Saturday, Feb. 19th
State Lawmaker Hears from Legendary OU Coach
About the National Child Identification Program
There are reports that more than 800,000 children are reported missing in America every year. State Rep. Brad Boles (R-Marlow) whose district includes areas of Grady, McClain, and Stephens counties, met with legendary OU football coach Barry Switzer this week to discuss the National Child ID Program which the coach is helping to promote. In his media column this week, Boles said the program provides the tools that parents need to collect their children's information. That includes documentation about physical characteristics, fingerprints, and DNA which can then be given to law enforcement. Parents can keep the information in a secure place at home. More information is available from the website: www.childidprogram.com
Oklahoma U.S. Senator Visits Chickasha
Oklahoma U.S. Senator James Lankford spent some time visiting with Chickasha area residents yesterday. KOOL-Ranch News had the opportunity to talk with him about a number of issues including the national debt. Lankford said that number is now $30 trillion which is more than the total U.S. economy - but no one, Democrats nor Republicans, want to talk about it.
Missing Caddo County Woman Found
A Silver Alert that had been issued for a missing Caddo County woman earlier this week has been canceled. Apache police issued the alert for 59-year old Wanda Fowler after she left her son's home for a walk and never returned. Assistant Apache Police Chief Chelsey Gordon said they put together a search team and looked for Fowler for several hours Monday. Then authorities received a call from an individual who said she saw Fowler in Lawton. Lawton police and Fowler's daughter found Fowler at that location. She was in good condition and returned home.
No Grady County Jury Duty Next Week
Grady County residents who received a summons for jury duty next week do not have to report. District Judge Kory Kirkland said the lone case that was scheduled to go to trial was settled out of court, so anyone who received a jury duty notice will not have to appear at the Grady County courthouse Monday, February 21st.
Talk Show Topics
Here's what we're talking about this weekend. Dr. R.P. Ashanti-Alexander is our guest on KOOL Konversation talking about Black History Month. Oklahoma U.S. Senator James Lankford is our guest on Real Estate Today. Find links to both programs under the Community tab on this website.
Obituary
Lois Edwards
Funeral service for Lois Edwards, 95, of Anadarko will be at 10:00 a.m. Monday, February 21st at Bible Baptist Church in Chickasha. Arrangements are with Sevier Funeral Home.
Friday, Feb. 18th
Rush Springs Community Unites to Help Local Family
The Rush Springs community is pitching in to help a long-time local family whose business was destroyed by fire. Miller's Fruit Stand was a total loss in the fire early Thursday morning. Fire officials say lightning from thunderstorms that moved through the area before dawn was likely to blame. The Millers have been part of the community for years and always has a big presence at the annual watermelon festival each August. In addition to the destruction of the fruit stand, KSWO-TV reports that Todd Miller is hospitalized with second and third degree burns over nearly 30 percent of his body that he suffered while burning trash last month. A lot of people are stepping up to lend a hand. One business has offered to rebuild the fruit stand and Rush Springs school students will help build fruit racks. Grady County Commissioner Ralph Beard and others will spend the next few days cleaning up the debris so that rebuilding can begin. A ‘Help the Millers Rebuild’ Facebook page has been created to accept donations and a GoFundMe account has been established to help the family with Todd's medical expenses.
Chickasha Police Officers Receive Promotions
Two Chickasha police officers are being rewarded for their work and service. Master Sergeant Jason Myrko has been promoted to lieutenant and Corporal Eric Burkhart has been promoted to sergeant. Police Chief Dee Rowell said a formal ceremony will be held next week and the promotions will be effective Feb. 26th.
Grady County Events Nominated for Best in Chickasaw Country
Several events in the region have been nominated as best events in their respective categories. The Chickasaw Nation recently accepted nominations of attractions, restaurants, and businesses in 14 categories. Nominees from Grady County include Chickasha's Festival of Light as Best Festival; Chickasha's Rock Island Ride as best run or ride; the Grady County Museum as best museum; the Washita Theater and the Chickasha Community Theatre as best live performance venue; Salt Creek Casino as best casino; and The Plantation at Coal Creek in Tuttle as best wedding venue. Voting is open to anyone who lives within the Chickasaw Nation and the last day to cast ballots is Monday, Feb. 28th. Voting can be done on-line on the website: www.chickasawcountry.com
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 you're asked to contact the sheriff's office by calling 405-222-5085.
Energy and Metals
Crude oil on the NYMEX is $91.76 per barrel.
London-based Brent crude is $92.97.
Natural gas is $4.48 per million BTUs.
Gold is $1,891 and silver is $23.82.
Obituaries
Miranda Schwandt
Funeral service for Miranda Schwant, 20, of Chickasha is pending with Sevier Funeral Home.
Alberta Butler
Funeral service for Alberta Butler, 68, of Chickasha will be at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, February 19th at the First Baptist Church at 1st and Dakota. Arrangements are with Brown-Thomas Funeral Home.
‘Renee’ Minton
A memorial service for 60-year old Charlotte ' Renee' Minton of Alex will be held at 10:30 a.m. Monday, February 21st at the Alex High School gymnasium. Arrangements are with Sevier Funeral Home. Memorial contributions may be made to Alex Public Schools.
Thursday, Feb. 17th
Chix Sports Complex Gets Facelift
The Chickasha Sports Complex has hosted hundreds of baseball and softball tournaments and local events over the years. City officials say that a half-million people nationwide come to town for the tournaments held there each year. The complex features more than a dozen baseball, softball, and youth soccer fields. The facility has been undergoing major upgrades over the last few weeks. The city recently spent about $100,000 to hire United Turf and Track out of Arcadia, Okla. to make improvements which include leveling fields. The sprinkler system has been upgraded, and the bathrooms have new plumbing and sinks. There's also new lighting along the walkways. The sports complex will welcome its first teams of the spring and summer schedule this weekend as the No. 3 ranked USAO softball team will host the Southern Collegiate Sports NAIA Invitational. Teams from nine universities and colleges including three ranked in the top ten will be playing tomorrow and Saturday.
Chix Native to be Honored by Tulsa Theater
A theater in Tulsa will be adding the name of a Chickasha native to its Walk of Fame. The Circle Cinema will be adding a medallion and star to honor Cleavon Little later this year. Little is known for his role as Sheriff Bart in the Mel Brooks movie Blazing Saddles. He starred in the 1970s TV series Temperatures Rising and was also in a number of productions on and off Broadway. He was born in Chickasha in 1939 and The Encyclopedia of the Great Plains says his family moved to California in 1953 when Little was about 13 years old. His acting honors include a Tony Award, a Drama Desk Award, and a Primetime Emmy Award. He does have a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The American Academy of Dramatic Arts created an endowment for a Cleavon Little Scholarship which provides help to minority students. Little passed away from cancer 1992 at the age of 53.
Community Meeting with U.S. Sen. Lankford Moved
Oklahoma U.S. Senator James Lankford will be in Chickasha tomorrow for a community meeting. Originally, the meeting was to be held at the chamber of commerce. However, due to the high demand of constituents wanted to hear from him the meeting has been moved to the Grady County Fairgrounds. Lankford's program will be in the Community Building from about 1:30 to 2:30 tomorrow afternoon.
Oklahoma Leads the Nation in Number of Military Veterans
Receiving Service-Connected Disability Benefits
There's a new report that shows Oklahoma is No. 1 in the country for the number of veterans that receive federal, service-connected disability benefits. The State Department of Veterans Affairs says Oklahoma military veterans receive $2.4 billion in benefits. In a press release, Department of Veterans Affairs director Joel Kintzel said about 100,000 veterans have some level of service-connected disability which is one out of every three veterans. State officials from the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Disabled American Veterans, and Paralyzed American Veterans all praised the news. Officials say there are still many veterans who are eligible for disability benefits who have not applied for them. Locally, individuals can contact the Grady County DAV chapter in Chickasha at 6th and Chickasha Avenue or visit the website: oklahoma.gov/veterans
Energy and Metals
Crude oil on the NYMEX is $93.66 per barrel.
London-based Brent crude is $94.81.
Natural gas is $4.71 per million BTUs.
Gold is $1,887 and silver is $23.76.
Obituary
Sondra Jarvis
Funeral service for Sondra Jarvis, 79, of Cement will be at 10:00 a.m. Monday, February 21st at Christ Our Savior Lutheran Church in Chickasha. Arrangements are with McRay Funeral Home.
Wednesday, Feb. 16th
County Commissioner Faces New Charges
District 1 Grady County Commissioner Mike Walker is facing additional felony charges associated with allegations that he embezzled county funds and materials. Arrest warrants were issued yesterday for Walker and Neal Locke, who is Walker's assistant at the county barn in Tuttle. Both men voluntarily surrendered to authorities. They were photographed, fingerprinted, and processed at the jail and were released on their own recognizance after their arraignments. Walker was first charged two years ago of embezzling about $30,000 in county funds and materials to pave a private road to his Tuttle home and is awaiting trial on that charge. He's now facing five new felonies which include illegally recording conversations of county employees. The charges include unlawful use of communication, intimidation of a witness, and conspiracy. Locke has been charged with two counts of unlawful communication for installing devices to secretly record conversations and conspiracy. Their court appearances on these charges are scheduled in April.
Anadarko Sinkhole Will Lead to Costly Repairs
A sinkhole discovered in Anadarko is expected to be a costly fix. City Manager Kenneth Corn posted a video of the sinkhole on the city's Facebook page. Corn said the sewer line collapse at the intersection of 7th and Kansas Avenue could cost upwards of $600,000 to repair. He said some of the problems are that the sewer was line improperly installed, and that instead of sewer water being sent to the waste water treatment plant it was actually flowing backwards. Corn said it could take four to six weeks to complete repairs.
Science and Arts to Host 'Children of The Civil Rights' Film
To commemorate Black History Month, the University of Science and Arts will hold a screening of the film 'Children of The Civil Rights.' The documentary highlights the efforts of several Oklahoma City youth who spent years going into segregated restaurants and asking for service. After six years, the group was successful in desegregating every restaurant but one and it all happened before the 1964 Civil Rights Act was signed into law. The university's Fisher Center for Social Justice and Racial Healing, as well as the university’s Student Services Department are hosting the film. It will be followed by a panel discussion which will include some of the original sit-in participants. The program is free and open to the public and will be held at 10:00 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 22nd at Te Ata Memorial Auditorium. It will also be live-streamed at usao.edu/black-heritage
Grady County GOP sets Meeting
The Grady County Republican Party will host some candidates for national offices this week. Jackson Lahmeyer of Tulsa is an announced candidate for U.S. Senate and James Taylor of Oklahoma City is an announced candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives. The group normally meets at Bible Baptist Church but this meeting has been moved to seminar center at the Canadian Valley Technology Center tomorrow night. A light spaghetti dinner will be served at 6:30 p.m. with the program starting at 7:00 p.m. More information is available on the group's Facebook page.
Energy and Metals
Crude oil on the NYMEX is $92.07 per barrel.
London-based Brent crude is $93.28.
Natural gas is $4.31 per million BTUs.
Gold is $1,856 and silver is $23.54.
Obituary
Marsha Jean Lewis
A graveside service for Marsha Jean Lewis, 57, of Chickasha was held at 11:00 a.m. today (Wednesday, February 16th) at Pioneer Cemetery. Arrangements were with Brown-Thomas Funeral Home.
Tuesday, Feb. 15th
Extreme Fire Threat will be in Effect Today
Chickasha and Grady County firefighters spent several hours battling fires yesterday and the threat for wildfires will be extremely high today. Fire crews from Chickasha and a number of Grady County volunteer departments were called out just east of Chickasha Monday where several structures burned. The fire broke out about 1:30 on Jay's Arena Road just south of U.S. Highway 62. Fire crews also battled a grass fire was reported just south of Chickasha. Much of western Oklahoma will be under a red-flag fire warning this afternoon because of high winds, warm temperatures and low humidity levels. Among the areas in the red-flag fire warning area from noon to 7:00 p.m. are Canadian, Caddo, and Comanche counties and points west. Grady County is under a wind advisory from noon to 6:00 p.m. Afternoon highs will be around 70 with sustained south winds to 25-30 miles per hour and gusts to 45 mph. Many counties do have burn bans in effect. See a map of the counties with burn bans on this website: https://forestry.ok.gov/burn-ban-info
Longtime Doctor Linda Johnson Dies
Long-time Chickasha physician Dr. Linda Johnson has died. She was 78 when she passed away at her home this past weekend. She was born in San Antonio, Texas and then the family moved to Chickasha. She battled polio as a child. She graduated from Chickasha High School and the Oklahoma College for Women, now USAO, and was the first woman to attend the surgical program at OU. She worked at the Chickasha Clinic which is now the Southern Plains Medical Group and Grady Memorial Hospital until her retirement in 2017. A memorial service will be held at a later date. Memorial contributions may be made to any of her favorite charities which include Relay for Life of Grady and Caddo Counties; Special Young Adults; the Alzheimer's Association; and the Parkinson Foundation.
Silver Alert Still in Affect for Missing Apache Woman
Officials in Apache say a Silver Alert remains in effect for a woman who hasn't been seen since last Friday. Authorities are hoping someone can provide information about 59-year old Wanda Fowler. Apache Police Chief Brian Barnett tells KOOL/RANCH News that Fowler walked away from her son's home last Friday afternoon to go for a walk and never returned. Barnett said as of Monday that no tips had been called in and they may soon coordinate a search party to locate her. He said there is a wooded area near the home. Anyone with information about Wanda Fowler is asked to contact Apache police, the Caddo County Sheriff’s Office, or a local law enforcement agency.
Companies Sought for March Job Fair
Businesses looking for employees and individuals looking for work can meet in a job fair that will be in Chickasha next month. The South Central Oklahoma Workforce Board will hold the job fair on Friday, March 4th from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the Canadian Valley Technology Center. The group is inviting employers to reach out as soon as possible as there are limited booth spaces available. For information send an e-mail to: erin@scworkforceboard.org
Repeat 'America's Got Talent' Group in Chickasha This Week
A popular act from the NBC Reality Show America's Got Talent will perform in Chickasha this week. A Denver, Colorado based group called the Silhouettes, which is a shadow dance group, will be part of the Davis-Waldorf Performing Arts Series at USAO Thursday night. Lynne Waggoner-Patton is the founder of the group which has been on AGT several times.
Waggoner-Patton says the group gives back to communities in a number of ways including raising more than $100,000 for homeless children in America. Thursday's performance will be at 7:30 p.m. at Te Ata Memorial Auditorium. A limited number of tickets are still available for purchase at the USAO Business Office.
Energy and Metals
Crude oil on the NYMEX is $95.46 per barrel.
London-based Brent crude is $96.48.
Natural gas is $4.20 per million BTUs.
Gold is $1,856 and silver is $23.43.
Obituaries
Robbie James
Funeral service for Robbie James, 68, Tuttle is pending with Sevier Funeral Home of Tuttle.
Frances Green
A graveside service for Frances Green, 87, of Oklahoma City and formerly of Chickasha was held yesterday at Rose Hill Cemetery in Chickasha. Arrangements were with Ferguson Funeral Home.
Monday, Feb. 14th
Grady County Sees Spike in Consumer Spending
Consumer spending in Grady County was up significantly in the most recent report available. It's estimated that nearly $95 million was spent on taxable goods and services last November and its the highest level in nearly two years. It’s up 35 percent from October and up 76 percent compared to November of 2020. As a result of that consumer spending Grady County received nearly $710,000 in sales tax revenues. Here is how the money was divvied up, all of which received the approval of Grady County voters. The Grady County Fairgrounds received $236,000; Grady Memorial Hospital received $209,000; each of the seven senior nutrition centers shared $118,000 ($17,000 each); the 20 county fire districts shared $118,000 ($6,000 each); Tuttle EMS received $22,000; and Rush Springs EMS received $5,500.
Silver Alert in Place for Missing Apache Woman
A Silver Alert remains in effect for a missing Caddo County woman. The Apache Police Department issued the alert for Wanda Fowler, a 59-year old white female. A photo shows her to have shoulder-length brown hair. The alert indicated that Fowler has a medical or physical disability and is in imminent danger. Fowler was last seen at 616 West Apache Trail Road about 4:30 Friday afternoon. She was wearing a blue knit sweater, blue jeans, and possibly a dark blue or black jacket. It wasn't clear if she was driving or on foot. Anyone with information about Wanda Fowler is asked to contact Apache Police or their local law enforcement agency.
Teen Driver Hospitalized Following Rollover
A teen-aged driver is in critical condition after a weekend crash. 19-year old Gentry Kiley of Mountain View was taken to an Oklahoma City hospital after the Saturday crash that happened near the junction of State Highways 58 and 152 north of Carnegie. The highway patrol said Kiley was driving too fast to go around a curve, ran off the road and rolled three times, throwing him and two passengers of the truck. The passengers were identified as 19-year old Adrien Kodaseet and 36-year old James Chalepah both of Carnegie and neither were hurt.
Firefighters Take Part in Destry Horton Fire School
A number of volunteer firefighters across the state took part in the annual Destry Horton Fire School in Lawton over the weekend. The school is named in honor of the Rush Springs volunteer firefighter who died after being critically injured while battling a wildfire in 2004. This was the 11th year for the school which was a three-day event held at the Great Plains Technology Center. Firefighters received training in areas that included Downed Firefighter Rescue and Driving Emergency Vehicles.
Swine Results from Southwest District Livestock Show
Here are the results from the swine show held during the Southwest District Livestock show at the Grady County Fairgrounds over the weekend. For the purebred gilts, Mason Pritchart of Weatherford had the grand champion; Garrison Bass of Minco had the reserve; and Kaitlyn Bryant of Weatherford had the bronze. For commercial gilts, Rhett Sites of Granite had the grand champion; Hadley Cooper of Amer-Pocasset had the reserve; and Jackson Bow of Merritt had the bronze. For the barrows, Kinley Bratcher of Rush Springs had the grand; Madeline Norvell of Amber-Pocasset had the reserve; and Brinliee Williams of Merritt had the bronze.
Energy and Metals
Crude oil on the NYMEX is $93.10 per barrel.
London-based Brent crude is $94.44.
Natural gas is $3.94 per million BTUs.
Gold is $1,857 and silver is $23.68.
Obituary
Betty Koenig
A graveside service for Betty Lou Graham Koenig of Chickasha will be held at 2:00 p.m. Tuesday, February 15th at the Verden Cemetery. Arrangements are with McRay Funeral Home. Memorial contributions may be made to The Children's Center Rehabilitation Hospital.
