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Mollman Media News

2018 Nov. 12th-19

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Chickasha Future Farmer of the week is Lane Cade! Here is his story.

 

 

Monday, Nov. 19th

Wardens on the Hunt

Deer Gun Season is open till Dec. 2nd,  and the Oklahoma Game wardens our watching. Saturday night Wardens arrested three hunters who were using 4 wheelers, ATVs, and spotlights, to include several high powered rifles and three whitetail bucks; all of which were seized, and cited for using motorized vehicles, headlighting, and possession of wildlife taken illegally using hand held lights. The deer were donated to area families in need.

 

5 Canadian County Officers are now back on the Job

Five Canadian County officers are now back on the jobafter being cleared by District Attorney Mike Fields in the Oct. 8 HWY 81 fatal shooting of 24 year old Alexander Lindahl. Authorities said, Lindahl, was shot after crashing a stolen pickup and exiting the vehicle armed with a handgun. Canadian County Sheriff Chris West, said Lindahl was driving a stolen vehicle and abandoned it near,…Braum’s Dairy Farm,… in Grady County; Then stole a business pickup, driving at speeds over 100 mph. Dashcam video released Friday showed Lindahl exiting the pickup, while holding an object in his hand, before he was fatally shot. The officers were placed on administrative leave for the investigation conducted by OS B I and were cleared for duty Friday.

OBI NEED

The Oklahoma blood Institute, and the Red Cross Need Holiday Donors! Oklahoma is facing a “severe” blood shortage as we head into the holiday season! Donations were down in September and October, and typically drop at the end of the year. According to the Brookhaven National Laboratory; 32,000 pints of blood are necessary. Just think, Every three seconds, and One out of every 10 people entering a hospital needs blood. So let’s do our part! Upcoming locations Tuesday are:

Chickasha YMCA

Are having a Mobile Drive Tuesday from 8:00 am – 11am

 


 

Glenhaven Retirement Village

Will have the Mobile Drive, from 1pm - 4pm

   
           


In The Arts

Upoming up,… the Davis-Waldorf Performing Arts Series is offering the Reduced Shakespeare Company,  performing a comical,  “The Ultimate Christmas Show” on the evening of Nov. 29 at 7:30. in Te Ata Memorial Auditorium. There will be a audience gift exchange where you can purchase a wrapped gift in the theatre lobby for $2.00, and place it under the tree, then select a different gift for yourself. Tickets are $15 for the general public; $10 for students and seniors (60 and over); For more information, call 574-1310.

FFA in Community

Local Future Farmers of America visited with Local Widows over the weekend; In support of the Chickasha Masonic Lodge # 94 Thanksgiving widow’s visit, The Chickasha FFA students teamed up with The Masons to give flowers to un-expecting widows in the Chickasha Area. The young men and women ordered vases.. and arraigned flowers for 17 widows who have lost their masonic spouses. Each was excited to have visitors at their home, and the students were able to provide an uplifting presence when many would not have family in for the Holiday.

Christmas time is coming, 

It is time to get your Parade entries in before November the 27th  over At Jays Jewelry or Tom Cook Insurance. The theme this year is “Christmas Magic” and the Parade will be the evening of  December 6th at 7. Entry fees are only 25 Dollars this year. The procession will start at the YMCA, and head East on Chickasha Ave. to the depot.

Obituaries today include:

77 - year old Thurman Slayton of Chickasha. The funeral will be at 10 Wednesday morning at McRay Funeral Home. Thurman was a veteran of the National Guard.

 

 

 

Saturday, Nov. 17th

Festival of Light Opens Tonight

Chickasha's Festival of Light opens its 2018 season tonight. This is the 26th year for the holiday spectacular at Shannon Springs Park, which attracts tens of thousands of visitors from across the country. It's estimated that 3 million lights will be shining in the park, which includes the tallest lighted Christmas tree in the state at 160-feet tall. There are dozens of lighted displays but there is more than just lights to look at. Elizabeth Allen with the festival says they've added some new attractions.

 

               

 

Also new this year, a “Will You Marry Me” lighted sign for those who want to pop the big question. Santa Claus will be on hand, there are carriage rides and later on, a live nativity. The festival will run nightly through New Year’s Eve.

 

Bouncing Bridges to be Replaced

The bouncing bridges on the Kilpatrick Turnpike near Yukon are being replaced. It's a costly project estimated at $55 million. The bridges over the North Canadian River have about a dozen "waves" where cars bounce over several sections. The bouncing is so bad that heavy trucks often leave a series of black tire marks. One person even made a YouTube video of the bouncing bridges and called it the Bobblehead Bridge. Engineers with the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority said the waves were a design flaw, but that it didn't mean the bridges were unsafe. There's actually a similar bridge in Broken Arrow. Turnpike officials say it will take about two years to replace decks and steel beams on the bridges once the work begins.

 

Dog Show, Celebration of Crafts Show Continue

About 900 dogs are expected to be shown in today’s Day 3 of the Sooner Circuit Cluster of Dog Shows at the Grady County Fairgrounds. About 850 were led through show rings yesterday. Owners are competing for points in hopes of qualifying their dogs for the big Westminster or Eukanuba Dog Shows next spring. The event runs through tomorrow. Also at the fairgrounds is the OHCE Celebration of Crafts Show. Today is the final day for that event which features about 40 vendors with holiday gift items, and homemade foods and desserts you can freeze and use later for Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners.

 

Iowa Firm Acquires Cimarron Trailers

A local livestock trailer manufacturer has been purchased by a firm in the Midwest section of the country. Cimarron Trailers is now part of a group call Folience based in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Folience is a 100 percent employee-owned holding company, and Cimarron will also be employee-owned. Folience Chief Executive Officer Daniel Goldstein said Cimarron is a successful company that delivers a superior product with competent management and a great workforce. Goldstein said Cimarron is poised to continue its growth. Previous owners Mike and Lynn Terry are retiring but the company will be run locally by long-time employee Ben Janssen, who will now be Cimarron's president. Tony Hackney will serve as Director of Operations.  Goldstein said the Terrys will stay on for a short time to help with the transition. Cimarron employs 120 full-time and 15 part-time employees. Its dealer network stretches across the country and includes one in Canada.

 

High School Football Scores

(Second round of the playoffs)

Tuttle 42, Hilldale 14

Poteau 36, Blanchard 14

Hobart 30, Minco 23

Shattuck 55, Alex 6

 

 

Friday, Nov. 16th

 

 

Consumer Spending in Chickasha Remains Strong

Consumer spending in the City of Chickasha continues at a good pace.  The level was up slightly from July to August to just over $29 million. The number is up nearly 23 percent compared to the same time a year ago. We estimate consumer spending when we see sales tax revenue for the city which was $1.1 million from those August sales. Here's where the sales tax revenue goes: $590,000 goes into the general fund; About $295,000 goes to the municipal authority for water and sewer services; and $220,000 is for capital improvement projects like street upgrades. The city also picked up $79,000 in use tax collections which are paid on Internet purchases. That figure is down about 23 percent from the previous month and off about 10 percent compared to the same time a year ago.

 

Anadarko Police Seek Pick-up Arson Suspect               

Investigators in Anadarko are asking the public for help in finding a person who set a truck on fire in a church parking lot. The fire happened about 1:00 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 3rd. Video surveillance shows a 2018 white Chevy Silverado pulling into the parking lot of the First Assembly of God at 216 West Alabama. A few moments later, the video shows an individual lighting a fire inside the cab of the truck and running from the area. If you have information that can help police find the individual responsible you're asked to call Anadarko police.

 

FEMA Storm Shelter-Rebate Recipients Being Called

Grady County homeowners who applied to receive a FEMA rebate to help pay for the installation of a storm shelter may soon find out if they have been selected to receive the rebate. A lottery drawing was held earlier this week to determine the initial 230 recipients. Grady County Emergency Management Director Dale Thompson said they'll be contacting recipients the next few days. Thompson said applicants whose names weren't drawn may still have an opportunity to get a rebate, as some recipients may have moved, have already  installed a storm shelter, or would not qualify for the rebate. Once all the qualified recipients are notified a meeting will be scheduled to finalize the rebate process.

 

First Responders Hold Test to Improve Crisis Management            

First responders who respond to disasters met to discuss what they would do during an actual crisis. Grady County Emergency Management served as the host for an annual Earth, Wind, and Fire exercise to review what each agency would deal with an event. Counties across Oklahoma were linked in with the state office of emergency management, which would add some challenges to the situation each county was working on. In Grady County, officials had to deal with an anhydrous ammonia leak from a railroad car next to the Grady County Fairgrounds crowded with people attending a rodeo. First responders were having to treat individuals with numerous health problems and even fatalities. At the same time, a severe thunderstorm warning had just been issued, and while the hospital  is operational, ambulances can't get there because its cut-off by floodwater. Representatives from Grady Memorial Hospital, the health department, Red Cross and a local energy company were on hand for the exercise.

 

Talk Show Topics

Here’s what we’re talking about this weekend. Jeff Hargave with the non-profit group Fighting Addiction Through Education (FATE) is this week’s guest on our KOOL Konversation. On Real Estate Today with John Mosley, this week’s guest is Chickasha City Planner Gene Winsett. 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 was up slightly to $56.87 per barrel.

London-based Brent crude was up to $66.62.

Natural gas was down to $4.03 per million BTUs.

Gold is $1,216 and silver is $14.27.

 

 

Thursday, Nov. 15th

 

County Sales Tax Revenue Hits Record High               

For the first time ever monthly sales tax revenue in Grady County surpasses $1 million. Last month, the county received close to $1.1 million. That's an increase of about 13 percent from the previous month and a huge jump of 75 percent from October of last year. The sales tax revenue comes from consumer spending at county retail outlets from August which was estimated at nearly $143 million. The tax revenue is distributed to several voter-approved projects. The Grady County Fairgrounds receives nearly $370,000; Grady Memorial Hospital, $311,000; 20 fire districts share $175,000 so each one collects almost $8,800; seven senior nutrition sites divide $175,000 and each one receives $25,000; Tuttle Emergency Medical Services receives $32,000 and Rush Springs EMS gets nearly $8,100. Grady County received an additional $244,000 in use tax revenue, which are sales taxes paid on Internet purchases. That revenue is a 50 percent increase over last month and more than three times the amount from a year ago.

 

Woman Dies in Turnpike Crash

We have information about that terrible crash on the H.E. Bailey turnpike yesterday that killed one person and sent three others to hospitals. The highway patrol reports that 31-year old Analyssa Orjuela of Oklahoma City died in the crash which happened southwest of Newcastle Wednesday morning. 49-year old Robert Beasley of Blanchard and 49-year old Michael Morris of Newcastle were in a flatbed truck. Beasley suffered head injuries and was admitted to an Oklahoma City hospital in serious condition. Morris and 42-year old Edwardo Garcia of Lawton - who was in a third vehicle - were taken to a hospital and released with minor injuries. The accident happened when the flatbed truck attempted a U-turn on the interstate. It was hit by a car driven by Garcia. That collision caused a large metal box to be thrown from the truck and into a car driven by Orjuela. The accident closed the interstate for about four hours.

 

One Arrested in Domestic Violence Investigation

An Amber man is in jail accused of committing domestic violence in front of his children. 44-year old Christopher Michael Bass has been formally charged with a misdemeanor following an incident that occurred earlier this week. A probable cause affidavit from a Grady County Sheriff's deputy alleges that Bass dragged his estranged wife out of her home. Tuttle EMS was summoned to the scene but the victim refused treatment. Bass remains in the Grady County in lieu of a $5,000 bond.

 

Gross Production Tax Collections Short of Estimates

Oklahoma's gross production tax collections missed official estimates this month and that has one state official concerned. Denise Northrup with the Office of Management and Enterprise Services says nothing seems to indicate the state will have significantly more money for agency appropriations. Collections were more than $34 million for the month but that’s about $1.5 million below estimates. Northrup said for the first four months of the fiscal year, total oil collections are about 50 percent below estimates. She said this year's gross production forecast is built on oil priced at about $53 a barrel and natural gas near $3 per million BTU. And with oil prices falling over the last three weeks, that could impact future revenues.

 

Tips for Shipping Holiday Foods               

Holiday cooks are making preparations for Thanksgiving dinner. Many will be sending cookies, candies, and other goodies to relatives who won't be able to attend family gatherings. If you will be mailing goodie baskets, take care in making sure those delectable delights make it to their destination without any harmful bacteria. Beth Armstrong, Grady County 4H President has some tips from Grady County OSU Extension.

 

               

 

She says if you’re not sending packages overnight that it's recommended you mail packages at the beginning of the week so they won't sit at the post office over the weekend.

 

Energy and Metals

Crude oil on the NYMEX is up to $56.25 per barrel.

London-based Brent crude climbs to $66.12.

Natural gas skyrockets 14 percent yesterday to $4.83 per million BTUs.

Gold is $1,210 and silver is $14.10.

 

 

 

Wednesday, Nov. 14th

 

Mother in Court Facing Child Neglect Charges

A mom arrested last week on child neglect and endangerment complaints has her first day in court. Rebekkah Sterling went before a judge in Grady County District Court yesterday for her initial appearance on a half dozen felony charges in connection with her arrest. She remains in jail after a judge set her bond at $100,000. Chickasha police arrested Sterling last Friday after being called to a local convenience store. Sterling called authorities because her three small children were having seizures. Police allege Sterling’s car was defective and that the children were suffering from high levels of carbon monoxide poisoning. Authorities say it was the third time in the last few weeks that authorities were summoned to check on the children for the same illness. The children, ranging in age from 2 to 7, were taken to the hospital for treatment then placed into protective custody. Sterling is to be back in court Nov. 29th to announce her attorney, with a preliminary hearing conference set for Dec. 12th.

 

Correction Regarding Story of Body Found at Lake Burtchi

KOOL News needs to make a correction to a previous story we aired about a USAO student whose body was found at Lake Burtchi over the weekend. We erroneously reported the name of the individual who died. The student was identified as Lucian McCollin, not what we had reported earlier. KOOL News regrets the error.

 

CHS Students Learn of Opioid Epidemic

An Oklahoma non-profit group is attacking the nationwide epidemic of opioid abuse. The group is called FATE, an acronym for Fighting Addiction Through Education. Spokesman Jeff Hargrave spent the day at Chickasha High School yesterday-

 

               

 

FATE got its start when the son of attorney Reggie Witten died from opioid abuse at just 25 years old. Brandon Witten was Hargrave's best friend through school. Hargrave says there are a series of videos to watch on-line on fighting opioid addiction. You can find them at www.killing pain.com and additional information from www.fate.org

 

Anita Hill to Keynote USAO Fundraiser

She was the center of the confirmation hearings of a U.S. Supreme Court justice. Anita Hill was a professor of law at the University of Oklahoma during the 1991 confirmation hearings of now Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. Hill will be headlining a program in February to benefit a new academic program at USAO called the Dr. Ada Lois Sipuel-Fisher Center for Social Justice and Racial Healing. In a press release, the university indicates the center will educate and inspire individuals who are dedicated to the pursuit of social justice and advancing the common good. Hill will be the keynote speaker at a fundraiser which will be held at the Oklahoma History Center on Feb. 22nd of next year.

 

Dog Shows, OHCE Craft Show to hit County Fairgrounds

Two big events will take place simultaneously at the Grady County Fairgrounds this weekend. One of them is the Sooner Circuit Cluster of Dog Shows, which returns to Chickasha for its four-day run. Kennel clubs out of Norman and El Reno will hold their annual shows. Pure bred dog owners  from across the country will compete for points in hopes of qualifying for national dog shows next spring. Also this weekend, Grady County OHCE will host its annual Celebration of Crafts Show. About 40 vendors will have items for sale for Christmas, and many OHCE groups will have homemade rolls, pies, cakes, and other items for sale for holiday dinners. The dog show opens at 8:00 a.m. Thursday morning and runs through Sunday in the indoor arena. The Celebration of Crafts Show is Friday and Saturday in the north exhibit building. There's free admission to both events.

 

Energy and Metals

Crude oil on the NYMEX falls to $55.69 a barrel.

London-based Brent crude is down to $65.47.

Natural gas climbs past $4 to $4.10 per million BTUs.

Gold is up slightly to $1,200 and silver is down to $13.94.

 

 

Tuesday, Nov. 13th

 

Body Discovered at Lake Burtchi

(Editor's note - includes correction from a previously published story)

The body of a USAO student is discovered at Lake Burtchi. Authorities say the student apparently took his own life. A motorist driving by the lake early Sunday morning saw the victim and called the Grady County Sheriff's Office. The student has been identified as 23-year old Lucian McCollin of Beaver, Okla. Undersheriff Phil Blevins says McCollin was an art student at the university. Blevins said a vehicle  found at the lake was traced to McCollin's parents. Local authorities contacted officials in northwest Oklahoma and an individual there knew the family. Blevins says no foul play is suspected. Blevins said that McCollin was last seen alive Saturday night.

 

Retired Master Sergeant Addresses Veterans

The annual Veterans Day ceremony in Chickasha yesterday brought together local soldiers and their families. Veterans from World War II, Korean War, Vietnam  war, Desert Storm and other Middle East operations were among them. Retired Master Sergeant Cynthia Givens was the speaker. Givens followed her father and older brothers to the military. She recently retired after a 37-year career.  Givens encouraged veterans to continue to follow the early lessons they learned when they enlisted.

 

               

 

Givens was a 17-year old Chickasha High School student when she decided to enlist in the Army Reserves. She also spent time with the Army National Guard and the Air National Guard.

 

Chix School Board to Schedule Annual Election               

Three seats on the Chickasha school board will be up for election in early 2019. The board of education is expected to schedule the election when the panel meets for its regularly scheduled November meeting tonight. Seats up for election are currently held by Julie Hibbard, Shawna Covington, and Ginny Howell. Hibbard’s five-year term is expiring. Covington and Howell were appointed to the board earlier this year. The filing period will be early next month, with the election to be held in February. The school board will recognize site teachers of the year. They include Michelle Finck at the high school, Kathryn Russell at the middle school, Jennifer Blalock and Christina Cook at Lincoln School, Raylee Butler at Grand Elementary, and Janella Mendenhall at Bill Wallace. Employees of the month are also to be recognized. They are Lincoln School Assistant Principal Angie Morgan and Rose Halcomb who works in child nutrition. The school board meets at 6:30 p.m. tonight at the school administration building.

 

Public Hearings Set for Planning Commission               

Several public hearings for re-zoning requests will go before the Chickasha Planning Commission this afternoon. Among them is a final plat for what’s called the Shadow Valley development along Country Club Road. Another is for Jimmy Johnson and Beck Properties to re-zone part of Honda Lane from general commercial to light industrial use. Another hearing is for Justin Moudy who is asking to re-zone property from residential to commercial use, and a similar request from Elmer Smith Oil Company. The Planning Commission meets at 4:00 p.m. this afternoon at city hall.

 

CHS Freshmen to Hear About Opioid Addiction

The nationwide epidemic of opioid addiction will be discussed with Chickasha High School students today. It's part of a National Night of Conversation on the issue developed by Health Corps, founded by TV doctor Mehmet Oz. All high school freshmen will be hearing from Jeff Hargrave, who is with the non-profit group Fighting Addiction Through Education (FATE).  Hargrave will provide information about how families can prevent opioid abuse from spreading. The idea is to have the students talk to their parents about drug and alcohol addiction during the National Night of Conversation. More than 150 students are expected to participate.

 

Annual Lincoln School Bean Dinner, Fundraiser Tonight

An Oklahoma tradition, beans and cornbread, will get things started at the Lincoln School PTO fundraiser tonight. It's an annual event which also features a silent auction of baskets of goodies put together by each class at the school. If beans and cornbread aren't appealing, you can have hot dogs instead, and the meals come with drinks and cookies. Meal cost is $5 per person. Also, Lincoln School t-shirts and hoodies will be on sale. The fundraiser is open to the public, and it's from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Lincoln School cafeteria.

 

Energy and Metals

Crude oil on the NYMEX falls below $60 to $59.93.

London-based Brent crude is down to $70.12.

Natural gas is up to $3.79 per million BTUs.

Gold falls to $1,199 and silver is down to $14.00

 

 

Monday, Nov. 12th

 

State Jobless Rate Continues Plunge

The jobless rate in the Sooner State continues a downward trend. Statewide unemployment for September was 3.5 percent according to the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission (OESC). It's below 3 percent in several area counties. In Grady County the jobless rate for September was down to 2.7 percent. That's down from 3.1 percent in August and down from 3.8 percent for September of last year. The labor force in Grady County is listed at 26,500 - with 724 people without a job but seeking employment through OESC. Caddo County unemployment was down to 3.2 percent from 3.7 percent which is down a full percentage point from the same time in 2017. That Caddo County labor market stands a little more than 12,000 with just under 400 individuals not working. Stephens County joblessness was down to 3.6 percent from 4.1 percent, Garvin County is 2.8 percent which is down from 3.6, and McClain County was 2.4 percent, down from 2.8

 

Today a Federal Holiday for Veterans Day; Programs Set

While Veterans Day was yesterday, federal, state, and county government offices are closed today to mark the national holiday. Chickasha City Hall is closed as well. There are a few Veterans Day programs at area schools today including Rush Springs this morning and at Alex this afternoon. The Veterans Day ceremony in Chickasha will be held at the Elks Lodge at 11:00 a.m. Guest speaker is U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Cynthia Givens (Ret.). Music performance is from Chickasha High School's Steppin' Out, and Gavin Johnston from the CHS band will play Taps. Pastor Lynn Walker with Cowboy Country Church will have the prayer. The Elks Lodge will serve lunch to veterans and their spouses after the program. Tonight, Boy Scout Troop 4306 will hold a flag retirement ceremony. That will be at 6:30 p.m. at the troop headquarters in Chickasha at 17th and Iowa.

 

No Powers Issues with First Snow but PSO Crews Ready

Our first winter weather of the season serves as a reminder that there are occasions when widespread power outages occur. It’s not necessarily snow, but freezing rain and ice that really take a toll on power lines. Tim Hushbeck with Public Service Company of Oklahoma says crews have already gone through a drill to help them get ready should such a power outage take place.

 

               

 

Hushbeck says PSO has an agreement with the Grady County Fairgrounds to serve as a staging area should extra crews from other electric utilities need to be called in to help.

 

State, Nation Rig Counts Climb

Oklahoma's rig count grew by four last week, to a total of 148. That number is up 25 rigs from the same time a year ago. The count was up nationwide as well, with a dozen more rigs in operation to 1,081.

 

Cheniere Energy Reports 3rd Quarter Earnings               

Cheniere Energy, the company that will build a 200-mile natural gas pipeline through the region, reports $65 million in net income for the third quarter which will pay about 26 cents a share. That's a far cry from the 3rd quarter of last year when Cheniere reported a loss. The firm reports revenue from the first nine months of 2018 has grown about 45 percent topping $5.5 billion. The value of Cheniere Energy shares has climbed 15 percent since the first of the year and its stock has grown 24 percent over the last 12 months.

 

Energy and Metals

Crude oil on the NYMEX is down to $60.10 per barrel.

London-based Brent crude is down to $70.18.

Natural gas is up to a 2-year high, to $3.72 per million BTUs.

Gold is down to $1,206 and silver dips to $14.11.

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