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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, 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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Thursday, 10 December 2009 20:38 |
By Joanne Webster
Contributing Writer
HUGO — Author Phillip E. Payne held a signing event for his third book during the District 8 meal on Wednesday. The title is “El Paso to Paris.”
The book involves the themes of growing up in the west and “becoming a man.” It picks up on the adventures of Luke Markanis, which are based on historical events in the western United States.
Some historical events in the books include the railroad expansion encompassing narrow gauge railroads and their construction into the mountains. Extreme winters, loneliness on the prairies, the salt war, disease and rustlers also play a role in the book. Indian agencies and events in Mexico figure into situations sometimes handled with the marksmanship skills wielded with the “Sharps” rifle.
Payne has dug deep into the 1880-1900 era of history and has included his character in orphan trains, the capturing of Chief Cochise and involvement as a WWI spy. Settings include El Paso, Texas, Mexico, Denver, St. Louis and Paris, France.
Further guests at the Wednesday lunch for District 8 spoke on home care assistance for CDIB holders in areas of wells, insulation, septic and fire extinquishers. Additional funding has been granted this year. Contact the field off about the program at 580.326.6611.
A rousing cake, cookie and gift auction was conducted by the RSVP and Choctaw Nation volunteers. Raffle tickets were sold for a porch swing with the winner to be drawn next week. |
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Wednesday, 16 December 2009 20:03 |
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By Stan Stamper
Publisher
HUGO — Faced with a Friday deadline in federal court in Oklahoma City, Tarrant County officials (Fort Worth, Texas) have begun negotiations with Irving, Texas and the city of Hugo, seeking to ink a memorandum of understanding in which they gain the right to buy water from Hugo under circumstances to be negotiated in the future.
Both the cities of Hugo and Irving have scheduled special council meetings for Thursday, with the subject of water on their respective agendas. Hugo’s is at noon in the council chambers.
Faced with explosive growth with millions of additional residents projected over the next 40 years in Dallas and north Texas, Texas officials have said they would be more than happy to have an opportunity to purchase Oklahoma’s leftover water.
Soon after Hugo and Irving completed their water contract negotiations and inked an agreement, more than a year ago Tarrant County termed Irving’s action “reckless,” for not seeking Oklahoma water through the Tarrant County-led consortium. Reportedly, Tarrant County has expended several million dollars in legal and consulting fees in their attempts to acquire Oklahoma water.
The city of Hugo continues to press its own federal lawsuit against the State of Oklahoma, in which it asserts the state has illegally prohibited it from selling water for which it holds a state permit and a corresponding storage contract with the federal government for water in Hugo Lake.
Hugo has argued that the State’s water sale prohibition, is contrary to federal law and the U.S. Commerce Clause which prohibits states’ restriction of the sale of goods in interstate commerce.
There has been no dispute that Hugo holds the permit for the water or that they owe the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers more than $2.4 million dollars for that storage and that their debt grows daily. Unfortunately for Hugo, no industry has stepped forward since the early ’70s, and expressed any interest in its vast water holdings—until north Texas communities, including Irving, sought a formal contract in recent years. Read the whole story, subscribe to the online edition: http://www.hugonews.com/transitionHDN.html |
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Wednesday, 09 December 2009 20:31 |
By Amber Hanneken
Staff Writer
HUGO — Officers reported a burglary at a residence on the 800 block of west Main Street in Hugo Tuesday.
The thieves entered the home while the victim was away and took a big screen TV, a smaller TV, a bike and all of the Christmas gifts under the tree.
Officer Steve Babcock said bleach was also poured on the victim’s furniture.
“People need to be more aware of people in your area walking around or vehicles driving by more than once,” Babcock said. “If you’re suspicious about anything or anyone you need to call us ... We might not catch anybody in the act but it might avert someone.”
Babcock said there also has been a string of vehicle burglaries. He advised people to not leave purses or other valuable items in their cars. The police department has put emphasis on controling the thefts and will continue to patrol. |
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