SERVING CHICKASHA AND GRADY COUNTY SINCE 1892

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Thursday, September 19, 2013

Huffer alledgedly steals Huffy

BY JAMES BRIGHT The Express-Star
Police reports say a man assaulted and stole a victim's bicycle after huffing paint last night. Chickasha Police Officer Joel Hendrix responded in reference to an assault in the area of S. 9th Street and Ohio Avenue at 9:25 p.m. "Upon arrival I met with the (victim) and he said (Shannon) Ingram ran up behind him and hit him in the head as he rode his green bicycle," Hendrix wrote in a police report. "(The victim) said that after Ingram hit him on the head, he got on the bicycle." Ingram took the bicycle, described as a green Huffy mountain bike, and rode away, the victim said. Hendrix began a search for Ingram when he found a male and female couple walking down an alley. "I shined my light on the couple, and noticed the male holding what appeared to be a bag on his right shoulder blocking his face," Hendrix wrote. "I SHANNON INGRAM drove passed the two and as I did, I recognized the female as one that lives Ingram. I looked at the male and now the bag was on his left shoulder. The male subject was holding it as to conceal his identity. As I drove passed (sic) him, I was able to positivity identify Ingram because of previous dealings with him. I also noticed the
See BIKE, Page 3A

Textless day

Miss America controversy unwarranted

BY JAMES BRIGHT The Express-Star
This year's winner of the annual Miss America pageant looked a little different from the typical Caucasian champion, and the social media world responded to the change. Nina Davuluri of New York became a hash tag sensation almost instantly after the Indian-America contestant took the top prize. Tweets misidentified her as being of Arabic descent and alleged she belonged to an array of terrorist organizations. Others said she didn't deserve the title given she wasn't American. The reality is Davuluri is American, born in the U.S. and the people of Grady County are fully aware of it. Respondents to a question on The Express-Star's Facebook on the treatment of Davuluri were almost unanimously in her favor. "It's Miss America not miss black, white, purple.. You get my drift.. If your a Miss and an American it's game on," Christie Bard wrote. "America is a rainbow of color and cultures." Bobby Jo Nunn addressed her concerns siting a popular American mantra. "I thought this was America land of the free," she wrote. "I just don't understand why people have to see color and not what the person had accomplished in their life."
See PAGEANT, Page 3A

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION JAMES BRIGHT / EXPRESS-STAR

ItCanWait.com started a national no text and drive day in hopes of stopping teenagers from using their phones while behind the wheel.

Group aims to create safer roads

BY JESSICA LANE The Express-Star
Today, drivers can make a commitment to put down the phone when they take the wheel. Four national wireless service providers are encouraging people to pledge to never text and drive on Drive 4 Pledges Day, Sept. 19. ItCanWait.com is making an effort to spread the word about the
dangers of texting via social media and focusing on getting individuals to take the pledge to never text and drive. People can take the pledge online or through Facebook. In addition to not texting and driving themselves, the movement in encouraging teens to speak up when their friends are texting and driving. Video reenactments show teens asking other teens to stop texting and driving. So how serious is it to send a text while behind the wheel? According to It Can Wait, over 100,000 crashes a year involve drivers who are texting. A driving simulator on the website demonstrates how tricky it can be to text while driving. Site visitors can also tell their story about texting while driving and why they are taking the pledge.

Former sheriff uses money to grow agriculture education groups

BY JESSICA LANE The Express-Star
Funds from a former irrigation organization will help keep local FFA groups afloat. When Washita Irrigation dissipated, there was a reservoir of funds. The Washita river went dry in 1972. Money that had come from farmer's fees was put in CDs, where it steadily puddled into nearly $90,000. Washita Irrigation was left to Art Kell by his father. Because Washita was a nonprofit group and the funds could not be used to buy water during the droughts of 2011, Kell decided these funds should trickle down to Grady County's FFA and 4H groups. About $86,000 was divided to all the FFA chapters in Grady County. Kell said that these groups are important to the former members of

JESSICA LANE / EXPRESS-STAR

Former Sheriff Art Kell donated $86,000 to all FFA chapters in Grady County. See DONATION, Page 3A
Dai y Express-Star

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