Police investigated a homicide Saturday in northwest Oklahoma City, and a man has been jailed in the death of another man, police reported.Joel Stephen White, 56, of Oklahoma City, was found dead in an apartment Saturday evening in the 5800 block of NW 34, police reported.Officers arrested Rufus E. Townsend, 63, of Oklahoma City, at the scene.Police reported Townsend killed White for an unknown reason. Anyone with information about the 38th homicide of the year in Oklahoma City can call police on a tip line at (405) 297-1200. … [Read more...] about Police investigate man’s death Saturday in northwest Oklahoma City
Oklahoma
Oklahoma AG candidate Gentner Drummond, law firm accused of negligence over handling of probate case
"The opposite is true," Hilton said in the counterclaim. "Defendant has yet to be distributed the funds on account at the Bureau of Indian Affairs due to the actions of Plaintiffs. Thus, Defendant has sustained injury due to the negligence of the Defendants." The Skiatook attorney listed fraud as a possible defense to the civil case against her. "Plaintiffs have acted unconscionably, oppressively and maliciously," Hilton said in his answer to the lawsuit. The primary election is June 26. Also on the Republican ballot are Mike Hunter, who was appointed attorney general last year, and Angela Bonilla, an attorney with the Oklahoma Indigent Defense System. A runoff is possible. The GOP winner will face Democrat Mark Myles in the November general election. (Story continued below...) … [Read more...] about Oklahoma AG candidate Gentner Drummond, law firm accused of negligence over handling of probate case
County health departments in Oklahoma cut back after layoffs
Comanche County lost three registered nurses, four licensed practical nurses and a patient care assistant, Combs said. Some were laid off, and others took new jobs because they were afraid they also would be let go. The clinics in her region still take walk-ins, but they urge clients to schedule an appointment — and then keep it, so the time isn't wasted, Combs said. That's particularly important for clients who want help with family planning, because they lost the only local employee who could write prescriptions and have to bring in a nurse practitioner from the Oklahoma City area. Sometimes the Lawton clinic has to turn patients away or ask them to wait, Combs said, though they try to find time immediately for people seeking sensitive services like testing for sexually transmitted infections. The situation has been particularly difficult for the WIC program, because Comanche County lost the four LPNs that ran it, she said. A nutrition assistant and dietitian have stepped up, … [Read more...] about County health departments in Oklahoma cut back after layoffs
New OKC Rattlesnake Museum to showcase Oklahoma’s most dangerous snakes
Sandefer said he started to grow his collection of snakes for the museum when people would bring snakes that they had found in the wild or could not take care of anymore to him. The museum serves as a shelter for these snakes and as a way for people to understand them better, Sandefer said. “It's really just a place for these guys to live out the rest of their lives,” Sandefer said. “I've been doing this so long I really kind of feel like the old mentor sometimes. I just try to help people.” All snakes at the museum are venomous and share the same physical characteristics as every venomous snake in Oklahoma, Sandefer said. By giving people the opportunity to view these snakes up close, Sandefer said he hopes people will be able to recognize which snakes are dangerous and which are not in the wild. “Not everything is a copperhead. That little snake I found, somebody out there would've found it and probably killed it thinking it's a copperhead — … [Read more...] about New OKC Rattlesnake Museum to showcase Oklahoma’s most dangerous snakes
Needs & Deeds: Oklahoma foster care agency seeks second chance for children and families
Every day in Oklahoma, children are placed in foster homes after experiencing traumatic events within their households. This ever-present need for foster care services in Oklahoma has agencies looking at different ways to help families get back to a state where they can properly take care of their children. It's been four years since Jeff Diltz started working as a community liaison coordinator for TFI Family Connections in Oklahoma. The foster care services at TFI Family Connections give children going through any form of neglect, abuse or family tragedy, like the loss of their parents, another chance to experience a loving familial relationship with their caretakers; and also a chance for the parents to address their issues and later be reunited with their children, Diltz said. Diltz searches across the state for families willing to care for children who need temporary homes, and while there are many qualities he looks for in a foster family — financial stability, a safe … [Read more...] about Needs & Deeds: Oklahoma foster care agency seeks second chance for children and families