Laboring hours over a sewing machine in a small room tucked away in the belly of the Centre Theatre is nothing new to Kristin Richardson.

It’s what you do when you are a member of the costume department for the El Reno Community Theatre.

However, instead of stitching fabric for ERTC’s upcoming production of Beauty and the Beast, Richardson is sewing and cutting through piles of fabric for the health of the city.

While Gov. Kevin Stitt said the state is starting to flatten the curve in the fight against COVID-19, rural county health departments are gearing up for a possible spike in the number of cases.

Maggie Jackson, District 2 Community Engagement director, said rural counties are farther behind in the testing cycle compared to Oklahoma City and Tulsa. District 2 consists of Canadian, Logan, Kingfisher, Blaine, Major, Garfield, Alfalfa and Grant counties.

Matt Sandidge is expected to become El Reno’s city manager on June 1 and utility rates are expected to go up come July.

This was some of the news generated by a Tuesday night city council meeting that included two members participating by teleconference.

The COVID-19 pandemic had the council working far differently than normal with Mayor Matt White and council members Tracey Rider and Bob Ballhorn taking their usual seats inside the Municipal Building.

Vice Mayor J.T. Chronister and council member Tim Robinson joined the meeting by teleconference.

El Reno residents need to wear a face mask if they are in public and interacting with others, or possibly face a $100 fine. Also, there are three current cases of COVID-19 in El Reno, with one death reported.

That was the COVID-19 news coming out of Tuesday night’s city council meeting.

Mayor Matt White, along with council members Tracey Rider and Bob Ballhorn, convened in the council chambers at the Municipal Building.