Editor’s note: Here is a chronological review of stories from 2021 in part one that appears in this week’s Piedmont-Surrey Gazette. Subscribe today to keep up with local news and events throughout the year by calling 405-577-6208.
By Robert Medley
Managing Editor
The top news stories, features and events of 2021 in Piedmont were covered in the Piedmont-Surrey Gazette, and here is a review of the past year’s stories.
Trump rally in Washington
Two Piedmont High School alums, Lisa Cummings and Teresa Phillips, traveled to Washington, D.C., to attend the Save American Rally on Wednesday, January 6, 2021. Cummings now lives in Yukon, and Phillips lives in Oklahoma City.
The Save America Rally, in support of President Donald Trump and fair elections, was staged outside the U.S. Capitol Building. The certification by Congress of the electoral votes for the 2020 presidential election occurred the same day. The events were marred by acts of violence and destruction.
Phillips and Cummings said on January 6 they joined thousands from across the nation, walking through D.C. toward the rally, and singing the national anthem. They said people of all demographic groups participated, and there were families with children and even babies in strollers. Phillips said, “The event was attended by so many people embracing patriotism that you could not see the end of the massive crowd. President Trump was greeted with roaring applause and support when he took the stage.” After Trump spoke, there were several events scheduled, and Trump encouraged all of his supporters to head to those locations. Phillips said, “It was a calm, orderly flow of fellow Americans using our freedom of speech, chanting support of our nation, and expressing our desire and hope to impact those we put in office to do the right thing.”
Donation made to vet center
The Piedmont Area Veterans Association had a down year in 2020 during the pandemic, a year that ended in the sudden loss of longtime association member and treasurer, Leon Meyer.
Burt a fundraiser by the Piedmont Roundup Club last year has helped. Proceeds of $2,000 raised by the Roundup Club’s pumpkin patch sales in October 2020 were donated to the veterans’ association, said President Hoss Cooley.
The Piedmont Area Veterans Association Event Center is located at 240 Edmond Road N.W. in a building next to the Veterans’ Museum, 170 Edmond Road N.W.
Piedmont road tax proposal rejected by voters
The proposed Piedmont tax for roads failed with 81.45% of voters against the proposal in a special election in January.
The final vote showed 81.45% against the proposal, or 988 no votes, to 18.55% in favor, or 225 yes votes, with all three precincts, absentee and early votes counted, the State Election Board reported.
If it had been approved, a $28 a month tax on utility bills for two years would have been collected to fund about $1.6 million in road improvements, city officials said.
The city council tabled a plan for the road tax in February 2020, and after delays during the pandemic, the city council approved calling for a special election in late October 2020.
Piedmont schools return to in-person learning
Piedmont Public Schools opened the doors for in-person learning Tuesday, Jan. 19, 2021 with an alternating schedule for seventh through 12th graders who attend two or three days a week.
Piedmont Schools went to all virtual learning Dec. 14, 2020 before Christmas break and the district classes started the spring semester with virtual, or distance learning from home.
There was an increase in cases of COVID-19 in Piedmont Schools after Thanksgiving break 2020, Superintendent Dr. James White reported. A surge after the Christmas break was a concern.
“In anticipation of the continual rise of positive cases and quarantines during and following the holiday break, we will resume distance learning for the beginning of the second semester on Jan. 5. Students will have the opportunity to return to in-person classes on Jan. 19,” White reported. “We certainly understand the hardship this places on our families, however, the health of our students and staff is our priority.”
Schools take virtual day
Piedmont Public Schools were virtual only on Thursday, Feb. 11, 2021 and record-breaking low temperatures and a snowstorm hit.
“Due to the forecast of additional freezing precipitation and hazardous roads/parking lots, Thursday, February 11th, is a distance learning day,” district officials reported on social media.
Meanwhile, the wind chill factor on Sunday, Feb. 14 in Piedmont dropped to minus 25 degrees, the National Weather Service reports.
Winter weather moves in, grocery store shelves emptied
The shelves were empty of bread and milk at Williams Foods in Piedmont on Saturday, February 13, 2021 as people rushed to get everything they needed as a winter storm approached.
A winter storm moved into a wide portion of the Southern Plains and all of Oklahoma, Arkansas and Texas.
Six to nine inches of snow fell in the Canadian County area, the National Weather Service reported.
Jennifer Potter stood in front of shelves that would usually be full of milk. The shelves were empty.
It was the same story on the bread aisles. A misplaced carton of Coca-Cola was left where bread would be.
It wasn’t the first time in the past year there had been a rush on food and items. About a year ago as word of the pandemic spread, shelves were empty of other items.
Potter said she was getting out to get everything she needed before Sunday’s predicted storm.
“I can’t believe I found hamburger meat,” Potter said.
Winter storm damage assessed
Historic low temperatures and heavy snowfall caused damage across Canadian County from broken pipes to vehicle wrecks.
People in the county could report any damage to property and losses of livestock to be eligible for federal aid, county and state officials report.
Water woes during the storm were reported in the City of El Reno. There was a problem with water at the Canadian County Jail and at the county offices. A number of inmates had to be housed at other facilities.
Assessments of other damage continued, and businesses and individuals can report all winter storm damage so as to qualify for individual assistance by meeting minimum damage amounts.
Andrew Skidmore, Canadian County Emergency Management director, said assessment from the winter storm damage was completed. He said vaccine clinics were disrupted and many appointments postponed.
The widespread power outages of the late October ice storms were not as much of a problem in Canadian County during the recent freezing temperatures of the last two weeks that brought more than 10 inches of snow.
CARES Act funds discussed
CARES Act money in Piedmont could be used for buying a new road-grader with a snowplow, city council members were told.
City Manager Jason Orr reported to council members and mayor that the City of Piedmont received $481,463 in CARES Act reimbursement. Orr requested $380,000 for a second road-grader with the snowplow attachment, two replacement three-quarter ton trucks and a new brush hog for the public works department.
Mayor Kurt Mayabb asked the council to take another look on how the paper trail would look in case of an audit. The City of Piedmont has been subject to a recent state audit over pickup purchases.
Orr said his staff members have asked an accountant if the purchase is allowed, and they have been given the green light, he told council members in a Tuesday, March 2, 2021 special meeting.
Lady ‘Cats basketball bid falls short
At the end of three quarters of the game, a long trey by Jillian Crawford beat the buzzer and put the Lady ‘Cats ahead of Tahlequah.
With Piedmont trailing again, by three points with time running out of the game, another three-point attempt by Piedmont standout and University of Tulsa-bound Delanie Crawford sailed toward the basket. But it didn’t find the net, not even the rim.
The last shot of Delanie Crawford’s high school basketball career landed out of bounds. And, after Piedmont led most of the night Friday in the Class 5A State Tournament game in Tulsa, their season and a chance to repeat as state champions ended.
Tahlequah fought back from an early deficit before halftime and then by the fourth quarter both teams swapped leads.
The final score was Tahlequah 42 and Piedmont 37.
Bryan Raymer, whose daughter Logan Raymer is a senior forward on the team, said the girls were doing fine after the game, despite the heartbreaker.
“The seniors took it better than any of them. They did Piedmont proud and as this family knows all too well, we’ll be back next year,” Raymer said.
“Congrats to our girls for representing Piedmont with class and dignity and to all the fans who have supported and cheered these girls on for the last four years,” Raymer said. “The class of 2021 Lady ‘Cats appreciates each and every one of you.”
Piedmont had a chance to take the lead with 25 seconds to go, but a turnover to Tahlequah led to a foul and a three-point Lady Tiger lead.
With 10 seconds to go Piedmont’s Delanie Crawford fired a shot to try to tie the game but missed. The ball missed the rim and went out of bounds. Piedmont was forced to foul and Tahlequah converted both free throws.
Layne Jones wins school board seat
Layne Jones, a former Piedmont Schools athletic director, defeated incumbent school board member Zach Myatt in April 2021, the Oklahoma State Election Board unofficial results show.
With 10 of 10 precincts reporting, Jones had 982 votes, 51%, to Myatt’s 915 votes, 48%.
Jones was athletic director before leaving the job for private business last year.
City council seats decided
Ron Cardwell defeated Mitch Henley in the race for the Piedmont City Council Ward II seat in April, according to the Oklahoma State Election Board’s early returns.
Cardwell’s lead was not by much.
With three of three precincts reporting results, Cardwell had 159 votes, 52% to Mitch Henley’s 143 votes, 47%.
In Ward IV, Jonathan Hisey won with had 271 votes, 62% to Jack Jackson’s 157 votes, 36%. Steve Bottkol had six vote. Bottkol announced he was withdrawing from the race, although his name remained on the ballot.
Piedmont’s lone dispensary closes
The doors of Piedmont’s lone medical marijuana dispensary were shuttered in 2021.
But two of the partners of Good Meds Dispensary at 210 N. Piedmont Road, were hoping to find another home in Piedmont soon if they could. Meanwhile, a sign on the door states the business has been closed.
Calvin Gidney and Dax Williamson said the building where they have been working as co-owners since September 2019 closed unexpectedly April 17, 2021. Now Gidney and Williamson are looking for a new location to either buy or rent.
“We showed up (for work) and the locks were changed,” Gidney said, who lives in nearby Oklahoma City. Gidney said he moved from Colorado to work at Good Meds.
“This has taken everything away from this town. Now no one in this town has a dispensary,” Gidney said.
“I moved down from Colorado and Dax moved back from New Mexico, you know. We both quit our lives and did this every day for over a year,” Gidney said.
Williamson and Gidney said they worked with three other partners doing all jobs related to running a dispensary, including growing the medical marijuana on the property.
“We’ve basically been trying to find a building in town to rent,” Williamson said. “This took all the hard work we had ever done trying to grow with the people, with the town,’ Williamson said.
Leon Meyer remembered
The late Leon Meyer is remembered for his tireless work to establish a Piedmont Area Veterans Center and to build a museum in town.
His life was cut short by COVID-19 in 2020.
On Thursday, Aug. 5, 2021, Meyer was honored at a barbecue dinner. A plaque honoring Meyer was dedicated, said Hoss Cooley of Piedmont.
Bill Sharp of Sharp’s BBQ provided a pork dinner at the Piedmont Veterans Event Center, 170 N.W. 178/Edmond Road.
A dedication was followed by a speech by John Bickerstaff.
Meyer, a longtime Piedmont benefactor, died of COVID-19 in December.
Cooley, who is president of the Piedmont Area Veterans Association, was close friends with Meyer, who was the treasurer of the association. Cooley said the plaque dedication is a chance to remember Meyer and all he accomplished.
Meyer, 72, owned Overland Express Realty Company and developed Eastwind addition N.W. 164 and Sara Road.
He was originally from Nebraska, and served in Air Force. He was retired from the Air Force.
Read part of the year in review from The Piedmont-Surrey Gazette next week and follow piedmontnewsonline.com for updates to local news and events. Subscribe today by calling 405-577-6208.
