Associated Press

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — The unemployment rate fell by a tenth of a percentage point in June to a seasonally adjusted unemployment rate of 4.7 percent.

The Oklahoma Employment Security Commission said Friday that 3,200 jobs were added in the state from May to June and that the number of jobless fell by 340.

The leisure and hospitality industry added 1,400 jobs during the month while 900 jobs were added in the financial services sector and the construction industry added 800 jobs.

TULSA, Okla. (AP) — Gov. Mary Fallin plans to make a State of the State address next week to business leaders in Tulsa.

The governor scheduled the address for noon Tuesday at the Tulsa Convention Center.

Fallin will make the address two months after the Oklahoma Legislature declined to back her plan to cut the state's income tax. The governor told The Associated Press in an interview afterward that she believes lobbying swayed some lawmakers away from eliminating tax credits and exemptions to pay for the income tax cut.

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — The Republican candidates in the race for the open congressional seat in eastern Oklahoma are sparring over the latest attack ad that highlights federal gun charges against a former employee of Markwayne Mullin.

The ad by George Faught's campaign that began airing this week details the conviction of former Mullin Plumbing employee Timothy Saylor on federal gun charges. It goes on to suggest that Mullin himself could face charges in connection with the investigation, a claim that Mullin campaign manager Tim Ross dismissed Thursday as "laughable."

OOLOGAH, Okla. (AP) — Firefighters had to battle the heat as well as a large grass fire near Oologah in northeast Oklahoma.

A firefighter was treated for heat exhaustion at a hospital and four others were treated at the scene for heat exposure Thursday afternoon. A woman answering the phone at the North West Rogers County Fire Department says the firefighters weren't seriously hurt.

The woman, who wouldn't identify herself, said firefighters were "mopping up" at the site of the blaze Thursday evening. She says no homes were damaged or had to be evacuated.

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — The Oklahoma Corporation Commission has approved a settlement in a rate case for Oklahoma Natural Gas that will result in an increase of nearly $1 per month for residential customers.

The three-member state regulatory agency announced Thursday that they had approved the settlement with ONG.

Commission Chairman Dana Murphy called the settlement "a balanced approach." The agreement was supported by the attorney general's office, the commission staff and the Oklahoma Industrial Energy Consumers.

TULSA, Okla. (AP) — A Tulsa County judge has continued the preliminary hearing for two men accused of killing three black people and wounding two more during a shooting spree.

Tulsa County Special Judge David Youll scheduled the hearing to resume August 14th while he considers defense motions. The defense contends that police took statements from Jake England and Alvin Watts in violation of their constitutional rights.

VINITA, Okla. (AP) — Leaders in Vinita say 180 people will be out of work after a manufacturing plant moves its operations to Texas.

J.C. Kinder, the executive director of the Vinita Area Chamber of Commerce, says the Cinch Connectors plant will move to McAllen, Texas, before the end of the summer.

Kinder tells The Oklahoman that the plant employs 120 full-time workers and 60 workers through temporary employment agencies. Kinder says officials will begin laying off workers within 60 days and the plant will be completely closed by the end of the year.

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — The Japanese company that owns the Hello Kitty brand has filed a copyright infringement lawsuit against an Oklahoma child beauty pageant that reportedly used the cartoon cat's image on its tiaras and trophies.

Sanrio Co. filed the suit in federal court against Cherilyn Holden and Kristi Musick, who run beauty pageants in Oklahoma under the name Definitely Divas. The suit claims Definitely Divas used the image without permission in the "Tickle Me Pink" beauty pageant last September.

MOUNDS, Okla. (AP) — Two Mounds police officers have been charged with embezzlement in connection with an investigation into missing money and property room items.

Creek County prosecutors filed the charges Tuesday against police chief Chad Long and assistant chief Jerry Grafton, and warrants for the men's arrests were issued.

The Tulsa World  reports Long and Grafton were suspended from last month, and the Creek County Sheriff's Office took over law enforcement services for the town of about 1,170 people.

TULSA, Okla. (AP) — An inmate has testified that one of two Tulsa men charged in the killings of three black people admitted to his role in the shootings.

Tulsa jail inmate Timothy Hoey testified Wednesday during a preliminary hearing for 19-year-old Jake England and 33-year-old Alvin Watts. The two are charged with killing three people and wounding two others in Tulsa.

Hoey said he's known England his whole life and that England told him the day after the April shooting spree that he and Watts had shot some black people.