LeFlore County newsletter 4-16-2024 (2024)

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Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.

Lamentations 3:22-23 NIV

Tuesday’s podcast

Why did the librarian get kicked off the plane?

It was overbooked.

LeFlore County sports scores from Monday

Baseball

Victory Christian 3, Heavener 0

Victory Christian 9, Heavener 0

Howe 13, McCurtain 3

Panama 14, Arkoma 0

Stigler 6, Poteau 5

Cascia Hall 16, Spiro 6

Slow pitch softball

Heavener 8, Sallisaw 3

LeFlore 16, Talihina 9

Pocola 12, Panama 0

Muldrow 6, Spiro 1

Whitesboro 12, Sasakwa 0*

Whitesboro 21, Sasakwa 0*

* District tournaments

Tuesday’s schedule

High school track: Heavener at Idabel meet

High school baseball: Heavener at Wilburton; Howe at LeFlore; Central Sallisaw at Panama; Pocola at Haworth; Poteau at Stigler; Cascia Hall at Spiro; Savanna at Talihina; Tushka at Wister; Cameron at Talihina.

High school softball: Kiowa, LeFlore at Red Oak; Panama at Whitesboro; Stigler at Talihina; District softball

To make an addition or correction, please CONTACT us.

Victory Christian sweeps 2 from Heavener

HEAVENER—Victory Christian’s pitching held Heavener scoreless in a District 3A-7 baseball doubleheader here Monday.

Victory Christian took the opener 3-0 before completing the sweep with an 8-0 victory in the second contest.

Victory Christian stays on top of the district standings with a 15-9 record overall, 10-2 in district play. Heavener drops to 5-17 and 3-7. The Wolves visit Wilburton Tuesday in a non-district game.

Game One

In the opener, Heavener actually outhit the visitors, 7-6, but could never get the big hit when needed.

Bryce Morrison was excellent on the mound, pitching six innings, giving up only five hits and three runs, two earned, with three strikeouts and five walks. Canyon Ford pitched the final inning, allowing one hitter with one walk.

Jackson Clubb doubled and was 2-4 to lead Heavener. Brintley Hash also doubled while going 1-4.

VCHS 1 0 1 0 1 0 0—3 6 0

HHS 0 0 0 0 0 0 0—0 7 2

Game Two

In the second game, Heavener only trailed 3-0 through four innings before Victory Christian scored three runs in the fifth and sixth innings to put the game away.

Clubb went four innings, allowing four hits and three runs, two earned, with six strikeouts and two walks. Bryce Early threw a third of an inning, not allowing a hit while giving up three runs, all earned, on three walks. Talon Lemay pitched the final inning, giving up three hits and three runs, all earned, with two strikeouts and five walks.

Heavener managed only five hits, all singles.

HHS 0 0 0 0 0 0—0 8 5

VCHS 2 0 1 0 3 3—9 7 1

Heavener’s six seniors celebrated their senior night Monday with an 8-3 win over Sallisaw.

The Lady Wolves improve to 16-7 heading into their district tournament Thursday at Valliant against Calera. Sallisaw finishes its regular season at 1-12.

Senior Cayleigh McGee homered twice and was 2-2 with two RBI and two runs, Gracie Morrison went 2-2 with a RBI and Kristy Shadwick homered while going 1-2 with three RBI and a run.

Heavener 8, Sallisaw 3

SHS 2 0 0 0 1—3 9 2

HHS 4 4 0 0 x—8 9 0

Cloudy skies with a stray shower or thunderstorms possible for Tuesday in LeFlore County.

The high is forecast tobe 82 degrees with a low of 65.

Sunrise is 6:44 a.m. Sunset is 7:52 p.m.

Monday’s high was 77 with a low of 68. A total of .01 inches of rain was recorded, bringing the monthly total to 3.68 inches. Average rainfall for April is 4.90 inches.

Average temperatures for April 16 are a high of 75 and low of 47. Records for the date were a high of 85 in 1982. The record low was 27 in 1983.

Last year on April 16, the high was 64 with a low of 54.

Calendar of events for Heavener, LeFlore County and southeastern Oklahoma.. If you are a non-profit, school or church, submit an event. This is a free service for non-profits and churches, so if you want your event published, send an email to craig@heavenerledger.com

Tuesday

Funeral services for Ruth Plummer

High school track: Heavener at Idabel meet

High school baseball: Heavener at Wilburton; Howe at LeFlore; Central Sallisaw at Panama; Pocola at Haworth; Poteau at Stigler; Cascia Hall at Spiro; Savanna at Talihina; Tushka at Wister; Cameron at Talihinal.

High school softball: Kiowa, LeFlore at Red Oak; Panama at Whitesboro; Stigler at Talihina; District softball

High school soccer: Regent Prep at Heavener; Dove Science at Poteau

Poteau Chamber of Commerce banquet

Poteau Evening Lions Club meet 6 p.m. CASC

Wednesday

Poteau Rotary Club meets noon EOMC

Thursday

Poteau Kiwanis Club meets noon

Heavener VFW bingo 6:30 p.m. Highway 59 North

High school softball: Keota at Cameron; Panama at Wister; Howe at Poteau

High school baseball: Spiro at Salina Tournament

HUA, city council meetings 6 p.m. Heavener City Hall

Friday

Heavener at Broken Bow meet

High school softball: Cameron at Spiro; Pocola, Tahlequah at Muskogee; Poteau at Muldrow

High school baseball: Panama at Hartshorne; Spiro at Salina Tournament; Wister at Wilburton

High school soccer: Heavener girls at Porter; Poteau at Regent Prep

Heavener drama presentation of Mean Girls 7 p.m.

Saturday

Heavener, Poteau clean-up drive

Funeral service for Jeff Sullivan

High school baseball: Heaener at Eufaula; Muldrow at Poteau; Spiro at Salina Tournament

Heavener drama presentation of Mean Girls 7 p.m.

Sunday

Heavener drama presentation of Mean Girls 2 p.m.

Monday

LeFlore County commissioners meet 9 a.m.

High school baseball: Howe at Heavener;Vian at Panama; Pocola at Muldrow; district tournaments; Poteau at Spiro

High School softball:Whitesboro, Spiro at Howe

By Rep. RICK WEST

It's bill-killing time at the State Capitol. Once bills pass to the opposite chamber, they have a tendency to get squashed. That's what happened to my House Bill 2972, which would have required organizations such as the Oklahoma Secondary School Activities Association to accept cash at their games and would not allow them to charge extra for cash-only transactions.

The chairman of the Senate committee to which this bill was assigned refused to hear it. He argued that OSSAA does not take state dollars and should not be opened up to state regulation. Public schools are funded by taxpayer dollars. Those that become members of OSSAA, therefore, do pay with state dollars, and these funds should be subject to oversight.

I'll keep an eye on this during playoff time next year, and if I get the same complaints I got last year – that they're not accepting cash or charging more for cash transactions – then I'll go after them again with similar legislation.

My House Bill 2973 also got amended in Senate committee. This bill would have extended tax-free vehicle title transfers from grandparents to their grandchildren. The amendment to the bill stripped the word grandparent and inserted the words legal guardian. That is not the intent of the bill. I'm waiting to see how this emerges from the Senate before I determine my next step.

Sometimes good legislation does survive the chamber swap. An example of this is Senate Bill 1994, which passed in a House committee last week. This measure would create a procedure for the removal of unlawful occupants of property. It would allow a property owner to request the sheriff of a county in which property is located to immediately remove a person or persons unlawfully occupying the real property if certain conditions are met.

This is a big issue in our House district. I even heard of incidents during the recent solar eclipse in which people just decided to set up camp on private property without permission of the landowner. I'm glad to see legislation moving forward that would stop these types of infringements. Property ownership is a Constitutional right and impacts many other freedoms, such as a person's right to vote in local elections, to participate in certain trade transactions and in other areas.

Also in the House last week, we held a joint legislative session with the state Senate to recognize the efforts of the 129-year-old Oklahoma Army and Air National Guard. We have more than 8,200 guardsmen and women serving currently. They help here at home during disasters like tornadoes, floods, wildfires or worse, and they help nationally and abroad to stem the tide of terrorism and to keep our liberties intact. It was good to be able to recognize the sacrifice of these soldiers and airmen and that of their families. I appreciate all they do for us.

As always, if I can help you with anything, feel free to call my Capitol office at (405) 557-7413 or email me at rick.west@okhouse.gov.

Rick West serves District 3 in the Oklahoma House of Representatives. His district includes part of LeFlore County.

By LEON YOUNGBLOOD

(I got a request for this Thanksgiving 2023 column, and see no harm in repeating it in this week’s Briar Circle. It’s always a good time to be thankful, and it’s always nice to get responses, too. I can be emailed at llyoungblood@outlook.com, and with a subscription, you can check back issues online.)

BRIAR CIRCLE

Thanksgiving was established as a National holiday by Abraham Lincoln’s Thanksgiving Proclamation on October 3, 1863—the middle of the Civil War. The holiday was to be observed every year on the last Thursday in November (later changed to the 4^th Thursday), and was intended to be a time to thank God for His blessings, but—what, pray tell, was there to be thankful for?

The North and South were engaged in the bloodiest conflict in American history. The notion of war had been somewhat romanticized during the early interactions, the first being the shelling of Fort Sumter by the Confederates, April 12, 1861. This formally started the war, though hostilities had been simmering for some time. Both sides thought it would end quickly; it didn’t. September 17, 1962 saw the bloodiest single day of the war at Antietam. The bloodiest battle was at Gettysburg, July 1-3, 1863. Then September 19-20, just 2 weeks before the Thanksgiving Proclamation, the 2^nd bloodiest battle was fought at Chickamauga, Georgia. The outcome of the war was uncertain, but it was clear the bloodshed was a long way from ending. Some notable men had some “I told you so” moments, too, to express their thoughts:

Nathan Bedford Forrest stated simply, “War means fighting, and fighting means killing.”

Stonewall Jackson observed, “People who are anxious to bring on war don’t know what they are bargaining for; they don’t see all the horrors that must accompany such an event.” On another occasion, Stonewall said, “I have seen enough of it [war] to make me look upon it as the sum of all evil.”

William Tec*mseh Sherman testified, “I am sick and tired of war. Its glory is all moonshine. It is only those who have neither fired a shot nor heard the shrieks and groans of the wounded who cry aloud for blood, for vengeance, for desolation. War is hell.”

All these sorts of quotes are well and good; but Ambrose Bierce hits the mark most closely with this excerpt from his short story, Chickamauga, when a child is reunited with his mother on the battlefield:

“There, conspicuous in the light of the conflagration, lay the dead body of a woman—the white face turned upward, the hands thrown out and clutched full of grass, the clothing deranged, the long dark hair in tangles and full of clotted blood. The greater part of the forehead was torn away, and from the jagged hole the brain protruded, overflowing the temple, a frothy mass of gray, crowned with clusters of crimson bubbles—the work of a shell.”

It’s like Sherman said—“War is hell.”

So again, what was Abe wanting to thank God for?

Like love and faith, thankfulness is not only an emotional reaction, it is a conscious act of will. Lincoln was a man of faith. “God cannot be for and against the same thing at the same time. In the present civil war, it is quite possible that God’s purpose is something different from the purpose of either party–and yet the human instrumentalities, working just as they do, are of the best adaptation to effect His purpose.”

In other words, whatever happened, Lincoln believed God was in control. He was thankful for that; we should be, too. We’ll look at this more next week.

By T.J. Wiles

‘The Black Diamonds,’ ‘Chaotic Resemblance’ and ‘Hillbilly Vegas’ set concert dates

Nothing but promos of local bands! No news of ripe maters (cherry) or fishing or dawgs — just live music. So, don’t let me get off track.

The weather, I can always get sidetracked with the weather. We’ve had two good rains but this weekend looks perfect for outside venues as it will be warm and sunny with a slight chance of rain. So, get your fishing and yard/garden work caught up so you can dance!

“The Black Diamonds” — when they pop up, there’s a lot of commotion. Here’s a chance to hear them at the band’s point of origin — The Coffee Cup in Poteau beginning at 6 p.m. Friday as the parking lot will be filled with fans. Singer/songwriter Ben Whiteaker/Guitar with sidekicks/friends Kaleb Oliver/Bass, Bryson Cook/guitar and Friscoe Boyd/drums will showcase four original songs at a release party. Recorded at Valcour Sound in Broken Arrow, with the legendary Hank Charles at the helm as producer, this online opportunity will present a chance to hear the band’s best efforts to date. In Ben’s words, it will be “four heartfelt songs” on this “Revenge Of The Black Diamonds Tour.” If you can’t make it, remember that you will be able to hear the tunes on your favorite music streaming platform that day — it’s almost as good as being there. If necessary, the show will be inside.

“The Black Diamonds” was formed at The Coffee Cup from the barista staff. Tammie Johnson has always supported live music and given young folks a chance to learn life lessons and earn some extra cash. The crew has always been courteous, friendly and efficient. That’s why I won’t buy my latte anywhere else. Hope to see you there!

“Chaotic Resemblance” is another band with Poteau roots and with loyal fans which is reaching another audience with heavy-metal Christian. They have produced chart-worthy compact discs (CDs) and singles, performed for huge crowds and small churches and carried the message of Christ to folks across the United States and across the pond. Travis McConnell, L.A. Ellis and John Jakway will start the “Quick and the Dead Part 1” tour on Friday at The House of Prayer and Saturday at Calvary Chapel in Bemidji, Minn. This is the start of a northern tour through Minnesota, Wyoming, Michigan, North Dakota and ending in Indiana. Prayers for a safe journey and for touching many lives through their music. More on the tour and schedule soon.

“Hillbilly Vegas” is living the dream and continuing making plans for more shows and new music in 2024. The band is going back across the Atlantic Ocean to Porthcawl, South Wales, to do a show at Planet Rockstock 2024 for four nights, Nov. 28-Dec. 1. It will feature a combination of awesome music from up and comers and a few well known headliners such as “Uriah Heep.” Here will be another great opportunity for the band to expand its fanbase with its southern hustle. More information later.

As for live music this week, “Al Grzech and Friends,” featuring Niki Waters, will entertain at the 906 Lounge on Garrison Avenue in Fort Smith, Ark. The show will be from 8 p.m. until midnight Saturday. This band has some of the top-tier entertainers in one of the finest venues. Make plans to be there.

Across the Ark. River at Muldrow City Limits, “Backroads” will play its country music for the 100-plus crowd in attendance, but it has a big dance floor with plenty of room for more. Shelia and David invite you to help start the dancing when the music kicks off at 7 p.m.

“Rhythm Coalition,” with an eclectic mix that covers R&B, blues, jazz, an original or two and probably a red-dirt tune thrown in for good measure, will be playing at Rooster’s on Garrison Avenue in Fort Smith beginning at 10 p.m. Saturday. Make it a late night and enjoy this very cool band.

“The Tribadours” will be pulling a double again. This Friday, the band will be at El Toro on Market Place in Fort Smith with coastal and western music from 5-8 p.m. Then the band will load up, move a few hundred feet in record time around the corner to Ava’s at Fianna with music from 8:30 p.m. Friday until 12:30 a.m. Saturday. This band’s music can be enjoyed all evening, just off of Exit 13 near Interstate 540. Don’t forget that “The Tribadours” will be at Warehouse Willy’s in Poteau on April 30.

“The Stagemasters” will start the weekend off right at Dawn’s Diner/Red Oak. On Friday , the band will play classic country for the dance. Then on Saturday, Paden Baggett will bring his music and entertain the folks at Dawn’s. The music will start both nights at 7 p.m.

Poteau has quite an event coming in May. During Memorial Day Weekend on May 25, there will be a show at the Donald W. Reynolds Community Center amphitheater. There will be an awesome line-up of blues and red dirt for “The Jeff Horton Band,” “Oreo Blue” and “J.J. Taylor and Bourbon Highway.”

For more information call Annie Kobus at (918) 766-8269.

That ain’t all I got to say, but it’s a good place to stop. There’s a lot of outside live spring events scheduled.

For additional information about any live-music events or to let me know of any such venues, call or text message me at (918) 649-5736 or e-mail me at tj.wiles61@outlook.com.

2007

Virginia Tech shooting leaves 32 dead

On April 16, 2007, 32 people died after being gunned down on the campus of Virginia Tech by Seung-Hui Cho, a student at the college who later died by suicide. The Virginia Tech shooting began around 7:15 a.m., when Cho, a 23-year-old senior and English major at Blacksburg-based Virginia Polytechnic ...readmore

Art, Literature and Film History

1889

Hollywood legend Charlie Chaplin born

2018

Kendrick Lamar becomes the first rapper to win the Pulitzer Prize

BLACK HISTORY

1963

Martin Luther King Jr. writes “Letter from a Birmingham Jail”

Cold War

1947

Bernard Baruch popularizes the term “Cold War”

Crime

1881

Western gunslinger, Bat Masterson, fights in last shootout

Inventions & Science

1943

Hallucinogenic effects of LSD discovered

1946

Arthur Chevrolet dies by suicide

Natural Disasters & Environment

1947

Fertilizer explosion kills more than 500 in Texas

Space Exploration

1972

Apollo 16 departs for moon

Sports

1929

Cleveland becomes first MLB team to play with numbers on back of jerseys

World War I

1917

Lenin returns to Russia from exile

World War II

1945

Hitler calls for last stand on the Eastern front

POTEAU--Funeral service for Jeffery Michael Sullivan, 57, of Poteau is 10 a.m. Saturday at Evans Chapel of Memories in Poteau with Reverend Phil McGehee officiating.

Services are under the direction of Evans & Miller Funeral Home of Poteau.

Jeffery was born Dec. 8, 1966 in Poteau to Karolyn Kay McCoy and Mike Sullivan and passed away April 11, 2024 in Poteau.

Survivors include his father, Mike Sullivan; sister, Kim Sullivan; brother, Jon Sullivan; nephews Jon Michael Reese, Matthew Reese, Sam Reese, Braxton Sullivan, Blake Sullivan and Austin Sullivan; nieces Macklin Sullivan and Olivia Planchon; three great nephews; numerous other relatives and loved ones.

He was preceded in death by his mother, Kay Sullivan; and brother, Mark Sullivan.

Viewing is from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday and Friday with family visiting with friends Friday from 5 to 7 p.m. at the funeral home.

You may leave an online message at www.evansandmillerfuneralhome.com.

Funeral services for Ruth Plummer, 83, of Spiro is 2 Tuesday at Mallory-Martin Chapel in Spiro with Reverend Bobby Hogan and Brother Bobby Smith officiating.

Burial will follow at Spiro City Cemetery, under the direction of Mallory-Martin Funeral Home. Ruth was born April 24, 1940 in Spiro to Edith Marie (Boyster) and Virgil Manuel Kirkendoll and passed away April 12, 2024 in Fort Smith, Arkansas. She enjoyed sewing and doing arts and crafts, she was also an avid wrestling fan. Ruth was of the Pentecostal faith and attended Kingdom Living Church in Fort Smith, Arkansas.