News

Special Ed teachers

May 28, 2020

The Oklahoma House of Representatives gave approval to two bills designed to increase the number of special education teachers in the classroom and to address the statewide teacher shortage. Rep. Nicole Miller, R-Edmond, presented SB1436 creates a new path to certification in two areas for aspiring special education teachers and provides additional training for existing…

COLA to teachers, others

May 28, 2020

Gov. Kevin Stitt signed HB 3350, providing a cost-of-living-adjustment to first responders, teachers and state employees. The bill grants COLAs to firefighters, policemen, judges, teachers and certain other public employees. Benefits increase by 2% if the person has been retired for between two and five years as of July 1, 2020, and by 4% if…

Municipal filing June 8-10; Primary vote on June 30th

May 28, 2020

Even with a coronavirus crisis, the political process continues and the next election is a primary on June 30. Some races will be decided in a primary, some will set up the November 3 general election ballot and some will force an August 25 runoff. There is a proposed amendment to the Oklahoma Constitution on…

Angel Strohm versus Sheila Dills

May 28, 2020

Angela Strohm, wife of former State Rep. Chuck Strohm, is running for House District 69 because Rep. Sheila Dills, a Republican who replaced her husband, “does not represent conservative Oklahoma values.” Angela Strohm said Dills scored 65 out of 100 on an economic conservative index and only 43 on the Oklahoma Constitution (newspaper) Conservative Index….

Stanislawski endorses Baber

May 28, 2020

Sen. Gary Stanislawski, Republican State Senator for District 35, has endorsed Cheryl Baber, a former Assistant U.S. Attorney and Conservative Republican running to serve as his replacement. After serving 12 years, Stanislawski is term-limited. During his last term, Stanislawski won re-election by earning nearly 65% of the vote in the general election of 2016, and…

Newspaper endorsements

May 28, 2020

The liberal Tulsa World has endorsed long-time member Ruth Ann Fate in the District 6 race for Tulsa School Board and newcomer John Croisant in District 5. Fate will face Dr. Jerry Griffin in the June 30 election while Croisant will be up against Tulsa businessman Shane Saunders, a Republican. Fate said this is her…

OHCA suspends payments through June due to coronavirus

May 28, 2020

OKLAHOMA CITY — The Oklahoma Health Care Authority has suspended premiums for Insure Oklahoma Individual Plan participants in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Premiums will be suspended for at least April, May and June 2020. “We know many are experiencing difficult times due to the economic effects of COVID-19, and we are committed to protecting…

OSU team works on the coronavirus

May 28, 2020

Led by OSU assistant professor Dr. Ashlee Ford Versypt, a team of OSU researchers has joined an international coalition focused on understanding how the novel coronavirus impacts the body. Ford Versypt and her team are on the tissue damage sub-team of the SARS-CoV-2 Tissue Simulation Coalition, which includes a variety of theoretical and experimental collaborators…

Dr. Harris’ new book on investing

May 28, 2020

John K. Harris, a retired professor from The University of Tulsa, has written a new book, The Grow and Protect investment Strategy – Evidence and Inspiration. The book looks analytically at the S&P 500. “Dr. Harris writes in a user-friendly way that can really be understood by those less familiar with investing and its terminology,”…

Hotel group is pledging a safe stay

May 28, 2020

The Oklahoma Hotel & Lodging Association endorsed “Safe Stay,” an industry-wide initiative launched by the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AH&LA) in accordance with guidance issued by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) to meet challenges presented by COVID-19. “With the launch of Safe Stay, we seek to ensure both hotel guests and employees are…