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Thursday, 11 October 2012 19:19 |
By Gloria McAfee Carver
Contributing Writer
LET ’EM BUCK –– The Freckles Brown Memorial Bull Riding, ninth annual event, is upcoming at the Todd Whatley/Lige Hammock Covered Arena in Hugo, Okla., Saturday, Oct. 13. The CBR event honors one of several rodeo legends from Kiamichi Country, in southeast Oklahoma.
Freckles Brown’s rodeo career spanned from 1937 to 1974. The slim, soft-spoken man, from Soper, Okla., was tough as cowboys come, and shone in many PRCA rodeo events, including: saddle bronc, bareback bronc, team roping, bull dogging and bull riding.
The famous ride that made him legendary, however, was in 1967, when he brought the rodeo crowd to their feet. Freckles made the eight seconds on a rank, “unrideable” bull named Tornado.
The bull, owned by Jim Shoulders, had thrown 200 riders during a 14-year span before Freckles Brown wrapped his rosined bull rope around the giant. Country singer, Red Steagall, memorialized the ride in his song, “Freckles Brown.”
Brown retired to his ranch in Soper. He was a friend and mentor to Lane Frost. The two championship bull riders are buried next to each other in Mount Olivet Cemetery in Hugo, Okla.
Grandson of Freckles Brown, John Harrison, with his wife, Carla, of Soper, produce the annual memorial ride, with the help of his parents Wiley and Donna Brown Harrison and many rodeo friends.
The young Harrison family have two children: Addy, 4, and Caz, 2. John, who has a degree in Ag-business, and is a certified equine massage therapist, is renowned in the PRCA rodeo circuits for his comedy horseback trick riding, trick roping, and his “walking talking” comedy barrel man performances in the bucking bull arena.
“I rode in some mutton busting and on calves when I was 6, but what made a lasting impact on me was when I saw my first trick riders at a rodeo. I knew right then, trick riding was for me,” Harrison said.
His spontaneous, comical remarks come natural. “Carla, who is a professional auctioneer, is the backbone of my arena acts, she keeps everything organized and gets the horses ready behind the scenes.”
The exciting family entertainment event this year will also feature in the arena, famed rodeo men such as J.W. Harris, B.J. Schumacher and Allan Dessel, and many other famous rodeo cowboys.
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Friday, 05 October 2012 20:13 |
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Workers for the city of Hugo worked well into the evening Thursday to repair a leak on N. A St. According to city manager, Jeff Rabon, the leak was costing the city quite a bit of money, and needed to be repaired as soon as possible.
Water was shut off throughout the town at 1:30 p.m., causing the schools and many businesses and restaurants to close. It was restored to area residents at approximately 6:30 p.m.
“We regret the inconvenience this dilemma caused so many businesses, but are very fortunate to have gotten the job done. Thanks to the city of Hugo employees, Grant Rural Water District and JB&L Utility, we were able to repair the leak, and hopefully, prevent further issues at this location,” Rabon said. |
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Wednesday, 11 July 2012 18:12 |
By Joanne Webster
Contributing Writer
The town of Boswell and Public Works Authority approved the hire of officer Stony Burris, on a temporary basis, after an executive session discussion Tuesday evening. The motion came from Patricia Renick, with a no vote from Buck Eastwood.
Water superintendent, Israel Beddo addressed the council and citizens present regarding the possibility that the motor and pump for the town’s water facilities may have lightning damage. A technician will travel from Minnesota to assess the damage, with the possibility that it will be covered by insurance.
Discussion ensued for the possibility for use of the Rural Water Department, which has provided interim water to the town in the past. There are concerns surrounding the existing bond, which would have to be explored in depth before such a determination could be made.
Attorney Paula Inge was present as reference was made to three statutes upon the vote to approve minutes from the June meeting. The statutes were referenced when a letter outlining the absences of a council member prior to potential removal from the council was reviewed. A series of steps were determined, including the determination that many of the referenced absences were from special meetings called during daytime work hours, which an employed council member would not be able to attend with any regularity and is not a condition of the council seat.
All purchase orders and financial statements were provided in writing and approved. All council members were present.
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Tuesday, 07 August 2012 17:55 |
HUGO — It may have been a day like Monday in Choctaw County when James Taylor wrote his number one hit, “Fire and Rain.” Add to that wind and hail, and you have the effects of a big thunderstorm that rocked the area shortly before five p.m., blowing down trees and starting house fires.
Hugo firefighters responded to a house fire in the 900 block of East Bluff Street at 5 p.m. The fire began a few minutes after a massive bolt of lightning struck nearby. Substantial damage was done to the rear portion of the home which was promptly brought under control by Hugo firefighters, who were backed up by members of Sawyer RFD. HFD officers responding to the blaze included Ron Cloud, Shannon Lester, Vince Casella, Galen Ridenour, Andy Castelano and Danny Terrebonne. Sawyer firefighters assisting included William Eaton, Nathan Wallace and Cary Owens.
It was the second day in a row that firefighters responded to house fires believed to have been caused by lightning. Another home in the 1100 block of East Duke Street also suffered fire damage, possibly from a lightning strike Sunday.
A few blocks away on east Jackson Street, power crews responded to two telephone poles near McDonald’s restaurant, which had been snapped by high winds.
In downtown Hugo, the long burned-out Shelton Apartment complex shell succumbed to the high winds with the south portion of the skeleton caving in, forcing city officials to rope off the remaining portion of the shaky building.
Several other businesses reported awnings were ripped from their moorings and doors were damaged from gusting and swirling winds.
Hugo Lake Manager Kent Grimes reported more than 90 trees were blown down just in the “mow line” of roads within Kiamichi Park, forcing the Corps to close the northern portion of the park, north of J-Neck. Grimes said trees were down in roads, across electric camping pedestals and even ripped up water lines when the tree’s root ball was uprooted.
Grimes said the Corps would be hiring contractors to clean up debris from the storm, but added that it was fortunate no campers were affected by the high winds.
Few residents throughout the county were left without power, according to local electric companies.
Public Service of Oklahoma reported close to a thousand customers without power from 5 p.m. to 1 a.m., while Choctaw Electric Cooperative reported less than 50 people without power for four hours in Choctaw County, with the majority of their outages recorded in Pushmataha County.
According to the utility companies, all power has been restored.
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Friday, 06 July 2012 16:16 |
CHOCTAW COUNTY –– Choctaw County Sheriff deputies were hot on the trail recently of two ATVs reported stolen on June 29.
According to official reports, two side-by-side Polaris Rangers, valued at $11,500, were reported missing Friday, June 29 around 8 a.m. and a fence had been cut and a gate opened on the property of the reporting party.
At 7:15 a.m. on June 30, Dispatch notified the Sheriff’s department about a report concerned an abandoned ATV, matching the description of the missing one, located at a residence on County Road 4335, reports stated. Deputies verified the VIN and confirmed the match. After photographing and fingerprinting the ATV, it was returned to its owner.
Reports stated that deputies received a tip regarding two individuals possibly responsible for the thefts. Deputies then traveled to the home of the suspects for questioning. According to reports, the suspects claimed that they ran the abandoned ATV out of fuel, but did not know where the second ATV was.
The responding deputy reported that after 20 minutes, the two suspects contacted him in Hugo and claimed to have found the second ATV on Deep Cut Road, a quarter mile south of Highway 70 and into the woods on the east side of the road.
After photographing and fingerprinting, deputies then released the second ATV back to the owner. |
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