Saturday, Nov. 30th
National Task Force Created to Fight Increase
in Number of Missing, Murdered Indigenous People
President Donald Trump this week signed an executive order creating a national task force to combat the increasing number of missing and murdered indigenous people. The president said the task force will work to develop protocols for old and new cases including a team dedicated to cold cases. Officials with the southwest Oklahoma Chapter of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW) say their work won't slow down with the creation of the task force. Geneva Hadley is the president of the group. She tells KSWO-TV that MMIW organizations will still be speaking and talking for their missing sisters. Shelby Ross says she'd like to see the task force address systematic racism that's common in many cases. She hopes that state, tribal, and federal agencies can work together as a team to bring their people home. Fourth District Oklahoma Congressman Tom Cole praised President Trump's action. Cole is a member of the Chickasaw Nation and is co-chair of the Congressional Native American Caucus. In a prepared statement, Cole said for too long predators have preyed on Indian Country, especially women and vulnerable children. He said he's hopeful for the success of the goals outlined in the president's decision.
Rain Canceled Festival of Light Friday
Officials with Chickasha's Festival of Light were forced to close the popular holiday light attraction last night. The organization's website indicated the reasons were significant rain Friday morning and the continued moisture throughout the day. They hope to resume the attraction tonight.
PSO Looks to Provide More Power to Ft. Sill Area
Public Service Company of Oklahoma (PSO) has announced plans to provide additional power to the Ft. Sill area. The utility is seeking requests for proposals for PV Solar and Reciprocating Internal Combustion Engine (RICE) resources to be in commercial operation within a few years. According to the website www.okenergytoday.com the net minimum output for PV Solar should be between 10 and 14 megawatts. The net minimum output for RICE resources should be about 36 megawatts. Requests for proposals are due December 17th. PSO is anticipating the first completion in December of 2021 and the second in November of 2023.
Talk Show Topics
Here's what we're talking about this weekend. On our KOOL Konversation, a repeat of last week's program with Chickasha schools interim superintendent Jennifer Stegman and Athletic Director Jerry Don Bray. On Real Estate Today with John Mosley, our guest is Oklahoma Energy and Environment Secretary Kenneth Wagner. Find links to both programs on this website under the Community tab.
Obituaries
Obituaries today include 89-year old Dorothy Schoolfield of Chickasha. She worked at Maremont and Gabriel for many years. Funeral will be at 10:00 a.m. Monday, December 2nd at Sevier Funeral Home.
Funeral for 58-year old Robie Lynn Moss of Chickasha will be at 1:00 p.m. Wednesday, December 4th at Ferguson Funeral Home. She was homemaker.
Friday, Nov. 29th
Black Friday Shoppers Out Looking for Deals
Today is said to be the busiest day of the year for most retail stores. It's Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving. Some stores opened last night to offer early gift-buyers the opportunity to purchase some big ticket items at discount prices. Tomorrow is Small Business Saturday where shoppers are asked to support the merchants in their home towns. Pam Walker with the United States Small Business Administration (USSBA) says she and Oklahoma's USSBA district representative Dottie Overal will be in Chickasha to support local merchants, and connect with individuals who might be thinking about starting a small business.
The Small Business Administration also has a program to help military veterans establish a small business.
Christmas Store Helps Homeless Shelters
A holiday gift shop which support Chickasha's homeless population is opening today. It's the Everything Christmas Store, with proceeds benefiting the Resurrection House and the Life Skills Institute. The store has everything from Christmas trees to garland, yard decorations to cookie jars, and cutlery to crystal stemware. The Everything Christmas Store is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. This year the store is located near 4th and Texas next to Locke Supply in the former location of Friendly Travel.
Extras Sought for Movie Being Filmed in Chickasha
A casting call is out for youngsters who may want to appear as extras in a film with some scenes which be shot in Chickasha this weekend. The film ‘What Josiah Saw’ is looking for a male of any ethnicity to play a nine-year old boy. They are also looking for boys and girls of any ethnicity to play a 13-year old. 'What Josiah Saw' will star Robert Patrick, who appeared in Terminator 2: Judgement Day; Nick Stahl who was in Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines; Kellie Garner, who was in The Aviator and The Secret Life of Marilyn Monroe; and Scott Haze who appeared in Venom, Only the Brave, and Midnight Special. The film is a suspenseful drama written by Robert Allen Diltz and directed by Vincent Grashaw. Filming will be in Chickasha on Sunday. Extras get paid $58 for up to eight hours of filming with overtime pay for anything over eight hours. Also filming in the region is a movie with Paz Vega who played in Spanglish and country music artist Trace Adkins. Filming is underway in the El Reno area. For information about casting calls and other movies being filmed in Oklahoma, go to the Oklahoma Film and Music Office website: www.filmmusic.org and look under the ‘Jobs’ tab.
Barrel Racer Qualifies for NFR
A Minco woman is holding her own against a field of competitors less than half her age. 61-year old Dona Kay Rule will compete for the top spot in the barrel racing world at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. It's the first time she's ever qualified for nationals. Most barrel racers hang up their spurs some time in their 40s. Rule is ranked No. 2 in the world in any age group and has won nearly $100,000 this season. Her horse Valor was named the 2019 Purina Horse of the Year by the American Quarter Horse Association.
Chickasha Trash Pickup Revised Due to Thanksgiving
Trash pickup in Chickasha will be changed up a bit for the Thanksgiving weekend. Waste Connections, the private contractor for trash pickup in Chickasha, was closed on Thanksgiving Day, one of the few holidays they shut down. Households that normally have trash pickup on Thursday will instead get trash picked up today. Those households with a normal Friday pick up will be taken care of on Saturday.
Energy and Metals
Crude oil on the NYMEX is $58.11 per barrel.
London-based Brent crude is $64.06.
Natural gas is $2.50 per million BTUs.
Gold is $1,462 and silver is $17.02.
Thursday, Nov. 28th
No news due to the Thanksgiving holiday.
Wednesday, Nov. 27th
Morning Fire Destroys RV
A recreational vehicle is destroyed by fire in an RV park this morning. Grady County firefighters from Friend, Bradley, Naples, and Alex were called out when it was first reported that several RVs were on fire at an RV park on U.S. Highway 62 just west of the Tabler Y just after 6:00 a.m. Just one RV was destroyed while a second RV suffered heat damage. No one was in the totaled RV when the fire broke out. The occupant had left for work earlier in the morning. Buddy Myers with the Grady County Fire Department believed an electrical short may have caused the fire. Crews were on the scene for about two hours.
Firefighters Battle Numerous Blazes in Western Okla.
There were countless wildfires throughout western Oklahoma Tuesday afternoon and evening, as winds gusting up to 60 miles per hour fanned the flames. One of the largest fires was not far from Woodward in northwest Oklahoma where the town of Mooreland was evacuated. In Grady County a large wildfire broke out three miles west of Ninnekah just before 6:30 p.m. Tuesday. Myers said it was a re-kindle from a fire that occurred Sunday. At one point last night’s fire was about a half-mile wide and 1 1/2 miles long. One home was threatened but there was no damage. Crews were on that fire about three hours. Myers said it was one of seven fires throughout Grady County. One shed was destroyed in one of the fires and the cause of one of the fires was from somebody welding.
Driver Dies in Caddo County Crash
The driver of a car has died when his car crashes on a Caddo county roadway. 36-year old Johnathan Payne of Clinton died in the crash that happened just after 6:00 a.m. Tuesday. The accident occurred about five miles east of Lookeba at the T intersection of a couple of county roads. The highway patrol reports that Payne failed to stop, ran off the road, and hit an embankment. The accident is still under investigation.
Another Report of Cattle Rustling in Oklahoma
For the second time in less than a month, we have a story about cattle rustling to tell you about. Nearly 80 yearling steers were stolen from a ranch in southern Oklahoma. The Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association are offering a $2,000 reward for information about the theft. The steers were taken from a ranch near the Jefferson County town of Ringling which is between Waurika and Ardmore. It's believe the theft occurred late Sunday night or early Monday morning. They are mixed breed steers weighing about 600 pounds each and all have the number "7" branded on their left hips. Contact the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office or the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association if you have information. Just a few weeks ago, a Minco man was arrested following a report of cattle rustling in the Cogar area.
Robbery Suspect Held on Six-Figure Bond
We have more information regarding our story Tuesday about a robbery suspect in custody. Authorities arrested 34-year old Amanda Sue Keith of Chickasha Monday night. A warrant was issued for her arrest about a month ago. The warrant was requested by Chickasha police after officers were dispatched to investigate a robbery in the 600 block of West Almar Drive on Oct. 13th. The arrest warrant affidavit indicates that two people armed with a gun and a baseball bat demanded money. The victim said he didn't have any money but told the suspects to take a couple of TVs. Keith is charged with a felony count of conjoint robbery. She remains in jail pending a $100,000 bond. The name of the other suspect wasn't available.
Energy and Metals
Crude oil on the NYMEX is $58.41 per barrel.
London-based Brent crude is $64.27.
Natural gas is $2.47 per million BTUs.
Gold is $1,466 and silver is $17.15.
Obituaries
Funeral for 37-year old Dustyn Payne of Chickasha will be at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at Ferguson Funeral Home. Payne was a third-generation owner/operator of Paw Paw's Hamburgers of Chickasha, which he had run for the last six years. Viewing will be from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 29th at the funeral home.
Tuesday, Nov. 26th
County Commissioners Create Fairgrounds Trust Authority
For more than 100 years, the Grady County Fair Board has been in charge of the operations at the Grady County Fair. The early county fairs were held at Chickasha’s Shannon Springs Park, then moved to the current location of the Grady County Fairgrounds when the first structures were built as part of the Work Progress Administration (WPA) in the 1930s.The fair board was officially dissolved yesterday, as Grady County commissioners created the new Grady County Fairgrounds Trust Authority. There won't be any changes with the operations at the fairgrounds as the current fair board members were immediately sworn in to serve as the first trustees by Grady County District Judge Kory Kirkland.
Fairgrounds executive director Andy Maher said the only major change will be that trustees will be appointed by county commissioners, rather than being elected.
The trust authority won't be fully implemented for another two or three months. The newly formed authority will have its first meeting in January.
Consumer Spending Down for the Region
Consumer spending in the region takes another dip. It's estimated that consumers spent about $95.3 million in taxable goods and services at retail outlets throughout Grady County in September. That’s down about 20 percent from August and also down about 20 percent compared to September of last year. Grady County sales tax revenue from that consumer spending was $715,000 which was down nearly $200,000 from the previous month. In the city of Chickasha, September consumer spending was estimated at $28.2 million which was down about 3.8 percent from August and off about 7 percent compared to September of 2018. Still, the city is consistently collecting around $1 million a month in sales tax revenue.
Third Generation Restaurant Owner Dies
The owner of one of Chickasha's long-time mom and pop hamburger restaurants has died. Dustyn Payne, the third generation owner/operator of Paw-Paw's Hamburgers died this past weekend. Funeral arrangements are being made with Ferguson Funeral Home.
Robbery Suspect Arrested
A Chickasha woman wanted for robbery is in custody. 34-year old Amanda Sue Keith was booked into the Grady County jail last night. A warrant for Keith's arrest was issued about a month ago. Chickasha police requested the arrest warrant. No details were available regarding the investigation at the time of publication.
Anadarko Police Seek Missing Teen
Anadarko police are looking for a missing teenager. Authorities say 16-year old Beatrice Jimenez went missing from her home last Friday. She's Native American, 5’, 4” tall; weighing about 125 pounds. She has black hair past her shoulders and brown eyes. She was last seen wearing a green or blue jacket with white sleeves. The agency posted a picture of the teen on its Facebook page. If you have information about Beatrice Jiminez you’re asked to contact the Anadarko Police Department by calling 405-247-2411.
Grady County Deputies Seek 'Persons of Interest'
The Grady County Sheriff's Office is asking for help in identifying persons of interest to talk to about a recent burglary. The photos of three men are posted on the sheriff's office Facebook page. Check out the photos on the sheriff's office social media site, and contact them via Facebook or call 405-222-5085.
Energy and Metals
Crude oil on the NYMEX is $58.01 per barrel.
London-based Brent crude is $63.65.
Natural gas is $2.53 per million BTUs.
Gold is $1,465 and silver is $17.07.
Monday, Nov. 25th
Work to Create Fairgrounds Trust Authority to Begin
We reported earlier this month about some oversight changes proposed for the Grady County Fairgrounds. Grady County Commissioners are expected to approve the formation of a trust authority when the panel meets this morning. Steve Standridge is a long-time member of the Grady County Fair Board. He tells KOOL/RANCH News that should commissioners authorize the trust authority, all the current members of the Fair Board will be sworn in as members of the Trust Authority. In previous discussions about the proposal, here's what fairgrounds executive director Andy Maher said were among the reasons for creating the trust.
The move is not expected to affect any of the current operations or programs at the fairgrounds.
More Info on Needed Repairs for Chickasha Schools
We have another KOOL/RANCH News follow-up to a story we had last week about some needed repairs and upgrades for Chickasha Public Schools. The school board may be scheduling a special bond election to pay for those projects. Interim school superintendent Jenifer Stegman calls it a 'momentum' bond. The school board met with a financial advisor last week and Stegman said that the projects could be paid for with a minimal increase in property taxes.
Among the projects being considered are the construction of safe rooms at Lincoln School, replacing a number of aging heat and air units, and roof repairs at the high school activity center. The school board will be putting together a list of priority projects and scheduling some public meetings to get input.
Firefighters Squelch Weekend Wildfires
Fire danger is elevated due to the warmer than normal temperatures and gusty Oklahoma winds. Grady County Firefighters were dispatched to a number of wildland fires Sunday (November 24th). About 180 acres were burned a few miles west of Ninnekah. Firefighters from Ninnekah and Farwell were called out about 11:30 a.m. to put down that blaze. The fire threatened one home but it was not damaged, although three large bales of hay were destroyed. About 15 firefighters and 12 trucks spent about an hour putting that fire down. The cause of the fire was someone burning trash. Acme firefighters were called out to a couple of smaller fires west of Rush Springs about 3:30 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. Sunday. No property damage was reported in either of those fires. Buddy Myers with the Grady County Fire Department says the threat of wildfires will continue for a couple more days, with temperatures ranging from the mid-60s to mid-70s. There are no burn bans in effect, but Myers asks that rural residents postpone any burning. There is a fire watch in effect for western Oklahoma Tuesday afternoon and evening. Anyone deciding to burn should contact their local sheriff's office before doing so.
Community Thanksgiving Dinner Set Thursday
Area churches are combining efforts to offer a free Community Thanksgiving dinner. The dinner will be held on Thanksgiving Day at Chickasha’s New Life Christian Church at 1828 S. 13th. They'll serve a traditional Thanksgiving dinner with turkey and dressing, mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans, and pumpkin pie. It’s free and open to the public though they will accept donations. The will deliver to those who are home-bound. The number to call to have a meal delivered is 405-222-5433. There's not much room for parking, so officials ask that you park at First Presbyterian Church at 6th and Minnesota, and they will shuttle your group to and from New Life Christian Church.
Energy and Metals
Crude oil on the NYMEX is $57.77 per barrel.
London-based Brent crude is $63.39.
Natural gas is $2.66 per million BTUs.
Gold is $1,464 and silver is $17.00.
