August 2021

Editor’s Note: This is the first in a series about Ida’s Law, which establishes a liaison to work with law enforcement agencies and families to solve Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons cases throughout Oklahoma. The series explores Ida Beard’s story, legislation history and more.

Following a 17-minute debate, the El Reno School Board voted 4-0 last week to approve the district’s 2020-21 Return to Learn Plan – without a mandatory mask or vaccine mandate. “There is not a lot of change (from last year). One of the changes that is most glaring is there is no mask mandate.

El Reno Public Schools opened up classes for the 2021-22 term on Thursday but the district is already facing quarantines and new cases of the Delta variant of COVID-19. The district’s COVID-19 Dashboard Report, dated Aug. 11, showed 11 students have tested positive for the virus.

Downtown El Reno appears set to make another run at establishing a Business Improvement District and the area could also see a multi-story building erected on an empty lot in the 200 block of South Rock Island.

VFW Post 382 in El Reno celebrated National Purple Heart Day Aug. 7, serving as host for the Oklahoma Military Order of the Purple Heart (OMOPH) and Oklahoma Department of Veteran Affairs (ODVA) annual awards ceremony.

It appears Yukon will continue buying Oklahoma City water for the foreseeable future as city administrators recommend terminating a public trust formed about 20 years ago to find a long-term water source for Canadian County municipalities.

Resilient. That is the word used to describe Kim Holmes by the people who know her best.  Holmes has faced what many would say is unbelievable tragedy, yet continues to push through.

OKLAHOMA CITY — Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, several questions have persisted: Why do some people become infected while others with the same exposure remain unaffected? And why do some people become critically ill or die because of the virus while others have mild or no symptoms?

El Reno Public Schools Superintendent Craig McVay uses crayons to make a drawing along with Jovanni and Benjamin Quiroz. The siblings were waiting for their parent to finish enrolling them in school. El Reno Public Schools began classes on Thursday for the 2021-22 school term.  

The El Reno Wranglers met recently for their monthly meeting at the 4-H building. The meeting was opened by president Jimmy Johnston, with Gary Sorrells leading in prayer. There were 22 members present.