Oklahoma News
Gov. Stitt tours Barnsdall, National Weather Service says tornado probably an EF-4: Gov. Kevin Stitt toured the town of Barnsdall Tuesday after a tornado ripped through the town, killing at least one, leaving one missing and destroying dozens of homes. [Public Radio Tulsa]
- Update: Man still missing after EF4 tornado damage affects Barnsdall [Tulsa World]
- Barnsdall 'in despair' after second tornado in five weeks hits [Public Radio Tulsa]
State Government News
As Oklahoma leaders head into second budget summit, divisions persist: The meeting, hosted by Stitt, was supposed to kick-start a state budget process that had stalled. This year, lawmakers have about $13.1 billion to spend for FY 25. Monday's meeting was also rare for its open, freewheeling nature involving the governor and legislative leaders. [The Oklahoman]
District Court judge halts enforcement of "blacklist" law that restricts investments: An Oklahoma County judge halted the enforcement of a controversial state law Tuesday, a measure that places banks and financial companies on a blacklist if they invest in entities critical of the oil and gas industry. [The Oklahoman]
House sends major league sports incentive to governor: Major sports franchises locating in Oklahoma could recoup up to $10 million a year from the state under legislation passed by the state House of Representatives and sent to Gov. Kevin Stitt on Tuesday. [Tulsa World]
Tribal Nations News
Oklahoma tribes need more money for policing, Cherokee, Muscogee officials tell Congress: Oklahoma tribes need more money from Congress to expand and maintain their criminal justice systems almost four years after the McGirt v. Oklahoma ruling, representatives of the Cherokee and Muscogee nations told members of Congress on Tuesday. [The Oklahoman]
How an 1840s murder defined how courts determine who is an Indian: The Cherokee Nation announced efforts in February to push for a change in how federal law determines Indian status under the Major Crimes Act that would require Cherokee Freedmen to be recognized as Native Americans by federal courts. Currently, federal law uses a test from an 1846 murder case that requires both tribal connections and "Indian blood" for a person to be deemed Native American for the purposes of criminal jurisdiction. [NonDoc]
Health News
Millions More Go To Oklahoma Hospitals As Managed Care Begins: Oklahoma hospitals are seeing a financial bump as the Oklahoma Health Care Authority makes the first of a new payment type under SoonerSelect, the state's new managed care system for Medicaid. The so-called enhanced directed payments are an addition to a program already in place that taxes hospitals based on their patient revenue to attract more federal money. [Oklahoma Watch]
Criminal Justice News
Future executions in Oklahoma to be set for 90 days apart: The Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals has decided future executions will be set 90 days apart "unless circumstances dictate modification." [The Oklahoman]
Juvenile justice center director fired, Tulsa County commissioner says: With one former staff member already arrested and calls on social media for a broader investigation into the Tulsa County Family Center for Juvenile Justice, the director of the facility was fired on Monday. [Tulsa World]
Long-awaited finale for Epic co-founders' court hearing delayed again: The conclusion of an already delayed court hearing for Epic Charter School's co-founders will be postponed even further because of a last-minute demand that one of the defense attorneys be disqualified from questioning a star witness. [Oklahoma Voice]
- Preliminary hearing in Epic Charter Schools case is on hold [The Oklahoman]
Meet the woman behind OKC's innovative approach to helping victims of domestic violence: Safe to say not many 19-year-olds are spending their free time at the police station volunteering to help the victims of rape and other forms of violence and abuse. "That's what started my career in victim services," says Oklahoma City's Kim Garrett-Funk. [The Oklahoman]
Housing & Economic Opportunity News
Long Story Short: How Oklahoma Zoning Laws Contribute to the Housing Crisis (Audio): Heather Warlick recently wrote about how Oklahoma's restrictive zoning ordinances may stand in the way of solving the state's affordable housing shortage. [Oklahoma Watch]
Education News
Cameron University in Lawton will soon have a new interim president.: Jari Askins, who has worked as a former district judge, state legislator and Oklahoma's lieutenant governor, will serve as Cameron University's interim president as the Lawton school searches for a new leader. [The Oklahoman]
Community News
New 12,345-acre nature preserve will be convenient to Tulsa, OKC: A family's donation of their 12,345-acre ranch in Creek County creates The Nature Conservancy's largest wildland preserve, conveniently located between the state's major metropolitan centers. [KOSU]
Black cyclists in Oklahoma bike 600 miles to all 13 Black Towns: Osborne Celestain's Black cyclists' 600-mile bike ride across Oklahoma's historic Black towns was more than an athletic feat; it was a tribute to the resilience of these communities. Alongside Eyakem Gulilat, Celestain transformed a physical journey into a cultural exploration, deeply connecting with the history and ongoing struggles of the areas they visited. [The Black Wall Street Times]
Local Headlines
- Council considers city vote to hike OKC hotel tax, change revenue use [NonDoc]
- Should OKC raise hotel tax? [Journal Record]
- Mayfest: Diverse lineup of art, music, performances at Tulsa's premier outdoor festival [Tulsa World]
