Oklahoma voters banned the sport of cockfighting more than 20 years ago, but efforts to legalize or lessen penalties have resurfaced in recent years. A political action committee largely made up of cockfighters began pumping thousands of dollars into lawmaker coffers a few years ago, which helped allow some bills to receive a hearing and […]
Chicken-Fried News
Chicken-Fried News
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School board elections
If there’s one thing education doesn’t need more of, it’s partisan politics. But in an era when Oklahoma’s top education official is pushing school-sanctioned religion and fealty to President Trump, state lawmakers want to see local school board elections injected with that same kind of right-wing pandering. Senate Bill 6, which was advanced last month […]
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Shopping carts
Oklahoma’s House of Representatives recently advanced a bill that would increase the penalty for stealing a shopping cart. A person could end up in jail for a year and pay a $1,000 fine if House Bill 1689 were to become law. Oklahoma has a special connection to the shopping cart. It was invented here in […]
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Power from the people
There’s nothing that scares Republican lawmakers more than giving more power to the people. Oklahoma is a politically conservative state, but when given the chance, voters have supported some fairly progressive issues in statewide votes, including Medicaid expansion and medical marijuana. That’s why the initiative petition process that puts issues on a statewide ballot has […]
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Fra-gee-lay
For the last two years, the town of Chickasha has attracted visitors to see its 40-foot replica of the Leg Lamp from the movie A Christmas Story. But like the mom in the movie who was determined to bring the lamp down, Warner Bros., the studio behind the movie, has ordered that the lamp be […]
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Stitt-Walters feud
Gov. Kevin Stitt, who essentially gifted Ryan Walters to Oklahoma, is now criticizing him for creating “political drama” in the state Department of Education. The governor recently replaced three members of the state board of education who have provided some resistance to Walters’ agenda. Walters has desperately tried to become a mini Donald Trump, and […]
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Veto threatened
Legalized sports betting is sweeping the nation, but like most new trends, it isn’t likely to hit Oklahoma for several more years. That’s largely because Gov. Kevin Stitt has opposed any sports betting effort that includes the state’s tribal governments. Yes, the governor’s feud with Native Americans is still going on. “We need more of […]
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CHK campus
Chesapeake Energy was once one of Oklahoma City’s corporate titans, and it had the office campus to prove it. Its Chesapeake Bay-inspired architecture, babbling creek, and restaurant and fitness center amenities made it a cutting-edge office park. However, after years of cuts and a recent merger and name change, Chesapeake Energy, now Expand Energy, is […]
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Plain fun
The Oklahoma City Thunder seem determined to mummify Nick Gallo, the team’s television reporter, who players drape in towels during the post-game interview. The new “tradition” highlights a level of camaraderie and immaturity that has made this team so easy to root for. However, after a game in January, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander chastised his teammates for […]
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Lightened workload
State Supt. Ryan Walters has a pretty busy life. State Sen. Mark Mann wants to help. Mann, an Oklahoma City Democrat, recently filed Senate Bill 374, which moves oversight of the Accreditation Standards Division away from the state Department of Education. It would also take teacher certificate duties away from the agency. “Ryan Walters has […]