January 2026

Samuel Dee Wix was born Oct. 13, 1973, in Oklahoma City to Michael Wix and Tammy Bullard (deceased). He passed away Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026, at the age of 52 in Yukon, surrounded by his family and loved ones. 

He was preceded in death by his father, Michael Wix; grandparents, Willard and Ruby Wix; his brother, Timothy Bunn; and his nephew, Eric Edwards.

Samuel is survived by his mother, Shelley Wix Lasher and stepfather, Craig Lasher of El Reno; his grandmother, Janice Tech of El Reno; and his grandparents, Carol and Jenny Finch of Tulsa.

LAWSUITS

Jefferson Capital Systems LLC vs. Vaiaka Ngalo for $3,916.32 to pay a debt plus interest, costs and attorney fees.

LVNV Funding LLC vs. Brad Trujillo for $1,292.15 to pay a debt plus interest, costs and attorney fees.

LVNV Funding LLC vs. Michael Sitterly for $1,276.06 to pay a debt plus interest, costs and attorney fees.

Jefferson Capital Systems LLC vs. Johna Walker for $4,239.47 to pay a debt plus interest, costs and attorney fees.

With the cancelation of the third round of the Shawnee Invitational due to weather, El Reno High School’s girls basketball team was denied a shot at its best regular-season tournament finish of the year.

El Reno was 1-1 in the event after defeating Coweta (42-26) but falling to Class 6A power Tulsa Union (54-26) in the semifinals.

The Indians would have played Shawnee for third. Instead, El Reno now takes a 9-8 overall record back into the stretch run of District 5A-2 play.

Tourney finishes this season included fourth in Harrah and sixth in Anadarko.

Services for Vada Louise (Hearrell) Glenn of Minco were held Saturday, Jan. 24 in the Huber-Benson Funeral Home Chapel, with burial following at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church Cemetery in Union City.

Vada died Jan. 16, 2026, at her home in Minco. She was born May 5, 1939, in Coalgate.

She was raised in Lane and attended Butler Country School. In the ‘70s, she worked for the El Reno Nursing Home as well as MCM Hospital Supplies.

Vada moved to Minco in 1986 and later bought The Office Tavern.

Holding off a fourth-period rally by Southeast, El Reno High School’s boys basketball team defeated the Spartans 53-49 to move into the Consolation Championship of the 2026 Shawnee Invitational.

The win snapped a three-game losing streak and moved the Indians to 6-11 on the season. El Reno, which lost to the host (52-43) in the quarterfinals, was slated to play the Oklahoma City Storm for third but the tournament was called off due to weather.

El Reno closed its three in-season tournament outings with a 3-5 record.

PIEDMONT – Three upper-weight wins allowed El Reno High School’s boys wrestling team to avoid being shut out in a 50-15 road duel loss to Piedmont – ranked No.7 in Class 6A.

El Reno dropped its fifth straight outing, all to top-15 teams, and slipped to 1-5 on the season.

El Reno lost four weights by falls and a fifth by technical fall. The team also forfeited three weights, which added 18 points to Piedmont’s total.

In Loving Memory 
February 27, 1952 – January 16, 2026

“Her children rise up and call her blessed.” - Proverbs 31:28

Jessie Marie Sanders Ford, affectionately known as “Marie,” entered eternal rest after a life richly lived in love, creativity and devotion to family.

Born Feb. 27, 1952, she was the beloved daughter of Dolores Marquez Sanders Alvarado and Herbert L. Sanders Jr.

Marie carried forward the strength, resilience and warmth of her lineage with grace and quiet determination.

Luis Moreno was 7 years old when his mother brought him to El Reno. They came from Mexico. That was in 2001. His father was already living here. The young family was reunited. 

Moreno would grow up, graduate from El Reno High School and help care for his four younger siblings, all who were born here. 

He met a young woman. They had a baby. Now at 31, his young family is separated. 

Homeland Security personnel stopped Moreno on Dec. 2, a couple of blocks from his El Reno home, said Jordan Evans.

El Reno plumbers are suggesting residents drip faucets in their homes during the upcoming cold weather.

With the forecasted arctic temperatures, residents should also consider a pencil lead-sized stream, say plumbers.

An Oklahoma City advisory board has OK’d a request to rezone property in far west Oklahoma City adjacent to Yukon city limits that would allow development of a 480-acre data center campus.

The Oklahoma City Planning Commission, at its Jan. 15 meeting, voted 7-0 to recommend approval of two planned unit development (PUD) applications rezoning 111.5 acres at 3025 N. Frisco Road and 184 acres at 13921 NW 23rd Street in Oklahoma City Ward 3. The applicant is BLE (Beltline Energy) Landholdings, a renewable energy developer based in Atlanta, Ga.