RI)--The Oklahoma Corporation Commission has approved a settlement agreement which will result in an estimated rate increase of 34 cents in the monthly bill of an average residential Oklahoma Natural Gas (ONG) customer. Residential ONG customers who use more than 5,000 dekatherms will see a monthly increase of 50 cents per month.
The settlement includes a Commission order that requires ONG to apply a $10.6 million tax credit received under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 to the rates in question. Not including the application of the tax credit, ONG originally applied for an increase of $28.69 million. The amount approved was $15.25 million.
The settlement was agreed to and offered to the Commissioners for approval by the Oklahoma Attorney General – who represents the ratepayer before the Commission, AARP, the Public Utility Division of the Corporation Commission, and the Oklahoma Industrial Energy Consumers (OIEC).
--00— 01 Dec 21 12n
BS)--An Enid teen was arrested last week on 10 counts of possession of child pornography, violation of the Oklahoma Computer Crimes Act and conspiracy to commit a felony. Enid Police Department Internet Crimes Against Children detectives arrested 19 year-old Justin Shaklee on Nov. 23. During an interview with police, Shaklee reportedly showed photographs of child pornography on his phone and admitted to having someone sexually abuse a younger sibling, record it and send him the recordings. According to police, Shaklee told investigators he had used multiple phones and social media apps and accounts in relation to child pornography. Shaklee was booked into Garfield County Detention Facility on the multiple counts following the interview. The investigation is ongoing, according to police, and further charges and arrests are anticipated.
--00— 01 Dec 21 9a
FS)--A fundraiser for Booker T. Washington Community Center’s after-school program will be held this weekend. Several local women of color, business owners and entrepreneurs, will be hosting “A Sale on Black Wall Street” as a fundraiser to benefit the program that will restart in January after being shut down because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The sale will be held Saturday 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the center, 801 Rev. Alfred Baldwin Way. Items available for purchase will include jewelry, clothes, Christmas ornaments, and free items for kids. The public is invited to come shop this Saturday.
--00— 01 Dec 21 12n
DB)--Community members this holiday season have the opportunity to gift or purchase inscriptive bricks for the entrance of Advance Soccer Complex being built in the 1500 block of South Garland, and at the same time help local children in need. For every brick sold by December 20, a pair of gloves will be donated to a child in need through the United Way of Enid and Northwest Oklahoma as part of the Gift a Brick donation program. Brick options begin at $100. Bricks can be purchased by visiting www.AdvanceSoccerComplex.com/GiftaBrick.
--00— 01 Dec 21 7a
CH)--There will be a hearing Thursday in Osage County dealing with an ongoing eminent domain dispute between an Osage County landowner and the City of Enid regarding the Kaw Lake Water Pipeline project. Enid News and Eagle reports the landowner, Dr. James Merrifield on Ponca City, disputes the City of Enid has the jurisdiction to build the pipeline across land he owns southwest of Kaw Lake. He also is disputing the award of $47,700 previously approved by court appointed land commissioners for the city to acquire a perpetual 50-foot utility easement across the property. Merrifield has lost several previous objections in court to the condemnation of the land. The hearing is set for Thursday morning in Osage County District Court in Pawhuska.
--00— 30 Nov 21 9a
CN)— Since Tuesday 36 additional deaths and 585 newly confirmed coronavirus cases were reported in the state, according to daily numbers released late this morning by the Oklahoma State Department of Health. Currently, 8,533 Oklahomans are considered active cases in the state, with 463 people currently hospitalized in Oklahoma for treatment of the virus.
Situation Update: COVID-19
Data shown are preliminary and subject to change
as additional information is obtained
|
COVID-19 Cases |
667,512 |
|
New Cases |
585 |
|
New Cases 7 day Average |
756 |
|
Active Cases |
8,533 |
|
CDC/NCHS Provisional Deaths |
11,949 |
--00— 01 Dec 21 12n
SB)--The filing period for people seeking school board seats in Garfield County opens at 8:00 a.m. Dec. 6. Seats open for the April 5, 2022, election are:
• Enid Public Schools, Office 4, Office 5 and an unexpired term for Office 7.
• Office 2 seats in Chisholm, Covington-Douglas, Drummond, Garber, Kremlin-Hillsdale, Pioneer-Pleasant Vale and Waukomis.
• Autry Technology Center, Zone 5.
The filing period closes at 5:00 p.m. Dec. 8. Declaration of candidacy forms can be downloaded from the Oklahoma State Election Board website at oklahoma.gov/elections, or by contacting the election board office at (580) 237-6016 or GarfieldCounty@elections.ok.gov. Garfield County Election Board is located at 903 Failing and is open 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday.
--00—
SP)--Enid Public Schools have announced their 2021-22 Support Professionals of the Year finalists. The finalists, nominated by their colleagues, are Nancy Griffin, Joe Lewis, and Lance Lockwood.
Nancy Griffin has been with the district for almost three years as a custodian and is at Monroe Elementary. Joe Lewis, is a custodian at McKinley Elementary. He has dedicated 17 years to McKinley Cardinals. The third Support Professional of the Year finalist is Lance Lockwood, bus mechanic for 23 years with the Transportation Department.
EPS invites the public to attend the EPS Foundation Education Celebration to celebrate the building-level Teachers of the Year as well as announce the final Support Professional of the Year winner. The event will be held on December 8 from 5:00-6:00 p.m. at the Enid High School gymnasium and will be broadcast live on YouTube and Channel 19 by EPS*tv. Events can also be streamed on Roku and AppleTV by searching “Enid Public Schools”.
--00—
IR)—The “Holidays on Ice” ice skating rink in Stride Bank Center’s south parking lot in downtown is open. Around 10,000 skaters took to the ice last winter. This year the rink will be open Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve, but closed Christmas day. Season tickets and group events and parties can be ordered now through Stride Bank Center by calling (580) 616-7381.
--00—
CP)--The City of Enid Parks and Recreation will host “Christmas in the Park” at Meadowlake Park from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. on December 4th, 11th, and 18th. Christmas in the Park will be a drive-thru only event. Each vehicle will be given a bag of goodies as they enjoy the Christmas cruise. There will be lights and characters posted on both the North and South sides of the park.
The City of Enid will also be hosting a toy drive for “Toys for Tots” and will have a drop-off section for collecting new, unwrapped toys. In addition to the “Christmas in the Park” event, there will be a Santa Stroll 5K, Fun Run, and Santa Walk event at Meadowlake Park at on Saturday, December 4th. The rain date for the Santa Stroll event is Saturday, December 18th.
For more information and to register for the Santa Stroll, go to the following link: https://santastroll5k.itsyourrace.com/event.aspx?id=14845.
The parks department will have “Photos with Characters” from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Friday, December 17th at Meadowlake Park South Pavilion #1. Meadowlake Park is located at 1200 West Rupe Avenue, Enid, OK 73701. For more info on the events, go to: Enid.org/ChristmasInThePark.
--00—
NC)--Are you looking for low-stress physical activities? Take free, health & wellness classes at the Enid Public Library during the months of December and January.
You can join the library after work on Monday evenings for a calming yoga class at 5:15. This class is for everyone, regardless of age or mobility, and is designed to increase strength and sense of balance. This is especially important as you age. The movements in this class may be performed seated, while standing and holding a chair, or while free standing. Bring your own mat or use one of the library’s.
Grab a mat and join the library Thursday mornings at 10:00 for Tai Chi, tailored to older adults and is a video-based class. Using slow, meditative movements and a non-impact formula, this course is a safe way to build strength and balance. For more information about these events and others, visit the library’s website at enid.okpls.org/events. The Enid Public Library is located at 120 West Maine, Enid, OK 73701.
--00—
