Oklahoma
Oklahoma natives putting on a show during USAC Indiana Midget Week
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) – The United States Auto Club Indiana Midget Week is in full swing across the Hoosier state.
There are just two races remaining this week: One at Tri-State Speedway in Haubstadt on Saturday, and the finale at Kokomo Speedway in Kokomo on Sunday.
“To be running Midget week itself is a blessing,” driver Ryan Timms said.
Timms, an Oklahoma City native, is finding plenty of success on the track so far this week. He is currently second in the USAC Indiana Midget Week standings, 31 points behind USAC Indiana Midget Week points leader Daison Pursley.
Pursley, like Timms, is also an Oklahoma native. Pursley’s hometown is Locust Grove, Oklahoma.
Cannon McIntosh is in third place in this week’s standings entering Saturday. And guess what? He also is from Oklahoma. McIntosh’s hometown is Bixby, Oklahoma.
“I love this week,” Timms said. “I love all the tracks here in Indiana.”
Timms, who is just 17 years old, started the week off strong. He stormed to victory on Wednesday night at Lawrenceburg Speedway, the first race of the USAC Indiana Midget Week (after Circle City Raceway’s event was rained out on Tuesday). On Thursday, he finished in second place at Lincoln Park Speedway in Putnamville. Then, on Friday, he finished in 11th place at Bloomington Speedway.
“The standards are definitely high, but I feel like I’m very capable of meeting those standards,” Timms said.
He’s showing off those skills on the track this week. In fact, he’s passed the most cars (25) of any driver during the past three races.
“Running so many Midget races, I’ve gotten really comfortable in the car,” Timms said. “And I’ve just adapted really well to it. I learn something new every single night. I just take what opportunities are given and make the most out of them, and try to learn everything I can going into the next night.”
The highlight of his week so far was his victory on Wednesday. What made it even more special for the Keith Kunz-Curb-Agajanian Motorsports/JBL Audio–IWX–Mobil 1/LynK/Speedway Toyota driver was that the victory gave Mike Curb his 200th career victory as a USAC national entrant.
“Going into that race, I had no idea that that was a thing,” Timms joked. “And I didn’t know that that was his 200th win until I got out of the car in victory lane.”
Timms added it was an honor to be a part of that moment.
“To be able to race for him, and to get their 200th win at a place like Lawrenceburg, in a race week like Midget Week, it’s really awesome,” Timms said.
Timms also won at Lawrenceburg Speedway during USAC Indiana Midget Week in 2023.
Oklahoma
Neighbors sift debris, help each other after suspected Purcell tornado
Purcell OK resident recounts how tornado damaged home
Jennifer Fox says she didn’t hear any warning sirens but knew there was a tornado in the area after severe weather tore her garage awning from the ground.
PURCELL — Jennifer Fox had just fed the pigs behind her house early in the morning Thursday, Jan. 8, and began getting ready for work before she and her two sons heard something hit her bedroom window.
“I said, ‘Is it hailing?” she said. “My oldest looked out the window and he saw our awning across the back. He said, ‘Mom, the awning’s gone.”
Fox looked out the window and saw debris everywhere. She said she didn’t hear tornado sirens, but she and her sons immediately took shelter in a closet. By that time, the suspected tornado had already passed through her neighborhood off of Johnson Avenue in Purcell.
At first, Fox didn’t think there was a tornado and attributed the damage and debris to strong winds.
But just one street over, the roof of one house had been destroyed. When she looked at the house behind hers, Fox said she knew a tornado had hit her neighborhood.
“I was thankful at the time,” she said. “I told my kids, I said, ‘It could’ve been a lot worse.’ We weren’t prepared, obviously. I really felt like it just barely missed us.”
Severe weather passed through central Oklahoma early Thursday morning, bringing reports of damage from a possible tornado in Purcell. The National Weather Service in Norman reported on social media that survey teams have found at least EF1 tornado damage in the Purcell area.
The Purcell Fire Department reported a tornado touched down in the city, causing roof damage to nine homes, a semi truck rollover accident on Interstate 35 with one injury and widespread power outages, downed trees and powerlines.
On Norte Street in Purcell, the suspected tornado wiped out the roof of a newly-built home, throwing debris onto the road, including a Christmas tree and blue ornaments. The houses across the street and next door were untouched.
Community members and local high school students gathered pieces of trash, plywood, insulation and other debris and hauled them off.
Next door to Fox, a man and a woman removed debris from their yard that appeared to have blown over from Fox’s house. Like a puppy, a tall brown horse followed the man as he picked up each piece of trash. Across the street, cattle laid in the middle of a field and watched as one person after another drove into the neighborhood to lend a hand.
About five miles northeast of Fox’s house, the suspected tornado knocked over a few powerlines near Purcell’s football stadium. A tree fell onto a small white house and took the tin roof off a large warehouse.
Ron Musgrave, the warehouse’s owner, lives six miles north of Purcell. He said he learned his property was damaged through a local news broadcast.
“They had the people out front and they had the helicopters, so I could see it,” Musgrave said. “They were flying over here. There’s a football field, and I thought, ‘Oh my gosh. If that’s the football field, that’s my warehouse.”
The retired home builder and property owner said he keeps building supplies in his warehouse and a black and white cat who’s in charge of exterminating any trespassing mice.
The cat was happy to see Musgrave as he surveyed the water damage inside of the warehouse. Though there was some wet spots, the roof took most of the impact.
“It’s a project,” Musgrave said with a smile. “I am down for it.”
Severe weather damage reported in Shawnee, Norman
Tree damage was reported in Cleveland County at 156th Street and East Tecumseh Avenue, according to Alyse Moore, Cleveland County communications director, along with damage to a car port and barn at 800 Moffatt Road north of Lexington.
Storm damage was also reported in Shawnee. Social media posts show damage to the Holiday Inn Express and Walmart Supercenter off of Interstate 40.
Oklahoma
Oklahoma Sooners add transfer portal offensive lineman to the roster
The Oklahoma Sooners made an under-the-radar transfer portal addition on Wednesday, bringing back a player who spent two seasons in Norman before transferring out last year.
Former Central Oklahoma offensive lineman Kenneth Wermy will be returning to play for OU out of the portal. Wermy played for the Sooners in 2023 and 2024 before spending 2025 at the NCAA Division II level with the Bronchos. He’ll add depth to an offensive line group that is in need of it after recent portal departures.
Wemry is a local product from Cache, Oklahoma, and he stands at 6-foot-5 and weighs 315 pounds. The Sooners have been busy adding big names in the transfer market, but with a week and a half left until the portal closes, the focus may soon turn to retention and building back depth on the roster.
Oklahoma had a busy portal day on Wednesday, adding Wermy and former Michigan linebacker Cole Sullivan. However, Oklahoma also lost three players to the portal, in linebacker Sammy Omosigho, defensive back Jaydan Hardy, and wide receiver Zion Ragins.
Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Aaron on X@Aaron_Gelvin.
Oklahoma
Oklahoma bill aims to ban obscene materials in public school libraries
A local lawmaker is introducing a bill to prohibit obscene materials in Oklahoma public school libraries.
Rep. Chris Banning, R-Bixby, filed legislation this week, House Bill 2978, that would update state law and prohibit the acquisition of materials that meet Oklahoma’s legal definition of obscenity.
The bill removes references to subjective community standards and relies on established statute, according to Banning.
“This legislation provides a straightforward statewide rule that helps ensure school libraries stay within the definition of education,” Banning said. “According to Black’s Law Dictionary, education is defined as providing proper moral, intellectual and physical instruction.”
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