While the cost of development in Norman may come with high impact fees, city records show residential building permits have been on an upward trend since 2019. But expert perspectives vary in what that means for the future pace of housing growth in the area and effects on the city water supply.

Norman investment and economy experts say a recession could be on the horizon, adding to challenges businesses and consumers have navigated for over two years.

OKLAHOMA CITY — The Tobacco Settlement Endowment Fund has opened a new statewide funding opportunity for programs that promote youth character development for students in grades three through eight.

Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Garden recently contributed to a new study published in Science, a peer-reviewed academic journal.

Effective Monday through Aug. 31, Oklahoma City Zoo hours will be 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily, with the last entry at 2, due to recent record-breaking high temperatures.

A flea market vendor at Col. Dick’s Flea Market is giving back to a longtime local nonprofit that provides services to any victims of domestic violence, stalking or sexual assault.

The following building permit activity was reported by the Development Services Division of the City of Norman for July 7-13.

Burbs have it rough. Edmond and Norman both have tourist attractions, but Oklahoma City is the central state star.

Whether it’s financial and medical information stored on your computer or private data sent across the Internet in an email, encryption transforms your personal information into a secret code that can only be unlocked if you have the key.

Walk-in, immediate access orthopedic clinic Direct Orthopedic Care announced the relocation of its aouth Oklahoma City location to Norman.

To keep her and her nine-year-old son out of the soaring temperatures, Maria Denson has split time between Food & Shelter Inc. and the Catholic Charities Women’s Sanctuary.

That all changed Friday. A tour bus of Iowa’s more seasoned citizens came through here this past week and had a version of the hop-on, hop-off bus. Although the mostly seniors stayed onboard, I gave it a shot at explaining our community in a hour-long drive.

In states across the country and nations across the globe, politicians’ embrace of a “Green New Deal” style of environmental policy has often been a comedy of errors. But the real-world results are no laughing matter.

U.S. Rep. Tom Cole cited a hasty process in his decision to vote against codifying gay and interracial marriage into the Constitution, but a political analyst in his district says politicians who are displeased with a proposed law often use this reasoning.

Those who choose to serve our country through military services are heroes. Men and women put their lives on the line so that as a country and as citizens, we can remain free and safe. Making this sacrifice can also result in substance use disorder and other mental health challenges such as …

Ready or not, Norman is on track to grow, and its mayor and council hope to figure out how to guide the forecasted population hike they feel certain is on the horizon.

Norman residents have a new way to help their children have fun and expend some energy — and beat the heat — with the opening of a downtown Norman indoor playground Friday.

For the past six or seven years, I’ve been a regular attendee at Norman’s Juvenile Court. I’ve written previously about the mission of that court — one of redemption, not punishment. But redemption does not rule out consequences. Judge Gail Blaylock, presiding judge, seeks to assign such thi…

Jelaniahmad Andre Scrivans, 34, of Norman was charged Wednesday with aggravated possession of child pornography.

OKLAHOMA CITY — Lawmakers aren’t yet sure if or how they’ll spend the $698 million in cash incentives they set aside as part of a failed bid to bring an electric vehicle battery plant to Pryor.

The Last Frontier Council, Boy Scouts of America and Oklahoma Blood Institute (OBI) are holding a dual fundraising and blood drive in five of OBI’s donor centers.

The brother and sister-in-law of Margarita Sandoval, who was found dead in a Norman residence last year, were arrested and charged with murder Thursday in connection with the death.

The University of Oklahoma’s 108th annual School of Visual Arts exhibition was earlier this spring.

A room full of protestors against plans to build two toll roads in Norman cheered as attorneys in two lawsuits reassured them there is hope in their fight.

NORMAN — Following the success of an initial cohort of energy industry participants, a collaborative project establishing an environmental, social and governance energy leadership certificate program at the University of Oklahoma will run a second cohort of its flagship Energy ESG Certificat…

The state’s secretary of education is refusing to release $12 million specifically earmarked in the state budget to fund programs benefiting impoverished infants and toddlers, the Oklahoma superintendent of public instruction said Thursday.

Despite desperate pleas from aides, allies, members of Congress and even his family, Donald Trump refused on Jan. 6 to call off the mob attack at the Capitol. Instead the defeated president told supporters in a video address they were “very special” as he finally sent them home at day's end. One aide said at Thursday night's hearing of the Jan. 6 House committee that Trump poured “gasoline on the fire” of the attack  rather than calling off the mob laying siege. They said Trump was well aware of the deadly attack after sending his supporters to fight for his lost presidency.

Jurors emerged from slightly more than six hours of deliberations Thursday to find Christopher Mark Wall guilty of capital murder, as his wife and daughter, and the mothers of both of his victims cried at the verdict.

President Joe Biden says he's “doing great” after testing positive for COVID-19. The White House said Thursday the 79-year-old Biden is experiencing “very mild symptoms,” including a stuffy nose, fatigue and cough. He's taking Paxlovid, an antiviral drug designed to reduce the severity of the disease. Biden is fully vaccinated and has received two boosters. When a fully vaccinated person experiences infection, the chance of severe illness or death is low. The White House says Biden is isolating at the White House but carrying out his duties via phone and Zoom. He canceled a planned visit to Pennsylvania on Thursday and tweeted:  “I’m doing great. Thanks for your concern.”

A federal judge denied a McAlester couple’s motion to dismiss which claimed the federal government no longer had criminal jurisdiction in the case accusing the pair of abusing and neglecting a 10-year-old girl in 2020.

Advocates for the blind are celebrating a new law that adds blind Oklahomans to the list of people allowed to vote by electronic mail-in ballot.

Noble, OK — These prolonged, extremely hot temperatures are hard on and potentially dangerous for everyone — this includes wildlife. Extreme heat during wildlife baby season can lead young animals to leave their nests or dens prematurely.

Nate Cross, a Navy veteran and third-year medical student at the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine, has been named a 2022 Tillman Scholar by the Pat Tillman Foundation.

A judge on Wednesday dismissed a lawsuit from former Cleveland County employee Allen Shetley — whose alleged actions prompted officials to ask the state for an audit — against District 3 County Commissioner Harold Haralson, who fired him.

This story was produced in partnership with the Oklahoma nonprofit newsroom The Frontier.

Now in a new Norman headquarters, Daniel Remington looks to continue building his company’s legacy that began more than 20 years ago.

Nearly 16 months after their RV was hit by truck on I-35 in Norman, a Missouri couple is still dealing with the aftermath, but hope to see justice when they return later this month to give a victim impact statement.

OKLAHOMA CITY — Many of Oklahoma’s tag agencies will have a new look by the end of 2022 after lawmakers recently approved an overhaul of the system that handles how driver’s licenses and motor vehicle registrations and titles are issued.

A Lexington man was charged Monday after he allegedly assaulted his wife and kept her in what deputies called “deplorable” living conditions.

Voters could see a question on a January 2023 ballot to approve a 25-year franchise agreement with utility service provider Oklahoma Gas & Electric if the council approves an ordinance next month.

GREENWOOD, Ind. (AP) — A 20-year-old man likely assembled a rifle in the bathroom of a suburban Indianapolis shopping mall before shooting five people in the food court, killing three of them before an armed shopper fatally shot him, authorities said Monday.

Editor's note: This story has been updated to accurately state a quote by Dr. Dale Bratzler.

Asian shares are mostly lower as investors weigh oil prices, inflation worries and corporate earnings. Tokyo's benchmark was higher but other major indexes declined in morning trading after an early rally evaporated on Wall Street. Oil prices edged lower and U.S. futures gained. On Monday, gains in energy producers, big retailers and other companies that rely on consumer spending were outweighed by a pullback in health care and technology stocks. The U.S. market has been lurching mostly lower for weeks on worries that the Federal Reserve and other central banks will slam the brakes too hard on the economy to counter inflation. If they’re too aggressive with their interest-rate hikes, they could cause a recession.

A report says nearly 400 law enforcement officials rushed to a mass shooting that left 21 people dead at a Uvalde elementary school. But “egregiously poor decision-making” resulted in a chaotic scene that lasted more than an hour before the gunman was finally confronted and killed. The report is the first to criticize both state and federal law enforcement, and not just local authorities in Uvalde, Texas, for the bewildering inaction at Robb Elementary School. The Texas House of Representatives report released Sunday says the gunman fired approximately 142 rounds inside the building and it is “almost certain” that 100 shots came before any officer entered. A hallway surveillance video also was released Sunday showing a hesitant and haphazard tactical response.

Editor's note: This story has been updated to clarify irrigation rules in the city.

Registration is now open for the second iteration of a local nonprofit fundraising event night, which offers an evening of activities, food and drinks.

Entrepreneur Carlos Dew looks to establish a community-oriented atmosphere at his cannabis dispensary with a separate bar and lounge area, where patients can not only purchase, but consume their medicine when it opens next month in Noble.

The following building permit activity was reported by the Development Services Division of the City of Norman for June 30-July 6.

Many businesses and government installations require this, and it may be something you want to do at home.

A good deal of sunshine. Hot. High 103F. Winds S at 10 to 20 mph..

Generally clear skies. Low 77F. Winds SSE at 10 to 15 mph.

Whether it’s financial and medical information stored on your computer or private data sent across the Internet in an email, encryption transforms your personal information into a secret code that can only be unlocked if you have the key.

Don’t be put off by any of the unfamiliar terminology that may be involved. Using encryption does not require a degree from James Bond University or permission from the CIA.

Many modern encryption products are so easy to use that, yes, even cave dwellers can use them.

When securing your data, there are two main areas where encryption should be used, known as “data at rest” and “data in motion.”

“Data at rest” is information that is simply being stored on hard drives, flash drives, etc. “Data in motion” is information that is in transit between devices, such as across a network or the Internet.

There are many good products that will encrypt data at rest and most of them work around the same set of principles, which are similar to installing a wall safe in your home.

The first step is to create an encrypted folder or “container;” this is your safe. Next, you assign the folder a password or “encryption key;” this is the combination to your safe.

Finally, you put items that you want to protect into your safe, i.e., your encrypted folder.

From then on, anyone that wants to access those files that you have protected will have to know your special encryption key, which, of course, you will keep secret. It really is that simple.

While both Windows PC’s and Apple Macs can have built-in encryption functions, they are often too restrictive in their hardware requirements and ease of use for many folks, so I recommend third-party encryption products.

One product that I like for data at rest is called Cryptainer LE, which can be found at cypherix.com/cryptainerle. Aimed at Windows users, Cryptainer LE, perfect for home users, is the free version of Cypherix’s more industrial-strength encryption products and is easy-as-pie to use.

Like most encryption products, Cryptainer LE will also let you protect files on removable flash drives, portable hard drives and even CDs. Those in business settings will probably want to opt for Cypherix’s more powerful products which, starting at $30, are a bargain.

Mac (and, Windows) users should check out Veracrypt at www.veracrypt.fr. While Truecrypt is not as drop-dead easy to use as Cryptainer, it’s not terribly difficult to use, either.

It is very strong encryption and is an excellent choice for PC and Mac users. It is one of the few free encryption options approved for use by employees of many major corporations.

Data in motion needs attention too, specifically, email. Let’s face it, though, most email sent by most email users does not need strong encryption.

But when it does, the most drop-dead easy way to deploy encrypted email has to be from a company in Switzerland called ProtonMail (protonmail.com).

You just sign up for an account, get an email address and start using it. There are free accounts for personal use, and paid accounts, starting at 4 Euros per month (about $4.08 U.S.) for businesses.

Books can be (and, have been) written about file encryption, and there are numerous encryption methods available; too many to mention here.

This should be enough information, though, to get you started and thinking about the subject. For some very entertaining, enlightening and educational reading on the subject, check out Steven Levy’s book “Crypto.”

Home users will want to protect their important QuickBooks and TurboTax files, as well as financial and medical information.

Many businesses, such as those in the legal, financial and health care industries are now required by law to use due diligence in protecting sensitive personal and private information; encryption is how it’s done.

While I don’t recommend storing anything on your phone that would require encryption-level protection, for folks who just can’t seem to control themselves, you’ll want to enable encryption on your phone.

On iPhones, make sure you use at least a six-digit PIN; check Settings, FaceID & Passcode, and make sure it says, “ Data protection is enabled” at the bottom. Android users, see Settings — Security — Encrypt device.

Dave Moore, CISSP, has been fixing computers in Oklahoma since 1984. Founder of the non-profit Internet Safety Group Ltd, he also teaches Internet safety community training workshops. He can be reached at 405-919-9901 or internetsafetygroup.org.

Glenna Mae Nance, 93, of Norman, passed away peacefully surrounded by loved ones on the evening of Wednesday, 20 July 2022. She was born in Noble, Oklahoma, Cleveland County, on 2 November 1928 to parents, Clarence Dillard Matlock, and Mary Elsie Turman, both of Tennessee. Glenna was precede…

Byron Ray Jacobson, Sr., 66, Norman, passed away 07/19/2022. Prayer Vigil will be at 6:30PM, Monday, 7/25, St. Andrew Catholic Church, 800 NW 5th St, Moore. Mass of Christian Burial at 10:00AM, Tuesday, 7/26, St. Andrew Catholic Church. www.tribute.care.

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