Saturday, Sept. 17th
Early-Morning Crash Injures Two; Takes Out Utility Poles
Work crews are still at the scene of an early morning crash in Chickasha where two people were injured and one of them taken to the hospital. The crash also damaged several utility poles. Chickasha police say the accident happened about 2:30 a.m. at the intersection of 9th and Grand Ave. and is still under investigation. Power crews were on the scene for several hours making repairs.
Fire Closes Caddo County Highway Friday Night
A truck fire led to a pasture fire which closed a Caddo County roadway last night. It happened on State Highway 19 east of Apache just before 8:30 p.m. The highway patrol reported the fire ignited some hay bales which then sparked the pasture fire. Several area fire departments were dispatched to beat back the flames. The highway was shut down about an hour and a half and was re-opened just before 10 p.m.
USAO, Redlands Team Up to Improve
Students' Employment Outlook
USAO and Redlands Community College have joined efforts to ensure their graduates are ready to meet the needs of the nation's workforce. In the first phase of the program the two institutions will share the positions of vice president for academic affairs, associate vice president of enrollment management, network security specialist, and director of printing services. USAO president John Feaver said it’s a unique collaboration of efforts between institutions with two very different missions, and that it allows both institutions to operate more efficiently and expand opportunities for students. Redlands President Jack Bryant said they hope it will encourage institutions across the country to look for more creative ways to meet the needs of the contemporary work place and modern-day college students.
Well Completions Reported Near Blanchard, Mustang
We have some well completions to share. Three wells on a single pad near Blanchard are bringing in a combined 2,000 barrels of oil and nearly 18,000 Mcf of natural gas per day. These are the Charles wells drilled by Native Exploration out of Oklahoma City. They are in the Woodford Formation about two miles east of Blanchard and were drilled to depths of more than 20,000 feet. Citizen Energy announced the completion of a couple of wells about three miles west of Mustang. They are the Kolar wells and together are producing about 600 barrels of oil and some 3,000 Mcf of natural gas per day. They were drilled to a depth of nearly 15,000 feet.
Saturday Happenings in, Around Chix
There's alot of activity in Chickasha today. The Saturday Night Cruisers are having their annual car show. That will be getting underway this morning at the First Baptist Church parking lot at 4th and Minnesota. The monthly Coffee and Cars Chickasha event is joining that car show this morning. Also today, toy collectors across the state will be taking part in the Southwest Vintage Toy Show. About 40 vendors will have items like Hot Wheels, Barbies, GI Joes, farm toys, and other collectibles. That's in the north exhibit building at the Grady County Fairgrounds from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Admission is $3 for adults while children 11 and under get in free. The Pioneer Volunteer Fire Department will hold its community appreciation dinner tonight. The group will be serving free hamburgers and hot dogs at the Pioneer School Cafeteria from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Contributions are welcome which will help the fire fighters purchase needed equipment and supplies. You might also drop off some cases of bottled water or energy drinks.
Talk Show Topics
Here's what we're talking about this weekend. Crystal McFarland with the Salvation Army division which serves Grady and Caddo counties is this week's guest on the KOOL Konversation. On Real Estate Today we have Quinton Smith with the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge. Find podcasts of both programs under the Community tab on this website.
Obituaries
Anna Douglas
Funeral service for Anna Douglas, 85, of Tuttle will be held at 10:30 a.m. Monday, Sept. 19th at First Baptist Church of Tuttle. Arrangements are with Sevier Funeral Home of Tuttle.
Nathan Bailey
A graveside service for Nathan Bailey, 85, of Chickasha will be held at 2:00 p.m. Friday, Sept. 23rd in the Cement Cemetery. Arrangements are with Ferguson Funeral Home.
High School Football Scores
Chickasha 42, Anadarko 20
Blanchard 40, Shawnee 13
Guthrie 24, Tuttle 20
Bridge Creek 20, Western Heights 6
Newcastle 34, Woodward 12
Minco 20, Merritt 7
Ringling 41, Apache 8
Tipton 48, Cyril 14
Hinton 48, Carnegie 0
Maysville 56, Alex 6
Hollis 45, Mt. View-Gotebo 6
Perkins-Tryon 34, Marlow 21
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Friday, Sept. 16th
Trooper Jails Wanted Felon After Traffic Stop
A traffic stop made by a state trooper leads to the arrest of a wanted felon. 50-year old Jose Rogelio Salazar was wanted out of Greer County in southwest Oklahoma in connection with a more than decade-old arrest. Salazar was arrested in 2010 on drug complaints and pleaded guilty to two felony drug charges in 2013 and given a suspended sentence. A bench warrant for Salazar was issued two years ago for failure to appear. Salazar was booked into the Grady County Jail last night. It is expected that he will be taken to Greer County to face charges there.
Anadarko Woman Wanted for Felony Exploitation
An arrest warrant has been issued for an Anadarko woman accused of exploiting a mentally disabled person. On Wednesday, Caddo County authorities issued the warrant for 54-year old Jenna Sue Johnson. The Lawton Constitution cites court documents in which officials say she took advantage an individual with a severe intellectual impairment.
CHS Football Coach Suspended
Chickasha High School football coach Eric Gibson has been suspended. Superintendent Rick Croslin said Gibson was placed on paid administrative leave after some unspecified complaints were brought forth. Croslin issued a prepared statement saying Gibson was suspended over allegations of poor judgement pertaining to interactions and word choices. In a prepared statement Croslin said personnel issues and investigations are confidential so the district is unable to discuss the details of the allegations, or whether there will be further discipline associated with the outcome of an investigation. The suspension is for 10 days meaning that Gibson will not be on the sideline for tonight's game against Anadarko or next week's game against Weatherford. Gibson was just hired as team’s new coach in March and coached just two games this season. Assistant coach Ross Carter will serve as interim head coach until further notice.
Jay's Mini Stop to Celebrate 50th Anniversary
A Chickasha convenience store will be celebrating its golden anniversary this weekend. Jay's Mini Stop has been around for years but Jay Smith and his late wife Maribeth purchased the store from Tom Love in the early 1970s. In the early years Jay and Maribeth lived in a mobile home behind the store and everyone in the family worked there. A 50th anniversary celebration will be held at the store from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. tomorrow.
Volunteers Sought for FOL Live Nativity
As we move into the second half of September we see that we are only a couple of months away from the opening of Chickasha's Festival of Light. This is the 30th anniversary of the popular holiday attraction. The Festival will be having a live nativity scene again this year and the call is going out for volunteers. No acting experience is required, there are no lines to read, and costumes will be provided. Anyone who would like to take part can contact Joyce Belville by calling 405-224-6225.
Energy and Metals
Crude oil on the NYMEX is $85.10 per barrel.
London-based Brent crude is $90.84.
Natural gas is $8.32 per million BTUs.
Gold is $1,666 and silver is $18.84.
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Thursday, Sept. 15th
Driver Dies in Deadly ATV Crash
An ATV accident has claimed the life of a Blanchard man. He was identified as 28-year old Blayne Gibby who died in the accident which happened just after midnight Wednesday. It occurred at an oilfield site just outside of Blanchard. The state trooper called out to the scene reports that Gibby was driving recklessly when the ATV overturned and landed on top of him. The Blanchard Fire Department said Gibby died at the scene due to the severity of his injuries. The trooper also reported that Gibby may have been under the influence at the time.
Arrest Warrant Issued for Caddo County Shooting Suspect
A suspect in a Caddo County shooting is on the run. Authorities are looking for 71-year old Troy Radford who is alleged to have shot another man in the face last Thursday. KSWO-TV cites Caddo County court documents saying that the shooting victim and a friend were working on a boat when they saw Radford across the street. Radford was holding his hand like a gun and pretending to shoot at them. The victim reportedly told Radford it would work better if he had a real one. Radford is alleged to have gotten the gun and fired the weapon several times. An arrest warrant for shooting with intent to kill was issued for Radford. Anyone with information is asked to call 9-1-1 or the Caddo County Sheriff’s Office at 405-247-6666. Radford may be driving a white 2001 Ford Ranger with Oklahoma Tag No. DLT-362.
DEQ Moves to Dismiss Hand Sanitizer Fire Lawsuit
A report out yesterday indicates that the state Department of Environmental Quality wants to dismiss a lawsuit filed in connection to the hand sanitizer fires at the former Chickasha Manufacturing Company and a neighboring facility in Ninnekah last month. Our partners at KWTV News 9 reports that the agency wants to dismiss the lawsuit because the case was filed in the wrong county.
Chix Public Works Director Discusses Summer Effort
The City of Chickasha's new public works director says crews have been working on a number of projects over the summer. Jim Crosby says they have been focused on a number of water line breaks and filling pot holes. He says one area of concern which was brought to the attention of the city council earlier in the year is being taken care of.
Crosby also said they are slowly working on replacing street signs throughout the city.
Chix Mayor to Give 'State of the City' Address
Chickasha Mayor Chris Mosley will be issuing his annual State of the City address next week. The mayor's comments will be delivered during a program hosted by the Chamber of Commerce next Thursday, Sept. 22nd. He's expected to discuss key projects and initiatives as well as discussing potential development and opportunities. The presentation will be held at the Grady County Fairgrounds with lunch starting at 11:30 followed by the Mayor's presentation. Tickets are $25 for chamber members and $30 for non-members. Individuals wanting to attend should RSVP the chamber by Monday afternoon.
Energy Prices
Crude oil on the NYMEX is $88.48 per barrel.
London-based Brent crude is $94.10.
Natural gas is $9.11 per million BTUs.
Gold is $1,699 and silver is $19.47.
Obituary
Alyce Miracle
A memorial service for Alyce Miracle, 84, formerly of Chickasha will be held at noon Saturday, Sept. 24th at Sevier Funeral Home. Memorial contributions may be made to the Relay for Life or the American Cancer Society.
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Wednesday, Sept. 14th
January Trial Date set for Coach Accused of Raping Players
A Grady County judge has set a January trial date for a former girls basketball coach accused of raping his teenaged players. During a court appearance yesterday, a January 23rd trial date was scheduled for Ron Akins who is charged with 10 felonies including rape, sexual battery, and lewd acts with children. Akins was arrested in June of 2021 after one of his former players came forward to talk about what happened. Several other former and current players also alleged similar complaints. Many said they had taken their complaints to school officials who took no action and said there was nothing they could do about it.
Suspect Arrested for Assaulting an Officer
After Claiming he was President of the U.S.
A homeless man claiming to legally be the President of the United States and also a federal agent was arrested by Chickasha police this week. 41-year old Travis Marshall Wallis was picked up after police were called to a convenience store to investigate a suspicious person just before 2:30 a.m. Monday. A probable cause affidavit indicates a man at the Love's Convenience Store on Choctaw and was acting strange. The officer said the man appeared to be intoxicated and attempted to conduct a sobriety check. The suspect became combative and wrestled with the officer. A back-up officer arrived and officers had to use a taser to subdue the suspect. Wallis has been formally charged with a felony for assault on a police officer and misdemeanors for impersonating an officer and public intoxication and disturbing the peace. A competency hearing has been scheduled for next month.
New Festival of Light Director Hired
A new director is in place for Chickasha's Festival of Light (FOL). Duncan native Logan Lassley will be serving as director for the upcoming season. He will also serve as tourism director for the Chamber of Commerce. In a press release, chamber president Jim Cowan said he was glad to have Lassley join the chamber team and that his energy and passion to enhance the visitor experience in the city will be crucial. Lassley earned a bachelor's degree at Southwestern Oklahoma State University. He previously served as the director of ticket memberships for the minor league hockey franchise in Wichita, Kansas. Lassley was selected as FOL director after Billy Elkins stepped down to take a new job in Kentucky.
Energy and Metals
Crude oil on the NYMEX is $87.31 per barrel.
London-based Brent crude is $93.17.
Natural gas is $8.28 per million BTUs.
Gold is $1,715 and silver is $19.55.
Obituary
Donald Trammell
A graveside service for Donald Trammell, 68, of Chickasha will be held at 10:00 a.m. Friday, Sept. 16th at Memory Lane Cemetery in Anadarko. Arrangements are with McRay Funeral Home.
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Tuesday, Sept. 13th
Coach Accused of Sex Crimes has Court Date
Former girls basketball coach Ron Akins, accused of the rape and sexual assault of young girls is to be in Grady County District Court today. Akins is facing numerous charges of molestation and lewd acts to children while he was coaching. One of his former players finally spoke out about how Akins treated her which led to several other current or former players accusing Akins of ‘grooming’ them. Several of the alleged victims have also filed a federal lawsuit against the former coach.
Lankford, Inhofe Work to Prevent
Foreign Ownership of U.S. Farmland
Oklahoma U.S. Senators James Lankford and Jim Inhofe have introduced a bill to prevent foreign purchases of Oklahoma farmland. The measure called the Security and Oversight of International Landholdings (SOIL) Act would provide oversight and transparency of the purchase of U.S. agriculture land that threatens national security. The website OK Energy Today reports the measure was filed over growing concern about recent purchases of U.S. farmland by China near military installations and the two senators don't what that to happen in Oklahoma. Lankford said the state's legal marijuana trade has attracted transitional criminal organizations to Oklahoma that are trafficking not only drugs, but people as well. He said those organizations have partnered with Chinese nationals to buy land and businesses throughout the state. Lankford said they need to know who is buying the land, how they are using it, and if any criminal activity is occurring.
Tattoo Parlor Hopes to Locate in Chix Historical District
A public hearing to allow a tattoo parlor to open in historic downtown Chickasha will be held by the city's Planning Commission this afternoon. Current city ordinances do not allow tattoo parlors in the downtown historical district. Two other public hearings are also scheduled including a use-on-review application for Josh Woods at 1809 West Grand; and a hearing to consider a request by Lawson Retail Properties for the city to vacate property owned by the city in the 500 block of Utah. The planning commission meets at 4 o'clock this afternoon at city hall.
Chix Airport Advisory Panel to Discuss Projects
There is also a special meeting of the Chickasha Airport Advisory Board today. There will be a presentation of projects planned for funding in the upcoming year, and discussion of projects to be added to the five-year Capital Improvement Plan. That meeting will be at 4 o'clock this afternoon at the airport.
Animal Shelter Fundraiser is Tonight
The Chickasha Animal Shelter will hold a fundraiser this evening to support the Chickasha Animal Rescue Transport Association (CARTA). The group helps to minimize the number of animals at the shelter and transport them to other areas for adoption. There will be a silent auction at Interurban Restaurant from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. tonight. In addition to the silent auction Interurban will donate $1 from every hamburger sold to CARTA.
Energy and Metals
Crude oil on the NYMEX is $87.78 per barrel.
London-based Brent crude is $94.00.
Natural gas is $8.25 per million BTUs.
Gold is $1,737 and silver is $19.79
Obituaries
Doris Filip
A graveside service for Doris Filip, 74, of Chickasha will be held at 10:00 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 14th at Fairlawn Cemetery in Chickasha.
Ryan Parrish
Funeral for Ryan Parrish, 35, of Pocasset will be held at 1:00 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 15th at Epworth United Methodist Church. Arrangements are with Ferguson Funeral Home. Memorial contributions may be made to Hope Community Services in Oklahoma City.
Sharon Simmons
A memorial service for Sharon Simmons, 79, of Chickasha and formerly of Cement will be held at 1:00 p.m. Friday, Sept. 16th at Ferguson Funeral Home.
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Monday, Sept. 12th
Chix School Board to Consider Agreement
with Construction Management Firm
The Chickasha school board will discuss entering into an agreement with a construction management firm to develop the projects approved by school district voters in the safety and security bond elections last month. The panel will consider the agreement with local company CMS Willowbrook. If approved the company would receive 5 percent of the final construction cost of those projects. The board of education will also consider re-districting the school board wards throughout the city and consider a master contract with the Chickasha Organization of Professional Administrators, which is a new union created for principals and vice principals. The contract calls for a step raise and adding an additional year to the pay scale. Officials say they do not expect any significant pay increases. The district will also recognize the Chicken Express Employees of the Month. The certified employee is Amber Esquivel and the support employee is Cristy Cervantes, both of whom work at Bill Wallace School. The school board meets at 6 o'clock tonight at the school administration building. The meeting will be live-streamed on the school district's website.
Blue-Green Algae Blooms Still a Concern at Chix Park
City of Chickasha officials are still dealing with blue-green algae bloom issues in the pond at Shannon Springs Park. Officials detected the blooms several weeks ago and have posted notices that fishing is not allowed. They also encourage pet owners to not let their pets swim in or drink the water. A statement from the city says they have treated the pond once but the problem is on-going. They also say they are trying to not harm the fish. Blue-green algae blooms are toxic and can cause serious illness to humans and pets.
Chix Library Friends Seek Books for Upcoming Sale
The Friends of the Chickasha Library are making plans for their fall used book sale and are asking for contributions of books from the community. They are looking for children's, teens, and adult fiction and non-fiction books, reference materials, DVDs, and book CDs. However, they are not accepting video or cassette tapes at this time. Individuals can drop off items at the library at 6th and Iowa. The used book sale will be Oct. 17th through 29th. Proceeds will be used to buy new books and materials.
Cattlemen's Group Prepares for Carcass Contest
The Grady County Cattlemen's Association will be kicking off its upcoming carcass contest in the next few weeks. The contest is open to area youth from eight years old to a senior in high school. Only steers will be accepted in the contest and only one animal per exhibitor will be allowed. The weigh-in will be Saturday, Oct. 17th at Standridge Cattle Company. A maximum of 25 steers will be allowed. Entries may be submitted at the Grady County OSU Extension Office. For information contact Grady County Cattlemen’s Association President Jake Grossnicklaus by calling 405-320-4170.
Free Medicare Program Scheduled
A free Medicare workshop will be held for area residents tomorrow. Cale Walker, a financial advisor with Edward Jones, will hold the workshop at 10:00 a.m. tomorrow (Tuesday, Sept. 13th) at the Canadian Valley Technology Center in meeting room No. 4. No pre-registration is required.
Energy and Metals
Crude oil on the NYMEX is $86.79 per barrel.
London-based Brent crude is $92.84.
Natural gas is $7.99 per million BTUs.
Gold is $1,735 and silver is $19.15.
Obituaries
Cynthia Bramblett
A graveside service for Cynthia Bramblett, 66, of the Chickasha and Verden area were held at 2 o'clock this afternoon (Monday, Sept. 12th) in the Verden Cemetery. Arrangements were with McRay Funeral Home.
Cynthia Cobb
A graveside service for Cynthia 'Tooty' Cobb, 61, of Chickasha will be held at 2:00 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 13th in the Laverty Cemetery. Arrangements are with Ferguson Funeral Home.
Luther Sledge
Funeral service for Luther Sledge, 94, of Houston Texas and formerly of Chickasha is pending with Brown-Thomas Funeral Home. He was a U.S. Army veteran.
