Stillwater Electric Utility (SEU) is celebrating a milestone year, marking 125 years of providing electricity to the Stillwater community while earning statewide recognition for its commitment to reliability and workplace safety.

As the City celebrates Public Power Week, Oct. 4-10, Stillwater Electric Utility is proud to highlight two awards received from the Municipal Electric Systems of Oklahoma, Inc. (MESO) in its annual Electric Operations and Reliability Competition. SEU received Outstanding Achievement recognition for reliability and earned first place in the safety category.

“These awards are a reflection of the dedication and professionalism of our entire team,” Electric Utility Director Loren Smith said. “Our employees make safety their No. 1 priority and stand guard 24 hours a day to ensure our customers’ electricity needs are met. We are proud to celebrate 125 years of public power in Stillwater and the people who make that service possible.”

In 2025, SEU achieved an Average System Availability Index of 99.99%, earning Outstanding Achievement recognition in the category for cities with populations greater than 10,000. The utility also earned first place for safety after its 65 employees completed more than 125,000 work hours with no reportable incidents resulting in lost work time.

“Reliability encompasses several aspects, including responding to outages in real time and the continuous maintenance and improvement of our electric system behind the scenes,” Smith said. “We are fortunate to have the support of our Board of Trustees and the City Manager’s Office in all our endeavors. These awards are a win for our entire City team and the community we serve. We are your proud public power provider.”

MESO General Manager Cheryl Adams praised SEU’s accomplishments and its commitment to maintaining high standards in utility operations.

“Stillwater Electric Utility’s outstanding performance in both reliability and safety is a model for excellence in the electric utility sector,” Adams said. “We are honored to recognize SEU for setting a high standard in our industry.”

Adams noted that success in the electric utility industry depends on ongoing preparation, comprehensive training, accurate recordkeeping, emergency planning, and safe workplace practices. She also recognized SEU’s participation in MESO’s on-site safety training program and the dedication of its employees to providing reliable, safe service.

As Stillwater Electric Utility celebrates its 125th anniversary, Public Power Week offers an opportunity to recognize the employees who maintain the system, respond to outages, and provide an essential service to the community. Public power is locally owned and operated, allowing the utility to focus on the needs of the community it serves.

“Reaching 125 years of public power is a remarkable milestone for Stillwater and a testament to the lasting value of investing in our community,” City Manager Brady Moore said. “For generations, our electric utility has helped power Stillwater’s growth and success. As a locally funded utility, we have the opportunity to reinvest in our infrastructure and provide reliable service that supports our residents, businesses, and continued economic development. We’re proud of this legacy and grateful to the employees who keep it going every day.”

---------------

Pop culture fans, gamers and artists are invited to celebrate as LexiCon returns to the Stillwater Cultural District on Saturday, Oct. 17, 2026, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The annual mini comic convention is free and features family-friendly programming at the Stillwater Community Center, Block 34, Stillwater Public Library, OSU Museum of Art, Stillwater History Museum and Prairie Arts Center.

Activities begin on Friday, Oct. 16, at 6 p.m. with a Zombie Prom at Stonecloud. Attendees are invited to dress in their best zombie attire for a fun evening featuring face painting by a local makeup artist and a costume contest.

Event Highlights:
    Stillwater Community Center: Hosts over 40 artists and vendors, pop culture-inspired artwork by Stillwater High School students and a cosplay contest at 4 p.m. Participants must register between 10 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. on the day of the event at the Community Center Information Desk. All costumes and prop weapons must follow con regulations. The contest is open to all ages, with cash prizes provided by Visit Stillwater.
    Block 34: Block 34 will feature food truck options and an inflatable jousting course. Additional vendors will also be along Irby Lane.
    Stillwater Public Library: Features panel discussions on topics ranging from world-building for writers to neurodivergent learning, retro video gaming, a live Dungeons & Dragons adventure with Red Dirt RPG, a LEGO playroom, the Stillwater Pokémon League and live tabletop game testing with Oklahoma Tabletop Game Designers. Courtyard activities include rotating LARPing demos featuring the Society for Creative Anachronism (SCA), Amtgard and the Historical European Martial Arts (HEMA) group.
    Prairie Arts Center: Art-making activities perfect for all ages. There will also be blacksmithing demonstrations and free screen-printed tattoos.
    OSU Museum of Art (activities start at 11 a.m.): Visitors can embark on a themed “side quest” in the spirit of the holidays, featuring monsters, wizards, tricksters and more. Take part in a museum tour with interactive challenges and activities, including meeting characters, making player cards and creating vinyl card holders with the Collage Club. Attendees will also earn a victory button for completing the tour.
    Stillwater History Museum at the Sheerar: Tour the museum with a fun twist as theatrical students from Alpha Psi Omega will become a part of the galleries in full costume.
    Post Con Events at Stonecloud and Block 34: After the cosplay contest wraps up, attendees are invited to head to Stonecloud for music and community fun. Block 34 will also host live music at 7 p.m.

Event organizers recommend that anyone planning to attend in costume or participate in the cosplay contest review the guidelines on the LexiCon website. All costumes must be family-friendly, equivalent to a PG-13 rating, and prop weapons must pass a safety inspection before entering any building.

Volunteers are needed to provide directions and information, assist with activities and check costume props. To volunteer, view the full event schedule and review costume guidelines; visit stillwaterok.gov/LexiCon. Interested community members can also follow @stillwaterlexicon on Facebook and Instagram.

Lexicon’s evolution reflects a team effort, with numerous organizations working to plan, fund and promote the event. These groups include the Stillwater Community Center, Prairie Arts Center, Stillwater Public Schools, the Stillwater Public Library, Visit Stillwater, Block 34, Stonecloud, the OSU Museum of Art and the Stillwater History Museum.

----------------

Stillwater High School Performing Arts students have received an historic invitation to participate in one of the world’s premier street events and festivals.

The co-creator of the internationally renowned London New Year's Day Parade and a direct descendant of former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill traveled to Oklahoma to deliver the special invitation in person to SHS students.

Bob Bone, Co-Founder and Chair of the London Parade & Festival, alongside event ambassador Duncan Sandys (great-grandson of Churchill), will present the official invite to the Stillwater High School Performing Arts Department. The invitation calls for the SHS Marching Band, Choir, Orchestra, and Drama Department to perform at the prestigious festival over the 2027/2028 New Year's holiday.

During their weeklong visit to London, students will take part in concert performances, theatrical presentations, the main street parade, and an educational itinerary exploring the city's historic sites, museums, and cultural landmarks.

The 2028 parade will be one of the biggest in the event’s history, which spans five decades. The annual parade features over 8,000 global performers, drawing a live street audience of 500,000 and a worldwide television audience of millions, broadcast in the United States via the PBS Network.

This will not be the first time for SHS students to participate in the parade.

“We have had the honor to participate in this spectacular event three times before,” said Director of Orchestras Scott Jackson, who has coordinated past trips for Orchestra students. “Stillwater High School Orchestra has gone to London as recently as 2023 for this wonderful festival, but this will be the first time that we take such a large contingent from across all of our amazing performing arts programs here at SHS.”

Our purpose at Stillwater Radio is to not just bring you great music, but to bring your community. Here is where we highlight the best in local businesses, artists and sports that make your community our community.

Stillwater Radio is your source for Stillwater's First News, as well as the place to keep updated on community events from around the area.

Stillwater Radio is THE flagship stations for Oklahoma State Cowboy & Cowgirl athletics, as well as Stillwater & Perkins-Tryon High School sports.