Collinsville, Oklahoma
October 30, 2012
Miscellaneous News
Rock Gym Challenge /
Vote For Who? /
St.Therese Turkey Dinner / Widows Sales Tax Break

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1110 W. Main, Collinsville, OK 74021

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Ted Wright -- last update 10/30/2012 (MiscOct30.html) www.cvilleok.com

Copyright 2012 -- Collinsville, Oklahoma
Nov. 2nd Chili Dinner
CHS Wrestling Fundraiser
$5 at the door (5:30-7:30pm) at Wilson Elementary before Tahlequah Football Game - Friday Nov. 2nd
Wouldn't it be nice if we could have our direct vote counted for the presidential candidates instead of turning that right over to a bunch of unknown strangers? Seems to me the Electoral College is way past it's time. -- Ted Wright 10/30/2012
(More on Huffington Post)
Annual Turkey Dinner and Bazaar
St. Therese Catholic Church

Annual Turkey Dinner and Bazaar

Saturday, November 10th 11am to 7 pm

Full course Turkey Dinner with dessert $8.00 per person

Silent and Live auction

Raffle for the following prizes: $500 Reasor’s Gift Card, Beautiful outdoor Nativity Set, $200 QT Gas Card as well as a side of beef including processing.

-- Jan Chambers (10/29/2012)
Widows of disabled vets to get sales tax exemption beginning November 1st

OKLAHOMA CITY – Widows of 100% disabled veterans will soon be getting a financial boost thanks to a law that goes into effect November 1st. Senate Bill 46, by Sen. Don Barrington, will provide surviving spouses who have not remarried with a sales tax exemption of up to $1,000 per year.

“This is a measure I’ve been advocating for the past several years. Disabled veterans’ benefits are cut in half after their death putting a financial burden on their spouses,” said Barrington, R-Lawton. “More than 2,500 widows will finally be getting the financial relief they deserve. Just like the veterans, these spouses made great sacrifices as well taking care of their families and maintaining a household by themselves while their loved one was away. This small financial incentive is a way for us to both honor the memory of those great heroes and look out for their beloved spouses.”

Barrington explained that veterans who are 100 percent disabled receive $2,500 a month in benefits. Their widows, however, receive only $1,100 a month.

“These widows not only have to deal with the loss of their loved ones, but also the loss of nearly $17,000 in annual benefits. This exemption won’t make up that difference, but it’ll give them some financial relief and help with groceries and other necessities,” said Barrington.

The Oklahoma Veterans Council, which is made up of 28 member organizations, has been requesting the bill for several years.

“We’re really proud and grateful for Senator Barrington’s dedication and persistence in advocating for this legislation. The amount of time and effort he spent on this bill as well as the bipartisan support he was able to garner for it shows what a great public servant he is and friend to Oklahoma’s veterans,” said Pete Peterson, Oklahoma Veterans Council Chairman. “He has a long history of supporting veterans and vet issues and has dedicated a great amount of time, effort and resources into the advancement of veterans’ issues. We know that without his efforts on this cause, we very well may not have gotten this legislation signed into law.”

The bill was also supported by the Paralyzed Veterans of America.

“We’re extremely pleased that this law has finally become a reality. It’s going to make a tremendous difference for thousands of paralyzed veterans’ widows,” said Scott Ellis, Government Relations Director, MidAmerica Chapter of Paralyzed Veterans of America. “We want to thank Senator Barrington for carrying this legislation and for his diligence in getting it through the process.”

– 30 –

For more information, contact:
Sen. Barrington: (405) 521-5563

20 Day Body Fat Percentage & Lean Muscle Gain Challenge!
Hey Everyone! Just wanted to invite you all to participate in another Challenge!

The Rock Gym is doing another Body Fat % Loss/Lean Muscle Gain Contest! Get measured in by November 1st (or set an appointment to get measured). $30 Entry. It's only 20 Days! Measure OUT on November 20th (finish before Thanksgiving). A lot can happen in 20 days! You don't have to be a member of the gym to participate! Just come in and enter and get measured! The entry fee goes into a pot for either CASH prize or gift cards!The more entries the bigger the prize!!!

Here's how it works....Get your body fat percentage measured and your lean body mass calculated, follow a diet and workout plan for 20 days, get remeasured....the person that loses the most PERCENTAGE of body fat and has the most INCREASE in lean muscle gained is the WINNER!$30 to enter, all money goes toward prizes, measure out BEFORE THANKSGIVING! You don't have to be a gym member to participate!Just schedule a time to get measured and get started!!!

Get your friends and family to participate! Workouts are posted on our FaceBook page if you are unable to make it to the gym. Once your body fat percentage is calculated we will create an easy to follow plan customized just for you! All you have to do is work hard and dedicate less than 3 weeks to eating healthy and getting a little exercise! 20 days isn't that long and like I said A LOT can happen in 20 days!

Hope to see you all soon!

Thanks,
Jennifer Adair
The Rock Gym

www.facebook.com/therockgymcville

(918)914-2338 - Cell/ call or text anytime!

Extra CHS Yearbooks Available
I have the following extra CHS Yearbooks available for free at the Newspaper Museum In Collinsville.
Email wrightted@aol.com if you are interested in one. And remember, I don't keep fixed hours there. (FAQ #11 ).
-- Ted Wright 10/30/2012
CHS 1990 (2)
CHS 1996 (14)
CHS 1997 (14)
CHS 1999 (17)
CHS 2005 (18)
CHS 2006 (5)
CHS 2007 (33)
CHS 2008 (22)
* Numbers of copies in parenthesis.
Rather than remain silent on Vision 2 Sales Tax ... I'll just say I'm not against it ... but I am against the rushed timing for a tax that far out (2017) for that long (13 years). I'm all for a friendly "jobs" environment and long term improvements for the county but it's not clear to me that this tax (now) is the best/only way to do either of those. And my gut instinct tells me its how Tulsa's City leaders finally get Tulsa County taxpayers to put water in the Arkansas River which county voters have already said they don't wish to pay for. -- Ted Wright 10/30/2012
The 2013 CHS Yearbook Sales have begun. Contact Sally Bowman at the High School to place an order.
Mini Election Editorials
Rick Brinkley's Facebook Comments (10/30/2012) on State Question 765
(on the Nov. 6th Ballot)

State Question 765 – The Most Poorly Written of the State Questions on the Ballot.

Some of you have asked my opinion on the 6 State Questions on the Ballot on Tuesday. I will attempt to share some light on a few of them over the next several days. But, first, you have to have a bit of history on the reason there are state questions every year for you to consider. The State of Oklahoma has the longest Constitution of any state and ours is far longer than the constitution of the United States and most other Nations from around the world. Everything from the definition of Beer to the Flash Point of Kerosene is in the Constitution. In all practical senses, any change to the Constitution requires a vote of the people.

In the 1930s, what is now called the Department of Human Services was made a Constitutional Agency. This means that it answers to a Commission established in the Constitution and is subject to oversight by neither the Governor nor the Legislature, but strictly the Commission. The Department of Human Services currently employs over 7,000 people.

The State Question is written in such a way that it appears it completely does away with the Department of Human Services. In actuality, it does away with the Commission and makes the Department more accountable to the Governor and the Legislature. The number of children who have died while in DHS Custody and the number of Class Action Lawsuits filed in regard to poor performance are enough for most people to understand that with so little oversight this agency and its leadership have failed to deliver the services it needs to deliver with little fear of repercussion.

This is about policy and structure. There are thousands of DHS workers who are committed to their jobs and those that they serve and this should not be seen as an indictment of every DHS worker. Despite how poorly written the State Question is other laws already in place guarantee the continuation of the Department.

This State Question has wide bipartisan support, including support from former Commission members. In my experience, the only people I have read or heard who are against this state question are former Commission Members and former Top DHS Officials.

Those opposed to Question 765 blame the legislature for not funding the Department to the level they desire. Additional Funding will not correct the lack of Accountability and Bureaucracy that have failed to deliver the services our children and most vulnerable deserve. This enables Governor Fallin and future Governors to respond quickly to necessary changes that must be made in the Department. This places additional responsibilities upon our Governors to react to public outcry and not be forced to idly sit on their hands waiting for a commission to act.

Please vote “YES” on State Question 765.
(As an aside, you currently have approximately 8,000 children in YOUR CUSTODY. These are Children in Foster Care in our State. The people of Oklahoma are responsible for these children who have found themselves in your custody through no action of their own. We have a responsibility to provide for them the best we can and the best they deserve.)