Saturday, February 22nd

 

Denver Talley Inducted into Chickasha Hall of Fame

A number of awards were doled out at the 97th annual Chickasha Chamber of Commerce banquet last night. The most prestigious of the awards was a new member for the chamber's Hall of Fame. Mayor Chris Mosley made the announcement.

 

              

 

Other top awards announced were Steve LaForge as Citizen of the Year; Jen Jantzen as Woman of the Year; Jason Pruner as Volunteer of the Year; Cassandra Ersland as Young Professional of the Year; and City Manager John Noblitt was named Public Servant of the Year. Two businesses were honored - Ross Seed Company was named Small Business of the Year and Arvest Bank was named the large business of the year. The Event of the Year was the Oklahoma Food Truck Championship, held during the Rock Island Arts Festival each October. Andy Maher, the new chairman for the Chamber Board of Directors, outlined the chamber's business plan for the next year.

 

              

 

Maher is the executive director for the Grady County Fairgrounds. Maher said the chamber would continue its goal to advance the continued success of Chickasha as a thriving community with a vibrant business climate.

 

Ex-School Janitor Charged with Rape Gets New Court Date

A former Anadarko school custodian accused of raping a student was back in court this week. 29-year old Richard Pewenofkit is charged with rape by instrumentation and forcible sodomy after the student came forward and alleged the two had an inappropriate relationship. A Caddo county judge scheduled a preliminary hearing in the case for June 23rd. Pewenofkit is out of jail on bond.

 

Salon Robber Sentenced

A man accused of holding up of a Marlow nail salon has been sentenced to 20 years behind bars. 49-year old Mark Duncan of Marlow was convicted of first degree robbery in connection with the robbery that occurred in January of last year. Investigators say Duncan initially broke into the business and pointed a gun at two women, demanded money and threatened to kill one of them.

 

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 contact the sheriff's office by calling 405-222-5085.

 

 

Friday, February 21st

 

Mom Thinks  She Knows Home Invasion Suspects

Chickasha police are still looking for two suspects who broke into a home last week and stabbed and pistol-whipped a teenager. The teen's mother, Jacklynn Claywell Linn, thinks she knows who did it, and tells our partners at KWTV News 9 she hopes someone can provide in information that could lead to their arrests.

 

              

 

Linn says even though the suspects wore masks her 17-year old son recognized their voices. And Linn thinks they broke into her home because she wouldn't share her medical marijuana with one of them. The suspects left the teen tied up with a belt, and stole her medical marijuana, a clip to her pistol, a cel phone and keys to the house and car. Anyone with information about the home invasion is asked to contact Chickasha Police by calling 405-222-6050 or Crimestoppers at 405-224-TIPS. Tips may also be given anonymously on the Crimestoppers Facebook page.

 

Driver Enters Plea in Manslaughter Case              

A Caddo County man enters a blind plea to manslaughter in connection with a fatal traffic accident that happened more than two years ago. 40-year old George Allen Kodaseet of Carnegie entered the plea in Caddo County District Court last week. The Lawton Constitution cites court records that say Kodaseet pleaded guilty to driving while intoxicated and causing the crash which killed 50-year old Kendall Coker. The accident happened in November of 2017. Kodaseet, who has been in jail since his arrest, will not have to spend any more time behind bars unless he violates probation. A judge sentenced Kodaseet to 10 years with all but 305 days suspended. So Kodaseet will be on probation until the year 2029.

 

Chix Chamber of Commerce to host Annual Banquet

Tonight is one of the biggest nights of the year for the Chickasha business community. The annual Chamber of Commerce banquet will include a re-cap of events of the past year and a look ahead. One of the highlights will be the induction of a new member into the Chickasha Hall of Fame. Awards to be presented include Citizen of the Year, Public Servant of the Year, Woman of the Year, and Volunteer of the Year. There will also be a Business of the Year and a Small Business of the Year, and an Event of the Year will be named. The sold out event will be held in the USAO ballroom.

 

PSO Gets OK to Expand Wind-Related Production

Public Service Company of Oklahoma (PSO) has been given the go-ahead to increase its wind-power producing capabilities. The Oklahoma Corporation Commission approved a settlement agreement which allows PSO to add 675 megawatts of wind energy to serve its customers. Matt Skinner is with the corporation commission-

 

            

 

PSO will not be increasing rates as part of the agreement. Cost savings resulting from the project will be passed on to its customers.

 

Talk Show Topics

Here’s what we’re talking about this weekend. Dr. John Phillips with the 29^th Street Dental Clinic is our guest on the KOOL Konversation, discussing the Dentistry from the Heart event coming up next week. On Real Estate Today with John Mosley, our guest is Mindi Stitt with the Oklahoma Energy Resources Board. Find links to both programs under the Community tab on this website.

 

Energy and Metals

Crude oil on the NYMEX is $53.78 per barrel.

London-based Brent crude is $59.31.

Natural gas is $2.00 per million BTUs.

Gold is $1,637 and silver is $18.49.

 

Obituaries

Sharan Kennedy

Funeral for 73-year old Sharan Kennedy of Amber will be 2:00 p.m. Monday, February 24th at the First Baptist Church of Pocasset. She was the cook at Pocasset Elementary school for 20 years. Arrangements are with McRay Funeral Home.

A.J. Pearcy

A memorial service for 83-year old A.J. Pearcy of Chickasha will be 6:30 p.m. Monday, February 24th at Southern Oaks Church of Christ. He was a U.S. Air Force veteran and worked at Tinker Air Force base for more than 30 years.  Arrangements are with McRay Funeral Home.

 

 

Thursday, February 20th

 

Caddo County Couple Faces Federal Drug Charges

Federal authorities are looking for a Caddo County couple they say planned to distribute a large amount of drugs. Federal indictments were filed in the Western District U.S. Court in Oklahoma City this week against 34-year old Andres Goevany Flores-Lopez, and 21-year old Minet Arreola. Their home towns were not listed. The charges are the result of an investigation last November by the federal Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA). The Lawton Constitution cites court records indicating that Flores-Lopez - also known as Andres Mora-Lopez - and Arreola are each charged with one count conspiracy and one count of possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. Each count carries penalties of 10 years to life in prison and up to a $10 million fine. It's reported that Flores-Lopez and Arreola are accused of attempting to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine.

 

State Lawmaker Opposes Governor's Sooner Care 2.0 Plan

A Grady County state lawmaker is opposed to Governor Kevin Stitt's plan to expand Medicaid to Oklahoma. Chickasha State Representative David Perryman says the governor's Sooner Care 2.0 plan won't go far enough to help Oklahoma's working poor. Stitt announced his plan a few weeks ago after going to Washington, D.C. to discuss the possibility that federal block grants that could be used. Perryman denounced that proposal.

 

              

 

Perryman is hopeful that the governor will put SQ 802 on the statewide ballot in November.

 

Local True Value Stores Recognized Nationally

Ross True Value stores of Chickasha and El Reno picked up a big award while attending a national spring market convention in New Orleans earlier this month. The El Reno store was named one of the top 15 stores out of more than 4,500 True Value stores around the country. Matt Martin, great-grandson of the founder Henry Ross accepted the award. Store managers purchase a lot of merchandise for the coming spring and summer seasons at these markets. Attendees also had a chance to attend a concert by the 1970s and 80s rock group The Steve Miller Band.

              

Dallas String Quartet to Perform Twice in Chix Today

There’s a special treat in store for students at Lincoln elementary school today. The youngsters will get to experience a performance of the Dallas String Quartet. The quartet will also perform tonight as part of USAO's Davis-Waldorf Performing Arts Series. USAO's Katie Davis organizes the Davis-Waldorf programs. She says 5th and 6th grade students have choices about electives in music and art. Davies says nothing inspires the youth more than seeing the possibility of the arts first-hand. The Dallas String Quartet performs music from a number of genres, from Bach to Bon Jovi. Tonight's performance at USAO will be in the Davis Hall Little Theatre, starting at 7:30 p.m. Tickets will be available at the door.

 

Energy and Metals

Crude oil on the NYMEX is $53.29 per barrel.

London-based Brent crude is $59.12.

Natural gas is $1.96 per million BTUs.

Gold is $1,614 and silver is $18.27.

 

 

Wednesday, February 19th

 

County Commissioners, Fire Fighters

Meet to Settle Differences

Officials are hoping a strained relationship between Grady County Commissioners and the county's volunteer firefighters was put to rest following a joint meeting of the two sides last night. All three county commissioners met in a special meeting as the same time as the monthly Grady County Fire Board meeting at Ninnekah High School. County Commissioner Chairman Ralph Beard apologized for a recent action of the commissioners, when the panel decided against appointing a new district fire chief for the southern part of the county.

 

              

 

Beard also assured fire fighters that commissioners were not thinking about closing any stations.

 

              

 

Beard said that county commissioners have never said "no" to any equipment or supply needs of any of the departments. Beard also addressed concerns that commissioners took away firefighter funding. He noted that before voters approved a sales tax to fund the county's 20 fire districts, commissioners gave them about $180,000 per year in gross production tax collections. Commissioners said that was money that could have been used for road repairs. Some firefighters complained that roads are still in bad shape because of oil field traffic. One firefighter said he spent his own time and money fixing his county road, after county workers were there.

 

Consumer Spending Dips in Grady County

Consumer spending throughout Grady County last November dropped to its lowest levels in more than two years. Spending was down more than 18 percent from the previous month to about $82 million. That total is off about 38 percent from November of 2018. We estimate consumer spending when we see sales tax collections for the county. January tax collections that were paid on consumer spending from last November were $615,000. That is down from $756,000 in December and down $993,000 from January of last year. Here's how the $615,000 was distributed - all approved by Grady county voters. Grady County Fairgrounds gets $205,000; Grady Memorial Hospital collects $180,000; each of the seven senior nutrition centers gets $14,000; each of county's 20 fire districts receive $5,000; Tuttle EMS picks up nearly $19,000; and Rush Springs EMS collects $4,700.

 

Energy and Metals

Crude oil on the NYMEX was steady at $52.05 per barrel.

London-based Brent crude was up to $57.75 per barrel.

Natural gas was up to $1.98 per million BTUs.

Gold is $1,613 and silver if $18.35.

 

Obituary

Lila Dickey Conder

Funeral for 93-year old Lila Dickey Conder of Chickasha will be at 10:30 a.m. Friday, February 21 at Sevier Funeral Home.

 

Tuesday, February 18th

 

Rush Springs Mourns Accidental Death of a Child

A Rush Springs family is devastated with the death of a little boy and the community is grieving with them. 8-year old Gavyn Sweat passed away Friday in what Rush Springs authorities say was an accident. Rush Springs Police Chief Payne did not say how Gavin died. The second grader is being remembered as an active child who liked to play football and baseball, and he would work out in what he called his ‘work-out’ clothes. Pastor Josh Abbott with the Victory Fellowship Church tells KSWO-TV that Gavyn’s death is hard on the whole community. First responders are also hit hard as several of the boy’s family members are firefighters. Fire Chief Rick Gilleland said responding to a call for a child is hard enough but it hits even harder when it’s one of your own. Rush Springs Fire and EMS will be collecting donations for the family at the 4-way stop in Rush Springs today and tomorrow. Memorial contributions may also be made at the First National Bank in Rush Springs. Gavyn's funeral will be at 10:00 a.m. Friday, February 21st at  Victory Fellowship Church.

              

Some Chickasha Homes to be Without Water Today              

Several Chickasha homes will be without water today (Tuesday, February 18^th). The homes are in the neighborhood northeast of 9th and Country Club Road. The reason for the outage is that city crews are installing a new fire hydrant. City officials estimate about 40 homes will be affected. Homes on Belmont, Riveria and Basin Streets will be without water, while a few homes on Country Club Road, Arlington, and Telegraph may have low or no water pressure. Residents in the area received notices on their doors last Friday. The outage is expected to run until 3:00 p.m. today.

 

Chickasha Sidewalk Program Approved

The Chickasha City Council clears the way for that big sidewalk project we told you about yesterday. The sidewalk will connect the Rock Island Railroad Depot downtown to Wal-mart on the south side of town. In last night’s city council meeting the panel voted unanimously to award the more than $270,000 project to Luckinbill Development out of Edmond. Most of the funds are coming from a federal Community Development Block Grant the city applied for. After a 15-minute closed door meeting last night, the council took no action after discussing the collective bargaining negotiations underway with the city's fire and police unions. The two unions are in contract talks with the city manager for the fiscal year which starts in July.

 

School Volunteer Named 'Key' Citizen              

Chickasha Mayor Chris Mosley presented a key to the city for a volunteer with Chickasha schools. Darci Hays was named a “Key Citizen of the Quarter” for her work at both Bill Wallace and Grand Avenue schools. Mosley said he wants to recognize people who do work behind the scenes who don't normally get publicity for the work they do.

 

Chocolate Celebration Deemed Successful              

Last week’s Chocolate Celebration for the Friends of the Chickasha Public Library brought in thousands of dollars. Librarian Lillie Huckaby says the celebration brought in more than $8,000 which will be used to make improvements to the community room. The Friends of the Library is now looking for used books to sell during its upcoming used book sale which will be in April. Contact the library if you have books you'd like to donate.

 

Energy and Metals

Crude oil on the NYMEX is $52.05 per barrel.

London-based Brent crude is $57.32.

Natural gas is $1.84 per million BTUs.

Gold is $1,590 and silver is $17.85.

 

 

Monday, February 17th

 

Dibble Bomb Threat Suspect Arrested

A bomb threat in Dibble over the weekend was diffused by law enforcement. The Dibble Police Department posted information on its Facebook page about the threat which occurred just after 8:00 a.m. Saturday regarding a suspicious person wanted for domestic violence. Dibble Police, the Dibble Fire Department, McClain County Sheriff's deputies and state troopers all responded. As officers approached the man, he claimed to have a bomb on his person that would blow up about a three-mile radius. The suspect was taken into custody without incident. The suspect's name was not released. The bomb threat canceled youth basketball games that were scheduled at Dibble schools Saturday morning.

 

Chickasha Sidewalk Project to be Considered

The Chickasha City Council is expected to award a bid to an Edmond firm to build a sidewalk that will run from the Rock Island Railroad Depot to Wal-Mart. It's being recommended that the more than $270,000 project be awarded to Luckinbill Development of Edmond. The recommendation comes from the city's engineering firm, Chisholm Trail Consulting. The project will be paid in part by a Community Development Block Grant from the federal government. The sidewalk will run along 1st Street and construction may start this spring. The council is also expected to approve a final $35,000 payment to Barrington Electric for electrical upgrades done at Shannon Springs Park. The panel will also go behind closed doors to discuss the status of collective bargaining negotiations with the police and fire unions. The council will also recognize longtime firefighter John Carpenter who has retired after a 25-year career. The council meets at 6:30 p.m. tonight at city hall.

 

Grady County Commissioners, Fire Board to hold Join Mtg              

A joint meeting of the Grady County Fire Board and Grady County Commissioners is scheduled for tomorrow night. The groups will discuss fire department activities, operations, procedures, and organization. The meeting was scheduled after volunteer firefighters say county commissioners over-stepped their authority recently, when they said they would not appoint a new district chief for the southern part of the county after a previous chief stepped down. It will be a special meeting for the commissioners, and the agenda was posted last Friday afternoon. The meeting will get underway at 7:00 p.m. Tuesday at the Ninnekah school cafeteria.

 

Chickasha Police Warn of Numerous Scams

Chickasha police are warning residents to be aware of any number of scams that may occur this time of year. The warning posted on the department's Facebook page indicates some common scams include an unsolicited check mailed to you. It asks potential victims to deposit the check, then send part of the money to another location One phone and e-mail scam claims to be someone from the IRS, saying if you don't pay immediately you'll be arrested. The IRS will only contact you through the regular mail. Another phone scam preys on grandparents who get phone calls from individuals claiming to be their grandchildren who are in jail in another country. Authorities say if you suspect a phone scam that you should simply hang up. If you suspect a suspected mail or e-mail scam, ignore it.

 

Tuttle Area Oil Wells Bring Good Numbers

Some oil and gas wells drilled in northern Grady County are big producers for Roan Resources. The company reports that three sister wells are bringing in a combined total of more than 1,300 barrels of oil per day. These are the Barbara Campbell wells which are in Section 5 of Township 9 North and Range 5 West which are about four miles west of Tuttle. The website www.okenergytoday.com reports the spud dates for these wells was April of last year. The wells are all in the Mississippian formation, and the drilling depths are between 21,000 feet and 24,000 feet.

 

Southwest District Swine Show Results

We have the swine show results from the Southwest District Livestock Show that concluded at the Grady County Fairgrounds this past Saturday. For the barrows, Gage Winters of Altus had the grand champion; Liberty Carson of Yukon had the reserve; and Hydee Milam of Sterling had the bronze. For the gilts, Darren Lucas of Altus had the grand; Hadley Cooper of Ampo had the reserve; and Karch Carlson of Merritt had the bronze. Two youths were awarded Vernon Crose Memorial Scholarships. Kailen Urban of Mt. View-Gotebo and Jaramiah Chumley of Temple were presented the scholarships at the conclusion of the show.

 

Energy and Metals

Crude oil on the NYMEX is $52.05 per barrel.

London-based Brent crude is $57.32.

Natural gas is $1.83 per million BTUs.

Gold is $1,583 and silver is $17.76.

 

 

Saturday, February 15th

 

Search for Home Invasion Suspects Continues

A juvenile is recovering from stab wounds and two suspects wanted in connection with a violent home invasion remain at-large. The break-in occurred sometime before 2:30 a.m. Thursday at a Chickasha home near 11^th Street and Tennessee Avenue. Police were initially notified about the attack when they were dispatched to Grady Memorial Hospital where doctors were treating a juvenile for stab wounds. The mother of the teen also said he was pistol-whipped and tied up. The teen was treated for his injuries and released the same day. Police said two masked suspects broke into the home and after assaulting the teen they took his cel phone and some other unidentified items. Authorities ask anyone with information about the home invasion to call Chickasha police at 405-222-6050 or Crimestoppers at 405-224-TIPS. Anonymous tips may also be placed on the Crimestoppers Facebook page.

              

Officer Injured in Shootout Still Fighting for Benefits

It's been 2 1/2 years since Chickasha police officer Matthew Schoolfield and other officers were involved in a shootout while issuing a search warrant on a Chickasha home. Schoolfield suffered a serious arm injury and despite several surgeries has limited use of his right hand and was not able to return to active duty. He is still waiting for his disability rating and word about his medical retirement. He tells our partners at KWTV News 9 that he and his family are struggling to make ends meet and that they are not alone. The Schoolfields are working with Chickasha State Representative David Perryman to create legislation to protect officers who are seriously injured on the job. Perryman has drafted House Bill 3330 which would change the disability percentage for officers hurt in a violent act while on duty to 100 percent. The Schoolfields are hoping that should the measure become law it would be applied retroactively.

 

New Storm Sirens Being Installed in Chickasha

The City of Chickasha is getting some new storm sirens. Thanks to a grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the city will be getting an entirely new system. Fire Chief Brian Zalewski said that contractors are in town this weekend replacing some of the old sirens including some of the utility poles. It's part a $150,000 FEMA grant that the city applied for two years ago. In addition to replacing the old sirens a brand new storm siren will be installed at the city's sports complex. Zalewski said they plan on testing the storm sirens through the weekend and into next week, so if you happen to hear them going off, you'll know the reason.

 

100-year Old Veteran Attends National Guard Centennial

A 100-year old military veteran was on hand for the 100^th birthday celebration of Oklahoma's National Guard. Chickasha's Gordon Spangler, who will turn 102 years old next month, attended last week's event in Lawton which marked the creation of the 1st Battalion, 158th Field Artillery Division. Spangler spent 42 years serving his country, and was a Chief Warrant Officer who fought in both World War II and Korea. He was joined at the celebration by his daughter and son-in-law, Mandy and Richard Keller. Spangler's story was published this week by the Lawton Constitution. The 158th was created in 1920 with a letter written to the War Department’s Militia Bureau. It was first activated during World War II from 1940 to 1945 when the 45th infantry division saw more than 500 days of combat. Soldiers were also deployed to support Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm in 1990 and 1991. Other soldiers wen to Iraq in 2008 and 2009; and to Afghanistan in 2013 and 2014.

              

More Results from the Southwest District Livestock Show

We have the results from the cattle show at the Southwest  District Livestock Show at the Grady County Fairgrounds. Of the 24 market steers, Breadon Callis of Minco had the grand champion; Parker Symer of Yukon had the reserve; and Madison Church of Canute had the bronze. Out of the 23 the prospect steers, Tommy Glover of Elgin had the Grand; Cara Crumrine of Hollis had the reserve; and Cooper Cummins of Hollis had the bronze. Out of the 119 heifers, Ampo swept the top three awards, with Madilyn Norvell showing the grand; and McKenzie Layton showing both the reserve and bronze. In the first-ever agriculture mechanics show, there were 18 projects submitted. Wyatt Kappus of Union City was grand champion with a welding truck bed; Arapaho-Butler FFA was the reserve with a deer hunting blind; and James Duncan of Ninnekah had the bronze with a utility trailer. The swine show is wrapping up the four-day stock show today (Saturday).

 

Talk Show Topics

Chickasha State Representative David Perryman is our guest on KOOL Konversation. On Real Estate Today with John Mosley, guests are Certified Public Accountants Cameron Johnston and Evan Blasingame. We have links to both programs under the Community tab on this website.

 

 

Friday, February 14th

 

Missing Autistic Teens Found

Two teenagers with autism have been reunited with their families after they were reported missing. Matthew Burns and Roy Rogers, Jr., both 16-years old, left their classes at Chickasha High School about noon on Wednesday but they did not go home. Their parents reported the teens missing Wednesday night and police put their names and photos into the National Crime Information Computer data base. Matthew's mother, Emily put the teens’ pictures on Facebook and also reached out to local and state media for help in finding them. Roy returned home Thursday afternoon and the families found Matthew at an abandoned home in the south part of Chickasha a few minutes later. Burns posted a message on Facebook saying the families are grateful for all the community support they received during the ordeal.

 

'Giving Day' Set for USAO              

USAO alumni, faculty, staff, and students are all being challenged in what might be the biggest one-day fundraiser for the university. It's called Giving Day, where all who are associated with USAO are collectively challenged to raise $100,000 in a 24-hour period. A press release from the university indicates Giving Day will feature a number of challenges and matching gifts. There will also be on-campus events to highlight the impact that an investment in education can make. USAO supporters will reach out to their friends through their social media networks to share their stories, why they give back to the university, and why others should join them. Giving Day is set for Thursday, February 27th. For information visit: www.givingday.usa.edu

 

Military Vets, Families Would Benefit from Proposed Bill

Did you know that military veterans get free admission to all state parks and museums? A proposed change in state law would also allow their families to get free admission. SB 1185 was requested by the state tourism department to make the change. The current law is written assuming state parks charge per person, rather than per vehicle, which parks are starting to do. The measure from Senator Frank Simpson says it’s a small way to thank veterans for their service and sacrifice to their country and the state. The bill was unanimously approved by the senate business, commerce, and tourism committee, and will now be considered by the full senate.

 

Sheep, Goat Show Results from SW District Stock Show              

We have results of the sheep and goat shows from the Southwest District Livestock Show at the Grady County Fairgrounds. For the sheep, there were 204 wether lambs shown and Kyra Elliott of El Reno had the grand champion; Colt Randal of Canute had the reserve; and LaRay Cox of Elgin had the bronze.  There were 45 ewe lambs led through the show ring and Saydie Allen of Canute had the grand; Kailen Urban of Mt. View-Gotebo had the reserve; and Mason Smith of Elk City had the bronze. In the goat show there were a total of 80 wethers shown. Saydie Allen of Canute also had the grand in that division; Raylie Wright of Lookeba-Sickles had the reserve; and Sadie Heap of Frederick had the bronze. There were 119 doe goats and Gage McElhaney of Elgin had the grand; Elena Santiago of Frederick had the reserve; and Brylee Jarboe of Verden had the bronze.  The show runs through Saturday.

 

Energy and Metals

Crude oil on the NYMEX is $51.42 per barrel.

London-based Brent crude is $56.34.

Natural gas is $1.82 per million BTUs.

Gold is $1,579 and silver is $17.66.

 

Obituary

Robert McClaflin

Funeral service for 81-year old Robert McClaflin of Chickasha will be at 11:00 a.m. Monday, February 17^th at Ferguson Funeral Home. He was a U.S. Army veteran.

 

Thursday, February 13^th

 

Amber Mayor Announces Candidacy for State Office

The mayor of Amber has announced he's running for a state office. Craig Parham will be seeking the District 56 post in the State House of Representatives, a seat currently held by David Perryman of Chickasha. Perryman announced last fall that he wouldn't be running for re-election. Parham is running as a Democrat and said that Perryman encouraged him to run. Parham has served as the Mayor of Amber for 19 years and currently serves as the Vice President of the Mayors Council of Oklahoma. He also owns and operates a small business, Parham Tile Company, which has done business in more than 35 states. Parham says education and health care are issues that concern him most. He believes that southwest Oklahoma is falling behind while metro areas thrive. On his website, he says Oklahoma is losing hospitals, schools, and family farms while the government gives tax credits to out-of-state corporations. Parham is the first Democrat to announce he's running for the post. Two Republicans, Dick Lowe and Randy Talley, have previously announced they are running for the office which covers much of Grady and Caddo counties, and part of Kiowa County.

 

Sports Complex Prepares for Tournament Season

We're past the half-way point of winter which means warmer weather is on the way. Officials are looking for another big year at the Chickasha Sports Complex. It's a big attraction for dozens of baseball and softball tournaments throughout the spring and summer. Kyle Marks is the new parks and recreation director for the City of Chickasha and his crew has been working to get the fields in shape for the upcoming season.

              

The first tournament at the sports complex is Feb. 28th-March 1st.

 

Library's Chocolate Celebration is Tonight

There will be more chocolate that you can imagine at the Chickasha Public Library's annual chocolate celebration today. The 8th annual celebration will have some 4,000 servings of chocolate available. About 20 groups will have tables with at 200 servings each. The event is strategically timed right before Valentine's Day, since chocolate is a primary gift for the day. Brande Bradford with the library says the celebration is becoming a family event.

 

              

 

Tickets are $6 each and allows you to select six servings of chocolate. The chocolate celebration will be held at Epworth Methodist Church from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. tonight.

 

Cattle Head to the Ring at Southwest District Stock Show

It's Day Two of the Southwest District Livestock Show, and it’s all about the beef today. Prospect steers, market steers, and heifers will be shown at the Grady County Fairgrounds. The top market steer and heifer will bring $1,000 to the exhibitors of those animals. Thousands of dollars will be paid out to the 4H and FFA youth who exhibit animals this week. All the animals shown  must have been nominated to be in the Oklahoma Youth Expo in Oklahoma City next month.

 

Energy and Metals

Crude oil on the NYMEX is $51.17 per barrel.

London-based Brent crude is $55.79.

Natural gas is $1.84 per million BTUs.

Gold is $1,577 and silver is $17.62.

 

Obituary

Wanda Grubbs

Funeral service for 75-year old Wanda Grubbs of Chickasha will be at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, February 15th at Maranatha Baptist Church. Arrangements are with Ferguson Funeral Home.

 

 

Wednesday, February 12th

 

Results from Tuesday's Elections

In school elections yesterday, Middleberg voters overwhelmingly approved a special bond issue, Alex voters elect a new school board member, and two school board candidates in Carnegie will go to a run-off. A $290,000 transportation bond issue for Middleberg School got huge support passing with 95 percent voter approval, 124 to 6. In Alex, Amanda Carr Chambers defeated two other candidates, including an incumbent to win a post on the school board. Chambers collected nearly 63 percent of the vote, defeating current board member Keith Alcorn and Stormy Ryans Duffle. Chambers received 128 votes, with Alcorn collecting 47 and Duffle, 29. In Carnegie, current school board member Christi Harrison will have to go to a run-off in an attempt to win re-election. Harrison did not receive more than 50 percent of the vote in the three-person race, coming up about 11 votes shy. Harrison will face Misty Boettger in a run-off this spring. Harrison had 158 votes, about 47 percent; Boettger had 92 votes, or 27 percent; and Ryan Clark had 87 votes, or about 26 percent. In a city council election in Marlow, Neal Moore narrowly defeated Brad Throckmorton, 29 to 25.

 

Correction Regarding Fire Chief Story

KOOL/RANCH News needs to make a correction to a story we aired this week regarding the status of a chief for a rural Grady County Fire Department. We wrongly reported that the Acme Fire chief stepped down. John Hurst is the long-time chief at the Acme Department and he remains in that post. The individual who stepped down was Larry Crabb, who was serving as a district fire chief. The Acme Fire Department is included in that district. We apologize for the error.

 

Man Arrested a Second Time for Assaulting an Officer

For the second time in less than a year, a Grady County man is arrested for assaulting a police officer. Tuttle police made a traffic stop early Sunday morning after seeing a driver hit a curb. An officer alleges the driver was drinking and indicates in a probable cause affidavit that the driver failed all six phases of a field sobriety test. The driver became combative and swore at police as officers tried to take him in to custody. It's alleged the driver hit one officer in the arm. The affidavit indicates that officers tased the driver twice before being able to make the arrest. Prosecutors have filed a felony charge of assault and battery on a police officer against 28-year old Brian Patrick Doherty of Tuttle. Doherty was arrested by Tuttle police in May of last year for battery on a police officer. He pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of assault in connection with that arrest, and his sentence was deferred until June of 2021. Now, prosecutors want to revoke his probation. Doherty remains in jail in lieu of a $20,000 bond.

 

Chickasha Home Damaged in Fire

Fire rages through a Chickasha home causing thousands of dollars in damage. Chickasha and Ninnekah fire crews were dispatched to a home in the Southgate addition about 8:30 a.m. Tuesday. The homeowner was inside when the fire started but she was able to escape uninjured. The home suffered a lot of fire and smoke damage. Fire crews were able to prevent the fire from spreading to nearby homes. The fire was believed to have started in the kitchen where the occupant was cooking. The preliminary damage estimate is about $50,000. The homeowner said she did have insurance.

 

Southwest District Livestock Show Begins

One of the largest district livestock shows for youth is underway at the Grady County Fairgrounds. The Southwest District Livestock Show will bring hundreds of youth from 14 counties to Chickasha. Superintendent Danny Wedel is expecting more than 2,000 animals to be shown over the next four days. New to the show this year is an agriculture mechanics competition which will be judged just like the cattle, sheep, goats and swine. Jerry Renshaw is the superintendent of that portion of the show.

 

              

 

The ag mechanics show kicked off the event this morning and the sheep and goats shows will be held today as well. The top cash prizes paid out this week will be $1,000.

 

Energy and Metals

Crude oil on the NYMEX is $49.94 per barrel.

London-based Brent crude is $54.01.

Natural gas is $1.79 per million BTUs.

Gold is $1,569 and silver is $17.54.

 

 

Tuesday, February 11th

 

Grady County Volunteer Firefighters Say

They feel Threatened by County Commissioners

(EDITOR'S NOTE - A previous version of this story had some errors. This version contains the corrected information. We regret the errors)

Monday's meeting of the Grady County commissioners was standing room only, as about 20 volunteer firefighters were on hand to discuss a couple of issues. Last week, county commissioners decided not to replace a district fire chief after he resigned. However, Larry Hayes with the Grady County Fire Board told commissioners that the fire board makes decision about district fire chiefs. Commissioner Ralph Beard told Hayes that there has been discussion with the district attorney's office to go over the manual for the fire departments but nothing official has taken place.

              

Beard said it wasn't the intention of commissioners to over-step their authority regarding the district fire chief. Beard was asked by another firefighter if commissioners are considering shutting down some rural departments and Beard said that was not the case. Beard said commissioners would meet with the fire board at its next meeting, which will be held Tuesday, February 18^th at 7:00 p.m. at the Ninnekah High School cafeteria.

 

Arrests Made After Shots Fired in a Chix Neighborhood              

Chickasha police investigate reports of shots fired in a Chickasha neighborhood over the weekend arrest a couple of suspects. The Chickasha police blotter indicates the shooting took place about 9:30 a.m. Saturday in the area of 8th and Nevada. When police arrived, two men ran from the area but authorities were able to take them into custody. 37-year old Garry Dean Gwaltney of Chickasha was arrested for having outstanding warrants and 23-year old Christian Isaiah Benson, also of Chickasha, was arrested for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Police arrested Benson just a couple of weeks ago on a drug complaint. Prosecutors have formally charged Benson with a felony for having the firearm. He remains in jail pending a $15,000 bond. Gwaltney is not facing additional charges and he was released after paying a portion of the fines that he owes.

 

Blanchard Officer Accused of Assaulting Adult Son              

A Blanchard police officer is himself in trouble with the law, after he had an alleged confrontation with his adult son. Our partners at KWTV News 9 report that McClain County officials have issued a protective order against Steven Wallis, who is accused of strangling and biting his son. Media reports indicate the two men had attended an Oklahoma City Thunder game. The son said his dad had been drinking and the two got into an argument on the ride home. Once they got home the situation turned violent. Wallis is facing two complaints of assault and battery, and a judge ordered him to surrender all of his firearms. The McClain County Sheriff's Office is handling the investigation.

 

Some School, City Council Elections are Today

It's school election day in Oklahoma but not everyone will be going to the polls. There are school board elections in Alex and Carnegie, and a school bond election for Middleberg School. There are three candidates running for a post on the Alex school board. They are Stormy Ryans Duffle, Amanda Carr Chambers, and Keith Alcorn.. There are also three candidates running for a seat on the Carnegie school board. They are Christi Harrison, Misty Boettger, and Ryan Clark. If none of three candidates in either the Alex or Carnegie school board elections receives a majority of votes, the top two vote-getters will face off in a run-off election this spring. There's also a city council election in Marlow, with Brad Throckmorton and Neal Moore seeking a post on the panel. Polls are open until 7:00 p.m. tonight.

 

Anadarko Chamber Seeks Award Nominations

The Anadarko Chamber of Commerce is seeking nominations for awards to be issued at its annual banquet. Organizations and individuals will be recognized at the banquet which will be held on March 26th at the Oakridge Camp and Retreat Center. The theme for the banquet is Hometown Heroes. The deadline for nominations is Feb. 20th. Nomination forms are available on the chamber's website, www.anadarkochamber.org Tickets to the banquet are $35 and table sponsorships are available. Contact David Scott at the chamber for info by calling 405-247-6651.

 

Energy and Metals

Energy prices tumbled yesterday, with the price of West Texas Intermediate crude oil falling to $49.57 a barrel on the NYMEX. That's the lowest price in over a year. London-based Brent crude was down to $53.27 per barrel. Natural gas fell to its lowest point in nearly four years, down to $1.76 per million BTUs. Gold is $1,572 and silver is $17.71.

 

 

Monday, February 10th

 

Chix School Board to Discuss 'Consultant

Contract' with new School Superintendent

New Chickasha school superintendent Rick Croslin doesn't officially start until next month. However, the Chickasha Board of Education will consider a consulting contract with Croslin before his arrival. Croslin has been spending a couple of days a week in the district while he completes some obligations with Putnam City schools. Croslin will begin full time on March 22nd. The consulting contract is part of the agenda for the school board during its regularly scheduled February meeting tonight. The panel will also consider extra-duty pay for Special Services Director Pam Ladyman for January and February. Ladyman has been filling in for interim Superintendent Jennifer Stegman, who continues recuperating from injuries she suffered in an automobile accident. The school board meets at 6:00 p.m. tonight at the school administration building.

 

Anadarko Custodian Accused of Raping Student Resigns

An Anadarko school custodian accused of having an inappropriate relationship with a student has resigned. Richard Pewenofkit was arrested last month and faces felony rape and sodomy charges in connection with the allegations. The Anadarko Board of Education is expected to approve Pewenofkit's resignation when it meets for its regular February meeting tonight. Pewenofkit is out of jail after posting a $25,000 bond. A preliminary hearing conference on the charges is scheduled in Caddo County District Court February 20th.

 

One Hurt When Semi, Pickup Collide

A weekend crash between a semi and a pick-up sends the pickup driver to the hospital. The accident happened just after 10:00 p.m. Saturday east of Ninnekah at the junction of State Highway 19 and Dell Street. Buddy Myers with the Grady County Fire Department said the semi was hauling empty sand boxes. It wasn't clear how serious the pickup driver was injured. The names of the drivers were not released. Both vehicles had to be towed. Fire and clean-up crews were on the scene for about two hours.

              

Chickasha's Ward 4 Residents to Meet with City Officials              

Chickasha city officials will hold the first of its annual ward meetings tonight. Residents in Ward 4 are welcome to visit with their city council representatives and other city officials to discuss concerns as well as ideas they have to make the city better. Tonight's meeting will be held at 6:30 p.m. in the city council chambers at city hall. Meetings for residents in Wards 1, 2, and 3 will be held later.

 

Panel to Consider Funds for Youth Rodeo Competitions              

A proposal to provide $15,000 in funding for a tourism project will be considered by a Chickasha panel tomorrow. The Chickasha Industrial Authority (CIA) is being asked to provide the funds for the Oklahoma High School and Junior High School Rodeo Associations to hold competitions at the Grady County Fairgrounds in April and May. The CIA will also go behind closed doors to discuss a loan provided to Wesnidge and Company. The special meeting of CIA will be held at 8:00 a.m. tomorrow at the chamber of commerce.

 

State Lawmaker Gives Reason for Supporting Pro-Life Bill              

State Rep. Brad Boles (R-Marlow) was among the co-authors of a pro-life bill that was passed by the State House of Representatives last week. In his media column, Boles said he spoke in favor of HB 1182 - which calls for revoking the licenses of doctors who perform abortions. The bill includes an exception for doctors who perform an abortion to save the life of the mother. During his debate on the House floor, Boles said he shared his personal story, as his birth mother made the decision to give him up for adoption rather than have an abortion. The bill now moves on to the state senate for consideration.

 

Energy and Metals

Crude oil on the NYMEX is $50.32 per barrel.

London-based Brent crude is $54.47.

Natural gas is $1.85 per million BTUs.

Gold is $1,575 and silver is $17.79.

 

 

Saturday, February 8th

 

 

Oklahoma Gets Help to Fight Childhood Obesity

Oklahoma school districts are being encouraged to apply to receive state-of-the-art youth fitness centers. In an effort to combat childhood obesity, the National Foundation for Governors Fitness Councils has awarded the Sooner State three of these $100,000 fitness centers through its 2020 Don't Quit! Campaign. Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt made the announcement this week. Stitt said that he looks forward to seeing how these facilities will help move the needle in improving health outcomes in Oklahoma. In a press release, an official with the foundation said that they have declared war on the childhood obesity, saying the preventable disease is a serious problem that can follow a child into adulthood. The application period is open through March 20th and schools may also submit a written essay or video. To download an application and for more information visit http://natgovfit.org/nominate-your-school/

 

Former Area Police Chief Dies

The former police chief for both Cement and Cyril has died. David Burns spent a total of 14 years in law enforcement in the 1970s and 80s before going on to work with Dolese Brothers. He then went to work for Oklahoma Natural Gas where he retired in 2015. Burns was 66 when he passed away recently.

 

Bill Would Require Two Crew Members on Freight Trains

A bill that would require a minimum of two crew members on a freight train has been introduced at the state capital by a Grady County state lawmaker. Chickasha State Rep. David Perryman says HB 2874 could help prevent a bad situation, or, keep a bad situation from turning into a local catastrophe. The website www.okenergytoday.com reports that a recent change by the Federal Railroad Administration left out a two-person crew requirement on freight trains.  Perryman said much of the freight hauled by freight trains is combustible or caustic in nature. He said the elimination of the nationwide rule is a sign that the federal government wants states to take care of the issue. Perryman's bill is pending in the House transportation committee.

 

Friday, February 7th

 

Chix Mayor Sets Goals for Second Term

Since he didn’t draw an opponent in the spring city council election, Chickasha Mayor Chris Mosley can now turn his attention to his next two years in office. Mosley say he wants to focus on attracting families to move to Chickasha, create jobs, and improve city streets. One project he's already been working on with other city leaders is creating new park to be located next to the Rock Island Railroad Depot.

 

              

 

Mosley said officials are working with the Chickasaw Nation as well as the Oklahoma City Energy Football Club Foundation to help fund the project, but that additional donors are being sought. A map of the proposed park can be seen at city hall.

 

Two School Districts Mourn Deaths of Teens

Two Oklahoma school districts are mourning the deaths of students who died in traffic accidents this week. Two students at Moore High School died when the driver of a pick-up ran into members of the school's cross country team during their practice on Monday. In Newcastle, high school sophomore Emily Waymire lost her life in a crash that happened on Tuesday. The accident also seriously injured Emily's sister and mother. A GoFundMe account has been established to help the Waymire family with funeral and medical expenses.

 

Crash Closes Roads Near Bridge Creek School              

The Oklahoma Highway Patrol is investigating an early morning traffic accident that occurred near Bridge Creek School. The accident happened just after 5:00 a.m. near CR 1250 and CS 2975 which is southeast of the school. The accident closed the roadway for about an hour and a half. Information about the accident was not immediately available.

 

Sheriff's Office Updates '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.

 

Talk Show Topics

Here's what we're talking about this weekend. Danny Wedel and Jerry Renshaw with the Southwest District Livestock Show are this week's guests on our KOOL Konversation. And on Real Estate Today with John Mosley, guests are Chickasha City Manager John Noblitt and city Parks and Recreation director Kyle Marks. We have links to both programs under the Community tab on this website.

 

Energy and Metals

Crude oil on the NYMEX is $50.95 a barrel.

London-based Brent crude is $54.93.

Natural gas is $1.86 per million BTUs.

Gold is $1,572 and silver is $17.76.

 

 

Thursday, February 6th

 

Chix Mayor, Two Councilmen Run Un-opposed for Seats

Chickasha Mayor Chris Mosley and two city councilmen will be serving another two years on the city council. Mosley, Ward 3 councilman R.P. Ashanti-Alexander, and Ward 4 councilman Zack Grayson drew no opponents in the three-day filing period for city council which ended yesterday. There will be at least one new council member. Clark Van Dyck filed un-opposed to serve in Ward 2. Current Ward 2 councilman Joe Molder did not run for re-election. Chickasha voters will have one council post to decide in the April city council election. Ward 1 city councilman David Sikes will face challenger Dewey Mosshart, IV.

 

Tanker Truck Driver Hurt After Crashing into Creek              

A truck driver escaped serious injury when his tanker truck careens into a creek and was pinned in the partially submerged cab for about 30 minutes. 42-year old Todd Dinsmore of Ninnekah was taken to an Oklahoma City hospital where he was admitted in good condition with arm, trunk, and internal injuries. Buddy Myers with the Grady County Fire Department said the rescue team faced some challenges getting Dinsmore out of the cab and then up about a 20-foot embankment.

 

              

 

The accident happened about 1:30 p.m. Wednesday at U.S. Highway 62 and West Winter Creek. That's about a mile east of Cimarron Trailers. The Highway Patrol reported that Dinsmore may have been driving too fast for the road conditions. We have video of the crash on our Facebook page.

 

Former Chickasha Mayor Harold Jackson Dies

Former Chickasha mayor Harold Jackson has died. Jackson, who owned the Chickasha McDonald’s restaurant, was 77 when he passed away at his Chickasha home on Tuesday. Jackson spent eight years as mayor in the 1990s. Jackson grew up in Marlow and played football for the Outlaws 1959 state championship team. He served in the U.S Army Reserves before attending and graduating from Southwestern Oklahoma State University and Central State College. He was first a teacher, coach, and college professor. He and his late-wife Kay bought their first McDonalds in Mt. Pleasant, Texas in 1981 and purchase the Chickasha store and other locations in 1985. The Jacksons were heavily involved in civic activities, creating a camp for special needs students and working with Oklahoma's Special Olympics. Funeral service for Harold Jackson will be at 1:00 p.m. Friday, February 7th at Epworth United Methodist Church. Arrangements are with Ferguson Funeral Home. Memorial contributions may be made to the Kay and Harold Jackson Scholarship Fund at USAO.

 

Early-Voting Underway in Some School, Council Elections

There are some school board and city council elections scheduled next week, though early voting gets underway today.  In-person, absentee voting is available at local county election boards. There are school board elections in Alex and in Carnegie, and there is a special bond issue for Middleberg School. There's also a city council election in Marlow. You can only vote early at your county election board office. In-person, absentee voting can be done until 6:00 p.m. today or from 8:00 a.m. to 6 :00 p.m. tomorrow. Regular precincts will be open on Tuesday, February 11th.

 

Dallas String Quartet to Perform at USAO

When thinking about a string quartet, most might believe that classical music will be produced by the tuxedo-wearing musicians. There's a twist to that generalization in the next edition of USAO's Davis-Waldorf Performing Arts Series. Not only does the Dallas String Quartet perform classical music, its selections also include genres which include rock and roll. The quartet is referred to as Bach Meets Bon Jovi. The group performs a blend of contemporary classical and pop music. The group has performed for U.S. presidents and at sporting events like the college football playoffs and NFL and NBA games. They've played in symphony halls and alongside artists like Chicago and Josh Groban. The Dallas String Quartet performance will be Thursday, Feb. 20^th at USAO. Tickets are now available at the USAO business office.

 

Energy and Metals

Crude oil on the NYMEX is $50.75.

London-based Brent crude is $55.28.

Natural gas is $1.86 per million BTUs.

Gold is $1,570 and silver is $17.80.

 

Wednesday, February 5th

 

Sen. Paxton Supports Governor's Goals

State lawmakers are spending the first week of the legislative session getting organized for the weeks ahead. State Senator Lonnie Paxton of Tuttle likes what Gov. Kevin Stitt is doing, as the governor is looking to make Oklahoma a top-10 state.

 

              

 

Paxton was recently appointed assistant majority floor leader in the Senate.

 

New Candidate Files to Run for City Council

A race has developed in the second day of filing for Chickasha City Council. It's in Ward 1, where Dewey Mosshart IV has filed to challenge incumbent David Sikes. As of late Tuesday, Mosshart was the only new candidate to file for city council. To this point, Mayor Chris Mosley, Ward 4 councilman Zack Grayson, and Ward 3 councilman R.P. Ashanti-Alexander have filed unopposed for re-election and Clark Van Dyck has filed unopposed for the seat in Ward 2. Today is the last day of the filing period for city council as prospective candidates face a 5:00 p.m. deadline to submit paperwork at city hall.

 

Chix Native Named City's Economic Development Director

There's a new executive director for the Chickasha Economic Development Council but he's not new to Chickasha. Jim Cowan has been brought on board to lead the group. Cowan is a Chickasha native who most recently served a small business consultant in the Oklahoma City area. At one time he was himself a small business owner as he operated the Bricktown Brewery in Oklahoma City. Cowan says he'll be spending a lot of time in his first few weeks meeting with local business owners—

 

              

 

Cowan is a Chickasha High School graduate. His father was the late John Cowan who was a long-time administrator with Chickasha Public Schools.

 

Library's Chocolate Celebration Nears

Valentine's Day is a little more than a week away and so is an event where you can pick up some chocolate for your Valentine and help a worthy cause at the same time. The 8^th Annual Chocolate Celebration for the Chickasha Public Library is coming up. It will feature literally thousands of servings of chocolate to choose from. Tickets are $6 each and can be purchased in advance at the library. Each ticket allows you to select six chocolate treats you can share with your Valentine. The event is Thursday, February 13th from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at Epworth United Methodist Church. Tickets will also be available at the door. Proceeds benefit a number of library projects.

 

What's Causing the Drop in Oil Prices?

Crude oil fell below $50 a barrel for the first time in over a year yesterday. The price for West Texas Intermediate dropped to $49.61 per barrel. Matt Skinner with the Oklahoma Corporation Commission explains some reasons for the recent fall in price.

 

              

 

More Energy, Metals Prices

London-based Brent crude is $53.96.

Natural gas is $1.87 per million BTUs.

Gold is $1,555 and silver is $17.55.

 

Obituary

Tim McClure

A memorial service for 63-year old Tim McClure of Chickasha will be at 1:00 p.m. Saturday, February 8th at First Christian Church. Arrangements are with Ferguson Funeral Home. Viewing will be from 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Friday, February 7th with visitation with family also on Friday from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at Ferguson Funeral Home.

 

 

Tuesday, February 4th

 

Chickasha Sees Spike in New Construction

January is normally a slow month for new construction but last month saw nearly $2.5 million in projects approved in the City of Chickasha. It’s the best January total since 2017. The Community Development Department approved 16 permits last month. Leading the way were a couple of permits totaling more $1.5 million for a new addition and some renovations at LSPI. Also on the commercial side, USAO was approved for $150,000 in upgrades to its art studio at 218 Chickasha Avenue. Also, N and G Renovations won approval for a $50,000 remodel at 520 Pennsylvania. The city also approved building permits for seven new single-family homes each listed at a value of $100,000. Most are to be built in the new addition in the 2500 block of West Country Club Road.

 

Council OK's Economic Development Incentive Payment              

The Chickasha City Council has signed off on paying nearly $200,000 in economic development incentive money to a local company. During last night’s city council meeting, the council approved the payment to Chickasha Today, LLC which remodeled a couple of empty buildings downtown which now house new businesses. The company also plans to renovate three other buildings in the 100 block of Chickasha Avenue, and have tentatively been approved for an additional $250,000 of incentive money. The company is investing $1.4 million of its own funds to those projects. In other action, the council approved emergency roof repairs for city hall. City Manager John Noblitt said that work crews discovered some problems while installing new heat and air units. The council voted to waive bidding requirements and authorized Crawford Roofing to make the repairs not to exceed $11,000.

 

City Councilman Partners with New Taxi Service

A Chickasha city councilman is teaming up with a business partner to operate a new taxi service. Councilman Zach Grayson and Matt LaFee are starting up Rock Island Transportation Service. The city council approved the company's application to operate the taxi in last night’s meeting. Grayson recused himself from voting on the issue. There were no comments for or against the proposal during a public hearing. The application shows that the police department inspected and approved a 2014 Dodge Grand Caravan and a 2016 Dodge Grand Caravan to be used by the company. The vehicles have a $1 million commercial insurance policy on them. The taxi service is based at 114 Chickasha Avenue.

 

Mayor, Four Others File for City Council

The mayor, three of Chickasha's four city councilmen, and a newcomer were among the first to file to run for office in the spring city council election. Mayor Chris Mosley, Ward 1 councilman David Sikes, Ward 3 councilman R.P. Ashanti-Alexander, and Ward 4 councilman Zack Grayson all filed for re-election. The newcomer is Chickasha businessman Clark Van Dyck who has filed in Ward 2. The filing period runs through Wednesday at 5 p.m. with candidates filing at city hall. The city council election is in April.

 

Suspected Arsonist Appears in Court

A suspected arsonist appeared before a judge in a Grady County courtroom yesterday. 44-year old Gary James Eugene Branom was arrested by Chickasha police last week in connection with a fire at a local convenience store. Prosecutors have charged Branom with one felony count of arson. Branom remains in the Grady County Jail pending a $50,000 bond. A preliminary hearing conference was scheduled for March 10.

 

Chickasha's Annual Ward Meetings Begin 

Chickasha residents can meet city administrators and their city council representatives in a series of ward meetings over the next few months. Ward meetings have been scheduled for three of the city's four wards with the first meeting set next Monday night, February 10th. Residents in Ward 4 will kick things off. These are informal meetings for residents to share ideas about the city's future and to discuss any concerns they may have. Residents are asked to submit questions ahead of time by sending them via e-mail to: info@chickasha.org Next Monday's Ward 4 meeting will be held in the city council chambers at city hall starting at 6:30 p.m. If you're not sure what ward you live in you can download a map from the city's website: www.chickasha.org

 

Energy and Metals

Crude oil on the NYMEX is $50.11 per barrel.

London-based Brent crude is $54.45.

Natural gas is $1.82 per million BTUs.

Gold is $1,574 and silver is $17.74.

 

Obituary

Funeral service for 100-year old Charlotte Morris of Chickasha will be at 10:00 a.m. Thursday, February 6th at Sevier Funeral Home. Memorial contributions may be made to a charity of your choice.

 

 

Monday, February 3rd

 

Chix School Board to Review Lawsuit

A lawsuit filed against former members of the Chickasha Board of Education and former school administrators is the subject of a special meeting of the school board tonight. Special Services Director Pam Ladyman and former athletic director Yohance Brown filed suit in December of 2018 alleging slander, libel, and intentional infliction of emotional distress. Named in the lawsuit are former superintendent Dave Cash; former interim Superintendent Cindy Schmidt; former high school principal Michelle Pontikos; and former high school assistant principal, Kim Nelson. Also named in the suit are former school board members Doug Brown, Julie Badgett-Sinn, Julie Hibbard, and former school board attorney, Richard O'Carroll. Ladyman and Brown filed the suit after they were suspended in December of 2017, accused of failure to report child abuse and embezzlement of taxpayer dollars. The suit alleges that public statements made by the defendants exposed the plaintiffs to public hatred, contempt, ridicule, or disgrace. The special meeting will be held at 5:00 p.m. today at the school administration building, The lawsuit will be discussed behind closed doors.

 

Company Seeks Economic Development Funds

A Chickasha company is requesting nearly $200,000 of some $450,000 in funds it has been approved to receive for economic development projects the firm created in downtown Chickasha. It's one of several items to be considered by the Chickasha City Council when it meets tonight. Chickasha Today, LLC is requesting the reimbursement after the firm remodeled buildings for what is now the Canadian River Brewery and The Speak Lounge. The firm has proposed a total investment of $1.4 million to re-develop five commercial spaces in the 100 block of Chickasha Avenue. The funds were initially approved by the city council in January of 2018.  Just last month, the Economic Development Council recommended the funds should be awarded. The city council will also consider a one-year extension of its agreement with Chickasha Today, LLC to develop three other properties in the downtown area. The city council will also consider a request to extend an economic development project with J.R. Trammell and the D.J. Trammell Family Trust, which is renovating the old Williams Shoe Store. The panel will also consider an ordinance to approve the revised final plat for Phase Two of the Third Addition in the Sleepy Hollow Addition. Also scheduled is a public hearing to consider an application by Rock Island Transportation Services to operate a taxi service. The council meets at 6:30 p.m. tonight at city hall.

 

Chickasha City Council Filing Period Underway

The filing period for the spring Chickasha city council election is underway.  Over the next three days, residents interested in running for city council can file at city hall. The mayor's seat and one seat in each of the city's four wards are up for election. Candidates must have been a registered voter and a resident of the ward they want to represent for six consecutive months prior to the filing period. The filing fee is $25. The filing period is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. today, tomorrow, and Wednesday. The city council election will be in April.

 

Veterans' Mental Health Clinic Planned for Lawton

A new mental health facility for military veterans is being planned for Lawton. A group called the Cohen Veterans Network said it will invest about $6 million to build the facility. Network officials say it's part of an effort to invest $275 million to build 25 such facilities across the country - to provide help and support to veterans and their families suffering from mental health issues. The announcement was made last week by Ben Robinson, Oklahoma Secretary of Military Veterans Affairs and representatives from the Cohen group. Officials hope to open the Lawton facility sometime in 2023.

              

Ag Marketing Meeting Set Tuesday

An agriculture marketing meeting is set for tomorrow morning at the Grady County OSU Extension Office. Guest speaker is Aaron Lokey with the Chickasha Country Store. The meeting is free and open to the public and will get underway at 7:00 a.m. Tuesday, February 4^th.

 

Energy and Metals

Crude oil on the NYMEX is $51.56 per barrel.

London-based Brent Crude is $58.16.

Natural gas is $1.84 per million BTUs.

Gold is $1,583 and silver is $17.80.

 

 

Saturday, February 8th

 

 

Oklahoma Gets Help to Fight Childhood Obesity

Oklahoma school districts are being encouraged to apply to receive state-of-the-art youth fitness centers. In an effort to combat childhood obesity, the National Foundation for Governors Fitness Councils has awarded the Sooner State three of these $100,000 fitness centers through its 2020 Don't Quit! Campaign. Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt made the announcement this week. Stitt said that he looks forward to seeing how these facilities will help move the needle in improving health outcomes in Oklahoma. In a press release, an official with the foundation said that they have declared war on the childhood obesity, saying the preventable disease is a serious problem that can follow a child into adulthood. The application period is open through March 20th and schools may also submit a written essay or video. To download an application and for more information visit http://natgovfit.org/nominate-your-school/

 

Former Area Police Chief Dies

The former police chief for both Cement and Cyril has died. David Burns spent a total of 14 years in law enforcement in the 1970s and 80s before going on to work with Dolese Brothers. He then went to work for Oklahoma Natural Gas where he retired in 2015. Burns was 66 when he passed away recently.

 

Bill Would Require Two Crew Members on Freight Trains

A bill that would require a minimum of two crew members on a freight train has been introduced at the state capital by a Grady County state lawmaker. Chickasha State Rep. David Perryman says HB 2874 could help prevent a bad situation, or, keep a bad situation from turning into a local catastrophe. The website www.okenergytoday.com reports that a recent change by the Federal Railroad Administration left out a two-person crew requirement on freight trains.  Perryman said much of the freight hauled by freight trains is combustible or caustic in nature. He said the elimination of the nationwide rule is a sign that the federal government wants states to take care of the issue. Perryman's bill is pending in the House transportation committee.

 

Friday, February 7th

 

Chix Mayor Sets Goals for Second Term

Since he didn’t draw an opponent in the spring city council election, Chickasha Mayor Chris Mosley can now turn his attention to his next two years in office. Mosley say he wants to focus on attracting families to move to Chickasha, create jobs, and improve city streets. One project he's already been working on with other city leaders is creating new park to be located next to the Rock Island Railroad Depot.

 

              

 

Mosley said officials are working with the Chickasaw Nation as well as the Oklahoma City Energy Football Club Foundation to help fund the project, but that additional donors are being sought. A map of the proposed park can be seen at city hall.

 

Two School Districts Mourn Deaths of Teens

Two Oklahoma school districts are mourning the deaths of students who died in traffic accidents this week. Two students at Moore High School died when the driver of a pick-up ran into members of the school's cross country team during their practice on Monday. In Newcastle, high school sophomore Emily Waymire lost her life in a crash that happened on Tuesday. The accident also seriously injured Emily's sister and mother. A GoFundMe account has been established to help the Waymire family with funeral and medical expenses.

 

Crash Closes Roads Near Bridge Creek School              

The Oklahoma Highway Patrol is investigating an early morning traffic accident that occurred near Bridge Creek School. The accident happened just after 5:00 a.m. near CR 1250 and CS 2975 which is southeast of the school. The accident closed the roadway for about an hour and a half. Information about the accident was not immediately available.

 

Sheriff's Office Updates '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.

 

Talk Show Topics

Here's what we're talking about this weekend. Danny Wedel and Jerry Renshaw with the Southwest District Livestock Show are this week's guests on our KOOL Konversation. And on Real Estate Today with John Mosley, guests are Chickasha City Manager John Noblitt and city Parks and Recreation director Kyle Marks. We have links to both programs under the Community tab on this website.

 

Energy and Metals

Crude oil on the NYMEX is $50.95 a barrel.

London-based Brent crude is $54.93.

Natural gas is $1.86 per million BTUs.

Gold is $1,572 and silver is $17.76.

 

 

Thursday, February 6th

 

Chix Mayor, Two Councilmen Run Un-opposed for Seats

Chickasha Mayor Chris Mosley and two city councilmen will be serving another two years on the city council. Mosley, Ward 3 councilman R.P. Ashanti-Alexander, and Ward 4 councilman Zack Grayson drew no opponents in the three-day filing period for city council which ended yesterday. There will be at least one new council member. Clark Van Dyck filed un-opposed to serve in Ward 2. Current Ward 2 councilman Joe Molder did not run for re-election. Chickasha voters will have one council post to decide in the April city council election. Ward 1 city councilman David Sikes will face challenger Dewey Mosshart, IV.

 

Tanker Truck Driver Hurt After Crashing into Creek              

A truck driver escaped serious injury when his tanker truck careens into a creek and was pinned in the partially submerged cab for about 30 minutes. 42-year old Todd Dinsmore of Ninnekah was taken to an Oklahoma City hospital where he was admitted in good condition with arm, trunk, and internal injuries. Buddy Myers with the Grady County Fire Department said the rescue team faced some challenges getting Dinsmore out of the cab and then up about a 20-foot embankment.

 

              

 

The accident happened about 1:30 p.m. Wednesday at U.S. Highway 62 and West Winter Creek. That's about a mile east of Cimarron Trailers. The Highway Patrol reported that Dinsmore may have been driving too fast for the road conditions. We have video of the crash on our Facebook page.

 

Former Chickasha Mayor Harold Jackson Dies

Former Chickasha mayor Harold Jackson has died. Jackson, who owned the Chickasha McDonald’s restaurant, was 77 when he passed away at his Chickasha home on Tuesday. Jackson spent eight years as mayor in the 1990s. Jackson grew up in Marlow and played football for the Outlaws 1959 state championship team. He served in the U.S Army Reserves before attending and graduating from Southwestern Oklahoma State University and Central State College. He was first a teacher, coach, and college professor. He and his late-wife Kay bought their first McDonalds in Mt. Pleasant, Texas in 1981 and purchase the Chickasha store and other locations in 1985. The Jacksons were heavily involved in civic activities, creating a camp for special needs students and working with Oklahoma's Special Olympics. Funeral service for Harold Jackson will be at 1:00 p.m. Friday, February 7th at Epworth United Methodist Church. Arrangements are with Ferguson Funeral Home. Memorial contributions may be made to the Kay and Harold Jackson Scholarship Fund at USAO.

 

Early-Voting Underway in Some School, Council Elections

There are some school board and city council elections scheduled next week, though early voting gets underway today.  In-person, absentee voting is available at local county election boards. There are school board elections in Alex and in Carnegie, and there is a special bond issue for Middleberg School. There's also a city council election in Marlow. You can only vote early at your county election board office. In-person, absentee voting can be done until 6:00 p.m. today or from 8:00 a.m. to 6 :00 p.m. tomorrow. Regular precincts will be open on Tuesday, February 11th.

 

Dallas String Quartet to Perform at USAO

When thinking about a string quartet, most might believe that classical music will be produced by the tuxedo-wearing musicians. There's a twist to that generalization in the next edition of USAO's Davis-Waldorf Performing Arts Series. Not only does the Dallas String Quartet perform classical music, its selections also include genres which include rock and roll. The quartet is referred to as Bach Meets Bon Jovi. The group performs a blend of contemporary classical and pop music. The group has performed for U.S. presidents and at sporting events like the college football playoffs and NFL and NBA games. They've played in symphony halls and alongside artists like Chicago and Josh Groban. The Dallas String Quartet performance will be Thursday, Feb. 20^th at USAO. Tickets are now available at the USAO business office.

 

Energy and Metals

Crude oil on the NYMEX is $50.75.

London-based Brent crude is $55.28.

Natural gas is $1.86 per million BTUs.

Gold is $1,570 and silver is $17.80.

 

Wednesday, February 5th

 

Sen. Paxton Supports Governor's Goals

State lawmakers are spending the first week of the legislative session getting organized for the weeks ahead. State Senator Lonnie Paxton of Tuttle likes what Gov. Kevin Stitt is doing, as the governor is looking to make Oklahoma a top-10 state.

 

              

 

Paxton was recently appointed assistant majority floor leader in the Senate.

 

New Candidate Files to Run for City Council

A race has developed in the second day of filing for Chickasha City Council. It's in Ward 1, where Dewey Mosshart IV has filed to challenge incumbent David Sikes. As of late Tuesday, Mosshart was the only new candidate to file for city council. To this point, Mayor Chris Mosley, Ward 4 councilman Zack Grayson, and Ward 3 councilman R.P. Ashanti-Alexander have filed unopposed for re-election and Clark Van Dyck has filed unopposed for the seat in Ward 2. Today is the last day of the filing period for city council as prospective candidates face a 5:00 p.m. deadline to submit paperwork at city hall.

 

Chix Native Named City's Economic Development Director

There's a new executive director for the Chickasha Economic Development Council but he's not new to Chickasha. Jim Cowan has been brought on board to lead the group. Cowan is a Chickasha native who most recently served a small business consultant in the Oklahoma City area. At one time he was himself a small business owner as he operated the Bricktown Brewery in Oklahoma City. Cowan says he'll be spending a lot of time in his first few weeks meeting with local business owners—

 

              

 

Cowan is a Chickasha High School graduate. His father was the late John Cowan who was a long-time administrator with Chickasha Public Schools.

 

Library's Chocolate Celebration Nears

Valentine's Day is a little more than a week away and so is an event where you can pick up some chocolate for your Valentine and help a worthy cause at the same time. The 8^th Annual Chocolate Celebration for the Chickasha Public Library is coming up. It will feature literally thousands of servings of chocolate to choose from. Tickets are $6 each and can be purchased in advance at the library. Each ticket allows you to select six chocolate treats you can share with your Valentine. The event is Thursday, February 13th from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at Epworth United Methodist Church. Tickets will also be available at the door. Proceeds benefit a number of library projects.

 

What's Causing the Drop in Oil Prices?

Crude oil fell below $50 a barrel for the first time in over a year yesterday. The price for West Texas Intermediate dropped to $49.61 per barrel. Matt Skinner with the Oklahoma Corporation Commission explains some reasons for the recent fall in price.

 

              

 

More Energy, Metals Prices

London-based Brent crude is $53.96.

Natural gas is $1.87 per million BTUs.

Gold is $1,555 and silver is $17.55.

 

Obituary

Tim McClure

A memorial service for 63-year old Tim McClure of Chickasha will be at 1:00 p.m. Saturday, February 8th at First Christian Church. Arrangements are with Ferguson Funeral Home. Viewing will be from 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Friday, February 7th with visitation with family also on Friday from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at Ferguson Funeral Home.

 

 

Tuesday, February 4th

 

Chickasha Sees Spike in New Construction

January is normally a slow month for new construction but last month saw nearly $2.5 million in projects approved in the City of Chickasha. It’s the best January total since 2017. The Community Development Department approved 16 permits last month. Leading the way were a couple of permits totaling more $1.5 million for a new addition and some renovations at LSPI. Also on the commercial side, USAO was approved for $150,000 in upgrades to its art studio at 218 Chickasha Avenue. Also, N and G Renovations won approval for a $50,000 remodel at 520 Pennsylvania. The city also approved building permits for seven new single-family homes each listed at a value of $100,000. Most are to be built in the new addition in the 2500 block of West Country Club Road.

 

Council OK's Economic Development Incentive Payment              

The Chickasha City Council has signed off on paying nearly $200,000 in economic development incentive money to a local company. During last night’s city council meeting, the council approved the payment to Chickasha Today, LLC which remodeled a couple of empty buildings downtown which now house new businesses. The company also plans to renovate three other buildings in the 100 block of Chickasha Avenue, and have tentatively been approved for an additional $250,000 of incentive money. The company is investing $1.4 million of its own funds to those projects. In other action, the council approved emergency roof repairs for city hall. City Manager John Noblitt said that work crews discovered some problems while installing new heat and air units. The council voted to waive bidding requirements and authorized Crawford Roofing to make the repairs not to exceed $11,000.

 

City Councilman Partners with New Taxi Service

A Chickasha city councilman is teaming up with a business partner to operate a new taxi service. Councilman Zach Grayson and Matt LaFee are starting up Rock Island Transportation Service. The city council approved the company's application to operate the taxi in last night’s meeting. Grayson recused himself from voting on the issue. There were no comments for or against the proposal during a public hearing. The application shows that the police department inspected and approved a 2014 Dodge Grand Caravan and a 2016 Dodge Grand Caravan to be used by the company. The vehicles have a $1 million commercial insurance policy on them. The taxi service is based at 114 Chickasha Avenue.

 

Mayor, Four Others File for City Council

The mayor, three of Chickasha's four city councilmen, and a newcomer were among the first to file to run for office in the spring city council election. Mayor Chris Mosley, Ward 1 councilman David Sikes, Ward 3 councilman R.P. Ashanti-Alexander, and Ward 4 councilman Zack Grayson all filed for re-election. The newcomer is Chickasha businessman Clark Van Dyck who has filed in Ward 2. The filing period runs through Wednesday at 5 p.m. with candidates filing at city hall. The city council election is in April.

 

Suspected Arsonist Appears in Court

A suspected arsonist appeared before a judge in a Grady County courtroom yesterday. 44-year old Gary James Eugene Branom was arrested by Chickasha police last week in connection with a fire at a local convenience store. Prosecutors have charged Branom with one felony count of arson. Branom remains in the Grady County Jail pending a $50,000 bond. A preliminary hearing conference was scheduled for March 10.

 

Chickasha's Annual Ward Meetings Begin 

Chickasha residents can meet city administrators and their city council representatives in a series of ward meetings over the next few months. Ward meetings have been scheduled for three of the city's four wards with the first meeting set next Monday night, February 10th. Residents in Ward 4 will kick things off. These are informal meetings for residents to share ideas about the city's future and to discuss any concerns they may have. Residents are asked to submit questions ahead of time by sending them via e-mail to: info@chickasha.org Next Monday's Ward 4 meeting will be held in the city council chambers at city hall starting at 6:30 p.m. If you're not sure what ward you live in you can download a map from the city's website: www.chickasha.org

 

Energy and Metals

Crude oil on the NYMEX is $50.11 per barrel.

London-based Brent crude is $54.45.

Natural gas is $1.82 per million BTUs.

Gold is $1,574 and silver is $17.74.

 

Obituary

Funeral service for 100-year old Charlotte Morris of Chickasha will be at 10:00 a.m. Thursday, February 6th at Sevier Funeral Home. Memorial contributions may be made to a charity of your choice.

 

 

Monday, February 3rd

 

Chix School Board to Review Lawsuit

A lawsuit filed against former members of the Chickasha Board of Education and former school administrators is the subject of a special meeting of the school board tonight. Special Services Director Pam Ladyman and former athletic director Yohance Brown filed suit in December of 2018 alleging slander, libel, and intentional infliction of emotional distress. Named in the lawsuit are former superintendent Dave Cash; former interim Superintendent Cindy Schmidt; former high school principal Michelle Pontikos; and former high school assistant principal, Kim Nelson. Also named in the suit are former school board members Doug Brown, Julie Badgett-Sinn, Julie Hibbard, and former school board attorney, Richard O'Carroll. Ladyman and Brown filed the suit after they were suspended in December of 2017, accused of failure to report child abuse and embezzlement of taxpayer dollars. The suit alleges that public statements made by the defendants exposed the plaintiffs to public hatred, contempt, ridicule, or disgrace. The special meeting will be held at 5:00 p.m. today at the school administration building, The lawsuit will be discussed behind closed doors.

 

Company Seeks Economic Development Funds

A Chickasha company is requesting nearly $200,000 of some $450,000 in funds it has been approved to receive for economic development projects the firm created in downtown Chickasha. It's one of several items to be considered by the Chickasha City Council when it meets tonight. Chickasha Today, LLC is requesting the reimbursement after the firm remodeled buildings for what is now the Canadian River Brewery and The Speak Lounge. The firm has proposed a total investment of $1.4 million to re-develop five commercial spaces in the 100 block of Chickasha Avenue. The funds were initially approved by the city council in January of 2018.  Just last month, the Economic Development Council recommended the funds should be awarded. The city council will also consider a one-year extension of its agreement with Chickasha Today, LLC to develop three other properties in the downtown area. The city council will also consider a request to extend an economic development project with J.R. Trammell and the D.J. Trammell Family Trust, which is renovating the old Williams Shoe Store. The panel will also consider an ordinance to approve the revised final plat for Phase Two of the Third Addition in the Sleepy Hollow Addition. Also scheduled is a public hearing to consider an application by Rock Island Transportation Services to operate a taxi service. The council meets at 6:30 p.m. tonight at city hall.

 

Chickasha City Council Filing Period Underway

The filing period for the spring Chickasha city council election is underway.  Over the next three days, residents interested in running for city council can file at city hall. The mayor's seat and one seat in each of the city's four wards are up for election. Candidates must have been a registered voter and a resident of the ward they want to represent for six consecutive months prior to the filing period. The filing fee is $25. The filing period is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. today, tomorrow, and Wednesday. The city council election will be in April.

 

Veterans' Mental Health Clinic Planned for Lawton

A new mental health facility for military veterans is being planned for Lawton. A group called the Cohen Veterans Network said it will invest about $6 million to build the facility. Network officials say it's part of an effort to invest $275 million to build 25 such facilities across the country - to provide help and support to veterans and their families suffering from mental health issues. The announcement was made last week by Ben Robinson, Oklahoma Secretary of Military Veterans Affairs and representatives from the Cohen group. Officials hope to open the Lawton facility sometime in 2023.

              

Ag Marketing Meeting Set Tuesday

An agriculture marketing meeting is set for tomorrow morning at the Grady County OSU Extension Office. Guest speaker is Aaron Lokey with the Chickasha Country Store. The meeting is free and open to the public and will get underway at 7:00 a.m. Tuesday, February 4^th.

 

Energy and Metals

Crude oil on the NYMEX is $51.56 per barrel.

London-based Brent Crude is $58.16.

Natural gas is $1.84 per million BTUs.

Gold is $1,583 and silver is $17.80.

 

 

Saturday, February 1st

 

Arson Suspect Arrested

Chickasha police have arrested the suspect they say started a fire inside a convenience store this week. 44-year old Gary James Eugene Branom was arrested at a northside Chickasha home Friday morning. Authorities recognized Branom from the store's video surveillance. Investigators say the video shows Branom picking up a cigarette lighter from a store rack and going into the men's bathroom where the fire started. Authorities say Branom lit the toilet paper dispenser on fire. The fire caused about $1,000 in damage. Authorities then obtained an arrest warrant for Branom. Fire Chief Brian Zalewski said Branom was found in the area of 10th and Pennsylvania Avenue just before noon Friday. He'll spend the weekend in the Grady County Jail and could have his initial appearance in Grady County District Court on a felony charge of arson on Monday.

 

Pursuit Suspect Formally Charged

The man who led police on a high-speed pursuit through Chickasha early Thursday has had formal charges filed against him. Felony charges of endangering others while eluding, and assault and battery on a police officer were filed against 26-year old Justin Eugene Katzer. The Oklahoma City man is also facing a misdemeanor charge of leaving the scene of an accident. Katzer's bond was set at $50,000 and he remains in the Grady County Jail.

 

Ft. Cobb Man Dies in Motorcycle Crash

A motorcycle accident claimed the life of a Caddo County man this week. 37-year old Benjamin Witten died in the crash which happened near I-40 and Agnew in Oklahoma City about 9:00 p.m. Monday. Investigators say Witten was on the service road attempting to gain access to the interstate when he hit a curb and crashed. He was taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead. Authorities say he was wearing a small above-the-ears helmet.

 

Sooner State Power Grid Upgrades Expected              

Oklahoma is among the states expected to benefit from upgrades to be made to the nation's power grid. The Southwest Power Pool has announced that $545 million dollars will be spent over the next six years on the improvements. The website www.okenergytoday.com reports that about $66 million in Oklahoma projects were approved. American Electric Power-Public Service Company Oklahoma (AEP-PSO), Western Farmers Electric Co-operative, and OGE all had plans approved. AEP-PSO plans on spending about $44 million in the Tulsa area; Western Farmers will spend about $8.5 million in upgrades at Anadarko, Gracemont, and three other sites; and OGE plans nearly $14 million of improvements at various sites in its service area.

              

More on Rural Broadband Service Expansion              

We have a little more information about a new federal program we recently told you about which is designed to expand high-speed broadband service in rural areas of the country. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) created a Rural Digital Opportunity Fund, which commits more than $20 billion to expand service nationwide over the next 10 years. The town of Alex recently was approved for a combination of grants and loans in this program, and many communities should be eligible for the funding. Hilliary Communications is the contractor for the Alex program. In a press release, Third District Oklahoma Congressman Frank Lucas said connecting communities to broadband is no longer about convenience. It means enabling people to access physicians through telemedicine, and shifting the educational landscape in rural Oklahoma to give students access to resources outside the classroom.

              

 

Friday, January 31st

 

Gov. Stitt Announces New Health Care Plan

Gov. Kevin Stitt has introduced his long-awaited plan for improved health care for low-income, working Oklahomans. The announcement was made in Washington, D.C. with federal officials whom the governor had been working with for several months. Trump administration officials announced that states would be allowed to receive Medicaid block grants from the Healthy Adult Opportunity Program through the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Stitt calls his program Sooner Care 2.0 and said the federal program a game changer. The Oklahoman website indicates the program will provide Oklahoma with about $1 billion in additional Medicaid funding and that the state would have to kick in about $150 million. The program is different from a health care program that Oklahomans will vote on this fall. State Question 802 would also expand Medicaid in Oklahoma. Officials from a group called Yes on 802 said the governor's plan comes up short. The governor opposes the state question.

 

Ex-Con Jailed on New Domestic Violence Allegations

Chickasha police have arrested a man who has a violent past. Authorities arrested 47-year old David Brody Brown this week. He's accused of an attack on a woman that occurred back in November.  An arrest warrant was issued for Brown on this new felony charge of assault and battery by domestic violence a couple of weeks ago. He was arrested by Chickasha police on Tuesday after they got a tip that he was at a home in the 1000 block of North 10th Street. Police say Brown was also found with methamphetamine. Grady County prosecutors say Brown was convicted of domestic violence in 2008 where he received a five-year prison sentence. In 2012 Brown was convicted of assault on a police officer and sentenced to eight years in prison. He's also had previous convictions on drug charges. Brown is being held in the Grady County Jail on a $250,000 bond.

 

Filing Period Opens Monday for Chix City Council Posts

The annual Chickasha City Council election isn't until April but the filing period for candidates who want to run for a seat on the panel starts Monday. Seats coming up for election this spring will be the Mayor and one seat in each of the city's four wards. Mayor Chris Mosley has announced his intention to run for re-election. Other council posts up for election are David Sikes in Ward 1; Joe Molder in Ward 2; Dr. R.P. Ashanti-Alexander in Ward 3; and Zach Grayson in Ward 4. The three-day filing period runs Monday February 3rd through Wednesday, February 5th. Candidates will file at Chickasha city hall from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m each of those days. The filing fee is $25.

 

Lawmaker to Lead State Senate Rules Committee

A state lawmaker who serves the Caddo County area has been named the chairman of the Senate Rules Committee. State Senator Darcy Jech (R-Kingfisher) will be leading that committee during the legislative session which begins next week. The rules committee handles policy relating to election laws, ethics, administrative rule procedure, and proposed constitutional amendments. Jech says basically the panel deals with legislation that is the nuts and bolts of representative democracy, saying its complex but important work. Jech also chairs the appropriations sub-committee on natural resources, and serves on the energy committee and the public safety committee.

 

Shift in How Power is Produced Expected by mid-Century

A new study from the Energy Information Administration indicates there will be a shift in how electricity is produced by the middle part of this century.

 

 

That’s Matt Skinner with the Oklahoma Corporation Commission.

 

Talk Show Topics

Here's what we're talking about this weekend. Lisa Johnson with the Chickasha Adult Learning Center is this week's guest on our KOOL Konversation. And State Senator Lonnie Paxton of Tuttle is our guest on Real Estate Today with John Mosley. We have links to both programs under the Community tab on this website.

 

Energy and Metals

Crude oil on the NYEX is $52.14 per barrel.

London-based Brent crude is $58.29.

Natural gas is $1.83 per million BTUs.

Gold is $1,583 and silver is $17.84.

 

 

Thursday, January 30th

 

Another High-Speed Pursuit; Another Arrest

There have been a lot of high-speed pursuits by law enforcement this week, and Chickasha police were involved in one early this morning. It started when an officer spotted a truck running a red light about 4:30 a.m. at U.S. Highway 81 and the H.E. Bailey Turnpike just south of 4th and Grand. Police Lt. Scott Weaver tells what happened next.

 

              

 

The chase lasted about 30 minutes and ended about three miles west of Chickasha on U.S. Highway 62. Grady County Sheriff's deputies were also involved in the pursuit which reached speeds of 90 miles per hour. Police arrested 26-year old Justin Katzer on complaints of endangering lives while eluding and driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. We have some video of the site where the pursuit ended on our Facebook page.

Minco Pursuit Suspect is Formally Charged

That chase is one of three known pursuits by law enforcement in the region this week. A pursuit in the Minco and Union City area on Monday led to the arrest of 35-year old David Joseph Phillips of Oklahoma City. Grady County prosecutors have charged him with a felony count of endangering others while trying to elude. His bond was set at $250,000. A preliminary hearing conference was set for March 10th.

Update on Stephens, Cotton County Pursuit

A pursuit of a stolen vehicle in the Stephens and Cotton county area between Comanche and Walters this week led to an officer-involved shooting where two people in the stolen vehicle suffered gunshot wounds. Three law enforcement officers have been placed on administrative leave. KSWO-TV reports that Stephens County officials identified the suspects as Ila Coombs and Ronald Coleman, Jr. Coombs is still in the hospital while Coleman was released and is being held in the Cotton County jail on complaints of grand larceny, eluding, and conspiracy  to commit assault with a deadly weapon on an officer.

 

Sen. Inhofe Discusses Impeachment Trial

The impeachment trial of President Trump will continue in the U.S. Senate later today. Oklahoma U.S. Senator Jim Inhofe, a staunch supporter of the president, does not expect the Republican-controlled Senate to find the president guilty of the charges brought forth by the Democrat-controlled U.S. House of Representatives. We talked to Inhofe this morning about the possibility of the president's former National Security Advisor John Bolton testifying at the trial. Democrats want Bolton to do so. Inhofe, who says he's known Bolton for years, says Bolton got crosswise with the president which led to Bolton’s firing.

 

              

 

A two-thirds majority vote in the Senate would be needed to remove President Trump from office and Inhofe says there aren't enough votes for that to happen.

 

NPR Reporter to Address USAO Forum           

It's been nearly a century since women got the right to vote in Oklahoma. USAO will host a special program next month to mark the occasion. Several women in leadership positions will discuss the anniversary and the challenges women still face in a program called “Votes for Women in the 21^st Century: An Insider's Perspective.” The discussion will be highlighted by Mara Liasson, a long-time political correspondent National Public Radio (NPR). She's covered seven presidential elections, and can be heard regularly on NPR programs like "All Things Considered" and "Morning Edition." Prior to Liasson's keynote address will be a panel discussion from state leaders including Oklahoma Labor Commissioner Leslie Osborn; state representatives Angela Munson, and Emily Virgin; State Senator Carri Hicks; and Oklahoma City Councilwoman Nikki Nice. The events will be Friday, Feb. 28th, exactly 100 years to the day that Oklahoma approved the 19th amendment. Both programs will be held in the USAO Ballroom with the panel discussion at 6:30 p.m. followed by Liasson's keynote address at 7:45 p.m. Both events are free and open to the public.

 

Energy and Metals

Crude oil on the NYMEX is $53.33 per barrel.

London-based Brent crude is $59.81.

Natural gas is $1.87 per million BTUs.

Gold is $1,585 and silver is $17.72.

 

Obituary

Obituaries today include 75-year old Jimmy David Johnson of Chickasha. Funeral will be at 1:00 p.m. Saturday, February 1st at First Assembly of God Church. Arrangements are with Ferguson Funeral Home.

 

 

Wednesday, January 29th

 

Mother Charged with Child Neglect

A mother is arrested for allegedly leaving small children without supervision. 24-year old Macy Cheyanne Grady was taken into custody by Chickasha police this past weekend. According a report on the Chickasha police blotter, an officer was dispatched to the 1600 block of South Henderson early Sunday morning. An anonymous caller asked police to do a welfare check on several children under two years old that may have been left without supervision for hours and that the children had been crying The caller believed a neighbor was with the children. Police later arrested Grady and booked her into the Grady County Jail. Prosecutors have charged her with felony child neglect and a judge set her bond at $50,000.   A preliminary hearing conference has been scheduled for March 10th.

 

Arsonist Sought in Connection with Store Fire              

Chickasha police are looking for suspected arsonist, who they say started a fire in a bathroom at a local convenience store. The police and fire departments were called out to the new Domino's Convenience Store at 4th and Missouri just before 8:00 p.m. Monday. Fire Chief Brian Zalewski said video surveillance shows a man taking a cigarette lighter off of a display rack and going into the men's bathroom. The suspect is then alleged to have set the toilet paper dispenser on fire and left the store. The fire caused about $1,000 in damage. Zalewski said police recognized the suspect on the video and authorities were working to issue a warrant for his arrest. The name of the suspect was not released.              

 

OSBI Looking in to Officer-Involved Shooting

An officer-involved shooting in Stephens County is under investigation by the OSBI. Two people were shot and injured by authorities following the pursuit of a stolen car. The suspects were taken to a Duncan hospital where their conditions were not known. An unknown number of deputies from the Stephens and Cotton County sheriff's offices and an officer with the Walters Police Department were involved in the shooting. Their names were not released. The pursuit started near Walters in Cotton County just before midnight Tuesday when an officer spotted a speeding car with no tag. The chase went east of Walters to the Comanche area where the vehicle tried to avoid stop sticks. Authorities say the driver tried to ram the law enforcement units and that's when officers fired on the vehicle, striking the two people inside. The OSBI says the car had been stolen out of New Mexico.

 

Dental Clinic to Offer Free Dental Care for One Day

A Chickasha dental clinic will again offer a day of free dental services. The 29th Street Dental Clinic will host what it calls Dentistry from the Heart. Dr. John Phillips, his staff, and numerous volunteers will provide the services. Each year, about 200 people are able to get free dental work done. They can choose from getting their teeth cleaned, getting a filling, or getting a tooth pulled. Since starting the program a number of years ago, Phillips says the clinic has treated more than 3,200 patients and provided over $2.8 million in free dental care. The services will be available on Friday, February 28^th from 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. that day. The clinic is located at 29^th and Grand Avenue. Many patients camp out overnight in order get the free dental work.

 

Energy and Metals

Crude oil on the NYMEX is $53.48 per barrel.

London-based Brent crude is $59.51.

Natural gas is $1.93 per million BTUs.

Gold is $1,576 and silver is $17.51.

 

Obituaries

Darlene Hestand

Funeral for 82-year old Darlene Hestand of Chickasha will be at 2:00 p.m. Friday, January 31st at New Life Christian Church. Arrangements are with Sevier Funeral Home.

Marilyn Drennan

Funeral for 69-year old Marilyn Drennan of Alex will be at 2:00 p.m. Saturday, February 1st at the Ninnekah First Baptist Church. Arrangements are with Sevier Funeral Home .Memorial contributions may be made to the Franklin Graham Ministry in North Carolina.

 

 

Tuesday, January 28th

 

Pursuit Suspect Previously Tried to Elude Police

A high-speed chase between Minco and Union City Monday morning leads to the arrest of a man who is facing previous charges of trying to elude police. Grady County Undersheriff Phil Blevins said the chase started about 7:20 a.m. Monday, 3 ½ miles east of Minco on State Highway 37, and that speeds topped 100 miles per hour. A Grady County deputy saw a car in a field and stopped to do a welfare check. The driver quickly put the car in reverse and backed on to the busy highway - nearly hitting a school bus. The chase went west into Minco, then north to Union City. The pursuit then turned around and went back to Minco. The chase ended about 20 minutes after it started when the suspect hit a car at the 4-way stop in Minco, then spun and hit a parked semi. No one was hurt in that crash. Blevins said when police ordered the man out of his car, he only showed them one arm. When authorities told him to raise both arms, the man said he only had the one arm. The suspect, 35-year old David Joseph Phillips, was arrested on complaints of felony eluding and drug possession. Blevins says he was wanted in Cleveland County where he was previously arrested for trying to elude police and having weapons.

 

Double Funeral to be Held for Murdered Couple

A double-funeral will be held this weekend for a Chickasha couple allegedly shot and killed by their son. A memorial service for Stanley and Deborah Hisel will be this Saturday. The couple had been married nearly 20 years. Both were military veterans. Stanley had served in the Army at the end of the Vietnam War and Deborah served in the Navy. The service will be at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, February 1^st at Ferguson Funeral Home. Corwyn Lane King faces first degree murder charges in connection with the deaths of his mother and step-father.

 

Grady County Lawmaker Appointed to Lofty Post

A Grady County state lawmaker will have some extra duties in the upcoming legislative session. State Senator Lonnie Paxton (R-Tuttle) will serve as Assistant Floor Leader in the state senate. He'll be working to determine the order of business and help to guide bill through the senate. In a prepared statement, Paxton said he looks forward to help move the needle in making Oklahoma a top 10 state to live, work, and raise a family. Paxton will continue serving as vice chairman for both the Public Safety and Energy committees. The 57th session of the Oklahoma legislature starts next week.

 

Voter Registration Deadline Looms for Super Tuesday              

We are about six weeks away from the presidential preferential primary election on March 3rd. Often called Super Tuesday, Republicans and Democrats in Oklahoma and several other states will be voting for a candidate in their respective parties they want to be their nominee for the presidential election in November. By the way, Independent voters will be allowed to vote in the Democratic presidential preferential primary. The deadline to register to vote on Super Tuesday is Feb. 7th. You can register at your county election board office or download an application from the state election board website, www.elections.ok.gov Election board officials also say registered voters who may want to change political parties this year will have to do so by April 1st. The window to change political affiliation will re-open on September 1st.

 

Arts Council Meets Tonight              

The Chickasha Area Arts Council holds it first meeting of the year tonight. The group will meet to discuss a number of projects, including the Artscope day camp for kids held in the summer and the Rock Island Arts Festival in the fall. Other programs and ideas will be discussed as well. Tonight's meeting will get underway at 6:30 p.m. at the Chickasha Area Arts Council at 1301 S. 7^th which is the old South School at 7^th and Arkansas. The meeting is open to anyone interested in promoting the arts.

 

Energy and Metals

Crude oil on the NYMEX is $53.14 per barrel.

London-based Brent crude is $59.32.

Natural gas is $1.90 per million BTUs.

Gold is $1,585 and silver is $18.04.

 

Obituary

Charles Johnson

Funeral for 75-year old Charles Johnson of Chickasha will be at 1:00 p.m. Friday, January 31st at Ferguson Funeral Home.

 

 

Monday, January 27th

 

New Chix Superintendent Discusses First Super Role

Chickasha schools are in a period of transition, as the district awaits the full-time arrival of the district’s new superintendent. Rick Croslin was hired for the post earlier this month, and is currently spending a couple of days a week in Chickasha to help with the learning curve. He'll be in the district full-time right after spring break in March. Croslin has a lengthy education background and says that will help guide him in what will be his first ever superintendent's position.

 

              

 

Croslin is pursuing his master's degree in education at the University of Oklahoma.

 

Child Critical After Weekend Traffic Accident

An 8-year old boy was hospitalized in critical condition over the weekend following a traffic accident east of Chickasha. The child was taken by ambulance to an Oklahoma City hospital. The highway patrol did not release the boy's name. The accident happened about 2:30 p.m. Saturday at the junction of U.S. Highway 62 and CS 2940, which is the Alex turnoff. The child was a passenger in a car driven by 28-year old Amber Erickson of Blanchard. The highway patrol reports that Erickson was westbound on the highway, and attempted to turn in front of an oncoming pickup driven by 56-year old Max Pierce of Norman. Erickson was taken to a hospital where she was treated and released. Pierce was not hurt.

 

Five Hurt in Crash Near Dibble

Another traffic accident occurred Saturday afternoon near State Highway 39 about a mile west of the Grady and McClain County line. Buddy Myers with the Grady County Fire Department said five people were taken to the hospital by ambulance. Their names were not available and it wasn't clear how serious the injuries were. That crash occurred about 5:00 p.m. Saturday and happened about a mile south of State Highway 39 on CR 2980.

 

Missing Tuttle Man is Found

Good news out of Tuttle - as officials say that a man reported missing last week has been found. 67-year old Mark Brown went missing from his home last Wednesday. A Tuttle police dispatcher didn't have any details, only to say that Brown has been located.

 

Fire Crews Battle House and Wildland Fires              

Firefighters were summoned to a house fire east of Ninnekah on Saturday. The home was fully involved when fire crews arrived at the home owned by Milford Scott. Buddy Myers with the Grady County Fire Department said Ninnekah and Alex fire departments sent a total of 15 firefighters and eight trucks to the scene. Myers said they had to implement defensive tactics to prevent the fire from spreading. The cause of the blaze is under investigation but it's initially being blamed on an electrical issue. Other volunteer departments were summoned to wildland fires in the Pioneer area and west of Rush Springs. The Pioneer Fire Department was dispatched to the 800 block of CR 1400 where five firefighters with two trucks had that under control in about 45 minutes. The fire west of Rush Springs was near State Highway 17 and CR 1540. The Acme Fire Department sent three firefighters and two trucks and had that fire under control in about 30 minutes. Myers said that on Saturday alone, Grady County volunteer fire fighters spent more than 100 hours in the field.

Energy and Metals

Crude oil on the NYMEX is $54.18 per barrel.

London-based Brent crude is $60.69.

Natural gas is $1.89 per million BTUs.

Gold is $1,589 and silver is $18.29.

 

Obituaries

Noble Prather

Obituaries today include 105-year old Noble Prather of Chickasha. He was a World War II veteran serving the U.S. Army and Air Corps. Funeral will be at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, January 28th at Sevier Funeral Home.

Gregory Poag

A private service will be held for 59-year old Gregory “Greg” Poag of Chickasha. He was a U.S. Navy veteran. Arrangements are with Ferguson Funeral Home.