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Mollman Media News

2019, Jan. 14th-21st


 

 

 

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Let’s meet Canadian Valley Technology Center,“Spotlight person of the week:’” Trey Howard. Trey graduated from Ninnekah, and is studying heating, ventilation and air-condition at CV Tech. Tune in Friday the 18th, to 106.1 The Ranch FM, (the 7AM and 8AM News) to hear his story.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tuesday, Jan. 22nd

 

Grady County Tournament Re-cap

In the opening round of the 101st Grady County Tournament in Minco, Ampo and Alex boys, and Ampo and Rush Springs girls score opening round wins Monday. The top seed Ampo girls scored a 76-6 win over Verden. Caleigh Jeffries had 12 points and Caton Muncey, 11 to lead Ampo.  Rush Springs girls were 58-44 winners over Alex. Caitlynn Long led three Rush Springs players in double figures with 18. Three Alex players were also in double figures, led by freshman Kdeebeth Pettijohn who had 12. The Alex and Verden boys was the most competitive game of Day One. Verden rallied from a 10-point second-half deficit to take the lead a couple of times in the 4th quarter, but the Longhorns prevailed with a 63-52 win. The Longhorns’ Nik Venable scored 15 of his game-high 28 points in the fourth quarter, including 11 of 12 free throws. Nick Smith led Verden with 22 points. Ampo boys beat Ninnekah 51-28 behind 26 points from Skyler Croskey. The remaining first round games are today, starting with the Ninnekah and Oklahoma Christian Academy girls at 4:30; Minco and Dibble girls play at 7. Boys games are Dibble vs. Oklahoma Christian Academy at 5:45, with top seed Minco facing Rush Springs in the late game at 8:15.

 

Caddo County Tournament at Anadarko

Boys

Cement 74, Hinton 70

Cyril 71, Mt. View-Gotebo 44

Apache 94, Gracemont 35

Binger-Oney 72, Lookeba-Sickles 62

 

Girls

Apache 54, Cement 47

Hinton 52, Gracemont 30

Mt. View-Gotebo 58, Binger-Oney 34

Lookeba-Sickles 49, Carnegie 45

 

Today

Girls

Ft. Cobb-Broxton vs. Hinton, 4:00 p.m.

Cyril vs. Apache, 6:30 p.m.

Boys

Ft. Cobb-Broxton vs. Apache, 5:45 p.m.

Carnegie vs. Cement, 7:45 p.m.

 

 

Monday, Jan. 21st

 

Unemployment Remains Near Historic Low

Oklahoma's jobless rate continues to hover around its lowest levels in decades. The Oklahoma Employment Security Commission reports the December unemployment rate was 3.2 percent. It was also down for the 8th straight month. Grady County unemployment fell to 2.5 percent. McClain County had the regional low jobless rate at 2.2 percent, while Caddo County unemployment was down to 3 percent. Most county jobless rates are down one full percentage point compared to the same time a year ago.

 

More Jobs Continue to be Added to Energy Industry

The energy industry is taking a lot of credit for the low unemployment. The Mining and Logging sector which includes oil and gas added more than 1,500 jobs last month. The number of jobs grew more than 13 percent compared to December of 2017 to more than 56,000 jobs. Oklahoma is among 40 states nationwide where unemployment was less than 4 percent last month.

 

Nation Pauses to Remember Martin Luther King, Jr.

Today is set aside to recognize the work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Junior. Federal, state, county, and city offices are closed today. The Chickasha city council meeting, normally held on the third Monday night of the month, will instead be held tomorrow night.

 

Chickasha Holds Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration

There is a celebration of Dr. King's work in Chickasha today. The Bullock Memorial Center will have a free come-and-go event much of the day with live entertainment, with Chickasha native Ray Woods, aka Mister Woods the featured artist. Other musicians will play throughout the day. Beans and cornbread will be served for $6 per person. The event will be 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. today at The Bullock Memorial Center, 917 S. 1st.

               

 One Dies in Weekend Fatal Crash              

Authorities have not yet identified a man who died in a three-vehicle crash that involved a semi in El Reno over the weekend. The accident happened late Saturday night on I-40 at mile marker 119. The truck driver was not hurt. A family from California was in an SUV which was also involved. A woman  in the SUV was admitted to a Yukon hospital. A 1-year old girl and a 13-year old girl also in the SUV were treated and released.

 

 State Sen. Darcy Jech Prepares for Legislative Session              

State Senator Darcy Jech, who serves Senate District 26 which includes much of Caddo and parts of Canadian County, is looking forward to the upcoming legislative session. In his media column, Jech says he has met with Gov. Kevin Stitt and attended his inauguration last week. Jech says Stitt's enthusiasm is energizing and his goals to lead the state to new levels of success are inspiring. Jech  says he is looking forward to seeking opportunities to make Oklahoma stronger and more diverse. Jech says he's authoring a handful of bills in areas like education, corrections, and criminal justice reform. The legislative session with begin in two weeks.

 

National Guard Has New Commander              

A new commander has been welcomed to lead Oklahoma National Guard troops. Lt. Col. Khalid Hussein is the new leader for the 180th Cavalry, 45th Infantry Brigade. The troops recently returned from a nine-month deployment to Afghanistan. Hussein is from Edmond. He enlisted in the National Guard in 1994. In addition to welcoming the new commander, the unit bid farewell to out-going commander Lt. Col. Michael Urrutia of Edmond. He spent 30 years in the Army and joined the Oklahoma Army National Guard in 2002.

 

Energy and Metals

Crude oil on the NYMEX is $53.80.

London-based Brent crude is $62.70.

Natural gas is $3.48 per million BTUs.

Gold is $1,277 and silver is $15.25.

 

 

Saturday, Jan. 19th

 

Lengthy Prison Sentence Issued in DUI Crash

A Tuttle man is sentenced to 15 years in prison plus five years’ probation after entering a blind plea to a charge in connection with a head-on collision that left two people with crippling injuries. 31-year old Westlee James Morgan was charged with a felony DUI and causing great bodily injury, stemming from an accident that occurred Christmas Eve of 2016. The accident happened on State Highway 37 at the Grady and McClain County line. Troopers say in addition to Morgan driving under the influence, it was foggy and he was driving too fast for conditions. The trooper's affidavit indicates Morgan was celebrating his birthday at a bar before the accident. Morgan admitted he was drunk after consuming four double Crown and Cokes before he got behind the wheel. His blood alcohol content was 0.192. He also tested positive for marijuana.

 

Two in Custody for Alleged Drug Trafficking

Verden police arrest two men on drug trafficking complaints. No details are available, but we can tell you that on-line records show the men were booked into the Grady County Jail on Thursday. One of the men is 36-years old and is also being held on complaints of assaulting and resisting an officer. The other man is 25-years old is also being held on complaints of having a firearm after conviction, speeding, and driving without a license. We won't identify these individuals unless prosecutors file formal charges. Their initial court appearances won't be held until at least Tuesday, after the long Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday weekend.

 

Man Accused of Unauthorized Vehicle Use; Having Fake Cash

A man arrested on a complaint of unauthorized use of a vehicle is also accused of having counterfeit money. Chickasha police arrested 24-year old Estevan Erick Quinonez of Mt. View this week for being in possession of an SUV without the owner's permission. Court documents also indicate Quinonez had $200 in counterfeit bills in possession, and that he gave police a fake name. Prosecutors have charged Quinonez with a felony for unauthorized use of a vehicle, and misdemeanors for obstruction and forgery. He remains in the Grady County Jail in lieu of $5,000 bond.

 

DAV Celebrates First Year in New Headquarters               

The Grady County Disabled American Veterans chapter is celebrating the first anniversary of its permanent home. The City of Chickasha is allowing the group to use the former city hall and police station at 6th and Chickasha Avenue as its headquarters. Volunteers, mainly veterans, did a lot of work to get the building ready before it even opened last January. The office is run entirely by volunteers. The main purpose of the DAV is to help all veterans get their benefits, especially medical benefits, whether they're disabled or not. Chris Mackey is one of the volunteers.

 

               

 

The group is now in the process of remodeling the second floor of the building, where they hope to offer mental health services and a fitness area.

 

Weekly Warrant List

Each week, the Grady County Sheriff's Office issues a 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 Topic

Here’s what we’re talking about this weekend. On the KOOL Konversation are Chris Mackey, Tommie Howell, and Mark Macy with the Disabled American Veterans. We have a link to the program under the Community tab on this website.

 

 

Friday, Jan. 18th

 

Child Porn Suspect Jailed on $1 Million Bond

A Marlow man is jailed on a $1 million bond and facing more than a dozen felony charges related to a child porn investigation by Marlow police. 39-year old Matthew Willoughy Hale was awaiting trial on 13 child porn charges filed in December of 2017. This week Stephens County prosecutors also charged him with child sexual assault. Court documents indicate the investigation began in May of 2017. Marlow investigators seized a personal computer and several electronic devices from his home, and sent them to the OSBI for forensic testing. Hale is to announce his attorney Feb. 7th with a preliminary hearing conference Feb. 27th.

 

County Road Between Chickasha and Ninnekah Closed

Grady County officials are forced to close a county road between Chickasha and Ninnekah. As of this morning, Sooner Road between Quail Road and Old Fred Road will be closed until further notice. The closing starts on Sooner Road about a mile south of State Highway 19. County Commissioner Ralph Beard said a Ninnekah school bus does use that roadway. Traffic can detour around the closed area either at Quail Road or Old Fred Road. Beard said the asphalt road is washing away due to a rusted out tin horn. He said there has been a lot of heavy truck traffic on the road in recent months. Beard said he didn't know how long the road would be closed. Officials will get together next week to discuss repair plans.

 

Farm Service Agencies Still Open Temporarily

Farm Service agency offices are open again today despite the partial federal government shutdown. Here’s Farm Broadcaster Ron Hays.

 

               

 

Grady County FSA Director Mark Jackson said he did have a few visitors yesterday and that nearly 100 phone messages came in since the office closed December 28th.

 

CV Tech School Board Receives Praise

Canadian Valley Technology Center officials are recognizing the board of education which directs the programs and services offered at all the district’s campus locations in Chickasha, El Reno and Yukon. January is School Board Recognition Month, and the Oklahoma State School Boards Association is also saluting the more than 2,700 school boards in the Sooner State. For CV Tech, school board members are Travis Posey, Jimmie Vickrey, Dean Riddell, Penny Jones, and Christy Stanley. CV Tech superintendent Gayla Lutts says board members work to follow the mission of career tech, which is to prepare people to succeed through quality career and technical education programs and services.

 

Energy and Metals

Crude oil on the NYMEX was down to $52.07 per barrel.

London-based Brent crude is $61.18.

Natural gas was up to $3.59 per million BTUs.

Gold is $1,285 and silver is $15.50.

 

 

Thursday, Jan. 17th

 

Traffic Light Upgrades to Affect 4th and Grand Traffic

A plan to upgrade traffic signals along 4th Street in Chickasha will cause some problems for motorists for a few days. Crews will be working at 4th and Grand for the next few days. No eastbound traffic will be allowed from 4th Street today through about 6:00 p.m. Sunday. Steven Adams with the city’s public works department says the work is needed to install a wireless system to synchronize all the traffic lights on 4th Street between Country Club Road and Choctaw which is expected to improve traffic flow along the 4th Street corridor. The work this weekend is the first step in that process.

 

Family Escapes Injury in Mobile Home Fire

Fire causes substantial damage to a trailer at a Chickasha mobile home park. Firefighters were summoned to the Sooner Mobile Home Park yesterday afternoon. Fire Chief Brian Zalewski said everyone in the mobile home were able to escape without injury. Zalewski said the likely cause of the fire was too many space heaters hooked up to a single electrical outlet. Damage estimate was not available.

 

Water Line Break Briefly Closes Restaurants

A couple of Chickasha restaurants were forced to close for a short time yesterday because of a waterline break. The break was the one-inch service line in the parking lot of Arby's. The break affected water pressure at Arby's and nearby businesses like Arvest Bank, Pizza Hut, and McDonalds. Reports indicated that Arby's and McDonald's closed down for a couple of hours while the repairs were made. Traffic on 4th Street was not affected by the repairs.

 

Reward Offered Regarding Man Missing Nearly 3 Years

The OSBI is offering a $5,000 reward for information about a man missing for nearly three years. Relatives of 63-year old Bill Lang reported him missing in March of 2016. His pick-up was found abandoned along I-40 just east of the Caddo and Canadian and County line. The Canadian County Sheriff's Office and OSBI are at a standstill after checking into numerous leads.

 

Southern Plains Med Center Acquires Maysville Clinic

Southern Plains Medical Center has announced the acquisition of a clinic in Maysville. In a press release, SPMC CEO Len Lacefield announced they will be taking over the practice management of what was Maysville Health Clinic. Lacefield said it will serve as a bridge between SMPCs home-base in ChIckasha and its expanding relationship into the Pauls Valley area. Nurse practitioner Kari Whatley, the previous owner of the Maysville Clinic, will continue seeing her patients there. Lacefield said Whatley will be able to focus more on her patients’ health care, instead of dealing with the increasing and highly scrutinized business side of rural health care.

 

Hillary Communications Expands Fiber-Optic Service

Hillary Communications has announced the acquisition of some new areas for its fiber to the home project. A press release indicates that Hillary's service area now includes Chickasha, Ninnekah, Verden, and Anadarko. The company recently closed deals with Texas companies Electra, Tatum, and Zapata for the properties. Hillary Communications announced the addition of several career opportunities because of the acquisition.

 

FSA Offices to Open for a Few Days

Here’s some good news for farmers and ranchers who need to take care of business with their USDA Farm Service Agency offices. The offices have been closed for nearly a month because of the partial shutdown of the federal government. However, the USDA is temporarily opening many offices across the country. All Oklahoma offices will be opening for some services, according to State FSA Director Scott Biggs. Local FSA offices will be open today, tomorrow, and next Tuesday.

 

Discussion Set to Re-Open Soup Kitchen

There is an effort to re-open a soup kitchen for the homeless. For years, Cornerstone Church in downtown Chickasha opened its doors to feed the homeless, but that stopped a few years ago with the death of Pastor Bill Nunley. A group of citizens from several churches would like to resume that work. An organizational meeting will be held in the Fellowship Hall at First Christian Church at 7:00 p.m. tonight. First Christian Minister Michael Oberlender said they’ll be working on by-laws and discuss establishing a 501C-3 non-profit status.

 

Energy and Metals

Crude oil on the NYMEX is up to $52.31 per barrel.

London-based Brent crude is $61.32.

Natural gas was down to $3.38 per million BTUs.

Gold is $1,294 and silver is $15.63.

 

 

Wednesday, Jan. 16th

 

Regional Consumer Spending Remains Strong

Consumer spending throughout Grady County grew more than 9 percent from October to November of last year. Based on sales tax revenue numbers, it's estimated that more than $133 million in taxable goods and services were purchased that month. The number is up substantially from November of 2017 by about 33 percent. Grady County collected just under $1 million in sales tax revenue based on that consumer spending. The county's three-quarters of a penny sales tax goes to several areas, all of which have been approved by voters. The Grady County Fairgrounds receives $331,000; Grady Memorial Hospital collects $293,000; each of the seven senior nutrition centers get more than 23,000; each of 20 fire districts gets more than $8,000; Tuttle EMS picks up more than $30,000; and Rush Springs EMS gets more than $7,500. Grady County saw a month-to-month decrease in use tax collections, which are sales taxes paid on Internet purchases. It was still a healthy $187,000 which was an increase over January of 2018.

 

Chickasha Consumer Spending Also Good               

Consumer spending in Chickasha for November was up slightly, to just over $29 million. It was up about 18 percent compared to November of 2017. The city's use tax collections were $99,000 which is up 76 percent compared to both the previous month and previous year at the same time.

 

Formal Charges Filed in Marlow Salon Hold-up

A Marlow man is charged with armed robbery in connection with the hold-up of a beauty salon. 47-year old Mark Wayne Duncan is being held in the Stephens County Jail on a half-million bond. Marlow police were called out last Friday to investigate the armed robbery. Duncan faces up to 10 years in prison if he's convicted.

 

State Agency to Review Trains Blocking Railroad Crossings

A state panel hopes to make some rule changes when it comes to trains blocking streets and roadways. The Oklahoma Corporation Commission is asking for the ability to conduct a compliance audit if a train blocks a railroad crossing for more than 10 minutes. The website www.okenergytoday.com reports the audit would explore how often crossings are blocked, the pattern, and if the blocked crossing is justified. Another rule change under consideration applies to fences that a landowner requests to have built next to railroad tracks. The Corporation Commission wants the ability to enforce the construction or hold a railway in contempt if the fence is not built with 60 days.

 

USAO Campus is 'Certified Healthy'

For the second straight year USAO has been named a "certified healthy campus." USAO received an excellent rating for its health and wellness programs based on several categories. The certified healthy campus designation is part of the Certified Healthy Oklahoma program, which began in 2003 in a joint effort of several groups including the state health department and the academy for state goals. It's a challenge to all Oklahomans to eat better, get some exercise, and be tobacco-free. The program also helps to implement policies to create healthier environments in the workplace and in communities.

 

Energy and Metals

Crude oil on the NYMEX climbs to $52.11 per barrel.

London-based Brent crude is  up to $60.64.

Natural gas is lower to $3.50 per million BTUs.

Gold is $1,288 and silver is $15.60

 

 

Tuesday, Jan. 15th

 

City, Business Leaders Begin Program to Spur Growth

(This story contains a corrrection from the morning news broadcast, regarding the source of the public funds set aside for the program)

The future growth of Chickasha will rely on a combination of public and private investments. So say government and business leaders who are combining efforts in hopes of making that possible. Last month, the Chickasha City Council set aside $1.2 million which will be used to match private investment throughout the city. Applications are made through the Economic Development Council with that panel recommending projects to the city council. The city council will have the final say-so in those projects.The council is expected to consider a couple of recommendations from the Economic Development Council in the near future. For every two dollars of private investment, the city will provide an additional dollar.  Former Oklahoma City Mayor Kirk Humphreys was in Chickasha last week to meet with individuals in the Leadership Chickasha program. He said that's how Oklahoma City's highly- successful MAPS program started.

 

               

 

Chickasha officials aren't expecting to grow like Oklahoma City, but are looking to create a unique identity to attract visitors and residents. Correction: Chickasha City Manager John Noblitt says that $1.2 million in matching funds comes from the city's Economic Development Sales Tax fund, a sales tax which expired a couple of years ago.

 

Dentistry from the Heart Returns Jan. 25th

A Chickasha dentist and his staff will once again offer a day of free dental work to patients. Dentistry from the Heart is a program started by Dr. John Phillips and his 29th Street Dental Care clinic several years ago. This year, the program will be next Friday, Jan. 25th. That's a little earlier than previous years when the service has been offered during February, which is National Dental Health Month. Phillips brings in oral surgeons, additional dental hygienists, and dental students to help serve more than 200 patients. They can choose from having a tooth pulled, a filling, or to have their teeth cleaned. The services are offered on a first-come, first-served basis, and many patients camp out overnight. Since Phillips started this program, more than 3,000 patients have received more than $2.5 million in free dental care.

 

Pedestrian Dies in Caddo County Accident               

A pedestrian has died after being hit by a pick-up in Caddo County. 36-year old Teresa Dawn Prentiss of Anadarko died in the accident that happened last night. The highway patrol reports that Prentiss was one of two people walking along a county road about 6:15 p.m. The other pedestrian, 53-year old Jenna Lee Thrash, also of Anadarko, was not injured. Troopers say the pick-up was driven by 66-year old Albert Ingram of Apache. The accident happened about 4 1/2 miles west of Anadarko on CS 2600 just north of U.S. Highway 62. The OHP report states that both women were wearing dark clothing and Ingram did not see them.

 

Woman Sentenced after Manslaughter Plea               

A woman who pleaded guilty to manslaughter in connection with the death of a Caddo County man is sentenced to a lengthy prison term. A judge has sentenced 26-year old Jordan Victoria Walking Eagle to 15 years behind bars and she was also ordered to undergo drug and alcohol treatment. Walking Eagle was the driver of a car involved in a Comanche County crash that resulted in the death of a passenger in her vehicle, 23-year old John Poolah, Jr. of Carnegie. The accident occurred in July of 2017.

 

Energy and Metals

Crude oil on the NYMEX was down to $50.51 per barrel.

London-based Brent crude drops to $58.99.

Natural gas jumps to $3.60 per million BTUs.

Gold is $1,289 and silver is $15.61.

 

 

Monday, Jan. 14th

 

Oklahoma's New Governor to Take Office

It's a big day at the state capital, as Kevin Stitt will take his oath of office to be Oklahoma's 28th governor. Several other newly-elected officials will also take office, including Lt. Governor Matt Pinnell. Chickasha State Representative David Perryman is looking forward to working with the new leadership. Perryman said Stitt reached out to him last month, and said Stitt indicated he wants to see improvements in all areas of the state.

 

               

 

The two are in opposite political parties. Stitt is a Republican and Perryman is a Democrat. Perryman is also the minority floor leader in the State House of Representatives. After today's swearing-in ceremony, with the inauguration ball tonight. The next legislative session starts February 4th.

 

Other Newly-Elected Officials Also Start Today

Other newly elected state officials to take office today include Leslie Osborn as labor commissioner. The former state lawmaker whose District 37 included part of Grady County is serving her first state-wide post. Other first-time state officials will be Cindy Byrd as state auditor and Glen Mulready as insurance commissioner. Randy McDaniel had already been sworn in as the new state treasurer.

 

Industrial Group Challenges PSO Rate Hike Request

A rate hike proposal from Public Service Company of Oklahoma has some opposition. PSO is seeking an $88 million increase, mainly for industrial customers. A group called Oklahoma Industrial Energy Consumers says the request is excessive. They say PSO's rates should be reduced. The website www.okenergytoday.com cites a news release from the group which states testimony has been filed with the Oklahoma Corporation Commission that shows the proposed increase is not justified or appropriate. The release also states that the rate hike request is PSO’s third over the last three years. The consumers group says PSO should be instructed to control its costs and spending as private sector business and industry are required to.

 

City of Chickasha Ward Meetings Begin Tuesday               

In order to get more input from residents, Chickasha city leaders are scheduling Ward meetings over the next few months. Residents can meet their city council representatives, Mayor Chris Mosley and city manager John Noblitt. The first of these Ward meetings will be tomorrow night. It’s for Ward One residents, with councilman David Sikes expected to be on hand. Sikes is currently the only Ward One councilman, as Mark Keeling stepped down from his post last week. Tomorrow night's meeting will be at city hall, starting at 6:30 p.m. Other ward meetings will be scheduled in the coming weeks.

 

Chix City Hall Offers Help to Furloughed Federal Workers

The city of Chickasha is offering some relief to local residents who are federal employees affected by the government shutdown. The city will defer utility payments until those employees return to work. Affected workers can visit the utility billing department at city hall and show their federal employee identification or other employment verification. Information is also available on the city's Facebook page and Twitter.

 

Chickasha Schools Survey Asks for Input               

Chickasha school officials want to know what patrons think need to be done within the district. An on-line survey  asks for input on issues such as closing the achievement gap;  raising ACT scores; how administrators can support teachers; repairs and equipment needs; and defining student success. The website is www.chickasha.k12.ok.us or copies are available at all school buildings. The survey ends January 25th

 

Grady County Fair Board Members File Unopposed

No elections will be needed for the Grady County Fair Board this year. All three incumbents filed un-opposed for their seats and will serve three year-terms. They are Elisa Basford in the northern district; Jerry Arthur in the central district; and Barbara Pfenning in the southern district. The fair board is a nine-member panel that oversees operations at the county fairgrounds. Other northern district members are Betty Jones and Beth Norvell; other central district members are Steve Standridge and Ben Janssen; other southern district members are Eddie Rathbun and Rod Schenk. The fair board meets monthly.

 

Energy and Metals

Crude oil on the NYMEX is $51.59 per barrel.

London-based Brent crude is $60.48.

Natural gas is $3.01 per million BTUs.

Gold is $1,295 and silver is $15.64.

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