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Mollman Media News Archives for 2019-12

2019, Dec. 23rd-28th

Saturday, Dec. 28th

 

Tribal Leaders Challenge Governor on Compact Plan

The leaders of Oklahoma's Native American tribes and Gov. Kevin Stitt are at odds over the governor's attempt to re-negotiate the gaming agreements between the state and the tribes. One tribal leader says the governor should look to other sectors to increase state revenue. Matt Komalty, chairman of the Kiowa Tribe of Oklahoma, suggests turning to the oil and gas industry. Komalty said the governor is comparing casino revenues in Oklahoma to states like New York which have a higher per capita income. Komalty also said Stitt is insisting that tribes pay higher fees, as it would be 'fair' to other Oklahoma industries. Komalty said the governor only has to look at the oil and gas industry to see that Stitt is being dishonest. Stitt recently issued a six-month extension to the Jan. 1st deadline for the compacts.

 

State's Sierra Club Branch to be More Pro-Active in 2020              

An environmental group will be more aggressive in their efforts to make Oklahoma a cleaner, greener state. The Oklahoma Chapter of the Sierra Club is making plans to step up and push back against the state's fossil fuel giants and bad state leadership. Johnson Bridgewater is the group’s president. The website www.okenergytoday.com reports that some of the issues they plan to tackle include water pollution and earthquakes caused by toxic wastewater injection, the waste of millions of gallons of fresh water used for unlimited fracking, and dangerous pipeline projects. The group also want something done about the state's large chicken operations which officials say are polluting protected waters, and coal ash ground contamination. The group is asking its members for more contributions in order make progress on their issues.

 

Reserve Officer Honored for 41 Years of Service

The Chickasha Police Department honors one its own. Reserve police officer Jerry Atkinson has retired after serving 41 years with the department. That's longer than many of his fellow officers have been alive.  Chief Dee Rowell praised Atkinson for his years of service.

 

                         

 

It's estimated that Atkinson volunteered more than 12,000 hours or more than 510 eight-hour days during his 41 years. Atkinson served under 15 chiefs or interim police chiefs, beginning with Henry Jones in the late 1970s. Atkinson says he's not sure what the next chapter in his life holds. He says when one door closes, another one opens.

 

Everything Christmas Store to Close              

A group dedicated to help the homeless in Chickasha will be closing its doors for good. Officials with The Everything Christmas Store say they’ve lost the building where they stored their inventory. Proceeds from the sale of merchandise has supported the Resurrection House and the Life Skills institute. Coordinator Pam Morgan thanks all the volunteers and customers for their help over the last nine years. The store will be open today (Saturday), Monday, December 30th and the final day the store will be open is Tuesday, December 31st. The store is located at 804 S. 4th, in the former location of Friendly Travel, next to Locke Supply.

 

Obituaries

Ples Fulton

Graveside service for 93-year old Ples Fulton of Cement. will be held at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, December 29th December 29th at Laverty Cemetery. Arrangements are with Sevier Funeral Home.

 

Mildred Sullivan

Funeral for 82-year old Mildred Sullivan of Alex will be at 10:00 a.m. Tuesday, December 31st at the Westside Church of Christ in Alex. Arrangements are with Ferguson Funeral Home.

 

Anna Hunt

Memorial service for 98-year old Anna Lee Hunt, formerly of the Chickasha and Amber area, will be at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, January 4th at the First Baptist Church of Amber. Arrangements are with Ferguson Funeral Home.

 

Friday, Dec. 27th

 

Tuttle Man Arrested, Charged with Child Sexual Abuse

A Grady County man is jailed on a $250,000 bond for allegedly molesting a 12-year old. Prosecutors have formally charged 58-year old Marvin Marshall Larson, Jr. with felony child sexual abuse. A Grady County Sheriff's Office affidavit indicates that investigators were called to a Tuttle church two weeks ago, after the child told church volunteers that Larson had been molesting her. Larson was called in to the sheriff's office for an interview last week, where he is alleged to have admitted molesting the child. Larson had his initial appearance on the charge in Grady County District Court yesterday. He is to announce his attorney Jan. 24th with a preliminary hearing conference set for Feb. 11th. He faces up to life in prison if convicted.

 

Sheriff's Office Updates Warrant List

The Grady County Sheriff's Office has an updated list of individuals who have outstanding warrants. Here's Public Information Officer Lisa Hatchett.

 

              

 

If you have information regarding any of these individuals you're asked to contact the sheriff's office by calling 405-222-5085.

 

Longtime Reserve Police Officer to Retire

After more than 40 years of serving as a reserve Chickasha police officer, Jerry Atkinson is retiring. Atkinson began working as a reserve officer in 1978. Atkinson earned the rank of Captain in his many years working part time with the department. Lt. Traye Alexander says Atkinson has been an important part of the police department, working during critical times and events which just needing a police presence.

 

              

 

Alexander says reserve officers are asked to spend 8 to 10 hours per month working with the department, but Atkinson has worked about 25 hours a month. He estimates that Atkinson has volunteered more than 12,000 hours during those 41 years. A retirement reception for Capt. Atkinson will be held at noon today at Chickasha police headquarters.

 

No Funding Approved for Route 66 Projects

Federal grants which have helped with the restoration of the country's historic Route 66 have dried up. Members of Congress did not pass any funding for highway projects before adjourning for the holidays and that has some worried. Many cities and towns along the 2,400 mile road from Chicago to Los Angeles have been able to leverage local funding with federal grants to renovate historic stops along the highway. Ken Busby with the Route 66 Alliance told Public Radio Tulsa that the lack of dedicated federal funding for preservation work puts people trying to save the Mother Road in a tough spot. Legislation to designate Route 66 as a National Historic Trail stalled in both the U.S. House and Senate. A few years ago, the World Monuments Fund listed Route 66 on the 'Watch List of 100 Most Endangered Sites.'

 

Talk Show Topics

Here's what we're talking about this weekend. Cathy Nestlen with the Regional Food Bank is on our KOOL Konversation program. And on Real Estate Today with John Mosley our guest is USAO president John Feaver. Find links to both programs under the Community tab on this website.

 

Energy and Metals

Crude oil on the NYMEX is $61.68 per barrel.

London-based Brent crude is $67.92.

Natural gas is $2.29 per million BTUs.

Gold is $1,514 and silver is $17.91.             `

 

 

Thursday, Dec. 26th

 

Chix Mayor Looks Back on 2019; Ahead to 2020

Chickasha Mayor Chris Mosley says 2019 was a good year for the city, with growth in the business sector and some needed development in housing getting underway. Mosley said there's been an increase in business activity in the downtown area with the use of the city’s economic development funds.

 

              

 

The other acreage near the fairgrounds is anticipated to be residential with multi-family housing units. The mayor also said activity in the Tax Increment Finance District south of Grand Avenue between 4th Street and 9th Street will bring more retail to the city. Looking ahead to the new year, the mayor anticipates addressing additional housing needs with single family homes in the Sleepy Hollow Addition and additional single-family homes and multi-family units west of 16th and Country Club Road.

 

Unemployment On the Rise

Unemployment rates are beginning to inch upward, led by the loss of many jobs in the energy sector. The latest numbers indicate that the jobless rate in Grady County increased slightly from 3.1 percent in September to 3.2 percent in October. That compares to 2.6 percent from October of 2018. New unemployment numbers for November should be out in a couple of days. The largest jump in unemployment in the region was seen in Stephens County, where the jobless rate increased from 4.4 percent in September to 4.9 percent in October. That compares to 3.5 percent in October of last year.

 

Chix Trash Pick-up Schedule Revised

Here’s another reminder of the revised trash pick-up schedule for Chickasha residents. For those whose normal trash pick-up day is Wednesday, Waste Connections will be making rounds today. For residents whose normal trash pickup day is Thursday, it will instead be tomorrow. And for those whose regular pick up day is Friday, it will instead be on Saturday.

 

Energy Firm Joins Climate Change Reduction Effort

Schulmberger is announcing an effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The website www.okenergytoday.com reports that company officials say the energy industry has a role to play in reducing the effects of climate change. The application of the firm's industry- and environmentally-friendly technologies will help improve the efficiency of its processes and reduce its environmental footprint. The company looks to help meet the objectives of the Paris Agreement established in 2016 by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.

 

Energy and Metals

Crude oil on the NYMEX is $61.11 per barrel.

London-based Brent crude is $67.20.

Natural gas is $2.18 per million BTUs.

Gold is $1,506 and silver is $18.01.

 

Obituaries

David Wentz

Obituaries today include 35-year old David Wentz of Chickasha. Funeral will be at 1:00 p.m. Friday, December 27th at Chickasha’s First Christian Church. Arrangements are with Ferguson Funeral Home. Memorial contributions may be made to the Resurrection House, Make Promises Happen in Guthrie, or the Buddha Mind Monastery in Oklahoma City.

 

John Mitchell

Funeral for  47-year old John Mitchell of Tuttle will be at 1:00 p.m. Friday, Dec. 27th at the Tuttle First Assembly of God Church. Arrangements are with Sevier Funeral Home of Tuttle.

 

Hailey Henderson

Funeral for 30-year old Hailey Henderson of Chickasha will be at 1:00 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 28th Chickasha’s Bible Baptist Church. Arrangements are with McRay Funeral Home. Memorial contributions may be made to the Intervention and Crisis Advocacy Network.

 

 

Wednesday, Dec. 25th

No news due to the Christmas holiday.

 

 

Tuesday, Dec. 24th

 

SUV Crash Claims Life of Chickasha Woman

Tragedy for a Grady County family here at the Christmas holiday season. A one-vehicle accident claims the life of 30-year old Hailey Henderson of Chickasha. Henderson died in a crash that happened late Sunday or early Monday near Alex. The accident is under investigation by the highway patrol. Henderson's SUV was found about a mile south of State Highway 19 on Cemetery Road, which is southeast of Alex. Reports are that the SUV ran off the road and rolled several times. Henderson's body has been taken to the state medical examiner’s office.

 

Two Semis, Pickup Pile-up in Fog

Two Caddo County truck drivers were involved in a foggy three-vehicle crash which sent one of the truck drivers to the hospital. 45-year old Dusty Francis of Ft. Cobb was taken to an Oklahoma City hospital where he was last in serious condition. 68-year old James Bryant of Carnegie and the driver of a pickup also involved in the accident were not injured. The accident happened west of Burns Flat on State Highway 152 about 9:00 a.m. Monday. The driver of the pickup was stopped at a stop light. Both truck drivers were westbound behind that vehicle. The highway patrol reports Francis had slowed to make a turn, and Bryant’s big rig rear-ended Francis’ semi and trailer.

 

Teen, Father Accused of Fraud in Car-Buying Scam

A teenager and his father are accused of fraud for allegedly trying to purchase several vehicles from a car dealership. The Grady County District Attorney’s Office has charged 70-year old  Phillip Gerald Bailey of Fletcher with a felony for bogus checks and running a con game. His 15-year old son is going through the juvenile justice system. Papers filed in Grady County District Court indicate that Chickasha police were called to a local dealership to investigate a report that someone tried to buy a new truck through an electronic bank transfer. Later, it's alleged the teen called the dealership to purchase two additional vehicles. The total purchase price was more than $140,000. However, it was determined that the account number provided belonged to a high-end car dealership in Beverly Hills, California. The affidavit also states that the teen wrote bad checks on a closed account to purchase a new car from a Texas dealership, and some off-road vehicles from an Ardmore business. All the vehicles have been returned. The affidavit indicated that Bailey initially said he didn't know his son was being dishonest, but is alleged to have admitted going along with the scam. Bailey is in the Grady County Jail in lieu of a $25,000 bond.

 

Salvation Army Needs Help Achieving Red Kettle Goal

The Salvation Army's Red Kettle drive ends today, and the local collections need a big effort from you for the faith-based group to reach its goal. Lt. David Brittle with the Salvation Army which serves Grady and Caddo counties said that as of donations received this past weekend, they were about $6,700 short of their goal of $68,000. All the funds goes toward the church’s operations next year. The group recently helped more than 400 families in the two-county area with its Angel-to-Angel program. Bell ringers will be working in the region until 3:00 p.m. or so this afternoon (Tuesday, Dec. 24th).

 

USAO Students Address State Academy of Sciences

Some USAO students were able to discuss their research projects at the annual Oklahoma Academy of Sciences earlier this month. For biology major Cody Corser, it was his second time to be chosen for the program. He reviewed his research regarding the short-grass prairie in Grady County. Nick Campisi, a biology and natural science major, gave an overview of 'bat diversity surrounding rural and urban bodies of water’. Erin Dunagan is a deaf education major who reviewed her research of tick-borne diseases in and around the Chickasha area. History major Cassandra Poole presented her demographic investigation using headstone analysis at Chickasha’s Rose Hill Cemetery. The presentations were made at the University of Central Oklahoma as part of the 108th technical meeting of the state academy.

 

Energy and Metals

Crude oil on the NYMEX is $60.52 per barrel.

London-based Brent crude is $66.39.

Natural gas is $2.21 per million BTUs.

Gold is $1,494 and silver is $17.65.

 

 

Monday, Dec. 23rd

 

Marathon Reports Big Producing SCOOP Wells

While the number of oil and gas rigs in Oklahoma lags behind the numbers from a year ago, some current wells are bringing in a lot of black gold. A couple of sister wells for Marathon Petroleum Company in the South Central Oklahoma Oil Province (SCOOP) are producing a combined 3,200 barrels of oil and about 2,800 million cubic feet of natural gas per day. These are the McLoud wells about three miles southeast of Lindsay in Section 6 of Township 3 North, Range 7 West in Garvin County. The wells are in the Springer formation and were drilled to a depth between 18,000 and 23,000 feet. Completion reports published by the website www.okenergytoday.com indicate that Continental Resources was drilling three wells in Garvin County and two others in Grady County. And EOG Resources which has had some activity in the Tri-City area around Blanchard and Newcastle has had completions in both Grady and McClain counties.

 

Sunday Accidents Shut Down Highway Near Ninnekah

A couple of traffic accidents on U.S. Highway 81 south of Ninnekah last night shut down the highway for more than 2 1/2 hours. The accidents happened just after 6:00 p.m. at Highway 81 and CR 1435 which is about a mile and a half south of State Highway 277. The highway patrol didn't release any information about the crashes, other than to say that both northbound and southbound lanes of traffic on the highway were blocked.  The highway was finally cleared by about 8:45 p.m.

 

Driver Injured When Pick-up Hits Utility Pole              

A Cement woman was injured in a weekend crash when her pickup ran off the road and hit a utility pole. 49-year old Christine Osborn-Cogburne was hospitalized after the crash about 7:00 a.m. Saturday just west of Norge on State Highway 92. Osborne-Cogburn was last in fair condition at an Oklahoma City hospital. The highway patrol reported she was driving too fast for the road conditions. The accident left about 400 PSO customers without electricity for a couple of hours.

 

Holy City Earns Place on Nat'l. Register of Historic Places

The Holy City of the Wichitas is now on the National Register of Historic Places. Skip Hamill is the chairman of the board of trustees for the Holy City, and says it took a lot of effort to finally get that designation.

 

              

 

Hamill says it should increase tourism to the site which has held a live outdoor Easter pageant every year since 1926. It's located in the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge just north of Lawton. It’s open every day of the year except for Christmas Day.

 

Chickasha Trash Collection Revised Due to Holidays

Trash pick-up services in Chickasha will be affected by the Christmas and New Year holidays coming up over the next couple of weeks. Both days are holidays for employees of Waste Connections which is the city's private contractor for trash pick-up services. For residents whose normal trash pick-up day is Wednesday, it will instead be picked up on Thursday over the next couple of weeks. For those whose usual pick-up day is on Thursday, the pick-up will instead be on Friday. And, households with normal trash pick-up day on Friday, it will be on Saturdays. The trash pick-up schedule will return to normal the week of January 6th.

 

Energy and Metals

Crude oil on the NYMEX is $60.44 per barrel.

London-based Brent crude is $66.14.

Natural gas is $2.33 per million BTUs.

Gold is $1,486 and silver is $17.39.

 

Obituary

Aline McMahan

Funeral for Aline McMahan, 92, of Chickasha will be at 2:00 p.m. Monday, December 23rd at McRay Funeral Home.

 

2019, Dec. 16th-21st

Saturday, Dec. 21st

 

Sharing a Christmas Wish

We wanted to share a story from an individual who hopes that a local family can celebrate Christmas, and that the story will inspire anyone who hears it to help others who face challenging times. The writer wants to remain anonymous, and asks those who are impacted by his story to help where help is needed. While this story is of a Chickasha family, the author says there are needy families everywhere facing difficult situations. The author writes that the truth lies within the reality of a world where the joy of Christmas that most people experience, is sorely lacking for this family. Jane, (not her real name) is a mother of two boys, ages 10 and 3, who has endured difficulties throughout her life. Jane suffered a stroke several years ago, and is partially paralyzed. She cannot drive a car. She was in an abusive relationship with the children's father who spent time in prison and is no longer in the picture. The family may also be homeless soon, as the homeowner recently told Jane of their intent to sell the house they live in. The author says he wants to send a message than can permanently change the circumstances for Jane and her children, who are deserving of better opportunities in life. The author hopes the story will begin a chain-reaction of giving - for this family and others like them. The author has reached out to several churches and businesses, and some have come through with help. The Salvation Army and Santa's Workshop have been informed about this family. The author's wish is that Jane and her sons receive an abundance of gifts so they will never again have to worry about a lonely Christmas tree with no presents. He’s hoping his wish will go viral, and it has already been shared in Florida, Louisiana, and North Dakota. If you can help, reach out to the Salvation Army by calling 405-224-5647, or contribute to similar programs that help needy families around the world.

 

Pickup Strikes Utility Pole; Hundreds without Electricity

A driver is injured when her pickup runs off the road and hits a utility pole. 49-year old Christine Cogburn of Cement was taken to the hospital after the crash which happened just before 7:00 a.m. Saturday. The crash happened just west of Norge near State Highway 92 and CS 2800. The accident resulted in hundreds of PSO customers being without electricity for a few hours. PSO reported 409 customers without power after the accident happened.

 

Chix School Board Close to Naming Superintendent

A new superintendent for Chickasha schools could be hired in a couple of weeks. School board president Zack McGill said the panel interviewed three finalists behind closed doors in a lengthy special meeting in Oklahoma City Thursday. McGill said each interview lasted about an hour-and-a-half. The candidates presented a 100-day plan they would implement should they be hired. McGill said the panel is unanimous on one of the candidates, and that a special board meeting will be held on Monday, January 6th to offer a contract to that candidate. McGill said if all goes well, the new superintendent would be on hand for a meet-and-greet at the school board’s regular meeting which is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. Monday, January 13th.

 

Chix Interim School Superintendent Out of the Hospital              

Chickasha's interim superintendent, Jennifer Stegman, is out of the hospital and recuperating from injuries she suffered in an automobile accident last week. McGill said that Stegman is temporarily in a wheelchair after undergoing surgery for a fractured hip. McGill said she is in good spirits and able to do some work from home. He said it could be several weeks before she's able to get back into the office.

 

Church to Distribute Gifts Sunday

A Chickasha church will be distributing gifts to children. The Fellowship of American Indians Church will have presents for all children, from infants through 17 years old. Tewanna Edwards with the church says it’s open to everyone, and there is no paperwork to fill out. An out-of-state church helping is the Leatherwood Baptist Church of Anniston, Alabama. The gift-give-away will start at 10:00 a.m. Sunday, December 22nd the Fellowship of American Indians Church at 1217 West Frisco Avenue.

 

Talk Show Topics

Here's what we're talking about this weekend. Skip Hamill with the Holy City of the Wichitas is our guest on The KOOL Konversation. And on Real Estate Today with John Mosley, our guests are Chickasha Mayor Chris Mosley and City Manager John Noblitt. We have links to both programs under the Community tab on this website.

 

Obituaries

Earl Samuel Cox, Jr.

Obituaries today include 92-year old Earl Samuel Cox, Jr. formerly of Verden. He passed away recently in Fresno, Calif. There will be no public service, but viewing will be at McRay Funeral Home on Sunday, December 22nd from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m.

 

Bob Brown

Funeral for 62-year old Bob Brown of Chickasha will be at 1:00 p.m. Thursday, December. 26th at the First and Georgia Church of Christ. Arrangements are with Ferguson Funeral Home.

 

 

Friday, Dec. 20th

 

Officer Cleared in Shooting

(EDITOR'S NOTE - This is a correction to the story previously published on this page. We mistakenly ireportted it was a fatal shooting, when it was not. We apologize for the error).

A police officer in Blanchard was justified in his actions when he shot and injured a domestic violence suspect earlier this month. The McClain County District Attorney's office has ruled that Officer Steve Wallis will not face any charges. Wallis was dispatched to check out a domestic violence report the night of Dec. 4th. KOCO TV reports the victim, Robert Rains, opened the door and had a gun in his hand. He fired one shot and the officer returned fire, injuring Rains. Blanchard Police Chief Stacey White was quoted as saying it's always unfortunate when an officer has to use deadly force.

 

Driver Critical After Crash

The driver of a pickup who crashed into the Little Washita River bed near Ninnekah yesterday is fighting for his life today. 34-year old Justin Tune of Chickasha was air-lifted to an Oklahoma City hospital after the crash which happened on U.S. Highway 81 just south of Highway 277 Thursday morning. Tune is in critical condition this morning. The highway patrol reported that Tune was northbound on the highway when he fell asleep behind the wheel. He ran off the road, went airborne and struck a concrete bridge abutment. His pickup overturned and landed upside down in the riverbed. Passers-by who saw the accident helped to get Tune out of the pickup.

 

Dry Conditions, Wind Lead to Grass Fires

Some structures were damaged in grass fires that flared up around the Grady County area yesterday. Some structures burned in the Blanchard area and firefighters were summoned to the Rush Springs area as well. Gusty winds helped to rapidly spread the flames on the extremely dry vegetation. There has been little to no rain in the region this month providing dangerous fire conditions. Fire danger will be elevated again today, as winds will be gusting up to 25 miles per hour.

 

Anadarko Police Seek Another Missing Teen

The Anadarko Police Department is sharing information about another missing teen from their community. 14-year old Mya Stumblingbear was last seen this past Tuesday. She's Native American and a photo shows her with long, straight black hair with a light complexion. Anyone with information about Mya Stumblingbear is asked to contact the Anadarko Police Department by calling 405-247-2411.

 

Angel-to-Angel Program Helps More than 600

Christmas will be better for more than 250 families in the Grady and Caddo county areas. The Salvation Army’s Angel-to-Angel program distributed numerous gifts, clothing, and bicycles. On Wednesday, the gifts were distributed in Caddo County through Southwest Youth and Family Services in Anadarko. Thursday, the gifts were distributed in Grady County at the John Holt Auto Group dealership in Chickasha. Lt. David Brittle with the Salvation Army says the Strike Pipeline Company donated dozens of bicycles.  More than 600 children were part of the Angel-to-Angel program this year. Among other acts of kindness here before the holidays, the Grady County Sheriff's Office and Homeland combined efforts to provide almost 500 food bags to Grady County students who are part of the Regional Food Bank back-pack program.

 

Mt. Scott Road Re-opens

Here’s some good news for visitors to Mt. Scott. The road to the top of the mountain has re-opened. It's been closed for more than a year after heavy rains washed out several sections of the road, making in dangerous for motorists. The Lawton Constitution reports that contractors for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge have been working to stabilize the road and its drainage system. Refuge employees and volunteers have also helped to clear brush and critical drainage areas of debris. Operating hours will be from sunrise to sunset. The refuge has modified the use of the roadway to try and protect those who want to walk up the road.

 

USMCA Finally Approved                             

Congress has finally approved the US-Mexico-Canada trade agreement. After getting overwhelming approval in the U.S. House of Representatives, it now goes to President Trump for his approval. Oklahoma U.S. Senator Jim Inhofe said it’s a good agreement for all three countries.

 

              

 

In a prepared statement, 4th District Oklahoma Congressman Tom Cole said that since the U.S. trades with Mexico and Canada more than any other countries, it’s appropriate to strengthen the relationships and modernize the out-dated terms of trade.

 

Energy and Metals

Crude oil on the NYMEX is $61.22 per barrel.

London-based Brent crude is $66.54.

Natural gas is $2.27 per million BTUs.

Gold is $1,481 and silver is $17.09.

 

 

Thurs, Dec. 19th

 

Driver Hurt After Truck Lands Upside-Down in River Bed

A pickup runs off the road and crashes into a riverbed this morning. Ninnekah police and fire departments were dispatched to the accident just south of U.S. Highway 81 and State Highway 277 at the Little Washita River Bridge just before 7:30 a.m. Passers-by helped the driver out of the pickup. The unidentified driver was air-lifted to an Oklahoma City hospital with unknown injuries. Reports indicated the driver may have fallen asleep and ran off the road.

 

4 of 5 Anadarko Assault Suspects in Custody

A man who was brutally beaten at an Anadarko home is recovering from his injures and four suspects are behind bars, with authorities seeking a fifth suspect. Authorities were summoned to the emergency room at the Anadarko hospital last Thursday night where a man was unresponsive, suffering from head and rib injuries. He was transferred to an Oklahoma City hospital for treatment. The Lawton Constitution reports that those in custody are 30-year old Malcom Joseph Wahnee and 18-year old Laura Bell Cozad, both of Anadarko, and 38-year old Steven John Medrano and 35-year old  Kelly M. Klinkole, both of Ft. Cobb. All are charged with crimes which include robbery, aggravated assault, and assault with a deadly weapon. Bond for each is $75,000. An arrest warrant has been issued for 29-year old Lonnie Lane Klinekole of El Reno, who is wanted for assault and/or battery with a dangerous weapon.

              

Caddo County Man Pleads Guilty to Manslaughter

A Cyril man pleads guilty to manslaughter in connection with a fatal traffic accident. Tyler Bain entered the plea in Comanche County District Court yesterday for his role in the crash that happened near Fletcher in January of 2017. Bain was accused of being high on methamphetamine when he tried to pass a car and struck another vehicle head-on, which resulted in the death of Doug Cottrell.  Bain was sentenced to 25 years in prison with 13 years suspended, meaning he'll serve at least 10 years before he's eligible for parole.

 

Chix Schools Robotics Team Gets 3rd Place at State

The FIRST Lego League Robotics Team at Chickasha’s Lincoln School did well at the state FIRST Lego League competition in Tulsa last weekend (FIRST is an acronym which means ‘For the Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology’). The Purple Peeps as the team is known earned third place in the Innovation category. Coach Brandon Willis said it means the students’ overall ideas were innovative and they showed great teamwork. There were 50 teams competing in four categories, including innovation, core values, robot design, and robot challenge.

 

Grady County Fairgrounds Work Recognized

We recently told you about the Grady County Fairgrounds being recognized for its work at the International Association of Fairs and Expos in San Antonio, Texas. The convention was attended by officials from fairs and expos from across the United States, Canada, Europe and Australia. The Grady County Fairgrounds entered several competitions for the first time. They were in a division for fairs with attendees of less than 100,000 people. Grady County picked up a first-place award for a photo submitted from the Grady County Fair Horse Show. The photo was taken by fairgrounds marketing director Jamie Jones which was a picture of Spencer Biggs and her horse Suddenly Irresistible. The fairgrounds also was runner-up in a category explaining how Kid's Day at the county fair teaches children about agriculture.

 

Energy and Metals

Crude oil on the NYMEX is $60.93 per barrel.

London-based Brent Crude is $66.17.

Natural gas is $2.29 per million BTUs.

Gold is $1,477 and silver is $16.97.

 

Obituaries

Leon Osborn

Funeral for 80-year old Leon Osborn of Tuttle will be at 10:00 a.m. Friday, Dec. 20th at the Tuttle Church of Christ. Arrangements are with Sevier Funeral Home of Tuttle.

 

Betty Pritchett

Funeral for 70-year old Betty Pritchett of Chickasha will be at 1:00 p.m. Friday, Dec. 20th at Sevier Funeral Home of Chickasha.

 

'Big Rusty' Corley

A memorial service for 49-year old Russell "Big Rusty" Corley, Sr. of Tuttle will be at 1:00 p.m.  Saturday Dec. 21st at Sevier Funeral Home of Tuttle.

 

 

Wednesday, Dec. 18th

 

Crash Victim Hospitalized in Critical Condition

A woman was air-lifted to an Oklahoma City hospital in critical condition following a traffic accident near Verden Tuesday. 32-year old Sherri Thrash of  Anadarko suffered head, trunk, and internal injuries in the crash that happened west of Verden on U.S. Highway 62 just after 5:00 p.m. The highway patrol reports that Thrash was westbound on the highway, when a pickup pulled out of a private drive onto the highway and hit Thrash's car. The driver of the pickup, 60-year old James Booth of Blanchard, was not hurt.

 

Alex Woman Dies in McClain County Crash

The woman who died in a traffic accident northeast of Lindsay earlier this week was from the Alex area. 76-year old Mary Ann Chappel died in the accident that happened near the small town of Payne in eastern McClain County. Chappel died when her SUV was hit by a pickup driven by a Blanchard teenager. Chappel worked for A and A Tank Truck Services in Lindsay. Funeral service is pending with a Maysville Funeral home.

 

More Interviews Set for Chix School Sup't. Candidates

A second round of interviews with candidates seeking the Chickasha schools superintendent's post will be held tomorrow. The Chickasha Board of Education will have a closed-door meeting with an unknown number of finalists, selected from a first round of interviews last week. The interviews will be held in Oklahoma City at the office of the Oklahoma State School Boards Association starting at 7:15 a.m. Thursday.

 

Inhofe Supportive of Trump as Impeachment Looms

Oklahoma U.S. Senator Jim Inhofe continues supporting President Trump. The U.S. House of Representatives is expected to vote to impeach Trump today. Inhofe and his colleges in the Senate would hold the trial on the charges sometime after the first of the year, but Inhofe tells KOOL/RANCH News that he believes Trump is innocent.

 

              

 

Inhofe also talked about the legislative approval of the US-Mexico-Canada Trade Agreement. The measure has been passed by the senate and the house, and has been sent to the president for his expected approval.

 

Alex School Precinct to Close for Feb. 11th Election

A precinct in the Alex school district will be closed for the February, 2020 school election. Banner Baptist Church, 13635 Highway 76 - which is Precinct No. 5 in McClain County – only has about 40 registered voters. Officials with the McClain County Election Board say state law indicates a school district can close a precinct if it has fewer than 100 voters. Voters in that precinct will receive an application for absentee ballots from the McClain County Election Board. Those applications will have to be filled out, signed, and returned by Feb. 5th, before the school election on Feb. 11th. Any registered voter in Precinct 5 of McClain County who believe they are in the Alex school district - and hasn't received an absentee ballot application - should contact the McClain County Election Board.

 

Chix Businessman Helps Schools, Fire and Police Depts.

A Chickasha businessman comes up big to help local schools and the fire and police departments. John Holt of the John Holt Auto Group has donated $5,000 to each recently. Holt said he is alive thanks to first responders after he had a medical emergency last January. He said they do so much for the community that goes un-noticed.

 

New Dean of Admissions in Place at USAO

USAO has named a new dean of admissions and recruitment. Sheppard McConnell is now in charge of leading USAO's recruitment efforts and increasing potential students’ awareness of USAO's programs. A press release from the university shows that McConnell previously served as director of admissions at East Central University in Ada. He also spent time at OU as assistant director of prospective student services. McConnell earned both his bachelor's and Master’s degrees from OU. He and his wife Megan have two children.

 

Energy and Metals              

Crude oil on the NYMEX is $60.94 per barrel.

London-based Brent crude is $66.10.

Natural gas is $2.32 per million BTUs.

Gold is $1,483 and silver is $17.11.

 

 

Tuesday, Dec. 17th

 

One in Custody After Police Pursuit

A Chickasha police pursuit lands a man in jail. Information from the Chickasha police blotter indicates that the pursuit occurred Sunday afternoon in the area of the 500 block of South 6th. We don't have all the details but the suspect reportedly drove off the roadway and was arrested after the vehicle became disabled. Prosecutors have formally charged 18-year old Yoni Duran Blanca of Anadarko with a felony for eluding and endangering others. He remains in the Grady County Jail in lieu of $35,000 bond.

 

Crash Kills Woman, Injures Teens

A woman has died and several teenagers were injured in a crash that happened northeast of Lindsay yesterday. The highway patrol reports that 76-year old Mary Ann Chappel, whose hometown was not available, died in the crash which happened near the small community of Payne. That's northeast of Lindsay on Highway 59B. Two 17-year old Blanchard teenagers and a 17-year old from Washington in the other vehicle suffered minor injuries. The accident happened about 12:30 p.m Monday on Sate Highway 74 east of Payne. The Highway Patrol reports that a pickup driven by one of the teenagers failed to stop at a stop sign and hit Chappel’s SUV.

 

Salvation Army Angel Program Short of Donations

With about a week to go before Christmas, officials the Salvation Army which serves Grady and Caddo Counties say they could still use contributions to help with the group's Angel-to-Angel program. Lt. David Brittle says there were more than 600 children between the two counties in the program, and that about 200 Angels were not picked up. He says he'll have to use funds from the kettle drive to purchase gifts for those youth, which takes funds out of the Salvation Army’s operating budget for next year. The angel distribution in Caddo County will be tomorrow (Wednesday, Dec. 18th) at Southwest Youth and Family Services in Anadarko. The distribution in Grady County will be Thursday, Dec. 19th at the John Holt Auto Group in Chickasha. Brittle did say that contributions at the Salvation Army kettles were running a little ahead of last year. They set a goal of raising about $68,000 this year, and that through the weekend they needed about $20,000 to reach that goal. The kettle drive runs through next Tuesday, December 24th which is Christmas Eve.

 

Movie Makers Spending More Time in Oklahoma              

More and more Hollywood movie producers are finding that Oklahoma is a good place to film. Chickasha's Reagan Elkins is working with the Oklahoma Film and Music Commission and has assisted with movies which include actors Matt Damon and Bella Thorne. Elkins says the Sooner State provides a variety of locations suitable for what producers and directors are looking for.

 

              

 

Elkins says the Film and Music Commission provides a 30 percent rebate to production companies that use local resources when filming in Oklahoma.

 

Chix School Board Meeting Dates, Times to Change

The Chickasha Board of Education is changing its meeting days and times for 2020. The meetings are being moved from the second Tuesday of the month to the second Monday. The meeting times will be a little earlier, starting at 6:00 p.m. The change will be effective with the first meeting of 2020 which is Monday, Jan. 13th.

 

Energy and Metals

Crude oil on the NYMEX is $60.21 per barrel.

London-based Brent crude is $64.34.

Natural gas is $2.34 per million BTUs.

Gold is $1,484 and silver is $17.13.

 

Obituaries

Richard Jones

Obituaries today include 61-year old Richard Jones of Chickasha. Funeral service will be at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 19th at Full Gospel Church. Arrangements are with Ferguson Funeral Home.

 

Donnie Mathews

Funeral for 62-year old Donnie Mathews of Chickasha will be at 1:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 19th at Ferguson Funeral home.

 

 

Monday, Dec. 16th

 

New Chickasha Construction Projects Steady

New construction in Chickasha for November continued at a steady pace for the latter part of 2019. The city’s Community Development Department approved 11 permits totaling just over $1.3 million. It’s the third straight month where the combined total of commercial and residential construction projects were at least $1 million. A permit for the new Burger King restaurant totaled $750,000. Other commercial building permits approved included $130,000 for CMS Willowbrook for work at 117 S. 4th Street; an $8,000 permit for the Grady County Historical Society Museum; and a couple of $5,000 permits for Bordwine Development on Pikes Peak Road. In residential construction, two permits were approved for new homes. Timber Ridge Custom Homes was approved for a $250,000 home in the 3200 block of Pondridge Road. Steven and Sue Graham were approved for a $130,000 new home in the 1400 block of North 16th Street. Through the first 11 months of the year, new construction in Chickasha is close to $13 million.

 

Grady Memorial Hospital's New 3D

Mammagraphy  Machine Gets Rave Reviews               

Grady Memorial Hospital's new three-dimensional mammography machine has been in operation for some time now. Hospital administrator Kean Spellman said it's getting good reviews from patients.

 

              

 

The machine cost a little more than $300,000. A fund-raising effort to buy the machine was kicked off last year with a $50,000 challenge grant from the First National Bank and Trust. An additional $150,000 was collected because of that grant and other fundraisers, and The Grady Memorial Hospital Foundation provided the final $100,000. Spellman also said hospital officials just opened the bids on the proposed construction of the new pediatrics unit that will be built over the next year. Spellman hopes the construction can start early in 2020.

 

Arrest Made in Rush Springs Auto Break-in

A Chickasha woman is facing misdemeanor drug and vandalism charges after being arrested in connection with the break-in of an automobile. 40-year old Amanda Marie Conaway was arrested by a Grady County deputy after someone allegedly saw her breaking into a car at a home outside Rush Springs. Authorities were called to the home last Wednesday and the deputy located the suspect hiding in a car she and another suspect allegedly drove away in. Documents filed in Grady County District Court indicate the deputy found Conaway with marijuana and she also told the deputy she had some methamphetamine in her bra, which was found when she was booked into the Grady County Jail. Conaway is out of jail after posting a $2,500 bond.

 

New Firm Celebrates 40th Overall Year in Business              

The City of Chickasha helps to celebrate a milestone anniversary for one of the city's newest companies. LiquidPower Specialty Products, Inc. (LSPI) is celebrating its 40th year in business. LSPI recently expanded operations to Chickasha, locating in the former Delta Faucet building. The company manufactures materials which move oil and gas through pipelines faster. Michael Brown is the Chief Executive Officer for LSPI. In a press release he said the company offers the most robust portfolio of patented flow-improver technology. A statement from the City of Chickasha says LSPI is the global leader in the science and application of drag reduction, and has been recognized as a top ten best place to work by the Houston Business Journal and a top 20 workplace by the Houston Chronicle.

 

Energy and Metals

Crude oil on the NYMEX is $60.07 per barrel.

London-based Brent crude is $65.22.

Natural gas is $2.29 per million BTUs.

Gold is $1,481 and silver is $17.11.

 

2019, Dec. 9th-14th

Saturday, Dec. 14th

 

Teen Critical After 4-Vehicle Pile-Up

Several people were taken to hospitals after four vehicles collided north of Blanchard late yesterday afternoon. An un-named 16-year old girl was admitted in critical condition with head, trunk, and internal injuries. Several other people who were injured were also taken to the hospital but were treated and released. The accident happened about a mile north of Blanchard on State Highway 76. The Highway Patrol reported that the critically injured teen's SUV was hit head-on by one of the other vehicles involved in the accident. She was pinned in the wreckage for about 20 minutes before Blanchard rescue crews could get her out. The drivers of the other vehicles included an unidentified 17-year old girl who was treated and released from the hospital; 61-year old Margaret Wilson of Newcastle, who refused treatment at the scene; and 47-year old Harley Stanfield of Oklahoma City who was also treated and released.

 

Mom Says Daughter Bullied

for Wearing Trump Garb              

A Lindsay mother says her middle school-aged daughter was bullied because she wore a Donald Trump sweatshirt to school. Ashley Mann said her daughter had worn the sweatshirt several times before without any problems. However, this week she said students called her names and said that if they had a gun they would kill her. Our partners at KWTV News 9 report that the teen’s parents talked to administrators. Mann said they acted like they were exaggerating about what happened. Lindsay school officials posted a statement on its Facebook page saying administrators and Lindsay police are investigating an accusation but that the statement is not substantiated. Officials said they encourage students who hear something to say something. Mann said all of her children have been pulled from Lindsay classrooms and will now be home-schooled.

              

National Guard Celebrates Birthday              

Happy birthday to the National Guard. A celebration to commemorate the group's 383rd birthday was held at Ft. Sill yesterday. The National Guard was the country's first militia regiment formed in Massachusetts in 1636 - more than 140 years before the signing of the Declaration of Independence. The first National Guard in Oklahoma Territory was established in 1890. Oklahoma's National Guard units were a big factor during World War II. Adjutant General of the Oklahoma National Guard, Michael Thompson, said that the 45th infantry division which include citizen-soldiers from Oklahoma, Colorado, New Mexico, and Arizona is among the best, if not the best infantry division in the history of combat arms. The Thunderbirds fought in WWII for more than 530 consecutive days. And the 29th Infantry Division stormed the beaches at Normandy on D-Day.

 

Sheriff's Office Updates Warrant List

The Grady County Sheriff's Office has an updated list of individuals who have outstanding warrants. Here's Public Information Officer Lisa Hatchett

 

              

 

If you have information regarding any of these individuals you're asked to contact the sheriff's office by calling 405-222-5085.

 

Cycle Santa Toy Drive for Santa's Workshop is Today

Today is a big day for Santa's Workshop. One of the largest toy drives for the program will be held, as Cycle Santa will be leading a group of motorcycle enthusiasts through Chickasha. The group will meet at the Grady County Fairgrounds starting about noon, leave the Fairgrounds at 1 o'clock, then head to the Southland Shopping Center parking lot to meet around the CVS Pharmacy. The group will be collecting toys and money to help provide Christmas presents for needy children. The toy drive will run until 4 o'clock, then tonight, there will be a benefit dinner at the Eagles Lodge. The cost of the dinner is a new toy or $10 per person.

 

 

Friday, Dec. 13th

 

Pedestrian Struck and Killed by Train

An El Reno woman died after she was hit by a train in Pocasset yesterday. 72-year old Mildred Welchel was walking on the railroad tracks when a southbound Union Pacific train struck her. It happened just before 5:00 p.m. Thursday in the town limits of Pocasset. It wasn't clear why the woman was walking along the tracks. The highway patrol identified the engineer of the train was identified as 50-year old Shawn Marks of Lindsay.

 

Chix Schools Administrator Hospitalized After Crash

The interim superintendent for Chickasha Public Schools is recovering after being seriously injured in an automobile accident. Jennifer Stegman suffered some broken bones and other injuries in the accident that happened Wednesday night at the Tabler Y. Stegman is expected to have surgery  at an Oklahoma City hospital today. A hospital official said Stegman was in good condition this morning. It's not clear how long Stegman will be in the hospital or when she may be able to return to work. School board president Zack McGill said three other school administrators will be filling in while she's recovering. They include special education director Pam Ladyman, maintenance director Dan Turner, and athletic director Jerry Don Bray.

 

More Fires Break Out in Grady County

A number of grass fires broke out in Grady County yesterday, with one threatening some homes and a school. The largest fire sparked about 11:30 a.m. Thursday about three miles east of Chickasha. Buddy Myers is with the Grady County Volunteer Fire Department.

 

              

 

The fire moved very close to Friend School but the school was not affected. Myers said one small storage building was destroyed in the fire. It scorched about 150 acres of grassland. The fire blamed on a semi that had a blowout. Smaller fires broke out near State Highway 39 and the Alex Highway and in the Bradley area.

 

Caretaker Sentenced in Severe Child Neglect Case

A  Fletcher woman who entered a blind plea in connection with a horrible case of child neglect will only spend about four years behind bars. A Comanche County judge sentenced Margo Zill to five years in prison.  Zill was arrested a couple of years ago after investigators found a bed-ridden teen under Zill's care in disgusting conditions. The teen was stuck to her bed and was covered in urine, feces, and cockroach eggs. The teen had other wounds all over her body and there were reports that part of her buttocks were missing. The teen was hospitalized in critical condition at the time. Zill will have to serve 85 percent of the five year term before she’s eligible for parole which could be as early as 2014.

 

Talk Show Topics

Here's what we're talking about this weekend. Reagan Elkins is on our KOOL Konversation. He’s been working with the Oklahoma Film and Music Commission, and will talk about how the Chickasha area has been popular lately for filming scenes for Hollywood movies. On Real Estate Today with John Mosley, this week's guest is Kean Spellman, who is the administrator for Grady Memorial Hospital. Find links to both programs under the Community tab on this website.

 

Energy and Metals

Crude oil on the NYMEX is $59.18 per barrel.

London-based Brent crude is $64.20.

Natural gas is $2.33 per million BTUs.

Gold is $1,476 and silver is $17.03.

 

Thursday, Dec. 12th

 

Grady County Sales Revenues Decline

Sales tax revenue in Grady County was down significantly from October to November. The numbers were down about 21 percent to about $715,000. The number is also down 23 percent compared to November of last year. The $715,000 is the lowest level of sales tax revenue for the county since May of 2018. Here's how the county sales tax revenue is spent with every program approved by voters. The Grady County Fairgrounds, $238,000; Grady Memorial Hospital, about $210,000; each of the seven senior nutrition centers, $17,000;  each of the 20 fire districts, about $6,000; Tuttle EMS, $21,000; and Rush Springs EMS about $5,500.

 

City of Chickasha Sales Tax Revenue Also Down

The City of Chickasha also saw a drop in sales tax revenues but not nearly as much as the county. The number was down about 9 1/2 percent from October to November at more than $1 million. The number was only off 3.4 percent from November of last year.

 

Two Hurt in Tabler Y Crash

Two people were taken to the hospital following a crash at the Tabler Y last night. Chickasha Fire and EMS, Naples fire department, Grady County Sheriff's deputies and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol all responded. Buddy Myers with the Grady County Fire Department said two unidentified individuals were taken by ambulance to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries. Traffic was detoured around the crash site for about an hour and a half. The cause of the crash is still under investigation.

 

Four Hospitalized After Truck Avoids Hitting Animal

Four people are hospitalized and two of them are in critical condition after a truck swerved to avoid hitting an animal on the H.E. Bailey Turnpike. That crash happened about 8:00 p.m. Wednesday at Mile Marker 57 of the interstate near Fletcher. The driver of the 2018 Dodge Ram 3500 swerved off the road to avoid the animal and hit a guard rail, then a concrete bridge support. Three passengers were air-lifted to an Oklahoma City hospital and the driver was taken by ground ambulance to OKC.

 

Stolen Vehicle Probe Nets Arrests

An on-going Chickasha police investigation into a number of stolen vehicles leads to the arrest of two people. Officers converged on a home in the 700 block of Nevada Avenue about 12:30 p.m. Wednesday. Authorities say it’s an area known for having stolen vehicles recently. An officer on patrol in the neighborhood called in the tag number of a suspected stolen car. Police say it had been listed on the National Crimes Information Computer database as being stolen from the Midwest City area in October. Police arrested 23-year old Elizabeth Marie Missey and 38-year old Edward Roy Hutto  on complaints of possession of a stolen vehicle.

 

Pocasset Seeks Volunteer Firefighters

The Pocasset Volunteer Fire Department is looking for men and women interested in joining the department. Candidates must be 18-years old, have a high school diploma, and be able to pass a background check. Free training and bunker gear will be provided. There will be some night and weekend work required. For information contact Kirk Spurlin by calling 405-600-5592.

 

Energy and Metals

Crude oil on the NYMEX is $58.76 per barrel.

London-based Brent crude is $63.72.

Natural gas is $2.24 per million BTUs.

Gold is $1,479 and silver is $16.92.

 

Obituaries

Obituaries today include 82-year old Ray Howard of Chickasha. A memorial service will be at 1:00 p.m. Friday at the First Baptist Church of Pocasset. Arrangements are with Sevier Funeral Home.

 

Funeral for 88-year old Maurice Bray of Chickasha will be at 2:00 p.m. Saturday, December 14th at Sevier Funeral Home.

 

Wednesday, Dec. 11th

 

Occupant, Animals Escape Fire Unharmed

A fire that started in the backyard of a home then damaged two houses kept Chickasha firefighters hopping yesterday. The Chickasha Fire Department was dispatched to a home in the 1200 block of South 7th about 12:30 p.m. Tuesday. That's just north of the Chickasha Area Arts Council which was once known as South School. One person along with five dogs and a cat were all able to escape without being hurt. The police department's animal control division was called in to assist. Assistant Fire Chief Tony Samaniego said the fire started in a shed behind the single-story, wood-frame home. It then torched the back of one house and the garage of a home next door. The damage estimate was not available and the cause of the fire is under investigation.

              

Teens Injured in Lindsay Rollover

Five teenagers were injured in a noon-time crash just west of Lindsay yesterday.  All five were taken to hospitals and one was admitted with internal injuries. The teens ranged in age from 14 to 18 years of age. The Highway Patrol said for an unknown reason the 17-year old driver of the car ran off the road, over-corrected than rolled twice, throwing three teens out of the vehicle. Two of the teens were identified as 18-year old Ethan Stroud and 18-year old Rayden Hill. Both were among those treated and released. The names of the other three juveniles were not released. The OHP does not release the names of juveniles.

 

Convicted Offender Accused of Another Sex Crime

A convicted sex offender is back in custody, alleged to have committed another sex crime. 45-year old Sammy Rainer, who lists a Chickasha address, is accused of assaulting a woman in the Blanchard area this past weekend. The Grady County Sheriff's Office says Rainer is considered to be a level three offender and a habitual sex offender. Prosecutors have charged him with felonies which include sexual battery and domestic assault by strangulation in connection with this recent arrest. In a separate case, Rainer is also charged with a felony for providing false or misleading sex offender information. He remains in the Grady County Jail in lieu of a $50,000 bond.  Rainer has sex crime convictions out of both Garvin and McClain counties stemming from arrests in 2008.

 

 Alex Gas Wells are Top Producers             

Some large producing gas wells have been reported in the Alex area. Gulfport Energy shows three wells drilled on a single pad west of Alex were each producing between 12,000 and 14,000 MCF of natural gas per day. The website www.okenergytoday.com reports they are the Jeannie wells located in the Woodford formation about three miles west of Alex. Drilling depth of the wells was about 22,000 feet with completion of the wells this past April. In addition to the vast amount of natural gas being produced the wells were also producing between 400 and 600 barrels of oil per day. Continental Resources also reported a couple of well completions in Grady County that were bringing just under 200 barrels of oil per day.

 

Hit-and-Run Suspect Arrested              

Chickasha police arrest a man in connection with a hit-and-run that happened over the weekend. The crash occurred near the Aldi's grocery store early Sunday morning. A police affidavit indicates a citizen followed the suspect to get a tag number and called it in to police. Authorities located the suspect a few blocks away at 8th and Nevada, where the pickup the suspect was driving did have damage. The suspect showed signs of being under the influence and resisted arrest until officers tazed him twice. In custody is 26-year old James Huckabay. Prosecutors have charged him with a municipal felony for DUI and a misdemeanor for leaving the scene of an accident. Huckabay remains in jail on a $5,000 bond.

 

Chix PD Receives OneOK Grant              

An energy company has provided a grant to the Chickasha Police Department. OneOk provided more than $1,200 to the department from its Emergency Responders grant program.  The money was used to buy 25 sets of replacement pads for the police department's Automated External Defibrillators or AEDs.

 

FSA County Committee Election Results

In agriculture news, county committee elections for Farm Service Agencies have recently been completed. Mark Jackson with the Grady County FSA has some of the results.

 

              

 

The electees will take office next month and will serve for three years. The committees hold hearings and reviews as requested by the state committee, make sure that under-served producers are fairly represented, and make recommendations to the state committee on existing USDA programs. The groups also monitor changes in farm programs and inform producers of the purposes and provisions of Farm Service Agency Programs.

 

Energy and Metals

Crude oil on the NYMEX is $59.24 per barrel.

London-based Brent crude is $64.34.

Natural gas is $2.26 per million BTUs.

Gold is $1,471 and silver is $16.72

 

Obituary

Obituaries today include 74-year old Jerry Hill of Blanchard. He was a long-time machinist and was a U.S. Navy veteran. Funeral will be at 10 o'clock Friday morning at Sevier Funeral Home of Chickasha. Memorial contributions may be made to American Legion Post No. 54.

 

 

Tuesday, Dec. 10th

 

Chix School Board Interviews Sup't Candidates

The Chickasha Board of Education is meeting in Oklahoma City today to interview candidates for school superintendent. It's a special meeting, being held behind closed doors at the Skirvin Hotel. Then tonight, there is an item on the agenda for the panel's regular December meeting calling for another closed-door meeting to discuss the employment of a superintendent. The school board will also go behind closed doors to consider hiring a few teachers as well as coaches for spring sports at both the  high school and middle school. During the open session of tonight's meeting, Chicken Express will recognize a certified and a non-certified employee of the month for the district. They are Christina Cook and Trish Smith at Lincoln School, both of whom will receive gift cards from the restaurant. The regular meeting of the school board will get underway at 6:30 tonight at the school administration building.

              

$500,000 Bond Set for 'Explosive's' Suspect

A Grady County judge set bond at $500,000 for the man arrested for having explosives in his pickup at a Chickasha motel last week. The district attorney's office filed two charges against Christopher Michael Lee. One is a felony for having an explosive device with intent to kill, injure, or intimidate. The other is a misdemeanor for stalking. Lee to announce his attorney on January 24th with a preliminary hearing conference set for Feb. 11th. Lee is also facing other unrelated misdemeanor charges in Grady County stemming from previous arrests this year. One for allegedly writing a bogus check in January and the other is for misdemeanor drug possession in August.

 

Fire Damages County Structures 

A Monday night fire destroys some out-buildings east of Chickasha. The fire was called in about 9:30 p.m., a couple of miles north of ­­Highway 62 on Jay's Arena Road. Volunteer firefighters from Friend and Naples converged on the blaze. 19 firefighters spent a couple of hours at the location. The Grady County Fire Department Facebook page indicates at several outbuildings behind the residence were damaged.

 

City of Chix Honored for Putting Fluoride in Water              

The City of Chickasha is among several Oklahoma communities being recognized for putting fluoride in their water supply. Chickasha was among 13 communities issued an award from the State Health Department and through the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Fluoridation is the adjustment of fluoride in drinking water to a level that is effective for preventing tooth decay. The CDC indicates that water fluoridation is one of the 10 greatest public health achievements that occurred in the 20th Century. Studies show that for every one dollar a community invests in fluoridation, $20 in dental treatment costs are saved.

 

Grady County OHCE Holds Awards Program

Several members of Grady County's OHCE programs were recognized for their work and their longevity at the OHCE annual awards luncheon Monday. The OHCE Member of the Year is Beverly McAdams and Jyme Tiner was presented the Heart of OHCE award. Mary Pharris was named the Rookie Member of the Year. Tiner and Sandra Grodecki were noted for the hundreds of volunteer hours they spent on OHCE and non-OHCE projects. Both served more than 2,000 hours working with various projects. Collectively, OHCE members provided more than 5,300 hours of community service which represents about $250,000 in unpaid labor. The groups combined to provide about $4,300 in scholarships to 14 students throughout the region. Alice Terry of the Lucille-Bluebonnet group was recognized for her 74-year membership. Two Grady County groups were organized before the program was created through Oklahoma State University. In 1913, Rural Neighbors was the first county group to organize. It was followed in 1915 by Lucille-Bluebonnet and the Grady County organization. The Friend OHCE group is also over 100 years old, established in 1917.

 

Energy and Metals

Crude oil on the NYMEX is $59.02 per barrel.

London-based-Brent crude is $64.25.

Natural gas is $2.23 per million BTUs.

Gold is $1,469 and silver is $16.70.

 

 

Monday, Dec. 9th

 

Explosives Suspect May be Charged Today              

The man arrested last week for allegedly having explosives in his pickup could hear formal charges against him today. 41-year old Christopher Michael Lee of Wister, Okla. was taken into custody at the Holiday Inn Express on Friday. Chickasha police were summoned to the motel to initially investigate a domestic disturbance. Officers were told that an explosive device was in a pickup in the motel parking lot. Police Chief Dee Rowell said authorities received consent to search the vehicle and found the device. The bomb squad from the Oklahoma Highway Patrol was brought in to retrieve the device, which was then taken to the OHP office on the H.E. Bailey Turnpike northeast of Chickasha where it was destroyed. Lee is being held in the Grady County Jail on complaints of having explosives and stalking.

 

Fire Crews Douse Verden Pasture Blaze              

A number of fire departments were called out to beat back a pasture fire south of Verden before dawn Sunday morning. Officials with the Grady County Fire Department say initially a well caught fire and ignited the dry vegetation that was nearby. Verden, Pioneer, and Farwell volunteer firefighters were summoned as were Chickasha and Anadarko fire departments. About 50 acres of pasture land was scorched but there was no property damage. Fire crews were on the scene for about an hour.

              

Hearings set for Road Closure, Alley Easement

Requests for the City of Chickasha to close a road and to vacate part of an alley will be heard in public hearings by the city's Planning Commission tomorrow. A company called LPL Properties is asking for the city to close the roadway in the 2800 block of Frisco Ave. Great Plains Land and Cattle Co., which purchased the old Chickasha Star Newspaper office near 4th and Kansas Avenue earlier this year, is asking the city to vacate a 10-foot easement along the alley north of that building. The Planning Commission will meet at 4:00 p.m. tomorrow at city hall.

 

Police Officers, Sheriff's Deputies Honored

A couple of Chickasha police officers and some Grady County sheriff's deputies were  recognized for their work in 2019 over the weekend. Chickasha Police Master Sgt. Jason Mryko and Fleet Training Officer Preston Hodge were honored as Officers of the Year for the police department. The award was presented for meritorious conduct in the line of duty, for placing themselves at great risk while protecting public safety. Chickasha Animal Control Officer Laycee Graham was awarded as Civilian Employee of the Year for her work at the city's animal shelter. The awards were presented at the annual Christmas party for the Chickasha Police Department and Fraternal Order of Police Local 129. Over at the Grady County Sheriff's Office, the Reserve Deputy of the Year is Public Information Officer Lisa Hatchett; the Executive Deputy of the Year is Corporal Rex Brown; the Deputy of the Year is Robert Ague; and Dispatcher of the Year is Dispatch Supervisor, Josh Huffines.

 

Library Offers Food for Fines Program              

If you have overdue books or other late materials at the Chickasha Library, you can help stock local food pantries instead of paying a fine. Every December, the library offers its Food for Fines programs. Brande Bradford with the library says-

 

              

 

Bradford says many library patrons donate food even if they don't have fines. The campaign runs through the end of the month. Officials say that any lost materials aren't eligible for the Food for Fines program.

 

Energy and Metals

Crude oil on the NYMEX is $59.20 per barrel.

London-based Brent crude is $64.39.

Natural gas is to $2.33 per million BTUs.

Gold is $1,467 and silver is $16.65.

 

 

2019, Dec. 2nd-7th

Saturday, Dec. 7th

 

'Explosive' Device Found at Motel

There were some anxious moments at a Chickasha motel Friday when a potentially explosive device was said to be in a vehicle in a motel parking lot. Chickasha police were initially sent to the Holiday Inn Express near 4th and Almar Drive just before 2:00 p.m.. Police Chief Dee Rowell-

 

              

 

The device was found in a pickup and the bomb squad from the Oklahoma Highway Patrol was dispatched. Rowell said the team took the device to the OHP location on the H.E. Bailey turnpike where it was destroyed. Rowell said the motel was not evacuated. Police initially detained two men and a woman but made just one arrest. In custody is 41-year old Christopher Michael Lee of Wister, Oklahoma...who is being held in the Grady County Jail on a complaint of possession of explosives and stalking.

 

Sheriff's Office Issues Wanted List              

The Grady County Sheriff's Office has an updated list of individuals who have outstanding warrants. Here's public information officer Lisa Hatchett.


              

If you have information regarding any of these individuals you're asked to contact the sheriff's office by calling 405-222-5085.

 

Youth Get to 'Shop with a Cop'              

Chickasha police officers and local school teachers spent time Christmas shopping with needy kids Friday. The third annual Shop with a Cop program was able to help more than 40 children and their families. Assistant Police Chief G.G. Music said it was the best year ever for contributions as more than $11,000 was given to the program. School administrators chose the students based on their need. Lt. Scott Weaver said the kids had a lot of choices to make.


              

The shopping spree took place at Wal-Mart where the Subway store provided lunch and Santa and Mrs. Claus were on hand. We have some photos from Shop with a Cop on our Facebook page.

 

Talk Show Topics

Here's what we're talking about this weekend. Brande Bradford and Courtney Mayall with the Chickasha Public Library are part of our KOOL Konversation program. On Real Estate Today with John Mosley our guest is Lewis Knisley with the Chickasha Area YMCA. We have links to both programs under the Community tab on this website.

 

Friday, Dec. 6th

 

Overpaid Grady County Elected Officials

Paying Back inflated Salaries

It's been several months since there has been an update regarding the investigation into massive over-payments made to Grady County elected officials. KOOL/RANCH News has learned that a western Oklahoma district attorney has reach settlement agreements in lieu of any criminal actions, to recover the nearly three-quarters of a million dollars overpaid to the elected officials. An investigative audit performed by former Oklahoma State Auditor Gary Jones reviewed records over a 10-year period and found that several current and former elected officials were overpaid a combined total of almost $750,000. KOOL/RANCH News received a news release from District Attorney Angela Marsee out of Sayre. The release indicates that more than $400,000 has already been re-paid to Grady County taxpayers. She said the remainder is to be re-paid pursuant to payment agreements or agreed judgements. Marsee said the investigative audit indicated the overpayments were the result of annual percentage increases, rather than a misapplication of the statutory formula. Marsee said she was assisted in the case by the District 21 district attorney's office, the state auditor's office, the attorney general's office, and the OSBI.

 

Chix School Board to Interview Sup't Candidates              

A marathon day of work faces the Chickasha school board next week. The panel begins the first round of interviews with candidates for the school district's next superintendent. A closed-door meeting will be held at the Skirvin Hilton Hotel in Oklahoma City starting at 7:15 a.m. next Tuesday. Officials would not say how many candidates they might be interviewing. After the interviews the number of candidates will be narrowed even further, with perhaps as many as five getting a second interview. The time frame for the second round of talks is not known. Consultants for the school board have indicated that a new superintendent could be named in January or February but that he or she may not actually start until July of next year. After Tuesday’s interviews the school board will return to Chickasha and hold its regular school board meeting for December that night.

 

Halliburton Announces Layoffs in El Reno, Duncan

It's a tough week for former employees of Halliburton. The energy giant announced the closing of its El Reno facilities, laying off some 800 workers. Officials say that the El Reno operations would be transferred to the Duncan headquarters. Now, the company is saying a number of Duncan jobs will be eliminated as well. A job fair was held for the affected workers with the help of  the state Workforce Oklahoma office and the Canadian Valley Technology Center El Reno campus.

 

State Tax Revenues Fall from Year-ago Levels

Here’s more evidence of the energy industry slow-down - state tax collections have fallen from the levels they were at this time last year. State Treasurer Randy McDaniel says the November collections were down almost $44 million from 2018 which is a drop of a little more than 4 percent. The website www.okenergytoday.com reports that gross production taxes were off nearly 31 percent to $82 million from the same time as last year. Other evidence of a slowdown - the Oklahoma Business Index for November fell below growth-neutral for the second straight month. That indicates slow to no economic growth in the next three to six months.

 

Grady County Fairgounds Wins National Award

The Grady County Fairgrounds and Events Center gets some national recognition. Staff members attended the annual convention of the International Association of Fairs and Expositions in San Antonio this week. Among the awards, the best photo of an equine event. The convention and trade show featured topics such as the changing landscape of commercial exhibits.

 

Energy and Metals

Crude oil on the NYMEX is $58.43 per barrel.

London-based Brent crude is $63.39.

Natural gas is $2.42 per million BTUs.

Gold is $1,479 and silver is $16.99.

 

Obituary

Obituaries today include 94-year old Marcine Hall. A memorial service will be held at First Baptist Church at 10:00 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 11th. Arrangements are with Sevier Funeral Home.

 

 

Thursday, Dec. 5th

 

OSBI Investigates Blanchard Officer-Involved Shooting

Agents with the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation have been called to probe an officer-involved shooting that happened in Blanchard late last night. Oklahoma City media outlets are reporting that officers were dispatched to a 9-1-1 call regarding a domestic disturbance. The OSBI reports that one person was taken to a hospital for treatment, but it wasn't clear how serious the injuries are. The officer was not hurt.

 

Sex Offender Jailed for Alleged Abuse             

A Chickasha man is in custody accused of assaulting a woman and a baby, and for failing to register as a sex offender. 24-year old Richard Dean Sasser was arrested last Friday after police were called to Grady Memorial Hospital to investigate a domestic disturbance. A probable cause affidavit alleges he slapped a female victim and an 18-month old child. The affidavit also indicates that Sasser is registered as a transient offender out of Duncan, but that had had not yet registered as an offender in Grady County. Prosecutors have charged Sasser with felony counts of child abuse and failure to register as a sex offender, and misdemeanor counts of domestic assault and threatening violence. He remains in jail on a $75,000 bond.

 

Upgrades at Park Bath House Nearly Complete              

More than $100,000 of improvements have been made at the historic bath house at Chickasha’s Shannon Springs Park this year. The Chickasha City Council will have a special meeting today to approve a minor change for one of the projects, and then accept the nearly $145,000 in upgrades as complete. The bath house was built back in the 1930s, and was part of a huge swimming pool. Some recent photos of the pool have been posted on Facebook. Posts claim the pool was 100-feet wide and 400-feet long and could hold up to 400 people. There's also a closed-door session during the meeting for the council to consider a memorandum of understanding addressing confidential issues between the Fraternal Order of Police Local 129 and the city. The special meeting will get underway at 6:00 p.m. tonight at city hall.

 

Dozens File for School Board; Elections May be Needed 

A number of school board races are expected to take place in February. Numerous candidates filed for local board of education offices in the three-day filing period which ended yesterday. In Chickasha, Christy Clift filed un-opposed for the office that she was appointed to earlier this year. She will serve a five-year term. School board elections are expected to be held for Ninnekah, Alex, Rush Springs, Friend, and Pioneer school districts. At Ninnekah, Dustin Tate and Russell Baker have filed for Office No. 5; at Alex, three candidates have filed for Office No. 5 including Keith Alcorn, Amanda Chambers, and Stormy Ryans Duffle. At Rush Springs, Lance Melton and Chris Long have filed for Office No. 5; at Friend, Neely Alexander and Heather Crowder have filed for office No. 3; and at Pioneer, Michelle McRay and Jeff Martin have filed for Office No. 2. Other school districts where candidates filed un-opposed include at Amber-Pocasset, where Kami Ratcliff filed for Office No. 5 and John Nicholas for Office No. 3; at Minco, where Don McMahon for Office No. 5; at Tuttle, where Karen Osborn for Office No. 5; at Bridge Creek, where Kent Sugg filed for Office No. 5; and at Middleberg, where Glenda Fenimore filed for Office No. 3. There were no candidates filing at Verden. For the Canadian Valley Technology Center, Christy Stanley of Yukon filed un-opposed for a five-year term in Office No. 2. She's the current president of the career-tech board and has served since 2016. There is a two-day withdrawal and protest period before the filings are considered to be final.

 

Caddo County School Board Filings             

In Caddo County, there will be school board elections at Anadarko, Binger-Oney, Carnegie, and Caddo Kiowa Technology Center. At Anadarko, Derrell Sanders and Tara Tartsah-Clark have filed for Office No. 5; at Binger-Oney, Lance Goucher, Jenny Jones, and Kylie Toho all filed for Office No. 5; at Carnegie, Misty Boettger, Ryan Clark, and Christi Harrison filed for Office No. 5; at Caddo-Kiowa Technology Center, Lance Shenold and Patrick Michael Hayes, both of Anadarko have filed for Office No. 5. Filing un-opposed in Caddo County: at Cement, Matt Haney for Office No. 5; at Cyril, Shancy Brown for Office No. 2, Heath Want for Office No. 3, and Candice Mathis for Office No. 5; at Ft. Cobb-Broxton, Brent Bellamy for Office No. 4 and Brent Lankister for Office No. 5; at Apache, James Patterson, Jr. for Office No.5; at Gracemont, Clinton Brower for Office No. 2, Timberly Goucher for Office No. 3, and Preston Mackey for Office No. 5; at Lookeba-Sickles, Traci House for Office No. 2 and Jami Radacy for Office No. 5;  at Hinton, Jason Douglas for Office No. 5; and at Hydro-Eakly, Johnny Stotts for Office No. 4 and Brandon Strack for Office No. 5

 

McClain County School Board Election Filings

In McClain County, there's a race for the Dibble school board as Greg Hamby and Jennifer Mandrell filed for Office No. 5. Filing un-opposed in McClain County; at Blanchard, Tom Maston for Office No. 5; at Newcastle, John Maker for Office No. 5; and for Mid America Technology Center, Donna Stokes of Blanchard for Office No. 1.

 

Energy and Metals

Crude oil on the NYMEX is $58.43 per barrel.

London-based Brent crude is $63.

Natural gas is to $2.40 per million BTUs.

Gold is $1,479 and silver is $16.90.

 

Obituaries

Obituaries today include 90-year old Ann Ferguson of Chickasha. Funeral will be at 10:30 a.m. Friday at Ferguson Funeral Home.

 

 

 

Wednesday, Dec. 4th

 

School Board Filing Update

At least two Grady County school districts could have school board elections in February. If the current school filings hold up, patrons in Ninnekah and Rush Springs school districts will vote for representatives on their boards of education. Other races could also develop as today is the last day of filing for school board offices statewide. One school board race will be in Ninnekah where Dustin Tate and Russell Baker have filed. The other is in Rush Springs where Chris Long and Lance Melton have tossed their hats into the ring. Other candidates who have filed include John Nicholas for Office No. 3 at Amber-Pocasset; Don McMahon has filed for re-election at Minco; Michelle McRay is running for re-election at Pioneer; and Glenda Fenimore has filed for re-election at Middleberg. In Caddo County, a race has developed at Binger-Oney where three candidates have filed for Office No. 5. They are Jenny Jones, Kylie Toho, and Lance Goucher. In Cyril, Candice Mathis has filed. At Gracemont, Timberly Goucher has filed. In McClain County, Jennifer Mandrell has filed for school board at Dibble and John Maker has filed at Newcastle. There have been no filings for Blanchard. The school board filing period ends at 5:00 p.m. today.

 

Sexual Assault Suspect Behind Bars              

A Chickasha man is jailed on a $50,000 bond for the alleged sexual assault of a woman. 58-year old William Harzett Euwins, Jr. was arrested by Chickasha police Thanksgiving Day after a woman called police to a home on south Shepherd Street. A probable cause affidavit alleges that Euwins later arrested at his home which is at a different address. He's been charged with a felony count of sexual battery.

 

Man Accused of Choking, Threatening to Kill Woman              

Another Chickasha man is behind bars for allegedly choking and threatening to kill a woman while children watched. 30-year old Anthony Darren Black was arrested before dawn on Thanksgiving Day when police responded to a 9-1-1 hang-up call at a residence near 9th and Georgia Avenue. According to a probable cause affidavit, the victim told police the Black had been drinking and got upset with her. The victim alleged that he would get a gun and kill her. Prosecutors have charged Black  with a felony count of domestic assault by strangulation and a misdemeanor of threatening violence. He remains in jail on a $25,000 bond.

 

Rush Springs Man Returns Home to Provide Health Care              

A Grady County native is coming home to serve the medical needs of the region. Dr. Thomas Jarvis, who grew up in Rush Springs, will be joining the team at the Five Oaks Medical Group and Grady Memorial Hospital as a family practitioner. Hospital Administrator Kean Spellman says one of the hospital’s goals for physician recruitment is to "bring the best back home." Jarvis has seven years’ experience and will be joining the Five Oaks team on Jan. 15th. A meet-and-greet reception for Dr. Jarvis, his wife Jayme, and another new GMH and Five Oaks family practitioner, Dr. Mary Masterman will be held at 5:00 p.m. Thursday, December 5th in the lobby of Grady Memorial.

 

Lincoln School Robotics Team Qualifies for State Event              

The robotics program at Chickasha's Lincoln School has qualified to compete at the state level. The Purple Peeps, a team of 5th and 6th grade students, will be heading to Tulsa next week to take part in the FIRST Lego League state championship. The theme for the league this year is 'City Shaper', and each team had to develop an innovative solution for a building or public space within their community. Instructor Brandon Willis said the team did well at a competition in Newcastle last month, receiving a perfect score on its Core Values presentation and winning the first-place trophy for robot design.

 

Energy and Metals

Crude oil on the NYMEX is $56.10 per barrel.

London-based Brent crude is to $60.82.

Natural gas is $2.44 per million BTUs.

Gold is $1,481 and silver is $17.21.

 

Obituaries

Obituaries today include 83-year old Mary Landrum of Ninnekah. Funeral will be at 1:00 p.m. Thursday, December 5th at Ninnekah First Baptist Church. Arrangements are with Ferguson Funeral Home.

 

Funeral for 82-year old Bob Jones of Chickasha will be at 10:30 a.m. Monday, December 9th at Full Gospel Church. Arrangements are also with Ferguson Funeral Home.

 

 

Tuesday, Dec. 3rd

 

City of Chickasha to Receive Grand Lake Property

as Part of Lawsuit Settlement with Tulsa Company              

The City of Chickasha will soon own some property at Grand Lake in northeastern Oklahoma. After a 10-minute closed-door session during last night’s council meeting, the panel unanimously approved the settlement of a lawsuit the city filed against the owner of a Tulsa manufacturing firm. The lawsuit was filed against Tom Word of Word Industries to re-coup a $250,000 economic development loan issued to Word. He had announced plans to move his company to Chickasha and create a number of jobs with the funds to be used to help pay for the re-location (which never occurred). Word used the Grand Lake property as collateral for the loan. City Manager John Noblitt said there are six good-sized lots in the Apache Coves subdivision at Grand Lake. Noblitt said the lots have been appraised at about the amount of the loan. The agreement is for the property’s surface rights only.

 

Council Urged to Support Muscle Car Ranch De-Annexation

During the open comment section of last night's council meeting, two residents encouraged the panel to de-annex the Muscle Car Ranch from the city limits. Tory Wise and Danny Black both spoke in favor of ranch owner Curtis Hart, who has battled the city for years to be de-annexed. Here is part of Danny Black's comments.

 

              

 

Earlier this summer, the council voted down a recommendation by the city manager to de-annex the ranch. Hart has mounted a social media campaign to urge supporters to reach out to their city council representatives in hopes of swaying their opinions.

 

Dragged Chain Blamed on Roadside Fires

Firefighters put down a number of grass fires along State Highway 92 near the I-44 overpass in the Friend area yesterday. Buddy Myers with the Grady County Fire Department said Chickasha firefighters, the Friend Volunteer Fire Department and several citizens joined in beating back the flames which started just after 11:00 a.m. Myers believed the cause of the fire was a vehicle dragging a chain which created sparks that ignited roadside vegetation. Myers said a fire threat remains until the area receives significant moisture. He said that dragging chains, carelessly discarding smoking materials, and burning trash are a few things that can start a fire which can quickly get out of control. He asks residents to be responsible citizens in order to limit fire exposure.

 

Numerous Candidates File for School Board Posts

Several candidates come forward to file for a number of regional school board seats in the first day of filing Monday. Here are some of the early filings in Grady County - Kami Ratcliff has filed at Amber-Pocasset; Keith Alcorn has filed at Alex; Lance Melton of Marlow has filed at Rush Springs; Karen Osborn has filed at Tuttle; and Neely Alexander has filed at Friend. In Caddo County – Matt Haney has field at Cement; Brent Bellamy and Brent Lankister have filed for the district offices they currently hold at Ft. Cobb-Broxton; Clinton Brower has filed at Gracemont; Lance Shenold of Anadarko has filed for re-election for Caddo-Kiowa Technology Center; Lance Goucher has filed at Binger-Oney; James Patterson, Jr. has filed at Apache; Christi Harrison has filed at Carnegie; and Brandon Strack has filed for a full five-year term and Johnny Stotts has filed to fill an unexpired term at Hydro-Eakly. In McClain County, Donna Stokes of Blanchard has filed for Mid America Technology Center. Potential school board candidates have until 5 p.m. tomorrow to file for school board posts.

 

Energy and Metals

Crude oil on the NYMEX is $55.96 per barrel.

London-based Brent crude is $62.40.

Natural gas is $2.33 per million BTUs.

Gold is $1,475 and silver is $17.10.

 

 

Monday, Dec. 2nd

 

School Board Filing Period Underway

Candidates hoping to serve on their local school boards will be heading to county election board offices over the next few days. The filing period runs today through Wednesday, with filing available from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. each day. Nearly every school district has at least one seat to be filled. For the Chickasha Board of Education it's office No. 5 held by Dr. Christy Clift who was appointed to the post earlier this year. After the three-day filing period is a two-day withdrawal or protest period. Any elections which may be necessary will be held next February. Today also begins the filing period in Oklahoma for candidates wanted to run for President of the United States which also runs through Wednesday with filing done at the state election board.

 

Chickasha Officials May Settle Lawsuit Filed

Against Firm that Received 'Relocation' Loan

The City of Chickasha may settle a lawsuit it filed against a Tulsa manufacturer. The lawsuit was filed against Tom Word of Word Industries who received a $250,000 loan from the Economic Development Council. The loan was to help with moving expenses to bring his company and some manufacturing jobs to the area but the move never happened. Word had put some property he owns at Grand Lake in northeastern Oklahoma up for collateral for the loan. The council will go behind closed doors during it’s regular meeting tonight to discuss a possible settlement, where the properties pledged as collateral would be transferred to the city.

 

Spring Election Among Other Council Agenda Items

In other city council news, the panel is expected to authorize Mayor Chris Mosley to issue a proclamation to schedule the 2020 city council election. The election will be held in April with the filing period for the mayor's seat and four other city council posts to be held Feb. 3rd through 5th. The council will consider approving a Use-on-Review for a liquor store in the 1500 block of South Stewart, which is a former car wash north of Brandt's Ace Hardware. The council is also expected to cancel the only bid which was submitted for some repairs on Country Club Road, but then re-award the bid to that same contractor. Back in August, the council approved a bid from Bordwine Development which was originally for about $11,500. Background information provided to the city council before tonight's meeting indicate there was a calculation error and the actual cost would be more than twice the original amount at more than $23,000.  City administrators are recommending the council cancel the original bid and approve the higher bid. The city council meets at 6:30 p.m. tonight at city hall. It's the council’s only regularly scheduled meeting for the month of December.

 

Time Running Out to Enter Lighted Christmas Parade

Chickasha’s annual lighted Christmas parade is set for this Thursday night. The Chamber of Commerce is organizing the parade and participants should contact the chamber as soon as possible should they want to take part. Entry fees are $25. The theme for the parade is Frozen. The parade starting point is 8th and Chickasha Avenue with participants lining up starting at 6:00 p.m. west on Chickasha Avenue toward the high school. The parade will get underway at 7:00 p.m. and will travel east on Chickasha Avenue to the Rock Island Railroad Depot. A snowball fight will follow the parade at the depot.

 

Energy and Metals

Crude oil on the NYMEX is $55.17 per barrel.

London-based Brent Crude is $62.43.

Natural gas is $2.28 per million BTUs.

Gold is $1,463 and silver is $16.95.

 

Obituary

Obituaries today include 62-year old Betty Ann Bynum of Hinton, and formerly of Verden. Funeral will be at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, December 3rd at Ferguson Funeral Home in Chickasha.

 

 

2019, Nov. 25th-30th

Saturday, Nov. 30th

 

National Task Force Created to Fight Increase

in Number of Missing, Murdered Indigenous People

President Donald Trump this week signed an executive order creating a national task force to combat the increasing number of missing and murdered indigenous people. The president said the task force will work to develop protocols for old and new cases including a team dedicated to cold cases. Officials with the southwest Oklahoma Chapter of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW) say their work won't slow down with the creation of the task force. Geneva Hadley is the president of the group. She tells KSWO-TV that MMIW organizations will still be speaking and talking for their missing sisters. Shelby Ross says she'd like to see the task force address systematic racism that's common in many cases. She hopes that state, tribal, and federal agencies can work together as a team to bring their people home. Fourth District Oklahoma Congressman Tom Cole praised President Trump's action. Cole is a member of the Chickasaw Nation and is co-chair of the Congressional Native American Caucus. In a prepared statement, Cole said for too long predators have preyed on Indian Country, especially women and vulnerable children. He said he's hopeful for the success of the goals outlined in the president's decision.

              

Rain Canceled Festival of Light Friday              

Officials with Chickasha's Festival of Light were forced to close the popular holiday light attraction last night. The organization's website indicated the reasons were significant rain Friday morning and the continued moisture throughout the day. They hope to resume the attraction tonight.

 

PSO Looks to Provide More Power to Ft. Sill Area

Public Service Company of Oklahoma (PSO) has announced plans to provide additional power to the Ft. Sill area. The utility is seeking requests for proposals for PV Solar and Reciprocating Internal Combustion Engine (RICE) resources to be in commercial operation within a few years. According to the website www.okenergytoday.com the net minimum output for PV Solar should be between 10 and 14 megawatts. The net minimum output for  RICE resources should be about 36 megawatts. Requests for proposals are due December 17th. PSO is anticipating the first completion in December of 2021 and the second in November of 2023.

 

Talk Show Topics

Here's what we're talking about this weekend. On our KOOL Konversation, a repeat of last week's program with Chickasha schools interim superintendent Jennifer Stegman and Athletic Director Jerry Don Bray. On Real Estate Today with John Mosley, our guest is Oklahoma Energy and Environment Secretary Kenneth Wagner. Find links to both programs on this website under the Community tab.

 

Obituaries

Obituaries today include 89-year old Dorothy Schoolfield of Chickasha. She worked at Maremont and Gabriel for many years. Funeral will be at 10:00 a.m. Monday, December 2nd at Sevier Funeral Home.

 

Funeral for 58-year old Robie Lynn Moss of Chickasha will be at 1:00 p.m. Wednesday, December 4th at Ferguson Funeral Home. She was homemaker.

 

 

Friday, Nov. 29th

 

Black Friday Shoppers Out Looking for Deals

Today is said to be the busiest day of the year for most retail stores. It's Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving. Some stores opened last night to offer early gift-buyers the opportunity to purchase some big ticket items at discount prices. Tomorrow is Small Business Saturday where shoppers are asked to support the merchants in their home towns. Pam Walker with the United States Small Business Administration (USSBA) says she and Oklahoma's USSBA district representative Dottie Overal will be in Chickasha to support local merchants, and connect with individuals who might be thinking about starting a small business.

 

              

 

The Small Business Administration also has a program to help military veterans establish a small business.

 

Christmas Store Helps Homeless Shelters              

A holiday gift shop which support Chickasha's homeless population is opening today. It's the Everything Christmas Store, with proceeds benefiting the Resurrection House and the Life Skills Institute. The store has everything from Christmas trees to garland, yard decorations to cookie jars, and cutlery to crystal stemware. The Everything Christmas Store is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. This year the store is located near 4th and Texas next to Locke Supply in the former location of  Friendly Travel.

 

Extras Sought for Movie Being Filmed in Chickasha

A casting call is out for youngsters who may want to appear as extras in a film with some scenes which be shot in Chickasha this weekend. The film ‘What Josiah Saw’ is looking for a male of any ethnicity to play a nine-year old boy. They are also looking for boys and girls of any ethnicity to play a 13-year old. 'What Josiah Saw' will star Robert Patrick, who appeared in Terminator 2: Judgement Day; Nick Stahl who was in Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines; Kellie Garner, who was in The Aviator and The Secret Life of Marilyn Monroe; and Scott Haze who appeared in Venom, Only the Brave, and Midnight Special. The film is a suspenseful drama written by Robert Allen Diltz and directed by Vincent Grashaw. Filming will be in Chickasha on Sunday. Extras get paid $58 for up to eight hours of filming with overtime pay for anything over eight hours. Also filming in the region is a movie with Paz Vega who played in Spanglish and country music artist Trace Adkins. Filming is underway in the El Reno area. For information about casting calls and other movies being filmed in Oklahoma, go to the Oklahoma Film and Music Office website: www.filmmusic.org and look under the ‘Jobs’ tab.

              

Barrel Racer Qualifies for NFR

A Minco woman is holding her own against a field of competitors less than half her age. 61-year old Dona Kay Rule will compete for the top spot in the barrel racing world at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. It's the first time she's ever qualified for nationals.  Most barrel racers hang up their spurs some time in their 40s. Rule is ranked No. 2 in the world in any age group and has won nearly $100,000 this season. Her horse Valor was named the 2019 Purina Horse of the Year by the American Quarter Horse Association.

 

Chickasha Trash Pickup Revised Due to Thanksgiving

Trash pickup in Chickasha will be changed up a bit for the Thanksgiving weekend. Waste Connections, the private contractor for trash pickup in Chickasha, was closed on Thanksgiving Day, one of the few holidays they shut down. Households that normally have trash pickup on Thursday will instead get trash picked up today. Those households with a normal Friday pick up will be taken care of on Saturday.

 

Energy and Metals

Crude oil on the NYMEX is $58.11 per barrel.

London-based Brent crude is $64.06.

Natural gas is $2.50 per million BTUs.

Gold is $1,462 and silver is $17.02.

 

 

Thursday, Nov. 28th

No news due to the Thanksgiving holiday.

 

 

Wednesday, Nov. 27th

 

Morning Fire Destroys RV

A recreational vehicle is destroyed by fire in an RV park this morning. Grady County firefighters from Friend, Bradley, Naples, and Alex were called out when it was first reported that several RVs were on fire at an RV park on U.S. Highway 62 just west of the Tabler Y just after 6:00 a.m. Just one RV was destroyed while a second RV suffered heat damage. No one was in the totaled RV when the fire broke out. The occupant had left for work earlier in the morning. Buddy Myers with the Grady County Fire Department believed an electrical short may have caused the fire. Crews were on the scene for about two hours.

 

Firefighters Battle Numerous Blazes in Western Okla.

There were countless wildfires throughout western Oklahoma Tuesday afternoon and evening, as winds gusting up to 60 miles per hour fanned the flames. One of the largest fires was not far from Woodward in northwest Oklahoma where the town of Mooreland was evacuated. In Grady County a large wildfire broke out three miles west of Ninnekah just before 6:30 p.m. Tuesday. Myers said it was a re-kindle from a fire that occurred Sunday. At one point last night’s fire was about a half-mile wide and 1 1/2 miles long. One home was threatened but there was no damage. Crews were on that fire about three hours. Myers said it was one of seven fires throughout Grady County. One shed was destroyed in one of the fires and the cause of one of the fires was from somebody welding.

 

Driver Dies in Caddo County Crash

The driver of a car has died when his car crashes on a Caddo county roadway. 36-year old Johnathan Payne of Clinton died in the crash that happened just after 6:00 a.m. Tuesday. The accident occurred about five miles east of Lookeba at the T intersection of a couple of county roads. The highway patrol reports that Payne failed to stop, ran off the road, and hit an embankment. The accident is still under investigation.

 

Another Report of Cattle Rustling in Oklahoma

For the second time in less than a month, we have a story about cattle rustling to tell you about. Nearly 80 yearling steers were stolen from a ranch in southern Oklahoma. The Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association are offering a $2,000 reward for information about the theft. The steers were taken from a ranch near the Jefferson County town of Ringling which is between Waurika and Ardmore. It's believe the theft occurred late Sunday night or early Monday morning. They are mixed breed steers weighing about 600 pounds each and all have the number "7" branded on their left hips. Contact the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office or the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association if you have information. Just a few weeks ago, a Minco man was arrested following a report of cattle rustling in the Cogar area.

 

Robbery Suspect Held on Six-Figure Bond

We have more information regarding our story Tuesday about a robbery suspect in custody. Authorities arrested 34-year old Amanda Sue Keith of Chickasha Monday night. A warrant was issued for her arrest about a month ago. The warrant was requested by Chickasha police after officers were dispatched to investigate a robbery in the 600 block of West Almar Drive on Oct. 13th. The arrest warrant affidavit indicates that two people armed with a gun and a baseball bat demanded money. The victim said he didn't have any money but told the suspects to take a couple of TVs. Keith is charged with a felony count of conjoint robbery. She remains in jail pending a $100,000 bond. The name of the other suspect wasn't available.

 

Energy and Metals

Crude oil on the NYMEX is $58.41 per barrel.

London-based Brent crude is $64.27.

Natural gas is $2.47 per million BTUs.

Gold is $1,466 and silver is $17.15.

 

Obituaries

Funeral for 37-year old Dustyn Payne of Chickasha will be at 10:30 a.m. Saturday  at Ferguson Funeral Home. Payne was a third-generation owner/operator of Paw Paw's Hamburgers of Chickasha, which he had run for the last six years. Viewing will be from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 29th at the funeral home.

 

 

Tuesday, Nov. 26th

 

County Commissioners Create Fairgrounds Trust Authority

For more than 100 years, the Grady County Fair Board has been in charge of the operations at the Grady County Fair. The early county fairs were held at Chickasha’s Shannon Springs Park, then moved to the current location of the Grady County Fairgrounds when the first structures were built as part of the Work Progress Administration (WPA) in the 1930s.The fair board was officially dissolved yesterday, as Grady County commissioners created the new Grady County Fairgrounds Trust Authority. There won't be any changes with the operations at the fairgrounds as the current fair board members were immediately sworn in to serve as the first trustees by Grady County District Judge Kory Kirkland.

 

              

 

Fairgrounds executive director Andy Maher said the only major change will be that trustees will be appointed by county commissioners, rather than being elected.

 

              

 

The trust authority won't be fully implemented for another two or three months. The newly formed authority will have its first meeting in January.

 

Consumer Spending Down for the Region

Consumer spending in the region takes another dip. It's estimated that consumers spent about $95.3 million in taxable goods and services at retail outlets throughout Grady County in September. That’s down about 20 percent from August and also down about 20 percent compared to September of last year. Grady County sales tax revenue from that consumer spending was $715,000 which was down nearly $200,000 from the previous month. In the city of Chickasha, September consumer spending was estimated at $28.2 million which was down about 3.8 percent from August and off about 7 percent compared to September of 2018. Still, the city is consistently collecting around $1 million a month in sales tax revenue.

 

Third Generation Restaurant Owner Dies

The owner of one of Chickasha's long-time mom and pop hamburger restaurants has died. Dustyn Payne, the third generation owner/operator of Paw-Paw's Hamburgers died this past weekend. Funeral arrangements are being made with Ferguson Funeral Home.

 

Robbery Suspect Arrested

A Chickasha woman wanted for robbery is in custody. 34-year old Amanda Sue Keith was booked into the Grady County jail last night. A warrant for Keith's arrest was issued about a month ago. Chickasha police requested the arrest warrant. No details were available regarding the investigation at the time of publication.

 

Anadarko Police Seek Missing Teen

Anadarko police are looking for a missing teenager. Authorities say 16-year old Beatrice Jimenez went missing from her home last Friday. She's Native American, 5’, 4” tall; weighing about 125 pounds. She has black hair past her shoulders and brown eyes. She was last seen wearing a green or blue jacket with white sleeves. The agency posted a picture of the teen on its Facebook page. If you have information about Beatrice Jiminez you’re asked to contact the Anadarko Police Department by calling 405-247-2411.

 

Grady County Deputies Seek 'Persons of Interest'

The Grady County Sheriff's Office is asking for help in identifying persons of interest to talk to about a recent burglary. The photos of three men are posted on the sheriff's office Facebook page. Check out the photos on the sheriff's office social media site, and contact them via Facebook or call 405-222-5085.

 

Energy and Metals

Crude oil on the NYMEX is $58.01 per barrel.

London-based Brent crude is $63.65.

Natural gas is $2.53 per million BTUs.

Gold is $1,465 and silver is $17.07.

 

 

Monday, Nov. 25th

 

Work to Create Fairgrounds Trust Authority to Begin

We reported earlier this month about some oversight changes proposed for the Grady County Fairgrounds. Grady County Commissioners are expected to approve the formation of a trust authority when the panel meets this morning. Steve Standridge is a long-time member of the Grady County Fair Board. He tells KOOL/RANCH News that should commissioners authorize the trust authority, all the current members of the Fair Board will be sworn in as members of the Trust Authority. In previous discussions about the proposal, here's what fairgrounds executive director Andy Maher said were among the reasons for creating the trust.

 

              

 

The move is not expected to affect any of the current operations or programs at the fairgrounds.

 

More Info on Needed Repairs for Chickasha Schools              

We have another KOOL/RANCH News follow-up to a story we had last week about some needed repairs and upgrades for Chickasha Public Schools. The school board may be scheduling a special bond election to pay for those projects. Interim school superintendent Jenifer Stegman calls it a 'momentum' bond. The school board met with a financial advisor last week and Stegman said that the projects could be paid for with a minimal increase in property taxes.

 

              

 

Among the projects being considered are the construction of safe rooms at Lincoln School, replacing a number of aging heat and air units, and roof repairs at the high school activity center. The school board will be putting together a list of priority projects and scheduling some public meetings to get input.

 

Firefighters Squelch Weekend Wildfires

Fire danger is elevated due to the warmer than normal temperatures and gusty Oklahoma winds. Grady County Firefighters were dispatched to a number of wildland fires Sunday (November 24th). About 180 acres were burned a few miles west of Ninnekah. Firefighters from Ninnekah and Farwell were called out about 11:30 a.m. to put down that blaze. The fire threatened one home but it was not  damaged, although three large bales of hay were destroyed. About 15 firefighters and 12 trucks spent about an hour putting that fire down. The cause of the fire was someone burning trash. Acme firefighters were called out to a couple of smaller fires west of Rush Springs about 3:30 p.m. and  7:00 p.m. Sunday. No property damage was reported in either of those fires. Buddy Myers with the Grady County Fire Department says the threat of wildfires will continue for a couple more days, with temperatures ranging from the mid-60s to mid-70s. There are no burn bans in effect, but Myers asks that rural residents postpone any burning. There is a fire watch in effect for western Oklahoma Tuesday afternoon and evening. Anyone deciding to burn should contact their local sheriff's office before doing so.

 

Community Thanksgiving Dinner Set Thursday

Area churches are combining efforts to offer a free Community Thanksgiving dinner. The dinner will be held on Thanksgiving Day at Chickasha’s New Life Christian Church at 1828 S. 13th. They'll serve a traditional Thanksgiving dinner with turkey and dressing, mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans, and pumpkin pie. It’s free and open to the public though they will accept donations. The will deliver to those who are home-bound. The number to call to have a meal delivered is 405-222-5433. There's not much room for parking, so officials ask that you park at First Presbyterian Church at 6th and Minnesota, and they will shuttle your group to and from New Life Christian Church.

 

Energy and Metals

Crude oil on the NYMEX is $57.77 per barrel.

London-based Brent crude is $63.39.

Natural gas is $2.66 per million BTUs.

Gold is $1,464 and silver is $17.00.

 

 

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