February 2025

Dennis Purifoy knows there is both good and evil living in the world around us every day.

He’s seen it, lived it firsthand and now is telling his story to make sure that the next generation of Oklahomans never forget the events of April 19, 1995.

Purifoy is one of the more than 600 people to survive the bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in downtown Oklahoma City. One hundred and sixty-eight people, including 19 children, died from the explosion and building collapse.

A 24-hour holding center is being established that will benefit police officers in their interactions with Canadian County juvenile offenders.

Commissioners, at their weekly meeting Feb. 24, approved a memorandum of understanding (MOU) that will allow the Gary E. Miller Canadian County Children’s Justice Center (CCCJC) to provide a Community Intervention Center for local law enforcement agencies.

Linda Fogg called me last week and had a question about a recipe in the Girl Scout Cookbook I had mentioned in my column a couple of weeks ago.

Canadian County commissioners have accepted a maximum guaranteed price of $223,625 for a remodeling construction project at the former Department of Human Services Building, 314 W. Rogers.

The site will serve as the temporary Canadian County Administration Building during development of a four-story county courthouse at 201 N. Choctaw.

Commissioners, at their weekly meeting, approved the old DHS building remodeling project cost presented by the construction manager for Redhawk Construction.

Applications for Oklahoma Farm Bureau’s 2025 Oklahoma Grassroots Rural and Ag Business Accelerators program are now open until April 4 for rural Oklahoma and agricultural innovators looking to develop their enterprises and deepen their business understanding.

The program offers two distinct pipelines for rural Oklahoma innovators who are looking to develop their ideas, build their entrepreneurial skills and hone their pitches with help from Oklahoma’s world-class business development ecosystem.

El Reno’s American Legion Post 34 is now officially a Purple Heart Post.

The honor was given to the Legion during a recent ceremony.

Post Commander Jerry Hill said El Reno is the second American Legion Post in Oklahoma to be honored with the distinction.

The Legion was also the recipient of a grant from an energy company.

El Reno High School students held a Valentine’s Day party in the STEM Center.

Refreshments were served as well as making of arts and crafts items.

Maple January Students of the Month, front row from left, Piper Brothers, pre-kindergarten, and Olivia Tredway, kindergarten; middle row, Aniyah Chaffin, second grade, Journey Swigart, fourth grade, Mia Trujillo, first grade, and Wager Ferguson, third grade; back row, Brax Birdsong, sixth grade, Douglas Bland, fifth grade, Kassidy Ferguson, eighth grade, and Presley Swigart, seventh grade.

Members of Chapter AE/OK of P.E.O. International gathered recently at a local coffee shop for their February meeting, with Robin White-Mahone serving as co-hostess.

Ann Zavy opened the meeting with the Chaplain’s Prayer and the quote, “Happiness is a journey, not a destination.”

Karen Pappas called roll. Others attending were Becky Reuter, Margaret Price, Anna Rinehart, Christy Eichholz, Lindsey Vise and Janan Fletcher.

El Reno High School senior Jayda Cook will be competing this weekend in the 2025 Oklahoma Girls Powerlifting State Championships in Durant.

Cook placed third in her weight division at the North Regional with lifts of 285 pounds (squat), 155 pounds (bench) and 315 pounds (deadlift) for a 755-pound total.