The Journal Record

OKLAHOMA CITY — For nearly five years, LaQuise Burton has followed a new path after turning her life over to the Lord and overcoming a decade-long addiction to drugs. With the help of rehabilitation, her faith and her close-knit family, the Midwest City High School graduate secured a job at Tinker Air Force Base and began helping others pursue sobriety.

Lillie-Beth Brinkman Two Tony Award-winning blockbuster musicals, “Hamilton” and “The Outsiders,” are on stage this month at the Civic Center Music Hall, thanks to OKC Broadway. Both won the top Tony Award for Best Musical in addition to other Tonys during their Broadway run. “Hamilton” is in the middle of its two-week run that ends Sunday, Aug. 23. “The Outsiders,” based on the novel by Tulsa author S.E. Hinton and set in Tulsa, opens Aug. 25 and runs through Aug. 30.

OKLAHOMA CITY — The Central Oklahoma Habitat for Humanity Board of Directors has named Camal Pennington as the organization’s next chief executive officer, effective Oct. 1. Pennington succeeds Ann Felton Gilliland, who is retiring Dec. 31 after more than 36 years leading the affordable housing ministry. Pennington was selected following a national search led by The Mettise Group, an Oklahoma City-based consulting firm.

Summary: – Reddit shares surge after the platform earns a spot in the S&P 500. – Index funds are expected to buy millions of Reddit shares ahead of inclusion. – Analysts examine what the move could mean for the company’s stock performance. Reddit shares jumped more than 11% on Friday after the S&P Dow Jones Indices said the social media platform would join the benchmark S&P 500 index, replacing AvalonBay Communities.

Summary: – Deputies recover stolen vehicles, firearms and other property in investigation. – Six suspects arrested as authorities pursue additional charges. – New sheriff Darrell Weaver oversees first major crime operation in office. Cleveland County deputies dismantled an organized theft ring last week, arresting six suspects and seizing stolen vehicles and contraband with plans to file charges on seven more individuals.

A single adult in Oklahoma now needs $86,237 a year to live comfortably, according to a new SmartAsset analysis of cost-of-living data across all 50 states, released this week. That figure rose 2.3% from 2025, placing Oklahoma 29th nationally for year-over-year increases in the income needed for financial comfort.

Summary: – Boeing sells Wisk Aero as it narrows focus on core aerospace operations. – Archer Aviation deal gives Boeing a stake while shedding air taxi risks. – Analysts say the move reflects a broader effort to streamline Boeing’s business.

Summary: – Alphabet‘s early SpaceX investment grows into a multibillion-dollar stake. – Google parent becomes the largest reported institutional holder after SpaceX’s IPO. – New filings reveal how early investors benefited from SpaceX’s rise in value. Alphabet‘s early bet on SpaceX has multiplied more than 100-fold, with the Google parent disclosing a stake worth about $94 billion at the end of June compared with the $900 million investment it said it made in Elon Musk‘s rocket company in 2015.

Summary: – Oklahoma‘s alcohol-related traffic deaths jumped 25.7% in 2024. – The state ranked near the top nationally for DUI fatality rates. – Experts examine why arrests have not translated into safer roads. Joeseph Whipple was riding north on U.S. Highway 177 toward Wichita, Kansas, before dawn on Feb. 21 when headlights swung into his lane. The driver, Skylar Whipple, tried to steer clear of the oncoming Honda CR-V and could not, according to the Oklahoma Highway Patrol.

Summary: – Luigi Mangione pleaded guilty in the federal case over Brian Thompson‘s killing. – The plea avoids a federal trial but leaves state charges unresolved. – Mangione could still face a life sentence if convicted in the case. NEW YORK — Luigi Mangione admitted in court on Friday to killing a health insurance executive and pleaded guilty to federal charges of stalking the executive with the intent to kill him.