8/13/2019 Edmondson McAlester 1-21-14

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By SEAN MURPHY

ASSOCIATED PRESS

OKLAHOMA CITY — Republican U.S. Rep.James Lankfordannounced his candidacyMonday for the U.S. Senateseat left open by Sen. TomCoburn who said last weekhe would resign the post atthe end of this congres-sional session.

Lankford told The Asso-

ciated Press he wanted topress for “conservativesolutions that most Ameri-cans believe in.”

“We’re facing seriousissues,” Lankford said.“We can either complainabout it or try to step inand solve it.”

A longtime director of one of the nation’s largestChristian youth summercamps, Lankford was apolitical unknown whenhe emerged from a crowd-ed Republican primaryfield in 2010 to win the U.S.House seat. He won re-elec-tion in 2012 and was theonly member of Okla-homa’s House delegationto not face a GOP primaryopponent that year.

Lankford also has risenquickly among the GOPleadership in the House,and is currently the chair-man of the Republican Pol-icy Committee. He alsolanded a spot on the Housebudget committee.

The decision by Coburn,who is battling a recur-rence of cancer, to resignthe seat two years earlyhas turned a somewhatpredictable election year

in Oklahoma on its head.The special election will

coincide with the regularelection cycle in 2014,meaning there will be twoU.S. Senate seats on theballot in Oklahoma as U.S.Sen. Jim Inhofe seeks re-election.

It’s the first time since2004 that Oklahoma hashad an open Senate seat,and Republicans will beheavily favored to main-tain it. Oklahoma has notelected a Democrat to theU.S. Senate since DavidBoren in 1978. AmongDemocrats expected to con-sider the race are formerGov. Brad Henry and for-mer Attorney GeneralDrew Edmondson.

Other Republicans con-sidering running for the

open Senate seat are U.S.Rep. Jim Bridenstine of 

Tulsa and state HouseSpeaker T.W. Shannon of Lawton.

Lankford has the advan-tage of a hefty campaignaccount. He reported hav-ing more than $450,000 incash on hand at the end of September, the most recentreport available, and thatmoney can be used for aSenate campaign.

On Sunday, AttorneyGeneral Scott Pruitt andU.S. Rep. Tom Cole, R-Okla., both said they wouldnot run for Coburn’s seat.Gov. Mary Fallin also hassaid she won’t run for theseat.

The timing of the specialelection means most office-holders who run for the

AP file photo by J. SCOTT APPLEWHITE

In a Nov. 13, 2013, file photo, Rep. James Lankford,R-Okla., a member of the House Oversight Committee,holds a tablet displaying the healthcare.gov website ashe questions Obama administration technology officialsabout problems with implementation of the Obamacarehealthcare program, on Capitol Hill in Washington.Lankford announced Monday that he’ll run for the U.S.Senate seat left open by U.S. Sen. Tom Coburn’sresignation.

Insidetoday’sissue

Y O U R N E W S S O U R C E I N S O U T H E A S T O K L A H O M A S I N C E 1 8 9 6

 SEVENTY-FIVE CENTS | TUESDAY JANUARY 21, 2014 www.mcalesternews.com

16 PAGES, 2 SECTIONSVOL. 118, NO. 111

Obituaries........................ 2A

City Bits............................ 4A

Opinion............................ 6A

Sports ............................... 1B

Scoreboard ....................... 2B

Classifieds ........................ 5B

Comics .............................. 7B

Monday’s Lake Eufaula level:

585.60’

Sunrise Wednesday: 7:31 a.m.

Sunset Wednesday: 5:40 p.m.

INSIDE TODAY

ALMANAC

Page 1BSPORTS

Page 4A

LOCAL  NEWS

“As long as Uzziah sought

the LORD, God gave himsuccess. ... But after Uzziahbecame powerful, his prideled to his downfall.”

2 Chronicles 26:5b,16a

FROM THE BIBLE

TRENDS

Okla. seesuptick in gunpermits in 2013

OKLAHOMA CITY(AP) — About 60,000handgun permitswere issued to Okla-homans last year,more than double thenumber issued twoyears ago, accordingto data from theOklahoma StateBureau of Investiga-tion.

A report issued lastweek from theagency said that two-thirds of the licenseswent to men, withone-third issued towomen. The agencydidn’t cite a reasonfor the increase inpermits, but some inthe gun industry saidconcerns over massshootings may havecontributed to theuptick in licenses.

“Sometimes, peoplefeel very scared andhelpless. A concealedcarry permit givesthem a realistic way

Mostly clear, with a lowaround 24. Light and vari-able wind becoming south 5to 10 mph in the evening.More weather — Page 2A.

TONIGHT’S FORECAST

OKLAHOMA LOTTERY

9 - 7 - 6

13 - 14 - 19 - 31 - 38 - 25

1/19/14

1/18/14

2013 AWARDS

 Associated Press/Oklahoma NewsExecutives

3 seats open

for filingBy JAMES BEATY

SENIOR EDITOR

Only a week is left before candidates start fil-ing for three seats that are up for election on theMcAlester City Council.

City council seats in Ward 2, Ward 4 and Ward6 will all be open for candidate filings beginningnext Monday and continuing through the fol-lowing Tuesday and Wednesday, on Jan. 27-29.

Candidates can file declarations of candidacyat the Pittsburg County Election board office at109 E. Carl Albert Pkwy., said Pittsburg CountyElection Board Secretary Cathy Thornton. Theoffice will be open from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. dailyfor the candidate filings.

The election is set for March 4.At least two of the races will feature different

candidates than in the previous election for theposts.

Incumbent Ward 4 City Councilor RobertKarr announced during the last regular meet-ing of the city council on Jan. 14 that he did notintend to seek re-election to the Ward 4 office.

Karr made the announcement toward the endof the meeting.

“I want to let everybody know I will not beseeking re-election,” he said,

Staff photo by JEANNE LEFLORE

The McAlester Martin Luther King Jr. Annual Unity Banquet was held Saturday atMcAlester High School cafeteria.

Banquet attendants

‘Remember the Dream’By JEANNE LEFLORE

STAFF WRITER

The grand finale of the local celebrationhonoring the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.happened Saturday night at McAlesterHigh School.

It was the annual MLK Annual UnityBanquet held in the cafeteria at MHS.

The theme “Remembering the Dream …Continuing the Dream” played outthroughout the event as members of MLKYouth Choir told the audience how theirlives were made better because of MLK.

The choir is a group of 20 youth of differ-ent ages directed by Rosalyn Jones.

“I can attend the university of mychoice,” one choir member said.

“I can eat at any restaurant and go to amovie theater.”

Master of Ceremonies James Brown wel-comed the crowd, followed by the presenta-tion of colors and the flag salute.

The invocation by the Rev. AnthonyWashington led to a welcome speech byMayor Steve Harrison.

Harrison told the audience about aninteraction he had with one of the mem-bers of the Pittsburg County Holiday Com-

mission and said it was a great reminderthat, “If each person could focus on whatwe have in common, and not what is differ-ent, the world would be a better place.”

Oklahoma Supreme Court Justice StevenTaylor introduced the keynote speaker,

Staff photo by JEANNE LEFLORE

Pianist Jerri Burris plays at McAlester’sMartin Luther King Jr. Annual UnityBanquet held Saturday at the McAlesterHigh School cafeteria.

Staff photo by JAMES BEATY

From left, Ward 5 City Councilor Buddy Garvinspeaks with Ward 4 Councilor Robert Karrduring the Jan. 7. Special Meeting of theMcAlester City Council, shortly after Karrannounced he will not seek re-election. Thecandidate filing period for the Ward 4 seat, aswell as for city council seats in Wards 2 and 6,begins next Monday and continues through

Jan. 28 and 29.

US to begin easingeconomic sanctionsBy DARLENE SUPERVILLE

ASSOCIATED PRESS

WASHINGTON — TheUnited States will begineasing economic sanc-tions on Iran after itbegan shutting down itsmost sensitive nuclearwork on Monday, theWhite House said.

Iran’s move was part of a landmark deal strucklate last year with the U.S., five other world pow-ers and the European Union to ease concernsover Tehran’s nuclear program and provide forthe partial removal of some of the economic

US Rep. Lankford announcesrun for Coburn’s US Senate seat

SEE BANQUET | PAGE 3A

SEE PERMIT | PAGE 3A

SEE LANKFORD | PAGE 5A

SEE SANCTIONS | PAGE 4A

Refer to Page 7A:

Iran begins liftingproduction effortsof uraniumenrichment

SEE FILING | PAGE 3B