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TODAYS TOP STORIES
"Battle Scars" of Rodeo Stars
If you've been out to the International Finals Rodeo this weekend, you know that it's fast and sometimes dangerous. But unlike some of the more obvious injuries we expect from the sport, there are a few lesser known "battle scars" that come from roping and wrangling.
"I'm pretty injured. I've got a pulled groin and a hurt thumb, but winning always makes it feel better," said Shane Rickley.
Thumb loss is a occupational hazard of team roping- an event where two riders work together to tie steer.
"The rope's got to be tight in the process of doing that. It dropped over my thumb and just pulled it right off," Rickley said.
Losing a thumb while team roping is a well-known injury in the rodeo world, but for AJ Horton, who has both of his thumbs, it's nothing that could stop him from doing what he loves.
"It's not something we really think about. I've never personally thought about it," Horton said. "In order to finish my job I have to use my hands and sometimes they get put in bad spots."
Horton says steer are not as big as they used to be and medical technology is better, making the missing thumb a little less common these days.
"If you're a team roper, you can pick older team ropers out because there is a chance one of them will be missing a finger," he said.
Tom Schick is another thumb-less cowboy. He says he lost his thumb about ten years ago. For Schick the injury is a badge of pride, but still require adjusting.
"I have to learn different ways of doing things. I have to rope different, you cant text, you miss every other letter," Schick jokes.
The Rodeo continues Sunday at the State Fair grounds.
Posted: Saturday, January 19 2013, 10:32 PM CST
IN OKLAHOMA NEWS
Major accomplishments of 2013 Oklahoma Legislature
May 24, 2013 23:22 GMT
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OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- Major items passed by the Oklahoma Legislature, which was working Friday to wrap up its 2013 session:
-- Tax Cut: Lawmakers adopted legislation that reduces the state's top income rate from 5.25 percent to 5 percent beginning Jan. 1, 2015, with a second cut to 4.85 percent set for 2016 if state revenues continue to rise. The measure has been signed into law by Gov. Mary Fallin.
-- State Capitol Improvements: The tax cut bill also diverts $120 million in income tax revenue over the next two years to a fund that will finance improvements and repairs to the State Capitol building. Built between 1914 and 1917, yellow barricades now ring the building's south plaza to keep pedestrians from walking beneath pieces of a limestone facade that has crumbled from the building.
-- Budget Bill: The Legislature adopted a $7.1 billion general appropriations bill to fund state government for the fiscal year that begins July 1. The bill increases spending by nearly $270 million over the current year's budget, with funding growth focused mostly on education, health care and human services.
-- Worker's Compensation: Fallin signed legislation to overhaul the state's workers' compensation system. The measure changes Oklahoma's current court-based system to an administrative structure. Supporters say the change will dramatically reduce workers' compensation costs to businesses.
-- CompSource: Lawmakers also passed a measure that converts the nonprofit CompSource Oklahoma into an independent mutual company that will be known as CompSource Mutual Insurance Company. The agency writes about one-third of Oklahoma's workers' compensation policies.
-- Rainy Day Appropriation: Within days of devastating tornadoes that struck Moore, Shawnee and other areas, lawmakers approved using $45 million from the state's constitutional reserve fund to help communities recover from the damage. Among other things, the money will help pay for repairs to local infrastructure damaged by the tornadoes and the overtime costs of first responders. A total of 24 people, including 10 children, died in the Moore tornado and two other people were killed in the Shawnee tornado.
-- Pension Changes: Lawmakers passed legislation to reduce the unfunded liability of Oklahoma's pension system for firefighters. The bill requires new firefighters to be at least 50 years old and have worked for 22 years, instead of the current 20 years, to be eligible for benefits. New firefighters also would not become vested until they had worked for 11 years, instead of the current 10 years. The bill also increases the amount that firefighters, municipalities and the state pay into the system each year.
OKLAHOMA HEADLINES
Major accomplishments of 2013 Oklahoma Legislature
Okla. Legislature tries to leave one week early
Judge OKs stay in hearing over 4 Tulsa deaths
Okla. governor signs abortion bill, 20 other bills
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Moore post office service increases; streets open
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