It’s amazing to think that today’s norms are yesterday’s discoveries. It wasn’t until the 20th century that someone thought of distinguishing vehicles on the basis of number plates. In 1901, New York Governor Benjamin Odell Jr. signed a new bill into a law that required motor vehicle owners to be registered with the state. Initially, the bill included directions about the design of the plate, which were later scrapped after the big automobile boom of the ‘50s. Individuals could design their own plates, as long as the characters were three inches high. On May 2, 1901, George F. Chamberlain became the first person to receive a license plate for his vehicle. A week after the law came into effect on April 25, 17 people had already applied for licenses. Within a year, the number of license plates in America climbed up to 1,566.

On April 25, 2014 officials from Flint, Michigan switched the city’s water supply to the Flint River as a cost-cutting measure for the struggling city. In doing so, they unwittingly introduced lead-poisoned water into homes, in what would become a massive publichealth crisis.

April 25th observes World Penguin Day as well as DNA Day. We’d like to welcome you to the 116th day of the year! We still have 250 days left in 2024.

Kelly Houston, director of the Cherokee Strip Museum, is extending an invitation to the women, or anyone interested, to attend “Granny’s Kitchen Gadgets.” Each guest is urged to bring their favorite kitchen gadget that Granny used. There will be a brief presentation of old kitchen utensils.

The Midnight Special band will play for a community dance in Morrison from 7 - 10 p.m., Saturday, Apr. 27.

The Oklahoma State Department of Health (OSDH) honored individuals and programs across the state for their outstanding commitment, dedication and leadership in child abuse prevention at an annual awards ceremony held on April 23 at the Oklahoma State Capitol. “Child abuse prevention is a critical piece to building healthy communities,” said Lorri Essary, director of the Family Support and Prevention Service at the OSDH.

As electric vehicles (EV) enter our roadways, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) has introduced a series of free resources, guidelines, and information to help raise awareness about EV fires and safe EV charging practices at home.

(StatePoint) About 7,000 children in the United States visit emergency rooms for battery-related injuries each year, according to the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System. Lithium coin batteries, those small, disc-shaped batteries about the size of a nickel, are particularly dangerous. The exact right size to get lodged in a child’s throat if accidentally swallowed, they can turn deadly, burning a hole in an esophagus in as little as two hours. And, they’re everywhere – in key fobs, key finders, flameless candles, remote controls, thermometers and many common home devices.

As of March 2024, 502,221 Oklahoma children were enrolled in SoonerCare, just over half the estimated number of children living in the state. Additionally, the state estimates that about seven percent, or 70,000 Oklahoma children, are not enrolled in insurance, and more than half of those, or about 35,000, would likely qualify for SoonerCare coverage.

Northern Oklahoma College and Oklahoma State University celebrated the 20-Year Anniversary of the Gateway Program at NOC Stillwater on Thursday. The celebration was held at the NOC Classroom Building and featured remarks from NOC Interim President Diana Watkins, Stillwater Mayor Will Joyce, Vice President for Stillwater Dr.