News

Major items passed by the Oklahoma Legislature, which was working Friday to wrap up its 2013 session:

— Tax Cut: Lawmakers adopted legislation that reduces the state's top income rate from 5.25 percent to 5 percent beginning Jan. 1, 2015, with a second cut to 4.85 percent set for 2016 if state revenues continue to rise. The measure has been signed into law by Gov. Mary Fallin.

Public agencies in Moore have opened streets to residents and resumed mail delivery to as many addresses as possible.

At a news conference Friday, police said residents in the hardest-hit areas can go back into their neighborhoods without having to deal with police checkpoints. Some road closures may still occur as utility crews work to restore service.

Moore's postmaster said 85 percent of mail delivered from the Moore station is being delivered, and that mail deliveries from the Santa Fe station are up to 95 percent.

Oklahoma's Scenic Rivers Commission is warning holiday travelers not to swim or canoe the Illinois River after a week of heavy rainfall in northeast Oklahoma.

Commission member Ed Fite warns campers that river levels are high and the water is moving twice as fast as usual.

Fite told television station KTUL it's too dangerous to swim, tube or canoe over the Memorial Day weekend.

The commission also says fallen trees and debris — along with the fast-moving currents — are the main concerns.

The Oklahoma Senate has approved a bill to provide various tax breaks to property and vehicle owners who suffered losses in Monday's tornado that tore through Moore and left 24 people dead.

The bill approved unanimously in the Senate on Friday also provides sales tax breaks for businesses that donate inventory to help storm victims and property tax credits for property that increases in value after it's rebuilt.

Please listen in for the forthcoming edition of All This Jazz, which happens Saturday the 25th here on Public Radio 89.5-1, from 10pm till midnight. Our show delivers modern jazz, both recent and classic --- "all killer, no filler," like the poet said --- and there's always a next-day re-broadcast of ATJ on Sunday at 7pm on Jazz 89.5-2, which is our station's all-jazz HD Radio channel.

State Representative Doug Cox says his fellow Republicans are trying to enact legislation that would harm women in Oklahoma. He says one example is a bill that would effectively de-fund Planned Parenthood, which provides important services.

"Cervical cancer screening for women, breast cancer screening for women, (Planned Parenthood) provides family planning services for women so that they can prevent unwanted pregnancies," says Cox. "In my mind the best way to prevent abortions is to prevent unwanted pregnancies."

Additional tests reveal no new cases of hepatitis or the virus that causes AIDS among patients of a Tulsa oral surgeon accused of running dirty clinics.

The pace of people seeking testing has slowed. About 3,900 patients of Dr. W. Scott Harrington have gone to state clinics for testing. In March, health departments urged testing for 7,000 patients. Just 54 patients sought tests within the past week.

Inspectors said they found unsanitary conditions inside Harrington's clinics at Tulsa and Owasso.

Oklahoma lawmakers are hoping to adjourn the 2013 Legislature one week earlier than required.

Lawmakers hope to wrap up their work for the year on Friday. The Legislature is constitutionally required to adjourn by 5 p.m. on the last Friday in May, or May 31.