In The News 07.16.2026

Here are the headlines shared on Thursday, July 16, 2026.

• Deadline for Oklahomans to register, update voter information nears (Oklahoma Voice)

• Drummond settles 23andMe data breach lawsuit (KFOR)

• Oklahoma City metro leaders propose commuter rail system (KOCO)

• OSBI launches cyber crime unit to combat AI scams and crypto fraud in Oklahoma (KWTV)

• Oklahoma schools move to incorporate Rain’s Law into curriculum (KWTV)

• Muskogee City Attorney resigns, alleges hostile work environment in letter (KJRH)

• Oklahoma offers new autism marker for safer driver stops (KTEN)

• Measles case confirmed in Amarillo area (KAMR)

• 2026 Farm Bill raises more concerns for Oklahoma farmers than aid (KGOU)

• Oklahoma’s most powerful local office is going uncontested. Here’s why nobody is running (KGOU)

• Oklahoma’s plan to comply with mental health consent decree is approved one year after deadline (KOSU)

• Oklahoma Supreme Court to decide legality of state question signature purge (KOSU)

• Federal government considers Endangered Species Act protections for skunk found in Oklahoma (KOSU)

• Irish company sets path for Tulsa with new jobs, takeout by air in minutes (KWGS)

• Rejected for Oklahoma funding, an anti-abortion group helped rewrite state law (The Frontier)

• ‘Should not apply in Oklahoma’: 10th Circuit weighs Kunzweiler case on nonmember Indian jurisdiction (Nondoc)

• Oklahoma ends ‘orphan tax’ on foster children Social Security benefits (The Journal Record)

• Public transit future takes center stage at Holt’s State of the City (OKC Free Press)

• “Where You Want to Put Your Data Center Is Not a Trade Secret.” Oklahoma’s NDA Debate, Explained. (Oklahoma Watch)

• Oklahoma June primary election saw low independent turnout (Oklahoma Voice)

• Oklahoma AG to try again to settle poultry pollution lawsuit (Oklahoma Voice)

• ‘Outsiders’ movie plaque stolen from Oklahoma drive-in (KOKH)

• Oklahoma family battles oil company over leaking well (KFOR)

Recent precipitation has brought beneficial changes to parts of Oklahoma, leading to improvements in drought conditions. Specifically, areas throughout western Oklahoma and the Oklahoma Panhandle saw positive adjustments following an assessment of shorter-term conditions. This recent rainfall has effectively lessened mid-term precipitation deficits, contributing to localized improvements in both soil moisture and streamflow across these regions.

Oklahoma summary of the National Drought Summary for July 14, 2026

FYI: Register for the next U.S. Drought Monitor 101 Webinar on Thursday, August 13, 2026, from 3-4PM Eastern Time.

The promised state question edition will be out on Sunday.

The next election is the Oklahoma Primary Runoff on Tuesday, August 25, 2026. The last day you can register to vote for this election is July 31, 2026. The deadline to request an absentee ballot is August 10, 2026.

There are two state questions on this ballot; everyone is encouraged to go vote, regardless of political party. The state question ballot is open to everyone.

The History of AOL Instant Messenger (Macintosh Librarian)

Forget Discord, I’m switching back to AIM (Veronica Explains)

This Camera Has Taken a Photo Every 20 Seconds Since 1994 (Left Running)

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Until next time.

– K. @}-;--

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