April 2020

While many people are doing their part by social distancing in an effort to remain healthy and protect the community, there are others looking to make a quick buck.

Those fraudulent marketers are popping up and promoting various products that claim to help prevent or treat COVID-19, said Janice Hermann, Oklahoma State University Extension nutrition specialist.

“Fraudulent COVID-19 products can come in many varieties including dietary supplements and other foods, as well as products claiming to be tests, drugs, medical devices or vaccines,” Hermann said.

The number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Oklahoma broke through the 3,000 mark Thursday, reaching 3,017, and deaths climbed by nine to a total of 179, the Oklahoma State Department of Health reported.

Well over half of the coronavirus-related deaths have occurred in five counties – Tulsa, Cleveland, Oklahoma, Wagoner and Washington. More than 80 percent of people who have died were ages 65 or older, and as of Tuesday, more than a third had lived or worked in nursing homes.

Sandra (Sandy) Leigh Whitley was born March 23, 1967, in Oklahoma City. She lived most of her life in El Reno, graduating from El Reno High School. She received an associate degree from Oklahoma State University - Oklahoma City. She was a night shift supervisor at the Oklahoma City Transitional Center.

Sandy enjoyed traveling, visiting with friends and spending time with her family, especially her grandchildren.

Sandy died April 16, 2020, at OU Medical Center in Oklahoma City.

El Reno will wait a week longer before allowing certain businesses to open. This breaks from the guidelines set by Gov. Kevin Stitt who said some businesses could reopen Friday in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mayor Matt White decided Thursday that personal care businesses will remain closed in El Reno until April 30. That was the day originally set in El Reno’s emergency proclamation.

On Wednesday, Stitt announced the rollout of a three-step plan to reopen the state beginning April 24.

A 30-year-old El Reno man has been arrested in connection with the death of Robert James Meely, 40. Police said Andrew Keifer Beartrack, 30, was taken into custody in connection with the homicide investigation.

Beartrack is being held in the Canadian County jail and faces a charge of First Degree Murder, said Assistant Police Chief Kirk Dickerson.

The arrest came on Wednesday, the day after divers searched the pond at Legion Park. The divers, from the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, reportedly found items police described as “interesting.”

Elden Eichholz turned 96 last week. He spent the day waving at passing cars that were honking at the birthday signs in his front yard.

Throughout the day there were family members stopping by with presents and wanting to give him hugs. They shied away from the contact due to his increased vulnerability to the COVID-19 virus.

“I’ve got three great-grandkids that I wanted to get a hold of them and give them a hug because they are just so cute. That was the hard part, not getting a hug from anybody,” said Eichholz.

A dog apparently knocked a space heater into a couch while a woman and her young daughter slept in another room.

If a friend had not shown up at the home at 521 S. Evans, El Reno firefighters said the outcome could have been tragic.

Sleeping inside were Leslie Simmons and Kiley, her 8-year-old daughter. The friend who arrived at the home found it filling with smoke. He was able to wake up the pair and together they pulled the couch onto the front porch.