Mar 2025 OK News Recap

Apr 02, 2025

Wildfires Raged through Oklahoma in March

While a rash of tornadoes in Oklahoma wouldn’t have been unexpected in March – and there were a reported 15 – wildfires are another story. The wildfires that kicked off March 14 in Oklahoma were the biggest news of the month in the state. March ended up being one of the deadliest for wildfires in the state.

The stage was set with winter’s dead and dry vegetation, single-digit humidity and extreme winds of more than 75 mph. The Frederick Airport recorded an 83-mph gust around 3pm on the 14th. The March Oklahoma wildfires burned more than 170,000 acres and destroyed more than 500 homes and businesses, resulting in four fatalities in Garfield, Haskell, Lincoln and Pawnee counties, as well as some 200 injuries.

The prodigious winds also kicked up the dust, reducing visibility to almost zero in parts of the state and leading to several chain-reaction highway crashes. As well, the dry conditions moved the state from a level of 18 percent drought to 48 percent over the month.

All were impacted in some way, including Gov. Kevin Stitt who lost his ranch near Luther to wildfire. Stitt said the fires and losses were "heartbreaking," but he recognized the spirit and resilience of Oklahomans who were helping neighbors. "Oklahomans, we are in this together, and we will build back stronger," said the Governor.

Oklahoma Doesn’t Escape Tesla/Musk Derangement Syndrome

Elon Musk, the richest man in the world, whose businesses have included PayPal, X (formerly Twitter), the Boring Company, SpaceX and Tesla, has been under attack since he began supporting Donald Trump during his candidacy for the Presidency and now President Trump and the Trump Team in a role seeking out abuse, corruption and fraud in the federal government via what’s called DOGE (the Department of Government Efficiency).

Musk formerly was revered by a host of techie acolytes, subscribers to climate change theory and EV enthusiasts. Now he is being framed in the most pejorative terms, and Tesla vehicles, drivers and dealerships are being targeted by extremists and paid protestors. Dealerships have been attacked, with vehicles set ablaze. Individual Tesla owners have seen their vehicles vandalized, sometimes with swastika signs carved on the exterior. And some car owners have been physically and verbally attacked. Oklahoma has not escaped the insanity.

Tulsa police reported a vandalized Tesla, and protests, with low turnout, were staged at Telsa dealerships in Tulsa and Oklahoma City.

Months of pressure on Musk and Tesla seem to be on track to continue. Further potential problems for Tesla in Oklahoma come in the form of two bills in Oklahoma’s legislature, which, according to some, may impact Tesla’s ability to do business in Oklahoma.

Marijuana Underworld of Oklahoma May Be Worth $100 Billion

Reporting from USA Today indicates that Oklahoma’s illicit marijuana market may be valued at more than $100 billion. This comes from new data, recently shared by the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and the Texoma High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area.

For the most recent one-year period, state tracking failed to account for 70 million pounds of marijuana, or about 30 times the needs of Oklahoma’s 300,000 licensed medical marijuana patients. “The numbers show,” USA Today writes, that “despite years of enforcement, Oklahoma’s illicit market has continued to thrive.”

The new data connects the marijuana overproduction to illegal farms run by Chinese criminal operations.

Plant Milkweed

Over the last 30 years, the monarch butterfly has seen a 90 percent drop in its population. Milkweed is what they need to survive. Milkweed plants also have declined.

What can you do?

Plant milkweed! Oklahoma is an important migration route for the butterflies which move through the state in the spring and fall.

Growing up in Ponca City in the 60s and 70s, I remember how abundant monarchs were in our backyard. I am so saddened to think that it’s possible that these beautiful and ethereal creatures may disappear.

Learn more here, here and here.

Thanks for adding milkweed to your garden!

Guinness Needs a New Home

This beautiful Bengal boy needs a new home. He’s a special cat that ideally is the only animal in the house of a kind and patient Cat Mom. Guinness is in the Oklahoma City area.

More information is here.

And … More Cats Who Need Help from the Community

A cat supporter has offered to match funds if I can raise $480 by the end of April 2025. Yeah!

Contributions to Callie’s Cathouse of $480 would mean we’d have raised a total of $3,000 since the start of fundraising. With the match, we’d be to $3,480 of a total goal of $7,500. That would be HUGE!

Read about the fundraiser at GiveSendGo | Help Callie's Cathouse & Okla. Felines.

The GiveSendGo fundraiser for Callie’s Cathouse is here.

Thanks in advance for any support.

Note: Contributions are NOT tax deductible.

Here’s the real Callie, as a rescued kitten, who quickly adopted a life of luxury!