Guests Kris Steele, executive director of Oklahomans for Criminal Justice Reform, and Tulsa County Sheriff Vic Regalado with host Wayne Greene.
With just two confirmed COVID-19 cases among the state’s prison population, Oklahoma has so far dodged a bullet.
But how long it can continue, especially if testing is not ramped up, is a big question, a prison reform leader warned.
“I think it’s a very scary situation,” said Kris Steele, executive director of Oklahomans for Criminal Justice Reform. “I think it’s a situation that could get out of hand in a heartbeat.”
Along with the two inmates, at least nine correctional officers, who come and go from the facilities, had also tested positive as of last week, he said.
“The reality is we don’t know exactly what the magnitude of the situation is because we are not engaging in widespread testing within our prison system,” said Steele, speaking Tuesday as part of the Tulsa World’s latest Let’s Talk virtual town hall.
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Steele, former Oklahoma speaker of the House, joined Tulsa County Sheriff Vic Regalado to talk about the challenges facing prisons and jails during the pandemic.
The event was moderated by Wayne Greene, editor of editorial pages for the Tulsa World, and sponsored by the George Kaiser Family Foundation.
Steele said the overcrowding of the state’s prisons is a major complicating factor. Before the pandemic, the system was at 109% of capacity. That’s down to 103% currently, he said, due in part to the precautionary move of halting all transfers from jails.
“I want to be fair,” Steele said. “I think within the situation, the Department of Corrections is doing the very best they can to try to protect the health and well-being of those who are there.”
The precautions taken, such as lockdowns and limiting visitation, have been helpful, he said.
But prisons and jails “tend to be petri dishes,” he added. “There’s just really no way to control an infection or disease like this one in the environment that exists within our system.”
Regalado said the Tulsa County jail has yet to have a confirmed COVID-19 case and that he believes the key has been the response plan, which Sheriff’s Office officials were proactive in implementing.
“We did not wait to see if it was going to hit Oklahoma,” he said. “When we got wind of this, we started formalizing a plan.”
In addition to general safety precautions, the plan included the isolation of incoming arrestees in 14-day observation pods, and, more recently, the expansion of COVID-19 testing.
“We’ve been very fortunate,” the sheriff said. “I also think that luck has shined on us.”
He said his hope is that “we won’t have a COVID-19 infection” but that if it happens “we will be able to contain it.”
A possible cause for concern, Regalado said, has been the inability to secure enough hand sanitizer and protective masks.
“We are still awaiting orders that we put in two months ago,” he said.
“It forced us to kind of think outside the box. For hand sanitizers, we ordered the components of them, and then we mixed it ourselves and made our own.”
Steele praised a move by the state’s Pardon and Parole Board that he said could help on the state level.
The board has set a special meeting for Wednesday, he said, to consider expediting the release of prisoners who are medically vulnerable.
“I think it’s a very positive step,” he said.
Video of the town hall has been posted on the Tulsa World website and Facebook page.
Altered lives: See how these Tulsans are adjusting their lives and businesses during the coronavirus pandemic
Altered lives: See how these Tulsans are adjusting their lives and businesses during the coronavirus pandemic
Altered Lives: Local bookstore transitions to online
The Frugal Bookworm, for reasons related to the COVID-19 pandemic, is transitioning to an online bookstore.
“With the world changing the way it is and more and more people feeling like maybe it’s not the right time to come out and risk their health, we are trying to make the smartest decisions for our customers, as well as ourselves,” co-owner Ash McCumber said.
“We really had to kind of sit down and restrategize how we think about books and business. ... And a vast majority of our customers are older. My business partner and myself are both immunocompromised. So while this is a tough decision for us to make financially, it also makes the best sense for us when it comes to our health.”
Altered Lives: Sequoyah seniors' prom
Kerry Page, the mother of a high school senior, got emotional last weekend. It wasn’t because of what her son lost. It was because of what he was given — a “barn prom for two.”
Kerry’s son, Dakota Page, is a senior at Sequoyah High School in Claremore. Dakota left school March 13 with the intent of enjoying spring break and returning to school a week later to wrap up the final chapter — the best chapter — of his senior year.
But seniors everywhere were robbed of once-in-a-lifetime moments by the COVID-19 pandemic. Their final sporting events were canceled. Their proms were scrapped. They may not get to wear caps and gowns in front of friends and family members at a commencement ceremony.
Altered Lives: Therapist Dennis England
For Dennis England, the human touch is an important part of the work he does.
“I’m a hugger by nature, and I’ve always believe that some kind of physical connection is therapeutic in some way,” said England, a licensed clinical social worker and therapist who has been in private practice for the past decade.
“Whether it’s just shaking hands, giving someone a pat on the shoulder, or big old bear hug, depending on the individual’s comfort level, that physical touch is a valuable part of the bonding and communication that you need to have with the people you’re working with,” England said. “It’s part of the trust that has to develop between a client and a therapist.”
Altered lives: Tulsa County District Judge Bill LaFortune
Bill LaFortune still gets up every morning and gets ready for work. But he doesn’t dress up quite like he would normally, and, like most people these days, he doesn’t leave the house much.
There’s no donning of robes, either.
“I am able to do a tremendous amount of work here at the house with my Chromebook (computer), so it’s been a real life-saver and a game-changer,” said Tulsa County’s presiding district judge. “And I think for all the judges, as they all get them, … it is really going to allow us to keep cases moving as best we can while court is closed.”
Altered Lives: Food truck owner Megan Brister
Becoming an entrepreneur at age 27 is no small feat.
Opening your first food truck amid shelter-in-place orders for the general public is something exponentially more challenging.
But Megan Brister couldn’t be deterred by a global pandemic.
“I thought about it – but didn’t put too much thought into it – because I’ve been working toward this for so long,” said Brister, who opened the Taco Taco truck on March 21 at 8101 S. Harvard Ave.
Altered Lives: Zookeepers
The Tulsa Zoo is closed because of the coronavirus, but life goes on for the 3,000 animals and the zookeepers who tend to their daily needs.
“We’re here 365 or 366 days a year, giving care to the animals,” said Joe Barkowksi, zoo vice president for animal conservation and science.
“We’re kind of a 24/7 operations, so this isn’t really a lot different for us," he said, "except that we don’t get to enjoy the guests out here."
Altered Lives: Real estate agents Josh Rainwater and Kim Vining
For real estate agents Josh Rainwater and Kim Vining, 2020 started out to be a record-breaking year. In the first two and a half months of this year, the duo had sold more than double the number of homes as they at this time in 2019.
Then came the restrictions over concerns about the spread of the coronavirus, with government officials urging citizens to practice “social distancing” and limiting the size of any public gathering to no more than 10 people.
Such restraints might seem a sure way to turn a winning streak into a losing proposition. Yet, for Rainwater and Vining, agents with Coldwell Banker Tulsa, the past few weeks have been almost business as usual.
Altered Lives: Area schools and students
Oklahoma’s kids are going to get back to the business of school on Monday from the confines of home.
But what will “distance learning” look like for a 4-year-old? How will third-graders stay on track in reading through the end of their milestone year? How will a middle- or high-schooler finish a band credit all alone?
We went right to the sources — local teachers — to find out how they’re going to make learning possible when it might seem impossible.
Altered Lives: Tulsa pastors
In a pre-coronavirus world, it would be every pastor’s worst nightmare — preaching to an empty auditorium because no one showed up for Easter services.
But that’s exactly what the Rev. Bill Scheer, pastor of Guts Church, and many other Tulsa pastors will do Sunday, Easter morning, as Americans shelter in their homes to slow the coronavirus pandemic.
And Scheer is upbeat about the situation.
“There’s a lot of negatives about this, but the positives far outweigh the negatives. They really do,” he said.
Altered Lives: Sanitation worker Doug Kackowski
There are no two ways around it — hauling trash is a tough, dirty job.
And in the age of COVID-19, it’s potentially dangerous.
Doug Kackowski doesn’t worry much about that. This garbage truck driver just does his job.
“I think I’m a little old school in my thought process,” said Kackowski, 54. “I’m kind of like, your body will get used to it. I wouldn’t let it affect me until it happens, you know, ‘cause until then, it’s a useless worry.”
Altered Lives: Personal trainer Jason Montroy
Jason Montroy was a regular visitor to the gym. Now that it’s closed, the personal trainer and Oklahoma Union coach created Montroy G & G (garage and gym) at his house. He works daily with his 9-year-old son Chase, a youth wrestler and football player.
During a hot Thursday in Collinsville, the pair did leg work on the driveway and in the garage.
“He wants to work out,” Montroy said. “It’s really cool for him to have that desire to want to do it and be shown the right way and the right form.”
An added benefit is an unexpected opportunity for father-son bonding time.
Altered Lives: Cinema owner Mike Mendenhall
Spring break usually brings popular movies to theaters for families with children out of school, and that can mean a week of “catching up for the year” financially for an independent theater owner like Mike Mendenhall at Eton Square Cinema.
This year’s COVID-19 spring break instead saw those hit movies postponed and Mendenhall closing his theater at 8421 E 61st St. for the immediate future, laying off 15 employees to go sign up for unemployment.
“We’re just shut down. It’s not like there’s any curbside service we can offer,” he said.
Altered Lives: Elementary teacher Akela Leach
As Oklahoma public schools adopt distance learning models to both continue to educate students and protect against COVID-19, the word “distance” hits hard.
Teachers like Akela Leach miss their kids fiercely.
“One moment you are with these kids every single day and you become like a caretaker away from home,” said Leach, a fifth grade teacher at Tulsa’s Lanier Elementary, “and then you’re just separated.”
Altered Lives: Food Bank executive director Lori Long
Coronavirus restrictions make this an awkward time for someone in a leadership position to change agencies.
After nearly 13 years as executive director of The Center for Individuals with Physical Challenges, Lori Long had to order its doors closed for what would have been her last day at work Wednesday.
On Monday, she will start as executive director of the Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma, unable to meet with her new staff, who are in the middle of a growing emergency situation because of the pandemic with so many people out of work and with kids out of school.
Altered Lives: Music venue owner Donnie Rich
Donnie Rich was among those who helped save, and restore, the Outsiders House.
Now he’s trying to save his business.
The Venue Shrine, a live music venue at 112 E. 18th St., is in financial danger due to circumstances related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The music industry — artists and venues — have been impacted by a stoppage of live music gatherings.
Altered Lives: Tulsa barber Adrian King
Adrian King told Guerin Emig early Thursday he will comply with the order to close his barber shop.
"After having some time to think things over I have decided to follow (the) 21-day shutdown order as it is the responsible and safe thing to do," King said in a text message. "In our second talk (Wednesday) I was talking from pure frustration from all that has happened in such a short time."
King closed his text with "Stay safe."
During stressful times, Fred Rogers of “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood” would share this message: Look for the helpers. We’re finding them, and w…
