Saturday, Oct. 19th

Feds Close Lindsay Bank

The First National Bank of Lindsay was closed by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency Friday with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) appointed as receiver. It's the first bank failure in Oklahoma in ten years. News reports indicate that to protect depositors the FDIC has entered into a purchase and assumption agreement with First Bank and Trust of Duncan which will assume the insured deposits. The sole office of the First National Bank of Lindsay will re-open as a branch of First Bank and Trust Company on Monday. All depositors of the closed bank will automatically become depositors of First Bank and Trust and their insured deposits will continue to be covered by the FDIC. Customers do not have to change their banking relationship to maintain deposit insurance coverage. Over the weekend customers will still have access to their insured deposits via checks, ATMs, and debit cards. Checks drawn on the bank will continue to be processed and loan customers should continue making payments. For un-insured deposits FDIC will make half of those funds available to depositors starting Monday. That could be increased as assets from the failed bank are sold. Customers with accounts of more than $250,000 should contact the FDIC to discuss their deposits.

Talk Show Topic

Peggy Hammond and Kari Taylor with the Intervention and Crisis Advocacy Network (ICAN) along with Capt. Carrie Boggess of Grady County Sheriff's Office are guests on the KOOL Konversation to talk about October being Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Find a podcast of the program under the Community tab on this website.

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Friday, Oct. 18th

Mother, Children Safe After Attack at Their Home

A Grady County mom and her two young children survive a late-night attack and a suspect is in jail in connection with the confrontation. Sheriff's deputies were called to a home in the Alex area to investigate a disturbance. In a probable cause affidavit it's alleged the suspect was trying the throw the victim out of the house. During the attack the victim said she heard a snap and thought one of her ribs had been broken.  The victim and children managed to get away and went to a neighbor's house. The victim later went to a hospital to be treated for her injuries.  Authorities arrested 41-year old Robert Justin Davis of Newcastle who investigators say had been drinking. Davis has been charged with a felony for assault and battery and domestic abuse. He remains in the Grady County Jail in lieu of a $100,000 bond and is to be back in court next month for a preliminary hearing conference.

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The investigation is among many conducted by law enforcement agencies called out to look into reports of domestic violence. October is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month. There is help and resources available for victims. If there's imminent danger officials say to call 9-1-1. To find a safe place and resources reach out to the Intervention and Crisis Advocacy Network (ICAN) by calling 405-222-1818 any time of day or night.

Antique Auto Swap Meet Continues Through Saturday

It's another good turnout for the Chickasha Antique Auto Club's fall swap meet. More than 100 vendors have a variety of car and truck parts and transportation related items for sale or trade. Hundreds if not thousands of visitors find their way to the swap meet each year. The swap meet takes place on the club's spacious 35-acre site next to the Grady County Fairgrounds. There are also vendors inside the north exhibit building at the Fairgrounds where a fall craft show is going on today and tomorrow with more than 50 vendors. Admission is free to both events. Paid parking benefits local charitable organizations.

Funny Car Champion to be at Olde Town Chix Car Show

Along with the swap meet there's a big car show downtown Chickasha tomorrow. It's the first ever Old Towne Chickasha Car Show with more than 30 categories of cars and trucks. There will be a special appearance from Shane Lawson, the driver of the new Chaos Funny Car champion Man O' War. Lawson won the title over the Labor Day weekend and it's his first title in more than 20 years of racing.  He gives a lot of credit to Chickasha's own Kendal Singleton who has been helping him for some time-

Man O' War is a 3,500 horsepower funny car that will be fired up during the show. Lawson's 9-year old daughter Pamela is following in her dad's footsteps and runs in the junior dragster and funny car circuits. Pamela's funny car will also be on display. The car show along with the monthly Cars and Coffee at the Leg will get underway at 8 o'clock tomorrow morning downtown at the Leg Lamp.

World's Largest Kites in Anadarko Tomorrow

Tomorrow is also a big day in Anadarko for the annual Kids, Kites, and Frights. The world's largest kites will be flying at the airport with lots of activities scheduled. There is a hay bale maze, face painting, inflatables, a petting zoo, a costume contest, and a pumpkin pie eating contest. There's also a chili cook-off, lots of vendors and informational booths, and food trucks. It's a free event that will run from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. tomorrow.

Energy and Metals

Crude oil on the NYMEX is $70.41 per barrel.

London-based Brent crude is $74.15.

Natural gas is $2.35 per million BTUs.

Gold is $2,727 and silver is $32.28.

Obituaries

Eddie Fowler

A private graveside service will be held for Eddie Fowler, 47, of Chickasha. He worked as a tree trimmer, at a lumberyard, and most recently at Aggreko. Arrangements are with Ferguson Funeral Home.

Bobby Russell

A graveside service for Bobby Russell, 94, of Chickasha will be at 1:00 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 22nd in Amarillo, Texas. He was a U.S. Navy veteran who served during the Korean Conflict and in Vietnam and also served in the Naval Reserves for a total of 30 years of military service. He also worked at Pet Milk. Arrangements are with Ferguson Funeral Home.

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Thursday, Oct. 17th 

Suspect Arrested for Alleged Child Abuse, Neglect

Caddo County authorities have arrested a suspect for allegedly beating a 1-year old child.  24-year old Jacob Honeycutt was arrested after Ft. Cobb police were called to an apartment where a baby girl had bruises on her face and neck. The Lawton Constitution cites a probable cause affidavit which indicates paramedics were called to treat the child and that her injuries were so severe she had to be air-lifted to an Oklahoma City hospital. Honeycutt said the baby had been struck with a plastic baseball bat by another child. Honeycutt was at the apartment when police arrived but he fled from the scene, however he was later arrested at Ft. Cobb Lake.  Honeycutt, who lists a Carnegie address, has been charged with felony counts of abuse and neglect as well as a misdemeanor for obstructing an officer. He remains in the Caddo County Jail on a $250,000 bond. Honeycutt is already on probation after pleading guilty to a burglary charge in 2020.  Prosecutors now want to revoke his probation in that case and a hearing set for next week.

Groups Unite to Reduce Domestic Violence Numbers

Oklahoma has the dubious distinction of being among the top five states per capita in the country for domestic violence. Law enforcement and domestic violence service organizations are combining efforts to get the numbers down. October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Capt. Carrie Boggess with the Grady County Sheriff's Office has some nationwide numbers-

In this region the Intervention and Crisis Advocacy Network (ICAN) is available 24-7 to help victims and their children get out of violent relationships. 405-222-1818 is the number to call to talk to a live person to get help. The recent Together We Heal Walk to raise awareness about domestic violence brought in more than $14,000 to support ICAN programs.

Deadline Looms to Apply for Nov. 5th Absentee Ballots

Voters who want to cast ballots by mail ahead of the Nov. 5th election need to get applications for those ballots in the next few days. Officials say the deadline to request absentee ballots is next Monday, Oct. 21st. Anyone can vote by mail and don't need any reason to do so. Two mailings have to take place. Ballots are first mailed to voters who then need to mail them to their county election boards by Nov. 5th. Voters can apply for the ballots on-line by using the OK Voter Portal at oklahoma.gov/elections

Applications can also be downloaded from the website or picked up at county election boards and then mailed in. Anyone with questions should contact their local county election board.

Firm Helps Caddo County Sheriff with Calendar Project

Officials with the Caddo County Sheriff's Office say they have hired a company to solicit funds by telephone for a 2025 sheriff's office calendar. According to a post on the sheriff's office Facebook page a firm called Hometown Publishing is making phone calls to raise funds which will be used to support the sheriff's office community outreach programs. Anyone who may be unsure about phone calls they receive should reach out to the sheriff's office by calling 405-247-6666.

Energy and Metals

Crude oil on the NYMEX is $70.69 per barrel.

London-based Brent crude is $74.57.

Natural gas is $2.36 per million BTUs.

Gold is $2,697 and silver is $31.84.

Obituary

Kaaren Berry

Funeral service for Kaaren Berry, 82, of Ninnekah was held at 10:00 a.m. this morning (Thursday, Oct. 17th) at Sevier Funeral Home. She was an administrative assistant at Chickasha High School for several years.

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Wednesday, Oct. 16th

Grady County Precincts to Have Security on Election Day

When Grady County voters cast their ballots on Election Day they will notice some extra security at the polls. Grady County sheriff's deputies and municipal law enforcement officers will be on site at all county precincts on Tuesday, Nov. 5th. A post on the Grady County Sheriff's Office Facebook page says the added security is to ensure the safety of citizens and precinct workers. Officials say there has not been a threat towards any of the precincts.

Jeep Driver Dies After Hitting Calf

A Marlow man died when his Jeep hit a calf that had wandered onto the roadway. The highway patrol reports that 48-year old Todd Cox died in the crash that happened eight miles east of Lawton Monday night. After hitting the calf the Jeep veered off the road, rolled several times, then crashed through a fence, ejecting Cox from the vehicle.

Chickasha Fall Clean-up Campaign Begins

The city-wide fall Clean-Up Chickasha campaign is underway. Residents can collect their unwanted items and take them to the city's Public Works Department and get rid of it. There will be large roll-off dumpsters at the facility which is on Genevieve Street north of the Grady County Fairgrounds and the city's animal shelter. There is a separate site for brush and limbs. The site will be open from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. today, tomorrow, and Friday and from 8:00 a.m. to noon on Saturday. Users will have to show a utility bill. Shae Mortimer with the city of Chickasha says for the first time they'll accept hazardous waste, including-

The city received a grant from the State Department of Environmental Quality which will be used to help pay a firm to dispose of those hazardous items. Some things they won't take include electronics, smoke detectors, and medical waste. She also said they won't take latex paint which is not hazardous, however Mortimer said you can take the lid off of latex paint and let it dry and then it can be thrown away in your regular trash.

Vendors Arrive for Chix Antique Auto Club Fall Swap Meet

Antique car and truck enthusiasts will be coming to Chickasha in droves this weekend. The Chickasha Antique Auto Club hosts its 56th annual fall swap meet. The swap meet doesn't officially open until tomorrow but vendors will be arriving today to set up shop on the club's 35-acre site just east of the Grady County Fairgrounds. Some vendors will also be set up in the north exhibit building of the fairgrounds. The meet is attended by people from across the country and around the world. The swap meet runs Thursday, Friday, and Saturday and admission is free. Paid parking benefits local charities.

Chix to Host Jr. High Cross Country All-Star Competition

Hundreds of junior high school cross country runners from across the state will be in Chickasha this week for the 31st Annual All-Star Cross Country Meet. It's hosted by Jimmy Brackeen who coached for many years at Marlow. Brackeen says about 1,300 runners will compete over two days. Class A through Class 4A competitors will run tomorrow and those in Classes 5A and 6A will run Friday. Brackeen talks about the length of the courses-

The competition has been held at the Chickasha Sports Complex for several years. The races start about 9:00 a.m. both mornings.

Energy and Metals

Crude oil on the NYMEX is $70.59 per barrel.

London-based Brent crude is $74.24.

Natural gas is $2.49 per million BTUs.

Gold is $2,696 and silver is $32.10.

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Tuesday, Oct. 15th

City of Chix Begins First Steps To Flood Prevention Project

Last week the Chickasha City Council approved an agreement with an engineering firm to upgrade a flood prevention study and take steps to find the funding needed to implement that project. Edward Perez is the city's Emergency Management Director. He said one of the first things the city must do is the revise a 2021 study he says is already outdated-

Perez said he was able to find a preliminary hazard mitigation grant of $500,000 with some of the funds used to hire an engineering firm to revise that four-year old plan. The city council approved an agreement with an Oklahoma firm called Meshek and Associates which Perez says has had success in obtaining larger federal grants-

'BRIC' stands for Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities. Perez said the city is also collaborating with the Chickasaw Nation and Grady County commissioners and that the project is aligned with the federal Justice 40 initiative which works to ensure that benefits reach disadvantaged communities. The city must first apply for the BRIC grant then all grant requests will be considered early next year. Grants won't be awarded until next fall.

Chix Schools Seeks 'Hall of Honor' Candidates

Chickasha Public School officials are seeking nominations for the district's Hall of Honor. Candidates must be a graduate, former employee, volunteer, school board member, or a community supporter of the district. Candidates must have contributed to the welfare of humanity to an unusual degree, brought unusually positive attention to the district, or modeled the highest personal and professional qualities for students. Nominations are due by Friday, Nov. 22nd. Inductees will be selected in January and recognized at the Chickasha Public School Foundation annual gala in April. Applications are available at the administration building and they can also be found on the school district's website.

Energy and Metals

Crude oil on the NYMEX is $70.04 per barrel.

London-based Brent crude is $73.65.

Natural gas is $2.46 per million BTUs.

Gold is $2,671 and silver is $31.35.

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Monday, Oct. 14th

Consumer Spending Slows in Grady County

Consumer spending slowed in the area over the summer. In Grady County, spending from mid-August to mid-September was estimated to be $62.4 million. That's down 26 percent from the previous month and is off 34 percent compared to the same time last year.  For the City of Chickasha consumer spending was just under $33 million for the mid-August to mid-September time frame. That number is up 2.4 percent from the previous month but down 5.1 percent compared to the same time last year.

Sales Tax Revenues

As far as sales tax revenues are concerned Grady County collected $468,000 this month which was down from $631,000 from the previous month and down from $710,000 from last year. The City of Chickasha received $1.4 million in sales tax revenues which is up from the $1.3 million the previous month and the previous year.

Chix School Board to Discuss Union MOUs

The board of education for Chickasha Public Schools will meet tonight and among the items on the agenda is to consider memorandums of understanding (MOUs) with two unions within the district. One is with the Chickasha Organization of Professional Administrators regarding the high school principal. Background information provided with the agenda indicates the responsibility of the principal extends beyond the current contract of 220 days. The memorandum calls for the principal to start July first for 238 days with 10 days of paid vacation.

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The other MOU is with the Chickasha United Teaching Association. While the district extended the length of school days this year officials did not increase contracted hours for certified employees. That has caused an issue covering duties before and after school and at lunch. The MOU would allow school principals to use certified employees beyond their contracted hours to help.

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The school board is also to consider a resolution calling for the annual school election in early 2025 to fill Office No. 5 on the board. That seat is held by Christy Clift.

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Also up for discussion is an MOU with the Chickasaw Nation for a summer feeding program next year. The Chickasaws would provide households of children who qualify for free and reduced price lunches with $120 ($40 per month for three months) to help families pay for food when the children are not in school. It is available for students regardless of tribal membership.

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The school board will also recognize a couple of middle school employees as Chicken Express Employees of the Month. They are certified employee Hope Link and support employee Mindy Crow. The school board meets at 6:00 p.m. tonight at the school administration building.

State, National Rig Counts Hold Steady

The rig counts in Oklahoma and across the nation stay relatively steady. Here's Matt Skinner with the Oklahoma Corporation Commission-

Energy Prices

Crude oil on the NYMEX is $73.56 per barrel.

London-based Brent crude is $77.07.

Natural gas is $2.58 per million BTUs.

Gold is $2,677 and silver is $31.55.

Obituary

Wilma Briley

Funeral service for Wilma Briley, 96, of Blanchard will be held at 2:00 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 15th at Bible Baptist Church. She worked at American Optical for 30 years. Arrangements are with Ferguson Funeral Home. Memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society for Breast Cancer Awareness.

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Saturday, Oct. 12th

ODOT Updates 8-Year Plan for Highway, Bridge Construction

The Oklahoma Transportation Commission approves a plan to spend more than $1 billion a year over the next several years for road construction projects statewide. The panel approved the Oklahoma Department of Transportation's annual 8-year plan which runs from fiscal years 2025 through 2032. The plan includes nearly 3,800 miles of pavement improvements and more than 630 bridge projects. The website OK Energy Today reports there is a companion 'Asset Preservation Plan' which includes about $500 million for maintenance work to extend the life of highway infrastructure. There is also a 'Transportation Alternative Projects' segment which has $35 million for sidewalks, trails, and safe routes to school. All three plans can be viewed on the website: www.odot.org under the Programs and Projects tab.

Highway 81 west bypass of Chickasha included

The 8-year plan includes some construction of the U.S. Highway 81 west bypass of Chickasha. In his media column this week, State Rep. Brad Boles (R-Marlow) writes that work is expected to start next fall on grading and bridge projects on a 6 1/2 mile stretch of the bypass beginning at Quail Road (near 16th Street and the current Highway 81) and going north to U.S. Highway 62. The estimated cost of that work is $83 million and is to include grading for three bridges and on-off ramps.

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Other Grady County projects include continuing upgrades on State Highway 19 between Chickasha and Bradley with an estimated cost of nearly $50 million. 

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The plan also includes more work for the improvements underway right now on a 2 1/2 mile stretch of U.S. Highway 277 west of Ninnekah. Crews are rebuilding the highway from Middle Bills Creek to the H.E. Bailey Turnpike with that project cost estimated at $15 million.

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In the northern part of Grady County, crews will resurface six miles of State Highway 37 from Tuttle east to the McClain County line. That's a nearly $2 million project that is expected to start next spring.

Talk Show Topic

On the KOOL Konversation are Kirk Kornfeld and Chase O'Brien with the Chickasha Antique Auto Club with information about the group's Fall Swap Meet next weekend. Find a podcast of the program under the Community tab on this website.

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Friday, Oct. 11th

More Water Line Woes for Chickasha

Dozens of Chickasha homes and businesses had no or low water pressure yesterday. A water line ruptured behind the Plaza North Shopping Center near 10th and Choctaw about 11:00 a.m. The outage impacted about a 56-square block area including parts of downtown from 4th to 8th Streets. The outage forced the Grady County Courthouse to shut down yesterday afternoon and Chickasha Public Schools closed the administration building was which right across the street from the break. The school district also closed its enrollment center which was also in the outage area.

'Imagination Library' Program Serves Hundreds of Children

The Friends of the Chickasha Library are marking their second anniversary of partnering with the Dolly Parton Imagination Library. The program created by the Country Music Hall of Famer provides free books to young children. Jana Dabney with the Friends of the Library says hundreds of families are taking advantage of the program-

The Imagination Library is for children from birth through five years old. An age-appropriate book is mailed to the children every month and there is no cost to the families. Dabney says the Friends of the Library provides the funding and they are seeking contributions to continue their work. You can reach out to the Chickasha Public Library for information.

Spaghetti Day is Today

Everything is coming up spaghetti today! The Junior Social Workers are holding their 59th annual Spaghetti Day. The project brings in thousands of dollars which benefit a number of local charities including The Salvation Army, Court Appointed Special Advocates, the Intervention and Crisis Advocacy Network, Chickasha Police Department, and the Chickasha Public Schools Foundation. There are two times to get your spaghetti - from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and again from 5:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. It all takes place in the north exhibit building of the Grady County Fairgrounds. Dine in and drive-through service is available.

Chix High School Homecoming Parade Today

Students at Chickasha High School are wrapping up Homecoming week which does include a parade downtown this afternoon. The parade will be different than in years past as officials opted to not have the high school classes make floats. Each class will ride on a flat-bed trailer. The parade will start at 4:30 this afternoon and will run basically from 3^rd Street and Chickasha Avenue and head west to about 10^th Street and Chickasha Avenue where it will disburse.

'Fright Night' Back for a Second Year

After the parade there will be more activities downtown, including the second annual Fright Night. Individuals participating in the pumpkin decorating contest need to have their entries to the Leg Lamp by 6:00 p.m. Then at 6:00 p.m. there is pumpkin painting at Shakespeare Wine Company. The costumed parade will start at 7:00 p.m. at Shakespeare Wine Company and traverse east on Chickasha Avenue (renamed Pumpkin Lane for October) and end at the Leg Lamp.

Energy and Metals

Crude oil on the NYMEX is $75.10 per barrel.

London-based Brent crude is $78.62.

Natural gas is $2.70 per million BTUs.

Gold is $2,655 and silver is $31.35.

Obituaries

Gene Fogle

Funeral service for Gene Fogle, 82, of Gracemont will be held at 10:00 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 12th at the First Baptist Church of Gracemont. He worked at Hollytex and in the energy industry. Arrangements are with Turner Funeral Home of Binger.

Bobby Fritz

A memorial service for Bobby Fritz, 50, of Chickasha will be held at 2:00 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 12^th at Parkview Christian Church. Arrangements are with Ferguson Funeral Home.

David Crutchfield

A private memorial service will be held at a later date for David Crutchfield, 77, of Chickasha. He owned and operated This N That convenience store and TNT liquor. Arrangements are with Ferguson Funeral Home.

Cindi Lennier

A memorial service for Cindi Lennier, 60, formerly of Ninnekah, will be held at a later date. She graduated from Ninnekah High School and Northeastern State University.

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Thursday, Oct. 10th

Details Emerge About Pedestrian Death on Turnpike

A follow-up today about that fatal accident on the H.E. Bailey Turnpike last Sunday where a pedestrian died. Court records indicate that Wallace Clay of Owasso was behind the wheel of a car that struck and killed Kreshardra Willhoite of Norman. The accident happened on the turnpike in Caddo County near mile marker 65. KSWO-TV cites court documents that Willhoite was with her family when their vehicle broke down. She and her brother were walking across the interstate looking for a tire when she was struck and killed. The documents say Chickasha police were able to locate Clay and detain him who then turned him over to the highway patrol. Clay reportedly told investigators that he was on the phone with his insurance company and claimed he hit a bird however DNA evidence suggested otherwise. Clay has been charged with a felony for leaving the scene of a fatality accident. He is out of jail after posting a $20,000 bond and a preliminary hearing conference won't be held until Jan. 16th. Clay faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted.

Local Salvation Army to Assist with Hurricane Relief Work

Representatives from the local Salvation Army will be heading to the southeast part of the country to help with relief efforts in the aftermath of Hurricanes Helene and Milton. Lt. Crystal McFarland said an employee and a volunteer will be headed to Atlanta, Georgia today to stage for help with Milton. As soon as it is safe to move in they will be sent to Florida to assist and will likely be there for about two weeks. McFarland will be going to Henderson, North Carolina to be the Liaison Officer for the incident command team in the area impacted by Hurricane Helene and will be on that assignment for a couple of weeks.

Defense Workshops Set to Guard Against Domestic Violence

October is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month which is held to raise awareness about domestic violence and show support for victims and survivors. The Grady County Sheriff's Office will be co-sponsoring some self-defense workshops designed to provide information and techniques which could help save the lives of individuals who find themselves in domestic violence situations. The sheriff's office is teaming up with Wilcoxen's Family Academy to offer the free workshops. Officials say domestic violence is not gender-specific. Women, children, and men can all be victims. A couple of workshops will be available on Saturday, Oct. 26th at Wilcoxen's Academy in downtown Chickasha. The first will be from 9:00 a.m. to noon and the second from 1:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m. The workshops are free but they are asking for donations which will be given to local domestic violence service organizations. A flyer promoting the workshop says the workshops are in honor of Holly Jerman and all domestic violence victims. For information contact Deputy Carrie Boggess at the Grady County Sheriff's Office. Victims of domestic violence can reach out locally to the Intervention and Crisis Advocacy Network 24-hours a day by calling 405-222-1818.

Golf Tournament to Benefit Special Olympics

A golf tournament to benefit Oklahoma Special Olympics will be held at the Chickasha Golf and Country Club tomorrow. The Chickasha Police Department will host the tournament in conjunction with the Law Enforcement Torch Run which is held in the days before the state Special Olympic Games in the spring. Assistant Chickasha Police Chief Daiman Alexander has been working with Special Olympics for years. His 15 year old son has Down's Syndrome. Alexander says there are a lot of Special Olympians in this region-

There will be a shotgun start between and 8 and 8:30 tomorrow morning. Entry fee is $100 per person.

Energy and Metals

Crude oil on the NYMEX is $74.45 per barrel.

London-based Brent crude is $77.74.

Natural gas is $2.64 per million BTUs.

Gold is $2,633 and silver is $30.82.

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Wednesday, Oct. 9th

Country Club Road Detour to End Soon

A culvert replacement project on Country Club Road is nearing completion. The project has had traffic near the Elks Lodge detouring through a neighborhood the last couple of weeks. Mayor Zach Grayson tells KOOL-RANCH News-

Another road project coming up in the next couple of months will be upgrades to Norge Road from 29th and Grand to Country Club Road as crews will put down a two-inch asphalt overlay on that stretch of highway.

Chix Municipal Court to Offer Food-for-Fines Program

The City of Chickasha will be offering an amnesty program for those who owe fines. A Food for Fines program will be in place next month where individuals can get $10 off their fines for each can or box of non-perishable food they bring in. The maximum credit per person will be $100. All the food will be given to the Emergency Food Pantry. This is the second straight year for the city to offer the program. The program only ran for about a week last year and in that short amount of time some $2,000 in fines were forgiven. It will run from Nov. 4th through Nov. 22nd.

Grant Awarded to USAO to Assist Native American

and Other Traditionally Under-Served Students

A new grant for USAO will allow the university to expand its student services programs. A more than $150,000 grant was awarded to the university's Native American-Serving Non-Tribal Institutions office and will benefit Native American students and traditionally under-served students. Kendall Walker is the director of the program and says part of the grant will be used to purchase laptops that students can check out from the library which will help to further eliminate barriers to education and create more opportunities for students to thrive. It will also help to launch a new ambassador program that will provide students with leadership and professional development opportunities.

Chix Police Department Adds Another Officer

The Chickasha Police Department has another new officer. Cody Rideout took his oath of office at this week's city council meeting. Cody is originally from Canada. He was inspired to be a police officer due to his father's service in the Canadian Air Force. Cody served with the Canadian Army and while doing so earned an Associate's Degree in Police Foundations.  He previously worked for Oklahoma County  Corrections and Cleveland County law enforcement.

Voter Registration Deadline for Nov. 5th Election Nears

The presidential election is less than a month away and individuals who are not registered to vote but want to cast a ballot will need to register soon.  The final day to register to vote is this Friday, Oct. 11th. Individuals must be 18 years old to register. For teenagers who may turn 18 after Friday but before the election, Maggie Evans with the Rock Island 4H Club said they can go ahead a sign up-

Individuals can go the state election board website to register – www.oklahoma.gov/elections, visit their county election board, or pick up applications at tag offices or libraries. Mailed-in applications will have to be post-marked by midnight Friday in order to get voter identification cards prior to the Nov. 5^th election.

Energy and Metals

Crude oil on the NYMEX is $73.84 per barrel.

London-based Brent crude is $77.37.

Natural gas is $2.70 per million BTUs.

Gold is $2,635 and silver is $30.91.

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Tuesday, Oct. 8th

Ninnekah Residents Angry About School Board's Decision

to Have Property Owners Pay Most of Lawsuit Settlement 

A number of Ninnekah school district patrons are upset over the school board's decision to have patrons pay for the settlement of a lawsuit filed against the district. Many spoke their minds about the settlement during last night's school board meeting. Last month, a federal judge approved an out-of-court settlement of $7.5 million regarding the lawsuit filed against the district concerning former girls basketball Ron Akins who pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting players. Each of 14 victims are to receive about $500,000 each. Insurance will cover $1 million and the school district will pay $500,000. The rest will be tacked on to the ad valorem taxes of the estimated 2,000 property owners in the district which could be as much as $1,000 a year over the next three years. Patrons want the school board to take another look to see if there other options.

Grady, Caddo Counties Now Under Burn Bans

Burn bans are now in effect for Grady and Caddo counties. Commissioners in both areas passed resolutions yesterday at the recommendations of municipal and county fire chiefs. There is to be no trash, brush, or pasture burning, no campfires or bonfires, and no fireworks. Welding is permitted however Grady County Emergency Management Director Dale Thompson said precautions must be taken-

Outdoor cooking is allowed with charcoal and propane grills but must away from vegetation that may catch fire. The burn bans are in effect until Oct. 28th. Individuals can face up to one year in jail and a $500 fine if convicted of violating the ban.

Chix Council OK's 'Do-Over' for Norge Road Upgrade

The Chickasha City Council gave its approval to re-do part of a road improvement project. Officials spent tens of thousands of dollars on a chip-and-seal project for the Norge Highway from 29^th Street and Grand Avenue to Country Club Road because officials say it did not hold up due to heavy traffic. The council approved a two-inch asphalt overlay at an additional cost of $150,000. It is a joint project with Grady County District 3. It wasn't clear when that work might start. Officials hope to have it completed by winter.

Grant approved for new restaurant

The panel gave its consent to award a $125,000 Central Business District Grant to Luigi's Italian Restaurant. Also approved was hiring a national head-hunting firm to find city manager candidates for the council to interview.

First step to implement flood prevention project begins

The council also took a step to begin a project to attempt to alleviate flooding throughout the city. The group approved an agreement with Meshek and Associates - an engineering firm which would design projects for a flood mitigation effort. It's a massive ordeal with the city to get most of the funds from a 75-25 matching grant from FEMA. The funds would be used to implement a flood-prevention study that was done in 2021. The project would include building three large detention ponds west of the city. The city must first apply for the FEMA grant with the application to be submitted by next spring. Grant recipients will be announced next August and if approved could get underway in 2026.

Energy and Metals

Crude oil on the NYMEX is $77.14 per barrel.

London-based Brent crude is $80.93.

Natural gas is $2.75 per million BTUs.

Gold is $2,660 and silver is $31.52.

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Monday, Oct. 7th

Turnpike Pedestrian Dies After Being Hit By Car

The Oklahoma High Patrol is still investigating the death of a pedestrian who was struck by a car on the H.E. Bailey turnpike yesterday. It happened just after 3:00 p.m. in the eastbound lanes of the interstate near mile marker 65 in Caddo County which is a few miles east of Fletcher. The highway patrol reports that 46-year old Kreshadra Wilhoite of Norman died. The driver of the car identified as 50-year old Wallace Clay of Owasso was not injured. No other information was provided. The report said troopers are still looking into what caused the accident as well as the conditions of the driver and the victim at the time.

Pickup Drives in to Lake Burtschi

First responders were dispatched to Lake Burtschi yesterday after a pickup drove into the lake. The Oklahoma Highway Patrol, Grady County sheriff's deputies, and the Grady County Dive Team were called out to assist in the recovery of the truck. Fortunately nobody was hurt. No additional information was released. Some photos are posted on the sheriff's office Facebook page.

Council to Consider Firm to Find City Manager Candidates

Tonight, the Chickasha City Council will consider employing a head-hunting firm to find candidates to be the next city manager. Current manager Keith Johnson resigned last month which is effective December 31st. It is being recommended that the council employ Strategic Government Resources to find potential candidates. Previous councils have used the firm. The cost would be no more than $55,000. Two other firms showed interest with one of them submitting a bid of under $25,000 but did not provide a proposal for its scope of work. The other company declined to submit information.

New Restaurant Seeks Grant Funds

The council will also consider giving final approval to a nearly $125,000 grant request to the company that opened Luigi's Italian Restaurant. The funds would come from the city's Central Business District Grant Funds. The proposed grant for Anautics, Inc. has been recommended for approval by the Chickasha Economic Development Council which indicated the company completed all the requirements needed for the grant. It offers one dollar of grant money for every three dollars spent by the firm on approved renovations. The council previously approved the grant this past January.

Panel to consider re-doing project on Norge Highway

The panel will also consider spending an additional $150,000 to re-do a road improvement project on 29th Street (Norge Highway) from Grand Avenue to Country Club Road. Officials say the chip-and-seal project which was just recently completed did not hold up to heavy traffic. Grady County District 3 will again assist. It calls for applying a two-inch asphalt overlay and striping once the project is finished. Officials want to get the work done before winter.

City to seek company to operate water treatment plants

During the Chickasha Municipal Authority portion of tonight's meeting the panel will consider going out for bids from companies that might be interested in operating the city's water treatment plants. If approved bids would need to be submitted by Oct. 31st. They city may interview as many as five companies and choose two finalists. The firm selected will be awarded a five-year contract with a possible five-year extension. The contract would begin July of 2025. The current contractor is USW out of Florida.

Energy and Metals

Crude oil on the NYMEX is $76.33 per barrel.

London-based Brent crude is $79.86.

Natural gas is $2.83 per million BTUs.

Gold is $2,676 and silver is $32.20.

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Saturday, Oct. 5th

Chix Neighborhood Without Water Several Hours Friday

Dozens of homes in Chickasha's Sleepy Hollow addition spent much of Friday afternoon and last night without water. The outage occurred when a utility company installing fiber lines ruptured a city water line. Authorities were hoping to get water restored before nightfall but were unable to do so. One resident in the area told RANCHNews water service was restored just after midnight.

State to Get Fed Funds to Build Electrical Transmission Line

Oklahoma will be the beneficiary of millions of dollars in federal funds that will be used to build a 400-mile electrical transmission line. the U.S. Department of Energy approved more than $300 million for what will be known as the Cimarron Link, running across the northern part of the state from the Panhandle to the Tulsa area. It's part of a project to strengthen the nation's electricity grid. The website OK Energy Today reports it is part of a nearly 1,000-mile transmission facilitation program which was supported by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law administered by the Department of Energy's Grid Deployment Office. The entire 1,000-mile project will reportedly create more than 3,600 construction jobs and 20 permanent operations jobs. The website said the project is very similar to one proposed by American Electric Power (AEP) the parent company of Public Service Company of Oklahoma (PSO) a few years ago. Texas regulators denied approval of that plan in 2018 and AEP canceled the project.

Duncan Rural Water Non-Profit Gets More Federal Funds

More federal funds are coming to a national group based in Oklahoma which helps get rural areas across the county access to clean water. More than $27 million has been awarded to the National Rural Water Association based in Duncan. It will allow the non-profit group to distribute capital assistance, technical assistance, energy assessments, disaster aid, and provide short-term financing to rural water districts nationwide. The funding is provided through USDA'S Water and Waste Disposal Technical Assistance and Training Grants and the agency's Water and Waste Disposal Revolving-Loan Fund.

Talk Show Topic

Here's what we're talking about this weekend. Kenneth Corn with the USDA Rural Development office is on our KOOL Konversation discussing that multi-million dollar federal grant issued to the National Rural Water Association in Duncan. Find podcasts of the program under the Community tab on this website.

Obituaries

June Jackson

Funeral service for June Jackson, 94, will be at 1:00 p.m. Monday, Oct. 7^th at Sevier Funeral Home. She and her husband Mike owned and operated Jackson Horse Trailers. Memorial contributions may be made to the Chickasha Emergency Food Pantry or the Chickasha Soup Kitchen.

Bobby Fritz

A memorial service for Bobby Fritz, 50, of Chickasha will be held at 2:00 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 12th at Parkview Christian Church. Arrangements are with Ferguson Funeral Home. Memorial contributions may be made to The Mission Food Bank in Norman.

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Friday, Oct. 4th

Motorcyclist Dies After Hitting Animal

A Chickasha man died after the motorcycle he was riding hit an animal. 70-year old Timothy Novotny died after his Harley Davidson hit a hog that was crossing Highway 81 about 1/2 mile north of Rush Springs. The accident happened just after 8:00 a.m. Thursday. The highway patrol reports that Novotny was air-lifted to an Oklahoma City hospital where he was pronounced deceased. Novotny was wearing a helmet.

Two Face Animal Cruelty Charges

Two people are charged with animal cruelty after a number of dogs were found to be in poor condition in Amber. Police were asked to investigate allegations of animal neglect and officers went to the home Sunday. They found several dogs that appeared to be malnourished, one appeared to have a broken leg, some had mange, and were infested with fleas. Court documents indicate the suspects told investigators they didn't know what was wrong with the dogs and they didn't have money to take them to a veterinarian. Authorities arrested 39-year old Jessica Hunt and her boyfriend 36-year old Canon Wade Luney on animal cruelty and neglect complaints. Both have been formally charged with felonies of animal cruelty and Luney was also charged with a felony for having meth. Both are out of jail after posting bonds of $5,000. Both are to be back in court for preliminary hearing conferences next week. Four dogs were taken to a veterinarian who said on a scale of 1 to 9 the dogs were rated to be a 2 or 3.

Lt. Gov. Addresses Tourism Summit

Tourism officials from across the state met in Chickasha yesterday to get ideas on how to bring more visitors to their communities. Oklahoma Lt. Gov. Matt Pinnell was on hand for the meeting of the Oklahoma Travel Industry Association. Pinnell said that tourism is the third largest industry in the state behind energy and agriculture. He said attractions like Chickasha' Leg Lamp, festivals, and even baseball and softball tournaments bring visitors to Oklahoma who spend money.

Pinnell said that spending generates sales tax revenues which helps communities pay for fire and police protection and infrastructure improvements.

What's Happening in Chix This Weekend?

There will be another influx of visitors to Chickasha this weekend for several events. The Muscle Car Ranch will host its annual TwisterFest tonight and tomorrow. The event includes live music, a classic truck show, and professional wrestling. Numerous bonfires will light up the ranch both nights. Roy's Barbecue will be in the historic Bree's Diner and H-Tea-Oh in the Bee Trail Diner. RV and primitive camping are available. See the TwisterFest Facebook page for information.

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A group from Virginia will be in town Sunday to visit the Verden Separate School. The school is part of a Black History Tour of Oklahoma. The school which was built in 1915 is the only surviving one-room school house in southwest Oklahoma. It served as a school for Verden's African American students under the separate-but-equal doctrine in the early part of the 20^th century. Several years ago the school was moved from a farm south of Verden to its current location at Genevieve Street and Ada Sipuel Avenue.

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The Gypsy Horse Association will be at the Grady County Fairgrounds tomorrow and Sunday. This is the last of three shows held by the group and it is the championship show for Region One. There will be Halter, English, Hunter, Western, Trail, Ranch, and Driving classes. There are several age groups including children, teens, open, and amateur divisions. Shows will start at 8:00 a.m. both Saturday and Sunday.

Energy and Metals

Crude oil on the NYMEX is $74.46 per barrel.

London-based Brent crude is $78.36.

Natural gas is $2.96 per million BTUs.

Gold is $2,678 and silver is $32.28.

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Thursday, Oct. 3rd

Lt. Gov. Matt Pinnell to Make Chickasha Stop Today

Oklahoma Lt. Gov. Matt Pinnell will be in Chickasha today to host a state tourism summit. He'll be the keynote speaker for the Oklahoma Travel Industry Association's meeting that will be held at the Rock Island Railroad Depot today. Members of the association will hold a board of directors meeting this morning with the summit this afternoon. There are two education sessions, one of which is called 'A Leg Lamp, Really?' to talk about the role that Chickasha's newest landmark has on economic development for the community and how communities and economic development tie into tourism strategy. A second session will include representives from across the region and Chickasaw Nation to discuss creating partnerships to market tourism. Jim Cowan with the Chickasha chamber of commerce and the city's economic development council is the vice chair for the Travel industry group. The chairwoman is Jennifer Thornton who leads the Visit Edmond tourism group.

New Chickasha Police Officer Takes Oath

A new officer has been sworn in to serve with the Chickasha Police Department. Ryan Pape has joined the force after working for about a year as a detention officer with the Grady County Jail. Pape was born in Texas but grew up in Ringwood, Oklahoma. He moved to the Blanchard area about a year ago. Pape said he wanted to be a police officer to support the community and citizens in their times of need and to be a role model for kids.

Historic Chix Hotel Remodeled into New Restaurant

Chickasha's newest restaurant has been holding a soft opening over the last few days to test the waters before its grand opening. The Savoy 1902 Barbecue and Deli is in downtown Chickasha and has a full menu of barbecue, chicken, salads, and sides. It's been a year-and-a-half in the making as developer Chet Hitt began renovations after purchasing the more than 120-year old hotel in December of 2022. Hitt tells the Southwest Ledger its been an expensive project at more than $1.3 million. It has about 15,000 sq. ft. of floor space and can seat about 80 patrons. A 20-foot bar built in the 1800s is on the west wall has about a dozen bar stools. A new smoker on the east wall is about 11 feet wide, five feet high, and six feet deep.

Humor Highlights Fall Chickasha Theatre Production

The Chickasha community theatre opens its weekend run of the hiliarious comedy, Dearly Beloved. It's described as an over-the-top wedding with three feuding sisters and a church full of small-town eccentrics. It's a fast-paced, laugh-a-minute performance which is a Southern-fried Jones Hope Wooten creation about love, marriage, sisterhood, and three hundred pounds of Texas barbecue. Our own Don Collett is part of the show. Performance times are 7:30 tonight, tomorrow night and Saturday night and a 2 p.m. matinee on Sunday.

Energy and Metals

Crude oil on the NYMEX is $71.54 per barrel.

London-based Brent crude is $75.30.

Natural gas is $2.92 per million BTUs.

Gold is $2,664 and silver is $31.78.

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Wednesday, Oct. 2nd

Family Escapes Uninjured After Fire Destroys Their Home

A Grady County family manages to escape an early-morning fire that destroyed their home. Grady County Fire Chief Rodney Gregory said the call came in just before 1:00 a.m. at the home located about two miles east of Chickasha on CR 2870 and south of Highway 62. Volunteer firefighters from Friend, Naples, and Ninnekah as well as the Chickasha Fire Department were dispatched. Crews were on the scene for nearly five hours as crews wrapped up their work just before 6:00 a.m. Several adults were in the home when the fire started but Gregory said they all were able to get out with no injuries. Gregory said the fire started when a pick-up that pulled up next to the home caught fire and spread to the house. About 15 firefighters and 10 fire trucks were called out and he estimates they used about 30,000 gallons of water. Gregory estimated the loss at $200,000. He did not release the names of those who were in the home.

CHS Students Asked to Take Random Civil Rights Review Survey

Chickasha school officials say the district has been randomly selected for a civil rights review by the State Department of Career Technology and Education. A post on the Chickasha Schools Facebook page says the district has done nothing wrong and no complaints have been filed against any school or the district. The post indicates it is a random review that Career Tech officials conduct to ensure schools are compliant with the law. The post also says that Chickasha High School students will be asked to complete a short survey asking about their knowledge of Career Tech opportunities; help available for special needs students; and how they can report bullying and harassment. Officials say the survey is anonymous and voluntary and students are asked to consider taking part in the survey although they don't have to. They won't be asked to provide personal information like their name or address.

Chix School Students Participate in Nat'l Walk-to-School Day

Today is National Walk to School Day and students from a couple of Chickasha schools are participating. Grand Elementary students will meet on the west side of Shannon Springs Park about 7:30 a.m. and take the estimated four-block walk to school. Students from the Lincoln School Intermediate Center will meet at the Leg Lamp about 8:00 a.m. will also walk four or five blocks to school. Teachers, parents, and volunteers will be assisting.

Two Inducted ino Grady County 4H Hall of Fame

A number of Grady County 4Hers were recognized for their work over the past year during the annual 4H Achievement Banquet held this week. Nearly 280 awards were presented and two 4Hers were inducted in to the Grady County 4H Hall of Fame. Abby Pettijohn from Alex 4H and Shane Williamson from the Rock Island 4H Club were so honored. Their portraits will be displayed at the OSU Extension Office for two years and both will receive a monetary award when they graduate from high school.

Energy and Metals

Crude oil on the NYMEX is $71.91 per barrel.

London-based Brent crude is $75.57.

Natural gas is $2.93 per million BTUs.

Gold is $2,674 and silver is $31.76.

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Tuesday, Oct. 1st

USAO to Celebrate Half-Century of Name Change

2024 marks a milestone year for the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma (USAO). It marks the 50th anniversary of the re-naming of the school.  USAO is actually the fourth name for the institution since its creation in 1908. It was initially called the Oklahoma Industrial Institute and College for Girls. Four years later in 1912, the name was changed to the Oklahoma College for Women and it would be known as OCW for the next 43 years. In 1965 there was another name change as it became known as the Oklahoma College of Liberal Arts (OCLA). Nine years later in 1974 it was re-named USAO. A 'golden era' celebration of the name change will take place during Homecoming Weekend next month.

Former OCW Student was Part of NASA's Early Space Program

USAO president Kayla Hale spent some time in Washington, D.C. recently to attend the Congressional Gold Medal ceremony honoring the contributions of women to the NASA space program. She learned that a former student of OCW was selected as the first woman to undergo astronaut testing in 1959 in the infancy of the space age. Jerrie Cobb attended OCW in 1948 and would go on to train to be the first woman to fly in space. She was the only woman to successfully pass all three phases of the Mercury astronaut tests. Though she was denied the opportunity to go to space she spent 55 years in the field of aviation and was nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize.

Food Truck Championship Winners

We have the results from the Oklahoma Food Truck Championships from the past weekend. The Taco Station was the overall winner and claimed the top spot in the Savory Division. Runner-up in the Savory category was K and K Barbecue. In the sweet division, Ricky's Sweets and Eats was the winner with Mamma Lama Sweets in second. Mamma Lama also had the most creative entry overall. The fan favorite was Five-Star Barbecue.

Chocolate Celebration Tonight at Anadarko Library

Everything is coming up chocolate in Anadarko today. The Friends of the Anadarko Community Library will host their annual Chocolate Celebration. They are calling it ChoctoberFest, with attendees choosing from some 1,500 servings of the decadent dessert. Each of about 15 tables will have about 125 servings of chocolate to choose from. Librarian Teresa Ferguson tells how the Friends of the Library uses the money raised-

Tickets are $7 and each ticket allows for six servings of chocolate to be chosen. There will also be an auction of items like cakes, pies, and plates of brownies and cookies. Doors open at 5:00 this afternoon and the event runs from 5:30 to 7 o'clock or so.

Energy and Metals

Crude oil on the NYMEX is $67.66 per barrel.

London-based Brent crude is $71.24.

Natural gas is $2.90 per million BTUs.

Gold is $2,671 and silver is $31.65.

Obituaries

Virgie Hensley

Funeral service for Virgie Hensley, 91, of the Verden and Chickasha area will be held at 10:00 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 2nd at Sevier Funeral Home.

Pearl Tims

A memorial service for Pearl Tims, 84, of Chickasha will be held at 2:00 p.m. Oct. 2nd at First Baptist Church. She and her husband Johnny spent their lives in the ministry. Arrangements are with Sevier Funeral Home.

Reta Lister

A private memorial service will be held for Reta Lister, 72, of Chickasha. Arrangements are with Ferguson Funeral Home.

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Monday, Sept. 30th

New Chix Airport Hangars are in Demand

Some new hangars recently built at the Chickasha Municipal Airport are already in use. Two 75' X 75' box hangars and a 10-unit T-hangar are now available. Airport Manager Darren Martin said one of the box hangars has already been leased and there is interest in the other. Pilots can lease units in the T-hangar to store their airplanes. Martin said officials from a state office will be on hand in a few weeks to help the city hold a grand opening-

Martin said the city received grants from the State Department of Aviation and Aerospace (ODAA) as well as the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to build the hangars. Martin also said some recent changes made to the airport trust indenture that received narrow approval by the city council will also help the city develop an industrial park built next to the airport several years ago. The site has a paved road and utilities installed.

More Rural Broadband Grants Awarded

More rural areas of Oklahoma will be connected to broadband service over the next few years.  The Oklahoma Broadband Governing Board awarded nearly $160 million in ARPA grants to a number of Internet Service Providers (ISPs) last week to help them build the infrastructure needed to provide reliable and affordable high-speed internet service to nearly 30,000 homes and businesses. For Grady County, Southern Plains Cable was awarded several grants. One for a nearly $7 million to get broadband service to an area north of Marlow; a $6.2 million grant for the Cox City area; a $2.1 million grant for the Alex area; and a nearly $2 million grant for the Sterling area. In Caddo County, Southern Plains Cable was also awarded a more than $4.6 million grant for the Cogar area; and the Carnegie Telephone Company was awarded a nearly $2 million grant for the Carnegie area. In Garvin County, Trace Fiber Networks was issued two grants totaling more than $20 million; and Pioneer Telephone Company was awarded two grants totaling $1.3 million for the Lindsay area. ISPs will provide some matching funds to help pay for those projects.

Sinking Oil Prices Not Good for the Oil Patch

Crude oil prices have been slipping in recent weeks. Matt Skinner with the Oklahoma Corporation reports that has an impact in the oil field-

That's Matt Skinner from the Oklahoma Corporation Commission.

Energy and Metals

Crude oil on the NYMEX is $67.99 per barrel.

London-based Brent crude is $71.63.

Natural gas is $2.90 per million BTUs.

Gold is $2,671 and silver is $31.77.

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Saturday, Sept. 28th

More Broadband Grants Approved

A state agency approves a number of new broadband expansion grants to Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to get high-speed internet into rural parts of Oklahoma. The Oklahoma Broadband Governing Board approved nearly $160 million in ARPA grants this week. That is expected to get reliable and affordable high-speed internet to nearly 30,000 homes and businesses.

Grady County

Southern Plains Cable was approved for a nearly  $7 million grant for the Marlow area; a $6.2 million grant for the Cox City area; a $2.1 million grant for the Alex area; and a nearly $2 million grant for the Sterling area.

Caddo County

Southern Plains Cable was also awarded a more than $4.6 million grant for the Cogar area. The Carnegie Telephone Company was awarded a nearly $2 million grant for the Carnegie area.

Garvin County

Trace Fiber Networks was awarded two grants for more than $20 million. Pioneer Telephone was awarded two grants totaling $1.3 million for the Lindsay area.

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ISPs will provide some matching funds to pay for their projects. The broadband governing board will have one more round of grant awards through the Broadband Equity Access and Deployment (BEAD) program.

Thousands to Gather for Rock Island Weekend

Downtown Chickasha will be thriving today with all the events associated with the Rock Island Weekend. It kicks off this morning with the Rock Island Ride bicycle tour. More than 150 registered ahead of the event and organizers are beginning same-day registration right now at Brandy's in the Old Town District. The ride will start at 9 a.m. Today will be day two of the Rock Island Arts Festival going on in the 400 and 500 blocks of Chickasha Avenue with more than 100 vendors. The big draw will be the Oklahoma Food Truck Championship with more than 30 trucks on hand. Also the Intervention and Crisis Advocacy Network (ICAN) is partnering with a number of groups for the annual Together We Heel (Heal) walk against domestic violence that will start at the Leg Lamp with some individuals showing solidarity with victims by wearing red high heels to raise awareness about domestic violence and to raise funds to help victims and their families.

Talk Show Topic

This week's guest on the KOOL Konversation is Linda Medford who is the Southwest Oklahoma Regional Preparedness Program Manager with the American Red Cross.  A podcast of the program can be found under the Community tab on this website.

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Friday, Sept. 27th

More Illegal Grow Facility Suspects Arrested

We have an update on that search warrant served on an illegal marijuana grow operation this week. A total of 10 people were arrested in the raid that occurred north of Chickasha Wednesday afternoon. The sheriff's office SWAT team discovered about 16,000 plants, 150 pounds of processed marijuana, and more than $7,000 in cash. During their arraignments in Grady County District Court yesterday eight men  and two women - all Asian Nationals - were formally charged with single counts of drug trafficking. All remain in the Grady County Jail in lieu of $50,000 bond each. If convicted they all face maximum punishment of 20 years in prison and/or fines of $100,000.

Anadarko Library Warns of Phone Scam

Another telephone scam to warn you about. This one is a caller posing as someone representing the Anadarko Community Library. Reports are that a caller is trying to collect fines or anything else monetary according to a  post on the 'Anadarko, OK What's Happening' Facebook page. The post says the library does not and will not call patrons to collect fines over the phone.

Oklahoma Utilities Send Crews to Hurricane-Stricken Areas

Hurricane Helene made landfall in the Florida Panhandle last night and much of the southeast part of the country will be impacted by the massive storm for days. Some Oklahoma utilities are responding by sending power crews to that area. Public Service Company of Oklahoma (PSO) is sending about 85 workers from its Lawton, Tulsa, and McAlester service areas to help Florida Power and Light. Mike Hixson with PSO said about 30 technicians only recently returned from the Louisiana area after repairing damage left in the wake of Hurricane Francine-

Oklahoma Gas and Electric (OGE) sent about 100 line restoration crew members to Georgia to help with power restoration efforts.

Rock Island Weekend Underway

The Rock Island Weekend begins today in downtown Chickasha. The Rock Island Arts Festival kicks things off in the 400 and 500 blocks of Chickasha Avenue with about 100 vendors. There will be food trucks on hand both today and tomorrow. Something new will be a mural competition where artists will have 24 hours to complete their projects. Also part of the arts festival will be an exhibition from local artist Wes Hallmark. He will have a number of pieces on display at USAOs Art Wrecker Studio downtown. He says he's only recently gotten serious about his work-

The exhibit includes dozens of items, some so small they fit in your hand to one nearly 12-feet tall that he has been working on for about a year. The exhibit will be tomorrow evening from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Energy and Metals

Crude oil on the NYMEX opened at $67.66 per barrel.

London-based Brent crude is $71.60.

Natural gas is $2.59 per million BTUs.

Gold is $2,685 and silver is $32.06.

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Thursday, Sept. 26th

One Dead, One Hospitalized After Crash

State troopers continue to investigate a deadly crash that claimed the life of a Grady County woman and sent a second person to a hospital. Killed in the accident was 50-year old Tara Allen of Minco. The accident happened just before 7:30 last night about a half-mile west of Tuttle on State Highway 37. Authorities have not said how the accident may have happened. Allen's car collided with an SUV that was driven by 29-year old Jerry Spain of Arkansas. Spain was pinned in his vehicle for about 30 minutes before being freed by the Tuttle Fire Department using their jaws-of-life. Spain suffered leg injuries and was air-lifted to an Oklahoma City hospital where he was last in stable condition. The accident closed the highway for more than four hours.

Another Illegal Grow Facility Taken Out

Several suspects are in custody after Grady County sheriff's deputies take down another illegal marijuana grow facility. This one was located just north of Chickasha. Sheriff Gary Boggess said there were thousands of plants and about 150 pounds of finished project found at the site about two miles north of the Chickasha airport. Boggess said his SWAT team executed a search warrant at 1704 County Street 2840 which is an Amber address. Deputies estimated there were 16,000 plants inside. A photo is posted on the sheriff's office Facebook page. Boggess said that the facility's license from the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics had been revoked and its license from the Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority was expired. Deputies have arrested eight Asian Nationals on complaints of aggravated drug trafficking. All are men who are 45 to 71 years old. Just last week deputies served a search warrant on an illegal grow in  Pocasset where they found hundreds of plants in and around that site. Boggess said the two facilities are not connected.

Suspect Arrested for Alleged Drug Trafficking

A Chickasha man is jailed on a six-figure bond for alleged drug trafficking. 44-year old Joseph Dixon was arrested last weekend after a sheriff's deputy made traffic stop in a Chickasha neighborhood near Arkansas Avenue and Shepherd Street. Dixon was a passenger in the car. A probable cause affidavit indicates Dixon was a known distributor. The deputy said that Dixon had drugs that field tested positive as being Fentanyl, cocaine, and methamphetamine. Dixon has been formally charged with felonies that include drug trafficking and distribution, and misdemeanors for having drug items and obstructing an officer. His bond was set at $200,000. Court records show Dixon pleaded guilty to previous drug and weapons charges stemming from arrests in 2013.

Chix Schools Receives OU 'K-20 Center' Grant

The Chickasha school district has a received a grant from the University of Oklahoma designed to assist and follow 7th and 8th grade students through their senior years in high school and beyond.  It's the Gear Up for Success Grant from the K20 Center. A program will be held at the middle school tonight. Families can get information on how they can support students and learn about ways to pay for college. It's a free program tonight at Chickasha Middle School Auditorium from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. and presentations will be available in English and Spanish. Free pizza will be served and students can play games to win an Echo Dot.

Energy and Metals

Crude oil on the NYMEX is $68.74 per barrel.

London-based Brent crude is $72.39.

Natural gas is $2.67 per million BTUs.

Gold is $2,692 and silver is $32.57.

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Wednesday, Sept. 25^th

Chickasha Clean-Up Days Scheduled

The City of Chickasha will have a city-wide fall clean-up campaign. It is scheduled for Oct. 16th through 19^th and citizens are encouraged to take unwanted items and debris to the public works headquarters at 502 N. Genevieve Street. The city will have roll-off dumpsters at the facility for residents to place their unwanted items in. There will also be a limb drop-off area. Users will need to have with them a current utility bill to show proof of residency. The Community Development Department will provide a dump ticket for those who live in the city limits but do not have a water bill due to ongoing work or code violations. Public Works will have the gates open from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday and from 8:00 a.m. to noon on Saturday.

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On Saturday only they will accept tires and some hazardous items including anti-freeze, motor and gear oil, batteries, corrosives, fluorescent lights, aerosol and oil-based paint, and pesticides. Items they won't accept are electronics, medical waste, and latex. Refrigerators and air conditioners will have to have the Freon removed by a technician and users will have to provide a certificate saying the Freon has been removed. For more information visit the City of Chickasha website: www.chickasha.org

Voter Registration Deadline Nears

The deadline to register to vote in the Nov. 5th general election is fast approaching. The last day to register is Friday, Oct. 11th. Applications must be received by the state or county election board offices by midnight that night in order to vote in November. Applicants will be notified in writing when their application has been processed and will receive a Voter identification Card in the mail. The easiest way to register to vote is to go to the state election board website www.elections.ok.gov

Look for the OK VOTER PORTAL. While the election is Nov. 5^th individuals can apply for an absentee ballot to vote early by mail. In-person, absentee voting will be available at county election boards on Wednesday, Oct. 30th through Friday, Nov. 1st. from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and on Saturday, Nov. 2nd from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Bank Foundation Provides Grant for Salvation Army Project

The Salvation Army serving Grady and Caddo counties gets a boost to provide some clothing items to needy children. The Arvest Foundation provided a $5,000 grant for the Salvation Army's 'Shoes, Shirts, and Skivvies' program. It's a back-to-school initiative by the Salvation Army to provide essential clothing to the kids. Karene Sandra is the Arvest Community Bank President in Chickasha. She said Arvest is committed to supporting the youth in the area and proud to help with the effort. Salvation Army Lt. Crystal McFarland said they are fortunate to have great community partners who help those in need. McFarland said they have been able to help nearly 250 children this year.

Energy and Metals

Crude oil on the NYMEX is $71.06 per barrel.

London-based Brent crude is $71.71.

Natural gas is $2.59 per million BTUs.

Gold is $2,681 and silver is $32.13.

Obituary

Keith Tampkins

Funeral service for Keith Tampkins, 60, of Chickasha will be held at 1:00 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 26th at First Baptist Church. He was a vocational rehabilitation counselor. Arrangements are with Sevier Funeral Home.

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Tuesday, Sept. 24th

PSO Schedules Regional Power Line Upgrade

Public Service Company of Oklahoma (PSO) will be making improvements to some of its transmission lines in the Chickasha area next year. Mike Hixson is the utility's external affairs manager and describes the project-

Hixson said the project will be starting next spring and will take several months to complete.

USAO Makes Top 20 Status Again

USAO continues to get national recognition. For the third straight year the university has been named a top 20 public liberal arts college in the 2025 U.S. News and World Report edition of best college rankings. The rankings evaluate nearly 1,500 colleges and universities in more than 15 areas of academic quality, with an increased emphasis on social mobility and outcomes for graduating students. The National Liberal Arts Colleges category includes schools emphasizing under-graduate education that award at least half of their degrees in liberal arts fields (which includes military academies). USAO President Kayla Hale said to be recognized in the top 20 shows the dedication of faculty and staff who work to ensure students have the skills and knowledge needed for a  successful future.

Red Cross Seeks Volunteers

The American Red Cross is looking to add to its volunteer base. Linda Medford is the regional preparedness program director for much of southwest Oklahoma. She talks about a couple of areas where individuals can help-

They are also looking for individuals to be a disaster preparedness presenter to offer programs to civic groups and schools. Medford said The Red Cross teamed up with the Salvation Army of Grady and Caddo Counties to assist with a wildfire in Lawton last weekend. For information visit the website: www.redcross.org

Energy and Metals

Crude oil on the NYMEX is $72.23 per barrel.

London-based Brent crude is $75.69.

Natural gas is $2.66 per million BTUs.

Gold is $2,656 and silver is $31.26.

Obituary

Mark Chappell

Funeral service for Mark Chappell, 62, of Tuttle will be held at 1:00 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 25th at Trinity Crossing in Tuttle. He was an electrician. Arrangements are with Sevier Funeral Home of Tuttle.

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Monday, Sept. 23rd

Fall Arrives with Flooding Rains

Torrential rains in part of Oklahoma on the first day of fall yesterday (Sunday) were a welcome relief from the heat. But too much rain caused flooding issues in some areas. The National Weather Service issued a flash flood warning for the Tri-City area as Blanchard, Tuttle, Newcastle, and Bridge Creek were getting rain that was falling at rate of as much as four inches per hour. The flood warning issued about 2:15 p.m. and was in effect until 6:15 p.m. No damage was reported. Rainfall totals from Mesonet sites show that Norman received more than 4.7 inches of rain; Rush Springs collected 2.6 inches; Chickasha nearly 1.9 inches; and Minco 1.7 inches. Caddo County missed out on the heavy rain as Apache received about eight-tenths and Ft. Cobb picked up just over a half-inch of rain. The storms also cause sporadic power outages in Chickasha, Minco, Blanchard, and Tuttle. At one point there nearly 2,000 combined outages between Public Service Company of Oklahoma (PSO) and electric co-op members last night.

Native American Tribes to Host Disability Awareness Day

Several Native American tribes will combine resources to help disabled tribal citizens find employment. A Disability Awareness Day will be held in Anadarko next Monday, Sept. 30th. The program will be held at the Wichita and Affiliated Tribes COVID Command Center in Anadarko from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. that day. There will be information about training and tuition assistance, clothing and transportation assistance, and counseling and guidance services. Also taking part will be the Apache Tribe, the Delaware Nation, and the Comanche Nation. Adrian Smith is the Director of the Vocational Rehabilitation Program with the Wichita and Affiliated Tribes. He says for those who can't make it to the program there are other options available.

There will also be a couple of motivational speakers.

Chickasha to Close out September with Rock Island Weekend

Chickasha will be the place to be for the upcoming weekend. It's called the Rock Island Weekend and includes four events that will bring thousands of visitors to town. It starts Friday with the 16th annual Rock Island Arts Festival. About 100 vendors will line the 400 and 500 blocks of Chickasha Avenue with art work, home decor, jewelry, clothing, etc. There will be a children's area with an art tent, inflatables, and a sand pit and will take place both Friday and Saturday. Saturday morning kick off with The Rock Island Ride with as many as 300 riders expected. Rides will be from 10 miles long to 63 miles. Also Saturday morning is The Together We Heel Walk against domestic violence hosted by the district attorney's office and law enforcement groups. Individuals are encouraged to a walk a half-mile in heels to raise awareness about domestic violence and raise funds to assist victims. Also Saturday is the Oklahoma Food Truck Championship which will feature more than 30 food trucks competing for a total of $10,000 in prize money. There will be live music throughout the day which will be capped off with a free concert by Summer Breeze that evening.

Energy and Metals

Crude oil on the NYMEX is $71.21 per barrel.

London-based Brent crude is $74.67.

Natural gas is $2.47 per million BTUs.

Gold is $2,647 and silver is $30.96.

Obituaries

Kristianna 'Anna' Saenz

A memorial service for 'Anna' Saenz, 23, of Cement will be held at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 26^th at Ferguson Funeral Home.

Vicki Underwood

A memorial service for Vicki Underwood, 71, of Chickasha will be held at 1:00 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 29th at Grand Assembly of God. Arrangements are with Ferguson Funeral Home.

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