Local News
Only 3 Grady County schools receive mid-term increases
Three Grady County schools received budget increases from mid-term adjustments in state aid this week, while three others took cuts of 10 percent or more.
Ninnekah Public Schools was the biggest winner, receiving 16.62 percent more in state aid than was originally budgeted. Ninnekah was originally set to receive $1,093,786 but was bumped to $1,275,573 because of an increase in enrollment.
Verden Public Schools also saw a slight increase of 1.02 percent, and Bridge Creek received a half-percent increase.
Meanwhile, Amber-Pocasset, Alex, and Rush Springs were big losers in the adjustments, all experiencing cuts of 10.39 or more. Am-Po took the biggest hit, seeing 26.81 percent of its original allocation vanish. Alex lost 11.3 percent and Rush Springs 10. 39.
Chickasha remained fairly steady, receiving a cut of just 3.71 percent.
State Supt. Sandy Garrett announced the mid-term adjustments for the 2010 fiscal year this week. State education officials say Oklahoma's schools have suffered $43 million in funding cuts during this fiscal year, lowering the dollar amount spent on each student by more than $100.
Also, school districts, like all other Oklahoma state agencies, have been asked to cut their budgets by 5 percent every month since August.
"For the first time since the state's 2002-2003 budget crisis, the student factors, or the average amount of money allocated for each student in the state's weighted funding formula, has decreased," Garrett said. "The July funding notices included $3291.20 per student with federal stabilization stimulus dollars included; the mid-year allocations amounted to $3184 per student with the federal stabilization dollars included an a 5 percent annualized cut."
Ninnekah Supt. Todd Bunch said the increase from the state, along with the district's savings, will help bolster the school system through what he expects to be a rough Fiscal Year 2011. However, as the student population grows at Ninnekah, so will its costs.
"We'll make it this year, but next year is what we're really planning for," Bunch said. "We were up about 52 kids in October. I was expecting (the adjustment to be) about $220,000 ... but I knew they were going to hold the 5 percent out."
Bunch could not pinpoint a reason for the influx of students, but contributed some of it to consistently high test scores and possibly the construction of a new elementary school.
Bunch has focused on fiscal responsibility and maintaining a surplus in the budget. He fears that more children in the system will raise costs across the board.
"This does help, it's like a little boost," Bunch said "But, it will not be a significant factor...to getting us through 2011."
Bunch said the "million dollar question" is whether the Oklahoma Legislature, with tighter budget constraints, can fund the system in the near future.
Bunch said lowered gross production and the slumping economy are becoming more visible.
How Schools Are Funded
A school system's funding is determined by multiple factors, including gross production tax, ad valorem tax, gambling taxes and even taxes on cigarettes – all of which are producing less revenue during this recession.
Shelly Hickman, spokesperson for the Oklahoma Board of Education, said 30 percent of school funding comes from House Bill 1017, which takes tax revenue from income, corporate, sales, cigarette and gaming taxes. Student enrollment also comes into play. The more students a school district enrolls, the more state aid it receives.
"We've been through this before," Tuttle Supt. Lee Coker said. "We’ve just got to figure out what our priorities are and try and get by the best we can."
Payroll Priorities
Chickasha Supt. Jim Glaze rests his priorities on people. He said 80 percent of the Chickasha budget pays for personnel.
Glaze does not want to be forced to release any more employees, but he may have to in the 2011 fiscal year.
Glaze said the district has experienced some growth, but it was not enough to offset the initial 5 percent cut in state funds.
"If we did not take a 5 percent cut, then we actually would have received extra money at the midterm," Glaze said. "Basically that’s just part of the budget cuts going down."
He said districts are also taking 10 percent cuts each month until the end of fiscal year 2010.
It is too early to tell if the district will be forced to make staffing cuts, Glaze said. He and superintendents across the state are waiting to see what the legislature does with next year's state budget. The legislature meets for its regular session in February.
"Until we see what they do, it's really hard for us to plan what we're going to do," Glaze said.
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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
