Drought devastating for Oklahoma livestock producers
Many livestock producers in Oklahoma are feeling the devastating effects of drought. One federal program could help provide some relief.
As of this month, 64 of the state’s counties are eligible for drought recovery assistance through the Livestock Forage Disaster Program.
LFP provides payments to eligible livestock producers who have suffered losses, such as beef cattle, due to drought-ridden pasture.
Breed stock producer Jordan Cook says it’ll cost more to feed her cattle through the winter. “Every month… we’re trying to figure out what would be our best scenario going through this winter and this fall - how to get by without taking on a ton of debt. I mean, a load of feed can cost, probably eight to $9,000. So I mean, you can’t have that extra cost every month.”
LFP only pays for a portion of drought-related damage, but Cook says the payment has gone a long way by helping her buy extra feed.
The deadline to apply for LFP assistance is January 30th of next year.
Cherokee Nation temporarily reopens Clothes for Kids program
The Cherokee Nation is temporarily reopening its clothes for kids program for some of the neediest families that missed the July deadline.
Applications for the clothes for kids program will reopen today on the tribal nation's Gadugi portal. The program is open to any enrolled Cherokee citizen – regardless of income or where they live.
Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. says payments for more than 66,000 kids who already applied for the program have already begun.
The clothing assistance program is made possible through funds from the American Recovery Plan Act.
The tribe is budgeting $13 million to help Cherokee citizens hit hard by inflation buy new school clothes for their kids
Oklahoma orders fewer Monkeypox vaccines than any other state
Oklahoma has ordered fewer monkeypox vaccines than any other state, according to reporting from The Frontier.
Oklahoma has ordered just 24% of the JYNNEOS monkeypox vaccines offered by the federal government - enough to vaccinate about 1,800 people if the state follows new FDA emergency guidelines to stretch limited supply.
The state is currently only vaccinating people who have been exposed to monkeypox. Exposure includes prolonged skin-to-skin contact with someone confirmed to have monkeypox or being at an event where the virus was present.
The state health department can still order more vaccines from the national stockpile if deemed necessary.
There have been 12 confirmed cases of monkeypox in the state and over 10,000 nationwide.
The University of Oklahoma welcomes largest freshman class in history
The University of Oklahoma welcomed its largest freshman class in history on Friday.
According to a press release the Class of 2026, with more than 4,700 students, also broke additional university records with a higher average GPA than any other incoming freshman class and more students identifying as underrepresented minorities than any other year.
Classes at OU begin on Aug. 22.
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