Most of that water cash has been put aside for the Oklahoma Water Assets Board to distribute later. Based on a press launch from the state legislature, the OWRB will get $100 million to help the wants of smaller water techniques and to revive high-needs dams. Tribal governments plan to match one other $57 million and use these funds for water tasks on tribal lands. And the state has set one other $130.5 million for future water tasks.
However the legislature additionally permitted funding for seven particular water infrastructure tasks. One of many American Rescue Plan Act’s acknowledged objectives is to reinvigorate the American financial system, and that theme is obvious among the many chosen water tasks.
Practically all the water tasks are to help industrial ventures that promise earnings Oklahomans may not see for many years. They embody a brand new port and industrial park east of Tulsa, a reinvigoration to Oklahoma’s solely spaceport in Burns Flat and help for tourism at Lake Murray. All these financial improvement tasks require enhancements to growing old water and sewer infrastructure.
You possibly can learn extra about every of those tasks beneath.
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An underutilized spaceport at Burns Flat
Burns Flat in western Oklahoma is residence to one among solely 14 FAA-licensed spaceports in the US. Based on the Oklahoma Air and Area Port’s web site, it’s the one one whose spaceflight hall isn’t in restricted airspace or a navy zone.
Nonetheless, aerospace corporations who’ve thought-about partnering with the spaceport have raised questions about its capability to serve their wants for water and web.
Whereas discussing this challenge on the Senate flooring, Sen. Lonnie Paxton of Tuttle stated that the spaceport’s future is determined by updates to its growing old wastewater system.
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“This space must be improved or mainly deserted,” Paxton stated. “We’ve determined that is an space that may be improved.”
The Oklahoma Area Trade Growth Authority requested $30 million in ARPA funds for enhancements to the water and web infrastructure for Burns Flat and its spaceport. The legislature voted to approve $4.25 million.
A deliberate cargo port in Inola
The Port of Catoosa sees 13,000 tons of cargo every month and is residence to over 70 corporations. Now, the Tulsa Port Authority needs to develop a second port and industrial park in Inola.
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The proposed Port of Inola is 2,200 acres alongside the Verdigris River about 25 miles east of downtown Tulsa. However regardless of its handy location for each barges and trains, the city of Inola isn’t fairly able to help a significant industrial park.
In its software for ARPA funds, the Rogers County Port Authority stated that Inola’s wastewater therapy capability is the one factor holding it again from being “ultra-competitive for large-scale industrial tasks. On the time the applying was written, Inola was working to repair issues with their wastewater traces that had put them out of compliance with the Oklahoma Division of Environmental High quality.
The Port Authority requested almost $36 million to enhance water infrastructure for each the city of Inola and its potential port. The legislature permitted $14 million in ARPA funds for the challenge.
A future industrial and industrial space exterior of Tulsa
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Growing the Port of Inola is one a part of a plan to determine an economy-boosting industrial hall in northeastern Oklahoma. One other cease alongside that hall is Truthful Oaks Ranch: about 5,000 acres of land the Metropolis of Tulsa hopes to fill with houses, retailers and industrial amenities.
The town and the Tulsa Authority for Financial Alternative requested simply over $57 million to fund upgrades for the water infrastructure that serves that space in anticipation of future progress.
The legislature voted to approve $50 million for this challenge. That’s one of many largest chunks of ARPA funds Oklahoma devoted to a single challenge reasonably than a multi-project grant program or statewide investments.
A rising biomedical park in Oklahoma Metropolis
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Oklahoma Metropolis has been working to develop its Innovation District — an space east of downtown that stretches from Car Alley to the College of Oklahoma’s analysis campus.
The water infrastructure that serves this space and its surrounding neighborhoods is growing old and has restricted capability, in keeping with the town’s ARPA software. The legislature voted to approve $8 million of the town’s $50 million request to improve that infrastructure.
An anticipated enlargement of Tinker Air Drive Base
Oklahoma Metropolis additionally utilized for funds to maneuver a pipe that carries water from Lake Thunderbird to Del Metropolis. The pipe lies beneath land that might be a part of an eastward enlargement to Tinker Air Drive Base.
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The legislature permitted the town’s full request for $35 million to relocate the pipe. Based on reporting by The Oklahoman, the enlargement of Tinker AFB is meant to extend the bottom’s mission capability and convey extra jobs to the world.
A industrial airpark in Ardmore
As Oklahoma’s oldest and largest state park, Lake Murray attracts guests and companies to Ardmore. However in keeping with two ARPA functions from the Southern Oklahoma Water Company, the world’s water infrastructure is unable to maintain up with present demand. The SOWC stated that’s standing in the best way of progress and improvement within the space.
One software requested funds to switch three outdated and undersized water mains with new pipe. The opposite sought help for a brand new water therapy plant on Lake Murray State Park land.
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The Ardmore Growth Authority additionally submitted two functions for ARPA funds to enhance infrastructure on the Ardmore Industrial Airpark. Neithersoftware particularly mentions water infrastructure, however they describe the Ardmore Industrial Airpark’s potential as a cargo hub.
The legislature permitted $17.1 million for water tasks in Ardmore. A legislative press launch indicated that these funds had been for water infrastructure to serve the town and the Ardmore Industrial Airpark, however the invoice’s language doesn’t make it clear which software obtained these funds.
A leaky water system at Lake Lugert-Altus
Solely one of many chosen water tasks doesn’t appear to be tied to projected financial progress. It’s an effort to forestall water loss from Lake Altus-Lugert.
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The system that delivers water from Lake Lugert-Altus to close by therapy crops loses over a 3rd of the water to leaks. The lake can’t spare all that misplaced water—it at present sits about 24 toes decrease than regular.
The legislature permitted the Lugert-Altus Irrigation District’s request for $25 million to repair these leaks.
NORMAN, Okla. (AP) — Raegan Beers scored 16 points before suffering a left shoulder injury in the third quarter, and No. 10 Oklahoma rolled past Texas A&M 77-62 on Sunday.
Beers, a 6-foot-4 center, was helped off the floor by teammates. She returned to the bench with an ice pack on her shoulder, but did not play again.
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The Sooners (14-3, 2-2 SEC) bounced back from a loss to Mississippi State on Thursday to claim their first home SEC win in their first season in the conference.
Aicha Coulibaly scored 16 points for Texas A&M (8-8, 1-3), which shot 26.9%.
It was the second straight blowout loss for the Aggies, who dropped a 90-49 decision to No. 2 South Carolina on Thursday.
Oklahoma made 9 of 14 field goals in the first quarter and Beers scored 10 points in the period as the Sooners took a 27-10 lead.
The Sooners led 44-23 at halftime after holding the Aggies to 18.9% shooting. Beers scored 16 points and made 10 of 11 free throws before the break.
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Takeaways
Texas A&M: The Aggies tried to rally in the third, but were too far behind to take advantage of Beers’ absence. The Aggies trailed 59-38 when Beers was hurt, and outscored the Sooners 24-18 the rest of the way.
Oklahoma: It wasn’t the cleanest game for the Sooners. They made 8 of 33 3-pointers and committed 19 turnovers. They’ll need to improve those areas against better opponents.
Key moment
Oklahoma, already leading by 17 heading into the second quarter, held the Aggies to one field goal in the first five minutes of the second to resume its defensive dominance.
Key stat
Texas A&M made 3 of 19 3-pointers.
Up next
Texas A&M hosts Georgia and Oklahoma hosts Missouri, both on Thursday.
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When Ben Arbuckle stepped foot on campus at Canadian High School in 2010, coach Chris Koetting felt like he had a crystal ball.
A freshman quarterback at the time, Arbuckle made an immediate impression on Koetting, who mentally made a bold prediction.
“I knew he was going to do big things in football,” Koetting said.
Fast forward more than a decade, and some might think Koetting is a fortune teller.
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Arbuckle, only 29, has already become a successful coach at the collegiate level. He accepted the offensive coordinator job at Oklahoma in December, following stints at Washington State and Western Kentucky.
Now he’s tasked with breathing new life into an Oklahoma offense that was among the worst in college football in 2024. Those who know him are confident he’ll succeed.
Canadian, TX, located on the far-right end of the Texas Panhandle, has a population of just 2,339 — so just about everybody knows everybody else.
Arbuckle’s high school career made him an even more recognizable name in the small town.
In his final two seasons of high school, Arbuckle passed for 7,500 yards and 95 touchdowns. He led the Wildcats to the UIL 2A state quarterfinals as a senior.
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While most of Arbuckle’s high school highlights are passing-related, it’s where he first dove into instructing others.
Canadian’s backup for Arbuckle’s final two seasons was Tanner Schafer, who later played at OU. After waiting behind Arbuckle and learning from him, Schafer led Canadian to back-to-back titles in 2014 and 2015.
“(Ben) has helped a lot of quarterbacks along the way, not just as a coach,” Koetting said. “He’s special.”
After high school, Arbuckle took two seasons off from playing football before joining West Texas A&M’s program in 2016. Located in Canyon, just outside of Amarillo, Arbuckle continued to learn more about the game on a small scale.
He spent half of the 2016 season as the Buffaloes’ starter, completing 63 percent of his passes for 1,241 yards and 15 touchdowns. Arbuckle didn’t start in 2017, but he was WTAM’s top backup, appearing in 10 games.
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While Arbuckle didn’t break records at West Texas A&M, his time there showed others his work ethic, killer instinct and love for the game — traits that have allowed him to succeed as a college coach.
“I definitely learned about Ben’s competitiveness from my time playing,” said Allen Roberson, who played with Arbuckle at WTAM as a defensive end. “It was always fun competing each day against the offense in practice. As a QB, it’s always important to learn and process quickly. Ben always showed that, along with his enthusiasm and fun spirit every day.”
Arbuckle’s love for the game really shined through at his first collegiate coaching stop.
Immediately after graduating from West Texas A&M, Arbuckle joined the staff at Houston Baptist (now Houston Christian), which competes at the NCAA Division I FCS level.
Arbuckle was an unpaid quality control assistant for the Huskies — and it got his foot in the door to where he wanted to be.
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Koetting guided Arbuckle as he entered the college coaching realm. And it didn’t surprise Arbuckle’s high school coach that he’d be willing to coach for free — or take a second job as a food delivery driver to make ends meet.
“His trail to get to where he’s at right now is kind of crazy,” Koetting said. “His work ethic is something else.”
After that, Arbuckle returned to the Texas Panhandle for one year, serving as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Seminole High School.
Arbuckle then landed his first paid college coaching job at Western Kentucky, where he started as an offensive quality control assistant. He was then promoted to co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for the Hilltoppers in 2022, helping lead the nation’s No. 1 passing offense (433.7 passing yards per game) with eventual NFL quarterback Bailey Zappe.
That instant success helped Arbuckle land the same job at Washington State.
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The body of work is just three years for Arbuckle-led college football offenses, but he hasn’t missed yet. After heading a successful air-raid system at WKU, he was just as successful in Pullman.
In 2023, Arbuckle worked with Cam Ward — who later transferred to Miami (FL) and was a 2024 Heisman finalist — and produced a passing offense that was fourth nationally with 336.8 yards per game.
A year later, Arbuckle ran an offense with John Mateer, who recently transferred to Oklahoma. The Cougars finished 2024 with 30 passing touchdowns, which was sixth in the nation.
“One of the best offensive minds in the last several decades in college football,” Oklahoma coach Brent Venables said in December. “He has his own report — everything that I continue to look at.”
Now, Arbuckle heads to his biggest program yet — and it’s a full-circle journey for him.
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Canadian is just over three hours away from Norman, and his wife, Lauren, grew up a die-hard OU fan. On their first date, Arbuckle took Lauren to an Oklahoma game.
Game day for those two will look quite different when Arbuckle takes the reins in the fall. But it’s a return to the place that sparked their love for one another and Arbuckle’s love for OU.
“Here we are 12 years later, and we’re very proud to be here,” Arbuckle said on the National Signing Day show on Sooner Sports TV in December. “We’re ready to get this thing rolling.”
In addition to Arbuckle’s short-but-impressive resume and his family ties, his leadership is what those closest to him think will stand out.
Rosemary Koetting, Chris’ wife, described Arbuckle as a “player’s coach” who is kind, intelligent and competitive.
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“He makes everybody feel important,” Rosemary Koetting said. “Kids flock to him.”
Jett Niu, a 3-star quarterback prospect who signed with OU in December after Arbuckle’s hiring, had similar first impressions.
Arbuckle recruited Niu to Washington State early in his recruiting process, but the quarterback prospect ultimately chose to commit to Oklahoma State. But the two kept in touch even after Niu’s OSU commitment, and once Arbuckle landed in Norman, it was a no-brainer for him to flip.
“I love the way that he coaches and talks to his players,” Niu said. “He really just develops them.”
At 29 years old, Arbuckle is just over a decade older than Niu. His new coordinator’s youth — plus his proven track record with Zappe, Ward and Mateer — excites the Sooners’ incoming signal caller.
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“He’s developed multiple quarterbacks that have been successful in college football, and I think I can be one of them,” Niu said. “We’re going to have a great next couple of years.”
Arbuckle’s time in Norman could span more than a decade. It could last only a year. Regardless, Koetting thinks Arbuckle is the right man for the job.
But wherever Arbuckle’s coaching career takes him, Koetting will always see him as the small-town quarterback that he predicted to one day be a star.
“I have coached a lot of great quarterbacks, and he’s been my favorite,” Koetting said. “He’s one of ours. He’s special, and I can tell you that.”
The Texas A&M Aggies (8-7) will try to stop a three-game road skid when taking on the Oklahoma Sooners (13-3) on Sunday, January 12, 2025 at Lloyd Noble Center, airing at 5:00 PM ET on SEC Network.
Texas A&M is coming off of a 90-49 loss to South Carolina in its last game on Thursday.
Prepare for this matchup with everything you need to know about Sunday’s college hoops action.
Check out: USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll
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Oklahoma vs. Texas A&M: How to watch on TV or live stream
Watch women’s college basketball on Fubo!
Texas A&M scoring
The Sooners put up 24.5 more points than the Aggies allow (64.8).
Oklahoma is 13-3 when scoring more than 64.8 points.
Oklahoma is 8-7 versus the spread and 13-3 overall when scoring more than 64.8.
Texas A&M is 2-3 versus the spread and has an 8-5 record overall when conceding fewer than 89.3 points.
Oklahoma vs. Texas A&M computer pick
Prediction: Oklahoma 81, Texas A&M 62
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