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Mollman Media News

2018, Oct.8th-13th

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Today lets meet Chickasha Future Farmer of the week Chapter Farmer Riane Tuthill.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Saturday, October 13th

 

Mother, Child Unhurt in Pipe Wrench Attack

Frightening moments for a mother and child when a man smashes car windows with a 36-pound pipe wrench. It happened at a home in Bradley Thursday morning. According to probable cause affidavit from a sheriff's deputy, the woman claimed the man was yelling and screaming "why did you do it", and wielding a three-foot pipe wrench. It's alleges he smashed the windows of two cars, including one where the child was in the back seat. The woman and child managed to get away in one car, driving to Alex where she called 9-1-1. The deputy that responded was able to find the suspect in Bradley. The suspect also screamed at the deputy and alleged the woman killed his wife and put her body in the woods. When asked if he was on meth the suspect screamed that he would test positive. The deputy found the pipe wrench still lodged in the windshield of a vehicle. The suspect, 32-year old Bryson Scott Johnson of Bradley, was taken to jail. He has been formally charged with felony assault and misdemeanor vandalism. He remains in jail in lieu of $40,000 bond.

 

Officer Avoids Injury in Domestic Violence Call

A Chickasha police officer escapes injury in a confrontation with a domestic violence suspect. Authorities were summoned to a home in the 1500 block of South 8th Thursday night, where a man and woman were arguing. The man denied that he and the woman were arguing and told officers to leave. He tried to prevent officers from going into the house to talk to the woman. A probable cause affidavit indicates the suspect became combative and physically threatened officers. The document does not indicate the suspect actually attacked them. The suspect, 34-year old Donald Heddlesten, was taken to the Grady County Jail where he is being held on complaints of assault on a police officer and obstruction. He'll remain in jail through the weekend.  Prosecutors will review the case to determine if formal charges should be filed.

 

Grants Awarded by Chickasha Community Foundation

A local foundation has awarded two grants for community projects. The grants are from the Chickasha Community Foundation. One of grants will establish a holiday lighting project in the downtown area and the other to help with the music department at USAO. The funds are made possible by an endowment created by the Doris Wilkes Trust. It was established in 2011 with a contribution of $2.4 million. The interest earned on the endowment each year assists in funding worthy projects. A $45,000 grant was awarded to the Chickasha Economic Development Council in a partnership with the City of Chickasha. It will used to purchase a tall artificial Christmas tree to be placed at the Rock Island Depot during the holidays. A $28,000 grant was awarded to the USAO Foundation which will be used to purchase marimbas and steel drums for the USAO Music Department. Since its beginning, the foundation has awarded more than $850,000 to worthy programs, including the Chickasha Public School Foundation, the high school band, and the Grady County Historical Society.

 

Chickasha Hosts State Optimists

If you feel a positive vibe in Chickasha this weekend, look no further than the Grady County Fairgrounds. Dozens of Optimist International members in the Sooner State are meeting for the Oklahoma District Convention. They'll have a number of workshops and leadership training programs. Among those attending are Ron Whitaker of Broken Arrow who is Oklahoma District Governor; Paul Lucas of Odessa, Texas, who is the southwest regional vice president; and Diane Clark of Ft. Worth who is the immediate past-president of the North Texas District. Chickasha Optimist member Margaret Davis invites anyone interested in Optimist International to drop by. The Optimist mission is to provide hope and positive vision to bring out the best in communities and youth.

               

Monster Truck Show, Mud Races Postponed

A big monster truck show and mud race set for this weekend at the Grady County Fairgrounds has been postponed due to the wet weather. The event has been re-scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 3rd and Sunday Nov. 4th.

 

 

 

Friday, Oct. 12th

 

Inhofe: Small Airports Should Benefit From Senate Vote

Small town airports like the ones in Chickasha, Anadarko, and Lindsay should be able to continue to get federal matching grants to help with future improvements. The U.S. Senate this week passed the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Re-authorization Act. We talked with Oklahoma U.S. Senator Jim Inhofe about it.

 

              

 

Inhofe also praised the announcement of the construction of the Midship natural gas pipeline this week. He also said he opposed President Trump's support of expanding the year-round sale of E-15 gasoline.

 

Voter Registration Deadline is Today                              

Today is the final day for Oklahomans to register to vote, or update voter registration ahead next month's gubernatorial election. You'll have to visit your local county election board to do so, or you can pick up applications at the post office, the tag office, or the library. You can mail them, however it must be postmarked with today’s date in order for you to get your voter registration card in time for the November 6th election. Those forms and sample ballots can be found on-line on the state election board website: www.elections.ok.gov

 

Native American Code Talkers to be Honored

A weekend ceremony will honor nearly two dozen Native American code talkers who were instrumental during World Wars I and II. The Comanche Indian Veterans Association will recognize the 22 individuals who were responsible for translating commands in their native language. It's an annual ceremony for the group which will meet at the Walters cemetery at 1:00 p.m. Saturday afternoon. A more than five-foot tall granite marker will be placed in the cemetery's Veterans Circle of Honor.

 

Cyril Girl wins You Tube Competition

A Cyril teenager has won a YouTube talent competition. Skylie Thompson was among the finalists hoping to get a role on YouTube's Brat Productions. The 14-year old flew to California in August for the talent competition, where her audition included a country song, a ukulele, and a chicken. The competition is a cross between American Idol and America's Got Talent. Skylie is a singer and guitarist, was among the top 10 contestants and eventually one of three finalists.

 

Talk Show Topics

Here’s what we’re talking about this weekend. Bud Andrus and Chase O’Brien with the Chickasha Antique Auto Club are this week’s guests on our  KOOL Konversation. They’ll be talking about the group’s 50th annual Antique Auto Swap Meet Oct. 18th through 20th. On Real Estate Today with John Mosley, our guest is Pat Cunningham with the Grady County Historical Society. We have links to both programs elsewhere on this website. You’ll find them under the Community tab.

 

Energy and Metals

Crude oil on the NYMEX drops to $70.97 a barrel.

London-based Brent crude was down to $80.26.

Natural gas was off slightly to $3.22 per million BTUs.

Gold climbs to $1,224 and silver is up to $14.64.

 

 

Thursday, Oct. 11th

 

Large Pipeline Construction Project May Start Soon

Plans announced two years ago to build a natural gas pipeline through parts of central and southeast Oklahoma may soon become a reality. Officials with Midship Pipeline say the pipeline will run from Kingfisher to Durant, and will send locally produced natural gas to the gulf coast for export. Matt Barr is the director of government and public affairs with Midship Pipeline.

 

               

 

Barr said it's a $1 billion project, and that it will create 1,300 jobs. The pipeline will run through eight counties, including Canadian, Grady, Garvin, and Stephens Counties. Officials have spent the last two years getting federal permits approved and talking with land owners as well as state, county and tribal officials. Barr said the pipeline will be three feet in diameter and buried at least four feet underground. The parent company for Midship Pipeline is Cheniere Energy, which is the nation's largest buyer and exporter of natural gas.

 

Pipeline Awards Thousands to USAO, Career Techs

The announcement of the pipeline construction was made at USAO yesterday. USAO is one of several educational institutions sharing in $160,000 in STEM grants issued by Midship. USAO will use the grant to make upgrades to a science and technology lab at Nash Library. Among the equipment to be provided is a new 3-D printer. Canadian Valley Technology Center in El Reno was awarded a similar grant as were several other career tech schools and universities along the pipeline route.

 

Manslaughter Charges Filed in Fatal Crash

A man is arrested for felony manslaughter in connection with a fatal traffic accident that happened in Grady County earlier this year. A warrant was issued last month for the arrest of 52-year old Bill Ray Hepburn, Jr. of Duncan. The accident happened in April about two miles north of Rush Springs on U.S. Highway 81. At the time, the highway patrol reported that Hepburn failed to yield from a stop sign and hit a pickup driven by Ernest Tullos of Comanche. Tullos died at the scene while his wife Carla was hospitalized. Court documents indicate that Hepburn had methamphetamine in his system when the accident occurred. He also had an expired tag and no insurance. Hepburn may be arraigned on the manslaughter charge as early as today.

 

Chickasha Bakery Voted State's Best

A Chickasha bakery has been named the sweetest bakery in Oklahoma. Shollie's Sweets was named the state winner in a national contest to find the top bakery in America. The contest put together by bakery distributor Dawn Foods lasted several months,  with customers asked to vote every day, either in the store or on-line. It's a great honor for the bakery which has only been in operation for about 2 1/2 years. Owner Shollie Hammons was the only employee when it opened, and the store now employs as many as nine. Hammons talks about some of her customer's favorite items.

 

               

 

Many of Shollie’s Sweets desserts are available at local restaurants InterUrban and A and E Grill. The  bakery also has its own brand of jerky, and does catering. A special celebration will be held at a later date.

 

Energy and Metals

Crude oil on the NYMEX lost ground yesterday, down to $73.17 a barrel.

London-based Brent crude was also lower, to $83.09.

Natural gas continues its upward trend, climbing to $3.28 per million BTUs.

Metals were higher. Gold tops $1,200 to $1,205 and silver was up to $14.45.

 

 

Wednesday, Oct. 10th

 

Mother Arrested for Fraud, Claiming Daughter had Cancer

A woman who claimed her seven-year-old daughter had cancer is facing felony charges in Grady County District Court. 31-year old Jamie Kaye Parker of Tuttle is accused of lying about her daughter's health, and collecting more than $3,500 she says was for the child’s treatment of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Investigators say the woman even shaved the girl's head and told the child her doctor's appointments were for chemotherapy treatments. DHS first told Grady County investigators about the allegations last month. An arrest warrant was issued last week, and Parker was taken into custody on Friday. She remains in jail in lieu of $100,000 bond. It's not the first time Parker is accused of fraud. Two years ago, she pleaded guilty to embezzlement while serving as treasurer for the booster club for the Bridge Creek high school wrestling program. She was given a five-year deferred sentence and ordered to pay restitution. In 2014, Parker pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor bogus check charge.

 

Gov. Issues State of Emergency Due to Storms

Gov. Mary Fallin has issued a state of emergency in all 77 Oklahoma counties as a result of recent flooding and yesterday's tornado outbreak. Heavy rains resulted in flooding in a number of areas. High winds resulted in damage to homes, businesses, and power lines. Unofficial reports indicated that about a dozen tornadoes may have touched down in east central Oklahoma including several in the Oklahoma City metro area. The state of emergency is in effect for 30 days. It allows state agencies to make emergency purchases related to disaster relief.              

 

One Hospitalized After Head-on Crash

A head-on collision near Sterling leaves one man in serious condition. 19-year old Tyler Hale of Lawton was air-lifted to an Oklahoma City hospital after his car was hit by an on-coming pickup that tried to turn in front of him. The accident happened about 10:45 a.m. Tuesday about three miles west of Sterling on State Highway 17. The highway patrol reports Hale was pinned in his car for about 45 minutes. The driver of the pickup, 59-year old Daniel Capri of Fletcher, was not hurt.

 

Oil and Gas Expo Set

A huge day for the energy industry tomorrow, as the Oklahoma Oil and Gas Expo will be held at the state fairgrounds in Oklahoma City. More than 300 exhibitors will be on hand and organizers expect some 4,000 visitors. Mindy Stitt is with the Oklahoma Energy Resources Board.

 

               

 

The event is put together by a division of the OERB called the Sustaining Oklahoma's Energy Resources program. This is the 22nd year for this one-day event, where oil and gas reps will network and get information on improving their operations. It's free and open to the public at the Bennett Events Center at the state fairgrounds.

 

Grady County Well Completions Reported

The Oklahoma Corporation Commission reports some oil and gas well completions in Grady County. One is the Sycamore well by Casillas Operating in Section 35 of Township 5 North, Range 5 West southeast of Bradley. It's producing about 440 barrels of oil equivalent and about 300 metric cubic feet of natural gas per day at a depth of about 19,000 feet. The spud date was November 24th of last year. Apache Corporation completed the Woodford well in Section 28 of Township 6 North, Range 6 West about five miles east of Ninnekah.  It's bringing about 320 barrels of oil equivalent and 5,700 metric cubic feet of natural gas per day. The spud date was this past January.

 

Energy and Metals

Crude oil on the NYMEX is up to $74.96 a barrel.

London-based Brent crude is $85.00.

Natural gas was steady at $3.26 per million BTUs.

Gold was down to $1,190 and silver was up to $14.36.

 

 

Tuesday, Oct. 9th

 

Fatal Officer-involved Shooting Starts with

Truck Reported Stolen out of Grady County

The OSBI is investigating a fatal officer-involved shooting, which started when a truck was reported stolen out of Grady County. It ended in Okarche following a high-speed pursuit where the trucked crashed, and then officers opened-fire when the driver got out of the truck with a weapon. The pursuit started when Union City police spotted the truck which was reportedly stolen from the Braum's Dairy west of Tuttle. The pursuit reached speeds of 100 miles per hour heading north on U.S. Highway 81 to and through El Reno, where several law enforcement agencies joined in. Canadian County Sheriff Chris West says five deputies have been placed on administrative leave while the shooting is under investigation. None of the officers were injured. Officials have not identified the individual who died.

 

Chickasha New Construction Jumps in September

After a couple of down months, new construction in Chickasha was quite active in September. The city's Community Development Department approved permits totaling $4.4 million in construction last month. 19 total permits were approved. Leading the way was a $3.2 million project for CMS Willowbrook to build a new addition to the Grady County Jail. Also approved was a $165,000 project for Parkview Christian Church to build a gymnasium. H and T Construction was awarded a $35,000 work order to construct a metal building to be used for storage and a nursery at Kendall's Flowers in downtown. A $30,000 project was approved for CharDon Builders to build an awning at Bill Wallace School. The funds come from a Chickasha Community Foundation grant issued to the school last year. Bordwine Development was authorized for a $30,000 remodeling and add-on project to a current building on Pikes Peak Road. Permits for four new single-family homes were approved, together valued at nearly $1 million. Total construction approved since the first of the year has now topped $22 million.

 

Local Emergency Planning Group to Meet              

An update on how to minimize damage and destruction from disasters will be part of the discussion at this week's meeting of the Grady County Local Emergency Planning Committee. The group consists of mainly emergency management and law enforcement officials. The group will get an update on the county's emergency operation plan, and review an upcoming table-top exercise with Cardinal Mid-Stream and Camino Resources. The panel will also review an earth, wind, and fire statewide exercise that will be held next month. Bruce Anthony is chairman of the Local Emergency Planning Committee. The group will meet at 11:30 a.m. Thursday on the Chickasha campus of the Canadian Valley Technology Center.

 

CV Tech Program Helps High School Grads              

An Alex man is taking advantage of a unique program that gives high school graduates a chance to learn a trade, with no out-of-pocket expenses. 22-year old Anthany Mainka is an auto body student at Canadian Valley Technology Center. He's getting a second chance to get some critical job training, through CV Tech's Next Step Scholarship. It allows high school graduates or anyone with a GED to attend courses for free until they are 24 years old. While high school students are able to attend career tech schools at no-cost, many are unable to take advantage of the opportunity. Mainka had actually planned on going to college after graduating from Alex high school but health issues forced him to take a different path. He had a mechanical background, as both his father and grandfather worked in the field, but Anthony was more interested in body work. He's attending classes all day, and hopes to earn his certification within a year.

 

Energy and Metals

Crude oil on the NYMEX was slightly lower, to $74.29.

London-based Brent crude was also lower, to $83.91.

Natural gas was higher, to $3.26 per million BTUs.

Metals had a slight gain. Gold is $1,189 and silver is $14.33.

 

 

Monday, Oct. 8th

 

Three Hospitalized After Crash

Three people are hospitalized and one of them was last in critical condition after a traffic accident south of Tuttle yesterday. 68-year old Leslie Wayne Price of Tuttle was air-lifted to an Oklahoma city hospital and admitted in critical condition with numerous injuries. 46-year old Heath Stone and 74 year old Charlene Stone, both also of Tuttle, were taken by ambulance to an Oklahoma City hospital and were last in fair condition. The accident happened on State Highway 4 about 2 1/2 miles south of State Highway 37 at Fox Lane, just before 1:30 p.m. Sunday. Traffic on Highway 4 was shut down in both directions for nearly an hour and a half. The Highway patrol reports that Price faled to yield from a stop sign, and was hit in th driver's side by an SUV driven by Heath Stone. Everyone was wearing their seat belts.

 

OK 2030 Coming to Chickasha

Chickasha will be one of several stops for a statewide group looking to improve Oklahoma's economy, workforce, and business climate. It's called OK 2030. It's a project of the State Chamber of Oklahoma Research Foundation. Leaders are gathering input from business and community leaders statewide to develop a plan, and to hopefully put the plan into action. The Southwest Oklahoma Forum will be held at USAO next Tuesday, Oct. 16th. The Chickasha Chamber of Commerce is co-sponsoring the program. It will be held from 4 to 6 p.m. that afternoon.

 

Regional School Land Commission Leases to be Auctioned

Leases for thousands of acres of land belonging to the Oklahoma School Land Commission will be on the auction block later this month. The group owns about 740,000 acres, mostly in western Oklahoma. Harry Birdwell with the school and commission talks about some of the leases that will be available in the Chickasha and Anadarko areas.

 

               

 

The land can be used for farming or recreational use. Money from the lease auctions are provided to Oklahoma school districts. To see a list of the leases to be auctioned go to www.clo.ok.gov

 

Permits-to-Drill Approved in Grady, Caddo Counties

Several permits to drill oil and gas wells in the region were issued by the Oklahoma Corporation Commission last week. Among them was one to Travis Peak Resources in Section 5 of Township 8 North, Range 6 West which is a couple of miles north of Amber. It's the King No. 1H-32-29 well. Roan Resources was issued two permits to drill in Section 16 of Township 9 North, Range 6 West, about three miles west of Tuttle. Both are Don King wells. Continental Resources was awarded permits to drill three wells, including the Simms No. 2 in Section 5 of Township 6 North, Range 5 West; Simms No. 4 in Section 5 of Township 6 North, Range Five West, and Simms No. 6, in section 32 of Township 7 North, Range 5 West. All are just southeast of State Highway 39 and the Alex Highway near Tabler. Newfield Exploration was awarded a permit to drill Ricks No. 2 in Section 9 of Township 7 North, Range 5 West, also near Tabler. In Caddo County, Territory Resources issued a permit to drill in Section 4 of Township 5 North, Range 9 West for the Big Bitsche, No. 3-4.

 

Students to Take Part in National Walk-to-School Day               Some Chickasha school kids will take part in National Walk to School Day. Students at Bill Wallace School will be walking a few blocks from Shannon Springs Park to the school Wednesday morning. Walkers will meet on the west side of the park around 12th and Montana at 7:20 a.m. Wednesday, then will walk to the school starting at 7:30. When they get to school the students will have breakfast around their regular time. Everyone is welcome to participate in the national walk to school day, set aside to show youngsters how to make healthy lifestyle choices.

 

Energy and Metals

Crude oil on the NYMEX was up last week to $74.34 a barrel.

London-based Brent crude was up to $84.16.

Natural gas had an up week as well to $3.14 per million BTUs.

Gold had a gain for the week, to $1,197 while silver was down to $14.47.

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