Canadian County commissioners have agreed to sell the old county fairgrounds on North Country Club Road while investing in renovations to create more usable space at the Canadian County Expo and Event Center.
Commissioners determined the county’s fair board secretary will get a new office inside the county’s $20 million Expo venue at 3001 Jensen Road East, which opened in July 2021.
As Missouri-based Mansion Entertainment Group attempts to tweak the design of the $2 billion American Heartland Theme Park and Resort it has proposed near Vinita, a Canadian firm hired to design the massive project has filed a lien claiming it is owed nearly $5.5 million from unpaid invoices. The filing comes as the Oklahoma Legislature continues to consider a $35 million request from the city of Vinita for water infrastructure upgrades to accommodate the project.
LAWSUITS
First National Bank of Omaha vs. Christopher Sells for $9,819.98 to pay a debt plus interest, costs and attorney fees.
Tinker Federal Credit Union vs. Markeith Smiley for $7,304.81 to pay a debt plus interest, costs and attorney fees.
Tinker Federal Credit Union vs. Lee Ann Vincent for $5,204.48 to pay a debt plus interest, costs and attorney fees.
LVNV Funding vs. Benjamin Bressman for $1,185.43 to pay a debt plus interest, costs and attorney fees.
BlueSTEM AgriLearning Center recently held its 2024 Agriscience Symposium. The event showcased advanced experiential research projects conducted by students from El Reno, Calumet, Yukon, Mustang and Epic Charter high schools, all part of the BlueSTEM program.
The forum was held in the Austin Family Conference Center at Redlands Community College.
BlueSTEM is headquartered at Fort Reno. It was established in 2015. In the past nine years, 180 high school students and one middle school student have been part of the BlueSTEM program.
The 2024 Mary K. Ashbrook Kids Fishing Derby, hosted by the El Reno Sportmans Club, drew over 300 youth anglers to Lake El Reno.
The kids were bidding for trophies in different age groups as well as prizes such as lifetime fishing licenses.
Anglers, who were given a free rod and reel as well as a tackle box, were also treated to lunch by the club.
“Blue Hawaii” was the theme of the Canadian County child advocacy center’s annual recognition event.
The Child Abuse Response Team (C.A.R.T.) honored its supporters and contributors at the Champions for Children Gala at the Mathena Events Center in Yukon.
“We want to thank Dave Mathena for his generosity,” C.A.R.T. House Executive Director Joanne Riley said.
“He not only donated the usage of his event center, but also the set-up, preparation and tear-down. Dave is a very generous man.”
The Canadian County Health Department expects to move this June into its new home.
A $3.6 million remodeling project is nearing completion on a 32,000-square-foot, two-story building at 6100 E. Highway 66.
“It’s beautiful,” health department administrator Jennifer Boyle said. “I can’t wait for everybody to see it. We’re very grateful and excited because it’s going to be such a nice place for our clients and the community to come.”
Attorney General Gentner Drummond has filed a federal lawsuit challenging the Biden administration’s rewrite of federal Title IX rules that adds “gender identity” to the law, effectively meaning a law intended to protect women’s rights will now instead protect the rights of men to enter women’s bathrooms and other private spaces if the men claim to identify as women.
MUNICIPAL COURT
Ryan Alexander Redbird, Clinton, trespassing on private property, $295.
Mary Margaret Castro, Oklahoma City, speeding, $195.
Charlee Jo Bushyhead, El Reno, transporting open container of beer, $350.
Cade Reed Houston, El Reno, possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia and contributing to the delinquency of a minor, $1,445.
Paul Cameron Clayton, El Reno, failure to stop at stop sign, $165.
Kristin Nicole Tschida, Watonga, speeding, $165.
So what happens if the Cheyenne and Arapaho are successful in finally getting Fort Reno returned to the tribes?
Reggie Wassana has a one-word answer: jobs.
“Someone has to step up and help create an environment that helps build economic opportunity in central and western Oklahoma,” said Wassana, governor of the C&A Tribes. “It can be the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes working with the local communities to help build a promising future for the generations to come. We can’t always rely on the oil and gas industry because it fluctuates up and down.
