Articles from the May 21, 2020 edition
Sorted by date Results 1 - 25 of 27
Freedom anniversaries
Happy Anniversary To May 21: Mr. & Mrs. Travis Bradt, Mr. & Mrs. Don Murray May 23: Mr. & Mrs. Rod Ferguson, Mr. & Mrs. Harold D. Hepner May 25: Mr. & Mrs. Hal Ferguson, Mr. & Mrs. Kameron Hensley May 27: Mr. & Mrs. Brian Murray June 1: Mr. & Mrs....
Freedom birthdays
Happy Birthday To May 21: BJ Baker May 22: Reagan Eden, Holli Wares May 23: Johnnie Sue Olson May 24: Cody Watson, Talhia Darr, Zearl Harris, Lance Gasset May 25: Kyle Wares, Linda Eden Benzel, Dever Elle Newby May 27: Bonita Stewart May 28: Jamin...
Recognizing heroes on Memorial Day
Every crisis has new heroes. During the 9/11 attacks, they were the first responders running into burning and crumbling buildings as others ran out. Now, during the coronavirus pandemic, the most visible heroes are the health care professionals who...
A Memorial Day eulogy
This is a eulogy I wrote in 2009 for a speech class at the University of Missouri Kansas City. I am now living in Freedom, Oklahoma, and am an active member of the American Legion Post 63 and a VFW lifetime member. I am an American, fighting in the...
Mailbox Improvement Week arrives in time for spring cleaning
The U.S. Postal Service is asking all homeowners to inspect and repair their mailboxes during Mailbox Improvement Week, May 17–23, says Postmaster Jo Ellen Fleming. "Repairing suburban and rural... Full story
State offers five calendar options for school year
The disruption COVID-19 has caused to schools is likely to continue into the new school year, and the state Education Department is asking school leaders to begin planning for it. Schools should adopt multiple calendars, one primary and others as...
Excise and Equalization Board meets
The Woods County Excise and Equalization Board met for a regular meeting Wednesday in the courthouse in Alva. Members present were Bob Seivert, Chris Olson and Joe Shirley along with County Clerk...
Freedom Town Board handles finances; debates perpetual contract
The Freedom Town Board met Wednesday, May 13. After a short delay due to technical difficulties related to the online meeting software, Mayor Shad Brackin and board member Randy Rhodes got down to business, with the assistance of Town Clerk Cindy Ree... Full story
'You can't always get what you want'
Some communities have done virtual ceremonies and others did parades to honor their 2020 high school seniors. Freedom Public School, having only five graduates, had their ceremony indoors and followed... Full story
Democrats sue to overturn Oklahoma absentee voting rules
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — The Oklahoma Democratic Party and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee have sued to overturn the state's absentee voting rules in the midst of the coronavirus outbreak, state party Chair Alicia Andrews said...
Oklahoma teacher walkout leader faces 'lewd proposals' count
STILLWATER, Okla. (AP) — One of the organizers of Oklahoma's 2018 teacher walkout faces a charge of making lewd proposals to a minor who was a former student, Stillwater police said Wednesday. Alberto Morejon, 27, was arrested Tuesday after an...
Tulsa's Golden Driller statue gets Tesla-style makeover
TULSA, Okla. (AP) — Tulsa's iconic Golden Driller statue is joining the effort to lure automaker Tesla to build its new U.S. assembly plant in Oklahoma's second-largest city. The 75-foot tall, golden statue in the heart of the city is getting a...
Trump: Kansas governor doing 'fantastic job' on coronavirus
WASHINGTON (AP) — Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly has received the kind of praise from President Donald Trump that Republicans in her home state of Kansas would love to hear about themselves. Kelly met with the Republican president Wednesday in...
GOP plan would keep Kansas governor from closing businesses
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Republican lawmakers in Kansas pushed Wednesday to greatly limit Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly's power to keep businesses closed during the coronavirus pandemic and give the GOP-controlled Legislature's leaders the final say over...
US farmers leaning more heavily on government loan programs
BELLE PLAINE, Kan. (AP) — Farmers across the nation leaned more heavily upon the federal government last year to finance their agricultural operations amid low commodity prices and trade disputes, and more of the money they borrowed is now delinque...
3 men charged with federal hunting violations at Fort Riley
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Three men have been charged with violating federal laws by hunting deer in areas of Fort Riley where explosives are discharged during training exercises. U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said in a news release Wednesday the men...
Chiefs holding unique virtual competition for punting job
LEAWOOD, Kan. (AP) — It's a good thing an NFL kicking operation requires no more than three players. There's the long snapper, tasked with delivering the ball. The kicker, who is expected to send it through the uprights. And the punter, who for...
Mississippi gov is pranked in shout-out to high school grads
JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — This one slipped through the cracks. Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves asked people to submit names of high school seniors so he could read them aloud on a webcast — a recognition for teenagers who are missing traditional...
Michigan flood displaces thousands, threatens Superfund site
MIDLAND, Mich. (AP) — Floodwaters surging through Central Michigan on Wednesday were mixing with containment ponds at a Dow Chemical Co. plant and could displace sediment from a downstream Superfund site, though the company said there was no risk...
Trump threatens funds for states easing voting in pandemic
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump on Wednesday threatened to hold up federal funds for two election battleground states that are trying to make it easier and safer to vote during the coronavirus pandemic. He backed away from that threat but...
Trump considering hosting G-7 summit in US after all
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump said Wednesday that he's considering holding a meeting in the U.S. with the leaders of the world's major economies after all because it would be a "great sign to all" of things returning to normal during...
Largest yet: $1.3 billion contract for border wall awarded
PHOENIX (AP) — A North Dakota construction company favored by President Donald Trump has received the largest contract to date to build a section of Trump's signature wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. Republican U.S. Sen. Kevin Cramer of North Dak...
Astronauts arrive for NASA's 1st home launch in decade
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — The two astronauts who will end a nine-year launch drought for NASA arrived at Kennedy Space Center on Wednesday, exactly one week before their historic SpaceX flight. It will be the first time a private company, rather...