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Choctaw Casino expands Pocola site
POCOLA (AP) — The Choctaw Casino Hotel on the Oklahoma-Arkansas border has expanded to include a hotel with luxury suites, a new restaurant and live entertainment. The new facilities are to open on Wednesday, and a formal opening ceremony will be held in May. The casino opened in 1994 in a strip mall and has had several expansions. The Southwest Times Record reports ( http://is.gd/C6IaaV ) that Choctaw Nation gaming executive directo...
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First Place Team members with Sponsors and Bryan Conservation District Directors from left to right are: Clay Jones, Jeff Brown, District Directors, Zack McMillan; Vernon Anderson, District Director, Ryan Minyard; Keiller Haynie, District Director; Delanee Henderson; Sam Smith, District Director; Donnie Beshear, Caddo FFA Instructor; Casey Rapier, First Texoma National Bank; Chris Gerlach (not shown).
Land judging contest for FFA and 4-H held
The annual land judging contest for FFA and 4-H students in Bryan County was held March 27. Area students judged the soil from four different sites at the land judging contest. Some of the characteristics judged were texture, depth, slope, erosion, permeability and surface runoff as well as recommending land treatments. The contest was sponsored by the Bryan Conservation District. Thirty-five FFA and 4-H students from Bryan County partici...
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Okla. reps say they’re left out of budget process
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Oklahoma Republican officials are keeping a tight lid on who would get how much money under next year’s state budget proposal, and several legislators — Democrat and Republican alike — are complaining they haven’t been included in the negotiations. Gov. Mary Fallin, House Speaker T. W. Shannon and a handful of other high-level Republicans say they meet regularly to negotiate the budget’s outlines, which could be int...
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Silo Elementary School to hold 20th Annual Science Fair
The 20th Annual Silo Elementary School Science Fair Open House will be held in conjunction with the Book Fair (3:00-6:00 p.m. in the library) and Silo Information Bond Rally. On April 30, the doors will open in the elementary gym at 6:00 p.m., with a “Hot Diggity Dog Welcome.” Free hot dogs will be served. The Science Fair awards will be presented at 6:30 p.m. and the Bond Rally will begin at 7:00 p.m. They usually have between 170-180 proj...
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Annual prayer breakfast to be held Thursday
In conjunction with the National Day of Prayer on the first Thursday of May, the annual prayer breakfast will be held at 6:30 a.m. Thursday in the Southeastern Oklahoma State University Ballroom. Gil Stricklin is the featured speaker for this year’s breakfast. He is the founder, president and CEO of Marketplace Ministries. Headquartered in Dallas, Marketplace Ministries provides a faith-based contracted chaplain care service to business min...
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Rock Creek Scholarship Pageant held
The 2013 Miss Rock Creek Scholarship Pageant was a huge success. The ten contestants did a wonderful job in all four areas of competition. The 2013 Miss Rock Creek was Josie Harbin, the freshman daughter of Casey and darla Robinson and Trey and Shirie Harbin. Josie also was voted Crowd Pleaser. First Runner-Up and Miss Congeniality was Destanie Watkins, the sophomore daughter of Mike and Donna Watkins. Second Runner-Up was Alex Folsom, the ...
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Treasurer: Deal near on pension consolidation plan
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Gov. Mary Fallin and Oklahoma Treasurer Ken Miller are working behind the scenes to consolidate the administrations of the state’s largest pension systems, rankling some lawmakers on both sides of the aisle who question why the proposal is being drafted in secret. While Fallin and Miller both have publicly discussed the idea, the details of the proposal have yet to be unveiled even though legislators must adjourn by...
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Jail staff responds to budget cuts
With cuts being made to the Bryan County Jail fund, Assistant Jail Administrator Tracy Isenberg and Shift Supervisor Officer Bradley Ellis have announced that they plan to resign if the situation is not resolved. In an emailed statement sent Friday, Tracy Isenberg said the staff cuts would bring the jail staff of 33 down to 27 which includes a transport deputy who does not work in the jail, plus a deputy paid through the jail, but working f...
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Fallin signs Oklahoma firefighters pension bill
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Gov. Mary Fallin has signed a bill designed to shore up the unfunded liability of Oklahoma’s pension system for firefighters. The bill was one of a dozen measures signed by Fallin on Friday. Among the key changes for newly hired firefighters is that to become eligible for retirement benefits, they must be at least 50 years old and have worked for 22 years, instead of the current 20 years. New firefighters also wou...
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Durant Lions to hold annual spaghetti dinner
The Durant Lions Club’s 30th annual spaghetti dinner will be held from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. and 5-7 p.m. Tuesday, April 30 at the Bryan County Community Building. The Durant Lions Club has a distinguished history dating back to 1920, making it the oldest civic club in Durant. The local chapter was also one of the first to charter in the nation. Many of Durant’s leaders have been members over the years, a list of which includes clergy, city ...
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Book signing for new Choctaw book to be held Tuesday
  The many facets of the Choctaw Nation reflect paths traveled by thousands over hundreds of miles. The Choctaw people persevered through centuries of change and have emerged as one of the largest and progressive nations in the world. Choctaw history and culture have provided a strong foundation and more and more tribal members today are experiencing a revival of interest in their heritage. Capturing the essence of the nation is “Choctaw: ...
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Okla. House resurrects bill to arm school teachers
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — The Oklahoma House resurrected a proposal Thursday to allow specially trained teachers and other district employees to carry firearms into public schools. After an earlier House-backed bill was denied a hearing by the chairman of the Senate Education Committee, the measure’s author, Rep. Mark McCullough, attached his proposal to a separate bill, which then passed the House on a 69-25 vote Thursday. It now heads to t...
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Bryan County Relay for Life to be held tomorrow
The Relay for Life event is being held Friday April 26 in Durant. The event will take place at Paul Laird Field on the campus of Southeastern Oklahoma State University. The event will begin for survivors at 6 p.m. with a dinner honoring them followed by registration. The public is invited to join at 7 p.m. Opening ceremonies will then be followed by awards and sponsorship recognition. Three laps will then be walked around the track at Pau...
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Drug charges filed against Bennington man
A Bennington man arrested Monday after deputies served an eviction notice has been charged with four felonies and one misdemeanor. Cale Allen Smith Jr., 33, was charged Wednesday afternoon with manufacturing methamphetamine, possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, use of a police radio in commission of a felony, use of a surveillance system in commission of a felony, plus misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia. Depu...
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Okla. House approves workers’ comp overhaul
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Overrunning passionate opposition from legislative Democrats, House Republicans cleared the way toward remaking Oklahoma’s workers’ compensation system by passing an overhaul bill Wednesday. The House approved the bill 74-24; most of the Democrats present voted against it. It now gets kicked back to the Senate, as the House made extensive changes to the Senate’s version. The 284-page measure turns Oklahoma’s court...
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LeFlore County won’t erect 10 Commandments on lawn
POTEAU (AP) — LeFlore County will not erect a Ten Commandments monument on its courthouse lawn, with commissioners believing that spending money on a lawsuit they “probably couldn’t win” wasn’t a good use of taxpayer dollars. The panel this week voted unanimously against allowing the monument on public property. Chairman Lance Smith told the Times-Record newspaper of Fort Smith, Ark., in a story published Wednesday ( http://bit.ly/10zHZ...
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Fallin signs bill expanding aerial hunting of hogs
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Oklahoma landowners would be able to take to the skies to hunt feral hogs and other “depredating animals” under a bill signed into law by Gov. Mary Fallin. Fallin signed the bill Wednesday that’s intended to help landowners control growing populations of wild hogs that have become a problem in many rural parts of the state. The wild animals are known to tear up cropland, destroy fences and spread diseases. State l...
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Fallin looks to avoid repeat of 2012 tax failure
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Gov. Mary Fallin moved a step closer Wednesday toward her goal of having a bill on her desk this year that reduces the state’s personal income tax after the Senate easily approved slashing the top rate to 5 percent. Fallin has long championed the need to reduce income taxes as a way to improve the state’s business climate and she is hoping to avoid a repeat of last year, when she and legislative leaders announced a ...
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Okla. House kills texting and driving ban again
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — An Oklahoma legislator vowed Tuesday to keep pushing for a ban on texting while driving after the House scuttled the proposal for the third time this session. The latest text ban attempt came in the form of an amendment by Democratic Rep. Curtis McDaniel on a bill that dealt with reckless driving penalties. The amendment didn’t come to an actual vote Tuesday but instead was killed with a 49-37 vote against consideri...
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Oklahoma leaders agree on income tax cut for 2015
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Gov. Mary Fallin and Republican legislative leaders announced a plan Tuesday to cut Oklahoma’s top personal income tax rate to 5 percent starting in January 2015, overhaul the workers’ compensation system and set aside $120 million to repair the state Capitol. Fallin, Senate President Pro Tem Brian Bingman and House Speaker T.W. Shannon unveiled the details of a broad agreement that also calls for an eight-year plan...
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