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.