El Reno High School’s boys basketball team kicked off a four-game road swing on a sour note, losing a Class 5A top 10 battle with fifth-ranked Shawnee 57-46 in Suburban Conference action. The loss dropped El Reno, ranked ninth in the state, to 2-1 on the season and 1-1 in the league standings.
Like the EHS girls, the loss does count toward the Suburban Conference title.
Despite a three-week break, Calumet High School’s boys basketball team played well according to head coach Jacob Mayfield in the Chieftains first game of the new year.
Calumet, ranked fifth in Class A, remains undefeated with a 95-41 win over Lookeba-Sickles. The Chieftains improved to 7-0 on the season and 3-0 in the Washita Valley Conference standings.
The Chieftains shot 60 percent from the field in the 55-point blowout, hitting 27-of-37 shots from inside the arc (71 percent). The team was 9-of-23 from the perimeter (39 percent).
As 2020 moved into its final four months, the world and El Reno continued to struggle with the onslaught of COVID. Families lost loved ones to the disease. The economy was still being battered as election season arrived on both the local and national stage. And still, life continued to move forward, often with stories of hope, sharing and love.
September
Corliss Collins received word the man convicted of killing her elderly grandfather in 1985 had been released from prison.
Early November was a hectic time in El Reno. A late October ice storm had left thousands without power and tree limbs were everywhere. Children were home because there was no power and COVID continued to play havoc with schedules.
Although Donna Dyer’s home had no power and her grandchildren were with her that day, she was able to make a scheduled video conference call over her cell phone.
Dyer said she had no idea how happy she would be that the video call was able to connect.
This snowman on South Jensen was made from the nearly 8 inches of snow that fell on the city during the first day of 2021.
Commissioners finalized an agreement between Canadian County Emergency Management and OK-First.
The deal means the Oklahoma Climatological Survey will give the county the latest and most accurate updates for all weather, including potentially dangerous storms.
The measure was easily approved.
District 3 Commissioner Jack Stewart said he was happy that access to the data comes free of charge.
Services for longtime El Reno resident Billy Lee Husley were held Tuesday, Jan. 5, 2021, at First Baptist Church with Rev. Rick Duncan and Grant Findley officiating. Burial followed in the El Reno Cemetery under the direction of Huber-Benson Funeral Home.
Bill passed away Dec. 30, 2020, at Integris Canadian Valley Hospital in Yukon. He was born July 13, 1952, in Porterville, Calif. He was a school administrator, retired from the Canadian Valley Technology Center.
Bill was an avid car and motorcycle enthusiast.
Graveside services for Ken-a-rah-diyoh Flynt Minear were held Tuesday at the Concho Cemetery with Gary Dawes officiating. Services were under the direction of Huber-
Benson Funeral Home.
Leaf passed away Dec. 29, 2020. He was born Dec. 14, 1988, in Seattle, Wash. He attended Watonga Public Schools, Riverside Indian School, El Reno High School, graduating in 2007, and Redlands Community College.
Leaf moved to El Reno in 2005 and worked several years for the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes in both the R.E.S.P.E.C.T. program and at Lucky Star Casino.
Private funeral mass for James (Jim) Greggory Coughlan was held Dec. 31 at Sts. Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Kingfisher. Services were under the direction of Huber-Benson Funeral Home.
Jim passed away Dec. 27, 2020. He was born Dec. 11, 1950, and was raised on a farm east of Loyal. He graduated from Lomega High School in 1969 and went on to attend Southwestern Oklahoma State University, graduating with a bachelor of science in accounting in 1973.
Private services for James Leslie Ring will be held at a later date. Services are under the direction of Turner Funeral Home, Hinton.
James passed away Jan. 1, 2021, at his home in El Reno.
He was born Jan. 21, 1951, in Oklahoma City. He lived most of his childhood in the Bethany area, attending Bethany schools. He then moved to Yukon in 1980.
He was a mechanic and lathe operator for many years until retiring in 1987.
