LJC newsletter 5-13-2025

Tuesday's newsletter

May 13, 2025

Daily Bible verse

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:6-7

LeFlore County commissioners’ minutes

The LeFlore County commissioners met in a Regular Business Meeting on Monday with Chairman Jamie Oliver presiding. Also present were Vice-Chair Vallard Campbell, Member Josh Blaylock and County Clerk 1^st Deputy Jedd Kirby. Absent: County Clerk Kelli Ford.

The following action was taken by the board:

(1.) Chairman Jamie Oliver called meeting to order.

(2.) Motion was made by Jamie Oliver and seconded by Vallard Campbell to approve the minutes of regular meeting held May 5, 2025. Motion was approved, all voting yes.

(3.) Motion was made by Jamie Oliver and seconded by Josh Blaylock to approve purchase orders as presented. Motion was approved, all voting yes.

(4.) Motion was made by Jamie Oliver and seconded by Vallard Campbell to approve monthly fee reports as presented by LeFlore County Court Clerk and Election Board. Motion was approved, all voting yes.

(5.) Transfers of Appropriations: None presented.

(6.) Blanket Purchase Orders: None presented.

(7.) New Business: None discussed.

(8.) Contract Labor/ Service Agreements, Annual Contracts: None presented.

(9.) Burn Ban. Not needed at this time. No discussion.

(10.) Motion was made by Jamie Oliver and seconded by Vallard Campbell to table division of Title 1 U.S. Forestry Funds. Motion was approved, all voting yes.

(11.) Motion was made by Josh Blaylock and seconded by Vallard Campbell to award bid regarding sale of County Property, John Deere Backhoe to Extreme Work and Play in the amount of $40,000 to benefit County Commissioner District 2. Motion was approved, all voting yes.

(12.) Motion was made by Jamie Oliver and seconded by Vallard Campbell to approve terms and conditions of sale regarding OD Security full body scanning machine with effective date of May 6, 2025 and payment in the amount of $165,000 due upon delivery. Estimated delivery date of May 22 or May 23, 2025. Motion was approved, all voting yes.

(13.) Motion was made by Jamie Oliver and seconded by Josh Blaylock to approve Request for Floodplain Services and Permit Application as submitted by Arkansas Oklahoma Gas regarding utility construction within County Right of Way located at Section 27, Township 7 North, Range 26 East, LeFlore County, Oklahoma. Motion was approved, all voting yes.

(14.) Motion was made by Vallard Campbell and seconded by Josh Blaylock to approve Programming Resolution for Project Number 25-CBRI-D1-RD P101, related to improvements on Liberty Hill Road located in LeFlore County Commissioner District 1. Motion was approved, all voting yes.

(15.) Motion was made by Vallard Campbell and seconded by Jamie Oliver to approve Programming Resolution for Project Number 25-CBRI-D1-RD P102, related to improvements on Ash Street located in LeFlore County Commissioner District 1. Motion was approved, all voting yes.

(16.) Motion was made by Vallard Campbell and seconded by Josh Blaylock to approve Programming Resolution for Project Number 25-CBRI-D1-RD P103, related to improvements on Oak Street, Pine Street, Elm Street, Pecan Lane and Bustin Lane. Motion was approved, all voting yes.

(17.) Motion was made by Josh Blaylock and seconded by Vallard Campbell to approve Programming Resolution for Project Number 25-CBRI-D2-RD-P083, related to improvements on Calhoun Road located in LeFlore County Commissioner District 2. Motion was approved, all voting yes.

(18.) Motion was made by Josh Blaylock and seconded by Vallard Campbell to approve Programming Resolution for Project Number 25-CBRI-D2-RD-P084, related to improvements on Latham School Road located in LeFlore County Commissioner District 2. Motion was approved, all voting yes.

(19.) Motion was made by Josh Blaylock and seconded by Vallard Campbell to approve Resolutions for Disposing of Equipment regarding the following County inventory items:

· G-507.004, 2022 Lucas Metal Arena with original purchase price of $5,159, purchased from Extreme Work and Play on 12/13/2022 to benefit LeFlore County General Government.

· D2-304.034, 2007 John Deere Tractor with original price of $36,167.65 purchased from Green Country Agriculture and Lawn on 8/3/2007, sold to John Russell in the amount of $5,020 to benefit LeFlore County Commissioner District 2.

· D2-304.033, 2007 John Deere Tractor with original price of $36,167.64 purchased from Green Country Agriculture and Lawn on 8/3/2007, sold to John Russell in the amount of $5,020 to benefit LeFlore County Commissioner District 2.

· D2-301.078, 2004 Chevy Truck with original price of $16,738, purchased on 6/4/2004 from Smith Chevrolet, sold to Tevington Farms/ Bary Tevington in the amount of $2,350 to benefit LeFlore County Commissioner District 2.

· D2-348.039, 2012 Belshe Trailer with original purchase price of $16,150, purchased on 5/24/2012 from Belshe Industries, sold to Thomas Trenching/ Brian Thomas in the amount of $5,800 to benefit LeFlore County Commissioner District 2.

· D2-320.007, Hyster Compactor with original price of $32,985, purchased on 4/7/1980, sold to Five Star Paving/ Justin Meyhew in the amount of $5,100.

Motion was approved, all voting yes.

Motion was made by Jamie Oliver and seconded by Josh Blaylock to adjourn. Motion was approved all voting yes, Oliver-yes, Campbell-yes, Blaylock-yes

Broken Bow man dies in auto accident

An 18-year-old Broken Bow man died while riding in a 2000 Ford Saturday approximately 15 miles north of Hayworth in McCurtain County.

Korey Nnokam was pronounced deceased on the scene and transported to Claridy Funeral home.

The driver, Brason Watson, also 18, from Broken Bow, was transported to McCurtain Memorial Hospital.

A second passenger, Jacob Routh, 19, of Broken Bow was also transported to McCurtain Memorial.

According to the accident report, the vehicle was traveling north on Cow Crossing Road at a high rate of speed, departed the road to the right, rolled several times and came to a stop on the side.

The condition of the driver was unresponsive. Seat belts were equipped, but not in use. Airbags were equipped, but not deployed.

The drivers and passengers were ejected during the accident.

Saudi crown prince welcomes Trump

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

U.S. President Donald Trump arrived in Saudi Arabia for the first leg of a trip to the Middle East. He’ll also visit Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, though his most pressing regional challenges concern two other countries: Israel and Iran.

After ending a ceasefire two months ago, Israel is intensifying the war in the Gaza Strip, where a blockade on food, medicine and other supplies is worsening a humanitarian crisis. And Iran, an enemy of Israel and a rival of Saudi Arabia, stands on the cusp of being able to develop nuclear weapons.

See the whole story HERE.

House GOP reveals Trump’s tax breaks

By LISA MASCARO and KEVIN FREKING

WASHINGTON (AP) — House Republicans proposed sweeping tax breaks Monday in President Donald Trump’s big priority bill, tallying at least $4.9 trillion in costs so far, partly paid for with cuts to Medicaid, food stamps and green energy programs used by millions of Americans.

The House Ways and Means Committee named its package ‘ ‘THE ONE, BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL’’ in all capital letters, a nod to Trump himself. It seeks to extend the tax breaks approved during Trump’s first term — and boost the standard deduction, child tax credit and estate tax exemption — while adding new tax breaks on tipped wages, overtime pay, Social Security benefits and auto loans that Trump promised during his campaign for the White House.

See the whole story HERE.

Wister loses opener to Caddo, 13-3

Wister lost its opening-round game in the Class 3A state slowpitch softball tournament, 13-3, to eventual state champion Caddo at the Firelakes Ballpark in Shawnee.

Caddo eventually advanced to the finals before defeating Arapaho-Butler, 5-3, in the championship game. Wister finishes with an 18-11 record. Caddo ends the championship season with a record of 31-4.

Wister jumped on top in the top of the first with one run before the Lady Bruins answered in the bottom half of the inning, scoring five runs to take the lead for good. Caddo eventually scored at least one run in all five innings.

Wister added its final two scores in the top of the fifth.

Savannah Nuckolls went 2-2 with a run scored, Bailyn Robertson had a 2-2 outing with a run scored while Kassi Benefield homered while going 1-2 with a run and a RBI and Mia McGowen was 1-2 with a RBI.

Caddo 13, Wister 3

WHS 1 0 0 0 2—3 7 7

CHS 5 1 4 1 2—13 13 1

Whitesboro loses in quarterfinals to Turner

SHAWNEE—Turned jumped ahead in the fifth inning and made it hold up in a 12-4 win over Whitesboro in the Class A state slowpitch softball quarterfinal game Monday.

Turner lost to Soper in the finals while Caney eventually won the state championship.

Whitesboro finishes 21-13 and ranked seventh. Turner, ranked second in the last poll, finished 24-6.

M. Grogan doubled and finished 3-4 for Whitesboro with a run scored and a RBI, A. Wright was 2-4 with a run scored and M. Jones went 2-3 with a RBI while A. James doubled and went 1-3 with a RBI and a run.

Turner 12, Whitesboro 4

WHS 0 0 0 0 0 4 0—4 10 1

THS 0 0 5 2 0 5 x—12 17 3

Mavericks win the NBA draft lottery

By TIM REYNOLDS

CHICAGO (AP) — The ping-pong balls have spoken: Cooper Flagg might be headed to Dallas to start his NBA career.

And a fan base that lost Luka Doncic this season might have a new star to cheer for.

The Mavericks won the NBA draft lottery on Monday night, giving them the No. 1 pick in next month’s draft — and the first chance to take Flagg, the freshman who led Duke to the Final Four in his lone college season and the consensus player of the year.

See the story HERE.

Aggies edge OU for top seed

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Texas A&M earned the overall No. 1 seed in the NCAA Division I softball tournament on Sunday, edging four-time defending national champion Oklahoma for the top spot and leading seven Southeastern Conference teams seeded in the top eight.

Oklahoma won the SEC regular-season title by a game over Texas A&M in its first season in the conference. Texas A&M and Oklahoma tied for the conference tournament title after the championship game was canceled because of bad weather.

See the story HERE.

Temperatures on the rise Tuesday

Temperatures are on the rise in LeFlore County for Tuesday preparing for a possible record-high Wednesday as we should have mostly clear skies in the afternoon for Heavener, LeFlore County and southeastern Oklahoma.

The high is forecast to be 88 degrees with a low of 69.

Sunrise was 6:16 a.m. Sunset is 8:13 p.m.

Monday’s high was 82 with a low of 58. No rain was recording, leaving the monthly total for May at 2.42 inches. Average rainfall for the month is 6.20 inches.

Average temperatures for May 13 are a high of 81 and low of 54. Records for the date were a high of 90 in 1986. The record low was 37 in 1973.

Last year on May 13, the high was 77 with a low of 59.

LeFlore County calendar

LeFlore County calendar of events for the next week. The calendar is a free service for our readers. If you are with a non-profit and want an event publicized, email craig@heavenerledger.com.

Tuesday

Poteau Evening Lions Club meet 6 p.m. CASC

Wednesday

Poteau Rotary Club meets noon EOMC

Thursday

Poteau Kiwanis Club meets noon Western Sizzlin

Heavener Utilities Authority and City Council meet 6 p.m.

Heavener VFW bingo 6:30 p.m. Highway 59 North

Saturday

Cardboard boat races

MT VIEW CEMETERY ASSOCIATION MEETINGS and the annual clean-up day

Heavener eighth grade graduation 2 p.m.

Heavener High School graduation 8 p.m.

Monday

LeFlore County commissioners meet 9 a.m.

Insurance Opt-Out Becomes Law

By Rep. RICK WEST

My bill that gives state employees the opportunity to opt-out of state-provided health insurance without moving to another group plan was signed into law last week by the governor.

House Bill 1187 should save state taxpayers some money just by removing the word group.

The House last week passed Senate Bill 1027, which would change how signatures are gathered for initiative or referendum petitions that could result in law or constitutional changes. This measure would help ensure voters in rural counties are better represented in matters that could affect their way of life and potentially their taxes. It also would ensure the signatures gathered are legal and valid and that state questions are easier to understand.

We all saw the sweeping changes when medical marijuana was approved and Medicaid was expanded. We want voters to be able to decided these issues. But we want voting to be more representative of the entire state instead of just allowing enough signatures to be gathered from Oklahoma City or Tulsa to make these kinds of changes.

This bill was amended and goes back to the Senate for final consideration.

House Bill 1087 would extend the teacher salary schedule from 25 years to 35 years, offering another pay step to support our veteran educators and to incentivize those with more experience to stay longer in the classroom.

This bill was amended before passing the Senate and will return to the House for final consideration.

Several bills did not make it through the process this year.

House Bill 2288 would have eliminated an existing 36-month waiting period for teachers who retire before they can return to teaching in Oklahoma public schools. This would have allowed career teachers to continue teaching past retirement age while drawing their earned retirement benefits. It was very popular among educators in our district who are nearing retirement age. It passed several Senate committees but was not considered by the full body.

Senate Bill 6 would have moved school board elections from April to November when Oklahoma holds general elections for other elected positions. This would have increased voter turnout in these races, which historically have very low participation. School boards are extremely important, as members decide issues of great significance regarding student learning, teacher pay, facility upgrades and how taxpayer dollars are spent in our schools.

Last week was the deadline for bills to be considered in their opposite chamber. If a Senate bill didn't pass the House or vice versa, it's should be considered dead for this session. Wilder things have happened, and plenty of rules have been bent, so I guess its possible these bills could be resurrected this year. Most likely they'll have to wait until next session to be breathed back to life.

We've got three weeks left in regular session, and we need to produce a state budget. I'll keep you posted.

Remember to listen to my Capitol update on the radio at 7:35 a.m. every Thursday on KPRV.

As always, if I can help you with anything, please call my Capitol office at (405) 557-7413 or email me at rick.west@okhouse.gov.

-END-

Rick West serves District 3 in the Oklahoma House of Representatives. His district includes part of LeFlore County.

Two special days to be celebrated

By TERRY JOE WILES

May 17 is a special day for several good reasons.

My personal favorite is “World Cherry Cobbler Day”! The second pick is “World Fiddler’s Day,” or to quote the famous line from an Alabama song — “If you’re gonna play in Texas, ya gotta have a fiddle in the band.”

Support local, live music

Now, there are many great fiddlers from our area — too many to mention really. Just off the top of my head, we have Lazy Harris from Wister, J.C. Mitchell from around the Monroe area I think, Hank Abbott from Poteau and Gene Gassaway from Huntington, Ark.

Most of these fiddlers started playing when they were the only musical instrument in the barn dance. Nothing like a 22-minute round of “Boil them cabbage down” to get ’em out there swinging their partners and Do-Si-Do-ing!

However, Shady Point claims one of the best, Sandra Dismuke-Coyle. This lady has style, show, sound and presence. She’s NEVER still, and there’s never a dull moment when Sandra plays with “Asphalt Cowboys.” They are touring several nights a month on the casino circuit and large events in a pretty big loop of states. Sometimes this band will pop up where Billy Hoffman might be playing. Let’s hope they can get back to Poteau soon. This band puts on an awesome

show!

• • •

J.B. Lloyd is putting on the first annual “Musicians Reunion” on Saturday. It’s going to be on Dewey Avenue in downtown Poteau at The Two Twenty Event Park. Just a heads up — bring your own chairs, fold-ups or lawn chairs.

The schedule of bands is “The Stagemasters” at 1 p.m., “Earl Hearon band” at 2:30 p.m., “Rick Ward and Wildhorse” at 4 p.m., Billy Hoffman and J.B Lloyd at 5:30 p.m., “Larry Taylor and The Tribadours” at 7 p.m. and “The Nightlife Band” at 8 p.m. That’s an awesome line-up. You will have lots of time to see and hear your favorites. See you there.

• • •

As for live music this week, on Wednesday, “Rhythm Coalition” will be groovin’ at Hero’s on Garrison Avenue in Fort Smith, Arki. This band has been together a little more than three years, and the hard work and lots of playing live has tightened this band to its finest — but this band ain’t through yet. The band will have new music — originals mixed with red dirt, blues, R&B, rock and more. Catch the band’s first set.

It’s great to see live music returning to The Coffee Cup in Poteau. Friday will be an open mic night, so bring a guitar, bring a song, bring a friend or bring a friend’s song. Just be there and sign up. The music will start at 6 p.m.

Dawn’s Diner in Red Oak will have “The Stagemasters” on Friday. This is the best country dance band in this area. There also will be some good grub, too. The music will start at 7 p.m.

Muldrow City Limits will feature “Backroads” on Saturday. The band is a favorite, so expect a great big parcel of dancers to show up for the event. The doors will open at 6 p.m. and the music will begin at 7 p.m.

Here’s a cool springtime event for a great cause. The run-live music-craft beer event will be Saturday at the Rough Day Brewing Company in downtown Poteau. Come sign in for the event, but there is an entry fee required. The music will start at 3:30 p.m. and will go until 9:30 p.m. The line-up of live music will be “Pinkman,” Kary Middleton, “My Last Thoughts,” “Beef” and “Solid States” So, run/watch/listen/drink. What a concept!

Well, that’s sure not all I got to say BUT I’ve been told to stop. Thanks for Supporting Live Music.

For additional information about any live-music events or to let know about any other such venues, call me or text message me at (918) 649-5736, get with me on Facebook or e-mail me at tj.wiles61@outlook.com.

Today in history

1846

U.S. Congress declares war on Mexico

On May 13, 1846, the U.S. Congress overwhelmingly votes in favor of President James K. Polk’s request to declare war on Mexico in a dispute over Texas. Under the threat of war, the United States had refrained from annexing Texas after the latter won independence from Mexico in 1836. But in 1844,... read more

Cold War

1958

Vice President Nixon is attacked

Crime

1981

Pope John Paul II shot

1985

Philadelphia police drop bomb on MOVE headquarters, killing 11

European History

1568

Mary Queen of Scots defeated

1940

Churchill announces: “I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears and sweat”

Sports

1973

Bobby Riggs and Margaret Court face off in first “Battle of the Sexes”

U.S. Government and Politics

1920

Socialist party nominates “Convict 2253” for president

World War I

1915

Edith Wharton writes of the war’s effect on France

1919

German foreign minister protests Versailles Treaty terms

LCJ newsletter 5-12-2025

Monday's newsletter

Craig Hall

May 12, 2025

Daily Bible verse

For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Ephesians 2:10

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LeFlore County commissioners’ agenda

County Expenses

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POTEAU—The LeFlore County commissioners will meet in a regular business meeting 9 a.m. Monday in the office of the board of county commissioners in the courthouse.

AGENDA:

* CALL TO ORDER.
* MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING(S).

3. * PURCHASE ORDERS/PAYROLL (SEE ATTACHED LIST TO BE PRESENTED FOR PAYMENT).

4. * MONTHLY FEE REPORTS.

5. * TRANSFER OF APPROPRIATIONS.

6. * BLANKET PURCHASE ORDERS.

7. * NEW BUSINESS.

8. * CONTRACT LABOR/SERVICE AGREEMENTS/ANNUAL CONTRACTS.

9. * BURN BAN.

10. DISCUSSION WITH POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING DIVISION OF TITLE 1 U.S. FORESTRY FUNDS.

11. OPEN AND POSSIBLY AWARD BID REGARDING SALE OF COUNTY PROPERTY, JOHN DEERE BACKHOE, TO BENEFIT COUNTY COMMISSIONER HIGHWAY DISTRICT 2.

12. REVIEW AND ACKNOWLEDGE TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF SALE REGARDING OD SECURITY FULL BODY SCANNING MACHINE WITH EFFECTIVE DATE OF MAY 6, 2025, AND PAYMENT IN THE AMOUNT OF $165,000 DUE UPON DELIVERY. ESTIMATED DELIVERY DATE OF MAY 22 OR MAY 23, 2025.

13. CONSIDER AND POSSIBLY APPROVE REQUEST FOR FLOODPLAIN SERVICES AND PERMIT APPLICATION AS SUBMITTED BY ARKANSAS OKLAHOMA GAS REGARDING UTILITY CONSTRUCTION WITHIN COUNTY RIGHT OF WAY LOCATED AT SECTION 27, TOWNSHIP 7 NORTH, RANGE 26 EAST, LEFLORE COUNTY, OKLAHOMA.

14. CONSIDER AND POSSIBLY APPROVE PROGRAMMING RESOLUTION FOR PROJECT NUMBER 25-CBRI-D1-RD P101, RELATED TO IMPROVEMENTS ON LIBERTY HILL ROAD LOCATED IN LEFLORE COUNTY COMMISSIONER DISTRICT 1.

15. CONSIDER AND POSSIBLY APPROVE PROGRAMMING RESOLUTION FOR PROJECT NUMBER 25-CBRI-D1-RD P102, RELATED TO IMPROVEMENTS ON ASH STREET LOCATED IN LEFLORE COUNTY COMMISSIONER DISTRICT 1.

16. CONSIDER AND POSSIBLY APPROVE PROGRAMMING RESOLUTION FOR PROJECT NUMBER 25-CBRI-D1-RD P103, RELATED TO IMPROVEMENTS ON OAK STREET, PINE STREET, ELM STREET, PECAN LANE AND BUSTIN LANE LOCATED IN LEFLORE COUNTY COMMISSIONER DISTRICT 1.

17. CONSIDER AND POSSIBLY APPROVE PROGRAMMING RESOLUTION FOR PROJECT NUMBER 25-CBRI-D2-RD-P083, RELATED TO IMPROVEMENTS ON CALHOUN ROAD LOCATED IN LEFLORE COUNTY COMMISSIONER DISTRICT 2.

18. CONSIDER AND POSSIBLY APPROVE PROGRAMMING RESOLUTION FOR PROJECT NUMBER 25-CBRI-D2-RD-P084, RELATED TO IMPROVEMENTS ON LATHAM SCHOOL ROAD LOCATED IN LEFLORE COUNTY COMMISSIONER DISTRICT 2.

19. REVIEW AND POSSIBLY APPROVE RESOLUTIONS FOR DISPOSING OF EQUIPMENT REGARDING THE FOLLOWING COUNTY INVENTORY ITEMS:

· G-507.004, 2022 LUCAS METAL ARENA WITH ORIGINAL PURCHASE PRICE OF $5,159, PURCHASED FROM EXTREME WORK AND PLAY ON 12/13/2022 TO BENEFIT LEFLORE COUNTY GENERAL GOVERNMENT.
· D2-304.034, 2007 JOHN DEERE TRACTOR WITH ORIGINAL PURCHASE PRICE OF $36,167.65, PURCHASED FROM GREEN COUNTRY AGRICULTURE AND LAWN ON 8/3/2007, SOLD TO JOHN RUSSELL IN THE AMOUNT OF $5,020 TO BENEFIT LEFLORE COUNTY COMMISSIONER DISTRICT 2.
· D2-304.033, 2007 JOHN DEERE TRACTOR WITH ORIGINAL PURCHASE PRICE OF $36,167.64, PURCHASED ON 8/3/2007 FROM GREEN COUNTRY AGRICULTURE AND LAWN, SOLD TO JOHN RUSSELL IN THE AMOUNT OF $5,020 TO BENEFIT LEFLORE COUNTY COMMISSIONER DISTRICT 2.
· D2-301.078, 2004 CHEVY TRUCK WITH ORIGINAL PURCHASE PRICE OF $16,738, PURCHASED ON 6/4/2004 FROM SMITH CHEVROLET, SOLD TO TEVINGTON FARMS/ BARY TEVINGTON IN THE AMOUNT OF $2,350 TO BENEFIT LEFLORE COUNTY COMMISSIONER DISTRICT 2.
· D2-348.039, 2012 BELSHE TRAILER WITH ORIGINAL PURCHASE PRICE OF $16,150, PURCHASED ON 5/24/2012 FROM BELSHE INDUSTRIES, SOLD TO THOMAS TRENCHING/ BRIAN THOMAS IN THE AMOUNT OF $5,800 TO BENEFIT LEFLORE COUNTY COMMISSIONER DISTRICT 2.
· D2-320.007, HYSTER COMPACTOR WITH ORIGINAL PRICE OF $32,985, PURCHASED ON 4/7/1980, SOLD TO FIVE STAR PAVING/ JUSTIN MEYHEW IN THE AMOUNT OF $5,100.

20. ADJOURN.

Heavener School Board agenda

Heavener School Board to meet 6 p.m. Monday in the Glenn Scott Educational Center at 500 West Second Street in Heavener.

The agenda can be seen below:

Apznza~1

1.74MB ∙ PDF file

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Poteau School Board agenda

The Poteau School Board will meet in a regular business meeting 6 p.m. Monday in the Poteau Public Schools’ Administrative Building at 3003 North Broadway in Poteau.

The agenda can be seen HERE.

Pope Leo appeals for no more war

Pope Leo XIV appealed for "no more war" in a message to world powers during his first Sunday address at the Vatican.

Reflecting on current conflicts, the newly selected pontiff called for a "lasting peace" in the war in Ukraine, a ceasefire in Gaza, and welcomed Saturday's agreement to end recent hostilities between India and Pakistan.

See the whole story HERE.

Trump visiting Gulf Arab states

By JON GAMBRELL and TIA GOLDENBERG

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — On his trip this week to the Middle East, U.S. President Donald Trump will visit Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, though his most pressing regional challenges concern two other countries: Israel and Iran.

See the whole story HERE.

US-China pause sky-high tariffs

By JAMEY KEATEN, DAVID MCHUGH, ELAINE KURTENBACH and KEN MORITSUGU

GENEVA (AP) — U.S. and Chinese officials said Monday they had reached a deal to roll back most of their recent tariffs and call a 90-day truce in their trade war for more talks on resolving their trade disputes.

Stock markets rose sharply as the globe’s two major economic powers took a step back from a clash that has unsettled the global economy.

See the whole story HERE.

India claims strikes killed over 100 militants

By MUNIR AHMED, AIJAZ HUSSAIN and SHEIKH SAALIQ

ISLAMABAD (AP) — India’s military strikes into Pakistan-controlled Kashmir and Pakistan earlier this week killed more than 100 militants including prominent leaders, the head of India’s military operations claimed Sunday.

Lt. Gen. Rajiv Ghai, the director general of military operations, said India’s armed forces struck nine militant infrastructure and training facilities, including sites of the Lashkar-e-Taiba group that India blames for carrying out major militant strikes in India and the disputed region of Kashmir.

See the whole story HERE.

Wister plays Caddo at state

Wister opens play in the Class 3A slowpitch softball state tournament at 11:30 a.m. against Caddo at the Firelake complex in Shawnee.

Caddo is the top-ranked team in the state with a 28-4 record. Wister is ranked eighth and is 18-10.

The winner moves on to play the Hydro-Eakly and Ripley winner at 4 p.m. The championship game is 7 p.m.

Whitesboro opens with Turner

Whitesboro opens the Class A state slowpitch softball tournament at 2:30 p.m. against Turner at the Firelake Ballpark complex in Shawnee.

Whitesboro is 21-12 and ranked seventh while Turner is 22-5 and ranked second.

The winner plays the Kiowa-Soper winner at 5:30 p.m.

Thunder tie series with Nuggets

By ARNIE MELENDREZ STAPLETON

DENVER (AP) — The Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Denver Nuggets at their own game Sunday.

The NBA’s youngest team made all the clutch plays in crunch time against an experienced squad teeming with a championship pedigree, knotting the second-round series with a 92-87 win in Game 4.

See the whole story HERE.

Kentucky completes sweep of Oklahoma

LEXINGTON, Kentucky – No. 17 Oklahoma fell in the series finale at Kentucky by a final of 7-2 Sunday afternoon.

The Sooners (32-17, 13-14 SEC) were swept for just the second time this season as the Wildcats (28-20, 13-14) came away with three wins to improve their NCAA tournament resume.

For the first game of the weekend, Kentucky scored first. In the first inning an RBI double off the bat of James McCoy put the first run on the board. After a triple from UK’s Carson Hansen in the second, he scored on a wild pitch to make it 2-0 through two.

OU starting right-handed pitcher Malachi Witherspoon stranded a pair with a strikeout in the third before OU tied the game at the top of the fourth.

OU’s first four batters reached in the fourth, with RBI base hits from senior Scott Mudler and freshman Kyle Branch to tie the contest. The Sooners couldn’t push any more across and left two in scoring position. Mudler made it consecutive games with an RBI for the third time this season.

UK responded with three runs on two hits in the home half of the fourth. A two-run home run from shortstop Tyler Bell followed by a solo homer from Luke Lawrence pushed the Wildcats back in front.

Witherspoon (L, 3-7) exited after four innings, surrendering five runs on eight hits with three walks and two strikeouts.

Lefty reliever James Hitt entered in the fifth and worked two spotless innings, striking out four.

OU threatened at the top of the seventh with a single from Jason Walk and walk drawn by Easton Carmichael but couldn’t capitalize. In the bottom of the seventh, UK padded the lead with two runs on four hits. Hansen plated one on a single through the right side before an RBI single from Kyuss Garrett scored the second run of the frame.

The Sooners again stranded one in scoring position in the eighth after a leadoff double from Mudler and single from Branch. Mudler was tagged out at home trying to get across on a pitch in the dirt before a groundout ended the threat.

UK put the Sooners down in order in the ninth to earn the victory.

Hitt (2.0 IP), Bodin (1.0) and Dylan Crooks finished the game on the mound for OU with Hitt and Crooks surrendering no runs and Bodin giving up two on four hits.

At the plate, Branch turned in a 3-for-4 showing while Mudler and sophomore Jaxon Willits went 2-for-4. It was Willits’ first multi-hit game since April 18 at Missouri.

Oklahoma welcomes No. 1 Texas to Norman for the regular season finale next weekend, May 15-17. Tickets are still available via SoonerSports.com/tickets. The series can be seen via SECN+ and heard on 99.3 FM/1400 AM The REF in Oklahoma or nationwide on The Varsity Network app.

Arkansas beats LSU in series finale

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana – No. 7 Arkansas (41-11, 18-9 SEC) avoided a sweep with a 7-4 win in the series finale against No. 3 LSU (40-12, 17-8 SEC) Sunday afternoon at Alex Box Stadium to clinch its eighth consecutive 18-win SEC campaign.

By clinching their 18th SEC win of the season, the Razorbacks became the first team since LSU with eight consecutive campaigns of 18 or more SEC wins. The Tigers accomplished the feat in 10 consecutive seasons from 1996-2005.

After dropping the first two games of the weekend series in Baton Rouge, Arkansas responded with a resilient win in Sunday’s series finale. The six Razorback pitchers combined for 15 strikeouts while limiting the Tigers to just four runs.

Starter Landon Beidelschies struck out four in two innings of work before giving way to the bullpen. Dylan Carter (2.0 IP, 2 SO), Christian Foutch (1.2 IP, 3 SO), Cole Gibler (1.1 IP, 3 SO), Aiden Jimenez (1.1 IP, 1 R, 2 SO) and Parker Coil (0.2 IP, SO) teamed up in relief to twirl seven innings of one-run ball with 11 strikeouts to hold off third-ranked LSU in the finale.

Carter earned his sixth victory of the season, tying him with ace Zach Root for the team lead, while Coil, making his first appearance on the mound since March 23 due to an injury, logged his second career save to secure the Hogs’ 7-4 win.

After falling behind early, Arkansas used a four-spot in the top of the third to open a 4-2 lead and never looked back. A sacrifice fly by Wehiwa Aloy followed by Ryder Helfrick’s game-tying RBI double set the table for Cam Kozeal, who would put the Razorbacks up with his go-ahead two-run single up the middle with two strikes and two outs in the inning.

When LSU responded with a run in the bottom half of the third, Reese Robinett collected his first of two RBI of the game in the top of the fifth on a groundout to extend Arkansas’ advantage to 5-3. The Tigers would once again close their deficit to a run in the eighth, but the Razorback had another rally left in them in the top of the ninth inning.

Three consecutive walks to start the frame loaded the bases, and the Hogs took advantage. Brent Iredale drew a one-out walk to push Arkansas’ edge to 6-4 before Robinett tallied his second RBI on a single to right to extend the lead to three.

LSU put a pair of runners on in the bottom of the ninth, but Coil emerged from the bullpen with one out in the frame and extinguished the threat. The left-hander needed only six pitches to record a strikeout and the game-ending lineout.

Arkansas will close out the 2025 regular season against Tennessee next weekend inside the friendly confines of Baum-Walker Stadium. First pitch in the final SEC series of the year is scheduled for 7 p.m. Thursday on ESPN2.

Cowboys drop finale at Baylor

WACO, Texas – Oklahoma State had its season-long winning streak snapped at six with a 5-4 loss to Baylor in 10 innings Sunday afternoon at Baylor Ballpark.

With the loss, the Cowboys fell 24-22 overall and 12-12 in Big 12 play, while BU improved to 31-20 and 11-16 in the league.

Hunter Watkins took the loss on the mound, falling to 5-4 on the season, as he worked the final 1 2/3 innings.

Sean Youngerman turned in another quality start as he struck out six in six innings. The Cowboy right-hander allowed just two runs on six hits and issued a pair of walks.

Offensively, Brayden Smith drove in a pair of runs, while Nolan Schubart and Jayson Jones also collected RBIs.

The Cowboys went on top early, taking advantage of walks to the first two batters of the game that led to a two-out RBI single by Jones to give OSU a 1-0 lead.

BU would tie the score in the third as Jack Little drew a leadoff walk and later scored on a single off the bat of Enzo Apodaca.

OSU would get a clutch two-out hit of its own to regain the lead in the fifth. With Alex Conovoer on second, Schubart ripped a single to right field to bring him home as the Pokes took a 2-1 advantage.

Another clutch two-out hit would extend the OSU lead again in the sixth. This time it was Smith who, on an 0-2 pitch with the bases loaded, delivered two-RBI single through the right side to make the score 4-1.

The Bears would get a run back in the bottom of the inning, but a key double play and a strikeout prevented further damage as OSU’s lead held at two.

But the home team rallied in the eighth, tying the score at 4-4 off OSU reliever Gabe Davis. The Bears collected three hits in the inning, including an RBI double from Wesley Jordan, and plated the tying run on a sacrifice fly by Hunter Simmons.

In the decisive 10^th, BU put runners on first and second with two outs, and Watkins induced a groundball to shortstop. But the ball was bobbled for an error, and Hunter Simmons came around to score the winning run.

OSU closes out the regular season with a Thursday-Saturday series at O’Brate Stadium against Arizona State. The first two games are scheduled for 6 p.m. starts, with Saturday’s finale set to begin at 1 p.m.

OU to host regional tournament

NORMAN — The reigning 2025 Southeastern Conference (SEC) Regular and SEC Co-Tournament Champion Oklahoma Sooners earned the No. 2 overall seed in the 2025 NCAA Softball Tournament and will host the Norman Regional at Love's Field May 16-18. Heading to Love's Field will be California, Omaha and Boston University.

This is the 14th consecutive season that the Sooners have hosted a regional. Play will get going Friday, May 16 when Omaha takes on California at 2:30 p.m. Oklahoma will then take on BU at 5 p.m. on ESPNU.

Friday's winners will play game three at 2 p.m. Saturday, May 17, while the losing teams from Friday will meet in game four shortly after. Saturday's games will conclude with the loser of game three and the winner of game four in a win-or-go-home meeting. The start time for Sunday's regional final will be released at a late time this week.

The SEC has a tournament-high 14 teams in this year's NCAA Tournament. The winner of the Norman Regional will advance to the NCAA Super Regional against the winner of the Tuscaloosa Regional, hosted by the 15-overall seed Alabama Crimson Tide.

OU has made the NCAA Tournament in 31 consecutive seasons, good for every year under head coach Patty Gasso. OU defeated Cleveland State once and Oregon a pair of times to advance out of the 2024 Norman Regional in year one of Love's Field.

Season ticket holders that requested postseason tickets will be charged Monday, May 12 in accordance with the confirmation email received last week from the Oklahoma Athletics ticket office.

A limited number of remaining reserved outfield all-session tickets will go on sale to the public on Monday, May 12 at 10 a.m. Outfield all-session tickets will be $65 a piece and are good for admission into each game of the tournament. All ticket orders are subject to a $7 per ticket charge.

If tickets remain, single session seats will go on sale Wednesday at 10 a.m. Once all reserved seats have been sold, a limited number of standing room only tickets will be sold for each day. For ticket updates please refer to SoonerSports.com, the OU Ticket Office or by calling (405) 325-2424.

OSU earns NCAA Tournament bid

STILLWATER – The Oklahoma State Softball team will be making its ninth consecutive appearance in the NCAA Tournament, as was announced via the NCAA Selection Show on Sunday evening.

The Cowgirls will be competing in the Fayetteville regional this weekend, along with the No. 4 national seed Arkansas, Indiana and Saint Louis. The action starts Friday at 3 p.m. CT with the Pokes opening play against Indiana on ESPN2, followed by No. 4 Arkansas against Saint Louis at 5:30 p.m. CT.

Should OSU advance through the regional, then the Cowgirls would be matched up with the winner of the Tucson regional that includes No. 13 Arizona, Ole Miss, Grand Canyon and Santa Clara.

The full schedule for the Fayetteville Regional is below.

Friday, May 16

Game 1 – 3 p.m. CT - Indiana vs. Oklahoma State (ESPN2)

Game 2 – 5:30 p.m. CT – Saint Louis vs. No. 4 Arkansas (ESPN+)

Saturday, May 17

Game 3 – Noon CT – Winner of Game 1 vs. Winner of Game 2 (TBD)

Game 4 – 2:30 p.m. CT – Loser of Game 1 vs. Loser of Game 2 (TBD)

Game 5 – 5 p.m. CT – Loser of Game 3 vs. Winner of Game 4 (TBD)

Sunday, May 18

Game 6 – 3 p.m. CT – Winner of Game 3 vs. Winner of Game 5 (TBD)

Game 7 (if necessary) – 5:30 p.m. CT – Winner of Game 6 vs. Loser of Game 6

This marks OSU’s ninth consecutive trip to the NCAA Softball Championship, and its 26^th appearance all time. Nine consecutive trips to the NCAA Tournament is the second-longest streak in program history, trailing only the record mark of 11 set from 1988-98.

Entering the NCAA tournament, the Cowgirls are 33-18 and ended the regular season with wins in six of their last seven contests. Six different Oklahoma State student-athletes collected All-Big 12 recognition, led by Rosie Davis, Amanda Hasler and Ruby Meylan all being named to the first team.

For season-long coverage of Oklahoma State Softball, visit okstate.com and follow @CowgirlSB on X and @osusoftball on Instagram.

More rain possible Monday

LeFlore County weather forecast for Monday calls for cloudy skies early with showers during the afternoon for Heavener, LeFlore County and southeastern Oklahoma.

The high is forecast to be 79 degrees with a low of 57.

Sunrise was 6:17 a.m. Sunset is 8:13 p.m.

Sunday’s high was 71 with a low of 57. A total of .04 inches of rain was recorded, leaving the monthly total for May at 2.42 inches. Average rainfall for the month is 6.20 inches.

Average temperatures for May 12 are a high of 80 and low of 54. Records for the date were a high of 88 in 1984. The record low was 39 in 1977.

Last year on May 12, the high was 80 with a low of 62.

LeFlore County calendar

LeFlore County calendar of events for the next week. The calendar is a free service for our readers. If you are with a non-profit and want an event publicized, email craig@heavenerledger.com.

Monday

LeFlore County commissioners meet 9 a.m.

High school softball: Wister, Whitesboro at state tournament

Class 3A golf tournament at Shangri-La

Local school boards meet

Tuesday

Poteau Evening Lions Club meet 6 p.m. CASC

Wednesday

Poteau Rotary Club meets noon EOMC

Thursday

Poteau Kiwanis Club meets noon Western Sizzlin

Heavener Utilities Authority and City Council meet 6 p.m.

Heavener VFW bingo 6:30 p.m. Highway 59 North

Saturday

Cardboard boat races

MT VIEW CEMETERY ASSOCIATION MEETINGS and the annual clean-up day

Heavener eighth grade graduation 2 p.m.

Heavener High School graduation 8 p.m.

Today in history

1932

Kidnapped Lindbergh baby found dead

The body of aviation hero Charles Lindbergh’s baby is found on May 12, 1932, more than two months after he was kidnapped from his family’s Hopewell, New Jersey, mansion. Lindbergh, who became the first worldwide celebrity five years earlier when he flew The Spirit of St. Louis across the Atlantic,... read more

1970s

1975

American freighter ship Mayaguez seized by Cambodian navy

American Revolution

1780

Americans suffer worst defeat of revolution at Charleston

Arts & Entertainment

1907

Celebrated actress Katharine Hepburn is born

1963

Bob Dylan walks out on “The Ed Sullivan Show”

1965

Rolling Stones record “Satisfaction,” which came to Keith Richards in his sleep

Cold War

1949

Soviet Union lifts its 11-month blockade against West Berlin

Sports

1957

Ferrari race car crashes at Mille Miglia race, killing 11

1957

Race car driver A.J. Foyt gets first pro victory

U.S. Presidents

1903

Teddy Roosevelt’s trip to San Francisco is captured on film

Vietnam War

1961

Lyndon B. Johnson visits South Vietnam

LCJ newletter 5-11-2025

Sunday's newsletter

Craig Hall

May 11, 2025

Daily Bible verse

She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”

Matthew 1:21

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Spiro man sentenced for unregistered firearm

MUSKOGEE – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Bryant Dewayne Underwood, 36, of Spiro was sentenced to 46 months in prison for one count of Possession of an Unregistered Firearm.

The charge arose from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the LeFlore County Sheriff’s Office.

On Jan. 13, 2025, Underwood pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, on Oct. 26, 2023, deputies conducting a traffic stop in LeFlore County discovered Underwood in possession of a 5.56 NATO (.223) caliber, short-barreled rifle. The rifle had previously been reported stolen from a location in Arkansas and Underwood was not the registered owner of the rifle in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

Ronald A. White, Chief U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Underwood will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jarrod Leaman and Edith A. Singer represented the United States.

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Heaener’s Jeremi Casteel is shown after winning the Class 3A discus championship Saturday

Heavener thrower wins state

Heavener’s Jeremi Casteel won the Class 3A state discuss championship Saturday with a throw of 160-2, almost eight feet farther than the second-place finisher.

Video by Jimmy Farmer.

Casteel’s last throw was his best.

Casteel is a junior at Heavener.

Wister loses championship game

Wister loses the Class A-1 state baseball championship game to Wright City, 6-5, Saturday at Shawnee High School.

The Wildcats built a 4-0 lead after two innings before the Lumberjax took the lead for good with three runs in the top of the fifth inning and holding Wister to one run in the bottom half of the inning.

Neither team scored in the last two innings.

Wister finishes with a 27-4 record while Wright City is 30-3.

Wister actually had more hits and fewer errors although Wright City had seven walks compared to six for Wister batters.

Joel Meeh started and went 2.1 innings for the Wildcats. He gave up two hits and three runs, all earned, with no strikeouts and four walks. Toby Vocque also threw 2.1 innings, allowing two hits and three runs, all earned, with one strikeout and two walks. Mattox Johnson threw the final 2.1 innings, giving up two hits and no runs with one walk.

Vocque was 2-5 with a run scored while Preston Perez finished 2-2.

Wright City 6, Wister 5

WCHS 0 0 3 0 3 0 0—6 6 4

WHS 2 2 0 0 1 0 0—5 9 1

OSU clinches series

WACO, Texas – A dominant pitching performance by Mario Pesca carried Oklahoma State to its sixth-straight win Saturday at Baylor Ballpark as the Cowboys knocked off Baylor, 4-0.

In extending its longest win streak of the season, OSU improved to 24-21 overall and 12-11 in Big 12 play, while BU fell to 30-20 and 10-16 in the league.

Pesca tossed eight shutout innings in improving to 5-2, marking his career-long outing. He allowed just four hits, all singles, while walking four and posting five strikeouts in the 116-pitch effort.

The right-hander got stronger as the game went on as he did not allow a hit over his final 4 2/3 innings following a one-out single in the third. He was also aided by an OSU infield that turned three double plays, tying for its most this season.

Pesca got all the run support he needed from a pair of home runs as Nolan Schubart and Kollin Ritchie both went deep for the Pokes.

The Cowboys jumped out to an early lead in the first inning thanks to Schubart’s team-leading 14^th home run of the season, a two-run shot over the wall in right field. The homer was the 54^th of Schubart’s career, moving him into a tie for sixth place on OSU’s all-time list with Jimmy Barragan.

Pesca induced double play groundouts in the fifth and sixth innings, retired the side in order in the seventh and then got a strikeout to end the eighth and strand a runner on second base.

OSU added a pair of insurance runs in the ninth, getting a solo homer from Ritchie and plating a run when Ian Daugherty, who singled and stole second, scored on a throwing error.

Ryan Ure came out of the bullpen to open the ninth and retired all three batters he faced, two via strikeout, to secure the shutout. It marked OSU’s fifth shutout of the season, with three of those coming in Big 12 play.

The Cowboys will go for a second-straight series sweep Sunday at 1 p.m.

Sooners drop Game 2 at Kentucky

Sooners Drop Game Two at Kentucky

LEXINGTON, Kentucky – No. 17 Oklahoma dropped the second game of the series Saturday at Kentucky by a final of 8-5.

OU (32-16, 13-13 SEC) jumped out to a 2-0 lead at the top of the first. A leadoff single from sophomore Jason Walk started the flurry, followed by a walk drawn by junior Trey Gambill. Junior Easton Carmichael stayed hot at the plate with an RBI single to left before an RBI groundout from sophomore Jaxon Willits pushed the second run across. The Sooners had a run erased after review deemed Carmichael left third base early on a sac fly to center from freshman Kyle Branch.

Kentucky (27-20, 12-14) responded with four runs on two hits in the home half of the first. After OU starter Cade Crossland started with a three-pitch strikeout, the Wildcats loaded the bags on a pair of walks and a hit by pitch. A sac-fly RBI, followed by a two-run triple from Patrick Herrera and RBI single from Ryan Schwartz put four on the board and erased the early OU lead.

The Wildcats added one in the second on an RBI groundout from Cole Hage before Crossland worked a scoreless third. OU lefty reliever Gavyn Jones entered in the fourth and induced a double play to work a scoreless inning.

Oklahoma broke its scoring drought at the top of the fifth on a leadoff home run from senior Scott Mudler. It was Mudler’s second of the season and first since February 22.

UK got the run back and more in the home half of the fifth on a three-run double from Schwartz, running his RBI total to four on the day.

Mudler continued to swing a hot bat for the Sooners in the sixth, plating a pair on a bases-loaded double to right. It was the second time in the last five games Mudler has brought in three runs.

OU couldn’t string together hits throughout the final three innings as the Sooners stranded Branch in the eighth after his one-out double and went down in order in the ninth.

Crossland (L, 4-4) went three innings and surrendered five runs on three hits and four walks with three strikeouts. Jones and fellow relievers Reid Hensley, Jaden Barfield and Michael Catalano combined to finish the game with Hensley, Barfield and Catalano allowing zero runs.

At the plate, Mudler paced OU with a 2-for-4, 3 RBI showing while Carmichael went 2-for-4 with one RBI.

The series loss was the first to an unranked opponent OU has suffered in its inaugural campaign in the SEC. OU moved to 5-4 in SEC series on the year.

The finale is slated for noon CT Sunday and can be seen on SEC Network and heard on 99.3 FM/1400 AM The REF in Oklahoma or nationwide on The Varsity Network app.

Razorbacks Drop Series in Baton Rouge

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana – No. 7 Arkansas (40-11, 17-9 SEC) suffered a 13-3 loss in seven innings against No. 3 LSU (40-11, 17-9) Saturday night at Alex Box Stadium, dropping its penultimate SEC weekend series of the season in the process.

The Razorbacks will look to salvage the series in the weekend finale, which is scheduled for 3 p.m. Sunday, May 11, on SEC Network. Arkansas has not been swept in an SEC series since suffering a sweep on the road against Georgia in 2023.

LSU scored three in the first and never looked back, posting runs in each of the first five frames and blowing the game open with a six-run fifth to take a 12-0 lead. The Tigers tagged Razorback starter Gage Wood for four runs on four hits and two walks, and continued to do damage against the Arkansas bullpen after Wood departed the ballgame.

In total, the Razorback pitching staff combined to issue a season-high nine walks and allow a season-high 12 earned runs, including a season-high four homers. Steele Eaves tossed a scoreless frame with a strikeout, while Hunter Dietz made his season debut and tallied a pair of punchouts in his first appearance on the mound since April 9, 2024.

The Arkansas offense was silenced by LSU starter Anthony Eyanson, who struck out 11 batters, through the first six innings before breaking through against the Tiger bullpen in the top half of the seventh. Justin Thomas Jr. and Charles Davalan each collected RBI singles, and Logan Maxwell added an RBI sacrifice fly to cut the Razorbacks’ deficit to 12-3.

Davalan, who finished 2-for-4 with an RBI, was one of two Hogs to record multiple hits Saturday night. Ryder Helfrick also tallied a pair of base hits, leading off the three-run seventh with his eighth double of the year and finishing 2-for-3.

LSU, however, responded to Arkansas’ rally by scratching out a run in the bottom half of the seventh inning to extend its lead to 13-3 and initiate the 10-run rule. The Tigers handed the Razorbacks their first run-rule loss of the 2025 campaign.

OU wins share of SEC tournament title

Due to inclement weather in Athens, Ga., No. 2/2 Oklahoma's SEC Tournament Championship game against No. 1/1 Texas A&M was canceled. As a result, Oklahoma was named 2025 SEC Tournament Co-Champions alongside Texas A&M.

OU earns the NCAA's automatic qualifier bid as 2025 SEC Regular Season Champions. The Sooners enter the NCAA Tournament with a 45-7 record and 17-7 mark in SEC regular season play.

Oklahoma defeated No. 9/10 LSU and No. 6/7 Arkansas en route to the SEC Tournament Championship game in year one in the league.

The 2025 NCAA Softball Tournament bracket will be announced Sunday, May 11 at 6 p.m. CT on ESPN2.

Cloud cover increases Sunday

LeFlore County weather forecast for Sunday calls for partly cloudy skies early with cloud cover increasing during the day for Heavener, LeFlore County and southeastern Oklahoma.

The high is forecast to be 71 degrees with a low of 58.

Sunrise was 6:18 a.m. Sunset is 8:12 p.m.

Saturday’s high was 75 with a low of 55. No rain was recorded, leaving the monthly total for May at 2.38 inches. Average rainfall for the month is 6.20 inches.

Average temperatures for May 11 are a high of 80 and low of 53. Records for the date were a high of 90 in 1973. The record low was 35 in 1981.

Last year on May 11, the high was 85 with a low of 64.

LeFlore County calendar

LeFlore County calendar of events for the next week. The calendar is a free service for our readers. If you are with a non-profit and want an event publicized, email craig@heavenerledger.com.

Monday

LeFlore County commissioners meet 9 a.m.

High school softball: Wister, Whitesboro at state tournament

Class 3A golf tournament at Shangri-La

Local school boards meet

Tuesday

Poteau Evening Lions Club meet 6 p.m. CASC

Wednesday

Poteau Rotary Club meets noon EOMC

Thursday

Poteau Kiwanis Club meets noon Western Sizzlin

Heavener Utilities Authority and City Council meet 6 p.m.

Heavener VFW bingo 6:30 p.m. Highway 59 North

Saturday

Cardboard boat races

MT VIEW CEMETERY ASSOCIATION MEETINGS and the annual clean-up day

Heavener eighth grade graduation 2 p.m.

Heavener High School graduation 8 p.m.

Today in history

1934

Dust storm sweeps from Great Plains across Eastern states

On May 11, 1934, a massive storm sends millions of tons of topsoil flying from across the parched Great Plains region of the United States as far east as New York, Boston and Atlanta. At the time the Great Plains were settled in the mid-1800s, the land was covered by prairie grass, which held... read more

19th Century

1858

Minnesota enters the Union

1970s

1972

Labor organizer and civil rights activist Cesar Chavez begins hunger strike

Arts & Entertainment

1981

Reggae star Bob Marley dies at 36

Civil War

1864

Confederate Cavalry General J.E.B. Stuart is mortally wounded

Crime

1812

British prime minister Spencer Perceval assassinated

1949

Evidence found against French serial killer known as “The Queen of Poisoners”

Holocaust

1960

High-ranking Nazi official Adolf Eichmann captured

Inventions & Science

1947

B.F. Goodrich Co. announces development of tubeless tire

1997

Deep Blue defeats Garry Kasparov in chess match

Sports

1985

Fire kills 50 at soccer stadium

Vietnam War

1961

President Kennedy orders more troops to South Vietnam

1969

Bloody 10-day battle at “Hamburger Hill” begins

World War II

1987

“Butcher of Lyon,” former Nazi Gestapo chief, charged with war crimes

LCJ newsletter 5-10-2025

Saturday's newsletter

Craig Hall

May 10, 2025

Daily Bible verse

Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.

Genesis 2:3

LeFlore County sports scores for 5-9-2025

LeFlore County sports scores for games played Friday in baseball.

Baseball

Howe 7, Pawhuska 5

Panama 11, Howe 1

Pocola 9, Stratford 2

Colbert 11, Pocola 1

Talihina 4, Mounds 1

Wister 5, Amber-Pocasset 0

To make a correction or addition, email craig@heavenerledger.com.

Wister baseball team is shown after winning its regional title.

Wister to play for state title

Wister to play Wright City for the Class A-1 state baseball championship 2 p.m. Saturday at Shawnee High School.

The Wildcats, now 27-3, defeated Amber-Pocasset, 5-0, in one semifinal game Friday in Edmond to advance to the championship game while Wright City toppled Okarche, 3-1, in the other semifinal.

Even though Wister and Wright City are both in southeastern Oklahoma, the two teams did not play in the spring. Wright City was 4-0 against the Wildcats in the fall, including a win in the state semifinals.

In Wister’s win over Amber-Pocasset, the Wildcats scored single runs in the second and third innings before adding three more in the bottom of the fifth to pad the lead.

Dartyn Meeks was the winning pitcher for the Wildcats. He went all seven innings, allowing two hits with no runs, eight strikeouts and one walk.

Jagger Dodson doubled twice while going 2-2 with two RBI and a run, Meeks also doubled and finished 1-2 with a RBI.

Wister 5, Amber-Pocasset 0

APHS 0 0 0 0 0 0 0—0 2 0

WHS 0 1 1 0 3 0 x-5 8 1

Heavener track advances to finals

Heavener track advances two into the Class 3A track meet finals for Saturday at Plainview High School near Ardmore.

Junior Jeremi Casteel finished fourth in the shot put and also throws the shot put Saturday.

The 4x800 track team of Isaac Cook, Jerred Boss, Parker Brand and Seth Lynch were eighth after winning at the regionals last week. The Wolves’ Cook advanced to the finals in the 300 hurdles Saturday.

Thunder fall into overtime

By ARNIE MELENDREZ STAPLETON

DENVER (AP) — The Denver Nuggets knew bouncing back from their 43-point loss would mean hanging with the tubro-charged, top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder so that they could tap into their experience, home environment and closing prowess.

And that’s exactly how they won Game 3 on Friday night, beating the Thunder 113-104 in overtime behind 27 points from Jamal Murray, 22 from Aaron Gordon and 21 from one-armed Michael Porter Jr., who had his best game since spraining his left shoulder in the first game of the playoffs.

See the whole story HERE.

OSU wins opener at Baylor

WACO, Texas – Oklahoma State extended its winning streak to a season-high five games with a 7-2 victory over Baylor Friday night at Baylor Ballpark.

With the win, the Cowboys improved to 23-21 overall and 11-11 in Big 12 play, while BU fell to 30-19 and 10-5 in the league.

Harrison Bodendorf continued to make his case as the conference’s top pitcher as he improved to 9-1. The southpaw worked six innings and allowed just one run on five hits while striking out seven.

Hunter Watkins came out of the bullpen and kept the Bears off the scoreboard for 1 2/3 innings, and Gabe Davis worked a scoreless ninth with a pair of strikeouts to seal the win.

Offensively, Colin Brueggemann was 3-for-5 with two doubles, and Kollin Ritchie had a pair of RBI doubles. Brayden Smith also homered and drove in two runs.

After three scoreless frames, OSU struck first in the fourth. Nolan Schubart drew a leadoff walk, and Brueggemann followed by lining a single off the glove of the BU second baseman. Up next, Jayson Jones brought home the game’s initial run with an RBI groundout.

The Cowboys weren’t done as Ritchie followed by lacing an RBI double just inside the left-field line to push the OSU advantage to 2-0 before Thompson brought home the Pokes’ third run of the inning with a single.

BU ended Bodendorf’s shutout in the bottom of the inning, striking for a run on an RBI groundout off the bat of Will Pendergrass.

But the Pokes would get the run back in their next at bat as Smith smashed a solo home run to right field for his eighth homer of the season and a 4-1 OSU lead in the fifth.

With Bodendorf cruising, the Cowboys tacked on another run in the seventh when Smith delivered a sacrifice fly to plate Alex Conover, who had doubled.

The Bears got to the OSU bullpen in the bottom of the inning, putting runners on the corners with one out after a pair of hits off Brennan Phillips. BU would then get a sacrifice fly to make the score 5-2 before Watkins got out of the inning without any further damage.

OSU added insurance runs in the eighth Ritchie’s second RBI double of the contest and in the ninth on Schubart’s team-leading 13^th homer of the season, a solo shot over the wall in left field.

The two teams return to action Saturday at 2 p.m.

OU loses at Kentucky

LEXINGTON, Kentucky – No. 17 Oklahoma narrowly fell in the series opener at Kentucky, 4-3, Friday night in Lexington.

Following a pair of scoreless innings to start the contest, OU (32-15, 13-12 SEC) struck first in the third inning off the bat of junior Easton Carmichael. Fellow junior Trey Gambill singled to right to set the stage for Carmichael’s two-run home run, his 13th of the season and third in OU’s last three games.

The Wildcats (26-20, 11-14) got the two runs back and more in the home half of the third, putting up four on five hits. It was the biggest inning OU starting right-handed pitcher Kyson Witherspoon has surrendered this season. After a leadoff triple off the wall, Luke Lawrence ripped an RBI double to left for UK’s first run of the game. The next batter, left fielder Cole Hage hit a two-run home run to right center to give UK the lead. The scoring concluded with an RBI single from James McCoy to make it 4-2, Wildcats.

Witherspoon responded with a scoreless fourth where he put the Wildcats down in order. At the top of the fifth, OU trimmed the lead to one on a two-out RBI single from freshman Kyle Branch to make it 4-3.

The Sooners stranded single baserunners in the sixth and seventh and had two on with one out in the ninth before a pair of strikeouts ended the game. OU left 10 on base on the night.

Witherspoon (L, 9-3) exited after five innings, surrendering four runs on six hits with two walks and four strikeouts. The six hits and four runs tied season highs given up in both categories and his four strikeouts tied the lowest in his 12 appearances.

Relievers James Hitt (1.0 IP) and Jason Bodin (2.0) closed the game, hurling three scoreless innings and surrendering one hit with one strikeout for both.

Carmichael and Gambill paced OU at the plate with respective 2-for-5 and 2-for-4 showings with Carmichael plating a pair and scoring two of OU’s three runs.

The teams make a quick turnaround for an 11:30 a.m. CT game two Saturday. The game can be seen via SEC Network and heard on 99.3 FM/1400 AM The REF in Oklahoma or nationwide on The Varsity Network app.

Sooners rally in SEC semifinals

ATHENS, Georgia — Down 3-0 and eventually 6-1, No. 2/2 Oklahoma (45-7) replied by hitting an SEC Tournament single game record, six home runs, capped off by Gabbie Garcia's walk-off three-run homer as the Sooners came back to defeat No. 6/7 Arkansas (40-12), 8-6, in the semifinals Friday.

Garcia, Ella Parker, Ailana Agbayani and Isabela Emerling all clubbed homers, while Sydney Barker tacked on two.

The win also marked the largest comeback victory in SEC Softball Tournament history, giving the Sooners 17 comeback wins on the year.

OU 8, Arkansas 6
The Razorbacks took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first thanks to two singles, two walks and a sac fly. Arkansas added another thanks a double and infield single with two away from Raigan Kramer.

Sydney Barker went up and got a high delivery to put OU on the board with a solo shot in the bottom of the second inning.

The Razorbacks replied with three more in the third, using a Kailey Wyckoff two-run home run as well as three singles and a passed ball to make it 6-1. Ella Parker belted her fifth home run in seven games to get one back for the Sooners in the third.

Paytn Monticelli entered and quieted the Arkansas bats with 1.2 scoreless innings of work.

The Sooners kept chipping away via the solo home run, with Barker belting another solo shot in the bottom of the fourth. One pitch later, Isabela Emerling launched a solo shot to left center, cutting the deficit to 6-4.

From there, Audrey Lowry held down the circle, starting a stretch of nine batters up and nine batters down beginning in the top of the fifth inning.

Down 6-4, Ailana Agbayani clubbed a solo homer to the seats in center field, trimming the deficit down to one.

Chasing a one-run deficit in the seventh, Kasidi Pickering started off the frame with a base hit to right. Parker reached on a fielder's choice and moved to third on a double to the gap from Nelly McEnroe-Marinas. One pitch later Garcia blasted a the walk-off three-run home run just left of dead center.

Pitchers of Record
Win: Audrey Lowry (6-0)
Loss: Robyn Herron (17-6)

Statistical Snapshot

Sydney Barker | 2-for-3, 2HRs
Gabbie Garcia | 1-for-4, HR, 3RBIs
Ella Parker, Ailana Agbayani, Isabela Emerling | HR apiece
Audrey Lowry | W, 3.0IP, 3Ks

Notes

Oklahoma set the SEC Tournament record for biggest comeback win, overcoming a 6-1 deficit
Parker extended her hitting streak to eight games
The Sooners hit an SEC Tournament single game record, six home runs
Five different Sooners hit a home run
The Sooners eclipsed 100 home runs for the season for the sixth consecutive year, becoming the first in program history to do so
Oklahoma won its 10th game against a top-10 opponent
The Sooners are 4-0 against Arkansas this season
Oklahoma earned its 17th comeback win on the year
Audrey Lowry and Paytn Monticelli combined for 4.2 scoreless innings
The Sooners are 38-0 when scoring at least six runs

Up Next
No. 2/2 Oklahoma meets No. 1/1 Texas A&M in the SEC Tournament Championship game Saturday, May 10 at 1 p.m. ET / 12 p.m. CT. The game will be broadcast on SEC Network. A radio broadcast will be available on The Franchise 2 (1560 AM and 103. FM), with statbroadcast.com providing live stats.

Root's gem not enough as Hogs drop opener

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana. – Zach Root logged his team-leading fifth quality start with his six frames of two-run ball and six strikeouts on the mound, but No. 7 Arkansas (40-10, 17-8 SEC) coughed up a two-run lead in the seventh inning and was handed a 5-4 series-opening loss in 10 innings against No. 3 LSU (39-11, 16-9 SEC) Friday night at Alex Box Stadium.

Friday night’s game, which was originally scheduled for 6:30 p.m., did not begin until 9:57 p.m., only three minutes before the latest allowed start time by the SEC, due to steady rain in Baton Rouge. Despite the delayed first pitch, Root settled in quickly and worked six innings on the bump, allowing two runs on five hits to lower his season ERA to 3.88.

The left-hander racked up six strikeouts against the Tigers, his eighth consecutive start with six or more punchouts, and raised his season total to a team-leading 98 in a team-high 72.0 innings across 13 appearances on the mound.

Thanks to solo home runs by Cam Kozeal and Kuhio Aloy as well as RBI from Charles Davalan and Wehiwa Aloy, Arkansas provided Root with four runs of support and led, 4-2, entering the bottom half of the seventh inning. Kozeal swatted his 12th homer of the season in the top of the fourth before Kuhio Aloy connected on his 13th blast of the year in the sixth.

Aiden Jimenez, who took over on the mound in relief of Root in the seventh, struck out the first batter he faced, but LSU tagged the right-hander for two runs on two hits and two walks to even the game at four apiece. Gabe Gaeckle would emerge from the bullpen to strand a pair of runners in the seventh, giving the Hogs an opportunity to reclaim the lead.

Arkansas, however, could not answer over the game’s final three frames. Gaeckle’s strong relief outing sent the game to extra innings, where the Razorbacks loaded the bases with two outs in the top of the 10th but were unable to capitalize.

The Tigers finally broke through against Gaeckle, who tossed 3.1 innings of one-run ball with five strikeouts, in the bottom of the 10th. LSU scored the game-winning run on a sacrifice fly to center to eke out the 5-4 walk-off win.

Offensively, Justin Thomas Jr. (3-for-4) paced the Razorback offense with a career-high three hits, while Wehiwa Aloy (2-for-5, RBI) and Ryder Helfrick (2-for-4, 2B) also turned in multi-hit efforts. With his two-hit performance, Aloy raised his team-leading season slash line to .377/463/.710 with a team-high 17 home runs and 53 RBI over 50 games.

Arkansas will look to even things up at a game apiece tomorrow evening in Baton Rouge. First pitch in game two of the weekend series between the Razorbacks and Tigers is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Saturday, May 10, on SEC Network.

Central National Bank sponsors Kiwanis Club

Central National Bank supported the Poteau Kiwanis Club by presenting a sponsorship check to Poteau Kiwanis to help cover the cost of medals for all the athletes participating in the recent Little Olympics.

From left: CNB President Mike Hall, CNB Mortgage Lender Randall Hall, CNB Operations Supervisor Cassie Beger, Kiwanis President Bruce Pipkin, Kiwanis VP Clay Caughern.

Cloudy skies expected Saturday

LeFlore County weather forecast for Saturday calls for mostly cloudy skies for Heavener, LeFlore County and southeastern Oklahoma.

The high is forecast to be 73 degrees with a low of 53.

Sunrise was 6:19 a.m. Sunset is 8:11 p.m.

Friday’s high was 78 with a low of 53. Only .01 inches of rain was recorded Friday, leaving the monthly total for May at 2.38 inches. Average rainfall for the month is 6.20 inches.

Average temperatures for May 10 are a high of 80 and low of 53. Records for the date were a high of 93 in 1973. The record low was 38 in 1978.

Last year on May 10, the high was 79 with a low of 53.

LeFlore County calendar

LeFlore County calendar of events for the next week. The calendar is a free service for our readers. If you are with a non-profit and want an event publicized, email craig@heavenerledger.com.

Saturday

State track meets

High school baseball: Wister vs. Wright City 2 p.m. Shawnee High School

Spiro Mounds Archeological Center 47th anniversary

Monday

LeFlore County commissioners meet 9 a.m.

High school softball: Wister, Whitesboro at state tournament

Class 3A golf tournament at Shangri-La

Local school boards meet

Tuesday

Poteau Evening Lions Club meet 6 p.m. CASC

Wednesday

Poteau Rotary Club meets noon EOMC

Thursday

Poteau Kiwanis Club meets noon Western Sizzlin

Heavener Utilities Authority and City Council meet 6 p.m.

Heavener VFW bingo 6:30 p.m. Highway 59 North

Today in history

1869

Transcontinental railroad completed, unifying United States

On May 10, 1869, the presidents of the Union Pacific and Central Pacific railroads meet in Promontory, Utah, and drive a ceremonial last spike into a rail line that connects their railroads. This made transcontinental railroad travel possible for the first time in U.S. history. No longer would... read more

African History

1994

Nelson Mandela, South Africa’s first Black president, is inaugurated

American Revolution

1773

British parliament passes unpopular Tea Act

1775

Second Continental Congress assembles as Americans capture Fort Ticonderoga

Asian History

1990

China releases 211 prisoners arrested during Tiananmen Square protests

Civil War