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In recent rulings, U.S. District Judge Bernard M. Jones of the Western District of Oklahoma has taken diametrically opposite stances regarding requests for plaintiffs in lawsuits to have their identities kept anonymous.

When a lawsuit was recently filed on behalf of illegal immigrants, Jones granted anonymity, saying the plaintiffs had reason to fear being arrested for their illegal activity if identified by name.

Barbara O’Neal and Vera Mae Morse slowly walked beside a long row of graves inside the El Reno Cemetery, carefully studying the names on the markers and watching American flags placed nearby waving in the breeze.

The pair stopped at a white granite headstone that listed the name Private Robert A. Morse.

“He was my brother-in-law,” said Morse.

Otis Bruce says it’s probably just history repeating itself.

He figures that’s why El Reno claims to have recently celebrated the 37th Annual Fried Onion Burger Day Festival. Bruce says the 2025 festival was actually the 36th rendition. 

“I think it’s like what happened in 1889,” said Bruce, now retired and former longtime owner of Johnnie’s Grill. “It’s just the Sooners jumping the gun again, only this time it was in 1989.”

OKLAHOMA CITY — People convicted of sex offenses against children can be sentenced to death or life without parole on their first offense under a new law signed by Gov. Kevin Stitt.  

Senate Bill 599, authored by Sen. Warren Hamilton, R-McCurtain, allows prosecutors to pursue the death penalty for the rape of a child under 14 for first-time offenders.

LAWSUITS

Midland Credit Management Inc. vs. Nancy York for $3,391.26 to pay a debt plus interest, costs and attorney fees.

Denali Capital LLC vs. Alyssa Damian for $3,781.00 to pay a debt plus interest, costs and attorney fees.

Synchrony Bank vs. Chelsea Cook for $2,739.98 to pay a debt plus interest, costs and attorney fees.

Portfolio Recovery Associates LLC vs. Jessica Hogner for $1,349.54 to pay a debt plus interest, costs and attorney fees.

Recently I saw Congressman Frank Lucas in an interview with Oklahoma City television station KWTV. The topic was Fort Reno.

Long before Lucas was elected to Congress in the early 1990s, the Cheyenne and Arapaho people argued Fort Reno rightfully belongs to them. 

Consider this quote from Old Crow, a Cheyenne leader as recorded in government transcripts in the 1890s and reported by Politico in 2014. “We look upon this land as a home and as our mother, and we don’t expect to sell it.” 

The Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes, a Native American nation in Oklahoma, is trying to negotiate with the Trump administration to see if it can help win back a piece of land that was taken over by the federal government more than 150 years ago.

The nearly 10,000-acre patch of land located near El Reno has been under federal government control since the 1800s and was once used for military purposes.

The bulls had the early hand over the Cowboys during the 13th Annual Mustache Bash held at the Denny Crump Arena.

More than two dozen riders took part in the event.

The El Reno Arts Council will host Art in the Park beginning Saturday, May 31 at Gadberry Park.

The events are free and open to all. Art in the Park will run from 1 to 3 p.m. and include art supplies while the materials last. Kids will make art they can take home with them.

The schedule will be as follows: June 14 at Lake El Reno, June 28 at Adams Park, July 12 at Frank Knight Park, July 26 at Legion Park and Aug. 2 at Burton Park. 

Webmaster’s note: During production of the May 24 issue, most of the article was inadvertently left out of the paper. It will be reprinted in Sunday’s Tribune.

Redlands Community College recently celebrated the Class of 2025 with the graduation of nearly 200 students during its spring commencement ceremony. The event included a keynote address from Chancellor Sean Burrage, the chief executive officer for the Oklahoma State System of Higher Education.