Former Astronaut, Pilot Lt. General Thomas Stafford Dies In Florida
An Oklahoma native who commanded the Apollo 10 moon mission has died.
Stafford Air & Space Museum officials confirmed Lt. Gen. Thomas Stafford died this morning in Florida.
Stafford piloted the lunar module into orbit during the Apollo 10 mission.
He was known for his contributions to space exploration and aviation, including pioneering work with stealth technology.
U.S. Senator James Lankford issued a statement today following the news of Stafford’s death:
“Cindy and I are profoundly saddened by the loss of General Stafford, who served his hometown, state, and nation until his last day. He was an Air Force officer, pilot, astronaut, patriot, husband, father, and a man who never stopped serving his country."
"In the past few months, General Stafford was in my office talking about the next generation in space and ways we can strengthen our nation. In 1962 he not only piloted Gemini VI—he helped develop and prove the basic theory and practicality of space rendezvous—a truly remarkable achievement for a boy from Weatherford. General Stafford leaves a legacy and an example to young Oklahomans of the American dream—no matter who you are or where you start, if you work hard, you can achieve greatness in the United States. We will pray for his family as they grieve his passing.”
Services for Stafford will be held in his hometown of Weatherford. He was 93.
AG Drummond Files Lawsuit Against EPA Over Methane Emission Rules
State Attorney General Gentner Drummond is at odds with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency over new rules to reduce methane emissions.
Drummond is leading a coalition of states in a lawsuit to stop what he calls an attack on Oklahoma’s most vital industry: oil and gas.
Oil and gas accounts for almost a quarter of the state’s economy. But nationwide, it also accounts for more methane emissions than any other industry.
New rules from the EPA aim to slash those emissions by increasing monitoring and requiring more efficient equipment.
Federal officials say the country needs to sharply reduce its methane emissions to prevent near-term climate impacts and avoid long-term climate disaster.
But Drummond says the rules could also hurt Oklahomans whose livelihoods depend on oil and gas.
He’s filing a lawsuit against the EPA, and 23 other states have signed on. The suit says the EPA’s new rule is arbitrary and unauthorized. It calls for the rule to be struck down before it can go into effect in May.
Proposed Legislation To Limit Left Lane Driving
Some state lawmakers say it’s time to limit how long vehicles can stay in the left lane.
House Bill 3452 is authored by Tulsa Representative Jeff Boatman. The measure would place limits on how long vehicles can linger in the left lane, with different time constraints for different types of vehicles.
Tractor trailers would have two minutes to pass, while smaller vehicles like cars and pickups would have only one minute.
The nonprofit news outlet Oklahoma Voice reports Oklahoma law enforcement write about 80,000 speeding tickets a year, but only issues about 50 left lane violation tickets.
The measure would also drop the fine for left lane violators from $550 to $250.
Postseason College Basketball Tournament Info
The University of Oklahoma women’s basketball team is headed to the Big Dance, but its men’s team is not.
Led by Big 12 co-Player of the Year Skylar Vann, the OU women’s squad were the regular season conference champs. They’ll head to Bloomington, Indiana as a 5th-seed in the NCAA Tournament.
OU faces the 12th-seed, Florida Gulf Coast University Eagles at 3 p.m. Saturday.
The OU men’s team was denied a spot in the NCAA tourney, as one of the first four left out of the selection process.
After starting the season with 10 straight wins and a top 10 ranking, the Sooners faltered in Big 12 play, winning just 8 games and losing 10.
The program turned down an invitation to play in what many consider to be a consolation tournament, the NIT.
Meanwhile, two teams from Oklahoma advanced to the Round of 16 of the NAIA Men's Basketball Championship.
Oklahoma Wesleyan University and Langston University will continue their post-season runs on Thursday and Friday.
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