January 2024

Redlands Community College women’s basketball team will kick off the 2024 portion of its schedule in Texas with a little bit of revenge on the agenda against Frank Phillips College.

The Plainsmen ended Redlands’ four-game win streak in El Reno last month with an eight-point win. It was the first home loss for the Cougars on the season.

Redlands rebounded from the FPC loss with a 60-54 victory over Crowder to close out 2023 and will look to continue that momentum in the final game before the start of NJCAA Region 2 action.

Services for Gabriele E. Taylor were held Thursday in the Benson Memorial Chapel with Rev. Paul Roach officiating. Burial followed at the El Reno Cemetery under the direction of Huber-Benson Funeral Home.

Gabriele died Dec. 29, 2023, at Select Specialty Hospital in Oklahoma City. She was born Aug. 12, 1948, in Pirmasens, Germany.

She was adopted at the age of 8 and later moved with her parents to El Reno where she was raised and attended El Reno schools. She was a homemaker.

Consistency in the win column is something Redlands Community College men’s basketball team is seeking going into Saturday’s first game of 2024 – a home outing against Texas-based Loyalty College Prep.

It’s the final game before Redlands begins NJCAA Region 2 action on Thursday, Jan. 11 at home against Northeastern Oklahoma A&M.

The Cougars are 7-6 at the break but have posted back-to-back wins just three times in the first 13 games. Redlands took a two-game win streak into its 2023 closer but suffered an 86-65 setback at Dallas College (North Lake).

NORTHEAST

Fort Gibson: Elevation is 2 ft. above normal (stable). Water temperature 48°F and clear.
Blue catfish fair on cut bait and shad around channels, main lake and points. Paddlefish excellent on snagging around main lake and below the dam. Crappie good on hair jigs and tube jigs around brush structure, docks and main lake.

Services for Robert LeRoy Hoffman will be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 6 in the Benson Memorial Chapel with Pastor Danny Hart officiating. Burial will be at 1 p.m. Monday, Jan. 8 at the Grant Township Cemetery in Marion, Kan., with Pastor Carl Helm officiating. Services are under the direction of Huber-Benson Funeral Home.

Bob was born Sept. 22, 1955, in Marion, Kan. He served as a policeman with the Marion Police Department and worked his way through the ranks to the office of Chief of the Department.

Editor’s Note: Education, crime, fundraising and festivals made the news in El Reno as the year rolled into spring and early summer. Here’s a glimpse of some of those happenings as we say farewell to 2023.

April

El Reno High School fielded its newest entry into the arena of competitive extracurricular activities in Oklahoma – Esports.

El Reno experienced success early as junior Jayden Grauberger earned a spot in the state championships in the Nintendo-based game Super Smash Bros.

Friends of the El Reno Animal Shelter, a new organization, hosted an opportunity for families to bring their pets to take Christmas pictures with Santa and the Grinch.

Almost 50 furry friends took advantage of the opportunity, which was a fundraiser for the Friends of the Shelter group. The group provided backgrounds and photo opportunities for anyone who wanted to bring their pets. Several of the dogs attending the event showed up in their best Christmas clothes and accessories.

If at first you don’t succeed …

After its first proposal was denied, Youth and Family Services was successful last week in its effort to acquire land owned by Canadian County.

Commissioners accepted Youth and Family Services $100,000 bid for vacant land near the county’s juvenile center.

“This is a four-acre tract that we’ve advertised before for sale,” Commissioner Dave Anderson said.

Youth and Family Services was the only bidder – both times.

Lena Corona was sitting on the porch of her Seminole home, blood dripping from her hand, when police arrived at 2:45 a.m.

Her dad stood behind her, pressing a T-shirt over the wound on his chest where Corona had plunged a shard of glass. 

When he called 911 on July 10, Freddy Corona hoped police would take his teenage daughter to the hospital as they had done fewer than 24 hours earlier when she threatened him with a metal rod while in psychosis.

LAWSUITS

LVNV Funding LLC vs. Carol Hill for $1,126.99 to pay a debt plus interest, costs and attorney fees.

LVNV Funding LLC vs. Maria Guest for $1,069.26 to pay a debt plus interest, costs and attorney fees.

LVNV Funding LLC vs. Sharon Levi for $895.73 to pay a debt plus interest, costs and attorney fees.

Goldman Sachs Bank USA vs. Robert Miller for $9,476.29 to pay a debt plus interest, costs and attorney fees.

Discover Bank vs. Jorge Rozo for $6,621.67 to pay a debt plus interest, costs and attorney fees.