Welcome to Oklahoma!

Oklahoma, state in SW United States. It is bordered by Missouri and Arkansas (E); Texas, partially across the Red R. (S, W); New Mexico, across the narrow edge of the Oklahoma Panhandle (W); and Colorado and Kansas (N).

Area, 69,919 sq mi (181,090 sq km).
Pop. (2000) 3,450,654, a 9.7% increase since the 1990 census.
Capital and largest city, Oklahoma City.
Motto, Labor Omnia Vincit [Labor Conquers All Things].
State bird, scissor-tailed flycatcher.
State flower, mistletoe
State tree, redbud.

The high, short-grass plains of W Oklahoma are part of the Great Plains , which are chilled by north winds in the winter and baked by intense heat in the summer. There are extensive grazing lands and wheat fields. The plains are broken here and there, notably by Black Mesa in the Panhandle and by the Wichita Mts. in the southwest, but the general slope is downward to the east, and central and E Oklahoma is mostly prairie, rising in the northeast to the Ozark Mts. and in the southeast to the Ouachita Mts.

The original 1907 constitution is still in effect. Oklahoma has a legislature of 48 senators and 101 representatives. The governor is elected for a four-year term. The state elects two U.S. senators and six representatives and has eight electoral votes.

Cotton, formerly the leading cash crop of Oklahoma, has been succeeded by wheat; income from livestock, however, exceeds that from crops. Many minerals are found in Oklahoma, including coal, but the one that gave the state its wealth is oil. After the first well was drilled in 1888, the petroleum industry grew enormously, until Oklahoma City and Tulsa were among the great natural gas and petroleum centers of the world. Oil and gas have declined somewhat in importance today.

Many of Oklahoma's factories process local foods and minerals, but its chief manufactures include nonelectrical machinery and fabricated metal products. Military bases and other government facilities are also important.

OK soldier at center of Wikileaks military info

CRESCENT, OK -- A 22-year-old soldier who grew up here in Oklahoma is at the center of a military investigation into the leak of thousands of classified documents. Army Private First Class Bradley Manning is accused of posting military secrets to the Web site, Wikileaks. Manning grew up in the town of Crescent in Logan County. He lived there through middle school. Then his parents divorced and he moved away.

Calvey v. Lankford runoff takes ugly turn

The runoff race for the 5th Congressional seat may be taking a negative turn. One candidate is now accusing the other of some unfair polling. Republicans Kevin Calvey and James Lankford are set to square off in a runoff election August 24. Today Lankford says Calvey's campaign is taking advantage of some negative robo-calls. "It's just very disappointing. Three days into the election and immediately negative phone calls are going out," said James Lankford.

State Fair Arena ceiling collapse

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Since 1964, State Fair Arena has hosted countless events that have captivated audiences. Now this Oklahoma landmark is starting to show some wear and tear; a piece of the ceiling collapsed earlier this week. "We know some strands broke in the cabling system," said State Fair President Tim O'Toole. Since the discovery, engineers have increased the size of the hole to determine the extent of the damage and to determine if any other pieces are just as fragile.

Guthrie cuts $1 million without layoffs

GUTHRIE, OK -- As officials prepare next year's budget, Guthrie City Manager Matt Mueller says they've had to slash nearly $1 million in spending. "Everyone from the guys in the street department to, you know, the police department, the fire department, everyone just pitching in and finding ways to save money and make it work next year," said Mueller. After having city departments submit their budgets, Mueller tells us the city was in the red and everyone had to cutback.

Disabled man cements own ramp

EDMOND, OK -- Fifty-year-old Billy Horton travels along the intersection of Edmond Road and Kelly Avenue every day. A childhood accident put him in a wheelchair. These days, Social Security barely pays the bills. "Kind of tough, but you gotta do what you gotta do," Horton says. Thursday, however, he's not moving. He's sitting in the hot sun, guarding this intersection, guarding his hard work.