News

Wrongful termination lawsuit against juvenile center moved to federal court

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A wrongful termination lawsuit filed by former Canadian County juvenile center employees against the county commissioners, a judge and center officials has been moved to federal court.

Assistant Attorney General Erin Moore and attorney Jordan Miller on Dec. 22, 2023, filed a notice of removal of the case to the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma.

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Affordable homes on the horizon

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A need for quality affordable housing has led Central Oklahoma Habitat for Humanity to launch its “most ambitious” project to date – a 160-acre development in eastern Canadian County.

The Cornerstone Creek neighborhood will provide “450 affordable, well-built homes” at the southwest corner of N.W. 150th and North Morgan Road. The property is between Piedmont and Yukon in northwest Oklahoma City.

Grading is complete and home builds will start in early 2024.

Noble Foundation gift helps spur Habitat development between Yukon, Piedmont

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OKLAHOMA CITY – Central Oklahoma Habitat for Humanity received a donation of $1.5 million from The Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation in support of the Christian housing ministry’s newest affordable housing development, Cornerstone Creek.

Central Oklahoma Habitat for Humanity Chair/CEO Ann Felton Gilliland said the gift from the Noble Foundation was donated in honor of her personal hero, the late Dr. David Brown, an orthopedic surgeon and founder/chairman emeritus of the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs (OCPA).

House honors sanctity of life with Rose Day

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OKLAHOMA CITY – The Oklahoma House of Representatives on Wednesday honored the right to life of the unborn with a presentation for Rose Day on the chamber floor and the adoption of a resolution recognizing the significance of the day.

House Resolution 1022, authored by House Majority Leader Tammy West, R-Oklahoma City, and co-authored by a majority of House Republicans, recognizes the significance of Rose Day, Oklahoma’s annual pro-life rally at the Capitol.

Public Records - 2/10/2024

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LAWSUITS

Discover Bank vs. Alan Ruiz for $1,548.33 to pay a debt plus interest, costs and attorney fees.

Discover Bank vs. Dylan Hubbard for $8,370.63 to pay a debt plus interest, costs and attorney fees.

Velocity Investments LLC vs. Jeremy Ward for $7,281.44 to pay a debt plus interest, costs and attorney fees.

Velocity Investments LLC vs. Neil Hinderer for $9,895.68 to pay a debt plus interest, costs and attorney fees.

Conn Appliances Inc. vs. Michelle Johnson for $2,790.24 to pay a debt plus interest, costs and attorney fees.

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Centre Theatre to host country music tribute

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Country music fans in the area will have a rare treat to step back in time when the Twitty & Lynn Show plays at the Centre Theatre in downtown El Reno. The show is set for 7 p.m. March 7 and tickets are available at elrenoentertainment.com.

Organizers of the show say there’s a moment at the very beginning of the Twitty & Lynn show that affords country music fans the chance to look back in time.

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Pink Out basketball

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El Reno High School cheerleaders (from left) Ainslee Bailey, Serenity Schnider and Bella Hart accented their Pink Out shirts with pink sunglasses as did the rest of the EHS cheer squad.

The EHS basketball programs held the special night last week during home games with Elgin to show support for breast cancer awareness.

T-shirts were sold to raise funds for the wife of EHS girls wrestling coach Chad Whitney, who is battling cancer.

Assessor: County valuations top $2 billion mark

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Canadian County’s steady growth is evident in a remarkable increase in property values since early last decade.

In 2023, Canadian County’s net valuation totaled $2,128,291,555 - that’s $2.1 billion.

This figure represents 12 percent of the total market value of all taxable property in Canadian County (Oklahoma is a fractional assessment state).

When Assessor Matt Wehmuller took office in 2011, the net valuation for Canadian County was $890,767,541 ($890 million).

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C.A.R.T. to move services to Yukon site

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After more than 30 years near the Canadian County Courthouse in El Reno, the county’s child advocacy center is moving to Yukon.

The Child Abuse Response Team (C.A.R.T.) will relocate in coming months to what is now the Canadian County Health Department’s Yukon office on East Vandament. The CCHD this spring will open a newly remodeled site on State Highway 66 just west of Evans Road.

“We will be moving with some other agencies to the former Canadian County Health Department in Yukon,” C.A.R.T. House Executive Director Joanne Riley said.

Judge sets $1 million bail for man accused of drug-related death

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A Canadian County judge has set bail at $1 million for a man who allegedly caused the fentanyl-related death of his daughter.

George Harold Graves, 54, was booked Dec. 16, 2023, into the Canadian County Jail after being formally charged Nov. 13 in Canadian County District Court with first-degree murder (distribution of a controlled dangerous substance).

The defendant - who has a Red Lake, Minn. address - is accused of murdering Stormie Jasmine Graves in February 2023 when she overdosed at her Calumet home.