December 2024

The Jenks Simmons Field House Annex was the site for the Eighth Annual El Reno Archery Tournament over the weekend.

The event hosted 760 archers representing 40 schools and is the first of two qualifying events for state that El Reno will host.

El Reno High School was runner-up to Lawton MacArthur, while El Reno’s junior high team took third behind Altus and Clinton.

Ethen Turner releases an arrow toward a 10-meter target. (Tribune photographer/Glen Miller)

Overcoming a dismal shooting night from the 3-point arc, Calumet High School’s boys basketball team extended its regular-season winning streak to 31 games in a row with a 27-point win over Hinton.

The Chieftains, ranked second in the state in Class B, moved to 6-0 on the season with a 71-44 decision over the Comets.

Calumet struggled to a 3-of-23 effort from the 3-point line against Hinton for 13 percent.

Talon Arnold, Kaleb Thiessen and Kingston Arnold posted a trey each.

Held to a season-low 10 points in the second half, Okarche High School’s girls basketball team had its two-game win streak snapped last week with a 38-31 loss to Oklahoma Bible Academy.

The Warriors, ranked 12th in Class A, fell to 3-2 overall with the loss to OBA, which held the No.8 spot in the Class 2A poll.

Okarche held a 13-5 lead after one period and a 21-15 lead at the half. However, the Warriors scored just six points in the third and four over the final eight minutes.

El Reno High School landed two players on each of the three teams voted on by member coaches to make up the 2024 All-Suburban Conference Volleyball Team.

The Indians were coming off a 13-17 season which saw the team win its final three regular-season matches before losing out in the Class 5A regional semifinal round to Collinsville.

Earning a spot on the all-conference first team for El Reno were Trinity Black and Daily Maples.

Whitney Sides hit her goal, $10,000.

Actually, she topped her goal by $883. 

That’s how much was raised in memory of her late son, Colsen Girty, a 10-year-old boy who dreamed of being president and taking care of homeless people. Colsen was killed in an auto accident July 31, 2021.

His mother, with help from others, works to keep his dreams alive and in doing so, bring a little cheer to other children. 

Canadian County commissioners voted to increase the sheriff’s base salary to the maximum allowed by state statute. Commissioners voted 2-1 at their Dec. 2 meeting to raise that base pay to $74,500.

Board Chairman Tom Manske and District 3 Commissioner Tracey Rider voted yes, while District 2 Commissioner Dave Anderson voted no.

“On behalf of myself, everybody in the sheriff’s office and the citizens, we thank you and Commissioner Rider for the support,” Sheriff Chris West told Manske.

Fifty-one percent of the state of Oklahoma is classified as a maternity care desert, or an area without a single birthing facility or obstetric clinician.

This statistic makes Oklahoma’s rate of maternity care deserts the third-highest in the nation, according to a report released in September by the March of Dimes.  

Okarche High School Guard Squad members Bailey Bomhak (left) and Kaytlin Steelman cheer with other squad members during a timeout at a recent home basketball game.

A convicted felon has been sentenced to prison for killing a Blanchard woman and injuring four other people in a multi-vehicle crash between Yukon and Mustang caused by his illicit drug use and speeding.

Oklahoma City’s Marcus Cole Stephens, 28, pleaded guilty Nov. 14 to second-degree murder, driving under the influence causing personal injury (four counts), driving a motor vehicle while under the influence and possession of controlled dangerous substances.

Funeral services for Marty Jay Hart of El Reno were held Monday, Dec. 2 at First United Methodist Church with Steve Entz officiating.

Burial followed in the Hydro Masonic Cemetery under the direction of Lockstone Funeral Home of Weatherford.

Marty passed away Nov. 25, 2024, at Integris Hospice House in Oklahoma City. He was born Sept. 6, 1960, in Oklahoma City to Ray LeRoy and Twila Janet (Bordwine) Hart. He was raised in Hydro and graduated from Hydro High School in 1979.