CT)--An Enid man has been arrested on complaints of assault and battery with a deadly weapon and possession of a firearm after a former felony conviction as part of an investigation of a local man being shot in the face. 22 year-old Elijah Whitener was arrested Tuesday evening, following an interview with police about a non-fatal shooting that occurred early Saturday. According to police, officers were at St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center on an unrelated call when a man walked into the lobby just before 3:30 Saturday morning after having been shot through the left cheek and tongue with a small caliber bullet. After being stabilized, the victim was transported to Oklahoma City to undergo reconstructive surgery. Based on information from the victim, officers found blood in the alleyway behind some apartments in the 1900 block of East Broadway. Authorities said officers also went into the victim’s apartment where they found blood, along with several firearms and a tooth on the couch. A short time later, police stopped Whitener near Sixth and Broadway because he matched the description given by the victim. Whitener was arrested in connection with outstanding city of Enid warrants and was booked into jail on the warrants. A gun-shot residue test was performed on Whitener and he bonded out of jail that afternoon. Following additional investigation including review of video surveillance and interviews, Whitener was arrested in connection with the shooting. He was booked into the Garfield County Detention Facility and is being held in lieu of $100,000 bond.
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CC)--The Enid Mayor and Board of Commissioners Tuesday night voted 4-3 to rescind the city’s mask mandate that was set to be in effect through the end of April. Last week Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt lifted most COVID-19 state restrictions. Stitt cited increasing COVID vaccinations in his decision to remove requirements on wearing masks and public occupancy limits in state buildings. Maggie Jackson, with Garfield County Health Department, said while cases are declining, her office still recommends wearing masks and social distancing, in following COVID guidelines from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
In other business Tuesday, after several hours of discussion and public comment, commissioners voted 5-2 to table a proposed demographic data collection ordinance proponents said would provide broader police department transparency and oversight. Several of those that voted to table the issue, which was put on the agenda Monday, said they wanted more time to study the details
Commissioners did vote to both amend city traffic rules on motor vehicles and approve a contract with Bird Rides Inc., which is set to launch a sharing system for short-distance scooters primarily in the downtown area. Bird Rides will provide at least 100 stand-up scooters called Birds to the city for no charge.
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KL)--Enid city engineers said Tuesday the Kaw Lake Water Supply project still is in the bidding, land acquisition and permitting phase, ahead of actual construction. Once these phases are complete, the project’s construction manager at-risk, Garney Construction, will begin work on the project’s five sub-projects: an intake pump station at Kaw Lake, 70 miles of pipeline, an intermediate pump station near Garber and a water treatment plant and water main both in Enid. During Tuesday’s commission study session, commissioners were told engineering anticipates site preparation at the water treatment plant to get started in early spring.
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CN)— 42 newly confirmed virus-related deaths and 491 new COVID-19 cases were reported in the state since Tuesday, according to daily numbers released late this morning by the Oklahoma State Department of Health. 270 people are currently hospitalized statewide for treatment of the virus. The seven-day rolling average for new daily cases reported was 467.
COVID-19 Oklahoma Test Results
03.17.21
|
Cases |
433,516 |
|
*Total Cumulative Negative Specimens to Date |
3,247,356 |
|
*Total Cumulative Number of Specimens to Date |
3,653,901 |
|
Acute Care OSDH Licensed Facility Hospitalizations |
254 |
|
Other Types of Facilities Hospitalizations |
16 |
|
Total Cumulative Hospitalizations |
24,786 |
|
Provisional Death Count (CDC/NCHS) |
7,610 |
*The total includes laboratory information provided to OSDH at the time of the report. As a result, counts are subject to change. Total counts may not reflect unique individuals. Data Source: Acute Disease Service, Oklahoma State Department of Health. As of 2021-03-17 at 7:00 a.m.
There have been 7656 positive COVID-19 cases, and 82 deaths in Garfield County. 6773 of those cases and 74 deaths have been in Enid. In surrounding counties: Kingfisher County has reported 2004 cases, Alfalfa 1150, Blaine County is at 1012 cases, Major 948, and Grant 543.
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