News

Residents with tree damage from recent storms can get haul-away help from the city of El Reno and Oklahoma Environmental Management Authority but it will require some work.

“OEMA will pick up the tree limbs but you must cut them down,” said El Reno City Manager Matt Sandidige.

According to the OEMA website, under City/Township Guidelines, El Reno residents can place tree limbs/brush at the curbside with trash containers on your normal pickup day.

However, the limbs must adhere to the following guidelines in order to be picked up:

The Canadian County Court Clerk has closed its office to walk-in service, other than by appointment, after an employee tested positive for COVID-19.

Court Clerk Marie Hirst said the office is providing service by telephone, email and standard mail. Also, those seeking marriage licenses can call to make an appointment or do so by email.

Hirst said she consulted with District Judge Paul Hesse and county commissioners before closing the office to walk-in traffic.

Dr. Dorrie Parrott wears a mask while taking the oath of office for her Ward 1 spot on El Reno Public Schools Board of Education. Giving the oath is Laura Kennedy. Parrott will continue to serve as president after the board voted to keep the current assignments. The district also began requiring all employees to wear masks when in buildings owned or operated by ERPS. (Tribune photographer/Glen Miller)

A paperwork glitch has slowed progress on designing a waterline that will bring water into the new Canadian County Fairgrounds, officials said Monday.

District 3 County Commissioner Jack Stewart said the Banner Water District will provide water for the new complex, but the county will install its own lines. However, the project must first be engineered and that requires the services of the water district’s engineering firm.

Gov. Kevin Stitt said Wednesday he has tested positive for COVID-19.

During a Zoom press conference, Stitt said he was feeling well overall with a little achiness.

Stitt has isolated himself from his family and will work remotely until cleared. Stitt is the first governor to test positive for the virus.

Contact tracing is ongoing for the governor’s case.

This comes as the Oklahoma State Health Department announced a new record of one day positive test totals at 1,075, bringing the total number of positive test cases in Oklahoma to 22,813 as oh July 15.

As reform efforts take shape and the coronavirus pandemic causes delays within the criminal justice system, Oklahoma’s prison population has steadily declined since early March.

The number of inmates in state and private facilities is down 9.4% over the past four months, from 24,923 on March 9 to 22,580 on July 13.

Overall system capacity dropped from 101% to 89% in the same period, according to Department of Corrections data.

LAWSUITS

LVNV Funding LLC vs. Cynthia Ellis for $1,150.80 to pay a debt plus interest, costs and attorney fees.

Bridgecrest Acceptance Corporation vs. Jeremy Peters and Erin Riley for $5,006.70 to pay a debt plus interest, costs and attorney fees.

Bridgecrest Acceptance Corporation vs. Christopher Coburn for $8,696.04 to pay a debt plus interest, costs and attorney fees.

Green Okie LLC vs. Kirby Mason Woolard for an amount not exceeding $10,000 for damages alleged to have occurred during an automobile accident.

The El Reno School Board approved the basic framework for the district’s plan to teach children but will have a special meeting to determine the method of instructing students for the upcoming school term.

Students and teachers have not been inside classrooms together since March after the COVID-19 pandemic arrived. The school year was completed in a virtual setting district-wide.

“What we intend to do is go back to normal. I know our teachers want to be back in school with the kids and all the health professionals I’ve spoken with say the kids need to be in school.

Many in El Reno Back the Blue.

On Friday, a police appreciation event was held at Adams Park. Dozens of people turned out to show support, chat with officers and eat to their heart’s content.

The event, honoring the El Reno Police Department and the Canadian County Sheriff’s Office, was organized by Sandy Gore along with Kelli Webster and Stephanie Ramey. All three are the wives of police officers.

Sandy is married to Detective Jeremy Gore, Kelli to Capt. Samuel Webster, and Stephanie to Sgt. Jake Ramey.

In a world that seems to be on a never-ending roller coaster of pandemics, ugliness and self-absorption, some are trying to remind people that kindness, faith and hope are still worth holding tight to.

Melissa Prigmore, with help from her son, Crozier and others, has been busy planting Spreading Kindness signs in the yards of El Reno residents who believe as she does. Namely, that these virtues are still with us even as the nation is rocked by what seems to be a daily avalanche of unrest.