News

Last fall, Redlands Community College took its first step in modernizing the look of its nearly 50-year-old campus with the remodel of the main campus building, the Ray Porter Academic Complex.

Recently, the Board of Regents, RCC President Jack Bryant and El Reno community leaders celebrated the completion of the project with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.

“Behind these 1970s walls, our instructors and staff have been providing a high-quality education and personal service,” Bryant said.

The filing period for the Ward 1 El Reno City Council seat will be Aug. 24-26.

Those wishing to run can file on those days from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Canadian County Election Board in downtown El Reno.

The election will be held Nov. 3 and the top vote-getter will be elected to serve a term that will expire Nov. 12, 2024.

Downtown El Reno drew some strong focus at last week’s meeting of the El Reno City Council and the result looks to be two days of live music as well as some colorful mural creations.

Council signed off on plans for a Battle of the Bands to be hosted by the El Reno Community Theatre. The local thespian group has taken over the management and operation of the Centre Theatre.

The El Reno Catholic parochial school opened in-person classes last week with more than 100 students. All were required to wear face shields or masks.

El Reno’s Elks Lodge recently helped land a $2,000 Elks National Foundation Gratitude Grant for Blessing Baskets.

Brien Detamore of the Elks presented the grant funds to Rodney Knowles and Donna Dyer of Blessing Baskets. The funds will help support the Summer Food Program that Blessing Baskets operates. The program has helped more than 250 families, providing groceries twice a month.

Oklahoma highway bridge conditions are making the grade by moving from among the worst in the nation to the head of the class, achieving Top 10 status for the first time by ranking ninth, according to the latest data from the Federal Highway Administration.

The state was as low as 49th place in 2004 in national bridge condition rankings due to the number of structurally deficient bridges on the state highway system.

In the middle of August, it’s probably safe to say most people aren’t thinking about staying warm. But most people aren’t firemen, or Jonathan Strahorn.

Strahorn and his fellow firefighters know in a few short months there will be many in El Reno searching for any way possible to keep the cold out and the warm in.

For many, this could be very dangerous to their health.

Strahorn is the El Reno fire marshal and deputy chief. When a structure catches fire, it’s his job to figure out how and why it started.

El Reno’s Grascar Racing kicked back into full throttle last week with racing at the group’s track inside Adams Park North.The racing drew 48 vehicles often driving in close quarters. According to the group’s schedule, the flag drops on racing Saturday, Aug. 15 at high noon.

The new Canadian County Fairgrounds Show Arena and Expo Center will each have upgraded electrical service, but it will come with a cost.

Jacob Lingo, with Lingo Construction, said the architectural firm that is handling the project, Populous, has recommended 400-watt switches for both buildings.

Previously, the county had awarded contracts based on 200-watt switches.

Lingo said the architects had reviewed the plans and determined that more power might be needed than was originally anticipated.

Juanita Elms had some unsettling news from her doctor. She was going to need some further tests. Still, the 83-year-old offered to cook dinner for her friend that Tuesday evening, Aug. 4.

But Charlie Sanders, 91, was not having it.

“He said, ‘No, I’ve been thinking, I don’t want you to cook, I want us to go have a steak,’” she said, recalling their conversation.

Surprised, Juanita reminded Charlie it was Tuesday.

“I’m from a time when people only had steak on a Friday or Saturday night,” said Juanita.