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TAKING THE SPOTLIGHT
• Bridges Out of Poverty Look in the Friday paper for coverages of the Bridges Out of Poverty graduation. ONLY ONLINE
SEE A PHOTO OF A ROLLOVER ACCIDENT NEAR TECUMSEH.
• K-9 training See video of officers training K-9s.
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THE SHAWNEE NEWS-STAR 75 cents
THURSDAY, AUGUST 28, 2014
COLUMN
To read or not to read?
SHAWNEE
Suspect surrenders
Stabbing victim dies; suspect jailed on murder complaint By Kim Morava Kimberly.morava@news-star. com
TINA BRIDENSTINE tina.bridenstine@news-star.com
T
hat headline isn’t meant in general, of course, because the answer would always be, “Um, read. Duh.” But sometimes it’s just a case of there being so very many books and so little time. How does one even choose what to read? It’s like trying to choose which kind of cheesecake to eat. Recently, a favorite series of mine hit the small screen on Starz as they started airing “Outlander,” based on books by Diana Gabaldon. I started reading the books sometime around 2000, when a friend suggested them to me. With the exception of the first book, which I reread a few years ago, I haven’t read any of them since the first time. So it’s been more than 10 years for some of the earlier books. With the eighth book in the series and the TV series both recently released, I’ve been thinking of giving them another go. One of the ladies in the office has been rereading the series, and she’ll often pass by my desk and tell me of the most recent happenings in the plot. Even now that she’s on the most recent book I’ve read, she’s still generally met with a blank look and a response of, “I don’t even remember that character. Who is that?” Well, it’s a lot to keep up with, and it’s been a few years since I last read all that. It’s one of those things I’ve just sort of learned to deal with. Sort of like how every time a new book is released, I can pretty much expect reference will be made to things in earlier books that I have no memory of, but I sort of shrug my shoulders and read on. So maybe I should refresh my memory before I pick up book 8. But each book is near 1,000 pages, and there are seven to reread (not counting spin-off books and short stories), and there are just so many other books I haven’t even read for the first time. Not to mention there is one advantage to having only vague memories of the books. The longer it has been since I’ve read a book, the more I enjoy watching any shows or movies based on said book. It’s easy to be forgiving of minor details when you don’t remember those minor details.
A suspect sought in connection with what began as an assault case but ended up being a fatal stabbing in Shawnee surrendered himself to authorities Wednesday afternoon.
Shawnee Police Detective Jason Crouch said police had been looking for Raymond Dewayne Harjo Jr., 24, from Seminole, following the weekend stabbing at a Shawnee residence. When the stabbing victim died Wednesday morning at an Oklahoma City
hospital, a judge signed a warrant for Harjo’s arrest on a first-degree murder complaint. Through his lawyer, Harjo turned himself in to Pottawatomie County Sheriff Mike Booth and Undersheriff Travis Palmer Wednesday afternoon, with
reports indicating he gave a brief statement but didn’t answer any questions. Harjo was taken to the Seminole County jail, where he was being held without bond Wednesday night. He will make an initial SUSPECT, Page 5A Dewayne Harjo Jr.
ISRAEL
Accessibility
OBU president’s trip to continue By Ben Luschen ben.luschen@news-star.com
Parathon Construction conducts concrete work for the sidewalk/ADA Handicap Ramps Project at the Broadway Avenue and Highland Street intersection Wednesday.
A trip to Israel planned by Oklahoma Baptist President David Whitlock and others will go on as scheduled. Whitlock and a group of 80, including OBU students, alumni and churchgoers from around the state, will leave for a 10-day Biblical tour of the Holy Land on Tuesday. The fighting in the Gaza Strip region seems to have slowed as both sides agreed to a mutual ceasefire after almost two months of violence. Both Israeli President Benjamin Netanyahu and Hamas on Wednesday claimed victory in the conflict. “I am encouraged with the latest news coming out of Israel and am excited to continue the trip as planned,” Whitlock said in a phone interview. Whitlock said the group had never planned on visiting any areas where fighting was prevalent. TRIP, Page 5A
ED BLOCHOWIAK STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
EVENT
INVESTIGATION UPDATE
Circus to revisit Tecumseh
Police seek more information in woman’s death
By Ben Luschen ben.luschen@news-star.com
The Culpepper and Merriweather Circus will be returning to Tecumseh in September. The event is scheduled to take place September 17 on the Tecumseh High School grounds. Two different times are set for performances, the first at 5 p.m. and the second at 7:30 p.m. Tent CIRCUS, Page 5A
By Kim Morava Kimberly.morava@news-star. com
A performer for the Culpepper and Merriweather Circus poses with lions. PHOTO PROVIDED
Madison Hope Gentry Rev. Leroy Kerbo Roberta Wyatt Lupe McCoy Zachary Duncan Vernon Jones Judy Marrs Jim Smith Larry Flanagan Johnathan Dinwiddie
Brit Hembree Terri Maddox Beverly Welborn-Ball Rayden Bristow Kristen Rusk Clarice Murdock Jim Smith Don B. Jones Lakyn Baney Sharon Sloan Ashley Peerson Lamara Edmisten Owen Lytle Tawana Hines Jo Garrett Dwayne Jenkins
Korey Welliver Jo Garrett Rechinta Youmans Jimmie Brownell Sr. Mary Moats Luther Wilcox Leon Rodgers Brittany Gregg Buena Haymond Terri R. Jordan Eailene “Candy” McGowan Jimmy Murdock Leonard Foreman
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Obituaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4A Opinion. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6A
Local News. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2A Lifestyles. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7A
BIRTHDAYS
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Shawnee police are still gathering information as part of the ongoing investigation into the suspicious death of a young Shawnee mother. The body of Casie Michelle Johnson, 25, was found Aug. 8 in the North Canadian River, about 300 to 400 yards east of the Beard Street bridge. To submit a local birthday, e-mail the month, day and name to reita.easley@ news-star.com or call 214-3939, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Police said Johnson had gone to the river with friends several days before that and relatives became worried when she didn’t return home so they filed a missing person’s report. A search of the river area led to police discovering her body. Police have said her death is considered suspicious, but the state medical UPDATE, Page 5A
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