News

By Associated Press

Anadarko, OK – Prosecutor warns clergy after pastor killing

ANADARKO, Okla. (AP) An Oklahoma district attorney has warned pastors to take security precautions in a town where a preacher was brutally killed inside her own church.

Prosecutor Bret Burns held a closed-door session with the pastors on Wednesday to talk about the case. The body of 61-year-old Carol Daniels was found Sunday in the Christ Holy Sanctified Church in Anadarko. A preliminary autopsy found she died of "multiple sharp force injuries."

By John Durkee

Tulsa, OK – U. S. Rep. Mary Fallin and Subcommittee Chairman Jason Altmire, D-Pa., held an official Congressional field hearing to examine how national energy policy affects small businesses, including those in the energy sector and those who are affected by the rising cost of energy.

The two hour hearing was held on the OSU-Tulsa campus

By Associated Press

Norman, OK – OU president Boren praises late Sen. Ted Kennedy

NORMAN, Okla. (AP) University of Oklahoma President David Boren says he has fond memories of working with Massachusetts Sen. Ted Kennedy, even when they were on different sides of an issue.

For 16 years, Boren was a Democratic Senate colleague of Kennedy, who died late Tuesday at age 77 after a yearlong struggle with brain cancer.

Boren said Kennedy was always courteous and maintained a sense of humor about the differences of opinion.

By Associated Press

Picher, OK – City offices in Picher set to close next week

PICHER, Okla. (AP) The city offices in the mining-scarred town of Picher in far northeastern Oklahoma are set to close next week.

Mayor Tim Reeves says the town is expected to shut down on Sept. 1 and that there will be no city government after that. The last group of Picher residents are preparing to move from the Ottawa County town.

By Rich Fisher

By Associated Press

Oklahoma City, OK – Health official confirms case of West Nile Virus

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) A state health official says Oklahoma has its first confirmed case of West Nile Virus for the year.

State Epidemiologist Kristy Bradley says an Ottawa County woman in her 40s has tested positive for the virus. Her name wasn't released.

Bradley says the virus has also been found in two test pools of mosquitoes near McAlester.

By John Durkee

Tulsa, OK – The Tulsa City council is concerned about the lease rates at the new city hall. Some officials had anticipated that all of the building, not needed for city government, would be leased out by now, but that is not the case. Two full floors in the 15 story building are empty. Instead of paying its own way, One Technology Center is costing near $1.2 million in unrealized rent.

That has members of the city council asking questions.

By Associated Press

Prue, OK – Prue schools go to 4-day week

PRUE, Okla. (AP) Students in the Prue School District in Osage County are getting an extra day off in exchange for longer school days.

The school with about 300 students has gone to a four-day week in an effort to save money. Prue added an hour and 38 minutes of class time to each day to meet the 1,080 instructional hours required by the state.

By Associated Press

Oklahoma City, OK – Clean air alerts issued in Oklahoma

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) Officials have issued clean air alerts for Oklahoma City and Tulsa because of an expected high level of ground-level ozone.

People with lung or heart disease may experience adverse health effects. Symptoms include chest pain, coughing, sneezing, nausea, headache and pulmonary congestion.

Active children, adults and people with respiratory disease such as asthma should limit prolonged outdoor exertion.

By Associated Press

Oklahoma City, OK – Grants to tribes to combat violence against women

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) The U.S. Department of Justice has announced that more than $1.3 million will be awarded to two Oklahoma Indian tribes to fight violence against women.

The grants from the Office on Violence Against Women will go to the Choctaw Nation and to the Tonkawa Tribe.