News

WASHINGTON — The Senate confirmed Lloyd J. Austin as Defense secretary Friday, putting the first Black American in charge of the Pentagon by a vote of 93-2.

Washington D.C. - Two Oklahoma Army National Guard Citizen-Soldiers are serving together in our Nation’s Capitol as both figurative and literal “brothers in arms.” Sgt.

BEIRUT – A pair of suicide bombers hit a crowded market in Baghdad on Thursday, Iraq’s civil defense agency said, killing at least 32 people, injuring more than 100 others and reigniting fears of a return to the days when such attacks were a daily occurrence in the Iraqi capital.

By the time he tested positive for COVID-19 on Jan. 12, Gary Herritz was feeling pretty sick. He suspects he was infected a week earlier, during a medical appointment in which he saw health workers who were wearing masks beneath their noses or who had removed them entirely.

OKLAHOMA CITY – While women are protected from various types of discrimination throughout their education under Title IX, Sen. Mary Boren says the law needs to be stronger to protect expecting mothers in Oklahoma’s colleges and universities. The Norman Democrat has filed Senate Bill 138 to require public and private higher education institutions to offer accommodations for pregnant students such as permitting a leave of absence, and also prohibit colleges from requiring pregnant students to take leaves of absence, withdraw from a program, or otherwise limit their studies solely due to their pregnancies.

Northwestern Oklahoma State University’s Charles Morton Share Trust Division of Nursing recently received approximately $11,100 worth of new equipment to establish two telehealth simulation stations on the Alva campus and one on the Enid campus.

STILLWATER, OKLA. — Gov. Kevin Stitt, the Oklahoma State Department of Health and state Cabinet secretaries unveiled the new Oklahoma Pandemic Center for Innovation and Excellence (OPCIE) and the newly relocated Public Health Lab with a ribbon cutting ceremony in Stillwater today.

Winfield, Kan. — The Green Team of Southwestern College will again collaborate with the City of Winfield for an e-waste recycling event from 3 to 6 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 2, at the Arkansas City/Winfield Recycling Center located at 7th Avenue and D Street in Strother Field. Use the east driveway to enter the recycling center building and exit out the west driveway after dropping off electronics. The Green Team will be accepting donations to help offset the cost of transporting electronics to the recycler.

Man with Weapon— A caller advised that two maroon cars stopped in front of her residence on the 700 block of south 5th street on Tuesday at 1:01 p.m. One subject pulled out a gun and threatened another subject and then left headed eastbound on Otoe avenue. An officer responded and he made contact with the caller, gathered information and a report was taken.

RECPLEX NEWS PAINT NIGHTS AT THE RECPLEX What: Paint Nights in the RecPlex Art Studio When: February 21, March 21, and April 18, at 5:00 p.m. Who: Ages 12 and up, $30.00 each session, $5.00 for additional family member How: Register online: www.poncacityok.gov/parksandrec-registration.