December 2025

The City of El Reno will hold its annual Christmas parade downtown Saturday starting at 5 p.m.

The “Christmas Kicks on Route 66” parade had 47 entries as of Monday including the El Reno Cruisers, El Reno Wranglers, El Reno High School, Redlands Community College, C&A Tribes, churches, city departments and the Grinch.

Newly re-elected Mayor Steve Jensen will serve as the Grand Marshal and Santa Claus will be riding in a 1959 Ford F-100. The city’s Christmas tree will be turned on following the parade.

The song “Amazing Grace,” played by bagpiper David Marshal of the Tulsa Pipes and Drums, resonated with a lamenting sound.

The German national flag, Deutschlandfahne, moved slowly through the German and Italian Prisoner of War (POW) Cemetery at Fort Reno, carried by one of three uniformed German Air Force Honor Guard members stationed at Fort Sill’s Air Defense Training Center.

The El Reno Tribune’s “Pennies for Presents” drive, supporting El Reno High School’s Gifts for the Yanks program, continues through Dec. 10.

If you see one of these red donation boxes, feel free to drop in any spare change or paper money to support EHS’ gift-giving program for veterans.

Other box locations are Allie’s Baking Boutique, American Legion, Canadian Valley Pharmacy, Casey’s (on Country Club), Johnnie’s Hamburgers & Coneys, Ross Seed Co., Sid’s Diner, Tequila Plata and Vickie’s C Store.
 

Visitors to the Filling Station have gotten an early look at the bright red ride for Santa Claus in this weekend’s Christmas Parade and Tree Lighting.

The “Christmas Kicks on Route 66” parade starts at 5 p.m. It’s the city’s second event in the yearlong “Route to Freedom” celebration honoring the 100th birthday of Route 66.

Santa’s classic sleigh is a 1959 Ford F-100 pickup owned by Dee and Bryan Schwab and will be driven by Bryce Schwab in the parade.

The pickup’s original owner was Dee’s father, Jack Lee.

A preservation group’s effort to refurbish the historic Canadian County Jail has been on a temporary pause after fundraising efforts slowed for the project’s next phase.

In fall 2024, the nonprofit Preservation El Reno hired contractor J.T. Chronister, who replaced the roof on the 118-year-old jail building at the corner of Rogers and Evans.

Amy Neathery, who oversees the historic jail restoration effort, provided a project update to county commissioners earlier this week.

The skeletal remains of a 1990 cold case were recently identified by the Canadian County Sheriff’s Office using ancestral DNA, with assistance from the Oklahoma Medical Examiner’s Office and Othram DNA Testing Lab.    

An investigation was conducted in 1990 after skeletal remains were discovered along a creek about 2 miles east of U.S. 281 Highway on OK66, near the Cherokee Truck Stop, the sheriff's office reported.

Evidence from examining the remains indicated the victim was female, and there was possibly foul play involved.

Braulio Luna was formally sentenced to 25 years in prison, with 18 years to serve, for charges related to child sexual exploitation and attempted human trafficking of a minor.

Luna’s conviction stems from his arrest on Aug. 29, 2024, following a coordinated undercover operation targeting individuals seeking to purchase underage children for sexual acts.

The Canadian County Sheriff's Office released the information about the conviction of Luna. 

A trial date is set next spring for a fired Canadian County sheriff’s deputy accused of sexual misconduct while on duty.

David Joseph Randall of Edmond is charged with sexual battery. He is due to face a Canadian County jury starting May 4, 2026, in District Judge Khristan K. Strubhar’s courtroom.

A motion hearing will be March 12 with the call docket announcement April 16, according to a scheduling order signed by Judge Strubhar and attorneys for the prosecution and defense.

OKLAHOMA CITY – Oklahoma residents may get to vote to eliminate property taxes for homes they live in.

Two lawmakers and a former legislator filed papers with the Oklahoma Secretary of State to circulate an initiative petition to let voters decide to gradually reduce some property taxes and end them in 2029.

At an Oval Office event on Nov. 18, U.S. President Donald Trump let loose on an ABC News reporter, Mary Bruce, for daring to question Saudi terror kingpin Mohammed bin Salman about the 2018 murder -- by Saudi agents, likely on MBS’s direct order -- of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi.