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Mollman Media News Archives for 2020-12

2020, Dec. 21st-26th

Saturday, December 26th

 

Teacher Charged with Rape of Student

A special education teacher is accused of raping one of her students. Andee Lantz who had been teaching at Carnegie schools resigned last month after being confronted with the allegation. Carnegie police had requested a warrant for her arrest on Friday, Dec. 18th. Lantz appeared in a Caddo County courtroom for her arraignment this past Wednesday. She faces a formal charge of second degree rape. Lantz was released after posting a $15,000 bond. She's to be back in court for a preliminary hearing conference in March. KWTV-News 9 cites court documents as saying that the 26-year old Lantz invited a 16-year old student to her home and that they had been intimate two or three times.

 

Christmas Crash Victim Critical

A Fletcher woman is critically injured after her truck crashes into a bridge. 43-year old Karen Horne suffered head, arm, leg, and internal injuries in the accident. She was air-lifted to an Oklahoma City hospital. The accident happened about 5:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 24th on State Highway 17 just east of Elgin. The Highway Patrol reports that for an unknown reason Horne veered off the highway and hit the bridge. The highway was closed for two hours after the crash.

 

Dog of Missing Ft. Sill Soldier Found

A dog that had gone missing from Lawton has been reunited with its owner. Earlier this week, the Lawton Constitution published a story about Boo, an 11-year old terrier/Chihuahua mix that was able to get out of the yard of the home of active-duty soldier Michelle Eatherly. She posted signs throughout the base asking for help in finding the dog. Just a couple of days after the story appeared in the Constitution, Eatherly said she got a text message from Courtney, an employee at the Oak Ridge Animal Center who had seen a flyer and recognized Boo's photo. Courtney said a Good Samaritan found Boo and that he was seriously injured. He suffered some puncture wounds around his neck, fractured ribs, and hypothermia. Boo is responding well to treatment. Eatherly set up a GoFundMe account to help pay for Boo's medical treatment. Any excess funds will be donated to the center to help pay medical costs for future lost pets that need immediate care.

 

Talk Show Topic

Here’s what we’re talking about this weekend. Ahsa Morin with the Red Cord is on our KOOL Konversation. Find a link to the program under the Community tab on this website.

 

Obituaries

Joe Mullin

A private memorial service for Joe Mullin, 75 of Chickasha will be held at a later date. Burial will be at the Ft. Sill National Cemetery in Elgin on Monday, Dec. 28th. Arrangements are with Ireland Funeral Home in Moore.

Charlie Lennier

A private graveside service will be held for Charlie Lennier, of Poteau, formerly of Ninnekah. He operated the Lennier Manufacturing Company in the 1960s and 70s and spent several years X-raying pipelines. He was a U.S. Air Force Veteran. Arrangements are with McConnell Funeral Home of Poteau.

 

 

Thursday, December 24th

 

Crash Claims Life of Tuttle Woman

A Grady County woman lost her life in a deadly crash in western Oklahoma. High winds are being blamed on the traffic accident that killed 42-year old Sandra Lucas of Tuttle. The accident happened about 3:00 p.m. Wednesday on I-40 east of Elk City. She was a passenger in a pick-up driven by 45-year old Shane Lucas.  Mr. Lucas and two children also in the truck were injured. The highway patrol reports that they were towing a box-type utility trailer and trying to pass a semi, when high winds caused Mr. Lucas to lose control, causing the pick-up and trailer to jack-knife. The semi then struck the passenger side of the pick-up. Shane Lucas was taken to an Oklahoma City hospital where his condition was unknown at the time of publication. The children - a 16-year old boy  and a 12-year old girl (whose names were not released) - were taken to an Elk City  hospital where they were treated and released. The California driver of the semi was not injured.

 

5-Year Old Dies in House Fire

A little girl died in a fire that destroyed two homes in Mt. View. KSWO-TV reports that the fire erupted about 4:00 a.m. Wednesday morning. The child was identified as five-year old Harlee Bigger. The television station reported that Harlee's father, Michael had just gotten to work when he got the tragic news from his grandfather. The state fire marshal is investigating the cause of the fire. A Go Fund Me account has been set up for the family.

              

Father Charged with Child Neglect

A 77-year old man said to be the father of a four-year old is facing a charge of child neglect. The child was found wandering barefoot several blocks from his home. A probable cause affidavit filed by Chickasha police indicates that a city worker in the 700 block of South 9th spotted the child Monday morning and called police. Authorities say the boy smelled of urine and was not properly dressed for the cold weather. The child was unable to tell police his name or where he lived. Another officer recognized the child – and police say it's not the first time they've found him unsupervised. Police took the child home and contacted the father who said he had fallen asleep and the child must have unlocked the door to get out. However, police said there was no way the child could have unlocked the door. The child was released to the custody of his mother who had come home from work while authorities were there. Police arrested Warren David Whitney and he spent Monday night in jail. On Tuesday, Whitney was formally charged with felony child neglect and was released from jail after posting a $10,000 bond.

 

Neighbor Helps Police Find Burglary Suspect              

An alert neighbor is credited with helping police catch a suspect alleged to have burglarized a vehicle. A woman called Chickasha police Monday morning when she saw a stranger rummaging through her neighbor's vehicle. The woman gave a description of the suspect and officers found him a few blocks away. The suspect is reported to have had items in his possession that had been in the car. Police arrested 30-year old Eric Lee Hurley who has been formally charged with felony burglary and misdemeanor drug possession. He also had an outstanding warrant from a 2018 indecent exposure arrest. Hurley remains in jail on a $25,000 bond.

 

City, County Offices Close for Holiday;

City Shuts Down Weekend Limb Drop-Off

Both Chickasha City Hall and the Grady County Courthouse are closed for the next couple of days for the Christmas holiday. Both will be re-opening on Monday. City of Chickasha officials also say they have discontinued the weekend hours for the limb drop off at the Public Works headquarters. Residents can still take brush from the October ice storm to the public works headquarters and drop it off at no charge during normal weekday business hours. However, the facility will be closed today and tomorrow as well as next Thursday and Friday for New Year's Eve and New Year's Day.

 

Alabama Missionairies Provide Gifts for Chix Church              

Missionaries from an Alabama church will help make the holiday brighter for some Chickasha youth. Parishioners from the Leatherwood Baptist Church of Anniston, Alabama have provided gifts to the Fellowship of the American Indian Church to give away. The give-away will be Sunday, Dec. 27th at the church at 1217 W. Frisco starting at 11:00 a.m. The gifts are for children 17 and under and the children must be present to get them.

 

Energy and Metals

Crude oil on the NYMEX is $48.12 per barrel.

London-based Brent crude is $51.20.

Natural gas is $2.60 per million BTUs.

Gold is $1,879 and silver is $25.92.

 

Obituary

John Foley

A graveside service for John Foley, 78 of Pauls Valley and formerly of Chickasha will be at 1:00 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 29th at Chickasha’s Rose Hill Cemetery. He owned and operated a number of pharmacies including Chickasha's Rexall Drug for many years.  He was a U.S. Air Force veteran. Arrangements are with Ferguson Funeral Home.

 

Wednesday, December 23rd

 

Couple with COVID-19 Dies Days Apart

Longtime Chickasha residents Billy and Betty Merrell recently lost their lengthy battles with the coronavirus, dying just days apart from each other. Betty was 84 when she passed away on December 10th and Billy was 85 when he died on December 18th. Billy was a Navy veteran and served in the Korean War.  He worked in the oilfield much of his life and enjoyed tinkering with cars.  Betty enjoyed sewing and crocheting - making dolls, doll clothes, and Hallowe'en costumes for their grandchildren and also enjoyed working in her flower garden. A joint graveside service will be held at 1:00 p.m. Monday, Dec. 28th at Fairlawn Cemetery. Arrangements are with Ferguson Funeral Home. Memorial contributions may be made to the Chickasha VFW.

 

Coronavirus Update

Checking the coronavirus numbers in the region, Chickasha has had more than 1,550 cases with 21 deaths and there are about 130 active cases. Blanchard is nearing 1,350 cases and there has been 7 deaths and  192 active cases. Tuttle is at 867 cases with 6 deaths and there are 94 active cases. Throughout Grady County, there have been more than 3,550 cases with 35 deaths and there are 353 active cases. Anadarko has had 885 cases with 15 deaths and there are 88 active cases. In all of Caddo County, there are more than 2,570 cases with 39 deaths and 284 active cases. The state health department reports that statewide - 2,240 people have died from the infection and 1,750 people are currently hospitalized.

 

Chickasha Picks Up Water Quality Award

Despite some problems with the City of Chickasha's water this past summer the city gets some recognition for its water treatment. Chickasha is among 13 water systems in the state receiving a Water Fluoridation Quality Award. It comes from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The award was for calendar year 2019 (The city had no water quality issues that year). CDC officials say adding fluoride to drinking water prevents tooth decay and the process is considered to be one of the 10 great public health achievements of the 20th century. The city of Chickasha contracts with US Water Associates which is responsible for treating Chickasha drinking water and waste water.

 

Salvation Army Red Kettle Drive in the Home Stretch

The Salvation Army Red Kettle Drive will wrap up tomorrow and officials urge contributors to drop as much change as possible into the kettles. All the funds donated in the Grady and Caddo county areas stay in the region to help needy families throughout the coming year. In a unique challenge, Local contractor CMS Willowbrook held a recent jobsite competition to help and agreed to match the total donations. Team members, suppliers, and subcontractors combined to donate more than $20,000 – with the Blanchard Elementary School jobsite responsible for $12,000. In all, the worksite challenge brought in more than $40,000 for the Salvation Army.

 

Energy and Metals

Crude oil on the NYMEX is $47.02 per barrel.

London-based Brent crude is $50.08.

Natural gas is $2.78 per million BTUs.

Gold is $1,862 and silver is $25.43.

 

Tuesday, December 22nd

 

Fed Disaster Declaration Approved for State Counties

More than a dozen Oklahoma counties have been approved for federal help to pay the clean-up costs from the devastating ice storms that hit the state in late October. President Donald Trump approved a major disaster declaration for 13 counties Monday which include Grady, Caddo, Canadian, and Oklahoma counties. State of Oklahoma officials are estimating clean-up costs around $27 million. In Chickasha, officials have estimated debris removal costs at $1.3 million. The Oklahoman reports that state officials will submit another request for an additional 16 counties to get FEMA relief including McClain, Stephens, and Comanche counties.

 

Minimum Wage Increase Bill Filed at State Capital              

A proposal to increase Oklahoma's minimum wage has been filed at the state capitol. Sen. George Young (D-Oklahoma City) filed SB 161 which would increase the minimum wage by nearly 50 percent - from $7.25 per hour to $10.50 per hour. The $10.50 per hour rate is equal to the federal minimum wage. In a press release, Young said it’s been more than a decade since Oklahomans have seen a minimum wage increase. During that time he said the spending power of a minimum-wage paycheck has drastically decreased. Young said many essential workers have been paid a minimum wage during the pandemic and that a raise would be a well-deserved thank you for their dedication and service. He said if Oklahoma truly wants to be a Top-10 state the minimum wage must be increased in order to be competitive with other states.

 

Congress OKs New Coronavirus Relief Measure

Both houses of Congress have now approved the next round of coronavirus relief funds and the $900 billion measure awaits the signature of President Trump. Oklahoma Farm Broadcaster Ron Hays says $13 billion is set aside for agriculture and talks about additional funds for the cattle industry.

 

              

 

It also includes $20 per acre for non-specialty crops to be paid under the CFAP program. Details on the programs will be released in the coming days.

 

Leg Lamp to Temporarily Come Down Due to Wind

Because of the forecast for high winds tonight Chickasha’s "Leg Lamp" will be taken down this evening. If you or someone you know are planning a trip to see the lamp officials say to check out the Chickasha Leg Lamp Facebook page to get updates on when it will return. The Leg Lamp can be found in downtown Chickasha at the historic Rock Island Railroad Depot.

 

Energy and Metals

Crude oil on the NYMEX is $47.74 per barrel.

London-based Brent crude is $50.91.

Natural gas is $2.70 per million BTUs.

Gold is $1,877 and silver is $26.12.

 

Obituaries

Richard Newton

A graveside service for Richard Newton, 76, of Chickasha will be held at 10:00 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 23rd at Fairlawn Cemetery. Arrangements are with Ferguson Funeral Home.

Brett Cook

A graveside service for Brett Cook, 60, of Chickasha will be at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 23rd at Fairlawn Cemetery. Arrangements are with Ferguson Funeral Home.

Bobby Lee James

A graveside service for Bobby Lee James, 31, of Chickasha will be at 2:00 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 23rd  at Laverty Cemetery. Arrangements are with McRay Funeral Home.

John Thweatt

A private service will be held at a later date for John Thweatt, 81, of Chickasha. Arrangements are with Ferguson Funeral Home.

 

Monday, December 21st

 

Chix City Manager Discusses Water Study              

A new comprehensive water study under review at Chickasha City Hall is said to be one of the most detailed plan ever. It’s an attempt to deal with flooding that occurs following extremely heavy rains. Earlier this month, the city council held the first of two public hearings on the water study which City Manager John Noblitt said took more than a year to complete.

 

              

 

A second public hearing on the plan will take place during the Monday, January 4th city council meeting. It's estimated that the total cost of the plan could run as high as $12 million with funding that could include asking voters to approve general obligation bonds as well as grants. Noblitt was on our KOOL Konversation program last weekend talking about the study. Find a link to that program under the Community tab on this website.

 

Chix School Superintendent Discusses Needed Repairs              

Many of the decades old schools and buildings in the Chickasha school district are in in need of repairs. Chickasha school superintendent Rick Croslin said that is why the district has placed a bond issue on a special election ballot next year. The school board is beginning to look at a strategic plan for a multi-million dollar upgrade in the next two or three years but this is work that needs to be done right now.

 

              

 

There will be two separate bond issues for the February 9, 2021 election. A $2.3 million proposal for the school upgrades, as well as technology and curriculum updates, and a $400,000 proposal for transportation needs.

 

RANCH-KOOL Host Blood Drive

106.1 The RANCH and Classic Hits KOOL 105.5 radio stations are hosting another community blood drive today. The Oklahoma Blood Institute will have its bloodmobile in the YMCA parking lot at 7th and Chickasha Ave. from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. today. All donors will have their names entered into a drawing for a $500 VISA gift card. All blood will be tested for coronavirus antibodies. Walk-ups are welcome but you can schedule an appointment by contacting George Plummer by calling 405-224-1560.

 

Chix Library to Offer Healthy Brain-Healthy Mind Program

The Chickasha Public Library will be holding a series of weekly health programs designed for older residents. Healthy Brain-Healthy Mind is a six-week program developed by the Oklahoma Healthy Aging Initiative. It will include information about good habits, routines, physical activity and nutrition. These are one-hour classes that will run each Tuesday from January 5th through February 9th. The virtual programs will be offered through the Zoom platform. To register and for those not familiar with how to use the Zoom platform, contact the library by calling 405-222-6075.

              

Energy and Metals

Crude oil on the NYMEX is $49.10 per barrel.

London-based Brent crude is $52.26.

Natural gas is $2.70 per million BTUs.

Gold is $1,878 and silver is $26.12.

 

Obituaries

Petra Romero

Funeral service for Petra Romero, 76, of Chickasha will be at 11:00 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 22nd at the First Baptist Church. Arrangements are with McRay Funeral Home.

Ethel Glass

Graveside service for Ethel Glass, 92, of Chickasha and formerly of Cement will be at 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 22nd in the Cement Cemetery. Arrangments are with Ferguson Funeral Home.

Fredia Johnson

Graveside service for Fredia Johnson, 82, Chickasha will be at 1:00 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 23rd at Fairlawn Cemetery. Arrangements are with Brown-Thomas Funeral Home.

 

2020, Dec. 14th-19th

Saturday, December 19th

 

Grady Memorial Staffers Get COVID-19 Vaccinations

About 200 front-line health care workers at Grady Memorial Hospital received their first vaccinations to battle the coronavirus this week. Dr. Amish Patel, a general surgery specialist, was among the first to get the vaccine. The State Health Department shared a photograph of Patel getting the shot from Registered Nurse Lauren Speer. The hospital workers were given the shots Thursday and Friday. A news release from the health department said this was the initial dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccinations. They will be getting a second vaccination in 21 days. This is Phase 1 of a multi-phase program to distribute the vaccine. The State of Oklahoma received about 33,000 of the vaccines. Doctors, nurses, state licensed Emergency Medical Technicians and paramedics are first in line. The vaccine will then be distributed to nursing homes and long-term care centers through a federal program and partnership with CVS and Walgreens pharmacies.

 

Bond Set for 'Person of Interest' in Chickasha Deaths

A $1 million bond. That's what a Comanche County judge set for a man arrested this week who is a person of interest regarding the deaths of Ashley Cannon and her unborn child of Chickasha earlier this month. Chickasha police announced the arrest of Kenneth Lee Johnson. Comanche County authorities had issued a warrant for Johnson's arrest for having a firearm after former conviction. U.S. Marshalls arrested Johnson after pulling him over on a traffic stop and Chickasha authorities say they were able to ascertain that Johnson was who they were looking for. Officials have not said if Johnson is a suspect in Cannon's death. Johnson is being held in the Comanche County Jail. A preliminary hearing conference is set for March 29th. He is being represented by Lawton attorney Jill Oliver.

 

Businesses Support Chix Middle School Gift Project

All the students at Chickasha Middle School were presented a little Christmas cheer with the help of many local businesses. Mindy Crow helps with in-school remediation and special projects at the middle school. She sent us an e-mail saying the staff wanted to make sure all 300 students would get a gift this year. So they reached out to a number of businesses for contributions  to spread some Middle School pride and were able to give every student a Chickasha Beanie. Wing T's printed the beanies and contributions came from Richard's Printing, B.Js Pizza, The Rock Island Grill, Lopez and Sons Roofing, the Buzin Law Office, Dr. Pepper, CMS Willowbrook, and Jeremy and Kea Ginn. There was an added surprise from the Cotton Patch Cafe which provided meal vouchers and Ross True Value donated gift bags. Crow said the middle school employees wanted to send a big thank you to all those who helped with their cause.

 

Obituary

Shawn Singleton

A private service for Shawn Singleton, 50, of the Cogar area will be held at 2:00 p.m. Monday, Dec. 21st at the First Baptist Church of Pocasset. Arrangements are with McRay Funeral Home.

 

Friday, December 18th

 

Firefighters Sue City of Chickasha

The Chickasha Fire Fighters Association is suing the City of Chickasha for alleged violations of fair labor standards. The International Association of Firefighters Local 2041 filed the lawsuit in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma. Union President Josh Gregston tells KOOL-RANCH News that the lawsuit is about the city's refusal to include longevity pay and overtime which he says is a textbook violation of the federal Fair Labor Standards Act. Gregston said the union has been trying to get the city to do the right thing for more than three years and so far nothing short of a lawsuit has worked. He says the union is committed to insure the firefighters recover their unpaid wages. A copy of the lawsuit is posted on the Chickasha Fire Fighters Facebook page. A statement within the post says just two days after the lawsuit was filed on Dec. 1st, the city failed to pay longevity pay due to union members. The union believes the action was taken in retaliation of the lawsuit being filed. KOOL-RANCH News asked the city manager for a response and he declined to make a comment.

 

Pursuit Suspect in Custody

A pursuit through Chickasha earlier this week lands one man in jail who has a history of trying to elude law enforcement. 40-year old Dusty Aaron Songer of Verden was arrested by a state trooper following the pursuit Tuesday night. The trooper states in an affidavit he attempted to make a traffic stop on Songer because he didn’t have his headlights on while traveling on U.S. Highway 62 about 9:30 that night. Songer sped through several neighborhoods and down several alleys before two tires on the vehicle went flat. Songer then got out of the vehicle and fled on foot but he was captured by Chickasha police who had also been part of the pursuit. When asked why he fled, Songer said it was because he didn’t have a driver’s license. Songer has been formally charged with a felony count of endangering others while trying to elude and misdemeanor counts of drug possession and no driver's license. He remains in jail in lieu of a $10,000 bond.  Songer was arrested in November of 2019 for trying to elude Grady County sheriff's deputies. He was charged with a misdemeanor in connection with that arrest.

 

Chickasha Schools Adopts Co-op Policy              

The Chickasha Board of Education has approved a new co-op policy that would allow students from area schools to play sports at Chickasha that aren't offered at their home school districts. Chickasha Superintendent Rick Croslin said the board approved the policy with a unanimous vote during this week's school board meeting.

 

              

 

The policy went into effect immediately so parents can have their students apply right away. The students must have the approval of their home school district to take part. It will cost $200 per student per sport per year, which Croslin says covers adminstrative costs.

 

Ag Diversification Grants, Loans Available

The next round of grants and loans available to ag producers who are looking to diversify their operations will be awarded in the next few months. The funds are part of the State Department of Agriculture's enhancement and diversification program. Producers can apply for zero-percent interest loans as well as grants. A state department of ag news release says the emphasis is to create rural economic development by bringing new revenue to farms, increasing jobs in rural areas, and the development of agri-tourism projects. Applications for the next round of funding are due by January 4th.  Information is available on the website ag.ok.gov

 

Talk Show Topic

Here's what we're talking about this weekend. Chickasha City Manager John Noblitt will be on our KOOL Konversation program talking about the water drainage study being reviewed at city hall. Find a link to the program under the Community tab on this website.

 

Energy and Metals

Crude oil on the NYMEX is $48.36 per barrel.

London-based Brent crude is $51.50.

Natural gas is $2.64 per million BTUs.

Gold is $1,884 and silver is $25.96.

 

Thursday, December 17th

 

Local Sales Tax Revenues Continue Decline

Sales tax revenues for Oklahoma cities, towns, and counties have taken a dive from the days before the pandemic and the dramatic drop in the energy sector. Sales tax revenues for the City of Chickasha were down 6 percent or about $50,000 from November to December. The December number was about $848,000. Compared to the same time last year, the number is down nearly 23 percent or about $300,000 from the $1.1 million received in December of last year. The city also received $87,000 in use tax revenue - sales taxes paid on Internet purchases – which is down from $97,000 last month and off about $50,000 from what was received in December of 2019. For Grady County, sales tax revenues are down more than 31 percent or $160,000 - from $525,000 in November to $360,000 in this month. It's less than half what the county received in December of last year, which was $756,000. The county received $70,000 in use tax collections this month. That's down from $81,000 last month and off about $30,000 from Dec. 2019.

 

Tuttle Man Arrested on Child Sexual Abuse Allegation

A Grady County man is arrested for alleged child sexual abuse. An arrest warrant was issued last week for 40-year old Christopher Allen Salter of Tuttle and he was taken into custody this past Tuesday. A probable cause affidavit filed by Tuttle police shows the charge was more than four years in the making.  Authorities were first notified in October of 2016 about the alleged abuse with a then 11-year old girl. Interviews were held with witnesses and DHS officials in early 2017. Following his initial appearance on the charge Salter remains in jail on a $100,000 bond. He is to announce his attorney December 30th and  a preliminary hearing conference set for Jan. 13th.

 

Hospital to Hold Virtual Town Hall Meeting on

Local Implementation of the COVID-19 Vaccine

A virtual town hall meeting for area businesses will be held this afternoon to discuss the timeline about the implementation of the COVID-19 vaccine in the Chickasha area. Grady Memorial Hospital Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Kean Spellman will have information in a Zoom conference hosted by the Chickasha Chamber of Commerce and the Economic Development Council. The Zoom conference will start at 3:00 p.m. and there will be time for questions. The Chamber e-mailed notices about the meeting to its members. For information about how to access the Zoom meeting contact the Chamber by calling 405-224-0787.

 

Families to Benefit from Regional Food Bank Distribution              

The Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma will have another big food distribution in Chickasha this weekend. It will be held at the Chickasha Sports Complex Saturday afternoon from 2-4 p.m. According to a post on the City of Chickasha's Facebook page there will be food for about 200 families. Officials are looking for volunteers to help. Contact Conrad Duprez by calling 405-641-4484.

 

'Buy Chickasha' Gift Card Winners Named

All three gift cards for the Chickasha Chamber of Commerce 'Buy Chickasha' campaign have been claimed. All the winners are from Chickasha. The $5,000 gift card winner is Brian Battershell and his ticket came from Ross True Value. The $3,000 gift card winner is Mary Rhodes with her winning ticket from Painted Pistols. The $2,000 gift card winner is Linda McElroy and her ticket was from Jay's Jewelry. Officials say there more than 78,000 tickets in this year's drawing which was nearly three times the number from last year’s number of about 27,000 tickets.

              

Energy and Metals

Crude oil on the NYMEX is $47.82.

London-based Brent crude is $51.08.

Natural gas is $2.68 per million BTUs.

Gold is $1,879 and silver is $25.81.

 

Obituaries

“Lee Roy “ Schenk

Funeral service Clark “Lee Roy” Schenk, 84, of Marlow and formerly of the Chickasha and Verden areas was held at 2:00 p.m. this afternoon (Thursday) at Callaway-Smith-Cobb Chapel in Marlow. Memorial contributions may be made to cancer research.

Tammy (Morris) Cano

A graveside service for Tammy (Morris) Cano, 46, of Chickasha will be at 2:00 p.m. Friday, Dec. 18th at the Alex Cemetery. Arrangements are with Eisenhour Funeral Home of Blanchard.

Russell Owen

A graveside service for Russell Owen, 78, of Chickasha will be at 10:30 a.m., Tuesday, Dec. 22nd at the Antioch Cemetery near Maysville. Arrangements are with Ferguson Funeral Home. Memorial contributions may be made to the Salvation Army.

 

Wednesday, December 16th

 

Homicide 'Person of Interest' Arrested

Chickasha authorities say the person of interest they were looking for in connection with the death of a mother and her unborn child is in custody. U.S. Marshalls arrested a Kenneth Lee Johnson in Lawton yesterday. A press release issued by Chickasha police indicates that Johnson was arrested based off a Comanche County warrant for possession of a firearm after former felony conviction. The Lawton Constitution reports that Johnson was arrested after being pulled over on a traffic stop. Authorities were looking for Johnson after the body of Ashley Cannon was found in her apartment in the early morning hours of Dec. 1st. Officials still have not said how Cannon died. Lead detective Lauren Jewell would only say that is was a horrific and heinous crime. Johnson has not been named as a suspect in connection with the deaths of Cannon and her unborn baby.

 

Grady Memorial Staffers to get COVID-19 Vaccine

Several Grady Memorial Hospital doctors and nurses will be getting the COVID-19 vaccination this week. Hospital Administrator Kean Spellman says between 150 and 200 employees will get the shot starting tomorrow. Spellman said they had to provide a list of the hospital’s front-line workers to the state health department where officials there will decide who will get the vaccine. Spellman said they'll have to prepare the vaccine prior to giving the shots.

 

              

 

Those who get the vaccine will have to be monitored for about 15 minutes to make sure they don't have any serious allergic reactions. Those who get the shots will have to get a second inoculation in three weeks.

 

Driver Linked Fatal Crash Charged with Manslaughter

A Marlow man is charged with felony manslaughter in connection with a deadly traffic accident that occurred in Grady County earlier this year. An arrest warrant was issued last week for 37-year old Mark Allen Cass. He’s also charged with two counts of felony DUI resulting in injury. Cass was booked into the Grady County Jail late Monday. The accident occurred in April at the intersection of a couple of county roads between Rush Springs and Marlow. Killed in the crash was Todd Foat, also of Marlow while two children riding in his vehicle were seriously injured. The trooper investigating the accident said in an affidavit that Cass was speeding at more than 100 miles per hour before the crash. Cass' bond was set at $150,000 bond.

 

'Buy Chickasha' Winning Ticket Holders Sought

As of Wednesday morning, there's no word regarding the three potential winners of the Chickasha Chamber of Commerce Buy Chickasha campaign. Ticket drawings were held live on the Chamber’s Facebook yesterday. The individual with Ticket No. 54523 may win a $5,000 gift card; the individual with Ticket No. 74864 may win a $3,000 gift card; and the individual with Ticket No. 50617 may win a $2,000 gift card. Winning ticket holders have until 3:00 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 16th to claim their prizes or new numbers will be drawn.

 

Energy and Metals

Crude oil on the NYMEX is $47.62 per barrel.

London-based Brent crude is $50.76.

Natural gas is $2.68 per million BTUs.

Gold is $1,869 and silver is $25.44.

 

Obituaries

Terrill McBride

Funeral service for Terrill McBride, 75, of Chickasha will be at 10:00 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 19th at the United Methodist Church in Lewis, Kansas. He was a medical administrator for a group of doctors for medical radiology in the Chickasha area and spent a year as the National President of the Radiologist Business Managers Association. He was a long-time supporter of Chickasha High School baseball and helped with the creation of the L.J. Powell Baseball Complex at Elliott Field. He was also a veteran of the U.S. Army Reserves. The service will be available on Facebook Live with the Beckwith Mortuary in Lewis, Kansas. Memorial contributions may be made to the Masonic Lodge No. 220 or the Methodist Church both of which are in Lewis, Kansas.

Janet Merritt

A memorial service will be held at a later date for Janet Merritt, 77, of Chickasha. She was the mother of Tuttle boys basketball coach Bryan Merritt. Memorial contributions may be made to Grand Assembly of God.

 

 

Tuesday, December 15th

 

Another Winter Storm Hits Oklahoma

A second big snow storm in three days will be bringing several inches of snow to many areas of central and northern Oklahoma today. For central Oklahoma, a winter weather advisory is posted, as two to four inches of snow are forecast throughout the day and into the evening hours. The National Weather Service says some areas could see six inches or more of snow by the time its all said and done. The advisory includes all of central Oklahoma...and even the Lawton area in southwest Oklahoma. The winter weather advisory is in effect until 9 o'clock night.

 

West Coast Women Face Drug Charges

Two women from the west coast are in the Grady County Jail after being arrested following a traffic stop last week. The Grady County Sheriff's Office received a call last Wednesday about a reckless driver in the Ninnekah area around the Highway 81 and 277 junction. A car was driving southbound in the northbound lanes of Highway 81. A deputy spotted the vehicle and tried to make a stop, but the driver failed to do so. The driver never broke the speed limit. The driver finally pulled over just north of Rush Springs. The driver and a passenger were Asian and managed to communicate that they did not speak English. A probable cause affidavit indicates the deputy found substances that tested positive for both cocaine and meth. They also found more than $8,000 in cash. Prosecutors have charged 44-year old Baoxia Zhang and 33-year old Junling Chen - both of whom listed California addresses - with unlawful possession of drugs with intent to distribute. Both remain in the Grady County Jail in lieu of $100,000 bond each. Authorities notified the OSBI, the FBI and Homeland Security about the arrests.

 

Funeral Set for Coach Robert Duvall

Area high school basketball coach Robert Duvall will be laid to rest later this week. Duvall, 66, died last week after battling the coronavirus. Duvall spent parts of five decades coaching and teaching in Oklahoma schools. The Altus native earned his master's degree in education from Southwestern Oklahoma State University. He had coached at Union City high School the last three years, and also coached at Minco, Merritt, Dill City, and Ft. Supply. A graveside service for Coach Duvall will be at 2:00 p.m. Friday, Dec. 18th at Evergreen Cemetery in Minco. Arrangements are with McRay Funeral Home in Chickasha. A scholarship fund in Coach Duvall's name has been established at the First National Bank of Minco.

 

Newcastle School Board Candidate Withdraws

A candidate for one of the seats on the Newcastle school board has withdrawn his name from consideration. Jerry Gilbertson was one of three candidates who filed for Office No. 1. He withdrew Friday, which was the final day candidates could withdraw. The two candidates who will be on the ballot include incumbent Jeff Dingee and challenger Darrin Abel. The election will be held in April.

 

State Rep. Brad Boles Prepares for Legislative Session

State lawmakers are preparing for the upcoming legislative session. State Representative Brad Boles says he's working to draft over a dozen bills for the session which will start in February. However, only the top eight measures will be assigned to a House committee. In his media column this week, Boles said among the proposals he is working on are - helping victims of violent crime; supporting military veterans; and supporting businesses. Another is to examine if cities in oil production areas should get a portion of the state's gross production taxes for road and bridge maintenance; and modernizing and making city and county government more transparent.

 

Energy and Metals

Crude oil on the NYMEX is $46.99 per barrel.

London-based Brent crude is $50.29.

Natural gas is $2.68 per million BTUs.

Gold is $1,847 and silver is $24.35.

 

Obituaries

Carole “Cookie” Watson

Graveside service for Carole “Cookie” Watson, 79, formerly of Chickasha will be at 1:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 17th at Fairlawn Cemetery. Arrangements are with Ferguson Funeral Home.

Viola Rogers

Graveside service for Viola Rogers, 81, of Chickasha will be at 2:00 p.m. Friday, Dec. 18th at the Ninnekah Cemetery. Arrangements are with Ferguson Funeral Home.

Eldora Wright

Graveside service for Eldora Wright, 86, of Chickasha will be at 1:00 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 19th at Fairlawn Cemetery. Arrangements are with Sevier Funeral Home.

 

Monday, December 14th

 

100+ Regional Projects Listed on ODOT's 8-Year Plan

More than 100 road improvement projects are scheduled over the next several years in the Chickasha, Anadarko, and Duncan area. All are on the new 8-year plan released by the State Transportation Commission. Division 7 Engineer Jay Earp says coming up after the first of the year will be the replacement of the two Washita River Bridges east of Chickasha.

 

              

 

Earp said that is a more than $12 million project and it will take more than a year to complete. See the entire list of the eight-year plan on the State Department of Transportation's website: www.odot.org

 

Chix School Board to Discuss Proposed Co-op Policy

A proposed new policy for Chickasha Public Schools to create an extra-curricular co-op agreement with area schools will be discussed by the Chickasha Board of Education tonight. If approved, it would allow students from other school districts to take part in Chickasha school athletic programs. A student-athlete would have to pay $200 to take part in athletics. The school board will also go behind closed doors to discuss a number of personnel issues, which will include an evaluation of Superintendent Rick Croslin. Tonight's meeting will be held at the Chickasha Schools Administration building starting at 6:00 p.m. The meeting will also be streamed on the school district's YouTube channel which can be accessed from the district's website: www.chickasha.k12.ok.us This is the last week of classes for most public school students before an extended break through the holiday season. Friday will be the last day of classes at Chickasha schools and students will be returning to class on Tuesday, Jan. 5th

 

CV Tech Earns 'Workforce Excellence' Accreditation

The Canadian Valley Technology Center is now a certified center for Workforce Excellence through the State Department of Commerce. Only nine groups statewide completed an accreditation process to qualify for the certification. CV Tech is one of only two groups in western Oklahoma to do so. The other is in Duncan, which was led by the Duncan Area Economic Development group. State Commerce Secretary Sean Kouplen said the program - called Oklahoma Works Together - establishes a local, industry-based workforce model to help existing businesses find workers as well as attract new industry to the state. The program established last year brought together groups to work with business leaders, economic developers, state agencies, and all three education sectors which are career tech, public schools, and colleges and universities. Another round of the accreditation process will begin in February.

 

Energy and Metals

Crude oil on the NYMEX is $46.57 per barrel.

London-based Brent crude is just under $50.

Natural gas is $2.59 per million BTUs.

Gold is $1,828 and silver is $23.96.

 

Obituary

Tammy (Morris) Cano

Funeral service for 46-year old Tammy Cano of Chickasha is pending with Eisenhour Funeral Home of Blanchard.

              

 

2020, Dec. 7th-12th

Saturday, December 12th

 

Winter Storm to Impact Oklahoma

Oklahomans are bracing for a winter storm that is expected to bring several inches of snow many parts of the state. The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Weather Advisory for much of central, southern, and southwest Oklahoma - while a Winter Storm Warning is in place for northwest parts of the state. The advisories are in place from midnight tonight and run through 6:00 p.m. Sunday. The weather service is forecasting that central, southwestern, and southern areas could see two to four inches or more of snow which will make travel difficult. Much of central Oklahoma will see rain Sunday morning turning to snow by mid-morning with afternoon high temperatures only in the mid-30s.

 

Child Hospitalized with Rare Illness

The family of a Chickasha first-grader is hoping for the best after he was diagnosed with a rare illness. 7-year old Joseph Klipp is a student at the Bill Wallace Early Childhood Center. He has been diagnosed with autoimmune encephalitis - which is a swelling of the brain and causes the body's immune system to attack healthy cells and tissues in the brain or spinal cord. A Google search shows that a 2018 study indicates it affects about 14 out of every 100,000 people. Joe was playing in his back yard on November 30th when he suddenly started having seizures. He was first taken to Grady Memorial Hospital then air-lifted to OU Children’s Hospital Oklahoma City where he has gone through a number of treatments and procedures. His parents, Anthony and Nikisshah Klipp, are both teachers in the district and they do have medical insurance, however treatment costs have exceeded their coverage. A benefit fund for the Klipps has been established at the First National Bank to help defray the growing costs.

 

Union City High School Coach Dies from COVID-19

Longtime area high school basketball coach Robert Duvall has died from the coronavirus. Duvall came out of retirement three years ago to coach and teach Union City and previously was at Minco schools for many years. Union City Superintendent Becky Slothower posted on the school's Facebook page that Duvall enjoyed making a meaningful difference for students and that he was a man of strong moral character who had a special way of connecting with students. There's no word as yet about funeral services.

 

Refuge to Host Controlled Hunt

The Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge will be holding some controlled deer and elk hunts. The hunts are held with the cooperation of the State Department of Wildlife to help manage the population of the animals. Next Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday the hunts will focus on the Rocky Mountain Elk population. Some public-use areas of the refuge will be closed during that time. Information is available on the refuge's website and Facebook page.

 

Talk Show Topic

Ahsa Morin with the Red Cord is our guest on the KOOL Konversation. The Red Cord is a non-profit group looking to stop human trafficking in southwest Oklahoma. Find a link to the program under the Community tab on this website.

 

Obituaries

Steve Base

Funeral service for Steve Base, 74, of Chickasha will be at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 15th at the Plainview Mennonite Church. Arrangements are with Ferguson Funeral Home.

Alice Terry

Graveside service for Alice Terry, 95, of Chickasha will be at 1:00 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 15th at Fairlawn Cemetery. Arrangements are with Sevier Funeral Home.

Ashtin Richie

Funeral service for Ashtin Richie, 27, formerly of Anadarko are pending with Brown-Thomas Funeral Home.

 

Friday, December 11th

 

Caddo County Man Arrested for Alleged Rape of Teen

A Caddo County man is behind bars after a teenager accused him of rape. The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation reports that 20-year old JoeAbe Eroh was arrested at his place of employment Thursday. The location of his arrest was not included in the OSBI news release. After his arrest, he was taken to a Lawton detention center. He's expected to be transferred to Caddo County today. The Caddo County District Attorney's Office requested the OSBI's help in the case last month after the girl told her parents that Eroh had sexually assaulted her several times. The attacks are said to have taken place in Carnegie over a three-month period. Eroh is facing two counts of first degree rape. It's not clear when he may have his initial appearance on the charges.

 

Bicycle Memorial Believed Stolen

The disappearance of a special memorial placed at the site where a Chickasha man died has infuriated a number of people who believe the memorial has been stolen. Scott Womack died in August of last year when he was hit by a pickup while riding his bicycle near his home just southwest of Chickasha. Family friend Tammy Pittman donated a specialized Ruby road bike to serve as the memorial. She painted it white and it was known as a ghost bike. The bike was welded and bolted to a frame. Pittman said the bike was not rideable and she’s furious to think that someone would steal a memorial. The bike was last seen at the memorial around Nov. 30th. Scott's widow Chelley has filed a report with the Grady County Sheriff's Office. Anyone with information about the incident or who may have seen the white-painted Ruby road bike is asked to contact the sheriff's office by calling 405-224-0984 or the Chickasha and Grady County Crimestoppers Hotline, 405-224-TIPS. Information may also be posted on the Crimestoppers Facebook page.

 

Sheriff's Office Issues Annual Awards

A number of Grady County Sheriff's Office employees have been recognized for their efforts during the past year. Awards were issued recently at the annual law enforcement appreciation banquet at the Grady County Fairgrounds. Danny Booth was named the Deputy of the Year; Dave Begue was named the Reserve Deputy of the Year; Amanda Cox picked up the Dispatcher of the Year honor; Darrell Pitchford is the Executive Deputy of the Year; Retired Lt. Roy Spratt was presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award; and Sheriff Jim Weir presented his Sheriff's award to Chaplain Kim Hayes.

 

Filing Period Set for 2021 Chix City Council Posts

The Chickasha City Council this week approved a resolution to schedule the 2021 city council election. The election will be held in April and four seats will be up for election. The council representatives whose terms are expiring include Brian Gerdes in Ward 1; Kim Loggins in Ward 2; Oscar Nelson in Ward 3; and Jim Hopkins in Ward 4. All are two-year terms. The filing period will be Monday, Feb. 1st through Wednesday, Feb. 3rd and candidates will file at city hall. Candidates must live within the boundaries of the ward in which they want to represent and must have been a registered voter in the ward for the previous six months. There is a $25 filing fee.

 

Laura Jobe Services Scheduled Tomorrow

The wife of Oklahoma Hall of Fame basketball coach Jerry Jobe has died. Laura Jobe was 84 when she passed away on Wednesday. The Jobes spent many years in Chickasha, where Jerry coached the high school basketball team to a state title in 1963. Survivors include husband Jerry; three children, Sherry, Terry, and Kelly and their families. A celebration of life for Laura Jobe will be at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 12th at the Westside Church of Christ in Norman. Burial will be in Chickasha's Rose Hill cemetery. Arrangements are with Sevier Funeral Home.

 

Energy and Metals

Crude oil on the NYMEX is $46.78 per barrel.

London-based Brent crude is $50.25.

Natural gas is $2.55 per million BTUs.

Gold is $1,833 and silver is $23.87.

 

Thursday, December 10th

 

Regional Highway Projects Included

in ODOT's Updated 8-year Plan

The State Transportation Commission this week approved an updated eight-year plan for state highway improvements. It's a $6 billion plan with more than 1,300 construction and safety projects through the year 2028. Among a few of the projects in this region include the continued work on the U.S. Highway 81 west bypass of Chickasha. Previous projects approved include the replacement of two bridges over the Washita River on U.S. Highway 62 just east of downtown Chickasha. It also includes improvements on old U.S. Highway 81 from State Highway 19 south to Ninnekah. Also planned is the addition of paved shoulders along State Highway 4 in the Bridge Creek area from the H.E. Bailey Turnpike north to State Highway 37 which is a $9 million project scheduled for the 2028 fiscal year.

              

School Board Filing Updates

A handful of area school districts will be scheduling elections for school board offices next year. Only one school board election will be needed in Grady County. That's for the Canadian Valley Technology Center School Board where incumbent Travis Posey of Chickasha is being challenged by Dennis Crawford of Alex. That election will be in April of next year. Filing unopposed were Cara Gerdes at Chickasha; Amy McLemore at Alex; Michael Bradford at Ampo; Andrew Dawkins Jr. at Bridge Creek; Caleb McClung at Friend; Kendal Carr at Middleberg; Charles Burchfield at Minco; Diane Carroll at Ninnekah; Seth DeHart at Pioneer; Christie Heath at Rush Springs; Stacie Schmidt and Chris Bond filed unopposed for separate offices at Tuttle; and Brian Lee and Michael McClane filed unopposed for separate offices at Verden. In McClain County, there will be an election for the Dibble School Board as Jason Ott and Omie Spieker have filed. That election will also be in April. In Newcastle, there will be three candidates on the ballot in February for Office No. 1 where Darrin Abel, Jeff Dingee, and Jeremy Gilbertson have all filed. Also at Newcastle, Tiffany Elcyzyn filed unopposed for Office No. 3; David Paulk filed unopposed at Blanchard; and Michael Dillinger filed unopposed for the post on the Mid America Technology Center School Board.

              

Additional School Board Filings

In Caddo County, two candidates have filed for the Anadarko School Board. Melody Redbird-Post and Jerry Marcum are seeking Office No. 1 which is the seat currently held by Jackie McComas. At Binger-Oney, there will be an election for Office 3 after Jennifer Dorsey and Brandi Leal both filed for that post. Tyler Howser filed unopposed for an office at Binger-Oney. An election will also be needed in Apache, as Tamara Saupitty and Greg Roberts filed for Office No. 4. Also in Apache, Jennifer Smith ran unopposed for Office No. 1. Others in Caddo County filing unopposed - at Cement it was Belinda Chandler; At Cyril, it's Dustin Rhodes and Larry Martin unopposed for separate offices; at Gracemont, Darren Dorrell and Mike Jennings filed unopposed for separate offices; at Ft. Cobb-Broxton, Dennis Klugh was un-opposed; at Carnegie, Roger Knauss filed unopposed; at Lookeba-Sickles, Sarah Farr and Tommy House filed unopposed for different seats; at Hinton, Shane Kimble is unopposed; at Hydro-Eakly, Dustin Carney had no challenger; and for the Caddo Kiowa Technology Center School Board Phillip Perryman filed unopposed.

              

Still More School Board Filings

In Canadian County, Travis Norton filed unopposed at Union City. In Garvin County, three candidates have filed for Office No. 1 on the Lindsay School Board. They are Landon Webb, Jim Beckham, and Julie Martin. Gena Fletcher had also filed but she has since withdrawn her candidacy. In Stephens County, Cody Bannister filed unopposed for the Marlow School Board and for Central High, Cooper McCarley filed unopposed.

 

Salvation Army Urges 'Rescue Christmas'

With just two weeks left for the Salvation Army Red Kettle drive, officials are less than half-way to their goal established for the Grady and Caddo county regions. Contributions are just over $30,000 and the goal is $75,000 for the two counties. Sgts. Brian and Tracy Brinlee say the coronavirus is to blame for the diminished contributions as there are fewer people shopping in the stores where they have their bell ringers located. The Brinlees say donations can be accepted virtually on the website: www.RescueChristmas.org Individuals should enter their zip code to ensure contributions stay in their communities. Several area restaurants also have table top tents where patrons can make donations by using their cel phones. The Brinlees also mentioned that the Angel Tree gift distribution will be next Thursday, Dec. 17th at the Chickasha Salvation Army Church at 2404 S. 16th Street which is close to the Bill Wallace School. It will be a drive-through pick-up in order to minimize contact. The pickup times will be between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.

 

Energy and Metals

Crude oil on the NYMEX is $45.52 per barrel.

London-based Brent crude is $48.86.

Natural gas is $2.44 per million BTUs.

Gold is $1,838 and silver is $24.01.

 

Obituaries

Martha Young

Funeral service for Martha Young, 79, of Chickasha will be at 10:30 a.m. Friday, Dec. 11th at Sharon Baptist Church. Arrangements are with Ferguson Funeral Home. Memorial contributions may be made to Sharon Baptist Church.

Charlotte Welch

A private family service will be held for Charlotte Welch, 80, of Chickasha. Arrangements are with Ferguson Funeral Home.

Ruby Pennel

A private family service will be held for Ruby Pennel, 92, of Chickasha. Arrangements are with Ferguson Funeral Home.

 

Wednesday, December 9th

 

Police Continue Search for Double Homicide Suspect

It's been just over a week since the body of 37-year old Ashley Cannon was found in her Chickasha apartment. Police continue checking on leads on what they are calling a double homicide, regarding a person of interest they want to talk to in connection with the deaths of Cannon and her unborn child. The person they are looking for is believed to be the father of baby Nala - but so far authorities say the identity of the man they are looking for isn't known.  Anyone who may have information is asked to call police or the Chickasha and Grady County Crimestoppers at 405-224-TIPS or leave information on the Crimestoppers Facebook page. In the meantime, the funeral for Ashley and Nala will be held at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 12th at Chickasha's 1st Baptist Church at 4th and Colorado. Arrangements are with Brown-Thomas Funeral Home.

 

Minco Police Nab 3 for Allegedly Printing Fake Money

Minco police have arrested three people in connection with an operation for allegedly printing counterfeit money. An officer pulled over a car just after midnight Sunday because the third brake light on the vehicle they were in was not working. Neither the driver nor the two passengers had valid drivers licenses. The officer found not only drugs which tested positive for methamphetamine but also thousands of dollars in counterfeit bills. Also found were two printers officials believe were being used to print the fake money. In total, police say more than $3,500 in counterfeit money was found, along with the drugs and a sawed-off shotgun. Grady County prosecutors have charged all three individuals with felonies of forgery, drug, and weapons possession. 38-year old Kevin Daniels of Elgin is being held on a $100,000 bond. 25-year old Robert Ryans and 44-year old Elena Rose Pitchford, both of Lawton, are both held on $25,000 bond each.

 

The Latest in School Board Filings

Today is the final day of the three-day filing period for individuals wanting to serve on local school boards. In Grady County, the latest filings available include Cara Gerdes at Chickasha; Diane Carroll at Ninnekah; Seth DeHart at Pioneer; Brian Lee at Verden; Amy McLemore at Alex; Christie Heath at Rush Springs; and Chris Bond and Stacie Schmidt have filed for separate offices at Tuttle. No information was available regarding candidates filing for the Canadian Valley Technology Center school board. In McClain County, David Paulk has filed at Blanchard and Michael Dillinger has filed for the Mid America Technology Center school board at Wayne. In Caddo County school board filings include Jerry Marcum at Anadarko; Larry Martin and Dusty Rhodes for separate offices at Cyril; Belinda Chandler at Cement; Mike Jennings and Darren Dorrell for separate offices at Gracemont; Dennis Klugh at Ft. Cobb-Broxton; Brandie Leal and Tyler Howell for separate offices at Binger-Oney; Jennifer Smith and Gregory Roberts for separate offices at Apache; Roger Knauss at Carnegie; Tommy House at Lookeba-Sickles; Shane Kimble at Hinton; and Phillip Perryman of Apache has filed for a post on the Caddo-Kiowa Technology Center school board. In Canadian County, Travis Norton has filed at Union City. In Garvin County, Landon Webb and Gena Fletcher have filed at Lindsay; In Stephens County, Cody Bannister has filed at Marlow and Cooper McCarley has filed at Central High. If needed, school board elections will be held in February. The filing period runs through at 5:00 p.m. today at county election boards.

 

Chickasha Firm Named A Top Workplace

A Chickasha company has been named one of Oklahoma's top workplaces. CMS Willowbrook made the list of top employers compiled by the Oklahoman. The list is created from employee feedback gathered through a third-party administrator. The anonymous survey measures 15 areas that are critical to the success of any organization. It's the second straight year for CMS Willowbrook to make the list.

 

Energy and Metals

Crude oil on the NYMEX is $45.60 per barrel.

London-based Brent crude is $48.84.

Natural gas is $2.40 per million BTUs.

Gold is $1,864 and silver is $24.45.

 

Obituaries

Ken Morrison

A private graveside service will be held for Ken Morrison, 87, of Amber. He owned and operated Ken's Steak House. Arrangements are with Ferguson Funeral Home. Memorial contributions may be made to the Amber-Pocasset FFA.

Alonzo “AC” Hays

A graveside service for “AC” Hays, 82, of Chickasha will be held at 1:00 p.m. Friday, Dec. 18th at the Ft. Sill National Cemetery. He worked for Standley Systems for a number of years and was a U.S. Army veteran. Arrangements are with Ferguson Funeral Home. Memorial contributions may be made to Parkview Christian Church or the Lawton/Ft. Sill Veterans Center.

Janice Sherman

A private family service will be held at a later date for Janice Sherman, 77, of Lawton. Arrangements are with Ferguson Funeral Home.

 

Tuesday, December 8th

 

Chickasha Flood-prevention Study Released

Chickasha officials heard some details of a plan designed to reduced future flooding problems in the city. A drainage study developed by the engineering firm of Smith Roberts Baldischwiler was presented in a public hearing during last night's city council meeting. Marc Long who is the firm's director of municipal engineering summarized the study-

 

              

 

Long presented a Powerpoint presentation during the 11-minute public hearing and said the study is recommending a five-phase program over several years that might alleviate future flooding. It does have a hefty price tag - between $9 million and $12 million. Long said there are a number of ways to finance the project such as general obligation bonds and grants. The presentation should soon be posted to the city's website: www.chickasha.org A second public hearing on the issue will be held next month but the date has not been set.

 

Chickasha Limb Pick-up 33% Complete

City of Chickasha work crews continue picking up downed trees and limbs felled by the freak ice storm in late October. City Manager John Noblitt said crews have made it through about one-third of the city and that it will take several months before their work is done. Noblitt said they are still hoping for FEMA to act on an emergency disaster request which would provide some needed funding to help pay for clean-up costs which are expected to top $1.3 million. Noblitt said that city crews will only make one pass through the city and that anyone who has not yet placed debris on the curb should do that as soon as possible. Currently, the city does not charge to pick up the storm debris but there will be a time when the free pick up will come to an end. Officials remind residents to not place the debris near gas meters, utility poles and lines, or under other trees.

 

Day One of School Board, Town Council Candidate Filings

A number of school board candidates filed paperwork yesterday ahead of the February school elections. In Grady County, Cara Gerdes has filed for the post she currently serves with the Chickasha school board;  Diane Carroll has filed at Ninnekah; Seth DeHart has filed at Pioneer; Brian Lee has filed at Verden; Amy Mclemore has filed at Alex; Christie Heath has filed at Rush Springs; and Chris Bond has filed at Tuttle. Filing has also begun for the spring city council election in Tuttle. Scott Dickson has filed for the Ward 4 post there. In Caddo County, first day filers include Jerry Marcum at Anadarko; Belinda Chandler at Cement; Mike Jennings and Darren Dorrell have filed for separate offices at Gracemont; Brandie Leal has filed for an unexpired term at Binger-Oney; Gregory Roberts has filed for an unexpired term at Apache; Roger Knauss has filed at Carnegie; Shane Kimble has filed at Hinton; and Phillip Perryman of Apache has filed for a post on the Caddo-Kiowa Technology Center school board. The filing period runs through Wednesday at 5 p.m.

 

New Caddo County 4H Educator Named

There's a new 4H educator on board at the Caddo County OSU Extension office. Jace Prough has been on the job for about a week. He's an Altus native who earned his bachelor's degree in Ag Leadership from Oklahoma State.

 

Energy and Metals

Crude oil on the NYMEX is $45.76 per barrel.

London-based Brent crude is $48.79.

Natural gas is $2.40 per million BTUs.

Gold is $1,864 and silver is $24.57.

 

Obituaries

Diana Callahan

Funeral service for Diana Callahan, 70, of Chickasha will be held at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 9th at the Pocasset First Baptist Church. Arrangements are with McRay Funeral Home.

Felicia McConnell

A graveside service for Felicia McConnell, 59, of Alex will be at 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 9th at the Laverty Cemetery. Arrangements are with McRay Funeral Home.

Richard Barker

A graveside service for Richard Barker, 69, of Amber will be at 1:00 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 10th at the Bailey Cemetery in Bray. Arrangements are with Ferguson Funeral Home.

Sandy Murray

A graveside service for Sandy Murray, 74, of Chickasha will be at 10:00 a.m. Friday, Dec. 11th at Fairlawn Cemetery. Arrangements are with McRay Funeral Home.

 

Monday, December 7th

 

Missing Woman with Special Needs is Found

Grady County authorities say a woman with special needs who had gone missing from the Bridge Creek area has been located and she's OK. The Bridge Creek Fire Department had posted on its Facebook page that 31-year old Mary Terronez had gone missing Sunday afternoon. The post indicated Terronez has the mental capacity of a 10-year old. The fire department updated its post late last night indicating that Terronez had been found and was safe. It did not say where or when she was found.

 

First Public Hearing for Chix Drainage Study Tonight

An engineering firm charged with the task of putting together a master drainage plan for the City of Chickasha will present its findings to the city council later today. The public will have a couple of opportunities over the next few weeks to comment on the proposal. The council will hold a special work session ahead of tonight’s regularly-scheduled council meeting to get details, then the first of two public hearings on the study will be held during the regular council meeting. The work session starts at 5:30 p.m. and the meeting starts at 6:30 p.m. A second public hearing on the plan will be held next month but the date has not been set. The council is also to discuss a proposal to cross-deputize officers from the Chickasaw Nation with the police department; consider the sale of a city-owned lot at Grand Lake; and consider the solicitation of bids for the rehabilitation of Douglas Street and street repairs in the 800 block of Utah Avenue. The group is also expected to approve a resolution to schedule the next city council election in April, and review a request from the Economic Development Council to create art designs for the crosswalks in downtown Chickasha.

                

School Board Filing Period Underway              

Individuals who would like to serve on their local school boards can take the first step in the process over the next few days. A three-day filing period is underway for many public school districts statewide for the annual school elections which will be in February. Candidates will file at the county election board in the county where their school is located. Candidates must live within the office boundary of the school district on which they want to serve. The filing period runs through Wednesday afternoon.

              

Chix Mayor Proclaims J and W Grill Day

Today is J and W Grill Day in Chickasha. Major Chris Mosley signed a proclamation which celebrates two things - J and W Grill's 63rd anniversary and the life of the late Darren Cook, the long-time J and W Grill owner who passed away this summer. The family established a Darren Cook Foundation and the proceeds from business today will all be donated to Santa's Workshop. Several other restaurants are also donating proceeds from today's business to the foundation including Jake's Rib, A and E Grill, InterUrban, The Crazy 8 Café, Alexander Eats, and Chicken Express. Many of the restaurants also have donation boxes for patrons to donate new toys which will also go to Santa's Workshop. Brandi Terry at J and W Grill also says they are also still selling t-shirts with proceeds also going to charity.

 

State Senate Re-Districting Meeting Set

Oklahoma state lawmakers this week begin holding a series of meetings to discuss drawing new state senate districts. Tuttle State Senator Lonnie Paxton is the chairman of the Senate Select Committee on re-districting. Paxton will be leading a meeting in Chickasha Thursday, December 10th to get public input. A press release from the state capital says at each of these meetings, presenters will give an overview of the redistricting process and cover the principles of the process. The meetings will be live-streamed when possible. Thursday's meeting in Chickasha will be held at the Grady County Fairgrounds Community Building starting at 6:00 p.m. Each meeting will follow pandemic protection protocols. Those wishing to comment on redistricting who may not want to attend can e-mail comments to: redistricting@oksenate.gov

 

Teacher, Army Vet Wins Subway Shopping Spree

A Ft. Sill Army veteran wins a big shopping spree. Shala Morita, now a teacher at Lawton MacArthur Middle School, won a $10,000 shopping spree from a Lawton Subway restaurant. Morita had stopped for lunch at the restaurant on the Air Force Exchange for lunch recently where she won Subway's Sip, Rip, Ultimate Trip Sweepstakes. While in the Army Morita served three years as an air defense artillery officer, including a tour in Saudi Arabia. KSWO-TV reports Morita said she will use part of her winnings to buy supplies for her classroom.

 

Energy and Metals

Crude oil on the NYMEX is $46.26 per barrel.

London-based Brent crude is $49.25.

Natural gas is $2.57 per million BTUs.

Gold is $1,834 and silver is $23.86.

 

2020, Nov.16th-21st

Saturday, November 21st

 

Pursuit Spans Two Counties; Supect in Custody

A high speed pursuit which spanned two counties yesterday included a number of law enforcement agencies and lasted over an hour. The chase started in the Marlow area just after noon and reached speeds of 110 miles per hour as the driver of an extended cab pickup headed north on  U.S. Highway 81 into Grady County. Police scanner traffic indicated the man was driving erratically and waving a weapon. Numerous police departments, Grady and Stephens County sheriff's deputies, and state troopers were all involved in the pursuit. The chase reached Chickasha where the motorist headed east on State Highway 19 and to the Alex area. The pursuit then went down a number of rural county roads and it's believed that the suspect managed to get away. However authorities were able to identify the driver and eventually located him and took him into custody. 61-year old Brent Drummond of Alex was taken to the Stephens County Jail in Duncan where he is being held on complaints of attempting to elude and reckless handling of a firearm.

 

Sheriff's Office Updates Warrant List

The Grady County Sheriff's Office has updated its 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.

 

Festival of Light Opens Tonight

Chickasha's Festival of Light officially opens tonight. This is the 28th year for the festival which features more than 2 ½ million lights in the city's 43-acre Shannon Springs Park. One of the main attractions is a 160-foot tall Christmas tree which is decorated with about 25,000 lights.  The event attracts thousands of visitors every year and they can either drive through or walk through the park. There is a Ferris wheel, a merry-go-round, an ice skating rink, food trucks, and a gift shop. Cassandra Ersland who serves as one of the board members for the festival says there is an app available this year.

 

              

 

This year, all the incandescent bulbs have been changed over to LED lights which are brighter and more energy efficient. The Festival of Light will be open every night through New Year's Eve.

              

Talk Show Topics

Here's what we're talking about this weekend. Theresa Plata, a Child Welfare Specialist with the Oklahoma Department of Human Services, is on our KOOL Konversation. Interim Chickasha Fire Chief Tony Samaniego is with us on Real Estate Today. Find links to both programs under the Community tab on this website.

 

Obituaries

Jim Rodgers

A memorial service for Jim Rodgers, 74, of Chickasha will be held at 11:00 a.m. Monday, Nov. 23rd at the Ft. Sill National Cemetery. He was a U.S. Army veteran who served one tour in Vietnam.  Arrangements are with Ferguson Funeral Home.

Terianne Montgomery

No service will be held for Terianne Montgomery, 72, of Chickasha. Arrangements are with Ferguson Funeral Home.

Latasha Crawford

Funeral service for Latasha Crawford, 31, of Lawton is pending with Brown-Thomas Funeral Home.

 

High School Football Scores

Blanchard 47, Tecumseh 6

Tuttle 31, Newcastle 21

Anadarko 28, Sulphur 14

Marlow 70, Bethel 33

Bishop McGuinness 41, Duncan 21

Mooreland 34, Minco 15

Tonkawa 28, Dibble 23

Alex 38, Empire 20

Velma-Alma 58, Snyder 56 (OT)

Mt. View-Gotebo 56, Sharon-Mutual 6

No. 7 Waynoka 52, No. 8 Maysville 16

 

Friday, November 20th

 

Ex-con Faces Kidnapping, Weapons Charges

A Chickasha man is facing kidnapping and weapons charges following his arrest earlier this week. 42-year old Mark Denero Wilson was taken into custody Tuesday afternoon.  No details of the arrest were available. Grady County prosecutors have charged Wilson with kidnapping, possession of a firearm after felony conviction, and domestic assault. Wilson remains in the Grady County Jail on a $50,000 bond. Prosecutors have also filed paperwork to revoke Wilson’s probation for pleading guilty to previous domestic violence charges stemming from a 2015 arrest. On-line court records say Wilson was sentenced to 20 years with 10 years suspended in connection with that plea.

 

Fire Department Seeks Help to Find Stolen Trailer

The Bridge Creek Fire Department is asking for help in finding two individuals who stole a trailer from its headquarters. The theft occurred before dawn Thursday at Station 2 on Fox Lane. Authorities say the trailer is used to move their quick attack and wild land fire UTV. A post on the department’s Facebook page indicates it’s one of several trailer thefts that have occurred in the Bridge Creek area within the last couple of weeks. The Facebook page has some photos of the suspects and an extended cab pickup used in the theft. Anyone with information is asked to call the Grady County Sheriff's Office at 405-224-0984 or Crimestoppers at 405-224-TIPS. Anonymous tips may also be posted to the Grady County Crimestoppers Facebook page.

 

Second Victim of Fatal Crash Identified

The Oklahoma Highway Patrol has released the name of the second person who died in a traffic accident near Sterling last weekend. 54-year old Michelle Evanoff of Lawton was a passenger in a pickup that ran a stop sign and hit a Jeep last Saturday night. Also killed in the crash was 61-year old Kelly Hale of Sterling.  The driver of the Jeep, 47-year old Christopher Wilmeth of Fletcher, was taken to an Oklahoma City hospital in critical condition. He remains in the hospital and has been upgraded to fair condition as of this morning. The accident is still under investigation.

 

Festival of Light to Open on Time

Despite last month's massive ice storm, Chickasha's holiday light celebration will open as scheduled. The Festival of Light will begin its 28th year - just three weeks after the storm damaged trees and many of the lights and displays at Shannon Springs Park. Elizabeth Allen with the Festival of Light says they made some big changes with the more than 2 ½ million lights.

 

              

 

While some communities have canceled their holiday light displays because of the pandemic, Festival of Light coordinators decided to forge ahead. There won't be a formal opening ceremony. The park will open to visitors tomorrow night (Saturday, Nov. 21st) and will be open every evening through New Year’s Eve. Individuals can drive through or walk through the park.

 

Energy and Metals

Crude oil on the NYMEX is $41.74 per barrel.

London-based Brent crude is $44.20.

Natural gas is $2.59 per million BTUs.

Gold is $1,863 and silver is $24.37.

 

Obituaries

Mary Bowens

Funeral service for Mary Bowens, 89, of Chickasha is pending with Brown-Thomas Funeral Home.

Betty Williams

Graveside service for Betty Williams, 84, of Tuttle will be held at 1:00 p.m. Monday, Nov. 23rd at Tuttle’s Fairview Cemetery. She and her late-husband Don Williams were one-time co-owners of the Williams grocery stores.  Arrangements are with Sevier Funeral Home of Tuttle.

 

Thursday, November 19th

 

Wildland Fires Possible Again Today

Another round of unseasonably warm temperatures, along with high winds and dry vegetation could lead to more grass fires today. Numerous fire departments were called out to battle an enormous blaze near Newcastle Wednesday. A number of volunteers from Grady County Fire Departments were called out to be part of a task force to squelch that blaze. Firefighters managed to get it under control after several hours though many remained in the area to put out hot spots and monitor fires in ravines. No property damage has been reported.

 

Woman Injured When Wheelchair is Hit by Pickup

A Chickasha woman who was hospitalized after her wheelchair was hit by a pickup is recovering. Rae McElroy was injured Tuesday afternoon in downtown Chickasha. A Facebook post attributed to her husband Dale indicated she was in a crosswalk on her scooter when the accident happened. A witness tells KOOL/RANCH News that McElroy she suffered several broken ribs, a broken collar bone, and a punctured lung. She was taken to an Oklahoma City hospital. We called to check her condition this morning and it appears she has been released. The name of the driver of the pickup was not available. The witness we talked to said the driver stopped immediately and stayed with McElroy until she was taken to the hospital. A police report of the accident is not yet available.

 

Chix Schools Celebrate Native American Heritage Month

Chickasha Public Schools are celebrating Native American Heritage Month. Mayor Chris Mosley helped with a proclamation. Donya Charlson leads the school district’s Native American cultural education program which gets funding from a federal program called the Johnson O'Malley program. Charlson talks about some of their activities.

 

              

 

Rock  Our  Mocs (moccasins) Day is today. The students are also having an Indian Taco fundraiser today with the help of the Chickasha Masonic Lodge. The cost is $7. Call or text Charlson, 405-320-0787.

 

Salvation Army Begins Red Kettle Drive              

Let the bell ringing begin! The Salvation Army which serves Grady and Caddo counties begins its Red Kettle Drive today. Bell ringers will be at the Chickasha Post Office, William's Foods, Homeland, and Atwoods today. They'll be at Wal-Mart stores in Chickasha, Anadarko, and Newcastle starting on Saturday. All the proceeds from the local kettle drives stay local to help needy families in the two counties. The Red Kettle drive runs every day through Christmas Eve, although you won't see bell ringers on Sunday. The Salvation Army continues asking for volunteers to ring the bells. You can sign up on-line at www.registertoring.com and you can pick the days and times from those that are available. The Salvation Army also offers paid positions although they prefer volunteers.

 

Proposed YMCA/Community Center Meeting Postponed

A community meeting to discuss the possibility of building a new YMCA/community center in Chickasha that was scheduled for tonight has been postponed, No makeup date was announced.

 

Obituaries

Billy Glenn Thomas

Funeral service is pending for Billy Glenn Thomas, 76, of Las Vegas, Nevada with Brown-Thomas Funeral Home.

Genevie Crites

A graveside service for Genevie Crites, 85, of Ft. Cobb will be at 1:00 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 21st at Fairview Cemetery in Tuttle. Arrangements are with Sevier Funeral Home of Tuttle.

 

Wednesday, November 18th

 

Jury Convicts Suspect of Federal Murder, Assault Charges

A federal jury convicts a Carnegie man of murder and assault stemming from a violent attack on a homeless couple which occurred two years ago. 34-year old Isaiah Whitefox Redbird was found guilty of the charges following a trial and two days of deliberations in Oklahoma City Federal Court. The attack occurred on tribal land in Carnegie in September of 2018. Killed in the attack was Byron "Subee" Tongkeahmah, Jr. Kayleigh Roughface survived the attack but suffered massive injuries that included a fractured skull and broken bones. The Lawton Constitution cites U.S. Attorney Timothy Downing as saying Redbird had a grudge against Tongkeahmah. Formal sentencing is expected to be held early in 2021. Downing said Redbird will be sentenced to life in prison without parole.

 

Lewd Social Media Posts Leads to Arrest              

Grady County authorities arrest a man for allegedly encouraging a 15-year old girl to send him nude photos of herself. 20-year old Braedon Edwards of Norman was arrested by a Grady County sheriff's deputy Monday after a warrant was issued for Edwards' arrest. A probable cause affidavit indicates that investigators were made aware of the allegations by the teenager's mother last month. The mother provided authorities with some Snap Chat images that were sent to Edwards. The teen is said to have told Edwards she was 15. The probable cause affidavit filed following the investigation indicates that Edwards told the girl he was 17. Edwards is charged with a felony for using an electronic device to make lewd or indecent proposals.  He remains in jail on a $50,000 bond.

 

Woman Arrested for Alledgedly Kicking Cop

A Grady County woman is arrested for allegedly kicking a police officer. An Amber officer was dispatched to a convenience store last weekend to help deal with an irate customer. The customer was asked to leave by store employees but said she wasn't leaving until she got her money back. As the officer attempted to escort the woman from the store she became combative and the officer said she was being arrested for trespassing. A short struggle ensued and the women fell to the floor and kicked the officer in the leg. 38-year old Beverly Jaquetta Reece of Amber was taken into custody. She has been formally charged with a felony for assault and battery on a police officer. Her bond was set at $5,000.

 

OHP Identifies Weekend I-35 Crash Victim

Investigators have released the name of the man who died when his pickup crashed on I-35 in Garvin County over the weekend. The Oklahoma Highway Patrol reports that 64-year old Charles Ward of Cashion died in the crash that happened Sunday night north of Paoli. Ward's pickup veered off the interstate into the median, hit the cable barrier, then rolled several times and landed upside down.

 

Volunteer Crews Knock Down Grass Fires

Several large grassfires burned more than 100 acres in the Lake Burtschi area yesterday. 40 volunteer firefighters and 22 trucks were dispatched after the fires were reported about noon. Crews from Pioneer, Farwell, Verden, and Ninnekah all responded. Their quick action had the fires out within a couple of hours. No structures were threatened. Grady County Fire Department Spokesman Buddy Myers said the cause of the fires is under investigation. Fire danger will be elevated today as there will be gusty south winds to about 35 miles per hour with temps forecast to be in the 70s.

 

Halliburton to Re-hire After Massive Virus Layoffs

Halliburton is rebounding a bit after laying off thousands of employees worldwide this year because of the pandemic. The company is expected to hire about 170 employees within the next few weeks. Halliburton's website listed the areas of employment at its Duncan office. Some of the positions include entry-level technicians, delivery drivers, welders, account reps, and administrators. Interviews will begin as early as Friday. Job descriptions can be found on the company's website www.halliburton.com/careers

 

Thursday Job Fair in Carnegie

In Carnegie, the Kiowa Tribe of Oklahoma and Longbow Logistics are co-hosting a job fair for some construction-related employment opportunities. Carpenters, concrete masons, equipment operators, and brick layers are a few of the openings with job locations throughout southwest and central Oklahoma. Tribal members will be given preference but the job fair is open to the public. It will be from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. tomorrow at the Kiowa Complex in Carnegie. Masks will be required and social distancing practices will be followed.

 

Energy and Metals

Crude oil on the NYMEX is $41.73 per barrel.

London-based Brent crude is $43.75.

Natural gas is $2.69 per million BTUs.

Gold is $1,873 and silver is $24.50.

 

Tuesday, November 17th

 

Missing  Man's Body Found Under Bridge

A body found near Bradley yesterday has been identified as a man who was reported missing on Sunday. Authorities say the body of 41-year old Wesley Robert Brown, who lives in the Bradley area, was found under a bridge near State Highway 19 and CR 2960 just west of Bradley. Grady County Sheriff Jim Weir says Brown was drinking with some friends Sunday evening when there was an argument and that he left the area on foot. Brown's mother reported him missing late Sunday evening. Weir said some of Brown's friends went looking for him Monday morning and they found Brown’s body about a half-mile from where he was last seen alive. Weir said the death is suspicious but there are no obvious signs of foul play and no arrests have been made. They will await results of an autopsy.

 

School Moves to Distance-Learning Due to COVID-19

One Chickasha school will go to distance-learning only the rest of this week due to an increasing number of coronavirus cases and quarantines. Superintendent Rick Croslin said that students at the Bill Wallace Early Childhood Center will go to virtual-learning only through Friday. A post on the school's Facebook page indicates that learning packets will be available this afternoon and that packets will also be available tomorrow from 7:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. School officials will call parents when the packets are ready. Every school in the Chickasha district will be closed all of next week for Thanksgiving break. The Bill Wallace students who have been taking part in classroom learning programs are scheduled to return to school on Monday, Nov. 30th.

 

Ice Storm Debris Removal Costs Rising for Chix

The cost for tree and debris removal for the City of Chickasha is expected to top $1 million. City Manager John Noblitt told the city council last night that estimated costs may surpass $1.3 million. Noblitt believes the city should recoup most of that cost if FEMA approves Gov. Kevin Stitt's request for federal emergency disaster relief.

 

      

 

Even if that relief is approved, Noblitt said the city won't see any funds until after the first of the year.  Noblitt and a couple of city council members praised the effort of city crews who have worked to clear debris left in the wake of a massive ice storm. One council representative expressed concern about the lack of debris removal from Rose Hill Cemetery saying it appeared there has been no visible progress. Noblitt was going to check with the vendor responsible for maintenance at the city's two cemeteries to get an update.

 

Re-Zoning OK'd for Medical Marijuana Grower              

The council unanimously approved a rezoning request for a medical marijuana growing facility. No comments for or against the proposal were made during a short public hearing. The property will be changed from residential to light industrial use in order to get the facility back in compliance with the Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority which recently changed regulations for growers.

 

Feedback Sought for State Transit Plan

A lengthy study designed to improve public transportation in Oklahoma is available for review. It's called the Oklahoma Public Transit Policy Plan. State lawmakers implemented the study in 2019 and officials with the Oklahoma Department of Transportation (ODOT) worked with the Oklahoma Transit Association to put it together. ODOT Deputy Director Dawn Sullivan said hundreds of Oklahomans also provided input.

 

              

 

The plan outlines the goals and priorities needed to make Oklahoma a top 10 state for public transit by the year 2040. Public comments on the plan will be taken through this Saturday, Nov. 21st then passed on to Gov. Kevin Stitt and state lawmakers. See the study on the website www.oktransitplan.org and you'll also be able to submit comments on that website.

 

Energy and Metals

Crude oil on the NYMEX is $41.34 per barrel.

London-based Brent crude is $43.82.

Natural gas is $2.70 per million BTUs.

Gold is $1,887 and silver is $24.72.

 

Obituary

Elizabeth Cox

A private memorial service for Elizabeth Cox, 66, of Chickasha will be held at a later date. She was a U.S. Navy veteran. Arrangements are with Sevier Funeral Home.

 

Monday, November 16th

 

Three Die in Weekend Traffic Accidents

The highway patrol is still investigating an accident that happened last night near Mile Marker 91 in Garvin County. That accident took place just before 10:30 p.m.  The trooper dispatched to the scene said a pickup drove into the median, hit a cable barrier, rolled several times and landed upside down. The driver's name has not been released as relatives have not been notified. The other fatal crash happened about 6:30 p.m. Saturday on State Highway 17 east of Sterling where two people died. One of them was 61-year old Kelly Hale of Sterling. An unidentified passenger in the pickup she was driving also died. The OHP reports that Hale failed to stop at a stop sign and hit Jeep driven by 47-year old Christopher Wilmeth of Fletcher. He was air-lifted to an Oklahoma City hospital where he was admitted in critical condition. A passenger in the Jeep, 45-year old Shannon Wilmeth, was taken to a Lawton hospital and her condition was unknown.

 

Grant for Chix PD Part of City Council Meeting              

The Chickasha City Council is expected to approve a big grant for the city’s police department. On the agenda for the council's regular meeting tonight is a proposal to accept the $45,000 grant from the State Attorney General's Office to be used for violent crime prevention. The council is also to hold a public hearing on the proposed re-zoning of property in the 3400 block of Frisco. The applicant is asking to re-zone the property from residential to light industrial use, in order to continue operating his medical marijuana growing facility. This is the same proposal that was considered during last week’s Planning Commission meeting. Officials with the city’s Community Development Department are recommending the re-zoning be approved. The applicant previously was licensed with the state, however some state regulations recently changed and the city was not able to approve the current license. The panel is also to consider several issues regarding the municipal airport. One is to approve a land lease agreement to build some new hangars; others are to prepare bid specifications for a spec hangar and an office building for future lease space. The council meets at 6:30 p.m. tonight at city hall.

 

Grady County Treasurer's Office Still Closed: COVID-19

The Grady County Treasurer’s Office remains closed today and tomorrow after an employee tested positive for COVID-19. The office was closed Friday afternoon after officials learned of the test result. The remaining offices of the courthouse are open for their normal operating hours.

 

"Buy Chickasha" Campaign Underway

Starting today, a number of Chickasha retailers continue to encourage families in the region to shop with local merchants during the holiday gift-buying season. The Buy Chickasha program gives shoppers the opportunity to win up to $5,000 in local gift cards. No purchase is necessary. Just by visiting a participating business, individuals will receive one ticket for the gift-card drawing. An additional ticket will be given for every $10 in merchandise purchased, up to 100 tickets. Participants must be 18 and older, and tax exempt purchases do not qualify, with the exception of those purchases made by disabled veterans. Corporate sponsors for the program include First National Bank, Salt Creek Casino, Liberty National Bank, Mollman Media and the participating merchants. Drawings for gift cards of $5,000; $3,000; and $2,000 will be held live on the Chickasha Chamber of Commerce Facebook page on Thursday, Dec. 16th. More than 20 businesses are participating. For a complete list of rules and participating merchants visit the website www.chickashachamber.org/buy-chickasha

 

Energy and Metals

Crude oil on the NYMEX is $40.13 per barrel.

London-based Brent crude is 42.78.

Natural gas is $2.99 per million BTUs.

Gold is $1,890 and silver is $24.91.

 

2020, Nov. 28th-Dec. 5th

Saturday, December 5th

 

Chix Schools Repair List Released

We've been reporting this week about a special bond election scheduled by the Chickasha Public Schools Board of Education in an attempt to deal with repairs needed throughout the district. Chickasha School Superintendent Rick Croslin says many of the school district's aging buildings are at least 70 years old. Lincoln School is more than 90 years old while the Chickasha Middle School and even Grand Elementary are well over 50 years old. The board of education this week scheduled a special bond election for February 9th of next year. Two bond proposals totaling $2.7 million will be on the ballot. One is for $2.3 million for upgrades and renovations. That list includes nearly $600,000 for work at Lincoln School including plumbing, drainage, masonry work and basement upgrades; more than $250,000 in work at the high school including accessibility upgrades, facade work, and sidewalk and paving improvements. Also at the high school, nearly $200,000 in work is needed at the activity center and another $150,000 in improvements are needed at Memorial Stadium. At the middle school, an estimated $180,000 in work has been identified, including some work at Myers Field House. Even the newest school in the district, Bill Wallace, needs about $100,000 of work done. The bond issue also includes more than $300,000 for various instructional materials and equipment throughout the district. Croslin said a complete breakdown of the needs will be posted on the school district's website next week. By the way, the second issue on the Feb. 9th ballot is a $405,000 bond proposal for transportation needs.

 

Minco Honey Festival Underway

It's a sweet day in Minco, as the community holds its annual Honey Festival. It's the 30th year for the event, always held on the first Saturday in December. Minco is home to the largest honey plant in the state. Normally, visitors are welcome to tour the plant during the festival but the tours will not be held because of the pandemic. However, there will be tables outside the plant for visitors to purchase honey and gifts. The Minco Chamber of Commerce has a lot of activities downtown with more than 100 arts and crafts vendors and food trucks. There are free food samples including milk, chocolate milk and cheese from Braum's Dairy; a tractor pull; carriage rides around town, and the jolly old elf, Santa will be on hand. And one of Minco's Favorite Sons, Emmy-award winning Lucas Ross will be there.

 

Salvation Army Urges Delivery of Angel Gifts

Christmas is less than three weeks away. The Salvation Army which serves Grady and Caddo Counties says they still have a number of  Angel gift lists which need to be returned. All the tags have been picked up, but officials say that the gifts need to be turned in by next Friday, Dec. 11th. Officials say that the distribution site for the Angel gifts has moved from the John Holt Auto Group dealership to the Salvation Army at 2402 S. 16th in Chickasha this year.

 

Talk Show Topic

Here's part of what we're talking about this weekend. Janis Kindred with the Anadarko Library is our guest on the KOOL Konversation. Find a link to the program under the Community tab on this website.

 

Obituary

Charlesetta Lewis

Funeral service for Charlesetta Lewis, 60, is pending with Brown-Thomas Funeral Home.

 

 

Friday, December 4th

 

Special Bond Election Set for Chickasha School District

Chickasha school district patrons will go to the polls in February to decide if nearly $3 million in bonds should be sold by the school to pay for various school improvements and technology needs. In a special meeting yesterday, the board of education scheduled a Feb. 9th election for two bond issues which total $2.7 million. Superintendent Rick Croslin-

 

              

 

One bond proposal is for $2.3 million to pay for upgrades, and a second $400,000 bond issue is for transportation needs. Croslin said Lincoln School, which is more than 90 years old will get about $600,000 in needed upgrades if the bonds are approved. Croslin said this is the first step toward the district's long-range plans of holding a much larger bond election in 2022 for some major upgrades to the district. The superintendent said that there would be a property tax increase if the Feb. 9th bonds are approved. He estimated the increase to be about $35 a year on a home valued at $100,000. He said if both  measures are approved, there would not be a property tax increase in the major bond election proposed for 2022. Croslin also said that the next few regularly scheduled school board meetings will be held in the high school activity center to allow for adequate social distancing. That will start with the Dec. 14th meeting.

 

Am-Po Teachers' Home Destroyed in Fire

A Thanksgiving Day fire destroyed the home and of an Amber family. The home of Bo and Leah Thomason and their two children caught fire that day while they were attending a family gathering in Texas. Two family pets died as a result of the fire. Amber Fire Chief Ernie Rinard said it was intially reported by someone driving by the home. Fire crews from Tuttle and Bridge Creek were also dispatched. In all, about 15 firefighters spent about three hours beating back the flames. Rinard said an electrical short in the living room was the likely cause. He estimated damaged to the one-story, brick and wood home at more than $70,000. Rinard said the Red Cross was called in to help the family. The Thomasons have taught in the Amber school district for years, and Bo is the coach of the girls basketball program. A family friend posted on Facebook that the Thomasons have provided a culture of love, responsibility, and accountability to numerous students over the years. A benefit fund to help the family has been established at the First National Bank and Trust.

 

Pursuit Results in Arrest

A high speed pursuit through several Chickasha neighborhoods leads to the arrest of a man accused of being in possession of a stolen pickup. The pursuit occurred Monday afternoon...when a police officer located a pickup that had been reported stolen last weekend. According to a probable cause affidavit, as authorities were waiting for help to recover the pickup, a man got into the truck and drove off. The officer began following the truck, which then blew through a stop sign. That's when the pursuit began. A state trooper also joined the chase. After speeding through several neighborhoods, the truck crashed near 4th and Georgia, and the driver tried to get away on foot. The trooper was able to run down the suspect and take him in to custody. Arrested was 32-year old Nathan Todd Dobson of Moore. Prosecutors have charged him with two felonies -  eluding and unauthorized use of a vehicle. Dobson remains in jail on a $10,000 bond. Prosecutors have also moved to revoke Dobson's probation he received for a guilty plea made in connection with a 2018 arrest for being in possession of a stolen vehicle.

 

Saturday Activities in Chickasha

Tomorrow is a big day in Chickasha. It begins in the morning with the Chickasha  Optimist Club's annual Christmas Carroll Fun Run, in honor of the late Rod Carroll. The Altrusa Club will hold its virtual Hall of Trees campaign, which will be held at the Grady County Museum downtown starting at noon. It will finish tomorrow night with the annual Christmas parade...also downtown. Grand Marshals will be recording artists Shane Henry and Maggie McClure, also known as the Imaginaries. The parade will be following by a live performance by the couple at the Rock Island Railroad Depot, near the now iconic 50-foot tall leg lamp.

 

Energy and Metals

Crude oil on the NYMEX is $45.64 per barrel.

London-based Brent crude is $48.71.

Natural gas is $2.50 per million BTUs.

Gold  is $1,843 and silver is $24.34.

 

Thursday, December 3rd

 

Chix School Board to Schedule February Bond Election

A bond issue of just under $3 million is expected to go before patrons in the Chickasha school district next year. The board of education will hold a special meeting this afternoon to approve a resolution to schedule the election in February. Superintendent Rick Croslin says it's a $2.7 million proposal for some needed repairs throughout the district. The language in the resolution includes “improving and acquiring school sites; constructing, repairing, remodeling, and equipping buildings; acquiring furniture, fixtures and equipment; and purchasing transportation equipment." The panel will also have a discussion regarding athletics although no action will be taken on that matter. The meeting was scheduled for 3:00 p.m. at the school administration building.

 

Chix City Council to Discuss Master Drainage Plan

A master drainage plan for the City of Chickasha is among the items to be discussed by the city council in a special work session next week. It's not clear what officials have in mind. It's the first time for city Manager John Noblitt to bring the matter up for discussion. A few years ago, a controversial master drainage plan proposed by then-city manager Alan Guard received widespread criticism and was shot down following overwhelming resistance by residents and business owners. The work session will also include discussion about a housing study. No formal action will be taken on either matter. The work session will be at 5:30 p.m. Monday at city hall right before the city council meeting. It is the only regularly scheduled city council meeting for the month of December.

 

Chix PD Homicide Investigation Continues

There's been no update on the Chickasha police investigation of last weekend's double homicide where the bodies of Ashley Cannon and her unborn daughter were found in their apartment. Authorities continue following numerous leads as they search for a person of interest connected to the case. The unidentified man's photo has been posted on the police department's Facebook page and shown on television stations across the state. In the meantime, the funeral service for Ashley and baby Nala are pending with Brown-Thomas Funeral Home of Chickasha.

 

Coronavirus Update

There have now been more than 2,800 positive COVID-19 tests in Grady County with 23 deaths and there are about 400 active cases. Chickasha has had more than 1,250 positive tests with 14 deaths and there are 179 active cases. Blanchard has now topped 1,000 positive tests with three deaths and there are 150 active cases. In Tuttle, there have been 660 positive tests with five deaths and there are just over 100 active cases. In Caddo County there have been nearly 2,000 positive tests with 33 deaths and there are nearly 380 active cases. Anadarko has had nearly 700 positive tests with 13 deaths and there are about 130 active cases.

 

Energy and Metals

Crude oil on the NYMEX is $45.28 per barrel.

London-based Brent crude is $48.25.

Natural gas is $2.78 per million BTUs.

Gold is $1,845 and silver is $24.37.

 

Obituaries

Otis Jackson

A graveside service for Otis Jackson, 95, of Tuttle will be at 1:00 p.m. Friday, Dec. 4th at Tuttle's Fairview Cemetery. Arrangements are with Sevier Funeral Home of Tuttle.

Edna Blevins

Funeral for Edna Blevins, 103, of Verden will be at 1:00 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 5th at the Pentecostal Lighthouse Church of Verden. Her obituary indicates she had been the oldest living member of the Citizen Potawatamie Nation. She was born in October of 1917 in Wanette on the former Citizen Band Potawatamie Reservation. Edna and her late husband Denver moved to Verden in the 1950s. She was a homemaker and an active member of her church. Local survivors include her son James; grandsons Neal and Denver, and grandson Andy and his wife Jennifer, all of Verden. Arrangements are with McRay Funeral Home.

 

 

Wednesday, December 2nd

 

Chix Police Seek Info in Double Homicide Probe

Chickasha police are using all available resources in their attempt to find the person responsible for the brutal death of a mother and her unborn daughter. Police and several family members of Ashley Cannon held a press conference Tuesday and pleaded for information about the man who may have been the last person to see Cannon alive. Authorities have some photographs of the unidentified individual they are looking for - but no name. The photos are of an African-American male, 35 to 45 years old, with a slight mustache and beard. The photos are posted on the Chickasha Police Department's Facebook page and have been shown on a number of television stations. Lauren Jewell is the lead detective on the case. She said the individual they are looking may not be local.

 

              

 

Jewell said the man could be driving an older model gold Chevy Tahoe. Jewell did not say how Cannon may have died but said it was horrific and heinous crime. She's calling it a double homicide as Cannon was 8 1/2 months pregnant. Cannon had already named the girl Nala. Cannon's sister, Carmella Brown, and others asked the public to provide any information they may have to seek justice for Ashley.

 

 

Jewell said investigators have requested about 10 search warrants in their attempts to find information about the man's whereabouts. Individuals are asked to contact Chickasha police, the Chickasha and Grady County Crimestoppers at 405-224-TIPS, or leave an anonymous tip on the Crimestoppers Facebook page.

 

PSO Announces Rate Increase

PSO customers will be paying a little bit more for electricity after the first of the year. The utility says the price increase is due to higher-than-expected costs for natural gas and purchased power needed to generate electricity for homes and business. A PSO press release indicates that a typical residential customer who uses 1,100 kilowatts of electricity each month will see their bills increase about $5 per month. Officials say they will review fuel factors again next spring to determine if further adjustments may be necessary. The press release states that PSO is not allowed to make a profit on fuel costs.

 

Chix Continues Limb Drop-off Service

The City of Chickasha will continue operating a limb drop-off location for an undetermined amount of time. City Manager John Noblitt said residents are allowed to remove debris related to the late October ice storm and take it to the city's public works headquarters which is north of the Grady County Fairgrounds on Genevieve Street. The facility is open seven days a week. Individuals will have to show a utility bill from the city in order to be allowed to use the service. It's not to be used by tree removal contractors.

 

Chix Library to Suspend In-Person Services; Remains Open

The Chickasha Public Library will temporarily suspend in-person services because of the recent increase in COVID-19 cases. The suspension will start on Monday, Dec. 7th. Patrons will still be able to take advantage of curbside and virtual services, including grab-and-go craft bags for children. Books can be reserved through the library's on-line catalog. Library personnel will also be able to provide curbside assistance for notary services, faxing, and copying. Also, the library's Food for Fines campaign will be available curbside. For information, contact the library by calling 405-222-6075.

 

Energy and Metals

Crude oil on the NYMEX is $44.55 per barrel.

London-based Brent crude is $47.42.

Natural gas is $2.88 per million BTUs.

Gold is $1,830 and silver is $24.25.

 

Obituaries

John Reed

 A memorial service will be held at a later date for John Reed, 71, of Ninnekah. He was a U.S. Army veteran. Arrangements are with Sevier Funeral Home.

Cynthia “Verlene” Thurston

Funeral service for Verlene Thurston, 66, of Alex will be at 10:00 a.m. Friday, Dec. 4th at College Heights Baptist Church. Arrangements are with Ferguson Funeral Home.

 

 

Tuesday, December 1st

 

Chickasha Homicide Investigation Continues              

Authorities have not released any further information about their investigation into a woman's death, whose body was found in her apartment late Sunday night. Chickasha police said they were looking for a person of interest who may have information but no arrests have been made. Officers were called to an apartment complex at 9th and Virginia Avenue where the body of a 37-year old mother of two was discovered. There were two small children in the apartment and one of them called 9-1-1. Authorities have not said how the woman may have died nor have they released her name. No description of the person of interest was released. Anyone with information is asked to call Chickasha police or the Chickasha and Grady County Crimestoppers at 405-224-TIPS or provide an anonymous tip on the Crimestoppers Facebook page.

 

Ag Producers Face Deadline to Apply for CFAP2

Oklahoma agriculture producers only have about 10 days left to sign up to participate in the second phase of what's known as the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP). Ron Hays with the Radio Oklahoma Ag Network spoke with Scott Biggs who is the state director for the Farm Service Agency. He says he's expecting a big rush of applications over the next week and a half.

 

 

Biggs said nearly 30,000 of the more than 32,000 applications which have been received so far have been approved. The largest farming operations in Oklahoma are cattle and wheat producers and Biggs encourages all operators to contact their local FSA offices by the application deadline which is Dec. 11th.

 

FNBT VP Paul Lewis Retires

After spending a number of years working to bring new business and industry to the Grady County area, Paul Lewis has retired. Lewis spent the last 15 years as the vice president of business development with the First National Bank and Trust. Lewis spent a lot of his time recruiting energy companies when the South Central Oklahoma Oil Province (SCOOP) was in its early development. First National Bank President and CEO John Gorton says Lewis had a lot of success.


 

Lewis also served as chairman of the Chamber of Commerce Leadership Chickasha program and volunteered with the Salvation Army and numerous other groups. A small retirement reception for Lewis was held yesterday which was his final day on the job.

 

Library Begins Annual Food for Fines Program

The Chickasha Public Library begins its annual holiday amnesty program for users who have overdue materials. Every December, the library offers a Food for Fines program by accepting contributions of non-perishable food items in place of the fines. All food is donated to the Emergency Food Pantry. Library Director Lillie Huckaby said many customers bring in food that is valued at much more than the fine - and library users that don't have fines often contribute as well. Huckaby said that the program does not cover replacement fees for lost or damaged books. In addition to providing items for the emergency food pantry many overdue materials are returned. The food for fines program runs through Dec. 31st.

 

Energy and Metals

Crude on the NYMEX is $45.44 per barrel.

London-based Brent crude is $47.59.

Natural gas is $2.88 per million BTUs.

Gold is $1,809 and silver is $23.44.

 

Obituaries

Mary Skaggs

A graveside service was held today for Mary Skaggs, 85, of Tuttle at Fairview Cemetery in Tuttle. Arrangements were with Sevier Funeral Home of Tuttle. Memorial contributions may be made to the First Baptist Church of Tuttle or to a charity of choice.

Douglas Wakefield

A graveside service for 76-year old Douglas Wakefield of Tuttle will be at 1:00 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 3rd at Tuttle's Fairview Cemetery. Arrangements are also with Sevier Funeral Home of Tuttle.

 

 

Monday, November 30th

 

Chickasha Police Investigates Overnight Homicide

Chickasha police are looking for a person of interest in connection with the death of woman late last night. The body of a 37-year old woman was discovered after police were called out after getting a 9-1-1 call from a child. Police Chief Dee Rowell said the call came in between 11:30 p.m. and midnight. The body was found in an apartment in the 1500 block of South 9th Street. Authorities have not released the name of the victim. Rowell did not say how the woman may have died. The police chief said there were two children in the apartment that were five and six years old and the victim was pregnant. The two children were released to a relative. Police are searching for a person of interest but have not made an arrest. Rowell said the homicide is believed to have been domestic in nature.

 

Driver Dies in ATV Crash

An ATV accident claims the life of a Grady County man. 71-year old John Reed of Ninnekah died in the crash that happened south of that community late Friday afternoon. The highway patrol reports that Reed was westbound on CR 1470 about three miles south of Ninnekah when he lost control and was thrown from the ATV. He was not wearing a helmet.

 

New Chix Businesses Seek Approval for Signs              

Several new downtown Chickasha businesses are asking for approval to post signs on their buildings. The requests will be heard during a special meeting of the City of Chickasha's Historic Preservation Committee tomorrow. The businesses seeking the sign approval are Cannabless at 426 West Chickasha Avenue; Iron Tree Coffee at 115 S. 4th Street; and Accentra Home Health and Hospice at 315 Choctaw Avenue. The meeting will be held at 3:30 p.m. tomorrow at city hall.

 

Chix City Council Expected to Begin Budget Talks

The Chickasha City Council will hold a special work session next week. The agenda has not yet been released but it is expected that the group will begin discussion about the city’s 2021 fiscal year budget. The work session will be held at 5:30 p.m. Monday, December 7th at city hall prior to the regular city council meeting.

 

Students Rewarded for Good Attendance              

With all the challenges that schools and students are facing during the pandemic, a Chickasha civic group is continuing its effort to provide kids an incentive to go to school. The Chickasha Rotary Club is continuing its Roll Call program by giving away several bicycles and helmets every nine weeks to eligible students. Initially, the program was to recognize students who had perfect attendance in the classroom. The qualifications were modified this year as the Rotary Club worked with Lincoln School Principal Dr. R.P. Ashanti-Alexander to come up with a way to acknowledge both in-person and virtual learners. More than 100 students met the eligibility requirements for the first nine weeks and each were automatically entered into the drawing. Winners were 6th grade students Oliva Wilson, Hudson Fewell, Javier Nieto, and Makayla McDaniel; and 5th grade students, Alayah Barger, Noah Barger, Chase Burrows, and Nahla Alexander.

 

Agronomy Specialist to Host Zoom Meeting

Ag producers in the region can get an update on issues which affect their operations during an ag marketing meeting with Grady County OSU Extension tomorrow morning. Agronomy Specialist Josh Bushong with OSU will provide the information. Individuals may attend in person or via the Zoom platform. The meeting will be at 7:00 a.m. tomorrow at the Grady County OSU Extension Office for those who wish to attend in person. Producers wanting to attend the Zoom platform will need to register by this afternoon by contacting the extension office by calling 405-224-2216.

 

Energy and Metals

Crude oil on the NYMEX is $45.53 per barrel.

London-based Brent crude is $48.18.

Natural gas is $2.84 per million BTUs.

Gold is $1,774 and silver is $22.29.

 

Obituaries

Ronald Ray Felder

A memorial service for 70-year old Ronald Ray Felder of Chickasha will be held at the family home. He was the owner and operator of the Chickasha Hotel for many years and also owned Benton's and the K-Bar Steakhouse.

Leon Ladd

Graveside service for 74-year old Clarence "Leon" Ladd of Chickasha will be held at 2:00 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 2nd at Fairlawn Cemetery. He was a U.S. military veteran and served three tours in Vietnam. Arrangements are with Ferguson Funeral Home.

 

Saturday, Nov. 28th

 

Two Deaths Blamed on Separate Accidents

An ATV accident claims the life of a Grady County man. 71-year old John Reed of Ninnekah died in the crash that happened south of that community about 5:30 p.m. Friday. The highway patrol reports that Reed was westbound on CR 1470 about three miles south of Ninnekah when he lost control and was thrown from the ATV. He was not wearing a helmet. Reed's death is the second on Grady County roadways during the extended Thanksgiving holiday weekend. On Wednesday night, an Oklahoma City man died in a crash on the H.E. Bailey Turnpike near the U.S. Highway 62 junction east of downtown Chickasha. 60-year old Pablo Otero died in a towing accident. He was in a vehicle being pulled with a tow-strap - when a third vehicle rear-ended Otero's car, causing all three vehicles to crash.

 

Man Arrested for Alleged Threats Against Elected Officials

In Stephens County, a man is jailed on a $1 million bond after being arrested for allegedly making violent threats toward local, state, and federal elected officials. Authorities say Walker Dale Wilson made the threats on his Twitter account. KSWO-TV cites court documents that say the 23-year old posted tweets that included extremist views and violent images, and talked about the use of firearms. Among those named in the threats were Stephens County Sheriff Wayne McKinney and Oklahoma U.S. Senator Jim Inhofe. Wilson is alleged to have threatened to drag officers out on the road with a bag on their heads to celebrate statements he attributed to President-elect Joe Biden about defunding police. Another talked about taking sledge hammer to a police station to take care of business, and yet another made reference to holding a sledge hammer and saying Sen. Inhofe should watch his back. Wilson is facing felony charges of endeavoring to perform an act of violence and unlawful use of a computer system.

              

Drilling Permits Issued in Grady, Canadian Counties

There is some renewed interest in drilling for oil and gas in the SCOOP and STACK regions. The website www.okenergytoday.com reports Red Rocks Oil and Gas has permits to drill in a couple of Grady County locations. One is the Polk No. 1-36 which is in Section 36 of Township 5 North and Range 5 West which is between Bradley and Lindsay. The other is the Dougherty Welch No. 4 well which is next to the Polk location in Section One of Township 4 North and Range 5 West. In Canadian County, Cimarex has received permits to drill three wells on a single pad west of Union City. That's in section 25 of Township 11 North and Range 5 West. Citizen Energy has permits to drill two Canadian County wells in Section 18 of Township 11 North and Range 6 West.

 

Talk Show Topic

Here’s what we’re talking about this weekend. David Nowlin with OSU Extension is on the KOOL Konversation to discuss management of trees following the recent ice storm. Find a link to the program under the Community tab on this website.

 

Obituaries

Paul Harris

Funeral service for Paul Harris, 78, of Chickasha was held today. He worked for nearly 20 years with Standley Systems and previously worked in the grocery business at Dunn's and the former Humpty Dumpty stores. Arrangements were with McRay Funeral Home.

Latasha Blunt

Funeral service Latasha Blunt, 31, of Lawton will be at 11:00 a.m. Monday, Nov. 30th at the Power House of Deliverance Apostolic Church in Comanche. Arrangements are with Brown-Thomas Funeral Home.

Frank Nightingale

Funeral service for Frank Nightingale, 90, of Moundridge, Kansas and formerly of Verden will be at 2:00 p.m. Monday Nov. 30th at the Plainview Mennonite Church.  Arrangements are with Ferguson Funeral Home.

 

 

Saturday, November 21st

 

Pursuit Spans Two Counties; Supect in Custody

A high speed pursuit which spanned two counties yesterday included a number of law enforcement agencies and lasted over an hour. The chase started in the Marlow area just after noon and reached speeds of 110 miles per hour as the driver of an extended cab pickup headed north on  U.S. Highway 81 into Grady County. Police scanner traffic indicated the man was driving erratically and waving a weapon. Numerous police departments, Grady and Stephens County sheriff's deputies, and state troopers were all involved in the pursuit. The chase reached Chickasha where the motorist headed east on State Highway 19 and to the Alex area. The pursuit then went down a number of rural county roads and it's believed that the suspect managed to get away. However authorities were able to identify the driver and eventually located him and took him into custody. 61-year old Brent Drummond of Alex was taken to the Stephens County Jail in Duncan where he is being held on complaints of attempting to elude and reckless handling of a firearm.

 

Sheriff's Office Updates Warrant List

The Grady County Sheriff's Office has updated its 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.

 

Festival of Light Opens Tonight

Chickasha's Festival of Light officially opens tonight. This is the 28th year for the festival which features more than 2 ½ million lights in the city's 43-acre Shannon Springs Park. One of the main attractions is a 160-foot tall Christmas tree which is decorated with about 25,000 lights.  The event attracts thousands of visitors every year and they can either drive through or walk through the park. There is a Ferris wheel, a merry-go-round, an ice skating rink, food trucks, and a gift shop. Cassandra Ersland who serves as one of the board members for the festival says there is an app available this year.

 

              

 

This year, all the incandescent bulbs have been changed over to LED lights which are brighter and more energy efficient. The Festival of Light will be open every night through New Year's Eve.

              

Talk Show Topics

Here's what we're talking about this weekend. Theresa Plata, a Child Welfare Specialist with the Oklahoma Department of Human Services, is on our KOOL Konversation. Interim Chickasha Fire Chief Tony Samaniego is with us on Real Estate Today. Find links to both programs under the Community tab on this website.

 

Obituaries

Jim Rodgers

A memorial service for Jim Rodgers, 74, of Chickasha will be held at 11:00 a.m. Monday, Nov. 23rd at the Ft. Sill National Cemetery. He was a U.S. Army veteran who served one tour in Vietnam.  Arrangements are with Ferguson Funeral Home.

Terianne Montgomery

No service will be held for Terianne Montgomery, 72, of Chickasha. Arrangements are with Ferguson Funeral Home.

Latasha Crawford

Funeral service for Latasha Crawford, 31, of Lawton is pending with Brown-Thomas Funeral Home.

 

High School Football Scores

Blanchard 47, Tecumseh 6

Tuttle 31, Newcastle 21

Anadarko 28, Sulphur 14

Marlow 70, Bethel 33

Bishop McGuinness 41, Duncan 21

Mooreland 34, Minco 15

Tonkawa 28, Dibble 23

Alex 38, Empire 20

Velma-Alma 58, Snyder 56 (OT)

Mt. View-Gotebo 56, Sharon-Mutual 6

No. 7 Waynoka 52, No. 8 Maysville 16

 

Friday, November 20th

 

Ex-con Faces Kidnapping, Weapons Charges

A Chickasha man is facing kidnapping and weapons charges following his arrest earlier this week. 42-year old Mark Denero Wilson was taken into custody Tuesday afternoon.  No details of the arrest were available. Grady County prosecutors have charged Wilson with kidnapping, possession of a firearm after felony conviction, and domestic assault. Wilson remains in the Grady County Jail on a $50,000 bond. Prosecutors have also filed paperwork to revoke Wilson’s probation for pleading guilty to previous domestic violence charges stemming from a 2015 arrest. On-line court records say Wilson was sentenced to 20 years with 10 years suspended in connection with that plea.

 

Fire Department Seeks Help to Find Stolen Trailer

The Bridge Creek Fire Department is asking for help in finding two individuals who stole a trailer from its headquarters. The theft occurred before dawn Thursday at Station 2 on Fox Lane. Authorities say the trailer is used to move their quick attack and wild land fire UTV. A post on the department’s Facebook page indicates it’s one of several trailer thefts that have occurred in the Bridge Creek area within the last couple of weeks. The Facebook page has some photos of the suspects and an extended cab pickup used in the theft. Anyone with information is asked to call the Grady County Sheriff's Office at 405-224-0984 or Crimestoppers at 405-224-TIPS. Anonymous tips may also be posted to the Grady County Crimestoppers Facebook page.

 

Second Victim of Fatal Crash Identified

The Oklahoma Highway Patrol has released the name of the second person who died in a traffic accident near Sterling last weekend. 54-year old Michelle Evanoff of Lawton was a passenger in a pickup that ran a stop sign and hit a Jeep last Saturday night. Also killed in the crash was 61-year old Kelly Hale of Sterling.  The driver of the Jeep, 47-year old Christopher Wilmeth of Fletcher, was taken to an Oklahoma City hospital in critical condition. He remains in the hospital and has been upgraded to fair condition as of this morning. The accident is still under investigation.

 

Festival of Light to Open on Time

Despite last month's massive ice storm, Chickasha's holiday light celebration will open as scheduled. The Festival of Light will begin its 28th year - just three weeks after the storm damaged trees and many of the lights and displays at Shannon Springs Park. Elizabeth Allen with the Festival of Light says they made some big changes with the more than 2 ½ million lights.

 

              

 

While some communities have canceled their holiday light displays because of the pandemic, Festival of Light coordinators decided to forge ahead. There won't be a formal opening ceremony. The park will open to visitors tomorrow night (Saturday, Nov. 21st) and will be open every evening through New Year’s Eve. Individuals can drive through or walk through the park.

 

Energy and Metals

Crude oil on the NYMEX is $41.74 per barrel.

London-based Brent crude is $44.20.

Natural gas is $2.59 per million BTUs.

Gold is $1,863 and silver is $24.37.

 

Obituaries

Mary Bowens

Funeral service for Mary Bowens, 89, of Chickasha is pending with Brown-Thomas Funeral Home.

Betty Williams

Graveside service for Betty Williams, 84, of Tuttle will be held at 1:00 p.m. Monday, Nov. 23rd at Tuttle’s Fairview Cemetery. She and her late-husband Don Williams were one-time co-owners of the Williams grocery stores.  Arrangements are with Sevier Funeral Home of Tuttle.

 

Thursday, November 19th

 

Wildland Fires Possible Again Today

Another round of unseasonably warm temperatures, along with high winds and dry vegetation could lead to more grass fires today. Numerous fire departments were called out to battle an enormous blaze near Newcastle Wednesday. A number of volunteers from Grady County Fire Departments were called out to be part of a task force to squelch that blaze. Firefighters managed to get it under control after several hours though many remained in the area to put out hot spots and monitor fires in ravines. No property damage has been reported.

 

Woman Injured When Wheelchair is Hit by Pickup

A Chickasha woman who was hospitalized after her wheelchair was hit by a pickup is recovering. Rae McElroy was injured Tuesday afternoon in downtown Chickasha. A Facebook post attributed to her husband Dale indicated she was in a crosswalk on her scooter when the accident happened. A witness tells KOOL/RANCH News that McElroy she suffered several broken ribs, a broken collar bone, and a punctured lung. She was taken to an Oklahoma City hospital. We called to check her condition this morning and it appears she has been released. The name of the driver of the pickup was not available. The witness we talked to said the driver stopped immediately and stayed with McElroy until she was taken to the hospital. A police report of the accident is not yet available.

 

Chix Schools Celebrate Native American Heritage Month

Chickasha Public Schools are celebrating Native American Heritage Month. Mayor Chris Mosley helped with a proclamation. Donya Charlson leads the school district’s Native American cultural education program which gets funding from a federal program called the Johnson O'Malley program. Charlson talks about some of their activities.

 

              

 

Rock  Our  Mocs (moccasins) Day is today. The students are also having an Indian Taco fundraiser today with the help of the Chickasha Masonic Lodge. The cost is $7. Call or text Charlson, 405-320-0787.

 

Salvation Army Begins Red Kettle Drive              

Let the bell ringing begin! The Salvation Army which serves Grady and Caddo counties begins its Red Kettle Drive today. Bell ringers will be at the Chickasha Post Office, William's Foods, Homeland, and Atwoods today. They'll be at Wal-Mart stores in Chickasha, Anadarko, and Newcastle starting on Saturday. All the proceeds from the local kettle drives stay local to help needy families in the two counties. The Red Kettle drive runs every day through Christmas Eve, although you won't see bell ringers on Sunday. The Salvation Army continues asking for volunteers to ring the bells. You can sign up on-line at www.registertoring.com and you can pick the days and times from those that are available. The Salvation Army also offers paid positions although they prefer volunteers.

 

Proposed YMCA/Community Center Meeting Postponed

A community meeting to discuss the possibility of building a new YMCA/community center in Chickasha that was scheduled for tonight has been postponed, No makeup date was announced.

 

Obituaries

Billy Glenn Thomas

Funeral service is pending for Billy Glenn Thomas, 76, of Las Vegas, Nevada with Brown-Thomas Funeral Home.

Genevie Crites

A graveside service for Genevie Crites, 85, of Ft. Cobb will be at 1:00 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 21st at Fairview Cemetery in Tuttle. Arrangements are with Sevier Funeral Home of Tuttle.

 

Wednesday, November 18th

 

Jury Convicts Suspect of Federal Murder, Assault Charges

A federal jury convicts a Carnegie man of murder and assault stemming from a violent attack on a homeless couple which occurred two years ago. 34-year old Isaiah Whitefox Redbird was found guilty of the charges following a trial and two days of deliberations in Oklahoma City Federal Court. The attack occurred on tribal land in Carnegie in September of 2018. Killed in the attack was Byron "Subee" Tongkeahmah, Jr. Kayleigh Roughface survived the attack but suffered massive injuries that included a fractured skull and broken bones. The Lawton Constitution cites U.S. Attorney Timothy Downing as saying Redbird had a grudge against Tongkeahmah. Formal sentencing is expected to be held early in 2021. Downing said Redbird will be sentenced to life in prison without parole.

 

Lewd Social Media Posts Leads to Arrest              

Grady County authorities arrest a man for allegedly encouraging a 15-year old girl to send him nude photos of herself. 20-year old Braedon Edwards of Norman was arrested by a Grady County sheriff's deputy Monday after a warrant was issued for Edwards' arrest. A probable cause affidavit indicates that investigators were made aware of the allegations by the teenager's mother last month. The mother provided authorities with some Snap Chat images that were sent to Edwards. The teen is said to have told Edwards she was 15. The probable cause affidavit filed following the investigation indicates that Edwards told the girl he was 17. Edwards is charged with a felony for using an electronic device to make lewd or indecent proposals.  He remains in jail on a $50,000 bond.

 

Woman Arrested for Alledgedly Kicking Cop

A Grady County woman is arrested for allegedly kicking a police officer. An Amber officer was dispatched to a convenience store last weekend to help deal with an irate customer. The customer was asked to leave by store employees but said she wasn't leaving until she got her money back. As the officer attempted to escort the woman from the store she became combative and the officer said she was being arrested for trespassing. A short struggle ensued and the women fell to the floor and kicked the officer in the leg. 38-year old Beverly Jaquetta Reece of Amber was taken into custody. She has been formally charged with a felony for assault and battery on a police officer. Her bond was set at $5,000.

 

OHP Identifies Weekend I-35 Crash Victim

Investigators have released the name of the man who died when his pickup crashed on I-35 in Garvin County over the weekend. The Oklahoma Highway Patrol reports that 64-year old Charles Ward of Cashion died in the crash that happened Sunday night north of Paoli. Ward's pickup veered off the interstate into the median, hit the cable barrier, then rolled several times and landed upside down.

 

Volunteer Crews Knock Down Grass Fires

Several large grassfires burned more than 100 acres in the Lake Burtschi area yesterday. 40 volunteer firefighters and 22 trucks were dispatched after the fires were reported about noon. Crews from Pioneer, Farwell, Verden, and Ninnekah all responded. Their quick action had the fires out within a couple of hours. No structures were threatened. Grady County Fire Department Spokesman Buddy Myers said the cause of the fires is under investigation. Fire danger will be elevated today as there will be gusty south winds to about 35 miles per hour with temps forecast to be in the 70s.

 

Halliburton to Re-hire After Massive Virus Layoffs

Halliburton is rebounding a bit after laying off thousands of employees worldwide this year because of the pandemic. The company is expected to hire about 170 employees within the next few weeks. Halliburton's website listed the areas of employment at its Duncan office. Some of the positions include entry-level technicians, delivery drivers, welders, account reps, and administrators. Interviews will begin as early as Friday. Job descriptions can be found on the company's website www.halliburton.com/careers

 

Thursday Job Fair in Carnegie

In Carnegie, the Kiowa Tribe of Oklahoma and Longbow Logistics are co-hosting a job fair for some construction-related employment opportunities. Carpenters, concrete masons, equipment operators, and brick layers are a few of the openings with job locations throughout southwest and central Oklahoma. Tribal members will be given preference but the job fair is open to the public. It will be from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. tomorrow at the Kiowa Complex in Carnegie. Masks will be required and social distancing practices will be followed.

 

Energy and Metals

Crude oil on the NYMEX is $41.73 per barrel.

London-based Brent crude is $43.75.

Natural gas is $2.69 per million BTUs.

Gold is $1,873 and silver is $24.50.

 

Tuesday, November 17th

 

Missing  Man's Body Found Under Bridge

A body found near Bradley yesterday has been identified as a man who was reported missing on Sunday. Authorities say the body of 41-year old Wesley Robert Brown, who lives in the Bradley area, was found under a bridge near State Highway 19 and CR 2960 just west of Bradley. Grady County Sheriff Jim Weir says Brown was drinking with some friends Sunday evening when there was an argument and that he left the area on foot. Brown's mother reported him missing late Sunday evening. Weir said some of Brown's friends went looking for him Monday morning and they found Brown’s body about a half-mile from where he was last seen alive. Weir said the death is suspicious but there are no obvious signs of foul play and no arrests have been made. They will await results of an autopsy.

 

School Moves to Distance-Learning Due to COVID-19

One Chickasha school will go to distance-learning only the rest of this week due to an increasing number of coronavirus cases and quarantines. Superintendent Rick Croslin said that students at the Bill Wallace Early Childhood Center will go to virtual-learning only through Friday. A post on the school's Facebook page indicates that learning packets will be available this afternoon and that packets will also be available tomorrow from 7:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. School officials will call parents when the packets are ready. Every school in the Chickasha district will be closed all of next week for Thanksgiving break. The Bill Wallace students who have been taking part in classroom learning programs are scheduled to return to school on Monday, Nov. 30th.

 

Ice Storm Debris Removal Costs Rising for Chix

The cost for tree and debris removal for the City of Chickasha is expected to top $1 million. City Manager John Noblitt told the city council last night that estimated costs may surpass $1.3 million. Noblitt believes the city should recoup most of that cost if FEMA approves Gov. Kevin Stitt's request for federal emergency disaster relief.

 

      

 

Even if that relief is approved, Noblitt said the city won't see any funds until after the first of the year.  Noblitt and a couple of city council members praised the effort of city crews who have worked to clear debris left in the wake of a massive ice storm. One council representative expressed concern about the lack of debris removal from Rose Hill Cemetery saying it appeared there has been no visible progress. Noblitt was going to check with the vendor responsible for maintenance at the city's two cemeteries to get an update.

 

Re-Zoning OK'd for Medical Marijuana Grower              

The council unanimously approved a rezoning request for a medical marijuana growing facility. No comments for or against the proposal were made during a short public hearing. The property will be changed from residential to light industrial use in order to get the facility back in compliance with the Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority which recently changed regulations for growers.

 

Feedback Sought for State Transit Plan

A lengthy study designed to improve public transportation in Oklahoma is available for review. It's called the Oklahoma Public Transit Policy Plan. State lawmakers implemented the study in 2019 and officials with the Oklahoma Department of Transportation (O

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