State offices in Oklahoma are determined in the non-presidential election years. This year there are a plethora of candidates in eight Republican primaries on the state level and three Democrat primaries. There are only three Democrat primaries because in five of the races only one Democrat filed and the winner of the Republican primary will…
A legislative session dominated by education issues reached its end on May 14, with legislative leaders saying much was accomplished this year. “The House entered this session committed to protecting taxpayers, defending conservative values, and delivering results for the people of Oklahoma,” said House Speaker Kyle Hilbert, R-Bristow. “While not every priority reached the finish…
This year the Floral Haven Memorial Day Weekend will kickoff on Thursday, May 21, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. Volunteers from American Legion Post #308 will place small flags on veterans’ gravesites throughout the cemetery. If your loved one’s grave was missed by these veteran volunteers, please stop by the office or an information tent to…
There are an historic 11 Republicans running for the First District House seats that will be voted on in the June 16th primary. That is a record breaking number. One lone Democrat, John Croisant, 49 of Tulsa will run against the Republican primary winner in the general election in November. Kevin Hern, the current First…
OKLAHOMA CITY – A measure defending the fundamental rights of parents across Oklahoma has been signed into law by the governor. Rep. Erick Harris, R-Edmond, authored the “Right to Raise Act” to ensure that no Oklahoman is denied the opportunity to adopt or foster children simply for using biologically accurate language or for raising a…
OKLAHOMA CITY – Rep. Gabe Woolley, R–Broken Arrow, urges the Oklahoma State Senate to consider House Joint Resolution 1084, which he said the measure is intended to ensure that Oklahoma courts remain grounded solely in the Oklahoma Constitution and the United States Constitution. HJR1084 would place a constitutional amendment on the ballot. Woolley says it…
OKLAHOMA CITY (May 6, 2026) – Governor Kevin Stitt today signed an executive order directing state agencies to ramp up enforcement of immigration-status verification for welfare and help ensure that illegal immigrants do not receive taxpayer-funded welfare in Oklahoma. “Welfare should go to eligible Oklahomans, not to people who are in this country illegally,” said…
OKLAHOMA CITY – Rep. Kevin West, R-Moore, today commented on a bill being sent to the governor that would require every Oklahoma birth certificate to contain an accurate biological sex designation of either male or female as identified at the time of birth. House Bill 1225 clarifies that the biological sex listed on birth certificates…
OKLAHOMA CITY – Rep. Tom Gann, R-Inola, is calling for an Elector Bill of Rights to affirm that every Oklahoma voter has the right to be fully represented by the elected official they sent to the Capitol. Gann said the proposal is aimed at House rules that restrict ordinary members from freely making motions, forcing…
The resignation of Senator Markwayne Mullin to become the Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS) has thrown several races previously thought to be predictable into races with many candidates vying for races with no incumbents. Sen. Mullin’s position in the Senate was filled by Governor Stitt with Alan Armstrong who is not allowed to run for…
Oklahoma faces workforce challenges. Our college system should play a crucial role in addressing that challenge and fueling economic growth. Instead, the University of Oklahoma is receiving national attention for devolving into academic self-parody. Rather than gain renown for producing engineers and scientists, OU is under scrutiny for having a man who identifies as a…
[Analysis of history and science influence on political and religious attitudes.] It’s a small world. We were out on a fine, beautiful Saturday afternoon, headed over to our lab to work on the ham radio repeater. An event was underway at the Mountain Venue. We noticed one of the security guards managing traffic into…
Each year, as summer winds down and the first Monday in September approaches, we pause to honor the contributions of workers across the country. Labor Day is far more than a long weekend, it is a powerful reminder of the value of work, the dignity of those who labor, and the importance of fair and…
Oklahoma is taking in a lot of tax money. In fact, during the last year, the state has gotten so much extra money, it has as much as a billion dollars in the Rainy Day Fund (and other accounts). That’s a billion with a “B.” Gov. Kevin Stitt, to his credit, wants to sit tight…
[Looking at history and our area’s unique political and religious attitudes.] Calvin, the inquisitive 6-year-old asks his imaginary philosopher tiger, “It says here that ‘Religion is the opiate of the masses.’ What do you suppose that means?” The TV replies, ‘It means Karl Marx hadn’t seen anything yet.’ Although Marx was making a derogatory…
2026 Tulsa Public Schools School Bond Election Vote NO This school bond says your taxes will be at the same rate. However in 2021 this rate was supposed to raise $414 million and now this same rate will raise $609 million for a bond issue that lasts the same amount of time – 5 years.. …
Monica Granstaff and her family waited 12 years to get high-speed internet access to their farm near Okemah. In early September, the Oklahoma Broadband Office joined her family to witness their first fiber connection. The Granstaff family represents the hundreds of thousands of Oklahomans that will be connected by our grant programs, improving their lives…
The gap between intentions and outcomes can be vast in politics, as the push to raise Oklahoma’s minimum wage demonstrates. Proponents say they want to help struggling citizens at the bottom of the state’s economic ladder. But in practice, their wage-policy preference yanks that ladder out of the hands of those low-income workers, leaving them…
“There is no reason a child cannot read before they are in third grade,” former State Superintendent Joy Hofmeister said in 2019. “But our teachers have to teach based on the science of reading, and that is not happening across this state. It is happening in pockets.” While I disagreed with Hofmeister on many issues,…
Last week, I had the honor of playing in the Pro-Am prior to the ANNIKA Women’s All Pro Tour FCA Championship at Indian Springs Country Club in Broken Arrow. It was the sixth year for this tournament to be held at Indian Springs. This was the fourth time for me to play in this particular…
Oklahoma State ended the regular season with a home series win over Arizona at O’Brate Stadium, in Stillwater. Arizona won the first game on Thursday, 7-4, then the Cowboys took the second game on Friday, 13-1 in 7 innings. OSU clinched the series with a 7-5 victory over the Wildcats on Saturday. With the win,…
Oral Roberts won two out of three games at Northern Colorado to wrap up the regular season. Northern Colorado won the first game of the series on Thursday, 7-6, while ORU won on Friday, 14-2, in a run-rule shortened 8 inning game, and then the Golden Eagles took the third game of the series on…
Tennessee got past the Oklahoma Sooners on Thursday, 9-7, in game one of the regular-season ending series. After Friday’s game two was suspended in the bottom of the seventh due to lightning with Tennessee on top 5-3, that game was concluded as part of a double header on Saturday. The Volunteers completed the victory Saturday,…
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…