January 2023

The first El Reno Now breakfast of 2023 featured some new hosts, but continued with the familiar theme of promoting all that is good about El Reno. Mayor Steve Jensen, along with School Superintendent Matt Goucher and City Manager Matt Sandidge served as hosts for the event.

City leaders took the next step in securing funding for major improvements at the El Reno Regional Airport when a resolution supporting several projects received unanimous support from the city council. The vote came during a special meeting of the council and the Airpark Authority.

The vice president of Economic Development for the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce said El Reno and Canadian County should be prepared to see more growth in the coming years. Jeff Seymour spoke at last week’s El Reno Now breakfast.

El Reno’s Merritt Dotson pushes the accelerator handles all the way forward on her sitting electric three-wheeled scooter over the weekend at Rinehart Park. Temperatures were in the mid-60s on Saturday but dropped into the 20s on Sunday as the city braced for its second round of winter weather.

Canadian County commissioners agreed to proceed with finalizing an agreement to use a construction manager for a proposed repair/remodeling project at the historic county jail.

New State Superintendent of Public Instruction Ryan Walters unveiled a budget plan for Oklahoma schools that would increase state school spending by $330 million. Under Walters’ proposal, the state appropriation for schools would increase from $3.18 billion this year to $3.51 billion next year.

A wake for Elliott Henry “Big Tass” Tasso Jr. will be held from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday, with funeral services set for 1 p.m. Friday. Both services will be at Huber-Benson Funeral Home with Rev. Gerald Panana officiating. Burial will follow at the Concho Cemetery.

Banner School’s basketball teams recently competed in the Middleberg Invitational.

LAWSUITS Felicity Johnson vs. Murphy Oil USA Inc. and Walmart Stores East LP for an amount in excess of $75,000 for alleged compensatory damages.

CALUMET – Calumet High School’s boys basketball team features a roster of several players who can flip the script on any opponent at a moment’s notice, and last week it was guard Hunter Arnold’s turn.