July 2020

Eileen Imogene Niles-Scott passed away June 26, 2020, at her home in El Reno at the age of 91.

She was born Feb. 15, 1929, in El Reno to Albert and Juanita Niles. She had two brothers, Benny and Paul Niles, and two sisters, Gloris Niles-Sheets and Charolet Plunk. Each have preceded her in death.

After World War II, Eileen served with the Red Cross. Later in life, she became a Nursing Home Administrator, serving at nursing centers in Kingfisher and in Chickasha.

She was chosen to be an Ombudsman for the El Reno Nursing Home.

Iris Marie Colbert Parker of El Reno was laid to rest at Faith Family Church on Saturday, July 11, 2020, at 11 a.m. Interment was at Graceland Cemetery in Bridgeport.

Marie was born May 17, 1924, in Watonga to Ira and Minnie (Taylor) Gray, and passed away on June 30, 2020, in Oklahoma City.

Marie married George Colbert on Jan. 27, 1940, in Watonga. They had 11 children. She was known as an extraordinary cook, homemaker, worshipper, prayer warrior and mother.

Funeral services for Robert Elmo (Bob) Mooney of Geary will be held at 10 a.m. Wednesday, July 15 at First Baptist Church in Geary with Rev. Darrin Sims officiating. Burial will be in the Mt. Hope Cemetery in Fay under the direction of Turner Funeral Home.

Mr. Mooney passed away July 11, 2020, at his home. He was born Aug. 25, 1934, in Fay.  

Bob is survived by his children, Lyle Mooney of El Reno, Janet Gregg of Phenix City, Ala., Robin Hoel of Lovell and Kevin Mooney of Oklahoma City, several grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Progress continues on what would be Oklahoma’s first roundabout created on a highway system and that distinction is scheduled to land in El Reno.

The Oklahoma Department of Transportation is planning to build the roundabout at SH 66 and U.S. 81. The project is part of the eight-year construction work plan adopted by ODOT. Work is tentatively scheduled to begin in fiscal year 2022.

About 2 pounds of meth was seized on Friday, July 3 after Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics agents searched a vehicle pulled over in El Reno.

Mark Woodward, spokesman for OBN, said agents “working the interstate” stopped the pickup as it pulled into the Domino on U.S. 81, just north of I-40.

Woodward said the agents were part of the “interdiction” team. He said it was not known if the search came after a positive hit by a drug dog or through other information.

The truck apparently left Las Vegas, Nev., with the methamphetamine and was headed to Oklahoma City.

El Reno police are investigating three separate fires that appear to have been intentionally set.

On Monday just before 6 a.m., a fire was reported at 307 S. Foster. Police and firemen found an old barn fully engulfed when they arrived.

At about the same time, a call came in that a dumpster was on fire at Frank Knight Park, about two blocks north of the barn fire. Both fires were extinguished quickly, reports said.

For the first time in at least a decade, Canadian County is not housing any inmates in jails outside of the county.

As of Tuesday, there were 138 inmates in the county jail in El Reno.

The last inmate being held outside of the county was a female, who was being held in Dewey County at that county’s request, said Sheriff Chris West. She was returned to Canadian County on June 25.

By October, crews from Sherwood Construction in Tulsa should begin pushing dirt to make way for an interchange that will allow travelers access to Frisco Road from Interstate 40.

The Oklahoma Transportation Commission awarded the contract to the company on Monday.

The company’s bid of just over $14 million was almost $3 million below estimates and was the lowest of five bids.

The project, which has been something the city of Yukon has sought for a number of years, will add an on- and off-ramp at Frisco Road.

The construction company that is overseeing the work at the new Canadian County Fairgrounds will be able to continue working as the county negotiates with Oklahoma Natural Gas about a right-of-way on the site.

Members of the county’s Public Facilities Authority signed a letter of intent that notifies ONG of their plan to continue to negotiate the use of a right-of-way on the property at the intersection of Jensen and Alfadale roads.

Epic Charter Schools experiment running a rural Oklahoma school district has ended.

The Epic company that has managed Panola Public Schools in southeastern Oklahoma since 2017 has notified the district it is terminating its contract two years early.