By Traci Chapman
Published on May 29, 2008

Canadian County officials are “regrouping” after a proposed $24.8 million proposal to fund a new jail with a sales tax increase was rejected by voters.

“We’re back to square one,” District 1 Commissioner Phil Carson said. “We wanted to get it to a vote of the people — that was our job — and now we’ll have to figure out where to go from here.”

Gregory Paul Freeman
Funeral services for Gregory Paul Freeman, 23, were held Sunday in the Chapel of The Good Shepherd at McNeil’s Mustang Funeral Service.

Gregory died May 22 at his home in Newcastle. He was born May 7, 1985, in Denver, Colo. He grew up in Oklahoma City and had lived in Newcastle since 2006. He was employed at Mainus Granite Co. and was a member of the Church of Christ.

He is survived by his parents, Don and Dorcas Freeman, and a sister, Rebekah Freeman, all of Tonganoxie, Kan.; and his grandmother, Maxine Freeman of Linwood, Kan.

By Carolyn Cole
Published on May 29, 2008

Being normal teenagers is a dream for three Mustang sisters who face balloon-like blisters and wounds from the slightest scrape of their fragile skin.

Danielle, Casey and Elizabeth Seldomridge inherited dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa, a disease in which fibrils connecting skin layers aren’t strong enough or are too few in number.

By Traci Chapman
Published on May 29, 2008

Eleven candidates who have announced their intention to run in county races “sat on the hot seat” Tuesday in a Republican Party forum held at Mustang Town Center.

The candidates, who included five contenders for the District 2 County Commissioner seat and two each vying for the offices of sheriff, county clerk and court clerk, appeared in front of a crowd of about 130 voters and supporters. Each was posed three questions selected by party members, Pete Katzdorn, GOP county chairman, said.

By Traci Chapman
Published on May 29, 2008

Officials have their “feet to the fire,” after state inspectors found health and safety violations May 7 at the Canadian County jail that could potentially cost county taxpayers thousands of dollars.

“Unfortunately, I knew this was coming — I said all along that if the new jail was rejected, the jail inspectors would bring on the heat — and here it is,” Sheriff Lewis Hawkins said Tuesday.