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Meadow Brook teacher wins international award

Meaghan Taylor, a Mustang High School graduate and a Meadow Brook Intermediate School teacher, knew from an early age that her calling was to be a special education teacher, and now she is being recognized for that passion. Brook received the Andrew Halpern Early Career Practitioner Award at the Council for Exceptional Children Division on…

Children perch in a tree at Wild Horse Park while watching “The Love Bug” during Mustang’s 50th anniversary celebration. For more photos and a feature on Mustang’s history, see Page 7A. Photo / Chris Eversole

Celebration of Mustang’s 50th draws crowds

Last week, Mustang residents connected with the city’s history and with the men and women who serve the community today. Events celebrating the 50th anniversary of the city’s incorporation included a birthday breakfast Oct. 14 for past and present city and community leaders, a police department open house and animal adoption event Oct. 15 and…

Missing shingles and damaged plywood roofing are visible in this photo of the historic Canadian County jail. Members of Preservation El Reno said Monday they do not have the ability to repair the building and have turned the building back to the county commissioners. Photo / Ray Dyer, El Reno Tribune

Group returns historic jail to county

OKARCHE — Preservation El Reno has given up on its goal of restoring the original Canadian County jail and has turned it back to the county commissioners. Meeting in Okarche Monday evening, the commissioners agreed to release the group from its 99-year lease on the historic building. The decision frees up the county to make…

MHS begins search after coach resigns

Mustang High School will begin the search for its second softball coach in five years after Jamie Roberts tendered her resignation Oct. 14. Robert Foreman, MHS’ athletic director, confirmed that Roberts resigned her coaching duties four days after the Lady Broncos were eliminated from the regional tournament. “We would like to thank Jamie for all…

Mustang High School's cross country teams will head to regionals Saturday. Photo / Michael Kinney

Mustang harriers reassigned to east regional

Mustang High School’s cross country teams are excited about competing Saturday in regionals, but part of that exhilaration comes from the venue. Originally, Mustang’s harriers were assigned to participate in the Class 6A west regional in Norman, but the Oklahoma Secondary School Activity Association reassigned MHS to Sand Springs. “With a strong west half of…

Badges on buses program to expand

Canadian County’s sheriff says beginning next month his deputies will team up with officers from the Mustang and Yukon school districts in an effort to stop drivers who pass school buses that are loading and unloading children. Chris West said the effort began last spring when the Yukon Police Department and the Yukon School District…

A Mustang player runs the ball downfield during the Broncos' Oct. 17 match against Edmond North. The Broncos downed Edmond North 49-21, but they'll next face the No. 1 6A Rams Friday. Photo / Ron Lane

MHS’ Blankenship faces No. 1 Rams, ‘Coach B’

Lee Blankenship grew up wanting to be a football coach and admits much of his motivation came from watching his second cousin, Bill Blankenship, direct programs in the Tulsa area. “It’s kind of a joke in our family, but you are either a preacher or football coach,” quipped Lee Blankenship, whose father is a preacher.…

During a celebratory breakfast Monday, Mustang city manager Tim Rooney, vice mayor and Ward III Councilman Brian Grider, Sen. Paul Rosino and Rep. Brian Hill stand with a proclamation recognizing the 50th anniversary of Mustang’s signing of the city charter. For more photos of birthday festivities and Mustang through the years, see Pages 6A-8A. Photo / Larissa Copeland

City celebrates 50th birthday

By CHRIS EVERSOLE [email protected] The city of Mustang is recognizing the 50th anniversary of the city’s incorporation this week. The Mustang Mirror that was published the week before Gov. Dewey Bartlett signed the city charter on Oct. 17, 1969, offered this explanation: “Mustang Mayor James M. Hamilton announced Monday that Governor Bartlett will sign the…

Seniors Lim Krivanek and Judson Rowland will lead the defensive effort this week as Mustang tries to win its third straight district game. The Broncos will travel to Edmond North to meet the Huskies at 7 p.m. Thursday. Photo / Ron Lane

Seniors lead the way for Mustang’s defense

By BOB CRAMER [email protected] For two years now, seniors Liam Krivanek and Judson Rowland have been the heart and soul of the defense for Mustang High School’s football team. Krivanek plays safety, and Rowland is the middle linebacker. They are returning starters and MHS’ defensive co-captains. First-year head coach Lee Blankenship said the pair have…

The Lady Bronco volleyball team netted a championship title Tuesday after winning the Class 6A regional tournament. Now, the team will head to state for the first time since 1996. Pictured are (back row, L-R) assistant coach Jody Miles, Delaney Brown, Madelyn Booth, Annabeth Fehrle, Ruby Kelley, Sage McCaskill, Aven Korstjens and head coach Steve Hajek, (front row, L-R) Olivia Whitmill, Victoria Everhart, Madi Hajek, Casady McKinney and Madison Barbee. Photo / Bob Cramer

Mustang wins regional, seeks volleyball crown

By BOB CRAMER [email protected] For members of Mustang High’s volleyball team, a dream partly came true Tuesday night — the Lady Broncos are going to the state tournament. MHS (29-4) overwhelmed Westmoore and Union to capture the championship of the Class 6A regional tournament before about 300 fans at the Mustang High School Event Center.…

School board modifies superintendent evaluation

By CHRIS EVERSOLE The Mustang Board of Education on Monday adopted a new approach to evaluating its superintendent. The board will meet with Superintendent Charles Bradley in executive session monthly to discuss one aspect of his performance based on an evaluation tool that the Oklahoma State School Board Association administers at a cost of $250…

Mustang’s Simonsen wins COAC championship

By BOB CRAMER [email protected] Mustang High’s Gabe Simonsen continues to build on his legacy of being one of the premier competitors in Class 6A cross country in Oklahoma. Simonsen captured the championship of the Central Oklahoma Athletic Conference meet on Tuesday morning at Deer Creek High School, breezing across the finish-line in 16:21 in the…

DEATH NOTICES – OCTOBER 17, 2019

Georgianna Gleason Georgianna Lea Gleason, 48, died Oct. 15. Her funeral will be at 10 a.m. Friday at McNeil’s Funeral Service. Charlene Hays Charlene Mae Hays, 69, died Oct. 12. Her services are at 10 a.m. Thursday at McNeil’s Funeral Service. Kathy Killingsworth Kathy Elaine Killingsworth died Oct. 11. Her funeral was Tuesday at Kolb…

Mustang refocuses, turns back Yukon in Bedlam volleyball

By BOB CRAMER [email protected] Mustang zipped to an easy victory over the Yukon Millers in the first set during Bedlam volleyball Oct. 3, but then the fourth-ranked Lady Broncos lost their focus and energy. The No.14 Millers (11-16) came out flat and error-prone to begin the match, but cut down on the mistakes, won the…

A Mustang player celebrates a fumble recovery. Photo / Ron Lane

Mustang shocks Union with late touchdown pass

By BOB CRAMER [email protected] Making big plays literally from the football game’s first snap until its last, Mustang High stunned Union’s Redskins, 23-21, Friday in suburban Tulsa. Quarterback Hayden Conrad threw a 29-yard touchdown pass to receiver Chris Duran with 15 seconds left, propelling Mustang to a critical District 6A-1 victory over the Redskins at…

Festivities planned for city’s 50th birthday

By CHRIS EVERSOLE [email protected] The city of Mustang has planned a series of events next week in recognition of the 50th anniversary of the city’s incorporation. The events include: • Birthday breakfast celebration – Monday Past and present city leaders, along with other community leaders, will kick off the events. Breakfast will be provided by…

Mustang High School Theatre students Keegan Jones, Andrew Roberts, Brenden Weaver and Makylee Enix were named to the All-State Cast. Jones was named Top Male Actor and and Enix Top Female Actor. Photo/Courtesy

Theatre students win state for one-act play

Just one day after the Mustang High School football team upset Tulsa Union for its 300th win, the MHS Theatre Department traveled to Union and performed in the Oklahoma Secondary Schools Activities Association’s Class 6A State One Act Play Contest. When the dust settled at the end of the day, Mustang High earned the 1-Superior…

A Mustang player carries the ball, looking for an opening in Union's defense during Friday's game, which the Broncos won 23-21. Mustang will next face Southmoore on Friday at 7 p.m. Photo / Ron Lane

Mustang assistant coach faces father in Southmoore match

By BOB CRAMER [email protected] Assistant Cole Prestidge, who coaches Mustang High’s Bronco backs, will look across the field in pregame warmups and see a familiar face when MHS entertains Southmoore at 7 p.m. Friday. The SaberCats’ offensive coordinator is his father, Ty Prestidge, a veteran of 47 seasons of coaching high school football in the…

Students study anatomy in the new Mustang High School Science Academy. Photo / Chris Eversole

Class is in session at new science academy

By CHRIS EVERSOLE [email protected] Mustang Public Schools held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for its new High School Science Academy Monday. Superintendent Charles Bradley noted that it is one of the many projects funded by a bond issue that voters approved in 2017. “We are so blessed by the level of community support for our schools,” he…

Hilly Arkansas course challenges Mustang harriers

By BOB CRAMER [email protected] Mustang High School’s cross-country teams ran in one of the region’s largest and most famous races Saturday. The 31st annual Chile Pepper Festival is held at the University of Arkansas’ course in Fayetteville. Mustang boys coach Mike McGarry said 778 male and 630 female runners were entered in the 3.1-mile race.…

Former governor meets with local leaders

By Chris Eversole

Former Oklahoma Gov. David Walters received a warm welcome Tuesday in a return visit to Mustang. Walters, who served from 1991 through 1995, answered questions for nearly an hour at Positive Posse, an informal discussion group that meets at the Town Center. Walters has visited the Positive Posse several times in the past, and sisters…