Oklahoma City, OK – Oklahoma sets unemployment claims record
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) Oklahoma has set a new record for unemployment benefits as the number of jobless in the state remains near a 21-year high.
John Carpenter is a spokesman for the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission. He said Wednesday the state has paid a little more than $575 million in regular unemployment benefits since Jan. 1. The state paid just $182.6 million all of last year.
Tulsa, OK – TULSA, Okla. (AP) The U.S. Census Bureau is estimating Oklahoma's population as of July at 3,687,050 an increase of more than 43,000 from July 2008. Most of the increase was by people moving to Oklahoma from other states called domestic migration which accounted for 18,345 new residents.
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Information from: Tulsa World, http://www.tulsaworld.com
Oklahoma City, OK – OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) A winter storm moving into Oklahoma is leaving roads in parts of the state slick and hazardous. Oklahoma Highway Patrol Capt. Chris West says no serious accidents have been reported but the OHP says driving conditions are slick and hazardous in the southwestern corner of the state.
Tulsa, OK – Justice Dept. says Okla. hospital to pay $13M
TULSA, Okla. (AP) Federal lawyers say a major Tulsa hospital has agreed to pay more than $13 million to settle allegations that claims it submitted to Medicare and Medicaid programs were tainted by the hospital's payments to doctors for patients they referred.
A news release Tuesday from the Justice Department said St. John Health System violated the False Claims Act by paying 23 doctors or physician groups to induce referrals for medical services.
Tulsa, OK – George Kaiser Family Foundation today announced a series of grants to more than 100 Tulsa area social service agencies. The foundation will distribute a total of $6,556,733, with 34 organizations receiving matching grant challenges. More than $2.6 million will go towards community health initiatives, an excess of $2.3 million will support human services and more than $1.6 million will benefit education and youth development programs.
Tulsa, OK – City of Tulsa Street Maintenance supervisors are monitoring weather forecasts and preparing to respond if snow or ice begins to create problems for Tulsa motorists.
Although City employees have holidays on Thursday and Friday, Christmas Eve and Day, street maintenance crews will be on-call and will report to work if called in to treat streets for snow or ice accumulations.
Oklahoma City, OK – Change in routes leads to extra ONG charge
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) Oklahoma Natural Gas officials say a change in the routes of meter-readers led to an additional service charge for some customers.
The extra charge was noticed by bookkeeper Sherry Alexander who says she paid 13 service charges this year including two in November. Alexander says ONG agreed to a $27 credit after she filed a complaint with the Oklahoma Corporation Commission.
Tulsa, OK – Tulsa police give up some take-home cars
TULSA, Okla. (AP) The Fraternal Order of Police in Tulsa has agreed to give up take-home patrol cars for officers who live outside the city.
The take-home provision is in the FOP contract with the city but officers agreed to drop it in an effort to avoid potential layoffs because of a budget shortfall. FOP Lodge 93 President Phil Evans says city administrators believe the change could save more than $1 million.
