September 2023

A billion-dollar entertainment district could soon replace the sunflower fields between Max Westheimer Airport and Interstate 35 if the stars align for Team Norman.

A partnership between three civic organizations, the city and county governments and the University of Oklahoma called Team Norman unveiled plans Wednesday for an 8,000-seat arena, a hotel, housing, and a variety of shops, restaurants, bars and offices. 

LAWSUITS

Nationstar Mortgage LLC vs. Bradley Bellinger for $163,479.44 to pay a debt plus interest, costs and attorney fees and foreclosure of mortgage on Lot 15, Block 3, Emerald Pointe Addition Section 1, Piedmont.

Orlando Acuna and Jason Carlisle vs. Londell McMillan for an amount in excess of $75,000 for injuries and damages alleged to have occurred during an automobile accident.

Jacinta Mayfield vs. Michael Gang for an amount in excess of $75,000 for injuries and damages alleged to have occurred during an automobile accident.

Sunni Redfawn Goodbear, 38 years on this earth.

Sunni was a proud member of the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes and the Pawnee Nation, Skidi and Chaui Bands. Sunni was a gifted singer, songwriter and Traditional Southern Cloth Dancer.

Sunni loved her tribal culture and was a talented self-taught beadwork artist and participated in the Cheyenne and Arapaho Sundance.

El Reno High School students Audrey Bilderback (left) and Sam Curtis mug for a cell phone photo in the middle of the student section at Memorial Stadium during a timeout at last week’s football game between El Reno High School and Weatherford.

Sometimes in a David vs. Goliath confrontation, the big guy gets the upper hand.

Weatherford quarterback Stone Chism, a 6-2, 217-pound junior, scored on a 4-yard run with 29.5 seconds left as the Eagles rallied in the fourth period to defeat El Reno High School’s football team 28-26.

The loss, an eerie flashback to the 2022 meeting in which the Eagles scored the game-winning touchdown with 22 seconds left in a one-point decision, dropped El Reno to 1-2 for the season.

El Reno High School’s softball team ran into a buzz saw over the weekend as the Indians dropped four games in the Bixby Invitational, three of those against Class 6A opponents.

The losses were to Broken Arrow (5-1), Muskogee (11-3) and Bixby (12-4), followed by an 8-0 shutout at the hands of Perry. The losses came on the heels of a close 7-6 setback to Guthrie in a non-tournament game.

El Reno has now dropped its last six games to fall to 10-10 overall heading back into District 5A-2 play this week against Carl Albert and Piedmont.

El Reno lost three matches over the weekend in the Noble Invitational.

See Saturday’s edition for a complete roundup from the event as well as EHS’ recent road loss at Elgin.

Amya Lindsay scored a hat trick and then some last week as Redlands Community College snapped a four-match losing streak to start the season with a 5-1 win over Connors State College.

The win lifted the Cougars to 1-4 overall and 1-3 in the NJCAA Region 2 standings and into seventh place.

Lindsay, a sophomore, scored the first four goals for Redlands in the first half. She closed the match with a team-leading nine shots. Alisha Leonard scored on her only shot of the night as RCC took a 5-0 halftime lead.

Jannell Ridenour was born Jan. 29, 1939, to Arthur F. and Ina Louise (Sand) Tech in Calumet. She passed away Sept. 9, 2023, at her home in Calumet at the age of 84. 

Jannell graduated from Calumet High School and from Draughn’s Business School in Oklahoma City. She was united in marriage to Eldon Ridenour on June 27, 1958, in Calumet. She stayed at home and raised her girls and drove a school bus after she and Eldon were married.