Follow The Money: Stipe, Phipps Business Details Raise Questions

From the McAlester News-Capital:

By James Beaty
Senior Editor

A court-appointed receiver in the lawsuit between former District 7 state Sen. Gene Stipe and his estranged business partner, Steve Phipps, has demanded that National Pet Products pay $310,000 in delinquent accounts to Phipps Enterprises, Inc.

“The deadline for a response has passed and lawsuits are being prepared to recover such substantial funds,” receiver Kraettli Q. Epperson said in documents filed at the Pittsburg County Courthouse.

National Pet Products is the dog food plant on the north side of McAlester built on property sold by Stipe, according to court documents and other records.

In his report, Epperson said Phipps Enterprises Inc. also owes a substantial amount of taxes.

Phipps Enterprises, Inc., is identified in court documents as the company owned by Stipe, of McAlester, and Phipps, who is from the Kiowa area. Read more…