April 2025

El Reno will celebrate Tara Dew Day on May 1. 

El Reno Mayor Steve Jensen read a proclamation declaring the day be dedicated in honor of the longtime minister from First Christian Church.

A number of Dew’s fellow parishioners, including Rev. Colton Lott, celebrated the news with Dew at Tuesday night’s city council meeting. 

Dew was born and raised in El Reno. She returned after college in 2000 to serve as ministerial assistant at First Christian Church. Her role has evolved, and she now is the associate minister. 

I’m a pretty lucky girl when it comes to friends. I’m still extremely close with about 20 of my sorority sisters from OSU.

I love these girls so much. They are hilarious, smart, genuine, honest, and just plain good humans! We talk just about every day in a group chat so we can keep in touch. 

From left, Pauline Gideon, Carolyn Husmann, Erin Rother-Stover and Lisa Lamaster greet visitors at the Intervention and Crisis Advocacy Network (ICAN) resource booth during a Voices for Justice program April 7 at Archery Traditions in Yukon.

The event, which featured a panel discussion followed by a talk by Oklahoma City bombing survivor Dennis Purifoy, was presented by the Canadian County Coordinated Community Response Team for National Crime Victims Rights Week.

ICAN is Canadian County’s domestic violence agency.

George Frederick Lerch, 90, passed away peacefully in his home in the company of his family on April 7, 2025. 

Services will be held at 1 p.m. Monday, April 14, 2025, at Trinity Baptist Church in El Reno.

George was born the son of Ernest and Selma Lerch in Elgin, Iowa, on Feb. 22, 1935. He graduated from Elgin High School.

George served in the Army from 1952 to 1955 at Fort Sill. During his time at Fort Sill, on a weekend liberty in Anadarko, he met the love of his life, Barbara Elms.

Members of the Underwood Oklahoma Home and Community Extension Club met recently in the home of Renee’ Schweitzer.

Those attending were Bernita Davis, Vicki Duncan, Janan Fletcher, Ann Ricketts, Michele Rivers and Natalia Valenzuela.

Ricketts led the flag salute, while Davis read the March minutes and Fletcher gave the treasurer’s report.

It was announced that county commissioners will make an OHCE Week proclamation at their May 5 meeting. Members will take treats for the commissioners before the meeting. 

The Spring Council meeting will be May 6 in Mustang.

Damrosch Ladies Music Club will be performing Wednesday, April 16 beginning at 10 a.m.

The performance will take place at First Christian Church, 400 S. Barker.

In addition to choral pieces, there will be ensemble and individual performances. 

A small reception will follow and the public is invited.

Okarche Speech Team recently took part in Southwest Regional Competition in Weatherford. The team, coached by T.J. Harris, placed second in 3A sweepstakes and is headed to state April 12 at Tulsa University.

The Okarche team took 12 of its members to this competition and won many placements in individual events.

Senior Zoe Palmer placed first in Poetry and Dramatic Interpretation. Senior Jaylan Candy-Fire placed second in Original Oratory.

LAWSUITS

Crown Asset Management LLC vs. Kelin Penda for $29,459.92 to pay a debt plus interest, costs and attorney fees.

Freedom Mortgage Corporation vs. Kameron Phillips for $179,778.52 to pay a debt plus interest, costs and attorney fees and foreclosure of mortgage on Lots 10 and 11, Block 3, Northwood Lake Estates Addition, Oklahoma City.

Tinker Federal Credit Union vs. Brandon Scarberry for $18,860.79 to pay a debt plus interest, costs and attorney fees.

DeWayne Carvin Wood passed away April 1, 2025, at his home in Kodiak, Alaska, where he had resided this last year.

He was born Nov. 10, 1938, in Carnegie, where he grew up and graduated high school. 

DeWayne lived most of his life in Calumet. He retired from AT&T after 30 years of service. He was a member of First Baptist Church in El Reno, where he served many years as a deacon and Sunday school teacher.

Both on the road and at the Hub Reed Complex, El Reno High School’s baseball team was one hit away from making some big noise in the District 5A-1 standings.

El Reno dropped a 2-1 road decision to league leader Carl Albert, leaving six base runners stranded, including the bases loaded in the sixth inning.

Five of the unaccounted runners were in scoring position.

In the home rematch with the Titans, El Reno left nine runners stranded in a 4-1 loss, including the bases jammed in the second inning. Five of those left were potential runs.