Saturday, Nov. 4th
PSO Rate Hike Finally Approved
After months of hearings, reviews, and intense discussion the Oklahoma Corporation Commission has approved a rate increase for Public Service Company of Oklahoma (PSO). In a 2-1 vote, the panel approved a $131 million rate hike Friday. According to the website OK Energy Today, PSO customers are expected to eventually see their rates go down - but not before they increase an average of $5.35 per month. Monthly rates will later drop about $17 for a net savings of about $12 per month which is expected to start in January. Commissioners Todd Hiett and Kim David voted for the plan and Commissioner Bob Anthony voted against it. David called the month's long process a nightmare. Anthony, who had opposed the rate hike from the start, called it a dereliction of duty. The delays were the result of an order proposed by commissioners which underwent three days of review and challenges by an administrative law judge back in May. The $131 million rate hike is less than half of the nearly $295 million rate hike PSO was initially asking for.
Wildlife Refuge Offers Fall Foliage Walks
Central Oklahoma is in the midst of its peak of fall colors with tree leaves changing to various shades of orange, red, and purple. The Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge will have fall foliage walks later this month. The Friends of the Wichitas will guide participates through select locations to see maple, oak, and sumac trees with their array of colors with the Wichita Mountains serving as a backdrop. Guides will discuss native vegetation and seasonal cycles which provide the scenery. The tours will be at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 18th and Sat. Nov. 25th. The tours last about three hours. They are free but reservations are required and will be taken on a first-come, first-served basis starting on Monday.
'Fall Back' To Central Standard Time Tonight
Oklahoma and much of the country will be returning to standard time this weekend. We'll move clocks back one hour which means many will get one more hour of sleep or one extra hour to enjoy tomorrow. There has been a lot of discussion about keeping daylight savings time permanent. While many states have passed resolutions to support that plan it's up to the politicians in Washington, D.C. to make the final decision. Back in the 1970s, Congress did make daylight savings time permanent, but the decision was reversed in less than a year after the early morning darkness proved dangerous for school children and public sentiment changed. Most digital devices will automatically make the change. If you still have analog clocks you'll have to manually re-set them. The official time change is 2 o'clock tomorrow morning, so it’s best to re-set the time before going to bed tonight.
Talk Show Topics
Jeff Sadler with the Oklahoma Water Resource Center at OSU is on our KOOL Konversation program. On Real Estate Today guests are Whitney Palesano and Logan Lassley with the Chickasha Chamber of Commerce and the Festival of Light. There are podcasts of both programs under the community tab on this website.
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Friday, Nov. 3rd
Bicyclist Dies After Being Hit by Truck
A Grady County man has died after the electric bicycle he was riding was hit by a pick-up. 37-year old Charles Buck of Bradley was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident which happened before dawn Thursday morning just west of Lindsay. The highway patrol reports that Buck was eastbound on a dark stretch of State Highway 19 just before 6:00 a.m. Thursday when he was struck from behind by a pickup driven by 49-year old Randal Carlisle of Chickasha. Carlisle was not hurt. The highway patrol says the collision is still under investigation.
Cement Truck Damaged in Downtown Chix Sinkhole
A cement truck rolled onto its side in downtown Chickasha yesterday when a sink-hole opened underneath it. The truck was delivering some concrete in the alley behind the Chamber of Commerce just after noon. The truck rolled onto its driver's side after falling into the sinkhole. The driver was not injured. Crews have been doing some work behind the Chickasha Commercial Building which will eventually be a new location for the Grady County Health Department.
'Operation Greenlight' to Honor Military Veterans
Veterans Day ceremonies will be held throughout the country next Saturday, Nov. 11th. There is a new national program to honor veterans the entire week beforehand. It's called Operation Greenlight. Initially developed for county government offices, officials are inviting residents and business to take part by having a green light shining in the window or on the porch. The National Association of County Governments and the National Association of County Veteran Service Officers are urging the more than 3,000 counties parishes, and burroughs throughout the country to take part. The Grady County Courthouse will be among those participating. Grady County Sheriff Gary Boggess who is a military veteran will speak during the program on the steps of the courthouse between 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. Monday. The courthouse will be closed during that time. After the ceremony, the courthouse will have its exterior in green lights throughout the week. Operation Greenlight is not only to show support for veterans but also to raise awareness about the unique challenges they may face.
KCA veterans parade in Apache tomorrow
There will be a Veterans Day Parade in Apache tomorrow. The Kiowa, Comanche, and Apache (KCA) tribes will host the event. It will start about noon at the old Apache High School. Those participating in the parade are asked to arrive between 11:00 a.m. and 11:30 a.m.
Chix Community Thanksgiving Dinner Set
Thanksgiving is now less than three weeks away and a long-standing Chickasha tradition will again take place this year. A community Thanksgiving Dinner will be held on Thanksgiving Day which is Thursday, Nov. 23rd. Members of local churches have already started making plans. This year, the dinner will be served at the Chickasha Soup Kitchen at 6th and Pennsylvania Ave. from 11:00 a.m. to noon. Homebound individuals can have meals delivered to them and should contact New Life Christian Church by calling 405-222-5433 by Wednesday, Nov. 22nd. The meal is free however donations are welcome.
Energy and Metals
Crude oil on the NYMEX is $82.46 per barrel.
London-based Brent crude is $86.85.
Natural gas is $3.47 per million BTUs.
Gold is $1,997 and silver is $22.72.
Obituary
Casey Downes
A memorial service for Casey Downes, 62, of Cement will be held at a later date. He worked in the oilfield. Arrangements are with Ferguson Funeral Home.
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Thursday, Nov. 2nd
Property Tax Statements Should be in the Mail
County treasurers’ offices across the state are beginning to mail out 2023 property tax statements. It happens around the first of November every year. Grady County Treasurer Robin Burton said her office recently mailed out 39,692 statements. That's about 600 more than last year which is an increase of just over 1.5 percent. The total property taxes owed is about $86.4 million. That's $2.8 million more than last year which is an increase of about 3.3 percent. The time-line to pay property taxes varies from county to county. In Grady County they can be paid in full any time before Jan. 15th of 2024. Or, half the total can be paid by January 15th with the second half due April 15th. For those who have their property taxes included in their monthly mortgage payments - the financial institution will automatically send in a payment.
Free Well Water Testing Available in Grady County Next Week
For those of you who have water wells, it’s a good idea to have your water tested from time to time. Free testing will be available in Grady County next week. Representatives from the Oklahoma Water Resources Center at OSU will be in Chickasha to collect samples. Jeff Sadler is a Water Resources Specialist with OSU Extension. He says they'll be testing for bacteria including e-coli-
You'll need to collect about a half-liter of water to be tested. Take samples to the Grady County OSU Extension Office Tuesday, Nov. 7th about 5:30 p.m. There will be a short program that will start about 6:00 p.m. Test results will be sent out in e-mails within a couple of weeks.
Soup Kitchen Sets Silent Sale
We reportedly recently that the board of trustees which runs the Chickasha Soup Kitchen wants to purchase the building it is currently leasing to provide hot meals to the homeless. Currently donors provide about $75,000 per year which pays for utilities, equipment, and food. About 100 people are served each day Monday through Friday. Individuals, churches, and businesses are among the volunteers who donate their time. The soup kitchen will be hosting a Sip N' See Silent Auction to help raise some of the funds needed. It will be held Saturday, Nov. 11th from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the Soup Kitchen located at 6th and Pennsylvania Ave. Individuals will also be able to go on-line to bid on items: www.chickashasoupkitchen.org
Holiday 'Buy Chickasha' Campaign About to Begin
The Chickasha Chamber of Commerce is about to begin its annual campaign to encourage holiday shopping at local merchants. The annual Buy Chickasha campaign will be getting under way Nov. 14th. Every time shoppers make a purchase from participating merchants they will get tickets which will go into a drawing to win thousands of dollars in cash and gift cards. In all, $10,000 will be awarded - $5,000 for first place, $3,000 for second place, and $2,000 for third. Each will be half cash and half gift cards. The campaign will run through December 12th and the drawing will be held on Thursday, Dec. 14th at 3:00 p.m.
Energy and Metals
Crude oil on the NYMEX is $80.44 per barrel.
London-based Brent crude is $84.63.
Natural gas is $3.49 per million BTUs.
Gold is $1,995 and silver is $23.18.
Obituary
Steve Logue
Funeral service for Steve Logue, 55, of Chickasha will be held at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 4th at Victory Family Church. He worked in the oilfield where he would become a consultant. Arrangements are with Ferguson Funeral Home.
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Wednesday, Nov. 1st
Jury Suggests Lengthy Prison Term After Convicting Abuser
A Grady County jury has recommended a more than 100-year prison sentence for a man the panel convicted of domestic abuse and kidnapping. After a two-day trial in Grady County District Court last week, the jury recommended a 125 year sentence for James Albert Eudy, II. In a press release Grady County District Attorney Jason Hicks said that Eudy was arrested by Chickasha police this past February after being called to a home in the 600 block of N. 8th Street. Eudy was accused of hitting his ex-girlfriend in the face, breaking her nose and facial bones, trapping her in her own van and threatening to kill her. He also threatened to have others 'pay her a visit' if she called 9-1-1. The victim called police anyway and Eudy was eventually taken into custody. The jury recommended a 75-year prison sentence for kidnapping and a 50-year sentence for domestic abuse. Formal sentencing is scheduled for Dec. 12th in front of Associate District Judge Joseph Young.
Burglary Suspect Nabbed at Fire-Damaged Apartments
A man seen climbing around the top of an Anadarko apartment complex which was recently damaged in a fire is in custody on a burglary complaint. Anadarko police were called to the Landmark Apartments to check out a man walking on the roof of the apartments. The suspect briefly eluded police but officers were able to track him down inside one of the units. KSWO-TV cites court documents which indicate that police knocked on the door and the suspect answered. He said he was allowed to stay there and climbed through the window because he forgot the keys. A witness told police they didn't know the suspect and that he was never given permission to live there. Authorities arrested 35-year old Zachary Roy of Carnegie and he has been formally charged with burglary and concealing stolen property. His bond was set at $5,000. Roy faces up to 10 years in prison if he's convicted. Roy previously pleaded guilty to charges of burglary and taking a cell phone into jail following an arrest in 2010.
Tribes Receive Federal Grants to Help Victims
of Human Trafficking, Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence
Native American tribes across the country including some in Oklahoma will receive federal grants to help victims of human trafficking, sexual assault, and domestic violence. The U.S. Justice Department awarded more than $13 million in grants. The funds will be administered through the Office of Violence Against Women and are to enhance tribal justice systems, support numerous services for victims, and provide training and technical assistance for service providers and tribal governments. A National Institute of Justice study found that more than 80 percent of American Indian and Alaskan native women and men have experienced violence in their lifetimes. The Wichita and Affiliated Tribes in Anadarko and the Delaware Tribe based in Bartlesville will each receive a $1 million grant; the Chickasaw Nation based in Ada will receive an $830,000 grant; and the Native Alliance Against Violence in Oklahoma will receive a more than $380,000 grant to assist tribes in developing and promoting state, local, and tribal legislation and policies that enhance best practices for responding to domestic and sexual violence.
Energy and Metals
Crude oil on the NYMEX is $81.02 per barrel.
London-based Brent crude is $87.41.
Natural gas is $3.58 per million BTUs.
Gold is $1,992 and silver is $22.77
Obituary
Linda Bryan
Funeral service for Linda Bryan, 78, of Mustang and formerly of the Chickasha and Anadarko area will be at 1:00 p.m. Friday, Nov. 3rd at Bible Baptist Church. She was a homemaker. Arrangements are with Ferguson Funeral Home.
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Tuesday, Oct. 31st
TIF District 'Review Committee' to be Formed
The Chickasha City Council has approved the forming of a review committee which will provide recommendations about developing new Tax Increment Finance (TIF) Districts in the city. The committee will be led by one member of the city council. It was initially proposed that Mayor Chris Mosley be appointed to that post but instead, vice Mayor Zach Grayson was selected. The council also appointed John Grote of the city's planning commission or his designee to the committee. Other representatives will include individuals from the Chickasha Public School District and the Canadian Valley Technology Center School District. Those appointees will likely be school administrators. Also to be named will be a representative from the Grady County Commissioners and three at-large members. All committee members will have to be approved by the city council.
OKC law firm hired to lead the way
Nate Ellis of an Oklahoma City law firm, The Public Finance Law Group, spent about 45 minutes discussing the formation of the committee and what its responsibilities would be. The council approved spending up to $30,000 for the law firm to provide guidance throughout the TIF District process. Ellis says he's expecting the committee to be in place and have its first meeting before the end of the year.
Possible TIF district site named
The first mention of a possible location of a TIF district was brought up during last night's meeting. Officials say a portion of the downtown area is being considered. In a TIF district, sales tax revenues and property taxes paid within the district can be set aside for infrastructure projects. Ellis said that up to 100 percent of those proceeds could be used and that it could be a 15- to 20-year project. Other officials mentioned that, if the TIF district is formed, the city could get additional monies from what's known as the state ‘Leverage Act’ from the Incentive Evaluation Commission which is part of the Office of Management and Enterprises Services.
USAO Homecoming This Weekend
The upcoming weekend will be a special one for USAO. It is Homecoming as alumni will be returning to campus for a number of events. Among them is a celebration of the 50th anniversary of inter-collegiate athletics. However, Athletic Director Mike Ross says there have been numerous club-type sports programs throughout the more than 100-year history of the university.
Also to be recognized is former player and Coach Brisco McPherson who guided the men’s basketball team to its 2002 NAIA National Championship. An hour-long documentary of that team, ‘Unfinished Business,’ produced by USAO students and staff will premiere Friday evening at the Davis Hall Amphitheatre.
Energy and Metals
Crude oil on the NYMEX is $82.31 per barrel.
London-based Brent crude is $87.45.
Natural gas is $3.35 per million BTUs.
Gold is $2,007 and silver is $23.37.
Obituary
Charlotte Brooks
Funeral service for Charlotte Brooks, 89, of Chickasha will be held at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 1st at Parkview Christian Church. She worked for an accounting firm for many years. Arrangements are with Ferguson Funeral Home.
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Monday, Oct. 30th
Grady County Sheriff Re-Caps First Months in Office
It's been an active few months in office for Grady County Sheriff Gary Boggess. He was appointed sheriff earlier this year after former Sheriff Jim Weir retired. The sheriff’s office budget for the current fiscal year is about $6 million. About one-third of that total - $1.9 million - is for salaries. Boggess said he was able to give deputies about a 20 percent pay raise which brings their total salary and benefits package to about $72,000 a year. That ranks fifth highest among Oklahoma's 77 counties. Boggess said one of his initial goals was to get deputies to serve as a School Resource Officers (SRO) in every county school - and that was recently crossed off his list. There are 17 officers in all including one at the Canadian Valley Technology Center. Boggess said the SROs do more than work during the school day.
Boggess said he is also working with several neighboring counties to investigate agriculture thefts and has assigned Lt. Danny Booth as the county investigator.
We talked to the sheriff on our KOOL Konversation this past weekend. Find a podcast to the program under the Community tab on this website.
TIF District Discussion Tonight for Chix City Council
A proposal to create some additional Tax Increment Finance (TIF) districts in Chickasha will be discussed during a special meeting of the Chickasha City Council tonight. The council will consider hiring a financial counseling service and create a review committee to provide recommendations. The committee will include at-large members of the community. Mayor Chris Mosley says a portion of sales revenue from within a TIF district can help the city build water and sewer lines and other infrastructure. The special meeting will be held at 6:30 tonight at city hall.
USAO Regents Have New Board Member
Another new member has been appointed to serve on the USAO Board of Regents. Suzanne Reynolds was recently appointed to the post by Gov. Kevin Stitt to fill the seat previously held by the late David McLaughlin. Reynolds is a pharmacist from Nichols Hills who created the first pharmacist-managed out-patient, anti-coagulation clinic at Integris Baptist Hospital in OKC. Reynolds will serve the remaining few months of McLaughlin's term which runs through June 30th of next year.
Energy and Metals
Crude oil on the NYMEX is $85.54 per barrel.
London-based Brent crude is $90.48.
Natural gas is $3.16 per million BTUs.
Gold is $2,006 and silver is $23.33.
Obituary
Tyler Robnett
Funeral service for Tyler Robnett, 23, of Chickasha will be held at 1:00 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 1st at Grand Assembly of God Church. Arrangements are with McRay Funeral Home.
