Another sign that Oklahoma’s economy is making improvements, albeit small ones. The August report from the Creighton Economic Forecasting Group directed by economics professor Ernie Goss show more positive movement. Oklahoma is one of 9 Midwestern states where supply managers are surveyed. “After falling below growth neutral for July, Oklahoma’s overall index climbed to 56.2 …
Number of Oklahoma Swift Water Rescue Teams Declines in Hurricane Relief
The Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management continues to send workers to Texas and work with FEMA following the hurricane. “A State of Emergency for Oklahoma remains in effect so that state, county, and local governments can adequately respond to the mutual aid requests and needs of the Gulf Coast states,” said Keli Cain, public information …
Hundreds More Oklahoma National Guard Troops Sent to Texas
Nearly 500 Oklahoma National Guard troops were sent to Texas over the weekend to help with hurricane relief. For many, they had returned just weeks ago from a six-month mission in Ukraine where they had trained Ukrainian soldiers. Lt. Col. Adam Headrick, commander of the “Tomahawk” Task Force is with the 1st Battalion of the …
August Rainfall Just Missed Being a New Record in Oklahoma
The past month turned out to be the second wettest August in Oklahoma on record as rainfall totaled an average of 6.42 inches. The Oklahoma Mesonet reports the total was 3.47 inches above normal and only .06 less than the record set in August 1915. State Climatologist Gary McManus reported ten Mesonet sites recorded …
Gasoline Prices Rise with Shortages Caused by Harvey
As the nationwide gasoline price average hit $2.45 entering the weekend, Oklahoma motorists and others can only wait to see if prices will rise even more and whether there will be any supply issues. As of Friday, some Oklahoma retailers reported they were met with supply limits on their purchases while some refiners in the …
Court Ruling on Car Tax Prompts a Gubernatorial Candidate to Attack Another
The Oklahoma Supreme Court ruling that upheld the constitutionality o the removal of a sales tax exemption on new cars brought an obvious sigh of relief from Gov. Mary Fallin and legislative leaders. But it also brought a broadside filed by one politician against Lt. Gov. Todd Lamb who is running for governor. Gary Richardson, …
Anadarko Takes IRS to Court in Fight Over Capital Loss Denial
The hurricane’s damage and flooding in south Texas didn’t stop Anadarko Petroleum Corporation from suing the IRS this week in Texas federal court. The Houston-based company sued the IRS because it refused to recognize a nearly $16 million capital loss two years. The lawsuit alleges the agency also changed its rules covering the deferral of …
Xcel Energy to Close 2 Coal-Fired Units at Pueblo, Colorado
Xcel Energy, the largest electrical utility in Colorado confirms it is considering the shutdown of two coal-fired generating units ten years earlier than planned. The company says it plans to replace the two older units at the Comanche Generating Station in Pueblo with a mix of wind, solar and natural gas. One of the units …
Push for New Energy Standards in New Mexico
State regulators in New Mexico are being asked to create new energy standards to protect consumers and utility shareholders from future environmental regulations. New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas joined some consumer advocates in petitioning the Public Regulation Commission and calling on electric utilities to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from power plants by 4 percent …
Protesters are Long Gone But Not the Protests Over Dakota Access Pipeline
Some last-minute filings were made by American Indian tribes still fighting the Dakota Access oil pipeline in North Dakota. They are still trying to persuade a federal judge that Texas-based Energy Transfer Partners has overstated the potential impacts of a shutdown of the pipeline. Standing Rock Sioux attorney Jan Hasselman and Cheyenne River Sioux attorney …










