News

Election Day Reminders

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Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday, July 13, 2021, for the Special - Blaine County/Town of Okeene Municipal election. Blaine County Election Board Secretary, Brenda Rice, offers these important tips to voters—especially those who will be casting a ballot for the first time.

Election Day Laws

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Voters in Blaine County are reminded to keep the integrity of the election system in mind, when going to the polls next week. While ballot “selfies” or taking photographs of a marked ballot are legal, voters may not share or distribute the image through social media or by any other means while inside the election enclosure.

Blaine County Celebrates the Fourth

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WATONGA – Blaine County residents celebrated Independence Day this past weekend with three days of family, food and fireworks as the holiday fell on a Sunday this year, bringing an extra day off on Monday after the festivities.

OSBI Offering Reward For Info On 2019 Watonga Home Invasions

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WATONGA — In fall 2019, two home invasion cases rocked the Watonga community and targeted elderly citizens for robbery and, in one case, rape. Now, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation is asking the public for help in these cases, which remain unsolved nearly two years later.

County Seeks To Use Existing Tax For New Purpose

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WATONGA — Blaine County voters will head to the polls on Tuesday, July 13, to either greenlight or shoot down a county proposal to expand the approved uses of an existing sales tax. The ballot question does not create, increase or decrease any taxes, but rather modifies the wording of an existing tax that was originally levied in 2004.

3 Arrested in Watonga Suspected of Forgery Operation

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WATONGA — A chance early-morning traffic stop resulted in three arrests last week in what the sheriff’s office believes is a sophisticated counterfeiting operation. Emily Hayward of Sayre and Kody Finnell of Canute were booked into the Blaine County Jail on suspicion of conspiracy, identity theft, possession of counterfeit checks and possession of drug paraphernalia.

OSBI Issues Public Statement on Toddler Death

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WATONGA — Two weeks after the death of a Blaine County toddler, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation confirmed in a release that it is examining the case. Zavien Kinyon was 2 years old when he suffered a head injury in Watonga and was airlifted to Oklahoma City, where he died three days later.

Early Voting Begins Thursday

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BLAINE COUNTY - Early voting begins Thursday JULY 8, 2021 for voters in BLAINE County. Voters who will not be able to make it to the polls on Election Day, have the option of voting early at their County Election Board.

Changes to Medical Marijuana Regulations

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Many rural lawmakers this year have heard from constituents concerned with the large amounts of land being purchased in rural areas to grow medical marijuana. Much of the land is being sold way over market value for cash, and there’s concern over foreign entities making the purchases.