For the Record

Provided by Bob Bratton

Vol. 128 - No. 03 1anuary 16, 2014 USPS No. 589-360 Single Copy 50 cents
One Nation
Under God
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servation program, NRCS
ChieI Jason Weller said.
Through their conservation
actions, these good stewards
are ensuring that their opera-
tions are more productive and
sustainable over the long run
and CSP can help them take
their operations to the next
level oI natural resource man-
USDA Extends Deadline for
Conservation Stewardship
Applications
Property 1axes to Co Up 3"-5":
Disabled Jeterans Can Cet
Extra Exemption
Edison to Host Educational
1echnology 1rust
Representatives
1anuary
High Low Rain
6 30 9
7 49 16
8 51 28
9 40 34
10 59 32
11 65 28
12 78 36
13 59 34
Rain This Month 0.00
Rain This Year 0.00
Bite-A-Snake
Bites the Dust
1wo Inmates Escape
Form Creer County 1ail
Charles Arles Christian Carcia 1apia
Two inmates escaped Ior
the Greer County Jail last Fri-
day aIternoon according to the
Greer County Sheriffs Depart-
ment.
Charles Arles and Christian
Garcia Tapia were in the exer-
cise area behind the jail when
jail staII discovered they were
missing around 4:30 p.m. Fri-
day.
OIIicers began a search in
the immediate area. OIIicers
were contacted by a Iemale
who inIormed them she had
given the men a ride to Altus.
OIIicials advised the Altus
Police Department and they
advised the Greer County
Sheriffs Department that the
inmates leIt the house oI
Tapias girlfriend driving a
GMC Denali truck.
Arles girlIriend advised
Greer County oIIicers that she
had received a phone call Irom
him. A trace on the phone
number indicated it came Irom
a Stripes convenience store in
Haskel, Texas.
Greer County oIIicers state
they received inIormation stat-
ing that the two escapees were
around the Laredo, Texas area
or possibly just inside the bor-
der oI Mexico near Laredo.
Tapia is described as being
a 59 year-old male, 55 tall,
150 pounds and being oI white/
Hispanic race, with gray or
partially gray hair. Arles is
described as being a 27 year
old white male, brown hair,
58 tall and weighing 155
pounds.
1he Bite-A-Snake caf is used three days a year, but it boasts
of serving hundreds of pounds of snake meat during that three
day period of the Rattlesnake Derby and Flea Market in Man-
gum.
1he old structure has seen better days so the Shortgrass Rat-
tlesnake Association is in the process of tearing it down. A new
metal building will replace the old brick structure. 1he new
building will be the same width as the one immediately behind it.
It will house the association offices in the front and the caf in
the back. It will also provide extra space for storage.
1he new structure is expected to be finished by the time the
derby comes around the last of April.
Due to the increasing mar-
ket value oI property in Greer
County I am having to adjust
values on homes and lot val-
ues. II you have a homestead
the property will increase by
3 and iI there is no home-
stead the property will increase
by 5. This is a state law and
it is enIorced by the Oklahoma
Tax Commission. There are
some exemptions you may
qualiIy Ior. II you own your
home you may apply Ior a
homestead exemption. A
homestead exemption will save
you around $75.00 on your
taxes. II you are 65 years old
or older, have a homestead and
your total gross household in-
come is not over $44,600 you
may apply Ior what is called a
senior Ireeze. The $44,600 is
determined by the United
States Department oI Housing
and Urban Development
(H.U.D.). This amount varies
Ior each county and is subject
to change each year. II you
qualiIy Ior the Ireeze, I am not
allowed to raise your property
value Ior the current year and
each year aIter iI your income
is under the amount deter-
mined by H.U.D.
There is an extra home-
stead you may apply Ior iI your
total gross household income is
under $20,000.00. There is no
age limit to apply Ior the extra
homestead and that will save
you another $75.00 on your
taxes.
A Homestead, extra
Homestead or Senior Freeze all
have to be applied Ior beIore
March 15
th
to receive the bene-
Iit Ior the current year. You
will need to show prooI oI
your income to receive the
Senior Freeze or extra Home-
stead.
II you are a disabled vet-
eran or the widow oI a disabled
veteran and have a letter Irom
the Department oI Veterans
AIIairs stating you are 100
percent disabled you need to
bring your letter to our oIIice
and apply for the Veterans
exemption. A Veterans ex-
emption will remove all the
taxes Irom your property
where you live as long as you
have a homestead on the prop-
erty. This exemption only ap-
plies to the homestead prop-
erty.
We will be mailing out
increase notices Ior the 5 and
3 increase very soon, so iI
you think you may qualiIy Ior
any oI the exemptions please
bring prooI oI your income and
come into our oIIice as soon as
possible.
Donna Giddens
Greer County Assessor
1hirsty Water Corporation
Issues Statement to
Area Customers
Customers oI the Thirsty Water Corporation, Inc received calls
Iollowed by a letter last week concerning a problem with Well #1
in their system.
The call and letter asked customers with water taps in their
pastures to turn oII the pasture taps until the situation could be
resolved. Residential customers were not aIIected by the letter
other than asking them to conserve as much water as possible.
OIIicials have been working since late last week to solve the
problem. One step they took was to tap into the Beckham County
Rural Water District Well #3.
The problem was a possible clogged screen at Well #1 that
slowed the pumps Irom Iilling the water lines in the system and
not the water level at the well itselI.
By Monday oIIicials were conIident the situation would be
resolved quickly and that the pasture taps could once again be
utilized to water cattle by mid week.
The Department oI Environmental Quality urged residential
customers to boil the water, but this was just a precautionary
measure and had nothing to do with the quality oI water coming
to the homes.
The Thirsty Water Corporation, Inc. serves approximately 50
residential customers and provides water to approximately 100
pasture taps.
Covernor Issues Red Flag
Warning Due to High
Winds and Low Humidity
Its that time of year when the grass is dry, the humidity is low
and the winds are blowing. Its also time to be extremely cautious
as an outbreak oI grass Iires over the weekend caused the Gover-
nor to issue a Red Flag Warning. This is not a burn ban, but a
warning to citizens to exercise caution.
Stephens County is the only Oklahoma County to be under a
burn ban at the present time. The ban in Stephens County was
issued January 13
th
and runs until February 14
th
.
Whether or not a burn ban is issued in Greer County all resi-
dents need to be aware that it takes just one spark that could turn
into a massive wildIire.
With most of the county receiving 20 or less in rain last year
the county is literally a tinder box just waiting to explode. Until
we get a lot oI rain please be aware oI your surroundings when
starting any type oI Iire.
Representatives Irom the Oklahoma Educational Technology
Trust (OETT) will visit Edison Elementary on Monday, January
27, 2014, to participate in a site visit to see the 2013 OETT grant
in action.
The $65,000 grant provides technology and proIessional de-
velopment to Edison Elementary students and teachers. The
OETT grant will provide iPads into the elementary curriculum Ior
integrating authentic teaching and learning.
Edison Elementary joins 187 other schools in Oklahoma and
their combined 75,000 students that have received the OETT
grants since 2003. In addition, more than 5,500 teachers have
received proIessional development training to assist with the new
technology.
Crade School teachers are shown receiving the OE11 1rust
Crant earlier this school year.
Chamber of Commerce to Hold
Annual Banquet February 2
Greer County Chamber oI Commerce has set the date oI Satur-
day February 1
st
at 6:30pm Ior the Annual Greer County Chamber
oI Commerce banquet. Everyone is invited to attend. Tickets are
$25.00 per person and sponsor tables are $200 Ior a table oI
eight. Representative Purcy Walker will present the entertain-
ment and guest speaker will be Dwayne Smith, Water Recourse
Board Consultant. Water will be a real topic over the next Iew
years. We will hear a lot about water Irom the state, county and
local governments. Also, Casey Paxton oI the Mangum Star will
be sharing his thoughts and serving as master oI ceremony.
Toys For Tots Says Thank You
During the Christmas season oI 2013, through your generosity
and caring spirit, we were able to serve 68 Iamilies representing
168 children. As always, our cause is the youth and children and
the hope oI a Merry Christmas. Thank you Ior making this pro-
ject possible.
Gary ONeill, USDA-
NRCS State Conservationist
said that The USDA has ex-
tended the deadline Ior new
e n r o l l m e n t s i n
the Conservation Stewardship
Program (CSP) Ior Iiscal year
2014. Producers interested in
participating in the program
can submit applications to
NRCS through February 7,
2014.
Extending the enrollment
deadline will make it possible
Ior more Iarmers, ranchers and
Iorest landowners to apply Ior
this important Farm Bill con-
The General Tommy Franks
Leadership Institute and Mu-
seum (GTFLIM) opened a new
exhibition which is designed to
support current US troops
abroad. "Grunts to Glory: A
UniIorm History oI the Mili-
tary" opened on Monday, Janu-
ary 6, 2014 and will run
through the end oI February.
GTFLIM is asking Ior visitors
to donate items Ior care pack-
ages to be sent to current US
troops abroad as a part oI the
exhibit.
"This is a wonderIul ex-
hibit," said Warren Martin,
GTFLIM Executive Director,
"and it really brings home the
message oI how much our
troops give day in and day out.
We could think oI nothing
more Iitting than providing an
opportunity Ior visitors to give
back to our current troops as
they tour this exhibit. When
you catch a glimpse into what
they experienced in WWI,
WWII and Vietnam, it pro-
duces a new understanding oI
patriotism that compelled our
team to want to give back to
our current troops and I think
visitors will Ieel the same."
This exhibit highlights the
history oI military service Irom
the grunts in the trenches oI
Ceneral 1ommy Franks
Museum to Host Aew Exhibition
WWI to the glory oI troops
serving as aides to the Presi-
dent in the White House. The
exhibit contains a variety oI
authentic uniIorms Irom WWI,
WWII, and Vietnam. Featuring
a WWI uniIorm worn by sol-
diers in the trenches oI Europe
(complete with charge whistle
and gas siren) and a Marine
Presidential Aide uniIorm
worn in service to President
Woodrow Wilson, this exhibit
oIIers a unique look into rare
artiIacts.
The exhibit was developed
by the GTFLIM team and con-
tains artiIacts never beIore
seen in a museum. Most oI the
artiIacts are Irom the private
collection oI Thomas Carmi-
chael out oI Edmond, OK.
"Scott Cumm and our team
did a great job putting this ex-
hibit together," said Martin.
"We started with Carmichael's
private collection and Ileshed
out the exhibit to really give
the viewer an understanding oI
the environment in which each
uniIorm would be worn."
One highlight oI the exhibit
is the reconstructed Ilight oI-
Iice oI Capt. C. L. Monicals
(WWII C-47 Cargo pilot). This
scene is complete with his
See Museum Page 7
See Deadline Page 7
Inside
Community News Page 2
Society News Page 2
D.A Report Page 3
MHS Tiger Times Page 4
1unior High News Page 5
School News Page 5
Outdoor News Page 7
Legal Notices Page 8
Obituaries Page 8
1ohn Loel Coffman
Melba Anne 1ohnson
Herbert William Maas III
1auneice McDuff
Dianna Lynn Merical
Mardena Dell Paxton
Classifieds Page 9
Tiger Sports Page 10