Oklahoma Reaches Settlement In Multi-State Lawsuit Against Johnson & Johnson
Oklahoma has joined a $700 million nationwide settlement with Johnson & Johnson.
State Attorney General Gentner Drummond says the state's share is $9.8 million.
The lawsuit alleged that Johnson & Johnson deceptively promoted and misled consumers in advertisements related to the safety and purity of some of its talc powder products.
The company has agreed to stop making and selling its baby powder and body powder products containing talc in the U.S.
More than 40 other states are part of the settlement.
Warrant Clearing Event
Hundreds of people with active warrants got a chance at a clean slate this weekend.
People of all ages started lining up nearly three hours before Diversion Hub opened its doors in Oklahoma City Saturday.
This is the fifth event the legal nonprofit has hosted to help residents clear their misdemeanor and local warrants.
Attendees had help understanding their record, paying outstanding fees, or scheduling new court dates. And they enjoyed snacks, music and games while they waited in the hot sun.
Rocky Conway has been using Diversion Hub’s legal support services for about a month, and his case manager invited him to this event.
“Not only am I taking care of things that can haunt me later, I'm also learning that there's all kinds of services out there that I never even was aware of," Conway said.
Conway said he hopes by this time next year, his landscaping company will be off the ground and he’ll be helping young people avoid the mistakes he’s made.
OG&E Seeking Rate Hike
OG&E is seeking approval from the corporation commission for a $332 million rate hike.
The new rate could increase the average customer’s bill by about $19 a month.
The utility company says the proposed increase would help offset expenses incurred from its investments in the power grid.
The proposed rate hike comes after customers recently saw a decrease of about $25 due to a reduction in fuel costs. The utility says no profit is made from fuel charges.
A hearing is set for Monday.
If approved, this would be the third rate hike since 2017, not counting fuel charge adjustments.
New Ranking Won’t Make Oklahomans Proud
A national study finds Oklahoma falls close to the bottom for child well-being.
Every year the Annie E. Casey Foundation assesses child well-being across the country. This year’s report ranks Oklahoma 46th overall.
The study considers various factors such as education, economics, health, family and community. In all those categories, Oklahoma ranked among the bottom.
Children across the country have shown declines in reading and math proficiency since the COVID-19 pandemic began.
But Oklahoma has stayed near the bottom, ranking 49th in education for the second year due to low test scores.
Although it still ranked low, Oklahoma saw improvements in its family and community scores. Child poverty and teen birth rates dropped from last year.
The Casey Foundation recommends investment in education and legislative action to make life better for Oklahoma’s children.
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