November 2022

For more than 50 years, Helen Miner taught El Reno students to sing.

She was an El Reno Public Schools institution.

For that, she is being honored with only the second Lifetime Achievement Award presented by the El Reno Public Schools Foundation. She is scheduled to receive the honor at the Nov. 29 Distinguished Alumni Banquet.

Miner will join World War II hero, Charles Clark “Sonny” Kegelman, attorney Mark Henricksen, architect and businessman Darin Miller and educator/administrator Matt Goucher at the banquet honoring them as Distinguished Alumni.

OKLAHOMA CITY – Kacie Deyo, 30, formerly of Yukon, pleaded guilty last week to accepting bribes while serving as a correctional officer at the Federal Correctional Institution, said U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.

Deyo was charged with one count of accepting a bribe by a public official.

Deyo worked at the FCI from November 2016 through January 2022.

Funeral services for William Gregory “Greg” Willis will be held at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 16 at the El Reno Cemetery Pavilion with Father Warren and Deacon Menz officiating. Cremation was under the care of Wilson Funeral Home.

Similarly to how people recall where they were when 9/11 occurred or perhaps where they were when Elvis died, everybody has a relational story of the emotions aroused when they first learned of the potential impact COVID-19 was going to have on our lives. 

Kinber Roberts recalls the frustration she felt after COVID led to a nationwide shutdown of many businesses, social activities and even schools in March 2020.

Roberts, 34, of El Reno, had been placed on a waiting list for enrollment into the Practical Nursing program at Canadian Valley Tech Center. 

OKLAHOMA CITY – As the snow stopped falling, so did El Reno High School’s football team’s luck with the Irish in the bi-district round of the Class 5A playoffs.

Bishop McGuinness quarterback River Warren threw touchdown passes of 13, 38, 42 and 63 yards over a 14-minute stretch over the second and third periods as the Irish defeated El Reno 46-24.

El Reno, making its fifth straight playoff appearance, saw its four-game win streak and season come to an end with a 5-6 record. McGuinness, now 10-1, advances to face undefeated Coweta.

Graveside services for George (Buddy) Decker Jr. were held Tuesday at the El Reno Cemetery with Lee Pafford of Boise City officiating.

Services were under the direction of Huber-Benson Funeral Home.

George passed away Nov. 9, 2022, at Oklahoma Heart Hospital. He was born to George Decker Sr. and Doris Lee (Allen) Decker of El Reno on Jan. 5, 1949. He attended El Reno High School. He grew up tinkering with cars and loved building things and did so for the rest of his life.

For just the third time in seven years under head coach Jacob Mayfield, the high-octane offense of Calumet High School’s boys basketball team eclipsed the century mark.

The Chieftains made 39-of-77 shot attempts (51 percent) en route to a 103-48 win over Lookeba-Sickles.

Calumet improved to 3-1 on the season with the 55-point win.

The most damage was done inside the arc as the Chieftains were 30-of-49 (61 percent) while hitting 9-of-28 (32 percent) from the 3-point line.

Calumet was 16-of-22 from the free-throw line for 73 percent.

Okarche High School’ s girls basketball team was outscored 21-7 in the third period as Lomega handed the Warriors their second loss of the young season, 65-59.

The setback dropped Okarche to 1-2 on the year.

The Warriors led 18-11 after one period and 35-29 at halftime. However, Okarche was held to a basket each from Ruby VanDenDriessche and Jalie Rother in the third frame.

MARRIAGE LICENSES

Carl Anthony Pendleton II, 37; Tegan Nicole Adcox, 33.

James Edward Berrier, 41; Melissa Sueann Lavallee, 42.

Hunter Corbin Engle, 22; Hannah Ashley Parker, 25.

Stephen Allen Bubb, 24; Sydney Rayan Montesano, 23.

Danny Scott Reid, 57; Tabitha Katrina Spiegel, 43.

Ryan Mitchell Jones, 29; Leiana Marie Frazier, 28.

Jose Balmore Menjivar Vega, 46; Teisha Nicole Bare, 32.

Kendra L. Kennedy, 38; Stevee Summer Stidham, 40.

Joshua Christopher Howard, 40; Misty Joann Patterson, 42.