The Senate Armed Services Committee, chaired by U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe, R-Okla., got a briefing on the Department of Defense’s (DOD) response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Officials updated committee members on what DOD is doing to protect the force and maintain readiness, how the DOD is supporting civil authorities, and what steps DOD is taking…
Under strict health and safety protocols, the Oklahoma Legislature opened on Monday to address the expected state revenue failure and an expanded state health emergency requested by Gov. Kevin Stitt. “The Legislature will complete important business next week while putting safety at the forefront of all activities at the Capitol,” said House Speaker Charles McCall,…
Oklahoma’s 2020 candidate filing period for federal, state, and legislative offices will occur as scheduled, Oklahoma State Election Board Secretary Paul Ziriax announced. The three-day filing period runs 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on April 8-10. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the secretary is encouraging candidates for federal, state, and legislative offices to file their…
While the pandemic has left the country with a shortage of personal protective equipment and ventilators, it has also resulted in a depleted supply of blood. With the need for blood at an all-time high, State Sen. Joe Newhouse, R-Tulsa, has partnered with the Oklahoma Blood Institute (OBI) to host mobile blood drives to combat…
STILLWATER — Oklahoma State University’s (OSU) Diagnostic Laboratory is now operational as an approved COVID-19 diagnostic lab, dramatically increasing Oklahoma’s testing capabilities. The lab does not test individuals for the virus, but rather analyzes samples sent by health care providers. Using Thermo Fisher diagnostic machines, the lab is capable of analyzing more than 2,000 samples…
The coronavirus pandemic is forcing Macy’s to furlough the majority of its r130,000 employees. All of Macy’s stores, including the retail store in Woodland Hills Mall, have been closed since March. Because of online sales, Macy’s distribution center in Tulsa is expected to have fewer furloughs. More than a thousand workers are in the Tulsa…
Sapulpa resident Joni Rogers-Kante, Founder and CEO of SeneGence International, is using her supply chain to manufacture and bottle a 62 percent alcohol hand sanitizer made in accordance with FDA guidelines. SeneGence has donated thousands of bottles of their newly developed Hand Sanitizer to the Ronald McDonald House and CHOC Children’s Hospital in Orange County,…
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Oklahoma said it is waiving member cost-sharing, including deductibles, copayments and coinsurance, related to treatment for COVID-19. The waiver applies to costs associated with COVID-19 treatment at in-network facilities and treatment for out-of-network emergencies.
Oklahoma Gross Receipts to the Treasury in March show the calm before the storm. As has been the case for several months, they indicate slight overall growth, but with slowing sales tax collections and reduced oil and gas production, State Treasurer Randy McDaniel has described the state tax revenue report from March as “the calm…
In 2009, as the Great Recession roiled the economy, Congress responded with an enormous “stimulus” package that supporters claimed would reignite economic growth. However, the $2 trillion legislation recently passed by Congress has more modest goals, according to U.S. Sen. James Lankford. “That’s not what this is,” said Lankford, R-Oklahoma City. “This is trying to…