While band and volleyball began preseason work last week, El Reno High School’s softball program remains closed due to complications with COVID-19.
“Softball will be shut down until Monday (July 27) because we had a second player test positive.
“They have not been together out there since July 13 and that gives us two weeks that the facility has been locked up,” said El Reno Athletic Director Rodney Haydon.
El Reno High School’s volleyball team kicked off preseason workouts last week at the Jenks Simmons Field House Annex. Head coach Kristen Koehler said her varsity players self-quarantined for two weeks prior to starting drills to ensure they were not exposed to the COVID-19 virus. “We wanted to make sure we could get started,” said Koehler. The Indians are set to have a preseason scrimmage Aug. 4 and open the season Aug. 10.
LAWSUITS
Leon and Kimberly Taylor vs. State Farm Insurance Company Inc. for an amount in excess of $75,000 for alleged actual and punitive damages.
Kelly Hill, individually and as parent of B.H., a minor vs. Shannon Brown, Nicole Chaney and Eric Goettsch for an amount in excess of $75,000 for injuries and damages alleged to have occurred during an automobile accident.
After overcoming planning hiccups associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, organizers of the 2020 Smoke on the Water Drag Boat Races had to deal with the queen of all elements – Mother Nature.
“She seems to always want to rear her head and let us know she is in charge,” said co-organizer Josh Finnigan.
The first day of racing was delayed more than an hour by high winds on Lake El Reno, which forced race officials to trim down the length of the course.
The Canadian County Free Fair will move forward in August, but in a significantly scaled-down fashion.
The county’s fair board voted last week to let the fair continue. However, only the livestock portion of the fair will be held.
Even that, according to the fair board, will be scaled back to a “Show and Go” format.
The fair is scheduled for Aug. 26-28 at the fairgrounds complex.
According to the fair board, all of the activities including the carnival, food trucks, horse show and other exhibitors have been canceled.
El Reno could have $10 million to use for infrastructure and capital needs if interest rates and terms are favorable.
The city council last week, in a unanimous vote, approved soliciting proposals to sell up to $10 million in municipal bonds. The proposal is expected to be brought back to council in August where a decision will be made whether to move forward with the plan or scrap it.
Last week it was announced the Mary K. Ashbrook Foundation had contributed to two projects in El Reno.
The foundation, created in 1978 after the death of the El Reno businesswoman, gifted $20,000 to help purchase bleachers at the Little League football field, as well as more than $7,000 to purchase new computers at the historic Carnegie Library.
City Manager Matt Sandidge said the foundation has been instrumental over the years in helping to promote efforts to improve life for El Reno residents.
“These computers are for public use,” Sandidge said.
The Canadian County Children’s Justice Center will continue to make beds available for young offenders from outside of the county.
County commissioners voted 2-1 last week to approve an agreement with 19 other counties to provide bed space.
The agreement is through a contract with the Oklahoma Department of Juvenile Affairs, and for most of the counties is simply a renewal of previous agreements.
Commissioners David Anderson and Jack Stewart voted for the agreements, while Marc Hader voted against them.
