|
Wednesday, 28 July 2010 20:38 |
|
By Amber Hanneken
Staff Writer
HUGO — The unofficial results show a runoff election will be held for Democratic candidates in the county treasurer and county commissioner, District 1 offices after Tuesday’s primary election. Out of 9,137 registered voters in Choctaw County, only 3,140 (34.37%) voted. There were 2,849 Democratic and 291 Republican ballots cast Tuesday.
Incumbent Arlene Minchey received 46.24% of the vote and will face off against Barbara Gail Vandever, who received 33.49% on Aug. 24, according to the results. Gwen Satterfield Coffman received 20.27% in the treasurer’s election. The winner of the runoff will face Republican candidate Kim Young in the Nov. 2 election.
The race for District 1 commissioner was tight. Incumbent Danny Antwine received 36.90% of the vote while Ronnie Thompson beat Jim Bob Sullivan by one vote, receiving 28.53% and 28.43% respectively. Mark A. Janoe received 6.13% of votes. According to these results, Antwine and Thompson will be in the runoff election.
Incumbent Roger Vandever won county commissioner for District 3 with 54.60% of the vote. Jeff Davis came in second with 37.92% and Houston Howard Goddard received 7.47%.
Becky Harris, also an incumbent, won the county assessor’s race over Rhonda Cahill with 63.45% of the vote.
In the governor’s race, Choctaw County Democratic voters reflected statewide sentiments at the polls. Jari Askins received 54.38% of the vote, beating out Drew Edmondson in Choctaw County. Statewide, Askins received 50.28% to edge out Edmondson. To see all the election results, subscribe to the online edition: http://www.hugonews.com/transitionHDN.html |
|
Wednesday, 21 July 2010 17:28 |
|
HUGO — Two Hugo residents have been charged with multiple felony drug counts this week after a drug bust in the 1,000 block of East Jefferson Street.
Tony Smith, 51, and Mary Wisener, 30, have been charged with multiple felonies.
Smith, was charged with trafficking in illegal drugs (felony), possession of CDS within 1,000 feet of a school or park, possession of CDS within 1,000 feet of a school or park, unlawful use of police radio, possession of firearm in commission of felony (felony), possession of firearm after former felony conviction, maintaining place for keeping/selling controlled substance, possession of CDS (felony), possession of paraphernalia (misdemeanor) and possession of CDS without a valid prescription (misdemeanor).
Wisener was charged with: Possession of CDS (felony), possession of CDS within 1,000 feet of a school (felony) and possession of paraphernalia (misdemeanor). Read the full story, subscribe to the online edition: http://www.hugonews.com/transitionHDN.html |
|
|
Monday, 26 July 2010 17:33 |
|
By Amber Hanneken
Staff Writer
SPENCERVILLE — “Blink and you’ll miss it” is definitely something a passerby could say about the small post office in the heart of tiny Spencerville, but to the residents there it was one of the last bastions of community togetherness in the town. And now it’s closed.
According to the United States Postal Service, in a letter addressed to Spencerville residents, it is not yet considered a formal closing although services ended on Friday. “Let me assure you, a decision to permanently close the Spencerville Post Office has not been made,” states the letter signed by Post Office Operations Manager Kim Kerns of Oklahoma City. “Postal managers must collect extensive information for an office to be closed. In particular, customer input will be solicited via questionnaires in the near future to ensure that all issues are fully explored.”
Janet Smith, who has been a Spencerville resident for 29 years, says she doesn’t think it will ever reopen. “At the community meeting, I specifically asked how many of these offices that have been temporarily closed have been reopened and they couldn’t come up with any,” she said. Smith said the Postal Service has been trying to close the Spencerville Post Office for the last 20 years and each time the community has rallied against it. “But it didn’t matter that we rallied this time,” she said.
According to Postmaster Bettie Chappell on Friday, the safe, post office boxes and other items will be removed from the building on Wednesday. In the meantime, the 58 customers who maintained PO boxes at the facility will have new addresses with home mailboxes or can buy a PO box at the Sawyer Post Office. USPS originally told customers in a letter dated June 8 that a cluster box would be installed, but after the June 15 public hearing the Postal Service agreed to provide contract carrier service to roadside mailboxes. Chappell said some will keep the Spencerville designation and 74760 zip code but others have to switch to a Sawyer address.
Chappell, who has been postmaster for two years and worked in the office since 1980, said she has chosen to retire. Read the full story, subscribe to the online edition: http://www.hugonews.com/transitionHDN.html |
|
Friday, 16 July 2010 17:13 |
|
By Amber Hanneken
Staff Writer
HUGO — Representatives from the Department of Environmental Quality and the Department of Wildlife spoke to a small group Thursday evening at the Choctaw County Library about the recent mercury advisory for Hugo Lake and 15 other lakes in Oklahoma.
Jay Wright and Erin Hatfield from DEQ presented a slideshow that explained the study and what the mercury advisory means for lake goers.
DEQ has been analyzing fish and issuing advisories since 1978. The recent advisory was issued after an extensive study of 50 lakes in Oklahoma. Between fall 2007 and summer 2009, the department collected a total of 536 largemouth bass from various sites of each lake and tested them for mercury, Wright said. Mercury levels ranged from low to high, all lakes with fish that tested above .5 mg/kg of mercury became a priority, he said.
The Department of Wildlife and DEQ then returned to those 17 lakes and collected a total of 871 samples; according to Wright, 20 species were represented. The result was the advisory issued for 16 lakes and 12 species of fish at specific size ranges.
Wright said mercury is a neurotoxin that specifically affects children and fetuses. Because of this, the advisory is split between sensitive populations — women of childbearing age and children up to age 15 — and the general population, which is everyone else. In general, larger fish and predator species like bass, walleye and flathead catfish contain the highest mercury levels. In studies of populations that consume a high amount of fish, Wright said mercury exposure produced problems in cognitive thinking, memory, attention span, motor skills and spatial skills.
In Hugo Lake, there are no limits to fish consumption for the general population. However, the sensitive population should eat no more than two meals per month of black crappie 10 inches and larger, blue catfish 23 inches and larger, flathead catfish 19 inches and larger, largemouth bass 15 inches and larger and white bass 12 inches and larger. Smaller catches of those species have no limitation advisory. Channel catfish, common carp, green sunfish, smallmouth buffalo and white crappie are all safe to eat at any size, according to the study. Read the full story, subscribe to the online edition: http://www.hugonews.com/transitionHDN.html |
|
