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September 25, 2012

Fallin and Romney Got ’99 Percent’ in Common, But This Tax Credit Ain’t One

Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin on Monday reiterated her support of the federal production tax credit for wind energy, which expires Dec. 31. Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney doesn’t want to renew the credit, which other GOP governors in wind-producing states support. The wind industry supports more than 3,000 jobs in Oklahoma, Fallin tells The Oklahoman‘s [...]

September 18, 2012

American Airlines Workers in Tulsa Receiving Layoff Notices

Only a fraction of the 2,911 Transport Workers Union members in Tulsa are expected to lose their jobs, but the bankrupt airline is legally required to give employees 60 days advance notice. The Tulsa World‘s D.R. Stewart reports on the impact there: … layoffs are expected of an estimated 770 of 5,000 mechanics and related [...]

September 14, 2012

Tribal Firefighters Say They’ve Been Burned by Federal Budget Cuts

The number of wildfires on the Cherokee Nation has remained steady in recent years, but tribal fire crews are battling tribal blazes with fewer men, no headquarters and no money for equipment maintenance. Unlike municipal and volunteer firefighting teams in other Oklahoma communities and counties, the Cherokee Nation Fire Rangers are federally funded, reports the [...]

September 13, 2012

Got Skills? Broken Arrow Manufacturers Have Hundreds of Jobs to Fill

High-tech manufacturing companies in Broken Arrow are in desperate need of some skilled workers. The city has about 300 manufacturers — the third highest concentration in the state — and companies like Baker Hughes, Hill Manufacturing and NOV Enerflow are hiring, the Tulsa World‘s Zack Stoycoff reports: “They can’t grow our economy as fast as [...]

September 11, 2012

American Airlines is Laying Off 839 Workers at Tulsa Base

Layoffs at American Airlines’ Tulsa maintenance base will begin in December, company officials said Monday. By February 2013, 839 mechanics and maintenance workers in Tulsa will lose their jobs, the Tulsa World‘s D.R. Stewart reports: Additional reductions of mechanics & related positions at the Tulsa maintenance base could occur as a result of the closing [...]

September 10, 2012

One Thing Mitt Romney and Gov. Fallin Disagree On: Wind Energy Tax Credits

Mitt Romney and Republican governor’s have a lot in common, especially when it comes to their positions on energy policy. The Republican presidential candidate’s energy plan — written with the help of top his top energy adviser Harold Hamm, an Oklahoma billionaire and CEO of oil giant Continental Resources — focuses more on oil and [...]

Will Pay Raises Keep State Prison Guards Out of Oklahoma’s Oil Fields?

Oklahoma’s oil and gas boom has been hard on non-energy businesses, which are having a tough time competing for employees. “Help Wanted” signs are going unanswered in western Oklahoma, where gas station clerks, cashiers and even Dairy Queen workers are leaving their posts for more lucrative opportunities in the oil patch. It’s been especially tough on state prisons, which [...]

August 31, 2012

Interactive Map: Uninsured in Oklahoma

Oklahomans in rural counties are less likely to have health insurance, data show. How does your county compare? Explore the issue with our interactive map.

State Bond Adviser: Oklahoma’s Low Costs a Magnet for Out-of-State Business

The low cost of doing business has put Oklahoma on the radar of companies from other states. Companies from Iowa and California are transferring operations to cities like Enid and Tulsa, the state’s bond adviser said Thursday, according to an Oklahoman report. Such companies are using a state loan program to finance the deals, reports [...]

August 29, 2012

Why Chevron Might Want to Buy Chesapeake Energy

California energy giant Chevron is sitting atop a $21 billion cash pile, and as The Wall Street Journal reports, investors are wondering what’s behind the hoarding. It could be one of two things, Daniel Gilbert writes. Perhaps Chevron is “bracing for a spike in costs,” but maybe they’ll use the savings to snatch up a [...]

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