Saturday, July 31st
Family Survives Early-morning Fire Set by Neighbor
Seven members of a Chickasha family escape serious injury after their neighbor set their mobile home and attacked them with a baseball bat. Firefighters and police were dispatched to the 800 block of Nevada Avenue just before 5:00 a.m. Friday. Mandi Ferrell tells KOOL-RANCH News that they were awakened by the smoke alarms. Ferrell and her family - including children who are 8, 3 and 1-year old - tried to get out of the home but she said her neighbor was on their porch swinging a baseball bat at them. Teddy Willis was one of the individuals inside the home and he fought the neighbor but was stabbed in the arm with a knife. Police were able to take the neighbor into custody and turned him over to the Lighthorse Police Department where he was taken to an Ada jail. Willis was taken to the hospital where he received six stitches and was released. Chickasha Fire Chief Tony Samaniego says the fire was intentionally set and estimated damage at $10,000. In the meantime, Ferrell's family has been able to find temporary housing thanks to their landlord. The Red Cross and Salvation Army are providing assistance and others have also reached out to help.
Cash Drawing Set for Anadarko Residents
Who Have Had COVID-19 Vaccinations
Anadarko residents who get their COVID 19 vaccinations could win up to $1,000 in a special drawing next week. The City of Anadarko, Anadarko Public Schools, the Caddo County Health Department, and Physician's Hospital are sponsoring the cash give-away. A total of $2,000 will be given away. A post on the City of Anadarko's Facebook page indicates that a $1,000 cash prize will be awarded to one person in the 18-years and older category and two $500 cash awards will be awarded in the 12-17 year old age group. Individuals will have to show their vaccination card or get vaccinated by next Thursday, August 5th. Individuals can enter at Anadarko City Hall or at Warrior Fieldhouse during the back-to-school expo and meet-and-greet next Thursday evening. Winners will be announced live on the city's Facebook page at 9 a.m. Friday, Aug. 6th.
Pastor Celebrates 50 Years in the Pulpit
There was a special celebration at a Chickasha church last night. Sister Alice Wendling at Full Gospel Church has been preaching for 50 years! Family, friends, and special guests took part in a special service which was followed by a reception to recognize her remarkable career. Sister Alice says she was active in church as a teenager and young adult and that it was her mother who encouraged her accept the challenge of being a pastor.
Wendling said at the time there weren't very many female pastors and was able to overcome the obstacles that came with that. Sister Alice spent more than 30 years doing prison ministry and ministered to inmates at the Grady County Jail for 34 years. She says she's not planning on retiring any time soon and will continue her work until health won't let her.
Craig's Walk for Special Olympics is Today
Supporters of Special Olympics will gather today for a virtual walk to Stillwater. Stewart and Beth Ann Meyer are hosting their 15th annual Craig's Walk. The event will be held at the Chickasha High School football field with participants joining efforts to walk a combined 125 miles - which is the distance from Chickasha to Boone-Pickens Stadium on the campus of Oklahoma State University. Stewart and Beth Ann traditionally make the actual walk to Stillwater in May but the effort has been canceled the last two years because of the pandemic. Craig's Walk is named in honor of their son who died in a plane crash. Craig was always helping his parents with their Special Olympics work even when he was in high school. Tim Brauer and First Look will be providing entertainment for Craig’s Walk.
Friday, July 30th
Chickasha Family Survives Fire, Assault
A Chickasha family escapes serious injury after their neighbor set their mobile home on fire and attacked them with a baseball bat. Chickasha police and fire were called out to the fire in the 800 block of Nevada Avenue just before 5:00 a.m. this morning. A suspect has been arrested. Listen for details later today on KOOL 105.5FM. The story will be updated here tomorrow.
Expanded Search for Missing Woman to be Held Today
Dozens of volunteers have joined the search for Dawn Sherrill, the Anadarko woman who went missing last week. Sherrill's brother-in-law, Larry Moffitt, tells KOOL-RANCH News that the Oklahoma City Metro Search and Rescue Team helped to coordinate the search. They will comb the area within a 50-mile radius of Sherrill's home. Volunteers meet at the Anadarko First Baptist Church this morning and will be appointed to teams of two people each - one being a driver and one being a looker. Teams will be assigned a four-square mile area in urban areas and a 25-square mile area in rural areas. Each team is asked to download a GPS tracking app and record the track during their search. In the meantime, Dawn Sherrill could be driving a red or maroon 2007 Ford-F150 pickup with a black tailgate and it may have a smoker in the back. Anyone who thinks they've seen Sherrill and/or the truck is asked to call 9-1-1 or local law enforcement.
Former Chix City Manager Finds New Job in Texas
Former Chickasha City Manager John Noblitt has been hired for the same position in North Texas. Noblitt began his new post this week in Sanger, Texas. A press release on the Sanger city website says the city council unanimously approved Noblitt for the post earlier this month. Noblitt resigned his post with the city of Chickasha in January. The Chickasha City council is still searching for a replacement. Mayor Chris Mosley is currently serving as acting city manager.
Fire Ants Continue Moving in to Oklahoma
Fire ants are marching into Oklahoma. 21 counties in the Sooner State are on a quarantine list put together by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). The quarantine prevents producers from selling hay that has been lying directly on the ground in those counties. The counties are mostly in the southern part of the state but now include Garvin, Stephens, Comanche, and Jefferson counties. USDA officials say there are some exceptions. As long as the hay is cut baled without first being stored that it can be shipped and moved. Officials say there's no way to get rid of the fire ants but they can be managed. A bait laced with slow-acting insecticide that the ants will carry back to their nest can reduce the fire ant colonies.
Talk Show Topics
Here's what we're talking about this weekend. Terry Banks and Zach Love with the state department of human services are on our KOOL Konversation discussing the need for foster families in Oklahoma. On Real Estate Today our guests are Jen Jantzen and Gab Atwell with the Chickasha Public School Foundation. Find links to both programs under the Community tab on this website.
Energy and Metals
Crude oil on the NYMEX is $73.62 per barrel.
London-based Brent crude is $76.05.
Natural gas is $4.06 per million BTUs.
Gold is $1,831 and silver is $25.58.
Thursday, July 29th
Manhunt Suspect in Custody
A suspect wanted for shooting at a Chickasaw Nation Lighthorse Patrol officer, and who was the subject of a manhunt in Chickasha yesterday, is in custody. Stephens County Sheriff Wayne McKinney said the suspect was found in the small southeastern Stephens County town of Loco sometime last night. The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation (OSBI) reports it all began when the Lighthorse officer tried to pull over a stolen pickup near Marlow. The pickup pulled into a convenience store parking lot at the Lawton-Duncan Y where three people got into a shootout with the officer. Two of the individuals were arrested but the third got away. Officials pinged the suspect's phone near Grady Memorial Hospital. Chickasha police, Grady County sheriff's deputies, the highway patrol, and the Lighthorse Police tactical team locked down the hospital and evacuated the high school nearby. The search was called off about 6:00 p.m. Sheriff McKinney said the suspect did have a gunshot injury from the shootout with the Lighthorse officer. The suspect, whose name has not been released, was taken to a hospital but it wasn't clear how seriously he was wounded.
Amber Woman Dies in Multi-vehicle Crash
A multi-vehicle crash just south of Chickasha claims the life of a Grady County woman. 36-year old Samantha Gunnoe of Amber was taken to Grady Memorial Hospital where she died. Four vehicles were involved in pile-up that happened just south of U.S. Highway 81 and Country Club Road Wednesday morning about 9:00 a.m. The highway patrol reports that Gunnoe was eastbound in the cut-through of the highway and drove into the path of a southbound car. The collision sent Gunnoe's car into the northbound lanes where it was struck by an oncoming pick-up. Gunnoe's car then crossed the southbound lanes of traffic and hit a parked truck. One of the other drivers identified as 60-year old Don Melot of Shawnee was taken to the hospital where he was treated and released. A third driver identified as 68-year old Carolyn McGruder of Chickasha was not hurt. The accident shut down the highway for several hours.
OSBI Describes Fatal Officer-Involved Shooting
Here is an update to an OSBI investigation into that deadly officer-involved shooting in Chickasha Tuesday night. Agents say Chickasha police responded to a 9-1-1 call about a suicidal woman who had a gun. Officers found the woman and a man outside the home when they arrived. Officers tried to get the woman to put the gun down, but she ran into the home and fired multiple shots. At one point, the woman raised the gun and pointed it at officers, who fired their weapons. Later, officers saw the woman walking around inside the home and again she refused commands to put the gun down. Officers heard another gunshot and when the officers entered the house they found that the woman had died. No names have been released and OSBI says the officers names will not be released unless charges are filed by the district attorney. The medical examiner will determine how the woman died.
Back-to-School Programs Scheduled
Here are a couple of back-to-school programs for some area students. Anadarko Public Schools will have its back-to-school expo and meet-and-greet on Thursday, Aug. 5th from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at Warrior Fieldhouse. There will be free hot dogs, popcorn, and drinks, free school supplies and books, free haircuts for the first 80 students, and they will have door prize giveaways. COVID vaccinations will be available for everyone 12 years of age and older. A parent or guardian must be with each student. Individuals must have their identification for the vaccinations. In Chickasha, Michigan Avenue Baptist Church will have a back-to-school bash and resource fair on Saturday, Aug. 7th from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. They will be giving away more than 250 backpacks, supplies, and personal care items. They will also provide free haircuts and clothing, and they will have a free lunch and sno-cones. The state health department will provide free COVID vaccinations for everyone 12 years of age and older and will also provide free sports physicals. All students must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
Energy and Metals
Crude oil on the NYMEX is $72.39 per barrel.
London-based Brent crude is $74.74.
Natural gas is $4.04 per million BTUs.
Gold is $1,827 and silver is $25.57.
Obituary
Dorothy Dixon
A graveside service for Dorothy Dixon, 82, of Oklahoma City will be held at 10:00 a.m. Saturday, July 31st at the Mt. Olivet Cemetery in Pauls Valley. Arrangements are with Sevier Funeral Home.
Wednesday, July 28th
OSBI Investigates Fatal Officer-Involved Shooting
The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation (OSBI) has been summoned to look into a deadly officer-involved shooting that took place in Chickasha last night. OSBI officials tell our partners at KWTV News 9 that agents were called out to the neighborhood of 12th and Tennessee Avenue between 6:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. It wasn't clear why police were sent to the area. Very little information has been released. OSBI has only reported that shots were fired, one person has died and officers were involved. The names of the individual who died and the police officers involved have not been released
Trooper Investigates Crash
State troopers were called out to a motor vehicle accident east of Ninnekah yesterday. The accident happened at State Highway 19 and CR 1420 which is also known as Dell Street. The accident happened about 2:30 p.m. Tuesday and the intersection was shut down for about 90 minutes. No information was available about the crash.
Teens Critically Hurt in Accident
A car full of teenagers runs a stop sign and crashes into a pick-up - and two of the teens were critically injured. The accident happened north of Medicine Park about 10:00 p.m. Monday. The teens were all 15 to 17 years old and the 17-year old driver was from Fletcher. The OHP does not release the names of juveniles who are involved in accidents. The two critically-injured teens were air-lifted to an Oklahoma City hospital while the other two were taken by ground ambulance to a Lawton Hospital. None of the teens were wearing seat belts. The driver of the pick-up identified as 51-year old Denis Delcamp of Elgin was taken by a private vehicle to a Lawton hospital where he was treated and released. Delcamp was wearing his seat belt.
One Critical After Head-on Collision
A head-on crash between two pickups critically injured one driver near Elgin Monday morning. 52-year old Thomas Morse of Sterling was airlifted to an Oklahoma City hospital following the crash. He was pinned in the wreckage for about 30 minutes. The driver of the other truck identified as 49-year old Kayle Klinekole of Elgin was taken to a Lawton Hospital where she was treated and released. The trooper investigating the accident said Klinekole failed to yield to oncoming traffic while trying to turn on to State Highway 17. Both drivers were wearing their seatbelts.
Report: Fuel Shortage Led to 'Rolling Blackouts'
Those rolling blackouts that took place when a polar vortex hit Oklahoma and Texas in February were mostly due to fuel shortages. The website OK Energy Today cites a report from the Missouri Independent that the shortage was mostly in natural gas. Officials with The Southwest Power Pool have spent the last few months reviewing reasons for the blackouts. It found that less than half of the power pool's 'accredited' natural gas-powered electricity was available at the height of the extremely cold weather.
Two Blood Drives Being Held Today
The Oklahoma Blood Institute is in Chickasha for a couple of blood drives today. One is at Around the Clock Home Care at 313 Chickasha Avenue which is from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. The other is at the University of Science and Arts Ballroom which runs from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. No appointment is needed at either location.
Rock Island Arts Fest, Related Events to Return
One of the next big events in Chickasha is just a couple of months away. The city will host the 13th Rock Island Arts Festival the first weekend in October. The festival is three events rolled into one weekend. The Arts Festival is a three-day event, while Saturday brings the Rock Island Ride bicycle tour and the Oklahoma Food Truck competition. Word is there are already 35 food trucks that could take part with $10,000 in prize money to be paid out. For the arts festival, it is hosted by the Chickasha Area Arts Council and vendor spaces are still available. This Sunday, August 1st is the last day to purchase a space without a late fee. Applications and information about the festival is available on the festival’s website: www.rockislandartsfestival.org and you can also check out social media for info.
Energy and Metals
Crude oil on the NYMEX is $71.65 per barrel.
London-based Brent crude is $74.58.
Natural gas is $3.97 per million BTUs.
Gold is $1,804 and silver is $24.85.
Tuesday, July 27th
Missing Woman May Have Been Seen in Chickasha
The Caddo County Sheriff's Office continues following up on tips about 55-year old Dawn Sherrill who went missing from her rural Anadarko home last week. Sheriff Spencer Davis says one of those tips led authorities to a Chickasha fast food restaurant. Davis says they are working to get video surveillance from Taco Bell to determine if Sherrill may have been there. Davis said a tip that Sherrill may have been seen in Oklahoma City didn't pan out. Today is Day Six of the search for Sherrill who was recently diagnosed and had surgery for brain cancer. Her son said she may be confused or disoriented. Sherrill left her home in a 2007 red Ford F-150 pickup that had a black tailgate and a barbecue smoker in the bed. Anyone with information about Dawn Sherrill is asked to reach out to the Caddo County Sheriff's Office or local police.
Equipment Stolen from Chickasha Sports Complex
Thousands of dollars in equipment was stolen from the Chickasha sports complex last week. Kyle Marks, the city's Parks and Recreation Director says thieves managed to steal a UTV and a chain saw and that he's trying to determine of anything else is missing. Marks estimates the value of the stolen merchandise is anywhere from $10,000 to $20,000. The break-in occurred about 4:00 a.m. Friday, July 23rd. Marks says the culprits worked pretty fast as they were in and out in just a matter of a few minutes. He said video surveillance inside the building shows two hooded individuals rolling a Gator out of the building. Marks said video cameras outside of the building weren't working. Chickasha police are investigating. Anyone with information about the break-in can call Grady County Crimestoppers at 405-224-TIPS and anonymous tips can also be sent to the Grady County Crimestoppers Facebook page.
Open Transfer Coming to Oklahoma Public Schools
There are a lot of benefits for students who attend small school districts. Among them is that the student-to-teacher ratio is much lower which allows for additional one-on-one instruction. But a new state policy that will go into effect next year could change that. Alex School Superintendent Keith Weldon tells KOOL-RANCH News-
Weldon said Alex is fortunate to have one teacher and a teacher's assistant in every classroom.
Anadarko Town Hall Meeting Scheduled
A town hall meeting will be held in Anadarko next week to discuss a number of infrastructure projects proposed to improve areas like water and sewer services. A post on the city's Facebook page indicates residents will also be able to bring their ideas for improvements which city leaders may consider. The town hall meeting will be Tuesday, Aug. 3rd at 6:00 p.m. at the library. Also at Anadarko, city officials recognized long-time city employee Rodney Green for 30 years of service. Green, who is the supervisor of the city's electric department began his career as a meter reader in 1991.
Energy and Metals
Crude oil on the NYMEX is $71.91 per barrel.
London-based Brent crude is $74.50.
Natural gas is $4.10 per million BTUs.
Gold is $1,801 and silver is $25.22.
Obituary
Kenneth Pace, Jr.
A graveside service for Kenneth Pace, Jr., 61, will be held at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, July 31st at Rose Hill Cemetery. Arrangements are with Sevier Funeral Home. Memorial contributions may be made to the SLO/RSH Foundation in Fargo, North Dakota.
Monday, July 26th
Storms Bring Heavy Rains, Power Outages
Midsummer thunderstorms dropped anywhere from a half- inch to an inch of rain throughout Grady and Caddo counties last night. One weather reporting service showed the rainfall rate in Chickasha was more than 3 1/2 inches per hour. There were also power outages with a number of Public Service Company of Oklahoma (PSO) customers in the west and southwest parts of Chickasha going dark last night. PSO reports there are still a handful of outages this morning near the Nazarene Church and the Chickasha school's agriculture barns. There are also scattered outages throughout the region for some CK Energy and Rural Electric Cooperative customers.
Silver Alert Still Active for Missing Anadarko Woman
Authorities are continuing their search for Dawn Sherrill, the Anadarko woman who has been missing since last Wednesday. The Caddo County Sheriff’s Office issued a Silver Alert for Sherrill, who was diagnosed with brain cancer just a few weeks ago. She had surgery to remove one mass and another was said to have been inoperable. Over the weekend, ground and air searches were conducted by family members, law enforcement, and pilots from the Chickasha Wings Flying School. She could be driving a red Ford F-150 pickup that had a smoker in the back. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Caddo County Sheriff's Office or local law enforcement.
Cleveland County Silver Alert Canceled
In a related story a Silver Alert issued for a missing Lexington woman over the weekend was canceled after she was located. 71-year old Shirley Coker was reported missing about 10:30 p.m. Saturday by the Cleveland County Sheriff's Office. The alert was canceled early Sunday morning. There was no information available about where she may have been found.
Grady County Rancher Named 'Cattleman of the Year'
A Grady County rancher is honored for his long service to his trade. Harold Gillenwaters was named Cattleman of the Year at the Oklahoma Cattlemen's Association annual convention over the weekend. Harold and his wife Donna own and operate a ranch where they raise Angus cattle. The Gillenwaters have been active not only with the Oklahoma Cattlemen's Association but the Grady County Cattlemen's Association as well. Gillenwaters just completed a term on the Oklahoma Cattlemen's Association executive committee where he served as the southwest district's vice president.
Verden Schools to Offer Shooting Sports, Fishing
Oklahoma school districts will be opening their classrooms in the next couple of weeks. At Verden, Superintendent Mickey Edwards said they are offering a number of non-traditional extra-curricular activities.
All the programs are offered through the State Department of Wildlife. The first day of classes for Verden Public Schools is Thursday, August 12th.
Energy and Metals
Crude oil on the NYMEX is $72.07 per barrel.
London-based Brent crude is $74.10.
Natural gas is $4.06 per million BTUs.
Gold is $1,812 and silver is $25.45.
Obituary
Donald Habener
Funeral service for Donald Habener, 65, of Chickasha will be held at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 27th at Ferguson Funeral Home.
