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Senate Bill 821 passed this week in the House Public Health Committee. I’m glad to co-author this legislation that better defines pharmacy benefits management as it relates to the Patient’s Right to Pharmacy Choice Act to help lead the charge to protect our locally owned and managed hometown pharmacies.

Recently Governor Kevin Stitt announced the upcoming launch of the Oklahoma Innovation Expansion Program (OIEP), which will make $10 million in funding available to qualifying manufacturers across the state. Based on the success of the Oklahoma Bounce Back Assistance Program in 2020, OIEP was developed to support high-impact new capital investment across a broad range of industries to help diversify the state’s economy, lead to new product development or increase capacity at Oklahoma’s existing companies. In addition to encouraging new capital investment, these awards will support existing jobs and the creation of new jobs. The program will be administered by the Oklahoma Department of Commerce and the Oklahoma Development Finance Authority (ODFA).

Congratulations to Connie George, winner of the Watonga Republican’s seventh annual Bracket Bonanza! George had the most points of any player after a wild tournament that saw the Baylor Bears take down the undefeated Gonzaga Bulldogs in the championship game. She stopped by the office Monday to pick up her prize.

The Geary City Council voted Thursday to vacate the town’s economic development board and install its current city clerk to revitalize the flagging entity. Clerk Amanda Wood, who narrowly lost reelection last week to Paula Reding, will join the Geary Economic Development Association, on which Mayor Bobby Allen will also serve.

Hi everyone! Here it is, the middle of April already. I hope you’ve all had a good week.

Geary residents calling from landline phones will need to start including the area code for local calls beginning in late April. The change comes as the state is preparing to introduce a new area code to central Oklahoma.

With all Oklahomans now eligible to receive the Covid-19 vaccine, second shots are ramping up, and with them, concerns about the followup dose's side effects. Experts at the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation offer answers to five questions on the second shot to the arm.