July 2023

Lewis steps down as El Reno mat coach

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After guiding El Reno High School’s wrestling program back from the brink of extinction, Coach Tyrone Lewis has resigned his position and is headed back to the college ranks.

Less than a day after signing his resignation letter in El Reno, Lewis was announced as the new men’s wrestling coach at Baker University based in Bolden, Kan., south of Lawrence. The Wildcats wrestle on the NAIA level.

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A friendly young rivalry

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For two seasons Josh Finnigan has served as crew chief for Matt Miller and his child, Radley, as the father-daughter duo race on the Southern Drag Boat Association series.

However, this year the crew added a new member who has made the trips to Texas even more of a family affair. Finnigan’s own daughter, Teagan, has joined the team as a driver.

“It’s 100 percent a family affair. My wife (Katrina) jokes this is how we spend our summer vacations, racing boats.

Radley Miller flies across the water on her new ride for the 2023 season

Fishing Report - 7/15/23

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NORTHEAST

Birch: July 9.
Elevation is 2 ft. below normal and stable, water temperature 80°F and stained.
Blue and channel catfish fair on cut bait around channels and points. Crappie fair on jigs and minnows around brush structure.

ER’s Starks pins down gold medal

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Grace Starks recently waltzed into Atlanta’s Georgia World Congress Center and promptly captured a national gold medal in collectable pin design.

Starks, 18, of El Reno, made the trip as a Graphic Design student representing Canadian Valley Technology Center at SkillsUSA Nationals.

She qualified by winning a state gold medal a couple months ago.

She also recently completed home school course requirements and is now a high school graduate.

Grace Starks nibbles on her national gold medal

Oasis near the Mother Road

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Escaping the noisy city can be a blessing not often found, which is why Daniel and Ruthie Pugh built their own oasis – far from the cacophony of noises found in more populated areas of Canadian County.

Their oasis is located not far from Highway 66, roughly two miles northeast of the Cherokee Trading Post, west of El Reno.

It is a place named after themselves – Pugh Gardens, located at 23505 Jones Road N.W. The gardens planted their roots across three acres around the Pughs home, which they built in 2002.

Daniel and Ruthie Pugh survey the gardens from the bridge

William Marshall

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Memorial services for William (Bill) B. Marshall of McKinney, Texas, will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday, July 13 at Memorial Park Cemetery Chapel in Oklahoma City with Kim Hutson officiating. Burial will follow in the Memorial Park Cemetery. Services are under the direction of Turrentine, Jackson, Morrow of Allen, Texas.

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Domestic violence agency gets new outdoor playset

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New outdoor play equipment is helping Canadian County youth whose lives have been affected by domestic violence.

Volunteers recently installed a new playset at the Intervention & Crisis Advocacy Network (ICAN)’s program house near the Canadian County Courthouse.

“We have not had a suitable playset for kids in five years,” ICAN Executive Director Matt Whetzel said.

Showing off a newly installed playset

Georgia Self

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Services for Georgia Marie Self of Union City were held Friday, July 7 at the Huber-Benson Chapel, with burial following at the Union City Cemetery.

Services were under the direction of Huber-Reynolds Funeral Home in Minco.

Georgia passed away July 2, 2023, at her home. She was born Dec. 28, 1958, in Chanute, Kan. She was raised in Oklahoma City and moved to Union City in 1975, graduating from Southeast High School in Oklahoma City in 1977.

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Oklahoma leaders need to get moving on tax cuts

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Oklahoma needs to move quickly if it wants to reap the benefits of being an early mover on tax reform

Oklahoma has long been a relatively low-tax state, but the recent reluctance to continue the reduction in the state’s income tax may result in other states passing us by.

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