OKLAHOMA CITY –– Across the United States, more than 63% of households have completed their U.S. Census forms.

STILLWATER –– With some schools opting to forego inperson classes, many parents and students find themselves in a challenging situation. Oklahoma State University College of Education and Human Sciences faculty members are sharing their expertise on how to effectively navigate and balance the new normal of online learning due to COVID-19 by providing educational resources for families.

GINGERBREAD PRESCHOOLERS caught the Gingerbread man last week. Pictured with Mrs. Tollett are: Jacob Moore, Hazen Parsons, Nolan Davis, Jaxon Davis, Kyston Cox, Lakyn Carter, Allie Johnson, Spencer Debo, Alaina Carlile, Grayson Harrison, Chapman Atteberry, Addilyn Methvin, Pryce Scott, Kendall Day, Haley Allen, Keaton Davidson, Cade Lemmons, Kaybreigh Billy, Jace Hayes, Delaney Males, Leedey Duncan, Easton Pound and Claire Dyer. Not pictured are Shiloh Crow and Elina Dervishi.

RATTAN –– The Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma and its division of Strategic Development awarded the town of Rattan $89,531 that will be used to match a USDA grant to enhance the community and make it a safer, more desirable place to live.

• Come and meet Whimpy’s baby boy HUGO –– Endangered Ark Foundation will host its first ever baby shower honoring the newest addition to the EAF herd born on Aug. 2.

Choctaw County Ambulance Authority has some new tools on hand to help save lives –– three LUCAS Chest Compression Systems. The refurbished devices were purchased at a discounted rate of three for the price of one, Ambulance Authority Executive Director Randy Springfield said, recently.

Shortly before noon last Wednesday, Aug. 12, Hugo Chief of Police John Mitchell confirmed two men perished early Wednesday morning, when they were working on a railroad car at Trinity RailCar in Hugo. Mitchell said a number of law enforcement, fire and EMT officers converged on the plant (Hugo PD, Hugo Fire Dept., Choctaw County EMS, Choctaw County Sheriff’s Dept., and Oklahoma Highway Patrol) Wednesday morning. “We got there as Trinity employees and Hugo Fire Department officers were removing the two men from one of the cars. It was about half-in and half-out of the building,” Chief Mitchell stated. Both were said to be unresponsive and were transported to Choctaw Memorial Hospital in Hugo and declared deceased.”

New accounts of patients who believe they’ve been reinfected after recovering from COVID-19 are popping up daily, leading to an unnerving question: Can we get Coronavirus twice? Unlikely, say experts at the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, at least in the short term. “It seems more probable that people reexhibiting symptoms are simply still carrying thevirus, not getting reinfected –– that’s a critical distinction,” said OMRF President Stephen Prescott, M.D., a physician and medical researcher.

OKLAHOMA CITY –– The Oklahoma State Department of Health (OSDH) announced it is expanding ongoing contact tracing efforts in Oklahoma with the launch of a new COVID-19 contact tracing and case investigation call center.

STILLWATER –– Oklahoma leadership for the agencies of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Oklahoma Tribal Conservation Advisory Council (OTCAC) are hosting a “Nation to Nation” Tribal Consultation ZOOM Meeting on Aug. 18. This is truly a special event with all of Oklahoma’s sovereign tribes having been invited to attend.