Here is a look back at the top stories in our area in 2024.
This edition covers the first half of the year, and will pick up with xxxxxx next week.
January
During the first week of January, a Wellston man was sentenced to 150 years in state prison for crimes against minors.
Jason Wayne Womack, 41, was convicted by a Lincoln County jury in October and the jury recommended he spend 150 years in state prison.
Appearing before District Judge John Canavan on Tuesday for sentencing, the judge followed the jury’s recommendation and ordered Womack to serve six 25-year prison terms, with the terms to run consecutively for a total of 150 years in prison.
The prior weekend, the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office took into custody an individual who reportedly had barricaded himself in the National Guard Armory in Chandler.
Sgt. Aaron Bennett, Public Information Officer for the Sheriff’s Office, said that at approximately 8:46 a..m. Saturday the Chandler Police Department received a call from an individual with the National Guard Armory in Chandler of an individual for an attempt to locate out of Oklahoma City.
“The Armory had been contacted earlier by the Oklahoma City Police Department. At that time, the Chandler Police Department located the vehicle that was part of the BOLO and requested the assistance of the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office,” Bennett noted.
Lincoln County commissioners in their first meeting of 2024 reappointed Lee Doolen as their chairman and Marlin Miller as vice chairman. They also made several appointments and took no action on allowing the Sac and Fox Tribe to handle engineering of eight bridges.
Doolen is District 3 commissioner and Miller is commissioner in District 2.
A bench trial for an Ada woman charged with first degree manslaughter, in the alternative second degree murder, was scheduled.
The original charges of first degree manslaughter and feloniously driving while under the influence of alcohol were filed in Lincoln County District Court on Apr. 21, 2021 against Haley Jordan Price, then 30.
A trial date was scheduled for suspended Lincoln County District Judge Traci Soderstrom by the Court on the Judiciary.
Soderstrom had been suspended since early October after the State Supreme Court filed a petition seeking her removal from office.
The petition was filed following an investigation by the Court on Judicial Complaints that began last summer.
The Chandler City Council approved the final plat for Phase One of the Chandler Meadows subdivision at their monthly meeting on Jan. 1, among other items. The first phase has about 59 lots, though the entire subdivision, when finished, will have 240 homes, according to City Manager Jason Orr.
The subdivision will be located between Sandy Lane and Meadow Lane on the east side of Chandler. There is currently no set timeline on when construction will begin, though Orr said the developer has been out doing dirt work.
Oklahoma’s first ice storm of 2024 in late January brought with it treacherous and hazardous road conditions, closed some schools and forced others to go virtual.
Freezing rain and drizzle started falling Sunday evening continuing into the overnight into Monday morning causing hundreds of traffic snarls and collisions, closing one area highway for several hours.
Lincoln County commissioners agreed to have the jail expansion advisory committee interview potential architects for the OSU Extension Office building and report back to them.
Without taking an official vote, the commissioners were in favor of the committee’s plan to move ahead with the interviews. They were informed the committee has narrowed it down to three firms and has set up interviews with those three.
They were told two of the three are involved with similar projects at this time. The committee will advise commissioners of their choice by their next meeting.
Meeker Town Board of Trustees tabled action on allowing an RV/Trailer park to be placed at the southwest corner of Veterans and North Dawson by Steve Buoy Construction.
Later, meeting as the Public Works Authority, they voted to increase the price of commercial dumpsters, but kept the price the same for residential Polycarts.
A Wellston man was handed three state prison sentences after he pleaded guilty to three felony charges.
Formal felony charges of child neglect and domestic assault and battery by strangulation were filed in Lincoln Coun- ty District Court July 24, 2023 against Robert Nathaniel Cohran, 34.
The 66 Conference Tournament in late January was a thriller.
Condensed from its usual week to a three-day tournament because of weather, it featured double-digit comebacks, game-winning free throws, missed free throws that could have won games and intense crowds.
In the end, it was the Holdenville boys, ranked No. 20 in Class 3A, and the Okemah girls, ranked No. 11 in Class 2A, emerging as champions.
Both edged McLoud by a point in the finals.
February
Growth continued in Chandler, with progress made on a new subdivision being built in city limits.
Called Chandler Meadows, the plat for phase one of the neighborhood recently received nal approval from the City Council, meaning developer Rausch Coleman can move forward with ling the plat with the county, according to City Man- ager Jason Orr.
In early February, The Oklahoma Department of Transportation (ODOT) was set to install a four-way stop at the intersection of 9th and Manvel around the first week of March, according to Chandler City Manager Jason Orr.
Orr initially made the request for the signs on Nov. 15 after the City Council voted on the issue on Nov. 14. At that meeting, Mayor Kent McVey said they were informed by ODOT that it would take about two weeks to get the signs installed after the request was made. Orr mentioned in a later interview that a delay was possible due to the holiday season.
As per the motion made by Ward 4 Council Member Robin Crouch, the current stoplights will remain in place, however, they will ash red at all times.
For most people in Lincoln County, it started with a rumble.
Oklahoma– epecially Lincoln County– was jolted around 11:24 p.m. on Friday night when a 5.1-magnitude earthquake struck. It was followed by nearly 50 aftershocks as of Monday morning, accord- ing to the U.S. Geological Survey. The epicenter was roughly ve miles north of Prague; however, there are reports of people as far away as Missouri, Kanas, Northwest Arkansas and even northern Texas feeling it.
A 40-year legacy culminated in recognition that was a long time coming.
Standing under the colorful dome in the State Capitol Building in Oklahoma City, Chandler music teacher Jana Telford was one of 14 individuals and four organizations who received Governor’s Arts Awards, bestowed by Gov. J. Kevin Stitt himself.
Lincoln County District Judge Traci Soderstrom, suspended since last October when the State Supreme Court filed a petition seeking her removal from office, resigned her position.
The resignation was effective as of 5 p.m. Feb. 9. The final order filed on that date states in part, “her resignation shall be irrevocable.”
According to the settlement stipulation, request for order of approval and final order of dismissal, Soderstrom agreed that she shall not seek or accept any judicial position again in the state of Oklahoma.
Two men from Meeker died in a headon collision south of Meeker on SH 18, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol reported.
State Trooper Nathan Battershell identified the two men who died as Scott M. Howe, 56 and Caleb J. Barbour, 41.
The collision occurred at around 6:38 a.m., a tenth of a mile north of 1070 Road in Meeker in Lincoln County.
Meeker Board of Education members rehired four administrators and also approved converting the district’s school buses to CNG.
Also in late February, a former McLoud High School teacher has pleaded guilty to three felonies for soliciting sex with minors by use of technology and has been handed three suspended sentences.
Serena Cator, 43 at the time, was formally charged in Pottawatomie County District Court March 16, 2023 with three counts of soliciting sexual conduct or communication with a minor by use of technology In Count 3, she was accused during the same time period of committing the crime of engaging in Communication for sexual interest by use of technology by sending sexual messages and photographs through Snapchat to another 18-year-old in Pottawatomie County.
March
Years of groundwork gave way to the start of construction on a new casino west of Chandler by the Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma. The new gaming complex is set for completion by 2026, according to chairman Jacob Keyes.
A groundbreaking ceremony was held on March 2 in the parking lot of the Ioway Casino, which sits across the road from where the new casino will be built. It was attended by local and other dignitaries, including Rep. Kevin Wallace, Sen. Grant Green, the business committee from the tribe, representatives from Caesars Entertainment, the mayors of Chandler and Wellston and members of the Iowa Tribe.
A Prague man who entered a blind guilty plea on a first degree manslaughter charge was sentenced to state prison.
A formal charge was filed March 2, 2023 in Lincoln County District Court against Joseph Resin Linnhuber. The charge is the result of a fatal traffic collision.
Dale High School’s Pirates captured their third consecutive State Class 2A basketball championship defeating No. 2 Pocola 63-38 in the finals.
Coach Jeff Edmonson’s Pirates, in claiming a three-peat, noted, “It’s the only three state championships the Dale boys have won.”
The Pirates completed a 30-2 record for the season and went 62-2 over the past two seasons.
Two proposed wind farm projects in Lincoln County were the topic of a discussion at the Lincoln County Commissioners meeting.
At the Lincoln County Commissioners Meeting on Monday, Mar. 18, the commissioners set aside 30 minutes to discuss the topic, allowing members of the public to speak. All the citizen speakers were against the proposed farms. Only one company –Apex Clean Energy – was present and addressed the commissioners.
The agenda item was for discussion only, meaning no action could be taken on what was discussed.
The Chandler City Council voted to assign the agreement for the old Econolodge property to a different developer on Mar. 12. They approved the contract assignment language between Chandler Shopping Center LLC and JSH Properties LLC as presented by the city attorney, Larry Lenora.
“The idea is we’re going to assign the agreement to a different developer that’s ready to move forward a little quicker,” said City Manager Jason Orr.
The property was originally assigned to T.J. Remy, who is currently developing the new hotel behind Randy Bowen for Choice Hotels Development.
Crews continued cleaning up after 22 cars and four locomotives of a freight train derailed over Easter weekend east of Davenport in Lincoln County.
Lincoln County Emergency Management Director Charlotte Brown said there was a minor diesel leak from one of the four locomotives but it was stopped by the Davenport Fire Department.
The two bodies discovered inside a house in Stroud nearly a week after it burned in early March of 2023 were identified, Stroud Police Chief Clint Gaylord confirmed.
Gaylord said the State Medical Examiner’s Office identified the two victims as Brian Arterberry, 40, and Kayla Butler, 32, both of Stroud.
Wild hogs in Lincoln and Pottawatomie counties are increasing and continue to root up land and destroy crops, according to a couple of area state game wardens.
Jacob Harriet, a game warden assigned to Lincoln County who also assists in Pottawatomie County, said, “they are just steadily rising.”
Harriet said some landowners have contacted him in the area off of U.S. 177 about 930 Road, two to three miles south of State Highway 66 and “it’s the first hogs they’ve been,” Harriet said. “Another area is around 970 Road a few miles south of 930 Road. There are a lot of pigs there.”
Lincoln County deputies with assistance from other area law enforcement agencies captured a suspect wanted on a murder warrant out of Tulsa County.
Sgt. Aaron Bennett, Public Information Officer for the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, identified the wanted suspect as Kelvin Boelen. He currently sits in the Lincoln County Jail and he will be sent back to Tulsa, he said.
A Chandler man convicted by a jury in February of committing four crimes against a minor has been handed two life sentences and two other 25-year prison terms as well.
At sentencing recently, Associate District Judge Sheila Kirk stated, “After reviewing the report (Pre-Sentence Investigation) and arguments the Court indicates it will follow the recommendations of the jury.”
The City of Chandler has won a $650,000 grant from the Oklahoma Route 66 Commission to create a new park next to the Route 66 Interpretive Center.
The project will include an event plaza, lighting and a public art piece by Chan- dler resident Jerry McClanahan, well- known nationally and internationally for his EZ66 guidebook. Completion is slated for before the Route 66 Centennial in 2026.
A woman convicted of second degree murder in the death of a Prague man who died from injuries in a traffic collision 3½ years ago has been sentenced to life in prison.
Haley Jordan Price, 30 at the time, was charged in Lincoln County District Court on Apr. 21, 2021 with first degree manslaughter and feloniously driving while under the influence of alcohol In late April, Lincoln County resident during a commissioners meeting requested that they ban wind turbines from being constructed in flood plains.
Ms. Robbie McCommas was listed on Monday’s agenda to address the Board of Commissioners and that was the issue she brought to them.
District 3 Commissioner Lee Doolen, who is also chairman of the commission, advised McCommas, “We can’t do that on this agenda but we can discuss it.” He further indicated commissioners at a future meeting could look at doing a resolution.
Doolen indicated the commissioners weren’t opposed to doing that, but noted, “We just want to make sure we have the authority and sure we are doing it right.”
An early morning storm that struck the Stroud area in late April virtually destroyed an apartment complex that was under renovation, the owner said this week.
Some Lincoln County residents also were continuing to clean up this week following weekend storms that caused power outages, lots of damage to trees and some outbuildings.
Sherry Bryant got the surprise of her life on April 24.
The food service worker at Carney Public Schools walked into the multipurpose room that afternoon to find almost the entire student body, teachers and her three children cheering for her. The shock was clear on her face as she beelined for her kids and hugged them.
For these students, Bryant is more than a lunch lady. It’s because of her work that many students with food allergies can feel included.
A pre-preliminary hearing has been continued for a Lincoln County Jail inmate who was charged with incitement to riot.
David Keith Miller, about 31, was formally charged Nov. 13, 2023 in Lincoln County District Court with incitement to riot, a felony, and attempt-malicious injury to property under $1,000, a misdemeanor.
Commissioners accepted a $60,000 bid from Fire Masters for the purchase of a used fire truck for Central Lincoln County Fire Protection District No. 4 (Sparks) and approved a contract of a REAP grant account for the Sparks Fire Department.
May
Heavy thunderstorms with powerful winds and rain in early May knocked out power to some Lincoln County residents and businesses, but no injuries were reported.
Lincoln County Emergency Management Director Charlotte Brown said power outages were reported in Carney, Tryon and Agra.
Localized flooding was reported in Chandler, she noted, and some residential and non-residential structural damage was reported in Carney and Davenport, Brown said.
Westbound I-44/Turner Turnpike and the Stroud Service Plaza were closed between state Highway 99 and the Stroud Service Plaza from 9 p.m. Friday to 6 a.m. Saturday for crews to hang bridge beams for the Old Stroud Rd. bridge reconstruction.
A detour was set at the Highway 99 exit to Stroud to westbound Route 66 to northbound state Highway 18 to westbound I-44/Turner Turnpike at Chandler. Additionally, eastbound I-44/Turner Turnpike was closed between state Highway18 at Chandler and state Highway 99 at Stroud between 9 p.m. Saturday and 6 a.m. Sunday for bridge beam hanging.
The Chandler Service Plaza also was closed during this time.
Chandler Board of Education members at their May meeting awarded contracts on two of the projects included in a bond proposal that voters overwhelmingly approved in February of 2023.
School Supt. Scott Baade said the board awarded the contracts on the Media Center at East Side Elementary School and the Track Field House. They were approved during a special board meeting on May 10, he said.
The total bid for the two projects is $2,976,492, Baade confirmed this week. Joe D. Hall is the Construction Manager hired by the board.
He said bids were opened on May 1. The Dale Board of Education administered the Oath of Office to a new member, rehired certified personnel and athletic personnel and approved the hiring of several new teachers.
Jennifer Herring, elected to the board without opposition, took the Oath of Office and her seat on the board, School Supt. Will Jones confirmed.
She fills the vacancy created by the resignation of Josh Clark last year.
Meeker’s Town Board of Trustees voted 4-1 to hold up and take no action on a Trust Indenture for purchasing and selling property for the Town’s Industrial Trust Authority.
Instead, they decided to set up a special meeting at 6 p.m. on Monday, June 3 to discuss and take possible action on the newly created Industrial Trust Indenture.
In the 2024 high school football season, two Lincoln county schools transitioned to class 2A II as Stroud and Meeker joins the new division.
The reclassification changes by Oklahoma Secondary School Activities Association were a result of a potential lawsuit from several private schools displeased with the changing of the rule14 criteria.
The Dale School District will receive more than $1.7 million to purchase clean school buses as part of the Biden Administration’s Investing in America agenda.
Dale is one of a dozen school districts in Oklahoma and one of 530 across the nation to be selected for the Environmental Protection agency’s Clean School Bus Program rebate competition.
June
Meeker’s Town Board of Trustees in early June approved a new Trust Indenture document for purchasing and selling property for the Town of Meeker’s Industrial Trust Authority.
Trustees also approved the 2024-2025 General Fund and Public Works Authority budgets.
Meeker Town Administrator Jeff Wilbourn said, “The Trustees approved Trust Indenture unanimously with two amendments added. One of those is to say “Donna Weber/Mayor and the other is to add a clause to elect a chairman, vice chairman and secretary/treasurer with two other trustees.”
A jury trial was set for a Wellston man facing five felony charges after reportedly shooting at his parents and leading law enforcement officers on a high speed pursuit before being caught and arrested has pleaded not guilty.
Formal felony charges were filed March 1, 2023, in Lincoln County District Court against Clyde Edgar Gladden III, 23. He appeared Feb. 27, 2023, before Associate District Judge Sheila Kirk who set his bond at $150,000.
The Lincoln County News and staff members won six first-place awards at the Oklahoma Press Association annual convention in early June.
The paper won first place in news reporting and editorial comment, reporter Mike McCormick won first place for best news story, photographer Mario Holland won first place in sports photography and editor Brian Blansett won first place for feature photography and photo feature page.
Construction of a new entrance to North Rock Creek School off of SH 18 should start sometime this month, District 1 Pottawatomie County Commissioner Melissa Dennis says.
Dennis said she was waiting on a hay crop to be cut before she begins construction.
Lincoln County voters in Lincoln County’s primary election narrowed the contest for sheriff and elected two other county officials.
Two candidates remain on the ballot in the sheriff’s race. Kevin Garrett had 1,626 votes, Aaron Bennett, 1,622 and they will square off in the Aug. 27 runoff primary election with the winner succeeding Lincoln County Sheriff Charlie Dougherty who is retiring.
Chandler High School coach Bryan Herring was inducted into the Oklahoma Slow-Pitch Coaches Association Hall of Fame prior to the All-State Game in June.
A graduate of Chandler, Herring has been Chandler’s head slow-pitch coach since 2011. His teams have won slow-pitch state championships in 2016 and 2017 and were runnersup once.
Surgical services returned to Rural Wellness Stroud in June. The medical facility held an open house on June 14 to introduce the new surgical department, which hadn’t performed surgeries since 2018, and other renovations.
“Today we celebrate the grand opening–or reopening–of the Rural Wellness Stroud Hospital and the Surgical Services Department,” said Jeff Hill, CEO of Avem Health Partners. “This event stands as a testament to really unwavering and unified commitment to provide quality healthcare here in the Stroud community and the surrounding areas.”
The list of nominees for District Judge, District 23, in Lincoln County has been narrowed to three, the Judicial Nominating Commission has announced.
The JNC conducted in-person interviews with five applicants on June 4. The five individuals who applied for the position included Sarah Lynne Bridge, Joseph Alan Dobry, Emily Jean Mueller, Mark James Pordos and Zachary Allen Privott, all of Chandler.
Following the review process, the JNC submitted to Gov. Kevin Stitt the following nominees for the position, the JNC said. They included Sarah Lynne Bridge, Joseph Alan Dobry and Mark James Pordos.
A Lincoln County jury found a driver guilty of first degree manslaughter in the death of a Stroud man and recommended his punishment.
Brent Lee Nobles, 43, of Jennings, was charged in Lincoln County District Court March 23, 2023 of first degree manslaughter charge or in the alternative negligent homicide.
The jury deliberated only an hour before returning with a verdict of guilty. The jury recommended punishment of four years in prison.