News

For the first time in Oklahoma history, Nuhu’ Hinono’eitiit heetniixoohoo3ihei3i’ Howoh’oowu' co’ouutou3eino’oowuu’ which translates: The Arapaho language will be taught at El Reno High School.

El Reno Public Schools Superintendent Matt Goucher and the El Reno School Board approved the curriculum for Arapaho language classes at the board’s July meeting.

With the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes headquarters located just north of El Reno at Concho, El Reno schools has a high percentage of Native American students.

Redlands Community College is experiencing substantial growth in the student population with a 10.8 percent increase in total enrollment this fall, including a historic boost in concurrent enrollment with a 21.2 percent increase.

“It is an exciting time to be at Redlands with the growth in programs and partnerships, and the campus is busy with housing at capacity,” said President Jena Marr.

With confetti flying and cheers from the crowd of students and dignitaries, El Reno Public Schools Superintendent Matt Goucher cut the ribbon on one of three in-house STEM centers. The district received centers at Rose Witcher, Lincoln and Roblyer Learning Centers through a joint gift from El Reno’s Flogistix, Devon Energy and the Cal Ripken Sr. Foundation.

“This is a huge benefit for us. Flogistix, Devon and the Cal Ripken Sr. Foundation came to us and asked for a meeting about STEM centers and it grew into this.

It’s not a pretty statistic.

Over the past two years, the Intervention and Crisis Advocacy Network (ICAN), has seen an almost 20 percent increase in the number of people seeking help, many involved in domestic abuse situations.

For that reason, ICAN is promoting a survey designed to provide information on how better it can assist women, men and children who are trying to flee such abuse.

There will be no El Reno City Council elections after the two current office holders were the only candidates to file for the offices. The filing period opened Monday morning and closed late Wednesday afternoon.

Amy Neathery will continue as Ward 1 council representative, while Dr. Brian Shafer will continue to serve as the Ward 4 representative.

Both Neathery and Shafer were appointed to fill unexpired terms. They will be sworn in to their new council terms in November, following the general election.

Ward 1 is one year because it was an unexpired term.

Heat may have kept the event from breaking an attendance record, but an estimated 18,000 to 19,000 people still came out to the 2023 Canadian County Free Fair. “Under the Big Top” was the theme of the Aug. 23-26 fair hosted by the Canadian County Expo and Event Center, 3001 Jensen Road East.

“We had between 18,000 and 19,000,” Canadian County Fair Board Secretary Brad Tipton said.

“Last year was the highest (attendance) we’ve had, but we had cool weather for the fair.”

City of El Reno employee Eric Wilkerson lowers himself in a bucket lift after changing out a red light on the traffic signal at the intersection of Wade and Rock Island recently.

Canadian County Sheriff Chris West said he will seek a third term.

“I’m running for re-election in 2024,” West said. “It’s such an incredible honor to serve as Canadian County sheriff.”

A U.S. Marine Corps veteran and retired Oklahoma Highway Patrol captain, West took office as sheriff in 2017 after winning 71 percent of the vote.

He ran unopposed for a second term in 2020.