Saturday, Dec. 16th
Anadarko Police Detail Arrest of Armed Suspect Near School
Anadarko police shared some details about their arrest of an armed man near the Anadarko high school this week. The search for the suspect forced the school to be locked down for a short time on Thursday. Police Chief Eric Harlan said they were notified by the highway patrol that 32-year old Devin Shane Davis of Woodward County was in Anadarko. Davis was wanted for allegedly brutally beating and strangling his girlfriend and stealing her gun late Monday night. Chief Harlan said OHP provided a vehicle description and a tag number, and officers located the vehicle in the Petree Plaza in the area of Braum's and McDonalds. Police, Caddo County Sheriff's deputies, and state troopers set up surveillance on the vehicle which would move a couple of blocks away to Wal-Mart and the AT&T store which is right next to the high school campus. Harlan said officers converged on Davis and were able to take him in to custody without incident. Authorities found the victim's gun, a 9MM Smith and Wesson in the car. It wasn't clear why Davis was in Anadarko which is a two-hour drive from Woodward County. Davis is currently on probation after pleading guilty to a burglary charge stemming from an arrest in Woodward County three years ago. He's facing new charges in Woodward County for domestic assault resulting in great bodily harm and larceny. He's also facing charges in Caddo County for having a firearm while on probation and knowingly receiving stolen property. A Caddo County judge set his bond at $10,000.
PSO Customers to See Savings in 2024
Public Service Company of Oklahoma (PSO) officials say their customers will see a reduction on the fuel portion of their bills starting next month. Residential customers who typically use 1,100 kilowatt hours of electricity per month will see their bills reduced by about $15.50 per month. Officials say the lower bills are the result of reduced natural gas prices the utility is paying as well as its investments in fuel-free generating facilities. A press release from the utility says PSO does not profit on the fuel it purchases to run those facilities - so when their natural gas prices fall - PSO passes the savings on to its customers. PSO officials say the recent high fuel costs have been challenging for many of their customers and they are happy that the lower prices will ease energy expenses. Officials say that over the last 10-plus years that PSO's residential prices have been consistently at or below regional and national prices.
Cars and Coffee at the Leg This Morning
Today is the third Saturday of the month, and that means its time for Cars and Coffee at the Leg this morning. A number of sports cars, modifieds, antique cars and trucks, along with ATVs and UTVs will be on display. It's free to anyone who wants to show off their vehicle and for anyone who would like to stop by and visit and take pictures. Cars and Coffee at the Leg is downtown Chickasha at the Leg Lamp from about 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. and there's free coffee and donuts while they last. The next Coffee and Cars at the Lamp will be Saturday, Jan. 20th.
Obituaries
James ‘J.V.’ Gregory, Jr.
A graveside service for ‘J.V.’ Gregory, Jr., 82, of Mustang and formerly of Pocasset will be held at 1:00 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 19th at Rose Hill Cemetery. He owned a motor rebuilding company and was a long-time member of Kiwanis International. Arrangements are with Sevier Funeral Home.
James Hegwald, Jr.
A memorial service for James Hegwald, Jr., 66, of Chickasha will be held at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 20th at Ferguson Funeral Home. He worked for Maremont and the Ninnekah Water Department.
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Friday, Dec. 15th
Armed Suspect Report Leads to Lockdown of Anadarko School
The high school in Anadarko was placed on lockdown yesterday after a report that an armed and dangerous suspect was in the area. Anadarko Police Chief Eric Harlan said his office was notified by the highway patrol that an armed suspect out of Woodward County was near the campus just before noon. As a precaution Harlan said the high school was placed on lock down. In a post on the Anadarko Police Department's Facebook page, Harlan said officers were able to arrest the suspect without incident at Wal-Mart which is adjacent to the high school. The lockdown was lifted after the suspect was taken into custody. No information available about the suspect.
Effort Continues to Build a Blanchard Veterans Memorial
Blanchard officials are facing some challenges when it comes to raising money to build a veterans memorial. The initial fund-raising campaign began in 2020 right when COVID hit and now projected costs have increased because of inflation. Blanchard City Manager Michael Scalf tells KOCO-TV that they have had to move back their target date for fund-raising twice. They initially raised about $300,000 but the estimated cost of the memorial has increased about 30 percent over the last two years. Some of the vendors they are working with have offered discounts but Scalf says they still need about $70,000 to reach the $402,000 they now need. Among the ways to contribute is to purchase a memorial brick for a veteran - and the vet doesn't have to be from Blanchard or even Oklahoma. Scalfsaid it could for any veteran across the country. The new target date for the dedication ceremony is about six months away, Memorial Day of 2024.
Report: Parts of U.S. 'At-Risk' for Rolling Blackouts
There is a concern that parts of the country might be at-risk for rolling blackouts during the upcoming winter should extremely cold weather hit. Matt Skinner with the Oklahoma Corporation Commission tells us-
The Winter Reliability Assessment included Oklahoma and other states within the Southwest Power Pool. It noted that the anticipated reserve margin is 30 percentage points lower than last winter.
'Buy Chickasha' Winning Ticket Numbers Drawn
No winners have yet been announced in the Chickasha Chamber of Commerce Buy Chickasha $10,000 giveaway campaign. The first numbers were drawn yesterday (Thursday). The winning number for the $5,000 first place prize is 19898; the number for the $3,000 second place prize is 986; and the number for the $2,000 third place prize is 19766. There was also a fourth number drawn for a $500 gift card from Jay's Jewelry and the Okie Mountain Trading Company which is 3959. All the numbers are posted on our Facebook page as well as the Chamber of Commerce Facebook page. Winning tickets must be verified at the Chamber by 3:00 p.m. today (Friday, Dec. 15th). If these tickets are not claimed new drawings will be held this afternoon.
Energy and Metals
Crude oil on the NYMEX is $71.58 per barrel.
London-based Brent crude is $76.61.
Natural gas is $2.39 per million BTUs.
Gold is $2,057 and silver is $24.55.
Obituary
Bonnie Fitzpatrick
Funeral service for Bonnie Fitzpatrick, 89, of Chickasha will be held at 10:00 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 16th at Michigan Avenue Baptist Church. She worked for Head Start and was active in Girl Scouts. Arrangements are with Sevier Funeral Home.
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Thursday, Dec. 14th
TIF District Committee Holds Inaugural Meeting
A panel has been formed to determine if the City of Chickasha should implement what's known as a Tax Increment Finance District (TIF). The group met for the first time yesterday and got an overview of what they'll be considering over the next several months. The city has hired a firm called the Public Finance Law group to guide the process. During a nearly 40-minute meeting, firm attorney Nate Ellis provided an outline of what a TIF is and how it’s supposed to work. He said it offers the potential to offset costs of infrastructure projects by using a portion of sales tax revenue and property taxes within the district; and even some leveraged funds from the state. Ellis said city officials have not said where the TIF district or districts might be located. City Manager Keith Johnson and other officials could have some proposed sites to review when the group holds its second meeting next month.
Committee Members
The TIF committee is chaired by Vice Mayor Zach Grayson. Other members are John Grote from the city's Planning Commission; Jennifer Stegman, the assistant superintendent from the Chickasha School District; and Gayla Lutts, superintendent of the Canadian Valley Technology Center school district. Others are resident Bill Schwenk, appointed by Grady County; Chloe Berry, the director of the Grady County Emergency Medical Services District; and Daryn Patrick, the regional administrative director with the state health department. Lutts and Patrick were absent from yesterday’s meeting. Three at-large members were elected. They are Carol Bingham, a business owner; Mike Ross, the athletic director for USAO, and Parker Denton who works for a local bank. The group also named Buddy Hector as an alternate member. The next meeting will be Wednesday, Jan. 24th at 1:00 p.m. at city hall.
Chix Family Helps First-Generation College Students at USAO
Some first-generation college students at USAO are getting some help to pay for their education. Larry and Diana Brown of Chickasha recently donated funds to help students who are the first ever in their families to attend college. Adelina Flores of Noble and Rylee Wilkerson of Mustang were awarded the scholarships. In a press release, USAO senior vice president JP Audus said the commitment of the Browns to help first-generation students is remarkable and that their generosity also contributes to the broader goal of fostering inclusive and diverse educational opportunities. The Browns also work with a foundation to provide scholarships for graduating Chickasha High School seniors.
OHP Cadets to Graduate
The Oklahoma Highway Patrol will soon have a number of new state troopers on the road. 19 cadets are graduating from the 72nd Highway Patrol Academy tomorrow. OHP Chief Col. Pat Mays says the cadets completed 20 weeks of training. Areas covered included use of force, de-escalation tactics, firearms, and criminal interdiction. Also traffic and criminal law, arrest procedures, accident reconstruction, first aid, and even Spanish lessons. Next up for the cadets will be riding with another trooper for three months before they can work on their own.
Energy and Metals
Crude oil on the NYMEX is $69.35 per barrel.
London-based Brent crude is $74.26.
Natural gas is $2.33 per million BTUs.
Gold is $2,049 and silver is $24.31.
Obituary
Phillip Ferrell
No service is scheduled for Phillip Ferrell, 67, of Chickasha. He was a cook and owned a restaurant and was known for being an accomplished bass guitar player for local bands. Arrangements are with Ferguson Funeral Home.
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Wednesday, Dec. 13th
Pileup Results in Nearly 10 People Taken to Hospitals
A three-vehicle crash injured nearly 10 people including six children last night. The accident happened just before 6:00 p.m. at a dangerous intersection east of Chickasha on U.S. Highway 62 and CS 2880 which is known as Hibarger Hill. The highway patrol reports that an east-bound vehicle had slowed to turn off the highway and was rear-ended – then nearly hit head-on by an oncoming SUV. The vehicle that was rear-ended was driven by 26-year old Juana Castro of Chickasha who had three children in her vehicle all under the age of six. All were taken to an Oklahoma City hospital and were treated and released. Driving the vehicle than nearly hit Castro's car head-on was 49-year old Leland Looper of Blanchard who had four other passengers in his vehicle, including three children ages 9 to 14. Looper was treated and released while the most seriously injured was 42-year old Marisoll Looper who was last in critical condition. One child was admitted in fair condition and two other youth were treated and released. The driver of the SUV that rear-ended the Castro vehicle was 36-year old Clay Scott of Blanchard who was not injured. The highway was shut down the highway for more than an hour.
Charges Revised for Those Charged with Cyril Child's Death
We have an update on the story of the death of a four-year old Cyril girl that drew state-wide attention earlier this year. Athena Brownfield was first reported missing in January and authorities eventually found her body buried in field near Agawam. The two caretakers who were arrested in connection with her death - Alysia Adams and Ivon Adams - have had their charges revised. Alysia was originally charged with child neglect but prosecutors have changed that to first degree murder. Investigators say gave them false information, saying that Ivon had beaten the child to death. The state medical examiner determined that Athena died from malnutrition and pneumonia. Ivon, who was originally charged with first degree murder, has had his charge changed to second-degree murder. Both defendants waived their rights to preliminary hearing conferences in Caddo County District Court yesterday. They are to be arraigned on the new charges in February.
Grady County Deputies Earn End-of-Year Honors
Several members of the Grady County Sheriff's Office earned promotions and other accolades for their work this year. Deputy James Weidenmaier has been promoted to the rank of lieutenant. Johnathan Cordell was named the Deputy of the Year; Allen Moore was named Reserve Deputy of the Year; and Brianna Newcomb was named Dispatcher of the Year. Sheriff Gary Boggess also announced the hiring of several new deputies including Timothy Romero, Max Rinehart, and Jonathan Moore. They will all begin Basic Police Officer Certification classes next month.
Energy and Metals
Crude oil on the NYMEX is $68.61 per barrel.
London-based Brent crude is $73.24.
Natural gas is $2.23 per million BTUs.
Gold is $1,997 and silver is $22.98.
Obituary
Thelma 'Joan' Leaverton
Funeral service for 'Joan' Leaverton, 90, of Edmond and formerly of Chickasha will be at 10:00 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 14th at College Heights Baptist Church. She worked for a CPA firm while in Chickasha. Arrangements are with McRay Funeral Home. Arrangements are with McRay Funeral Home.
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Tuesday, Dec. 12th
Onward Chickasha Open House Tonight
Another update regarding the Onward Chickasha project will be held tonight. Officials with the Guernsey Consulting group who are developing this long-range plan for the city will have an open house to bring residents up-to-date on their progress. Laura Bergey is the program manager for the study and tells what to expect-
The proposed Community Vision Statement will also be posted. Members of the Guernsey group and city officials will be on hand for the come-and-go open house. It will be held at the Canadian Valley Technology Center from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
First TIF District Review Committee Meeting is Wednesday
The first meeting of the City of Chickasha's Tax Increment District Review Committee will be held tomorrow afternoon. The panel will gather to discuss the merits of forming one or more districts which, if approved, would set aside sales tax revenues produced from those districts to help pay for infrastructure projects within those districts. The meeting will get underway at 1 o'clock tomorrow afternoon in the city council chambers at city hall.
Two Public Hearings Set for Planning Commission
A couple of public hearings are scheduled for the Chickasha Planning Commission’s monthly meeting today. One is to review the final plat for the Haven Point Addition near 22nd Street and Nevada Ave. The second is in regards to a request to close the existing 20 feet of utility easement containing a private water line at 2001 S. 1st Street.
Burglary Suspect Accused of Taking Coins, Family Urn
A Grady County man is accused of an unusual burglary. Tuttle police arrested 34-year old Justin Webb last Friday for allegedly stealing some rare coins and the cremated remains of the victim's relative. Webb is facing a half-dozen charges including felonies of unlawfully removing a dead body, burglary, knowingly receiving or concealing stolen property, and having a firearm after a former felony conviction. He's also facing misdemeanor charges of obstruction and drug possession. Webb remains in the Grady County Jail in lieu of a $25,000 bond.
Energy and Metals
Crude oil on the NYMEX is $71.32 per barrel.
London-based Brent crude is $76.03.
Natural gas is $2.43 per million BTUs.
Gold is $2,001 and silver is $23.24.
Obituaries
Donald Smith
Funeral service for Donald Smith, 85, of Corn and formerly of the Verden area will be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 16th at the Plainview Mennonite Church. He was a farmer, a rancher, and a custom harvester. Arrangements are with Ferguson Funeral Home.
Karen Plummer-Lee
A memorial service for Karen Plummer-Lee will be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday Dec. 16th at Southern Oaks Church of Christ. Arrangements are with McRay Funeral Home.
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Monday, Dec. 11th
State Broadband Board Re-Thinks Original Plan
The governing board that oversees the state broadband office meets tomorrow and may vote on what's called the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program. The website OK Energy Today reports officials had planned to announce its initial plan on spending more than $380 million in federal funds for broadband expansion in the state this past August. However, they decided to take a second-look at it because some of the state's most challenging geographical areas would not have been served under the original criteria. There were also some complaints from Internet providers. Under the current definition set by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), Internet service counts as broadband if it delivers download speeds of at least 25 megabytes per second and upload speeds of at least 3 megabytes per second.
Chix City Council to Hold Work Session on Parks, Recreation
A discussion of plans for Chickasha city parks and recreation areas will be held during a special City Council work session tonight. Last week, the council create a Parks and Recreation Board to include members of the community which would provide oversight and suggestions for park usage which includes Lake Chickasha. The informal work session will get underway at 6:30 tonight at city hall.
Plan for Chickasha School Students to Use App
To Report Safety Concerns to be Heard by School Board
A proposal to create a system for students to anonymously report safety or misconduct concerns will be discussed by the Chickasha Board of Education tonight. It’s called the STOPit app. The app is monitored 24-7 and has a crisis text line feature to provide students with immediate access to mental health counselors. The panel will also consider changing the name of its Johnson O'Malley activity account to the Native American Culture Club. The Chicken Express December Employees of the Month are from the middle school. The certified employee is Sonjia Pierson and the support employee is Kendra Curtis. The school board meets at 6 o'clock tonight at the school administration building.
Festival of Light Finishes Second in National Survey
In case you missed the news from over the weekend, Chickasha's Festival of Light finished second in a national on-line poll for the best public holiday light displays. The overall winner was Duluth, Minnesota. The poll was conducted by USA Today which said that FOL is the grand-daddy of all light shows and that it's all about superlatives. The Festival of Light is in its 31st year and has more than 250,000 visitors each year. The event now includes an estimated 4 million lights at Shannon Springs Park including a nearly 165-foot tall lighted Christmas tree and offers activities that include ice skating, a carousel, a Ferris wheel, carriage rides, and food trucks. The festival is open nightly through New Year’s Eve.
USAO Prof Awarded Endowed Professorship
A longtime USAO professor is recognized for her work. Jeanette Loutch has been awarded the first-ever Giles Family Endowed Professorship in Biology. In addition to her work in the classroom she runs a Women in Technology and Science program for fifth- and sixth-grade girls each November. She also hosts a summer food camp.
Energy and Metals
Crude oil on the NYMEX is $71.23 per barrel.
London-based Brent crude is $75.84.
Natural gas is $2.58 per million BTUs.
Gold is $2,009 and silver is $23.20.
Obituary
Veda Phillips
Funeral service for Veda Phillips, 87, of Chickasha will be at 1:00 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 12th at Calvary Baptist Church. She worked for Jimmy's Cleaners and Joes Cleaners. Arrangements are with Ferguson Funeral Home.
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