July 2022

The city of El Reno is trying to bring a little Christmas cheer to the sun-baked days of July in a partnership with participating local businesses.

A Christmas in July - Shop Local promotion will run throughout the month with one lucky shopper winning a $500 shopping spree at local businesses that participate in the promotion.

Each merchant will be provided an entry box and forms.

Any purchase made at that particular store qualifies to be entered into the drawing. The promotion will end July 31 at midnight.

A 4 percent to 5 percent cost-of-living raise for Canadian County employees is being considered as annual county budget talks got under way recently.

Several Canadian County elected officials speaking during a recent 2023 fiscal year budget conference expressed the desire to increase salaries for county personnel who have been faced with higher gas prices and double-digit inflation.

Canadian County Sheriff Chris West has been elected third vice president of the National Sheriffs Association.

Outgoing NSA President Sheriff Vernon Stanforth of Fayette County, Ohio, swore West into the office of third vice president on June 29 during the NSA summer conference in Kansas City, Mo.

“It’s been an extremely incredible experience to serve on the board of directors of the National Sheriffs Association,” West said.

“As third vice president, my role will be somewhat increased from what it was this past year when I served as the NSA secretary.”

According to a press release from the Major County Sheriff’s Office, El Reno’s Jerry Pollard was killed in an oil rig accident on July 7.

The sheriff's office received a 911 call at 8:54 a.m. requesting assistance at a swab rig location approximately six miles outside of Fairview. The release says upon arrival, emergency personnel discovered an operator deceased from being pulled into a cable winch drum.

The Orco Service LLC employee was identified as Pollard.

Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes Gov. Reggie Wassana has been appointed as the alternate member representing the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) Southern Plains Region for the first ever Secretary’s Tribal Advisory Committee.

The appointment is for a one-year term and was made by U.S. Department of Interior, Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland.

The STAC committee is made up of primary tribal representatives from each of the 12 BIA regions and one alternate member from each region.

Three vendors have been selected to deliver truckloads of materials for Canadian County road construction projects.

Canadian County commissioners voted 3-0 to award a rock hauling contract to Zummallen Rock & Grain of Okarche and Farmer’s Supply & Transportation of Cheyenne.

Commissioners had postponed action one week earlier so they could review a range of per-ton mile prices from five companies interested in having their trucks pick up and bring rock to Canadian County road sites.

Funeral services for Clarice Svitak will be held at 1 p.m. Wednesday, July 13 at the Concho Response Center with Revs. Michael Svitak and Alvin Deer officiating.

Burial will be at the Greenfield Indian Cemetery under the direction of Huber-Benson Funeral Home.

Clarice passed away July 2, 2022, at her home in El Reno. She was born Sept. 3, 1978, in Watonga.

A Canadian County inmate has been sentenced to two years in prison for having a cell phone at the county jail.

Oklahoma City’s Miranda Gwen Sorber, 40, has been convicted after pleading guilty to possession of an electronic device in a penal institution.

Sorber, already a convicted felon, was charged with the felony May 19 in Canadian County District Court.

Though it was a small sampling of games to survey, El Reno High School baseball coach Keith Hill says his program and its group of younger players grew over the summer.

“This summer was a good starting point to build from as long as we don’t get complacent and level off or slip back,” said Hill.

El Reno’s varsity 1 team dropped a one-run game to the Oklahoma City Broncos, a home-schooled program, to start the Red Dirt League season.

The Indians then reeled off five straight victories to finish with a 5-1 record in the RDL’s Wooden Bat Division.

Prayer service for John David Ludwig will be held at 7 p.m. Wednesday, July 13, with Mass of Christian Burial at 10 a.m. Thursday. Both services will be at Holy Trinity Church with Rev. Cory Stanley and Deacon Max Schwarz officiating.

Burial with military honors will follow at Holy Trinity Cemetery under the direction of Huber-Benson Funeral Home.

John died July 8, 2022, at Mercy Hospital in Oklahoma City. He was born Dec. 29, 1949, in Okarche.