Saturday, Aug. 26th
Sheriff Warns of Scam Calls
Grady County Sheriff Gary Boggess warns residents of a telephone scam where individuals are posing as representatives of his office. Boggess has received complaints from individuals who are getting recorded messages telling recipients there is an urgent matter and that they should call. Boggess says the number provided is not the sheriff's office number and urges anyone who receives such a call to ignore it and report call to the sheriff’s office.
Grady County Fair Ends Today
Today's the last day of the Grady County Fair and also the day with the most activities. Fair princess Kelsi McCarthey of Tuttle will be busy overseeing many of the activities which include the afternoon stock shows, the pet show, and the 4H and FFA tractor driving contest. The carnival opens at noon and the tractor pull will have one more session at 7:30 tonight.
Cake Show and Auction
Mindy Walker had the grand champion entry in the senior division with her Orange Juice Bundt Cake. Karen Osborn had the reserve with her Italian Cream Cake. In the junior division, Delse Bradford had the grand champion entry with her Chocolate Sheet Cake and Shelby Kelsey had the reserve with a Coconut Cream Cake. The top selling cake was Kelsey's Coconut Cream Cake which brought $375. Next was Osborn's Italian Cream Cake which brought in $350. Walker's Orange Juice Bundt Cake brought $300 and Bradford's Chocolate Sheet Cake brought $200.
State DEQ Seeks Input on Grant for Climate Pollution Plan
The State Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) is reaching out to Oklahomans to put together a plan to reduce climate pollution. Oklahoma received a $3 million federal grant from the Environmental Protection Agency to implement the first phase of a long-range plan to deal with the issue. The DEQ will meet next week to review information about the grant, the state's plan and goals for public engagement, discuss projects or program idea submissions, and deadlines. The meeting will be held Wednesday, Aug. 30th at 1 p.m. at the DEQ office in Oklahoma City.
Tarantulas May be On the Move
A late-summer phenomenon is getting underway in some areas. It's the annual tarantula mating season and they can occasionally be seen in massive numbers crossing state roadways. The mating season runs from late August through October and the spiders can move in such large numbers that they look like brown streams of water crossing the roadway. The tarantulas can be four to five inches long from the tips of their legs and weigh between one and three ounces. They are found in southwestern states and in Mexico. The Oklahoman cites information from OSU Extension indicating that the Oklahoma Brown Tarantula is typically a docile creature and sometimes kept as a pet. Their venom can be toxic to small animals but does not pose a significant threat the humans. When threatened they may stand on their hind legs and display their fangs as a warning, but they rarely bite unless they are provoked. There are natural ways to repel tarantulas without killing them. You can use cinnamon or essential oils or eco-friendly pesticides. Keep your home clean and get rid of insects that attract spiders. You can also use a jar, a glass, or a spider trap and move the spider to another area.
Talk Show Topics
Drew Cooper with the Chickasha Public Library and Jana Dabney with the Friends of the Library are guests on the KOOL Konversation. And on Real Estate Today guests are Brent Greenwood, Eric Singleton, and E.J. Sweetley with the Oscar Jacobson House Foundation at OU which supports Native American artists. Find podcasts of both programs under the Community tab on this website.
High School Football Scores
El Reno 64, Chickasha 24
Minco 47, Dibble 26
Empire 16, Rush Springs 14
Tuttle 41, Cache 7
Bridge Creek 42, Lexington 0
Newcastle 34, Weatherford 14
Lone Grove 35, Anadarko 20
Cyril 52, Corn Bible Academy 6
Texhoma 50, Carnegie 6
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Friday, Aug. 25th
Medical Helicopter Makes Emergency Landing
An air ambulance which was transporting a stabbing victim to a hospital made an emergency landing near Dibble yesterday. Media reports indicated the patient became combative and the pilot made the decision to land the chopper near the Dibble Crossroads early Wednesday morning. KOCO-TV reported the patient woke up during the flight and started kicking which caused some damage inside the chopper. McClain County Sheriff Landy Offolter said the unidentified patient may have become disoriented and scared. After landing, the patient was taken by ground ambulance to an Oklahoma City hospital. The circumstances regarding the stabbing victim were not provided.
Suspect Faces Drug Distribution, Rape Charges
A Chickasha man on probation is back in jail and facing life in prison if convicted of new alleged crimes. 53-year old Elvis Derr was arrested this week for separate charges of drug distribution and rape. Court documents indicate Grady County sheriff's deputies worked with a confidential informant to purchase about $100 of methamphetamine from Derr earlier this week. He was also charged with rape by instrumentation in connection with an August, 2021 investigation where the victim alleged Derr molested her after he put drugs in a drink. The victim underwent an exam at the hospital where doctors obtained DNA samples. Derr wasn't swabbed for DNA evidence until March of last year - and it wasn't until May of this year that the OSBI released the DNA report from the victim. The DNA was traced to Derr and a second unknown assailant. Derr is being held in the Grady County Jail on a $100,000 bond.
Grady County Fair Continues
Here's what's happening at the Grady County Fair today. The north exhibit building opens at 10 o'clock this morning with all of the still exhibit displays, the vendor booths, and the OHCE food counter with Indian Tacos and sanwiches. OHCE will also be serving home-made meals for lunch and supper next door in the Community Building. The swine show will be at 5:00 p.m.; the carnival will open at 6:00 p.m.; and the first of two tractor pull performances will be at 7:00 p.m. (A second tractor pull will be tomorrow night at 7:00 p.m.). Tomorrow is the big day for activities. Check the Grady County Fairgrounds and Events Center Facebook page or website for the schedule.
City of Chix Schedules City-Wide Clean Up
The City of Chickasha will hold a fall clean-up campaign next month. Residents, property owners and businesses will be able take advantage of a free service to get rid of debris and unwanted items. The clean-up will be held Sept. 20th through 23rd which is the week before The Rock Island Arts Festival, the Rock Island Ride, and the Oklahoma Food Truck championship where thousands of visitors are expected to be in town. The debris and unwanted items can be taken to the city's Public Works Headquarters where large roll-off dumpsters will be available. There will also be a separate area for a limb drop-off. Gates will be open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday through Friday, and then 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, the 23rd. Items which cannot be accepted include hazardous materials, pesticides, paint, motor oil, batteries, or tires. Appliances will be accepted, although refrigerators and window air conditioning units will have to have Freon removed by a technician and individuals will have a show a certificate that the refrigerant has been removed. Participants will have to show a utility bill or other identification showing they are residents inside the city limits. Questions can be directed to city hall or by sending an e-mail to: info@chickasha.org.
Energy and Metals
Crude oil on the NYMEX is $79.05 per barrel.
London-based Brent crude is $83.36.
Natural gas is $2.52 per million BTUs.
Gold is $1,944 and silver is $24.58.
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Thursday, Aug. 24th
Pursuit Suspect in Custody
Several law enforcement agencies were involved in a pursuit of a stolen pick-up yesterday. The pursuit began about 8:30 a.m. near Pioneer School after Grady County deputies were called out to check on a suspicious person. Grady County Sheriff Gary Boggess said an individual was going door-to-door saying he was associated with Capt. Jim Peek who is a DEA agent with the sheriff's office. Deputies found the pickup and were notified it had been stolen from Cement earlier in the morning. The pursuit went through the back roads of Grady and Caddo counties at speeds of up to 70 miles per hour. Law enforcement involved included Cement police, Caddo County deputies, and state troopers. At one point the suspect rammed into a deputy's SUV and officials fired shots at the pick-up but no one was hit or injured. At one point, the suspect got out of the truck and tried to steal a vehicle from a farm. The suspect was captured after a short foot pursuit southeast of Anadarko. The entire chase last about 30 minutes. In custody is 33-year old Adam John Sherwood who has had recent addresses in Cement and Ft. Cobb. He was taken to the Caddo County Jail in Anadarko where he is being held on complaints of eluding police and assault and battery with a deadly weapon. He may also faces charges in Grady County. The OSBI was called in to help with the investigation as it involved an officer-involved shooting.
Grady County Fair Opens
The 108th Grady County Fair begins today. The north exhibit building at the Grady County Fairgrounds is open with all the still exhibit items on display and many of the commercial vendors offering their wares. Entries for the cake show will be taken from noon to 2:30 today, which will be followed by the difficult task of judging the tasty entries. The goat show is this afternoon, with the cake auction right after the opening ceremonies at 6:00 p.m. During the opening, fair honorees Rufus and Peggy McMahan will be recognized for their many years of service. The carnival opens at 6 o'clock tonight and there will be live music with Tim Brauer and the First Look Band. OHCE groups will serve homemade lunches and dinners in the community building today, tomorrow, and Saturday at noon and Indian Tacos in the north exhibit building. The fair runs through Saturday.
USAO Students Return
In addition to all the activity at the fair USAO is welcoming students back to campus. Welcome Week activities are getting underway. Signs are posted throughout the campus with welcoming messages and there are activities which serve as ice-breakers for new students to meet and network with their peers and other students. Students can participate in a scavenger hunt, a glow party, and a battle of the boats. Move in day is tomorrow so motorists who use 17th Street through campus will need to be extra alert for students moving into their dorms. Northbound traffic on 17th Street between Grand and Alabama Avenues will be closed to all non-university traffic from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. tomorrow. The university will hold a street-and-greet event in downtown Chickasha next Thursday night and encourage businesses, and civic and non-profit groups to set up booths to show students what is available in the community.
Energy and Metals
Crude oil on the NYMEX is $78.89 per barrel.
London-based Brent crude is $83.21.
Natural gas is $2.50 per million BTUs.
Gold is $1,947 and silver is $24.54.
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Wednesday, Aug. 23rd
Child Porn Suspect in Custody
A Chickasha man is behind bars after a warrant was issued for his arrest in connection with a child porn investigation. 38-year old Michael Elton Morgan was booked into the Grady County Jail on Monday. Morgan was wanted for allegedly uploading more 100 images and videos of child porn to Facebook. He had his initial appearance in Grady County District Court yesterday and was formally charged with aggravated possession of child porn and violating a state law with a computer. His bond was set at $250,000 and his next court date is Sept. 13th for a preliminary hearing conference.
Dad Arrested for Allegedly Harboring Fugitive Son
The father of a Caddo County man arrested for theft and deception is also now in some legal trouble. 74-year old Phillip Bailey was arrested for harboring a fugitive - after his son was found at Phillip Bailey's Apache home. Zachry Bailey was recently arrested for his alleged connection to crimes in several states. KSWO-TV reports that Apache police became aware that Zachry may be staying with his father. Investigators paid a visit to Bailey's home when they saw a new car in the driveway. Phillip Bailey told officers his son would soon turn himself in. But Zachry emerged from the home and taken into custody. Phillip Bailey was arrested on the harboring a fugitive charge on Monday and had his initial appearance in Caddo County District Court yesterday. He was released on a $20,000 bond. Phillip Bailey is currently on probation after pleading guilty to a 2019 felony bogus check charge out of Grady County where he was given a six-year deferred sentence.
New State Veterans Affairs Director in Place
The state Department of Veterans Affairs has a new director. Retired Navy Rear Admiral Greg Slovanic was elevated to the post after being appointed as interim director earlier this year. He spent 34 years in the Navy; held four command assignments; and served in combat deployments to Vietnam, Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, and Operation Iraqi Freedom. He also oversaw intelligence activities, special access programs, critical infrastructure, and sensitive activities as Chief Operating Officer and Chief management officer for the Navy. He also served as co-chair for the design and building of the USS Oklahoma Memorial at Pearl Harbor.
Opera Singer to Perform in her Hometown
Chickasha native Madelyn Roberson, a talented opera singer, will be performing in her hometown. Roberson, a 2018 Chickasha high school grad, is returning from a year at the Royal Northern College of Music in the United Kingdom. She'll be performing at St. Luke's Episcopal Church as part of the church's 130th anniversary arts series. Roberson made her stage debut with the Chickasha Community Theatre when she was five years old and began studying classical vocal performance at OU when she was 15. It is a free concert which is open to the public and will be followed by a reception. The concert will be Saturday, Sept. 2nd at 6:30 p.m. at St. Luke's Episcopal Church.
Energy and Metals
Crude oil on the NYMEX is $80.35 per barrel.
London-based Brent crude is $84.03.
Natural gas is $2.63 per million BTUs.
Gold is $1,931 and silver is $24.10.
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Tuesday, Aug. 22nd
Suspect Arrested for Alleged Child Sex Crimes
A Blanchard area man is accused of child molestation. Grady County deputies arrested 43-year old Justin Eugene Cowen over the weekend. Media reports cite court documents which indicate a child came forward and said that Cowen began touching her inappropriately when she was eight years old and that the molestation continued for several years. A warrant for Cowen's arrest was issued Friday and he was booked into the Grady County Jail Saturday night. At his arraignment yesterday a judge set Cowen's bond at $500,000. Cowen could be sentenced to four life terms if he's convicted. A preliminary hearing conference is set for Sept. 13th.
Arrest Warrant Issued for Suspect in Child Porn Case
Authorities are looking for a Chickasha man they say shared dozes of videos and images of child porn on a social media site. An arrest warrant was issued last Friday for 38-year old Michael Elton Morgan. The warrant is for felony charges of aggravated possession of child porn and committing state computer crimes. The warrant was issued after a nearly year-long investigation which began when authorities were notified that Morgan allegedly uploaded child porn from his electronic devices to Facebook. It's alleged that there were several reports indicating that the IP address of the location the material was sent from was traced to Morgan.
Lindsay Shooting Suspect Arrested
The Oklahoma State Bureau of investigation (OSBI) is investigating a shooting that occurred in Lindsay over the weekend. The Garvin County Sheriff's office asked the state agency to get involved after a man was critically wounded in his own home. The investigation led authorities to 65-year old David Towler of Lindsay. He's been charged with three counts of shooting with intent to kill and first degree burglary. The motive of the break-in and shooting was not disclosed with the information which was posted on the OSBI Facebook page. Towler is being held in the Garvin County jail on a $500,000 bond.
Ninnekah Woman Wins Statewide Award
A Ninnekah woman picks up a state award. Peggy Castleberry was named the Cattlewoman of the Year at the Oklahoma Cattlemen's Association state convention recently. Castleberry has a long history with the Oklahoma Cattle Women (OCW) as well as the Grady County Cattle Women. She served two terms as the southwest district director and also spent time as OCW vice president of education. She has assisted with the state's Ag in the Classroom project which provides ag resource kits and books to schools; and she spearheaded an annual Read a Book a Week program where members read ag-related books in classrooms. Castleberry says she and her husband Kirk have been working on their ranch for more than 50 years
Chix Schools Seek Hall-of-Honor Nominees
Chickasha public schools are looking for candidates to be considered for enshrinement in the district’s of the Hall of Honor. Candidates must have been a graduate (out of school for 10 years), a former employee, or community supporter of the district. Candidates must have contributed to the welfare of humanity to an unusual degree, brought unusually positive attention to the school district, or modeled the highest personal and professional qualities for students. Nominations need to be submitted by November 1st. Inductees will be announced early next year with the induction ceremony next spring at the annual Chickasha Public School Foundation Gala. Applications are available on the Chickasha Public Schools website.
Energy and Metals
Crude oil on the NYMEX is $80.72 per barrel.
London-based Brent crude is $84.46.
Natural gas is $2.63 per million BTUs.
Gold is $1,932 and silver is $23.81.
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Monday, Aug. 21st
Pursuit Vehicle, AC Projects on Chix City Council Agenda
The Chickasha city council will discuss buying a pursuit vehicle for the police department when the group meets this evening. The group will consider the purchase of a 2023 Dodge Durango from Bob Howard Chrysler-Jeep-Dodge from a state contract at a cost of more than $42,000. Councilors will also consider several upgrades to the SUV including more than $20,000 in equipment from Metro Emergency Outfitters (also from a state contract) and a more than $7,000 camera system from Watchguard Motorola.
Two sites targeted for AC upgrades
The panel will also consider installing a new 3-ton heat-and-air unit for the bath house at Shannon Springs Park and a 3 1/2 ton system for the large concession building at the sports complex.
Extension of Railroad Depot Lease Proposed
The council will consider extending a lease with downtown developer Chet Hitt for the Rock Island Railroad Depot. During the municipal authority section of tonight's meeting, the council will consider a 30-year lease agreement with It's a Hitt Corporation. Hitt wants use the depot as a special events venue. If approved, the lease would go into effect Sept. 1st. The proposal calls for a rental fee of 5 percent of the gross revenue earned from any special event rental. The corporation would pay the utility bills and any real and personal property taxes or any taxes levied in lieu of real property taxes.
Large Grant Proposed for work on Another Historic Site
The council will also consider issuing up to a $160,000 incentive grant to a developer making upgrades to a downtown building. A company called Open Skies Group out of Texas is renovating an historic building in the 600 block of Chickasha Avenue. The firm has owned the building for nearly two years. Plans are for that building to also host special events including weddings, parties, and meetings. The firm plans to spend more than $480,000 on renovations. Officials with the city’s Economic Development Council say the project fits within the scope of the grant program and recommends the council approve the request. The city council meets at 6:30 tonight at city hall.
Almost Time for the Grady County Fair
Grady County Fair week is here! It's a three-day event this Thursday, Friday, and Saturday and is a free fair as admission and parking are free at the Grady County Fairgrounds. Tonight is the fair princess and little miss competitions however winners won't be announced until after the opening ceremonies Thursday evening. Still-exhibit entries will be accepted tomorrow afternoon. Fairgrounds marketing director Jamie Jones talks about one of the new events this year.
Another new event is the mullet contest. There will be over 100 commercial vendors, a carnival, a tractor pull, and numerous other activities.
Chamber of Commerce Staff Named Top Young Pros
A couple of staff members of the Chickasha Chamber of Commerce are among the top young professionals in the state. Cassie Poole and Logan Lassley were recipients of the honors from NexGen's Under 30 Program. Poole is the chamber's marketing director and was the winner in the Non-Profit category. Lassley is the chamber’s Tourism and Festival of Light Director and picked up the award in the Tourism category. Chamber president Jim Cowan said their achievements, along with their contributions to establishing a young professionals network, exemplify the chamber's commitment to cultivating an environment where emerging talent can shine.
Energy and Metals
Crude oil on the NYMEX is $81.25 per barrel.
London-based Brent crude is $84.80.
Natural gas is $2.55 per million BTUs.
Gold is $1,917 and silver is $23.21.
