles will implement much-needed prevention and enforcement mechanisms that will have a meaningful impact for all Americans,” Attorney General Hunter said. “Scams committed over the phone continue to be one of the top ways fraud is committed in the United States. Too many individuals have already fallen victim and have either lost money, their identities or other personal information. Our best weapon against this crime can no longer only be advice to not pick up the phone.

“I commend the companies that have pledged to work with my colleagues and me to implement new technology, while actively monitoring networks for robocall traffic and committing to cooperating in investigations that trace the origins of the calls so we can take enforcement action.”

Phone companies will work to prevent illegal robocalls by:

• Implementing call-blocking technology at the network level at no cost to customers;

• Making available to customers additional, free, easy-to-use call blocking and labeling tools;

• Implementing technology to authenticate that callers are coming from a valid source; and

• Monitoring networks for robocall traffic.

Phone companies will assist attorneys’ general anti-robocall enforcement by:

• Knowing who the customers are so scams can be identified and investigated;

• Investigating and taking action against suspicious callers – including notifying law enforcement and state attorneys general;

• Working with law enforcement, including state attorneys general, to trace the origins of illegal robocalls; and

• Requiring telephone companies with which they contract to cooperate in traceback identification.

To read the principles in more detail, click here: https://bit.ly/2P8qmmo.

Additionally, phone companies will stay in close communication with the coalition of attorneys general to continue to optimize robocall protections as technology and scammer techniques change.

The coalition of companies includes AT&T, Bandwidth, CenturyLink, Charter, Comcast, Consolidated, Frontier, Sprint, T-Mobile, U.S. Cellular, Verizon and Windstream.

Osage County Republican Party to host town hall meeting in Sand Springs

The Osage County Republican Party will be hosting a town hall meeting at the Elks Lodge Saturday, August 10th in Sand Springs. The general public is invited to hear updates from elected officials and enjoy complimentary refreshments.

Former State Senator Eddie Fields, County Sheriff Eddie Virden, County Assessor Ed Quinton, District 10 Senator Bill Coleman, District 1 County Commissioner Randall Jones, District 35 Representative Ty Burns, and District 66 Representative Jadine Nollan have all confirmed that they will be present and speaking at the event.

Speakers will address the 2018-2019 Legislative Session, the Oklahoma government under Governor Kevin Stitt, upcoming County Commissioner projects, and more. They will also answer questions on property taxes and criminal activity in the county.

Young Mrs. International Aiya Attaway Kelley, a former candidate for State Senate, will be performing the National Anthem prior to the meeting.

Tea, coffee, and cookies will be provided at no cost. The Elks Lodge will also have pulled pork sandwiches with beans, cornbread, and chips for purchase. Voter registration cards will also be available.

Saturday, August 10th
10:30 – 11:30 am
Elks Lodge
546 W Imperial Blvd
Sand Springs, OK 74063

Sand Springs arrests and court records - 7/25/19 - 8/4/19

Alex Houston Walker

Angie Renee West

Ann Marie Hellard

Anthony Quinn Bryant

Ashley Nicole Jones

Astion Denise Lucy

Daniel Edward Donalson

Delmar Lee Hooper Jr.

Heather Dawn Cummins

Henry Dewayne Hall

Howdy Carper

Jeff Rodney Graves

Jordan Lee Ross

Lauren Gail Whitaker

Miranda G. Jones

Nathan Daniel Hardin

Nathan Garrett O'Bryan

Nicholas L Brown

Regina Sean Ball

Ronald Dewayne Miller

Stephen Todd Alan Whitaker

Tony Bob Bettis

Vanessa Gene Hayes-Strahan

The following list includes both arrests by the Sand Springs Police Department, as well as arrests by other departments of individuals associated with Sand Springs addresses. An arrest is not a conviction, all suspects are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Thursday, July 25, 2019

Seth Keith Warden, 35, Healdton, pleaded guilty to trespassing and was sentenced to 33 days in Tulsa County Jail with credit for time served.

Jeff Rodney Graves, 43, Sand Springs, was convicted on charges of public intoxication and resisting an officer. He was sentenced to 47 days in Tulsa County Jail with credit for time served.

Heather Dawn Cummins, 28, Tulsa, pleaded guilty to false impersonation and conspiracy to commit a felony and was sentenced to three years in the department of corrections with credit for time served.

Monday, July 29, 2019

Delmar Lee Hooper Jr., 63, Sand Springs, pleaded not guilty to charges of assault and battery and was released on $5,000 bond. Jury selection will begin August 27th.

Tuesday, July 30, 2019

Henry Dewayne Hall, 53, Sand Springs, was sentenced to three years in the department of corrections after pleading guilty to aggravated possession of child pornography. He will also be fined $1,000 plus court costs and will have to complete three years of post-imprisonment supervision.

Miranda G. Jones, 38, Sapulpa, pleaded guilty to driving without proof of insurance and driving with a suspended license and was assessed $150 in fines. Jones was ticketed for the incident in November of 2016 but failed to appear in court and was arrested in July. She will now be transferred to Creek County to face another charge of driving under suspension in January of 2017.

Ashley Nicole Jones, 34, Tulsa, confessed to violating the terms of her parole and was sentenced to 60 days in Tulsa County Jail with credit for time served.

Cesar Delacruz Rosales 62, Sand Springs, pleaded not guilty to charges of driving under the influence of alcohol, transporting an open container, driving without a valid drivers license, and unsafe lane use. He is being held without bond due to an Immigration Customs Enforcement hold. Jury selection will begin August 22nd.

Wednesday, July 31, 2019

Alex Houston Walker, 49, Sand Springs, was arrested for two counts of uttering a forged instrument. He was released on $2,000 bond and will be arraigned August 9th.

Lauren Gail Whitaker, 33, Sand Springs, pleaded guilty to charges of obstruction, driving without a license, and operating a vehicle in unsafe conditions. She was sentenced to 45 days in Tulsa County Jail with credit for time served.

Nicholas Layne Brown, 25, Sand Springs, pleaded guilty to assault with a dangerous weapon and public intoxication. He was given a three-year suspended sentence and ordered to obtain an alcohol/substance abuse evaluation and a mental health evaluation.

Stephen Todd Alan Whitaker, 35, Sand Springs, pleaded guilty to obstruction, larceny, and forgery, and was sentenced to 30 days in Tulsa County Jail with credit for time served.

Thursday, August 1, 2019

Regina Sean Ball, 37, Sand Springs, pleaded not guilty to charges of obtaining money property or signature under false pretenses, forgery, possession of stolen property, larceny, trespassing, and obstruction. She is being held on $2,250 bond and will return to court August 22nd.

Astion Denise Lucy, 32, Sand Springs, was arrested by TCSO for failure to appear and pleaded not guilty to a May charge of driving under the influence. She is being held on $3,000 bond and will return to court August 29th.

Friday, August 2, 2019

Howdy Carper, 27, Sand Springs, was arrested by TPD for pointing a deadly weapon with intent. He was released on $20,000 bond and will be arraigned August 9th.

Nathan Daniel Hardin, 37, Sand Springs, was arrested by TPD for larceny and is being held on $300 bond. He will be arraigned on August 5th.

Darren Lyn Summar, 42, Sand Springs, was arrested by the Owasso Police Department and is being held on a $4,000 bond for transfer to Osage County. He will be arraigned August 9th on charges of petit larceny, possession of burglary tools by a convicted felon, possession of drug paraphernalia, and driving without insurance.

Saturday, August 3, 2019

Tony Bob Bettis III, 27, Tulsa, was arrested by SSPD on application to revoke. Bettis pleaded guilty to possession of heroin and drug paraphernalia in April and was given a one-year suspended sentence. He is accused of violating the terms of his parole and failing to pay probation fees. He also has an outstanding charge of larceny. Bettis is being held on $1,750 bond and will return to court on August 5th.

Anthony Quinn Bryant, 57, Tulsa, was arrested by SSPD on application to revoke. Bryant was convicted on possession of meth and drug paraphernalia in December and given a one-year suspended sentence. He is accused of violating the terms of his parole and failure to pay probation fees. He will return to court August 8th.

Vanessa Gene Hayes-Strahan, 37, Sand Springs, was arrested by TPD for outstanding charges in Sedgwick County, Kansas. She is on probation for aggravated battery and is accused of violating the terms of her probation. She is being held without bond.

Nathan Garrett O’Bryan, 26, Sand Springs, was arrested by SSPD for driving under the influence. He was released on $1,000 bond and will be arraigned August 9th.

Ann Marie Hellard, 42, Sand Springs, was arrested by SSPD on application to revoke. Hellard pleaded guilty in 2018 to possession of meth and possession of paraphernalia. She was given a one-year suspended sentence and is accused of violating the terms of her parole. She is being held on $5,750 bond and will be arraigned on August 6th.

Sunday, August 4, 2019

Daniel Edward Donalson, 32, Sand Springs, was arrested by TPD for grand larceny. He was released on $1,000 bond and will be arraigned August 12th.

Ronald Dewayne Miller, 24, Sand Springs, was arrested by SSPD for petit larceny and trespass. He is currently serving a suspended sentence for breaking and entering, which he pleaded guilty to in May. He is being held on $500 bond and will be arraigned August 12th.

Jordan Lee Ross, 33, Sand Springs, was arrested by SSPD for domestic assault and battery. He is being held without bond and will be arraigned August 5th.

Angie Renee West, 37, Sand Springs was arrested by TCSO for felony first degree murder and is being held without bond. She will be arraigned August 5th.

Sand Springs arrests and court records - 7/21/19 - 7/28/19

Angelica Hope Main

Antonio Morencio Velasco

Ashley Nicole Jones

Billy Joe Jackson

Carl Jacob Fisher

Claude William Davis

Colton Ray Greenwood

Dakota Wayne Kelley

Delmar Lee Hooper

Joyce Elaine Butler

Michael Edwin Williams

Michael Eugene Anderson

Miranda Gail Jones

Moura Anna Crouch

Tyler Lee Hammond

The following list includes both arrests by the Sand Springs Police Department, as well as arrests by other departments of individuals associated with Sand Springs addresses. An arrest is not a conviction, all suspects are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Sunday, July 21, 2019

Cesar de la Cruz Rosales, 62, was arrested by the Sand Springs Police Department for driving under the influence of alcohol, transporting an open container, driving without a driver’s license, and unsafe lane use. He is being held without bond for Immigration Customs Enforcement, and is due in court July 30th.

Daniel Luke Bryant, 32, was arrested by SSPD for driving under the influence of drugs, possession of a controlled drug, and child endangerment. He is being held on $27,000 bond and will report to court August 23rd.

Monday, July 22, 2019

The arraignment date for Carl Jacob Fisher, 37, was pushed to August 19th. He was arrested May 16th for meth trafficking and three counts of assault and battery upon a police officer. The trafficking charge was later dismissed by the State.

Jose Edilberto Lara-Jaimez, 43, was arraigned on charges of embezzlement and possession/receiving/concealing stolen property. His hearing is scheduled for August 14th.

Joyce Elaine Butler, 62, pleaded not guilty to trespassing. She is being held on $500 bond and her court date is set for August 15th.

Michael Eugene Anderson, 43, pleaded guilty to obstructing an officer and was sentenced to one year suspended and a $200 fine.

The arraignment date for Moura Anna Crouch, 22, was pushed to August 5th. Crouch was arrested by SSPD on May 17th for possession of a stolen vehicle, possession of paraphernalia, and driving without a license.

Tuesday, July 23, 2019

Tyler Lee Hammond, 23, pleaded not guilty to charges of reckless driving and driving under the influence of drugs. A jury trial is set for August 22nd and Hammond is being held on $1,000 bond.

Wednesday, July 24, 2019

Delmar Lee Hooper, Jr., 63, was charged with one count of assault and battery.

Thursday, July 25, 2019

Billy Joe Jackson, 43, pleaded guilty to indecent exposure and failure to register as a sex offender. He was sentenced to seven years with credit for time served and fines totaling $1,500.

Breanna Audrey Victoria Emberson, 22, pleaded guilty to possession of a stolen vehicle, driving under the influence of alcohol, driving without a license, and possession of paraphernalia. She was given a two-year deferred sentence.

Friday, July 26, 2019

Antonio Morencio Velasco, 19, was arrested by SSPD for tampering with a vehicle. He was released on $1,000 bond and is due back in court on August 2nd.

Colton Ray Greenwood, 22, was arrested by SSPD for driving under the influence. He was released on $1,000 bond and is due in court on August 2nd.

Michael Edwin Williams was arrested by SSPD for driving under the influence. He was released on $1,000 bond and is due in court on August 2nd.

Miranda Gail Jones, 38, was arrested by SSPD for outstanding warrants in Tulsa and Creek Counties. She was ticketed by the Tulsa County Sherrif’s Office for driving under suspension and failure to carry insurance, and failed to appear in court. She was ticketed by the Creek County Sheriff’s Department for driving under suspension and taxes due to the State, and failed to appear in court. She is being held on $755.50 bond and is due in court July 29th.

Saturday, July 27, 2019

Claude William Davis, 47, was arrested by SSPD for an outstanding warrant in Haskell County, where he is wanted for possession of a firearm by a felon, possession of stolen property, possession of marijuana, possession of paraphernalia, and obstructing justice. He is currently on probation for possession of methamphetamine and possession of a firearm by a felon. He also has an outstanding warrant for burglary in Muskogee County. He is being held on $43,000 bond and will report to court on August 5th.

Sunday, July 28, 2019

Angelica Hope Main, 20, was arrested by SSPD for possession of stolen property, possession of a schedule II drug, unauthorized use/possession of a credit card, and uttering counterfeit currency. She is being held on $1,000 bond and is expected in court July 30th.

Ashley Nicole Jones, 33, was arrested by the Tulsa Police Department for application to revoke a suspended sentence. Jones pleaded guilty in August of 2018 to charges of burglary of an automobile and was given a four-year suspended sentence. She is accused of violating the terms of her parole, including: failure to provide monthly proof of residency, failure to provide monthly proof of employment, and failure to stay current on outstanding probation fees. She is being held on $10,000 bond and is expected in court on July 30th.

Dakota Wayne Kelley, 21, was arrested by SSPD for failure to appear. Kelley was arrested in February of 2017 for driving under the influence, possession of alcohol by a minor, failure to pay State taxes, driving a defective vehicle, failure to carry insurance, and driving without a license. He pleaded guilty in March of 2018 and sentencing was deferred to allow Kelley to complete the Youthful Drunken Driving program. He failed to appear at a February hearing. His bond is currently set at $5,000 and he is expected in court on August 1st.

Sand Springs arrests and court records - 7/14/19 - 7/20/19

Brent Michael Sloan

Brent Wayne Jacobson

Cody Jacob Clemons

Cortez DuJuan Page

Delmar Lee Hooper

Dominick Lee Shea

Dylan Dale Armstrong

Erin Lollis

Jacob Andrew Collins

Joshua Owen Cromwell

Joyce Butler

Micah Reuben Morgan

Michael Eugene Anderson

Ronald Pervin Lewis

Stephen Loyd Sponsler

Tabatha Marie McIntosh

Talmadge Shirlene Staggs

Teresa Marie Dickson

Tyler Lee Hammond

The following list includes both arrests by the Sand Springs Police Department, as well as arrests by other departments of individuals associated with Sand Springs addresses. An arrest is not a conviction, all suspects are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Sunday, July 14, 2019

Stephen Loyd Sponsler, 49, was arrested by the Sand Springs Police Department on application to accelerate and is being held without bond for a transfer to Adair County. Sponsler was convicted in February of 2013 of exploitation of an elderly person or disabled adult and sentenced to a five-year deferred sentence. In June of 2015 he was found guilty of violating the conditions of his probation and sentenced to seven years with six years suspended and was released in 2016 with one year credit for time served. A motion to revoke his suspended sentence was filed and a bench warrant was issued in March of 2018.

Dominick Lee Shea, 32, was arrested by SSPD on charges of driving under revocation, parking in a handicap space, obstruction, and actual physical control. He was released on a $2,000 bond.

Joyce Butler, 61, was arrested by SSPD for trespassing and is being held on a $500 bond.

Monday, July 15, 2019

Teresa Marie Dickson, 32, pleaded not guilty to charges of petty larceny and unauthorized use of a debit card. Her bond is set at $1,500 and her preliminary hearing is scheduled for August 8th.

Joshua Owen Cromwell, 32, pleaded not guilty to charges of eluding, driving under the influence of drugs, obstruction, resisting, possession of paraphernalia, driving with a suspended license, operating a vehicle with an expired license, and failure to carry insurance. His bond is set at $10,000 and his preliminary hearing is scheduled for August 9th.

Micah Reuben Morgan, 27, was pulled over by SSPD on charges of speeding 15 M.P.H. over the limit and was arrested for an outstanding warrant. Morgan was previously charged with driving without insurance in November of 2018 and failed to appear at his January court date. He was released on $344 bond and is due in court July 23rd.

Cody Jacob Clemons, 25, was arrested by the Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office for an outstanding warrant. Clemons pleaded guilty to larceny and carrying a weapon in February but failed to appear at his May court date. He is being held on a $4,500 bond with a July 25th court date.

Sharyl Lynn Ellis, 56, pleaded not guilty to a charge of public intoxication. A jury trial is set for August 12th.

Angel Sanfratello, 26, confessed to violating the terms of a deferred sentence. She pleaded guilty to possession of stolen copper and possession of meth in 2018 and was given a two year sentence. She will have until August 21st to regain compliance or face sentencing.

Tuesday, July 16, 2019

Tyler Lee Hammond, 23, was arrested by SSPD for driving under the influence of drugs, reckless driving, failure to obey a traffic control device, and driving on the wrong side of the road. He is being held on a $1,000 bond and will be arraigned on the 23rd.

Cherice Leanne Ofield, 30, was arrested by SSPD and is being held for transfer to Adair County.

Brent Wayne Jacobson, 33, was arrested by TCSO for false declaration of ownership in pawn shop. He was released on $1,000 bond and will be arraigned on the 23rd.

Wednesday, July 17, 2019

Brent Michael Sloan, 27, was arrested by SSPD on charges of False Impersonation, Driving Under Suspension, and driving without insurance. He is also being held on an application to accelerate a deferred sentence. Sloan was given a one-year deferred sentence in February for resisting arrest, and is accused of violating the terms of his probation. He was released on a $2,050 bond and will be arraigned July 25th.

Jacob Andrew Collins, 21, was arrested by SSPD for assault and battery. He was released on $500 bond and will be arraigned July 25th.

Dylan Dale Armstrong, 25, pleaded not guilty to charges of leaving the scene of a collision, driving without a license, failure to carry insurance, and unsafe lane use. He is being held on $20,300 bond and will be arraigned July 23rd on application to revoke a suspended sentence. Armstrong pleaded guilty to forgery, knowingly receiving stolen property, eluding a police officer, possession of methamphetamine, driving without a license, and driving with an improper tag in 2016 and was given a three-year suspended sentence. He is accused of violating the terms of his probation.

Trevor Vanwinkle, 28, pleaded guilty to charges of misdemeanor assault and battery and was sentenced to 30 days in Tulsa County Jail and a $150 fine.

Thursday, July 18, 2019

Michael Eugene Anderson, 43, pleaded not guilty to obstructing an officer. His court date is set for August 9th. He is being held without bond on an application to accelerate a deferred sentence for charges of stalking and violating a protective order. Arraignment for those charges is set for July 22nd.

David Wayne Usher, 45, was arrested by TCSO for failure to pay outstanding court costs. He was released Friday on $250 bond.

Tabatha Marie McIntosh, 38, was arrested by TCSO for possession of drug paraphernalia and released on $250 bond.

Erin Renee Lollis, 30, pleaded guilty to violating the terms of her parole from a 2018 forgery case, and was sentenced to 90 days in the Tulsa County Jail.

Cortez Dujuan Page, 25, pleaded guilty to charges of possession of methamphetamine, possession of paraphernalia, and obstructing an officer. He was sentenced to 50 days in Tulsa County Jail.

Friday, July 19, 2019

Ronald Pervin Lewis, 42, was arrested by TCSO for contempt of court and is being held on a $17,622 bond. He will be arraigned July 22nd.

Talmadge Shirlene Staggs, 37, was arrested by SSPD for failure to appear. She was previously arrested for assault and battery and violating a protective order. Staggs is being held on $20,000 bond and will be arraigned July 23rd.

Saturday, July 20, 2019

Delmar Lee Hooper, 63, was arrested by TCSO for domestic assault and battery. He is being held on a $25,000 bond and will be arraigned July 22nd.

Masonic Lodge places ceremonial Cornerstone at Billie A. Hall Public Safety Center

City and State leadership joined the Masonic Grand Lodge of Oklahoma Saturday afternoon for the placement of a ceremonial cornerstone at the new Billie A. Hall Public Safety Center in Sand Springs.

Click here to view our full photo gallery.

The new Public Safety Center is still under construction, but will house police and fire operations and a municipal court. The $10.7 million facility is being funded by Vision 2025 taxes and is named in honor of a Sand Springs native and Vietnam War hero.

Masonic Cornerstone ceremonies have remained relatively unchanged over the past few hundred years, and Saturday’s event went through many of the same rituals that iconic buildings from the nation’s infancy have gone through. To add local flavor, the Charles Page High School drum line performed prior to the ceremony.

“In the early Middle Ages, the members of the fraternity were architects and builders of the great cathedrals, palaces, and public buildings,” said Grand Master MIke Dixon. “Today, freemasonry is entirely philosophical. Building with knowledge and ideas rather than stone and mortar. Teaching ethics, morality, and self development rather than the art of cutting stone. Yet the tradition of Masonic involvement in the dedication of public buildings remains as strong and vital today as in the middle ages.”

The fraternity held multiple prayers, asking God to bless the building and the individuals who will occupy it. The history of Masonry in the United States was reviewed, and the cornerstone was consecrated with corn, wine, and oil. The stone was judged with a square, level, and plumb, then multiple masons and local officials were invited to spread ceremonial concrete along the edges of the stone.

A time capsule will be sealed behind the stone, including a membership roster of the local lodge, other Masonic papers, ink pens, local business cards, a bible, a letter from Police Chief Mike Carter to future Chiefs of Police, a newspaper, coins from the current year, and more.

“I truly appreciate the Masons that showed up today,” said Mayor Jim Spoon. “I know a number of you traveled from a long distance. It’s a very impressive ceremony, I’ve never been to a ceremony like this before. We’re very very grateful.”

Congressman Kevin Hern, a Scottish Rite 32nd Degree Mason, also spoke at the event. “I’ve been in Washington D.C. about seven months now and you get to see the magnificent buildings that are there and that have been there for generations. Most all of them have had this experience at their time when they were built.”

“If you’re a voter and you voted for this, you’re a hero,” added State Representative Jadine Nollan.

“It was very important for us to name this facility for Billie A. Hall,” said Chief Carter. “He represents what we want our police officers and our firefighters to have as their core values - and that is service. There’s going to be a sign on the gate where our police officers will leave every day that will say “Always Serve” and “Never Give Up.” Both of those were embodied by Billie A. Hall and we’re so proud to honor him through this facility.”

“I truly think he should be given the Congressional Medal of Honor and I hope there’s a renewed effort to do that,” added Carter.

Sand Springs arrests and convictions - 7/7/19 to 7/13/19

Angel Sanfratello

Ashley Minney

Barbara Ann Stevens

Billy Gene Fuller Sr.

Casey Rae Rice

Dylan Dale Armstrong

Jody Lane Gwin

Joshua Owen Cromwell

Michael Eugene Anderson

Steven Lynn Holder

Teresa Marie Dickson

The following list includes both arrests by the Sand Springs Police Department, as well as arrests by other departments of individuals associated with Sand Springs addresses. An arrest is not a conviction, all suspects are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Sunday, July 7, 2019

Joshua Owen Cromwell, 32, was arrested by the Tulsa County Sheriffs Office for eluding, obstruction, resisting arrest, possession of drug paraphernalia, driving under the influence, speeding 41 mph or more over the limit, failure to stop for a red light, driving left of center, changing lanes unsafely, improper use of lane, driving under revocation, driving with an expired tag, driving without insurance, operating a motor vehicle without headlights, seat belt violations, and altering a license plate.

Cromwell pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of methamphetamine, failure to pay State taxes, and driving without a driver’s license in April of 2017. He was given a three-year suspended sentence but was issued a warrant in October for failure to report to his probation officer. He was also wanted for a separate charge of obstructing an officer from an incident in 2016. He is currently being held without bond for a transfer to Creek County.

Teresa Marie Dickson, 32, was arrested by the Sand Springs Police Department for larceny from a retailer in an amount less than $500, as well as for an outstanding warrant for unauthorized use of a debit card. She is being held without bond for transfer to Washington County.

Monday, July 8, 2019

Billy Gene Fuller Sr., 83, was convicted on four counts of sexual abuse of a child under the age of 12. He pleaded guilty to all four counts and was sentenced to 25 years in the department of corrections, with the first eight years to be served in custody and the last seventeen years to be suspended.

Angel Sanfratello, 26, was arrested by TCSO on an application to accelerate. Sanfratello pleaded guilty in 2018 to possession of stolen copper, possession of meth, and possession of paraphernalia. She was given a two-year deferred sentence. In the application to accelerate she is accused of failing to report to a supervising authority, failing to pay court fees, possession of burglary tools, destruction of property owned by IQ Carwash, and breaking and entering into a coin-operated machine at Wash World car wash. She is being held on a $5,000 bond.

Tuesday, July 9, 2019

Dylan Dale Armstrong, 25, was arrested by TCSO for leaving the scene of a collision involving an injury, driving without a valid driver’s license, driving without insurance, and changing lanes unsafely. He is being held on $20,300 bond.

Barbara Ann Stevens, 62, was arrested by SSPD for possession of a stolen vehicle, driving without insurance, driving without a license, and unpaid State taxes. She was released Thursday after posting a $2,000 bond.

Wednesday, July 10, 2019

Ashley Minney, 29, was arrested by SSPD for driving with a suspended license, obstruction, and failure to pay outstanding court costs. She was released Thursday on a $750 bond.

Thursday, July 11, 2019

Michael Eugene Anderson, 43, was arrested by TCSO on application to accelerate, and was also charged with obstruction and interference with a police officer. Anderson pleaded guilty to violating a protective order and stalking in 2016, for which he received a two-year deferred sentence. A bench warrant was issued in December for violating the terms of his probation.

Steven Lynn Holder, 22, was found guilty of one count of child neglect and sentenced to a five-year suspended sentence, supervised by probation and parole. Holder was assessed a $500 fine and ordered to complete parenting classes, obtain an alcohol/substance abuse evaluation, and will be subjected to random urinary analysis.

Friday, July 12, 2019

Jody Lane Gwin, 38, was arrested by SSPD and is on hold for the Pawnee County Sheriffs Office. She is wanted for failure to pay court fees in relation to an ongoing case where she is accused of harboring a fugitive from justice.

Casey Rae Rice, 34, was arrested by SSPD on a felony warrant out of Osage County. Charges were dismissed and he was released nine hours after booking.

Sand Springs City Council issues continuance on controversial Dollar General location

Possible future site for a Dollar General store.

The Sand Springs City Council took no action on a controversial ordinance to rezone a vacant lot at 2702 North State Highway 97. More than fifty local citizens showed up in opposition to a proposed Dollar General location that they feel is inappropriately located in a residential area.

Council was schedule to vote on rezoning the land from residential to commercial to allow the construction of a Dollar General store by AAB Engineering. Because the Council meeting was moved forward a week from its previously scheduled date, Dollar General representatives were unable to be present for the meeting, and requested a continuance.

Because of the lack of representation from Dollar General, and because of the absence of Vice Mayor Patty Dixon, Council voted 5-1 in favor of delaying the rezoning vote until the July 22nd meeting.

In the rezoning application, AAB Engineering points to the close proximity of a gas station, water tower, mini storage facility, church, and radio station as justification for the commercial zoning. Additionally, a 1981 plat of the land indicated that business or commercial operations would be allowed on the lot.

However, the property sits at the intersection of Pond Drive, which is entirely residential. Approximately 238 local residents signed a petition in opposition of the rezoning, citing their desire for a quiet, rural community, and fear that the construction of a Dollar General would lead to additional future development in the area.

The City of Sand Springs voted to annex the Osage County land on May 20th. The Planning Commission voted 2-2 on the rezoning application at their last week’s meeting, failing to recommend either approval or denial of the request. However, the City staff has recommended approval.

Mayor Jim Spoon remarked that he was impressed with the public turnout for the meeting, and hoped to see as many citizens at the next meeting. One citizen remarked that they would be bringing even more opposition to the next meeting.

Police Chief Mike Carter gave a presentation regarding the 2019 Policing Plan and took public comment on the subject. This is the fourth year the department has adopted a policing plan and last year’s version was awarded the International Association of Chiefs of Police Leadership in Community Policing Award.

All officers will be issued new business cards with their name, badge number, and a website address to file online compliments or complaints. Following an unscientific Facebook poll with 93% community approval, the department will no longer restrict the hiring of officers with visible tattoos.

The department recently purchased six new police bicycles. They have been used successfully to silently close in on late night burglary suspects, to patrol trails systems and crowded community events, and to teach children how to ride bikes safely.

As part of the department’s Community Policing and Crime Reduction Plan officers took 51 students from Sand Springs Public Schools to a Tulsa ropes course to participate in the Community Trust Champions project.

The 2019 Policing Plan also calls for increased traffic violation warnings in lieu of fines, an improved system of acknowledging community complaints and disciplining officers, increased training and certifications, increased transparency, collaboration with local businesses for economic development, participation in the Hispanic Affairs Commission, Autism Awareness Training, and Critical Incident Inoculation Training.

In Other News:

Council revisited a request by Councilman Brian Jackson to have a Masonic Cornerstone installed at the new Billie A Hall Public Safety Center. The motion was previously defeated at both May Council meetings.

More than a dozen Masonic Lodge members turned out in support of the resolution, and former City Councilman Dean Nichols spoke on their behalf. The measure was approved by unanimous 6-0 vote.

Council unanimously approved the Worker’s Compensation Plan through the Oklahoma Municipal Assurance Group with a yearly premium of $489,706.

Council unanimously approved a resolution clarifying the City’s rules regarding retention of certain public records. The resolution allows for the immediate destruction of emails, social media posts, text messages, voicemails, and browsing history, leaving their retention up to the sole discretion of the individual employees involved.

Council unanimously approved an agreement with Crawford & Associates in the amount of $50,000 for accounting and consulting services.

Council unanimously approved an agreement with Arledge and Associates in the amount of $35,875 for for financial statement audit services.

Council unanimously approved a continuance regarding a rezoning request at the former K-Mart building. Council will vote July 22nd on whether to rezone 1200 East Charles Page Boulevard from Commercial Shopping to Commercial General.

Council unanimously approved a ratification of a Memorandum of Understanding for participation in the Southwest Area Tactical Team.

Council unanimously voted to declare as surplus two 2007 John Deere backhoes for trade-in.

Council unanimously voted to purchase a Yanmar Vio-80 Compact Excavator from DitchWitch of Tulsa for $102,550, and an Interstate 50TDL Equipment Trailer for $27,750.

Council unanimously approved a resolution setting forth guidelines to assist the City in pursuing legal claims and in responding to legal claims against the City.

Council unanimously approved a resolution affirming a Declaration of Emergency following the May 2019 Flood Event. The declaration authorizes and affirms the execution of contracts, budget amendments, waivers of competitive bidding, and payments to the pursuant contracts to restore City property and equipment that was damaged during the flood. City Staff is currently estimating a budgetary impact of $1,581,600 in flood damages.

Council unanimously approved a Master Service Agreement with Motorola Solutions for recurring services related to Motorola MCC 7500 dispatch consoles.

Council unanimously approved the appointment of the following individuals to various boards and committees:

• Mike Burdge to Council Appointment Committee.

• Christine Hamner to Council Appointment Committee.

• Patty Dixon to Council Appointment Committee.

• Mike Burdge to Council Finance and Development Committee.

• Jim Spoon to Council Finance and Development Committee.

• Patty Dixon to Council Finance and Development Committee.

• Patty Dixon to Council Legislative Committee.

• Christine Hamner to Council Legislative Committee.

• Brian Jackson to Council Legislative Committee.

• Jim Spoon to Council Public Works Advisory Committee.

• Beau Wilson to Council Public Works Advisory Committee.

• Phil Nollan to Council Public Works Advisory Committee.

• Mike Burdge to the INCOG Board of Directors.

• Jim Spoon as Alternate to the INCOG Board of Directors.

• Jim Spoon to the INCOG General Assembly.

• Elizabeth Gray as Alternate to the INCOG General Assembly.

• Mike Burdge to the INCOG Legislative Consortium.

• Jim Spoon as Alternate to the Legislative Consortium.

• Derek Campbell to the INCOG - Tulsa Metropolitan Area Transportation Policy Committee.

• TJ Davis as Alternate to the INCOG - Tulsa Metropolitan Area Transportation Policy Committee.

• Phil Nollan to the Sand Springs Parks Advisory Board.

• Daniel Comer to the Sand Springs Parks Advisory Board.

• Harold Neal to the Sand Springs Planning Commission.

• Keri Fothergill to the Sand Springs Planning Commission.

• Phil Nollan to the Sand Springs Economic Development Authority.

• Troy Zickefoose to the Tulsa County Criminal Justice Sales Tax Overview Committee.

• Leia Anderson to the Pogue Airport Advisory Board.

• Rick Westcott to the Pogue Airport Advisory Board.

• Elizabeth Gray to the Sand Springs/Sapulpa Joint Board.

• Derek Campbell to the Sand Springs/Sapulpa Joint Board.

In the Municipal Authority meeting following City Council, Trustees unanimously approved a $31,551 Agreement Renewal with the Metropolitan Environmental Trust for administering and operating the Sand Springs Recycling Project.

Trustees unanimously approved a one-year extension to a contract with Talley Golf, who operates the pro shop, grill, golf cart rental, and other services at the Canyons at Blackjack Ridge.

Sand Springs Police working on 2019-2020 Community Policing Plan

Sand Springs Police Chief Mike Carter spoke about the department’s 2019 Community Policing Plan and took public comment at Monday evening’s regular City Council Meeting.

This is the fourth consecutive year that the SSPD has adopted a revised policing plan, and the department received an international award for their work last year. The department will weigh public and City Council suggestions/concerns and adjust their policing plan annually to address the ever-changing community needs.

One change coming to the department in the coming year is that officers will be allowed to have visible tattoos. “We’ve turned away some probably very good applicants because they had visible tattoos,” said Carter. The department recently ran a Facebook poll and found that 93% of respondents have no problem with officers showing tattoos.

The department will also have mandatory autism training for all officers over the next year. “Sometimes when you have a juvenile, or even an adult who suffers from autism, sometimes their behavior can be misinterpreted by a police officer,” said Carter. “That’s led to some bad things in the United States. We want to avoid that.”

Officers recently went through Critical Incident Inoculation with a psychiatrist to help them avoid PTSD and depression. New business cards will be also issued for all officers with a complaint/compliment space on one side of the card.

In other news:

City Council unanimously approved the sale of $6,500,000 in bonds at Monday evening’s regular meeting. Sand Springs citizens approved the bonds in November of 2017 to provide for economic development, aesthetic improvements, park enhancements, public safety, street overlays, and other infrastructure projects.

Council unanimously voted to authorize the pursuit of a BUILD Grant Application from the U.S. Department of Transportation in partnership with OmniTrax. The City and OmniTrax hope to use the grant to improve extensive freight railway conditions and locations throughout the City. The grant would be an 80/20 matching grant up to $25 million.

The BUILD funds could be used to remove railway along Main Street and the crossing at the intersection of Morrow and Main, as well as to expand Main Street to three lanes. It could also be used for constructing a roadway over the Arkansas River levee, upgrades to Broad Street, and railroad upgrades and improvements along Charles Page Boulevard.

Council unanimously approved dilapidation public nuisance findings against 403 North Lincoln Avenue.

Council unanimously approved a $10,000 transfer of funds related to the upcoming 2019 Community Development Block Grant Water Line Replacement Project. The City will be replacing approximately 980 linear feet of 4-inch cast iron water line with 8-inch PVC water line along Lincoln Avenue from 4th Street to 6th Street.

Council unanimously approved the Final Plat for Stone Villa Second Phase I. The subdivision will consist of 45 lots on 9.5 acres south of 51st Street between Bahama Avenue and South 129th West Avenue. Council also approved a Public Utility Easement for the location of landscaping, fencing, and signage along the perimeter of the subdivision.

Councilman Brian Jackson presented a request to have a Masonic Cornerstone installed on the new Billie A. Hall Public Safety Center. The motion died at a previous Council meeting after concerns were raised about the cost of installation. Since then the Masonic Lodge has volunteered to cover the costs, but the motion died once again. Jackson and Patty Dixon voted yea; Phil Nollan, Beau Wilson, Mike Burdge voted nay; Jim Spoon and Christine Hamner were absent.

Council unanimously approved an ordinance declaring various items in the City and Police Department’s possession as surplus, authorizing the destruction of some items and the auction of others.

Council unanimously approved the creation of a Public Utility Easement at Keystone Ancient Forest to deliver water and electric utilities to a planned Visitors Center.

Council unanimously approved a $40,000 change order regarding parking lot additions and infrastructure improvements at the Case Community Park splash pad and baseball facilities.

Council unanimously approved the annexation of a vacant property owned by the City along the State Highway 97 right-of-way to Pond Drive.

Council unanimously approved the closing of a 20 ft. wide easement and right of way access in the Oakbridge Addition. By closing the easement it will allow a neighboring property to construct a single-family residence over the common lot line.

Sheilah Bright and Scott Palk to be inducted into Sand Springs Education Foundation Hall of Fame

The Sand Springs Education Foundation recently announced its 2019 Hall of Fame inductees. Sheilah Bright (Class of 1979) and Scott Palk (1985) will be honored at the annual Hall of Fame Banquet on Thursday, April 25th at 6:00 p.m. in the Ed Dubie Field House.

The SSEF provides district teachers with grants for special equipment, supplies, and student projects. The Hall of Fame Banquet is one of their biggest annual fundraisers. Table sponsorships are available at $400 for eight seats, and individual tickets are $50. The dinner will be preceded by a silent auction at 5:30 p.m.

To purchase tickets or request further information, contact Tirita Montross at 918-798-1517.

Bright is a forty-year veteran journalist, publishing her first article at 15 years of age. She has contributed to numerous magazines and newspapers and was part of an Emmy Award-winning script-writing team for Narrative Television Network. She was a driving force behind Operation Gold Pride, which raised more than $600,000 for Sand Springs Public Schools. She also recently opened the Bright Morning Farm event center.

Palk graduated with a Bachelor’s of Science from Oklahoma State University in 1989 and a Juris Doctorate from the University of Oklahoma in 1992. He served as an Assistant District Attorney for Cleveland County from 1992 to 2002 and was an Assistant United States Attorney from 2002 to 2011. He has worked as Deputy Criminal Chief and Anti-Terrorism Advisory Council Coordinator. From 2011 to 2017 he was Assistant Dean of Students and Assistant General Counsel at the University of Oklahoma College of Law before being commissioned as a U.S. District Judge. Palk won Prosecutor of the Year awards in 1993 and 2004. In 2011 he was awarded the Director’s Certificate of Appreciation for Assistance to the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Joint Terrorism Task Force.

Hall of Fame inductees are required to have attended Sand Springs Public Schools for at least three years after the Sixth Grade, or to have spent at least eight total years in SSPS, or to have spent the last two years of high school in SSPS and to have graduated from the district.

They must have attained a position of “unusual respect, impact, or influence in the community,” or have attained regional prominence in their field, or to have attained an exception level of accomplishment in their field.

Previous inductees include:

Michael Dale Case
Cleta Evans
Mary Helen Burke (1932)
Tot M. Brown (1934)
Bessie Crawford Zackery (1934)
Opal Clark (1934)
Al Dodson, Sr. (1936)
Marshall Vaughn Perry (1937)
L.W. Welch Jr. (1939)
James A. Sanders (1941)
Johnnie Mae Young (1941)
Marques Haynes (1942)
Robert D. Simms (1943)
Clyde Boyd Jr. (1943)
Erwin D. Phillips (1946)
William R. Pogue (1947)
Charles Gray (1947)
George Everett (1947)
Montie R. Box (1947)
Thomas S. Crewson (1950)
Richard Courter (1951)
William Means (1951)
Charles Marvin Hughes (1952)
Jack B. Johnson (1952)
Jerrold Lawless (1952)
John H. Rudy (1953)
Ken Neal (1953)
Charles Jestice (1953)
Jerry Adair (1955)
M. David Riggs (1955)
Barbara Guynn Smith (1956)
Bennie Osborn (1956)
J. Dean Speer (1956)
John Beck (1956)

James E. Palmer (1956)
Jerry L. Halcomb (1957)
Jan Hagara (1957)
George Paden (1957)
Charles E. Buchner, III (1957)
Billy Allen Hall (1957)
Jerry A. Hanner (1958)
Carolyn Morrow Cheney (1958)
Clarence “Scratch” Purser (1959)
Randal Wayne White (1959)
Harlan S. Pinkerton, Jr. (1960)
Gerrie Holliday (1961)
Ward Sherrill (1963)
Danny Lee McDonald (1964)
William R. White (1965)
Lotsee Spradling (1966)
John Wolf (1967)
Larry Glen Hurst (1967)
Richard Neal (1967)
I.J. Ganem (1969)
Mike Burdge (1969)
Forrest C. Crawford (1970)
Dianne Dinkel (1970)
Chris Thurmond (1971)
Deborah Browers Barnes (1972)
Linda L. Robertson (1973)
Cathy Lynn Burdge (1973)
Janet Rutland Eicher (1975)
John Fitzgerald Blake (1979)
Sam Harris (1979)
Eric Bloom (1982)
Stacey Ford Butterfield (1985)
Timothy Wright (1988)

Sand Springs Police Department receives international award for policing plan

The Sand Springs Police Department is pleased to announce that their partnership with the citizens of the Sand Springs in community policing efforts have resulted in an award to the agency. The Sand Springs Police Department received the 2018 IACP/Cisco Leadership in Community Policing Award. Chief Mike Carter accepted the award on behalf of agency and the Citizens of Sand Springs at the International Association of Chiefs of Police Convention on October 9, 2018 in Orlando, Florida. The award was open to departments around the world for communities 20,000 to 50,000 in population.

The IACP and Cisco presented the award to the Sand Springs Chief for their “Policing Plan” which has been produced by the Sand Springs Police Department in cooperation with the citizens of Sand Springs. The 2018 plan is the third edition of the plan, which started after the department reviewed the Department of Justice Report on Ferguson, Missouri in 2015.

Chief Carter stated, “We read the DOJ report on Ferguson after our City Attorney David Weatherford suggested that we may want to look at missteps that had taken place in there, and what we could do to assure our public that we were policing in a positive manner”. He added, “We took a look at not only what we could do to promote procedural justice, officer accountability, transparency, training etc, but also at our past practices and decided to produce an annual plan”. The Department has modified and refined the Plan each year by including input from its citizens. Upon presentation by the Department, the City Council holds a public hearing and adopts the current plan by resolution.

Chief Carter spoke about the future of the program, he stated, “The police work we do is constantly changing, and police departments will need to change as the public’s perception of us and the reality of what we face changes. Preparing the plan helped us map a plan for the future, but also captured many of the great things our department has been doing for years to serve the public. It also reflects what our officers have historically done to bring people together and show that we are a police department for all people”. He added, “This award is not just to the police department, but to the Sand Springs community as a whole; it is their faith in us and the relationship that we have with them that made this possible”. Mayor Mike Burdge stated, “We are happy to see the recognition for our police department and the citizens of Sand Springs. With so many great police departments across the globe, it is an honor for our community to receive such an honor.”

Anyone who is interested in reading the plan or the versions of previous years may do so by going to http://www.sandspringsok.org/491/SSPD-Policing-Plan

City Council approves SSPD Resource Officer for Sand Springs Public Schools

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The Sand Springs City Council approved a $34,211.00 expenditure to provide a School Resource Officer for the Sand Springs Public School District at Monday night's regular monthly meeting.

Sand Springs Police Chief Mike Carter said the proposal was partly a response to school shootings across the country and partly an opportunity to make a positive impact in the lives of students. In addition to providing security, the SRO will also oversee the department's truancy program.

"We're one of the few communities that has a truancy program," says Carter. "It's not about just writing citations, it's about finding out if there's other family dynamics that are causing that student to miss school. Besides the lost education opportunity, we may find other problems that are happening with that student in that family."

The department has a history of providing school resource officers, and at one point had as many as three. Eventually economic downturn left the department with dwindling resources and the position was eliminated about five years ago.

In other news:

Council approved a dilapidation public nuisance resolution ordering the demolition of 400 North Cleveland Avenue on or after September 5th if the property owner does not begin repairs.

Council renewed a ten-year tax incentive agreement between the City of Sand Springs and Reasor's LLC. The City recruited the grocery store chain to Sand Springs in 2011 through a $2 million incentive, creating more than sixty jobs at the long-vacant Wal Mart facility in Prattville.

Council accepted a $65,045 bid from Tim Mills Fence Company for 6,400 feet of white vinyl fence. The company will have until October 1 to complete the installation along the city's highway corridors. 

Council approved the purchase of a Toro Reelmaster mower for the City sports fields. The $55,027.93 mower will be funded initially by the City but will be reimbursed over a three-year period by the Baseball, Soccer, and Softball organizations who lease the parks. 

Council approved a $188,702.47 contract with L&M Office Furniture to furnish the new Billie A. Hall Public Safety Center. 

Council approved a $113,387.00 contract with Southwest Solutions to purchase storage lockers, explosive cabinets, high density shelving, gun lockers, armory storage cabinets, etc. for the new Billie A. Hall Public Safety Center.

Following the Council meeting, the Sand Springs Municipal Authority approved $99,547.24 to purchase two new Toro Greenaster 3150-Q lawn mowers and a Toro Workman utility vehicle for the Canyons at Blackjack Ridge golf course. 

Harper's Hut loses thousands to burglary at Sand Springs stand

Harper's Hut Shaved Ice & Java was the victim of a brutal break-in Sunday night at their 1124 East Charles Page Boulevard location.

The perpetrator appears to have attempted jimmying open a window before giving up and kicking in the door.

CEO William Nozak estimates losses of more than $2,500 due to theft and damages. The culprit made off with more than $800 cash and an iPad, trashed the interior, and caused extensive damage to the doorjamb and window. The stand will remain closed on Monday for repairs.

The oldest of Harper's five locations, the Charles Page Boulevard stand is at the entrance to the Harris Center development.

Master Lube & Car Wash, also in the Harris Center, recently shut down their car wash services due to theft. The car wash reportedly had coin boxes and the change machine broken into repeatedly, and brushes and sprayers were stolen multiple times. 

Last season the Harper's location inside of Case Community Park was burglarized and thieves made off with candy, soda, coin change, and a portable speaker system. The new Berryhill location suffered about $400 in vandalism damages just a week after opening last month. 

Nozak says repeated theft in the Harris Center is making the area feel unsafe, but this case in particular appears personal.

Both the cash register and safe appear to have been opened with a keycode and were not forced. Nozak suspects it could have been an ex employee or friend of an employee. 

A police report has been filed and the department has assigned a detective to the case. Anyone with information can contact the department online at this link or may call 918-245-8777. 

Harper's Hut Berryhill snow cone stand vandalized, closed for repairs

Just a week after opening for business, the Harper's Hut Shaved Ice stand in Berryhill was the victim of overnight vandalism. 

CEO William Nozak says that Berryhill branch owner Jeff Lyles arrived Saturday morning to find both windows smashed out with rocks. The stand plans to remain closed until repairs can be made. "Stuff like this happens, but it's tough to swallow, especially for a new business owner."

Lyles, also a Sand Springs Public Schools Assistant Band Director, says that the incident will cost around $400 for new windows and installation. A police report has been filed and authorities are investigating security footage from nearby Berryhill Public Schools and New Home Free Will Baptist Church.

The Hut is located at 3110 South 65th West Avenue in the unincorporated Tulsa community of Berryhill, immediately across the street from Berryhill Elementary South, and less than a quarter mile from Berryhill Elementary North and Berryhill High School. 

Harper's Hut Shaved Ice and Java opened its first stand in Sand Springs in 2014 and has since expanded to five locations in Sand Springs, Sapulpa, and Tulsa. 

Harper's Hut Shaved Ice receives counterfeit twenty dollar bill

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Can you spot the fake?

Harper's Hut Shaved Ice and Java recently received their first counterfeit twenty dollar bill of the 2018 summer season.

Getting ripped off is a tradition for the Sand Springs snow cone stand. Since opening in 2014, the seasonal hangout starts every year with a hard lesson on how to spot fake twenty dollar bills. CEO William Nozak likes to take the opportunity to teach other small business owners. 

While counterfeit detector pens cost only a few dollars, sometimes they run out of ink or simply get misplaced. Here's a few simple indicators to check the authenticity of a bill.

Modern twenties have two watermarks. On the left side of the bill is a security thread repeating "USA Twenty" from bottom to top. On the right side of the bill is a silhouette of President Andrew Jackson's face. Both can best be seen when held up to a light. 

All bills $5 and larger have a facial silhouettes and security threads. On fives and tens the bands are on the right hand side, the fifty is near the middle, and the hundred is on the left.

In the summer of 2017 Harper's unveiled a new snow cone flavor named the "Fake $20." Harper's Hut has two Sand Springs locations. The original hut is at 1124 East Charles Page Boulevard and a limited menu is available at the Case Community Park concessions stand.