Due to a drop in city revenue, Mayor G.T. Bynum said the furloughing of city employees could continue in 2021. In April, Bynum installed the furlough plan when the shutdown due to Chinese coronavirus pandemic caused a steep decline in revenues. Beginning in May, about a thousand city employees have been off a half-day a…
The Tulsa School Board voted to keep secondary students in distance learning until January in a reaction to the Chinese coronavirus pandemic. Meeting online, the board voted 6-1 to have students in middle schools, and junior and senior high schools to not go back to classrooms until January 4, 2021, at the start of the…
A yes vote on State Question 814 on November 3 would free up hundreds of millions of dollars to supplement the rising cost of Medicaid services in Oklahoma. SQ 814, placed on the ballot by the Legislature and Gov. Kevin Stitt, would change put less money in the Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust (TSET) and more…
The Oklahoma Bar Association has created a website, www.courtfacts.org, to give voters information on appellate court judges who will be on the ballot for retention votes on Nov. 3. The website offers biographies and photos of the judges, plus an explanation of how the merit retention system works. OBA President Susan Shields of Oklahoma City…
Gov. Kevin Stitt sent out a letter to supporters asking them to vote no on State Question 805, which would further liberalize Oklahoma’s justice system. The letter reads: “As you know, since the beginning of my campaign for Governor, I have been an advocate for smart criminal justice reform, one that gives non-violent offenders a…
U.S. Rep. Kevin Hern, R-Oklahoma, introduced legislation to rename the U.S. Post Office at 1233 North Cedar Street in Owasso after fallen Air National Guardsman, Sergeant Marshal Roberts. Roberts, from Owasso, gave his life in service to his country while deployed in Iraq in March 2020. The entire Oklahoma delegation to the U.S. House of…
Oklahoma State Election Board Secretary Paul Ziriax issued a voter alert, warning voters about a text message that was received by a voter recently that falsely claimed the voter’s polling place had changed. The complaint has been referred by election officials to law enforcement. The text message falsely advised the voter that her polling place…
Oklahoma Farm Bureau has joined a coalition opposing State Question 805, which will be voted on by Oklahomans in the Nov. 3 general election. SQ 805 seeks to amend the Oklahoma Constitution by preventing a criminal’s previous non-violent felony convictions from being used to enhance his or her current sentence for a non-violent felony conviction….
New figures released by the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission and the U.S. Department of Labor show Oklahoma’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate declined to 5.3% in September, ranking ninth lowest in the country. The September rate is an improvement from August’s 5.7% mark and below the national unemployment rate, which declined to 7.9%. “Oklahoma continues to…
Tulsa County Election Board Secretary Gwen Freeman has some reminders for voters prior to the November 3 presidential election. Early voting will be available at ONEOK Field, 201 N. Elgin Ave. from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. October 29-30 and from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on October 31. The Election Board office will not…