News

A proposal to build 360 new homes on land zoned Heavy Industrial (I-3) on SE 27th Street did not receive a warm welcome last week from the Municipal Planning Commission.

In the words of MPC member Mike Freeman, it was a matter of “Not this, and not here.”

The majority of the Municipal Planning Commission agreed with Freeman and voted 5-1 to deny the request.

The plan was presented by Brad Reid on behalf of John VonTungeln and focused on 65 acres at 804 SE 27th St. The proposal was to rezone the property to Single Family Residential (R1).

Following the recommendations of the Municipal Authority, the El Reno City Council held a special meeting last week to approve three agenda items which totaled nearly $470,000.

All three items passed, with votes cast by board members Steve Jensen, Peter Stapperfend, Tim Robinson and Mayor Matt White.

Councilwoman Tracey Rider was absent from both the authority and council meetings.

More than half of that total, $254,967, was earmarked for a contract awarded to Haskell Lemon Group.

White abstained from the vote.

After battling triple-digit heat last week for marching practice, El Reno High School band members cooled off with water fights.

Canadian County commissioners are in the process of hiring a new emergency management director.

Andrew Skidmore recently resigned as Canadian County’s emergency manager and safety coordinator, a post he had held since September 2018.

“He went to work for the United Way,” said Commissioner David Anderson. “He left on good terms.

“We’ve heard positive comments from some of the communities about his time here and his service. They appreciated the work he did for them.”

“Hope in the City” is coming to First Assembly of God in El Reno.

The church is partnering with 19 other churches and organizations in the area to distribute a total of 5,000 backpacks filled with school supplies.

The giveaway will be Saturday, Aug. 6 from 8 to 10 a.m., with the El Reno church handing out 250 backpacks.

Oklahoma schools have received millions of dollars in annual funding to teach English to bilingual students who have already mastered the language, apparently allowing schools to inflate their budgets without providing extra services, a state watchdog agency has found.

Residents in the Williamstown and Wessex areas are hoping a plan to drill oil and gas wells near their homes can be stopped.

Revolution Operating Company, LLC has filed an application to drill on property just south of Elm and west of South Reno. Residents in the area are circulating a petition in an effort to stop the operation, saying it would damage property values and most likely put a halt to any further housing or commercial development in the area.

El Reno turned out in a big way last week to support Blessing Baskets Inc. at its annual Festival of the Trees Christmas in July Dinner and Auction.

Organizers said the colorful event, held at the Palace Event Center on Banner Road, exceeded expectations.

This was the seventh annual event and again featured Mayor Matt White serving as auctioneer for the evening.

White auctioned off more than 30 items to go along with more than 50 silent auction items.

Redlands Community College is planning to remake its athletic fields after Regents approved the lease-purchase of another parcel of land next to the campus.

RCC President Jack Bryant got the green light in a special Regents meeting Tuesday to enter into a lease-purchase contract for 10 acres on the west side of the campus.

The land is owned by the Gibson and Ramsey families and was used as an aviation landing strip for many years.

Joy Hofmeister, the Democratic nominee in the upcoming Oklahoma gubernatorial election, toured El Reno recently with a group of supporters from the area.

Hofmeister will face off against Oklahoma governor and Republican nominee Kevin Stitt in November’s general election.

Her visit to El Reno was part of the “Joy for OK Hometown Tour” and was greeted by former El Reno Public Schools Superintendent Craig McVay and current ERPS School Board President Dr. Dorrie Parrott.