LCJ newsletter 2-21-2025
Friday's newsletter
Today’s Bible verse
And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:7
HUA discusses water loss
The Heavener Utilities Authority met with representatives of US Water Thursday night in a regular business meeting prior to the city council meeting
Present were Mayor Max Roberts, HUA members Peggy Persons and Craig Olive, along with City Council members Joey Clubb, Marvin Meredith and Jim Roll.
The representatives were asked about a high loss of water during the January report. The US Water representatives said it was mainly due to two large water breaks in January that caused a larger water loss.
They said the February report looks like it should be better.
The HUA is going to lower the charge of the Textmygov fee to 50 cents and issue a discount of $3 per customer as the rate was originally supposed to be dropped to the 50 cent total and it was not done.
Present for the Council portion were Roberts, Clubb, Meredith and Roll. Member Chris Bradford was absent.
In the City Manager’s report, Chelsea Sweet reported a blade had arrived to fit on one of the trucks to help remove snow and ice from the city roads. Due to the lack of precipitation over the last cold blast, the blade was not needed, but the city did pre-treat the roads, which seemed to help with the small amount of snow that did fall.
The City Council decided to place a 2016 Ford extended cab with 167,526 miles as surplus property. Bids will be taken on the truck with a reserve price the truck will not be sold under. Proceeds from the sale of the truck will go to the fire department.
The bids for park work were delayed until Marcy 6 due to the bad weather over the last two months.
LeFlore County basketball playoff schedule
LeFlore County sports schedule for playoff basketball games scheduled to be played this week for Class 2A, A and B.
Friday
Regionals
Winners Bracket
Boys
Class 2A
At Wilburton
Howe vs. Rejoice Christian 7:30 p.m.
At Talihina
Talihina vs. Pocola 7:30 p.m.
At Colcord
Panama vs. Ketchum 7:30 p.m.
Losers bracket
Boys
Class A
At Cameron
Cameron vs. Afton 2:30 p.m.
At Indianola
Wister vs. Wetumka 2:30 p.m.
Class B
Area IV
At Kinta
Whitesboro vs. Calvin 2:30 p.m.
Girls
Winners bracket
At Wilburton
Howe vs. Rejoice Christian 6 p.m.
At Talihina
Talihina vs. Pocola 6 p.m.
At Colcord
Panama at Ketchum 6 p.m.
Class B
At Kinta
Whitesboro vs. Moyers 6 p.m.
Losers Bracket
Class A
At Indianola
Wister vs. Wetumka 1 p.m.
Class B
At Moss
LeFlore vs. Moss 1 p.m.
Districts
Friday
Class 4A
Poteau at Broken Bow 6 p.m.
Saturday
Class 3A
Heavener at Spiro 6 p.m.
To make a correction or addition, email craig@heavenerledger.com.
Oglesby helps ORU down North Dakota
TULSA - The Oral Roberts University women's basketball program earned a hard-fought win over North Dakota on Thursday night, defeating the Fighting Hawks 83-80 at the Mabee Center.
The win marked the fifth time the Golden Eagles have eclipsed 11 wins in Summit League play while also marking the 11th time to reach 21 wins in a season.
Emily Robinson had a career night, scoring a career-high 23 points behind 8-11 shooting from the field and 4-7 shooting beyond the arc. Despite fouling out late in the contest, Howe’s Jalei Oglesby scored 19 points on 8-16 shooting, grabbing four rebounds in the process. Makyra Tramble, Ruthie Udoumoh and Taleyah Jones each broke into double-figures on the night, scoring 12, 11 and 10 points, respectively. Jones grabbed seven rebounds while Udoumoh tallied three steals.
Ruthie Udoumoh opened the scoring for ORU, recording the first four points of the game. Emily Robinson followed the 4-0 run with seven points of her own, knocking down a triple, a jump shot and two free throws. Jalei Oglesby closed out the quarter for the Golden Eagles, scoring six of their last seven points in the frame as they held a 20-17 lead heading into the second.
The Golden Eagles began the second slow, scoring just four points in the first 3:41 of the quarter. Taleyah Jones and Makyra Tramble each hit triples down the stretch to close out the half but six ORU turnovers and seven made free throws from the Fighting Hawks were too much to overcome. ORU went into the break down 37-38.
The third quarter was eerily similar to the first, outscoring UND 20-17 for the second time in the matchup. Four offensive rebounds and eight defensive rebounds in the quarter led to a dominant paint performance from the Fighting Hawks. Despite losing the rebounding battle 5-12, the Golden Eagles secured a 57-55 lead behind five points from Emily Robinson and seven from Taleyah Jones.
The fourth quarter was a battle at the free throw line with the Golden Eagles shooting 10-12 from the stripe to UND's 8-11. Jalei Oglesby and Ruthie Udoumoh opened the quarter on a 4-0 run, putting the good guys up six (61-55). The lead didn't last long as the Fighting Hawks came charging back, sparking a 7-2 run of their own to cut the Golden Eagle lead to one (63-62) with 8:12 to play. In the final 4:04, ORU shot 4-6 during their three trips to the line before Makyra Tramble iced the game with a three with 12 seconds on the clock.
Oklahoma fishing report
This week’s Oklahoma fishing report.
NORTHEAST
Kaw: February 18. Elevation is 1 ft. above normal and stable, water temperature 35°F and stained. (USACE Lake Level) Crappie good on hair jigs, jigs, minnows, and tube jigs around brush structure and standing timber. Paddlefish excellent snagging below the dam and main lake. Blue catfish fair on cut bait, shad, and sunfish below the dam, main lake, river channel, and river mouth. Report submitted by Spencer Grace, game warden stationed in Kay County.
Keystone: February 17. Elevation is 1 ft. above normal and stable, water temperature 42°F and clear. (USACE Lake Level) Largemouth bass good on crankbaits, jigs, and plastic baits around brush structure and main lake. Blue and channel catfish good on live bait, live shad, and minnows around main lake. Crappie good on jigs and minnows around brush structure, main lake, and rocks. Report submitted by Tracer Wagner, game warden stationed in Creek County.
Spavinaw: February 16. Elevation is normal and stable, water temperature 40°F and clear. (USGS Lake Level) Largemouth bass fair on Alabama rigs and jerk baits around main lake. Crappie fair on jigs and minnows around dam. Channel catfish slow on cut bait around main lake. Report submitted by Kody Moore, game warden stationed in Mayes County.
SOUTHEAST
Blue River: February 18. Elevation is normal and stable, water temperature 40°F and clear. (USGS Lake Level) Rainbow trout fair on caddis flies, in-line spinnerbaits, midges, nymphs, PowerBait, small lures, spoons, and worms around brush structure, channels, creek channels, river channel, and rocks. Report submitted by Ethan Lovelace, biologist at the Blue River Public Fishing and Hunting Area.
Broken Bow: February 17. Elevation is 8 ft. above normal and rising, water temperature 45°F and stained. (USACE Lake Level) Largemouth, smallmouth, and spotted bass good on Alabama rigs, bill baits, crankbaits, flukes, in-line spinnerbaits, plastic baits, and spoons around brush structure, creek channels, main lake, points, river channel, and standing timber. Crappie good on hair jigs, jigs, and minnows around creek channels, main lake, points, river channel, and standing timber. Blue and channel catfish good on chicken liver, cut bait, dough bait, and punch bait around channels, coves, creek channels, river channel, and river mouth. Report submitted by Dru Polk, game warden stationed in McCurtain County.
Eufaula: February 14. Elevation is 1 ft. above normal and stable, water temperature 42°F and stained. (USACE Lake Level) Striped bass, striped bass hybrids, and white bass fair on flukes, jigs, lipless baits, and sassy shad below the dam, discharge, and tailwater. Sauger, saugeye, walleye fair on grubs, jigs, and small lures below the dam, discharge, and tailwater. Blue, channel, and flathead catfish fair on cut bait, live bait, live shad, and shad below the dam, channels, river channel, and river mouth. Report submitted by Jake Rowland, game warden stationed in McIntosh County.
Konawa: February 16. Elevation is normal and stable, water temperature 44°F and clear. Largemouth bass slow on Alabama rigs, crankbaits, and plastic baits around main lake, points, river channel, and weed beds. Striped bass hybrids and white bass slow on Alabama rigs, crankbaits, and live shad around coves, discharge, main lake, and river channel. Channel catfish slow on chicken liver, cut bait, and shrimp around inlet, riprap, rocks, and weed beds. Report submitted by Garret Harley, game warden stationed in Seminole County.
Lower Mountain Fork River: February 14. Elevation is normal and stable, water temperature 48°F and clear. Rainbow trout good on PowerBait and tube jigs below the dam, creek channels, and spillway. Report submitted by Mark Hannah, game warden stationed in McCurtain County.
McGee Creek: February 14. Elevation is 1 ft. above normal and stable, water temperature 39°F and stained. (USACE Lake Level) Largemouth and spotted bass excellent on Alabama rigs, bill baits, crankbaits, jerk baits, and plastic baits around docks, main lake, points, and standing timber. Crappie fair on small lures and tube jigs around brush structure, points, and standing timber. Channel and flathead catfish fair on cut bait, hot dogs, shad, and shrimp around creek channels, flats, and main lake. Report submitted by Shay Loudermilk, game warden stationed in Atoka County.
Pine Creek: February 14. Elevation is 12 ft. above normal and rising, water temperature 49°F and murky. (USACE Lake Level) Largemouth bass fair on crankbaits around flats. Crappie fair on jigs and tube jigs. Channel catfish fair on chicken liver around creek channels. Report submitted by Mark Hannah, game warden stationed in McCurtain County.
Sardis: February 14. Elevation is above normal and stable, water temperature 45°F and stained. (USACE Lake Level) Largemouth bass fair on bill baits, crankbaits, lipless baits, plastic baits, and spinnerbaits around brush structure, channels, points, and standing timber. Blue, channel, and flathead catfish fair on cut bait, shad, sunfish, and worms around brush structure, channels, main lake, points, and standing timber. Crappie fair on jigs, minnows, and tube jigs around brush structure, channels, points, and standing timber. Report submitted by Thomas Gillham, game warden stationed in Pushmataha County.
Texoma: February 14. Elevation is normal and stable, water temperature 49°F and clear. (USACE Lake Level) Striped bass good on flukes and live shad around channels, main lake, and points. Blue, channel, and flathead catfish good on chicken liver, cut bait, dough bait, live shad, PowerBait, punch bait, and stinkbait around channels, coves, docks, main lake, river channel, and river mouth. Crappie fair on hair jigs, jigs, minnows, and nymphs around brush structure, coves, docks, and standing timber. Comments: Fishing this week has been good. Striper continue to be good dead sticking and on live shad. With the water temp still low dead sticking should remain good for a while. Catfish are good on live bait near river channels and the mouth of the river. Crappie are good near docks with brush piles on jigs with power bait. Report submitted by Garrett Beam, game warden stationed in Marshall County.
Wister: February 14. Elevation is 9 ft. above normal and rising, water temperature 45°F and murky. (USACE Current Lake Level) Largemouth bass slow on jigs and plastic baits around brush structure, creek channels, main lake, and river channel. Blue catfish fair on cut bait and shad around main lake and river channel. Crappie fair on jigs and minnows around brush structure, main lake, and river channel. Report submitted by James Williams, game warden stationed in Le Flore County.
Warmer temperatures returning
LeFlore County weather forecast for Friday calls for partly cloudy skies with a continued warming trend from the brutal weather earlier this week.
The high is forecast to be 38 degrees along with a low of 22.
Sunrise was 6:57 a.m. Sunset is 6:07 p.m.
Thursday’s high was 28 with a low of 17. No precipitation was recorded Wednesday, leaving the monthly total to 2.07 inches. Average rainfall for February is 2.90 inches.
Average temperatures for Feb. 21 are a high of 57 and low of 28. Records for the date were a high of 81 in 1981. The record low was 18 in 1978.
Last year on this date, the high was 81 with a low of 63.
LeFlore County calendar
LeFlore County calendar of events for the next week. The calendar is a free service for our readers. If you are a church or non-profit event, please email me at craig@heavenerledger.com.
Friday
Funeral service for Donald Watkins
High school basketball: Poteau at Broken Bow in district tournament; Small school regionals.
Saturday
High school basketball: Heavener at Spiro in district tournament; small school regionals TBA
Poteau polar plunge fundraiser
Monday
LeFlore County commissioners meet 9 a.m.
Blood drive Reynolds Center 1 to 6 p.m.
High school basketball: Small school regionals TBA
Tuesday
Poteau Evening Lions Club meet 6 p.m. CASC
Wednesday
Poteau Rotary Club meets noon EOMC
Thursday
Poteau Kiwanis Club meets noon
Heavener VFW bingo 6:30 p.m. Highway 59 North
High school basketball: Regional tournaments
Today in history
1965
Malcolm X assassinated
February 21, 1965: In New York City, Malcolm X, an African American nationalist and religious leader, is assassinated while addressing his Organization of Afro-American Unity at the Audubon Ballroom in Washington Heights. He was 39. Born Malcolm Little in Omaha, Nebraska, in 1925, Malcolm was the... read more
19th Century
1848
Karl Marx publishes Communist Manifesto
1885
Arts & Entertainment
1981
Dolly Parton cements her crossover success as “9 to 5” hits #1
Civil War
1862
Cold War
1972
President Nixon arrives in China for talks
Crime
1961
Rockefeller imposter and convicted felon born
Inventions & Science
1948
Sports
1952
Dick Button wins second Olympic figure skating gold
Vietnam War
1970
Henry Kissinger begins secret negotiations with North Vietnamese
World War I
1916
1918
World War II
1944
Japanese prime minister Hideki Tojo makes himself “military czar”