Governor Declares Emergency For Panhandle Counties

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- Governor Brad Henry is expanding a State of Emergency in the Oklahoma Panhandle that was hit with up to a foot-and-a-half of snow last week.<br/><br/>The expansion adds Cimarron and

Wednesday, January 3rd 2007, 1:56 pm

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- Governor Brad Henry is expanding a State of Emergency in the Oklahoma Panhandle that was hit with up to a foot-and-a-half of snow last week.

The expansion adds Cimarron and Beaver counties to an emergency declaration the governor issued for Texas County on December 21st.

The declaration makes it easier for local governments to recover costs associated with the storm.

The governor is also putting state Agriculture Secretary Terry Peach in charge of an incident command team that's working on an airdrop to provide hay for farmers and ranchers to feed their cattle.

The state Cattlemen's Association is also creating a Panhandle Ranch Rescue Fund to help buy hay and feed for the farmers and ranchers.