© 2025 KGOU
News and Music for Oklahoma
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

AM NewsBrief: Aug. 7, 2023

This is the KGOU AM NewsBrief for Monday, Aug. 7, 2023.

Norman Legislators React To ACCESS Approval

After a year of legal battles and community outrage, the drama surrounding the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority’s ACCESS Oklahoma Plan has come to a close, and the project is moving forward.

The state Supreme Court approved the ACCESS project and its $500 million bond package last Tuesday. ACCESS Oklahoma is a 15-year, $5 billion dollar turnpike project, which will build three new toll roads in the metro area.

Norman residents have advocated against the project since its announcement in February 2022. Their representatives at the state Capitol responded to the decision in a press release by expressing their disappointment in the ruling.

The four legislators encouraged Normanites to remain hopeful in state Auditor Cyndi Byrd’s audit of the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority. They also want oversight reforms.

Pauls Valley School Threat

Pauls Valley Police investigated a social media threat towards the Pauls Valley Public School District on Sunday.

Police say a juvenile posted the threat to Snapchat. The threat was anonymously sent to Pauls Valley High School administrators.

Authorities say they made contact with the juvenile’s parents. Following an interview with the juvenile, police said they were not deemed a threat. The minor was processed through juvenile services.

Pauls Valley students go back to the classroom on Thursday. The district says it will have increased police presence around the school.

Food-Borne Microbe Uptick

The Oklahoma State Department of Health is investigating a food-borne parasite that’s infecting more Oklahomans than usual this summer. It’s part of a nationwide uptick in cyclospora related illness.

Cyclospora is a type of microbe that can infect people via contaminated water or food, especially berries, fresh herbs and leafy greens. The main symptom is watery diarrhea that lasts more than a week.

Normally, cases in the U.S. pick up in the summertime. But this year, they started showing up earlier, and most of the country has seen more than normal. That includes Oklahoma, where the State Health Department has launched an investigation into cyclospora-related illness.

A spokesperson says most of the state’s cases have been in Northeastern Oklahoma. The investigation has identified romaine lettuce as a possible culprit, but the Health Department isn’t recommending Oklahomans avoid any specific foods right now.

This illness is still pretty uncommon — despite the uptick, Oklahoma has only reported between 11 and 30 cases this year, according to data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control.

Shawnee Special Commission Meeting To Address Building Demolition, Homelessness

The City of Shawnee is holding a special call commission meeting Monday evening to address a number of issues in downtown.

The city is expected to announce who will demolish and remove what's left of three buildings on the corner of Main Street and Broadway, following a collapse and damage from storms earlier this year.

Also, the city will be taking a closer look at the homeless population in the area. The special call commission meeting is scheduled for 6:00 this evening at City Hall.

_________________

For additional news throughout the day visit our website, KGOU.org and follow us on social media.

We also invite you to subscribe to the KGOU PM NewsBrief.

Stay Connected