November 1, 2025 Issue, Page 1 of 12

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SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2025 Weekend Edition Attorney Leon Willsie Honored by Chief Justice Water Rights To of Oklahoma Supreme Court and Area Attorneys Groundwater for 50 years in Oklahoma Bar Association Wells Worries Elk By Sheryl Ponce City Officials and The Honorable Judge Michele Kirby Roper, Associate Judge of the District Court of Beckham County, and attor- Area Ranchers neys Mike Blevins and Kent Whinery hosted the celebration and presentation of Leon Willsie’s 50-year pin in the Okla- and Farmers homa Bar Association. The Honorable Dustin P. Rowe, Chief Justice of the Su- By Sheryl Ponce preme Court of the State of Oklahoma, pinned Willsie in the afternoon of Oct Water rights have recently been a hot topic for 24th, on the third floor of the Beckham groundwater coming from the Northfork River of Red County Courthouse. River aquifer. What seems to be a simple issue of who Roper opened the ceremony with owns the well determines the rights to that water. This an introduction of Rowe and his back- issue is more complicated than ownership of the well, ground. He started as a judge for the therefore, all water belongs to the owner of that well. Chickasaw Nation and then named This has been challenged, and the issue is increasingly Vice Chief Justice of the Supreme Court being challenged. before stepping into the role of Chief The Elk City Commissioner and leadership are step- Justice. She then welcomed the other ping up to get ahead of any upcoming legislation that lawyers and dignitaries who came to cel- may cause Elk City to lose water to the southern part ebrate Willsie’s long career in Beckham of Western Oklahoma. Last year the commissioners County. hired a water rights attorney, Kaylee P. Davis-Maddy “I want to welcome Judge (Gary) Mc- from Doerner, Saunders, Daniel, and Anderson Law Ginn, who served from 1969 to 1983 as Group, Oklahoma City. She spoke to the commission- the Associate District Judge, and then ers in June, 2024 about the water rights. She is one of from 1983 to 1986 as a District Judge for the only water rights attorneys in the state, and she was District Two. And then welcome Judge educated about the issue from one of the best in the Doug Haught who served from 1983 to area of water rights attorneys. 2011 as the Associate District Judge, and Davis-Maddy said that Elk City only uses ground- then from 2011 to 2019 as the District water wells, which have been used for years. She ex- Judge,” Roper said. plained that there are different types of water, including After introducing the former District groundwater and surface water. They are each permit- Judges who served during Willsie’s ten- ted differently and looked at differently. ure in Beckham County courts, Roper “The new legislation could potentially affect folks in introduced the other attorneys from the the future. I’m going to talk a little bit about water since 1970s and 1980s. She continued to say they (the public) don’t have the background because I that all of these lawyers were a big part of do think it’s important. So groundwater, as I said is le- Willsie’s history and the history of Beck- gally distinct from stream water. Stream water is a state ham County. resource. They get to decide how much you use and Roper also told the story about Will- they give the permits. Usually, they don’t say on per- sie’s first murder trial, after he began mits because it’s the state resource. The state likes to use practicing in Beckham Country. In this water. Groundwater currently is considered private,” first trial, he got a not guilty verdict, Davis-Maddy said. which was four years out of law school. She continued to explain that typically ground wa- The documents from that trial were pres- ter means it is the property of who owns the well, and ent for the guests to look over, as well as no one can take it. It belongs to the landowner, and it other memorabilia from his career in couldn’t be used without a permit. In the current sys- law. tem conservation is not an issue because it is in the After Roper’s introduction of Will- state of use. The statutory authority is coming up be- sie, she invited attorney Mike Blevins cause Elk City is entitled to the water, whether they use it or not. See HONORED page 11 She explained the history of what has happened in Chief Justice Pins Leon Willsie See WATER page 2 WOHS Board Invites Public to Hall of Fame 2025 Oklahoma Banquet, Make Reservations Soon Chamber of Commerce take place Tues., Nov. 18th, at 6:30 p.m., By Sheryl Ponce The Western Oklahoma Historical in the United Methodist Church in Elk City. guide. They also approved a bill for $189 to purchase supplies for the pan- els in the Education Building. weekend. There have already been 55 spaces rented for next year. The week- end was a success. Donnie Jordan said Executives Society Board of Directors met Mon- day, Oct. 27th, at 11 a.m., in Western Technology Center. The meeting was Reservations for the banquet must be made by Nov. 10th, to Mike Blevins at 580-729-0230 or emailed to mike- In the Farm and Ranch report, Jim Coffey noted that they are continuing to get the windmills up. In the Black- that Rodney Cloud’s crew marked the spaces on the grass and were extremely helpful. Hall of Fame opened by President Linda Long, with [email protected]. The cost smith report, Randy Haggard told the In the Archives report, Judy Haught Mike Blevins giving the invocation. for the dinner is $25 per person. This board that they met last Saturday with urged the board to go to the website The board approved the minutes from is a good time to honor these individ- about 10 to 11 people. The Bob Kenne- to verify the members of the Hall of the Sept. meeting, along with the trea- uals who have made an impact on the mer sign is up on the building, which Fame. There was no activity in mem- surer’s report. history of Elk City and Western Okla- was donated by S and M Welding. bership. The next item on the agenda Mike Blevins gave the WOHS Hall homa. Beverly Jordan gave the Flea Mar- was committee work on the WOHS of Fame report, announcing the in- In other committee reports, the ket report. She said that there were Hall of Fame Banquet. ductees as Bernice Carter, Jim and board voted to renew the dues for 100 vendors and 123 rented spaces. The curator’s report was next, Anna Carol Spieker, Deannie Rule, and Jim Oklahoma Route 66 Association and She also said that the vendors were Coffey. The Hall of Fame Banquet will pay for a ¼ page advertisement in the pleased and very positive about the See BANQUET page 2 St. Matthew’s Annual Bazaar Sunday By Sheryl Ponce the cost is $15 for adults, and $10 sale and be sure to check out the Si- cate to McDonald’s; and one - $100 for ages five years old to 17 years lent Auction. gift certificate to Simon’s Catch. It is time for the turkey dinner, old, while children under the age Raffle tickets are $1 each. In Raf- Raffle Two will have three winners bake sale, silent auction, and raffle of four will eat free. All carry-out fle One there will be five winners of $100 each. Raffle Three includes drawings at St. Matthew Catholic dinners are $15. that include one - $100 gift certifi- two winners of one quilt or one Af- Church’s Annual Bazaar, which will The menu for the dinner in- cate to Keith’s Butcher Shop; one - ghan. take place Sunday, Nov. 2nd, from cludes turkey dinner with sides, $100 gift certificate to Friends Pub Everyone is welcome to stop by 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., at the church. The salads, drink and desserts. There and Pizza; one - $100 gift certificate the church to eat and/or buy baked Susie Cupp, Executive Director of Elk City Chamber of dinner is dine-in or carry-out and will be homemade baked goods for to El Patio; one - $100 gift certifi- goods or purchase a raffle ticket. Commerce for 25 Years. Weather Vol. Vol. 117,121, No.No. 54 44 Mail delivery Home delivery Viewonline View online tomorrow 99/70 72 / 45 75 75 cents cents, 12 pgs. 580.225.3000 580.225.3000 elkcityoknews.com elkcityoknews.com