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Mollman Media News

2019, April 8th-15th


 

 

 

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Today Let’s meet Canadian Valley Technology Center “Spotlight person of the week’” Colton Botts. Colton is from Rush Springs, who’s studying “Auto Collision Technology, at CV Tech. Tune in Friday the 12th, to 106.1 The Ranch FM, (the 7AM and 8AM News) to hear the story.

 

 

 

 

Monday, April 15th

 

Former Chickasha School Employee

Alleged to Have Had Inappropriate Contact with Student

For the second time this school year, Chickasha school officials are dealing with situation where a former employee is alleged to have had inappropriate contact with a student. School administrators sent a letter to parents on Friday which stated they were looking into the allegations. The letter was on school district letterhead and indicated it was from Assistant Superintendent Kim Haney and High School Principal Rhonda Snow. The letter said they are cooperating with law enforcement in their investigation.  Last fall, an unidentified school employee was terminated after a previous investigation of inappropriate contact with a student.

 

Social Media Credited for Assisting Police with Arrest

Chickasha police are crediting social media for the arrest of a suspect in an assault investigation. Authorities were looking for a man in connection with the assault of an older, vulnerable male. Police posted a photograph of the suspect and an SUV he may have been driving on the police department’s Facebook page Saturday morning. The photos were taken from video surveillance of an unidentified convenience store. Authorities say the suspect turned himself in. The identity of the suspect has not yet been released.

 

Car Dangles on Turnpike Overpass 

A traffic accident northeast of Chickasha yesterday leaves a car dangling from an overpass on the H.E. Bailey Turnpike. The accident happened on County Road 2900, which is about five miles northeast of Chickasha. It's not clear how the accident happened. At least one person was taken to the hospital, but their name was not released and it wasn't clear how seriously they were injured. Debris from the accident fell on to the turnpike which caused a couple of minor wrecks, but officials did not have to shut down traffic.

 

 Council Reps to be Sworn In             

Four Chickasha City Council representatives will take their oaths of office in a special meeting of the council tonight. There won't be any changes to the panel. Ward 2 council representative Kim Loggins and Ward 4 councilman Jim Hopkins both won re-election to their posts earlier this month. Tom Rose in Ward 1 and Oscar Nelson in Ward 3 ran un-opposed. The special meeting will be held at 6:00 p.m. tonight in the council chambers at city hall, ahead of the council's regular meeting.

 

Council to Discuss Shannon Springs Park Upgrades              

During the regular council meeting, the group will consider spending nearly $350,000 for improvements at Shannon Springs Park. About $200,000 is to upgrade electrical outlets throughout the park for the Festival of Light. It's the lowest of two bids received for the project, and it’s from local firm Barrington Electric. The higher bid was nearly $300,000. The group will also discuss renovations to the bath house at the park. A local company is expected to get that bid as well. Bordwine Development had the lowest of two bids at about $143,000. The higher bid was more than $300,000. The council will take a look at spending more than $200,000 to allow the police department to upgrade its Report Management System. The group will also consider a proposal to re-zone several acres of property south of Grand Avenue between 4th and 9th streets to allow for a planned unit development. The council will have a closed-door session to discuss two issues. One, a lawsuit filed against the city and two, an economic development proposal.

 

Employers, Job Seekers to Meet at Career Fair              

Employers and individuals looking for work can meet in one location at an upcoming career fair hosted by Canadian Valley Technology Center's El Reno campus. Companies looking to hire employees can register at no cost for the event, which will be held on Thursday, May 2nd from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. More than 40 businesses have already registered and more are expected. Registration deadline is this Friday, April 19th. Businesses reps should contact CV Tech Employment Specialist Mindi Mitchell in El Reno by calling 405-422-2205. Hundreds of students from the three CV Tech campuses in Chickasha, El Reno, and Yukon will be job searching at the event.

 

Energy and Metals

Crude oil on the NYMEX is $63.89 per barrel.

London-based Brent crude is $71.55.

Natural gas is $2.66 per million BTUs.

Gold is $1,289 and silver is $14.88.

 

 

Saturday, April 13th

 

Mom Concerned After Child Left Alone on School Playground

A four-year old girl is left alone on a school playground, and her family is not happy with how the school is handling the situation. The parents have filed a police report. The child's mother and grandmother say it happened at Cyril Elementary school back in February. Our partners at KWTV New 9 talked with the child's mother, Angel Comte. Comte said the child was playing hide-and-seek, and was hiding behind a tree but nobody found her. When she came out from behind the tree, she was on the playground alone. The grandmother said the girl wasn't discovered missing until after school. Michelle Barlow said she had gone to pick up her grand-daughter and other children, but her child wasn't there. A teacher brought the girl out and said she had been lost on the playground. A statement from school superintendent Jamie Mitchell said they have investigated the situation but could not comment on the findings. The statement did say that the safety of their students is their highest priority. The child has been taken out of the school system.

 

 One Dead in Crash Near Lindsay             

One person has died in a near head-on collision near Lindsay. 44-year old Thomas Powell of Mena, Arkansas died in the crash. The accident happened just after 6:30 a.m. Friday about two miles south of Lindsay on Highway 76. The trooper on the scene reports that Powell crossed the center line and hit a pickup driven by 40-year old Damon Combs of Lindsay. Combs was taken to the hospital in Lindsay where he was treated for arm and leg injuries and released. The accident remains under investigation.

 

Formal Charges Filed in Stabbing at Chix Apartment

The woman accused of stabbing her fiancee and her own mother is now facing formal assault and battery charges in connection with the attack. 32-year old Lauren Day faces two felony charges after the assault which took place at a Chickasha apartment complex earlier this week. It's alleged that all three were conducting a Bible study when something turned sour. Prosecutors formally charged Day with assault and battery with a dangerous weapon in Grady County District Court yesterday. Day remains in jail pending a $75,000 bond.

 

 Youth Rodeo in Chickasha This Weekend             

Teenage and pre-teen rodeoers are in Chickasha this weekend for the Oklahoma High School and Junior High School Rodeo Association competitions. The youth are competing for points in hopes of qualifying for their respective state rodeos later this spring. Jeff Todd is the president of the High School rodeo group.

              

 

There are about two dozen events, from barrel racing to bronc and bull riding. The groups are using both indoor arenas at the Grady County Fairgrounds today and tomorrow. Admission is free.

 

Chamber Concert Series Debuts Tonight

The families who are in town for the rodeo and the community at large will be treated to a free concert at the fairgrounds tonight. It's the first of a series of concerts scheduled by the Chickasha Chamber of Commerce. The concert originally was to be outdoors in the downtown area, but the forecast for rain moved the event indoors. There will be food trucks and lots of activities for kids, including face-painting, inflatables, and games. The indie-folk group Dawson Hollow from the Ozark Mountains of Missouri will perform. It's in the north exhibit building at the fairgrounds. Doors open at 6:00 p.m. with the concert starting at 7:00 p.m.

 

 

Friday, April 12th

 

Bible Toting Woman Arrested for Stabbing Mom, Fiancee

There was a tense situation for law enforcement at a Chickasha apartment complex Wednesday night. Chickasha police and Grady County Sheriff’s deputies respond to a stabbing. Body cam video shows Grady County deputy Corey Loftice finding a man stabbed in the back outside an apartment at Winds of Oak Ridge Apartments. Here is some of the audio from that body cam recording-

 

              

 

The man reportedly was the suspect's fiancee. The suspect had barricaded herself inside the apartment, but Loftice managed to kick in the door in to find the knife-wielding woman. Our partners at KWTV News 9 showed the body cam video of the incident, including Lofitce using his belt to apply a make-shift tourniquet to the suspect's leg, who had been stabbed by her mom in self-defense. Grady County Sheriff Jim Weir praised Loftice's actions, saying he saved three lives. All three were taken to the hospital where they were treated and released. As for the suspect, 32-year old Lauren Brook Day, she was booked into the Grady County jail on complaints of attempted murder and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon. Prosecutors may file formal charges against her today.

 

 Pollution Bill Passes OK House Committee             

A bill that would allow companies the legal right to hide pollution from the public gets overwhelming approval in a state house of representatives committee. SB 1003 would allow corporations - including all chemical and energy companies - to keep environmental, health, and safety audits from public or court view. The bill passed the house Energy and Natural Resources Committee by a 14-3 vote, and now goes to the full house for consideration. Called the Environmental, Health, and Safety Audit Privilege Act, it has already been approved by the state senate. It is facing opposition from journalists and environmentalists. The website www.okenergytoday.com says critics call it The Pollution Secrecy Act, or the Right to Know Nothing Bill.

 

Rain Forecast Cancels First Performance of Easter Pageant

The forecast of wet weather has forced officials to cancel tomorrow night's Easter pageant at the Holy City of the Wichitas. Up to an inch and a half of rain is forecast for the Lawton area throughout the day tomorrow and into tomorrow night. Director Alan Corrales said the conditons would not be suitable for the visitors who might attend the outdoor pageant, nor the cast. The pageant is still a go for next Saturday night, which will be the night before Easter. This is the 94th year for the performance which is held near the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge just north of Lawton.

 

Talk Show Topic

Here’s what we’re talking about this weekend. Chickasha schools robotics instructor Brandon Willis is one of our guests on our KOOL Konversation. Look for a link to the program under the Community tab on this website.

 

Energy and Metals

Crude oil on the NYMEX is $63.58 per barrel.

London-based Brent crude is $70.83.

Natural gas is $2.66 per million BTUs.

Gold is $1,297 and silver is $15.01.

 

 

Thursday, April 11th

 

Missing Senior Citizen Found

A senior citizen reported missing from Chickasha is located minutes after authorities issued a Silver Alert for him. Chickasha Police issued the alert for 72-year old Barry Wetselline just before 5:00 p.m. Wednesday. Police said it had been determined that he was incapacitated. The Alert indicated the Wetselline went missing about 4:30 p.m. from the area of 29th Street and Highway 62. Authorities said there was reason to believe he might be headed to Anadarko. The Silver Alert was canceled about 5:15 p.m., when the Highway patrol reported that the Bureau of Indian Affairs had found Wetselline. It wasn't report where he was located.

 

Mineral Rights Owners Bill Ekes Past Senate Panel              

A bill that would allow Oklahoma mineral rights owners to sue municipalities for restricting oil and gas use is narrowly approved by a senate committee. HB 1250 was approved by a 7-5 vote in the Senate Judiciary Committee, and now goes to the full senate for consideration. An article on the website www.okenergytoday.com indicates the future of the bill might come down to negotiations between the Oklahoma Independent Petroleum Association (which supports the bill) and the Oklahoma Municipal League (which supports municipalities and their rights to control oil and gas drilling within their city limits). The article cites a comment from Chad Warmington, president of the oil and gas group, saying the Municipal League has reached out to his group about working with city leaders regarding common-sense solutions to their concerns. Among those voting against the bill in the senate committee were Republicans Lonnie Paxton of Tuttle and Darcy Jech of Kingfisher.

 

Perryman Receives Alumni Award              

Chickasha State Representative David Perryman gets a top honor from an Oklahoma college. Perryman was awarded the Distinguished Alumni Award from Eastern Oklahoma State College. The award goes to alumni who have set themselves apart from their peers both professionally and through their service to the college. Perryman graduated from Eastern in the mid-1970s before attending Oklahoma State and then the OU School of Law. Perryman says he's humbled to be chosen for the award. He said he believes more students should take advantage of two-year colleges. Perryman said they provide a needed transition from high school to a four-year school or a career.

              

Weather Forecast Forces Concert Indoors

An outdoor concert scheduled for downtown Chickasha this weekend will be moved indoors. The threat of rain and cold temperatures Saturday night is not keeping the Chickasha Chamber of Commerce from holding the first performance of a spring and summer concert series. Officials have made arrangements for the activities to be moved to the Grady County Fairgrounds. The concert will feature Dawson Hollow out of Missouri. The event will be held in the north exhibit building of the fairgrounds. Doors will open for vendors about 6:00 p.m. with the concert starting at 7:00 p.m. There will be inflatables, face painting, and games for the kids. Admission is free.

 

Library Book Sale Begins              

This is National Library Week, and what better way to mark the event than with one of the most popular events at the Chickasha library. A couple of times each year, the library and Friends of the Library clear out some of their materials make way for new ones. The book sale includes more than just books. There are also CDs and other items up for grabs, with many items just a dollar. The sale starts this afternoon, however, you must be a Friend of the Library member to take part in the preview. But memberships are only $5 to $10. The preview is from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. tonight, with the sale open to the public Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

 

Energy and Metals

Crude oil on the NYMEX is $64.61 per barrel.

London-based Brent crude is $71.73.

Natural gas is $2.70 per million BTUs.

Gold is $1,308 and silver is $15.12.

 

 

Wednesday, April 10th

 

 Chix Public School Foundation Sets Annual Fundraiser             

Since the mid-1980s, contributions to a fund set aside to help students and teachers in Chickasha public schools have topped $1.2 million. The money is under the guidance of the Chickasha Public School Foundation, a non-profit organization which uses the interest earned on this endowment fund each year to provide grants to teachers, college scholarships to high school seniors, and to pay for the school supplies for every student in every Chickasha school. Jen Jantzen is the director of the Foundation.

 

              

 

That $100 is the estimated per-student cost of the supplies they use in the classroom in a year. The foundation will hold its annual fundraiser later this month. It will be held on Tuesday, April 30th from 6 to 9 p.m. at the USAO Ballroom. Corporate sponsorships are available. There will be silent and live auctions, and a barbecue dinner. For information, check out the Chickasha Public School Foundation's Facebook page.

 

Conference to Tackle Underage Drinking

A conference targeting the problems of underage drinking will be held in Chickasha in a few weeks. The Too Much to Lose conference is for law enforcement and any interested community partners concerned about underage drinking. The one-day program will offer specialized instruction in areas such as tactical instruction in breaking up drinking parties, compliance checks of retailers which sell alcohol, and providing individuals with the knowledge and skills they need to help enforce underage drinking laws. The training is free, and law enforcement personnel can get eight hours of CLEET training. It also includes some CLEET continuing education hours on recognizing and handling mentally ill individuals. The conference will be Thursday, May 2nd at the Canadian Valley Technology Center. The training is offered through the state department of mental health and substance abuse services. Contact Julia Cochran with Red Rock Regional Prevention Services for information. E-mail: juliac@red-rock.com

 

CHS Robotics Team Going to a Worldwide Competition

The Chickasha High School robotics team has qualified to compete in a worldwide robotics competition in Texas. The team finished runner-up at the Central Missouri regional competition last week. In doing so, the team received a wild card bid to attend the world event, which is the international FIRST robotics program. FIRST is an acronym which means For the Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology. In addition to the team’s runner-up finish last week, instructor Brandon Willis says the team's robot design received an Excellence in Engineering award. While team has its entry fees and most other costs for the competition paid for, the students need to raise $3,000 to pay for hotel expenses. If you can help, contact Willis through Chickasha High School. The Houston competition runs next week, April 17th through the 20th.

 

New Deputy on Board at Grady County Courthouse

Frequent visitors to the Grady County Courthouse are seeing a new face. The Grady County Sheriff's Office has welcomed a  new deputy. Larry Schones has more than 20 years’ experience in law enforcement. He spent more than 22 years at the Midwest City Police Department working in the patrol division. He held the rank of sergeant at the time he retired. Schones holds an advanced peace officer certification from CLEET. Schones will be working security at the courthouse.

 

Energy and Metals

Crude oil on the NYMEX is $63.98 per barrel.

London-based Brent crude is $70.61.

Natural gas is $2.69 per million BTUs.

Gold is $1,308 and silver is $15.21

 

 

Tuesday, April 9th

 

Toddler Tests Positive for Meth; Mom Arrested

A child who is taken to a hospital emergency room tests positive for illegal drugs. Now the child's mother is behind bars on allegations of child neglect. Chickasha Police were summoned to the Grady Memorial Hospital emergency room last Saturday night, when the two-year old child was found to have meth in its system. The Chickasha Police blotter indicates that 25-year old Courtney Vaile Garcia of Denison, Texas was arrested on a child neglect complaint. She spent the weekend in jail, and yesterday prosecutors formally charged her with felony child neglect, and misdemeanors of drug possession and having drug paraphernalia. Garcia was also wanted out of Stephens County for failure to pay on a misdemeanor charge of driving with a suspended license after an arrest in Marlow last August. Garcia remains in the Grady County Jail on a $100,000 bond.

 

Superintendent Faces Trial on Domestic Violence Charge

A jury trial has been scheduled for the superintendent of Ninnekah Public Schools, who is charged with a felony for domestic violence. The trial for Todd Bunch is scheduled for September 23rd in Garvin County District Court in Pauls Valley. Bunch entered a plea of not guilty to the charge at his arraignment yesterday. Bunch was arrested by Lindsay police last summer, after its alleged he entered a woman's home and tried to smother her with a pillow. Bunch was originally charged with a misdemeanor, but prosecutors changed that to a felony in January. Bunch has remained on the job at Ninnekah while the case goes through the legal system. The school board issued a statement saying Bunch is innocent unless proven guilty.

              

Chickasha Resident Named to State Transportation Board

A Chickasha businessman has been appointed to the State Transportation Commission. Steve LaForge is one of five new members named to the panel by Gov. Kevin Stitt. LaForge will represent District 7 which includes much of central and southern Oklahoma. LaForge is president and CEO of LaForge Properties, Ace Investments and has other real estate interests. He previously served for eight years on the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority. LaForge currently is a member of the Chickasha Economic Development Council, Chickasha Industrial Authority, and the Chamber of Commerce. He's also a member of both the Oklahoma and the National Societies of Professional Engineers.

 

 Concerts Galore Set for Chickasha              

A couple of organizations are working to schedule more entertainment opportunities for the Chickasha area. The Chickasha Chamber of Commerce and USAO are bringing more music to the region for the spring and summer. The chamber kicks off its summer series this weekend with a concert in downtown Chickasha. Dawson Hallow, an independent folk band from Missouri will take the stage. There will be a food truck as well as face painting, inflatables, and games for the kids. It's the first of a series of free monthly concerts in downtown Chickasha. All the shows are scheduled to be outdoors. The show is Saturday night at 7:00 p.m. at 3rd and Chickasha Avenue. USAO will be kicking off is second year of Listen Local at the Greek, also an outdoor concert series to be held at the Greek theatre on Grand Avenue. The USAO concerts will start in June.

 

Energy and Metals

Crude oil on the NYMEX is $64.40 per barrel.

London-based Brent crude is $71.10.

Natural gas is $2.70 per million BTUs.

Gold is $1,306 and silver is $15.26.

 

 

Monday, April 8th

 

Investigation of Officer-Involved Shooting Continues

The investigation into the officer-involved shooting which resulted in the death of a Chickasha man last month is still on-going. However, the preliminary autopsy from the state medical examiner's office has been released. The report only indicates that 47-year old Kevin Capers died from multiple gunshot wounds. At least two Chickasha police officers are on administrative leave as a result of Caper's death. They're names have not yet been released. Chickasha Police Chief Kathryn Rowell expects their names will be made public once the OSBI investigation is complete. Police were called to a domestic disturbance a couple of weeks ago, where it was alleged that Capers was threatening his girlfriend with a knife. It's alleged that Capers made a threatening move towards police, who opened-fire. Capers died at the scene.

 

Drugged Driver Alleged to Have Caused Injury Accident

Two people, one of them a child, are hospitalized following a head-on collision southeast of Blanchard over the weekend. And the highway patrol alleges a man using illegal drugs may have caused the crash. The accident happened about 8:30 p.m. Saturday near the town of Cole. The Highway Patrol reports that 35-year old William Bottom of Blanchard went left of center and hit an on-coming car. The trooper investigating the crash alleges Bottom was under the influence of drugs. Bottom was not hurt. However, the driver and a passenger in the other vehicle were taken to separate hospitals. 64-year old Gerri Delozier of Purcell was last in fair condition at a Norman hospital. An un-named juvenile female was taken to an Oklahoma City hospital where she was last in serious condition.

 

 Public Hearing Set For Proposed Chickasha Development         The proposed new development between the 400 and 900 blocks of Grand Avenue and south of Grand is up for discussion at this month’s Planning Commission meeting. A public hearing will be held to review a request from a group called the Chickasha Development Company to discuss a plan to re-zone the area to allow for a planned unit development. Currently, much of the area is zoned for light industrial use, local commercial use to include a shopping center, and multi-family residential.  The Planning Commission will also hold a public hearing regarding a request to allow a business to operate a home in the 1100 block of South 8th Street. The Planning Commission will meet at 4:00 p.m. Tuesday at city hall.

 

Ward 4 Residents to Meet with City Leaders

Residents in Chickasha's Ward 4 will finally have their turn to meet with city leaders. It's an informal gathering for residents to discuss their concerns or talk about ways to make the city better. Residents will meet with Mayor Chris Mosley and City Manager John Noblitt, as well as Ward 4 councilmen Zach Grayson and Jim Hopkins. The meeting will be in the city council chambers at city hall at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 9th. Similar meetings have already been held for residents in the city's other three wards.

 

Chickasha School Board Meeting Changed

There is a change for the date of the April meeting of the Chickasha school board. The panel normally meets the second Tuesday of each month, but officials have postponed the meeting for two weeks. The meeting is now scheduled for Tuesday, April 23rd at the school administration building. An agenda has not yet been posted.

 

National Library Week to be Celebrated

If you're looking for something to celebrate this week, head to your local library. April 7th through 13th is National Library Week. While many thought the Internet would be devastating to public libraries, they continue providing important services to the communities they serve. As a matter of fact, the theme for the week is Libraries Equal Strong Communities. Oklahoma’s State Librarian Melody Kellogg says that almost 2 million Oklahomans have a library card. She also says that circulation, program attendance, and use of electronic library equipment are all on the rise. Lillie Huckaby is the director of the Chickasha Public Library. She says the library had more than 67,000 visits last year and has more than 5,100 individuals with library cards. The library has more than 100,000 items available, including 48,000 items in print and more than 43,000 electronic books, nearly 2,000 physical audio books and items, and more than 11,000 downloaded audio and video books and items.

              

 Energy and Metals             

Crude oil on the NYMEX is $63.08 per barrel.

London-based Brent crude is $70.34.

Natural gas is $2.66 per million BTUs.

Gold is $1,300 at $1,301 and silver is $15.14.

Weather

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