June 25, 2019 Issue, Page 1 of 8

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Your News E Subscribe Online to The Elk City N Visit www.elkcityoknews.com Serving Western Oklahoma MID-WEEK Since 1901 EDITION | Elementary School 5 *Please Do Not Enter Fishing Derby Elk City Ackley Park and Ackley Park West map for the 4th of July fireworks. Submitted map. Top photo: Victoria Redden, enjoyed the fishing derby with her father James Redden. Photo submitted by Hope Redden. By Don Munsch in] building the racks and mortars in the ground. ... We more said. Editor making sure that we have would have a lighter and we Lenius and Sizemore Khloe Lee was fishing with her family. all the right mortars and the would have a guy putting the showed The Elk City News ‘Staff photo by D’Ann Brasuell. Patrons attending the an- right size of mortars and wir- mortars in. He would go put where the city houses the nual July Fourth fireworks ing them up and timing and the shells in, and then the equipment until the show be- display in Elk City will be figuring all of that. It’s pretty lighter would come in behind gins; because of the sensitivi- able to see the usual colorful incredible. We've been out and start lighting these ty of the equipment’s disposi- tion and state laws, the News Lopez wanted explosions lighting the night- there kind of time-lapsing time sky, some from the fire some video just so people can In the late 1990s, firefight- will not disclose the site’s department and some from get an idea of it.” ers switched to an electronic location. Once the mortars arrive, more security steps patrons who bring their own fireworks. The Elk City Fire Depart- She said she thinks she had taken the fireworks show for granted. The show will firing system and the city has been doing an electronic ap- paratus ever since then. are taken at the site to ensure the safety of the site. on rape charges ment oversees the discharg- feature 892 shells and 700 “We're used to rent all Sizemore said a mathemat- ing of the fireworks, done shots. of our mortars, but now we ical formula is used to deter- By Don Munsch in the 5-plex area of Ackley ‘Times have changed for have actually purchased mine the safety zone barrier. Editor Park West. Thousands of how the show is conducted. all of our mortars, so we're No one is allowed inside the people usually attend the “WhenI first got hired goingto start getting more barrier at the 5-plex area display. on as a volunteer in ‘96, we bang for our buck,” he said. except the proper personnel. An arrest warrant has been issued for an Elk City man “WhenI first started and actually hand-lit all of our “Literally, more bang for “We have to have 70 feet ona charge of second degree rape, according to a probable started looking at what all fireworks,” said Elk City our buck,” Lenius said. per inch ofshell.” Sizemore cause affidavit. it took to do the firework Assistant Fire Chief Billy Now that the mortars are said. “So, we've got 10-inch The warrant was issued June 11 for Mauricio Evaristo display, I was just absolutely Sizemore, who along with owned by the city, the fire mortars, so we have to have Lopez, 27, who is alleged to have had sex with a 15-year-old amazed,” said Julie Lenius, four other people at the fire department can add to its 700 feet of area from the girl, the affidavit stated. director ofthe Elk City Con- department who have opera- show. general public and from any On Aug. 28, the Beckham County Sheriff's Office received vention and Visitors Bureau. tion licenses and can have “With the same budget we structures.” a report of a 15-year-old female who was impregnated by an “J don’t think the public real- assistants under them. “So have, we can keep adding to adult male. izes how much time [it takes we would bury these steel our show every year,” Size- See Fireworks page 2. Brandyce Hickey, a detective with the sheriff's office, interviewed the girl and gir!’s mother. The mother said Lopez was an MMA fighter. She said her daughter used an over-the-counter pregnancy test and discovered she was Exchange students pregnant. The pregnancy was later confirmed by the health department. The alleged victim told Hickey that Lopez was the father. Victim Advocate Jenna Dodson also interviewed the al- leged victim’s mother, and she shared details with Dodson By Don Munsch inan American high school _ school year, or just semester __and a letter they write to the and 5Hickey about the alleged victim’s background, the Editor and immerse themselves students,” Goss said in an in- student. affidavit stated. ; ; in family life and activities, _terview. “Asemester student “Ihave to go do ahost _ Theaffidavit also revealed information gleaned from an Sharing the American cul- accordingto anews release. might come in August and _ family interview and check interview between Hickey and the alleged victim, including ture and gaining anunder- _—-Host families provideroom, | thengohomein December, _ out the house and different the alleged victim disclosing through word and anatomical standing ofa foreign country board and cultural guidance. _if they’re a first semester things like that,” Goss said, drawings presented to her that she and Lopez had sex. The are two of the rewards of Empty nesters, singles and student. Ifthey'reasecond __describingother portions of _| alleged victim said Lopez told her he was 19, the affidavit hosting an exchange student families with young children _ semester student, they would _the process. stated. She also said she had had sex with him on two previ- in the Council for Educa- and or teenagers are all come in January and then Goss said if a family ous occasions. Dodson watched the interview on closed tional Travel USA, anon- welcome to apply, CETUSA gohomein May attheendof mentions favorite activity, _| circuit television outside the interview room. profit that is looking for host _stated in the release. the school year.” such as camping or sporting Later in the interview, Hickey told the alleged victim families in the area. Goss oversees the Elk City, _ Interested families need events, then the organization | that, after the baby is born, she would have to doa DNA Shirley Goss, who livesin Sayre, Canute, Hammon and _tofilloutan application and _ will try to match the inter- test on her, the baby, Lopez and a guy the alleged victim Sentinel, is alocal coordina- Merritt area,andCETUSA —undergoareferencecheck _est of the family with the said she had sex with. The DNA would be used for criminal tor.Her family has shared _is looking for families for the _ [three references required] students. Shesaidexchange _| proceedings. their home with students 2019-20 school year. and afederal background _ students should be treated Later, Hickey was informed by the alleged victim’s from Norway, Germany and “Students will arrive in check. Some other forms like mother that the alleged victim had a miscarriage. Brazil. Exchange students August and we have students they fill out include a page The affidavit said Hickey wanted to to speak with Lopez, come to the country to study —_ who arrive for the whole describing family interests See Students page 2. ' but that no meeting had occurred. (Ll Ml | | INN Weather Q° 7/6 5 Vol. 117, No. 51 Home delivery View online ‘ sores aot » tomorrow : 75 cents, 8 pgs. 580.225.3000 elkcityoknews.com