In The Know: Chickasaw Nation governor Bill Anoatubby to retire after nearly 40 years | Pricey video calls replaced human contact in Oklahoma jails | Why are data centers so controversial?

In The Know is your daily briefing on Oklahoma policy-related news. OK Policy encourages the support of Oklahoma’s state and local media, which are vital to an informed citizenry. Inclusion of a story does not necessarily mean endorsement by the Oklahoma Policy Institute. Some stories included here are behind paywall or require subscription.

TUESDAY, JUNE 9, 2026 Subscribe // View web version (current and archived) 357,700   The passage of State Question 832 would raise wages for 357,700 Oklahoma workers—or roughly one-fifth (20.3%) of the state’s wage-earning workforce—by more than $783 million overall. [Economic Policy Institute] From OK Policy: SQ 832 Information and Resources | Fact Sheet Sixteen Billionaires Who Made Their Fortunes Off the Backs of Low-Wage Workers   At least 16 U.S. billionaires owe their wealth to one of America’s 20 largest low-wage employers — corporations where a significant share of workers earn so little they have to rely on public assistance. Of these 16 billionaires, eight are associated with Walmart. Amazon and Tyson Foods have two members of this elite club, while Home Depot, Best Buy, Starbucks, and Chipotle each have one. [Inequality.org] "A higher minimum wage improves economic outcomes for lower-income families and increased earnings among workers who are most likely to spend those additional dollars within their local economies. That’s the really big part, because your lower-income earners, they spend a larger percentage of their income on necessities, so food, shelter, energy, things like that."   — Brent Norwood, an OU professor and senior lecturer of economics, explaining why raising wages has a balancing effect on local economies — because when low-wage employees earn more, they spend more money locally. [The Journal Record] Oklahoma News   Report shows small improvement in child wellbeing, but Oklahoma still lags behind other states: Oklahoma has made slight progress in improving overall child wellbeing, according to a new report, but still ranks as one of the worst states in the country for education and other factors. [Oklahoma Voice] Oklahoma children's advocates: Kids aren’t failing, state policy is [Public News Service] From OK Policy: 2026 KIDS COUNT®: Oklahoma ranks 44th for child well-being | KIDS COUNT® Interactive Data Book | Oklahoma Data Profile Snapshot Student workers eye wage hike under SQ 832: While high school and college students under 22 have historically been exempt from minimum wage requirements in Oklahoma, that exclusion would disappear under State Question 832, which repeals exemptions for multiple categories of wage earners, including farm workers, newspaper carriers and temporary part-time employees. [The Journal Record] Opinion, Tulsa mayor: State Question 832 good for families, small businesses, Oklahoma’s economy [Mayor Monroe Nichols / Tulsa World] From OK Policy: Why raising the minimum wage is a win for Oklahoma’s youth | SQ 832 Fact Sheet Federal Government News   Federal instability threatens jobs for blind, visually impaired Oklahomans: At NewView, formerly the Oklahoma League for the Blind, employees manufacture a wide variety of essential goods. NewView is the sole provider of fire hoses for the U.S. Forest Service. NewView employees used to package up eight to ten pallets of 95 hoses per day. Now, they are lucky if the Forest Service orders ten pallets in a month. [KOSU]   Tribal Nations News   Chickasaw Nation's Anoatubby will retire after 39 years leading tribe: Chickasaw Gov. Bill Anoatubby announced Monday he is retiring at the end of the month. His son, Lt. Gov. Chris Anoatubby, will take over as governor. [KOSU] ‘It has been a blessing’: Chickasaw Nation Gov. Bill Anoatubby announces sudden retirement [NonDoc] Chickasaw Nation governor Bill Anoatubby to retire after nearly 40 years [The Journal Record] Chickasaw Gov. Bill Anoatubby retiring after 39 years leading tribe [The Oklahoman] Bill Anoatubby, the longtime leader of Chickasaw Nation, to retire [Oklahoma Voice] Chickasaw Nation Governor Bill Anoatubby announces retirement [Tulsa World] Tribal, state leaders honor Chickasaw Nation's Anoatubby after retirement announcement [KOSU] Voting and Election News   Early voting starts Thursday ahead of the June 16 primary: Registered voters can cast ballots ahead of the June 16 primary for federal, state and local races and a measure to raise the minimum wage. Early voting locations will be open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Thursday and Friday, and from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday. [Oklahoma Voice] Questions about voting in Oklahoma's primary election? We have answers [The Oklahoman] For early voting locations and sample ballots, visit the Oklahoma Voter Portal. PAC linked to Gov. Stitt spends thousands on GOP candidates: 46 Action has reported spending $100,000 to support Stitt appointee David Ostrowe in the packed GOP race for lieutenant governor, where Ostrowe faces a Trump-endorsed competitor. The PAC also paid $12,000 for a text campaign to support incumbent treasurer Todd Russ. [The Oklahoman]   Data shows more than $53 million spent on political ads so far this election cycle: Oklahoma's primary election is just over a week away, and millions of dollars have been spent this election cycle to try to influence your vote. [Fox 25]   Oklahoma Ethics Commission, political leaders weigh future of AI-generated ads: In response to concerns from candidates, elected officials and the public, Oklahoma’s Ethics Commission began exploring the regulation of AI-generated campaign ads at a special meeting Friday. [KOSU]   Election Roundup Fact check: Democratic superintendent candidates talk instructional time, literacy [NonDoc & The Frontier] A Q&A with Jeff Starling, a Republican candidate for Oklahoma AG [Oklahoma Voice] Cheat sheet: 6 Republicans on crowded quest to be lieutenant governor [NonDoc] Q&A: How do Republican candidates for insurance commissioner feel about State Farm and CompSource Mutual? [News 9] Cheat sheet: 3 Democrats try to flip House District 96 [NonDoc] Cheat Sheet: HD 96 Rep. Preston Stinson challenged by John Bachman, mailers ‘mock’ both [NonDoc] Tulsa City Councilor Bush won't seek reelection; eight other incumbents file for re-election [Tulsa World] District 1 Tulsa City Councilwoman Vanessa Hall-Harper is running for re-election. She told us why. [The Oklahoma Eagle] Education News   State Board of Education rejects eastern Oklahoma district’s high school expansion: Balancing the aspirations of an expanding school district and a potentially existential impact on its neighbors, the Oklahoma State Board of Education denied a plan to open a fifth high school in rural Adair County. [Oklahoma Voice] State board of education denies bid from rural Oklahoma district to expand to high school grades [StateImpact Oklahoma via KGOU] Families graduate together at Positive Tomorrows in Oklahoma: Graduation is a family affair at Positive Tomorrows. Students and their families graduate together at the school, Oklahoma's only private, tuition-free school and social service agency that specifically serves children and families experiencing homelessness. [The Oklahoman]   OKC Public Schools looking to fill 150 positions in push to hire teachers this summer: Summer used to be prime hiring season for the next school year, but Oklahoma districts now recruit year-round to keep classrooms staffed. At Oklahoma City Public Schools, they are casting a wider net for teachers and hoping to fill spots for science and early childhood education. [KOCO]   Health News   High-potency cannabis fuels state debates over psychosis and addiction risks: States have spent the past several decades debating whether to legalize cannabis. Now, they are debating how intoxicating legal products should be. [Oklahoma Voice]   Opinion: Children are finding self-worth with AI. That's dangerous.: Comparison is inevitable, even useful, as children learn about the world and themselves. But social media and now AI have turned comparison from a tool of self-understanding into the engine of an identity-distorting feedback loop. [Robin Stern and Marc Brackett / The Oklahoman]   Justice System News   “That’s Not a Visit”: How Pricey Video Calls Replaced Human Contact in Oklahoma Jails: More than two-thirds of Oklahoma county jails no longer allow families or friends to visit in-person, making costly phone calls and video messages the only way to stay in touch with detainees. [Oklahoma Watch]   Housing & Economic Opportunity News   Oklahoma agencies concerned over changes to homelessness federal funding: Oklahoma agencies are concerned over a major shift to homelessness federal funding. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced more than $4 billion in funding for homelessness programs, however there’s a catch. HUD is changing the types of programs it wants to fund and shifting away from the ‘housing first’ approach. [KFOR] From OK Policy: Homelessness in Oklahoma — Info & Resources Economy & Business News   Why are data centers so controversial? A look inside Oklahoma proposals, reaction: The debate over data centers being built in Oklahoma will descend on at least two local meetings this week in Edmond and Luther. These town meetings are the latest battlegrounds over the rush to build out data center capacity the United States amid the growth of artificial intelligence and requirements to store data. [The Oklahoman] Edmond City Council passes data center moratorium through end of year [KFOR] Oklahoma tourism spending report shows almost $12.8B in generated revenue: Oklahoma’s tourism industry generated nearly $12.8 billion in direct visitor spending in 2025, supporting more than 109,000 jobs across the state, officials said. [News 9]   Kilimo launches water-saving projects to aid Oklahoma farms amid drought: As groundwater levels in Oklahoma drop, an international water stewardship company is connecting farmers with corporate dollars with the goal of funding farm upgrades and securing the state’s vulnerable agricultural supply chain. [The Journal Record]   Oklahoma agriculture agency monitors confirmed New World screwworm cases in Texas, N.M.: The Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food, and Forestry is monitoring multiple confirmed cases of New World Screwworm in Texas and New Mexico. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) says the screwworm is an invasive species whose larvae infest the open wounds of livestock and other mammals. [Fox 25]   Community News   Dugout built during Oklahoma's largest land run added to National Register of Historic Places: The Kerr Homestead Dugout was given the recognition for its potential to provide insights about dugout construction during the start of the Cherokee Outlet. That land run allowed settlers to claim land in the Cherokee Outlet, which had been promised to tribes for hunting use and excluded from previous land runs. [KOSU]   National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum hosts 54th annual Prix de West exhibition and sale: This year’s Prix de West, a prestigious exhibition and sale of Western art hosted by the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum, will feature nearly 300 artworks and 90 artists from across the country. [KOSU]   Local Headlines City of Tulsa to make Neighborhood Conditions Index program permanent [Tulsa World] Yukon Mayor responds to resignation of Jeff Wootton after recall petition filing [KFOR] Support Our Work with a Donation In The Know is your daily briefing on Oklahoma policy-related news. Inclusion of a story does not necessarily mean endorsement by the Oklahoma Policy Institute. Some stories included here are behind paywall or require subscription. OK Policy encourages the support of Oklahoma’s state and local media, which are vital to an informed citizenry. You can sign up here to receive In The Know by e-mail. Contact Oklahoma Policy Institute 907 S. Detroit Ave #1005 Tulsa, OK 74120 United States  918-794-3944 | info@okpolicy.org okpolicy.org    Connect with us:   If you believe you received this message in error or wish to no longer receive emails from us, please unsubscribe.