With a nod to the past, present and future, El Reno Now last week offered a glimpse of what is happening around town.
Hosted by the city of El Reno and El Reno Public Schools, the event featured a colorful presentation from the Canadian County Historical Museum as well as updates from City Manager Matt Sandidge, Mayor Steve Jensen and School Superintendent Matt Goucher.
Vicki Proctor, director of the Canadian County Historical Museum, used a slideshow presentation last week to take the El Reno Now audience on a tour of the museum campus at 300 S. Grand.
Proctor credited volunteers and a “wonderful new board” of directors for helping to pump more life into the museum’s offerings.
Proctor said the museum recently hosted a bus from Village Tours that came to El Reno to explore the town and especially the locations where several movies have been filmed over the years.
Residents young and old donned a wide range of Halloween costumes over the weekend for the 2024 El Reno Main Street Association’s Spooktacular event.
A costume contest was held at the Centre Theatre before businesses as well as El Reno fire, police and city staff handed out candy.
There were nearly 40 community and business partners for the event.
El Reno’s Mary Wright's book Shotguns, Shadows and Secrets has been published by Outskirts Press Inc.
A man who said his name is Nick walked through El Reno last week, hauling a large wooden cross.
The man said he was from Virginia.
He said he stops along his route to stay and visit with homeless people.
He said he spreads the Good News of the Gospel of Jesus Christ with those who listen.
A Canadian County public trust has fully granted a $91,202 request from the county’s four public libraries.
Members of the Canadian County Library Consortium made a presentation at a special meeting of the Canadian County Educational Facilities Authority this week.
The librarians told authority trustees their goal is to “bring free education, information and enjoyment to all Canadian County residents” and to “offer services residents have come to expect from larger library systems.”
Canadian County has $642,423.71 in federal stimulus funds that have not been obligated. That amount is what remains of the $28.8 million American Rescue Plan Act award the county received in 2021 amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
District Attorney Tommy Humphries, whose office administers the county’s ARPA program, told commissioners he would “follow back up” with them individually to hear their ideas on how to best allocate the remaining funds. ARPA was the $1.9 trillion economic stimulus package passed by Congress during the COVID pandemic.
The historic Canadian County Jail is now weatherproof. Workers with J.T. Chronister Construction completed the task of putting a new roof on the jail.
“The building is safe from any further interior damage and the threat of being demolished,” said Amy Neathery, president of Preservation El Reno and city council representative.
A come-and-go event to celebrate the roof installation will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Nov. 7 at the Old County Stables, 214 W. Rogers, just to the east of the jail.
OKLAHOMA CITY - Oklahoma fifth- and eighth-grade teachers can apply now for fellowships to attend the Colonial Williamsburg Teacher Institute in summer 2025.
The Oklahoma Foundation for Excellence coordinates the selection of educators from the state to participate in the renowned teacher institute, which is held in and around the restored capital city of 18th-century Virginia.
Canadian County commissioners on Monday agreed to enact a burn ban for one week.
A 3-0 vote passing a burn ban resolution came after El Reno Fire Chief Jason Duff spoke to commissioners about existing high fire dangers due to strong winds, high temperatures and dead vegetation.
Canadian County’s fire chiefs supported having a burn ban in place, Duff said.
“We are in a severe drought,” Duff said. “Today is a very high fire danger. Dry conditions, high temperatures and 45-mile-an-hour gust winds.”
