MIAMI, Okla. – Multiple Grammy-nominated songwriter and entertainer Jim Brickman will be in concert at the historic Coleman Theatre Beautiful on Thursday.
“A Very Merry Christmas,” showcases Brickman’s blending of yuletide memories and holiday favorites with his own hit songs such as, “The Gift,” “Sending You A Little Christmas,” “Angel Eyes,” and “If You Believe.”
The concert begins at 7 p.m.
Tickets can be purchased by phone at (918) 540-2425.
COMMERCE, Okla. — Authorities have released the victim’s name who died in a Thanksgiving Day house fire.
Commerce Police Chief Ray Horn confirmed on Friday Leanna Janette Mustain died on Nov. 24.
The one-story rock-veneer residence on North Maple Street was partially engulfed by the fire when firefighters arrived around 9:30 a.m. The state fire marshal said there was no evidence of an explosion, foul play or any criminal activity.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
OKLAHOMA CITY – Former Sunday School teacher Brenda Andrew is the only woman on Oklahoma’s death row.
In 2004, she was convicted of first degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder in the Nov. 2001 shooting death of her husband, Rob Andrew, according to published reports. Jurors recommended the death penalty.
The Court of Criminal Appeals sets execution dates and at this time, the court has not announced a date for Andrew’s sentence to be carried out, said Josh Ward, Department of Corrections spokesman.
Andrew’s lover and fellow Sunday School teacher, James Pavatt, was convicted in 2003 of first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder and sentenced to death. The Court of Criminal Appeals set his execution date for July 11, 2024.
A month before the Nov. 2001 shooting, Rob Andrew reported to police his vehicle brake line had been cut, and he believed Pavatt, his insurance agent, and his wife were trying to kill him for insurance money proceeds, according to published reports.
The 39-year-old ad executive was fatally shot in the family’s garage on Nov. 20, 2001, while picking up his children for child visitation. Instead of taking her two children to their father’s funeral, Andrew and Pavatt head to Mexico where they spent almost three months on the run. The couple was taken into custody at the Mexico border when they tried to reenter the United States.
Founded in 1990, the Death Penalty Information Center is a national non-profit organization serving the media and the public with analysis and information on issues concerning capital punishment.
Women are rarely sentenced to death in the United States and executions of women are even more rare, according to Death Penalty Information Center data. Researchers have suggested that women who are sentenced to death are often perceived as breaking gender norms.
Andrew was known for her habitual affairs. Her tight-fitting clothes and cleavage exposing shirts were documented during her trial, according to published reports. She had filed for divorce weeks earlier and trial testimony indicated the motivation for the shooting was insurance proceeds, according to published reports.
Oklahoma has the second-highest state incarceration rate for women in the United States. The Sooner state incarcerates 226 female prisoners, according to 2022 data by Fair Punishment, a legal resouce website. Arkansas is ranked 17th, Missouri is ranked 26th and Kansas is ranked 33rd.
Oklahoma has put four women to death since 1903.
Dora Wright, a black woman, died by hanging in 1903 when Oklahoma was Indian Territory. She was convicted of fatally beating and torturing 7-year-old Annie Williams, a white child. The victim was purported to be Wright’s niece, published reports state.
Since Oklahoma was not a state, Wright’s fate was in President Theodore Roosevelt’s hands.
Roosevelt was quoted in newspapers saying, “If that woman was mean enough to do a thing like that, she ought to have the nerve to meet her punishment.”
Almost a century passed and in 2001, Oklahoma executed three women in the same year.
Wanda Jean Allen, 41, a black woman, was executed on January 2001. She was the first black woman to be executed in the United States since 1954. She was convicted of killing her female girlfriend.
Marilyn Kay Plantz, 40, a white woman, was executed in May 2001 for her role in the killing of her husband, Jim Plantz, for insurance money.
Lois Nadean Smith, 61, a white woman, was executed in December 2001 for the murder of her son’s ex-girlfriend. “Mean Nadean” was convicted of torturing and killing Cindy Bailee, 21.
Currently, there are 40 inmates on Oklahoma’s Death Row and most of the death-row prisoners’ sentences are to be carried out through December 2024, according to the Department of Corrections website.
The state has executed 199 men and three women between 1915 and 2022 at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary, according to the state’s Department of Corrections website.
The last execution by electrocution took place in 1966.
MIAMI, Okla. – A former Kansas police officer accused of shoplifting merchandise from the Miami WalMart is facing new accusations of four additional shoplifting incidents.
A Miami Police report accuses Christopher Bailey Corbit, 44, of Commerce, and his wife Christi, of multiple shoplifting incidents. Corbit was issued two citations in November for larceny and shoplifting and theft by shoplifting.
The newest police report dated Nov. 22, accuses Corbit of larceny and shoplifting from Sept. 15 to Nov. 8.
Corbit does not have a listed telephone number and efforts to reach him by social media were unsuccessful.
Corbit is accused of placing items on top of each other, scanning one item and bagging two items through the self-checkout machines, according to the Miami Police Department report.
A WalMart investigator states while reviewing surveillance video, she was able to see “that Christi was compliant with Corbit’s activities. Christi was helping Corbit bag the items and while scanning the last item she watches as the two items are passed over the scanner as one,” according to the 18-page report.
Christi Corbit has not been charged nor has she been issued a citation.
The loss of the 50 items totaled $332.49, according to the police report. This is in addition to the four earlier alleged shoplifting incidents totaling approximately $200.
Corbit is set to return to Miami Municipal Court on Dec. 15.
He was fired from the Galena Police Department where he worked as a school resource officer and banned from all Walmart stores.
The items allegedly shoplifted include:
Total Loss $8.77
Total Loss $98.96
Total Loss $83.18
Total Loss: $141.58
DISNEY, Okla. – A Christmas journey to Bethlehem is set on the shores of Grand Lake this weekend.
The “Journey to Jesus” is a walkthrough of Bethlehem, Jesus’s birthplace,” said Linda Goldner, co-founder of the Picture In Scripture Amphitheater.
The journey features a living nativity scene as well as a historic Bethlehem marketplace, she said.
“There are some cute and furry friends that greet everyone,” Goldner said.
The journey is from 3 to 8 p.m. from Dec. 2 through 4 at the Oasis Animal Adventures exotic zoo.
Families can get close to Daisy the spider monkey, Dory the baby kangaroo, and Sadie the coatimundi.
Established in 1985, this is the first Journey to Jesus presentation for the Picture In Scripture Amphitheater. The 1,000-seat outdoor amphitheater presents an original Biblical production every summer.
Admission is $5 per person and pony and camel rides will be available for an additional $5. For more information, call 918-435-8207.
KSNF/KODE — The consumer price index (CPI) has climbed steadily nearly every month for the last two and a half years, hitting a multi-decade high of 9.1% in June 2022. Though inflation has since cooled, dropping to 7.7% in October, the CPI remains at historic highs, and Americans across the country are feeling the pinch — particularly those without the means to absorb rising costs.
The typical American household earns $64,994 annually, according to five-year estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2020 American Community Survey (ACS). But in nearly every state, there are cities where most households are earning far less than that.
Among the 28 places in Missouri with available data and populations of at least 25,000, Springfield ranks as the poorest. The typical Springfield household earns $37,491 a year, compared to the statewide median household income of $57,290.
Home values are often a reflection of what people can afford. In Springfield, the typical home is worth $122,200 — compared to the typical home in Missouri, which is worth $163,600.
Here’s a look at the poorest cities in each of the 50 states:
| State | Poorest City | Median Household Income ($) | Median Household Income In State ($) | Median Home Value ($) | Median Home Value In State ($) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Bessemer | 30,284 | 52,035 | 100,100 | 149,600 |
| Alaska | Fairbanks | 64,397 | 77,790 | 217,700 | 275,600 |
| Arizona | San Luis | 41,648 | 61,529 | 128,500 | 242,000 |
| Arkansas | Pine Bluff | 34,410 | 49,475 | 74,900 | 133,600 |
| California | Coachella | 33,999 | 78,672 | 238,500 | 538,500 |
| Colorado | Pueblo | 42,902 | 75,231 | 149,600 | 369,900 |
| Connecticut | Hartford | 36,154 | 79,855 | 170,200 | 279,700 |
| Delaware | Wilmington | 45,139 | 69,110 | 173,500 | 258,300 |
| Florida | University (Hillsborough County) | 29,380 | 57,703 | 91,900 | 232,000 |
| Georgia | Statesboro | 32,790 | 61,224 | 115,100 | 190,200 |
| Hawaii | Hilo | 65,727 | 83,173 | 341,500 | 636,400 |
| Idaho | Rexburg | 33,278 | 58,915 | 221,700 | 235,600 |
| Illinois | East St. Louis | 24,009 | 68,428 | 53,900 | 202,100 |
| Indiana | Gary | 31,315 | 58,235 | 68,400 | 148,900 |
| Iowa | Clinton | 46,066 | 61,836 | 100,800 | 153,900 |
| Kansas | Kansas City | 46,424 | 61,091 | 101,300 | 157,600 |
| Kentucky | Richmond | 39,329 | 52,238 | 148,900 | 147,100 |
| Louisiana | Monroe | 31,926 | 50,800 | 150,000 | 168,100 |
| Maine | Lewiston | 42,969 | 59,489 | 150,100 | 198,000 |
| Maryland | Hagerstown | 41,905 | 87,063 | 160,000 | 325,400 |
| Massachusetts | Springfield | 41,571 | 84,385 | 162,900 | 398,800 |
| Michigan | Flint | 30,383 | 59,234 | 31,700 | 162,600 |
| Minnesota | Winona | 48,653 | 73,382 | 153,500 | 235,700 |
| Mississippi | Greenville | 29,013 | 46,511 | 79,900 | 125,500 |
| Missouri | Springfield | 37,491 | 57,290 | 122,200 | 163,600 |
| Montana | Butte-Silver Bow | 49,659 | 56,539 | 156,400 | 244,900 |
| Nebraska | Fremont | 54,291 | 63,015 | 140,400 | 164,000 |
| Nevada | Winchester | 39,368 | 62,043 | 172,300 | 290,200 |
| New Hampshire | Manchester | 62,087 | 77,923 | 241,600 | 272,300 |
| New Jersey | Camden | 28,623 | 85,245 | 82,500 | 343,500 |
| New Mexico | South Valley | 41,537 | 51,243 | 153,400 | 175,700 |
| New York | Jamestown | 34,767 | 71,117 | 66,400 | 325,000 |
| North Carolina | Asheboro | 37,171 | 56,642 | 119,700 | 182,100 |
| North Dakota | Grand Forks | 50,194 | 65,315 | 209,800 | 199,900 |
| Ohio | Warren | 27,108 | 58,116 | 66,100 | 151,400 |
| Oklahoma | Stillwater | 34,906 | 53,840 | 185,300 | 142,400 |
| Oregon | Grants Pass | 46,580 | 65,667 | 260,400 | 336,700 |
| Pennsylvania | Chester | 32,867 | 63,627 | 70,300 | 187,500 |
| Rhode Island | Woonsocket | 44,310 | 70,305 | 191,500 | 276,600 |
| South Carolina | Anderson | 33,569 | 54,864 | 138,000 | 170,100 |
| South Dakota | Rapid City | 53,760 | 59,896 | 194,100 | 174,600 |
| Tennessee | Morristown | 33,511 | 54,833 | 119,500 | 177,600 |
| Texas | Huntsville | 31,020 | 63,826 | 168,800 | 187,200 |
| Utah | Logan | 43,056 | 74,197 | 216,200 | 305,400 |
| Vermont | Burlington | 55,461 | 63,477 | 312,200 | 230,900 |
| Virginia | Danville | 37,147 | 76,398 | 95,500 | 282,800 |
| Washington | Pullman | 32,073 | 77,006 | 287,700 | 366,800 |
| West Virginia | Huntington | 33,012 | 48,037 | 100,300 | 123,200 |
| Wisconsin | Milwaukee | 43,125 | 63,293 | 128,300 | 189,200 |
| Wyoming | Laramie | 47,463 | 65,304 | 225,400 | 228,000 |
In the table above, populations of at least 25,000 were considered cities. Statistical data is provided by the ACS.
TAHLEQUAH, Okla. – Cherokee Nation is tackling the problems facing parents with several initiatives to create better opportunities for the tribe’s youngest members.
Cherokee Nation early childcare workers are getting a 35 percent bump in pay, which was prompted in response to the Cherokee Nation Early Childhood Task Force review.
The tribe will also offer a Flexible Spending Account and contribute $2,000 per child to be used for childcare needs. This would allow employees to save funds pre-tax, reducing overall childcare costs.
The tribe will also provide sign-on bonuses when hiring for early childcare positions, and provide increased educational opportunities for the early childcare workforce through Cherokee Nation Career Services.
Cherokee Nation has already surpassed the national salary average for childcare professionals, said Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. in a prepared statement.
Chief Hoskin created the Early Childhood Task Force in March to help identify areas of opportunity and areas of unmet needs regarding early childcare within the Cherokee Nation Reservation. The task force is on track to invest up to $40 million to replace or rehabilitate all of the tribe’s Head Start centers.
“Whether you need childcare directly, someone in your family needs childcare, someone in your community needs it, or maybe you will need childcare at some point in the future, it’s an issue that impacts all of us,” Hoskin said. “We want young Cherokees to have great opportunities in childcare, which is an important part of their development.”
One critical component of the Verna D. Thompson Early Childhood Education Act is a comprehensive review of all early childhood educational services in the Cherokee reservation, he said.
The tribe will also partner with Cherokee Nation Businesses to build a new childcare facility on the Hard Rock casino property in Catoosa. The facility will help fill a gap in the childcare needs of Rogers County, where there are nearly 4,000 Cherokee children ages 12 and under, second only to Cherokee County within the Cherokee Nation Reservation. For each available childcare slot in Rogers County, there are three children.
The tribe will contribute $5 million to local Boys & Girls Clubs, which provide after-school programs for thousands of Cherokee children in the reservation.
Cherokee Nation’s Cherokee Connections Program focuses on relative providers who are caring for children while parents work or attend school.
More information on the tribe’s existing childcare programs can be found by emailing the Cherokee Nation Human Services department at human_services@cherokee.org or calling 918-453-5422.
The complete Early Childhood Task Force report can be found online through this link (PDF).
MIAMI, Okla. – A former Galena police officer accused of shoplifting from the Miami Wal-Mart is possibly facing more shoplifting complaints, according to Miami City Attorney Ben Loring.
Christopher Bailey Corbit, 44, of Commerce, appeared in Miami Municipal Court on Tuesday where he pleaded not guilty to two citations citing him with larceny and shoplifting and theft by shoplifting.
He was ordered to return to court on Dec. 15 for a hearing.
At the conclusion of the hearing, Loring said there was a possibility of other charges being filed.
Corbit is accused of shoplifting 28 items totaling approximately $300 from the Miami Walmart by placing items on top of each other, scanning one item and bagging two items through the self-checkout machines, according to the Miami Police Department report.
Wal-Mart has five open cases involving shoplifting and Corbit, the report states.
Corbit served as Galena’s school resource officer at the time of the alleged theft. He has since been dismissed from the Galena Police Department.
GROVE, Okla. – Two signs with unknown meanings were left as possible calling cards on a Grove statue that was vandalized.
An American Bald Eagle wooden sculpture was spray painted black on Friday night or early Saturday morning, said Craig Criger, Grove Superintendent of Buildings and Grounds.
Criger said the sculpture was carved out of the top of a tree and at the base of the tree was the letter “A” spray painted with a circle around the letter. Earlier someone had paced a “purple and green sign with a joker card” at the tree, Criger said.
The words “Ha Ha Ha” and “Get Rid Of The Bat Man!” and “Not my Tree!!” were handwritten on the sign.
“We don’t know the value of the sculpture,” Criger said. “In some ways it’s priceless.”
A city beautification project used five trees in the downtown area that were designated to be removed. Different sculptures were on the other trees, he said.
The eagle sculpture was completed on Nov. 23 by Richard Quick using a chainsaw, Criger said.
“The sculptures had to do with Grove and Grand Lake,” Criger said. “They were unique to our downtown area.”
If anyone has information about the vandalism, please contact the Grove Police Department at (918) 786-6121.
OWASSO, Okla. – Grove turned the ball over three times and came up short on the scoreboard as the second-ranked Midwest City Carl Albert Titans defeated the Ridgerunners 55-21 in the Class 5A semifinals.
Carl Albert, a 16-time state champion, will try once again to take home the golden ball when they meet McAlester (11-2) next Saturday for the Class 5A Championship game at the University of Central Oklahoma.
Grove senior running back Emmanuel Crawford ended the night with over 6,600 career yards – a Class 5A record. His three touchdowns on the night netted 152 yards.
Grove senior quarterback Carson Trimble had 96 yards in the air and rushed for 41 yards.
Two costly interceptions in the first half worked against Grove allowing Carl Albert to take an early 14-0 lead with a Xavier Robinson run of 21 yards and a 39-yard pass from Reed DeQuasie to Tashawn James.
Grove’s Crawford, who looked like he was going to get thrown for a loss, wiggled around Titan defenders and scored cutting into Carl Albert’s lead 14-7.
Carl Albert scored twice in the second quarter to take a 27-7 lead into the locker room at halftime.
The Titans exploded in the third quarter putting up 21 points on a Trey Washington 75 pass from Dequasie, a 12-yard bootleg run by Dequasie and a 67-yard run by Robinson.
Trystan Haynes scored on a 67-yard punt return for the Titans in the fourth quarter.
Crawford added points in the fourth quarter on an 80-yard touchdown run and a 6-yard touchdown run.
Carl Albert 14 13 21 7 — 55
Grove 7 0 0 14 — 21
First Quarter
Second Quarter
Third Quarter
Fourth Quarter