Rebecca Heliot

1 month ago | oklahoman.com | Rebecca Heliot

• The Rainy Mountain Kiowa Indian Baptist Church in Kiowa County, Oklahoma, was destroyed by a fire sparked by downed power lines on March 14. • The 131-year-old church, where the first Kiowa hymn was composed, was completely destroyed, but the nearby dining hall survived with some damage. • Church services will be held in the dining hall while the congregation considers rebuilding and raises funds for a new church.

1 month ago | oklahoman.com | Rebecca Heliot

• Approximately 300,000 Oklahomans enrolled in the Affordable Care Act Marketplace could see up to a 65% increase in health insurance premiums if federal subsidies are not extended. • The potential premium increase is due to the expiration of enhanced Advanced Premium Tax Credits, which are set to expire at the end of the year.

1 month ago | oklahoman.com | Nolan Clay |Rebecca Heliot |Josh Kelly

As firefighters evacuated homes north of Chandler in the face of 20-foot-high flames, they saw a badly burned man walking toward them. The man turned out to be Allen Ferguson, a well-respected youth wrestling coach in the area. As they rushed to help him, he urged them to save his teenage son still trapped after their four-wheeler wrecked. Ferguson, 54, would later die. His son, William Conley, 15, was rescued and is in critical condition in a hospital fighting for his life.

2 months ago | oklahoman.com | Rebecca Heliot

• Although evacuation centers are closed, several shelters remain open in Oklahoma for those affected by the wildfires. • The American Red Cross is providing shelter, meals and other resources to displaced residents. • Over 160 people have stayed in shelters since Friday, and the Red Cross has deployed over 50 workers to affected communities. • The Red Cross advises residents to prepare for potential evacuations by having a go-bag ready and planning escape routes.

2 months ago | yahoo.com | Rebecca Heliot

Health officials found two more probable cases of measles in the state, while numbers are soaring this year nationwide. The Oklahoma State Department of Health identified several potential exposure locations including a Walmart in Owasso and a Lowe's in Claremore after launching an investigation on new cases of the disease, the agency said in a news release Friday.