Well before he canceled and skipped meetings with the state’s top school board in recent weeks, state Superintendent Ryan Walters has been chronically absent from multiple state boards where he holds a seat, including one he’s supposed to lead. Public meeting records show poor attendance from Walters, particularly this year, on various governing boards whose […]
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Posted inOklahoma Impact
Food security
What are you having for dinner tonight? In Oklahoma City’s thriving restaurant scene, the hardest part of answering that question can be picking where to go. But for nearly 1 in 5 Oklahomans, planning their next meal can be a stressful endeavor. Oklahoma is one of the hungriest states in the country, with 18.4 percent […]
Posted inChicken-Fried News
Sculpture booted
The city’s progressive wing gave the boot to a proposed sculpture. A planned sculpture titled “Kicks 66” by local artist Cameron Eagle was set to be placed along a stretch of Classen Boulevard in the middle of the city’s Asian District. The 35-foot-tall neon red boot was meant to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Route […]
Posted inChicken-Fried News
Weeding out ‘woke’
Oklahoma can use all of the teachers it can get, but Superintendent Ryan Walters aims to increase pressure on individuals potentially coming from New York and California by introducing an “America First” test. Walters said it will weed out “woke” teachers, but in a state that gives out thousands of emergency certifications to seemingly anyone […]
Posted inChicken-Fried News
Plug it
This summer, the Trump administration ruled that states no longer have to measure methane leaks before and after plugging up unused oil wells. But the absence of checking for a leak doesn’t mean there isn’t one. In fact, it’s a big problem in Oklahoma, which has more than 20,000 “abandoned wells.” Thankfully, the state is […]
Posted inEducation
Oklahoma State Board of Education calls its own meeting after Walters ‘refused to schedule’
In a rare move, a majority of the Oklahoma State Board of Education has scheduled its own meeting without the consent of state Superintendent Ryan Walters, who board members say has refused to cooperate. The decision comes a day after Walters abruptly canceled a meeting with the board that was meant to take place Thursday. […]
Posted inNews
Oklahoma Highway Patrol must continue to work metro highways, AG decides
A plan to remove Oklahoma Highway Patrol troopers from metro and urban areas is illegal, according to a legally binding opinion released Wednesday by the state’s top attorney. The agency cannot make “the arbitrary decision to foist its responsibility” onto the municipal and county law enforcement in Oklahoma and Tulsa counties, said Oklahoma Attorney General […]
Posted inNews
Walters’ ‘America First’ teacher test could overstep Oklahoma law, state agency leader says
The Oklahoma State Department of Education likely would contradict state law if it implements an ideological test for teachers coming from certain states, said the leader of another state agency that oversees teacher assessments. Requiring an “America First” assessment for teachers moving from progressive states like California and New York, as state Superintendent Ryan Walters […]
Posted inNews
Community knot
Located in the heart of Midtown, Palomar has been the central hub for victim services in Oklahoma City for nearly a decade. Collaborating with 44 partner organizations, Palomar has served over 29,000 clients over the last eight years — survivors of domestic violence, child abuse, sexual assault, stalking, elder abuse and human trafficking. Named after […]
Posted inNews
Shared liability
Confusion has been the primary response to a new interpretation of a couple pieces of legislation related to tourism and hospitality. When Mesero owner Trey Dyer posted a reel in June detailing the OAK’s use of the common patio law from 2020 in combination with the Tourism Development Act of 2024, operators around the city […]