News

A plan to build storage units near a residential area drew strong opposition at last week’s meeting of the Municipal Planning Commission.

The proposal was part of a rezoning request by Charles Holbrook to rezone about four acres located between SW 25th Street and SW 27th Street from Single-Family Residential (R-1) to Restricted Commercial (CR).

The zoning change was requested by Holbrook so he could sell the property to the owners of Country Club Storage.

Bald eagles are living at Fort Reno. And if you keep an eagle eye out, you may spot them.

That’s exactly what El Reno’s Dr. Caitlin Rottler has been doing. A scientist, Rottler, who is a Research Fellow with the USDA Agricultural Research Center and the USDA Southern Plains Climate Hub, works from her office at Fort Reno.

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced Girl Scouts across the nation to find creative ways to sell their annual treats.

Here, sisters Makayla and Chloe Owen hold up signs to attract passing motorists at a drive-up sales site at a church on Elm Street recently.

OKLAHOMA CITY – A bill that could lower the need for emergency certified teachers in public elementary schools and early childhood education programs passed unanimously in the House with a vote of 86-0.

House Bill 2748, by Rep. Rhonda Baker, R-Yukon, would allow a teacher candidate that holds a doctorate, a master’s or a bachelor’s degree to teach for two years while completing required coursework and participating in a mentor program provided by the school district prior to taking state certification exams.

Last week’s sub-zero arctic temperatures made getting around Lake El Reno a bit different for waterfowl that frequent the area.

LAWSUITS

Jerry Ashford, individually and as father of Isabella J. Ashford, a minor vs. Ian C. Ragsdale for $16,000 as compromise settlement.

Ford Motor Credit Company LLC vs. Ashlee Taylor for $22,981.87 to pay a debt plus interest, costs and attorney fees.

Steven M. Resendez vs. Kayte R. Rush for an amount not to exceed $100,000 for alleged damages.

Terry’s American HVAC Inc. vs. Mark Stanke and Ladana Stanke for $15,399.36 to pay a debt plus interest, costs and attorney fees.

In less than 24 months, El Reno has dealt with a killer tornado, torrential rains, a devastating ice storm and now a sub-zero arctic nightmare that left much of the city without water.

In his weekly El Reno Live program, Mayor Matt White called on residents to pray. He asked for patience and admonished those who he said were “water detectives” and spreading misinformation on social media.

Like the thousands of El Reno residents dealing with electrical and water outages during the recent winter storms, those in charge of overseeing prisoners on the county, state and federal level were also left out in the cold.

“We are in the same boat as other residents in El Reno. We have had to do the same things to get by, but we are making it work,” said Canadian County Sheriff Chris West.

The Canadian County Detention Center, which had 180 inmates during the storms, briefly lost power before on-site generators restored electricity.

The Senate last week unanimously adopted Senate Concurrent Resolution 4 to encourage and invite exhibitors, breed associations and partners to return to Oklahoma in 2022 and again participate in the second annual Cattlemen’s Congress. The resolution was authored by Sen. Casey Murdock, R-Felt.    

Oklahoma City played host to the inaugural Cattlemen’s Congress in January, bringing more than 2,500 exhibitors from 41 states and three Canadian provinces to the Oklahoma State Fairgrounds to showcase their cattle.

At this time, consumers are not likely to experience any sudden spike in beef prices brought on by mid-February snowstorms. The beef industry itself will be weathering the consequences, said Oklahoma State University experts.

“Cold weather robs production, but the overall effect shows up more as increased costs to cattle operations, feedlots and processors than prices at the grocery store,” said Derrell Peel, OSU Extension livestock marketing specialist and holder of the university’s Charles Breedlove Professorship in Agribusiness.