News

Youth and Family Services Inc. (YFS) is looking for companies and civic groups to host this year’s annual Love A Baby Diaper Drive. The event runs through the month of February.

Last year, YFS collected more than 14,500 diapers with the help of community supporters in El Reno, Mustang, Piedmont, Watonga and Yukon. The diapers, along with hundreds of packages of baby wipes, were distributed to children in YFS’ emergency shelter, foster care and independent living programs.

The Second Annual Crossroads of Oklahoma Farm Show is coming to the Canadian County Expo and Event Center.

The show is set for Feb. 22-24.  

Janelle Martin, owner of C&M Production Group that is running the Crossroads of Oklahoma Farm Show, said the group is excited to be coming back to Canadian County.

“We had 100 vendors that had come together for the show,” Martin said.

“Last year, it was very successful. This event is for farmers and ranchers in central Oklahoma.”

The Canadian County Expo and Event Center’s Third Annual Community Night Gala will support CASA - Court Appointed Special Advocates - which serves abused and neglected youth.

The fundraising event is set for Friday, April 19.

“Our past beneficiaries got together and decided that Canadian County Court Appointed Special Advocates are going to be the beneficiary for this year’s gala,” said Expo Center Director Mandy Davis.

“We’ve moved the date to April, which is Child Abuse Awareness Month. All monies will go directly to CASA.”

The Redlands Community College Livestock Judging Team is bringing home numerous awards, including overall team championship honors from the Fort Worth Stock Show and the National Western Stock Show in Denver.

At the competition in Denver, the Redlands team was named High Team Overall and High Team Overall in the Carload Contest, and finished High Team in Reasons, Cattle and Swine, and Third High Team in Sheep and Goats.

OKLAHOMA CITY — Gov. Kevin Stitt caught some lawmakers off guard when he called for consolidating public colleges and universities in his State of the State speech.

Stitt offered few specific details in his speech except to say he wants to see legislation that incentivizes higher education models that fulfill state workforce needs. Colleges that aren’t meeting those demands should be consolidated, he said.

Legislation to give local school boards more leniency in deciding how best to protect their districts will be up for consideration before the Senate Education Committee this month.

Senate Bill 1767 by Sen. Jessica Garvin, R-Duncan, would authorize district boards of education to establish qualifications for additional individuals to carry firearms on public and private school property, along with the currently allowed school personnel and others outlined in law.

WASHINGTON – Oklahoma’s entire congressional delegation, in a move led by Sen. James Lankford, joined together on a letter sent to the Federal Aviation Administration in support of the Mike Monroney Aeronautical Center in Oklahoma City. The letter came a day after the FAA installed a new air traffic control tower training system at an airport in Austin, Texas.

MUNICIPAL COURT

Janice Frantz, Yukon, expired tag, $165.

Austin Randall Woods, El Reno, failure to stop at stop sign, $165.

Ignacio Trujillo, Calumet, expired tag, $165.

Daniel Maurice Thompson, El Reno, failure to stop at red signal and expired tag, $295.

Tarren Amber Sherman, El Reno, speeding, $165.

Adam Kirkland, El Reno, speeding, $165.

Henry Gonzalez, Oklahoma City, disobeying traffic light and driving without license issued, $417.

Lafonda Lynn Cataline, Yukon, speeding, $165.

With an eye toward making Route 66 more attractive for both locals and visitors, the city of El Reno has purchased a former gas station at the corner of Sunset and Choctaw and is seeking grants to help with major improvements in the area.

City Manager Matt Sandidge said the city has a contract in hand to purchase the property at 120 S. Choctaw. Closing is expected to take place Feb. 29.

Mayor Steve Jensen said the city will spend approximately $150,000 to gain control of the corner property.

Keeping quiet about a movie crew filming at the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes headquarters in Concho was the goal - and that goal was successful. Well, almost.

Within an hour of actors Lou Diamond Phillips and Tommy Schulz being spotted in Concho, social media came alive with cellphone pictures and videos.

The upcoming film titled “Keep Quiet” being filmed was no longer quiet.