OKGazette.com - News

Conventional wisdom - Questions and concerns surround OKC’s would-be convention center hotel.

Fri, 17 May 2013 00:00:00 CDT

As uncertainty hovers over Oklahoma City’s proposed convention center hotel, industry experts suggest financing the project with tax money could be dangerous.

Getting testy - Putnam City Schools consider implementing random drug-testing for students in certain extracurricular activities.

Wed, 15 May 2013 00:00:00 CDT

Putnam City Public Schools could become the next metro district to implement a random drug-testing policy for students in competitive extracurricular activities.

No comment - Sen. Jim Inhofe has opposed China’s previous deal-cutting with U.S. energy companies, but has nothing to say about Chesapeake’s recent venture with a Chinese firm.

Wed, 15 May 2013 00:00:00 CDT

U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe, R-Tulsa, doesn’t lack an opinion on most topics, but there are exceptions.

Lofty goal - A local developer is converting the old downtown library into upscale lofts.

Wed, 15 May 2013 00:00:00 CDT

Growing up in Pauls Valley, Judy Hatfield loved going to the public library. She would sit in a corner and read for hours.

Brain gain - Two Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation researchers are making headway in the treatment of brain tumors.

Wed, 15 May 2013 00:00:00 CDT

A pair of Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation scientists may have found a way to attack brain tumors from the inside.

Street smarts - City officials educate the public on plans and next steps for the MAPS 3 streetcar.

Tue, 14 May 2013 00:00:00 CDT

Almost everything Oklahoma City residents wanted to know about streetcars but were afraid to ask was covered during a May 9 public forum at the Ronald J. Norick Downtown Library.

Exhausted exams - In the wake of glitches with online standardized testing, some school districts and state lawmakers question the validity of the exams.

Mon, 13 May 2013 00:00:00 CDT

Nothing gets people testy like test-taking, especially when accessing the test becomes a sort of test in itself. That was the case last month for 9,100 Oklahoma students in sixth through 12 grade whose scores on online tests were invalidated because of a technological snafu.

Fanning fears? - Oklahoma’s Muslim community contends a recently signed state law could spur anti-Islamic bigotry.

Wed, 08 May 2013 00:00:00 CDT

Gov. Mary Fallin and state lawmakers should “embrace diversity” instead of demonizing the Muslim community, said Adam Soltani, executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR).

Worst-case scenario - OKC officials roll out a possible water conservation plan in case of a brutally dry summer.

Wed, 08 May 2013 00:00:00 CDT

If drought conditions worsen in Oklahoma City, homeowners won’t be mowing thick, lush lawns this summer.

Not-so-easy rider - With a weak public transit system, city officials consider controversial changes to get it back on track.

Wed, 08 May 2013 00:00:00 CDT

Improving public transportation in Oklahoma City isn’t going to be easy. In fact, it might create the kind of controversy no one wants.

A fearless teen -

Wed, 08 May 2013 00:00:00 CDT

Reflections of Hope Award ceremony
11 a.m.-1 p.m. Monday
National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum
1700 N.E. 63rd
oklahomacitynationalmemorial.org
235-3313
$168-$3,500

ASK and tell -

Wed, 08 May 2013 00:00:00 CDT

Asking a question is a fairly simple task. It’s also the driving force behind a public campaign aimed at raising awareness in Oklahoma about energy efficiency, health, local foods and more.

Nettled neighbors - A planned substance-abuse rehab center on N.W. First Street stirs up controversy.

Wed, 08 May 2013 00:00:00 CDT

A drug and alcohol rehabilitation center will soon be built on the western outskirts of downtown Oklahoma City, but some residents and business owner remain leery about the project.

Take shelter - A substantial funding cut looms for a Cleveland County youth shelter.

Wed, 08 May 2013 00:00:00 CDT

Proposed elimination of Cleveland County funding to the area’s emergency youth shelter has the facility’s administration and supporters scrambling to figure out how to keep it open and what other services will have to be reduced.

Like a rock - Two metro high school stadiums built in the Depression era are due a makeover

Wed, 08 May 2013 00:00:00 CDT

Gary Armbruster said he wants to make one thing clear: No one is tearing down Taft Stadium’s historic rock wall that has faced N. May Avenue for more than 70 years.

Living with Alzheimer's - By year’s end, Edmond is expected to have the metro's first stand-alone memory-care facility.

Wed, 01 May 2013 00:00:00 CDT

With an aging population and nearly 5.4 million Americans living with Alzheimer’s disease, focus on the chronic illness has shifted from diagnosis to care.

Crossing Obamacare - Hobby Lobby's legal battle against the Affordable Care Act has made it a darling of evangelical Christians nationwide.

Wed, 01 May 2013 00:00:00 CDT

For supporters of Hobby Lobby, the fluorescent bulbs that light store aisles have perhaps become a beacon of righteousness. The Oklahoma City-based chain stepped into the political fray late last year with a controversial lawsuit against the Affordable Care Act (ACA), a case that has garnered praise from some of the most prominent evangelical figures in the country.

New life - The long-struggling Crossroads Mall gets a second chance as a commercial hub for OKC’s growing Latino community.

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 00:00:00 CDT

A mariachi band played as dancers from a traveling circus last week unveiled plans to reshape Crossroads Mall. With a new name and new tenants, future renovations and a busy schedule of events, developers hope to transform the once-thriving mall into a commercial hub for Oklahoma City’s Latino community.

Kevin Durant reacts to Jason Collins' coming out: 'It's cool with me' -

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 00:00:00 CDT

Numerous NBA stars have weighed in with encouraging words for Washington Wizards center Jason Collins in light of today's announcement that he is gay.

Left field -

Fri, 26 Apr 2013 00:00:00 CDT

Traffic signals in some parts of Oklahoma City are changing.