Lexington Observer (Lexington, Okla.), Vol. 11, No. 51, Ed. 1 Thursday, April 5, 2007 Page: 1 of 8
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Volume 11, No. 51
April 5,2007
REMEMBER TO FLY YOUR FLAG
SHOW YOUR COLORS, AMERICA!
of a recent camp-out on the
Canadian River with some
friends, where they went four
wheeling, and stayed over-
night. (What lucky kids to have
a trained fireman on a pleasure
trip like that’)Another activity
the Keeler family enjoys to-
gether is attending the Corbett
Baptist Church, where Mrs.
Keeler is Organist/pianist/
plays keyboard and they go to
the Lexington Nursing Home
weekly to play and sing for the
residents. They help sponsor
children and youth groups at-
tending the Falls Creek annual
church camp in summer. Bill
went last year with the group
and he is hooked, is planning
to go again this year and the job
includes being chauffer, cook,
counselor as well as friend to
all the kids from Corbett
church that attend the largest
Christian camp of it’s kind in
the world.Mr. Keeler talks with
great pride about the Lexing-
ton fire department that he has
been a part of since 1991 and
penditures for computer oper-
ating systems. Items identified
to be addressed at the May
regular meeting are painting of
new District office space, an-
nual financial audits, and stra-
tegic planning for ISO 7. The
May meeting will also tenta-
tively include the District’s
annual budget hearing for Fis-
cal Year 2008. ( (Fire Chief
Roger Wickey reported four
emergency runs by the Depart-
ment during March — two
wild fires, a vehicle fire, and a
structure fire. The Department
also conducted 30 hours of tire
fighting practices training last
month with personnel from
surrounding departments also
participating. The District’s
second new fast attack brush
pumper received through re-
cent grants is expected to be
completely fitted out and on
line within the next few weeks.
The Cedar Country Fire Pro-
tection District continues to
By Hazel Shockey
1 will begin the “Tribute to
firemen”, with a special tribute
to a higher power for the good
rain that we received last week
and I am sure all the fire fight-
ers are saying “Amen”. We
possibly are still dry in some
areas, but the 4 to 5 inches that
came down in the heart of
Oklahoma is so appreciated,
and we received it without tor-
nados or high winds.Our Fire-
man of the week is Bill Keeler,
who was born in Norman,
Oklahoma in 1956. He was one
of five children bom to W. J.
(Jr.) and Gwenneth Keeler. Bill
grew up and attended/gradu-
ated school in the Lexington
area where he has chosen to
live and raise his family. Mr.
Keeler has two sons, Billy and
Josh and three grandchildren.
He and his wife. Laretha are
active in school and church
activities with their younger
son. Josh. It keeps them busy
as Josh runs track, plays foot-
ball and is in Vocal. They told
he credits Bobby Hall for his I
interest in becoming a member I
of this group. Bill is a Certi-1
fied Level 1 Instructor and is I
capable of teaching/training I
firemen anywhere in the state I
of Oklahoma. There is a pro-
cess that is followed to become
a volunteer fire fighter that in-
cludes a wish to serve the
neighborhood in this manner,
someone to nominate the per-
son, and them to be willing to
receive the training required to
serve in this capacity. Keeler
says they are fortunate to have
at least four men on the Lex-
ington Fire Department who
can teach/train the persons vol-
unteering for service to their
fellowman. Each person that
gets on the local fire depart-
ment has to receive Firefighter
1 training that is administered
through OSU, (Oklahoma
State Fire Service), at a cost of
between $400. and $1500. per
person to prepare for this job.
There is a lot more training in-
See Hemes, page 3
accept firefighter and dis-
patcher applications from per-
sons living in or near the Dis-
trict (described below). Train-
ing and equipment are pro-
vided for those who qualify.
Details and applications are
available from Chief Wickey at
899-4319.The Cedar Country
Fire Protection District is com-
prised of unincorporated areas
in eastern Cleveland County
bounded by 132nd Street on
the west. State Highway 39 on
the south, the Pottawatomie
County line on the east, and
Lindsey Street on the north.
Residents are invited to con-
tact Daryl Covey (Chairman)
at 573-8866 with questions re-
garding the District, and to visit
the next regular Board meeting
on Sunday, May 6th at 3:00 pm
at the Main Fire Station, lo-
cated at 10191 180th Street
Southeast (north of
Slaughterville Road on the east
side of 18()th Street).
Hw«l Shockey. Lexington Obeerver
Bill Keeler family: Laretha, Josh and Bill
I i
PR8RTSTD
US Poetage
PAID
Lexington, OK
Permit No. 12
genealogicalsoci'ety
NORMAN OK 73070-6176
12X30/06
Senate Committee Approves Illegal Immigration Bill
The Senate Judiciary Committee voted on Tuesday in favor of legislation aimed at protecting
the jobs of U.S. citizens. The measure also contains provisions to ensure taxpayer supported
benefits are made available to American citizens and legal immigrants only. Sen. James A.
Williamson is the Senate author of House Bill 1804. “The Oklahoma Taxpayer and Citizen Pro-
tection Act of 2007.” He said the people of Oklahoma are extremely concerned about the issue
of illegal immigration.
“They are frustrated beyond any level that you can imagine, because they have seen
that the federal government is not taking on this issue—they’re not dealing with it in any way
that’s responsible, and so they want us to do what we can," said Williamson, R-Tulsa.
Williamson said two issues bring illegal immigrants to Oklahoma—public benefits
and employment. The lawmaker said his legislation addresses both.
“With only specific exceptions, such as medical emergencies, this legislation assures
taxpayers that their publicly funded benefits will not go to illegal immigrants," Williamson said.
“We also have language protecting U.S. citizens who have lost a job to an illegal immigrant.”
Should an employer release a U.S. citizen while retaining an illegal immigrant, the
Citizen could file a discriminatory practice claim and seek to have both his job and back wages
restored. Businesses contracting with state agencies that do not use an online program to verify
tile immigration status of employees would forfeit the ability to do business with the state.
(more)
"We also have mirrored all federal statutes dealing with knowingly transporting and
harboring illegal immigrants,” Williamson said. "This ensures we can enforce these felony vio-
lations at the state level.”
One change to HB 1804 made by Sen. Williamson deals with state law on in state
tuition for the children of immigrants who have lived in the U.S. tor at least two years and
graduated from an Oklahoma high school.
“Under current law, those students can receive in-state tuition as long as they are in the
process of becoming citizens. Rather than repeal that provision, we have simply tightened it up
to make sure they are indeed taking steps to become citizens,’ Williamson said. Students cur-
rently in college would be grandfathered in under the current statute.”
The next step for HB 1804 will be a vote by the full Senate.
Some “Old Cars" in the 2006 ‘89er Parade.
This year the *89er Day Celebration is on Saturday April 21. The carnival will be in Lexington
tartina on Thursday, April 19, and weather permitting, through Sunday. There will be music
h day> food and craft booths, and the Big Parade starts at 3:00 PM. The Community Room
TMcClain Bank will serve as the Hospitality Center for visiting and coffee and tea will be
° d for those who wish rest and chat. Discount carnival tickets will be available at some ot the
convenience stores, and they are a bargain. $10 for six tickets, a saving of about 25%.
n
Hazel Shockey. Lexington Observer
Bill Keeler, Assistant Fire Chief Lexington Volunteer Fire department
VOLUNTEER FIREMAN BILL KEELER
Cedar Country Fire District News
By Daryl Covey,
At their April regular meet-
ing the Cedar Country Fire
Protection District’s Board of
Directors welcomed
Slaughterville Fire Chief Paul
Long as an invited speaker on
attaining the Class 7 (ISO-7)
fire protection rating from the
International Standards Orga-
nization. The District’s Board
has established ISO-7 as a
strategic goal to guide future
investments and initiatives,
and Chief Long’s excellent
presentation provided useful
background understanding for
pursuing it. Upon completion,
insurance premiums in the
District should drop consider-
ably and, more importantly,
the District will be better
equipped and prepared to pro-
tect lives and property of resi-
dents. In other business, the
Board implemented policies
for mileage payments to Dis-
trict firefighters responding to
emergencies and approved ex-
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Edwards, Olvis. Lexington Observer (Lexington, Okla.), Vol. 11, No. 51, Ed. 1 Thursday, April 5, 2007, newspaper, April 5, 2007; Lexington, Oklahoma. (https://gateway.okhistory.org/ark:/67531/metadc1599021/m1/1/?rotate=90: accessed June 20, 2024), The Gateway to Oklahoma History, https://gateway.okhistory.org; crediting Oklahoma Historical Society.