Isn't much, but something cool in Lawton. New bike routes across the city.


LAWTON, OK (KSWO) -Lawton has unveiled multiple bicycle routes just in time for summer. This is a project ten years in the making.

Nine bicycle routes and paths now span the city, helping to connect people to recreation, civic facilities and commercial areas while also encouraging healthy physical activity.

City officials say the planning process took time, as they worked to develop a master plan by looking at the entire community to find out where corridors were needed in order to link bicycle routes to pedestrian trails.

Lawton city planner Richard Rogalski said the new routes and paths are great for residents and the future of the city.

"Better health, better livability, those are the things, they all just make us feel better and it's economic development because there are things that people expect in a community. If they are looking to move professionals to the community, there are things they want to see, they want to see in the community and trails and routes are one of them," Rogalski said.

- http://www.kswo.com/story/32197399/lawton-unveils-new-bike-routes

Here is map: http://www.cityof.lawton.ok.us/2016bikebrochure.pdf

http://journalrecord.com/2016/07/22/lawton-sees-payoff-from-economic-development-corporation-general-news/

300 jobs from a wind energy company going to Lawton:

https://www.okcommerce.gov/300-jobs-announced-for-lawton-fort-sill/?fbclid=IwAR0rYCHNVuJW-DA0HCYCCseFOFMCRbJHLJ359tvMczDppFVvKTAeHacDapE

300 jobs from a wind energy company going to Lawton:

https://www.okcommerce.gov/300-jobs-announced-for-lawton-fort-sill/?fbclid=IwAR0rYCHNVuJW-DA0HCYCCseFOFMCRbJHLJ359tvMczDppFVvKTAeHacDapE

Great addition for Lawton, this is much needed for the area. Always thought Lawton was unique city, as it is the largest stand alone city in Oklahoma outside of Tulsa & OKC metros.

According to the new 2022 population estimates, Lawton's population actually increased for the first time in years. Would like to see them hit over 100,000 residents by 2030.

Westwin Elements plans to build a refinery in SW Lawton. These type of developments boost economic development, which we will see in Lawton.

This is a big win for Lawton! 2,000 jobs, average salary of $100,000.

https://www.oklahoman.com/story/business/real-estate/2023/08/23/oklahoma-cobalt-nickel-refinery-breaks-ground-governor-kevin-stitt/70649891007/

That is a big win for Lawton.

Westwin Elements plans to build a refinery in SW Lawton. These type of developments boost economic development, which we will see in Lawton.

This is a big win for Lawton! 2,000 jobs, average salary of $100,000.

https://www.oklahoman.com/story/business/real-estate/2023/08/23/oklahoma-cobalt-nickel-refinery-breaks-ground-governor-kevin-stitt/70649891007/Color me confused.

If America mines zero cobalt and zero nickel domestically, is it going to be shipped to Lawton from outside the country to be refined? Rail would be the most efficient way to do this, but where is all this cobalt and nickel going to be sourced?

And 2,000 jobs? Not to be a pessimist, but this seems like another huge announcement with, at the very least, questionable prospects, i.e. the Oklahoma Spaceport, Panasonic / VW / Tesla, Canoo, etc.

Well for one, the company is based out of Bartlesville, so there's that. And after reading the article, sounds like a pretty much a done deal. The lead investor was the former CEO of Boeing, that says enough.

This article says the facility is expected to bring 85 jobs: https://www.kswo.com/2023/08/22/westwin-elements-breaks-ground-their-upcoming-pilot-facility/

So maybe it's an aspirational thing to bring 2,000? Also says it's a pilot/proof-of-concept facility that's more of a trial run to prove its viability.

Well for one, the company is based out of Bartlesville, so there's that. And after reading the article, sounds like a pretty much a done deal. The lead investor was the former CEO of Boeing, that says enough.There's what, exactly, in regards to the company being based out of Bartlesville? The article states that the minerals will physically be refined in Lawton.

From the various articles linked in the article in The Oklahoman:

"Westwin Elements, which recently backed out of an agreement to buy an office building from the Bartlesville Development Authority, provided no details on the Lawton project at Tuesday's breakfast."

"Unless I hear something, and I haven't, we're planning on exiting Bartlesville," (Westwin Elements CEO KaLeigh) Long said."

"In early 2021, (former and now-ousted Boeing Co. CEO Dennis) Muilenburg launched a new investment venture: New Vista Acquisition Corp. It failed earlier this year. His investment in Westwin is through a new venture, New Vista Capital."

Here's a section from an article in Politico:

"Republican lawmakers are looking to boost a politically connected newcomer: Westwin Elements, a company angling to build the nation’s first cobalt processing plant.

KaLeigh Long, a well-connected Republican political consultant, started the company this year. Long once led the Conservative Leadership PAC and managed a political consulting firm that has garnered nearly $1 million from Republican campaigns in recent years, Holzman reports.

A group of conservative House lawmakers sent letters to both the Energy and Defense departments last week seeking incentives for Long’s company. Westwin Elements’ management has little experience in mining or metals refining and is largely composed of Republican political operators."

Best of luck to Lawton, but 2,000 jobs is a HUGE promise to make. I will be tempering my expectations for at least a couple years.

This article says the facility is expected to bring 85 jobs: https://www.kswo.com/2023/08/22/westwin-elements-breaks-ground-their-upcoming-pilot-facility/

So maybe it's an aspirational thing to bring 2,000? Also says it's a pilot/proof-of-concept facility that's more of a trial run to prove its viability.

The pilot concept is 85 jobs, but if that goes well, full commercial facility will be built and expect to grow to 2,000 jobs in 5 years.

Additional article: https://www.oklahoman.com/story/business/real-estate/2023/08/25/oklahoma-cobalt-nickel-refinery-fast-track-compete-china-rare-minerals-market-national-defense/70661864007/