Dollar Tree Plans To Return To Marietta With New Distribution Center
Dollar Tree plans to reopen a new Distribution Center in southern Oklahoma to replace one that was destroyed in a tornado last year.
After an EF-4 tornado near Marietta struck the one-million-square-foot distribution center last April, a company spokesperson said the warehouse would close because the facility could not be reopened in the foreseeable future.
About 450 people worked at the center.
But the company announced Thursday it plans to build a new facility.
"We are thrilled to announce our return to Marietta," said Mike Kindy, Executive Vice President and Chief Supply Chain Officer, Dollar Tree, Inc. "This region and the Marietta community are critically important in our supply chain network and will be essential to our future growth. We’re proud of the role we’ve played in the greater Marietta community, and we hope to welcome back many associates, bringing the Dollar Tree spirit back to the area."
The new facility is expected to open in spring 2027.
The center will be the same size and will include new technology.
Officials say the region and Marietta are critical to the store's supply chain network and it will bring about 400 jobs back to the state.
This comes as the Michelin Tire Plant just north in Ardmore has wound down operations. That plant had about 1,400 employees.
Oklahoma Arts Council Cancels Conference Amid Funding Uncertainity
The Oklahoma Arts Council has suspended its annual conference due to funding issues.
In a news release, the Oklahoma Arts Council cited uncertainty in state and federal funding for the arts as its reason for suspending the 2025 Oklahoma Arts Conference.
That was scheduled to take place in Enid this fall.
Since 2007, the conference has taken place every two years to provide professional development and networking opportunities to those contributing to the state’s arts and cultural sectors.
The Council was established in 1965 to distribute federal funding from the National Endowment for the Arts to communities across the state.
In the 90s, the Council worked with the Capitol Preservation Commission to add paintings, murals, and sculptures to the Capitol Art Collection.
Fort Gibson Lake Bridge Closed Indefinitely
A bridge spanning the dam at Fort Gibson Lake is closed indefinitely due to unsafe conditions.
The dam and its bridge are around half a mile long.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers started building the dam in 1942, impounding the Neosho River for flood control and hydroelectric generation.
The bridge on top of the dam bears cars across the south side of Fort Gibson Lake on Highway 251.
The Army Corps has been closely monitoring the bridge for years after structural degradation was identified. The Corps said there’s no risk to the dam’s integrity, but a recent inspection revealed the bridge’s deterioration has sped up over the past five months, and it’s now unsafe to drive on.
There are tentative plans to start replacing the bridge in 2026.
The Oklahoma Department of Transportation said it’s unclear whether repairs will allow the road to reopen before then.
Norman Music Festival Returns
The Norman Music Festival kicks off Thursday night with dozens of live performances set for the next few days.
More than 200 bands, songwriters and DJs take over 18 stages in downtown Norman this weekend.
Bands will play mostly indoor venues and one outdoor stage tonight, but a total of four outdoor stages will be active on Friday and Saturday.
Headlining bands include Seattle surf rockers La Luz, Detroit hip hop producer Apollo Brown and Oklahoma singer-songwriter Ken Pomeroy.
The three-day festival is open to the public and for attendees of all ages. Saturday’s lineup includes a Kids Fest, with music by kindie rockers Sugar Free Allstars as well as a ‘Wicked’ sing-along.
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