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Tornado Week – Ride shotgun with hail hunters

EDMOND, Okla. – When giant hail falls like missiles from the sky, most people run for cover.

Not these guys, they head toward the storm.

HailTrace owner Derik Kline said, “When Mother Nature decided to do what it’s going to do, you gotta be there for it or get out of the way. We like to be there, as close as we can get.”

They call themselves the “Nerd Herd.”

They have a strange obsession with weather that began at a very early age.

“I’d go outside and pretend to be Mike Morgan or something,” Justin Hughes said. “The wind chill is negative four. They’ve been video taping me since I was a kid.”

They have turned their fascination into a full-time career.

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Wes Lunt to transfer from OSU

STILLWATER, Okla. – Oklahoma State athletics officials just announced Wes Lunt, the Cowboy’s quarterback, will be transferring.

OSU football coach Mike Gundy said on okstate.com, “He’s leaving on good terms and is making this decision based on what he thinks is best for his future.”

According to okstate.com, Lunt started five games as a true freshman in 2012 and was OSU’s first true freshman opening-day starter at quarterback since at least 1950.

They reported injuries derailed his season but he still finished with 81 completions in 131 attempts for 1,108 yards with six touchdowns and seven interceptions.

Lunt has said he has not confirmed a transfer destination at this time. 

New bill promoting marriage to stay out of poverty

OKLAHOMA CITY – It’s the most popular time of the year for weddings and many are now saying that tradition could keep you out of poverty.

House Bill 1908 just passed the House 68-to-16. 

It requires public service announcements to air that promote marriage as a tool against poverty.

Economists argue that marriage can keep families in better economic situations.

Studies show a child born in a married household is 80 percent less likely to suffer from childhood poverty.

Other statistics show that married men make 40 percent more money than comparable non-married men.

The Department of Human Services is expected to use some of its current funding to pay for the announcements.

Mark Beutler with DHS said they will keep costs down.

Okla. DOC workers fight for pay raises

OKLAHOMA CITY – Department of Corrections officers are saying they are under-payed and overworked.

DOC officers rallied at the State House to protest their working conditions.

Those workers said they’re especially upset because the agency saw no extra funding in the state’s budget agreement announced last week.

Several DOC workers said low pay and high stress is what has led to huge turnover and hundreds of unfilled jobs.

“We do a job that a lot of people would never do; we work with the worst of the worst,” Capt. Doug Mccallister said.

The starting salary for DOC employees is just $11.83 an hour or just over $24,000 a year.

“We are completely worn out and tired,” Sgt. David Edelman said.

David and Doug said companies like Hobby Lobby start employees off with a higher salary than the DOC.

Rattlesnake Republic star gets help in Oklahoma

RISING STAR, Texas – Rattlesnake Republic on Animal Planet features daredevil snake-charmer, Jackie Bibby, a Texas native who recently found life-saving help from a Oklahoma prosthetics company, Scott Sabolich.

News Channel 4′s Ali Meyer traveled to the heart of Texas to meet Bibby and learn more about the trade that took his right leg.

Rising Star only has about 835 residents.

It is a sleepy one-horse town, hardly the spot you’d expect to give rise to a thrill-seeking reality TV star.

Bibby is a regular at the Rising Star Senior Center, where he comes for the food and the attention; a real local celebrity.

Bibby and his father, 83-year-old Arley Bibby, live just outside of town.

Saving a Buck: What’s in your attic?

Just thinking about cleaning out the attic or garage can be a nightmare.

Whether it’s your home or a family member’s, those boxes could be full of treasure.

Matt McNeil, with OKCEstateSales.com, said before you throw everything away, consider having it appraised.

Items that may seem like junk could be worth quite a bit.

McNeil said, “A lot of time laymen get overzealous and they tend to want to pitch everything in the dumpster.”

McNeil said things don’t need to be more than 100 years old in order to have value.

One of the hot items to look for is old furniture.

McNeil said, “Forty years ago no one wanted mid-century modern furniture; today it’s one of the hottest commodities out there.”

Another hot item, old toys.

McNeil said, “Baby boomers are buying back their toys.”

Gov. Fallin signs law to help protect seniors

OKLAHOMA CITY – Elderly advocates in Oklahoma celebrate a victory.

This week Governor Fallin signed Senate Bill 587 into law.

The law officially allows cameras in nursing home rooms.

The goal is to combat the horrible crime of elderly abuse.

Hidden cameras have always been legal to use in nursing homes but many businesses would try to deny their use or threaten to evict residents if they installed them.

The new law leaves no doubt families have the right to use hidden cameras if they suspect their loved ones are being abused.

“Nursing home residents are safer now than they’ve ever been before,” elderly advocate Wes Bledsoe said.

The new law signed by the governor unanimously passed the Senate last week.

It allows nursing home residents or their legal representatives to install electronic monitoring at their own expense.