Cushing Urging Residents To Conserve Power
The City of Cushing is calling on residents to conserve electricity through at least Saturday.
City officials say the ongoing extreme heat wave is making it difficult for their system keep up.
The city says it's continuing to water substation transformers to prevent them from overheating.
Residents are being asked to raise thermostats, avoid charging electric vehicles and using high energy appliances during peak demand hours.
New Pardon and Parole Board Member
The Oklahoma Supreme Court has appointed a new member to the Pardon and Parole Board due to recent resignations.
Retired judge Robert E Reavis II is the newest member of the state’s Pardon and Parole Board. Throughout his career, Reavis was a judge advocate for the U.S. Marine Corps, a defense attorney, a prosecutor, and an associate district judge.
He retired in 2018 and is replacing Richard Smothermon, who had been on the board since July 2021.
Last April, Smothermon recused himself from voting in the clemency hearing for death row inmate Richard Glossip because his wife was the prosecutor in Glossip’s retrial.
Cathy Stocker, who resigned at the same time as Smothermon, will be replaced by former district attorney Kevin Buchanan.
Gov. Kevin Stitt recently appointed Buchanan to the board.
OKC Animal Shelter Closes Again Due To Canine Illness
The Oklahoma City Animal Shelter has closed again due to an upper respiratory illness spreading among dogs.
This is the third time this year a contagious infection has forced the facility to close.
The shelter says about 65 dogs are showing symptoms.
People who adopted dogs from the shelter last week are advised to watch for upper respiratory-type symptoms such as cough and runny nose.
The shelter closed for several weeks in June and March.
According to OKC Animal Welfare Superintendent Jon Gary, more closures are expected until immunity is built up in the canine community.
Animals that are sick, injured or pose a threat to the community will still be taken in. The Shelter has a population of about 425 dogs.
Tulsa Ports Authority Approves New Sewer Plant In Inola
The Tulsa Ports Authority has approved a plan to construct a new wastewater treatment facility in Inola that can support both the town and its fledgling river port.
Tulsa Ports ordered initial studies for an Inola wastewater treatment plant back in January.
At the time, the project was expected to cost around $30 million. Now that Tulsa Ports has approved an engineering firm’s plan, it expects the project could cost up to $118 million, according to a report from the Tulsa World.
The new treatment plant will support Inola’s municipal sewer needs and the port’s anticipated industrial wastewater requirements.
Tulsa Ports announced the arrival of a $1 billion solar panel manufacturing facility in May and hopes to attract more businesses to the area.
But Inola’s current sewers may not be able to handle that growth.
Since 2018, the existing wastewater treatment plant has been under orders to deal with chronic violations.
The project has received tens of millions of dollars in federal, state and tribal funds
Oklahoma City Bridge To Be Featured On U.S. Stamp
An Oklahoma landmark will be featured on new stamps from the U.S. Postal Service.
Oklahoma City’s Skydance Bridge will be part of a new stamp series that highlights four U.S. bridges, showcasing a blend of contemporary and historical designs.
The stamps will be available nationwide on Aug. 24.
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