Tag Archives: Oklahoma January 2012

Oklahoma culture, Politics

Oklahoma Headlines – 2012: Year in Review, JANUARY

( PHOTO: Galen Scott, his wife Jennifer and six-month old Benjamin embrace as Scott returns from deployment in January, 2012. Photo by Scott Sisney, Daily Oklahoman.)father arriving home

My, my, how time does fly!  So the Red Dirt Chronicles is going to help remind you about what flew by in our Oklahoma headlines during 2012. 

For the next several days, we’ll be releasing a quick snapshot of headlines we’ve reviewed from either the Daily Oklahoman or Tulsa World, and summarizing them here for you.

First up? January.  Here we go…

  • OSU beat Stanford in the Fiesta Bowl with a last minute play to end the game at 41-38.  Celebrations ensued.
  • The Oklahoma City Thunder began raising energy across Oklahoma with buzz about “what if” when talking about a NBA Championship.
  • OKDHS troubles and changes included closure on a lengthy lawsuit, and the decision by Director Hendrick to retire as Director of the agency.
  • The first death row execution of 2012 happened here in the state of Oklahoma when inmate Gary Welch was put to death for fatally stabbing Robert Hardcastle in a 1994 drug dispute.  Welch was kept from committing suicide three weeks prior to his execution.
  • Boeing added one thousand jobs to the state.
  • The I-40 crosstown lanes opened, and crews began tearing down the old bridge sections.
  • Judge Tammy Bass was convicted of fraud against the state foster care system.
  • Special note: On January 31st of 2011, 18 year old Sarah McKinly, mother of a three month old baby, shot Justin Martin as he intruded into her mobile home.
  • The jury was selected for the Garth Brooks’ trial vs. Integris at Rogers County Court House.
  • Obama blocks the national pipeline project, then senators began to rally for a bill to bypass Obama’s blocking action.
  • Oklahoma City Councilman “Skip” Kelly arrested on a DUI charge for the 2nd time.
  • And…
  • Joe Paterno died at 85 years of age, following a horrific Penn State scandal wherein multiple levels of negligence were revealed related to protecting children on campus from being sexually abused by assistant coach, Jerry Sandusky.

Check us out tomorrow if you’d like to review the Oklahoma headlines for February, 2012!