November 2024

Thirteen different players scored as Calumet High School’s boys basketball team kicked off the 2024-25 season with a Canadian County rivalry win over Union City.

The Chieftains, who have now won 26 straight regular-season games dating back to last year, moved to 1-0 in the Washita Valley Conference standings. Union City, meanwhile, slipped to 0-2 on the year and 0-1 in league play.

Calumet has now won 11 straight meetings with the Tigers, who last defeated their cross-county rival by six points (77-71) in 2015.

Redlands Community College women’s basketball team remains undefeated on the season with a 71-57 win over Southwestern Christian University’s junior varsity.

The Cougars are now 3-0 on the year after shooting 22-of-71 (31 percent) from the field. Redlands was 10-of-40 from the 3-point arc for 25 percent and made 17-of-28 (61 percent) free throws.

Mykyla Allen led the scoring with 12 points and five rebounds, followed by 11 points and 15 boards from Haven Joseph to go along with four steals. Ellie Willard added 11 points and six caroms.

Shooting a combined 56 percent over the three-game span of the Thunderbird Classic in Hobbs, N.M., Redlands Community College men’s basketball team moved to 4-1 on the year with back-to-back victories.

The Cougars opened the event with an 89-60 loss to No.13 New Mexico Junior College, but bounced back with a 120-50 win over the junior varsity squad from the University of Southwest.

Redlands pulled off its biggest win of the season with a 95-80 decision over No.11 Frank Phillips College out of Texas to close the event with a 2-1 mark.

Memorial services for Dorothy Mary McMurray of Colorado Springs, Colo., will be held at 1 p.m. Friday, Nov. 22 at Northwest Community Center in El Reno with Brother Lee Walker of Rogers Street Church of Christ officiating. Services are under the direction of Swan-Law Funeral Directors.

Dorothy passed away Oct. 20, 2024. She was born May 22, 1945, in El Reno. She attended Booker T. Washington School from first through 12th grade where she was part of the last segregated class of 1963.

Four graduates of El Reno High School were recognized for their accomplishments last week during the annual “Thousands of Reasons Gala, Celebrating Distinguished Alumni and Educators.”

The event is sponsored by the El Reno Public School Foundation. 

Held at the Canadian Valley Technology Center, the evening also featured recognition of this year’s District Teachers of the Year as well as foundation scholarship recipients. 

A new member has been appointed to the Canadian County Free Fair Board.

Farmer and rancher Jimmie D. Smith, a former Calumet and Darlington school administrator, succeeds Dan Wedman as a District 3 representative on the nine-member fair board.

Wedman, of Calumet, recently retired after 46 years of service.

County commissioners voted 3-0 to approve Smith’s appointment.

“I thank you for the opportunity to serve for the county,” Smith said.

Union City High School's basketball mascot watches the action from the sidelines as the Tigers kicked off the 2024-25 season last week.

Small schools in the state of Oklahoma not playing football were allowed to open their respective hoop seasons the first week of November.

Redlands Community College TRIO Student Support Services is taking matters into its own hands – or feet – to raise funds for scholarships.

The program is taking donations of gently worn, used and new shoes and will receive funding from the Funds2Orgs based on the total weight of the shoes collected.

“We are excited about our shoe drive,” said Amy Graham, TRIO Student Support Services director.

“We know that most people have extra shoes in their closets, so we would appreciate if they would donate any unwanted shoes to us.

Sheriff Chris West said his office is gathering information after a video circulating on social media shows a longtime investigator cursing at a man who came onto the lawman’s property. 

West said investigator Jerry Hendricks had just “put down” four pit bulls and a German shepherd that had attacked and killed several hogs on his property. The sheriff said Hendricks “had every right” to take the action on his property.

West said he had just been made aware of the video on Friday morning.

He said Hendricks has been with the sheriff’s office since “2012 or 2013.”

District Attorney Tommy Humphries launched a new website he said to enhance communication between his office and the public. 

Humphries, DA for District 4, said his office launched the new website, district4da.org, in an effort to “increase transparency and improve communication with the public.

“This new website is an important step forward in keeping the citizens of District 4 informed about the work of our office,” Humphries said.