Latest Oklahoma Headlines
All the headlines from our Oklahoma Topic Page, ordered by recency.
U.S. Seismic Risk Maps Now Include Earthquakes Caused by Humans
Mar 28 2016 // Earthquakes caused by human activity will now be included in the U.S. Geological Survey’s seismic risk maps, the agency said on Monday after a sharp rise in temblors linked to wastewater disposal wells used by the...
Federal Disaster Aid OK’d for 6 More Texas Counties
Mar 28 2016 // Six more Texas counties hard-hit by flooding and severe storms this month are now eligible for federal disaster aid. The Federal Emergency Management Agency announced that Erath, Gregg, Harrison, Hood, Marion and Parker...
Oklahoma Insurance Commissioner: Man Scammed Moore Tornado Victims
Mar 28 2016 // An Oklahoma City man is facing felony charges for scamming a Moore couple out of $3,577.53. The money was part of the insurance settlement the couple received after their home was damaged in the March 25, 2015...
Thousands of Acres Burn in Oklahoma, Kansas
Mar 24 2016 // Authorities say a wildfire that started in Oklahoma and spread into Kansas has burned tens of thousands of acres of rural land. The National Weather Service says the fire started Tuesday night near the Kansas border in...
Fire Warning Covers more than Half of Oklahoma’s Counties
Mar 23 2016 // More than half the counties in Oklahoma are under a red flag warning as extreme fire conditions are expected through today. Oklahoma Forestry Services officials say the warning affects 44 counties — particularly in...
Despite Energy Job Losses, South Central States Report Some Employment Gains
Mar 21 2016 // While oil and gas industry job losses had an impact in the South Central states over the last year, Arkansas, Louisiana Oklahoma and Texas still saw decreases in unemployment rates in 2015. Year-over-year from 2014 to...
Oklahoma’s Workers’ Comp Opt-Out, 180-Day Cutoff Ruled Unconstitutional
Mar 21 2016 // The Oklahoma Workers’ Compensation Commission has determined that the opt-out portion of the state’s 2013 workers’ compensation statute is unconstitutional. Ruling on an appeal under the provisions of the...
Oklahoma Treatment Plant Operator to Pay $1M for Drinking Water Violations
Mar 18 2016 // The operator of Hugo’s water treatment plant will pay nearly $1 million to help small Oklahoma communities upgrade water treatment facilities as part of a settlement of drinking water violations that left thousands...
Oklahoma Insurance Commissioner: Department Can Fund Itself
Mar 17 2016 // Oklahoma Insurance Commissioner John D. Doak has requested that the Oklahoma Insurance Department (OID) no longer receive appropriated funds from the state. He said his office as the has the ability to function on the...
Arthur J. Gallagher Acquires Oklahoma’s Bomford, Couch & Wilson
Mar 16 2016 // Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. has acquired Bomford, Couch & Wilson Inc. in Miami, Okla. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Established in 1904, Bomford, Couch & Wilson (BCW) is a retail insurance broker...
Oklahoma Court Says Workers’ Comp 180-Day Rule Is Unconstitutional
Mar 15 2016 // Oklahoma’s workers’ compensation system took a hit on March 1, 2016, when the state’s Supreme Court ruled as unconstitutional the provision in the 2013 Oklahoma Workers’ Compensation Act that...
After Mass. House OK, Senate Takes Up Uber Regulations
Mar 14 2016 // It seems likely based on recent legislative developments that Massachusetts will adopt regulations for ride-hailing services like Uber and Lyft, but it’s still far too early to assume what the final rules might...
Denied Federal Flood Help, Oklahoma Governor Appeals
Mar 14 2016 // Gov. Mary Fallin is appealing the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s denial of individual assistance for residents and businesses in nine eastern Oklahoma counties hit by a winter storm. The storm began Dec. 26...
By a Big Margin, Oklahoma House Passes Insurance Mandate for Autism Coverage
Mar 11 2016 // Legislation that would require health insurers to cover autism treatment for children has been overwhelmingly approved by the Oklahoma House. By a vote of 76-20, House members passed House Bill 2962 following an emotional...
Oklahoma National Guard Airman with Cancer Expects to Lose Insurance
Mar 11 2016 // In early 2014, as his Oklahoma Air National Guard unit ramped up for a Middle East deployment, Senior Airman Jesse Daniels noticed he wasn’t feeling well. He got tired after just a few minutes on his feet. He...
Oklahoma Bill Would Confirm Oil & Gas Regulators’ Authority
Mar 10 2016 // A proposal that would confirm state regulators’ authority to bind companies to their directives has passed the state House and heads to the Senate. The state House of Representatives passed the bill that would...
Storm System Dumps Heavy Rain on South Central States, More Expected
Mar 10 2016 // A large storm system has drenched areas in Louisiana, Oklahoma and Texas that were already inundated with heavy rainfall this week. Two people have drowned in Oklahoma and Texas. Nearly a foot of rain fell over parts of...
Earthquake Response/Wastewater Reduction Plan for Central Oklahoma Unveiled
Mar 8 2016 // The Oklahoma Corporation Commission’s (OCC) Oil and Gas Conservation Division (OGCD), in response to the risk of triggered earthquakes, announced actions to further reduce the amount of oil and gas wastewater...
Oklahoma Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Co., Subsidiary Upgraded
Mar 8 2016 // A.M. Besthas upgraded the financial strength rating to B (Fair) from B- (Fair) and the issuer credit rating to “bb+” from “bb-” for the members of the Oklahoma Farm Bureau Group:Oklahoma Farm Bureau...
Aetna Acquisition of Louisville-Based Humana Gets OK from Kentucky, Florida Regulators
Mar 7 2016 // Louisville, Ky.-based Humana has been approved for takeover by Aetna by Kentucky regulators, according to a statement from the Kentucky Department of Insurance Commissioner Brian Maynard. The order approving the request...
