Saturday, August 28th
Human Bones Id'd as Long-time Missing Chickasha Man
A human skeleton found in Caddo County two years ago has been identified as a man who had been missing from Chickasha for more than 30 years. The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation said the remains were those of Alvin Stark. A laboratory at the University of North Texas identified the remains. Stark's sister, Rebecca Fowler, reported him missing in May of 1988. She said Stark had planned to go fishing with her husband the day he went missing but never showed up. Fowler told the Oklahoman that she never lost hope that she would find her brother. She said that while she will never see him again the news brought her some peace as the family prepares to lay him to rest. Stark's death was believed to have been a homicide. Chickasha police identified a suspect during their investigation but without Stark's remains at the time there was not enough evidence to charge that individual. Authorities say the suspect has since died.
Teen Charged with Rape to be Tried as Adult
A teenager will be tried as an adult after prosecutors say he violently raped his girlfriend. 15-year old Paden Lane Herrmann of Binger was charged as a youthful offender in Caddo County District Court yesterday. The Lawton Constitution reports Herrmann faces two rape charges and will be tried as an adult due to the violent nature of the allegations. The charges stem from two separate incidents that occurred in June. Herrmann is being held at a Lawton juvenile detention center on a $100,000 bond. He's scheduled to be back in court September 30th for a preliminary hearing conference.
Finalists for Chix City Manager Post Have Interviews
Four finalists for the vacant Chickasha city manager post are in town for interviews this weekend. The candidates and their families are spending the weekend in town and are expected to tour the community to test the waters should they be hired. There's a lot going on for the candidates to experience. Last night, the high school football team won its season opener, the Grady County Fair wraps up today, there's a truck and tractor pull at the fairgrounds, the city's sports complex has a big tournament, and the University of Science and Arts soccer teams have home games tonight. A special meeting of the city council will be held today where the group will go behind closed doors for the formal interviews. There's no word on when a new city manager may be named.
106th Grady County Fair Wraps Up Today
As we just mentioned today is the final day of the 106th Grady County Fair. The rabbit, poultry, and cattle shows are all today. The carnival opens at noon and the commercial booths are open much of the day. There is a children's pet show at 4:30 this afternoon and the kiddie tractor pull is this evening. The final event at the Grady County Fairgrounds will be the Outlaw Truck and Tractor Pull at the outdoor rodeo arena. The pit area opens at 4:30 p.m. with the event starting at 7:00 p.m. Tickets will be available at the gate.
High School Football Scores
Chickasha 51, Altus 7
Tuttle 28, Sulphur 0
Newcastle 40, Cleveland 0
Destiny Christian 64, Alex 18
Lindsay 20, Pauls Valley 0
Casasdy 29, Carnegie 0
Wayne 37, Apache 6
Friday, August 27th
Body Found Outside Marlow Cemetery
Authorities are investigating a body found near the Marlow Cemetery. A utility crew discovered the body yesterday. Stephens County Sheriff Wayne McKinney tells KSWO-TV that the body appears to be that of a male and that it had been there for some time. McKinney did not give an estimate on how old the individual may have been. Officials are working to identify the remains and the cause of death.
Clean Up Chickasha Campaign Winding Down
There are a couple more days left for the Cleanup Chickasha campaign. Residents and business owners can dispose of large debris at a couple of sites which have those large roll-off dumpsters to put furniture, old lumber, limbs or other items into. There are two dumpsters at 6th and Frisco Avenue until 3 p.m. today and again from 9:00 a.m. to noon tomorrow. There are four roll-off dumpsters at the city's public works headquarters which will be available until 5:00 p.m. today and 9:00 a.m. to noon tomorrow. Items that should not be placed in the dumpsters are hazardous materials, tires, paint, insecticides, herbicides, and motor oil.
Grady County Fair Continues
Here's what's happening at the Grady County Fair today. The commercial booths will get going at 10 o'clock this morning and the swine show will be this afternoon. The OHCE will have Indian tacos, sandwiches, and home-made cinnamon rolls in the north exhibit building. The noon meal from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. in the community building is beans and cornbread and the evening meal is southern fried chicken.The carnival will open at 6:00 p.m. and it will be armband night once again. Live music tonight will be Billy Davis and the Band of Brothers. Tomorrow is the big day for activities with the rabbit, poultry, and swine shows, the pet show for the little ones in the afternoon, the 4H and FFA tractor driving contest, and the ag Olympics. The carnival will open at noon and tomorrow night the Outlaw Truck and Tractor Pull will put an exclamation point on the weekend of activities at the fairgrounds. Gates for the truck and tractor pull open at 4:30 p.m. to visit the pit area and the pull starts at 7:00 p.m. Tickets will be $20 per person at the gate.
Chix Chamber to Host 34th Annual Golf Tournament
The annual Chickasha Chamber of Commerce golf tournament is just a couple of weeks away. The 34th annual event will be Friday, Sept. 10th at the Club at Chickasha - formerly the Chickasha Golf and Country Club. The chamber is registering four-person teams and there will be shotgun starts at both 8:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. There will be breakfast for the morning players and lunch for the afternoon players and everyone will get a swag bag full of goodies from chamber members. Teams can register on-line at the chamber's website: www.chickashachamber.com or by reaching out to the chamber office for more information.
Talk Show Topics
Here's what we're talking about this weekend. Daniel Edwards and John Smith with Maranatha Baptist Church will be on the KOOL Konversation discussing a new American Heritage Girls program. It’s a national faith-based program for girls ages 5 to 18. On Real Estate Today, we'll be talking with Sue Getman with the Chickasha Area Arts Council about the Rock Island Arts Festival and Phillip and Katy Wint about the Rock Island Ride that will be held in conjunction with the festival. Find links to both programs under the Community tab on this website.
Energy and Metals
Crude oil on the NYMEX is $67.42 per barrel.
London-based Brent crude is $70.18.
Natural gas is $4.18 per million BTUs.
Gold is $1,798 and silver is $23.72.
Obituaries
Susan Clark
Funeral service for Susan Clark, 66, of Chickasha will be at 2:00 p.m. Saturday, August 28th at Son Rise Baptist Church. Arrangements are with Sevier Funeral Home.
Merwin Turner
Funeral service for Merwin Turner, 68, of Alex will be at 2:00 pm. Tuesday, August 31st at Sevier Funeral Home.
Wanda Willis
A graveside service for Wanda Willis, 88, of Chickasha will be at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, August 31st at the Comanche Cemetery. Arrangements are with Ferguson Funeral Home. Visitation will be at the funeral home on Monday, August 30th from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Thursday, August 26th
Two Ninnekah School Board Members Resign;
Two Administrators Suspended in Light of Fed Lawsuit
The fallout begins at Ninnekah public schools in light of a federal lawsuit filed against the district regarding rape and sexual assault allegations against a former coach. Two school board members resigned in a special school board meeting yesterday and the superintendent and high school principal were both suspended. School board President Rusty Garrett and board clerk Scott Miller resigned. The remaining board members suspended Superintendent Todd Bunch and High School Principal David Pitts with pay, pending the outcome into an investigation related to the lawsuit. The action comes after a dozen former girls basketball players alleged their coach sexually assaulted them, and that administrators were told of the allegations but took no action. Also, three more former players have come forward alleging that then-coach Ron Akins molested them. Both Garrett and Miller were long-time members of the school board. In Garrett's resignation letter he said the passion he once had for serving the district is not what it should be. Miller wrote that he hopes this small step might aid in the healing process for the community and further dispel any possible conflicts of interest. About 60 people attended yesterday's meeting. One patron said the board's action was a big relief.
Crash Claims Life of Apache Woman; Injures Another
A Caddo County woman has died and another is hospitalized with numerous injuries following a traffic accident in southeast Oklahoma. 68-year old Betty Daugherty of Apache died in the crash that happened west of Hugo Wednesday morning. She was a passenger in a pickup driven by 70-year old Phyllis Davis also of Apache. Davis was last in stable condition. The highway patrol reports that Davis failed to yield to oncoming traffic and hit another pickup. Two individuals in the other truck were from Antlers. They were taken to a hospital and treated and released.
Cel Phone Search in Truck Leads to Accident
A Caddo County man is hospitalized after his one-ton truck runs off a county road rolls onto its side. 40-year old William Traywick of Apache was injured in the accident that happened about 3:30 p.m. Wednesday afternoon near Alfalfa which is north of Carnegie. The trooper investigating the accident reported that Traywick was looking for his cel phone when the truck ran off the road. The trooper reported there was an odor of alcohol at the scene.
Artists Sought to Paint Murals in Downtown Chix
Attention artists! An effort to paint some murals on buildings in downtown Chickasha is underway. The Economic Development Council and the Chickasha Area Arts Council are looking for requests for proposals to paint the first of several murals near the Rock Island Railroad Depot. Individual artists and groups are encouraged to apply. They are looking for original works that will be selfie-friendly for visitors and encourage the promotion of tourism. Requests for proposals are due by Sept. 20th and artists will be notified by Sept. 30th. The projects need to be completed by Nov. 24th which is about the time the Festival of Light will begin. The proposals may be sent to: chickashaarts@gmail.com or jim@chickashaedc.com
Grady County Fair Begins
The Grady County Fair gets underway today. The commercial exhibits will open at 11 o'clock with the goat and sheep shows to be held this afternoon. Those submitting cakes for the cake show can drop them off between noon and 2:30 with judging to follow and the cakes auctioned tonight. The carnival opens at 6 p.m. with wristband nights both tonight and tomorrow night. Wristbands are $25. The formal ribbon-cutting to open the fair is at 7 o'clock tonight. Live music tonight is Tim Brauer and First Look. Admission and parking to the 106th Grady County Fair are free. The event runs through Saturday at the Grady County Fairgrounds.
Energy and Metals
Crude oil on the NYMEX is $68.63 per barrel.
London-based Brent crude is $72.25.
Natural gas is $3.90 per million BTUs.
Gold is $1,787 and silver is $23.75.
Obituaries
Mary Cole
A memorial service may held at a later date for Mary Cole, 64, of Verden. She was a long-time trustee for the town of Verden. Arrangements are with Ferguson Funeral Home.
Karen Cox-Grammer
Funeral service for 59-year old Karen Cox-Grammer of Chickasha is pending with Brown-Thomas Funeral Home.
Robert ‘Rob’ Mack
A graveside service for Rob Mack, 81, of Rancho Palos Verdes, California will be at 10:00 a.m. Saturday at the Rush Springs Cemetery. Arrangements are with Ferguson Funeral Home.
Wednesday, August 25th
Ninnekah School Board to Consider Suspending
Superintendent, High School Principal
The Ninnekah Board of Education will hold a special meeting this afternoon to consider suspending the district's superintendent and the high school principal. Superintendent Todd Bunch and school principal David Pitts were both named in a federal lawsuit filed against the district by former girls basketball players who allege their one-time coach Ron Akins sexually assaulted them. One item on the agenda calls for accepting any resignations that may have been received. Another item is to consider hiring an attorney at the cost of $185 per hour to serve as an additional legal counsel for the district concerning the investigation of the conduct of school employees alleged in the lawsuit. The school board then has a proposed closed-door meeting to discuss the possible suspensions of the two administrators. The meeting was scheduled for 3:30 this afternoon.
Grady County Fair Opens Tomorrow
We are on the eve of the Grady County Fair! Officials have scheduled a full three days of events after last year's fair was scaled back due to the pandemic. Commercial vendors can set up their booth spaces today and fair officials are judging the still exhibits that were brought in yesterday. Also, the alfalfa hay show is this morning and they will be accepting bids on that hay. The un-official opening of the fair is tomorrow morning with a formal ribbon-cutting ceremony tomorrow night. The cake show, cake auction, sheep, and goat shows are among the highlights tomorrow. There are live bands both Thursday and Friday nights.
PSO Prepares for Street Light Inventory
Public Service Company of Oklahoma (PSO) is looking to improve the street lights in all 232 cities and towns it serves. PSO officials say they are getting ready for new and innovative lighting systems. The utility will start with a physical inventory of every street light in every community which is expected to wrap up by the end of the year or early next year. Officials say they'll be taking a look at about a dozen attributes of every streetlight and collect more accurate GPS coordinates. A press release indicates the work will help PSO personnel to more efficiently and effectively upgrade and restore the lights. PSO Customer Service Manager Brandon Sirman said that field personnel will be in PSO-served communities looking at every street light and even taking pictures of poles.
Science and Arts Has Near-Record Freshmen Enrollment
The University of Science and Arts is welcoming its largest freshman class in about 20 years. The number is a more than 80 percent increase over last year when the pandemic impacted enrollment at universities nationwide. Officials credit the increase at Science and Arts to a new scholarship program focused on accessibility and affordability, a more pro-active and assertive outreach, and a campus-wide commitment to improving the university through fund-raising and improved branding. Over the next five years officials aim to increase total enrollment to 1,200 students.
Energy and Metals
Crude oil on the NYMEX is $67.54 per barrel.
London-based Brent crude is $71.05.
Natural gas is $3.90 per million BTUs.
Gold is $1,796 and silver is $23.64.
Obituaries
Lorene Jobe
Funeral service for Lorene Jobe, 85, of Chickasha will be at 1:00 p.m. Friday, August 27th at the First Assembly of God. Arrangements are with Sevier Funeral Home.
Alexander Bickley
Funeral service Alexander Bickley, 24, of Lawton is pending with Brown-Thomas Funeral Home.
Tuesday, August 24th
Man Arrested for Beating Death of Girlfriend
A Chickasha man has been arrested for allegedly beating his girlfriend to death. 57-year old Russell Foreshee was arrested nearly two weeks after the woman's body was found in their home. Officials with the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation (OSBI) tell KWTV-News 9 that Chickasha police were called to a home in the 1300 block of West Washington Avenue in the early morning hours of Wednesday, August 11th and found Teresa McClellan unresponsive. It wasn't clear when she died. The state medical examiner determined that McClellan suffered numerous broken bones and blunt force trauma injures. Foreshee reportedly told investigators he had been beating McLellan for several days after finding out she was having an affair. Authorities allege Foreshee found McClellan unresponsive but waited before calling 9-1-1. It's also alleged Foreshee moved some items around the home which indicates he may have tampered with evidence. The report said Foresee has a history of drug use.
Chix School Officials Surveying Patrons
The Chickasha Public School district is collaborating with a couple of groups to hold a community survey about improvements that patrons believe are needed. The district is working with the Oklahoma State School Boards Association and a University of Oklahoma group called the K20 Center for Education Community Renewal. The information compiled while help develop a continuous strategic improvement plan to help develop long-term priorities and goals. Questions in the survey include what patrons value in the district; the five greatest challenges the district faces over the next 5-10 years; and what skills and abilities students need to have for their future success. You can find the survey on the Chickasha Public Schools Facebook page.
Areas of Chickasha May Have No or Low Water Pressure
Some areas in Chickasha may experience no or low water pressure today. Officials say the city's water treatment contractor USW will be flushing fire hydrants around town as a part of routine maintenance. Officials say this is not related to the blue-green algae problem in the lake at Shannon Springs Park.
Caddo County Man Accused of Trafficking Meth
A Caddo County man pulled over on a traffic stop was arrested on a complaint drug trafficking. Jacob McCurtain of Apache was pulled over by police in Lawton after driving left of center. KSWO-TV cites court documents that Lawton police summoned K9 officers which indicated that there may be narcotics in the vehicle. Authorities found about 84 milligrams of methamphetamine and seized more than $2,000 in cash. At his initial appearance in Comanche County District Court McCurtain was charged with drug trafficking, driving left of center, failure to yield to an emergency vehicle, possession of drug items, and having proceeds derived from illegal drug activity.
Tuttle Senior Named Grady County Fair Princess
The Grady County Fair Princess hails from Tuttle this year. Addilyn Lingle, a senior, was crowned following last night's pageant. Lingle was among a 11 candidates competing. Lingle will have a lot of work to do during the fair which opens in Thursday. 1st runner-up was Cassie Thompkins of Tuttle; second runner-up and Miss Congeniality was Kiera Link of Tuttle; third runner-up was Clara Duncan of Chickasha; and Miss Photogenic was Abbie Savage of Amber-Pocasset. By the way, still exhibits and ag mechanics projects can be entered at the fair from 3-5:30 this afternoon, with judging tomorrow.
Energy and Metals
Crude oil on the NYMEX is $65.64 per barrel.
London-based Brent crude is $68.75.
Natural gas is $3.95 per million BTUs.
Gold is $1,806 and silver is $23.76.
Obituary
Donald Monroe
Funeral service for Donald Monroe, 91, of Amber, a U.S. Army veteran, will be at 10:00 a.m. Thursday, August 26th at Ferguson Funeral Home.
Monday, August 23rd
Ninnekah Students to Continue Protest
(EDITOR’S NOTE – Following our morning news broadcast, the student rally scheduled for Monday was postponed in order to get a permit for the rally. The event was re-scheduled for 12:30 p.m. Tuesday, August 24th)
Ninnekah school students will have a second day of protests against the district. As many as 50 students walked out of class Friday to support former female student athletes who say they were sexually assaulted by their coach and that school officials were told about it and did nothing. Friday's rally came about when numerous people attending a Ninnekah School Board meeting Thursday night called for the resignations of the superintendent, high school principal, and the school board president. Sandy Smyth was among those at that meeting and at Friday's student march.
Expected to join the demonstration is a local chapter of Bikers Against Child Abuse (BACA) which is part of a worldwide charitable organization that works to empower abused children.
Grady County Court Docket Begins
Jury selection for a felony domestic violence trial is expected to get underway this morning in Grady County District Court. Caleb James Kelley is facing a charge of domestic assault and battery with a dangerous weapon stemming from a 2019 arrest. That case is to be heard by District Judge Kory Kirkland. Also scheduled is jury selection for a violation of a protective order trial against Jared Mikel Heger who is charged with a number of felonies dating back to 2015. That case is being heard by Associate District Judge Joey Young. Also scheduled is a child abuse trial for Jeffrey Scott Rasmussen who was arrested following a 2019 investigation.
Blue-Green Algae Still a Problem at Shannon Springs Park
Chickasha officials say a blue-green algae bloom in the lake at Shannon Springs Park still presents a problem after it was discovered last Friday. Mayor Chris Mosley said city crews, the Grady County Fire Department, and county emergency management tried to pump the affected water out of the lake and move it through Congo Creek. Mosley said people should still not fish at Shannon Springs and keep pets from drinking the water and swimming in it. The Mayor said it wasn't clear how long the blue-green algae might remain.
They mayor did say it is OK for families to use the splash pad at the park since it uses chlorinated water that comes from the water treatment plant.
Clean Up Chickasha Campaign Underway
A city-wide cleanup for Chickasha begins today as officials encourage residents and businesses to dispose of unwanted and unsightly items. Two large roll-off dumpsters will be located at 6th and Frisco Avenue from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. today through Friday. Those dumpsters will be picked up each afternoon and replaced the next morning. Four roll-off dumpsters will be available at the city's public works headquarters and will be available from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. today through Friday. The dumpsters at both locations will also be available Saturday morning from 9 a.m. to noon. For information follow Keep Chickasha Beautiful on Facebook.
Grady County Fair About to Begin
The 106th Grady County Fair opens later this week. Tonight, 12 young ladies will compete for the title of Fair Princess. A reception and interviews will get underway at 5 p.m. at the fairgrounds followed by the talent show at 6:30 p.m. Cash prizes will be awarded to the top finishers. Last year's fair princess was A.J. Jenkins.
Energy and Metals
Crude oil on the NYMEX is $62.32 per barrel.
London-based Brent crude is $65.18.
Natural gas is $3.85 per million BTUs.
Gold is $1,790 and silver is $23.41.
Obituaries
Faye Giles
A graveside service for Faye Giles, 70, of Mesa, Arizona and formerly of Chickasha will be at 1:00 p.m. Wednesday, August 25th at Ft. Sill National Cemetery in Elgin. Arrangements are with Ferguson Funeral Home.
Sarah Ann Dotson
A private memorial service for Sarah Ann Dotson, 81, of Chickasha will be held at a later date. Arrangements are with Ferguson Funeral Home.
