The Penny News Online

Plans are moving forward for a new Amazon delivery facility in Weatherford, a development local leaders say will strengthen the area’s economy and create new employment opportunities.

Christmas in the Park is winding down, and this Saturday night, December 20, is your last chance to enjoy all the weekend activities in Elk City’s Ackley Park.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has filed a lawsuit against Xcel Energy, alleging the utility’s negligence caused the 2024 Smokehouse Creek Fire, which burned more than one million acres in Texas and spread into western Oklahoma.

City officials, state leaders, and community members gathered at the Elk City Municipal Airport today to celebrate the ribbon cutting of a new aircraft hangar and terminal building, marking a major milestone in the city’s long term aviation and economic development efforts.

A single vehicle injury collision was reported late Monday night in rural Custer County, according to the Oklahoma Highway Patrol.

The Regional University System of Oklahoma (RUSO) Board of Regents today announced that Dr. Diana Lovell has submitted her resignation as President of Southwestern Oklahoma State University, effective December 31, 2025.

Beckham County Sheriff Derek Manning says heightened security measures at the Beckham County Jail led to two separate contraband incidents being detected last week, preventing illegal items from entering the facility.

Three pleas were entered Monday, December 8, in the 100th Judicial District Court in Childress County.

Public Service Company of Oklahoma (PSO) is helping families in Western Oklahoma save energy and money through its Shine a Light Project, delivering free LED light bulbs to food pantries in communities including Elk City, Clinton, Weatherford, Hobart, and Cheyenne.

The Oklahoma Transportation Commission’s Monday, Dec. 8 meeting opened with statewide recognition for a major western Oklahoma project, as the Oklahoma Department of Transportation’s District 5 received one of the industry’s highest honors for bridge construction.

A man living in Elk City is facing a felony drug trafficking charge after a controlled purchase at his home led to the discovery of pills containing a fentanyl precursor and methamphetamine, according to a probable cause affidavit filed in Beckham County District Court.

The Washita County Sheriff’s Office has received a National Highway Safety Grant to support a speed reduction awareness and high-visibility enforcement campaign aimed at reducing speeding-related crashes.

Oklahoma’s commission responsible for advancing the state’s space industry finalized a deal this week to construct a hangar for a $17 million spaceplane.

The National Transportation Safety Board has released its preliminary findings on the anhydrous ammonia leak that struck Weatherford on the night of November 12, an incident that injured dozens, forced large evacuations, and has already prompted a civil lawsuit against AirGas and the Holiday Inn Express & Suites.

Elk City Police arrested a man following an online predator investigation that began December 6 at a convenience store on the east side of the city.

SWOSU has announced the upcoming 2025 Fall Commencement Ceremony, scheduled for Friday, Dec. 12, at 6 p.m. in the Pioneer Event Center.

The Friends of the Oklahoma Route 66 Museum in Clinton were recently awarded a grant from the Route 66 Revitalization Grant Program to help restore and display the iconic Glancy Motor Hotel neon sign.

The Weatherford School Board unanimously approved placing a proposal for a new Weatherford High School campus before district voters on February 10, 2026 during a special meeting Tuesday morning.

Oklahoma investigators say a helicopter paramedic and EMS director stole morphine and fentanyl she was supposed to administer to patients, and now faces possible prison time.

A head-on collision Sunday afternoon on US-281 in Caddo County left one driver dead and another injured, according to the Oklahoma Highway Patrol.

Dr. Hardeep S. Saluja, Department Chair and Bernhardt Professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences at Southwestern Oklahoma State University (SWOSU), has received the Recognition Award from the American Association of Indian Pharmaceutical Scientists (AAiPS).

Two people have been charged in Custer County after deputies say they were caught with stolen copper and other items taken from a wind turbine site near Thomas.

Beckham County deputies responded to two separate unattended deaths last week, a pair of cases Sheriff Derek Manning says are uncommon but handled with the utmost care and procedure.

A Wheeler Texas woman was injured late Saturday night after her vehicle rolled multiple times along Interstate 40 in Caddo County.

The Reach Higher degree-finishing program at SWOSU awarded scholarships to fourteen SWOSU students completing degrees through the program.

SWOSU has announced a major charitable contribution.

School board filings closed Wednesday in Beckham, Custer, Washita and Roger Mills counties, confirming a mix of uncontested races and a few competitive seats heading into the February election cycle.

Elk City has three new temporary 4-way stops.

Wheeler County’s March primary ballot is continuing to take shape as another candidate has stepped forward to run for county judge.

Voters in Custer County who want absentee ballots mailed to them for elections in 2026 can submit an application after January 1 of the coming year, Ann Brown said today.