Archive for the Week of December 7, 2008 - December 13, 2008
News Archives (Week of December 7, 2008)
State missions, food banks bracing for bad weather
12/12/08, 3:05 p.m.
TULSA, Okla. (AP) - Charities across Oklahoma are bracing for a snow and ice storm forecast for parts of the state beginning Monday. Food banks and missions are already hurting because of a nationwide recession and now face an increased need in their services. Rev. Steve Whitaker at the John 3:16 Mission in Tulsa says workers are stockpiling food and water and getting generators ready ahead of the expected storm.
Meanwhile the City Rescue Mission in Oklahoma City is asking for donations of gloves, scarves, coats and nonperishable food items. Early forecasts from the National Weather Service call for freezing rain, sleet and snow, with temperatures in the 20s and 30s for much of next week across Oklahoma. Last year at least 29 people died following a Dec. 8 ice storm that knocked out power to more than 640,000 homes and businesses across the state.
Report documents worse wasteful spending
12/12/08, 2:52 p.m.
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - A new report by Sen. Tom Coburn documents $1.3 billion in federal spending on pet projects and grants that funded such things as an inflatable alligator and specialty potatoes for high-end restaurants.
Coburn, R-Oklahoma, is the ranking member of the Senate Subcommittee on Federal Financial Management. His new report, entitled "2008: Worst Waste of the Year," was released Friday.
The Oklahoma Republican has been a fierce critic of earmarks for special projects in states and other federal spending practices. It is the first time he has compiled a report documenting what he considers the worst spending for an entire year. He says not even tough economic times has dulled Congress' ability to be creative in wasting taxpayer dollars.
Lawton trying again to reduce prairie dog numbers
12/12/08, 12:29 p.m.
LAWTON, Okla. (AP) - City officials is Lawton are again trying to reduce the prairie dog population in a city park by poisoning the animals. In March 2007, the city was criticized for using a poisonous gas to exterminate the dogs and was fined $800 for not having a fumigation plan.
The city is now using a bait called Rozol that's placed in the prairie dog's active burrows. The city has a 90-day permit from the state Department of Wildlife Conservation to use the poison through Dec. 31.
State ranks high in teacher certification
12/11/08, 4:52 p.m.
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - Oklahoma ranks among the top states in the nation in both the percentage and the number of teachers with national certification. The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards ranks Oklahoma fifth nationally with nearly 6 percent of the teachers certified. The state is 10th with a total of 2,307 certified teachers. Oklahoma began pushing 11 years ago to encourage teachers to become certified. The state gives a $5,000 per year bonus for 10 years to teachers who become certified and a state commission provides 400 scholarships each year to help pay the costs of certification.
Oklahoma gets low grade for ER care
12/11/08, 4:42 p.m.
TULSA, Okla. (AP) - A report by emergency physicians rates Oklahoma last in the nation in its support for emergency patients. The American College of Emergency Physicians 2009 Report Card gives the state an F for access to emergency care and a D-minus for quality and a safe environment for patients.
Oklahoma also received a d-minus for disaster preparedness and a D for public health. The state was given a B-minus for medical liability. Oklahoma ranks in the bottom 10 for low rates of emergency physicians; orthopedists and hand surgeons; plastic surgeons; ear, nose and throat specialists; and registered nurses.
4 Okla. cities listed for stimulus package dollars
12/11/08, 4:30 p.m.
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - Four Oklahoma cities have projects included on a list sent to Congress by the U.S. Conference of Mayors as part of a request for federal money. The Oklahoma cities on the list are Tulsa, Norman, Ponca City and Moore. The mayors are asking Congress to fund the projects as part of a federal economic stimulus package.
The proposals include improvements to public buildings, roads, streets, bridges, water systems and public transportation. The list has requests from 427 cities and includes 11,391 projects that the mayors say could create about 847,000 jobs next year and in 2010. Oklahoma City is not on the list but is working with the state Transportation Department on proposals that Mayor Mick Cornett says could start quickly if there is funding.
Execution rate slows to lowest in a decade
12/11/08, 3:18 p.m.
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - The number of inmates put to death in Oklahoma in 2008 reached its lowest level in more than a decade, with just two convicted killers being executed. You have to go all the way back to 1997, when one person received a lethal injection, to find a lower number.
Death penalty experts say fewer executions in Oklahoma had little to do with a moratorium that was enacted while the U.S. Supreme Court considered the constitutionality of lethal injection. Rather, it's more the cyclical nature of when death sentences are handed down and when inmates finally exhaust the lengthy appeals process in capital cases.
Having the option of life-without-parole sentences and a ban on executing mentally retarded offenders also have likely contributed to fewer people being sent to death row. Nationally, executions dropped to a 14-year low of 37 in 2008, with almost half of those in Texas. Defense attorney Jim Rowan of the Oklahoma Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty says the number of executions in Oklahoma will hold steady at about two or three a year.
Wyatt confirmed by Senate
12/10/08, 6:02 p.m.
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - Air Force Maj. Gen. Harry Wyatt III has been confirmed by the U.S. Senate as director of the Air National Guard and based at the Pentagon. Wyatt leaves as adjutant general of the Oklahoma National Guard. The Senate has also confirmed Air Force Maj. Gen. Loren Reno as deputy chief of staff for logistics, installations and mission support. Reno is currently commander of the Oklahoma City Air LogisticsCenter, Air Force Material Command at Tinker Air Force Base. Both officers will be promoted to the rank of lieutenant general in their new roles.
Budgetary woes facing health department
12/10/08, 9:50 a.m.
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - State health inspectors are conducting fewer inspections of nursing homes, restaurants and adult day care facilities because of budget constraints and the inability to train and keep inspectors. Health officials say that as a result of staff shortages, the department is scaling back routine inspections and only responding to complaints in situations where possible danger exists to patients.
During a special meeting Tuesday, the State Board of Health approved asking the Legislature for fee increases that are expected to result in $4.2 million to help hire more inspectors and cover the costs of inspections. According to Deputy Health Commissioner Hank Hartsell, there have been no inspections of the state's 34 licensed adult day care centers since July. The State Department of Health is grappling with a projected $3.2 million budget shortfall.
Lawmaker calls tuition waiver policy 'predatory'
12/10/08, 8:43 a.m.
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - A state lawmaker says a tuition waiver policy at Oklahoma State University-Tulsa is predatory toward small state schools and discriminates against existing students. Oklahoma City state Representative Mike Shelton wants an investigation of the policy, which OSU has advertised in large color ads in the Tulsa World. Under the "Cowboy Commitment" tuition assistance program, eligible students who transfer to OSU-Tulsa from any Oklahoma college or university will receive a $650 waiver toward tuition.
Shelton said students already enrolled at OSU-Tulsa would be penalized by the new policy. But OSU spokesman Gary Shutt says the tuition waiver program has been in place for several years. The difference this year is OSU lowered the grade-point average required for eligibility to 2.5. Shelton is a graduate of Langston University, which has a satellite campus in Tulsa. He says he's concerned about regents
allowing one school to tempt students away from another state school. Shutt says OSU's intent is to attract students from state junior colleges. OSU-Tulsa only offers junior- and senior-level classes.
AG: Dangers in watershed 'still very real'
12/9/08, 4:30 p.m.
TULSA, Okla. (AP) - Oklahoma Attorney General Drew Edmondson says the danger to human health is "still very real" in the Illinois River watershed because of poultry operations. Edmondson says 13 Arkansas-based poultry companies continue to dispose of the bird waste in the river valley.
But a poultry industry spokeswoman says bacteria levels in the 1 million-acre watershed are no greater than they are in the state's other rivers and streams where poultry waste isn't applied. In September a federal judge rejected Oklahoma's request for a preliminary injunction to prevent the poultry companies from dumping the waste in the watershed. Oklahoma is planning to appeal the ruling to the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver. Edmondson sued the companies in 2005 and accused them of treating Oklahoma's rivers like open sewers.
Snafu leads to late unemployment payments
12/9/08, 2:29 p.m.
TULSA, Okla. (AP) - Some unemployed Oklahomans have been left without their monthly benefits because of a problem with the state Employment Security Commission's transition to a paperless system. Commission spokesman John Carpenter says the agency is unsure how many people did not receive their monthly payment because checks are no longer being used in the new system. Instead, the commission has been putting the unemployment benefits onto debit cards that are sent to those who are eligible. A direct deposit system was also already in place. Unemployment insurance division director Jerry Pectol says all of the problems have now been resolved, although some of the debit cards may still be in the mail.
Tax amnesty program a savior
12/9/08, 2:22 p.m.
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - A tax amnesty program has kept tax collections used to fund state programs from falling behind schedule. A report issued Tuesday by state Treasurer Scott Meacham showed November revenues topped last year's collections, but only because the state took in $19.5 million from tardy taxpayers for the month.
Both income taxes and sales taxes were higher than a year ago, and gross production tax receipts for oil and gas increased 36.1 percent from November 2007. Motor vehicle tax collections, however, dropped 46 percent from a year ago.
Overall, the tax amnesty program that ended Nov. 14 will bring in about $82 million to the state treasury, $50 million more than expected.
Snow falling in parts of Oklahoma
12/9/08, 2:09 p.m.
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - Snow began falling in the Oklahoma Panhandle this morning and authorities say cars skidded off slick roads in the region. The Oklahoma Highway Patrol says there are no reports of serious injuries as moderate to heavy blowing snow in limited visibility in Cimarron, Texas, Beaver and Harper counties.
Capt. Darrell Jordan with Troop I in Guymon says snow is packing on the roads in some areas and visibility is a problem. In Woodward police officer Matt Lehenbauer says roads are becoming hazardous. Forecast Daryl Williams with the National Weather Service in Norman says most of the wintry weather will be concentrated in the northwest although freezing drizzle is possible in the southwest and central Oklahoma.
More Americans look kindly on Oklahoma
12/9/08, 1:33 p.m.
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - Oklahoma's image is improving with Americans outside the state. A Zogby poll released at a state Chamber forum on Tuesday shows more than two out of three Americans have at least a "fair" view of Oklahoma. More than 7 percent of Americans have an "excellent" view of Oklahoma, while almost 35 percent view the state as "good" and 26.1 percent have a "fair" view of the state.
Almost 12 percent have a "poor" view of Oklahoma and about one in five Americans do not have an opinion of the state. The figures show an improvement for Oklahoma over a Zogby poll in 2006, which found only 47 percent of Americans had a favorable view of Oklahoma; 17 percent had an unfavorable view and 31 percent had no opinion.
Data: Increase in families living in poverty
12/9/08, 12:47 p.m.
TULSA, Okla. (AP) - The U.S. Census Bureau says the percentage of families living in poverty increased in 30 of Oklahoma's 39 most populated counties since 1999. The largest increase is in Okmulgee County where the data found the number of families living in poverty rose by nearly 6 percent.
The percentage of families in Okmulgee County whose income is below the poverty level rose from 14.9 percent to 20.7 percent. David Blatt with the Oklahoma Policy Institute says the data shows a lot of Oklahoma families were left behind while the state's economy was improving.
Census to hire 1,500 part-time workers
12/9/08, 11:24 a.m.
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - The U.S. Census Bureau plans to hire 1,500 part-time temporary workers to help gather information in western Oklahoma for its 2010 report. Assistant manager Verna Allen says the census bureau's Oklahoma office would like to fill the positions by March. Workers will be assigned to the area where they live, where they will help the bureau in the population count it does every 10 years. The census figures help determine federal funding for roads, parks, housing, schools and public safety.
Teaching study ranks Oklahoma 8th
12/9/08, 11:16 a.m.
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - Oklahoma ranked eighth in the nation in the number of new nationally certified teachers this year, according to a nonprofit organization. A report released Tuesday by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards indicated that Oklahoma had 324 new national board certified teachers in 2008 and now has more than 2,300 total. The report shows that Tulsa has the most nationally certified teachers in the state with 131, while Edmond is second with 112 and Norman third with 107. Oklahoma City and Moore tied for the fourth-most with 93.
Transportation officials ramp up project list
12/8/08, 12:41 p.m.
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - Anticipating an influx of cash as part of a federal economic stimulus proposal, transportation officials are moving forward with planning for nearly 100 road and bridge projects. The Oklahoma Transportation Commission on Monday approved spending up to $9 million to conduct engineering studies and prepare final construction plans for several of these projects.
The projects all are part of the transportation department's eight-year construction work plan and total about $180 million. Transportation Director Gary Ridley says the department selected projects that could be started within 30 days.
He says those include jobs that required no major environmental studies, right-of-way acquisition or other obstacles that could slow projects from moving forward.
Soldiers charged in murder appear in court
12/8/08, 11:05 a.m.
FORT CAMPBELL, Ky. (AP) - Two Fort Campbell soldiers will appear in a military court to face premeditated murder charges in shooting of an Iraqi detainee. Attorneys for both Staff Sgt. Hal M. Warner, of Braggs, Okla., and 1st Lt. Michael C. Behenna, of Edmond, Okla., say they will fight the charges. They are scheduled to be arraigned in military court on Monday.
The two 101st Airborne soldiers are charged with premeditated murder, assault and making a false statement in the May death of Ali Mansour Mohammed. Warner faces additional charges of accessory after the fact and obstruction of justice.
Military prosecutors accused Behenna of stripping the detainee naked, shooting him in the head and chest and watching as Warner set fire to the body with a grenade.
Southeastern president goes through investiture
12/8/08, 10:12 a.m.
DURANT, Okla. (AP) - New Southeastern Oklahoma State University President Michael Turner has gone through his investiture ceremony at the Durant school. During the traditional academic ceremony, held Friday, Turner received a ceremonial mace and medallion from state higher education Chancellor Glen Johnson. Johnson served as Southeastern's president from 1997 to 2007. Turner took office in January.
State Regent John Massey spoke during the ceremony and told Turner that regents have given him the charge to become the best college president in the United States. Turner promised to lead Southeastern with a clear vision and to protect the university's mission.
Bush creates World War II monument for Pacific
12/8/08, 9:04 a.m.
WASHINGTON (AP) - President Bush has established a World War II monument dedicated to those who fought in the Pacific. The World War II Valor in Pacific National Monument will encompass nine sites, five in Hawaii, three in Alaska and one in California at the Tule Lake Segregation Center, where thousands of Japanese-Americans were detained after the attack on Pearl Harbor.
Among the Hawaii sites is the USS Oklahoma memorial, which is located in Pearl Harbor. Bush says the purpose of the new monument is to remind generations of Americans of the sacrifices that Americans made to protect our country and of the transformative effect of freedom. Bush also signed a proclamation honoring National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day. The 67th anniversary of the Japanese attacks, the worst on U.S. soil until the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, is Sunday.
$73 million going to OSU Medical Center
12/8/08, 8:58 a.m.
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - Officials have announced details of an agreement to rescue Oklahoma State University's medical program and the OSU Medical Center in Tulsa. Under the plan, the state will allocate $25 million in capital funding to update and retool the OSU Medical Center and provide $48 million in operating costs over five years. The announcement was made late Friday by Gov. Brad Henry, legislative leaders and Tulsa and OSU officials.
