HUGO — A much-heralded Arctic rush of hyper-cold weather made its way across much of the Heartland into the southern plains to send temperatures below zero across most of Southeast Oklahoma Monday and Tuesday.

HUGO LIONS CLUB announced its Students of the Month: Eleventh grader G’Mariyon Wallace and 10th grader Alyssa Gallant. They are pictured with Hugo High School Principal Greg Holt..

This winter storm in Choctaw County that has been going on for several days has been historic. Weather records go back more than 100 years and we just had the coldest Valentine’s Day ever recorded here with a high temperature of only 28 degrees. Feb. 15 was the coldest ever recorded in Hugo with a low temperature of 5 above and a wind chill factor of 15 below and then the high temperature only reached 18 degrees.

Choctaw Country Markets will soon provide online ordering with curbside pick up. To reach the Boswell Market for more information, call 580.566.2609.

It’s been a busy, yet productive second week of session here at the Capitol. We’ve been working hard in our committees to hear bills ahead of the Feb. 25 committee deadline, and I’m pleased to share that my first bill, Senate Bill 312, was passed out of the Public Safety Committee in a 9-1 vote on Monday. The measure would crack down on those stealing the identity of a child, and it now awaits a hearing in front of the full Senate for further consideration.

OKLAHOMA CITY – House Republican leaders issued the following statements on the Board of Equalization’s certification of revenues for the Fiscal Year 2022 appropriated budget: “Vaccines occurring and businesses recovering have the economy and revenues rebounding well enough to replenish reserves, set strong agency budgets and grant tax relief to continue kickstarting Oklahoma’s recovery. Keeping the economy open is continuing to benefit Oklahoma, both for our citizens and now for our state budget.” – House Speaker Charles McCall, R-Atoka.

Southeast Oklahoma residents are presently living through the coldest days ever recorded for this time of the year. You know it’s incredibly cold outside when not a single child can be seen outdoors at 11 a.m.

Funeral services for Louis Dewayne Bond, of Hugo, Okla., were held at 2 p.m. Saturday, Feb.