Saturday, Feb. 10th
Senate Bill Would Toughen Penalties for Fentanyl Makers
Among the many bills considered during the first week of the legislative session at the state capital is one aimed at more severe punishments for those who manufacture fentanyl. SB 1280 is authored by State Senator Darrell Weaver (R-Moore) who has ties to Grady and Stephens counties. The bill calls for prison sentences ranging from seven years to life for those convicted of the crime. Weaver calls fentanyl a deadly scourge that is wreaking havoc on families and communities across the country. He said fentanyl-related deaths in Oklahoma have risen from 39 in 2019 to 619 in 2022. Weaver's bill received unanimous approval in the Senate Public Safety Committee and will be heard by the full senate later in the session.
Assault Suspect Jailed On $50,000 Bond
A 20-year old Chickasha man was arrested and charged in connection with an assault that took place this week. Chickasha police arrested Marcus Salazar after responding to a call in the 600 block of South 7th Street just before 9:00 a.m. Thursday. No details were provided on the Chickasha police blotter. Salazar has been charged with a felony count of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and his bond was set at $50,000.
Police Take Plunge for Special Olympics
A few Chickasha police officers took a polar plunge for a good cause today. Law enforcement agencies across the state were challenged to take the plunge to support of Oklahoma Special Olympics. More than 12,000 athletes will take part in the state games in Stillwater in May. The Chickasha officers accepting the challenge are Assistant Police Chief Daiman Alexander, Lt. Gillian O'Brien, and officer recruits Martin Amerson and Eric Robledo. The plunge took place at Hurricane Harbor in Oklahoma City this morning. They’ll accept contributions through next week at the Chickasha Police Department.
Cheese-making, Other Workshops Offered at USAO
Have you ever tried to - or considered making your own cheese? It's one of three workshops to be held by USAO this spring. All are presentations with the Jean McLaughlin Outdoor Education and Research Center. The cheese workshop will be Saturday, Feb. 17th with a local dairy farmer providing the milk. Participants will explore various fermentation processes and craft their own cheese. There is a $30 registration fee.
Dye making
On Saturday, April 20th, participants can learn how to make their own dye from plants and use it to color fabric and create water colors for painting. The cost for that workshop is $10.
Bird watching and photography
The final workshop is Saturday, May 11th and is for bird watching and photography which is a free event. For information and to register for the workshops, visit the website usao.edu and scroll down to find the News and Events page.
Talk Show Topics
Lewis Knisley with the Chickasha Area YMCA is our guest on the KOOL Konversation. On Real Estate Today we have two segments. The first is with Jerry Renshaw from the Southwest District Livestock Show which will be at the Grady County Fairgrounds next week. The second is with Spencer Winzenried, the City of Chickasha's Parks and Recreation Director. Find podcasts of both programs under the Community Tab on this website.
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Friday, Feb. 9th
Drug Trafficking Suspect On Probation for Previous Charges
The suspect arrested by the District Six Drug Task Force for alleged drug distribution this week is currently on probation after pleading guilty to similar charges a few years ago. 46-year old Lacey Nicole Montgomery of Chickasha was arrested Wednesday after the task force served a search warrant at the Quality Inn Motel where she was staying. Agents say they found nearly 400 grams of meth in the room. A probable cause affidavit indicates Montgomery was later arrested at work where she had more meth in her car. Montgomery previously pleaded guilty to drug charges stemming from arrests in 2016 and 2022. She remains in jail on a more than a half-million dollar bond and prosecutors want to revoke her probation on the previous charges.
Anadarko Murder Suspect Found in Caddo County Jail
A murder charge has been filed against a Caddo County jail inmate in connection with the shooting death of an Anadarko man. 23-year old Davantae Winters is accused of last December's death of D'angelo Pollard. Pollard's body was found slumped over in a car parked at an Anadarko home the night of December 7th. Winters was arrested a couple of weeks later in a separate case of domestic assault and battery. The Lawton Constitution cites court documents that say Anadarko police received several tips that the two men were involved in a number of confrontations before the shooting and that Winters had threatened to kill Pollard. The murder charge was filed yesterday afternoon and Winters may have his initial appearance in Caddo County District Court today.
Controlled Burns Set for Wildlife Refuge
The Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge will be conducting some controlled burns over the next couple of days. Officials say recent weather conditions have given them an opportunity to have the much-needed burns near the Lake Elmer Thomas Dam and on private lands along the western edge of the refuge. Traffic control will be implemented as needed and could cause some delays for area residents and refuge visitors. Authorities also say smoke from the controlled burns will likely be visible for several miles and residual smoke may hang around a for a few days.
Benefit for Fire Victims is Tonight
A fundraiser is set for a family that lost their home in a fire. The home of Billy King and Beth Riley in the Cement area was destroyed Jan. 20th. A benefit will be held at the Legends Pub House and Venue tonight from 6:00 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. with live music starting at 7:00 p.m. A silent auction will be held as well. Tickets are $10 with ticket proceeds going to family.
Monthly Chickasha Art Walk Resumes
After a winter hiatus the monthly Chickasha Art Walk resumes tonight. This is the first anniversary of the event which began in February of last year. Reyna Ponce is the coordinator for the art walks this year and talks about some of the artisans who will be on hand.
The art walk will be downtown and mainly around the Leg Lamp with a food truck on hand and some restaurants will be open. Live entertainment will be provided by Mitch Williams, AKA Piano Mitch. The art walk is from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. and it is free to attend. They will be held the second Friday of each month.
4Hers Learn Job-Related Skills
Youth who take part in 4H learn many of skills they'll need when they eventually enter the work force. Mesa Payne is the vice president of Grady County 4H. She says problem solving and teamwork are just two of the areas they focus on.
Payne says she has presented more than 65 speeches since she's been a 4H member.
Energy and Metals
Crude oil on the NYMEX is $76.22 per barrel.
London-based Brent crude is $81.63.
Natural gas is $1.92 per million BTUs.
Gold is $2,047 and silver is $22.72.
Obituary
Lareesea Callahan
Funeral service for Lareesea Callahan, 68, of Amber will be held at 1:00 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 13th at the Amber Mission Holiness Church. She worked at Delta Faucet, Ken's Steakhouse, and Salt Creek Casino. Arrangements are with Ferguson Funeral Home.
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Thursday, Feb. 8th
Chix City Council Filings: Grayson Runs Unopposed for Mayor
Chickasha will have a new mayor and at least three new city council members this spring. The new mayor will be Zach Grayson who filed un-opposed for the post during this week's filing period which ended yesterday (Wednesday). Grayson, a businessman and a U.S. Army veteran, was first elected to the council in 2018 and currently serves as vice mayor. Grayson will take over for current Mayor Chris Mosley who did not run for re-election after serving six years as mayor.
Ward 4 Candidates
Grayson was serving in Ward 4 so there will be a new council representative in that post. Three candidates are in the field including Isaac DeLeon, John Smith, and Eric Anderson.
Ward 3 Has New Councilor
After serving 10 years on the city council Ward 3 councilman Dr. R.P. Ashanti-Alexander did not run for re-election. His successor will be Erica Alexander who filed un-opposed for the seat.
Ward 2 Candidates
Daniel Terry and Charlie Burruss have filed for Ward 2. The winner will move into the office currently held by Chickasha School Superintendent Rick Croslin who was appointed to fill an unexpired term last year.
Ward 1 Incumbent has Challenger
Kea Ginn will face David Lucas for that post in the city council election which will be held April 2nd.
Drug Task Force Arrests Suspect After Serving Search Warrant
Law enforcement officials take down a suspected drug trafficker. The District Six Drug Task Force and the Grady County Sheriff's Office served a search warrant at a Chickasha motel yesterday. A post on the Grady County Sheriff's Office Facebook page indicates the search warrant was served at the Quality Inn. Authorities seized nearly 450 grams of methamphetamine and suspected Psilocybin mushrooms. Arrested was 45-year old Lacey Nicole Montgomery of Chickasha who has a previous drug conviction. Late today (Thursday) she was charged with felony trafficking and bond was set at $550,000.
More State Highway 19 Upgrades About to Begin
Big improvements for State Highway 19 between Ninnekah and Bradley will get underway next week. Officials with the Oklahoma Department of Transportation (ODOT) say the contractor for the project is expected to get started next Thursday. It's a more than $42 million project to widen the highway, add shoulders, reduce hills, and straighten curves. The improvements will begin near the Highway 19 and Dell Street intersection and run eight miles east to near the current project underway near Bradley. It's expected to take about three years to complete. ODOT officials say the contractor will have 930 working days to finish but Silver Star Construction officials have said they can do the work in about 700 days or about two years.
Energy and Metals
Crude oil on the NYMEX is $73.89 per barrel.
London-based Brent crude is $79.21.
Natural gas slips below $2 to $1.97 per million BTUs.
Gold is $2,047 and silver is $22.45.
Obituary
Vera Polson
A graveside service will be held for Vera Polson, 92, of Tuttle at 10:30 a.m. Friday, Feb. 9th at the Amber Cemetery. Arrangements are with Sevier Funeral Home.
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Wednesday, Feb. 7th
Chix City Council OK's Healthy Food Task Force in Split Vote
KOOL News reported yesterday that the Chickasha City Council approved a resolution to form a Healthy Food Task Force this week. The task force came as a recommendation from the state's Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust (TSET) program. The task force is to study the access that families have to both healthy and non-healthy foods. After the survey, the city will receive a $120,000 TSET grant which city officials say could be used to make improvements to city parks. AT Monday night’s city council meeting, Chickasha resident Tory Wise said the city has other things to worry about besides what families are eating-
In a split vote the measure passed 5-4. Mayor Chris Mosley cast the tie-breaking vote joining Oscar Nelson, Kia Ginn, Georgianne Hebblethwaite, and Zach Grayson in supporting the plan. Council members Kelly Boyd, Rick Croslin, Brian Gerdes, and Dr. R.P. Ashanti-Alexander voted against it. The council unanimously approved all five members of the task force which includes health department employees Daryn Kirkpatrick and Zane Winters, Chickasha Police Chief G.G. Music, Public Works Director Jim Crosby, and Parks and Recreation Director Spencer Winzenreid.
Two Chix City Council Races Result After Day 2 of Filing
Two races have developed for the spring Chickasha City Council election. After the second day of filing for office Tuesday, three candidates have filed for Ward Four. They are Isaac DeLeon, Eric Anderson, and John Smith. Two candidates have filed for Ward Two - Charlie Burruss filed Tuesday and Daniel Terry who filed Monday. Vice Mayor Zach Grayson is still the only candidate to file for mayor and there have been no filings for the Ward One nor Ward Three offices up for election. Today is the final day candidates can file. Filing takes place at Chickasha City Hall until 5 p.m.
Former Firefighter Sought for Fire Station Break-in
A warrant for the arrest of a former Grady County firefighter has been issued after he allegedly broke into the fire department he used to work for. Authorities are looking for 29-year old Jordan Long of Oklahoma City who previously worked at the Tuttle fire department. KSWO-TV cites court documents which indicate that Long was identified through video surveillance at the station. A man identified as Long and an unidentified woman were seen rummaging through storage cabinets, fire trucks, and medical bags. The report says that a medical bag was found in a Chickasha motel room which was traced to a room rented by Long. It was reported that Long admitted to the fire chief that he broke into the station but didn't remember a lot of what happened.
Energy and Metals
Crude oil on the NYMEX is $73.71 per barrel.
London-based Brent crude is $78.59.
Natural gas is $2.01 per million BTUs.
Gold is $2,049 and silver is $22.31.
Obituary
Ila Watson
A memorial service for Ila Watson, 82, of Chickasha will be held at a later date. She was an award-winning artist and had some of her work displayed at the state capital. Arrangements are with McRay Funeral Home. Memorial contributions may be made to the Chickasha Area Arts Council.
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Tuesday, Feb. 6th
City Council Reps Criticized for Missing too Many Meetings
A couple of Chickasha City Council members were recently criticized for missing a lot of council meetings over the past year. Ward 4 Councilman Kelly Boyd and Ward 3 Councilman R.P. Ashanti-Alexander had not attended 75 percent of the council meetings as required by the City Charter. In last night’s meeting, Mayor Chris Mosley showed the attendance records of all city council members over the course of the last 12 months. Boyd and Ashanti-Alexander were not pleased and the two had this exchange with the mayor-
The charter calls for those with excessive absences to be removed from the council. The mayor said after the meeting that he does not expect that to happen.
Council Narrowly OKs Healthy Food Task Force
In a split vote, the council voted 5-4 to approve a resolution to establish a Healthy Food Task Force. It calls for a community assessment of the availability of healthy foods vs. fast food. The city will receive a $120,000 grant from the state's Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust (TSET) program as part of the resolution which officials say does not include any new city ordinances or regulations.
City Council Filing Period off to a Slow Start
Only two candidates came forward to file for Chickasha City Council posts in the first day of filing yesterday. Ward 4 Councilman Zach Grayson filed to run for mayor. And Daniel Terry filed for the Ward 2 post. Terry owns and operates Pro Auto Care. Terry is filing for the post held by Chickasha School Superintendent Rick Croslin who was appointed to the post last year. Croslin said he will not be running for a full two-year term. The mayor's seat and one office in each of the city's four wards are up for election. The filing period runs through 5:00 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 7th at city hall.
USAO to Host Discussion to Battle Human Trafficking
USAO will host a panel discussion this week to help high school and college students become aware of the early signs human trafficking. The Oklahoma Commission on the Status of Women will present the program which is open to parents and anyone wanting to learn how to stop trafficking. USAO professor Dr. Tonnia Anderson says in most cases victims fall prey to predators who at first form innocent relationships with teens and young adults.
Panelists for this community conversation include professionals and experts on several aspects of human trafficking which is said to be a $150 billion a year industry. The discussion is the first of a two-part series with the follow-up being a statewide Not Me, Not My Community initiative. The USAO program will be held at 10:00 a.m. Friday, February 9th at the USAO Ballroom.
Recording Artist Toby Keith Succumbs to Cancer
Oklahoma and country music star Toby Keith passed away overnight. Keith had been battling stomach cancer since 2022. He had 20 No. 1 hits on the Billboard Music Chart including How Do You Like Me Now; Should've Been A Cowboy; As Good As I Once Was; and Beer for My Horses which was a duet with Willie Nelson. Toby Keith was 62.
Energy and Metals
Crude oil on the NYMEX is $72.78 per barrel.
London-based Brent crude is $77.99.
Natural gas is $2.08 per million BTUs.
Gold is $2,040 and silver is $22.36.
Obituary
Paula Fitzpatrick
A memorial luncheon for Paula Fitzpatrick, 71, of Lawton and formerly of Chickasha will be held at 11:00 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 8th at Chickasha's First Baptist Church. Arrangements are with Ferguson Funeral Home. Memorial contributions may be made to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.
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Monday, Feb. 5th
Law Enforcement 'Swatted' with False Call
The Chickasha Police Department continues its investigation of a fake crime call they received early Sunday morning claiming an individual had just killed his parents, wanted to blow up his home, and would shoot officers if they responded. But when officers and numerous first responders did arrive on the scene, they found no crime had occurred. Authorities say it’s called 'Swatting'. Police say they received call just after 2:30 a.m. Sunday. Among the agencies responding were the Chickasha Fire Department, Grady County Sheriff's Office, state troopers, Chickasaw Lighthorse authorities, and Ninnekah police. Investigators made contact with individuals inside the home who were safe and not involved in the call that was received. Authorities when to a second home that was reported to have been involved which was also cleared. Authorities say swatting calls are criminal offenses that violate state and federal laws and punishable by prison time and fines. Officials say in addition to the potential danger to first responders and residents, valuable resources are consumed during such calls. Anyone with information is asked to reach out to the Chickasha police department.
Filing Period Opens for Chickasha City Council
The filing period for Chickasha City Council is under way. Candidates will file their applications at city hall over the next three days. The mayor and four council seats are up for election, and Mayor Chris Mosley will not be running for re-election. Vice Mayor and Ward 4 Councilman Zach Grayson has announced his intentions to run. One council seat in each of the city’s four wards are also up for election. In Ward One it’s the office currently held by Kea Ginn, In Ward Two it’s the seat that Rick Croslin holds, and in Ward 3 its Dr. R.P. Ashanti-Alexander. The filing period ends at 5 p.m. Wednesday, February 7th. The city council election will be April 2nd.
Council to Get Capital Project Update
The city council meets tonight and will be getting an update on capital projects from City Manager Keith Johnson and Public Works Director Jim Crosby. The panel will also consider a resolution to form a Healthy Food Task Force and appoint members to that panel. The panel will also consider accepting a donation to make some upgrades to the Badgett Family Dog Park. The city council meets at 6:30 tonight at city hall. The meeting can be viewed on the city's YouTube channel accessible on the city's website and will be televised on Optimum Cable Channel 3.
Darci Lynne Gets Chickasha Help for New Venture
A talented Oklahoma teen has released her first record. You might remember Darci Lynne Farmer of Edmond wowed the country by winning America's Got Talent as a 12-year old ventriloquist in 2017. She also co-starred in the movie 'A Cowgirl's Song' with Cheryll Ladd that was filmed mainly in Chickasha. Now nineteen years old she is plying her talents in the music industry. The single called ‘Push Our Luck' was released today. She's been working on this latest artistic journey for a while.
‘Push Our Luck’ is a country-rock song with a lot of energy. The song was co-written by Maggie McLure and Shane Henry (who are The Imaginaries) and they play on the song as well. Chickasha filmmaker Reagan Elkins produced the music video. It premiered today on People.com
Obituary
Bill 'BJ' Hartis
A memorial service for 'BJ' Hartis, 34, formerly of Chickasha will be held at 2:00 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 7th at Ferguson Funeral Home. He worked the last few years in the oil and gas industry. Memorial contributions may be made to First Tee.
Energy and Metals
Crude oil on the NYMEX is $72.28 per barrel.
London-based Brent crude is $77.33.
Natural gas is $2.08 per million BTUs.
Gold is $2,040 and silver is $22.54.
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