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Oklahoma storms bring widespread damage, tornadoes in Purcell and Shawnee

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Oklahoma storms bring widespread damage, tornadoes in Purcell and Shawnee


8:45 p.m. Tornado Update from NWS Norman:

EF1 (high end) at Purcell
EF0 near Lake Thunderbird (south of Stella/northwest of Little Axe)
EF1 west and near the Shawnee Twin Lakes
EF1 in north Shawnee.
There are other areas of damage that we will continue to investigate.

Original story:

OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) — Storms moved through parts of Oklahoma on Thursday morning, with at least five tornado warnings issued and two tornadoes that touched down in Purcell and Shawnee, leaving behind damage.

A line of strong to severe thunderstorms moved through central and eastern Oklahoma early Thursday that producing tornadoes, damaging winds, and power outages.

Preliminary information from the National Weather Service in Norman shows that at least EF-1 damage was found in Purcell. Survey teams are continuing to assess the damage that was left behind from the morning storms.

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Officials also reported that widespread power outages occurred in the city, along with downed trees and powerlines, with nine homes having damaged roofs, and a semi-truck rollover accident on I-35 with one injury.

Shawnee also suffered some damage Thursday morning, which includes downed fences and partial roof loss at the Holiday Inn Express. As of Thursday evening, NWS officials confirm that a tornado did touch down in the northern portion of Shawnee; however, a preliminary rating hasn’t been given at this time.

According to Comanche County Emergency Management, damages related to the storms were reported across the City of Lawton, with roof damage at Sheridan and Lee, along with power pole and power line damage.

Lawton Fire Department responded to a rooftop fire at MacArthur High School on Thursday morning, caused by wind damage to AC units.

Lightning strikes in Edmond were reported to have caused a transformer fire near Covell and Kelly, with another lightning strike having caused a tree to fall on top of a vehicle near Covell and Broadway, resulting in one person being injured.

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Straight-line winds were also reported to have destroyed a barn north of Guthrie, while structures were damaged in south Wynona, including a shop building that was devastated and a mobile home that was damaged.

Damage assessments are said to be ongoing at this time. News 4 will provide updates as we learn more.

According to NWS Norman officials, the last time the department issued a tornado warning in January was on January 10, 2020. However, Thursday’s reported tornado was not the earliest for a tornado to occur in Oklahoma. Tornadoes happened in Osage, Mayes, McIntosh, Ottawa, and Sequoyah Counties back on January 2, 2023.



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Oklahoma

Kip Lewis reveals why he returned to Oklahoma for senior season

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Kip Lewis reveals why he returned to Oklahoma for senior season


Kip Lewis returning for his redshirt senior season with the Oklahoma Sooners was one of the biggest wins of the offseason. Lewis has built an impressive career in Norman, racking up 209 tackles, 18.5 tackles for loss and five sacks with two interceptions, both of which he returned for touchdowns.

Beyond his production, Lewis has become one of the emotional leaders of the Oklahoma locker room. Although the NFL was an option, Lewis believed another season learning under Brent Venables would put him in the best position for long-term success.

In a video shared by Oklahoma, Lewis explained the factors that led him to return to Norman for another season.

“I talked to a lot of people,” Lewis said. “Mostly, my family and then my dad. He was just giving me key points that he felt like I should have come back… Mostly talked to a couple of my teammates like John (Mateer) and Isaiah (Sategna), getting their thoughts on what their plan was. I asked Danny (Stutsman) for advice. Talked to him for a little bit. Advice from Danny really stood out to me.”

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Getting advice from Stutsman likely played a significant role in Lewis’ decision. Stutsman was in a similar position following a strong 2023 season. Stutsman elected to return to Norman in 2024 and had another strong individual season. That resulted in him being taken in the fourth round of the 2025 NFL Draft.

Lewis’ decision to return gives Oklahoma one of the most experienced and talented linebackers in the country for another season. By following the same path as Stutsman, Lewis is betting on development and another opportunity to improve his draft stock.

If he continues to lead at the level he has throughout his career, his final season in Norman could be the one that cements him as one of the top defensive players in college football.

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on X (formerly known as Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Jaron on X @jaronspor.

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LANZAMIENTO: Local organizations aiming to continue Tulsa’s food industry growth

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LANZAMIENTO: Local organizations aiming to continue Tulsa’s food industry growth


TULSA, Okla — Tulsa has seen a boost in its food industry, thanks in part to a growing population.

Local News

Study shows Hispanic population boom boosting Tulsa economy

The Hispanic and Latino population has also contributed to the Oklahoma economy through restaurants, catering businesses, and food trucks.

According to a study conducted by the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission, the number of Hispanic and Latino individuals who have gone into the state’s food service industry has grown by more than 12,000 between 2001 and 2021.

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To help continue this growth, the Lobeck Taylor Family Foundation is starting up its “Lanzamiento Program” for Spanish speakers who are interested in pursuing a career in the culinary industry.

Local News

Mother Road Market hosts program for Hispanic, Latino food entrepreneurs

The classes are held in partnership with Mother Road Market for 12 weeks.

Wendy Henriquez is the owner of Sugar Crave and completed the program back in 2024.

She said it was a huge help when it came to learning the ins and outs of the industry.

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It also helped her that it was all in Spanish, the language she prefers.

“All of the classes were focused on the regulations here in the United States and Oklahoma needing to be met,” she said. “In every class, we had experts talk to us about things like taking out loans, insurance, credit.”

“Wow, I mean it isn’t easy, but it’s possible,” she said. “Perseverance is important.”

Abel Aguilar is the Program Manager in charge of the Lanzamiento course.

“We believe it’s important because not only do we have a strong population of both Hispanic and Latin entrepreneurs here in Tulsa, they may not know the resources that they have available to them,” he said.

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While tuition doesn’t start off as being free of charge, there are financial assistance options to help.

We Street Credit Union has also pitched in to offer funds for financial assistance so some weight can be taken off of the participant.

Aguilar also said Lobeck Taylor will work something out if finances are the only obstacle to applying.

For others interested in other resources to help kickstart their business, Avanzando Juntos is also a non-profit organization that can help.

Primarily for Spanish speakers, Avanzando Juntos helps connect business owners with grants and funding that can help eliminate some of the costs that come with starting a business.

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For those interested in applying to the “Lanzamiento” Program, you can visit the Kitchen 66 website for the application.


Isabel Flores is your North & East Tulsa reporter.

Is there something you think she should know about or look into?

You can email her at Isabel.Flores@kjrh.com.



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5 Things To Know: Oklahoma County inmate death, deadly OKC hit-and-run

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5 Things To Know: Oklahoma County inmate death, deadly OKC hit-and-run


1. Death of inmate at Oklahoma County Detention Center under investigation

A mugshot photo of Dancing Feathers Whitecrow.

Oklahoma County Detention Center.

• 33-year-old Dancing Feathers Whitecrow found unresponsive
• Taken to hospital where she was pronounced dead
• Active investigation ongoing

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Officials are investigating the death of an inmate at the Oklahoma County Detention Center.

Officers found 33-year-old Dancing Feathers Whitecrow unresponsive just before 7 p.m. Sunday. She was taken to the hospital and pronounced dead. Whitecrow had been booked into the jail in April.

This remains an active investigation.

A mugshot photo of Dancing Feathers Whitecrow.

The Oklahoma County Criminal Investigations Division is investigating after Dancing Feathers Whitecrow, 33, died in custody.

2. Deadly hit-and-run in southwest Oklahoma City

• Pedestrian struck and killed near Southwest 61st and May
• Crash happened just before midnight
• No description of the vehicle yet

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Oklahoma City Police are investigating a deadly hit-and-run that happened late Tuesday in southwest Oklahoma City.

One person was struck and killed by a vehicle near Southwest 61st and May just before midnight on Wednesday.

Police say they currently have no description of the vehicle involved.

3. Elderly Moore woman mauled to death by dog

• 86-year-old Beatrice Carruth found dead July 2nd
• Dog belonged to her son, who was previously arrested in a related incident
• Dog has been euthanized

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An 86-year-old Moore woman was mauled to death in her home by her son’s dog.

Beatrice Carruth was found dead on July 2nd. Family members say the dog, a Labrador and American Pit Bull Terrier mix, had previously attacked her in May.

The dog was euthanized Monday.

The Moore Police Department arrived at the scene near Northeast 27th Street and Highland Drive to find a woman with severe injuries.

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4. Cattle rescue after semi overturns on I-40 near Tinker

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A semi-truck hauling cattle lies overturned on I-40 near Tinker Air Force Base after a crash, with responders and ranchers working to secure the animals.
A semi-truck hauling cattle lies overturned on I-40 near Tinker Air Force Base after a crash, with responders and ranchers working to secure the animals.

News 9

• Mayberry family from Oklahoma City Stockyards helped clear the scene
• 109 head of cattle in trailer; more than 80 survived
• Similar crashes have happened in recent years

A family of ranchers helped rescue cattle after a semi overturned on I-40 near Tinker Air Force Base.

The Mayberry family responded to the scene and worked to safely remove the animals. They say they’ve assisted with several similar crashes over the past four years.

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A trailer carrying 62 head of cattle overturned Tuesday morning, leaving only a single westbound lane of I-40 open for hours as crews rescued trapped animals.

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5. Attorney General Drummond sues Allstate over insurance practices

• Lawsuit accuses company of denying or underpaying wind and hail claims
• Alleges use of undisclosed restrictive standards
• Similar lawsuit previously filed against State Farm

Attorney General Gentner Drummond is suing Allstate, accusing the insurance company of running a scheme to deny or underpay wind and hail claims.

The lawsuit alleges Allstate used undisclosed restrictive standards to limit coverage for Oklahomans. Drummond says the company is putting profits ahead of policyholders.

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A similar lawsuit was previously filed against State Farm.

The lawsuit was filed Tuesday in Cleveland County District Court and alleges violations of state consumer protection and anti-racketeering laws.

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Editor’s note: We used AI tools to help with editing and formatting this story. A human journalist reviewed everything before publication.





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