Latest news with #LoganCounty
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Democrat Jena Nelson is challenging Stephanie Bice for Oklahoma City-area seat in Congress
In the wake of a loss to Republican Ryan Walters in the 2022 election for state superintendent, Democrat Jena Nelson has remained active in political circles, speaking at events and commenting on issues on social media. The self-described 'duck and chicken person' — who cares for those animals at her home in rural Logan County — announced on Saturday, July 19, that she's running again for office in 2026. But this time she'll campaign for Congress, seeking to succeed incumbent GOP Rep. Stephanie Bice. Nelson made her declaration during an event held at the fieldhouse at Millwood High School in northeast Oklahoma City, which she noted was the site of her final campaign stop in the 2022 state superintendent race. 'For me, it feels like unfinished business,' Nelson told The Oklahoman. 'Let's pick right back up where we left off. I ran last time to help people. I'm running again to help people, as well.' Nelson, who grew up in Broken Bow in far southeastern Oklahoma, first gained wide public notice in 2020 when she was named as the state's teacher of the year for her work at Deer Creek Middle School in northwest Oklahoma County. She has said she decided to enter politics in 2022 after writing what she said was her 30th job recommendation letter for yet another teacher leaving the profession. Like every other Democratic candidate for statewide office in 2022, she lost to her Republican opponent. But in Oklahoma County, the state's most populous, Nelson noted that she'd received more votes than any other candidate for any other office on the ballot, no matter the party. She secured 124,500 votes — more than Walters (96,282), Gov. Kevin Stitt (93,466) or Attorney General Gentner Drummond (123,851), among others. Oklahoma's Fifth Congressional District covers most of Oklahoma County, all of Lincoln County, Pottawatomie County and Seminole County, and parts of Logan and Canadian counties. In 2018, Democrat Kendra Horn knocked off then-GOP incumbent Rep. Steve Russell to earn a seat in Congress. Two years later, Bice downed Kendra Horn and has held the seat ever since, rolling past Democrat Madison Horn in the 2024 election by winning nearly 61% of the vote that November. Bice said then: 'You can never take this seat for granted. We saw what happens when you do in 2018. Republicans really didn't realize that there was a race, and we ended up losing the seat. I am proud to have fought hard to win this seat back, and my goal is to keep this seat Republican.' Nelson is encouraged by the district's recent electoral history as an increasingly purple pocket in a deeply red state and by the fact she fared so well there in a statewide race just three years ago. 'The Fifth District is very, very diverse. It is the most interesting district, because it is urban, it is rural and it is suburban,' Nelson said. 'I think that my experience in my life can speak to all three of those demographics, as well.' Social Security, federal jobs issues important to Jena Nelson Nelson listed her top issues as including the preservation of Social Security, along with health care programs such as Medicare, Medicaid and SoonerCare. Nelson also said she's passionate about keeping open rural hospitals in the district — she specifically mentioned facilities in Prague, Stroud and Guthrie. With Tinker Air Force Base located in the district, she said military and veterans' concerns also should be top of mind for any representative. 'When people talk about cutting federal jobs, these aren't just some bureaucrats, these are our neighbors,' Nelson said. 'These are people that are providing services important services for folks, even if they're answering the phone, you're answering the phone because maybe a veteran is in crisis or a young person is in a crisis. What we're doing is we're closing down lifelines to Oklahomans, and we can't do that. 'In addition to that, of course, I'm always going to be a proponent of education,' Nelson said. 'Right now, we know that there are millions of dollars being withheld at the federal level that need to get into our school systems, and we have a (U.S.) secretary of education that can't tell the difference between A1 and AI. I have a lot of background in education and I'm willing to go up there and fight to make sure that our schools get what they deserve.' Nelson acknowledged politics is an uphill battle for Democrats in a state in which they're outnumbered by Republicans by nearly two-to-one. All seven of Oklahoma's seats in Congress are held by Republicans, as are all 11 statewide elected offices in Oklahoma. The GOP also has supermajorities in both chambers of the Oklahoma Legislature. But, she said, if voters look beyond a candidate's party affiliation, they might like what they see. 'I would even say to people — get a chance to know me, not what you think that the letter beside my name represents, not what you think that about me through some kind of mailer or email or whatever they're going to put out,' Nelson said. 'But come to an event or come to a meet-and-greet and ask me the questions that you want to know (the answers to). I have always said that I will tell the truth.' This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Democrat Jena Nelson will try to unseat U.S. Rep. Stephanie Bice Solve the daily Crossword
The Independent
6 days ago
- Business
- The Independent
Kentucky residents driven to despair by gnat invasion
Residents of Logan County, Kentucky, are experiencing a severe gnat infestation, which they attribute to Logan Aluminum's storage of sticky recycled aluminium bales at a nearby facility. The gnat problem is significantly disrupting daily life, making routine activities difficult and causing distress, with one family even moving out of their home due to the severity. Affected residents have filed a lawsuit against Logan Aluminum, Novelis Corporation, and Tri-Arrows Aluminum, claiming the stored materials attract gnats and larvae. One family, the Heads, initially received financial assistance from Logan Aluminum to relocate temporarily, but the company later ceased support, prompting the family to sell their home and move. Logan Aluminum denies most claims in the lawsuit, including that the materials stored are compressed bales or contain insects, with a hearing in the case scheduled for 21 August.
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The Independent
6 days ago
- General
- The Independent
Kentucky residents are being driven from their homes after gnats swarm town: ‘You can't even stay in the house'
A gnat infestation in Kentucky is making it difficult for residents to cook, clean, and go about their daily lives, and many blame a nearby recycling facility for the unwanted insects. Residents, like Ila Thomas of Logan County, say the gnat problem began around 2019 when Logan Aluminum started storing sticky recycled aluminum bales at a site known as DC4. Many residents are now part of a lawsuit against the company, claiming the cans attract gnats and larvae, overwhelming homes with swarms of bugs in nearly every corner of their homes. 'I just have a lot of gnats,' Thomas, who has lived in her home for 70 years, told the WBKO. 'Last year, they were bad. But this has been the worst year. You can't even enjoy sitting in your kitchen, drinking your coffee, or anything.' Now in her 90s, gnat traps dangling from light fixtures and capturing thousands of the insects every day mess with Thomas' otherwise spotless home. 'About every day or every other day, you have to change them all [the traps] or you can't even stay in the house,' she told the outlet. Thomas' grandson, Josiah Head, and his family also struggle with swarms of gnats in and around their nearby home, which his wife, Chelsey Head, says makes caring for their young daughter especially difficult. 'When you're changing your daughter's diaper, and you're having to swat gnats from her genitalia, that's pretty traumatizing, no matter how many times it happens,' Chelsey Head said. 'You don't even have time to wrap up the diaper before those same gnats are landing on the feces in the diaper.' The situation has gotten so bad, that th Head family moved into a camper at Lake Malone to escape the gnats. They say Logan Aluminum paid for their stay, which is evidence they cite in the lawsuit to show the company knew it was responsible, the family claims. But the company suddenly stopped helping and cut all communication with the Head family, resulting in their decision to sell their home and move to Florida 'They're basically calling us liars, ' Chelsey Head told WBKO. 'We have tried to play nice, and I feel like that niceness has not been reciprocated – and there's a large lack of understanding.' Logan Aluminum denies most claims in the lawsuit, including that the materials at DC4 are compressed bales or contain insects. The suit also names Novelis Corporation and Tri-Arrows Aluminum, which court records show have ownership stakes in Logan Aluminum, WBKO reported. The Independent A hearing in this case is set for August 21.
Yahoo
09-07-2025
- Yahoo
Court docs: Arkansas woman and grandson's race at high-speed led to crash that killed sisters
PARIS, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) — Newly filed court documents have revealed details in what led up to the crash that killed two Logan County sisters in May. Martha Phillips, 71, was arrested by Arkansas State Police in June for two counts of manslaughter for her alleged role in furnishing a vehicle to a minor without a driver's license. Phillips' 16-year-old grandson, identified in a probable cause affidavit as Ian Phillips, was charged with two counts of manslaughter. Court documents said that on May 30, Martha Phillips allowed Ian Phillips to drive a sports car without a license and was involved in a three-vehicle crash. Martha and Ian reportedly traveled to Missouri to buy a Chevrolet Camaro for him. They then traveled back to their home in Scranton. People across Arkansas mourning sisters killed in Logan County multi-car crash Ian was allegedly traveling at 150 miles per hour and collided with a Toyota Rav4 that was traveling at 53 miles per hour. The collision caused the Toyota to 'accelerate to over 90 miles per hour and collide head-on with an oncoming semi-truck,' the affidavit said. Mackenzie Arthur, 20, and her sister, Maddie Arthur, 17, both of Scranton, were killed in the crash. No other injuries were reported. The affidavit mentioned that Martha knew Ian had a history of reckless driving, including fleeing from law enforcement on a side-by-side. Ian also previously took Martha's vehicle and wrecked it in a field, according to the affidavit. Ian's sister spoke with law enforcement and said that Ian told her that he and Martha were racing from Fayetteville. 'Ian bragged about 'gapping' the whole way back from Fayetteville,' Ian's sister said. The affidavit said that Martha 'had maxed out at 120 miles per hour.' Martha Phillips is free on a $250,000 bond and is set to appear in court on July 11. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
01-06-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Two dead after crash involving semi in Logan Co.
LOGAN COUNTY, Ill. (WCIA) — Two people are dead after a three-vehicle crash in Logan County. Troopers with the Illinois State Police responded to the intersection of Illinois 121 and 1100 Street around 1:21 p.m. on Friday. Four dead after car vs. train crash in Shelby Co. After investigating, State Police said the accident involved a truck-tractor semi-trailer, an unoccupied parked vehicle, and a vehicle with two people inside. The driver of the semi-trailer was uninjured, but both occupants inside the other vehicle were fatally injured, Illinois State Police said. At this time, the Illinois State Police said they are not able to release further details about how the accident happened. IL-121 was temporarily closed from County Road 1200 N. to 1600th Avenue but has since re-opened. The Logan County Coroner's Office told WCIA that the families of the victims have been notified. No other information is available at this time. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
