July 2025

OKLAHOMA CITY – Oklahoma’s top Senate leader said an inquiry is under way following “a bizarre and troubling situation” where two board members reported that they saw naked women on State Superintendent Ryan Walters’ office television.

Senate President Pro Tem Lonnie Paxton, R-Tuttle, said the inquiry is being led by the Office of Management and Enterprise Services and “leadership at the agency is working through proper channels to initiate the investigation.”

LAWSUITS

GDS Auto Customs vs. Hopper Motorplex Inc. for $42,400.00 to pay a debt plus interest, costs and attorney fees.

U.S. Bank N.A. vs. Rochelle Turner for $173,380.80 to pay a debt plus interest, costs and attorney fees and foreclosure of mortgage on Lot 25, Block 12, Settlers Crossing Phase III Addition, El Reno.

Security Credit Services LLC vs. Maria Sanchez for $17,239.02 to pay a debt plus interest, costs and attorney fees.

Missing the sounds and thrills of boat racing on Lake El Reno?

Well, you won't have to wait until next July to hear engines humming, waves crashing and side-by-side racing. All those return this weekend, just on a smaller scale.

The North America Model Boat Association has sanctioned a remote control racing event for Saturday and Sunday on the west shore of Lake El Reno.

The event, a first for El Reno, is being sponsored by the Oklahoma City Remote Control Power Boaters.

Drivers are coming from Oklahoma, Texas, Arizona, Kansas, New Mexico and California.

This is my great-niece, Isabelle Pena, and she absolutely loves to have her picture in the newspaper. This started when she was around 4 or 5 years old and her Mimi and Poppy, Tricia and Todd Hobson, put her picture in the Tribune’s annual Valentines page.

El Reno’s Blessing Baskets celebrated its 10th Annual Festival of the Trees last week with what organizers said was the largest attendance to date. 

Held at the Palace Event Center, the Festival of the Trees, Christmas in July was “extremely successful. This was our 10th annual festival, and each year we have continued to see a growth in the attendance. Our community is truly amazing. Everyone had an incredible time for a truly awesome cause,” said Donna Dyer, Blessing Baskets Director of Community Relations. 

The city of El Reno will declare August as Oklahoma Indian Nation Month during an event set for 10 a.m. Wednesday, July 30 at The Filling Station Visitors Center, 120 S. Choctaw Avenue.

Mayor Steve Jensen will present the proclamation to the Oklahoma Indian Nation Committee in recognition of the cultural and economic contributions of the Oklahoma Indian Nation Pow-Wow.

The Romannose Girls by Buddy Bond Color Guard will perform.

Members have been named to four subcommittees for the new Canadian County Courthouse build.

Commissioners, at their weekly meeting July 21, voted 3-0 to approve all nominees. These stakeholders include current and past county officials along with other county personnel and citizens.

Canadian County CASA Inc. (Court Appointed Special Advocates) recently welcomed its newest volunteers.

Leilani Labourdette and Jimiesha Longerbeam made the extraordinary commitment to give their time to help abused and neglected children in their local communities.

Canadian County Associate District Judge Bob Hughey swore in the new volunteers on July 10. They have been appointed to their first CASA cases and are excited to become valuable advocates for children in need.

Two Canadian County homeowners were identified as alleged victims in a four-county investigation by the Oklahoma Attorney General’s Office.

Ted Randall Webb, age 51, was charged July 18 with eight counts of Violation of the Consumer Protection Act and one count of pattern of criminal offenses.

The defendant is accused of bilking customers of his roofing business out of $59,272.53 over a five-month span in 2023. He allegedly committed criminal acts in Canadian, Oklahoma, Cleveland and Tulsa counties.

Seventy-nine of the 140 descendants of Elmo and Agnes Finnigan gathered for their annual reunion recently at Roman Nose State Park. 

Attending were their children, Tim and Danella Finnigan, Pat and Cheryl Finnigan, Willie and Kathleen Finnigan Baeriswyl, Peggy Finnigan Wahweah, Terry and Lorie Finnigan and Jimmy and Sheila Finnigan Cowan.