News

El Reno Public Schools had a free Swim Day that included free books from the Wesley UMC Bookmobile.

WEATHERFORD – In towns where Republican politics have long shaped local identity, some younger rural Oklahomans say they are growing more skeptical of strict party loyalty and more interested in individual issues and independent thinking.  

Interviews with young voters and residents in Weatherford and Ringling show a more complicated picture than election maps suggest. Many still identify with conservative values, but some Southwestern State University students described campus political conversations as more open than people might expect.  

In one of Oklahoma’s most closely contested Republican gubernatorial primaries in recent memory, President Donald Trump’s endorsement of Mike Mazzei came less than three weeks before voters head to the polls on June 16.    

Before Friday’s endorsement, Mazzei, Attorney General Gentner Drummond, former House Speaker Charles McCall and businessman Chip Keating were in a competitive race for the Republican nomination, with each candidate working to appeal to many of the same conservative voters.  

Rose State College, Redlands Community College and Seminole State College have entered into a collaborative agreement designed to enhance library services, strengthen access to educational resources and support student success across all three colleges.

Through the partnership, the colleges will share a Librarian of Record and coordinate library services to support accreditation requirements, improve access to research resources and expand instructional support for students and faculty.

Redlands Community College recently announced students named to the college’s honor rolls for the spring 2026 semester. Students listed on the President’s Honor Roll have completed 12 or more credit hours and have earned a GPA of not less than 3.8, with no grade less than a B – excluding 0-level courses.

Those listed on the Vice President’s Honor Roll have completed 12 or more hours of coursework and have earned a GPA of 3.5 to 3.79, with no grade less than a C – excluding 0-level courses.

Craig McVay, an El Reno Democrat running for State Superintendent of Public Instruction, has received the endorsement of Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes Gov. Reggie Wassana.

McVay said he and Wassana met earlier this year to discuss the education issues facing Cheyenne and Arapaho students across Oklahoma.

At that meeting, Wassana endorsed McVay’s candidacy for Oklahoma State Superintendent of Public Instruction. Wassana and McVay have worked together as partners for many years.

For Zachary Bomar, co-owner of Lost Brothers Cannabis Co., the promise of Oklahoma’s cannabis boom was straightforward: opportunity.

After 15 years in the oil field, Bomar entered the industry in 2020 following layoffs, investing his savings alongside his three brothers in what he described as “the next oil boom.”

The brothers entered the industry as cannabis cultivation spread rapidly across Oklahoma.

At first, the expectation seemed justified.

“The vision was make some good money,” he said, noting that early on, “that’s what it seemed like everybody was doing.”

OKLAHOMA CITY – An initiative petition seeking to eliminate some property taxes violates the Oklahoma Constitution on several fronts, the state’s high court was told.

The Oklahoma Supreme Court held oral arguments challenging an initiative petition, State Question 843, that critics say would reduce revenue to schools by more than $1 billion by exempting homesteads from property taxes.

OKLAHOMA CITY — Senate Pro Tem Lonnie Paxton, R-Tuttle, applauded Gov. Kevin Stitt for signing Senate Bill 1806, legislation extending foster care services from age 18 to 21.

Paxton said the new law will help provide stability and support for young adults transitioning into adulthood.

LAWSUITS

Tony Black vs. Gold Sky Trans Inc. for an amount in excess of $75,000 for injuries and damages alleged to have occurred during an automobile accident.

U.S. Bank Trust N.A. vs. Rebecca Sauer for $77,466.84 to pay a debt plus interest, costs and attorney fees and foreclosure of mortgage on Lot 29, Block 2, Canadian Heights Addition, Yukon.

ABC Supply Company vs. Priority One National Inc. for $94,822.17 to pay a debt plus interest, costs and attorney fees.