Local & Regional

By AP

Undated – Sun helps melt snow, accelerate Okla. road clearing

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) Sunshine and above-freezing temperatures have helped crews accelerate their efforts to clear Oklahoma roads of ice and snow and prepare for possible additional rounds of wintry precipitation in the coming days.

Oklahoma Department of Transportation spokeswoman Terri Angier says snow that fell on southern, central and northeastern Oklahoma on Friday caused some road conditions to deteriorate, but highways were in better shape on Saturday.

By AP

Enid, OK – No injuries reported in Okla. grain elevator fire

ENID, Okla. (AP) Enid fire officials say no one was hurt when fire broke out at a grain elevator.

The fire department was notified about 7:30 a.m. Friday of a blaze at Johnston Terminal Elevator. Fire Marshal Ken Helms says the fire was extinguished but crews continued to check on it.

Helms says it appears a rubber conveyor belt system used to move grain had caught fire but there was no exposure to any of the grain bins.

By AP

Oklahoma City, OK – Legislators look to strip power from education board

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) Friction surrounding oversight of the state education system is surfacing in the Legislature.

House and Senate Republican leaders say they will introduce a bill Monday aimed at taking power away from the state Board of Education.

By AP

Miami, OK – SUV involved in fatal crash remains in icy river

MIAMI, Okla. (AP) A sport utility vehicle that lunged off an icy bridge into the Spring River may not be removed for weeks.

Three people died and five others were injured in the accident on the Will Rogers Turnpike near Miami. All were riding in the Chevrolet Avalanche, which landed top side up in the frigid water.

By AP

Midwest City, OK – Fallin to propose cuts for all Okla. agencies

MIDWEST CITY, Okla. (AP) Gov. Mary Fallin has given the state a preview of the budget plan she'll deliver when the Legislature convenes Monday, and it isn't a pretty picture.

She told the Oklahoma Press Association Friday that because of a financial crunch, every state agency will be asked to cuts its budget for the upcoming fiscal year.

By KWGS News

Tulsa, OK – Mayor Bartlett, County Commissioner Fred Perry, the City of Tulsa, Tulsa County, Tulsa Police and Fire, Tulsa County Sheriff's Department and all other social service agencies met to discuss all operational planning for the upcoming winter storm predicted to hit Tulsa this weekend and early next week. At this time, the Tulsa Emergency Operations Center is not activated but has implemented a planning unit including representatives of all agencies and departments to help keep resources/information readily available.

By AP

Hulbert, OK – HULBERT, Okla. (AP) The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation is working to solve the death of a Hulbert man whose body was discovered yesterday morning in his backyard. Officials say 49-year-old Claude Wells suffered trauma. His body was found by a family member.

By AP

Oklahoma City, OK – Oklahoma unemployment rate drops slightly in Dec.

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) The unemployment rate in Oklahoma was down slightly in December and the rates in the Oklahoma City and Tulsa metro areas also fell slightly while the number in the Lawton metro held steady.

The Oklahoma Employment Security Commission reports the statewide jobless rate fell from 6.9 percent in November to 6.8 percent in December.

By AP

Oklahoma City, OK – Okla. child's death is 5th flu-related fatality

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) The Oklahoma State Department of Health says another person Child has died from complications of influenza in Oklahoma.

State health officials say a Cleveland County child under the age of 5 is the fifth death associated with the flu since Sept. 1. Officials say a rapid test performed on the child came up positive for Type B influenza.

Officials say the child had an underlying medical condition.

By John Durkee

Tulsa, OK – Hear a recap of Friday morning's Top Local Stories from KWGS News: