Oklahoma City news

• $3.2 million legislation tackles red cedar problem in Oklahoma

  20-07-2023 02:00 via kfor.com
  
  OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) - New legislation has taken aim at knocking down invasive Eastern Red Cedar trees that have been doing major damage across Oklahoma. The new plan will eradicate the trees along the North Canadian Watershed.The bill, called the Terry Peach North Canadian Watershed Restoration Act, was authored by republican Representative Mike Dobrinski of O’Keene. It would allow $3.2 million in state funding to tackle the growing problem. Nearly $1 million in federal funding could be a
  
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• EMBARK offering half-price transit passes in July

  27-06-2024 18:39 via kfor.com
  
  OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) - EMBARK is offering half-price transit passes from July 1 to 8 for daily, weekly, monthly and annual passes.According to EMBARK, the limited-time offer includes all fixed-route busses, RAPID and the OKC Streetcar. LOCAL NEWS: Oklahoma City selected to host 2028 Olympic canoe slalom, softball“Our goal is to make public transportation a viable and attractive option for everyone in our community,” Assistant Director of Administration for EMBARK Suzanne Wickenkamp s
  
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• Local museum to celebrate Military Appreciation Day

  27-06-2024 18:38 via kfor.com
  
  OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) - Activities are in preparation for military service members and their families as the Oklahoma City Museum of Art (OKCMOA) in collaboration with the United Service Organizations (USO) kick off Military Appreciation Day on Friday, July 12.This inaugural event is anticipated to provide a day where service members and their families can experience all the Museum has to offer free of charge.“We’re very excited to collaborate with the USO on this endeavor,” sai
  
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• NBC will use AI version of Al Michaels's voice for Olympics coverage

  27-06-2024 18:08 via kfor.com
  
  (The Hill) - NBC announced Wednesday it will use artificial intelligence (AI) to replicate the voice of renowned sportscaster Al Michaels in a new tool meant to complement its traditional coverage of the Olympic Games this summer.The tool, called “Your Daily Olympic Recap on Peacock,” uses AI software to create a 10-minute personalized playlist of event highlights from the previous day. The daily recap will be narrated by an AI recreation of Michaels’s voice, which, the company
  
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• He flipped off a trooper and got charged. Now Vermont is on the hook for $175K

  27-06-2024 18:06 via kfor.com
  
  ST. ALBANS, Vt. (AP) — Vermont has agreed to pay $175,000 to settle a lawsuit on behalf of a man who was charged with a crime for giving a state trooper the middle finger in 2018, the state chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union said Wednesday.The lawsuit was filed in 2021 by the ACLU of Vermont on behalf of Gregory Bombard, of St. Albans. It says Bombard's First Amendment rights were violated after an unnecessary traffic stop and retaliatory arrest in 2018.‘Mad’ wi
  
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• Police want to identify man after school bus indecent exposure

  27-06-2024 16:48 via kfor.com
  
  EDMOND, Okla. (KFOR) - The Edmond Police Department is asking for help identifying a man regarding an indecent exposure involving a school bus.According to Edmond PD, the man was driving a black Nissan Titan truck.LOCAL NEWS: Enid man arrested following investigation in computer crimes
  Edmond Police want to identify man in reference to indecent exposure. Image courtesy Edmond PD.Edmond Police want to identify man in reference to indecent exposure. Image courtesy Edmond PD.
  Anyone with informatio
  
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• OSBI arrest two additional suspects in double murder

  27-06-2024 16:48 via kfor.com
  
  FREEDOM, Okla. (KFOR) - Authorities with the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation (OSBI) alongside the Woods County Sheriff's Office announced on Wednesday the arrest of two people in connection to a double homicide in early April 2024.According to police, on April 11, 2024 around 4:00 a.m., deputies responded to a residence in near Saddlehorn Drive and Dusty Trail, regarding possible gunshots. Police confirm, when deputies arrived they discovered a 70-year-old Gary Neil Bradt deceased and 19-
  
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• Walgreens plans to close more stores

  27-06-2024 15:31 via kfor.com
  
  Walgreens shares tumbled early Thursday after the drugstore chain signaled that more store closings are on the way, missed earnings expectations for its third quarter and cut its annual forecast.The company said it was finishing a multiyear plan to shutter some underperforming U.S. stores, but it didn’t detail how many were targeted.Walgreens and major competitors like CVS and Rite Aid — which is going through a bankruptcy reorganization — have already closed hundreds of stores
  
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• Walgreens 'changes' could mean hundreds more store closures

  27-06-2024 15:31 via kfor.com
  
  Walgreens is finalizing a plan to fix its business that could result in closing hundreds of additional stores over the next three years.CEO Tim Wentworth told analysts Thursday morning that “changes are imminent” for about 25% of the company's stores, which he said were underperforming. The drugstore chain currently runs more than 8,600 in the United States.Wentworth said the company's plan could include the closing of a “significant portion” of those roughly 2,100 underp
  
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• State of Oklahoma prepares for execution of man convicted of killing 7-year-old

  27-06-2024 15:07 via kfor.com
  
  McALESTER, Okla. (KFOR) – The state of Oklahoma is preparing to execute Richard Rojem on Thursday, June 27, 2024.
  Richard Rojem, Jr.
  According to the Oklahoma Attorney General's Office, Rojem was convicted and sentenced to death for the July 1984 kidnapping, rape and murder of his 7-year-old former stepdaughter, Layla Dawn Cummings, in Washita County. Her body was later found along the road in Burns Flat. LOCAL NEWS: Pardon and parole board denies clemency for convicted child killerOn Mond
  
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• State of Oklahoma executes man convicted of killing 7-year-old

  27-06-2024 15:07 via kfor.com
  
  The video above is a live news conference following the execution.McALESTER, Okla. (KFOR) – The state of Oklahoma executed Richard Rojem at 10:16 a.m. on Thursday, June 27, 2024.Richard Rojem, Jr.
  According to the Oklahoma Attorney General's Office, Rojem was convicted and sentenced to death for the July 1984 kidnapping, rape and murder of his 7-year-old former stepdaughter, Layla Dawn Cummings, in Washita County. Her body was later found along the road in Burns Flat. LOCAL NEWS: Pardon an
  
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• Can't beat them? Eat them! Virginia Blue Catfish Management could depend on a culinary solution

  27-06-2024 14:46 via kfor.com
  
  WILLIAMSBURG, Va. (WFXR) -- If you can't beat them, eat them!When it comes to blue catfish management, Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR) fisheries biologists are hoping for a little help from the rest of us.How?They want us to harvest and eat blue catfish.When blue cats were stocked in the tidal James River five decades ago, it was thought that they would be confined to the stream, that the salinity in areas downriver was too high for the fish to move beyond the James. It turns out
  
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• Tropical wave has a 70 percent chance of developing, National Hurricane Center says

  27-06-2024 14:23 via kfor.com
  
  TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — The National Hurricane Center is tracking two tropical waves in the Atlantic, including one with a 70 percent chance of development.The NHC said a tropical wave located several hundred miles southwest of the Cabo Verde Islands continues to produce disorganized shower and thunderstorm activity.
  According to the NHC, a tropical depression or tropical storm will likely form this weekend several hundred miles east of the Windward Islands. Bill Nye says extreme weather, rec
  
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• Fire crews respond to structure fire near Jones

  27-06-2024 13:42 via kfor.com
  
  OKLAHOMA COUNTY, Okla. (KFOR) - Fire crews responded to a structure fire near Jones Thursday morning.Officials say a building caught fire near NE Wilshire Blvd. and Choctaw Rd. around 4 a.m. LOCAL NEWS: House fire, downed powerlines and damaged homes in NW OKC after stormsFirefighters were able to get the flames under control. It is unknown if anyone was inside or if anyone was hurt in the fire.
  The cause of the fire has not determined.
  
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• Person struck, killed by car in SW Oklahoma City

  27-06-2024 13:31 via kfor.com
  
  OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) - One person was hit and killed by a car in southwest Oklahoma City Thursday morning.According to the Oklahoma City Police Department, the incident happened near SW 44th St. and Western Ave. around 4 a.m. LOCAL NEWS: House fire, downed powerlines and damaged homes in NW OKC after stormsOfficials say the driver of the vehicle left the scene after the collision. The victim was taken to a nearby hospital where they later passed away.No more information is available as the inves
  
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• OG&E crews braving the heat to get power back on after storms

  27-06-2024 13:24 via kfor.com
  
  OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) – More than 1,000 line workers are braving a triple-digit heat index to restore power to thousands of people who lost it during Tuesday night’s severe storms.A spokesperson for OG&E told News 4 the company had approximately 1,300 line workers, including some brought in from out of state, spread out across the Oklahoma City area on Wednesday making repairs to lines and power infrastructure damaged when a severe storm brought more than 80 mph straight-line wind
  
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• Residents in Midwest City picking up pieces after storm

  27-06-2024 13:17 via kfor.com
  
  MIDWEST CITY, Okla. (KFOR) — The metro spent the day picking up the pieces after a severe storm ripped through the area Tuesday night.The intense rain, wind and hail left a trail of damage tearing up homes, tipping over campers and plunging tens of thousands of families into darkness with no electricity.A tree at least 60 feet tall uprooted in the front yard gave one resident in Midwest City a scare, and says if his tree would have fell the other direction onto his house, he probably would
  
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• Multiple people could face charges in Matthew Perry's death: reports

  27-06-2024 12:29 via kfor.com
  
  LOS ANGELES (KTLA) -- Authorities are close to wrapping up the criminal investigation into the passing of Matthew Perry, and according to multiple reports, they believe several people might be connected to his death.Law enforcement sources recently told PEOPLE magazine, NBC News, and ABC News that a federal probe into who supplied the "Friends" actor with ketamine before he died could lead to charges against multiple people. The sources spoke on the condition of anonymity as they were not author
  
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• Olive Garden plans to hike menu prices: How much extra you can expect to pay

  27-06-2024 11:09 via kfor.com
  
  (WJET/WFXP) — Olive Garden has announced that it will continue to raise prices following a drop in sales last quarter.
  The CEO stated that the company is still avoiding offering discounts to attract customers, despite a decrease in sales and loss of customers. During the company's earnings call held on Thursday, executives attributed the sales slump to the financial stress of inflation, which is affecting some customers more than others."The pullback is mostly at the below-median household
  
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• Stock market today: Asian shares are mostly lower ahead of key US inflation report

  27-06-2024 06:27 via kfor.com
  
  BANGKOK (AP) — Shares fell Thursday in most Asian markets ahead of a key U.S. inflation report due Friday that might point the way ahead for interest rates.Benchmarks fell more than 1% in Tokyo, Hong Kong and Sydney. Oil prices and U.S. futures also declined.The markets' big focus this week is on a U.S. government inflation report due Friday. The personal consumption expenditures index, or PCE, is the Federal Reserve’s preferred measure of inflation, and analysts said investors were
  
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• People in Perry come together after extensive storm damage

  27-06-2024 01:30 via kfor.com
  
  PERRY, Okla. (KFOR) - Hundreds of residents in Perry woke up to no power and extensive damage throughout their city on Wednesday due to the storms.
  "I have never been in a tornado but this sure seemed like one," said Mike Byers. "It was just a lot of noise and when I stepped outside, that was already off the patio."Byers' chimney was blown over and broken. His patio roof had been ripped off and wooden stakes that were on it were now sticking out of his neighbor's roof.
  | READ MORE > Storms le
  
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• Elderly woman needs help after tree falls on home during storm

  27-06-2024 01:30 via kfor.com
  
  OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) — An elderly woman needs help after Tuesday night's storms damaged her home and electrical box. She told News 4 she needs the electricity to take her Dialysis and is worried for her health.“I take it five days a week, seven hours a day, and I’m taking dialysis to live because my heart is not strong enough for a transplant,” said Artie Palmer. Severe storm caused damage and left many in the darkArtie Palmer said she first got an alert from the National
  
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• Man arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting underage girl at local skating ring

  27-06-2024 01:22 via kfor.com
  
  SHAWNEE, Okla. (KFOR) — A man is now locked up after police say he pretended to be a teen and sexually assaulted an 11-year-old girl in a skating rink parking lot.27-year-old Dominic Holland was arrested in Pottawatomie County back in May after police said he allegedly sexual assaulted an 11-year-old girl outside of Star Skate in Shawnee in April."When you have a predator like that that's running around, especially as a as a deputy, I want to make sure that those people we you know, we loc
  
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• House fire, downed powerlines and damaged homes in NW OKC after storms

  27-06-2024 00:38 via kfor.com
  
  OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) - Storm damage extends through much of far north Oklahoma City and Edmond. The storms are also blamed for a massive house fire last night."It got in the roof and the attic space and quickly it became fully involved," said Capt. John Chenoweth with OKC Fire Department. LOCAL NEWS: Storms leave damage across Oklahoma City metro
  House fire near NW 164th St. and May Ave. Image KFOR.House catches fire after it's struck by lightning. Image KFOR.
  A single lightning strike, burning
  
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• GAME ON! Mattel Launches Colorblind Accessible Games

  27-06-2024 00:35 via kfor.com
  
  (KIAH) - Big news coming from toy company Mattel. With over 300 million people in the world experiencing colorblindness, the company is working to break down barriers to game play and help advance awareness of those affected by the disability.
  GAME ON! #Mattel Launches Colorblind Accessible Games https://t.co/n3ZXnX39c1POLL: Which game are you interested in trying out? #Colorblind#games #gaming— CW39 (@CW39Houston) June 26, 2024
  This week, Mattel announced they will be launching colorblind
  
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• Cell phone data tracks mother who illegally took baby from Massachusetts to Alabama

  27-06-2024 00:32 via kfor.com
  
  FALL RIVER, Mass. (WWLP) – Cell phone data was used to track the mother of a 1-year-old baby who was illegally taken away from his guardian in Fall River, Massachusetts.According to a news release from Massachusetts State Police, Genezza Packett was visiting her son, who was in the custody of her aunt, in Fall River on Thursday. She told her aunt she was taking her son to Dunkin', however, after several hours she did not return.Local police were alerted, and in collaboration with multiple
  
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• Another mysterious monolith appears – this time in Colorado

  27-06-2024 00:32 via kfor.com
  
  DENVER (KDVR) -- The monolith trend appears to be making a comeback. Another version of the mysterious, mirrored pillar popped up without warning in northern Colorado. Its origins are unknown.A Reddit user posted in the Fort Collins subreddit over the weekend saying they went to the structure near Bellvue. In the thread, Redditors speculate on the monolith's origin, but the details haven't been confirmed.This is not the first time a mysterious and mirrored monolith has popped up. The phenomenon
  
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• Bankruptcy court trustee plans to shut down Alex Jones' Infowars, liquidate assets

  27-06-2024 00:30 via kfor.com
  
  (The Hill) - The trustee in charge of Alex Jones’s bankruptcy proceedings said Monday that he will move to shut down the Infowars media site and liquidate Jones’s business assets as he attempts to repay the families of Sandy Hook school shooting victims.Court-appointed trustee Christopher Murray said in an “emergency” motion that he will “conduct an orderly wind-down” of Infowars and sell off its assets.The announcement comes weeks after a federal judge in Tex
  
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• Oklahoma almost ended private prisons, contract comes in at last minute

  27-06-2024 00:29 via kfor.com
  
  LAWTON, Okla. (KFOR) - Just a few days before the contract ended, the owner of two private prisons in Oklahoma announced their partnership with the state on Wednesday.
  This came after a heated back-and-forth the last week or so between the state and the owner GEO Group. They run two correctional facilities, one in Lawton and one in Hinton. Altogether they house around 4,700 inmates.| READ PAST ARTICLE > The GEO Group submits discontinuation letter, ODOC responds >"These guys are not safe i
  
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• Powerful winds cause damage in NE Oklahoma City

  27-06-2024 00:04 via kfor.com
  
  OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) - Straight line winds wreaked havoc along Britton Road in Northeast Oklahoma City Tuesday night. “It’s bad… It's a mess. It looks like a tornado hit,” said Olimar Garcia, who works along Britton.  LOCAL NEWS: Storms leave damage across Oklahoma City metroOur Four Warn Storm Team estimates wind speeds were at least 80 miles per hour. The Oklahoma City Fire Department says between 10 p.m. Tuesday and 7 a.m. Wednesday, firefighters respon
  
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