February 2024

El Reno High School seniors Dion Kaulaity and Malachi Nicholson used the recent national signing day to ink letters of intent to play college football.

El Reno High School senior Grady Lesperance (seated second from left) signed a national letter of intent to play baseball next season at Redlands Community College.

Lesperance is a two-year starter for the Indians.

Three is now the popular number for Calumet, Union City and Okarche High School’s boys basketball teams as the trio enter the regional round of the postseason unscathed.

All three schools claimed district titles and will carry win streaks into regional play. Each needs to win three straight games to make their respective state tournaments, or more if a contest is dropped in this stage of the postseason.

“One game at a time,” said Okarche head coach Aaron West.

Room near the top of the NJCAA Region 2 standings got a little more crowded last week as Redlands Community College women’s basketball team lost a 70-57 road game at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M.

The 13-point loss drops Redlands to 16-6 on the season and 6-3 in the Region 2 standings. The Cougars remain second in the league but only by half a game over both NEO and Northern Oklahoma College (Tonkawa, Enid).

Isabella Stafford was one of two Redlands players in double digits with 27 points and completed a double-double with 12 rebounds and an assist.

Limiting teams on defense continues to haunt Redlands Community College men’s basketball team as the Cougars dropped the second of a three-game road trip to Northeastern Oklahoma A&M, 93-57.

The loss was the fifth straight for Redlands in NJCAA Region 2 action as the Cougars have given up 87 or more points in each of the outings in that losing streak.

The Golden Norsemen swept the regular-season series over RCC with duplicate 93-point scoring efforts, while the Cougars offense managed only 124 points (62 per game) for the set.

Redlands Community College’s baseball team split a road series with Rose State College last week, marking the second doubleheader rift with the Raiders this month.

The Cougars took the opening game of last week’s set by a 3-1 margin but dropped game two by an 11-1 score.

Redlands is now 2-10 on the spring after being swept in the four-game series by both Vernon Junior College and Seward County College.

If the weather cooperates, crews working to replace the bridge on Watts just west of Reno should be finishing up in April.

Amy Smith, streets superintendent for the city of El Reno, said the work began in early January, but several days were lost to rain.

“We were off to a slow start due to the rainy January weather we had, but it seems to be running smoothly now,” Smith said.

The contract calls for EMC Services to have the bridge replaced within 90 work days.

Youth and Family Services Inc. (YFS) is looking for companies and civic groups to host this year’s annual Love A Baby Diaper Drive. The event runs through the month of February.

Last year, YFS collected more than 14,500 diapers with the help of community supporters in El Reno, Mustang, Piedmont, Watonga and Yukon. The diapers, along with hundreds of packages of baby wipes, were distributed to children in YFS’ emergency shelter, foster care and independent living programs.

The Second Annual Crossroads of Oklahoma Farm Show is coming to the Canadian County Expo and Event Center.

The show is set for Feb. 22-24.  

Janelle Martin, owner of C&M Production Group that is running the Crossroads of Oklahoma Farm Show, said the group is excited to be coming back to Canadian County.

“We had 100 vendors that had come together for the show,” Martin said.

“Last year, it was very successful. This event is for farmers and ranchers in central Oklahoma.”

The Canadian County Expo and Event Center’s Third Annual Community Night Gala will support CASA - Court Appointed Special Advocates - which serves abused and neglected youth.

The fundraising event is set for Friday, April 19.

“Our past beneficiaries got together and decided that Canadian County Court Appointed Special Advocates are going to be the beneficiary for this year’s gala,” said Expo Center Director Mandy Davis.

“We’ve moved the date to April, which is Child Abuse Awareness Month. All monies will go directly to CASA.”