Durant Police teamed up with Santa Claus Saturday afternoon to pull people over not to write tickets but give them gifts. more

Approximately 1,300 Bryan County children were served this year by the Durant Lions Toy Box and Marine Corps Reserves Toys for Tots program. more

Thursday, Dec. 16, a lively discussion of historic significance occurred at Caddo Dairy Queen. Sixteen people have responded to the invitation of Caddo Community Association and Civic and Cemetery Club of Caddo to develop plans for a year of celebrating Caddo’s Sesquicentennial, in 2022. The group represents longtime residents, present and former educators, and others with strong ties to the community. more

Durant City Council members unanimously voted in a meeting last week to repeal an ordinance that charges a $100 annual business license fee. more

Thanks to a new agreement, Southeastern Oklahoma State University will be able to offer students the ability to continue to pursue a career in nursing on the Durant campus. more

Three people were injured Saturday in a two-vehicle crash on Highway 48 about a mile north of Durant, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol said. more

These sons and daughters went shopping with their Durant Elks parents for Toys for Tots. Members hope this experience gives the children a perspective in helping the needy. Durant Elks Jaedyn Umsted, Jackson Williams, Nash Williams and Tripp James bought more than $1,700 for Toys for Tots and donated $500 to Shop with a Cop. more

At a recent Christmas dinner at the home of Tracy Rogers, the Bryan County Farm Bureau Board and friends celebrated with Ronnie Bowman, who announced he is retiring from the Farm Bureau Board after serving 37 years. Bowman is a lifelong Durant resident and he raises cattle in Durant. During the 1960s and 70s, he was a successful professional rodeo performer and he credits his winnings with helping him buy a cattle ranch in Durant. Bowman is one of four retired bull riders in the U.S. nominated for entry into the Bull Riders Hall of Fame. Shown are, Daylin Hash, president of Bryan County Farm Bureau, Bowman, and Gary Forbis, secretary of the Farm Bureau. more

Robert E. Lee Early Childhood Center student Ryker Carman walks through artificial snowflakes Friday morning, the last day of school for the fall 2021 semester. more

The Durant Lions Club received tremendous assistance this year for its Toys for Tots program from “The Okie Christmas Toy Run,” which presented them a check for $10,000. Shown are Mark Swearengin (Lion member), Brian Bond (TFT Chairman), Melynda K Keeling (Lions President), and OCTR Board members Holly Means, Lori Jo Townsend Reid and TJ Webb. Not shown are Trent and Lisa Townsend. The Lions Club thanks all of the participants in the toy run. more

Energy ran high as the ladies made their way to Roma Italian Restaurant for the annual St. William Altar Society Christmas party. There was much chatter and discussion about the menu. One of the ladies, who remains anonymous, treated everyone to delicious appetizers. more

Within the first hundred hours of the beginning of the Battle of the Bulge, a soldier from Durant, Oklahoma, would engage the German army in action that would earn him the Distinguished Service Cross for valor. Captain John William Hall would be the only soldier in the Ninth Armored Division in World War II to receive this honor. A new work of historical fiction to be released Dec.16, Rare Encounter, is based on Hall’s story and that of another young captain in his unit, Roger Lincoln Shinn. more

Durant optometrist Dr. Gregory Clay of Clay-Rhynes Eye Clinic has written a book and he will have a signing from 5-7 p.m. Monday, Dec. 20 at the Donald W. Reynolds Community Center & Library. more

The quilt displayed at the Friends of the Library’s booth during this year’s Holiday Craft Show was given to ticketholder Melva Dill of Durant. more

The City of Durant is excited to introduce our water utility customers to WaterSmart, a free online portal where customers can see their water use data, get leak alerts and more. more

Local motorcyclists raised $9,453 Sunday during the third annual Okie Christmas Toy Run Sunday which will benefit Families Feeding Families and the Durant Lions Club Toys for Tots Christmas toy giveaway. more

Durant School District’s Teacher of the Year nominees for each school were recognized at a Monday meeting of the Board of Education, and Valerie Crabtree was named principal of the new George Washington Elementary School scheduled to open next school year. more

The Pride of Durant high school band march in the Durant Christmas Parade Dec. 7. more

Calera Police Chief Don Hyde drives his 1963 Ford police car in the Calera Christmas Parade Saturday evening. more

The Southeastern Aviation Sciences Institute held a Safety Stand Down recently at Durant Regional Airport. more