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Student chatter filled the lunchroom at Warner High School on a recent Wednesday as students downed chicken sandwiches, guzzled chocolate milk and caught up with friends. Outside, middle schoolers tossed around footballs and basketballs.

A group of preteen girls gathered around a picnic table; some talked, others drew. There wasn’t a cell phone in sight.

While schools everywhere struggle to wrest students’ attention away from smartphones, Warner Public Schools has held steadfast to its total bell-to-bell ban since 2013.

WASHINGTON – Rep. Frank Lucas (R-Cheyenne) expects Congress to pass a farm bill extension by the end of the year.

“The expressions I get from the faces of leadership, both my chairman and the elected Republican leadership in the House is that it’s just not physically time to do a complete bill,” Lucas said.

“You do an extension, that doesn’t mean you stopped for one moment writing the new farm bill. It just means that an extension for a year will carry us until the new bill is passed.”

WASHINGTON - President-elect Donald Trump announced his intent to name Brooke Rollins of Texas, the president and CEO of the pro-Trump America First Policy Institute, to lead the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

“As our next Secretary of Agriculture, Brooke will spearhead the effort to protect American farmers, who are truly the backbone of our country,” Trump said in a statement.

Trump’s statement said Rollins is a graduate of Texas A&M University, with an undergraduate degree in agriculture development.

LAWSUITS

Professional Finance Company Inc. vs. Lori Naismith for $596.80 to pay a debt plus interest, costs and attorney fees.

Twin City LLC vs. Richard Tucker for $3,700.00 to pay a debt plus interest, costs and attorney fees.

LVNV Funding LLC vs. Aysia Rhodes for $1,112.67 to pay a debt plus interest, costs and attorney fees.

Capital One N.A. vs. Brian Dougherty for $2,802.69 to pay a debt plus interest and costs.

LVNV Funding LLC vs. Pamela Orellanes for $904.40 to pay a debt plus interest, costs and attorney fees.

Growing up in a Nazarene Church in Arkansas, Nick Phillips had two constant influences directing him to what he thought would be his future career path – his faith and a love for music.

“I felt the calling to be a music worship leader in a church,” said Phillips.

As it turns out, God had different plans for the Little Rock native.

He shared his thoughts about his career choice with his youth pastor at Brockington Road Church of the Nazarene. Little did Phillips know that his religious mentor was a part-time teacher and that this conversation would be a life-changer.

A decision on whether to increase the Canadian County sheriff’s base salary as allowed by state statute is expected next week.

County commissioners voted 2-1 to table for one week action related to county officers salary range.

Sheriff Chris West, citing a growing challenge to recruit and retain deputies, has asked commissioners to approve a resolution that would increase the sheriff’s base salary to $74,500.

El Reno will celebrate the Christmas season with the annual Downtown Christmas Parade on Saturday, Dec. 7, and will follow that up a week later with The Holly Jolly Trolley.

Christmas in the Movies is the parade theme for the annual event. It's a fitting nod to the impact the movie Twisters is expected to have.

El Reno was featured in the dramatic ending of the movie, much of which was filmed in the downtown in the summer of 2023.

The movie has already helped lure tour bus groups to town.

The parade, put on by Main Street, is scheduled to begin at 5 p.m.

The Oklahoma Environmental Management Authority (OEMA) said it has acquired four new compressed natural gas (CNG) waste management vehicles, funded in part by a grant from the Association of Central Oklahoma Governments (ACOG).

The grant has enabled OEMA to purchase a side-load CNG truck and a front-load CNG truck and two roll-off CNG trucks.

As a service to taxpayers, Canadian County Treasurer Jay Arnold is bringing back mobile payment sites for the 2024 tax season.

“I am excited to announce our return in offering a more convenient way to pay your property taxes,” Arnold said.

“We had tremendous success last year with many requests to open up the mobile site locations for the second-half payment as well as for those who choose to pay their property taxes in two installments.”

LAWSUITS

Discover Bank vs. Charles LaFollette for $20,770.75 to pay a debt plus interest, costs and attorney fees.

Discover Bank vs. Jack Hawkins for $12,482.75 to pay a debt plus interest, costs and attorney fees.

Bank of America N.A. vs. Elwood Wooden for $13,617.20 to pay a debt plus interest, costs and attorney fees.

MidFirst Bank vs. Leyna Tran and Kim Nguyen for $281,207.16 to pay a debt plus interest, costs and attorney fees and foreclosure of mortgage on Lot 10, Block 12, The Brook Phase III Addition, Oklahoma City.