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Today Let’s meet Canadian Valley Technology Center “Spotlight person of the week’” Is Tuttle Senior, Falcon McDoulett, who’s studying “Precision Machining Technology, at CV Tech. Tune in Friday the 3rd, to 106.1 The Ranch FM, (the 7AM and 8AM News) to hear the story.
Monday, May 6th
Former Chickasha Star Newspaper Building May be Sold
A building that was once the home of a Chickasha-based newspaper - a building now owned by the city of Chickasha - may be sold by the city. The city council will discuss the possible sale of the old Chickasha Star Newspaper building, which is downtown in the 100 block of South 4th Street. In background information provided to council members ahead tonight's meeting, officials say the building was acquired for demolition three years ago, but there were concerns because the building is located in the downtown historic preservation district. Current estimates are that it would cost over $600,000 to rehabilitate the building. Officials say it appeared the city pursued a request for proposals and public auction for the building, but there was no interest at the time. A company called the Great Plains Land and Cattle Company has offered a bid of $15,000 for the site.
Congo Creek Bridge; Sewer Line Project to be Reviewed
The council is also expected to discuss going out for bids to repair the bridge on Congo Creek at Henderson Street, and to contract with an engineering firm to look at replacing a sewer line under U.S. Highway 62 and 16th Street.
Drilling Rig Proposed at Lake Chickasha
The panel will consider allowing Unit Petroleum Company to drill on city-owned property at Lake Chickasha. A surface damage agreement and a request to purchase water from the lake for the drilling operation are expected to be approved. The site is in Section 21 of Township 8 North, Range 9 West in Caddo County. The council is also to recognize Laura Miller as the city's Employee of the Month. Miller is the city's court clerk, who has worked in several areas of city government for 20 years. The council meets at 6:30 tonight at city hall.
Marathon Reports High-Producing Well
It took a while to make the news, but Marathon Petroleum Corporation reports a large producing well near Lindsay. The well was producing nearly 2,100 barrels of oil and more than 1,600 metric cubic feet of natural gas per day. While south of Lindsay, the well is located in the Springer Play in Stephens County in Section 10 of Township 2 North, Range 4 West. The website www.okenergytoday.com says Marathon filed the completion report nearly five months after the initial production of the rig known as Papa Pump. The report indicated the driller used more than 260 thousand barrels of fluid and nearly 13 million pounds of proppant to bring the well in.
Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive This Week
Letter carriers across the country are getting ready for their Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive. The National Association of Letter Carriers work the second Saturday of each May to re-stock local food pantries. Once again this year the letter carriers are partnering with the Regional Food Bank, which helps distribute food to many areas of western Oklahoma. This week, letter carriers will be leaving a plastic bag in your mail. You're asked to put some canned goods or other non-perishable food items in the bag, and leave it by your mail box this Saturday. Steve Riggs is the state spokesman for the Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive.
Post offices throughout the region, including Chickasha and Anadarko will participate.
Chickasha Downtown Merchants to Meet
Owners and/or managers of downtown businesses which are part of the Chickasha Main Street Association will be meeting tomorrow night. The group wants to share information about the proposed new developments in downtown. The meeting is open to all downtown businesses, and membership to the association is not required. The meeting will be at 6:15 p.m. Tuesday at the Chamber of Commerce.
Energy and Metals
Crude oil on the NYMEX is $61.94.
London-based Brent crude is $70.85.
Natural gas is $2.56 per million BTUs.
Gold is $1,282 and silver is $14.87.
Saturday, May 4th
Oil Executive Says Industry Outlook Still Positive
The next few years continue to look good for Continental Resources, according to chairman and CEO Harold Hamm. As many of you know, Contintental is one of the big players in the SCOOP and STACK oil and gas plays in Oklahoma, which run from the Kingfisher area through Chickasha and into the southern part of the state. The website www.okenergytoday.com reports Hamm told participants of an earnings call this week that the company’s 2019 first quarter net income was $187 million, which resulted in 50 cents per diluted share. Adjusted net income was more than $216 million, or 58 cents per diluted share. Continental's net cash from all of its operating activities for the first quarter was more than $721 million. First quarter production was about 16 percent ahead of the same time last year, averaging more than 330,000 barrels of oil-equivalent per day. The number includes Continental's work in the Bakken play in North Dakota. In the Springboard project for the SCOOP region, Hamm said production is ahead of what was forecast. For the month of April, production in the area was averaging 14,000 barrels of oil per day.
Truck Fire Shuts Down Highway
A truck fire east of Chickasha last night forced officials to shut down traffic for about an hour. The fire was at the Tabler Y, at the junction of US Highway 62 and State Highway 39. Officials had to re-route traffic around the fire for about an hour. The highway patrol responded to the call about 11:00 p.m. Friday. The initial report from the trooper who was called out to investigate indicated it was an unknown type of flatbed vehicle loaded with a fracking unit. It was not clear if anyone was injured or how the fire started.
Sooner State Now Has an Official Steak
Sorry T-bone steak. And apologies to the porterhouse. The ribeye steak has been declared the official steak of Oklahoma. Gov. Kevin Stitt made it so with his signature on Senate Bill 21 this week. The recommendation was made by the Oklahoma Cattlemen's Association. OCA executive Vice President Michael Kelsey said the ribeye is the most popular steak in the state and that it’s an opportunity to promote Oklahoma and its beef industry. Kelsey said that beef cattle farmers and ranchers represent the largest sector of Oklahoma agriculture. Kelsey also said having an official steak could provide some unique marketing opportunities for retail and food establishments to promote their business by highlighting a great cut of beef to consumers.
Warrant List
The Grady County Sheriff's Office has released an updated warrant list. 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. Chase O'Brien and Bud Andrus with the Chickasha Antique Auto Club are guests on the KOOL Konversation, talking about the group's spring swap meet next weekend. We have a link to the interview under the Community tab on this website.
Friday, May 3rd
Recalling Events of the May 3rd, 1999 Tornado Outbreak
May 3rd, 1999 is one of those days you talk about where you were and what you were doing. There was a huge tornado outbreak throughout Oklahoma, when deadly twisters careened through rural and urban areas alike. One of the largest tornadoes on record came to life right here in central and southwest Oklahoma. It became an F5 tornado, estimated to be about two miles wide and spinning about 300 miles per hour. It left a trail of devastation from near Apache, to Chickasha, into Bridge Creek, and then to Moore, Del City and beyond. Forty people lost their lives and dozens more were injured. More than $1 billion in damage occurred. The tornado really started to build after destroying a home west of Chickasha, then it tracked northeast to the Chickasha airport where it damaged a couple of hangars. It continued growing when it hit Bridge Creek where it wiped out much of that community, then violently turned its attention to Moore and the Oklahoma City area.
Crash Injures Chickasha Man
A Chickasha man is hospitalized after the pickup he was riding in ran off the road and into a ditch. 84-year old Bennie Busby suffered head injuries in the crash which happened west of Amber Thursday afternoon. Busby was taken to an Oklahoma City hospital where he was last in serious condition. The accident happened about 3 miles west of Amber near the intersection of CR 1280 and CS 2840. The driver of the pickup, 65-year old Melinda Martin of Pocasset - and an un-named 15-year old boy also riding in the truck - were not hurt. The highway patrol reported that something distracted Martin, causing her to run off the road. All three in the pickup were wearing their seatbelts.
Enel Wind Energy Donates Thousands to Local Groups
A wind energy company contributes thousands of dollars to a number of Grady County causes. Enel Green Power, which owns and operates the Drift Sand Wind Farm in the Rush Springs area, donates more than $70,000 to schools, communities, and fire departments. The firm awarded more than $23,000 to the Rush Springs school district to buy 110 Chromebook laptops for students in grades 6-12. Another $20,000 was awarded to the town of Rush Springs for infrastructure needs to include streets, sidewalks, and walking and biking trails. $5,000 was presented to the Rush Springs Lions Club for help with its annual watermelon festival. More than $8,000 was given to the Rush Springs Volunteer Fire Department, and more than $13,000 presented to USAO for research opportunities, performing arts programs, and to support student nutrition programs through the Campus Co-op.
Lots to See and Do This Weekend
There are a lot of things to do in the region this weekend. Chickasha is hosting an Open Streets program, Lindsay has its Founders Day, Elgin's has its annual Crawds and Rods event, and Anadarko has a Cinco de Mayo celebration. The Chickasha Area YMCA and several partnering groups will let you play in the street in downtown Chickasha tomorrow. It's the third year for the event, designed to encourage families to get out and play together. All the activities will be around the Rock Island Depot, and will run from about 10 o'clock until 1 o'clock tomorrow. In Lindsay, Founders Day activities include a rodeo tonight and tomorrow night, and numerous activities downtown tomorrow. Arts and craft vendors, the Marlow Gunfighters will be causing trouble, and there will be serenades from the Ole Troubadours. There's a parade at 4 o'clock tomorrow afternoon. In Elgin, boiled crawdads and fast cars will be highlighted with the annual celebration for the Elgin Volunteer Fire Department tomorrow. Sunday afternoon and evening, Anadarko will have a Cinco de Mayo block party, downtown from 4 to 8 p.m.
Energy and Metals
Crude oil on the NYMEX is $61.81 a barrel.
London-based Brent crude is $70.75.
Natural gas is $2.59 per million BTUs.
Gold is $1,271 and silver if $14.67.
Thursday, May 2nd
Gov. Declares State of Emergency after Storms
With more than a dozen tornadoes and flooding rains in much of the state this week, Gov. Kevin Stitt has issued a state of emergency for more than 50 counties to aid in the cleanup effort. The areas include Grady, Comanche, Stephens, Garvin, McClain, Cleveland, Oklahoma, and Canadian counties. The declaration allows state agencies to make emergency purchases needed to get help right away to county and city governments. It's also the first step in the process of seeking federal assistance, if it’s necessary. There were no early reports of damage in Grady County in the first round of storms that brought heavy rains on Tuesday. County Emergency Management Director Dale Thompson said there were only reports of flooding in low-lying areas. So far, there are no damage reports from storms that moved through the region yesterday. The State Department of Emergency Management is asking anyone who experienced damage to homes, businesses, or agriculture to report it on-line: damage.ok.gov
Man Swept Away in Stephens County Storms
In Stephens County, authorities are looking for a man who was swept away in flood waters from last night's storms. The man was riding an ATV checking things on his pasture east of Comanche and was lost in floodwaters into Mud Creek near State Highway 53 and Johnson's Corner. The Stephens County Sheriff’s Office, Comanche Fire Department, and Duncan fire and police were preparing to intensify their search for the man this morning.
Air Force Plan Crashes Near Waurika Lake
A military airplane from Sheppard Air Force Base out of Wichita Falls, Texas crashed near Waurika Lake Wednesday. On its Facebook page, Sheppard AFB officials say the pilot and co-pilot both ejected safely prior to the crash, which happened about 2:00 p.m. The investigation into why the plane crashed is underway. The plane is a Beechcraft T-6 Texan II single-engine turbo-prop. The U.S. Military website for the Air Force indicates the plane is capable of aerobatic maneuvers, used as a first step trainer for Air Force and Navy pilots. The planes can fly at a maximum height of 31,000 feet and travel nearly 1,000 miles.
New Construction Numbers Up for Chickasha
April was a multi-million dollar month for new construction in the City of Chickasha. The city's Community Development Department approved nearly $3.4 million in new building projects last month. Topping the list of commercial projects was a permit for the new Domino's gas station and convenience store that is under construction at 4th and Missouri. That's a $2.5 million project. Also, a building permit was issued to local contractors to renovate buildings in the downtown area for a micro-brewery. It's a $300,000 project for a 4,700 sq. ft. operation in the 100 block of Chickasha Avenue, across from the Chickasha Hotel. In other commercial development, McDonald's at 4th and Grand was approved for a more than $300,000 remodel project. Work on that project is not expected to start until this fall. In residential construction, Home Creations got the go-ahead to build another single family home in the Sleepy Hollow addition, valued at just under $115,000. New construction in Chickasha through April has topped $4 million.
State Foster Families to Get Income Tax Break
Oklahoma foster families will be getting a tax break. Gov. Kevin Stitt has signed SB 893, which provides a $5,000 income tax exemption for anyone contracting with a child-placing agency. There are more than 4,000 foster families in the state, which are caring for nearly 8,000 children in foster care. DHS officials say more foster homes are needed, and hope to get an additional 400 foster homes over the next two months. In order to qualify for the exemption, families must have been under contract and providing care for at least six months, or, claim a pro-rated exemption based on the difference. The law will go into effect November 1st.
Anadarko to Celebrate Cinco de Mayo
The City of Anadarko will celebrate Cinco de Mayo this weekend. The Chamber of Commerce is hosting a block party to celebrate Mexican culture. There will be traditional Mexican music and dancing, and vendors are welcome to set up booths at no cost, as part of Anadarko's town-wide garage sale. Vendors are asked to contact the Anadarko Chamber by calling 405-247-6651. There is a home-made salsa competition. Kids can have a good time with inflatables and other activities. The Anadarko Cinco de Mayo block party will be downtown Anadarko on Sunday, May 5th from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Get information about the salsa competition on the Anadarko Chamber of Commerce Facebook page.
Energy and Metals
Crude oil on the NYMEX is $63.60 per barrel.
London based Brent crude is $72.18.
Natural gas is $2.62 per million BTUs.
Gold is $1,271 and silver is $14.69.
Wednesday, May 1st
Bank Robbery Suspect Still at-Large
The FBI is now in charge of the investigation of a bank robbery that took place in Chickasha yesterday. The suspect is not yet in custody. It was about 9:15 a.m. Tuesday, just minutes after Community Bank of Oklahoma at 13th and Grand opened for business. A man walked in, said he had a gun and demanded money. After getting an undisclosed amount of cash, the man walked south of the bank and into a local neighborhood. The suspect is a white male perhaps in his 50s. He's about 5'8" inches tall with a slight build. He has scruffy, salt-and-pepper facial hair and was wearing a black bandana, a gray sweatshirt, a gray jean jacket with some kind of logos, blue jeans, and tan work boots. You can see photos of the suspect on our Facebook page and on the Chickasha Police Department's Facebook page. The Oklahoma Bankers Association is offering a $2,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the suspect. Individuals with information can contact the Federal Bureau of investigation via e-mail at: tips.fbi.gov
Four Arrested, One Wanted in Child Abuse Investigation
A disturbing case of child abuse, in which a teenager says he would be handcuffed to a table at night, urinated on by several people, and forced to go a week without eating. Four people are in custody and authorities have issued an arrest warrant for a fifth person alleged to have been involved. Court documents filed by investigators with the district attorney's office indicate the teen alleged his attackers would get drunk and smoke marijuana before abusing him. Among other abuse he said he suffered was that they would superglue paper on his head, let it dry, then pull it off and rip his hair out. He also alleged they threw lit cigarettes at him and physically threw him out of the house. The events are alleged to have occurred in rural Rush Springs over a 10-day period back in February. In custody and formally charged with felonies are 34-year old Jeffrey Scott Rasmussen; 33-year old April Summers; 30-year old Amber Barnes; and 19-year old George Anthony Michael Mount. All remain in jail on bond that ranges from $100,000 to $300,000. A felony arrest warrant has been issued for 30-year old William Eugene Barnes. All are being charged with crimes that include child abuse, neglect, and failing to protect a child from abuse.
Anadarko Celebrates Stamp Featuring Post Office Mural
A dedication ceremony was held in Anadarko yesterday for the new U.S. postage stamp that features one of the murals in the Anadarko Post Office. The murals were commissioned during the Great Depression, where hundreds of artists nationwide were hired to boost the morale of the country. The murals in the Anadarko post office were painted by Steven Mopope, one of the internationally-known Kiowa Five artists who worked to preserve the history of the tribe. Mopope’s granddaughter, Vanessa Jennings, said Mopope went above and beyond what he was paid to do.
There was talk of painting over the murals at one time, but instead they were re-painted in order to preserve Mopope's work.
Companies Get Help to Upgrade Rural Broadband Service
Faster Internet service is expected for parts of rural Oklahoma, although it may still be a few years down the road. The Federal Communications Commission says new rules adopted last December allowed more than 180 companies to take part in the FCC's Alternative Connect America Cost Model program. The firms accepted more than $65 million in additional annual support over the next 10 years to upgrade rural broadband service. The Universal Service Fund is expected to increase service to nearly 28,000 Oklahoma homes and businesses. It will be a while before the higher speed will be available. The companies have until the end of 2022 to have the service available to 40 percent of the areas they serve, and they have until 2028 to complete the work.
Energy and Metals
Crude oil on the NYMEX is $63.91 per barrel.
London-based Brent crude is $72.80.
Natural gas is $2.58 per million BTUs.
Gold is $1,284 and silver is $14.94.
Tuesday, April 30th
Silver Alert Canceled for Chickasha Man
A deaf senior citizen missing from Chickasha has been located. Chickasha police have canceled a Silver Alert for 85-year old Hershal "Lee" Barrett which was issued about noon Monday. It was believed Barrett left town late last week in his Chevy Corvette and was possibly headed to California. He was stopped by police in Amarillo, Texas either Friday or Saturday before the Silver Alert was issued. A Chickasha police dispatcher this morning said that the Silver Alert was canceled but there was no information regarding when or where he was found.
Minco Teen's Funeral Pending
The funeral for the Minco teenager who died in a traffic accident this past weekend is pending. 17-year old Logan Dobson was a passenger in a pickup involved in a crash that happened on U.S. Highway 81 north of Chickasha Sunday night. At last report, the highway patrol said the accident is still under investigation. The Minco Millenium posted a photo of the Minco High School sophomore on Facebook last night. Everyone at Minco schools were asked to wear blue today in honor of Logan.
Anadarko Post Office Mural Stamp Dedication Today
A big celebration in Anadarko today, as the post office holds a dedication ceremony for the recently released post office mural stamps. One of the newest stamps features one of 16 murals painted in the Anadarko post office. The paintings were commissioned in the 1930s and 40s. The painting called Kiowas Moving Camp is the mural selected for the stamp which was issued earlier this month. The formal ceremony will include Vanessa Jennings, the granddaughter of Stephen Mopope, who was the artist commissioned to paint the Anadarko murals. The Kiowa Black Leggings Warrior Society, Matt Komalty, Chairman of the Kiowa Tribe, Anadarko Mayor Kyle Eastwood, and Julie Gosdin, the U.S. Postal Service District Manager are all to be on hand for the dedication.
Grady County Museum Receives State Award
A big honor is presented to the Grady County Historical Society Museum. The museum was selected as the Outstanding Regional Historical Museum at the Oklahoma History and Preservation conference held at USAO last week. Director Pat Cunningham was quite happy to receive the award. Several other awards were also issued by the State Historic Preservation office including the newest additions to the National Register of Historic Places. They include the Rock Island Passenger Station in Anadarko; the Southridge Addition Historic District in Norman; and the Sunset-Vogue Blue Ribbon Apartments Historic District in Lawton.
Seminar Set for Mineral Rights, Royalty Owners
Mineral rights owners who would like information on how to take advantage of them have an opportunity to learn how. A free mineral rights and royalty owner seminar will be held next month. It will be led by David Sikes, a Chickasha resident who is a certified mineral manager who is past president of the National Association of Royalty Owners (NARO). He currently serves as the president of the NARO Foundation, and is the third generation of his family to work in the energy industry. The program is only for about 90 minutes, and will be held on Thursday, May 30th on the Chickasha campus of the Canadian Valley Technology Center, starting at 6 p.m. While there is no cost to attend officials ask that you register in advance by calling CV Tech, 405-222-7552.
Energy and Metals
Crude oil on the NYMEX is $63.50 per barrel.
London-based Brent crude IS $72.04.
Natural gas is $2.59 per million BTUs.
Gold is $1,286 and silver is $15.02.
Monday, April 29th
Minco Teen Dies in Deadly Crash
A deadly crash north of Chickasha last night claims the life of a Minco teenager. The accident happened about 7:45 p.m. Sunday at U.S. Highway 81 and County Street 1320, which is about a mile north of the Chickasha Airport. The trooper on the scene said the crash involved a pickup and a van and that the accident is still under investigation. The unidentified teenager who died was 17 years old. The Highway Patrol did not release his name. The agency has a policy of not identifying anyone under the age of 18. Minco School Superintendent Kevin Sims says the teen was a sophomore at Minco High School. The young man was a passenger in the pickup which was driven by 21-year old Aaron Lee Murray, also of Minco. Murray was taken to Grady Memorial Hospital where he was treated for head and trunk injuries and released. The driver of the van was identified as 56-year old Rebecca Cook of Blanchard. She suffered external trunk injuries and was also treated and released from Grady Memorial. At Minco schools today, Sims said grief counselors and the local ministerial alliance will be on hand to help students and staff try and cope with the loss.
Newcastle School Bus Involved in Accident
Breaking news this morning as a Newcastle school bus has been involved in a traffic accident. The crash occurred just before 7:30 a.m. on State Highway 76 about five miles north of Blanchard near State Highway 130. Reports are that an SUV rear-ended the bus. It wasn't known if any children were on the bus or if there are any injuries. Reports indicate the SUV had considerable damage.
Chickasha Man Unhurt in Boating Mishap
A Chickasha man is OK after a strange boating accident in eastern Oklahoma this weekend. 53-year old Grady Harrell was operating his bass boat on Sardis Lake Saturday morning near Porum in Muskogee County, when the boat started to take on water. Harrell beached the boat and called for help to tow the damaged vessel. But while in tow, the bass boat capsized and got stuck on a stump. Harrell was able to swim safely to the vessel that was towing him. He did have a flotation device with him and was not injured.
New President on Board with Chickasha Chamber
The Chickasha Chamber of Commerce has a new president and chief executive officer. Cassandra Ersland was recently hired by the Chamber Board of Directors. She takes the post from Cody Mosley, who has been serving as interim president after previous chamber president Mark Rathe stepped down. Mosley keeps his post as the administrator of the Chickasha Economic Development Council. Ersland previously served as Director of Development at USAO and also worked in marketing, as well as political and non-profit fund-raising in Dallas, Denver, and Oklahoma City. She's a Chickasha native and holds a journalism degree from OU with an emphasis on marketing and advertising.
Barry Switzer Touts Scoreboard Project
Former OU and Dallas Cowboy football coach Barry Switzer will be back in Chickasha this week, promoting the new digital scoreboards that one of his companies is installing at the Chickasha Sports Complex. The scoreboards are being installed at no cost to the city. Switzer's company called Youth Scoreboards has already installed six new digital scoreboards at the complex with several more planned. Area businesses interested in placing ads on the scoreboards are encouraged to stop by and ask questions and get information about how the marketing plan will work. This come-and-go reception will be Thursday, May 2nd from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. in the Regents Room on the USAO campus.
State Youth to Rally in Support of Green Energy
Oklahoma youth will rally in Oklahoma this week with hopes of protecting the environment. The group is called Youth Climate Strike Oklahoma, which is affiliated with an organization that coordinates nationwide strikes. The protest is endorsed by the Oklahoma Chapter of the Sierra Club. The youth are supporting the Green New Deal proposed in Washington, D.C. in hopes of ending climate change. The protest is set from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Friday in downtown Oklahoma City. The youth hope to enact legislation to combat climate change on local and state levels; adopt the Green New Deal to shift Americans to 100 percent clean, renewable, and net-zero emission energy sources through a fair and just transition for all communities and workers; and to declare the climate crisis a national emergency.
Energy and Metals
Crude oil on the NYMEX is $63.30 per barrel.
London-based Brent crude is $72.15.
Natural gas is $2.56 per million BTU.
Gold is $1,284 and silver is $15.03.
