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Oklahoma broadband board approves $374 million in grants for internet projects

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Oklahoma broadband board approves 4 million in grants for internet projects


Broadband projects to provide faster and more reliable internet for 55,000 underserved and unserved locations in Oklahoma are moving forward.

Oklahoma’s Broadband Governing Board approved 142 grants totaling $374 million in its monthly meeting. Mike Sanders, the Oklahoma Broadband Office’s executive director, said in his opening remarks the amount of projects exceeded expectations.

“Over the past several months, especially the last few weeks, we have absolutely burned the midnight oil,” Sanders said. “Many of our staff spent their Christmas holidays here, and that’s part of the process because we’re all called to serve.

The money for the projects are through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) and Local Fiscal Recover Funds, and 31 internet service providers provided $90 million in matching funds.

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All projects must be complete before the end of 2026.

“This has been a great first step. Far from over,” Sanders said. “We’re making a difference in people’s lives, and you all were part of that.”

There are about 728,000 Oklahomans without access to reliable high-speed internet, and many of them live in rural areas. This led to high demand for grants when they became available.

Last year, the office was slammed with broadband grant applications worth $5.1 billion dollars. But only $374 million dollars were available for this round of grants.

The Oklahoma Broadband office is tasked with ensuring 95% of the state has internet access by 2028.

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Although Jim Meek, the board’s chairman, left the room for voting because of a potential conflict of interest, he returned to the meeting once the projects were approved. Meek touted the grants approved as the most important work the state has done in a while in his closing comments.

“Of all the work that’s taken place, the real work starting right now,” Meek said. “We’ve got a lot of people depending on us and looking to us for guidance, and counting this becoming a reality.”

This is not the only broadband grant opportunity through the office. Its next program will give about $159 million from the ARPA Capital Projects Fund to expand high-speed internet in the state.



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TIMELINE: Severe weather risks return to Oklahoma this weekend

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TIMELINE: Severe weather risks return to Oklahoma this weekend


Severe weather risks are expected to return to Oklahoma this weekend, with storms beginning late Saturday night and continuing through Monday.>> Download the KOCO 5 App | Subscribe to KOCO 5’s YouTube channel | Sign up for KOCO 5’s Morning NewsletterKOCO 5 Chief Meteorologist Damon Lane said, like most other spring storms in Oklahoma, there will be a tornado risk. But the tornado threat could change as we move closer to the severe weather threat. Saturday severe weather threatOn Saturday, the threat for severe weather is concentrated across western Oklahoma, beginning deep in the Texas Panhandle and far west Texas. By 7 p.m. Saturday, clusters of storms are forecast for western Oklahoma, with storms approaching Interstate 35 by 11 p.m. The tornado index for Saturday is a two on a one-to-10 scale. Damon says that is a low chance. Overnight Saturday into Sunday, storms are expected to move eastward, pulling the tornado risk farther east.Sunday risk for severe stormsThunderstorms will continue into early Sunday morning across central Oklahoma before moving east by mid-to-late Sunday morning. Damon says the severe weather outlook for Sunday’s early morning storms will be in central and western Oklahoma, sliding to the east. The tornado index for Sunday is also at a two on a one-to-10 scale. Monday storm chancesThe threat for severe weather will continue into Monday, affecting nearly all of Oklahoma.The risk is currently a level two slight risk for severe storms. This will be the third day in a row for severe weather. KOCO 5 First Alert Weather Team, led by Chief Meteorologist Damon Lane, has been certified by WeatheRate as providing the Most Accurate Forecast in Oklahoma City for 13 consecutive years. This outstanding achievement underscores KOCO 5’s unwavering dedication to delivering reliable weather forecasts to viewers.

Severe weather risks are expected to return to Oklahoma this weekend, with storms beginning late Saturday night and continuing through Monday.

>> Download the KOCO 5 App | Subscribe to KOCO 5’s YouTube channel | Sign up for KOCO 5’s Morning Newsletter

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KOCO 5 Chief Meteorologist Damon Lane said, like most other spring storms in Oklahoma, there will be a tornado risk. But the tornado threat could change as we move closer to the severe weather threat.

Saturday severe weather threat

On Saturday, the threat for severe weather is concentrated across western Oklahoma, beginning deep in the Texas Panhandle and far west Texas. By 7 p.m. Saturday, clusters of storms are forecast for western Oklahoma, with storms approaching Interstate 35 by 11 p.m.

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The tornado index for Saturday is a two on a one-to-10 scale. Damon says that is a low chance. Overnight Saturday into Sunday, storms are expected to move eastward, pulling the tornado risk farther east.

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Sunday risk for severe storms

Thunderstorms will continue into early Sunday morning across central Oklahoma before moving east by mid-to-late Sunday morning.

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koco

Damon says the severe weather outlook for Sunday’s early morning storms will be in central and western Oklahoma, sliding to the east.

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The tornado index for Sunday is also at a two on a one-to-10 scale.

koco

Monday storm chances

The threat for severe weather will continue into Monday, affecting nearly all of Oklahoma.

The risk is currently a level two slight risk for severe storms. This will be the third day in a row for severe weather.

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KOCO 5 First Alert Weather Team, led by Chief Meteorologist Damon Lane, has been certified by WeatheRate as providing the Most Accurate Forecast in Oklahoma City for 13 consecutive years. This outstanding achievement underscores KOCO 5’s unwavering dedication to delivering reliable weather forecasts to viewers.



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Fire damages apartment complex in northwest Oklahoma town

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Fire damages apartment complex in northwest Oklahoma town


GUYMON, Okla. (KSNW) – Fire crews were busy Monday battling an apartment fire in Guymon, Oklahoma.

It happened at the Apache Trace Apartments on East 5th South Street and Morgan Avenue, according to Texas County Emergency Management.

There is no word on exactly how much damage the fire caused, but the sheriff’s office confirms that people living in the apartment were displaced.

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Texas County crews worked the scene overnight and will provide an update later this morning.


For more Kansas news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news by downloading our mobile app and signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track 3 Weather app by clicking here. To watch our shows live on our website, click here.



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Oklahoma City police officers placed on leave over April Fools’ Day 911 call to dispatchers

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Oklahoma City police officers placed on leave over April Fools’ Day 911 call to dispatchers


OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — The Oklahoma City Police Department has placed officers on leave after reports of an April Fools’ Day prank that sent squad cars in pursuit of a baby being thrown out of a car before the call was revealed as a hoax.

Oklahoma City Police Capt. Valerie Littlejohn confirmed Monday that an internal investigation was ongoing but would not say how many officers were placed on administrative leave or provide details of the accusations.

“We are aware of a reported pursuit involving some of our officers that included serious claims, which has since been determined to be false,” Littlejohn said in a statement. “We take this situation seriously and are committed to ensuring a thorough review is conducted.”

The investigation followed published police radio audio from the night of April 1, reported by Oklahoma City television station KFOR and other stations, in which a dispatcher says that the “city just advised that the suspect threw a baby out the window.”

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“The police officer that’s in pursuit does not have a radio. He’s just messaging his location,” the dispatcher says.

After a number of officers responded to the report, a dispatcher can later be heard saying: “It was an April Fools’ prank.”

Another dispatcher says: “Not funny.”

A message left Monday with the president of Oklahoma City police union president seeking comment on the incident was not immediately returned.

Oklahoma law makes it misdemeanor crime to report “knowingly false information which could result in the dispatch of emergency services from any public agency.” Punishment is a fine of up to $500 and an assessment for any costs associated with dispatching emergency personnel.

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