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For local radar and weather information, go to Quikcast (click here.) Click here for National News. Click here for Business News. Click here for Crude Oil Prices. Road Condition Reports: Oklahoma 1-888-425-2385 or at http://www.dps.state.ok.us/cgi-bin/weathermap.cgi or for traffic advisories http://www.okladot.state.ok.us/newsmedia/traffic-advisory.htm Kansas 1-800-511-5368 or http://511.ksdot.org/KanRoadPublic_VE/Default.aspx Missouri 1-800-222-6400 or http://maps.modot.mo.gov/travelerinformation/TravelerInformation.aspx Arkansas 1-800-245-1672 or http://www.arkansashighways.com/Road/mapopt.htm Texas 1-800-452-9292 or http://www.dot.state.tx.us/GIS/HCRS_main/viewer.htm Bartlesville flood prone intersections PSO Power Outage Information Verdigris Valley Power Outage Information Local News Posted March 10th, 2010 A van owned by a 77-year-old southern Kansas man has been found in Oklahoma, and police say they're investigating possible foul play in the man's disappearance. Winfield police and the Kansas Bureau of Investigation gave an update Tuesday on the search for Richard May. May was last seen Dec. 10 near Pawhuska. Ranch hands found May's 2002 Ford minivan late last week in a remote area of Tallgrass Prairie Preserve, also in Osage County. There was no sign of May, and police believe the van had been there for some time. __________________________ Legislation approved by the state House is designed to protect Oklahomans from the impact of runaway tax credits. The measure by Rep. Steve Martin of Bartlesville would reduce state tax credits by the amount of a federal tax credit that is allowed for the same investment. Martin says Oklahoma offers income tax credits to encourage certain investments because officials feel they are good for the economy of Oklahoma. But when additional tax credits offered by the federal government are added, the number of credits can multiply. Martin says that could place the state in a financial position that was never intended. The bill passed the House 87-12 Tuesday and now goes to the state Senate for consideration. __________________________ The Bartlesville City Council spent most of Monday night's meeting discussing a resolution endorsing the Public Outreach Plan plus goals for a West Bartlesville Redevelopment Plan. After a lengthy discussion, the city council approved the resolution. Several members of the Task Force were in attendance to hear the council's opinion. David Settle, a member of the Task Force was pleased of the financial part of the plan. Council member Dr. Erin Tullos read the entire resolution to the crowd. Tullos along with council member Tom Gorman is on the Task Force. She encouraged the other council members to attend the meetings. The Task Force will be meeting several more times going over the plan. __________________________ A pair of GOP-backed bills dealing with charter schools and performance pay for teachers have cleared the Senate. The Senate on Tuesday passed both measures by Senate President Pro Tem Glenn Coffee, a Republican from Oklahoma City. The first bill would grant chartering authority to mayors of Oklahoma City and Tulsa and remove caps on the number of charter schools allowed. Currently, only a school district, college or university can sponsor a charter school. Coffee's second education bill would allow public school districts to institute a performance pay program for teachers, principals and administrators. Posted March 9th, 2010 The Bartlesville City Council spent most of Monday night's meeting discussing a resolution endorsing the Public Outreach Plan plus goals for a West Bartlesville Redevelopment Plan. After a lengthy discussion, the city council approved the resolution. Several members of the Task Force were in attendance to hear the council's opinion. David Settle, a member of the Task Force was pleased of the financial part of the plan. Council member Dr. Erin Tullos read the entire resolution to the crowd. After reading the resolution, Tullos gave her thoughts. Tullos along with council member Tom Gorman are on the Task Force. She encouraged the other council members to attend the meetings. Councilman Mike McGrew presented his opinion. The Task Force will be meeting several more times going over the plan. __________________________ The City of Bartlesville received $1,145,238 in sales tax revenue from the State of Oklahoma in the month of March 2010. The money is derived from the City's 3% sales tax for sales occurring mostly in January 2010. The March 2010 receipts represent an 11.2% decrease when compared to sales tax revenue from March 2009. For the fiscal year to date, the City of Bartlesville's sales tax dollars have decreased by 8.69% from the same 9 month period last year. For the fourteenth straight month and the sixteenth out of the last eighteen months, the City of Bartlesville's sales tax receipts have shown a decline from the prior year. City Clerk and Finance Director Mike Bailey calls the numbers disappointing because the 11.2% drop off occurred during the final month of the holiday shopping season. The City is facing the possibility of a near double digit decline in sales tax receipts for the entire year, and while the City has made numerous budget adjustments, Bailey says continuing declines of this size may require further reductions. He says the city can only hope that this decrease is attributable in large part to the excessive snow and inclement weather. __________________________ Oklahoma motorists who drive without insurance could have their vehicles impounded under a bill approved in the Oklahoma House. The House voted 87-8 on Monday for House Bill 2331 by Bartlesville Republican Representative Steve Martin. Martin says the bill authorizes police to utilize a new instant verification system that allows them to determine if vehicles are covered by required liability insurance. Under Martin's bill, police would have the ability to have an uninsured vehicle towed away immediately. Martin says some studies have suggested as many as one-fourth of all motorists in Oklahoma are uninsured. Some members expressed concern about the accuracy of the new verification system and the fate of passengers in the vehicle, especially children. __________________________ The Bartlesville City Council approved to rescind action they took on February 1st of this year concerning an ordinance pertaining to billing for fire services outside the city limits. Once that item was approved, council members adopted a new ordinance establishing a Rural Fire Service Program. Bartlesville Fire Chief Bob Hasbrook explained the new program. All city council members voted for the ordinance. __________________________ Bartlesville’s mayor will continue to be chosen by the five council members. The Charter Review Committee voted 8 to 2 last night with Ron Nikkel and Vic Holcomb casting the no votes to keep the current system. Council members would be elected in November during even numbered years. The committee took no action on how the terms of sitting council members would be extended from April to November. The committee usually meets on the first and third Monday afternoons of each month. __________________________ During yesterday morning's Board of Osage County Commissioners meeting, commissioners agreed to all 10 requests from the Osage County Tourism Commission for money to be spent for further promotion of the county. Commissioners also agreed to donate of the use of the Ag Building for the Osage Tribal Princess Sorority Dance on March 20th. Making the request for the Ag Building was Anita Maker. She told commissioners that prior to Clarence Brantley's passing; he had agreed to assist Osage Nation's Chief Jim Gray in the donation of that facility. According to Osage County Emergency Management Director, Mike Pattison, his office has received an additional 50 NOAH radio's that he's still offering the public at just $6.75 per radio. Pattison added, with the upcoming tornado season, he expected that the radios will sell out fast. NOAH radios can be purchased at the county's Emergency Offices located a block west of the post office on 6th Street. __________________________ Declining enrollment and falling state funding stemming from the loss of students has prompted school officials in Avant to consider a voluntary annexation into either one of two nearby districts, Barnsdall and Skiatook. Avant Superintendent Richard Harris said the drop in enrollment at the K-8 school has trimmed state aid by $188,000 over the last three years. "It's hard for a little school district to absorb that," he said. "We've cut teaching positions and support personnel to offset that, but we're still struggling financially." Harris said Avant had 114 students two years ago. This year, there are 87 students. He said residents of the district expressed mixed feelings at a public meeting Thursday evening. Posted March 8th, 2010 The Osage Nation's appeal of a federal court decision that rejected the tribe's attempt to exempt members who live and work in Osage County from state income taxes has been denied. The 10 th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Friday affirmed a lower court decision in the tribe's lawsuit against the Oklahoma Tax Commission. The tribe argued that Congress never affirmatively disestablished the 1.5 million-acre Osage Nation reservation in northeast Oklahoma, and therefore taxing its members violates federal law. The court wrote, that because it concluded the reservation no longer officially exists, the judge didn't have to address the taxation issue. __________________________ Declining enrollment and falling state funding stemming from the loss of students has prompted school officials in Avant to consider a voluntary annexation into either one of two nearby districts, Barnsdall and Skiatook. Avant Superintendent Richard Harris said the drop in enrollment at the K-8 school has trimmed state aid by $188,000 over the last three years. "It's hard for a little school district to absorb that," he said. "We've cut teaching positions and support personnel to offset that, but we're still struggling financially." Harris said Avant had 114 students two years ago. This year, there are 87 students. Posted March 7th, 2010 The 28 th Annual Washington County Junior Livestock Show came to an end Saturday night with the sale. Auctioneers Brian Little, Jimmie King and Smokey Hand took the gavel as bidders supported local youth. Gage Gardner of the Caney Valley 4H Beef Club saw his Grand Champion Steer go to the Collinsville Livestock Market for a record bid of $4.000. Dewey FFA's Bronc Finch's Grand Champion Sheep sold for $2,200 to a group of medical professions including Bluestem Cardiology, Regional Dermatology and Drs Robertson and Fessler. A bid of $2,300 from Collinsville Livestock Market was the price paid for Copan 4H's Tyler Layton's Grand Champion Goat. Caney Valley FFA member Michael Sumner saw his Grand Champion Swine go to ConocoPhillips for $2,000 and the 4 H Beef Club's Hayden Moses received $2,700 for his Reserve Grand Champion Steer from Collinsville Livestock Market. Other winning bidders included D 7 Bar Ranch, Coffeyville Livestock Market, Arvest Bank, Dewey Vet Clinic, P & K Equipment, Buyers Club, Wal-Mart and the Copan Truck Stop, Doenges Ford, Lincoln, Mercury, Toyota presented a $500 scholarship to each of the Showmanship winners. The senior showmanship winners were Chase Hinkle, Sarah Thompson and Tyler Layton who won in two categories – swine and goat. The family of George Seals presented a scholarship to Cameryn Parks of the Caney Valley 4 H Club in honor of George who passed away this past year. More than 60 animals were included __________________________ School officials in Avant are considering a voluntary annexation into a nearby district, either Barnsdall or Skiatook. Avant, which has 87 students, is dealing with declining enrollment. Superintendent Richard Harris says the enrollment drop at the K-8 school has trimmed state aid by $188,000 over the last three years. __________________________ The Osage tribe's attempt to exempt members who live and work in Osage County from state income taxes has been denied. The 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Friday affirmed a lower court decision in the tribe's lawsuit against the Oklahoma Tax Commission. The tribe argued that Congress never affirmatively disestablished the 1.5 million-acre Osage Nation reservation in northeast Oklahoma, and therefore taxing its members violates federal law. The court wrote that because it concluded the reservation no longer officially exists, the judges didn't have to address the taxation issue. Nation's appeal of a federal court decision that rejected the __________________________ Voters in Washington County who want to have an absentee ballot mailed to them for the April 6,2010, Special Election for Caney Valley Public Schools, have until Wednesday, March 31 to apply states Yvonne House, Washington County Election Board Secretary. House urges voters who want to vote by absentee ballot to apply early. Absentee ballot applications forms are available at the County Election Board Office located at 420 S Johnstone Ave, Room 101. For more information on voting absentee, contact the election board at 337-2850. Posted March 6th, 2010 The Bartlesville City Council plans action on a Public Outreach Plan plus goals for a West Bartlesville Redevelopment Plan during its meeting Monday night. Council members also plan to take up whether to rescind action they took on February 1st of this year concerning an ordinance pertaining to billing for fire services outside the city limits. Once that is completed, council members plan action on a new ordinance on the same topic that would establish a Rural Fire Service Program. Monday night's Bartlesville City Council meeting is set for 7 o'clock at the City Center Building. __________________________ Bartlesville's Charter Review Committee will take up how the city will choose its mayor during Monday's meeting. Citing a lack of time for adequate discussion of the issue the committee last week tabled Dr. Erin Tullos's motion which called for the city council to appoint a mayor. The action to appoint or remove a mayor would take a minimum of three affirmative votes. Mayor Ron Nikkel expressed his disagreement with the action and Vice Mayor Vic Holcomb said he wanted more than the approximately ten minutes left in the meeting to talk about the issue. The agenda also calls for action on moving the election date and the mechanics involved the terms of existing council members as they regard that new date. The committee also plans to take up the office of Vice Mayor. Monday afternoon's meeting is set for 5:45 at the city center building. Posted March 5th, 2010 Day one of the Washington County Junior Livestock Show is nearly complete. The day's judging started with the breeding gilt show. There were 14 entries. Breed champions went to Lacey Gailey of the Caney Valley 4H for her Berkshire, Macy Wright of the Caney Valley 4H for her Chester, Chase Brim of the Caney Valley 4H for his Crossbred, Gus Hollingback for his Duroc, Blake Fogle of the Caney Valley FFA for his Hampshire, and Erica Carpenter of the Dewey FFA for her Yorkshire. Chase Brim won grand champion. In the swine show, Michale Sumner of the Caney Valley FFA won Grand Champion and Bayli Brewer of the Copan FFA won Reserve Grand Champion. In breed competition Brody Peterson of the Dewey FFA won breed champion in the Berkshires with Adam Fogle of the Caney Valley 4H picking up the reserve, Cooper Eden of the Caney Valley 4H won breed champion in the Chester Whites, in the Duroc show Mackenzie Prather of the Caney Valley 4H won breed champion and Chase Brim of the Caney Valley 4H won the reserve, Adan Parks showed the champion Poland, Aubree Ryan of the Caney Valley 4H had the champion spot and Kaleigh Hinkle had the reserve breed champion. Bayli Brewer of the Copan 4H won breed champion and Chase Brim again had the reserve in the Hampshire show, Austin Eden of the Caney Valley FFA won breed champion in the Yorkshire competition followed by Bayli Brewer with the reserve. Michael Sumner of the Caney Valley FFA won the Crossbreed show followed by Zach Adams of the Swine Club. OSU Swine Herdsman Ken Brock also judged the showmanship competition. Baili Brewer won Junior Showmanship, Kaleigh Hinkle won Intermediate, and Chase Hinkle won Senior Showmanship. Today's show starts with the goat show followed by sheep and cattle competition. The livestock show continues at the Washington County Fairgrounds in Dewey. __________________________ A Bartlesville man has been arrested after allegedly pointed a gun at a victim. 19-year-old Layton Urrich Vogeding was arrested on a number of violations including possession of a firearm and possession of drugs. Bartlesville police were called on a report of a man pointing a gun at a victim while driving. According to a court affidavit, the police caught up with the vehicle near Central Middle School. The driver was identified as Layton Vogeding. Police searched the vehicle and found a .22 cal revolver, marijuana, scales, and $1,100 in cash. The authorities also seized Vogeding's cell phone which contained text messages of Drug sales. Charges are expected to be filed against Voeeding by this afternoon. His bond was set at $30,000. __________________________ Oklahoma is not among the 16 finalists selected for a federal education grant - but Gov. Brad Henry says the state will apply again. Forty states and the District of Columbia applied for a share of the $4.35 billion to be used to implement innovations in public schools. The U.S. Department of Education announced the finalists Thursday and said half the money will be held for a second round of applications. Henry issued a statement saying state officials will review the state's application and will make another bid for funding. Posted March 4th, 2010 Second District Congressman Dan Boren says he would support a resolution calling for House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Charlie Rangel to step down from the post. Boren thanked Rangel for his services in the House and for his time as chairman of the House Committee that has had a direct impact on some of the biggest issues facing the country. After a preliminary report by the House Ethics Committee found that Rangel took inappropriate corporate-sponsored trips, Boren says he felt it was in the best interest of the House and the nation as a whole for Rangel to step down. If a resolution on Rangel's removal comes up for a vote, Boren says he would support it. __________________________ 1,397 Public Service Company customers in Nowata were without power for about four hours Wednesday morning due to a blown breaker. PSO Public Relations Spokesman Ed Bettinger says at about 8:30, a breaker on a transmission line between Nowata and the Oologah power plant failed. Crews tried to reset the breaker but instead had to replace the part. Power was restored at about 12:23 in the afternoon. As a result of the power outage, water customers saw a drop in water pressure and some reported they were without water until lines were re-pressurized. __________________________ A $500,000 warrant has been issued for the arrest of a former restaurant owner. 49-year-old Robert Michael Boyce had been considered a person of interest in the arson case of the former May Brothers Building. Robert's restaurant was one of several businesses located in the May Brothers Building. All of the businesses were damaged or destroyed by the fire that occurred on August 31st, 2009. According to a court affidavit, authorities believed that Boyce was responsible for the fire. Boyce's friend, 49-year-old John Pohrte has been arrested and charged with manufacturing methamphetamine. __________________________ The Oklahoma House has defeated a bill to impose a $2 increase in the co-payments Medicaid recipients are charged when they visit a doctor. The House Wednesday voted 56-32 against raising the current $3 co-payment to $5. The legislation by Rep. John Wright of Broken Arrow would have allowed the co-payment to be partially or completely waived by the physician. But opponents say it is wrong to increase fees for health care services on poor Oklahomans who struggle to meet their basic needs. Rep. Scott Inman of Del City called the proposal a health care tax that would affect most of the residents of his district east of Oklahoma City. Rep. Mike Shelton of Oklahoma City says the proposal penalizes people who choose to go to the doctor. __________________________ A $60,000 bond has been set for a Bartlesville man who allegedly struck a man with a metal pipe. 27-year-old Jeremy Wall has been charged with assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and domestic abuse-assault and battery after a former conviction. A man and a witness were leaving the home when Wall struck the man in the head, back, and shoulder several times with a metal pipe. Wall reportedly left the scene on foot. The victim was treated at Jane Phillips Medical Center. The man sustained several bruises on the back and shoulder. He also had a cut on his head that required six staples. Court records indicate Wall is currently on probation in Washington County. Wall's next court date is March 26th.