October 8, 2018

By Paragon News Director Paul Joseph –

Alcohol was a contributing factor in a wreck along the interstate that sent three people to an Oklahoma City hospital, one Weatherford man was admitted for his injuries.

26-year-old Ken J. Vargas is reported to be in fair condition at news time following the early Sunday morning accident near Hydro.

According to the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, Vargas was driving a 2002 Chevrolet pickup westbound at a high rate of speed when he struck the rear of a 2019 Freightliner causing both drivers to lose control. Vargas’ pickup veered off left where it struck a cable barrier and came to rest while the semi left the highway to the right where it came to rest. Vargas was pinned inside the pickup for about 20 minutes before being transported to OU Medical Center’s trauma unit.

The passengers in Vargas’ pickup, 27-year-old Jesse Ontiveros and 18-year-old Marc Meza, both from Weatherford were treated and released at OU Med Center.

Neither the driver or passenger of the semi – one from Oregon and the other from California – were injured in the wreck. Both were wearing seat belts.

The OHP says the cause of the collision was DUI, alcohol.

The accident happened about 12:16 am about five miles east of Hydro.

No one in Vargas’ pickup was wearing seat belts.

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October 9, 2018

By Paragon News Director Paul Joseph –

An Elk City man has been charged with a number of felonies including lewd acts to a child under 16.

The bond for 52-year-old James Byron Denton was increased to $750-thousand dollars ensuring Denton’s stay in the Beckham County Detention Facility while his case winds through the court system.

He’s additionally charged with four counts of performing lewd acts in the presence of a minor and with two counts with enticing a child under 16 into a secluded place.

According to a probable cause affidavit, a 9-year-old female victim was interviewed recently at the Child Advocacy Center in Sayre regarding the alleged groping of her by Denton who is referred to in the court document as Jim Bob. The document also alleges that Jim Bob had shown his genitalia to her and possibly another youth who is only identified by a different set of initials, but no age.

The court affidavit says Denton made the victims allegedly watch an inappropriate video on his phone before showing them his genitalia and forcing one of the victims to touch him.

At one point, the victims allege that Denton made the girls turn around and bend over while he held his camera in his hand.

The alleged incidents happened in early June and the felony case was only recently filed.

Denton’s due in Beckham County District Court on December 6 for a preliminary hearing in front of Associate District Judge Michelle Roper.

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October 9, 2018

By Paragon News Director Paul Joseph –

An international rally is underway in Western Oklahoma as the club makes it’s home at the Elk City Convention Center for the week.

City leaders are excited to have the rally here and the tax money it brings and circulates throughout the Western Oklahoma region.

Some 62 suite owners are making their home in the parking lot of the convention center with another four RVs are here, but off site bringing the total to 66.

Don’t insult them by calling them 5^th wheel campers. Though accurate, they’re more appropriately called suite owners as the brand of the RV is called Mobile Suites. And they’re nice. They’re luxurious.

Julie Lenius with the Elk City Convention and Visitors Bureau says her group has been working about 3 years to bring the suite owners here to Western Oklahoma. It took lots of planning as well as upgrades to the outside electrical service hookups in the parking lot. That’s where the RVs are sitting.

As excited as she is that they’re finally here matches the excitement she has knowing the financial impact the owners bring to Western Oklahoma and to Elk City as they shop in area stores and eat in the many different restaurants scattered along the Interstate 40 corridor.

The 66 units have at least two people inside and those 132 people will generate, Lenius estimates, well over $500-thousand dollars in local sales as they shop, eat and buy gas and groceries during the week.

She says some may trade in their old Mobile Suite for the latest model.

Paul McClelland is vice president of the Suites Owner International Travel Club. He says these RVs are referred to as suites for a number of reasons.

He says the suite owners love to socialize. That’s one of the main reasons the travel club exists.

And, why Elk City? McClelland says his group likes to have a local dealer at the rally and they have one here and the other reason is the hospitality his group has found in Elk City.

Though the rally only started on Monday, Lenius says many of the group’s members have already been here for almost a week touring and eating and having fun.

Lenius hopes the group will make Elk City a future rally site sometime again in the near future.

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October 9, 2018

By Paragon News Director Paul Joseph –

Human remains recently found near Sayre have been identified as those of the missing Sayre woman.

As was suspected, Beckham County Sheriff Derek Manning says the Oklahoma State Medical Examiner recently identified the remains found in August along the North Fork of the Red River as those of 46-year-old Christina Green. Green had gone missing almost three years to the day prior to the discovery of her remains.

While the outcome wasn’t what had been hoped for, the actual identification didn’t come as a surprise to those familiar with the case, Manning says, adding that investigators are always hoping that a mission person is going to be found alive and healthy.

Manning says he can’t go into much details about the circumstances at this time as it’s still an active investigation.

Green went missing from her home west of Sayre in August of 2015. Her disappearance was reported by her father, A.R. Green, who told authorities at the time that he became concerned when he hadn’t seen his daughter in a few days as she lived in a house located on his property.

Manning says the initial investigation revealed evidence that seemed suspicious at the time and over the next few days and weeks, deputies continued their search for Green in the surrounding country side. He says the sheriff’s office has never really quit working the case.

Green’s remains were found in August by men working on property along the river, a site that was less than a mile outside an earlier search for Green.

Manning says his office is coordinating with the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation and the District Attorney’s office in order to move the investigation forward as carefully and efficiently as possible.

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OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Friday is the deadline for Oklahomans to register to vote or update their registration ahead of the November general election.

Voters can pick up a voter registration form at any of the state’s 77 county election boards or download it from the State Election Board website . It must be delivered in person or postmarked by Friday in order to qualify for election in the Nov. 6 general election.

Voters can also view a sample ballot or check their polling place online.

Oklahoma voters will decide the governor’s race and other statewide offices, along with contests for the U.S. House and state Legislature, district attorneys and local judgeships. There also are five state questions on the ballot, including funding for schools, the sale of eyeglasses and rights for crime victims.

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October 10, 2018

By Paragon News Director Paul Joseph –

An area State Representative has denied taking alleged actions that would warrant an ethics commission complaint. The accusations of retaliation come during a campaign for an Oklahoma House seat and an allegation that an area representative, District 55 Representative Todd Russ, participated in bullying and in intimidation tactics.

In a written statement supplied to Paragon Communications, Representative Russ says that he’s not done anything “that would warrant a complaint,” in reference to the alleged complaint that may have been filed with the Oklahoma State Ethics Commission.

Russ’ statement is in response to a paid political ad placed in at least one Western Oklahoma newspaper that alleges Russ threatened ramifications if certain behavior continued.

The political ad was paid for by former Roger Mills County Commissioner Jerry Dean of Hammon. Dean is also an employee of Circuit Engineering District #7, an organization that assists a number of area counties in Western Oklahoma with their road maintenance and construction. In the ad, Dean alleges that Russ took exception to Dean’s support of Russ’ opponent in 2016. Russ, however, was easily reelected to his house seat.

Dean is a Democrat and Russ is a Republican.

According to the ad, Russ – at that time, but before the election – confronted Roger Mills County Commissioners and allegedly told them they’d better put a stop to Dean’s campaigning for Russ’ opponent or he, Russ, would close down CED7.

This year, Dean alleges that Russ again contacted at least one Roger Mills County Commissioner to complain about Dean’s support of Russ’ political opponent in the race for District 55, a different Democratic candidate from the one two years earlier. Dean’s ad says Russ told the commissioner that this must stop or there would be ramifications to CED7 and to Roger Mills County. It has been rumored for several weeks that that commissioner, in turn, filed an ethics complaint with the state ethics commission regarding the alleged threat.

Dean also alleges that Representative Russ told Dean during a recent visit inside Dean’s boss’ office where his boss was present that Dean should resign. If he didn’t, his boss should fire him for supporting an opposing candidate.

Paragon Communications contacted the ethics commission which responded that they couldn’t confirm or deny that there was a compliant filed regarding the alleged actions.

The Roger Mills County Commissioner believed to have sent a complaint to the ethics commission wouldn’t provide a copy of the complaint to Paragon Communications nor confirm or deny he had submitted a complaint to the ethics commission.

In Russ’ press statement, he says he’s puzzled by the public allegation that a formal complaint has been filed against him. He says the ethics commission rules prohibit a complaint from being accepted by the commission during a blackout period that runs from the filing period through the general election. Russ says if a complaint has been filed, someone has violated the ethics rules.

Additionally, Representative Russ says he’s proud that he’s been able to protect CED7 against negative Oklahoma state legislation citing powerful interest groups who, Russ says, want to shut the organization down through legislation. He says he’s been able to fight them off in their past attempts.

He says it’s his job as State Representative for District 55 that covers Beckham, Roger Mills, Washita and parts of Kiowa and Greer Counties to work for the economic interests of all the people in the district.

Finally, Russ says he’s confident that the voters of the district will ignore this dirty campaign tactic and recognize it for what it is, fake news.

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October 10, 2018

By Paragon News Director Paul Joseph –

A Clinton man is recuperating in an Oklahoma City hospital after being dragged under a pickup for at least 50 feet.

77-year-old John McCauley was admitted to OU Medical Center on Monday afternoon in stable condition with head, arms and legs, internal and external injuries following the incident.

According to the Oklahoma Highway Patrol report, McCauley’s own vehicle, a 2003 Ford pickup, was stuck on private property near Bessie in Washita County as another vehicle was attempting to pull it out.

The report says, 72-year-old Thomas Knisley, also of Clinton, went to re-position his one of the vehicles and then placed his 2009 Ford F-150 pickup in reverse. The OHP says Knisley uncontrollably accelerated, striking McCauley who had been standing near the left rear of his own vehicle. Knisley’s pickup then traveled approximately 57 feet with McCauley under the vehicle. Knisley’s vehicle then turned to the east and accelerated across a railroad tie coming to rest against a metal pipe fence.

The report adds that the condition of both men were apparently normal at the time of the accident.

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October 11, 2018

By Paragon News Director Paul Joseph –

It’s time again to celebrate the world of cheese and the Oklahoma town synonymous with cheese is Watonga as that town’s Chamber holds it’s 42^nd annual Cheese and Cultural Festival and Parade this weekend.

The Watonga Chamber Director, Teresa France says this year’s festival is themed, “#Sharethelove” as it honors Tom Love and his family who started Love’s Country Stores. She says Watonga was the site of the first Love’s Country Store, Store #1. She says the tie-in with Love’s should create a stronger sense of community and culture, though few question the community’s cultural connection with cheese.

Everyone knows that Watonga means cheese and has for many years.

And there’ll be plenty of cheese to stroke the pallet at the 42^nd Annual Watonga Cheese Festival.

The purpose of the festival, France says, is to celebrate and carry on the tradition that binds Watonga with cheese.

She says the festival boasts well over 100 vendors.

France says, like all good things, this year’s festival will – of course – be bigger and better than ever.

Tickets for the illusionist are available at the Chamber of Commerce office and more information on the festival can be found on the cheese festival’s Facebook page.

The festival runs Friday and Saturday in Watonga.

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October 11, 2018

By Paragon News Director Paul Joseph –

A Weatherford man has bonded out of jail on a charge of first degree rape.

18-year-old Austin Ray Gass is awaiting his next court date on an alleged incident that happened on July 5.

According to a probable cause affidavit, the incident happened at a home in the 300 block of South Main Street.

During an interview following the alleged rape, Gass became very emotional and first admitted to the sexual assault, but later denied it.

A warrant was issued for his arrest on October 4, the same day he turned himself into authorities. He bonded out of the Custer County Jail the next day on a $40-thousand dollar bond.

No court date has been set, according to online court records.

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June 26, 2018

By Paragon News Director Paul Joseph –

The Cordell man who led law officers on a 9 hour chase through the Washita County countryside back in the middle part of June has been sentenced to prison.

41-year-old Jerry Don Smith was captured and jailed the next day after the ATV he had been seen riding through fields and away from authorities crashed after a deputy fired two shots at the vehicle trying to disable it.

He has pleaded guilty to a number of charges and will serve 13 years in the Oklahoma Department of Corrections for all of the charges that have been ordered to run concurrently.

The suspect in the June countryside ride was confirmed as Jerry Smith. He was arrested and transported to jail where he was incarcerated on bonds totaling $100-thousand dollars.

Among his many charges occurring on multiple occasions include concealing stolen property, possession of a firearm during a felony and possession of methamphetamine.

Smith pleaded guilty in 1997 to accessory after the fact to murder, first degree and was charged in December of last year on three counts of concealing stolen property, two counts of possession of a firearm as well as possession of a controlled dangerous substance.

On his latest escapade, his chase began on a Thursday night in June when the Washita County Sheriff’s Office received a call from a female who said she’d been abandoned in a field southwest of Corn. She said she’d been riding an ATV with Smith and had crashed through a fence. She told deputies that Smith appeared to be in a state of paranoia thinking that law enforcement was chasing him.

His thinking came true.

Members of the Washita County Sheriff’s Office and the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife began searching for Smith, who already had warrants out for his arrest, fully aware that Smith probably had a gun because the woman had said he had been shooting at what he imagined to be law enforcement.

According to a Washita County Sheriff’s office press release, officers searched most of the night, but were unsuccessful in finding Smith.

Just before 7 am, a landowner northeast of Cordell chased a person on an ATV off his property, following them a short distance before losing them.

Law enforcement officers established a perimeter around a field northwest of Cordell about an hour later, after a deputy spotted a red ATV heading west.

For the next 20 minutes, officers watched the person believed to be Smith testing the perimeter trying to find a way to escape.

As they closed in on the suspect, the ATV got hung up on railroad tracks. Though the suspect was able to free his ATV, a deputy was close enough to fire at it when the ATV accelerated toward and then past him.

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October 12, 2018

By Paragon News Director Paul Joseph –

A travelling exhibition of work by living Oklahoma artists called, 24 Works on Paper, opened to the public this week at SWOSU.

According to a news release, the public is invited to view the exhibition at the Southwestern Oklahoma State University Art Building Gallery on the Weatherford campus.

The show features original, contemporary Oklahoman artwork.

Specifically, 24 Works on Paper features 24 works of art created on paper, including media such as printmaking, drawing, painting and photography.

The 2018 guest curator is Louise Siddons, Ph.D., associate professor of American, Native American, Modern and Contemporary art history at Oklahoma State University. Siddons’ research interests focus on the history of printmaking and photography, particularly in relation to representations of race, racialization, gender and sexuality.

She is also interested in the history of modernism in the margins, both socially and geographically.

The exhibition runs until Friday, November 23 at SWOSU.

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October 12, 2018

By Paragon News Director Paul Joseph –

Oklahoma Department of Human Services administrators hope a new benefit program will have at least two benefits for foster kids.

It’s a new program that will help on out of pocket expenses and a spokesperson for the state foster parent program hopes it’ll entice more people to become foster parents.

Casey White says when families choose to become foster families, they provide for their foster children as if they were one of their own. And, that it means not only providing the basics like food, shelter and clothing, but also enriching the whole child.

White says the need for foster care is nothing new. The list of children that needs families continues to grow longer every year and the need is always there.

White says from simple things like furniture or haircuts to more specific opportunities like dance classes or meaningful play that supports both body and mind, raising children is expensive.

So, anything that helps foster parents – like with discounts on everyday items and services – is good for foster families. And it might, actually, encourage other families to consider becoming foster families.

White says DHS knows that financial gaps still exist and so this new program represents another resource for foster families.

White says businesses interested in joining the program to provide incentives are urged to call DHS and for those who want to become foster parents, they’re urged to call, too. It’s the Foster Care and Adoption Support Center. The number is 1-800-376-9729.

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October 12, 2018

By Paragon News Director Paul Joseph –

An Erick man has been sentenced to prison on child porn charges.

34-year-old David Carl Boswell recently pleaded guilty to six counts of aggravated possession of child pornography and one count of violating the state’s computer laws. He was sentenced to 20 years in prison with 8-years to serve and the balance suspended.

According to a probable cause affidavit and following the execution of a search based on a warrant, an investigator with the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation detected a folder on Boswell’s computer hard drive with over 13-hundred images and another 100 images on his laptop of explicit child porn.

According to a press release from the Beckham County Sheriff’s office, Sheriff Derek Manning says Boswell had been residing in a camper in a Sayre RV park when a tip came to the OSBI’s task force office of Internet Crimes Against Children.

County deputies were able to develop enough evidence to obtain a search warrant for Boswell’s online storage used to conceal what OSBI and the sheriff’s office thought to be explicit child porn.

Following that action, a search warrant was executed on April 30, 2018 at Boswell’s pull-behind camper on Highway 66 in Sayre. The search warrant also included two recreational vehicles and other vehicles on adjoining lots in the RV park. There, investigators found numerous images believed at the time of the search to be child porn on a laptop.

He was originally held on a half-a-million-dollars bond. He’s additionally been ordered to have no contact with children other than his own as per rules and conditions of the court.

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October 15, 2018

By Paragon News Director Paul Joseph –

The Washita Battlefield in Cheyenne is moving. Actually, the battlefield is staying put, but it’s message is moving.

A successful program the battlefield is carrying out is called, “Reading Ranger” and allows families to join a Park Ranger at their local libraries for free storytelling and activities.

The next Reading Ranger is this week as Park Rangers teach kids and families about horse culture of the Cheyenne, the coloring of the horses of the 7^th US Cavalry and how the park discovered the horse slaughter site at the Washita Battlefield.

Park Ranger and Chief of Interpretation Kevin Mohr says this week, a Washita Battlefield National Historic Park Ranger will be touring different local libraries reading the Caldecott award winning book, The Girl Who Loved Wild Horses by Paul Goble.

Mohr says the accompanying activity of painting clay horse figurines are compliments of the River’s Edge Art Society at the Gallery@112 in Sayre who created 650 clay horses. It’s part of a public art project called Remember the Horses. The horses will be on exhibit at the park during November and December.

Mohr says the Reading Ranger story will be presented at three different libraries this week, beginning Tuesday in Elk City at the Carnegie Library. Then the presentation heads to Sayre inside the Sayre Public Library at 4 pm, both days and finally on Thursday at the Minnie R. Slief Library in Cheyenne with the presentation at 4:30.

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October 15, 2018

By Paragon News Director Paul Joseph –

His initial appearance bond set at three-quarters of a million dollars, an Arizona man has bonded out of a local jail on a $5-thousand dollar cash bond after being charged with drug trafficking among other charges.

23-year-old Dakota Logan Black left the Beckham County Detention Facility last week after being charged with three counts of possession of a controlled dangerous substance, one count of acquire proceeds from drug activity as well as trafficking drugs through the area.

According to a probable cause affidavit, Black was pulled over on Interstate 40 in Beckham County by the Special Operations Unit of the Oklahoma Highway Patrol for following a tractor trailer too close. He was recently observed on the interstate just a few minutes before noon at mile marker 9 or about two miles east of Erick driving a gray Chrysler.

The court document says when the OHP trooper was questioning him, Black displayed multiple signs of nervousness and other characteristics. After a drug sniffing dog, Marko, alerted to the possibility of drugs, a search allegedly found a number of illegal items including LSD, cocaine base, marijuana, drug paraphernalia along with cocaine found on Black’s person as well as over $118-thousand dollars in cash.

The probable cause says Black refused to cooperate with law enforcement, but gives no more information than that. He was arrested and transported to the Sayre Police Department for interviews and evidence processing.

He was in in court on Thursday where his bond conditions were set that included that he is to reside with his mother and be at her home from 6 pm to 6 am daily along with working full time hours. He’s due back in Beckham County District Court on December 4 for a preliminary hearing.

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October 15, 2018

By Paragon News Director Paul Joseph –

One man pleads no contest and is sentenced to prison while a second heads to court for his day.

42-year-old Leland Ray Milburn was sentenced to 25 years in the Department of Corrections with all but the first 13 years suspended on felonies including conspiracy.

His house mate, 36-year-old Kody Jay Finnell bonded out on the same criminal felonies he shared with Milburn and is due in Beckham County District Court on Tuesday morning.

Milburn and Finnell have been charged with grand larceny, knowingly concealing stolen property, violation of a state law while using a computer and conspiracy.

Prior to pleading no contest, Milton sat in the Washita County Jail on bonds totaling over a million dollars. Finnell bonded out of jail on a $40-thousand dollar bond on April 30. Their alleged crimes involved the shoplifting of a number of items from businesses in Cordell, Hinton and other locations.

Milburn had other charges in Washita County dating back to November and December of last year that include possession of a firearm, AFC, trafficking in illegal drugs, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony and possession of a CDS. These and other charges are keeping him in jail on the one-million dollar bond.

The latest charges filed in April stem from the alleged shoplifting of tools reported stolen from Tractor Supply in Cordell valued at about $18-hundred dollars. After the items were reported missing, Milburn returned to Tractor Supply where he was recognized as the person suspected of the earlier shoplifting. He was detained and arrested. It was found that Milburn was driving a white Chevy pickup with a stolen license. At the time of his arrest, he was wearing a dark colored hat similar to the one worn by the person in the video when the merchandise was taken.

Inside Milburn’s pickup, numerous items that matched the description of those stolen were allegedly located along with a handgun and a controlled, dangerous substance thought to be methamphetamine.

Additionally, a Stihl leaf blower reported missing out of Clinton was allegedly located in the trailer hitched to the pickup.

More stolen merchandise was allegedly found at the home Milburn shared with Finnell in Canute including a zero-turn lawnmower that had been spray painted black, two push mowers and a weed eater.

When interviewed by law enforcement, both men allegedly confessed to crimes.

According to the probable cause affidavit, detectives were able to listen to conversations between the two men on their cell phones discussing the stealing of trailers and merchandise from Tractor Supply and other locations.

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October 16, 2018

By Paragon News Director Paul Joseph –

As it does once every three years, AllianceHealth Clinton recently received the seal of approval from the national accreditation body The Joint Commission.

According to hospital CEO Landon Hise, The Joint Commission accredits more than 21,000 US health care organizations and programs, so this accreditation is highly coveted among hospitals. AllianceHealth Clinton has received it for more than 50 years.

Hise says prior to and during the Joint Commission visit, everyone is focused on being the absolute best.

Hise says that even though the staff is intensely focused before and during the Joint Commission visit, providing the highest medical care quality is a daily focus.

He adds that accreditation benefits are numerous as it helps organize and strengthen patient safety efforts. Patient safety and quality-of-care issues are at the forefront of Joint Commission standards and initiatives.

This also strengthens community confidence in the quality and safety of care, treatment and services. Achieving accreditation makes a strong statement to the community about an organization’s efforts to provide the highest quality services.

He adds that accreditation through The Joint Commission also aligns health care organizations with one of the most respected names in health care.

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October 16, 2018

By Paragon News Director Paul Joseph –

A Weatherford woman and her passenger were reported in critical condition following an early Monday morning, single vehicle accident in the Oklahoma Panhandle.

24-year-old Kayli Layne Keener and 19-year-old Joshua E. Ngalaba from Tanzania are recuperating in Northwest Texas Hospital in Amarillo following the 1:30 am accident southwest of Guymon in Texas County. Both were ejected from the 2005 Chevrolet Monte Carlo during a roll over.

Keener is suffering with internal and leg injuries while Ngalaba with internal and arm injuries.

According to the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, both were taken from the scene of the accident by Guymon Emergency Medical Services. Keener directly to the Amarillo hospital and Ngalaba to a hospital in Guymon before being air transported to Northwest Texas Hospital in Amarillo.

The report says the Chevy was eastbound on US Highway 54 when it ran off the right side of the roadway, rolling one-and-a-half times coming to rest in the south ditch.

The accident happened about five miles northeast of Texhoma halfway to Goodwell.

Neither were wearing seat belts.

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October 16, 2018

By Paragon News Director Paul Joseph –

Following his arrest, an Elk City man allegedly told police that he stole to buy Methamphetamine.

20-year-old Cameron Brian Critean is in the Beckham County Detention Facility on a $15-thousand dollar bond after turning himself in to Elk City police last Saturday night. The alleged burglary happened earlier that day or on Friday.

According to the police report, an officer was dispatched Saturday evening to a home in the 600 block of West 9^th Street in Elk City in reference to a burglary. The owner of the rental home says when she got to the residence on 9^th street, she noticed the door to the shop had a padlock that had been broken. Inside, there were a number of items missing including a bicycle, guitar amplifier, cloths, antiques, a tabletop lighter, records, a Sawzall and a table saw as well as a number of other items. Altogether, the owner put the missing items at less than $1-thousand dollars.

The suspect, Critean, had previously borrowed an acquaintances cell phone and when police found it, they were able to read a number of messages from Critean. Police believe that he was trying to sell items and offering to let people come to the residence and see what they wanted. He later admitted to writing the messages on the phone.

The report says Critean was also wanting to sell a Camaro and Ford Ranger.

When the renter arrived, the report says that Critean allegedly admitted to her about robbing her.

Later in the evening on Saturday, Critean allegedly told police that he didn’t sell a lot of the stuff and would, instead, trade it for free drugs. He also told police that he couldn’t remember what he stole because he was high on Meth at the time.

He’s been charged with 2^nd degree burglary and knowingly concealing stolen property.

His initial appearance was Tuesday in district court. He’s scheduled to be back for a preliminary hearing on December 4 inside the courthouse in Sayre.

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October 17, 2018

By Paragon News Director Paul Joseph –

Last year, the flu season was one of the worst on record and this year, it may be even worse.

Nation-wide, the flu sent hundreds of thousands to U.S. Hospitals and claimed the lives of more than 40-thousand people. In Oklahoma, there were well over 48-hundred hospitalizations and almost 300 deaths, all because of the flu.

Additionally, the Beckham County Health Department regional administrator says that the National Center for Disease Control in Atlanta is warning it may be even worse this flu season.

In response, there’s been an uptick in the number of people getting flu shots. It may be because of the warning that it may be worse this year, or it may be that, in Oklahoma, flu shots are being provided at no out-of-pocket cost.

Cara Gluck says, it’s just in time because the flu is here. There have been a number of hospitalizations all ready.

She says the flu vaccine is formulated each year to keep up with flu viruses as they change. So, having one last year is no excuse not to get one this year. Besides, a yearly flu shot is needed because a person’s immune protection from being vaccinated decreases after a year.

Gluck says to play it safe. Get a flu shot and don’t worry about getting the flu.

She adds that: when more people are vaccinated against the flu, there is less opportunity for flu to spread in families, schools and the community, in general. That’s a good point.

Most county health clinics are open every weekday, but call your local health department for their clinic hours in advance of your arrival to make sure they’re open.

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