Unemployment rates rose in November over the previous year for 76 counties while only one county had rates less than last year for the same period, according to the latest report by the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission.

Love County had the highest rate in the state of 7.0 percent. Hughes and Jefferson County were second. Texas County has the lowest rate in the state at 2.1 percent.

You can see the rates for all of Oklahoma HERE.

LeFlore County’s rate for the month was 4.6 percent compared to 3.9 percent for the same period last November. The rate also increased from the 4.3 percent rate from October.

For the month, LeFlore County had a workforce of 19,735 people with 18,834 employed and 901 people out of work.

LeFlore County sports scores from Friday

Basketball

Boys

Heavener 65, Spiro 62

Arkoma 54, Gans 19

Talihina 44, Howe 43

Pocola 75, Hartshorne 50

Muldrow 69, Poteau 36

Whitesboro 67, Red Oak 21

Girls

Spiro 55, Heavener 45

Gans 36, Arkoma 32

Howe 56, Talihina 35

Hartshorne 64, Pocola 21

Muldrow 45, Poteau 39

Red Oak 52, Whitesboro 36

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By CRAIG HALL

Heavener’s boys and Spiro’s girls rallied down the stretch to get wins in a pair of exciting basketball games between the two LeFlore County rivals at Heavener Friday night.

Spiro’s girls overcame losing their best player late in the fourth quarter to rally to a 55-45 win while the Wolves won a nailbiter that was not decided until the final minute, 65-62.

Both teams resume action in the LeFlore County Tournament, which starts Monday.

Girls

Heavener appeared to be in good shape to pick up the win in the fourth quarter as the Lady Wolves trailed, 45-41, when the Lady Bulldog’ leading scorer Brynleigh Graham fouled out..

Spiro rallied, outscoring Heavener 10-4 down the stretch to complete a sweep of the season series.

The Lady Bulldogs won the game by completing 14-17 free throws while Heavener went 6-7.

Mia Billings led Heavener with 18 points. Kiana Craig paced Spiro with 19 points, Riley Darneal scored 11 and Kamdyn McClure finished with 10.

Heavener, now 5-9, plays Bokoshe to open the LCT at 3 p.m. Monday at Bokoshe.

Spiro, now 10-3, gets a bye in the opening round of the LCT and plays the Poteau/Cameron winner 3 p.m. Tuesday at Panama,

Spiro 55, Heavener 45

Spiro 14 12 10 19—55

Heavener 13 11 11 10—45

Spiro—Darneal 3 5-5 0 11; Harris 2 0-0 3 3; Craig 6 2-2 0 19; Perdue 0 0-0 1 0; Steele 2 1-2 1 5; K. McClure 4 1-2 0 10; Graham 2 5-6 5 9. TOTALS 19 14-17 7 55.

Heavener—May 0 0-0 2 0; Baker 2 0-0 2 4; Rogers 2 0-0 4 6; Hill 1 0-0 0 3; Faulkenberry 1 4-4 2 6; Billings 8 2-2 2 18. TOTALS: 17 6-7 15 45.

Boys

As good as the girls’ game was, it came in a distant second as far as excitement goes compared to the nightcap.

The game was close throughout as the teams were tied at 46 going into the final quarter when Heavener, now 6-8, edged out the Bulldogs, now 6-7.

The Wolves took the lead for good on a pair of free throws from Brandon Sanchez with 1:58 left. Geren Palmer hit both free throws to build a 5-point lead.

Spiro rallied as Johnnie Clayton hit a pair of 3’s in the final minute to trim the deficit to 63-62 before Sanchez nailed both free throws for Heavener with 26 seconds left.

The Bulldogs had a chance to tie the game but could not answer, giving Heavener the win to avenge the earlier 51-45 loss at Spiro earlier in the season.

Heavener really won the game on free throws. The Wolves finished 17-20 while Spiro was 4-9.

Ryand Roberts led Heavener with 18 points, Sanchez added 16 and Palmer finished with 15

Heavener 65, Spiro 62.

Sir Thomas led Sppiro with 19 points. Clayton added 14 and Travis Moody scored 13.

Heavener 15 16 15 19--65

Spiro—Clayton 5 0-0 1 14; Williams 1 0-0 2 2; Gist 2 0-0 0 4; Spears 2 0-0 0 4; McMillian 2 0-2 0 6; Thomas 7 4-9 2 19; Evans 0 0-0 1 0; Johnson 0 0-0 1 0; Moody 5 0-0 5 13. TOTALS: 24 4-9 12 62.

Heavener—B. Sanchez 4 8-10 2 16; Clubb 2 0-0 0 4; J. Sanchez 1 0-0 4 3; Palmer 5 5-5 0 15; Roberts 7 4-5 1 18; Barnes 2 0-0 2 5. TOTALS: 21 17-20 9 65.

By Rix Quinn

This month we recognize the birthday of Charles Perrault, who preserved folk tales like “Little Red Riding Hood,” “Sleeping Beauty” and many more.

We’d bake him a cake, but since he was born in 1628 he’s 397 now, and few folks that age can blow out the candles.

Before Perrault committed them to paper, folk tales passed orally from one generation to the next. As you know, the mouth is filled with bacteria, so many stories were mangled through repetition.

There’s also the possibility that characters got “co-mingled.” Without Perrault, Cinderella might have wandered into Grandma’s house, and been devoured by the wolf. Then the glass shoe really would be on another foot!

The legend about Riding Hood is a favorite. Where else can you find fresh baked goods, a lovely heroine, a wolf and a lumberjack all in one place?

In the fable, Red’s mom summons her to deliver food to ailing Grandma. Red takes a shortcut through the woods, and meets a talking wolf (pretty suspicious). Not content to simply steal the food, Wolf finds out where Red’s going, and beats her there.

He devours Granny, put on her gown, and crawls into bed. Red – for the same reason Lois Lane can’t identify Clark Kent as Superman – can’t tell Wolf from Grandma.

Wolf jumps at Red, but her screams summon a lumberjack. He races in, confronts the Wolf…and out pops a live Granny.

From this tale we discover that wolves have problems digesting sick people. And we also learn that if you don’t write down great stories, you’ll omit details…and end up with a near-myth

Joe Richard White of the Cedar Lake community was born on Dec. 24, 1950 in Tonkawa to Leslie and Birine (O’Mealey) White and passed away on Jan. 15, 2026 at his home at the age of 75. 

Joe’s memorial service is at the beginning of church service at 11 a.m. Sunday at the Freedom House Fellowship Church in Heavener with Brother Sam Dyer officiating. Cremation arrangements are under the care of Dowden-Roberts Funeral Home & Cremation Service of Heavener “LeFlore County’s Only On-Site Crematory” 

Survivors are one sister, Connie Spoon, of Tonkawa; one brother, Gene White, of Poteau; several nieces, nephews, other loved ones, and friends.

 He is preceded in death by his parents Leslie and Birine White; two brothers Larry and Robert White; and a sister, Mary White. 

Joe was a longtime resident of the area. He was a member of Freedom House Fellowship Church and the Heavener Lion’s Club. Joe worked at Green Bay Packing, as a Loan Officer at the First National Bank, and as a car salesman. He loved spending time with his family, church family, and friends. Joe was an avid fisherman and hunter. He will be deeply missed by all who loved and knew him. 

To view Joe’s online guestbook, please visit www.dowdenrobertscremationcenter.com