July 2022

A group of dedicated volunteers served 131 abused and neglected Canadian County children in 2021.

And with more volunteer help, Canadian County’s Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) will be able to reach more vulnerable youth in 2022.

That was the message CASA’s leaders shared with Canadian County commissioners last week.

Commissioners agreed to continue providing $25,000 in funding for the CASA program. The unanimous vote was to renew a contract to provide that level of financial support in fiscal year 2023.

Voters in Canadian County who want absentee ballots mailed to them for the Aug. 23 Runoff Primary Election, Banner School Bond Election and Geary School Bond Election should apply now, according to Canadian County Election Board Secretary Wanda Armold.

Absentee ballots are available to any registered voter, provided they are eligible to vote in the election requested. No excuse is needed to vote by absentee ballot.

James Curtis Taylor (JT) passed away Friday, July 15, 2022, at Saint Francis Hospital in Tulsa, surrounded by his sons and family.

JT was born July 22, 1958, in Okarche, Okla., to Thomas (Tom) Taylor and Darlene Ward Nail. He attended schools in Denver, Colo., Bailey, Colo., and Union City, Okla.

As a young man he worked as a miner at Henderson Molybdenum Mine in Empire, Colo., before returning to his home state of Oklahoma where he worked in construction.

Investigators with the Canadian County Sheriff’s Office arrested Dalton Skipworth, 27, of Mountain View and Christian Dalmont, 24, of Wichita, Kan., for allegedly soliciting sex with a minor by use of technology.

On July 8, Skipworth was arrested with the assistance of the Murray County Sheriff’s Office and taken to the Canadian County Jail. On July 9, Dalmont was arrested and was also taken to the Canadian County Jail.

Mary Elizabeth Meyer went to her heavenly home on Wednesday, July 20, 2022, in Kingfisher, Okla. She was born Aug. 2, 1936, in Calumet, Okla., also known as “God’s Country,” to Andrew and Mildred (Perkins) Laub.

Mary attended Mt. View Rural School and graduated from Sacred Heart High School in 1954.

She married Melvin Paul Meyer of Okarche on April 24, 1959. Melvin and Mary were married for 55 years. There were blessed with four children. They farmed and ran a Grade A Dairy in the Okarche area, retiring in 2007.

The Oklahoma Department of Transportation is testing a wrong-way detection and alert system on six ramps along Interstate 40 in eastern Oklahoma.

Using thermal cameras, the system identifies when a vehicle enters an exit ramp in the wrong direction and displays flashing lights on already posted Wrong Way signs to increase noticeability.

Funeral services for Debbie Lynn Niemann were held Friday at Wilson Funeral Home.

Debbie passed suddenly on Friday, July 15, 2022, at the age of 62. She was born March 30, 1960, to Leota Yvonne (Burcham) and Virgil Lee Stark. She attended Union City High School where she graduated in 1978. She worked for Hobby Lobby for 10 years.

Along with her time spent as a youth leader, she enjoyed reading, watching Hallmark movies, spending time with her children and her grandkids and attending Crosslife Fellowship Church.

Over the last two decades, many states have seen a steady rise in obesity rates, including Oklahoma. Across the nation, 31.9 percent of the adult population are considered obese compared to 36.4 percent of adults in Oklahoma, which equates to approximately 1 million adults in our state’s population having obesity.

In 2019, the Oklahoma State Department of Health (OSDH) engaged in a year-long process, bringing to the table partners from across the state to develop a State Obesity Plan.

Lamplighters OHCE of Canadian County met recently at a local church, with Carol Stine offering the devotional titled “I’m Not Crazy After All.”

Maxine Little read minutes of the previous meeting, while Patricia Morrison gave the treasury report.

Thank-you cards were read from the 4-H Club and Highland Baptist Church.

New fair handbooks were distributed, with members discussing dates to set up booths and taking an inventory of items needed.

Services for Ricky Torrez Lerma were held Thursday in the Benson Memorial Chapel, with burial at the Evergreen Cemetery in Minco. Services were under the direction of Huber-Benson Funeral Home.

Ricky died July 16, 2022, at Integris Canadian Valley Hospital in Yukon.

He was born Jan. 6, 1965, in Clinton and lived most of his life in Minco and Union City.

Ricky was a gardening master and an amazing chef in the kitchen. He always tried to grow the hottest and best peppers around. He was a landscaper and concrete worker by trade. Ricky loved big and he was loved big!