August 2023

Note: This is the second article in an effort to look behind the scenes of how Canadian County law enforcement and other entities work to find and stop online predators of children. There’s an old saying “It takes a village to raise a child.”

El Reno High School junior Heath Shelton watches EHS defensive coordinator Michael Pruitt launch a drone to take video of an offensive session. El Reno kicked off football practice last week and school will open for the 2023-24 term on Thursday.

El Reno residents will get to weigh in on choosing a name for the walking trail at Lake El Reno. The city council agreed to submit three names for locals to choose from. A social media poll will offer residents these choices: Lakeview Trail, Bison Trail and Sunset Trail.

County residents will have an opportunity to show off their talents during the Canadian County Free Fair set for Aug. 23-26 at the Canadian County Expo Center, 3001 Jensen Road East.

The Canadian County Association for Oklahoma Home and Community Education (OHCE) is selling tickets for a beautiful quilt size 72x84. Tickets are $1 per ticket or six tickets for $5.

Nominations are being sought for the Outstanding Canadian County Citizen to be recognized at the upcoming Canadian County Free Fair. As is tradition, the individual will receive the first-place winning cookie jar entered in the fair.

Wake for Angeline Pedro of El Reno will be from 6 to 9 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 15, with funeral services at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Aug. 16. Both services will be at the Concho Emergency Response Center. Angeline died Aug. 8, 2023, at Integris Canadian Valley Hospital in Yukon.

Nikki Pruitt was in a bind last week. The founder and director of The Lord’s Harvest, the El Reno-based food ministry, had a number of needs that needed to be addressed, but not enough people or helping hands to cover all the bases.

Ted “Wayne” Mehan, also beautifully remembered as Teddy Wayne, Wayne, Papa, Pappy or Dad, was born on August 31, 1946, in Binger, Oklahoma, to his loving parents, Ted Joseph and Felta Lee Mehan.

The El Reno Community Theatre will host its production of “12 Angry Men,” a 1954 teleplay by Reginald Rose that was made into a movie in 1957, directed by Sidney Lumet. Roger Johnson is directing the local production, with performances scheduled inside the Centre Theatre in downtown El Reno.