Ledger newsletter 7-30-2022

Your Ledger newsletter for Saturday

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Ledger news brief 7-30-2022

By CRAIG HALL

Welcome to the Ledger update for July 29, 2022. This is Craig Hall, Ledger publisher, coming to you from our world headquarters on the west side of Heavener. This is the 211th day of 2022. There are 154 days left in the year.

We thank you for visiting today and ask you to please subscription to our newsletter for only $5 a month and each morning you get our newsletter with exclusive content, plus your support will help us stay in business.

In today’s weather forecast for the county, More thunderstorms are possible during the day and into the night Saturday in the LeFlore County weather forecast.

The high will be 81 degrees with a low of 73.  

Sunrise is 6:29 a.m. Sunset is 8:31 p.m.

Friday’s high was 81 with a low of 73. That was the first day since June 25 when the high temperature for the day did not reach into the 90s.

Average temperatures for July 30 are a high of 95 and low of 74. Records for the date were a high of 109 in 2012 and a record low of 55 in 1971.

Last year on the date, the high was 98 with a low of 71.

On the county calendar for today, funeral service for Floyd Simmons of Poteau is 2 p.m. at the Trinity Baptist Church in Poteau.

Funeral service for Jimmy Lowe, 85 of Wister is 10 a.m. Wednesday at Evans and Miller Chapel in Poteau with Bryan Fouts officiating. Burial will follow at Ellis Chapel Cemetery in Wister, under the direction of Evans & Miller Funeral Home

He was born April 2, 1937 in Wister and passed away July 29, 2022 in Sallisaw.

Wilson Henry King was born Sept. 28, 1925 in Waldron, Arkansas and passed away July 27, 2022 in Poteau. 

He was an Army veteran of World War II. Private family funeral services will be held at a later date. 

 Cremation services for Raft Evans, 58 of Pocola, are under the direction of Evans & Miller Funeral Home.

He was born Jan. 22, 1964 in Ojai, California and passed away July 24, 2022 in Fort Smith, Arkansas.  

In other news, Kentucky’s governor said it could take weeks to find all the victims of flash flooding that killed at least 16 people when torrential rains swamped towns across Appalachia.

More rainstorms are forecast in coming days as rescue crews continue the struggle to get into hard-hit areas, some of them among the poorest places in America.

The House on Friday approved wide-ranging legislation aimed at helping communities in the West cope with increasingly severe wildfires and drought — fueled by climate change — that have caused billions of dollars of damage to homes and businesses in recent years.

The measure combines 49 separate bills and would increase firefighter pay and benefits; boost resiliency and mitigation projects for communities affected by climate change; protect watersheds; and make it easier for wildfire victims to get federal assistance.

The House also passed legislation Friday to revive a ban on certain semi-automatic guns, the first vote of its kind in years and a direct response to the firearms often used in the crush of mass shootings ripping through communities nationwide.

Once banned in the U.S., the high-powered firearms are now widely blamed as the weapon of choice among young men responsible for many of the most devastating mass shootings. But Congress allowed the restrictions first put in place in 1994 on the manufacture and sales of the weapons to expire a decade later, unable to muster the political support to counter the powerful gun lobby and reinstate the weapons ban.

Stocks racked up more gains Friday as Wall Street closed out its best month since November 2020, a welcome breather for investors after a punishing year for the market.

The S&P 500 index, a benchmark for many stock funds, rose 1.4% and finished 9.1% higher for July. A rebound in technology stocks, big retailers and other companies that rely on direct consumer spending helped power the index’s broad gains this month. The index is still down 13.3% for the year.

In Oklahoma, Contraband including weapons, cellphones, drones and grappling hooks believed to be headed to state prisons was seized at a warehouse in Oklahoma City, the Oklahoma Department of Corrections announced Friday.

The department’s Office of Inspector General learned of the contraband and raided the warehouse on July 15 with Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics agents, according to a news release from Corrections Department spokesperson Josh Ward.

An Oklahoma man and a woman described as his girlfriend were arrested for the death of a young child whose burned body was found in central Oklahoma, authorities said.

Police in Seminole, about 50 miles (80 kilometers) southeast of Oklahoma City, found the child’s burned body Wednesday after receiving a tip, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation said.

Authorities haven’t specified the age of the child, whom the state bureau said was a toddler.

Police later arrested Chad Jennings, 32, on murder, child abuse and conspiracy warrants and Katherine Penner, 31, on accessory to murder, child abuse and desecration of a body warrants.

Both were jailed Thursday and records didn’t list an attorney who could speak on their behalf.

On this date in history, in 1 945, the Portland class heavy cruiser USS Indianapolis, having just delivered components of the atomic bomb to Tinian in the Mariana Islands, was torpedoed by a Japanese submarine; only 317 out of nearly 1,200 men survived.

In 1619, the first representative assembly in America convened in Jamestown in the Virginia Colony.

In 1729, Baltimore, Maryland, was founded.

In 1864, during the Civil War, Union forces tried to take Petersburg, Virginia, by exploding a gunpowder-laden mine shaft beneath Confederate defense lines; the attack failed.

In 1916, German saboteurs blew up a munitions plant on Black Tom, an island near Jersey City, New Jersey, killing about a dozen people.

In 1956, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed a measure making “In God We Trust” the national motto, replacing “E Pluribus Unum” (Out of many, one).

In 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed a measure creating Medicare, which began operating the following year.

In sports, MLB scores from Friday were Baltimore 6, Cincinnati 2; Mets 6, Miami 4; St. Louis 6, Washington 2; Philadelphia 4, Pittsburgh 2; Yankees 11, Royals 5; Detroit 4, Toronto 2; Cleveland 4, Tampa Bay 1, Milwaukee 4, Boston 1; Atlanta 5, Arizona 2; Houston 11, Seattle 1; Oakland 7, White Sox 3; Dodgers 5, Colorado 4; Texas 7, Angels 7; San Diego 10, Minnesota 1; Cubs 4, San Francisco 2.

And in minor league baseball, Oklahoma City beat Sugar Land, 3-2, in extra innings and Tulsa scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the ninth to defeat Arkansas, 7-5.

Thank you for the visit and we hope you have a great day and weekend.

LeFlore County weather 7-30-2022

More thunderstorms are possible during the day and into the night Saturday in the LeFlore County weather forecast.

The high will be 81 degrees with a low of 73.  

Sunrise is 6:29 a.m. Sunset is 8:31 p.m.

Friday’s high was 81 with a low of 73. That was the first day since June 25 when the high temperature for the day did not reach into the 90s.

Average temperatures for July 30 are a high of 95 and low of 74. Records for the date were a high of 109 in 2012 and a record low of 55 in 1971.

Last year on the date, the high was 98 with a low of 71.

Splooting buddies needed

By TOM DEIGHAN

Don’t visit my backyard during the hottest part of the day this summer unless you are ready to witness some shameless splooting. I have squirrels splooting on the back porch, splooting over the birdbath, and even splooting under the grill – any cool surface a squirrel can stretch out on its belly for relief from the heat. They are splayed out everywhere, right out in the open, indifferent even to Peanut and Puddy (my chihuahua and kitty), who are often splooting just a few feet away.  Too hot to chase anything and too hot to run away!

MOSTLY EDUCATIONAL

If you have not guessed by now, “splooting” describes how squirrels stretch out their entire bodies along cool surfaces. Every few minutes, they will scoot over a bit for a new cool spot, but they are otherwise oblivious (or indifferent) to normal squirrel stuff. Most pancake themselves on flat spots, but one squirrel stretches out on our birdbath, dead-eyed, with all four legs dangling over the rim. All of it is very un-squirrel-like behavior, but after two full months of terrible heat, even the hardiest of squirrels reach their splooting point. They have not completely given up, but they no longer worry so much about being eaten. Anything for a break from this heat.

Squirrels are not alone, however. Everyone and everything has a “splooting point,” when we gradually abandon our squirrelly behavior, and weather is not always the cause. After long periods of stress, we seek simply to endure, and we slowly become oblivious or indifferent to normal squirrel stuff. Our “give-a-care” breaks, and life becomes a stretch of quiet desperation. Sploot.

I suspect a lot of people are splooting right now, and not just because of the heat. As a nation, we have endured year-after-year of 100-degree situations: COVID, inflation, culture wars, cancel culture, murder hornets and so on. Just like hot squirrels, people need a break, and life can become more about enduring than living. We don’t drape ourselves over birdbaths, however. Human splooting looks much different.

Look around your circle of family and friends, and you may see signs of splooting. Maybe they are less active on social media. Perhaps, they have stopped going to church or have stopped participating in normal activities. Chances are that you will find them in the backyard, splayed out on the birdbath. (Metaphorically, hopefully.)  They aren’t their squirrely selves; they are disengaged, oblivious, and indifferent. They have entered survival mode, waiting for a break in the heat. Or, in the case of your kids, waiting for school to start. Sploot. Sploot. Sploot.

Unfortunately, we cannot control the weather, and we cannot seem to abate the current divisiveness of our nation, the economy, COVID, or anything else draining us. No matter how bad it gets, however, we can always comfort and encourage fellow squirrels who are splooting when they should be frolicking in the branches. This season has been long, arduous, and demoralizing, and we may not have answers, but we can always offer a kind word, a text, or a phone call.

Splooting squirrels are cute, and they will soon bounce back. Splooting people, on the other hand, may not rebound so quickly, so keep an eye out for them. If all else fails, we can just lay down on that birdbath with them because no one should sploot alone. If Chihuahuas, kitties, and squirrels can commiserate during tough times, just imagine what we can do for each other.

Thankfully, seasons always pass. School is ahead, so splooting children and communities will soon be acting squirrely again. Something about cool temperatures and the busy-ness of fall that cures all this splooting. The squirrels in my backyard will also be taunting Peanut and Puddy again, but with a wink and a smile. Once a splooting buddy, always a splooting buddy!

Tom Deighan is a public educator and author of Shared Ideals in Public Schools. Read past articles at mostlyeducational.com and email him at deighantom@gmail.com .

County calendar of events 7-30-2022

The LeFlore County calendar of events. It lists the upcoming events in the area. This is a free service, so if you or your group have an event coming up and would like it added to the calendar, please email craig@heavenerledger.com.                                                                                                                                                                          

Saturday

Funeral service for Floyd Simmons

Monday

Commissioners meet 9 a.m.

Heavener Lions Club meets 5 p.m. at Simple Simon’s

City of Poteau meetings

Tuesday

Poteau Evening Lions Club meet 6 p.m. CASC

PVIA meets 6 p.m. Poteau City Hall

Wednesday

Funeral service for Jimmy Lowe

Poteau Rotary Club meets noon at EOMC

Thursday

Poteau Kiwanis Club meets noon

Heavener VFW bingo 6 p.m. Highway 59 North 

Heavener City Council meets 6 p.m.

Friday

Annual Heavener rodeo 8 p.m. Cecil Leachman arena

Service set for Jimmy Lowe

WISTER - Funeral service for Jimmy Lowe, 85 of Wister is 10 a.m. Wednesday at Evans and Miller Chapel in Poteau with Bryan Fouts officiating. Burial will follow at Ellis Chapel Cemetery in Wister, under the direction of Evans & Miller Funeral Home

He was born April 2, 1937 in Wister to Otis Minnie Lee McDonald and Harrison Lowe and passed away July 29, 2022 in Sallisaw, Oklahoma.  

Survivors include four children daughter, Leanne Thompson and husband Jack, daughter Gayle Barnard and husband Luke, son James Lowe and wife Anna and son, Tracy Lowe; 11 grandchildren; 20 great grandchildren; one great great grandchild; and sister Shirley Johnston.

He was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Marcia Lowe; daughter-in-law, Dustie Lowe.

Pallbearers are James Donald Lowe, Mathew Lowe, Adam Eden, Michael Lowe, Seth Lowe and Timothy Eden. Honorary pallbearers are James Dale Lowe, Aiden Lowe, Eric Eden, Keith Thompson, Jonathan Thompson and Christian Lowe.

Death notice for Wilson King

POTEAU - Wilson Henry King was born Sept. 28, 1925 in Waldron, Arkansas and passed away July 27, 2022 in Poteau. 

He was an Army veteran of World War II. Private family funeral services will be held at a later date. 

He was preceded in death by his parents, James and Kelley Mae (Parker) King; his brother, Carl King; and his sister, Ruth Stewart.

He is survived by one daughter, Sandra King; two grandchildren Stephan Silva and Guinevere Silva; two great grandchildren, Henry Silva and Lily Silva; and one sister, Betty Dean.

Death notice for Raft Evans

POCOLA – Cremation services for Raft Evans, 58 of Pocola, are under the direction of Evans & Miller Funeral Home.

He was born Jan. 22, 1964 in Ojai, California to Rita Marie (Shilling) Evans and John Robert Evans and passed away July 24, 2022 in Fort Smith, Arkansas.  

Survivors include daughters Kayleigh Skaggs, Tara Spangler-Evans and Jessica Evans; mother, Rita Marie Evans; and grandchildren Delilah Dixon and Kenleigh Dixon.

He was preceded in death by his father, John Evans.