Local & Regional

By Associated Press

Oklahoma City, OK – Stimulus brings $22M more to Oklahoma

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) Another $22 million in economic stimulus money is headed to Oklahoma.

The Oklahoma District Attorneys Council will receive more than $16 million to fight illegal drug production and trafficking and gang-related crime through funding announced Wednesday by Attorney General Eric Holder.

Interior Secretary Ken Salazar announced $6.4 million for four other areas in Oklahoma.

By John Durkee talks with AAA's Chuck Mai

Tulsa, OK – Expect to pay more at the pump. Gasoline prices in Tulsa took a jump overnight. The cost of regular unleaded fuel reached $2.09 per-gallon. Chuck Mai with the AAA auto club says prices have not been this high since November of last year. He expects prices to continue to climb during the summer months, in part because of signs the recession may be ending.

By John Durkee talks with Tulsa Police Officer Leland Ashley

Tulsa, OK –
Tulsa Police are seeking your help in finding a missing Tulsa man with medical issues. Police say 53-year-old Jerry Adkins disappeared on May 10th when he left his home in the 1300 block of North 77th East Avenue.

The Police Department says Adkins has health issues and takes medication daily. They are concerned for his well being, especially without his medication. Adkins has not been to work or known to have called anyone.

By Associated Press

Oklahoma City, OK – Bill passed for drug testing of welfare moms

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) A Senate budget committee has passed a bill calling for drug testing of mothers who receive welfare payments.

The measure was sent to the Senate floor on Tuesday, despite a warning from a Department of Human Services official that it could lead to a loss of federal stimulus money.

Sen. Randy Brogdon, an Owasso Republican, said the goal of his measure is not to penalize recipients of Temporary Assistance to Needy Family payments.

By John Durkee

Catoosa, Oklahoma – It may sound a little silly but the Catoosa Fire Department would like to cut-up your car for practice. Catoosa Fire Chief Dennis Benton says his department is seeking donations of junk cars. The Catoosa Fire Department is a combination department, with eight paid fire fighters and 16 volunteers. Chief Benton they need training.

By House Speaker Chris Benge (R) Tulsa

Oklahoma City, OK – Agreement reached on civil justice plan

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) Compromise legislation affecting the way Oklahomans file and litigate lawsuits has been unveiled by Republican legislative leaders.

Lawmakers described Monday's announcement as a historic agreement that will help block frivolous lawsuits and lower medical malpractice and other insurance costs.

By Associated Press

Tulsa, OK – Tulsa schools drop lawsuit over charter schools

TULSA, Okla. (AP) The Tulsa school board has voted unanimously to drop a lawsuit against the Oklahoma Charter Schools Association.

The lawsuit claimed the state's Charter Schools Act adopted in 1999 violates the state Constitution's provision against "local" or "special" laws.

But last month an Oklahoma County judge ruled the law to be constitutional.

By John Durkee

Tulsa, OK – An update for you on the H1N1 virus in the Tulsa Public Schools. There has been one confirmed case of the virus, better known as the swine flu, at the Jackson Elementary School at 2137 North Pittsburg.

Below is the text of a letter the Tulsa School District sent home with parents in the Jackson district on Monday:

May 11, 2009

RE: H1N1 Influenza in staff member at Jackson Elementary School

By John Durkee

Picher, Oklahoma – It is the story of Picher, Oklahoma. Once, it was a community of 20,000 with its own newspaper and radio station. Then the mines closed and left over tailings turned the water red. In the 1980's Picher became a Federal Superfund site. After remediation failed, the federal government started a buy-out of the residents. One year-ago, yesterday, in the middle of the buy-out, an E-F four tornado sliced through the town leaving six people dead.

By Associated Press

Tulsa, OK – Motion seeks to exclude testimony from professor

TULSA, Okla. (AP) Poultry companies being sued by Oklahoma for allegedly polluting the Illinois River watershed want a judge to exclude the testimony of one of the state's expert witnesses in the case.

In a 431-page motion filed Friday in federal court, the poultry companies say that testimony offered by Valerie Harwood is unreliable and would be "confusing and unfairly prejudicial if presented to a lay jury."

By Associated Press

Tulsa, OK – University of Tulsa to hire 20 new faculty

TULSA, Okla. (AP) Tough economic times won't keep the University of Tulsa from hiring about 20 full-time faculty members next fall.

Provost Roger Blais calls the hiring normal turnover for the university's staff of approximately 320 faculty members.

Blais says the university benefited from a deep pool of highly qualified applicants because many other schools are either cutting jobs or have a hiring freeze in place.

By Associated Press

Oklahoma City, OK – Budget work shouldn't require special session

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) Gov. Brad Henry and legislative leaders have agreed to keep their negotiations for next year's budget secret, but all parties agree that a special session shouldn't be necessary.

The governor and lawmakers have already exchanged proposals for the budget, which is expected to require some cuts from this year's $7.1 billion budget.

By John Durkee

Tulsa, Oklahoma – Last week, we heard from Tulsa Mayor Kathy Taylor as she presented her proposed city budget to the Tulsa Council.

After a week to review, today, we hear from two members of the council. Both have concerns about the Mayor's $578 spending plan.

By Associated Press

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma – Gas prices top $2 per gallon in Oklahoma

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) The price of gasoline has gone back above $2 per gallon in Oklahoma.

AAA Oklahoma reported Friday the average price of a gallon of self-serve regular gasoline in the state is just more than $2.02.

AAA spokesman Chuck Mai says it's difficult to find a reason for the increase other than a general feeling that the economy is starting to recover.

By John Durkee

Tulsa, Oklahoma – Springtime in Oklahoma!

May has been one soggy month with over eight inches of rain in some parts of Northeast Oklahoma and more on the way. Steve Peltz is the Meteorologist in Charge at the National Weather Service in Tulsa. He says predicting a heavy rain event is difficult.

By John Durkee

Kellyville, Oklahoma – 25-miles southwest of Tulsa is the Creek County town of Kellyville. That is where Phyllis and Tom Holcomb raise hogs on their farm.

She doesn't like the term swine flu. She prefers to call the flu strain by its clinical name H1N1. The Holcombs raise mostly show-hogs. Is she worried about the market falling apart because of scare?

By John Durkee

Tulsa, Oklahoma – "Stop the speeding on my street - now!"

By John Durkee

Tulsa, Oklahoma – Thursday is the last day for the Kendall/Whittier Post Office at First and Lewis. The U.S. Postal Service says the facility is being closed for several reasons:

The number of customer transactions has decreased significantly over the past two years.
The size of the facility exceeds current Postal Service requirements.
Other Postal facilities are located near-by, and
The current lease is set to expire on May 24th, 2009.

By John Durkee

Tulsa, Oklahoma – Tulsa Mayor Kathy Taylor went before the Tulsa City Council to present her new city budget last night. The city gets most of its money from three-cents on the dollar sales tax. One penny---called the "third penny" --- is for use on voter approved capital projects. So, that means the city must balance the city's other expenses on just two cents sales tax. Mayor Taylor says putting together a balanced budget, as required by law, was a difficult task.

By John Durkee

Tulsa, Oklahoma – The Tulsa County numbers are staggering! 25,230 crisis line calls .2,800 people seeking protective orders .443 victims of rape and sexual assault . 2,012 perpetrators of domestic violence .. 1,576 survivors of domestic violence. Those are the totals for last year from Domestic Violence Intervention Services.

By John Durkee

By John Durkee

Tulsa, Oklahoma – The kitchen at the Salvation Army's Center of Hope on North Denver in downtown Tulsa! That smell is cat-fish being cooked in a large deeper fryer. For lunch Mary, the food manager, is expecting 350-people. She says with every meal the line gets longer. The line snakes out the cafeteria door. It runs down the hallway to the back door.