Ben Fenwick

A federal court ruled Wednesday that the Cherokee tribe could move forward with an election, despite the protests of the tribe’s Freedmen members, court records show.   According to a motion handed down by the U.S. District Court in the District of Columbia, the Cherokees can hold the election —  slated for June 23 — […]

The three largest contributors to House Speaker Lance Cargill’s 100 Ideas campaign are all maximum contributors to his 2006 House race, records show. According to records recently released by the campaign” Chesapeake Energy Corp. gave $100,000 in cash, ” the Chickasaw Nation gave the same amount, and ” AT&T gave $50,000. Together, these comprise almost […]

A rocket-powered vehicle launched from the Oklahoma Spaceport in Burns Flat on June 2. But this was not the rocket from Rocketplane Inc., into which the state of Oklahoma poured $18 million. No, this rocket, built by Texas-based Armadillo Aerospace, actually flies. Burns Flat is home to the state’s only federally licensed spaceport. The state […]

ion.   However, Marilynn Vann, spokeswoman for the Cherokee Freedmen association, said the hastily called-for election is an attempt to keep the Freedmen contingent from being registered in time, thus, removing them from the voting process.    “The decision is an attempt to legitimize a shoddy election,” said Vann. “They gave 11 days to notify the […]

Federal legislation that claims to protect citizens from malicious programming but may actually empower large computer software companies to do just that has been introduced to the U.S. Congress, records show. HR 964 ” or the “Securely Protect Yourself Against Cyber Trespass Act,” the “SPY ACT” ” “will still allow any vendor you do business […]

The Texas space firm, Armadillo Aerospace — backed by a game software designer — successfully launched, landed, and launched again a prototype lunar lander at the Oklahoma Spaceport in Burns Flat June 2. The craft, dubbed “Pixel” by the Armadillo design team, took off from a launch pad, hovered for about 90 seconds, then landed […]

The Oklahoma Board of Nursing Wednesday revoked for 20 years the license of a former OU Children’s Hospital nurse who admitted to police she may have injured an ill baby in her care.   Former RN Renny Jacob also will be required to pay a fine of $6,000 within 90 days of Wednesday’ s ruling, […]

The May 31, 1921, Tulsa race riot pit a white mob of 2,000 against some 75 black men who had fought in World War I. Tulsa race riot historian Scott Ellsworth, author of “Death in a Promised Land,” reveres the black soldiers. “These are guys who faced German bullets for democracy, and when they came […]

A bill that will outlaw abortions using any state funding became law on midnight Wednesday, Governor Brad Henry announced.   The bill states:   “It shall be unlawful for any funds received or controlled by this state or any agency or political subdivision thereof, including, but not limited to, funds derived from federal, state or […]

A privately funded organization to be used to lobby for new laws will disclose its list of donors early in June, its executive director said last week. Former Republican state Rep. Thad Balkman, executive director for Republican House Speaker Lance Cargill’s 100 Ideas initiative, said the disclosure would put aside any ethical doubts about the […]