Lodge Scott and his girlfriend Anna Wager spent several hours decorating the window downtown.
The Christmas Display is dedicated to the memory of Lodge’s grandfather,
Steve “Choo Choo” Chatham.
Every year Steve would set up the window display during the Christmas season.
1) How do you feel about it being your last year?
I’m excited, but sad at the same time.
2) Sum up your school experience.
I moved here as a freshman and have felt at home ever since.
3) Activities/Organizations you have participated in?
FFA for 4 years, Student Council 2 years, NHS For 3, OHS for 3, Gifted and Talented for 1 year, Basketball for 4 years, track for 4 years, cross country for 4 years, cheer for 1 year, softball for 4 years and film for 2 years.
4) Plans for the future?
My plans are to go to college to be a radiology tech and to grow up and be happy.
5) Favorite memory at WHS?
“Poopgate 2016” @LJ’s.
6) What teacher has prepared you?
Mrs. Hodges, I’d be lost without her.
7) Give advice to an underclassman.
Be outgoing, don’t be afraid. Everything will be okay, don’t stress! WHS has your back.
8) Is there anyone you want to thank?
My basketball girls from present to past. Y’all have made my years so fun. I love each girl who steps onto the floor with me.
9) Do you have a fear about leaving?
No, I feel prepared for what is to come.
10) Are you going to miss being at WHS?
More than you can imagine! I love so many people here. This is my family and I’m not in a huge rush to leave them.
On September 6, Waurika FCCLA chapter officers attended Oklahoma FCCLA’s LEAD Conference at the Simmons Center, in Duncan. The purpose of LEAD, which is short for leadership, is to teach the organization’s officers to be better leaders for their respective chapters.
Approximately 400 students from four districts in the South Region attended the general session and then broke into workshops. The keynote address was offered by Brandon Baumgarten, who motivated the students to learn through service. The five workshops, designed to be fun and informative, were enjoyed by students. Waurika’s own Hannah Owens, a sophomore, is currently serving the South Region as Vice President of Public Relations. She participated in the general session, as well as led a workshop over officer etiquette.
After being treated to lunch by the Oklahoma National Guard, the officer team also attended an afternoon session called Oklahoma Challenge. It centered around safe driving education. Students participated in a 3-D interactive video segment and brainstormed about ideas they could include in their chapter’s program of activities for the coming year. Oklahoma Challenge is sponsored by State Farm Insurance and the Oklahoma Highway Safety Organization.
Center- Hope Cummings, President, and Olivia Ralls, Treasurer
Back- Landry Forsyth, VP of Fundraising,and Riley Cronin, Secretary
The Jefferson County 4-H has been on the road again showing at the Oklahoma Junior Cattlemen’s Association Preview show in Stillwater, OK.
Here are the results:
Kylie Waters: 3rd in class with her Simmental steer.
Kynlee Waters: 3rd in class with her Maine-Anjou steer.
Rance Howard: Reserve Breed with his Simmental steer, 1st in class with his Charolais steer, and 2nd in class with his Limousin steer.
Cody Ramsey: Reserve Breed Hereford Steer and 3rd in class with his Commercial Heifer.
Caitlyn Ramsey: Breed Champion Saler steer, 2nd in class with her Shorthorn steer, and Champion Junior Showman.
In addition to showing, they competed in several competitions including the Quiz Bowl, Cow Camp, and the Livestock Judging. Kynlee Waters, Cody Ramsey, Stanton Hooper, and Caitlyn Ramsey placed first in the junior Quiz Bowl. Also, Kynlee Waters placed high Junior Individual in the Judging Contest.
and Caitlyn Ramsey Submitted photo.
The Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) is working with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) in a nationwide campaign to educate Americans about the dangers of radon exposure and to encourage citizens to take action to protect their homes and families. HUD has designated June asNational Healthy Homes Month, and this year’s theme “Check Your Home; Protect Your Family” was chosen to create awareness of what it means to have a healthy home.
Radon is a naturally occurring, invisible, odorless, tasteless gas that comes from the breakdown of uranium inside the earth. Radon is dispersed in outdoor air but can reach harmful levels when trapped in buildings. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that radon is responsible for more than 20,000 lung cancer deaths per year. Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the U.S. after smoking and the leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers.
DEQ encourages Oklahomans to take action during National Healthy Homes Month by testing their homes for radon. For a free test kit, contact DRHOMEAIR at 1-800-324-5928 or www.drhomeair.com/ok.
Sometime around October 26th, someone drove through the Waurika Cemetery during the time when the area received an abundance of rainfall.
Their actions left deep ruts across several graves including those of veterans.
The Waurika Cemetery board is working closely with the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department and the Waurika Police Department as well as the District Attorney’s office concerning the matter.
The cemetery board says they will take every action necessary to make sure the graves are repaired as quickly as possible. However, the weather has been a big factor.
Thankfully, no monuments were damaged that the board is aware of although some will need to be pulled up and reset.
The cemetery board said they appreciate the concern and outpouring of support from the community.
Several news outlets, some as far away as Oklahoma City, have covered the incident.
Less than a week remains for registered voters in Jefferson County to apply for absentee ballots to be mailed to them for the November 6 General Election, County Election Board Secretary Tammy Richardson said today.
Applications for absentee ballots must be received by the County Election Board no later than 5 p.m. Wednesday, October 31, to be processed in time for the election.
Absentee voters may apply in person at the County Election Board office or may send their applications by mail, fax, or e-mail. An online version of the form may be filled out and submitted electronically at www.elections.ok.gov. Any registered voter eligible to vote in the election may vote by absentee ballot without stating a reason, Richardson said, however, absentee voters can activate certain special conditions in the following circumstances:
• Registered voters who are physically incapacitated and voters who care for physically incapacitated persons who cannot be left unattended may apply for absentee ballots only by mail, fax, e-mail, online or via an agent who is at least 16 years of age and who is not employed by or related within the third degree of consanguinity or affinity to any person whose name appears on the ballot.
• Registered voters who are confined to nursing homes in the county may apply by mail, by fax, by e-mail, online or via an agent who is at least 16 years of age and who is not employed by or related within the third degree of consanguinity or affinity to any person whose name appears on the ballot.
• Military personnel, residents of Jefferson County living overseas, and the spouses and dependents of each group may apply only by mail, by fax, or by e-mail. For more information and instructions, military and overseas voters may visit the Federal Voting Assistance Program website: www.fvap.gov/oklahoma.
For more information on absentee voting, contact the County Election Board at 220 N. Main Street, Room #203, Waurika, OK. The telephone number is (580) 228-3150. The County Election Board’s fax number is (580) 228-2775.
For additional election-related information, visit: www.elections.ok.gov.
He started on the oval dirt track circuit in 1971. Now he is in the racing hall of fame.
Harold Winton’s life has been influenced by cars.
In a pair of photo albums you can trace his racing history. These two albums are overflowing with pictures, racing stats and news clippings.
Thumbing through the first pages of one of the albums a picture of a young Harold Winton can be found.
In the photo he is in front of a car in mid-reconstruction. The car could metaphorically be seen as his inspiration for the passions of his life—racing and cars.
He has placed in the top ten at every track he has raced on. That includes Arkansas, Kansas, Texas, Missouri, and Oklahoma.
The first time he was ever on a race track he crashed, flipping end over end. That, he says, is his most memorable race. 
His first car was blue with the number four painted on the side. After Harold was born he changed his number to 71 because Lisa was seven and Harold was almost one.
In the early days he took his family – wife Beverly, daughter Lisa, and son Harold Jr. The family grew up watching dad race. 
As busy as he was racing, he never missed any of their ball games or activities. These days his son Harold races with him. They build their own bodies on their modified race cars. There were many Monday’s they didn’t make it home from the races until about 6 am in the morning. Harold Jr. was only two weeks old when he attended his first race. Together they have set records, one of them was when they tied. It was the first time in the history of dirt track racing a father/son team tied.
That will probably not be the last record they will set.
Communities in Jefferson County observed Memorial Day on Monday of this week.
Adam Brinson of the Waurika Methodist Church spoke at the Memorial Service in Waurika.
Sheriff Jeremie Wilson spoke at a special Memorial Day Service held in Grady.
At the service in Waurika’s new School Superintendent conducted the memorial service and recognized veterans present at the ceremony.
Simmons also read a list of those service members who had passed on during the preceding twelve months.
Jerry Norman Shelton-Army
Worth Lee “Rex” Traylor-Air Force
D.L. Don Adkins-Army
Benny Lee Padgett-Navy
Victor Grimes-Air Force
Kenneth Frank Eck-Navy
David Eugene Sisson-Army
Gene Elkins-Navy
Johnnie Lee Snider-Army
James H. Stewart-Navy
Alva Eugene Sullivan-Army
Leslie Weldon Fuller-Army
Emily Waid led the flag salutes and Chloe Adkins and Michael Bryant played taps.
Ryley Townsend and her mother Heidi sang the “Star Spangled Banner”.
Karlee Brinson read a Memorial Day poem.
Photo by Jacob Eck!
play taps! Photo by Jacob Eck!
ADA, Okla. – Chickasaw Nation Governor Bill Anoatubby has named Trevan Jimboy tribal Director of Youth Activities.
Mr. Jimboy is a nine-year employee of the Chickasaw Nation. Prior to promotion, he served as manager of Facility Services.
“Trevan Jimboy understands that engaging young people in positive activities and offering positive role models is vital to their growth and development,” Governor Anoatubby said. “His experience and commitment to Chickasaw youth make him a great fit for this position.”
Mr. Jimboy will manage many of the youth camps sponsored by the Chickasaw Nation. Youth camps are hosted by several departments throughout the Nation, and the bulk of the specialty camps – such as “Camp Survivor” – will be under his management.
“I am looking forward to working with children,” Mr. Jimboy said. “Being able to come in and make a difference in the lives of Chickasaw children is what attracted me to the position. The Nation is in a unique setting to help youth, to build and encourage athletics and build involved citizens within our respective communities.”
During discussions with Gov. Anoatubby about the position, Mr. Jimboy said he related how coaches encouraged him and helped develop his abilities through mentoring and coaching.
“It meant a lot to me as a student when coaches would say ‘that was a great hit’ or ‘good hustle on the basketball court,’” he said. “I want to bring that same type of mentoring to my new position.”
Mr. Jimboy has been putting coaching and mentoring to work in his own family.
He and wife, Rachel, have five children, and most are involved in extracurricular activities.
Byng High School senior Mikaela is a 17-year-old speech and drama aficionado who will attend East Central University in Ada to study mass communications.
MacKenzie, a 14-year-old Byng freshman, is active on the basketball team. Titus, a 6-year-old Homer Elementary student is active in basketball and in soccer where he participates in a Norman Youth Soccer Organization. Twin daughters Parker and Abigail round out the Chickasaw family. They are 15 months old and are not active in sports … “yet,” Mr. Jimboy proclaimed with a laugh.
The family is large, and Rachel is “Wonder Woman” in the eyes of her husband. Mrs. Jimboy works full time for the Nation as manager of Sick Child Care. She is a registered nurse and has been an employee of the Nation for a decade.
