April 29 2021 Edition
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C M Y K THS BAND PLANS TRIP TO MEMPHIS: PG. 7 RODEO STANDOUT HEADS FOR SOSU: PG. 10 “The press is the best instrument for enlightening the mind of man, and improving him as a rational, moral and social being.” - Thomas Jefferson April 29-May 5, 2021 • Tishomingo, OK • 50 Cents Volume 120, Number 44 • 14 Pages Shelley Duncan case moved to federal court By John A. Small er Duncan’s petition had originally Managing Editor been scheduled for 3 p.m. on April 21. A spokesman for the Johnston Coun- Former Tishomingo schoolteach- ty Court Clerk’s office confirmed to er and cheer coach Shelley Duncan’s the Sentinel that the hearing had been effort to have her conviction and sen- moved up to April 20, but was unable tencing nullified due to a 2020 ruling to say why. by the U.S. Supreme Court succeeded The Court Clerk spokesperson also last week - but it may result in a strict- confirmed that the judge’s order grant- er sentence than that originally handed ing Duncan’s request for post-convic- down by the state. tion relief stated that the case was dis- After last week’s issue went to missed and that Duncan was ordered to press, the Sentinel learned that Dun- be released. can’s application for post-conviction The Sentinel was the first news relief had been granted the previous agency to break the news when it post- day and that the original case against ed this information on its Facebook Duncan had been dismissed. page on April 21. A short time later, The Sentinel learned of the dis- it was reported elsewhere that a new missal during a check of online court charge - sexual abuse of a minor in In- records on the morning of Wednesday, dian Country - had been filed against April 21. As reported in the April 8 edition F See DUNCAN of the Sentinel, the hearing to consid- Page 9 County boundaries unchanged in latest state redistricting C M By John A. Small SEE DISTRICT MAPS ON PAGE 14 Y K Managing Editor Leaders in the Okla- recorded every 10 years unchanged. He noted, homa State House of by U.S. Census data. however, that other areas Lightning strike destroys wind turbine Representatives and the The House’s redis- within the boundaries of The storm system that swept through Johnston County and the State Senate last week tricting proposal, which his district have changed surrounding area late last week resulted in the destruction of a made public their re- was received first by due to the data collected wind turbine at the Diamond Spring wind farm north of Mill Creek. spective proposals for the Sentinel, shows that during the 2020 Census. The turbine, located approximately two miles east of Highway 1, their new district maps, Johnston County will Shortly after the was believed to have been struck by lightning just after midnight showing that Johnston remain fully in House House proposal was re- on Saturday, April 24. Johnston County Emergency Management County’s representation District 22, which is ceived by the Sentinel Director Jason Bryant told the Sentinel that it took responders in both legislative houses currently represented last Wednesday, the State almost three hours to put out the fire, which he said posed no will remain unchanged. by State Speaker of the Senate’s redistricting danger to the public. The turbine was completely destroyed, and is Both redistricting House Charles McCall. maps were also released. expected to cost between $2 million to $5 million to replace. The U.S. reports were issued last During a visit to the Those maps show that National Weather Service in Norman reported Tuesday that another Wednesday, April 21. By Sentinel office on Fri- Johnston County is still storm system was expected to produce several rounds of showers law, the state legislature day, April 23, McCall divided between District late Tuesday into today (Thursday), with rainfall amounts of two to must redraw its district confirmed that Johnston four inches or higher possible within the Flood Watch region that boundaries to reflect County’s placement F See BOUNDARIES includes Johnston County. changes in population as in District 22 remains Page 14 Absentee application deadline nears for special Ravia election The deadline to re- Wheation said. “Voters quest absentee ballots can submit their appli- by mail is approaching. cation online, in-person, Applications must by fax, mail, or even be received by the Coun- e-mail.” ty Election Board no lat- Voters can apply on- er than 5 p.m., Tuesday, line using the OK Voter May 4. Portal at oklahoma.gov/ Johnston County elections/ovp. Applica- Election Board Secre- tions are also available tary B.J. Wheaton said at the County Election this week that absentee Board or can be down- voting is available to all loaded at oklahoma.gov/ voters, and can be sub- elections. mitted several ways. Wheaton also re- “In Oklahoma, no minded voters that only excuse is needed to the applicant can submit vote by absentee ballot, his or her own absentee and it’s easy to apply,” ballot application. “It is against the law to submit an absentee Ravia city barn damaged in morning fire ballot application for Firefighters in Ravia were called to the scene of an early-morning fire Tuesday morning at another person,” she the city barn, located just north of City Hall. Sentinel correspondent Matthew Cravatt was said. “Voters who sub- notified of the fire by Ravia Trustee Ricky Kreger, who stated that the blaze was reported by a passerby who observed the fire around 4:30 a.m. Tuesday. At last report the cause of the F See ELECTION fire was still under investigation. See story and additional photo on Page 3. Sentinel( staff Page 14 photo by Tom Lokey) Index Of Regular Features: Weekend Weather: Subscription Rates: FRIDAY: Pleasant with plenty of sun, high in upper 70s In-County - $30 per year; Small Talk.........................Page 2 Milestones........................Page 6 or lower 80s. Overnight clear with low around 53F. SAT- Out-Of-County - $35 per year; Community News............Page 3 Crime News....................Page 9 URDAY: Pleasant, high of 77F with more sunshine than Out-Of State - $45 per year; Senior/School Menus.....Page 5 Sports..............................Page 10 clouds. SUNDAY: Partly sunny and breezy, expected high Foreign - $35 Plus Postage. Community Calendar......Page 5 Classifieds......................Page 12 of 82F; chance for a thunderstorm in the afternoon. NO REFUNDS ON SUBSCRIPTIONS C M Contact us at (580) 371-0275; or [email protected] • Office Hours: Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Y K C M Y K Page 2 G JOHNSTON COUNTY SENTINEL G Thursday, April 29, 2021 A bucketful of observations, for whatever they’re worth It occurred to me the other day, for Best Picture instead of Star Wars. principle behind Superman’s ability while reminiscing about my teen Some teenage grudges die hard... to fly or the fact that every alien race years during an online discussion And for the record, I have nothing who visited Earth spoke perfect En- with an old high school chum, that the but respect and admiration for Bose- Small Talk glish. All that mattered to me was the 1970s were definitely an era of mixed man's talent as an actor. I enjoyed his John A. Small fact that they were simply entertain- messages. work in everything I've seen him in. I ing and exciting stories. Case in point: the same rock band admired the way he wore his status as was a great actor, too, but I didn't care Now that I'm pushing 60, I find I who told us to “Take It Easy” also an icon when his work and reputation for his performance in that film and feel the same way. These are heroic said “Take It To The Limit.” made him a spokesman for the entire still believe it was a sympathy vote. fantasies, not scientific treatises. If I No wonder some of us were so African-American community, while And I’ve never been a fan of sympa- want scientific fact, I’ll read Neil de- confused... at the same time accepting his role as thy votes. Grasse Tyson. In fact, I have read Neil - - - cinematic superhero in the film Black But, hey, that's just me... deGrasse Tyson… Just because you think you may Panther not only with grace but with - - - I am reminded of the time back in have found the answer does not mean good humor. On a somewhat related subject: the 1990s when Apollo 11 astronaut that there are not going to be more And I was as saddened by his early I recently read a pretty lengthy Buzz Aldrin - one of my childhood questions. passing as anyone, I truly was. Any- commentary written and published heroes, by the way - expressed similar - - - time someone with that much poten- online by a gentleman who said he “scientific implausibility” criticisms Take it from me: Hell hath no fury tial dies young, anytime a person is grew up reading the Martian novels over the film Independence Day. I like a woman whose last bite-sized taken from us before his or her prom- of Edgar Rice Burroughs, and that he responded to Aldrin’s comments at Snickers bar was eaten by someone ise can be fully realized - regardless has written some stories of his own the time as follows: “Most of us real- else while she was at work. of whether that individual is a famous apparently set in that universe.