News

Canadian County’s four-day free fair was its largest ever, county officials reported.

The 68th Annual Canadian County Free Fair was staged Aug. 24-27 at the Canadian County Expo and Event Center, 3001 Jensen Road East.

“Preliminary numbers are indicating about a 30 to 40 percent increase over last year,” Canadian County Fair Board Chairman Kelly Beck said.

“To me, that’s huge. What a success. Everybody had an absolute great time out there.

“It was everything and more than we had hoped for.”

El Reno Regional Airport will host the Third Annual Community Day and Fly-In this Saturday.

Gates for the free event open at 10 a.m. and the air show is planned to start at 1 p.m.

Canadian County employees are due to receive a 5 percent raise in 2023.

The cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) increase has been proposed as part of the county’s fiscal year 2023 general fund budget. Commissioners and the Canadian County Excise Board on Aug. 23 unanimously approved a balanced FY 2023 estimate of needs totaling $35,145,017.

County Clerk Sherry Murray was directed to forward the document to the budget maker for completion.

MUNICIPAL COURT

Jerald Wayne Fletcher, El Reno, failure to comply, $145.

Naomi Ann Davidson, El Reno, failure to comply, $145.

Josue Rosas, El Reno, speeding, $165.

Trenton Redbird, El Reno, failure to appear warrant, $245.

Franky Dicintio, El Reno, negligent or careless driving, $245.

Tyler Dean McLearen, El Reno, negligent or careless driving, $245.

Logan Machelle Burleson, El Reno, speeding, $165.

Tori Kaytlin Kline, Yukon, speeding, $165.

Terry Eugene Hawk, Piedmont, speeding, $165.

Races have developed for the El Reno mayor and Ward 3 city council seats.

Steve Jensen will face Phillip Church in the race to see who serves as the next mayor for El Reno.

In the Ward 3 race, David Black will face Kevin Marr to determine who fills the seat.

The non-partisan election will be decided Nov. 8.

Jensen filed at 8 a.m. Monday, the first day the three-day filing period opened. He currently serves as Ward 1 city council representative. Jensen was born Sept. 17, 1967.

Having served as both an educator and coach for more than five decades at El Reno Public Schools, very few things can catch Ken Posey off guard.

That was until recently when Posey thought he was going to Etta Dale Junior High for a long overdue visit with Principal Kurt Myers.

“I told my wife I wanted to go down and meet the new principal and get acquainted with him,” said Posey.

However, that meeting was actually a dedication ceremony as the court at the junior high where he coached both basketball and football for decades will now be known as “Ken Posey Court.”

El Reno city employees will be getting a 3 percent boost in pay and the city took another step in the plan to possibly build a municipal Internet system.

The action came in unanimous votes at a special city council meeting last week.

Mayor Matt White said the “one-time pay adjustment” for city workers is possible because the municipal coffers have rebounded somewhat “from a couple of tough years.”

The skies will be buzzing in central Canadian County Sept. 10 as the El Reno Regional Airport hosts the Third Annual Fly-In and Community Day.

The event has grown with each passing year and Airport Manager Bailey Kennemer said the upcoming event should prove to be the largest so far.

There will be a half dozen aircraft performing aerobatics during the day, as well as classic “warbird” airplanes and vintage aircraft from days gone by.

One of the first places that opened its doors to victims of the May 2019 El Reno tornado became the victim Sunday night when powerful winds ripped the roof off the VFW Post 382.

The building at 1515 S. Rock Island was unoccupied when the damage occurred, but a spokeswoman for the organization said it will most likely be months before activity returns to the veterans post.

Nancy Salsman, VFW Auxiliary president, said the building sustained water damage from the torrential rains that accompanied the powerful winds that hit the area.

Keston Cook, the manager of the Enid Regional Airport, presents Bailey Kennemer, El Reno Regional Airport manager, with a plaque designating the local airport as the Oklahoma Airport of the Year for 2021.

The presentation was made at a recent city council meeting.

Cook currently serves as president of the Oklahoma Airport Operators Association.