Memorial Service for Sgt. Joshua Wheeler is Nov. 24

A memorial service for Master Sgt. Joshua Wheeler will be held at 10 a.m. Nov. 24 at Trinity United Methodist Church on U.S. Highway 64 between Muldrow and Roland.

The service is under the direction of Tad Rhodes and Agent Mallory Martin Funeral Home in Sallisaw. The funeral home asks, “Please join the family in paying final tribute to an outstanding soldier from the Muldrow/Roland area.”

Master Sgt. Wheeler was born Nov. 22, 1975. He was a 1994 graduate of Muldrow High School and entered the U.S. Army as an infantryman in 1995. He made several transitions during his Army career and at the time of his death was assigned to U.S. Army Special Operations Command and was deployed 14 times in support of combat operations in Afghanistan and Iraq. He was a heavily decorated soldier earning numerous awards and decorations which include 11 bronze stars, four with Valor.

Master Sgt. Wheeler was killed in action on Oct. 22, 2015 in Iraq during the successful rescue of 70 prisoners held by ISIS scheduled for execution.

He is survived by his wife and four sons in North Carolina; his brother, Zack and Tammy Wheeler of Roland; four sisters, Tara and Jeremy Wade of Van Buren, Ark., Heather Quackenbush of Muldrow, Rachel Quackenbush of Cherokee, N.C., and Scotty Quackenbush of Roland; his grandparents, Lily and Jack Shamblin of Roland; the children of his brother and sisters, and many other relatives and friends who loved him dearly. His parents, William (Bill) A. Wheeler and Diane W. Quackenbush, preceded him in death.

Sally Maxwell, Senior News Director

For more news stories stay tuned to The MIX 105.1 or visit www.kxmx.com

  

Commissioner Voices Concerns About City Finances

Sallisaw city commissioners heard a report on a city utility study at a special meeting Thursday. After the report Ward 2 Commissioner Jim Hudgens urged the other commissioners to begin looking at cutbacks in city spending.

The commissioners will consider final approval of the study at their regular meeting Dec. 14.

At the conclusion of the review, presented by Assistant City Manager Keith Skelton, Hudgens admonished the other commissioners, “We are not in good shape financially.”

Hudgens pointed to projects facing the city in coming years. These include opening a new cell at the city landfill, which is expected to cost between $500,000 and $600,000; the widening of U.S. Highway 59 on the city’s north side, which is required by the Oklahoma Department of Transportation and which is expected to cost the city between $600,000 and $700,000; improvements to the city’s wastewater treatment plant, which is expected to cost $1.5 million; and an upgrade to a city power substation, which is expected to cost $600,000.

Hudgens said the city must cut costs in order to pay for those projects and suggested cutbacks in employee numbers and benefits would save the city money.

City Manager Clayton Lucas said the city has savings and increased revenue over $492,000 this year by not replacing employees who have retired or quit and through other measures. It was also pointed out that the cost of insurance coverage was going to increase, and the city staff is looking at ways to hold insurance costs at bay, including through a health care co-operative.

Hudgens said he wanted to see more efficiency and productivity from the city’s workforce.

Lucas said that the city has 123 employees at the present time and if the workforce was cut back to 100 it would save the city about $1.5 million in salary and benefits.

Hudgens acknowledged he did not want to see layoffs but insisted, “There is going to have to be more cuts.”

Hudgens urged the other commissioners to take on the responsibility and not make city administration make decisions on how to save money.

He said, “We also need to develop a long-term debt-reduction program.”

Lucas said the city has a plan to pay off long-term debt which was set up by the previous administration.

Skelton, in the utility review, pointed out that the Grand River Dam Authority, which provides electric power to the city, has announced a 4.6 percent increase in costs in January. 

“We will recalulate the city rates and implement them on all statements after January,” Skelton said.

Sally Maxwell, Senior News Director

For more news stories stay tuned to The MIX 105.1 or visit www.kxmx.com

  

First Assembly Christmas Mart is Friday and Saturday

The Deck the Halls Christmas Mart is planned Friday and Saturday at Sallisaw’s First Assembly of God at 514 W. Cherokee.

The event raises money for the church’s student ministries.

The Christmas Mart will offer door prizes, local vendors, hot cocoa and cider, sweets and treats, and gift wrapping.

The mart will be open from 5 to 9 p.m. on Friday and from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday. There is no admission fee.

About 15 local vendors are expected to participate. Anyone wishing to have a booth at the event may contact the church at 918-775-9184. Booth set up is on Thursday evening.

Sally Maxwell, Senior News Director

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Oakridge Assembly Thanksgiving Dinner is Friday

Oakridge Assembly of God Church will host this year’s community Thanksgiving dinner on Friday.

Meals, either dine in or carry out, will be served from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Friday, and will cost $10 for adults and $5 for children age 10 and under.

For more information call the church at 918-775-7371. The church is on U.S. Highway 59 on Sallisaw’s south side.

Sally Maxwell, Senior News Director

For more news stories stay tuned to The MIX 105.1 or visit www.kxmx.com

  

County, State Under Red Flag Warning

Steve Rutherford, Sequoyah County Emergency Management director, announced Wednesday afternoon that the county is under a Red Flag Warning.

Rutherford said three county fire departments were fighting wildfires at about 4:30 p.m. Wednesday.

The National Weather Service explains a Red Flag Warning means a dangerous combination of weather conditions and dry vegetation exist which favor rapid growth and the spread of any wildfires. The weather factors include strong winds, low humidity and warm temperatures. All outdoor burning is discouraged.

The Red Flag Warning includes most of the state, including the following nearby counties – Osage, Washington, Nowata, Craig, Ottawa, Pawnee, Tulsa, Rogers, Mayes, Creek, Okfuskee, Okmulgee, Wagoner, Muskogee, McIntosh, and Pittsburg.

Sally Maxwell, Senior News Director

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Angel Tree, Holiday Food Basket Project Underway in Roland

The Ki Bois Community Action Foundation will again be helping families in Roland have a happier holiday season this year.

Melissa Stubblefield, Sequoyah County director for the foundation, said Ki Bois Community Action Foundation and The Slab restaurant are hosting the third annual Christmas Food Basket and Angel Tree Giveaways for Roland residents. 

Last year, 95 angels received Christmas gifts and 54 holiday food baskets were delivered, Stubblefield said.

Food items needed for the holiday dinners are turkeys, cake mixes and frostings, canned vegetables, cranberry sauce, boxed stuffing, instant mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese, and lemonade and Kool-Aid mixes.

Anyone wishing to donate financially to the project may contact Stubblefield at 918-776-0848 or Jaci at 479-462-3675. They ask that checks be made out to Ki Bois Community Action Foundation.

Stubblefield said that Thursday is the last day for families to sign up for the dinners and angel tree. Interested families should contact Stubblefield.

Sally Maxwell, Senior News Director

For more news stories stay tuned to The MIX 105.1 or visit www.kxmx.com

  

Turkey Drop Planned by The Mix 105.1 and Catholic Charities to Help Feed 1,000

Turkeys will be dropping from the sky – not really. Unlike that old TV sitcom, “WKRP in Cincinnati,” the team at The Mix 105.1 KXMX in Sallisaw knows the truth. Turkeys cannot fly! But the KXMX team is hoping you’ll drop a turkey on us.

That will mean there will be turkey on the table for 1,000 people in Sequoyah County this holiday season. That’s because The Mix 105.1 and Catholic Charities in Sallisaw are collecting turkeys, or any food items, for families in need.

KXMX will be at six locations through November and December collecting donated turkeys and other foods for the holidays. The holiday foods will be given to families through Catholic Charities in Sallisaw.

MaryLynn Lufkin, Catholic Charities coordinator, said, “We are so happy to have KXMX partner with us in helping to make people’s holidays a little brighter by providing a turkey dinner for their holiday meal this year. Please consider helping our less fortunate neighbors by dropping a turkey off to the KXMX team.”

The KXMX teams will be at the following locations on the following dates to catch those turkeys:

Gore – 3 to 6 p.m. on Nov.12 at Harp’s;

Vian – 3 to 6 p.m. on Nov.19 at Marvin’s;

Sallisaw – 3 to 6 p.m. on Nov. 25 at Marvin’s;

Muldrow – 3 to 6 p.m. on Dec. 3 at Piggly Wiggly;

Roland – 3 to 6 p.m. on Dec. 10 at Marvin’s; and

Sallisaw – starting at 1 p.m. on Dec. 18 at Walmart.

Or anyone can drop off a turkey at the KXMX station at 333 S. Kerry Blvd. in Sallisaw between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. Monday through Friday through Dec. 18.

For more information call KXMX at 918-790-4444.

Together, we can all make sure that turkeys really can fly, right into families’ homes for the holidays.

Sally Maxwell, Senior News Director

For more news stories stay tuned to The MIX 105.1 or visit www.kxmx.com