News

Ashley Payne | Southwest Ledger FISTA Director of Operations Bill Pearson visits with guests at the FIRES Symposium Wednesday at the FISTA Innovation Park..

Fires Symposium

News Staff

Wednesday, April 22, 2026

Visitors from more than 40 different countries gathered Wednesday at the FISTA Innovation Park for the FIRES Symposium, a weeklong convention held at FISTA to connect U.S. military, allied nations and members of the defense industry.

Robert F. Bukaty | Associated Press Meghan Ireland and her dog, Murphy, walk by one of the 750-gallon pot and column whiskey stills at the WhistlePig distillery Monday, April 6, 2026, in Shoreham, Vermont.

Women take the lead in whiskey as more female drinkers and distillers change the industry

Kimberlee Kruesi

Wednesday, April 22, 2026

SHOREHAM, Vt. (AP) — Meghan Ireland always loved chemistry, but as a college freshman studying chemical engineering, she didn’t know she could channel her passion for science into the art of making whiskey.

Governor signs state’s $12.8B budget bill

M. Scott Carter

Wednesday, April 22, 2026

OKLAHOMA CITY — Gov. Kevin Stitt signed the state’s budget bill Thursday, allocating $12.8 billion in funds for fiscal year 2027.Stitt signed Senate Bill 1177 — the 40-page budget package — a week after the measure cleared the House of Representatives on a 76-18 vote.

Rep. Brad Boles

Electric ratepayer protection bill awaits Senate vote

Jerry Bohnen

Wednesday, April 22, 2026

OKLAHOMA CITY – The proposed Data Center Customer Ratepayer Protection Act of 2026 cleared the Senate Energy Committee last Thursday and awaits a Senate floor vote.House Bill 2992 was filed by Rep. Brad Boles, a Marlow Republican who is a candidate for the Oklahoma Corporation Commission.

LEDA payment of $224,840 to Fisher59 compensates for loss by cybertheft last year

Mike W. Ray

Wednesday, April 22, 2026

The Lawton Economic Development Authority on Tuesday authorized the reissuance of a payment of nearly a quarter of a million dollars to Fisher59 Properties that was hijacked by international cybertheft in a wire transfer last year.

FILE

George Gill bows out of Comanche Co. District 1 commissioner’s race

Mike W. Ray

Wednesday, April 22, 2026

Former Lawton City Councilman George Gill told Southwest Ledger on Sunday that he intends to cease his campaign for the Comanche County District 1 Commissioner’s seat because of health issues.“I regret this,” the native Lawtonian said.

Construction on Lake Ellsworth

News Staff

Wednesday, April 15, 2026

Medicaid fraud investigations result in arrests that could include fines, restitution

Mike W. Ray

Wednesday, April 15, 2026

OKLAHOMA CITY – A Lawton woman working for a disability services and support organization in Chickasha was among more than a dozen persons swept up in a Medicaid fraud investigation.

Lawsuit filed against neuropathy clinic and founder for Medicaid fraud

Mike W. Ray

Wednesday, April 15, 2026

The Neuropathy Treatment Clinic of Oklahoma and James Warren Linn Jr. are accused in a lawsuit of scheming to bill the Oklahoma Medicaid program for administering treatments regardless of patients’ demonstrated medical needs over a fouryear period.

Penalty flag thrown against StubHub for not disclosing total ticket prices online

News Staff

Wednesday, April 15, 2026

WASHINGTON, D.C. – StubHub, the nation’s largest ticket exchange and resale ticket provider, apparently didn’t play by the Federal Trade Commission fees rule and now will pay a hefty penalty.

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