People and Places

Sarah Bailey BancFirst Officer, Operations Support Specialist III, Treasury Management

Sarah Bailey BancFirst Officer, Operations Support Specialist III, Treasury Management

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Meet the County's up-and-coming leaders

Suzie Campbell Suzie@countywidenews.com
Thursday, October 1, 2026
Thirty-three of Pottawatomie County’s up-and-coming leaders were nominated for the inaugural Countywide & Sun "Rising Star: 40 Under 40" recognition.Nominees had to be ages 20 to 39 and live, work, own a business or make a significant impact in Pottawatomie County.
CPN celebrates Capps' 36 years of service

CPN celebrates Capps' 36 years of service

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CPN celebrates Capps' 36 years of service

News Staff
Thursday, September 17, 2026
SHAWNEE, Okla. (Sept. 2, 2026) — Citizen Potawatomi Nation (CPN)’s Vice-Chairman Linda Capps is retired after more than 36 years of service.
Entertainer “The Mirror Man” leads a processional of area students and a drum line into the Firelake Arena. Photo courtesy of Jesse Monday

Entertainer “The Mirror Man” leads a processional of area students and a drum line into the Firelake Arena. Photo courtesy of Jesse Monday

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Avedis Foundation hosts 9th annual Celebrate Educators Event

News Staff
Thursday, September 3, 2026
(Shawnee, OK) — Avedis Foundation hosted its 9th annual “Celebrate Educators” event on Friday, August 28 at Firelake Arena in Shawnee, welcoming nearly 2,400 educators from Pottawatomie County and public school districts from the neighboring communities of Seminole, Prague, Meeker, Chandler and...
Randy Gilbert has been named a 2026 recipient of the Barbara Lynch Community Partner Award during the Aug. 15, 2026, Oklahoma State School Board Association/Cooperative Council for Oklahoma School Administration (OSSBA/CCOSA) Education Leadership Conference. Pictured, from left, are Dr. Shawn Hime, executive director of OSSBA, Gilbert, Julie McCormick, Superintendent of GCTC, and Melissa Abdo, president of the OSSBA. Photo provided

Randy Gilbert has been named a 2026 recipient of the Barbara Lynch Community Partner Award during the Aug. 15, 2026, Oklahoma State School Board Association/Cooperative Council for Oklahoma School Administration (OSSBA/CCOSA) Education Leadership Conference. Pictured, from left, are Dr. Shawn Hime, executive director of OSSBA, Gilbert, Julie McCormick, Superintendent of GCTC, and Melissa Abdo, president of the OSSBA. Photo provided

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Gilbert’s CareerTech service earns state honor

Suzie Campbell Suzie@countywidenews.com
Thursday, August 27, 2026
For more than two decades, Randy Gilbert has been helping shape CareerTech education across Oklahoma.During the Oklahoma State School Board Association/Cooperative Council for Oklahoma School Administration (OSSBA/CCOSA) Education Leadership Conference, Gilbert was named a 2026 recipient of the...
SSC to host seven-time Olympic Medalist Shannon Miller

SSC to host seven-time Olympic Medalist Shannon Miller

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SSC to host seven-time Olympic Medalist Shannon Miller

Shannon Miller
Thursday, August 27, 2026
Seminole State College’s Native American-Serving Non-tribal Institutions (NASNTI) program will host seven-time Olympic medalist, ovarian cancer survivor and health advocate Shannon Miller at 11 a.m. Thurs., Sept. 10, in the Jeff Johnston Fine Arts Auditorium on the SSC campus.The event is free and...
Vietnam Veteran, Staff Sgt. Timothy Lawrence, of Shawnee, helps his grandson, Dale graduate Major Jerame Johnson, to prepare for deployment to Qatar from Fort Sill in Lawton in 2016. Both veterans retired from the Army after at least 20 years. Lawrence's family recently found his memoir and had it published, seven years after his passing — "leaving something behind so we could understand where he came from and what shaped him.” Photos provided

Vietnam Veteran, Staff Sgt. Timothy Lawrence, of Shawnee, helps his grandson, Dale graduate Major Jerame Johnson, to prepare for deployment to Qatar from Fort Sill in Lawton in 2016. Both veterans retired from the Army after at least 20 years. Lawrence's family recently found his memoir and had it published, seven years after his passing — "leaving something behind so we could understand where he came from and what shaped him.” Photos provided

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The Snakedoctor’s Story: Late Shawnee resident’s family has Vietnam memoir published

Natasha Dunagan Natasha@countywidenews.com
Wednesday, August 19, 2026
Vietnam Veteran, Staff Sergeant Timothy J. Lawrence, of Shawnee, passed away on Aug. 24, 2019 - one day before his 78th birthday.But what he left behind has brought his family together in his memory and given them a deeper insight into his life.Lawrence’s family knew he had been writing his memoir...
Creative Magic Productions, LLC, are nationally recognized entertainers and retired area educators "Jack Spade" (Jeff Hames) and "Annie Heart" (Valarie Hames), of Bethel. Photos by Natasha Dunagan, Countywide & Sun

Creative Magic Productions, LLC, are nationally recognized entertainers and retired area educators "Jack Spade" (Jeff Hames) and "Annie Heart" (Valarie Hames), of Bethel. Photos by Natasha Dunagan, Countywide & Sun

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Making Life Magical: Retired teachers find a new way to make a positive difference as entertainers

Natasha Dunagan Natasha@countywidenews.com
Wednesday, August 19, 2026
As teachers across the county are juggling lesson plans and supplies, two retired teachers are actually juggling and face painting in their second career.Even before they retired, Jeff and Valarie Hames of Bethel worked together as entertainers, eventually founding Creative Magic Productions,...
Shawnee High School senior Ally Fitchner is pictured with Dr. Aisha whom she said made a lasting impression. Photos provided

Shawnee High School senior Ally Fitchner is pictured with Dr. Aisha whom she said made a lasting impression. Photos provided

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Shawnee Student Interns at Georgetown

Suzie Campbell Suzie@countywidenews.com
Wednesday, August 19, 2026
For Ally Fichtner, walking onto the Georgetown University campus and finding herself surrounded by doctors, medical students, and students from around the world took a little time to sink in.“Honestly, it didn’t feel real at first,” Fitchner said.
"MilkyWay," owned by Bill and Tiffany Kinser of Guthrie, is lit up during the balloon glow on Saturday, Aug. 8, at the FireLake Fireflight Balloon Festival. According to www.planoballoonfest.org, hot-air balloons use liquid propane gas in their burner systems, which shoot out a six- to eight-foot flame and produce up to 12 million BTUs per hour. The website also mentioned that the "envelope" (balloon) is made from rip-stop, flame-resistant nylon. Natasha Dunagan, Countywide & Sun

"MilkyWay," owned by Bill and Tiffany Kinser of Guthrie, is lit up during the balloon glow on Saturday, Aug. 8, at the FireLake Fireflight Balloon Festival. According to www.planoballoonfest.org, hot-air balloons use liquid propane gas in their burner systems, which shoot out a six- to eight-foot flame and produce up to 12 million BTUs per hour. The website also mentioned that the "envelope" (balloon) is made from rip-stop, flame-resistant nylon. Natasha Dunagan, Countywide & Sun

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Two generations of OK pilots represented at Balloon Fest

Natasha Dunagan Natasha@countywidenews.com
Thursday, August 13, 2026
For two hot-air balloon pilots and their families at the FireLake Fireflight Balloon Festival in Shawnee, the call of flight is a family tradition.
Rev. Josh L. Trimble, Avedis Foundation Board Chair Photo provided

Rev. Josh L. Trimble, Avedis Foundation Board Chair Photo provided

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Avedis announces new Board Chair

News Staff
Wednesday, August 5, 2026
SHAWNEE, OK — The Board of Directors for Avedis Foundation has elected Rev. Josh L. Trimble to lead the Foundation’s board as its chair.Trimble joined the Avedis Foundation Board of Directors in 2018, contributing to the Foundation’s mission to improve health, wellness, and quality of life...