News

August gross tax receipts set new record highs, including 12-month total receipts of $16.82 billion and monthly gross production tax receipts of $205.6 million. Although that is very good news for our state as a whole, the GPT is currently driven by prices of $90-perbarrel oil and $9-per-million BTU for natural gas, both of which are painful for our households. While our state has abundant wind energy facilities, the vast majority of our electricity is produced by clean natural gas, which is now priced three to four times higher than only two years ago. Because of this spike in energy prices, many citizens are now paying more to power their homes during this record summer heat than rent and mortgage payments. In addition, $5 diesel fuel is adding to the cost of all retail goods driving inflation up to an 8.5% annual rate.

District librarian Deana Mauck related that Watonga Elementary will celebrate the power and excitement of reading with a book celebration event for children at Elementary Library on Sept. 20 and 22 during parent teacher conferences.

CATTLE Grand Champion Market Steer —Amanda Schoonmaker. Res.

The Watonga Community Cat Foundation was busy Sept. 7, when the mobile clinic from the Oklahoma Humane Society came to town. The pet pros from the Humane Society were there to spay and neuter community cats – those that nobody owns, but many residents feed.

Dear Readers, This month at the library we had a scavenger hunt, and it was so much fun. The winners are: 1st place is Estella Phelps, 2nd place is Marivel Peralta and 3rd place is Liberty Garrett. Congratulations!