Gene Stipe billboard sprouts in McAlester

Tuesday, February 7th 2006, 4:57 pm

By: News On 6

McALESTER, Okla. (AP) -- About a week after Gene Stipe Boulevard in McAlester was changed back to Electric Avenue, a new billboard has gone up welcoming visitors to McAlester and proclaiming it as the "Home of Gene Stipe."

Stipe served more than 50 years in the state Legislature before resigning in connection with his January 2004 guilty plea to conspiracy and perjury charges stemming from illegal contributions to the unsuccessful 1998 congressional campaign of Walt Roberts. The City Council decided to change the street name.

Stipe said he had no objection to the billboard and doesn't know who paid for it.