Funeral services for Larry Joe Daniels, of Scroggins, Texas, were held at 10 a.m. July 8, 2021 at Miller & Miller Funeral Home in Valliant.

Craziness... That’s about the only word that I can assign to much of the news that is breaking around our nation and the world today as well as right here in our native Oklahoma.

President Biden on Monday said the United States stands with the people of Cuba who demonstrated by the thousands over the weekend to protest declining economic conditions on the island, complicated by an “authoritarian regime” and the deadly spread of COVID-19.

In watching President Joe Biden’s initiatives to curb Americans’ access to oil and natural gas, I thought of the late Yogi Berra’s famous quip, “It’s déjà vu all over again.” Twelve years ago, during the first half-year of the Obama presidency, I wrote a piece titled, “Economic Strangulation: The Environmentalist/Democrat War Against Energy.” It documented the various ways in which the Obama administration suppressed domestic production of oil and natural gas. After a reprieve from such policies during the Trump presidency, President Biden has wasted no time reinstating Obama-era restrictions and, if anything, expanding upon them.

Hugo Chapel Baptist Church will have its annual Usher’s Program at 3 p.m Sunday, July 18 with the Rev. Roylia Akins. Special guests include the Rev. Clevondo Benson and Corinth Baptist Church family. The public is invited.

It looks like we’re going to be suffering through heat index values near 100 degrees every day this week and through the weekend and the actual high temperatures will be in the mid-to-upper 90s, so it will even be hot under a shade tree I’m afraid! Much of the week will be sunny but we could pick up a few scattered thunderstorms by the weekend. There is no sign of that terrible heatwave the western United States has been suffering with. It is going to come our way in the next two weeks, but there is lots of summer remaining. The temperature hit 130 degrees in Death Valley, Calif., this past weekend.

FORT TOWSON –– On July 2, Jennifer and LaTisa Davidson, owners of Jenna’s Concessions, received a $5,000 forgivable loan from Choctaw Nation Small Business Development (CSBD) and the Choctaw Development Fund.

Felony 061 – Justin Lee Jordan: Trafficking in illegal drugs. 062 – Mario Que 062 – Mario Quevedo: Possession of stolen vehicle.

HUGO –– An agreement with Washington Community Center to provide nutrition services for the community was extended during the last Hugo city council meeting. Upon a motion by councilwoman Juanita Latimore, the agreement for $450 each month to the Washington Community Center will continue for fiscal year 2021-2022.

McCURTAIN COUNTY –– The body of a McKinney, Texas, man was located in three feet of water last Friday after being caught in an undertow at Mountain Fork River. According to reports from the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, Kaylin Pope, 32, was kayaking in a restricted area of Mountain Fork River when he came over the Low Head Dam and became hung in the undertow.