OKLAHOMA CITY – The Oklahoma House of Representatives today elected Rep. Kyle Hilbert, R-Bristow, as Speaker of the House and Rep. Anthony Moore, R-Clinton, as Speaker Pro-Tempore for the 60th Legislature. “I am excited and deeply humbled to serve the state of Oklahoma in this capacity,” said Hilbert. “This is not a responsibility I take…
OKLAHOMA CITY – Senate Pro Tempore Lonnie Paxton, R-Tuttle, today was officially named as the new leader of the Senate after a full vote by the Senate during the chamber’s bi-annual Organizational Day. “It is the absolute honor of a lifetime to be voted on by my peers to hold this prestigious title,” Pro Tem…
OKLAHOMA CITY – In a far-reaching, and transformative effort to modernize the Oklahoma House of Representatives, Rep. Tom Gann, R-Inola, has sponsored a reform package – House Resolution 1001 – designed to distribute power, promote transparency and reinvigorate the legislative process. His reforms aim to end the culture of opacity and concentration of authority that…
OKLAHOMA CITY — Sen. Dusty Deevers, R-Elgin, and Sen. Warren Hamilton, R-McCurtain, responded on Friday to comments made by Oklahoma House Speaker Kyle Hilbert regarding abortion legislation in the upcoming session. Hilbert is quoted by Oklahoma Voice as saying, “When there’s not any reported abortions, I don’t know how you further reduce from zero.” “As…
OKLAHOMA CITY – Oklahoma House of Representatives Majority Caucus Chair Stan May, R-Broken, today warned Oklahomans not to open emails appearing to come from him or other House members inviting them to open and review a Dropbox pdf labeled “2024 OK House Outreach.” The email is not originating from an OK House account. House IT…
OKLAHOMA CITY — Sen. Jonathan Wingard, R-Ada, filed legislation this week to end state tax subsidies for wind farms. Senate Bill 239 would eliminate the zero-emission subsidy for wind production after tax year 2025. Eliminating this tax credit will save taxpayers up to $16 million annually. “Oklahoma taxpayers have already invested hundreds of millions of…
OKLAHOMA CITY – Sen. Warren Hamilton, R-McCurtain, has filed legislation to require Oklahoma public school districts and charter schools to submit a list of all available library materials to the State Department of Education by Oct. 1 each year. Under the provisions of Senate Bill 19, schools would be prohibited from having any inappropriate materials…
OKLAHOMA CITY – With Oklahoma continuing to rely on thousands of emergency certifications to counter a shortage of classroom teachers, Sen. Mark Mann has filed legislation to help these individuals move from “emergency to permanency” with grants for additional education, testing, and certification. Senate Bill 186 would create the “Teacher Certification Emergency to Permanency Revolving…
It seems every year is a momentous one for weather in Oklahoma, and 2024 was no exception, with two all-time records either tied or broken during the year. The National Weather Service (NWS) confirmed at least 152 tornadoes touched down in Oklahoma, surpassing the previous record of 149 set in 2019. This year’s total was…
Effective Jan. 1, 2025 OKLAHOMA CITY, Jan. 2, 2025 — Oklahoma physicians are applauding a new law aimed at limiting insurance company interference on patient medical care. House Bill 3190, known as the Ensuring Transparency in Prior Authorization Act, is effective Jan. 1. The law was designed to give physicians and patients more control over…
Take the risk to ask for a short-term project like a GIG with your company to express your intelligence and contributions outside what they know about your skills and education. Since most people have a full-time job, a Gig job may be a project completely outside your normal scope of duties but one that your…
Politics will again take center stage in 2018. On the national front, President Trump will continue to push his agenda in the face of irrational opposition from the Democrats and moderate Republicans. And every move Trump makes will be criticized by the liberal media (and reinforced by the local liberal newspaper, TV stations and some…
In 2023, U.S. healthcare spending hit a staggering $4.8 trillion. Yet, despite these huge expenditures, the U.S. faces an epidemic of chronic disease. Prescription drug use is at record levels, with 6.3 billion prescriptions filled annually, or about 19 prescriptions per person every year. This reliance on medication often addresses symptoms, not the root causes…
[Looking at history and our area’s unique political and religious attitudes.] O Christmas tree. This traditional icon of Christmas has a mixed history. My parents did not have a Christmas tree when I was growing up, but her family did. Why? Is it reasonable or rational? This discussion will likely bristle the fur on some,…
As we complete another year, consider writing a book or journal of your experiences over the next 12 months. You might just surprise yourself with what you write down from your experiences that would be a great read for someone you know and love. Everyone has a book inside of them, but it doesn’t do…
One of the lower-key victories of the 2024 Oklahoma legislative session was the passage of Senate Bill 362, which stated that Oklahoma public-school teachers “shall be prohibited from using the three-cueing system model of teaching students to read” starting in the 2025-2026 school year. Under the three-cueing method, students are encouraged to guess words based…
Now that this year’s elections have concluded, Republican caucuses have selected leadership in both chambers of the Oklahoma Legislature. State Rep. Kyle Hilbert of Bristow will serve as Speaker of the Oklahoma House of Representatives while state Sen. Lonnie Paxton of Tuttle will serve as President Pro Tempore of the Senate. As they prepare agendas…
According to the Word of God, Jesus will come back to Earth to destroy the ungodly and wicked humans that survive the deadly events which will start when Jesus breaks each of the seven seals of the Book of God. In 2 Thessalonians 1:8, it says that Jesus will return to earth, “in flaming fire…
Despite being a conservative electorate, Oklahomans still face more state regulations than citizens in most other states. The accumulation of those rules impedes economic growth and job creation. Fortunately, legislative leaders are preparing to tackle this problem. At a recent meeting jointly led by state Rep. Gerrid Kendrix and state Sen. Micheal Bergstrom, who each…
OU loses to Alabama in Tuscaloosa No. 5 Alabama handed the No. 12 Oklahoma Sooners their first loss of the season, 107-79, Saturday night in Tuscaloosa. It was the first SEC game of the season for both teams. The Crimson Tide’s record improved to 12-2 overall and 1-0 SEC. For the Sooners, their record dropped…
Every year at this time, we look back and remember the sports figures who died the previous year. This is not a complete list, but some that stood out, either because they brought back memories from my childhood, or they made a big impact in their respective sport. Franz Beckenbauer died on Jan. 7; he…
The No. 12 ranked University of Oklahoma basketball team remained undefeated on Sunday with a 89-67 home victory over Prairie View A&M. The Sooners are now 13-0 and are one of only four teams in Division I that a currently unbeaten. Prairie View dropped to 1-12. Both teams exchanged baskets for most of the first…
Tyshawn Archie scored 18 points to lead the University of Tulsa men’s basketball team to a 96-63 victory over Southwestern Christian University, in the Donald W. Reynolds Center on Saturday afternoon. It was the final nonconference game on the schedule for the Golden Hurricane, and the win improved Tulsa’s record to 6-7. For SCU, the…
BRANSON, Missouri – It would be difficult for a stage play to have more impact than the production of Jesus here at Sight & Sound Theatre. The public ministry of Jesus Christ, His miracles, His relationships, His sacrifice on the cross and His resurrection are dramatically portrayed as only Sight & Sound can. Even though…
Vacation plans are on hold and Tulsans’ best options for entertainment due to the coronavirus outbreak are in their own living rooms. Movie theaters closed All the movie theaters in Tulsa – even the Admiral Twin Drive-in – are closed due to the pandemic. Entertainment venues, which tend to draw big crowds, are deemed “non-essential”…
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Nineties country-music hitmaker Joe Diffie died March 29th due to complications related to COVID-19. In all, Diffie charted 18 Top 10 singles, with the majority reaching the top five, including 1993 radio essentials Prop Me Up Beside the Jukebox (If I Die) and iconic song, John Deere Green. Diffie’s popular hits also…