April 2026

Six students from Redlands Community College were recently honored at the State Capitol by the Oklahoma Association of Community Colleges and Phi Theta Kappa for their outstanding academic achievement, record in the classroom and leadership ability. 

Sophomores Kyla Bonds, Mustang, and Kenlynn Chaney, Cement, received national recognition for demonstrating a strong commitment to their education, Redlands and their communities. Bonds was one of 20 students nationally named to the All-USA Academic Team.

LAS VEGAS - The Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes have signed a letter of intent with Wind Harvest International to install the first phase of wind turbines at the Lucky Star Casino in Concho.

The letter of intent was signed by Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes Gov. Reggie Wassana and Wind Harvest at the Reservation Economic Summit in Las Vegas in late March. 

The agreement, Wassana said, represents a significant milestone in the tribes commitment to clean energy, economic self-determination and sustainable development. 

STILLWATER – Say you have a patch of land that’s been more of a headache than a payoff. Some years, you farm it. Some years, you don’t. The soil is thin, the yields are low and the math never quite works out.

What if you just planted trees instead?

Robert L. “Bob” Allen, age 86, passed away April 8, 2026, in Oklahoma City. He was born May 22, 1939, to Corliss and Katherine Allen in El Reno. He graduated El Reno High School in 1957 and Oklahoma Baptist University (OBU) in 1963. While at OBU, he married Mary Lee Holloway of Tulsa, on June 6, 1961. 

LAWSUITS

TD Bank USA N.A. vs. Amber Meier for $2,560.41 to pay a debt plus interest, costs and attorney fees.

TD Bank USA N.A. vs. Ashley Walker for $1,330.93 to pay a debt plus interest, costs and attorney fees.

Portfolio Recovery Associates LLC vs. Alicia Villanueva for $2,498.06 to pay a debt plus interest, costs and attorney fees.

Portfolio Recovery Associates LLC vs. Edgar Galle for $1,722.35 to pay a debt plus interest, costs and attorney fees.

2/13/1937 – 4/5/2026

Whether he was building a deck for a friend or installing cabinets and trim in businesses or homes, Carl was truly a gifted woodworker. Many clients and fellow tradesmen called him a Master Carpenter.

Carl kept a small collection of tools close by so he was always ready to help one of his neighbors with hanging a picture, fixing a broken piece of furniture, even jump-starting a car or two. 

Carl was always looking for ways to serve the precious people in his living center.

With one shot separating El Reno High School’s boys soccer team and Bishop McGuinness, the outcome came down to which team did the most with those scoring opportunities.

The Irish, with the wind at their backs, broke a scoreless halftime deadlock with two second-half penalty kicks en route to a 3-0 win over El Reno.

The Indians slipped to 6-3 on the season with their fifth straight shutout loss to McGuinness in the past six seasons by a 22-0 margin.

The three-goal difference tied the lowest score over that stretch.

For more than 73 minutes, including the first 32:22 of the match, El Reno High School’s girls soccer team kept one of the state’s leading scoring teams off the scoreboard.

Unfortunately, Bishop McGuinness, which had 46 season goals coming into the match at Memorial Stadium, added three more in a shutout win over the Indians.

The 3-0 loss dropped El Reno to 3-6 on the season and 1-2 in the District 5A-2 standings. The Indians are tied with Guymon for fifth place but are one game out of third and two out of first.

Despite averaging six hits per game, El Reno High School’s baseball team could produce only nine runs over three games in the Midwest City bracket of the 2026 Bill Tipton Classic.

The offensive hurdles led to a 1-2 record, which dropped the Indians to an even .500 for the season at 11-11.

El Reno started off strong with a 7-5 win over Bishop McGuinness in a 10-inning thriller.

The Indians got a double by Garrett March in that frame, followed by four walks, two from Preston Ashford and Damien McKelvey with the bases loaded.

Darrel Franklin “Frank” Wilkerson Sr. went to be with the Lord on April 8, 2026, peacefully in his sleep. Frank was born to Harry and Lula Wilkerson on their farm in Banner on June 3, 1933. 

He graduated from El Reno High School in 1951 and was later recognized as a distinguished alumnus. He also received a technical certification from OCU and attended Central State University.

On May 31, 1953, he married his loving wife, Nadine Ruth Wilkerson, née Ellison. Together, they traveled to every continent except Antarctica.