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Oklahoma's Own In Focus: Craig County Zoning Proposition Aims To Restrict Wind Turbine Construction

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Oklahoma's Own In Focus: Craig County Zoning Proposition Aims To Restrict Wind Turbine Construction


On the ballot Tuesday: a zoning proposition in Craig County proposed by a group trying to stop a large wind farm from putting up windmills close to homes.

Craig County is one of several in Oklahoma where wind farm proposals are emerging. Companies already have power mills set up in at least eight counties, mostly in western Oklahoma. News On 6 has found they are either being proposed or are in development in at least ten other counties, moving toward the eastern side of the state.

The Oklahoma Wind Energy Development Act requires wind farms to keep turbines one and a half miles away from public airports, public schools, and hospitals, but there is no state requirement for residential homes.

Craig County Residents Concerned

News On 6 spoke to one couple who is concerned for their home and their neighbors after being approached by Triple Oak Energy, the company behind the Cabin Creek Wind Farm.

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Making your way down Highway 10 through Craig County, it’s not hard to imagine how some landowners feel about wind farms.

Natalie Bullard and her husband Ben live near Bluejacket and were approached by Triple Oak Power about placing wind turbines on their property about a year ago.

“My wife asked me a really important question. She said, ‘Well, if it wasn’t for the money, would you do it?’ And I know enough about the wind industry that my answer was no.”

The couple is now part of a group called the “Craig County Concerned Citizens.” The group is backing a zoning proposition on the ballot Tuesday that would allow the county to create zoning rules for unincorporated areas. Supporters of the proposal believe zoning is the best option to keep the more than 600-foot-tall turbines away from people’s homes.

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“This has been going on for about a year, and zoning wasn’t our first option,” Ben said. “It was probably about option D. We went with road use agreements. We looked at moratoriums and different things, but we were trying to find the most legal aspect we could to provide healthy and safe setbacks from industrial wind or just industrial energy development period.”

Many in the area are concerned about the erosion of property rights.

Craig County District Attorney Matt Ballard sent us this statement about the zoning proposition:

“The proposition isn’t about wind turbines. It is about zoning throughout the county. Zoning gives the county the ability to govern the appropriate use of property.”

The couple says they understand the concerns.

“We are all for property rights,” said Natalie. “We own land. We want to protect those property rights. I don’t want to tell my neighbor what to do, but at the same point in time, I have an interest in telling a foreign-owned company that they should be held to a higher standard of regulations and setbacks for our community’s health, safety, and welfare, and I think that’s really important.”

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Triple Oak Power Response

News On 6 reached out to Triple Oak Power about the proposed wind farm—called Cabin Creek Wind. They sent the following statement:

“Triple Oak Power is committed to responsible wind development and being a good community partner for years to come. We are excited about helping to drive economic opportunity in Craig County by creating new jobs, tax revenue for local schools and county services, and improved infrastructure.

“Craig County voters will have a choice on Tuesday to place limitations on property rights through zoning or leave things as is, protecting landowner rights to use their land. This referendum could result in significant costs for the county and add bureaucracy and red tape for residents who want to make improvements to their land.

“Whatever the results of this referendum, Triple Oak will continue to work with county leaders on important issues such as setbacks and any health and safety concerns of our Cabin Creek wind project.”

What’s Next

The zoning change that would make it harder for wind farms to build next to homes is now up to Craig County voters. Election Day is Tuesday.





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How to watch Arizona State at Oklahoma State: New TV channel update

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How to watch Arizona State at Oklahoma State: New TV channel update


The Arizona State at Oklahoma State Big 12 football game got a TV upgrade.

Originally scheduled to air on FS1, Saturday’s game in Stillwater will now be televised on FOX.

If the Yankees hadn’t blown a 5-0 lead in Game 5 of the World Series, Game 6 would be airing on FOX on Saturday. Instead, Sun Devils and Cowboys fans will get the benefit of the wider reach of a major network.

Arizona State (5-2, 2-2) is coming off a bye week and enters the game as 3.5-point favorites. Oklahoma State (3-5, 0-5) is trying to get back on track after losing five consecutive games.

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ASU running back Cam Skattebo, who has rushed for 848 yards and 10 touchdowns in seven games, could be in line for a big game vs. an OSU run defense that is dead last in the Big 12 – and second-to-last in all of Division I-A college football.

“He very well could be the best back we’ve played,” Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy. said “He’s a good back. They feed off him. So if you want to slow them down, in my opinion, you better tackle him.”

The Cowboys are giving up 251 rushing yards per game and are coming off a 38-28 loss to Baylor where they missed 21 tackles and allowed a staggering 343 yards on the ground.

Here are the updated details on how to watch and follow Arizona State at Oklahoma State on Saturday:

Arizona State at Oklahoma State TV Channel, Live Stream, Betting Odds

Who: Arizona State (5-2, 2-2) at Oklahoma State (3-5, 0-5) in a Big 12 football game

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When: 4 p.m. MST/6 p.m. CT | Saturday, November 2

Where: Boone Pickens Stadium | Stillwater, Oklahoma

Live Stream: Stream Arizona State-Oklahoma State live on fuboTV (Start your free trial)

TV Channel: FOX

Our Prediction: Arizona State 34, Oklahoma State 30

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Betting Odds: Arizona State is favored by 3.5 points per FanDuel Sportsbook

Live Updates, HighlightsFollow the game on Arizona State On SI for live updates and big-play highlights throughout Saturday’s matchup

More Big 12 News & Analysis



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Saturday a Must-Dominate For Oklahoma

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Saturday a Must-Dominate For Oklahoma


NORMAN — It isn’t lost on Oklahoma head coach Brent Venables that the Maine Black Bears are looking for their fifth win against an FBS opponent in the Sooners this Saturday.

“I could brag on Maine,” said Venables, the Sooners’ third-year man, during Tuesday’s press conference. “They’ve got 17 graduate [seniors]. What does that mean? They’ve got a lot of experience.”

The Black Bears, who play in the FCS Colonial Athletic Association, will bring their 4-4 record over 1,900 miles to Memorial Stadium. Two weeks ago, they scored a 35-7 win over FCS No. 5 Villanova and beat No. 21 Albany 34-20 on Sept. 28. If ever there was a game featuring a vulnerable Sooners team hosting a scary FCS team that could be too close for comfort, this Saturday is ripe for that opportunity.

“There are schemes that we’ve got to get ready for, and we need to get them down quickly, and otherwise they get sloppy and it don’t look good,” Venables said. “That’ll show up, too, and if I said, ‘Hey fellas, we’re playing this opponent this week, we’ll see you on Thursday. Give you the first three days of the week off and we’ll start up on Thursday.’ How do you think that’s going to look? No matter who you play, that’s going to look like crap.”

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Maine defeated Mississippi State 9-7 in 2004, its only SEC win in program history. That year’s Bulldogs went 2-6 in conference play with wins against No. 20 Florida and Kentucky on consecutive weeks. After this week, the Sooners will have three chances to win their second conference game in their inaugural SEC season: Nov. 9 at No. 25 Mizzou; Nov. 23 vs. No. 14 Alabama; and Nov. 30 at No. 16 LSU. 

“They’re a good FCS team,” freshman cornerback Eli Bowen said Monday night during player media availability. “They’ve beaten a lot of top teams in that division, so we can’t take them lightly and that’s shown by our record also.”

“That’s the last thing you want to do is kind of fall asleep on an opponent,” senior corner Dez Malone concurred. “This still is the game of football, and you’ve got to go out and compete and play your 1/11 and I think we’re treating them like we would treat anyone else on the schedule. And that’s the best thing we can do at this point.”

It also isn’t lost on this team — though it might be hard to imagine them winning another game after Saturday — that Maine is a must-win, fifth win to have a prayer of reaching the six-game bowl eligibility threshold and a must-dominate for further consideration. The Sooners hold the second longest active bowl streak in college football and have not missed bowl season since 1998.

“It’s actually pretty important to win this because we’re one more closer to getting to a bowl game,” junior defensive lineman R Mason Thomas said. “I know that’s huge because we have a bowl streak going back a long time. We’re not trying to look forward, but we know we have to win to make a bowl.”

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San Antonio vs. Oklahoma City, Final Score: Spurs outshot and out-defended by Thunder, 93-105

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San Antonio vs. Oklahoma City, Final Score: Spurs outshot and out-defended by Thunder, 93-105


Oklahoma City (4-0), clamping down on a Spurs squad with its top-ranked defense, used an 18-2 run in the first quarter to stake itself to a comfortable lead that was not threatened in a 105-93 victory. The Thunder started white hot from three (14 first half makes), while many San Antonio forays stalled out deep in the paint with 2-3 defenders lurking nearby. Chet Holmgren got the better of his more heralded counterpart throughout much of the first half with 15 points and two blocks, while Victor Wembanyama had his worst output of the young season.

San Antonio (1-3) was led again by Jeremy Sochan (17 points and 9 rebounds) accompanied by grizzled veterans Harrison Barnes (18 points and 4 rebounds) and Chris Paul (14 points and 9 assists). The team let Wembanyama (6 points, 8 rebounds, and 3 blocks) down by not being able to find him in advantageous spots in the halfcourt, which was not helped by him getting bogged down by his own frustrations. Malaki Branham chipped in 15 points off the bench.

The Thunder were led by Holmgren (19 points and 5 rebounds) who paced four starters in double figures – Luguentz Dort (20 points and 6 rebounds), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (18 points and 5 assists), and Jalen Williams (12 points and 8 assists) — a group that thoroughly outplayed their counterparts.

The visitors had considerable difficulty getting through the lane amidst a sea of Thunder arms, and settled for jumpers with many of them clanging off the rim. Oklahoma City’s success from three allowed them to settle into the catbird seat. While the Spurs steadied themselves and kept OKC off the boards over the last two minutes of the first, they still ended a difficult opening frame down seven.

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The Thunder (editor’s note: like a bad case of dysentery – JRW) made life difficult for San Antonio at one both ends, while shooting confidently and brazenly from distance in their halfcourt offense. The Spurs’ deficit ballooned to 19 before they found a veteran line-up that could somewhat deter the hopeful contenders. Chris Paul’s timely shooting staved off OKC running away with things, but the Thunder still went to the half up 59-44.

The Thunder started the second half by attacking the basket at-will. Holmgren tagged Wembanyama with an elbow to the face on a drive, and Harrison Barnes’ fadeaway brought San Antonio within 11. Behind Barnes and Paul, the Spurs managed to impressively win the quarter 26-23 despite Oklahoma City’s astounding success from distance.

Observations

  • With the stirring Celtics / Pacers tilt spilling into overtime, the Spurs / Thunder telecast started with San Antonio up 10-7.
  • OKC is forcing a turnover on one of every five possessions, per Zach Kram of The Ringer. They thusly generated countless deflections and steals in triumph tonight.
  • Those SATX uniforms are pretty meh.
  • With the Spurs being on the national airwaves again, we (well, mainly I) need to get used to the longer television timeouts.
  • It’s these type of tough road games where Barnes needs to more forcefully assert himself on the offensive end – and he ended up doing that!
  • I lost count of the times that Tim Legler and Dave Pasch commented on San Antonio’s suboptimal offense.
  • This might have been the first game this season that felt a little too big for Stephon Castle.
  • Victor Ease: Not sure how to feel about Wembanyama stationed on the free throw line (like Dirk Nowitzki used to). While he is able to see the floor well from that perch, he can’t punish the defense with that mid-range jumper yet.
  • Sequence of the Game: After Zach Collins emphatically turned away Aaron Wiggin’s dunk attempt at the start of the second period, Malaki Branham’s connected from the wing.
  • In a fast-paced opening handful of minutes, the Spurs briefly held a small lead. Jalen William’s steal of Paul’s crosscourt pass and breakaway dunk drew Pop’s ire. San Antonio had trouble converting its looks from the perimeter, while Holmgren hit two early ones of his own. As the Spurs’ field goal drought spanned nine attempts, OKC extended out to a 20-10 advantage. Zach Collins’ three and a spinning lay-up by Blake Wesley fended off an early blowout. The Thunder had the Spurs down 26-19 after one.
  • San Antonio managed to get a pair of shot-clock violations on OKC late in the first and at the start of the second. Wembanyama tumbled to the floor with his defender, and Jalen Williams found a streaking Holmgren for a transition dunk. A visibly frustrated and possibly injured Wembanyama went straight to the locker room. Holmgren’s three after an inbounds turnover and Ajay Mitchell’s three put the Spurs down 19. After Holmgren inexplicably tried throwing himself a lob off the backboard, Paul hit a pair of threes to bring San Antonio within ten. Paul’s third three was answered very quickly by Jalen Williams and Luguentz Dort, and the Spurs were fortunate to be down only 15 at the break.
  • OKC held a lay-up parade to start the second half to match their biggest lead at 19. Julian Champagnie encouragingly hit a corner three, and Barnes’ driving dunk brought San Antonio within two touchdowns. Dort’s second uncontested three of the frame put the Thunder up 19 again. Paul hit a patented mid-range jumper and found Sochan for an acrobatic lay-up. Barnes’ wing three brought the Spurs within eight as they mounted their first serious push. After San Antonio’s finest defensive stand of the game, Keldon Johnson’s three trimmed their deficit to seven.
  • Malaki Branham’s bankshot three again brought San Antonio within seven to start the fourth, which ended up being the closest that they would get. No other Spurs could help Branham mount a comeback attempt in the stanza.

San Antonio heads west for a road SEGABABA against Lauri Markkanen and the Utah Jazz tomorrow night at 8:00 PM CDT.

Happy Halloween Pounders!



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