News

The coronavirus economic shutdown may have already had its effect on county April sales tax checks. A slowdown in oilfield activity also is a possible factor. Only Cashion and Okarche had increases in sales tax checks for April and Cashion’s was significant, a 188.

Kingfisher City-County Emergency Management Director Steve Loftis Monday gave an encouraging report regarding the coronavirus pandemic demands in Kingfisher County.

Midship Pipeline Company announced Monday that it has received full final approval from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to place its 234-mile pipeline into service.

Despite current CDC guidelines and statewide restrictions due to the coronavirus, Hennessey officials assure citizens they’ll have shelters open this storm season. “If we are in imminent threat of a tornado the shelter will be opened when the sirens sound,” said Hennessey Mayor Bert Gritz.

House Majority Leader Mike Sanders (R-Kingfisher) last week had pizzas and soft drinks delivered to health care workers who are conducting drive-thru testing for COVID-19 at the Kingfisher County Health Department.

NO ONE GOES hungry, if the Kingfisher Ministerial Alliance and participating local churches have anything to say about it. Hot meals to go are served up at no charge from various churches three evenings a week.

[Ed. Note: Among the survivors of the Murrah Building bombing was the former Terri Yost, daughter of Johnny and Carole Yost of Moore and granddaughter of the late Herman and Betty Yost of Omega. She agreed to share her remembrance of the bombing and its aftermath with the Times & Free Press.

[Ed. Note: Cashion High School graduate Mark Beutler, now communications director for the American Cancer Society, recently interviewed then first lady Cathy Keating about her recollections of the Oklahoma City bombing .

BALD IS BEAUTIFUL— Ray Stiner of Okarche captured this photo of a nesting bald eagle and her baby northeast of Okarche. (Even though only one fledgling is visible to the right of mom, Stiner said he’s seen two babies in the nest.) [Photo Courtesy Ray Stiner]

City-County Emergency Management Director Steve Loftis advised county commissioners last Monday that he had received and distributed coronavirus-defense supplies to every first responder agency in the county the previous week. Loftis said he received the supplies April 9 (“More than I expected”).