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News
May 4, 2023
April sees tornado outbreak and drought relief
By GARY MCMANUS

Drought relief and severe weather topped April’s weather headlines with a parched northwest Oklahoma seeing its first significant moisture in months and central Oklahoma enduring a tornado outbreak. Eighteen tornadoes touched down on April 19, a day when severe weather was thought to be limited by a warm atmospheric lid above the surface. High temperatures over 90 degrees combined with a potent dryline to break that lid and initiate the storms that would eventually spawn the twisters. Of the 18 tornadoes, six were considered “strong”—EF2 or greater—with four rated at EF2 and two more considered EF3. All the tornadoes struck within 3 hours and 37 minutes, between 6:03 p.m. and 9:40 p.m. One EF3 struck the small community of Cole and damaged homes while destroying mobile homes. Another EF3 that touched down near Pink was only on the ground for 5 minutes and 6 tenths of a mile, but still damaged multiple homes and outbuildings. Possibly the most damaging tornado was an EF2 that traveled from southeast of Bethel Acres through the western and northern portions of Shawnee, including Oklahoma Baptist University and the Shawnee Mall. This multiple vortex tornado was on the ground for 15.5 miles with a maximum width of 1.3 miles and produced an 84 mph wind gust at the Shawnee Mesonet site as it passed close by. April’s tornadoes brought the preliminary 2023 total to 37, more than double the 1950-2022 January-April average of 16.5. In addition to the 18 tornadoes, large hail to the size of baseballs was reported with the storms throughout central Oklahoma. Oklahoma Emergency Management officials estimate that there were more than 34,000 power outages at the height of the storm. The Oklahoma State Dept. of Health reported 188 weather-related injuries from the event, including three fatalities.

The month’s other significant weather event had a much happier ending when a 77-county soaking rainfall broke a months-long dry spell across northern and western Oklahoma. The rain began in earnest on April 25, at which point some areas of the Panhandle had gone without significant moisture for nearly 240 days, dating back to August 2022. The statewide average precipitation total still came up short at 2.26 inches, 1.33 inches below normal and ranked as the 29th driest April since records began in 1895. April’s highest total of 5.35 inches was recorded at the Mt. Henry Mesonet site. Miami brought up the rear with 0.68 inches. Fifty-four of the Mesonet’s 120 sites finished with 2 inches or less for the month. The first 4 months of the year were still hampered by long-term deficits to the north and west of Interstate- 44, with that disparity producing the 20th driest January-April in west central Oklahoma versus the 14th wettest such period in the southeast. Statewide, the average finished at 8.96 inches, 0.67 inches below normal and ranked as the 61st wettest January-April on record.

April temperatures seemed to have two possible modes—either 5 to 10 degrees above normal through the first 20 days, or 10 to 20 degrees below normal to finish out the month. The cooler weather eventually won out and the statewide average temperature finished at 58.1 degrees to rank the month as the 40th coolest April on record at 1.4 degrees above normal. The month’s highest temperature was 96 degrees at Mangum on April 3, and the lowest came in at 14 degrees at Eva on April 6. The January-April statewide average temperature was 48.6 degrees, 0.8 degrees above normal and ranked as the 53rd coolest such period on record.

The Climate Prediction Center’s May temperature and precipitation outlooks were mostly noncommittal for Oklahoma other than increased odds of above normal precipitation across south central and southeastern Oklahoma. CPC’s May drought outlook did call for a reduction in intensity over areas to the north and west of I-44, although some of that improvement was due to the rains that fell in April. Drought is expected to persist through May in the Panhandle and far northeastern Oklahoma.

Checotah lit up the sky this 4th of July
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Checotah lit up the sky this 4th of July
By LADONNA RHODES STAFF WRITER 
July 10, 2025
The City of Checotah showed off its bold stripes, bright stars and brave hearts this Fourth of July after working countless hours so residents could celebrate their freedom with lots of family fun and...
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Sexual Assault Awareness Honor Walk
July 10, 2025
Friday, July 11 at 12 p.m. Posey Park, Eufaula Show your support for survivors Take a stand against violence! Muscogee (Creek) Nation Center for Victim Services
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Annual Memorial Service planned at Honey Springs Battlefield
July 10, 2025
CHECOTAH — Honey Springs Battlefield will hold its annual memorial service on Saturday, July 19, at 10:30 a.m. to honor the 162nd anniversary of the Battle of Honey Springs near Checotah. The service ...
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Farewell to Checotah’s friend, Jerri Reaves
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Farewell to Checotah’s friend, Jerri Reaves
By LADONNA RHODES STAFF WRITER 
July 10, 2025
Last Thursday family and friends said goodbye to former city councilwoman Jerri Reaves who had passed away on June 26 at the age of 82. Jerri graduated from Checotah High School in 1962. In 1980, she ...
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News
Trump administration freezes over $70 million state’s education funds
By NURIA MARTINEZ-KEEL OKLAHOMA VOICE 
July 10, 2025
States won’t receive funds from six federal programs, including after-school care and English learner support, until further notice. OKLAHOMA CITY — The Trump administration is indefinitely withholdin...
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Jeff Starling launches campaign for attorney general
July 10, 2025
TULSA ––Jeff Starling, Oklahoma’s Secretary of Energy and Environment, has officially announced his candidacy for Attorney General of Oklahoma. Starling is a conservative, attorney, businessman, and d...
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Checotah residents celebrated their freedom with lots of family fun and fireworks on July 4th weekend at Freedom Fest.
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EDMOND - Two from this area have made he University of Central Oklahoma recently announced the students named to the university’s honor rolls; a distinction given to those who achieve the highest acad...
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Warriors of God, ready yourselves
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Of my 56 years of being in this world, 50 of those years I have been filled with the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues. I was only six years old when I attended my first Tiger Mount...
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