Oklahoma Morning News Briefs

<b>Sheriff's candidate wants elector order overturned </b><br> <br>OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ An Oklahoma Supreme Court referee heard oral arguments Wednesday on a Creek County sheriff candidate's bid

Thursday, December 14th 2000, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

Sheriff's candidate wants elector order overturned

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ An Oklahoma Supreme Court referee heard oral arguments Wednesday on a Creek County sheriff candidate's bid to overturn a judge's order for a new election.

Steve Toliver unofficially won the Nov. 7 general election by 14 votes out of more than 23,000 cast. The margin rose to 22 votes when Creek County election board officials did a hand recount at the request of incumbent Sheriff Larry Fugate.

Supreme Court referee Gregory Albert asked attorneys for Fugate and Toliver to submit additional briefs in the case by Friday.

The state high court normally begins a holiday recess next week, but Albert held out the possibility that the justices would confer on the case.

Creek County District Judge Donald Thompson ordered a new election after upholding Fugate's petition contending that the election outcome could not be determined with mathematical certainty because of irregularities.

Tom Prince, an attorney for Toliver, asked the state court to certify that his client was the winner of the election.

Prince said the election board should have used the election night results from Sapulpa Precinct No. 123 instead of those from the later manual recount.

Water Resources Board agrees to evaluate pollution in granting water licenses

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ The Oklahoma Water Resources Board has relented to a state Supreme Court ruling and will now consider the potential for pollution before granting water licenses to hog farmers.

Before the decision Tuesday _ just hours before a legislative hearing on the matter _ the Board had looked only at the amount of water hog farmers and others can draw from beneath the surface.

But in July the state Supreme Court said the board also must consider the potential for manure pollutant to seep into groundwater.

Duane Smith, head of the state Water Resources Board, told the Joint Special Committee on Waste by Pollution that the board approved the policy change earlier Tuesday.

Smith said his agency first had to reach an agreement with the state Agriculture Department, which will investigate whether groundwater would be contaminated by hog manure. Those findings would be presented to the water board before it makes a decision on whether to grant a water permit.

Phillips sell UK refining asset

BARTLESVILLE, Okla. (AP) _ Phillips Petroleum Co.'s United Kingdom subsidiary and Imperial Chemicals Industries have sold their U.K. refining and market joint venture for $110 million.

Phillips announced the sale Wednesday. The Bartlesville company expects to get half the proceeds in the transaction, which is expected to close Dec. 31.

Petroplus International N.V. is acquiring the joint venture company, Phillips-Imperial Petroleum Limited.

The venture operates a refinery at Teesside in the United Kingdom and markets its products through Phillips Petroleum Products Limited, which is also being sold to Petroplus.

In addition to Phillips' refining assets, the sale includes its marketing and distribution business and related infrastructure in the United Kingdom.

The sale will allow Phillips to concentrate on its U.K. exploration and production arm, said Henry McGee, president of Phillips' European Division.

State Chamber of Commerce to push right-to-work proposal

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ The state Chamber of Commerce and a Republican state senator say they'll work for a plan that would prohibit anyone from being required to join a union or pay dues to a union in order to hold a job.

The right-to-work proposal was a key element of the chamber's legislative agenda, released at the group's meeting Tuesday.

State Senate Republican leader Jim Dunlap said at the meeting that lawmakers can send such a plan to a statewide vote.

In addition to right to work, the chamber also stated its support for legislation promoting technology, including biotechnology and life science, information technology and telecommunications, rural enhancement, and disaster prevention and recovery.

Sen. Mike Fair, R-Oklahoma City, told the group that polls show 70 percent of Oklahomans favor a right-to-work proposal.

Opponents of right to work have said companies that will locate in right-to-work states simply want to pay lower wages.

Fair, president of Oklahomans for Right to Work, said chambers of commerce and businesses must come together to fight for right to work since union members tend to be vehement in opposing it.