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Amid crowded jails, Okla. looks to boost felonies DAmid crowded jails, Okla. looks to boost felonies
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — The recent momentum to reduce Oklahoma’s exceptionally high incarceration rate has fizzled out, officials said this week. The Justice Reinvestment Initiative, signed by Gov. Mary Fallin last May, aimed to encourage rehabilitation of nonviolent offenders, lessen the emphasis on prison time and supervise prisoners after release, among other provisions. All were meant to prevent repeat offending, make the state safer a...
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Museum to hold ‘Teddy Bear Tea’
“Grandma and me at a Teddy Bear Tea” is the theme for a March 23 event from 11 a.m. until 12:30 at Three Valley Museum. This tea party, designed exclusively for grandmas and their beautiful little grandchildren, dressed in their Easter best, will offer tea and crumpets in a delightful setting, severed by fairy tale characters in costume. After tea, there will be story telling, along with other surprises. Each child will leave with a speci...
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Big Five named one of the state’s top nonprofits
One of Durant’s most prominent nonprofit organizations has been recognized in the state as one of the top 24 Oklahoma nonprofit organizations. Big Five Community Services, Inc. was recognized as one of the state leading nonprofits and is now in the running for top nonprofit in the state at the 2013 Oklahoma Nonprofit Excellence (ONE) Awards that will be held on April 20. The awards are given each year by the Oklahoma Center for Nonprofits...
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Law gives tribes new authority over non-Indians
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (AP) — American Indian tribes have tried everything from banishment to charging criminal acts as civil offenses to deal with non-Indians who commit crimes on reservations. Ever since the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 1978 that tribal courts lack criminal jurisdiction over non-Indians, tribes have had to get creative in trying to hold that population accountable. They acknowledge, though, that those approaches aren’t much ...
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Fraud prevention workshop scheduled in Durant March 21
Merchant fraud is an unfortunate loss many business owners may encounter. Risky Business: Protecting Your Business from Theft and Fraud is a free workshop offered to teach small business owners how to be on guard for merchant theft and fraud and take the necessary steps to prevent it. The event will take place on March 21, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Durant Area Chamber of Commerce, 215 N. 4th Avenue, Durant. Topics for the workshop inclu...
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Animal advocates oppose horse slaughter in Okla.
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Animal lovers from across Oklahoma roamed the halls of the state Capitol on Thursday urging their local legislators to oppose legislation that would pave the way for a horse slaughtering facility in the state. Officials with three animal rights groups sponsored Humane Lobby Day and briefed about 50 participants on how to lobby their elected officials. “We certainly don’t want to be known as the place where horses ...
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Man charged with assaulting deputy
A Durant man has been charged with assault and battery upon a police officer after authorities said he hit and shoved a sheriff’s deputy. Gary Dean Reynolds, 45, was charged Thursday. He is accused of striking Deputy Vinny Cacace in the head and also shoving him in the chest. He was arrested Wednesday after deputies and a Durant officer responded to an altercation Wednesday on Roberts Drive east of Durant. According to the sheriff’s off...
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Local film maker to hold free screening
Tyler Slawson, a senior at Southeastern Oklahoma State University, will be hosting a screening for his sixth short film “Consecrated” on March 9 at 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. The screening will be held at the Massey Building located on the corner of 2 nd Avenue and Main Street in Durant. There is no admission fee required for Saturday’s screening. Slawson held a pre-screening event for the film on Feb. 23. Slawson said at his pre-screening even...
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Firefighters hose down car and grass fires
Durant firefighters responded to a car fire and two grass fires on Wednesday. Firefighters were dispatched at 1:35 p.m. to Walmart after someone called about a car being on fire. When firefighters arrived, there was smoke coming from the vehicle and a fire in the engine compartment. The car owner was paged to unlock the vehicle so firefighters could raise the hood. According to a fire department report, the fire was caused by a short in t...
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Man accused of assaulting deputy
Two Bryan County Sheriff’s deputies and one Durant Police officer were involved in an altercation Wednesday on Roberts Drive, east of Durant. According to Bryan County Sheriff Ken Golden, The sheriff’s office received a call stating there was a man carrying a gun. When deputies arrived, they found that a woman had fainted at the end of the road. One deputy stayed with the woman while his partner went to confront the to the man who was all...
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Dems halt background check talks with Sen. Coburn
WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Democrats set aside their effort Wednesday to win support from conservative Sen. Tom Coburn for requiring federal background checks for nearly all gun purchases, at least temporarily hurting President Barack Obama’s chances for pushing one of his top priorities through Congress. Democrats’ failure to resolve a final dispute with the Oklahoma Republican means they’ve lost a valuable ally, at least for now. Coburn...
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Okla. school security panel makes recommendations
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — The creation of a school security institute and mental health training for school staffs were among five recommendations submitted to lawmakers Tuesday by an Oklahoma task force created after last year’s deadly shooting at a Connecticut elementary school. The other recommendations call for mandating school intruder drills at public schools along with fire and tornado drills; establishing a school security tip phone ...
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Lions Club learn about Young Professionals
Matthew Davison spoke on the behalf of the Durant Young Professionals organization at the Monday, Durant Noon Lions Club meeting. “The mission of Durant Young Professionals is to provide opportunities to experience life with young professionals, opportunities to emerge and develop as leaders; and opportunities to engage the community through learning and service for the purpose of identifying, retaining and supporting the latest group of mo...
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Durant and Bennington school bonds pass
Bond propositions in Durant and Bennington school districts were approved by voters, according to election returns released by the Bryan County Election Board Tuesday evening. In Durant, a $5,380,000 bond for constructing, remodeling and equipping school facilities was approved by 60.80 percent with 425 votes for it and 274 votes against it with 425 ballots in favor of it and 274 opposed. “It’s a great thing for the district and the kids,...
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Oklahoma House passes higher ed aid restriction
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — The Oklahoma House voted Monday to limit the students eligible for a statewide college-aid program amid fears that rising costs could jeopardize the tuition payments for many low-income students who rely on them. By a 56-37 vote, the House narrowly cleared a proposal from Rep. Leslie Osborn, R-Mustang, that would restrict the families eligible for the Oklahoma Higher Learning Access Program, also known as Oklahoma’s...
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Homeless woman struck by train
A woman is in critical condition after being struck by a train Monday evening, according to Durant Police. The 39-year-old woman, whose name has not been released, was struck by a train at 6:05 p.m. on the South Ninth Avenue railroad tracks on mile north of Rodeo Road, according to Durant Police Lt. Chris Marcy. The victim, who is homeless, was flown to a Plano, Texas, hospital and was in very critical condition at press time this morning...
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Legislators take aim at needy Oklahomans
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — As Republican legislators look for ways to tighten the state’s budget belt, and score points with an increasingly conservative electorate, they are targeting federal assistance programs popular among low-income and needy Oklahomans. Last year, the GOP-led Legislature passed a measure subjecting welfare recipients to drug tests, and so far this year close to a dozen measures have been introduced targeting assistance ...
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Funding plan unclear for backlogged Okla. jails
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Oklahoma’s legislators have yet to respond to an urgent request from the Corrections Department for additional funding, leaving the agency worried that the day may come when it cannot accept any more inmates. Director Justin Jones of the Oklahoma Department of Corrections told a Senate committee in January that without an immediate $6 million boost to a $463 million budget, his department would no longer house inmat...
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Durant man injured in wreck near Hartshorne
A Durant man was critically injured in a crash east of Harthorne on State Highway 1 in Pittsburg County, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol said. Eric Tiger, 24, was listed in critical condition at St. Francis Hospital in Tulsa. According to the patrol, the accident happened at 8:53 a.m. Sunday when Tiger, who was driving a 2009 Dodge, passed another vehicle and then ran off the roadway to the left. He over corrected and struck a 2007 Honda driven...
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Okla. schools fear loss of intangible property tax
TULSA (AP) — School finance officials say they are growing increasingly alarmed by dramatic new estimates of tax revenue losses from the intangible tax ban amendment approved by Oklahoma voters last fall. The Oklahoma Tax Commission initially estimated the new tax break for more than 250 companies centrally assessed by the state, including AT&T, Cox Communications, American Airlines, and various utility and railroad companies, at $50 mi...
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