a celebration inside the public library marked one woman's journey to citizenship and a community’s fight to keep that dream alive
and city leaders gathered for a potluck celebration in honor of Eva Aparacio — the newest U.S
citizen to graduate from the library’s Citizenship Program
cake and homemade dishes lining the tables
attendees didn’t just mark a personal milestone for Aparacio
They celebrated the resilience of a program that nearly lost its funding under political pressure just months prior
The event was more than just a ceremony — it was a testament to the grit of a woman who spent years learning a new language
history and navigating the complex naturalization process
It was also a night to reflect on what it means to become American
Aparacio’s journey was formally honored by Associate District Judge Russell Vaclaw
who delivered a moving address that blended constitutional history with personal conviction
“There is nothing more patriotic than to help people become American citizens,” Vaclaw said
and our story is forever made better because of yours.”
Vaclaw spoke of his own family’s complex path to American belonging
who lived with his family in a one-room shack on 14th Street in Bartlesville during Prohibition
we are all immigrants — I'm the descendant of a Polish American bootlegging convicted felon
and I stand before you today as a judge in the great state of Oklahoma," said Vaclaw
But behind the joy was the shadow of a recent fight to keep the program alive — one that nearly cost it its future
Sherrick expressed concerns about the lack of legal status verification for participants and said that the program was potentially criminal
"If you're teaching language and citizenship to people who are here unlawfully
and they use your resources then to somehow gain the IDs required to present to their local election board — we could potentially have an election integrity issue arising from a program like this," Sherrick said
Sherrick did not cite any specific law that would render the program illegal
Nor did he offer evidence that the program had ever been used to facilitate voter or identity fraud
More: Oklahoma city councilman calls citizen library program potentially criminal
East soon issued a statement saying he was reconsidering his position in response to community feedback
Community members flooded the council chambers at the next meeting
offering passionate testimonials in support of the program
One participant said it helped her not only learn English but also build friendships
Another shared how the class gave them the confidence to pursue citizenship after years of fear and isolation
Under pressure — and after the city attorney confirmed the program had been in full compliance with the grant throughout its 11-year existence — Sherrick and East reversed their position.
“In light of this additional information, I would be inclined to support it,” he said. The council voted unanimously to approve the grant.
With 19 people currently involved in the program, Library Director Kiley Roberson welcomed the new vote.
“We don’t teach people how to get fake IDs at the library,” Roberson said, responding to earlier allegations. "This program has helped so many people take the next step toward citizenship — we're relieved and grateful to see it continue."
Mayor Jim Curd and the entire Bartkesville City Council attended Aparacio’s celebration — a symbolic show of unity after a divisive few months. Curd praised the program’s results and congratulated Aparacio on her achievement.
“I’m proud to be here," Curd said. "What a great night for you and for the city of Bartlesville to see the hope and promise of America."
On the library’s upper floors, a “Citizenship Wall of Honor” showcases the names and photos of individuals who have earned U.S. citizenship through the program. Aparacio’s photo will soon join them — a permanent reminder of one woman’s perseverance and a city’s hard-fought decision to continue helping others follow in her footsteps.
As the celebration wrapped, Vaclaw offered a final charge to Aparacio.
“You are now a part of a country where justice isn’t always finished,” he said. “It’s a progress. It’s constantly being shaped and you are one of those shapers.”
Then, in a voice brimming with sincerity, he concluded in Spanish: "Bienvenida, felicidad ciudadana [Welcome, congratulations citizen.]"
If your yard needs a spring clean-up, now’s the time. Bartlesville residents can take advantage of a free yard debris collection happening this week. Here’s what you need to know:
City crews will pick up yard debris placed curbside from Monday, May 5, through Friday, May 9, on your regular trash day.
There’s no additional fee for this service, and no limit on the number of bags you can place at the curb.
If any bags contain household waste placed outside of the trash bin, you’ll need to attach a red refuse sticker—just like you normally would.
This program is limited to private residences. Commercial properties are not eligible for collection.
For more information, residents can contact the Solid Waste Department at 918-338-4130.
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one of which is tied to a $40 billion global company
have been compromised in a supply chain intrusion involving 21 Magento extensions injected with a backdoor that was only activated last month after six years of dormancy
the leading electric utility in the Canadian province
has disclosed the compromise of personal information belonging to some of its customers following a cyberattack late last month
CyberScoop reports that the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency would have its almost $3 billion spending reduced by $491 million
under the Trump administration's fiscal 2026 budget proposal
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A network security incident crippled Bartlesville Public Schools' internet systems
forcing the district to cancel state testing and prompted an investigation into the scope of the breach
executive director of technology and communications for the district
confirmed May 1 that the disruption rendered many of the district’s computer systems inoperable
life safety systems and Chromebooks on hotspots remain functional
the outage has already upended the school day
“Bartlesville Public Schools has detected a network security incident that is impacting the availability of many of the District’s computer systems,” Meador said in a statement
the District immediately launched an investigation with external cybersecurity professionals.”
More: Recap: Supreme Court has heated exchange in blockbuster religious charter school case
Meador confirmed that state testing was canceled for the day
with plans to reschedule once the issue is resolved
At least one school alerted parents to expect a slower-than-usual dismissal process due to the outage
“We are without internet today," Wayside School said in a message to parents
"The dismissal process may take a little longer this afternoon
Please be patient with us as we get students off campus safely.”
instruction continued in classrooms where possible
and the district said it will provide updates as the situation evolves
There is no word yet on whether sensitive data was compromised or how long systems might be down
Updates will be posted as more information becomes available
A principal in the Bartlesville Public Schools district has resigned from his position
resigned and the school board promoted assistant principal Brent Massey to his position
but Bartlesville Police did say they have an open investigation involving the middle school
No other additional details have been released
and general news updates from News on 6 delivered right to your inbox
— The Price Tower is in new hands after an Oklahoma bankruptcy court ruled that the sale is fair and equitable
notice was given to over 900 prospective bidders
the McFarlin Group and owners of Tulsa’s Mayo Hotel
The sale includes the building and the remaining property inside
The artifacts inside were a cause for disagreement between the two parties
2 News was given a rare look inside the building on April 29:
The Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy shared their support on May 5 after the sale closed
The Bartlesville city council will discuss a proposal that involves fining homeless people
The idea comes from a task force set up to find solutions to the city's homelessness issue
Aaron Kirkpatrick is a Bartlesville city council member and is also the chair of a task force in the city that works with homeless people day in and day out
He says one of the things that the team has been working on is updating some of their ordinances
trying to find best practices to address and improve homelessness in the community
members of the task force presented options for addressing homelessness to the council to review for possible action at a later date
One of those options is an ordinance that would allow the city to fine homeless people
that’s what we’re talking about - somebody who has been offered services and just keeps coming back and breaking the rules," said Kirkpatrick
Kirkpatrick says fines would only apply in cases where the person violates rules repeatedly or doesn’t cooperate
He says the task force is not interested in punishing those experiencing homelessness but is instead trying to steer them towards help through services the city offers
"Our desire is to create a highway out of homelessness where anybody who is experiencing homelessness in Bartlesville gets connected to all the services they need as rapidly as possible,” he said
Eden Jones started as a Multimedia Journalist for News On 6 in June 2023
where she covers everything from breaking news to local features
She loves connecting with the community and sharing the stories of Green Country
that’s what we’re talking about - somebody who has been offered services and just keeps coming back and breaking the rules,\" said Kirkpatrick
\"Our desire is to create a highway out of homelessness where anybody who is experiencing homelessness in Bartlesville gets connected to all the services they need as rapidly as possible,” he said
The Price Tower in Bartlesville will be going up for auction
This comes after months of questions about the tower’s future
McKenna Martin grew up in this area and wants the building to go into good hands
“I think it’s really crazy how it can be allowed to happen so privately
and maybe the government should be able to come in and use that space for probably like a museum or something beneficial for the community,” said Martin
Maria Gus is the Executive Director of Visit Bartlesville
She says the tower is a staple of the Bartlesville skyline
“It's a representation of that oil and gas industry,” said Gus
“But it also represents the other things Bartlesville has found so important
She says it has been a challenge since the tower is closed
and you have one of your best tourism assets going through this kind of turmoil
She says she is glad the courts are moving quickly
It feels as though in this particular instance
the bankruptcy court is moving along a little bit quicker than it would typically,” said Gus
She hopes the new owner will take care of the property
“I just hope they find someone who cares,” said Gus
“Someone who understands that the building is not only important to this community
Scott Schlotfelt with Cushman & Wakefield/Commercial Oklahoma
He says the Price Tower will be auctioned through a Chapter 7 bankruptcy sale
He says the auction will happen in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma on May 6
Qualified bids have to be submitted before the end of the business day on April 28
The trustee says all tangible personal property located at
or upon the Price Tower will be included in the sale
The minimum bid accepted will be $1,539,287
The owners of the Price Tower declared bankruptcy in January after a judge ordered them to sell the tower for $1.4 million to McFarlin Building
The Price Tower was closed in August after the owner said she did all she could to keep it open
The owner previously sold items inside the tower, which led to back and forth between the owner and the Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy Group.
The owner took over from the nonprofit that owned the tower for decades back in 2023
Kaitlyn Deggs came to Tulsa after graduating from the University of Oklahoma with a degree in Broadcast Journalism
Kaitlyn Deggs started as a Multimedia Journalist for News On 6 in January 2022
The owners of the Price Tower declared bankruptcy in January after a judge ordered them to sell the tower for $1.4 million to McFarlin Building
The Price Tower was closed in August after the owner said she did all she could to keep it open
The owner previously sold items inside the tower, which led to back and forth between the owner and the Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy Group.
The owner took over from the nonprofit that owned the tower for decades back in 2023
With no competing bids submitted by the April 28 deadline
a federal bankruptcy court is moving forward with the $1.4 million sale of Bartlesville’s historic Price Tower to McFarlin Building LLC
The deal, first outlined in court filings earlier this month, was confirmed in a motion filed Monday by Chapter 7 Trustee Patrick J
Despite notice being sent to more than 900 potential bidders
no counteroffers or objections were received by the deadline
Often called “the tree that escaped the crowded forest,” the Price Tower remains one of Oklahoma’s architectural crown jewels — a 19-story tower of copper and cantilevers designed by Frank Lloyd Wright
The transaction includes both the Price Tower building and its remaining personal property
The sale was deemed fair and equitable by the trustee
who also requested a waiver of the standard 14-day stay to expedite closing
or utilities and has standing water in parts of the building — raising concerns about further damage or devaluation if the deal were delayed
McFarlin didn't respond to the request to comment by the time of publication
The sale marks a conclusion to what has been a public unraveling of Price Tower’s ownership under Cynthia Blanchard
Blanchard did not respond to requests for comment made by the Examiner-Enterprise since the summer of 2024
The bankruptcy handed control of the building over to the court
setting the stage for this week’s no-contest sale
More: Crypto kings and broken promises: The turbulent tale of Bartlesville's iconic Price Tower
McFarlin Building LLC had not made any public statements about its intentions for the 19-story landmark
The Price Tower's future will also be shaped by preservation law
The building is protected by a conservation easement held by the Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy
That means no renovations or flashy redesigns—any updates must preserve the architectural integrity of the building
The Conservancy said it has already signed a Memorandum of Understanding with McFarlin to ensure the easement is honored
“Price Tower needs a new owner who understands the building
has the financial means and patience to care for it properly and will partner with us in honoring our preservation easement,” the Conservancy said
The Bartlesville City Council has voted to continue using license plate reading cameras throughout the city
but added several new regulations aimed at addressing public concerns over privacy and data sharing
The ordinance passed in a narrow 3-2 vote following a lengthy discussion and resident input during Monday night’s council meeting
>>> Flock cameras help Sapulpa Police arrest woman charged in newborn's death
One of the most notable changes is that data collected by the FLOCK camera system will no longer be shared automatically with federal agencies
The Bartlesville Police Department can still share data if needed
The new ordinance includes several key changes:
Many residents voiced concerns about how long the data is stored
Bartlesville Police Chief Kevin Ickleberry strongly opposed limiting storage to anything less than 30 days
and the reason I say that is a lot of crimes go undiscovered for two weeks
and then they are discovered,” Ickleberry said
>>> How license plate cameras helped Tulsa Police achieve 100% homicide solve rate in 2024
Chief Ickleberry also pointed out that the system has already helped solve serious cases
The 30-day storage policy will remain in place
and the council also voted against placing the issue on a future ballot as a city charter amendment
While the idea of banning the cameras altogether was brought up during the discussion
that option was never formally considered for a vote
Bartlesville has 10 FLOCK cameras in place
4/7/2025: Bartlesville City Council to discuss potential fines for homeless individuals
4/1/2025: Bartlesville's Price Tower set for auction in May 2025 following bankruptcy
3/27/2025: Agape Mission marks 25 years of service in Bartlesville
3/26/2025: Family Healthcare Clinic in Bartlesville closes abruptly
Jonathan Polasek studied Journalism at the University of Texas
and has covered the oil and gas industry as well as sports
Jonathan joined News On 6 as a multimedia journalist in August of 2022 after working in Midland and Odessa
>>> Flock cameras help Sapulpa Police arrest woman charged in newborn's death
One of the most notable changes is that data collected by the FLOCK camera system will no longer be shared automatically with federal agencies
>>> How license plate cameras helped Tulsa Police achieve 100% homicide solve rate in 2024
4/7/2025: Bartlesville City Council to discuss potential fines for homeless individuals
4/1/2025: Bartlesville's Price Tower set for auction in May 2025 following bankruptcy
3/27/2025: Agape Mission marks 25 years of service in Bartlesville
3/26/2025: Family Healthcare Clinic in Bartlesville closes abruptly
Oscar-nominated actor Ethan Hawke has been keeping a low profile, but sightings in and around Bartlesville suggest the FX series described as ‘Tulsa noir’ is well underway
Hawke has been spotted across northeastern Oklahoma in recent weeks
with fans snapping photos in Tulsa and production crews setting up just outside Bartlesville
Although no official permits were on file Wednesday morning
the city later confirmed a request to block off parking near Bartlesville City Hall for Monday
March 31 — a sign that filming could soon move downtown
The series, originally titled The Sensitive Kind, stars Hawke as a man who “knows too much,” according to a Variety article. It was co-created by Oklahoma native and Reservation Dogs co-creator Sterlin Harjo
who is also directing and executive producing the FX production
Hughes Ranch turned into a Hollywood filming lotMuch of the local filming has occurred at Hughes Ranch outside Bartlesville
according to several local restaurants providing catering services
Downtown business owners say location scouts visited their storefronts
possibly this weekend and into early next week
“We have been working with a TV production in the last few months that has filmed at a local ranch,” Director of Visit Bartlesville Maria Gus said
“They also have scouted several areas in the Bartlesville community
but I will say that this particular production has included overnight stays
and small businesses being used for services.”
While the full economic impact won’t be known until filming wraps
the production is expected to span roughly 20 days
with some days drawing as many as 100 to 150 crew members into town
“Having a crew in town is like having visitors for a conference or convention,” Gus said
More: 'Killers of the Flower Moon' film spurs $40 million in economic impact for Bartlesville
Bartlesville locals cast as extras in Ethan Hawke’s FX seriesBartlesville residents are already part of the story — literally
said he’s worked three different days on set
“I’ve had scenes with Ethan Hawke and Tim Blake Nelson
“I’ve been an extra like a dozen times now in other productions and know others picked up for this one
While extras are tight-lipped about plot points — partly because no one really knows what’s going on — the excitement is palpable
“I know it’s about a journalist,” Hudson added
You might work five hours and show up for a minute and a half
He recalled filming a scene in downtown Tulsa and said the experience was “really fun.”
Waddell laughed when asked how close he got
"But I sat in a booth catty-corner from him
they did ad-libs — everyone stayed in character
But keep an eye out for my elbow — it’s in the background for like four or five seconds.”
Oklahoma keeps rolling as a Hollywood hotspotThe production reunites Harjo and Hawke after the actor’s appearance in Reservation Dogs
which wrapped its third and final season in 2023
The FX series earned multiple Emmy nominations and cemented Harjo’s reputation as a driving force in Indigenous and Oklahoma-rooted storytelling
More: New economic study finds Oklahoma's film and TV industry has experienced a blockbuster surge
As city staff continue reviewing parking requests
Bartlesville residents are scanning sidewalks for signs of Hawke — or at least a camera crew — as their town quietly transforms into the backdrop for FX’s next big series
OKLA (KTUL) — A bit of a panic today after the Bartlesville Public School district reported a measles diagnosis
only for the Oklahoma State Department of Health to verify that it was a false alarm
Bartlesville City Councilor Aaron Kirkpatrick tells NewsChannel 8 that the city was relieved to hear the good news that measles has not come to Bartlesville
"Measles is definitely on the rise worldwide
definitely on the rise in the United States as of 2024 and then now into 2025
Fifty-nine percent of cases come from out-of-the-country travel
bringing it back in from traveling outside of the country," said Carlisa Phillips
Confusion after a measles case was reported at Wayside Elementary
with this note posted on the Bartlesville Public School District website
“...a staff member who had been at Wayside Elementary School the previous day was confirmed to have the measles
Today's false alarm comes amid a growing outbreak of over 100 cases in West Texas
"I probably have the same information you do
I'm praying for the families that are affected
Measles is very contagious and not something any family wants to deal with," said Bartlesville City Councilor Aaron Kirkpatrick
responding to the news of a possible measles case in the city
right after leaving this interview with Kirkpatrick
we heard back from the Oklahoma State Department of Health
and they verified that the reported diagnosis was not actually a case of measles
We reached out to Granger Meador with Bartlesville Public Schools
"OSDH has contradicted a diagnosis given by an Oklahoma hospital to the staff member..
OSDH told us we did the right thing in alerting based on the hospital’s diagnosis
but I am concerned that such false alarms increase skepticism in public health."
a nurse practitioner in Tulsa is reminding people to stay up-to-date on their vaccines
She says there are not a lot of options for treatment if you contract measles
It's highly contagious but very vaccine-preventable," said Carlisa Phillips
She says that symptoms people should look out for include a high fever
She says you can take vitamin A to prevent some of the symptoms
but she says there really isn't a treatment other than immunoglobulin
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The Oklahoma State Department of Health conducts licensing and inspection of food establishments
Below are the results of the January inspections in Bartlesville, based on results reported in the department's online database
The following restaurants reportedly had violations in the last series of inspections
More: Violations found at these Bartlesville restaurants in November and December
The following food service locations were operating without a valid up-to-date permit or license in January
according to the state Department of Health database
The following Bartlesville food service locations were inspected in January