State reopens bars, weddings, funerals, sports in next phase

Debbie Blanchard, of El Reno, Okla., plays on a gaming machine at Lucky Star Casino Friday, May 15, 2020, as Lucky Star Casino reopens after a temporary shutdown due to coronavirus concerns, in Concho, Okla. Employees are required to wear facial coverings while facial coverings are encouraged for casino guests. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Oklahoma is reopening bars as well as allowing weddings, funerals, and organized sports to resume under the next phase of Gov. Kevin Stitt’s statewide reopening plan. Stitt said this week that data supports moving forward and that he wants Oklahoma “to be the first state in the nation to get its wings back.”

Phase two of Stitt’s plan still directs employers to close common areas, enforce social distancing, and use gloves and masks when interacting with the public.

Public health officials on Friday reported 124 new positive cases of COVID-19 and one additional death, bringing the state’s total number of deaths to 285.