El Reno Mayor Matt White filed for re-election on Monday and drew at least one opponent in former longtime school board member Steve Jensen. The filing period closes at 4:30 today, Wednesday, Aug. 28. Filings are done at the Canadian County Election Board.

Election Board Secretary Wanda Armold said as of Monday afternoon no one had filed for the Ward 4 City Council seat that will be on the Nov. 12 ballot along with the mayoral race. Ward 4 is currently represented by Tracey Rider, who said recently she was contemplating whether or not to run.

A combination of events led to the closing of the Geary Community Nursing Home, said the owner.

On Aug. 11, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services terminated the provider agreement for the nursing home. The owner of the home said she then voluntarily closed the center last week.

Residents of the home were transferred to other nursing care centers on Aug. 15.

The closing of the home came as the result of an investigation by the Oklahoma State Department of Health, which had made survey visits to the center in February and June.

When SSM Saint Anthony’s became El Reno's primary health provider on May 1, the arrangement was described as a first for “rural Oklahoma.”

No other community, an SSM official said at the time, would have a 24-hour emergency room provided in conjunction with an Urgent Care Clinic.

Little did anyone know, three weeks later that arrangement would be credited with helping to care for dozens of people who were injured when a late-night killer tornado struck.

“We treated dozens of people,” said Kyle Nondorf, Chief Financial Officer for SSM Saint Anthony’s.

County officials have finalized agreements with an architectural firm and a construction management company to build the new Canadian County Fairgrounds.

County commissioners, meeting as the county’s Public Facilities Authority, voted last week to hire Populous, a Norman-based architectural firm, to provide plans for the new complex.

Populous had previously provided preliminary plans for the project and also was involved in a feasibility study.

The vote confirmed actions previously taken by the Board of County Commissioners.