July 2021

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Where will the trail take us next?

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Residents will have a bit further to walk or jog on a paved surface at Lake El Reno after the city won a federal trails grant.

Dustin Downey, El Reno city planner, said the matching grant will provide the city with $300,000 to extend the trail that now runs along Lake El Reno and Crimson Creek Golf Course.

The city will put up $138,000 to match the grant, but most of that will be from “in-kind” contributions.

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City makes final runs with fogger

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While it was not the massive cloud of smoke from childhood memories, the city of El Reno’s efforts to fog for pesky blood-sucking mosquitoes seem to have worked.

“We have not gotten any feedback in our office. I know there were some people who texted that we missed a street and we went back out and sprayed those areas.

“But in this office we have not gotten any calls that we missed them or that we need to come back out again and spray,” said Amy Smith, City Streets Superintendent.

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Festival of the Trees brings in donations for Blessing Baskets

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Christmas in July delivered in a big way for El Reno’s Blessing Baskets.

The sixth annual event held last week at the Palace Events Center on Banner Road brought in more than $40,000 for the local organization that is dedicated to providing Christmas to area children, as well as school supplies.

Blessing Baskets also partners with The Lord’s Harvest to support a summer food program for families.

State numbers show new death, uptick in virus cases

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The Delta variant of the coronavirus is considered to be the leading cause of a recent spike of new cases across Canadian County and throughout Oklahoma.

“Since May the Delta variant has become the predominant strain and represents nearly 80 percent of COVID-19 cases,” said Maggie Jackson, spokeswoman for the Canadian County Health Department.

In an eight-day period from July 20-28, the county saw a spike of 232 new COVID-19 cases reported and one death according to numbers released by the Oklahoma State Department of Health.

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District to urge vaccine, mask-wearing in close contact

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After meeting with the leadership from the Oklahoma State Department of Health and Canadian County Health Department Infectious Disease Specialists and consulting with local medical providers, El Reno Public Schools will begin school August 12, 2021 much like we ended school last May.

The District will follow CDC recommendations in regard to the spread of the Delta Variant of the COVID-19 virus (except in areas of the recommendations which are forbidden due to changes in Oklahoma State Statute).

Minco man wanted in Caddo County found dead in Tennessee

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A longtime El Reno Public Schools employee has been reportedly found dead at a Tennessee rest stop just days after a felony warrant was issued for his arrest.

Jeffrey Warner Watt, age 59, of Minco, was wanted out of Caddo County on two counts of lewd molestation, records indicate.

Caddo County Sheriff Spencer Davis confirmed the arrest warrant had been issued and that the public’s help had been sought over the Internet and social media sites to locate Watt.

He said those posts have since been removed.

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For Olympic gold?

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Well no, it wasn't for the gold medal in Tokyo, but El Reno’s Kingston Ba (center) and his sister Khadja Ba could not be happier to see the ball fall in front of their brother Malakai Ba during a fun family game of sand volleyball last week at the courts located near the main pavilion at Lake El Reno. There are two courts open to the public for use
daily.

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Waters of the United States rule could create questions for Oklahoma farmers

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A U.S. federal court has dismissed a lawsuit seeking to block an effort by the Biden administration to revise how the country’s navigable waters are to be regulated.

For Oklahoma farmers, this new rule could create a lot more problems than solutions when it comes to which water sources are considered under federal regulation. 

“The biggest definition with farming is how the water stands on a piece of land, and whether it then becomes protected wetlands,” said Rodd Moesel, president of the Oklahoma Farm Bureau