Saturday, Dec. 2nd
Minco Honey Festival Today
Minco is prepared for probably its busiest day of the year. It's the 33rd annual honey festival as the community celebrates the home of the largest honey processing facility in Oklahoma. The Ross Honey Plant opened in 1935 and produces honey from bee hives throughout the state. The plant will be open for tours and you can watch honey extraction, storage, and filtering processes, sample some honey products, and of course purchase some of the sweet treats. There are more than 80 arts and crafts vendors, and others on hand. There are also tours of the Great Plains Cotton Gin, carriages rides, and Santa will make an appearance. Minco also commemorates local dairy producers today so Minco really is the land of milk and honey.
Chickasha Lighted Christmas Parade Tonight
Chickasha's annual lighted Christmas parade is tonight. There are more than 50 entries which include floats, classic and antique cars, tractors, and walking groups. This year's them is Christmas's Past. The floats will begin lining up on Chickasha Avenue west of the YMCA starting about 5 p.m. with the parade starting at 6 p.m. It will travel east through downtown and disburse near the Leg Lamp. The Salvation Army will provide hot cocoa and cider at 3rd and Chickasha Avenue. After the parade, there will be a Christmas concert with The Imaginaries at the Washita Theatre. Proceed from ticket sales will go towards the purchase of new audio and visual equipment for the Chickasha Community Theater.
New Soldiers Complete Basic Training
Nearly 150 new U.S. Army soldiers completed their basic training at Ft. Sill this week. They are graduates of F Battery, 1st Battalion 31st Field Artillery Division and C Battery of the 1st Battalion 79th Field Artillery Division. They now head to Advanced Individual Training which can range from field and air defense artillery, to medical, and other specialized areas.
Talk Show Topics
Zack Bowles and Alicia Haan with Life Skills Institute and the Resurrection House are this week's guests on the KOOL Konversation. And the musical duo The Imaginaries - Maggie McClure and Shane Henry - are on Real Estate Today. Find podcasts of both programs under the Community tab on this website.
Obituaries
Ola Mae Morrison
Funeral service for Ola Mae Morrison, 84, of Amber will be at 11:00 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 5th at the First Baptist Church of Amber. She and her late husband Ken ran Ken's Steak House for many years. Arrangements are with Ferguson Funeral Home.
Karin Boltz
No service is scheduled for Karin Boltz, 84, of Cody, Wyoming. She was an accomplished violinist, playing with the Powell, Wyoming orchestra and a member of the Wyoming Fiddlers Association.
Arrangements are with Ferguson Funeral Home.
Kenard Swearingen, Jr
Funeral service for Kenard Swearingen, Jr., 19, of Lawton is pending with Brown-Thomas Funeral Home.
Larry Middleton
Funeral service for Larry Middleton, 66, of Lawton is pending with Brown-Thomas Funeral Home. He was a U.S. Army veteran.
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Friday, Dec. 1st
USAO Receives Grant to Help Under-served Students
A nearly $2 million federal grant will help USAO continue its effort to assist Native American, low-income and disabled students. It's a five-year grant from the U.S. Department of Education as part of the agency's Native American-Serving Nontribal Institutions program. It's the third such grant awarded to the university. A press release indicates that USAO will establish a financial literacy education program, improve disability services, and establish an experiential learning program. The overall goal is to improve the university's capacity to increase the retention, success, and graduation rates of Native American, low-income students, and disabled students who make up a big part of the university's student population. The grant is from the education department's Title III progam, which helps non-tribal universities whose student bodies include at least 10 percent of members of federally-recognized tribal governments.
Anadarko Authorities Seek Info on Business Break-in
Anadarko police are asking for help in identifying a suspect who broke into business last week. Officials have posted a video on the department's Facebook page of an individual breaking a window and crawling into the Greenhouse Dispensary and Supply Company. The incident happened last Friday, Nov. 24th. Take a look at the video, or, anyone with any information about the break-in is asked to call Anadarko police at 405-247-2411 or leave them a message on the agency's Facebook page.
Apache Man Arrested Following Pursuit
A Caddo County man is in jail after allegedly leading Lawton police on a high-speed pursuit. Authorities tried to make a traffic stop on 37-year old Jason Maguire of Apache after running his car tag, which belonged on a different vehicle. Speeds reached 100 miles per hour during the pursuit early Monday. KSWO-TV reports the chase came to an end when Maguire hit a curb which disabled his vehicle. Police also say they found about four grams of meth in his possession. Maguire has been charged with felonies which include endangering others while eluding and drug possession, as well as several misdemeanors. Maguire does have prior convictions, and he faces up to at least eight years in prison if convicted of this week's charges.
Energy Firm to Help Send Canadian Natural Gas to Gulf Coast
Cheniere Energy, which has natural gas pipelines in the region that run from Kingfisher south to the state line has announced a long-term contract with a Canadian company. Cheniere, which is based in Houston, said its Sabine Pass Liquefaction Stage Five company has come to an agreement with ARC Resources. The agreement covers the sale of 140,000 MMBtu a day of natural gas for 15 years. The website OK Energy Today reports the agreement will allow Cheniere to deliver increased quantities of Canadian natural gas to Europe.
Energy and Metals
Crude oil on the NYMEX is $75.96 per barrel.
London-based Brent crude is $82.83.
Natural gas is $2.80 per million BTUs.
Gold is $2,057 and silver is $25.58.
Blanchard Wins State Football Title
The Blanchard Lions are this year’s Class 4A High School football state champions. The third-ranked Lions defeated top-ranked and defending state champion Wagoner 19-14 in a game played at Chad Richison Field on the campus of the University of Central Oklahoma in Edmond last night. The kick-off was delayed nearly 2 ½ hours due to lighting and thunderstorms in the area. Blanchard’s defense came up with a big stop on the final play of the game as Wagoner had the ball on Blanchard’s 4 yard-line, and the Lions prevented Wagoner from scoring. Blanchard finishes the season with a 13-1 record. It’s the second state title for the team with the first championship won in 2012.
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Thursday, Nov. 30th
Chix City Council Finalizes Water Line Project
The Chickasha City Council gave final approval to a more than $600,000 project which will allow the city to install a couple of blocks of new water lines during a special meeting last night. It took less than 10 minutes for the panel to approve the short agenda which included the water line project which was first awarded to a contractor back in June. The council approved spending nearly $620,000 for the new lines. That includes increases in material costs the contractor said have occurred over the last five months. The work will include one block of Missouri Avenue east of 4th Street; one block of Virginia Avenue between Shepherd and Henderson Streets; and one-half block of Henderson Street. The city received a $195,000 Community Development Block Grant to help pay for the work. Public Works Director Jim Crosby said crews could begin some preliminary work next week and expects it could take about six months. Officials anticipate there will be some occasions when water service in those areas will be disrupted but that won't be right away. City Manager Keith Johnson said they'll provide residents and businesses advance notice when that will take place. Marsau Enterprises of Enid was awarded the project.
CV Tech Looks to Expand Paid Apprenticeships for Students
A regional company has teamed up with Canadian Valley Technology Center to offer paid apprenticeships to CV Tech students. Four precision machining students are taking part in the program offered by Security Solutions of Mustang. It's a more than 50-year old company that has a patented door-lock system and provides security products and services to more than 50,000 retail stores across the country. Each student spends two days a week in the classroom learning how to read blueprints and use machinist tools. The students spend three days a week with their on-the-job apprenticeships and are paid $15 an hour. The program lasts about a year after which successful students would get a raise up to $18 per hour as well as benefits if they are hired full-time. CV Tech officials say they are working to develop apprenticeship opportunities with other regional companies.
Regional Food Bank Begins Holiday Match Donation Drive
The Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma has been working to combat hunger in the state for more than 40 years. The non-profit agency was created in 1980 and delivers food to Grady and Caddo counties and 51 other counties in Western Oklahoma. Marketing Director Cathy Nestlen tells where the food comes from.
She says they distribute 50 million pounds of food each year. The food bank currently has a holiday match program underway. For every dollar donated through January 15th, corporate donors provide a $1 match up to $450,000. Tax deductible donations may be made on-line at: www.rfbo.org.
Energy and Metals
Crude oil on the NYMEX is $77.86 per barrel.
London-based Brent crude is $83.10.
Natural gas is $2.80 per million BTUs.
Gold is $2,057 and silver is $25.40.
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Wednesday, Nov. 29th
Water Line Replacement Project Back on City Council Agenda
A proposal to replace some city water lines in Chickasha could get final approval by the Chickasha City Council tonight. The panel will hold a special meeting to consider awarding a more than $600,000 total bid for the project. The areas to be replaced include the 300 block of Missouri Avenue; Virginia Avenue from Shepherd Street to Henderson Street; and Henderson Street from Virginia Avenue north to the alley.
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The city has received a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) of $195,000 to help pay for the project. The city initially was going to set aside $135,000 for the work. Tonight the council will consider committing an additional $237,000 – and another $57,000 that the contractor has requested due to cost increases since the project was first awarded this past June. That takes to the total amount of city funds to more than $425,000 and brings the total cost of project to around $620,000. The project was awarded to Marsau Enterprises of Enid which is a pipeline company that also has a location in Lindsay.
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The agenda for tonight's special meeting is almost identical to the one for the meeting which was scheduled Nov. 20. That meeting was canceled because of the lack of a quorum. Items include approving a nearly $14,000 bid from OK Carpet to replace flooring at city hall damaged in the 2020 ice storm; accepting a ONEOK Emergency Responder grant of more than $1,000 for the police department; and acknowledging the receipt of the annual financial statements and audit reports from the Economic Development Council for the 2022 and 2023 fiscal years. It also calls for a resolution for the city to accept bridge inspection responsibilities for compliance with national bridge inspection standards.
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Because this is a special meeting, there will not be a citizen comment section. The meeting will get underway at 6:30 tonight at city hall and will be aired on Optimum Channel 3.
Holiday Happenings This Weekend
With Thanksgiving in the rearview mirror our attention now turns to the Christmas season. There will be a lot of activities in the region this weekend. Starting Friday night, Chickasha's Festival of Light will kick off its shuttle service from the downtown Leg Lamp to Shannon Springs Park and back. That service will be available every Friday and Saturday night through Dec. 23rd. Saturday morning will get started with the Chickasha Optimist Club Christmas Carroll Run beginning at Southern Oaks Church of Christ. The Minco Honey Festival will be all day Saturday. Back in Chickasha Saturday afternoon will be the Christmas Tour of Homes benefit; Saturday night will be Chickasha's lighted Christmas parade downtown starting at 6 o'clock; and after the parade a concert featuring The Imaginaries at the Washita Community Theatre.
Energy and Metals
Crude oil on the NYMEX is $76.41 per barrel.
London-based Brent crude is $81.66.
Natural gas is $2.71 per million BTUs.
Gold is $2,058 and silver is $25.34.
Obituaries
Dianne Wilson
Funeral service for Dianne Wilson, 70, of Chickasha will be held at 1:00 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 30th at Sevier Funeral Home. She worked at Chickasha Laundry and ran the Payless Shoe Store for more than 10 years.
Dennis Claflin, Jr.
A celebration of life will be held for Dennis Claflin, Jr., 76, of Ninnekah. He was a U.S. Navy veteran, farmed, and worked in the oilfield. The come-and-go celebration will be Saturday, Dec. 9th from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Ferguson Funeral Home.
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Tuesday, Nov. 28th
Actions Still Pending Against Chickasha Firm
Blamed for Huge Hand Sanitizer Fire in Aug. 2022
A hearing on an application filed by the State Department of Environmental Quality against Bordwine Development Company is scheduled to be held by a Grady County judge early next year. In a story published by The Southwest Ledger, it’s reported that the DEQ filed an injunction against Brannan Bordwine's company in November of last year to prevent Bordwine and his company from removing any sanitizer without expressed written consent from the DEQ. Bordwine was said to have been leasing the former Chickasha Manufacturing Company and storing hundreds of pallets of hand sanitizer which caught fire in August of last year destroying the decades-old building. A hearing on the application is scheduled with Grady County District Judge Kory Kirkland in January.
Multi-million dollar fine challenged
The DEQ fined Bordwine more than $6.6 million for allegedly causing the fire. Bordwine has not paid the fine as his attorney says he is appealing the penalty and has requested a hearing before an administrative law judge. The Ledger reports that a status conference on the matter was held earlier this month and another such conference is scheduled in February.
Separate lawsuit alleges breach of contract
In addition, the owner of the now-destroyed building - a company called Blessed Chickasha Collective - filed a lawsuit against Bordwine's firm this past February alleging a breach of contract for improperly storing, transporting, and handling sanitizer. That lawsuit is still pending in Grady County District Court.
New USAO President to Speak at Women's Lunch Series
USAO President Kayla Hale is settling into her new leadership role. Hale - the 13th president in the history of the university and its first female president - will be the featured speaker at the next women's lunch series hosted by the Chickasha Chamber of Commerce. Hale has worked in the higher education field for 35 years in both the public and private sectors. Prior to being named USAO president she spent 25 years at the University of Tulsa where her last role was vice president of university advancement and alumni engagement. She also served at the University of Oklahoma at Tulsa and at Rogers State University in Claremore. The Chamber's women's lunch series will be held at noon next Tuesday, December 5th in the USAO Ballroom. Reach out to the chamber to make reservations.
Libaries to Hold 'Food for Fines' Program
A couple of regional libraries will be offering a food for fines program for the month of December. Patrons of the Chickasha Public Library and the Anadarko Community Library who have held on to items longer than they should have can return them and donate some non-perishable food items instead of paying a fine. The value of the donated food does not have to match the fine. All the food will be given to local emergency food pantries. Library patrons are encouraged to donate food even if they don't have any late fees pending.
New Chix Restaurant to Open
The new Chick-Fil-A restaurant in Chickasha is slated to open later this week. A Facebook post indicates opening day is Thursday, Nov. 30th with store hours being from 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Kyra Green is the local owner-operator of the restaurant which is expected to have as many as 80 full- and part-time employees. The restaurant is in the 400 block of Grand Avenue right behind the new Scooters Coffee Shop.
Energy and Metals
Crude oil on the NYMEX is $74.86 per barrel.
London-based Brent crude is $79.98.
Natural gas is $2.79 per million BTUs.
Gold is $2,035 and silver is $25.06.
Obituary
Michael Dickey
No service is scheduled for Michael Dickey, 63, of Chickasha. He was a U.S. Navy veteran. Arrangements are with Ferguson Funeral Home.
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Monday, November 27, 2023
Group Seeks to Double Oklahoma's Minimum Wage
A group has begun an initiative petition drive to try and create a new state law which would double Oklahoma's minimum wage. The campaign by Raise the Wage Oklahoma wants to increase the minimum wage from $7.50 to $15 an hour. The group is trying to collect enough signatures to put what would be called State Question 832 on a statewide ballot. Supporters say the cost of everything keeps going up and the minimum wage hasn't been increased in 15 years. The petition was submitted to the secretary of state's office Oct. 27th. The group needs to collect more than 92,000 signatures in order to get the measure to a statewide vote. Two industry groups are challenging the petition. The Oklahoman reports that the State Chamber of Commerce and the Oklahoma Farm Bureau have filed a joint application asking the state Supreme Court to assume original jurisdiction. State Chamber officials say the proposal would result in higher prices for consumers, fewer jobs for workers, and greater failure rates for businesses. The Farm Bureau said it would threaten the economic viability of many agricultural businesses and the vitality of rural communities. If approved, future minimum wage increases would be tied to the cost-of-living index and reach $15 an hour in 2019.
Driver Hospitalized After Car Hits Tree
An Anadarko man was hospitalized after his car ran off a county road and hit a tree. 26-year old Tre Pederson suffered internal, and arm and leg injuries. The accident happened just after 10 o'clock Saturday night about three miles west of Anadarko. The highway patrol reported that Pederson was driving too fast for the road conditions and was unable to stop at a stop sign, slid through the intersection, ran off the road, and hit the tree.
CV Tech to hold Open House Wednesday
There are a number of openings in career fields that pay good salaries - and the Chickasha campus of the Canadian Valley Technology Center has training programs for many of them. Among the high-demand career fields right now are electrical trades, machining, computer-aided drafting and design, and surgical technology. CV Tech will hold an open house Wednesday, Nov. 29th and invites the community and potential students to stop by and visit their numerous program areas and talk to instructors. Individuals will be able to enroll in classes during the open house which will be from 5:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m.
Energy and Metals
Crude oil on the NYMEX is $75.54 per barrel.
London-based Brent crude is $80.48.
Natural gas is $2.85 per million BTUs.
Gold is $2,034 and silver is $25.18.
Obituaries
Harold Nixon
No service will be held for Harold Nixon, 74, of Pocasset. He was a U.S. Army veteran. Arrangements are with Ferguson Funeral Home.
Forrest Robinett
A graveside service for Forrest Robinett, 84, of Norman will be held at 1:00 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 28th at the Fairview Cemetery in Tuttle. He was in the grocery and car business. Arrangements are with Sevier Funeral Home.
Bob Osborn
Funeral service for Bob Osborn, 82, of Chickasha will be held at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 29th at Ferguson Funeral Home. He worked in the oilfield and was a farmer.
Deloris Green
Funeral service for Deloris Green, 77, of Chickasha will be at 1:00 p.m. Monday, Dec. 4th at Sevier Funeral Home. She was an elementary school teacher.
