01/29/2022 edition

ELECTION 2022

News-Capital hosts forum ahead of Feb. 8 election

By ADRIAN O’HANLON III EDITOR

Kevin Priddle said campaigning is like a job interview.

The former McAlester mayor said during the McAlester News-Capital’s candidate forum on Friday he’s treating his candidacy as a Ward 4 councilor like a job interview because he believes in the city.

“I have always believed McAlester is the jewel of southeast Oklahoma,”

Priddle said, adding the city, businesses, and community organizations must continue striving to create the best environment for the community to thrive.

Ward 4 City Councilor Randy Roden is running for reelection against Priddle. Roden said he had a previous engagement and did not attend the forum Friday, but spoke with the News-Capital.

Roden won a September 2021 election to fill

the unexpired term of longtime Ward 4 Councilor and Vice Mayor James Brown, who died in February 2021 while being treated for COVID-19.

Priddle served as McAlester’s mayor from 20082012, serving on many boards and with city organizations while living in Fourth Ward for nearly two decades.

He said a great group of individuals work at the city and he hopes to

Ward 2 council candidates face off at forum

By JAMES BEATY MANAGING EDITOR

Ward 2 McAlester City Council candidates Justin Few and Myles Lear Jett spoke Friday evening in a candidate forum held by the McAlester News-Capital with the two candidates disagreeing on some issues but agreeing on oth-

ers.

They are both candidates in the upcoming Feb. 8 election for the seat held by Ward 2 Councilor/McAlester Vice Mayor Cully Stevens, who did not seek reelection.

In his opening statement, Jett said when he returned to McAlester after serving overseas, he

saw crime, nepotism, people terrified of using the hospital and concerned about the drinking water.

“I was raised not to sit around and complain about issues, but to get up and do something about it,” Jett said. He added, “I want to make it a better place for all of us.”

Few spoke of his experi-

ence in serving the city including terms as chairman of Keep McAlester Beautiful, the city’s Planning Commission and as chairman of the city’s Local Economic Advancement and Development Committee, which consists of local volunteers who serve to advise the city on economic issues. Few said he’s asking for

voters’ support so he can to continue working on behalf of the city.

Asked about improving McAlester’s infrastructure, Jett said politicians are quick to go infrastructure as an issue. He said he’s aware it takes lots of effort, including engineering, funding and

Hobby Lobby projects April opening

By JAMES BEATY MANAGING EDITOR

Hobby Lobby is projecting its McAlester store will be open in about two months.

It’s among stores set to open in the Shops at McAlester retail center, currently under construction near the intersection of Fourteenth Street and U.S. Highway 69, also known as the George Nigh Expressway as it winds through McAlester.

Singer Joe Pug added to May 7 Dancing Rabbit lineup

By JAMES BEATY MANAGING EDITOR

The Dancing Rabbit Music Festival has announced the name of a second musical artist set to perform at the festival’s opening show for 2022.

Singer-songwriter Joe Pug has been added to the lineup for the May 7 show in downtown McAlester.

“Joe Pug is one of the original people we reached out to in 2021,” said Dancing Rabbit Music Festival President Blake Lynch. Although the festival or-

WARD 2

FEW: Community involvement. The more people that are involved in our community the stronger it is. I’ve spent over a decade making McAlester a cleaner, safer, and more beautiful place to live.

Through my leadership of Keep McAlester Beautiful I’ve worked with the city to bring about the McAlester Recycling Center and through annual cleanups helped properly dispose of thousands of tons of bulk waste, tires, household hazardous waste, prescription drugs, electronics, and metal. A clean community builds a founda-

tion that supports infrastructure, the economy, healthcare, education, and the environment. Through my involvement as chairman of the Local Economic Advancement and Development (LEAD) Committee and member of the Planning and Zoning Commission, I have helped move McAlester’s economy forward through rezoning commercial properties, creating a TIF district for the Shops at McAlester, and the creation of the McAlester Jobs Program. One can truly be the change they wish to see.

JETT: Another important topic for the city, from a liability and economic standpoint, is Lake McAlester. Our lake is a diamond in the rough and it has been ignored to a dangerous level. The potential is there and charters are making money off that lake as we speak. The lack of upkeep and maintenance has left the lake very difficult to utilize and if not for the committed volunteers it would probably be inaccessible and frankly too dis-

gusting to utilize. The lack of concern and funding could put homeowners in flood danger and put undue stress on the system. The lack of presence has led to unspeakable crimes being committed out there and the health and safety of the citizens living around there should be a concern. We should discuss how to make money off the lake asset for the city and improve our citizen’s wellbeing that live out there.

WARD 4 RODEN: I’m the city councilor for the prison, I’m on the warden’s citizens committee, I’m on the rodeo committee, I’ve toured the rodeo arena in Fourth Ward. That’s one of my top priorities to help McAlester is to get the rodeo up and going. And it looks like it may happen this time. Another thing is all the run-down structures over here. It’s about the dirtiest ward in McAlester so that’s a priority for me over here in fourth ward. And of course crime. I’d like the police department to get at least two officers to be narcotics officers.

PRIDDLE: We need to have serious conversations about how to address our roads. We have 256 lane miles of roads in McAlester and the streets are various compositions of concrete, brick and asphalt. I recognize that what may work for one section of road may not work for another but we need to develop plans to systematically upgrade our roads like we have developed for upgrading our water systems. For the 4th Ward there are many asphalt roads and there is a process called “RE-HEAT” which stands for “recycled hot emulsified asphalt treatment” that may be the answer for those roads. This process is a single machine that chews up the old asphalt, re-heats it to proper temperature, mixes some new emulsified oils in and re-lays the new road all in one pass. Creative ways like this need to be reviewed and may be the answer to helping our roads.

—Adrian O’Hanlon III

DERRICK JAMES Staff photo

Kevin Priddle says being McAlester’s former mayor gave him experience as he runs for the city’s Ward 4 council seat.

DERRICK JAMES | Staff photo

Myles Lear Jett, left, and Justin Few say they hope to move McAlester forward as they run for the Ward 2 city council seat in the Feb. 8 election.

obits

BETTYDRAKE

BettyDrake,65,ofSavanna, diedWednesday,Jan.26. Viewingandfamilyvisitation willbeSundayfrom2:00to 4:00p.m.atBrumley-MillsFuneralHome.Funeralservices

WANDAMAERALLS

WandaMae Ralls,age94,of Brewster,Massachusetts, passedawayon January22with herfamilybyher side.

Shewasprecededindeath byherhusbandThadusRalls, parentsJamesandLulaHarris, andbrothersLouisandJess. Sheissurvivedbyherson RobertRallsandhiswifeSherrieBursonofChatham,Massachusetts,grandsonAustin RallsofBelmont,Massachusetts,andbrotherBob HarrisofHartshorne,Oklahoma.

ELEANORJOY

MILLER

EleanorJoyMiller,79,of Wilburton,OKpassedawayat theMcAlesterRegional HospitalinMcAlester, Oklahoma.Servicesaresetfor alaterdateatthistime. Servicesareunderthe directionoftheWaldrop FuneralHomeofWilburton.

NATHANCRAIG

THOMPSON

NathanCraigThompson,41, ofSapulpa,OKpassedawayat theSt.FrancisHospitalin Tulsa,OK.Serviceswillbeon Tuesday,February1,2022at2 pmattheWaldropFuneral HomeChapelwithCremation tofollow.Officiatingwillbe Rev.LarryMays.Servicesare underthedirectionofthe

WaldropFuneralHomeof Wilburton,Oklahoma.

willbeMonday,Jan.31,at 10:00a.m.attheKiowaBaptist Church.Burialwillfollowat SavannaCemetery.

Hearing scheduled for man accused in 2019 murder

Attorneys for a man accused in the 2019 murder of a Haileyville man are asking for his statements made during three separate interrogations to be suppressed after claiming he was not properly Mirandized.

tially burned and badly beaten” inside the Bache Red Oak Cemetery east of McAlester.

Attorneys for Nace filed a motion to suppress statements made by Nace to law enforcement during three separate interrogations.

tained and Nace “did not feel as though he was free to leave.”

“Mr. Nace was in his house, surrounded by law enforcement officers wearing firearms,” the motion states. “He had no place else to go.”

Nace told him he was “making sure he is dead.” While inside the truck, Vermillion said he then saw “an orange glow” and when asked what was happening, Nace said he “was getting rid of evidence.”

Wandawasbornandraised inWewoka,Oklahoma.There shemetherfuturehusband, andaftermarriagejoinedhim inhismilitarycareer.AfterretirementtheyreturnedtoOklahoma,thenafterthebirthof theirgrandson,toFrontRoyal, Virginia.Inrecentyearsshe livedinassistedlivingnear familyonCapeCod.Wanda wasalovinggrandmother,and asurrogategrandmothertolittlegirls.Shelivedtosewand teachtheartofsewing.She willbegreatlymissedbyher familyandfriends.

TheintermentwillbeatArlingtonNationalCemeteryata datetobedetermined.

JAMESELLIS

PROCK

JamesEllisProck,86,ofRed Oak,Oklahomapassedaway onWednesday,January26, 2022athishomeinRedOak. ServiceswillbeonSaturday, January29,2022at10a.m. GravesideServiceattheRed OakCemeteryinRedOak, Oklahoma.Officiatingwillbe Chaplin,KerryKurkhart,and Mr.JimmyBooth.Servicesare underthedirectionofthe WaldropFuneralHomeof Wilburton,OK.

Jimmy Nace, 48, of Haileyville, was indicted in the Eastern District of Oklahoma on a federal charge of murder in Indian country for the July 2019 death of 49-yearold Haileyville resident Bob Dalpoas.

Nace was charged in federal court due to Dalpoas’ status as a Native American and the crime being committed within the boundaries of the Choctaw Nation.

Pittsburg County Sheriff Chris Morris said the body of Dalpoas was found July 4, 2019 “par-

“During their investigation, law enforcement interrogated Jimmy Nace on or about July 4, 2019,” the motion states. “Law enforcement did not inform Mr. Nace of his rights under Miranda. On or about the same day, law enforcement may have interrogated Mr. Nace a second time. Following their interrogations of Mr. Nace, law enforcement interrogated Mr. Nace a second time on July 10, 2019.”

The motion states that when law enforcement arrived at Nace’s home on July 4, he was de -

A hearing on the matter is set for 10:30 a.m. Feb. 2 in U.S. Magistrate Judge Steven P. Shreder’s courtroom at the federal courthouse in Muskogee.

Matthew Vermillion, 42, who was co-indicted with Nace, pleaded guilty earlier this month to the charge of accessory after the fact in Indian Country and faces up to 15year imprisonment.

According to Vermillion, he helped Nace unload Dalpoas’ body at the cemetery and was walking back to the truck when he heard a loud “thump” and said that

A third individual, Tyler Morgan, 22, is serving a 126-month confinement in a military prison after a military jury found Morgan guilty of attempted murder, accessory after the fact to aggravated assault, conspiracy to obstruct justice, obstruction of justice, and false official statement in his role of Dalpoas’ death.

Nace’s trial is currently scheduled for the March trial docket at the federal courthouse in Muskogee.

• Contact Derrick James at djames@mcalesternews.com

Superseding indictments filed against McAlester couple

By DERRICK JAMES STAFF WRITER

A superseding indictment was filed against a McAlester couple accused of abusing and neglecting a 10-year-old girl alleging the abuse started more than a year earlier.

Court documents show superseding indictments were filed against Ashley Schardein, 26, along with her husband, Billy Menees, 28, on counts of child abuse in Indian country and child neglect in Indian country for the alleged child abuse and torture of a 10-year-old girl in 2020. The indictment states

OFFICIAL BALLOT February 08, 2022

starting in January 2019 and continuing on into May 2020, Schardein and Menees “did willfully and maliciously cause harm and threaten harm, fail to protect from harm, and threaten harm, torture, and injure” the girl.

A previous indictment against the pair alleged the abuse and neglect occurred between March and May 2020.

According to court documents, the pair is accused of abusing the girl by excessively punishing her with emotional and verbal abuse, physical abuse that including spanking, tying her hands and feet for long

periods of time, shaving her head, not allowing her to use the restroom, and restricting her diet to oatmeal, spinach, and water.

Attorneys for Schard ein filed a motion asking U.S. District Judge Tim othy D. DeGiusti to con tinue the scheduled Feb. 8 trial at least 150 days due to new evidence be ing filed in the case and COVID-19 concerns.

“Additionally, with the Omicron variant spread ing throughout the country, the defense con tends that conducting a trial in three weeks, in cluding picking a jury and having multiple witnesses attend court

S A M P L E B A L L O T

PITTSBURG COUNTY, OKLAHOMA Page 1 / 1

TO VOTE: FILL IN THE BOX NEXT TO YOUR CHOICE(S) LIKE THIS:

PROPOSITION NO. 1

Shall Article 6 Sections 6.05(f)(1) and 6.05(g)(3) of the Charter of the City of McAlester, Oklahoma as amended be approved:

FOR THE PROPOSITION - YES AGAINST THE PROPOSITION - NO

PROPOSITION NO. 2

Shall Article 2 Sections 2.02(a), 2.02(b), 2.06(c) of the Charter of the City of McAlester, Oklahoma as amended be approved:

FOR THE PROPOSITION - YES AGAINST THE PROPOSITION - NO

PROPOSITION NO. 3

Shall Article 7 Section 7.01(b) of the Charter of the City of McAlester, Oklahoma as amended be approved:

FOR THE PROPOSITION - YES AGAINST THE PROPOSITION - NO

PROPOSITION NO. 4

Shall Article 6 Sections 6.02 and 6.03 of the Charter of the City of McAlester, Oklahoma as amended be approved:

FOR THE PROPOSITION - YES AGAINST THE PROPOSITION - NO

PROPOSITION NO. 5

Shall Article 5 Section 5.11 of the Charter of the City of McAlester, Oklahoma as amended be approved:

FOR THE PROPOSITION - YES AGAINST THE PROPOSITION - NO

PROPOSITION NO. 6

Shall Article 3 Section 3.06 of the Charter of the City of McAlester, Oklahoma as amended be approved:

FOR THE PROPOSITION - YES AGAINST THE PROPOSITION - NO

FORECAST

Saturday Night: Clear, with a low around 31. Southwest wind around 5 mph.

Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 64. Calm wind.

Sunday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 40. Calm wind becoming southeast around 5 mph after midnight.

sessions is a risk that will likely dissipate sev

QUINTON

MCALESTER SAMPLE BALLOTS

Mary Factory turns 103

Mary Factory turned 103 years old on Jan. 17.

She was born Mary Matilda Johnson on January 17, 1919 in Blocker Oklahoma. She is the oldest remaining sibling of seven born to Melvina and Jess Johnson. She was raised by her Aunt Rebecca and Uncle Henry Owens.

Mary graduated from Vernon High School class of 1940. Mary married John Lewis Factory of Krebs, Oklahoma, in 1941 and to that marriage seven children were born.

She belongs to and have been a member of Mt. Triumph Baptist Church for over 75 years. She is the Mother of the

OMC goes nonprofit, announces board of directors

SUBMITTED BY OKLAHOMA MEDIA CENTER

The Oklahoma Media Center, a collaborative of two dozen+ Oklahoma journalism collaborators including newspapers, broadcasters and digital news outlets announced this week it will form its own nonprofit.

Few collaboratives in the U.S. exist as their own stand-alone nonprofit entity; OMC will join only Resolve Philadelphia and the Colorado News Collaborative with this distinction. Most collaboratives are programs housed within or attached to larger institutions, or are fiscally-sponsored projects.

The OMC is currently managed by the Local Media Foundation. Its new board includes:

President — Tyler Tokarczyk, a senior program officer at the Inasmuch Foundation.

Treasurer — Angel Ellis, a citizen of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation and director of Mvskoke Media.

At-large member — Bianca Gordon, Associate Executive Director at Bridges of Norma.

OMC board member — Cecilia Hernandez-Cromwell, a news director/anchor at Telemundo Oklahoma.

OMC board member — William W. (Tres) Savage III, the editor-in-chief of NonDoc.

More than 25 Oklahoma news organizations are part of the collaborative, including Big If True, Cherokee Phoenix, KFOR, The Lawton Constitution, StateImpact Oklahoma, and Telemundo Oklahoma.

Church. Mary is very active in her home where she loves cooking, reading and takes care of her financial business. She loves telling stories about her life experiences and mentoring to young family members. She loves traveling and staying abreast of current events. She is an avid reader.

Mary worked many

jobs in her life. She worked at 17 years old with the National Youth Administration as the first African American hired. During World War II, she worked at the Navy Ammunition Depot in McAlester Oklahoma making ammunition for the Navy.

The one job she is most proud of is the one she had that the world remembers her for is when she was one of the members of the team that put the first man on the moon.

Her children. Robert (Val) Factory , Cynthia (Darryl) Davis, Karen (Quintin) Salmond , Patricia (Richard) Adams, Margie Factory and family are very proud of her and her accomplishments.

Young recognized by Wilburton Kiwanis Club

SUBMITTED BY WILBURTON KIWANIS CLUB

A Wilburton High School senior was recognized as Student of the Month for January by members of the Wilburton Kiwanis Club. The student was the special guest during the club’s Wednesday, January 19 meeting held in the Student Life Center on the campus of Eastern Oklahoma State College.

Kyle Young is the son of Stephenie and Richard Ingram. He attends Wilburton High School where he is a member of the Diggers basketball and golf teams, and participates in ESports. He has been listed to the principal’s honor roll and was named the Most Improved Player in golf.

Young serves as a volunteer at the Latimer Nursing Home.

His hobbies include sports, video games, hunting, fishing, and

cars. He plans to attend Eastern Oklahoma State College, then transfer to Southeastern Oklahoma State

University, and eventually apply to medical school to pursue a career as an anesthesiologist.

Kyle Young

Marry Factory

f e a r a n d t r e m

TODAY IN HISTORY

Today is Saturday, Jan. 29, the 29th day of 2022. There are 336 days left in the year.

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHT IN HISTORY:

On Jan. 29, 1820, King George III died at Windsor Castle at age 81; he was succeeded by his son, who became King George IV.

ON THIS DATE:

In 1919, the ratification of the 18th Amendment to the Constitution, which launched Prohibition, was certified by Acting Secretary of State Frank L. Polk.

In 1929, The Seeing Eye, a New Jersey-based school which trains guide dogs to assist the blind, was incorporated by Dorothy Harrison Eustis and Morris Frank.

In 1936, the first inductees of baseball’s Hall of Fame, including Ty Cobb and Babe Ruth, were named in Cooperstown, New York.

In 1963, the first charter members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame were named in Canton, Ohio (they were enshrined when the Hall opened in September 1963). Poet Robert Frost died in Boston at age 88.

In 1964, Stanley Kubrick’s nuclear war satire “Dr. Strangelove Or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb” premiered in New York, Toronto and London.

In 1979, President Jimmy Carter formally welcomed Chinese Vice Premier Deng Xiaoping (dung shah-ohping) to the White House, following the establishment of diplomatic relations.

In 1984, President Ronald Reagan announced in a nationally broadcast message that he and Vice President George H.W. Bush would seek reelection in the fall.

In 1995, the San Francisco 49ers became the first team in NFL history to win five Super Bowl titles, beating the San Diego Chargers, 49-26, in Super Bowl XXIX.

In 1998, a bomb rocked an abortion clinic in Birmingham, Alabama, killing security guard Robert Sanderson and critically injuring nurse Emily Lyons. (The bomber, Eric Rudolph, was captured in May 2003 and is serving a life sentence.)

In 2002, in his first State of the Union address, President George W. Bush said terrorists were still threatening America — and he warned of “an axis of evil” consisting of North Korea, Iran and Iraq.

In 2007, Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro was euthanized because of medical complications eight months after his gruesome breakdown at the Preakness.

In 2020, a charter flight evacuating 195 Americans, including diplomats and their families, left the Chinese city of Wuhan, the epicenter of the new viral outbreak; they would undergo three days of testing and monitoring at a California military base.

World health officials expressed concern that the virus was starting to spread between people outside China.

Ten years ago: Eleven people were killed when smoke and fog caused a series of fiery crashes on I-75 in Florida.

i t

b l i n g V e r s e 1 3 , F o r i t i s G o d w h i c h w o r k e t h i n y o u t o d o

p l e a s u r e

4-H Community Beautification Project

Generous sponsor American Plant Products and Services, Inc., owned by Rodd and Dona Moesel of Oklahoma City, and the Oklahoma 4-H Youth Development and Oklahoma 4-H Foundation are very excited to once again make possible the Community Beautification Project Grants Program for 4-H Clubs in 2022!

Projects could include but are not limited to community flower gardens, green spaces on main streets, town squares, city parks, county courthouse, Extension offices, school gardens and more. Funds can be used for revitalizing current plantings or developing new plantings. Funding will be awarded up to $500. 4-H clubs will be required to match the money with a 1:1 cash contri-

bution. Consider reaching out to your Main Street groups, City Chambers, county commissioners and others for matching funds.

To apply for funding, the 2022 Community Beautification Projects Grants Program for 4-H Clubs Application Form due electronically to Oklahoma 4-H Youth Development Sr. Administrative Assis-

tant Jerri Beth Tivis jerribeth. tivis@okstate.edu by 5:00 p.m., Tuesday, February 15, 2022, can be accessed by clicking https://oklahoma4hfoundation. com/community-beautification-project-grants. Any applications received after this publicized deadline will not be eligible for consideration.

t r e mb l i n g V e r s e 1 3 , F o r it i s G o d w h i c h w o r k e t h i n y o u t o d o H i s g o o d p l e a s u r e V e r s e 1 5 That ye may be blamel e s s a n d h a r m l e s s t h e S o n s o f G o d w i t h o u t r e b u k e i n t h e m i d s t o f a p e r v e r s e n a t i o n o f w h o m y e s h i n e a s a l i g h t i n t h e w o r l d ( L o o k a r o u n d y o u , w h a t w a s g o o d i s n o w evil and what was evil is now good Be in the world not of the world Believe, repent and rec e i v e y o u r s a l v a t i o n t o d a y ) F o r p r a y e r c a l l P a s t o r K e l l e y 9 1 8916-1325 Sunday serv i c e 1 0 : 4 5 a m R em e m b e r o n l y J e s u s s a v e s !

Applications meeting the requirements for consideration will be judged by the Oklahoma 4-H Youth Development’s 2022 Community Beautification Project Grants Program for 4-H Clubs Selection Committee.

Application Rules

Only one award will be given to a 4-H club, multiple 4-H clubs can apply within a county. Preference will be given to beautification projects that use perennial plants and sustainable items. Applications

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ye may be blamel e s s a n d h a r m l e s s t h e S o n s o f G o d w i t h o u t r e b u k e i n t h e m i d s t o f a p e r v e r s e n a t i o n o f w h o m y e s h i n e a s a l i g h t i n t h e w o r l d ( L o o k a r o u n d y o u , w h a t w a s g o o d i s n o w evil, and what was evil is now good Be in th e world not of the world Believe repent and rec e i v e y o u r s a l v a t i o n t o d a y ) F o r p r a y e r c a l l P a s t o r K e l l e y 9 1 8916-1325 Sunday serv i c e 1 0 : 4 5 a m R em e m b e r o n l y J e s u s s a v e s !

other details for road projects. He said the city should also focus on jobs.

Few said it costs the city approximately $22,000 a block to asphalt a city block. He noted that sewer and water lines can be replaced as needed during road construction, such as during the most recent development of part of South Street.

Candidates were asked about their vision for McAlester Regional Health Center moving forward.

Few said it should continue operating under the hospital Board of Trustees, under the original Trust agreement. He also said MRHC doesn’t stand alone and pointed to its partnership with the Oklahoma Heart Institute and other partners. Few said MRHC should continue its partnerships with other medical facilities.

“I completely disagree,” Jett said. He maintained the hospital wants to continue with partnerships, but wants the city to pay for its needs. “Use your own money,” he said.

Another question concerned proposed changes to the McAlester City Charter on the Feb. 8 ballot.

“I’d be more concerned with what my constituents thought about those changes,” Jett said. “I think it’s not necessarily that we have poor transparency, but our citizens aren’t getting involved.”

Few said “I think the Charter changes are very well-written.”

Regarding some changes, Few said “You have some ambiguous language.” He said one of the best proposed changes is to hold the election for McAlester mayor in an “off” year.

Currently, city council candidates in Wards 1, 3 and 5 run for office at the same time as the mayor’s race, while those in Wards 2, 4 and 6 do not. That means a sitting city councilor in

Wards 2, 4 and 6 could take a shot at running for mayor, without having to give up their city council seats if they lose. Those running in Wards 1, 3 and 5 don’t have the same opportunity.

Regarding economic development, Few said the under-construction Shops at McAlester project has been successful at attracting more businesses to the city. He said the develop-

ment was originally planned for 150,000 square feet, but expanded to 200,000 square feet because of demand. He predicted it will continue to bring more jobs to the community.

Jett said he thinks the city needs a lot more jobs. “We don’t need to focus on minimum wage types of jobs,” he said.

What more can be done to improve roads in McAlester?

Jett said to do exactly that.

are required to be signed off by the county educator. Applications without the county educator’s signature will not be considered.

If awarded, the 4-H club agrees to:

1. Be responsible for showing proof of matching funds before award funds are released.

2. Establish signage at the site giving the 4-H club recognition.

3. Maintain the beautification site.

4. Take pictures to send to the 4-H Foundation along with a “thank you” letter for the donor describing the project (due June 1, 2022).

For more information about this and other 4-H events and activities please give us a call at the office at 423-4120 or email me at greg.owen@okstate.edu.

“We need to go out there and do it,” he said.

Few noted that the city has been paying down some of its existing bond debt.

“Roads are a big-ticket item,” Few noted. As the city pays off other bonds, some of the funds could be shifted to roads, he suggested.

In regard to improving McAlester’s housing situation, Few said that real estate prices have helped, making it easier to flip houses to new buyers.

Jett said “It hasn’t been raised to me as a major concern.” He said more jobs would increase the need for more houses. He said some current homes have issues with flooding and sewer backups and the city should concentrate on making them safe.

Both candidates were asked about their thoughts on the city potentially losing city sales taxes if it deannexes the Expo Center, as Pittsburg County commissioners have requested, since the county is being assessed a huge storm water fee for runoff water the commissioners maintain does not go into the city’s storm water system.

Jett suggested the city and county could work together. Few said the dollar amount involved would be a consideration, but suggested it could be a partnership. The city might lose some sales tax, but might gain in other ways.

Both also strongly supported efforts to bring back the Oklahoma State Penitentiary Prison Rodeo.

“It’s exciting,” Few said. “It’s almost like talking about the Okla Theatre,” he said, adding that it would bring a lot of dollars into the community.

“I say yee-haw, let’s do it,” said Jett. “It puts the spotlight on us.”

Greg Owen OSU EXTENSION

DERRICK JAMES | Staff photo

Myles Lear Jett says he is running for the Ward 2 McAlester City Council seat because he cares about the community.

DERRICK JAMES | Staff photo

Justin Few says his work with several organizations focused on improving McAlester over the years stems from his love for the city as he runs for the Ward 2 council seat.

h

Lawmakers consider eliminating sales taxes on groceries

OKLAHOMA CITY Sales taxes on groceries may soon be axed by lawmakers as bipartisan momentum builds behind multiple proposals that would exempt many food items.

But lawmakers head into session divided on whether the grocery sales tax should be completely eliminated or if only the state’s 4.5% share should be barred.

Only six states, including Oklahoma, continue to allow full taxes on groceries, said state Rep. Sean Roberts, R-Hominy.

To bring “much needed relief to Oklahoma families,” Roberts has proposed House Bill 2844, which if passed would ask voters to eliminate the grocery tax in its entirety.

“If this referendum is put to a vote of the people and approved, Oklahoma businesses would see a growth in revenue and Oklahomans would be able to get more bang for their buck at the grocery store,” Rob-

erts said in a statement. “It is common sense legislation that benefits all parties, and I am looking forward to advocating for its passage this session.”

House Minority Leader Emily Virgin, D-Norman, said while she would love to eliminate the entire sales tax, that would require a much larger conversation about Oklahoma’s tax structure in general.

Oklahoma is the only state in the country that funds its municipalities solely on sales taxes, she said.

Virgin has filed House Bill 3621, which proposes only eliminating the state’s 4.5% tax on groceries. It would leave city and county sales taxes intact.

She said the grocery tax issue has long flown under the radar and past efforts to eliminate it have failed.

“But I think that now when we have reduced corporate taxes, we’ve reduced income taxes, we’ve done a lot of tax cuts that are affecting those at the top disproportionally, and so I think that folks across the

OSU EXTENSION NEWS

aisle are finally seeing that it’s time to do something that would affect the most regressive tax, which is the sales tax,” she said.

Virgin said she doesn’t know how much the average Oklahoma family would save each year, but said the savings would be higher for larger families and those who make lower incomes because a higher share of their income goes toward sales taxes.

“We know based on the other states, and based on just what families spend in sales tax overall, that it would be a pretty substantial benefit, especially to those who have multiple people living in their house and are low income or medium income,” she said.

Senate President Pro Tem Greg Treat, R-Oklahoma City, has filed a similar measure to Virgin’s. He was unavailable for comment about Senate Bill 1495.

Joe Dorman, CEO of the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy, said grocery tax breaks would be good for fam-

ilies and Oklahoma’s working class, but warned lawmakers “to proceed with caution.”

Because while sales tax relief would help make working class Oklahomans’ budgets more stable, tweaking it could wreak havoc on the services that taxpayers expect local municipalities to provide.

“If they cut sales taxes like that and don’t take into consideration the impact of municipal government, that would be detrimental to families because municipal government provides so many services and they’re solely reliant on sales taxes,” Dorman said. “My advice would be to proceed with caution, and make sure you don’t hurt the programs that are offered at the municipal level.”

Emma Morris, a health care and revenue analyst with the Oklahoma Policy Institute, said the best bet for lawmakers would be to strengthen and increase the existing sales tax relief credit, which is also known as the “grocery tax credit.” In place for over 30

Organic or GMO? Experts explain food lingo

As Oklahomans start a new year with new nutrition goals and eating habits, they’re faced with an overwhelming amount of industry diet terms and food lingo. Experts from the Robert M. Kerr Food and Agricultural Products Center at Oklahoma State University clarified some of the most common references.

ORGANIC

The difference between conventional (non-organic) and organic food involves how it is grown and manufactured. While both foods follow regulations and guidelines to make them equally safe to consume, organic food regulations are different.

“Organic-produced foods rely on the use of natural substances and methods throughout the entire food production process, while conventionally grown foods allow for the additional usage of approved synthetic substances and methods,” said Renee Albers-Nelson, FAPC milling and baking specialist. “Because there are many opinions of what natural is, the U.S. Department of Agriculture created the National Organic Program, a federal regulatory program to develop and enforce federal standards for organically produced products sold in the U.S.”

The USDA NOP inspects farms and food manufacturing facilities to approve their use of the USDA Organic seal. There are four types of USDA Organic claims that can be made, and they are defined by the USDA NOP as follows: 100% organic – used to label any product that contains 100% organic ingredients.

Organic – any product that contains a minimum of 95% organic ingredients; up to 5% of ingredients may be non-organic.

Made with an organic item – product contains at least 70% organically produced ingredients. Specific organic ingredient listings – specific organic ingredients may be listed in the ingredient statement of products containing less than 70% organic contents.

Gluten-free

In August 2013, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued an official definition of gluten-free. The regulations must be fully met for a product to say gluten-free on the label.

Gluten-free is a food that is naturally gluten-free or does not contain an ingredient that is: A gluten-containing grain (wheat, rye, barley, spelt or some crossbreed of these grains), or Derived from a gluten-containing grain that has not been processed to remove gluten (wheat flour), or

Derived from a gluten-containing grain and that has been processed to remove gluten (wheat starch) if the use of that ingredient results in the presence of 20 parts per million or more gluten in the food.

Additionally, any unavoidable presence of gluten in the food must be less than 20 parts per million.

“Meeting the requirements of gluten-free is important for people with celiac disease, a life-threatening illness if they consume gluten,” Albers-Nelson said. “Label claims such as gluten-free, free of gluten, without gluten and no gluten are acceptable as long as the FDA gluten-free requirements are met. Placing gluten-free on a label is voluntary. People with celiac disease should read and study food ingredient statements.”

Also, Albers-Nelson said the term gluten-friendly is not a term recognized by the FDA and has no official definition.

“It does not mean a food is free of gluten or safe for consumers who suffer from celiac disease,” she said.

GMO According to the FDA, GMO stands for a genetically modified organism and is used to describe a plant, animal or microorganism that has had its genetic material, DNA, altered with technology. Modification includes the transfer of specific DNA from one organism to another.

The USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the FDA are responsible for guaranteeing that biotech products are safe as a food for humans and animals as well as the environment.

With the passage of the National Bioengineered Food Disclosure Law in 2018, as of Jan. 1, 2022, manufacturers, importers and retailers with annual receipts of $2.5 million or more will be required

to disclose to the consumer if a food or ingredient is bioengineered. The USDA defines a bioengineered food as one that contains detectable genetic material modified through lab techniques. A bioengineered food cannot be created through conventional breeding or be found in nature. Approved methods of label disclosure are guided by the NBFDS. USP Verified

The U.S. Pharmacopeial Convention was founded in 1820 in Washington, D.C., as a nonprofit scientific organization that develops and disseminates quality standards for medicines and other related substances such as dietary supplements. It does not have any law enforcement power. USP Verified is a voluntary program for manufacturers. Audits are conducted and if a product receives the USP Verified mark, the following requirements are met: The manufacturer follows FDA Good Manufacturing Practices.

The product contains the ingredients listed on the label in the correct amounts and potency. Does not contain harmful contaminants. Will break down and release into the body within a specified amount of time.

ALLERGEN-FREE

The description “allergen free” is not a recognized statement by the FDA and has no regulatory basis. The usage of this term implies the food does not contain any of the eight allergens listed under the Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act – milk, eggs, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat and soybeans. Also, sesame will be added to the major allergen list beginning Jan. 1, 2023.

“Consumers can be allergic to many other ingredients or foods,” Albers-Nelson said. “Implying a food is ‘allergen free’ is good marketing but too broad of a statement to make, implying that nothing present will cause anyone an allergic response.”

PALEO

The paleo diet is a reference to the Paleolithic, the “Stone Age” or caveman period of history. The diet’s theory is that humans have moved too far away from what they assume their human ancestors ate – meat from hunted animals, fish and vegetables – and the result is an increase in chronic diseases. Followers of the paleo diet do not consume grains, dairy products, legumes and sugar. Instead, they focus on meat, fish, eggs, vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, herbs, spices and healthy fats.

KETO

A ketogenic diet, also known as keto, encourages the consumption of high fats, moderate proteins and low carbohydrates. Carbohydrates serve as the primary source of energy in body tissues in the form of glucose. When glucose availability is not present or very low, ketogenesis is initiated to provide an alternate energy source from fat in the form of ketones. Ketogenesis reduces the body’s need to stimulate fat and glucose storage.

“In the short-term, the keto diet is effective in weight loss,” Albers-Nelson said. “But it’s not considered a long-duration diet due to health concerns.”

VEGETARIAN VERSUS VEGAN

Other frequently used food terms include vegetarian, which is a person who excludes meat, poultry, fish, seafood, insect or animal by-products, such as gelatin or stock/fat from animals, from his or her diet. A vegan diet is a continuation of the vegetarian diet. Vegans do not consume dairy products and eggs, and they also don’t use any animal byproducts for food, clothing, or other purposes.

Janice Hermann, an OSU Extension specialist in nutritional sciences, said understanding terms and labels benefits the consumer.

“Using the Nutrition Facts Label can help you make healthier food and beverage choices,” she said. “The Nutrition Facts Label and ingredient list are the safest, most important labels to read and are regulated by the FDA.”

• Rachel Lockwood is the Family Consumer Science Extension Educator with Pittsburg County OSU Cooperative Extension Service. For more information related to this topic or related FCS programs contact Rachel at 918-423-4120, email Rachel.lockwood@okstate.edu or on Pittsburg County OSU Website http://oces.okstate.edu/pittsburg/ or find Pittsburg County OSU Extension Center or Pittsburg County OHCE on Facebook.

years, the credit is intended to offset sales taxes for groceries in low-income households by providing a $40 tax rebate per household member, she said. It applies to those who make $50,000 or less.

She said an analysis by the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy found that eliminating the sales tax on groceries altogether would cost the state about $235 million a year.

“This would harm Oklahoma’s ability to provide the public services upon which we all rely, especially considering the considerable cuts in state revenue during the past two decades,” Morris said. “Eliminating the state’s grocery sales tax could open the door to local sales tax erosion in the future, which would significantly impact cities statewide as sales taxes are a large part of local revenue.”

• Janelle Stecklein covers the Oklahoma Statehouse for CNHI’s newspapers and websites. Reach her at jstecklein@cnhinews.com.

MILLENNIAL PERSPECTIVE

Planning ahead

By ASHLEY STIEB GUEST COLUMNIST

Disruption can arise at any moment and oftentimes there is nothing we can do to avoid it from happening.

There has been a lot of disruption in the last two years and it has left countless people jobless, on unemployment, or sent home for a few weeks to recover from COVID-19. With the most recent COVID-19 spike I have heard stories of several people who feel that they cannot miss work because of the money they would lose despite being ill.

It now seems that more and more people are finding themselves between a rock and a hard place, money or the safety of others. I am certain that the majority would prefer the latter. However, having a plan in place can make the decision easier.

Looking back at the start of the pandemic, employers were afforded the ability via tax credits to pay for an absence due to COVID-19. This allowed employees to stay home without having to worry about missing out on wages while even those who lost their jobs were able to draw unemployment at a higher rate than usual.

With most businesses no longer offering “COVID pay,” employees have felt obligated to make the tough decision between going to work and being extra careful around others. This can easily become a liability for the company because of safety protocols and spiraling COVID quarantines which can force companies to temporarily close their doors because of staffing issues or to ensure the quelling of outbreaks. Thus, leaving all the employees to miss out on wages while forcing the company to miss out on profits.

Many who are sick are not able to know that they have COVID-19 because, some may have simply thought it was the common cold or just allergies. Regardless of the cause of their symptoms no one should be put in the position of having to determine if their symptoms are due to a relatively benign is-

sue such as allergies or a contagious disease without being able to consult a medical professional or have diagnostic testing performed, especially now when the stakes are seemingly high. It is therefore important to have a plan for when life happens. Building a plan to save for a rainy day can be very intimidating for some. Working with a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® (CFP®) can help make the task feel less daunting. A CFP® can often help you build a budget that is customized to your needs and can help you set aside money without stretching your account too thin.

Building these savings will not happen overnight. Some people may have to decrease their debts before they can save. Paying down debt with higher interest rates (avalanche method) or smaller balances (snowball method) is always a good place to start. By lowering the amount you have to pay each month you free up funds that can be set aside to start saving or even pay off more debt. Some people may prefer to pay all of their debts off before saving, but this doesn’t help out much when disruption arises and may indeed decrease their available cash for emergencies

My dad (the smartest man I know) frequently uses the phrase, “Hope for the best, but plan for the worst.” That philosophy has really stuck with me these last two years with all the disruptions we have had in our day to day lives. It doesn’t sound very optimistic to always plan for the worst, but you never know what kind of disruption life will throw at you. It is never a bad idea to be prepared. No one has ever wished they were less prepared for when an emergency arises. No one ever wishes that they had planned and managed their finances without proper considerations. A CFP® has been trained specifically to look at each person as an individual and set them along the right path to plan for these disruptions while still living a lifestyle that is enjoyable.

Rachel Lockwood OSU EXTENSION

Songs that inspired garage bands — the sounds heard ‘round the world

Ah, where would we be without those bands and singers that are sometimes called one hit wonders — which sometimes makes me stop and think, at least they’re not no hit wonders.

I’ve often wondered how a group or singer can come out with a recording that is so fantastic-sounding, but then most of us never hear from them again. Some of their records were so great, that I kind of figured they would have a long career.

Some of their recordings even served as a sort of template for the countless artists who followed them. I’ve often wondered whatever happened to many of them? Instead of the long and brilliant career I figured would follow after they made their initial splash, some faded into relative obscurity. Others dropped from sight until making a comeback on the oldies circuit, often years later.

Some blasted onto the scene due to a combination of good luck and finding a great song by writers outside the band, but others seemed to have everything going for them but still dropped out of sight funny, many were considered “out of sight” back when they first conquered the radio airwaves, with their records spun endlessly by their fans.

Fortunately, many of those recordings are still available today in multiple formats, from vinyl, to compact discs, streaming, video channels and other countless forms of media.

Some inspired thousands of bands to follow in their wake, while others rose and fell before they could inspire legions of fans although many still have their devoted followers today.

Here then, are some groups that made an indelible mark on the music world with their breakout records, even if they

Beaty MANAGING EDITOR

weren’t heard from much again, and the songs that did it for them.

• “Gloria” The Shadows of Knight. Sure, Van Morrison wrote and recorded the original version of “Gloria” when he played with the Irish group Them, which brought Van the Man his first recognition in the U.S. No way does the version by The Shadows of Knight come close to topping Van’s original. Still, since Morrison’s original didn’t get much airplay in the U.S.,for much of America’s youth, the first time they heard the song was the version performed by The Shadows of Knight, who brought a certain garage band sensibility to their version.

Coming out of Chicago, The Shadows of Night were signed to Dunwich records after label execs heard their version of “Gloria” when the group opened for the Byrds during a gig at their native Chicago.

Recorded in December 1965 the band’s version of “Gloria” made it all the way to #10 on the charts. More than that, thousands of wanna be rockers in the making heard that version and quickly mastered the three-chord shuffle including a few strokes with all six guitar strings open, required for the song.

Even the lead guitar solo didn’t have a high level of difficulty, and the drummers and bass players always sounded like they were having fun on the song as well at least an all the many versions I’ve heard.

“Gloria” was one of the first songs learned by burgeoning garage bands of the day, along with “Louie, Louie” and another song by a group that brought a street vibe of their own to America’s airwaves.

• “Hang on Sloopy” The McCoys. Led by 16 year-old Rick Derringer, The McCoys recorded the song in 1965 after the group that originally planned to record it, The Strangeloves, didn’t want to release it at the time because they felt it would compete with another song of theirs still climbing the charts” I Want Candy.” However, members of the group which consisted of record producers wanted to get a version out fast because the Dave Clark Five was getting ready to record of version of their own.

Since The Strangeloves were producers anyway, they offered the song to a group called Rick and the Raiders they heard performing during a gig in Ohio, and had the group’s lead Rick Zehringer, who was only 17 at the time, sing along to an instrumental track they had already recorded. “Hang on Sloopy” took flight and soon all those burgeoning garage rock bands sprouting up across the nation had a new song they could add to their repertoire. With a chord pattern similar to “Louie, Louie,” but not quite the same, “Hang on Sloopy” blasted not only from countless record players, but also from all those thousands of bands that learned the song.

Those thousands of versions included a dynamic one by the McAlester-Hartshorne group called Saint and the Sinners, which would often perform at McAlester’s teen club called The Attic.

The song became so popular that it was performed by Ohio State University’s marching band and became a sort of unofficial theme song. It grew to

be so-loved in Ohio that its state legislature adopted “Hang On Sloopy as the state’s official rook song. The official proclamation hilariously adopted some of the song’s lyrics as a reason for the designation:

“Whereas, ‘Sloopy lives in a very bad part of town, and everybody, yeah, tries to put my Sloopy down’” and

“Whereas, ‘Sloopy I don’t care what your daddy do, ‘cause you know Sloopy girl I’m in love with you,’ therefore let it be resolved, that we, the members of the 116th General Assembly of Ohio, in adopting this resolution, name “Hang On Sloopy” as the official rock song of the state of Ohio.”

Oh yeah, Rick Zehringer went on to change his name to Rick Derringer, winning rock fame in his own right. He also became involved with both the blues guitar wizard Johnny Winters, producing Winter’s live album, “Still Alive and Well” and performing with keyboardist Edgar Winters, as a producer and guitarist.

• “I Fought the Law” became a huge hit for the Bobby Fuller Four, a Band hailing from El Paso, Texas, that included both Fuller and his brother, bassist Randy Fuller.

They weren’t the first to record it, though. The song was written by another Texan, Sonny Curtis. If that name sounds familiar, it’s likely because Curtis has played in Buddy Holly’s band, The Crickets. Holly had already tragically died in the plane crash that also took the lives of Richie Valens and the Big Bopper, a.k.a., J.P. Richardson.

Curtis and The Crickets recorded the song under the band’s name. It didn’t prove to a big hit, but it most have gotten enough airplay in Texas for Bobby Fuller to hear it, because the Bobby Fuller Four which also consisted of gui-

tarist Jim Reese and drummer Dewayne Quirico recorded the definitive version on Fuller’s local label in Texas.

“I Fought the Law” became a regional hit, first in New Mexico and Texas. That led to the record getting picked up by a larger Mustang label for national distribution, where it started getting increased airplay around the nation. It also proved the inspiration for numerous garage bands, with it’s well-known refrain, “I fought the law and the law won.” It ultimately cracked the Top Ten, making it all the way to #9 amidst heavy competition.

Unfortunately for Bobby Fuller, he didn’t get to enjoy his success for long. Only 23, he was found deceased in his car in a parking lot in California, under, as they say “mysterious circumstances,” with his death ultimately ruled accidental.

“I Fought the Law” hadn’t finished its run, though. In 1978, members of The Clash heard it on a juke box and decided to record the song themselves, with the song becoming another punk anthem.

It would go on to be recorded by bands ranging from Green Day to Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, proving that even though the law won, there’s no confining the sound of “I Fought the Law.”

• Contact James Beaty at jbeaty@ mcalesternews.com.

James

THE SHADOWS OF KNIGHT

Shirley Donaldson,

Preparing for election

It’s vital for voters to know about candidates and propositions ahead of an election.

We all have an opinion on which candidate is best and how we wish to be governed, but going to vote is more effective at bringing change than arguing with each other on Facebook.

We must use our power and our right to vote in determining our representatives in local government and how we want to be governed.

We must also be well informed before heading to the ballot.

Two McAlester city council seats and several proposed changes to the city’s charter will be decided by voters in the Feb. 8 election.

The News-Capital strives to collect information and provide coverage that informs voters about propositions and candidates before elections.

Our coverage has included questions and answers with candidates that appeared on our front page, in a special section, and online. Those candidates provided announcements that include more information about themselves and why they decided to run for city council.

Our election forum Friday night provided more insight on where candidates stand on specific important topics to our community — the future of McAlester Regional Health Center, ways to improve infrastructure, how deannexing the Expo Center could impact the city, and more.

The forum livestream on our Facebook page is also available to watch at any time simply by going to our Facebook page, clicking on the videos tab, scrolling down to the forum videos and pressing play.

We will continue coverage up to election day to make sure voters will be able to make an informed decision when going to the ballot.

Ward 4 City Councilor Randy Roden is running for reelection against former McAlester Mayor Kevin Priddle. Roden won a September 2021 election to fill the unexpired term of longtime Ward 4 Councilor and Vice Mayor James Brown, who died in February 2021 while being treated for COVID-19. They are seeking a four-year term in the Ward 4 office.

Justin Few and Myles Lear Jett filed to run as candidates for the Ward 2 McAlester City Council seat. Each candidate was invited to participate in the forum.

Early voting in the Feb. 8 city council election is set for 8 a.m. until 6 p.m. on Feb. 3 and 4, which is the Thursday and Friday before the election, at the Pittsburg County Election Board Office in McAlester. We urge everyone to get informed and stay engaged in local elections because they impact us in a more immediate fashion than other elections.

• McAlester News-Capital Editorial Board

AREA LAWMAKERS

District 7 State Sen. Warren Hamilton, R-MCCURTAIN: 2300 N. Lincoln Blvd., Ste. 513-B, Oklahoma City, OK, 73105, 405-5215604, warren.hamilton@oksenate.gov.

District 17 State Rep. Jim Grego, R-MCALESTER: 501 State Capitol, Oklahoma City, OK, 73105, 405-557-7381, jim.grego@okhouse.gov

District 18 State Rep. David Smith, R-MCALESTER: 2300 N. Lincoln Blvd., Room 250A, Oklahoma City, OK, 73105, 405557-7376, david.smith@okhouse.gov

U.S. Sen. James Inhofe

1924 S. Utica, Ste. 530, Tulsa, OK, 74104, 918-748-5111; 215 E. Choctaw, Ste. 106, McAlester, OK, 74502, 918-426-0933, www. inhofe.senate.gov

U.S. Sen. James Lankford

The Remington Tower, 5810 East Skelly Drive Suite 1000, Tulsa, OK 74135, 918-581-7651 316 Hart Senate Office Building, Washington, DC 20510, 202-224-5754

U.S. District 2 Rep. Markwayne Mullin 1113 Longworth House Office Building, Washington, D.C., 20515, 202-225-2701; 918423-5951; markwayne.mullin@mail.house.gov

COMMENTARY

Recognized for conservative voting record

One thing I want to brag on this week, the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) has recognized me as one of 20 Oklahoma legislators with a conservative voting record that earned a score over 80% in the American Conservative Union Foundation's Center for Legislative Accountability's most recent scorecard.

Lawmakers from all 50 states who are fighting for conservative principles have been invited to attend CPAC's awards' ceremony in Florida. I'm thrilled to be among those who've received this recognition for doing what I know is in the best interest of my constituents here at home and for our entire state.

This week at the Capitol, lawmakers have been hearing from the six state agencies that receive the most in state appropriations.

These are the Oklahoma Department of Transportation, the Office of Management and Enterprise Services, the Department of Human Services, the Oklahoma Health Care Authority, the State Department of Education and the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education. These budget per-

formance reviews give lawmakers a chance to ask questions about how taxpayer dollars are spent and to hear budget requests for the next fiscal year. It's helpful as we draft the state budget.

Last week was our bill introduction deadline for the coming legislative session. A total of 1,482 House Bills, 18 House Joint Resolutions and 2 House Concurrent Resolutions were filed. Last year, we filed 1,988 measures; 1,701 remain eligible for consideration this session.

Session gets underway at noon Feb. 7. As always Thank You for allowing me to serve you. I can be reached at (405) 557-7381 or by email at jim. grego@okhouse.gov.

• Jim Grego serves District 17 in the Oklahoma House of Representatives. His district includes Latimer County and parts of LeFlore and Pittsburg counties.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

FIRST AMENDMENT: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

Rep. Jim Grego DISTRICT 17

Hobby Lobby is projecting its 55,000 square-foot McAlester store will open in early April. It will bring about 35-to-50 jobs to the community, paying $18.50 per hour for fulltime employees and $13 per hour for part-time employees, according to a company spokesman.

“Once you visit Hobby Lobby you will see that we are very unique, offering the widest variety of merchandise in the craft and home decor market under one roof,” said Assistant Vice President of Advertising Kelly Black.

“We’re tremendously excited about becoming a part of the McAlester community,” Black said.

McAlester Economic Development Director Kirk Ridenour expressed enthusiasm at Hobby Lobby’s projection it will open its store at the Shops at McAlester site in April.

“Hobby Lobby joining the community represents McAlester reaching the next tier of retail, so we’re excited about how this will open new retail possibilities,” Ridenour said.

City Manager Pete Stasiak also welcomed Hobby Lobby.

“We’re excited to have

not from Oklahoma, he has performed lots of times in the state, Lynch said.

them here,” Stasiak said. “This is wonderful for our community.”

Construction is underway on the building that will house the McAlester Hobby Lobby store. Other stores at Shops At McAlester that developer Burk Collins said he is on schedule to turn over by mid-February include TJ Maxx, Ross and Burkes Outlet.

“I think you’re going to see a lot of them opening,” Stasiak said, referring to the next few months. “This is what our community has asked for and Burk Collins is bringing it.”

Stasiak noted the hard work that Ridenour has

put into the shopping center project.

“There are so many wonderful things happening,” Stasiak said. “This will change the face of our community.”

Mayor John Browne said “We’re looking forward to Hobby Lobby’s grand opening.

“Hobby Lobby has good-paying jobs,” Browne said. “We look forward to a long and fruitful relationship.”

Hobby Lobby currently has 26 stores around the state, with more than 900 stores across the U.S.

“Each store has more than 70,000 crafting and home decor products including floral, fabric, nee-

dle art, custom framing, baskets, home accents, wearable art, arts and crafts, jewelry making, scrapbooking and paper crafting supplies,” a Hobby Lobby spokesman said in announcing its plans.

Collins, of Burks Collins and Co., previously said other stores that have committed to locate in the Shops at McAlester Center include Rack Room Shoes, Old Navy, Ollie’s Bargain Outlet, Five Below and others. Restaurants Collins has said plans to locate in the center include Chick-fil-A and Burger King, as well as Starbucks. A branch of a local bank and a Jiffy Lube

also plan to locate at the site, he said.

While Collins has said he is on-schedule to deliver the main stores by mid-February, the stores will still have to be stocked and employees hired or brought in from other locations.

The shopping center came under construction after Collins agreed to construct it at his own expense in exchange for collecting the city of McAlester’s and Pittsburg County’s sales tax collections for five years or until he collects $5.5 million, whichever comes first.

• Contact James Beaty at jbeaty@mcalesternews.com.

ganizers were unable to secure Pug for the 2021 event, Lynch said they wanted to try again to book him for this year’s festival.

“We were able to reach out to him,” Lynch said, with the result that Pug is now on this year’s lineup. Lynch is enthusiastic about getting Pug for this year’s opening Dancing Rabbit Musical Festival show.

“He has a special brand,” Lynch said.

Pug now joins Oklahoma singer-songwriter Travis Linville for the May 7 show, with the headlining artist to be announced next week. Emphasis on the May 7 show is on Oklahoma artists. Although Pug is

Pug’s albums include “The Diving Sun” in 2021, “The Flood in Color” in 2019, “Windfall” in 2015 and “The Great Despiser” in 2012.

Once again the Dancing Rabbit Music Festival is presenting concerts free of charge for those attending the event. It’s set to be held along Choctaw Avenue between Third Street and Fifth Street in downtown McAlester, the site of last year’s Dancing Rabbit events.

A few changes are in store for this year, including increasing the festival’s length.

“For the rest, we want to have an all-day setup,” Lynch said. Plans also are to make it a family-friendly event, he said.

Once again, food trucks will be set up at the site, with an accessible beer garden. Al -

though the festivals are presented free of charge, special VIP packages are available for purchase for those who wish to buy them.

After the May 7 show, two additional shows are set for this summer, on June 11 and July 16.

Other officers with The Dancing Rabbit Musical Festival include Josh Hass and Kyle Spruce, with other volunteers and sponsors helping to make the free concert events possible.

Lynch indicated there’s high level of enthusiasm for the festival’s 2022 lineup of musical artists who will be bringing their music to downtown McAlester.

Lynch said that the Dancing Rabbit Musical Festival is currently working on adding additional activities to the June and July shows, which he hopes will soon be finalized.

• Contact James Beaty at jbeaty@mcalesternews.com.

provide better tools for them to help move the city forward.

Priddle opened the forum by saying he’s “an over-60 career banker who loves McAlester, loves playing guitar, and loves helping people.”

McAlester Regional Health Center has seen expanded services as rural hospitals closed en masse nationwide in the last decade, but has come under public discussion in city council meetings.

Roden, a long-time McAlester resident and retired Department of Corrections officer, voiced concerns at several public meetings over the hospital’s business practices. He reiterated Friday his preference of selling it.

A 1969 document creating the Trust of McAlester Regional Health Care Authority states the city is a beneficiary of the trust and has no authority over the trustees or the estate.

Priddle said MRHC continues growing and he hopes to keep local health care under local control instead of selling to a private company.

“My vision is for them to remain local,” Priddle said.

McAlester voters in November 2021 approved

two measures to incur $32.5 million debt toward water line repair and replacements over a fouryear project and pay for it with with a new quarter-cent sales tax increase.

Roden said the city needed the make the project happen, but he didn’t approve of the method to pay for it.

Priddle said he was glad voters approved the project and he believes roads should be the next priority in improving McAlester’s infrastructure.

“I think you have to first of all decide you’re going to fix them,” Priddle said. He suggested the city use Recycled Hot Emulsified Asphalt Treatment, aka REHEAT.

Roden said he also wants roads improved, especially in Fourth Ward.

McAlester voters will also decide Feb. 8 on six proposed changes to the city’s charter.

Priddle served on the committee that suggested the changes and said he believes they all fix something. Roden said he believes the changes help clarify the charter.

The Shops at McAlester is closer to completing its first set of business buildings and Priddle said he hopes to capitalize on the

momentum for economic development.

Roden said he said he wants to bring back the the McAlester Economic Development Service the group of public and private individuals known as MEDS that focused on promoting economic development. He also praised the work of McAlester Economic Development Director Kirk Ridenour.

Priddle said he believes the city is responsible for ensuring infrastructure is improved or upgraded for growth he believes will stem from businesses and people moving into McAlester. He said as more businesses open in McAlester, the city will also see housing improvements.

City councilors have discussed in recent meetings a request from Pittsburg County Commissioners to deannex the Expo Center. Priddle said it seems to make sense for the county, but he hopes city officials analyze all aspects before making a decision.

Priddle and Roden have both expressed a desire for a return of the Oklahoma State Penitentiary Prison Rodeo after officials announced plans within the past year.

• Contact Adrian O’Hanlon III at aohanlon@mcalesternews.com

LOCAL CALENDAR

Feb. 1

HS BASKETBALL

• Durant at McAlester, 6:30 p.m.

• Paden at Pittsburg, 6:30 p.m.

• Stuart at Kiowa, 6:30 p.m.

• Haileyville at Savanna, 6:30 p.m.

• Stuart at Caney, 6:30 p.m.

• Hartshorne at Wilburton, 6:30 p.m.

Feb. 3

HS BASKETBALL

• Savanna at Canadian, 6:30 p.m.

• Stuart at Kiowa, 6:30 p.m.

Feb. 4

HS BASKETBALL

• Ardmore at McAlester, 6:30 p.m.

• Pittsburg at Crowder, 6:30 p.m.

• Tupelo at Kiowa, 6:30 p.m.

• Pocola at Hartshorne, 6:30 p.m.

Feb. 7

HS BASKETBALL

• Pittsburg at Stuart, 6:30 p.m.

• Coalgate at Savanna, 6:30 p.m.

• Talihina at Hartshorne, 6:30 p.m.

Feb. 8

HS BASKETBALL

• McAlester at Okmulgee, 6:30 p.m.

• Savanna at Allen, 6:30 p.m.

Feb. 10

HS BASKETBALL

• Class A-B District Tournament

• Savanna at Calvin, 6:30 p.m.

Feb. 11

HS BASKETBALL

• McAlester at Ada, 6:30 p.m.

• Class A-B District Tournament

• Heavener at Hartshorne, 6:30 p.m.

Feb. 12

HS BASKETBALL

• Class A-B District Tournament

Feb. 14

HS BASKETBALL

• Canadian at Hartshorne, 6:30 p.m.

Feb. 15

HS BASKETBALL

• McAlester at Hugo, 6:30 p.m.

• Savanna at Colbert, 6:30 p.m.

Feb. 17

HS BASKETBALL

• Class A-B Regional Tournament

Feb. 18

HS BASKETBALL

• Class A-B Regional Tournament

Feb. 19

HS BASKETBALL

• Class A-B Regional Tournament

Feb. 24

HS BASKETBALL

• Class A-B Area Tournament

• Class 2-6A Regional Tournament

Buffs edged in battle with Checotah

By DEREK HATRIDGE SPORTS EDITOR

The Buffs weren’t going to be taken down easily.

McAlester battled Checotah in Senior Night festivities on Thursday, with the Buffs falling 39-37 in a downto-the-wire dual.

Coach Kydel Billy said that his squad knew they were going to meet some tough competition, but were ready to face it head on.

“It was a hard dual. Checotah always has some tough kids,” he said. “We’ve just got to build on it. We knew this was going to be a tough year.”

The Buffs came hot out of the gate, with Luke Clifton and Nate Hutchison earning early pins to give McAlester a 12-6 lead. But the Wildcats struck right back, earning win in the next two matches to take the lead 18-12.

Next up was the 138 match, where Jackson Kidd faced Checotah’s Mitchell Tanner. The two wrestlers battled back and forth in the first, but Tanner jumped out in front and sealed

the win with a pin.

In the 145 match between Kenneth Carter and Tanner Jones, the pair held their opponent scoreless to send it into sudden death overtime.

That’s when Carter made a lightning-quick move to earn two points and take a win for the Buffs.

Later in the 160 match, McAlester’s Corbin Prince faced off against

Garrett Bishop. Prince immediately went to work, bolting out to take a 9-0 win and trim the Checotah lead down to 27-19.

A string of forfeits followed in the next few matches, decimating the Wildcat lead as the Buffs pushed out in front 37-33.

It would all come down to the 285 match, as Jayden Shumway faced

the final opponent of the night. After a defensive first to keep both sides scoreless, Checotah secured a final pin in the second to take the narrow win over the Buffs.

Next up for McAlester, the Buffs will participate in the Maverick Conference on Jan. 2829 before participating in the Glenpool Warrior Classic on Feb. 4-5.

As McAlester prepares

to battle it out in the postseason and will say goodbye to its senior class upon its completion, Billy praised his senior Buffs on what they’ve brought to the program.

He also gave a nod to his underclassmen, which he said are going to do big things moving forward.

“We’re young, but we have a good future,” Billy said.

Here are the full results from the dual vs. Checotah: 106: Luke Clifton (M) def. Lelan Phillips (C), pin 113: Colt Callett (C) def. Kam Hutchison (M), pin 120: Nate Hutchison (M) def. Dalton Murray (C), pin

126: Kieth Maguire (C) def. Adam Dixon (M), pin

132: Jake Davidson (C) def. Ayden Hayes (M), pin 138: Mitchell Tanner (C) def. Jackson Kidd (M), pin 145: Kenneth Carter (M) def. Tanner Jones (C), 2-0 (OT) 152: Jaydon Cozy (C) def. Lane Nohelty (M), 5-1 160: Corbin Price 2-0 (M) def. Garrett Bishop (C), 9-0

170: McAlester win by forfeit 182: McAlester win by forfeit

195: McAlester win by forfeit 220: Checotah win by forfeit 285: Jonah (C) def. Jayden Shumway (M), pin

• Contact Derek Hatridge at dhatridge@mcalesternews.com.

Young, hungry Bengals off to KC to face grizzled Chiefs

By DAVE SKRETTA AP SPORTS WRITER

KANSAS CITY, Mo.

The Kansas City Chiefs have been in this position before. Walking across the cold Arrowhead Stadium parking lot, dressing in their revamped locker room, strolling through the narrow tunnel and spilling onto the field for the AFC title game.

In fact, the Chiefs have done it each of the last three years.

It will be a wholly new experience for the Cincinnati Bengals, though, when they follow the same path Sunday with a trip to the Super Bowl on the line. Only a couple special teams players were alive, and coach Zac Taylor just starting out in elementary school, when they beat the Bills in January 1989 in their last trip to a conference championship game.

“I think it helps this time of year having a pretty good idea of what this is all about,” acknowledged Chiefs coach Andy Reid, who can tie Tom Landy for second in NFL history with his 20th playoff win. “They know how we go about our business, the intensity, whether it’s practice or what we expect out of

the game.”

That experience came in handy last Sunday, when the Chiefs went 44 yards in 13 seconds to kick a field goal and force overtime against Buffalo. Patrick Mahomes and Co. proceeded to win the coin toss, and ultimately the game, by marching right downfield for a touchdown without giving the Bills another chance with the ball.

It was the kind of unforgettable, heart-stopping victory that can give an NFL team plenty of momentum for the rest of the postseason provided they get over it quickly enough to prepare for the next one.

“It was an awesome game and win that we’ll remember forever,” Mahomes said, “but we’re not done. We’re trying to get out there and win an AFC championship and try to get to the Super Bowl.”

The Bengals had a thriller in their own right to get past top-seeded Tennessee last weekend. They blew a 16-6 second-half lead, then put rookie Evan McPherson in position to kick a winning 52-yard field goal as time expired.

It was the first road playoff win in franchise

history. Now, they’re after another in Kansas City.

“We’re excited about the opportunity,” Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow said. “If you want to do the things that we want to do, that’s a team that you’re going to have to beat every single year. The AFC has run through them for four straight years.

“So, you know, we’re excited about the opportunity. We’re gonna have a great week of practice and be ready to go.”

FAMILIAR FACES

The Bengals beat the Chiefs on Jan. 2 in Cin-

IF THE HAT FITS

cinnati in a back-andforth thriller that ended when McPherson drilled a 20-yard field goal as time expired. Burrow threw for 446 yards and four touchdowns, most of it going to wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase, while Mahomes threw for 259 yards and two scores against the lightly regarded Cincinnati secondary.

“The Chiefs do a good job of employing a variety of schemes to try to keep you off balance,” Taylor said. “I thought Joe and Ja’Marr did a good job of being on the same page in that game.”

STAR POWER

Kicking off 2022 with a bang

One month down, 11 to go. We’re on the precipice of the end of January 2022, and what a month it was.

Our area athletes got right back to work on the other side of the Christmas break although, truthfully, I don’t think the work ever stopped.

The year began with a new set of basketball rankings, with a litany of local teams up and down the list. We had teams as high as second in their respective classes, and they aren’t done yet.

Next, McAlester pom and cheer both saw successes on some rather large stages.

After taking a big win at the end of December to be named state champions, the pom squad celebrated by getting right back to work as they prepare for nationals.

Derek Hatridge SPORTS EDITOR

Speaking of nationals, the McAlester cheer squad competed alongside other teams from across the nation at the National Cheerleaders Association High School Nationals in Dallas, where the Lady Buffs earned a fourth place finish as well as being named finalists for the community service Go Be Great award. Back to the world of basket-

ball, the Buffs and Lady Buffs faced some tough, talented competition at Noble in tournament play. After after two heated battles, McAlester would take home the top prize in both the girls and boys side to be named Dental Lodge Classic tournament champions.

As for around the county, schools converged upon Savanna and Canadian for the 108th Pitt 8 Conference Tournament. We saw many excellent games, teams triumphing over adversity, as well as a new champion being crowned with the Pittsburg Lady Panthers earning their first title since 1977, while the Stuart Hornets repeated as conference kings in a rematch of last year’s matchup. Next was rivalry basketball

between McAlester and Ada, more commonly known as POTAC. It was yet another classic between the two historic programs, with the teams splitting the wins after knockdown, drag-out games.

There were football postseason awards announced, with multiple Buffs being named, as well as a plethora of college offers and commitments.

And finally, the month ended out on a little McAlester wrestling. The Buffs honored their seniors, while also giving fans yet another glimpse into the future of the ever-growing program.

Oh, and that future? It looks pretty bright.

Now, we’re all going to set our sights on the month of February where a pair of postseasons are about to be-

gin.

The two teams combined to send nine players to the Pro Bowl this season, six from Kansas City and three from Cincinnati, and there’s another half-dozen players from each team that probably had a good argument to make it.

As it stands, the Chiefs have Mahomes joining wide receiver Tyreek Hill, tight end Travis Kelce, defensive tackle Chris Jones and safety Tyrann Mathieu along with new left tackle Orlando Brown Jr. The Bengals are sending Chase along with running back Joe Mixon and defensive end Trey Hendrickson.

Of course, players for the winner Sunday will be heading to the Super Bowl instead.

DYNAMIC DUO

Burrow and Chase are 6-0 when playing together in postseason games, including their four games together at LSU, when Chiefs running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire was a teammate. Burrow has averaged 381.8 yards passing with 22 TD throws during those six games, while Chase is averaging 106.8 yards receiving and has four of the scores.

Wrestling will see its postseason journey begin, culminating in the state matches at the end of the month. Basketball will begin its playoffs as well, with every team in the state fighting to stay alive to see a trip to Oklahoma City in March.

It’s been a great way to start the year, and we have so much more to look forward to in the next few months. And while I can’t be everywhere, I’m going to be there for as much of it as I can, bringing you the stories about our amazing local student-athletes as they continue to make us all proud.

See you all out there, and good luck!

• Contact Derek Hatridge at dhatridge@mcalesternews.com.

DEREK HATRIDGE | Staff photo

MCALESTER FOUGHT to the end on senior night against Checotah on Thursday, with the dual coming down to the final match of the night.

CHARLIE RIEDEL AP photo

KANSAS CITY CHIEFS quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) throws a pass during overtime in an NFL divisional round playoff football game against the Buffalo Bills, Sunday, Jan. 23, 2022, in Kansas City, Mo. The Chiefs won 42-36.

LAKE REPORT

Northwest Canton: Jan. 23. Elevation below normal, water 40s. For current elevation conditions go to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers website at https://www.swt-wc.usace.army. mil/CANT.lakepage.html. Crappie fair on jigs and minnows around brush structure, dam and points. Report submitted by Brayden Hicks, game warden stationed in Blaine County.

Foss: Jan. 24. Elevation 3 1/2 ft. below normal with all gates closed, water lower 50s and clear. Striped bass hybrids good on flukes and slabs drifting in the main lake in morning hours. Walleye fair to good on live bait. Crappie fair on live bait. Catfish slow. Report submitted by Eric Puyear, B & K Bait House.

Northeast Ft. Gibson: Jan. 24. Elevation normal, water 30s with 1 ft. of visibility. Blue and channel catfish good on cut bait and live shad in the main lake and river channel. Paddlefish fair snagging along the river channel. Crappie fair on jigs and minnows at 15-25 ft. around brush structure and main lake. Report submitted by Ben Haff, game warden stationed in Wagoner County.

Greenleaf: Jan. 25. Elevation normal, water 40s. Largemouth bass fair on Alabama rigs, bill baits, crankbaits, flukes, jerk baits, lipless baits, minnows, plastic baits and worms around brush structure, coves, rocks and points. Blue and flathead catfish slow on chicken liver, cut bait, hot dogs, shad and sunfish around docks, main lake and points. Crappie and green sunfish fair on in-line spinnerbaits, jigs, minnows, small lures and worms around brush structure, coves and docks. Report submitted by Dylan Langford, game warden stationed in Muskogee County.

Keystone: Jan. 20. Elevation normal, water clear. Blue catfish good on cut bait below the dam and along channels. Crappie fair on jigs and minnows around brush structure and docks. Report submitted by Karlin Bailey, game warden stationed in Creek County.

Lower Illinois: Jan. 21. Elevation normal, water 50 and clear. Rainbow trout fair on in-line spinnerbaits, minnows, PowerBait and spoons below the dam and Watts area. Best times are during periods of low or no flow. Report submitted by Brek Henry, game warden stationed in Sequoyah County.

Perry CCC: Jan. 24. Elevation below normal, water 40 and murky. Rainbow trout excellent on in-line spinnerbaits, midges, nymphs and PowerBait in coves, docks and flats. Report submitted by Stephen Paul, game warden stationed in Noble County.

Sooner: Jan. 24. Elevation below normal, water 38 and murky. Striped bass hybrids fair on jigs and live bait in the discharge and main lake.

Channel catfish slow on cut bait and stinkbait in the discharge and main lake. Saugeye slow on crankbaits, jigs and live bait in the discharge and main lake. Report submitted by Stephen Paul, game warden stationed in Noble County. Tenkiller: Jan. 24. Elevation normal, water 40s and murky. Crappie good on jigs, minnows and tube jigs around brush structure and docks.

Largemouth bass fair on crankbaits, jigs, plastic baits and spinnerbaits around brush structure, creek channels, points and shorelines. Report submitted by Cody Youngblood, game warden stationed in Cherokee County. Webbers Falls: Jan. 25. Elevation below normal, water 40s and stained. Blue and flathead catfish fair on chicken liver, cut bait, live shad, shad, shrimp, sunfish and worms below the dam, along the riprap, river channel and river mouth. White and striped bass fair on bill baits, crankbaits, flukes, hair jigs, in-line spinnerbaits, jerk baits, jigs, minnows, sassy shad, shad and small lures below the dam, along riprap, river channel and tailwater. Report submitted by Dylan Langford, game warden stationed in Muskogee County.

Southeast Blue River: Jan. 25. Elevation below normal, water 39 and clear. Rainbow trout excellent on midges, nymphs, PowerBait and spoons along creek channels, river channel and rocks. Silver and gold colored spoons have really produced well for fishermen this past week. Garlic scented PowerBait has caught more fish than non-scented PowerBait with green being the best color. Small nymphs and like the Walts worm, caddis and midges have caught plenty of fish for the fly fishermen and women as well. Fish seem to be a little spooky so make longer cast and fish a little deeper. Report submitted by Ethan Lovelace, technician at the Blue River Public Fishing and Hunting Area.

Eufaula: Jan. 24. Elevation below normal, water 44 and murky. Largemouth, smallmouth and spotted bass fair on crankbaits, jigs and plastic baits around brush structure, main lake, rocks and weed beds. Blue, channel and flathead catfish fair on crawfish, cut bait and hot dogs along channels, main lake, river channel and river mouth. Crappie good on crankbaits, minnows and PowerBait around brush structure, docks and main lake. Report submitted by Jake Rowland, game warden stationed in McIntosh County.

Konawa: Jan. 23. Elevation normal, water 40 and clear. Largemouth bass slow on Alabama rigs, crankbaits, jigs and plastic baits in the main lake, around points, river channel and weed beds. – ODWC

Cold weather can greatly impact a hunt

Having recently returned home from a late season muzzleloader deer hunt in the beautiful state of Iowa, it has taken my body this long to thaw out enough to pen this column.

No matter how well I thought I was prepared, it reminded me that the good Lord and Mother Nature are in charge.

While I’ve lost count as to the number of years I’ve hunted in Iowa, this trip, without a doubt, was the most challenging in terms of the extreme cold and brutal conditions, not only on the body but on equipment as well.

With temperatures struggling to make it into the single digits each day, it was the windchill that made things nearly unbearable.

When hunting the late season, you pray for cold weather which forces the deer to group up and get on their feet to feed in order to survive.

It’s for this reason you hunt over cut corn fields and soybeans, some of which are left standing just for the deer.

When talking temperatures like this, the deer prefer the soybeans because it has more protein.

Kilgore’s Corner

JOHN KILGORE

of the Creston area have a small outfitting business in the area and are well known and respected when it comes to putting clients in front of big, mature bucks and this past season was no different.

I met up with a longtime friend and hunting buddy of 20-plus years, Mike Winnen of Ohio.

While I hunted over cut corn fields the first couple of days, it was Winnen, hunting over standing beans, that saw 11 different bucks the first evening. They ranged from small bucks all the way up to some that were in the 170’s class.

Winnen couldn’t get the small heater in the blind to cooperate. It was so cold, his rangefinders froze up. The windows inside of the blind were frozen over and his scope was fogged up.

The bucks were 100-plus yards

away. Things just did not come together that first night.

As for myself, I fully expected to see a musk ox coming across the tundra. With snow on the ground, it was the walk to my blind that killed me.

Each evening, Winnen and I would unload and clean our muzzleloaders.

When I went to unload my gun, two 50-grain Pyrodex pellets were welded together by the cold. I had never had that happen before.

The next evening, Winnen went back to his blind and ended up shooting the small buck in the group, a nice 8-point.

With winds howling the next day, I opted to stay in.

The next day found guide Josh and I in Winnen’s blind. It didn’t get above 0 degrees Fahrenheit that day.

Deer began filtering out of the timber and into the soybean field. The third buck out was a heavy 10-point. He was a Booner. We ranged him at 110 yards. I had a good rest and had him in sight. I pulled the trigger and it was a clean miss. I was shocked.

The deer stood around – not knowing what had happened

and then, the buck went back to feeding.

By the time I got my gun reloaded, we ranged the buck again at 150 yards. I missed it again.

Practicing at those distances, I had been confident. However, when temperatures are that cold, things happen that you wouldn’t suspect.

Later, I realized something internal in my scope had broken.

While I am not here to endorse products, my Sitka coat and coveralls saved my bacon. I also used a good heavy base layer of clothing with moisture-wicking. My gloves were heated and my Muck tall Arctic boots kept my feet warm and toasty.

When hunting in this type of environment, you have to be mentally and physically prepared.

Also, you must pay attention to the details of your equipment.

I told my wife I would have to go back in order to redeem myself.

Reach Kilgore at jkilgoreoutdoors@yahoo.com.

Brothers Josh and Bo Green

US FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE

Young white-tailed deer graze on a snowy field. Winter has its own unique set of challenges for hunters.

Extra cash for low-income mothers may influence baby brains

By LINDSEY TANNER

New research suggests giving extra cash to low-income mothers can change their infants’ brain development.

Brain measurements at age 1 showed faster activity in key brain regions in infants whose low-income families received $300-plus monthly for a year, compared with those who got $20 each month, U.S. researchers reported Monday.

The same type of brain activity has been linked in older children to learning skills and other development, although it’s unclear whether the differences found will persist or influence the infants’ future.

The researchers are investigating whether the payments led to better nutrition, less parent stress or other benefits to the infants. There were no restrictions on how the money was spent.

The results suggest reducing poverty can directly affect infant brain development, said senior author, Dr. Kimberly Noble, a neuroscience and education professor at Teachers College, Columbia University.

“The brain changes speak to the remarkable malleability of the brain, especially early in childhood,’’ she said.

While the researchers can’t rule out that differences seen in total brain activity in both groups were due to chance, they did find meaningful differences in the frontal region, linked with learning and thinking skills.

Higher-frequency activity was about 20% greater in infants whose families received the larger payments.

The findings build on evidence that cash support can improve outcomes for older children, said co-author Katherine Magnuson, director of the National Institute for Re-

search on Poverty and Economic Mobility, based at the University of Wisconsin in Madison.

It’s also the first rigorous evidence of how the payments may affect children in the earliest years of life, she said. Results were published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

The study recruited mothers shortly after childbirth at hospitals in four metropolitan areas: Minneapolis-St. Paul, New Orleans, New York City and Omaha. The women reported an average household income of about $20,000 and were randomly assigned to receive $333 or $20 each month on debit cards. The money was provided by private funders and the recipients could spend it as they wished.

The larger cash payments in the study were similar to those distributed to low-income families during the pandemic in

President Joe Biden’s child tax credit program, which ended last month. The study “couldn’t be more relevant to the current moment,’’ Dr. Joan Luby, a professor of child psychiatry at Washington University’s medical school.

While renewal of the tax credit is uncertain, “this study should really inform Congress about how tremendously important’’ it is, said Luby. She reviewed the study for the scientific journal but was not involved in the research.

Mothers enrolled in the study were mostly Black and Hispanic without a college education. As the infants neared their first birthday, researchers made home visits to test the children in person. Infants were fitted with special caps covered with electrodes that detect electrical signals brain cells use to communicate with each other.

Home visits stopped

NOT IMMUNE

because of the pandemic, so researchers don’t have full data on all 1,000 mothers who enrolled since 2018. They reported on the results for 435 but hope to resume home visits this year.

The study is ongoing and payments to families will continue until at least their children’s

fourth birthdays.

called it “a very

COVID hits one of the last uninfected places on the planet

By NICK PERRY AND SAM METZ ASSOCIATED PRESS

WELLINGTON, New Zealand When the coronavirus began spreading around the world, the remote Pacific archipelago of Kiribati closed its borders, ensuring the disease didn’t reach its shores for nearly two full years.

Kiribati finally began reopening this month, allowing the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to charter a plane to bring home 54 of the island nation’s citizens. Many of those aboard were missionaries who had left Kiribati before the border closure to spread the faith abroad for what is commonly known as the Mormon church.

Officials tested each returning passenger three times in nearby Fiji, required that they be vaccinated, and put them in quarantine with additional testing when they arrived home.

It wasn’t enough.

More than half the passengers tested positive for the virus, which has now slipped out into the community and prompted the government to declare a state

of disaster. An initial 36 positive cases from the flight had ballooned to 181 cases by Friday.

Kiribati and several other small Pacific nations were among the last places on the planet to have avoided any virus outbreaks, thanks to their remote locations and strict border controls. But their defenses appear no match against the highly contagious omicron variant.

“Generally speaking, it’s inevitable. It will get to every corner of the world,” said Helen Petousis-Harris, a vaccine expert at the University of Auckland in New Zealand. “It’s a matter of buying enough time to prepare and getting as many people vaccinated as possible.”

Only 33% of Kiribati’s 113,000 people are fully vaccinated, while 59% have had at least one dose, according to the online scientific publication Our World in Data. And like many other Pacific nations, Kiribati offers only basic health services.

Dr. Api Talemaitoga, who chairs a network of Indigenous Pacific Island doctors in New Zealand, said Kiribati had only a couple of intensive

care beds in the entire nation, and in the past relied on sending its sickest patients to Fiji or New Zealand for treatment.

He said that given the limitations of Kiribati’s health system, his first reaction when he heard about the outbreak was, “Oh, my lord.”

Kiribati has now opened multiple quarantine sites, declared a curfew and imposed lockdowns. President Taneti Maamau said on social media that the government is using all its resources to manage the situation, and urged people to get vaccinated.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, based in the U.S. state of Utah, has a strong presence in many Pacific nations, including Kiribati, where its 20,000 members make it the third-largest Christian denomination. The church has about 53,000 missionaries serving full time around the world, working to convert people.

The pandemic has presented challenges for their missionary work, which is considered a rite of passage for men as young as 18 and women as young as 19.

As the pandemic ebbed and flowed, the church responded. It recalled about 26,000 missionaries who were serving overseas in June 2020, reassigning them to proselytize online from home before sending some back out into the field five months later.

When COVID-19 vaccines became widely available in many countries in April 2021, church officials encouraged all missionaries to get inoculated and required it of those serving outside their home countries.

Church spokesperson Sam Penrod said the returning missionaries remained in quarantine, were cooperating with local health authorities and would be released from their service upon completion of their quarantine.

“With Kiribati’s borders being closed since the onset of the pandemic, many of these individuals have continued as missionaries well beyond their 18 to 24 months of anticipated service, with some serving as long as 44 months,” he said.

Before this month’s outbreak, Kiribati had reported just two virus cases: crew members on

an incoming cargo ship that ultimately wasn’t permitted to dock.

But the Kiribati charter flight wasn’t the first time missionaries returning home to a Pacific island nation tested positive for COVID-19.

In October, a missionary returning to Tonga from service in Africa was reported as the country’s first and so far only positive case after flying home via New Zealand. Like those returning to Kiribati, he also was vaccinated and quarantined.

Tonga is desperately trying to prevent any outbreaks as it recovers from a devastating volcanic eruption and tsunami earlier this month. The nation of 105,000 has been receiving aid from around the world but has requested that crews from incoming military ships and planes drop their supplies and leave without having any contact with those on the ground.

“They’ve got enough on their hands without compounding it with the spread of COVID,” said Petousis-Harris, the vaccine expert. “Anything they can do to keep it out is going to be important. COVID would be just

compounding that disaster.”

In the long term, however, it is going to be impossible to stop the virus from entering Tonga or any other community, Petousis-Harris said.

Nearby Samoa, with a population of 205,000, is also trying to prevent its first outbreak. It imposed a lockdown through until Friday evening after 15 passengers on an incoming flight from Australia last week tested positive.

By Thursday, that number had grown to 27, including five front-line nurses who had treated the passengers. Officials said all those infected had been isolated and there was no community outbreak so far.

While the incursion of the virus into the Pacific has prompted lockdowns and other restrictions, there were signs that not all traditional aspects of island life would be lost for long.

“Government has decided to allow fishing,” Kiribati declared on Thursday, while listing certain restrictions on times and places. “Only four people will be allowed to be on a boat or part of a group fishing near shore.”

Natasha Pilkauskas, an associate professor of public policy at the University of Michigan,

important study,’’ but said more research is needed to confirm the results and to see if they hold true for children older than infants.

MARK LENNIHAN | AP File Photo U.S. SCIENTISTS have shown that payments to reduce poverty can enhance infants’ brain development in the first rigorous study of its kind.

MARIAN KUPU | Broadcom Broadcasting via AP, File

KIRIBATI AND SEVERAL other small Pacific nations were among the last on the planet to have avoided any virus outbreaks, thanks to their remote locations and strict border controls. But their defenses appear no match against the highly contagious omicron variant.

2022 Wrestling Senior Night

Derek Hatridge Staff photos

SEE THE SIGHTS from McAlester wrestling’s Senior Night on Thursday inside Bob Brumley Gymnasium.

My friend’s self-harm and drinking are more than I can handle

DEAR ANNIE: My neighbor and I have been friends for the last year and a half. She is 29 and has emotional, relationship and drinking problems. She moved to another area of town but still keeps in touch. I’m not trying that hard to maintain the friendship because I don’t miss the drunk drama. She is enjoyable to be around when she is sober and we can have good conversation.

She still wants to hang out and sometimes comes over late, drunk and in a happy mood that turns into offloading emotional baggage of current problems and past trauma. When she was drunk and rambling the other night, she confided in me that she occasionally self-harms by cutting the tops of her thighs and showed me the scabs and scars. (I think this started in high school.)

When she is sober, she doesn’t acknowledge any of this and behaves like a functioning adult. I am frequently put in the position of being the amateur midnight therapist. I appreciate that my friend is able to be vulnerable and trusts me with this, but I’m worn out and uncomfortable being in this role, especially after hearing so many times about how she wants to

ASTROGRAPH

BY EUGENIA LAST

SATURDAY, JANUARY 29, 2022

improve her life and make positive changes but never following up on it.

How do I make boundaries without her feeling like she’s losing support? Am I obligated to call for some kind of intervention? She doesn’t have any family. I’m at a loss for how I can help her without sacrificing myself. — Reluctant Amateur Midnight Therapist

DEAR MIDNIGHT THERAPIST: True friendship is a two-way street; it has to go both ways. Listening and giving support are both important parts of being a good friend, but your former neighbor is going far beyond what’s considered appropriate to offload onto someone else. Besides, no matter how hard you try, you won’t be able to help her when she’s drunk; she

needs to be sober to make true progress. It also doesn’t leave much room for you in the relationship if you’re forced to console your friend in her drunken state most every time you see her.

The next time she’s sober, share your concerns with your friend about what she’s said and done around you while drunk. The only way to build the boundary is to be honest: While you’re happy to be a source of support for her, you can’t be her only source. A licensed therapist can better assess your friend’s trauma and substance abuse issues and put her in the right direction toward recovery. In the meantime, she should also reach out to the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence or The National Alliance on Mental Illness for guidance on how to cope with her drinking and self-harm.

“How Can I Forgive My Cheating Partner?” is out now! Annie Lane’s second anthology — featuring favorite columns on marriage, infidelity, communication and reconciliation — is available as a paperback and e-book. Visit http://www.creatorspublishing.com for more information. Send your questions for Annie Lane to dearannie@creators.com.

NEA CROSSWORD PUZZLE

Rely on what you know, who you trust and what you want, and you will set priorities that encourage success. Discipline and determination will separate you from any competition you encounter this year. Don’t share too much information or leave yourself open to criticism. Preparation, precision, attention to detail and confidence will lead to victory.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) — Take notes, rely on the experience you gain and protect yourself from anyone trying to change or redirect you. Follow your heart and take responsibility for your happiness.

PISCES (Feb. 20-March 20) — You’ve got what it takes to succeed. Trust and believe in your skills and attributes, and flaunt what you have to offer. Personal improvements will build confidence and attract attention.

ARIES (March 21-April 19) — Don’t worry about the past. Focus on what you want and don’t lose sight of your goal. Reach out to someone who can help you get an introduction to or meeting with an influential person.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) — Take responsibility and make updates that keep you current. The changes you implement will show your tenacity and ability to get things done. Celebrate your success with a loved one.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20) — Stick to what you know and do well. Don’t feel left out if someone decides to take a different route. A joint venture or shared expenses will work better for the other person than for you.

CANCER (June 21-July 22) — Unusual individuals and pastimes will draw you. Share your thoughts, and the feedback you receive will help you find a great way to get what you want at a price you can afford.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) — You’ll limit your ability to have a say in the changes around you if you are difficult or unwilling to participate. Keep the peace and maintain control by being resourceful and offering ideas.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) — You’re on a roll, so keep the momentum flowing. Socializing with someone you admire will lead to an exciting partnership. Update your look, and you’ll receive compliments.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23) — Slow down, observe and don’t count on someone who is already too busy to take on more. Arguing won’t save you time or money. Stand on your own and live up to your promises.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 22) — Let your imagination take you on a journey. Explore your options and figure out what you can do to prepare. Doing research and connecting with people who can help you will give you hope.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23-Dec. 21) — Put more thought into your words and be mindful of what others say. Don’t let anyone invade your privacy or play mind games with you. Stick to the truth and be skeptical of extravagant people.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) — Pick up the pace and be productive. Make positive changes. Invite people over who are eager to participate in the transformation you wish to make, and you’ll have fun and get things done faster.

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