New for you: News From You
“Have I got news for you.”
Ever heard that phrase? Most of us either have said that, heard it, or done both during our lives. There’s always something we think is important enough to share with others and they with us.
A few years ago, when we established our “know it” communities we offered readers a chance to share news releases, alerts, recognitions and other information (including photos) by sending their items by email to any or all of the five sites:
edmond@newsok.com
mid-del@newsok.com
norman@newsok.com
okc@newsok.com
yukon@newsok.com
Many groups and individuals have participated. You can see what they are sending by going to the reader-submitted area (upper right) of each community:
http://knowit.newsok.com/edmond
http://knowit.newsok.com/midwest-city
http://knowit.newsok.com/norman
http://knowit.newsok.com/oklahoma-city
http://knowit.newsok.com/yukon
(Note: You can see all of them by going to: http://knowit.newsok.com/)
The instructions also advise that editors at The Oklahoman will consider items submitted for publication in the newspaper. That has happened.
But now, that has been enhanced by using a page, labeled News From You, each Saturday in the Local/State section of the newspaper.
We even include posted blog material.
So how can you get your information to us for consideration?
You can send to the communities, as mentioned above, by following the directions for emailing.
Or, you can send email to Metro reporters Vallery Brown (vbrown@opubco.com), Matt Patterson (mpatterson@opubco.com), Jane Glenn Cannon in Norman (jcannon@opubco.com), or Diana Baldwin in Edmond (dbaldwin@opubco.com).
It’s your news to share and be shared.
Be proud, Oklahoma
More accolades, more pride, more excitement, more good feelings.
Oklahoma sports connections have brought more POSITIVE attention to our state and we should be very appreciative.
Last night’s NBA All-Star game showed how Oklahoma City and the state in general have excelled.
Kevin Durant of the Oklahoma City Thunder proved beyond question that he is among the best in the game. Named the most valuable player in the pro basketball classic, Durant led his West team to victory.
His Oklahoma City teammate, Russell Westbrook, also dazzled the crowd and the millions who watched the game on television, displaying the skills that have elevated him to the star level.
And Blake Griffin, who grew up in Oklahoma City, became a college star at the University of Oklahoma, then made the transition to bigtime standout with the Los Angeles Clippers, added his outstanding play to the West team.
These accomplishments are documented in KNOWIT.NEWSOK.COM/KEVIN-DURANT and KNOWIT.NEWSOK.COM/BLAKE-GRIFFIN. They follow other recent major achievements by Oklahomans.
The Oklahoma State University Cowboys, for the first time in their football history, finished second in the nation in the final polls after winning the Big 12 championship and defeating Stanford in the Fiesta Bowl.
OSU quarterback Brandon Weeden, of Edmond, was a standout at Santa Fe High School and talented in baseball as well. But his college career in football may pay off far more than his professional baseball career did. You can follow his entry into pro football at KNOWIT.NEWSOK.COM/BRANDON-WEEDEN
And then there is Wes Welker, the all-pro receiver for the New England Patriots and another Oklahoma City native. After a successful career at Heritage Hall High School and Texas Tech University, Welker has proven you don’t have to be the biggest player on the field to be one of the best. He and his Patriots made it to the Super Bowl and were so close to winning it all.
All of these athletes are winners and give Oklahoma reason to be proud.
Heading to ‘The Game’
Perhaps the biggest football game ever between the University of Oklahoma and Oklahoma State University takes place Saturday night in Stillwater.
This one is for the Big 12 Championship, for state pride, for bragging rights, for respect, for the players, the fans, the students … and for just about any other purpose you can think of.
This is Bedlam.
But if you’re traveling to Stillwater for the game, THIS is a list of construction projects that will impact travel on major highways from Friday through Sunday, according to the Oklahoma Department of Transportation.
These projects are all weather permitting.
Statewide:
* East- and westbound Interstate 40 is narrowed to one lane from the Arkansas state line extending west five miles.
* East- and westbound I-40 is narrowed to one lane from four miles east of State Highway 99, then east seven miles to Cromwell.
* All lanes of east- and westbound U.S. 60 will be closed near the SH 66 junction (Craig County). A detour route will be in place along SH 66 and SH 28 through Nowata and Rogers Counties.
* The right lane of northbound U.S. 69 is closed in Savannah in Pittsburg County.
* North- and southbound U.S. 69 is narrowed to one lane in each direction over the North Canadian River in McIntosh County (Lake Eufaula). Drivers should expect reduced speed and wide load restrictions.
* Southbound U.S. 69 will be narrowed to one lane over I-40 in McIntosh County.
* I-40 is narrowed to one lane in each direction near Checotah. Drivers should expect reduced speed and wide load restrictions.
* U.S. 81 is narrowed to one lane in each direction at the Cimarron River south of Dover.
Oklahoma City Metro:
* The right lanes of east- and westbound I-40 are closed between Council Road and Sara Road. Traffic on Morgan Road will be shifted as part of the interchange reconstruction project.
* Drivers can expect various lane closures and lane shifts on I-35 at NE 23 for cable barrier work.
* There will be various lane closures on east and westbound I-40 at I-44 near the fairgrounds from 7 p.m. to 5 a.m. Monday nights through Friday mornings. On weekends the lane closures will be from 7 p.m. Fridays to 5 a.m. Mondays. This project is scheduled to last through January.
* The right lane of westbound I-44 is closed between Broadway Extension/I-235 and Western Avenue at this time as part of the ongoing BWX/I-235/I-44 ramp reconstruction. In addition, Grand Boulevard east of Shartel Avenue and Robinson Avenue between NE 57 and Grand Boulevard will be closed through December. Drivers are strongly encouraged to avoid the area and find an alternate route.
* The eastbound I-44 ramp to eastbound I-40 (Amarillo Junction) has shifted slightly until 2012.
* Eastbound I-40 is narrowed slightly between Portland Avenue and I-44 until 2012.
* The northbound I-35 off-ramp to westbound I-40 is open, however it is no longer a dedicated lane.
* Robinson Avenue closed between SW 7 and SW 11. Detour is Walker Avenue.
Tulsa Metro:
* The left lane of north- and southbound U.S. 75 is closed near 201st Street S (at S Duck Creek, south of Glenpool).
* All lanes of eastbound I-44 are shifted across the Arkansas River bridge into the westbound lanes, which will carry two lanes of two-way traffic until further notice. Plan for extra travel time in this corridor.
* All westbound I-244 traffic over the Arkansas River is shifted to the eastbound bridge, which will carry two lanes of two-way traffic until further notice. Plan ahead for extra travel time here.
Ramps closed at the SW corner of the Inner Dispersal Loop, detour in place until 2013:
* Westbound U.S. 64/SH 51 to eastbound I-244/westbound U.S. 64/SH 51 (southwest corner IDL).
* Southbound U.S. 75/westbound U.S. 64/SH 51 off-ramp to westbound I-244/southbound U.S. 75
* Eastbound I-244 on-ramp from 17th Street and the westbound I-244 on-ramp from 7th Street.
For turnpike information call the Turnpike Authority at 425-3600, or visit www.pikepass.com.
See more about the game at http://knowit.newsok.com/brandon-weeden and http://knowit.newsok.com/landry-jones as well as reading The Oklahoman and NewsOK.com.
Be careful, enjoy your trip, and enjoy the game.
