News

El Reno will celebrate the National Day of Prayer on Thursday, May 2 with a breakfast and later an evening prayer gathering, said Karen Nance, director of the El Reno Chamber of Commerce.

This year marks the 73rd observance for the National Day of Prayer.

A prayer breakfast will be held in El Reno at 7 a.m. that day at Wesley Methodist Church, 101 S. Barker.

Later, at 7 p.m., a community prayer gathering will be held at the Centre Theatre, 110 S. Bickford.

El Reno native and Tulsa television personality Tess Maune will serve as the guest emcee for the 36th Annual El Reno Burger Day Festival.

Maune will guide visitors through the making of the festival’s Big Burger.

Burger Day starts Saturday at 10 a.m. in downtown El Reno.

The Okarche town trustees voted to fire Police Chief Forrest Smith at a special meeting last week.

After a three-hour executive season, the vote was 4-1 to fire the chief, who had been on the hot seat over an ongoing audit in the town. The trustees also accepted the resignation letter of Town Attorney Bryce Kennedy Jr.

Okarche Schools Resource Officer Chris Sadler will be the acting police chief.

Sadler voted against firing Smith. But trustees Jason Kroener, Jon David Alig, J.D. Mueggenborg and Jeff Brueggen voted to fire the chief.

Following the jury’s recommendation, a Canadian County district judge has sentenced a Yukon woman to 31 years in prison for driving drunk and causing the death of an Elk City teenager while seriously injuring three other victims.

Cassandra Ann Bray, 43, was sentenced in Canadian County District Court for causing a fatal, multi-injury traffic collision 2 1/2 years ago on State Highway 66 (N.W. 39th) just east of Yukon.

Canadian County commissioners have authorized paying $236,121 – and no more - for the new parking lot at the Canadian County Assessor’s Office.

Atlas Paving Co. had requested the county pay another $22,580 for the parking lot replacement project.

But commissioners refused, by a 3-0 vote.

LAWSUITS

Citibank N.A. vs. Damon Richmond for $5,084.97 to pay a debt plus interest, costs and attorney fees.

Citibank N.A. vs. Hazel Gregg for $2,692.75 to pay a debt plus interest, costs and attorney fees.

Citibank N.A. vs. Benjamin Moren for $2,670.97 to pay a debt plus interest, costs and attorney fees.

Citibank N.A. vs. Andrea Zeron for $5,787.88 to pay a debt plus interest, costs and attorney fees.

U.S. Bank N.A. vs. Kristi Henderson for $6,306.31 to pay a debt plus interest, costs and attorney fees.

The El Reno Tribune’s Burger Day Preview section for 2024 contains the following:

Follow the smell

2024 Fried Onion Burger Day map and schedule

The burger that brings them back

How the fried onion burger changed a town

When you walk or jog in the May 4 Wesley UMC Bun Run, not only will you be getting a bit of exercise, you’ll also be helping people who might be struggling in El Reno as well as in other parts of the world.

El Reno’s Wesley United Methodist Church has been coordinating the Burger Day Bun Run for the past decade. This will mark the 11th annual event run by UMC.

El Reno High School held its annual prom last week with the theme “The Golden Gala.”

Students arrived to the downtown event and were greeted by cheering family members and a walk down the red carpet.

A walk through El Reno's history of public safety was presented at last week's El Reno Now gathering.

City Manager Matt Sandidge said it was appropriate that the focus on public safety be presented in the Public Safety Center on Faith Avenue, just off SW 27th Street.

Police Chief Ken Brown and Fire Chief Jason Duff used power point presentations to walk the audience through the history of both departments.

Brown, the city of El Reno’s longest tenured employee, having started with ERPD in 1980, has served as Chief of Police for 16 years.