Staff photo by Wendy Smith
Toy merchants Morgan Davis, Lori Allen and Sadie Vass listen as toymaker Bailey Blanchett, far left, tries to convince them to buy her latest toy creation, the Wonder Toy, during the Christmas play performed by the Stigler High School speech class Dec. 5.

Looking for work? Not here

Staff photo by Doug Russell
Workers load up desks, files and other items in preparation for the closing of the employment office at the Haskell County Courthouse annex in Stigler. Area residents seeking help from Workforce Oklahoma now have to go to Stigler or McAlester.

By Doug Russell
News Editor
People looking for work are no longer going to find local help with their search. Instead, they'll have to drive. Job seekers from Haskell and Latimer counties who normally would have gone to the Workforce Oklahoma offices in Stigler or Wilburton will now have to go to Poteau or McAlester.
The Poteau office is located at the One-Stop Center, 106 Rogers Ave. The McAlester office is at 1414 E. Wade Watts Ave.
The Stigler Workforce Oklahoma office shut its doors on Nov. 21, but the Oklahoma Department of Commerce declined to comment until Nov. 30.
"There were many factors we had to consider when putting this new structure together, including resources and travel time for participants," said Norma Noble, state deputy secretary of commerce for Workforce Development.  "Some locations will remain the same while others will be changing in the weeks and months to come." (more on this story in this week's Stigler News Sentinel)

Chamber gets new director

Staff photo by Doug Russell
Outgoing Chamber Director Janice Williams hands off her duties to Valerie Crase. Crase will take over as the new executive director for the Stigler-Haskell County Chamber of Commerce Jan. 1.

By Doug Russell
News Editor
When Janice Williams steps down, a new person will be stepping up.
But she wasn't sure she was ready for it at first.
"When Janice announced that she was resigning, I was at a total loss," said Valerie Crase, who will take the reins as the new executive director of the Stigler-Haskell County Chamber of Commerce on Jan. 1, when Williams's resignation takes effect. "I don't know what I'd do without her."
"She'll do a good job," said Chamber President Sandra Zachry. "She's already been working in the office for some time and understands how everything needs to be." (more on this story in this week's Stigler News Sentinel)