Oologah Lake Leader

Information may not be reliable

Nov. 11, 2010 - 9 Years of Online News from the Birthplace of Will Rogers - Call us at 918-443-2428

Oologah.net contains excerpts of news stories from the Oologah Lake Leader and breaking news bulletins. For the complete stories from this week's Leader, check our news stands.

The Mustangs won a ticket to the second round of the 4A football playoffs in a wet, cold slugout against the Hilldale Hornets.

John Vansingel was the workhorse for the Mustangs, grinding out over 300 yards on the ground.

The referees were liberal in their use of flags, leaving fans frustrated.

Douglas beat Elk City 30-14, so the Mustangs will face Douglas on the road next week.

Cassie Almy and her two-year-old son, Ty, are treated by OTEMS medics and Northwest firefighters after their white Jeep SUV overturned in the ditch along US 169 north of Talala about 3:15 on Monday afternoon.

Dawn Petty, who was driving behind the woman, said an on-coming 18-wheeler swerved into their lane trying to avoid a piece of tire debris. The woman swerved into the ditch to avoid a head-on collision with the 18-wheeler.

Petty, who is the owner of Ranchland Wine and Spirits in Oologah, said she avoided the accident by slamming on her brakes. She pulled off the road and ran to assist the injured motorist.

"She said, 'I've got a two-year-old in here and I can't find him'," Petty recalled. Petty rescued the boy in his car seat from the second seat while another man helped the driver out of the overturned SUV.

The wreck occurred about a mile north of Talala. Almy's mother reported that her daughter and grandson had been released from the hospital. She said her grandson had a scrap by his eyebrow. Her daughter was bruised and battered, but had no broken bones.

Last week we wrote about the problems Rogers County Election Board Secretary Rebecca Dealy had created for the voters of the Northwest Rogers County Fire Protection District. Voters who should have gotten in-person absentee ballots did not receive them. Voters who lived in other fire districts did receive Northwest ballots.

Based on that and the chaotic handling of the absentee ballot count on election night, we suggested that an investigation was in order.

Now it comes out that the absentee ballots were not secured after they had been counted as required by law. Instead they were stacked under a plastic milk crate in a back room of the election board.

Dealy discovered the error the next day, called the Sheriff's Office and had the ballots locked up. But she didn't tell the election board chairman before the election was certified late Friday afternoon-or for that matter until Monday night, about 12 hours before both were due in court.

They had been summoned to District Judge Dynda Post's courtroom because of a challenge seeking a recount in the District 1 commissioner race.

In court Dealy tried to blame others for her grievous mistakes.

A Claremore Progress investigation also questions her compliance with the Oklahoma Open Meeting Act.

The challenge seeking a recount was filed by Blake Lewis, who earned the Republican nomination for the District 1 seat by defeating Dealy's husband Larry in the primary election which his wife oversaw. While not illegal, the couple's multiple roles raised many eyebrows.

Dealy has been a disaster as election board secretary. At a time when citizen mistrust of their democracy is at an all-time high, her repeated bad judgment and incompetent actions are problems this county does not need.

Some voters were denied the right to vote in the most local race on the ballot. Others cast ballots where they were no qualified to vote. And a candidate was denied the right to be certain that his race was properly tabulated. Throughout, the election board secretary always tried to blame someone else for the problems. All this in a single election.

Dealy must resign. If she refuses, the State Election Board must remove her.

Fair, competently run elections are the bedrock foundation of our democracy. Getting Dealy out of the process is vital to protecting that foundation.

Judge Dynda Post denied a request for a recount Tuesday in the Rogers County Commissioner District 1 election.

Republican Blake Lewis petitioned the court for a recount after losing to Democrat Dan DeLozier last Tuesday by 58 votes.

DeLozier said, "I am relieved that this is over and I can get on with my job."

Most of the testimony Tuesday revolved around three boxes of absentee ballots that were left unsealed overnight Nov. 2 in a storage room at the election board. All other ballots had been sealed in boxes and taken to the sheriff's office.

Election Board Secretary Rebecca Dealy said she discovered the boxes on Wednesday. She testified she contacted the state election board and they instructed her to contact the sheriff's office and seal the boxes in front of a sheriff's official.

Undersheriff Tom Harrison testified when he arrived at the election board the boxes had already been sealed.

When Dealy was asked if the room where the boxes were kept was secured, she said it was, but she said the door was unlocked on Wednesday and she knew the cleaning lady had gone into the room unsupervised.

Several times during Dealy's testimony, Judge Post admonished her to answer the question and not go into a long narrative.

Election Board Chairman James Blouch testified that the public does have access to the room where the boxes were found.

DeLozier's attorney, Mark Ramsey argued that the ballots had not been "properly preserved" and the room where they were found was not secure.

"If they weren't properly preserved then the recount must stop," Ramsey said.

Lewis' attorney, Brandon McHugh argued that testimony indicated all the ballots in the three boxes were correctly cast and should be recounted.

"The people of Rogers County should have the opportunity to find who really won this election," McHugh said.

Judge Post said a perfect election was impossible, but she found too many irregularities to grant a recount. She said it was inappropriate to have inmate trustees help transport ballots to the sheriff's office. She was also uncomfortable with inaccurate and incomplete records on when the boxes changed hands. Post said the failure to seal the three boxes and the unauthorized access to the room meant the ballots had not been properly preserved.

"Because of the numerous irregularities I regret to say the recount cannot be allowed to proceed," Post said.

The election board met following the hearing to officially certify the results.

Blouch twice suggested in media interviews that Dealy resign. One interview with the Claremore Progress was on Monday, before the hearing; the other with KTUL-TV8 was conducted at the courthouse on Tuesday.

He told the Progress she had concealed the problem with the unsecured ballots from other election board members when they voted last Friday to certify the election results.

Cleora and Glorea Robb starred with Will Rogers in the 1933 film "Mr. Skitch." The twin sisters played Rogers' daughters in the film.

The sisters were guests of honor at the Will Rogers Memorial Museum during Will Rogers Days last weekend.

They presented their original script for the movie Mr. Skitch to the museum.

Steve Gragert, museum director, said the museum did not have an original script for "Mr. Skitch."

Officials from Public Service Co. of Oklahoma will explain improvements planned for the fly ash landfill at Northeastern Station's coal fired units next week.

Presentations will be made during a public meeting at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 16 at the Oologah Community Building.

Mark Barton, manager of both the coal and gas units at the plant, will lead the meeting. It will include a short Power Point presentation.

Other company officials will be on hand to help provide details and respond to questions.

The owner of the Rockin M Bar south of Oologah was attacked from behind Saturday night.

According to the Rogers County Sheriff's Office, the owner had gone to open the bar about 7:45 p.m. when a man approached her. He asked if the bar was open and then grabbed her from behind.

She struggled and broke free and the man fled the scene in an older blue and white Ford truck. The owner was not injured and nothing was taken.

She described the suspect as a white male in his 30s. She said he was about six feet tall with a burr hair cut and he was wearing a blue flannel shirt.

No arrest has been made and the suspect has not been identified. The sheriff's office is investigating the crime and anyone with information is encouraged to call the tip line at 341-3620.