News

Dallas, TX – Had voters re-elected Congressman Nick Lampson, he'd have taken the helm of a U.S. House subcommittee that oversees NASA projects and guides its budget.

But voters in the district that's home to the Johnson Space Center took a pass.

Instead, they elected Republican Pete Olson. He's built Washington contacts from years working as a Senate aide and in the Pentagon, but he'll be a freshman in the minority party.

Tulsa, OK – A recent poll indicates 41 percent of Oklahomans think the U.S. economy soon could face another depression similar to the one the nation experienced in the 1930s.

According to the Oklahoma Poll conducted by SoonerPoll.com, older people, and those in the 35-44 age bracket, were the most likely to be concerned.

The telephone poll was done from Oct. 24-26 and included 357 likely voters. The poll, sponsored by the Tulsa World and Tulsa television station KOTV, has a margin of error of plus or minus 5.19 percentage points.

Lawton, OK – Lawton police say the Fort Sill Army base is home to many soldiers who also are gang members, but base officials dispute that claim.

Lt. Darrell Southerland, a 20-year police veteran who oversees the Lawton Gang Task Force Unit, says his six-member unit has routinely gathered and shared evidence with Fort Sill officials about soldiers stationed at Fort Sill who also are gang members.

He says evidence has been obtained through traffic stops and arrests and includes photos of gang-related tattoos and information from informants.

Oklahoma City, OK – A re-count has been ordered in the Oklahoma Senate District 43 race, which incumbent Republican Jim Reynolds won by 159 votes.

Democratic challenger David Boren requested the re-count, alleging voting irregularities. Reynolds also alleged irregularities in the race.

Boren is not related to University of Oklahoma President David Boren, a former legislator, governor and U.S. senator.

The District 43 re-count will begin at 8:30 a.m. Wednesday in Cleveland County and at 10 a.m. in Oklahoma County on the same day.

Austin, TX – A Texas House member is under criminal investigation over air travel he received from a beer distributor.

A lawyer for Democrat Kino Flores of Plano today confirmed the investigation, but says he doesn't think the legislator violated any laws.

Attorney Roy Minton says Flores is not going to resign, and the lawmaker has repaid about $1,500 for two or three trips.

Flores, who's an ally of embattled GOP House Speaker Tom Craddick, flew between Austin and the Rio Grande Valley on a plane owned by the LaMantia family.