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New summer food program helps fight childhood hunger

OKLAHOMA CITY – School is almost out for most kids in Oklahoma and that means the start of summer vacation.

But for some, it also means going hungry.

Michael Morris is the executive chef for Putnam City Schools.

“It’s always fun to be in an elementary cafeteria and hear what kids have to say and make their day happy with food,” he said.

A new summer food service at Putnam City schools is fighting childhood hunger.

Starting in June, anyone 18 or younger can eat breakfast and lunch for free during the week.

The program provides healthy meals for kids who might not get them otherwise.

As a former graduate, feeding kids healthy food is important to Morris.

“I’m glad to be back here trying to improve on the nutrition that I had as a Putnam City student,” Morris said.

Light therapy the fountain of youth?

OKLAHOMA CITY – When Melody Kilgallon wanted to freshen up her skin, she turned to Broadband Light Therapy, known as BBL.

She has had two sessions so far and said the difference is noticeable.

“I didn’t want something dramatic that would hurt me or anything like that,” she said.

Dr. Darryl Robinson of the Longevity Medical Spa in south Oklahoma City said BBL can be used to fight sun damage and wrinkles.

“Basically you use light energy to treat the skin,” Dr. Robinson said. ”It targets the collagen fibers beneath the surface of the skin. That enables the darker pigments and imperfections of the skin to become eradicated.”

With flashes of light for about 30 minutes, the treatment is completed.

There is a bit of discomfort but cool air helps manage it.

OKC hospital has new tech tool in fight against germs

OKLAHOMA CITY – A new kind of technology is being used to get rid of the deadly consequences of spreading infection in hospitals around the country.

Bacteria beware, a 5-foot-2 robot packs a powerful punch to dangerous diseases.

Rachael Sparks is the Xenex Technical Director and has been with the robot every step of the way.

“I kind of think of it as looking at a bacteria and calling it a sissy,” she said.

St. Anthony Hospital is the first hospital in Oklahoma to bring one of the germ-fighting robots through its doors.

Here’s how it works; after a normal cleaning, staff brings the robot in and lets it run for five minutes.

The top comes up and pulses a strong UV light.

When that light hits germs, it fries the cell wall, destroying it.

Local psychiatrist talks on Ohio missing women case

Local psychiatrist Dr. Willis Holloway, with St. Anthony Hospital, joined us to talk about the incredible missing persons case out of Ohio.

Dr. Holloway discussed the psychological ramifications of a decade in captivity.

New worker’s comp. bill to reduce cost for businesses

OKLAHOMA CITY – Governor Mary Fallin signed into law a worker’s compensation reform bill Monday.

House and senate leaders said Senate Bill 1062 reduces costs for businesses and moves the state from a court-based worker’s comp system to an administrative system.

Supporters said the move allows for a timelier processing of claims and reduces the adversarial nature of the process for both workers and employers.

However, opponents disagree.

They fear the measure gives employers an opportunity to deny worker’s comp claims and allows employers to create their own benefit system.

They also worry about a denial of medical care should the worker miss two doctor’s appointments.

Lawmaker gets national attention for food stamp reform

An Oklahoma lawmaker is making headlines for proposing cutting billions from the nation’s food stamp program.

Oklahoma’s Third District Representative Frank Lucas wants to slice $20 billion over the next 10 years.

Lucas told the Tulsa World that the proposed reductions “won’t take a calorie off the plate of anyone who needs help.”

Instead, to achieve the savings, he would eliminate categorical eligibility which would impact food stamp recipients in 43 states, including Oklahoma.

Lucas said he’ll start formally writing the bill later this month.

INVESTIGATION: What many don’t know about popular wrinkle drug

OKLAHOMA CITY – The drug has long been thought to be a quick and easy fix for wrinkles.

Allergan BOTOX is approved by the FDA and commonly used by plastic surgeons, dermatologists, even dentists, to firm up the faces of the willing.

Each year millions of men and women shell out billions of dollars to pay for the designer treatment.

But there are a growing number of patients who have had life-threatening side-effects from Allergan BOTOX.

Dr. Sharla Helton was a founding partner at Lakeside Women’s Hospital in Oklahoma City.

She is an accomplished Oklahoma City obstetrician-gynecologist who had BOTOX in 2006 to smooth out some wrinkles.

Her life-threatening reaction began the very next day.