November 2024

Two men have been charged with instigating and encouraging illegal cockfighting in Piedmont.

Jorge A. Velasco Duran, 36, and Rafael Duran Velasco, 39, were charged Oct. 24 in Canadian County District Court with the felony crime.

Piedmont police responded April 14 to a complaint of cockfighting at a home in the 7700 block of Akeman Drive, according to the affidavit of probable cause for arrest attached to the charge.

Breakfast in a rural community is more than a cup of coffee on a cold morning. It’s a culture.

You will find the locals gathered around the table swapping tales, sharing the latest news and solving world problems.

We all grow up being indoctrinated with rules that limit us. The purveyors of this information are not malicious. They are simply passing along what they themselves have been taught.

You are probably aware of one or more of the following rules. Decide for yourself if you have been limited by any of them.

How to Cook a Turkey from Heidi Curtis’ kindergarten class at Maple School:

First you need to buy a turkey from the pet store. Before you cook the turkey, you need to put salt on it. Cook the turkey in the oven at 8 degrees for 4 minutes.

After the turkey is cooked, you need to eat it with a fork. You should eat turkey with cookies and pepper. - Grayson B.

A new research laboratory tied to the Oklahoma State University Innovation Foundation is advancing the mission of OSU Ag Research.

OSU Agriculture is responsible for technological discoveries in animal and crop production, 37 wheat varieties resistant to pests and diseases and 10 turfgrass varieties resistant to drought and freezing.

Pushing three players into double digits, Calumet High School’s girls basketball team scored its season-high point total en route to logging its first win of the season.

The Chieftains improved to 1-3 on the season with a 51-44 win over Binger-Oney. The seven-point decision moved Calumet to 1-2 in the Washita Valley Conference standings.

Calumet shot 38 percent from the floor with a 16-of-38 mark (42 percent) from 2-point range.

The Chieftains offense knocked down four 3-point baskets off 27 percent shooting and was 7-of-17 (41 percent) from the free-throw line.

Easton Roby logged a double-double as the defending Class A state champion Okarche High School’s boys basketball team remains undefeated on the season with a 78-22 win over Geary.

The Warriors moved to 3-0 on the year with the 56-point blowout.

Okarche shot 31 percent (27-of-86) from the floor with a 10-of-40 effort (25 percent) from the 3-point line. OHS made 14-of-19 free throws for 74 percent. 

Okarche outrebounded Geary (53-33) and recorded 24 steals.

Roby scored a team-high 22 points and added 15 rebounds, three assists and three steals.

Davis “Joe” Garcia was born in El Reno on Sept. 24, 1953. He was a lifelong resident of the community. He was still close with many of the kids he had grown up with from the old neighborhood.

When Joe was 12, he started throwing newspapers. At times he had three or four routes including the El Reno Tribune, The Daily Oklahoman and the Oklahoma Times. 

Joe graduated from El Reno High School in 1972. He credited Jack Dyer with starting his photography career. He traveled all across Oklahoma taking pictures of El Reno High School football, basketball and baseball. 

El Reno High School’s football team fell a win shy of making the postseason in 2024 but still put up some solid numbers.

Services for Sarah “Sally” Louise Lake will be held at 2 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 27 at CrossBridge Church with Pastor Mark Fryar officiating. Burial will be in the El Reno Cemetery under the direction of Huber-Benson Funeral Home.

Sally died Nov. 22, 2024, at Integris Hospice House in Oklahoma City. She was born Sept. 5, 1929, in Eureka Springs, Ark., graduating from Eureka Springs High School. She attended Peniel College (now Southern Nazarene University).