Local News
Out of funds, Ninnekah may give fire department to county
The Ninnekah Town Council recently voted to turn its fire department over to Grady County.
Councilman Tony Ledrick made the motion to begin the process of handing the town’s fire department over to the county after it receives its ISO rating later this month.
The motion included assigning existing buildings to the county as well as five acres on Blue Bird Hill, which is the proposed location for a new headquarters fire station.
“I told the town council whether they do or don’t decide to hand over the fire department, the county commissioner’s board has to decide,” said District 3 Commissioner Jack Porter, who attended the Ninnekah Town Council meeting. “Before we consider it, we told the we’d like them to go through ISO.”
Porter said the problems at the Ninnekah station may not be a “quick fix.”
“If we take the department, our policy as a fire board is to provide for those who need help the most and it sounds like they qualify,” Porter said. “I don’t know what kind of shape their equipment is in, but it will probably take two to three years to get it where it needs to be, depending on the equipment they need and getting their records up to date.”
The Ninnekah Fire Department currently has an ISO rating of Class 7. The rating system is done on a one to 10 basis, with the lower the number, the better.
“They’re drafting a letter to try to get ISO here by Nov. 16,” said Grady County Fire Chief Perry Wenzel. “I don’t know if they’ll go up or down, but we don’t want to take on a station with a high ISO rating because the higher the ISO, the higher the insurance the community has to pay.”
Only insurance rates in Ninnekah would be impacted, Wenzel said.
Wenzel said insurance rates are affected by a high ISO rating because a high rating reflects the lack of adequate fire protection in the town.
While Wenzel said the town of Alex also has an ISO rating of Class 7, steps are being taken to lower that rating, including the installation of a new water tower.
“The new water tower will boost water pressure and that will help out a big bunch,” Wenzel said.
Unfortunately, Ninnekah does not have it’s own water system and does not have the funds to purchase a new system from Rural Water District 7.
“The town’s not having the money for a fire department has put a big burden on them. It’s been costing them a lot of money to keep it up and their tax revenue is down,” Wenzel said. “They talked to us to come in and take it over and get it off their hands, so, once the rating is up, we’ll take it over.”
Wenzel said the county will take over the fire department regardless of the new ISO rating.
The ISO (Insurance Services Office) bases its ratings on the number of fire stations and the amount of water a community needs to fight a fire, with 40 percent of the grading based on the community’s water supply.
It also reviews the distribution of fire stations in an area and checks to see that fire departments test their pumps on a regular basis and that they keep detailed inventories of nozzles, hoses, breathing apparatus and other equipment.
Other items checked are the type, extent and number of people who participate in training, firefighter response to emergencies and maintenance and testing of department equipment.
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Transformations
What comes to mind when you think of the word, “Transformation”?Do you have fantastic thoughts of people or things changing into something amazing for example, Clark Kent turning into Superman or Bruce Banner becoming the Incredible Hulk or possibly something a little more down to earth like a caterpillar miraculously changing into the beautiful butterfly?
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GRADY COUNTY FAIR RESULTS
Plants
Potted Plants
(Several varieties combined)
First: (Adult) Ann O'Bar
Second: (Adult) Joyce Riker
Third: (Adult) Jallane Link -
AROUND THE AREA
SEPTEMBER 2
Poetry Reading
• When: Sept. 2, 7 p.m.
• Where: Eduardo’s Mexican Restaurant, Private Room, 3127 S. 4th St., Chickasha
• Details: Featured Poet is Carol Hamilton, writer, storyteller and Poet Laureate of Oklahoma 1995-97Hamilton’s website is www.carolhamilton.org. There is no admission fee to attend the Poetry Reading, and refreshments are available for purchase. For more information, contact Rockford Johnson, 224-0160 or 317-7506. -
Duncan nips Chicks for straight-game win
Duncan got their eighth match win of the season Tuesday, beating Nancy Waters’ Lady Chicks in straight games at the Activity Center.
The Chicks looked like they had a little hangover from Monday night’s tough road loss at Tecumseh, coming out flat again and dropping their first two games by identical 25-17 scores.
They came out firing on all eight cylinders for game three, running out to a 15-9 lead on the strength of a 7-0 run with Shelby Crosley serving, but the Demons battled back to tie it late and the Chicks let it slip away, 25-21. -
STATE SPORTS BRIEFS
NORMAN (AP) — Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops has named walk-on Patrick O'Hara as the starting place-kicker for the seventh-ranked Sooners.
Stoops said on his radio show Tuesday night that O'Hara won the competition with Jimmy Stevens, freshman Michael Hunnicutt and redshirt freshman Bryce Easley. -
OSU's Gundy still learning on job
STILLWATER (AP) — Mike Gundy hasn't lost his love for dialing up the right play to keep Oklahoma State's offense purring along.
That passion, which he has called the most enjoyable part of his job as head coach, was bred into him as an offensive coordinator. And he is a former starting quarterback for the Cowboys. -
Whimsical metal work, jewelry part of big art show at USAO
A showing of whimsical metal work and jewelry is scheduled to be on display at the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma during Helen’s Show Sept. 10-Oct 1.
The show will feature the work of USAO graduate Helen Shafer. The exhibition will be open daily during normal business hours in the Davis Hall Third Floor Art Gallery on the USAO campus. The show is free and open to the public. An opening reception is scheduled Sept. 10 at 6 p.m. in the gallery. -
High-speed chase lands 1 in jail
A high-speed motorcycle chase down Highway 81 last Wednesday landed a Ninnekah man in jail and a felony charge of eluding a police officer.
Court records show that James William Hutchins, 21, blew by Oklahoma Highway Patrol Trooper Timothy Parrish at U.S. Highway 81 and County Road 1460 and was clocked going 144 miles per hour in a posted 70 miles per hour zone.
Parrish reported that he was sitting stationary at that location at about 3:45 p.m. on Aug. 25 when he observed a red motorcycle traveling southbound. He engaged his emergency lights and siren and pulled onto the roadway behind the Triumph motorcycle. -
5 inmates denied parole
Parole was recently denied for five Grady County inmates serving sentences with the Oklahoma Department of Corrections.
The following individuals were denied at the August Pardon and Parole Board meeting:
• Jeremiah Daniel Cline, who is serving a five-year sentence for distribution of a controlled dangerous substance and a five-year sentence for possession of a controlled dangerous substance, began his sentence in August 2008.
• Warren P. Diego, who is serving a 15-year sentence (10 years PTS) for lewd molestation, began his sentence in February 2009. -
Judge recuses herself from pharmacy case
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — A state district judge has stepped aside from the first-degree murder trial of a pharmacist accused in the fatal shooting of an unconscious would-be robber.
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Transformations
