U.S. Rep. Tom Cole, a citizen of the Chickasaw Nation, has become the first Native American to chair the House Appropriations Committee and the first congressional member representing Oklahoma to do so. First elected to Congress in 2003, Cole is the longest-serving Native American in congressional history.
Attorney General Gentner Drummond filed a pair of lawsuits last week against natural gas pipeline firms, alleging the companies helped bid up the price of natural gas to the highest levels in history during a winter storm in February 2021.
LAWSUITS
American Express National Bank vs. Yvette Crusha for $11,193.34 to pay a debt plus interest, costs and attorney fees.
American Express National Bank vs. Josh Walker Homes LLC for $215,302.92 to pay a debt plus interest, costs and attorney fees.
Valliance Bank vs. Kingdom Home Builders Inc. for $328,630.41 to pay a debt plus interest, costs and attorney fees and foreclosure of mortgage on Lot 3, Block 19, Montereau Phase 3 Addition, Oklahoma City.
Millions of Oklahomans looked toward the sky last week to watch the solar eclipse.
Parts of southeastern Oklahoma viewed a total eclipse, while much of the state, like El Reno, viewed in the 90 percent range.
Rumors that the city of El Reno is out to do away with A Small Town Weekend are greatly exaggerated.
That was the message from City Councilman Dr. Brian Shafer at last week’s council meeting.
While city leaders said the popular Route 66 event is important for the community in a number of ways, there are liability concerns.
Especially with the Sunday afternoon drag races.
City Manager Matt Sandidge said drag racing on Route 66 “gives our public safety officials and legal counsel concern.”
Around here, most know Jana Knott as the city attorney for El Reno. But further east, she’s known as being part of the legal team that is trying to secure some form of justice for the last known survivors of the Tulsa Race Massacre.
Knott calls the experience “humbling.”
Because she specializes in appellate matters, Knott was asked to join the legal team representing Lessie Benningfield Randle and Viola Ford Fletcher, and the late Hughes Van Ellis Sr.
The Oklahoma City Council denied a rezoning request to allow a new outdoor amphitheater in eastern Canadian County. Council members voted 7-2 at their April 9 meeting against Planned Unit Development (PUD) 1983, which would have allowed the proposed Sunset Amphitheater in the 280-acre Mustang Creek Crossing development near the Kilpatrick Turnpike.
The eastern Canadian County site, which is now zoned agriculture, is west of Sara Road and north of S.W. 15th.
The celebration of the El Reno High School Lady Indians basketball team continued last week as the city of El Reno honored the team for its perfect season en route to the school’s first state championship in girls basketball.
Mayor Steve Jensen read a proclamation celebrating the Lady Indians for their 28-0 season record and Class 5A state title.
The team recorded only the third perfect season for an EHS team, the proclamation read, the others coming in 1933 and 1949.
The city of El Reno honored the Redlands Community College Livestock Team for being named Team of the Year for the 2023-24 season.
The honor came after the RCC team’s showing at the Houston Livestock Showand Rodeo in Houston, Texas.
Mayor Steve Jensen read a proclamation listing the RCC team’s accomplishments that included wins in Kansas City, Louisville, Denver and Oklahoma City as well as RCC’s Spencer Scotten being named Coach of the Year. Four members of the RCC team were named to the Livestock Judging All American Team.
When school board elections were held April 2, the results continued a longstanding trend in Oklahoma: Few voters knew there were any elections under way and school leaders across the state were selected by a small sliver of voters who may not represent the broader community, including most parents.
A day later, parents from across Oklahoma rallied at the state Capitol to urge lawmakers to shift school board races to a November general election ballot that will produce far greater input from the public.
