Tri-County Herald

Effervescent Bethany Descher

Effervescent Bethany Descher

Effervescent Bethany Descher

Emily Kalka Staff Writer
Wednesday, January 28, 2026
If you watch Chandler senior Bethany Descher now, you wouldn’t expect that her foray into the arts started in eighth grade.
Above, Lincoln County Sheriff Kevin Garrett explains the various upgrades that are underway at the Lincoln County Jail, including new consultation rooms for counsel and clients. Below is an old cell block in the jail that is in the process of getting a new sewer line. Photos/Emily Kalka

Above, Lincoln County Sheriff Kevin Garrett explains the various upgrades that are underway at the Lincoln County Jail, including new consultation rooms for counsel and clients. Below is an old cell block in the jail that is in the process of getting a new sewer line. Photos/Emily Kalka

Lincoln County Jail upgrades

Emily Kalka Staff Writer
Wednesday, January 28, 2026
The Lincoln County Jail is getting a facelift.The roughly $2.4 million project is covered by ARPA funds, according to Sheriff Kevin Garrett, and is upgrading facilities originally built in the late 1960s. A previous renovation added newer facilities in 2011.
Chandler’s seventh-ranked Lions rolled to the championship at the 66 Conference tournament in Stroud last week. The Lions beat Stroud and Holdenville in the first two rounds and Okemah by a 57-38 margin in the finals on Friday. In the girls’ bracket, McLoud’s fourth-ranked girls won the tournament and went to 16-0 for the season. They beat Holdenville, Stroud and Okemah with an average winning margin of 40 points. Photo/Cynthia Snider

Chandler’s seventh-ranked Lions rolled to the championship at the 66 Conference tournament in Stroud last week. The Lions beat Stroud and Holdenville in the first two rounds and Okemah by a 57-38 margin in the finals on Friday. In the girls’ bracket, McLoud’s fourth-ranked girls won the tournament and went to 16-0 for the season. They beat Holdenville, Stroud and Okemah with an average winning margin of 40 points. Photo/Cynthia Snider

Tournament week

Girls
Wednesday, January 28, 2026
GirlsDavenport 54, Agra 32 Wellston 55, Coyle 34 Glencoe 48, Agra 25 Strother 68, Carney 28 Davenport 46, Cushing 39 Pawnee 52, Davenport 37 Dale 59, Bethel 40 McLoud 73, Holdenville 25 McLoud 70, Stroud 24 McLoud 63, Okemah 37 Meeker 47, Seminole 34 North Rock Creek 70, Tecumseh 31 Broken Bow 65,...
Sports week in pictures

Sports week in pictures

Sports week in pictures

News Staff
Wednesday, January 28, 2026
Left, Shailey Penn was crowned as Chandler’s wrestling homecoming queen last week before the Lions’ dual with Bethel. Her escort is Landon Earp. Photo/Jennifer Pryor Above, Wellston’s Kamber Goodman (11”) draws a lot of attention from the Coyle Lady Jackets last week.
North Rock Creek’s Kadence Munn became the first girl to score 1,000 points for the Lady Cougars. She hit the mark last week against Tecumseh at the Washington tournament. She is shown with coach Lance Blocker. Photo/Sheryl Gowin

North Rock Creek’s Kadence Munn became the first girl to score 1,000 points for the Lady Cougars. She hit the mark last week against Tecumseh at the Washington tournament. She is shown with coach Lance Blocker. Photo/Sheryl Gowin

Munn notches 1,000th point for NRC

News Staff
Wednesday, January 28, 2026

Competency evaluation requested

Emily Kalka Staff Writer
Wednesday, January 28, 2026
The attorneys for a man facing over 400 felony animal cruelty counts have requested that he be evaluated for competency, while the defendant has contested the assessment.Jerry Hine, charged with 408 counts, was set to go to trial on Monday, Feb.
Shilo Davenport (10) tightropes the out of bounds line during Davenport’s win over Coyle last week. Photo/Brian Blansett

Shilo Davenport (10) tightropes the out of bounds line during Davenport’s win over Coyle last week. Photo/Brian Blansett

Shilo Davenport (10)

News Staff
Wednesday, January 28, 2026
Old photos

Old photos

Old photos

Mike Mccormick Staff Column
Wednesday, January 28, 2026
With the weather prognosticators predicting a fairly powerful storm this week for Oklahoma and much of the nation, I figured it might be wise to prepare a little.Around 8 on Monday morning one of the apps on my cell phone alerted me about a winter storm watch for our area beginning around 9 a.m.
Manvel Avenue in Chandler on Saturday. Photo/Emily Kalka

Manvel Avenue in Chandler on Saturday. Photo/Emily Kalka

Winter Storm

Mike Mccormick Staff Writer
Wednesday, January 28, 2026
Lincoln County appears to have escaped any major power outages or injuries from the first winter storm it encountered in 2026.The storm rolled through over the weekend, brining as a much as a reported 11 inches of snow and windchills well below zero.
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