Area News

By Joshua Allen ONL Staff Reporter Authorities are currently awaiting the assistance of a bomb squad and bomb-detection dogs to comb Graham High School for explosives after a handwritten bomb threat was found by a student earlier today, according to Okfuskee County Sheriff Jim Rasmussen.  “Basically, a student found a message written on the wall…

Governor Kevin Stitt announced today (Thursday, Jan. 24) four new executive orders that focus on increasing transparency, accountability, and efficiency in state government. “My commitment is to get to the bottom of every dollar spent by state government and ensure every hard-earned tax dollar matches the mission and values of Oklahomans,” said Gov. Stitt. “These…

OKLAHOMA CITY – Attorney General Mike Hunter today warned Oklahomans to be aware of phone calls from scam artists claiming to be with the Social Security Administration (SSA) and attempting to steal social security numbers and money. A scam will typically involve the con artist telling individuals their social security number has been suspended because…

By Joshua Allen ONL Staff Reporter Martin Luther King, Jr. and his legacy as a crusader for the equal treatment of black people during a time when such an idea seemed far-fetched, at best, and impossible, at worst, was celebrated across the nation Monday, January 21. Not all cities, towns, communities and people celebrated the…

Mason school district, Paden schools, county health department, Town of Boley awarded for excellence Almost ten Okfuskee County entities were recently awarded ‘Certified Healthy’ status for 2018, according to a media release sent out by the Okfuskee County Health Department. “‘Certified Healthy Oklahoma’ is a free, statewide certification that recognizes entities going above and beyond…

By Joshua Allen ONL Staff Reporter The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation sent out a media release Thursday officially thanking several agencies for assistance with the investigation into the two bodies discovered Tuesday south of Okemah in Okfuskee County.  Among the agencies receiving commendation were the Okfuskee County Sheriff’s Office and Okfuskee County District Attorney’s…

Okemah High School will celebrate homecoming tomorrow (Friday, January 18) at the Panther Dome just prior to the start of Lady Panther action.  The festivities will begin at 5:30 p.m. The girls’ game will begin at 6:30 with the boys’ game following, around 8 that evening.  The visiting team will be Latta High School.  It…

By Kay Thompson ONL Publisher During the regular city council meeting held on Monday, January 14, the council renewed several agreements. First on the agenda was to renew the agreement with Discovery to allow for a closed set on Sertco Road to film Street Outlaws. City Attorney Jack Cadenhead informed the council that this was…

Authorities believe it to be missing friends from Temple, Texas By Kay Thompson ONL Publisher What started out as a missing persons case has now turned into a double homicide, and Okfuskee County is at the center of the mystery some 334 miles north of where the story began. Long-time friends, Michael Swearingin, 32, and…

By Joshua Allen ONL Staff Reporter A single-car accident on State Highway 56 earlier this week resulted in the untimely death of a local woman, according to a report from the Oklahoma Highway Patrol.  Tonya Franklin, a 45-year-old Okemah resident, was pronounced “dead at the scene” after troopers and other emergency personnel were dispatched to…