El Reno has a film commission in place.

Last week the city council named the 10-person board to help guide, grow and foster the film industry here.

El Reno has hosted a number of movie productions over the past year, most finding their way to the Lifetime and Hallmark television channels.

Oklahoma has an attractive rebate program tied to the movie and music industry, and while California was shut down because of COVID-19, Oklahoma was open for moving-making.

Downtown El Reno development drew attention during last week’s city council meeting.

Council agreed to rezone property on South Rock Island from Combined Residential (R2) to Convenience Commercial (CC).

The request for the rezoning was made by David Jensen. The proposal was approved 4-1 with council member Steve Jensen voting to abstain, which counts as a no vote.

The property is .45 acres. It rests on the east side of Rock Island, just across the road from the campus of Etta Dale Junior High.

Brothers Steve and Peter Jensen of Jensen Farms in El Reno were recently recognized for their farming and cattle operation as a finalist for Producer of the Year 2021.

Sponsored by Livingston Machinery Company and supported by Manitou Group, the winner of the contest will receive a new Manitou telehandler for free for one year.

Matriarch is a nonprofit organization for indigenous women and children.

Co-founder Sarah Adams-Cornell said the support group has been addressing “the moving parts” -- domestic violence, human trafficking, sexual assault and more -- that cause murder and missing-persons cases to manifest in indigenous communities at-large.

Cornell and her friend, Kendra Wilson Clements co-founded Matriarch together about five years ago, and have since opened two chapters in Oklahoma City and Tulsa.