April 2021

Memorial services for Glenda Sue Mitchell of El Reno will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, April 17, 2021, at the Lake El Reno Pavilion.

Sue passed away March 31, 2021, at her home. She was born Nov. 26, 1944, in Minco. Sue worked as a security guard for 39 years and retired as a captain from Securitas. She loved going to Sid’s Diner daily to visit with her Sid’s family and of course eat her french fries and salad.

She lived at Ashton on the Greens where she will be missed by her cul-de-sac friends and especially the dogs as she would love on every one of them.

Mass of Christian Burial for Mary Helen Graham, former El Reno and Mustang resident, will be held at 10 a.m. Thursday at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Union City, with burial to follow at St. Joseph’s Cemetery. Services are under the direction of Huber-Reynolds Funeral Home of Minco.

Mary passed away Feb. 4, 2021, at the Integris Canadian Valley Hospital in Yukon. She was born Aug. 24, 1932, in Duluth, Minn. She was a member of St. Joseph’s Catholic Church.

El Reno will become an official “Purple Heart City” on April 22 when the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 382 hosts a dedication ceremony.

All Purple Heart recipients, as well as all veterans, are encouraged to take part in the 11 a.m. ceremony to be held at the VFW, 1515 S. Rock Island.

Mayor Matt White will read a proclamation declaring El Reno to be a Purple Heart City and Commander Larry Van Schuyver will provide the Purple Heart presentation. All Purple Heart recipients will be recognized.

Five El Reno High School students have been named valedictorian for 2021. All five earned straight A’s during their high school years. They also took 13 Pre-Ap and AP courses with an AP course in each subject.

The top EHS students are Ella McReynolds, Riley Connor, Kenzie Holsted, Madison Nichols and Rosanelly Vite.

Avery Blount is the 2021 salutatorian. She took the same number of Pre-AP and AP classes and has the next highest GPA.

All students are members of the National Honor Society and the 6X Renaissance Program. 

El Reno Community Theatre's latest production will have a youthful vibe as families gather for a one-night showing of “The Absolutely True Story of Tom Sawyer as Told by Becky Thatcher.”

The show is the centerpiece of ERCT’s Fourth Annual Dinner Theatre and will feature a 10-person cast, all under the age of 16.

“We wanted to feature kids and teens in this year’s dinner theatre and we loved this script. The writing is funny and this cast knows how to deliver funny lines.

When Mark Smith Jr. stepped out of the prison system he called “home” for 25 years, he knew one thing for sure - he never wanted to return.

Smith was just 14 when he was sentenced to serve 80 years for his crime. At a time when he should have been playing ball or hanging out with friends, Smith was preparing for a life behind bars.

He would serve 25 years of his 80-year sentence before receiving parole and a second chance at life.

El Reno golfer Brian Richardson holds a sandwich in his mouth while hitting a tee shot on the first hole at Crimson Creek Golf Course last week during the 2021 EHS Boys Invitational. Players could get lunch between nine-hole rounds but had to eat quickly to keep the flow of play moving.

Canadian County CASA Inc. (Court Appointed Special Advocates) has added Richard Younts to its volunteer base.

Younts completed advocate training with a court observation and was sworn in by Judge Bob Hughey with the Canadian County Children’s Justice Center.

During the coronavirus pandemic, the work of CASA has not stopped.

Oklahoma CareerTech and the Film Education Institute of Oklahoma are working together to promote the state’s film industry.

The two entities recently signed a memorandum of understanding to work together and with other industry partners to provide training and curriculum to meet the film industry’s employment demands in Oklahoma.

“This partnership is another example of how Oklahoma CareerTech is helping overcome the skills gap facing Oklahoma industries,” said Marcie Mack, CareerTech state director.

Meat goat market disruptions due to COVID-19 last year appear to have made less of an impact than expected, said JJ Jones, Oklahoma State University Extension area agricultural economist.

“Meat goats were affected barely at all by the pandemic,” Jones said. “Prices and demand remained surprisingly strong, to Oklahoma producers’ benefit.”