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The journey to create a Business Improvement District in downtown El Reno took its first official steps last week after the city council unanimously approved pursuing the effort.

Former El Reno City Manager Dan Galloway presented the council with a nine-step process to create the BID. Galloway was hired to help coordinate the process after he was successful in creating a BID for downtown Stillwater while serving as manager there.

A BID would be created through a vote of property owners in the downtown area. The purpose is to spur economic vitality in the area.

A 21-year-old Georgia man was arrested last week after he allegedly used a gun to rob a local fast-food restaurant.

Police said Khanh Phi Hoang of Marietta, Ga., was arrested after a car chase that started on I-40 and ended when Hoang crashed his vehicle on Mayberry Road.

The incident happened Oct. 14 when Hoang allegedly entered Wendy’s on U.S. 81, just north of I-40, and pulled a gun out, demanding money from an employee. After getting money from the cash drawer, Hoang reportedly drove west on I-40.

Funeral services were held Tuesday for retired Canadian County Sheriff Lewis Hawkins of Mustang, who died Friday.

Burial was in the Schwartz Cemetery. Services were under the direction of McNeil’s Funeral Home.

Sheriff Chris West said Hawkins served as sheriff of Canadian County from 1988 to 2008, serving five four-year terms.

Hawkins was in office longer than any other sheriff in the county’s history, West said. Hawkins retired in 2009.

El Reno FFA students were scheduled to compete in the state FFA competition after capturing first place at the recent regional contest held in Chickasha.

Students also took several honors at the Tulsa State Fair.

The state competition was set for Tuesday at Oklahoma State University.

Tarren Sherman, El Reno Agricultural Education instructor, said the team has been traveling to numerous contests and putting in hours of practice outside of school preparing.

“This hard work has paid off,” Sherman said.

El Reno High School students and athletes have been wearing pink in the month of October in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. EHS students Conley Knapp, left, and Alexis Lively cheer on the Indians football team during last week's 32-27 win over Duncan in District 5A-1 play.

The deadline to request absentee ballots by mail is approaching for the Nov. 9 City of El Reno Ward 2 and Yukon School Bond election. Applications must be received by the Canadian County Election Board no later than 5 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 2.

Canadian County Election Board Secretary Wanda Armold said absentee voting is available to all voters and can be submitted several ways.

“In Oklahoma, no excuse is needed to vote by absentee ballot, and it’s easy to apply,” Armold said.

Fresh Anointing Church, 1300 W. Watts, will host a Trunk or Treat festival at the church for Halloween.

The event will be Saturday, Oct. 30 from 1 to 4 p.m. There will be candy and treats for kids in costume.

Oklahoma faces a shortage of nurses and engineers, but a state higher education leader says Oklahoma colleges are not necessarily enthusiastic about making changes that would reduce those reported shortages.

Why? Because Oklahoma colleges don’t view those programs as money-makers.

“There are programs that generate revenue for an institution, and there are programs that cost money to an institution,” said Jeff Hickman, chairman of the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education.