Oklahoma News
Southern Baptists' call to repeal gay marriage seeks to bring 'moral clarity,' pastor says: An Oklahoma pastor said Southern Baptists' call to repeal a Supreme Court ruling that legalized same-sex marriage is the faith group's way of expressing its "grave concerns" about mainstream culture that denies biblical truths. [The Oklahoman]
Father deported to Guatemala after attending routine immigration hearing: A Guatemalan man who has been in Oklahoma City for 14 years is now separated from his wife and baby after showing up to a routine immigration hearing. He had an immigration attorney and was pursuing a resolution to a legal case, which he said the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement OK'd him to continue doing as long as he showed up every three months for check-ins. [KOCO]
State Government News
Stitt signs bills to open state tuition scholarship program to teachers' children, expand step raises: House Bill 1727 by Rep. Anthony Moore (R-Clinton) opens eligibility to OHLAP, the state's tuition scholarship program, to teachers who have taught in Oklahoma schools for at least 10 years. House Bill 1087 by Rep. Dick Lowe (R-Amber) allows teachers to receive step raises for 10 additional years of service. Previously, step raises stopped after 25 years. [StateImpact Oklahoma]
'Critical' infrastructure bill still awaits Gov. Stitt's signature: The Coalition of Tulsa Area Governments (CTAG) met last week to discuss state legislation that could impact municipalities across Green Country, including a major infrastructure funding bill awaiting action from Gov. Kevin Stitt. HB 2758 would allocate $75 million for county roads and bridges statewide. The Association of County Commissioners has called the bill "critical," and local leaders say the investment is overdue. [Public Radio Tulsa]
Federal Government News
Pentagon sets price tag for 60-day Los Angeles troop deployment at $134 million:
The Trump administration's deployment of National Guard troops and U.S. Marines to protests over immigration raids in Los Angeles will cost the federal government about $134 million, a Pentagon budget official said Tuesday, as the response to the protests further divided officials in California and Washington, D.C. [Oklahoma Voice]
ICE targets TikTok star Khaby Lame amid Trump's immigration raids: Khaby Lame, the world's most popular Tiktok creator who built a social media empire without saying a word, was targeted by U.S. Customs and Immigration (ICE) agents at a Las Vegas airport last week. The 25-year-old Senegalese-born Italian influencer was detained by ICE after allegedly overstaying his visa, according to the Associated Press. [The Black Wall Street Times]
Trump's tariffs to stay in place while legal fight goes on, appeals court orders: President Donald Trump's emergency tariffs can go forward while the administration fights to overturn a lower court's trade decision that ruled the global import taxes unlawful, according to a U.S. appeals court order late Tuesday. [Oklahoma Voice]
U.S. Senate GOP tries to ease the pain for states in sharing costs of SNAP benefits: U.S. Senate Republicans will propose more moderate changes to the major federal food assistance program than their House counterparts, Senate Agriculture Chairman John Boozman said Wednesday, detailing a provision in a giant tax and spending cut bill that would penalize states less harshly than the House GOP version. [Oklahoma Voice]
Federal Lawmakers are Steering Clear of State Politics When It Comes to the Gubernatorial Race: With at least five declared candidates jumping into Oklahoma's Republican gubernatorial primary, and more likely to announce, public support for anyone in the flooded field from the state's congressional delegation is hard to find. Only one U.S. lawmaker from the state has endorsed so far, and none of the other members with whom Oklahoma Watch spoke are planning to weigh in. [Oklahoma Watch]
Opinion: Congress is moving backward on funding for Alzheimer's disease research: The new proposed federal budget slashes investments in health research overall, with about 40% less money for NIH. Under the new budget, we expect that over 96% of grant proposals on Alzheimer's would be rejected due to lack of funding. [Maria Glymour / The Oklahoman]
Tribal Nations News
Tribes celebrate record economic impact in Oklahoma: Oklahoma's tribal nations contributed $23.4 billion to the state's economy in 2023, according to a study released Wednesday. Over 55,000 Oklahomans were directly employed by tribes and nearly 140,000 jobs were supported for both tribal citizens and non-citizens, the tribal-backed study found. This totals more than $7.8 billion in wages and benefits in 2023. [Oklahoma Voice]
- Report shows tribes' major economic impact in Oklahoma [Tulsa World]
- Tribal economic impact: $23.4 billion and 55,000 jobs in Oklahoma, according to report [News 9]
Cherokee Nation Secures $1.3M Grant to Strengthen Emergency Infrastructure: More than 70 natural disasters have occurred on tribal lands in the past decade, with some communities hit multiple times per year, according to federal disaster data. Many tribal communities lack reliable infrastructure to respond to these threats, making emergency preparedness critical for protecting residents during severe weather events. [The Journal Record]
Cherokee Nation to build health care facility to replace Claremore Indian Hospital: Cherokee Nation officials have announced plans to build a new health care facility in Claremore — but at the cost of the existing facility's inpatient and surgery units. [Tulsa World]
Former OSU president joins Chickasaw Nation as chief health strategy officer: Former Oklahoma State University President Dr. Kayse Shrum has joined the Chickasaw Nation as chief health strategy officer. Her early work will focus on the planning and development of the upcoming Newcastle medical center campus. [Oklahoma Voice]
Opinion: "One Beautiful Bill" Would Be a Tragic Setback for Indian Country: The name "One Beautiful Bill" might sound harmless, charming, even, but for Indian Country, its passage would be nothing short of a policy earthquake. Behind the rhetoric of fiscal responsibility and government streamlining lies a sweeping assault on the foundational programs that uphold tribal sovereignty, self-determination, and the bare minimum of equitable federal support that Native Nations have fought to establish over generations. [Kevin J. Allis / Native News Online]
Voting and Election News
Three new members to join the Oklahoma House following special elections: The Oklahoma House of Representatives on Tuesday got three new members. Voters went to the polls in special elections to replace three members who left office early. [Oklahoma Voice]
Education News
Education Watch: Resignations and layoffs at the state's largest online school: The superintendent of the state's largest online charter school stepped down this week amid a massive downsizing. Another top administrator resigned in mid-April. And the Statewide Charter School Board is now investigating the school's fiscal integrity, reported the Tulsa World's Andrea Eger. [Oklahoma Watch]
OU Board of Regents to consider increased costs for students next academic year: OU is proposing a 3% increase in tuition and mandatory fees for both undergraduate and graduate students in Norman, which they say would generate an estimated $8 million in additional revenue. [News 9]
Health News
Oklahoma's naloxone vending machines are coming back, with key differences: Officials at Oklahoma's mental health agency say they plan to redistribute 20 naloxone vending machines to new locations across the state, shifting the responsibility for stocking them to local partners.The vending machines were first unveiled in 2023 as part of a major harm reduction campaign by the department. Just over a year later, they were pulled. [KOSU]
New Oklahoma law makes contraception more convenient: A new law that gives women access to a six month prescription of birth control will make it easier to access pregnancy prevention medication, one health advocate said. The new law, which takes effect Nov. 1, requires insurance companies that provide coverage for contraception to allow women to obtain six months of birth control at the same time after being prescribed a three month supply. [Oklahoma Voice]
Criminal Justice News
Tulsa Jail study finds cash bail has no impact on whether someone shows up for court: People released by cash bail from Tulsa Jail on pending charges are no more likely to make their court dates than those released on their own recognizance or with no financial payment, according to a study released Tuesday. The False Promise of Bail study "challenges the fundamental assumption behind cash bail, that money is necessary to ensure people return to court," a spokesman for The Bail Project said. [Tulsa World]
Oklahoma execution of John Hanson is back on schedule: The execution of a convicted murderer who has escaped death twice is back on. The Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals ruled 4-0 Wednesday, June 11, that John Fitzgerald Hanson should not have been given a temporary stay. [The Oklahoman]
- George Hanson scheduled to be executed for Tulsa killing after temporary stay lifted [KOSU]
- From OK Policy: Death Penalty Tracker
Tulsa police run over Black man during jaywalking arrest, body cam shows: New body and dash cam footage, obtained by KJRH Channel 2's Erin Christy, shows the aftermath of a scene that started with a minor infraction and ended with a man pinned under a patrol car. The video is disturbing. It shows officers pulling Hampton from beneath the vehicle, cuffing him, and offering no immediate medical reassurance as he cries in pain. [The Black Wall Street Times]
Jury finds Charles Bishop III guilty in Canadian County obstruction trial: After three days of conflicting witness testimony and more than two hours of deliberation, jurors determined Charles Bishop III had obstructed Lt. Ed Purcer on Sept. 15, 2023. During the incident, Bishop verbally interjected as deputies arrested a separate person, Madison Hernandez, while Bishop was waiting on an open records request. [NonDoc]
Economy & Business News
Hurdles on the horizon as wind industry eyes eastern Oklahoma expansion: Planned wind farms on the east side of Interstate 35 are seen as a potential asset to some landowners, while receiving opposition from others. People report a distaste for the sight of tall, white turbines swirling on the horizon or a mistrust of renewable energy. [StateImpact Oklahoma]
Community News
Is Juneteenth a federal holiday? Will Stitt or Trump recognize it? What to know in Oklahoma: Juneteenth commemorates the events of June 19, 1865, in Galveston, Texas when the last Black slaves of the Confederacy were ordered free following the arrival of Union troops. But with the Trump administration pushing to end diversity, equity and inclusion, and Gov. Kevin Stitt following the president's stances against DEI, many may wonder how the Sooner State will celebrate the freedom of formerly enslaved people. [The Oklahoman]
Local Headlines
- Oklahoma City seeks artists to create sculpture for Route 66's centennial [KGOU]
- Oklahoma Caring Vans offer free summer immunizations for children aged 6 weeks to 18 years [Fox 25]
