News

Transportation and fitness were the focus of a special meeting held by the El Reno City Council last week. 

The council met at noon Aug. 28 to approve resolutions that are expected to lead to new sidewalks on SW 27th Street, as well as major changes to the Elm and South Country Club intersection.

Also, council agreed to move a fitness court the city is partnering with the Cheyenne and Arapaho on a bit further to the west in Adams Park. 

The 70th Annual Canadian County Free Fair attracted 496 exhibitors with an estimated attendance of 14,500. “That ‘70s Show” was the theme of the 2024 fair, which ran Aug. 21-24 at the Canadian County Expo and Event Center, 3001 Jensen Road East.

Fair attendance - which is based on carnival ticket sales - was “very similar to last year,” Canadian County Fair Board Secretary Brad Tipton said.

“It’s the heat on Saturday afternoon that keeps the numbers down,” Tipton said.

The Canadian County Sheriff’s Office hopes to obtain a new armored tactical vehicle for use in crime-fighting efforts.

Sheriff’s officials are seeking a $300,000 grant from the Oklahoma Attorney General’s Office toward the purchase of a new Lenco Bearcat, a wheeled SWAT vehicle.

County commissioners voted 3-0 to approve the grant application.

The Oklahoma Legislature has provided funds to the Attorney General’s Office to benefit sheriff’s offices across the state, according to Undersheriff Kevin Ward.

The City of El Reno, as well as a local artist, missed out on the second round of grant funding intended to help make improvements along historic Route 66. 

City Manager Matt Sandidge said El Reno did not make the cut for the funding. The city planned to use the funds to make improvements to Petree Plaza and The Mother Road Plaza. 

Also, Sue Bear, president of the El Reno Area Arts Council, was notified her proposal to create a massive mural on the mills at Elm and Bickford, was not approved. 

The Pride of El Reno High School Marching Band practices its 2024 show called The Heist Thursday morning. 

The band was slated to play part of its show during the EHS football team’s season opener Thursday night against Chickasha.

Mike Kelley earned 64.77 percent of the vote in Tuesday’s primary runoff to claim victory in the Oklahoma House District 60 race against fellow Yukon Republican Ron Lynch.

With all 17 precincts reporting, the retired fire chief topped the small-business owner by a 1,458 to 793 vote margin.

Kelley – executive director/CEO of the Oklahoma State Firefighters Association – will succeed Yukon Republican Rhonda Baker as District 60 representative in the 101-member House of Representatives. The next two-year term starts in November.

685.

That's the number of open missing persons cases currently in the state of Oklahoma.

They are listed in the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs) database. 

Of that number, 84 are listed as Native American.

Across the country a spotlight has continued to shine on the number of missing and/or murdered Indigenous people.

Canadian County will utilize nearly half a million dollars to combat the epidemic of opioid abuse.

County commissioners have approved a distributors settlement agreement between Canadian County and the Oklahoma Attorney General’s Office.

The Oklahoma Opioid Abatement Board awarded Canadian County $481,731.30 as part of a statewide effort to counter the opioid crisis.

The settlement funds will be distributed to Canadian County over 18 years.

LAWSUITS

Tinker Federal Credit Union vs. Franklin Nance for $12,490.97 to pay a debt plus interest, costs and attorney fees.

Tinker Federal Credit Union vs. Jonathan Leach for $11,616.58 to pay a debt plus interest, costs and attorney fees.

Tinker Federal Credit Union vs. Hla Aung for $10,461.80 to pay a debt plus interest, costs and attorney fees.

Tinker Federal Credit Union vs. Creighton Newfarmer for $13,213.38 to pay a debt plus interest, costs and attorney fees.

A retired Canadian County sheriff’s deputy has donated artwork depicting two historic Canadian County buildings.

Yukon’s Harold Shaver presented paintings of the old county jail and stables to Canadian County commissioners. Earlier, commissioners had approved a resolution that allowed the sheriff’s office to accept the gift.

Shaver, a U.S. Air Force veteran, was a Canadian County sheriff’s deputy from April 1980 to September 2000. He worked at the old jail and retired as a lieutenant.