January 2024

Jean Ann Widdifield

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Services for Jean Ann Widdifield will be held at 10 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 25 at Ingram, Smith and Turner Mortuary in Yukon. Visitation will be from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday.

Jean Ann, a compassionate and dedicated registered nurse, passed away peacefully on Jan. 15, 2024, at the age of 67.

From the sidelines: Black-Harmon breaks 28-year-old school rebounding record on the road in front of teammates, scouts

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A few minutes into the fourth period of El Reno’s semifinal game of the Shawnee Invitational against Coweta, Jennifer Douglas called Pauline Black-Harmon to the end of the bench and asked her one simple question.

“Do you want to get it today or tomorrow?” said Black-Harmon.

Her coach’s query was referring to the school’s all-time rebounding record.

At that point the senior post player was on the bench with El Reno holding a commanding 70-20 lead after three periods.

Pauline Black-Harmon (21) pulls down an offensive rebound that broke the school’s career rebound record

Burst pipes interrupt ER’s Mobile Meals

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Broken water pipes at Jenks Simmons Field House forced Mobile Meals to shut down, hopefully for no more than a week. El Reno Schools Superintendent Matt Goucher said the pipes that broke overnight on Jan. 16 were on an exterior wall at Jenks. With arctic temperatures arriving a few days before, the pipes were an easy target for the subfreezing temps.

Goucher said he is surprised the pipes had not broken before. In February of 2021, winter weather kept temperatures at or near zero for well over a week.

Firemen free accident victim

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El Reno firefighter Gage Pittman (left) holds a set of battery-powered spreaders as fellow firefighter Nathan Dewberry (center) uses battery-operated cutters. Both devices were used on the door to free the driver of this vehicle involved in a two-vehicle accident on North Country Club Road near the entrance to Adams Park last week.

ERFD Sgt. Slade Terry (right) holds the door while talking to the driver.

According to the ERFD report, both drivers required medical assistance from Pafford Medical Services but were able to walk to stretchers on the scene.

Firemen free accident victim_story

Crowded landing spot

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According to a biologist with the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation, birds this time of year are looking for unfrozen water to migrate toward and with recent temperatures below freezing, when unfrozen ponds are located, they become crowded such as the one near the overpass (second photo), which was home to thousands of several different species of waterfowl.

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Commissioners approve added charges for parking lot project

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Canadian County commissioners have agreed to spend more to stabilize the subgrade for a parking lot resurfacing project outside the county assessor’s building.

The commissioners, at their weekly meeting Jan. 16, voted 3-0 to approve a $15,296 change order for the long-awaited parking upgrade.

This increases the cost to $236,121.

When the old pavement was removed, officials discovered a wet subgrade. Recent wet weather delayed the process further.

Sheriff’s office staff to undergo crisis intervention training

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The Canadian County Sheriff’s Office will begin training staff on crisis intervention, said a statement from the sheriff’s office.

The first of seven, five-day, 40-hour crisis intervention team training sessions began Jan. 22. The final block will be taught in October.

Crisis intervention team training was developed to assist officers in recognizing individuals who may be experiencing a mental health crisis.

The Canadian County Sheriff's Office

RCC instructors land grants for zero-cost textbooks

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In an effort to alleviate some of the college expenses for students, faculty at Redlands Community College are identifying free course materials.

Three instructors were recently awarded grants by the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education for creating or adopting openly licensed, zero-cost textbooks, saving students hundreds of dollars.

From left, Erin Karl, Elise McCauley and Kristin Winterrowd

Peyton Churn

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Peyton was a loving husband, father, PaPa and friend.

He was born in Chillicothe, Ohio, on Oct. 29, 1954, and passed away Jan. 17, 2024, in El Reno, where he lived most of his life.

Peyton leaves behind to cherish his memory, his wife of 50 years, Dana Girard Churn, and his loving granddaughter who was the light of his life, Peyton Kay Churn.

Peyton Churn_obituary

Former deputy charged with sexual misconduct sued by alleged victim

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A former Canadian County sheriff’s deputy charged criminally with sexual misconduct is now being sued by an alleged victim.

David Wayne Loman is defendant in a lawsuit filed Dec. 22 in Canadian County District Court.

Loman allegedly assaulted the plaintiff while he was transporting the female inmate from the Pottawatomie County Jail to the Canadian County Jail. Convicted in March 2020 of drug trafficking, she is now in state prison.