News To Know: voter registration looms, sex crime sentencing

OKLAHOMA – The Cherokee Nation renews its campaign for representation in congress, calling on federal legislators to honor a treaty the US government made nearly two hundred years ago. In a video released last week, the tribal nation reasserted its demand that congress seat its delegate in the house of representatives — a right stipulated by the 1835 treaty of New Echota. Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Junior with the Cherokee Nation said in the video, “For two centuries, congress has failed to honor that promise, however, the treaty of New Echota has no expiration date. The obligation to seat a Cherokee Nation delegate is as binding today as it was in 1835.” Hoskin tapped Kimberly Teehee as the nation’s official representative to congress. If Teehee were to be seated, her role would likely be similar to other non-voting members of congress. Although those members can’t vote on the house floor, they can vote in committee, introduce legislation, and engage in debate.

FOUR STATES – Just a reminder; the voter registration deadline for the November elections is coming up in three weeks.

  • Missouri’s deadline is October 12th.
  • Oklahoma deadline is October 14th
  • The deadline in Kansas is October 18th.

PITTSBURG, Kan. – After a plea agreement, a Pittsburg man learns his fate for sexually exploiting a child under the age of 14. The crimes happened on November 21, 2021, in Crawford County, Kansas. Police arrested him and requested 19 counts of sexual exploitation of a child and 13 counts of internet trading in child pornography. According to court documents, Prosecutors charged Rex W. A. Mills with 5 counts of each. In July of 2022, Mills accepted a plea deal. He pleaded nolo contendere, accepting conviction as though he entered a guilty plea, but not admitting guilt. As part of the deal, prosecutors dropped 9 of the 10 charges. The remaining charge, Sexual Exploitation of a Child Under the Age of 14, is an off-grid, person-felony with a sentence of life imprisonment with the possibility of parole after 25 years and a maximum fine of $500,000.  Click here to read more about this story.

GREENBUSH, Kan – Pittsburg’s gifted middle school students on Tuesday participated in stem activities at Greenbush in Girard. Sixth and seventh graders were in the lab learning the difference between animal and plant cells. They looked at their own cheek cells under a microscope. Eighth graders went outside to learn engineering design and problem solving. They worked together to cross a ropes course.

GRDA crews head to Florida in anticipation of Hurricane Ian

PRYOR, Okla. — Before dawn Tuesday a group of GRDA employee volunteers met in Pryor for a briefing before embarking on a 950-mile convoy to the Hurricane Ian zone.

“As Hurricane Ian slowly approaches the state of Florida, powerline maintenance crews from the Grand River Dam Authority and the City of Skiatook are also headed that way,” GRDA states in a media release.

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“With the hurricane expected to make landfall on Wednesday, these crews, representing Oklahoma’s public power team, will be staged to move in immediately after the storm, to help with power restoration efforts in the Florida panhandle.”

The volunteers are compromised of 17 GRDA employees and four from Skiatook Electric. Among the contingent are electric linemen, vegetation management personnel, mechanics, and law enforcement.

They will stage just outside of the Tallahassee area until the storm passes and then plan to move in to help the City of Tallahassee’s public power utility with restoration efforts.

The crews will be lending a hand in Florida as part of a nationwide American Public Power Association (APPA) mutual aid effort.

This is not the first time GRDA and other Oklahoma public power crews have also provided mutual aid assistance.  They have responded before to Florida, along with Texas, Louisiana, and North Carolina.

“GRDA is Oklahoma’s largest public power electric utility; fully funded by revenues from electric and water sales instead of taxes. Each day, GRDA strives to be an ‘Oklahoma agency of excellence’ by focusing on the 5 E’s: electricity, economic development, environmental stewardship, employees, and efficiency.”

This is a breaking news story, stay with Joplin News First as we continue to learn more. Scroll below and sign up for our email alerts so you don’t miss an article.

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Motorcyclist injured after jacket catches in back wheel in Ottawa Co.

OTTAWA COUNTY, Okla. (KOAM) – A motorcyclist was critically injured after a crash on  I-44 in Ottawa County Sunday evening.

Oklahoma Highway Patrol said the driver was headed westbound about four miles west of Miami.

Personal information about the driver has not been released, pending notification of family.

Investigators determined the cyclist’s leather jacket tangled in the rear wheel and belt drive of their 1998 Harley Davidson, causing them to lose control.

The motorcycle overturned onto its side and stopped in the outside lane.

Miami EMS transported the motorcyclist to Freeman Hospital in Joplin.

According to the OHP report, they were admitted in critical condition with head and body injuries.

This is a developing story. Stay with KOAM News Now for updates as they become available.

Local museum teaches residents what it’s like to be a pioneer

GROVE, Okla. – The Harber Village Museum on Grand Lake today hosted the last day of its Pioneer Days family event.

The event features heritage craftspeople who perform various skills like:

  • Blacksmithing and Tinsmithing
  • Weaving and Spinning
  • Basket weaving
  • Lace making
  • Daguerreotype photography,
  • Printing press demonstrations
  • Broom making
  • Banjo making

Officials say the heritage craftsmen and women offer an authentic learning experience for all ages and hobbies.

Some of the main draws of the event are the Living History Demonstrations which include:

  • Churning butter and hearth cooking
  • Making sausage
  • Old-fashioned games
  • Making dyes

Among these activities are other hands-on opportunities like using a loom, dipping candles, and creating old-fashioned toys.

Click here to learn more.

Christmas movie featuring Full House Star looking for extras to film in Tulsa

TULSA, Okla. – The upcoming holiday film, ‘A Christmas Present’, starring Full House’s Candace Cameron Bure is looking for extras to help with production.

Officials say that background performers can earn up to $68 for up to 8-hours of shooting per day, along with the possibility of overtime.

The faith-based film follows the life of Maggie, who does what she can to cheer up her widowed brother as he and his daughter cope with their first Christmas since the passing of their wife and mother.

The film is executive produced by Brad Krevoy, Candace Cameron Bure, Lorenzo Nardini, Amy Krell and produced by Brent Ryan Green. It is written by Rick Garman and directed by Lesley Demetriades.

Pre-employment testing for Covid-19 is required for all extras 24 hours prior to filming. Testing will be compensated at $20 per person.

Since the film takes place over the Holidays, extras will be asked to provide winter and/or holiday attire.

Breakdown of roles

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 23

OPEN HOUSE GUESTS – Males and females, 18-60, of any ethnicity. They are guests at an open house.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 24

MAYA – Asian female, around 10 years of age. She plays the daughter of one of the main characters in the film.

Click here to learn more about how to submit auditions.

Oklahoma adds 300 counselors to school system to benefit student’s mental health

OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. –The School Counselor Corps adds more than 300 counselors and mental health professionals to the Oklahoma public schools in order to improve student stability and mental health.

The corps was launched in 2021 by State Superintendent of Public Instruction Joy Hofmeister. It is a three-year, $35 million initiative supported by COVID stabilization funding through the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) Fund.

Hofmeister said the School Counselor Corps is bringing much-needed services to schools, some of which have not had a single school counselor in the past.

“This is a crucial investment for our students,” Hofmeister said. “School counselors and mental health professionals play a transformative role in helping students work through adversity, achieve success in the classroom and prepare for life after high school.”

Jenna Jones, executive director of comprehensive school counseling for the OSDE, said some school districts have added new, more creative programs to help their students. Moore, Mustang and Shawnee Public Schools added therapists to their staff to implement recreation-based mental health programs. Several other districts, including Checotah, Bixby, Morris and Grove, added a therapy dog program to serve students.

“The feedback we’re getting from school administrators is that they are seeing an improvement in student wellbeing and a positive impact on student outcomes,” Jones said.

Click here to read more about how Oklahoma schools will implement its newest professionals.

Sheriff confirms identity of body found in Grand Lake

DELAWARE COUNTY, Okla. – Authorities confirm the body found in Grand Lake was that of a missing man.

>>Previous Article:  Authorities find body in Grand lake west of Grove

Delaware County Sheriff James Beck confirms to KOAM that the body was 31-year-old Arslan “Shawn” Khalid.

Grand River Dam Authority located a body yesterday in Grand Lake, west of Grove near the intersection of east 262 Road and north 620 Road. That’s near Red Rock Resort, close to Khalid’s lake house, according to OKCM Search and Rescue Team.

KOAM spoke with Brian Smith with OKCM Search and Rescue Team. According to Smith, he spoke with a close friend of Khalid’s who was the last to reportedly see him on September 18, 2022.

OKCM Search and Rescue Team states, “His car and personal belongings are still at the place he was last seen so we believe he may have either left on foot or been picked up by some unknown person.”

The GRDA is not releasing or confirming details at this time.

Stay with KOAM News Now for updates as authorities release them.

Go Fund Me created to support family of Oklahoma toddler found dead

OKEMAH, Okla. — The family of a 2-year-old boy who was found dead hours after disappearing from his home, has set up a GoFundMe to help cover funeral minimal funeral costs.

Ares Muse was discovered deceased about a 1/2 mile south of the family residence in a densely wooded and brush covered area.

We lost our beloved grandson. I am asking for help for the family for the funeral costs and whatever they need help with. Ares was a sweet boy. Just short of his 3rd birthday. He loved his mom, dad and sister very much and was a second son to his aunt. The hole that is left in all our hearts will never be filled.” — Brandi Gaither via GO FUND ME

Monday more than 20 agencies across Oklahoma quickly came together to search as parents claimed they woke at 6:30 a.m. and little Ares was nowhere to be found.

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After the body was discovered Principal Chief David Hill spoke to those who had been searching all day, “Though we didn’t get the outcome we wanted, we appreciate the effort and the prayers today. We grieve with everyone who knew and loved this boy.”

100+ in Law Enforcement and volunteers spent hours searching and hoping to find the boy safe. Using K9, Drones, helicopter, and some on horseback, ATVs.

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Services for the boy are set for Sept 19.  Click here to read the obituary. 

The Muscogee Nation Lighthorse Police are investigating the death. As investigation continues and authorities are not calling it a criminal investigation.

Services are set for Sept 18 and 19 in Okemah, Okla. under the care of Parks Bros Funeral Home.

This is a developing news story. Stay with Joplin News First on KOAM News Now as we continue to learn more. Scroll below and sign up for our JLNews email list so you don’t miss an article.

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