Local & Regional

Weekly reports the state has been receiving from the White House coronavirus task force since June, newly released by Gov. Kevin Stitt, paint a clearer picture of the federal view of Oklahoma's COVID-19 pandemic response.

By all accounts, Tulsa Mayor G.T. Bynum has been a fast-rising political star in Oklahoma.

Part of a political dynasty whose uncle, grandfather and great-grandfather all served as mayor of the state’s second-largest city, the mild-mannered, bespectacled 43-year-old worked as a staffer for former U.S. Sens. Don Nickles and Tom Coburn, both GOP icons in the state.

He defeated a fellow Republican in the nonpartisan mayoral race in 2016 in part by reaching out to the city’s Black community. Many assumed his reelection this year was all but automatic.

The Oklahoma State Department of Health reported on Monday 357 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the state's total to 53,522.

The state has added fewer than 400 cases each Monday in August so far. New case totals are typically lower on Mondays, as reporting slows over the weekend.

Tulsa County had 79 of Monday's cases, bringing its total to 12,391. Oklahoma County continues to lead the state with 12,651 cases.

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — The U.S. Department of Interior has given tacit approval to Gov. Kevin Stitt’s recent agreements on tribal gambling with two Oklahoma-based Indian tribes.

The compacts with the Kialegee Tribal Town and United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians were “deemed approved” by the federal department after a 45-day review period expired Thursday.

The new compacts would increase the fees the tribes pay on certain electronic games from 6% to as high as 13% if the tribes build casinos in new locations authorized under the deal.

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — A federal grand jury in Oklahoma City has indicted three men, accusing them of scheming to defraud mineral owners out of at least $1.7 million in royalty payments, federal prosecutors announced Thursday.

Casey Jobe, 37, of Edmond, and Anthony Hilbers, 38, and Brandon Colbert, 39, both of Oklahoma City, all were alleged to have participated in the scheme. They’re facing charges that include conspiracy, wire fraud, aggravated identity theft and money laundering.

Following the leak of a report showing the White House considers Oklahoma a “red zone” for COVID-19 cases and is privately urging the state’s government to institute far stricter measures to combat the coronavirus pandemic, such as a statewide mask mandate and the closure of all bars, local officials are expressing considerable frustration that they’re being kept in the dark about federal recommendations.

The Oklahoma State Department of Health reported on Friday 1,077 new cases of COVID-19, pushing the state's total to 51,746.

Friday marked the largest one-day increase in cases since Aug. 5, when 1,101 were reported.

Tulsa County had 222 of Friday's cases, bringing its total to 12,095. It was Tulsa County's largest increase since 254 cases were reported Aug. 7. Oklahoma County continues to lead the state with 12,328 cases.

Glenpool Public Schools is requiring 41 people within the district to quarantine after a middle school student tested positive for COVID-19.

An email to parents Thursday confirmed by KWGS with the district says the middle schooler attended six classes on Monday, including athletics with the volleyball team.

Contact tracing recommended two coaches and 39 others in contact with the student quarantine for 14 days.

Glenpool returned to in-person school with a virtual option on Aug. 13.

Following reporting in the Tulsa World that Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-OK) falsely claimed on Wednesday that demonstrators in Portland, Ore., were "killing" people, a spokesperson for the senator said they were not familiar with his thinking or what he may have meant.

The city of Broken Arrow's share of COVID-19 cases relative to the Tulsa County total is increasing, a trend possibly related to its lack of a mask mandate, according to the Tulsa Health Department.

At a Thursday press conference at Tulsa Police headquarters, Dr. Bruce Dart, the health department's director, described the trend.

The Oklahoma State Department of Health reported on Thursday 746 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the state's total to 50,669.

Oklahoma's total number of cases has nearly doubled in the past month. There were 25,433 confirmed cases on July 20. The state broke 10,000 cases on June 20.

Tulsa County had 110 of Thursday's cases. Its total now stands at 11,873, second-most in the state behind Oklahoma County's 12,037.

American Airlines will drop flights to 15 smaller U.S. cities in October when a federal requirement to serve those communities ends.

The airline blamed low demand during the coronavirus pandemic, which has triggered a massive slump in air travel. Airlines and their labor unions are seeking billions in taxpayer relief.

American said its schedule covering Oct. 7 through Nov. 3 will drop flights to cities including Stillwater, Oklahoma; New Haven, Connecticut; and Springfield, Illinois.

Two weeks ago, members of the Tulsa City Council voted to postpone a decision on what action, if any, to take regarding the "BLACK LIVES MATTER" street mural painted in the days leading up to Juneteenth and President Trump's controversial rally in Tulsa. 

On Wednesday afternoon, they again reached no consensus, leaving the matter for a future meeting.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency has approved Oklahoma for a $300 weekly unemployment benefit to people left jobless because of the coronavirus.

FEMA Administrator Pete Gaynor says Oklahoma becomes the ninth state to be approved for the program announced earlier this month by President Donald Trump.

Gov. Kevin Stitt announced Monday that he had applied for inclusion into the program for the unemployed who are receiving at least $100 in state unemployment benefits.

The Oklahoma State Department of Health reported on Wednesday 17 new deaths from COVID-19 in the state.

Since March 18, 699 Oklahomans have died from the illness.

Four deaths happened in the past 24 hours. Two adults between 50 and 64 years old died. The other 15 were 65 or older. 

Two deaths were in Tulsa County, which now has 122 total. Three were in Oklahoma County, which leads the state with 135.

(This story was updated at 5:20 p.m. to correct the name of the executive director of the Oklahoma Department of Veterans Affairs.)

The outbreak of COVID-19 at the Oklahoma Department of Veterans Affairs center in Claremore has grown since first being announced by the agency in July. 

According to Shane Faulkner, ODVA's public information officer, 128 residents are now confirmed to have tested positive for the novel coronavirus as of Wednesday. 35 of those residents have died.