Severe Weather Damage Surveys Ongoing Statewide
The National Weather Service confirmed at least five tornadoes struck the state Sunday night.
Blaine, Custer and Canadian counties in western Oklahoma bore the brunt of the damage. Survey crews say the tornadoes near Yukon and Custer City were at least EF-2s.
The state Department of Emergency Management says the storms injured at least 4 people and damaged more than 40 structures. Thousands of Oklahomans spent the night without power.
Damage assessments are still ongoing - the state is asking people whose properties were hit to submit a report at damage.ok.gov.
Most Oklahomans will face more risk of severe weather Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.
OKC City Council Set To Consider New Thunder Arena Tomorrow
The Oklahoma City Council is set to take up the new Thunder basketball arena at a meeting Tuesday.
The council will consider a development agreement for the new arena with the Thunder’s operating group.
The agreement covers major parts of the design and construction process for the $900-million project.
Within the agreement, the arena would be located at the site of the former Cox Convention Center. About 1.4 acres of the site will be reserved for a potential future intercity transit hub.
Voters approved funding for the new arena in December.
The Thunder's 25-year commitment to stay in Oklahoma City will start when they move into the new arena.
City officials estimate that will be in time for the 2028 season.
New Medical School Graduates Celebrated
Oklahoma State University’s College of Osteopathic Medicine graduated its first class.
Friday’s commencement ceremony in Tulsa marks a historic day.
The graduates are part of the first tribally-affiliated medical school, which opened its doors alongside the Cherokee Nation in Tahlequah during the pandemic.
Of the 46 graduates, 20 percent are Indigenous, and 35 percent are matched into rural or tribal residency programs.
It’s a significant difference to the 1 percent of Indigenous students in medical programs nationwide.
College and tribal leaders say it marks progress in improving Oklahoma’s poor health outcomes.
Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin praised the graduates, saying they will be leaders in the medical field in Oklahoma and beyond for years to come.
New Guidance On Black Vultures
Federal agencies and the state Department of Agriculture have doubled the number of black vultures livestock producers can kill.
Black vultures clean up animal carcasses and are federally protected.
But the bird’s population has grown in recent years and their attacks on livestock have become an issue: especially of young cattle.
Oklahoma is part of a federal Black Vulture Livestock Protection Program and therefore, ranchers can get a free sub-permit through the state Department of Agriculture to kill the bird.
With the permit, people must follow certain rules.
Livestock producers were allowed to have 5 legal “takes” of black vultures. Now they can take 10.
State officials say the increase will help producers with black vulture management.
If the ten number is too low, producers can work with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to manage the species further.
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