October 2021

Etta Dale Junior High’s football teams closed out the 2021 schedule last week by splitting home games with Shawnee in Suburban Conference action.

The Indians eighth-grade team dropped a 46-6 game to the Wolves despite scoring the first points of the game on a 22-yard run by quarterback Deacon Tillery.

El Reno’s seventh-grade team improved to 7-1 on the season with a 34-8 win over Shawnee. The victory came a week after a close 8-6 road win over Carl Albert, which was sealed on a fourth-period touchdown and 2-point conversion run by Kaleb Blackwolf.

Redlands Community College’s cross country teams had their most successful outing of the 2021 season last week with five harriers placing in the top 10 medalists and one team title.

Redlands women won the team title at the 2021 Carl Albert State College Viking Invitational, fueled by three runners crossing the finish line in the top 10.

The Cougars ran the 5-kilometer (3.1-mile) course in a total time of two hours, 22 minutes and eight seconds.

The team’s average time per runner was 28:26.

Due to a rash of injuries, Redlands Community College’s soccer team forfeited last week’s road match at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M.

The 2-0 forfeit left Redlands with a 2-9 overall record. The Cougars were slated to wrap up the 2021 regular season in Tonkawa against Northern Oklahoma College, according to RCC Athletic Director Eli Zucksworth.

Zucksworth said Saturday was the last day teams could play regular-season matches which will count toward qualifying and seeding for the upcoming NJCAA Region 2 Championships.

The journey to create a Business Improvement District in downtown El Reno took its first official steps last week after the city council unanimously approved pursuing the effort.

Former El Reno City Manager Dan Galloway presented the council with a nine-step process to create the BID. Galloway was hired to help coordinate the process after he was successful in creating a BID for downtown Stillwater while serving as manager there.

A BID would be created through a vote of property owners in the downtown area. The purpose is to spur economic vitality in the area.

A 21-year-old Georgia man was arrested last week after he allegedly used a gun to rob a local fast-food restaurant.

Police said Khanh Phi Hoang of Marietta, Ga., was arrested after a car chase that started on I-40 and ended when Hoang crashed his vehicle on Mayberry Road.

The incident happened Oct. 14 when Hoang allegedly entered Wendy’s on U.S. 81, just north of I-40, and pulled a gun out, demanding money from an employee. After getting money from the cash drawer, Hoang reportedly drove west on I-40.

Funeral services were held Tuesday for retired Canadian County Sheriff Lewis Hawkins of Mustang, who died Friday.

Burial was in the Schwartz Cemetery. Services were under the direction of McNeil’s Funeral Home.

Sheriff Chris West said Hawkins served as sheriff of Canadian County from 1988 to 2008, serving five four-year terms.

Hawkins was in office longer than any other sheriff in the county’s history, West said. Hawkins retired in 2009.

El Reno FFA students were scheduled to compete in the state FFA competition after capturing first place at the recent regional contest held in Chickasha.

Students also took several honors at the Tulsa State Fair.

The state competition was set for Tuesday at Oklahoma State University.

Tarren Sherman, El Reno Agricultural Education instructor, said the team has been traveling to numerous contests and putting in hours of practice outside of school preparing.

“This hard work has paid off,” Sherman said.

El Reno High School students and athletes have been wearing pink in the month of October in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. EHS students Conley Knapp, left, and Alexis Lively cheer on the Indians football team during last week's 32-27 win over Duncan in District 5A-1 play.

The deadline to request absentee ballots by mail is approaching for the Nov. 9 City of El Reno Ward 2 and Yukon School Bond election. Applications must be received by the Canadian County Election Board no later than 5 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 2.

Canadian County Election Board Secretary Wanda Armold said absentee voting is available to all voters and can be submitted several ways.

“In Oklahoma, no excuse is needed to vote by absentee ballot, and it’s easy to apply,” Armold said.