News

In response to an incident in 2021, the Oklahoma Secondary School Activities Association (OSSAA) now requires all media, including photographers, to undergo implicit bias training before they can receive credentials to high school playoff sporting events controlled by the OSSAA.

That requirement makes little sense, says one longtime photographer who has long taken pictures of school sporting events for a local school.

“What in the name of conscience has implicit bias got to do with me as a photographer?” said Bob Whitaker.

LAWSUITS

Cavalry SPV I LLC vs. Zachary T. West for $2,491.98 to pay a debt plus interest, costs and attorney fees.

Cavalry SPV I LLC vs. Justin Travis for $2,911.67 to pay a debt plus interest, costs and attorney fees.

LVNV Funding LLC vs. Lyric Mignone for $818.03 to pay a debt plus interest, costs and attorney fees.

Jefferson Capital Systems LLC vs. Lana Vanzant for $1,202.68 to pay a debt plus interest, costs and attorney fees.

EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the first of a four-part series looking at this year’s recipients of the El Reno High School Distinguished Alumni Award. Four EHS graduates are being honored for their education and life achievements.

Four El Reno High School graduates have been named the recipients of this year’s Distinguished Alumni Award.

The El Reno Chamber of Commerce and the El Reno Tribune are partnering to host a candidate forum prior to the Nov. 8 General Election.

The forum will feature candidates for El Reno mayor and City Council Ward 3.

The candidate forum will be at 7 p.m. Nov. 1 at Redlands Community College.

The one-hour event will feature questions from a moderator as well as the audience.

Candidates for the El Reno mayor position are Steve Jensen and Phillip Church.

The candidates for the Ward 3 council seat are Kevin Marr and David Black.

Since mid-June, dozens of Canadian County small businesses have benefited from no-cost, confidential advice to help them start, grow and succeed.

Emily Beesley is Canadian County’s Small Business Development Center (SBDC) business adviser. With her experience, Beesley helps provide businesses, no matter their size or stage with the knowledge, tools and resources they need.

Oklahoma SBDC provides aid at no cost to anyone who wants to start a business or needs help improving or expanding their existing business.

Half a year into the nationwide baby formula shortage and with no foreseeable end in sight, parents are still struggling among scarcity of these products.

In the six weeks leading up to July 24, more than one-fifth of formula products were out of stock and in states like Colorado and Kansas, stock levels dropped below 60 percent in July.

OKLAHOMA CITY - Rep. Ty Burns, R-Pawnee, looked into the Oklahoma Secondary School Activities Association (OSSAA) during an interim study before the House Common Education Committee

Burns, a former public schoolteacher and coach, requested the study to examine discrepancies in policies related to the eligibility of student athletes who transfer from one school to another, specifically Rule 8 in the OSSAA manual as it pertains to Title 70.

He also questioned the organization’s finances and its overall purpose.

Tulsa Public Schools will be closed on Election Day in November, potentially creating financial strain for many low-income families in the district and delaying classroom instruction at a time when Tulsa students remain far behind their peers in academic outcomes.

Tulsa is among the more high-profile districts to close its doors on Election Day, along with the Oklahoma City school district.

LAWSUITS

Tinker Federal Credit Union vs. Raychel L. Warren and Sean M. Warren for $5,061.44 to pay a debt plus interest, costs and attorney fees.

MidFirst Bank vs. Diana Jenkins for $3,162.78 to pay a debt plus interest, costs and attorney fees.

Discover Bank vs. Julia A. Armstrong for $5,269.91 to pay a debt plus interest, costs and attorney fees.

Cavalry SPV I LLC vs. Rick Palacios for $5,559.62 to pay a debt plus interest, costs and attorney fees.

The city of El Reno is seeking a $1.5 million loan from the Oklahoma Water Resources Board to enhance the well fields that provide water for the city. And once the work is completed, as much as 25 percent of the debt could be written off.

City council approved the action last week. The loan is expected to help the city increase its water capacity by as much as 65 percent, Mayor Matt White said.

White said that was just a guess, but the city has been working to increase water production and has seen good results.