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Wild weather weekend

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El Reno was hit with storms Friday and Saturday nights and again early Monday morning. Friday’s storms knocked out power to large blocks of residents in the city, with one section near Hillcrest Learning Center not getting power restored for more than 11 hours.

Trees downed by weather was a common site over the weekend

Chronister off city council after several absences

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The El Reno City Council will consider appointing a person to fill out the term of Vice Mayor J.T. Chronister.

As Ward 1 council representative, Chronister forfeited the position after missing more than half the meetings in the last several months.

City Attorney Roger Rinehart informed Chronister in a letter last week that he was no longer eligible to serve on the council.

Union City administrator resigns post

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Union City School Superintendent Todd Carel resigned last week after failing to gain the support of the school board concerning his call to dismiss the district’s director of special education.

Carel said he, as well as board president John Everett resigned from their positions.

Carel said it became clear the board was not going to follow his recommendation even though an audit by the state Department of Education found a number of violations related to the special education program.

Carel, 49, served as superintendent in Union City for 14 years.

County considers adding benefits for employees

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Employees of Canadian County could soon have an extra benefit, identity-theft protection.

Representatives of Legal Shield attended last week’s county commissioners meeting to make a presentation to the board. The Ada-based company offers a variety of services including legal coverage and identity-theft protection.

The company’s representatives said Oklahoma County recently agreed to purchase identity-theft protection for its employees.

Stitt’s pick to run state Land Office led bankrupt energy company

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The proposed new secretary of the Commissioners of the Land Office ran an energy company which filed for bankruptcy last year and had been underpaying the commission royalties for oil and gas production.

In a special meeting this week, the commissioners will consider the appointment of Elliot Chambers to be the new secretary at the Land Office, which runs a $2.3 billion trust fund of oil and gas leases and property to benefit public education.

The state Land Office is headquartered in downtown Oklahoma City

C&A Tribes moving forward with hemp business

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The Cheyenne and Arapaho Business Development Corporation (CABDC) is moving forward into a new agricultural era of growing industrial hemp.

The moves are being made in accordance with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) 2018 Farm Bill.

With the 8th Legislature of the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes finalizing confirmations for the Cannabis Commission Board members, and approval of the tribal plan through the USDA, the groundwork has been laid.

Public Records - July 15

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LAWSUITS


Ford Motor Credit Company LLC vs. Tammy Crawford for $11,589.37 to pay a debt plus interest, costs and attorney fees.

Deville Asset Management Ltd. vs. Kelly Brooks for $12,766.45 to pay a debt plus interest, costs and attorney fees.

Deville Asset Management Ltd. vs. Scherissa Guidos for $11,187.75 to pay a debt plus interest, costs and attorney fees.

One-of-a-kind roundabout

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Progress continues on what would be Oklahoma’s first roundabout created on a highway system and that distinction is scheduled to land in El Reno.

The Oklahoma Department of Transportation is planning to build the roundabout at SH 66 and U.S. 81. The project is part of the eight-year construction work plan adopted by ODOT. Work is tentatively scheduled to begin in fiscal year 2022.

An artist rendering of the El Reno roundabout

Meth seized

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About 2 pounds of meth was seized on Friday, July 3 after Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics agents searched a vehicle pulled over in El Reno.

Mark Woodward, spokesman for OBN, said agents “working the interstate” stopped the pickup as it pulled into the Domino on U.S. 81, just north of I-40.

Woodward said the agents were part of the “interdiction” team. He said it was not known if the search came after a positive hit by a drug dog or through other information.

The truck apparently left Las Vegas, Nev., with the methamphetamine and was headed to Oklahoma City.

State narcotics agents found 2 pounds of meth hidden in this truck

Arson suspected in string of fires

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El Reno police are investigating three separate fires that appear to have been intentionally set.

On Monday just before 6 a.m., a fire was reported at 307 S. Foster. Police and firemen found an old barn fully engulfed when they arrived.

At about the same time, a call came in that a dumpster was on fire at Frank Knight Park, about two blocks north of the barn fire. Both fires were extinguished quickly, reports said.

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