News

El Reno opened its arms wide to car enthusiasts at the 25th A Small Town Weekend. Some 8,000 people attended the two-day event last weekend, said Keith Ward, president of the El Reno Cruisers, hosts for the event.

The event was free to spectators looking for family-fun activities. Most action took place at Adams Park along historic Route 66.

“People of all walks of life come out and want to see the old cars and cruise the strip and you know, cook out and just get together,” said Mayor Steve Jensen.

An El Reno man who served Canadian County for more than 40 years is being honored as the first inductee in the Canadian County Junior Livestock Show Hall of Fame.

Ted Mittlestaedt contributed 43 years of service to the Canadian County Fair Board – first as a member and then for 33 years as the secretary.

“Half of my life has been dedicated to the county,” said Mittlestaedt, who retired July 1, 2019.

“I greatly appreciate this honor of being the first inducted into the Fair Board’s Hall of Fame. It means a whole lot to me.”

Add another festival to El Reno’s busy spring and summer schedule as the El Reno Arts Council unveils the inaugural Art Mix on 66: El Reno’s Music and Art Festival.

The event is set for June 24-25 in Adams Park. Organizers say the event will be jam-packed with vendors and entertainment.

Sue Johnson, president of the Arts Council, said the stage in Adams Park will be occupied both days with bands and performers of varying genres.

Canadian County’s four largest cities have received just over $10 million of the county’s $28.8 million federal stimulus awarded for water and sewer projects.

County commissioners approved distributions totaling $10,006,630 of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to these municipalities:

◆ City of Mustang – $2,802,612

◆City of El Reno – $2,438,044

◆ City of Yukon – $3,725,438

◆ City of Piedmont – $1,040,536

The University of Oklahoma has spent more than $1 million investigating claims of bogus financial reports and sexual harassment by David Boren, its former president who stepped down in 2018, but continues to stonewall efforts to make the findings public.

Instead, the university has spent the last two years arguing in court that the Oklahoma taxpayers who funded the investigation have no right to see the resulting documents, and OU officials have even appeared to suggest the state’s Open Records law does not apply to most records at any state-funded agency or entity.

OKLAHOMA CITY – Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Public Safety and Judiciary Chairman Brent Howard, R-Altus, said he is pleased the Legislature approved funding to build two new Oklahoma Highway Patrol headquarters in Clinton and Owasso during special session.

The projects will be funded under the newly created Legacy Capital Financing Fund, which allows the state to self-fund major current and future capital needs of state agencies, departments and subdivisions to avoid high bond interest rates.

LAWSUITS

Freedom Mortgage Corporation vs. Gina Redwine for $176,877.48 to pay a debt plus interest, costs and attorney fees and foreclosure of mortgage on Lot 6, Block 11, Walden Creek Addition Section 3, Oklahoma City.

U.S. Bank Trust N.A. vs. Dusty D. Mitchell and Lisa Gayle Mitchell for $98,106.39 to pay a debt plus interest, costs and attorney fees and foreclosure of mortgage on Lot 21, Block 2, El Reno Country Club Estates Addition Section 2.

From humble beginnings seven years ago, El Reno Public Schools Summer Food Program completed its first week of service by handing out several thousand free meals in three days.

“We handed out a little over 2,000 meals in three days. We had an idea of what we needed with summer school and youth camps, but as far as the food trucks, that was much more than we expected.

“We handed out over 600 meals the first day and it became more each day as people got used to the new locations,” said Community Outreach director Brooke Robertson.

The 25th Annual A Small Town Weekend brought thousands of car enthusiasts of all ages to El Reno for three days of automotive-themed events such as car shows, burnouts and swap meets.

See more with an event wrap-up in Saturday’s edition.
 

Spreading a little kindness is the basic theme for El Reno Carnegie Library this summer.

The official phrase is “Together We Can.” The goal is to bring the community together to help children have a safe and enjoyable summer.

As part of the Summer Reading Program, Carnegie is asking that either money or products be donated to help provide summer safety kits to neighbors in need.

Shae Frierson is coordinating the effort for Carnegie. The goal, she said, is to raise $325, as well as a number of items that can come in handy over the summer.