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Saturday, April 11, 2026 • Upper 70s and a chance of thunderstorms. ⛈️
🚨 Here’s a look at the Day 1 storm outlook from the National Weather Service.
Editor’s Note: I’ll be away from the newsroom until next Wednesday. Until then, the newsletters will be fairly light — but I promise pics and stories! Thank you for your patience. ❤️ You can always message me at [email protected].
Night 1 in NYC: A classic Oklahoma story on Broadway. We saw The Outsiders when it debuted in Tulsa in 2025, but seeing it on the big stage can’t be matched. For the record, I first read this story in 1981.
TOP STORY:
One of the companies behind a planned Oklahoma smelter has a history of air pollution violations
By Kayla Branch, The Frontier
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Emirates Global Aluminium and Century Aluminum Company have plans to build a new smelter in Inola, near Tulsa. The smelter would be the first new primary aluminum production plant in the United States since 1980. COURTESY
One of the companies that plans to build the first new aluminum smelter in the U.S. in nearly 50 years near Tulsa has a history of air pollution violations, including a lawsuit from residents who said emissions made them sick.
Century Aluminum, a Chicago-based company that operates smelters in Kentucky, South Carolina and Iceland, was sued in 2023 by residents living near its South Carolina smelter. The lawsuit alleged that the smelter had been releasing an increasing amount of pollutants into the air over a period of several months. Then, in September 2023, the plant’s emissions control system malfunctioned multiple times. This caused the plant to release “substantial quantities” of chemical dust into surrounding neighborhoods where residents suffered from headaches, bloody noses and other health issues, the lawsuit claimed.
The company denied the allegations, according to court documents, but agreed to pay more than $940,000 to 719 property owners near the smelter to settle the case in 2025. The South Carolina Department of Environmental Services also fined the company over $360,000 for violating air pollution limits over several years and failing to submit inspection reports to the state.
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The Oklahoma Rundown 📰
Editor’s note: Links requiring subscriptions have an *.
A hand-curated list of the best journalism from across the state:
• Tulsa County DA clears officer involved in Michael Glunt shooting as new details emerge (The Oklahoma Eagle)
• Thousands of Oklahomans switched party affiliation ahead of primary elections (Oklahoma Voice)
• Former Oklahoma Democratic Party chair confirms resignation came after AI kissing video (KOSU)
• Ethics Commission reprimands Rep. Justin Humphrey for fundraising ask in Capitol video (NonDoc)
• State lawmakers consider what's next for the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health (KOSU)
• Green thumb? Here are 10 affordable native plants for Tulsa gardens this summer. (Tulsa Flyer)
• 'Boys from Oklahoma' Cross Canadian Ragweed return to OSU for Round 2 (The Oklahoman)
• 5 ways to spend your weekend in Tulsa April 10-12 (Tulsa Flyer)
Oklahoma Memo
A daily briefing connecting Oklahomans to the state’s best journalism — and original content from Oklahoma Memo. Got a news tip? Somebody I need to interview? Message me at [email protected].
Want more in-depth analysis, commentary on Oklahoma news? Join me on Substack.