In a bid to strengthen care, an Oklahoma agency plans to shift to a privatized model for many of its behavioral and mental health services in some areas of the state.

The Texas-based nonprofit Human Coalition lobbies for anti-abortion programs and gets millions of dollars in funding from other states.

Local headlines for Thursday, July 9, 2026

The state expects to spend at least $145,000 to operate its Oklahoma-centric booth at the Great American State Fair in Washington, D.C.

The Oklahoma State Election Board held a public drawing Wednesday to determine the order political parties and candidates will appear on the ballot in November. Here’s more on the process.

Martha Lillard spent nearly her entire life using an iron lung, a respiratory device used to facilitate breathing for polio victims. She died at 78 last month.

A preliminary court order reinstated federal grants largely helping Black, Indigenous, veteran and immigrant farmers access land, which the U.S. Department of Agriculture cut earlier this year. Now, organizations are cautiously moving forward with their projects.

From some of the best Oklahoma music released so far in 2026 to new operators at Hollywood Corners in Norman, here's our weekly round-up of local music news.

Local headlines for Wednesday, July 8, 2026

Traindodge's Jason Smith formed the band with bassist Chris Allen and his younger brother Rob Smith in 1996 when the places for a punk band to play in Oklahoma ranged from houses, convenience stores, and bowling alleys.