Local & Regional

By AP

Oklahoma City – The federal Bureau of Indian Affairs says the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians can place 76 acres of land south of Tahlequah into trust status.

The Tahlequah-based tribe received a letter Tuesday from the BIA regional office in Muskogee stating the agency's approval of the UKB's application.

By AP

Oklahoma City – Gov. Mary Fallin has signed eight bills that she says help fulfill her campaign promise to make Oklahoma a more business friendly state and reduce the size and cost of state government.

Fallin signed the bills Tuesday with GOP legislative leaders watching. They're intended to overhaul the state's workers' compensation laws, consolidate state agencies and information technology services, and create a fund the governor can access to help lure businesses to the state.

By Marshall Stewart

Tulsa, OK – Today's top stories including John Durkee's visit to Joplin

By marshall stewart

Tulsa, OK – Today's top stories including John Durkee's visit to Joplin, Missouri

By AP

Eufala, OK – The Oklahoma Highway Patrol says an Idaho man has drowned and searchers are looking for a second person after a boating mishap at Lake Eufaula.

The patrol says the body of 47-year-old Stoney Tucker of Lewisville, Idaho, was located shortly before midnight Sunday in about 16 feet of water near the Indian Springs boat ramp.

Searchers are looking for a second person who was with Tucker.

Troopers say they were notified the two were missing after they didn't return from a fishing trip.

By AP

Oklahoma City – Siemens Energy plans to start construction on a new wind service warehousing operation in Woodward that the company says will eventually lead to 40 new jobs during the next five years.

Siemens announced Monday it plans to build two new facilities in the northwest Oklahoma city that will be the company's largest wind power service distribution center in the country.

By AP

Grove, OK – Buildings damaged when storms hit Delaware Co.

GROVE, Okla. (AP) The National Weather Service says a possible tornado struck in Delaware County where homes and buildings were damaged, but no injuries reported.

Meteorologist Joe Sellers in Tulsa says investigators will tour the area in northern Delaware County Monday to determine if it was a tornado that struck Sunday night. He says several mobile homes near West Siloam Springs were damaged.

By AP

Oklahoma City, Ok – Fallin touts Okla. to wind industry in Calif.

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) Gov. Mary Fallin is traveling to California with a group of Oklahoma business leaders to promote the Sooner State as a great place for the wind industry to do business.

Fallin led an Oklahoma delegation on Monday to the American Wind Energy Association's annual tradeshow and convention in Anaheim, Calif.

By AP

Joplin, MO – NEW: Official: Tornado hits hospital in Joplin, Mo.

JOPLIN, Mo. (AP) Authorities say a tornado has hit a Joplin hospital and caused the roofs of two city fire stations to collapse.

Jasper County Emergency Management Director Keith Stammer says a tornado hit the St. John's Regional Medical Center on the city's south side. He said there are multiple reports of injuries from the twister that struck around 6 p.m. Sunday.

By AP

Oklahoma City, OK – Future of American Indian museum project uncertain

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) Work crews have spent five years building the $170 million American Indian Cultural Center and Museum in Oklahoma City.

Whether construction will continue is up in the air.

A $40 million dollar bond package that was to be added to $67.4 million committed in previous bonds was rejected by state Senate leaders last week.