Graham, John
John A. Graham, 51, died Feb. 5 at Integris Baptist Medical Center in Oklahoma City. A memorial service was held Wednesday in Benson Memorial Chapel and was under the direction of Huber-Benson Funeral Home in El Reno.

Mr. Graham was born June 1, 1957, in Liverpool, England and lived in El Reno. He worked as a printer with Fine Arts Engraving. He married Donna Sears on Feb. 10, 1986, in Oklahoma City.

By Traci Chapman/Staff Writer
published Feb. 12, 2009

Canadian County is “sound and healthy financially,” but Treasurer David Radcliff warned steep drops in interest revenues could forecast tougher times ahead.

While the county’s interest income dropped from $471,000 for the six-month period of July 2006 through January 2007 to $428,000 during July 2007 through Jan. 31, 2008, Radcliff told Commissioners the real “damage” could be seen in figures from the last six months.

By Carolyn Cole/Staff Writer
published Feb. 12, 2009

Fourteen Mustang teens will foxtrot across the state Capitol rotunda today to show lawmakers the benefit of giving “at-risk” students a second chance.

All of the students are enrolled in Mustang’s Partnership Academy for Student Success program, which helps teens who are at-risk of dropping out of high school recover credits with the hope of graduating with their class.

By Carolyn Cole/Staff Writer
published Feb. 12, 2009

Mustang School Board members approved more than $100,000 in additional funding for the district’s new health and wellness center to bring the facility into compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

The largest project is to add an $87,860 elevator to the facility’s plans, which Bond Projects Director Jeff Woodard said. The elevator was initially bid out as an alternate, or an option that school officials could add to the project. But school officials never did.

By Brett Jones/Staff Writer
published Feb. 12, 2009

Incumbent Mayor Jeff Landrith won re-election Tuesday, but a storm that blew through the city may have dropped a twister in the results.

In Tuesday’s vote, Landrith earned 767 votes to defeat former Mayor Chad McDowell who gained 630 votes and newcomer Cleo Springer who took home 117. The vote gave Landrith 50.66 percent of the vote, just enough to overcome the 50-percent threshold required to avoid a runoff vote in April.

By Carolyn Cole/Staff Writer
published Feb. 7, 2009

Mustang City Council signed a three-year contract this week with the Fraternal Order of Police ending almost a year of negotiations with the union.

City Council approved a 4-percent merit pay increase for all city employees this summer, but followed staff recommendations and left out a cost-of-living adjustment, which became a stumbling block in negotiations with FOP members and the local firefighters union.

By Brett Jones/Staff Writer
published Feb. 7, 2009

Recycling efforts are growing in popularity with Mustang residents even if there is an additional cost, but the number of residents ready to take out their checkbooks to pay for a more robust effort is still in the minority.

That was the message City Council members heard last week when Brian Figgins, coordinator for Mustang Recycles, updated city officials on the results of a September 2008 survey sent out to residents in their utility bills.

By Carolyn Cole/Staff Writer
published Feb. 7, 2009

Mustang ninth-graders could be moving back to the high school campus if voters approve a $57.96 million bond proposal on April 7, including $34.3 million for new construction and remodeling on the Mustang High School campus.

Mustang School Board members weighed options between new construction on the existing Mustang High School campus and a proposal to build a new campus on SW 44th Street near Czech Hall Road.

From Staff Reports
published Feb. 7, 2009

Three candidates will square off Tuesday in the Mustang mayoral election, bringing an end to almost two months of campaigning, which saw shots traded on honesty and their plans for the city’s future.

Those vying for the seat include incumbent Mayor Jeff Landrith, former mayor Chad McDowell and political newcomer Cleo Springer. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday, and Wanda Armold, secretary of the Canadian County Election Board, said anyone in line at closing time will get a chance to vote.

Mustang Area Chorus Festival and Concert is rescheduled for 7 p.m. Feb. 17 in the auditorium of First Baptist Church, 928 N. Mustang Road.

Weather forced officials to cancel its original January date.
The concert will feature about Mustang school 180 students. They auditioned for the chorus last fall and have been rehearsing weekly since. The evening’s selections include music ranging from “Swinging on a Star” to “Dona Nobis Pacem (Give Us Peace).”

The event is free and open to the public.