News

A program operated by El Reno’s Wesley United Methodist Church was honored by the Oklahoma State School Board Association with one of the organization's most distinguished awards. 

The OSSBA selected Wesley in ACTSion for its Barbara Lynch Community Partner Award. The award is given to a community member or organization that actively supports and works with their local school district to help children and their education, the school system and the community. 

Before being demolished to make space for a new Canadian County Courthouse, the former county Administration Building hosted two days of training for law enforcement personnel.

Commissioners this week approved an agreement with the Canadian County Special Operations Team.

The agreement allowed “breaching and destructive training opportunities” this week inside the vacant county-owned structure at 201 N. Choctaw.

Voters in Canadian County who want absentee ballots mailed to them for the Oct. 14 El Reno Public Schools, City of Oklahoma City or Hinton Public Schools special elections should apply now, Canadian County Election Board Secretary Allen Arnold said.

Absentee ballots are available to all registered voters, provided they are eligible to vote in the election requested. No excuse is needed to vote by absentee ballot.

The Oklahoma Secondary School Activities Association’s recent decision to prevent four teenage boys from playing basketball for Glencoe High School because they transferred into the district, effectively undermining Oklahoma’s open transfer law, has one lawmaker urging his colleagues to dismantle the association and start anew.

“The OSSAA is structured in a way that is unfair to student athletes and families,” said state Rep. Ty Burns, R-Pawnee.

Weatherford dedicated a new Route 66 Centennial Monument Project recently. 

The monument, featuring Space City on the nameplate, is the ninth installation for the national project.

An additional 14 are committed to be installed in the coming months across Route 66 from Illinois to California.

The monument is adjacent to the new giant astronaut the city is installing, creating another selfie location for the global tourists who visit the Mother Road.

MUNICIPAL COURT

Angela Jones, Lookeba, speeding, $165.

Brian Thomas Dickey, El Reno, speeding, $185.

Matthew Levi Norton, El Reno, failure to stop at stop sign, $165.

Charles Clark Jr., Yukon, speeding, $165.

Gabrielle Frost, Oklahoma City, speeding, $165.

Diana Roscom, El Reno, speeding, $165.

Jace Bailey Nickell, Clinton, expired tag, $165.

Felicia Sue Jelonek, El Reno, failure to stop at stop sign, $165.

Cambriana Lakay Rios, Watonga, speeding, $175.

Colton Lane Montgomery, El Reno, improper parking, $25.

It’s the notification no parent wants to receive, but for Julie and David Bilderback, Monday night’s bus accident involving Minco High School’s softball team was the second time the El Reno couple have heard the news their child has been involved in an accident. 

Presley Bilderback, a sophomore, was one of the 13 players and coaches on the Minco bus that rolled several times. The Oklahoma Highway Patrol reported the bus struck a deer on Highway 152, eight miles west of Highway 81.

The U.S. Cavalry Association is inviting the public to join in the Honor Ride that will kick off the annual National Cavalry Competition. 

The Honor Ride will take place at 4 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 23. Former El Reno School Superintendent Craig McVay, along with officials from the Cavalry Association, will lead the Honor Ride.

They will be joined by military riders from across the U.S. The ride will pay honor to the people who are buried in the historic cemetery at Fort Reno. 

El Reno Blessing Baskets received an Older Adult Grant from the Oklahoma City Community Foundation to purchase new equipment that will help serve more food-insecure senior citizens in western Canadian County.

The funding, for essential equipment necessary to expand capacity and improve efficiency, makes it possible to provide seniors with access to nutritious food and essentials.

The equipment the grant help fund included hydraulic lifts, special carts, shelving and sturdy tables. 

Redlands Community College’s enrollment has increased for the eighth consecutive semester.

This fall, enrollment increased 10.4 percent, with the greatest jump occurring among returning students with a 33.2 percent increase in sophomore enrollment.

Concurrent enrollment continues to grow with an 18 percent rise in the number of high school juniors and seniors getting a head start on their college education.