Headlines of the Week

Arts festival's thread weaves through Oklahoma City's history
The Oklahoman Editorial

The Festival of the Arts helped save downtown Oklahoma City. How it did so is a story worth retelling.

The arts fest is a bona fide institution. Its run is nearing 45 years, and its presence is as much of a rite of spring in Oklahoma City as anything. During its six-day run that began Tuesday, it will attract up to three-quarters of a million people, from all over the country. It's a signature event that helps define our city in the best possible way.

And the festival is the link — in some ways, the only link — to three eras of Oklahoma City.

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Dignitaries cheer Boeing's new operation in OKC
BY STEVE LACKMEYER
Oklahoman

Officials with Boeing, accompanied by Gov. Mary Fallin, Rep. Tom Cole and City Councilman Pat Ryan, celebrated the start of construction Tuesday on a 320,000-square-foot, six-story building that will house the company's expanding local workforce.

The building at SE 59 and Air Depot is being designed and built by the Gardner Tanenbaum Group, a commercial real estate company based in Oklahoma City.
The building is expected to open in the second quarter of 2012.

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Thunder quickly becomes Oklahoma's team
By Mark Kiszla
The Denver Post

DURANT, Okla. — As thunder rattled the windows of Smokey Allen's BBQ, the friendly waitress cleared my basket of rib bones and cracked a joke about a new topic of conversation on the plains of Oklahoma: NBA basketball.

"That was clever Kevin Durant named himself after our little town. Pretty cool, don't you think?" said Norma Jean Hider, in a voice as sweet as the peach cobbler offered for dessert.

The state of Oklahoma has wrapped its arms around its fresh, young NBA franchise. Believe it or not, the love of Thunder might be a more crucial element in this first-round playoff series than a bushel of missed free throws clanked by the Nuggets.

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Thunder's loss in Game 4 of the NBA playoffs is a win for Oklahoma City
Playoff games bring in an added economic punch for the community estimated at $1.2 million each
BY STEVE LACKMEYER
Oklahoman

No Oklahoma City booster would be likely to admit to having rooted for the Thunder to lose Game 4 of the NBA playoffs earlier this week — but some are quietly celebrating the team's return home.

Tom Anderson, special projects manager in the city manager's office, said each game played by the Thunder has an estimated $1.2 million direct economic impact on the city.

Consider Wednesday night's game to be a bonus $1.2 million.

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Jobless rate declines in all 77 Oklahoma counties
Oklahoma City jobless rate of 5.2 percent lowest among all large U.S. cities.
BY DON MECOY
Oklahoman

Unemployment rates fell in March in all 77 Oklahoma counties while the number of people employed grew in the state's three largest metropolitan areas, according to figures released Wednesday by the state Employment Security Commission.

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