Bridge Out

District 2 Commissioner Mitch Worsham looks over a bridge on Tamaha Road 2.3 miles north of state Highway 9. The bridge will be closed to traffic on March 28, making it necessary for traffic to detour until a new bridge is constructed.

(Staff photo by Doug Russell)

Detour

By Doug Russell
News Editor
Drivers who normally travel Tamaha Road will soon have to make a detour as the bridge is replaced.
The bridge 2.3 miles north of state Highway 9 is being replaced because it is narrow and dangerous, according to District 2 Commissioner Mitch Worsham.
"There have been a lot of bad accidents here," Worsham said. The angle iron guard rail along the bridge shows the bends of scars of being smashed into. The rail on the bridge's west side had to be replaced when a car went off the road and smashed into the bridge abutment before flipping upside down into a creek. "(more on this story in this week's Stigler News Sentinel)

Fundraisers for officer and family this weekend

by:Doug Russel News Editor

The fundraising golf tournament
Is an 18-hole tournament.
Registration begins at 8 a.m. Saturday.
Tee off at 9 a.m.
Up to 21 four-member teams.
Everyone is welcome, golfers or non.
All proceeds go to the family of Chad Peery.

Teams are checking their clubs and getting ready for a fundraising golf tournament designed to raise money for an injured Stigler man.
The tournament will be held at Brier Creek Golf Course in Stigler, with registration beginning at 8 a.m. and tee-off time at 9.
The tournament is to raise money for the family of Oklahoma City police officer Chad Peery, who was severely injured while attempting to break up a disturbance at Dan O'Brien's Pub in Oklahoma City. Officials from the Oklahoma City Police Department say that Peery suffered a broken neck when several of the men involved in the disturbance attacked him.(more on this story in this week's Stigler News Sentinel)

Supporting T-Shirts on sale

by:Doug Russel News Editor

"Fight. Survive. Live." These words emblazon the backs of a special T-shirt being sold to raise money for the family of Chad Peery.
The 32-year-old Oklahoma City police officer was injured while breaking up a disturbance at an Oklahoma City bar and remains in rehabilitation. Oklahoma City police say his neck was broken and that he may never regain the use of his limbs.
The T-shirts are being sold in conjunction with a March 26 fundraising golf tournament, with all proceeds from both the T-shirt sales and the tournament going to the Peery family.(more on this story in this week's Stigler News Sentinel)

Top Students, Top Scholarship

submitted photo

Joe Carrick, director of Kiamichi Technology Center's Stigler campus presents Vanessa Boyles, center, the Otha Grimes Memorial Scholarship as KTC Practical Nursing instructor Heather Fenton looks on. The Otha Grimes Scholarship is awarded to students selected after completing a rigorous application process. The late Otha Grimes was a successful cattle industry operator as well as an independent oil and gas producer for more than 60 years and a staunch supporter of education. Boyles is a first year KTC Practical Nursing student and is currently employed with the Haskell County Community Hospital.

Meth march Thursday

by:Doug Russel News Editor

By Doug Russell
News Editor
There'll be a special gathering at Roye Park Thursday, March 24, as members of the community get together to show their support for ridding Haskell County of drugs.
The third annual March Against Meth will begin at 6 p.m., with District Attorney Farley Ward as the speaker.
"This is just something we can do so show that we don't want drugs in our community," said District 18 Narcotics Task Force agent Tim Turner.
Turner and other law enforcement officers will be on hand at the park, joined by members of various organizations — as well as the community at large.
Officers will distribute a variety of information about drug and drug awareness during the march. In addition, "We'll be serving hot dogs and soft drinks," Turner said.
"Meth really is a big problem in our area," Turner said. "They're still out there cooking and using. We all have to work together to stop it."
As an example of how bad the problem is, he pointed out that an alleged drug trafficker was recently arrested with a half pound of suspected methamphetamine. "You've also got a lot of people making small amounts," Turner said.
"The problem isn't gone. Not by a long shot."

Blaze exhausts southern county firefighters

by:Doug Russel News Editor

Smoke was so thick it floated from the southern Haskell County line to Keota. Flames exploded from the tops of trees with such force that firefighters feared going near.
But after 16 hours of struggle, they got the fire under control — but not before it burned at least 600 acres in southern Haskell County.
"It was a rough one," said Lequire Fire Chief Garry Burdette, adding that firefighters from Lequire answered the initial call about a brush fire near the county line at 6 a.m. Monday. At 10 p.m. they dragged back to the station, exhausted from their efforts but satisfied that the fire was stopped.(more on this story in this week's Stigler News Sentinel)