A flood of early campaign ads has signaled the beginning of a protracted election season as Gov. Kevin Stitt seeks a second term in November.
Norman’s Medieval Fair is back big this year, two years after COVID-19 forced the festival to go fully or mostly virtual.
The following building permit activity was reported by the Development Services Division of the City of Norman for March 10-16.
One way to permanently get rid of computer files you don’t want anyone to ever see is to physically destroy the computer’s hard drive.
The founder of an after school entrepreneurial organization for kids will work in Oklahoma and nationwide to increase access to afternoon and summer learning programs as one of 17 program leaders selected across the country.
District Judge Michael Tupper has announced his candidacy to renew his term as District Judge of the 21st Judicial District, Office 1.
Ryan Walters has failed to report campaign expenditures in his quarterly finance reports in his bid for State Superintendent, violating state ethics laws and leading to confusion about how much money his campaign actually has on hand.
Editor’s note: The following history in this article was obtained from news reports from The Transcript and several metro area newspapers at the time. For brevity, these are cited as news reports from the period.
Homeless shelters in the Oklahoma City metro commonly practice a level of sex offender enforcement that two Norman city councilors believe is not stringent enough for a proposed homeless shelter.
Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., said Friday he will support U.S. Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson.
On the fifth floor of the Oklahoma County courthouse, defendants announced the number of days they’ve been sober as they approached the bench.
OKLAHOMA CITY — A bill banning transgender athletes from participating in female school athletic events is headed to the governor’s desk.
MIAMI BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Miami Beach officials have spent recent years trying to control the raucous crowds, public drinking and growing violence associated with the city’s world-famous South Beach neighborhood during spring break.
Some very young children respond enthusiastically to rhythm, melody and harmony. They may want to handle musical instruments or rock out when hearing music. These traits aren’t unusual but may signal they are a music child prodigy.
A program created to help students achieve their entrepreneurial goals will launch Saturday with a showcase at The Well after inclement weather canceled the initial event date last month.
Sky-high gas prices aren’t the only reason it’s getting more expensive than ever to drive a car.
OKLAHOMA CITY — A small, four-seat, car carrying six Oklahoma teenagers reportedly failed to come to a full stop before entering an intersection where it was hit by a large truck, killing all of the teens, the National Transportation Safety Board said Thursday.
A bill that would require the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority to begin studies before issuing bonds on a new proposed toll road in Norman passed the Senate Thursday with OTA support.
AUSTIN — After taking a loss in Texas courts, state Attorney General Ken Paxton has turned to pharmaceutical companies in his campaign to restrict care options for transgender youth.
EDITOR’S NOTE: This article has been updated to accurately state when the vote came in.
OU’s International Advisory Committee (IAC) is hosting its 50th Eve of Nations event on April 8.
The Norman Chamber, Norman Economic Development Coalition and Visit Norman are settled into their new building downtown and welcomed the city to celebrate their official grand opening Wednesday.
People visit Miami Beach, Fla., on Wednesday, March 23, 2022. (Matias J. Ocner/Miami Herald via AP)
A Miami Beach Police vehicle cuts through crowds near Ocean Drive during Spring Break in Miami Beach, Florida, on Saturday, March 19, 2022. (Daniel A. Varela/Miami Herald via AP)
OKLAHOMA CITY — Oklahoma’s governor should not have scheduled a special election for a soon-to-be vacant U.S. Senate seat because Republican Sen. Jim Inhofe has not yet resigned, an attorney argued Wednesday before the Oklahoma Supreme Court.
Hundreds of demonstrators filled the halls of the Oklahoma Capitol and shouted “Go away OTA” Wednesday in protest of plans for turnpike expansion in the Norman area.
Tribal leaders in Oklahoma announced Wednesday the results of a 2019 study on the economic impact the 38 federally recognized tribes had in the state.
A package of proposals that would make it harder for many state questions to pass, or even make it on the ballot, are moving forward in Oklahoma’s Legislature.
AUSTIN — Preliminary surveys found at least 20 tornadoes ripped through Texas leaving crumbled buildings in their wake, according to National Weather Service data.
OKLAHOMA CITY — The Oklahoma House late Tuesday passed a bill that would prohibit doctors from performing abortions in the state, one of several anti-abortion bills working its way to the Republican governor — who has indicated he’ll sign it.
Sex offender requirements continue to be the biggest point of contention over the proposed location of the city’s overnight homeless shelter, but Norman staff say a database to identify potential offenders could be in order to address the issue.
Editor’s note: This article has been updated after OTA Deputy Director Joe Echelle was misidentified as Joe Kelly.
At least 512 nursing home residents who died from COVID-19 are missing from state reports.
OKLAHOMA CITY — House lawmakers this week narrowly passed a measure that critics say could strip cities and counties of the ability to regulate vegetable gardens and mediate disputes between landowners.
While the Oklahoma Department of Transportation purchases land for its own use, that doesn’t mean other agencies such as the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority won’t need it, state officials said.
A nonprofit organization called Pike Off OTA (Oklahoma Turnpike Authority) has called a press conference ahead of the council meeting Tuesday.
Lawmakers advanced a measure Monday that could allow children with contagious and untreated head lice to remain in school.
An Oklahoma bill in session would direct taxes to local law enforcement agencies to have deputies assist inspectors at grow sites.
A southeastern Oklahoma district attorney filed a petition asking for a competency inquiry of a death row inmate days after a state appellate court ruled to uphold a judge’s ruling in the matter.
DUMAS, Ark. (AP) — In a story published March 20, 2022, about a shooting at a car show in Arkansas, The Associated Press, quoting Arkansas State Police, erroneously reported the number of wounded people. There were 26 people who were wounded by gunfire but survived, not 27. The Associated Pr…
On the promise of new jobs, Oklahoma officials waived competitive bidding requirements to award electric vehicle startup Canoo a statewide contract to buy up to 1,000 electric vehicles over five years.
WASHINGTON, D.C. — A congressional committee is reviewing 100 possible replacement names for nine military bases currently commemorating Confederate officers.
The honeymoon at least appears to be over for Norman sales tax revenue, officials say.
Knowing what’s safe to click on the Internet is a vital skill to folks who want to stay out of trouble. As I am fond of saying, “Careful where you click.” What you don’t click on is just as important as what you do.
The following building permit activity was reported by the Development Services Division of the City of Norman for March 3-9.
Residents can celebrate Easter and spring at the Oklahoma City Zoo’s and Botanical Garden’s new Eggstravaganza, presented by Kinder Joy®.
Whether you’re new to Oklahoma or born and bred here, there are lots of things you don’t know about our state.
The owner of a Campus Corner bar cited state law in an approved special use request, but a property owner opposes him on grounds that the request would change the culture of the area if it were approved.
An audit released in 2021 indicated Epic Charter Schools misappropriated millions of dollars, and legislators are taking action to prevent a repeat.
Clear skies. Low 46F. Winds E at 10 to 20 mph..
Clear skies. Low 46F. Winds E at 10 to 20 mph.
Updated: March 27, 2022 @ 9:34 pm
Norman, Oklahoma
Tommy Gray gets his Covid-19 shot during IMMY’s vaccination clinic Jan. 27, 2021, at Embassy Suites. One year later, infection rates have plummeted.
Tommy Gray gets his Covid-19 shot during IMMY’s vaccination clinic Jan. 27, 2021, at Embassy Suites. One year later, infection rates have plummeted.
It was “good news” for the Norman City Council on the downward trend of COVID-19 cases in Cleveland County after a local official provided an update Tuesday.
Dr. Dale Bratzler, the chief COVID officer for the University of Oklahoma, said the risk of infection in the county and in Norman is low. A map coding the level of transmission is green for the county — the lowest risk level.
“The good news is Norman and Cleveland County are doing quite well at this point,” Bratzler said.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Bratzler said residents can move about without masks “routinely.”
“Cases have dropped dramatically just as they have in the rest of the state,” he said. “About 19 people in Norman are getting infected on a daily basis.”
It’s a massive drop from when 1,108 cases were reported in the city over a week’s time at the beginning of January.
Bratzler reported hospitalizations in the state dipped below 500 with 24% of those in the intensive care unit.
“Today the [state] health department reported 1,600 in the past four days, so we’re averaging 400 cases a day, or 15 cases per 100,000 per day right now,” he said. “I’m hopeful that those will continue to decline. I checked your [Norman’s] hospitalizations and they’re quite low at this point.”
Bratzler credited the decline in cases to vaccinations and natural immunity from infection, but his optimism was tempered by concerns that a new unknown variant could emerge.
“I did point out a couple of times to the press this week that we’ve been here before,” he said.
Cases were similarly low in June 2021 before the Delta and Omicron variants spread through the nation.
He was “fairly confident barring any new variant” that the trend would continue downward.
“It’s not going to go away, we’re going to continue to see patients getting COVID-19, but cases have come down very, very dramatically,” he said.
One challenge remains, though — how they protect the most vulnerable, Bratzler said.
People with underlying conditions such as diabetes, heart conditions, lung disease and transplants are at higher risk of serious illness and death, he said.
Bratzler urged residents to mask up around those who fall into a high-risk category.
Mayor Breea Clark urged residents to show courtesy and “grace” when encountering someone who is wearing a mask.
“I carry one [mask] with me out of respect to put on when someone else is wearing a mask,” she said. “We talked a lot about personal freedom throughout all this [pandemic], but that goes both ways.
“So, please respect people who are wearing a mask, who might have someone at home who is immunocompromised that they’re trying to protect. Let’s continue to treat each other with respect and grace as we hopefully find our way out of the COVID-19 pandemic here in our community.”
Clark asked about the need for boosters. Bratzler said high risk individuals should receive a second booster, in addition to three shots they initially received while others need only the first two shots and one booster.
Mindy Wood covers City Hall news and notable court cases for The Transcript. Reach her at mwood@normantranscript.com or 405-416-4420.
{{description}}
Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.
Monroe (Ben) Spaulding (79) passed away on March 12, 2022, at Harbor Place in Oklahoma City. He was the husband of Susan (Collamore) Spaulding, with whom he shared 42 years of marriage. Born in his family’s home in Pink, Oklahoma, on April 17, 1942, he was the son of Aaron Jefferson Spauldin…
James Eldon Stewart 83 of Norman, Oklahoma passed away peacefully at his home on March 22, 2022, Online condolences may be shared with his son at mdstew@live.com, funeral date and location to be announced
Sign up now to get our FREE breaking news coverage delivered right to your inbox.
First Amendment: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.