News

A new policy has been enacted to help streamline procedures when reimbursing Canadian County personnel for travel expenses.

County elected leaders voted unanimously to adopt the travel policy.

The document will become part of the county’s personnel policy and employee handbook, said Commissioner David Anderson.

“Over the last several months, we have been meeting to discuss the need for a travel policy,” said Anderson, the District 2 commissioner.

Consumers may think about pecans when they’re ready to make a pecan pie or other tasty treat, but this nut is always on the minds of producers in the pecan industry.

Oklahoma pecan producers will focus on pest control in the orchard at the 2023 Pecan Pest Management Workshop from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Feb. 21 at the Gordon Cooper Technology Center, 1 John C. Bruton Drive in Shawnee.

Registration is free but required by Feb. 17.

OKLAHOMA CITY – Funding opportunities to enhance the specialty crop industry within Oklahoma are now available through the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program.

The program is made possible through the United States Department of Agriculture’s Agriculture Marketing Services.

Eligible applicants include nonprofits, local, state and federal government entities, for-profit organizations and colleges and universities. To be eligible, projects must: 

► Enhance the competitiveness of an Oklahoma specialty crop 

SHAWNEE — The Oklahoma Mission of Mercy (OkMOM) will hold its 12th annual free, two-day dental clinic.

On Feb. 3 and 4, the Heart of Oklahoma Expo Center in Shawnee will transform into a fully-operational dental facility with more than 2,000 dental professionals and general volunteers offering oral health services to people of all ages from across the state – at absolutely no cost to the patient. 

LAWSUITS

Midland Credit Management Inc. vs. Vicky Lanclos for $1,895.56 to pay a debt plus interest, costs and attorney fees.

Midland Credit Management Inc. vs. Michelle Russell for $857.95 to pay a debt plus interest, costs and attorney fees.

Portfolio Recovery Associates LLC vs. Erick Schuldt for $3,145.78 to pay a debt plus interest, costs and attorney fees.

Midland Credit Management Inc. vs. Julie M. Lane for $6,111.90 to pay a debt plus interest, costs and attorney fees.

Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is now available in Canadian County.

Started in 1995 by the famous singer, Imagination Library is a foundation created to promote youth reading. One way this is done is by sending children that are signed up a free book every month.

The program is available from birth till the age of 5.

El Reno’s Carnegie Library started working to get accepted into the program in August 2022.

OKLAHOMA CITY - A Canadian County couple has appealed to the state’s highest court challenging a ruling in a civil suit stemming from a traffic collision near Yukon that killed their teenage daughter.

The Oklahoma Supreme Court will hear an appeal filed by attorneys representing the appellants, Jeffrey and Kristine Murrow.

The central issue to be decided by the state Supreme Court is the legal status of The Springs Events LLC and whether a “duty of care” is owed under the facts of this case.

The westbound lane of Wade Street, between Rock Island and Choctaw Avenues in downtown El Reno will be closed for a week once work begins to replace a drain outlet near the Route 66 monument. 

El Reno Streets Superintendent Amy Smith said the work will be done by a contractor for the Oklahoma Department of Transportation.

Traffic for that section is being rerouted one block north.

Canadian County’s former election board secretary faces a misdemeanor count, brought against her in connection with an incident that allegedly occurred during the November 2020 general election.

Wanda Armold, 74, faces a single count of “failure to perform duties” as the result of a polling mistake that reportedly led to 1,272 ballots from a single precinct not being counted in time for that election’s certification.

The omission did not impact any Nov. 3, 2020, races, prosecutors said.

OKLAHOMA CITY - Sen. Adam Pugh, R-Edmond, released his public education agenda last week, which he believes will improve public education outcomes for Oklahoma children.

Pugh, the Senate education committee chairman, outlined four pillars under which he plans to file bills to improve public education in Oklahoma.

The four incentive areas are: recruiting more qualified teachers to Oklahoma classrooms; retaining teachers already in the classroom; rewarding high-performing teachers; and reforming the way public dollars are spent on public education.