Red tide outbreak, fox attack, Confederate statue removed: News from around our 50 states From USA TODAY Network and wire reports
Alabama
Mobile: A south Alabama hospital that vaccinated thousands of people against COVID-19 plans to send a team to do immunizations in Peru, which has been hit hard by the pandemic. USA Health said more than 20 volunteers will travel to the country’s Cusco region. CerviCusco, a nongovernmental agency in Peru, sought the assistance, the health system said in a statement. “Our plan is to travel to Peru in mid-August, establish processes and protocols for safe and efficient vaccine distribution in the region with a goal of providing 5,000 doses to the people of Peru,” said Natalie Fox, assistant administrator and chief nursing officer for USA Health Physicians Group. USA Health has provided more than 75,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines on the Gulf Coast, including at mass clinics where more than 2,200 people received injections dail
State intervention, audit of Western Heights school district begins Nuria Martinez-Keel, Oklahoman
Replay Video UP NEXT
A state audit and intervention began Friday at Western Heights Public Schools, as state officials aim for a district turnaround.
Several state officials arrived at the southwest Oklahoma City district to meet with school leaders and staff.
The Oklahoma State Auditor and Inspector s Office initiated its investigation of district finances with a visit from State Auditor Cindy Byrd and Brenda Holt, director of Byrd s forensic audit division.
Byrd said she s confident her office will conduct a thorough audit, though 15 trash bags of shredded financial records were found in a district dumpster earlier in the week.
July 16, 2021
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) Board members of a southwest Oklahoma City school district have defied the state Board of Education and hired an interim superintendent.
The Western Heights school board voted 3-1 Thursday to name assistant Superintendent Kim Race interim superintendent, replacing Mannix Barnes.
Barnes superintendent certification was suspended by the state board last month after the district was placed on probation by the state board in April for concerns including financial management, heavy staff losses and poor academic performance.
The state board took over the district Monday and on Tuesday deputy state Superintendent Monty Guthrie was named to head the district for the next year.
Oklahoman
A state audit and intervention began Friday at Western Heights Public Schools, as state officials aim for a district turnaround.
Several state officials arrived at the southwest Oklahoma City district to meet with school leaders and staff.
The Oklahoma State Auditor and Inspector s Office initiated its investigation of district finances with a visit from State Auditor Cindy Byrd and Brenda Holt, director of Byrd s forensic audit division.
Byrd said she s confident her office will conduct a thorough audit, though 15 trash bags of shredded financial records were found in a district dumpster earlier in the week. We are always concerned whenever we see a large amount of records shredded, especially in the midst of asking for a special investigative audit, Byrd said. But, we also should remember there are real reasons to shred documents. So, at this time until there is a document I’m asking for that they cannot produce, I’m not going to be extremely conc
Western Heights school district rejects Oklahoma authority, appoints own superintendent Nuria Martinez-Keel, Oklahoman
Replay Video UP NEXT
A struggle for control of Western Heights Public Schools has ensued, as both the local school board and the Oklahoma State Department of Education have chosen leaders to run the district.
The Western Heights Board of Education spurned the state s choice for an interim superintendent and appointed its own on Thursday.
This was the school board s first action acknowledging its former superintendent, Mannix Barnes, isn t able to continue as the district s head. The Oklahoma State Board of Education suspended Barnes superintendent certification last month.