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HOLDENVILLE, Okla. — Baptist Village Communities (BVC) recently honored Holdenville resident Linda Gibbs with the prestigious Legacy of Love Award in recognition of her ext raordinary dedication, leadership, and decades of faithful service to the ministry. The award was presented by Dr. Bill Pierce during a special recognition ceremony celebrating Gibbs’ lasting impact on Baptist Village Communities and the countless lives touched through her service. Gibbs has served on the Baptist Village Communities Board of Directors for 26 years, holding various leadership roles throughout her tenure, including multiple terms as Board chair. Her leadership, guidance, and commitment have played a significant role in the continued growth and ministry of Baptist Village Communities across Oklahoma.

Dolores Joan Ingram (Rusty) passed away on Friday, May 8, 2026, in Shawnee, Oklahoma, at the age of 92. She was a long-time resident of Holdenville, moving to Shawnee in 2017 after the death of her husband, W.D. (Dub) Ingram. She was also predeceased by her parents, Thomas Adams and Edith Tanner Adams Ramsey, and her first son, Thomas David Ingram. Dolores was born December 3, 1933, at Springer, Oklahoma.

Have you ever heard the phrase “Common sense is not so common.”? What about when a kid is told they should have known better, is this because like common sense there is an innate sense of right and wrong. What about when you know it is wrong and do it anyway? Remember Al Gore’s famous quote when caught breaking campaign finance laws; “There was no controlling legal authority.” In other words, it is okay because there was nobody there to catch me. What if you were applying for a job and found out that only applicants that claimed to be experts in all aspects of the job would be interviewed. In other words, if you were honest about your experience, you had no chance at all. Do you lie to get the interview? This is only one of many examples of ethical dilemmas people face in our society. But what about organizational integrity or reputation?

Reed Elementary would like to thank Southeast Oklahoma Title, Quetzali Becerra Rivera, and Kristina Wells for sponsoring and presenting Perfect Attendance Bicycles! This special tradition was started years ago by Kristina Wells, and we are so thankful it continues to bless our students year after year. What a fun way to celebrate students who showed up, worked hard, and finished the year strong.

While 60 percent of U.S. children regularly play outside, some stay indoors most of the time, according to the CS Mott Children’s Hospital National Poll on Children’s Health.

Transfer Rule Explained OSSAA Executive Director, David Jackson, send out the following email to all the state’s high schools in an effort to explain the new transfer legislation that was signed into law by Governor Stitt. Dear Administrators, As the Governor signed HB 2153 into law, it was reported that by repealing the section of law that requires a sit-out period for transfer students, the one year sit out period was eliminated.

May 20 was chosen because its also the birthday of the pioneer of modern beekeeping, Anton Jansa of 18th Century Slovenia. Bees are well worth celebrating: They pollinate 35 per cent of the world’s food crops, including 75 per cent of the fruits, vegetables and nuts grown in the US And a single bee visits as many as 5,000 lowers a day—busy indeed!

In a few short days Memorial Day will be here. For the next several weeks we want to share some news clippings from 1943.

Funding supports student wellness initiatives and expanded STEM learning opportunities HOLDENVILLE, Okla. (April 29, 2026) – Sovereign Bank, a community bank wholly owned by the Citizen Potawatomi Nation, awarded a total of $17,000 to two schools in Holdenville, including $7,000 to Moss Elementary School and $10,000 to Ethel Reed Elementary School, supporting both student wellness and expanded STEM education opportunities.