Proposed Heartland Flyer Rail Route Extension Rolling Along
A proposed Amtrak route connecting Oklahoma City to central Kansas has been selected to receive federal funding.
This is the Federal Rail Administration’s first round of funding for the Corridor Identification and Development program. It gives Oklahoma and Kansas half a million dollars to plan an expansion of the Heartland Flyer Amtrak route.
The existing service only makes one roundtrip between OKC and Fort Worth, Texas, each day. The proposed expansion would bump that up to three trips per day.
It would also extend the route farther north.
The new segment would have six stops between Oklahoma City and Newton, Kansas.
At the northern end of the line, passengers could transfer to the existing Southwest Chief, which runs between Los Angeles and Chicago.
The train could be operational in about six years, although the Kansas Department of Transportation says this new funding may expedite that.
OKC Residents To Vote On New Arena
Downtown Oklahoma City has experienced a renaissance over the past few decades — thanks in no small part to the economic impact of gaining a professional NBA team, the Thunder.
The team's future in OKC may depend on whether voters approve a proposal to build a new, nearly $1 billion arena for the team.
The Paycom Center currently hosts the Thunder, but is one of the smallest arenas in the NBA, and more than two decades old.
Today, voters in Oklahoma City face a choice: approve a 1% sales tax to build a new, roughly $900 million facility that proponents of the measure say will keep the team in OKC through 2050, or face the possibility of losing the team to another city.
The Thunder’s ownership group is pledging to kick in only about $50 million toward a new arena, which is a much smaller piece of the pie than other owners have paid for their arenas.
Another Crackdown On Illegal Marijuana Grow Operations
A grand jury has indicted three men for their roles in an illegal marijuana farm in Kingfisher County where four people were killed last year.
Officials say the scheme allowed non-Oklahomans to get commercial medical marijuana licenses.
Prosecutors accuse the men of setting up a straw ownership scheme for grow operations in the state, serving as a front for out-of-state residents.
People living outside of Oklahoma cannot have an Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority license or be registered with the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs.
Attorney General Gentner Drummond touted the case as a reflection of his office’s commitment to enforcing cannabis regulations.
The men are charged with conspiracy against the state. Two of them face criminal offenses including submitting fraudulent documents and aggravated manufacturing of marijuana.
Warrant Clearance Event In Oklahoma County
An event which has helped hundreds of people in Oklahoma County avoid going to jail is returning on Dec. 15.
This will be the county’s third ‘warrant clearance’ event of the year.
People in Oklahoma County with outstanding traffic, cost, or misdemeanor warrants can get help sorting out their legal matters without having to worry about being arrested.
At the event, public defenders and other county representatives will be available to help people schedule court dates, pay fees, or set up payment plans so their warrants can be cleared.
Other services from the Employment and Education Ministries, the Diversion Hub, and other organizations will also be available.
This event will be held from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday at the north end of the Oklahoma County Election Board building.
You can check to see if you have a warrant on the Oklahoma County Sheriff's website.
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