Saturday, June 8th
Sinkhole Repairs Continue
Chickasha work crews are spending at least part of their weekend continue the repair of a sink hole that opened up downtown earlier this week. The problem was discovered at 4th and Colorado Avenue Thursday afternoon. Public Works Director David Buchanan said an old manhole collapsed and opened a 12-inch sewer line. About a 20-foot section of the pipe was to be installed last night. Buchanan tells what crews will be doing today.
City Manager John Noblitt did declare an emergency to expedite the repairs. Buchanan said the city had the pipe and other materials on hand. They did have to buy a new manhole from a contractor. Buchanan is estimating repair costs at about $10,000. Early repair estimates were as high as $30,000.
2019's First Human Cases of West Nile Confirmed
The first human cases of The West Nile Virus of the year have been confirmed in Oklahoma. West Nile is a debilitating disease caused by mosquitos infected with the Cutex virus. The state health department says the confirmed cases include one each in Canadian, Tulsa and Grant counties. West Nile can be deadly or cause serious health problems including paralysis. Officials say to ward off mosquitos when outdoors by using an insect repellent that has DEET. Also remove any stagnant, standing water around your home. Clean water bowls of outdoor pets often and even scrub bird baths a couple of days a week. Also, clean leaves and debris from gutters to prevent standing water.
Soldiers Unite to Prepare for Summer Training
Local National Guard troops worked with the Air Force base at Altus this past week to prepare for an annual training program. Soldiers from the 1st Battalion, 158th Field Artillery Regiment, 45th Field Artillery Brigade and Air Force personnel conducted a joint inspection of the High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS). Each vehicle weighs 35,000 pounds. Crews had to measure and weigh each one, then calculate the weight in order to balance the aircraft they were being placed in. The Air Mobility Wing of the Air Force flew two sorties - each with three of the HIMARS vehicles - to Ft. Smith, Arkansas in preparation for the training called Western Strike, which tests the National Guard troops’ readiness.
Officers Find Wanted Man at the Police Department
A man with outstanding warrants is arrested after he stopped by the police department, however the arrest didn't come easy for Chickasha police. It happened Wednesday morning, when 28-year old Brian Clinton Cooper was at police headquarters. It wasn't clear why Cooper was there. A probable cause affidavit indicates an officer recognized Cooper and knew Cooper had outstanding warrants. The warrants were for separate misdemeanor charges of domestic abuse and stalking. It's alleged Cooper resisted arrest and ran out of the police station, where he was intercepted by another officer. The officer tased Cooper from his patrol car, and that's when officers finally were able to take Cooper into custody. In addition to the misdemeanor warrants, Cooper is now charged with felonies that include assault and battery on a police officer and having a firearm after felony conviction. He was also charged with another misdemeanor for resisting arrest. Cooper was on probation after receiving a five-year deferred sentence after pleaded guilty to a burglary charge stemming from an arrest in Chickasha last December.
Talk Show Topic
Here's what we're talking about this weekend. Mitch Williams with the Chickasha Wings Flying School and Shae Mortimer with the City of Chickasha are this week's guests on our KOOL Konversation. We have a link to the program under the Community tab on this website.
Most Wanted List
The Grady County Sheriff's Office has an updated list of individuals with 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.
Friday, June 7th
Sinkhole Opens in Downtown Chickasha
Recent rains may be to blame for a sinkhole that opened up in downtown Chickasha Thursday afternoon. A collapsed sewer line at 4th and Colorado Avenue was discovered and city crews spent much of the afternoon digging up the street and trying to make repairs. 4th Street is open but traffic is narrowed to one lane in each direction through that area. Northbound traffic on 4th Street is being merged into the one of the southbound lanes from Iowa Avenue to Colorado Avenue. It's not yet clear how long it might take to make repairs.
Lightning Sparks Fire Near Alex
Fire destroys some equipment at a saltwater disposal well near Alex yesterday. Lightning was said to have sparked the blaze just south of State Highway 19 and Chitwood Road Thursday morning. Several explosions were heard during the course of the fire at S and S Saltwater Solutions. About 40 firefighters from four Grady County volunteer fire departments were dispatched to the site. There were no reports of injuries. Buddy Myers with the Grady County Fire Department said much of the above-ground equipment was destroyed. The office building was saved. Crews were on the scene for a little over two hours. We have some photos from the fire posted on our Facebook page.
Suspect Arrested for Assaulting Police Officer
A Chickasha man is jailed on a $75,000 bond for allegedly assaulting a police officer. 28-year old Brian Clinton Cooper was arrested at Chickasha police headquarters Wednesday morning. Details were not immediately available. The Chickasha police blotter indicates Cooper had outstanding warrants. He has been formally charged with felonies that include assault and battery on a police officer and having a firearm after felony conviction. He was also charged with a misdemeanor for resisting an officer. Cooper pleaded guilty to a felony burglary charge stemming from an arrest in Chickasha last December. He was given a five-year deferred sentence. He's also facing a misdemeanor stalking charge from an unrelated incident last year.
Highway Closed Briefly
After Power Line Pulled Down
U.S. Highway 62 near Apache and Lake Elsworth was closed for a short time Thursday evening, when an oversize load knocked down a power line. The Oklahoma Highway Patrol reports the line was pulled down just after 6:00 p.m. - just south of the Caddo and Comanche county line. There were no reports of injuries, and it wasn't known if there were any power outages. The roadway was re-opened after about an hour.
USAO's Greek Theatre Hosts First Summer Concert
The first of a series of free outdoor concerts at USAO is scheduled for tonight. Grammy-nominated artist John Fullbright will perform at the opening Listen Local at the Greek series. Fullbright is from the Okemah, Oklahoma area and is heavily influence by Woody Guthrie. The series is organized by the USAO Alumni Association. The association director is McClellan.
The concert is a family-friendly event, and will get underway at 7:30 p.m. tonight at the university's historic Greek Theatre just off 16th and Grand Avenue. You'll want to park behind the Alumni house on the USAO campus. Be sure to take lawn chairs and blankets.
Elks Lodge Fishing Derby is Tomorrow
Tomorrow is a big day at Shannon Springs Park as youngsters from the area will try their hands at catching fish. The annual Chickasha Elks Lodge Fishing Derby is for kids 12 years old and younger. Local businessman Steve LaForge just re-stocked the pond with about 2,000 pounds of catfish yesterday. The fishing derby is free. Sign-up begins at 8:30 a.m. Saturday, with fishing from 9:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Free hotdogs will be served after the event.
Energy and Metals
Crude oil on the NYMEX is $52.59 per barrel.
London-based Brent is $61.67.
Natural gas is $2.32 per million BTUs
Gold is $1,337 and silver is $14.88.
Thursday, June 6th
Marking the 75th Anniversary of D-Day
The turning point of World War II began 75 years ago today. Operation Overlord, or D-Day - when 175,000 soldiers hit the beaches of Normandy in northern France - began the push back against Nazi Germany, which had spread across Europe. There were 10,000 Allied casualties in the first 24 hours, including more than 6,600 Americans. 4th District Oklahoma Congressman Tom Cole writes that it’s important to acknowledge the Allied efforts would not have been possible without the help of British, French, and Canadian forces. He says commemorating events like D-Day reminds us that freedom isn't free, and that multiple generations throughout American history have been willing to lay down their lives on the front lines. Among those in France commemorating the anniversary of D-Day are members of the Comanche Indian Veterans Association. A delegation made the trip to Normandy to participate in ceremonies. Part of the group’s effort is to recognize the Comanche Code Talkers who were instrumental in liberating France.
Chickasha Voters To Decide PSO Franchise Extension
Chickasha voters are going to the polls next week to decide if the city should extend the Public Service Company of Oklahoma franchise agreement to provide electric service to the city. The proposal calls for extending the agreement for an additional 25 years. In-person, absentee voting on the measure will be today until 6:00 p.m. and tomorrow from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. at the Grady County Election Board. Otherwise, the 13 precincts within the city will be open for voting next Tuesday, June 11th.
Annual Civil War Symposium Set
USAO has taken a lead role in recent years to focus on the Civil War, and how the events of more than 150 years ago continue to shape the United States of America. The university's annual one-day symposium on the war is this Saturday. Associate History Professor James Finck says among the discussion is the role that Native Americans played, including one battle in Oklahoma.
He's talking about USAO's Lee Hester who is one of three speakers. Hester opens the symposium at 2:00 p.m.; followed at 4:00 p.m. by Dr. Chris Mackowski of St. Bonaventure. The keynote speaker at 7:00 p.m. is Dr. George Rable, a professor emeritus at Alabama. The symposium will be held at the Davis Hall Littlle Theater and is free and open to the public.
Correction
KOOL/RANCH News needs to correct a story we aired earlier this week regarding how some Chickasha City Council members voted on a couple of issues. We wrongly reported that R.P. Ashanti-Alexander, Oscar Nelson, and Zach Grayson voted against a proposal to hire an architect to draw up designs for a proposed park in downtown Chickasha. They did vote in favor of the plan, which was approved. The three councilmen did vote against a proposal to adopt a new fee schedule for various city services. That fee schedule was approved by a 5-3 vote. We apologize for the error.
Hunting Expansion Proposed at Wildlife Refuge
There is discussion about expanding hunting at the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge and officials are reaching out to the public for input. The proposal would maintain big-game programs like elk and deer, but would add water fowl, feral hog, and coyote hunting. The 2019 plan would open all public waters - with the exception of Quannah Parker Lake - to water fowl hunting during the proper seasons. The plan can be seen on-line at www.fws.gov
You can comment on-line or mail comments to the refuge. The deadline for comment is July 7th.
Energy and Metals
Crude oil on the NYMEX is $51.68 per barrel.
London-based Brent crude is $60.63.
Natural gas is $2.38 per million BTUs.
Gold is $1,340 and silver is $14.93.
Wednesday, June 5th
Grady County State Lawmakers Write Bill
to Prevent Overpayment of County Elected Officials
The state investigation continues into the overpayment of elected Grady County officials in recent years. As you know, several current and former elected officials were overpaid a total of nearly $750,000 over several years. Two state lawmakers from Grady County worked on a bill at the state capital this year to keep that from happening again. Rep. Brad Boles and Senator Lonnie Paxton got the bill passed and signed by the governor. Rep. Boles says-
Boles said he worked with the state auditor's office to write the bill. Boles said several other counties were also found to have overpaid elected officials.
Chix to Implement Fee for Brush Pick-up
Chickasha residents will soon be charged a fee if they want the city to pick up brush and limbs. This week, the Chickasha City Council set the fee at $50 at the recommendation of city administrators. The new fee will take effect July 1st. City Manager John Noblitt told the council why he wanted the fee put in place.
That grappler truck is currently in the shop. The council this week did approve paying nearly $10,000 to make repairs, which are expected to take several days. Noblitt said the fee would not be implemented after severe weather when lots of tree damage occurs, or, during times of city-wide clean-up efforts. Noblitt also said residents are not taking advantage of the free brush pick up services offered by the city’s private sanitation contractor, Waste Connections. The company offers two bulk pick-ups each month at no cost.
Chix New Construction Tops $1 Million
New construction in Chickasha topped $1.3 million last month. The Community Development Department approved 16 permits for new construction in May. Leading the commercial category were a couple of building permits for the development of new businesses downtown. A $150,000 remodel project at 117 Chickasha Avenue, and a $130,000 remodel across street at 114 Chickasha Avenue. Both permits were issued to CMS Willowbrook. One other commercial remodel project was for ETI, at 1217 S. 4th, next to DeHart Heat and Air. The largest building permit issued last month was for a new single-family home. It's an $800,000 home to be built for Weston DeHart at 2502 Carolina. New construction in Chickasha through the first five months of the year is $6.4 million.
CPD Writes 60+ Tickets During 'Click It or Ticket'
Chickasha police officers wrote more than 60 tickets for seat belt violations in the recent Click It or Ticket Campaign. Chickasha joined law enforcement agencies nationwide for the campaign that ran from May 20th through June 2nd. Assistant Police Chief G.G. Music said officers issued 64 citations to drivers this year, which is one more than last year. Also, 16 tickets were issued to front seat passengers who weren't strapped in. Chickasha police also issued six speeding tickets and four individuals were ticketed for driving without insurance.
Study Shows Energy's Impact on State Economy
Need more proof of the oil and gas industry's impact on Oklahoma's economy? Matt Skinner with the Oklahoma Corporation Commission reports on a recent study done for the Independent Petroleum Association of America.
The study also shows that the industry supported nearly 348,000 jobs last year and added $37 billion in economic value.
Energy and Metals
Crude oil on the NYMEX is $53.48 per barrel.
London-based Brent Crude is $61.97.
Natural gas is $2.41 per million BTUs.
Gold is $1,342 and silver is $14.88.
Tuesday, June 4th
Tax Hikes May be Sought to Pay for City Projects
Chickasha officials may be asking residents for some kind of tax hikes in the coming months. Leaders say current revenue sources are not enough to pay for needed street and drainage projects. The city council had a lengthy discussion during its meeting last night on how to deal with issues they'll be facing next year at this time. The council did approve a $19 million general fund budget for the fiscal year that begins July 1st, but the projected income falls about $3 million short of that figure. City Manager John Noblitt said either a sales tax increase or the sale of general obligation bonds -- which would be paid for through an increase in property taxes -- are a couple of options. City Councilman Tom Rose said people don't like tax increases but it something that may have to happen.
Any proposed sales tax increase or bond issue must be approved by voters before being implemented. The council did approve a revised fee schedule for several departments to start July 1st but those increases won't come close to filling the $3 million gap.
Council Hires Architect for Park Project
(Editor's note - This is a corrected version to the original story that was published. We mistakenly reported that City Councilmen Zack Grayson, Oscar Nelson and R.P. Ashanti-Alexander voted against the proposal, when in fact they did vote "yes." We regret the error - GP)
The council approved hiring an architectural firm to draw up a master plan for a proposed park and event area in downtown. Officials are looking at about a three-block area south of the railroad depot. The council voted 8-0 to hire Winterrowd Talley Architects based in Ponca City at a cost of more than $6,000 for the specifications. The city manager said the city has been approached by several unidentified private groups that are interested in forming a public-private partnership with the city for the development.
Gas Pipelines Explode Near Alex
A natural gas pipeline explosion near Alex yesterday sent smoke and flames into the air that were seen for miles. Two pipelines belonging to Enable Midstream ruptured just after noon yesterday. There were no reports of injuries. The explosions occurred near Cox City Road and County Street 2920. The Oklahoma Corporation Commission reported that a six-inch and an eight-inch line ruptured, though the cause was not immediately known. Buddy Myers with the Grady County Fire Department said that the lines were shut down on both sides of the ruptures and the fire was allowed to burn itself out.
OHP Investigates Fatal Tuttle Crash
The highway patrol is investigating a fatal crash near Tuttle. This is the accident we reported early Monday morning. 21-year old Spencer Horton of Norman died as a result of the accident. The highway patrol reports that Horton's pickup ran off the road and hit two power poles.
Beware of False Charities Seeking Donations
When disasters strike, many people want to help relief efforts through financial contributions. However, there are unscrupulous groups that will take advantage of your generosity. Beth Armstrong from Grady County OSU Extension says-
Do some research on the organization you want to send money to. Among the top reputable groups include the Salvation Army and the American Red Cross.
Energy and Metals
Crude oil on the NYMEX is $53.24 per barrel.
London-based Brent crude is $64.45.
Natural gas is $2.40 per million BTUs.
Gold is $1,330 and silver is $14.74.
Monday, June 3rd
City Manager's Annual Review on Tap for Council
The annual evaluation of the Chickasha city manager is up for discussion by the city council tonight. A closed-door session to discuss the work of John Noblitt is just part of the overall agenda for the panel. During the open session, a public hearing is to be held on the proposed 2019-20 fiscal year budget, which will go into effect next month. The entire 100-plus page document is posted on the city's website. The council is also to consider re-zoning requests for several properties in the 700 block of South 4th Street, and a use-on-review to operate a beauty salon at a home in the 1900 block of West Country Club Road. The group is also expected to approve the annual Chickasha Rodeo parade for Saturday, June 22nd, and the city's annual fireworks display on July 4th at Shannon Springs Park. Also, police dispatcher Zack Nickels will be recognized as the city's employee of the month. The council meets at 6:30 p.m. tonight at city hall.
Morning Crash Closes County Intersection
An early morning traffic accident in northern Grady County shut down traffic for nearly 2 1/2 hours. The highway patrol reports the single vehicle crash happened just before 4:00 a.m. at the intersection of Fox Lane and Garden Road. That's about three miles south of Tuttle near State Highway 4. The roadway was re-opened just before 6:30 a.m. Details of the crash weren't immediately available.
Garvin County Sheriff Accepts New Post
Garvin County Sheriff Larry Rhodes is leaving his post to take a job with a state agency. Rhodes tells the Garvin County News Star that he's retiring after a more that 30-year career in law enforcement to join the Oklahoma Medical Board. Rhodes has spent the last eight years as the sheriff of Garvin County. His last day on the job will be July 14th. Rhodes says he'll be the director of investigations at the state medical board, which will allow him to spend more time with family. A formal announcement is expected to be made at this morning's Garvin County commissioner's meeting.
Chamber Program for Women Leaders Set
The second in a series of programs supporting women in leadership roles is scheduled later this month. The Chickasha Chamber of Commerce will host its Successful Women Breakfast series on June 27th. The speaker for the event is Kym Koch-Thompson from Koch Communications. The former television reporter and press secretary to Gov. Brad Henry started her company in 2005. Cost is $20 for chamber members and $25 for potential members. The event will be held at the USAO Ballroom at 7:30 a.m. that Thursday, June 27th. Contact the chamber for more information.
Pulitzer-Winning Kiowa Author to be Honored
Pulitzer prize-winning Kiowa Tribe author Dr. N. Scott Momaday will be recognized for his accomplishments this week. Momaday won the Pulitzer for Fiction for his 1969 novel, "House Made of Dawn.” He was also honored as the Oklahoma Centennial Poet Laureate from 2007 to 2009. The evening will also include a showing of the film "Return to Rainy Mountain" by Jill Momaday. Also to be shown in the American Masters Film "Words from a Bear" directed by another Kiowa Tribal member, Jeffrey Palmer. The event will be held at the Kiowa Tribal Complex in Carnegie Wednesday night from starting at 6:00 p.m. and it is open to the public. Individuals are asked to RVSP in advance if they plan on attending.
Matt Damon Causes a Stir with Local Appearance
Social media was all abuzz this weekend as actor Matt Damon spent some time in Chickasha, doing research for a role for an upcoming film. A photo of Damon with an employee of Roy's Barbecue was on Facebook, and another local restaurant, China Moon, posted on their outdoor sign that ‘Matt Damon Almost Ate Here’. It was also said he made an appearance at the Campus Corner convenience store. Other social media posts indicated that Damon was also in Bray and Stillwater. It was said that Damon is preparing for an upcoming movie about the oilfield.
Energy and Metals
Crude oil on the NYMEX is at $53.50 per barrel.
London-based Brent crude is $64.49.
Natural gas is $2.45 per million BTUs.
Gold is $1,322 and silver is $14.71.
