The federal government is once again considering whether to use the Endangered Species Act to protect the Lesser Prairie Chicken, a finicky bird struggling to thrive in increasingly fragile western grasslands.

J.D. Strong has been an important player in Oklahoma water issues for many years, and served as Executive Director of the state water regulator since 2010. Earlier this year he left the Water Resources Board to head the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation.

Last season, the number of deer harvested was down nearly 25 percent compared to 2011.

Lake Optima was supposed to attract millions of tourists and provide residents in Oklahoma’s panhandle with drinking water and flood protection. But Optima never really filled. The question now is what to do with it.