News

More than 40 police agencies took part in a procession honoring Sgt. Thomas Duran.

The veteran El Reno officer died Oct. 24, a week after being injured in a hit-and-run incident that occurred as he was reportedly assisting a pedestrian who had waved him over.

The incident happened around 2 a.m. Oct. 17 on Watts near Wilson, police said. 

Funeral services for Sgt. Duran, 41, will be Monday at 10:30 a.m. in Yukon at Together We Church, 620 N. Cemetery Road. 

El Reno municipal offices will be closed that day until 1:30 p.m. 

The El Reno Chamber of Commerce will host a forum featuring candidates for municipal office.

The event is set for 7 p.m. Nov. 4 at Redlands Community College, said Karen Nance, executive director for the chamber. 

Julie Flegal-Smallwood, Director of Accreditation and Strategic Academic Initiatives, will serve as moderator for the forum. The audience will submit questions prior to the event, Nance said. 

El Reno Blessing Baskets recently broke ground for its new food pantry at 2725 Crossroads Blvd. in the Crossroads Pointe Development. 

The local nonprofit was awarded a $1.5 million grant to help with construction. The grant is from the Oklahoma Department of Human Services to address food insecurity. 

Anderson and House Inc. and HSE Architects will oversee the building project. The total project cost is projected to be $1.9 million. 

Donna Dyer, Blessing Baskets Director of Community Relations, applied for the grant in October of 2023.

Nikki Pruitt has been pulling together volunteers to help prepare sacks of food to hand out on Saturday as fears grow that many Americans who depend on government support may be left without. 

Pruitt, founder and operator of The Lord’s Harvest, had a group of kids from Okarche’s Holy Trinity Catholic School as well as El Reno firemen at the food pantry Wednesday helping to organize the efforts. 

Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 18 for the City of El Reno General Election, City of Mustang General Election and the Special Election for Minco Public Schools.

Canadian County Election Board Secretary Allen Arnold offers these tips to voters, especially those who will be casting a ballot for the first time.

▶ Mark your ballot using the example posted at your polling place and inside your ballot booth. If you make a mistake, do not try to correct it.

Daylight saving time ends on Sunday, Nov. 2, and the American Red Cross encourages everyone to test their smoke alarms as they turn their clocks back to make sure the devices are working.

“Working smoke alarms cut the risk of dying in a home fire in half as you only have about two minutes to safely get out,” said Loida Haffener Salmond, Executive Director of the Red Cross of Central and Southwest Oklahoma.

OKLAHOMA CITY — With federal food assistance in peril, Oklahoma food banks, nonprofits and religious groups are bracing for impact.

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, also known as food stamps, could be cut off Saturday for over 680,000 Oklahomans if the federal government shutdown doesn’t end.

LAWSUITS

LVNV Funding LLC vs. Patricia Lime for $1,316.58 to pay a debt plus interest, costs and attorney fees.

LVNV Funding LLC vs. Zack Tillery for $1,200.63 to pay a debt plus interest, costs and attorney fees.

Citibank N.A. vs. Donna Warden for $5,116.62 to pay a debt plus interest, costs and attorney fees.

LVNV Funding LLC vs. Jason Harris for $3,105.27 to pay a debt plus interest, costs and attorney fees.

Capital One N.A. vs. Kyle Williams for $8,297.73 to pay a debt plus interest and costs.

El Reno Mayor Steve Jensen released the following statement about the death of Sgt. Thomas Duran. Duran was critically injured in a hit-and-run incident that occurred early on Oct. 17. A 25-year-old El Reno man has been arrested in connection with the incident.

The community has rallied support for the fallen officer’s family.

On Saturday night, El Reno’s Elks Lodge raised $2,000 in support of the family.

The City of El Reno said services are set for 10:30 a.m., Nov. 3 in Yukon at Together We Church.

“Today, we honor hope. Hope for safety. Hope for healing. And hope for justice.”

Keynote speaker Deanna Shackelford shared this message of strength and hope with an audience comprised of professionals and volunteers who advocate for Canadian County survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, child abuse and elder abuse.

A licensed clinical social worker, Shackelford was guest speaker for the Cardinal Point Family Justice Center’s fifth annual Honoring Hope Luncheon in Yukon.