News

Assistant City Manager Tim Young said at the end of Tuesday’s city council meeting basically what an accountant for the city said at the beginning. 

El Reno needs people to shop local. 

Young said sales tax figures for the latest reporting period were off 10 percent from previous reports. El Reno’s sales tax had been generating more than $1 million monthly, but the latest report, for February, came in just over $963,500. Young said use tax numbers were down 4 percent. 

It’s embarrassing to make mistakes at work, especially when your mistakes are published in the newspaper for everyone to see. And that’s what happens when you work at the newspaper. 

Last week in my column I told a funny story about Vanna, the dog who belongs to Katie and Justin Gore and their two boys, Jax and Colin. The story was great, but the Gore Bros. were misidentified in the photo. Let’s fix that! 

Pictured are Jax and Colin Gore, a/k/a The Gore Bros., with their dog, Vanna. Sorry about that, Gore family! 

Ken Reding was honored Saturday night at the Taste of Sacred Heart. 

For 30 years, Reding, who owns and operates Reding’s Auction Service, has served as auctioneer for the event which helps support Sacred Heart Catholic School.

The event annually raises more than $100,000 for the school, much of it coming from the live auction Reding conducts. 

Event coordinator Holly Eaton said Reding, a graduate of Sacred Heart High School, has served as auctioneer at all but two of Taste of Sacred Heart events.

A Tribune reader snapped this dramatic photo near Crimson Creek Golf Course and Lake El Reno Tuesday night as storms rolled through central Oklahoma.

El Reno experienced strong gusty winds but barely a sprinkle of rain.

More than a few people have indicated interest in the seat held by Oklahoma Sen. Markwayne Mullin, who was nominated last week to serve as Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security.  

After Mullin was nominated to serve as Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security under the Trump administration, Gov. Kevin Stitt has 30 days to appoint someone for the position. The governor could appoint himself, however, major political speculation indicates he will not do so. 

WASHINGTON — A U.S. Senate panel on Tuesday added to the fierce debate over compensation for student-athletes, with senators and experts agreeing the current system wasn’t working but with different ideas for a path forward.

Sen. Bill Cassidy, a Louisiana Republican and chair of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, hosted a roundtable of experts, leaders and former college and professional athletes to discuss “fixing college sports.”

Cassidy said the “current system is actually hurting the student-athlete.”

LAWSUITS

Prestige Financial Services Inc. vs. Scott Gleave for $9,941.90 to pay a debt plus interest, costs and attorney fees.

OneMain Financial Group LLC vs. Michael Price for $3,603.73 to pay a debt plus interest, costs and attorney fees.

Kino Financial Company LLC vs. Jason Kortemeier for $10,464.53 to pay a debt plus interest, costs and attorney fees.

Velocity Investments LLC vs. Keli Seraphin for $17,017.90 to pay a debt plus interest, costs and attorney fees.

Celeste Leonard Rule Nelson came home last week. 

The 1947 graduate of Sacred Heart High School, who now lives in Oklahoma City, came with family. They made a beeline to Johnnie’s Grill. It was there they met up with Brian Rukes and talked old times. 

Rukes is an El Reno High School teacher and District Historian who could talk El Reno history all day.

And while Rukes can talk history, it was the 95-year-old Celeste, seated across the booth from him, who actually lived much of it. 

Canadian County lawmen have been involved in a couple of major drug incidents recently. One resulted in charges being filed, while another apparently allowed a pair of suspected smugglers to slip through the cracks.

On Feb. 22, a traffic stop by a sheriff’s deputy resulted in the seizure of 80 pounds of illegal marijuana as well as a 9mm handgun.

Families are invited to meet Arthur and receive a free book during a special visit from the Wesley Bookmobile on Saturday, March 14 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the El Reno Filling Station, 120 S. Choctaw Avenue.

Arthur will be on-site to greet young readers and take photos as the Wesley Bookmobile distributes free books to children while supplies last. The event aims to encourage literacy and foster a love of reading among local families.

The event is free and open to the public. Families are encouraged to stop by, meet Arthur and take home a new book.