CYAN
OPINION
QUESTIONS? Contact the editor at (405) 214-3922 or michael.mccormick@news-star.com
Publisher Executive Editor Operations/Creative Manager Business Manager Sales Manager
ABOUT THIS PAGE On the principle that the fair and unimpeded exchange of ideas is the permanent foundation and continuing guarantee of a free people, The Shawnee News-Star opinion page will offer varied opinions and analyses on a broad range of topics that affect your life. The viewpoints expressed in columns, guest commentaries, letters to the editor and editorial cartoons are those of the authors and artists. Editorials are the opinion of the News-Star. Your viewpoints are always welcome. If you have any questions about this page, including its content, please call or write us. Your opinion matters most of all.
THE SCOOP
LAWMAKERS
Surveys indicate a good year for doves American ove season is among the that monetary donations may militant said most highly anticipated be made to “Coats for Kids” at hunting seasons in the First United Bank or mailed to and that’s not surprising. Coats for Kids Ministry at P.O. killed in Syria state, Dove hunting not only offers Box 246, Tecumseh, OK 74873.
D
NEW HOPE, Minn. (AP) — An American man believed to have been killed in Syria was there to fight alongside a terrorist group, most likely the Islamic State, a U.S. official said Tuesday. Investigators were aware that Douglas McAuthur McCain had traveled to the country to join a militant group, but they did not yet have his body and were still trying to verify information about his death, said the official, who was not authorized to discuss by name an ongoing investigation and spoke only on condition of anonymity. A relative, Kenneth McCain, told The Associated Press that the State Department had called to tell his family that Douglas McCain had been killed in Syria. “We do not know if he was fighting anyone,” he said. U.S. law enforcement and intelligence officials have expressed concern about the influence of hard-line jihadists who are among the rebels seeking to overthrow Syrian President Bashar Assad. Officials say fighters from the U.S. or Europe looking to join the cause could become radicalized and import those influences and terrorist skills when they return home. It was unclear when McCain, who had most recently lived in San Diego, traveled to Syria. He grew up outside Minneapolis in the town of New Hope, where he graduated high school in 1999. A cousin, Kenyata McCain, told the Minneapolis Star Tribune that she had spoken to McCain as recently as Friday and “he was telling all of us he was in Turkey.” “I know that he had strong Muslim beliefs,” she told the newspaper. “But I didn’t know that he was in support of ISIS. I didn’t think he would be.” At an apartment complex in New Hope, Shelly Chase remembered McCain as a friendly boy who welcomed her 9-year-old son, Isaac, when the Chase family moved in some two decades ago. Even though McCain was a few years older, the boys used to lift weights, hit punching bags and play basketball. Both Shelly Chase and her son, now 28, fought back tears as they talked about McCain. “I’m holding in the tears, I really am, because this is hard. He was a good kid,” Shelly Chase said. “Someone must have persuaded him.” Isaac Chase said he had always looked up to McCain. Chase joined the military in 2007, and said before he left, he knew McCain was running into trouble, sometimes smoking marijuana at the park. Minnesota criminal courts records show McCain had a few minor traffic offenses, including two instances where he was convicted of giving police a false name or ID. “I don’t know if he was just lost or what,” Isaac Chase said. “He was a good person at heart.” He said he last talked to McCain in 2008 when he was home on leave. McCain told Isaac he was proud of him, and he was trying to straighten out his own life, Isaac said. FBI Director James Comey said in June that roughly 100 people had left the United States to join the conflict in Syria. Comey said the terrorism threat of today “has spread, metastasized. ... The traveler problem makes it even more difficult, because the people going to Syria are not from any particular demographic. They’re not from any particular part of the United States.” Comey’s remarks came during a visit to the FBI’s field office in Minneapolis, which has struggled in recent years with several young Somali-Americans leaving the United States to join the terror group al-Shabab in Somalia. FBI spokesman E.K. Wilson said agents continue to investigate reports that several young men have left the Minneapolis area for overseas locations, including Syria.
BLACK
PAGE 6A
Established in 1943, The Shawnee News-Star is a locally managed division of GateHouse Media.
AP SOURCE
YELLOW
Wednesday, August 27, 2014
THE SHAWNEE NEWS-STAR Brian Blansett Mike McCormick Reita Easley Jeffrey Fisher James Bridges
MAGENTA
first-class wing shooting and fine table fare, it is also an easy sport to learn. All a hunter needs is a shotgun, ammunition, proper licenses and a place to go. Josh Richardson, migratory game bird biologist for the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation, said this dove season should provide hunters with a lot of action. Richardson calls attention to data found in this year’s dove survey. “The dove call survey, which gives us an index of adults pre-nesting, was up by more than 20 percent from last year. This is a considerable boost, which indicates we are having a good year for doves.” Like any other year, weather is a major factor. This year, the weather has been better than in previous years. However the heavy rains in some areas have reduced some of the normal food sources. Richardson said because of the rains, most waste grain in wheat fields has either sprouted or soured. “On the good side, the summer rain has also brought on a flush of native forbs like sunflower, snow-onthe-mountain, croton (doveweed) and others,” he said. From now through September, hunters should expect to see groups of birds forming into large flocks. And with dove season just around the corner, hunters should be getting ready. “The best thing hunters can do right now is scout,” Richardson said. Mornings and evenings are the best times to scout, and finding food sources dove prefer is key. “Look for food sources nearby where you saw groups of birds, and remember the native forbs are in excellent condition this year,” he said. This year, dove season will run Sept. 1 - Oct. 31, statewide, followed by another nine-day period open from Dec. 20-28, statewide. For tips and information on dove hunting forested areas, check out the September/Oc-
MIKE MCCORMICK EDITOR’S NOTEBOOK
tober issue of “Outdoor Oklahoma.” Dove hunters are required to have a valid hunting license or proof of exemption and a free Harvest Information Program (HIP) permit, both available online at wildlifedepartment.com. Full details and regulations for dove hunting are available in the current “Oklahoma Hunting” guide, available free online at wildlifedepartment.com or at anywhere hunting licenses are sold. If you’re thinking about trying dove hunting for the first time or just looking for some tips, be sure to check out, “Four Tips to Better Dove Hunting.” ••• Oklahoma Highway Patrol Trooper Will Arnett has announced as part of a statewide ramped-up enforcement efforts for the Labor Day holiday weekend, the OHP and numerous law enforcement agencies, including Pottawatomie County Sheriff’s office, Tecumseh Police Department and Shawnee Police Department, will be operating a special enforcement patrol for impaired driving from Friday, Aug. 29, to Sept. 2. Local patrols will take place in the area of [Pottawatomie County] throughout the Labor Day holiday weekend, he said. ••• Norma McKiddy down at Tecumseh writes me that the “Coats for Kids” Ministry is gearing up for the 2014-2015 fall and winter season. Once again she is seeking donation of good warm and used coats of all sizes, from infants to adults. She advises donations may be dropped off at Morris Cleaners or Branson McKiddy Realty in Tecumseh or Finley Cleaners in Shawnee. For coats to be picked up, call her at 405-598-1443. She adds
All donations are appreciated, she said. The Coat House at Gordon Cooper Drive and Benson Park Road will be opening beginning Oct. 18 and run through February, each Saturday from 9 a.m. until noon. She points out there is no charge but the person needing a coat must be present to receive one. This is the 18th year of this ministry, and she noted thousands of coats have been given out. She said, “Words cannot express our appreciation for all the help received.” ••• The 2014 Lincoln County Fair is opening today. It runs through Aug. 30. The carnival (E&B Fun Times) offers rides, food and games Thursday through Saturday. E&B Fun Times will have wrist bands nightly for one special price, people must be at least 36 inches tall to purchase wrist bands. Saturday night the tractor pull will begin at 7 p.m. featuring the Oklahoma Garden Tractor Pulling Association. There will be several vendors in the commercial building and the hours will be noon to 8:30 p.m. on Thursday and Friday and from 10 a.m. till 2 p.m. on Saturday. ••• Pottawatomie County’s Free Fair is a week away. It’s scheduled for Sept. 3-6 at the Heart of Oklahoma Exposition Center. The Fair Board has hired Kevin and Stormi Marlow this year to manage the fair. It will open around 3 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 3. The carnival opens Thursday at 6 p.m. The Children’s Barnyard opens at 1 p.m. on Thursday. ••• If you have ideas or something of interest for this column, please call me at 2143922 or email me at michael. mccormick@news-star.com. Please include your name and a phone number for contact purposes.
Governor Gov. Mary Fallin 2300 N. Lincoln Blvd Room 212 Oklahoma City OK 73105 www.governor.ok.gov.
State Senators Sen. Ron Sharp 2300 N. Lincoln Blvd. – Room 533 Oklahoma City OK 73105 Senate office: 521-5539 Sharp@oksenate.gov Cindy Sullivan/Executive assistant Sen. Harry Coates 2300 N. Lincoln Blvd. Room 514 A Oklahoma City OK 73105 Office: 521-5547 Home: 2300 John St. Seminole OK 74868
Representatives Rep. Josh Cockroft 2300 N. Lincoln Blvd. – Room 329B Oklahoma City OK 73105 Office: 557-7349 Josh.Cockroft@okhouse. gov Rep. Justin Wood 2300 N. Lincoln Blvd. — Room 202 Oklahoma City OK 73105 Phone: 557-7345 Justin.Wood@okhouse.gov Lindsay Casaway, assistant Rep. Tom Newell 2300 N. Lincoln Blvd. — Room 328B Oklahoma City OK 73105 Phone: 557-7372 tom.newell@okhouse.gov Rep. Todd Thomsen 2300 N. Lincoln Blvd. — Room 338 Oklahoma City OK 73105 Phone: (405) 557-7336 todd.thomsen@okhouse. gov
U.S. Senators, Representative Sen. James Inhofe SR-453 Russell Senate Office Bldg Washington, DC 20510 Phone: (202) 224-4721 Web: http://Inhofe.senate. gov Sen. Tom Coburn SR-172 Russell Senate Office Bldg Washington, DC 20510 Phone: (202) 224-5754 Fax: (202) 224-6008 Web: http://Coburn.senate. gov Rep. James Lankford 288 Cannon House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 Phone: (405) 234-9900 Web: http://lankford.house. gov
City of Shawnee Mayor Wes Mainord C/O City of Shawnee P.O. Box 1448 Shawnee, OK 74802-1448 Wes.Mainord@shawneeok. org
Pottawatomie County Commissioners (405) 273-4305 District 1: Melissa Dennis District 2: Randy Thomas District 3: Eddie Stackhouse
DID YOU KNOW? • You can write a letter to the editor. Send it to michael.mccormick@news-star. com. Please include name and contact number. Letters should be no longer than 400 words. • You can send in questions about current events to ASK AP at newsquestions@ AP.org. Please include name and hometown. • You can send in a Lifestyles announcement. Send it to tina.bridenstine@ news-star.com. Please include contact number and photo (optional). There is no charge for this service.