Saturday, June 10th
Proposed PSO Rate Hike Still Pending
A proposed $155 million rate hike for Public Service Company of Oklahoma (PSO) is still under consideration. Earlier this spring, the Oklahoma Corporation Commission sent a proposed agreement regarding the rate hike to an administrative law judge who has yet to make a decision. The website OK Energy Today reports that this week the commission considered an option which would have allowed the panel to rule on the matter without the judge's ruling. But officials decided they did want to hear from the judge who spent three days in a hearing with PSO and various groups that both supported and opposed the increase. Commission Chairman Todd Hiett said he's opposed to the settlement agreed to by PSO, the commission's public utilities division, Attorney General Gentner Drummond, and AARP. The commission had scheduled a hearing on the matter next month but now it may be mid-August before that happens and a ruling may not be made until September at the earliest.
Chickasha Dog Park Gets Formal Ribbon Cutting
A formal ribbon cutting and grand opening for the City of Chickasha's dog park was held yesterday. The Susan Dale Badgett Memorial Paws Park was formally christened as members of the Badgett family, city leaders, and others joined the celebration. Gail Ulrich of Gordonville, Texas is one of Susan's sisters. She said after Susan died of liver cancer in 2019 they wanted to do something special for her and that a dog park was the perfect choice.
The park has been open for about a year. It includes of number of benches which have the names of several of her golden retrievers etched in them. The Badgett family donated $100,000 to the city to create the dog park which is in the middle of town at Centennial Park. There are separate sections for large and small dogs and the family plans to add additional agility equipment in the future.
SCOOP Well Completion Report Filed
An Oklahoma energy company filed a completion report on a well in the South Central Oklahoma Oil Province (SCOOP) region. Continental Resources filed the paperwork on a well in southern Garvin County south of Elmore City bringing in about 255 barrels of oil and nearly 400 Mcf of natural gas per day. It’s the Highlands Well in section 13 of Township 1 North and Range 2 West in the Woodford formation. The spud date was October of 2022 and it was drilled to a true vertical depth of nearly 13,000 feet.
Talk Show Topics
Dr. Tonnia Anderson with the Ada Sipuel-Fisher Center for Social Justice and Racial Healing at USAO will talk about the upcoming commemoration of Juneteenth. State Rep Dick Lowe (R-Amber) and State Sen. Lonnie Paxton (R-Tuttle) are on Real Estate Today. Find podcasts of both programs under the Community tab on this website.
Obituaries
Mary Belle Carr
Funeral service for Mary Belle Carr, 89, of Alex will be held at 2:00 p.m. Monday, June 12th at the Main Street Church of Christ in Alex. She and her husband L.B. owned and operated a dairy farm and ranch. Arrangements are with Sevier Funeral Home.
Karen Cox
A private graveside service for Karen Cox, 76, of Tuttle will be held at a later date. She worked at Tinker Air Force Base for many years. Arrangements are with Sevier Funeral Home of Tuttle.
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Friday, June 9th
Death of Convenience Store Clerk Under Investigation
Authorities are looking into the death of convenience store clerk who died on the job early Thursday. Chickasha police were summoned to the Love's Country Store on Choctaw Avenue just after 7 o'clock yesterday morning. The day crew coming on shift called to report their co-worker was unresponsive in the bathroom. In a press release, authorities say they discovered the body of 32-year old Jessica Poteet. Video surveillance shows Poteet putting a sign on the front door about 4:00 a.m. indicating that she was going to clean the bathroom. The video shows Poteet going into the bathroom alone. Authorities have not indicated how Poteet died. The police department, the District Attorney’s Task Force, and the state medical examiner's office are all part of the ongoing investigation.
Suspected Drug Dealer Arrested
At about the same time authorities were investigating Poteet's death the Grady County Sheriff's Office and DEA agents arrested a suspected drug dealer across the street. Sheriff Gary Boggess said agents set up the sting operation in the parking lot of Null's Used Tires. No additional details were provided.
New Police Chief Appointed in Minco
Officials in Minco have appointed a new police chief. The town council named Frederick Johnson as the new chief during a special meeting last night. Johnson was named the town's top cop following the resignation of previous chief Josh Fletcher earlier in the week. Fletcher stepped down after the council slashed the police department's budget by half. Several other officers also resigned.
Governor Signs School Safety Bills
Gov. Kevin Stitt signed a number of bills into law this week including several which are designed to improve security in public schools. One measure requires school districts undergo a risk assessment and another will have them hire resource officers. State Representative Dick Lowe (R-Amber) helped to author the legislation. All public schools would have to undergo an initial risk and vulnerability assessment from the Oklahoma School Security Institute or a national qualified assessor by July of 2026. Districts will be required to have the assessments every five years. Also, a three-year pilot program for school safety provides districts with more than $95,000 a year for each of those years to hire resource officers or make necessary security upgrades. The bills go into effect next month.
Shannon Springs Park Swimming Pool Opening Soon
City officials also say they are almost ready to open the public swimming pool at Shannon Springs Park. The pool has been undergoing some repairs over the last couple of months and officials began filling the pool yesterday. We’ll pass along information about the pool opening and summer hours when that information is provided. The pool is managed by the YMCA.
Downtown Chickasha Art Walk Tonight
Downtown Chickasha will be active tonight as the monthly downtown art walk will take place. A number of downtown businesses and venues will be open after hours hosting local artists. Among them will be a go-kart re-furbisher who will be at the leg lamp. The art walk extends from the railroad depot and the leg lamp along Chickasha Avenue to 6th Street and a number of stores and venues on side streets will also be open. There will be live music at the Stage behind Brandi's and the Flower Shop Winery and Pizzeria and at the Shakespeare Wine Company. The art walk runs from 5 to 8 o'clock tonight. The art walk is held the second Friday of each month.
Energy and Metals
Crude oil on the NYMEX is $71.29 per barrel.
London-based Brent crude is $75.96.
Natural gas is $2.35 per million BTUs.
Gold is $1,977 and silver is $24.45.
Obituary
Junior Crumm
A private graveside service for Junior Crumm, 93, of Chickasha will be held by the family at a later date. He was a long haul truck driver. Arrangements are with Ferguson Funeral Home.
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Thursday, June 8th
Woman Arrested for Alleged Child Neglect, Drug Complaints
A Chickasha woman is in custody for alleged child neglect and living in a home where drugs are used and sold. Authorities arrested 66-year old Devenua Burgess late Monday. A probable cause affidavit from the Grady County Sheriff's Office indicates that officers were called to the Burgess home to do a welfare check on an infant and to notify Burgess that she had an outstanding warrant dating back to 1996. It’s alleged that a five-month old infant had been left alone on several occasions and that the child had fallen off a bed. It was also alleged that individuals smoked crack around the child. Authorities said they found crack cocaine in some lip balm tubes. Burgess is facing felony charges of child neglect and maintaining a home for keeping or selling drugs. She remains in the Grady County Jail on a $25,000 bond.
Part of Action Movie Sequel to be Filmed in Chix
Many motorists have seen some construction going on in a Chickasha neighborhood and have been curious as to what is being built. We can now officially report that a film production company is working on some sets for the sequel to the 1996 movie ‘Twister’. The construction is going on in the area of 17th and Minnesota Ave. The Chickasha City Council this week approved some street closures for Dirt Road Films, LLC associated with the movie ‘Twisters’. Officials say Chickasha is able to host the project since the Oklahoma Department of Commerce has named Chickasha a film-friendly city. Crews told the city’s Community Development Department there will be two or three days of filming sometime between June 19th and June 26th. The original film starred Helen Hunt and the late Bill Paxton. Part of that movie was filmed in Wakita, Okla. The website Collider reports that there's no official word if Hunt will appear in the sequel. The website Imdb lists the stars of the sequel as Katy O'Brian, Kiernan Shipka, and Daisy Edward-Jones. The director is Lee Isaac Lang and writers are Michael Crichton and Mark Smith. The projected release date is the spring of 2024.
Leadership Chickasha Program Accepting Applications
A popular program to develop future community leaders is making plans for its next class. The Chickasha Chamber of Commerce is preparing for its upcoming Leadership Chickasha series. Students meet once a month from September through March to learn the ins and outs of city and county governments, the Chickasha school district, Canadian Valley Technology Center, and USAO, and develop leadership skills. The classes are all day on Thursdays of each month. The 2023-24 class will be limited to 25 members. For information contact the Chickasha Chamber of Commerce.
State Job Search Office Opens in Anadarko
Anadarko now has a local office for job seekers. The Oklahoma Employment Security Commission (OESC) has opened several community outreach offices in communities that do not have workforce offices and Anadarko is among them. Officials are at the Anadarko Public Library every Friday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. OESC officials say it should be easier for individuals and companies to do business with the agency as people don't always have the means to drive out of town for help. For Anadarko area residents the nearest OESC office is about 20 miles away in Chickasha.
Energy and Metals
Crude oil on the NYMEX is $72.53 per barrel.
London-based Brent crude is $76.95.
Natural gas is $2.33 per million BTUs.
Gold is $1,961 and silver is $23.78.
Obituaries
Judy Kauley
Funeral service for Judy Kauley, 76, of Chickasha will be held at 10:00 a.m. Friday, June 9th at the First Baptist Church. Arrangements are with McRay Funeral Home.
Linda Thomas
Funeral service for Linda Thomas, 74, formerly of Chickasha will be held at 11:00 a.m. Tuesday, June 13th at the Northeast Missionary Baptist Church in Oklahoma City. Arrangements are with Brown-Thomas Funeral Home.
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Wednesday, June 7th
Chix Mayor Discusses Joint Street Upgrade Pact with County
The Chickasha City Council this week approved an agreement with Grady County officials to assist with some road and street upgrades. Mayor Chris Mosley said the city and the county previously joined efforts to make improvements on Pikes Peak Road from 4th Street to 16th Street. Mosley said the county has resources that the city doesn't.
The areas targeted for repairs are 29th Street north of U.S. Highway 62 and north of the railroad tracks; Cottonwood Street from 4th Street east to the railroad tracks; and 4th Street north of the Grady County Courthouse from the first set of railroad tracks and north to the stop sign.
Demand for Foster Homes Soars
The number of children in foster care in Oklahoma is alarming. There are more than 6,500 children in foster care in Oklahoma and less than 2,500 foster homes to care for them. In Grady County, there are nearly 120 children in foster care and only 22 foster homes available. Ginna Waddell with the OK Fosters program through the Department of Human Services is seeking families to assist kids in foster care, so they can stay within their local community.
For information about becoming a foster family, visit the website ok fosters.org
Grand Opening Set for Badgett Dog Park
The City of Chickasha will have an official grand opening for the city's dog park later this week. The Susan Dale Badgett Memorial Paws Park opened last summer. The Badgett family contributed $100,000 to build the facility which has separate sections for large and small dogs. Residents are encouraged to bring their dogs to the park for the event. There will be bags full of treats for the dogs and dog owners can register to win a dog grooming gift certificate. There will be a couple of food trucks for humans, and appropriately one of them is Dogg-n-It. Uptown Scoops will also be there. The grand opening will run from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Friday with a ribbon cutting ceremony at 11 a.m. There ceremony will be held at the corner of 7th and Idaho Ave.
Church to Celebrate 130th Anniversary
A Chickasha house of worship is celebrating its 130th anniversary. St. Luke's Episcopal Church will have an open house this Saturday with a come-and-go reception from 1:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. It's one of the city's oldest churches - opening in 1893 just a year after Chickasha was founded. The first Baptism took place in April of that year. The church has the distinction of being the oldest church building in the city, having been in continuous service since it was built in 1900. It's the second oldest Episcopal Church building in Oklahoma. One of the highlights of the day will be the opening of a time capsule that was buried nearly 40 years ago in 1986. The church is located at 6th and Kansas Avenue.
Energy and Metals
Crude oil on the NYMEX is $71.74 per barrel.
London-based Brent crude is $76.29.
Natural gas is $2.26 per million BTUs.
Gold is $1,960 and silver is $23.70.
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Tuesday, June 6th
G.G. Music Named New Chickasha Police Chief
Chickasha officials kept things in-house when hiring the city's new police chief. G.G. Music who has served as interim police chief over the last five months had the interim tag removed from his title during last night's city council meeting. City Attorney Amanda Mullins gave Music his oath of office-
Music has been with the department for 23 years.
Council approves Henry Argo Resolution
Also during the meeting, the council unanimously approved a resolution commemorating the life of 19-year old Henry Argo, a black man who was killed by a white mob in 1930. The resolution was issued to acknowledge the historical significance of the event as an unjust instance of mob violence against Black people in American history and to condemn racial discrimination. It is said that the attack was the last public lynching in Oklahoma.
Police Union Contracts OK'd
The council also approved contracts with the Fraternal Order of Police Local 129 following an 18-minute closed door meeting. The contracts for the current and the next fiscal year received unanimous approval.
Mineral Rights Leased on Numerous City-owned Sites
The council also held auctions for a number of oil and gas leases at nearly 40 sites within the city limits. Among the largest leases approved was one for the mineral rights on about 300 acres of city-owned land around Lake Chickasha. The only bid submitted was for $500 an acre and a 3/16th royalty for three years from a firm called ToddCo. That will give the city an upfront payment of $150,000.
Day Care Center, Re-zoning Requests Approved
The panel also approved a use-on-review for a day care at 1128 S. 5th Street for Kimberly and Terry Cole. The group also approved a re-zoning request for Mike McGill and OK Carpet at 15th and Missouri to re-zone a small piece of property from residential to commercial use to expand his store.
Minco Police Chief and Several Officers Resign
Turmoil in Minco as the police chief and several police officers walk off the job. The Minco-Union City Times posted the news on its Facebook page. The paper indicates that Police Chief Joshua Fletcher resigned during last night's city council meeting. In his resignation letter Fletcher said the city has become a toxic and hostile place to work and that he is resigning due to massive budget cuts to the department. He said the cuts will cause the department to be overworked, under-trained, and poorly equipped and that he cannot approve or be complicit in the poor decisions being made by the Minco City Council. The resignations leave just one police officer on duty. Grady County Sheriff Gary Boggess told our partners at KWTV-News 9 that deputies will respond to calls in Minco if there is a life-threatening situation. In addition to the officers leaving, the newspaper also reported that the city council recently fired its city attorney and that Mayor Keith McMullen resigned after serving in that capacity for the last eight years.
Hiring Events Scheduled
A couple of hiring events are to be held in Chickasha this week. The State Department of Corrections will hold interviews for a number of positions open at the Great Plains Correctional Center in Hinton. The openings include corrections officers, nursing staff, food service, and construction and maintenance personnel. That will be held at the Oklahoma Works office downtown at 205 Chickasha Avenue from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. tomorrow.
Friday job fair to give early preference to military veterans
On Friday, a number of companies and even the City of Chickasha will be on hand for a community hiring event and will be giving a preference to military veterans. Loves, Amazon, American Tissue of Oklahoma City, and Express Employment will also be on hand. The event is being hosted by the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission (OESC) and will be held at the Chickasha Library Friday, Nov. 9th from noon to 3:00 p.m. The first hour-and-a-half is set aside for veterans then will be open to the community from 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. Job seekers are encouraged to dress ready to interview and bring resumes.
Energy and Metals
Crude oil on the NYMEX is $72.15 per barrel.
London-based Brent crude is $76.71.
Natural gas is $2.24 per million BTUs.
Gold is $1,978 and silver is $23.67.
Obituary
Bonnie Carter
A private memorial service for Bonnie Carter, 80, of Chickasha will be held by the family at a later date. Arrangements are with Ferguson Funeral Home.
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Monday, June 5th
City, County to Consider Agreement for City Street Repairs
A joint agreement between the City of Chickasha and Grady County Commissioners to repair several Chickasha streets will be considered by the city council tonight. It calls for repairs on North 29th Street north of the railroad tracks; Cottonwood Street from 4th Street east to the railroad tracks; and North 4th Street from the first set of railroad tracks and north to the stop sign. The agreement is to run through next June.
New police chief expected to be sworn in
A new police chief for the City of Chickasha is expected to be sworn in during tonight's city council meeting. There's no word on who the new chief is. G.G. Music has been serving as interim chief for the last five months. The council approved a separation agreement with previous Chief Kathryn 'Dee' Rowell this past January. Rowell was the city's first female police chief, coming to Chickasha after several years with the Ft. Worth, Texas police department. She spent nearly four years at the post.
Resolution to commemorate life of lynching victim to be considered
The panel is also to consider a resolution to commemorate the memory of a man who died in what is believed to be the last public lynching in Oklahoma. The resolution would commemorate the memory of Henry Argo and condemn racial discrimination. Argo, a Black man, was just 19 years old when was shot and stabbed to death by a white mob in May of 1930. The resolution is to honor the life of Argo who was a victim of racism; acknowledge the historical significance of the event as an unjust instance of mob violence against Black people in American History; and condemn those who participated in or who aided and abetted the unlawful violence. It would also encourage education about Argo's legacy, including the horrors of the violence itself and the history of racism that fueled the violence. The city council meets tonight at 6:30 p.m.
Train Derailment Investigation Underway
Authorities are investigating a train derailment that happened in Marlow yesterday. About a dozen cars left the tracks near Highway 29 and Railroad Street near several homes...but none were damaged. Grain and flour spilled out of several cars and blocked a number of intersections. Fortunately no one was hurt. Union Pacific crews were sent to assess damage and look into what happened. Marlow Police Chief Jason Miller tells our partners at KWTV News 9 that railroad officials sent 10 semis full of large equipment to clean up the mess.
Agencies Working to Help Inmates Find Jobs Upon Release
A couple of state agencies are working together to help those convicted of crimes to find jobs after they leave prison. The state Department of Corrections and the Central Oklahoma Workforce Innovation board recently hosted a Fair Chance Hiring Event. Corrections officials took a number of currently incarcerated men and women who are nearing their release dates to the job fair. Employers from dozens of industries had one-on-one discussions with candidates, reviewed resumes, and conducted interviews. Inmate Troy Henning said it was a major boost. He said not a lot of people will give you a second chance. He said it gives them hope, a fighting chance, and an opportunity to return to society and live a real life.
Energy and Metals
Crude oil on the NYMEX is $71.74 per barrel.
London-based Brent crude is $76.13.
Natural gas is $2.17 per million BTUs.
Gold is $1,960 and silver is $23.56.
Obituaries
Barbara Morris
Funeral service for Barbara Morris of Ninnekah will be at 10:00 a.m. Tuesday, June 6th at Bible Baptist Church. She and her husband Junior owned and operated a dairy farm which is still in the family. Arrangements are with Sevier Funeral Home.
Maria Del Rosario Alvarez de Gonzales
Funeral service for 70-year old Maria Del Rosario Alvarez de Gonzales of Anadarko is pending with Brown-Thomas Funeral Home.
