Read the latest news from regional and global sources, presenting different voices and perspectives.

Chuck E. Cheese Opens Standalone Arcade in Oklahoma
Did you know Chuck E. Cheese is trying out an arcade only concept? For years, Chuck E. Cheese was known as the birthday party place for kids. Pizza, games, playplace, and creepy animatronic characters. Sadly the creepy robot band is gone,...

2024 H-1B petitions: Approvals for employers classified under Health Care and Social Assistance industry across NC Oklahoma News publication area
Tammy Meckley, Associate Director, Immigration Records and Identity Services Directorate for USCIS | https://www.dhswatchlist.com/ Tammy Meckley, Associate Director, Immigration Records and Identity Services Directorate for USCIS |...

Oklahoma’s On the Verge of a 2025 Economic Boom
As we roll close to Independence Day, 2025 appears to be shaping up nicely for Oklahoma. Most notably, the various announcements we've had about new big businesses and job opportunities headed to the Sooner State. The big news. CBC Global...

Oklahoma EO calls for review of fluoride in public water supply, use of artificial food coloring
Oklahoma EO calls for review of fluoride in public water supply, use of artificial food coloring Gov. Kevin Stitt and U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. held a news conference for the Oklahoma governor to sign the...

Venmo Launches Big 12 Debit Cards for Students and Fans to Score More Across Campus and on Gameday
Partnerships with the Big 12 Conference and student-athletes will drive everyday spend with Venmo across college campuses nationwide - Venmo, a leading social payments platform for young adults to manage and move their money, today announced new...

Universities in every state care for congressional papers that document US political history − federal cuts put their work at risk
In 1971, the president of Mississippi State University, Dr. William L. Giles, invited President Richard Nixon to attend the dedication of U.S. Sen. John C. Stennis’ papers to the university library’s archives. Nixon declined, but the Republican...

Disaster aid deadline closing in
Oklahoma residents in this state’s disaster declaration areas can apply for disaster assistant grants or loans through July 22, according to a recent update from the U.S. Small Business Administration. Homeowners and renters in Cleveland, Creek,...

Investors fear bankruptcy waiver permitted former Pickleball Rocks CEO to escape prosecution
Ron Ponder doesn't expect to get back the money he invested with Rodney Grubbs, but he still hopes for justice for others who loaned millions of dollars to the disgraced Hoosier pickleball entrepreneur. Ponder, a retiree from Oklahoma who referees...

Think Democrats and Republicans can’t work together? On sealing eviction records, they do.
When North Dakota state Sen. Ryan Braunberger first introduced a slate of tenant protection bills this year, he knew the odds of passage weren’t in his favor. Braunberger, a Democratic lawmaker in a Republican-controlled legislature who represents...

Oklahoma joins a growing number of states cracking down on shoplifting rings at the urging of retailers
After a push from big retailers and law enforcement, a new Oklahoma law will give the state Attorney General the power to prosecute crime rings that steal retail goods to sell online for profit. But a provision to lower the dollar amount to charge...

Hoover Business Happenings: July 2025
NOW OPEN Taziki’s Mediterranean Café held a ribbon cutting for its new location at 5880 Elsie Road in the Knox Square shopping center in Trace Crossings on June 3. 205-255-5858 Hoover Steaks and Wines is now open at 5868 Elsie Road in the Knox...

COLUMN: It’s time to let all voters have a voice
Let’s face it: More and more Oklahomans are dissatisfied with the two dominant political parties — Democrats and Republicans. As of Jan. 15, 2025, there are 488,756 registered independents in Oklahoma, up from 436,041 the year before — a 12%...

Oklahoma Supreme Court hears oral arguments in legal fight to keep state primary elections closed
Supporters say State Question 836 will open up primary elections to the almost half-a-million Independents who can't vote in closed Republican primaries. The state Republican Party, which is challenging the question before it hits the ballot next...

SGA agrees to 4-year extension with NBA champion Thunder
By CLIFF BRUNT Associated Press OKLAHOMA CITY - Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Oklahoma City Thunder have agreed on a record-setting 4-year, $285 million extension that would give him the highest single-season average salary in NBA history, a...

Greenwood business owners say it's safe to visit downtown Tulsa
TULSA, Okla. — Business owners in Tulsa’s historic Greenwood District said it is safe to visit, shop, and tour Black Wall Street after a shooting during Juneteenth that left one man dead. “It’s disheartening to hear people say they don’t feel safe...
Why Oklahoma's 'different' style of recruiting and culture under Brent Venables has appealed to so many players
Why Oklahoma's 'different' style of recruiting and culture under Brent Venables has appealed to so many players originally appeared on A to Z Sports. As soon as Brent Venables assumed the role as head coach of the Oklahoma Sooners, he immediately...

Oklahoma Discovery Stars in Jurassic Rebirth
NORMAN – Known from movie trailers as “The Backpack Dinosaur,” Jurassic World: Rebirth introduces audiences to Aquilops americanus, a small, early relative of Triceratops that makes for the perfect pet-sized companion in this summer’s latest...

Genomic analyses of prairie chickens cast doubt on species classifications
Impact of sampling from five states could affect wildlife management nationwide Biologists originally classified the lesser and greater prairie chickens of the Great Plains as two different species. Difficult to distinguish by their physical...

'It's not realistic': Superintendents say finding millions for free lunches just isn't possible
Oklahoma school districts are scrambling to come up with millions of dollars to foot the bill for student lunches after a state mandate this week requiring districts to provide free meals for all students. The memo was sent out Monday by State...

Sparkle Regional Developers Strengthen Midwest Pawprint with Wisconsin Expansion
Led by family and a shared passion for pet wellness, Cori + Dan Cammarano expand Sparkle's mission northward with 13 licenses. SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., July 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Sparkle Grooming Co., the wellness-focused dog grooming franchise, is...