News

With heavy voting expected for the June 28 primary, Canadian County’s elections chief hopes voters will heed her warning.

“It’s a crime – no political materials are allowed inside a polling location or within 300 feet of the ballot box,” said election board secretary Wanda Armold.

“It is a concern when people wear a campaign T-shirt or button into the polling place because some voters get mad. It just causes chaos. Our precinct workers need to tell them it’s against the law and to please not do it again.”

Those infatuated with the supernatural should clear their calendar this weekend.

Historic Fort Reno will open its gates for a Historic Spirit Tour, set for Saturday night.

The event is a fundraiser for the operation of the Fort Reno Visitors Center. Historic Fort Reno Inc. President Marie Hirst said revenue raised goes toward paying for a full-time employee to run the museum and also pays for Internet and normal everyday expenses.

Stacy Horner, Early Settlement - West Program director, is looking for individuals in Canadian County and the surrounding area who are interested in giving time to their community as a volunteer mediator.

A two-day training session has been scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday, July 26 and 27 at Redlands Community College.

There is no cost for the training; however, applicants must be willing to commit to 20 hours of volunteering for the Early Settlement program in the local district court.

Investigators with the Canadian County Sheriff’s Office arrested Richard Sharp, 58, at his Canadian County home on two counts of possession of child pornography. 

Sheriff Chris West said Sharp possessed multiple images on his cell phone and computer of children being raped. The children in these images were between 2 and 11 years old, West said.

Reports said the investigation began when a Cybertip was referred to the Canadian County Sheriff’s Office by the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation and the National Center of Missing and Exploited Children.

Planting for summer crops is finishing up in the Panhandle and southwestern regions following some much-needed rain, but drought concerns still remain.

The last few weeks have produced Oklahoma’s most plentiful rains so far in 2022, but will the precipitation sustain long-thirsty soil on the western side of the state?

Confucius Institutes, controlled by a Chinese government agency, once flowered on college campuses across the country, including at the University of Oklahoma.

But that has changed in recent years, particularly after the U.S. Department of State declared the institutes part of a “global propaganda and malign influence campaign.”

But a new report warns that many colleges and universities still have entities on campus that operate much the same as prior Confucius Institutes, but under new names.

Oklahoma Attorney General John O’Connor has joined a national coalition of state attorneys general to oppose the Biden administration’s efforts to force schools to embrace transgender policies, including policies that grant male students access to girls restrooms.

LAWSUITS

U.S. Bank N.A. vs. Coltan M. Middleton for $8,916.88 to pay a debt plus interest, costs and attorney fees.

Synchrony Bank vs. Zachary Myers for $4,285.50 to pay a debt plus interest, costs and attorney fees.

Synchrony Bank vs. Carlos Martinez for $8,306.79 to pay a debt plus interest, costs and attorney fees.

Portfolio Recovery Associates LLC vs. Voni Boyanton for $1,634.78 to pay a debt plus interest, costs and attorney fees.

Four candidates for two Oklahoma House of Representative seats all agreed addressing mental health issues should be a top priority for the state.

Unfortunately, they all agreed there is no clear-cut answer on how to do this.

The four attended last week’s gathering of El Reno Now, hosted for the last time by Mayor Matt White and outgoing School Superintendent Craig McVay.

Three newcomers to county politics and one incumbent spent close to an hour answering questions from residents during a 2022 Legislative Forum. The event was held at Redlands Community College.

The event, sponsored by the El Reno Chamber of Commerce, featured the four candidates seeking one of two Canadian County commissioner positions up for vote on June 28.

Marc Hader, current District 1 commissioner, is seeking re-election against fellow Republican Tom Manske.