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Monday, 28 December 2009 20:01 |
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HUGO — Holiday shoppers nationwide spent more in 2009 than the previous year according to national credit card companies, which track spending trends.
Shopping results in Hugo and Choctaw County were mixed according to area retailers.
Russell Baker, manager of Sharpe’s Department Store in downtown Hugo, had glowing reports about his Christmas sales.
In a word, Baker said his Christmas sales were, “fantastic.”
“It was the wildest Christmas season I’ve ever had,” the veteran retailer said today. “It was the biggest two weeks I’ve ever had and it was the biggest December our store has ever had.” Read the whole story, subscribe to the online edition: http://www.hugonews.com/transitionHDN.html |
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Friday, 18 December 2009 22:10 |
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By Amber Hanneken
Staff Writer
GOODLAND — In separate meetings Thursday afternoon, Grant and Goodland school boards agreed to propose the annexation of Goodland Dependent School District No. 13 into Grant Dependent School District No. 3.
Residents within Goodland School District will have the opportunity to vote on the issue March 2, 2010. Community meetings will be scheduled in January and February so electors and parents will have the opportunity to discuss the proposed annexation.
Steve Allred, superintendent of Goodland Public School, said cuts in education funding by the state of Oklahoma are the main reason for the move, which won’t take effect until the next school year. Goodland will remain open for the remainder of the 2009-2010 school year.
There has been a “perfect storm” of funding shortfalls this year, Allred said, which includes allocation cuts to state aid, cuts in factors determining state aid, cuts in insurance for teachers and non-certified staff and no midyear adjustment for student growth.
“When we did the budget and looked at teacher needs, we were going to be OK, until these cuts started hitting,” Allred said.
Goodland currently has 127 pre-kindergarten through eighth grade students and employs eight certified teachers and four parents. Read the whole story, subscribe to the online edition: http://www.hugonews.com/transitionHDN.html |
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Thursday, 24 December 2009 16:22 |
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By Amber Hanneken
Staff Writer
HUGO — The love of music brought Bill Burkhalter and Crystal Rushin together, she loves to sing and he writes songs and plays instruments.
Burkhalter met Rushin through Hugo High School music teacher Carla Rabon. Burkhalter was a coach and teacher at the school. Rabon said Rushin, her student, had a lot of talent and he remembered hearing her sing in past performances.
“When I started to get back into music after I retired, I called her and said, ‘hey you want to sing?’ She said, ‘yes’ and we’ve been doing it off and on ever since — about four or five years now,” Burkhalter said.
Burkhalter has his own music studio next to his house where he can record and produce CDs. He started playing in bands at 12 years old and writing lyrics in college.
Rushin, 26, began singing at the age of 5 in church and school. She grew up around music, as her grandfather, aunt and mother are also singers and had their own gospel band that traveled and performed. Rock music is what she really enjoys singing, but she said she is able to sing any kind of music and she also plays guitar.
“I want to get my music career going and be able to travel and sing,” she said.
Right now, Rushin and Burkhalter are working with a professional in music production to get their talents noticed. Stan Manning, of Houston, is currently pushing her demo CD in New Hampshire, Houston and Colorado. Burkhalter, who has written more than 200 songs, wrote seven of the songs on the demo and plays the instruments. The song titled, “The Other Side” was written by Rushin and there is a cover of “Unchained Melody” by The Righteous Brothers. The entire CD was created in Burkhalter’s studio. Their music can be listened to on their MySpace site at www.myspace.com/makburk or people can get a copy of the CD by calling Burkhalter at 317.3082.
“(Manning) has the connections that we don’t have,” Burkhalter said. “Of course, living in Hugo, it’s hard to get connected with anybody that can do anything for you. A couple of years ago, I went to Nashville with a bunch of songs and there are so many talented people there that unless you have an inside foothold in something, you’re probably not going to be recognized.”
They’ve sent out hundreds of copies of their CD but are mostly relying on Manning to be their connection in the music industry. One local radio station, K95.5, has agreed to play their music between 4 and 5 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 27.
“I have no aspirations of becoming a rock star or anything like that. I love to write music and I love to record and play music,” Burkhalter said. “Crystal is an excellent singer and that’s what I would like to see come out of anything I do. She is young enough and talented enough that someone should know about it.”
The two recently performed at Burkhalter’s Christmas family reunion and Rushin said they will perform for anyone who asks.
Twice, Rushin auditioned for American Idol, once in Memphis, Tenn., and the other time in Dallas. Read the whole story, subscribe to the online edition: http://www.hugonews.com/transitionHDN.html |
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Thursday, 17 December 2009 19:22 |
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HUGO — Fourteen hunters participated in the 13th Annual Hugo Disability Deer Hunt Dec. 11, 12 and 13.
This hunt, located in Kiamichi Park, allows the Hugo Lake Project to provide quality deer management as well as a deer camp hunting experience for those who have special needs.
Six deer (four does and two bucks) were harvested.
The event is provided by volunteer efforts and local sponsors.
A highlight of this year’s hunt was a presentation of a plaque by Barbara Grubbs to Chris Lynch, Hugo Lake manager. Grubbs thanked the community for providing hunters with special needs, like her husband, Joe, an opportunity to participate in something they love. Read the whole story, subscribe to the online edition: http://www.hugonews.com/transitionHDN.html |
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