Saturday, September 12th
Sheriff's Office Updates Warrant List
The Grady County Sheriff’s Office has updated its list of individuals who have outstanding warrants. Here’s Public Information Officer Lisa Hatchett.
If you have information regarding any of these individuals, contact the sheriff’s office by calling 405-222-5085.
OU Football Opens Season Tonight
The Oklahoma Sooners open the 2020 season at home this evening against Missouri State. Game time at Owen Field is 6 pm and the game is available on pay per view at soonersports.com or through your local cable system. Freshman Spencer Rattler will make his first career start at quarterback. This will be the Sooners only non-conference game. They will then have a week off before opening Big 12 conference play at home against Kansas St. at 11 a.m. on Sept. 26 in a game that will be televised by Fox. Oklahoma State has pushed their season opener to next Saturday at 11 a.m. against Tulsa.
Friday, September 11th
Back the Blue Walk is Saturday
Supporters of law enforcement personnel are encouraged to take part in a Back the Blue Walk that will be held tomorrow. Grady County Deputy Sheriff Shayne Melton has organized the walk. Also a former Chickasha police officer, Melton is asking participants to wear blue and get creative with their signs of support. Melton said the walk is a message that law enforcement will always continue to support, protect, and defend the communities they love against all odds - and that they are loved by their communities. The walk is open to all active, retired, and former law enforcement officers; current and retired military and spouses; veterans groups; fire and EMS personnel; any community organization or church; and motorcycle and car clubs. It will be about a two mile walk, from the Grady County Fairgrounds to the Chickasha Sports Complex. The group will begin gathering at the fairgrounds at 9:30 a.m. with the walk beginning at 10:30 a.m. The route will run east from the fairgrounds on U.S. Highway 62, then south on the Grand Avenue Extension to the sports complex. For those participating in the walk, a bus will be at the sports complex to take them back to the Fairgrounds. Supporters who may be unable to walk may line the route and also bring signs and wave flags. Face masks and social distancing measures are encouraged but not required.
Blood Institute Says Need for Donations is Critical
Officials with the Oklahoma Blood Institute say there is still a critical need for blood donations. KOOL 105.5 and 106.1 The Ranch radio stations continue our support of the blood institute by hosting occasional community blood drives. Two are coming up later this month - on Monday, Sept. 21st and the following Monday, Sept. 28th. To encourage donations from OU and OSU supporters, the annual Bedlam Blood Drive is underway and runs through Oct. 24th. Donors can get their choice of either an OU or OSU t-shirt. Donors may also choose to get a coronavirus anti-body test. To make an appointment for our blood drives contact George Plummer by calling 405-224-1560. To schedule an appointment for a blood drive in your area go to the Oklahoma Blood Institute's website, www.obi.org
Spaghetti Day is On the Way
A Chickasha group is making last-minute preparations for a tasty fund-raiser. The Junior Social Workers will have their annual Spaghetti Day in a couple of weeks. The event raises thousands of dollars which are donated to a number of local charities. Whitney Palesano says it’s a huge task-
Spaghetti Day will be Friday, Sept. 25th with two serving times – 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and again from 5:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Grady County Fairgrounds. The theme this year is Bold Stripes, Bright Stars, Brave Hearts - Be the Change. Advance tickets are $9 for adults and $4 for children but advance ticket sales end on Monday, Sept. 14th. Tickets at the door will be $10 for adults and $4 for children. They will deliver meals for orders of two or more. For information visit the Junior Social Workers Facebook page.
ACT Test Takers Need Masks
Public schools have only been in session a few weeks but this weekend is a big one for seniors and juniors looking to get into a college or university. The National ACT test is being offered. A post on the Chickasha High School Facebook page indicates that ACT is requiring all students to wear a mask or cloth face covering in order to help minimize the spread of the coronavirus. Students will not be allowed in the testing center if they don't have a mask.
Talk Show Topics
Here's what we're talking about this weekend. Sarah VanEss and Whitney Palesano with the Chickasha Junior Social Workers are on our KOOL Konversation. On Real Estate Today this week's guests are Chickasha Mayor Chris Mosley and City Manager John Noblitt. We have links to both programs under the Community tab on this website.
Energy Prices
Crude oil on the NYMEX is $37.30 per barrel.
London-based Brent crude is $40.06.
Natural gas is $2.32 per million BTUs.
Obituary
David Smith
Funeral for David Smith, 33, of the Cyril and Cement area will be at 2:00 p.m. Tuesday, September 15th at Laverty Baptist Church in Cement. Arrangements are with Sevier Funeral Home.
Thursday, September 10th
Alex School Superintendent Discusses Virtual Learning
Alex School Superintendent Keith Weldon says students in the district are accepting the educational methods put in place in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Weldon said about 50 of the district's 300 students have chosen the distance-learning system when classes started last month. However Weldon said the students who are taking classes at home are missing out on the benefits of being in a classroom.
Alex school superintendent Keith Weldon.
Coronavirus Update
The latest information about the coronavirus in Oklahoma shows another 876 positive tests in the Sooner State. The state department of health says the total number of positive tests is nearing 66,000 while the number of deaths from the illness is now at 863. The number of active cases is now at nearly 10,000 while the number of people hospitalized is 462. In this region, Grady County has now had 600 people test positive and there are 93 active cases. Chickasha is closing in on 300 positive tests (the count now stands at 291) and there are 45 current cases. Tuttle has had 155 positive tests and there are 29 active cases. Blanchard has had 210 positive tests and there are 39 active cases. In Caddo County, there have been 613 positive tests and there are 80 current cases. In Anadarko, there have been 270 positive tests and 42 active cases. In Lindsay, there have been 74 people test positive with 10 active cases.
Caddo County Fair Premium Sale Tonight
Several Caddo County FFA and 4H youth will have big paydays in tonight's premium sale which is the grand finale of last week's Caddo County livestock show held during the county fair. More than 60 animals will be led through the show ring tonight with many bidders shelling out some big bucks, along with family and friends pitching in add-ons that will provide the youth with funds to help them with their current and future livestock projects. The grand champion steer at the fair was shown by Tucker Freie of Anadarko; the grand champion barrow was shown by Cade Rea of Hydro-Eakly; the grand gilt was shown by Kiera McNamar of Anadarko. The grand market lamb was shown by Chad Little of Carnegie; the grand ewe was shown by Stetson Dix of Carnegie; the grand wether goat was shown by Kayci Luper of Carnegie; and the grand doe goat was shown by Emma Farmer of Ft-Cobb-Broxton. The Caddo County Sirloin Club will have a buyers meeting at 6 o'clock but there will not be a meal this year due to COVID-19 restrictions. The sale is scheduled to take place at the Caddo County Fairgrounds outdoor arena in Anadarko, starting at 7 o'clock tonight.
Blake Shelton, Gwen Stefani to Perform
Virtual Concert for Regional Food Bank
A virtual concert featuring Oklahoma country music superstar Blake Shelton will be held in a few weeks to benefit the Regional Food Bank. Shelton will team up with Gwen Stefani for the 30-minute concert on Thursday, Oct. 1st. In a news release, Regional Food Bank officials say the concert will commemorate its 40th anniversary. Regional Food Bank officials say they are looking forward to sharing information about their work to fight hunger and the group's response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Tickets are $50 and can be purchased on-line at www.feedinghope.org The Regional Food Bank serves Grady, Caddo, and many other counties in central and western Oklahoma. The food bank distributed more than 47 million meals in 2019.
Energy and Metals
Crude oil on the NYMEX is $38.05 per barrel.
London-based Brent crude is $40.79.
Natural gas is $2.41 per million BTUs.
Gold is $1,957 and silver is $27.34.
Obituary
Denice Willeford
A memorial service for Denice Willeford, 70, of Chickasha will be at 10:00 a.m. Friday, September 18th at Family Life Church in Cyril. Arrangements are with McRay Funeral Home.
Wednesday, September 9th
Chix City Manager Warns City Could 'Go Broke'
Chickasha City Manager John Noblitt is warning that the city is dangerously close to going broke. Noblitt made the comment during last night's city council meeting, saying that budget cuts and perhaps some layoffs may need to take place over the next couple of years. Noblitt said that there have been some improvements in recent years but that the city continues losing ground financially.
The budget approved by the city council for the current fiscal year does not include a carry-over to help the city's transition in to fiscal year 2022 which begins next July. Noblitt also warned that the public is likely to become angry with the news and will be pointing fingers.
Noblitt recommended that the council hold a series of work sessions over the next few months to do some advance planning for the 2022 fiscal year budget and beyond.
City Council OK's Grand Lake Property Sale
The city council did approve the sale of a lot the city owns at the Grand Lake resort near Tulsa. The council voted unanimously to sell the lot for $40,000. The sale helps the city recoup part of $250,000 in economic development funds that had been issued to a Tulsa company for moving expenses which were supposed to be used bring that company to Chickasha - a move that never took place. The Grand Lake property was put up for collateral for those funds and the city won a judgement against the owner of the company, Tom Word of Word Industries. The city still owns several other lots at Grand Lake as a result of the judgement.
Grady County Courthouse Re-Opens;
Treasurer's Office Remains Closed
The Grady County Courthouse is open today however one office will remain closed after an employee became ill with COVID-19. The courthouse was closed yesterday after officials learned of the employee's health status over the Labor Day weekend. Grady County Commissioner Ralph Beard said the treasurer's office is the only department that will not be open today. He anticipates it will re-open tomorrow (Thursday). Beard said commissioners brought in a private company on Monday to sanitize all three floors of the courthouse with a fogging machine. Crews also sprayed the courthouse annex which includes the district attorney's office, pardon and parole, the election board, and the emergency management office as a precaution. Beard also said that everyone entering the courthouse - including employees - will have to wear masks and have their temperatures taken.
PSO Earns Second Straight 'Sustainability' Honor
Public Service Company of Oklahoma is a repeat winner for its work related to sustainability. For the second straight year, PSO achieves Gold Level Certification in its efforts in the Scor3card Final Event. Scor3card is an online sustainability tracking and assessment tool for organizations that want to track and improve their sustainability plans. A news release from PSO indicates the program sets a rigorous standard for sustainable activities that focus on engaging organizations around three areas of sustainability: people, profit, and planet. PSO says the award indicates that its approach to sustainability helps engage its employees while supporting economic growth and helping PSO become better environmental stewards.
Energy and Metals
Crude oil on the NYMEX is $36.76 per barrel.
London-based Brent crude is $39.78.
Natural gas is $2.40 per million BTUs.
Gold is $1,932 and silver is $26.75.
Obituaries
Donald Coggin
A graveside service for Donald Coggin, 71, of Chickasha will be held at 1:00 p.m. Friday, September 11th at Fairlawn Cemetery. Arrangements are with Ferguson Funeral Home.
Lana Sue Burks
A memorial service for Lana Sue Burks, 66, of Chickasha will be held at 1:00 p.m. Saturday, September 12th at Parkview Christian Church. Arrangements are with Ferguson Funeral Home. Memorial contributions may be made to Friends Fur Change or toward mental health awareness.
Tuesday, September 8th
Grady County Courthouse Closed Due to COVID-19
An employee at the Grady County Courthouse has been stricken with the coronavirus. Grady County Commissioner Ralph Beard announced over the weekend that the courthouse would be closed today. Since the courthouse is closed, the weekly county commissioner’s meeting scheduled for today was canceled. A special meeting could be called for later in the week. The commissioners were to discuss the possible approval of the county budget for the current fiscal year and President Trump's executive order to defer payroll taxes. Also on the agenda was a proposal to allow the Grady County Fairgrounds to purchase some property, and a contract between the sheriff's office and Canadian Valley Technology Center for the sheriff’s office to provide a resource officer for the CV Tech Chickasha campus.
Chickasha's Water Treatment Plant
Blame Manganese Spike for Water Issues
Crews at the City of Chickasha's water treatment plant spent part of their Labor Day weekend working to correct some problems with the city's tap water. Some residents experienced cloudy or even brown water with an odor. A private contractor, USW Utility Group, operates the city's water treatment plants. USW officials say the problem was a spike in manganese found in parts of the water distribution system. The City of Chickasha posted a message on its Facebook page this weekend that originated from USW. USW officials said despite the problem the water was safe to drink and use, and they are meeting drinking water standards required by both the State Department of Environmental Quality and the federal Environmental Protection Agency. The post said some changes made in water treatment seemed to be working, however it could take a few days for the manganese level to diminish and for the water quality to improve.
Chix City Council to Hold Virtual Meeting Tonight
The Chickasha City Council will meet virtually this evening. The panel is set to discuss the sale of a lot which the city owns at Grand Lake in northeastern Oklahoma. The city acquired the property in a judgement against the owner of a company that announced his Tulsa firm would move to Chickasha but the move never happened. Several lots at Grand Lake were used as collateral for 250,000 in economic development funds awarded to the company to help with the move that never took place. This particular piece of property is Lot No. 4 of Apache Cove and the sale price is $40,000. The council is also to appoint or re-appoint a number of members to various boards and commissions and will discuss whether to accept a grant from the Gary Sinise Foundation for personal protective equipment and hygiene supplies for the police department. The grant is just over $3,000. Tonight's meeting will begin at 6:30 p.m. and it can be viewed on the city's website at www.chickasha.org
Caddo County DHS Office Among Many to Close
The Oklahoma Department of Human Services will be closing offices in 35 counties across the state at the end of the month including the office in Caddo County. DHS announced the move earlier this year as a cost-cutting measure. While offices will close, DHS director Justin Brown said there will no full-time employee furloughs or reductions. The employees of the closed offices will be allowed to work from home or transfer to another office. DHS employees have been working at home since the onset of the coronavirus. Staff members will be available for face-to-face interactions by appointment. The Lawton Constitution reports that among the concerns are the hardships it may create for families that may not have reliable internet service, and elderly households that don't have access to computers or don't know how to operate a computer. DHS officials said the agency has been able to handle a surge of new applicants for programs like SNAP food assistance since the COVID-19 first hit Oklahoma six months ago.
Chickasha Fire Department is Accepting Applications
The City of Chickasha is now accepting applications for firefighters. Interim Fire Chief Tony Samaniego says there are three openings for the department but it wasn't clear how many positions will be filled. Applications are available on the city's website at www.chickasha.org
Energy and Metals
Crude oil on the NYMEX is $39.77 per barrel.
London-based Brent crude is $41.29.
Natural gas is $2.60 per million BTUs.
Gold is $1,919 and silver is $26.79.
Obituary
Billie Sue (Gordon) Tucker
Funeral for Billie Sue (Gordon) Tucker, 74, of Wichita, Kansas and formerly of Ninnekah will be held at 10:00 a.m. Saturday, September 12th at Webb-Shinkle Mortuary in Haysville, Kansas.
Saturday, September 12th
Sheriff's Office Updates Warrant List
The Grady County Sheriff’s Office has updated its list of individuals who have outstanding warrants. Here’s Public Information Officer Lisa Hatchett.
If you have information regarding any of these individuals, contact the sheriff’s office by calling 405-222-5085.
OU Football Opens Season Tonight
The Oklahoma Sooners open the 2020 season at home this evening against Missouri State. Game time at Owen Field is 6 pm and the game is available on pay per view at soonersports.com or through your local cable system. Freshman Spencer Rattler will make his first career start at quarterback. This will be the Sooners only non-conference game. They will then have a week off before opening Big 12 conference play at home against Kansas St. at 11 a.m. on Sept. 26 in a game that will be televised by Fox. Oklahoma State has pushed their season opener to next Saturday at 11 a.m. against Tulsa.
Friday, September 11th
Back the Blue Walk is Saturday
Supporters of law enforcement personnel are encouraged to take part in a Back the Blue Walk that will be held tomorrow. Grady County Deputy Sheriff Shayne Melton has organized the walk. Also a former Chickasha police officer, Melton is asking participants to wear blue and get creative with their signs of support. Melton said the walk is a message that law enforcement will always continue to support, protect, and defend the communities they love against all odds - and that they are loved by their communities. The walk is open to all active, retired, and former law enforcement officers; current and retired military and spouses; veterans groups; fire and EMS personnel; any community organization or church; and motorcycle and car clubs. It will be about a two mile walk, from the Grady County Fairgrounds to the Chickasha Sports Complex. The group will begin gathering at the fairgrounds at 9:30 a.m. with the walk beginning at 10:30 a.m. The route will run east from the fairgrounds on U.S. Highway 62, then south on the Grand Avenue Extension to the sports complex. For those participating in the walk, a bus will be at the sports complex to take them back to the Fairgrounds. Supporters who may be unable to walk may line the route and also bring signs and wave flags. Face masks and social distancing measures are encouraged but not required.
Blood Institute Says Need for Donations is Critical
Officials with the Oklahoma Blood Institute say there is still a critical need for blood donations. KOOL 105.5 and 106.1 The Ranch radio stations continue our support of the blood institute by hosting occasional community blood drives. Two are coming up later this month - on Monday, Sept. 21st and the following Monday, Sept. 28th. To encourage donations from OU and OSU supporters, the annual Bedlam Blood Drive is underway and runs through Oct. 24th. Donors can get their choice of either an OU or OSU t-shirt. Donors may also choose to get a coronavirus anti-body test. To make an appointment for our blood drives contact George Plummer by calling 405-224-1560. To schedule an appointment for a blood drive in your area go to the Oklahoma Blood Institute's website, www.obi.org
Spaghetti Day is On the Way
A Chickasha group is making last-minute preparations for a tasty fund-raiser. The Junior Social Workers will have their annual Spaghetti Day in a couple of weeks. The event raises thousands of dollars which are donated to a number of local charities. Whitney Palesano says it’s a huge task-
Spaghetti Day will be Friday, Sept. 25th with two serving times – 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and again from 5:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Grady County Fairgrounds. The theme this year is Bold Stripes, Bright Stars, Brave Hearts - Be the Change. Advance tickets are $9 for adults and $4 for children but advance ticket sales end on Monday, Sept. 14th. Tickets at the door will be $10 for adults and $4 for children. They will deliver meals for orders of two or more. For information visit the Junior Social Workers Facebook page.
ACT Test Takers Need Masks
Public schools have only been in session a few weeks but this weekend is a big one for seniors and juniors looking to get into a college or university. The National ACT test is being offered. A post on the Chickasha High School Facebook page indicates that ACT is requiring all students to wear a mask or cloth face covering in order to help minimize the spread of the coronavirus. Students will not be allowed in the testing center if they don't have a mask.
Talk Show Topics
Here's what we're talking about this weekend. Sarah VanEss and Whitney Palesano with the Chickasha Junior Social Workers are on our KOOL Konversation. On Real Estate Today this week's guests are Chickasha Mayor Chris Mosley and City Manager John Noblitt. We have links to both programs under the Community tab on this website.
Energy Prices
Crude oil on the NYMEX is $37.30 per barrel.
London-based Brent crude is $40.06.
Natural gas is $2.32 per million BTUs.
Obituary
David Smith
Funeral for David Smith, 33, of the Cyril and Cement area will be at 2:00 p.m. Tuesday, September 15th at Laverty Baptist Church in Cement. Arrangements are with Sevier Funeral Home.
Thursday, September 10th
Alex School Superintendent Discusses Virtual Learning
Alex School Superintendent Keith Weldon says students in the district are accepting the educational methods put in place in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Weldon said about 50 of the district's 300 students have chosen the distance-learning system when classes started last month. However Weldon said the students who are taking classes at home are missing out on the benefits of being in a classroom.
Alex school superintendent Keith Weldon.
Coronavirus Update
The latest information about the coronavirus in Oklahoma shows another 876 positive tests in the Sooner State. The state department of health says the total number of positive tests is nearing 66,000 while the number of deaths from the illness is now at 863. The number of active cases is now at nearly 10,000 while the number of people hospitalized is 462. In this region, Grady County has now had 600 people test positive and there are 93 active cases. Chickasha is closing in on 300 positive tests (the count now stands at 291) and there are 45 current cases. Tuttle has had 155 positive tests and there are 29 active cases. Blanchard has had 210 positive tests and there are 39 active cases. In Caddo County, there have been 613 positive tests and there are 80 current cases. In Anadarko, there have been 270 positive tests and 42 active cases. In Lindsay, there have been 74 people test positive with 10 active cases.
Caddo County Fair Premium Sale Tonight
Several Caddo County FFA and 4H youth will have big paydays in tonight's premium sale which is the grand finale of last week's Caddo County livestock show held during the county fair. More than 60 animals will be led through the show ring tonight with many bidders shelling out some big bucks, along with family and friends pitching in add-ons that will provide the youth with funds to help them with their current and future livestock projects. The grand champion steer at the fair was shown by Tucker Freie of Anadarko; the grand champion barrow was shown by Cade Rea of Hydro-Eakly; the grand gilt was shown by Kiera McNamar of Anadarko. The grand market lamb was shown by Chad Little of Carnegie; the grand ewe was shown by Stetson Dix of Carnegie; the grand wether goat was shown by Kayci Luper of Carnegie; and the grand doe goat was shown by Emma Farmer of Ft-Cobb-Broxton. The Caddo County Sirloin Club will have a buyers meeting at 6 o'clock but there will not be a meal this year due to COVID-19 restrictions. The sale is scheduled to take place at the Caddo County Fairgrounds outdoor arena in Anadarko, starting at 7 o'clock tonight.
Blake Shelton, Gwen Stefani to Perform
Virtual Concert for Regional Food Bank
A virtual concert featuring Oklahoma country music superstar Blake Shelton will be held in a few weeks to benefit the Regional Food Bank. Shelton will team up with Gwen Stefani for the 30-minute concert on Thursday, Oct. 1st. In a news release, Regional Food Bank officials say the concert will commemorate its 40th anniversary. Regional Food Bank officials say they are looking forward to sharing information about their work to fight hunger and the group's response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Tickets are $50 and can be purchased on-line at www.feedinghope.org The Regional Food Bank serves Grady, Caddo, and many other counties in central and western Oklahoma. The food bank distributed more than 47 million meals in 2019.
Energy and Metals
Crude oil on the NYMEX is $38.05 per barrel.
London-based Brent crude is $40.79.
Natural gas is $2.41 per million BTUs.
Gold is $1,957 and silver is $27.34.
Obituary
Denice Willeford
A memorial service for Denice Willeford, 70, of Chickasha will be at 10:00 a.m. Friday, September 18th at Family Life Church in Cyril. Arrangements are with McRay Funeral Home.
Wednesday, September 9th
Chix City Manager Warns City Could 'Go Broke'
Chickasha City Manager John Noblitt is warning that the city is dangerously close to going broke. Noblitt made the comment during last night's city council meeting, saying that budget cuts and perhaps some layoffs may need to take place over the next couple of years. Noblitt said that there have been some improvements in recent years but that the city continues losing ground financially.
The budget approved by the city council for the current fiscal year does not include a carry-over to help the city's transition in to fiscal year 2022 which begins next July. Noblitt also warned that the public is likely to become angry with the news and will be pointing fingers.
Noblitt recommended that the council hold a series of work sessions over the next few months to do some advance planning for the 2022 fiscal year budget and beyond.
City Council OK's Grand Lake Property Sale
The city council did approve the sale of a lot the city owns at the Grand Lake resort near Tulsa. The council voted unanimously to sell the lot for $40,000. The sale helps the city recoup part of $250,000 in economic development funds that had been issued to a Tulsa company for moving expenses which were supposed to be used bring that company to Chickasha - a move that never took place. The Grand Lake property was put up for collateral for those funds and the city won a judgement against the owner of the company, Tom Word of Word Industries. The city still owns several other lots at Grand Lake as a result of the judgement.
Grady County Courthouse Re-Opens;
Treasurer's Office Remains Closed
The Grady County Courthouse is open today however one office will remain closed after an employee became ill with COVID-19. The courthouse was closed yesterday after officials learned of the employee's health status over the Labor Day weekend. Grady County Commissioner Ralph Beard said the treasurer's office is the only department that will not be open today. He anticipates it will re-open tomorrow (Thursday). Beard said commissioners brought in a private company on Monday to sanitize all three floors of the courthouse with a fogging machine. Crews also sprayed the courthouse annex which includes the district attorney's office, pardon and parole, the election board, and the emergency management office as a precaution. Beard also said that everyone entering the courthouse - including employees - will have to wear masks and have their temperatures taken.
PSO Earns Second Straight 'Sustainability' Honor
Public Service Company of Oklahoma is a repeat winner for its work related to sustainability. For the second straight year, PSO achieves Gold Level Certification in its efforts in the Scor3card Final Event. Scor3card is an online sustainability tracking and assessment tool for organizations that want to track and improve their sustainability plans. A news release from PSO indicates the program sets a rigorous standard for sustainable activities that focus on engaging organizations around three areas of sustainability: people, profit, and planet. PSO says the award indicates that its approach to sustainability helps engage its employees while supporting economic growth and helping PSO become better environmental stewards.
Energy and Metals
Crude oil on the NYMEX is $36.76 per barrel.
London-based Brent crude is $39.78.
Natural gas is $2.40 per million BTUs.
Gold is $1,932 and silver is $26.75.
Obituaries
Donald Coggin
A graveside service for Donald Coggin, 71, of Chickasha will be held at 1:00 p.m. Friday, September 11th at Fairlawn Cemetery. Arrangements are with Ferguson Funeral Home.
Lana Sue Burks
A memorial service for Lana Sue Burks, 66, of Chickasha will be held at 1:00 p.m. Saturday, September 12th at Parkview Christian Church. Arrangements are with Ferguson Funeral Home. Memorial contributions may be made to Friends Fur Change or toward mental health awareness.
Tuesday, September 8th
Grady County Courthouse Closed Due to COVID-19
An employee at the Grady County Courthouse has been stricken with the coronavirus. Grady County Commissioner Ralph Beard announced over the weekend that the courthouse would be closed today. Since the courthouse is closed, the weekly county commissioner’s meeting scheduled for today was canceled. A special meeting could be called for later in the week. The commissioners were to discuss the possible approval of the county budget for the current fiscal year and President Trump's executive order to defer payroll taxes. Also on the agenda was a proposal to allow the Grady County Fairgrounds to purchase some property, and a contract between the sheriff's office and Canadian Valley Technology Center for the sheriff’s office to provide a resource officer for the CV Tech Chickasha campus.
Chickasha's Water Treatment Plant
Blame Manganese Spike for Water Issues
Crews at the City of Chickasha's water treatment plant spent part of their Labor Day weekend working to correct some problems with the city's tap water. Some residents experienced cloudy or even brown water with an odor. A private contractor, USW Utility Group, operates the city's water treatment plants. USW officials say the problem was a spike in manganese found in parts of the water distribution system. The City of Chickasha posted a message on its Facebook page this weekend that originated from USW. USW officials said despite the problem the water was safe to drink and use, and they are meeting drinking water standards required by both the State Department of Environmental Quality and the federal Environmental Protection Agency. The post said some changes made in water treatment seemed to be working, however it could take a few days for the manganese level to diminish and for the water quality to improve.
Chix City Council to Hold Virtual Meeting Tonight
The Chickasha City Council will meet virtually this evening. The panel is set to discuss the sale of a lot which the city owns at Grand Lake in northeastern Oklahoma. The city acquired the property in a judgement against the owner of a company that announced his Tulsa firm would move to Chickasha but the move never happened. Several lots at Grand Lake were used as collateral for 250,000 in economic development funds awarded to the company to help with the move that never took place. This particular piece of property is Lot No. 4 of Apache Cove and the sale price is $40,000. The council is also to appoint or re-appoint a number of members to various boards and commissions and will discuss whether to accept a grant from the Gary Sinise Foundation for personal protective equipment and hygiene supplies for the police department. The grant is just over $3,000. Tonight's meeting will begin at 6:30 p.m. and it can be viewed on the city's website at www.chickasha.org
Caddo County DHS Office Among Many to Close
The Oklahoma Department of Human Services will be closing offices in 35 counties across the state at the end of the month including the office in Caddo County. DHS announced the move earlier this year as a cost-cutting measure. While offices will close, DHS director Justin Brown said there will no full-time employee furloughs or reductions. The employees of the closed offices will be allowed to work from home or transfer to another office. DHS employees have been working at home since the onset of the coronavirus. Staff members will be available for face-to-face interactions by appointment. The Lawton Constitution reports that among the concerns are the hardships it may create for families that may not have reliable internet service, and elderly households that don't have access to computers or don't know how to operate a computer. DHS officials said the agency has been able to handle a surge of new applicants for programs like SNAP food assistance since the COVID-19 first hit Oklahoma six months ago.
Chickasha Fire Department is Accepting Applications
The City of Chickasha is now accepting applications for firefighters. Interim Fire Chief Tony Samaniego says there are three openings for the department but it wasn't clear how many positions will be filled. Applications are available on the city's website at www.chickasha.org
Energy and Metals
Crude oil on the NYMEX is $39.77 per barrel.
London-based Brent crude is $41.29.
Natural gas is $2.60 per million BTUs.
Gold is $1,919 and silver is $26.79.
Obituary
Billie Sue (Gordon) Tucker
Funeral for Billie Sue (Gordon) Tucker, 74, of Wichita, Kansas and formerly of Ninnekah will be held at 10:00 a.m. Saturday, September 12th at Webb-Shinkle Mortuary in Haysville, Kansas.
Monday, September 7th
No news due to the Labor Day holiday.
