Severe Storms Produce Large Hail, Tornadoes In Oklahoma
National Weather Service teams are reviewing the damage in Lawton and other areas that were impacted by Thursday’s severe storms.
Multiple tornadoes were reported along with powerful winds and large hail.
Softball size hail and 80 mph wind gusts battered Southwest Oklahoma, shattering car windows and damaging buildings.
The system dropped the first tornado in Lawton city limits in decades.
It also left behind destruction across the area, says Alana Pack with Comanche County Emergency Management.
“So for structural damage we’re looking at significant roof damage, significant out building damage, limbs, power lines, things of that nature,” Pack said.
Crews across the state are continuing their efforts to clean up and restore power to the tens of thousands of people who lost it in the storm.
But they’re bracing for more severe weather.
The National Weather Service says there’s a chance of more large hail and damaging storms across the Central Plains and Southeastern U.S. tonight.
Parking Garage Backlash at University of Oklahoma
OU Parking Services is under fire for its public responses to students who questioned why a car dealership was allowed to use an on-campus garage during severe weather.
Following Thursday night’s storms, students coming onto campus Friday morning discovered the second floor Jenkins parking garage filled with Landers Chevrolet of Norman’s inventory.
That sparked an argument on Twitter.
Students expressed their frustration with the decision, saying they wished there had been more communication prior to the spots being taken.
Parking Services responded by saying “there were hundreds of open spaces” and called the controversy a non-issue.
Other complaints revolved around how visitor passes were not displayed on the vehicles which normally results in a parking citation.
According to Parking Services, the dealership, which is a partner with OU Athletics, paid for two days of visitor parking.
The argument comes after OU considered a 5% increase on the already $274 parking permits for students.
Blue-Green Algae Bloom At Liberty Lake
Guthrie officials say they’re restricting activities at Liberty Lake while they treat a blue-green algae bloom.
The city is prohibiting swimming, tubing, wakeboarding and operating watercraft for the time being. People and their pets should avoid direct contact with the water, but land-based activities around the lake are still fair game.
The city says normal springtime algae growth has been spurred on by low lake levels and warm waters. In a news release, officials say the timing of rains this year may have caused more runoff from surrounding fields. When fertilizer runs off into streams and lakes, it can feed algae instead of the plants it was intended for. The city says it expects this bloom to fizzle out when it uses up all those available nutrients.
Normally, Guthrie draws some of its drinking water from Liberty Lake. But until this issue is resolved, the city says it will rely on other water sources to ensure the drinking water stays safe.
History Suggests Stitt Cabinet Appointment Not Likely
History suggests Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt should not count on receiving a national political position despite his early endorsement of presidential candidate Ron DeSantis.
The Oklahoman newspaper reports since the 1980s, no Oklahoma governors have been chosen for Cabinet roles, even after endorsing candidates who won their presidential elections.
That includes Republican Mary Fallin who endorsed Donald Trump in 2016 and Democrat Brad Henry who backed Barack Obama in 2008.
Gov. Stitt endorsed DeSantis at a Tulsa rally last weekend.
In April, Stitt told the conservative online publication the Daily Caller he would be interested in holding the positions of Secretary of Energy or the Interior.
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