Latest Oklahoma Headlines

All the headlines from our Oklahoma Topic Page, ordered by recency.

Ratings of Oklahoma Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance, Subsidiary Upgraded

Feb 28 2017 // A.M. Best has upgraded the Financial Strength Rating to B+ (Good) from B (Fair) and the Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating to “bbb-” from “bb+” for the members of the Oklahoma Farm Bureau Group:...

Oklahoma Pipeline Company to Reimburse Iowa Entities for Spill

Feb 27 2017 // An Oklahoma pipeline company says it will reimburse north-central Iowa agencies for expenses they incurred while responding to a diesel pipeline spill near Hanlontown last month. The Mason City Globe Gazette reports that...

Jury: Former Oklahoma Legislator Must Pay Insurer $4.3M in Defamation Case

Feb 24 2017 // A Tulsa, Okla., jury has awarded an insurance company and its CEO $4.3 million in a defamation case. The Oklahoman reports former state legislator and former First Trinity director Wayne Pettigrew left First Trinity...

Tulsa Man Who Assaulted Insurance Adjuster Gets Life Sentence

Feb 23 2017 // A Tulsa, Okla., man who filed a bogus insurance claim and assaulted an insurance adjuster has been sentenced to life in prison, the state insurance department announced. Prentice E. Ponds II, 43, was on parole at the time...

Oklahoma Bill Proposes Rules for Medical Marijuana

Feb 22 2017 // Oklahomans won’t vote until next year on whether to legalize medical marijuana, but a state lawmaker has already introduced legislation that would set the framework if sales of the drug are approved. State Rep. Eric...

EPA to Oklahoma Officials: Do More to Curb Earthquakes

Feb 20 2017 // The Environmental Protection Agency told Oklahoma regulators last November to do more to protect the state from a surge in earthquake activity that scientists have linked to the underground disposal of oil and gas...

Declarations

Feb 20 2017 // Harassment Drones “The worst thing that can happen is you get mamas separated from their babies, and that’s one of my biggest concerns.” — Republican Rep. Scott Chew wants to send people to jail for...

Suspected Shooter in Oklahoma Accused of Stealing Insurance Money

Feb 13 2017 // Federal investigators say an Oklahoma man who fatally shot himself this week after being suspected of killing two people was facing felony charges connected to an insurance scheme. An FBI affidavit alleges that 55-year-old...

Talk Expected to Turn to Earthquakes at Tornado Summit in Oklahoma

Feb 13 2017 // Hundreds of top meteorologists and disaster recovery experts will converge on Oklahoma City this week for a national tornado summit, though much of the discussion is expected to focus on temblors, not twisters. The annual...

Suspected Oklahoma Shooter Accused of Stealing Insurance Money

Feb 13 2017 // An FBI affidavit filed says an Oklahoma man, who authorities say fatally shot himself after being suspected of killing two people, faced five felony counts of uttering forged instruments in connection with an insurance...

EPA to Oklahoma Officials: Do More to Curb Earthquakes

Feb 6 2017 // The Environmental Protection Agency told Oklahoma regulators last November to do more to protect the state from a surge in earthquake activity that scientists have linked to the underground disposal of oil and gas...

Drought-Hit Oklahoma Under Rare National Fire Advisory

Feb 3 2017 // Oklahoma has been placed under a national fire advisory as much of the state struggles with unrelenting drought and tinder-dry vegetation capable of igniting and quickly spreading out of control, state forestry officials...

Texas Truck Driver Charged in Fatal Oklahoma Crash Has Died

Feb 1 2017 // A Texas truck driver accused of causing a 2014 crash in Oklahoma that killed four college softball players has died by suicide at his home. The prosecutor in the Oklahoma case, Murray County District Attorney Craig Ladd,...

Investigators: Plane in Fatal Oklahoma Crash Lost Power

Feb 1 2017 // A preliminary report on a plane crash in northeastern Oklahoma that killed a Grove man says the aircraft lost engine power while in flight. The report from the National Transportation Safety Board published on Jan. 30 says...

Oklahoma Lawmaker: Uniform Building Code Commission Staff Unnecessary

Jan 27 2017 // State Rep. Mark McBride, R-Moore, announced he has filed a measure that would fold the state building code commission into the Oklahoma Construction Industries Board (CIB). House Bill 1168 would place the Oklahoma Uniform...

Oklahoma to Host Public Meetings on Health Care, Insurance Reform

Jan 27 2017 // The Oklahoma Insurance Department announced it will host a series of town hall meetings across the state to discuss health care reform. Citizens are encouraged to attend and offer their suggestions. In a statement,...

Wildfires in Central Oklahoma Destroy Homes, Damage Structures

Jan 26 2017 // Authorities say at least two homes were destroyed in a fast-moving wildfire that burned in central Oklahoma on Tuesday. Wildfires, fueled by dry vegetation and strong winds, also damaged or destroyed other structures in...

Oklahoma Forestry Officials: Fire Danger High

Jan 24 2017 // Oklahoma forestry officials say the danger of wildfires is increasing as a dry weather pattern persists across much of the state. Officials say the fire danger is high and that Oklahomans should limit outdoor activities...

Oklahoma Earthquakes, Saltwater Disposal Volumes Decline

Jan 23 2017 // Recent reports show that disposal well operators placed about 23 percent less saltwater into Oklahoma’s deepest geological formation within the earthquake zone in 2016 compared to the previous year. In addition,...

Oklahoma Lawmaker Proposes Changes to Personal, Corporate Income Taxes

Jan 19 2017 // Oklahoma State Rep. Jason Dunnington has filed legislation that he says would generate more than $500 million in recurring revenue. Oklahoma is facing severe budget constraints, partly due to reduced energy industry...