AROUND THE COUNTY

PAWHUSKA CHRISTMAS PARADE

Celebration will begin at 5:30 p.m. Dec. 7

The annual Pawhuska Christmas Parade is themed “Old Fashioned Cowboy Christmas” this year. The parade is scheduled to start at 5:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 7, on Kihekah Avenue. There is still time to get your parade entry registered. To enter for free, send an email to Reba@pawhuskachamber.com. Also, following the parade there will be a free movie, titled “It Happened on Fifth Avenue,” at 6:30 p.m. at the Constantine Theater, and Santa Claus is scheduled to be at The Pioneer Woman Mercantile from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.

OSAGE NATION MARKET

Holiday shopping will be from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Dec. 7

The annual Osage Nation Holiday Market is to be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 7, at the Ag Building at the Osage County Fairgrounds. This will be an opportunity to shop for gifts from local crafters, artists and home businesses. For more information, call 918-287-5595, which is the number for the Osage Nation Prevention Program.

NUTCRACKER BALLET

Show will be Dec. 14, 15

The annual Nutcracker Ballet, offered by Dance Maker Academy of Pawhuska, is scheduled for 7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 14, and 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 15, at the Constantine Theater downtown. For tickets, call 918-704-4668, or visit www.dancemaker.net.

ANNUAL CAROLING PARTY

Festive event set for 6:30 p.m. Dec. 19

The date and time for the 25th Annual Reed-Hembree Community Caroling Party have been set.

Thursday Dec. 19, singers will be leaving Grill 125 in Pawhuska at 6:30 p.m. and returning at 7:30 p.m. for refreshments and awards to special attendees.

All are invited for a great time. A couple of bus vans will be provided for transportation, plus numerous cars. For more information, please call 918-287-3507. Bring the family, friends and neighbors.

CONSTITUTIONAL CARRY CLASS

Pawhuska police chief to discuss subject at library

On Tuesday, Dec., 10 from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., Pawhuska Police Chief Nick Silva will speak at the Pawhuska Public Library on the subject of constitutional carry of firearms in Oklahoma. Discussion of Oklahoma gun carry laws, and a question-and-answer time will be included.

BARNSDALL CHRISTMAS PARADE

Annual event is set for Saturday, Dec. 14

The Barnsdall Christmas Parade will be at 6 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 14, on Main Street in Barnsdall. Families can visit with Santa Claus immediately after the parade, at the Barnsdall Community Center. There will be free treat bags for the kids. The winning float entries will be recognized with cash prizes — $200 for first place, $175 for second and $150 for third. The “Shop Barnsdall” drawings will be held at 7 p.m. at the Community Center. Individuals must be present at the drawing to win. There will also be free cocoa and hot dogs at the Community Center after the parade, courtesy of First Christian Church. The theme for the festivities is “Merry Christmas in Barnsdall.”

WOOLOROC LIGHT SHOW COMING

‘Wonderland of Lights’ to begin Friday, Nov. 29

A wonderful holiday tradition returns again this year at Woolaroc Museum & Wildlife Preserve with the spectacular “Wonderland of Lights.” The grounds and buildings of Woolaroc will be covered with more than 750,000 lights as the historic ranch transforms itself into a magical winter wonderland. The lights will be turned on Friday, Nov. 29, which is the day after Thanksgiving, and will be on every Friday, Saturday and Sunday, 5-9 p.m., through Dec. 22. Admission to Wonderland of Lights is $6 for adults and $1 for children 11 and under.

“This is truly one of those wonderful family traditions for so many people,” said Woolaroc CEO Bob Fraser. “We have families who meet here at Woolaroc each year to celebrate their ‘family Christmas’ during our lights. In addition to the lights, we have wagon rides, live entertainment, Santa Claus in the Museum, hot cider/hot chocolate and cookies for sale in the Lodge; and, if you are lucky, you may catch a glimpse of the Holiday Horseman, covered in lights, riding across the grounds. To have the chance to walk the grounds as holiday music drifts through the trees, enjoying the lights, hearing the laughter of children - this is the way things should be this time of year,” Fraser said.

“The Ranch Crew takes care of the Haunted Grove and the main buildings in addition to taking care of the Wagon Rides,” Fraser said. “It is a big undertaking and one that involves every employee at Woolaroc…but it is something that everyone looks forward to as one of the special things that we do each year. The sparkle in the eyes of the children as they walk around makes all the work worthwhile.”

Entertainment will be in the Heritage Theater almost every Friday and Saturday night. Again this year, the main drive to the campus will be reversed, allowing guests the unique view of the buildings across from Clyde Lake, outlined in lights.

Woolaroc is located 12 miles southwest of Bartlesville on State Highway 123 and 45 miles northwest of Tulsa. For more information, call Woolaroc at 918-336-0307, extension 10 or 11.

ELECTION FILING

Filing periods begin next Monday

Candidates for municipal offices in the city of Pawhuska will file Declarations of Candidacy beginning at 8 a.m. Monday, Dec. 2, 2019.

Kelly Chouteau, secretary of the Osage County Election Board, said the filing period ends at 5 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2019.

Declarations of Candidacy will be accepted at the County Election Board office for each of the following positions: Councilman at Large, 3-year term.

The municipal offices at stake in the city of Pawhuska will be filled, if possible, in the nonpartisan Primary Election scheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2020. The General Election, if needed, is scheduled for Tuesday, April 7, 2020, Chouteau said.

School Board Candidate Filing is also set to begin Monday, Dec. 2

Candidates for the Board of Education in Osage County school districts will file their Declarations of Candidacy beginning at 8 a.m. on Monday, Dec. 2, 2019, and continuing Tuesday and Wednesday, Osage County Election Board Secretary Kelly Chouteau said.

Chouteau said the official filing period ends at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2019. All candidate filings will occur at the Osage County Election Board office, 630 Kihekah Ave., in Pawhuska, Okla., Chouteau said.

The Board of Education positions at stake will be filled at the Board of Education Primary Election scheduled Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2020, and the Board of Education General Election on Tuesday, April 7, 2020. If only two candidates file, the position will be filled at the General Election. If more than two candidates file, a Primary Election will be held. If no candidate receives more than 50 percent of the total votes cast in the Primary Election, the two candidates receiving the highest number of votes will meet in the General Election.

Candidates may file for the following offices:

Anderson C-52 School District - Position No. 3, 3 year term & Position No. 2, 2 year unexpired term

Avant C-35 School District – Position No. 2, 3 year term

Barnsdall I-29 School District – Position No. 5, 5 year term

Bowring C-7 School District – Position No. 1, 3 year term & Position No. 3, 2 year term

Hominy I-38 School District – Position No. 5, 5 year term

McCord C-77 School District – Position No. 3, 3 year term

Osage Hills C-3 School District – Position No. 3, 3 year term

Pawhuska I-2 School District - Position No. 5, 5 year term

Prue I-50 School District – Position No. 5, 5 year term

Shidler I-11 School District – Position No. 5, 5 year term

Woodland I-90 School District – Position No. 5, 5 year term

Wynona I-30 School District – Position No. 5, 5 year term

For more election-related information, call the Osage County Election Board at (918) 287-3036, e-mail at OsageCounty@elections.ok.gov or visit www.elections.ok.gov or www.osage.okcounties.org.