Saturday, February 1st
Arson Suspect Arrested
Chickasha police have arrested the suspect they say started a fire inside a convenience store this week. 44-year old Gary James Eugene Branom was arrested at a northside Chickasha home Friday morning. Authorities recognized Branom from the store's video surveillance. Investigators say the video shows Branom picking up a cigarette lighter from a store rack and going into the men's bathroom where the fire started. Authorities say Branom lit the toilet paper dispenser on fire. The fire caused about $1,000 in damage. Authorities then obtained an arrest warrant for Branom. Fire Chief Brian Zalewski said Branom was found in the area of 10th and Pennsylvania Avenue just before noon Friday. He'll spend the weekend in the Grady County Jail and could have his initial appearance in Grady County District Court on a felony charge of arson on Monday.
Pursuit Suspect Formally Charged
The man who led police on a high-speed pursuit through Chickasha early Thursday has had formal charges filed against him. Felony charges of endangering others while eluding, and assault and battery on a police officer were filed against 26-year old Justin Eugene Katzer. The Oklahoma City man is also facing a misdemeanor charge of leaving the scene of an accident. Katzer's bond was set at $50,000 and he remains in the Grady County Jail.
Ft. Cobb Man Dies in Motorcycle Crash
A motorcycle accident claimed the life of a Caddo County man this week. 37-year old Benjamin Witten died in the crash which happened near I-40 and Agnew in Oklahoma City about 9:00 p.m. Monday. Investigators say Witten was on the service road attempting to gain access to the interstate when he hit a curb and crashed. He was taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead. Authorities say he was wearing a small above-the-ears helmet.
Sooner State Power Grid Upgrades Expected
Oklahoma is among the states expected to benefit from upgrades to be made to the nation's power grid. The Southwest Power Pool has announced that $545 million dollars will be spent over the next six years on the improvements. The website www.okenergytoday.com reports that about $66 million in Oklahoma projects were approved. American Electric Power-Public Service Company Oklahoma (AEP-PSO), Western Farmers Electric Co-operative, and OGE all had plans approved. AEP-PSO plans on spending about $44 million in the Tulsa area; Western Farmers will spend about $8.5 million in upgrades at Anadarko, Gracemont, and three other sites; and OGE plans nearly $14 million of improvements at various sites in its service area.
More on Rural Broadband Service Expansion
We have a little more information about a new federal program we recently told you about which is designed to expand high-speed broadband service in rural areas of the country. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) created a Rural Digital Opportunity Fund, which commits more than $20 billion to expand service nationwide over the next 10 years. The town of Alex recently was approved for a combination of grants and loans in this program, and many communities should be eligible for the funding. Hilliary Communications is the contractor for the Alex program. In a press release, Third District Oklahoma Congressman Frank Lucas said connecting communities to broadband is no longer about convenience. It means enabling people to access physicians through telemedicine, and shifting the educational landscape in rural Oklahoma to give students access to resources outside the classroom.
Friday, January 31st
Gov. Stitt Announces New Health Care Plan
Gov. Kevin Stitt has introduced his long-awaited plan for improved health care for low-income, working Oklahomans. The announcement was made in Washington, D.C. with federal officials whom the governor had been working with for several months. Trump administration officials announced that states would be allowed to receive Medicaid block grants from the Healthy Adult Opportunity Program through the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Stitt calls his program Sooner Care 2.0 and said the federal program a game changer. The Oklahoman website indicates the program will provide Oklahoma with about $1 billion in additional Medicaid funding and that the state would have to kick in about $150 million. The program is different from a health care program that Oklahomans will vote on this fall. State Question 802 would also expand Medicaid in Oklahoma. Officials from a group called Yes on 802 said the governor's plan comes up short. The governor opposes the state question.
Ex-Con Jailed on New Domestic Violence Allegations
Chickasha police have arrested a man who has a violent past. Authorities arrested 47-year old David Brody Brown this week. He's accused of an attack on a woman that occurred back in November. An arrest warrant was issued for Brown on this new felony charge of assault and battery by domestic violence a couple of weeks ago. He was arrested by Chickasha police on Tuesday after they got a tip that he was at a home in the 1000 block of North 10th Street. Police say Brown was also found with methamphetamine. Grady County prosecutors say Brown was convicted of domestic violence in 2008 where he received a five-year prison sentence. In 2012 Brown was convicted of assault on a police officer and sentenced to eight years in prison. He's also had previous convictions on drug charges. Brown is being held in the Grady County Jail on a $250,000 bond.
Filing Period Opens Monday for Chix City Council Posts
The annual Chickasha City Council election isn't until April but the filing period for candidates who want to run for a seat on the panel starts Monday. Seats coming up for election this spring will be the Mayor and one seat in each of the city's four wards. Mayor Chris Mosley has announced his intention to run for re-election. Other council posts up for election are David Sikes in Ward 1; Joe Molder in Ward 2; Dr. R.P. Ashanti-Alexander in Ward 3; and Zach Grayson in Ward 4. The three-day filing period runs Monday February 3rd through Wednesday, February 5th. Candidates will file at Chickasha city hall from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m each of those days. The filing fee is $25.
Lawmaker to Lead State Senate Rules Committee
A state lawmaker who serves the Caddo County area has been named the chairman of the Senate Rules Committee. State Senator Darcy Jech (R-Kingfisher) will be leading that committee during the legislative session which begins next week. The rules committee handles policy relating to election laws, ethics, administrative rule procedure, and proposed constitutional amendments. Jech says basically the panel deals with legislation that is the nuts and bolts of representative democracy, saying its complex but important work. Jech also chairs the appropriations sub-committee on natural resources, and serves on the energy committee and the public safety committee.
Shift in How Power is Produced Expected by mid-Century
A new study from the Energy Information Administration indicates there will be a shift in how electricity is produced by the middle part of this century.
That’s Matt Skinner with the Oklahoma Corporation Commission.
Talk Show Topics
Here's what we're talking about this weekend. Lisa Johnson with the Chickasha Adult Learning Center is this week's guest on our KOOL Konversation. And State Senator Lonnie Paxton of Tuttle is our guest on Real Estate Today with John Mosley. We have links to both programs under the Community tab on this website.
Energy and Metals
Crude oil on the NYEX is $52.14 per barrel.
London-based Brent crude is $58.29.
Natural gas is $1.83 per million BTUs.
Gold is $1,583 and silver is $17.84.
Thursday, January 30th
Another High-Speed Pursuit; Another Arrest
There have been a lot of high-speed pursuits by law enforcement this week, and Chickasha police were involved in one early this morning. It started when an officer spotted a truck running a red light about 4:30 a.m. at U.S. Highway 81 and the H.E. Bailey Turnpike just south of 4th and Grand. Police Lt. Scott Weaver tells what happened next.
The chase lasted about 30 minutes and ended about three miles west of Chickasha on U.S. Highway 62. Grady County Sheriff's deputies were also involved in the pursuit which reached speeds of 90 miles per hour. Police arrested 26-year old Justin Katzer on complaints of endangering lives while eluding and driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. We have some video of the site where the pursuit ended on our Facebook page.
Minco Pursuit Suspect is Formally Charged
That chase is one of three known pursuits by law enforcement in the region this week. A pursuit in the Minco and Union City area on Monday led to the arrest of 35-year old David Joseph Phillips of Oklahoma City. Grady County prosecutors have charged him with a felony count of endangering others while trying to elude. His bond was set at $250,000. A preliminary hearing conference was set for March 10th.
Update on Stephens, Cotton County Pursuit
A pursuit of a stolen vehicle in the Stephens and Cotton county area between Comanche and Walters this week led to an officer-involved shooting where two people in the stolen vehicle suffered gunshot wounds. Three law enforcement officers have been placed on administrative leave. KSWO-TV reports that Stephens County officials identified the suspects as Ila Coombs and Ronald Coleman, Jr. Coombs is still in the hospital while Coleman was released and is being held in the Cotton County jail on complaints of grand larceny, eluding, and conspiracy to commit assault with a deadly weapon on an officer.
Sen. Inhofe Discusses Impeachment Trial
The impeachment trial of President Trump will continue in the U.S. Senate later today. Oklahoma U.S. Senator Jim Inhofe, a staunch supporter of the president, does not expect the Republican-controlled Senate to find the president guilty of the charges brought forth by the Democrat-controlled U.S. House of Representatives. We talked to Inhofe this morning about the possibility of the president's former National Security Advisor John Bolton testifying at the trial. Democrats want Bolton to do so. Inhofe, who says he's known Bolton for years, says Bolton got crosswise with the president which led to Bolton’s firing.
A two-thirds majority vote in the Senate would be needed to remove President Trump from office and Inhofe says there aren't enough votes for that to happen.
NPR Reporter to Address USAO Forum
It's been nearly a century since women got the right to vote in Oklahoma. USAO will host a special program next month to mark the occasion. Several women in leadership positions will discuss the anniversary and the challenges women still face in a program called “Votes for Women in the 21st Century: An Insider's Perspective.” The discussion will be highlighted by Mara Liasson, a long-time political correspondent National Public Radio (NPR). She's covered seven presidential elections, and can be heard regularly on NPR programs like "All Things Considered" and "Morning Edition." Prior to Liasson's keynote address will be a panel discussion from state leaders including Oklahoma Labor Commissioner Leslie Osborn; state representatives Angela Munson, and Emily Virgin; State Senator Carri Hicks; and Oklahoma City Councilwoman Nikki Nice. The events will be Friday, Feb. 28th, exactly 100 years to the day that Oklahoma approved the 19th amendment. Both programs will be held in the USAO Ballroom with the panel discussion at 6:30 p.m. followed by Liasson's keynote address at 7:45 p.m. Both events are free and open to the public.
Energy and Metals
Crude oil on the NYMEX is $53.33 per barrel.
London-based Brent crude is $59.81.
Natural gas is $1.87 per million BTUs.
Gold is $1,585 and silver is $17.72.
Obituary
Obituaries today include 75-year old Jimmy David Johnson of Chickasha. Funeral will be at 1:00 p.m. Saturday, February 1st at First Assembly of God Church. Arrangements are with Ferguson Funeral Home.
Wednesday, January 29th
Mother Charged with Child Neglect
A mother is arrested for allegedly leaving small children without supervision. 24-year old Macy Cheyanne Grady was taken into custody by Chickasha police this past weekend. According a report on the Chickasha police blotter, an officer was dispatched to the 1600 block of South Henderson early Sunday morning. An anonymous caller asked police to do a welfare check on several children under two years old that may have been left without supervision for hours and that the children had been crying The caller believed a neighbor was with the children. Police later arrested Grady and booked her into the Grady County Jail. Prosecutors have charged her with felony child neglect and a judge set her bond at $50,000. A preliminary hearing conference has been scheduled for March 10th.
Arsonist Sought in Connection with Store Fire
Chickasha police are looking for suspected arsonist, who they say started a fire in a bathroom at a local convenience store. The police and fire departments were called out to the new Domino's Convenience Store at 4th and Missouri just before 8:00 p.m. Monday. Fire Chief Brian Zalewski said video surveillance shows a man taking a cigarette lighter off of a display rack and going into the men's bathroom. The suspect is then alleged to have set the toilet paper dispenser on fire and left the store. The fire caused about $1,000 in damage. Zalewski said police recognized the suspect on the video and authorities were working to issue a warrant for his arrest. The name of the suspect was not released.
OSBI Looking in to Officer-Involved Shooting
An officer-involved shooting in Stephens County is under investigation by the OSBI. Two people were shot and injured by authorities following the pursuit of a stolen car. The suspects were taken to a Duncan hospital where their conditions were not known. An unknown number of deputies from the Stephens and Cotton County sheriff's offices and an officer with the Walters Police Department were involved in the shooting. Their names were not released. The pursuit started near Walters in Cotton County just before midnight Tuesday when an officer spotted a speeding car with no tag. The chase went east of Walters to the Comanche area where the vehicle tried to avoid stop sticks. Authorities say the driver tried to ram the law enforcement units and that's when officers fired on the vehicle, striking the two people inside. The OSBI says the car had been stolen out of New Mexico.
Dental Clinic to Offer Free Dental Care for One Day
A Chickasha dental clinic will again offer a day of free dental services. The 29th Street Dental Clinic will host what it calls Dentistry from the Heart. Dr. John Phillips, his staff, and numerous volunteers will provide the services. Each year, about 200 people are able to get free dental work done. They can choose from getting their teeth cleaned, getting a filling, or getting a tooth pulled. Since starting the program a number of years ago, Phillips says the clinic has treated more than 3,200 patients and provided over $2.8 million in free dental care. The services will be available on Friday, February 28th from 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. that day. The clinic is located at 29th and Grand Avenue. Many patients camp out overnight in order get the free dental work.
Energy and Metals
Crude oil on the NYMEX is $53.48 per barrel.
London-based Brent crude is $59.51.
Natural gas is $1.93 per million BTUs.
Gold is $1,576 and silver is $17.51.
Obituaries
Darlene Hestand
Funeral for 82-year old Darlene Hestand of Chickasha will be at 2:00 p.m. Friday, January 31st at New Life Christian Church. Arrangements are with Sevier Funeral Home.
Marilyn Drennan
Funeral for 69-year old Marilyn Drennan of Alex will be at 2:00 p.m. Saturday, February 1st at the Ninnekah First Baptist Church. Arrangements are with Sevier Funeral Home .Memorial contributions may be made to the Franklin Graham Ministry in North Carolina.
Tuesday, January 28th
Pursuit Suspect Previously Tried to Elude Police
A high-speed chase between Minco and Union City Monday morning leads to the arrest of a man who is facing previous charges of trying to elude police. Grady County Undersheriff Phil Blevins said the chase started about 7:20 a.m. Monday, 3 ½ miles east of Minco on State Highway 37, and that speeds topped 100 miles per hour. A Grady County deputy saw a car in a field and stopped to do a welfare check. The driver quickly put the car in reverse and backed on to the busy highway - nearly hitting a school bus. The chase went west into Minco, then north to Union City. The pursuit then turned around and went back to Minco. The chase ended about 20 minutes after it started when the suspect hit a car at the 4-way stop in Minco, then spun and hit a parked semi. No one was hurt in that crash. Blevins said when police ordered the man out of his car, he only showed them one arm. When authorities told him to raise both arms, the man said he only had the one arm. The suspect, 35-year old David Joseph Phillips, was arrested on complaints of felony eluding and drug possession. Blevins says he was wanted in Cleveland County where he was previously arrested for trying to elude police and having weapons.
Double Funeral to be Held for Murdered Couple
A double-funeral will be held this weekend for a Chickasha couple allegedly shot and killed by their son. A memorial service for Stanley and Deborah Hisel will be this Saturday. The couple had been married nearly 20 years. Both were military veterans. Stanley had served in the Army at the end of the Vietnam War and Deborah served in the Navy. The service will be at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, February 1st at Ferguson Funeral Home. Corwyn Lane King faces first degree murder charges in connection with the deaths of his mother and step-father.
Grady County Lawmaker Appointed to Lofty Post
A Grady County state lawmaker will have some extra duties in the upcoming legislative session. State Senator Lonnie Paxton (R-Tuttle) will serve as Assistant Floor Leader in the state senate. He'll be working to determine the order of business and help to guide bill through the senate. In a prepared statement, Paxton said he looks forward to help move the needle in making Oklahoma a top 10 state to live, work, and raise a family. Paxton will continue serving as vice chairman for both the Public Safety and Energy committees. The 57th session of the Oklahoma legislature starts next week.
Voter Registration Deadline Looms for Super Tuesday
We are about six weeks away from the presidential preferential primary election on March 3rd. Often called Super Tuesday, Republicans and Democrats in Oklahoma and several other states will be voting for a candidate in their respective parties they want to be their nominee for the presidential election in November. By the way, Independent voters will be allowed to vote in the Democratic presidential preferential primary. The deadline to register to vote on Super Tuesday is Feb. 7th. You can register at your county election board office or download an application from the state election board website, www.elections.ok.gov Election board officials also say registered voters who may want to change political parties this year will have to do so by April 1st. The window to change political affiliation will re-open on September 1st.
Arts Council Meets Tonight
The Chickasha Area Arts Council holds it first meeting of the year tonight. The group will meet to discuss a number of projects, including the Artscope day camp for kids held in the summer and the Rock Island Arts Festival in the fall. Other programs and ideas will be discussed as well. Tonight's meeting will get underway at 6:30 p.m. at the Chickasha Area Arts Council at 1301 S. 7th which is the old South School at 7th and Arkansas. The meeting is open to anyone interested in promoting the arts.
Energy and Metals
Crude oil on the NYMEX is $53.14 per barrel.
London-based Brent crude is $59.32.
Natural gas is $1.90 per million BTUs.
Gold is $1,585 and silver is $18.04.
Obituary
Charles Johnson
Funeral for 75-year old Charles Johnson of Chickasha will be at 1:00 p.m. Friday, January 31st at Ferguson Funeral Home.
Monday, January 27th
New Chix Superintendent Discusses First Super Role
Chickasha schools are in a period of transition, as the district awaits the full-time arrival of the district’s new superintendent. Rick Croslin was hired for the post earlier this month, and is currently spending a couple of days a week in Chickasha to help with the learning curve. He'll be in the district full-time right after spring break in March. Croslin has a lengthy education background and says that will help guide him in what will be his first ever superintendent's position.
Croslin is pursuing his master's degree in education at the University of Oklahoma.
Child Critical After Weekend Traffic Accident
An 8-year old boy was hospitalized in critical condition over the weekend following a traffic accident east of Chickasha. The child was taken by ambulance to an Oklahoma City hospital. The highway patrol did not release the boy's name. The accident happened about 2:30 p.m. Saturday at the junction of U.S. Highway 62 and CS 2940, which is the Alex turnoff. The child was a passenger in a car driven by 28-year old Amber Erickson of Blanchard. The highway patrol reports that Erickson was westbound on the highway, and attempted to turn in front of an oncoming pickup driven by 56-year old Max Pierce of Norman. Erickson was taken to a hospital where she was treated and released. Pierce was not hurt.
Five Hurt in Crash Near Dibble
Another traffic accident occurred Saturday afternoon near State Highway 39 about a mile west of the Grady and McClain County line. Buddy Myers with the Grady County Fire Department said five people were taken to the hospital by ambulance. Their names were not available and it wasn't clear how serious the injuries were. That crash occurred about 5:00 p.m. Saturday and happened about a mile south of State Highway 39 on CR 2980.
Missing Tuttle Man is Found
Good news out of Tuttle - as officials say that a man reported missing last week has been found. 67-year old Mark Brown went missing from his home last Wednesday. A Tuttle police dispatcher didn't have any details, only to say that Brown has been located.
Fire Crews Battle House and Wildland Fires
Firefighters were summoned to a house fire east of Ninnekah on Saturday. The home was fully involved when fire crews arrived at the home owned by Milford Scott. Buddy Myers with the Grady County Fire Department said Ninnekah and Alex fire departments sent a total of 15 firefighters and eight trucks to the scene. Myers said they had to implement defensive tactics to prevent the fire from spreading. The cause of the blaze is under investigation but it's initially being blamed on an electrical issue. Other volunteer departments were summoned to wildland fires in the Pioneer area and west of Rush Springs. The Pioneer Fire Department was dispatched to the 800 block of CR 1400 where five firefighters with two trucks had that under control in about 45 minutes. The fire west of Rush Springs was near State Highway 17 and CR 1540. The Acme Fire Department sent three firefighters and two trucks and had that fire under control in about 30 minutes. Myers said that on Saturday alone, Grady County volunteer fire fighters spent more than 100 hours in the field.
Energy and Metals
Crude oil on the NYMEX is $54.18 per barrel.
London-based Brent crude is $60.69.
Natural gas is $1.89 per million BTUs.
Gold is $1,589 and silver is $18.29.
Obituaries
Noble Prather
Obituaries today include 105-year old Noble Prather of Chickasha. He was a World War II veteran serving the U.S. Army and Air Corps. Funeral will be at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, January 28th at Sevier Funeral Home.
Gregory Poag
A private service will be held for 59-year old Gregory “Greg” Poag of Chickasha. He was a U.S. Navy veteran. Arrangements are with Ferguson Funeral Home.
