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HUA, Council to meet Thursday
Heavener Utilities Authority and City Council will meet in regular business meetings 6 p.m. Thursday in Heavener’s City Hall at 103 East Avenue B.
Here are the agendas:
LeFlore County legals
Former youth pastor indicted for rape, lewd acts
OKLAHOMA CITY – The Multi-County Grand Jury has indicted former pastor Joseph Lyle Campbell, 68, on one count of first-degree rape and one count of lewd or indecent acts to a child under 16. The indictment alleges the crimes occurred in 1984 while Campbell was the youth pastor at the Eastland Assembly of God Church in Tulsa.
Between May 1 and Oct. 1 of that year, he allegedly raped a girl age 11 or 12 in the garage of his home. In addition, he is accused of sexually abusing a 14-year-old girl at the church, which allegedly occurred between March 1 and Dec. 1.
Drummond commended the work of the grand jurors who considered the evidence.
“The crimes alleged in the indictment are horrific,” he said. “There can be no tolerance for child sex predators, particularly adults who exploit their positions of authority and the faith of their victims. My office will vigorously work to ensure justice is served for the women who have carried this trauma for decades.”
More recently, Campbell has been a pastor at Morningside in Blue Eye, Missouri.
Every person arrested or charged is presumed innocent unless and until convicted in a court of law.
Three Hondurans sentenced for bank fraud
HAMMOND, INDIANA – Three Honduran nationals are the latest co-conspirators to be sentenced to prison for their roles in an expansive bank fraud conspiracy resulting in significant losses to small businesses and community banks in more than a dozen states, announced Acting United States Attorney M. Scott Proctor. The sentences were imposed by United States District Court Judge Philip P. Simon at hearings held on Dec. 12 and 15, 2025.
Carlos Aquino Sosa, 26, of Honduras, was sentenced to 41 months in prison followed by 1 year of supervised release after pleading guilty to two counts of conspiracy to commit bank fraud. He was also ordered to pay $533,043 in restitution.
Edwin Palacios Sosa, 27, of Honduras, was sentenced to 27 months in prison followed by 1 year of supervised release after pleading guilty to two counts of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and one count of illegal re-entry. He was also ordered to pay $533,043 in restitution.
Delvin Velasquez Romero, 33, of Honduras, received a time-served sentence dating back to July 8, 2024 (approximately 17 months in custody) followed by 1 year of supervised release after pleading guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and one count of illegal re-entry. He was also ordered to pay $233,569 in restitution.
These defendants have no legal status within the United States and will each be subject to a separate and immediate removal process upon release from prison.
According to documents in each case, on Jan.11, 2023, Aquino Sosa, Palacios Sosa, Velasquez Romero, and their co-conspirators used fake identification cards to cash 169 fraudulent paychecks totaling $233,569 at three branches of the same bank in the Northern District of Indiana. The fraudulent paychecks were designed to look like they had been issued by a company that operates dairy farms in the Northern District of Indiana.
Almost six months later, on June 23, 2023, Aquino Sosa, Palacios Sosa, Velasquez Romero, and their co-conspirators used fake identification cards to cash 178 fraudulent paychecks totaling $299,474 at five branches of the same bank and three check cashing businesses in the Eastern District of Oklahoma. The fraudulent paychecks were designed to look like they had been issued by a building materials supply company in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
“Aquino Sosa, Palacios Sosa, and Velasquez Romero participated in a far-reaching conspiracy that caused major financial harm to small businesses and community banks across the United States. Due to the unwavering efforts and collaboration between federal, state, and local law enforcement in multiple jurisdictions, these defendants were brought to justice for their respective roles in this scheme,” said Proctor. “The sentences imposed by the court send a message that there are real consequences for engaging in fraud, particularly in northwest Indiana.”
“The illicit actions of co-conspirators to commit bank fraud as they travel throughout the United States will not be tolerated,” said Matthew J. Scarpino, special agent in charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in Chicago. “HSI will continue to partner with our fellow law enforcement agencies to disrupt these types of offenders and hold them accountable for their crimes.”
“Sophisticated fraud operations like this require investigative teamwork that spans state lines,” said Sergeant Jeremy Piers, Public Information Officer for the Indiana State Police. “From the first lead to the final arrest, our detectives, troopers, and support staff worked relentlessly alongside federal, state, and local partners to track the suspects’ movements, gather critical evidence, and bring this scheme to an end. This outcome reflects countless hours of coordination and determination, and it sends a clear message: when criminal activity crosses into Indiana, we will work tirelessly with our partners to protect our communities, our businesses, and our financial institutions.”
Co-conspirators Luis Banegas Rodriguez and Ricardo Castro Murillo were previously sentenced to 27 and 37 months in prison, respectively, for their roles in this scheme.
These cases were investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Secret Service, and the Indiana State Police, with valuable assistance provided by the Benton County (Indiana) Sheriff’s Department, the Benton County (Indiana) Prosecutor’s Office, the Poteau (Oklahoma) Police Department, the Texas Department of Public Safety, the Travis County (Texas) Sheriff’s Office, the Houston (Texas) Police Department, the Nebraska State Police, and the Stanton County (Nebraska) Sheriff’s Office. The cases were prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Steven J. Lupa from the Northern District of Indiana and Assistant United States Attorneys Kara Traster and Jordan Howanitz from the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Indianapolis comprises agents and officers from FBI, HSI, DEA, ATF, IRS, Indiana State Police, and other partners, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Offices for the Northern and Southern Districts of Indiana.
By J.C. Hallman / Oklahoma Watch
On Dec. 4, Attorney General Gentner Drummond filed a petition accusing State Farm of violating ORICO, Oklahoma’s version of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (1970), the so-called RICO laws that were passed to dismantle La Cosa Nostra, the Italian mafia.
State Farm has been accused of racketeering before; the first time reads like something from The Godfather saga.
The story begins in 1997, when State Farm was caught violating its own auto insurance policies by substituting aftermarket parts for bodywork. A 48-state class action lawsuit filed in Illinois resulted in a jury award of $1.1 billion. State Farm appealed.
In 2004, a circuit court judge from a small, rural county southeast of St. Louis, Lloyd Karmeier, mounted a long-shot campaign to win a seat on the Illinois Supreme Court. The race became the most expensive judicial election in history, with $9.3 million raised between the two candidates. Karmeier prevailed and quickly provided the deciding vote in a decision that overturned the billion-dollar settlement against State Farm.
In 2009, a U.S. Supreme Court case in West Virginia triggered a new investigation in Illinois — a retired FBI agent and a private investigator teamed up to prove that Karmeier had received as much as $4 million in campaign donations from State Farm.
In 2012, State Farm was accused of violating RICO laws over the judge scandal, with billions of dollars in damages being sought.
In 2018, just before the case went to trial, State Farm settled for $250 million, saving the company from billions in potential losses and skirting a trial that could have permanently branded it a criminal enterprise.
Now, what happened in Illinois may be repeating in Oklahoma.
Drummond’s petition is an attempt to intervene in the most public-facing of as many as 200 cases that have been brought against State Farm in Oklahoma, alleging a practice of pre-denying claims of hail and wind damage to the roofs of policyholders.
“The Attorney General identifies the harm to numerous Oklahoma policyholders as proof of the ‘pattern of racketeering activity’ required by ORICO,” the petition reads. “Their experiences demonstrate the scope and magnitude of State Farm’s enterprise-wide scheme.”
If District Court Judge Amy Palumbo grants the motion to intervene, Drummond will be able to exert substantial subpoena powers to prove the existence of the alleged scheme.
Cartel-Like Behavior
Accusations of resembling a criminal enterprise have dogged the insurance industry from the moment of its modern incarnation.
Ever since the passage of the McCarran-Ferguson Act (1945), which provided the insurance industry with qualified immunity from enforcement of the Sherman Antitrust Act (1890), scholars have argued that insurance companies engage in what amounts to state-sanctioned price-fixing and are therefore susceptible to cartel-like behavior. That is, insurance companies may cooperate in the same way that OPEC in the oil industry collaborates to fix oil prices outside of competitive markets or the way drug cartels divide territory for the production and distribution of illegal drugs.
Editorials in Business Week and the New York Times have suggested that the insurance industry is a cartel ripe for busting.
Reflecting on his own experiences as a patient and psychologist, Former Yale professor Jonathan Kellerman called on his second act career as a bestselling crime novelist to characterize the insurance industry as a de facto crime syndicate.
“The health insurance model is closest to the parasitic relationship imposed by the Mafia and the like,” Kellerman said. “Insurance companies provide nothing other than an ambiguous, shifty notion of ‘protection.’”
Jay M. Feinman, Distinguished Professor of Law at Rutgers University and author of a book on why insurance companies don’t pay out on claims, did not go so far as to liken the insurance industry to organized crime but listed a triumvirate of shady legal tactics that are difficult to square with an industry devoted to ethics and good practices.
Insurance companies, Feinman argued, prolong the claims process to exploit the financial desperation of policyholders. They reject valid claims based on technicalities and ambiguous language. And they force policyholders into prolonged litigation that they cannot afford to sustain.
RICO Flows Both Ways
Opinions have differed on whether RICO laws are enforceable against the insurance industry. In 1998, however, a ruling in the Supreme Court case Humana Inc. v. Forsyth held that McCarran-Ferguson did not protect insurance companies from RICO laws if federal law did not interfere with state regulation.
That paved the way for cases in which RICO was found to assist rather than impair state regulation.
Twenty-five years ago, a consortium of 700,000 physicians banded together to charge more than two dozen HMOs under RICO laws. Some of the HMOs fought back, and the charge of racketeering did not hold up in court. Others, like State Farm in the case in Illinois, opted for multiple settlements totaling $1.7 billion, likely to avoid branding as a criminal enterprise.
More recently, RICO charges have flowed both ways. In 2020, another physicians’ group filed a lawsuit against UnitedHealthcare, charging RICO violations. In August, UnitedHealthcare called on RICO laws to sue a group of radiologists. Since 2003, Allstate has used RICO laws to seek $237 million in damages in 48 separate lawsuits against individuals and “organized rings” for alleged fraud.
Murder, Kidnapping, Bribery and Insurance Fraud
In Oklahoma, the application of RICO laws has been uneven. In 2001, two individuals charged with stealing cows were convicted under RICO laws only to have their conviction overturned by the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals, which judged the case not serious enough to merit the application of RICO.
The numerous crimes prosecutable under RICO in Oklahoma are detailed in Section 1402 of Title 22. Crimes that may be part of racketeering activity include homicide, sex offenses, arson, kidnapping, bribery, Medicare and workers comp fraud, and insurance fraud as defined in Title 36.
The McKinsey Report
In 2007, in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, which cost insurance companies at least $11 billion, a confidential report from McKinsey and Co., a management consulting firm, proposed a plan in which insurers would lowball potential payments when claims were filed and fight back vigorously if policyholders refused to acquiesce. Exposed in Bloomberg Markets, the nature of the McKinsey report tracks perfectly with the alleged scheme that State Farm has been accused of perpetrating in Oklahoma and beyond.
The McKinsey report is the equivalent of the internal documents now being sought by the attorney general in order to prove that State Farm is guilty of racketeering.
Whether the documents will become public — or whether State Farm will once again settle before trial — remains to be seen.
State Farm must respond to Drummond’s petition by Dec. 22.
Ed. Note: This story is part of a series on property insurance in Oklahoma.
“Oklahoma Watch, at oklahomawatch.org, is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that covers public-policy issues facing the state.”
Seeds released for basketball LCT
Seeds were selected for the 2026 basketball LeFlore County Tournament Wednesday.
The LCT is scheduled to be played from Jan. 19-26. The tournament is hosted by Bokoshe this year with Panama and Howe as subsites. The semifinals and finals will be held at Howe.
Here are the seeds for the tournament
Boys
1, Pocola
2. Talihina
3. Howe
4. Spiro
5. Poteau
6. Heavener
7. Whitesboro
8. Panama
9. Wister
10. Cameron
11. Arkoma
12. LeFlore
13. Bokoshe
Girls
1. Howe
2. Panama
3. Spiro
4. Heavener
5. Talihina
6. Poteau
7. Whitesboro
8. Wister
9. Pocola
10. LeFlore
11. Cameron
12. Arkoma
13. Arkoma
Franklin, Myers, Smith join Arkansas staff
FAYETTEVILLE, Arkansas – Arkansas head coach Ryan Silverfield has added three more coaches to his initial staff with familiar faces Noah Franklin named the Head Strength and Conditioning coach, Jeff Myers tabbed the Run Game Coordinator/Offensive Line coach and Larry Smith set to lead the Razorbacks’ wide receivers. All three coaches worked for Silverfield at Memphis.
Franklin rejoins Silverfield’s staff after eight seasons with the Tigers, including the last six as the Director of Athletic Performance. He originally joined the Tigers’ staff in 2012 as a graduate assistant working with the team’s offensive line before moving into a full-time role as an assistant strength and conditioning coach.
He joined the Oakland Raiders’ staff in 2014. With the Raiders, he worked on the creation of player workouts and programming while also leading the development and implantation of workouts for the team’s practice squad.
Franklin was an offensive lineman at Oklahoma State, earning his degree in December of 2010. He spent time in the NFL with the Carolina Panthers and Detroit Lions before beginning his coaching career as a graduate assistant at ULM.
He and his wife, Taylor, have two children – a son, Max, and a daughter, Hailey.
Myers coached at Memphis for three seasons, earning the title of running game coordinator in 2024. His offensive lines were an integral part of the Tigers’ success on offense, including three-straight seasons ranking in the Top 20 nationally in scoring offense. His offensive line protected at an elite level when the Tigers won 21 games combined in 2023 and 2024 as one of just 18 teams in the country to allow fewer than 20 sacks in consecutive seasons, giving up 19 during the 2023 and 2024 seasons.
This past season, Myers’ offensive line was anchored by First-Team All-American Conference lineman Travis Burke. Burke and his fellow linemen paved the way for a Tigers’ offense that averaged 420.7 yards per game while averaging 34.6 points per game. The running game was key for Memphis with 186.1 yards per game, including 77 runs of 10+ yards.
The 2024 Tigers won 11 games, capped by a Frisco Bowl victory over West Virginia, and were led by an offense that averaged a league-best 35.7 points per game. Tackle Xavier Hill earned first-team honors from the league’s coaches with guard Jonah Gambill and center Trent Holler picking up third-team recognition.
Myers’ first offensive line at Memphis paved the way for an offense that ranked sixth nationally in scoring (39.4 ppg), 10thin passing offense (306.5 ypg) and 14th in total offense (458.5 ypg). Memphis finished off the program’s fifth 10-win season with a 36-26 win over Iowa State in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl.
Before joining the Tigers’ staff, Myers spent seven seasons at Iowa State, the last five as the Cyclones’ offensive line coach. The Iowa State offense during his tenure were among the best in school history. Seven of his offensive linemen earned All-Big 12 honors during his time leading the unit. Julian Good-Jones (2019), Colin Newell (2020) and Trevor Downing (2021) were all named First-Team All-Big 12 while Downing was named a Freshman All-American by The Athletic in 2019 and Darrell Simmons in 2020.
The Cyclones’ offense in 2020 was elite in leading the squad to a first-place finish in the Big 12, making the Big 12 championship game and qualifying for a New Year’s Six bowl for the first time in school history – a 24-17 win over Oregon in the Fiesta Bowl.
Iowa State broke the school record for total offense (444.3) and posted the third-best scoring offense (32.2) in program history in 2019 and followed it up with the second-best scoring offense (32.9) and third-best total offense (436.3) totals in Cyclone history in 2020.
In 2019, Myers was named to 247Sports 30Under30 list as one of the profession’s young, rising stars.
He began his coaching career in 2015 as a graduate assistant at Toledo before heading to Iowa State as a graduate assistant during the 2016 and 2017 seasons.
Myers played at Toledo, graduating in 2014. The Massillon, Ohio native was a three-year starter on the offensive line for the Rockets, starting 38 consecutive games. He earned All-MAC honors twice and was named team captain in 2014 when Toledo went 9-4 with a GoDaddy Bowl win capping the season.
Myers and his wife, Lauren, have one daughter, Kalani.
Smith spent the last three seasons as the wide receivers coach on Silverfield’s Memphis staff after joining the Tigers from UAB.
The Tigers’ receiving corps was led by transfer Cortez Braham Jr. in 2025. Braham Jr. earned First-Team All-American Conference honors after leading the team with 63 receptions for 889 yards and eight touchdowns. Memphis’ top four pass catchers all came from Smith’s room with Braham Jr., Jamari Hawkins (34 catches, 591 yards), Marcello Bussey (24, 253) and Brady Kluse (21, 230) combining for nearly 70% of the Tigers’ receiving yards.
Memphis posted the program’s second consecutive 10-win season in 2024, going 11-2 with a Frisco Bowl win over West Virginia. Roc Taylor led the Tigers and ranked second in the American Conference with 950 yards to earn first-team all-conference honors. Taylor teamed up with Demeer Blankumsee (45 catches, 677 yards) and Koby Drake (39, 484) to form one of the best receiving trios in the league with all three ranking in the Top 25 for receptions and yards.
Taylor picked up Second-Team All-American Conference honors in 2023 thanks to a 1,000-yard season. He caught 69 passes for 1,083 yards and four touchdowns before finishing the season 20th in FBS with 83.3 yards per game. The Memphis offense was explosive, ranking sixth nationally in scoring (39.4 ppg), 10th in passing yards per game (306.5), 14th in total offense (458.5) and 17th in both passing efficiency (154.79) and completion percentage (.667) to help the Tigers go 10-3 with a Liberty Bowl win over Iowa State.
Smith served seven seasons on staff at UAB as the Blazers’ wide receivers coach beginning in 2016. He helped lead the program back to the playing field in 2017 after the program was shut down. UAB played in three bowl games and captured a pair of Conference USA crowns during his tenure.
A former Vanderbilt quarterback, Smith began his coaching career at Jacksonville State in 2013 as a graduate assistant before being promoted to the Gamecocks’ quarterbacks coach. In 2015, he helped turn QB Eli Jenkins into All-American when he passed for nearly 4,000 yards and 36 touchdowns to lead the Gamecocks to the FCS National Championship Game for the first time in program history.
Smith started 27 games at Vanderbilt during his career, helping lead the program back to the postseason in over 25 years in 2008 and again in 2011. He earned his first career start in the Music City Bowl as a freshman with his final start coming in the Liberty Bowl as a senior.
He and his wife, Nichele, have two sons – Tripp and Karter.
Oklahoma fishing report
NORTHEAST
Grand: December 16. Elevation is normal and stable, water temperature 49°F and murky. (USACE Lake Level) Largemouth bass fair on crankbaits and plastic baits around brush structure, points, and shorelines. Blue catfish good on chicken liver, cut bait, and shad below the dam, main lake, and river channel. Paddlefish fair snagging around main lake. Report submitted by Riley Willman, game warden stationed in Delaware County.
Lower Illinois River: December 12. Elevation is normal and stable, water temperature 58°F and clear. Rainbow trout fair on caddis flies, in-line spinnerbaits, midges, nymphs, PowerBait, and worms below the dam, shallows, and shorelines. Report submitted by Jerry Henry, game warden stationed in Sequoyah County.
Kaw: December 15. Elevation is 1 ft. above normal and falling, water temperature 38°F and stained. (USACE Lake Level) Blue and channel catfish slow on cut bait, shad, stinkbait, and sunfish below the dam and main lake. Crappie slow on hair jigs, jigs, minnows, and tube jigs around brush structure, points, riprap, and standing timber. Striped bass, striped bass hybrids, and white bass slow on Alabama rigs, crankbaits, jerk baits, live shad, and sassy shad below the dam. Report submitted by Spencer Grace, game warden stationed in Kay County.
Keystone: December 15. Elevation is 2 ft. above normal and falling, water temperature 46°F and clear. (USACE Lake Level) Largemouth bass fair on Alabama rigs, bill baits, crankbaits, in-line spinnerbaits, plastic baits, and spinnerbaits around brush structure, main lake, and rocks. Blue and channel catfish good on live bait and live shad around main lake. Crappie fair on jigs and minnows around brush structure, main lake, and rocks. Report submitted by Tracer Wagner, game warden stationed in Creek County.
SOUTHEAST
Blue River: December 15. Elevation is normal and stable, water temperature 42°F and clear. (USGS Lake Level) Rainbow trout good on caddis flies, in-line spinnerbaits, midges, nymphs, PowerBait, and spoons around brush structure, channels, river channel, and rocks. Report submitted by Ethan Lovelace, biologist at the Blue River Public Fishing and Hunting Area.
Broken Bow: December 10. Elevation is 3 ft. below normal and falling, water temperature 54°F and clear. (USACE Lake Level) Largemouth, smallmouth, and spotted bass fair on Alabama rigs, bill baits, crankbaits, flukes, plastic baits, and spoons around brush structure, channels, main lake, points, and standing timber. Crappie good on hair jigs, jigs, minnows, and spoons around brush structure, points, and standing timber. Report submitted by Dru Polk, game warden stationed in McCurtain County.
Hugo: December 12. Elevation is normal and stable, water temperature 53°F and murky. (USACE Lake Level) Largemouth and spotted bass slow on crankbaits, hair jigs, jigs, and plastic baits around channels, riprap, river channel, and rocks. Blue, channel, and flathead catfish slow on chicken liver, cut bait, and live bait around dam, river channel, and spillway. Crappie slow on jigs, minnows, and small lures around brush structure, channels, dam, and points. Report submitted by Chance Phillips, game warden stationed in Choctaw County.
Konawa: December 14. Elevation is normal and stable, water temperature 54°F and clear. Largemouth bass fair on Alabama rigs, crankbaits, jerk baits, and plastic baits around main lake, points, river channel, and weed beds. Striped bass hybrids and white bass good on Alabama rigs, crankbaits, and live shad around discharge, inlet, main lake, and river channel. Channel catfish slow on chicken liver, cut bait, and shrimp around coves, inlet, riprap, and rocks. Report submitted by Garret Harley, game warden stationed in Seminole County.
McGee Creek: December 12. Elevation is 4 ft. below normal and falling, water temperature 55°F and stained. (USACE Lake Level) Largemouth and spotted bass excellent on bill baits, crankbaits, in-line spinnerbaits, jigs, and plastic baits around brush structure, points, riprap, shallows, and shorelines. Channel and flathead catfish good on cut bait, dough bait, shad, shrimp, stinkbait, and worms around channels, flats, main lake, and riprap. Report submitted by Shay Loudermilk, game warden stationed in Atoka County.
Sardis: December 12. Elevation is 0.5 ft. below normal and stable, water temperature 57°F and stained. (USACE Lake Level) Largemouth bass fair on bill baits, lipless baits, plastic baits, and spinnerbaits around brush structure, channels, points, and standing timber. Blue, channel, and flathead catfish fair on cut bait, shad, sunfish, and worms around brush structure, points, and standing timber. Crappie fair on jigs and minnows around brush structure and standing timber. Report submitted by Thomas Gillham, game warden stationed in Pushmataha County.
Texoma: December 14. Elevation is normal and stable, water temperature 52°F and clear. (USACE Lake Level) Striped bass good on flukes and live shad around channels, flats, main lake, points, and river channel. Blue, channel, and flathead catfish good on cut bait, dough bait, live shad, and punch bait below the dam, channels, coves, docks, points, and river mouth. Crappie fair on jigs, minnows, and nymphs around brush structure, coves, docks, points, and standing timber. Comments: Fishing this week has been good. Striper continue to be caught on live shad and flukes dead sticking. Catfish are good on live shad around ledges and channels. Wintertime catfishing is here, so get out there. Crappie are okay around brush piles and docks with power bait or jigs. Report submitted by Garrett Beam, game warden stationed in Marshall County.
Skies to clear later in the day
Weather forecast for Thursday is for cloudy skies and rain early with skies clearing and temperatures dropping later in the day for LeFlore County and the area.
The high is forecast to be 63 degrees with a low of 32 degrees.
Sunrise was 7:21 a.m. Sunset is 5:09 p.m.
Wednesday’s high was 62 with a low of 54. A total of .02 inches of rain was recorded, increasing the monthly total at 0.23 inches. December’s average rainfall is 3.10 inches.
Average temperatures for Dec. 18 are a high of 53 and low of 26. Records for the date were a high of 79 in 1980 and a low of 7 in 1975.
Today in history
1620
Mayflower arrives at Plymouth Harbor
On December 18, 1620, with the English ship Mayflower anchored in Plymouth Harbor, Massachusetts, a small party of sailors from the vessel go ashore, as its passengers prepare to begin their new settlement, Plymouth Colony. The famous Mayflower story began in 1606, when a group of reform-minded... read more
Arts & Entertainment
1961
Crime
1878
Slavery
1865
Sports
1932
2022
U.S. Presidents
1915
1972
2019
Vietnam War
1972
World War I
1916
World War II
1941
“Rebuilding our military and defending the homeland”
By Senator Markwayne Mullin
“The men and women who serve in our armed forces are true patriots. Over 342 million Americans wake up each and every morning in a safe and peaceful nation because of our heroes in the military. Whether they are deployed abroad or supporting the mission here at home on American soil, I am forever grateful to them for answering the call to serve.
MULLIN IT OVER
Throughout my time in the Senate, it has been a great privilege and honor to serve Oklahomans, and our nation, on the Senate Armed Services Committee. One of our paramount responsibilities is to support the mission through the annual National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The Fiscal Year 2026 NDAA restores lethality, reforms the Pentagon, and rebuilds our military.
With the 2026 NDAA and under the leadership of President Trump and Secretary Hegseth, the United States will restore its dominance on the world stage. Our adversaries are relentless in their hatred of the freedom and prosperity you and I enjoy every day. That is why it is critical we lead from the front with peace through strength. Deter aggression and anyone who wishes to infringe upon our way of life. No longer are the days of uncertainty. Our enemies fear us and are running scared.
In its constant pursuit of excellence, the Department of War is prioritizing merit and rewarding performance. With support from the NDAA, our elite warfighters will have the weapons and the technology they need to carry out the mission. Technology is evolving, so too must our approach and investments. We will expand our industrial base through historic innovation. For too long taxpayer dollars have been thrown around without regard or intent. We are slashing red tape and cutting waste to prioritize the American warfighter.
Under this administration and this committee, we will regain our global defense manufacturing dominance. Oklahoma’s industrial base is a perfect example of what other states should emulate and the Department of War should prioritize when it comes to securing the homeland and rebuilding the arsenal. The 2026 NDAA, drastically expands Industrial Base Fund authorities to accelerate reindustrialization in America and regain global defense manufacturing dominance. The bill also authorizes roughly $850 million over the budget request in Military Construction for unfunded requirements to restore facilities at home and ensure force projection abroad is properly resourced, including $670.3M for projects in Oklahoma. These historic investments will restore our readiness.
The 2026 NDAA gives our troops the pay raise they deserve. Our service members and their families sacrifice a tremendous amount for our safety, they should be supported accordingly. We will also continue to set recruiting and retention records with strong investments in the next generation of warriors.
I’m honored to continue to support our warfighters and the mission to defend this nation.”
Dale Mayne Ballantine obituary
Dale Mayne Ballantine was born Dec. 28, 1935, in Underwood, Iowa to his parents Chester Ballentine and Evelyn Pearl Mayne. Dale passed away Thursday, Dec 11, 2025, after complications from a long battle with a blood infection. He was surrounded by family and friends as he slipped away peacefully.
The Celebration of Life for Dale is Saturday at 2 p.m. at The Cedars on Dewey 520 Dewey Avenue in Poteau with Rev. Keith Stewart officiating.
Dale was a US Army veteran serving from 1958-1961. Dale was an excellent craftsman who made his living as a builder, licensed contractor, plumber, tile setter and electrician. Dale was an avid outdoorsman who loved to fish and hunt and subsequently was a master of the BBQ grill.
He is survived by his loving wife, Melinda Ballantine; sons Randy and Michael Ballantine; his brothers, Dean and Danny Ballantine; his sister, Diane Puliam; his grandchildren Ryan, Brad, Bryan, Kevin and Nesha Ballantine; 10 great grandchildren; one great great grandchild; along with many aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews, and friends.
Dale was preceded in death by his first wife, Phyllis; his parents Chester Ballantine and Evelyn Pearl Mayne; his sister, Darlene; and his grandson Carl Ballantine.
He will be missed by all.
Online condolences can be made at www.holtfuneralandcremation.com
Through Love, Serve One Another
The Family of Dale Ballantine has entrusted his arrangements to Holt Funeral and Cremation, 522 Dewey Avenue in Poteau.
Donald LeRoy Green
Donald Leroy Green funeral services were Wednesday at the Bengal School with Bro. Randy Holmes officiating and Sal Walden doing the obituary.
He was born Feb. 15, 1937 in Wister to Evie Green, and passed away Dec. 14, 2025.
Survivors are his wife of 65 years Ruth; his daughter Teresa; his son Roger and wife Marsha and Shane and his wife Cyndi; his grandkids Karie, Amber, Roy and his wife Kayla, Shaelyn and her husband Tanner, Ryan, Chance and his wife Kenie, Cheryl, and Ciera and her husband Jesse. Great grandkids Jaydn and husband Weldon, Hailea, Ruger, Kayslee, Hallee, Kaston, Kimber, Piper, Brilyn, Conner, Rylee, Charlotte, Marissa and husband Traceton, Trevor, and Baylie.
Ricky Lee Watts
Funeral services for Ricky Lee Watts, 35, are 1 p.m. Thursday at Calvary Church in Poteau with Pastor Tim Painter officiating. Burial will follow at Shady Point Cemetery, under the direction of Mallory-Martin Funeral Home of Spiro.Ricky was born Oc. 12, 1990, in Poteau to Priscilla Ann (Hankins) Watts and Richard Lee Watts, and passed away Dec. 14, 2025, in Springfield, Missouri.Ricky loved working on the Brazil Creek Ranch, especially working cows, riding the side-by-side, and doing anything outdoors. He loved being on the tractor in every aspect—baling hay, brush hogging, or just making another lap while taking in the sunrise and sunset. He was a hard worker who will be deeply missed by all who knew him. Ricky enjoyed fishing, hunting, and shooting, and he absolutely cherished his role as “Uncle Bub” to his nieces and nephews. He also deeply loved his dog, Fred, who was like a child to him and rarely left his side.Survivors include his father, Rick Watts; sisters Amanda Fowler, Kayla Saulsberry and husband Travis, and Krista Watts; nieces and nephews Kason, Wyatt, Kyler, Kallen, Layna, Jett and Wrynlee; grandmothers Dalaine Sloan and Shirley Watts; aunt Becky Terry and husband Scotty; uncles Jason Watts and wife Amanda, and Brad Oliver and wife Katie; and his cousins who were more like brothers, Monty Watts and Josh Watts, along with numerous other aunts, uncles, cousins, friends, and loved ones.He was preceded in death by his mother, Priscilla Watts; grandparents, Arnol Watts, Millie Sisco, and Delbert Hankins; and his uncle, Monty Watts.Pallbearers are Monty Watts, Kason Watts, Josh Watts, Wyatt West, BJ Lewis, and Frank Stewart. Honorary pallbearers are Jimbo Hammontree, Big Bobby Hammontree, Little Bobby Hammontree, Travis Clem and Michael Qualls.
Daniel Lee Nason Jr.
Daniel Lee Nason Jr. 70, of Pocola, passed away Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025, in Pocola.
Graveside services are 1 p.m. Thursday at Red Rock Cemetery in Calumet, under the direction of Evans and Miller Funeral Home of Pocola.
He was born Jan. 1, 1955, in El Reno to Hazel Juanita (Spencer) Hernandez and Daniel Lee Nason, Sr.
Surviving family members are his wife of over 50 years, Linda Nason, of the home; his daughter, Stephanie Lewis; his son, Daniel Lee Nason III and wife Janna; grandchildren Greggory Remy and wife Katie, Sebastian Gillenwater, and Issibella Nason; great-grandchildren, Peysleigh Raighn Remy, Paisley Faye Ritchie, and Liam Ritchie; his sister, Patricia Morris and husband Tommy; brothers, Gary Wayne Nason, Dan Preston Nason and wife Melisa, JD Schertler and Ricky Schertler; and his beloved dog, Zena Ivory Nason.
He was preceded in death by his parents; his brother, Edward Nason; and his infant sister, Carol Ann.