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2 in Oklahoma accused of toppling country radio station tower to steal $100 in copper

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2 in Oklahoma accused of toppling country radio station tower to steal 0 in copper


A man and a woman have been arrested for allegedly taking down part of an Oklahoma radio station’s nearly 500-foot tower to steal some copper, Choctaw County Sheriff Terry Park says.

The tower, located in Hugo, belongs to Payne Media Group’s station K95.5. The radio station posted a video of the damage on Facebook following the vandalism that took place Jan. 15.

“Cut the guy-wire on one leg and that’s what brought entire top sections down,” the video’s narrator, identified to Fox News by the station as Will Payne, says. “And then, they proceeded to disassemble.” 

Cut hardware was shown as viewers were told how the transmission line connected to the antenna was targeted by the thieves. 

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FOUR OKLAHOMA STATE FRATERNITY MEMBERS ARRESTED FOR ALLEGEDLY LEAVING DEAD LONGHORN OUTSIDE RIVAL FRAT HOUSE

“What they do, these copper thieves, is they cut it up in these 10-foot sections,” Payne says. “So right now we know that there’s probably eight to 10 of these sections in the back of a truck or a van, maybe. This is what we need to be looking out for, and if you can help me out as we try to figure out our next step, what we’re gonna do to rebuild this place.” 

“Let’s make them pay,” Payne says about the crime that happened overnight, leaving the mangled tower on the ground. He said the copper taken would only be worth about $100, but Sheriff Park believes otherwise.

OKLAHOMA WOMAN SHOOTS AND KILLS MAN WHO BROKE INTO HER HOME: POLICE

Radio tower copper theft suspect Candice Logan, seen photographed with a car containing what appears to be copper in the trunk. (Facebook/Terry Park)

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Copper theft suspect Matt Wilson in custody. (Facebook/Terry Park)

“Loss of copper a few hundred dollars, damage to the tower and building approximately 500,000.00,” Park posted on his Facebook page.  

The station, identified by call letters KITX, is still not available over-the-air as a result of the tower damage, but can be listened to online. It is also posting updates about the investigation on Facebook.

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Sheriff Park identified the suspects as Matt Wilson and Candice Logan. Local media outlet the Paris News identifies Wilson as being 37 years old, and Logan as 34. The investigation is ongoing.   

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The tower was built in 2017 and K95.5 was the first FM station to serve northeast Texas and southeast Oklahoma, a station spokesperson told Fox News via Facebook Messenger. They added that local community response has been “humbling.”



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Oklahoma

Oklahoma police set up sting for stolen property

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Oklahoma police set up sting for stolen property


One person has been arrested after allegedly trying to sell stolen property on Facebook.

On April 10, an officer with the Tulsa Police Department saw a post on Facebook Marketplace for a projector lens that was stolen from the condemned Promenade Mall.

The lens, which is worth $20,000, was listed for just $500.

The officer used a fake Facebook account to message the seller and arranged a trade for the lens in exchange for a minibike.

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Earlier this week, 19-year-old Zachery Scrivner met with the officer and was arrested.

According to the police department, Scrivner said he knew the lens was stolen but decided to try to sell it anyway.

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He was arrested on a complaint of knowingly concealing stolen property.

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South-Carolina

LIVE: Full SC senate committee takes up latest abortion bill

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LIVE: Full SC senate committee takes up latest abortion bill


COLUMBIA, S.C. (WIS) – The latest effort to ban abortion in South Carolina will go before a full Senate committee on Thursday.

The South Carolina Senate Medical Affairs Committee will take up S.1095, a day after it was approved by a subcommittee. That vote came following a two-hour hearing on Tuesday.

The latest proposal, known as the “Unborn Child Protection Act,” would effectively replace the state’s current ban on abortion after six weeks.

The bill would prohibit abortions once a pregnancy is clinically diagnosable and eliminate existing exceptions for rape, incest and fatal fetal anomalies. Abortions would be permitted only in cases of medical emergencies to prevent a woman’s death or a “substantial and irreversible physical impairment of a major bodily function.”

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The current law allows for abortions up to 12 weeks in cases of rape or incest.

Supporters of the new bill argue that those exceptions do not go far enough. Sen. Richard Cash, a Republican from Anderson County and a sponsor, said he has pushed for stricter abortion laws since taking office in 2017.

“The right to life is an unalienable right that comes from God, and the state needs to recognize that and codify that in law,” Cash said Tuesday.

Under the proposal, doctors who illegally perform abortions could face felony charges punishable by up to 20 years in prison. Pregnant women could also face misdemeanor charges, carrying a potential sentence of up to two years in prison. Both parties’ would face hefty fines.

Opponents say the bill goes too far and would have serious consequences for patients and medical providers. Outside the committee room, advocates for abortion rights and LGBTQ+ rights rallied outside the South Carolina State House on Tuesday.

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Carey Shofner with the Palmetto State Abortion Fund emphasized the existing six‑week ban has not satisfied some lawmakers.

“Even with that six‑week ban in place, that’s never going to be good enough for some people,” Shofner said. “Some people today were testifying that they didn’t think this total abortion ban was extreme enough because women couldn’t be charged with the death penalty.”

Back inside the committee room, Ashlyn Preaux, also with the Palmetto State Abortion Fund, said criminalizing women would harm families.

“You’re not protecting families by passing this bill,” she said. “You’re actually tearing them apart, because when you criminalize a mom, you’re not just punishing her — you’re punishing her children.”

The bill would also classify abortion medications such as Mifepristone as Schedule IV controlled substances under state law.

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“Last year, this subcommittee rejected a bill just like this one because they saw it for what it was: disgraceful government overreach and abject cruelty,” Vicki Ringer, Director of Public Affairs at Planned Parenthood South Atlantic, said in a statement after Wednesday’s vote. “And yet today they voted to advance the same total abortion ban that criminalizes doctors and patients, threatening to throw a woman who has an abortion in prison. We have to meet this assault on our rights. Keep calling, keep emailing, keep speaking out — let your legislator know that you’re watching, and your rights are not for the taking.”

Some argued the bill is a step in the right direction, but said it does not go far enough. Mark Corral with Equal Protection South Carolina said abortion should be treated as homicide under state law.

“Would you want your death to be treated as a mere misdemeanor?” Corral said. “Failing to treat the willful killing of a preborn child as homicide violates God’s law.”

Gov. Henry McMaster has previously said he believes South Carolina’s six‑week abortion ban reflects the views of most residents.

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Tennessee

Tennessee bill mandates use of ‘Judea and Samaria’ in official state materials | The Jerusalem Post

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Tennessee bill mandates use of ‘Judea and Samaria’ in official state materials | The Jerusalem Post


The Tennessee General Assembly passed House Bill 1446, known as the Recognizing Judea and Samaria Act, sending the measure to the governor’s desk as part of an effort to standardize terminology in state government communications, the National Association of Christian Lawmakers (NACL) said.

The legislation requires state agencies to use the term “Judea and Samaria” in official materials. Supporters argue the terminology reflects ancient Jewish historical ties to the land, while “West Bank,” widely used internationally, dates to Jordan’s control of the territory after 1948 and is viewed by backers of the bill as a later political label.

The measure, which goes into effect July 1, 2026, was advanced by Chris Todd, who also serves as NACL Tennessee State Chair. The organization said the directive is intended to create consistency across government entities and align language with what it describes as established historical references.

NACL Founder and President Jason Rapert framed the bill as part of a broader national effort. He said Todd had shown “principled leadership” by promoting legislation rooted in what he described as historical accuracy. Rapert added that the group has backed similar initiatives across the country and views the measure as part of a growing push for government language to reflect “reality, not political convenience.”

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Todd, who chairs the House Agriculture & Natural Resources Committee, framed the legislation as a matter of how public institutions present information, arguing that “accuracy and integrity must be the standard in official government communications.”

He said requiring agencies to use what he described as “historically grounded terms” would create consistency across state entities and avoid taxpayer-funded messaging that reflects politically driven language.

Todd also pointed to broader disputes over historical narratives, saying official terminology influences how information is conveyed to the public and taught to future generations.





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