Scott Cooper

Fed up with “politics as usual,” a group of distinguished politicians laid out a criteria  Monday to resurrect national bipartisanship. Speaking before a packed house on the campus of the University of Oklahoma, group co-chairman and OU President David Boren said the time is now to bring a change in politics.   “We come together […]

An audit on the state Department of Corrections found budget problems do not lie within the department, but with the Legislature.   After conducting a nearly six-month audit of DOC, for which the Legislature appropriated nearly $1 million, the report concluded better cost savings could derive from public policy changes. The authors of the report […]

Economists and budget directors recently laid out preliminary figures and forecasts for 2008 to the House Appropriations and Budget Committee. The only thing everyone agreed on was that Oklahoma’s well-being rises and falls with the price of oil. “Oklahoma’s economy is not diversified enough to soften a blow from (an) oil (bust),” said Oklahoma State […]

Trying to carry on grassroots consumer advocacy, the state attorney general has created an award in the name of the man who essentially established private consumer protection in Oklahoma. For a quarter century, Brad Edwards hunted down scam artists and warned the public about frauds through his “In Your Corner” segment on KFOR-TV Channel 4. […]

State agencies using up Christmas wishes for next year’s budget better get use to two words: Forget it.   Numbers from the State Office of Finance indicate that while state revenue is up, the money available for agencies is flat. State Finance Director Tony Hutchinson said the budget for fiscal year 2009 is near the […]

For two decades, Curtis Edward McCarty played defense, spending every day defending his life from an execution date. Now the 45-year-old former death-row inmate is on offense. In federal court, McCarty filed a lawsuit this month against Oklahoma City for violation of his constitutional rights. The suit also targets former forensic chemist Joyce Gilchrist and […]

The Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals has reversed a district court decision to suppress evidence obtained from intercepting wireless cell phone calls. In a unanimous decision, the court ruled state law enforcement acted properly under state and federal guidelines, and therefore, the communication interceptions were legal.   The court stated while there is confusion because […]

Oklahoma City residents gave overwhelming approval of a city bond package worth $835 million Dec. 11 despite the dire weather conditions.   Tuesday’s election of 11 propositions ranged from repairing streets to building new parks. The vote took place one day after a harsh winter storm plowed through central Oklahoma, destroying trees and cutting off […]

For the hundreds of thousands of Oklahomans still without power from this week’s ice storm, the governor has one message: Be patient.   Speaking before a gaggle of reporters and photographers outside the Oklahoma Gazette offices, Gov. Brad Henry gave his thoughts and prayers for those affected by the winter ice storm and urged everyone […]