Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

Psalms 23:6

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 HUA, Council agendas for Thursday's meeting of the  Heavener Utilities Authority and City Council at 6 p.m. Thursday in Heavener’s City Hall at 103 East Avenue B in Heavener. 

HEAVENER UTILITIES AUTHORITY

CALL TO ORDER – Chairman                                    

ROLL CALL – Clerk                                                      

INVOCATION – Chairman                                                           

1.  Approval of minutes from previous meeting. 

2.  Approval of the review of Accounts Payable and Vendor Remittances (Wells & Wann). 

3.  City manager’s report 

4.  Water superintendent’s report 

5.  Trustee’s/chairman’s report 

6.  New Business / Public Comments 

Citizens wishing to address the City Commission must sign in prior to the meeting, providing their name and the agenda item they wish to discuss. Speakers will be recognized by the Mayor in the order in which they signed in. Public comments are limited to three (3) minutes per speaker. 

7.  Adjourn  

CITY OF HEAVENER

 CALL TO ORDER

ROLL CALL – Clerk                                        

INVOCATION –                                                                       

 AGENDA                                                            

1.     Approval of minutes from previous meeting. 

2.     Approval of the review of Accounts Payable and Vendor Remittances (Wells & Wann). 

3.     City manager’s report 

4.     Trustee’s/chairman’s report 

5.     New Business / Public Comments

Citizens wishing to address the City Commission must sign in prior to the meeting, providing their name and the agenda item they wish to discuss. Speakers will be recognized by the Mayor in the order in which they signed in. Public comments are limited to three (3) minutes per speaker. 

6.     City Commission votes to enter into executive session (requires majority vote of quorum of the members present to enter). 

7.     Enter executive session with the City Manager and City Attorney for confidential communications, as authorized by 25 O.S. § 307(B)(1), concerning the employment, hiring, appointment, promotion, demotion, disciplining, or resignation of the Chief of Police. 

8.     Return to open session and announcement by the Mayor/Chair that the City Council has concluded executive session and that no action was taken during executive session. 

9.     Consideration, discussion and possible action on matters discussed in executive session regarding the employment of the Chief of Police as appropriate. 

10.  Adjourn 

OKLAHOMA CITY– Attorney General Genter Drummond and 12 other state attorneys general have announced a lawsuit against OneMain Financial, Inc. and related entities alleging that the installment lender charged consumers nationwide hundreds of millions of dollars in hidden fees and interest.

With 19 branches operating in Oklahoma, OneMain Financial advertises high-cost installment loans with “clear, upfront terms,” but it packs those loans with hidden insurance policies and other add-on products that inflate the cost of the loans by hundreds or thousands of dollars. OneMain rushes consumers through fine-print loan documents containing dense terms and conditions for the add-ons. OneMain often hides the add-ons, sometimes misrepresents them, or even charges consumers who outright reject them.

"Oklahomans deserve honesty and transparency when they walk into a lender's office," Drummond said. "Lenders should not be hiding costly products in the fine print or rushing borrowers through contracts. My office will continue to hold companies accountable when they attempt to take advantage of hardworking consumers."  

The lawsuit alleges the following about OneMain’s bait and switch scheme:

With this lawsuit, Drummond and the coalition are seeking restitution for consumers who were unlawfully charged for these add-on products, penalties for violating state laws, and to release all unlawful profits. The lawsuit also seeks a court order preventing OneMain from continuing its illegal practices and requiring OneMain to withdraw any negative information reported to credit agencies that may impact its customers’ credit scores and to abandon any legal proceedings against customers related to the add-on loan products.

Joining Drummond in this lawsuit are the attorneys general from Colorado, Maryland, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin.

Any consumers who believe that they or someone they know may be a victim of the business practices of OneMain Financial should file a complaint with Office of the Oklahoma Attorney General Consumer Protection Unit at 1-833-681-1895.

Read the lawsuit.

LeFlore County scoreboard for games played Wednesday.

Baseball

Jones 8, Cameron 3

Preston 14, Pocola 2

Navajo 5, Wister 4

To make a correction or addition, email [email protected].

PORTLAND, Ore. – Arkansas, the #4 seed in the West Regional, will face #13 seed Hawai’i in the opening round of the 2026 NCAA Tournament on Thursday (Mar. 19) in Portland, Ore. (Moda Center). The game is scheduled to start at approximately 3:25 pm following the Wisconsin-High Point game – and will be televised on TBS. 

Arkansas earned its 38th all-time NCAA berth and is playing in its fifth Tournament in a six-year span. The Razorbacks are coming off a three-game run to win the 2026 SEC Championship. 

Arkansas is 52-36 (.591) in its 37th appearance (*also earned bid in 1944 but could not play) and is 20-8 all-time in first-round matchups. Razorback head coach John Calipari is 59-23 (.720) in his 25th NCAA Tournament appearance. He is 21-3 all-time in NCAA first-round games. He is 5-2 all-time as a #4 seed and 4-0 all-time versus a #13 seed. 

The Arkansas-Hawai’I winner will face the winner of #5 seed Wisconsin and #12 seed High Point on Saturday. Time and TV to be announced.

Cowboys completes sweep 

STILLWATER – Oklahoma State’s Campbell Smithwick delivered a walk-off home run Wednesday to lift the Cowboys to a 12-11 victory over South Dakota State at O’Brate Stadium. 

With the win, the Cowboys improved to 14-7, including a 10-1 mark at home, while SDSU fell to 5-16. 

Smithwick led off the bottom of the ninth by sending a 3-2 pitch from Austin Henry over the right-field wall for his second walk-off blast of the season. 

Three Cowboys collected multiple RBIs in the contest, with Smithwick’s three leading the way. Brock Thompson and Aidan Meola each drove in two runs. 

Kyler Zagar picked up the first win of his career as he retired the lone batter he faced in the ninth inning with a pair of Jackrabbits on base. 

SDSU plated runs against OSU starter TP Wentworth in the second and third innings and took a 5-0 advantage in the fifth. 

But the Cowboy offense broke out in the bottom of the frame, rallying for 10 runs. 

After scoring its first run on an error, OSU got RBI singles from Colin Brueggemann and Garrett Shull to cut the deficit to 5-3. Smithwick then entered the game as a pinch hitter and immediately hit a game-tying, two-RBI double. 

Thompson’s second hit of the big inning was a go-ahead, two-run single to put OSU up, 7-5. From there, Meola roped a two-run triple off the right field wall and would go on to score on a passed ball to make it a 10-5 game. 

Drew Blake finished the fifth inning for the Cowboys on the mound and returned for the sixth where he struck out a pair in a scoreless frame. 

Parker Jennings took Blake’s place in the seventh inning and allowed a leadoff homer but struck out the next three batters to keep it a 10-6 game. 

Jennings stayed in the game for the eighth inning and was the beneficiary of some stellar defensive plays behind him. Thompson made a sliding stop at short for the first out, with Brueggemann scooping the throw out of the dirt at first. After a hit, Brueggemann made another nice play, starting a 3-6-3 double play to get out of the inning. 

OSU added an insurance run in in the eighth via a sacrifice fly from Remo Indomenico. 

In the ninth, the Jackrabbits rallied for five runs on five hits and tied the game on a wild pitch before Zagar entered the game with runners on the corners and induced a pop out to get out of the inning. 

In the bottom of the ninth, Smithwick played hero once again with his second walk-off homer in the last eight days. He also achieved the feat with a 10^th inning shot against Dallas Baptist last week. 

OSU returns to Big 12 Conference action this weekend as the Cowboys host Baylor at O’Brate Stadium. Friday’s series opener is scheduled for a 6 p.m. first pitch.

Lee propels Arkansas to win
Online version

FAYETTEVILLE, Arkansas – Peyton Lee’s five shutout innings and six strikeouts propelled No. 4 Arkansas (16-6) to a double midweek series sweep in a 9-4 win against Northern Colorado (3-20) Wednesday afternoon at Baum-Walker Stadium. 

The Hogs improved to 5-1 in midweek games this season. Arkansas previously defeated Tarleton State on Feb. 16 at Globe Life Field, split a double midweek series with Arkansas State on Feb. 24-25 and collected a win against Oral Roberts on March 3 before sweeping the double midweek series against Northern Colorado on March 17-18.

 Lee, the true freshman right-hander, set the tone on the mound for the Razorbacks with his career-long five scoreless frames and career-high six strikeouts. Making his third start of the season, the Maumelle, Ark., native, who allowed only one hit while issuing three free passes in the win, carried a no-hitter through his first 4.1 innings of work on the hill.

 Arkansas jumped out to a lead in the bottom of the first on two-out RBI singles from Zack Stewart and Carter Rutenbar and never looked back. Stewart (2-for-4, RBI) and Rutenbar (2-for-4, 2B, RBI) were two of five Razorbacks who collected multi-hit games in Wednesday’s win, as the Hogs scored at least one run in six of their eight innings at the plate. 

Damian Ruiz (2-for-3, 2B, 2 RBI, SB), Camden Kozeal (2-for-3, 3 R, SB) and Kuhio Aloy (2-for-5, 2 RBI, SB) also tallied multiple hit performances. With his two-hit day, Ruiz is slashing a team-leading .359/.500/.484 in 19 games played. 

Kozeal, meanwhile, raised his season slash line to .346/.449/.679 in 21 games. The Razorback infielder leads the team in nearly every offensive category, including runs (25), hits (28), doubles (7), home runs (6), RBI (27) and total bases (55). 

In relief of Lee, Tate McGuire (1.0 IP), Cooper Dossett (1.0 IP) and Luke Cornelison (2.0 IP, 1 SO) combined for three scoreless innings. Trailing by nine in the top half of the eighth, Northern Colorado broke through for its only runs of the afternoon against left-hander Joey Lorenzini, who was tagged for four runs on three hits without recording an out. 

Up next, Arkansas jumps back into SEC play with a road trip to Columbia, S.C., to square off against South Carolina (12-10). First pitch in the series opener between the Hogs and Gamecocks is 6 p.m. Friday, March 20, on SEC Network+.

West awarded for Biblical principles legislation 

OKLAHOMA CITY – Rep. Rick West, R-Heavener, was one of 50 members of the Oklahoma Legislature to be recognized by the Christian Employers Alliance (CEA) because his voting record most aligned with biblical principles as measured by the Biblical Business Index (BBI). 

Oklahoma 2026 Defenders of Biblical Business Awards were presented at the State Capitol on March 17. 

"As a longtime Christian, I strive to make prayer and God's word a baseline part of every decision I make," West said. "I don't do this for recognition by man, but in obedience to my Maker. Still, it's nice to have affirmation that my legislation lines up with what are considered biblical principles by this national association." 

The Christian Employers Alliance claims engagement with a network of more than 20,000 faith-based employers across all 50 states, including many of the largest faith-based organizations in the country. The group says members are united by a commitment to biblical principles, timeless American values and a desire to honor God through ethical leadership and business excellence.  

The group's Oklahoma edition of its Biblical Business Index measures how closely lawmakers' voting records align with principles rooted in scripture. The report found that 50 of the 149 members of the Oklahoma Legislature voted with the biblically based position at least 80% of the time or more, earning them the Defender of Biblical Business Award. 

The study encompassed an exhaustive review of the bills advanced in the Legislature and the extraction of more than 5,000 individual votes cast by lawmakers. CEA’s research team then applied a clearly defined methodology grounded in Scripture and longstanding Judeo-Christian social principles. 

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

Calendar of events for the next week for Heavener, LeFlore County, southeastern Oklahoma and western Arkansas. The calendar is a free service for our readers. If you know of an event coming up, please CONTACT me.

Thursday

Poteau Kiwanis Club meets noon EOMC

High school baseball: Heavener at Navajo Festival; High school baseball: Cameron southeast shootout in Broken Bow; Howe at Haskell

HUA-City Council meet 6 p.m.

Heavener VFW bingo 6

\LeFlore County Republicans meet 6 p.m. at Patrick Lynch Library

Friday

High school baseball: Heavener at Navajo Festival

Saturday

A V Skinner., Jr. service 

High school baseball: Poteau at Jay;

Funeral service for Mary Lou (Steelman) Odom 

Sunday

Monday

LeFlore County commissioners meet 9 a.m.

High school baseball: Heavener at Holland Hall; Warner at Cameron; Haworth at Howe; Poteau at Muldrow; Whitesboro at Smithville

High school softball: Heavener at conference festival (Stigler); Cameron at Whitesboro

Tuesday

High school baseball: Holland Hall at Heavener; Cameron at Talihina; Porum, Clayton at Howe; Muldrow at Poteau; Whitesboro at Okay

High school softball: Heavener at conference festival (Stigler); Howe, Wister at Poteau; LeFlore at Cameron; Whitesboro at Panama; Muldrow at Spiro; Talihina at Stigler in Black Diamond Conference festival; 

High school soccer: Heavener at Hilldale

High school golf: Heavener at Keys Tournament

Poteau Evening Lions Club meet 6 p.m. CASC

Wednesday

Poteau Rotary Club meets noon EOMC

Today in history

Today in history for March 19 Today in history for March 19. This is the 78^th day of the year. There are 287 days left in the year.

Today is Thursday, March 19, 2026. March 19th has historically been a day of major shifts in law, space exploration, and international conflict. From the birth of "Vegas-style" gambling to the start of the Iraq War, this date marks several turning points in modern history.

Major Historical Events

Today in history for March 19 Today in history for March 19. This is the 78^th day of the year. There are 287 days left in the year.

Today is Thursday, March 19, 2026. March 19th has historically been a day of major shifts in law, space exploration, and international conflict. From the birth of "Vegas-style" gambling to the start of the Iraq War, this date marks several turning points in modern history.

The Start of the Iraq War (2003)

On this day, the United States launched Operation Iraqi Freedom. President George W. Bush ordered "precision strikes" on Baghdad, aimed at ousting dictator Saddam Hussein. The conflict, initially based on the (later disproven) belief that Iraq possessed weapons of mass destruction, would reshape the geopolitical landscape of the Middle East for decades.

Nevada Legalizes Gambling (1931)

In the midst of the Great Depression, the state of Nevada made a bold move to boost its economy by legalizing gambling. This decision transformed a quiet desert stop into the global entertainment hub of Las Vegas. On the same day, the state also reduced the residency requirement for divorce to just six weeks, making it the "divorce capital" of the era.

The U.S. Adopts Daylight Saving Time (1918)

Looking for ways to conserve energy during World War I, the U.S. Congress approved the Standard Time Act, which established standard time zones and authorized the first use of Daylight Saving Time. While it was repealed nationally after the war, the concept eventually became a permanent (and often debated) fixture of American life.

The First International Women's Day (1911)

Following an initiative by German socialists, the first International Women's Day was observed by over one million people in Austria, Denmark, Germany, and Switzerland. Demonstrators demanded the right to vote, to hold public office, and an end to vocational discrimination.

Notable Births

Notable Deaths

Ruby Naylor of Heavener was born on Dec. 2, 1937, in the Summerfield community to Deckie and Leona (Calhoun) Wylie and passed away on March 16, 2026, in Fort Smith, Arkansas at the age of 88. 

Funeral services are 2 p.m. Saturday at the Dowden-Roberts Funeral Home Chapel in Heavener, with her grandson, Steven Rowton, officiating. Burial will follow in Heavener Memorial Park under the direction of Dowden-Roberts Funeral Home of Heavener.

Ruby was a longtime resident of the area. She was a Christian that walked with God since she was a child. She lived her faith and the love of God in how she lived and treated everyone. She was a homemaker and a professional housekeeper for many families in the Heavener area. She had a heart of gold. 

She was a role model that loved her family more than words can describe and put their needs before her own. She was an adventurous person, fun loving, and a very protective mother. Ruby was a wonderful cook. She loved to can jelly, her husband’s favorite pickles, and work in her garden. She was also a hard worker, a loving wife, mother, sister, grandmother, great-grandmother, aunt, and friend. Ruby will be dearly missed by all whom loved and knew her. 

Survivors are two daughters Brenda (Naylor) Stacy of Heavener, and Carolyn White and husband, Jim of Heavener; one sister, Bonnie Williams, of Heavener; one brother, Harvey Wylie, of Heavener; five grandchildren Steven Rowton and wife Andrea. Christina Massey and husband Mike, Joshua White, Megan Ramsey and husband Cody, and Ryan Stacy; seven great-grandchildren Caden and Coley Rowton, Michael and Tyler Massey, Joshlyn and Rhett White, and Josie Ramsey; numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, other relatives, and many friends. 

She is preceded in death by her husband, Donald Naylor; her parents Deckie and Leona (Calhoun) Wylie; and her brother, Robert “Benny” Wylie. 

Pallbearers are Steven Rowton, Caden Rowton, Cody Ramsey, Mike Massey, Joshua White, and Ryan Stacy. Honorary pallbearer is Jimmy White

Viewing is from 9 a.m. until 7 p.m. Friday and 9 a.m. until 1 p.m., Saturday at the funeral home.

To sign Ruby’s online guestbook please visit www.dowdenrobertsfuneralhome.com.

Geraldine Brewer obituary

Geraldine Brewer, 93, of Spiro passed away on March 17, 2026, in Pocola.

Funeral services are 2 p.m. on Friday at Mallory-Martin Chapel in Spiro with Sister Debbie Wegert officiating. Burial will follow at New Hope Cemetery in Spiro, under the direction of Mallory-Martin Funeral Home of Spiro.

Viewing and visitation is Thursday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., with the family greeting friends from 5 to 7 p.m. at the funeral home.

Geraldine was born on Aug. 15, 1932, in Washburn, Missouri, to Gladys Marie (Stephens) Beeler and John Raymond Beeler.

Geraldine enjoyed crocheting, going to yard sales, and cooking. She especially loved spending time with her family and took great joy in preparing meals for them—the more, the merrier. Family gatherings often included lively and competitive games of Wahoo, where the outcome sometimes determined who would cook and who would clean. These moments brought her immense happiness, and she cherished every minute spent with her family and friends.

She was a proud member of House of Worship Southside and was a devout Christian. Geraldine shared a special bond with her twin sister, Betty Gene. They did everything together—getting married at the same time and even honeymooning together. They were truly best friends, and you rarely saw one without the other. They were, in every sense, inseparable.

Survivors are her daughter Lisa Irvin and wife Mary; sons Danny Brewer and Jimmy Brewer; grandchildren Loren Bradway and fianc, Alyssa Echols, Garrett Bradway, Cheyene Irvin, Nick Brewer and wife, Kaylee, Ashton Ogilvie and husband Cameron, Misty Lee and husband Chris, and Andrea Riggs and husband Jo Jo; great-grandchildren  Atlas Brewer, Ava Brewer, Skylar Lee, Braeden Lee, Eli Riggs, Josiah Riggs, Lilie Riggs, Prudence Riggs, Seth Riggs, Kadie Riggs and Brewer Ogilvie; sisters Imogene Barker and Donna Sue London; numerous nieces, nephews, other relatives, and loved ones.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her daughter, Catherine Sue Brewer; her husband, Albert Brewer; her twin sister, Betty Gene Mackey; sisters Wynona Coelyn and Shirley Kay Beeler; and brothers John Beeler, Edward Beeler, Clifford Beeler and George Isaac Beeler.

Pallbearers are Chris Lee, Braeden Lee, Nick Brewer, Jo Jo Riggs, Eli Riggs and Josiah Riggs.

Messages of condolence may be left online at www.MalloryMartinFuneralHomeSpiro.com.

Billy Rayford Martindale Jr., 59, was born on Aug. 31, 1966, in Fort Smith, Arkansas, to Patricia (Hanson) Goines and Billy Rayford Martindale Sr., and passed away on March 13, 2026, in Pocola.

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

Survivors are his mother, Patricia Martindale-Goines; his daughters Taylor Didway and her spouse, Tyler Didway, and Courtney Amos and her spouse, Shane Amos; his cousin and best friend, Matt Howard; and his good friend, Melanie Wilson’ grandchildren Kinley, Adde, Bristol, Bronx, Jaxon, and Camden.

He was preceded in death by grandchild, Aspyn; his father, Billy Martindale Sr.; grandfather, Billy Rayford Martindale; grandmother, Edna McKenzie;  and his longtime best friend, Marshall Needham.

Kimberly Duncan, 63, of Waldron, Arkansas, passed away on March 17, 2026, in Waldron. She was born on Aug. 3, 1962, in Boles, Arkansas, to Desmond "Des" Frost and Maude Nell (Scott) Frost.

The family will host a private memorial service at a later date, under the direction of Heritage Memorial Funeral Home..

Survivors are her daughter, Jessica Duncan, of Hot Springs, Arkansas; her son, Sean Duncan, of Cauthron, Arkansas; her best friend and companion, Danny Duncan of Cauthron; her sister Chris Bowles and husband Larry of Mena, Arkansas; her sister-in-law, Donna McCray of Cauthron; brother-in-law.,Travis McCray, of Cauthron; and a host of nieces and nephews whom she adored deeply.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Des and Nell Frost and her father and mother in law Sammie and Dorothy Duncan.