Betty Sue Hutchins passed away Thursday, April 9th, 2026 at her home in Calvin, Oklahoma at the age of 77. Betty was born March 17th, 1949 in Holdenville, Oklahoma to Raymond Shockley and Loveta (Hickman) Shockley.

Cheryl Renee Buck, 61, of Holdenville, Oklahoma, passed away peacefully on April 7, 2026, surrounded by love. Cheryl, lovingly known as “Big Mom” by her grandchildren, was born on March 23, 1965, in Dallas, Texas, to J.W.

Gerald Doyle Bottoms, age 95, passed away peacefully on February 24, 2026 leaving behind a legacy of service, intellect, and deep love for family. He was born on April 10, 1930, in Holdenville, Oklahoma, to Edgar and Lorene Bottoms, and was a 1948 graduate of Spaulding High School.

HOLDENVILLE — A creek flowing through Stroup Park in Holdenville has officially been renamed “Veterans Creek,” honoring the service and sacrifice of military veterans in the community. The effort to rename the creek was led by Doyle Tampleton, a Vietnam veteran and recipient of two Pur-ple Hearts.

A longtime community volunteer known for her decades of service to others has been selected for a distinguished honor. Donna Lipe has been named the Epsilon Sigma Alpha (ESA) 2025–2026 Diana Award recipient by the local chapter.

Best Buds...Penny and Esme had fun hunting eggs with Ms. Brown’s class and the rest of Reed Elementary this year for Easter.

Much Ado About Nothing I fear my “career” as an amateur writer may be drawing to an end. The last few years, every time I had another surprising birthday, I figure I need to quit all this and maybe like old “Buda” just sit around.

The Holdenville Wolverine Track Team traveled to Tishomingo last week for their first competition for the season and Kylierae Leftwich wasted little time in making her mark on the 2026 season.

Legislation designed to dramatically improve Oklahoma’s public-school literacy outcomes, including a mandate that students repeat the third grade if they read far below grade level, has advanced from both chambers of the Oklahoma Legislature with strong support.

Currently, Oklahoma has one of the nation’s shortest school years and some of the nation’s worst academic outcomes. House lawmakers have now voted to increase the length of the school year, hoping additional instructional time will boost student learning as well.