News

MUNICIPAL COURT

Vidal Ortiz, El Reno, dog at large, $145.

Estell Laster IV, Moore, disobeying traffic light, no insurance verification, driving under suspension and failure to appear warrant, $1,150.

Robert Crump, El Reno, failure to appear warrant, $295.

Susie Joyce White, Oklahoma City, improper equipment and failure to appear warrant, $400.

Madisyn Brianna Donham, El Reno, dog at large, $145.

Karlet Guerrero-Ochoa, El Reno, dog at large, $145.

Chase Keith Chalepah, El Reno, failure to appear warrant, $295.

While they graduated in different classes from El Reno High School, there was a shared message among the three men accepting their honor as Distinguished Alumni for the Class of 2021 – keep reaching for your goals but never forget where you come from.

“I’ve had the privilege of traveling a great deal in my life and have met a lot of people. Even though I was only here for 14 out of my 71 years, when people ask me where I’m from, it’s always El Reno,” said Ancel Airington.

Shelbie Hulbutta, a 2015 graduate of El Reno High School, uses sign language to conduct the Lord’s Prayer during opening ceremonies at the 2021 Thousands of Reasons Gala last week at Roblyer Learning Center.

The event, put on by the El Reno Public Schools Foundation, honors educators as well as presenting its annual class of Distinguished Alumni.

Hulbutta is wearing a Native American dress she made herself during her senior year of high school.

She currently works for the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes at their Emergency Youth Shelter.

Canadian County residents who pay property taxes will have more time to make payments, said Treasurer Carolyn Leck.

Due to the implementation of “a new chart of accounts released by the State Auditor for state budget-makers,” the 2021 ad valorem statements will be at least three weeks later than the normal weekend of Thanksgiving, Leck said by email.

“Unfortunately, this is affecting several counties statewide,” she said.

Leck said the timetable for residents receiving statements is not settled.

Jaguar Transport Holdings has entered into an agreement with Haskell Lemon Construction to operate the Oklahoma Central Rail Park in El Reno.

The announcement was made last week.

The 200-acre rail park was originally built by Halliburton to offload sand used for fracking in the oil and gas industry.

In a new release, Jaguar said it plans to use existing infrastructure and if necessary, build out to serve more customer needs.

A bar manager at the Elks Lodge was reportedly hit in the face by a patron after he was asked to leave, police reports show.

Police said Tanya Lewis was apparently struck by Jared Hicks at about 1:20 a.m. on Nov. 7. The incident occurred after Lewis asked Hicks to leave because he started shouting profanities.

Lewis reportedly grabbed Hicks by the arm to escort him out when he allegedly struck her in the face.

Reports said Lewis filed a complaint of assault and battery against Hicks.

A court date was set for Dec. 30, reports said.

Leaning away from the Thanksgiving dinner table with a sigh and stuffed tummy is a comfort beyond the reach of many Oklahomans this year.

4-H’ers across the state are trying to make it a possibility with food drives for community food banks and pantries.

“They understand that fighting food insecurity is about being part of something bigger than themselves,” said Karla Knoepfli, Oklahoma State University Extension specialist in 4-H youth development.

An Oklahoma Teacher of the Year nominee, Bristow Middle School teacher Lauren Vandever, has declared that it is important to be supportive of children exploring transgender transition.

“I am not transgender. I’ve never experienced being transgender or on the LGBTQ spectrum,” Vandever said.

“But I definitely think it is something that is an important thing for kids to — if that’s something you’re exploring — for me to be accepting of that.”

Oklahoma schools — in both rural and suburban districts — are providing students with sexually explicit materials and undermining parental rights in other ways, according to parents who have spoken out publicly at recent school board meetings.

The response from school officials has been mixed.

MUNICIPAL COURT

Wanda Magpie, Concho, failure to yield to pedestrian in crosswalk, $195.

Keith Dale Dye Jr., El Reno, speeding, $165.

Jimmie McLaughlin, El Reno, failure to wear seat restraint, expired tag and driving without license issued, $437.

Leroy Love, Anadarko, failure to yield, $195.

Gustavo Lopez Macias, Oklahoma City, expired tag and failure to stop at stop sign, $330.

Kathryn Kerr, Piedmont, expired tag, $165.

James Lee Wiedemann, El Reno, speeding in a school zone, $295.