News

By Associated Press

Washington, D.C. – STIMULUS WATCH: GOP opposes plan then seeks money

WASHINGTON (AP) U.S. Rep. Mary Fallin once called the federal economic stimulus package a "Big Brother spending program" that didn't do enough to finance needed infrastructure projects.

She later joined Democratic Rep. Dan Boren in asking for $8.4 million in stimulus money for repairs to buildings at two Oklahoma National Guard sites.

Oklahoma City, OK – A special website is set up to help parents learn more about the H1N1 risk. The information on the website is listed below:

http://www.ok.gov/health/Disease,_Prevention,_Preparedness/H1N1_Flu_Updates_and_Alerts/index.html

By Assoicated Press

Oklahoma City, OK – 42 schools on state's school improvement list

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) The state Department of Education has released a list of 42 Oklahoma schools that are on the School Improvement List for the year.

The list released Thursday is part of the system of accountability developed by the state Department of Education to comply with the federal No Child Left Behind law.

By Associated Press

Ada, OK – Minor earthquake shakes central Oklahoma

ADA, Okla. (AP) A minor 3.4 magnitude earthquake rattled an area in central Oklahoma.

Amy Vaughan, a geophysicist at the National Earthquake Information Center, says the quake hit early Thursday at 3:22 a.m. CDT in an area near Ada and 63 miles southeast of Oklahoma City.

A Pontotoc County dispatcher says there were no immediate reports of damage.

Copyright 2009 The Associated Press.

By Associated Press

Tulsa, OK – Judge: Okla. entitled to a jury trial in lawsuit

TULSA, Okla. (AP) A federal judge says the state of Oklahoma is entitled to a jury trial for a part of its civil lawsuit against Arkansas poultry companies.

U.S. District Judge Gregory Frizzell ruled Wednesday that a jury could determine whether the companies are liable for civil penalties under one of the state's anti-pollution laws.

By Rich Fisher

By Associated Press

Anadarko, OK – Prosecutor warns clergy after pastor killing

ANADARKO, Okla. (AP) An Oklahoma district attorney has warned pastors to take security precautions in a town where a preacher was brutally killed inside her own church.

Prosecutor Bret Burns held a closed-door session with the pastors on Wednesday to talk about the case. The body of 61-year-old Carol Daniels was found Sunday in the Christ Holy Sanctified Church in Anadarko. A preliminary autopsy found she died of "multiple sharp force injuries."

By John Durkee

Tulsa, OK – U. S. Rep. Mary Fallin and Subcommittee Chairman Jason Altmire, D-Pa., held an official Congressional field hearing to examine how national energy policy affects small businesses, including those in the energy sector and those who are affected by the rising cost of energy.

The two hour hearing was held on the OSU-Tulsa campus

By Associated Press

Norman, OK – OU president Boren praises late Sen. Ted Kennedy

NORMAN, Okla. (AP) University of Oklahoma President David Boren says he has fond memories of working with Massachusetts Sen. Ted Kennedy, even when they were on different sides of an issue.

For 16 years, Boren was a Democratic Senate colleague of Kennedy, who died late Tuesday at age 77 after a yearlong struggle with brain cancer.

Boren said Kennedy was always courteous and maintained a sense of humor about the differences of opinion.

By Associated Press

Picher, OK – City offices in Picher set to close next week

PICHER, Okla. (AP) The city offices in the mining-scarred town of Picher in far northeastern Oklahoma are set to close next week.

Mayor Tim Reeves says the town is expected to shut down on Sept. 1 and that there will be no city government after that. The last group of Picher residents are preparing to move from the Ottawa County town.