Washita Valley Weekly

Page 2   Washita Valley Weekly “My Community Magazine” September 20, 2023 God Bless America 100.1 FM & 91.5 FM For the best music this side of heaven Spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ One Song at a Time! Lordy, Lordy Rex Goldsmith is turning 70 Party at First Baptist Church Cement, OK Sun. Oct. 1st 2 PM ~For 43 Years~ Ann’s Quick Print For All Your PRINTING 405-222-1871 405-222-7885 Call, Text or Email annsquickprint@yahoo.com • Free Pickup & Deliver• MENTION THIS AD son, a 2013 grad and current head assistant coach of OL Reign in Seattle, Wash., will receive the Young Alumni Award.  “Since its beginning in 1973, Drover Athletics has developed into a strong and proud tradition of excel- lence in the same mold as this university’s exceptional academics!” said Dawn Brockman, director of alumni relations and university development. “We kick things off in earnest with registration and happy hour from 4-5 p.m. on Friday at the newly renovated deck out- side Davis Hall. Your first drink is on us as we gather with old friends and catch up on all that has transpired since we last met.”  The 2023 homecoming weekend features vari- ous athletic offerings and alumni golf. The scholar- ship recognition and awards brunch will spotlight 50 years of Drover Athletics as well as USAO’s best and brightest, while Sunday’s memorial is a reminder of the school’s illustrious past. After Saturday’s brunch, attendees are invited to stay in the Ballroom and participate in a photo identification project hosted by Nash Library. Other events will include stargazing at the USAO Habitat Area and the debut of “Unfin- ished Business,” a documentary looking back on the brotherhood that helped earn USAO its first national championship.  View the full schedule and register at usao.edu/ homecoming. wineries, breweries and more with over seventy-five vendor booths registered and more being added.  Several years ago the Rock Island Ride bicycle ride was added to the festival date, followed by the Food Truck Challenge and also the ICAN walk. This year all of these entities have been added and through the Chamber of Commerce, the Rock Island Art Festival is now a sub-event of “Bites, Bikes, and Art Vibes in Chickasha”, the Rock Island Weekend.  The Art Festival will run for three days, beginning Friday, September 30 through Sunday, October 1; the Rock Island Ride will be Saturday, September 30 with push off at 9:00 AM; Together We Heel walk will also be on Saturday, September 30 at 10:00 AM; and the Oklahoma Food Truck Championship will be Saturday, September 30 beginning at 10:30 AM. Saturday will be a busy day to take in everything that is planned.  For more information and updates, see www. visitchickasha.com/rock-island-weekend. Have fun in Chickasha. ‘USAO Homecoming’ continued from Page 1 ‘Bites, Bikes, Vibes’ continued from Page 1 CV Tech Bond Issue fails  Grady and Caddo County voters who live in the Canadian Valley Technology Center’s wide ranging district voted to approve the district’s $75 million bond issue, however the voters in Canadian County turned out strong against it. The bond issue was defeated in last Tuesday’s special election by only 48 votes.  Most school bond issues require a 60% super ma- jority approval to pass, however, according to Cana- dian Valley Technology Center officials Oklahoma state law requires only a simple majority would have been required. 25 no votes turned yes would have approved the plan.  CV Tech sought voter support to fund construction of a “stand-alone” public safety training center and other upgrades at Canadian Valley’s El Reno Campus along with modernization and safety improvements at its Chickasha campus.  Some 102 precincts were open Sept. 12 in polling places across eight counties for CV Tech’s bond elec- tion, with votes cast in six of those counties.  No one showed to vote in the single precinct in Kingfisher County and no one voted in either of the two precincts in Garvin County.  Caddo County (who has a tech school at Fort Cobb) had 2 precincts in the school district and split with 8 votes for and 7 votes against the proposal.  Cleveland County had one precinct with three yes votes; McClain County had one precinct with four no votes; Oklahoma County had nine precints and 91 yes votes and 62 no votes.  Grady County, who would have seen some ad- ditional improvements in the campus in Chickasha voted to approve the bond issue with 26 precincts reporting a total of 671 yes votes and 379 no votes.  Canadian County that has the main El Reno Cam- pus in its borders turned the issue down, over-riding the other 7 counties in the district with 60 precincts reporting 1,735 yes votes, but 2,104 no votes.  There were 2,508 yes votes (49.53%) and 2,556 no votes (50.47%), according to unofficial results from the Oklahoma State Election Board.  CV Tech Superintendent Gayla Lutts said, “The election results last night for the CV Tech bond issue were disappointing. I want to thank everyone who got out to vote and who supported our efforts to educate the public about the bond issue. Over the past several months, we experienced an overwhelmingly positive response from our faculty, families, communities and business partners who were supportive of our expan- sion and improvement goals. We are proud of our growth and progress at CV Tech and remain commit- ted to our mission of preparing our students to suc- ceed through quality career and technical education programs and services. While the loss is certainly a setback, our eye is still on building a brighter future for us all.”  Lutts had earlier reported that the schools turned away 600 or more students this year due to the lack of teaching facilities.  The failure to Tuesday’s bond vote means property taxes will remain steady.  School districts served by CV Tech stretch from El Reno east to Bethany and Piedmont south to Rush Springs, and include Mustang, Yukon and Tuttle, among others. Chocolate Festival  “The Friends of the Anadarko Community Library Chocolate Festival will be held on Tuesday, October 3, 2023, from 5:30 to 7 PM, at the Anadarko Com- munity Library, 215 West Broadway (north of the courthouse in Anadarko).  Tickets will cost $7.00, and each ticketholder can choose up to 6 individual servings of delicious chocolate treats. There will also be an auction starting at 6 PM that will include chocolate foods and other donated items.  Tickets will be sold at the door starting at 5 PM on October 3, and doors will open at 5:30 PM. Tickets may be purchased before October 3 at the Library or from FOACL board members.  All proceeds from this event will be used to sup- port the Anadarko Community Library to promote reading, literacy, and education for children and adults.” Heart of Oklahoma Youth Rodeo Association  The Heart of Oklahoma Youth Rodeo Association (HOYRA) is coming to the Grady County Fair- ground, September 23-24, 2023. The exciting event features a wide range of rodeo activities with young people aged 19 years and younger competing for the top prizes.   In four (4) different age groups, HOYRA offers Barrels, Poles, Goat Tying, Breakaway Roping, Rib- bon Roping, Tie-Down Calf Roping, Steer Stopping, Steer Breakaway and Team Roping. HOYRA strives to provide the highest standard of sportsmanship in the competitive events of rodeo, and to teach the im- portance of humane and ethical treatment of animals.   HOYRA was founded by a group of parents as a non-profit organization in 2002. It has a 501 C3 non- profit status. HOYRA has over 200 members ranging in location from the entire state of Oklahoma, Texas, Missouri, Mississippi, Arkansas & Kansas.  As a non-profit organization, officers and board member positions are all volunteers. The labor required to set up and run a rodeo performance is provided by the parents, family, and friends of the contestants. A paid Stock Contractor, Judges and Sec- retary are expenses plus building cost. All profit and fundraisers apply toward year-end awards and prizes. National Weather Service Festival   The National Weather Festival will be held on Sat- urday, October 14th from 10am-2pm at the National Weather Center.  The National Weather Festival is the biggest event hosted by the National Weather Center attracting over 4,000 guests annually. The National Weather Festival features many weather-related organizations, such as the National Weather Service, Oklahoma Mesonet, Storm Prediction Center, and broadcast Meteorolo- gists from local news channels.  The National Weather Festival is a family event with fun educational activities for all ages. There will be lots to see, including helicopters, emergency vehicles, hourly weather balloon launches, and drone demonstration by our research partners. We must laugh “Gentlemen, why don’t you laugh? With the fearful strain that is upon me night and day, if I did not laugh occasionally I should die, and you need this medicine as much as I do.” Abraham Lincoln quoted at a cabinet meeting during the civil war. National Care for Kids Day, which takes place on Sep- tember 20, is a great occasion to build a better envi- ronment for our children. The day aims to encour- age our communities to understand how different aspects of life can affect their adulthood and en- tire future.