May 1, 2026 Issue, Page 1 of 12

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SATURDAY, MAY 2, 2026 Weekend Edition CF 4th Annual Slam Basketball Tournament where ‘No One Fights Alone’ By Sheryl Ponce Registration deadline is Wednesday, shot challenge, along with food more funds being raised and aware- ue moving towards finding a cure,” May 13th. trucks, raffles and giveaways, in- ness being shared. We can’t express Cameron Rodriguez said in the The “Cruzin’ for a Cure” Cystic Fi- Doors for the event will open at 8 flatables, and event merchandise. enough the gratitude we have for tournament announcement. brosis 4th Annual Basketball Tour- a.m., with opening ceremonies start- All proceeds go to the Cystic Fibro- those of you who have been a part For more information text or call nament is slated Saturday, May 16th, ing at 8:30 a.m., and tipoff taking sis Foundation to help others and of this event, whether volunteer- Rodriguez at 580-799-1550. All ef- in the Arrowhead Center.The $1000 place at 9 a.m. The raffles will begin search for a cure. ing, playing, officiating, spectating, forts go to help Rodriguez’s son Cruz grand prize, with no team mini- at 10 a.m. To enter the tournament, “Each of the past 3 years, God has or just hanging out…you are what fight his battle with CF, as well as all CRUZ mum, is a men’s five on five tour- adults are $5 and children are $3. blessed us with a bigger and big- makes this event special. Come help of the others who are challenged RODRIGUEZ nament at $350 per team entry fee. They will also have a half-court ger turnout, resulting in more and us do it again this year, as we contin- with living with CF. Buckmaster Honored by OASA By Sheryl Ponce Elk City Public Schools Assistant Superintendent, Cindy Buckmaster, has been announced as the 2026 Oklahoma Association of School Administrators’ (OASA) District 12 Assistant Superintendent of the Year. She was also the Cooperative Counsel of Oklaho- ma School Administrators (COSA) District 12 Assis- ECPD Officers Trained by FBI LEEDA tant Superintendent of the Year in 2015. Buckmaster graduated from Gotebo High School and continued her education at Southwestern Okla- homa State University (SWOSU) where she earned her By Sheryl Ponce The three courses include Supervisor supervisors, the Supervisor Leader- Bachelor of Science in Education and continued to fin- Leadership, Command Leadership, ship Institute course is suitable for all ish with her master’s in education in July of 1980. The Elk City Police Department an- and Executive Leadership. police leaders – sworn and civilian.” She has certifications in eight areas, Superintendent, nounced the training of three officers According to the training web- The program topics include supervi- Elementary Principal, secondary counselor, mentally who attended supervisor training that site, “The FBI-LEEDA Supervi- sory leadership, supervisory credibility handicapped, secondary principal, learning disability, was presented by the FBI-Law Enforce- sor Leadership Institute (SLI) is a and authenticity, law enforcement lia- school psychometrist and License Professional Coun- ment Executive Development Asso- four-and-a-half-day cutting-edge bility, police discipline, DISC behavior selor. ciation (FBI LEEDA). Sargent Wyatt seminar developed uniquely for su- and leadership, and leading genera- Buckmaster has been instrumental in providing the Anderson and Sargent Zander Doby pervisors and middle managers to tions. district’s staff development programs as well as the es- finished the Supervisor Leadership In- enhance leadership competencies. The registration fee is $795, and is tablishment of the employee’s daycare, Little Elks. She stitute, which is the first course of the The course is highly interactive and open to all law enforcement, sworn and began her career in Elk City in 1995 as a high school three courses offered in the program. follows FBI-LEEDA’s “Cops Teach- professional staff. counselor. Previously she worked for the Dill City Pub- Captain Brad George attended the course completed the three-leadership ing Cops” model of professional de- The leadership of the ECPD is a pro- lic Schools as a special education teacher and teaching Command Leadership Institute. This series offered through the program. velopment. While targeting first-line gression of training and experience. principal. This is one honor among many that Buckmaster has in her long educational career. She has been appreciat- ed by the staff and other administrators. “You are truly one of the most professional and car- ing educators I have ever worked with,” the school’s an- nouncement professed. Buckmaster is one who exemplifies “FOR the Brown and White.” WOHS and Docents Gear Up for Route 66 Centennial 2nd Annual Farmers’ By Sheryl Ponce she and Debbie Dean, and Beverly Jor- who traveled Route 66. It features peo- es for engraving names on the bricks dan set up to give out WOHS informa- ple in small towns along the route. He were prohibitive in selling each one for The Western Oklahoma Historical Society’s Board of Directors met for tion. Randy Haggard gave the Farm and wrote stories about how the highway impacted them. There will be six stories $50. Maxine Jackson was present and told the board that she has already sold Market Starts their regular monthly meeting Monday, Ranch Report, saying that they are on display in the exhibition. He plans two at $50. Those have already been By Sheryl Ponce April 27th, at 11a.m., in Western Tech- working on moving some equipment on being in Elk City at the end of May. engraved. nology Center. Dr. Dan Storm opened around, and the fire department is do- The board voted to put up a plaque Haggard then gave the Museum Elk City’s Farmers’ Market kicked off Sat., April 18th, the meeting with Ronda Mikles giving nating an original 1923 fire truck that for an Elk head that was donated and Board’s report. He said that they had in Ackley Park, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. This is the sec- the invocation. The group approved has been in storage. They will be look- put up in the Farm and Ranch building. 11,313 visitors during the month of ond year for the market to be open on a regular basis. the minutes from the March meeting, ing to move it to the Farm and Ranch The people who donated the Elk head March. Last year at the same time they The weekly market will begin Tuesday, May 5th, from along with the treasurer’s report. museum. Haggard also said that the asked about the signage concerning the had 842 visitors. Additionally, the gift 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m., in Ackley Park. Beverly Jordan gave the flea mar- blacksmiths met last weekend and will donation next to the head. shop sales doubled to $8,309 from Organizer, Iesha Blankenship, said, “I have some de- ket report. She noted that they will be be meeting again. `The docents met April 15th, in the $4,900 the previous year. licious fruit preordered for y’all from Conscious Com- sending out letters to previous vendors Donnie Jordan gave the Education Opera House, to kick-off the tour- He also said that City Manager, Tom munity Co-op (the most amazing indoor farmers mar- by the end of May and June. There have Building report. The artist that has dis- ist summer season. They had several Ivester, met with the museum board to ket) that should be here right before then. This year I been several vendors who have already played his watercolor artwork is still people sign up for sessions in the drug discuss the Old Town Museum square. wanted to implement more fresh fruit and veggies that prepaid the for the next flea market. the featured artist. Storm also reported store. There are additional opportuni- They need to redo the store fronts be- our locals didn’t personally offer but still support small Membership chair, Cindy Wood, that there will be a piano recital on May ties to help at the museum, which in- cause they used substandard materials business,’ and I’m so glad I stumbled upon Conscious told the board that there are eight in- 14th, in the Opera House, which will cludes planting flowers. The drug store and labor. There will be a committee Community. If you know of a small farm or co-op you dividual members, 22 family members, be a fundraiser for the museum. will open June 1st, to begin summer to go over what needs to be done to would recommend, message me their info.” 22 Pioneer members, and 35 living life- Curator, Anna Wray, talked about a hours. refurbish or redo the buildings. Wray The group has a Facebook page called Elk City time members. Memberships are still new exhibition in the transportation Storm then called for Old Business. emphasized that they will not get rid Farmers Market. There is where one can find feature being taken. She also reported on the building in honor of the Centennial. It The first item was to address the bricks Life and Legacy Wellness Expo, where is a photo exhibition from Mark Taylor being sold for the Centennial. The pric- See CEMTEMMOA; page X See MARKET page X Weather Vol. Vol. 117,122, No.No. 54 18 Mail delivery Home delivery Viewonline View online tomorrow 99/70 82 / 57 75 75 cents cents, 12 pgs. 580.225.3000 580.225.3000 elkcityoknews.com elkcityoknews.com