News

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.

The 2023 Canadian County Free Fair held a wide range of events from midway games and rides, barrel racing, food vendors and many exhibits in a variety of categories.

Fort Reno will host two events at the same time at the end of September.

The U.S. Cavalry Association will hold its annual National Cavalry Competition alongside a display of the Vietnam Memorial Traveling Wall.

Both will be available for visitors to see and experience Sept. 27-30 at the historic fort on the west side of El Reno.

Ten years. It sounds like a long time, except when talking about missing a loved one. There are days when the loss still feels fresh and the heart longs to hold them again.

One local family has chosen to push back by channeling the loss into a fundraising fervor.

Over the past nine years, Team Jennifer Tremblay has raised more than $46,000 for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS). The team is led by Jennifer’s twin sister, Amanda Elmenhorst, and their aunt, Diane Calderwood.

Jennifer’s children, Camden and Ryne, have also become central members of the team.

Pictured are some of the first day of school photos from Sacred Heart Catholic School.