114 YEARS AGO McIntosh County Democrat Thursday, March 9, 1911

ANOTHER GIN

Among the activities in the building line in Checotah this summer, one of the most notable will be the new cotton gin to be erected by R.B. Hutchinson.

At the present time the site for the new gin has not yet been decided upon but the plans have been drawn and the necessary machinery has been ordered and it is expected to have everything in readiness when the first wagon load of the fleecy white comes to market this fall.

A BRIGHT OUTLOOK

Baseball Season in Checotah Will Open With Prospects For a Good Team The warm springlike weather of last Sunday brought out the ball players and a number of fans form their winter sleep and they journey to the ball park where the first practice of the season was held.

Most of the players of last season’s team and about 15 or 20 youngsters cavorted around the diamond, limbering up stiff joints and glass arms.

The season will open in Checotah with the boys in possession of one of the finest enclosed baseball parks in the state.

Ben D. Gross For Police Judge

In another column of this paper will be found the announcement of Ben D. Gross as a candidate for re-election to the office of police judge of the city of Checotah, subject to the Democratic primary.

Mr. Gross has served as police judge since last June, form the time our town was made a city of the first class, and has made an efficient officer, has shown himself to be impartial and stood for the just enforcement of law and good government.

••••• 100 YEARS AGO McIntosh County Democrat

Thursday, December 25, 1924

THE GRIP OF WINTER

Checotah witnessed the first real winter weather of the season during the past week.

Beginning early last Thursday morning rain, sleet and snow, aided by a cold north wind, put the city in a shroud of white Telephone and telegraph wires laden with a covering of ice, began to snap and by noon the city was completely isolated from the outside world, and as a result candles and lamps replaced electric lights and telephone conversation was limited even in the city.

In District Court

A jury in the district court at Eufaula last week failed to agree in the case of Mrs. Mattie Howe wherein she sought a judgment in the sum of $15,000 from T.J. Young, local abstract man, for the death of her husband, S.S. Howe, who died in December a year ago a short while after Young and Howe had had a difficulty in the former’s office.

In the district court this year Young was acquitted of the murder of Howe.

••••• 90 YEARS AGO McIntosh County Democrat

Thursday, December 27, 1934

Free Picture Show for Kids Monday

Through courtesy of Jones and Edmondson, owners of the Cozy theater, a free picture show was offered here Christmas Eve for all children in the city under 13 years old. A large crowd attended, and many expressed their thanks to the theater management for their kindness.

One out of Five Depends on U.S.

Washington, Dec. 23 – The closing days of 1934 finds more than 25,500,000 persons – one out of every five in the nation – looking to the federal government for all, or a substantial portion, of their support.

These range from the president downward through the army of officials and employees to the millions who depend upon the federal emergency relief administration.

The federal relief administration estimates that the average family of four has only one wage earner.

In addition, the public works administration estimated that 400,000 were employed directly, and a total of 2 million indirectly, on public works administration projects.

••••• 80 YEARS AGO McIntosh County Democrat

Thursday, July 27, 1944

CITY ABOLISHES GENERAL FUND TAXES FOR 1944 General fund taxes for operation of the city government will not be levied during the next fiscal year due to the vast increase in the city’s income, it is indicated in the financial statement published this week.

The general fund income hit a record high of $13,656.79 this year compared to $12,650.17 in 1943 and about $9,500.00 in1940

24 Injured When Truck Crashes

Twenty-four persons, who were employed in the Eufaula onion fields, were dangerously hurt Wednesday afternoon when the truck in which they were riding crashed into a mountainside near Gaines Creek in Pittsburg County and overturned.

The injured were taken to a Eufaula hospital for treatment of broken arms, legs, severe cuts and bruises.

••••• 75 YEARS AGO McIntosh County Democrat

Thursday, December 22, 1949

HILL GRAVELS 12 MILES OF ROAD IN SIX MONTHS About 12 miles of roads have been graveled and another 100 miles have been graded and drained under the supervision of Bill Hill, new county commissioner, since taking office last July.

A major portion of the road funds were made available from the one-cent state gasoline tax provided by the recent session of the state legislature.

Four Persons Die In Highway Accidents Near City Sunday Fog-shrouded Highway 69 claimed the lives Mrs. Bill Sewell,of Okemah, the former Oleta Stidham of Checotah and three other person in Sunday morning crashes near here.

The wave of tragedies struck the city shortly after 10 o’clock.

Churches To Hold Christmas Services Christmas programs will be held in practically every church in the city Friday night, it was announced by the ministers this week.

••••• 25 YEARS AGO McIntosh County Democrat

Thursday, January 9, 1975

Former Checotah Cage Coach Honored in Tulsa Former Checotah High School basketball coach Harold Nicholson, who retired more than a decade ago, has been selected to join a former pupil, New Mexico State University coach Lou Henson, on the bench during NMSI’s upcoming game with Tulsa University.

“I think coach Nicholson is one of the top men in his field, and it is an honor to have him assist us,” Henson said Thursday.

First PTA Bazaar Is Successful One

The Checotah PTA held their first “Children’s Bazaar” December 22 at the old gym. While the youngsters were shopping downstairs the parents were invited to have coffee and donuts upstairs.

Between 50 and 60 boys and girls shopped and the bazaar was completely sold out in one hour.

••••• 19 YEARS AGO McIntosh County Democrat

Thursday, May 18, 2006

Hurry Up and Wait

Still no word on possible plant construction in Checotah As of press time Tuesday, no word had filtered down as to the future of Sigma Alimentos building a new factory in Checotah.

Checotah city leaders met with Sigma representatives last month and discussed the possibility of the Mexican frozen foods company constructing a new factory/distribution facility in the area.

Charges Filed in Nichols’ Murder

Richard Lopez Jr. charged with murder of former Eufaula City Councilman First-degree murder charges were filed last week on 23-year-old Richard Wayne Lopez Jr. who is accused of murdering former Eufaula City Councilman Larry Nichols in January of 2004.

According to an affidavit obtained from the Mc-Intosh County Courthouse, Lopez (who is currently incarcerated at the Oklahoma State Reformatory in Granite for unrelated crimes), is facing two charges: murder in the first degree and unlawful possession of a firearm after a former felony conviction.

••••• 10 YEARS AGO McIntosh County Democrat

Thursday, January 22, 2015

Martin Luther King Jr. Day one for all races On Martin Luther King Jr. Day we honor him but we don’t want to do what he did, said Jimmie White, keynote speaker for the Martin Luther King Jr. Community Prayer Breakfast Monday at Mount Olive Star Baptist Church west of Checotah.

King believed in “Love your neighbor as you love yourself,” he said. “We need to concentrate on what King was doing.

“Today we honor King not for what he accomplished, but for the person he was.”

Library Celebrates National Hot Tea Month When it’s cold outside, we want to sip on something hot, said Kaelynn Spring, 10.

In honor of National Hot Tea Month, Kathe Smith, branch manager for the Jim Lucas Checotah public Library, has set up a table with tea bags and hot chocolate for patrons on Fridays in January.

And it’s all free.