Federal charges filed against 5 Chinese people linked to Maramec, Mulhall marijuana farms

OKLAHOMA CITY — Federal felony charges have been filed against five Chinese individuals linked to marijuana farms in Maramec and Mulhall. Four of them have pleaded guilty and the fifth awaits a preliminary hearing.

House to Examine School Safety Bills Following ‘Swatting’ Incident

OKLAHOMA CITY — With just about a month and a half remaining in the 2023 legislative session, two bills, which their authors said were designed to make schools safer, are expected to be heard by the full House of Representatives.

HMO placed under state supervision

OKLAHOMA CITY — Friday Health Plans of Oklahoma Inc., a health maintenance organization domiciled and licensed only in Oklahoma, has been placed the under supervision of the Oklahoma Insurance Department.

OSDH: Accreditation benefited state, local health departments

OKLAHOMA CITY — The Oklahoma State Department of Health and the Comanche County Health Department have learned many valuable lessons over their first decade of accreditation, which helped them do a better job of performing the state agency’s mission, OSDH officials announced.

Drummond, 2 other AGs sue Biden admin over chicken

OKLAHOMA CITY — Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond and colleagues from two neighboring states joined in a lawsuit April 12 against the Biden administration over a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service rule that designates the lesser prairie chicken as endangered or threatened.

Unsheltered homelessness in U.S. increased last year

OKLAHOMA CITY — The number of unsheltered homeless Americans has grown, according to a recent report from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Nationwide, an estimated 582,000 people were considered homeless last year; that constituted approximately 18 per 10,000 people, HUD said.

Drummond wants Glossip conviction thrown out

OKLAHOMA CITY — Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond has asked the state’s Court of Criminal Appeals to vacate the conviction of death row inmate Richard Glossip and remand the case back to district court. Drummond made the requestion in a motion filed on April 6.

State insurance commissioner seeks sanctions against CVS

OKLAHOMA CITY — State Insurance Commissioner Glen Mulready and CVS/Caremark are feuding again over a state law enacted four years ago.

Tension increases between House, Senate over Education plan

OKLAHOMA CITY — The verbal fight between the Speaker of the Oklahoma House of Representatives and the President Pro Tempore of the Oklahoma Senate continued last week, after House Speaker Charles McCall issued another media statement criticizing the Oklahoma Senate and its leader, Greg Treat.

PSO to refinance $1.75 billion debt

OKLAHOMA CITY — Public Service Co. of Oklahoma received permission from state regulators to issue up to $1.75 billion in unsecured notes.