Here is the second part of our look back at 2025.
- Associate District Judge Joseph Dobry asked lawyers to submit written arguments by July 2 to determine whether a preliminary injunction on the demolition of the St. Cloud buildings would be issued. He will then issue a written ruling.
The hearing was held on June 25 at the Lincoln County Courthouse. A witness for the plaintiff, Joseph Givens, and the plaintiff, John Givens, presented evidence of work completed on the buildings to make them safer. This included boarding up windows, removing loose bricks, rebuilding the parapets and removing the damaged metal roof, among other things.
- A Prague man has drawn a 25-year prison term.
Formal charges, nine felonies and a misdemeanor, were filed in Lincoln County District Court on Feb. 21 against Michael James Benham, 27.
In the one case, also a felony, a $5,000 bench warrant also was issued for his arrest. Special Judge Emily Mueller has ordered that his $250,000 bond remain as previously set.
- In early July, two talented young athletes, Marley Miller, 14, and Ridley Bendele, 14, from Chandler made their mark at the 2025 National Little Britches Rodeo Finals (NLBFR) held June 29 through July 5 at the Lazy E Arena in Guthrie.
The competition, known as the largest youth rodeo under one roof in the world, attracted nearly 1,900 contestants from across the country.
Miller qualified and competed in three events: Barrels, Poles, and Ribbon Roping. Bendele, meanwhile, showcased his skills in Breakaway Roping and Ribbon Roping. Together, the duo formed a formidable team in the Junior Ribbon Roping division, where they earned the title of Reserve World Champions, outshining 160 teams from across the United States.
-A Meeker man charged in 2024 with two counts of embezzlement withdrew his previous plea of innocent and entered guilty pleas.
The two counts of embezzlement were filed in Lincoln County District Court March 26, 2024 against Mathew Lloyd McRae, 48, of Meeker, doing business as 309 Builders, LLC, 309 Companies, LLC and Crown Construction, LLC.
- The temporary restraining order placed on the City of Chandler regarding the St. Cloud buildings has been dissolved, and the motion for a preliminary injunction has been denied, according to court documents filed on July 9.
It was one of four decrees and orders issued by Associate District Judge Joseph Dobry. He wrote in the filing that the plaintiff, John Givens, failed to persuade the court that the case met the generally considered factors in a motion for a preliminary injunction.
-Hundreds of young cowboys and cowgirls from across the globe descended on Shawnee, Oklahoma, for the annual International Finals Youth Rodeo (IFYR). Among them are three Lincoln County natives proudly representing central Oklahoma: Marley Miller of Chandler, Dulynn Schaefer of Stroud, and Ember Lane of Meeker.
For 14-year-old Marley Miller, the path to the IFYR began at the age of 4 when her mother first placed her on a horse. “I loved it,” she said. Now entering her freshman year at Chandler High School, Miller is making her debut at the IFYR and hopes to one day compete professionally.
“My mom always did barrel rodeos,” she said. “This is what I’ve done my whole life.”
- Jerry Hine, 83, of Stroud, was charged with 408 felony counts of animal cruelty. Hine made his initial court appearance on July 24, and his prepreliminary hearing was July 31, according to court documents.
A total of 404 dogs and puppies were removed from Add Love Pets, which Hine owned and operated, on July 16, through a coordinated effort by the Stroud Police Department (SPD), the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Department, the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture and Forestry (ODAFF), the Humane Society of Tulsa (HST) and other animal rescues, according to the probable cause affidavit prepared by Officer. Christian Martin of SPD.
- An Oklahoma Multi-County Grand Jury has returned a five-count indictment against a third man wanted in connection with the robbery and burglary at a marijuana grow in July of 2024.
The indictment was filed July 25, 2025, against Robert Dewayne Mayfield, Jr., 34, of the Emond area.
- The Lincoln County Commissioners approved the Lincoln County Fair Board’s application for a Route 66 Revitalization Grant to build a new sign along Route 66, at their regular meeting on Aug. 4 at the Lincoln County Courthouse.
- The Tulsa Humane Society announced in August that it had been granted custody of the over 400 Maltese dogs and puppies rescued from Add Love Pets, LLC, in Stroud last month, and they were up for adoption via its Facebook page.
Paws and Claws, applications were made through its website, and it required that interested parties go to their early showing on Aug. 10 and present current pet records. Most of the dogs in their custody are male, 1 to 2 years old, not potty trained, and need a lot of leash work. Its adoption fee was the same as the Tulsa Humane Society, covering the same procedures.
As of Sunday, not all of the Maltese at Skiatook had been adopted, and a second event was planned for Monday evening.
- Three of five defendants arrested and charged following a robbery at a grow house operation in January have entered guilty blind pleas and are awaiting sentencing.
The other two charged at the same time have entered blind guilty pleas and are awaiting sentenc- ing also.
Five others were apprehended and detained by ICE in a related incident.
- The Assistant Police Chief of Prague and his wife, who are facing a total of 43 felony charges between them related to child sexual and physical abuse have pleaded innocent to the counts.
The original 41 charges were formally filed against Jeffrey Louis Frisbie, 55, longtime Prague police officer and his wife Kimberly Ann Frisbie, 50, in Lincoln County District Court on Sep. 25, 2024. Kennedy Allen gave up just three hits and two runs in three games and led the Chandler Lady Lions to their third straight 66 Conference tournament championship last week.
Chandler had a bye the first round and beat Meeker, 17-0, in the semifinals on Friday. In Saturday’s play, Allen nohit McLoud and then gave up two hits and two runs to Prague en route to a 10-2 win in the finals.
- Prague and North Rock Creek took advantage of Zero Week to open the football season on Friday night, and the rest of the area schools will kick it off this week.
Prague steamrolled Casady, 45-8, while NRC came up on the short end of a 41-6 verdict at Marlow. Prague and NRC are off this week prior to playing on Week 2 at Prague.
- Blake Weeks, a dedicated member of Meeker FFA, has achieved one of the highest honors in the organization by being named an American FFA Degree recipient.
He will be recognized for his achievement during the National FFA Convention in Indianapolis this October.
- Dogs and puppies seized during the shutdown of Add Love Pets, LLC, are still available for adoption. Lawrence Depriest, director of operations for the Humane Society of Tulsa, said they still have 235 Maltese in their custody, with 28 of those born in their care. The animal shelter took in 408 dogs, though it gave 37 to the care of Skiatook Paws and Claws Animal Rescue. He said that some are ready for adoption, while others aren’t.
- A petition to rezone property located at South Hwy 99 and West Elm Street in Stroud from Agriculture to Commercial Highway was denied on Sep. 8 at a public hearing of the Planning Commission and Board of Adjustment.
Four members voted against the rezoning, while one abstained.
- Wellston Elementary, Parkview Elementary in Stroud and Park Road Elementary in Chandler are all adopting a yearlong Route 66 Centennial theme for their hallways.
Wellston Principal Susan Wray said the theme is a continuation of their summer school program, done in coordination with the Lincoln County Health Department through the Lincoln County Well-Being Partnership grant. The program was also themed around Route 66, so they chose to continue the celebration to inform students of the historical events over the past century.
- Chandler downed Stroud, 13-8, in their annual football rivalry series.
- A Stroud man who owned a Maltese breeding operation pleaded not guilty to 408 felony counts of animal cruelty at his formal arraignment on Sept. 16. He appeared at the Lincoln County Courthouse before District Judge Sarah Bridges.
Jerry Hine, 83, owner of Add Love Pets, LLC, in Stroud, waived his right to a reading of his charges and previously waived his right to a preliminary hearing on Sept. 11. His next court appearance will be at a status conference on Nov. 4, with a disposition hearing set for Jan. 6 if the case is not resolved.
Hine was arrested and charged on July 15 after 408 Maltese dogs and puppies were removed from his business premises in a joint effort by the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, the Oklahoma Department of Agricultural and Forestry.
- The Chandler Municipal Authority (CMA) awarded the bid for the water treatment expansion project to Orr Construction for $16,077,019, while also approving a resolution to apply for a loan not to exceed $5 million from the Oklahoma Water Resources Board to help fund the project.
Orr Construction was the lowest bid for the project; however, all bids came in higher than initial estimates, with Robert Mullins from SRB Engineering attributing it to rising electrical costs, with current prices having a 200 to 300 percent markup. They are working to find ways to lower costs, with the engineer saying they have so far found $584,000 in cuts.
Following the approval of the bid, the CMA approved an engagement letter with The Public Finance Law Group for bond counsel to find ways to make up the difference, which could range from $3.7 million to $4 million, depending on how costs are lowered.
- A McLoud woman who earlier waived her preliminary hearing on three child-related sex crimes has entered an innocent plea during her arraign- ment.
Formally charged in Lincoln County District Court March 27, 2025 are Brandon Lee Morris, 26 and Trisha Nicole Franks, 27.
Morris was bound over in June on four counts of rape by instrumentation and two counts of lewd acts with a child under 16.
- North Rock Creek is gearing up for its first home football game on new turf.
The installation of artificial turf on the football field will be finished before the game on Friday, with the goalposts being put up on Friday morning, said Superintendent Blake Moody. The work is being carried out by United Turf and Track.
- Davenport celebrated its home football opener of the 2025 season in a big way with a 52-30 victory over Wetumka.
- Lincoln County commissioners this week acknowledged the retirement letter from longtime County Court Clerk Cindy Kirby who is retiring effective Oct. 31 this year.
Kirby, in briefly addressing the commissioners, told them, “After 21 years, it’s time. One of the commissioners told her, “Twenty-one years is a long time to be elected.”
-A substitute teacher under investigation was found deceased in his home late morning on Sept. 18.
The medical examiner has yet to determine the cause of death, said Chandler Police Chief Matt Mattheyer.
- Visitors to Stroud Lake will notice a few new additions. A playground and new equestrian campsites have recently been added to the list of amenities.
The playground with ADA accessible play equipment and a music station was built in the camping area just north of the main entrance, while five equestrian camping spots were built near the start of the equestrian trails. The camping spots include small, individual corrals and electric hookups, grills and tables, with a well built nearby for water. Another larger corral was also built.
The Stroud Lake Enhancement Project is a Land and Water Conservation Grant (LWCF), according to City Manager Bob Pearman. It was a $244,670 project and 50/50 grant seen to completion by Kayla Copeland, who was the Landscape Architect.
“Stroud Lake is one of Stroud’s greatest assets. These equestrian campsites will offer one more opportunity for people to enjoy the lake,” Pearman said. “In the last couple of years, we have added another Pro Level Disc golf course, new boat dock that is ADA accessible, new playground that is ADA accessible, water well, and the new campsites that are also ADA accessible.”
The campsites are currently not open for campers as they wait for final inspection from the Department of Environmental Quality.
Work on the playground began in the early summer, according to Lake Ranger Jared Null, and he said he was extremely happy to have it so that children had a safe place to play. The playground has soft turf, so that kids can play barefoot, and already, kids at the lake have been making use of it. Null said as soon as it was finished, there were about a dozen kids playing on the equipment.
“It turned out to be awesome. I was super excited about it,” he said.
- Meeker grad Tim Whitfield was inducted into the Langston University Athlete Hall of Fame, while the Chandler High School fastpitch softball team made it to State for the second year in a row, this time clinching runner-up.
- The Chandler Municipal Authority awarded the wastewater treatment plant expansion to Orr Construction. The project is in coordination with the Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma.
- The Stroud Puppy Mill puppies got a new leash on life, with most adopted and living it up with new families all over the United States, while local food pantries tried to fill the gap with a potential SNAP suspension looming in November.
- Stroud teen Payton Hogan is honored for rescuing a man from a burning car in September.
- A $300,000 bond wasn’t posted on the St. Cloud buildings by the Dec. 16 deadline, opening up the way for the City of Chandler to demolish the historic, yet dilapidated buildings.