April 23, 2019 archive

Cap on lawsuit judgments held unconstitutional by Oklahoma Supreme Court

The case of an injured oilfield worker who lost an arm in an accident and saw his $6 million court judgment capped by a state law has led to the Supreme Court declaring the law unconstitutional. In a split decision, the court stated the 2011 law that put a $700,000 cap on noneconomic damages to …

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Bridenstine’s first year as NASA Administrator

It was a year ago this week that former Oklahoma U.S. Rep. Jim Bridenstine became the Administrator of NASA.  It was a boyhood dream come true for the man who wants the U.S. to return to the moon then start planning for Mars. Bridenstine spent some time this week thinking of his first year on …

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Pruitt faces uphill lobbying effort in Indiana

Scott Pruitt and the coal company that’s hired him to do lobbying work in Indiana appear to have run into more opposition on what they’re seeking in the legislature. The former EPA Administrator, who previously as Oklahoma Attorney General, was hired by Denver-based Hallador Energy Co. to fight the efforts of two utilities to close …

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Plutonium to be shipped to Pantex plant in Texas Panhandle

Amarillo’s Pantex Plant will be busy as ever as it gets ready to  receive shipments of weapons-grade plutonium from South Carolina. The National Nuclear Security Administration confirmed that preparations have been underway for weeks at Pantex, the nation’s primary facility for assembly, dismantlement and maintenance of nuclear weapons. “These operations will involve the use of …

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Blueknight Energy declares distribution

  A quarterly dividend of 5 cents a common unit has been declared by Blueknight Energy Partners, L.P. in Oklahoma City. The company also said it would make a cash distribution of $0.17875 per unit on the Partnership’s preferred units. “The reduction of the common unit distribution to $0.04 per common unit is a key …

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Murphy Oil expands holdings in the Gulf of Mexico

More than a month after selling its assets in Malaysia, Murphy Oil of El Dorado, Arkansas announced a more than $1 billion acquisition of assets in the deep water of Gulf of Mexico. When Murphy announced its $2.127 billion sale of assets in Malaysia, the company indicated it intended to focus on the Eagle Ford …

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Icahn board members at SandRidge Energy prepare for their first annual meeting

SandRidge Energy is preparing for its 2019 annual meeting set for May 23 in Oklahoma City. The company filed a proxy notice this week with the Securities and Exchange Commission laying out details of the agenda including the election of its board of directors. It is the first annual meeting since activist investor Carl Icahn …

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Major changes coming to Stroud plaza on I-44 turnpike

The Oklahoma Turnpike Authority has decided to close part of the Stroud Service Plaza on the TurnerTurnpike and build a new one at Chandler just for eastbound traffic. Anyone making the drive either from Tulsa or Oklahoma City knows it’s the half-way point between the two cities. Jack Damrill with the Authority said safety is …

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Turnpike Authority to collect hazardous waste

A household hazardous waste collection event will be held at the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority (OTA) Stroud Maintenance Facility, located at 123 Turnpike Road on April 27 from 9:00 a.m. to Noon. Household hazardous waste, used tires (removed from the wheel), old pharmaceuticals, and electronic waste will be collected and transported to an approved site for proper disposal. Tire …

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More bills signed into law by Gov. Stitt including one to fund road and bridge improvements

Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt was busy on Monday signing 22 bills into law including one for improvements to roads and bridges traveled by the state’s energy industry. House Bill 2676 called for transportation funding to the County Improvements for Roads and Bridges Fund. Another bill, HB 1332 will allow all-terrain vehicles to be driven on …

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