ROBERT PIERCE

   • Leader & Times

An EMT is dead as the result of a fire in Goodwell, Okla, and arrests were made in connection with a fire last week in Guymon, Okla.

Guymon Fire Chief Grant Wadley said around 5:15 a.m. Friday, Goodwell, Guymon and Texhoma, Okla., firefighters responded to a 911 report of a house fire at 323 Aggie Ave. in Goodwell.

“First arriving units reported heavy fire and smoke conditions coming from the front door and windows,” he said. “Goodwell firefighters were able to enter through a bedroom window and rescue the single occupant of the home.”

ELLY GRIMM

   • Leader & Times

The USD 480 2027 Teachers of the Year have officially been announced.

This year’s Elementary and Secondary Teachers of the Year were Rosi Estrada from Meadowlark Elementary School and Josiah Smiddy from Eisenhower Middle School. While both have multiple years of experience working with the district, their paths toward working in education were rather different.

ROBERT PIERCE

   • Leader & Times

Two Borger, Texas, women are dead following an accident early Saturday morning south of Guymon, Okla.

At 12:30 a.m., the Oklahoma Highway Patrol said two unidentified vehicles, Unit 1 and Unit 2, were near the intersection of Oklahoma Highway 136 and Texas County, Okla., Road Y.

OHP said Unit 1 ran into the rear of Unit 2, causing Unit 2 to become engulfed in fire., The crash is still under investigation.

The driver of Unit 1, 19-year-old Israel Morales of Texhoma, Okla., was not injured, and he was wearing his seat belt at the time of the accidents.

The driver of Unit 2, Maria I. Fernandez, 52, of Borger, and a passenger, Maria Villanueva De Fernandez, 78, also of Borger, were pronounced dead from injuries sustained in the accident. Both were wearing their seat belts at the time as well.

L&T staff report

Thursday afternoon, the Liberal City Commission unanimously selected Nathan McCaffrey to fill the unexpired term of Matt Landry, who resigned after moving to the Kansas City area.

McCaffrey was one of nine candidates who applied to fill the position, along with Kathleen Alonso, Jeffrey Hall, Jeff Mitchell, Bee Symons, Amy Lujan, Kelsey Kronawitter, Edgar Ortuño and Eric Volden.

McCaffrey previously served on the Seward County Commission, where he also served as chair. He was defeated in the Republican primary by Tammy Sutherland-Abbott in 2022.