‘Flat’ budget for Comanche Co. Courthouse

LAWTON – The Comanche County Courthouse will have to pinch a few pennies and stretch a few dollars for the next 12 months. The $9,340,652 budget that the county Excise Board approved Wednesday for Fiscal Year 2021 is $28,348 lower than the $9,369,000 county budget for FY 2020.

State Tobacco trust adds OU lawyer to Board of Directors

Oklahoma Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust (TSET) recently added Susanna Gattoni, associate general counsel for the University of Oklahoma, to represent the 5th Congressional District on the TSET Board of Directors.

TSET grants to address hunger

OKLAHOMA CITY – The Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust (TSET) board of directors recently approved funding for seven grants to address food insecurity and increase Oklahomans’ access to healthy and nutritious food.

Frederick loses power for a day

FREDERICK – Nearly two-thirds of the 2,000 residential and business customers of the municipally owned City of Frederick electrical system were without power for most of the day Sunday, Aug. 30, due to damage that tripped off the system.

120,000 ventilators ready if needed, orders for canceled

WASHINGTON (AP) – The Trump administration announced Tuesday it is canceling some of its remaining orders for ventilators, after rushing to sign nearly $3 billion in emergency contracts as the COVID-19 pandemic surged in the spring.

Tesla announces plans to sell up to $5B in new stock shares

DETROIT (AP) – A day after its 5-for-1 stock split took effect, Tesla is announcing plans to sell up to $5 billion worth of common shares. The electric car and solar panel maker says in a filing with securities regulators that it intends to sell up to 10.

Hidden White House COVID-19 reposts paint dire picture of Oklahoma response

OKLAHOMA CITY – A series of federal reports prepared for the White House – and kept under wraps by Republican Governor Kevin Stitt until August 21 – paint an increasingly dire picture of Oklahoma’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

OESC names new interim director

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) – The Oklahoma Employment Security Commission on Tuesday announced that interim director Shelley Zumwalt has been named executive director of the agency.

Insider Q&A: Quidel CEO talks rapid testing for coronavirus

WASHINGTON (AP) – Speed and accuracy are key features when screening for coronavirus. Quidel Corp. is one of a handful of U.S. companies authorized to sell a rapid test for COVID-19, yielding results in about 15 minutes. The test is run on a small machine that is used in clinics and doctor offices.