News

Canadian County CASA Inc. (Court Appointed Special Advocates) welcomes new volunteers Erin Harrington and Julie Simeroth.

The pair completed advocate training with a court observation and swear-in at the Canadian County Children’s Justice Center.

During the coronavirus pandemic, the work of CASA has not stopped. New volunteer trainings are currently being held virtually, and video-conferencing remains an option for child visits. While the need for advocates is always great, it is especially important now.

LAWSUITS

Carissa Dawn Shelton vs. Norma June Terry for an amount in excess of $10,000 for injuries and damages alleged to have occurred during an automobile accident.

OneMain Financial Group LLC vs. Teddy Parker for $10,078.01 to pay a debt plus interest, costs and attorney fees.

Capital One Bank N.A. vs. Micheal C. Hill for $44,527.09 to pay a debt plus interest, costs and attorney fees.

Capital One Bank N.A. vs. Walter W. Stumpf Jr. for $27,548.60 to pay a debt plus interest, costs and attorney fees.

Residents will have a bit further to walk or jog on a paved surface at Lake El Reno after the city won a federal trails grant.

Dustin Downey, El Reno city planner, said the matching grant will provide the city with $300,000 to extend the trail that now runs along Lake El Reno and Crimson Creek Golf Course.

The city will put up $138,000 to match the grant, but most of that will be from “in-kind” contributions.

While it was not the massive cloud of smoke from childhood memories, the city of El Reno’s efforts to fog for pesky blood-sucking mosquitoes seem to have worked.

“We have not gotten any feedback in our office. I know there were some people who texted that we missed a street and we went back out and sprayed those areas.

“But in this office we have not gotten any calls that we missed them or that we need to come back out again and spray,” said Amy Smith, City Streets Superintendent.

Christmas in July delivered in a big way for El Reno’s Blessing Baskets.

The sixth annual event held last week at the Palace Events Center on Banner Road brought in more than $40,000 for the local organization that is dedicated to providing Christmas to area children, as well as school supplies.

Blessing Baskets also partners with The Lord’s Harvest to support a summer food program for families.

The Delta variant of the coronavirus is considered to be the leading cause of a recent spike of new cases across Canadian County and throughout Oklahoma.

“Since May the Delta variant has become the predominant strain and represents nearly 80 percent of COVID-19 cases,” said Maggie Jackson, spokeswoman for the Canadian County Health Department.

In an eight-day period from July 20-28, the county saw a spike of 232 new COVID-19 cases reported and one death according to numbers released by the Oklahoma State Department of Health.

After meeting with the leadership from the Oklahoma State Department of Health and Canadian County Health Department Infectious Disease Specialists and consulting with local medical providers, El Reno Public Schools will begin school August 12, 2021 much like we ended school last May.

The District will follow CDC recommendations in regard to the spread of the Delta Variant of the COVID-19 virus (except in areas of the recommendations which are forbidden due to changes in Oklahoma State Statute).

A longtime El Reno Public Schools employee has been reportedly found dead at a Tennessee rest stop just days after a felony warrant was issued for his arrest.

Jeffrey Warner Watt, age 59, of Minco, was wanted out of Caddo County on two counts of lewd molestation, records indicate.

Caddo County Sheriff Spencer Davis confirmed the arrest warrant had been issued and that the public’s help had been sought over the Internet and social media sites to locate Watt.

He said those posts have since been removed.

El Reno police arrested a 34-year-old man on several complaints after he was reportedly driving more than 90 miles per hour in a 45 miles per hour area.

Police reports said officers took Dustin Casey Whitebuffalo of El Reno into custody after he ignored police sirens and signals to pull over.

Police had received reports of a vehicle driving recklessly on I-40 west toward El Reno. The vehicle, a silver SUV, had reportedly been involved in an earlier hit-and-run incident.

A Canadian County sheriff’s deputy was recognized this week for his heroic efforts trying to save a girl in a fiery crash. Deputy Jeff Allen has been named the Mustang American Legion Post 353 Law Enforcement Officer of the Year for 2021.

Post 353 Officer Paul Ray read aloud a citation honoring the sheriff’s deputy during the Canadian County commissioners meeting.