February 21, 2026 Issue, Page 1 of 12

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SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2026 Weekend Edition WOHS Holds Annual Meeting New Career Readiness Diploma Gives Hope and Elects Board Officers By Sheryl Ponce to Adult Learners By Sheryl Ponce The Western Oklahoma Historical Society held their annual meeting, Monday, Feb. 16th, at 6 p.m., Adults who had to leave high school in their youth in the Opera House. President Linda Long opened now have an alternative way to achieve a new Oklahoma the meeting and Doug Haught lead the flag saluted Career Readiness Diploma which will equate to a High and gave the invocation. The meal was catered by School Equivalency Diploma (HSE), under the Oklaho- Rib Crib, while members brought side dishes and ma Department of Career and Technology Education desserts. (ODCTE). The new pathway for this diploma may be pur- The minutes from the 2025 Annual Meeting were sued through Western Technology Center’s Adult Educa- approved, as was the Treasurer’s Annual Report. The tion and Family Literacy programs located in Burns Flat, next report was from Anna Wray, museum curator. Elk City, Weatherford, Hobart, or Clinton. She passed around flyers that announced new hap- House Bill 3234 from the 2024 legislative session au- penings around the museum complex. The 2026 thorizes the Oklahoma Department of Education and community events include the Block Party on June the Oklahoma State Department of Career and Technol- 12th and 13th; The Great Race coming to town on ogy Education to issue this diploma. The bill was signed June 23rd; and July 4th will be America’s 250th Cel- into law by Governor Kevin Stitt on April 23, 2024. The ebration. program has now been launched through the local adult Over the past year, Wray pointed out the projects education classes. that have been completed in preparation of the Route According to Lance Allee, M.Ed., High School Equiva- 66 celebration. Those include new roofs, mainte- lency Coordinator of the Federal Programs Division, the nance of existing roofs, and new merchandise in the new diploma is a practical pathway for adults 21 years old gift shop. There are also new outdoor exhibit signs, and older to obtain his/her HSE and prepare him/her for which tell the story of the buildings represented in employment. the tour. She also said that they are working hard to prepare for the centennial. They are working to make See ADULT page 7 the museum more interactive in the future. Cindy Wood gave the membership report. She said that there have been 73 total Lifetime members. She announced that letters and membership cards are going out to the membership. The next report was given by Randy Haggard, Museum Board Chairman. He said that there have been a lot of changes in the museum in regard to maintenance and repairs. He gave credit to City Manager, Tom Ivester, for the upgrades and repairs. He also said that Ivester wants the museum board to look into redoing the store fronts and the square refurbished or redone. Haggard said that it will be a challenging project. Haggard also touched on the proposal to make the Opera House a storage facility. He said that the museum board will be having additional discussions on the topic. Storage is another issue that must be addressed, but they do not have the answers to that Kassie, Austin, and Brent Meador problem. There are several farm implements that have been removed to make room for additional do- nations. Past President Long and Pres. Dr. Danny Storm Aviation Ambition The Route 66 Centennial has been priority for the lar schedule. Haggard would also like to add guided Victor Weatherley did not have anything to report museum. The historical society added a metal sign for visitors to leave messages on. There have already tours. He went on to talk about the interactive dis- plays around the museum complex. about the General Store, but Mike Blevins gave an overview of the Hall of Fame. He said that this ban- Lands Student Spot in been several signatures placed on the project. He went on to talk about the blacksmith shop. There are Debbie Dean gave the docents’ report. She cited the numerous projects that the group of volunteers quet was one largest attended over the past several years. Elite OSU Program – groups that use it on regular basis, he would like to have been involved with over the past year. She was see more efforts to have it up and running on a regu- followed by Jim Coffey’s Farm and Ranch Museum. See WOHS page 2 One of 85 Selected By Sheryl Ponce Chapter DY of PEO Honors Local Student The Elk City Rotary Club met for their regular weekly meeting and were introduced to Elk City High School senior, Austin Meador, who earned his pilot license while main- taining his high school responsibilities. Meador is the son of By Sheryl Ponce national Peace Scholarship, which is up to Brent and Kassie Meador. He is president of FFA, secretary of $12,000, for graduate students, and Scholar Key Club and Interact Club, a member of FCA, senior class Elk City’s Chapter DY of P.E.O. present- Awards for doctoral students, $25,000. committee, and Boy’s State delegate. Meador also works on ed an educational grant to Madison Spieker. The awards focus on leadership, academ- his family’s farm, while earning his private pilot license in The Projects’ Chairperson, Margaret Snipes, ic achievement, and supporting women in Oct. 2025. was in charge of the scholarship. Spieker is higher education. Meador began by telling the Rotarians why he wanted to a graduate of Sayre High School and is cur- The key educational projects include become a pilot, which was a dream as a little boy. The first rently a junior at Southwestern Oklahoma STAR Scholarship, International Peace time he saw a plane and sat in a plane was when he was sev- State University, where she is an exercise sci- Scholarship, P.E.O. Scholar Awards, Pro- en or eight years old on a trip to Florida. They had a layover ence major. gram for Continuing Education, and the Ed- where he stayed on the plane. That was when the pilot al- P.E.O. International offers several scholar- ucation Loan Fund. lowed him and his sister to sit in the cockpit. ships and educational support programs for Most programs require a nomination by “That was the breaking moment of what I was going to do. women. a local P.E.O. chapter. Applications general- This is why I want to do it. So I started to figure out how to Those include the $2,500 STAR Schol- ly require demonstrated academic success, arship for high school seniors, the Inter- community service, and leadership. Madison Spieker and Margaret Snipes See SPOT page 2 Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes Plan Informational Meetings By Sheryl Ponce approve the construction of Lucky Breakfast will be served from 8 a.m. ERC Building, located at 928 Blaine, Star Casino – Elk City hotel and re- to 9:40 a.m. There will be no lunch, in Geary; on Thurs., March 5th, held The Cheyenne and Arapaho lated facilities in Elk City. The Tribes and vendors will not be allowed. at Kennedy’s Kitchen, located at Tribes announced that there will be will provide bus transportation for Additionally, the Tribes an- 2000 S. Eastern Ave, in Elk City; fol- a Special Tribal Council Meeting on members of the Tribes to attend the nounced they will be holding Elk lowed by the Tribal Council Meeting Saturday, March 7th, at 10 a.m., at Annual Meeting. Members may call City Development Informational on Sat., March 7th. Parties on Purpose Building, locat- meeting of the Legislature was called and Consent to Arbitration as con- the Office of the Tribal Council to Meetings at several locations on Each one of the informational ed at 1309 Airport Industrial Road. to pass a Resolution to call a Special tained in loan documents between get a ride or request remote access to different dates. The next one will be meetings will begin at 6 p.m., and According to their Constitution, Meeting of the Tribal Council. The the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes participate in the meeting. Contact held in Clinton on Feb. 24th, in Clin- run until 8 p.m. There will be food pursuant to Article V. Section 3(a) agenda will approve the following: and PNC Bank, N.A. for the con- Albert Old Crow, Tribal Council ton at the Clinton ERC Building, served at all meetings. Special Meetings of the Tribal Coun- “Approve a Resolution approving the struction of Lucky Star Casino-Elk Coordinator, office phone number 2015 Dog Patch Rd.; on Wed., Feb For more information concerning cil may be called by five members of Limited Waiver of Sovereign Immu- City hotel and related facilities in Elk 405-422-7430 or cell phone number 25th, held at Concho ERC Build- these meetings, call 405-422-7734 the Legislature. nity; Consent to Jurisdiction, Waiver City, Oklahoma.” 405-437-5269, or email aoldcrow@ ing located at 200 Wolf Robe Circle; or email info@cheyenneandarapa- On Friday, Jan. 30th, a special of Exhaustion of Tribal Remedies; The Tribal Council resolution to cheyennandarapaho-nsn.org. Tues., March 3rd, held at Gib Miles ho-nsn.gov. Weather Vol. Vol. 117,122, No.No. 54 8 Mail delivery Home delivery Viewonline View online tomorrow 99/70 55 / 26 75 75 cents cents, 12 pgs. 580.225.3000 580.225.3000 elkcityoknews.com elkcityoknews.com