Latest Posts

Swimming in the rain

Body

The Oklahoma Climatological Society reported El Reno received close to 5 inches of rain.

El Reno City Manager Matt Sandidge said crews were watching all of the new drainage projects that have been completed over the past five years. “We are very pleased with the performance,” Sandidge said.

He said this includes the new pond south of Legion Park as well as the two most recent projects, north of Legion and at SE Heritage Drive. Those projects are not 100 percent complete, but they moved the heavy water in an efficient manner.

Swimming in the rain_story

Blessing Baskets preps for summer feeding program, fundraiser

Body

El Reno’s Blessing Baskets will begin its Families with Children Summer Food Program June 14.

Donna Dyer, coordinator for the not-for-profit Blessing Baskets, said the program expects to help feed more than 200 families at each of the six food distribution events planned.

The food distribution dates will be June 14, June 28, July 12, Aug. 9, Aug. 23 and Oct. 11.

Dyer said volunteers are needed to help with the food distributions.

Volunteers boxed food last year for the Families with Children Food Program

Never forgetting the lost, murdered

Body

Families and friends gathered to honor their loved ones who have gone missing or been murdered at the second annual Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples (MMIP) Ceremony and Parade.

The gathering took place in Concho.

Some held giant signs with photos of their loved ones, while others showcased their loved ones photos on the front of T-shirts.

Never forgetting the lost, murdered_1

El Reno police investigating details around lake arrest

Body

El Reno police are reviewing body and dash cam footage after a video of an officer arresting a 17-year-old male drew social media criticism.

Police Chief Ken Brown said the veteran officer has been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation.

Brown said about 8:30 p.m. Saturday, police received calls of a vehicle in the Lake El Reno area traveling at excessive speeds and in an unsafe manner. Reports said the vehicle was traveling at about 90 miles per hour and some people were hanging outside the vehicle, police said.

New approach to old jail makeover being sought by commissioners

Body

Canadian County commissioners will consider changing the scope of a construction project at the historic county jail.

District 3 Commissioner Jack Stewart suggested the board could consider using a construction manager to “manage the process.”

“We might ought to look at taking a different approach,” Stewart said at last week’s commissioners meeting.

Commissioners recently solicited bids for repairs to an extensively damaged roof on the county-owned structure, which was built between 1908 and 1913.

The historic Canadian County Jail

ERPS Foundation awards $25,000 in local scholarships

Body

The El Reno Public School Foundation recently awarded 2021-2022 scholarships to El Reno High School graduates.

The scholarships include the Wilbur and Jean Gardner Scholarship, Gaylord and Barbara Reuter Scholarship, Ryan Tinsley Memorial Scholarship, Richard Steanson Honorary Scholarship and the Hutchison Family Memorial Scholarship.

“Since its inception, our scholarship endowments through the El Reno Public School Foundation have awarded over $200,000 in scholarships to El Reno High School graduates,” said foundation member Chad Neathery.

ERPS Foundation awards $25,000 in local scholarships_story

RCC students collect teddy bears for local hospice

Body

To fulfill a patient’s last request, the Redlands Community College Academic Team held a drive collecting teddy bears to give to all Russell-Murray Hospice patients.

“Redlands has a close partnership with Russell-Murray Hospice, and when we learned a patient’s final wish was that all other patients would have a teddy bear to hug, we knew we wanted to help,” said Cherry Rain, coach of the Academic Team.

RCC students collect teddy bears for local hospice_story

Student mental health resource bill signed into law

Body

OKLAHOMA CITY – The governor last week signed into law a bill that will get help to students in mental health crisis or who are considering suicide.

House Bill 4106 by Rep. Mark Vancuren, R-Owasso, directs public school districts to develop and maintain a protocol, in partnership with one or more local mental health treatment providers certified by the Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (DMHSAS), to respond to students in mental health crisis to prevent suicide, self-harm and harm to others.

Student mental health resource bill signed into law_art