Saturday, May 25th
Banks 'Rachet Up' Work to Finance Oil, Gas Projects
A new study shows that regional banks across the country are increasing their efforts to finance the energy industry. That's especially good news for Oklahoma since oil and gas is the state's top industry. The website OK Energy Today cites the survey conducted by Pickering Energy Partners. It indicates that banks are backing away from climate goals as well as from their previous discrimination of the industry when they were using federal energy policies to avoid making those loans. The report said that many private climate goals sought by the year 2030 are likely to be missed and banks are now saying that net-zero targets by 2050 will not be achievable. The Energy Workforce Technology Council highlighted the study and found that U.S. banks are racheting up their lending to oil and gas clients.
Anadarko Residents Injured in OKC Fatality Accident
Four Anadarko residents were taken to a hospital following a multi-vehicle crash in Oklahoma City where a pedestrian died. The accident happened Thursday afternoon near I-240 and Western Avenue. Injured were 31-year old Christopher Rios; 20-year old Alyssa Rios; 20-year old Levi Hankins and an unidentified 7-year old girl. All were taken to OU Med where they were admitted in good condition. They were in one of three vehicles involved in the crash which is still under investigation. Authorities have not identified the pedestrian who died.
Chickasha Muncipal Swimming Pool to Open Memorial Day
The swimming pool at Chickasha's Shannon Springs Park will be opening for the summer on Monday which is Memorial Day. Officials with the YMCA which is managing the pool again this year say the pool will be open Monday afternoon from 1-6 p.m. YMCA members get free admission, while admission for non-Y members is $5. The YMCA will have several sessions of swimming lessons throughout the summer. The pool can be reserved for private parties after normal operating hours. Contact the YMCA for more information. The pool will close in early August just before school resumes.
Talk Show Topic
Here's what we're talking about this weekend. The three Republican candidates for District Two Grady County Commissioner are on the KOOL Konversation. Current commissioner Kirk Painter and challengers Ruth Bingham and Garland Terry are on the show. There is a podcast of the program under the Community tab on this website.
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Friday, May 24th
OSBI Arrests Child Porn Suspect
Agents with the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation (OSBI) track down a Blanchard man accused of distributing child porn. The agency's Internet Crimes Against Children unit began looking into the allegations last week and was able to obtain hundreds of images of child sexual abuse material from an on-line user. On Wednesday, the OSBI and other law enforcement agencies served a search warrant at the home of 19-year old Kevin Berit Goelz. He was taken to the McClain County Jail where he is facing charges of child sexual exploitation, distribution of child porn, and violating the Oklahoma Computer Crimes Act. The OSBI said the Blanchard Police Department and the sheriff's offices in both McClain and Payne counties were part of the investigation.
Arrest Warrant Issued for Cyril Burglary Suspect
Caddo County authorities are looking for a suspect after thousands of dollars in items were stolen from a Cyril home. An arrest warrant has been issued for 37-year old Joshua Myers of Marlow. He’s charged with felony grand larceny, burglary, and having a firearm after former felony conviction. KSWO-TV cites Caddo County court documents that say Cyril police believe Myers broke into the home earlier this month and stole jewelry and a revolver with a combined value of more than $20,000. A bag containing the revolver was found in an alley the day after the burglary.
Turnpike Work Begins Next Week
Upgrades to a portion of the H.E. Bailey Turnpike between Chickasha and Fletcher will get underway next week. Officials say traffic will be narrowed to one lane in both directions through the summer. Crews will be replacing the pavement on the shoulders and making guardrail improvements. The estimated cost of the project is $9.2 million with work expected to be completed in early fall.
College Scholarships for Special Needs Students Approved
Students with intellectual and developmental disabilities will be able to get college scholarships beginning this fall. Gov. Kevin Stitt has signed HB 3792 into law which creates the Oklahoma Access and Achievement Program. State Sen. Ally Siefried (R-Claremore) authored the bill which she says will open doors for the students and ensure they have the financial support and resources they need to succeed and become valuable members of Oklahoma's workforce. A student enrolled in comprehensive transition and post-secondary programs will take traditional classes in addition to specialized classes. They will have trained peer mentors and can serve as interns. The scholarships will be funded through the Oklahoma Higher Access Learning Trust Fund.
Blanchard Summer Concert Series Begins Tonight
The Memorial Day weekend is about to kick-off and the City of Blanchard will begin a weekly summer concert series tonight. The Zach Ray Band opens the series at Lions Park. Zach is a Blanchard native who has been playing in Nashville the last few years. He says he and his crew are continuously honing their craft.
Zach will have several members of Blake Shelton's backup band helping him tonight. The Blanchard Summer Concert Series is hosted by the Blanchard Parks and Recreation Department and will be held every Friday night through June 28th.
Energy and Metals
Crude oil on the NYMEX is $76.87 per barrel.
London-based Brent crude is $81.90.
Natural gas is $2.66 per million BTUs.
Gold is $2,361 and silver is $30.74.
Obituaries
Marleta Stephens
A memorial service for Marleta Stephens, 89, of Chickasha will be held at 10:30 a.m. Friday, May 31st at Chisholm Heights Baptist Church in Mustang. She worked for the Jane Brooks School for the Deaf and started M-Veta's Christian Book Store with her sister Vineta. Arrangements are with Ferguson Funeral Home.
Melvin Wilson Jr.
Funeral service for Melvin Wilson Jr., 53, of Chickasha will be held at 2:00 p.m. Saturday, June 1st at Ferguson Funeral Home. He was a U.S. Army veteran and a Licensed Practical Nurse.
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Thursday, May 23rd
New Anadarko City Manager Named
A new city manager will soon be on board in Anadarko. Janice Cain was recently named to the post and will begin June 1st. Cain has served as city manager in Marlow and Altus. While in Altus she was named the City Management Association of Oklahoma's City Manager of the Year in 2018. The Anadarko Daily News reports she has 40 years' experience in various positions in municipal government including 15 years as city manager in addition to serving as an interim city manager. Cain has been a consultant to municipal governments and served on a number of boards and commissions including the Oklahoma Municipal Power Authority, the City Management Association of Oklahoma, and the Oklahoma Municipal Assurance Group. The Stephens County native has also served as a trainer through the Oklahoma Municipal League. She’ll take the reigns from Anadarko Mayor Kelly McGlothlin who has been serving as interim city manager over the last few months.
Grant will Help USAO Improve University Habitat
USAO has received a large grant to help a flock of wild turkeys which roams the university's habitat. The Kirkpatrick Foundation has provided $40,000 to make improvements to include clearing out overgrowth in the forest where the turkeys live and re-forest areas to create more useable forest. Officials say because of the current overgrowth the turkeys can't move freely which prevents them from thriving. The project will be part of the ongoing research at the Jean McLaughlin Outdoor Education and Research Center. Officials say the grant will also help the university build partnerships with the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation and the National Wild Turkey Federation.
Chix Police Department to Host Leadership Programs
The Chickasha Police Department will be holding a couple of courses on Law Enforcement Leadership this summer. An executive academy will be held July 22nd through 26th and a sergeant’s academy will be held July 29th through Aug. 2nd. Both are CLEET certified and will be led by Stephen Kent of The Results Group who will address the roles and responsibilities of leadership positions in law enforcement. Interested individuals can register on the links to the academies which can be found on the Chickasha Police Department's Facebook page.
Chix Library Kicks Off Summer Reading Program
The Chickasha Public Library will kick-off its summer reading program today with a big event at Centennial Park. The kids can sign up for the reading program and there will be a lot of games and activities including touch-a-truck, face painting, chalk art, food trucks and more. Those taking part will also be able to get involved in a community service program by helping the city's animal shelter which will have some adoptable animals at the kick-off. A new event for the summer reading program is an Adventure Passport Challenge. Participants can pick up a passport booklet that includes locations of about a dozen Chickasha businesses for them to visit and get a stamp. At the end of the summer reading program the names of those with completed passports will go into a drawing to win family tickets to the Myriad Botanical Gardens. The kick-off is a free event at Centennial Park from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. today.
Energy and Metals
Crude oil on the NYMEX is $77.57 per barrel.
London-based Brent crude is $81.90.
Natural gas is $2.84 per million BTUs.
Gold is $2,391 and silver is $30.79.
Obituary
Robert Novotny, Sr.
Rosary for Robert Novotny, Jr., 86, of Tuttle and formerly of the Verden and Chickasha area will be held at 7:00 p.m. tonight at Sevier Funeral Home. He was a U.S. Air Force veteran and worked at Dusters and Sprayers for more than 50 years. Funeral service will be held at 10:30 a.m. Friday, May 24th at the Holy Spirit Catholic Church in Mustang.
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Wednesday, May 22nd
Another Fatal Motorcycle Crash in Blanchard
For the second time in less than a week there's been a deadly motorcycle accident in the Blanchard area. Last night, 20-year old Austin Stokes of Blanchard died when he was driving his motorcycle in the wrong lane as he topped a hill and he was hit head on by a van. Stokes was pronounced deceased after being taken to an Oklahoma City hospital. The accident happened about 6:30 p.m. on the Grady and McClain County Line Road and 353rd Street in Blanchard. The driver of the van, 49-year old Tanya Anderson of Blanchard was not injured, while a passenger identified as 31-year old Kiaya Anderson was taken to an Oklahoma City hospital in a private vehicle where she was treated and released. This past weekend, 23-year old Colby Hubers of Blanchard died when his motorcycle ran off the road and hit a mailbox.
Driver Charged with Child Abuse after Traffic Stop
A traffic stop leads to the arrest of a woman who has been charged with child abuse. Tuttle police pulled over 42-year old Cecilia Esparza-Valdez of Bethany early Monday morning for swerving left of center. KSWO-TV cites Grady County court documents that allege Esparza-Valdez had an odor of alcohol about her and she refused to follow instructions during a field sobriety test. She's been charged with two felony counts of child abuse and a misdemeanor charge of DUI. If tried and convicted of the child abuse charges Esparza-Valdez faces up to life in prison. A preliminary hearing conference has been scheduled for June 26th and she remains in jail on a $20,000 bond.
Four Area Counties Make Top-10 List
for Highest Annual Household Incomes
Several area counties are on a top-10 list for having the highest annual household incomes in Oklahoma. And Grady, McClain, Cleveland, and Canadian County all made the list. No. 1 is Canadian County with an annual median household income of just over $82,000; McClain County is No. 3 with an annual median household income of just over $80,000; Grady County checks in at No. 7 at just over $74,000; and Cleveland County is No. 8 at just under $72,000. The Oklahoman published information obtained from the five-year estimates put together by the U.S. Census Bureau's 2022 American Community Survey.
Anadarko 4th of July Celebration to Include Lighted Drones
While many are preparing for the upcoming Memorial Day holiday a lot of communities are looking a little further down the road to the 4th of July. There will be a lot of fireworks displays for Independence Day celebrations including communities like Chickasha, Blanchard, and Anadarko. The Anadarko Honor America Day celebration will have a new addition - a lighted drone show. The City of Anadarko's Facebook page says 80 illuminated drones will take to the sky and created dazzling patterns and stunning visuals. Anadarko’s Honor America Day celebration will be on Friday, June 28th at Randlett Park with activities starting at 5:00 p.m.
Energy and Metals
Crude oil on the NYMEX is $79.26 per barrel.
London-based Brent crude is $83.71.
Natural gas is $2.67 per million BTUs.
Gold is $2,444 and silver is $31.97.
Obituary
Doyal David Martin
Funeral service for Doyal David Martin, 72, of Chickasha, will be held at 10:00 a.m. Friday, May 24th at Ferguson Funeral Home. He worked in the oilfield, for horse trailer manufacturers, and Midwest Towers.
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Tuesday, May 21st
Chix Council OKs Grant Application Process
to Engineer/Design Downtown-to-Fairgrounds Bridge
A proposal to build a pedestrian bridge over a railroad that would connect downtown Chickasha to the Grady County Fairgrounds was the subject of considerable debate during last night's Chickasha City Council meeting. During a 3 1/2 hour meeting most the discussion was centered on a proposed resolution to declare the city eligible to apply for Transportation Alternatives Program funds through the Oklahoma Department of Transportation. The funding is available through a federal program called the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. DeShon Heisel with an Oklahoma City engineering firm selected to help with the application process said this is the first step of what would take several years to complete.
The bridge would require approval from the railroad which has not yet been obtained. The grant would provide 80 percent of the estimated $750,000 cost of the engineering and design of the bridge with the city to pay 20 percent or $150,000. Officials say the project could be linked to more than a dozen other grants that would provide some of the private funding needed for the bridge construction which has an estimated price tag of between $7 million and $10 million. Officials say the application must be submitted by next week with grant announcements to be made in November. The council voted 6-3 in favor of the resolution with council members Charlie Burruss and Kelly Boyd voting no and councilman Brian Gerdes abstaining.
Shannon Springs Park bridge also selected for program
The council approved a second resolution to apply for a similar grant to replace the bridge over the pond at Shannon Springs Park. The estimated cost of that project is just over $1.4 million.
YMCA awarded pool contract
The council also approved a contract with the YMCA to operate the pool at Shannon Springs Park this summer. YMCA Director Lewis Knisley said they are looking to open the pool Tuesday, May 28th but it could be open on Memorial Day if things are in order.
Council applies for 'Quality Event Designation' for National Show
The panel also approved a resolution requesting a Quality Event Designation from the State Department of Commerce for the Red Angus National Youth Expo that will be held at the Grady County Fairgrounds June 9th through 13th. The commerce department will reimburse communities for some of their expenses for hosting events that bring out-of-state visitors and promotes tourism. The group also approved a request from the Chamber of Commerce to hold a decorated ATV/motorcycle/bicycle parade at Shannon Springs Park on the 4th of July ahead of the fireworks display that will be held at the park that night.
Grady County Sheriff's Office Phone Number 'Spoofed'
Another local law enforcement agency has had its phone number spoofed. Grady County Sheriff Gary Boggess says individuals are making calls that appear to be from the sheriff's office at 405-224-0984. The caller is telling potential victims that they have missed their jury summons, that a warrant had been issued for their arrest, and they could pay to have the warrant dismissed. Boggess says his office would never make such a call. The sheriff says should anyone receive one of these spoofed calls to simply hang up and not share any personal bank account or credit card information. Just a few weeks ago the Chickasha Police Department had its telephone number spoofed.
Energy and Metals
Crude oil on the NYMEX is $79.80 per barrel.
London-based Brent crude is $83.98.
Natural gas is $2.75 per million BTUs.
Gold is $2,443 and silver is $31.80.
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Monday, May 20th
Tornadoes Again Hit Oklahoma
Another night of violent weather swept across portions of the state last night with reports of multiple tornadoes. Tornado warnings were issued for Caddo and Grady Counties for a storm moving into central Oklahoma from Weatherford. Later, three tornado warnings were issued for Grady County. The first was about 9:10 p.m. for a storm southeast of El Reno with a possible tornado and baseball-sized hail moving southeast and threatening Union City, Minco, Tuttle, and Bridge Creek. At 9:35 p.m., a tornado warning was issued for Union City, Minco, Tuttle, El Reno, and Mustang for a storm southwest of Yukon. Then at 9:50 p.m. a tornado warning was issued for two tornadoes - one four miles east of Union City and one west of Yukon. KWTV News 9 storm trackers had video of a tornado touching down east of Union City. There are no reports of injuries or damage from those storms.
Motorcyclist Dies in Weekend Crash
A Blanchard man died when his motorcycle ran off the road and hit a mailbox over the weekend. 23-year old Colby Hubers died in the accident that happened on State Highway 76 just south of U.S. Highway 62 about 11:30 p.m. Saturday. The highway patrol said that Hubers was driving under the influence, speeding, and not wearing a helmet.
Two other people hospitalized in separate accident
Another weekend traffic accident in Blanchard sent two people to separate hospitals Saturday morning. 47-year old Joey Pettijohn was last in critical condition at OU Medical Center and 49-year old Dustin Pettijohn was last in serious condition at Integris-Baptist Hospital. That accident happened at the intersection of a couple of county roads south of Blanchard just before 10:00 a.m. The Pettijohns were slowing down to make a turn when their Jeep was rear-ended by an SUV driven by 18-year old Samuel Vaughn also of Blanchard who was not hurt. The trooper investigating that accident said Vaughn was distracted.
City of Chix to Seek Grants for Pedestrian Bridges
Downtown
There's new information about a proposed pedestrian bridge that would connect the Grady County Fairgrounds to downtown Chickasha. During tonight's Chickasha City Council meeting, the panel will consider a resolution declaring the eligibility of the city to submit an application to the Oklahoma Department of Transportation (ODOT) for a grant that could be used to help pay for the project. It asks ODOT for $750,000 to help build the bridge over the railroad tracks near the Rock Island Railroad Depot. In a letter to ODOT City Manager Keith Johnson says the city is prepared to provide the local matching funds for the project and believes the investment would spur a new era of economic development and tourism.
Shannon Springs Park
The council will consider a second resolution asking ODOT to provide about $1.4 million in funds to replace the pedestrian bridge over the pond in Shannon Springs Park. In a separate letter to ODOT Johnson said the bridge is over 50 years old and needs to be replaced to be accessible to the handicapped.
Panel to get Economic Development Update
Also tonight, Economic Development Director Jim Cowan will have a presentation for the council. The meeting will begin at 6:30 tonight at city hall.
Energy and Metals
Crude oil on the NYMEX is $80.06 per barrel.
London-based Brent crude is $83.98.
Natural gas is $2.63 per million BTUs.
Gold is $2,445 and silver is well over $30 to $32.30.
Obituaries
Carol Sites
Funeral service for Carol Sites, 80, of Chickasha will be held at 1:00 p.m. Wednesday, May 22nd at Ferguson Funeral Home. She worked at Pool Mortgage Company, was a vice president at First Federal Savings and Loan, and also worked at USAO. Memorial contributions may be made to the USAO Foundation.
Marilyn Barrington
A graveside service for Marilyn Barrington, 79, of Chickasha will be held at 10:00 a.m. Saturday, May 25th at the Marlow Cemetery. She was a teacher in Oklahoma and Texas schools. Arrangements are with Sevier Funeral Home. Memorial contributions may be made to the Barrington-Nichols-Thompson Scholarship Fund at Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama.
Donna Start
A memorial service for Donna Start, 68, of Chickasha will be held at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, June 8th at the Ninnekah First Baptist Church. She was a waitress, a Red Cross volunteer, and was a licensed first responder. Arrangements are with Ferguson Funeral Home.
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