May 2023

Miriam Biegel passed from this life on May 13, 2023. She was born Nov. 2, 1923, on a farm just east of Union City to Albert and Ella Wieman. Miriam was a child of the Depression who learned firsthand the importance of hard work and a supportive family. Shortly after the end of World War II, Miriam married Fred Biegel and settled in El Reno. Although they had no children, theirs was a happy marriage filled with church activities, socializing with friends and traveling.

After Fred’s death, Miriam continued her strong relationship with her church and her friends.

MARRIAGE LICENSES

Grey Lynn Mustion, 25; Bailey Renee Robertson, 22.

Eric Ramone Williams Jr., 33; Karen Nallely Balleza Ortiz, 30.

Patrick J. Yeary, 53; Stacy Ruth Martindale, 56.

William Chadwick Long, 50; Angela Shae Stewart Cox, 45.

Harrison Indiana Stone, 25; Darby Elizabeth Haynes, 23.

Jeffery Dale Ivie, 33; Melanie Brianna Gronquist, 30.

Monty Gavin, 76; Janet Allien Gilson, 81.

Carmen Guzman, 35; Tara Danielle Hodges, 36.

Dave Douglas Davidson Jr., 39; Jessica Dawn Crawford, 37.

Graveside services for Jayne Ellen Crawford of Brighton, Colo., will be held at 11 a.m. Monday, May 22 at the Canadian Valley Cemetery in Calumet.

Jayne passed away Jan. 3, 2023, in Brighton. She was born Dec. 15, 1964, in Okarche.

She was employed with the Federal Bureau of Investigation and was a member of First Christian Church.

Jayne is survived by her husband, Kelly Crawford of Brighton; daughters, Kimberley and Kasadey Crawford; brothers, Butch, Rick, Danny and Charles; sister, Teresa Kelly; and one grandchild.

El Reno High School May Students of the Month are: Alejandro Baeza, Bridgette McReynolds, Triston Johnston, Emily Walker, Thebe Brandon, Aaron Birdshead, Soledad
Hernandez Torres and Addison Davis.

The Apron Annies HCE group hosted the 2023 Okarche High School senior class baccalaureate services held last week at Okarche High School. Annies have hosted this event for 30 years, with their first being May 1993. Annies members assisting in the reception were Mary Nell Brueggen, Jan Wittrock and Betty Kroener.

With 11 games and a playoff berth under their belts, expectations from both players and coaches are running high as El Reno High School's football program opened up its first week of spring drills.

“It’s been going good. We have got a lot of kids that are competing and battling every day. The kids are having fun and we have had great weather so far for it,” said El Reno head coach Russell Cook.

Demolition crews tore down this building on South Country Club Road last week.

The building most recently housed a quick stop and national food chain location.

The site is being cleared for a drive-thru coffee business.
 

Despite heavy overnight rains, the 2023 Mary K. Ashbrook Kids Fishing Derby brought out young anglers of all ages to the banks of Lake El Reno.

The event is organized and conducted by the El Reno Sportsman’s Club.

The El Reno City Council moved forward on a number of projects at last week’s regular monthly meeting and agreed to alter the office hours at City Hall over the summer.

The new summer hours will be Monday through Thursday from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. On Friday, offices will open at 7:30 and will close at 11:30 a.m.

City Manager Matt Sandidge said the new hours will take effect May 30 and will run to Labor Day. He said a number of municipal governments have gone to this format and are finding success with it, including Mustang.

El Reno’s T.J. Dill has been named chief engineer for the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority.

In his new role, he will be responsible for overseeing engineering, construction, maintenance, right-of-way and utilities along Oklahoma turnpikes.

Dill, a graduate of El Reno High School, earned his bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering at Oklahoma State University. He joined OTA in 2020 as the Director of Construction.