When national media personality Soledad O’Brien took the stage as the keynote speaker for Oklahoma State University’s 2022 MLK Celebration, university officials were promising an “elevating” experience.
In a year in which the COVID-19 pandemic caused upheaval throughout the travel sector, the Oklahoma travel and tourism industry increased its market share of domestic travel and generated $7.1 billion in direct spending by visitors, according to new research by the Oklahoma Tourism & Recreation Department.
Oklahoma brought in an estimated 17 million visitors in 2020, a 17 percent drop from the previous year, but the number was substantially less than the 34 percent drop in domestic travel that the United States endured.
Dealing with both COVID-19 and injury voids in its lineup, El Reno High School’s wrestling team continued a grueling dual schedule last week against perennial powerhouse Tuttle.
Giving up 18 points on forfeits and missing three starters, El Reno suffered a 62-15 loss to the top-ranked team in Class 4A. The Indians, ranked second in Class 5A, slipped to 4-3 on the season.
Both El Reno teams were playing in the Shawnee Invitational this weekend, which is the last regular-season tournament of the year for the Indians.
Three guards combined for 35 points as Calumet High School’s girls basketball team jumped back into the win column with a 43-27 victory over Sentinel in the first round of the West Central Tournament.
Calumet, coming off a 53-45 loss to Class A’s 12th-ranked Arapaho-Butler, improved to 12-7 on the year.
Brie Myers led the guard trio with 15 points to go along with four rebounds and four steals. Mattie Pritchett followed with 11 points, four boards and two steals.
Despite posting wins in four of its last five games, including a 51-46 overtime win over Hennessey, Okarche High School’s boys basketball team remains in the 17th spot in the latest Class A poll.
The Hennessey win, which came after a 12-7 scoring edge in the overtime period, moved the Warriors to 13-5 on the season.
Okarche was held to 12 points in the first half, but rebounded with double-digit efforts over the final three periods including a 17-11 run in the fourth period to force overtime.
LAWSUITS
Velocity Investments LLC vs. William Ordenis for $10,578.50 to pay a debt plus interest, costs and attorney fees.
Jessica Mercer vs. 3J Construction Inc. for an amount in excess of $40,000 for alleged actual damages.
Velocity Investments LLC vs. Banner Stovall for $20,997.50 to pay a debt plus interest, costs and attorney fees.
Justin Batte and Green Roots Wellness Medical Cannabis Dispensary vs. Keith Courtney for an amount in excess of $75,000 for alleged actual and punitive damages.
El Reno’s city government is going through a transition period with some employees stepping down, another leaving and still others contemplating early retirement.
Several are veterans who will take “years of institutional knowledge” with them.
City Manager Matt Sandidge said at last week’s council meeting that Assistant City Manager Kent Lagaly and Finance Director and Treasurer Marsha Leck will retire in April. Also last week, Adam Fox, manager at the El Reno Regional Airport, tendered his resignation effective Jan. 25.
Delayed weeks by COVID-19, a film crew from Oklahoma City-based Boiling Point Media battled sub-freezing temperatures and blowing snow over the weekend to continue shooting the film The Adventures of Jurassic Pets: The Lost Secrets.
Shooting was expected to continue at different locations in the city.
The Union City Fire Department had a sizable fire Jan. 4. A short video posted to the Union City Fire Department Facebook page shows firefighters battling a blaze at an oil field site.
Fortunately, there was no collateral damage. Union City Fire Chief David Jones spoke about the response to a fire at an oil field location.
“It was about 11 at night and apparently, it’s some kind of compressor separator station,” the chief said.
