December 2021

The town of Okarche has responded to the Oklahoma Department of Water Quality regarding plans for future water treatment.

Okarche water has been cited by DEQ for having high levels of nitrates. Maximum levels of nitrates have been reported in the water for about 20 years.

Mayor Jeff Sadler has reported plans will be submitted in December and construction could start in September 2022.

In February, town trustees voted to raise the water rates to help make improvements.

If you grew up in El Reno you probably have some memories of Sunset Drive.

What I remember when I was really young was a neighbor lady, Mrs. Anderson, taking me and my siblings to get ice cream. I also remember some bars that called themselves clubs, probably because of the liquor laws at the time.

There were some really good diners and several hamburger joints along Sunset as well.

As I got older, like many of the students at El Reno High School, we spent hours cruising up and down Sunset.

On Nov. 24, South Africa reported detection of a new variant of the COVID-19 virus to the World Health Organization.

On Nov. 26, WHO designated it a “variant of concern” and tagged it with the name “Omicron.”

At the same time, WHO advised against travel restrictions and other knee-jerk responses to Omicron, and in favor of a “risk-based and scientific” approach, noting that it is “not yet clear” whether Omicron is more transmissible than other variants or even causes severe disease.

Few modern topics have become as divisive as critical race theory, which is no surprise, given that CRT divides.

It divides people into groups pitted against one another, into categories of oppressed vs. oppressor. What’s worse, your group defines you.

This certainly flies in the face of the Judeo-Christian conception of all individuals as children of God made in the image of God.

What’s making CRT even worse are misunderstandings and misconceptions on both sides, from the left and the right.

El Reno High School November Students of the Month, back row, Dailey Jennings, Maddison Patswald, Ariana Segovia and Donovan Ramirez; front row, Latin Everheart, Trinity Black, Qyra Jones and Cooper Park.

Debi Bills, left, and Cindy Fenimore sort some of the more than 450 pounds of food collected by Banner School to help with The Lord’s Harvest food ministry.

More than 100 Kansas State University students are among the first class of scholars recently inducted into the university’s chapter of Alpha Alpha Alpha, or Tri-Alpha, the national first-generation college student honorary society.

Tri-Alpha recognizes undergraduate first-generation students who have earned at least a 3.2 grade point average on 30 semester hours of academic work.

These students must meet the definition of first-generation student, which is neither of the student’s parents, step-parents or legal guardians completed a bachelor’s or associate degree.

Graveside services for John Glen MaGee were held Thursday, Dec. 2 at the Canadian Valley Cemetery in Calumet with Rev. Jim Clausing officiating.

A celebration of life will be held at 1 p.m. Monday, Dec. 6 at Brush Hill Baptist Church (109985 OK-150, Checotah, Oklahoma 74426) with Rev. Thom Chappelle officiating.

John Glen MaGee was born in Grandfield to Glen and Helen MaGee on Jan. 30, 1945, and referred to himself as the only son of an only son.

Graveside services for Wanda Lee Loyall were held Friday, Dec. 3 in the Yukon Cemetery with Rev. Paul Roach officiating. Services were under the direction of Wilson Funeral Home.

Wanda passed away peacefully Nov. 29, 2021, at her home with family by her side. She was born Jan. 21, 1939, in Union City to Carl and Carrie Pivniska.

She married Melfred Loyall on May 9, 1954, in Gainesville, Texas.

The couple made their home and raised their family in and around El Reno.

Wanda loved porch-sitting and coffee-sipping, sewing and working in her yard.

Graveside services for Roy Robert Hayes Jr. of Minco were held Thursday at the Evergreen Cemetery under the direction of Huber-Reynolds Funeral Home.

Roy died Nov. 28, 2021, at the Integris Hospice House in Oklahoma City. He was born June 17, 1930, in Binger. Roy was raised in the Binger/Cogar area helping on the family farm, and at the time of World War II, Roy as a young man of 14 would help with other family farms.

He later went into commercial construction and aided in building many large projects in Oklahoma City including the Myriad and Quail Springs Mall.