State
Wall of fire destroys home near Lawton
Written by Dick Pryor Friday, 24 June 2011 19:25
MEDICINE PARK, Okla. (AP) - A massive wildfire that has destroyed 13 homes and burned about 5,500 acres of land is about 40 percent contained. Comanche County spokesman Chris Killmer says high winds re-fueled the blaze around noon Friday, pushing it farther northeast across Oklahoma Highway 58 south of Lake Lawtonka. Killmer says additional homes were evacuated before crews contained the flare-up about an hour later.The fire erupted on Fort Sill Army Post's West Range about 5 p.m. Thursday and spread into nearby Medicine Park. About 1,500 people were told to leave the area while more than 100 firefighters battle the blaze. Officials say two Oklahoma National Guard helicopters equipped with 600-gallon buckets are dropping water on the fire. The only injury reported is a firefighter who sustained a minor injury to his foot.Â
Mourners arrive in OKC for funeral of Clara Luper
Written by Dick Pryor Friday, 17 June 2011 16:45
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - About 600 mourners have turned out in in downtown Oklahoma City for the funeral of civil rights activist Clara Luper. The services at the Cox Convention Center Friday will include remarks by Gov. Mary Fallin and NAACP board of directors chairman Roslyn Brock. A wooden casket containing Luper's body is surrounded by floral bouquets on the arena floor and images of her are being shown on large television screens throughout the arena.
Luper died June 8 at age 88 following a lengthy illness. She's best known for leading a group of three adults and 14 students during a sit-in at the Katz Drug Store lunch counter in Oklahoma City in August 1958. The store chain eventually integrated lunch counters at 38 stores in Oklahoma, Missouri, Kansas and Iowa.
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Oklahoma civil rights icon Clara Luper dies at 88
Written by Dick Pryor Thursday, 09 June 2011 15:30
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - Oklahoma civil rights pioneer Clara Luper has died in Oklahoma City at age 88. Luper's daughter, Marilyn Hildreth, says Luper died Wednesday night after a lengthy illness. In August 1958, Luper led a group of three adult chaperones and 14 members of the Oklahoma City NAACP Youth Council in a sit-in at the Katz Drug Store lunch counter. The group was refused service but refused to leave. The sit-in lasted several days before Katz agreed to integrate its lunch counters in Oklahoma, Missouri, Kansas and Iowa. Over the next six years, the local NAACP group held sit-ins that desegregated virtually all eating establishments in Oklahoma City. Luper is survived by two daughters and a son. Funeral services are pending.
PROGRAMMING NOTE:Â A Conversation With...Clara Luper will be re-broadcast on Friday night at 7:30 p.m. on OETA and again on Sunday at 6:00 p.m.
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Hot temperatures arrive early this year in Okla.
Written by Dick Pryor Wednesday, 08 June 2011 17:13
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - Hot temperatures have arrived earlier than usual this year in Oklahoma, but forecasters say that's not necessarily indicative that the summer will be warmer than usual. Temperatures have reached 104 degrees in Oklahoma four times this month, including on Tuesday in Hollis and Cherokee. Highs have been in the 90s or low triple digits for much of the state for nearly a week and are expected to rise to that level again Wednesday.
Associate state climatologist Gary McManus says it's usually late June and into July before Oklahoma normally starts experiencing such high heat. But he says it appears there will be periodic stretches of relief from the heat during the summer. The National Weather Service's Climate Prediction Center's long-range forecast calls for typical summertime heat for most of Oklahoma.
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NWS upgrades 3 Okla. tornadoes from EF-3 to EF-4
Written by Dick Pryor Friday, 27 May 2011 18:43
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - Three of the seven tornadoes that struck Oklahoma and killed 10 people this week have been upgraded from EF-3 to EF-4. A fourth tornado has now been rated an EF-2. An EF-4 tornado has wind speeds of 166 to 200 mph and is the second highest rating for tornadoes. The weather service on Friday said EF-4 tornadoes were produced Tuesday from one storm that stretched from Binger to Guthrie, a second from Chickasha to near Moore, and a third from Washington to Goldsby.
An EF-3 tornado with winds between 136 and 165 mph occurred at Canton Lake and the EF-2 twister struck near Stillwater. Tornadoes near Stella and Ravia have not yet been rated. The weather service said it's still investigating the storms and the ratings may again be updated.
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