El Reno’s VFW Post 382 will coordinate Memorial Day services on Monday.
The ceremony will begin at 10:30 a.m. at the El Reno Cemetery. Opening remarks will be given by VFW Commander Chris Reel, with invocation offered by VFW Chaplain Marcus King, followed by the flag salute. Emma Dotson will sing the national anthem.
Nancy Salsman, VFW Post 382 Auxiliary president, will introduce the guest speaker, Capt. Bob Ford, Vietnam helicopter pilot.
If everything falls into place, plans could move forward for a major downtown streetscape project as well as another extension of the Sunset Trail at Lake El Reno.
The city council last week unanimously signed off on resolutions seeking grants and partnerships with the Oklahoma Department of Transportation as well as the Oklahoma Department of Tourism and Recreation.
City Manager Matt Sandidge said ODOT has opened the Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP), which opens up the potential for 80-20 grants for things like downtown improvements.
By the time the dust had settled, the local version of the National Letter Carriers Association Food Drive had delivered more than 5,300 pounds of food to The Lord’s Harvest.
Janice Cox, who coordinates the yearly drive for the Letter Carriers, had hoped to bring in a record 10,000 pounds in non-perishable food items, but with food costs continuing to increase, the total collection is still considered “an incredible blessing.”
Gov. Kevin Stitt appointed El Reno resident Dale Cox to the Redlands Community College Board of Regents to serve a seven-year term, succeeding Lynda McColl.
“I am honored to serve on the board of Redlands Community College,” Cox said.
“This is such a special institution with a strong foundation in the El Reno community. There are a lot of exciting changes happening, and I’m looking forward to being a part of the continued growth of the college.”
Canadian County Sheriff’s Deputy, Lt. Jon Fincher recently completed a course of study with the Oklahoma School Security Institute (OSSI).
The training, which was made possible through the Oklahoma Department of Homeland Security, was a 24-hour course of study designed for law enforcement officers and aimed at identifying and deterring criminal activity targeting schools.
LAWSUITS
LVNV Funding LLC vs. Daniel Vincent for $1,460.42 to pay a debt plus interest, costs and attorney fees.
LVNV Funding LLC vs. Michael Wadley for $996.59 to pay a debt plus interest, costs and attorney fees.
LVNV Funding LLC vs. Gina Bustin for $2,848.62 to pay a debt plus interest, costs and attorney fees.
LVNV Funding LLC vs. Jennifer Wathor for $1,067.12 to pay a debt plus interest, costs and attorney fees.
LVNV Funding LLC vs. S. Higgenbotham for $2,665.99 to pay a debt plus interest, costs and attorney fees.
The 2024 valedictorians for El Reno High School are Brianna Barksdale, Emma Ketter, Cooper Park and Jadzia Taylor.
These students earned this distinction by obtaining all A’s during their high school career and taking 13 Pre-AP and AP courses with an AP course in each core subject.
Grady Lesperance is the 2024 salutatorian. He took the same number of Pre-AP and AP classes and has the next highest GPA.
Brianna Barksdale is the daughter of Sheldon Henderson and Eric Barksdale. She has a sister, Olivia.
El Reno City Council voted to condemn an “inoperable” car wash on Sunset Drive and also to purchase three properties on South Choctaw. The problem is, some of the Choctaw owners apparently don’t want to sell.
That led to the council voting to support taking the properties by eminent domain if negotiations to purchase fall through.
Council voted 5-0 at its Tuesday night meeting to declare the car wash at 1408 Sunset Drive dilapidated and authorize it to be brought down on or after June 25.
Redlands Community College recently celebrated the graduation of more than 250 students during its spring commencement ceremony that included a keynote address from college alumni Christian Wassana, actor and founder of the I am, I can, I will movement.
El Reno’s VFW Post 382 is struggling. And longtime supporters of the local Veterans of Foreign Wars Post are hoping to enlist the public to help right the ship.
Nancy Salsman has been associated with VFW Post 382 since she was a youngster.
Salsman said the VFW Post has had its sales tax and mixed beverage licenses pulled by the state. The post cannot operate its lounge without the permits and this cuts deep into the budget, she said. The VFW owes the Oklahoma Tax Commission for the unpaid taxes.
