Archive for the Week of November 23, 2008 - November 29, 2008
News Archives (Week of November 23, 2008)
Inmates busy cranking out new license plates
11/26/08, 4:02 p.m.
HOMINY, Okla. (AP) - Inmates at the Dick Conner Correctional Center are busy cranking out thousands of newly designed license tags for Oklahoma motorists. The inmates are expected to create 3.5 million new tags by the end of next year.
The tags feature the Gilcrease Museum's "Sacred Rain Arrow" statue of an American Indian preparing to fire an arrow into sky. They'll be available to all motorists when they renew their registrations starting in January. The numbers are maroon on the new tag with a pearl-white background and the name "Oklahoma" at the top. The bottom of the plate has a narrow blue band with the words "Native America."
There will also be tags for local governments, schools and state vehicles, and for farm and commercial trucks. On those tags the words "Native America" will be replaced with whatever the specific designation is.
Judge refuses divorce in same-sex case
11/26/08, 10:28 a.m.
TULSA, Okla. (AP) - A judge has refused to grant a same-sex divorce for an Oklahoma woman who married in Canada and filed paperwork two years ago in a Tulsa court to end her union. Special Judge Robert Perugino sided with the Oklahoma Supreme Court, which ruled that a judge correctly set aside a divorce he granted between Cait and Stephanie O'Darling because he was unaware both were women.
The state's highest court sent the case back to district court to allow petitioner Cait O'Darling a chance in a hearing to explain why she was entitled to a divorce. Perugino, however, said no documents supporting Cait O'Darling's contention that the marriage was valid were provided to the court. Initial court documents in the case stated the couple were wed in Canada in 2002, but that year was recently changed to 2003 in one court document.
Laurie Phillips -- one of O'Darling's attorneys -- declined to comment. Oklahoma adopted a law that bars same-sex marriages and another law prohibits official recognition of same-sex marriages that take place outside Oklahoma.
Cherokee chief plans to seek fourth term
11/26/08, 10:20 a.m.
TAHLEQUAH, Okla. (AP) - Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chad Smith says he'll run for a fourth term if the tribe's Supreme Court allows him to do so. Smith has filed a lawsuit with the tribal Supreme Court over the tribal Election Board's redistricting plan. In the lawsuit he asks the court if he and some Tribal Council members can run for re-election in 2011.
The tribe's 1999 constitution limits elected officials to two terms and Smith was first elected in 1999. But the constitution took effect in 2003 and Smith says the tribe's attorney general says the term limits didn't take effect until the 2007 election. Smith says the court should affirm the opinion before the 2011 election to avoid possible disruptions of the tribal government.
Governor, legislative leaders reach health agreement
11/25/08, 5:52 p.m.
OKLAHOMA CITY - Governor Brad Henry and legislative leaders announced today that they have reached a tentative agreement with Tulsa stakeholders on a plan that would preserve the Oklahoma State University medical program and save the OSU Medical Center in Tulsa.
The governor, House Speaker Chris Benge, Senate President Pro Tempore Glenn Coffee, and Treasurer Scott Meacham met with various stakeholders at the State Capitol this afternoon to hammer out an agreement on the issue. The parties all made a commitment to implement the proposal subject to the approval of their governing entities.
“Essentially, this proposal will save the OSU medical program, keep the doors of the OSU Medical Center open and address both the short- and long-term health care challenges in the Tulsa area,” said Gov. Henry. “I want to thank Speaker Benge, Senate Pro Tem Coffee, Treasurer Meacham, OSU President Burns Hargis, Ken Levit with the Kaiser Family Foundation and all of the other stakeholders for their hard work and their commitment to this agreement.”
“All along we have had two objectives when dealing with this critical situation: to stabilize the OSU residency program and to ensure the indigent patients in Tulsa have a place to go for care,” said Benge, R-Tulsa. “Both of those issues are addressed with this agreement.”
“Protecting medical education and ensuring the availability of indigent health care in Tulsa and northeastern Oklahoma are high priorities for our state’s leaders,” said Coffee, R-Oklahoma City. “This is a positive step for the Tulsa area that is beneficial for rural and central Oklahoma, as well.”
Gov. Henry, legislative leaders and the other parties to the agreement will not be able to discuss details of the plan until all of the stakeholders have received final approval from their governing boards.
Officials warn shoppers to watch out
11/25/08, 5:35 p.m.
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - Attorney General Drew Edmondson and Oklahoma County Sheriff John Whetsel are warning Oklahomans to watch out for thieves who could ruin their holiday shopping experiences. The officials say shoppers should pay attention to their surroundings to protect themselves from financial fraud and old-fashioned theft.
They urged consumers to take steps to safeguard personal data, PIN numbers and credit card information and not to leave purchases in plain view in unattended vehicles. Tuesday's alert is part of a three-part consumer protection series entitled "Fraud Doesn't Take a Holiday."
The campaign is designed to educate Oklahomans about common holiday scams and crimes and provide consumers with basic fraud-prevention tips.
Economic downturn hammers teacher pension
11/25/08, 1:30 p.m.
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - Money in the Oklahoma Teachers' Retirement System has dropped 30 percent since July but the head of the system says retirement checks for former teachers are safe. There are currently more than 130,000 current and former teachers in the system.
Tommy Beavers says the economic downturn has resulted in a decline in the fund's balance from $8.6 billion to under $7 billion. Beavers says teachers are insulated from the decline because they're paid according to a defined benefit plan. The amount of their paychecks is based on years of service and ending salary. And Beavers says while the retirement portfolio is down now, it was up 104 percent from 2003 to 2007.
The Teachers' Retirement System is the state's most underfunded pension system with an unfunded liability of about $9 billion.
Tulsa Co. commissioners support OSU Medical Center
11/25/08, 10:32 a.m.
TULSA, Okla. (AP) - Tulsa County commissioners vote 3-to-0 today for a resolution in support of efforts to keep the Oklahoma State University Medical Center operating. Local, state and university officials have been working for months on a plan to keep the facility open.
OSU announced in September it would move its medical residency program to Saint Francis Health System July 1, leaving the medical center's future uncertain. The OSU Medical Center is a major provider of indigent care in the Tulsa area. Health officials say if the facility closes it will create a health care crisis in the city as OSU's 50,000 patients a year seek care at other Tulsa hospitals.
Court says new law is unconstitutional
11/25/08, 10:18 a.m.
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - The Oklahoma Supreme Court today threw out a new law addressing issues ranging from trade, to trusts, to organ donations. The court said the 2008 Legislature violated a constitutional provision requiring bills to embrace only one subject.
Senate President Pro-Tem designate Glenn Coffee says lawmakers will take up the issues next year in separate pieces of legislation. Tulsa state Representative Lucky Lamons said he'll move quickly to file new legislation prohibiting employees of the state Medical Examiner's office from obtaining human tissue for a for-profit, private group. Lamons' proposal was inserted into Coffee's bill late in the 2008 Legislature.
Authority approves bond sale
11/25/08, 9:17 a.m.
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - A state board has approved the sale of $27 million in bonds for low water dam and conservation projects across the state, despite questions raised about the constitutionality of legislation authorizing the bonds.
Gov. Brad Henry, chairman of the Oklahoma Capitol Improvement Authority, said he does not think the 2008 legislation skirts the state Constitution's prohibition against laws covering more than one subject. The bill containing the dam projects included bond funding for projects along the Arkansas River in the Tulsa area and bonds for the American Indian Cultural Center and Museum.
Henry argues capital improvements in bond legislation is one subject, even though they may cover different projects. Jerry F. Fent, a retired Oklahoma City attorney, said he is considering filing a lawsuit challenging the bond plan. Monday's board action returns the issue to the state Council of Bond Oversight, which gave conditional approval earlier.
Freeh gets subpoena power to investigate SemGroup
11/25/08, 8:42 a.m.
TULSA, Okla. (AP) - A federal bankruptcy judge is giving subpoena power to former FBI Director Louis Freeh in his investigation of bankrupt Tulsa-based SemGroup LP. Freeh says he'll coordinate with federal regulators who also are looking into SemGroup's trading losses of $2.4 billion on the oil futures market and other issues.
Freeh wants to interview SemGroup witnesses and to see documents related to the trades and to several insider transactions and the alleged misuse of a loan fund. Freeh plans to end his investigation by March 24.
Aid sought for Oklahoma pecan farmers
11/24/08, 1:20 p.m.
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - Gov. Brad Henry has asked U.S. Agriculture Secretary Ed Shafer to provide federal aid to Oklahoma pecan farmers in 43 Oklahoma counties. In a letter requesting a disaster declaration Henry says pecan growers have been hit hard by the 2007 ice storm, cold weather in April and October and heavy rains from Hurricanes Gustava and Ike. He says pecan farmers expect a significant decline in this year's crop and need financial help.
Counties affected include Alfalfa, Atoka, Bryan, Carter, Choctaw, Cleveland, Coal, Cotton, Craig, Creek, Garvin, Grant, Haskell, Hughes, Jefferson, Johnston, Kay, Lincoln, Love, Major,
McClain, McCurtain, McIntosh, Marshall, Mayes, Murray, Muskogee, Nowata, Okfuskee, Oklahoma, Okmulgee, Osage, Ottawa, Pawnee, Pittsburg, Pontotoc, Pottawatomie, Rogers, Seminole, Stephens,
Tulsa, Wagoner and Washington.
Appeals court ruling could affect tribal business
11/24/08, 12:26 p.m.
TULSA, Okla. (AP) - A Tulsa attorney says a recent decision by a federal appeals court has sweeping implications for any company that conducts business with American Indian tribes. The court ruled last week that the Seneca-Cayuga tribe's cigarette business cannot be sued in federal court because the business is shielded by tribal sovereign immunity.
Lawyer Scott Wood says he thinks the decision applies to any sovereign Indian tribe being sued in any court. Wood says there has been a lot of discussion and "bellyaching" in the past 10 years by people who do business with tribes. He says that includes many deals with casinos. Wood says the broad implications could be that a company doing business with a sovereign tribe will have no recourse in any court if a dispute develops.
ECU president announces plans to resign
11/24/08, 12:18 p.m.
ADA, Okla. (AP) - East Central University President Richard Rafes is stepping down. Rafes notified university officials last week that he will resign effective Jan. 31 to take a new position at the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine.
An attorney, Rafes took over as president of East Central in July 2006 after serving as senior vice president for administration at the University of North Texas in Denton. He succeeded Bill Cole, who retired from the 4,400-student university in June 2006 after 17 years as president.
Officials warn to give to needy, not greedy
11/24/08, 11:56 a.m.
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - State officials are warning Oklahomans to be wary of con artists during charitable giving for the Christmas holiday season. Attorney General Drew Edmondson is giving tips to holiday givers
so they can make sure their money is going to help the needy and not the greedy.
Edmondson says people should watch out for emotional appeals that are short on facts and phony charities that have names similar to legitimate ones. United Way of Central Oklahoma President Bob Spinks says it's important for donors to know where their money is going and how it's being spent. A guide to avoiding falling victim to con artists can be obtained on the attorney general's Web site or by calling 405-521-3921.
Charitable services groups see spike in requests
11/24/08, 11:14 a.m.
TULSA, Okla. (AP) - Tulsa-area social service agencies say they're seeing a marked increase in the number of people asking for help. A Tulsa Area United Way survey has found requests for help with housing, food, utilities and clothing have jumped by as much as 250 percent in recent months. The United Way recently raised $24 million dollars in its annual fundraising campaign.
But Chief Executive Officer Mark Graham says the current economic chaos wasn't taken into account when the agencies prepared their forecast for 2009. Also on the rise are calls to the 211 help line which refers people in need to social service agencies. Officials say more than 10,300 calls were made to the help line in October.
Few poor marks for state tattoo studios
11/24/08, 10:57 a.m.
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - Tattoo studios were legalized in Oklahoma two years ago and state health inspectors say since then they've found fewer than 30 health code violations. And more than 20 of those violations were for improper licensing and most of those violations were in 2006 and 2007.
Tattoo shop owners say legalizing the practice and creating oversight of tattooing has made the process safer. Public health specialist Travis Brown with the state Health Department says no tattoo business' license has been revoked because of health code violations. Brown says tattoo studios are inspected twice a year and will be inspected if a complaint is filed.
Officials seek more Medicaid funding
11/24/08, 8:55 a.m.
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - Tulsa officials want to know why there's an imbalance between Tulsa County and Oklahoma County in the amount of Medicaid and medical education funding both receive. According to the Oklahoma Health Care Authority, Oklahoma County got about $711 million in funding in fiscal year 2008, compared with $510 million for Tulsa County.
The total includes a difference in Disproportionate Share Hospital (DSH) payments, which help hospitals that serve a lot of uninsured and low-income patients. Tulsa leaders also point out that OU Medical Center in Oklahoma City receives most of the DSH money, even though the cost of uncompensated care for Oklahoma City and Tulsa is roughly the same. State Treasurer Scott Meacham says the OU Medical Center has historically served the entire state.
Meacham says officials have tried to compensate for the disparity by providing an extra $6 million to OSU Medical Center in Tulsa. State officials also say that hospital didn't qualify for DSH funds because of the way it labels indigent care. A hospital official says patients are claimed as indigent only after it's verified that they can't pay.
Amnesty program generates nearly $82M
11/24/08, 8:46 a.m.
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - A tax amnesty program has generated more than double the amount of money expected for the state. State Tax Commission spokeswoman Paula Ross says the two-month program that ended Nov. 14 has brought in more than $81.9 million. It allowed residents to pay past due taxes without late payment penalties and was expected to produce about $32 million. Taxpayers who owe past taxes and didn't take advantage of the program will face double the original penalty in addition to any interest and collection fees. Ross says a final number of how many taxpayers took advantage of the program is still being calculated.
Football tickets won't be taken from uninsured
11/24/08, 8:28 a.m.
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - State Insurance Commissioner Kim Holland says her comment on taking college football tickets from people who fail to carry health insurance was not serious. She made the comment during a summit Thursday and Insurance Department spokesman Lance Thomas says the department received dozens of phone calls and e-mails. Holland says the idea is impractical and unenforceable and says her statement was "generally in jest."
She says health officials are trying to get people to feel as strongly about paying medical bills as they do about going to football games or hunting. Some studies suggest as many as a third of Oklahomans have no health insurance and officials are looking at rewards for buying insurance and penalties for those who don't. Among the penalties discussed was loss of hunting, fishing or driving licenses, seizing lottery winnings, loss of in-state tuition discounts or disallowing state income tax exemptions.
