February 2026

Canadian County is seeking a federal grant to help investigate illegal dumping.

The Canadian County Sheriff’s Office has applied through the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) for up to $50,000 in fiscal year 2027 for the department’s environmental deputy.

Lt. Mike Grimes explained the grant funding request during Canadian County commissioners Jan. 27 meeting.

“It’s for the good of the county, it keeps our county clean,” Grimes said of the environmental deputy program.

Prosecutors allege an El Reno woman repeatedly kicked and pulled away from a Yukon police officer during a drug arrest last fall.

Jessica Leeann Nitzell, age 38, was charged Jan. 8 in Canadian County District Court with assault and battery on a police officer, resisting an officer, possession of a controlled dangerous substance, unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia and speeding in a posted zone.

After only two weeks on the job, The Hill reports, Kevin Couch resigned in late January as head of artistic programming at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.

Couch’s brief tenure might seem surprising, but a better question is why Couch sought or accepted the position in the first place.

LAWSUITS

Tinker Federal Credit Union vs. Tony Alexander for $7,039.27 to pay a debt plus interest, costs and attorney fees.

Tinker Federal Credit Union vs. Jason Burge for $5,457.02 to pay a debt plus interest, costs and attorney fees.

Velocity Investments LLC vs. Jeffery Bentley for $9,054.85 to pay a debt plus interest, costs and attorney fees.

NCB Management Services Inc. vs. Daveron Wright for $7,564.11 to pay a debt plus interest, costs and attorney fees.

A scoring burst over the final four minutes of the third period helped move El Reno High School’s girls basketball team to within a win of locking up third place in the District 5A-2 standings.

El Reno retained the third spot with a 52-42 win over Noble and swept the season series with the Bears.

The Indians are 7-3 in District 5A-2 play with four games remaining.

The 10-point win lifted El Reno to 10-8 overall and marked the ninth straight year for the Indians to reach 10 wins under head coach Jennifer Douglas.

Despite missing three starters, losing a fourth at half, committing 22 turnovers and shooting 26 percent in the first half, El Reno High School’s boys basketball team had chances to beat Noble.

Down by double digits to start the final period, El Reno trimmed that deficit to single digits twice before suffering a 60-47 league loss and dropping the season series to the Bears.

The loss keeps El Reno in the fifth spot in the District 5A-2 standings at 3-7. The Indians are now 6-12 on the year heading into the final five games of the regular season.

A return to dual state will have to wait another season as El Reno High School’s wrestling team took third place last week at the 2026 Class 5A District 3 Championship.

El Reno snapped a five-match losing streak with a win over Santa Fe South (60-21) but lost to Blanchard (48-33) and second-ranked Carl Albert (58-22) as the Titans claimed the title and a pass to dual state.

Turner Richardson (215) went undefeated with three falls, the fastest in 57 seconds over Blanchard’s Sam Miller. The others were in the first period pins including one over Carl Albert’s Joe Thomas.

El Reno High School graduate Nazhoni Sleeper (13) drives around a steal attempt by Redlands’ Katelyn Harviston (15) during a game over the weekend.

Sleeper plays point guard for Seminole State College.

Myracle Washington led a trio of scorers to reach double digits as Redlands Community College women’s basketball team defeated Northern Oklahoma College of Enid 67-61.

Washington was 5-of-8 shooting from the floor and made 4-of-6 free-throw attempts to close with 14 points.

The guard added four rebounds and a steal.

Alaura Pruitt knocked down a trio of 3-pointers to highlight her line of 13 points, five rebounds, three blocked shots and two steals.

Karlee Harviston added 11 points and three rebounds.

Redlands Community College men’s basketball team earned its first regional road win of the season, defeating Northern Oklahoma College of Enid 85-78.

The seven-point victory came after RCC held off the Jets 44-43 in the second half after leading 41-35 at the break.

Redlands shot 31-of-65 (48 percent) from the floor which included seven made 3-pointers off a 41 percent effort.

Justice Johnson and Jayden Forrest led the arc scoring with three makes each and Damond Matthews with one.