News Briefs

Few churches met in person for worship services in April

May 14, 2020 Aaron Earls

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — As federal, state and local governments weigh relaxing stay-at-home guidelines, most churches continued to avoid gathering physically throughout April. Nine in 10 Protestant pastors say their congregations did not meet for an in-person worship service last month, according to a new study from Nashville-based LifeWay Research. A previous study from LifeWay Research…

False unemployment claims skyrocket

May 14, 2020 Trisha Gedon

STILLWATER – Oklahoma has seen an unprecedented increase in the number of unemployment claims, officials said. Unfortunately, some of those 51,124 claims have proven to be fraudulent. The Oklahoma Employment Securities Commission has reported at least 3,800 fraudulent claims have been filed since mid-March this year, said Cindy Clampet, Oklahoma State University Extension assistant resource…

Bus firm complains that Tulsa wants to break its lease

May 14, 2020

(PRNewswire) – The City of Tulsa is threatening to evict IC Bus from its school bus manufacturing facility at the Tulsa International Airport, a move which would cost the city and the state of Oklahoma 1,600 jobs. IC Bus executives say in January 2020, the City of Tulsa, at the direction of Mayor G.T. Bynum,…

Bynum says the city doesn’t want to evict bus company

May 14, 2020

Tulsa city officials said a claim by IC Bus of Oklahoma and their parent company Navistar that the City of Tulsa threatened to evict them from their local facility is false. According to a Tulsa press release, “The City of Tulsa has no intent of issuing an eviction notice as the city is currently under…

OSU studies the impact of the coronavirus on food supply

May 14, 2020

STILLWATER – Experts from the Oklahoma State University Robert M. Kerr Food and Agricultural Products Center evaluated the potential impact of COVID-19 on the state’s food industry from March to mid-April and compiled a report. “Due to the limited amount of data available and the ever-changing landscape during this unprecedented event, situational analysis discussion is…

OKC’s Feed the Children faces need

May 14, 2020

OKLAHOMA CITY (PRNewswire) — Feed the Children, a leading hunger relief organization, has been working with its network of community partners on the ground in cities and towns across the U.S. and in the 10 countries it serves to address the ever-growing needs of those affected by COVID-19 (coronavirus). Seeing the situation firsthand, the nonprofit…

Private wells and the coronavirus

May 14, 2020

WESTERVILLE, Ohio – The National Ground Water Association has published an article outlining the potential risk of the COVID-19 virus contaminating private water well systems. While the risk to private water well systems is low, various viruses, including COVID-19, are still a potential threat to drinking water from private wells. The most effective action to…

Telemedicine from OU physicians

May 14, 2020

OKLAHOMA CITY AND TULSA – Physicians at OU Medicine in Oklahoma City and Tulsa are offering telehealth visits in 77 medical specialties for both adults and children, representing nearly every specialty available. Telehealth visits are available for both existing and new patients. More than 800 OU Medicine physicians and advanced practice providers are connecting with…

Tulsa gas prices rise due to activity

May 14, 2020

Tulsa gas prices have risen 11.5 cents per gallon in the past week, averaging $1.40/gallon Monday, according to GasBuddy’s daily survey of 321 stations. Gas prices in Tulsa are 1 cent higher than a month ago and stand 102.9 cents per gallon lower than a year ago. According to GasBuddy price reports, the cheapest station…

Few churches met in person for worship services in April

May 14, 2020 Aaron Earls