HUGHES COUNTY DEPUTIES WERE AMONG THOSE IN ATTENDANCE at a recent Autism Awareness in Law Enforcement seminar at the Holdenville Seminar Center. Pictured above are Deputy Josh Kelley, Undersheriff Trevor Teague, and Deputy Robert Whisnant.

With their vivid fusion of blue, green, yellow, and red, male Painted Buntings seem to have flown straight out of a child’s coloring book. Females and immatures are a distinctive bright green with a pale eyering. These fairly common songbirds breed in the coastal Southeast and in the south-central U.S., where they often come to feeders. They are often caught and sold illegally as cage birds, particularly in Mexico and the Caribbean, a practice that puts pressure on their breeding populations.

Pictured above are: - Izaia King, Hannah Franks, Gage Smith, Heiley Steele, Brooklyn Nelms, Mylisha Allen, Clinton LaValley, Belle McFarland, and Cylee Null. More pictures pages 10&11. Award night pictures by Megan Niblett

Without hesitation Assistant Chief Nowlin rescued the driver by breaking the glass and helping him to the shore. The driver is believed to have suffered a medical emergency while driving left the roadway while driving north bound on 48 leaving the highway and entering the lake. After the driver was helped from the vehicle family came and picked him up from the scene. Photo and Story Courtesy of Holdenville Police Department