News

The man charged with the random killing of an El Reno man outside a convenience store in 2018 has been sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

District Judge Paul Hesse sentenced Zachary Khea Huber on Oct. 19, court records show. Huber had been accused of shooting to death Ryan Randall Johnson outside Ruddie’s Quick Stop at Elm and Country Club. The shooting was captured on surveillance video and showed bystanders trying to stop Huber as he drove away.

Canadian County icons Charles and Cherri Brandley celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary this spring.

Over many decades, people across this county have come to realize just how golden they are.

An El Reno native, Charles is a former crop duster, pilot, farmer and two-term Canadian County commissioner.

Cherri, whose roots are in Okarche, spent 33 years as a judge’s bailiff at the Canadian County Courthouse.

In a recent online post, Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. mocked efforts to keep Critical Race Theory (CRT) out of Oklahoma classrooms.

“The solution in search of problem nonsense that is the ban on critical race theory continues to sap time and energy and undermine efforts at seeking a full understanding of history and culture,” Hoskin tweeted on Nov. 26. “We’d waste less time banning unicorns.”

LAWSUITS

Discover Bank vs. Reann Phillips for $6,128.28 to pay a debt plus interest, costs and attorney fees.

Cara Dyson vs. Ross Dress For Less for an amount in excess of $75,000 for alleged actual and punitive damages.

TD Auto Finance LLC vs. Drew K. Scott for $19,794.60 to pay a debt plus interest, costs and attorney fees.

Discover Bank vs. Bobby L. Williams Sr. for $11,823.48 to pay a debt plus interest, costs and attorney fees.

Dustin Downey said input from the community concerning how to improve and revitalize Sunset Drive was well-received.

“We gained great insight at the event Sunday afternoon,” Downey said, referring to the community gathering at the Canadian County History Museum.

The meeting was held in the Red Barn and attracted a cross section of the community.

A lawsuit filed over the death of a longtime Canadian County prisoner has been transferred to federal court.

The civil action, filed on behalf of the husband of jail inmate Lesley Sara Hendrix, has been removed from the Canadian County District Court docket. The case will now be heard in the United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma.

Attorney Stephen L. Geries represents the defendants, Canadian County commissioners, the Canadian County Sheriff’s Office, Sheriff Chris West and jail administrator Kristie Carter.

The El Reno Carnegie Library received a gift from a former resident who greatly admired a former librarian.

Karen Oneth Janovy recently presented the profile drawing of Mrs. G.F. Gateka to librarian Brigette Scheffler.

Janovy created the India ink on paper drawing of Gateka in 1958, while she was a senior at El Reno High School as well as El Reno Junior College.

Janovy, who now lives in Nebraska with her husband, John, was a 1958 graduate of EHS.

As they prepare for a busy 2022, Canadian County election officials hope by next week to finalize revised voting precinct lines.

Nine more polling sites will be needed as the Canadian County Election Board prepares to implement the new boundaries.

Canadian County now has 50 voting precincts in 44 polling places. That will increase to 59 precincts in 53 places starting with the June 28, 2022, primary election.

Canadian County Judge Bob Hughey recently received the 2021 ICWA Award for Judicial Excellence.

The presentation occurred during a statewide program for professionals involved in child welfare cases.

The Court Improvement Program Indian Child Welfare Subcommittee and the Oklahoma Indian Child Welfare Association established the honor to recognize a judge with a career committed to the advancement of the rule of law and the administration of justice for children and families, especially as it relates to the Indian Child Welfare Act.

Ed Zweiacher has released two new calendars featuring his award-winning photography.

Zweiacher, who spent 49 years in Oklahoma higher education, with 41 of those at Redlands Community College, said The Last Dance 2022 calendar will be his final one featuring the historic Darlington Chapel.

Over the years, Zweiacher has photographed the Spanish mission-style chapel at Darlington hundreds of times and in all four seasons. A number of the photographs have won ribbons at both the Canadian County Free Fair as well as the Oklahoma State Fair.