Today In Oklahoma

In the war raging between Tulsa Mayor Dewey Bartlett and Tulsa City Councilors, the Mayor fired another volley today when, through his attorney Joel Wohlgemuth, he demanded the resignation of City Council Attorney Drew Rees.

Wohlgemuth, who sent the demand letter to Council Attorney Drew Rees contends in his letter to Rees that the position of Council Attorney is an unauthorized position.

The letter also seeks to invalidate the council’s actions concerning its probe into whether Bartlett and his chief of staff, Terry Simonson, lied to councilors about a federal police grant.

Basically this latest volley on the part of Mayor Bartlett is a move to not only completely block the City Council’s investigation of Bartlett and Siminson it would also deprive the Council of a somewhat independent legal advisor. This would leave the City Council stuck with nothing but City Attorney’s office, which is of course under the Mayor’s direct supervision.

The Tulsa City Council has had a “council attorney” since 2003 when then Mayor Bill LaFortune established the position” by transferring a senior assistant city attorney position to the council.

Since the position of Council Attorney was not authorized in the Tulsa City Charter, Wohlgemuth maintains that Rees salary is and has been “in essence, a misappropriation of fund”.

One might wish to note that while Joel Wohlgemuth is Mayor Bartlett’s “private attorney”, he has also represented the City of Tulsa to the tune of almost a million dollars in legal fees.

Read it and understand that these folks apparently hate each other:

Mayor demands resignation of Tulsa council attorney

Mayor Bartlett’s Attorney Asks Council Attorney to Resign

Mayor Bartlett’s attorney says the city charter does not allow the council to hire an attorney

Today is primary election day in Oklahoma and in the weeks and days leading up to the primary most of us have read, seen or heard enough political advertisements to make us want to gag.

But there was one advocacy ad regarding this primary election that caught the attention of the national news media.

Who hasn’t seen ads were the spouses, children or grandchildren of the candidate praise their family member and urge voters to elect them?

Okay, now who has seen an ad were the daughter of the candidate takes out an ad in a newspaper and sets up a web site urging voters “Do not vote for my Dad”?

Well…

McClain County judicial hopeful John Mantooth is the target of a newspaper ad and website paid for by his daughter and son-in-law urging his defeat.

The daughter and son-in-law paid for the quarter-page advertisement, which features a picture of the daughter’s family, highlights cases in which Mantooth has been sued and lists a website the couple started, Do Not Vote For My Dad that urges voters to vote against Mantooth.

Reportedly, there has been “bad blood” between father and daughter since the father divorced the daughter’s mother way back in 1981.

Some grudges die hard apparently…

Don’t forget to vote!

In Oklahoma, kids count – just not that much.

At least that is how the 2010 Kids Count Data Book released annually by the Annie E. Casey Foundation sees it.

For the second year in a row, Oklahoma ranked 44th overall in child well-being.

Oklahoma ranked 42nd in 2007 and 38th in 2003, so maybe rating 44th for two years in a row indicates the slide has slowed, if not stopped.

Oklahoma’s worst numbers are 47th in child death rate, 45th in infant mortality rate and 45th in teen birth rate.

Q. So, what states ranked worse than Oklahoma?
A. Tennessee, Arkansas, Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi in that order with Mississippi being the worst rated for child well-being.

Q. So, what states ranked better than Oklahoma?
A. The rest of them.

Read it at Oklahoma a lowly 44th among states in child well-being and be thankful that you don’t have any kids or grandkids living in Oklahoma.

Oh, you do?
Hmmm…

Ashley Hawkins was arrested this morning after a domestic dispute that ended when she allegedly backed a car into her future mother-in-law in a driveway.

Reportedly, Ashley Hawkins and her future mother-in-law, Debbie Chancey, got into an argument over the discipline of a child Wednesday night and the fight spilled over to Thursday morning.

On Thursday morning, Hawkins got in a vehicle in the garage and attempted to leave, and her future mother-in-law stood behind the vehicle and tried to stop her. Bad move on the part of the future mother-in-law.

Allegedly, Hawkins backed up anyway. Bad move on the part of the future daughter-in-law.

A witness told the cops that he saw Debbie Chancy fly into the air and then land on the ground.

Reportedly Chancey was transported to the hospital with injuries to her head and leg.

Hawkins was transported to the Oklahoma County jail on a charge of assault with a deadly weapon.

Wonder if Ashley Hawkins knows Jesse Thornhill of Tulsa as they seem to have something in common.

Read it at:

Argument Over Disciplining Child Leads Woman to Hit Future Mother-In-Law with Car

Edmond woman runs over future mother-in-law during dispute, police say

Woman Accused Of Running Over Fiance’s Mother

Jesse Thornhill, the “horny guy” we reported on earlier this month has been officially charged with assault with a dangerous weapon on allegations he tried to run over his landlord with a car.

Yesterday, Thornhill made an initial appearance before Judge Carl Funderburk in Tulsa County District Court.

Thornhill remains free on $10,000 bond.

Thornhill’s mug shot with his horn implants, tattoos and piercings have reportedly been showing up on web sites all over the world.

You can following the case of “horny” Jess Thornhill via online court records.

And who knows, maybe even Court TV will want to come to Tulsa to cover the trial, if there is one…

According to Midwest City, Oklahoma cops, the “McDonalds Undie Bandit”, shown above left is in reality Sharon Lain, shown above right.

Long story, short – when an employee at a 24-hour McDonalds in Midwest City noticed some cash missing the manager checked out the surveillance video to find out what happened.

That’s when it was discovered that a woman dressed in black pants, a black shirt, gloves, a pair of woman’s underwear concealing her face and a blond wig had reached through the drive-in window and used a key to open the cash register and take the cash.

Reportedly, police received a tip which led them to the home of Sharon Lain, a residence condemned by code enforcement due to no water service.

It is alleged that Lain confessed to the burglary and indicated that she was a former night shift manger with McDonalds but was terminated about a month ago.

It is further alleged that Lain said she planned to take the money from McDonald’s and try to win big at Remington Park to pay the back water bill. A water bill which Lain said a friend had given her money to pay, but which she supposedly lost.

Reportedly, Lain also admitted to having a gambling problem.

Police obtained a search warrant for the home and found clothing used in the drive-thru burglary as well as drugs including methamphetamine and marijuana.

Now Lain is facing charges of second-degree burglary, possession of a controlled dangerous substance, possession of paraphernalia and illegal trespass. The latter charge apparently the result of living in the condemned residence.

Read it at:

McDonald’s Underwear Bandit Nabbed

Watch it at:

Woman wearing underwear on her head sought in Midwest City McDonald’s burglary

Woman wearing underwear on her head sought in Midwest City McDonald’s burglary (Same report, second source)