Search Results

CLICK HERE to listen to Dale Forbis give an update on the state budget. A budget for state government has officially been introduced in the legislature. Radio Oklahoma’s Dale Forbis provides details. As more than 900 million dollars will be saved for unexpected needs, Representative Kevin Wallace told other members of the committee working on the budget that this will give them some “wiggle-room.” “…that will be available for supplementals, or you know, heaven forbid, if the economy does turn...,” Wallace said. The state has several billion dollars sitting in this “rainy-day” fund, but the committee is leaving room for an economic downturn without touching those dollars.

CLICK HERE to listen to Radio Oklahoma's Michael Dean with details on the letter to EPA. U.S. Senator James Lankford and 82 of his colleagues recently sent a letter to the Environmental Protection Agency. Radio Oklahoma’s Michael Dean provides details below. “The letter urges the EPA to withdraw portions of a proposal that would place more stringent vapor emission requirements on small bulk gasoline plants,” Dean said. “They say if finalized, that rule could drive up compliance costs, impact regular service, and during emergencies, choke off supplies to entire communities.”

CLICK HERE to listen to Ken Johnson's update on the latest mural at the Capitol. Crowds gathered on the State Capitol’s ground floor on Monday to see the latest mural being mounted at the Rotunda. Artist Lucas Simmons explains what is pictured in his large painting. “A group of people hauling hay in the background, and then in the foreground, you have various other industries that are directly or tangentially tied to the agricultural industries,” Simmons said. Two murals are on the walls now, with two more to come that are set to be finished within a year. Simmons said he starts with sketches and eventually comes up with a compositional idea. "I take a lot of photos, and I use those photos to inform better drawings, and then I do a final drawing and use that as my reference for the painting," Simmons said.

CLICK HERE to listen to Ken Johnson's update, featuring comments from Chuck Hall. The Oklahoma Senate has been holding discussions to make sure plans for a statewide electrical vehicle charging network can be utilized by anyone. Amendments to Senate Bill 502 were approved on a 35-to-9 vote Monday. Senator Chuck Hall is one of the sponsors. “Almost four months ago now, we began to talk about the build-out of the EV charging network,” Hall said. “We had a bill running that we wanted to work with all parties…”

Photo credit: News on 6 CLICK HERE to listen to the update from Ken Johnson on the Wynnewood Refinery fire. Tuesday morning, fire crews responded to a fire at the Wynnewood Refining near State Highway 77. An investigation is now underway, as the cause of the fire has been isolated. Two people have been hospitalized.

CLICK HERE to listen to Ken Johnson's update on Bartlesville city pools. The city of Bartlesville has announced that city pools will not be opening on time to start the summer season because of the city's low water supply.

CLICK HERE to listen to Ken Johnson's update on Todd Lamb as the new president of UCO. With the University of Central Oklahoma hiring former Lieutenant Governor Todd Lamb as its next president, there is some backlash, mainly from one of UCO’s top donors, Paycom CEO, Chad Richison. Richison recently sent a letter to the University’s governing board asking why “a career politician got the job with no higher education or management experience.”

CLICK HERE to listen to Ken Johnson's update on the solar cell and panel manufacturing plant coming soon. 1,800 construction and 1,000 permanent jobs will be coming soon to the Tulsa Port of Inola with the location of a billion-dollar solar panel manufacturing plant. The Oklahoman reports that Enel will open the facility by the end of 2024.

CLICK HERE to listen to Ken Johnson featuring comments from Dr. Larson on skin cancer prevention. Dr. Gary Larson with INTEGRIS Cancer Center advises Oklahoma’s Baby Boomers to Generation Z populations to take precautions in preventing skin cancer. “The head and neck area, especially in men who have a receding hairline or are just going bald- those men, if they are not careful about wearing a hat every time they go out…,” Larson said. Larson says Caucasians are the most likely to develop skin cancer. Small surgeries or radiation are the best ways to eliminate cancers.

Click Here to listen to Ken Johnson's news update on OETA featuring Senator Greg Treat. The leader of the state Senate says the governor included two-point-seven million dollars in his budget proposal for OETA (Oklahoma Education Television Authority) operation last February. Despite a veto of re-authorization for the public broadcaster, Republican Greg Treat does not believe there is a plan to get rid of OETA. “His veto doesn’t line up with what he said he wanted in the budget at the beginning of the session,” said Senator Greg Treat. Treat will be meeting with House leaders to discuss veto overrides.

CLICK HERE to listen to details from Radio Oklahoma's Michael Dean on housing issues for Native Americans in southwest Oklahoma. Radio Oklahoma’s Michael Dean gives details on the Comanche National Housing Authority Executive Director, Russell Sossamon, who testified before Congress on housing issues facing Native Americans in Southwest Oklahoma. The hearing gave a platform to six tribal representatives to comment on tribal concerns. Sossamon suggested a funding increase for the Indian Housing Block Grant that provides housing opportunities to tribal members.

CLICK HERE to listen to comments from Radio Oklahoma's Dale Forbis and Lorie Legere. The head of the Oklahoma Federation of Republican Women, Lorie Legere, says now is a good time for the Republican Party in the state of Oklahoma. As the economy is strong and Oklahoma has several billion dollars in the bank, Legere says this is a good time for her Republican party to be in control. “We have a very prosperous economic outlook for our state,” Legere said. “Everything is going very well right now.” Legere says her group was not frustrated by the time required to reach an agreement on the education funding plan. She says she had confidence that lawmakers would do the right thing.