The Duncal

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Bray Doyle gets taste of 8 man game. Sports, Page 5

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Friday, September 20, 2013

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Judge accepts Halliburton DHS students pledge plea in 2010 Gulf oil spill not to text and drive
A federal judge has accepted a plea agreement that calls for Halliburton Energy Services to pay a $200,000 fine for destroying evidence after BP's 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Halliburton pleaded guilty Thursday to a misdemeanor charge stemming from the deletion of data during a post-spill review of the cement job on BP's blown-out Macondo well. The company could have withdrawn its guilty plea if U.S. District Judge Jane Triche Milazzo had rejected its deal with the Justice Department. Halliburton also agreed to make a $55 million contribution to the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, but that payment was not a condition of the deal. The company was BP's cement contractor on the drilling rig that exploded in the Gulf in April 2010, killing 11 workers. Halliburton was founded in Duncan in by Erle P. Halliburton in 1919 and is one of the world's largest providers of products and
See GULF Page 2
BY DERRICK MILLER
THE DUNCAN BANNER

Duncan High School students are taking the pledge to not text and drive, and they're encouraging their peers to follow suit. On Thursday, the high school's leadership group gave a presentation on the dangers of texting and driving. The program began with statistics involving distracted drivers and drivers who text and drive.

Chris Totty, a DHS senior, provided many of the statistics, including this face 40 out of 1,000 high schoolers may not make it to the age of 20 because of inattention while driving. Totty wasn't the only student providing the statistics. Taylor Barrick's focus went beyond just the introduction of more statistics. Barrick, who is DHS FFA chapter president and
See TEXT, Page 13

Emergency Management distributes weather radios

BY DERRICK MILLER
THE DUNCAN BANNER

About 75 weather radios have been plugged in at schools, daycare centers and nursing homes throughout Stephens County. And Stephens County Emergency Management workers still have several more to go. In all, the county received 105 weather radios to distribute. The radios were the result of a grant from about 1 1/2 years ago to provide more communication for Southwest Oklahoma. County Emergency Management Director Gary Ball said most entities and organizations approached to about having weather radios set up have provided positive feedback. "We had one nursing home say they didn't want one," Ball said. "The rest have been overwhelmed.

They don't cost them anything." The grant covered the entire cost of the radios, meaning the county didn't have to pay any out-of-pocket expenses. This made it easier to get the weather radios to distribute. And those radios may come in handy. Ball said storm season used to be more predictable (moving through the months of May, June and July). But weather patterns have changed he said. Weather is becoming more unpredictable. "Storm season is now 12 months a year," Ball said. "We try to be prepared for everything." In fact, a severe weather system had formed Thursday in the central northern region of the United States Iowa, Illinois and Michigan.
See RADIOS, Page 2 stration Office.

DERRICK MILLER/DIE DUNCAN BANNER

Don Hamer and Gary Ball set up a weather radio Thursday at Marlow Public Schools Admin-

Exhibit features legendary roper

RODEO LEGENDS REUNION SET FOR SATURDAY
was only 33 years old. But he had already achieved four World Championship titles for tie-down roping 1936, 1938, 1942 and 1944. His legacy lives on, through his family, rodeo history and fans who hear of his achievements. And a first time ever Legends Rodeo Reunion Saturday night at the Simmons Center helps preserve his legacy along with other area greats. His nephew, Roy Burk will be a guest speaker and the Burk family is legendary in the rodeo world. Born in Comanche on June 13, 1913, his history reveals his tenacity. Clyde was inducted posthumously to the ProRodeo Hall of Fame in 1979 for tie-down roping. He was only 19 when he was orphaned and his strength came through as he worked to keep his siblings together as a family two brothers and two sisters. It was the Depression era and living in southern Stephens County presented its own challenges. Rodeo life was the way of life for many a Comanche youngster and also throughout Stephens and Jefferson counties. Burk's first two titles were won on a sorrel gelding he trained named Bartender. Yet, it's the story of Baldy that captures the attention
See ROPER, Page 2

BY TONI HOPPER
THE DUNCAN BANNER

TONI HOPPER/THE DUNCAN BANNER

Portraits and mementos featuring the legendary roper Clyde Burk are among the items on display in the blue room at Chisholm Trail Heritage Center. The exhibit will remain open through October. A Legends Reunion will be at 7 p.m. Saturday at the Simmons Center.

An interesting exhibit at the Chisholm Trail Heritage Center features a rodeo legend Clyde Burk. And while the photos, belt buckles won in the arena, saddles and other mementos are the material possessions he left behind, it isn't all that is left of him. Burk died Jan. 22, 1945 during an event at the National Western Show in Denver. He

INDEX
CLASSIFIED 15-17 COMICS 14 DEATHS 3 4 OPINION SPORTS 5-7 TOO LATESCLASSIFIED 2

Colorado flooding triggers oil spills and shutdowns

DENVER (AP) Colorado's flooding shut down hundreds of natural gas and oil wells in the state's main petroleum-producing region and triggered at least two spills, temporarily suspending a multibillion-dollar drilling frenzy and sending inspectors into the field to gauge the extent of pollution. Besides the possible environmental impact, flood damage to roads, railroads and other infrastructure will affect the region's energy production for months to come. And analysts warn that images of flooded wellheads from the booming Wattenberg Field will increase public pressure to impose restrictions on drilling techniques such as fracking. "There's been massive amounts of growth in the last two years, and it's certainly expected to continue," Caitlyn McCrimmon, a senior research associate for Calgary-based energy consultant ITG Investment Research, said of Colorado oil and gas drilling. "The only real impediment to growth in this area would be if this gives enough ammunition to environmentalists to rally support for fracking bans,
See OIL, Page 2

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