January 2026

Murray State outscored Redlands Community College women’s basketball team 24-11 in the fourth period to rally for a 72-66 victory, snapping the Cougars 15-game win streak.

Redlands tumbled from a first-place tie in the NJCAA Region 2 standings to alone in fourth place at 2-1.

The game was tied 33-all at intermission before Redlands went on a 22-15 break in the third period to lead by 55-48 going into the final period.

Redlands had just two players in double digits, led by Alaura Pruitt’s double-double of 18 points and 12 rebounds.

Despite double-double efforts from Damond Matthews and Justice Johnson, Redlands Community College men’s basketball team was left searching for its first regional road win of the season.

The Cougars dropped an 83-79 contest at Murray State to slide to 0-2 in NJCAA Region 2 and 1-2 overall in the standings – tied for sixth.

Redlands is now 7-10 on the season.

Matthews put up a team-high 31 points off 8-of-12 shooting that included a pair of 3-pointers and a 13-of-14 effort from the free-throw line. He added 10 rebounds and four assists.

Rhea Bud Collier Jr., 86, of Union City, entered into glory on Jan. 10, 2026. He was born in Oklahoma City on Feb. 12, 1939.

He graduated from Capitol Hill High School in 1957. Soon after, he met his wife, Laurencene Clark. They married in Cordell, Okla., on July 7, 1959. They started a family in 1960, completing their family with having six children: Laura Lin, Rhea Bud III, Frank Allen, Daniel Jason, Brenna Elise and Ta’Rhea Leigh.

The Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation and a slate of officials are mourning the loss of Harvey Pratt, a renowned artist whose impact lives on in the state and the nation.

Pratt, an El Reno native and forensic artist for the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, drew an overflow crowd to his funeral mass held last week at Sacred Heart Catholic Church.

Clifford the Big Red Dog stopped by The Filling Station over the weekend for photos with residents of all ages.

Children got to pick out a free book from the Bookmobile sponsored by Wesley in ACTSion, the mission team of Wesley United Methodist Church.

Ninety books were given out.

Canadian County’s Child Advocacy Center helped more children than ever in 2025 and will expand its elementary school education program in 2026.

The Child Abuse Response Team moved in spring 2025 to the Cardinal Point Family Justice Center’s new location on East Vandament in Yukon.

Since the early 1990s, the C.A.R.T. House had been located across from the Canadian County Courthouse in El Reno.

“We interviewed almost 350 kids in 2025 – at least a 20 percent increase over 2024,” Executive Director Joanne Riley said.

State Superintendent of Public Instruction candidate Craig McVay will hold a Town Hall focused on students with different needs.

The event will be held Saturday, Jan. 17 from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. at the Northwest Community Center, 520 N. Grand Ave.

McVay and a panel of experts will hear and answer questions and provide guidance. McVay will lend his expertise in implementing ideas and addressing concerns. 

The Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes distributed $100,000 raised through its December Neighbors in Need promotion — an initiative created to support local organizations and families across western Oklahoma during the holiday season.

The Neighbors in Need promotion invited guests to contribute $5 and receive $10 in free play, with all proceeds directed back into the communities Lucky Star Casino serves.

Through strong patron participation, funds were raised and distributed to organizations providing food, shelter, utility assistance, and other essential services.

Three seats are up for election on the Canadian County Free Fair Board.

The board of directors positions are now held by Yukon’s Chad Detrick (District 1), El Reno’s Brent Hunt (District 2) and Calumet’s Michael Beard (District 3).

County commissioners recently appointed Detrick to complete an unexpired term after the resignation of Yukon’s Phil Carson, a former county commissioner who had served 15 years on the nine-member county fair board.

OKLAHOMA CITY — Gov. Kevin Stitt is expected to advocate again this year for eliminating the cap on how much Oklahoma can spend to help children attend private schools, though the state hasn’t hit its current limit.

With the 2026 legislative session set to begin Feb. 2, Stitt remains committed to removing the $250 million spending cap on the Parental Choice Tax Credit program, his press secretary Tevis Hillis told Oklahoma Voice.

The tax credits provide $5,000 to $7,500 to families to offset the cost of private school tuition and fees.