OKLAHOMA CITY — In the peak of January’s COVID-19 surge, more than half of Oklahoma’s public school districts closed as the omicron variant crashed over the state in an overwhelming wave of infections.
Few state employees served as substitute teachers under Gov. Stitt's plan
Amid a push for state agency employees to volunteer as substitutes during a dangerous phase of the pandemic to keep classrooms in session, Tulsa Public Schools saw no participation. Gov. Kevin Stitt had criticized the district for shifting away from in-person learning over the course of the pandemic. TPS did not ask the state for substitutes, officials said.
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The action comes after the Oklahoma Department of Veterans Affairs Executive Director Joel Kintsel took a leave to mount an unsuccessful primary challenge to Stitt's reelection campaign.
A second whistleblower reportedly has come forward about Elliot Chambers on allegations of self-dealing and misappropriation of taxpayer funds at the school land office.
The races for U.S. Senate and House seats, four state offices, 11 legislative seats and the Republican nomination for Oklahoma County District attorney are all headed to Aug. 23 runoff elections — which means surviving candidates must find ways to keep voters' attention for two more months.
Justice Neil Gorsuch called it a "mockery" of Congress' work from 1834 to 1968 to argue that "Oklahoma enjoys ‘inherent’ authority" to try these crimes.
Journalists asked: “How is Oklahoma working for you?” This is a sample of their responses, representing multiple political viewpoints.
Conflict of interest concerns center on the relationship between the Commissioners of the Land Office secretary and an investment firm. Recent state votes related to that firm have raised legal questions.
The court’s ruling, which clarifies its 2020 McGirt decision, is a victory for state officials who had argued against an appellate court ruling that said otherwise.
This is the first statewide election since redistricting, so "it is important for voters to confirm where their polling place is before they head to the polls,” Election Board Secretary Paul Ziriax said.
The Oklahoma Policy Institute said it calculated the percentage of Oklahomans without insurance, which includes Medicaid, as 9.6% on April 25. That compares to 14.4% prior to July 1, 2021, when a ballot initiative adding Medicaid expansion to the state constitution became effective.
After supporters collected more than 17,000 signatures to keep a Veterans Affairs hospital open in Muskogee, a U.S. Senate committee has rejected plans to close it, officials confirmed Wednesday.
