Local & Regional

By KWGS News

Tulsa, OK – TULSA, Okla. (AP) Tulsa Mayor Dewey Bartlett says drivers in the city's downtown will be "pleasantly surprised" about the road conditions, five days after a major winter storm snarled traffic in the area.

The Tulsa World reports that driving conditions in downtown have improved, but piles of snow have been pushed to the curbs, making it difficult to park at a city meter.

Bartlett said Sunday there was a "tremendous volume of snow and we had to put it somewhere."

By John Durkee

Tulsa, OK – Hear a recap of this morning's Top Local Stories from KWGS News:

By KWGS News

Tulsa, OK – Mayor Bartlett, County Commissioner Fred Perry and officials from city and state agencies provided updates today at a 2 p.m. news briefing, and also discussed planning efforts to the additional snowfall predicted this week.

Street Update

Arterials: plowing and treating continues. Most have four lanes open - but there some four lanes, that will are down to one lane in each direction.

By KWGS News

Broken Arrow, OK – No one is injured as the roof collapses on the Stage Department Store at New Orleans and Elm (101st and 161st East) in Broken Arrow.

It is believed the weight of ice and snow on the roof caused the roof collapse at closing time last night. Two employees were in the store at the time of the collapse but noticed the roof was sagging and ran to safety just before the collapse.

Construction experts are reviewing the damage to the Stage store as well as the Hobby Lobby next door.

By AP

Tulsa, OK – Oral Roberts University to build student center

TULSA, Okla. (AP) Oral Roberts University plans to build a new $8 million student center.

ORU President Mark Rutland announced Friday that the Armand Hammer Alumni Student Union Building will be for the life of the student body, and will include gathering places and recreational spots.

The Tulsa World reports that the center will be built just east of the Prayer Tower.

By MURRAY EVANS,Associated Press

Norman, OK – Garrett says she didn't ask that e-mail be deleted
MURRAY EVANS,Associated Press

NORMAN, Okla. (AP) Former state Superintendent Sandy Garrett says she didn't tell an Oklahoma Department of Education employee to delete her e-mail account and says she's positive those e-mails can be retrieved.

Garrett told The Associated Press on Saturday that she believes that "history is well-preserved" concerning her 20 years as Oklahoma's top education official and that she's proud of that.

By AP

Undated – Sun helps melt snow, accelerate Okla. road clearing

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) Sunshine and above-freezing temperatures have helped crews accelerate their efforts to clear Oklahoma roads of ice and snow and prepare for possible additional rounds of wintry precipitation in the coming days.

Oklahoma Department of Transportation spokeswoman Terri Angier says snow that fell on southern, central and northeastern Oklahoma on Friday caused some road conditions to deteriorate, but highways were in better shape on Saturday.

By AP

Enid, OK – No injuries reported in Okla. grain elevator fire

ENID, Okla. (AP) Enid fire officials say no one was hurt when fire broke out at a grain elevator.

The fire department was notified about 7:30 a.m. Friday of a blaze at Johnston Terminal Elevator. Fire Marshal Ken Helms says the fire was extinguished but crews continued to check on it.

Helms says it appears a rubber conveyor belt system used to move grain had caught fire but there was no exposure to any of the grain bins.

By AP

Oklahoma City, OK – Legislators look to strip power from education board

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) Friction surrounding oversight of the state education system is surfacing in the Legislature.

House and Senate Republican leaders say they will introduce a bill Monday aimed at taking power away from the state Board of Education.

By AP

Miami, OK – SUV involved in fatal crash remains in icy river

MIAMI, Okla. (AP) A sport utility vehicle that lunged off an icy bridge into the Spring River may not be removed for weeks.

Three people died and five others were injured in the accident on the Will Rogers Turnpike near Miami. All were riding in the Chevrolet Avalanche, which landed top side up in the frigid water.