CHOCTAW COUNTY COMMISSIONERS were called into emergency duty following the June 8 massive rainfall and flooding event that washed out many roadways and bridges in Choctaw County. District III Commissioner Roger Vandever (also Chairman of the Board of County Commissioners) advised Oklahoma Emergency Management personnel that more than $180,000 in road repairs had been done in the aftermath of the floods and that more was forthcoming. More than seven inches of rain fell in some areas of eastern Choctaw County and western McCurtain County during that storm as well as parts of southeast Pushmataha County. County Emergency Services Director Pat Collins pointed out that the photos clearly depict why motorists should not attempt to cross high water at creeks. There may not be a roadway under the visible water.

CHOCTAW COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT SERVICES Director Pat Collins is joined by Sheriff Terry Park, Lewis Collins, and a representative of Airwaves of Paris (Kenneth), as they begin the process of installing and testing new radio repeater equipment that will serve all of Choctaw County.

The Choctaw Nation officially opened its new central laundry facility in Hugo Thursday, after Chief Gary Batton and members of the Tribal Council toured the modern high volume facility. The massive new laundry operation is capable of doing the equivalent of 30,000 loads of laundry each day and will efficiently process a number of linen products that are generated daily by the Nation’s growing hotel and casino operations in Durant, Grant and Pocola.

The number of COVID cases are on the rise locally after a brief hiatus, according to discussion during the Choctaw County Memorial Hospital board meeting June 30. “They are starting a little uptick,” hospital CEO Nick Rowland said.

Like a total eclipse of the sun or rare blood moon, the mass emergence of periodical cicadas is a natural phenomenon that piques interest worldwide. While the 17-year cicada is crawling above ground now on the East Coast and in the upper Midwest, state Extension specialists say Oklahoma is in the clear.